Slave Ship Discovery + Child Killed In Ensley: The Week In News

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Christmas week in the Birmingham metro saw some tragic events occur, and some concerning news as well. Multiple homicides occurred in Birmingham, including the shooting death of a child in Ensley. Also, the omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to worry doctors.

Here are those stories and more from this past week on Patch:

13-Year-Old Boy Shot And Killed In Ensley

Jeremiah Pruitt was shot just after 9 p.m. Tuesday night while in the front yard of a residence in the 1500 block of 51st Street in Ensley.

Last Slave Ship Discovered On Alabama Coast 'Mostly Intact'

Since identifying wreckage in 2019 as the Clotilda, the last known U.S. ship involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, researchers have discovered that the ship is mostly intact, but still do not know if it can be pulled from the wreck site.

Jeff State Looking For Food Trucks To Come To Campuses

Jefferson State Community College is looking for a food truck or two to come to its campuses. The school is requesting submissions for its Hoover location and its Carson Road campus.

Uniquely Alabama: Birmingham's 150th Birthday

On December 19, 1871, the City of Birmingham was incorporated, beginning a 150-year history that includes some of the most iconic moments in U.S. history.

Omicron Cases In Alabama: See Latest CDC Data

The omicron variant has overtaken the delta coronavirus variant, including in the Southeast, and is now dominant in the United States, accounting for 73 percent of new cases, federal health officials estimate.