🌱 St. Paddy's Day Parade Today + Shooting Determined Justified

Good morning, Birmingham! Let's get you started this Saturday with everything you need to know going on around town today.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 63 Low: 40.

Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. There's still time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Five Points South in Birmingham with the 38th Annual St. Patrick's Parade today! The event will be held from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. and the lineup will begin at 11 a.m. at 2000 9th Ave. S. Participating eateries will also have live music as well as lunch, dinner, and drink specials from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today! (Birmingham Patch)
2. The shooting death of a 26-year-old man in Birmingham's east side earlier this week has been ruled justifiable. On Friday, Birmingham police announced there will be no criminal charges filed in the killing of Jonathan Earl Dancer. East Precinct officers reported to 6648 Division Avenue on Wednesday at 11:40 a.m. to a report of a person shot. They found Dancer was suffering from at least one gunshot wound and he later died at the hospital. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office has determined that the shooting was self-defense. (AL.com)
3. Three school districts in Jefferson County are set to make masks optional according to a Friday announcement. Birmingham City Schools, Fairfield City Schools, and Bessemer City Schools said that as of Monday, Apr. 4, masks will no longer be required on school campuses. The districts are also holding a joint COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Western Hills Mall next Thursday to encourage vaccination before Spring Break. (Alabama's News Leader)

Today in Birmingham:

• William Downs: Rumbling & Stumbling - University of Alabama at Birmingham (12:00 PM)
• Sonya Yong James: The Eye of a Needle - University of Alabama at Birmingham (12:00 PM)
• Lily Reeves: Between Futures - University of Alabama at Birmingham (12:00 PM)
• Five Points South’s 38th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade - Five Points (1:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Culver's, famous for their Butterburgers, frozen custard, and more is now open in Birmingham at 6222 Tattersall Blvd! This is the restaurant's second location in the Birmingham area. (Bham Now)
• Join the Birmingham Botanical Gardens today to learn about the Gardens’ history by viewing art and sculptures across the grounds! Click the link for more information (Facebook)
• Looking to house hunt this weekend? Here are 54 new and coming soon home listings around Birmingham. (Bham Now)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday. I'll see you soon!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.