USFL Draft + Inmate Deaths At Bessemer Prison: The Week In News

BIRMINGHAM, AL — This past week in the Birmingham metro area, the major news stories involved a variety of subjects, from sports to restaurant news to crime.

The United States Football League held its inaugural draft at Protective Stadium this past week, with eight quarterbacks picked in the first round.

Between Feb. 18 and Deb. 25, three inmates at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer died. One of the deaths did not involve foul play, according to the Jefferson County Coroner's Office, but the other two involved a stabbing and blunt force trauma.

Read those stories and other that shaped the news cycle this past week on Patch:

Inmate At Bessemer Prison Becomes Facility's 3rd Death In A Week

For the third time this week, an inmate at Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer has died. Victor Joseph Russo, 60, died Friday morning at UAB Hospital.

USFL Draft: Patterson Selected First, Stallions Pick McGough

The inaugural draft for the United States Football League at Protective Stadium in Birmingham Tuesday night saw former Ole Miss and University of Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson selected as the league's first pick by the Michigan Panthers.

Family Wants Answers In Deadly Shooting By Birmingham Police

After a 27-year-old man was shot and killed by Birmingham police Wednesday night, the victim's family and local civil rights leaders want answers regarding the incident.

Which Area Restaurants Are 2022 James Beard Award Semifinalists

The culinary world's top honors — the James Beard Awards — again have honored some Birmingham metro businesses among the semifinalists lists.

Former Youth Coach Arrested In Sex Abuse Case

The Hoover Police Department arrested a former coach of a travel sports team accused of sexually abusing a player on her team.