Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin recently sat down for an interview, discussing the city’s reducing violent crime and attracting new residents. However, he also acknowledged ongoing concerns over infrastructure, neighborhood investment, the city jail, and controversial data center developments.

New Developments in Birmingham

A multibillion-dollar AI data center is coming to Birmingham’s Oxmoor Valley, along with a tax incentive package projected to be worth more than $3 billion over 30 years. The Alabama Department of Transportation is also requesting a permit to fill 1.36 acres of wetlands and more than 10,000 linear feet of streams to build the next phase of the Northern Beltline, a 9.5-mile stretch of interstate highway north of Birmingham.

Additionally, the Alabama Tourism Department has launched a new initiative, the Alabama Catfish Trail, designed to celebrate the people, places, and traditions of Alabama’s catfish culture. The trail features more than 50 spots for visitors, including lakes, rivers, restaurants, and markets, along with experiences.

Community Events

Episcopalians in Alabama were ordaining the Rev. Richard Lawson as the new bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama Saturday at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham. Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor also headlined day two of Sloss Tech 2026, which brought leaders from across the technology, business, and creative industries to downtown Birmingham to explore the future of innovation.

Original reporting: BirminghamWatch — read the source article.