205 Elev8

06/04/2026

WVTM 13 reports that Zandral Washington is set to be sworn in as Center Point’s first police chief, marking the city’s first major step toward building its own police department from the ground up

This is not a small assignment. Chief Washington will be walking into a job that includes creating policies, building a budget, purchasing equipment, hiring officers, and helping transition Center Point’s current public-safety structure into a functioning police agency. In other words, she is not just taking over a department.

Washington brings deep law-enforcement experience to the role. According to WVTM, her career started with the Birmingham Police Department, and she spent the last 29 years with the UAB police force. She also attended the FBI National Academy and has experience connected to CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The issue residents will be watching closely is response time. Center Point leaders have raised concerns about long waits for Jefferson County deputies assigned to cover the city. Washington says hiring officers will be a priority, with the city looking to bring people on over the next 12 to 18 months. She also said fully building out the department could take up to 36 months.

Eli’s question for Center Point and the 205: What should Chief Washington’s top priority be in the first 100 days — faster response times, officer hiring, community trust, youth engagement, traffic safety, or transparency?

One day before being sworn in as Center Point’s first police chief, Zandral Washington said she wants residents to feel pride in their law enforcement agency as the city takes the first step toward operating its own police department. FULL STORY ⬇️

06/04/2026

Alabama just hit a history-making health-care milestone.

For the first time, a patient legally purchased medical cannabis in Alabama. WVTM reports Amanda Taylor of Cullman, who has multiple sclerosis, became the first patient to receive medical cannabis at Callie’s Apothecary in Montgomery during its soft opening. The dispensary officially opens today.

This has been a long road. Alabama approved medical cannabis back in 2021, but lawsuits, licensing fights, production rules, and testing delays kept patients waiting. Now the program is finally moving from paperwork to actual patient access.

Here is the part to know before the comments start doing cartwheels: this is medical cannabis, not recreational ma*****na. Patients must have a qualifying condition, work with a certified Alabama physician, register with the state, and have a valid medical cannabis card. Alabama also does not allow smokable or v**e products under this program.

For Birmingham and Jefferson County, the question now is access. State information lists Birmingham and Bessemer among expected dispensing cities, but local opening dates still need to be confirmed.

So let’s talk, Birmingham: Is Alabama finally catching up on patient access, or is the rollout still moving too slowly?

*****na

More than five years ago, Alabama became the 37th state in the U.S. to legalize medicinal cannabis after Gov. Kay Ivey signed the medical ma*****na bill into law. But legal disputes created hurdles, making the process of getting medical ma*****na to patients a slow one.  Amanda Taylor became the first patient in Alabama to receive medical cannabis on Wednesday. The process: https://tinyurl.com/4bcpt2fh

06/03/2026

What's good in these streets!

We're going back to the 90s. 🎶
An experience you don't want to miss.

📅 July 18, 2026 | 3PM
📍 The Guiding Light Church | Birmingham, AL
Early Bird Tickets: $10 (ends June 21)
🔗Get your tickets today: givebutter.com/byyafclive

06/03/2026

Alabama’s congressional redistricting fight is still affecting voters, including people in Jefferson County. The Alabama Secretary of State lists an August 11 special primary for congressional districts 1, 2, 6, and 7.

Local reporting from WVTM said votes cast in affected congressional races during the May 19 primary would be tabulated and made public but could be considered void if the special primary proceeds. WBRC reported that a federal hearing in Birmingham focused on whether Alabama could return to a Republican-backed map previously found likely to violate the Voting Rights Act, while voting-rights groups warned of voter confusion.

The key point for residents is simple: check your district, check your sample ballot, and do not assume the last election notice you saw is the final word.

205 Elev8 question: Do you know which congressional district you are in right now?

06/03/2026

The former Birmingham-Southern College campus is officially moving into a new chapter. The U.S. Coast Guard closed on the 192-acre campus in a $126.5 million deal, and the site is planned to become Coast Guard Training Center Birmingham-Southern.

Local reports say the campus includes about 1.3 million square feet of buildings, athletic fields, and green space, with several thousand enlisted personnel expected to train there each year. Former BSC president Daniel Coleman told WBHM the sale allows the college to pay creditors and work toward a future foundation or endowment plan.

For West Birmingham, the big questions now are practical: How many jobs will be local? How will traffic, housing, and neighborhood investment be handled? How will the campus history be preserved while the facility changes?

205 Elev8 takeaway: This is not just a real estate sale. It is a major West Birmingham redevelopment story.

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05/29/2026

NEW 24-HOUR DINER: The owners of Dave's Pub are bringing a new late-night/early-morning diner concept to Five Points South this summer 🥳

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and our freedom. 🇺🇸

205Elev8 salutes the courage, service, and legacy of those who gave their lives in defense of our nation. May we never forget the cost of freedom and the families who continue to carry that sacrifice every day.

05/16/2026

When communities work together, we can:
Build food hubs
Support local gardens
Expand partnerships
Strengthen emergency preparedness
Make sure no family is left behind

Strong communities feed people.
Organized communities build systems.