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City Council approves funds to redevelop historic Ramsay-McCormack Building 

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved an agreement between the city and Ensley District Developers, LLC to redevelop the historic Ramsay-McCormack building in downtown Ensley. The council voted 8-1 with Councilor Steven Hoyt being the no vote after raising some concerns about the project. 

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The 10 story Ramsay-McCormack Building towers over downtown Ensley was once bustling with activity Thursday January 12, 2017 . (Photo by: Frank Couch | The Birmingham Times)

By Erica Wright

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved an agreement between the city and Ensley District Developers, LLC to redevelop the historic Ramsay-McCormack building in downtown Ensley.

The council voted 8-1 with Councilor Steven Hoyt being the no vote after raising some concerns about the project.

The council approved spending $1.5 million towards the pre-development work and $2.5 million for construction.

The vote came during a meeting where the body unanimously elected Councilor William Parker as the Birmingham City Council President and Councilor Wardine Alexander as President Pro Tempore. Parker replaces Valerie Abbott who had served as president since 2017.

The redevelopment of the Ramsay-McCormack building has long been talked about and city officials were elated what the project could mean for the Ensley community and the city.

Mayor Randall Woodfin called the project “a big deal.”

“We’ve seen a lot of business districts grow over time like in Avondale and Woodlawn and what we’re saying is the same type of new created foot traffic in all of these other districts, we want the same vitality in downtown Ensley,” he said. “We want people to be able to come there not just from 9-5 and go at night, but at 5:01 we want people to have a reason to stay there.”

With the funding in place, the next step is for the developer to submit a work plan to the city by December 6 that will outline how the building will be used.

Once the work plan is approved, the city will provide $1.3 million for pre-development work that includes hiring a local project manager as well as Birmingham area engineers and architects and holding meetings with community stakeholders. The developer will also secure tenants before construction.

“We want a live, work, play environment that is a 21st century win and we want it to have as many of the amenities and many of the great qualities that other areas here have that the people in Ensley deserve,” said Irvin Henderson, Managing Partner for Ensley District Developers. “We’re really looking to have a great collaboration with the existing property owners, existing residents, and then we want to attract new businesses, new residents and we want to make sure there is an economic development happening in Ensley that allows the feasibility of the entire redevelopment.”

Historic Structure

The Ramsay-McCormack building- a 10-story, 144-foot-tall office tower completed in 1929 and located on the corner of Avenue E and 19th Street Ensley-is named after investment partners Erskine Ramsay and Carr McCormack of the Ramsay-McCormack Development Co.

The building housed the Bank of Ensley on the ground floor, as well as the developer’s offices and local offices for U.S. Steel for several years. Despite a renovation in 1970, the closure of U.S. Steel’s Ensley Works left much of the tower vacant and the building’s doors were closed in 1979.

The city has owned the building since 1983 when U.S. Steel sold the building to the city for $1 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, but has been empty since 1986.

“To residents of the entire Ensley community who have been in need of some [tender loving care] from the city of Birmingham, we’re glad to provide this [redevelopment],” said Woodfin. “To Councilor [John] Hilliard, who has been an advocate and represents this district and this area and the people of this district and to the majority of the council who approved this, we’re excited about it. We’re excited about our developer at the table. It’s a big deal.”

Hilliard, who represents the area, said this is about much more than just the Ramsay-McCormack building.

“This is truly a great start…but it’s not just about that building, it’s about the development of the Ensley area,” he said. “We need green space, we need blocks to be renovated. We want investors to come. We would like for Ensley to reflect the rest of Birmingham. It’s not just about the building in Ensley . . . people want viable businesses… I thank the department of economic development and the mayor for all that you have done. This is a promise kept.”

Hoyt, who also represents parts of the Ensley area, said though he was in support of the redevelopment, he still had some questions and concerns.

“We’ve already done this mitigation. We’ve spent about $2 or $3 million to mitigate the lead and the asbestos and all of that so we shouldn’t be paying for a test that’s already been done… that’s why it’s hard for me to support this on the surface because that’s a waste of money,” said Hoyt.

New Leadership

In other council news, Parker was unanimously elected as the Birmingham City Council President and Alexander President Pro Tempore on a 5-4 vote. Councilors Abbott, Alexander, Parker, O’Quinn and Williams voted for Alexander while Councilors Woods, Hilliard, Smitherman and Hoyt voted for Hilliard.

Parker said he’s ready to get to work as president and plans to meet with his colleagues. “We are a team and we’re going to work as a team and we’re going to roll up our sleeves to make sure we work together collectively as one group,” he said during Tuesday’s meeting. “I’ll be talking to everyone individually but we want to make sure that we are a body, we’re going to work with the mayor and make sure it’s all 10 of us so we’re going to work.”

Alexander was appointed to the council last year to fill the unexpired term of Jay Roberson. She is in a November runoff with Ray Brooks for the District 7 seat.

For more about the Ramsay-McCormack redevelopment, visit www.birminghamal.gov/ensleyredevelopment.

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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Federal Raids Target Migrant Kids, Split Families

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States and placed them into government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States and placed them into government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The children, many of whom were living with family members or other vetted sponsors, were taken during so-called “welfare checks” carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies. According to CNN, the operations are part of a larger campaign launched shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office, with federal authorities setting up a “war room” inside the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review data on children who entered the country alone and were later released to sponsors. Officials have used the room to coordinate efforts between agencies, including ICE and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which oversees the custody of unaccompanied migrant children.

Trump officials claim the effort is aimed at protecting children placed in unsafe conditions or with unqualified sponsors, pointing to cases where children were released to individuals with criminal backgrounds or those involved in smuggling. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the welfare checks have led to the arrests of some sponsors and the transfer of children into ORR custody. Federal data shows more than 2,500 children are currently in ORR custody. CNN reported that the average stay has grown significantly, from 67 days in December 2024 to 170 days by April 2025. Former Health and Human Services officials say new vetting rules—including income requirements, government-issued ID, and DNA tests—have made it far more difficult for parents and guardians, particularly those who are undocumented, to reclaim their children.

In some cases, reunifications that had already been scheduled were canceled. A recent lawsuit details how two brothers, ages 7 and 14, remain in government care because their mother cannot meet new documentation requirements under the revised policies. Mark Greenberg, a former senior HHS official, stated that the approach puts children in a difficult situation. “To the extent, the goal is to determine whether children are in danger or in need of help, this isn’t a good way to do that because it creates fear that anything they say could be used against their parent or family member,” he said. Immigration enforcement agents reportedly have visited children’s homes and asked about their journey to the U.S., school attendance, and upcoming immigration court appearances. Legal advocates say these visits, which sometimes include the FBI, are not standard child welfare procedures and can create fear and confusion among minors.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed the agency’s role, saying, “Protecting children is a critical mission for the FBI, and we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to secure their safety and well-being.” Multiple outlets noted that the Trump administration has not provided clear evidence that large numbers of children are missing. Instead, it has referenced a Department of Homeland Security inspector general report from 2023 that noted more than 291,000 unaccompanied minors had not received notices to appear in immigration court. Former officials note that these figures do not necessarily indicate that the children are missing; some lacked updated addresses or were affected by administrative backlogs.

Within HHS, officials were instructed to expedite policy changes. Former ORR Ombudsman Mary Giovagnoli stated that a senior ICE official, Melissa Harper, was temporarily appointed to lead ORR. Her short tenure was followed by Angie Salazar, another former ICE official who now frequently communicates with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Trump’s team argues the Biden administration allowed thousands of unaccompanied children to enter the country without sufficient oversight. Jen Smyers, a former ORR deputy director, stated that all sponsors underwent thorough vetting, including Department of Justice background checks and reviews of the sex offender registry. “No amount of vetting is a predictor of the future,” she said. The Miami Herald recently reported that a 17-year-old foster child in Florida was removed from his home in shackles and transferred to ICE custody. The boy and his mother had crossed the border without documentation, but he had been living in a state-supervised foster placement. The case raised concerns about the state’s cooperation with federal enforcement and the message it sends to immigrant families. Concerns about federal custody of vulnerable children are not confined to immigration.

In North Carolina, a 7-month-old baby died after being left in a hot minivan by her foster mother, who now faces charges of negligent child abuse and involuntary manslaughter. In Hawaii, dozens of children have been forced to sleep in government offices and hotels due to a shortage of foster placements. In North Dakota, a foster couple has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old after surveillance footage showed the child being repeatedly assaulted. “These cases show what happens when systems meant to protect children fail them,” said Laura Nally, director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights Children’s Program. “There’s a growing concern that these welfare checks are being used to carry out mass detentions of sponsors and unnecessarily return children to government custody.”

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Protests of a Costly and Historic Parade

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — President Trump is planning an elaborate and costly celebration for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincides with his birthday.

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By April Ryan

It will rain on President Trump‘s parade on Saturday if most weather forecasts correctly predict the chance of storms. President Trump is planning an elaborate and costly celebration for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincides with his birthday. When asked if he plans to attend the massive D.C. celebration, New York Democratic Congressman Greg Meeks exclaimed,” Heck no!” He elaborated, saying, “It is clear to me that what Donald J. Trump is trying to do is to emulate Vladimir Putin.” Trump and Putin, the Russian president, are friends. Meeks feels “that’s where he initially got the idea from when he saw the tanks going down the street and how people bow down to Vladimir Putin, how…that authoritarian runs his country where no one questions what he does.”

Meanwhile, around the nation 1600 protests are scheduled to coincide with what is happening in Washington, D.C. Democratic Congressman Al Greene confirms he will attend several “No King Day” protest rallies and marches in his home state of Texas. The congressman questions the president’s comments about using “force” for anyone trying to stop the parade. Reverand William Barber plans to be in Philadelphia on Saturday. “We are having a rally bringing people together,” the civil rights leader confirmed. The leader of Repairers of the Breach added, “Those rallies are gonna be massive and multiracial of every race, color, creed, religion, geographic area, so this is not a moment. We must have a constant movement.”

Weeks ago, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser warned the parade, and all its military might, and pageantry would cost “many millions of dollars” just to repair District streets after the heavy artillery tanks rolled down the historic roads in the nation’s capital. Tall gates and other barricades around the White House are part of the parade’s security measures. The Secret Service has warned of a high-security presence in the area for the parade. You can expect to see military tanks, dozens of other military vehicles, and thousands of service members marching along a route stretching nearly four miles from the Pentagon to the White House.

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Critics Question 2024 Results as Musk Tactics Surface

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Now, a Wisconsin nonprofit has filed a legal complaint accusing Musk, his America PAC, and a Musk-affiliated group called United States of America Inc. of violating state election laws by bribing voters.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2024 has reignited questions about election integrity, particularly after his remarks thanking Elon Musk for what he called a “landslide” win in Pennsylvania. “He knows those computers better than anybody… all those vote-counting computers,” Trump said. “So, thank you to Elon.” The comment set off alarm, including Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett. “So, Trump is rambling on about he and Elon rigging the election?! Am I missing something or is he confessing to yet another damn crime?!” she posted on social media.

Now, a Wisconsin nonprofit has filed a legal complaint accusing Musk, his America PAC, and a Musk-affiliated group called United States of America Inc. of violating state election laws by bribing voters. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and two voters allege Musk handed out $1 million checks and that his PAC paid $100 to registered voters who signed petitions and gave their contact information. Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value over $1 to encourage someone to vote. The complaint also cites violations of the state’s lottery ban. The plaintiffs are asking a court to declare the actions illegal, prevent future violations, and award damages if applicable.

The lawsuit follows a failed attempt by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to block Musk’s actions earlier this year. Kaul argued that Musk’s conduct amounted to illegal inducement, but courts declined to intervene before the April state Supreme Court election. Jeff Mandell, president and general counsel for Law Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, said this new case is being filed under more typical legal timelines. “We’re trying to create … accountability in a more regular timeline, in a way that gives the courts the opportunity to look at this more carefully,” Mandell said.

Musk, who served briefly as a Trump adviser and led a short-lived federal agency focused on cost-cutting, has denied wrongdoing. He initially promoted the giveaways as rewards for early voters but later revised eligibility criteria following legal scrutiny. The controversy has added fuel to growing concerns over anomalies in places like Rockland County, New York, where Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly received virtually no votes despite Democratic victories in other races. “We know exactly what happened and how it unfolded, and we’re asking the court to say this is not acceptable,” Mandel has said.

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