2014

2014 is the 143rd year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• January 1: A plane crash in an Alabaster back yard resulted in minor injuries.
• January 1: The Homewood High School marching band made their fourth appearance in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
• January 1: Richard Shahan was arrested as a "fugitive from justice" before boarding a flight from Nashville, Tennessee to Frankfurt, Germany.
• January 1: The Blazer Express bus system went into service.
• January 27: Sibyl Temple in Vestavia Hills was first illuminated blue after a traffic fatality.
• January 28: Unexpected snow and ice stranded thousands of people in their cars in the 2014 winter storm.
• February 14: A plane crash in northeast Jefferson County resulted in 2 fatalities.
• November 3: Date set for civil trial against architects and contractors faulted for the 2013 Birmingham airport fatality.
• February 12: A rare snowfall brought 4-5 inches to parts of Birmingham.

Business

• March 1: Mark Crosswhite succeeded Charles McCrary as CEO of Alabama Power.
• Alabama Media Group moved from the 2006 Birmingham News building to the Young & Vann Building.
• Mercedes-Benz US International began producing C-Class sedans in Tuscaloosa.
• Momentum Telecom merged with Integrated Broadband Services (IBBS) of Kennessaw, Georgia.
• Direct Communications moved from Cahaba Heights to 1st Avenue South in Birmingham.
• Steyr Arms moved from Trussville Industrial Park to Bessemer.
• Storkland Furniture returned to 2nd Avenue North from Vestavia Hills.
• Dynamic Civil Solutions‎ moved from the Frank Nelson Building to 2210 2nd Avenue North.

Establishments

• January 20: The Southern opened at Uptown.
• January 21: Continental Bakery opened a second location in One Federal Place.
• late January: 24e Fitness opened a new location on Main Street in Trussville.
• Cahaba Oaks Cafe opened at McEnally's Mercantile in Clay.
• Dupont Public House opened at SoHo Square.
• Melt opened on 41st Street South in Avondale.
• Taziki's opened five new locations, including one in Auburn.

Disestablishments

• January: Tavern on the Summit closed.
• January: All Seasons Travel merged with Christopherson Andavo of Salt Lake City, Utah.
• January 29: Produce/grocery retailer Freshfully closed.

Education

• Pelham City Schools broke away from Shelby County Schools.

Government

• Redistricting affected constituencies in the Alabama State Senate and Alabama House of Representatives.

Sports

• January 2: The 2013 Alabama Crimson Tide football team lost to the Oklahoma Sooners 45-31 in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana
• January 4: The Vanderbilt Commodores defeated the Houston Cougars 41-24 in the 2014 BBVA Compass Bowl at Legion Field
• January 6: Jameis Winston led the Florida State Seminoles to a 34-31 victory over the Auburn Tigers in the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena, California.
• January 8: Former Auburn and Birmingham Barons star Frank Thomas was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• February 16: Mark Chepses of West Des Moines, Iowa won the Mercedes Marathon with a time of 2:20:36.
• The Alabama Outlawz began playing arena football in the X-League at Bill Harris Arena.
• The Birmingham Black Widows began playing in the Women's Indoor Football League.
• June 25: The 2014 Rickwood Classic was played.
• August: ESPN's SEC Network debuted, featuring Paul Finebaum's call-in show.

Individuals

• January 31: Scott Richards conducted his final broadcast on WBRC 6.
• February 2: Michael Rich became Priest in Charge of St Andrew's Episcopal Church.
• Devon Laney succeeded Susan Matlock as director of the Innovation Depot.

Awards

• Alabama Women's Hall of Fame:
• Alabama Lawyers Hall of Fame:
• Alabama Men's Hall of Fame:
• Alabama Sports Hall of Fame: Major Ogilvie, Ruthie Bolton, Red Cochran, Bill Cody, Eli Gold, Travis Grant, Walter Jones and David Magadan
• Birmingham Barons Hall of Fame:
• Birmingham Business Hall of Fame:
• Birmingham Gallery of Distinguished Citizens:
• Legend of Birmingham Award: Tony Nathan
• Miss Alabama:
• Miss Alabama USA: Jesica Ahlberg
• Miss Birmingham: Chelsea Yarber
• Miss Samford: Shea Summerlin
• Miss UAB:
• Mr Football:

Births

• January 1: Griffin, a giraffe, was born at the Birmingham Zoo.
• January 29: Wynter Dobbins, born during the 2014 winter storm.

Deaths

• January 3: Betty Caldwell, actress, director and English teacher
• January 12: James Pittman, former dean of the UAB School of Medicine
• January 12: Bob Burton, former CEO of Hoar Construction
• January 30: Danielle Downey, former LPGA golfer and Auburn Tigers women's golf coach
• February 2: Wade Black, filmmaker and director of the Birmingham Pledge Foundation

See also List of Birmingham homicides in 2014 and List of homicides in 2014

Works

• The second phase of LightRails public art installations in underpasses in the downtown Railroad Reservation.
• February 18: St Paul & the Broken Bones' first full-length album, "Half the City", was released.

Buildings

• January 16: The Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts opened to the public.
• The 34th Street North overpass in Collegeville was completed.
• The hotel at the Ross Bridge Resort completed a $5 million renovation.
• The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport Terminal Modernization Project was completed.
• Green Drive reopened in Trussville.
• Hewitt-Trussville Stadium was completed at Hewitt-Trussville High School.
• The I-22 I-65 interchange opened.
• The Rotary Trail at 1st Avenue South was constructed.
• Trussville Civitan Park reopened after extensive renovations.
• University Flats in Glen Iris opened.

See Also

• 2014 Birmingham Barons
• 2014 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival
• 2014 UAB Blazers football

Context

In 2014, the Winter Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia.

Notable deaths in 2014 included former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and musician Pete Seeger.

2010s

<< 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 >>

Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works