1996

1996 was the 125th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• January 1: The West End Masonic Temple caught fire.
• July 1-September 1: The First Emperor: Treasures from Ancient China exhibit at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
• August 14: Clay-Chalkville High School and the new location of Shades Valley High School opened.
• September 1: ABC 33/40 went on the air and WBRC 6 became Birmingham's FOX affiliate.
• October 2: The Birmingham Regional EMS System handled its first interagency call.
• October 24: President Bill Clinton spoke at Birmingham-Southern College.
• November 5: Birmingham signed a Sister City agreement with Anshan, China.
• Lonnie Holley was the 1996 "Distinguished Artist" from the Magic City Art Connection.
• The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service began wearing newly-redesigned shoulder patches.
• Cleveland Hammonds was hired as superintendent of St Louis, Missouri's public schools.
• Birmingham City Schools launched the Workplace Instructional Resources and Educational Development with Steve Orel as director.
• The original John Carroll Catholic High School buildings on Highland Avenue were demolished.
• December 9: Jefferson County and the State of Alabama signed a consent decree with plaintiffs and U.S. Attorneys in United States v. Jefferson County, agreeing to upgrade the Jefferson County Sewer System in compliance with the requirements of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251) and permits from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.

Business

• January 1: Dowd Ritter became president and CEO of AmSouth Bank.
• April 11: Compass Bank acquired Equitable Bankshares of Dallas, Texas.
• April 19: Compass Bank acquired Post Oak Bank of Houston, Texas.
• July 15: WFFX-FM (95.7 The Fox) changed over to WBHJ-FM (95.7 Jamz)
• August 23: Compass Bank acquired CFB Bancorp of Jacksonville, Florida.
• October: Hibbett Sporting Goods went public.
• Torchmark Corporation acquired United American of McKinney, Texas.
• Wes Chapman was hired as director of the Alabama Ballet.
• Steve Hewett left AmSouth Bank to work for Nashville's Quorum Health Group.
• Hubbell Power Systems acquired Leeds' Anderson Electric.
• Scholar Craft acquired James A. Head & Co. furniture distributors
• The British Steel Corp. invested $192 million in upgrading their Tuscaloosa Steel plant.

Establishments

• Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds was founded.
• The Fifth Avenue Coffee House opened.
• Jane and Dave Caswell founded the Kalahari Pepper Company.
• Walter Turner founded School Transportation Solutions.
• Mark Jackson founded Moreson Conferencing in Montgomery.
• December 5: Mike Lee opened Magnolia Cafe at Altadena Square.

Disestablishments

• February: The Cobb Midfield 6 closed.
• Lazlo's Pizza in Lakeview closed.

Religion

• Robin D. Bullock founded Youth Force Ministries in Warrior.

Sports

• April 20: Terrell Owens was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as the 89th overall pick.
• May: John Bland won the Bruno's Memorial Classic.
• June 4: Josh Hancock was selected in the 3rd round of the MLB draft.
• June 12: The Barons defeated the Memphis Chicks 3-2 in the inaugural Rickwood Classic.
• July: 1996 Olympic soccer games at Legion Field.
• Murry Bartow was hired as UAB Blazers men's basketball head coach.
• Gene Stallings retired from the head coaching job for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.

Works

Buildings

• Alys Stephens Center Phase I
• American Printing
• Cahaba Cycles
• Clay-Chalkville High School
• Colonial Village at Trussville apartments
• Shades Valley High School
• Southside Branch Library
• Ryals Public Health Building at UAB
• A proposal to convert the City Federal Building into the "Renaissance Apartments" was put forth, but came to naught.
• Burr & Forman purchased and renovated the Forbes Building.
• TV Alabama tower in Tuscaloosa County
• Landmark at Magnolia Glen apartments, phase II
• Barrington on the Green apartments

Books

• Birmingham View: Through the Years in Photographs
• In Search of Nature
• I Hate Paul Finebaum: 303 Reasons Why You Should, Too

Music

• Drive By Truckers was launched.

Individuals

• Irvin Penfield's title of dean of the college and vice president for academic affairs at Birmingham-Southern College was changed to "provost".
• Dale Benos was named chair of the UAB Department of Physiology and Biophysics.
• Abdurrahim El-Keib was made a full professor at the University of Alabama.
• Phyllis Wyne retired from South Central Bell.
• After completing his sixth term as Mayor of Gardendale, William Noble resumed serving as city attorney.
• Jefferson State Pioneers baseball coach and athletic director Donald Green retired.
• St John's Episcopal Church for the Deaf rector Camille Desmarais retired.
• Catholic priest Michael Dubruiel was "laicized".
• Educator John Monro retired from Tougaloo College outside Jackson, Mississippi.
• April 5-9: Coroner Robert Brissie served as acting Jefferson County Sheriff.
• Fouad Fouad was appointed chair of the UAB Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering.

Births

• January 16: Junior Flemmings, soccer player
• February 2: Cenzoo, Western Lowland Gorilla
• February 8: Olympia, a reticulated giraffe
• March 24: Sarena Martinez, Birmingham Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity official
• April 12: Daniel Bolus, co-founder and CEO of ClubHealth
• Kaleb Dillard, U.S. Marine, Samford cheerleader and insurrectionist

Graduations

• Beth Shelburne graduated from Auburn University with a B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism.

Marriages

• September 21: Robbie Fearn married Pamela Rowe.
• October 16: Attorney Hugo Black III married Jeannine Crowell in Pinecrest, Florida.

Awards

• Lonnie Holley was the 1996 "Distinguished Artist" from the Magic City Art Connection
• Dan Holliman was named 1996 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year by the Alabama Wildlife Federation
• Roy Wood Jr graduated from Ramsay High School
• Vivian Malone Jones was presented with the inaugural "Lurleen B. Wallace Award of Courage".
• John Godbold won the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award.
• Alabama Academy of Honor: Ann Bedsole, Thomas Bradford Jr, Frank Bromberg Jr, Alston Callahan, Thomas Corts, Edward Friend III, and William Spencer III
• Miss Shelby County: Haley Spates Mims

Deaths

A. G. Gaston. Photograph courtesy BPL Archives

• January 19: A. G. Gaston, businessman and civil rights activist
• January 29: James Bailey, former mayor of Leeds
• January 30: Rufus Billups, retired Air Force major general
• February 19: Charlie Finley, Oakland A's owner
• March 18: Albert Persons, aviator & newspaper publisher
• May 31: Timothy Leary, proponent of psychedelic drugs
• June 16: Mel Allen, New York Yankees broadcaster
• August 7: Helen Nies, Federal judge
• August 8: Tommy Charles, disc jockey and talk radio host
• August 23: Wiley Griggs, Birmingham Black Barons infielder
• August 24: Charles Zukoski, Mayor of Mountain Brook
• September 22: Ferd Weil, businessman
• October 9: Lyn Spotswood, theater director
• November 11: Lum Harris, baseball player and manager
• November 17: Ida Moffett, nurse and educator
• December 2: Joe Gunther, professional wrestler and wrestling promoter
• December 16: Arthur Shores, attorney and former Birmingham City Council member
• Larry Connatser, painter
• Paul Hardin, Methodist bishop

See also List of Birmingham homicides in 1996

See Also

• 1996 City Stages
• 1996 Birmingham Barons
• 1996 UAB Blazers
• 1996 Iron Bowl

1990s

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works