Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman, a First Tee alum who currently serves as an assistant golf coach and board member, calls it “a full circle” moment…

“I started golfing with my dad [State Sen. Rodger Smitherman]. It would be our father-daughter bonding time.  We still play together now,” Smitherman told the Birmingham Times.

Currently, the municipal bond market in the United States is showing positive signs of growth and stability. Year-to-date in 2025, the issuance rate of municipal bonds is up 13 percent with no indication of slowing down. We’re in a good place.

However, the current administration is looking to roll back tax exemptions on municipal bond interest, despite resistance from local, state and federal lawmakers. I, along with my colleagues on the Birmingham City Council, recently had a chance to sit down and talk with our congressional leaders about this issue and the consequences this would have on cities like Birmingham.

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved a $600,000 incentive package to help reestablish a grocery store at the Heritage Park Towne Center in the Woodland Park neighborhood.

The measure is part of a longstanding effort by city leaders to provide more access to fresh produce to Birmingham residents, nearly 70% of whom live in areas designated as food deserts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Monday, Birmingham City Council approved four items to fund more initiatives that work directly to decrease gun violence. They say this comes after three mass shootings that took place in the city in 2024.

The city will spend right around $2 million in ARPA funds for a new four-pronged initiative.

Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman was named as one of the recipients of the National League of Cities’ Centennial Under 40 Impact Award.

The winners were chosen from a pool of nominees and are recognized for their contributions to public service, governance, and community development. The award recognizes and celebrates the achievements of elected officials under the age of 40 from NLC member cities, towns and villages.

It would be impossible to calculate the massive impact that Black culture has made on the world – from art, to dance, to music to fashion and so on.

The arts serve as a mirror reflecting the diversity of human experiences, yet historically, Black artists have been marginalized and their stories neglected. This inequity not only diminishes the richness of our cultural influences but also perpetuates systemic injustices. It is imperative that we confront this issue head-on and actively support programs that uplift historically underserved communities.

“Really we were out in the district and we saw the needs of the people and with the pandemic,” says Councilor Crystal Smitherman. “People being unemployed, just being isolated. I just wanted to be a blessing to my constituents.”

The Birmingham City Council allocated the money for the project on March 11. Flooding along Sixth Avenue South has been a serious issue for years, said Councilor Crystal Smitherman.

Crystal Smitherman was 16 and had just started driving when she nearly got stuck in flooding beneath the 6th Avenue South viaduct. Years later as a Birmingham city councilor, she wants to make sure no one else has such a scary experience.

“Me personally, as an individual councilor, I’m just trying to fulfill the needs of my community,” Smitherman said. “I know people are hurting, I know people are in need, and that’s why they elected me, to be a servant for them, and to really advocate for them.”

“This annual event is about lifting up our community and making sure people who are able and willing can find a good, high-quality job,” Smitherman said. “Improving the quality of life in our districts has to start with increasing economic opportunities for people who live here. We had an amazing turnout last year and we hope to repeat that success and fill as many positions as possible.”

Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman said, “I have felt you know that I had to straighten my hair or that I remember Googling asking my Black female friends what’s more professional box braids or Senegalese twists; how should I wear it just... And nobody should have to do that because unless I’m thinking of something else or I’m just not remembering anything I don’t know any other race that has to think about what hairstyle they have to deal with.”