Latest news with #CBS42
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Birmingham man claims city forced him to sell home 20 years ago that's still standing
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private property for public use, even if the owner does not want to sell. Jimmy Smith, a 92-year-old Birmingham resident, said he knows more about eminent domain than he ever wanted to. Smith has called the Collegeville neighborhood home for over nine decades. Smith was raised in a house that used to belong to him and his mother. But in 2005, Smith got a knock on the door from a Birmingham city official. 'His purpose here was to inform us that the city wanted my mom's property,' Smith said. Smith now lives right next door. He said at first, he didn't want to sell. He said the city official told him if he didn't sell, the home would be taken through eminent domain. 'They told me if you don't sell it, they are going to take it anyway because they need to widen the road,' Smith said. What to know about Alabama laws taking effect Smith referred to a project called on paperwork the '35th Street North Extension Street Improvement.' Because the house is located near businesses, tractor-trailers are often going up and down the road, which Smith said he was told is why the project needed to happen. Two decades later, the road and Smith's former home sit untouched. 'That's the same way it looked 20 years ago,' Smith said. 'The only thing that has changed is that the city owns this house. They own the house right behind us, and I think they own the empty lot over there.' CBS 42 confirmed through GIS mapping that the city of Birmingham owns nearly every property along 35th Street North. CBS 42 reached out to the city about the street improvement project. 'At this time, there are currently no infrastructure related projects targeted for this property,' the city stated. 'This acquisition took place over 20 years ago,' a city spokesperson said when asked why the project never happened. 'Right now, we do not have any related projects targeted for this property at this time.' CBS 42 sat down with real estate attorney Reagan Reeves to find out if Smith's situation was unique. CBS 42 asked him how often he sees properties bought for public use projects that never happen. 'I see a lot that do and a lot that don't,' Reeves said. 'The bad thing about these projects is the city will purchase a lot of property before the project is finalized because they don't know how long the acquisition will take for eminent domain cases.' Birmingham City Council to consider closing part of road Smith said he'd like the house back if the project isn't going to happen and the home is going to remain empty.' 'I want the home back and bring it back to what it was,' Smith said. Birmingham city officials said Smith's former home has been put up for sale. They said they contacted Smith and let him know what steps he needs to take to purchase the property. You can contact the CBS 42 Your Voice Your Station hotline by sending an email to yourvoice@ or calling 205-488-4128. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Stormy on Wednesday through Friday, Be Weather Aware this weekend for strong to severe storms
Tonight, surface high pressure will be off the southeastern U.S. coast, resulting in a mostly clear and smoky to hazy night. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires will continue to affect the upper levels of the atmosphere above Alabama, contributing to another beautiful sunset. Temperatures will be mild, with lows in the upper 60s to lower 70s. An upper-level low will move over the far southeastern U.S. on Wednesday, bringing scattered showers and storms across Central Alabama. Warm and more humid air will flow into the state from the southeast, allowing highs to reach the middle 80s, with a heat index around 90. On Thursday, warm and humid conditions are expected as high pressure lingers off the East Coast, pumping tropical air into Alabama. The upper-level low will move eastward, away from Alabama. The day will be partly cloudy, with a slight chance of a pop-up shower or storm. High temperatures will climb into the upper 80s, and the heat index will be in the lower 90s. A cold front will approach Alabama on Friday, accompanied by an upper-level wave, triggering scattered showers and storms. It will be hot and humid, with highs in the upper 80s and a heat index in the 90s before storms arrive. Bring your rain gear to the Steel City Smooth Jazz Fest. Weather Aware on Saturday and Sunday for strong winds Weekend Outlook: The cold front stalls north of Alabama in Tennessee this weekend. A series of upper-level waves will move along the front each day, bringing a cluster of strong to severe storms (MCS) across Alabama on Saturday. The SPC has placed parts of Central Alabama in a Level 2/5 Slight Risk for severe storms with gusty winds. Highs will be in the middle 80s. Another MCS is likely on Sunday, maintaining the same weather pattern. These storms could be strong to severe, featuring gusty winds and highs in the middle 80s. Additionally, Saharan dust could move into the southeastern U.S. this weekend, causing the sky to take on a milky hue and creating beautiful sunrises and sunsets each day. Be sure to follow the CBS 42 Storm Team: Follow Us on Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum, Meteorologist Michael Haynes, Meteorologist Alex Puckett, and Meteorologist Jacob Woods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Alireza Doroudi flies back to Iran 3 months after being detained by ICE outside University of Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Alireza Doroudi, a mechanical engineering student who was a year away from finishing his doctorate degree at the University of Alabama, has left the country and gone back home to Iran, three months after immigration officers took him from his apartment in Tuscaloosa and held him in a detention facility in Louisiana. Doroudi, 32, left the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana over the weekend and left the United States on Sunday, his attorney confirmed to CBS 42 Monday. Prior to the weekend, Doroudi had been held by ICE for 68 days, beginning on March 25, when several officers went to his apartment in the early morning hours to detain him on charges of living in the country on a revoked visa. From there, he was held in detention in Louisiana with 1,200 other people. Despite being labeled a national security risk by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, prosecutors never provided any evidence to back up their claims. In addition, attorney David Rozas said Doroudi's SEVIS status was still clear and he could have legally remained in the country as long as he remained a student. On May 8, Doroudi told the immigration court that he would deport himself back to Iran, his attorneys and family later citing the physical, mental and emotional drain being in detainment had caused him over several months. Rozas, who has defended Doroudi since his arrest, released the following statement Monday morning: 'Yesterday, June 1, 2025, Alireza Doroudi left the United States to return to Iran. His choice was made in response to a system that failed to uphold fairness, transparency, and due process. 'For weeks, Mr. Doroudi was held in detention without any substantiated evidence presented to justify the initial claims of national security concerns. Despite having no history of protest or political activity, and despite documentation indicating that his F-1 student visa remained valid until departure, Mr. Doroudi was denied bond and subjected to legal proceedings riddled with delay and contradiction. 'Following his May 8 hearing before Judge Maithe Gonzalez, Mr. Doroudi made the difficult decision to request voluntary departure. It was a heartbreaking moment. He turned and said, 'I love this country, but they don't want me here so I will go home.' 'At that hearing, even the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that the central charge of visa revocation did not apply while he remained in the United States, and indicated their intent to drop the charge altogether. Yet, the court delayed action, requiring additional filings despite repeated requests and mounting evidence in his favor. 'Mr. Doroudi's return is a warning. When individuals are detained without evidence, forced to disprove unfounded allegations, and pressured to leave a country they sought to contribute to, we must ask: What message are we sending to international students? To immigrant communities? To those who believe in the promise of American justice? 'This was not justice. This was attrition by detention. And it should never have come to this. 'As a defense lawyer, I remain committed to seeking accountability for the failures that led to this outcome, and to ensuring that what happened to Mr. Doroudi does not happen again.' Doroudi, who is engaged and was in the middle of planning his wedding at the time of his arrest, was expected to complete his degree from UA next year. In fact, a research paper he co-wrote with different colleagues, 'A review of the effects of laser peening on creep properties,' was published in April while he was locked up. Attempts to reach Doroudi were not successful Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
1 killed in Birmingham crash
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A car crash left a person dead in Birmingham on Sunday. According to the Birmingham Police Department, the single-vehicle crash happened around Avenue W and 10th Way. The department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Stay with CBS 42 for this developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Missing kayaker found safe in Jefferson County
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — UPDATE: All seven have been located, according to Jefferson County Search and Rescue. ORIGINAL: Birmingport Fire Department searching for missing kayaker The Birmingport Fire Department is searching for a kayaker on Valley Creek. Firefighters say the kayaker was part of a group of seven who capsized Saturday evening. Six of the seven have been located safe. Stay with CBS 42 as this is a developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
