This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Could the Buzz Be Back?

Birmingham Buzz editor Clinton Baller returns.

I wish I could answer that question. The fact is, I don't know. I'm often asked if I am still writing the Birmingham Buzz. The answer, of course, is no. I stopped doing the Buzz in 2007 after more than five years. The email newsletter and website — a blog before blogs became popular — was hugely successful in promoting a political agenda in Birmingham. We persuaded city voters in 2003 to overwhelmingly reject the politics of "no," and we went on to influence public policy for several years: helping to restore sanity to downtown zoning, spearheading the redevelopment of the popular and award-winning Booth Park, persuading city officials that bistro and economic development liquor licenses were both beneficial and controllable.

There was more, much more, and you can still read it at www.bhambuzz.org. It still sits there, like a pile of old editions in a newspaper morgue. I stopped for several reasons. Many of our objectives had been achieved, the city was in good hands, and I opened a new chapter in my personal life, which drew attention away from the Buzz.

A few years ago, I attended a conference in Minneapolis on hyper-local, citizen journalism.  That was what the Buzz was all about, and it was exciting to see it spreading around the country, and around the globe. It is, after all, what the Patch is all about, and I am grateful and proud that the Patch is letting me mouth off again. I won't be attending many city meetings, and so my commentary on matters municipal will be limited. But as someone who usually has something to say about everything, I'm sure I won't be short on material.

Thanks for checking in. If I can generate just a fraction of the buzz that was generated a few years ago, I'll consider this new thing a success.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Birmingham