One of Birmingham’s Oldest Homeless Shelters Has Big Plans

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Leaders say the City of Birmingham needs more services to help the local homeless population. The operators of one of Birmingham’s oldest standing homeless shelters want to move and rebuild, creating a larger, more welcoming building in a more suitable location. And the change couldn’t come soon enough.

“This building was never meant to service the amount of people that we service,” Anne Wright, executive director of the Firehouse Shelter, tells WELD. “It’s basically collapsing around itself, and it has been for many, many years. “

Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, tells WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about the work and future of the Firehouse Shelter west of downtown Birmingham. Patterson joins WBHM most Thursdays during All Things Considered.

 

Argentina’s top court upholds Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s corruption conviction

Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner — one of Latin America's most recognizable political figures — is facing 6 years in prison and a lifetime ban from office after a major corruption conviction upheld.

The U.S. and China have agreed on a framework to resolve their trade disputes

After two days of talks in London, the U.S. and China have agreed in principle on a framework to carry out an agreement they reached on resolving their trade disputes last month, Chinese state media said.

Alabama executes Gregory Hunt by nitrogen gas for 1988 murder of Karen Lane

Hunt's execution marks Alabama's third this year, on pace to match the six it carried out last year, and the fifth time it used the controversial method.

National Park signage encourages the public to help erase negative stories at its sites

The Department of the Interior is requiring the National Park Service to post signage nationwide by June 13, asking visitors for feedback on any information they feel misrepresents American history.

Looking into Alabama’s ‘Blood Money’: how taxpayers foot the bill for lawsuits by prisoners

The Alabama Department of Corrections settled more than 100 lawsuits against its corrections officers for excessive use of force since 2020. Inmates say officers left them with broken bones and brain damage. Beth Shelburne, a Birmingham-based independent investigative reporter, found that taxpayers are covering the cost in her four-part series for the Alabama Reflector called "Blood Money."

TikTok superstar Khaby Lame was detained by ICE before being allowed to leave the U.S.

Lame, 25, produces nearly silent videos that have made him the most-followed personality on TikTok. But U.S. officials say Lame, an Italian citizen, overstayed his visa earlier this month.

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