A message from Charles W. Holmes, WBHM’s new General Manager
My arrival in Birmingham coincided with last weekend’s snow and ice storm. But that frigid weather was no match for the warm welcome my wife Sarah and I have received from so many in Birmingham as we make this our new home.
I’m so excited about the future of WBHM/WSGN and thrilled to lead the talented and dedicated staff here. We’re committed to giving North Central Alabama the very best in news, information, music and arts programming.
A little about me: I’m a veteran journalist who has lived around the world. But I have deep family roots in Alabama (my father was born in Birmingham and my mother is from Decatur). I come from NPR in Washington, D.C., where my role in recent years was managing the network’s daily news operations.
The journalists and broadcasters at NPR, and we at WBHM, all know this simple truth: What we do every day would be impossible without the support of members like you. We are deeply grateful. Your decision to become part of the WBHM community is vital to sustaining the clear and reliable journalism we provide and the music and arts programming we all enjoy.
The staff and I at WBHM see great opportunities ahead to expand our reach and our service to our communities. The challenges are big, too. Thank you for sharing our commitment and our mission now and in the future.
Our motto is Listen Deeper. It is more than a slogan. It’s what we do. Thank you for listening to WBHM. And, of course, we’re listening, too. Have a suggestion? Some praise? A critique? Please send it my way. I can be reached at [email protected] and 205-934-2227.
Mentally ill people are stuck in jail because they can’t get treatment. Here’s what’s to know
Hundreds of people across Alabama await a spot in the state’s increasingly limited facilities, despite a consent decree requiring the state to address delays in providing care for people who are charged with crimes but deemed too mentally ill to stand trial. But seven years since the federal agreement, the problem has only worsened.
Ivey appoints Will Parker to Alabama Supreme Court
Parker fills the court seat vacated by Bill Lewis who was tapped by President Donald Trump for a federal judgeship. The U.S. Senate last month confirmed Lewis as a U.S. district judge.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
