Andrew Yeager
WBHM Managing Editor
It was probably inevitable that Andrew Yeager would end up working in public radio. The son of two teachers, NPR News programs often formed the backdrop to car rides growing up. And it was probably inevitable that Andrew would end up in news after discovering the record button on his tape recorder. He still remembers his first attempted interview - his uncooperative 2-year-old sister.
Originally from east central Indiana, Andrew earned degrees in broadcasting and political science from Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. While there he spent more than his fair share of time at WOBN, the student-run radio station. After college Andrew worked for an educational non-profit and volunteered at WMUB in Oxford, Ohio. He ventured into public radio full-time as a reporter for WNIN in Evansville, Ind. Besides covering an array of local stories, Andrew's work has been heard on many public radio programs.
Andrew lives with his wife and two children in Birmingham. When not consumed by public radio work, he's often picking up items strewn about the house by said children, reading or heading out on a bike ride when not enveloped by the Alabama heat.
UAB’s Football Decision May Have Been Made Earlier
UAB President Ray Watts faces calls for his resignation after documents released this week suggest university leaders considered announcing the end of the school's football, bowling and rifle programs months earlier than they did. The documents come from a public relations firm that was devising a strategy for handling the controversial decision and mentions a task list for an announcement in September. But Watts has said the decision to kill the football program was not made until shortly before the announcement was actually made in December. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
John Archibald: An Impasse Over UAB Football
The UAB Blazers play Iowa State University today in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The tournament berth and a conference championship fired up Blazer fans and UAB alumni still angry over UAB President Ray Watts' decision to end the school's football, bowling and rifle teams. The decision may have been made almost four months ago, but opinions are still charged. That's especially now that an impasse has emerged around a task force reviewing the numbers used to justify the end of the programs. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
A Snapshot of the Convention and Event Business
Birmingham did not win the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Nor has it hosted an NCAA basketball tournament game in years. But players in Birmingham's tourism and convention industry are working to keep a steady stream of events through the city. We have a snapshot of that industry in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
John Archibald: Leaving the Birmingham Schools Behind
The Birmingham City School District has seen a steady decline of students from a peak of about 75,000 to only about 25,000 now. It's no secret many families with school-aged children left the school system through the years, often moving to suburban districts that are seen as having better schools. The move holds extra significance when the family involved is that of a Birmingham City Councilman.
Magic City Marketplace: A Long Time Coming
Much has been written about the investment and nightlife along Second Avenue North in Birmingham as a sign of the city center's rising fortune. But the area's comeback isn't just a post-recession story. And it's one economic development leaders hope isn't done. We talk about that in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
John Archibald: Latest Order in Gay Marriage Debate
Alabama probate judges are again in the crosshairs after a state supreme court order Tuesday telling them not to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. This is in opposition to a federal judge's ruling overturning Alabama's ban on gay marriage. We talk about the situation and emails in the Speaker Mike Hubbard corruption case with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Magic City Marketplace: Hospitals Set to Merge
Hospitals around Birmingham are preparing for a major shift in the healthcare marketplace -- the proposed merger of Baptist Health System and Brookwood Medical Center. That deal could close as soon as next month and would combine two big players in Birmingham healthcare. Thats where we start in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
The General Fund Budget Pie
State lawmakers will gather in Montgomery Tuesday to kick off this year's legislative session. One of the biggest issues they face is how to make up for a projected shortfall in the General Fund budget. There are no easy fixes.
Lingering Ice and Snow Closes or Delays Schools
Lingering ice and snow from Wednesday's winter storm has some schools, particularly in north Alabama, closed or delayed Friday
John Archibald: Memo Details UAB’s Defensive Plan
UAB President Ray Watts faced a strong backlash after ending the university's football program in December. Football boosters were upset, but Watts also lost three "no confidence" votes over governance issues. As this unfolded, Watts worked with a private public relations firm to combat the fallout. A memo obtained by AL.com details the strategy.
Winter Storm Warning for N. Central Alabama — Schools Closing, Gov. Bentley Declares State Of Emergency
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of north central Alabama from 9 a.m. Wednesday though midnight Wednesday. The warning covers an area roughly along the Interstate 20 corridor and north. UAB classes and campus operations will be cancelled for Wednesday, Feb. 25th and additional cancellations are likely.
Magic City Marketplace: Birmingham Job Market
Birmingham's unemployment rate is at its lowest point since the recession and about 5,000 jobs were added last year. That's good news. But the shiny headlines are tempered by the fact that Birmingham job growth is slower than other southeastern cities. We talk about that in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
John Archibald: Thousands Continue to be Spent on City Travel
The Birmingham mayor's office and city council spent more than $300,000 dollars on travel last year, more than any other city in Alabama. So far in 2015 the trend has continued. It's an issue Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald has written about regularly.
Magic City Marketplace: Gay Marriage and the Workplace
It's now been one week since same-sex couples could get marriage licenses in Alabama. Most counties are now following a federal judges' ruling overturning the state's ban on gay marriage and the decision could also affect employers. We talk about that in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
John Archibald: Same-Sex Marriage Confusion
More Alabama probate judges are issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples after a federal judge's ruling striking down Alabama's gay marriage ban went into effect on Monday. It's not all counties as some judges cite an order by Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore instructing judges not to follow the federal ruling. While gay marriage advocates celebrated in the counties which did issue licenses to same-sex couples, Alabama remains a state where opposition to gay marriage is high.
Magic City Marketplace: Free College Tuition
President Obama cast a spotlight on community colleges when he announced a plan last month to offer free at such institutions. It's a plan that could have significant effect on Alabama as the state tries to make its 2-year college system a bigger educational and economic player. We talk about it in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
Alabama’s Only Openly Gay Lawmaker Overjoyed as State Recognizes Gay Marriage
On Monday Alabama probate judges can begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. It's the result of a decision last month from a federal judge in Mobile striking down the state's ban on gay marriage. Birmingham Representative Patricia Todd is the only openly gay lawmaker in the state legislature. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke to her about this turn of events. Todd starts by explaining what happened last week when an envelope with no return address was delivered to her Montgomery office.
Shaping History with a Camera
In March, Selma will mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. That's the day police beat demonstrators attempting to march to Montgomery in support of voting rights. Saturday an exhibit opens in Selma of some of the most iconic images of that day. They're from the late photographer Spider Martin.
John Archibald: Roy Moore and Same-Sex Marriage
Monday appears to be the day for same-sex couples in Alabama. Barring action by the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal judge's ruling will go into effect making Alabama the 37th state to recognize same-sex marriage. One of the most outspoken opponents of the ruling is Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. But Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald suggest there's more to Moore than religion-infused pronouncements.
Magic City Marketplace: The Future of the Historic Tax Credit
Some of downtown Birmingham's redevelopment projects have been helped along by Alabama's historic tax credit. But that credit is capped and will sunset next year. So developers and political leaders are debating what to do with this popular incentive. We hear more from Cindy Fisher Crawford in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
John Archibald: Alabamian vs. American
A federal judge who struck down Alabama's same-sex marriage ban has released a letter clarifying the ruling applies to all government officials, not just those named in the suit. The ruling is on hold for now, but it's the latest in a legal firestorm sparked Friday when the decision came down. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Alabama Appeals Same-Sex Ruling
The state of Alabama is appealing a federal judge's order overturning the state's ban on same-sex marriage. Attorney General Luther Strange's office filed notice Monday with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals saying it would challenge Friday's ruling by a district court judge in Mobile.
John Archibald: Birmingham to Host 2021 World Games
Birmingham leaders are celebrating today's announcement the city has won the chance to host the 2021 World Games. It's an international competition of non-Olympic sports. Birmingham beat Lima, Peru, and Ufa, Russia, to capture the games. City officials are not only talking about history and civic pride but economic impact as well. We hear reaction from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
John Archibald: No Confidence Vote on UAB President
The UAB Faculty Senate will vote Thursday morning on a resolution expressing no confidence in university president Ray Watts. It's the latest fallout from his decision to end UAB's football, bowling and rifle programs. This is in addition to no confidence resolutions passed by the Graduate Student Government and the Undergraduate Student Government Association, the latter saying Watts misled people and didn't adequately inform the UAB community.
Movie Stirs Memories in Selma
The Golden Globe Awards are Sunday and one film that could pick up a few statues is Selma . The film depicts the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches which led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. This weekend, Paramount Pictures began free screenings in the movie's namesake town in Alabama.
John Archibald: The Northern Beltline Boondoggle
Supporters of the Northern Beltline had a good 2014. Construction began on the planned 52-mile, $5 billion interstate highway stretching across the northern half of Jefferson County. Critics have long pointed to the price tag as a reason to abandon the proposal, but some new maps and data are adding to the cry of boondoggle. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Best Anchor: Andrew Yeager
Andrew Yeager's entry for Best Anchor in the Alabama APME Broadcast Contest
Ollie’s Barbecue: The Case that Integrated Restaurants
One of the enduring images of the Civil Rights Movement is of black protesters being pulled away from lunch counters. Fifty years ago this Sunday a U.S. Supreme Court ruling effectively ended segregation in restaurants. That case came from Birmingham.
John Archibald: UAB President’s Leadership has been Damaged over Football
UAB President Ray Watts' decision to cut the school's football, bowling, and rifle teams has moved beyond a simple matter of athletic priorities now that a no confidence vote is in play. The UAB faculty senate on Tuesday agreed to draft a resolution expressing no confidence in Watts. They could vote on the measure next month.
A Moonshine Renaissance
Mention moonshine and you might think of an illegal backwoods still in the mountains of the South, carefully hidden to evade the authorities. In recent years though, legal distilleries have been popping up in sort of a moonshine renaissance.
The Debate Rages about UAB Football
Almost a week after UAB President Ray Watts' announcement that the university's football program would end, vigorous debate continues about the decision. Our roundup of what people are saying.
The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark
Many names are associated with the Civil Rights Movement, but sometimes buildings can hold just as much importance. Once such building is Birmingham's A.G. Gaston Motel. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders stayed there and it served as the headquarters for the Birmingham movement. Marie A. Sutton wrote about the history of the building in her new book.
