Sherrel Stewart
Reporter
Sherrel Wheeler Stewart is a reporter with BirminghamWatch, a nonprofit, independent news site. WBHM and BirminghamWatch collaborate through a content-sharing partnership.
From Poverty to Potholes, Frank Matthews Wants to Fix the City
Frank Matthews has been a preacher, a media consultant and co-director of the Mayor's Office of Citizens' Assistance. Now, the he wants to become mayor of Birmingham .
Fernandez Sims Says Birmingham Needs A Servant Leader
Brother Fernandez Sims is a Birmingham minister. From his time in the pulpit and counseling people in the community, he says he sees the needs of Birmingham residents. He says he wants to be mayor to address those some of those needs.
Crowded Field of Eight Battle For District 2 Council Seat
There’s only one seat for the Birmingham City Council in District 2, and eight people want it – including the incumbent. The district, which includes the east Birmingham communities of East Lake, Roebuck Springs, Liberty Highlands, Crestwood South, Huffman and several others, has attracted a combination of young professionals and community leaders.
Crime, Education, Jobs Among Top Issues For Birmingham Voters
Many of those running for office in Birmingham, whether for mayor or city council or school board, have their own ideas on how to improve life in the city. But ask some of the city’s 212,000 residents what keeps them up at night, and you’ll hear the same concerns come up over and over again: jobs, education, and crime.
Randall Woodfin Wants to Revitalize Birmingham Communities
Birmingham lawyer Randall Woodfin grew up in different parts of Birmingham. The 36-year-old is now running for mayor. He says he’s connected to communities from North Birmingham to Southtown. And if elected, he says he would revitalize those neighborhoods outside of downtown.
New Elyton Hotel Blends Old Birmingham With New
The old Colonial Bank Building at the corner of 1st Avenue North and 20th Street downtown stood vacant for years. It now opens as an upscale hotel with a polished face and a plush interior, reminiscent of the city’s history as a center for industry and commerce.
Birmingham Races Draw Crowds; A Dozen Candidates in Mayor’s Race
No one gets a free pass into office this year in Birmingham. The 19 races on the ballot for the upcoming City Elections are all contested. The largest number of candidates want the job as mayor.
Chris Woods Makes Second Run For Mayor of Birmingham
He is a child of the civil rights movement and came of age as his father and uncle battled racial injustice. But Woods, now running to unseat Birmingham Mayor William Bell, has had different struggles that have shaped his own vision for the city. Woods sat down with our Sherrel Wheeler Stewart.
Larry Contri, Former Interim School Superintendent, Vies for a Board Seat
The veteran Birmingham educator, who was interim school superintendent but passed over for the permanent job, is running for a seat on the Birmingham Board of Education. Contri qualified Friday to run in District 3. Mary Drennen Boehm, the former executive director of A+ College Ready Alabama, has also qualified for that race.
Birmingham Election Qualifying Ends This Week — Who’s In?
The list of candidates so far includes several incumbents and other familiar names. Qualifying ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 7.
New Bus Terminal Could Signal Change For Birmingham
MAX Transit cut the ribbon at the Central Station in downtown Birmingham Friday. The new $32 million local bus station is part of a three-block complex that will soon house cross-country bus service and the Amtrak station.
Focus on Birmingham Mayor’s Race as Election Revs Up
Between the mayor’s race, city council and school board – 19 seats in all are up for grabs in the Birmingham City Elections set for August 22.
Qualifying Begins For Birmingham City Elections
Seventeen people have already signed up for various races. All city elected jobs – mayor, council, and school board – will be on the ballot on August 22.
Ex-State Lawmaker Oliver Robinson to Plead Guilty In Federal Bribery Case
Former State Representative Oliver Robinson will plead guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, bribery, tax evasion and wire fraud in a scheme to block expansion of a Superfund site.
Brothers Basketballing into their 80s at Senior Games
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are battling for the NBA Championship with guys mostly in their 20s and 30s. But the Twomey brothers are in their 80s. They’re among the more than 10,000 athletes in Birmingham competing for gold.
Former Lawmaker’s Message Led to Concerns About Property Values
Former State Rep. Oliver Robinson abruptly resigned his legislative seat last November. He recently confirmed to WBHM that he is under investigation. The details of that investigation aren’t known, but reports suggest it’s tied to his interference with efforts by the US Environmental Protection Agency to test for contamination in his former district.
Gardendale School Appeals May Delay Pullout from Jefferson County
The City of Gardendale is expected to take control of the two elementary schools in its city limits on June 1, one of the first steps in pulling away from the Jefferson County School system. But two court filings this week may delay that move.
Condoleezza Rice’s Book Explores Democracy, Segregated Birmingham
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has just come out with a new book, "Democracy: Stories from the Road to Freedom." While in Birmingham Monday, she told WBHM’s Sherrel Wheeler Stewart how memories of a segregated Alabama during her childhood have stuck with her and laid the foundation for her latest work.
Birmingham Hires New School Superintendent
Birmingham City Schools have a new leader. The school board voted last night to hire Lisa Herring of Louisville, Kentucky, following days of controversy after no candidates from Birmingham or Alabama were named finalists for the job.
UAB Political Scientist Assesses The First 100 Days of President Trump
The first 100 days is the time when the new president could be possibly more successful than later in the term.
Questions Remain Following Gardendale Schools Ruling
The Gardendale Board of Education met Tuesday night, one day after a long-awaited order from a federal judge cleared the way for Gardendale to form its own school district apart from Jefferson County. But questions remain like whether the growing city in north Jefferson County can afford to pull out?
Stillman College Determined To Win Financial Struggle
At Stillman, the grass is neatly trimmed and flowers are in bloom. Sorority members cooked out on the campus lawn and there was a symposium in the math and science building. Underneath the manicured exterior, Stillman sits on a mountain of debt – about $ 43 million worth.
Birmingham Superintendent Selection Continues After Lawsuit, Bomb Threat
Interim Supt. Larry Contri applied but was excluded because some believed he would retire in June. Contri agreed to a June 2017 retirement last year as part of a lawsuit settlement. But Still said no one asked the interim superintendent about his plans.
Why I Support WBHM: Ronald Williams
“I am Ronald Williams. I am an active supporter/listener of WBHM, and I have been for almost 40 years. What I appreciate the most about listening to WBHM is that the reporters and the people I hear on the radio seem to bring about an integrity that I can trust. It’s not what I would consider alternative facts."
Why I Support WBHM: Melissa Scott
“My name is Melissa Scott. I have been listening to public radio since college. I had a boyfriend introduce me to it. Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me was my first love for public radio. “What I love about public radio is that there is a little something for everybody. There are so many different perspectives […]
The Pizitz Then and Now
In its prime, you would run into almost anyone from any side of town in Pizitz. The same was true of my lunchtime stroll – then and now, a place to be.
Jefferson County Voters Approve Tax Renewal For 12 School Systems
Voters approved the renewal of property taxes supporting all 12 school systems in Jefferson County in a Tuesday election. While only 6 percent of voters went to the polls, education leaders say the election win shows that people in Jefferson County support public schools. Larry Contri, interim superintendent of Birmingham schools, says he wanted to […]
Winning For Wenonah High Basketball Coach Means Triumph On and Off the Court
The Lady Dragons of Birmingham’s Wenonah High School are chasing a fourth girls’ state basketball championship today the at the BJCC. But while these players are looking to triumph with the full court press and clutch shots, their longtime coach, Emanuel “Tubb” Bell is fighting a different battle. Bell has stage 4 lung cancer, but you wouldn’t […]
Talladega College President Addressing Republican Leaders At HBCU Meeting
Hawkins has returned to D.C. this week to talk about improving funding for black colleges, an issue he discussed following his January trip.
Al Sharpton Challenges Adults To Support Wenonah Students
“You are not responsible for how you was born or who your parents were,” he said, “but you are responsible for what you do with the rest of your life," Rev. Al Sharpton.
Housing Authority CEO Looks To Residents To Help Curb Gun Violence
More than 5,000 families live in Birmingham public housing. Lundy says too many residents are either, killed, wounded or affected by guns and violence.
Talladega President Discusses Controversial Decision To Perform At Inauguration
The Talladega College band has returned from Washington, D.C. where it performed at the inauguration of President Donald Trump. For Talladega President Billy Hawkins, the decision was not easy. Some alumni of the historically black collegTalle strongly opposed the band performing at the inauguration. The band received financial support from across the country, and contributions […]
