Lane Cake Named Official State Dessert by Alabama Lawmakers

Alabama has an official state bird, nut, fruit and even crustacean. The state might soon have an official state cake— a lane cake. The House of Representatives voted Thursday night to name lane cake as the official state cake. The bill now goes to Alabama Governor Robert Bentley for his signature. The effort to name lane cake the state dessert made some traction last year, but ultimately fell flat. To celebrate the cake's move towards official state-dessertdom, today we revisit this story by WBHM 2015 Summer intern Stephanie Beckett.

‘Watchman’ Publication Revives An Old-Fashioned, Boozy Alabama Dessert

The deep south has seen a resurgence of interest in southern culture since author Harper Lee published her newest novel, “Go Set a Watchman.” The author previously wrote beloved classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” so it’s no wonder her new book set off sparks of conversation about southern identity. Within that, however, there’s been speculation […]

Former UAB Quarterback Talks Concussions

At WBHM's Issues and Ales: Concussions and the Price of Playing Football, former UAB quarterback and NFL veteran Kevin Drake answered some audience questions that the panelists didn't get to address in the discussion. Drake is the program director for the Wise Up Initiative, and he says one of the biggest problems with concussions is that too many go under the radar.

Vestavia Hills Board Of Education Votes To Keep Name, Change Mascot

Vestavia Hills High School has been catching a lot of heat for their name, “the Rebels” and their mascot, a caricature of an elderly Southern plantation owner. Several weeks ago, the public was given a chance to weigh in on the decision to keep the name and mascot or eliminate both. Last night, the Vestavia Hills Board of Education unanimously voted to keep the name, but not the mascot.

Harper Lee Fans Have Mixed Feelings About New Book

Avid readers all over the country have been talking about Alabama author Harper Lee’s newly published book, Go Set a Watchman. The book, intended to be a sequel to Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, is supposed to be a sequel to the 1960 classic, but was actually written first. Critics Some writers mentioned in reviews […]

Alabama Supreme Court Causes Marriage License Confusion

In an order released Monday, the Alabama Supreme Court is inviting parties to submit briefs "addressing the effects of the Supreme Court's decision" in Obergefell v. Hodges. John Carroll, former U.S. Magistrate Judge and Samford law professor, says the order gives probate judges some temporary power. "It meant that the probate judges don't have to issue the licenses [to same-sex couples] ," he says, "but they can if they want to."

University of Alabama History Professor Speaks About Cannonballs Found On Campus

It's not every day you stumble upon a 150-year-old relic. But that's what happened last week when a sidewalk repair crew at the University of Alabama uncovered 10 Civil War era cannonballs buried in the ground. The university called in a bomb squad as a precaution but the cannonballs were removed without incident. WBHM's Stephanie Beckett spoke with University of Alabama history professor Harold Selesky about why they probably came from that time period.

Drummond Coal Won’t Renew Shepherd Bend Mine Permit

Drummond Company Inc., a global leader in coal production and one of the largest private companies in the U.S., has faced controversy ever since it received a permit to mine coal at Shepherd Bend, an area close to an intake for Birmingham’s drinking water supply. Many groups and consumers, worried about toxins and chemicals reaching the water, […]

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Celebrates Juneteenth in New Way

Today in some deep south states is the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. It began on June 19th, 1865, after Union soldiers finally got word to these states that slavery had ended — almost 3 years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute normally hosts a festival, but for this particular anniversary members decided to do something different.