Comedians Get Extra Creative During The COVID-19 Pandemic
With entertainment venues closed because of COVID-19, local standup comedians and improv performers are having to find other ways to connect to their audiences. Some have even turned to social media to practice their craft.
Coronavirus Puts Focus On Preppers
Preppers — those who stockpile food and other supplies — are getting a lot of attention lately given the public’s concerns over Coronavirus and the fear of some kind of societal breakdown.
Alabama Reports Its First Case Of Coronavirus
Alabama officials announced the state’s first case of COVID-19.
More Alabama Farmers Sign up to Grow Hemp
Last year marked the first time in decades that hemp could be grown legally in Alabama. More than 100 farmers got licensed by the state to grow it.
Helping Walker County Families Destroyed by the Opioid Crisis
Tens of millions of prescription pain pills flooded Walker County from 2006-2012, according to data released by The Washington Post. But the effects of the opioid crisis are still evident, especially for children who lived through it.
WATCH LIVE: Justice Department Inspector General Testifies Before Senate Judiciary
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is answering lawmakers’ questions about his report on the Russia investigation, which was released on Monday. Watch the hearing live, Wednesday, December 11th starting at 10 a.m. Central.
Alabama Broadband Expansion to Improve High-Speed Internet Access
Alabamians, especially in rural areas, will see improvements in their internet access. A new partnership announced today plans to expand current broadband infrastructure and provide faster fiber optic cables throughout the state.
Birmingham Initiative Pardons Low-Level Marijuana Convictions
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin launched a new initiative to pardon thousands of people with misdemeanor marijuana convictions, a move meant to ease a significant barrier to employment.
Jeff Sessions Wants To Return To The Senate, GOP Sources Say
Republican sources say ex-Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to return to the Senate. He was a key Trump supporter but the relationship soured when Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe.
New Grocery Delivery Program Aims to Curb Senior Hunger
Many seniors have health issues that prevent them from getting to the grocery store. Others can’t afford or have limited access to nutritious food. A new program delivers healthy groceries to their doorstep.
School Closings for Tuesday Jan. 29
Many schools systems around Alabama will be closed Tuesday, January 29th due to expected snow.
APM Reports: Education Documentaries
In a new series of hour-long education documentaries, APM Reports visits first generation students a decade later, asks tough questions about why kids aren’t being taught to read, and discovers how apprenticeships offer another path to the middle class. Whether you’re a parent, student, teacher, or anyone concerned with the country’s future, you don’t want […]
Don’t Swat! Alabama’s Bugs May Be Disappearing
The insect population has declined worldwide. Getting a grasp on Alabama’s bug population has been tough. Here’s why.
Unpaid Debts: Cities Owe Jefferson County More Than $800,000 for EMA and Personnel Board Costs
Cities and towns in Jefferson County owe the county more than $800,000, according to a report given at the County Commission meeting Thursday in Bessemer.
2018 Runoff Voter Guide: What Races Are up in the Air and Who’s on the Ballot?
In this edition of the BirminghamWatch Voter Guide, you will find lists of candidates on the ballot and their profiles, which include basic information about each of the candidates such as the top contributors to their campaigns, the main issues they’re citing in their campaigns and links to their web or social media sites.
Hurricane Irma and Alabama
Resources and news items complied by the WBHM news team
School Closures Due to Irma
School closings due to anticipated severe weather from Hurricane Irma
Live Annotation of President Trump’s Inaugural Address
Donald Trump gave his inaugural address after being sworn in as president of the United States on Friday afternoon. NPR’s politics team, with help from journalists across the newsroom, live-annotated his remarks found below. NOTE: You may also follow the Inauguration Day live-blog maintained by NPR by clicking here. Loading…
Alabama GOP Elated as Democrats Deflated over Trump Win
There was little doubt Republican Donald Trump would win Alabama in yesterday’s presidential election. But with a tight race nationally, Alabama Republicans and Democrats gathered at their own watch parties to follow the results.
Live Fact-Checking of Clinton And Trump’s First Debate From NPR Politics
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head tonight in the first presidential debate, and NPR’s politics team will be live annotating the debate. NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt will moderate the event starting at 8 p.m. at Hofstra University in New York. The debate will be divided into three 30-minute segments on three topics: […]
How to Protect Yourself Against Mosquitoes and Zika
The Zika virus has popped up in Alabama, although you can’t blame mosquitoes yet. The pests spread the disease but so far the only cases in the state are from people who have traveled to Zika infected areas. But public health officials are offering tips to fight mosquitoes, which spread a number of diseases.
Schools Close Early Because of Severe Weather
A number of Birmingham area schools have announced early dismissals or schedule changes because of anticipated severe weather.
Friday’s Winter Weather and School Dismissals
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory starting at 9 O’clock for cities including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden and Anniston as snow is expected to fall across the state Friday.
Lessons For New Orleans
Charter schools are changing American education. Some say for the better, some say the worse. This week the Southern Education Desk looks at the charter school movement throughout the south. We start in New Orleans, the testing ground for the movement.
Upward Bound Takes Students Through High School And beyond
Remember when you could get a job with just a high school diploma? By 2020, it’s projected that 65 percent of jobs will require a diploma, AND, higher education. Upward Bound is more than doubling the chances of low-income, first-generation students graduating and going to college nationwide, including 6,500 in the Deep South. Today, Louisiana Public Broadcasting producers Kevin Gautreaux and Shauna Sanford take a look at this federally funded program and its summer work in Part 3 of the Southern Education Desk’s series on Summer Learning.
What’s Your Experience with Alabama’s Prison System?
WBHM, Alabama Media Group and the Center for Investigative Reporting are collaborating on a closer examination of the state’s prison problems and who is being held accountable. We want to hear your experiences with the prison system.
A Closer Look at Alabama’s New Diploma
In 2013, State Superintendent Tommy Bice introduced several new programs to Alabama’s schools as part of his 2020 Plan. One important part of the plan is the new Alabama High School diploma, which will impact this year’s freshmen class. While some school officials are excited about the new diploma, others have concerns.
Common Core, Part 3: More Writing May Be A Challenge
New national Common Core education standards are designed to create better critical thinkers. To achieve this, students in 45 states can expect to be writing a lot more than they do now. Many educators say it’s a good change, but one warns that the transition could be rough, especially for older students.
Pre-K: Politics and Poverty
Most education experts believe quality preschool programs are essential to finding a long-term solution to the achievement gap, and will ultimately play a role in helping disadvantaged students escape poverty. But politics can sometimes get in the way.
Money Talks: Paying for Pre-K
For many students, Pre-K education makes the difference between early elementary school success and failure. But in cash-strapped Southern states Pre-K is an easy target for legislative budget cuts.
