Arts and Culture
Number of Hate Groups Increased in 2017
The Southern Poverty Law Center says the number of hate groups in its annual survey rose 4 percent in 2017, spurred in part by an increase of black nationalist groups. At the same time the number of Ku Klux Klan groups dropped significantly.
How a Small Alabama Town Pioneered the First 9-1-1 Call
In January 1968, the FCC and AT&T announced a plan for an emergency telephone number. But the Alabama Telephone Company decided to get out ahead of the feds and set up its own system.
Birmingham’s Noodle Mania
There's been a recent surge in new Birmingham restaurants serving up gourmet noodle bowls like Japanese ramen and Vietnamese pho.
Labor Department Investigation Finds Taziki’s Violated Overtime Rules
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced Taziki’s Mediterranean Café will pay $135,844 to employees after an investigation found the company violated overtime rules.
Violinist Mayumi Masri Not Silenced by Tragic Accident
After an accident that almost severed her arm, an Alabama Symphony Orchestra violinist is working to play as she once did.
Robert Siegel: Looking Back at a 41-Year Career
Friday is the last day for Robert Siegel at NPR. The longtime host of All Things Considered will retire after more than 41 years with the network.
New Initiative Seeks to Preserve Alabama LGBTQ Histories
Invisible Histories Project Alabama is aimed at finding, recording and preserving what the group calls the “always vanishing” stories of LGBTQ Alabamians.
Kids, Dogs and the Culture of Breweries
For WBHM’s food series, “Sound Bites” we look at why breweries have become such popular places for families to spend quality time.
How to Solve Birmingham’s Food Service Worker Shortage
There are too many restaurants in Birmingham and not enough people to staff them.
Miles Hoffman: ‘Random sounds are rarely soothing.’
Miles Hoffman says when it comes to classical music, there’s no substitute for a live performance. Hoffman is Morning Edition’s music commentator, and he’s the founder and artistic director of The American Chamber Players.
New Documentary Highlights Lesbian Struggle for Equality in Alabama
The film follows three lesbian couples, a group that directors say has historically been invisible in Alabama.
California Dreamin’ With a Heart of Dixie: Writer Charlie Wyatt
The Birmingham native has lived in San Diego, California, since the 1960s, but his soul stayed in the South. Wyatt began writing short stories a few years ago, releasing a little bit of that Southern soul in the process.
Musical Healing: ASO’s Izcaray Begins Second Season
A new season of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra kicks off this weekend. The symphony’s music director Carlos Izcaray dealt with quite a bit of personal adversity last season. But he says he […]
Graham Boettcher’s Mission: Breaking Down the Ivory Tower
Graham Boettcher came to Birmingham just over a decade ago and says he's seen vast changes in the city's art scene and culture.
A New Chapter for S-Town Fans
A resident of Woodstock, Alabama developed a project that allows fans of the S-Town podcast to connect the place its set while raising awareness for suicide prevent.
The Voice Behind the Crimson Tide? That’s Eli Gold
Meet the man who is the voice behind the Alabama Crimson Tide. Eli Gold has announced games for the Tide on the radio for almost three decades.
Blazer Fans Eager for the Return of UAB Football
UAB Football fans are eager for the season to start, the first since the program was revived two years ago.
Twists, Fades and Frohawks? Blazer Barbers Have it Covered
UAB Blazers football players don't need to go farther than the locker room for a hair cut. The team has its own barbershop.
All Together Now! Alabamians Try for World’s Largest Rock Band
The Auburn group tried last year to break this record. A total of 850 people participated in that effort. Unbeknownst to them, a group in China outdid them with a 953-member rock band.
UAB Opens New Football Offices and Practice Facility
UAB Blazer fans celebrated Friday as university and community leaders cut the ribbon on the football team’s new operations center and Legacy Pavilion. The $22.5 million facility is a major milestone […]
Arc Stories: July 2017 Edition
Four stories, each recorded at different Arc Stories events throughout Birmingham. What oneman discovers about his wife when she has to endure a major medical procedure; a young woman who […]
Birmingham Weekly Newspaper Halts Publishing
Weld general manager, Heather Milam Nikolich, tells WBHM's Esther Ciammachilli the move is temporary.
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.
Charlemagne Records Celebrates 40 Years
The Birmingham institution has endured several music format changes from cassette tapes to online streaming. WBHM’s Esther Ciammachilli popped in to Charlemagne to see what this little shop has done to stay afloat during a time when record stores have almost disappeared.
Arc Stories: June 2017 Edition
Four stories where plans put into motion take some rather unexpected turns. One young woman’s attempt to have a little fun at some protester’s expense; a boy who is taken […]
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.
A George Washington Museum — in Alabama
A short drive south of Birmingham is a museum that might seem more at home in the nation’s capital. It’s dedicated to George Washington.
Scott Simon Brings Weekend Edition to Birmingham
NPR's Scott Simon brings Weekend Edition Saturday to The Lyric Theatre on June 10. He spoke with WBHM's Michael Krall about the broadcast.
Birmingham Launches Film Office as State Lags in Big Productions
Birmingham is investing in a new film office, but Alabama still lags behind Georgia in film incentives.
Arc Stories: May 2017 Edition
Birmingham’s own true stories. A man’s encounter with perhaps the world’s worst burglar; a woman overlooks some early warning signs in the pursuit of love; and student recalls a beloved […]
A Very Sordid Wedding Mirrors Familiar Same-Sex Themes
The sequel to Del Shores' cult film and TV series Sordid Lives debuts in Birmingham Thursday.
Itzhak Perlman Returns to Birmingham
World-renowned Violinist Itzhak Perlman performs at UAB's Alys Stephens Center Sunday. He talks about his career and whether classical music is still relevant today.
