Government
Rosa Parks and Helen Keller statues unveiled at the Alabama Capitol
The monuments honoring the Alabama natives, whose advocacy helped dismantle racial segregation and promoted the rights of people with disabilities, are the first statues of women to be installed on the lawn of the Alabama Capitol.
Alabama executes man with nitrogen gas for 1993 murder over $200 drug debt
Anthony Boyd was pronounced dead at William C. Holman Correctional Facility, authorities said. The execution was carried out by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year.
Democrats invited Republicans to a town hall. Here’s what happened
Imagine getting an invitation to a town hall from someone across the political aisle. That was the idea behind a recent event sponsored by the Calhoun County Democratic Committee. They asked their members to invite Republican friends in an effort to bridge the divide.
Families describe deaths, violence in Alabama prisons as they push for change
Family members of people incarcerated in Alabama prisons packed a Wednesday meeting of the Legislative Prison Committee and then held a rally on the steps of the Capitol.
Alabama board seeks to ban books that ‘positively’ depict trans themes from library youth sections
The Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors is considering a proposed rule change that expands the existing requirement for youth sections to be free of “material deemed inappropriate for children.” The new proposal said that includes any material that “positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders.”
Alabama inmate asks to meet with governor ahead of execution
Anthony Boyd is scheduled to be executed Thursday evening by nitrogen gas at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility. A jury convicted Boyd of capital murder for the 1993 burning death of Gregory Huguley in Talladega County.
Hyundai still committing billions to Louisiana steel mill after ICE raid in Georgia
The immigration raid last month has analysts questioning whether President Donald Trump’s immigration and manufacturing goals are at odds.
Railroad Park filled by ‘No Kings Day’ protest
Birmingham turned out in force as part of the nationwide "No Kings Day" protests on Saturday. Organized by Birmingham Indivisible, crowds filled Railroad Park before marching around the city in protest of Trump Administration policies.
Harris says Democrats ‘are standing up for working people’ in government shutdown
Harris made the comments in an AP interview Friday, the same day her book tour brought her to Birmingham.
‘The Alabama Solution’: a documentary with an inside look at Alabama’s prison crisis
Alabama’s prison system is one of the most violent in the country. But you don’t often hear from those inside. The Alabama Solution, a documentary about the system told from the perspective of incarcerated people, premieres on HBO Max Friday night.
Despite stiff opposition, Bessemer changes its laws to accommodate data centers
Residents in and around Bessemer expressed continued disapproval of a plan to build a 14.5 million square foot data center in their back yards. Now, the city is one step closer to final approval.
Eighteen months after a fatal explosion, Alabama rolls back its commitment to monitor explosive gases above coal mines
In a letter to federal regulators, the director of the Alabama Surface Mining Commission wrote she has “indefinitely suspended” methane monitoring requirements her agency agreed to in 2024. Experts say the “astonishing and reckless” move leaves residents at risk.
Alabama governor vows action after Montgomery shooting leaves 2 dead, 12 injured
The deadly shooting unfolded Saturday night in a crowded section of the city's downtown filled with bars, hotels and restaurants. The location is less than a mile from the Alabama Capitol and near sites that pay tribute to Rosa Parks and other key figures in the city’s history.
Drug checking services save lives in the Netherlands. The Gulf South doesn’t have any
Both the U.S. and the Netherlands wrestle with the politics of drug use, but their approaches diverge in key ways that reflect deeper ideological divides.
Lawsuit filed against immigration authorities after U.S. citizen’s arrests in raids
An Alabama construction worker and U.S. citizen who says he was detained twice by immigration agents within just a few weeks has filed a lawsuit in federal court demanding an end to Trump administration workplace raids targeting industries with large immigrant workforces.
Son of woman murdered by man now on death row asks Alabama to stop his execution
Will Berry was 11 when his mother was murdered. Geoffrey West was 21 when he pulled the trigger. Berry and West exchanged letters ahead of West’s scheduled execution by nitrogen gas Thursday in Alabama. West expressed his remorse, and Berry offered forgiveness.
Federal judge orders Jefferson County to redraw racially gerrymandered districts
U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala ruled the county map was unconstitutional because race was the predominant factor when the Jefferson County Commission drew districts.
Alabama asks court to lift block on limits to absentee ballot applications
The Alabama attorney general’s office asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a judge’s preliminary injunction last year that found the gift and payment ban is “not enforceable as to blind, disabled, or illiterate voters.”
Ivey, Ledbetter go to court to try and allow voucher students to participate in athletics
Gov. Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter filed the complaint in Montgomery Circuit Court against the Alabama High School Athletic Association. They are asking a judge to block the association's ruling on eligibility and pave the way for the students to participate in athletics this year.
Alabama looks to solve two problems at once by helping formerly incarcerated people enter the workforce
The state incarcerates more of its people than most others, and when they’re released, those with criminal records struggle to find jobs – increasing the likelihood they’ll reoffend. Meanwhile, many businesses can’t find enough skilled workers.
Trump announces Space Command is moving from Colorado to Alabama
The long-expected decision from Trump caps a four-year tug of war between two states and opposing administrations about where to locate U.S. Space Command.
Alabama town’s first Black mayor, who had been locked out of office, wins election
Incumbent Mayor Patrick Braxton was elected as the mayor of Newbern, winning 66 votes to his opponent’s 26, according to results posted by the town. His victory puts a punctuation mark in the dispute over control of the town government that drew national attention.
Woodfin wins third term as Birmingham mayor
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin cruised to victory Tuesday, dominating a field of 9 candidates to claim a third term.
Here are the results of Tuesday’s elections in Birmingham
Birmingham voters made their picks in races for mayor, city council and school board.
Voters weigh in on Birmingham’s future ahead of city election
Birmingham voters will choose from among nine candidates for mayor in elections Tuesday. When residents around the city were asked to share what is on their minds as they head to the ballot box, two issues rose to the top.
Federal judge rules Alabama Senate district violates Voting Rights Act, orders new map
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco blocked the state from using the current map in the 2026 elections and said a new map must be put in place that creates a new district in Montgomery where Black voters “comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it."
An overview of Tuesday’s elections in Birmingham
Birmingham’s municipal elections are on Tuesday, which means voters will have the chance to elect (or re-elect) candidates for mayor, city council, and the school board. Thanks to our friends at BirminghamWatch, you can find a list of candidates and other resources to help as you head to the polls.
Alabama sets October execution using nitrogen gas
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday set an Oct. 23 execution date for Anthony Boyd. Boyd is one of four men convicted in the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley in Talladega.
Federal judge refuses to block Alabama law banning DEI initiatives in public schools
U.S. District Judge David Proctor wrote that University of Alabama students and professors who filed a lawsuit challenging the law as unconstitutional did not meet the legal burden required for a preliminary injunction.
US Rep. Barry Moore, an Alabama Republican, launches bid for the Senate
Moore is in his third term in Congress and is a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus. In a campaign video announcing his candidacy, he emphasized his history as an early supporter of President Donald Trump.
Judges block appeal to redraw congressional district maps
The three-judge panel unanimously, and for the second time, found that the state drew a map that unfairly discriminated against Black Alabamians.
District attorney says Alabama teen killed by police had grabbed a gun
But the teen’s family questioned that conclusion and said they have many unanswered questions about what had happened.
