Government
Birmingham Special Election Draws Crowded Candidate Field in District 6
Birmingham voters go to the polls Tuesday to elect council members in three districts. Turnout in the special election is expected to be low, but interest is high in District 6, an area that covers UAB, Titusville, and parts of west Birmingham.
Alabama, Business and Brexit
There’s a lot of unrest around politics in Washington right now, and it’s the same in the United Kingdom as the clock is ticking on a Brexit deal. Andrew Staunton in the UK’s representative in the American South and he visited Birmingham recently.
Voter Guide: Birmingham Voters to Decide School Taxes, Three Council Seats Tuesday
Voters in Birmingham will head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of three property taxes for schools and three seats on the City Council.
Advocates Want Lawmakers to End the Habitual Offender Act
Gov. Kay Ivey’s Study Group on Criminal Justice Policy meets Thursday to talk sentencing. Advocates want the group to address the state’s Habitual Felony Offender Act.
What’s the Future of Legion Field?
It won’t be long before construction starts on the planned Protective Stadium at the BJCC in downtown Birmingham. It’s expected to be finished in 2021. That brings up a big question: what happens to Birmingham’s current stadium, Legion Field?
Birmingham to Pilot Ridesharing Service
Birmingham will try a new ridesharing service to offer area residents more public transit options.
Megachurch Presence in Birmingham Schools Sparks Tension
Church of the Highlands, Alabama’s biggest megachurch, has expanded into the inner city, leasing space at two Birmingham schools. But there’s been pushback in the community, some of it highlighting a racial divide.
Can Gov. Ivey Keep Doing Her Job During Cancer Treatments?
Gov. Kay Ivey says her radiation treatments for lung cancer will not interfere with her job as governor. We talk with an oncologist about the likelihood she could continue with business as usual.
Gov. Kay Ivey to Undergo Treatment for Lung Cancer
Gov. Kay Ivey announced Thursday she has lung cancer. This comes after her doctor found a spot on her lung during a routine visit.
Transit Board Approves Fare Increase and Service Cuts
The MAX Transit Board approved its $34 million budget Wednesday, including a fare increase and some service cuts.
Biden at 16th Street Baptist Church Commemoration: ‘Hate is on the Rise’
Sunday marked the 56th anniversary of the bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church. Former Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the memorial observance.
Doug Jones Says He’s Not Attacking the State Democratic Party, He’s Rebuilding It
U.S. Senator Doug Jones says he is trying to rebuild the Alabama Democratic Party, not destroy it. That’s in response to criticism leveled at him by state party chairwoman Nancy Worley. It’s also the latest turn in a leadership fight that’s embroiled Alabama Democrats.
Transit Authority Chief Seeks Compromise to Pass Budget
The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority recently rejected a proposed budget that would have increased bus fares to $1.50 and cut bus service. Executive Director Frank Martin says riders aren’t paying enough into the system, and neither is the city of Birmingham.
NOAA Head: ‘No One’s Job Is Under Threat’ Over Trump’s Disputed Tweets About Alabama
Acting NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs said "nobody's job is at risk" after National Weather Service forecasters in Alabama contradicted President Trump's claim last week that the state would be hit hard by Hurricane Dorian.
Birmingham Voters Head to Polls Oct. 8 to Pick 3 Council Members, Decide on School Taxes
Birmingham is one month away from a citywide election that will not only determine the future of funding for city schools but also whether up to one-third of City Council seats change hands.
Democrat Doug Jones Launches Re-election Campaign
Doug Jones launched his re-election campaign Sunday, challenging voters to look at his record instead of the labels cast on him by his opponents.
#DougMeetsMiles: Jones Takes Questions Via Twitter at Forum With College Students
Sen. Doug Jones told an audience of students from Miles College that when he went to Washington, D.C. he didn’t realize that he was going to be a part of a government that functioned according to what someone says on Twitter — an oblique reference to President Donald Trump’s penchant for tweets that make the nation’s capital go topsy-turvy.
Governor’s Study Group Meets on Prison Operations
Gov. Kay Ivey's task force on criminal justice policy convened Wednesday in Montgomery to discuss the state's troubled prison system.
Transit Board Rejects Budget With Proposed Route and Fare Changes
The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority rejected a proposed budget today that would have increased fares and cut some bus routes.
Alabama NAACP Calls on Gov. Ivey to Resign
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey apologized Thursday for appearing in blackface in a skit more than 50 years ago while a student at Auburn University. Ivey says she does not remember the incident but does not deny it happened.
Group Protests Detention of Two Immigrants
Nearly three dozen people attended a press conference Tuesday at the Adelante Alabama Worker Center to support two of their own who were detained by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Jefferson County Owes Medicare and Medicaid More Than $1 Million for Overpayments to Cooper Green Hospital
Jefferson County Commissioners learned during their committee meeting Monday that the county is on the hook for more than $1 million in back payments for Medicare and Medicaid that was overpaid when Cooper Green was a hospital.
Woodfin Announces Plan for Free College Tuition to City Graduates
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin released details Wednesday of a plan to offer Birmingham City Schools graduates the chance to go to a public two or four-year school in Alabama tuition free. This follows a tweet Tuesday evening announcing the program.
BCRI Board Gets 12 New Members, 5 Reappointed
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Board received a makeover Tuesday with the City Council’s appointment of a dozen new members and reappointment of five current members.
Report: Alabama Community Corrections Harms Low-Income Participants
A recent report from the Southern Poverty Law Center says Alabama’s community corrections program unfairly burdens low-include people by charging fees to those under its supervision.
MAX Transit Weighs Cuts, Fare Increases
The Birmingham Jefferson Transit Authority (BJCTA) is considering cuts and fare increases to the MAX bus system. Many bus riders around Birmingham say the buses are unreliable and inefficient.
Annexit: The Push to Deannex Parts of Anniston into Oxford
Anniston City Councilwoman Millie Harris says some residents want out of the city because of poor schools, high crime rates, and declining property values.
Alabama Democrats Face a Deadline for New Bylaws and Elections
The Alabama Democratic Party is in the midst of a leadership crisis. The party must approve a new set of bylaws and elect new leaders by Saturday. But many observers say it looks like state Democrats will blow the deadline.
Birmingham Councilor Says City Has Increased Its Dedication to Public Transit
Despite looming service reductions from the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, District 5 Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn emphasized Tuesday that the city has increased its dedication to public transit.
All Quiet on Alabama Immigrant Front in Face of ICE Raids in Neighboring Mississippi
It may have been an uneasy quiet for the large number of Hispanics among the 86,000 people employed in the Alabama poultry industry, but it has been quiet here since the 680 workers at Mississippi plants were arrested Wednesday by immigration authorities.
Jefferson County Commission Approves $700 Million Budget
The Jefferson County Commission recently passed a budget of more than $700 million for fiscal 2020.
Prison Re-Entry Program to Expand with $6 Million Grant
When prisoners are released, they often face lots of hurdles. They can't find work or housing or health care. Often, they end up back in prison. The Dannon Project recently received a large federal grant that will allow the nonprofit to help more former inmates get on their feet.
