Issues
Dissecting Alabama’s General Fund Budget
The state’s new budget year starts October 1 and agency leaders have to figure out how to work within the austere general fund budget passed by lawmakers in a special session last week. The budget provides level funding to key departments such as prisons, Medicaid, law enforcement, and mental health. Most others face cuts of at least 6 percent. For an overview we turn to Thomas Spencer, a senior research associate at the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. PARCA is a nonpartisan think tank focused on Alabama government.
Voices from Birmingham’s History: Flooding Along Village Creek in Ensley
Birmingham is in a valley, resting at the foothills of the Appalachians. The city’s creeks collect water running down from the mountains and filter it through the floodplains. Last week, WBHM reported on developers today taking a new interest in the 1925 Olmsted Plan for parks and green space in Birmingham. The Olmsted Plan preserved the city's major tributaries, specifically those of Village and Valley Creek.
Daughters and the CEO
Women make up half the world, but men still dominate in the business world. That's particularly true when it comes to executive positions. While women certainly have made progress, one factor in their efforts may be unexpected -- the daughters of executives. We explain in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Journalist Pamela Newkirk on the Astonishing Life of Ota Benga
The 1904 Saint Louis World's fair is best known to Birminghamians as the place where Vulcan debuted, before moving to his permanent home on Red Mountain. But it was also host to an exhibit displaying thousands of humans from around the world. Among them was a young Congolese man named Ota Benga. He was captured by former missionary Samuel Phillips Verne and brought to America for the exhibit. Benga's story is the subject of the new book Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga by journalist Pamela Newkirk. She told WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about Ota Benga’s life, and the cultural mindset that led to his captivity.
Legislator or Lobbyist
State lawmakers wrapped up a second special session Wednesday night, one that resolves a more than $200 million shortfall in the general fund budget. Despite the extra meeting time Alabama does have a part-time legislature and sometimes a lawmaker’s professional life conflicts with his or her public service. Governing bodies draft rules to mitigate those conflicts. But Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says the way the state is apply some of those rules makes for open season on the very idea of ethics.
Education Budget Cuts, Cigarette Tax, and Winners and Losers
The second special session of the Alabama Legislature could soon be in the books with a combination of cuts to the education budget and a cigarette tax. That combination avoids some funding cuts to state agencies — Medicaid, corrections, mental health, human resources and the court system are all expected to be level funded. But […]
University of Alabama System Board of Trustees Committee Backs Contract for UAB Football Coach
Members of the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees compensation committee approved a new five-year contract for head UAB football coach Bill Clark Wednesday. UAB President Ray Watts said Clark would remain the Blazers’ coach when Watts announced the team’s reinstatement in June but an agreement did not come for more than three months.
Season Opener! Carlos Izcaray Leads the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
This weekend, newly appointed Music Director Carlos Izcaray conducts the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring both modern and romantic works. Izcaray (pronounced “eez-ca-RYE”) spoke with WBHM’s Michael Krall about the program, his management style, and about how audiences might approach a modern, contemporary work. The conversation began with Izcaray talking about why he moved his […]
Birmingham School Board Approves Application to Authorize Charter Schools
"In an effort to be a player in this process, we really needed to become an authorizer, so that anyone who is interested in moving forward with a charter school application would have to first come to the school district,” Dr. Kelley Castlin-Gacutan .
After Almost 100 Years, Birmingham’s Olmsted Park Plan Sees New Life
With the success of Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham, the city’s seen increased support for more public green spaces. As the city develops new parks and trails for Birmingham residents, leaders are taking lessons from the city’s history, including seeking advice from a park plan published almost a century ago.
Previewing Week Two of Alabama’s Second Special Session
The second week of Alabama's second special session begins today, and many questions remain. The new fiscal year starts October 1. Alabama Public Television's Don Dailey joins Troy Public Radio’s Carolyn Hutcheson to discuss the upcoming week and the possibility of a budget emerging from the Senate this Friday.
A New Leader for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Tuesday Birmingham will mark the 52 anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which killed 4 girls and helped galvanize support for passage of the Civil Rights Act. For staff at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, they’ll note this anniversary under new leadership. Andrea Taylor began as the new president and CEO of the institute last week.
Here’s What Happened This Week During the Second Special Session
Alabama House Republicans have done something they probably never imagined they'd do — vote to raise taxes. We have an update now on the special legislative session underway. Alabama Public Television's Don Dailey tells Troy Public Radio's Carolyn Hutcheson about the most recent action in Montgomery.
House Approves 25-Cent Cigarette Tax Increase
The House of Representatives, in a series of tight votes Thursday, approved a 25-cent cigarette tax increase and other revenue bills as a plan to help close a budget gap slowly inched forward.
Exhibit Showcasing Art By Veterans Opens Friday
Returning soldiers often suffer from the lingering psychological trauma of war. Studies show one way to help veterans cope is through making art. This Friday, the visual arts organization Space One Eleven debuts Reflections of Generosity, a veteran-focused art exhibition that expresses the complicated feelings of life after war.
Land Water Conservation Fund Expiration Worries Alabamians
The Land Water Conservation Fund is a federal act that provides funding for parks that aren't a part of the state's park system. After five decades, it's set to expire in September, and Congress has yet to act on it. This has some Alabamians worried. Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, comments on this and other stories.
Alabama’s Science Standards Get a Makeover
Alabama schools are getting new science standards for the first time in a decade. The state Board of Education voted unanimously today to replace old standards that some teachers say were behind the times the moment they were approved. As evidence, they point to their students’ biology textbooks, many of which currently come with warning […]
Senior Advisor to Governor Paid Through Questionable Means
There are two big stories in state politics right now. There’s the special legislative session that started this week. Then there’s all the chatter around the governor’s divorce. Alabama’s First Lady Diane Bentley filed for divorce from Governor Robert Bentley last month after 50 years of marriage. That’s fueled rumors of an affair by the governor. He says this is a private matter and the legal filing has been sealed. Still the situation has drawn attention to happenings within the administration, particularly how a senior advisor is paid. We talk about that now with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
House Committee Approves Cigarette Tax, Other Revenue Bills
An Alabama budget committee has approved a cigarette tax increase and other revenue bills as lawmakers try to fill a budget shortfall. The House Ways and Means Committee voted 8-6 for a 25-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase. The increase would raise $66 million annually.
Dr. Minda Berbeco On Alabama’s New Science Standards
Alabama’s State Board of Education on Thursday approved new K-12 science standards that will go into effect next school year. Science teachers across Alabama say the new standards are better than the current decade-old ones. We wanted a national perspective too, so WBHM’s Dan Carsen caught up with Dr. Minda Berbeco, Programs and Policy Director for […]
A New Leader for the University of Alabama System
The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees is set to vote this month on a new leader for the three-campus system. Chancellor Robert Witt announced recently he’ll retire next August. He’s recommended current vice chancellor of finance and operations Ray Hayes for the job. We talk about what that next chancellor faces in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
Remembering Max Cooper: Broadway Producer and Fast Food Tycoon
Max Cooper, a Broadway producer and Alabama’s largest McDonald’s franchisee, died Sunday at his Birmingham home. He was just shy of 100-years-old. Max Cooper was many things; fast food tycoon, sports impresario, advertising guy, entrepreneur and someone with a lifelong desire to be in show business. Greg Bass spoke with Cooper for WBHM in December of 2010.
Civil Rights Complaint Filed Against Jefferson County Health Department
North Birmingham neighborhoods have long struggled with pollution from nearby heavy industry. Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency accepted a civil rights complaint against the Jefferson County Health department…filed by a local environmental activist group. Nick Patterson, the editor of WELD, tells WBHM what’s in the complaint and why it matters.
Peering Through the Fog of the Governor’s Divorce
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says his divorce is private matter. They’re the first public comments he’s made since First Lady Diane Bentley filed for divorce Friday after 50 years of marriage. The divorce has helped fuel rumors of an extramarital affair. The personal turmoil comes as the governor prepares for a second special session aimed at resolving the state’s General Fund budget shortfall. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Second Legislative Special Session Starts Tuesday
State lawmakers have hit crunch time. The next fiscal year starts October 1st and the state still does not have a General Fund budget. Lawmakers and Governor Robert Bentley remain at odds over what to do about a more than $200 million budget shortfall. Two legislative sessions have come and gone with without a resolution. So the governor has called another special session to start Tuesday.
Governor Robert Bentley Makes First Public Appearances Since Divorce Filing
Governor Robert Bentley touted the state’s economic successes in two speeches in Birmingham Wednesday. They were his first public appearances since First Lady Diane Bentley, his wife of fifty years, filed for divorce late last week. The divorce announcement has led to speculation about the Governor’s personal life, and has at least one lawmaker questioning if he misused state […]
Hoover Schools Chief Says No to Becoming Charter Authorizer
“I hold no assumption that there is a charter school entity out there that can do the work better than we’re doing,” says superintendent Dr. Kathy Murphy.
Governor Bentley’s Wife Seeks Divorce, Says Marriage Is Broken
Alabama first lady Dianne Bentley has filed for divorce from Gov. Robert Bentley, saying their 50-year marriage has suffered an "irretrievable breakdown." The complaint, filed Friday, says that attempts at reconciliation are futile and that the couple has been living apart since January.
New Publix Distribution Center to be Built in Jefferson County
The Florida-based grocery store chain Publix moved into the Birmingham market 13 years ago and now the company appears ready to make an investment beyond just stores. Jefferson County political leaders say Publix will build a $34 million distribution center in western Jefferson County. We talk about that in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
UAB Researchers Use CRISPR Technology to Target Childhood Syndrome
In the last couple of years there’s been a bonanza in life sciences around something called CRISPR. This is a process that bacteria do naturally as a defense mechanism, but scientists have figured out how to use it to snip out specific genes from DNA and replace them. In other words, it makes cheaper and more precise genetic editing possible. Dr. Tim Townes, director of the UAB Stem Cell Institute, led a team that published a paper Thursday in Cell Reports on their use of CRISPR to develop a potential new cure for a troubling condition in children.
Jefferson County 20/20 Health Plan Aims to Improve Overall Health of Community
It takes 20/20 focus to identify the multitude of factors impacting the health of Jefferson County residents. After months of planning, the County Department of Health has developed a plan and is putting it into action. The county and community organizations are partnering to improve health and quality of life with its Community Matters 20/20 Plan.
“To Me, It Was A Good Thing” Feizal Valli Remembers How Hurricane Katrina Brought Him To Birmingham
Feizal Valli worked as a bartender in New Orleans for over a decade. When he first moved to the city back in the 90s, New Orleans was known as the murder capital of the country. When Hurricane Katrina hit, Valli was living on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. He talked to WBHM's Ashley Cleek about his life before and after the storm.
