Issues
Alabama sets January execution date using nitrogen gas
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced a Jan. 25 execution date for Kenneth Eugene Smith using the new method.
Tuberville under pressure from Republicans over military holds
Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he's open to negotiating an end to his blockade of almost 400 military nominees after meeting with fellow Republican senators on Tuesday, signaling a shift after he has dug in on his protest of a Pentagon abortion policy for more than nine months.
Place, Erased: A look at Gulf South communities transformed by forces beyond their control
Reporters Danny McArthur and Drew Hawkins traveled across the Gulf South to tell the stories of three towns erased by major environmental shifts.
Birmingham’s first Black police officer has died
Leroy Stover became an officer in March 1966 at 33 years old and moved up the ranks. By 1992, he was promoted to deputy chief in charge of field operations.
Community connects Dia De Los Muertos artwork
Artist Helga Mendoza said she’s always been interested in the grieving process. With grieving a strong theme of her work, it seemed appropriate that Mendoza was selected to create the featured image for this year’s Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, festival in Birmingham.
Alabama can execute inmate with nitrogen gas, state’s highest court says
The justices granted the state attorney general's request for an execution warrant for Kenneth Eugene Smith, one of two men convicted in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of Elizabeth Sennett in northwestern Alabama.
Republicans confront Tuberville on Senate floor over military holds
Sen. Tommy Tuberville stood and objected to each nominee — 61 times total, when the night was over — extending his holds on the military confirmations and promotions with no immediate resolution in sight.
Place, Erased: Is this Mississippi community really a ghost town? It depends on who you ask
Some say this coastal Mississippi town doesn’t exist anymore, wiped off the map due to repeated storms. But to its residents, it’s still alive and well.
Place, Erased: The fight for the remains of a Louisiana town
Toxic pollution forced a small, Black community in Louisiana to relocate. Now, chemical companies say they own its final remnant — the town’s cemetery.
Remembering Margaret Walker 50 years later, as her groundbreaking poetry festival returns to Jackson
A conversation with author Maryemma Graham on her biography of Walker, famed novelist and professor who created the Phillis Wheatley Festival in 1973.
Place, Erased: How a drowned Alabama town still holds lessons 60 years later
Some southern towns have been erased by environmental disasters — whether natural or man-made. One Alabama town offers lessons on the hidden cost of progress.
Birmingham-Southern hoped to borrow money. Now the school is on borrowed time
Birmingham-Southern College is running out of money and time. After the State Treasurer rejected the school’s $30 million loan application, school officials must now consider their options, including closing the 167-year-old campus on Birmingham’s west side.
At the Magic City Classic, what you wear is just as important as who you cheer for
For many, the annual game between HBCU rivals Alabama A&M and Alabama State is about more than football. It’s a chance to connect and celebrate Black culture.
The Gulf South looks to ‘charge up’ its economy with electric vehicles
While some believe electric vehicles could lead to a southern manufacturing renaissance, workers and experts caution that it must be done carefully.
Montgomery judge dismisses Birmingham-Southern College lawsuit against state
Judge James Anderson said he was “sympathetic” to the college, but said after a roughly hour-long hearing that phrasing in the law favored the treasurer.
Hendrix and Brinyark winners in Tuesday’s runoff elections
With no Republican opponent, Democrat Travis Hendrix is expected to take the District 55 seat after January's general election.
Birmingham City Council elects new leadership
Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn on Tuesday took on the mantle of council president, and former President Wardine Alexander stepped into the president pro tem position.
Paws and prayers: Hoover church’s furry congregation gets blessed
The recent service at Prince of Peace Catholic Church is part of honoring St. Francis of Assisi.
Runoff Tuesday in race for House District 55
Democrats Sylvia Swayne and Travis Hendrix will meet in the runoff on Oct. 24. There are no Republicans in the race.
Birmingham-Southern sues Alabama state treasurer, says college was wrongfully denied loan
The lawsuit contends Treasurer Young Boozer wrongly denied the college a loan from the program created this year to provide a financial lifeline to the institution. The 167-year-old college will likely close without emergency relief from the court, lawyers wrote in the lawsuit filed Wednesday.
At Huntingdon College, Alabama’s 1st NCAA women’s wrestling team is ready to roll
Players, coaches and school officials hope Huntingdon's women's wrestling program can serve as a blueprint to continue the sport's growth in the South.
Prime suspect admits to Natalee Holloway’s 2005 murder in Aruba
The disclosure came during a plea and sentencing hearing for Joran van der Sloot in a federal courtroom in Alabama — just a few miles from the Birmingham suburb where Holloway used to live.
Woodfin tells parents to get your children to school
Woodfin said ten weeks into the school year, well more than half of third graders are considered truants, which means they have seven or more unexcused absences.
Ukrainian baker reconnects to Birmingham by sharing her sweet treat
Vasilisa Strelnikova fled to Birmingham following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. When she arrived, baking became a refuge . But she also wanted to use baking to show her love of Birmingham, and her love for her friends.
The Gulf South’s record heat brought another pain for residents — higher power bills
This summer’s high temperatures also brought higher utility bills. The spike caused some, like Christopher Bogan, to make tough choices with their budget.
Woman accused of falsely reporting she was abducted seeks to avoid jail
A municipal judge on Wednesday found Carlee Russell guilty of misdemeanor charges of false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident. The guilty judgement came after Russell's attorneys agreed to a legal maneuver to move the case to circuit court where proceedings will start anew.
In disposing coal ash, Alabama is not like other states
Toxic coal ash has polluted Alabama’s waters for years. Is the state doing enough to stop it?
Book bans are on the rise in the Gulf South. Here’s what’s being challenged in Alabama
Efforts to ban books believed to be inappropriate for children and teens have seen a sharp uptick recently, but some libraries and bookstores are fighting back.
Alabama finally has a new congressional map after a lengthy legal fight
After a high-profile legal fight, a panel of three federal judges on Thursday picked a map that will be used when Alabamians cast their 2024 vote.
How Gulf South outdoor workers dealt with the hottest August on record
With no federal or state guidelines regarding extreme heat, outdoor workers and employers in the Gulf South are coming up with their own methods for protection.
Court ruling offers temporary victory for Alabama birth centers
The preliminary injunction requires Alabama public health officials to license birth centers that meet certain national standards.
Judges aiming to give Black voters more influence in Alabama set to redraw congressional districts
U.S. District Judge Stanley Marcus, noting a ruling will be issued “shortly,” said the three-judge panel is aware of the time constraints posed by elections next year when the state's seven U.S. House seats will be on the ballot. The court could rule as early as this week.
