Issues
City Councilwoman Miriam Witherspoon Dies
Birmingham City Council President Pro Tem Miriam Witherspoon is dead after a sudden illness. Jeff Underwood of the Lakeshore Foundation remembers the passionate disability rights activist.
Grocery Auction
Need another sign of the times? Head on down to Calera to the Cadle Auction House, where you might find more toilet paper and laundry soap than Waterford crystal and speed boats. WBHM's Tanya Ott reports.
Anniston Update
Every month we'll hear from the staff of The Anniston Star about an issue of importance to the community around Anniston and Calhoun County. Join WBHM's Andrew Yeager for these engaging conversations.
The Economy & Nonprofits: A Conversation with Tim Delaney
Nonprofit organizations ranging from health care groups to after-school programs are hurting right now. Corporate and individual donations are down. Foundations are tightening their belts, and state and local governments are taking drastic cost cutting measures as well. All of this adds up to the very real possibility that thousands of nonprofit organizations may have to shut down.
Making Do: Vanishing Pages
So you're tired of all the grim economic news. You want to relax, sit on the couch and flip through a good magazine. Only trouble is that favorite magazine may not be there any more. Magazines across the country have folded in recent months, including titles in Birmingham. As we conclude our series "Making Do: Alabama's Economy," WBHM's Andrew Yeager takes a look at an industry not just reeling from the recession, but dealing with a change in the medium itself.
Making Do: School Lunch
Want to know if times are tough? Look at the number of kids eating school lunch. Birmingham area schools report that since the economic crunch, fewer children are brown bagging it. School nutritionists say for the price, you can't beat school lunch. But is cheaper better?
Making Do: The McCoys’ Housing Dilemma
The economy continues to weaken and Moody's credit rating company reports nearly 10 million homeowners are having trouble making their mortgage payments. People who track the housing industry say another wave of foreclosures is on its way. All the while, some homeowners are treading water, trying to stay afloat. WBHM's Tanya Ott has one Hoover family's story.
On The Line: Making Do
The economy continues to dominates news headlines. Ten million homeowners are having trouble making their mortgage payments. People who track the housing industry say another wave of foreclosures is on its way. Alabama's bankruptcy rate is among the highest in the country. Gas prices have stabilized, but high food prices continue to strain family budgets. Tonight at 6:30 on WBHM we discuss all this and more during On The Line: Making Do .
Regions: Managing the Message
A recent headline in Newsweek magazine pretty much says it all when it comes to the current financial crisis - "No One Wants to Hug a Banker." Critics of Birmingham-based Regions Bank got two pieces of ammunition last week. The company announced executive compensation for 2008 and while CEO Dowd Ritter turned down a $1.1 million bonus, his total compensation still rose more than $2 million. Two days later, Regions announced it was suspending matching contributions for its employees' 401(k)s. Not exactly positive news in today's economic climate. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Alabama Prepaid College Tuition
In the last two years, the value of Alabama's Prepaid college tuition plan (PACT) has dropped nearly 50%. The tumbling stock market and increased college enrollments are squeezing pre-paid plans nationwide, but Alabama's situation is the worst. State officials hope to calm nerves by holding a public meeting in Montgomery this afternoon. But as Les Lovoy reports they're likely to hear from a lot of irate parents.
Not Knowing Does Hurt: Dan Carsen on Science
What do Alvin the Chipmunk, pretzels, and the Internet have in common? Believe it or not, WBHM commentator Dan Carsen (who may soon become a dolphin) sees a disturbing pattern here.
Willie King Remembered
Fans remember Alabama bluesman Willie King, who died of a heart attack at his home in Pickens County on Sunday. Before his death, King talked with WBHM's Greg Bass about his life and music.
New Lead Laws Affect 2nd Hand Clothing Stores
New consumer safety rules go into effect next week, aimed at making children's products safer. After a flood of imported toys came ashore with high lead levels, Congress moved quickly last year to make children's products safer. Maybe too quickly. The new 'Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act' takes effect Tuesday and there are more questions than answers. WBHM's Tanya Ott reports.
Book Hill Pulls out of County Contract
The Washington DC lobbying firm that was to represent Jefferson County in its efforts to secure federal aid for sewer debt says it's turning down the contract. In a letter made public today, Book Hill Partners says the 'toxic political landscape' in Jefferson County would undermine the firm's ability to get political support for the county. WBHM's Tanya Ott spoke with partner Rob Housman.
Jim Carns on County’s Lobbying Contract
New details are emerging about the Jefferson County Commission's plan to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on Washington D.C. lobbying firm Book Hill Partners. The commission approved the plan Tuesday in a meeting that commissioner Jim Carns describes as a cross between 'The Twilight Zone' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest'. Carns talked with WBHM's Tanya Ott about the meeting and new allegations of corruption.
The Inauguration and the Magic City
While the eyes of the country turned to Washington D.C. today, the inauguration of Barack Obama is tempered with deep significance for many here in Birmingham. The city which saw the brutality of civil rights - fire hoses, police dogs, even bombings - can now witness the United States' first black president. Thousands marked the occasion today in a city-backed celebration at Boutwell Auditorium. WBHM's Andrew Yeager takes us there.
Councilman Johnathan Austin
The newest member of the Birmingham City Council is young, just 29, and a newcomer to politics. He says he's eager to bring positive change to the city. But in his first few weeks on the council, Johnathan Austin has faced a number of questions -- most notably questions surrounding a 2003 guilty plea for a misdemeanor marijuana charge. That fact didn't emerge until after Austin was appointed to the council. He says the council never asked him about it, but WBHM's Andrew Yeager asked Austin why he didn't volunteer the information.
Magic City Marketplace
The Birmingham marketplace is connected by people who have to grapple with numbers and projections and spin. We try and slice through the psychobabble that can be business news with our occasional segment featuring the editor of the Birmingham Business Journal.
Anniston Update
Every month we'll hear from the staff of The Anniston Star about an issue of importance to the community around Anniston and Calhoun County. Join WBHM's Andrew Yeager for these engaging conversations.
Considering Faith: Prayer in School
Public schools are expected to be neutral when it comes to all matters religious. In reality, however, there's plenty of preaching going on. But the real surprise is this: chances are the people talking to your children most about God in school are other kids. Gigi Douban takes a look at a school club with a heavy evangelical streak.
John Archibald: Plugged
Our weekly segment features The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald, discussing the city politic (and county and state politic too). Instead of being unplugged as he is in the newspaper, we offer him a bullhorn. Sort of.
Considering Faith: Emuna
Religion has inspired art in the western world for centuries. Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' or Michelangelo's 'David' are just two examples. In Birmingham, one group of artists is also drawing on religion, but not so much for inspiration - rather as a platform for discussion. WBHM's Andrew Yeager introduces us to Emuna
Considering Faith: Judge Roy Moore Update
When you think about religion in public life, it's hard not to think about Roy Moore and his refusal to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the federal courthouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The former Alabama Chief Justice's fight captivated international audiences. We've got a look back at that controversy and an update on what's Roy Moore is doing these days.
Considering Faith: Pulpit Politics
One principle which has shaped American democracy is the separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson used the phrase a "wall of separation" and through the years courts and legislatures have shaped what that wall looks like. Now one group has made a specific challenge to that boundary, saying the federal government is preventing pastors from speaking their minds on politics. One part of that battle is in an Alabama church as we hear in the first installment of our series Considering Faith. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports
Mayor Langford Arrested
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford is free on bond after being arrested on a 101 count federal indictment alleging conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns. He pleaded not guilty to what U.S. Attorney Alice Martin says was a "classic pay to play scheme". WBHM's Tanya Ott has more.
Birmingham Economic Summit
Unemployment is up, housing values are down, and the economy likely may be in recession. It's quite a backdrop for the Birmingham Economic Summit - a three-day event beginning Tuesday. Birmingham City Councilman Steven Hoyt and summit planner Michael Bell sat down with WBHM's Tanya Ott to talk about the challenges facing the local economy.
Election Day Tips
It almost seems like it would never come. We're finally just a day away from the 2008 election. Record turnout and long lines are expected in Alabama. So before you go to cast your ballot, WBHM's Andrew Yeager has a few things to keep in mind for the occasion.
2008 Constitutional Amendments
When voters go to the polls tomorrow, they'll get to choose who will be in the White House for the next four years, as well as congressional, local government and judicial seats. In Alabama, there are also a number of constitutional amendments to consider. We have an overview from WBHM's Andrew Yeager and Tanya Ott.
Electing Judges?
Alabama has a history of expensive and nasty races for the state supreme court. This election cycle has done nothing to change that reputation. But Alabamians will select other judges on this year's ballot too, leaving some to wonder if these men and women personifying fairness and impartiality should even be elected. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Jefferson County Bankruptcy Update
Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy became part of federal law in 1934, during the Great Depression, when towns and cities nationwide faced massive drops in tax revenues. Since then, there've been less than 500 municipal filings. But that number may tick up during the current economic crisis. Vallejo, California, has already filed for bankruptcy protection and Jefferson County, Alabama, is on the brink of filing the largest municipal bankruptcy in U-S history. WBHM's Tanya Ott has an update.
Congressional District 3
Alabama congressmen don't normally have to spend much money on television advertising when they're running against an underdog, but that's not the case this year in the 3rd Congressional district. Republican incumbent Mike Rogers is waging an aggressive campaign against democratic challenger Joshua Segall and, as WBHM's Tanya Ott reports, the negative campaigning may continue right up until election day.
Crossing the Divide – A Political Commentary
This presidential election, some people will vote party line. Some will, no doubt, vote race lines. And then there's Birmingham resident Marie Sutton, who feels herself pulled between two very strong influences in her life.
