Issues
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts again and shoots lava for 31st time since December
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano resumed erupting Friday by shooting an arc of lava 100 feet into the air and across a section of its summit crater floor.
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."
The EV tax credit ends soon — but there’s a little bit of wiggle room for car buyers
A federal EV tax credit worth up to $7,500 ends Sept. 30. But the IRS has just clarified that shoppers don't need to actually have the keys in hand by the deadline to get the credit.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell signals possible rate cut, sending stocks sharply higher
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell signaled a possible interest rate cut in the months to come, sending stocks sharply higher.
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.
These programs help poor students with college. Trump wants to pull the funding
For 60 years, TRIO has helped millions of people along the path to a degree, but the administration says it is no longer needed.
Wilsonville residents seek preemptive strike against massive data center project
“That’s going to be their legacy, to potentially destroy a small town,” said one resident of the landowner and developers of a proposed hyperscale data center.
With Fed under pressure, Jerome Powell prepares for a high-stakes speech
The Fed chair will speak Friday at an annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The speech comes as the central bank is under mounting pressure from the White House to lower interest rates.
Walmart says tariff costs are rising ‘each week’ and will continue
The world's largest retailer — like many others — has been absorbing most of the increased costs, but raising prices of some goods.
Focus on the Family Founder James Dobson dies at 89
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson, who founded Focus on the Family and was once called "the nation's most influential evangelical leader," died Thursday.
New study raises questions about effectiveness of wolf hunting as a tool to help ranchers
One of the goals of controversial wolf hunts in the Western U.S. is to help reduce the burden on ranchers, who lose livestock to wolves every year. A new study finds that those hunts have had a measurable, but small effect on livestock depredations.
Far fewer Canadians are visiting the U.S. this year, new numbers show
Canadian residents made just 1.7 million return trips by motor vehicle back into their country from the U.S. in July, a nearly 37% decline over the same month in 2024, according to Statistics Canada.
Are ‘COVID kindergarteners’ ready for school?
More than 3.6 million children born in 2020 amid the COVID-19 global pandemic are walking into elementary schools across the country this fall.
The legacy of civil rights martyr Jonathan Daniels
Wednesday marks the 60th anniversary of Daniels’ killing at the hands of an Alabama county official. Today, the Episcopal Church venerates Daniels as a saint and martyr. For the anniversary, Episcopalians from around the country gathered for an annual pilgrimage to the site of his death in Hayneville.
Ticks are migrating, but scant surveillance may leave doctors in the dark on patient treatment
Health departments struggle to adequately survey for ticks to warn doctors about new species and the diseases they carry.
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.
Businesses face ‘chaos’ as EPA aims to repeal its authority over climate pollution
A lot of companies want the EPA in charge of setting national climate regulations because it helps shield them from lawsuits and creates a predictable environment in which to make investments.
An AI divide is growing in schools. This camp wants to level the playing field
For years, research has shown a digital divide when it comes to schools teaching about new technologies. Educators worry that this could leave some students behind in an AI-powered economy.
Grassroots motorsport pulls big tractors and bigger crowds
Generations of spectators and competitors take over a small hamlet in Western N.Y. each summer to participate in a motorsport with roots in farming: the tractor pull.
Washington’s hydropower has created a data center boom. Some are concerned about its future.
In small town Washington — where hydropower is plentiful — data centers are creating jobs and funding amenities. But water and energy aren't unlimited — and some worry about long-term sustainability.
RushTok backlash: Why sororities aren’t letting prospects post
Citing a need to protect prospects from harassment, many sororities have issued a de facto ban on talking to the press or posting on social media during rush week at Alabama.
After a freeze, Trump administration reluctantly agrees to fund EV chargers
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he doesn't agree with federal subsidies for high-speed EV chargers, but that his department "will respect Congress' will" and release the funds.
Judge strikes down Trump administration guidance against DEI programs at schools
A federal judge on Thursday struck down two Trump administration actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the nation's schools and universities.
At 45, Venus Williams will be the oldest player in the U.S. Open in decades
With a wild card invitation, the tennis legend is making history in her return to the U.S. Open later this month as the oldest singles player to take the court in more than 40 years.
D.C. clergy slam federal takeover: ‘Fear is not a strategy for safety’
A group of religious leaders in Washington, D.C. is criticizing President Donald Trump's federal takeover of the District's police force, saying his rhetoric is dehumanizing and counterproductive.
“This Weekend Today,” WBHM’s new calendar of events in partnership with Bhmstr
WBHM is partnering with Bhmstr, providing a featured list of happenings each week in the Magic City.
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.
Trump is tightening the screws on corporate America — and CEOs are staying mum
Critics warn that Trump's demands for business leaders to step down, and for the government to take a cut of sales, threaten American-style capitalism.
‘Who’s running the show?’ is a key question in ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ challenge
A lawsuit challenging construction and operations of an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as 'Alligator Alley' has wrapped up with several key questions unanswered.
With replay review and ‘robot umps,’ who is still trying to become an MLB umpire?
Between replay review, automated balls and strikes and viral lowlights on social media, the work of baseball umpires has been transformed by technology. But none of that has deterred aspiring umpires.
The strange-but-true origin story of the humble potato
Scientists have long wondered about how the potato's genetic lineage came to be. Now they know: The plants are a cross between tomatoes and a plant known as Etuberosum.
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.
