Issues
How To Prepare For A Tornado
Maybe you've weathered multiple storms or perhaps it's your first season. Either way, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest on how to prepare. We've got you covered with this guide.
Alabama Amazon Workers Reject Union, But Organizers Say The Fight Isn’t Over
The union accused Amazon of illegal anti-union tactics and will challenge the results.
Legislative Wrap-Up: Medical Marijuana, Yoga Bills Gain Traction
The push to legalize medical marijuana is gaining momentum in the Alabama Legislature. The bill would allow people with certain conditions to buy medical marijuana with a doctor’s approval. We have more in our weekly legislative wrap-up.
Birmingham Getting $5 Million To Battle Homelessness
The funding will come through HUD’s Home Investment Partnerships Program and is intended to help cities create affordable and supportive housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Secretary of State John Merrill Won’t Run For Office Next Year, Acknowledges Affair
Merrill was expected to announce a run for U.S. Senate in 2022.
Why Alabama Lawmakers Just Won’t Give Up The Grocery Tax
Politicians across the aisle agree that grocery taxes harm low-income families. And yet the tax remains untouched.
Gov. Kay Ivey Announces ‘Safer Apart’ Order As Mask Mandate Ends
Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday issued a proclamation transitioning the state from an amended Safer at Home Order to a new Safer Apart Order.
Businesses React To Birmingham’s New Mask Order
A local ordinance replaces the statewide mask order expiring April 9. Some say the move is necessary, but others call it an "undue burden."
Alabama Expands COVID Vaccine Eligibility To Those 16 And Older
That means a total of about four million Alabamians will be eligible starting Monday.
Legislative Wrap-Up: Bills on Habitual Offenders, Trans Athletes, Public Records Advance
Alabama's prisons are severely overcrowded. Some state lawmakers say repealing a law that stiffens punishment for repeat offenders would help alleviate that.
The Unlikely Spark For Birmingham’s Negro League Reunion
Boston-native Cam Perron became obsessed with the Negro League as a child. That led to an annual reunion and friendships with players decades older.
Acclinate Races Against The Clock To Increase Diversity In Clinical Drug Trials
A lack of racial diversity in clinical trials can make new drugs and treatments less effective for people of color. According to one recent study, 78% of trial participants were white. Acclinate, a new Birmingham-based company, is trying to correct that imbalance by connecting underserved populations with researchers.
Residents Clean Up After Deadly Tornadoes
Recovery efforts continue across Alabama after yesterday’s storms left widespread destruction. Some of the worst damage was in Calhoun County, where five people died.
Calls Continue Urging President Biden To Honor ‘Drum Major for Justice,’ Fred Gray Sr.
Fred Gray Sr. led landmark cases representing Black activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Now, many believe it’s time to award Gray with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Tornado Causes Damage In Alabama; More Twisters Forecast
Numerous tornadoes hit central Alabama Thursday.
Will Alabama And Mississippi Expand Medicaid To Low-Income Adults This Time Around?
Many advocates and politicians argue the new incentive is an offer that’s too good to refuse, but it still might not move the needle.
Bill Would Cut Pensions For Future Birmingham Employees, Raise Employee Contributions
A bill proposed this session would require the city of Birmingham to fully fund its pension obligation and increase employee contributions to the pension fund by half a percent. But opponents of the bill say, if passed, it would disproportionately affect lower-earning city employees.
JeffCo Commission Moves Toward Buying Land Next To Shady Grove Fire Station, Selling Old West End Health Center
Jefferson County wants to buy property from the state of Alabama. The land is located next to the Shady Grove Fire Department.
A Vaccination Event For Commercial Fishers Offers Lessons On How To Reel In At-Risk Communities
As the rollout expands, health officials and community leaders are learning more about how to make sure the vaccine is not only available, but truly accessible for at-risk groups.
Mo Brooks Sets Up U.S. Senate Campaign Committee
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks is expected to make an announcement tonight that he plans to run for U.S. Senate.
Alabama Deploys Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Units To Rural Areas
All eligible Alabamians in these 24 rural counties can receive a free COVID-19 vaccine beginning Tuesday.
Alabama Plans To Open Vaccine Eligibility By May 1, But Hesitancy Remains A Problem
About one-third of adults in Alabama are hesitant to get the vaccine, according to polling by the state department of public health.
Legislative Wrap-Up: Transgender Sports, Abortion, Riot Bills Advance
Alabama is one of several states considering bills restricting transgender minors. The sports bill is the second one related to transgender youth introduced this session.
Biden Administration Pushes To Vaccinate All Americans Against COVID-19
The White House said officials are working through issues of access and vaccine hesitancy.
Storms Prompt Schools To Delay Opening Thursday
More than a dozen suspected tornados raked over Alabama on Wednesday.
Alabama Tornado Outbreak Rips Off Roofs, Snaps Trees As State Braces For More
Storms are expected to last through the night and into Thursday morning.
Lawmakers Continue Debating Controversial Anti-Riot Bill
The sponsor of the bill says it would protect first responders from being attacked at tumultuous protests. But the measure has been a sore spot for state Democrats and others who fear the bill’s language is too vague, and that it'll only serve to criminalize peaceful protests.
Severe Storms Barrel Through Alabama
Impacts of the storm system could be severe.
What Labor Wins And Losses In The South Can Tell Us About the Amazon Union Vote
The unionization effort at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala. may seem like a once-in-a-lifetime chance for a big union win in the South. Yet union organizers had a nearly-identical opportunity just four years ago in Mississippi.
Alabama Schools Announce Closures Ahead Of Possible Severe Weather
Central Alabama is expected to see strong storms beginning Wednesday at 2 p.m. through Thursday at 4 a.m., according to new modeling by the National Weather Service in Birmingham
UAB To Open New Vaccination Site And Update Demographic Data
The vaccination site located at AOH Cathedral of the Cross in northeast Birmingham is a drive-thru site, but only eligible residents can sign up for an appointment.
StoryCorps: “I found a voice…”
Amanda Keller and Lauren Jacobs work together at Birmingham’s Magic City Acceptance Center. In addition to being co-workers, they are also close friends. They came to the StoryCorps MobileBooth to talk about Amanda’s relationship with her late father and its influence on her work.
