Issues
Overwhelmed With COVID Patients, Alabama Hospitals Near Crisis Level
With more than 3000 people hospitalized with COVID-19, Alabama's hospitals are transferring patients out of state and cutting services.
Birmingham Council Goes Virtual, Mayor Still Hospitalized
Jefferson County's recent spike in COVID-19 cases — along with Mayor Randall Woodfin’s recent COVID diagnosis and hospitalization — finally pushed the city council's weekly meeting fully online.
Woodfin Hospitalized With COVID
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin was hospitalized Monday for symptoms related to COVID-19.
‘Oh My God!’ Alabama Running Out Of ICU Beds, And The Christmas Rush Hasn’t Even Begun
Alabama's ICU beds are filling up and the state has not yet seen the rush of new cases from holiday gatherings, according to the president of the Alabama Hospital Association.
Birmingham Police Need The Public’s Help In Solving Homicides, Woodfin Says
The overall crime rate in Birmingham went down compared to last year, but the city’s murder rate increased 13 percent in 2020, according to data from the Birmingham Police Department.
Here’s What Kids Yearn For In A Post-Pandemic World
As we welcome a new year, we asked kids what they're most looking forward to after the pandemic.
UAB’s Marrazzo Concerned About Rising COVID Numbers, But Hopeful About Vaccines
Alabama ranks third in the nation in per capita hospitalizations for COVID-19.
Birmingham Council OKs Incentives For Project At Old Carraway Hospital
The Birmingham City Council approved an economic incentives package this week for the long-awaited redevelopment of the former Carraway Hospital property.
Two Birmingham Water Board Leaders Reappointed, Two New Members Named
The Birmingham City Council approved four appointments to the Birmingham Water Works Board on Tuesday.
Jeffco Health Department To Roll Out Moderna Vaccine
The health department will soon begin its vaccine rollout as UAB drafts a timeline for making the vaccine available to more employees.
Bored Kids Stuck At Home? One Teen Finds A Captive Audience For Coding
Hoover High School sophomore Shaams Nur launched Hoover Codes earlier this year. It's a virtual computer programming camp for kids ages 8-12.
Alabama Labor Department Discontinues In-Person Unemployment Assistance
Labor officials cite safety concerns as the primary reason for moving to a phone-based system.
Jefferson County Emerges From Consent Decree After 45 Years
After 45 years, Jefferson County has been released from its consent decree.
Annual Birmingham-Area Bird Count Canceled Due To Pandemic
Since Alabama Audubon's Christmas Bird Count won't happen this year, researchers could miss out on data about bird populations.
Birmingham Revenue Appears Stable, Council Extends Funding For Rickwood, McWane And Ruffner
The city of Birmingham has approved contracts with three area nonprofits — Friends of Rickwood Field, McWane Science Center and Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. These nonprofits previously had their funding cut by the city because of the pandemic.
Moderna Vaccine For COVID-19 Has Arrived In Alabama
Alabama will receive its first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine today.
One Black Artist’s Quest To Shake Up The Comics World
Lashawn Colvin recently opened her very own comic book store in Montgomery, becoming the first known Black woman in the South to do so.
As The Pandemic Drags On, UAB Pastoral Care Head Finds New Ways To Connect
Eight months after we first spoke, we checked back in with Malcolm Marler, senior director of pastoral care at UAB Medicine.
Local Area Hospitals Near ICU Capacities
As of Thursday, more than 2,400 COVID patients were hospitalized across the state. About 25% of those hospitalizations were in Jefferson and Shelby counties.
Bus Rapid Transit Line Coming To Birmingham
Construction on the Birmingham Xpress will start in January and is scheduled to finish in time for the World Games in 2022.
A Visit With Santa? It’s Still Happening Despite The Pandemic
How do you visit Santa in a pandemic? It's a question retailers, families and Santa himself are dealing with this season.
Federal Regulators To Set Election Date On Amazon Union
Employees at Amazon's Bessemer warehouse want to unionize, but the online retail giant opposes those efforts.
DOJ Lawsuit Could Lead To Federal Oversight Of Alabama Prisons
More than a year after finding unconstitutional conditions in Alabama's male prisons, federal officials are taking legal action against the state.
Hospital Officials Urge Against Holiday Gatherings In Open Letter To Alabamians
Birmingham-area hospital officials are asking Alabamians to take all possible precautions to stop the spread of the disease, including avoiding holiday gatherings with people who do not live in their households.
UAB Hospital Receives First Delivery Of Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine, Vaccinations Begin Thursday
UAB Hospital received its first shipment of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning.
Birmingham Will Apply For Grant To Revitalize Smithfield Court
With the grant month, the city plans to improve the area around Smithfield Court, including infrastructure improvements such as street paving, sidewalks, lighting and parks as well as beautification and anti-blight efforts.
Spend It All: JeffCo Commission Makes Sure to Leave No Cares Act Money On The Table
The county commissioners sought to tie up any loose ends for Cares Act money at its meeting on Tuesday.
Providers Plan For Vaccinating Millions of Rural Alabamians
As Alabama receives its first allotment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, health officials anticipate challenges distributing the vaccine in rural communities.
Local COVID-19 Hospitalizations Spike As Alabama Faces Shortages In Number Of Available Healthcare Workers
Experts predict that number of new COVID-19 hospitalization will continue to rise in the coming weeks.
Predictable Prejudice: Predictive Policing Software Promises Unbiased Crime-Fighting, But Can It Deliver?
Predictive policing software programs such as PredPol was adopted by the Homewood Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in 2016 and Birmingham Police Department in 2019.
UAB Predicts COVID Hospital Patients Will Double By Christmas, Vaccines Expected Soon
In a gathering of 20 people, there's more than a 50% chance that one person in that gathering will be infectious and contagious with COVID-19, according to Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson.
Birmingham Officials Reject Defunding, But Plan Police Reforms With Civilian Oversight
The city of Birmingham’s Public Safety Task Force released a report Thursday morning that outlines four areas that the city can improve on.
