Issues
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.
DOJ Sues Alabama Over Violence In Prisons
The lawsuit is an attempt by federal officials to force the state to remedy a prison system long riddled with violence.
Slated For A Mega Prison, Brierfield Residents Demand Answers
Gov. Kay Ivey recently announced where she wants to build three new mega prisons. Residents are pushing back on the plan.
Jones Calls For Bipartisanship In Farewell To Senate, Does Not Address Talk Biden Favors Him For AG
Democratic Senator Doug Jones gave his farewell speech Wednesday on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
UAB Hospital Braces For ‘Terrifying’ Increase in COVID Hospitalizations
As COVID case numbers continue to increase, UAB Hospital is predicting a dramatic surge in hospitalizations next week.
Gov. Ivey Extends Mask Order Into 2021
Governor Kay Ivey is extending Alabama’s Safer-at-Home order until January 22, 2021.
COVID-19 Hospitalization Number Reaches Record High In Alabama
Alabama's COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a new record, according to the state department of public health.
Alabama Health Officials Hope To Receive First COVID-19 Vaccines Next Friday
Alabama will receive about 41,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, which will be distributed at 16 vaccination sites at hospitals across the state.
Alabama Struggling With Racial Disparities In Child Poverty Levels, Report Says
Children of color will make up the majority of the child population and the majority of the workforce in Alabama by 2030, according to the 2020 Alabama Kids Count report.
Cam Ward Plans New Direction For Pardons And Paroles
State Sen. Cam Ward is replacing Charlie Graddick as director of Alabama's Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Under Graddick's leadership, paroles rates declined significantly.
Educators Mixed on Governor’s Push For In-Person Learning
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the longer schools are disrupted, the more likely kids will suffer academically.
State Finance Chief: All Coronavirus Relief Money Will Be Spent
The state is working through a backlog of requests from local governments, nonprofits, and others for CARES Act funds.
Jeffco Commission To Consider Mortgage Assistance
The Jefferson County Commission is expected Thursday to amend its disbursement of Cares Act funds to include mortgage assistance for residents adversely affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Birmingham Bringing Back Up to 132 Furloughed Employees
The city will borrow money from its general fund reserve amid concerns from some council members.
UAB Expert: Alabama Could See ‘Tidal Wave’ Of Coronavirus Cases This Month
Alabama will likely receive its first shipment of a COVID-19 vaccine in January, according to health care experts. It was previously predicted that Alabama would receive the vaccine in December.
Alabama Nears Deadline To Spend Coronavirus Relief Money
Alabama must spend its remaining coronavirus relief funds by Dec. 30. Advocacy groups are urging Gov. Kay Ivey to fund immediate needs across the state. But, getting the money out isn’t an easy task.
COVID Hospitalizations Hit Record High As Case Numbers Rise
UAB Hospital is caring for 125 COVID-19 patients, which is a new record high.
Council Postpones Vote On Holiday Pay, Says Woodfin Expects Them To Make Budget Decisions “Blindly”
The Birmingham City Council delayed a proposal to pay city employees for an unpaid holiday on Black Friday.
Dogs, Firehoses Were A Precursor To Today’s Violent Protests
“You will never be Christ, but that doesn’t mean that you stop pursuing that Christ-like behavior. What we have to do is be in relentless pursuit of having a positive relationship with the community we serve," said Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith.
Health Experts: Scale Back Thanksgiving Plans To Avoid COVID-19
Research from Georgia Tech University shows there is a one in five chance you will catch the virus if you gather with a group of ten people in Jefferson County.
New Exhibit At Birmingham Museum of Art Shows American History’s Violent Struggle
A new art exhibit features the work of Jacob Lawrence, widely considered one of the greatest modernist painters of the 20th century.
Hospitalized For Months: One Man’s Fight Against COVID-19
COVID-19 has left 38-year-old Victor Perea hospitalized for almost three months. His wife wants others to understand how bad the virus can be.
‘Life Raft’ Explores Climate Change In The Gulf Region
Life Raft is a new podcast answering questions about climate change and relieving some of the stress that comes along with all of it.
Jones Pleads With Public To Follow COVID Safety Guidelines As Cases And Deaths Increase
Health experts are warning about gathering with friends and family over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Rising COVID-19 Cases Starting To Strain Hospital Resources, Staff
The COVID-19 caseloads in Alabama hospitals are "worsening fairly rapidly," according to the president of the Alabama Hospital Association.
Commission OKs Cares Act Funding In Quick Session
"We don’t want to send money back to Washington. We want to make sure that it’s spent here and for us to do that, we need to make sure we’ve looked at every avenue possible," said Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons.
