Issues
Special Session Ends with No Lottery and 2-year Fix for Medicaid
Alabama lawmakers are home again after wrapping up a special session on Wednesday. It’s a special session that began with Governor Robert Bentley wanting legislators to set up a lottery with the proceeds benefiting Medicaid and other general fund agencies. It ended with two lottery proposals dead and lawmakers using money from the BP oil spill settlement to fill financial gaps. To help us review the special session is Don Dailey. He’s host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television.
Weld for B’ham on Living Beyond the Headlines, West of I-65
When you hear “Ensley,” or “Brighton,” or “West End,” what comes to mind? Many people who work, live, and raise families on the west side of Birmingham want you to know there’s more to life there than the crime and other problems that fill so many news reports.
A New Building for Cooper Green Could be on the Way
Jefferson County's indigent healthcare system, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, could be on its way to a new facility. Cooper Green transitioned from being a hospital to an outpatient clinic in 2013, but county officials say the former hospital building is expensive to keep up and they'd be better off with a new building. On Wednesday, the county commission voted in support of that idea. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the significance of the move and about a Birmingham Water Works Board contract that's drawing scrutiny.
Lawsuit Says Alabama Appellate Court Elections Violate Voting Rights Act
The civil rights group Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is filing a federal lawsuit on behalf of the Alabama NAACP and four individuals challenging how Alabama elects appellate judges. The suit alleges the at-large elections violate the Voting Rights Act.
An ITT Teacher on the Human Side of Today’s Shutdown
ITT Technical Institutes are part of a national chain of for-profit colleges with three campuses in Alabama, including one in Bessemer. Or, they were. The Indiana-based company shut down all their campuses across the country today.
A New Direction for Birmingham’s Largest Public Housing Complex
Picture public housing and a certain image comes to mind. Typically, it is one of poverty, where hundreds of people live in a low-income neighborhood. Birmingham’s Housing Authority is hoping to re-shape this picture by re-developing Loveman Village, the city’s largest public housing complex. The idea is to build new apartments and diversify the area, but ultimately, the hope is to change the perception of public housing.
What Birmingham’s Music Festivals Could Mean for Business
As Labor Day unofficially marks the end of summer, this week's Magic City Marketplace looks at why Birmingham's music festivals hold relevance for the business community.
The Junction: Oasis Gardens Ensley
In an alley in downtown Ensley, Hank Layman is transforming a parking lot into something that’s been missing from the community for years: a garden.
Why Is It So Hard to Recycle Glass in Alabama?
Glass is a part of our daily lives. It’s in our refrigerators and our cabinets. We eat off it. We drink out of it. It’s everywhere. Everywhere but in our recycling bins, and that’s because the majority of waste services in Alabama don’t recycle glass. But that’s not the case at the Alabama Environmental Council’s […]
Birmingham Considering Spanish-English Charter School
The Spanish immersion dual-language school would be the first charter school of its kind in Alabama.
Living in Birmingham and Liking it — 30 Years On
UAB students started classes this week. But for students stepping onto campus 30 years ago in 1986, they had the opportunity to take a class that might sound a little odd. The course was called "Living in Birmingham and Liking it." Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald ran across this tidbit recently. He reflects on it and on Birmingham's changes over the last three decades.
McNolia’s in Five Points South Closes After 32 Years
Owner Earl Capellen explains why now is the time to walk away from the Birmingham Southside landmark in operation since 1984.
Alabama lottery bill dies in Special Session
The proposed Constitutional amendment died Friday (Aug. 26), when Senators voted not to concur with changes made by the Alabama House of Representatives and give the bill final approval.
Birmingham’s Climate for High-growth Companies
The idea of starting or growing a business is pretty straightforward – an entrepreneur takes money and through hard work develops products or services to bring to the marketplace. But not all marketplaces are equal. This week in Magic City Marketplace we have some perspective on how well Birmingham is for entrepreneurs and companies trying to scale up quickly.
What it’s Like Being “Out in Alabama”
Alabama native and 31-year-old Joshua Glenn talks about his role in the film and its significance to the LGBT people in Birmingham and the South.
The Junction: Sebastian Kole
Birmingham native Sebastian Kole spoke with producer Mary Quintas about his connection to Ensley, how it informs his music, and the positive changes he sees in the community.
Arc Stories: August 2016 Edition
This month on Arc Stories, we have four stories where our storytellers can’t quite comprehend what’s happening to them.
UAB CORD Program Helps Students Get Ahead of the Curve in Science
Students in Alabama and throughout the South are back in school this month. However, long before the first day of school, hundreds of kids spent part of their summer in labs at UAB. The goal? Getting ahead of the curve in science class.
Brighton Elects Brandon Dean One Of Alabama’s Youngest Mayors
Brighton, Alabama's Mayor-elect Brandon Dean may face hurdles because of complaints about absentee ballot applications.
A Bridge Between Police and Teens
This summer has seen headline after headline of violent encounters between people of color and law enforcement. In some cases, officers shot and killed black men. In others, police were the target of bullets. Now a Birmingham organization is trying to create a bridge between police and teens.
Noah Galloway: Living with No Excuses
Noah Galloway discusses the story behind his new book, Living with No Excuses: The Remarkable Rebirth of an America Soldier, with our Greg Bass.
Pilot Project Aims to Make Trails More Accessible
A pilot project at Oak Mountain State Park aims to make trails in Alabama more accessible.
Study of School District Borders Shows US, AL Economic Segregation
A wide body of research shows that students in poor school districts face real disadvantages. But the way the U.S. funds schools creates pockets of poverty right next to enclaves of wealth.
Southern Living Celebrates 50 Years
Southern Living, one of the South’s most iconic magazines, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Birmingham-based institution has an enduring relationship with readers and a unique history, but at the same time, it’s evolving to appeal to a younger, urban readership.
Birmingham’s Evolving Luxury Home Market
Birmingham’s housing market has steadily improved since the recession with some pockets absolutely on fire this year. But there's a segment of housing worth look at more closely – luxury homes. We talk about these homes selling for more than a million dollars in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
Randall Woodfin to Run for Mayor of Birmingham
The assistant city attorney's campaign is set to officially kick off Saturday morning at the North Birmingham Recreation Center, close to where he went to elementary school.
Birmingham’s Comprehensive Plan: Four Years After the Launch
Some feel Birmingham residents are worse off now than they were before the Comprehensive Plan was implemented.
UAB Launching New Solar Energy System
The $122,000 project atop the Campus Recreation Center is part of a larger plan at UAB to use buildings as incubators for new sustainable technology.
New Schools Chief Steps Into Turbulent Education Climate
Alabama has a new public schools chief. Last week, the State Board of Education selected Michael Sentance. He's the former Secretary of Education of Massachusetts and worked with the U.S. Department of Education. But he's never been a classroom teacher or principal and he was chosen over three Alabama candidates. That has some in the education community in an uproar. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
What’s Ailing Birmingham’s Public Transportation Industry?
There are several transformative projects many feel have lost momentum. We start this week's Magic City Marketplace asking, "Where do we go from here?
A Preview of the 2016 Special Session
A special session of the Alabama Legislature begins today (Monday, August 15). Governor Bentley called the special session to solve financial problems which he says, have held the state back for decades. Bentley is proposing a lottery which he says is expected to raise $225 million dollars. Don Daily is host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public […]
State Board Taps Consultant for New Schools Chief
It took repeated tries, but today the state school board named Michael Sentance, a consultant and former Massachusetts Secretary of Education, its choice to be new Alabama Superintendent.
