News
Priming the Pipeline for STEM in the South: Coding as a Foreign Language Credit
Computer coders have found a champion in Florida Senator Jeremy Ring. Ring, a former Yahoo! executive who helped build the company, believes coding and technology is an art, rather than a science. He wants to attract more students to STEM studies. As part of the Southern Education Desk series, Priming the Pipeline for STEM in the South, Lynn Hatter of WFSU reports on Ring’s proposal to allow Florida students to choose coding in order to fulfill a foreign language requirement for college.
Elections Could Change the Face of the Judiciary in Jefferson County
When Alabamians vote in the primaries next week, there’s a lot more on the line than who might be the presidential nominees. Judicial races at the county level arguably have a greater impact on resident’s lives, but receive less attention. In Jefferson County, judicial retirements have cleared the way for a new generation of Judges.
Birmingham City Council Ups the Minimum Wage
The Birmingham City Council’s agenda was long, but all anyone seemed to care about was what the minimum wage would be come Wednesday. The council passed the initial minimum wage ordinance unanimously in August (Councilor Valerie Abbott abstained), but today, members were divided. Councilors Kim Rafferty and Valerie Abbott voted against the ordinance. Abbott said she’d received multiple […]
Priming the Pipeline for STEM in the South: A Look Across the Region
Over the next ten years, the number of jobs in science, technology, engineering and math fields are expected to outpace other industries by about five to ten percent. That’s according to the group Change the Equation, an organization that pushes for greater STEM education in schools. Yet, throughout the South, particularly in rural and high poverty communities, administrators have trouble attracting educators qualified to teach STEM.
Birmingham City Council Strikes Back Over Minimum Wage Bill
The Birmingham City Council is once again trying move up the effective date of its minimum wage increase. This is in response to the fast tracked steps the State Legislature is taking to block this action. The council could vote to move up the effective date from March 1 to Wednesday, February 24. Republican Representative […]
Alabama Judge Nomination Sparks Tension
Several prominent lawyers, judges, and U.S. Representative Terri Sewell held a press conference on Saturday in downtown Birmingham, in support of Judge Abdul Kallon’s nomination to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Voter ID Law Creates Hurdles for Homebound Man
When Alabama primary voters go to the polls on March 1, they’ll have to show a government-issued photo ID. The law has been in place since 2014 and most people use their driver’s license. But for those who can’t get to a driver’s license office, the law creates difficulties. Samuel Stayer is one voter who ran into problems.
Business Community Watching Bills in the Alabama Legislature
With the Alabama legislative session in full swing, the business community has a number of bills they’re watching closely. These bills could have a significant effect on companies around Birmingham. We highlight a few of them in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
Tea Party Group Angered After Gun Store Owner Calls Off Senate Debate
An event featuring candidates for U.S. Senate took a bizarre turn Thursday evening. The Rainy Day Patriots had organized a debate for all five republican candidates at Hoover Tactical Firearms. But when Senator Richard Shelby didn’t attend, things quickly began to unravel.
Tea Party Senate Debate Featuring Shelby Opponents Halted
A debate featuring Alabama candidates for U.S. Senate was shut down Thursday evening and attendees suddenly asked to leave. The event was to showcase Republican opponents to incumbent Senator Richard Shelby.
This Week in Montgomery: Minimum Wage, Guns in Cars and Earmarks
With the third week of the Alabama legislative session through, lawmakers have managed to pass some high-profile bills out of either the House or Senate. It's a key step if these measures are to become law. But the legislative progress doesn't debate wasn't heated. To help review the week's action is Don Dailey. He's host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television. He tells WBHM's Andrew Yeager about a bill that passed the House which would prevent cities from setting their own minimum wages, a bill allowing those with concealed carry permits to keep loaded guns in the cars and a bill to un-earmark millions in state revenue.
Birmingham’s Place in Historic Preservation Efforts
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently declared Birmingham’s A.G. Gaston Motel a National Treasure. It also declared the landmark one of America’s eleven most endangered historic sites. Marita Rivero chairs the trust’s board and is Executive Director of the Museum of African American History in Boston. She’ll give the keynote address Thursday evening for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s Black History Month celebration. Rivero spoke with WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about Birmingham’s importance in the national conversation on historic preservation and the significance of the A.G. Gaston Motel.
Hoover Could Use Zoning to Block Apartments
Zoning hearings can often be the white noise of local government, but zoning decisions do have a great effect on how cities develop. The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission made a recommendation last week to rezone 273 acres along Interstate 459 from apartment use to commercial. The Hoover City Council could consider the change next month. It's a change that represents more than a simple government reclassification. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the Hoover situation and about perceptions of rising crime around Birmingham.
Reveals in Case of Speaker Mike Hubbard Could Mean Trouble for Prosecutors
There’s been a big reveal in the ethics trial of House Speaker Mike Hubbard that carries potential danger for prosecutors, and U.S. Senator Richard Shelby has quickly progressed from inspirational campaign commercials to attack ads spearing his Republican opponents. Kyle Whitmire has more on this.
2015 Saw Rise in Hate Groups and Extremists in U.S.
The Southern Poverty Law Center released today its annual count of hate groups and extremists in the U.S.
Protesters Rally Against Bill Blocking Local Minimum Wage
State lawmakers passed a bill out of the House Tuesday evening that would block cities in Alabama from establishing a local minimum wage. As the debate grew contentious in Montgomery, about 50 protesters gathered in Mountain Brook to protest the bill, proposed by a legislator from that city, and to show support for the Birmingham City Council's decision to raise that city's minimum wage.
Dennis Covington and Revelation: The Search for Faith in a Violent Religious World
"Faith, as St. Paul said in his letter to the Galatians, is a fruit of the spirit, and a fruit is something tangible, life sustaining, a gift." Dennis Covington.
Infamous West End Property Set for Demolition
A blighted property in West End that city officials say has been a scar on that area for too long is being demolished. Birmingham city leaders announced today that demolition of Larkway Gardens begins tomorrow morning, Wednesday, February 17, at 9 a.m. following asbestos removal. In an interview with WBHM last year, Councilwoman Sheila Tyson […]
Barbershop Forum Aims to Boost Support for Hillary Clinton
What happens when a handful of people gather in a barbershop to talk politics? People tend to speak their minds. That was the idea behind an event Monday evening at Moore Styles Barbershop in Birmingham’s Civil Rights District.
Why this Coal Industry Downturn may be Different
Alabama’s coal industry has faced its ups and downs through the decades. It’s clearly down now. Walter Energy, for instance, is embroiled in bankruptcy. While the industry has bounced back before, this time might be different. That’s where we start this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Zika: UAB Epidemiologists Recommend Pregnant Alabamians Not Travel to South American
UAB epidemiologists are telling Alabamians there is low risk of a Zika outbreak developing in the state. The virus, which has flu-like symptoms, is currently spreading through parts of South and Central America. It’s also been associated with a rise in a rare birth defect. Dr. David Freeman of UAB is one of 12 members of the World Health Organization’s Emergency Committee on Zika. He says that Alabama will likely see more travel-related cases, but not home-grown.
This Week in Montgomery: Minimum Wage, Lottery and Common Core Repeal
From the lottery to minimum wage to Common Core, it was a busy past few days for the Alabama Legislature. Here to catch us up on all this week’s action from Montgomery is Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal. To start, Dailey told WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about a bill aimed at blocking Alabama cities from raising their minimum wage.
Alabama in Need of Road Repairs to Spur Economic Development
A report out this week from a Washington think tank outlines the top transportation maintenance projects it says are needed to improve economic growth in Alabama.
Newgrass Mandolin Master Sam Bush Returns to Birmingham
Sam Bush, considered by many to be the father of newgrass, the more progressive form of bluegrass music, brings his band to the Lyric Theatre Saturday night, February 13. Like the founding father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe, Bush grew up on a farm in Kentucky surrounded by a family of musicians. Both fell in love with the mandolin and with traditional music. There the comparison ends. Monroe grew up in the 1920s, while Sam Bush came of age in the era of television that brought the stars of country music right into his home.
Birmingham-Area Schools Account for One-Third of State’s “Failing” List
“These assessments are not the only indicator of success for a school. If you look at schools, I’m sure you’ll see what some are doing to make it better,” Malissa Valdes-Hubert, Alabama State Department of Education spokesperson.
Community Leaders Meet to Discuss Plans for Green Space Under I-20/59
Last week, representatives from REV Birmingham and consultants Barge Waggoner and Cannon met with community leaders to discuss possibilities for the 6,600 foot stretch of land under I-20/59. The consultants presented a plan for creating usable public green space under the interstate. For more on this, we talk to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. Patterson says people at the public meeting were divided on what to use the space for, some calling for public space, and others calling for more parking.
Keeping up with South Carolina and a Political “What if”
Whether it's grades in school or keeping up with the Joneses, it's hard not to compare yourself to others. States aren't immune from that tendency either. For years, Alabama found itself ahead of South Carolina on measures such as jobs and population. That's no longer the case. We talk about what to take away from that comparison with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald. He also talks about a political "what if" that happened 50 years ago this week.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. Tells Students to “Use That Vote as a Weapon”
The Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., visited Birmingham this morning to talk to local community leaders and students about empowerment and the importance of being civic minded. Jackson was keynote speaker at Wenonah High School’s 13th Annual Unity Breakfast. He urged the crowd to follow the political process and register to vote.
100 Year-Old Mural in Bessemer Gets a Makeover
When the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was restored in the 1980s and 90s, people were awe struck by the transformation. Vibrant colors and details that had been hidden for centuries could be seen once again. At the Bright Star in Bessemer, which bills itself as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Alabama, the staff is experiencing similar feelings as the eatery’s more than 100 year-old mural slowly gets a makeover.
Alabama IRS Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Taxpayers Identities
An Alabama woman has pleaded guilty to identity theft and fraud in a tax scheme.
Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Visits UAB for Black History Month
UAB Hosted a discussion with one of the founders of the social justice movement Black Lives Matter Monday evening. While the event was scheduled around Black History Month, the conversation was focused in the present.
Federal Officials OK Change to Alabama Medicaid Program
Federal officials have approved Alabama's plan to switch its Medicaid program to managed care. Governor Robert Bentley made the announcement in a Tuesday press conference. The waiver approval comes after three years of planning and negotiation with federal officials over the proposed change.
