Echoes Of The Past As Overwhelmingly-White Mountain Brook Debates Diversity
This summer, passionate voices clashed over a teacher anti-bias training program in Mountain Brook City Schools. But the debate rests on uncomfortable history in this white pocket of racially diverse Jefferson County.
Birmingham Hospital Leaders: COVID Surge ‘Heartbreaking … And Largely Preventable’
Statewide hospitalizations for COVID-19 topped 1,700 Wednesday, fueled by the highly-contagious delta variant.
Schools Opening Short On Teachers Because Of An Increase In Retirements
Last school year, more than 3,500 school employees retired in Alabama. That's the highest number since 2010. Some credit the pandemic for the rise in retirement, while others say a growing unappreciation for school employees had caused these workers to leave the industry.
5 Things To Know About Alabama’s Back-To-School COVID Toolkit
The state's updated guidance for back-to-school has several school districts in the region changing their COVID-19 protocols.
Delta Strikes Birmingham Public Works, But Mayor Says The City Will Get To Your Trash
Your trash will be picked up, said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin at a press conference Tuesday.
Hispanic Interest Coalition Of Alabama Founder Looks Back At Two Decades Of Leadership
Isabel Rubio founded HICA more than 20 years ago in an effort to assist Latinos who migrate to the state. She'll step down as CEO at the end of the year.
Amazon Warehouse Workers In Alabama May Get To Vote Again On Union
A federal labor official found that Amazon's anti-union tactics may have tainted last spring's voting process sufficiently to scrap its results. Workers had rejected unionization more than 2-to-1.
Birmingham Expands Hours At Vaccination Clinic, Offers New Incentive Amid COVID Surge
Anyone who visits Legion Field for a COVID-19 vaccine will receive a concert ticket to the Jazz Festival or the Battle of the Bands.
Birmingham Teachers Welcome Students Back To School Amid COVID Surge
School starts Monday in the Birmingham City Schools. Classes are in person but with COVID protocols in place.
Amid Delta Variant Surge, Some Call For Vaccine And Mask Mandates
While states have tried coaxing reluctant residents into getting the shot with incentives like lotteries, some businesses and health experts in the region say it’s time to start creating disincentives for avoiding the shot.
UAB Doc Predicts New Cases Of COVID Could Rocket To 13,000 A Day By The End Of August
New modeling shows that Alabama could reach a peak of 13,000 new cases per day by the end of August.
You’re Right, It Has Been Raining More Than Usual This Summer In Birmingham
Rainfall was higher than normal this summer across much of Central Alabama.
Gulf State Schools Had Mask Mandates Last Fall. That Isn’t The Case This Year.
The coronavirus pandemic’s fourth wave has not changed state-wide back-to-school plans in the Gulf South, where cases are rising and mask use is voluntary.
ACLU Of Alabama’s Director Looks To The ‘Next Iteration Of The Civil Rights Movement’
JaTaune Bosby, the first Black woman to lead the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, took the job during a tumultuous time in the country with the pandemic and last year’s summer of racial reckoning.
Jefferson County Commissioners Look For Ways To Stop Illegal Dumping
The amount of illegal dumping of trash in Jefferson County is "concerning," says county commissioners. They say more needs to be done to address the problem, which could include more stringent penalties.
More Extreme Weather In Gulf States Means More Power Outages. Are Energy Companies Ready For It?
The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is likely to be as active as last year’s, when thousands in the Gulf South were without power for weeks after hurricanes Laura, Zeta, Cristobal and Delta. With that increased activity comes a bigger threat to the region’s power grid. How prepared are Gulf States’ energy companies for the threat to come?
Alabama Sees ‘Unprecedented’ Surge In COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said the increase is linked to the more contagious Delta variant, coupled with Alabama’s low vaccination rate.
Alabama’s COVID-19 Vaccination Rate Is The Lowest In The U.S. And Infections Are Up
Public health officials are sounding the alarm in Alabama, the state with the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate in the country. New infections are spiking, yet fewer people are seeking shots.
Come Back With More Detail And We’ll Talk: Council Delays Plan For Rescue Money
Birmingham’s efforts to distribute millions of dollars of federal American Rescue Plan funding hit a snag Tuesday after councilors took issue with the vagueness of Mayor Randall Woodfin’s proposed allocations.
Birmingham Schools Will Require Masks After Shift In CDC Recommendations
Birmingham City Schools will once again require all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear a face mask while in school facilities.
From JuVaughn Harrison To Raven Saunders: Your Olympics Guide For Gulf South Pride
Among the thousands of Olympians from around the world competing in Tokyo this year are dozens of talented athletes from Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.
As The Clock Runs Out On $300 Unemployment Benefits, A New Orleans Waitress Is Left In Limbo
The tips Dora Whitfield earned at Harrah’s Casino covered her bills. But like a lot of workers, returning to work isn’t as simple as following the help wanted signs.
Birmingham Residents Clear Their Traffic Records Quickly With Rocket Docket
The event also helps the court system clear a backlog of cases due to the pandemic.
Birmingham Police Revise Policies To Disallow No-Knock Warrants
Birmingham police will no longer use no-knock warrants such as the one that led to the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville last year.
Offering A Carrot Won’t Get People Vaccinated, Maybe It’s Time To Talk About The Stick, Health Official Tells Birmingham Council
One health professional says incentivizing vaccines is not working and that it may be time for businesses to start requiring it.
Developer Partners with Tuskegee Students, Minority-Owned Contractors To Revitalize Old American Red Cross Building
The building has been vacant for 21 years and is poised to offer a more affordable option for living in downtown Birmingham.
Alabama’s COVID New-Case Average Quintuples In 10 Days, As Health Officials Struggle To Get More People Vaccinated
Health officials in the region are sounding the alarm as COVID-19 cases continue to increase. Across the Gulf States, hospitalizations have reached levels not seen since the Spring.
At Summer Reading Camps, Birmingham Students And Teachers Prepare For Alabama’s New Literacy Law
Alabama joins 16 other states and Washington D.C. where third graders must pass a reading test -- or risk being held back. That’s why this summer, teachers at Birmingham City Schools began coaching their students on their reading skills to get a head start on the new retention policy.
No Place Like Home As Woodlawn High Breaks Ground For New, On-Campus Football Stadium
The new stadium is expected to be ready for the 2022 football season. It'll accommodate 2,800 spectators, and it will include an artificial turf athletic field, renovated field house and a stadium lighting and sound system.
“It’s Playing A Game With Us”: Researcher Says COVID Delta Variant Is Spreading In Alabama
New data shows the delta variant made up almost 71% of cases tested at one local lab in recent weeks.
Debate Over Diversity Training Consumes Mountain Brook School Community
The controversy over diversity training is complicated by the city's demographics. The suburb is overwhelmingly white and one of the richest in Jefferson County
Birmingham Recycling Kicked Up To Twice A Month, City Buys Refuse Equipment
Residents in the city of Birmingham will soon start having their recycling picked up twice a month. The city’s recycling program was temporarily halted by COVID-19 last April.
