News

Alabama Expands COVID Vaccine Eligibility To Those 16 And Older

That means a total of about four million Alabamians will be eligible starting Monday.

Legislative Wrap-Up: Bills on Habitual Offenders, Trans Athletes, Public Records Advance

Alabama's prisons are severely overcrowded. Some state lawmakers say repealing a law that stiffens punishment for repeat offenders would help alleviate that.

The Unlikely Spark For Birmingham’s Negro League Reunion

Boston-native Cam Perron became obsessed with the Negro League as a child. That led to an annual reunion and friendships with players decades older.

Acclinate Races Against The Clock To Increase Diversity In Clinical Drug Trials

A lack of racial diversity in clinical trials can make new drugs and treatments less effective for people of color. According to one recent study, 78% of trial participants were white. Acclinate, a new Birmingham-based company, is trying to correct that imbalance by connecting underserved populations with researchers.

WBHM 90.3 FM Named Station Of The Year By Alabama Broadcasters Association

The Alabama Broadcasters Association named WBHM 90.3 FM Radio Station of the Year at its annual ABBY Awards ceremony Monday, March 29.

Residents Clean Up After Deadly Tornadoes

Recovery efforts continue across Alabama after yesterday’s storms left widespread destruction. Some of the worst damage was in Calhoun County, where five people died.

Calls Continue Urging President Biden To Honor ‘Drum Major for Justice,’ Fred Gray Sr.

Fred Gray Sr. led landmark cases representing Black activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Now, many believe it’s time to award Gray with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Weather Service: 8 Tornadoes Hit Alabama, Killing At Least 5

Search and recovery efforts continued Thursday night in Calhoun County.

Tornado Causes Damage In Alabama; More Twisters Forecast

Numerous tornadoes hit central Alabama Thursday.

Will Alabama And Mississippi Expand Medicaid To Low-Income Adults This Time Around?

Many advocates and politicians argue the new incentive is an offer that’s too good to refuse, but it still might not move the needle.

Bill Would Cut Pensions For Future Birmingham Employees, Raise Employee Contributions

A bill proposed this session would require the city of Birmingham to fully fund its pension obligation and increase employee contributions to the pension fund by half a percent. But opponents of the bill say, if passed, it would disproportionately affect lower-earning city employees.

JeffCo Commission Moves Toward Buying Land Next To Shady Grove Fire Station, Selling Old West End Health Center

Jefferson County wants to buy property from the state of Alabama. The land is located next to the Shady Grove Fire Department.

A Vaccination Event For Commercial Fishers Offers Lessons On How To Reel In At-Risk Communities

As the rollout expands, health officials and community leaders are learning more about how to make sure the vaccine is not only available, but truly accessible for at-risk groups.

Mo Brooks Sets Up U.S. Senate Campaign Committee

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks is expected to make an announcement tonight that he plans to run for U.S. Senate.

Alabama Deploys Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Units To Rural Areas

All eligible Alabamians in these 24 rural counties can receive a free COVID-19 vaccine beginning Tuesday.

Alabama Plans To Open Vaccine Eligibility By May 1, But Hesitancy Remains A Problem

About one-third of adults in Alabama are hesitant to get the vaccine, according to polling by the state department of public health.

Legislative Wrap-Up: Transgender Sports, Abortion, Riot Bills Advance

Alabama is one of several states considering bills restricting transgender minors. The sports bill is the second one related to transgender youth introduced this session.

Biden Administration Pushes To Vaccinate All Americans Against COVID-19

The White House said officials are working through issues of access and vaccine hesitancy.

Storms Prompt Schools To Delay Opening Thursday

More than a dozen suspected tornados raked over Alabama on Wednesday.

Alabama Tornado Outbreak Rips Off Roofs, Snaps Trees As State Braces For More

Storms are expected to last through the night and into Thursday morning.

Lawmakers Continue Debating Controversial Anti-Riot Bill

The sponsor of the bill says it would protect first responders from being attacked at tumultuous protests. But the measure has been a sore spot for state Democrats and others who fear the bill’s language is too vague, and that it'll only serve to criminalize peaceful protests.

Severe Storms Barrel Through Alabama

Impacts of the storm system could be severe.

What Labor Wins And Losses In The South Can Tell Us About the Amazon Union Vote

The unionization effort at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala. may seem like a once-in-a-lifetime chance for a big union win in the South. Yet union organizers had a nearly-identical opportunity just four years ago in Mississippi.

Alabama Schools Announce Closures Ahead Of Possible Severe Weather

Central Alabama is expected to see strong storms beginning Wednesday at 2 p.m. through Thursday at 4 a.m., according to new modeling by the National Weather Service in Birmingham

UAB To Open New Vaccination Site And Update Demographic Data

The vaccination site located at AOH Cathedral of the Cross in northeast Birmingham is a drive-thru site, but only eligible residents can sign up for an appointment.

StoryCorps: “I found a voice…”

Amanda Keller and Lauren Jacobs work together at Birmingham’s Magic City Acceptance Center. In addition to being co-workers, they are also close friends. They came to the StoryCorps MobileBooth to talk about Amanda’s relationship with her late father and its influence on her work.

Alabama To Expand COVID Vaccine Eligibility March 22

Alabamians aged 55 and older, plus those with high-risk conditions and disabilities are among the groups that will soon be eligible for a COVID vaccine.

Legislative Wrap-Up: Gambling Fails, Medical Marijuana, Anti-Riot Bills Face Hurdles

A bill that would have added a lottery and casinos was defeated in the Senate. In the aftermath, some lawmakers said a lottery-only bill would have stood a better chance.

A Year Like No Other: COVID-19 In The Gulf States

In a special broadcast one year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, reporters from public radio stations in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana reflect on the toll it’s taken on the region.

One Year In, Bama Tracker Creator Considers Future Of COVID Data Site

The reach of David Marconnet's site grew beyond what he imagined. But with cases dropping, Bama Tracker may have run its course.

Lighting Up the Night Again

The neon sign for the historic A.G. Gaston Motel was lit Tuesday night in a ceremony marking the end of phase 1 of the site’s restoration.

Samford Names New President To Replace Retiring Westmoreland

Beck A. Taylor, now president of Whitworth University, will succeed Andrew Westmoreland effective July 1.