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Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud, Files More False Refunds While Awaiting Sentencing
A Demopolis woman was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for filing more than $250,000 in false tax returns, and continued to break the law after pleading guilty last year. Eunice F. Plummer pleaded guilty in October to eight counts of filing false tax returns for other people and three counts of attempting to evade […]
One of Birmingham’s Oldest Homeless Shelters Has Big Plans
Leaders say the City of Birmingham needs more services to help the local homeless population. The operators of one of Birmingham’s oldest standing homeless shelters want to move and rebuild, creating a larger, more welcoming building in a more suitable location. And the change couldn't come soon enough.
Arc Stories: March 2016 Edition
Stories about a woman who learns you can’t always trust somebody just because they’re in a position of authority; a guy deals with a serious case of bad luck of his own making; another who has a brief flirtation with his childhood celebrity crush; and, a woman witnesses her mother fall in love with her childhood sweetheart […]
Pressure Mounting on Bentley to Resign
Governor Robert Bentley's senior advisor, Rebekah Mason, has resigned. This comes one week after the governor faced accusations from the former head of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency of having an affair with her. Both Mason and Bentley denied the affair but Bentley says he did make inappropriate comments to her. Meanwhile calls persist for Bentley to resign. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Taking on Tests: Opting Out in Florida
Millions of Florida’s public school students, from third grade through 12th, are preparing to take the Florida Standards Assessment. The test has drawn scorn from parents, teachers, school administrators, and even lawmakers—yet it remains the main measure of how schools and districts are graded, kids promoted, and teachers evaluated. Lynn Hatter of WFSU reports about how some parents and children are protesting -- choosing a form of civil disobedience by opting out.
Scandal Uncovers Bentley’s Involvement in Trial of Speaker Mike Hubbard
Following the eruption of a scandal involving Governor Robert Bentley and his now former top political adviser, Rebekah Caldwell Mason, the governor is refusing to step down, despite mounting pressure from Alabama lawmakers. And Bentley’s involvement in the ethics trial of House Speaker Mike Hubbard is made clear following disclosure by fired Alabama Law Enforcement […]
Alabama Joins Fight Against Obama’s Immigration Order
Alabama is joining 26 other states in filing a merits brief before the U.S. Supreme Court opposing the Obama administration’s order granting amnesty to roughly four million undocumented immigrants.
Senior Advisor at Center of Bentley Affair Scandal Resigns
Governor Bentley's Senior Political Advisor Rebekah Caldwell Mason has resigned. Mason was in the spotlight last week after former ALEA head Spencer Collier publicly described her alleged affair with the governor, calling her "the de facto governor," a reference for the extreme power people close to Bentley said she wields.
Taking on Tests: The Stakes Are High
It’s testing season in schools across the South and around the country. Students are flipping open booklets or logging onto computers to answer math and reading questions. For over a decade, annual standardized testing has been the law of the land. But it’s not without controversy or pushback – and some states and school districts are rethinking their approach.
Calls for Governor Bentley’s Resignation Continue to Grow
It's just under a week since scandal rocked Montgomery. Last Wednesday, Alabama's former top cop told the media about an affair between Governor Robert Bentley and his top advisor and a phone sex tape surfaced online. While Bentley continues to deny any "physical affair” with Senior Political Advisor Rebekah Caldwell Mason, calls for his resignation have only gotten louder among state leaders.
New Precedent Overrules Antiquated Method for Valuing Currency in Theft of Property Offenses
Attorney General Luther Strange says the Alabama Supreme Court recently issued a precedent-setting decision regarding theft of property offenses.
Mother Angelica, EWTN Founder, Passed Away Easter Sunday
A note: The audio profile above was produced in January of this year, before Mother Angelica passed away. The founding matriarch of a monastery turned global religious television network died on Easter Sunday at the age of 92. Mother Mary Angelica, or Mother Angelica as she’s known, built the Eternal Word Television Network in Birmingham, […]
Some Doubt Gov. Robert Bentley’s Prison Reform Plan
Critics call them five-star prison hotels. Fact is, Alabama’s prisons are among the most overcrowded in the nation. The state’s correctional facilities, designed to hold 13,000 inmates, instead house almost double that. State prisons are also chronically understaffed, a factor thought to have contributed to two recent inmate riots at Holman Correctional Facility and a fatal inmate stabbing at Elmore Correctional Facility. A Senate budget committee approved Governor Robert Bentley’s proposed solution to the problem. But there’s uncertainty as to whether that’s indeed the way out.
Fiber Internet Coming to Birmingham
For many workplaces having a fast Internet connection is critical. That’s why a recent announcement that fiber Internet would be coming to the Birmingham area has economic development leaders excited. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
UAB’s Jerod Haase Named New Stanford Men’s Basketball Coach
UAB men's basketball coach Jerod Haase has accepted the head coaching position at Stanford. Jeff Goodman of ESPN first reported the news on Friday morning and formally announced by Stanford on Friday afternoon.
Fairfield Considers Cutting Police Department to Save Money
The Fairfield City Council recently made an unconventional move: they voted to get rid of their police department in an effort to save money. But some city leaders say it’s a shortsighted response to a big budget problem.
Governor to Veto General Fund Budget
Governor Robert Bentley announced Thursday he’d veto the General Fund Budget passed by the Legislature, saying it would make the state's Medicaid system unsustainable. “The General Fund Budget is unacceptable because it lacks adequate funding for essential government services," Bentley said in a statement. "The proposed appropriation falls short of what the Medicaid Agency will require to provide services for the over one million Alabamians, most of them children, covered by Medicaid.”
ALEA Audit Shows No Discrepancies, Report Says
WBRC recently obtained a copy of an audit of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency released last month. The 17-page document, published to their website on Wednesday morning, "did not disclose any significant instances of noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations."
Inside the Financial Crisis in Fairfield
When the Walmart closed in Fairfield, the city lost one of its largest sources of sales tax revenue. The small Birmingham neighbor now faces a looming $8 million dollar deficit after years of alleged financial mismanagement. For more on Fairfield’s money crisis, and the city council’s recent vote to terminate the police department, we turn to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. Patterson talk's about WELD's cover story on Fairfield's financial crisis. He tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley about Fairfield’s history, and how it got to this breaking point.
Schools Close Early Because of Severe Weather
A number of Birmingham area schools have announced early dismissals or schedule changes because of anticipated severe weather.
What’s Next After Allegations of an Affair by Governor?
Governor Robert Bentley says he did not have a physical relationship with a top advisor and that allegations of an affair are not true. But he says he did make inappropriate comments and that was a mistake. The remarks come after former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency director Spencer Collier detailed what he knew of the alleged affair in a press conference Wednesday afternoon. Rumors of an affair have been swirling, fueled by the governor's divorce last year from his wife of 50 years. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the situation and says he doesn't seen how Bentley can now lead.
Scandal Erupts Between Alabama’s Governor and Former Top Cop
Alabama’s top law enforcement officer, Spencer Collier, is fired following statements he made about an alleged affair between Governor Robert Bentley and a top adviser, Rebekah Mason. For more, we turn to AL.com’s Kyle Whitmire. Following Spencer Colliers press conference, Governor Robert Bentley held his own saying he did not have a physical relationship with Rebekah Mason. […]
Governor Apologizes for Inappropriate Remarks, Denies Physical Relationship with Advisor
Governor Robert Bentley says he did not have a physical relationship with a top advisor and allegations of an affair are not true or accurate. But the governor says he did make inappropriate comments which was a mistake.
Alabama’s Former Top Cop Says Governor Had Affair
One day after being fired, Alabama’s top law enforcement official says Governor Robert Bentley has been having an affair with his a top advisor. Spencer Collier made the remarks at a press conference Wednesday afternoon in Montgomery. Spencer is the first person to publicly confirm the rumored affair, which was fueled last year by Bentley’s divorce from his wife of 50 years, Diane Bentley.
NWS: Alabama at Risk for Strong Storms on Thursday
Forecasters say parts of Alabama could see strong storms on Thursday.
Bentley Removes Collier as Law Enforcement Chief
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has announced that he is terminating Spencer Collier as the head of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
New Bill Would Make Birmingham Civil Rights District a National Park
Federal and state leaders from Alabama announced a bill that would designate Birmingham’s Historic Civil Rights District as a National Park.
Commentary: When it Comes to Opioids, Doctors Need to Focus on People, Not Pills
Opioids include pills like hydrocodone and morphine are often prescribed for pain. They also include drugs of abuse such as heroin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 18,000 people died from opioid overdoses in 2014. Public initiatives from the CDC and the White House have focused on how doctors prescribe opioid pills for pain. Last week the CDC released a guideline urging doctors to show greater care and caution when prescribing opioids.
WBHM Launches New Series Exploring Birmingham’s Ensley Community
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM launches “The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama” this week. To many people outside of the community, Ensley is merely a crime-ridden, impoverished place. Through radio features and multimedia stories on junctionstories.com, project creator Mary Quintas goes beyond the quick crime reports to explore what life is like in Ensley according […]
The Junction: Stories From Ensley, Alabama. Episode 1
WBHM is one of 15 stations chosen for Localore: Finding America – a national initiative to expand public media. Over the next several months, WBHM will bring you “The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama” – a project created by independent producer Mary Quintas.
Birmingham Rolls Out its Land Bank
The abundance of dilapidated and abandoned properties around Birmingham is something city leaders have struggled to deal with. A new tool to attack the problem is getting off the ground. It’s called a land bank. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
A Day in the Life of a Birmingham Walking Beat Cop
Homicide rates are on the rise across the country. In Birmingham, the city finished 2015 with a dramatic 55 percent increase. In response, law enforcement is stepping up efforts to combat violent crime. One key element is to add more face-to-face engagement between police and the community through old fashioned walking beats.
