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Flying disc, wushu, parkour and more from The World Games this week
Check out highlights as the international competition turns to its final stretch.
Jefferson County Commission to look for other absentee voting space after alleged voter suppression
Bessemer Absentee Voting Clerk Karen Dunn Burks last week accused Jefferson County government of voter suppression because of plans to move her office from the courtroom basement to another office also in the basement. She contended the plan created unfair conditions and accommodations for voters and was inhumane.
Lawsuit aims to block Alabama from using COVID relief funds on prison project
The U.S. Treasury said prison construction is a “generally ineligible” use of American Rescue Plan funds, but has not intervened in Alabama's plans.
American b-girl wins silver at The World Games. Hopeful for the 2024 Olympics
Sunny Choi is a New York corporate professional by day and a top-ranked, back-spinning, floor-flipping b-girl off the clock. She medaled this past weekend at the World Games.
Here are some of our favorite pictures from The World Games so far
The first weekend brought competitions in sumo, breaking and karate.
Civil rights attorney Fred Gray receives the nation’s highest honor
Among the 17 honorees for the Presidential Medal of Freedom award, two of them are civil rights leaders: Fred Gray and Diane Nash.
After launching in Atlanta, rural Georgia is the next stop for this guaranteed income pilot
In Her Hands, a guaranteed income initiative for women, is launching soon in Cuthbert, Georgia and its surrounding counties. Here’s how it’s coming together.
The World Games kicks off in Birmingham
Thousands of athletes from around the world have gathered in Birmingham to compete in The World Games. The eleven-day competition is a chance for non-Olympic sports to shine.
From pig ears to vegan food, Jackson’s oldest Black business district finds new life
For years, Farish Street has been viewed as a failed business district. But Black business owners are working to shift the narrative of the historic street.
Abortion-rights group navigates ‘unprecedented’ legal territory in Alabama
The Yellowhammer Fund has temporarily stopped funding abortion care for people in Alabama, amid legal concerns for clients and staff.
Buttigieg announces funding aimed at reconnecting communities divided by road projects
The program is designed to unify neighborhoods which have previously been displaced by discriminatory infrastructure decisions. The $1 billion initiative will fund projects that give people more access to their communities like paving more sidewalks, creating new greenways and adding public transportation.
The historic A.G. Gaston Motel comes back to life with a coffee shop and exhibit
The motel opened in 1954 and became one of the city’s main Black establishments. The motel served as a first-class lodging, entertainment and dining hall for traveling Black people who came to Jim Crow Birmingham.
Jefferson County health providers ‘well equipped’ for The World Games
Officials plan to treat as many people as possible at on site medical tents. They say the biggest concern is heat-related illness.
Birmingham City Council passes Woodfin’s budget untouched
Police, public works and youth programs were the biggest winners in the $517 million budget, the largest ever for the city.
Woodfin says people without homes won’t be moved from public spaces for The World Games
World Games officials clarified that anyone will be able to walk through and access public areas around venues like Railroad Park, Linn Park, Protective Stadium and the new City Walk, despite those sites being behind security parameters.
Groups oppose $725 million Alabama bond sale for building prisons
The state is expected to go to the bond market on Tuesday, to provide financing for the construction plan. That money will be added to $135 million in state funds and $400 million in pandemic relief dollars that the state already agreed to put toward the construction project.
“Expect us,” reproductive rights supporters rally across Alabama after federal abortion ruling
Alabamians took to the streets this weekend after elective abortions became a felony in the state on Friday.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Republican lawmakers applaud, others say they will sue, and some take to the streets
The ACLU of Alabama say it will continue its lawsuit to reinstate access to abortion.
What to know about Alabama abortion rights after SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion. Here’s what the decision means for the Gulf South region.
Alabama OKs $725M bond sale to build 2 supersize prisons
That money will be added to $135 million in state funds and $400 million in pandemic relief dollars that the state already agreed to put toward the project.
Britt wins tumultuous Alabama Senate race scrambled by Trump
Katie Britt won the Republican nomination for Senate in Alabama Tuesday, defeating six-term Rep. Mo Brooks in a primary runoff after former President Donald Trump took the unusual step of rescinding his initial Brooks endorsement.
2022 Alabama primary runoff results
Republicans will be choosing between Katie Britt and Roy Moore as their nominee for U.S. Senate. Democrats will pick a nominee for governor between Yolonda Flowers and Malika Sanders-Fortier.
Gunman kills 3 seniors over potluck dinner at Alabama church
The suspect, 70-year-old Robert Findlay Smith, was charged with capital murder Friday. He is being held on no bond.
Police identify the victims from Thursday’s deadly church shooting in Vestavia Hills
Police say the suspect is a 71-year-old white male who occasionally attended the church. They haven’t released a motive but said he used a handgun.
Alabama church shooting kills 2, wounds 1; suspect detained
The shooting occurred Thursday evening at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills.
Exploring the Clotilda, the last known slave ship in the U.S., brings hope
The discovery of the ship on an Alabama river bottom has fostered a renewed hope for descendants of the Clotilda's captives, and the community they founded called Africatown.
Miranda Fulmore, Richard Banks new WBHM hosts
Miranda Fulmore and Richard Banks have been named as WBHM’s permanent hosts for NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Food is more than what’s on the plate for this Birmingham urban farmer
Fernando Colunga says it’s important to understand how food is grown and the culture it comes from. He’s a farming and cooking instructor at Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham and is passionate about teaching the significance of food to young people.
Trump endorses Katie Britt in Alabama Senate race
Trump called Britt "an incredible fighter for the people of Alabama." The former president had originally backed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks in the race, but rescinded that endorsement in March after their relationship soured.
Security measures for The World Games will muck up downtown but will not close it
With all the activity scheduled in downtown Birmingham during The World Games, some have wondered whether they’ll be able to get to government offices. The answer for the most part is yes, but it’s going to take some planning.
Brooks leans into the ‘Big Lie’ in Republican Senate runoff
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks faces Katie Britt in a runoff for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate on June 21.
Sleeping shelters for homeless people will be built for The World Games. What happens next?
Security parameters will be put in place, restricting access to otherwise public places. People without homes who use some of these public spaces for shelter will have to find other places to be.
