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Supreme Court Orders Documents Unsealed In Death Penalty Case
The U.S. Supreme Court ordered documents unsealed Monday in a death penalty case out of Alabama after a motion was filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and NPR.
Training Better Robotic Surgeons in Virtual Reality
Surgery today can look a lot different than it did 20 years ago. In addition to scalpels and forceps, many surgeons need to know how to operate using a robot. But learning to use the device can be a challenge.
Roy Moore Announces He’ll Run for U.S. Senate Again in 2020
Alabama Republican Roy Moore announced Thursday that he is running for U.S. Senate again in 2020 after failing to win the seat two years ago amid sexual misconduct accusations.
Scales Says Jefferson County Commissioners Should Be Kept More in the Loop on Indigent Health Care Plans
After two months of waiting, Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales wanted some answers Tuesday concerning the health care authority being designed by UAB Health System and Jefferson County and expressed concern that commissioners are not more involved in the process.
Birmingham Councilor Suggests Calling in the Guard If Nothing Else Curbs Crime in the City
Birmingham City Councilor Steven Hoyt called on Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to change his strategies for fighting crime in Birmingham, even if it means calling in the National Guard.
Birmingham-Area Republicans Gather for Trump Reelection Watch Party
Area Republicans gathered Tuesday night to watch President Trump's televised rally in Florida launching his reelection campaign. Many there say they've already made up their minds no matter who else joins the race. They'll support Trump.
Juneteenth: A Celebration of the End of Slavery
June 19th 1865 -- or Juneteenth – marked the official end of slavery in the U.S. Barry McNealy, an educator with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, says even though President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it didn’t free all slaves.
Report: Well-Being of Alabama Children Still Lags Nationwide
Alabama’s teen birth rate has decreased dramatically in the last decade. That’s according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which has ranked the overall well-being of kids across the US for 30 years.
CDC Director Visits Alabama to Discuss Ending HIV
The director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. Robert Redfield, visited Montgomery on Friday to discuss strategies to combat HIV.
Southern Baptists Apologize for Sex Abuse Coverups
In the last day of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Birmingham, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination apologized for decades of sexual abuse and cover ups in the church.
Alabama’s Chemical Castration Law Draws Criticism
Certain convicted sex offenders in Alabama will soon have to undergo chemical castration if they want to be released on parole. That’s according to a bill signed into law this week by Gov. Kay Ivey.
Southern Baptists Vote to Address Sex Abuse in Churches
Thousands of Southern Baptists are in Birmingham this week for the denomination's annual meeting. In the first day of business, the convention voted to amend its constitution to take steps against sex abuse.
University Of Alabama Returns $21.5 Million To Hugh Culverhouse
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with attorney Hugh Culverhouse, who pledged $26.5 million to the university. The $21.5 million he had given so far was returned and his name removed from the law school.
Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris Campaigns in Birmingham
In her Friday speech in Birmingham, Sen. Kamala Harris promised to stand up for women's access to reproductive care, take on gun control and work to give all Americans quality healthcare.
UA Returns $21.5 Million to Donor & Strips Name From Law School
The University of Alabama Board of Trustees voted Friday to return a multi-million dollar donation from Hugh Culverhouse Jr. and strip his name from the school of law.
Top Wheelchair Rugby Teams Battle it out in Birmingham
Four of the world’s top wheelchair rugby teams squared off recently in Birmingham. It was their last chance to compete in the U.S. ahead of the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo.
Here’s What You Missed in the 2019 Legislative Session
It was one of the busiest and most contentious legislative sessions in years. The near-total abortion ban passed by Alabama lawmakers overshadowed many other bills. What else happened?
Birmingham’s Food Desert Plan: More Grocers, Fewer Dollar Stores
Nearly 70 percent of Birmingham residents live in food deserts, neighborhoods that have no grocery store or healthy food options. Now, Birmingham city officials are working to bring more grocers to the city.
Mt. Vernon Arsenal, Searcy Hospital Among Most Endangered Historic Places
The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced this week that Mt. Vernon Arsenal, which later became Searcy Hospital, is one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2019.
Reading Proficiency, Equal Pay Among Bills Passed in Alabama Legislature
Lawmakers approved a slew of bills this week, which is expected to be the last one of the 2019 session. Measures on equal pay and holding back third-graders who don't read proficiently were among those passed in the push toward the session's end.
UA to Consider Returning $21.5 Million in Dispute with Donor
Hugh Culverhouse, Jr., a major donor to the University of Alabama, has called for a boycott of the school in response to the state’s strict abortion ban. Now university officials say the system’s chancellor will recommend the board of trustees return Culverhouse’s gift and strip his name from the law school.
$21 Million Study Will Research Health Disparities in the Rural South
People who live in the rural South are more likely to die sooner than people in other parts of the country. A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health tries to figure out why.
Proposed Charter School Plans to Serve LGBTQ Youth
Many students who identify as LGBTQ here in Alabama say they’ve been harassed or assaulted because of their sexuality. A new charter school proposed in Birmingham aims to make these young people feel safe in the classroom.
Lawsuit Filed Challenging Alabama’s Abortion Law
Abortion rights groups filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to block Alabama’s strict new abortion law.
Alabama’s Abortion Law Could be Bad for Business
Alabama’s abortion law has yet to go into effect, but it’s already causing ripples in the business community. The law sparked widespread criticism, including a campaign on social media calling for people to boycott the state. Officials with the City of Birmingham say it’s hurting the city’s ability to attract business.
Justice Department Forces Alabama To Address Deadly Prison Conditions
Alabama must rectify the dangerous conditions this week or face a Justice Department lawsuit. Critics say plans to build new prisons won't solve issues that have been found to be unconstitutional.
Documentary Wrestles with Race and Class On and Off the Mat
A documentary that airs Monday on Alabama Public Television follows four high school wrestlers trying to make it to the state tournament. But "Wrestle" also delves into issues of race and class away from the mat.
Several Hundred Gather in Birmingham for Bernie Sanders Rally
A large crowd of people gathered in Birmingham's Kelly Ingram Park Sunday for a rally supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Protesters March to Oppose Abortion Ban
Supporters of abortion rights marched through downtown Birmingham Sunday, one of several rallies across the state in protest of a new abortion ban signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey last week.
Lawmakers Pass a Restrictive Abortion Ban as Time Runs Out in the Session
Alabama lawmakers this week passed what’s considered one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country. We look at the fallout and where this leaves one other major legislative priority here in the state -- prisons.
John Paul White Makes His Peace With Being an Artist
It took years for singer-songwriter John Paul White to come to terms with the ego the music world demands. His latest album "The Hurting Kind" is a testament to how he's finally made his peace.
UAB Closing Residential Addiction Unit to Expand Other Services
UAB hospital recently announced it will close its residential addiction treatment unit, which has provided overnight care for patients with substance use disorder for more than 20 years. Some are criticizing the decision, but officials say the closure is part of a bigger plan.
