News
Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits Set off Alarm Bells in DA’s Office
So far, the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative in Jefferson County has generated more questions than answers. The biggest question: How did 3,876 sexual assault kits not get submitted to the Department of Forensic Sciences for testing?
The Year of Firsts: Freshman Candidates Find the Campaign Trail Grueling, Expensive and Rewarding
Just before the deadline closed, Cara McClure and Kari Powell submitted the paperwork to run for the Public Service Commission. They didn’t know one another beforehand, but they ended up on a phone call just after the midnight deadline talking about their similar platforms and how, despite having never run for political office, they would each need to hit the ground running.
Crime Reduction Plan for Birmingham Coming Next Month
Several months after taking the job, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick D. Smith is expected to deliver a comprehensive plan for crime reduction to the City Council next month.
“It’s Just Plum Sad:” Ivey Disputes Reports of Health Issues, Chastises Maddox Campaign
Gov. Kay Ivey is again disputing that her health is an issue in her re-election campaign and called out her Democratic challenger for trying to make it one.
Ivey’s Campaign Still Leads Maddox in Contributions With Three Weeks to Go in the Campaign
Gov. Kay Ivey continued to build her campaign warchest in early October, raising almost twice as much as Democratic challenger Walt Maddox, according to reports filed Monday with the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office.
Opportunity Zones Pull Investors Into Low-Income Areas
Alex Flachsbart’s business cards were hot properties at the Jefferson County Courthouse Tuesday after his presentation to the County Commission about opportunity zones in the area.
Sports Tourism Is Big Business in Birmingham, but Not Big Enough, Study Says
Even with more athletic fields at the Hoover Met Complex, greater Birmingham needs additional sports facilities to compete with cities such as Westfield, Indiana and Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Birmingham Public Library Atmosphere ‘Toxic’ ‘Hostile,’ Employees Say. Leadership ‘Not for Faint of Heart,’ New Director Responds
Nearly 20 Birmingham Public Library employees addressed the library’s board of directors Tuesday night, expressing concern over what they described as a “hostile” work environment that has emerged under the library’s new leadership.
Jefferson County Commission Pursues Healthcare Authority Plan
Jefferson County is moving closer to establishing a healthcare authority to manage indigent healthcare in the county.
Republican Circuit Clerk Candidate Staying in the Race
A Republican candidate for Jefferson County Circuit Clerk says he will remain in the race despite a recent court ruling against him in a church dispute over money.
Postal Workers Rally to Oppose Privatization
The White House has proposed privatizing the U.S. Postal Service in a move to cut costs. Postal workers rallied in opposition in cities across the country, including Birmingham.
Birmingham Mayor Releases Strategic Plan Setting New Goals for His First Term
Exactly one year after his election, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has released a strategic plan providing an update on his administration’s progress and setting new goals for the remainder of his first term.
Is CBD Oil Legal in Alabama? It’s Complicated.
People seeking an alternative to pain medications or anti-anxiety drugs are increasingly turning to CBD oil. Some athletes even claim it helps with post-workout recovery. Studies have shown it curbs severe epilepsy. Those array of claims have made it easier to find CBD products in Alabama. But there’s just one problem: CBD is derived from marijuana.
New Program Recruits African-American Girls to Computer Science
The computing workforce continues to grow, but women of color remain largely underrepresented. Tuskegee University recently announced a $1.3 million grant program funded by the National Science Foundation that aims to prepare African-American girls in Alabama for careers in computer science.
Former Birmingham Black Barons Pitcher Remembers ’48 Negro League World Series
This week marks the 70th anniversary of the Birmingham Black Barons’ appearance in what would become the last Negro League World Series ever played. The 1948 team was considered the greatest Black Barons team of all-time and was made up of legends like Bill Greason. Greason was a pitcher who broke the color barrier with the Oklahoma City Indians and later played briefly in the Major League. The 94-year-old tells WBHM’s Janae Pierre about that final Negro League World Series against the Washington Homestead Grays.
Judge Bob Vance Makes Second Run for State’s Top Judicial Seat
Judge Bob Vance has been on the bench in Jefferson County since 2002. This year he’s trying for a second time to become the head of Alabama’s court system. Vance is the Democratic nominee for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Despite Immigration Law, 40 Percent of New Hires Are Not Checked Through E-Verify
Many Alabama employees aren’t being screened to confirm their legal status to work in the United States, despite a 2011 state law requiring businesses to use the federal E-Verity system.
Former State Lawmaker Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced former Alabama Rep. Oliver Robinson to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to block the expansion of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleanup site in North Birmingham and Tarrant.
Birmingham Pursues Two Federal Agencies to Fill Downtown Building
The City of Birmingham hopes the federal government will move two agriculture agencies to Birmingham and fill downtown office space that's been vacant since 2010.
Deaf Football Players Find Novel Ways to Communicate
On the football field, visual communication is key. That’s especially true for the Silent Warriors, a team of middle and high school students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. They compete against mainstream and deaf schools across the U.S., where having a unique language can be both an advantage and a challenge on the field.
Former State Rep. Oliver Robinson To Be Sentenced in Bribery Scheme
Former State Rep. Oliver Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday in federal court. Federal prosecutors asked the judge in a filing earlier this week to give Robinson a lighter sentence because he pleaded guilty, accepted responsibility for his actions and cooperated with investigators.
Birmingham Council Approves Cameras to Help Fight Crime
Birmingham police will soon have extra eyes to spot crime. The City Council today approved an agreement with Alabama Power to install 100 cameras around the city.
Coal Coming Back in Some Alabama Communities
Coal mines are coming back in some parts of Alabama. Industry observers say easing of regulations and a steady demand for coal overseas means more mining jobs. That's welcome news in places like Brookwood in Tuscaloosa County, where coal is mined to produce steel.
Can Cooperation Combat Crime? Birmingham-Area Agencies Teaming up on Problem
Despite the city’s rising homicide rate and a recent rash of highly publicized violent crimes, Birmingham-area law enforcement officials say they are optimistic about the city’s long-term crime-fighting prospects, due in part to an array of government agencies working together.
Sessions Speaks in Hoover as Rosenstein News Erupts
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions drew sustained applause speaking at the Hyatt Regency in Hoover on Monday. Sessions’ remarks at a meeting of prosecutors and law enforcement came just as Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein was set to meet with White House officials, presumably about his future in the US Department of Justice.
Ushuaia Blue: A Play About a Life Devoted to Science
Antarctica happens to be a perfect place to study the impacts of climate change. A UAB researcher has devoted his entire career to just that. This weekend, Professor Jim McClintock brings the issue to the stage, along with a love story. "Ushuaia Blue" explores the issue of global warming through the story of two marine biologists trying to save their relationship.
‘Rosies’ Featured at Vulcan for Museum Day
The Smithsonian Magazine has its 14th annual “Museum Day” this Saturday. That means free admission to thousands of museums around the country. Here in Birmingham, one participating museum—Vulcan Park & Museum—is putting a twist on the Smithsonian’s them: Women Making History. Casey Gamble is Vulcan’s museum coordinator. She tells WBHM’s Janae Pierre how they plan to incorporate Rosie the Riveter for this year’s event.
UAB Receives $10 Million for Parkinson’s Research
The National Institutes of Health this week named UAB a Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson’s Disease Research, making it 1 of 8 such centers in country.
Birmingham Times Founder Recognized Among Black PR Pioneers
Alabama native, Jesse Lewis Sr. is recognized as a publishing and marketing trailblazer in the South. In the early 50s, Lewis founded the first minority-owned public relations firm in the U.S. His very first client was the Birmingham Coca Cola Bottling Company. With their support, Lewis founded the Birmingham Times in 1964. For most of his career, he focused on marketing to African American consumers, a demographic he says was completely ignored during that time. The 93 year old was recently recognized among Black PR Pioneers at the Museum of Public Relations in New York.
Alabama ACLU Proposes Plan to Cut Mass Incarceration
Earlier this month the American Civil Liberties Union announced a goal of releasing 50 percent of Alabama prisoners by the year 2025 through a report aimed at tackling mass incarceration.
SPLC Calls on Court to Hold Alabama Prison System in Contempt
The Southern Poverty Law Center wants the state prison system held in contempt for failing to fill mental health positions. Contempt hearings began Tuesday in U.S. District Court involving the Alabama Department of Corrections and lawyers representing inmates.
Amazon Breaks Ground Oct. 2, Laying Path for Western-Area Development
The official groundbreaking on the new Amazon development in Bessemer will be Oct. 2, Jefferson County commissioners said Thursday.
