News
NAACP Suspends Birmingham President Hezekiah Jackson
The national office of the NAACP has suspended the organization’s local Birmingham President Hezekiah Jackson IV. The NAACP issued a statement Wednesday evening saying it is investigating whether Jackson advised residents not to have their soil tested for potentially damaging toxins and if he received payment for those activities.
A New Play Explores Race Through A 1951 Birmingham Basketball Court
The play "Separate and Equal" by University of Alabama Professor Seth Panitch centers on a hypothetical basketball game between black and white teens in 1951 Birmingham -- a game that would have been illegal.
$25 Million Alabama Futures Fund: ‘This state is open for business for startups.’
The new $25 million dollar Alabama Futures Fund will try to attract and grow promising startups in Alabama.
The List Is In: 13 Apply to Fill Roberson’s Seat on the Birmingham Council
Thirteen people have applied to fill the seat of former Birmingham City Councilor Jay Roberson, who announced his resignation last month.
Development Planned for Blighted Sites North of Downtown
Change may be on the way for two sites in north Birmingham. Corporate Realty is preparing to redevelop the former Carraway Hospital site. Another group is planning lofts at the old Kirby School and a former armory site in Norwood.
A Deadly Week: September Homicides Could Foreshadow Record Year in Birmingham
Six homicides happened in Birmingham during the first week of September, putting the city firmly on track for its most violent year in more than two decades and pressuring city leaders to improve their strategies for responding to such incidents and to focus on preventing them.
Health Department Gives More Time for North Birmingham Residents to Weigh in on Air Quality
The Jefferson County Department of Health extended the deadline for comments on the proposed renewal of an air emissions permit for ABC Coke. The move comes at the request of residents and environmental groups. Two public hearings are set for November at the Department of Health at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Residents may also submit comments online.
Marti Buckley: From Birmingham to Basque Country
When Marti Buckley was a student at LSU, she wanted to study abroad in Madrid. Instead, they placed her in San Sebastian - Spain's Basque Country. She fell in love with the oceans, the mountains and the food. She moved back to Birmingham, her hometown, in 2006 and gave birth to her daughter two years later. Buckley tells WBHM’s Janae Pierre how she landed in Basque Country after working for Southern Living Magazine and cooking under one of the south’s most revered chefs.
Alabama ACLU Proposes Plan to Cut Mass Incarceration
Earlier this month the American Civil Liberties Union announced an ambitious goal of releasing 50% of Alabama prisoners by the year 2025 through a report aimed at tackling mass incarceration.
New App Aims to Make Game Day Parking Easier
It’s football season which means tailgates and then ... the game. But before fans even get to the stadium, they need to find parking, which can be dreadful. There have been several mobile apps developed around the country to help drivers find parking. WBHM’s Janae Pierre looks at one new mobile app here in Alabama meant to take some of the pain out of parking.
Roy Moore Seeks Millions in Damages Over Showtime Prank
Conservative Judge Roy Moore says he was duped into an interview and maliciously defamed on a show called Who is America, hosted by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. He is seeking $95 million in damages.
A UAB Program Connects Resources For Pregnant Mothers Dealing With Substance Use Disorders
Alabama’s Chemical Endangerment Law makes it a felony offense to use drugs during pregnancy. A UAB program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wants to redirect the focus from criminalizing a woman’s addiction to treating it.
Thompson High Engineering Students Build Solutions Abroad
School’s only been back in for a short time, but at Thompson High School in Alabaster, engineering students have already begun work on their first assignment: Build a solar powered generator for refugees in Kenya.
Jefferson County Plans More Resource Officers In Schools
Jefferson County law enforcement and education officials announced a plan Thursday to put school resource officers in all 56 county schools.
Alabama Seeks Comment on Plans to Add Medicaid Work Requirement
Alabama wants to require some Medicaid recipients to work if they want healthcare coverage. The public has until Thursday to comment on the plan.
UAB Study Finds CBD Oil Helps Epilepsy Patients
Researchers at UAB published a study this month that offers hope to those dealing with severe epilepsy. It found cannabidiol or CBD oil helps curb seizures. The substance is derived from marijuana although it doesn’t have hallucinogenic properties.
Alabama Power Awaiting Federal Guidance After Court Strips Its License to Operate 7 Coosa River Dams
It’s now official. Monday, Alabama Power Co.’s license to operate its seven Coosa River dams was taken away under terms of a federal court order issued a month ago. The power company will now operate under its prior license.
Legal Services Alabama Serves Thousands In State. Program, a Partisan Battleground, on President Trump’s Budget-Cut List
Army veteran Ronald Whitson gives credit to Legal Services Alabama for keeping his family home in Birmingham. However, the program that Whitson praises has been controversial, the frequent target of partisan political battles since its start in the mid-1970s, with roots in the nation’s War on Poverty. Now the Alabama program’s federal parent, Legal Services Corporation, once again faces defunding, this time in President Donald Trump’s 2019 budget proposal.
UAB Opens New Business School Building
UAB's business school has a new home. Officials cut the ribbon Friday in the new Collat School of Business building.
In A Segregated County, A New Charter School Offers An Alternative
Only about half of University Charter School's 300-plus students are black. That's a rarity in Sumter County, Ala., which, like many school systems, has struggled to achieve integration.
Officials Want More Contamination Testing In North Birmingham
More than 500 properties in North Birmingham have not been tested for contamination, Congresswoman Terri Sewell said Wednesday while touring Collegeville with city, state and EPA officials. She wants people who have rejected soil testing to allow the EPA to check for contaminants.
Sidewalk Film Festival Returns for its 20th Year
The 20th Sidewalk Film Festival opens Friday in downtown Birmingham. A look back at the early years from someone who helped get it off the ground.
Don’t Swat! Alabama’s Bugs May Be Disappearing
The insect population has declined worldwide. Getting a grasp on Alabama's bug population has been tough. Here's why.
Tariffs Imposed By U.S., Trading Partners Hit Home In Alabama
President Donald Trump is battling with countries he says are unfairly hurting America’s foreign trade, but some of his moves may adversely affect industries in Alabama in the process.
Filling in the Blanks: Birmingham Council Fine-Tuning Process to Find Replacements for Three Councilors
With this week’s resignation of President Pro Tem Jay Roberson, the Birmingham City Council faces the unusual task of appointing three new members by the end of the year.
Air Quality Forecasts and Alerts
Ambient air quality in Jefferson County is forecast daily year-round for fine particulate matter and during the warm season for ozone.
What Are Potential Pollution Sources In Jefferson County?
Thirty-one industries, businesses and other operations in Jefferson County are considered possible large sources of pollution and issued operating permits that recognize that.
Birmingham Restaurant Week Sometimes A Deal
Birmingham Restaurant Week is in full swing. At several restaurants across the city, diners choose from a prix-fixe menu – that’s several courses at a fixed price. But with crowded restaurants and a limited menu … is it really worth it?
County’s Major Air Polluters Concentrated in Low-Income, Minority Neighborhoods
By Hank Black The Oliver Robinson bribery trial, in which guilty verdicts were issued for officials of Drummond Coal Co. and its law firm, Balch & Bingham, revealed a gritty episode about avoiding environmental cleanup in North Birmingham. But there’s a bigger dirty picture. The vast majority of Jefferson County’s 31 major sources of pollution […]
Groups Ask Ivey to Push for New State Environmental Leaders
Environmental groups have asked Gov. Kay Ivey to take steps to remove from office state environmental officials who were implicated during the recent bribery trial over a plan to block the expansion of a Superfund toxic waste site in Tarrant and Inglenook.
James “Jake” Sanders, Negro League Star
Segregation shut out ballplayers like James “Jake” Sanders from ballparks and the major leagues, but it didn’t quell his passion for the game. He attended the same high school in Fairfield as Willie Mays and went on to star in the Negro League. These days, Sanders travels the country telling the history of the league to school kids so the stories don’t get lost.
Connecting With Seniors One Phone Call At A Time
At the Senior Talk Line in Birmingham, volunteers call seniors just to chat. It's an effort to fight loneliness and connect with people who may have few others to connect with.
