News
Closing Arguments Begin in Speaker Hubbard’s Felony Ethics Trial
Indicted Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s trial on 23 felony ethics charges is drawing to a close. Lawyers make final closing remarks Friday. Hubbard is accused of using his position as Speaker of the House for personal financial gain. If convicted, Hubbard will automatically lose his position as Speaker.
“Friendship” Playing Big Role in Hubbard Trial
The trial of House Speaker Mike Hubbard has brought to light some curious aspects of Alabama ethics law, most notably a provision regarding friendship. Hubbard took the stand in his own defense this week and testified about how he emailed so-called "friends" for business opportunities and advice when he was laid off in 2011.
Ira Glass on Birmingham Performance, Upcoming TAL Project on Syrian Refugees
Ira Glass has one of the most recognizable voices in all of public radio. He’s hosted the wildly popular program This American Life for more than 20 years, and influenced a generation of young audio storytellers. Glass brings his unorthodox stage show “Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host," to Birmingham this weekend. As the title suggests, it features Glass, two dancers from Monica Bill Barnes & Company, and storytelling. WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley talked with Glass to find out more.
Birmingham Restaurants Face Worker Shortage
Birmingham’s food scene wins accolades from the around the country. It seems there’s always a new restaurant to try. But that success has created a new problem. There are not enough people to staff restaurant kitchens. We hear about that from Birmingham Business Journal editor Ty West in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Governor Testifies in House Speaker’s Trial
Wednesday brought the most anticipated moment of House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s ethics trial so far. That’s when Governor Robert Bentley took the stand. Bentley testified about whether Hubbard lobbied him on behalf of a business client. Bentley is embroiled in his own scandal, accused of an affair with a former aide. But the testimony was perhaps less than what political junkies hoped for. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the trial and about financial troubles that have the City of Fairfield veering toward bankruptcy.
“Resilience” is Theme to Documentary, Music about Syrian Refugee Camp
Birmingham native, Dunya Habash, spent two weeks in a Syrian refuge camp in 2014. She was filming for her recently released documentary, Za’atari: Jordan’s Newest City about a settlement created following the Syrian civil war. A recent honors graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, Habash tells WBHM’s Esther Ciammachilli about this experience and how her own music helped tell the story.
We’ve Got a New Look!
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM – Your NPR News Station – is turning 40 this year. There have been a lot of changes in radio through the last four decades, and we at WBHM have not only kept pace, but plan to keep growing right along with the ever-evolving media landscape. That’s why we’ve spent […]
How to Protect Yourself Against Mosquitoes and Zika
The Zika virus has popped up in Alabama, although you can't blame mosquitoes yet. The pests spread the disease but so far the only cases in the state are from people who have traveled to Zika infected areas. But public health officials are offering tips to fight mosquitoes, which spread a number of diseases.
Mosquito Control Businesses Expect Boost From Zika
With rising concerns about the Zika virus, mosquitoes have even more of a target on their backs than usual this summer. While the bugs spread the disease, the only cases of Zika in Alabama so far have been related to travel to infected areas. As residents try to protect themselves, one type of business is expecting to do well: mosquito control companies.
Increase of Private Funds for Medical Research Raises Ethical Concerns
Medical research is a notable part of the Birmingham economy and more and more funding for potential breakthroughs is coming from private dollars. That can open up ethical questions. We also talk about a planned technology festival in Birmingham and the effect of new federal overtime rules in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
WBHM’s “On The Line” Talk Show Tackles Uneven Birmingham Revival
Walk around downtown Birmingham and there’s an energy you wouldn’t have felt a few years ago. Residents are moving to new lofts and apartments. Restaurants and retailers are opening. People do yoga at Railroad Park or take in a ballgame at Region’s Field. They’re visible signs of a Birmingham revival. But that revival is uneven. Talk to some in neighborhoods away from Downtown and they’ll say "revival" doesn’t mean much to them. No fancy lofts, just abandoned homes and potholed roads that never seem to be fixed. And all this takes place against the backdrop of Birmingham’s racial history, with investment, by-and-large, coming from whites in a city that’s been majority black for a generation.
Birmingham Revitalization: City Investments at Work in West Birmingham
Birmingham’s western business district is one of the city’s oldest. At one time, a thriving community of working class families surrounded it. A shopping mall anchored the retail center, and businesses, large and small, lined Third Avenue West. Now, it's a different story. The area has been in decline for decades. In 2011, the city Birmingham spent $46 million on the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex sports facility in hopes of giving the area an economic boost.
Birmingham Revitalization: An Alternative Model from Cleveland
When a city neighborhood rebounds, it’s typically a story of investors buying cheap property, building and attracting new residents. That runs the risk of pushing out current residents who are often poor. This week as we explore Birmingham’s revitalization, we have at an example from Cleveland of an alternative model – worker cooperatives.
BJCTA Cancels Bus Service to Fairfield Over Significant Back Payment
Birmingham City Council members want to restore bus service to Fairfield following a vote this week by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority to stop service to the area on June 1.
How REV Birmingham Works With Local Small Businesses
As WBHM explores the Magic City's uneven revitalization, the weekly newspaper WELD continues its look at REV Birmingham, the city's economic development organization. This week, they focus on REV through the eyes of the small businesses it serves. REV launched in 2012 and cites “helping small business owners define and achieve their goals” as one of their core goals. Nick Patterson, editor of WELD, tells WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley what reporters
Arc Stories: May 2016 Edition
Birmingham’s own true stories. A man’s encounter with perhaps the world’s worst burglar; a woman overlooks some early warning signs in the pursuit of love; and student recalls a beloved teacher who’s influence doesn’t take root until years later. (Originally aired May 26, 2016 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
Former Chief of Staff Among First Witnesses in Hubbard Trial
The eyes of Alabama’s political world have turned to a Lee County courtroom as the trial of House Speaker Mike Hubbard is now underway. He faces 23 felony ethics charges. He's accused of using his elected position and his former role as head of Alabama’s Republican Party for personal gain. Both sides gave their opening statements Tuesday with witness testimony following. Watching is all is Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald and he offers his observations to WBHM's Andrew Yeager.
Birmingham Revitalization: The View from a City School
You could call schools the glue of a community. They're starting points for friendships and networks, and they affect property values and economic development. For our series on revitalization in Birmingham, WBHM's Dan Carsen returns to a redeveloping neighborhood to see how that's playing out in the local school.
An Overview of First Day of Testimony in Hubbard Ethics Trial
Testimony in the trial of Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard continues. We look at how arguments are taking shape and the strange similarities in how the prosecution and defense describe Hubbard to the jury.
Birmingham Revitalization: Feelings of Hope, Fear in Woodlawn
Woodlawn was a predominantly white neighborhood until it was integrated in the 1970s. After that, many whites fled, migrating over the mountain and Woodlawn became predominantly black. And many of them left too. The Woodlawn Foundation is trying to change that with projects like the Park at Wood Station, a 64-unit townhouse complex on First Ave. South.
Birmingham Revitalization: Struggling to Keep Homewood’s Rosedale Neighborhood
The neighborhood of Rosedale is easy to miss, quietly tucked at the base of Red Mountain on the edges of Homewood. For years, residents of the community have been fighting to keep its historic character, but the city is expanding and there is a constant threat of commercial development.
Birmingham Revitalization: Developers Spur Growth in Avondale, Downtown
Behind every new coffee shop and oyster house and once-vacant building is a real estate developer. The same goes for parks and condos and baseball fields. To understand how developers choose where to invest, we'll start in Avondale.
Birmingham Revitalization: Some Neighborhoods Feel Ignored by City Hall
When David VanWilliams moved to Birmingham, he was looking for a fixer-upper and fell in love with the neighborhood of Inglenook. Inglenook sits just north of the airport. Like its southern neighbors, Crestwood and Avondale, Inglenook has turn of the century brick bungalows and wide streets with sidewalks. But unlike those other neighborhoods, potholes mark the road and many houses are in disrepair. Residents don’t have the money to fix them.
Birmingham Revitalization: While Downtown Grows, Frustrated Citizens Feel Left Behind
By certain indicators, Birmingham is having a moment. Boosted by the openings of Railroad Park and Regions Field, downtown’s seen almost 40 percent residential growth since 2000. Construction cranes dot the skyline, historic buildings are being restored, and the city was recently named a top destination by Lonely Planet and the Travel Channel. Despite this, Birmingham’s revitalization has only touched part of the city, leaving many longtime residents feeling ignored.
Businesses Worry Birmingham’s Political Spat Could Hurt City’s Revival
Birmingham's city center has seen project after project pop up over the last five years or so. While the business community would love to see that continue, there's concern the acrimony right now between Birmingham Mayor William Bell and the city council could cut into the momentum. We talk about that in this week's Magic City Marketplace. Birmingham Business Journal editor Ty West explains to WBHM's Andrew Yeager what has business leaders worried.
UAB Doctor Developing Blood Test to Predict Depression
Beth Seibels of Birmingham is 62 years old and has suffered from anxiety and depression for more than 30 years. Two years ago, things got worse. For the first time, she was feeling suicidal.
Birmingham and “The Metropolitan Revolution”
Downtown Birmingham and some nearby neighborhoods are seeing an influx of new residents, mainly young professionals and retired baby boomers. It’s a national trend -- the Census Bureau reports millions of Americans have migrated from the suburbs to the cities since 2010. Experts like Bruce Katz,a Vice President of the Brookings Institution and co-author of “The Metropolitan Revolution: How Cities and Metros Are Fixing our Broken Politics and Fragile Economy," think this is a good thing. Katz believes cities like Birmingham are the new economic engines in post-recession America. Katz spoke with WBHM's Greg Bass about his visit to Birmingham last year, and the central idea behind what he calls “The Metropolitan Revolution.”
Deconstructing REV, Birmingham’s Economic Development Organization
What does REV Birmingham, the city's economic development organization, do? They describe themselves as a group "that stimulates business growth and improves quality of life in Birmingham." But WELD says that mission isn't clearly visible to Birmingham residents. Reporters from WELD took to Facebook to ask what their readers thought.
Owner of Fat Sam’s Sub Station Passes Away
Fat Sam’s Sub Station owner Salman Shatara died last night from complications following a car wreck on April 8. According to a report on AL.com, he developed a blood clot last week while recovering from major injuries and severe respiratory problems.
Governor Asks Staff to Sign Confidentiality Agreement
Two years ago something simple but significant happened in Alabama Governor Robert Bentley's office. Bentley asked his staff to sign non-disclosure agreements. More than 80 staffers did, but one who didn't was Rebekah Mason. She's the former political aide Bentley's accused of having an affair with. They're the latest details in the scandal surrounding the governor. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about it along with the continued political spats at Birmingham City Hall.
Commentary: Berucha Cintron “I Will.”
With area high school graduations this month, some students can find themselves at a crossroads as they determine what's next in their life. For commentator, and high school senior Berucha Cintron, this crossroads took place in the form of a short, emotional conversation she had with her mother several years before.
Birmingham Central Library Elevators, Escalators Broken
The sign on the broken escalator says use the elevator. The sign on the broken elevator says take the stairs. This is what visitors and staff of the downtown library are currently dealing with.
