News
Arc Stories: March 2017 Edition
Four stories, each recorded throughout Birmingham at different Arc Stories events. A young boy thinks he’s figured out the secret to never having to wrestle with the regret; a young man’s attempts to rise above the legacy left by his father; a new husband forced into a precarious situation because of the incompetence of others, and […]
State Auditor’s Book Part of Emerging Race for Governor
Alabama state auditor Jim Zeigler has self-published book about his fictitious governorship. Alabama Media Group columnist says despite Zeigler's claim otherwise, it's a campaign announcement.
How One Woman Rebooted Her Path to Success in the Tech World
Kristin Julbert is responsible for new developments for Regions Bank’s online platforms. She started working in online banking about 20 years ago — well before customers used smartphones to pay their bills. She recently spoke at a panel hosted by Tech Birmingham.
A Murder in Rural Alabama? S-Town Podcast is on the Case
The creators of This American Life and the popular murder-mystery podcast Serial released a third season today. This one’s called S-Town, and it’s set right here in Alabama. WBHM’s Gigi Douban got a preview of the first two episodes, and S-Town host Brian Reed tells her his reporting revealed some painful truths about life in […]
TEDx Birmingham 2017: Possibility
This year's theme was “Possibility”. Each speaker challenged the status quo and looked for better ways to impact Birmingham and the world. Program Director Michael Krall attended and spoke about his experience with Andrew Yeager.
Birmingham’s Airport Lands in the Middle of the Pack in New Rankings
Birmingham's airport is in the middle in a new ranking of American airports.
Potential Cuts to EPA Funding Threaten Alabama’s Natural Resources
President Donald Trump’s proposed budget calls for huge cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Trump administration wants to reduce EPA funding from about $8 billion to about $5 billion. The budget would also slash the agency’s workforce by about 20 percent.
The Truth About Cats and Dogs from Allison Black Cornelius
Allison Black Cornelius has been helping others her entire adult life. She spearheaded the passage of Megan’s Law, the country’s first sex offender registry. She later founded a consulting company that helps non-profits. Now she heads the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
Political Shock Waves Still Reverberate a Year into the Bentley Scandal
Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald discusses the year since accusations Governor Robert Bentley had an affair became public.
Live Coverage of Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings on Judge Gorsuch
NPR Politics team will live-blog the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearings on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. The live blog will include streaming video, with posts featuring highlights, context, and analysis from NPR reporters and correspondents.
Live Coverage of National Security Hearings
The NPR Two-Way blog will provide live coverage of the House Intelligence Committee’s public hearing on the investigations into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. The live blog will include streaming video of the proceedings, with posts featuring highlights, context, and analysis from NPR reporters and correspondents.
Why the Design-build Concept Could Boost Birmingham’s Construction Industry
Some new thinking on how architecture and construction firms are organized could make Birmingham an even bigger hub for the construction industry.
Bills on Prisons, the Budget, and Driver’s License Offices Move Ahead
It was a busy week in Montgomery. The Senate passed a bill on driver’s license offices, and a prisons bill. The House debated church daycare licensing. And House representatives passed a general fund budget that level funded most agencies except one: Medicaid. It got a small increase, though there’s still concern among lawmakers, and some […]
Attorney Advertising is Big Business in Alabama
It seems you can’t turn a corner in Alabama without seeing a billboard advertising for a personal injury lawyer. The practice has proven to be a lucrative business builder, but it also carries a professional stigma.
Birmingham Water Works Pension Loses Millions in Fraud Scheme
The Birmingham Water Works pension fund lost more than $4 million in what’s described as a “Ponzi-style” scheme. The scheme spans from New York financial types to an Indian tribe in South Dakota to the Cayman Islands.
Suspected Bird Flu Poses No Risk to Food Supply, Officials Say
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Department issued a stop movement order on select poultry after three suspected cases of bird flu were discovered recently.
Who Benefits in Repealing Sales Tax on Groceries?
Proponents says exempting groceries from state sales tax would help low-income families and spur the economy. Those predictions could be optimistic.
Momentum Helps Women Overcome Tough Work Issues
It’s Women’s History Month, and we thought we’d bring you some voices of Alabama women who are shaking things up. Momentum is a women’s leadership program in Birmingham. WBHM’s Gigi Douban spoke with Joy Carter of Momentum and communications manager at Alabama Cast Iron Pipe Company. They chat about the things working women struggle with most. […]
Where Alabama’s Members Of Congress Stand On The New Health Care Bill
To help Americans understand where Congress stands on the debate over this legislation, NPR and Member stations around the country have compiled a database of Congressional members’ positions on the bill.
Regions Part of an Industry Rethink of the Bank Branch
Online banking haven't made the bank branch obsolete, but banks are rethinking how they use their brick-and-mortar locations.
ACLU Files Ethics Complaint Against Sessions
The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday filed a complaint with the Alabama State Bar against U.S. Attorney General and former Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. It alleges he made false statements under oath, violating professional standards.
Are Alabama Prisoners Getting the Mental Health Care They Need?
At the heart of the recent federal trial under way is a question, “Are prisoners getting the mental health care they need? Mental health advocates insist they are not.
Lawmakers Consider a Slimmer Prisons Bill and Monument Preservation
The Senate this week passed a monuments bill, and a committee passed a scaled down version of Gov. Robert Bentley’s prisons bill. The prisons plan price tag went from $800 million to $775 million. Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal tells WBHM’s Gigi Douban the revamped plan would build three large prisons, rather than […]
Jefferson County School Leaders Relieved After School Taxes Renewed
Education officials in Jefferson County are breathing a sigh of relief after voters approved the renewal of a property tax Tuesday that will provide about $100 million dollars for the county’s 12 public education systems.
The Pizitz Then and Now
In its prime, you would run into almost anyone from any side of town in Pizitz. The same was true of my lunchtime stroll – then and now, a place to be.
Transcript Puts Indicted JeffCo District Attorney in a Tight Spot
Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald discusses a transcript from the case that led to a perjury charge against Jefferson County's suspended district attorney Charles Todd Henderson.
Jefferson County Voters Approve Tax Renewal For 12 School Systems
Voters approved the renewal of property taxes supporting all 12 school systems in Jefferson County in a Tuesday election. While only 6 percent of voters went to the polls, education leaders say the election win shows that people in Jefferson County support public schools. Larry Contri, interim superintendent of Birmingham schools, says he wanted to […]
Business Groups Oppose Alabama’s Bathroom Bill
Alabama business groups are concerned if a so-called bathroom bill passes in Alabama, the state could suffer the same economic hit as North Carolina. That state suffered boycotts and major sporting events left after a similar bill was enacted there.
Trump Supporters Rally in Hoover
Backers of President Donald Trump gathered in Hoover Saturday, part of a day of marches and rallies across the country to express public support for the president.
Legislature Weighs Removing Gun Permit Requirement
A gun bill sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen moved ahead in the legislature this week. Allen’s legislation would repeal the permit requirement on concealed pistols. And the Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on Gov. Bentley’s $800 million prison construction bill. Lawmakers can expect to see a downsized version of the plan amid questions around […]
A TV Meteorologist Like No Other
Weld reporter Cody Owens discusses his story on Birmingham TV meteorologist James Spann. Spann has amassed a notable social media presence and personal brand turning him into something of a celebrity.
Giving Juries The Last Word On The Death Sentence
In Alabama, nearly 1 in 5 people on death row were sentenced to death through judicial override, according to the Equal Justice Initiative. Judicial override allows judges to impose the death penalty after a jury returns a life verdict, and Alabama is the last state to allow it. Critics have called override unreliable and arbitrary. Now there's a bipartisan effort in the legislature that could abolish the procedure.
