News
Norman Rockwell’s America
Few painters have created images as popular and as intertwined with American culture as Norman Rockwell. For decades, Rockwell produced magazine covers for the Saturday Evening Post – illustrations which are folksy, nostalgic and idealized versions of the county. And even if you don’t know anything about Rockwell, there’s a good chance you’d recognize his work. Those covers and other items go on display Sunday at the Birmingham Museum of Art. We sent WBHM’s Andrew Yeager there to get a preview.
September 14 News
Forces are rallying on both sides in advance of next week’s statewide referendum. The constitutional amendment would allow the transfer of $437 million dollars from the Alabama Trust Fund to be used for Medicaid, prisons and other state services.
Sept 18 Vote, More Trouble at School Board, and Big Lobbying Bills
Next week, Alabama residents go to the polls to vote on a referendum state leaders say is vital to the financial health of the state. The vote would authorize moving $437 million from the Alabama Trust Fund to shore up the state’s general fund budget. Supporters say without the transfer critical state services will be hurt, but opponents argue the state should live within its means. John Archibald tackles that and other regional news in this week's interview.
September 13 News
New numbers show poverty is down slightly in Alabama, but median income still lags national average. Also, efforts to reopen Alabama's oldest licensed abortion clinic are dealt a blow.
New Report on Senior Citizens a Mixed Bag
A new federal study offers a snapshot on the status of seniors. Fewer are living in poverty, but more are living with chronic health problems.
September 18th Referendum
Voters in Alabama will go to the polls next Tuesday to vote on a referendum state leaders say is vital to the financial health of the state. The vote would authorize moving money from the Alabama Trust Fund to shore up the state’s general fund budget. That budget supports many services from child protection to prisons. But if the referendum does not pass, one of the biggest programs to feel the effects is Medicaid, as WBHM’s Andrew Yeager reports.
September 12 News
Former UAH professor pleads guilty to murder while former AL Governor reports to prison and Gadsden's federal courthouse targeted in closure.
Andrew Yeager to Deliver Keynote Address at Samford Univ.
WBHM Host/Reporter Andrew Yeager will talk to high school students about the future of journalism at a workshop Thursday at Samford University.
September 11 News
Alabama asks an appeals court to reconsider the state's immigration law; Former Governor Don Siegelman reports to prison today; and Tuscaloosa real estate developer Stan Pate launches media campaign against the September 18 referendum.
September 7 Morning News
Did two Birmingham City Councilmen use city money to attend the Democratic National Convention? Also, financial relief for families affected by last year's tornadoes and a German auto supplier announces plans to open in Alabama.
September 6 Morning News
Tar balls wash up on Alabama shores; Justice Department issues harsh memo on BP action in Gulf; and lawsuit challenging state's segregation of HIV+ inmates moves ahead.
September 5 Morning News
Western and southern Alabama dig out after flooding, while other parts of state gets federal drought aid; Alabama football team No. 1 in country.
September 4 Morning News
Mixed emotions over Barons move from Hoover to downtown Birmingham; oil production resumes post-Isaac; and schools figuring out how to replace textbooks with laptops.
September 3 Morning News
Bessemer residents protest closure of courthouse; U.S. Steel and United Steelworkers reach tentative agreement; and move afoot to pardon the Scottsboro Boys.
August 31 Morning News
Alabama seeks waiver from No Child Left Behind; state's shrimp boats survive Isaac without a scratch, but could still lose millions of dollars; and allegations of voting irregularities in Perry County.
John Archibald on Cooper Green Mercy Hospital
The Jefferson County Commission votes to discontinue in-patient care at Cooper Green Mercy Hospital. John Archibald offers his thoughts that situation as well as the latest from the Birmingham Board of Education, and Artur Davis' political switch.
August 29 Morning Newscast
A mundane Birmingham Board of Education meeting ends of an explosive note; Cooper Green Mercy Hospital to close, but a bankruptcy judge may have a final say; and Hurricane Isaac bring rough weather to Alabama's coast.
New Panels for Storm Shelters
Alabama has escaped the brunt of Hurricane Isaac, but the storm does serve as a reminder that severe weather can bring danger and even death. So researchers at UAB are developing new building materials intended to create safer storm shelters. Recently a high-tech panel they created passed the National Storm Shelter Association’s tornado threat test, a key step to making such panels commercially viable. WBHM intern Will Dahlberg spoke with the project’s leader, Dr. Uday Vaidya, who says the material in these panels in rather unique.
August 28 Morning Newscast
Residents along Alabama's coast are hoping to avoid the worst from tropical storm Isaac; the Jefferson County Commission will consider again whether to close the inpatient unit at Cooper Green Mercy Hospital; and the Bessemer Cutoff's court system will continue to operate with at least one judge, whether it's at the current courthouse or somewhere else.
August 27 Morning News
Residents along Alabama’s coast are scheduling to begin evacuating at 8 a.m. this morning. Governor Robert Bentley has declared a state of emergency and ordered mandatory evacuations ahead of Tropical Storm Isaac. Current tracking has the storm making landfall in Louisiana some time tomorrow, but Alabama’s coastal areas are under a hurricane warning, and forecasters say strong wind and heavy rain could extend miles inland.
Tropical Storm Isaac Update
Tropical Storm Isaac is churning across the Gulf of Mexico and while its current path won’t mean a direct hit for Alabama, the state will still feel the effects of this storm. Governor Robert Bentley has declared a state of emergency and ordered evacuations of low lying areas along the gulf coast. WBHM intern Will Dahlberg spoke with John DeBlock with the National Weather Service in Birmingham about the latest storm forecast.
Governor Cancels Tampa Trip for Tropical Storm
Governor Robert Bentley today urged Alabamians to keep watch on changing weather conditions as Tropical Storm Isaac continues to move toward the northwest. The Governor also announced he is canceling his plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
August 24 Morning News
State officials watch Tropical Storm Isaac; the Alabama Homeland Security Dept. steadily loses funding; and some state court system employees get big raises while others lose their jobs.
August 23 Morning News
Prepaid college tuition program will pay tuition, at least temporarily; Attorney wants off Auburn tree poisoning case; and only one candidate qualifies to challenge Roy Moore for AL Supreme Court Chief Justice.
John Archibald On Why Carol Garrison Is Leaving UAB
The University of Alabama at Birmingham has a new interim President. Earlier this week, University of Alabama System Chancellor Robert Witt announced that longtime UAB administrator Richard Marchase would take over for outgoing president Carol Garrison. The university will now start a national search for a permanent replacement. John Archibald offers his observations on the leadership change at UAB, as well as leadership on the Jefferson County Commission.
August 22 Morning News
Justice Dept. establishes civil rights unit in Alabama; College freshman not ready for coursework; and Krispy Kreme reopens in Tuscaloosa.
August 21 Morning Newscast
Appeals court throws out provision in Alabama immigration law; Birmingham business community pays to defend Spencer Bachus; and legislators want to change school start date (again).
August 20 Morning Newscast
Alabama Public TV gets a new executive director; Tampa and Charlotte prepare for national conventions amid changing political landscape; and hunters take aim at alligators.
August 17 Morning Newscast
Carol Garrison steps down as president of UAB; the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights holds a public hearing about crackdowns on illegal immigration in Alabama and other states.
Birmingham School Board Gets Down To Business
The Birmingham school board finally gets down to business; and emotions run high as county commissioners look to close inpatient care at Cooper Green Mercy Hospital.
Stimulants on Campus
Thousands of college students are heading back to school across Alabama. But for some, keeping up with the workload means more than just drinking a few cups of coffee. As UAB student and WBHM intern Aditi Jani discovered first hand, some students are abusing prescription stimulants to cope with the pressure to achieve.
BREAKING: Birmingham BOE Conducts Civil, Productive Meeting
The Birmingham School Board conducted a civil and efficient meeting Tuesday night, perhaps cowed by a judge's ruling that the state does have authority over the district and that Superintendent Craig Witherspoon will keep his job during the takeover. Our Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen has this surprising web-exclusive.
