News
E-Recycling
You recycle, right? Of course you do! But what about that "less-than-smart-phone" you just replaced with the latest model? What about those batteries in the clock? Sometimes it's hard to know what to do with electronic gizmos, but as WBHM's Tanya Ott reports some e-recycling is up dramatically in the south.
WBHM Partners on Gulf Coast Consortium to Cover Oil Spill
WBHM is partnering with public media outlets across the Gulf Coast region to create the Gulf Coast Consortium, a multi-media project to expand reporting on the Gulf oil spill.
Gambling Arrests
Federal agents arrested 11 people in Alabama this Monday, including four state senators and Alabama's top two casino owners, in an alleged vote-buying scheme. The case centers on a failed effort to legalize electronic bingo. It's the latest in a months-long bribery and corruption investigation and legal battle over bingo expansion in Alabama. WBHM's Andrew Yeager retraces the events.
Blueprint Birmingham
WBHM continues a series of conversations reacting to Blueprint Birmingham. That's the regional economic development plan announced last week by the Birmingham Business Alliance. It offers a five-year framework for addressing issues from leadership to education to economic growth.
MASS Ensemble’s Earth Harp
Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Alys Stephens Center. These are places you go to see music performed. But what happens when a building becomes the instrument?
Michele Norris: The Grace of Silence
All of us have secrets--things in our past we'd rather not discuss. NPR's Michele Norris discovered a secret about her father, years after his death.
Jefferson County Attorney’s Pay
Across the country, city and county governments are laying off employees in droves to deal with budget deficits. Jefferson County is no exception, so it may come as a surprise that the county's legal team appears to be among the highest paid local government attorneys in the country.
Alabama Symphony Orch. 2010-11 season
Music Director Justin Brown previews the Alabama Symphony Orchestra's 2010-2011 season which includes a world premier as well as a performance of all nine Beethoven symphonies...
Railroad Park Opens
New York has Central Park. There's Grant Park in Chicago. Atlanta has Centennial Olympic Park as well. They're parks sitting right in the middle of an urban landscape. And on Saturday Birmingham will have Railroad Park. The idea of a downtown park in Birmingham goes back decades. It took more than 10 years to build Railroad Park, which lays along the railroad tracks between UAB and downtown Birmingham. As officials open it tomorrow, they're hoping Birmingham's new "backyard" will bring not just people, but business too. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
The Tea Party in Alabama
Tea Party members are celebrating big wins in several states after yesterday's primaries. Across the country, the Tea Party movement continues to put pressure on incumbents. But here in Alabama the movement has been relatively quiet. WBHM's Tanya Ott wondered why.
Tokyo String Quartet
The Tokyo String Quartet has been making music for 41 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Tonight, the group plays in Birmingham.
A Receiver for Jeffco’s Sewer: What Does It Mean?
Jefferson County's troubled sewer system will soon be run by a receiver. So, what exactly is a receiver? What power will he or she have?
Conservation: The Behavior Gap
What are you doing to help the environment? Have you ditched the plastic water bottles and carry a reusable one instead. Maybe you bike to work a couple days a week. According to a recent study, there's sometimes a big gap between what we say we should do and what we actually do.
The Price of Poverty
What are the essentials of life? Food, water, and shelter. And to get those you have to have some kind of paying work or be enrolled in a government assistance program. But for the working poor (many of whom don't qualify for government assistance) even the basics can be too expensive. We'll explore this today (8/27) at noon on WBHM's On The Line: The Price of Poverty.
Price of Poverty: Time Banks
In times of economic instability many people turn to friends and family. But there's a new twist on that practice and it's called Time Banking. Members of time banks earn and spend "time" dollars by using their skills for other members.
Price of Poverty: Involuntary Flextime
If a job offers flextime, that's a good thing right? You can take off to make that doctor's appointment or catch your kid's soccer game. But in many low-wage jobs - particularly retail or hourly jobs - workers there face what could be called involuntary flextime. Schedules are posted only a few days in advance. Shifts may change. Work is unpredictable. That makes arranging childcare, taking classes or working a second job very difficult.
Price of Poverty: Buy-a-Meter
When you brushed your teeth this morning or took a shower, did water come out of the faucet? You probably didn't give it a second thought. For some though, even here in Alabama, water is far from a guarantee. As we continue our series The Price of Poverty, WBHM's Andrew Yeager takes us to Hale County in the black belt, a place where seeing to it that everybody has clean, reliable water has been a bit like swimming upstream.
Birmingham-Southern’s Struggles: a Student Perspective
When students return to Birmingham-Southern College next week, they'll find a school that's $10 million in debt and has a new interim president. Budget cuts also forced the elimination of 51 faculty and staff positions and five majors. What do students think?
Increasing Exports
Last year, Alabama companies exported more than 12 billion dollars of goods and services to other countries. While that number might sound impressive, it's actually a 20 percent DECREASE from 2008.
Price of Poverty: Food Deserts
What are the essentials of life? Food, water, and shelter. And to get those you have to have some kind of paying work or be enrolled in a government assistance program. But for the working poor even the basics can be too expensive. They often cost more for working poor than for middle class people, as we'll explore this week in our series "The Price of Poverty". We start today with a report on food.
Remembering Cecil Whitmire
Cecil Whitmire, the general manager of the Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham, has died. He was 74 years old. Whitmire's work at the Alabama was source of civic pride and passion for many in Birmingham.
Birmingham-Southern’s Interim President
One week ago today, David Pollick stepped down as President of Birmingham-Southern College. Trustees named Mark Schantz as the school's Interim President.
Occupational Tax Settlement
Jefferson County commissioners approved a settlement today in the long running dispute over the county's occupational tax. Lawyers for workers in Jefferson County had successfully challenged the legality of the tax, prompting court ordered refunds. Under the plan, the county would get about $20 million in exchange for giving up the right to impose a new, retroactive tax. Employed Jefferson County residents would split nearly $31 million with lawyers who challenged the tax. The lawyers have requested a 35% fee. Alabama State Bar President-elect James Pratt mediated the settlement approved today. Pratt says he will now issue a report to the judge.
David Pollick Resigns
Birmingham-Southern College President David Pollick has resigned. The college's board of trustees accepted his resignation after revelations of overspending and accounting errors at the school.
Child Care Subsidies at Risk
Birmingham's Child Care Resources has traditionally offered subsidies to help families pay for care. But recent budget cuts mean they're having to scale back the program at a time when the number of families needing it has increased.
Robert Bentley
Bradley Byrne and Robert Bentley have just a few days left to convince voters they should be the Republican nominee for Alabama governor. Tuesday is the runoff election. It's been a hot contest at a time when Alabama's weak economy underlies virtually every issue. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke with State Representative Robert Bentley who says legislation he authored in the last legislative session is helping put some Alabamians back to work.
Vestavia Hills: Library in the Forest
When Vestavia Hills announced it was building a Library in the Forest residents cheered. The old library is small and not very inviting. The new one will be big, airy and environmentally-friendly. But it's not without challenges.
Hotel Tax Dispute
More travelers will hit the roads this holiday weekend. AAA expects fourth of July travel across the south to rise about 11% over last year. Many of those tourists will book hotel rooms. And that means hotel lodging taxes for local cities. But Birmingham doesn't think it's getting all it's due from online travel sites. So it's suing. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Oil Spill and Hair Sausages
Many of us watch the coverage of the BP Oil Spill and wonder: What can we do to help? Some people are traveling to the Gulf region to volunteer. But others who can't make the trip are getting creative with hair?
Anne Frank and Me
What happens when a young holocaust denier travels back in time and finds herself sharing a cattle car ride to Auschwitz with Anne Frank.
Jefferson County Commission Runoff
'Vote early, vote often' is one of the more cynical sayings in politics. But those words have a ring of truth for voters in Jefferson County Commission District 1.
On the Line: Ask the Mayor
The city of Birmingham faces a major financial crunch with salaries and services likely taking cuts. Its mass transportation system remains unreliable. Big ticket projects have been put on the back burner. A difficult environment for Birmingham Mayor William Bell. Friday (6/18) WBHM's Bradley George talks to William Bell as we discuss these and other issues during On The Line: Ask the Mayor.
