News
With Low-Impact Development, Cities Hope to Better Control Runoff
Many cities in Alabama now have ordinances in place to encourage low-impact development. The goal is to reduce the amount of runoff that pollutes and erodes area waterways and better prepare for extreme weather.
Alabama Democrats Face a Deadline for New Bylaws and Elections
The Alabama Democratic Party is in the midst of a leadership crisis. The party must approve a new set of bylaws and elect new leaders by Saturday. But many observers say it looks like state Democrats will blow the deadline.
Development Fills the Cahaba River with Sediment
Increased construction around Birmingham has led to concerns about the amount of sediment in the Cahaba River.
Birmingham Councilor Says City Has Increased Its Dedication to Public Transit
Despite looming service reductions from the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, District 5 Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn emphasized Tuesday that the city has increased its dedication to public transit.
All Quiet on Alabama Immigrant Front in Face of ICE Raids in Neighboring Mississippi
It may have been an uneasy quiet for the large number of Hispanics among the 86,000 people employed in the Alabama poultry industry, but it has been quiet here since the 680 workers at Mississippi plants were arrested Wednesday by immigration authorities.
Jefferson County Commission Approves $700 Million Budget
The Jefferson County Commission recently passed a budget of more than $700 million for fiscal 2020.
How Prepared is UAB Hospital for a Mass Shooting?
UAB Hospital is Alabama’s busiest high-level trauma center. But how prepared is the hospital for tragedy on a larger scale?
The First Wave of Girls Goes to Camp with the Boy Scouts
This year marked the first time Boy Scouts of America allowed girls to attend summer camp with the boys. At Camp Comer in Mentone, here's how it went.
Museum Exhibit Explores Empowerment Barbie
The Birmingham Museum of Art opens an exhibit this weekend that lets museum-goers become Barbie through an interactive, reimagined dream house. The exhibit also delves into how complex this figure can be.
Prison Re-Entry Program to Expand with $6 Million Grant
When prisoners are released, they often face lots of hurdles. They can't find work or housing or health care. Often, they end up back in prison. The Dannon Project recently received a large federal grant that will allow the nonprofit to help more former inmates get on their feet.
New Grocery Delivery Program Aims to Curb Senior Hunger
Many seniors have health issues that prevent them from getting to the grocery store. Others can't afford or have limited access to nutritious food. A new program delivers healthy groceries to their doorstep.
UAB Study Shows Limiting Meal Times Can Lower Appetite
Research out this week shows the timing of your meals could help you eat less. The UAB-led study explored the benefits of a type of intermittent fasting.
Revitalization Planned for Historic Black Business District
The Fourth Avenue Business District in downtown Birmingham once teemed with life. But over decades, the area's experienced a decline. Many hope a revitalization effort underway could breathe new life into the district.
Birmingham Budget Passes After Debates Over School, Discretionary Funding
The Birmingham City Council passed Mayor Randall Woodfin's fiscal 2020 budget. Woodfin said his proposed $451 million budget was "as lean as they come."
Two Workers Found Dead After Trench Collapse in Hoover
Two workers were found dead Tuesday evening after a trench collapsed on them in a Hoover neighborhood. The discovery came after an hours-long rescue and recovery effort.
Birmingham Sees Conflict Resolution as Key to Breaking Cycle of Violence
Violent crime remains high in Birmingham, particularly among young black men. Now, the city is partnering with several nonprofits to teach skills they hope will prevent conflicts from escalating.
Biometric Technology Comes to Birmingham Airport
Air travelers flying out of Birmingham can now identify themselves with the touch of a finger or an eye scan. Officials at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Thursday unveiled new biometric technology from the company CLEAR.
Birmingham School Officials Say Schools Can Work Around Woodfin’s Proposed Budget Cut
Birmingham school officials say it's unclear how they'll make up a proposed $2 million funding gap from the city, but it won't put a huge burden on the school system.
Frustration With Health Department Intensifies as Environmental Groups Seek to Overturn ABC Coke’s Air Permit Renewal
Environmental groups say ABC Coke’s air permit renewal issued in April is flawed and are appealing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to agree that it does not comply with requirements of the federal Clean Air Act.
Jones, Byrne Lead in Fundraising Among Candidates in 2020 US Senate Race
Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones raised $1.8 million for his election campaign during the past three months, outpacing the still-forming field of candidates for Alabama’s 2020 U.S. Senate elections.
Energy Storage Research Center Opens in Birmingham
Energy officials from around the country gathered in Birmingham Tuesday to mark the opening of the Energy Storage Research Center. They say the facility has big implications for the future of renewable power.
Avondale Elementary Climate Frustrates Parents and Teachers
Next month, many area students go back to school. But at Birmingham's Avondale Elementary School, several teachers and students won't be returning after what they say was a chaotic year.
New Virus Threatens State’s Cotton Crop
Many of the state’s cotton farmers are monitoring their fields more closely after agriculture officials issued warnings about a new virus threatening their crops.
Putting a Price Tag on a Fish Kill
Last month's wastewater spill at a chicken plant in Hanceville resulted in the largest reported fish kill in years. Environmental groups and residents want to see hefty fines against those responsible for the incident, but how do officials come up with a dollar amount?
Neighborhoods Want Trust Fund Set Up From Proposed ABC Coke’s Benzene Pollution Case
The North Birmingham community made clear this week that it wants money from an ABC Coke pollution penalty to be used to create a trust fund to benefit residents in the surrounding area.
Partnership Aims to Make Birmingham’s Economic Growth More Equitable
Birmingham has gained attention for its downtown rebirth. But the Birmingham area economy still falls behind similar cities, particularly when it comes to job growth. A partnership announced in December between the city and the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. think tank, aims to boost the Birmingham economy with an eye toward making those gains more equitable.
Birmingham City Council Approves Healthy Food Overlay District
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to establish a “healthy food overlay district,” designed to make healthy food options more accessible for the approximately two-thirds of the city’s population that lives within food deserts.
The Risky Business of Music Festivals
Later this month, Freedom Fest makes its debut in downtown Birmingham. But music festivals around here seem to come and go. We sent WBHM’s Janae Pierre to find out why it’s so hard to keep a music festival going here in the Magic City.
The Story Behind Parcak’s “Archaeology from Space”
UAB anthropology professor Sarah Parcak uses satellite images to find buried sites in Egypt and around the world. She takes readers on that journey of discovery in her new book, "Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past."
FBI Records Could Have Solved A Civil Rights Cold Case. Now It’s Too Late
The murder of the Rev. James Reeb was unsolved for more than 50 years. Now, Alabama officials who might have pursued prosecution tell NPR that if the FBI had shared its case file with them, they would have investigated Reeb's murder years earlier.
“Welcome to Night Vale” Podcast Brings Bizarre Stories to Birmingham
The popular podcast “Welcome to Night Vale” can be a little hard to describe. It takes place in a fictional desert town with stories told through a community radio station where conspiracy theories are real. They bring their bizarre mix of horror and humor to Birmingham's Lyric Theatre Wednesday.
District Attorney Drops Charges Against Marshae Jones
Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney Lynneice Washington announced Wednesday afternoon that she has dropped the manslaughter case against Marshae Jones, the Alabama woman who was charged in the death of her fetus when she was shot in the stomach during an argument.
