News
Roy Moore Seeks Millions in Damages Over Showtime Prank
Conservative Judge Roy Moore says he was duped into an interview and maliciously defamed on a show called Who is America, hosted by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. He is seeking $95 million in damages.
A UAB Program Connects Resources For Pregnant Mothers Dealing With Substance Use Disorders
Alabama’s Chemical Endangerment Law makes it a felony offense to use drugs during pregnancy. A UAB program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wants to redirect the focus from criminalizing a woman’s addiction to treating it.
Thompson High Engineering Students Build Solutions Abroad
School’s only been back in for a short time, but at Thompson High School in Alabaster, engineering students have already begun work on their first assignment: Build a solar powered generator for refugees in Kenya.
Jefferson County Plans More Resource Officers In Schools
Jefferson County law enforcement and education officials announced a plan Thursday to put school resource officers in all 56 county schools.
Alabama Seeks Comment on Plans to Add Medicaid Work Requirement
Alabama wants to require some Medicaid recipients to work if they want healthcare coverage. The public has until Thursday to comment on the plan.
UAB Study Finds CBD Oil Helps Epilepsy Patients
Researchers at UAB published a study this month that offers hope to those dealing with severe epilepsy. It found cannabidiol or CBD oil helps curb seizures. The substance is derived from marijuana although it doesn’t have hallucinogenic properties.
Alabama Power Awaiting Federal Guidance After Court Strips Its License to Operate 7 Coosa River Dams
It’s now official. Monday, Alabama Power Co.’s license to operate its seven Coosa River dams was taken away under terms of a federal court order issued a month ago. The power company will now operate under its prior license.
Legal Services Alabama Serves Thousands In State. Program, a Partisan Battleground, on President Trump’s Budget-Cut List
Army veteran Ronald Whitson gives credit to Legal Services Alabama for keeping his family home in Birmingham. However, the program that Whitson praises has been controversial, the frequent target of partisan political battles since its start in the mid-1970s, with roots in the nation’s War on Poverty. Now the Alabama program’s federal parent, Legal Services Corporation, once again faces defunding, this time in President Donald Trump’s 2019 budget proposal.
UAB Opens New Business School Building
UAB's business school has a new home. Officials cut the ribbon Friday in the new Collat School of Business building.
In A Segregated County, A New Charter School Offers An Alternative
Only about half of University Charter School's 300-plus students are black. That's a rarity in Sumter County, Ala., which, like many school systems, has struggled to achieve integration.
Officials Want More Contamination Testing In North Birmingham
More than 500 properties in North Birmingham have not been tested for contamination, Congresswoman Terri Sewell said Wednesday while touring Collegeville with city, state and EPA officials. She wants people who have rejected soil testing to allow the EPA to check for contaminants.
Sidewalk Film Festival Returns for its 20th Year
The 20th Sidewalk Film Festival opens Friday in downtown Birmingham. A look back at the early years from someone who helped get it off the ground.
Don’t Swat! Alabama’s Bugs May Be Disappearing
The insect population has declined worldwide. Getting a grasp on Alabama's bug population has been tough. Here's why.
Tariffs Imposed By U.S., Trading Partners Hit Home In Alabama
President Donald Trump is battling with countries he says are unfairly hurting America’s foreign trade, but some of his moves may adversely affect industries in Alabama in the process.
Filling in the Blanks: Birmingham Council Fine-Tuning Process to Find Replacements for Three Councilors
With this week’s resignation of President Pro Tem Jay Roberson, the Birmingham City Council faces the unusual task of appointing three new members by the end of the year.
Air Quality Forecasts and Alerts
Ambient air quality in Jefferson County is forecast daily year-round for fine particulate matter and during the warm season for ozone.
What Are Potential Pollution Sources In Jefferson County?
Thirty-one industries, businesses and other operations in Jefferson County are considered possible large sources of pollution and issued operating permits that recognize that.
Birmingham Restaurant Week Sometimes A Deal
Birmingham Restaurant Week is in full swing. At several restaurants across the city, diners choose from a prix-fixe menu – that’s several courses at a fixed price. But with crowded restaurants and a limited menu … is it really worth it?
County’s Major Air Polluters Concentrated in Low-Income, Minority Neighborhoods
By Hank Black The Oliver Robinson bribery trial, in which guilty verdicts were issued for officials of Drummond Coal Co. and its law firm, Balch & Bingham, revealed a gritty episode about avoiding environmental cleanup in North Birmingham. But there’s a bigger dirty picture. The vast majority of Jefferson County’s 31 major sources of pollution […]
Groups Ask Ivey to Push for New State Environmental Leaders
Environmental groups have asked Gov. Kay Ivey to take steps to remove from office state environmental officials who were implicated during the recent bribery trial over a plan to block the expansion of a Superfund toxic waste site in Tarrant and Inglenook.
James “Jake” Sanders, Negro League Star
Segregation shut out ballplayers like James “Jake” Sanders from ballparks and the major leagues, but it didn’t quell his passion for the game. He attended the same high school in Fairfield as Willie Mays and went on to star in the Negro League. These days, Sanders travels the country telling the history of the league to school kids so the stories don’t get lost.
Connecting With Seniors One Phone Call At A Time
At the Senior Talk Line in Birmingham, volunteers call seniors just to chat. It's an effort to fight loneliness and connect with people who may have few others to connect with.
Birmingham Student Wins National Poetry Award
Alabama School of Fine Arts senior Daniel Blokh was named a National Student Poet earlier this month. He's one of five students in the country to win the honor.
Dorothy Levy, Co-founder Of United Cerebral Palsy Of Birmingham, Celebrates 106th Birthday
Dorothy Levy celebrated her 106th birthday last month, but the party isn’t quite over. Levy co-founded United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham, which is now United Ability, and she is as witty and alert as anyone could hope to be at her age.
ALDOT Pitches Options for Little Cahaba River Bridge. Opponents Warn of Immediate and Permanent Harm to Drinking Water
Traffic authorities seeking to extend a road across the Little Cahaba River in southern Jefferson County promised Tuesday to make it a controlled access road and prevent adjacent development in the watershed that protects metropolitan Birmingham’s drinking water supply.
Birmingham’s Senior Population Rises While Affordable Housing Remains Limited
Greater Birmingham’s senior population is rising faster than all other age groups and is expected to double by 2025. But federal money for senior housing has been cut in half during the last decade.
The Biggest Donors Eclipse The Rest In Gubernatorial Campaigns
By Glenn Stephens Hundreds of thousands of dollars from Alabama’s richest person and a group of Tuscaloosa-based political action committees are fueling the race for governor as the campaign enters its final three months. Incumbent Republican Gov. Kay Ivey and Democratic challenger Walt Maddox, mayor of Tuscaloosa, have gotten most of their campaign money from […]
Uncovering Elder Financial Abuse? It’s Tricky.
The elderly can be easy targets for financial abuse. First, they might have money saved from a lifetime of working. Plus they might not be as alert to scams or people taking advantage of them. Banks and other financial institutions can sometimes spot potential problems early. That’s just the beginning of what can be a sticky issue.
Cahaba Beach Road Project: Too Dangerous For Our Drinking Water? River Advocates Say Yes.
By Hank Black The ongoing fight over extending Cahaba Beach Road from U.S. 280 across the Little Cahaba River will heat up with another public meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Highway engineers will present an update from a meeting a year ago concerning the project’s impact on the river. The Little Cahaba is a vital link […]
Birmingham Students Return With Uniforms Optional
Birmingham students went back to school today. And this year’s school scene looked different from head to toe. The school system decided last month to drop its longstanding uniform requirement. That move brought mixed reactions from parents, retailers and students.
Seniors Find Opportunities and Challenges Returning to Work
It’s a good time to be in the market for a job in this state. And that goes for older adults too.
Sloss’ Summer Program Teaches Traditions of Metal Art
This summer, a dozen young people learned the techniques and traditions of metal art during Sloss' Summer Youth Apprenticeship.
