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Governor’s Speech Creates Budget Confusion
Montgomery is buzzing now that the Alabama legislature is back in session. Governor Robert Bentley entered the fray Tuesday night with his State of the State Address. The governor offered a long list of proposals including tearing down and building new prisons, free community college tuition for low-income students, increased broadband access and incentives to improve healthcare for rural areas. The question of how to pay for all of this is mostly unanswered. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says this just creates confusion around the state's budget.
UAB Football Gains 18 Players on National Signing Day
The UAB Blazers loaded up on junior college players and scooped up Alabama's Mr. Football in their return to national signing day. Coach Bill Clark added 18 players to the roster, including 4 from Alabama. Clark says that's significant.
Bentley’s “Great State” Plan Lacks Funding Details
The Alabama Legislature is back to work and Governor Robert Bentley announced his Great State 2019 Plan at his State of the State address last night. AL.com’s Kyle Whitmire discusses where funding for this plan is going to come from.
Zeigler: Send Prisoners Away From Alabama to Ease Overcrowding
Governor Robert Bentley isn’t doing enough to save taxpayers money. That was the core message of state auditor Jim Zeigler’s rebuttal of the governor’s State of the State address. Zeigler offered a few ideas, including this one: instead of building “four-star prison hotels”, ease overcrowding by letting prisoners volunteer to move at least two states away and get jobs.
Reborn UAB Has Something to Celebrate This Signing Day
The UAB Blazers will have just as much to celebrate on Wednesday as all the programs collecting five-star recruits and gaudy national rankings. The Blazers are back in the recruiting business, and in a big way. UAB, which had eliminated football, might end up with a class of up to 45 players by the end of the annual signing day. Coach Bill Clark and his staff are rebuilding almost from scratch.
Large Tornado Leaves Trail of Damage In Rural Western Alabama
Residents in rural western Alabama are cleaning up this morning after a large tornado left a trail of damage last night as powerful storms moved into the state. The National Weather Service in Birmingham reported a "confirmed large and destructive tornado" on the ground last night near the city of Aliceville, about 45 miles west of Tuscaloosa. Local officials are reporting homes damaged and minor, along with downed trees and power lines.
Governor’s State of the State Highlights Pre-K, Rural Health Care and Prisons
Governor Robert Bentley announced his plans to expand education and training for Alabamians last night in his annual State of the State address. His proposal, which he calls the Great State 2019 plan, will cover a wide range of issues.
Birmingham City Council Split Over I-20/59 Bridge Replacement Project
Birmingham City Council President Jonathan Austin withdrew a resolution today expressing opposition to a plan from the state transportation department to rebuild and expand Interstate 20-59 through downtown Birmingham. Critics of the plan say it cuts off neighborhoods from the city center, blunts economic development and that alternatives should be explored.
Forecasters Say North Alabama at Risk for Severe Storms
The National Weather Service says much of Alabama is in store for a round of bad weather. Forecasters say northern and western Alabama are at risk starting Tuesday afternoon for severe storms that could bring tornadoes, damaging winds, hail and heavy rain.
Join WBHM for State of the State Address
WBHM in partnership with Alabama Public Television will broadcast Governor Robert Bentley's State of the State Address this evening. The governor is scheduled to speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Old House Chamber of the State Capitol. The governor will outline his agenda for the legislative session which starts today. WBHM will also carry the Democratic response from Rep. Darrio Melton of Selma.
Alabama Ranks High in Nation for Number of Home Fire Deaths
Officials from an emergency response agency say Alabama ranks high among states for the number of home fires and deaths. The American Red Cross of Alabama reported that, just in January, 2016, they responded to 181 home fires from which 18 people have died. A total of 21 people have died from home fires so […]
Majority of Alabamians Willing to Pay More for Education and Healthcare
A majority of Alabamians believe key state services are not adequately funded and would be willing to pay more in taxes to avoid cuts in education and healthcare for the poor and elderly. That’s among the findings of an annual public opinion survey conducted by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.
Support Strong for Governor’s Costly Legal Battles
There are a few issues that have come up again and again around the 2016 elections, and Governor Robert Bentley has recently gotten in the middle of them—namely through the legal system. And that can be expensive for the already cash-strapped state. But are Alabamians willing to go along for the potentially costly ride? Ask […]
The 2016 Alabama Legislative Session Begins Tuesday: Here’s What to Watch
The 2016 Alabama legislative session kicks off on Tuesday. From the lottery to tightening the state budget to teacher pay, this year’s session will be full of important and controversial issues. Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal, spoke to WBHM’s about what folks should expect this year.
New Ownership for The Birmingham Times
The state’s oldest African American newspaper has a new owner. The Birmingham Times, was purchased by the Foundation for Progress in Journalism, a Birmingham non-profit. Sam Martin will be the paper’s new publisher. Martin was formerly the publisher for the Montgomery Advertiser.
Blueprint Birmingham and Beyond
More than five years after the Birmingham Business Alliance launched Blueprint Birmingham, the BBA is working towards a new strategic plan, called Blueprint 20/20. For more on this and other stories, WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley spoke to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. Patterson joins WBHM most Thursdays during All Things Considered.
Election Fear…Over the Candidates
Surveys show voters are anxious this election cycle. NPR’s Mara Liasson reported earlier this week that issues such as stalled economic progress, terrorism and demographic shifts have people on edge. Seems the candidates themselves could be added to the list.
Arc Stories: January 2016 Edition
Stories about learning a valuable lesson. A young man striving for his father’s approval; a couple whose relationship is defined by the purchase of a van; and an educator who’s life trajectory is shaped by one of his students. (Originally aired January 28, 2016 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
Streamlining Emergency Response in Area Schools
Most Alabamians remember “snowmageddon.” Two years ago today, January 28, this winter anomaly crippled much of the state, stranding hundreds of students in schools and even on buses overnight. That got children’s advocates thinking about better ways to respond to emergencies including those with the Children's Policy Council of Jefferson County.
State Job Cuts and Reflections on Witnessing an Execution
Alabama lawmakers start the 2016 regular legislative session next week. They'll be talking about money and budgets and they'll be looking at a state payroll down nine percent since 2010. As state coffers took a hit post-recession, many agencies let people go. But most of the pain has not come from the top. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the job cuts. He also reflects on witnessing executions as the state executes its first inmate in more than two years.
Naloxone Helps Stop Heroin Overdoses in Alabama, But Still Not Widely Used
In Jefferson County, heroin abuse rose dramatically in 2014. The county coroner attributed more than 140 deaths to heroin. Law enforcement and the state have been rushing to respond. Last year, the state legislature approved access to a heroin antidote: naloxone, more commonly known as narcan. If used properly, naloxone can reverse the effects of a heroin overdose. Public health officials in Alabama are trying raise awareness and get the potentially life-saving drug to the people who need it most.
AL Health Officials: No Heightened Level of Lead
The co-director of the Regional Poison Control Center at Children’s of Alabama today refuted claims that lead poisoning levels in Dallas and Houston Counties are among the highest in the nation, following reports last week on the national website VOX.com. “There are thousands of children who are being screened in Houston County whose data is […]
High Costs of Heroin Addiction Treatment Put Significant Strain on Families
Heroin abuse continues to rise nationally and in Alabama, leaving more people searching for ways to kick addiction. Families ask friends, professionals and scour the Internet looking for the best, and most affordable, treatment for their loved one. But the financial burdens can be crippling, sometimes thousands upon thousands of dollars.
Self-taught Alabama Artist Thornton Dial has Died
The self-taught, African-American artist Thornton Dial has died at his home in Bessemer. He was 87.
The Low Price and High Cost of Heroin
Heroin overdose deaths are on the rise nationally. In Jefferson County, deaths increased by more than 140 percent in 2014. The numbers were shocking: Heroin caused or contributed to 144 deaths in 2014. Area law enforcement responded by increasing efforts to get traffickers and drugs off the streets, especially in Birmingham.
We Want to Hear from You about the Election!
We want you…to help with a political reporting project. Here’s what it’s about. As the election season heats up, surveys report voters across party lines are feeling anxious and angry. Issues such as stalled economic progress, terrorism and demographic shifts have people on edge.
Alabama’s Aging Infrastructure
Many economic development groups in Alabama consider infrastructure such as roads, bridges and railways essential for spurring growth and jobs. But when it comes to assessments of the state’s infrastructure, Alabama scores poorly. That’s where we start the conversation in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Alabama Eligible for Federal Disaster Relief Following Storms
Alabama is eligible for federal aid to assist in repairing damages caused by severe storms that moved through the state late last year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid is available to Alabama as a supplement to state recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding […]
Birmingham’s Police Chief on Combating Violent Crime in 2016
Birmingham finished last year with the highest number of homicides since 2008. That has city leaders worried, and pledging to put an emphasis on combating gun violence in 2016. And, according to Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, Birmingham’s also seen a rise in violent crimes committed by young offenders.
Friday’s Winter Weather and School Dismissals
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory starting at 9 O'clock for cities including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden and Anniston as snow is expected to fall across the state Friday.
Alabama’s Death Penalty System Faces New Scrutiny
Alabama executed a death row inmate Thursday evening for the first time in more than two years.Christopher Brooks died by lethal injection for the 1992 rape and murder of a Homewood woman. But Alabama’s death penalty system is facing new scrutiny after a U.S. Supreme Court decision this month overturning Florida’s process.
What’s Next for VictoryLand and Macon County
According to VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, the sprawling Macon County gaming and entertainment complex should reopen this year, almost three years after it closed. The closure followed years of legal battles and a 2013 raid where the state seized more than 1,600 bingo machines and $253,000. But in October, an Alabama Circuit Judge ruled in Victoryland’s favor, paving the wave for its return. For more we turn to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. He tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley that VictoryLand once held an important place in Macon County’s economy.
