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Alabama argues its new standards — not SCOTUS order — should dictate congressional map redraw
Lawyers for the state defended Alabama’s new congressional map before a panel of judges who previously ruled the 2021 map violated the Voting Rights Act.
Senior Reporter — Justice, Incarceration and Gun Violence: Gulf States Newsroom
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring a journalist to report stories about the impacts of the criminal legal system on our local communities.
Alabama lost a voting rights case at the Supreme Court. It’s still trying to win
Alabama is under a federal court order to draw a new congressional map with two districts where Black voters have a chance to elect their preferred candidate. But its GOP-led legislature refused.
Alabama riverfront brawl videos spark a cultural moment about race, solidarity and justice
A week after multiple videos showing the now-infamous brawl at a Riverboat in Montgomery and valiant defense of the outnumbered co-captain were shared widely on social media, it’s clear the event truly tapped into the psyche of Black America and created a broader cultural moment.
Alabama artist Delrico Gibson uses ‘Strings of Gratitude’ to tell his story of recovery
Delrico Gibson's new art collection on display at UAB ties together different threads, emotions and stories of his recovery from a life-threatening accident.
As the peak of hurricane season nears, Southwest Louisiana is still recovering from 2020 storms
Three years after Hurricanes Laura and Delta, Lake Charles residents are anxious about the chances of a new storm.
7 cases of tuberculosis found in 4 Alabama chicken processing plants
Alabama state health officials are asking workers in the region’s poultry industry and their close contacts to get screened for TB after the outbreak.
Lawsuit challenges Alabama’s ‘de facto ban’ on freestanding birth centers
The lawsuit — filed by the operators of one birth center that closed and two others that paused plans to open — asks a judge to block the Alabama Department of Public Health from requiring the facilities be licensed as hospitals.
Riverfront brawl brings unwelcome attention to historic civil rights city in Alabama
Three white boaters in Alabama’s capital city will be charged with misdemeanor assault for a riverfront brawl with a Black boat captain that drew nationwide attention, with more charges likely to come.
As infertility rates rise, data shows much of the US lives in a ‘fertility desert’
Factors like the cost of treatment, the location of clinics and a lack of specialized doctors have contributed to the lack of care across the country.
EPA wants to reject Alabama’s coal ash program; says it is not protective enough
The EPA’s proposed denial claims Alabama’s proposed standards are too lax and don’t meet federal guidelines under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Trump boasts at Alabama fundraiser that he needs ‘one more indictment to close out this election’
Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to crimes related to his efforts to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss. Although it's his third criminal indictment this year, this case is the most serious.
An Alabama family’s water bill tripled after moving just outside of city limits. Here’s why
Rural water customers typically pay more for the same water that city residents use. Some residents, like Jason Clayton, believe the upcharge is unfair.
NIH selects UAB’s Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo to replace Dr. Anthony Fauci
Marrazzo, who has led UAB's Division of Infectious Diseases since 2016, served as a national expert throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biden decides to keep Space Command in Colorado, rejecting move to Alabama
U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Monday that Biden was convinced by the head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, who argued that moving his headquarters now would jeopardize military readiness
Alabama providers sue over threat of prosecution for abortion assistance
In two lawsuits filed Monday, abortion-rights advocates and reproductive healthcare providers accuse Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall of violating the U.S. Constitution.
Plaintiffs in voting rights case urge judges to toss Alabama’s new congressional map
Plaintiffs in the high-profile redistricting case accused state Republicans of flouting a judicial mandate to create a second majority-Black district or “something quite close to it" and enacting a map that continues to discriminate against Black voters in the state.
Mobile homes turn deadly when tornadoes hit. This year has been especially bad
Tornadoes in the United States are disproportionately killing more people in mobile or manufactured homes, especially in the South, often victimizing some of the most socially and economically vulnerable residents.
Alabama authorities charge Carlee Russell for fabricating story about kidnapping, finding toddler
Carlee Russell was charged with false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident, both misdemeanors that carry up to a year in jail. Russell turned herself in to jail Friday and was released on bond.
Residents near Louisiana Dow plant are skeptical after explosion: ‘You can’t trust them’
Dow Chemical says the air quality at a plant in Louisiana is safe following a July 14 explosion, but nearby residents remain skeptical based on past incidents.
How Mississippi historians are preserving Emmett Till’s and Mamie Till-Mobley’s story
A national monument for Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley has put a spotlight on the work Mississippi historians have been doing to keep the story alive.
$50 million HUD grant expected to “transform” west Birmingham neighborhoods
HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge announced Wednesday that a Choice Neighborhood grant—the largest of its kind—will go towards the revitalization of Smithfield, Graymont, and College Hills.
Emmett Till is being memorialized with 3 national monuments. Here’s where they’ll be located
President Joe Biden is expected to officially recognize two locations in Mississippi to honor Till’s life and death on what would have been his 82nd birthday.
Hoover woman confesses to fabricating kidnapping
The Hoover Police Department announced the development five days after casting doubt on Carlee Russell’s story. It is possible Russell could face charges.
The fight over Alabama’s congressional redistricting now shifts back to federal court
The outcome could have consequences across the country as the case again weighs the requirements of the Voting Rights Act in redistricting. It could also impact the partisan leanings of one Alabama congressional district in the 2024 elections with control of the U.S House of Representatives at stake.
Those struggling with addiction meet ‘law and order’ treatment in Walker County
Anthony Mitchell allegedly froze to death after spending 14 days in a concrete room at the Walker County Jail according to a federal lawsuit his family filed in February. The case is drawing attention to how law enforcement treats those struggling with addiction.
Birmingham public transit inches forward with federal help and no state funding
Alabama, the only state that doesn't fund public transit, passed on another opportunity this legislative session. Thanks to car dependence, the state has the nation's highest per-capita gasoline use.
Alabama lawmakers refuse to create 2nd majority-Black congressional district
The legislation now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who is expected to sign it.
Birmingham area receives poor grades on air quality report
The American Lung Association’s 2023 State of the Air report used research from the Environmental Protection Agency to measure air quality by year-round particle pollution, short-term particle pollution and ozone quality.
Alabama executes man for the 2001 beating death of a woman, resuming lethal injections after review
James Barber, 64, was pronounced dead at 1:56 a.m. after receiving a lethal injection at a south Alabama prison.
Alabama GOP proposals for second Black district are unlikely to win court approval experts warn
The Republican-controlled state House and Senate will meet Friday and could advance separate plans increasing the share of Black voters in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. Legislative leaders say they intend to meet the deadline, meaning the two chambers must compromise on one plan.
Alabama to carry out first lethal injection since review of execution procedures
James Barber is scheduled to be put to death Thursday evening at a south Alabama prison. Gov. Kay Ivey paused executions in November to conduct an internal review.
