Sections
Sidewalk Cinema Debuts in Birmingham Soon
One weekend a year, Birmingham becomes a destination for filmmakers and movie buffs during the Sidewalk Film Festival. For almost 20 years, the organization has showcased the work of hundreds of filmmakers during its annual festival while educating the indie industry. Now, Sidewalk is taking that concept to the next level with a new cinema and film center.
Bill Would Hold Back Third Graders Who Don’t Read Proficiently
A bill making its way through the Alabama Legislature requires that third graders read proficiently by the end of third grade or else be held back. The state consistently ranks near the bottom on national achievement tests in reading.
Legislative Wrap-Up: Lawmakers Advance Abortion Ban, Education Budget
House members passed one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation this week. And the Alabama Senate passed a hefty education spending plan.
New Trail That Leads To Red Mountain Park Set To Open In June
The Red Rock Trail System in Jefferson County is opening a new trail this summer. The path will connect more communities to Red Mountain Park in Birmingham.
The Final Curtain Falls on Youth Shakespeare Group
The theater group Bards of Birmingham has performed Shakespeare with casts of mostly children for almost a decade. The group's performance of "Henry V" opening this weekend will be its final show ever.
Alabama House Approves Near Total Abortion Ban
The Alabama House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to outlaw almost all abortions in the state as conservatives took aim at the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
County Officials Field Questions About Sewer Rates From Hundreds of Jefferson County Residents
The Jefferson County Commission held a town hall-style meeting Monday to discuss the county’s 2011 bankruptcy and its long-term effects.
Jones and Byrne Have Stacked Up Millions to Lead Fundraising in the US Senate Race
Incumbent Democrat Doug Jones and Republican Bradley Byrne already have millions of dollars in their campaign accounts as the field begins to form for Alabama’s 2020 U.S. Senate race.
Birmingham Looks at Limiting Dollar Stores, Easing Restrictions on Other Food Vendors as Way to Battle Food Deserts
A new ordinance proposed by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin looks to combat the city’s food deserts by loosening regulations on mobile grocers and farmers markets, while simultaneously limiting the spread of dollar stores in low-income neighborhoods.
Crime Wave Highlights Barriers Between Police and Hispanic Community
Recently there’s been a surge in crimes targeting the Hispanic community in and around Birmingham. Police want victims to feel comfortable reporting the incidents, but that means overcoming some roadblocks.
Alabama Senate Approves Lottery Bill
Alabama Senators voted 21-12 to approve a lottery bill. The measure would limit a lottery to paper tickets. It now goes to the House of Representatives.
Momentum Shifts on Bill to Repeal Common Core
State Sen. Del Marsh wants to repeal the nationwide academic standards known as Common Core this legislative session. But the proposal seems to have lost some momentum.
Referendum on Renewing Property Tax for Birmingham Schools Possible, Up for Discussion Next Week
Next week, Birmingham’s election commission will meet to discuss a potential citywide vote to renew a soon-to-expire ad valorem tax that provides Birmingham City Schools with approximately $27 million in yearly revenue.
Alabama Abortion Bill Designed to Provoke Court Challenge
Lawmakers in states across the U.S. have recently introduced measures to significantly restrict access to abortion as a way to challenge the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. An Alabama bill goes farther than other proposals. It would ban abortion in almost all cases.
UAB Students Protest White Supremacy
Some students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say the school isn’t doing enough to protect them from white extremists. They held a protest on campus earlier this week.
School Closures or Early Dismissals Due to Possible Severe Weather
A list of Alabama schools that have announced after-school closures or early dismissals because of possible severe weather Thursday, April 18.
Jeffco Commission Approves UAB-Led Authority for Cooper Green
The Jefferson County Commission approved a resolution Thursday to allow UAB to manage operations at the county's indigent care clinic.
Alabama Committee Advances Bill to Outlaw Abortion
Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday advanced one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the nation, a measure that would make performing an abortion a felony with almost no exceptions.
State Lawmakers Consider Eliminating Marriage Licenses
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling allowing same-sex marriage was a hard pill to swallow for some Alabama probate judges. Some still refuse to issue marriage licenses in their counties. But a proposed bill could force them to comply with federal law.
Trash Talk: Why Doesn’t Birmingham Recycle More?
One way to reduce the amount of trash is to recycle more. That’s a challenge in the city of Birmingham.
Trash Talk: Birmingham’s Litter Problem
Call it what you want: trash, litter, debris … stuff. It seems like it’s everywhere. You’ll find it on front lawns and on busy highways. Officials say trash in the Birmingham area in particular is a problem. Here, we catch up with some of the folks who pick it all up.
Trash Talk: Abandoned Cars Dot Area Roadsides
Ever wonder where all these abandoned cars on the side of the road come from? Here's your answer.
Bill that Changes Ethics Law Stalls
A bill that makes changes to state ethics law stalled this week. But a bill that would block local governments from banning plastic bags and the General Fund budget both advanced. We have an update from Alabama Public Television's Don Dailey.
PARCA Survey Says Alabamians Want Fewer Non-Violent Criminals in Prison, More Money for Education
The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama in a new survey said Alabamians favor supervising non-violent criminals in the community and giving them more rehabilitation opportunities rather than sending them to prison.
Birmingham Launches A Citizen’s Experience to Connect Residents to City Hall
Applications are now open for A Citizen’s Experience, a new initiative from the city of Birmingham designed to promote civic engagement. The free, seven-week program is slated to begin in June and is open only to Birmingham residents who are 18 years old or older.
SPLC Proposes ‘Collaborative Process’ to Address Prison Crisis
The Southern Poverty Law Center sent a letter Tuesday to Gov. Kay Ivey and state Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn proposing its own plan to address the state's prison crisis.
Fed’s Report Condemning Alabama Prisons: State Vows Action
Alabama authorities vowed Thursday to begin the monumental task of fixing their troubling prison problems, responding to a U.S. Department of Justice report that condemned excessive violence, inmate deaths and a critical staffing shortage in the state correctional system.
Alabama Legislature Considers an Abortion Ban and Prison Reforms
This week Alabama lawmakers considered a bill that would make abortions a felony unless the mother's health is at risk. And it wrestled with a solution to the state's prisons crisis.
Percentage of College Freshmen Who Need Remedial Courses Drops
A smaller portion of new high school graduates is having to take remedial classes when they first go to college, according to a PARCA report on data from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
UAB Launches Program to Improve Treatment of Opioid Overdose
UAB’s Emergency Department is starting a new program to better treat patients with opioid use disorder. The initiative focuses on increasing the use of a drug called Suboxone.
Birmingham Iron’s Season Ends Early, as Alliance of American Football Suspends Operations
Even quicker than it came to life, the Alliance of American Football — and with it, the Birmingham Iron — has gone on life support.
Want to Create a Language? Here’s the Guy who did it for “Game of Thrones.”
The HBO show "Game of Thrones" envelopes viewers in a medieval fantasy world right down to the words that are spoke. Linguist David Peterson created the language Dothraki for the show, one of many he's developed for film or television.
