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Ditch the Marriage Licenses? Senate Says ‘I Do’

The Alabama Senate this week took on bills aimed at curbing racial profiling and doing away with marriage licenses.

WBHM Politics: A Downtown Birmingham Stadium

The Jefferson County Commission has approved setting aside money toward a downtown stadium in Birmingham. That's given new momentum for a project that's been talked about for decades.

Closings and Delays for Thursday, January 18

School closing and delay information for January 18, 2018

Closings and Delays for Wednesday, January 17

Dangerous road conditions have prompted many area schools to close Wednesday.

Alabama Lawmaker George Bandy Dies at 72

State Rep. George Bandy, D-Opelika, died Tuesday morning. He was 72.

Weather Briefing: Bitter Cold and Ice Means Dangerous Roads

Bitter cold and ice will make Alabama roads dangerous on Tuesday. State emergency agencies are urging drivers to stay off the roads.

Closings and Delays for Tuesday January 16

Light to moderate snowfall is expected across most of the state Tuesday, and schools and government offices are closing or dismissing early.

Recap: First Week of the 2018 Legislative Session

Alabama state lawmakers went back into session this week. Don Dailey tells WBHM's Gigi Douban the latest about state budgets, pay raises, Medicaid and tax cuts.

Infectious Strain of Flu Hits Area Hard

This year the flu is peaking early and intensely. It’s one of the most active seasons in decades, and a nasty strain is going around. Area hospitals are at capacity and pharmacies are scrambling to stock medicine. But there are things you can do.

Toyota, Mazda Announce Huntsville as Site for New Plant

Mazda and Toyota announced Huntsville as the city of choice for a new manufacturing plant on Wednesday.

Ivey Touts Success, Announces Plans for Pay Raises

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey used her first State of the State address to tout her successes since replacing Gov. Robert Bentley when he was forced out of office nine months ago.

Black Women Boosted Doug Jones to Victory. Now What?

To black women in Alabama who propelled U.S. Sen. Doug Jones to victory in the Dec. 12 special election, it was a way to make a powerful statement about the need for greater focus on their priorities.

Winter Weather School Delays on Monday January 8

Some schools will be delayed this morning due to the potential for winter weather. Those include schools in Anniston, Boaz, Etowah County, Oxford, and others opening three hours late. Gadsden State Community College opens at 10:30. A winter weather advisory is in effect for East Alabama, where a few places could see temperatures of 32 […]

Trump Plan Would Open Most US Waters to Drilling, Including Gulf

The Trump administration announced Thursday it’s planning to allow new offshore oil and gas drilling in more than 90 percent of U.S. waters, including the Gulf of Mexico. The administration would also offer a record number of leases to energy firms. Of those 47, 12 would be in the Gulf if the plan is approved.

Roy Moore Accuser Files Defamation Suit

An Alabama woman who claims failed Senate candidate Roy Moore molested her is suing him for defamation. In November, Leigh Corfman told the Washington Post that Moore touched her sexually when she was 14. Moore has denied it, but Corfman says he’s gone far beyond denials and into attacks.

Alabama Has Second-Highest Infant Mortality Rate in U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a major report on infant mortality today. Alabama did not fare well. After Mississippi, it had the highest rate of infant death in the nation.

Unique Alabama Salamander Now Federally Protected

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that it would protect a rare Alabama salamander under the Endangered Species Act. The Black Warrior waterdog, sometimes called the Alabama mudpuppy, is large, strange, and found only in the state.

City Offers Emergency Shelter For Hundreds Escaping Cold

Brutal cold prompted the City of Birmingham to open an emergency warming shelter over the weekend. City officials say they’ll keep it open through Friday, but they need more volunteers and supplies. Hundreds of Birmingham’s homeless found food and warm refuge inside the South Exhibition Hall at the BJCC. They spent the night in the […]

Robert Siegel: Looking Back at a 41-Year Career

Friday is the last day for Robert Siegel at NPR. The longtime host of All Things Considered will retire after more than 41 years with the network.

Doug Jones Certified as Winner of U.S. Senate Election

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill on Thursday certified the election results from the Dec. 12 special U.S. Senate election, naming Democrat Doug Jones the winner over Republican Roy Moore. Jones defeated Moore by more than 21,000 votes, or 1.6 percentage points. Moore had refused to concede. On Wednesday, he sued to block the certification […]

Moore Seeks to Block Certification of Election Results

Republican Senate Candidate Roy Moore has filed a lawsuit to block certification of the election in which he narrowly lost earlier this month. Moore says the results shouldn’t be finalized. Instead, potential voting irregularities should be investigated and a new election called. Moore lost the election by about 20,000 votes and says voting anomalies around […]

How the Shipt-Target Deal Could Affect Birmingham

Target wants in on the same-day delivery business. And last week it announced it’s spending $550 million to buy the Birmingham-based startup, Shipt. The deal could have ripple effects for Birmingham.

WBHM Politics: A Look Back at 2017

Alabama politics was on overload this year with a new governor, new senator and new mayor for Birmingham.

A Winning Season Puts UAB Football on Strong Footing

The UAB Football team is going to a bowl game for only the second time in school history. It's a strong position as the team looks beyond its first season back on the field.

Endangered Whooping Cranes Are Coming Back

A couple extra wild birds in a creek doesn’t seem too important … until you realize that not long ago, there were barely twenty of them in the world. Whooping cranes are the tallest bird in America and they can live into their thirties, but that didn’t keep them from near-extinction. Now, though, thanks decades of cooperation, they’re making a comeback.

Tips for Cutting Calories During the Holidays

The latest installment of WBHM's food series "Sound Bites" explores healthier holiday options to help cut calories.

New Initiative Seeks to Preserve Alabama LGBTQ Histories

Invisible Histories Project Alabama is aimed at finding, recording and preserving what the group calls the “always vanishing” stories of LGBTQ Alabamians.

Airport Authority Leader to Step Down after Three Decades

After a 34-year career at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth airport, including 17 years as airport authority president and CEO, Alfonso Denson will step down in early 2018.

ACA Health Plan Enrollment Brisk Despite Federal Cuts

In Alabama, about 200,000 people have insurance through the Affordable Care Act. But this year, people have half as much time to sign up for a health plan through the ACA, known as “Obamacare.” The Trump administration also slashed the budget to advertise the healthcare.gov website. But in a tiny office in Birmingham, "Navigators" are trying to make up for that.

Three Reasons Alabama Made Democrat Doug Jones its Next Senator

In a dramatic and highly contentious race, Alabama voters on Tuesday elected Democrat Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate. Jones will occupy the seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. This marks the first time in a quarter century an Alabama Democrat won a U.S. Senate seat.

The GOP Take: Why Roy Moore Lost His Senate Bid

Republicans across Alabama woke up in a state of shock Wednesday morning over Democrat Doug Jones’ stunning defeat of GOP candidate Roy Moore. A strong 40 percent turnout – much higher than state projections – was key to Jones’ victory, Republican strategist Jeff Vreeland said.