Series
Hubbard Pre-trial Hearing Ends Without Much New Revealed
Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard isn't scheduled to go on trial on felony ethics charges until March, but Alabama political watchers received an early helping of the courtroom fireworks this week with a pre-trial hearing. Lawyers for Hubbard are arguing the case should be thrown out because of selective prosecution and prosecutorial misconduct. Prosecutors say it's all a distraction. We hear more about it from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Alabama Keeps Money-Losing Liquor Stores Open
A Perry County Judge tells offenders they can either pay their fine or give blood. And Alabama closes driver’s license offices, but keeps money-losing liquor stores open. Kyle Whitmire is […]
A Potential Change for Credit Unions has Banks Unhappy
One winner in the recovery since the Great Recession has been credit unions. They’ve seen growth in membership and lending activity. And that’s put them at odds with those who traditionally handle services like this – banks. We hear about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace. Birmingham Business Journal editor Cindy Fisher Crawford tells WBHM’s Andrew Yeager about what drove that growth for credit unions.
Arc Stories: October 2015 Edition
Three storytellers find themselves in frightening situations. A camp ghost story that gets out of hand; a man forced to look death in the face; and trying to spy on […]
Why I Support WBHM: The Williams Family
Paul and Cindy Williams family listen to WBHM everyday. “We turn on the radio first thing in the morning and then make coffee,” says Cindy. The whole family, including their […]
Private Probation Company Leaves Alabama
Courtroom and legal-themed shows proliferate in entertainment media, but the real nuts and bolts of the legal process don’t often attract attention. That’s not the case for a private probation company which drew outrage around Alabama for the escalating fees it charged people with minor offenses such as traffic violations. That company, Judicial Correction Services, has announced it is leaving the state and Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald is among those who is cheering.
Why I Support WBHM and the SED: Paul Blutter
Paul Blutter is a civic-minded businessman and father of two who appreciates stories from the Southern Education Desk at WBHM. He’s originally from New York and now lives in Homewood. […]
The Best Story for YOU from WBHM!
WBHM goes beyond the flash to the substance of a story. Support WBHM with a pledge. Call now to give at (800) 444-9246 or go to WBHM.org. Pledge Now
Why I Support WBHM: Reed Lochamy
Reed Lochamy is what you might call a renaissance man. He’s an English teacher at Hoover High School, host of the weekly show “Oh Brother Radio” on Birmingham Mountain Radio, […]
Why I Support WBHM and the SED: Linda Stephan
Linda Stephan is a local artist and art historian who values reporting from the Southern Education Desk at WBHM. She’s lived in the Birmingham area most of her life and […]
Reopening VictoryLand
Alabama casino developer Milton McGregor won a legal victory earlier this month which appears to put to rest a five-year court battle over his Macon County casino VictoryLand. A judge said the state had no grounds to seize thousands of electronic bingo machines from VictoryLand. So McGregor is working to reopen the facility. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Why I Support WBHM: Teri Lavette
Teri Lavette is an attorney, mother of two boys and a dollar-a-day sustaining member of WBHM. And she’s a loyal and consistent WBHM supporter. Lavette and her family have been […]
Why I Support WBHM: David Resuehr
“Hands down it is the most interesting radio station that I know,” says David Resuehr, a scientist and WBHM member. He says he can’t start his day without WBHM and […]
Why I Support WBHM: Dan Fulton
Dan Fulton is a retired teacher who loves to listen to stories from the Southern Education Desk at WBHM. “It’s very informative and provides me with so much information that […]
Get the story YOU deserve with WBHM!
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Why I Support WBHM: Michael Harrington
Michael Harrington’s winning design is featured on the newest edition of WBHM’s pint glass for the Fall 2015 fund drive. For a contribution of just $7.50/month or a one time […]
Transparency in Question when Elected Leaders use Private Email
Used to be if you wanted something done, you’d write your congressman or congresswoman. But nowadays written communication is more often done through email. A notable number of state politicians in Alabama don’t use their official state email address instead opting for a Gmail or even AOL account. That’s a problem say government transparency advocates. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Should Larry Langford Go Free?
The former Birmingham Mayor remains in jail serving a 15 year sentence. And Governor Bentley proposes a possible solution to reopen 31 rural driver’s license offices.Kyle Whitmire is the state […]
Alabama Launchpad
Let’s say you have a great business idea. That’s a good start but it takes funding to get the idea off the ground. One of the ways Alabama entrepreneurs have been receiving funding for their ventures is the Alabama Launchpad competition. We talk about it in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
State’s Response to Rural Driver’s License Office Closures not Enough for the Black Belt
Calls are growing for the Justice Department to investigate how the closure of 31 rural driver’s license offices may affect voting. The state closed those offices last week due to budget cuts. The problem, say civil rights advocates, is residents must have a photo ID to vote. The most common ID is a driver’s license and Alabama now has 31 fewer places to get a new drivers license. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says state officials are taking steps to address the situation, but it’s not enough for the Black Belt. That's an area of the state that’s poor, largely African American and disproportionately hit by the closures.
Getting a Driver’s License in Alabama’s Black Belt is Difficult
The closure of 31 driver’s license office leaves 28 counties in Alabama without a place you can get a driver’s license. The closings, all in mostly poor rural counties, many […]
Trinity Medical Center Moving and Taking on a New Name
This weekend Trinity Medical Center will become Grandview Medical Center as it moves from Birmingham’s east side to the busy Highway 280 corridor. It’s a move that’s been more than 10 years in the making and one that developers expect to bear fruit beyond just a new hospital. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Long Hours At Work And School Fuel Determination For Stratford High Graduate In Nashville
Though he’s a teenager, Kevin is the man of the house. While in high school, he worked long hours to help out, which made staying in school a struggle. Instead of dropping out, he stuck with it and graduated from Nashville’s Stratford STEM Magnet High School.
Nashville Student Focuses On Graduation at Non-Traditional Academy at Old Cockrill
Dealing with Chronic illness is just one of the issues students can face during school. The resulting stress, absences and falling behind can sometimes make dropping out an attractive option. In this Southern Education Desk series “Back on Track,” Nashville Public Television tells us about Ben, a young man who faces struggles, but is determined to graduate from the Academy at Old Cockrill.
New Orleans’ Posh Academy Helps LGBT Students Complete GED
In it’s series Back On Track, the Southern Education Desk looks at a program in New Orleans that supports some of those students as they work toward a high school degree. The program called Posh Academy, is part of BreakOut, a non profit addressing issues of LBGT youth. WWNO’s Mallory Falk spoke with some of the students, including 23-year-old Lhundyn Fernandez.
Driver’s License Offices Closures Could Affect Voting
Governor Robert Bentley warned there would be cuts to state services if lawmakers didn’t pass enough new revenue measures for the budget that goes into effect Thursday. The budget includes some new money but still cuts many agencies about 6-percent. As a result state law enforcement announced Wednesday examiners will no longer travel to 31 part-time satellite driver’s license offices. It’s a move that some worry could affect voting. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Back on Track: Donna Dukes And Sernitria Bell
High school graduates earn about $10,000 more each year than dropouts. And they’ll be less likely to end up in jail, or even suffer some preventable diseases, studies show. But […]
The Future of U.S. Steel
What remains of Birmingham’s steel industry took a major hit this summer when U.S. Steel announced it would be idling its blast furnace in Fairfield. About 1,100 workers were laid off. Thousands of more workers have lost jobs there through the decades, but U.S. Steel is trying to stay ahead in a very competitive economy. That’s where we start this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Study Centers and Counselors Give Student-Athletes Academic Support
Football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics. College sports are a way of life in the South. Fans pack into stadiums or glue themselves to TV's to watch their favorite teams battle it out. But the pressure on a young person to succeed on the field or court is only half the battle. College athletes are also expected to succeed in the classroom.
Arc Stories: September 2015 Edition
Stories include a man trying to do the right things when society is telling him otherwise; one man’s conflict within his own making; a young girl impersonating someone of a different race […]
Emails Paint House Speaker as Eager to Make Money off his Office
Political observers have been watching the lead up to Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard's corruption trial in periodic salvos tossed from both sides. Hubbard is scheduled to go on trial next year accused of using his public office for personal gain. The latest bomb blast comes from prosecutors and they're emails from Hubbard that Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says paint the speaker as the worst kind of politician.
Athletes And Schools Tackle Tougher NCAA Academic Requirements for Potential D1 Players
When it comes to Division I football, Southern states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana, produce the largest number of recruits per capita. New NCAA rules take effect for college athletes next fall. A 2.0 GPA and a decent ACT score won’t be enough anymore. To avoid the bench, freshmen will have to come in with a 2.3 GPA in core classes — reading, math, science, and social studies. And players in high school — where standards are generally lower — are feeling it.
