Issues/Program Report 1st Quarter 2024
April 1, 2024
Per the FCC, this is a list of the most frequently cited issues of concern to the people in the WBHM listening area during the last quarter. The list details the most significant programs addressing these issues. All of these programs were published at WBHM.ORG and broadcast on WBHM 90.3 FM between January 1, 2024 and March 31, 2024. The list includes the following issues:
Government
2024-03-28 16:44:42After the news that Birmingham-Southern College is closing, we sat down with the school’s president, Daniel Coleman.
2024-03-27 15:33:53Despite a law meant to protect IVF in Alabama, patients and advocates worry the protections won’t hold — and warn of future attacks on reproductive rights.
2024-03-25 07:00:00What issues are top of mind as you head to the polls this year? What do you want the candidates to be talking about?
2024-03-22 10:57:19Alabama lawmakers returned from spring break this week to take on several priorities for the Republican majority. Chief among them was a bill that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools, universities and government offices.
2024-03-21 09:51:18Alabama has placed new restrictions on assistance with absentee ballot requests, making it illegal to return another person's ballot application and making it a felony to pay someone to distribute or collect applications.
2024-03-19 08:23:25Supporters of the legislation say it would create a more transparent reimbursement system for struggling pharmacies. The bill's opponents worry it could drive up insurance costs.
2024-03-18 15:05:52College students across the state are speaking out against Senate Bill 129, which would restrict the funding of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
2024-03-14 14:58:53In Birmingham, residents want two properties shielded from development and turned into parkland. Councilors decided to protect one parcel years ago. The vote never stuck.
2024-03-13 11:40:59That’s the question WBHM put to people at our recent News and Brews community pop-up at Church Street Coffee in Mt. Brook. Despite the early hour, those at the shop had plenty to share.
2024-03-12 07:00:00Increased tax revenues in states like Louisiana are one reason many pro-sports betting Alabamians say it’s time to catch up to neighbors in the Gulf South.
2024-03-11 20:24:18The charges are related to what federal prosecutors described as a kickback scheme that diverted money from a state fund intended to pay for community projects in Jefferson County.
2024-03-11 08:44:39An independent journalist revealed in a TikTok video Friday that the sex trafficking of the victim mentioned by Britt on Thursday did not happen during the Biden administration or in the United States.
2024-03-08 15:00:00Most in vitro fertilization services resumed across Alabama after Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill into law Wednesday night granting immunity to fertility clinics. This is in response to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling last month that found frozen embryos are children.
2024-03-07 16:26:46Patients celebrated the new legislation, which grants civil and criminal immunity to providers involved in IVF procedures.
2024-03-07 08:53:52After only a year in the Senate, Britt is wielding her influence to carve out a unique role in the party. As the youngest female senator, she represents a new generation of Republicans in a volatile political era.
2024-03-07 06:11:47Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill after it was approved in a late-night session by lawmakers scrambling to address a wave of criticism after services were halted at some of the state's largest fertility clinics.
2024-03-06 06:20:03Alabama voters shook up the state’s congressional delegation Tuesday, throwing out one Republican incumbent and sending four candidates to runoffs in a district redrawn by a federal court to give Black voters greater opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.
2024-03-06 05:57:44Stewart defeated Bryan Taylor, a former state senator and legal adviser to two governors, to secure the GOP nomination. She will face Circuit Judge Greg Griffin, a Democrat from Montgomery, in November.
2024-03-05 07:00:00On the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, thousands marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to honor those brutally attacked in the fight for civil rights.
2024-03-04 05:54:49Harris joined those gathered at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where voting rights activists were beaten back by law enforcement officers in 1965. The vice president praised the marchers' bravery for engaging in a defining moment of the civil rights struggle.
2024-03-01 10:48:36In vitro fertilization dominated the conversation in Montgomery for another week in the wake of last month’s Alabama Supreme Court ruling that found frozen embryos are considered children.
2024-02-29 15:22:22Facing public pressure to get IVF services resumed in the state, both chambers of the Alabama Legislature advanced legislation that would extend lawsuit protections to clinics.
2024-02-29 11:12:42The short security camera clip shared by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency shows a person strolling down a sidewalk, wearing a facemask, stocking cap, dark jacket and gloves. A statement from the agency described the person as someone who “may have information related to this crime.”
2024-02-28 11:34:46Voters heading to the polls Tuesday will see a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. Amendment 1 would remove a procedural step when considering local legislation.
2024-02-26 13:27:04As patients lose access to care, the clock is ticking for Alabama lawmakers to agree on legislation to protect IVF.
2024-02-23 15:00:00One story dominated Alabama politics this past week – an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that found frozen embryos are considered children under a state civil law.
2024-02-23 13:57:28Dr. Aubrey Coleman, who’s a mom, pediatrician, and IVF patient, discusses the far-reaching repercussions of the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that finds embryos are legally the same as children.
2024-02-21 19:10:44Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's office asked the state Supreme Court on Wednesday to set an execution date for Alan Eugene Miller. The state said Miller’s execution would be carried out using nitrogen.
2024-02-20 11:09:57The decision, issued in a pair of wrongful death cases brought by couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic, brought a rush of warnings from advocates who said it would have sweeping implications for fertility treatments.
2024-02-19 12:29:39Civics education groups, like the South Alabama Black Women’s Roundtable, are working to notify voters of the change made by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling.
2024-02-16 09:15:02The Alabama House Thursday passed a sweeping gambling bill, one that could bring a lottery, casinos and sports betting to the state. It’s a change of luck for gambling proponents as similar proposals historically have died in the House.
2024-02-09 12:52:07Alabama lawmakers got their first look at a sweeping lottery and casino bill this week. The governor also released her plan for education savings accounts.
2024-02-08 06:01:24Alabama is one of few states without a state lottery, after lawmakers in 1999 rejected a proposal to allow one. And unlike neighboring Mississippi, the state has been resistant to full-fledged casinos with table games and slot machines.
2024-02-07 08:18:33Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey called Tuesday night for the creation of a limited school voucher program and announced support for two controversial measures before lawmakers this year: gambling legislation and absentee ballot restrictions.
2024-02-05 06:11:42Alabama lawmakers will be back in Montgomery Tuesday to kick off the 2024 legislative session. State leaders are already talking about an array of issues from education to the economy.
2024-02-03 07:00:00One resident, a former firefighter, said the fire should be completely extinguished. An EPA official said that may not be possible.
2024-01-29 08:39:09Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Friday that the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith, a 58-year-old convicted of a 1988 murder-for-hire, went off as planned and his office is ready to help other states if they want to begin nitrogen executions.
2024-01-25 20:38:55Officials said Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. at an Alabama prison after breathing pure nitrogen gas through a face mask to cause oxygen deprivation.
2024-01-24 20:54:46A divided panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Kenneth Eugene Smith’s request for an injunction to stop his execution by nitrogen hypoxia Thursday night. Smith’s lawyers, who have argued the state is trying to make him the test subject for an experimental execution method, are expected to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
2024-01-23 13:33:01The Alabama attorney general's office told federal appeals court judges last week that nitrogen hypoxia is "the most painless and humane method of execution known to man." But what exactly Kenneth Eugene Smith will feel after the warden switches on the gas is unknown, some doctors and critics say.
2024-01-21 09:46:09Kenneth Eugene Smith, who survived the state’s previous attempt to put him to death by lethal injection in 2022, is scheduled to be put to death Thursday by nitrogen hypoxia. If carried out, it would the first new method of execution since lethal injection was introduced in 1982.
2024-01-19 10:11:06In Hale County, Alabama, many residents have gone without running water for days. Many more are still boiling water.
2024-01-18 09:06:49The Rev. Jeff Hood, who will stand near Kenneth Smith during his execution, sent a letter Monday to the Alabama prison system requesting safeguards in case of a nitrogen leak in the execution chamber.
2024-01-11 19:57:53The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled that the injunction should be vacated, but the decision had been effectively on hold for more than 18 months while families with transgender children asked the full appellate court to reconsider the decision.
2024-01-11 10:27:20The family of Brandon Clay Dotson, who died in a state prison in November, filed a federal lawsuit last month against the Alabama Department of Corrections and others saying his body was decomposing and his heart was missing when his remains were returned to his family.
2024-01-10 13:33:33U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker rejected Alabama inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith’s request for an injunction to stop his scheduled Jan. 25 execution by nitrogen hypoxia.
2024-01-05 08:32:36A Montgomery circuit judge issued a temporary restraining order late Wednesday to stop the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission from issuing licenses for “integrated” facilities that grow, transport and sell medical marijuana. The coveted licenses will be on hold while he hears a challenge to the selection process.
Economy
2024-03-25 07:00:00Reporter Sarah Fowler talks about her investigation that found at least eight Mississippi cities were harmed by deals over faulty smart water meters.
2024-03-22 05:00:00Oak Grove Mine has a long history of safety violations. In 2006, federal officials evacuated its workers because of dangerous levels of methane, a flammable gas.
2024-03-21 14:55:08In trying to rectify decades of billing chaos and draw new revenue, another issue has emerged for JXN Water: How much should customers be on the hook for?
2024-03-11 07:00:00Auburn University’s Rural Studio is sharing its wealth of knowledge with partners in a half dozen states to help solve rural homelessness.
2024-02-22 12:04:57Like many in the Gulf South, Will Burt’s power bill spiked in January due to extreme weather. But how much of the increase can be attributed to the cold?
2024-02-17 07:00:00Movements for civil rights and workers' rights often intersect. But many times the labor part of the picture is overlooked. That’s the case in Birmingham, which is well known for its civil rights history.
2024-02-02 11:56:38Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have opted out of the USDA’s Summer EBT program, but advocates say the need is far greater than one program.
2024-01-22 07:00:00When James Henley suspected his water bill was inaccurate, he put his spreadsheet skills to use and got back $3,208. Now, he’s helping others do the same.
2024-01-17 08:32:18A Floodlight investigation found Alabama Power runs a news service and its foundation bought a Black newspaper. Neither publishes critical stories about the utility.
2024-01-10 11:32:59Amid a new push in a region that’s historically unwelcoming to unionization, author Stephen Silvia details what the UAW could learn from its past efforts.
2024-01-04 16:48:48With a variety of ingredients from across the region, making a pot of gumbo can illustrate a lot of the ways inflation impacts the average grocery shopper.
Health Care
2024-03-27 15:33:53Despite a law meant to protect IVF in Alabama, patients and advocates worry the protections won’t hold — and warn of future attacks on reproductive rights.
2024-03-26 05:00:00Residents in the west Alabama county warn that the lack of emergency care can have deadly consequences. It's a fate that could befall a growing number of rural communities.
2024-03-19 08:23:25Supporters of the legislation say it would create a more transparent reimbursement system for struggling pharmacies. The bill's opponents worry it could drive up insurance costs.
2024-03-07 16:26:46Patients celebrated the new legislation, which grants civil and criminal immunity to providers involved in IVF procedures.
2024-03-07 06:11:47Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill after it was approved in a late-night session by lawmakers scrambling to address a wave of criticism after services were halted at some of the state's largest fertility clinics.
2024-02-28 08:36:30The panel of patients came in the wake of an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that called into question the future of some fertility treatments in the state.
2024-02-26 13:27:04As patients lose access to care, the clock is ticking for Alabama lawmakers to agree on legislation to protect IVF.
2024-02-23 13:57:28Dr. Aubrey Coleman, who’s a mom, pediatrician, and IVF patient, discusses the far-reaching repercussions of the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that finds embryos are legally the same as children.
2024-02-21 19:32:09The Alabama Supreme Court recently ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, raising concerns about how the decision could affect in vitro fertilization, commonly known as IVF.
2024-02-21 19:00:37The University of Alabama at Birmingham health system said in a statement that it must evaluate whether its patients or doctors could face criminal charges or punitive damages for undergoing IVF treatments.
2024-02-20 11:09:57The decision, issued in a pair of wrongful death cases brought by couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic, brought a rush of warnings from advocates who said it would have sweeping implications for fertility treatments.
2024-01-26 10:33:07Losing his brother to an overdose inspired Jacob Bassin to arm his fellow medical students with free doses of Narcan and train them on how to use it.
2024-01-05 08:32:36A Montgomery circuit judge issued a temporary restraining order late Wednesday to stop the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission from issuing licenses for “integrated” facilities that grow, transport and sell medical marijuana. The coveted licenses will be on hold while he hears a challenge to the selection process.
Education
2024-03-28 16:44:42After the news that Birmingham-Southern College is closing, we sat down with the school’s president, Daniel Coleman.
2024-03-26 16:38:53The College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to close the longtime institution, officials announced in a news release. The announcement came after legislation, aimed at securing a taxpayer-backed loan for the 168-year-old private college, had recently stalled in the Alabama Statehouse.
2024-03-09 06:00:00As SAT season kicks off this weekend, students across the U.S. for the first time will take it with computers and tablets — and not the pencils they've used since the college admissions test was introduced nearly a century ago.
2024-01-30 08:12:55What do Oprah Winfrey, Roy Wood Jr. and Stacey Abrams have in common? They all received diplomas from historically Black colleges or universities. They’re also 3 contributing writers for NPR Weekend Edition Sunday host Ayesha Rascoe’s new essay collection.
Science and Technology
2024-03-21 07:00:00The $230 million project, which broke ground in Selma in early March, will reach around 53,000 homes and businesses.
Arts and Culture
2024-03-08 11:01:57The Birmingham Museum of Art’s latest exhibit, Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, consists of 70 original costumes from live-action Disney films, offering the Birmingham community a peek behind the curtain to see the costumes’ artistry up close.
2024-02-07 15:43:21Krewe da Bhan Gras has been a hit on the parade route this Carnival season as the latest example of Mardi Gras’ diverse, inclusive nature and its evolution.
2024-01-23 06:45:00Jazz is associated with cities such as New Orleans, Chicago and New York. But Birmingham has had profound influence on the genre too. That’s the argument from a recent book.
2024-01-19 14:39:22The opera TOUCH, commissioned by Opera Birmingham, depicts Keller's later life as an activist and feminist and conflict with her interpreter Anne Sullivan.
Environment
2024-03-22 05:00:00Oak Grove Mine has a long history of safety violations. In 2006, federal officials evacuated its workers because of dangerous levels of methane, a flammable gas.
2024-03-14 14:58:53In Birmingham, residents want two properties shielded from development and turned into parkland. Councilors decided to protect one parcel years ago. The vote never stuck.
2024-02-28 10:55:56Gulf South oyster reefs are fading because of the changing climate. Alabama hopes to reverse this by using recycled shells to grow oyster gardens.
2024-02-20 15:46:47A new children's book by Alabama author Heather Montgomery explores how animals fight off pathogens.
2024-02-14 15:31:45As the climate changes, some Gulf South producers are focusing on ways to preserve the land.
2024-02-13 15:00:00New Orleans and Mobile dispute where Mardi Gras was birthed, but both Gulf Coast cities struggle with the same plastic waste. Where will a greener carnival be reborn?
2024-02-03 07:00:00One resident, a former firefighter, said the fire should be completely extinguished. An EPA official said that may not be possible.
2024-01-31 09:24:19The EPA now recognizes the risks of gamma radiation from radium in coal ash, but many states aren’t even sure where the toxic waste has been used. In Alabama, environmental regulators say they do not track so-called ‘beneficial’ uses of coal ash.
2024-01-12 10:51:29Gulf South farmers are racing to meet the deadline for DFAP. Some say the aid is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.
Religion
Crime
2024-02-13 07:00:00The "pattern or practice" investigation into the Lexington Police Department stems from allegations of excessive force, racist roadblocks and more.
2024-01-25 13:33:25Some advocates said the law’s requirement of an hour-long training on working with people with “invisible” disabilities and sensory needs is a good start.
2024-01-25 11:39:53Death penalty opponents gathered in Birmingham Wednesday to condemn Smith’s execution and hear personal stories about the impact of death row.
2024-01-05 17:16:24The Gulf States Newsroom obtained more than 350 pages of public comments concerning the NOPD’s planned drone program. Here’s what they said.
Race and Culture
2024-03-04 05:54:49Harris joined those gathered at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where voting rights activists were beaten back by law enforcement officers in 1965. The vice president praised the marchers' bravery for engaging in a defining moment of the civil rights struggle.
2024-02-01 12:26:41Many Alabama officials have for generations pushed the false narrative that residents of the state were nearly unanimous in their support for succession prior to the Civil War. Howell Raines, former executive editor of the New York Times and an Alabama native, says otherwise.
2024-01-12 16:30:00Here’s a quick history lesson on why the unlikely joint celebration of a civil rights icon and a Confederate general is still happening.
Weather
Sports
2024-03-20 07:00:00Get info on the seven men’s teams and five women’s teams playing in the NCAA Division I basketball tournament, plus see what time they play.
2024-03-12 07:00:00Increased tax revenues in states like Louisiana are one reason many pro-sports betting Alabamians say it’s time to catch up to neighbors in the Gulf South.
2024-03-06 07:00:00Organizers for the all-star game, now in its third year, host a career fair where HBCU students and recent grads plan for their futures before the big game.
2024-01-13 21:01:43The former Washington coach, hired two days after Saban's retirement, said he's giving the 72-year-old ex-coach “100 percent access” to his program
2024-01-12 19:57:33The powerhouse program tapped DeBoer on Friday to replace Saban, just two days after the 72-year-old coach announced his retirement.
2024-01-10 21:07:19Sports fans in Birmingham were more than happy to weigh in on the Alabama football icon’s storied career.
2024-01-10 18:15:21Nick Saban’s coaching reign has come to an end. His dominance over college football, however, will forever linger in the lore of the sport.
2024-01-02 06:35:51Michigan advanced to its first College Football Playoff championship game with a 27-20 victory over fourth-seeded Alabama in the Rose Bow