Issues/Program Report 1st Quarter 2025
April 1, 2025
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, 2025 and March 31, 2025. The list includes the following issues:
Government
2024-09-28 06:45:24Federal officials said the purge violates the “quiet period provision” of the National Voter Registration Act that prohibits the systemic removal of names from voter rolls 90 days before a federal election.
2024-09-26 19:42:00Alan Eugene Miller was pronounced dead at a south Alabama prison. He shook and trembled on the gurney for about two minutes with his body at times pulling against the restraints.
2024-09-23 12:50:37Authorities have still made no arrests after Saturday’s shooting killed four people and left 17 others injured. Police described it as a targeted “hit” on someone by multiple shooters who opened fire on a crowd waiting in line outside a nightspot in Birmingham’s bustling Five Points South district.
2024-09-16 19:26:41Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced last month that 3,251 people who had been previously issued noncitizen identification numbers will have their voter registration status made inactive and flagged for possible removal from the voter rolls.
2024-09-13 15:21:18Biden and Austin visited a pre-kindergarten program the first lady has championed that funds universal preschool for children aged 3 and 4. The administration plans to expand it beyond military facilities and into education systems nationwide.
2024-09-11 11:18:46A move by Homewood to change to a council-manager form of government began with little fanfare. But as the September 24th vote has grown closer, the relatively quiet, special election has spun into a controversial issue.
2024-09-11 08:32:51While the ballot milestone is relatively quiet and comes in a state that is not a political battleground, it is a sign of how quickly Election Day is approaching after this summer's party conventions and Tuesday's first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump.
2024-09-09 09:01:24A federal judge on Thursday released Jefferson County from a decades-long consent decree ordering rehabilitation of its sewer system. As part of the agreement, the county committed to completing several additional capital improvement projects by early 2027 that are planned and funded to further reduce sewer overflows.
2024-09-06 09:52:42Imagine giving birth and then testing positive for a drug. Except you didn't take any drugs. Still the state Department of Human Resources opens an investigation based on that erroneous test.
2024-08-30 10:04:52In a decision released Wednesday night, a majority of judges on the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals declined a request by families with transgender children for the full court to reconsider a three-judge panel’s decision to let the law go into effect.
2024-08-23 18:00:00Chief U.S. District Judge David Proctor ruled Wednesday that civic groups can pursue just one of their claims: that the law’s ban on gifts or payment for application assistance violates the Voting Rights Act’s assurances that blind, disabled or low-literacy voters can get help from a person of their choice. The judge granted the state’s request to dismiss the other claims raised in the lawsuit.
2024-08-20 05:36:18The Alabama attorney general office wrote in a Friday court filing that the new law, which has a Oct. 1 effective date, cannot be used to block people from voting in the upcoming election, because the Alabama Constitution prohibits new election laws from taking effect within six months of the general election.
2024-08-16 07:38:28Secretary of State Wes Allen announced on Tuesday that 3,251 people will receive letters notifying them that their voter registration status has been made inactive.
2024-08-08 08:16:42In 2021 Alabama overcame years of resistance in the Deep South and approved a medical cannabis program. But three years later, medical marijuana remains unavailable in Alabama because of an ongoing legal fight over some of the licenses to grow and sell the products.
2024-08-06 08:20:16Alabama and attorneys for Alan Miller, who was convicted of killing three men, reached a “confidential settlement agreement” to end litigation filed by Miller, according to a court document filed Monday.
2024-08-03 10:00:00Nearly 40 participants took part in a recent Community Action Training to better prepare for the majority-Black district’s first election since being redrawn.
2024-08-02 10:00:00The documents filed last month in ongoing litigation provided additional details of the execution of Kenneth Smith, who was the first person put to death using nitrogen gas.
2024-08-01 15:39:24Police departments nationally, especially larger agencies, have seen a drop in recruits and an increase in resignations and retirements, since prior to the pandemic. Some indicators are pointing to a turnaround.
2024-08-01 08:40:30The diverging depictions of the new law were aired during a federal hearing on Alabama’s request to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the statute. U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor did not indicate when he would rule.
2024-07-30 13:36:43John Rogers was charged as part of a kickback scheme that diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from a fund intended to pay for community projects in Jefferson County.
2024-07-27 05:00:00The department said that a number of changes have been made since Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm was appointed in 2022. The department said hiring has increased, and there are ongoing efforts to curb the flow of contraband and improve communications with families.
2024-07-25 14:00:00Family members of people incarcerated in Alabama prisons packed the public hearing held by the Joint Legislative Prison Committee, a panel of lawmakers focused on prison oversight. Some wearing T-shirts with photos of their loved ones, family members described assaults, rapes, extortions, deaths and rampant drug availability and overdoses behind bars.
2024-07-24 17:00:00Streets in Birmingham’s East Lake neighborhood are now blocked by brightly painted concrete barriers and houseplants in a new effort by Mayor Randall Woodfin to reduce crime. They’ve been placed there by the mayor’s office as part of a new initiative in a neighborhood plagued by shootings, drug dealing, prostitution and more.
2024-07-24 07:49:42Standing between a coin-to-cash machine and a refrigerator of energy drinks, a new vending machine at a Fresh Value grocery store in Pell City, Alabama, offers something more than a quick snack or drink — bullets.
2024-07-21 14:18:38The decision comes after escalating pressure from Biden’s Democratic allies to step aside following the June 27 debate, in which the 81-year-old president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers and failed to call out the former president’s many falsehoods.
2024-07-19 08:37:07Keith Edmund Gavin was pronounced dead at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in southwest Alabama, authorities said. He was convicted of capital murder in the shooting death of courier service driver William Clayton Jr. in Cherokee County.
2024-07-14 19:27:25Four people died in a shooting at a Birmingham nightclub late Saturday, while an earlier shooting outside a home in the city killed three people, including a young child, authorities in Alabama said.
2024-07-13 20:21:11Donald Trump appeared to be the target of an assassination attempt as he spoke during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, law enforcement officials said. The former president, his ear covered in blood from what he said was a gunshot, was quickly pulled away by Secret Service agents and his campaign said he was “fine.”
2024-06-25 09:09:17In a court hearing, lawyers for the Griffice family said their investigation into the March explosion is continuing despite a lack of engagement from state or federal regulators.
2024-06-11 07:00:00In rural Marion County, some residents do the only thing they can think to do: call their legislator and cry.
2024-05-21 13:12:04Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr filed a brief expressing his support for Toforest Johnson’s bid to receive a new trial. Carr has supported a new trial since 2020, but the latest filing detailed the findings of a post-conviction review of the case.
2024-05-10 12:36:51Alabama lawmakers closed the books on this year’s regular legislative session Thursday. While Republican leaders passed many of their priority bills, perhaps the most talked about issue – gambling – died.
2024-05-10 08:30:21Alabama lawmakers have ended a 2024 legislative session that saw the Republican majority win approval for a number of their top priorities.
2024-05-07 11:09:27McKinsey & Company, an international consulting business, will help the state of Alabama develop a new strategic economic growth plan. The company is undertaking that project, while also dealing with a probe into whether it engaged in a criminal conspiracy.
2024-05-07 10:25:05Mississippi lawmakers couldn’t come together to pass a bill that could have expanded Medicaid for thousands of residents.
2024-05-03 14:30:18Alabama lawmakers are coming down to the finish line for this year’s legislative session. Many bills await passage, but perhaps the biggest one up in the air is a lottery and gambling bill.
2024-05-02 08:17:13The Alabama Legislative Council, a 20-member panel comprised of legislative leaders and their appointees, approved the construction of the new Statehouse last year. The panel was given an update on the project on Wednesday.
2024-05-01 15:53:13The Birmingham Reentry Alliance will provide wrap around services to dozens of men and women adjusting to life after prison.
2024-05-01 12:28:00The Senate Education Policy Committee voted 5-2 for the House-passed bill, putting the proposal in line for a possible final passage in the last four days of the legislative session.
2024-04-26 11:36:13Alabama is one of ten states which has not expanded Medicaid. Republican leaders have pushed back against the idea for years.
2024-04-19 11:21:32This year looked to be different for lottery and gambling legislation, which has fallen short for years in the Alabama legislature. But this week, with only a handful of meeting days left, competing House and Senate proposals were sent to a conference committee to work out differences.
2024-04-15 08:56:13Following a home explosion that killed one and critically injured another, residents want to know more about the mine under their community. So far, their questions have largely gone unanswered.
2024-04-12 10:26:23It’s been three years since Alabama lawmakers passed legislation establishing a system to govern medical cannabis in the state, yet not one prescription for the drug has been filled. The rollout has been delayed by lawsuits and conflict over the licensing process.
2024-04-11 08:18:50Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, 26, of Irondale, Alabama, was arrested Wednesday on charges of malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
2024-04-05 12:32:52Lawmakers also took up the General Fund budget and a proposal to increase the number of medical cannabis licenses.
2024-04-04 13:59:14The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters, and other groups are plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in federal court. They say the statute disenfranchises voters, including senior citizens and disabled voters, who may need assistance in the absentee voting process.
2024-04-04 07:00:00The program aims to teach the art of political influence and policymaking to formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones.
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.
2023-12-26 19:37:18U.S. District Judge Liles Burke said no to a request from the U.S. Department of Justice to put the Alabama case on hold until appellate courts decide if they will hear related petitions on whether states can enact such bans.
2023-12-21 09:02:59Attorneys for Kenneth Eugene Smith are asking a judge to block his Jan. 25 execution by nitrogen hypoxia. They argued that the method violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment and said the mask would interfere with his ability to pray with his spiritual adviser.
2023-12-14 08:44:42The Rev. Jeff Hood, who plans to enter the death chamber to minister to Kenneth Eugene Smith, said the Alabama Department of Corrections asked him to sign a form acknowledging the risks and agreeing to stay 3 feet away from Smith's gas mask.
2023-12-13 08:45:11The class action lawsuit also accuses the state of maintaining a discriminatory parole system with a low release rate that ensures a supply of laborers while also generating money for the state.
2023-12-12 17:46:00Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Tuesday they will ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve a plan that would guarantee minimum water flows at Columbus, Georgia and in southeast Alabama.
2023-12-07 06:55:32With just over a month before the 2024 primary calendar begins, the debate demonstrated how firm Trump's grip remains on the party.
2023-12-06 08:29:53Four candidates will be on stage at the University of Alabama for their last scheduled meeting before the Iowa caucuses kick off the presidential nominating season next month. Former President Donald Trump, the race’s clear front-runner, will not be among them.
2023-12-05 15:22:50Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions was over a dispute about a Pentagon abortion policy. The Alabama Republican said Tuesday he’s “not going to hold the promotions of these people any longer.”
2023-12-04 16:14:19Joseph Tyler Goodson was shot by officers after he barricaded himself inside a home and “brandished a gun" at officers early Sunday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner said that Goodson was pronounced “brain dead” Tuesday night at a hospital.
2023-12-04 09:00:00The state that propelled George Wallace, a Democrat and four-term governor, into national politics is now dominated by Republicans loyal to Donald Trump, another figure who leans heavily on grievance and white identity politics.
2023-11-29 09:02:50BSC President Daniel Coleman said in a statement that next he’ll ask Jefferson County to meet the city’s commitment, focus on private donors and reengage with state leaders to work on getting more funding.
2023-11-17 06:24:23Casey McWhorter was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death for his role in the robbery and shooting death of Edward Lee Williams on Feb. 18, 1993.
2023-11-14 15:24:11The Senate Rules Committee voted 9-7 to approve a resolution that would allow the Senate to confirm groups of the military nominees at once for the remainder of the congressional term.
2023-11-09 08:38:22Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced a Jan. 25 execution date for Kenneth Eugene Smith using the new method.
2023-11-08 11:42:02Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he's open to negotiating an end to his blockade of almost 400 military nominees after meeting with fellow Republican senators on Tuesday, signaling a shift after he has dug in on his protest of a Pentagon abortion policy for more than nine months.
2023-11-02 16:15:00The justices granted the state attorney general's request for an execution warrant for Kenneth Eugene Smith, one of two men convicted in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of Elizabeth Sennett in northwestern Alabama.
2023-11-02 08:38:28Sen. Tommy Tuberville stood and objected to each nominee — 61 times total, when the night was over — extending his holds on the military confirmations and promotions with no immediate resolution in sight.
2023-10-27 14:02:35Birmingham-Southern College is running out of money and time. After the State Treasurer rejected the school’s $30 million loan application, school officials must now consider their options, including closing the 167-year-old campus on Birmingham’s west side.
2023-10-25 15:56:54Judge James Anderson said he was “sympathetic” to the college, but said after a roughly hour-long hearing that phrasing in the law favored the treasurer.
2023-10-25 10:15:03With no Republican opponent, Democrat Travis Hendrix is expected to take the District 55 seat after January's general election.
2023-10-25 09:02:54Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn on Tuesday took on the mantle of council president, and former President Wardine Alexander stepped into the president pro tem position.
2023-10-23 13:25:08Democrats Sylvia Swayne and Travis Hendrix will meet in the runoff on Oct. 24. There are no Republicans in the race.
2023-10-18 11:21:30The disclosure came during a plea and sentencing hearing for Joran van der Sloot in a federal courtroom in Alabama — just a few miles from the Birmingham suburb where Holloway used to live.
2023-10-18 10:13:54Woodfin said ten weeks into the school year, well more than half of third graders are considered truants, which means they have seven or more unexcused absences.
2023-10-12 05:00:00A municipal judge on Wednesday found Carlee Russell guilty of misdemeanor charges of false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident. The guilty judgement came after Russell's attorneys agreed to a legal maneuver to move the case to circuit court where proceedings will start anew.
2023-10-06 12:28:09Efforts to ban books believed to be inappropriate for children and teens have seen a sharp uptick recently, but some libraries and bookstores are fighting back.
2023-10-05 11:10:51After a high-profile legal fight, a panel of three federal judges on Thursday picked a map that will be used when Alabamians cast their 2024 vote.
2023-10-03 16:38:21The preliminary injunction requires Alabama public health officials to license birth centers that meet certain national standards.
2023-10-03 15:30:36U.S. District Judge Stanley Marcus, noting a ruling will be issued “shortly,” said the three-judge panel is aware of the time constraints posed by elections next year when the state's seven U.S. House seats will be on the ballot. The court could rule as early as this week.
Economy
2024-09-23 11:43:12As the November election approaches, food insecurity is one issue that’s top of mind for residents in Alabama’s newly redrawn District 2.
2024-09-05 11:53:26The new state program— the first of its kind in the U.S. — will give $280,000 from opioid settlement funding to grandparents raising their grandchildren.
2024-08-15 16:46:47The DOJ and USDA said using a SNAP recipient’s information to distribute JXN Water’s roughly $30 discount to low-income customers would violate privacy.
2024-08-13 08:02:33Dollar General stocker and advocate David Williams hopes the complaint and settlement will lead to positive changes for employees.
2024-08-06 15:09:59Pro-union workers at the Canton, Mississippi, plant say Volkswagen proved the UAW can win in the South, but other factors are in play — like the 2024 election.
2024-07-31 05:00:00Beautiful Rainbow Café is unusual. Students with significant cognitive disabilities staff the café, and it’s one of few vegetarian-only restaurants in Alabama.
2024-07-19 15:49:38After a historic victory in Tennessee, the United Auto Workers southern campaign is still recovering from a big rejection in Alabama. How will it recover?
2024-07-17 12:36:07The discount store chain has added fresh fruits and vegetables at more than 5,400 stores. Grocery store advocates say the move could hurt mom-and-pop grocers.
2024-06-14 08:52:59Tangipahoa Parish blocked a new Dollar General from opening in a case that could set a precedent for other communities looking to keep discount retailers out.
2024-05-31 12:14:16GSN reporters reflect on a year of the Utility Bill of the Month series investigating missing, expensive and just wrong water and power bills in the region.
2024-05-20 11:15:45Newly elected UAW President Shawn Fain said the union will return to Mercedes and will press on with efforts to organize about 150,000 workers at more than a dozen auto factories across the nation.
2024-05-17 15:50:19The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.
2024-05-13 06:09:03The United Auto Workers is aiming for a key victory at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. More than 5,000 workers at the facility in Vance and nearby battery plant will vote this week on whether to join the UAW.
2024-05-07 11:09:27McKinsey & Company, an international consulting business, will help the state of Alabama develop a new strategic economic growth plan. The company is undertaking that project, while also dealing with a probe into whether it engaged in a criminal conspiracy.
2024-04-30 17:19:44Galvez Garden owner Lissie Stewart has been fighting the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board over inaccurate billing for years.
2024-04-16 07:00:00JXN Water's affordability plan aims to raise much-needed revenue while offering discounts to customers in need, but it is currently tied up in court.
2024-04-15 05:00:00Last year’s devastating drought in Louisiana killed off large crops of crawfish, leading to a tough season for farmers, fishers and seafood lovers.
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.
2023-12-22 10:58:36Plume Algiers is a mom-and-pop Indian restaurant that overcame every obstacle to open in New Orleans. Now, water billing issues could put them out of business.
2023-12-21 13:12:27The U.S. economy had a strong year, but more people found themselves in line at their local food pantry due to inflation and a weakened social safety net.
2023-11-29 09:42:20Birmingham Water Works flagged Claire Ahalt’s account for unusually high water use, but she did not find out until asking a utility worker weeks later.
2023-11-16 05:00:00Alicia’s Coffee in Vincent, Alabama, about 45 minutes southeast of Birmingham. The store is the site of WBHM’s latest News and Brews community pop-up Friday, Nov. 17. The story of Alicia’s Coffee is one of entrepreneurship and a little serendipity.
2023-10-26 07:00:00While some believe electric vehicles could lead to a southern manufacturing renaissance, workers and experts caution that it must be done carefully.
2023-10-12 07:00:00This summer’s high temperatures also brought higher utility bills. The spike caused some, like Christopher Bogan, to make tough choices with their budget.
Health Care
2024-09-30 12:08:53Writer, musician, and standup storyteller, Sean Dietrich, entertains audiences across the country, including venues like the Grand Ole Opry. But he’s equally well known as an advocate for suicide prevention. His first bit of advice to people going through difficult times is to talk.
2024-09-06 09:52:42Imagine giving birth and then testing positive for a drug. Except you didn't take any drugs. Still the state Department of Human Resources opens an investigation based on that erroneous test.
2024-09-05 11:53:26The new state program— the first of its kind in the U.S. — will give $280,000 from opioid settlement funding to grandparents raising their grandchildren.
2024-08-30 10:04:52In a decision released Wednesday night, a majority of judges on the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals declined a request by families with transgender children for the full court to reconsider a three-judge panel’s decision to let the law go into effect.
2024-08-29 14:04:59Student-athletes may not be too concerned about playing in extreme heat, but parents, coaches and trainers are taking plenty of precautions to keep them safe.
2024-08-19 08:47:19Public health experts from some of the nation’s leading research institutions have deployed a massive medical trailer to rural parts of the South to test and survey thousands of local residents. The goal: to understand why the rates of heart and lung disease are dramatically higher there than in other parts of the U.S.
2024-08-05 11:30:21August is National Breastfeeding Month, but the Gulf South has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country. Advocates are trying to change that.
2024-07-29 08:19:56Poor ratings in preterm birth rate, infant mortality led to Alabama ranking 45th in the U.S. in the Commonwealth Fund's new "scorecard" on women's health care.
2024-07-24 14:40:38The week-long, free program gives medical professionals tools to provide trauma-informed care — and potentially help with prosecutions.
2024-07-22 05:00:00One of the last remaining birthing units in southern Alabama will close next month to qualify for federal funding that will save the hospital’s emergency services, but doctors warn the move may cost newborns and pregnant women essential access to obstetric care.
2024-07-10 12:29:00As heat waves and heat domes become more intense, the idea of naming extreme heat as we do with other major disasters is gaining traction with some experts.
2024-07-02 16:55:52The president of Alabama’s hospital association says the acquisition will help maintain access to care, but some economists predict the move will lead to job cuts and higher health care costs.
2024-06-26 14:31:02Under the agreement, UAB will assume control of all Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals and providers in Alabama.
2024-06-24 07:00:00Leitman filmed the Jackson, Mississippi, clinic at the center of the SCOTUS decision on abortion rights for seven years for her documentary, "No One Asked You."
2024-06-08 07:00:00How do you build a family in a way that conforms with your beliefs? Is IVF an ethical option, especially if it creates more embryos than a couple can use? The dilemma reflects the age-old friction between faith and science at the heart of the recent IVF controversy in Alabama, where the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos have the legal status of children.
2024-06-05 06:30:24A new report finds that the South leads the U.S. in increased ACA Marketplace enrollment — especially in states that have not expanded Medicaid.
The expansion will provide more space to care for a growing number of people considered incompetent to stand trial because of a mental health issue.
2024-05-23 14:30:55Following years of record-breaking increases, Jefferson County is finally seeing a decline in overdose fatalities. We talk to local officials to better understand the reasons for the drop, and if it’s a sign of a longer-term trend.
2024-05-07 10:25:05Mississippi lawmakers couldn’t come together to pass a bill that could have expanded Medicaid for thousands of residents.
2024-04-26 13:07:39Abortion rights advocates say the ban will likely force many to travel farther for abortion care and endure pregnancy and childbirth against their will.
2024-04-22 13:17:24Only 10 states have not joined the federal program that expands Medicaid to people who are still in the "coverage gap" for health care
2024-04-19 14:04:48Maia Szalavitz discusses harm reduction's effectiveness against drug addiction, how punitive policies can hurt people who need pain medication and more.
2024-04-18 16:26:33Data from the Commonwealth Fund show that the quality of care people receive and their health outcomes worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
2023-11-21 07:00:00Cool Green Trees plants trees in under-resourced communities in the Birmingham area to help mitigate climate change and advance environmental justice initiatives.
2023-11-18 07:00:00The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted new flu data on Friday, showing very high activity last week in Louisiana, and high activity in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico and South Carolina.
2023-11-16 07:00:00The loss of specialized doctors due to the influx of anti-LGBTQ laws is the latest blow to a region already dealing with a shortage of health care providers.
2023-11-10 12:00:00Copeland he took his own life two days after a conservative news site exposed social media posts where he appeared in women’s clothing, a wig and makeup.
2023-10-03 16:38:21The preliminary injunction requires Alabama public health officials to license birth centers that meet certain national standards.
Education
2024-09-13 15:21:18Biden and Austin visited a pre-kindergarten program the first lady has championed that funds universal preschool for children aged 3 and 4. The administration plans to expand it beyond military facilities and into education systems nationwide.
2024-08-31 08:23:32Under the bill signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in March, DEI is defined as classes, training, programs and events where attendance is based on a person’s race, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin or sexual orientation.
2024-06-06 12:26:39Results from the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program released last month showed 81% of third graders in the district are now reading at or above grade level. This is up from just 53% on the previous year’s standardized test.
2024-05-02 17:15:59Students gathered demanding the school call for a permanent and immediate ceasefire and to push the school to sever ties with defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
2024-04-05 15:41:17Birmingham-Southern College students learned about their school's closure while on Spring Break. When they returned to campus, their emotions ranged from frustrated to angry to sad.
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.
2023-12-19 06:00:00Katie Willis and Megan Lyle, founders of the local bookstore Burdock Book Collective, began their books-to-prisons program in 2020.
2023-11-29 09:02:50BSC President Daniel Coleman said in a statement that next he’ll ask Jefferson County to meet the city’s commitment, focus on private donors and reengage with state leaders to work on getting more funding.
2023-10-27 14:02:35Birmingham-Southern College is running out of money and time. After the State Treasurer rejected the school’s $30 million loan application, school officials must now consider their options, including closing the 167-year-old campus on Birmingham’s west side.
2023-10-25 15:56:54Judge James Anderson said he was “sympathetic” to the college, but said after a roughly hour-long hearing that phrasing in the law favored the treasurer.
2023-10-21 11:00:00The lawsuit contends Treasurer Young Boozer wrongly denied the college a loan from the program created this year to provide a financial lifeline to the institution. The 167-year-old college will likely close without emergency relief from the court, lawyers wrote in the lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Science and Technology
2024-05-15 11:25:10Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.
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
2024-09-05 07:00:00The traveling exhibit includes artwork, letters and audio from people incarcerated on Alabama’s death row.
2024-08-23 09:22:58Besides walking, Rachelle Zola performs her one-woman show, Late: A Love Story. In the show, Zola shares her journey of learning about racial inequality.
2024-08-02 14:59:04Look at mainstream culture and it’s clear – youth is king. But a new book pushes back against that notion. The book Old Enough celebrates the process of aging.
2024-08-01 07:36:59DJ Johnson discusses Baldwin’s lasting legacy ahead of a 100th birthday celebration, and the importance of keeping Black businesses thriving in New Orleans.
2024-07-31 05:00:00Beautiful Rainbow Café is unusual. Students with significant cognitive disabilities staff the café, and it’s one of few vegetarian-only restaurants in Alabama.
2024-07-26 05:00:00When the Drive-By Truckers released their third studio album, Southern Rock Opera, in 2001, they might not have foreseen the impact it would have on the Muscle Shoals-bred group or the Southern rock style as a whole.
2024-07-19 12:38:18The Temple Beth El Civil Rights Experience is a guided tour that allows visitors to explore the lives of Jewish people during the Civil Rights Movement. The exhibit highlighted Jews who were passionate activists and Jews who didn’t do much for the cause.
2024-06-26 05:00:00Sunshine and rising temperatures herald in a new season as people prepare for their favorite summertime activities. During the WBHM Junior board’s recent beer release at Trimtab Brewing, we asked those present what was at the top of their summer to-do lists.
2024-06-21 07:00:00More than 100 people attended the inaugural show, hosted by A Step Above Horse Riding Club in the farming community of Pontotoc, to celebrate the holiday.
2024-06-18 22:45:23Mays' family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night he had died earlier in the afternoon in the Bay Area.
2024-06-18 13:00:00Wednesday is Juneteenth. a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. The date goes back to 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation. During our recent News and Brews community pop-up at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, we asked people what Juneteenth means to them.
2024-06-10 07:00:00Before a recent concert in Birmingham, the Grammy-winning jazz pianist took time to learn more about the city’s history and influence on American music.
2024-05-31 08:06:14Friday is a bittersweet day WBHM as we say goodbye to our longtime health and science reporter Mary Scott Hodgin.
2024-05-30 09:29:47Regional winners automatically advance to the national competition. National winners will be announced in August.
2024-05-29 07:00:00Alabama actress Lily Kate Gwin, 22, was adopted at birth. She found home through her adoptive parents and her chosen home, the theater.
2024-05-28 11:29:02Birmingham’s inaugural poet laureate, Salaam Green, finds her home in the sensory details, the most important being poetry. But finding that home was a process.
2024-05-24 05:00:00There are things we notice about where we live that others might miss. That might be a hidden gem or other surprise. We set out to discover a few of them in Walker County at our recent News and Brews community pop-up.
2024-05-17 05:00:00Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.
2024-05-08 07:00:00Carter, a Jackson State alumnus, took over as the new series host and producer for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” series in April.
2024-04-18 08:35:08That's the question we put to those at our recent News and Brews community pop-ups at Hop City and Saturn in Birmingham.
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.
2023-12-20 06:00:00We heard from patrons at Adventurer's Coffee Co. in Calera about their unique holiday traditions.
2023-12-11 12:01:43Classically trained concert pianist, Miki Sawada, is aware of the impression classical music has. She's trying to bring the music to a wider audience and bridge the country's divides.
2023-12-04 16:14:19Joseph Tyler Goodson was shot by officers after he barricaded himself inside a home and “brandished a gun" at officers early Sunday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner said that Goodson was pronounced “brain dead” Tuesday night at a hospital.
2023-12-01 09:15:26Plenty of people are familiar with the sound and look of punk. But not as many are familiar with the importance of compassion when it comes to being a punk. That's meant the punk scene has become a refuge for some LGTBQ individuals.
2023-11-03 10:57:30Artist Helga Mendoza said she’s always been interested in the grieving process. With grieving a strong theme of her work, it seemed appropriate that Mendoza was selected to create the featured image for this year’s Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, festival in Birmingham.
A conversation with author Maryemma Graham on her biography of Walker, famed novelist and professor who created the Phillis Wheatley Festival in 1973.
2023-10-24 12:38:08The recent service at Prince of Peace Catholic Church is part of honoring St. Francis of Assisi.
2023-10-13 10:47:57Vasilisa Strelnikova fled to Birmingham following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. When she arrived, baking became a refuge . But she also wanted to use baking to show her love of Birmingham, and her love for her friends.
Environment
2024-09-29 07:00:00In the past week, the mine was cited for not having proper roof and mine support. The fatality follows a leadership change at the company and a federal lawsuit alleging that leaking methane blew up a home above the mine in March.
2024-09-09 09:01:24A federal judge on Thursday released Jefferson County from a decades-long consent decree ordering rehabilitation of its sewer system. As part of the agreement, the county committed to completing several additional capital improvement projects by early 2027 that are planned and funded to further reduce sewer overflows.
2024-08-22 16:10:52A group of Mississippi farmers is taking advantage of more federal support for climate-smart agriculture, with plans to grow membership and train others.
2024-08-12 10:53:02Each summer, Coosa Riverkeeper publishes a virtual guide that shows the levels of contaminants at around fifty popular swimming holes on the Coosa River every week.
2024-08-07 10:22:03The team that received the $14 million grant is also partnering with others to help fully address the Black Belt's sanitation issues.
2024-08-01 14:00:00More than 23,000 farmers were approved for payments ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, according to the USDA. Most payments went to farmers in Mississippi and Alabama.
2024-07-21 05:00:00Aside Lake Guntersville, bald eagles are royalty. But locals say a planned chert pit is already changing that status.
2024-06-25 09:09:17In a court hearing, lawyers for the Griffice family said their investigation into the March explosion is continuing despite a lack of engagement from state or federal regulators.
2024-06-21 17:29:19Driven by climate change, extreme temperatures are forcing parents and camp counselors to change their summer routines to keep kids safe.
2024-06-11 07:00:00In rural Marion County, some residents do the only thing they can think to do: call their legislator and cry.
2024-06-04 05:00:00The Mississippi River is an endangered river. For 25 years, a Clarksdale canoe company has worked to teach kids to respect and protect the waterway.
2024-05-24 07:27:10The federal agency says the state’s plan was not as protective as federal standards, allowing toxic waste to remain in unlined pits that may contaminate groundwater. Alabama officials say they will appeal.
2024-05-15 11:25:10Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.
2024-05-15 10:57:39Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.
2024-05-14 09:53:19Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.
2024-04-27 07:00:00Following the death of a grandfather, Crimson Oak Grove Resources has left a community afraid for their homes and lives. An expert warns one resident may need to evacuate her home while she still can.
2024-04-24 12:10:24The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report shows some metro areas in the Gulf States continue to have poor air quality.
2024-04-20 07:00:00Thousands of ordinary people who helped clean up after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say they got sick. A court settlement was supposed to help compensate them, but it hasn’t turned out as expected.
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.
2023-12-16 07:00:00Two University of Alabama students, a conservative and a progressive, said they’re hoping for a more nuanced conversation on the environment.
2023-12-15 13:53:17Watch a replay of the Gulf States Newsroom's listening session for its recent series about towns transformed by major environmental shifts.
2023-12-13 06:00:00Though the creek water at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve is crystal clear, and thousands visit the preserve each year, it’s highly unlikely most will see three unique fish species that swim alongside them. They are the endangered watercress, rush and vermilion darters
2023-12-12 07:00:00On the heels of Mississippi’s record-breaking summer, the historic neighborhood hopes that adding more trees and green space can solve its heat island problem.
2023-11-22 07:00:00Around Thanksgiving a year ago a landfill near Moody caught fire blanketing the surrounding area with smoke. The fire burned for months before the Environmental Protection Agency covered the landfill with dirt to extinguish the flames, but there have been flare ups since. To understand what things are like now, we heard from one nearby resident.
2023-11-21 07:00:00Cool Green Trees plants trees in under-resourced communities in the Birmingham area to help mitigate climate change and advance environmental justice initiatives.
2023-11-07 17:11:53Reporters Danny McArthur and Drew Hawkins traveled across the Gulf South to tell the stories of three towns erased by major environmental shifts.
2023-11-02 07:00:00Some say this coastal Mississippi town doesn’t exist anymore, wiped off the map due to repeated storms. But to its residents, it’s still alive and well.
2023-11-01 07:00:00Toxic pollution forced a small, Black community in Louisiana to relocate. Now, chemical companies say they own its final remnant — the town’s cemetery.
2023-10-31 07:00:00Some southern towns have been erased by environmental disasters — whether natural or man-made. One Alabama town offers lessons on the hidden cost of progress.
2023-10-10 11:52:56Toxic coal ash has polluted Alabama’s waters for years. Is the state doing enough to stop it?
Religion
2023-10-24 12:38:08The recent service at Prince of Peace Catholic Church is part of honoring St. Francis of Assisi.
Crime
2024-09-26 15:11:39Reporters Drew Hawkins and Stephan Bisaha discuss their perspectives of covering the mass shooting in Birmingham’s Five Points Neighborhood.
2024-09-25 17:16:58Reporter Beth Shelburne talks with the Gulf States Newsroom about how Johnson's case has progressed a year after the release of her podcast, "Earwitness."
2024-09-24 14:02:24Despite criticism, state officials have defended the use of “nitrogen hypoxia” ahead of Alan Eugene Miller’s scheduled execution this week.
2024-09-23 12:50:37Authorities have still made no arrests after Saturday’s shooting killed four people and left 17 others injured. Police described it as a targeted “hit” on someone by multiple shooters who opened fire on a crowd waiting in line outside a nightspot in Birmingham’s bustling Five Points South district.
Police say one person was the target of late Saturday's mass shooting, with bystanders caught in the crossfire. More than 100 shell casings were at the scene.
2024-09-05 07:00:00The traveling exhibit includes artwork, letters and audio from people incarcerated on Alabama’s death row.
2024-08-09 15:27:41Legal observers are trained to painstakingly document everything that happens at a protest. They've become more crucial as demonstrations have ramped up.
2024-08-01 15:39:24Police departments nationally, especially larger agencies, have seen a drop in recruits and an increase in resignations and retirements, since prior to the pandemic. Some indicators are pointing to a turnaround.
2024-07-24 17:00:00Streets in Birmingham’s East Lake neighborhood are now blocked by brightly painted concrete barriers and houseplants in a new effort by Mayor Randall Woodfin to reduce crime. They’ve been placed there by the mayor’s office as part of a new initiative in a neighborhood plagued by shootings, drug dealing, prostitution and more.
2024-07-14 19:27:25Four people died in a shooting at a Birmingham nightclub late Saturday, while an earlier shooting outside a home in the city killed three people, including a young child, authorities in Alabama said.
2024-07-11 11:18:30Winn sat down with the Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist to discuss what causes Shreveport to struggle with shootings, and what could help.
2024-07-03 10:19:14Some residents say Shreveport’s history of mass incarceration has changed their community — and their families.
2024-06-27 09:59:59As violent crime slows down across the South, Shreveport, Louisiana, is reckoning with the aftermath of an unusually deadly 2023.
2024-05-29 09:38:04The case surrounding Jerome Stevenson's death highlights the barriers to information that families face when someone is hurt or dies while in custody.
2024-05-19 07:00:00A youth sentencing study shows Alabama and Mississippi are among just four states that top the nation in new juvenile life without parole sentences since 2012.
2024-04-17 07:00:00Ronal Serpas is one of 32 law enforcement leaders who signed a letter sent to President Biden in support of moving marijuana to a Schedule III drug.
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.
2023-12-06 13:00:48For the first time in nearly a decade, U.S. prison populations are trending up. Alabama's numbers are a part of troubling gains across the Gulf South.
Race and Culture
2024-08-23 09:22:58Besides walking, Rachelle Zola performs her one-woman show, Late: A Love Story. In the show, Zola shares her journey of learning about racial inequality.
2024-08-01 07:36:59DJ Johnson discusses Baldwin’s lasting legacy ahead of a 100th birthday celebration, and the importance of keeping Black businesses thriving in New Orleans.
2024-07-25 07:00:00The Mississippi Delta Film Academy's program helps local students reimagine Till's tragic story and deepen their understanding of their region.
2024-06-11 12:43:45The Tate Family has spent nearly two decades uncovering records that establish their ancestors' time in Alabama before its statehood.
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.
2023-12-28 12:40:43Our regional reporters reflect on delightful, discarded moments they had in the field as they covered stories across Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
2023-11-06 13:52:49Leroy Stover became an officer in March 1966 at 33 years old and moved up the ranks. By 1992, he was promoted to deputy chief in charge of field operations.
2023-10-27 07:00:00For many, the annual game between HBCU rivals Alabama A&M and Alabama State is about more than football. It’s a chance to connect and celebrate Black culture.
Weather
2024-07-30 11:42:11Groups like Micah 6:8 Mission are forming mutual aid networks to help fill in the gaps left by federal funding — pooling and volunteering resources.
2024-07-10 12:29:00As heat waves and heat domes become more intense, the idea of naming extreme heat as we do with other major disasters is gaining traction with some experts.
2024-04-01 07:00:00Modern building codes, rebuilding expenses and a low inventory of existing permanent housing have made returning to a normal life in Rolling Fork a struggle.
2023-10-05 07:00:00With no federal or state guidelines regarding extreme heat, outdoor workers and employers in the Gulf South are coming up with their own methods for protection.
Sports
2024-09-05 16:27:56Greason, a former pitcher for the Birmingham Black Barons, was honored for his contributions to baseball, his community and his country at a recent celebration.
2024-08-29 14:04:59Student-athletes may not be too concerned about playing in extreme heat, but parents, coaches and trainers are taking plenty of precautions to keep them safe.
2024-08-29 11:10:41As the Paralympic Games get underway in Paris this week, the Lakeshore Foundation's presence in Birmingham means Alabama has a small part in the events overseas.
Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and former home to baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, will host an MLB game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
2024-06-18 08:21:25Mays, who began his career in Alabama with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues and played for the Giants from 1951-72, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he will enjoy the game at home.
2024-06-02 20:24:53It’s a painful finish for a never-say-die team that had brought so much joy to the school’s tight-knit community while captivating the hearts of American sports fans who could relate to the Panthers’ story mixed with loss and pride.
2024-06-01 19:55:53Now playing for a school that technically no longer exists, the Panthers kept their hopes of winning a national championship alive on Saturday with a thrilling 9-7 comeback win over Randolph-Macon in the Division III World Series.
2024-05-24 13:50:55When Coach Jan Weisberg called the Birmingham-Southern College baseball team to an impromptu meeting on March 27, players were confused. They gathered together in the locker room and found out the news – BSC would close on May 31.
2024-04-09 11:45:46Making it into the NCAA Tournament can translate to boosts in student enrollment, athletic involvement, merchandise sales and more for participating schools.
2024-04-01 11:48:22Ray Pack has been the Birmingham Bulls equipment manager for seven years. He operates behind the scenes making sure home and away teams have everything they need.
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
2023-12-31 19:40:24Nick Saban has won six national championships at Alabama, establishing the most successful program of the 21st century. Jim Harbaugh has completely revitalized his alma mater, reaching three straight College Football Playoffs at Michigan with style and controversy.
2023-12-15 07:00:00The Sonic Boom hopes the inaugural competition to crown the best bands in the nation will expose a wider audience to the rich culture of HBCU schools.
2023-12-03 14:17:53Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama were selected Sunday and Florida State became the first unbeaten Power Five conference champion to be excluded from the field.
2023-11-20 07:00:00For acclaimed grappler Brandon Mccaghren, Decatur, Alabama, was the perfect place to grow the Professional Grappling Federation from idea to reality.
2023-10-27 07:00:00For many, the annual game between HBCU rivals Alabama A&M and Alabama State is about more than football. It’s a chance to connect and celebrate Black culture.
2023-10-20 07:00:00Players, coaches and school officials hope Huntingdon's women's wrestling program can serve as a blueprint to continue the sport's growth in the South.