The Alabama Public Charter School Commission approved plans for a new charter school in Birmingham. The development comes two months after Birmingham school officials rejected the i3 Academy application. Organizers of the charter school appealed to the state.

The Alabama Public Charter School Commission is scheduled to vote Monday on a proposed charter school in Woodlawn. The Birmingham school board recently rejected i3 Academy’s bid to open in the city, and organizers appealed to the state.

A black-and-white photo of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin — shot in profile, eyes fixed in an expression of steely determination — hovered over the stage of the Alabama School of Fine Arts’ Dorothy Jemison Day Theater on Thursday night.

Medical marijuana, a repeal of the Common Core, and a lottery bill were all on the legislative agenda this past week. We take a look at these and other measures lawmakers considered.

Alabama’s prisons are overcrowded, understaffed, and plagued by violence. Mental health care for inmates is inadequate. There have been suicides and homicides within prison walls. Alabama Sen. Cam Ward explains how lawmakers are approaching the problems.

Alabama’s black bear population could be in trouble. Scientists say young bears might be dying before they reach adulthood. Researchers at Auburn University will study the problem with a $1.1 million grant from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.