Search Results for King
Slavery is on the ballot in Alabama and 4 other states
More than 150 years after slaves were freed in the U.S., voters in five states, including Alabama, will soon decide whether to close loopholes that led to the proliferation of a different form of slavery — forced labor by people convicted of certain crimes.
How one small town is teaching English to kids of immigrants
Russellville, with large numbers of Hispanic immigrants, is using federal COVID-19 relief money for an experiment to serve students who are still learning English. They are hiring and certifying more local, Spanish-speaking staff.
Judge dismisses lawsuit over upcoming lethal injection in Alabama
The judge on Sunday granted Alabama's request to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Kenneth Eugene Smith, agreeing that Smith waited too long to file the challenge. But the judge also warned Alabama's prison commissioner to strictly follow established protocol when officials attempt to put Smith to death next month.
Why now is the right time for Alabama to honor Hugo Black’s complicated legacy
Alabama native and Supreme Court justice Hugo Black became a civil rights champion after a brief time in the KKK. A new monument honors his complicated legacy.
Birmingham’s status as a minor league sports hub gets a major boost from the New Orleans Pelicans
Friday night isn’t just any old preseason game for the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s also a pivotal moment for Birmingham in its quest to be a sports town.
Black leaders rebuke Tuberville stance on reparations, crime
Tuberville told people Saturday at an election rally in Nevada that Democrats support reparations for the descendants of enslaved people because “they think the people that do the crime are owed that.”
DOJ finds Alabama’s foster care system violates law
The U.S. Department of Justice said the state's foster care program has illegally placed hundreds of students with disabilities into “segregated and inferior educational programs,” a direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Despite pushback, the organizers of Cullman’s first pride event are pushing forward
The announcement of Saturday’s event drew threats and calls for counter-protests. In response, LGBTQ+ communities across the state have offered their support.
6 ways the conversation around a guaranteed income in the US has changed
A guaranteed income conference held in Atlanta shows how the movement has progressed since 2017, with more than 50 pilots currently handing out cash.
New mental health crisis center aims to interrupt revolving door of jail and ER visits
The new clinic in Jefferson County will offer short-term crisis care to people who might otherwise wait hours at a hospital or wind up in jail.
Mississippi’s latest move in its anti-abortion agenda? A tax break for corporate donations
Tax documents show energy company foundations financed the anti-abortion movement in the Gulf South for years. Now, they could get a tax break for that support.
Birmingham City Council moves toward approval of cannabis dispensaries
Birmingham has taken “the first step” on the road to legalizing medical marijuana. The City Council voted Tuesday to approve an ordinance authorizing medical cannabis dispensaries to operate within Birmingham city limits.
The landmark Voting Rights Act faces further dismantling in case from Alabama
The law is once again on the chopping block — this time on the question of how state legislatures may draw congressional district lines when the state's voters are racially polarized.
Gulf States rank at the bottom for climate-adapted housing. Organizers want to change that.
As natural disasters and extreme weather become more frequent in the Gulf South, a new report hopes to be a road map to providing more climate-adapted housing.
How Dr. Emily Fortney is using her clinical psychology work to help pregnant people
Suicide is a leading cause of death in women, and mood and anxiety disorders make perinatal risks more complicated. Dr. Fortney’s work is focused on this issue.
Regions Bank to refund $141M for illegal overdraft fees
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that between 2018 and 2021, Regions was charging overdraft fees on some ATM withdrawals as well as some debit card purchases, even after the bank told the customers they had enough funds to cover the transactions.
Jackson’s water crisis put new attention on its longstanding lead contamination issue
Jackson’s water issues echo infrastructure struggles across the Gulf South, resulting in nearly 1,800 lawsuits over the past year and attention from the EPA.
Alabama prisoners refusing to work in 2nd day of protest
Prisoners including those who provide food, laundry and janitorial services refused to show up for work at major state prisons, leaving staff scrambling to keep the facilities running.
‘We got our miracle’: Freed Americans back home in Alabama
Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh had gone missing June 9 in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine while while fighting with Ukrainian forces against Russia.
Alabama halts execution because of time, IV access concerns
Officials said the state halted the scheduled execution of Alan Miller after they determined they could not get the lethal injection underway before a midnight deadline.
Birmingham’s new Xpress rapid bus line gives residents a new option to travel across the city
The Birmingham Xpress is a single route that runs east to west between Five Points West and Woodlawn. A total of 32 stops take riders by places like Princeton Baptist Hospital, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Railroad Park and Sloss Furnace.
Will Dahlberg to Lead WBHM
Following a national search, WBHM Deputy Director Will Dahlberg has been named the executive director and general manager of 90.3 FM WBHM — NPR News for the heart of Alabama — a listener-supported service of […]
Jackson residents claim city’s water woes stem from decades of neglect in new lawsuit
The lawsuit claims that Jackson’s water quality was poor long before the recent pump failure at O.B. Curtis — caused by decades of neglect and mismanagement.
Russian separatists release 2 U.S. veterans as part of a prisoner exchange
Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh went missing in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border June 9. They had traveled to Ukraine on their own and became friends because both are from Alabama.
U.S. Steel used convict labor in Birmingham. Has it reckoned with its past?
A century ago, U.S. Steel was one of the companies involved in Alabama's convict lease system. The steelmaker has a mixed record on acknowledging that history.
New data show how often Alabama uses solitary confinement
Survey numbers from 2021 show that roughly five percent of people in Alabama's prisons are housed in isolation for at least 22 hours a day for 15 days or more.
Memoir explores ‘being Black but growing up white’ after the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing
"Dear Denise" follows Lisa McNair's life in a series of letters to the sister she never met. Lisa recounts her experience growing up in the first generation of African Americans after legal segregation.
Alabama could use nitrogen hypoxia for executions in death sentences. What is it?
The state approved the method in 2018, but it has not yet been used or tested. A man awaiting a Sep. 22 execution said he opted for nitrogen hypoxia instead of lethal injection due to a fear of needles, but corrections officers lost his paperwork.
The teacher shortages are real, but not for the reason you heard
The U.S. education secretary has called for investment to keep teachers from quitting. A teachers union leader has described it as a five-alarm emergency. In reality, there is little evidence to suggest teacher turnover has increased nationwide or educators are leaving in droves.
A Black pastor sues the police who arrested him while watering his neighbor’s flowers
Michael Jennings, the Black Alabama pastor arrested while watering his neighbor’s flowers, has filed a federal lawsuit against the police officers involved in his detainment. The lawsuit also names the city of Childersburg, which oversees the police department that arrested Jennings, as a defendant.
School resource officers turn to mental health to make kids safer
Parents’ school safety concerns carry more weight this year after the mass shooting in May at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. School resource officers in Hoover are adjusting by placing a greater emphasis on mental health.
Musicians say The World Games is shorting their payment for performances during the opening and closing ceremonies.
According the American Federation of Musicians, The World Games changed the contract for orchestra performers after the fact, causing payments to musicians to be reduced by about one-third.
