Search Results for King
Children’s Mental Health: Alabama’s Foster Care System
In the late 1980's, a child who's come to be known as R.C. was removed from his home because of allegations of abuse and neglect. R.C. was sent to a series of psychiatric institutions, even though he was not diagnosed with any serious emotional problems. Lawyers sued the Alabama Department of Human Resources on behalf of R.C. And in 1991, a federal court issued the R.C. Consent Decree. It required a massive overhaul in the way DHR provides mental health treatment to foster children in Alabama. The state is now lauded as a national model, but there are still big challenges.
Children’s Mental Health: the Juvenile Justice System
Each year thousands of teens across the country find themselves in jail. For some, their only "crime" is they suffer from a mental illness. Well-meaning parents who are at the end of their rope are convinced the juvenile justice system is one place their teens will get treatment. But as Les Lovoy reports in the first of a two part series on children's mental health, it doesn't always work out that way.
Bingo Bill Investigation
Alabama lawmakers are being extra careful what they say and do after federal investigators revealed they're looking into corruption around a gambling bill. This bill and the issue of electronic bingo have already created a firestorm as WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Legislature Mid-Session Progress Report
This week is spring break for school children and college students throughout Alabama. The state's lawmakers are taking a break, too. After dealing with the legality of electronic bingo, funding for road projects, and charter schools, legislators return to Montgomery next week for the second half of the 2010 session.
Charter Schools: Politics
Advocates of charter schools in Alabama are getting a do-over. A bill to authorize such schools has been reintroduced in the state legislature after lawmakers killed a similar proposal last month. But if the topic of charter schools weren't controversial enough, mixing it with Alabama politics makes for a potent combination. WBHM's Andrew Yeager continues our look at charter schools by examining the political context.
Charter Schools 101
A bill to authorize charter schools in Alabama is dead in the state legislature, but don't expect the debate to die down anytime soon. President Obama is pushing charter schools, and several of the gubernatorial candidates say they support the idea as well. But just what is a charter school? They've been around for more than a decade in some other states, but here in Alabama there seems to be a lot of confusion.
Southern Environmentalism
When Forbes Magazine ranked states by their "greenness" the usual suspects topped the list - Vermont, Oregon, and Washington, all progressive states known for their environmental movements. Seven out of the ten "least green" states were in the South, the land of coal mines and timber plots. But as WBHM's Tanya Ott reports there's a growing environmental movement down south and some of its members might surprise you.
Electronic Bingo Showdown
There's a new development in the showdown between Alabama Governor Bob Riley and the state's casino owners over electronic bingo machines. A judge will conduct a hearing next week on issues surrounding the closed Country Crossing casino in Dothan. Part of the debate is whether electronic bingo machines are allowed under state law. Riley says they're illegal slot machines. Casino owners insist they are perfectly legal. The face-off has prompted early morning raids of some high profile casinos. And as WBHM's Andrew Yeager report, many other operations have shutdown to avoid such a clash.
Dr. Freida Hill
Today is two months on the job for Freida Hill. She is the new chancellor of Alabama's two year college system. Hill spent 18 years working for Georgia's technical colleges. But in Alabama she steps into a system facing increased enrollment with shrinking budgets, plus lingering fallout from a corruption scandal. Hill spoke to WBHM's Andrew Yeager about some of those issues as well as her goals for the state's two year college system. She says she wants to improve the transition for students who transfer from a two year school to a four year school.
The Race for Mayor: The Runoff
Birmingham voters elected a new new mayor on Tuesday. William Bell won the runoff election with 54% of the vote.
Shelter and Cold
The cold weather gripping the south isn't just uncomfortable, it's dangerous. In Tennessee, police believe an 81-year-old man with Alzheimer's Disease froze to death after wandering outside in his bathrobe. In Birmingham, low temperatures in the teens make having a reliable source of heat essential. The city of Birmingham will open a warming center at Boutwell Auditorium this evening, but some people have already been looking for comfort in the area's homeless shelters. Ruth Crosby is head of First Light, a shelter which houses women and children. She tells WBHM's Andrew Yeager they have already been stretched thin by the economy.
Greening the Greens
This time of year golf might be the farthest thing from your mind. But during the off-season golf course managers get to strategize how to best treat their million dollar turf. Some golf courses have a bad rap with environmentalists. But as WBHM's Tanya Ott reports there's a budding green movement in the golf industry.
Timber Theft
From Washington State to New York timber theft is on the rise. Perhaps it's the bad economy. A load of wood chips is worth up to $600. States are starting to crack down and many are watching Alabama, where proposed regulations are causing a dust-up. Tanya Ott reports.
Mayoral Forum
WBHM presents a web exclusive of Catalyst's Birmingham Mayoral Candidates Forum. It was recorded at Workplay on Tuesday evening, December 1. Speaking at the forum was Emory Anthony, William Bell, Scott Douglas, Steven Hoyt and Carole Smitherman. Catalyst also invited Patrick Cooper but he said had a prior engagement. The forum included questions from the audience as well as from moderator Natalie Davis of Birmingham Southern College.
Mercedes Moves C-Class
Automakers across the globe are looking for ways to save money. Mercedes Benz thinks it's found a way. It will move some production of its popular C-class sedan from Germany to Vance, Alabama.
Musical Examines Atlanta Lynching
The Civil War left Atlanta in ruins, but after the war the city quickly rebuilt and became a dynamo for the New South. But the tensions between the old and new boiled over in 1913. That's when frenzy erupted over the rape and murder of a young girl. Accused of that murder: a Jewish businessman from New York named Leo Frank.
Tri-State Water Wars: Atlanta
It's called "the economic engine of the South". Atlanta, Georgia's population has exploded in the last two decades. But with that growth come environmental problems... like where to get enough drinking water. Georgia, Florida and Alabama have been fighting over who gets how much water from rivers that flow through the states. And as Tanya Ott reports a decision in the federal lawsuit could effect communities across the country.
Arrington’s Future
With Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford on trial for bribery, there's speculation about who would run for mayor if Langford were convicted. As we reported yesterday, a conviction would lead to a special election. One of the potential names on the ballot is former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington. WBHM's Andrew Yeager looks at the revival of Arrington's political organization and a possible return to the mayor's office.
If He’s Found Guilty, Who Succeeds Langford?
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford's trial is underway. As Langford's fate hangs in the balance at the Tuscaloosa federal courthouse, many in Birmingham wonder what will happen to his job as mayor if he's convicted. WBHM's Bradley George takes a look at some of the possibilities.
Birmingham Mayor on Trial
The mayor of Alabama's largest city goes on trial today on federal bribery charges. Birmingham mayor Larry Langford is accused of accepting cash, clothes and jewelry in exchange for steering millions of dollars in county bond deals to an investment banker.
Corruption and Ethics: Impact Alabama
Today we conclude our series, "Corruption in Alabama: What's the Deal", with a look at what it means to be ethical. As director of The Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at the University of Alabama, Stephen Black occasionally gets calls from companies asking if he'd come give a lecture on ethics. He says he has to explain to them that when he says "ethics" he usually means something different than what they're thinking.
What’s the Deal: Whistleblowers
The movie The Informant took second place at the box office over the weekend. It's the story of a corporate whistleblower who works with federal investigators to take down an agriculture price fixing scheme. The movie is a real case turned into a dark comedy, but off screen whistleblowers are a serious tool for law enforcement when it comes to investigating corruption. There are laws designed to protect whistleblowers and thus encourage them to come forward. As we continue our weeklong series looking at corruption in Alabama, WBHM's Andrew Yeager examines if such protections, may be overblown.
What’s The Deal: Ethics Commission
Ethics is something that usually comes from within, but sometimes public officials need a little outside coercion to keep their ethics in check. For nearly 40 years, the Alabama Ethics Commission has worked to keep state employees and elected officials honest. As we begin a week of reports on corruption in Alabama, WBHM's Bradley George examines some of the challenges facing the commission and some of the proposal for ethics reform.
Tide Flu
It's fall in Alabama, which means tens of thousands of fans streaming onto college campuses each week to back their football favorites on the gridiron. There's an unwelcome visitor to campuses though - the new H1N1 flu virus. The swine flu has appeared among college students across the country, but is particularly widespread in the southeast. That poses concerns for team officials trying to keep football players on the field and out of bed. It could also affect the bottom line. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Hurricane Tornadoes
Researchers at Georgia Tech say the size of a hurricane can predict the number of tornadoes it will spawn.
City Council Elections
Voters in Birmingham head to the polls tomorrow to pick who'll represent them on the city council for the next four years. But with all that's been happening in Birmingham area politics, from a financial crisis in Jefferson County to a mayor set to go on trial for corruption, it can be difficult to cut through and figure out what's going on with the city council races. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke to a number of political observers to gauge what might happen at the polls.
Coal Ash Controversy
Every day for the rest of the year, a long train will travel through Birmingham on its way from a power plant in Tennessee to a landfill in Uniontown, Alabama. Tim Lennox has our report on the controversy the muck on board that train is causing in Alabama's Black Belt.
Civil Rights Pardons
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford has issued a blanket pardon to those arrested in the city during the 1960s civil rights protests. Some 2,500, including children and the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior, were jailed during that era of fire hoses and police dogs. But as WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports, the move seems more about reconciling the past than altering the record books.
Businesses’ Take on the Birmingham Business Alliance
Local business owners are closely watching what direction economic development takes since the formation of the Birmingham Business Alliance. The merger between the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Development Board took place a few weeks ago. The Alliance covers a large swath of central Alabama, including Jefferson, Shelby and five neighboring counties. The union sounds great on paper, but what does it really mean for local businesses? WBHM's Varun Krishnan reports.
Jefferson County Layoffs: Wes Gregory’s Story
News headlines are filled with stories about Jefferson County's budget crisis. But behind the public headlines, there are the personal stories of nearly a thousand county employees who've been laid off and find their lives turned upside down. Wes Gregory is one of them.
On The Line: Jefferson County Budget Crisis
Jefferson County faces a massive budget shortfall. County leaders and state legislators are looking for solutions, but will they be long-term or just a bandaid? Join WBHM for our live call-in program "On The Line: Jeffco Budget Crisis" Friday at noon.
Tornado Sirens: Anyone Listening?
When you think of the sounds of summer in Alabama, what comes to mind? Maybe it's a barbecue or kids playing by the pool. Or, how about a summer thunderstorm? With these storms there's sometimes another sound--tornado warning sirens.
