Search Results for King
Andrew Glaze, Alabama’s 95-Year-Old Poet Laureate, Has Died
According to his family, poet and playwright Andrew Glaze died Sunday February 7, 2016. Glaze has been called "an essential poet for more than sixty years." The novelist, playwright and poet was currently serving as Poet Laureate of Alabama.
New Law Could Simplify Restoring Voting Rights for Felons
For millions of Americans, past criminal convictions mean they can no longer vote. Getting back that right in many states is straightforward: serve your time, do probation, and have your voting rights restored. But in Alabama, those with felony convictions face enormous struggles ––especially when they’ve committed certain crimes. We’re talking about crimes of moral turpitude. If you’re confused, you’re not alone.
WBHM Reporter Dan Carsen Wins Award for Outstanding Coverage of Family Issues
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM’s Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen has won the Council on Contemporary Families 2016 Award for Radio Coverage of Family Issues for his four-part series “Bilingual Education in the South.”
Alabama Actress Keeps Fannie Lou Hamer’s “Little Light” Shining
“I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.” ~Fannie Lou Hamer~ Actress and Alabama native Billie Jean Young has has done something not many have; she’s performed the […]
Reborn UAB Has Something to Celebrate This Signing Day
The UAB Blazers will have just as much to celebrate on Wednesday as all the programs collecting five-star recruits and gaudy national rankings. The Blazers are back in the recruiting business, and in a big way. UAB, which had eliminated football, might end up with a class of up to 45 players by the end of the annual signing day. Coach Bill Clark and his staff are rebuilding almost from scratch.
Large Tornado Leaves Trail of Damage In Rural Western Alabama
Residents in rural western Alabama are cleaning up this morning after a large tornado left a trail of damage last night as powerful storms moved into the state. The National Weather Service in Birmingham reported a "confirmed large and destructive tornado" on the ground last night near the city of Aliceville, about 45 miles west of Tuscaloosa. Local officials are reporting homes damaged and minor, along with downed trees and power lines.
Governor’s State of the State Highlights Pre-K, Rural Health Care and Prisons
Governor Robert Bentley announced his plans to expand education and training for Alabamians last night in his annual State of the State address. His proposal, which he calls the Great State 2019 plan, will cover a wide range of issues.
Alabama Ranks High in Nation for Number of Home Fire Deaths
Officials from an emergency response agency say Alabama ranks high among states for the number of home fires and deaths. The American Red Cross of Alabama reported that, just in […]
Majority of Alabamians Willing to Pay More for Education and Healthcare
A majority of Alabamians believe key state services are not adequately funded and would be willing to pay more in taxes to avoid cuts in education and healthcare for the poor and elderly. That’s among the findings of an annual public opinion survey conducted by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.
Support Strong for Governor’s Costly Legal Battles
There are a few issues that have come up again and again around the 2016 elections, and Governor Robert Bentley has recently gotten in the middle of them—namely through the […]
The 2016 Alabama Legislative Session Begins Tuesday: Here’s What to Watch
The 2016 Alabama legislative session kicks off on Tuesday. From the lottery to tightening the state budget to teacher pay, this year’s session will be full of important and controversial issues. Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal, spoke to WBHM’s about what folks should expect this year.
Blueprint Birmingham and Beyond
More than five years after the Birmingham Business Alliance launched Blueprint Birmingham, the BBA is working towards a new strategic plan, called Blueprint 20/20. For more on this and other stories, WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley spoke to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. Patterson joins WBHM most Thursdays during All Things Considered.
Election Fear…Over the Candidates
Surveys show voters are anxious this election cycle. NPR’s Mara Liasson reported earlier this week that issues such as stalled economic progress, terrorism and demographic shifts have people on edge. Seems the candidates themselves could be added to the list.
Streamlining Emergency Response in Area Schools
Most Alabamians remember “snowmageddon.” Two years ago today, January 28, this winter anomaly crippled much of the state, stranding hundreds of students in schools and even on buses overnight. That got children’s advocates thinking about better ways to respond to emergencies including those with the Children's Policy Council of Jefferson County.
State Job Cuts and Reflections on Witnessing an Execution
Alabama lawmakers start the 2016 regular legislative session next week. They'll be talking about money and budgets and they'll be looking at a state payroll down nine percent since 2010. As state coffers took a hit post-recession, many agencies let people go. But most of the pain has not come from the top. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the job cuts. He also reflects on witnessing executions as the state executes its first inmate in more than two years.
High Costs of Heroin Addiction Treatment Put Significant Strain on Families
Heroin abuse continues to rise nationally and in Alabama, leaving more people searching for ways to kick addiction. Families ask friends, professionals and scour the Internet looking for the best, and most affordable, treatment for their loved one. But the financial burdens can be crippling, sometimes thousands upon thousands of dollars.
The Low Price and High Cost of Heroin
Heroin overdose deaths are on the rise nationally. In Jefferson County, deaths increased by more than 140 percent in 2014. The numbers were shocking: Heroin caused or contributed to 144 deaths in 2014. Area law enforcement responded by increasing efforts to get traffickers and drugs off the streets, especially in Birmingham.
Birmingham’s Police Chief on Combating Violent Crime in 2016
Birmingham finished last year with the highest number of homicides since 2008. That has city leaders worried, and pledging to put an emphasis on combating gun violence in 2016. And, according to Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, Birmingham’s also seen a rise in violent crimes committed by young offenders.
Matters of Choice: Race, Economics and Choice in North Carolina
In North Carolina, students get their choice of charter schools, but those schools are increasingly divided by race. In this southern state where some of the nation’s most noted school desegregation battles were waged, a recent Duke University study shows that many schools are either predominantly white or predominantly minority. Efforts are being made, however, to change that trend.
Matters of Choice: Florida — A Hot Spot for School Choice
While many ideas may have originated in other states, Florida has adopted them and created a massive alternative system. WFSU-FM’s Lynn Hatter takes a look at the decades-long movement that is school choice in Florida, one of the nation’s hot spots for school choice programs, as part of the Southern Education Desk's series, "Matters of Choice."
Small Alabama County Offers Cash Amid Struggle to Stop Tuberculosis Spread
There’s only one health department in Alabama where people can go to be tested for tuberculosis. It’s not in the state’s biggest city: Birmingham or any large city. It’s in Perry County, where an outbreak has so far claimed three lives since last year. And it’s getting worse. The infection rate is 100 times higher than doctors say it should be. Now, health officials are trying to get handle on the disease. But it hasn’t been easy.
Sanders Tells Black Voters U.S. Must Confront ‘Institutional Racism’
It’s not just Iowa and New Hampshire where Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will have to perform strongly to win the Democratic nomination. He’ll also need to do well on March 1st, this year’s Super Tuesday. That's when a dozen, mostly southern states hold presidential primaries and caucuses. And in many of those states, African-Americans are a key Democratic voting block. That’s one reason Sanders spent Monday night in Birmingham celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Matters of Choice: New Orleans – The Choice Epicenter
Most Southern states allow for some form of school choice – magnet schools, vouchers for private schools, charter schools and more. How do these options affect learning, school demographics, and student success? We explore Matters of Choice beginning with this report from WWNO’s Mallory Falk in New Orleans.
Murrow Awards Application – Continuing Coverage of Alabama’s Same-Sex Marriage Battle
On January 23, 2015, a federal judge struck down Alabama’s ban on same-sex marriage. What followed was a political and legal battle that put Alabama at odds with the federal […]
Mother Angelica and the Eternal Word Television Network
Roman Catholics around the globe know the name Mother Angelica. She’s the founding matriarch of a small monastery in Irondale that grew into one of the largest religious media networks in the world, spanning 145 countries.
Correspondence That Shaped the Jefferson County Courthouse Murals
Since last Fall, the Jefferson County Commission has been debating what to do about the murals in the foyer of the county courthouse.
Losing History in One of Birmingham’s Oldest Neighborhoods
Birmingham city leaders are stepping up efforts to deal with dilapidated or abandoned properties. In communities overshadowed by blight, preservation is rarely an option, since resources are devoted to cleaning […]
A Visit to the Historic Lyric Theatre Before It Reopens This Thursday
An old Birmingham vaudeville theater starts a new life tomorrow. After two years and a more than $11 million renovation, the Lyric Fine Arts Theatre reopens downtown, exactly 102 years after its first performance. In its heyday, the theater hosted acts like The Marx Brothers and Will Rodgers. But decades of neglect left the theater in serious disrepair.
Fighting Blight: More Demolitions, Tougher Code Enforcement in 2016
It’s not unusual to drive along some inner city Birmingham streets and see well-maintained homes alongside burned structures and weed-infested lots. For years, residents have complained, and, if they were lucky, some lots and abandoned property were cleared. This year, with millions more in the budget and new laws with penalties for owners who don’t maintain their property, the city is hoping to stop blight in its tracks.
Committee Could Decide the Fate of the Jefferson County Courthouse Murals
Back in September, the Birmingham chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) petitioned the Jefferson County Commission to remove two murals that currently hang in the entrance way to the county courthouse.
Birmingham’s Blight – Ravaged Inner City Communities Ready for Change
Birmingham has received national attention for its booming downtown revitalization and new development projects. But that's not the whole story. Less than a mile from downtown gems like Railroad Park and Regions Field, inner city neighborhoods struggle with decaying, abandoned homes and buildings.
State Auditor Says Governor’s Mansion Restoration “Poor Stewardship” of BP Funds
State Auditor Jim Zeigler is accusing Governor Robert Bentley of misusing oil spill money from BP. In a statement released today, Zeigler says a reporter and photographer from the New York Times are in Alabama looking into Bentley’s use of $1.8 million of BP money to restore the governor’s mansion at the Gulf in Baldwin County. The property has been abandoned since 1997 after suffering hurricane damage.
