Search Results for King
John Archibald: Birmingham Schools Superintendent Resigns
The Birmingham City Schools is looking for a new leader. Superintendent Craig Witherspoon surprised many when he announced his resignation Tuesday. It's effective December 31st. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald offers his thoughts on the move.
BCS Superintendent Craig Witherspoon To Resign: Reaction And Perspective
Last night Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Craig Witherspoon announced he would resign at the end of the year. Neither he nor board members had much to say immediately after the announcement, but late last night WBHM's Dan Carsen caught up with some key players for reaction. We've put together links to some key moments in Witherspoon's tenure, too.
CDC Ebola Training Center opens in Anniston
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated a training course at the former Army base in Anniston for health workers intending to help with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Cutting-Edge Forensic Research At ASU Could Help Solve Murders
Believe it or not, in a healthy human body, microbial cells outnumber human cells by about ten to one. Scientists, doctors, and health-conscious people are learning more and more about our "personal ecosystems." But what happens to this individualized community of life after we die? Some Alabama State University forensics researchers are looking at patterns, which could -- among other things -- help investigators solve murder cases. WBHM's education reporter Dan Carsen has more:
Javacia Harris Bowser: Life Lessons From A Younger Generation
It's not uncommon to seek words of wisdom and advice from those who older and more experienced. But what about turning to a younger generation for new ideas and inspiration? Our guest blogger Javacica Harris Bowser believes that just because someone is younger than you, doesn't mean you shouldn't seek out their ideas and opinions.
Shooter Kills Himself, Two Others At UPS Facility
Three people are dead after a shooting this morning at a UPS facility near the Birmingham airport. According to Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, the gunman is among the deceased. Listen to comments from Roper here. The audio begins with a discussion of how BPD is gathering information from witnesses.
Interview: Tavis Smiley Explores MLK’s Last Year
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and message are widely celebrated, but author Tavis Smiley says some of his more controversial views -- including those expressed during the last year of his life -- are often overlooked. Smiley is the author of the new book "Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Year" written with David Ritz. Smiley discusses the book Saturday, September 20 at 10:30 a.m. at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The author sat down with WBHM's Greg Bass to explain why he chose to focus on King's last year.
John Archibald: Preferential Treatment for the Governor’s Security Head
Those who protect prominent politicians often stay out of the limelight, But the head of Alabama Governor Robert Bentley's security detail is getting some unwelcomed attention. It's for how much he's making and for a promotion some say wasn't deserved. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald has the details.
Reward or Waste? Contracts Bring Controversy In Vestavia Hills Schools
If you could keep your six-figure salary but work only "as needed," mainly from home, advising the person doing your old job, would you take that deal? After 14 years as Vestavia Hills schools superintendent, that's exactly what Dr. Jamie Blair is doing now. And that's raised some questions in this highly regarded school district. Some support the school board's decision, but others say it's just wrong. WBHM's education reporter Dan Carsen has much more.
Churches Could Be Key To Ending HIV Stigma In Rural Alabama
According to the Centers for Disease Control, African Americans account for 75 percent of Alabama's HIV cases, but only about 25 percent of the state's population. In many neighborhoods, HIV is a disease spoken about in whispers. People are scared to get tested, and scared to be seen going to a clinic. In order to combat stigma and increase awareness, doctors and academics are going to an unlikely place -- the church -- in an attempt to break down some barriers. Ashley Cleek traveled down to the Black Belt to see how it's going.
The Story of Sloss Quarters
A part of Birmingham's past is coming alive again. From the 1880's to the mid 1900's, Sloss Furnaces was an economic driver for the Magic City. It put Birmingham on the map as the place in the south for iron production. But those furnaces and boilers left over today don't tell the stories of the people who worked and lived there. That's about to change.
John Archibald: Open Season for Campaign Finance Abuse
Alabama has seen a number of high profile corruption trials in recent years, but one that won't be added to the list is that of Lowell Barron. The former Democratic State Senator and a staffer faced charges of misusing campaign funds. The attorney general's office though dropped the case last week after the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a lower court judge's ruling blocking certain evidence from being presented. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says that constitutes a slap in the face.
Javacia Harris Bowser: The “Hip Hop Genius” In The Classroom
It's that time of year -- students are headed back to the classroom for their fall semesters and teachers are getting ready to implement their lesson plans in the hopes of inspiring a new group of young minds. And while there are guidelines and rules teachers must follow when creating their curriculum, some teachers are look for ways to think outside the box to connect with their students. Our guest blogger Javacia Harris Bowser writes about this in her monthly post for WBHM. As an educator herself, she has some insights and inspiration for teachers.
Kyle Whitmire: Determining Lawmaker’s Salaries in 2015
State officials are working with a Birmingham law firm to try and determine the median household income in Alabama. The number could control the salaries of state lawmakers in the coming year because of a constitutional amendment approved by state voters in 2012.
A College For Inmates, And An Interview With Its President
The United States locks up people at a higher rate than anywhere else in the world. Some of the most overcrowded prisons are right here in Alabama. Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women is one of them. But some inmates there have access to a unique state-funded program that offers academics and "life skills" they'll need after release. The problem is, this J.F. Ingram State Technical College program, which could ease overcrowding, is struggling for funds. WBHM's Dan Carsen has the story and a full-length interview with J.F. Ingram's president.
John Archibald: Salary Disparities Between Teachers and Superintendents
It's good to be king, but as John Archibald says, it's super to be superintendent. The salaries earned by superintendent vs. teachers in Alabama is significant to say the least. We take a look at those numbers and what it means for Alabama educators. Plus, is it fair to compare present day Ferguson, Missouri to Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960's?
Holly Williams: Following the Family Tradition
She's the granddaughter of country music legend Hank Williams. Her dad, Hank junior, has sold millions of records. But Holly Williams isn't living in anyone's shadow. She's got her own sound and is making a name for herself. Greg Bass has this profile...
EarFlims: To Sleep To Dream
You know how people often say the book is better than the movie because you can create your own pictures? The same thing is true for audio. A new show with its American debut Tuesday at UAB's Alys Stephens Center puts that notion to the test. "To Sleep to Dream" is a production of the United Kingdom-based EarFilms. It's like a feature-length movie told only with sound.
INTERVIEW: Inmate And Horticulture Student Timothy Brown
Alabama's J.F. Ingram State may be the nation's only state-run two-year college exclusively for inmates. Its mission is to reduce recidivism by offering "three legs of the stool": academics, life skills, and vocational training. WBHM's Dan Carsen recently visited Ingram's Deatsville campus, where he met Timothy Brown, a 53-year-old convicted robber and burglar serving a life sentence but hoping for parole. Brown had walked over from the Frank Lee minimum-security facility next door. He'd been passing around organic cantaloupe and filling in for his horticulture teacher. Dan starts the interview by asking Brown if doing the latter makes him nervous.
Kyle Whitmire: Reaction To Representative Mo Brooks’s Remarks
This week Republican Representative Mo Brooks of Huntsville found himself in hot water after he made some controversial remarks about the Democratic Party. Brooks claimed that the Democratic Party is "wagging a war on whites" and politicians from both parties are taking issue with his comments.
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: How the Swampers Changed American Music
The Shoals area of Alabama is known for a long list of popular musicians who recorded there in the 1960s and 1970s. Artists including Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan cut tracks in this otherwise sleepy corner of the state. But a part of the region's musical success is thanks to four men nicknamed the Swampers. They're the subject of the new book "Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: How the Swampers Changed American Music" by Birmingham music writer Carla Jean Whitley
Javacia Harris Bowser: The Complexities of Colorism
The film Belle explores the story of a young mixed race woman who is the daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. She's raised in a white aristocratic family in 18th century England. The film, inspired by a true story, shows the challenges the main character grapples with as she comes to terms with her skin color. The story hit home for our guest blogger Javacia Harris Bowser, who explores the complexity of the term "colorism" in her latest blog post for WBHM.
Becky Anthony: Life With An Incarcerated Son
When a loved one is incarcerated, it can have a profound impact on their family members on the outside. These families are lifelines to the inmate. From sending money to traveling long distances to visit the inmates, it's work to provide that kind of financial and emotional care. We explore those challenges as part of WBHM's continued coverage of Alabama's prison system. WBHM's Sarah Delia has the story of one mother who has made countless sacrifices to keep her family afloat in order to support her incarcerated son.
Birmingham Hopes to Land 2016 Democratic National Convention
Birmingham is trying to land its biggest prize in years: The 2016 Democratic National Convention. Members from the Democratic National Committee began a two-day tour of the city on Monday. They're meeting with local promoters and scouting locations to see if Birmingham could support a convention the size of the DNC. In addition to Birmingham, the party is also considering Columbus, Ohio; New York, Philadelphia, and Phoenix.
Birmingham Gospel Singers Bring Old Spirituals to a New Generation
The Lee Family Singers have been singing gospel music in and around Birmingham for more than 40 years. Now six of their offspring have formed a new group, The Second Generation of the Lee Family Singers. Both groups are committed to introducing younger people to music that was created hundreds of years ago, music born out of suffering and hope -- the spirituals. For WBHM, Darlene Robinson Millender went to see the Lee Family Singers in action.
Interview: Nick Patterson, Author of “Birmingham Foot Soldiers: Voices from the Civil Rights Movement”
When we talk about the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, some big names spring to mind -- Martin Luther King Jr., the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. But thousands of everyday people also participated in the 1963 Birmingham campaign, often risking their safety -- and even their lives. Author Nick Patterson tells their stories in his new book 'Birmingham Foot Soldiers: Voices from the Civil Rights Movement.' Nick Patterson sat down with WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley to talk about why he wanted to write about Birmingham's lesser-known foot soldiers.
Female Inmates Can Face a Cycle of Abuse
While incarcerated women have characteristics that are similar to their male counterparts, a closer look reveals another story. Studies have shown that the majority of incarcerated women were victims of verbal, physical or sexual abuse before coming to prison. Les Lovoy reports how abuse in prison can re-traumatize women and the challenge for them to break the cycle of abuse, once they re-enter society.
Interview: Dr. Mark Wilson on Alabama’s Painkiller Prescription Problem
The number of deaths caused by drug overdoses has steadily increased over the past 20 years. And it's not just illegal drugs like cocaine or heroin. The abuse of prescription painkillers is a huge, and growing, problem. Painkiller overdoses are now the leading cause of injury death in America. The problem is more prevalent in the South, with Alabama leading the country for painkiller prescriptions. In 2012, there were 143 painkiller prescriptions for every 100 people in Alabama. WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley spoke with Dr. Mark Wilson, Health Officer at the Jefferson County Department of Health, about why there are so many more painkiller prescriptions in the South and what Alabama is doing to address the problem.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Commemorates 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act
Fifty years ago on July 2, Lyndon B Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. To commemorate this anniversary, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute hosted a panel discussion on how the Civil Rights Act continues to impact Americans.
Life After Prison: Victims Face Tough Road Too
All this week in our series Life After Prison we've been exploring the challenges inmates face rebuilding their lives after serving their sentences. It's part of a reporting project in partnership with AL.com and the Center for Investigative Reporting. But for every prisoner there's a victim and often victims face a tough road. WBHM's Andrew Yeager explores this through one crime victim's experience.
Life After Prison: Ex-Felons Often Struggle to Find a Job
Throughout the week, WBHM is reporting on the hurdles ex-felons face once they're released from prison. One of the primary challenges they face is finding stable employment. In addition to the external struggles ex-felons face when looking for work, many also grapple with internal ones, like drug addiction or mental health issues. But, issues aside, ex-offenders need a job to provide for their basic needs, in addition to money required to pay court expenses and restitution. The long path back to a normal life begins with whether or not an employer will give ex-offenders a chance. For WBHM News, Les Lovoy has more.
Hear Highlights from “Issues & Ales: Alabama’s Prison System”
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM hosted an "Issues & Ales" event concentrating on Alabama's Prison System on Tuesday, June 17 at WorkPlay. Listen for highlights from the event on WBHM at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 25. If you missed the event and the broadcast, listen here. This panel discussion focused on what Alabama residents want from the prison and criminal justice systems and how policy makers and communities can punish wrongdoing, rehabilitate offenders and, by extension, reduce crime in Alabama.
