Search Results for King
The Inauguration and the Magic City
While the eyes of the country turned to Washington D.C. today, the inauguration of Barack Obama is tempered with deep significance for many here in Birmingham. The city which saw the brutality of civil rights - fire hoses, police dogs, even bombings - can now witness the United States' first black president. Thousands marked the occasion today in a city-backed celebration at Boutwell Auditorium. WBHM's Andrew Yeager takes us there.
Considering Faith: Prayer in School
Public schools are expected to be neutral when it comes to all matters religious. In reality, however, there's plenty of preaching going on. But the real surprise is this: chances are the people talking to your children most about God in school are other kids. Gigi Douban takes a look at a school club with a heavy evangelical streak.
Considering Faith: Emuna
Religion has inspired art in the western world for centuries. Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' or Michelangelo's 'David' are just two examples. In Birmingham, one group of artists is also drawing on religion, but not so much for inspiration - rather as a platform for discussion. WBHM's Andrew Yeager introduces us to Emuna
Considering Faith: Religion in the Workplace
In the past, there was a complete separation of religion or spirituality and the workplace . Business owners, managers and employees kept their beliefs to themselves. Increasingly, though, Today, however companies from carpet layers to pediatricians are promoting or marketing themselves as 'religious' or 'Christian' places of business. In the latest installment of our series 'Considering Faith', reporter Les Lovoy considers reports on how this growing trend may effecthelp or hurt the fortunes uture of these companies., and how some businesses may be exposing themselves to a new wave of religion-based discrimination law suits.
Considering Faith: Pulpit Politics
One principle which has shaped American democracy is the separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson used the phrase a "wall of separation" and through the years courts and legislatures have shaped what that wall looks like. Now one group has made a specific challenge to that boundary, saying the federal government is preventing pastors from speaking their minds on politics. One part of that battle is in an Alabama church as we hear in the first installment of our series Considering Faith. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports
Election Day Tips
It almost seems like it would never come. We're finally just a day away from the 2008 election. Record turnout and long lines are expected in Alabama. So before you go to cast your ballot, WBHM's Andrew Yeager has a few things to keep in mind for the occasion.
2008 Constitutional Amendments
When voters go to the polls tomorrow, they'll get to choose who will be in the White House for the next four years, as well as congressional, local government and judicial seats. In Alabama, there are also a number of constitutional amendments to consider. We have an overview from WBHM's Andrew Yeager and Tanya Ott.
Electing Judges?
Alabama has a history of expensive and nasty races for the state supreme court. This election cycle has done nothing to change that reputation. But Alabamians will select other judges on this year's ballot too, leaving some to wonder if these men and women personifying fairness and impartiality should even be elected. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Jefferson County Bankruptcy Update
Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy became part of federal law in 1934, during the Great Depression, when towns and cities nationwide faced massive drops in tax revenues. Since then, there've been less than 500 municipal filings. But that number may tick up during the current economic crisis. Vallejo, California, has already filed for bankruptcy protection and Jefferson County, Alabama, is on the brink of filing the largest municipal bankruptcy in U-S history. WBHM's Tanya Ott has an update.
Congressional District 3
Alabama congressmen don't normally have to spend much money on television advertising when they're running against an underdog, but that's not the case this year in the 3rd Congressional district. Republican incumbent Mike Rogers is waging an aggressive campaign against democratic challenger Joshua Segall and, as WBHM's Tanya Ott reports, the negative campaigning may continue right up until election day.
HealthSouth CEO Advises on Tough Economy
There's been a lot of bad economic news lately, with turmoil in the banking and housing sectors and wild fluctuations on Wall Street. HealthSouth President and CEO Jay Grinney says his company's "near death experience" holds lessons for other businesses in the current economy.
Alabama Economy: Big Family
The current financial crisis is fueling chronic stress and limiting some people's ability to think clearly and control their emotions. But for one Trussville family with 16 kids, a little humor help keeps things in perspective.
Alabama Economy: Homeless
A sputtering economy, skyrocketing food and gas prices and the mortgage mess are forcing more Alabama families from their homes. More than 800 houses in Alabama are in some state of foreclosure. That's a big jump from last year. Most displaced homeowners find somewhere else to live, but some end up homeless. And as Les Lovoy reports, Birmingham's homeless shelters are struggling to keep up with demand.
Alabama Economy: Downtown Housing
Real estate isn't what it used to be. Home values are dropping. Mortgages are harder to get. And more people are foreclosing. The massive slowdown has hit all sectors of the economy and all places of American life. One area that had been on an upswing is downtown Birmingham, which once boasted a booming condo and loft business. Today, it's getting harder to sell those units, as WBHM's Steve Chiotakis reports as part of our series The Alabama Economy.
Alabama Economy: Regions Bank
This September is a month economists will remember like it or not. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual, Wachovia - it seems financial giant after giant just kept falling. Then yesterday, Birmingham-based Regions' stock plunged more than 40%. So what does this mean for our corner of the banking system? As we continue our series on the Alabama Economy, WBHM's Andrew Yeager looks at how Regions Bank is weathering the storm.
Vipassana Behind Bars
Just outside of Birmingham lies what's arguably Alabama's toughest prison. The maximum security Donaldson Correctional Facility holds death row inmates, murderers, rapists...the worst of the worst some might say. But in the midst of this environment, and in the Bible belt of Dixie, some inmates are practicing an incredibly intense eastern meditation from the Buddhist tradition. And it's winning fans from prisoners and prison officials alike. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Minority Science Brain Drain
To advance in the science-related fields of higher education takes a love of research and a commitment to academic excellence. The work is complicated, yet rewarding. But a large demographic is missing from the classroom and lab. Many African-American women who've chosen those science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields - STEM programs -- are not following all the way through to graduate school and beyond. And that's produced an educational catch-22, as WBHM's Steve Chiotakis reports.
The XO goes to School
As children at Glen Iris Elementary School in Birmingham head back to school Monday, their backpacks will most likely contain notebooks, pencils and...small laptops. The Glen Iris students are part of a pilot program for the new XO Laptops. Mayor Larry Langford plans on bringing them to other Birmingham city schools this coming year as part of the first large-scale XO Laptop program in America. Despite criticisms these computers are a waste of money and merely toys, the little machines are getting a positive response from educators. WBHM's Katie Turpen reports.
Sewer Split
When it comes to Jefferson County's sewer debt crisis, there's a well-documented split among county commissioners. They've clashed over how to solve the problem, and now they're divided over how to even gather public input about it. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Eating Alabama
Food experts across the country are sounding a warning knell that US food systems are dangerously out of whack. They say the current system has undermined local food economies, making it harder for many Americans to get fresh foods. But some local residents are bucking that trend, as Haden Holmes Brown reports.
Wilcox County’s Pain at the Pump
We're all feeling the pinch from gas hovering around $4 a gallon these days, but in Alabama's poorest counties the situation is getting dire. The latest nationwide Pain at the Pump Index' finds that just south of Selma, in Wilcox County, residents are spending nearly 16% of their monthly income on fuel. That's the highest percent in the country. We sent WBHM's Tanya Ott down to find out why.
Larry Langford Profile
Birmingham mayor Larry Langford is a man on fire and under fire. In his first eight months in office, Langford has proposed nearly $1 billion in new projects including a bid for the 2020 Olympics. But his ability to get some of the projects done is being tested by federal investigations into alleged misdeeds and the mayor's own management style. WBHM's Tanya Ott reports.
Realty Check
Playing the numbers game is common when buying or selling a home - but there's one number that can't be avoided when looking at the real estate market.
Career Colleges
Twenty-five years ago, if someone wanted to continue their education after high school, but weren't inclined to attend a conventional college, they might enroll in a trade school. They'd learn shorthand, typing skills, or how to repair car engines and heating and air conditioners. Critics sometimes viewed trade schools as shady storefront 'diploma mills' handing out meaningless certificates along with an inferior education. But, over time, trade schools have morphed into career colleges, and as Les Lovoy reports they've gained a measure of respect .
Stopping Spam
Believe it or not, those unsolicited e-mail messages called spam turn 30 this year. That first e-mail sent over a government computer network opened a floodgate, with spam now accounting for 85% of all e-mail traffic by some estimates. It's annoying, sure; but there are real costs. Which is why researchers at UAB are developing a new tool...a tool they say will help stop spam at the source. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Strong Girls
Boot camp might work for some juvenile delinquents, but most troubled girls need a lot less shouting and a lot more talking. One alternative is Strong Girls, Alabama's only arts program aimed at female juvenile offenders. Gigi Douban reports.
Chief Roper: The Interview
He's been on the job for eight months, has initiated a zero-tolerance arrest effort to chip away at a culture of lawlessness on the streets, and says his faith tells him to fight the evildoers. The mountain is a steep one, but Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper tells WBHM's Steve Chiotakis the department is marking inroads.
Air Quality: Portland
This week we've been talking about Birmingham's air quality: why it's bad on some days and the effect of particle pollutants on your health. We've looked at possible solutions, including 'smart traffic lights' and vehicle emissions testing. Today, we turn our focus to Portland, Oregon, which might seem like a strange choice. But a decade ago that city faced air quality problems like Birmingham's. Reporter Barbara Bernstein explains how Portland turned things around and what new challenges it faces.
Air Quality: On The Line
Birmingham's air quality has improved significantly over the last century. But you wouldn't know it. The area still has problems with smog and other particulate matter, exceeding federal standards. On the next On The Line, Monday June 23 at 6:30 p.m., our guests take your comments and questions about Air Pollution and how to clean up Birmingham.
Air Quality: Emissions
The average price of regular unleaded gas in Alabama is $3.94 a gallon, and that has many people thinking about alternatives. The Birmingham Regional Planning Commission says hundreds of people have signed up for their carpool program, and some businesses are moving to four-day workweeks. All of this could have an impact on the environment. In today's installment in our Air Quality series, reporter Gigi Douban examines vehicle emissions testing in Alabama.
Air Quality: Traffic
When people and businesses think about moving to a city they consider all kinds of things, including air quality and traffic. The two are linked, afterall. More time spent idling at traffic lights means more CO2 emissions. More air pollution. WBHM's Tanya Ott takes us on a road trip.
Air Quality: Health
Nearly half of Americans breathe air which falls short of the federal government’s standards for acceptable air quality. But what does polluted air mean for our health? Continuing our weeklong […]
