Alabama
Tornado Slams Small Alabama Town
The National Weather Service estimates about 58 tornados hit the South last night, and more severe weather is on the way. Up to 18 of the tornados were in Central Alabama, where they damaged buildings and knocked down trees and power lines. A tornado with wind speeds of up to 100 miles per hour hit Kimberly, a town of less than 3,000 people. Two of its most important buildings were damaged -- one almost completely obliterated. WBHM's Dan Carsen went there to assess the damage and hear about how residents were coping. Carsen took pictures and speaks with WBHM News Director Rachel Osier Lindley.
Kyle Whitmire: 2014 Session Review
The 2014 session has come to a close. For an election year, there was plenty of action and drama at the statehouse. We take a look back at the highs and lows as well as the possibility of a special session with Kyle Whitmire of AL.com and the Birmingham News.
Kyle Whitmire: The Bottom Line With Common Core
This week former Alabama Governor Bob Riley publicly announced his support for Common Core standards. We take a look at his opinions and thoughts with Kyle Whitmire of Al.com and the Birmingham News.
Sustainability: The Problem with Alabama’s Water Management
Compared to most states, water is plentiful in Alabama. In fact, you can see the many rivers that cross Alabama right on the state seal. But there are some who say Alabama is doing a poor job of managing this resource. As WBHM's Andrew Yeager continues our series on sustainability, that track record could catch up with us with as development, drought, and other pressures increase.
Kyle Whitmire: The Future of Common Core
The Senate Education Committee voted 4-2 Wednesday to allow local school systems to opt out of the Common Core curriculum standards, but the legislation still faces a bleak future. Senate President Del Marsh said he did not think the bill had the support to get through an inevitable filibuster on the Senate floor.
Vets say Ft. McClellan Made them Sick
Life in the military can mean being in harm's way, but not necessarily from bullets and explosions. For instance, some soldiers in Vietnam cleared trees and vegetation with the herbicide Agent Orange. The substance has been linked to cancers and other diseases, which the military didn't acknowledge until years later. A similar situation may be brewing in Alabama. Some veterans of Ft. McClellan near Anniston say they're suffering from debilitating health problems and they're blaming their time spent at the base.
Kyle Whitmire: Abortion Legislation Moves Forward
It got a little tense at the statehouse last night when the topic of abortion legislation was discussed. This week the Alabama House passed a bill to ban most abortions in the state and make legal abortions difficult if not impossible. One representative brought up the issue of race and how he thinks it plays a role in a woman's choice to abort a pregnancy.
INTERVIEW: AdvancED CEO Mark Elgart
AdvancED is a private accrediting firm working with more than thirty thousand schools worldwide. A team from its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools division arrives in Birmingham today. They're checking whether Birmingham City Schools are fixing problems that led the agency to put the system on accreditation probation last summer. It got WBHM's education reporter Dan Carsen thinking about what these firms actually do, and whether they have as much power as it seems. He caught up with AdvancED president Mark Elgart and asked him how his agencies decide which districts get accredited ... and which don't.
Kyle Whitmire: Bresette Family Lawsuit Update
Monumental Contracting, one of several contractors involved with a flight information display board that collapsed on 10 year old Luke Bresette at the Birmingham airport last year, has been cleared of responsibility. Kyle Whitmire with AL.com and the Birmingham News joins us for an update.
John Archibald: The View from Wilcox County
There are portions of Birmingham with significant poverty. But that pales in comparison with what some residents of Wilcox County experience -- arguably the poorest place in Alabama. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald traveled there recently and shares his thoughts.
Law Enforcement Cautions Drivers Recovering Abandoned Cars
Many roadways around Birmingham are flowing with traffic now that temperatures have risen above freezing which is melting much of the snow left by Tuesday's storm. The warmer weather means drivers who had to abandon their vehicles in the chaos are now retrieving them. But law enforcement officials are still warning motorist to be careful.
Slow Progress In Road Clearing
ALDOT is working to clear vehicles from roadways once the thaw begins, today.
Coping with the Snow
Roads across the Birmingham area remain slick a day after snow blanketed a wide swath of Alabama. At least five people have died in weather related accidents. Some parents are still trying to get to children sheltering in schools. With many cities and businesses essentially shut down, WBHM's Andrew Yeager has a look at what people are doing to cope in one eastside Birmingham neighborhood.
Kyle Whitmire: Alabama’s Open Meetings Act
Governor Robert Bentley has introduced a bill that would make serial meetings among public officials illegal. Bentley also wants to close other various loopholes in Alabama's Open Meetings Act. These changes would not only impact Alabama lawmakers at the statehouse but also Jefferson County Commissioners. Kyle Whitmire with AL.com and the Birmingham News joins us.
Kyle Whitmire: What Was Missing From The SOTS?
On Tuesday night, Governor Robert Bentley used his State of the State address to talk about jobs, Medicaid, and raises for state employees. But there were several issues the Governor didn't mention at all. Kyle Whitmire of Al.com and the Birmingham News discusses what was left out of the address.
Shaheed and DJ Supreme
Rapper Shaheed and his producer DJ Supreme have been a mainstay of the Birmingham hip-hop scene for more than 10 years. But they aren't your typical southern hip-hop artists. As Muslims and fans of traditional rap, the duo aims to create socially conscious music with old school beats. Their latest release is called "Knowledge, Rhythm, and Understanding" and they perform Saturday at the Bottletree Cafe.
INTERVIEW: Alabama Teacher Of The Year Alison Grizzle
Alison Grizzle isn't your typical teacher, or even your typical Alabama Teacher of the Year. The Birmingham City Schools math instructor is known for being very outspoken, even on third-rail issues like the Common Core and standardized testing. We thought we'd share her thoughts on those issues and more as students and staff return to school routines. WBHM's Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen recently caught up with Grizzle at an education conference where she was giving talks. But it turns out this award-winning teacher almost didn't become a teacher at all...
Kyle Whitmire: Jefferson County Spending
Jefferson County spent millions of dollars in legal costs during Chapter 9 bankruptcy including more than $300,000 in fees for public relations. Some commissioners said they didn't learn about the spending until this week. Plus, the future of Birmingham based law firm Haskell, Slaughter & Young remains uncertain. Kyle Whitmire from AL.com and the Birmingham News discusses these issues and more.
A Closer Look at Alabama’s New Diploma
In 2013, State Superintendent Tommy Bice introduced several new programs to Alabama's schools as part of his 2020 Plan. One important part of the plan is the new Alabama High School diploma, which will impact this year's freshmen class. While some school officials are excited about the new diploma, others have concerns.
Kyle Whitmire: Jefferson County New Year’s Resolutions
If Jefferson County officials were to sit down and write three new year's resolutions,what would they be? Kyle Whitmire with Al.com and the Birmingham News joins us as we look at the county's future in 2014.
Birmingham Schools: Takeover To Today, Part 3
The Alabama State Department of Education's intervention team has left Birmingham City Schools. ALSDE staff are approving local board agendas and monitoring finances from Montgomery. A year and a half after the state first took the reins, the local board is quietly going about its business. As 2014 approaches, there's a new optimism from the Superintendent's office down to the trenches. But is it realistic? In this third and final installment, WBHM's Dan Carsen reports on the reality on the ground, and on where informed stakeholders think it's all headed.
Birmingham Schools: Takeover To Today, Part 2
In any big institution, good things are usually happening even when problems get the attention. This week WBHM is airing a three-part "status update" on Birmingham City Schools, from the state takeover to today. Yesterday, Part One explored some reasons why the state intervened and the district could lose accreditation. Today in Part Two, our Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen talks with teachers, parents, and students to get a different view -- a view from the ground level.
Birmingham Schools: Takeover To Today, Part 1
The state education department's intervention team is now monitoring Birmingham City Schools from afar, a year and a half after it first took control of the school system. The district had been facing major challenges, including a board so dysfunctional it made national news. But that's only part of the picture. In this first of a three-part series, WBHM's Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen delves into the complex and often painful situation leading to state intervention.
Kyle Whitmire: Hoover School Bus Services Will Continue
On Monday members of the Hoover board of education agreed to overturn an earlier vote to stop offering bus services next school year. The vote came after months of complaints and protests by parents. Kyle Whitmire with Al.com and the Birmingham News discusses how this decision will impact students, families, and schools in the Hoover system.
Kyle Whitmire: The Reality of Exiting Bankruptcy
If things go according to plan, Jefferson County will exit municipal bankruptcy on December 3. However, many of its financial problems remain. Kyle Whitmire with Al.com and the Birmingham News joins us to discuss four things that will come out of exiting bankruptcy and four things that won't change.
School Weather Closings
A handful of schools around north central Alabama are closed Wednesday due to the threat of icy weather. They include Hoover City Schools and Blount County Schools.
Judge Approves Jefferson County’s Plan to Exit Bankruptcy
Federal bankruptcy judge Thomas Bennett has confirmed Jefferson County's bankruptcy plan, paving the way for the county to exit its $4.2 billion bankruptcy in December. Most of that debt was linked to corruption, mismanagement and bad deals around the county sewer system. Thursday's ruling ends two years under municipal bankruptcy, the second largest in U.S. history after Detroit's filing earlier this year. County leaders say the confirmation allows Jefferson County move past its fiscal turmoil.
Kyle Whitmire: Maxine Parker’s Legacy
City Council President Maxine Parker died at the age of 69 on Tuesday. We'll take a look at Parker's legacy as well as what's next for the council. Plus, JeffCo gets another bad review from a major rating agency regarding the county's sewer debt. Kyle Whitmire from Al.com and the Birmingham News joins us to discuss.
Healing Body and Soul in Alabama’s Black Belt
While Birmingham is a city with large hospitals and many medical professionals, there are relatively few physicians in Alabama's Black Belt. It's an impoverished region already facing high rates of obesity, diabetes and cancer deaths. One doctor has made it her mission to provide medical care to residents of Pine Apple, a town of just 130 people in Wilcox County. She also happens to be a Roman Catholic nun.
Kyle Whitmire: The Pitfalls of Exiting Bankruptcy
There are still many hurdles Jefferson County must overcome before exiting bankruptcy. Kyle Whitmire with Al.com and the Birmingham News stops by to discuss worst case scenarios.
Alabama Immigration Law Settlement
Civil and immigration rights groups in Alabama are cheering after the state agreed Tuesday to settle three lawsuits challenging HB 56, the state's controversial illegal immigration law. The move caps two years of legal battles and comes after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Alabama's appeal to restore parts of the law.
Kyle Whitmire: JeffCo Commission Meeting
On Thursday the Jefferson County Commission will be holding a meeting regarding the major sewer creditor groups and the county's bankruptcy exit plans. Kyle Whitmire with Al.com and the Birmingham News joins us to discuss the possibilities of that meeting.
