Alabama
Alabama and the Oil Spill: Marketing Seafood
It's been almost a year since millions of barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. If you're still a little leery about eating seafood from the gulf, you're not alone. One study found about 70% of consumers nationwide are concerned about seafood safety. Almost a quarter have reduced how much they eat. Alabama's seafood industry says the catch has been tested and is safe. But as WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports getting that message out isn't easy.
Alabama’s Immigration Bill
The Alabama House is set to take up bill today aimed at curbing illegal immigration. It's patterned after a similar law passed last year in Arizona and would punish individuals in Alabama without documentation for trespassing. That could mean jail, fines or being turned over to federal immigration authorities. WBHM's Andrew Yeager talks to some in the business community who are worried about what an Arizona-style law might mean for Alabama.
A New Leader for Birmingham Southern College
Birmingham Southern College has new leadership today. General Charles Krulak will become the new president of the school, taking the reigns officially on June first. He's a retired U.S. Marine Commandant and former member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Krulak has also worked in banking in the U.S. and Europe. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke with Krulak.
Stuff: One Man’s Stuff
All this week we've been looking at stuff by examining some of the things we keep and the stories contained in them. Of course many of us have no shortage of possessions. We store things in basements or attics. Even rent storage units because we've run out of room. But what if all you had was what you could carry around yourself? What would you keep? WBHM's Andrew Yeager continues our series "Stuff" with a look at the things one Birmingham homeless man hangs onto.
John Archibald
Our weekly segment features The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald, discussing the city politic (and county and state politic too). Instead of being unplugged as he is in the newspaper, we offer him a bullhorn. Sort of.
On the Line: Election 2010
Next Tuesday, Alabamians head to the polls for this year's mid-term elections. Voters will select a new governor among other state offices. Control of the Alabama legislature and Capitol Hill are up for grabs. WBHM wants to hear your thoughts on the candidates and issues during our special call in program, On The Line: Election 2010.
Election 2010: Governor’s Race and Gambling
Next week, Alabamians head to the polls for this year's mid-term elections. Voters will select congressmen, state legislators, and a new governor. This morning on WBHM, we kick off Election 2010 - a week long look at some of the key races and issues on the ballot.
Blueprint Birmingham
WBHM continues a series of conversations reacting to Blueprint Birmingham. That's the regional economic development plan announced last week by the Birmingham Business Alliance. It offers a five-year framework for addressing issues from leadership to education to economic growth.
Jefferson County Attorney’s Pay
Across the country, city and county governments are laying off employees in droves to deal with budget deficits. Jefferson County is no exception, so it may come as a surprise that the county's legal team appears to be among the highest paid local government attorneys in the country.
Railroad Park Opens
New York has Central Park. There's Grant Park in Chicago. Atlanta has Centennial Olympic Park as well. They're parks sitting right in the middle of an urban landscape. And on Saturday Birmingham will have Railroad Park. The idea of a downtown park in Birmingham goes back decades. It took more than 10 years to build Railroad Park, which lays along the railroad tracks between UAB and downtown Birmingham. As officials open it tomorrow, they're hoping Birmingham's new "backyard" will bring not just people, but business too. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
Price of Poverty: Buy-a-Meter
When you brushed your teeth this morning or took a shower, did water come out of the faucet? You probably didn't give it a second thought. For some though, even here in Alabama, water is far from a guarantee. As we continue our series The Price of Poverty, WBHM's Andrew Yeager takes us to Hale County in the black belt, a place where seeing to it that everybody has clean, reliable water has been a bit like swimming upstream.
Occupational Tax Settlement
Jefferson County commissioners approved a settlement today in the long running dispute over the county's occupational tax. Lawyers for workers in Jefferson County had successfully challenged the legality of the tax, prompting court ordered refunds. Under the plan, the county would get about $20 million in exchange for giving up the right to impose a new, retroactive tax. Employed Jefferson County residents would split nearly $31 million with lawyers who challenged the tax. The lawyers have requested a 35% fee. Alabama State Bar President-elect James Pratt mediated the settlement approved today. Pratt says he will now issue a report to the judge.
Robert Bentley
Bradley Byrne and Robert Bentley have just a few days left to convince voters they should be the Republican nominee for Alabama governor. Tuesday is the runoff election. It's been a hot contest at a time when Alabama's weak economy underlies virtually every issue. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke with State Representative Robert Bentley who says legislation he authored in the last legislative session is helping put some Alabamians back to work.
Hotel Tax Dispute
More travelers will hit the roads this holiday weekend. AAA expects fourth of July travel across the south to rise about 11% over last year. Many of those tourists will book hotel rooms. And that means hotel lodging taxes for local cities. But Birmingham doesn't think it's getting all it's due from online travel sites. So it's suing. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
On the Line: Ask the Mayor
The city of Birmingham faces a major financial crunch with salaries and services likely taking cuts. Its mass transportation system remains unreliable. Big ticket projects have been put on the back burner. A difficult environment for Birmingham Mayor William Bell. Friday (6/18) WBHM's Bradley George talks to William Bell as we discuss these and other issues during On The Line: Ask the Mayor.
US 280: Tolling
All this week we've been exploring the debate around a plan to stem congestion on U.S. 280 in Jefferson and Shelby Counties. The proposal from the Alabama Department of Transportation would add elevated lanes to a portion of the route. It would also add tolls to four lanes. But how effective would tolling be? WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke with Richard Arnott, an urban economist at the University of California, Riverside. Arnott says tolls are one strategy cities use to control congestion. But toll roads are less common within a metropolitan area.
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.
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.
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.
Childhood Obesity Grant
Jefferson County is now one of 41 communities across the country to receive the Healthy Kids, Healthy Community grant to combat childhood obesity. The grant, awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provides $360,000 over four years to address key factors that contribute to childhood obesity. WBHM's Jason Moon talks with Drew Langloh, President and CEO of United Way of Central Alabama, about what this grant means for Jefferson County.
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.
John Archibald
Our weekly segment features The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald, discussing the city politic (and county and state politic too). Instead of being unplugged as he is in the newspaper, we offer him a bullhorn. Sort of.
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.
Swine Flu Update
Swine flu vaccines are being distributed to states with about 100,000 doses expected in Alabama over the next two weeks. But that's far short of the 1.2 million doses Dr. Jim McVay says healthcare providers in the state have ordered. McVay is with the Alabama Department of Public Health. He tells WBHM's Andrew Yeager, they will fill those orders as additional H1N1 vaccine becomes available. Meanwhile, specific groups will receive the doses.
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.
On The Line: Gay/Straight in Alabama
Today, June 26, WBHM is hosting 'On The Line: Gay/Straight in Alabama' from 12PM - 1PM. We invite you to call, e-mail, or tweet your thoughts on the topics affecting gay and lesbian life in Alabama.
Gay/Straight in Alabama: Domestic Partner Benefits
It's been a whirlwind spring for advocates of same sex marriage. Four states -- Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire -- recognized such marriages. That flurry of activity is drawing attention to the concerns of gays and lesbians. But that conversation seems largely absent in Alabama. WBHM kicks off a weeklong look at some of those issues in a series called "Gay/Straight in Alabama." We begin with the workplace. Diversity statements or equal opportunity policies are not unusual, but for some gays and lesbians those words are not enough. WBHM's Andrew Yeager has this look at domestic partner benefits in Alabama.
Occupational Tax: An Overview
Jefferson County department heads have until June 1st to come up with a plan to cut their budgets by 33%. This comes on top of 10% they cut last month. The belt-tightening is all because of the occupational tax. And if that makes your eyes glaze over, you're not alone. The occupational tax and its legal limbo is complicated. We thought we'd break it down for you. We've got three reports -- the first, from WBHM's Tanya Ott.
US Steel: Fairfield Fallout
German steel giant ThyssenKrupp announced Tuesday it may delay opening its massive steel plant under construction near Mobile. The $4.5 billion plant is currently scheduled to open for next spring. But ThyssenKrupp says its hemorrhaging money - more than one billion dollars this year - so the plant may have to wait. This comes after U.S. Steel announced it would indefinitely idle steelmaking operations at its plant in Fairfield, putting 1,700 jobs in limbo. WBHM's Andrew Yeager attended a town hall meeting Tuesday and spoke to a number of workers who are anxious and confused, but optimism as well.
Swine Flu and Alabama
Government health officials report 40 people in the United States are now infected with swine flu. While none of those cases are in Alabama, State Health Officer Don Williamson says it's only a matter of time before there is a case here. In fact, Trussville City Schools leaders are talking with federal officials after some band students took a weekend trip to Mexico, where more than 100 people have died due to swine flu. So far, there are no reports of flu symptoms among the group. Don Williamson is monitoring the situation and spoke with WBHM's Andrew Yeager.
Anniston Update
Every month we'll hear from the staff of The Anniston Star about an issue of importance to the community around Anniston and Calhoun County. Join WBHM's Andrew Yeager for these engaging conversations.
Anniston Update
Every month we'll hear from the staff of The Anniston Star about an issue of importance to the community around Anniston and Calhoun County. Join WBHM's Andrew Yeager for these engaging conversations.
