Alabama
Alabama is Offering Free Genetic Testing. Here’s Why.
Scientists in Alabama want to capture a statewide genetic footprint. Free testing, they say, can help residents detect their risk for disease and bolster future genomic research.
Southern Poverty Law Center Dismisses Founder
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a Montgomery-based civil rights watch dog group, dismissed its founder Morris Dees, with little detail on what led to the ouster.
State’s Proposed Gas Tax Bill Places Fees on Electric, Hybrid Car Owners
State lawmakers went into special session today to consider a proposed gas tax increase to fund road and bridge construction. The bill would impact all motorists -- but some would pay significantly more than others.
Despite Restoration Efforts, Alabama Oysters Reach Historic Low
With Alabama oysters at a historic low, scientists involved in restoration efforts are finding that what has worked before is no longer working. Now, state biologists are trying something new.
U.S. Steel Revives Furnace Project in Fairfield
U.S. Steel Corporation will restart work on its electric arc furnace in Fairfield. The $215 million initiative will replace the former blast furnace at Fairfield Works.
UAB Police Chief Named President of National Accreditation Group
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA, has chosen UAB Police Chief Anthony Purcell to lead the national organization. The commission sets hundreds of standards for law enforcement agencies on everything from body cam usage to bias training.
Uniontown Hopes to Finally Fix its Sewage Problem
The city of Uniontown is set to receive more than $31 million in mostly federal money to address a decades-old sewage issue. But some say the problem should have already been fixed.
Alabama Licenses Midwives for the First Time in Decades
For the first time in more than 40 years, Alabama has licensed professional midwives. Last week, the newly formed Alabama State Board of Midwifery issued credentials to five women.
Experts: Alabama’s Mask Law is Outdated
For almost 70 years it's been illegal to wear a mask in public in Alabama, unless it's Halloween or Mardi Gras. Some activists and experts say the state's mask provision is unconstitutional.
State Attorney General Asks Supreme Court to Rule on Banning Abortion Procedure
Alabama’s attorney general Steve Marshall wants the US Supreme Court to weigh in on restricting a certain abortion procedure.
Fatal Hoover Police Shooting Prompts Race Debate
The fatal police shooting of a young black man at the Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover has sparked weeks of vigils, protests and racial unrest. For some it has re-opened old wounds in the Birmingham community, decades after the civil rights movement.
ACLU and NAACP Request Policies on Police Use of Force
The ACLU of Alabama and Alabama NAACP filed public records requests with the Hoover police department and several others across the state. The organizations are looking for information on racial bias training, use of force and body camera policies.
Birmingham Poet Gives Voice to Enslaved Women
Dr. James Marion Sims, the man known as the father of modern gynecology, spent years performing surgery on women who experienced complications tied to difficult childbirth. This was in the 19th century at his makeshift hospital in Mt. Meigs, just outside of Montgomery. Sims, who is white, performed this experimental surgery on black enslaved women – without anesthesia. Birmingham author Kwoya Fagin Maples recently published a collection of poems meant to give voice to these forgotten women.
Alabama Author Wants People to Take a “Fresh Look at Roadkill”
Why did the chicken cross the road? What about the armadillo? One Alabama writer says we have the answers. We just have to take a deeper look -- at roadkill. The author of a new children's book, Something Rotten, A Fresh Look at Roadkill, takes an up-close look at dead animals on the road. There's apparently a lot to learn from these flattened critters on the pavement.
A Top State Corruption Fighter Resigns. Now What?
He was a bulldog and an outspoken defender of ethics in state politics. As deputy attorney general, Matt Hart indicted several state and local leaders on corruption charges. Now Hart is out of a job. Attorney General Steve Marshall has already appointed Hart's replacement. What does this mean for the state's efforts to keep corrupt politicians in check?
Former AL Senator Jeff Sessions Resigns as Attorney General
The day after the 2018 midterms, Jeff Sessions has resigned as attorney general. In a letter to President Trump, Sessions told the president that he is stepping down “at your request.”
Alabama Key Results
Follow Alabama's 2018 Midterm Election results.
Birmingham Development Threatens Chimney Swift Habitat
Chimney swifts are a common sight in Birmingham. You might notice large numbers of them as they funnel into chimneys. Many people mistake them for bats. But as new development replaces old buildings and their chimneys, the chimney swift population is at risk. Birmingham Audubon is working to reverse the decline by constructing “swift towers” throughout the city.
Republican Circuit Clerk Candidate Staying in the Race
A Republican candidate for Jefferson County Circuit Clerk says he will remain in the race despite a recent court ruling against him in a church dispute over money.
Deaf Football Players Find Novel Ways to Communicate
On the football field, visual communication is key. That’s especially true for the Silent Warriors, a team of middle and high school students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. They compete against mainstream and deaf schools across the U.S., where having a unique language can be both an advantage and a challenge on the field.
Coal Coming Back in Some Alabama Communities
Coal mines are coming back in some parts of Alabama. Industry observers say easing of regulations and a steady demand for coal overseas means more mining jobs. That's welcome news in places like Brookwood in Tuscaloosa County, where coal is mined to produce steel.
Sessions Speaks in Hoover as Rosenstein News Erupts
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions drew sustained applause speaking at the Hyatt Regency in Hoover on Monday. Sessions’ remarks at a meeting of prosecutors and law enforcement came just as Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein was set to meet with White House officials, presumably about his future in the US Department of Justice.
NAACP Suspends Birmingham President Hezekiah Jackson
The national office of the NAACP has suspended the organization’s local Birmingham President Hezekiah Jackson IV. The NAACP issued a statement Wednesday evening saying it is investigating whether Jackson advised residents not to have their soil tested for potentially damaging toxins and if he received payment for those activities.
Marti Buckley: From Birmingham to Basque Country
When Marti Buckley was a student at LSU, she wanted to study abroad in Madrid. Instead, they placed her in San Sebastian - Spain's Basque Country. She fell in love with the oceans, the mountains and the food. She moved back to Birmingham, her hometown, in 2006 and gave birth to her daughter two years later. Buckley tells WBHM’s Janae Pierre how she landed in Basque Country after working for Southern Living Magazine and cooking under one of the south’s most revered chefs.
New App Aims to Make Game Day Parking Easier
It’s football season which means tailgates and then ... the game. But before fans even get to the stadium, they need to find parking, which can be dreadful. There have been several mobile apps developed around the country to help drivers find parking. WBHM’s Janae Pierre looks at one new mobile app here in Alabama meant to take some of the pain out of parking.
Promoting Humanities in a Math and Science World
Listen to Alabama politicians talk about education and you’ll hear about workforce development. They say schools should focus on math and science to help industry grow. There’s less emphasis on music or literature. That concerns John Parrish Peede. The Mississippi native became chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities earlier this year.
Teachers, School Funding Among New Schools Chief’s Priorities
Eric Mackey is Alabama’s new superintendent of education. Before this, he was a lobbyist for state school superintendents. Mackey says Alabama schools must address poverty, teachers, and school funding.
Birmingham City Council Approves $436 Million Budget
The $436 million budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 includes basic support for city services and a small cost of living adjustment for employees. But some funds and requests will be handled differently.
2018 Governor’s Race: Sue Bell Cobb
Sue Bell Cobb was the first woman to be elected Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Now the Evergreen native has her sights set on the governor’s office. Her conversation with WBHM’s Dan Carsen starts with a horrific event from Cobb’s days as a county judge when a man who’d appeared in her court firebombed her house.
Feds Announce Dozens of Violent Crime and Illegal Weapons Charges
Federal and local law enforcement announced indictments today for 71 people accused of violent crime and illegal weapons and drug possession in Birmingham and north Alabama.
DA Candidate Fights To Include His Name on Countywide Ballot
Bill Veitch, a candidate for the Republican nomination for Jefferson County District Attorney, has appealed to the state Supreme Court to have his name placed on the ballot in both county jurisdictions.
Jefferson County Unveils New Mural Showing Diversity
A new mural unveiled at the Jefferson County courthouse Tuesday depicts a diversity community. It's an answer to two murals from the 1930s which show slaves picking cotton and shirtless industrial laborers.
