Alabama
Bills Could Make it Harder for Gay Couples to Adopt
The pending bills currently before the Alabama Legislature would give faith-based adoption agencies the right to turn away couples they believe conflict with their religious beliefs.
TEDx Birmingham 2017: Possibility
This year's theme was “Possibility”. Each speaker challenged the status quo and looked for better ways to impact Birmingham and the world. Program Director Michael Krall attended and spoke about his experience with Andrew Yeager.
Potential Cuts to EPA Funding Threaten Alabama’s Natural Resources
President Donald Trump’s proposed budget calls for huge cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Trump administration wants to reduce EPA funding from about $8 billion to about $5 billion. The budget would also slash the agency’s workforce by about 20 percent.
Suspected Bird Flu Poses No Risk to Food Supply, Officials Say
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Department issued a stop movement order on select poultry after three suspected cases of bird flu were discovered recently.
Jefferson County School Leaders Relieved After School Taxes Renewed
Education officials in Jefferson County are breathing a sigh of relief after voters approved the renewal of a property tax Tuesday that will provide about $100 million dollars for the county’s 12 public education systems.
Talladega College President Addressing Republican Leaders At HBCU Meeting
Hawkins has returned to D.C. this week to talk about improving funding for black colleges, an issue he discussed following his January trip.
Life After Hate: Leaving the White Supremacist Movement
Angela King was a neo-Nazi in her home state of Florida for eight years. After the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, King started to question how far she was willing to go for her white supremacist beliefs. She tried to leave the group, but failed.
Al Sharpton Challenges Adults To Support Wenonah Students
“You are not responsible for how you was born or who your parents were,” he said, “but you are responsible for what you do with the rest of your life," Rev. Al Sharpton.
Congressman Gary Palmer Holds Town Hall Despite Recent Protests
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer fielded questions from constituents at a town hall in Hoover Saturday. Palmer’s visit follows a slew of contentious public meetings involving members of Congress and their constituents. Residents flooded the entrance to Hoover City Hall waiting to meet with Palmer. Some members of Congress are refusing to hold town halls after […]
Birmingham Immigrant Communities on Edge Following Crackdown
Raids in search of undocumented immigrants have yet to take place in Alabama, but many immigrant communities in the state fear it’s only a matter of time.
Pro-Life, Higher Ed Bills Gain Traction Days Into The Legislative Session
Funding cuts for public colleges and universities that don’t follow federal and state immigration law, and an amendment declaring Alabama a pro-life state were among the issues quickly making their way through the Alabama legislature this week. It mirrors a trend we’re seeing in other states where Republican lawmakers are acting quickly to approve legislation that […]
Rise in Anti-Minority Violence Appears Tied to Current Political Climate
There’s been a dramatic rise in hate-related crimes and anti-minority violence in the last year. The Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham was evacuated on Jan. 9 following a bomb threat. That incident turned out to be one of dozens of bomb threats at Jewish community centers around the country that day. Groups that track […]
Alabama GOP Leader on Trump, Protests and More
There's been no shortage of controversy about President Donald Trump's first days in office, but the Republican grass roots of Alabama generally support what he's done so far. So we checked in with state Republican party chair Terry Lathan to get her perspective.
Noise Music and Birmingham’s Growing Local Music Scene
When it comes to live, local music, Birmingham is still in it's infancy. From The Spring Street Firehouse, Saturn and WorkPlay have emerged as creative spaces where the city's many talented, local artists can perform and make a name for themselves.
Attorney General: Alabama Death Penalty Law “Constitutional”
The U.S. Supreme Court is refusing to hear arguments in a case involving Alabama’s death penalty sentencing scheme.
Birmingham Women’s March Draws Massive Crowd
Weather forecasters warned of severe thunderstorms and the possibility of tornadoes, but even that wasn’t enough to keep hundreds from gathering at Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham for the Women’s March.
Birmingham: A Community that Speaks for the Trees
As you travel around Birmingham, you might notice signs that billing it as “Tree City USA.” The city was given the designation because of its sprawling urban forest. The term urban forest refers to the tree-top landscape seen in some major cities, especially ones in the South. However, the issue is how to balance the vitality and existence of Birmingham’s trees with the city’s planned renaissance and expansion.
Achievement, Graduation Rates Top State Superintendent’s Agenda
"There are certain schools, there are certain programs in this state that are as good as you’re going to find in the United States of America. We don’t have enough of them." Michael Sentance.
US Attorney General Lynch Gives Final Speech in Birmingham
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke to a packed congregation at the 16th St. Baptist Church yesterday to commemorate Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Lynch says the city’s past and King’s work have made Birmingham a beacon for civil rights in the United States.
Magical Things Happen Here….
Musician Kevin Kozak of Homewood…
The Power of Music…
Dementia Care Coordinator Pam Leonard of Alabaster…
How Do National Championship Foes Alabama and Clemson Really Compare?
Most analysts compare defensive lines, secondaries, quarterbacks and ground games. But the Southern Education Desk decided to look at other facts about these two southern universities.
U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions and a Look at Civil Rights
Jeff Sessions’ civil rights track record is on trial and is likely to remain a topic of conversation until his confirmation hearing. Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper Weld discusses a little about how civil rights actually work.
Talladega College President Undecided On Band’s Inauguration Performance
Talladega College doesn’t have a football team, but it has a band – the Marching Tornadoes. More than 100 band members from the historically black college east of Birmingham have been invited to perform in President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural parade. The college president is undecided on whether the band will perform, a college spokesman said. Talladega […]
The Queer Library: A New Home for LGBT Literature
The brainchild of Change Project founder Steven Romeo, every book is written by an LGBT author or contains LGBT content.
Gardendale School System Hearings End, Federal Judge Weighs Decision On Independent System
Federal Judge Madeline Haikala is considering whether Gardendale can pull out of the Jefferson County system & start its own without violating civil rights.
Two Mountain Brook Students to take the Big TED-Ed Stage
Mountain Brook High School sophomores Brett Lewis and Sean Fredella have been selected to present their talks at the first ever TED-Ed Weekend in New York.
First Rain After Drought is Both Good and Bad
Groups that monitor Alabama’s waterways say there are some drawbacks and are warning of potential health risks found in and around rivers and streams.
Alabama Cattle Ranchers Hit Hard by Drought
After months of warm, dry weather, it did finally rain this week. But a few days of precipitation won’t erase months of drought. The lack of rainfall has crippled the state’s $2 billion cattle industry. The drought has forced ranchers to buy hay from out-of-state and if the dry weather persists this winter, things could get a lot worse for farmers and their herds.
Anxiety and Fear: Birmingham Muslims React to Election of Donald Trump
When Donald Trump was on the campaign trail, he made a promise to “make America great again.” Part of that plan involves a complete and total ban on Muslim immigrants trying to enter the United States. But what about the Muslims that already live in the U.S? Many say they’re concerned for their own safety […]
Jeff Co Death Sentence Numbers One of Highest in Nation, Report Finds
Jefferson County has one of the highest rates of capital punishment in the nation, according to a report released last month by Harvard Law School’s Fair Punishment Project. The report found that the county is one of only 16 in the nation to hand down five or more death sentences between 2010 and 2015. We […]
Big Push to Make AL Civil Rights Monuments National Parks
A big push is underway to designate several Alabama civil rights locations as national parks. National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis, Congresswoman Terri Sewell and Mayor William Bell joined Jewell for a tour of Birmingham's civil rights district.
