Bessemer
Alabama family to add wrongful death claim in lawsuit over home explosion
In a court hearing, lawyers for the Griffice family said their investigation into the March explosion is continuing despite a lack of engagement from state or federal regulators.
New aviation charter school aims to diversify the cockpit
Since the pandemic began, the aviation industry is down two-million workers and those who remain are overwhelmingly white. One new charter school in Bessemer hopes to address both issues by preparing diverse students for jobs in aviation.
New aviation high school in Bessemer aims to help students soar
At the Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School, students, parents and teachers are excited as they prepare for the school’s take off on Monday.
Secretary of State investigating Bessemer for potential voter fraud
While rumors of election fraud or irregularities have lingered in the city for years, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill confirmed to WBHM his office is looking into allegations of voter fraud in Bessemer this election cycle.
Jefferson County Commission to look for other absentee voting space after alleged voter suppression
Bessemer Absentee Voting Clerk Karen Dunn Burks last week accused Jefferson County government of voter suppression because of plans to move her office from the courtroom basement to another office also in the basement. She contended the plan created unfair conditions and accommodations for voters and was inhumane.
2nd election for Amazon workers in Alabama will be by mail
A federal labor board says Amazon workers at a facility in Bessemer will re-vote next month on whether to unionize.
Big Union Loss At Amazon Warehouse Casts Shadow Over Labor Movement
Last week's overwhelming vote against forming a union at Amazon's Bessemer warehouse was the latest in a string of disappointments for labor unions. Now Amazon employees and union backers are trying to find a way forward.
Actor Danny Glover Rallies Support For Unionizing Bessemer Amazon Facility
The "Lethal Weapon" star briefly spoke with workers leaving the facility. He told reporters that the unionization effort in Bessemer is part of a long history of fighting for labor rights.
Dozens Rally To Support Amazon Union in Bessemer
The upcoming union vote is significant for Amazon, which has fought efforts to unionize, and the region as a whole.
Union Election At Amazon Warehouse Set For February 8
About 6,000 Amazon workers from the fulfillment center in Bessemer will begin voting next month on whether to unionize.
Federal Regulators To Set Election Date On Amazon Union
Employees at Amazon's Bessemer warehouse want to unionize, but the online retail giant opposes those efforts.
Jefferson County Commission Moves to Preserve Downtown Jail Where Martin Luther King Jr. Was Held
The Jefferson County Commission Thursday took the first steps toward acknowledging and preserving remnants of the jail where Martin Luther King Jr. was held.
Tax Bills Increase for Many in Jefferson County
The former AT&T City Center, a vacant skyscraper in downtown Birmingham, will have a property tax bill about half a million dollars more than last year's. It's one of many properties, including homes, that can expect to pay more in taxes this year.
Bluesman Henry “Gip” Gipson Dies at 99
Alabama native and blues musician Henry “Gip” Gipson has died. He was 99.
Transit Authority Chief Seeks Compromise to Pass Budget
The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority recently rejected a proposed budget that would have increased bus fares to $1.50 and cut bus service. Executive Director Frank Martin says riders aren’t paying enough into the system, and neither is the city of Birmingham.
Bessemer Residents Eager for Lincoln Theatre Restoration
Acclaimed actor Andre Holland is best known for his role in the Oscar winning film Moonlight and playing Andrew Young in the movie Selma. Holland purchased the Lincoln Theatre in his hometown of Bessemer, Alabama and plans to re-open it as a single-screen cinema and performing arts space.
“Harsh and Sad at the Same Time” – Residents React to Case of Marshae Jones
Marshae Jones was charged with manslaughter in the death of her fetus after being shot in the stomach during a fight. The case has drawn international attention, with people on both sides of the debate over whether a fetus should have the rights of personhood.
Amazon Breaks Ground Oct. 2, Laying Path for Western-Area Development
The official groundbreaking on the new Amazon development in Bessemer will be Oct. 2, Jefferson County commissioners said Thursday.
County’s Major Air Polluters Concentrated in Low-Income, Minority Neighborhoods
By Hank Black The Oliver Robinson bribery trial, in which guilty verdicts were issued for officials of Drummond Coal Co. and its law firm, Balch & Bingham, revealed a gritty episode about avoiding environmental cleanup in North Birmingham. But there’s a bigger dirty picture. The vast majority of Jefferson County’s 31 major sources of pollution […]
Unpaid Debts: Cities Owe Jefferson County More Than $800,000 for EMA and Personnel Board Costs
Cities and towns in Jefferson County owe the county more than $800,000, according to a report given at the County Commission meeting Thursday in Bessemer.
Amazon’s a Big Deal, but West Jefferson’s Economic Rebirth is Bigger and Broader
Bessemer reinvents itself. Again.
Jefferson County Approves Incentives for $325 million Amazon Project
A new Amazon facility in Bessemer is one step closer to reality. Jefferson County Commissioners approved a package of incentives for the anticipated Amazon fulfillment center Thursday morning.
Amazon Eyes Bessemer for a Fulfillment Center
Amazon is strongly considering a Bessemer site for a new fulfillment center. If the project happens, it would likely bring at least 1,500 jobs.
History Professor’s Book Reconstructs One African-American’s Legal Saga
In his new book "He Calls Me By Lightning," Samford University history professor Jonathan Bass writes about the 13-year legal journey endured by a Bessemer man in Jim Crow Alabama.
An ITT Teacher on the Human Side of Today’s Shutdown
ITT Technical Institutes are part of a national chain of for-profit colleges with three campuses in Alabama, including one in Bessemer. Or, they were. The Indiana-based company shut down all their campuses across the country today.
100 Year-Old Mural in Bessemer Gets a Makeover
When the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was restored in the 1980s and 90s, people were awe struck by the transformation. Vibrant colors and details that had been hidden for centuries could be seen once again. At the Bright Star in Bessemer, which bills itself as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Alabama, the staff is experiencing similar feelings as the eatery’s more than 100 year-old mural slowly gets a makeover.
Phil Hammonds on Bold Goals for Alabama Education’s Future
In advance of WBHM's and the Southern Education Desk's "Issues and Ales" education forum this evening, former Jefferson County School Superintendent Phil Hammonds joined WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley to talk about his prescriptions for improving Alabama’s schools and what Bold Goals Education aims to do.
Preventing Addiction In Schools
In Part One of WBHM's five-part series, we heard about how and why heroin use is on the rise in Alabama. Now in Part Two, education reporter Dan Carsen looks at how some young people are trying to slow its spread in their schools. The story starts with a confession in a small office just outside downtown Birmingham.
John Archibald: A Miracle After the Tornadoes
Bessemer and Kimberly are among the towns cleaning up after a series of tornadoes plowed over Alabama Monday night. The storms killed three people statewide, tore off roofs and downed trees. It's a familiar sight to anyone who's lived in Alabama for very long. But the latest round of tornadoes has Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald thinking about one word -- miracle.
Alabama Recovers from Tornadoes Before the Next Round
At least 3 people in Alabama have died and more than 100,000 Alabama Power customers were without electricity after strong storms raked across the state Monday night. As many as 18 tornadoes may have touched down. But as residents dig out there's a second line of storms on the way.
Scenes Of Damage In Bessemer
Bessemer, Alabama was hit extremely hard by Monday night's storms. WBHM's Andrew Yeager visited Bessemer today to document the damages.
