Birmingham
JeffCo Commission agrees to support Magic City Classic for 1 year, will consider longer contract later
The annual football game between Alabama State and Alabama A&M Universities has been played 80 times at Birmingham’s Legion Field.
Commission considering funding to keep Magic City Classic in Birmingham
The Jefferson County Commission is deciding on a resolution about the level of support the county will provide to the annual football game.
A local hip-hop education group teaches kids life skills
Here in Birmingham, the education collective Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding, known as K.R.U., is using the music genre to teach life skills.
Jefferson County drug overdose deaths hit new peak in 2022
Drug overdose deaths topped gun and vehicle-related deaths investigated last year by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
Birmingham wants to try micro shelters again. Here’s how they’ll be different this time
The pilot program centers around micro shelters from Pallet Shelters, which has built shelter villages for people experiencing homelessness across the country. This is the first program of its kind in Alabama.
In the fight for environmental justice, Birmingham tells Jackson to stay loud
Gulf States communities have been living in contaminated environments for years. Jackson and Birmingham residents share strategies that can help.
St. Clair County declares emergency in response to landfill fire
The declaration means the county can ask the state for funding and resources. But residents are left with unanswered questions about the fire's affect on the local air and water quality.
Landfill fire near Birmingham burns for more than a month
Smoke from the underground blaze has caused the air quality in the area to reach hazardous levels.
Advocacy group helps Mexican families in Alabama reunite after decades apart
Some Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. hadn't seen their parents for decades. An advocacy group in Alabama is working with Mexican officials to reunite dozens of families in time for the holidays.
Students and faculty nervous about Birmingham-Southern’s financial stress, possible closing
Students, alumni and faculty of Birmingham-Southern College are nervous after school officials revealed the campus could close as early as next year. The private college is now asking for $37 million in public money, most of it from the state, to keep the doors open.
Santa brings in freezing temperatures for the holidays
After a cold blast of air Thursday night, temperatures will plummet to the teens. Birmingham National Weather Service meteorologist John De Block says it's been a while since it’s been this cold.
Wealthy Governor’s Company to Pay Nearly $1 Million for Chronic Air Pollution Violations
In the generations before Bluestone acquired the plant in 2019, people living in the area faced exposure to levels of contaminants in the air and soil that have ranked among the worst in the nation.
Smart homes made affordable for Birmingham residents
According to Alabama Power, smart homes are 35% more efficient than standard Alabama homes being built today.
Lament and Hope Memorial Ride honors those lost to gun violence in Birmingham
This weekend, over 100 cars with flags honoring people who have died in homicides this year will ride through downtown Birmingham.
Late Alabama artist Thornton Dial honored with first full-scale retrospective in his home state
Thornton Dial's art has been recognized nationally, but this is the first exhibit spanning his full career to be shown in his home state.
Birmingham City Council approves violence-reduction effort for city high schools
The program involves community mentors, called “coaches,” meeting with groups of at-risk students twice a week.
Birmingham Xpress extends free period through the end of 2022
the Birmingham Xpress bus line will offer free rides until the end of 2022 to increase ridership.
Alabama calls off execution after difficulties inserting IV
This is the second execution since September the state has cancelled because of IV difficulties.
City officials want parents to combat gun violence. Community leaders say it’s not that simple
Officials point to parents and the need for strong community networks to stop gun violence in Birmingham. They say it takes a village. But it’s not just the people in charge saying that, it’s also kids, activists, and the parents themselves.
Elias Hendricks brings classical soul to Birmingham with Vox Fortura
Singer and Birmingham native Elias Hendricks has a career that has taken him all over the world. He'll perform with his classical soul group Vox Fortura Sunday at the Lyric Theatre.
Birmingham hopes City Walk will bridge a divide between neighborhoods
Birmingham's City Walk is a linear, urban park that opened about five months ago under the Interstate 20/59 bridges. City officials say it's an attempt to reconnect downtown to the northern neighborhoods.
Outdoorsy Black Women helps change the face of outdoor activities
Outdoorsy Black Women is a national organization with more than 3,000 members across the country. The Birmingham chapter began in early 2022 and it already has 160 members.
Will the Magic City Classic return to Legion Field next year?
With Legion Field nearly 100 years old and Protective Stadium opening last year in downtown Birmingham, people have questioned if the Magic City Classic will find a new home.
Birmingham’s status as a minor league sports hub gets a major boost from the New Orleans Pelicans
Friday night isn’t just any old preseason game for the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s also a pivotal moment for Birmingham in its quest to be a sports town.
Birmingham’s new Xpress rapid bus line gives residents a new option to travel across the city
The Birmingham Xpress is a single route that runs east to west between Five Points West and Woodlawn. A total of 32 stops take riders by places like Princeton Baptist Hospital, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Railroad Park and Sloss Furnace.
Ahead of its Alabama debut, John Archibald gives an inside look at ‘Pink Clouds’
AL.com columnist John Archibald brings his columns to the stage with the debut of his first play, "Pink Clouds." It premieres Saturday at Red Mountain Theatre.
Imani Perry draws on her hometown, Birmingham, in her new book exploring the South
Perry is an Ivy League professor in New Jersey but a Southerner at heart. She was born in Birmingham, but today she teaches African American studies at Princeton University. In her latest book she argues to truly understand the United States start with the American South.
Birmingham’s guaranteed income program aims to help single mothers who face inequality
Sixty percent of all households with children in Birmingham are led by single mothers. That’s one factor when it comes to inequalities working women face.
The historic A.G. Gaston Motel comes back to life with a coffee shop and exhibit
The motel opened in 1954 and became one of the city’s main Black establishments. The motel served as a first-class lodging, entertainment and dining hall for traveling Black people who came to Jim Crow Birmingham.
Jefferson County health providers ‘well equipped’ for The World Games
Officials plan to treat as many people as possible at on site medical tents. They say the biggest concern is heat-related illness.
Woodfin says people without homes won’t be moved from public spaces for The World Games
World Games officials clarified that anyone will be able to walk through and access public areas around venues like Railroad Park, Linn Park, Protective Stadium and the new City Walk, despite those sites being behind security parameters.
Sleeping shelters for homeless people will be built for The World Games. What happens next?
Security parameters will be put in place, restricting access to otherwise public places. People without homes who use some of these public spaces for shelter will have to find other places to be.
