Birmingham
Birmingham to Pilot Ridesharing Service
Birmingham will try a new ridesharing service to offer area residents more public transit options.
Megachurch Presence in Birmingham Schools Sparks Tension
Church of the Highlands, Alabama’s biggest megachurch, has expanded into the inner city, leasing space at two Birmingham schools. But there’s been pushback in the community, some of it highlighting a racial divide.
Transit Board Approves Fare Increase and Service Cuts
The MAX Transit Board approved its $34 million budget Wednesday, including a fare increase and some service cuts.
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.
Opportunity Zone Apartments Aim for Affordability Downtown. Will They Be?
Many people can't afford to live in downtown Birmingham's high-end lofts and condos. They city's first Opportunity Zone development aims to change that. But some question how effective it will be.
Democrat Doug Jones Launches Re-election Campaign
Doug Jones launched his re-election campaign Sunday, challenging voters to look at his record instead of the labels cast on him by his opponents.
Transit Board Rejects Budget With Proposed Route and Fare Changes
The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority rejected a proposed budget today that would have increased fares and cut some bus routes.
Alabama Charter Schools Group Awarded $25 Million Federal Grant
The U.S. Department of Education announced a $25 million grant today to support charter schools in Alabama.
Some Million Miles: A Search for Redemption
This short documentary film takes a hard look at a rural community atop Sand Mountain in northeast Alabama ravaged by drugs and poverty. Jared Ragland co-directed the film with Adam Forrester. It screens this weekend at the Sidewalk Film Festival.
MAX Transit Weighs Cuts, Fare Increases
The Birmingham Jefferson Transit Authority (BJCTA) is considering cuts and fare increases to the MAX bus system. Many bus riders around Birmingham say the buses are unreliable and inefficient.
Prison Re-Entry Program to Expand with $6 Million Grant
When prisoners are released, they often face lots of hurdles. They can't find work or housing or health care. Often, they end up back in prison. The Dannon Project recently received a large federal grant that will allow the nonprofit to help more former inmates get on their feet.
Birmingham Sees Conflict Resolution as Key to Breaking Cycle of Violence
Violent crime remains high in Birmingham, particularly among young black men. Now, the city is partnering with several nonprofits to teach skills they hope will prevent conflicts from escalating.
Avondale Elementary Climate Frustrates Parents and Teachers
Next month, many area students go back to school. But at Birmingham's Avondale Elementary School, several teachers and students won't be returning after what they say was a chaotic year.
Neighborhoods Want Trust Fund Set Up From Proposed ABC Coke’s Benzene Pollution Case
The North Birmingham community made clear this week that it wants money from an ABC Coke pollution penalty to be used to create a trust fund to benefit residents in the surrounding area.
The Risky Business of Music Festivals
Later this month, Freedom Fest makes its debut in downtown Birmingham. But music festivals around here seem to come and go. We sent WBHM’s Janae Pierre to find out why it’s so hard to keep a music festival going here in the Magic City.
Birmingham Celebrates Historic A.G. Gaston Motel Anniversary
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. often planned strategy for the civil rights movement in room 30 at the A.G. Gaston Motel. For others, it was a place for wedding receptions and fancy dances. As restoration of the famed but deteriorating structure begins, Birmingham celebrated the motel’s anniversary and its founder on Monday.
Birmingham’s Food Desert Plan: More Grocers, Fewer Dollar Stores
Nearly 70 percent of Birmingham residents live in food deserts, neighborhoods that have no grocery store or healthy food options. Now, Birmingham city officials are working to bring more grocers to the city.
Several Hundred Gather in Birmingham for Bernie Sanders Rally
A large crowd of people gathered in Birmingham's Kelly Ingram Park Sunday for a rally supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Woodfin Highlights “Moral Obligations” of Proposed 2020 Budget
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin says his proposed FY 2020 operating budget represents a “fundamental shift” in how the city thinks about spending, with an increased focus on fulfilling his administration’s “moral obligations” — prioritizing city employees and neighborhood revitalization.
Sidewalk Cinema Debuts in Birmingham Soon
One weekend a year, Birmingham becomes a destination for filmmakers and movie buffs during the Sidewalk Film Festival. For almost 20 years, the organization has showcased the work of hundreds of filmmakers during its annual festival while educating the indie industry. Now, Sidewalk is taking that concept to the next level with a new cinema and film center.
Birmingham Looks at Limiting Dollar Stores, Easing Restrictions on Other Food Vendors as Way to Battle Food Deserts
A new ordinance proposed by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin looks to combat the city’s food deserts by loosening regulations on mobile grocers and farmers markets, while simultaneously limiting the spread of dollar stores in low-income neighborhoods.
Referendum on Renewing Property Tax for Birmingham Schools Possible, Up for Discussion Next Week
Next week, Birmingham’s election commission will meet to discuss a potential citywide vote to renew a soon-to-expire ad valorem tax that provides Birmingham City Schools with approximately $27 million in yearly revenue.
Trash Talk: Why Doesn’t Birmingham Recycle More?
One way to reduce the amount of trash is to recycle more. That’s a challenge in the city of Birmingham.
Trash Talk: Birmingham’s Litter Problem
Call it what you want: trash, litter, debris … stuff. It seems like it’s everywhere. You’ll find it on front lawns and on busy highways. Officials say trash in the Birmingham area in particular is a problem. Here, we catch up with some of the folks who pick it all up.
Trash Talk: Abandoned Cars Dot Area Roadsides
Ever wonder where all these abandoned cars on the side of the road come from? Here's your answer.
Birmingham Launches A Citizen’s Experience to Connect Residents to City Hall
Applications are now open for A Citizen’s Experience, a new initiative from the city of Birmingham designed to promote civic engagement. The free, seven-week program is slated to begin in June and is open only to Birmingham residents who are 18 years old or older.
UAB Launches Program to Improve Treatment of Opioid Overdose
UAB’s Emergency Department is starting a new program to better treat patients with opioid use disorder. The initiative focuses on increasing the use of a drug called Suboxone.
Jeffco Health Officials: Violence is a Public Health Issue
Violence is the newest strategic focus for the Jefferson County Department of Health. It was one of several topics discussed in Tuesday's annual State of Health in Jefferson County address.
State Commission Approves Birmingham Charter School
The Alabama Public Charter School Commission approved plans for a new charter school in Birmingham. The development comes two months after Birmingham school officials rejected the i3 Academy application. Organizers of the charter school appealed to the state.
The Big Picture: Woodfin’s Team Updates Residents About Progress on Public Safety, Economic Opportunities and Other Initiatives
A black-and-white photo of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin — shot in profile, eyes fixed in an expression of steely determination — hovered over the stage of the Alabama School of Fine Arts’ Dorothy Jemison Day Theater on Thursday night.
Memorial Planned to Honor Jeffco Lynching Victims
Organizers of the Jefferson County Memorial Project will release findings today on 30 lynching victims in the county. That’s a small fraction of the thousands of African American lynchings that took place in the South. Now, the grassroots coalition wants to bring a lynching memorial to Birmingham as a remembrance.
Third Rejected Birmingham Charter School Plans to Appeal
The Birmingham School Board informed the state today that it denied an application for a Woodlawn-area charter school and explained why it was rejected.
