Vestavia Hills

Investigation into Birmingham-area recycling raises more questions

Do you know where your recycling’s going? It seems many residents don’t – and they want to find out. WBHM's Kelsey Shelton sat down with AL.com reporter Margaret Kates to get answers.

A Ukrainian dressmaker and his family find refuge and a new beginning in Vestavia Hills

Mykola Vyshyvanyuk and his family were forced to flee Ukraine when Russia invaded in 2022. Thanks to local support, they’ve found a new place to call home.

‘Ruffed’ up by school? These dogs help Birmingham students with stress

Comforting kids is a family affair for Foxie and Merlin. The facility dogs are being used as a new tool to help students manage stress and mental health while at school.

Gunman kills 3 seniors over potluck dinner at Alabama church

The suspect, 70-year-old Robert Findlay Smith, was charged with capital murder Friday. He is being held on no bond.

Alabama church shooting kills 2, wounds 1; suspect detained

The shooting occurred Thursday evening at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills.

Parents Urge Vestavia Hills School District To Require Masks

The Vestavia Hills school board's decision to not require masks goes against guidance from public health agencies, including state health officials.

Concerns Raised About COVID At Horizon Church Polling Place After Worker Tests Positive

Voters who cast their ballots last week at Horizon Church may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Vestavia Hills Board of Ed. Stands By Rebel Name

There's another effort to remove the Rebel name from Vestavia Hills High School but leaders say the name has a new meaning.

Voters In Several Jefferson County Municipalities Choose Mayors, Council Members On Aug. 25

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 25, to determine the outcome of multiple municipal elections.

Traditional Graduation Ceremonies Back On At Some High Schools

Hoover City Schools announced it will move forward with in-person graduation ceremonies this week, and they’re not alone. Parents are divided on the issue.

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.

Another Legislator Indicted in Corruption Case Involving Diabetes Health Clinic

  by Virginia Martin   Alabama Rep. Randy Davis has been indicted on allegations he was involved in a plan to pressure Blue Cross Blue Shield to cover diabetes treatments […]

Series Takes On Alabama’s Racial Achievement Gap

African-American students in Alabama tend not to perform as well on standardized tests as their white counterparts. That’s part of the so-called “achievement gap,” one of the most persistent and touchiest issues in education. But a new data-driven series by Al.com, journalism nonprofit Spaceship Media, and teachers from across Alabama aims to explore and find solutions to those disparities.

Firm Releases Vestavia Hills HS Rebranding Package

After controversy over a mascot and team-name some call racist, a marketing firm has released its "rebranding package" for Vestavia Hills High School.

New Rebel Logo Part of Vestavia Rebranding

A sports-marketing firm yesterday presented the Vestavia Hills school board with an update that included a new rebel logo. Tensions over the system’s Rebel Man mascot and the name “Rebels” flared up last year. The school board has since ditched the mascot but kept the name. But the system’s rebranding process is ongoing.

Controversial ISIS Coloring Book Reaches Vestavia Home

Really Big Coloring Books, which credits itself with starting the adult coloring book craze, has come out with a new and controversial one titled “ISIS: A Culture of Evil.” The […]

In Football Country, Concussions Spark A Parental Dilemma

More and more people are learning about the risks contact sports pose to the brain. So even here in football-loving Alabama, parents and young athletes are wrestling with a serious […]

Vestavia Hills Board Of Education Votes To Keep Name, Change Mascot

Vestavia Hills High School has been catching a lot of heat for their name, “the Rebels” and their mascot, a caricature of an elderly Southern plantation owner. Several weeks ago, the public was given a chance to weigh in on the decision to keep the name and mascot or eliminate both. Last night, the Vestavia Hills Board of Education unanimously voted to keep the name, but not the mascot.

INTERVIEW: Carsen & Lindley On Emotional Vestavia Mascot Meeting

Since the mass shooting by a white supremacist in Charleston, South Carolina last month, symbols like the Confederate flag have come under renewed scrutiny. In Vestavia Hills, it’s the high […]

Capacity Crowd Turns Out For Vestavia Mascot Forum

An emotional issue across the South and the nation came to a head in Vestavia Hills last night — the debate over symbols related to the Confederacy. The school board […]