School Closings for Tuesday Jan. 29

Many schools systems around Alabama will be closed Tuesday, January 29th due to expected snow.

One-Third of Alabama’s Failing Schools Are in the Birmingham Metro Area

The Alabama State Department of Education has posted its list of the state’s failing public schools, and 25 Birmingham metro-area public schools are on it. Statewide, 76 public schools are on the list.

Gas Tax Is a Top Priority in 2019 Legislative Session

A gasoline tax increase to fund road improvements is expected to be a major topic of the 2019 Alabama legislative session.

Alabama School Report Card Shows Mostly Improvements, and Some Big Leaps, by Birmingham-Area Schools

Several schools in the Birmingham metro area show significant improvements in achievement in this year’s Alabama State Report Card, which grades the performance of public schools.

Not Just Galleria Shooting, AG Takeover of Local Cases Common

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall was criticized for taking over the case of the shooting death of a black man by police, but his office says intervening in cases held by local district attorneys is common.

Governor and Lawmakers Asking for Patience From Public in Hoover Shooting Investigation, Some Want More Information From ALEA

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey pledged Monday that information about the shooting death of an armed man by police would be made public, but she urged patience.

Ready, Set, Action: Birmingham’s Become a Film-Making Destination That Brings Jobs, Millions of Dollars to Economy

The Magic City is not quite Hollywood, yet. But Birmingham’s economy is getting a show business-sized boost with millions of film dollars flowing into the local economy. The city’s Red Mountain substituted for the Hollywood Hills, wearing the famous HOLLYWOOD sign in “Bigger,” one of dozens of films made in metro Birmingham in recent years.

State Looking at Plans to Fix or Replace Crowded, Crumbling Prisons; Lawmakers Don’t Expect to Be Part of Infrastructure Plan

Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Corrections aren’t yet talking publicly about possible fixes for the state’s crowded and aging prisons, but they are extending a multimillion-dollar contract with an outside project manager to study construction needs.

As Alabama’s Unemployment Rate Decreases, Medicaid Enrollment Does Not

Alabama’s unemployment rate hit record lows in the past year, falling below 4 percent, but the number of people enrolled in Medicaid hasn’t decreased.

Written in Black and White: In Alabama’s Statehouse, the Parties Are Split Almost Entirely by Race

When newly elected Neil Rafferty takes his place in the Alabama House of Representatives next year, he will be the only white Democrat in the 105-seat chamber

Alabama’s Wave of Women Candidates Won About Half of Offices Sought

Alabama, not unlike the rest of the country, had a wave of women on the ballot in this year’s primary election and in Tuesday’s general election.

Two New Lawmakers to Join Incumbents in Jefferson Legislative Delegation

Incumbent Alabama lawmakers serving Jefferson County all won re-election in Tuesday’s general election voting, and two new members who ran for open seats, will join the Jefferson County delegation.

Alabama Key Results

Follow Alabama's 2018 Midterm Election results.

Sample Ballots: Review and Print Your Ballot Before You Go to the Polls

Are you headed to the polls Tuesday? Check out a blank sample ballot for elections in Shelby and Jefferson Counties.

Facebook, Twitter, Other Social Media Play Roles in Elections. But Handshakes Remain a Factor Too

Recently, Alabama’s Republican secretary of state, John Merrill, got into a Twitter spat with Mallory Hagan, a Democrat running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, over whether Merrill is suppressing the vote in the state. To have candidates for political office, one of them an incumbent office holder, debate such a contentious issue on Twitter demonstrates how much social media has become a part of the conversations surrounding elections, including the upcoming midterms.

WBHM Will Bring the Voices of the Heart of Alabama to National NPR Audiences Through ‘1A Across America’ Collaboration

WBHM is happy to announce that it will bring more stories from the heart of Alabama to the national audience of the daily weekday public radio program 1A through 1A Across America, a two-year collaborative effort. Leading up to the 2020 general elections, 1A Across America introduces a fresh model for strong community-based coverage of […]

As Alabama Goes to the Polls, Worries Emerge That Some Are Denied Voting Rights

Since last year, Lorenzo French says he’s helped about 50 people in rural Greene County regain their ability to vote. Many of them were improperly removed from voter rolls because they had a felony conviction, though not the type that should have banned them from voting, French said. Others didn’t have photo identification, a requirement to vote in Alabama since 2014.

The Year of Firsts: Freshman Candidates Find the Campaign Trail Grueling, Expensive and Rewarding

Just before the deadline closed, Cara McClure and Kari Powell submitted the paperwork to run for the Public Service Commission. They didn’t know one another beforehand, but they ended up on a phone call just after the midnight deadline talking about their similar platforms and how, despite having never run for political office, they would each need to hit the ground running.

Despite Immigration Law, 40 Percent of New Hires Are Not Checked Through E-Verify

Many Alabama employees aren’t being screened to confirm their legal status to work in the United States, despite a 2011 state law requiring businesses to use the federal E-Verity system.

APM Reports: Education Documentaries

In a new series of hour-long education documentaries, APM Reports visits first generation students a decade later, asks tough questions about why kids aren’t being taught to read, and discovers how apprenticeships offer another path to the middle class. Whether you’re a parent, student, teacher, or anyone concerned with the country’s future, you don’t want […]

Legal Services Alabama Serves Thousands In State. Program, a Partisan Battleground, on President Trump’s Budget-Cut List

Army veteran Ronald Whitson gives credit to Legal Services Alabama for keeping his family home in Birmingham. However, the program that Whitson praises has been controversial, the frequent target of partisan political battles since its start in the mid-1970s, with roots in the nation’s War on Poverty. Now the Alabama program’s federal parent, Legal Services Corporation, once again faces defunding, this time in President Donald Trump’s 2019 budget proposal.

Don’t Swat! Alabama’s Bugs May Be Disappearing

The insect population has declined worldwide. Getting a grasp on Alabama's bug population has been tough. Here's why.

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.

Alabama Leaders Oppose Clean Car Standards Rollback

Elected leaders and others gathered in Birmingham to oppose to Trump administration's plan to roll back clean car standards, including those setting targets for fuel efficiency.

Relatives of Unaccompanied Minors Fear Deportation

As the court-imposed deadline for the Trump administration to reunite unaccompanied minors with their parents nears, relatives across the U.S. including Alabama are reluctant to step up.

It’s Back to the Polls Across Alabama. Voters to Decide Party Nominees

Alabama's primary runoffs include statewide races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, and a number of local races. Here's everything you need to know.

2018 Runoff Voter Guide: What Races Are up in the Air and Who’s on the Ballot?

In this edition of the BirminghamWatch Voter Guide, you will find lists of candidates on the ballot and their profiles, which include basic information about each of the candidates such as the top contributors to their campaigns, the main issues they’re citing in their campaigns and links to their web or social media sites.

WBHM Wins Five Regional Murrow Awards

WBHM has won five 2018 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for the region including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The awards recognize the best electronic journalism produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world. RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism […]

Watch Live: Zuckerberg Testimony Before House Lawmakers

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is appearing on Capitol Hill for a second day of hearings about protecting its users’ data. The House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing follows hours of questioning by lawmakers in the Senate. Facebook is under scrutiny after revelations that the data-mining and political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica obtained the data of […]

Watch Live: Zuckerberg’s Testimony to Congress

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is testifying on Capitol Hill to answer questions about protecting user data. The hearing held by the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees follows news that the data-mining and political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica obtained personal information of up to 87 million Facebook users. The firm is accused of using that information […]

WBHM’s Privacy Policy

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Hurricane Irma and Alabama

Resources and news items complied by the WBHM news team