What Can Finland Teach Alabama About Education?

Several decades ago, Finland’s education system was considered mediocre. But starting around 2001, it came to be regarded as a powerhouse, usually at or near the top of the world’s nations on internationally normed tests. How? And can those strategies work in Alabama?


UAB, Private Groups Part of the Fight Against Breast Cancer

You may see more pink ribbons and other pink items in the next few weeks as October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of many operations working to fight breast cancer. We talk about that effort and how it overlaps with the business community in this week's Magic City Marketplace.

NPR Live Fact-Check: Clinton and Trump Debate in St. Louis

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are scheduled to face off in the second presidential debate Sunday night at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

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Education Activists Seek to Rescind Hire of Ala. Superintendent

About three dozen people organized by education advocate Larry Lee have signed on to be plaintiffs in pending legal action intended to rescind the hiring of Alabama Superintendent Michael Sentance.

AL Medical Boards Could Face Scrutiny from Federal Trade Commission

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision set a new precedent regarding federal antitrust laws and state medical agencies. The ruling means regulatory groups made up of members with private sector interests are subject to federal antitrust laws. Agencies like the Medical Association of Alabama – which is headed by several private medical practitioners – could potentially be affected.

Broken Gas Pipe Removed, Investigation Underway

An investigation is underway into what caused a gas pipeline to start leaking near Helena. Officials with Colonial Pipeline say the broken pipe was removed over the weekend and sent to an outside firm for investigation. Crews constructed a 500 foot bypass to circumvent the broken pipe before it was removed. Colonial says they identified […]


Little Publicized Law Disqualifies more than 100 Candidates

Voters in a number of Alabama cities went to the polls Tuesday for municipal runoff elections. As residents looked at their ballots this cycle, there were fewer names than might have been there otherwise thanks to a new law. In fact, it disqualified at least 118 candidates statewide. Particularly noteworthy is what happened in the Jefferson County town of Adamsville. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about that and reacts to the suspension of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore on ethics charges.

Live Fact-Check: The 2016 Vice Presidential Debate

Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence square off in the vice-presidential debate Tuesday night. NPR's politics team, with help from reporters and editors who cover national security, immigration, business, foreign policy and more, is live annotating the debate. Portions of the debate with added analysis are highlighted, followed by context and fact check from NPR reporters and editors.

Attorney: Moore Decision Disregards “Rule of Law”

Lawyers for former Chief Justice Roy Moore are appealing his removal from office saying the move was a disregard for the “rule of law.” Attorneys with the Liberty Counsel, a conservative non-profit law firm out of Florida that represents Moore, filed the appeal yesterday. It once again comes down to semantics. Among other arguments, Moore’s […]

Downtown Birmingham’s Middle Income Housing Gap

Birmingham’s downtown has seen many new apartment projects go up with more on the way. Developers have been pretty clear they’re after the high-end apartment market. But not everyone who wants to live in the city center can afford those high rents. It’s creating something of a housing gap and we talk about that in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.

Roy Moore Calling His Second Ouster “Politically Motivated”

Moore is calling his punishment the result of a "politically motivated effort by radical homosexual and transgender groups," who targeted him because of what he calls his "outspoken opposition to their immoral agenda."

Arc Stories: September 2016 Edition

Three stories where our storytellers find themselves in situations completely over their heads. A woman has the opportunity to fulfill a dream she’s been pursuing most of her life; one woman’s discovery of whether or not you really can come home again; and another where a man struggles to create a connection across barriers of […]