NAACP Files Lawsuit over Law Blocking Birmingham Minimum Wage
The NAACP filed a federal lawsuit Thursday contending a law that blocked a minimum wage increase in Birmingham is racially motivated. The suit names Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange and includes Greater Birmingham Ministries and two fast-food works as plaintiffs.
“I Want My South Back”
"I want my South back." That's the rallying cry from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald. In a recent column he lays out a Southern identity that he admits may be a fictional memory, but one he'd like see more of. He also reflects on the fifth anniversary of the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak that killed more than 250 people in Alabama.
Remembering April 27: Not all Losses were Human
Thousands of Alabamians have spent the last five years rebuilding their lives after tornados tore through the state on April 27, 2011. The storms killed more than 250 people. But the loss from the tornados wasn’t just about humans.
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Lawmakers Pass Budget, Ask Questions Later
Lawmakers approve a General Fund budget that left an $85 million hole in the state’s Medicaid program and the head of the Alabama GOP feels compelled to defend the party. The latest from Kyle Whitmire, political columnist for The Birmingham News and AL.com.
Alabama City Passes Transgender Bathroom Law that Carries Jail Time
An east Alabama city wants to send people to jail for not using public restrooms corresponding with their biological sex. It’s the latest move in an ongoing battle over transgender rights in the United States. The city council of Oxford, just east of Birmingham, has passed a law preventing transgender residents and visitors from using public restrooms […]
Remembering April 27: From Devastation Comes New Purpose
One Alabama woman dove head first into the relief effort after the tornado outbreak in April 2011. Her group, Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa, took off overnight, organizing aid for displaced residents and other emergency responders. But while helping others pick up the pieces to their lives, her personal life was crumbling.
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Remembering April 27: Pratt City Sees Progress, Setbacks
Walk around Pratt City, a northern Birmingham neighborhood, and you’ll see rolling hills and meet proud residents. But you’ll also see many vacant lots, reminders of a tornado that struck five years ago this week. It was part of a tornado outbreak that killed more than 250 people statewide. The community has rebuilt, but there’s still a lot of be done. Five years later, some residents think the recovery is taking far too long.
Parker High School, Family And Community Helped Propel Top Scientist Dr. Willie May
“Obviously growing up in Birmingham, Alabama in the late 50s and 60s there were barriers, but fortunately I had lots of folks who invested a lot in me and I owed it to them not to allow those barriers to deter me.”
Remembering April 27: Cordova Recovery Means Unease
This week marks the fifth anniversary of a massive tornado outbreak that killed more than 250 people across Alabama. Since those storms on April 27, 2011, communities have been slowly rebuilding. Two tornados tore through the town of Cordova, northwest of Birmingham. Five years later, some residents feel uneasy about the change.
Birmingham Housing Market Tilts to Sellers
The housing market is cyclical as are so many things in business. After a housing-led recession and recovery, the Birmingham housing market is becoming a sellers market with far more demand than homes to go around. But the adage "location, location, location" still applies. Birmingham Business Journal editor Ty West explains in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
Investment in Alabama Doubled in 2015, Report Finds
A report out today from state officials shows Alabama attracted more than $7 billion in investments and added nearly 20,000 new jobs last year.
School Funding In Alabama: A View From Sumter County
In more affluent districts, local property tax revenue makes a big difference for schools. But in rural Sumter County, which is mostly farms and timberland, there isn’t much to tax. It’s also hard to raise rates on what is there.
