The Junction: Stories From Ensley, Alabama. Episode 1
WBHM is one of 15 stations chosen for Localore: Finding America – a national initiative to expand public media. Over the next several months, WBHM will bring you “The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama” – a project created by independent producer Mary Quintas.
Birmingham Rolls Out its Land Bank
The abundance of dilapidated and abandoned properties around Birmingham is something city leaders have struggled to deal with. A new tool to attack the problem is getting off the ground. It’s called a land bank. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
A Day in the Life of a Birmingham Walking Beat Cop
Homicide rates are on the rise across the country. In Birmingham, the city finished 2015 with a dramatic 55 percent increase. In response, law enforcement is stepping up efforts to combat violent crime. One key element is to add more face-to-face engagement between police and the community through old fashioned walking beats.
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This Week in Montgomery: Alabamians to Vote on Right-to-Work Amendment
Thursday the Alabama Senate passed legislation designed to enshrine Alabama’s position as a “right-to-work” state in its constitution. Now, Alabama voters will vote on the amendment in November. We hear more from Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal. Also this week, a bill allowing Alabama to borrow $800 million to build four new prisons moved forward, passing a Senate Committee less than a week after two violent uprisings at Holman Correctional Facility in south Alabama. Dailey told WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about how the recent prison violence moved legislators.
Birmingham Residents Speak on Potential Changes to Mayor-Council Act
More than 100 people gathered in city council chambers Thursday night hoping to understand the latest grievance between the mayor and city council and encourage civility. Tensions between Birmingham Mayor William Bell and the city council have been high for months. In December, there was a scuffle between Councilman Marcus Lundy and Mayor Bell that sent both […]
Hear Highlights from “Issues & Ales: Crime in the Greater Birmingham Area”
There’s a perception that crime is on the rise in and around Birmingham. What’s really happening? Is fear changing our behavior and affecting relationships in our communities? How can Birmingham and surrounding communities work to reduce violent crime? On Thursday, March 10 Local law enforcement officials and community members met to discuss crime and brainstorm solutions for WBHM’s “Issues and Ales: Crime in the Greater Birmingham Area.”
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Former Mayor, Birmingham Officials on City’s Power Struggle
Tensions between the Birmingham City Council and Mayor William Bell have escalated over the past several months. There's also a move in the state legislature designed to change Birmingham’s Mayor-Council Act of 1955, which has determined the devision of power in the city for decades. A few weeks ago, draft legislation circulated that would transfer some powers from the city council to the mayor. Thursday evening at 6 pm, the Birmingham City Council holds an open meeting about these possible changes. We talk with Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, about what former Birmingham officials think of the current battle in Birmingham government. Patterson also discusses the growth of small business in the Magic City, and what help entrepreneurs want from the city.
UAB Minimum Wage Increase Goes Into Effect This Weekend
Alabama’s largest employer is increasing its minimum wage to $11 an hour, officials say. The decision was made before a contentious minimum wage fight between city and state lawmakers.
Prison Uprising Puts Governor’s Prison Plan in the Spotlight
Alabama lawmakers are considering a plan from Governor Robert Bentley to overhaul Alabama's prison system. It would use an $800 million bond issue to build four new prisons while closing most others. The proposal takes on renewed importance after two violent uprisings at the Holman Correctional Facility in south Alabama on Friday and Monday. In remarks after touring the facility, the governor says he can't guarantee the same thing won't happen again. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Senate Committee Approves Prison Consolidation Plan
A Senate budget committee approved a prison construction bill Wednesday. The bill would close 14 state prisons and build four large regional facilities. Senator Cam Ward was among the bill’s supporters, citing prison overcrowding issues. “Everyone says well you can’t build — and I’ve said this before — you can’t build your way out of the […]
Crime in Greater Birmingham: Literacy as Long-Term Prevention?
Police and prosecutors try to fight crime in the streets and in the courts every day. But how do you fight the long-term root causes of crime? Some people think you do it in small school rooms, one lesson at a time.
Crime in Greater Birmingham: Impact of Social Media
Elizabeth Sanfelippo is an energy consultant who lives in Birmingham’s upscale Highland Park neighborhood. She grew up outside of Birmingham, and lived in Vermont and New York before coming back to her beloved hometown. When she wants to know what’s happening in the area, she picks up her smartphone and presses a green icon with a white house on it, opening the Nextdoor app.
