MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s housing market faced a sharp downturn in 2024, with home sales plummeting by 18% compared to the previous year, according to the Alabama Association of Realtors. The state recorded just 62,539 home sales, a stark drop from 76,258 in 2023, marking one of the most challenging years for the market in…

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — About 250 Huntsville Utilities customers were hit with an unexpected $100 surcharge on their electricity bills this month after an executive order from President Donald Trump froze federal funding meant to assist low-income households with energy costs. The funding, part of a $1 million allocation under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama lawmakers have approved legislation defining “male” and “female” in state law based on biological sex at birth, a measure critics argue is unnecessary, legally dubious, and designed more to make a political statement than to address any real issue. The bill, informally referred to as the “What Is a Woman?” Act,…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama House of Representatives has passed legislation requiring parental consent for minors to receive vaccinations, a move critics say could undermine public health efforts in a state already grappling with low vaccination rates. House Bill 2, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, passed on Tuesday by a vote of 76-22….

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham City Council has approved a $2.69 million funding package to construct micro-shelters and provide support services for the city’s homeless population, a step aimed at addressing the growing issue of homelessness in the area. The funding will be divided between two organizations, Faith Chapel Care Center and Urban Alchemy, both…

JASPER, Ala. — Former Walker County jail lieutenant Benjamin Shoemaker pleaded guilty last week to federal charges in the death of Tony Mitchell, a 33-year-old inmate who succumbed to hypothermia after enduring two weeks in what prosecutors described as “inhumane and deadly” conditions. Shoemaker is the ninth jail employee to admit guilt in the case,…