MONTGOMERY, Ala. – An Alabama Senate committee has deadlocked on a bill that would have required state and local agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” effectively halting the legislation for the 2025 session. House Bill 247, which passed the House 73-25 on April 17, called for all official…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama’s arts and humanities organizations are facing a potential financial crisis as federal officials move to slash funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), threatening to strip up to $1 million annually from state grant programs. The Alabama State Council on the Arts,…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A California man was arrested April 18 at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport after authorities said they found 24 pounds of marijuana in his suitcase. Christian Machado, 22, of Fresno, Calif., was charged with trafficking marijuana and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a $500,000 bond. The marijuana, seized from Machado’s luggage, has…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A fungal disease is spreading across Alabama’s pine forests, threatening loblolly pines and prompting state forestry officials to urge landowners and residents to be on alert. The Alabama Forestry Commission reports that brown spot needle blight has been detected in increasing numbers, especially in west Alabama, as recent mild and wet weather…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would significantly limit the chaining or tethering of dogs outdoors, aiming to strengthen protections for animals kept outside. The Alabama Dog Tethering and Outdoor Shelter Act (HB149) is set to take effect October 1, 2025, if approved by the full Legislature and signed into…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Kay Ivey has announced new grants for 2025 aimed at enhancing public safety and supporting vulnerable residents in Birmingham and Jefferson County. Two Project Safe Neighborhood grants totaling just over $237,000 will be used to reduce crime in Jefferson County, with a focus on improving law enforcement resources and community safety…