BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For decades, the phrase “Tornado Alley” conjured images of twisters tearing across the Great Plains. But new research and recent outbreaks show the nation’s tornado hot zone is shifting eastward, putting Alabama and its neighbors squarely in the path of more frequent and intense storms. Historically, Tornado Alley referred to a broad…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s rivers and lakes, once considered safe for fishing and even drinking straight from the source, are now under widespread contamination advisories, according to a new state report. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s latest assessment finds that pollution from industry, agriculture and failing infrastructure has impaired hundreds of miles of waterways…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has the highest denial rate for in-network health insurance claims among major insurers in the United States, according to newly released federal data analyzing 2023 Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans. The numbers are stark: 35% of in-network claims submitted to Blue Cross and Blue…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Residents across Birmingham woke up Thursday to find their cars covered in streaks and spots of dirt, prompting confusion and speculation about the cause of the unusual phenomenon. Drivers from Leeds to Mountain Brook reported the strange residue, describing it as if their vehicles had been splattered with mud after a light…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama Supreme Court has adopted new rules to clamp down on misleading lawyer advertising, responding to growing concerns that aggressive marketing tactics are confusing consumers and eroding public trust in the legal profession. The decision, handed down Wednesday, comes after years of complaints about television, radio, and billboard ads featuring attorneys…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The arrival of white Afrikaner refugees in Alabama this week, part of a Trump administration initiative prioritizing their resettlement, has sparked debate in a state with a long, complex history of race and migration. Fifty-nine Afrikaners from South Africa are being welcomed to the United States under a program President Donald Trump…