APR Notebook

It’s tough to know where to start with singer/songwriter Jason Isbell. He has six Grammy awards. Variety Magazine once called him the “Poet Laureate of Rock.” Another critic compared Isbell’s writing style to William Faulkner and John Prine.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Isbell got a part in director Martin Scorsese’s Oscar nominated film "Killers of the Flower Moon."And of course, Isbell founded the annual ShoalsFest musical festival, which is returning to Florence next week.We’ll touch on all that on APR notebook

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered Alabama’s largest county to redraw county commission lines after ruling that the districts were unconstitutional because of racial gerrymandering. Alabama Public Radio's international news coverage has focused on similar coverage around the state.

The Crimson Tide, still smarting from their loss to Florida State, continue their redemption tour. A year ago, they beat Wisconsin 42-10 in Madison for the Badgers' most lopsided since 2008. Once the game is over, book fans will get a break no matter who wins.

The winners of the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards are set to be announced this Sunday. One category that’s getting attention this year is for “guest performer” in a comedy. The program “The Studio’ with Seth Rogen, includes guest nominations for Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Dave Franco, Anthony Mackie and Zoë Kravitz. Taking home “Emmy gold” in a guest category is familiar for one actor who performed in one play for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and directed another show there.

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat is coming for the television industry. This year’s Primetime Emmy awards will be handed out this coming Sunday. Actor Michael Emerson has two of the gold statuettes. He earned his M-F-A degree from the University of Alabama while acting with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Alabama plans to appeal a federal judge's order to swiftly draw new state Senate districts for next year's legislative elections. The Associated Press says this development was revealed in court filings.

A federal judge on Friday ordered Alabama lawmakers to draw new state Senate districts after ruling the state violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the influence of Black voters around the capital city.

The Alabama Public Radio news team was recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists with a national “Salute to Excellence” award. The honor was announced at the group’s 50th anniversary convention in Cleveland over the weekend. APR received the national award for “Best Public Affairs Segment."

A baby boy born last week to an Ohio couple developed from an embryo that had been frozen for more than 30 years in what is believed to be the longest storage time before a birth. Further complicating the topic is a 2024 Alabama Supreme Court decision that said that frozen embryos have the legal status of children. State leaders have since devised a temporary solution shielding clinics from liability stemming from that ruling, though questions linger about remaining embryos.

Alabama Public Radio was among the news organizations to be recognized during the Society of Professional Journalists “Green Eyeshade Awards,” which observed its seventy fifth anniversary as the nation’s oldest and largest regional competition to judge the best journalism in the southeast. APR received a First Place for “Best Documentary” for its eight month investigation into Alabama’s newly redrawn U.S. House Seat in District two, in the state’s impoverished Black Belt region.