Alabamians are remembering the devasting tornado outbreak that destroyed communities across the state on April 27, 2011. According to the National Weather Service, the super-outbreak affected 26 states across the Southeast, but Alabama saw the worst destruction.
News & Commentaries From APR
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Alabama lawmakers advanced a bill making it a crime for medical examiners to retain a deceased person’s organs without family permission. The bill would make it a felony for a medical examiner to retain a deceased person’s organs without getting that permission from “the appropriate next of kin.”
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Alabama has set a July 18 execution date for a man convicted in the 1998 shooting death of a delivery driver who had stopped at an ATM. The state's governor announced the lethal injection date Thursday for 64-year-old Keith Edmund Gavin.
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Three programs supported through the Alabama Department of Human Resources are addressing employment, child care and recidivism by way of Alabama’s community and technical colleges. Each program aims to increase Alabama’s labor force participation and reduce residents’ dependency on state financial assistance programs.
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The deadline is fast approaching for interested participants to apply for a summer internship with an environmental nonprofit organization based out of Mobile. The Alabama Coastal Foundation works to improve and protect Alabama's coastal environment through cooperation, education and participation.
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On Friday, April 26, Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed will be sworn in as president of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), the nation’s only organization exclusively representing Black mayors in the United States. Reed, who is currently the organization’s 1st Vice President, will lead the organization through the 2024 presidential elections and the start of the 119th Congress.
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A monthslong hearing is beginning on Thursday, April 25 to decide the future of the unionization campaign at Amazon's Bessemer warehouse. The results could reportedly decide if workers will have an opportunity to hold a third union election.
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Alabamians have the opportunity to weigh in on state policy that would restrict the circulation of certain books to minors in public libraries. The Alabama Public Library Service is holding a public hearing on Tuesday, April 30 to discuss the proposal.
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Advocacy groups are urging Alabama lawmakers to join a federal program that gives summer food assistance to low-income families with school age children. The program called Summer EBT, or Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, provides families $40 per month for each child receiving free and reduced-price school lunches.
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Now a retired English professor at The University of Alabama, Dr. Noble's specialties are Southern and American literature.
Speaking of Pets with host Mindy Norton is a commentary (opinion piece) for people who care about pets and humane treatment for animals in general, and who want to celebrate that special relationship between us and our animal companions.
Crunk Culture is a commentary (opinion piece) about creative and sometimes cursory perspectives and responses to popular culture and representations of identity. Dr. Robin Boylorn defines "crunk" as resisting conformity and confronting injustice out loud.
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After the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, hundreds of children from the affected areas dealt with multiple health issues caused by radiation from the nuclear meltdown. A few years later, families from all across Alabama housed many of those same children for a summer to give them access to better healthcare and a reprieve from the radiation.
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What’s billed as one of the most highly anticipated art festivals in Alabama is being celebrated for its 41st year. The Magic City Art Connection brings artists from around the country to Sloss Furnaces in downtown Birmingham from April 26 to April 28.
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Huntsville, Alabama residents and those out of state are invited to groove to the rhythms of an eclectic array of international superstars as part of the inaugural South Star Music Festival. Advance tickets go on sale April 25, while the public sale begins April 26.
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Montgomery area small business owners and those interested in starting their own companies have two new tools to help them succeed in their entrepreneurial journey. The city as announced the creation of a “Small Business One-Stop Shop” and an “Access to Capital” loan program.
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Tuscaloosa residents are preparing for a run that will support the city’s preschool education. The annual Tuscaloosa Mayor’s Cup 5K for Pre-K, which is also referred to as the Mayor’s Cup, will take place Saturday, April 27.
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The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is announcing a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Suresh Gee brings extensive tribal finance experience, including 21 years of previous work with the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s finance team, the last seven of which he served as CFO.
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There is reportedly an option for Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine to keep a job with the city. The news comes after Mayor Sandy Stimpson requested the city council to adopt an ordinance on Tuesday, April 23 to remove Prine from his position after what Stimpson described as "irreconcilable differences" with Prine.
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While at StoryCorps, death doula Marjorie Bowden interviews her niece, Nafeesah As-Salafeeyah, who’s a birth doula. They discuss how Nafeesah found this passion, the history of caretakers within their family, and the importance of having access to care and advocacy.
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The Mobile City Council will consider a resolution authorizing the removal of Paul Prine as Police Chief on Tuesday, April 23. This comes as the city asked former U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown to conduct a report on policies, procedures and training within the Mobile Police Department after concerns were raised from the community.
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A new federal rule seeks to clarify that a law against sex discrimination at schools includes gender identity, too. In Alabama, legislation is being considered that would define who is considered a man or a woman under state law, saying it must be based on reproductive systems and not gender identity.
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Birmingham restaurants are participating in an annual fundraising event that helps support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Alabama. This is the Magic City’s 15th year celebrating Dining Out For Life, a national event also observed in part of Alabama, taking place Thursday, April 25.