BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama has become the epicenter of a growing national battle over the criminalization of pregnancy, using laws meant to protect children from meth labs and abuse to arrest and imprison hundreds of women for their behavior while pregnant. The issue is back in the spotlight after a Lee County judge vacated the…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A new partnership between an indoor pickleball club in Vestavia Hills and a Major League Pickleball franchise is bringing organized minor-league pickleball teams to the Birmingham area, adding another fast-growing sport to the city’s lineup.[1][2] The Picklr Birmingham, a 10-court indoor facility opening in a converted former Sprouts grocery store at Vestavia…

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Huntsville’s MidCity District, built on the site of the former Madison Square Mall, is planning a $300 million expansion that would add new music venues, hotels and tech space to one of the Southeast’s largest entertainment districts. The project, called MidCity Arts + Innovation, covers 12 acres over three city blocks along…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The famed Michelin restaurant guide has officially arrived in Alabama, and Birmingham is leading the way with 11 restaurants recognized in the first-ever MICHELIN Guide American South. The debut selection marks the first time the international dining guide has covered Alabama and affirms Birmingham’s growing reputation as one of the South’s premier…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An Alabama lawmaker has prefiled a bill that would ban state and local government entities from using the term “West Bank” in official documents, the latest in a series of culture war fights that critics say signal politicians believe open bigotry is a winning strategy. House Bill 81, sponsored by Rep. Mark…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Sen. Tommy Tuberville has become the first sitting U.S. senator to be labeled an “anti-Muslim extremist” by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which cited a string of public comments the Alabama Republican made attacking Islam as a “cult” and calling for Muslims to be deported. The designation, announced Dec. 15, comes after…