MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As Alabama’s Joint Prison Oversight Committee convened in Montgomery this week, advocates and families once again pressed lawmakers to address what they describe as an escalating humanitarian crisis inside the state’s prison walls. Alabama currently incarcerates residents at a rate of 898 per 100,000—higher than any other democracy worldwide. State data reveal…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The recent death of a 3-year-old boy in Birmingham, allegedly left for hours in a hot car by a third-party worker contracted with the Alabama Department of Human Resources, has thrust the department’s practices and past problems back into public focus. The boy, identified as Keterrius Sparks, reportedly died July 22 after…

BRENT, Ala. — Authorities in Bibb County have arrested four men on charges related to a child sex trafficking ring that allegedly operated out of an underground bunker near Brent, with victims as young as 2 years old. The arrests followed a months-long investigation by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say the suspects, who…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham Stallions, two-time champions and the pride of Alabama’s spring football resurgence, are expected to leave the Magic City after the 2025 season as the United Football League eyes a sweeping relocation of four franchises, according to multiple media reports. The proposed move comes amid declining attendance figures and shifting league…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama Public Library Service board voted Friday to begin restricting access to books and resources discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in children’s and teen sections, following guidance rolled out by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The decision directs state officials to begin updating Alabama’s library administrative code, prompting a…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An adult male was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in Birmingham’s College Hills neighborhood, marking the latest in a string of shootings in the city amid an ongoing decline in homicide rates compared to last year. Birmingham Police responded to the 900 block of Center Street North around 2:35 p.m. and found…