Mobile is the birthplace of America’s first Mardi Gras, and with pandemic safety guidelines in place, Mobilians have found an unusual way to commemorate this annual event with the Mobile Porch Parade. Front yards throughout Mobile’s downtown neighborhoods have been transformed into Mardi Gras floats, with some even calling the alternate celebration “Yardi Gras.” “As a […]

The pandemic forced many schools to switch to remote learning in spring 2020. But it also forced a virtual shift in critical summer academic programs. The big question: Would those summer programs be as effective in keeping kids on track? Results from one major statewide summertime academic initiative indicate the answer is yes. That’s encouraging […]

Wine needs a good aging to be its best. The same can be said of The Wine Loft, a pioneering destination that was once an oasis in a sea of vacant buildings but is now surrounded by other bars and restaurants that bring vibrancy as well as competition. Owner Mike Dunnavant now has 14 years […]

Never underestimate the power of your vision. More than 10 years ago, Jenny Waltman and her husband, Jason, saw integral needs in their Avondale neighborhood and wanted to help. That desire led the couple to found Grace Klein Community, a Birmingham-area nonprofit that last year donated more than $2.1 million in groceries to 25,000 households. Before the pandemic, […]

Though he started out as an athlete in Tuscaloosa, Bradley Constant came up with another dream when a shoulder injury sidelined him in middle school. “I was obsessed with the Disney Channel,” he says with a laugh. “I watched it all the time and I said, ‘I want to do this,’ and I started taking classes in Birmingham […]

Following the devastating EF-3 tornado that struck Fultondale and nearby areas in Northern Jefferson County recently, HomeTown Lenders’ (HTL) Birmingham branch wanted to not only give back to the community, but also bring local residents together in the trying time. The HTL Birmingham team did just that, cooking and serving 500 hotdogs and hamburgers to […]

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) announced an investment of $1.05 million in Alabama-based breast cancer research, bringing the organization’s total impact over 25 years to nearly $11 million. Matching their 2019 investment, the organization will support 14 research projects throughout the state, including studies at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Auburn […]

Alabama State University and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival officially became partners Thursday. Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr., ASU’s president, and Festival Artistic Director Rick Dildine signed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue an academic collaboration “enhancing the artistic education” of ASU students enrolled in the university’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. In a news release distributed by ASU, […]

Working in what could be compared to a war zone, a team of UAB doctors and nurses performed an onsite amputation to save an injured man after the F3 tornado hit Fultondale Jan. 25. Sometime after midnight, UAB trauma surgeon Dr. Don Reiff received a call from Vestavia firefighter and paramedic Lawrence Pugliese. The firefighter was in […]

Jesse J. Lewis Sr. has lived almost a century of history and, along the way, made some of his own. Born Jan. 3, 1925, Lewis last month celebrated his 96th birthday. He grew up in the Great Depression, dropped out of high school, served under Gen. George Patton in World War II, suffered through the racial […]

A high school student from Hoover and two of his friends have teamed up in the last year to offer an online summer camp in computer programming to Alabama students ages 8-14. Shaams Nur, 15, founded last year what is now known as HooverCamp with fellow high schoolers Leo Song and Victor Song. Nur is […]

Reid Buckner is a “detective” who locates problems for Alabama Power before they become critical and create power system failures and outages. He uses infrared thermography to locate equipment that is overheated. Buckner, a marketing technician in the Enhanced Power Quality group, also focuses on problem-solving and analysis, helping assure that power is within the proper specifications. […]

You might have an ahnvee and not even know it. Ahnvee is Cajun slang for “hunger,” as in: “I’ve got an ahnvee for some good gumbo.” Uncle Mick’s Cajun Market & Café in Prattville can satisfy that hunger. In fact, the restaurant’s chicken and sausage gumbo is one of the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama. It really is that good, with […]

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey comforted survivors and thanked first responders and volunteers Wednesday during a visit to Fultondale and Center Point, two cities heavily damaged by a deadly tornado Monday night. Numerous state and local government officials joined Ivey on Wednesday morning as she surveyed storm damage. She thanked first responders and volunteers for their tireless […]

Regions Bank has announced the launch of Financial Fitness Fridays, a no-cost, high-impact program to help people across Alabama learn more about the power of building strong budgets and managing credit wisely. Financial Fitness Fridays is built around free virtual seminars that are open to anyone, regardless of whether they have a Regions account. The main […]

The second video in the Our Yellowhammer 360 series was released on Wednesday and features Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. Our Yellowhammer 360, announced at the beginning of this month, is a partnership between Yellowhammer News and Our 360 News created in an effort to bring the people of our great state together, regardless of […]

The iconic St. James Hotel in downtown Selma officially reopened on Wednesday as a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property. Built in 1837, the hotel is the last pre-Civil War riverfront hotel in the Southeast and is a centerpiece of the Dallas County community’s rich history. Following the Civil War, the St. James Hotel was operated […]

From a Grand Bay bedroom decorated with posters from forensic TV shows such as “Bones” and “Dexter,” Olivia McCarter spends long hours on her laptop working to identify people and solve crimes. Though just a sophomore at the University of South Alabama, where she’s studying anthropology and criminal justice, the 19-year-old is a senior intern with a Massachusetts company […]

Sharon King said for a nonprofit like Raleigh’s Place, running a thrift store in a drafty, old building was an expensive proposition. But the load has become a little lighter, with the help of Alabama Power and the Alabama Business Charitable Trust Fund. Raleigh’s Place purchased a 2,200-square-foot building in Clanton in 2019 to house a thrift store. Named […]

A campaign to feed front-line health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients is once again in action at UAB. It is a partnership between UAB Advancement and the UAB Department of Food and Nutrition Services, with donations from the community. The campaign’s first phase, which launched April 1, 2020, raised more than $76,000 and served more than 16,000 meals […]

Contemplating ways to better the community, sharing ideals of justice and unity, and giving back are some of the ways Alabama Power employees celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 18. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and social distancing needs, many members of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) found ways to honor […]

One of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s most recognizable attractions will soon be taken down to begin a restoration process, museum officials announced on Tuesday. The Pathfinder Space Shuttle exhibit, a one of a kind outdoor exhibit on the Rocket Center’s grounds, is set to be removed for what officials say will be a […]

President Donald J. Trump on Monday signed an executive order detailing which famous individuals from our nation’s history will be commemorated in the National Garden of American Heroes. The concept of the National Garden was established by the president in an executive order this past summer, however he had left it pretty open-ended as to what […]

Johnna Bush spends most of her days painting portraits, but when the Grove Hill studio artist got a call from a friend about plans for a new mural in downtown Monroeville, she stopped and listened. “I really believed in this project because I believe what they’re telling and preserving is so important,” Bush said. “This is […]