With Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, the country switched gears yesterday for Giving Tuesday, a day set aside to encourage generosity and giving. “It’s a simple idea,” says the movement’s website. “Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together and give something more.” Giving […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Citing increased costs brought on by environmental regulations levied under the Obama Administration, Alabama Power Company on Tuesday filed for its first rate increase since 2011. The increase will raise the average household’s monthly bill by $6.78. Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh, whose panel is tasked with regulating the state’s utilities, […]

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the commercialization of Christmas, but one 5-year-old boy is providing a much needed reminder that real joy comes from giving, not receiving. I’m talking about Branson Carlisle. If you live in Alabama, you might be familiar with his story already. Branson was a normal boy with a massive heart. […]

Here’s your nightmare fuel for the day. Last week officials from the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office pulled 21 porcelain dolls attached to bamboo stakes out of the Bear Creek Swamp in Prattville, Ala. “I noticed the dolls several weeks ago while driving through the swamp working on a stolen vehicle report,” Chief Deputy Joe Sedinger […]

You might think “Stars Fell on Alabama” is nothing more than an old jazz standard, but ask residents of Sylacauga, Ala., in the ‘50s and they’ll tell you the truth is, in fact, stranger than fiction. Yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the only recorded incident of a human being struck by a meteorite, and […]

Yellowhammer’s Cliff Sims recently shared a short, but powerful story on his Facebook page about the importance of kindness, and it’s a perfect reminder for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I’ve been frustrated with the lack of response Yellowhammer News has gotten from a company whose product we use on a daily […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Yellowhammer Multimedia CEO Cliff Sims announced on Monday that the company is launching a branded product and clothing line called Yellowhammer Supply Co., coming alongside its highly successful content brand, Yellowhammer News. “Yellowhammer is about all things Alabama,” Sims explained. “This quarter, roughly two million people per month have visited Yellowhammer News […]

Before Rosa Parks was “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement,” she was a 42-year-old Montgomery, Ala., resident who simply believed the color of her skin should not limit which seats she could occupy on a public bus. On Dec. 1, 1955, Parks was sitting in the “colored” section […]

As the old adage goes, you can’t fully understand something until you experience it yourself. That is why I committed earlier this year to visit each hospital in Alabama’s First Congressional District. From Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville to North Baldwin Infirmary in Bay Minette, I am proud to have now visited sixteen hospitals in […]

U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions Mary and I are profoundly grateful for our children and, all of sudden, 9 grandchildren – 3 having arrived this year! I also never forget how blessed I am to represent the people of Alabama in the world’s greatest deliberative body – the United States Senate. I am encouraged by our […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Four Alabama metropolitan areas ranked among the nation’s 100 “Smartest Cities” in an analysis that examines which metro areas are gaining brainpower in the 21st Century. To compile its list, researcher NewGeography scored the nation’s 380 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) based on three criteria related to gains in educational attainment since 2000. […]

HOOVER, Ala. — According to the Hoover Police Department, the manager of a substance abuse treatment facility in Birmingham was caught driving down Interstate 65 smoking a crack pipe with a 5-year-old in the vehicle. Bari Joy Williams, a 44-year-old Gardendale resident, was charged will multiple felonies after being arrested Nov. 20, but was released […]

Bleacher Report on Tuesday published the above video detailing the inspiring story of how the Iron Bowl rivalry has brought two women together, and it is a must-see. First and foremost, it captures the resiliency of college-age cancer patients Kayla and Corbyn, who have both pursued college educations while undergoing treatments. Second, this story reminds us that […]

With nearly two dozen state parks and plenty of lakes, it’s safe to say that Alabama is a beautiful state. But one particular Alabama landmark received national attention recently. On its website, The Weather Channel named Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Ala., the state’s “most stunning natural wonder.” The public park’s 90-foot waterfall, winding trails, aboriginal fort, […]

On Nov. 20, President Barack Obama delivered a speech in which he laid out the details of his controversial executive order on immigration. Republicans have been quick to criticize the President’s plan, and even the often left-leaning Washington Post questioned the wisdom of his decision. The Pew Research Hispanic Trends Project, which “seeks to improve public […]

On Thursday, family and friends will gather to share a meal together, watch some football and remember everything there is to be thankful for. When you think about Thanksgiving, the perfect turkey probably comes to mind. Maybe a few different casseroles and some pumpkin pie, too. But we tend to overlook an important mood-setting aspect […]

A few weeks ago, we shared a list of world records that have Alabama connections. Thanks to students in Dothan, Ala., that list just got a little longer. Last Wednesday, 2,000 Dothan City Schools students officially secured their spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest hip-hop dance performance. According to the […]

2014 has been a good year for Montgomery, Ala., when it comes to garnering national recognition. Earlier this year, Montgomery topped USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice list of the best historic cities in the country, beating cities like Boston, Williamsburg and Savannah. Now there’s another claim to fame the city can brag about. Montgomery […]

Alabamians love the Second Amendment. And we love to exercise our Second Amendment rights, as well, whether it’s on our state’s famed hunting lands or, if we have to, in defense of ourselves or our homes. Legislation with names like the “Second Amendment Preservation Act” and constitutional amendments reiterating that bearing arms is a “Fundamental […]

Academy Award winning actor Jon Voight has been cast to play Paul “Bear” Bryant in the upcoming high school football movie titled “Woodlawn,” according to a report by Variety. Birmingham filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin — commonly referred to as simply “the Erwin Brothers” — are the creative force behind the movie, which is currently […]

This month the Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), a nonprofit group that seeks to make higher education more affordable and and accessible, released Student Debt and the Class of 2013, an annual report that examines student loan debt around the country. Using data provided by public and nonprofit colleges, the report takes the […]

Former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell spoke to the University of Alabama football team before their victory over then-No. 1 Mississippi State. We would normally write something to go along with this, but this time you just need to drop everything you’re doing and watch. UPDATE from the Sporting News: “Alabama’s digital media licensing partner, XOS […]

Forbes Magazine has just released its ninth annual Best States for Business list and Alabama’s pro-business reputation has taken a little bit of a hit. Forbes ranked the Yellowhammer State 44th in the nation, only placing higher than Hawaii, Rhode Island, New Mexico, West Virginia, Maine and Mississippi. Utah topped the list this year, taking […]

Attending the @BHMBizAlliance Governor's Luncheon with @GovernorBentley #bham #jobs #innovation pic.twitter.com/ZOrNHHTzkj — Innovation Depot (@innovationdepot) November 18, 2014 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Oxford Pharmaceuticals LLC announced on Tuesday that the company will invest $29.4 million to build a new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Birmingham that will immediately create 61 jobs when it opens in 2016 and […]