NEWS FROM OUR PUBLISHERS

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times BRANDON AND JESSICA SANDERS Live: Bessemer Married: May 27, 2023 Met: April 2010, at Jessica and her roommate, Kadesha’s place in Tuscaloosa. Kadesha was dating Brandon’s roommate, Harold, who had asked Brandon to tag along with him to watch the NBA playoffs. “Basically, Harold wanted me […]

By Rebecca Griesbach Holding a sign that said “UAB saved my life twice,” Birmingham resident Mara Jambor credited researchers for flagging malignant melanoma on a screening before it was too late for treatment. At a rally […]

By Mike Cason Four proposals to cut taxes were introduced Wednesday in the Alabama House of Representatives and appear to be on a fast track. One of the bills would reduce the state sales tax on […]

Alison Francis, a 2003 alumna, is fostering a culture of belonging as vice president and chief diversity officer at Costco. Named one of the top 50 Chief Diversity Officers of 2024 by Women We Admire, Francis […]

SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS Recent federal cutbacks may have affected Alabama’s National Weather Service offices, but officials aren’t confirming any job losses. The National Weather Service and its Public Affairs Office declined to comment on internal […]

SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS A bill moving through the Alabama Legislature would make it harder to qualify for unemployment compensation by increasing job search requirements. House Bill 29, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville), would require […]

ByJosh Moon Right now, on an island in the middle of an ocean, thousands of miles away from their homes, a team of Defense Department engineers and employees sit idly, wondering when they’re ever coming […]

SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS In a deeply divisive move, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that expands civil and criminal immunity for police officers—legislation that critics say dangerously shields law enforcement from consequences, […]

By Carol Robinson A capital murder suspect out on bond was one of two men taken into custody following an east Jefferson County chase earlier this week. Cameron Dejuan Blanding, set to go to trial later […]

By Patrick Darrington After a dog was found in a trash bag and later euthanized in Mobile County, PETA has offered a $5,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for harming […]

By Carol Robinson  The circuit clerk in Jefferson County’s Bessemer Cutoff Division has been cited with contempt of court for her reported failure to help find missing evidence in 1974 rape case. Circuit Judge David Carpenter […]

It has been nearly two months since the  Los Angeles wildfires displaced thousands and caused major disruptions in so many daily routines. Lives were lost, and several possessions were gone.

Los Angeles and manager Dave Roberts have agreed to a new contract extension that will pay him $8.1 million per season from 2026 to 29, surpassing Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell’s average annual value of $8 million. After completing the roster for the season, the DODGERS finally take care of the team’s “skipper.” The team has made their intentions clear this offseason about getting a deal done.

The Trump administration is preparing to issue an executive order directing newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education. While the president lacks the authority to unilaterally shut down the agency—requiring congressional approval—McMahon has been tasked with taking “all necessary steps” to reduce its role “to the maximum extent permitted by law.” The administration justifies the move by claiming the department has spent over $1 trillion since its 1979 founding without improving student achievement. However, data from The Nation’s Report Card shows math scores have improved significantly since the 1990s, though reading levels have remained stagnant. The pandemic further widened achievement gaps, leaving many students behind.

In what might be an unprecedented show of force, a powerful contingent of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) met with African American journalists inside the Democratic Whip’s Conference Room at the U.S. Capitol, laying out their battle plan against Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the far-right’s dystopian blueprint known as Project 2025. CBC Chair Yvette Clarke, First Vice Chair Troy Carter, Whip Sydney Kamlager-Dove, former Chair Steven Horsford, Reps. Jahana Hayes, Summer Lee, and the ever-outspoken Jasmine Crockett made it clear—while they lack the votes to halt Trump’s cruel and life-threatening policies, they are on the offensive with one goal in mind: retaking the House next year to neutralize his agenda.

As President Donald Trump wrapped up his first term in 2020, he signed legislation to protect Americans from surprise medical bills. “This must end,” Trump said. “We’re going to hold insurance companies and hospitals totally accountable.”

The City of Huntsville will receive sealed bids, priced on a firm fixed price basis (stipulated sum), to provide all necessary equipment, materials, labor and supervision necessary, as outlined in the Plans, Specifications, and Bid […]

The City of Huntsville will receive sealed bids, priced on a firm fixed price basis (stipulated sum), to provide all necessary equipment, materials, labor and supervision necessary, as outlined in the Plans, Specifications, and Bid […]

The California Surgeon General’s Office has launched a new questionnaire that they believe will help reduce the state’s maternal mortality rate by 50% by December 2026 as part of its Strong Start and Beyond movement.

The City of Huntsville will receive sealed bids, priced on a firm fixed price basis (stipulated sum), to provide all necessary equipment, materials, labor and supervision necessary, as outlined in the Plans,Specifications, and Bid Manual […]

In one of the quickest punishments of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in the modern era, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) was censured by a 224-198 vote today in the House. His censure featured no hearing at the House Ethics Committee and his punishment was put on the floor for a vote by the Republican controlled House less than 72 hours after the infraction in question. Of the last three censures of members of the U.S. House, two have been members of the Congressional Black Caucus under GOP control. In 2023, Rep. Jamal Bowman was censured.

Description of Project: Construction of a new access road from the Huntsville Police Department North Precinct parking lot east to a second new road going north to Stallworth Drive – Distance 0.33 miles. The attention […]

Public notice is hereby given of a Public Hearing to be held by the Board of Zoning Adjustment of the City of Huntsville, on the 18th of March at 6:00 p.m., on the 2nd Floor […]

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) invites the public to an open session to express their views on transportation planning in the Huntsville MPO. This meeting is part of a […]

J. C. Cheek Contractors, Inc. hereby gives notice of completion of Purchase Order 71-18-SP24 with the City of Huntsville for Pratt Avenue at Meridian Street P. 0. 20252075, Eutis Avenue at Greene Street P. 0. […]

Black women journalists, such as Kristin Gray, Rev. Dorothy Boulware, Krishana Davis, Micha Green, Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, and Toni Draper, have been instrumental in shaping the Black Press and continue to inspire and lead conversations shaping the nation.
The post Honoring Black women in media and the impact of mentorship appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

During an online conference on Feb. 26, California Attorney General Rob Bonta detailed how the Trump Administration had used its first five and half weeks to execute an agenda that runs counter in various ways to California state policies and priorities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs were forced to adapt and some were able to expand their businesses, while others lost their livelihoods, with the key takeaways being to stay focused on what you can control and be proactive in diversifying your business.
The post Lessons from the lockdown: Five years later, business owners reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Just before President Donald Trump took the podium to deliver his address to a joint session of Congress, Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett sent a message loud and clear: He is “not like us.” Crockett, dancing and lip-syncing to Kendrick Lamar’s culture-defining hit, later punctuated her defiance with a pointed jab. “Well… the State of the ‘DisUnion’ will begin shortly,” Crockett noted. “I’m gonna be in attendance.” It was just one of many signs of resistance from Democrats who braced for what they predicted would be an address filled with misinformation and political grandstanding. Undeterred, Crockett implored her millions of social media followers, “Do not watch.”

Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton) says she understood before she was elected to office last year that Californians pay among the highest electricity rates in the country. So, lowering that cost – and that of other utility bills — has become her top priority.

Preliminary findings of an urgent assessment of the nation’s bridge vulnerability following the 2024 Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore have revealed that major bridges across the United States are highly likely to be hit by ships, with some bridges expecting a major ship collision once every 20 to 50 years.
The post Major U.S. bridges at high risk of collisions with ships appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Three Black women, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, Paris Brown, and Lisa Snowden, are leading three Black news organizations in Baltimore, carrying on the legacy of the Black Press and striving to sustain accurate and essential information for Black communities in the face of attacks against African Americans.
The post Three newsrooms, one purpose: The women defining Black Press in Baltimore appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

The Norfolk State men’s and women’s basketball teams concluded the 2024-’25 regular season with wins over Howard, securing the number one seed in the Mideastern Athletic Conference tournament.
The post Norfolk State sweeps Howard in double-header, enters MEAC basketball tournament as top seed appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Baltimore City has seen a recent increase in luxury rental properties, leaving many average or low-income residents unable to afford housing, and the mayor’s office is working to implement a new inclusionary housing policy to address the issue.
The post Luxury living expands in Baltimore as affordable housing gap remains appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

April Ryan, the longest-serving Black woman in the White House press corps, has decided to focus on working for the Black Press of America, citing a shift towards conservatism and a lack of opportunities for Black women in the media industry.
The post ‘Never afraid, never intimidated’: April Ryan speaks on being longest-serving Black woman in the White House correspondent appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.