Central Alabama healthcare workers manage series of challenges as flu, COVID-19 cases rise

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) released more inmates Friday under the new state law that went into effect Tuesday. The law allows qualified inmates to be released from ADOC under supervision. Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr expressed concerns over the law, specifically over victims...

ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ala. — The landfill fire in St. Clair County appears to be having little to no impact on water quality in the area. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) recently did water quality sampling on the Big Black Creek and Cahaba River, at four locations up and downstream of the landfill.

MOODY, Ala. — Residents living near the St. Clair County landfill fire are enjoying a little relief from its invading smoke. EPA air monitors show the amount of smoke from the property has been cut in half. Plus, smoke particulate readings at certain locations has dropped nearly ninety percent...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — WVTM 13 is shining a spotlight on CommUNITY Champion, Debra Des Vignes. She is the creator of the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop; a program she is now implementing in Alabama prisons. The program started as a single creative writing class to a small group of incarcerated...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is scheduled to speak at the Alabama Republican Party's winter dinner in Birmingham in March. DeSantis recently made headlines after blocking funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in his state. DeSantis calls diversity and inclusion programs “discriminatory" and believes they’re part...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Kristina Black spent nearly three decades preparing students in Birmingham City Schools for the future. But she says come 2019, it was no longer the same job she fell in love with. "Lack of support from administration, it was key," Black recalls. "You know, it was...

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. — Tuscaloosa Sheriff's Department Investigators discussed a sexual assault cold case solved using new technology. The case identified a serial rapist suspect who was active nationwide with multiple victims. Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit announced that new genetic genealogy research using DNA...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Protecting Good program gives homeowners funds to install storm-resistant roofs through a partnership between the Alabama Department of Insurance, Protective Life Corporation, the city of Birmingham, UAB, Neighborhood Housing Services, and Habitat for Humanity for Greater Birmingham. The program represents the opportunity for qualified homes...

TRUSSVILLE, Ala. — A company in Trussville has been ordered to submit a plan to close and remove contamination from a facility. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management reported a notice of violation was issued to Alabama Oil & Gas Recovery, Inc. The ADEM notice directed the used oil...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The search continues for the gunman who killed a pregnant Birmingham mother and shot two children. Corieonna Hines was gunned down Tuesday night inside her apartment along 9th Avenue West. That's about two blocks north of Legion Field's parking lots. Hines' 7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old niece...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Sunny, colder and drier weather moves in just in time for the weekend. Check the video forecast for the latest. Early Friday, a brisk north wind drives the wind chill (feels like) down into the 20s, and even as the sun reappears for most of the day, it stays cold: highs in the 40s, feeling more like the 30s.

BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. — A former corrections officer in Blount County was indicted in an alleged assault incident in the jail. According to Sheriff Mark Moon, a person was brought to the jail to be booked, and during that process, the person became loud, speaking harshly, but was not violent.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Authorities say Jerry Barclays, Jr., 49, said he was traveling to Georgia but hasn't been seen since. According to the police report, Barclays was last seen on 21st Way South in November 2022. A missing person report was filed on January 19, 2023. Police describe Barclays...

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. — A man from Northport was killed in an early morning crash Feb. 1. The Alabama State Troopers reported David Lancaster, 25, was driving a pickup truck on Upper Columbus Road north of Northport, when it rolled off the road, hit a ditch and overturned. The...

ALABASTER, Ala. — Officials work to repair a water main break on Thompson Road in Alabaster Friday morning. The southbound lanes have been shut down while crews work to make repairs. Police said repairs could take six to eight hours to complete. Motorists are urged to find alternate routes.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Police officers in Birmingham were looking to find a person suspected of stealing a vehicle. The officers were called to Princeton Avenue SW in the area of 14th and 15th streets and found a crashed car. A police spokesperson said it was unclear how the crash...

BESSEMER, Ala. — Two people were struck by gunfire in an early morning shooting in Bessemer. A spokesperson for the Bessemer Police Department said the incident happened in the 600 block of 12th Street at about 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 3. The BPD says the victims were inside a...

GARDENDALE, Ala. — Some Gardendale residents are fighting a request by developers to build townhomes down the street from the city's new sports complex. They want to build three separate buildings with six townhomes in each fronting Moncrief Road. Added traffic on this road is one of the main concerns nearby residents have.