https://www.wbrc.com • 26th June 2025

University of Montevallo names Dr. Terry Roberson as interim president

MONTEVALLO, Ala. (WBRC) - The University of Montevallo has approved the appointment of Dr. Terry Roberson as the new interim president of the school.The university board of trustees held a special meeting Thursday, June 26, to name Dr. Roberson as the interim president after it was announced in May that current president Dr. John Stewart would be leaving the position. Roberson told the board and attendees of the meeting that he was grateful for the opportunity to serve and is thankful for the co...

https://www.wbrc.com • 25th June 2025

Odenville Police share road work plans starting June 25

ODENVILLE, Ala. (WBRC) - The Odenville Police Department is advising the public about road work that begins on Wednesday, June 25. According to a post shared on Facebook by Odenville Police, road crews will begin tearing down and resurfacing all four lanes along U.S. Highway 411 from the train trestle to Blue House Realty. The road work will start at 5 a.m. and will continue until the project is complete, per Odenville Police. Odenville Police assured there will be flaggers present to assist wit...

https://www.wbrc.com • 25th June 2025

Tuscaloosa city council approves proposal for Sports Illustrated Resort

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Tuscaloosa city council members voted on Tuesday, June 24 to approve plans for the Sports Illustrated Resort. The resort will be located at Rice Mine Loop. This is the second attempt to approve the resort after pushback from Tuscaloosa residents caused the city council to delay plans. An update proposal was then revealed in April. This updated proposal is what was passed at the June 24 meeting. Councilors voted 5-2 to move forward with the development.  Tuscaloosa City...

https://www.wbrc.com • 25th June 2025

Calera Police lieutenants rescue stranded church bus

CALERA, Ala. (WBRC) - Two lieutenants from the Calera Police Department stepped in to help out a broken-down bus carrying a church group of 44 kids. According to the Calera Police Department, Lieutenant Brent Ellison came across the broken-down bus on Tuesday, June 24. The bus was stranded near Exit 228 on Interstate 65 and was traveling from Memphis, Tennessee to Panama City, Florida.Police say the group had been without air conditioning since they’d left Memphis. Ellison reportedly stepped in...

https://www.wbrc.com • 21st June 2025

‘It makes them feel empowered’: Fairfield housing community opens onsite garden

FAIRFIELD, Ala. (WBRC) - A housing community in Fairfield celebrated the opening of an onsite community garden on Friday, June 20. W. Clyde Williams Terrace Apartments is described as “an affordable housing community for the elderly, physically challenged and disabled”. “We are currently located in a food desert and do not have convenient access to food,” said Christa Johnson, the service coordinator for W. Clyde Williams Terrace Apartments.According to Johnson, the community partnered with the...

https://www.wbrc.com • 21st June 2025

City of Birmingham plans fourth annual Mental Health Awareness Day

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The city of Birmingham is partnering with Nurture of Alabama to host the fourth annual city of Birmingham Mental Health Awareness Day on Friday, June 27. The community event will take place at Linn Park and run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to the city, Mental Health Awareness Day aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma and improve access to mental health resources across the Birmingham area. Chanda Temple, the senior project manager for the mayor’s office says attend...

https://www.wbrc.com • 17th June 2025

Birmingham continues work on Community Safety Initiative programs by partnering with Miles College, Institute of Research Social Justice in Action

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The city of Birmingham is partnering with Miles College and the Institute of Research Social Justice in Action (IRSJA) for its comprehensive violence reduction strategy this summer. The three community-based initiatives are designed to empower youth, adults and community leaders to make communities safer according to the city of Birmingham’s Office of Public Information. The three programs are “Rise Up Birmingham”, “Flipping the Game: From Hustle to Enterprise” and the...

https://www.wbrc.com • 17th June 2025

Board of Trustees approves $226K contract change for outgoing University of Montevallo president

MONTEVALLO, Ala. (WBRC) - The University of Montevallo Board of Trustees approved a finalized agreement with outgoing University President, Dr. John W. Stewart III, at their June 13 meeting that will pay Stewart $226,589.40. The contract change comes after Stewart announced his decision to step down at the May 5 board of trustees meeting. His last day as UM president will be June 30, 2025. The newly approved changes include nine monthly payments of $25,176.60 beginning in July 2025 and continuin...

https://www.wbrc.com • 15th June 2025

Construction begins as part of Birmingham’s ongoing flood mitigation work

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The city of Birmingham has begun work on drainage improvements along 26th Street South and Caldwell Park in the Highland Park neighborhood. The work is being done to help ease historic flooding in the area. According to the city, the project is estimated to cost $5.9 million and is supported through Birmingham’s capital budget and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Construction will reportedly move in phases. The initial work is said to take place along 26th Street...

https://www.wbrc.com • 15th June 2025

ALDOT plans closure of Highway 31 on June 22 to set pedestrian bridge

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (WBRC) - ALDOT will be setting a pedestrian bridge along Highway 31 in Jefferson County on Saturday, June 22, leading to closures. According to ALDOT, at 10:30 p.m., Highway 31 in Vestavia Hills from Waldridge Road to Merryvale Road, will be closed to set a pedestrian bridge. Lanes will reportedly be back open at 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 23. Per Vestavia Hills, only local traffic will be able to detour on Waldridge Road and Merryvale Road. ALDOT requests drivers use other rout...

https://www.wbrc.com • 15th June 2025

3 rescued from capsized boat along Coosa River

BALLPLAY BEND, Ala. (WBRC) - Ballplay Blend Fire Department (BBFD) rescued three fishermen from a boat that capsized in the Coosa River early Sunday morning.According to a Facebook post shared by the Ballplay Bend Fire Department, Etowah County dispatchers alerted them to a capsized boat around 3:20 a.m. on June 15.BBFD responded with rescue trucks, a rescue boat, and a drone. BBFD said their drone was able to locate the capsized boat, with the fisherman on top, providing GPS coordinates for the...

https://www.wbrc.com • 15th June 2025

ALDOT prepares to repair bridge decks in Greene County

GREENE COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - ALDOT is repairing bridge decks on Interstate-20/59 Northbound in Greene County starting Monday, June 16. The project is being done to improve the section of bridge deck and add a new guardrail. According to ALDOT, the work will take place from the Sumter County line to the County Road 80 underpass, which is northwest of Boligee. It will cover around four miles. “Bridge deck rehabilitation involves removing and replacing worn sections of the bridge surface to restore...

https://www.wbrc.com • 11th June 2025

Shelby County chiropractor evaded more than $2.5M in taxes and obstructed IRS collection efforts

SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - A Shelby County chiropractor plead guilty to tax evasion and obstructing IRS collection efforts early on in his trial on Monday, June 9. This comes about ten months after Gary Forrest Edwards was indicted by a grand jury on tax evasion, filing false tax returns and obstructing the IRS in August 2024. According to evidence and court documents presented at the June trial, Edwards, of Shelby County, Alabama, owned and operated the chiropractic practice Hoover Health & W...

https://www.wbrc.com • 11th June 2025

12-year-old dies from two-vehicle crash in Tuscaloosa County

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - A two-vehicle crash that occurred in Tuscaloosa County on Sunday, June 8, claimed the life of a 12-year-old from Coker. ALEA says the crash happened around 4:45 p.m. on Romulus Road, near Libby Road, which is about eight miles west of Northport. The 12-year-old was one of four passengers in a Chevrolet Colorado pickup which was struck by a Ford F-150 pickup, that was driven by a 16-year-old from Northport.Reportedly, the 12-year-old was not using a seat belt when...

https://www.wbrc.com • 11th June 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Katherine Robertson announces campaign for Alabama Attorney General

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Katherine Robertson, chief counsel to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, has announced she will run for Attorney General next year. Robertson kicked off her campaign on Tuesday, June 10, at Regions Field. Marshall joined her. Robertson says she is excited to continue the work of the Marshall administration and also make improvements where possible. She says she is running to strengthen public safety and to serve Alabama’s communities. “Our office is a complex plac...

https://www.wbrc.com • 10th June 2025

Tuscaloosa city council pushes vote on Sports Illustrated development by 2 weeks

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - The Tuscaloosa City Council decided to carry over a vote on a new Sports Illustrated hotel at their meeting Tuesday night, June 10. This follows weeks of public hearings and debates about the resort.Tuscaloosa homeowner Sally Reel lives about a mile away from the proposed site of the Sports Illustrated Hotel.“This is not a resort community,” said Reel.Reel is not against economic development for this corner of the city, but doesn’t feel that Rice Mine road is the right...

https://www.wbrc.com • 10th June 2025

Pelham implements new parking ordinance

PELHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Pelham city council has approved a new parking ordinance which they say is designed to improve enforcement, protect public safety and better reflect modern land use around the city. According to the city council, this update establishes clearer and more consistent parking standards for citizens. It also addresses some common concerns such as street, sidewalk and yard parking in residential areas, which they say will improve traffic and protect neighborhood aesthetics. F...

https://www.wbrc.com • 8th June 2025

First Alert Traffic: Ramp closures planned along I-65 in Blount County, continuing to June 18

BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - ALDOT is informing drivers about continued, planned ramp closures in Blount County. These ramp closures were originally planned be in place through Thursday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. However, ALDOT extended the closures to take place Tuesday, June 17 and Wednesday, June 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.As long as weather permits, ALDOT will continue to close the southbound entrance and/or exit ramps at the Exit 284 along Interstate-65. This exit is also known as the US-3...

WBRC • 1st June 2025

Shelby Humane hosts summer program ‘Read with a Cat’

COLUMBIANA, Ala. (WBRC) - This summer, Shelby Humane is hosting their “Read with a Cat,” program. The program allows kids to come read to, and cuddle with, the shelter cats and kittens every Thursday from May 29 to July 31. The program also counts for volunteer hours.There are four time slots each Thursday of the summer: 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. You can sign up here. Shelby Humane says they have kid-friendly books but also encourage people to bring their own if they’d like to....

WBRC • 1st June 2025

Passengers of overturned Birmingham VA bus are confirmed to be recovering

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A Birmingham VA shuttle bus was tipped onto its side in a crash that happened Friday afternoon, May 30. According to Birmingham Fire and Rescue, the collision is said to have involved at least one other vehicle. The bus tipped over onto its side at 23rd St. South and 7th Avenue South. Birmingham Fire and Rescue reported six patients were taken to the hospital. On Saturday, May 31, a Birmingham VA spokesperson confirmed there were three passengers on board of the bus, as...

https://www.wbrc.com • 1st June 2025

Alabama Power prepared ahead a hurricane season that is predicted to be above average

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The 2025 Atlantic Ocean Basin hurricane season begins Sunday, June 1 and runs until November 30. NOAA’s National Weather Service released their outlook in May. This prediction only predicts hurricane activity, not the likelihood of rainfall. The outlook forecasted a 60% chance of an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean Basin. Alabama sometimes ends up on the fringe of a hurricane’s path, such as Hurricane Helene, which hit in September 2024 and left 27-th...

https://www.wbrc.com • 31st May 2025

Gadsden City Council honors educator by naming day after her

GADSDEN, Ala. (WBRC) - Gadsden mayor, Craig Ford, and Gadsden City Council officially proclaimed Saturday, May 31 as “Dr. Kathy Murphy Day,” in honor of Dr. Kathy Murphy who has served in education for decades, resulting in state, and nation, wide acknowledgement of her work. Murphy has spent decades serving students, educators and communities across the state. Some of the roles she took on included working as a teacher, administrator and as a college president. She began her career in Greenvill...

https://www.wbrc.com • 28th May 2025

Calera launches “Summer Bingo” to promote local family fun on a budget

CALERA, Ala. (WBRC) - The city of Calera is launching their program, “Summertime Bingo”, so families in the area can engage with free or low-cost activities without leaving town. The city said the program is designed to help parents keep their children active, and entertained, with the summer free time, all while supporting local businesses. The bingo card is located here and outlines a variety of activities that families can experience together this summer. “We wanted to create a program that m...

https://www.wbrc.com • 28th May 2025

Behind the scenes of Disney’s Frozen: The Musical at Red Mountain Theatre with cast member, Anne Kelly

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The cast of Frozen: The Broadway Musical at Red Mountain Theatre is gearing up for the opening night of the show on Friday, May 30. The show will run from May 30 to June 29, with opportunities to see the show all month. However, getting the show ready for opening was done in less time than that. Anne Kelly, a current student at the University of Alabama, is a member of the ensemble, and the understudy for Queen Iduna, for Frozen: The Musical at Red Mountain Theatre. She...