Maggie Martin

'Love Story' Actress Ali MacGraw Visits Huntsville

Maggie Martin — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:31:42 +0000

Actress Ali MacGraw is speaking at the Huntsville Museum of Art today. MacGraw rose to fame in 1969 for her role in Goodbye, Columbus, for which she won a Golden Globe award. Shortly after, MacGraw starred in Love Story, for which she earned a second Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. Today, MacGraw is in Huntsville as a special guest for the art museum’s ‘Voices of Our Times’ event. MacGraw says she’s traveled all over the world, but this is her first visit to the South.

Hobson City: How Desegregation Almost Killed Ala.'s First All-Black City

Maggie Martin — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:29:39 +0000

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of many pivotal moments in the civil rights era in Alabama. The movement would lead to desegregation of schools and businesses in the Deep South. But, along with these victories, there were casualties along the way. Desegregation almost killed one small Alabama town.

“This used to be the main drag. The school would always have a homecoming parade, Christmas parade. So it was always kind of a celebration strip. And all these homes left and right, I knew everybody in these homes.”

50 Years Since King’s Letter Recalls Spring Hill as Civil Rights Leader

Maggie Martin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:30:59 +0000

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of many key moments in the civil rights movement. It was on April 16th, 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” King wrote the letter after being arrested for violating a court order banning civil rights demonstrations. In his letter, King cited Spring Hill College in Mobile for its leadership in the civil rights movement.

Documentary Sparks Hope for Music Hall of Fame

Maggie Martin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:41:34 +0000

A few months ago, visitors walking through Alabama’s Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia would be flooded with music. A look through the songs in the museum’s jukebox, for instance, and you could play anything you liked-for free.

But today, it’s a different story.

“The Hall of Fame is presently closed due to lack of funding," says Wiley Barnard. He's Executive Director of the Music Hall of Fame. "Our power is off.

Female Vet Health Care Focus of Tuscaloosa Meeting

Maggie Martin — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:32:52 +0000

The quality of health care for female veterans will be the highlight at a town hall meeting in Tuscaloosa tonight. The American Legion is hosting the event. It’s the country’s largest organization of war-time veterans. Officials say women now make up about 15 percent of the country’s service members. About 340,000 women veterans are currently enrolled in the VA health-care system, and officials say they expect that number to keep growing.

Heart Attack Survivors, Loved Ones Share Stories on Red Couch

Maggie Martin — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:48:44 +0000

The American Heart Association of Birmingham is taking a unique approach to heart disease this month. Starting February 1, the Red Couch Campaign encourages survivors and those impacted by the disease to sit on a red couch and share their stories. Matt Hooper is with the American Heart Association in Birmingham. He says some participants are reluctant to share their stories.

“We do occasionally run into folks who have a story and are reticent to share it either because the memory is too fresh or it’s something they just don’t want to talk about,” says Hooper.

StoryCorps Griot Project Comes to UAB

Maggie Martin — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:14:49 +0000

The University of Alabama at Birmingham collected several interviews with African-Americans in the area and is sharing 10 of them tonight during an open house at UAB’s Digital Media Commons. UAB students collaborated with the StoryCorps Griot Initiative for the project. “Griot” is a West-African word meaning “storyteller.” Rosie O’Beirne is director of digital media and learning at UAB. She says the process began two years ago.

“In January 2011, StoryCorps, which is the largest oral history project of its kind, came to Birmingham’s Civil Rights Institute,” says O’Beirne.

Mobile County Celebrates 200 Years of History

Maggie Martin — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:42:22 +0000

In just a few days, Mobile County turns 200 years old. Over the past year, the county’s hosted several events leading up to December 18^th. They included outdoor music concerts and even a “Tribute to Elvis Gala,” celebrating the King of Rock and Roll who performed in Mobile in the 1950’s. The year-long celebration will wrap up Saturday with a birthday bash complete with two-thousand and twelve cupcakes.

UAB Report: Medicaid Expansion Could Mean $1 Billion in Revenue for Alabama

Maggie Martin — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:15:08 +0000

A big deadline is looming today for state's like Alabama. Washington wants to know which states plan to create their own health insurance exchanges, as part of the Affordable Care Act. Each state that says “no” will leave that job up to the federal government. Today's deadline comes just days after the University of Alabama at Birmingham released a report related to the expansion of Medicaid under the act. The report says if Alabama opts into the Medicaid expansion, it could mean a billion dollars in new tax revenue for the state.

Ala. Governor's Mansion Open for Christmas Tours

Maggie Martin — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:35:15 +0000

The Governor's Mansion in Montgomery is getting ready for the first of three evenings of public tours during the Christmas season.

First Lady Dianne Bentley says the mansion will be open from 5-7 p.m. Monday and during the same hours Dec. 10 and 17. Decorators from across the state volunteered to decorate the mansion and the neighboring Hill House for the holidays.

Raw Video of Gay Rodeo in Fort Worth, TX

Maggie Martin — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:45:03 +0000

Wild Drag Racing is the most popular "camp" event at a gay rodeo. Men dress up in drag and have to get on a steer and go across a white line in under 1 minute. Not as easy as it sounds, as you can see from the video above.
The man with the red feather in his hat is John Beck, the "Grandfather" of the Gay Rodeo. He invented Wild Drag Racing.

Governor: No Decision on Ala. Insurance Exchange

Maggie Martin — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:10:57 +0000

Gov. Robert Bentley has announced no decision yet on whether he wants Alabama to create a health insurance exchange or leave it to the federal government.

Friday is the deadline for states to notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services about what they intend to do.

Countdown to Election: Ala. District 7

Maggie Martin — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

November 6^th is now just one day away. For Alabamians, it means they’ll cast their votes not only for who they want as president, but who they want to serve as their U.S. Congressional representative. In District 7, which includes Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Dallas, and Wilcox counties, Democratic incumbent Terri Sewell is running against Republican Don Chamberlain. Sewell was first elected to the U.S. House in 2010. She is the first black woman elected to Congress from Alabama.

Dr.

International Film Conference Addresses Global Human Rights Issues

Maggie Martin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:45:15 +0000

Starting today, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is hosting an international film conference. The event will host more than 60 filmmakers and scholars from around the world to talk about how filmmaking plays into the international struggle for civil and human rights. I sat down to talk with Doctor Serge Bokobza, who chairs the foreign languages department at UAB and heads up the conference. He says his year’s event is homage to the 49th Anniversary of the 16^th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham.

Bird Watchers Observe How April Tornadoes Change Migration Patterns

Maggie Martin — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"Hi!" shouts Becky Collier, a 4-H program coordinator in West Alabama.

The kids in the audience unenthusiastically shout "hi" back.

“That was pathetic," says Collier. "We’re going to try that again! HELLO!"

“HELLO!”

“That is how not to greet people when you’re birding, okay?" says Collier. She’s holding a presentation on birds of prey, or raptors, for a large group of kids this morning.