Posts by Will Blakely

Brock Heasley grew up loving movies. Now, he's taking his first crack at directing a full-length film, and he’s doing it right here in Alabama. Earlier this month, Brock and his team occupied a street in Birmingham to film scenes of “The Shift,” a retelling of the book of Job set in a science fiction dystopia. 

The editorial board for Auburn University’s primary campus newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman, released an opinion piece in response to the list of white racial slurs leaked from a group message titled “AU Connect.”

Two Republican members of the Alabama congressional delegation are battling an abortion policy recently adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense which makes it easier for female soldiers in pro-life states to get abortions where they are legal.

The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) is pushing for Birmingham Southern College (BSC) to receive a bailout from the State Legislature, according to its new list of legislative priorities for 2023.

The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) is planning on having nitrogen gas ready to use for executions by the end of 2023.

Tuscaloosa County residents voted no on a property tax increase on Tuesday that would have cost homeowners in the county an extra $8 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation a year.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) said that he did not believe that the four unidentified flying objects shot down in North American airspace in recent days pose a serious threat to the United States.

Residents of Tuscaloosa County are voting in a referendum Tuesday to determine whether or not to increase property taxes for the county school system.

The Birmingham Water Works will begin shutting off water for delinquents and resume collections for outstanding bills on Wednesday.

Last week, the Alabama Public Service Commission (APSC) ruled that year-end financial results for the Alabama Power Company exceeded the rate of return range in 2022 by $62 million and ordered the utility to plan on issuing refunds to customers in August 2023. Now, the APSC predicts that the refunds will only amount to $23 for the average residential customer.

Auburn University officials issued a statement that claims that the group message in which members listed racial slurs for white people on a Google Doc is not associated with the Black Student Union (BSU) or the university, as the whistleblower who leaked the information claimed.

State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) urged Auburn University to be careful after a document was leaked from a group message allegedly associated with the Auburn University Black Student Union (BSU) in which group message members listed over 250 racial slurs for white people.

Fewer Alabama public high schools are keeping the opioid-countering drug naloxone on hand, even as safety concerns due to fentanyl are on the rise.

The Jefferson County Commission elected to shell out $5 million toward the Caraway Amphitheater project in North Birmingham, which could replace the Oak Mountain Ampitheatre in Pelham.

A whistleblower in the Auburn University Black Student Union claims to have retrieved a Google Doc from a group message associated with the organization, which lists over 250 racial slurs for white people, including “failed abortions,” “diseased neanderthals” and more.

Representatives from Hyundai Motor Company told media that the company is working with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to address an investigation that uncovered underage workers at factories that belonged to some of its suppliers.

Alabama Power customers might be due for a refund next fall. On Tuesday, the Alabama Public Service Commission (APSC) ruled that year-end financial results for the Alabama Power Company exceeded the rate of return range in 2022 by $62 million.

Listen to 1819 News Reporter Will Blakely on The Jeff Poor Show as they discuss the governor's relative silence on all the Alabama Department of Corrections' serious issues.

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) said on Twitter Tuesday night that nearly 10 million more Americans lived paycheck-to-paycheck in 2022 than in 2021.

“We have to stop being naïve about the threat we face from China. We no longer have the luxury of time. We need to act now to get ahead of this threat."

A spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement to 1819 News on Tuesday addressing the ongoing chaos in the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC).

Governor Kay Ivey has yet to address the chaos that has continued to fester over the past several months in the Alabama Department of Corrections.

A new report commissioned by the Alabama Hospital Association (AHA) suggests that profit margins for Alabama hospitals were down nearly 80% from pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Now, the AHA is seeking American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the state.

Now that the groundhogs have emerged from their burrows, some predicting six more weeks of winter and others predicting an early spring, it’s time to start planning for this year’s spring entertainment season.

Before retiring in January, former U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby earmarked $10 million for the University of Alabama (UA) to create a “public service and leadership institute.” Now, UA has decided to name the institute after Shelby.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) is going after a Department of Defense (DOD) education official over remarks she made on Twitter about white people.

Film crews occupied a Birmingham street on Thursday to produce a full-length movie that retells the story of Job in a science fiction dystopia.