BW Recommends is a rundown of stories you might have missed this week. It offers insight into issues important to our area and sometimes tickles your curiosity.

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For Alabama’s Spotted Salamanders, a Win and a Warning (Inside Climate News)

Grassroots activists celebrated after Samford University agreed to shift its plans for building sports fields to avoid a critical salamander habitat.

Trump’s Budget Cuts Funding for Chronic Disease Prevention (New York Times)

Alabama’s state health officer was among the public health officials surprised by President Trump’s new proposal to cut CDC’s funding in half and eliminate its chronic disease center. Dr. Scott Harris said the loss of those funds “would be devastating for us.” Alabama has one of the highest rates of chronic diseases in the country, and about 84% of the public health department’s budget comes from the CDC, Harris said. About $6 million goes to chronic disease programs, including blood pressure screening, nutrition education for diabetes and promotion of physical activity.

Alabama Judge Blocks State From Regulating Birth Centers as Hospitals (Alabama Reflector)

An Alabama judge this week blocked the Alabama Department of Public Health from regulating freestanding birth centers as hospitals, saying that department’s attempt to impose hospital regulations on the centers that offer an out-of-hospital birth option was unlawful. Midwives in the state hailed the decision as a victory.

The Black Tailors Who’ve Kept Dandyism Alive for Decades (Vogue)

Birmingham’s own Robert Hill, who has operated Robert Hill Custom Tailors downtown for more than 40 years, was featured in a Vogue article about the craft and calling of black tailors. The story says, “Hill’s work represents a quiet preservation of Black elegance and self-presentation in the South.”

Foot Soldiers on What May of 1963 Meant to the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement (Birmingham Times)

People who took part in the Children’s Crusade reminisce on the anniversary of their historic march.

After an $11 Million Deficit, an Alabama City Council Debates Taking the Checkbook (AL.com)

After an audit showed the city of Helena had overspent its budget by $11 million and ended its last fiscal year in a deficit, a City Council member has proposed requiring a council member’s signature on city checks.

What passed in the Alabama Legislature: April 29 — May 1, 2025 (Alabama Reflector)

Legislative action as the regular session nears its end.