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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Work Begins on New KultureCity National Accessibility Park in Birmingham (BhamNow)

Crews have begun site prep work for the new KultureCity National Accessibility Park in downtown Birmingham. KultureCity is redeveloping the historic Powell Avenue Steam Plant property as a major accessibility and training development for people with certain disabilities, including autism. The project is designed to be a national model for accessibility, workforce development and economic growth. It would transform the former steam plant into the country’s first fully integrated accessibility campus  that would include a technical college and workforce training center, a museum and navigation center focused on accessibility and inclusion and an inclusive outdoor amphitheater and public gathering space.

Birmingham Metro Area Immigration Advocates Urge Residents to Know Their Rights Amid Reported Uptick in ICE Activity (WBRC)

Immigration advocates across the area say they are seeing an uptick in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity over the past several weeks, and they want residents to be prepared. They offer information about your rights along with practical advice for those who cross paths with ICE.

The Pizitz Still Brings Birmingham Together (SoulGrown)

When David Silverstein talks about The Pizitz, the pride in his voice is unmistakable. It’s there in the way he recalls the building’s long and winding narrative arc — from retail anchor, to vacant shell, to a living, breathing center of downtown Birmingham once again. That pride, evident in every detail of Bayer Properties’ restoration, echoes something much older. It points directly back to the man whose name still crowns the façade: Louis Pizitz.

Lipscomb’s Leadership Crisis: Two Police Chiefs and a Federal Lawsuit Linger (AL.com)

An Alabama town with a population of just 2,000 has two people claiming the title of police chief, and the question of who is in charge depends on whom you ask. The Lipscomb City Council last week unanimously voted to restore chief Lanita Neal to her position immediately and end the tenure of acting chief Dwayne Howard. But the mayor has refused to put the change in place, contending the meeting was invalid. This is the same town where a judge has ruled that three of five council members are sitting unlawfully. That issue is under appeal.

Alabama School Board Debate Over Social Studies Textbooks Centers on Role, Authority (Alabama Daily News)

The Alabama State Board of Education returned Thursday to the question of approving new social studies textbooks, but members spent much of the discussion focused on the board’s role in approving the materials. The conversation centered on whether the board should accept the recommendations of its appointed textbook committee or take a more active role in shaping the approved list.

House Pulls PSC Appointment Bill Amid Senate Uncertainty (Alabama Political Reporter)

The bill that would change the Alabama Public Service Commission from an elected body to an appointed one was suddenly pulled from the Alabama House of Representatives’ agenda Thursday morning. Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said the bill was pulled from the calendar because of doubts about it passing in the Senate. The bill initially had strong bipartisan support, but after it was publicized, legislators began receiving calls from constituents who thought the people should continue to elect the members who sit on the commission that regulates utilities and telecommunications, among other things.

Two House Democrats Push for Gambling, Lottery Bills as Session Nears Halfway Point (Alabama Reflector)

Two Alabama House Democrats said Wednesday that they have filed or plan to file lottery and gambling bills, though passage may be difficult as the 2026 legislative session approaches the halfway mark. One of the bills, called the “Clean Lottery Act,” meaning it addresses a lottery but not other forms of gambling, is a constitutional amendment. The second bill would allow pari-mutuel betting in six counties. Currently, there are facilities in Jefferson, Greene, Macon and Mobile counties that already hold pari-mutuel licenses. Lawrence’s bill would also extend the licenses to Houston County, which holds a Class C Bingo Permit, and Lowndes County, which had a bingo hall that closed in 2023.

Alabama Legislature Creates Study Commission on AI and Children’s Internet Safety (Yellowhammer)

The state Senate passed HJR51, a joint resolution establishing a Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence and Children’s Internet Safety. The resolution creates a commission tasked with studying the effects of AI, social media and internet access on children, investigating how other states are addressing the issue and developing recommendations for future Alabama legislation.

What Passed in the Alabama Legislature: Feb. 10-12, 2026 (Alabama Reflector)

This week’s action in the Legislature.