In this episode of BrightPath, hosts Lisa Jones and Johnnie Aycock sit down with Dr. Andrea Cevasco-Trotter, Director & Professor of Music Therapy at The University of Alabama, and Singer-Songwriter & Recording Artist Matt Jones to explore why music, poetry, film, and art can trigger powerful emotional responses—and why those responses differ from person to person. It begins with a personal experience of hearing the same song twice but reacting differently the second time, raising a larger question about how changes within us, rather than changes in the art itself, shape what we feel. The discussion sets up an exploration of the brain, emotion, memory, and personal experience from two perspectives.

Walking your dog may seem like a chore at times, but it's good for both of you, for your health and for your relationship!

Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane as it barreled toward a possible landfall on Alabama’s border with Florida. The approach of the storm is prompting orders for tourists to abandon beaches for safer spots inland, sending locals scurrying for gas and groceries and leading fishing crews to secure their boats before the potentially destructive storm’s arrival.

Residents of Alabama, coastal Mississippi, and the western Florida panhandle are getting ready for rough ride from Hurricane Isaias. Forecasters are predicting landfall late Friday or early Saturday. That hit could occur anywhere from Ocean Springs in Mississippi, to Mobile and the Eastern Shore in Alabama, to the western Florida panhandle. The lower third of our state is facing the possibility of tropical storm force winds and rain. Mike Evans is manager of Mobile County Emergency Management. He says residents need to get storm updates from a trusted source like the National Weather Service.

How does an 11-year-old camper finding her rhythm behind a drum set turn into a lifelong calling to empower young women? Find out on this episode of Quick-Fire Quips with Mary Foster, former camper and current mentor with Girls Rock Birmingham. She opens up about finding her home in music, how the non-profit builds confidence and community on stage at Saturn, and why spaces built for young women are so vital in today's music scene. Plus, hear all about the return of the free, come-as-you-are Girls Rock Fest at Avondale Brewing Company!

Some coastal residents of Alabama are being advised to voluntarily evacuate as Isaias surged toward the U.S. Gulf Coast on Thursday. It’s the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, prompting mandatory evacuations and school closures in parts of Florida. Isaias was forecast to intensify rapidly and bring strong winds and a life-threatening storm surge to the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi when it makes landfall on the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday. Heavy rain with the risk of flooding was possible into the weekend as far inland as the Tennessee Valley.

Hurricane forecasters are keeping an eye on the progress of Isaias. The system grew to tropical storm strength on Wednesday, and is expected to be a hurricane when it reaches anywhere form Gulfport in Mississippi, to Mobile, to Panama City Beach in Florida. The latest forecast has landfall expected sometime Friday Night. Before Isaias formed, APR student reporter John Underwood talked with three experts for tips on how to get ready for this year’s hurricane season. One special note—John’s story talks about preparing for evacuation.EDITOR'S Note— Local leaders in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama are advising residents of low lying areas to voluntarily evacuate. In Florida, the Associated Press is reporting that some residents of RV parks in Gulf County and Okaloosa County (Zones A and B) are under a mandatory evacuation order.

Tropical Storm Isaias has formed off eastern Mexico. Forecasters say it is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and hit the U.S. Gulf Coast later in the week. Early Wednesday morning, Isaias was located about 285 miles west of Progreso, Mexico, and about 580 miles southwest of the Mississippi River’s mouth.

It's hard to know where to start talking about former Alabama U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance. She's a fixture on MS Now, and she's been on PBS's Overheard with Evan Smith. The midterm elections are also just a few weeks away, and Vance is out with a new book titled "Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy.” Bear with me— I'm just getting warmed up. 2026 is also the 30th anniversary of the Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta. Vance helped build the legal case against bomber Eric Rudolph after a similar attack in Birmingham. We'll start off by talking about her connection to a national award-winning investigation right here at Alabama Public Radio. All of that and more on APR Notebook.

President Donald Trump on Monday took his Republican midterm rescue mission to Nebraska, where he signed an executive order to ease limits on the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel, a decision he said would save “millions” for farmers and drive down the cost of all goods with just four weeks to go until the elections. Alabama already took that action with diesel prices around $6 a gallon, two and fifty cents more than a year ago in the state.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Roy Moore's push to restore an $8.2 million defamation verdict over a 2017 Senate race ad funded by a Democratic-aligned super PAC.Justices declined to hear Moore’s appeal of a lower court decision that vacated the large verdict.

It's hard to know where to start talking about former Alabama U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance. She's a fixture on MS Now, and she's been on PBS's Overheard with Evan Smith. The midterm elections are also just a few weeks away, and Vance is out with a new book titled "Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy.” Bear with me; I'm just getting warmed up. 2026 is also the 30th anniversary of the Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta. Vance helped build the legal case against bomber Eric Rudolph after a similar attack in Birmingham. We'll start off by talking about her connection to a national award-winning investigation right here at Alabama Public Radio. All of that and more on APR Notebook.