My City Was Gone

| October 15, 2008 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2008/10/Anniston_Alabama.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1024;s:4:"file";s:28:"2008/10/Anniston_Alabama.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-336x179.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:179;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-771x411.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:411;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-768x410.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:410;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Anniston_Alabama-1536x819.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:819;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Anniston_Alabama-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-583x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:583;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-470x251.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:251;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Anniston_Alabama-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:3535301;s:14:"optimized_size";i:390733;s:7:"percent";d:88.950000000000003;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3279819;s:14:"optimized_size";i:202982;s:7:"percent";d:93.810000000000002;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:7042;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5239;s:7:"percent";d:25.600000000000001;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-336x179.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:18999;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14024;s:7:"percent";d:26.190000000000001;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-771x412.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:74872;s:14:"optimized_size";i:54724;s:7:"percent";d:26.91;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:51098;s:14:"optimized_size";i:37667;s:7:"percent";d:26.280000000000001;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23315;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17140;s:7:"percent";d:26.489999999999998;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-583x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:46995;s:14:"optimized_size";i:34559;s:7:"percent";d:26.460000000000001;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Anniston_Alabama-470x251.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:33161;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24398;s:7:"percent";d:26.43;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Rivers Langley: SaveRivers
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  Wikimedia Commons
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1670344395 
1224028800

Have an unexplained phenomenon, unusual behavior or an unexpected baby boom? You can always declare, “There must be something in the water.” But for the Anniston community, this is not simply an innocuous cliche. Dumping decades ago by the Monsanto corporation has left Anniston with elevated levels of PCBs, a chemical banned since the 70s, but blamed for high rates of cancer and birth defects in the east Alabama town. Public outrage culminated in a legal settlement about 5 years ago which approached $800 million. Journalist Dennis Love followed the case in his book “My City Was Gone.” The Anniston native spoke with WBHM’s Andrew Yeager.

 

 

 

Sudanese paramilitary drone attack kills 50, including 33 children, doctor group says

Thursday's attack is the latest in the fighting between the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, also known as the RSF, and the Sudanese military, who have been at war for over two years.

Russia unleashes drone and missile attack on Ukraine as diplomatic talks continue

Russia unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Ukraine overnight into Saturday, after U.S. and Ukrainian officials said they'll meet on Saturday for talks aimed at ending the war.

Takeaways from the latest special election and what it means for control of the House

There was yet another sign this week of a potential 2026 wave that could hand control of the House of Representatives to Democrats.

West Virginians question National Guard deployments after attack on 2 of their own

Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was fatally shot in Washington, D.C., while Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe was seriously wounded. Trump says the deployments are necessary to fight crime, but others disagree.

Trump official signals potential rollback of changes to census racial categories

Trump officials are reviewing changes to racial and ethnic categories that the Biden administration approved for the 2030 census and other federal government forms, a White House agency official says.

HHS changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait

Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered.

More Environment Coverage