War of Words

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2007/11/Larry_Langford.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1440;s:4:"file";s:26:"2007/11/Larry_Langford.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Larry_Langford-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Larry_Langford-771x578.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Larry_Langford-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:26:"Larry_Langford-768x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Larry_Langford-1536x1152.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1152;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"Larry_Langford-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:26:"Larry_Langford-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:26:"Larry_Langford-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:26:"Larry_Langford-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Larry_Langford-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Larry_Langford-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:26:"Larry_Langford-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:26:"Larry_Langford-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:2382048;s:14:"optimized_size";i:470251;s:7:"percent";d:80.260000000000005;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:54:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:2123134;s:14:"optimized_size";i:280307;s:7:"percent";d:86.799999999999997;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford-771x578.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:105259;s:14:"optimized_size";i:76218;s:7:"percent";d:27.59;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3738;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3714;s:7:"percent";d:0.64000000000000001;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:53049;s:14:"optimized_size";i:38805;s:7:"percent";d:26.850000000000001;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:28384;s:14:"optimized_size";i:20837;s:7:"percent";d:26.59;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford-415x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:38252;s:14:"optimized_size";i:28084;s:7:"percent";d:26.579999999999998;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2007/11/Larry_Langford-353x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:30232;s:14:"optimized_size";i:22286;s:7:"percent";d:26.280000000000001;}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
        )

)
1637605597 
1242259200

Facebook, Twitter and blogs are abuzz today with news of a showdown between Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford and local tavern owner Jerry Hartley. Langford and Hartley verbally sparred at Wednesday’s meeting of the Five Points South Merchants Association. Hartley tells WBHM’s Andrew Yeager the confrontation erupted during a conversation about regional cooperation to address the problem of “brain drain.”

The mayor’s office did not return repeated calls for an interview. Langford did tell the Birmingham News that he had no intention of fighting and that he was simply defending the city’s reputation.

One side note to this story. Hartley is active in Free the Hops, an organization pushing legislation to raise the state limit on alcohol content in beer. Last year, Free the Hops boycotted Birmingham Budweiser — the distributor where Larry Langford is director of public relations. Hartley says that issue had nothing to do with his comments to the mayor.

 

‘Iced Cherries’: Joe D. Nelson’s take on modern folk and age old tropes

It may be unusual for a musician to refer to his own music as a trope. But that’s what Birmingham singer-songwriter Joe D. Nelson does with his latest album Iced Cherries. 

Alabama carries out nation’s third nitrogen gas execution on a man for a hitchhiker’s killing

Carey Dale Grayson was executed at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in southern Alabama. He was one of four teenagers convicted of killing Vickie DeBlieux as she hitchhiked through the state on the way to her mother’s home in Louisiana.

You can sword-fight at this club. But no politics allowed

At the Pittsburgh Sword Fighters club, members are asked to leave their politics at the door, a rule that has led to closer relationships and more learning from one another.

How will China impact the future of climate change? You might be surprised

As a new Trump administration signals a retreat on climate action, China is stepping up. China is the biggest producer of climate technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels.

More than 100,000 pounds of ground beef are recalled for possibly having E. coli

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture alerted federal authorities about several illnesses in the past week.

President-elect set to shape ‘Trump judiciary’ for next generation

Legal experts predict President-elect Donald Trump will move quickly next year to cement and extend his legacy in appointing federal judges.

More Government Coverage