The Race for Mayor: The Runoff

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

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1600;s:6:"height";i:1063;s:4:"file";s:25:"2008/10/Birmingham_AL.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Birmingham_AL-336x223.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:223;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Birmingham_AL-771x512.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Birmingham_AL-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:25:"Birmingham_AL-768x510.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:510;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"Birmingham_AL-1536x1020.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1020;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Birmingham_AL-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:25:"Birmingham_AL-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:25:"Birmingham_AL-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:25:"Birmingham_AL-468x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:468;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Birmingham_AL-399x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:399;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:25:"Birmingham_AL-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:25:"Birmingham_AL-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:25:"Birmingham_AL-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:{}}}
        )

    [_edit_lock] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1436808871:9
        )

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

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:492668;s:14:"optimized_size";i:319471;s:7:"percent";d:35.149999999999999;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:53:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:237770;s:14:"optimized_size";i:139437;s:7:"percent";d:41.359999999999999;}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:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL-771x512.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:96143;s:14:"optimized_size";i:67124;s:7:"percent";d:30.18;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3024;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3017;s:7:"percent";d:0.23000000000000001;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:56208;s:14:"optimized_size";i:39280;s:7:"percent";d:30.120000000000001;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:26410;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18624;s:7:"percent";d:29.48;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL-468x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:41508;s:14:"optimized_size";i:29394;s:7:"percent";d:29.18;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/10/Birmingham_AL-399x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:31605;s:14:"optimized_size";i:22595;s:7:"percent";d:28.510000000000002;}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
        )

)
1666979913 
1263513600

Birmingham voters elected a new mayor on Tuesday (1/19). Jefferson County Commissioner William Bell’s 54% of the vote beat Patrick Cooper’s 46%, with roughly 40% of registered voters going to the polls. We’ll have analysis from Birmingham Weekly’s Kyle Whitmire on All Things Considered Wednesday afternoon.

On Friday, January 15th, both Bell and Cooper spent an hour in the studio fielding questions for listeners.


This is Jefferson County Commissioner William Bell’s fourth run for the mayor’s office. Bell tells WBHM’s Tanya Ott that better education and job creation are key to moving the city forward. So is reducing crime.

Bell wants to establish a venture capital fund to help university researchers bring their ideas to the marketplace. Hear more about that in an
extended interview.

 


Patrick Cooper came in second in the 2007 mayor’s race. He is selling himself as a political newcomer, a clean break from the politicians that have dominated Birmingham’s political scene. Speaking with WBHM’s Bradley George, Cooper says one of his priorities as mayor would be jobs for the chronically unemployed. He plans to put them to work taking care of the city’s parks and working in the library system. Patrick Cooper says despite Birmingham’s recent budget issues, he knows how to pay for his jobs plan.

 

 

 

 

Breaking down Alabama’s CHOOSE Act

It’s been a year since Alabama legislators passed the CHOOSE Act allowing families to apply for state funds to use towards homeschool expenses and tuition for participating private schools. The Alabama Daily News’ education reporter Trisha Powell Crain has been diving into how the funds are being used. WBHM’s Andrew Gelderman sat down with her to talk about what we’re seeing so far.

Huntsville is growing fast. Here’s how it’s stayed affordable

Home prices are rising in Huntsville, but so far, the city’s avoided the skyrocketing costs in other boom towns.

What are your unique holiday traditions? NPR wants to know

The holiday season is full of traditions and we all celebrate them a bit differently. NPR wants to your most unique holiday traditions. What makes celebrating this time of year feel special for you?

What are your unique holiday traditions? NPR wants to know

The holiday season is full of traditions and we all celebrate them a bit differently. NPR wants to your most unique holiday traditions. What makes celebrating this time of year feel special for you?

Trade tensions hang over Trump’s Asia trip, but he still aims to make a deal

President Trump plans to attend a summit in Malaysia before meeting the new Japanese prime minister in Tokyo and talking to Chinese President Xi Jinping in Korea.

3 culinary tricks that might get you to eat more veggies, according to chef Roy Choi

Chef Roy Choi, known for his Korean-Mexican fusion food trucks, focuses on veggie-forward dishes in a new cookbook. He shares techniques to get you excited about your greens, plus 3 flavorful sauces.

More Government Coverage