Birmingham Bus Cuts

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2008/05/buss.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1070;s:4:"file";s:16:"2008/05/buss.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"buss-336x187.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:187;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"buss-771x430.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:430;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"buss-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:16:"buss-768x428.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:428;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"buss-1536x856.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:856;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:14:"buss-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:16:"buss-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:16:"buss-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:16:"buss-558x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:558;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"buss-470x262.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:262;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"buss-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:16:"buss-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:16:"buss-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:871017;s:14:"optimized_size";i:442309;s:7:"percent";d:49.219999999999999;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:44:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/05/buss.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:612449;s:14:"optimized_size";i:253147;s:7:"percent";d:58.670000000000002;}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:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/05/buss-771x430.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:87315;s:14:"optimized_size";i:63823;s:7:"percent";d:26.899999999999999;}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:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/05/buss-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:57511;s:14:"optimized_size";i:42075;s:7:"percent";d:26.84;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/05/buss-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:26348;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19334;s:7:"percent";d:26.620000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/05/buss-558x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:49916;s:14:"optimized_size";i:36518;s:7:"percent";d:26.84;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/05/buss-470x262.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:37478;s:14:"optimized_size";i:27412;s:7:"percent";d:26.859999999999999;}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
        )

)
1637830170 
1315440000

The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority’s motto is “We’ll get you there.” But they might not be able to due to a lack of funding. The BJCTA currently runs 31 lines all throughout the city at a cost of $10.8 million a year.

The authority anticipates a $4 million deficit in October. That would force it to cut half of the bus routes and lay off 45 employees. Bus driver Chris Riffin says it would be a huge blow. “We are in need of transit. We have a lot of people using them to get to hospitals around here, they need the transit.”

For many riders, like Atirica Knickston and Brenicia Carter, the bus is the only way to get around.

Atirica Knickston: “If they cut the routes, I would have to walk a mile and a half just to get my child to school and I won’t be able to get to school so I will have no education and my child won’t either.”

Brenicia Carter: “I see a lot of people riding the bus, back and forth to the doctor’s office, trying to get around, to go grocery shopping if you don’t have stores in your area. It’s really going to affect a lot of people.”

Jarred Johnson sums it up simply, “It’s pretty much the only way you have other than walking if you don’t have a vehicle, you know? It’s the only way to get around.”

Birmingham City Councilor Kim Rafferty says it would be hard on residents and on visitors.

“It’s best for our region to have a transit system that works so that when people come to visit our city they are able to enjoy our city without being burdened with rental cars or taxi cabs.”

Rafferty suggests people who rely on public transit “speak up and speak out. It’s a budgetary issue, that is a direct result of inaction of the administration, and also a direct action of your state nor caring enough for transit.”

In August, the Birmingham City Council found the money necessary to keep the routes running until January. Until then, the BCJTA “will get you there”. After January, it’s up in the air.

~ Kenan Le Parc, September 8, 2011

 

Foreign ministers meet in Italy for the last G7 of the Biden administration

Foreign ministers from the world's leading industrialized nations are meeting Monday, with a certain pressure to advance diplomatic efforts ahead of the new U.S. administration taking over.

New Zealanders help save about 30 whales after a pod strands on a beach

New Zealand is a whale stranding hotspot. It's often not clear why they happen but the island nation's geography is believed to be a factor.

Should sex abuse evidence set the Menendez brothers free? A judge will decide.

A judge will decide Monday whether new evidence warrants a re-examination of the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez in the shotgun murders of their parents 30 years ago.

Uruguay’s leftist opposition candidate becomes country’s new president

The election was free of the anti-establishment fury that has vaulted populist outsiders to power elsewhere, like the United States and neighboring Argentina.

Chuck Woolery, game show host of ‘Love Connection’ and ‘Scrabble,’ dies at 83

The affable, smooth-talking game show host of "Wheel of Fortune," "Love Connection" and "Scrabble" later became a right-wing podcaster.

2 Dartmouth fraternity members and a sorority have been charged in death of a student

The Alpha Phi sorority and two members of Beta Alpha Omega have been charged after a student was found dead in a river after attending an off-campus party where alcohol was allegedly served to minors.

More Government Coverage