August 15 Morning Newscast
The Birmingham School Board conducted a civil and efficient meeting (photo above) Tuesday night — a drastic change from recent months, during which the board has achieved national notoriety for dysfunction, grandstanding, and personal infighting. A day after a Jefferson County judge reinstated city school superintendent Craig Witherspoon and ruled that state intervention will continue, the Birmingham school board conducted business without the acrimony that has dominated meetings in recent months. State Superintendent Tommy Bice took pains to be respectful — even deferential — to board members. We have more details on the meeting from education reporter Dan Carsen, at our website, WBHM.org
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Former Gov. Don Siegelman says that a presidential pardon is his “last hope for freedom” and continued to criticize the 2006 case in which he was convicted. The Birmingham News reports that Siegelman, who was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, told the Fox Business Network a flaw in the law allowed a jury to infer a crime was committed when it didn’t happen. Siegelman will be headed back to prison Sept. 11 after an unsuccessful six-year fight to overturn his 2006 conviction in a bribery case. The Democrat said he is innocent of charges that he sold a seat on the Certificate of Need Review Board to former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy in exchange for $500 thousand dollars in campaign donations to his 1999 lottery referendum.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The Birmingham Water Works has fired nine employees as a criminal investigation into wrongdoing continues. The Birmingham News reports that while few details are available, members of the Water Works Board met Friday and again Monday in lengthy closed-door sessions with lawyers to discuss the issue.
Sources close to the investigation say the investigation concerns allegations of false overtime and payments to workers in the utility’s distribution department. The allegation involves a supervisor who is accused of granting overtime in exchange for a kickback from each of his subordinates. The sources said the issue was recently reported to Water Works officials by some of the employees in the department..
Trump says he’s fighting crime. Illinois Gov. Pritzker sees a power grab before 2026
Steve Inskeep speaks with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker about President Trump's threats to send National Guard troops to Chicago and the future of the Democratic Party.
Who is Lachlan Murdoch, the anointed media tycoon?
His position in leading News Corp. and Fox is now secure, as his father ends a dramatic succession battle. Lachlan grew up in New York City but has lived in Australia for much of his adult life.
You’re more likely to reach for that soda when it’s hot outside
People drink more sugary beverages when it's hot, researchers found, significantly increasing their sugar intake. That impact could grow as climate change raises the world's temperatures.
Trump’s control of the D.C. police is due to expire tonight. Then what?
Trump needs an extension from Congress to control D.C. police for more than 30 days. Some Republican lawmakers are focused on pursuing legislation that would exert power over D.C. in other ways.
33 million voters have been run through a Trump administration citizenship check
Tens of millions of voters have had their information run through the tool — a striking portion of the U.S. public, considering little has been made public about the tool's accuracy or data security.
Poland says it shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace
Poland said Wednesday that it and its NATO allies had shot down Russian drones that violated Polish airspace in what it called an "act of aggression" as Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine.
