August 6 Morning Newscast
Former Jefferson County Commissioner John Katopodis has been transferred from a New Jersey federal prison to a community corrections program in Philadelphia. The Birmingham News reports Katopodis was transferred in the last few days. His release date is November 2. Many inmates are placed in halfway houses or home detention as they near release, but a federal prisons spokesman says they don’t give information about whether an inmate is at a specific facility or on home detention. Katopodis was convicted of fraud in 2009 for using money earmarked for a children’s charity to take trips to casinos and pay off personal credit card debt.
A new study finds Alabama’s retirement plan for county circuit clerks is underfunded and doesn’t function like a normal pension plan.
The study by Cavanaugh Macdonald Consulting of Kennesaw, Ga., says the fund for circuit clerks has nearly $11 million in assets, but that is only 15% of what it needs to meet its future liabilities. The actuaries say the state court system provides the bulk of the money each year to pay benefits, and that the retirement program operates primarily as a pay-as-you-go system rather than working off investments. State pension chief David Bronner, who helps administer the fund, is recommending the Alabama legislature fold circuit clerks into the retirement program for public employees.
The director of the Cullman County Emergency Management Agency has been elected president of the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers. Phyllis Little has served in her current job in Cullman for nine years. She is the past president of the North Alabama Emergency Management Mutual Assistance Association. Little will take over as association president at its annual conference next summer.
Baldwin County officials are still working to hire teachers and education workers ahead of the start of the school year.
The Board of Education will meet Monday to hire additional teachers and other employees before classes begin on August 20.
School system spokesman Terry Wilhite tells The Mobile Press-Register enrollment has increased roughly 2 percent. While most teachers are in place, Wilhite said the meeting will allow the Board of Education to fill the last few remaining slots.
AI’s getting better at faking crowds. Here’s why that’s cause for concern
Odd fingers and faces in the crowd of a recent Will Smith concert video led to suspicions of AI. But AI is improving fast, and there are serious implications for how "fake" crowds might be coopted.
Sarah Mullally named first woman Archbishop of Canterbury
Sarah Mullally has been named as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to be chosen to lead the world's 85 million Anglicans.
What to know about former U.K. leader Tony Blair, tapped by Trump for postwar Gaza role
As Britain's prime minister, Tony Blair succeeded in negotiating peace in Northern Ireland in 1998. Five years later, he joined the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq — sullying his reputation ever since.
A public broadcaster’s path after losing U.S. funds: Youth sports and less local news
South Dakota Public Broadcasting says there's an ironic result to President Trump's successful attack on public media: It will have to rely more on NPR programs.
Even a government shutdown can’t stop the quiz. Can you score 11?
This week's quiz also features bears.
Kiss reality goodbye: AI-generated social media has arrived
With the launch of Sora 2, OpenAI has opened a new chapter in addictive, and some worry dangerous, AI video content.
