Kyle Whitmire: Is a State Lottery in Alabama’s Future?

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2014/06/kylewhitmire-751.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:300;s:4:"file";s:28:"2014/06/kylewhitmire-751.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"kylewhitmire-751-336x168.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:168;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"kylewhitmire-751-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"kylewhitmire-751-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"kylewhitmire-751-470x235.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:235;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"kylewhitmire-751-125x125.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] => 1408730530:1
        )

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

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:131697;s:14:"optimized_size";i:83119;s:7:"percent";d:36.890000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:32584;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19087;s:7:"percent";d:41.420000000000002;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6224;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4658;s:7:"percent";d:25.16;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751-336x168.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:14630;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9824;s:7:"percent";d:32.850000000000001;}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:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751-600x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:31463;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19174;s:7:"percent";d:39.060000000000002;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:17436;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11114;s:7:"percent";d:36.259999999999998;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751-470x235.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23851;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15121;s:7:"percent";d:36.600000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/kylewhitmire-751-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5509;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4141;s:7:"percent";d:24.829999999999998;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1662727572 
1403049600

In 1999, Alabama voters rejected a state lottery that would have paid for the college education of some students. Since then, GOP lawmakers have been relatively quiet on pushing the state lottery issue. But, some may be coming around to the idea as state education costs continue to rise.
We discuss the possibility of a state lottery plus we’ll take a look at Governor Robert Bentley’s job performance with Kyle Whitmire, political commentator for AL.com and the Birmingham News.

 

Here’s what happens when private equity buys homes in your neighborhood

What makes rents go down and neighborhood diversity go up? Corporate landlords. But they also make it harder to own for yourself.

Here they are: The best student podcasts in America

For the 2025 NPR Student Podcast Challenge, we've listened to nearly 2,000 entries from around the U.S., and narrowed them down to 11 middle school and 10 high school finalists.

Trump’s Medicaid cuts will hurt children’s hospitals

The GOP said its overhaul of Medicaid was aimed at reducing fraud and getting more adult beneficiaries to work. Among the likely side effects: fewer services and doctors for treating sick children.

A new Nation’s Report Card shows drops in science, math and reading scores

It's the first Nation's Report Card since the Trump administration began making cuts to the U.S. Education Department. The scores reflect the state of student achievement in early 2024.

Nepal lifts social media ban following protests where police killed 19 people

Nepal's government lifted its ban on social media platforms Tuesday a day after police killed opened fire on mass street protests against the ban, killing 19 people.

Rupert Murdoch buys out 3 of his kids, cementing his conservative media empire

The owner of Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and dozens of other media properties has settled a legal fight with three of his own children over who would control his companies after his death.

More Government Coverage