Birmingham Council President Racks Up $18,000 in Cell Phone Fees

| December 24, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:425;s:4:"file";s:80:"2015/12/e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-336x223.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:223;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-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:78:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-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:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-600x425.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:425;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-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:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-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:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-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:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-600x425.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:425;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"e036b2092cf31c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d510b715429df0_640_smart-phone-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:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";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] => already_optimized
        )

)
1637579821 
1450942897

Birmingham City Council President Johnathan Austin has taken many trips to conventions and meetings on the taxpayers’ dime, but city coffers haven’t just paid for his hotel rooms.  Austin has racked up more than $18,000 in international roaming fees on his cell phone and other electronic devices.  Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the situation.

 

 

President-elect set to shape ‘Trump judiciary’ for next generation

Legal experts predict President-elect Donald Trump will move quickly next year to cement and extend his legacy in appointing federal judges.

Mama Stamberg’s relish faces its toughest critics: NPR staffers

Susan Stamberg returns with her annual love letter to the pink pile of Thanksgiving mush known as Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish.

In this election, demographics did not determine how people voted

Groups that Democrats believed would always turn out in their favor did not do so this year. Here's how the vote shook out in the seven swing states.

In ‘Wicked: Part I’, Cynthia Erivo defies gravity — and convention — as Elphaba

Cynthia Erivo says being different had "something to do with" her role as Elphaba in 'Wicked: Part 1.'

Tesla won the plug war. Enter the age of the EV charging adapter

The auto industry is embracing Tesla's charging technology in order to share its vast Supercharger network. This is going to be a slow transition — expect to see a lot of adapters.

United Nations nuclear agency again condemns Iran for failing to fully cooperate

The resolution comes after the agency said Iran has defied demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

More Front Page Coverage