Controversy Over Birmingham City Council Pay Increase

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/08/16083873-standard.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:620;s:6:"height";i:410;s:4:"file";s:29:"2015/08/16083873-standard.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-336x222.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:222;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-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:27:"16083873-standard-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:29:"16083873-standard-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:29:"16083873-standard-600x410.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:410;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-470x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-401x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:401;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:29:"16083873-standard-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:29:"16083873-standard-600x410.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:410;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-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:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Frank Couch
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => AL.com FILE
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

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

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:184657;s:14:"optimized_size";i:122254;s:7:"percent";d:33.789999999999999;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:37774;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23483;s:7:"percent";d:37.829999999999998;}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:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-336x222.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:20066;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14841;s:7:"percent";d:26.039999999999999;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:63:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3613;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3598;s:7:"percent";d:0.41999999999999998;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:40937;s:14:"optimized_size";i:25590;s:7:"percent";d:37.490000000000002;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23200;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15440;s:7:"percent";d:33.450000000000003;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-470x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:32791;s:14:"optimized_size";i:21751;s:7:"percent";d:33.670000000000002;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-401x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:26276;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17551;s:7:"percent";d:33.210000000000001;}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
        )

)
1655178488 
1439457471

Birmingham’s City Council is taking some heat after approving a city council pay raise. Last week the nine-member council voted 8-1 to approve a raise for council members from $15,000 to $55,000, a more than 200 percent increase. Council members say it’ll help attract top talent to city leadership. Birmingham News & Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley why he’s skeptical.

“According to the National League of Cities, only 7 percent of medium sized cities – or those up to 200,000 in population – pay their city councils salaries above $20,000,” explains Archibald. He joins WBHM most Thursdays during Morning Edition.

 

Mahmoud Khalil had hoped to walk free today. A federal judge said no

After signaling that Khalil could be released Friday, Judge Michael Farbiarz accepted the government's shifting explanation for Khalil's continued detention.

Protests expected this weekend, as well as an Army parade in D.C.

On Saturday, anti-Trump demonstrations are being planned around the country, as well as a military parade in Washington, D.C. Saturday is also President Trump's 79th birthday.

Israel expands strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities

Early satellite imagery appears to show some damage at Iran's main site.

These catchy old songs aren’t as think as you drunk they are

People are drinking less these days, but drinking songs never go out of style. The Lomax Archive is dropping a new album of traditional songs this week.

Indian authorities begin investigating Air India crash in which 1 passenger survived

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating the crash with help from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. Authorities said Friday that the black box has been recovered.

Oil prices jump and stocks tumble following Israel’s attack on Iran

Israel's attack on Iran sparked the biggest jump in crude oil prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. Stocks fell sharply.

More Front Page Coverage