Kyle Whitmire: Alabama Can Either Live In The Past or Future

| June 24, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/04/Alabama-Capitol-Building.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:300;s:4:"file";s:36:"2015/04/Alabama-Capitol-Building.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"Alabama-Capitol-Building-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:36:"Alabama-Capitol-Building-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:34:"Alabama-Capitol-Building-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:36:"Alabama-Capitol-Building-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:36:"Alabama-Capitol-Building-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] => Carol M. Highsmith
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  Library of Congress
        )

    [_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:232579;s:14:"optimized_size";i:96570;s:7:"percent";d:58.479999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/04/Alabama-Capitol-Building.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:228580;s:14:"optimized_size";i:92607;s:7:"percent";d:59.490000000000002;}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:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:70:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/04/Alabama-Capitol-Building-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3999;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3963;s:7:"percent";d:0.90000000000000002;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}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
        )

    [_edit_lock] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1581971563:113
        )

    [_edit_last] => Array
        (
            [0] => 113
        )

)
1640225685 
1435169754

Governor Bentley removes the Confederate flag from the Alabama Capitol Grounds; Google makes a $600 million dollar investment in Alabama; and the looming special legislative session session will aim to fix problems with Alabama’s general fund including the possibility of gambling.  Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for The Birmingham News and AL.com, and he talked about these issues with WBHM’s Michael Krall.

 

Millions face wintry weather for what could be a record-setting holiday travel season

More than 119 million people are expected to travel for Christmas and Hanukkah, which both fall on the same day this year, through the New Year, according to AAA.

Review by Senate Democrats finds more unreported luxury trips by Clarence Thomas

A report by Democrats on the Judiciary Committee found additional travel taken in 2021 by Thomas but not reported on his annual financial disclosure, including trips on private jets and a yacht trip.

Where did Barry Jenkins feel safe as a kid? Atop a tree

Director Barry Jenkins is best known for films like "Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk." On Wild Card, he opens up about where he felt the safest as a kid.

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 20, including five children

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday killed at least 20 people, including five children, Palestinian medical officials said.

I discovered one way to fight loneliness: The Germans call it a Stammtisch

Modern life can be lonely. Some are looking to an old German tradition – of drinking and conversation – to deepen connection through regular meetups.

This Christmas I’ll be grieving. Here’s how I’ll be finding joy.

Since her husband's death, newscaster Windsor Johnston has been looking for ways to recapture joy and continue her healing journey — one that's taken her to a place she'd never expected.

More Front Page Coverage