Education Budget Cuts, Cigarette Tax, and Winners and Losers

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2008/06/alabama-leg.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:789;s:4:"file";s:23:"2008/06/alabama-leg.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-336x138.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:138;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-771x317.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:317;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-768x316.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:316;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"alabama-leg-1536x631.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:631;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"alabama-leg-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:23:"alabama-leg-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-757x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:757;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-470x193.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:193;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-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:23:"alabama-leg-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"alabama-leg-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:2929845;s:14:"optimized_size";i:249288;s:7:"percent";d:91.489999999999995;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:51:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/06/alabama-leg.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:2925154;s:14:"optimized_size";i:244710;s:7:"percent";d:91.629999999999995;}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:5:"large";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:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/06/alabama-leg-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4691;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4578;s:7:"percent";d:2.4100000000000001;}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:18:"wbhm-featured-home";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
        )

)
1653244987 
1442475880

The second special session of the Alabama Legislature could soon be in the books with a combination of cuts to the education budget and a cigarette tax. That combination avoids some funding cuts to state agencies —  Medicaid, corrections, mental health, human resources and the court system are all expected to be level funded. But cuts to other state agencies could amount to 5.2 percent or more.  Kyle Whitmire is state political columnist for The Birmingham News and AL.com he spoke with WBHM’s Michael Krall about the situation in Montgomery.

 

Community groups say Louisiana is trying to stop them from monitoring air pollution

For community groups to allege violations of environmental rules, a state law says groups have to use federally-approved testing equipment, and it sets restrictions for analyzing and sharing the data.

Democrats seek to insulate security for judges from executive branch politics

Recent critiques of judges from the Trump administration have prompted fears the Marshals could be caught in the middle of a power struggle and forced to yank security for judges.

Dear Life Kit: My neighbor’s Christmas lights are still up. Should I call the HOA?

An NPR listener writes: "We live in a nice neighborhood that has homeowner association rules, and our neighbor is violating them." Social etiquette experts weigh in.

Jim Irsay, longtime Colts owner and music memorabilia collector, dies at 65

Irsay started with the Colts as a teenage ball boy and took ownership after his father's death in 1997. The team won a Super Bowl and two AFC championships under his nearly three-decade tenure.

No more pennies: In big change, Treasury will stop minting them

In a cost-cutting move, the Treasury Department will soon stop minting new pennies. The one-cent coins will still be legal tender. There are more than 100 billion pennies in circulation but many are gathering dust in change jars and forgotten pockets.

Judge blocks Trump administration from closing the Education Department

The federal judge also told the administration to reinstate department employees who lost their jobs during the reduction-in-force announced in March.

More Front Page Coverage