Transit Authority Board Under Fire for Meeting

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:682;s:4:"file";s:46:"2015/12/287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-771x513.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:513;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-768x512.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:44:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-467x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:46:"287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-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:581846;s:14:"optimized_size";i:367833;s:7:"percent";d:36.780000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:74:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:410307;s:14:"optimized_size";i:240351;s:7:"percent";d:41.420000000000002;}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:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:82:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-771x513.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:108824;s:14:"optimized_size";i:80776;s:7:"percent";d:25.77;}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:82:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/287651468_534af5f3eb_b_Alabama-Bus-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:62715;s:14:"optimized_size";i:46706;s:7:"percent";d:25.530000000000001;}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
        )

)
1671740325 
1449128599

When former Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority executive director Ann August left her post in October, transit board members said they held an emergency meeting to accept her resignation.  Transit advocates say she was clearly fired.  That distinction could mean the difference between a legal move by the board and something illegal.  The Jefferson County District Attorney’s office appears to be investigating.  We hear about it from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald and also hear about the Birmingham City Council, which canceled a meeting for lack of a quorum.

Photo by acnatta

 

The Trump administration pauses wind projects off New England, New York and Virginia

An Interior Department statement did not detail the national security risks. It's the administration's latest pus to hobble offshore wind and limit renewable energy sources.

10 books to help you understand America as its 250th birthday approaches

Here are recommended reads about the United States — perfect for the history buff on your gift list, or anyone looking to learn more about how the U.S got to where it is today.

The 2025 pop culture yearbook, from pettiest cameo to nerdiest movie moment

Dueling Safdie brother movie projects, Love Island USA chaos, a feces-filled And Just Like That … finale: looking back on an eclectic year for pop culture.

‘Music makes everything better’: A Texas doctor spins vinyl to give patients relief

A palliative care doctor in Austin says listening to vinyl music can lift heavy moments for families and patients receiving end-of-life care.

How systemic failures turn state mental hospitals into prisons

The share of people with severe mental illness in state psychiatric hospitals accused of serious crimes has risen steeply. The shift has all but halted the possibility of care before a catastrophic crisis.

Here are some of the NPR stories that had a big impact in 2025

A sampling of the stories NPR staff believe made some of the deepest ripples this year — reminders of what rigorous, compassionate journalism can do, and why the work remains as urgent as ever.

More Front Page Coverage