U.S. Department of Transportation Investigating Rural Driver’s License Offices

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/Lowndes-County-License-Office.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:360;s:4:"file";s:41:"2015/12/Lowndes-County-License-Office.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:7:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-336x202.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:202;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-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:39:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-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:41:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-518x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:518;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-442x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:442;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"Lowndes-County-License-Office-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] => Andrew Yeager
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_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:152124;s:14:"optimized_size";i:98050;s:7:"percent";d:35.549999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:69:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Lowndes-County-License-Office.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:152124;s:14:"optimized_size";i:98050;s:7:"percent";d:35.549999999999997;}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: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: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
        )

)
1635888396 
1449657329

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday it’s investigating the closure or reduction in services at part-time driver’s license offices in Alabama for civil rights violations.

State leaders shut down 31 part-time driver’s license offices in October, citing budget cuts.  That meant residents in those rural areas, some with majority black populations, had to travel farther to get a new license or take a driving test. After a public backlash the state agreed to reopen the offices once a month.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says in a statement the 1964 Civil Rights Act bars discrimination in programs that receive federal funds adding it’s critical license services be free from discrimination.  He says though the department has not reached any conclusions.

Governor Robert Bentley issued a statement calling the investigation politically motivated and a weak attempt to embarrass the people of Alabama. He says he’s confident there will be no discrimination claims found.

The issue has come up on the presidential campaign trail.  Democratic Candidate Hilary Clinton criticized Alabama leaders for the closures at a party gathering Hoover in October.

 

Trump and Harris make last-minute stops in North Carolina

Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump are making stops in North Carolina — a state that has been red since 2008 — as the campaigns race toward Election Day.

Citing the pandemic, TGI Fridays files for bankruptcy

The casual dining chain, which saw dozens of its U.S. restaurants close this year, said its financial woes stem from the coronavirus pandemic.

Satellite images show the devastation from Spain’s deadly floods

The images show a devastating transformation of eastern Spain, where at least 205 people have been killed by flash floods.

U.K. Conservatives pick Kemi Badenoch as their party’s new leader

The party elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader as it tries to rebound from a crushing defeat that ended 14 years in power. She is the first Black woman to lead a major British political party.

Chef Edward Lee reflects on ‘Culinary Class Wars’, identity and his next chapter

After three decades in Southern cuisine, Lee's next culinary chapter explores Korean American cooking, moving beyond traditional recipes and fusion concepts.

Iran’s supreme leader threatens Israel, U.S. with ‘crushing response’ to Israeli attack

Iran's supreme leader threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a crushing response” over attacks on Iran and its allies. The Pentagon said Friday that more U.S. forces would be coming to the region.

More Front Page Coverage