Birmingham Mayor/Council Power Struggle Reaches State Level

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/01/William-Bell.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:4:"file";s:24:"2016/01/William-Bell.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"William-Bell-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"William-Bell-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:22:"William-Bell-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"William-Bell-552x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:552;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"William-Bell-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"William-Bell-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] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => City of Birmingham
        )

    [_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:136054;s:14:"optimized_size";i:82281;s:7:"percent";d:39.520000000000003;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:29583;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15763;s:7:"percent";d:46.719999999999999;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5967;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4318;s:7:"percent";d:27.640000000000001;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-336x189.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:9882;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5936;s:7:"percent";d:39.93;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:27789;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15836;s:7:"percent";d:43.009999999999998;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19068;s:14:"optimized_size";i:13990;s:7:"percent";d:26.629999999999999;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-552x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:21672;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12737;s:7:"percent";d:41.229999999999997;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-470x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:17041;s:14:"optimized_size";i:10067;s:7:"percent";d:40.920000000000002;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/William-Bell-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5052;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3634;s:7:"percent";d:28.07;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1619888968 
1457594678

A war of words and political posturing is escalating between the Birmingham City Council and Mayor William Bell. The mayor vetoed two ordinances last week, one of which would have granted the city council access to city equipment and facilities when the want it. The other would force the mayor to present budgets on time. Now the fight is rising to the state level with two bills that could be introduced in the legislature. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.

 

A New Orleans garden paid hundreds of dollars in fees for a sewer that doesn’t exist

Galvez Garden owner Lissie Stewart has been fighting the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board over inaccurate billing for years.

Alabama coal mine keeps digging after hundreds of fines and a fatal explosion

Following the death of a grandfather, Crimson Oak Grove Resources has left a community afraid for their homes and lives. An expert warns one resident may need to evacuate her home while she still can.

Florida’s 6-week abortion ban will have a ‘snowball effect’ on residents across the South

Abortion rights advocates say the ban will likely force many to travel farther for abortion care and endure pregnancy and childbirth against their will.

Attitudes among Alabama lawmakers softening on Medicaid expansion

Alabama is one of ten states which has not expanded Medicaid. Republican leaders have pushed back against the idea for years.

Birmingham is 3rd worst in the Southeast for ozone pollution, new report says

The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report shows some metro areas in the Gulf States continue to have poor air quality.

Why haven’t Kansas and Alabama — among other holdouts — expanded access to Medicaid?

Only 10 states have not joined the federal program that expands Medicaid to people who are still in the "coverage gap" for health care

More Front Page Coverage