Governor Announces Special Session on Lottery

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/07/6547339715_2294638b94_powerball.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:500;s:6:"height";i:374;s:4:"file";s:43:"2016/07/6547339715_2294638b94_powerball.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:7:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-336x251.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:251;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-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:41:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-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:43:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-500x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:500;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-416x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:416;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-354x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:354;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"6547339715_2294638b94_powerball-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:157096;s:14:"optimized_size";i:87201;s:7:"percent";d:44.490000000000002;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:71:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/07/6547339715_2294638b94_powerball.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:157096;s:14:"optimized_size";i:87201;s:7:"percent";d:44.490000000000002;}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: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
        )

)
1662416419 
1469612252

Governor Robert Bentley says he will call a special session in order for lawmakers to pass a measure that would allow residents to vote on setting up a state lottery. In a video released by the governor’s office Wednesday, Bentley says money from a lottery would fund “essential state services” for children, the elderly, the mentally ill and law enforcement.

Bentley says he’ll offer more details later but does say his proposal will only include a lottery and not other forms of gambling. Discussion among lawmakers has included allowing video gambling at greyhound racetracks in Jefferson, Greene, Macon and Mobile counties.

Bentley also does not say when he’ll call the special session. Lawmakers would have to pass the proposed constitutional amendment on a lottery by August 24th in order for it to appear on the November ballot.

The governor and legislators have fought over Medicaid funding. Bentley and Alabama’s Medicaid commissioner say the program does not have enough money to maintain current services or to transition to a new organizational model. Lawmakers appropriated $85 million less than what the governor wanted during this year’s regular legislative session.

Alabama is one of six states that does not have a lottery. Voters turned down a proposed lottery to support education programs in 1999 backed by then-Governor Don Siegelman.

 

Photo by MattHurst

 

 

You can trust the jobs report, Labor Department workers urge public

A strongly-worded statement from Bureau of Labor Statistics workers comes a month after President Trump attacked the integrity of the jobs numbers they release monthly.

Headed to the FBI, Missouri’s Andrew Bailey opposed abortion, backed Trump

Andrew Bailey rose quickly to be state attorney general of Missouri where he built a record for fighting abortion and defending Donald Trump. Now he's a co-deputy director of the FBI.

How Chicago, Baltimore and New Orleans are reacting to Trump’s National Guard threats

Even after a federal court ruled his use of the National Guard in LA was illegal, the president has weighed sending troops to Chicago, Baltimore and New Orleans. Here's where things stand in those cities.

Watching a neighbor’s cat turns lethal in ‘Caught Stealing’

Darren Aronofsky's film is a funny, bloody valentine to 1990s New York City. Though awfully engrossing, Caught Stealing's mix of rambunctious slapstick and bone-crunching violence doesn't always gel.

Hundreds of South Koreans are among 475 detained in a Georgia immigration raid

"The business activities of our investors and the rights of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed," a foreign ministry spokesman said after about 300 South Koreans were detained.

Four Democratic senators urge Smithsonian to resist White House attempts to ‘bully the institution’

Sen. Alex Padilla of California and three other Democrats are reminding the Smithsonian's secretary that the institution "is the responsibility of Congress."

More Front Page Coverage