Birmingham Superintendent Selection Continues After Lawsuit, Bomb Threat

| April 19, 2017 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2017/04/IMG_3050.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1440;s:4:"file";s:20:"2017/04/IMG_3050.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_3050-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_3050-771x578.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_3050-140x140.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:20:"IMG_3050-768x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"IMG_3050-1536x1152.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1152;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"IMG_3050-80x80.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:20:"IMG_3050-600x338.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:20:"IMG_3050-600x600.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:20:"IMG_3050-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_3050-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;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:20:"IMG_3050-600x400.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:20:"IMG_3050-600x600.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:20:"IMG_3050-125x125.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:1069092;s:14:"optimized_size";i:212546;s:7:"percent";d:80.120000000000005;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:48:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:856536;s:14:"optimized_size";i:83699;s:7:"percent";d:90.230000000000004;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6667;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4944;s:7:"percent";d:25.84;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-336x252.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19062;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12189;s:7:"percent";d:36.060000000000002;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-771x578.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:73765;s:14:"optimized_size";i:41029;s:7:"percent";d:44.380000000000003;}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:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:38654;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23410;s:7:"percent";d:39.439999999999998;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:20899;s:14:"optimized_size";i:13203;s:7:"percent";d:36.82;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-415x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:26942;s:14:"optimized_size";i:16650;s:7:"percent";d:38.200000000000003;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-353x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:20960;s:14:"optimized_size";i:13267;s:7:"percent";d:36.700000000000003;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/04/IMG_3050-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5607;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4155;s:7:"percent";d:25.899999999999999;}}}
        )

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

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Sherrel Wheeler Stewart
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM 90.3 FM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1656019663 
1492638464

The search for a new Birmingham School superintendent continues after a judge on Wednesday denied a request to halt the process. Interim Supt. Larry Contri filed a lawsuit when he wasn’t included in the list of finalists.

Ed Still, Contri’s attorney, said Contri applied but was excluded because some believed he would retire in June. Contri agreed to a June 2017 retirement last year as part of a lawsuit settlement. But Still said no one asked the interim superintendent about his plans.

The school board interviewed three finalists, but not without tension. A bomb threat early in the day forced a delay in the interviews. Police blocked off the street, searched the building, and soon gave the all-clear. But by around that time, another candidate had dropped out – the second to do so this week.

The board completed interviews with Garrett Brundage of Conyers, Ga.; Lisa Herring of Louisville, Ky.; and Regina Thompson of Blythewood, South Carolina. The list will be narrowed to two finalists in a meeting at 5 p.m. Friday.

All of the interviews are available for viewing online and a survey for feedback also is online.

WBHM reporter Dan Carsen contributed to this report.

 

 

What to know about Jeff Bezos’ upcoming Venice wedding — and the protests against it

Bezos will soon marry Lauren Sánchez in Venice. Protesters say the city, already grappling with overtourism, is putting the wedding over their needs — which city officials and wedding organizers deny.

Emmy nominations voting ends tonight. Here’s what our critic hopes will make the cut

Emmy voters have until tonight to send in their picks for nominees. Here's what NPR TV critic Eric Deggans thinks they should be voting for.

Iran attacks a U.S. base in Qatar

A U.S. defense official confirmed that the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar "was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran" and said there were no casualties.

‘Endling’ is a shape-shifting debut that takes on heavy themes with humor

Maria Reva's virtuosic novel starts out as a straightforward story about a Ukrainian biologist, but morphs into a comic take on war, the mail-order bride business and the plight of snails.

Home sales just posted their slowest May in 16 years

There are 20% more homes for sale this May — but it hasn't been enough to pull buyers off the sidelines amid high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty.

Climate change is boosting the risk of sleep apnea

Hotter temperatures make breathing problems during sleep more likely, even when it's not extremely hot

More Education Coverage