Larry Contri, Former Interim School Superintendent, Vies for a Board Seat
Veteran Birmingham educator Larry Contri, who was interim school superintendent, is running for a seat on the Birmingham Board of Education. Contri wasn’t considered for the superintendent slot.
Contri qualified on Friday to run in District 3. Mary Drennen Boehm, the former executive director of A+ College Ready Alabama, has also qualified for that race.
Contri says his decision to run for office has no correlation with the Birmingham school board’s decision to hire Superintendent Lisa Herring.
“I had started several initiatives, not just in District 3, but across the district. I believe with Dr. Herring and the newly elected school board, these things can be accomplished,” Contri says.
Community leaders and some educators questioned why he and other applicants from Alabama were not among the finalists earlier this year for superintendent. Contri sued to block the hiring process but was not successful
He retired on July 1 after working for Birmingham City Schools 51 years. He was educated in Birmingham schools and is a graduate of Woodlawn High School.
“I’ve always had a desire to serve on the school board. As long as you are an employee, you can not run for a seat on the board,” he says. “But with retirement, the time was right.”
Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties
Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.
The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant
The United Auto Workers is aiming for a key victory at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. More than 5,000 workers at the facility in Vance and nearby battery plant will vote this week on whether to join the UAW.
Gambling, ethics bills fall short as legislative session ends
Alabama lawmakers closed the books on this year’s regular legislative session Thursday. While Republican leaders passed many of their priority bills, perhaps the most talked about issue – gambling – died.
A look at what passed and failed in the 2024 legislative session
Alabama lawmakers have ended a 2024 legislative session that saw the Republican majority win approval for a number of their top priorities.
Q&A: Bobby Carter on leading Tiny Desk, his time at Jackson State, early career advice
Carter, a Jackson State alumnus, took over as the new series host and producer for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” series in April.
Alabama to begin working with a consulting company that’s under criminal investigation
McKinsey & Company, an international consulting business, will help the state of Alabama develop a new strategic economic growth plan. The company is undertaking that project, while also dealing with a probe into whether it engaged in a criminal conspiracy.
