Voters Hope Woodfin Fulfills Promises For Better Birmingham

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2017/10/597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379.jpeg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:599;s:6:"height";i:300;s:4:"file";s:52:"2017/10/597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379.jpeg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:52:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379-336x168.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:168;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:52:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379-140x140.jpeg";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:50:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:52:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379-470x235.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:235;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:52:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-e1508252472379-125x125.jpeg";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:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:9:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:720;s:6:"height";i:629;s:4:"file";s:29:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c.jpeg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-336x294.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:294;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-600x338.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-300x300.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-356x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:356;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-303x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:303;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:37:"597b76491a00009bc1dc105c-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

)
1655031646 
1508237175

Randall Woodfin takes over as mayor of Birmingham on Nov. 28. He overwhelmingly beat incumbent Mayor William Bell in this month’s runoff. On the campaign trail, the 36-year-old Woodfin promised a better Birmingham. Now residents say they expect him to deliver on those promises.

Videos, radio and tv ads, fliers — Randall Woodfin used an arsenal of tools in his mayoral campaign to blast a message: Birmingham deserves better, safer neighborhoods, more sidewalks, and economic opportunities.

It worked. Hundreds of people packed into a Southside hall to celebrate his victory October 3rd. Lori Chatman wasn’t there; she didn’t support Woodfin. She’s a nurse and a graduate of Parker High School.

“Living here all my life, I’ve seen African Americans struggle to try to make it,” she says. “I want everybody to have a chance to show what they can do or  become, just have a little bit more of the pie in downtown.”

Chatman visits Railroad Park regularly, taking note of the development around downtown. She gives a lot of credit to outgoing Mayor William Bell.

“I saw the city growing with the current mayor,” Chatman says. “When you have someone new coming in, you’re always like, hold on does he really know what he’s doing?”

For the city’s sake, Chatman hopes Woodfin backs up his words with action.

Dave Higginbotham says he’s heard promises before, and they went unfulfilled. That’s why this time he voted for Randall Woodfin.

Higginbotham lives near midtown and gets around the area in a motorized wheelchair. He has a short wish list: mainly sidewalks and ramp improvements. He has high hopes for Woodfin.

“He’s young. He’s from a rough neighborhood. He understands,” Higginbotham says. “Woodfin did mention about improving sidewalks. You wouldn’t believe how rough these sidewalks are – even 20th Street.”

Kiwi Lanier, a 25-year-old graduate student who lives in Glen Iris, compares Birmingham to Austin, Texas, where she recently attended school.

Over breakfast in a downtown coffee shop, Lanier says she’s hoping Woodfin will lead Birmingham to become a destination.

“I think he’ll be able to help us grow more sustainably and attract more new businesses to the city to make sure people who live here have jobs,” she says.  “make sure Birmingham is place where people want to live.”

Lanier says she’s encouraged by Woodfin’s first moves – like naming her former college president Gen. Charles Krulak of Birmingham Southern, as a leader on his transition team. She also wants Woodfin to improve recycling around the city.

A lot of people – about 25,000 — placed their hopes in Randall Woodfin in this month’s election. In just a few weeks, the 36-year-old former assistant city attorney, gets his chance to make those hopes real.

 

London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes in Ahmedabad, India

A Boeing 787 crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad city five minutes after taking off. The flight was bound for London's Gatwick Airport. There were 232 passengers and 12 crew members onboard.

Public media funding up in the air as House prepares to vote on claw backs

public-media-funding-up-in-the-air-as-house-prepares-to-vote-on-claw-backs

She served the American people for 35 years. Now her retirement income is on the line

As part of Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill," the House voted to end a retirement supplement aimed at helping federal employees who retire before they're 62.

By the numbers: A look at the Army’s 250th anniversary parade on Trump’s birthday

In a few days, the nation's capital will host its largest military parade in more than three decades. We look at some numbers behind the celebration and the key historical moments leading up to it.

House GOP plan to gut green energy tax credits meets resistance in Senate

Several Republican senators say they're opposed to the wholescale repeal of certain clean energy tax credits passed by the House. Their phones have been ringing off the hook from industry leaders and energy lobbyists who want to make sure the Senate makes changes to the bill.

Majorities in key U.S. allies have no confidence in Trump’s global leadership

People in 15 of 24 countries downgraded ratings of the U.S., according to the survey of more than 28,000. Majorities in almost every country surveyed describe Trump as "arrogant" and "dangerous."

More 2017 Birmingham City Elections Coverage