Rural water customers typically pay more for the same water that city residents use. Some residents, like Jason Clayton, believe the upcharge is unfair.
The former AT&T City Center, a vacant skyscraper in downtown Birmingham, will have a property tax bill about half a million dollars more than last year's. It's one of many properties, including homes, that can expect to pay more in taxes this year.
A report out Wednesday says Alabama is at the forefront of a trend: school systems breaking away to form separate districts. According to the report from the national advocacy group EdBuild, almost a quarter of the nation’s school district breakaways since 2000 have happened in Alabama.
Birmingham Mayor William Bell called it "a sad day for our city" when reacting to news of city council president Maxine Parker's death. She died unexpectedly Tuesday leaving colleagues in shock. But they also remembered Parker as a quiet, fierce advocate for residents of her north Birmingham district. We remember Parker with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.