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What would Larry do?

In post-Langford Birmingham, doom is boring

By Kyle Whitmire
I admit it. I miss Larry Langford. I said this out loud to the other regulars at the Garage Café, and they began elbowing each other, pointing, laughing. Finally one of them said it. "I told you
News

Birmingham leaders ignore financial crisis

Evidently, your city's money is someone else's problem

By Kyle Whitmire
Let me be as clear and to the point as I can. With a few exceptions, no one at Birmingham City Hall understands the significance of the financial straits the city is in, nor is the leadership there co
News

Birmingham’s hidden deficit

Dangerous debts lurk beneath the surface

By Kyle Whitmire
City financial records and analyses generated by current and former Finance Department officials indicate that the city of Birmingham is headed for a fiscal-year 2010 deficit possibly in excess of $60
News

The Life and Crimes of Larry Langford

When you watch Langford, one question arises: But for his character flaws, would he have ever been successful?

By Kyle Whitmire
On an afternoon in 1996 Larry Paul Langford sat in his office at Fairfield City Hall smoking a cigarette and listening to the “creatives” from O2 Ideas, the advertising agency co-owned by John Zimmerm
News

Birmingham City Council runoff rundown

Council President Carole Smitherman wins (for now). Richard Arrington loses big.

By Kyle Whitmire
My Mobile friends have a joke about the weather there. It's wonderful, they say. And if you don't like it, wait 30 minutes and it will change. In Birmingham, we could have the same joke about our poli
News

"Walk for Midwives" Sat. Oct. 3 at Rojo Cantina

Alabama Birth Coalition is hosting a “Walk for Midwives.”

By Jesse Chambers
The Alabama Birth Coalition (ABC), a consumer advocacy group that is working to expand maternity care options in the state, is hosting a “Walk for Midwives” in Birmingham on Saturday, Oct. 3. The even
News

Birmingham admits deficit

The Birmingham Finance Department had claimed a $13 million surplus. It was off by only $41 million.

By Kyle Whitmire
Let me start off by saying that I’m not an accountant. I didn’t even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. The totality of my accounting experience has been sitting in a federal courthouse for six
News

Langford closes Birmingham City Hall for swine flu

Jefferson County Department of Public Health told mayor's office that closing was unnecessary.

By Kyle Whitmire
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford ordered City Hall closed and cleaned Friday because of a case of swine flu, despite advice from the Jefferson County Department of Public Health that such a precaution
News

Jefferson County employees may only work 36 hours per week

FY 2010 would bring back all employees, but full-time status up in air.

By Kyle Whitmire
Jefferson County's 2010 budget would bring back all county employees by October, but it is not clear whether all employees would be back full-time, county officials said Thursday. The county's fis
News

Jefferson County’s solution to financial crisis is more debt??

By Kyle Whitmire
Just a few years ago this scenario was all too common. A man walks into a bank. He has lousy credit. He’s not current on any of his bills. In fact, he’s on the brink of bankruptcy.? And yet, he ask