Two victories in two days
by Kyle Whitmire on 09/02/10 at 11:53 am
Hannah’s Hope wins a $250,000 Pepsi Refresh Challenge grant and Birmingham Magazine readers name The Second Front “Birmingham’s Best Blog.” Your support won both.
Full Story
‘Hope’ is for the children
Hannah’s Hope needs your help curing GAN, a genetic disorder that kills children. In the race for a Pepsi Refresh Grant, your vote online could make the difference. UPDATE: We won!
Full Story
With government accounting, red is the new black
Today, to keep good financial records, you need good software. And the first thing you need to know about good software is that the software you have is never quite good enough.
Full Story
JeffCo approves occupational tax settlement
A two-year old lawsuit over Jefferson County’s occupational tax has been settled. Taxpayers will receive $30 million of refunds.
Full Story
Bowman retreats on convention trip
Bowman and staff will pay for the Orange Beach convention trip out of their own pockets. Meanwhile, Bowman defended hiring brother-in-law.
Full Story
With opening moves, Bowman blunders
Last month, voters gave George Bowman something very few people ever get — the second chance to make a first impression. But after a few weeks in office, he’s blowing this chance even worse than the first.
Full Story
Council approves fire fighter pay adjustment
Fire fighters have argued the move will cut their pay 20 percent, while city officials insist that fire fighters were given that money by mistake and were never entitled to it in the first place.
Full Story
BSC tax records show years of red ink
Birmingham-Southern College administrators have portrayed the school’s financial woes as a recent discovery, but tax records show that, between 2004 and 2009, the college reported deficits totaling more than $68 million.
Full Story
Coast Guard says situation under control after platform explosion
Associated Press | Sep 2, 2010
The fire aboard the Gulf oil platform has been contained and reports of an oil sheen near the site were erroneous, Coast Guard officials are telling the AP.
Republican robes go rogue, another GOP justice donates to Parsons
Press-Register | Sep 2, 2010
Is it treason against the GOP or just justices pushing good judges? The Alabama GOP is struggling to respond to yet another Republican Ala. Supreme Court justice, Champ Lyons, donating to Democratic candidates. Lyons says he has given $1,000 each to Rhonda Chambers and Mac Parsons.
Here we go again: Another Gulf platform explodes
The New York Times | Sep 2, 2010
A production platform south of Louisiana has exploded and is leaking oil. The platform is owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy and is in shallow waters, compared to the Deepwater Horizon site.
Were terrorism suspects' arrests just a big misunderstanding?
Birmingham News | Aug 31, 2010
Officials told CNN, CBS, AP that men were not conducting a "dry run" for a terrorist attack, did not know each other and will likely not face charges. One suspect worked at a convenience store in Tuscaloosa and departed from Birmingham.
Aderholt among representative investigated about expenses
Wall Street Journal | Aug 31, 2010
Robert Aderholt's spokesman says the representative doesn't keep receipts when spending taxpayer dollars on travel overseas. That might be a problem, as congressional investigators want to know whether he, among five others, spent his stipend on personal expenses.
Ala. Supreme Court Justice Parker handles half as many cases as colleagues
Gadsden Times | Aug 30, 2010
Alabama Supreme Court Justice Tom Parker handled half as many opinions as his colleagues on the bench, court records show. Challenger Mac Parsons calls him lazy.
TSA in Birmingham discovered suspicious materials in baggage
The New York Times | Aug 30, 2010
According to The New York Times, airport security in Birmingham discovered cellphones taped to bottles, cellphones tapped together and several watches taped together in suspect's baggage. Also, the passenger, who was detained in Amsterdam, had $7,000 in cash and checked his bags on a separate flight than the one he took.
Kyle Whitmire
Madison Underwood
Glenny Brock
Mark Kelly