JonathanHardison's Blog

Whether Democrat or Republican, tonight's acceptance speech by Barack Obama should be a dynamic and compelling live TV experience, and we're excited to bring it to you in its entirety beginning at 9pm.  If you want to watch and vehemently disagree, or watch and completely agree, you'll be able to do so on FOX 6, watching what anyone would agree will be a unique setting (Mile High Stadium with 70,000 supporters on hand).

FOX 6 will have the only LOCAL coverage and reaction to tonight's events. Scott Richards and I will anchor our coverage with analysis by UAB Political Science professor Larry Powell, plus a live report from local Obama watch parties where Alabamians will gather to witness a historic moment when the first African-American nominated by a major party will accept the nomination, and outline his plan for the future.

We'll provide the same level of coverage next Thursday for Sen. John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, and hope you'll join us for both historic nights with the only and best local coverage of these important events!!

Jonathan

Please pardon my use of cliche, but that saying has proved especially true this week if you ask any of the Birmingham City School Board or central office staff. The first week of school in the state's largest (but fast-shrinking) school system in the past several years has been marred by a series of problems ranging from enrollment to dress code.

Yes, that pesky dress code was still an issue this year, but not on nearly as large a scale as in the past, and there were few if any enrollment problems, at least through the first 2 days. Board of Education members were practically pushing and shoving to get to the front of the line at Tuesday's Board of Ed meeting to heap congratulations and credit on Interim Superintendent Barbara Allen.

A career behind-the-scenes staffer, Allen was thrust unexpectedly into the top administrative position when her boss (Dr. Stan Mims) was suspended, and ultimately resigned in the spring in what seemed like the latest in a string of management "situations" that provided
1.) plenty of headlines,
2.)lots of distractions, and no
3.)help
to a school system that needed none of #'s 1&2 and lots of #3.

Characteristically quiet and deflective of the praise today, Allen did tell me afterwards that she was very nervous going into this first week not only because its her first time running the show, but especially because of the added stress of closing 3 schools this summer and merging those students (and perhaps more stressfully--their parents) into new schools.

I asked her why this school start week went so much better than in years past, given the fact that almost everyone involved at central office is in the same place as in years past, and she said "I think making everybody a part, the teamwork. Making everybody feel important, everybody had a role and everybody was expected to complete that role." Read into that what you will.

Off the record, administrative staffers (of whom several critics say there are still too many) will tell you the central office is a much more open and less stressful work environment than it has been in years past.

The board hasn't even begun its search for a new superintendent yet, and that's due in some part to the board's desire to organize its thoughts into a comprehensive and detailed strategic blueprint for the future. But it's also due in some part (impossible to judge how big) to the fact that more than one board member is openly campaigning for a draft-Barbara-Allen plan. Allen has said in the past that she has no interest in the job permanently, and today would only say "I'm not making any commitments." But if events, and the school system's public image continue in the trend they're currently taking, don't be surprised if the school board takes its sweet time in making any changes.

Jonathan

Ok, I'll admit it. Even political junkies like Rick Journey, Alan Collins, and I sometimes grow tired of covering the Jefferson County Sewer Bond Crisis. And if we get tired of covering it, imagine having to live it as an elected official or paid adviser everyday.

There's no doubt much of the public feels the same way, especially now that the "crisis" is dragging into its 6th month with no resolution and what at times appears to be a circular debate/firing squad. We talked to several taxpayers today, all of whom expressed frustration with the lack of progress in resolving the problem, and all of whom were sadly unsurprised by the figures we calculated for how much the county is racking up in bond debt interest every 24 hours during this time of limbo. (How much is it? You'll have to watch tonight at 10 to find out...but well into the 6 figures, near 7...if that helps)

We're trying to keep this as simple and understandable as possible even as we cover a story that is well into uncharted waters as the "largest municipal finance problem ever in this country," according to Commissioner Jim Carns. We hope stories like the one you'll see tonight will help make this understandable to you because, like it or not, believe it or not, it's relevant to anyone living or paying taxes in Jefferson County, and some would argue, the state.

One more note before I go, this situation continues to attract national and international attention. A reporter from the Reuters news service has become a regular at Commission meetings, and at Carns' public forum in Homewood last Thursday I sat next to a reporter from one of the largest newspapers in the Netherlands, he had flown in from New York for the 2 days of forums. Yes, like it or not, parts of the world are watching. I'm not sure they like what they see, so far.

Jonathan

"What a week!" That phrase is equally applicable whether you're talking about 7 days of great things, or 7 days of tragedy. Unfortunately this week, it's the latter.

Between last Sunday and this Sunday, I've covered the funeral of a family of 4 gunned down in their home (including their 13 and 11 year old sons), the manhunt for a 21-year old Moody man accused of stabbing his grandparents (killing his grandfather and severely wounding his grandmother), and within the last 24 hours 2 fatal car crashes with at least 3 fatalities total including a 15-year old thrown from the back of a pickup truck last night who was just 2 weeks away from going back to Gardendale High School (which has now lost 2 students to fatal crashes in the last 14 days).

While we as journalists strive hard to maintain a degree of separation from the stories we cover (a must if you are to remain an impartial reporter of the facts rather than feelings), but we are just as human as anyone else. That humanity surfaces every time we have to cover stories like this, and having covered similar situations in the past doesn't make it any easier to understand, or explain.

That having been said, I'll wake up tomorrow and start a new week hoping for some lighter and happier stories to bring you, as I'm sure you hope there is more good news than bad to see this week.

Jonathan

I know, Captain Obvious, right? Yes, it's Alabama in July, so no one should be surprised by what we've begun to endure (and according to FOX 6 meteorologists--we'll be enduring this for some time to come). My wife warned me about Birmingham summers, and after living in Atlanta and Nashville I felt prepared, but even I've been a little taken aback by how oppressive the humidity feels in the last week or so.

While it just means discomfort (multiplied by wearing a shirt and tie outside in the afternoon) for me, it can be potentially dangerous/deadly for even the most veteran summer survivor. For our heat-related story tonight we talked with Dr. Steven Hefter, a local family physician. Dr. Hefter had some tips you may not often hear for dealing with and being proactive about protecting your kids in the heat.

For instance, it's much better to leave a layer or 2 of breathable fabric on, rather than stripping down to cool off. Dr. Hefter says the body needs that layer of insulation to "thermoregulate" properly. Also, be careful of the unintended consequences of medication. Dr. Hefter says there are several ADHD medications that can speed up heartbeats, and several Beta blocker medications prescribed to elderly patients can impair the body's ability to sweat, a key ingredient to thermoregulating.

It's pretty well known, but worth repeating, but Dr. Hefter says stay away from caffeine (i.e. energy drinks) in the heat, they can speed up your heartbeat and make it harder to cool off.

We went to the Dizzy Dean World Series in Moody this afternoon to talk to some coaches and players about how they're coping with the heat, and before we got there a player was carted away with an asthma attack, after we left an umpire was overcome by heatstroke. Just an example that even those who think they're prepared often can be overcome. Drink before you get thirsty, keep a close eye on your kids or elderly family members and friends, and we'll all enjoy/suffer through the heat ahead.

Jonathan

We're off soon to the umpteenth budget work session for the Birmingham City Council now 2 weeks after the previous one technically expired, and the proposed $428 million dollar FY 2009 budget remains an idea on a page rather than executed policy, though that may change this week. Everyone on all sides of the budgeting process is frustrated and surprised (well, some aren't that shocked) that the budget hasn't come up for a final up or down vote yet, but some of that delay can be attributed to due diligence on the part of the Council to make sure they know where every dollar is going, and where it's coming from.

But there have certainly been some seemingly minor issues that have stalled progress along the way, despite the best intentions of everyone involved, and several long hours put in on nights and weekends to try and resolve them (raises for staff, using reserve funds, etc.). We'll see a big push tonight to try and close the book on all remaining issues, and you can rest assured that there will be progress. Whether it's enough progress to have this budget become law Tuesday, well, we'll see you at 9 with an answer....maybe. :)

Jonathan

"Yes, even more so, yes." That's the answer I give every time (and it is frequent) I'm asked "Is Devon Walsh really that nice/talented/smart/funny/pretty in person?"

I'll admit (for the first time publicly) here to you the faithful blog readers that I was very intimidated by Devon Walsh the first time I met her when I started here last October. But she was disarming and easy to talk to, and since then we've swapped stories and advice more than once, and last week as I enjoyed anchoring a last pair of shows with her we cracked each other up so much during commercials that more than once I had to compose myself with seconds to spare before going back on camera.

Having been at FOX 6 for less than a year, I'll make no claims to be the staff member closest to Devon, or even in the top 5, but I do consider her a friend, even a good friend, and believe there are thousands of viewers who feel the same way. Whip smart, quick on her feet, and known for being able to recover quickly from a "technical difficulty," Devon can seem calm and collected on camera even if she's only run into the studio still finishing her makeup with less than 30 seconds to spare (it happens, more than once :). And as I've told her more than once, she can deliver a story that some of us cynics might roll our eyes at with a sort of knowing wink to the audience that is one of the trademarks of her success here.

Devon, her husband, and beautiful new baby boy are heading home as I'm sure you've heard, and we're all excited for them in what will be a great and probably long-term phase of their family's life. But we can't help but be a little selfishly sad for ourselves at losing one of the people who makes this place tick. And to answer the next question I'll be asked about her in public-----yes, Devon paid me handsomely to write this ;)

Jonathan

Consider this an APB (all points bulletin) for your QCT (quick creative thinking). As you're probably aware (being technically savvy enough to read and participate in blogs), the transition from analog to Digital Television is fast approaching (303 days and counting), and we're trying to do everything we can (in the interest of public education and a little thing called survival) to educate everyone about what that means for you the viewer.

I've been tasked with presenting an "out-of-the-box" way of educating those with DTV questions about this transition for a piece to air very soon (think this week). Sooooo....here's where this blog gets very interactive in a hurry. If you can think of a cool way to illustrate this, if there's a question about DTV that you haven't gotten answered yet, comment on this blog ASAP and let me know!!

I know this is short notice, but for the enterprising Fox6 blogosphere, I think this is a worthy challenge and a chance for you to greatly influence our coverage. Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and if I use your suggestion, you'll be properly credited!!

Jonathan

First, I hope you've had a chance to catch parts 1-3 of our "Bonds 101" series this week ably handled by Fox 6 anchor Rick Journey. I know this ongoing financial crisis is hard to understand, and frankly sometimes hard to get worked up about because you may not realize how it can affect you. But no matter what happens to resolve this situation, the 480,000 sewer customers, and potentially everyone living in or paying taxes in Jefferson County.

After spending the first part of this week creatively explaining what bonds are and how they work, tonight we'll focus on how Jefferson County got to this point, the size of the problem, and begin to look at what's next. Tomorrow night a look at one county that's been through the worst-case scenario and what suggestions they have for JeffCo that could help right now.

If you've missed any of the Bonds 101 series so far, just go to the "Seen on TV" section of our website, and click on the "Bonds 101" link.

We've spent weeks of work to bring this series to you, and I hope you'll spend a few minutes tonight or later this week to learn more about the situation county's facing.

Jefferson County's ongoing debt crisis seems to get worse by the hour. Today it was bond rating agency Moody's following Standard & Poor's action last Friday to downgrade JeffCo's sewer bonds to junk status. I know whenever you start seeing the words "bonds" "junk status" and "auction rates" more than once, your eyes probably glaze over and you wonder how/why this affects you.

We're working on a big project to help make that more clear, which you'll hear more about in the near future. For now, let me try and put it in its simplest and most accessible terms. Using census figures from 2006,  if Jefferson County had to pay back its sewer debt right now by demanding a 1-time cash payment from every citizen (regardless of whether they actually are tied onto the sewer or not), then every man, woman, and child in the county would be required to cut a $4,728 check today. For a family of 4 that's almost $19,000 you're responsible for. And that's before the interest rates reset at exponentially higher rates (as they are currently doing).

Every financial expert I've spoken to today says 2 things
1.) They don't want to speculate about options (and hate the "b" word--bankruptcy)
2.) Sewer ratepayers, and perhaps every JeffCo taxpayer, better prepare to pay more

I've only begun to get knee-deep in this sewer mess (yes, I wrote that phrase knowing the irony and imagery it would bring), but the more you dig into it, the more you see how limited and unpleasant almost every option that remains is. And time is running out.

The county's negotiating team returned this afternoon from New York, and their deadline is Friday before the county has to start cutting checks it may or may not be able to back.

Stay tuned, we'll be on top of this, working to make it as easily understood as possible---just promise to stay with us through what may seem like a story that's too complicated, because it definetly affects you!

Jonathan

They are cheering and smiling here at the Harbert Center where Sen. Barack Obama's supporters are pleased with the Alabama results so far (10% of precincts in, a 71-29% lead), but aren't completely pleased with what they're seeing out of other states, Sen. Clinton having now won several key states. But the real math that counts for Obama supporters is the delegate count, and in that sense, it is a positive night at least so far. Even in Massachusetts, for instance, where Sen. Clinton has 58% of the vote, she and Obama each have 6 delegates so far because of the proportional split. We'll see if that holds up, but all along local and national Obama staffers have said they'd like to be 100 delegates behind or so coming out of tonight, and the truth is California will most likely decide what that final margin is. And with so many early ballots cast (1 estimate says 25% of the votes cast may not be counted by the end of the night in that state), who knows when we'll know how many delegates each candidate can take.

Obama headquarters in Birmingham is starting to fill up at 8pm CST with a diverse crowd perhaps representative of the voting groups the Illinois Senator appeals to. There's a large percentage of African-American voters and young voters here enjoying the free cheese, crackers, fruit, tea, and (of course) chicken fingers at the Harbert Center downtown. There was a loud and sustained cheer a few minutes ago when the latest Alabama results came up on the big screen. With only 6% of the precincts reporting, Sen. Obama had a commanding lead, but it is, of course, VERY early. No one expects Obama's 70%-29% lead to hold up, but his campaign staff in the state privately will tell you they hope and kind of expect to do very well in this state tonight. Frankly, its essential for Obama to win this state and at least split the 60 delegates (53 assigned and 7 "Super" delegates), but they'd really like to take a 40-20 split on the delegates to help him reach his stated goal of finishing with about 100 fewer Super Tuesday delegates than Sen. Clinton. Once we see numbers from the North Alabama and Auburn precincts, we'll have a better feel for how strong a turnout Clinton was able to pull, those are the areas where party officials expect here to fair very well. More to come!

Jonathan

I'll be set up at Sen. Barack Obama's Birmingham campaign watch party tonight downtown at the Harbert Center and trying to post as often as possible about the Obama campaign's reaction as Alabama and national numbers come pouring in. We'll be with you all night, even while American Idol and "House" are on the air, and when we hit the air at 9, we'll be rolling through at least 1 1/2 hours (maybe more) of the Most Powerful Name in local political coverage, so keep checking this blog as well as all of MyFoxAL.com for the very latest between now and the end of the Super Tuesday contest.

This past Saturday (Jan. 19) was honestly the most fun I've ever had in news journalism/broadcasting! Granted, that's only a 5-year career to this point, but I can see that without equivocation. I was already excited about anchoring the morning show for Tiffany (off to host a baby shower that went on despite the weather!), but ended up with a lot more on the plate than I had first imagined, even in the days leading up to Saturday.

But when I walked into the newsroom at 4am Saturday, and it was already humming with activity, I knew it was going to be a great morning! Snow coverage is always fun for me because it's my favorite weather event, and we had it covered from one corner of the viewing area to the other. We are fortunate to have the biggest TV news staff in the state, and that really comes in handy on days like this, when you have such a big event affecting so many different places all at the same time. We also are blessed to have (in my biased opinion), the best collection of news judgement in this state, and the ability to plan our resources accordingly. So on Saturday we had crews in Hoover, Tuscaloosa, Clanton, Birmingham, Talladega, Mt. Cheaha, Anniston, Calera, and points in between, which meant we were able to bring you constantly updating live shots of the snow as it progressed through our area.

But I honestly think the best part about Saturday was that the weather was fun but not threatening, which allowed us to have fun with it, and you our loyal viewers. The first time I tossed to Mickey Ferguson in Clanton and saw some flakes coming down, you knew he would end up drawing a crowd. And then as viewers started getting out of their homes in the snow to drive over and hang out with our talented crews on their live shot locations, it became not just coverage, but an event. All the credit goes to our incredibly talented reporters and photographers for bringing you great live pictures with fun live shots, our Fox 6 StormWarn Team for giving you the best and most accurate condition updates, and especially to the producers, assignment managers, news management, and production/engineering team for putting the right resources in the right places at the right times.

I felt so grateful and honored to have the privilege of playing traffic cop for all of the information and live pictures, but it was the crews in the field, the producers in the booth, and especially your interaction with us that made Saturday so much fun. Thanks for choosing us for your local news and weather, and thanks for inviting us into your homes!!

Jonathan

Hi, my name is Jonathan Hardison, and I'm a political junkie. That may sound like the beginning of a 12-step program, but I don't plan to break my addiction (albeit healthy) to politics, political coverage, and all kinds of other dorky minutiae. So of course I watched every minute of Iowa caucus coverage I could last night, and will be glued to the TV through the weekend and throughout the next month while the dirty work of choosing a nominee for each party is conducted, some of it in Alabama!

But the Iowa caucuses held special meaning for me this year because I spent 3 days in Des Moines this summer as part of a political seminar conducted by Drake University and the Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank/institute. We had the chance to interact with big names like Matthew Dowd (Bush 43's political advisor during the 2004 campaign), David Yepsen (political columnist for the Des Moines Register), and reporters from the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, etc.

What we quickly learned is that Iowa is a unique animal and and of itself. Yes, the idea of going into a room and moving around like livestock while determining which candidates are viable seems wild, but there is something appealingly quirky about it. And yes, Iowa as a state isn't big enough or diverse enough to really be a representative sampling of the 300 million people in the United States, but Iowans take great pride in their role as "First in the Nation," and they are uniquely and passionately focused on issues or the "steak" of politics and governing rather than the hype, or "sizzle."

Given that background, here is a quick flash reaction. Obama's victory doesn't shock me, but the margin does, and the fact that Sen. Clinton finished 3rd is astounding. Yes, she faces increased pressure to win in New Hampshire, but a loss there wouldn't be the end, simply because of the money she's raised and the amount of ground support she still has in the Super-Duper Tuesday states of Feb. 5, including here in Alabama. Huckabee's victory likewise is impressive because of the margin, but what happens in New Hampshire and then in South Carolina and Nevada will prove interesting because Huckabee doesn't have the money or staffing of Romney, Giuliani, or in some cases, McCain. The GOP race doesn't look to clear up anytime soon because Giuliani has banked on closing late, starting with Florida in late January, and we could conceivably come out of Super Duper Tuesday and still not know who will be the nominee. The Democrats could coalesce quickly around a nominee if he/she begins to sweep, but they too could see some drama.

For years old-school political gurus have mourned the loss of drama at the national political conventions because, unlike in the 50's and 60's, the nomination has already been locked up. So it is ironic, I think, that wins for 2 next-generation politicians (Obama and Huckabee) could bring us back to the old days of convention drama if the picture gets muddled by conflicting victories in the coming days.

One last thought: many of the African-American voters I talk to here seem to share a common sentiment. They would like to vote with their hearts and support Sen. Obama, but many of them believe an African-American candidate may not really be electable in November, so many of them are supporting Sen. Clinton. But if Obama begins to rack up state after state, those black voters may change their minds in the coming days. Can't wait to watch, and make sure to stay with Fox 6 News for the absolute best, most experienced and complete political coverage anywhere in Alabama!

Jonathan