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March is Women's History Month!

Alabama Prison Reform Legislation Becomes Law

Alabama's governor has signed legislation meant to reduce severe overcrowding in state prisons.  Legislators joined Robert Bentley at a bill signing ceremony Thursday.  Alabama prisons house nearly twice the number of inmates they were designed to hold.  Mobile state Senator Vivian Figures is a member of the prison reform task force, which crafted the legislation.  Senator Figures said the changes seek to gradually reduce prison overcrowding by steering low-level offenders away from prison with the creation of a new Class D felony category and also make changes to probation and supervision.  

Legislature Emails Hacked

State officials say the Alabama Legislature's email system was hacked by an unknown source.  House Speaker Mike Hubbard instructed lawmakers Thursday to not open emails or attachments until the situation was resolved.  Pat Harris, Secretary of the Alabama Senate, said the virus was traced to a server in India.  Harris said the information technology office had the virus contained about 30 minutes.  IT officials said the problem was isolated to the Legislature's email system and no other state agencies were affected.  

SEC Primary

Alabama lawmakers have voted to join the "SEC primary" as southern states band together to try to get more attention from 2016 presidential hopefuls.  Legislators Thursday gave final approval to a bill that would move the state's 2016 primary elections to March 1st, 2016.  Some southern states are trying to build a regional super primary.  The bill was sent to Governor Bentley for his signature.  Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia are already part of the March 1st regional primary.  

Prescription Drug Abuse

Federal prosecutors in Montgomery say nine people from Alabama, Georgia and Florida have been sentenced for illegally obtaining the pain medication oxycodone.  U.S. Attorney George Beck said of the nine individuals, seven reside in the Huntsville area.  The U.S. Attorney's office said the nine defendants recently pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to use fraudulent medical paperwork to purchase oxycotin from a medical clinic in Opelika.  The prison terms ranged from five years to three years of probation.  Federal agents this week conducted raids in four southern states, including Alabama, in a crackdown on prescription drug abuse.  

American Alligator

Wildlife officials today will unveil a unique hunting trophy at Montgomery Zoo: The largest American alligator ever killed in the wild.  State conservation officials and members of Alabama Black Belt Adventures others will be on hand today as the massive, mounted 1,011 pounds gator goes on display at the Zoo.  Mandy Stokes of Thomaston and her hunting team killed the 15 foot, 9-inch alligator last August 16th on the Alabama River near Camden in Wilcox County.  It was certified as a world record by Safari Club International.  The massive reptile will be display at the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum at the Montgomery Zoo.