Veterans health care facilities in Montgomery and Tuskegee are among 84 medical facilities being investigated for unethical practices for falsifying records to hide long wait times for veterans care. Second District Congresswoman Martha Roby said in a statement that she is "disgusted and infuriated by the behavior." On Friday, Roby had a meeting with Central Alabama VA Health System director James Talton about the audit. Talton said several employees were fired after he learned about the discrepancies. The nationwide audit of VA facilities will be released today.
Lawsuit Challenge
The state has taken the first step to challenge a Montgomery judge's ruling that throws out a Republican-backed law to allow tax credits for private schools. State officials have filed a notice of appeal asking the Alabama Supreme Court to review the decision by Circuit Judge Gene Reese. The law allows state tax credits for parents who move their children from a failing public school to a private school. State attorneys have asked the Alabama Supreme Court to take the case rather than sending it to a lower appeals court.
Closing Arguments
A federal judge in Montgomery is scheduled to hear closing arguments today in a trial over a new Alabama law requiring doctors at abortion clinics to have approval to admit patients to nearby hospitals. Clinic operators in Montgomery, Mobile and Birmingham say they use traveling doctors who can't get admitting privileges, and they will have to stop performing abortions if U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson allows the law to take effect.
Gun-Toting Voters
Alabama officials have mere weeks to sort out whether gun-toting voters should be allowed in polling places under a new state law. Differing interpretations of the new law became a problem in last Tuesday's primary after men showed up with guns in at least two precincts in Shelby County. A law enforcement official says someone needs to sort out the confusion before the runoff election on July 15th. But neither the secretary of state's office nor the attorney general's office is commenting publicly on whether armed voters should be allowed.
ASU Drafts
The Alabama State University Baseball Team made history in the recent Major League Baseball draft. Three Hornet players including shortstop Emmanuel Marrero, the SWAC Player of the Year, was highest draft pick from ASU. Marrero was drafted in the 7th round by Philadelphia; center fielder Richard Amion was selected in the 18th round by Houston and catcher Richard Gonzalez was picked in the 29th round by the Houston Astros.