Police in Auburn are investigating a shooting that claimed the life of a 20-year-old Opelika man. Officers were called to the scene early Sunday morning around 2:15 a .m., in response to a call about a multiple shooting at Jackie Lee's Karaoke Bar and Grill on South College Street. Officers found two men, a 22-year-old from Auburn and a 19-year-old Loachapoka resident, had sustained gunshot wounds in the parking lot. Both were taken to East Alabama Medical Center. The two males were treated and released. Auburn police said 20-year-old Marquez Patrick of Opelika died at the hospital from his injuries. No arrests were made.
Former Football Player Charged
An ex-Troy University football player charged in connection with a fatal shooing is being held under a high bond. Troy Police said 26-year-old Marquise McClendon as shot to death Sunday morning at an apartment complex on South Brundidge Street. 21-year-old Dimitri Miles was arrested, he was a former walk-on player on the Trojans football team. Miles was charged with McClendon's murder and was placed in the Pike County Jail with bond set at $100,000 dollars. Miles was dismissed from the football team following his arrest and suspended from the university. Troy police have not revealed the motive.
Textbooks Complaint
Complaints from conservative groups have delayed a decision on new school textbooks in Alabama. State Schools Superintendent Dr. Tommy Bice asked for the vote on social studies textbooks be put off until he has a chance to review the 12 books in question. The Eagle Forum of Alabama and Act for America claim the textbooks have a pro-Muslim slant and are anti-Christian. Dr. Bice says the board will revisit the issue at its January meeting.
STARS Program
The chancellor of Alabama's two-year college system says he hopes budget cuts don't lead to the collapse of a program that helps community college students transfer credits to four-year institutions. The Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting System helps ensure that community college student's core credits transfer to specific degree programs at four-year schools. The Dothan Eagle reports the program once had a budget of $1.2 million dollars. Now, it has a budget of $375,000 dollars. The STARS program has saved students about $1 billion dollars in tuition, books and room and board since it was launched in 1994.
Sanders' Lawsuit
A once prominent African-American law firm has disintegrated in a fight over money after helping black farmers win $1.2 billion dollars in a discrimination case. State Senator Hank Sanders says the Chestnut, Sanders and Sanders law firm in Selma was once among the nation's 10 largest black law firms. Now he's the only partner left practicing law. Sanders and his wife, attorney Faya Rose Sanders, are involved in a legal fight with the family of their late partner, J.L. Chestnut over how to divide the $5.2 million dollars legal fee that arose from the black farmers' case.