Governor Robert Bentley said it will be lawmakers who close state parks and slash other state services, if they fail to approve new revenue for the budget. Bentley spoke Monday at Guntersville State Park, a place he called one of the most beautiful in the state. The Department of Conservation is working on a contingency plan to close 15 of 22 state parks because of anticipated budget cuts. The governor continued his tour of speaking engagements to rally support for his proposed $541 million tax proposal. The governor said he has proposed a solution to prevent the cuts. In addition to state parks, Bentley said mental health treatment, services for children, troopers and "everything that is funded by the General Fund" will face cuts. Bentley said the state faces a "real crisis" with its budget.
Oil Spill Anniversary
It was five years ago Monday that an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig claimed 11 lives and set off the worst oil spill in U.S. History. Nearly three months later the leak was finally capped, but not before at least 134 million gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico. The environment and economy of several Gulf Coast states sustained the brunt of the fallout. Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon hopes that BP has made the changes to its safety measures and equipment that it promised after the disaster.
Murder Suicide
Police believe the fatal shooting of two people in west Montgomery was the result of a murder-suicide. The bodies of an adult male and female were discovered at a residence in the 4600 block of Delray Road just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Both were pronounced dead on the scene. A preliminary investigation indicates that the man shot his ex-girlfriend before taking his own life. No names have been released.