Alabama's public schools system will undergo changes in coming months. On Thursday, Governor Robert Bentley signed the Charter Schools bill into law. There was no ceremony. The state legislature approved the Republican-supported bill on Wednesday. The legislation calls for the state department of education to establish up to 10 charter schools annually for the next five years. Also, a statewide commission will have the final say over whether a school board can reject a charter school. The first schools could be open in the fall of 2016.
Criminal Investigation
The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System is the subject of a criminal investigation. At a Congressional hearing Thursday, Richard Griffin, the VA's Acting Inspector General, told Montgomery Congresswoman Martha Roby that he has a team of criminal investigators looking at problems related to patient care, long wait times, falsified medical records and other issues. Roby also spoke out about retaliation against VA whistleblowers who exposed problems at the Central Alabama VA. Their stories were the subject of an article in Thursday's Montgomery Advertiser.
Child Solicitation
A Montgomery man is being held under a high bond following his arrest on sex-related offense that involved a minor. The Montgomery County Sheriff's office said 50-year-old Cary Lee is accused of using a social media web site to solicit a male child for sex. Investigators said Lee is charged with electronic solicitation of a child, sodomy, transmitting obscene material and traveling to meet a child for sex. Lee was placed in the Montgomery County Detention Facility on $150,000 bond.
Criminal Charges
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says three people are facing criminal charges after kidnapping five-year-old Aaliyah Linton from Union Springs Elementary School. The girl's father, grandmother and aunt were arrested Thursday on Interstate 85 in Lexington County, South Carolina. Authorities said Alton Linton, Melissa Brown and Malaysia Linton will be charged with interference with custody when they're extradited to Alabama. Authorities say the child was not physically harmed.