The Alabama State University voted Friday to approve the contract for their next president Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd. Chairman Elton Dean said this is a new era for the university and that he and the board are committed to ensuring Boyd's success. The contract is now awaiting Dean's signature, which will officially make Dr. Boyd the 14th president of the university.
STAR ID
An anti-terror law passed by Congress in 2005 is set to go into effect by December of this year. The Real ID program requires U.S. residents to acquire secure identification, called STAR ID, in order to gain entry into certain federal facilities and eventually board domestic flights. The federal has revised its implementation schedule into several phases. As of now, the domestic flight requirement won't go into effect until 2016 at the earliest and a person can still use a valid U.S. passport as an alternative. For more information on the documentation required when applying for a STAR ID, go to the state Department of Public Safety's website and click on the STAR ID link.
United Way
Jimmy Hill has been named the new president of the River Region United Way. Hill has been with the local agency for more than four years. He says his first act is moving forward with the organization's strategic five year plan. The River Region United Way serves nearly 140,000 residents in Autauga, Lowndes, Macon, Elmore and Montgomery counties.
Zoo Reality
An episode of the popular CMT series "Sweet Home Alabama" prominently incorporated the Montgomery Zoo Friday night. The reality show pits 11 country guys against 11 city slickers for the affections of a Southern belle named Kelsey from Fairhope, Alabama. Several locations and animals at the zoo were featured. Vice president of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Dawn Hathcock said the appearance was excellent publicity for the zoo and Montgomery.