Alabama is soggy after days of moderate to heavy rain, and forecasters say more precipitation is on the way. Rains with a few thunderstorms are in today's forecast in central Alabama, where some areas have received more than 5 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. The heaviest rains have occurred in Marengo County where 5.7 inches of rain fell Sunday, and Calera in Shelby County got 5.5 inches. Bibb County received more than 4 inches of rain. The weather service says there's a chance of sleet and freezing rain in north Alabama overnight, but no accumulation is expected.
Pay Raise
Governor Robert Bentley said Alabama teachers could be in line for another pay raise when the state Legislature meets in January, but non-education employees should not get their hopes up. Governor Bentley said he plans to proposed an increase for education workers, but he said the state General Fund is too anemic to do the same for non-education employees.
Summer Food Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will present the Alabama Department of Education with an award today for its dramatic boost in the number of meals served by the Federal Summer Food Service Program. Alabama's Child Nutrition Unit provided around 100,000 more children with meal this year, than they did last year. Program administrator Danielle Turk says organizations wishing to participate in helping facilitate the food service program can call her at (334) 242-8249 for more information.
Inmates Charged
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled the state prison system can charge work release inmates for providing transportation to their jobs and other associated costs. A group of inmates had challenged the Department of Corrections over charging $5 dollars for a roundtrip to work and other items, including laundry of their work clothes. The Supreme Court ruled The extra charges are reasonable because the work release program is voluntary, and the court said the charges are in line with state law.
Tiger Captured
A Montgomery television station reports a Bengal tiger escaped from its enclosure and into another animal's pen at the Montgomery Zoo, prompting a lockdown of the facility. WSFA-TV reports that a street near the zoo was temporarily blocked during the lockdown. Montgomery Police also responded to the situation. Deputy Zoo Director Marcia Woodard says zoo workers were able to secure the big cat and get it back into its enclosure safely.