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March is Women's History Month!

WVAS Local News

About 22 percent of Alabama's voters turned out to approve a constitutional amendment withdrawing $437 million dollars from a state trust fund to help balance the state General Fund budget for the next three year. 

Unofficial returns show about 600,000 of Alabama's 2.67 million voters participated in Tuesday's special election, and they approved the constitutional amendment 65 percent to 25 percent.  The turnout was in line with the 20-21 percent predicted by Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman. 

Missing Teen

Federal agents have joined in the search for a teenage girl who was reportedly abducted in Dothan.  Dothan police said FBI agents are now working on the reported kidnapping of 15-year -old Ailene Lander.  Authorities are looking for her and her stepfather, 36-year-old Charles Dean Partin.  Dothan police said the girl was abducted by the man on Monday after she was taken to a doctor's appointment at Southeast Alabama medical Center by an employee with the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

Montgomery Arrest

Montgomery police believe they have solved the city's latest murder with the arrest of a 24-year-old man.  Officers said Darrel Eaton was taken into custody Tuesday near Virginia Loop Road.  Eaton is accused of killing 33-year-old Nicholas Miller.  The victim was shot to death late Monday afternoon on North University Drive.  No motive was given.  Monday's homicide was the city's 20th of 2012. 

Sovereign Citizen

A southeast Alabama man who describes himself as the leader of a so-called "sovereign citizen" group is facing federal criminal charges.  Authorities say James Timothy Turner is charged with conspiracy to defraud the government and attempting to pay taxes with a fake $300 million dollar bond.  He's also charged with failing to file a tax return and testifying falsely during a bankruptcy proceeding. 

Graduation Rates

A new report says high school graduation rates are improving among young black men, but still lag behind their white counterparts.  The report released by the Schott Foundation for Public Education says more than half the young black men who graduated high school in 2010 earned their diploma in four years.  In 2008, the black male graduation rate was 47 percent .  For white males, the 2010 graduation rate was 78 percent and for Latinos, 58 percent. 

Teacher Wall

Five school teachers were honored for their dedication to the classroom and students last night at the Capital City Club by WVAS Radio and Alabama State University President Dr. Joseph Silver.  The Teacher Wall Dinner honored Gwendolyn Cosby of Central High in Hayneville; Ursula Hardy of Pintlala Elementary; Carol Harrison of Booker T. Washington High in Tuskegee, Alphonso Morton III of Greene County High; and Robert Taylor of Jeff Davis High in Montgomery.