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March is Women's History Month!

WVAS Local News

The annual Kids Count report card has been released today ranking states according to the well-being of children.  Alabama comes in at number 44 in the country for 2013, actually, an improvement from last year when the state ranked 45th.  Alabama made its most substantial improvement in the Health category, moving from a rank of 41 in 2012 to 35 this year.  The survey is released each year by the Annie E. Casey Foundation using four overall criteria: Economic Well-being, Education, health and Family and Community. 

Governor Bentley in Mobile

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley is expected to speak at the Alabama Community College Presidents Association summer conference.  Bentley is slated to discuss the role of the state's community colleges in education, workforce development and job creation at the meeting today.  The conference is being hosted at the Battle House Hotel in Mobile. 

Inmate Abuse Allegations

Allegations of inmate abuse at Alabama's female prison and inmate being beaten to death at a male prison have pointed to a lack of security cameras in state prisons.  Testimony in a federal court trial in Montgomery has noted the lack of cameras to record what happened on the night an inmate was beaten and stomped at Ventress Correctional Facility in Clayton.  Allegations of inmate abuse at Tutwiler Prison for Women led to a federal report pointing out the need for cameras.  The Legislature voted recently to fund cameras for Tutwiler.  But the chairman of the Legislature's prison oversight committee, Sen. Cam Ward, says more are needed throughout all state prisons for the protection of officers and inmates.