WVAS Local

The Alabama Senate passed a revised Immigration bill this morning. 

WVAS News reporter Marcus Hyles has the details,  also WVAS  Legislative reporter Karen Brown files a report

of the action from the House. 

The Montgomery Advertiser newspaper reports legislation that would have banned the wearing of saggy pants

in Montgomery County won't be considered this year. 

The bill was pushed by State Representative Alvin Holmes of Montgomery. 

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has signed a bill today that almost doubles the size of bottles beer that can

be sold in the state.

Alabama's top economic development official says ThyssenKrupp is exploring its options for its carbon steel

mill in the state. 

The final day of the 2012 Legislative session is set for this Wednesday and lawmakers have plenty to do,

for starters the two budgets, a bill to raise court fees and legislation that would make changes to the Immigration

law await consideration.

A new president has been selected to lead Alabama State University. 

On Friday, the ASU Board of Trustees picked Dr. Joseph Silver of Clark Atlanta University. 

A Madison County judge has indefinitely delayed the trial of a 16-year old boy charged in a fatal shooting at his

middle school.

Florida A &M University is suspending its famed marching band for at least one more school year. 

The Alabama House approved a $1.4 billion dollar General Fund budget that restores $184 million to Medicaid

and takes it from Alabama's prison system. 

The House also passed an austere education budget. 

Alabama's Congressional delegation wants Defense Department officials to explain why they want to retire seven

C-130 Cargo planes assigned to the 908 th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force base. 

The first ever Alabama All-Star Food Festival will be held in downtown Montgomery Saturday afternoon. 

The Hampstead Institute and the Renaissance Hotel are among the sponsors. 

The organizers of Operation Alabama Black Belt say more than 29,000 people were screened at health clinics in

Lowndes, Dallas and Marengo counties. 

It appears that an effort to establish charter schools in Alabama is a dead issue in the Legislature, at least this

year. 

An Alabama House committee today killed legislation that would have allowed the creation of taxpayer funded

charter schools in the state. 

A new tourism campaign to enhance Montgomery's image among tourists and residents has been launched. 

Member of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and Montgomery County Commission Chairman

Elton Dean joined Mayor Todd Strange for today's announcement. 

Operation "Alabama Black Belt 2012" is a success, so says Chris Masingill with the Delta Regional Authority,

one of the program's sponsors. 

The two state budgets are taking center stage today at the Alabama Legislature. 

Senate leaders say the Senate will consider the General Fund budget. 

Meanwhile, in the Alabama House, Representative Jay Love of Montgomery said his committee will vote on the

Education budget today. 

State Representative Barbara Boyd, a Democrat from Anniston held a press conference today releasing a

report by the Commission on Girls and Women in the Criminal Justice system. 

Alabama's Hispanic population has more than doubled over a ten year period from 2000 to 2010. 

The findings were issued Tuesday by the Center for Demographic Research at Auburn-Montgomery. 

House Bill 2 is now law. 

The measure that prohibits texting while driving was signed today by Governor Robert Bentley. 

Fines will run from $25 dollars for the first offense up to $75 dollars for the third offense. 

The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee passed a state operating budget today that would rely

on state residents' approval of a constitutional amendment for it to balance. 

The Constitutional amendment would be voted upon in the November 6th general election. 

Newly hired public employees would pay less of their pay toward pension benefits and get smaller retirement

checks under a bill up for final passage in the Alabama House. 

A jury is being picked today in Montgomery Federal Court to hear a lawsuit that accuses Victoryland Casino

owner Milton McGregor and Macon County Sheriff David Warren of working together to keep a second bingo

casino from operating in Macon County. 

Two bills aimed at further restricting abortions failed to come up for debate in the Alabama Legislature Thursday,

hurting their chances of passing. 

There are only four legislative days remaining in the 2012 legislative session.

A Montgomery Fire Department investigator says a candle that was left unattended is what started a house fire

early this morning. 

Today is the deadline for public school students to register for a proposed Career Technical Center.

Governor Robert Bentley is looking in on a program where members of the Alabama National Guard and

reservists are providing health care to residents in the stat's Black Belt region. 

He'll be in Selma today to visit clinics that are set up to treat patients during Operation Alabama Black Belt.

"Simple Justice."  That's what the attorney for the family of Trayvon Martin say they want for the teenager who

was gunned down by a Neighborhood Watch volunteer. 

Authorities arrested two of three teens in court for a preliminary hearing for burglary charges stemming from an

incident that saw a teenage girl fatally shot at an Alabama fish camp. 

Authorities say six immigration protesters who were handcuffed by police at the Alabama Statehouse aren't being

charged. 

The six kneeled outside the Senate chamber, where they prayed and sand to protest Alabama's immigration law. 

The Alabama Legislature paused briefly from the frantic activities of the final days of the 2012 session to honor

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. 

At his weekly press briefing today, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange announced that the city's revenues are up. 

Strange says the increase comes despite a decline in gasoline and alcohol beverage tax. 

A federal grand jury has indicted an Alabama physician on charges that she defrauded Medicare and an insurance

Two bills aimed at making it more difficult for a woman to get an abortion have passed an Alabama House

committee. 

A public hearing was held in a Senate committee, but no vote was taken on another bill that is seen as a step toward banning abortion all together.

The Arthritis Foundation of South Central Alabama, Southeast Region is hosting an Arthritis Walk at the Alley

Station in downtown Montgomery Thursday, May 3rd. 

Spokeswoman, Lisa Hemphill says about 1.2 million Alabamians suffer from arthritis. 

Hayneville's mayor Helenor Bell says she's grateful her community was selected to the one of the sites for a free

Medical Clinic again this year.