WVAS Local

Montgomery, Alabama – Two area teachers are among four finalist being recognized for their hard work education area children.

Wetumpka High School's Virginia Vilardi and Yung Thi Bui-Kinser of Booker T. Washington magnet High School are being considered for the title of Alabama Teacher of the Year.

Kinser and Vilardi join representatives from the Hoover City and Calhoun County school systems in the bid for the title. The Alabama Teacher of the Year will be announced at an awards ceremony on may 13,2009.

Montgomery, Alabama – Listen,now, to some of the stories making headlines this hour in the WVAS newsroom.

Montgomery, Alabama – Montgomery Police are looking for suspects in the city's latest murder.

An unidentified 24 year old man was found laying in front of a home on the 1800 block of Alexander Street around 4:24 Monday afternoon. The man died of a gunshot wound to his lower back.

Witnesses tell police the victim and the suspect got into an argument, and the suspect shot the victim and fled in an 80s Model, blue and white, Chevrolet Suburban.

Montgomery,Alabama –
State Representative John Knight of Montgomery is being honored by a coalition of groups that promote Alabama's inland waterways. Knight is named as "Legislator of the Year".

Knight is chairman of the House committee that prepares the state's General
Fund budget.

Coosa-Alabama River Association President Jerry Sailors, says Knight has consistently worked to fund projects to improve Alabama's 1400 miles of navigable inland waterways.

Talladega, Alabama – (AP) - PETA is taking on what it describes as a new affront to animals: NASCAR fans doing the chicken dance.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals asked Guinness World
Records Inc. on Monday to ignore an attempt to set a world record
for the largest group chicken dance at the Talladega Superspeedway,
site of the Aaron's 499 race on Sunday.
The reason? KFC is the sponsor of the record attempt, and the
animal rights group says the fast-food company is cruel to
chickens.

Montgomery, Alabama – Listen,now,to some of the stories making headlines this hour in the WVAS newsroom.

Montgomery, Alabama – A sign of the tough economy is being seen in a recent announcement by a local hospital. Jackson Hospital is downsizing- laying off 17 workers because of budget woes.

Jackson Hospital officials say they have seen an increase in charity care because more patients who come to the hospital are without work and health care.

Montgomery, Alabama – Listen,now, to some of the stories making headlines this hour in the WVAS newsroom.

Montgomery, Alabama – (AP) - Alabama's unemployment rate rose to 9 percent in March, which is the highest rate in more than 22 years.
The last time Alabama hit 9.0 percent was in November 1986.
The state Department of Industrial Relations says the March rate
is up from 8.4 percent in February. It compares to a national rate
of 8.5 percent.
The March rate is more than double the 4.3 percent Alabama
recorded a year ago. The March rate represents more than 193,000
unemployed Alabamians.

Montgomery, Alabama – (AP) - The president pro tem of the Alabama Senate, Democrat Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham, says he won't run for Congress next year.
Smitherman had considered the 7th Congressional District seat
being vacated by Democrat Artur Davis of Birmingham. But he
announced Thursday in Montgomery that he needs to focus on his
state duties during difficult economic times.
Smitherman said the challenges facing the state are monumental,
and he accepted the position of Senate president pro tem in