News

An Alabama lawmaker is seeking to let public school teachers begin each day by reading opening prayers that were given in Congress.

The House Education Policy held a public hearing Wednesday on the legislation.

The bill would set aside 15 minutes at the start of each school day to study the procedures of Congress, and give a verbatim reading of a congressional opening prayer.

Bill sponsor, Rep. Steve Hurst, says teachers could choose a prayer that related to the day's lesson. He says teachers might choose a prayer that was said on a particular day in history.

The Alabama Senate has again passed a bill to ban smoking in many work places and in many businesses.

Democratic Sen. Vivian Davis Figures guided her bill through the Senate on a 21-8 vote Tuesday. Figures has passed similar legislation in the Senate before, only to have it die in the House. Figures is uncertain how it will fare in the House this time.

Her bill bans smoking in most businesses, but bars and private clubs are excluded. It also does not affect smoking in homes, unless the homes provide day care services.

The state House of Representatives has voted to ban teens from using tanning beds unless they have a parent's written consent.

Representatives approved the proposal Tuesday by a vote of 92-2. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.

Teens age 16 and 17 would have to have a parent's written consent to use a tanning bed.

Fifteen-year-olds would need to have a parent's written consent, and have the parent present at the tanning facility during the tanning sessions.

Many businesses, schools, and government offices will be closed in much of north Alabama and parts of central and east Alabama tomorrow.

Below is a less than complete list of schools closings in those areas.

- Albertville City Schools - Closed Wednesday. All 12-month-employees report only if road conditions allow.

- Arab City Schools - Closed Wednesday

- Boaz City Schools - Closed Wednesday

- Colbert County Schools - Closed Wednesday

- Cullman County Schools - Closed Wednesday

- Decatur City Schools - Closed Wednesday

Alabama's governor says he's always believed someone should get their voting rights restored after serving their full sentences.

Gov. Robert Bentley reacted Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder calling on Alabama and 10 other states to do a better job of restoring voting rights to ex-felons.

Bentley says he's willing to look at a reasonable request for restoration of voting rights for people who are trying to become productive citizens again.

Gov. Robert Bentley says two National Guard wreckers have been dispatched to Interstate 65 near Cullman to help clear jackknifed 18-wheelers that blocked northbound traffic.

The governor says one lesson learned from the Jan. 28 ice storm was to get National Guard wreckers organized early to pull stalled vehicles to the side of the road until the weather clears and the owners can reclaim them.

Alabama Department of Transportation spokesman Tony Harris says the state has brought in contractor crews to assist with snow removal across north Alabama counties.

Gov. Robert Bentley is issuing a statewide state of emergency in advance of dangerous winter weather that's forecast to hit the state.

The state of emergency begins at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Bentley says the state is taking no chances as the winter weather nears the state.

The governor says he is urging schools to close if they are in an area predicted to have snow and ice accumulations. He is urging people to be cautious and avoid all unnecessary travel.

Former U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith of Huntsville is running for governor as a Democrat.

Griffith turned in his qualifying papers at state party headquarters in Montgomery shortly before the deadline on Friday.

Griffith served as a Democrat in the Alabama Senate and then was elected to Congress to represent part of north Alabama.

After his election he switched to the Republican Party and lost a GOP primary bid to Mo Brooks, who now represents the 5th District.

Griffith recently rejoined the Democratic Party.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Forecasters say they're expecting a major winter storm in the Tennessee Valley region along with snow and freezing rain in north central Alabama this week. The National Weather Service says a winter storm watch will be in effect Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning. Forecasters are expecting snow and sleet from 3 p.m. Monday to noon on Tuesday. Forecasters are expecting between 2 and 4 inches of snow in parts of north Alabama. Officials say they expect the winter weather to impact road conditions throughout the state's northern regions.

Westminster Kennel Club has a tradition that goes back more then 130 years, but in 2014 it's not the purebred dogs that are capturing news headlines but the mutts that are making a showing in the WKC's   first time ever agility competition.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — State Sen. Scott Beason is making another run for Alabama's 6th District congressional seat, adding a high-profile tea party name to a large GOP field. Beason announced his campaign Friday, the final day to file qualifying papers. So far seven Republicans are contending for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus. Beason was behind Alabama's sweeping immigration bill, considered the toughest in the nation before it was largely gutted by the courts. He was also the sponsor of Alabama gun legislation last year.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A bill pending in the Legislature would establish a gradually increasing minimum wage in Alabama. WAKA-TV reports Alabama is one of five states without any minimum wage law, but legislation in the House would change that. The bill would allow Alabama to set its own minimum wage instead of relying on the federal government. The current minimum wage set by the federal government is $7.25 an hour. The bill would gradually increase the minimum wage in Alabama to $9.80 an hour by 2016. Democratic state Rep.

Sunday marked fifty years since the Beatles first performed on the Ed Sullivan show, signaling the start of what became known as “Beatlemania” in the U.S. The band’s debut album, “Please, Please Me” came the year before in 1963. One of the tracks was a cover of a song titled “Anna,” by Muscle Shoals singer and songwriter Arthur Alexander. APR’s Pat Duggins spoke with Dick Cooper, curator of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, who says the “fab four” from Liverpool admired the Alabama musician…

A summary of action in the Alabama Legislature on Thursday, the 11th meeting day of the regular session:

HOUSE:

—Approved a bill to give deployed military members extra time to renew their vehicle registration. Goes to Senate.

— Approved a bill to specify that write-in votes will only be counted if there are enough votes to impact the race, or if there is a request. Goes to Senate.

SENATE:

Known for fighting to display the Ten Commandments in his state's judicial building, Alabama's chief justice is jumping into the national gay marriage debate. Roy Moore has sent letters to all 50 governors urging them to get their legislatures to call for a convention to add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognizing only unions between one man and one woman. Moore says the country's moral foundation is under attack, and a state-initiated convention under Article V of the Constitution is the only way to stop it. An Article V convention has never been held.