Teachers and residents in Huntsville will get a chance to speak out today on plans to end a 51-year-old desegregation lawsuit.
All sides will gather at Columbia High School to discuss a federal consent order that’s supposed to ensure fair treatment for all Huntsville City school students. A federal judge mediated the agreement last June. It’s meant to resolve the remaining issues from both sides of the desegregation case.
Dr. Casey Wardysnki is the Superintendent for the Huntsville City Schools. He believes that this step will help all the children in Huntsville City Schools.
“Education is a noble profession dedicated to the service of our children and the future of our country. This momentous step will provide all of our students expanded opportunities to prepare for their futures and the continued success of Huntsville.”
After tonight’s meeting at Columbia High School, a final forum will be held at Huntsville High School tomorrow night.
The U.S. Congress is ready to send plans to build the Keystone XL pipeline to President Obama. However, the President has promised to veto any action passed by congress to build the pipeline.
Cindy Schild is the Downstream Oil Sands Manager for the American Petroleum Institute. She says the President has already gotten part of the pipeline up and running.
“The southern half of this pipeline is already constructed and has been operating for over a year. [Obama] asked his agencies to get all the permits and hurry up and that had 5000 direct jobs.”
Schild says the reason the southern half didn’t need approval from the President is because it does not cross any international borders. The Northern portion of the pipeline would cross the Canadian border.
Attorneys have set a date for House Speaker Mike Hubbard's trial on 23 counts of ethics violations.
Hubbard will stand trial on October 19th. Deputy Attorney General Matt Hart says he expects the prosecution's arguments to take about two weeks.
Hubbard was indicted last October on nearly two dozen ethics charges accusing him of using his office for personal benefit. He's pleaded not guilty.
Hubbard's trial date was originally set for March, but it would have coincided with the current legislative session. The new date will fall after the upcoming legislative session concludes.
Attorneys have already scheduled their discovery and motion hearings for the trial.
With gay marriage potentially legal in Alabama a week from today, state probate judges are facing a difficult decision: Will they continue performing weddings?
Probate judges will be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but they can choose not to officiate weddings.
One probate judge, Geneva County's Fred Hamic, told the press that he'd rather quit performing wedding ceremonies altogether rather than marry a same-sex couple.
A group in Huntsville is planning to fill the gap after Madison County's courthouse announced they'd stop performing office weddings. That group is offering free weddings to anyone issued a marriage license in Madison County next week.
Organizers say they'll perform a full ceremony with food, music and a photographer. Those ceremonies are not limited to same-sex couples.