Author: WAKA Action 8 News

Groups Ask Alabama Prisons to Limit Razor Distribution

Advocacy groups say Alabama prisons are giving inmates virtually unlimited access to razors, a practice that’s leading to deaths and injuries inside the lockups. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program asked a court Thursday to bar prisons from freely distributing razor blades to male inmates. The groups are making the request on behalf of prisoners…

Federal Budget Crunch Idles Guard Units Across US

Training drills for tens of thousands of Army National Guard members from New Hampshire to Hawaii have been called off this weekend because of a federal budget shortfall. A National Guard spokesman says a $101 million gap in funding for training is being addressed by postponing drills, suspending travel and other steps. Meanwhile, there are efforts underway to get funding…

High Court turns Down Alabama Lawmaker’s Appeal

The Alabama Supreme Court has turned down claims by an indicted legislator that his prosecutors are acting without proper authority. The court issued an 8-0 order Friday denying an appeal from Republican Rep. Barry Moore of Enterprise. Moore was challenging Attorney General Luther Strange’s appointment of a retired district attorney to oversee a special grand jury investigation in Lee County….

Commission Explains Amendments in Plan Words

Five proposed constitutional amendments will be on Alabama’s ballot Nov. 4, and for the first time, a commission has written ballot language to describe them in plain words. The chairman of the new Fair Ballot Commission, Will Sellers, says the Legislature created the commission because wording on the ballot was sometimes written in legal or technical terms and was confusing….

Group Seeks to Register More Hispanic Voters in Alabama

An immigrant rights group is trying to register more Hispanics to vote in Alabama. The Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice says it’s launching a program called “Alabama Vota” to encourage more Hispanic voters to get involved in the electoral process. The program is concentrating mainly in the Birmingham and Huntsville areas. But a website with Spanish-language information about registering to…

32 States Ask High Court to Settle Gay Marriage

More than 30 states have filed briefs asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on same-sex marriage. Massachusetts and 14 other states where same-sex marriage is legal filed a brief Thursday asking the justices to overturn other states’ bans on gay marriage. Colorado and 16 other states that have banned same-sex marriage filed a separate brief asking the court to…