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Immigration, testimony addressed in new Ala. laws
01/02/2012

MONTGMERY, Ala. (AP) - The new year will bring with it some new laws, including a key provision of Alabama's tough new immigration law and a change in the type of expert testimony that can be presented in criminal and civil cases.

Among the 13 new laws that take effect in Alabama Sunday is a major provision of Alabama's immigration law.

That section requires employers to use a federal system known as E-Verify to determine if new employees are in the country legally.

All employers have to use E-verify after April 1, but employers who do business with any government agency have to use the system beginning Jan. 1.

Also, a new law requires Alabama Courts to adopt federal standards in deciding who can testify as an expert witness.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Responsible Drinking on New Year's Eve
01/02/2012

Huntsville, AL-

Celebrating the New Year with friends and family could be the highlight of your year… unless you drink too much.

“Around the holidays people tend to forget and they will drink more then their limits,” Dr.Archana Rastogi.

Dr. Rastogi owns her own medical clinic on Moores Mill Road called Chase Medcare. She sees dozens of patients a year with alcohol related illness.

“The majority of the time people who are drinking don’t think they are abusing it,” said Rastogi.

When you’re ringing in the new year, have fun, but know your limits and be able to gage when enough is enough.

Seek medical attention immediately if you or someone you are with becomes unconscious, has slow or irregular breathing, pale or blue-tinged skin or starts having seizures.

“These are all the good signs that they need to seek medical attention. People who are accompanying them should be vigilant about these signs and take them to the doctor right away,” Rastogi said.

And if you wake up New Years Day feeling sick, Rastogi says to drink lots of water.

“If you are throwing up, go to the doctor and get treatment. If you are just having a hangover, do not drink more to kill the hangover. It will only cause more problems,” Rastogi said.

Home remedies, like drinking coffee and cold showers, are not cures for intoxication. Time is the only way to sober up.

Rastogi says you should not drive home until enough time has passed for the alcohol to leave your system.

New Years Eve: Top 5 Destinations
01/02/2012

Huntsville has a wide range of activities to suite any New Year's Eve style. Whether you are looking to throw down with friends or ring in the New Year family style, there is a party Saturday night for you.

WAAY 31's Shea Allen shows us her Top 5:

Hospice Family Care Gala
Von Braun Center, North Hall
Cocktails at 7:30 p.m.
Dinner served at 8:00 p.m.
Junctional Rhythm Band will perform from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m.
Champagne toast and hors d'oeuvres at midnight

Tickets are $100 per person for dinner and entertainment or
$50 per person for arrival after 9 p.m. and no dinner service.
For more information or to purchase tickets click here.

Huntsville Symphony Orchestra "Cinematic Celebrations"
Mark C. Smith Concert Hall
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Show begins at 7:30 p.m.
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres available

Tickets starting at $30.
For more information or to purchase tickets click here.

Terrame New Years Eve
John Hunt Park at the Jaycee Building
9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Features Huntsville's official New Years Ball Drop, a 5K midnight run, magic show and fireworks.
All proceeds benefit Operation Green Team.
To register, purchase tickets or for more information click here.

IcePlex New Year's Eve Party
Wilcoxson Municipal IcePlex
Open skate 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Special music, lights and party favors
Snack bar will be open
For more information click here.

Downtown 47 12:01 Party
Huntsville Depot Roundhouse
Ticket includes dollar wine, beer & champagne and a midnight breakfast
9:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Partial proceeds benefit Downtown 47 which works to revatilize downtown Huntsville
For more information and to buy tickets click here.

Free Rides Provided On New Years Eve In Dekalb County
01/02/2012

Fort Payne, AL-Saturday night millions of Americans will ring in the new year celebrating and drinking. A Dekalb County towing service is providing its services to keep drivers safe for New Years.

New Years Eve Twenty Four Seven Towing in Fort Payne will be providing free rides for drivers who have had too much to drink. The company will have three men on duty ready to help keep the roads safe. Supervisor Danny Helms says it's a good feeling knowing his team could be saving lives. "It makes everyone of us feel good because if we can do two of them, that's two drunks that aren't on the road" Helms says. "If we can save one person by doing this we will do it every year. We would rather give free rides then have someone kill somebody on the way home".

AAA Alabama and wrecker services across the state will be doing the Tow for life program that provides free towing services to keep impaired drivers off the road. The Fort Payne company will only charge you for the ride if they tow your vehicle more then ten miles. This is the fifth year in a row the towing service will provide free rides on New Years Eve.

Robbery suspect caught
01/02/2012

ELGIN, Al- A Lauderdale County man who got out of jail Thursday morning is back in jail after officials said he robbed a convenience store, duct taping the clerk and stealing a customer’s car.

Cory Luke White, 28, of Lee Street, Rogersville, is charged with third-degree robbery and first-degree theft of property, Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie Willis said today.

White is accused of robbing the BP convenience store at Alabama 101 and U.S. 72 in Elgin, authorities said.

Willis said White was taken into custody today for the robbery.

Lauderdale County sheriff's investigator Thomas McCluskey said White was arrested Wednesday for public intoxication.

McCluskey said White is not accused of having a weapon in the convenience store robbery.

“He only had a role of duct tape,” McCluskey said.

Tips to Succeed at Getting into Shape in 2012
01/02/2012

MADISON COUNTY, Ala. - Thousands of Americans will make same New Year's resolution this year. It's one that's easy to make, but notoriously tough to accomplish: losing weight and getting into shape.

Teri Gatlin joined 24/7 Health Club in Harvest during the summer of 2010. Her motive: being able to care for her 8-month old son. She explains, “The only way I was going to be able to keep up with him was to lose weight. And I knew I had to do something about that."

Since then, she's come to the gym nearly every day, and her hard work is paying off. Gatlin says, “I’ve lost about 80 pounds. And I can get on the floor with Daniel, and I can get up off the floor and not be dying."

Gatlin still has 60 more pounds she'd like to shed. However she isn't afraid of failing, thanks to a simple secret: setting a goal and creating a plan to achieve it. She explains, “I do 5-pound increments, because I know that 5 pounds is attainable, 60 pounds is overwhelming."

Jeffry Robinson is the personal training manager at Gatlin's gym. He says fitness plans like hers are essential, because 95 out of 100 people who start exercising without a plan won't succeed. That might explain why all those New Year's resolutions are so tough to stick to.

Robinson says, "There's a bible quote I like, which states, 'What man would build a house without first sitting down to consider the costs?'” Gesturing to his own body, he continues, “This is our house, our home. So if we were going to renovate our home, the first thing we would do is come up with what we call a blueprint."

Trainers say the first step to getting into shape is working on your flexibility to reduce the chance of injuries. Robinson adds, “Once you're comfortable with your flexibility level, then the next thing is to get up and get moving. Get your heart rate pumping, work on your cardio. Then the next thing is to get into some type of resistance training.

Throughout all of that, consistency is key: working out when it's the last thing you feel like doing. Gatlin says, “It’s not easy. Some mornings I'd just as soon stay in the bed, but I feel so much better afterwards."

And now that Gatlin is well on her way, she has a new goal: encouraging others to get started, and stay on track. Teaching a Zumba fitness class helps her do that.

Gatlin explains, "I'm not your most typical instructor, but I like to think that folks see me up there doing that, and think well, she can do it, I can do it. And that's the biggest thing. I want folks to know that they can do something if they try it."

As Gatlin continues on her weight loss journey, she has some New Year's resolutions of her own. She says, "I do have certain sizes I want to get into, and I aspire to have a cute swimsuit in the summertime."

And thanks to her fitness plan, she knows those dreams can become a reality.

Since the beginning of the New Year is a popular time to begin a workout routine, 24/7 Health Club offers several promotions to help jumpstart your fitness success. These include a new membership discount, Weight Watchers meetings beginning in January, and a New Year’s weight loss contest beginning in February. For more information, visit 24/7 Health Club on the web.

Jobless Claims Drop In Alabama
01/02/2012

The number of people receiving unemployment benefits in Alabama has fallen more than 15 percent in the last year.

News Partner The Decatur Daily reports that the number of Alabama residents receiving jobless benefits has decreased from 50,722 in November 2010 to 42,514 last month.

That's a drop of about 16 percent, while the national number has dropped almost 14 percent in the same period.

Tara Hutchinson of the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations says seasonal hiring helped reduce the jobless numbers in recent months. She also says the state's manufacturing industry has recovered completely from the recession, helping the state's
unemployment picture.

Hutchinson says the department can't predict whether the unemployment numbers will continue to drop, but she's optimistic the trend will continue.

Hartselle Man Indicted on Gun Charges
01/02/2012

Authorities say a north Alabama man is charged with federal firearms violations.

A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted 55-year-old Craig Rowland Nowka of Hartselle on charges of selling firearms without a license and transferring guns out of state.

A statement from U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance of Birmingham says Nowka allegedly sold a rifle and a pistol to an out-of-state resident in October. He's accused of dealing in firearms without a license for much of 2010 and this year.

Court records don't show whether Nowka has a lawyer. Both charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Watercress Booms in West Huntsville
01/02/2012

by Greg Privett

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Watercress. The new shopping site at the corner of Highway 72 and Jeff Road already has hundreds of folks Krogering each day.

By the time your income tax return is due in April, you could be eating at a new Texas Roadhouse restaurant. Construction crews are making fast work of building the new eating spot.

The restaurant also satisfies another craving for Huntsville. Rolling out the Roadhouse will mean about 175 new jobs.

"That's cool!" Teri Accardo tells WAAY 31 FirstNews. The mom is pushing a Kroger cart loaded up with her two baby boys, Houston and Wrigley. "My husband and I were wondering what they were going to put over there. So, I mean an extra restaurant is good. We thought for sure there would be a Chinese restaurant."

Accardo doesn't have to rule out take-out chicken chow mein. Watercress is indeed serving up a Chinese and even more restaurants. Plus, there'll be many more stores.

That's great news for Lisa Dalrymple. "It's very convenient," Dalrymple tells WAAY 31. "I like it."

The new Kroger is built on what used to be a golf course. But, with all the new restaurants and retail stores coming, shoppers say they're the ones making the hole-in- one.

"It feels good," Dalrymple says. "It feels good to know there are places nearby close by home to come in and enjoy with the family and to have some place to go instead of driving far."

Maybe the best thing about this developing retail development: Watercress is part of the neighborhood. "I just live down further in Madison, Teri Accardo say. "So, yeah, this is close."

You can expect a bank, a dry cleaner and a hair salon, too.

Construction on a Holiday Inn Express at Watercress is slated for April.

Valhalla Vandalism
01/02/2012

Pictures cannot do justice to the extent of the damage on the Chapel of Peace mausoleum at Valhalla Funeral Home. General Manager Tommy Graham says, "It was an unbelievable, horrendous sight to see."

More than ten crypts in the mausoleum were victim to the senseless act of vandalism. Graham says he discovered the heartbreaking scene early Wednesday morning. Fortunately, Graham says none of the caskets have been damaged.

"I've been in this particular profession for 47 years," says Graham. "You think you've seen everything. But occasionally something wanders out of the woods that you've never encountered before. And this is one of them."

Graham is used to helping families cope with grief. But he says this adds insult to injury. "People tell me they consider the grounds where their loved ones are entombed as holy ground. That's a special place. They come there and they feel that that loved one is at rest," says Graham. He can't for the life of him figure out the logic in this unthinkable act. Graham says, "Why anyone would do something like this is beyond my ability to comprehend."

Pieces of shattered granite and crumpled flowers lay scattered about this tomb where those who have passed have been laid to rest. Indeed, a crime like this defies explanation. But its even worse for those who have already suffered the loss of a loved one who have learned their tomb had been vandalized.

But Graham says Valhalla intends to make it better. "We are going to replace everything, exactly as it was at absolutely no cost to the families," he says.

Investigators say they believe it happened overnight Tuesday. Judging from the tire tracks, they say it appears a vehicle is behind the damage.

Graham says, "I think probably anybody passing by see a car going in this area, probably would get their attention. But then how many people drive down Winchester road looking over at the mausoleum? Especially in the middle of the night."

Madison County Detectives say they've collected evidence from the scene. They ask that anyone who saw anything out of the ordinary late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning at Valhalla contact the Sheriff's Office.

React. Relate. Tell me what YOU think.
Twitter: @sheamallen27
Facebook: Shea Allen WAAY 31 First News

Practice Report: BCS Title Game Pre Christmas
12/27/2011

This will likely be it for the practice reports prior to Christmas. Bama is expected to practice again on Friday before the players will be allowed to head home to see their families. The Tide has switched to full pads as it continues to prepare for its rematch with LSU in the BCS Championship Game. Because of cold weather, rain, and the fact that the game will be played inside, Bama has practiced in the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.

Here's what you need to know:

Practice Report: BCS Title Game #1
12/27/2011

The University of Alabama football team began its on-field preparations Monday for the rematch against LSU in the BCS Championship Game on January 9. The practice, held inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility, saw players practice in shells. It was the Tide's first practice in three weeks.

Here's what you need to know:

We're Number Two!
12/27/2011

Obviously, it's not something we're generally that pumped up about. But this time, it means rematch. As you no doubt know by now, on January 9, Alabama will play LSU in New Orleans for a dainty crystal football.

As an unabashed lover of all things New Orleans, I couldn't be more excited. In the coming days, we'll have breakdowns of the game (including a re-viewing of the last matchup), travel advice, and likely a discussion of nxojkt's newfound hate of purple.

I'll leave you with this quote about the 2011 Tide from Matt Hinton's Dr. Saturday at Yahoo.com:

Alabama bludgeoned its opponents by the widest margin of victory in the nation. Its seven SEC wins came by an average of 30 points apiece. Its closest win all season was 16 points, at Penn State, and it wasn't that close. 'Bama leads the nation in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, passing defense, pass efficiency defense and third down defense. At 8.8 points per game, the Tide are the least scored-upon team in Division I in more than a decade.

Roll Tide!

The Play That Changed College Football
12/27/2011

The SEC Storied Doucmentary The Play that Changed College Football - airing tonight on at 10 pm ESPNU* - takes the stance that the most important play of the past 25 years was Antonio Langham intercepting Shane Matthews in Birmingham, Alabama in 1992. On its face, that's a bit of a head scratcher.

*it's an interesting scheduling decision, considering it'll start during the conclusion of the Georgetown-Alabama basketball matchup on the Deuce. That game tips at 8:30 pm, and if you're in Tuscaloosa and don't have a compelling reason not to, get thee to Coleman! Your DVR can catch this documentary to watch tomorrow.

Sure, it was cool to see my beloved Alabama Crimson Tide win in the inaugural SEC Championship Game. It was my freshman year at the Capstone, and to subsequently sit in the Superdome a month later and watch the Tide dismantle an overmatched Miami team was even more fun.

But I had no inkling at the time that Langham's fourth quarter interception of Mathews would become "the play that changed college football". Turns out it likely was.

The Case for a Rematch
12/27/2011

The penultimate BCS standings are in, and Alabama has a decent lead over third place Oklahoma State. It's not in the bank, but it seems solid that Alabama will have a chance to play LSU in New Orleans for the BCS Championship.

But that scenario is not without objections. Let's run them down.

Objection One: Because LSU won the head-to-head, they're "punished" by having to play Georgia while Alabama rests - it's not fair

Practice Report: November 22
12/27/2011

The University of Alabama football team worked inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on Tuesday, escaping some pretty terrible weather. The Tide practiced in full pads as it continued its preparation for the Auburn Tigers.

Here's what you need to know:

It's Time for Basketball
12/27/2011

The Alabama basketball team has concluded its preseason and begins its 2011-2012 season Friday night against North Florida. The Tide is a pre-season top 20 team, and is expected by pretty much everyone to finally make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament this season. I've only seen the team play once, during its exhibition win over UAH on Monday, but here are my thoughts:

Practice Report: MSU Week
12/27/2011

The disappointment from the LSU certainly isn't gone, but we have to start putting that behind us. There are still important games on the schedule, and if Bama wants to have any chance at another shot against LSU, the Tide must win, and win impressively. Up first is Mississippi State. Bama has, according to Coach Saban, had a solid week of practice.

Here's what you need to know:

Oversigning Critics: Enjoy the Game!
12/27/2011

This weekend’s matchup between Alabama and LSU has been the focus of nearly every sports broadcast this week. It’s attracted as much attention as any regular season football game I can recall (and I’ve seen lots and lots of weeks of football).

Much to the chagrin of some, though, there have been very few mentions of “oversigning”. Some have latched on to every single chance to hassle the national media into covering this “crisis”. As the internet’s self appointed defender of oversigning, let’s tackle this once more.

Hartselle Police Seek Missing Mustang
12/26/2011

Hartselle, AL - Hartselle Police are on the look out for a stolen sports car.

Investigators say the 2005 vehicle was taken from Eddie Pruett Ford on Tuesday. They believe the man responsible is 40 year old Jeffrey Barton. Police have obtained a felony warrant for his arrest.

If you have any information, call Hartselle Police at (2256) 773-8264

Ornament Glass-Blowing: A Unique Holiday Tradition
12/26/2011

FORT PAYNE, Ala. - For many families, the holidays are a time to partake in yearly traditions and create some new ones. In Fort Payne, we found a unique holiday activity your family might love, that’s sure to brighten your Christmas—and Christmas tree.

Orbix Hot Glass Studio is nestled high on Lookout Mountain. It's a picturesque setting that inspires Cal Breed and his wife Christy to transform glass into art.

Cal Breed says, “It’s naturally a very beautiful material. You find a small piece of broken glass and you put it in your pocket, because it is beautiful. It's very reflective and refracts light."

The couple sells their art in galleries, but also found a more unconventional and festive way to share their glass blowing passion with others.

Each holiday season, the Breeds open their workshop to the public, where both young and old create their own Christmas ornaments out of glass.

Breed explains, “We have people who come here to make their Christmas presents, we have people that come here to make a memory with their family and they do it yearly, like going to cut down a tree, they go and blow a glass ornament."

Among those making new holiday memories is Rylee Thomas. The way she tells it, her mother packed the whole family into the car and brought them to the studio for a special surprise.

Thomas says, "I was just wondering where we were going, out in the middle of nowhere, and then I saw the sign, and I knew immediately that that's what she was bringing us here for, and so I thought that was really sweet of her."

Each member of Thomas's family created an ornament. The first step: choosing the colors. Then, a professional shapes the glass and adds the pigment, and quickly following that, allows the customer to blow through a tube and watch the glass expand into what will be their ornament. Then, Breed says, “We put a hook on it and cool it down very slowly overnight."

Thomas says her family's ornaments will all end up on her parents' tree; a reminder of a new tradition and newfound respect for a timeless art-form, just as the Breeds intended.

If you're interested in blowing your own glass ornaments before Christmas, the last day to do so will be Thursday, December 22, 9am to 3pm. For contact information and directions, visit Orbix Hot Glass on the web.

Sheffield Police Search For Missing Sex Offender
12/26/2011

Sheffield, AL - Sheffield Police are asking for your help finding a missing sex offender.

30 year old McKenzie Johnson is supposed to be living at a home on Dover Avenue, but police say he's not there, and hasn't been for some time.

Johnson was convicted in 2003 of sexually abusing a 10 year old girl in Colbert County. Since that time, he's been a registered sex offender and forced to check in with police frequently.

According to our news partner, the Times Daily, he has outstanding warrants from Florence where he was found staying with a woman with small children, which is a violation of the sex offender law.

Legislators Try to Change Teacher Gift Rules
12/26/2011

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Legislative proposals to define a legal gift to a teacher range from $25 to $100.

Alabama's new ethics law allows gifts of minimal value, which raised questions about what's permissible this holiday season. Four Republican state senators have written a bill to allow a student to give a single gift of up to $100 and total gifts in a year of up to $250. Sen. Gerald Dial says it would bring common sense to the issue. State Rep. Jay Love says he's working on a bill to allow two gifts worth no more than $25.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Robert Bentley says he wants the Legislature to make clear what's permissible, but he will leave the exact numbers up to legislators.

WAAY to Grow : Holly Berries
12/26/2011

Harvey's Tips of the Week (December 21st, 2011) :

- If you do not have a compost pile, put all leaves, grass clippings, etc in your vegetable garden

- Consider colorful holiday plants (Poinsettias, Amaryllis, Cyclamen or Paperwhites) as gifts for holiday parties

- Keep bird feeders full or consider adding appropriate plants to your garden to provide food for birds

To see more from Harvey, including his answering your phone calls, click on the video attached to this story.

Two Arrested in Scrap Metal Scheme
12/26/2011

Florence, AL - Florence Police have arrested two men in connection with a metal selling scheme.

According to police, 48 year old Roger Scott Chappell and 27 year old Michael Ray McWhirter were arrested Monday and charged with Theft of Property.

The two were arrested at the Methvin Equipment Company lot on Terrace street in Florence. Investigators say the two men were taking metal sheets, tin mostly, and selling them at scrap yards. The men were reportedly caught red handed by the owner of the metal company, who called police.

Both have been released on $1,500 bail.

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Check out what's happening in the NewQuestCity Forums for Alabama .

Immigration, testimony addressed in new Ala. laws
01/02/2012

Responsible Drinking on New Year's Eve
01/02/2012

New Years Eve: Top 5 Destinations
01/02/2012