(Birmingham News file/Frank        said the proposed General
Couch)MONTGOMERY, Alabama --       Fund budget underfunds
The Alabama Legislature is         Medicaid. Perry said the
working late into the night        administration also is
to try to wrap up the state        concerned because the
budgets, but Gov. Robert           proposed budgets are based on
Bentley's administration is        accompanying bills that
not happy with what it is          haven't passed. One would
seeing.                            require public employees to
                                   pay more toward their
  A legislative conference         retirement benefits and
committee was having trouble       another would restructure how
working out an education           the state pays attorneys to
budget that was acceptable to      represent poor defendants in
the House and Senate. The          court.
same conference committee             
approved a $1.8 billion             
General Fund budget and sent       Related topics:legislature
it to the House and Senate         2011
for review.                        

MOBILE, Alabama -- Two             a past few years. Two
persons were robbed at             students even launched a
gunpoint outside the Grove         Facebook campaign to
housing complex on the             spotlight criminal incidents
University of South Alabama        and provide safety-related
campus early this morning,         news and advice.    USA
according to university            tightened security and
police.    University              instituted prominent patrols
spokesman Keith Ayers said         in early 2010 following 2
the victims, described as a        dorm-room invasion robberies
student and a non-student,         in as many months. In
were in the parking lot near       particular, its police
Building 9 of the complex          limited the number of
near Old Shell and Hillcrest       nighttime entrances to campus,
roads about 1:15 a.m. when a       and sought to closely monitor
car pulled up and 2 men            the comings and goings around
jumped out.    The men asked       residence halls.     USA
for a light for a cigarette,       officials have noted that the
then pulled out pistols and        number of campus crimes
robbed the pair, Ayers said.       remained substantially less
The men fled, along with 2         than at some larger
others in the car, Ayers said.     universities in the region.
The robbers were described as      Still, with enrollment
black, both about 6 feet tall      booming to 15,000, and a
and weighing about 160 pounds.     thriving new on-campus
Both had white T-shirts and        residential environment,
blue jeans. One robber had         would-be robbers and other
close-cropped hair, and the        criminals may sense new
other had dreadlocks, Ayers        opportunities there.
said.    The car was               Ayers said anyone wanting to
described as an older-model        report suspicious activity on
gold or tan 4-door sedan.          campus should call police at
  There was no description of      251-460-6312.  Related
the 2 men who remained inside      topics:Grove Apartments,
the car. No arrests had been       University of South Alabama
made as of this evening.           

Daily obituaries from The          LouiseSamples, AnnieSledge,
Huntsville Times.  Click on        MableStewman,
the names below to read their      FlossieStrauchen,
full obituaries, sign their        NatalieRelated
guest books or send flowers        topics:Huntsville Times
to the families.  Baucom,          obituaries                    

EnlargeLinda Stelter -- The        The governor also said he'd
Birmingham NewsResidents and       asked the Federal Emergency
friends sorted  through            Management Agency to revise
rubble in destroyed houses in      letters it is sending out to
Pratt City in the rain             people who have applied for
looking for whatever they          disaster assistance. More
could salvage, May 3, 2011. A      than 20,000 people have been
small American flag weathers       sent initial letters that say
the rain.( Birmingham News         they are ineligible. The
Photo Linda Stelter)Alabama        Governor said he felt the
Tornadoes Pratt City May 3,        wording of the letters was
2011 gallery (11                   insensitive. "I have asked
photos)BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --      (Federal Coordinating
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley        Officer) Mike Byrne that the
said Friday that the City of       letters being sent out to the
Birmingham needs to start          people in Alabama are
quickly the process of major       sensitive to the hurting
tornado debris removal which       people in this state,"
has been under way in other        Bentley said. "They are
communities for weeks.             already working on the
"Birmingham needs to get to        wording to make sure that we
work," Bentley said at a           can be sensitive to people
press conference at the joint      who are going through very
federal and state operations       difficult situations right
headquarter in the former          now."
Regions Bank Tower.                "You cannot write a letter in
"We expect to them get along       Washington and make that
and make some decisions, and       letter fit an elderly couple
go to work and get the debris      in rural Alabama who has had
removed."                          their home blown away,"
The Birmingham City Council        Bentley said. "They can say
and Mayor William Bell are         the same thing but you need
debating whether to hire the       to say it the right way."
Army Corps of Engineers or a       Related topics:april 27 2011
private contractor to handle       storms                        

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --             vehicle.
Birmingham police detectives       That's when Mitch Rector,
used sharp eyes and the work       manager of the department's
of its forensics unit to           Forensics Services Division,
solve the April slaying of 23-     went to work. He was pleased
year-old Joseph Smith.             that they had gathered the
                                   parts, no matter how small,
 Smith had been stabbed, then      because all-too-often over
run over repeatedly by an          the years, he's seen
unknown suspect,                   detectives discount evidence
investigators said.                that could have been useful.
Police had little to go on --      "It's pretty startling the
except a few car parts.            things you can see if you
But with the combination of a      know what you're looking at,"
detective's curiosity and a        Rector said.
forensics expert's penchant        The smoking gun here, Rector
for detail, police on              said, was a broken bracket
Thursday announced an arrest       from the undercarriage.
in Smith's slaying.                "There was a fracture at one
Jerry Collins, 29, is charged      end, and the key thing it was
with capital murder, accused       broke very cleanly," he said.
of killing Smith during a          He used the part numbers to
robbery. He is being held          go to a nearby Chevrolet
without bond in the Jefferson      dealership and buy a matching
County Jail.                       part. He got additional       

Jerry CollinsPolice gave this      details from General Motors.
account of what happened:          Just like a puzzle, the parts
Smith was inside an SUV with       from the crime scene fit into
the suspect when he was            the empty space on the SUV in
stabbed in the 500 block of        evidence.
50th Street South at 2:15 p.m.     "So now I know it's the part,
on April 11.                       and I know it goes on that
Smith jumped out of the            type of vehicle," he said.
vehicle, trying to escape his       But he needed also to show
attacker. The driver then          that it was the exact part
tried to run over Smith and        that came off that exact
struck a small embankment.         vehicle. Rector researched
When the driver backed up,         and learned that the part was
the vehicle's bumper and a         made out of glass-reinforced
few other broken parts were        nylon. That was important, he
left behind.                       said, because both break
Smith then ran down the            irregularly, and not the same
street where, investigators        way every time.
said, the driver ran over him       "I'm confident that if you
at least three or four times.      broke this thing 10 different
Smith was pronounced dead at       times, it would break 10
the scene.                         different ways," Rector said.
Detectives brought a wreck         "We had to be able to convey
investigator to the scene to       why someone else couldn't
examine acceleration and skid      break another one and it
marks. While there, they           wouldn't break the same way.
picked up a couple of car          That's the end most people
parts left behind. With the        don't get."
help of a local dealership,         All of that told
they determined the parts          investigators the part found
were from a 2005 Chevrolet         at the scene and the part
TrailBlazer.                       taken from the Chevy Trail
They put out the word that         Blazer were at one time the
such a car was being sought,       same piece. "There's no
but few leads came in.             disputing that," Rector said.
A week later, homicide Sgt.        Despite the revolutionary use
Scott Thurmond was driving         of DNA, Rector said this case
through north Birmingham on        is proof investigators can't
an unrelated case when he          lose sight of other evidence
spotted a white TrailBlazer.       that can be extraordinarily
Curious, he followed it to         useful if used in the right
the drive-thru at a                way and looked at through the
restaurant and drove by it,        right lens.
noticing the part was missing.     "It's very cool. Anything can
"I just happened to be in the      be a piece of evidence in
right place at the right time,     this business," Rector said.
" Thurmond said.                   "To us, this is beautiful.
He called in marked patrol         It's one of those things that
cars and they stopped the          people in this line of work
woman driver. Pictures and         will take a picture of and
examination of the                 hang on the wall."
undercarriage showed the           

View full sizeMann Haddad          than her husband.
(top) and Amjad Sahavneh           “With the case that the
(bottom)  MOBILE, Ala. --          government put on, you have
After a defense attorney           to rely on a harlot,” Knizley
painted a prosecutor’s star        said. “Without Christine
witness as a “harlot,” two         Haddad, there is no evidence
Jordanian men were found not       of a sham marriage.”
guilty of conspiring to enter      She also admitted Monday in
into a sham marriage to evade      court to using marijuana
immigration laws.                  during and after her marriage
Mann Majed Haddad and his          to Mann Haddad.
uncle, Amjad Yacoub “George”       “Let’s see how believable
Sahavneh, were, however,           Christine is,” Knizley said.
convicted in federal court of      “She is willing to break
other charges related to           these laws, if you believe
Haddad’s three-year marriage       her. We also know she’s
to a Theodore woman.               willing to break the laws of
Haddad, 40, was convicted          this country. She proudly
today of entering into the         told you that she smokes
marriage to evade immigration      marijuana.”
laws, while his uncle was          U.S. Assistant Attorney Adam
convicted of encouraging an        Overstreet alleged the
alien to reside in the U.S.        accused men chose Valbory
Prosecutors contend that           Haddad, formerly Valbory
Sahavneh, 46, solicited            Caver, for their plot because
Valbory Christine Haddad — an      she was willing to break the
employee at a business he          law.
once owned — to marry his          “It was no accident Ms. Caver
nephew in 2007, before his         was the one they came to,” he
nephew’s visa expired.             said. “If you think about it,
Only when suspicions arose         a law-abiding, perfect
over the marriage in December      citizen who has no need for
did Mann Haddad file for           money wouldn’t agree to break
divorce, prosecutors said.         the law.”
“In order to believe the           “He knew he could manipulate
prosecutors in this case, you      her into this marriage,”
must believe Valbory               Overstreet said.
Christine Haddad,” defense         The jury deliberated for
attorney Dennis Knizley, who       about two hours before
represents Mann Haddad, said       reading its decision. The men
in his closing arguments.          showed no visible reaction as
“And if you can’t believe          the guilty verdicts were read
Christine Haddad, then you         aloud.
must acquit.”                      Following the verdict,
Valbory Haddad, according to       Knizley said, “I think the
her testimony, agreed to           jury struggled, and it may
marry Mann Haddad at the           have been a compromise
bequest of his uncle, in           verdict. But we respect the
exchange for between $8,000        jury’s decision.”
to $10,000.                        Related topics:Amjad Sahavneh,
But, Knizley said, no money        Mann Haddad, marriage fraud
was exchanged, and during          

Birmingham Mayor William Bell      just months before a mayoral
(Birmingham News                   campaign season.
file)BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --           
The Birmingham City Council        "I wasn't asked, wasn't
today said no to Mayor             invited and hadn't seen these
William Bell's plan to shift       plans," Scales said. "This is
plans for an eastern-area          money that is being taken
recreation center and use the      away from the project. You're
savings to fund other              being rushed because this is
recreation projects. The           an election year. When I'm
group rejected the plan to         left out, you're left out."
shift the location of the             
planned Apple Valley               The Budget and Finance
Recreation Center to property      Committee last week endorsed
owned by Jefferson State           the project, but on Tuesday,
Community College and use the      committee chairman Steven
savings to fund other              Hoyt joined the group calling
projects throughout the city.      for more information.
                                      
The group voted 7-1 to reject      The Jefferson State site
the funding shift, siding          already includes an indoor
with Councilwoman Lashunda         track, softball fields and
Scales, who said she was           tennis courts. Bell's plan
ignored by the mayor while he      also included building a $50,
was developing his plan to         000 playground at the Apple
change the longtime project.       Valley site.
                                      
Bell's complete plan includes      Chuck Faush, Bell's chief of
spending $250,000 for a            staff, said Bell would
recreation center near Hudson      provide more information and
School in Collegeville, $123,      ask for another vote.
750 for Legion Field                  
improvements and $250,000            "The neighborhood has said
each on McWane Science Center      in their recent vote that
and Railroad Park. McWane has      they like the opportunity
launched a campaign to build       that the Jefferson State
a children's museum and has        property presents and by all
asked the city for a $3            accounts it is much more than
million commitment. Bell said      the city could even attempt
the $250,000 would be a            at this time," he said later.
portion of a longer-term           "I have to believe that at
contribution. That $250,000        the end of the day what is
was not on today's agenda but      good for the citizens of
set to appear next week.           Birmingham can't be held down.
                                   "
Scales told neighborhood           

Donald Trump said today he's       do with what s out there
withdrawing his name and his       already." -- cvett69
well-known head of hair from       • "Who didn't see that coming?
any potential presidential         This was all a ratings boost
race.  Businessman, TV figure      for Celebrity Apprentice. " --
and political maverick Donald      AUII INdicted
Trump announced Monday that,       • "Oh the horror and
while he was certain he could      dissapointment of this
win the U.S. presidency, he        development!!!
was giving up his quixotic         NOT!!! -- sundevil72"
bid for the Republican             • "Does this mean we will
presidential nomination in         never hear what his
2012, numerous media outlets       investigators in Hawaii found
reported.                          that we wouldn't believe..." -
The online community seemed        - yourapita
shocked, simply shocked and        • "Right in time for sweeps!
perhaps a little disappointed      The fact that we take this
at the lost entertainment          guy seriously refects more on
value of a Trump-based             us that it does on him." --
political reality show for         mark910Banned Again
2012. Read some of what            Join the conversation, add a
they're saying:                    comment.                      

A line snakes down the street      Jefferson County through the
as people line up earlier          D-SNAP program since Tuesday,
this week outside                  Rice said. But with about 800
Birmingham's Boutwell              people an hour coming through
Auditorium seeking                 the doors at Boutwell on
supplemental food assistance       Sunday, she expected that
offered people who suffered        number to crest above 60,000
losses in the April 27, 2011,      by the end of today, the last
tornadoes in Alabama. (The         day of the program in
Birmingham News/Michelle           Jefferson County.
Campbell)BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -     Several people who exited
- More than 60,000 Jefferson       Boutwell said they were using
County residents will have         the money to replace
participated in a six-day          groceries they lost when they
program to help survivors buy      were without power for days.
food, an official said today.      Rice said she didn't know how
Today is the last day of the       much money has been given out
Disaster Supplemental              through D-SNAP. But she said
Nutrition Assistance Program,      it was significant.
or D-SNAP, for Jefferson           "It's going to be a
County. The program began          considerable amount of money
Tuesday at Boutwell                into the local economies,"
Auditorium in downtown             Rice said.
Birmingham.                        An average of about 500 DHR
A steady stream of people          workers from around the state
continued to file into             were in Birmingham each day
Boutwell today to get              to help process the D-SNAP
electronic debit cards they        applicants, Rice said. This
can use at area stores to buy      next week 180 Jefferson
hundreds of dollars in             County DHR workers will be
groceries. The dollar amount       going to Etowah, Calhoun and
on the cards is based on           St. Clair counties to help
income and the number of           with the D-SNAP program in
people in the household but        those communities, she said.
generally ranges from $200          
for a single person to $1,202      D-SNAP is being administered
for a family of eight _ add        by the Jefferson County
$150 per person above that.        Department of Human Resources
People already on food stamps      based on federal guidelines
are not eligible. Also,            from the U.S. Department of
individuals or families are        Agriculture Food and
only eligible for one D-SNAP       Nutrition Service.
payment and can only apply in      Updated at 3:17 p.m. to
the county in which they live.     include statement about money
                                   going to replace groceries
"It's going very smoothly,"        lost when power went out.
Amanda Rice, director of           Related topics:April 27 2011
Jefferson County Department        storms
of Human Resources, said this