Montgomery's homicide rate now stands at 16 following a shooting over the weekend that left a 23-year-old man dead. Montgomery police said Larry Wells was shot and killed Friday evening at a residence in the 1100 block of Edgar Nixon Avenue in West Montgomery. Authorities said no arrests were made.
AG Request
A Macon County judge is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday on a request by the state Attorney General Luther Strange for him to step aside from a case involving last month's raid at the VictoryLand casino. Attorney General Strange maintains that Circuit Judge Tom Young should not handle the state's case that seeks to seize more than $220,000 dollars and more than 1,600 gambling machines from VictoryLand. Strange said the judge is prejudiced because he refused to issue a search warrant for the casino raid until he was ordered to act by the Alabama Supreme Court.
ASU's Newest Doctoral Program
Alabama State University has received tentative approval to add a fourth doctorate to its academic programs. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education approved ASU's proposal to offer a Ph.D in Educational Leadership, Policy and Law. School President Dr. William Harris said its part of the University's Vision 2020 Initiative to become a level six institution. One more step is needed, the Ph.D program still must be approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Fatal Fire
There was a fire fatality in Montgomery over the weekend. City Fire-Rescue officials say a 65-year-old died from injuries he suffered when a fire raced through his house on Bullard Street. The blaze occurred Saturday night. The victim's name was withheld. Neighbors said the man was a Vietnam Veteran. How the house fire started remains under investigation.