A Tea party was held Thursday to celebrate Grandparents Day at the Zeila Stephens Early Childhood Center on the campus of Alabama State University.
WVAS News spoke with one grandfather who said he appreciated the warmth and security provided by the center.
That was welcoming news to the center’s director Anissa Clay who said they work to ensure every child feels valued.
Grandparents were the guests of honor during the tea, in addition to the food spread there were games and arts/crafts projects.
A ceremony to commemorate the National POW/MIA Recognition Day will take place in Montgomery on the South Lawn of the Alabama State Capitol. The event starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
The ceremony will honor the Prisoners of War, the Missing in Action and pay special tribute to their families.
The guest speaker will be Mark A. Smith, a retired U.S. Army Major and highly decorated Vietnam War veteran; Smith was a prisoner of war for nearly a year in a jungle camp in Cambodia.
It was 1973 when he was freed becoming the first American released during the Vietnam War.
Available workers are vanishing from the local economy despite thousands of open positions. According to Friday's state labor figures, the active workforce dropped by over 16,000 people since last year.
While the unemployment rate sits steady at 3.4%, it has climbed over half a percentage point over the past 12 months. Economists do not know where the workers went, and local businesses are paying the price with persistent staffing shortages and slower service.
A gaming tournament featuring Fortnite and Super Smash Bros. will be taking place next week in Montgomery. Officials with the Montgomery’s Parks and Recreation Department say the Chisholm Community Center will be open to children ages 13 and up for the event.
All skill levels are welcome, and the entry fee is $10 per player. A $100 and $50 GameStop gift card will be awarded to the top winner in each category.
The tournament will take place on September 25, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 545 E. Vandiver Blvd. You can register on the City’s website. Registration closes on September 24 at 5 p.m.
Hotel guests in Prattville will pay an additional five dollars per room, per night starting January 1st. The City Council approved a new lodging fee on Tuesday.
It will help generate money for education-related expenses.
The $5 dollars will be added to the existing $2 dollars room fee and the city's 8.5 % lodging tax.
Hotel owners say they're concerned about the impact on their businesses, especially economy and midscale hotels.