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Today’s News Headlines from Alabama 810 News
 

• Local schools fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress goals
• Supreme Court returns murder appeal back to Criminal Appeals Court
• Hobson City disbands police department
• Social Security Cards

Local schools fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress goals 

In a report released Monday, the Alabama Department of Education has revealed the results of it's fourth year of Adequate Yearly Progress. The report claims that 82.25% of all Alabama schools have reached 100% their AYP goals and the state has seen a 70% reduction in the amount of schools that would be classified high poverty "Title I" schools. This comes as a major improvement over the last few years since 3 years ago only 23 percent of Alabama schools reached 100% AYP.  In Calhoun county Both the Anniston High and Middle Schools failed to meet their goals as well as  Oxford High, Jacksonville High School, Pleasant Valley High, Wellborn High, and White Plains  and Piedmont high schools.  In Cherokee county, Gaylesville and Sand Rock high schools failed the make the goals as well as Ranburne high in Cleburne county and West End High in Etowah County. In St. Clair county Moody and Springville high schools failed as well as Talladega High, Zora Ellis Jr. High Lincoln high and B.B Comer high in Talladega County  in Randolph County, Randolph county high failed to make the grade.

Supreme Court returns murder appeal back to Criminal Appeals Court 

The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday returned the appeal of an Alabama death row inmate to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals and ordered that court to consider Jimmy Davis' claims that he did not have adequate representation from defense attorneys during his trial.The 36 year old Davis was convicted of murdering 50 year old Johnny Hazle during a robbery at a Calhoun County gas station on March 17, 1993. Davis is on his second round of appeals through the courts and contends he did not have effective counsel, partly because Alabama does not pay enough to attorneys who represent poor clients.The Court of Criminal Appeals did not consider Davis' arguments, saying he was procedurally barred from claiming ineffective counsel at this stage in his appeal. But the Supreme Court in an 8-0 ruling said the appeals court should have considered Davis' arguments concerning ineffective counsel.

Hobson City disbands police department 

Citing a lack of available revenue, Hobson City Mayor Ralph Woods said the city can longer pay for a police department. Former Chief Richard Bell was laid off Wednesday. Bell said he has not been paid for more than two weeks.

According to Mayor Woods, the town owed back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service from more than 10 years ago. The IRS took money from four different accounts, which caused a financial crisis for the city.  The city was able to catch up pay with the help of money from James “Pappy” Dunn, a Calhoun County Commissioner. Woods would not disclose how much funding the city received, only saying that he had to pay a little more than $10,000 in payroll. And he made up the difference from what Dunn gave and the needed money with money from the city’s general fund. Woods said he has made arrangements with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office to provide police protection for the town. Chief Deputy Matt Wade said the office will answer calls and patrol Hobson City. He said the residents will receive the same service as all of the people the sheriff’s office covers. Woods said the town would look at starting a police force back up once its government is able to pay off the money owed to the IRS. He said he hoped the money could be paid in “six months, maybe sooner.”

Social Security Cards 

Since the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001, various new laws have been implemented concerning how people can obtain and/or replace social security cards. As the next school term approaches and parents prepare for the start of school, having a valid social security card is an important part of the registration process. Kylle McKinney, public affairs specialist for the Social Security administration, said it is important that parents and guardians have the information they need to register at school and start a successful school year. Unfortunately, McKinney said, many parents come into the social security office to obtain a new or replacement social security card without proper identification for the child or parent. Of the changes imposed after 9/11, McKinney said two of the most pertinent are a limit to the number of the social security cards a person can apply for and the documentation now being accepted as identity. Although many parents are able to provide a valid social security card for their child, for those who do encounter problems like losing the card, McKinney said a replacement social security card for a child can be obtained through local social security offices.  McKinney said social security offices will need to see certain original documents to prove the identity of the child. These documents must be in the legal name of the child and also provide biographical information of the child. 
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