Posted: 2:41 PM A small group of business owners and public officials in central Alabama are hoping to make the state's Black Belt region a top spot nationally for hunting and fishing.

Posted: 6:50 PM The U.S. Senate has passed a measure that would let Amtrak rail passengers carry handguns in their checked bags.

Posted: 3:01 PM The nation's health secretary says Americans could begin receiving swine flu vaccine shots as early as the first week of October -- which is sooner than expected.

Updated: 7:16 PM A speech by President Obama to students via the Internet Tuesday caused a controversy, locally and around the nation.

Updated: 7:01 PM Alabama Gov. Bob Riley awarded commendations to members of Detachment 1, 2101st Transportation Company of the Alabama National Guard, who helped victims of a church bus crash near Meridian.

Updated: 10:37 AM The Alabama National Guard soldiers who rescued passengers when a Louisiana church bus wrecked on Interstate 20 near Meridian are being honored with commendation medals.

Updated: 7:20 PM New Era Cap Co. is cutting jobs at its operations in Demopolis, Mobile, and Jackson, Ala.

Updated: 5:54 PM Every decade, the U.S. Census is mailed to households nationwide. It helps the government make important decisions. But this time around, it's causing some controversy.

Updated: 10:55 AM A spokeswoman for Oprah's Angel Network expressed disappointment that four Hurricane Katrina evacuees allegedly committed fraud.

Updated: 7:17 AM A new tropical depression has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Florida Panhandle is in its path.

Updated: 11:42 AM A new tropical depression has formed over the Atlantic behind Tropical Storm Ana and both are expected to slowly strengthen over the next couple of days.

Posted: 7:22 AM Tropical Storm Guillermo has strengthened in the Pacific far from land while a tropical depression in the Atlantic has weakened.

Updated: 11:44 PM Many local kids have started school or will be heading back soon. And some parents and mentors are helping local students gear up for the school year. One local church is giving a group of students a boost in more way than one.

Updated: 10:01 AM Congressional officials are warning car owners to beware of scams playing off the Cash for Clunkers program.

Posted: 4:51 PM Judge Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed Thursday by the U.S. Senate to a seat on the nation's highest court.

Posted: 1:42 PM A Franklin County, Ala., judge has ordered a death sentenced for a woman accused of setting a house fire that killed her 6-year-old son in order to collect life insurance.

Updated: 5:53 PM Funeral arrangements have been set for the second person who died from injuries in a July church bus crash in Meridian.

Updated: 10:18 AM Strong winds and heavy rain have pounded Memphis, leaving 9,400 utility customers without electricity.

Updated: 10:24 AM Experts say it's been an unusually mild year in Tornado Alley, the region generally extending from Texas and Oklahoma to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

Posted: 10:22 AM Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven astronauts are aiming for a landing back in Florida.

Posted: 11:20 AM The Salvation Army is struggling with dwindling donations across the country that will make it hard to give long-term assistance after a disaster.

Updated: 7:34 PM Members of the Alabama National Guard, Detachment 1, 2101st Transportation Company of Aliceville acted heroically Sunday to limit the injuries to victims of a church bus crash.

Posted: 10:39 AM A bankruptcy judge has approved a deal to shift some of auto parts supplier Delphi's assets to the General Motors Co. that emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

Posted: 7:12 PM The Shriners say they will keep a presence in all 22 cities where they provide care for children, but some of the facilities may be downgraded to outpatient surgical centers.

Posted: 10:06 AM As the endowment for Shriners hospitals shrivels, the fraternal group faces a serious decision, whether to close six of its hospitals, including Shreveport.