Alabama top stories in brief

The Alabama Community College System will be expanding its mental health services for students in the fall. As reported by the Alabama Reflector, representatives from the Board of Trustees have said that new services will include a 24/7 crisis hotline and scheduled telehealth counseling services free for students. The ACCS includes 24 colleges with over 130 locations and nearly 145,000 students.

Rep. Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville, has been arrested on felony charges and is charged with second-degree forgery and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. The felonies are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The office of the Alabama Attorney General alleges Lawrence “with the intent to defraud, falsely made, completed, or altered a builder’s license.”

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a statement of interest for a 2014 lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Corrections The lawsuit in question was filed in 2014 by inmates at St. Clair Correctional Facility and alleged that the ADOC had a pattern of excessive force and unsafe conditions that were being unaddressed. A press release from the DOJ regarding their statement says that “under the Eighth Amendment, prison officials must respond reasonably when they know people in their custody face a substantial risk of serious harm, including harm from other incarcerated people.” The press release also says that the statement clarifies “appropriate standards under the Eighth Amendment.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Alabama $550 million to help with the construction of a six-lane bridge in downtown Mobile, connecting it to Highway 98 on the eastern shore of Baldwin County. The Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project is a project that has been planned out for years, and in addition to the construction of the bridge, it will include several improvements to interchanges on both sides of the river.

Alabama State Sen. April Weaver was struck by a car on July 12 while walking in a crosswalk. Weaver suffered bruising and contusions, but no major injuries. Weaver is scheduled to attend the Republican National Convention on July 15 as a delegate for Donald Trump. Delegates started to arrive on July 13, but representatives from Weaver have said they are unsure if she will be able to attend.

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Harrison Neville | Editor in chief

Harrison Neville is the editor in chief for The Sunrise News. He graduated the University of Montevallo with a BA in English and a minor in game studies and design. While at UM he worked for four years at the university’s collegiate newspaper, The Alabamian, and served as editor in chief his senior year. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves to spend time backpacking and hiking. He also has been a soccer referee for over 8 years. When he’s not on the trail or the field, you can probably find him reading books, writing or playing games with friends.
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Xander Swain

Xander Swain helps write the Alabama Roundup and writes The Longleaf Hiker. He has a BS in political science, environmental studies and sociology and is excited to help out with Alabama Roundup. In his free time, Xander enjoys hiking around Alabama and cooking for his friends and family.
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