The Sunrise News Sampler

Today is the first day of school in Tuscaloosa. Keep in mind that this means school buses will be running. So, give yourself a few extra minutes to make it to your destination this morning.

The American Idol XIII Audition Bus Tour will come to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on Wednesday, August 21.

Officials in northern Alabama say former drug-task-force agent 52-year-old Duncan Eric Shelton has been arrested on charges of possession and distribution of a controlled substance.

A presidential task force given the job of developing a strategy for rebuilding areas damaged by Superstorm Sandy is recommending 69 policy initiatives, primarily focusing on planning for future storms in an age of climate change and rising sea levels. The task force says coastal communities should spend the money on protective measures now and that would save money in the future.

The AP reports that Alabama will begin this season the way it ended the last two-- ranked Number 1 in AP preseason college football polls in a vote that has been compared to the BCS championship game against Notre Dame, a landslide win.

Yesterday, Tide cornerback Geno Smith was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, with bond set at $1,000. But don't think Alabama players get all the bad press. Auburn safety Demetruce McNeal has been dismissed from the team following his arrest on a marijuana possession charge.

Political unrest continues in Egypt as this morning, masked gunmen attacked minibuses carrying Egyptian police officers, killing 25 of them.

Some allies are concerned that Hillary Clinton's status as the apparent 2016 Democratic nominee-in-waiting might be too much too soon, as it would make her more sensitive to attacks and risk amplifying any stumble, no matter how minor.