Weekend News Review

Just in case you missed it, these were the top news stories of the week:

Denise Hills, who lost the board chair race, and District 4 incumbent Kelly Horwitz refuse to concede until other measures are taken.

Former Governor Don Siegelman is asking a federal appeals court to grant him a new trial on his 2006 bribery conviction, arguing that the case was tainted by the U.S. attorney in Montgomery having ties to Republican politics.

The Justice Department says it won’t stand in the way of states that want to legalize marijuana, as long as it’s kept away from kids, the black market, and federal property.

Tickets to see R. Kelly at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on October 6 went on sale.

Fergie gave birth to a 7lb 10oz son, Axl Jack.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center opened in the former Allen and Jemison building at Seventh Street and Greensboro Avenue downtown. The center will feature exhibits as well as hold the offices for arts-related companies. It will also host performances and be available for event rental.

Alabama’s farmers are in line to have the same 6 percent growth in income that the U.S. Department in Agriculture has forecast for farmers nationwide this year.

Eighty-seven-year-old former politician Chris McNair, whose dauther was killed in the 16th St Baptist Church Bombing, was released from prison, following a call from President Obama to free him.

On Monday, September 30, the Tuscaloosa Police Department will host "Coffee With a Cop" at Belle Foods to allow community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in city neighborhoods. Part of a national initiative, similar events are being held across the country.

Federal officials say Alabama should repay almost $90 million in Medicaid money as the government is said to have given the state too much money in 2009 and 2010 because of an error in calculating how many children participated in the program.

President Obama is still evaluating how the U.S. will respond to the chemical attack on Syrian civilians, allegedly by the Syrian government. He says any American response would send a strong signal to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The City of Tuscaloosa announces a Back to School Fam Jam, sponsored by the Tuscaloosa River Market on Thursday, Sept. 12. The festival is said to celebrate children and families and provide educational entertainment in an enjoyable environment and will include a live band, face painting, popcorn, photo booths, and a meet and greet with Barney.

The Alabama Department of Public Safety says motorists can expect to see extra state troopers on the roads during the Labor Day holiday weekend as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

The first government study of its kind says nearly 9 million adults in the U.S. resort to prescription sleeping pills, most of these adults being white, female, educated, and 50 or older.

A southeastern Kentucky man says he shot his wife to death because she asked him to end her suffering from breast cancer.

Tuscaloosa voters headed to the polls for municipal elections Tuesday, resulting in the some upsets and some run-offs. District 7 City Council incumbent William Tinker was unseated by challenger Sonya McKinstry. District 1 incumbent Bobby Howard will face Burrell Odum in a run-off election on October 8, as District 6 incumbent Bob Lundell will face Eddie Pugh in the run-off. Meanwhile, Lee Garrison won in the race for Chair of the City School Board, and Cason Kirby unseated Kelly Horowitz in District 4.

State officials say they might decide next month whether to create a database tracking payday loans, in an effort of keeping Alabamians from over-extending themselves.

President Obama will delivered the main remarks at a Washington, D.C. commemoration of the 1963 demonstration for jobs, economic justice, and racial equality.

And speaking of the President, he says that the movie "Lee Daniels’ The Butler," which has been leading in the box office, brought tears to his eyes.

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama’s Minority Business Council is hosted a forum at the Board of Education in the old courthouse building to give minority-owned businesses the opportunity to obtain information on how they may take part in upcoming city projects.

Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech, and bells at churches, schools, and historical monuments across the nation, including at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in downtown Montgomery, rang at 2pm central, the time when the speech was delivered in 1963.

A wave of violence that started last spring in Iraq is persisting, with reports of a coordinated series of bombings that tore through Shiite Muslim areas, killing at least 58 people.

"Twerking" made it to the Oxford dictionary in addition to the inclusion of "selfie," "digital detox," "Bitcoin," and "omnishambles."

State officials say the amount of money spent hiring public defenders for people who can’t afford legal representation has dropped over time. While about $65 million was spent in 2011, the state plans to spend only about $46 million this year.

Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8 fame, has filed a lawsuit accusing her ex-husband of stealing her hard drive and hacking into her phone and computer to get material for a tell-all book, according to MSN.

The Tuscaloosa County Board of Education created three new jobs and approved the first drafts of three additional job descriptions.

The utility regulatory board has scheduled three public meetings for September 5, 25, and October 9 to discuss the rates of Alabama Gas.

A judge ruled that New Mexico’s constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. So, the clerk of the state’s largest county started issuing licenses for gay couples today. Two other counties were already issuing the licenses.

Latino superstar Ricky Martin told Austrailian GQ that he was homophobic as he struggled to deal with his own sexuality and even bullied gay people. Martin is now an outspoken advocate of gay rights around the world.

The City of Tuscaloosa is warning property owners they face penalties if they don’t clean up land left vacant after the April 2011 tornado, which destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses that haven’t been rebuilt, and weedy, vacant lots are scattered all over town.

Alabama’s first legal moonshine distillery opened in Bullock County. High Ridge Spirits is now bottling Stills Crossroads ‘Shine.

The sentencing phase of Major Nidal Hasan will began. The Army psychiatrist, who was convicted Friday of the 2009 deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, faces the death penalty or life in prison.

Lawyers have settled the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit against celebrity cook Paula Deen and her brother.

Miley Cyrus is said to have had the most memorable moment at the MTV Video Music Awards last night, but memorable doesn’t necessarily mean good.