Zac Long, brother Jacob and Justin Aggard helps to clean up debris from Zac’s aunts home Monday May 9, 2011 in Higdon, Ala. His aunt survived the tornado which ravaged this small community in rural Jackson county.JACKSON COUNTY, Ala.
26 counties eligible for aid
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared 26 Alabama counties, including Jackson, eligible for agricultural assistance because of crop losses from severe weather in April.
A spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture said six counties were declared primary natural disaster areas — Blount, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Monroe and Morgan counties. Another 20 counties qualify because they are contiguous: Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Colbert, Conecuh, Cullman, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Limestone, Marshall, St. Clair, Walker, Wilcox and Winston.
Farmers in the 26 counties can apply for emergency loan assistance from the Farm Service Agency and for financial assistance from the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.
GATLINBURG, Tenn.
Smokies count fewer visitors
With another monthly decline in November, visits to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park now trail last year’s first 11 months by 6.4 percent.
Figures released Monday by the National Park Service showed there were 2.5 percent fewer visitors to the Smokies last month than in November 2010.
For the year to date, the park counted 8.5 million visitors through November. That compares with 9.1 million at the same time last year.
ATLANTA
Gun discharges in bag at airport
Security officials say a gun discharged inside a carry-on bag as workers handled it at Atlanta’s airport.
Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Carrie Harmon said the gun was discovered about 9 a.m. Sunday during X-ray screening and Atlanta police were notified.
Authorities say the shot was contained to the bag, and no one was injured.
Officials said the passenger who brought the bag into security was taken into custody. Details about the passenger were not released.