A looming revenue drop of about $360 million for the state General Fund next year will hang like a cloud over the Legislature when it starts its 2012 regular session at noon Tuesday, top-ranking lawmakers said.

Proposals that would allow charter schools, revise the state immigration law, give tax breaks to new industries and borrow money for highway repairs are just some of the high-profile bills lawmakers said they will debate in the 2012 regular legislative session, which starts at noon Tuesday and could run through May 21.

Round two of the federal government versus Victoryland owner Milton McGregor and others will get under way this morning.

Fultondale city officials could start the legal process this week to demolish two motels damaged in an April 27 tornado, said Mayor Jim Lowery.

When the Legislature returns to Montgomery tomorrow, lawmakers will face the daunting task of writing budgets for the coming fiscal year with extremely limited revenue streams. The results aren't likely to be pretty.

After scraping by on handyman jobs for a year, Bert Qintana figured he'd have to leave his wife and teenage son at their home near Taos, N.M., and find work elsewhere.

AUGUSTA, Maine — The Medicaid program in Maine is short of money, and conservative Governor Paul LePage has a blunt proposal for solving the problem — drop people from the rolls.