TUSCALOOSA, AL (WBRC)-

Three big name football players at the University of Alabama have announced they will be heading to the NFL.

Defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick and running back Trent Richardson joined head coach Nick Saban at a press conference to make the announcement on Thursday. Junior linebacker Dont'a Hightower has also decided to declare for the NFL draft although he did not appear at Thursday's press conference.

Prior to the announcement, Saban made the following statement:

"These young men have done a fabulous job of representing the University of Alabama, their families and themselves with their hard work, their dedication and their commitment to excellence, not only on the football field, but also by the kind of people that they have been," he said.

Statement from the Alabama Democratic Party announcing the candidacy of Penny Huggins Baily for Alabama's 6th Congressional District:

LEEDS -- Retired USAF Colonel Penny Huggins Bailey announced her candidacy for Alabama’s 6th Congressional District today, bringing 24 years of leadership in the United States Air Force to the race against the eventual Republican nominee.

Penny Huggins Bailey is a longtime Leeds resident and graduate of Leeds High School and Samford University. She served in the US Air Force and retired at the rank of Colonel after 24 years of duty. Her husband, an active duty Air Force Colonel, will serve his third deployment overseas this year. The Baileys have been married for more than 30 years and have three children.

TUSCALOOSA, AL (WBRC)-

Eight months after the April 27th tornado, you can still find plenty of storm debris in the Lake Forest subdivision's lake. Nina Perkins says neighbors have pitched in.

"One couple went out in a boat and got some garbage carts and that kind of stuff. But we don't have the equipment you need to clean something this big," Perkins said.

Perkins is concerned why the city hasn't done more as time passed since the storm. Now the city of Tuscaloosa is pitching in too. Last night, Tuscaloosa city councilors agreed to hire McGiffert and Associates to plan the best way to clean the lake. The city will pay the company $46,000.

Hansel Stewart, a project manager with the company, tells Fox6 News the work will include surveying land to find the best way to get heavy equipment to the lake to remove debris and not cause further damage to property surrounding the lake.