A University of Alabama researcher will team up with at Michigan State University to study the relationship between the size of heat waves and what causes them across the United States. David Keellings is an assistant professor of geography at the University of Alabama. He was recently awarded a three-year, $340,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The goal of the grant is to develop models to help predict when and where heat waves will occur. Heat waves have become larger and more severe in the past 60 years.

The head of Alabama’s Democratic Party is out of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee has voted to deny seats to Chairwoman Nancy Worley and Vice Chair Randy Kelly. The two Alabama leaders missed deadlines to comply with party directives. That prompted the DNC credentials committee to recommend revoking Worley and Kelly’s credentials. The national party says the action means Worley and Kelley will no longer be recognized by the DNC. Worley says she and Kelley will remain in their state party positions.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama is inching forward with a plan to build three new prisons.

The Alabama Department of Corrections on Monday will open company responses to a "request for qualifications" from firms interested in building the proposed new prisons. A spokeswoman for Gov. Kay Ivey said the state will release the names of the companies on Monday.

Ivey in February announced a plan to build three new prisons. She said state officials will first gather proposals from companies and then decide how to proceed.

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) — The detention of an immigrant rights activist and his son sparked protests Friday in Alabama.

More than 20 protesters circled the Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsden chanting for the release of Marcos and Juan Baltazar.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says officials will continue to look at ways to eliminate, or at least reduce, tolls of up to $6 on a proposed Mobile bridge.

Ivey told reporters Friday that she wished "we didn't have tolls period." The governor said it "would be wonderful if we could have no tolls." She said they should "at least let's see if we can have less tolls."

The proposed $2.1 billion bridge would cross the Mobile River and Mobile Bay. Opponents say the proposed tolls of up to $6 would hurt working families and small businesses.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Plans have been announced for the replacement of an Alabama hospital.

University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital officials said this week that a new hospital will be built in McCalla to replace the Medical West Hospital in Bessemer, which was built in 1964.

Hospital officials said a new hospital is needed to continue providing adequate care to southwest Jefferson County.

WETUMPKA, Ala. (AP) — Seven Alabama middle school students were hospitalized for heat distress symptoms after participating in an outdoor gym class.

News outlets report about 30 students at Wetumpka Middle School complained of being overheated Thursday afternoon while they were walking and running on the track.

Superintendent Richard Dennis says the seven sick students were all sixth graders and they received treatment for dehydration.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Democratic party leaders could lose their seats on the Democratic National Committee after the state party twice missed deadlines for new leadership elections.

The DNC's credentials committee on Thursday recommended revoking the credentials of Alabama Chairwoman Nancy Worley and Vice-Chair Randy Kelley. The action came after the state party missed two deadlines for new elections and party bylaws.