FLORENCE, AL (WAFF)- This weekend more than 70 umpires are in the Shoals for the annual Alabama High School Athletic Association's training conference.

There's a lot riding on the officials at a high school baseball game, which is why they spend countless hours both on the field and in the classroom brushing up on their skills.

Through Sunday, the AHSAA will spend time with umpires from across Alabama.

They have also lined up high school teams looking to get a little extra practice in to scrimmage against each other to give umps hands on experience.

Instructors said there is a lot of pressure on officials at the high school level because a wrong call could cost players scholarships and coaches their jobs.

If you know the name of filmmaker Ken Burns, you are likely familiar with his epic-length documentaries on public television, such as the eleven-hour long series The Civil War and the ten "inning" Baseball.

If the length of devotion required to watching these films is beyond your schedule, I completely understand. (Find some time eventually, though--they are both well worth the time!) Luckily, there are smaller sized films by Burns that are just as worthy of your attention.

Empire of the Air is a 90-minute long entry in the Ken Burns' America series released by PBS Home Video that focuses on the turbulent times between three men, each eager to be the king of an important new medium -- radio.

DECATUR, AL (WAFF)- The Tennessee
Valley Authority is celebrating 80 years of service.

The TVA
was founded back in 1933 when President Franklin D Roosevelt signed the TVA Act
into law.

TVA
serves a large portion of north Alabama, with reservoirs in Wheeler, Wilson,
and Guntersville.

The
company also provides jobs in Florence and Decatur.

It was created to provide affordable electricity, maintain natural
resources, and provide a place for recreation.

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