Good Morning! It’s Tuesday. Today is Confederate Memorial Day. The day honors Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War, which began in South Carolina. The S.C. General Assembly is marking the day with a recess. Confederate flags will also be placed on the graves of Confederate soldiers in Charleston, S.C.

Remember to grab your umbrella as you head out the door for work. The weatherman is calling for mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Some storms may become severe, producing large hail and strong winds. Temperatures are expected to reach a high around 80°F.

Here’s what is brewing in the news this morning:

Obama renews push for immigration bill

USA Today reports that President Obama is scheduled to speak today in the border city of El Paso about the fate of the 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.

Obama’s campaign promise of passing immigration reform is credited with garnering him 67 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2008 election. Last year, the president pushed for the DREAM Act, which would have allowed some children of illegal immigrants to become legal residents, but the bill died in the Senate.

Any bill that will provide a process for the country's illegal immigrants to gain legal status is expected to face stiff resistance from Republicans in Congress.

USA Today reports that Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said Obama is letting the politics of immigration trump his responsibility to secure the Southwest border and target illegal immigrants working in the U.S.

Read more at USA Today.
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10-year-old boy threatens violence over chicken nuggets

The Rock Hill Herald is reporting that a Rock Hill student threatened to stab another student if he didn’t hand over his chicken nuggets.

According to a police report, a third student who witnessed the incident reported he had also been threatened with a knife by the same boy. Neither student is pressing charges at this time.

The knife was recovered from the student's book bag, the report states. He has since been suspended indefinitely and recommended for expulsion.

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CMS to vote on budget request

Tonight, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School board is scheduled to vote on the 2011-12 budget . Although the proposed spending plan includes $100 million in cuts, the board appears poised to ask Mecklenburg County Commissioners for a $55 million increase over last year.

They say the extra money could save jobs, keep class sizes the same  and avoid cuts to the Bright Beginnings pre-K program. Commissioners are expected to finalize their budget next month.

*** This is your chance to speak out. Use the comment section below to tell us what’s brewing on your mind this morning. 

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