The Internal Revenue Service today announced a nationwide expansion of the program designed to help law enforcement obtain tax return data vital to their local efforts in investigating and prosecuting specific cases of identity theft.

More than 1,560 waiver requests have been received since the Law Enforcement Assistance Program’s inception from over 100 state and local law enforcement agencies in the nine states participating in the pilot. The expansion covers all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia and will be effective Friday, March 29, 2013.

“The results of the pilot illustrate that this works as an innovative tool for law enforcement to help pursue tough identity theft situations,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven T. Miller. “This program is an effective way for law enforcement to work with the IRS to pursue identity thieves and protect taxpayers.

Governor Robert Bentley has proclaimed April as Autism Awareness Month in Alabama. The Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council and the Autism Society of Alabama are partnering to promote this observance. The month-long awareness campaign held annually in April has been sponsored since the 1970s by the Autism Society of America, and seeks to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism spectrum disorders.

Events will be held statewide celebrating the observance, including a series of Walks for Autism in 15 locations around the state. Proceeds from the walks benefit the Autism Society of Alabama, which also sponsors the walks. In addition, a “Light It Up Blue” campaign will also be going on during April, involving everything from office buildings to people’s front porches.

According to the most recent autism prevalence rate released by the CDC, 1 in 88 children are identified as having an autism spectrum disorder.

It’s not unusual for a group of high school students to visit Troy University’s campus as a stop along the way to another destination, but for one high school band from Michigan, Friday’s campus visit held special meaning.

The Wyoming High School Marching Wolves are the product of a school consolidation in Wyoming, Michigan, near Grand Rapids. Just a year old, the new high school has new colors, new mascots, and a new fight song, all selected by students.

Troy University’s fight song, “Trojans One and All” was adopted by the student body to unify their fans, and the University sanctioned its use.

The students’ stop came in route to New Orleans, where they will be performing over the next several weeks, said Jeff Bennett, a former band director who serving as the tour’s director.

“This trip is all about the students,” he said.