From CNN, I'm Afomadikay, with the five things you need to know for Wednesday, June 19th.

Tropical Storm Alberto is taking aim at the Gulf of Mexico.

Parts of Surfside Beach, Texas are underwater from flooding. Storm

surge topped four feet in the coastal town, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration. Here's what one Galveston man said to CNN affiliate KTRK, about an hour outside of Surfside Beach.

It's definitely worse than I expected or I'd have been gone, you know.

So I should have been more prepared and you know.

And you know it's not even a hurricane.

Meanwhile in Louisiana the storm surge from Alberta is inundating the state's coast more

than 500 miles from the storm center. U.S. Staff Sergeant Gordon Black has been

sentenced to three years and nine months in a penal colony in Russia on

charges of theft and threatening murder according to state news agency

Ria Navosti. He was arrested in Vladivostak in May while visiting a woman

believed to be his girlfriend.

He was accused of stealing from and assaulting her, according to State News Agency Tass.

Ria Novosti previously reported that Black did not admit to charges of threatening to kill the woman, but partially admitted guilt to theft charges.

Black's lawyer has said he will appeal the sentence, according to Tass.

Louisiana public schools are now required by law to display the 10

Commandments in all classrooms.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed House Bill 71 into law today.

It applies to all schools that receive state funding from kindergarten through university level.

The commandments have to be displayed in quote, large, easily readable font.

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