Medicare claims processor shifting 155 jobs to Birmingham from Savannah, Georgia

SAVANNAH, Ga.
Savannah will lose roughly 155 jobs when a firm handling Medicare claims for the federal government shifts most of its operations to Birmingham, Ala.
Cahaba Government Benefit Administrators has told state officials that firm will shut its doors on the Georgia coast by March 31. It will keep a Georgia satellite office near Atlanta with roughly 30 to 35 workers.
The company's chief strategic officer, David Brown, said the positions are being moved, not cut. The Savannah Morning News reports that the company's employees have been offered jobs in Birmingham or the new satellite office.
Brown said the resulting reduction in costs for office space, utilities, communications and travel will save the firm more than $1 million annually.

Friday's Alabama (Prep) High School Football Scores (Thursdays Scores Also)

Friday Night High School (PREP) Football
 
Abbeville 60, Headland 30
Rogers 35, Wilson 0
Addison 28, Lynn 0
Alabama Christian Academy 34, Holtville 6
Alabama School for the Deaf 62, Tharptown 42
Albertville 27, Guntersville 20
Alexandria 35, Lincoln 21
American Christian Academy 37, Alma Bryant 36
Andalusia 21, Opp 13
Ashville 50, New Hope 35
Auburn 28, Niceville, Fla. 14
Autauga Academy 53, Lowndes Academy 14
Barbour County 40, Bullock County 26
Bayside Academy 35, Gulf Shores 16
Beauregard 20, Tallassee 7
Berry 60, Gaylesville 8
Bibb County 52, Pleasant Grove 20
Billingsley 34, Verbena 0
Boaz 14, Sardis 7
Brindlee Mountain 28, DAR 0
Brookwood 14, Holt 3
Brother Martin, La. 44, Greensboro 0
Calera 44, Dallas County 7
Calhoun 20, Central-Hayneville 8
Carbon Hill 26, Cold Springs 19
Choctaw County 20, Southside-Selma 16
Colbert Heights 26, Colbert County 6
Curry 38, Cordova 28
Dadeville 46, Tarrant 6
Danville 34, Falkville 6
Daphne 41, Baker 7
Decatur 23, Athens 3
Donoho 53, Woodville 0
Elmore County 30, Trinity Presbyterian 14
Enterprise 24, Charles Henderson 17
Escambia County 24, Baldwin County 9
Fairfield 20, Midfield 0
Fayetteville 45, Jefferson Christian Academy 0
Florala 26, Red Level 6
Florence 35, Russellville 18
Foley 42, Tuscaloosa County 17
Fort Payne 27, Elkmont 7
Fultondale 41, Cedar Bluff 15
Fyffe 39, Plainview 12
Gadsden 24, Lee-Montgomery 0
Gardendale 42, Mortimer Jordan 10
Gaston 18, West End-Walnut Grove 6
Hale County 41, Akron 0
Haleyville 42, Winston County 0
Hanceville 50, Good Hope 14
Handley 35, Lineville 14
Hayden 41, Locust Fork 7
Hazel Green 37, East Limestone 7
Hewitt-Trussville 42, Pelham 30
Holly Pond 31, J.B. Pennington 12
Homewood 48, Grissom 0
Hooper Academy 26, Macon-East 6
Horseshoe Bend 32, Thorsby 14
Hubbard 42, Lawrence County 14
Hubbertville 41, Vina 19
Jackson Academy 28, Clarke Prep 12
Jacksonville 39, Pleasant Valley 6
Jacksonville Christian 20, Meek 19
Jeff Davis 47, Russell County 13
Jemison 33, Marbury 20
Keith 40, Marengo 6
LaFayette 47, Beulah 20
Lamar County 18, Winfield 14
Lanett def. Loachapoka, forfeit
Lauderdale County 21, Lexington 0
Lee-Huntsville 41, Butler 6
Leeds 44, Moody 0
Linden 15, Brantley 6
Luverne 41, Highland Home 21
Madison Academy 21, West Limestone 20
Madison County 48, Columbia 0
Maplesville 61, Sipsey Valley 14
Marion County 42, Red Bay 33
Mary Montgomery 47, Satsuma 0
Minor 34, Sparkman 13
Monroe Academy 28, Escambia Academy 24
Montevallo 25, Central Coosa 6
Montgomery Academy 31, Mobile Christian 27
Mountain Brook 34, Buckhorn 12
New Brockton 30, Kinston 8
North Jackson 32, Scottsboro 12
Oakman 21, Parrish 19
Oneonta 42, Susan Moore 3
Oxford 44, Central-Phenix City 28
Patrician Academy 56, East Memorial Christian Academy 12
Piedmont 42, Cherokee County 22
Pike Liberal Arts 27, Tuscaloosa Academy 14
Pinson Valley 14, Oak Mountain 10
Pleasant Home 48, Cottage Hill 28
Priceville 44, Brewer 13
Ragland 12, Collinsville 7
Randolph School 42, Decatur Heritage 14
Restoration Academy 36, Prattville Christian Academy 13
Robertsdale 20, Faith Academy 19
Saint Luke's Episcopal 47, J.U. Blacksher 13
Section 42, Valley Head 13
Shelby County 20, Chilton County 14
Smiths Station 26, Valley 23
Southern Choctaw 35, A.L. Johnson 0
Southside-Gadsden 13, Hokes Bluff 11
Springville 28, Arab 7
St. Clair County 34, Childersburg 6
St. James 40, Catholic-Montgomery 6
St. Jude 41, Autaugaville 7
St. Paul's 36, UMS-Wright 6
Stanhope Elmore 48, Selma 6
Sumter Academy 56, South Choctaw Academy 20
Sumter Central High School 28, Aliceville 0
Sweet Water 49, Leroy 31
Sylacauga 48, B.B. Comer 8
T.R. Miller 26, W.S. Neal 14
Tanner 49, Ardmore 8
Theodore 48, LeFlore 15
Thomasville 22, Clarke County 7
Thompson 35, John Carroll Catholic 27
Vestavia Hills 40, Shades Valley 27
West Blocton 34, Northside 13
West Point 37, Fairview 36
Westminster Christian Academy 30, Shoals Christian 12
Wetumpka 34, Dothan 18
White Plains 30, Ohatchee 19
Woodlawn 20, Central-Tuscaloosa 6
Zion Chapel 30, Ariton 8

Thursdays Scores
Eufaula 42, Northview 10
Spanish Fort 35, Carroll 8
Ashford 50, Rehobeth 12
Abbeville 60, Headland 30
Straughn 41, Daleville 27
Houston County 46, Dale County 25
Geneva 41, Wicksburg 25
Slocomb 30, Geneva County 20
Elba 69, Cottonwood 15
Goshen 28, Providence Christian 14
G.W. Long 48, Samson 28
Abbeville Christian 27, Lyman Ward 3

Sheriff: Immigration secondary to law enforcement

Opelika, Al.

Lee County’s sheriff says the consensus among his counterparts across the state is the new immigration law would be enforced, though it will likely remain a secondary concern for officers on patrol.

Sheriff Jay Jones

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said law enforcement leaders statewide met in Montgomery on Thursday to discuss the law, widely regarded by critics and advocates as one of the toughest immigration measures in the nation.

The consensus among the sheriffs, Jones said, was that enforcement would remain secondary to primary actions such as traffic stops, 911 calls and other encounters between law enforcement and the public.

“We wouldn’t go driving down looking for people on the street corner,” Jones said.

Jones predicted enforcement would likely mirror that of the existing law requiring motorists and passengers to wear seatbelts when it was first enacted. Motorists were stopped for speeding or other traffic infractions and only ticketed for seatbelts if they were found in violation, said Jones, who envisions a similar enforcement pattern for the immigration law’s provisions.

Jones said if probable cause was found, officers would then take the person into custody to determine immigration status.

Training for officers on the best way to achieve this remains a question for law enforcement.

“We just want to make sure we are consistent and uniform in the application,” Jones said.

Jones said locally there are plans for coordinated training among law enforcement in Lee County.

Lee County District Attorney Robbie Treese said he hopes to make a presentation to local law enforcement sometime after the three-week criminal session beginning Oct. 31.

“There are lots of questions still,” Treese said. “But we’ll do the best we can to enforce what we got.”

The new state law, passed by the Legislature during the regular session this spring, was delayed by federal court challenges from civil rights groups and the U.S. Justice Department.

Critics of the law say it encroaches on federal authority and is unconstitutional and would lead to profiling.

In a Sept. 28 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Blackburn allowed portions of the law to stand, including prohibiting state agencies or government contractors from using illegal immigrants for contract work, requiring police to check immigration status of suspected illegal immigrants and requiring businesses to verify the status of employees.

Blackburn and the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals have blocked other provisions of the law, including a requirement that schools check immigration status of students, prohibitions against giving illegal immigrants rides or shelter and mandating federal verification as the exclusive form of documentation in court, among others.

The law remains under consideration by the appeals court after opponents challenged the provisions allowed to stand by Blackburn.

What remains to be enforced of the original law was the primary topic of the sheriffs’ meeting Thursday. Jones said law enforcement would do its best to enforce the remaining provisions.

Part of the discussion, Jones said, was how police should handle conflicting guidelines about how long suspected illegal immigrants could be detained before their legal status was determined. Jones said there was uncertainty whether suspected illegal aliens could be held for 24 or 48 hours while their status was determined.

“We will just have to deal the conflicts as they arise,” Treese said. “Any time a new law is passed, we have to deal with it.”

Jones said the jail would have to wait for federal authorities to come claim the suspected illegal immigrants, which usually takes a few days. Jones said police contact Immigration and Custom Enforcement regarding suspected illegal immigrants.

“We would be dependent on the federal authorities to take action,” Jones said.

Until federal authorities collect the illegal immigrants, it would be up to the arresting agency to pay for their detainment at the Lee County Detention Center.

Jones said it costs $33 daily to house inmates at the center. The cities of Auburn and Opelika have detainment agreements with the county. “With the prospect of a possible increase of violators, it might take longer now,” Jones said.

Treese believes the most significant impact on local law enforcement will be the cost of added detainments and prosecution.

Jones said detainment of illegal immigrants is nothing new for his agency, noting law enforcement has been detaining suspected violators for ICE before the law was enacted. Dothan has the same policy.

Jones said law enforcement will continue to handle detainment and transfer of suspected illegal immigrants much as it had in the past.

“This made it a state involvement instead of strictly federal,” Jones said of the new law. “Technically, we were already doing something along these lines.”

Mobile police arrest man for robbing guest at party

MOBILE, Al.
Mobile police made an arrest in a robbery that occurred at a party on Thursday and are searching for assailants in two separate robberies, officials said today in a news release.

Tyrone Rashawn Vail

Police arrested Tyrone Rashawn Vail, 19, was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery in connection with an incident that occurred about 12:47 a.m. Thursday in the 2100 block of Grove Court. Police said that Vail was attending a party at the victim's house. Police said that a man walked outside, then walked back inside armed with a rifle and demanded the victim’s car keys and money.
Vail was later taken into custody without incident on Boykin Boulevard, police said.
Vail remains in Mobile County Metro Jail without bail. He has arrested in May and charged with third-degree burglary and obstructing justice by using a false identity.
Police are also investigating two robberies that occurred later that day.
About 11:15 a.m. at the Brunos in the 4300 block of Old Shell Road, a man got out of a black SUV, pointed a handgun at the victim, and demanded his property, police said. The victim gave the cash to the robber who was last seen going north on McGregor Avenue.
The robber is described as a black male with a medium complexion, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 160-180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, black pants, and black shoes.
Not long afterward a second robbery occurred about 12:54 p.m. at the Courtyard Apartments in the 3200 block of Pleasant Valley Road. The two victims were outside the apartments when a black SUV approached them and a passenger armed with a handgun got out of the vehicle and demanded their purses. The subject was last seen going west on Pleasant Valley toward Cottage Hill Road.
The robber is described as a black male with a medium complexion, about 20-29 years old, about 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black pants with black scarf over his face.
Anyone with any information about these two incidents is asked to call Mobile police at 251-208-7211 or Crime Stoppers at 251-208-7000 or send a text to 274637 and include CRIME 411.

Brundidge man dies after driving wrong way on highway

ASHFORD, Al.
Authorities say that a Brundidge man died early Friday morning in a two-car collision after driving the wrong way down U.S. 84.

Marcus Deron Woodham, 38, hit a Mercury Grand Marquis after narrowly dodging a police patrol car just after midnight at the caution light at the Houston County Road 55 intersection.

The person in that car was sent to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, authorities say. 

Police say they tried to get Woodham's attention before he crashed into the car. 

Playboy's 'Girls of the SEC' pictorial features 5 Auburn coeds

AUBURN, Al.

Haley Ann

War Damn Eagle, indeed. Five Auburn students represented the Tigers in Playboy Magazine's "Girls of the SEC" pictorial spread in the November issue.
Twenty-five other coeds from SEC schools are featured in the November issue, which hit news stands earlier this month.
Haley Ann, a native of the Chicago area, said she was pleased after seeing herself in the magazine.
“I’m really excited about it. I think everyone looks really good and that it’s a very tasteful pictorial,” Ann said in an interview.
Ann and 4 other Auburn women appear in the 8-page pictorial.

“I heard about it on campus that they (Playboy) were doing a casting call in Auburn, and it’s something that I always kind of wanted to do and was interested in,” said Ann.
She went on to state that it took a while for her parents to warm up to the decision, but they were eventually supportive.
“It just seemed like something that I couldn’t pass up, that would be fun and a way that I could represent Auburn in an exciting and different way,” Ann said.

AU professor wins on 'Jeopardy!'

Auburn, Al.

As an assistant professor in the English department at Auburn University, Dr. Sunny Stalter-Pace often finds good use for her knowledge of literature.

But it was her love of movies that ultimately won her $29,200 on “Jeopardy!” Thursday night.

Stalter-Pace ousted two-day champion Gabor Vari, of Los Angeles, by writing the correct question to the answer: “The villain’s visage in this movie series was partly chosen due to its likeness to an 1893 work by a Norwegian artist.”

Stalter-Pace wrote “What is the Scream series?” and wagered $14,000. The art in question was “Scream” by Edvard Munch.

“I was just elated,” Stalter-Pace said of her win. “Honestly, I was elated when I saw that the category was movies.”

Stalter-Pace said she worked as a projectionist in college and has assisted with film series at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.

The AU assistant professor will compete to defend her title as champion on Friday’s episode of “Jeopardy!” The show was taped during the summer, but she is not allowed to talk about the results of shows that have not aired.

Stalter-Pace said participating in the game show was a dream come true. Growing up in Illinois, she often watched the show with her parents.

“This is basically something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said.

Before appearing on the show, Stalter-Pace had to go through a rigorous audition process that included two “Jeopardy!” exams as well as a mock game.

“It’s something that I’d been dreaming about doing since I was 13, so it was amazing,” she said. “It was a great experience all around.”

Stalter-Pace said she enjoyed meeting longtime “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek.

“He was really friendly and answered questions from people in the audience during commercial breaks,” she said.

“Jeopardy!” airs at 6 p.m. on CBS.

Montgomery burglary suspect search prompts hourlong lockdown at school

MONTGOMERY, Al.
Brewbaker Technology Magnet School was put on lockdown for about an hour today as a precaution while police searched for a burglary suspect believed nearby, Montgomery Public Schools spokesperson Tom Salter said today.  

The burglary occurred on the 2300 block of West Aberdeen Drive. Montgomery Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Donna Mackey said two suspects were being sought by officers, which prompted the hour-long lockdown at the nearby school campus. 

The initial patrol car pursuit of the running suspects was aided by information phoned in by local residents watching the scene unfold. Those phone calls, Mackey said, prompted authorities to expand the search using dogs and a state trooper helicopter.

One suspect was taken into custody while another eluded authorities, Mackey said. It is unknown if the person taken into custody was charged in connection with the Aberdeen Drive burglary at this time. 

In a separate incident, Lee High School was locked down briefly today to allow for  "random searches" at the school, Salter said. Such searches are regularly conducted at MPS schools to ensure students do not have unauthorized cell phones and electronics in class.

Special Event for Ozark woman set for Nov. 3rd at Applebee's

Ozark, Al.
There will be a charity benefit for Raechel Buchanan at Applebee's on Hwy. 231 in Ozark,Al.(across from Walmart) on Thursday Nov. 3rd. The event will start at 6pm and end at 8pm.

Raechel has been diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease called Anti-phospholipid  Antibody Syndrome. This causes her blood to coagulate abnormally and produce uncontrollable blood clots that travel through her heart into her lungs, which cause pulmonary embolisms and infractions.

She has survived approximately 50 pulmonary embolisms of which any could be fatal, but also causes irreversible damage to her lung tissue. Since only 2-4%  of the population of the world have this condition, there is virtually no research being conducted on this condition.

Her body has rejected all other medications for blood clots that she has been prescribed. The one medication that her doctor has found that works and is required for her is only partially covered by insurance and is very expensive. Her out-of-pocket expense is over $3000.00 per month. Her life depends on getting this medication. In addition, there are travel expenses to Birmingham to see her Doctor that has to be covered.

Please come out to Applebee's, Nov. 3rd and meet Raechel and her Family. She will have custom-made name signs, earrings and hair-bows for sale and some finger foods will be available.

Raechel's Friends and Family are working on other events and Alabama State News will keep you informed on these events, however she needs Meds. now and the Raechel Buchanan Fund has been set up to accept donations. Any amount you can afford would be a blessing to her and her family and can be sent to:
The Raechel Buchanan Fund
754 S. Union Ave.
Ozark, Al. 36360

City of Dothan Utilities Division scam has begun again

Dothan, Al. 

The Dothan Police Department recently received a call from the City of Dothan Utilities Division. Employees of utilities advised they have had several recent reports from customers, primarily business accounts, who say they have received a call from someone claiming to be with Dothan Utilities demanding a credit card number for payment. This scam was first reported around August 23, 2011. According to an Investigation in the Fraud Division, this scam has begun again and several calls have been received. The callers’ voice is described as an American, female, calling from a blocked phone number. The Dothan Police Department would like to confirm this is a scam and fortunately, everyone contacted thus far have refused to give such information.

We would like to remind the public once again to protect themselves from this or similar scams.

Calls requesting credit card information are not placed by the Utilities Division and anyone receiving this or similar calls should not share any information and disconnect immediately.

Two arrested, expected to face drug, firearms charges

Gadsden, Al.
Two Gadsden men believed to be responsible for trafficking in pain pills were arrested Tuesday afternoon, Rob Savage, commander of the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit, said.

Savage said the DEU and the Gadsden Police Department’s Special Projects Team had been investigating for several days, and the investigation was completed Tuesday in a undercover operation off Rainbow Drive near Hollingsworth Drive in Rainbow City.
About 100 OxyContin pain pills and an assault rifle were confiscated during the arrests. The men are from Gadsden and are expected to face charges for trafficking and distribution of the drugs and for firearms crimes, Savage said.
One man was arrested without incident, Savage said. However, the other man ran and officers had to chase him about 100 yards before he was taken into custody.
Savage said since an assault rifle was involved and other information was developed during the investigation, extra officers were involved in the case and arrests.
One of the men was out of jail on previous drug distribution charges.
Savage said the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force also is involved in the investigation and the case is expected to be converted to federal charges for firearms and drugs.
“We believe these men were responsible for a significant amount of criminal diversion of pharmaceuticals,” he said.
Savage said the names will be released when the men have been charged.

Mobile Police Arrest an Assault Suspect

Mobile, Al.
On October 22, 2011 at 7:15 p.m. Mobile Police began an investigation into four people shot while at a party in the intersection of Ann Street and Arlington Street. Through the investigation, detectives have identified 20 year old Jermaine Dewion Davis as the person responsible for the shootings.

Tuesday at approximately 1:00 p.m. officers from the Mobile Police Ranger Unit located Davis at Antwerp Street and Plover Street. Jermaine Dewion Davis has been arrested and charged with four counts of Assault Second Degree.

Detectives will continue the investigation. If anyone has information about the incident, please call the Mobile Police Department at 208-7211, Crime Stoppers at 208-7000, or text to 274637 and include the keyword CRIME 411.

Man thought to be victim of serial killer John Wayne Gacy alive, reunites with family in Ozark Al.

CHICAGO, IL.
Siblings who feared their brother was one of serial killer John Wayne Gacy's eight unidentified victims were amazed and overjoyed to learn that he's been living in Florida for decades.

Tim Lovell                 Harold Wayne Lovell

Tim Lovell and Theresa Hasselberg hadn't seen their brother, Harold Wayne Lovell, since he left their family's Chicago home in May 1977 in search of construction work. At the time, Gacy was trolling for young men and boys in the area. He was a contractor, and he lured many of the 33 young men and boys he killed by offering them work.
Cook County Sheriff's detectives reviewing unidentified remains cases discovered that eight of the 33 people Gacy was convicted of murdering never were identified, and they obtained exhumation orders over the past few months to test the remains for DNA, hoping relatives of young men who went missing in the area in the 1970s might submit to genetic testing.
Lovell's siblings, who now live in Ozark, Ala., were planning to do just that when they discovered a recent online police booking photo of their brother taken in Florida. They reached their brother, who goes by his middle name, by phone and bought him a bus ticket, and the family was reunited Tuesday for the first time in 34 years.
Wayne Lovell, now 53, described the reunion as "awesome."
He said he left for Florida all those years ago because he wasn't getting along with his mother and stepfather. Over the years, he's worked various manual labor jobs and has had occasional brushes with the law in and around Tampa, including charges for buying marijuana.
"I've gone from having nothing to having all this," Lovell said. "I'm still pinching myself."
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has said dozens of families of men who disappeared during the 1970s have come forward for DNA testing.
Investigators searching Gacy's home following his 1978 arrest found most of his victims buried in a basement crawl space, although detectives said Gacy dumped four victims in a nearby river after he ran out of room at his house. Gacy confessed to the slayings after his arrest and was executed in 1994.

2 Alabama prosecutors out for gambling retrial

MONTGOMERY, Al.
Two lawyers who successfully prosecuted former Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy are no longer on the federal government's prosecution team for Alabama's gambling corruption case.
Court records show that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Franklin and Steve Feaga have been put on "conditional representation" status at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, which is leading the prosecution. That means two of the best known prosecutors in Alabama won't be in the courtroom every day when the retrial starts Jan. 30.
All of the lawyers now listed on the Justice Department's prosecution team are from Washington.
"Prosecutors' schedules often change due to other cases and obligations. Based on the expected length of the upcoming trial, some members of the prosecution team aren't available to participate. It isn't uncommon for there to be changes when retrials occur in trials expected to last several months," Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney said Wednesday.
Franklin said Wednesday that he and Feaga could not comment on the changes.
The U.S. Attorney in Montgomery, George Beck, said Wednesday that no one with his office is working on the case, and he is glad to have Franklin and Feaga available to handle other cases because he has a full load of pending cases and more investigations in progress.
The government accuses casino owners and their employees of offering millions to legislators to get them to vote for pro-gambling legislation.
Franklin and Feaga played prominent roles in the original trial this summer, questioning key witnesses and arguing legal issues. Feaga made the government's closing statement in the 10-week trial.
Prosecutors secured guilty pleas from casino operator Ronnie Gilley and two of his lobbyists before the trial, but no convictions in the trial itself. The jury acquitted two defendants and could not reach a unanimous decision involving some of the charges against seven others.
Those seven include casino owner Milton McGregor and state Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb.
One of Smith's attorneys, William White of Birmingham, said the Justice Department filed court papers notifying the judge and defense lawyers of the change, but he could not comment about the reasons for it because the judge sealed the papers from public view at the request of the Justice Department.
He said changes in the prosecution team won't affect how defense attorneys prepare for the retrial because the legal issues will be the same, but defense attorneys can point out to jurors that the case is being tried by people from Washington.
Defense attorneys did some of that in their statements during the summer trial.
Franklin and Feaga have built a reputation in Montgomery as tough prosecutors. They got bribery convictions against Siegelman and Scrushy in 2006. In 1993, when Feaga was an assistant state attorney general, he was part of the prosecution team that won an ethics conviction against Gov. Guy Hunt and got him removed from office.

School bus crashes in Cleburne County

Cleburne County, Al.
Several students were injured but no fatalities were reported after a school bus crash in Cleburne County Wed. morning.

According to preliminary reports, Alabama State Troopers received a call about a one-vehicle Ranburne High School bus wreck at 11:27 a.m., said Trooper Charles Dysart. The bus was apparently traveling from a trade school to Ranburne High when the wreck occurred, Dysart said.

Dysart said details on the cause of the wreck, how many students were injured or how many passengers were on the bus were unavailable.

“We know some students were taken to the hospital and some were taken by their parents,” Dysart said. “We’re still trying to track everyone down.”

Hilary Folsom, spokeswoman for Regional Medical Center, confirmed that the hospital did receive a group of pa-tients from a motor vehicle accident today.

"They are currently undergoing treatment," Folsom said.

Due to federal law, Folsom could not release the names of the patients or details about their injuries.

Andalusia serial check writer wanted

Andalusia, Al.
Area merchants and residents are warned to be on the look out for a serial bad check writer.
Sklyar Whitney Hill, 24, of Andalusia, is wanted on 16 counts of negotiating a worthless instrument, or “bad checks,” after purchasing nearly $3,000 of merchandise without having money in the bank to cover the costs, said District Attorney’s Office Investigator Max Smith.

Hill

“And it wasn’t at one particular store, either,” Smith said of the purchases. “It was from all parts of the county, including Florala. When you add the court costs of each of those checks, she’s looking at a total right now of $10,907.
“Because of the volume of bad checks written by Ms. Hill in recent months, we strongly discourage any Covington County merchant from accepting checks from her,” he said. “We’re asking that owners put up her picture where cashiers can see it, so maybe she won’t slip in and cost the business owner more money.”
Smith said anyone with information on Hill’s whereabouts is asked to call the 911 Center at 334-428-2447.

Search for missing Auburn woman intensifies

CHAMBERS COUNTY, Al.

Cherri Dawson

The search for a missing Auburn woman ramped up Tuesday as detectives from the Auburn Police Division, Opelika Police Department, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and at least seven other law enforcement agencies scoured an estimated five-mile area along Chambers County Road 95 where Cherri N. Dawson’s burned out 1993 Honda Civic was found more than two weeks ago.

Dawson, 31, of Auburn, was last seen on Saturday, Oct. 8, at her grandmother’s Auburn home, according to APD Chief Tommy Dawson.

Chief Dawson and nearly 100 officers were back out in the heavily wooded area just off Highway 431 searching for evidence in the case.

“This is the last place we know her vehicle to have been at, so this is the point where we decided to start our search,” Chief Dawson said. Officers had searched the area as recently as this weekend, Chief Dawson said.

“We want to send our thoughts and prayers out to her (Cherri Dawson’s) family,” Chief Dawson said. “We know she’s still missing and we still hope that we can find her alive. If she’s not, we want to bring closure to the family.”

In addition to officers searching on the ground with dogs, a helicopter was used the search by air Tuesday.

Cherri Dawson was at least five months pregnant at the time of her disappearance, said Chief Dawson, who declined to disclose whether or not they had spoken with the father of the child.

Cherri Dawson is described as a black female, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with dark hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Dawson is asked to contact the Auburn Police Division at 334-501-3140 or anonymously by voice or text on the tip line at 334- 246-1391.

Tallapoosa County remains sent off to be ID'd

Tallapoosa County, Al.

Remains located Tuesday night in a heavily wooded section of Walker Road west of Camp Hill have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery to determine if they are human, Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said Wednesday.

Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Dept.

Abbett would not confirm any connection between the remains and Cherri N. Dawson, 31, of Auburn who was reported missing earlier this month and whose burned out vehicle was located on Chambers County Road 95 more than two weeks ago. Dawson was reportedly five months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.

Nearly 100 officers from the Auburn Police division and 10 other law enforcement agencies scoured a wooded area just off Highway 431 on Tuesday, the same area where Dawson’s charred 1993 Honda Civic was found.

A steady procession of law enforcement vehicles continued to stream in and out of an unpaved section of Walker Road in Tallapoosa County as members of the Tallapoosa Sheriff’s Office and several other law enforcement agencies processed the scene Wednesday.

Tallapoosa County deputies began searching the location approximately a half-mile down an unpaved stretch of Walker Road after receiving a call at their office on Tuesday, Abbett said.

“We cannot determine at this time if they are human remains or not,” said Abbett, who added that his office was working closely with investigators from the APD and Chambers County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re canvassing the area gathering anything that might be pertinent to this case. There is a lot of speculation because of the close proximity of the other incident in Auburn, but we cannot connect it at this time whatsoever.”

Word on whether the remains are human will hopefully be determined over the next 24 hours, Abbett said.

Fairhope police nab 'extremely active' Baldwin County burglary suspects

FAIRHOPE, Al.
Police say they committed a burglary almost every day for two months.
Ashley Lewis, 21, and Joseph Howe, 28, had been living in Foley since August when the spate of 50 burglaries and attempted burglaries began, said Fairhope police spokesman Sgt. Craig Sawyer.
Lewis and Howe were picked up Friday afternoon, driving away from the Quail Creek subdivision in Fairhope, in the same 2005 white Dodge Grand Caravan, with disability access parking plates, believed to have been used during the burglaries.
"They were extremely active," Sawyer said. "Almost on a daily basis, they were out somewhere in Baldwin County attempting to burglarize a residence."
Inside the van, the arresting officers found stolen merchandise and drug paraphernalia, Sawyer said.
From the Foley home and a relative's residence, police recovered jewelry, designer purses, electronics, a firearm, clothing, equipment for printing counterfeit currency, and several sheets of recently printed counterfeit $20 bills from inside their Foley home, according to a news release from the Fairhope Police Department.
Since moving to the area from out of state, police said the suspects hit unlocked homes and vehicles across Baldwin County, including Fairhope, Daphne, Robertsdale, Foley, Loxley, Summerdale, and Silverhill.
"You've got to lock your cars," Sawyer said, "you've got to lock your homes."
It's yet unclear how the suspects developed information about the houses they burglarized, he added.
Lewis and Howe, still being held in the Fairhope jail, have been charged with receiving stolen property. Howe also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
More charges and at least three more arrests are expected, according to Sawyer.
"This is blossoming a lot bigger than we initially thought it would," he said. "We will be working in the following days with most of the police departments in Baldwin County trying to tie all this together."
Investigators were unsure today whether the suspects committed burglaries in other states, but Sawyer said the investigation would involve federal agents.
He said Lewis and Howe were cooperating with authorities, but "I don't want to get into confessions because I don't want to jeopardize their right to trial."

Birmingham student bitten by snake during P.E. class

BIRMINGHAM, Al.
A high school freshman was taken to a hospital after being bitten by a snake during an outdoor physical education class.
Authorities say the student was bitten on the back of his leg Tuesday afternoon at Huffman High School.
The snake is not believed to be poisonous. The student was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Michaelle Chapman of Birmingham City Schools said outdoor P.E. activities were canceled for the remainder of the day.
Officials searched the field, which is near a creek, but did not find a snake.

State lawyer wants to block former Gov. Bob Riley from testifying in bingo trial

Bob Riley

MONTGOMERY, Al.
A state lawyer has asked a federal judge to block defense efforts to put former Gov. Bob Riley on the witness stand in the second State House vote-buying trial.
A lawyer with the Alabama Attorney General's Office filed the motion today seeking to quash the subpoenas issued to Riley and Chris Murphy, Riley's former director of public safety.
VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb, two former state senators and three others are scheduled to go on trial on charges of offering or accepting bribes in connection to a gambling bill before lawmakers in 2010. This will be the second trial, after jurors this summer were unable to reach a decision on many of the charges.
Assistant Attorney General Andrew D. Arrington wrote that Riley has no personal knowledge about the acts that McGregor and the other defendants are accused of committing. Additionally, Arrington said any discussions between Riley and state law enforcement officials are protected.
Riley while in office contended the electronic bingo machines operated by McGregor and others were illegal under state law and used the threat of raids to shut down the casinos.
"The fact that these state law enforcement officials were investigating illegal gambling at the same time as the alleged vote buying was occurring does not establish the relevance or materiality of their testimony," Arrington wrote.
"To prevent the quashal of their subpoenas, the defendants must establish that these former state officials have 'direct personal factual information' about a matter that is relevant or material to this case and that such factual information cannot be introduced through other means. Unless and until defendants make that showing -- in camera if necessary -- the former state officials should be relieved from complying with the subpoena," Arrington wrote.
If the subpoenas are not quashed, then the scope of Riley's testimony should be limited, Arrington argued.
Defense lawyers tried to force Riley to testify at the first trial, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Terry Moorer ruled McGregor's lawyers failed to show why Riley's testimony would be relevant.

Sheffield woman to be charged under new Alabama immigration law

Viviana Morena Ochoa

SHEFFIELD, Alabama -- A woman living in Sheffield is expected to be charged under the new state immigration law that went into effect in September.


Viviana Morena Ochoa, 23, is charged with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and also for not having a driver’s license, Sheffield Police Chief Greg Ray said.
Ray said Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents placed a hold on Ochoa after authorities were unable to determine she is in the U.S. legally.
Ray said Ochoa was taken into custody Sunday after she was involved in a minor traffic accident. He said arrest warrants were issued Tuesday.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason N. Barfield from Ashford killed in Afghanistan

A Facebook page honoring the fallen Marine has gained an audience of over 3,000 people since Monday. (Facebook)

Ashford, Al.
Ashford native Lance Cpl. Jason Nicholas Barfield was killed while serving in Afghanistan on Monday morning.

According to a Facebook page created in his honor, the 22-year-old Marine was stationed in 29 Palms, Calif., and was a 2008 graduate of Ashford High School.  Click on his photo to view page.

Friends and family remembered Barfield as a man with a positive attitude and infectious smile.

Shirley Cobb, Barfield's aunt, said that while on a surprise visit home over Christmas last year, Barfield spoke of his duty to his country. 

 “He said, ‘This is my job, I’ve got to go do my job. I hate that it’s in Afghanistan, but that’s my job,’” she said. “You know these boys go over there and fight, and he knew it was taking a chance. He said that the last time he was here. It’s just a terrible feeling for (us).”

Former Alabama state trooper pleads guilty to assault during traffic stop

MARION, Al.
A fired Alabama state trooper has pleaded guilty to the second-degree assault of a woman during a traffic stop in Perry County.
Former trooper Kerry Horton of Selma entered the plea today in Marion. He's scheduled to report to the Perry County Jail next month to begin a seven-month sentence. That will be followed by five years on probation.
The state Department of Public Safety fired Horton in 2008 after a young woman accused him of driving her to a remote location and fondling her while she tried to push him away.
District Attorney Michael Jackson said the case shows nobody is above the law.

Details emerge in preliminary hearing for suspect in officer's shooting Read more: Anniston Star - Details emerge in preliminary hearing for suspect in officer s shooting

Anniston, Al.
The man wore little expression and an orange-and-white jumpsuit Monday as he sat in the Calhoun County courtroom.

Joshua Russell

Joshua Russell leaned forward in his seat, attention focused on a television screen near the district attorney and parents of the Anniston police officer Russell is accused of killing.

On the screen, a video played. It showed Anniston investigators interviewing Russell exactly two months ago -– the day Officer Justin Sollohub was fatally shot in the forehead.

The video was entered as evidence Monday in the preliminary hearing for Russell, who is charged with capital murder in Sollohub’s death.

“I had the gun up like this,” Russell told Investigator Chris Sparks on the video.

In the courtroom, the defendant did not blink as he watched the on-screen version of himself struggle against his handcuffs, stand up and demonstrate how he held the gun before allegedly shooting Sollohub.

“I ain’t shot nobody before,” Russell said on the video.

Probable cause

The video of Russell’s Aug. 24 interviews with Anniston police was a key part of prosecutors’ evidence during the two-hour hearing, which ended with District Judge Mannon Bankson finding probable cause in Russell’s capital murder case.

The hearing also has helped to fill in some of the details about what transpired between Sollohub and Russell before the officer’s death through the video and testimony from an Anniston investigator and a woman who witnessed the shooting.

Until now, police had publicly provided this account of events: Sometime around 11 a.m. Aug. 24, Sollohub got out of his patrol car to talk to Russell, who was walking down an Anniston street. A brief foot chase followed and, when Sollohub rounded the corner of a nearby house, Russell shot him, Anniston police Capt. Richard Smith told The Star in August.

Details about why Sollohub stopped to speak to Russell, why Russell ran and what prompted Russell to shoot the 27-year-old went unanswered until the Monday hearing.

Russell’s account of events

In the 50-minute video –- recorded the same day as Sollohub’s fatal injury and soon after an eight-hour manhunt that ended in Russell’s capture –- the 25-year-old defendant described several times his interactions with Sollohub that morning.

He told Sparks and Investigator Tim Suits that Sollohub stopped to question him about the whereabouts of another Anniston resident. Then, Sollohub went back to his car for a moment before returning to where Russell stood.

The officer requested to search Russell, the defendant said in the video interview. Russell decided to run, he said on tape, because he was carrying a gun and marijuana and knew he had outstanding warrants.

“He shouldn’t have been (expletive removed) chasing me, man,” the video showed Russell saying voluntarily before any of the officers had begun to ask him questions or read him his Miranda rights. “I don’t even know how I feel right now. I don’t. I really don’t.”

Once police read Russell his rights, the video showed Sparks and Suits beginning to ask him questions about what happened to Sollohub.

His account of events changed a couple of times in the course of his interview at the Anniston Police Department, but throughout the video, Russell was consistent in pointing out that he fired the gun at Sollohub.

Karen Mason, the woman who lived at the Walnut Avenue home where Sollohub was shot, said she and her 18-year-old son also saw Russell pull the trigger.

District Attorney Brian McVeigh, lead prosecutor in the case, asked Mason if she had any doubt whether the jump-suit-clad Russell who sat only a few feet away from her in the courtroom was the officer’s shooter.

“No, no doubt,” Mason said.

What witnesses saw

Mason said she and her son were in their backyard when they saw Russell running through a neighbor’s yard.

Before Russell made it to Mason’s property, he stopped to take a quick puff of the cigarette he was carrying before tamping it out, she testified.

Mason said she recognized Russell from seeing him around the neighborhood but didn’t know his name.

“He proceeded to run around the left side of my house,” Mason recalled during her Monday testimony. She said an officer –- Sollohub -– appeared in her yard soon after that and approached the back left corner of her house, where she said Russell was hiding.

Sollohub turned the corner of the house once but then “backed up” into the yard where Mason said she was standing.

Sollohub “goes back around the corner,” Mason remembered, holding up his hands. She held up her hands around her head to demonstrate for the court. Jeniffer and Byron Morris, Sollohub’s mother and stepfather, sat quietly in the gallery front row. Byron Morris kept an arm around his wife’s shoulders throughout Mason’s testimony.

“That’s when he shot him,” Mason continued. “My son runs to 18th and Moore to direct the officers to where the officer is laying, and I scream at my mom to call 911.”

What investigators discovered

Suits, the lead investigator in the capital murder case, testified after Mason; he was only three blocks away when the “officer down” call came across the radio.

He rushed to the scene, where he stayed with Sollohub until the paramedics came.

Suits testified that he observed a single bullet wound on Sollohub’s forehead. The investigator noted Sollohub’s gun, Taser and pepper spray were still stored in their holsters on his belt.

Anniston police took statements from Mason and her son, both of whom identified Russell as the suspect out of photo lineups set up at the department the same day as the shooting.

John Robbins, Russell’s court-appointed Birmingham attorney, made a point to note it took Mason two tries before she identified his client in the lineups.

After identifying Russell as the suspect, police continued their efforts to keep the area near Mason’s home blocked off as they searched for Russell, Suits said.

He testified that, with the help of “hundreds of officers” from various law-enforcement agencies, police found Russell hiding in a field near the intersection of 19th Street and McCoy Avenue.

After his capture and the videotaped interview with Anniston investigators, Suits first charged Russell with attempted murder.

That charge was later upgraded to capital murder, when doctors officially pronounced Sollohub dead at UAB Hospital in Birmingham on Aug. 25.

‘I was just going to scare him’

Both the defense and the prosecution agreed Monday that a gunshot wound caused Sollohub’s death, despite the fact the state Department of Forensic Sciences has yet to return the official autopsy report.

Robbins entered a “not guilty” plea on behalf of his client at the beginning of the hearing. But after finding probable cause, Bankson sent Russell back to jail with no bond as he awaits a jury trial in Calhoun County Circuit Court.

The testimonies of both Mason and Suits indicate Sollohub did not draw a weapon or act aggressively toward Russell. But the video shows Russell emphasizing he hadn’t meant to kill Sollohub.

“I was just going to scare him,” Russell said on video, describing how he saw someone in Constantine Homes scare off a police officer once by holding a cellphone like it was a gun and pointing it in the officer’s direction. “It just all happened.”

Lake Harding victim has been identified, more details of incident

A man left dead after being struck by a vehicle in the 600 block of Lee Road 367 in the Lake Harding area has been identified as Durward Webster Day of Valley, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said Monday.

“This apparently was the end result of a dispute involving a couple and Day,” Jones said.

Day and the other people involved in Sunday’s incident were neighbors, Jones said.

Lee County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Lee Road 367 address at approximately 9:15 a.m.

“The resident’s yard where Day’s body was located was the residence on the individual driving the vehicle and his wife,” Jones said. Jones declined to release the names of the other parties involved in the incident due to the ongoing investigation.

The Lee County Coroner pronounced Day dead shortly after his arrival at 10:24 a.m.

Witnesses said that after the couple left their residence and drove out onto Lee Road 367, they encountered Day, who appeared to be waiting on them, Jones said.

“Mr. Day fired a shotgun at their vehicle at which point the couple backed into their yard in an attempt to get away from Mr. Day,” Jones said. “Mr. Day then followed them into their yard in his vehicle, exited his vehicle and fired a shotgun at the vehicle, at which point the driver of the other vehicle ran over Mr. Day.”

Deputies recovered a shotgun at the scene, as well as two handguns on Day’s person, Jones said.

“No charges or arrests have been made at this time,” Jones said.

He said the vehicle the couple occupied had damage that appeared to be consistent with a shotgun blast to its windshield and body.

Day’s body has been sent to Montgomery for an autopsy.

Papa Jack's store in Huntsville robbed by men wearing Halloween masks

HUNTSVILLE, Al.
Huntsville police are searching for two men who robbed the Papa Jack's convenience store on Andrew Jackson Way Monday night wearing Halloween masks.

Police said that at about 9:45 p.m. two masked men entered the store at 306 Andrew Jackson Way, one armed with a knife, and demanded money. They left with an unknown amount of cash, according to a police report.

No one was injured in the robbery and there have been no arrests, police said.

Montgomery teen recovers after rescue from capital city tunnel fall

MONTGOMERY, Al.
Authorities say a teenager is recovering after being rescued from a tunnel (old storm drain) in Montgomery.
Fire officials say the 13-year-old girl sustained broken limbs after falling down a 30- to 50-foot tunnel near Capitol Heights.
The Montgomery Advertiser reports  that it took about two hours for fire crews to rescue the teen after they responded to the scene Sunday afternoon.
District Chief Eric Norton said a rope rescue system was used to pull the girl from the hole.
She suffered a broken leg and arm and is expected to recover from the ordeal.
Norton said it wasn't clear how the teenager got into the tunnel, which had a sudden drop-off.

Man arrested in Tuscaloosa food mart robbery

TUSCALOOSA, Al.

Michael Jonathan Weaver

Tuscaloosa police arrested a man they say robbed the Shell Food Mart at 4809 E. Skyland Boulevard Sunday morning.

Michael Jonathan Weaver, 25, was charged with first-degree robbery, according to a Tuscaloosa Police Department report.

Officers responded to a robbery call at the gas station at 10:58 a.m. The Shell cashier told police a man entered the store with something draped over his arm as if he were concealing a weapon. The man demanded money and left the store after receiving an unknown amount of cash, according to TPD spokesman Sgt. Brent Blankley.

Weaver was located by investigators at the Speedco at 3120 Buttermilk Road at 1 p.m. and taken into custody.

Investigators arrested Weaver after questioning him at the Tuscaloosa Police Department and transported him to the Tuscaloosa County Jail. Bond was set at $60,000.

3 arrests by police in Tuscaloosa Waffle House fight caught on video

TUSCALOOSA, Al.

Brandon Dequan Harper, left, and Justin Darnell Harper

Tuscaloosa police arrested three suspects and have identified up to three more in a Sunday morning fight at a Waffle House that was caught on video and uploaded to YouTube.
Video can be seen here: Waffle House Brawl

Brandon DeQuan Harper, 21, and Justin Darnell Harper, 19, both of Tuscaloosa, were charged with disorderly conduct and transported to Tuscaloosa County Jail, Tuscaloosa Police Department spokesman Sgt. Brent Blankley said. Both bonds were set at $300.

A 17-year-old juvenile also was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Blankley said two to three other suspects have been identified and warrants will be obtained for them.

Investigators have determined that the fight was linked to an August robbery, Blankley said. The suspect in the case saw the victim in the Waffle House, then started an altercation that led to the fight.

The camera that captured the fight on video was turned on after security in the restaurant made the parties involved leave the building. 

Blankley said videotaping of incidents like this have both potentially negative and positive effects.

"Naturally, that's going to stir something up," Blankley said. "On the different side of it, it did help us because we had very clear video on YouTube showing the suspects, showing the fight. Normally when we get surveillance videos from stores it's not that clear and the suspect isn't walking up to us basically telling us that he was just in the fight that we just saw."

Investigators were able to identify suspects by watching the video and by receiving tips via Crime Stoppers. 

"We took it very seriously," Blankley said. "We had a team of investigators today simply trying to identify these people and get warrants on these suspects.

"This stuff breaking out won't be tolerated in the city of Tuscaloosa."

Escaped inmate back in custody

Lee County, Al.

An inmate who walked off a Lee County Sheriff’s Office work detail last week is back behind bars.

Benny Lee Matney

Benny Lee Matney, 34, of Valley, turned himself in at the Lee County Detention Facility Sunday after walking off an inmate work detail that was picking up litter on U.S. Highway 280 near the intersection of Lee Road 249 in Smiths Station Thursday, said LCSO Chief Investigator Capt. Van Jackson.

Matney was being held in the Lee County Detention Facility on failure to appear for possession of drug paraphernalia and domestic violence before his Thursday escape, Jackson said

Matney has additionally been charged with third-degree escape, Jackson said.

Montgomery police say woman made up story about being robbed

MONTGOMERY, Al.
The Montgomery Police Department has arrested a 41-year-old Erica Pitts, of Gordon Court, in connection with the theft of business receipts from her employer.

Erica Pitts

Police say Pitts reported that three deposit bags she was taking to the bank were stolen at gunpoint. She told police that she was struck from behind as she was driving on Vaughn Road, and after she stopped her vehicle she was approached by an armed subject who stole the bags. The incident was reported to police Oct. 17 after 10 a.m.
Investigators say there was no evidence of an accident or robbery, and police have charged Pitts with false reporting to law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor, and with first-degree theft of property, a Class B felony.
Pitts is being held in the Montgomery County Detention Facility under a $2,500 bond.

Mobile police say human remains found in wooded area in west Mobile

MOBILE, Al.
Human remains were found in a wooded area in far west Mobile this afternoon, officials said today in a news release.
The name of the victim was not immediately released, and investigators continued to work tonight to establish the age, race and gender of the person whose remains were found. Cause of death had also not been established this evening.

Police received a call about 1:16 p.m. Upon arrival police found some bones believed to be human in a wooded area where a Public Works Department crew was clearing, police spokesman Cpl. Christopher Levy said.
The scene where the remains were found is on city-owned property at the north end of Myland Avenue, which runs parallel to North Cody Road a block east and about half a mile north of the Cody-Overlook-Howells Ferry triple intersection.
The city property is normally gated and closed, and a sign on the gate warns that hunters and trespassers would be prosecuted. A dirt road runs from the gate, curving right and down toward what police said was the scene where the remains were found.
Three pieces of earth-moving equipment belonging to the city remained at the scene this evening as night fell.
The nearest home to the scene, just south of the gate, is vacant and boarded up. The Canadian National Railway tracks run east and west near the scene, about 150 yards to the north.
Homicide detectives will continue to investigate the incident. If anyone has information about this incident, please call the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211, Crime Stoppers at 251-208-7000, or text to 274637 and include the keyword CRIME 411.

Tarrant bank robbery suspect arrested

TARRANT, Al.

A suspect in Friday's robbery of a Tarrant Wells Fargo bank branch was arrested this afternoon, said Tarrant Police Chief Dennis Reno.

The suspect, a 52-year-old man, was arrested in Leeds with the help of Leeds police, Reno said.

Charges will likely be filed Tuesday, Reno said.

The bank, at 1700 Pinson Street, was robbed just before 3 p.m. Friday

According to the FBI, the man entered the bank, presented a note and demanded money.

Security camera photos capture images of 2 men sought in fatal east Jefferson County robbery

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Al.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office today released pictures investigators said show two men who are believed involved in a fatal robbery attempt Sunday night.

Security cameras from a gas station show a man in red, believed to be the shooter, and man in black, who was in the car with the man in red and is described as a person of interest.

The two are sought in the shooting death of Henry Lamar Smoot, 27.

Sheriff's deputies were called to the BP service station on Center Point Parkway near 23rd Avenue N.W. just after 8 p.m. They found Smoot beside a vehicle in the parking lot, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Chief Deputy Randy Christian said the shooter got into Smoot's vehicle, shot him and then fled on foot. Smoot was able to get out of his car before collapsing in the parking lot.

A small, gray car was seen driving away and may be involved.

Christian said marijuana and cash were recovered at the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at 325-1450.

Nick Saban's car gets a parking ticket in downtown Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Al.

The sign says, "No parking." That goes for anybody and everybody. Even Nick Saban.

Alabama's head football coach was in downtown Birmingham today to speak to the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in the Harbert Center.

He was driven there by a member of his support staff, who then parked the Mercedes right in front of the building on 4th Avenue North.

Saban first spoke to members of the news media, who upon exiting the building saw a meter maid pulled up beside Saban's car.

She was told it was Saban's car.

"Oh, so you're going to take pictures of me doing my job?
Doing my job," she said.

And she continued to write the ticket.

"Maybe he'll give me a free ticket," she said before putting the ticket on the passenger side of the windshield and moving on.

This is news?

This is Nick Saban.

This is Alabama football.

No word on if the woman is from Louisiana.

Tuscaloosa police offering cash reward for IDs on Waffle House brawlers (VIDEO)

TUSCALOOSA, Al.

Caution: Video contains racially offensive language. Do Not watch if this offends you. We chose to post video so you can possibly help identify these offenders.
 Video contains racially offensive language, cursing and violence

Tuscaloosa police are offering a cash reward to people who can help identify those involved in a brawl at the Waffle House on McFarland Boulevard on early Sunday morning.

Officers are pulling still shots from the YouTube video to help anyone who might be able to identify the individuals who fought.

                                                                                  
Those who can help should contact Tuscaloosa County Crime Stoppers at (205) 752-STOP. Those who can identify anyone in the fight, including what they're wearing in the video, will be eligible for a cash reward if it leads to the arrest of the suspect.

                                                                                  

Police responded to the Waffle House at 3421 McFarland Boulevard East at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday on a call that people were fighting the parking lot and inside the restaurant.

When officers arrived on the scene, the suspects involved in the fight were not there. Once the suspects are identified, warrants will be obtained for their arrest.
Thrown chairs, thrown punches, body slams and screamed slurs went for 5 minutes as a vocal onlooker caught it all on video and, of course, posted it to YouTube.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

 

The DEA has scheduled the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day for Saturday, October 29, 2011, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.  The Dothan Police Department will once again provide a drop off site at 210 North Saint Andrews Street in the front parking lot. This is a great opportunity for those who missed previous events or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted or unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of them.

The Dothan Police Department has regularly participated in the national prescription drug "Take-Back" campaign since the start of the successful program in 2010. According to the US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration, “More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.”

Based on this information, the DEA, in conjunction with state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, conduct the event to make provisions for anyone wanting to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.