Lanett child's death ruled an accidental drowning

By Associated Press

Police and emergency personnel responded to what has been ruled an accidental drowning at a Lanett residence Saturday, according to a Lanett Police Department release.

Once on the scene, emergency workers discovered a 3-year-old who had been pulled from a swimming pool at the residence.

The child, identified as Dallas Teague, was taken to Lanier Hospital in Valley, where the child was later pronounced dead, according to information provided by the Lanett Police Department.

No additional details were available as of press time Monday.

OZARK POLICE DEPARTMENT DAILY CRIME BULLETIN – Tuesday, August 2, 2011

AUGUST 1, 2011 – MONDAY:
@  8:43 am.  Domestic Violence 2nd. Washington Ave. Suspect (Jo Ann Ramsey Clark) stated she cut her
husband in the abdomen after an argument. Victim (Calvin Clark) was in the bed suffering with diabetic
problems. Victim had multiple cuts over his entire body.  

@  9:30 am. Harassment. Hull St. Victim (Alvin Thomas) stated suspect (Tammy Cooper) entered Quick
Service Cab office and started to unplug victim’s equipment from the electrical outlets.

 
@ 12:44 pm. Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle. Hull St. Victim (Geneice Jackson) stated suspect (Charles
James Whitfield) took her vehicle during a domestic argument and was planning to leave the state. 

@  6:21 pm. Harassing Communications. Yancey St. Victim (Lovely B. Smedley) reported suspect (Megan
Childress) repeatedly send text and calls the victim threatening bodily harm.

 
@ 10:15 pm. Menacing/Criminal Mischief 3rd. Hull St. Victim (Arthur Lee Griffin) stated suspect (Mary
Williams) threatened him with pepper spray and damaged the paint on his vehicle with an unknown
object. 

ARRESTS:
Amanda Kay Hughes – Failure to Appear (3). 883 S. Hwy 123. 21 YOA.

UPDATED: 10:15 am EDT, August 2, 2011 Emily's track has turned

click on photos to enlarge.

Emily remains a weak and fairly disorganized tropical storm this morning. Although there are some very cold cloud tops seen on IR satellite imagery, the inner core of the storm is not very well defined. Until and unless this changes for the better for Emily, it will not strengthen much. This won't matter too much for Hispaniola where a lot of rain is going to fall. Flash floods and mudslides are a near certainty as the storm drops several inches of rain on the region. Also consider the orographic lift of the mountains. They will act to squeeze out the moisture and enhance the tropical rains leading to excessive amounts in the end. Of course, Haiti is still dealing with the terrible earthquake from last year and will need to take measures to mitigate effects to life and property in this fragile nation. The faster Emily can move in and out, the better. So far, it looks as though it will be a quick passage with no stall or major slow down anticipated.

Of course the rugged terrain will also take a bite out of Emily as its circulation will become disrupted to some extent. How much so depends on how well organized it is in the first place. A weak, disorganized storm cannot get much more weak where as a stronger, well developed storm or hurricane would suffer more and have more energy to lose. We'll just have to wait and see how this plays out but Emily is not expected to be much of a storm once it passes over Hispaniola.

The track has changed which is always expected. Now it looks as though Florida will not have to deal with direct effects from Emily. There will be an increase in waves and rough surf once Emily crosses Hispaniola. In fact, if the forecast models verify and Emily turns away from the coast, missing completely, I assure you there will still be a dangerous surf issue to deal with all across the Southeast. It is too soon to know if Emily will ever make landfall along the U.S. mainland but it could be close. Let's first see if the storm survives its trip out of the Caribbean over the next couple of days. We will post updates this evening.

Dothan Police Department responded to an armed robbery at Citgo, 814 South Oates Street

UPDATE: AUG 2,2011

We have had issues with the video from Citgo. Technicians with DPD and WTVY have worked with us to try and open the file but unfortunately there is a problem that is preventing us from running it. Investigators returned to the store and were able to capture 2 still photographs of the suspect which are actually pretty good

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

On July 31, 2011 the Dothan Police Department responded to an armed robbery at Citgo, 814 South Oates Street. Upon arrival, police learned a black male wearing a red Alabama baseball cap, gray tee shirt, blue shoes and blue jeans entered the store armed with a handgun. The suspect demanded and received U. S. Currency before fleeing on foot. Police are asking anyone with information about the case or identity of the suspect to call the Dothan Police Department or CrimeStoppers 334-793-7000.






Gregory J. Benton
Chief of Police

Alabama Settles Parents’ Lawsuit Over Prepaid-Tuition Plan

Parents who bought contracts in Alabama’s Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program have settled a lawsuit they filed against the state after the program began running out of money, according to the Associated Press. Under the terms of the agreement, approved Wednesday by a state judge, the program will pay state-college tuition at the fall 2010 rate, with students and their families covering anything above that level. Last year the Alabama Legislature agreed to provide $547.6-million to keep the program afloat, but that wasn’t enough to fulfill all its obligations. “You can’t get blood out of a turnip,” a lawyer for the parents said. “This settlement at least got the turnip.”

Study: Small changes could prevent twister damage

Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A new study of tornado destruction in Tuscaloosa found that relatively minor changes in construction — things like better shingles, more anchors and thicker vinyl siding — could have prevented much of the damage to houses on the fringes of the twister.
Researchers said nothing could have saved structures that were in the direct path of the EF-4 tornado, which skirted the University of Alabama campus with winds up to 190 mph on its way through the city. Forecasters said it was one of the strongest twisters to hit the state during the severe weather outbreak that killed more than 240 people statewide on April 27.
"The winds are so high that a wood-frame structure is not going to withstand them. In those cases, you need a safe room," said researcher Andy Graettinger of the University of Alabama. "But the vast majority of the area (experienced) lower wind speeds that you can engineer for. You need to have the roof tied to the walls and the walls tied to the foundation to prevent major damage."
Homeowners on the fringes of the tornado would have been spared at least some damage with different construction methods or improvements to existing homes, Graettinger said. In some cases, he said, homes could have been saved from catastrophic damage by metal clips or straps that cost about $1 each.
"You're looking at a few thousand dollars for these clips that hold everything together," Graettinger said in an interview Friday. "It's a very small amount compared to the cost of the house."
The final report is being released Monday. The Associated Press obtained a copy in advance.
A research team funded by the National Science Foundation assessed more than 150 homes along the nearly six-mile path of the tornado in Tuscaloosa, looking at everything from homes that were leveled to those that weren't damaged at all.
The most serious damage was at the center of the path of destruction, where the swirling winds were strongest and the most debris flew through the air. Homes on the edges of the storm received far less damage because the storm was weaker on its edges, and the team focused on how to reduce damage in that zone.
Researchers found that basic changes like using wind-rated shingles; additional anchors at the bottom of porch columns; metal straps to link roofs with walls; and higher-quality vinyl siding could have made a huge difference in how well some homes survived the storm.
"We would have saved a lot of rebuilding cost if that had been done," said Graettinger, who worked with Alabama engineering professor John W. van de Lindt and other researchers on the project.
Researchers didn't determine how much the needed changes would add to the cost of a new home, or the cost of retrofitting existing homes to make them stronger. But they hope the findings will lead to better construction techniques in tornado-prone areas, much as coastal areas have adapted building codes and methods to help structures withstand hurricanes.

Albertville woman accused of stealing from graves

The Sand Mountain Reporter

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — An unemployed Albertville woman has been accused of stealing bronze vases from graves and selling them to a local scrapyard.
Assistant Police Chief Jamie Smith says 30-year-old Laura McDill has been charged with theft of property and desecration of a burial ground. Her bond was set at $60,000. A phone listing for McDill could not be located.
Smith told The Sand Mountain Reporter that 11 urns were reported stolen from Marshall Memorial Gardens on July 18.
An officer who pulled over McDill for a traffic stop noticed an urn in her vehicle. Smith says that McDill confessed to stealing the urns and selling them to a scrapyard for $79 each. Detectives were able to recover those urns, but Smith says that more have gone missing.
___
Information from: The Sand Mountain Reporter, http://www.sandmountainreporter.com/

FEMA: Ala. tornado debris mostly removed

Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Federal officials say more than 90 percent of the millions of cubic yards of debris left by the April 27 tornadoes have been removed.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday that the storms left more than 10 million cubic yards of debris.
FEMA says an effort by volunteers and local, state and federal agencies has gotten rid of the great majority of the debris.
FEMA says that to date, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has hauled away more than 4.7 million cubic yards of right-of-way, waterway and private property debris and deposited it in landfills. Private contractors and crews in counties and cities have removed an additional 4.3 million cubic yards.

Ex-lawmaker facing charges fired from school pos

Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Wilcox County Board of Education has voted to fire former state Rep. James Thomas from his job as principal of Wilcox Central High School in Camden. Thomas faces criminal charges that he sexually abused a 17-year-old student.
Wilcox Superintendent Rosa Ashmon said Friday the board voted to begin the legal process of firing Thomas. She said his pay would stop once the process is complete.
School board member Darryl Perryman said through a private Facebook message that the board voted Monday to fire Thomas. He said the action was taken during a specially called meeting of the school board.
On Tuesday, Wilcox County District Attorney Michael Jackson said Thomas had been indicted by the county grand jury on the felony charge of third-degree sex abuse and the misdemeanor charge of having sex with a student under 19.
Thomas has been on paid leave from his principal's job since he was charged in November with abusing a student.
He is free on bond. His bond was raised from $15,000 to $45,000 in December after he was accused of violating the terms of his bond, which prohibited him from attending Wilcox Central school events. He was accused of violating the court orders by attending Wilcox Central basketball games in Hayneville and Selma. Thomas said he misunderstood the court's original order and thought it was okay for him to attend road games.
Thomas' attorney, Lewis Gillis, said Friday he was considering taking action to get Thomas' job back. Gillis said he would meet with Thomas and discuss options for fighting his dismissal and the indictment. Thomas said earlier this week that he was expecting the grand jury indictment and expected to be found innocent when the case goes to trial.
Jackson said an arraignment for Thomas would be held in several months.
Thomas served for 28 years in the House, representing Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes and Wilcox counties in the economically disadvantaged Black Belt region in southwest Alabama.
The Alabama Legislature this year passed a bill streamlining Alabama's teacher tenure law to make it easier for schools to fire teachers and other school employees.
Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard said situations like the one involving Thomas are why the new tenure law was passed. He encouraged Wilcox school officials to take action to remove Thomas from the payroll.
"Considering the new flexibility school systems now have, it would be a shame for them to not use it when it's needed the most," Hubbard said.

Ala moving investments in case of debt limit bust

Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The state is moving some of its investment funds to cash to guard against possible losses should Congress and the White House fail to reach agreement on an extension of the debt ceiling, the governor's office said Friday.
Jennifer Ardis, a spokeswoman for Gov. Robert Bentley, said department heads also had been asked to move as quickly as possible to bring in any federal funding their agencies may be due. They also were told to prioritize payments to protect the "most essential government services" in case federal funds stop flowing from Washington to Montgomery, Ardis said.
"The state is closely monitoring the debt limit issue in Washington and is developing a contingency plan in case the debt limit is not raised," she said.
Some analysts are predicting a sharp downturn in markets if the federal government fails to raise the debt ceiling, leading to a potential default and downgrade of the nation's credit rating. That could hurt investments and increase costs for cities and counties that go to the bond market to borrow money.
David Bronner oversees an investment portfolio worth more than $27 billion as CEO of the state's pension fund, the Retirement Systems of Alabama, but he said there's little he can do but watch and wait to see what happens with the debt ceiling debate in Washington.
About 61 percent of the pension fund's investments are in stock, and even a 10 percent drop in the stock market could cost more than $1.5 billion on paper. But unlike a small investor who could cash out, purchase short-term securities or buy gold that's already high-priced, Bronner said the pension fund must wait out the debt ceiling debate in Congress and see what happens.
"There's nothing you can really do of substance unless you want to take a bunch of derivatives," Bronner, the longtime chief executive of the fund, said in an interview. "The problem with that is that if you guess wrong you can get your head handed to you, too."
State Treasurer Young Boozer said officials have been monitoring the situation in his office, which manages state investments. Boozer, a first-term Republican, said the biggest potential impact is on the investments his staff oversees, but he is hopeful.
"We don't think it's going to have a significant impact on us," Boozer said.
Gov. Robert Bentley's press secretary, Jennifer Ardis, said the administration was preparing a contingency plan in case the debt limit is not raised. With the deadline approaching Tuesday, the state's plan was not far enough along to discuss specifics, she said.
The debate is being watched particularly closely in Huntsville, where about half the economy is tied to the Army or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at Redstone Arsenal. Mayor Tommy Battle and Finance Director Randy Taylor said the city could suffer through credit downgrades and a decline in tax revenues should government operations slow down or grind to a halt, but the effects wouldn't be immediate.
"The worst-case effect is a trickle-down effect, and it will take a while for it to trickle down from Washington to Huntsville," said Battle.
___
AP reporter Jim Van Anglen in Montgomery contributed to this report

Gambling trial near end as defense calls 1 witness

Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The federal gambling corruption trial of Alabama casino owner Milton McGregor and eight others neared its end when defense attorneys made a surprise decision Friday to rest their cases after calling just one witness and the trial judge gave jurors stern instructions that some say may have been inspired by another high profile Alabama trial.
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson scheduled closing arguments to begin Wednesday. Defense attorneys said resting their cases was a gamble, but said they thought the government did not prove its cases and one attorney expressed concerns that jurors were ready for the case to wrap up.
The defendants include McGregor, four current or former state senators, two lobbyists, a legislative employee and a former spokesman for the Country Crossing casino. They are accused of buying and selling votes on a proposed constitutional amendment in the Alabama Legislature in 2010 to legalize electronic bingo games at some locations in Alabama.
Before sending jurors home Friday for what would be a long break before returning on Wednesday, Thompson told them they would be sequestered in a hotel for the remainder or the trial, beginning Wednesday, and would have no contact with the public. He told the jurors not to discuss the case with each other and to avoid websites or blogs.
Several attorneys felt that instruction was at least partly inspired by the 2006 federal trial of former Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth chief executive Richard Scrushy, who were convicted of bribery. In that case, Siegelman was accused of appointing Scrushy to an important hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a lottery.
Siegelman and Scrushy partly based their appeals on claims that jurors discussed the case through emails and did research on the Internet.
Attorney Susan James, who represents indicted former Country Crossing casino spokesman Jay Walker, said she believes the Siegelman case "could have influenced" the judge's warning to jurors. James, who represented Siegelman in the sentencing phase of his trial, said instructions about using email and the Internet have become common since the Siegelman trial.
Attorney Joe Espy, representing McGregor, said he thought the Internet instructions were a reminder of the Siegelman case, but that the decision to sequester jurors during closing arguments and deliberations was something judges have to consider "in any big case."
Lewis Gillis, the attorney for indicted Democratic Sen. Quinton Ross of Montgomery, answered "yes," when asked if the Siegelman case influenced the judge's instructions to jurors.
"I'm sure it had something to do with it," he said.
Jim Parkman, attorney for indicted independent Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Dothan said the Siegelman trial was a learning experience on dealing with juries in the age of the Internet.
"We learned a lesson about texting and things like that," said Parkman.
Parkman said he had been looking forward to putting on a defense and that Smith had been anxious to testify. But he said he thought there was no evidence that his client had done anything wrong and he said he feared jurors were getting tired as the trial approaches its third month. He cited an incident on Monday when testimony ended at about 3 p.m. and some jurors cheered when Thompson told them they would be going home early.
"When I saw that reaction it told me they have had enough," Parkman said.
Prosecutors have declined to talk to reporters during the trial.
Espy said he met with McGregor and members of McGregor's family before deciding to rest.
McGregor's defense team felt that government had not proven that there were bribes offered and "we could not see going any further," Espy said.
Much of the case was based on telephone wiretaps and recordings of conversations defendants had with three legislators who wore taping equipment.
Attorneys said they expect closing arguments to last as long as two days. The judge will then give the jurors instructions on law — which could be lengthy because of the complex case that involves a 39-count indictment. Attorneys indicated jurors could begin deliberations sometime Friday.

Ozark Police looking for WHite SUV with Michael Jordan Sticker on back

There has been many fights break out in ozark and Activity at the Quality Inn, Ozark Police is now looking for a white SUV from Dothan, that has a Michael Jordan Sticker on back. Ozark Police believes that this person is involved with all the fights and issues at the quality inn.

Shots fired on ROSS DRIVE

Ozark Police is enroute to ROSS DRIVE in Ozark , Multiple 911 calls received  that shots has been fired one possible injury.

Ozark police responds to QUALITY INN SHOTS FIRED !

Sat July 30 11:45 pm Ozark Police responded to Quality inn  to a fight that end in shots fired. Ozark Police is on scene , parking lot has been cleared. police is on foot. we will keep you posted as we are informed.

Police responded to the residence of a Dothan Police Officer who was involved in the shooting

On July 30, 2011 the Dothan Police Department responded to a firearm assault on Third Avenue. Police responded to the residence of a Dothan Police Officer who was involved in the shooting. The investigation into this shooting is in the earliest stage however a preliminary investigation has revealed there was a documented history of domestic violence in the home between the officer and the officers’ adult son. Investigators have learned the involved parties have had limited contact following a documented domestic situation which occurred earlier this month. The shooting which occurred today appears to involve self defense on behalf of the officer involved. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he is receiving treatment for a moderate injury. Police have not released names of involved parties at this time.

Louisiana man selling 'Bear' Bryant's last Cadillac

 By Laura Metcalf
Special to The Tuscaloosa News

Lloyd Blocker, a car salesman from Bastrop, LA, knew he had a piece of history when he became the owner of the last Cadillac Paul “Bear” Bryant ever owned; he was just not able to prove it until now.

Blocker said he got possession of the car in 2005 when he purchased a warehouse of antique cars from someone’s estate. Until a few months ago, however, he was not able to prove the car once belonged to the legendary coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
“All the records are about gone once it gets that old,” Blocker said.
But that all changed a few months ago when he was contacted by a previous owner of the car, who said she had found the warranty papers proving the car once belonged to Bryant. Now that he has proof of the car’s significance, Blocker said he is putting it up for sale.
The car, which is a green 1972 Cadillac, had approximately 80 thousand miles on it and still runs, Blocker said.
Because the car has historical significance, Blocker said he is not sure what it is worth, but he plans to sell it for $10,000.
When he bought the car, it came with some hats and a picture signed by Bryant, Blocker said. He said he plans to sell those along with the car.
Blocker said although he is not particularly an Alabama fan, he does appreciate the skills that made Bryant a legend.
“He was a real good coach,” Blocker said.
He said it will not be difficult for him to part with the car, despite its uniqueness.
“I’m that kind of guy,” Blocker said, “I bought it to sell.”

www.tuscaloosanews.com

Who has been bad

OZARK POLICE DEPARTMENT
DAILY BULLETIN – Thursday, July 28, 2011

JULY 27, 2011 – WEDNESDAY:
@ 12:07 am. Duty Upon Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle. 1537 Hwy 231. Victim (Sally T. Skelly) stated
an unknown suspect struck her vehicle. 

@ 3:04 am. Possession of a Forged Instrument. 1090 Hwy 231. Complainant (Thomas r. Weldon) stated
an unknown paid for items with a counterfeit $5 bill. 

@ 8:42 am. Domestic Violence 3rd. Harris Rd. Victim (Tomekia Cooper) stated suspect/ex-boyfriend
entered her apartment, hit her several times and barricaded her and her son inside the apartment. 

@ 8:48 am. Duty Upon Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle. Dean Church Rd. Victim (Regina Johnson)
stated an unknown suspect hit her vehicle while it was parked in her driveway inside her fence.

@ 10:32 am. Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Card. Grocery Outlet. Complainant (Tonya R. Watson)
stated suspects (Jamie L. Redding and Jesse J. Redding) were attempting to make a purchase with a
credit/debit card that had been reported stolen. 

@ 10:32 am. Criminal Trespass 1st. Grimes Rd. Victim (Melissa P. Prichard) stated an unknown suspect
entered her home, moved stuff around and deleted emails. 

@ 2:17 pm. Identity Theft. Andrews Ave. Victim (Brittny R. McLeod) stated an unknown suspect used
her personal information to obtain phone service in 2005. Suspect left bills unpaid. 

@ 5:19 pm. Failure to Pay for Gasoline. Broad St. Complainant stated and unknown person pumped
$5.00 in gasoline and drove away without paying.
 
@ 5:30 pm. Missing Person. Arthur Ave. Complainant (Kinnyarta R. Jones) stated subject/Dad (Leon
Jones) left the residence on foot in an unstable condition.  Subject was missing over 24 hrs before he was
found by a local resident.
 
@ 6:12 pm. Failure to Pay for Gasoline. Inland Gas Station. Complainant (Penelope A. Kline) stated an
unknown suspect pumped $15.00 in gas and left without paying. 

ARRESTS:
Jessica Diane Coots – Failure to Appear (2). 93 Ross Dr., Newton. 29 YOA.
Aaron Jiles – Domestic Violence 3rd. 1906 Andrews Avenue. 33 YOA.

two Dothan juvenile subjects involved in an altercation ends in stabbing

Press Release

July 28, 2011

On July 27, 2011 the Dothan Police Department responded to Wiregrass Park reference to a call involving two juvenile subjects involved in an altercation.  During the course of the incident one of the juveniles was stabbed by the other juvenile involved and subsequently transported to a local hospital to receive stitches.  Following the initial reporting of the incident, officers were able to locate the juvenile suspect at a nearby residence and take him into custody.  The juvenile suspect was transported to and being held at the Diversion Center at this time.

Gregory J. Benton

Chief of Police

Walmart employee charged with taking pictures of children in bathroom

 By The Associated Press

Steven Wallace Davidson Jr

DOTHAN, Alabama — Dothan police say a man is charged with taking pictures of children in the restroom at a Walmart store.
Police say they arrested 34-year-old Steven Wallace Davidson Jr. and charged him with the production of child pornography.
Houston County District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis set the bail for Davidson at $1 million on Wednesday.
Davidson has been at the Houston County Jail since his arrest on July 18.
Dothan Police Sgt. Doug Magill says some pictures were taken while Davidson worked at Walmart.
Attorney Eric Davis, who represents Davidson, says his client is not a flight risk because his family lives in Dothan.

Federal government paying state trooper salaries; 38 troopers laid off, immediately re-hired

By The Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The federal government is now paying the salary for almost 40 Alabama state troopers.
The Department of Public Safety says it laid off 38 troopers on Thursday. But they were immediately rehired using federal grant money. The agency says motorists won't see any change on state highways, and no patrols are being curtailed.
The department is facing a $6 million budget shortfall, and the grant will cover almost half of that.