Congressman Plans Traveling Help Desk Hours Locally

If you need help with problems that might be solved by working with Congressman Robert Aderholt, but you can't travel to his district office, his office is coming to you. The Congressman has announced that field representative Ethan Vice will be in two area locations coming up - both on November 18th. The "traveling help desk hours" will be at Albertville City Hall from 10 a.m. to noon, and then at Oneonta City Hall from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. For a full list of services that the Congressman's office can help with - go to his website - aderholt-dot-house-dot-gov.

Fewer People are Working for the State Government

Fewer people are working for the state now - than were a year ago. The number of people working for Alabama agencies, offices, boards, and courts, has dropped by 4-point-4-percent from a year ago, according to the Birmingham News. The number of state workers now is just shy of 36-thousand. Governor Robert Bentley says the number of workers dropped because some workers had to be laid off, while other agencies couldn't afford to to replace workers who quit or retired. He thinks the decline will continue for the next couple of years because of the state's financial situation.

State Offices Closed Two Extra Days Around the Holidays

State offices will be closed a couple of extra days around the holidays this year. Governor Robert Bentley announced today - that state employees will be getting two extra days off: the Friday after Thanksgiving - which is November 25th - and the Friday before Christmas - which is December 23rd. State offices will be closed those days. State workers already get Thanksgiving and Christmas off. By the way, keep in mind, if you have state business to take care of around Christmas - state offices also will be closed on the day AFTER Christmas - December 26th.

Motorcycle fatality

Alabama State Troopers are investigating a collision between a motorcycle and an automobile in Blount County that left a Warrior man dead. It happened Saturday afternoon at 12:45, just west of Hayden on Alabama 160. 35-year-old Jeremy Brian Newland was killed. The driver of the car was not injured.

Guilty pleas in sex crimes

Two Etowah County men have avoided going on trial for child molestation by pleading guilty in separate cases. The DA says 22-year-old Victor Colton Allen of Attalla pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse and first-degree sodomy involving three children under the age of 12. And 41-year-old Tommy Steadmire of Gadsden pleaded guilty to second-degree sodomy involving a 12-year-old child. Allen faces up to 99 years in prison, Steadmire faces a possible 20 years. Both men will be sentenced on January 31st.

School chairman dies

The chairman of the Anniston City Schools system has died. According to the Anniston Star, Richard Hooks passed away Saturday after a brief illness. Two members of the school board said Hooks had taken ill at his home and later died after being transported to Regional Medical Center. His career included teaching art at Cobb High School and Anniston High and had been principal of Johnston Elementary. Richard Hooks was 69.

Gadsden Heart Walk

You can help in the fight against heart disease and stroke by taking part in the annual Gadsden Heart Walk this Saturday. Sponsored by the American Heart Association, it's a three-mile, non-competitive event which promotes the benefits of walking. Sign-up at the Coosa Valley YMCA on Walnut Street begins at 8 AM and the walk starts at 9 AM. You can find out more at neal (n-e-a-l) heartwalk-dot-org.

New Chamber President

The Chamber of Gadsden/Etowah County has a new president. She's Heather Brothers New, who most recently served as regional financial development officer for the Alabama Region of the American Red Cross. New is originally from Altoona and went to school at Gadsden State Community College and Jacksonville State University. She currently lives in Gadsden with her husband and three children. New plans to take over as chamber president on November 14th.

Drug Take Back Day

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day for this Saturday. The idea is to provide a place where you can safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs to keep them from falling into the wrong hands, including those of children. The Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit is hosting a Drug Take Back in the parking lot of the East Gadsden Walmart Supercenter on East Meghan Boulevard and the Fort Payne Police Department is collecting drugs at its headquarters at 200 Gault Avenue South. The hours are from 10 AM to 2 PM and again, that is on Saturday.

Paralyzed man tries to steal truck

A paralyzed Arab man has been arrested for trying to steal a truck. The incident happened early Sunday morning at an RV campground next to the Marshall County Park off Cha La Kee Road. Police say a couple returning to the park reported seeing 28-year-old Jeffery Daniel Johnson inside a green GMC pickup belonging to a man who had recently been put in a nursing home. Officers arrived to find Johnson in another home nearby. A second man who was arrested said Johnson, who is paralyzed, drives by using a stick to press the pedals. Police say that stick was found in the truck.

Giant cabbage

There's money in giant cabbages. Garrett Royster, who goes to Albertville Elementary, took part in the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program, as did a million and a half third graders across the country. Garrett grew a very large cabbage and was selected at random from all the entries in Alabama by state Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan to receive a one-thousand dollar U.S. Savings Bond.

State Agency OKs Hospital Expansion Plans

Stringfellow Memorial Hospital has gotten the green light from an Alabama regulatory agency - to expand. The move from the state health planning and development agency says the hospital can go forward with a multi-million-dollar project to expand the surgical wing and parking lot, according to the anniston star. The hospital had previously submitted a version of plans that included designs for a heart surgery room... but administrators had agree NOT to do heart surgeries, after Regional Medical Center - which is the only facility in the area with state permission to perform heart surgeries - complained. The expansion is set to be done by late summer of 2012.

Alabama Executes Man Accused of Killing His Son

The state of Alabama has executed a man who pleaded guilty to killing his infant son. 39-year-old Christopher Thomas Johnson was accused of suffocating and beating the child in 2005. He spent just four years on death row... he requested the death penalty, and the request was granted in 2007. Johnson was the sixth inmate executed in the state this year, and the 38th nation-wide in 2011.

Calhoun County Court Facing Paperwork Backlog

The Calhoun County District Court is dealing with a major backlog of paperwork. As of September first, the manpower at the courthouse went from 25 people, to 12, because of cuts. With fewer people to process things like small claims checks, it's taking longer to get things done. Court officials say the backlog is growing, fast, and will gradually get worse, according to the Anniston Star. One step was to close the courthouse to the public on Fridays to give workers a chance JUST to do paperwork, but that only helped a little. Just one person takes care of civil and small claims cases. Most of the clerks have to focus on criminal cases.

September unemployment

Alabama's unemployment rate has declined slightly. State Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced today that the September rate was nine-point-eight percent, down from nine-point-nine in August. But it remains above the national unemployment rate of nine-point-one percent. Locally, four counties showed no change in unemployment rates: Marshall stayed at eight-point-eight, Dekalb at 11-point-six, Cherokee at nine-point-one and Calhoun at nine-point-six. Blount County was up from eight-point-four percent in August to eight-point-eight percent in September and Etowah went from 10 percent even to nine-point-nine.

Lake Guntersville tourney

A major bass fishing tournament is underway on Lake Guntersville. Paul Elias of Laurel, Mississippi, led after day one of the Walmart FLW Tour Open presented by Mercury. According to fishingworld-dot-com, Elias weathered cool temperatures and windy conditions for a five-bass limit weighing 26 pounds. The tournament features top anglers from all over the country competing for a top cash prize of up to 125-thousand dollars plus valuable points toward qualifying toward the 2012 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing.

Covered Bridge Festival

The Blount County Covered Bridge Festival takes place tomorrow. It runs from 9 AM to 4 PM on Main Street in downtown Oneonta. The festival includes car and motorcycle shows, handmade jewelry, wood artwork, plus food and entertainment and a children's area. If you're looking for the covered bridges, you can find them on Alabama 75 just north of Oneonta, Alabama 79 just north of Cleveland and US 231 in Rosa.

Beaten girl improves

The condition of a Boaz High School student beaten in a school restroom was upgraded Thursday from serious to fair. The 16-year-old girl is in the intensive care unit of Huntsville Hospital with injuries to her head and face. Boaz police have arrested a 16-year-old girl in connection with the attack. She appeared in Albertville Juvenile Court Thursday and was remanded in the custody of a nearby youth detention center.

Freeze warning

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for tomorrow morning for a large area of Alabama, including Marshal, DeKalb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee and Etowah counties. The coldest temperatures of the season so far are expected. Prematurely budding plants, shrubs, and trees will be susceptible to these cold temperatures and might suffer frost damage and could be killed if left unprotected. The freeze warning will be in effect from 1 AM to 9 AM.

SSA Office moving within Anniston

The Social Security Administration office in Anniston will be moving from the spot its been since 1967 -- to a strip mall on Quintard at 8th street. Anniston leaders hope the move will help spur more tenants to move to that area, according to the anniston star. The move should happen after the start of the year. There was a chance that the office could have moved to a different town.

Arab meth bust

Police who showed up at a home in Arab Tuesday found a man sitting in his yard, cooking a large amount of methamphetamine. They say there was an active meth lab and 10 ounces of meth in front of a stolen motorcycle. Steve Lamar Martin was charged with manufacturing and trafficking methamphetamine and receiving stolen property.

Sexual abuse and incest arrest

A 27-year-old Horton woman has been arrested after being indicted by a Marshall County Grand jury for first-degree sexual abuse and incest. The sheriff's office says the alleged victim is a child younger than 12 and a family member. An investigation by the sheriff's office and the Alabama Department of Human Resouces began after the child reported the crime to a therapist.

Boaz High School fight

A Boaz High School student was in intensive care Wednesday following a fight in a school restroom the day before. The 16-year-old girl suffered a head injury and Boaz police say they don't know if it was caused by a fist hitting her in the head or contact with the floor or both. Officers were told there were four girls in the restroom at the time. One of the alleged attackers was charged with second degree assault and was being held a the Cullman County Detention Center.

Mother arrested after birth

A Boaz woman has been arrested after giving birth to a child that was born under the influence of methamphetamine and suffering from the effects of meth. The child was born premature on Monday and is hospitalized in neonatal intensive care. 27-year-old Shannon Gomez is charged with chemical endangerment of a child and is being held in the Marshall County Jail on 500-thousand dollars bond.

Special Weather Statement

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement: a cold air mass will continue to move southeast into the Tennessee Valley and set the stage for frost and subfreezing temperatures tomorrow morning as winds diminish and skies clear. The threats will be highest in Northeast Alabama, especially in valleys and other protected areas. A more widespread threat for frost and and subfreezing temperatures will develop on Saturday morning. Residents should be aware of this potential threat and make preparations now to protect sensitive vegetation.

Woman Found Guilty of Receiving Stolen iphones

A Jacksonville woman accused of receiving stolen iphones - has been convicted by a Calhoun County jury. Lisa Hicks was found guilty of second-degree receiving stolen property. Hicks will be sentenced November 22nd, and faces anywhere from a decade to 99 years in prison, according to the Anniston Star. It took the jury about 40 minutes to come to a decision.

Death of Man from Friday Fire Ruled Accidental

Authorities have ruled the death of an East Gadsden man in a fire last week - an accident. Fire crews responded to the 400 block of Nunnally Avenue Friday morning, and found smoke in the home, but the fire was out. 51-year-old William Lawson's body was inside, in a bedroom. The fire had burned a hole in the living room floor, sucked the cold air from underneath the house into the fire, and put itself out. The fire is believed to have started up to six hours before Lawson's body was found... and Lawson had reportedly been dead for several hours. He died from smoke inhalation, according to the Gadsden Times.

Gadsden Zombie Parade

The walking dead will be walking the streets of Gadsden this weekend. The seventh annual Zombie Parade gets underway at 4 PM Saturday with a zombie meet-and-greet, then at 4:30, the zombies stagger along Broad and Chestnut streets. Anyone is welcome to take part and the event is free.

Etowah securities indictment

An Etowah County grand jury recently indicted a Florida man on 11 counts of securities violations. 71-year-old James Leonard Craft was arrested by U.S. Marshals in the panhandle county of Santa Rosa on September 23rd and waived extradition to Alabama. Craft was charged with illegal activities involving his company, Century Lumber and Land, including the fact that neither he nor his company were registered to conduct securities business in Alabama.

Etowah garbage contract

Residential garbage in Etowah County will continue to be picked up by Veolia Environmental Services. On Tuesday, the county commission approved a one-year extension of the company's three-year contract. County CEO Patrick Simms says there are no changes in agreement or in the price to customers, which is about 11 dollars 70 cents a month.

Cain to visit Anniston

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain brings his campaign to Alabama next week, starting with a visit to Anniston. Cain, who's been leading his GOP rivals in recent polls, will attend a breakfast reception on October 28th hosted by the Anniston Tea Party. It will be held at the Cane Creek Gold Club in McClellan. Cain will later travel to Talladega, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.

Multiple Reports of Thefts or Break-ins in Boaz

Boaz Police were busy with at least five reports of thefts or break-ins over the weekend. Two of the break-ins involved vehicles... one of the thefts was at a home on Goldkist Street... and the other two incidents were at businesses -- Boaz Discount Drugs, and Tractor Supply Company.

Two Charged in Attalla Burglary

Two people have been charged in the burglary and theft of an Attalla home this weekend. A man came home at about 2 a-m Sunday to find two people stealing property from the home. The resident shot one of the suspects - 18-year-old Marquis Phillips - in the leg, after Phillips allegedly pointed a shotgun at the resident as Phillips ran down the road. Phillips is charged in the case, along with 25-year-old Davonta Graves.

Hispanic Work Stoppage Over

Hispanic-owned businesses and poultry plants reopened and children returned to school Thursday, one day after a work stoppage to protest Alabama's new law on illegal immigration. Participants said they wanted to show off the importance of their labor and dollars to the state, but officials said the demonstration had no real economic impact. Albertville Mayor Lindsey Lyons said only one of the 40 or so businesses that shut down for the day was among the city's larger retailers, so the impact of the protest was "very minimal." Wayne Farms, a major poultry producer that shut down its Albertville processing plant because of the work stoppage, has lost 17 of 850 workers at its Albertville plant.

Ruling in Spain Case Due Monday

A member of the Anniston City Council will learn his fate first thing next week. John Spain is charged with third degree assault, a misdemeanor, in connection with an apparent altercation with Mayor Gene Robinson at the end of the council meeting on September 13th. Calhoun County District Judge Beth Rogers says she'll rule on the case Monday at 1 PM.

Academy of Honor

Eight people including Gov. Robert Bentley, Georgia Congressman John Lewis and University of Alabama President Robert Witt are to be inducted into the The Alabama Academy of Honor will get eight new members on Monday. The inductees include Governor Robert Bentley, Georgia Congressman John lewis and University of Alabama President Robert Witt. The ceremony will be held in the Old House Chamber of the Capitol. The Academy of Honor was created in 1965 by the Legislature to recognize living Alabamians who have made significant contributions to the state and nation.