Public safety

State announces final four companies vying to build Alabama’s new prisons

Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday announced the names of the four companies selected to move forward in a plan to build three new prisons.  Those four companies will move on to the request for proposal stage, each vying to build one or more of the three prisons, which the state has estimated will cost around … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

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November 27, 2019

Vestavia Hills becomes first “TraffickingFree Zone” in Alabama

Mayor Ashley Curry and the Vestavia Hills City Council signed a proclamation during Monday’s City Council Meeting that made the City of Vestavia Hills the first “TraffickingFree Zone” in Alabama. The proclamation is similar to Drug Free Zone initiatives in the early 2000s. It requires 1) the city issue and sign the Proclamation, 2) all … Continued

Brandon Moseley

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November 27, 2019

Police: Remains found in Macon County likely missing college student

Human remains discovered in rural Macon County on Monday are believed to be those of missing college student Aniah Blanchard, numerous law enforcement officials said.  Early on Monday, Auburn Police officials received information on the possible whereabouts of Blanchard’s remains, Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson said during a news conference. Brunson said Auburn PD officials … Continued

Josh Moon

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November 26, 2019

Moody man sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for illegal gun possession, identity theft

Monday, a federal judge sentenced a Moody man for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for aggravated identity theft. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Jay E. Town and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. United States District Judge Liles Burke sentenced Greg Alan McDonald, age … Continued

Brandon Moseley

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November 26, 2019

Former Montgomery cop convicted in shooting of unarmed black man

A former Montgomery Police officer was convicted on Friday of manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed black man in 2016.  Aaron Cody Smith is facing a sentence of between 10 and 20 years for shooting and killing Greg Gunn just steps from the home Gunn shared with his mother. Prosecutors had charged Smith … Continued

Josh Moon

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November 25, 2019

Lowndes County Sheriff John Williams killed in the line of duty

Saturday night began as a routine evening for law enforcement in a small town. Lowndes County Sheriff “Big John” Williams was responding to a call at the Q V. Gas Station in Hayneville. The veteran law enforcement officer asked a young man to turn down the music on his radio. Instead of complying, the young … Continued

Brandon Moseley

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November 25, 2019

New interactive map details Alabama gun violence data

Alabama has the third-highest rate of gun deaths per capita in the nation, according to a recently released interactive map that details just how Alabamians die by gunfire.  In an average year 961 Alabamians die by gunfire, most of them by their own hands, with about 54.8 percent of the deaths the result of people … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

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November 21, 2019

Inmate found dead in Bibb Correctional Facility

A 26-year-old Huntsville man was pronounced dead at the Bibb Correctional Facility on Nov. 11, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.  Correctional officers found inmate Dewayne Foxx at around 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 11 lying on his side in his bed with no visible injuries, but he appeared to have vomited on himself, according … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

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November 20, 2019

Opinion

Violent crime in Alabama: Enough is enough

Kamille McKinney. Aniah Blanchard. Sloan Harmon. Over the last six weeks, the people of Alabama have been confronted with a frightening reality that very few of our politicians have been willing to acknowledge: our state has a violent crime problem. Don’t believe me? Violent crime in Alabama is up 20 percent over the last ten … Continued

Steve Marshall

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November 20, 2019