News

Authorities make major spice bust after nearly 2 years

Thursday, May 30th, 2013, 5:37pm

Spice bust at store in Stevenson (Source: Jackson County Sheriff's Office)

JACKSON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- It's taken nearly two years, but Jackson County deputies feel that they have enough evidence to move forward with a major spice case.

The bust two years ago dealt with nearly 20 pounds of spice. Back then, they didn't have testers for the new drug for probable cause, so they had to wait until forensics could positively identify the drug before an arrest could be made.

After a traffic stop on Highway 71 in the Flat Rock community, 41-year-old Ralph Dwayne Currie and 27-year-old Selina Johnson Currie, both of Henagar, were charged after a small amount of spice was found in the vehicle.

They now face various drug charges including manufacturing and possession charges.

A search warrant to a Henagar home and a Fackler business uncovered a large amount of spice and packaged spice.

During that time, Ralph was also served warrants for drug charges relating to the find of nearly 20 pounds of spice back in 2011.

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Jackson Co. administrator's job in limbo

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013, 10:42pm

Sandra Erickson (right) was in attendance for the commission meeting Tuesday afternoon but said she doesn't know why she was placed on leave with pay last week.

JACKSON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- The fate of Jackson County's administrator remains uncertain despite a commission meeting earlier on Tuesday.

Sandra Erickson was in attendance for the commission meeting Tuesday afternoon but said she doesn't know why she was placed on leave with pay last week.

The commission went into executive session before coming out and voting on the chairman's recommendation, although details of the recommendation aren't known.

The meeting was recessed until next Tuesday at 2 p.m.

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Parents injured in overnight house fire

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013, 6:13pm

SCOTTSBORO, AL (WAFF)- Two people were injured in an overnight house fire in the Swearengin community.

Officials said the fire broke out at a mobile home at 2236 Horseshoe Bend Road around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The son was able to pull his father, Jason McGehee, out of the fire. The mother, Kim McGehee, also made it out alive. Jason suffered burns and smoke inhalation. He was flown to Huntsville Hospital, but he is listed fair condition.

Kim was taken to Highlands Medical Center in Scottsboro to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Gift cards and closing stores: what to do

Submitted by Chase Erwin, WAFFstaffer

Friday, May 24th, 2013, 1:57pm

Gift cards and closing stores: what to do

A bankruptcy court judge ruled on Wednesday that the holders of some $210 million in Borders Books gift cards were out of luck: too much time had passed since the September 2011 retailer's shuttering to force its liquidators to reimburse the value of over 17 million cards that went unspent.

Whether the claimants in the lawsuit claimed ignorance or not, it would be hard to argue that the gift card holders didn't have a chance to be notified about Borders' bankruptcy or to spend their cards. Borders announced the bankruptcy in the early summer of 2011, and the last store shut its doors in late September of that year.

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Woman sues city, railroad company after wreck

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013, 5:15pm

Mary Hunter Avenue and Cedar Hill Drive in the city of Scottsboro

SCOTTSBORO, AL (WAFF)- A woman struck by a train while crossing the railroad tracks in Jackson County earlier this month has now filed suit against the city and the railroad.

She is still recovering from her injuries in Huntsville since she was flown there earlier this month and faces a lot of rehabilitation.

It happened May 8th near Mary Hunter Avenue and Cedar Hill Drive in the city of Scottsboro.

Attorneys for Sheila Elliott filed suit Tuesday on her behalf against Norfolk Southern Railway, the city of Scottsboro, and the train's conductor. The suit claims it was negligence that caused the accident.

Attorney Brent Parker said trains must follow federal law in operating.

The suit claims proper signage was not installed, and he has witnesses who say the conductor failed to blow his horn upon arriving at the intersection.

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Flat Rock resident empathizes with OK victims

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013, 5:29pm

Strickland Building Supply (Source: Susan Wright)

FLAT ROCK, AL (WAFF)- People in Alabama know all too well the devastating damage and deaths that tornadoes can bring.

Few know what it's like to have to deal with it twice, but some residents in Jackson County do.

One woman's business was hit in 2003 only to have another tornado come back to affect her family again in 2011.

In 2003, nearly $1-million worth of damage was done when a tornado struck Strickland Building Supply located in Flat Rock.

Eight years later, to a much lesser extent, the building was struck again.

Owner Susan Wright said the 2011 tornado also struck her home doing more than $10,000 in damage.

Wright understands what the people of Oklahoma are dealing with.

The business today is rebuilt, but back then Wright said, like Oklahoma, her focus was on the local elementary school, which was just down the road.

Fortunately for Flat Rock, their elementary school was not affected.

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Deadly respiratory illness in AL stumps CDC

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013, 5:01pm

HOUSTON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- There is a mystery brewing in south Alabama. An illness has hospitalized several people, killing two of them.

It is something that leaves the patient struggling to breathe.

The Alabama Department of Public Health is putting everyone on notice about a mystery illness. Epidemiologists are conferring with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about a cluster of respiratory illnesses.

The origin of the illness is unknown, but it is striking people in the Houston County area. So far, seven people have been hospitalized with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Two of those patients have died.

Lab specimens have been collected and are being studied. For now, both the Public Health Department and the CDC are recommending hospitals use respiratory protocol when dealing someone with such an illness, meaning masks and gloves.

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