On Tuesday July 11, 2023, the Tuscumbia police department got a call about 1p.m. about a deceased woman in the parking lot. The woman, Edith Margarita Martinez, 59, was found murdered at McVantage Packaging.
Athens Police arrested Vince Allan Griffin on Tuesday 7/11/23 after identifying him on surveillance video. According to police, they received a call on July 6th saying that there was a dead kitten in a parking lot.
The recently completed Regular Session of the Alabama legislature was a success. It began on a high note and ended positively. Why? There was plenty of money to spend. Both the General Fund Budget and the Education Budget had historic amounts of money.
As many of you know, The Shoals area is known for its music heritage. Not only do we celebrate the life and accomplishments of W.C. Handy, but we get to enjoy all the other artists that come to town to bless us with their musical talents.
As of July 8th, it is now legal to carry around alcoholic beverages in the entertainment district but only if it is in a designated cup and has the businesses’ logo on it. It covers most of downtown Tuscumbia and will allow people to walk around drinking alcohol on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tuscumbia will also start hosting Second Saturdays at 3 p.m. If you like shopping and eating at quaint restaurants, then you should go check out these up and coming events. The kickoff to Second Saturdays was Saturday 7/8/23 at 3 p.m.
And don’t forget about the beautiful Spring Park!! Enjoy feeding the ducks, have a picnic with the family, or even a nice scenic stroll with your loved ones.
For over 40 years, Florence, AL, has been hosting one of the biggest events of the year at McFarland Park. If you grew up in The Shoals, it may not be a big deal to you. But did you know, upwards of 15,000 people attend this event every year? WOW! So how does this affect the local businesses and tourism in The Shoals?
Muscle Shoals Municipal Court is offering Amnesty for a variety of different court cases until 1pm on July 12th, 2023. With the Amnesty program, you are allowed, on certain types of municipal charges, to get the opportunity to clear the cases without the concerns of being arrested.
As the war against drugs continues in The Shoals, Lauderdale County Drug Task Force performed a search of a man’s home in Florence.
Julian Devonne Cole, 29, of Florence, AL has been arrested and charged following a search warrant at 401 Wilson Dam Road, for one of the occupants believed to have been drug dealing, per the Lauderdale County Drug Task Force.
If you plan on getting on the water this weekend, you might want to check out the 17th Annual Elk River, Party, this Saturday July 1st, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Elk River, Anderson Creek. This Boats Only party has been a part of the community for 17 years.
FORT MORGAN, Ala. – Three people confirmed dead , Ft Morgan, AL. Kevin Rose, of Huntsville, passed away about 2:36pm, on 6/24/23. Also, a Texas man, and Georgia man, passed away, all protecting kids.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Officer assisted the Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department in multiple rescues. They did the best they could to make sure everyone survived.
“It was three fire trucks, an ambulance, and then life flight landed right on the street back there – they sat there for about 30 minutes and loaded somebody up and flew off,” said Paul Higgins, vacationing from Huntsville.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Huntsville Utilities says it has restored power to thousands in Madison County after storms moved through Sunday afternoon.
The company said Monday morning that just approximately 10 customers remain without power following the severe thunderstorms Sunday evening. Many families even experienced hail damage.
In the early years of Alabama statehood, the State Auditor and State Treasurer were important positions in our 1819 political era. In those wilderness times of Jacksonian Democracy, it was not unusual for the treasurer and auditor to abscond with some of the fruits of the state coffers. There were no ethics laws at that time, and the old political maxim of “to the victor goes the spoils” prevailed.
Hope everyone is having a GREAT start to the weekend! As you know, summer just started, but doesn’t last long. Baseball, tennis, golf, cookouts, family, friends…how do you manage your time?? We are curious to know, What Is Your Favorite Past Time? I know, for me, it’s the TN River. So, at Shoals Insider and What’s Happening Shoals on Facebook, we would love to hear what you are doing with your free moments? Who is making a game plan? Is family coming to town? When is vacation? Where are you going?
We may actually be able to help. What would you suggest for a Stay-cation? Money is tight with so many families and it is not to be ignored. So?? Where would you recommend?
We encourage your input. Thanks and Have a great WEEKEND!!
Since Titanic was sunk in April of 1912, it was recorded that 1500+ passengers died in the crash. The ships captains log stated that 2,200 people were aboard the ship. Many explorers , have sought after the history and logic of the crash for over a century. At the time, it was one of the largest and most luxurious ships in the world. It was also considered unsinkable, due to a series of compartment doors that could be closed if the bow was breached. However, four days into its maiden voyage in 1912, the Titanic struck a large iceberg, and little did they know, it would sink 4 hours later in the morning hours of April 15th, 1912.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY-Chuck Hearn with the Lauderdale County Drug Task Force issued a press release concerning the arrest of a man who has been charged with Drug Trafficking and several other drug related charges.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — A man convicted of murder over 13 years ago in Lauderdale County has a parole hearing scheduled for July 19, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.
Norman Ernest Widdoson, now 58 years old, will have a chance at parole. He was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison for the murder of James Gregory Wright. Wright, 42, of Green Hill, was beaten and stabbed to death on January 27, 2007.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. — A man convicted of capital murder in Lauderdale County over 16 years ago has died in prison with “no foul play” suspected, according to officials.
Greg Nard, 41, was found unresponsive in his cell on June 14, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, and was pronounced dead on June 17 at 6:45 p.m.
Nard was sentenced to life in prison in 2009 after he pleaded guilty to killing James Gregory Wright, 42, of Green Hill. The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said Wright had been beaten and stabbed to death on January 27, 2007.
There are 24 community and technical colleges in the state, located on 50 different campuses with over 130 service locations. This means every Alabamian reading these words is close to incredible education and training opportunities.
The colleges offer over 300 degrees and certifications, and award more than 30,000 credentials each year that show employers these students are serious about working.
More than 155,000 students are served by Alabama’s community colleges, and 95% of students live in Alabama. What is more, 71% choose to stay in Alabama after completing their studies. These students and alumni add an amazing $6.6 billion to Alabama’s economy each year, according to a report from Lightcast, a national firm that analyzes labor markets. Nearly 99,000 jobs in Alabama are generated or supported by Alabama’s community colleges, their students and alumni. To put it another way, that is one of every 27 jobs in the state.
Under the leadership of Chancellor Jimmy Baker, who took the helm of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) in 2017, innovative and transformational programs are in place that “build strong Alabama people who are willing to work and do what it takes to move the state forward,” as Baker puts it.
Among the most impressive is the Innovation Center, a division of the ACCS that brings together the state’s community colleges, businesses and industries. These partners deliver Skills for Success training for careers that employers say are most in demand but lack qualified Alabama workers to fill.
By working together with Alabama businesses and industries, the ACCS Innovation Center ensures Skills for Success training is perfectly aligned with the jobs that employers say they need to fill right away.
Since its launch, a little more than a year ago, more than 2,700 Alabamians have benefitted from Skills for Success training. The appeal to trainees – other than getting the skills needed for an in-demand job – is the training is offered at no cost to them.
It is free to trainees thanks to appropriations from the State Legislature and support from Gov. Kay Ivey, who has put a strong emphasis on workforce training. The Governor’s Success Plus initiative aims to add 500,000 Alabamians with postsecondary credentials to the state’s workforce by 2025. Rapid training from our community colleges will be key to reaching this important goal.
It is incredible to think that every Alabamian has the opportunity to receive no-cost training and become credentialed for jobs as bulldozer operators, fiber optic technicians, truck drivers and more, but that is the reality of today’s community college system in our state.
Chancellor Baker has wisely built a workforce training program around the skills that employers say they need in their workers. As a result, many students can walk right out of training and immediately into jobs that are waiting for someone with their exact skillset. The training is essentially “customized” for Alabama employers in desperate need of workers.
What is also innovative is how quickly Skills for Success training can be delivered. Part of each training course is offered online, with self-paced learning that can take place anywhere one can connect to the internet. Some have said they have completed the online training from their mobile phones over a few hours in the evening. When a trainee completes the online portion of the course, they then get hands-on training with qualified instructors at a nearby community college or some other regional location.
The average Skills for Success course can be completed in as little as two or three weeks. Any Alabamian can sign up for no-cost training and in less than a month have a community college credential that shows employers they have the skills and qualifications to do the job. With Skills for Success training, they are “job-ready” on day one for jobs that are in high demand throughout the state thanks to the forward-thinking leaders of the Alabama Community College System and the State Legislature.
Alabama’s premier columnist and commentator, Steve has analyzed Alabama politics for national television audiences on CBS, PBS, ABC and the British Broadcasting Network. Steve has been an up close participant and observer of the Alabama political scene for more than 50 years and is generally considered the ultimate authority on Alabama politics and Alabama political history.
WARNING: Details of the child victim’s condition are very disturbing
Authorities arrested a couple who were living in a tent at Alloys Park for aggravated child abuse.
On Saturday, June 17th, Deputies and Investigators with the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office were requested to respond to North Alabama Medical Center for a possible case of child abuse. This according to Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine.