First News At Ten

Future beauticians treat survivors to a day of paradise

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:14:59 -0500

Florence, AL (WAAY TV) - Breast cancer awareness month is wrapping up but several local girls are still working for the cause. The cosmetology students at Central High School teamed up with those at Allen Thornton Career Technical Center to give breast cancer survivors a “Day of Paradise.”

The beauticians in training welcomed any and all who survived the disease to a day of pampering. Haircuts, manicures, pedicures, even waxing were offered and it was all free of charge.

CHS Cosmetology instructor Kandi Cooper says one of her students came up with the idea years ago and Survivor’s Paradise has been an annual event ever since.

“We have just continued the tradition because it is so great, the girls love it,” said Cooper. “The community gets really involved. I think it’s just great just to be able to see the survivors come in and see how much enjoyment they get out of it.”

One customer in particular is special to the girls, long-time teacher, Tonitia Butler. Originally diagnosed in 1998, Butler is now cancer free. The beloved educator is passionate about breast cancer awareness and visited the salon Wednesday morning to check out the event.

“These girls not only want to be aware themselves but they want to encourage those of us who have walked that path of cancer. Mrs.Cooper has done a wonderful job of that with this group because they really do show compassion for others and make you just feel very special when you come in.”

Over at Allen Thornton the students served 13 survivors Wednesday. While shampooing, cutting, and curling the girls also served refreshments and passed out goodie bags. Cosmetology Instructor Beth Wallace takes pride in not only her students’ skill with hair and nails, but also their enthusiasm for the cause.

“This is a wonderful way to show students how their skills can be used not only to help those that are in need, but also to honor those whom we respect,” said Wallace. “The students take great pride in their efforts and enjoy seeing the smiles on the ladies faces.”

Survivor’s Paradise continues Thursday at both schools.

Victim's families devastated by loss and seeking answers

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:10:28 -0500

Huntsville, AL (WAAY TV) - Mayia Minor, a senior at Central High School in Florence, had been home only a few hours Monday afternoon when she got the news that changed her world forever; her cousin, Amber McCaulley, was dead.

“I just stopped what I was doing and I just ran to my room it was unexpected and very devastating,” she recalled. “I sat there for a few minutes and I had to you know, think things over. I came out and I just knew I had to go check on her grandmother.”

The Minor family is, according to Mayia, extremely close and they are also, unfortunately, familiar with loss.

“This is the fourth one in two years,” she said, the fourth family member to pass away in the young girl’s life. But Mayia says this loss was particularly difficult. Amber was more than a relative, she was a friend.

“She was very family oriented and she loved being around us. We had good laughs and good talks. We were very close….we grew up together.”

The loss she says has devastated her close knit family, many of whom live in the Shoals area. Monday afternoon her family gathered, the experience she says, is something she will not soon forget.

“It was a scene. You don’t want to be in that type of environment, you don’t like to see no one down. It was very…. it was a lot of people crying, we were all just devastated, shocked basically.”

“I think as long as the world exists we are going to have things of that nature that happens, are we prepared for it no,” said William Ragland, the great uncle of the 18 month old baby who was also found dead Monday. He says despite his long life, you never get used to loss like this.

“Evil has happened in the world long before I made it here and it’s probably going to continue to exist as long as I live. Being mentally prepared for it, no, you’re never prepared for evil”

All of the family members say that the way their loved ones were taken makes the loss even more difficult.

“It affects you in terrible ways. I mean, she was very young and to know what happened you are just like shocked,” said Minor. You honestly don’t think it could happen to your family, you don’t. But when it does happen its like, you know, this is real it really happens.”

Minor says her family is now mourning, and praying for answers.

“It’s a lot of unanswered questions and that’s really what’s bothering us the most. We just want to come to a closing and an understanding as to why this happened.”

Romney supporters take a bus tour

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:07:19 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAAY) - Just like the presidential candidates, some Alabamians are on the campaign trail as well.

They call themselves the "Alabama Victory Patriots."

More than 100 local Mitt Romney supporters left from the U.S Space and Rocket Center Wednesday morning on the Romney Victory Bus. They are headed to Ohio which is one of the critical swing states in this election.

"I've never done anything like this before but i never felt the need to do it before," says Huntsville resident Jo Tipton. "I felt safe in america. I don't feel safe anymore so i'm going to try to do what I can."

"These people are excited and motivated," say Representative Mo Brooks. "They're motivated by love of country and also fear of what another four years of Barack Obama would do to America."

The supporters will spend five days campaigning door to door in Ohio.

Man behind bars for shaking an infant

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:45:07 -0500

RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. (WAAY) - A man has been charged with aggravated child abuse after shaking his baby.

Jacinto Zacarias, 23, is accused of shaking his three month old son so severely that the baby was hospitalized.

The child was taken to the Children's Hospital in Birmingham.

Zacarias is out of jail on a $50,000 bond.

An aggravated child abuse conviction carries a punishment of two to twenty years in prison.

Ex-Del. psychiatrist sentenced for Medicaid fraud

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:29:33 -0500

DOVER, Del. (AP) - A psychiatrist who practiced in Dover has been sentenced to a year in jail for prescribing painkillers that were not medically necessary and billing Medicaid for them.

Fifty-three-year-old Yvette Baker pleaded guilty on Tuesday to defrauding the Delaware Medicaid Program of nearly $175,000. Besides jail time, Baker was ordered to pay $273,000 in damages and fines.

Prosecutors say Baker worked at the Psychiatric Wellness Center in Dover. Authorities say she improperly billed Medicaid for services that were not provided or where medical records did not exist to prove that services had been provided.

Baker's license to prescribe drugs was suspended in April 2010, and her Delaware medical license was suspended in July 2010.

Baker was arrested in October 2011 in Huntsville, Ala., where she lived.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Community uneasy after multiple murders

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:31:34 -0500

Lincoln County, TN (WAAY) - Garret McDaniel lives on Huntsville Highway, minutes away from the home where Chabreya Campbell, her 18-month old son, Rico Ragland, and Amber McCaulley were found dead Monday morning. A longtime Lincoln County resident, he says the murders have left him in shock.

“It’s been peaceful, we have never had a crime around here,” said McDaniel. “It really makes you think about how safe you really are at your own home.”

The triple homicide was quickly followed by the discovery of another. A few hours later Jessica Brown was found dead not far away, in a home on Fox Wood drive in Fayetville. The murders have sent the community reeling with fear and confusion.

“I’ve heard a bunch of different stories like how and what happened,” said Blade Rodriguez, who lives just three houses away from the first crime scene. “You know, it’s devastating to hear it and its nerve wracking in all honesty because, you know, this is such a small town, its out in the country and you wouldn’t expect to hear things like this.”

But people who live in and around this small community say the news has left them not only shocked and horrified but also scared in their own homes.

I don't feel safe here not for my family or for me,” confessed McDaniel. He says he and his family members have all started taking extra precautions to make sure their home is safe. Rodriguez is doing the same, he says, because the killers are still on the loose.

“Since we found out about it we have just been making sure our windows and our doors are chained and locked, you know, making sure the house is secure.”

The original person of interest, Warren Vincent Crutcher, was found dead early Tuesday morning in Hazel Green. Police say he is connected to the other victims but they are not saying what the connection is. The Madison County Sheriff’s department is assisting in the case, and Chief Deputy Chris Stephens says they are now looking for multiple suspects.

Stephens says they have not established a motive and do not know exactly how many people may be involved but investigators are working the case around the clock. People in the community, like McDaniel, say they hope they find the people responsible very soon.

“It’s just devastating. I mean we are horrified to know that there is still somebody out there on the loose.”

Sugar on Top bakery competes on "Cupcake Wars"

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:10:05 -0500

FLORENCE Ala. (WAAY) - A sweet dream come true for a mother/daughter duo in Florence Sunday. Their bakery Sugar on Top was featured on Food Network's Cupcake Wars.

Harley Williams always dreamed of having her own bakery

“I started out doing just wedding cakes six years ago, but having an actual store front and being able to provide everything from cupcakes and cookies to birthday and wedding cakes, it’s a dream come true for me,” Williams said.

It was over a year after she first applied to Cupcake Wars that she got the news. Her and her mother’s bakery “Sugar on Top” had been selected for the show.

“I got a phone call and it was from Los Angelos. I was so excited I almost didn’t answer the phone because I was so busy jumping up and down," Williams said.

Tonight their episode aired on food network. They celebrated by watching with a hundered friends and family in downtown Florence.

“There is no where better to get a good cake, a wonderful cake, than Sugar on Top. Harley puts love into every cupcake," said loyal customer John Walls.

Cheers broke out as the pair sailed through the first two rounds, ultimately finishing as runner up on the special mother/daughter episode. Williams said for them it was still a victory. “It just strengthened our relationship being out there. It also just gave us a glimpse at a different way of life. It really helped and I just think bringing that experience back to the bakery, it only helped us here too.”

In the future the pair hopes to buy a bigger space for their bakery, for now, they are working hard to make plenty of their special cupcakes that were featured in the final round of the show.

Colbert Heights students remember Jesse Rainey

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 22:29:00 -0500

COLBERT CO. Ala. (WAAY) - Remnants of a high school football player's uniform remain in his locker with a helmet that will no longer be worn.

“Tonights game is for Jesse. The team is ready and everybody is going to play their heart out," said teammate Clay Horton.

Colbert Heights High School Sophmore Jesse Rainey died this morning at UAB Children's Hospital in Birmingham.

The 15-year-old was taken there following an incident early Saturday morning when he was fatally shot during a prank gone wrong.

“He was a good student. Never ever did Jesse get in trouble for anything. Its just a tragic accident that took his life," said Rainey's coach Ivan Denton.

Students were informed of Rainey‘s death Friday morning at school. Later in the afternoon they honored him at a pre-game pep rally. Friday night there was a somber but determined mood at the Colbert Heights High School Football Game.

“What we want to do tonight is we want to honor Jesse with our play. We want to go out and give our best effort in this game, and just do what we can to honor him,” Denton said.

“It's definitely been hard, but I am going to play every play of this game tonight for him,” said teammate Brent Head.

Colbert Heights won their game with a final score of 46-20.

Grandmother faces charges in toddlers death, family speaks out

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:43:47 -0500

Albertville, AL (WAAY TV) - Albertville police say they will charge Rebecca Jane Elrod, 52, with criminally negligent homicide for the death of her grandson Lukas Daniel.

“She was parked in the driveway and had backed up a short distance and was going to circle out through the yard,” explained Albertville Assistant Chief of Police, Major Jamie Smith.

Elrod was arrested for DUI Wednesday after she ran over the 2 year-old with her Ford Explorer while he was playing in his front yard. Smith says the death appeared to be accidental until the police interviewed Elrod.

“A red flag flew up to the officer that there may be something more to it, so that triggered a little deeper investigation into what had happened,” he explained.

Officers learned that Elrod, the maternal grandmother, was under the influence of prescription medication at the time of the accident. Smith says it appears that she had a prescription for the drugs, but that is not the issue.

“On most any type of narcotic there is a warning at least on the bottle not to be driving and operating machinery.”

Elrod is currently being held in the Albertville Jail under and investigative hold. Smith says the homicide charges will be filed Friday morning. The charge, criminally negligent homicide, is a Class C Felony which carries a sentence of 1-10 years. The family is supporting Elrod and says they hope she is released in time for the funeral.

“She is in pain,” said Lukas’ godmother Devina Buck. “She is hurting right now and she deserves to get to see to be at the viewing and the funeral to see her baby,” she continued.

The family gathered together Thursday to grieve and discuss the accident. Lukas’ mother, Misty, supports her mother according to Buck.

“Misty loves her mother. Rebecca did not mean to run Lukas over, it was an accident, and she loved that baby,” she said.

The family did not have life insurance on the toddler. A fund has been set up for the family at Cadence Bank in Albertville. Adams brown Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. The visitation will be Friday, October 19^th, from 5-8 pm. The funeral will be Saturday at 11:00am.

Boy Scout "Perversion Files" released, sex crimes reported in the Tennessee Valley

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:39:55 -0500

SCOTTSBORO Ala. (WAAY) - Never before released information was made public Thursday about years of sexual abuse complaints within the Boy Scouts of America. Some of the affected troops are in the Tennessee Valley.

The controversial perversion files contain thousands of pages of sex abuse complaint records spanning over decades. Thursday afternoon, the Los Angeles times unveiled an online database that compiled that list with other known sexual complaints within the boy scouts.

Over 5000 names of scout masters and other volunteers accused of sexual abuse are now available for public view.

The database listed sex complaints filed regarding boy scout troops in Culman, Huntsville and Scottsboro. Two cases of sex abuse were reported in Scottsboro in 1990.

“I had no clue about this. I have been in the Scottsboro Police Department since 1994, so this case was before my time,” said Scottsboro Police Investigator Scott Matthews.

Attorney Tim Kosnoff wokred to compile the files. According to information on his website. In 1990 Mark Christoper Tate was investigated by the department of human resources and found guilty of sexual misconduct with scouts in his troop for allowing boys in Socttsboro troop 0122-S to watch a pornographic movie at his home and for making sexual advances towards scouts.

The other Scottsboro file is about Charles Giddens. He was charged on two counts of 1st-degree sexual abuse, one count of enticing a child to enter a vehicle for immoral purposes, and one count of 1st- degree attempted rape in 1990. He was ultimately found guilty of assault in the 3rd-degree. Those accusations were made about incidents affecting Scottsboro troops 20-P and 263-P. Scottsboro police say his case is closed and his charge does not require him to be listed on a sex offender registry.

“He actually was adjudicated and was found guilty of assault 3rd, which is a misdemeanor so there is no community notification act that applies to him," Matthews said.

Boy Scouts of America President Wayne Perry says he admits the organization's response to accuations were wrong, And he is bracing himself for public backlash.

Local actress makes her way to the big screen

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:05:32 -0500

(WAAY) - It's week two for the ABC show "Nashville" and one local actress is in the mix.

Caitlin Carver, a Sparkman High School graduate, landed a spot as an extra in Wednesday night's episode. She told WAAY 31 she's overjoyed by her role.

"I'm really excited mostly because it's a show that takes place in the south which is my home and where I grew up," says Carver. "My family and friends are really happy for me and that's exciting."

Caitlin says she's working on several new projects right now. WAAY 31 would like to say, "Congratulations Caitlin!"

Toddler dies after he was struck by SUV

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:00:04 -0500

Albertville, AL (WAAY TV) - A 2 year old who was hit by an SUV while in his front yard, has died from his injuries.

Albertville police say the boy was playing in the front yard of his home at 538 Diane Street when a family member struck him. Major Jamie Smith says the woman was backing out of the driveway and intended to turn around in the front yard when the accident happened.
Tracey Vandergriff lives across the road and called 911.

“(I) called 911 and had them on the phone as I was walking over there and they asked me if the little boy was breathing and at that time he was not,” said Vandergriff.

She says while she and the family waited for the ambulance to arrive the boy’s father attempted CPR.

“The dad gave the little boy CPR trying to get him to breathe; he never was resuscitated while I was there,” she said.

Major Smith says the boy suffered massive trauma. The toddler was taken to Marshall Medical Center South where he was pronounced dead.

Police have not released the family’s name. The investigation is still in the early stages and no additional details have been released at this time. Smith says charges may be filed.

Florence School Board accepts Jim Fisher's resignation

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:18:39 -0500

Florence, AL (WAAY TV) - There is now a vacancy on the Florence Board of Education after the group officially accepted the resignation of district 6 representative Jim Fisher Tuesday afternoon. Fisher submitted his resignation last week after a comment he made on Facebook offended many teachers in the school system.

“I made some comments on Facebook that were meant to be informative and light hearted," explained Fisher after the meeting ended.

But he says teaches around the city did not see it that way.

“I heard through the Superintendent and other board members that the backlash was pretty bad," Fisher said.

According to our news partner The Times Daily, the post appeared on Fisher’s Facebook wall last week. In the post he expressed his dismay that many teachers do not realize they are paid above the state average and defended the board’s decision to increase Superintendent Janet Womack’s salary by $22,000.

Fisher says he was upset to learn that teachers across the school system were so offended by his comments that they were actually unable to teach last Friday.

"I wish the flies on the walls would report back to the teachers how much I have defended them, and the hard work that they do, and their generous salaries to knuckleheads in the community that don't understand what they have to put up with," said Fisher.

He says he was never asked to step down, but originally thought it was the right thing to do. But now the former board member says he is not sure resigning was the right move.

“It felt like the right thing to do at the time, I’m not so sure now. I have received a tremendous response from the people who elected me that I should rescind my resignation, that I should take it back, but I couldn’t do that,” he said.

Florence resident Peggy Brushard says although she believes teachers are under paid, she does not think Fisher needed to resign.

“I don't really see why people would be upset about the comment, you know, it’s just a comment. People are entitled to their comments and what they feel,” she said.

But Daniel Redfern says, as an elected official, he should have known better.

“He probably shouldn’t have put his business on Facebook for other people to see...just kept it to himself, you know, kept his fingers off the keyboard,” he said.

Fisher says he hopes to one day serve on the board again.

“I’ll be back, I hope. If the people will allow me I’ll be back.”

The district seat will remain open until the board appoints a replacement. At the meeting the group announced they would be accepting letters of interest from anyone who would like to fill the seat. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and must have lived in District 6 for at least 6 months.

Teen driving fatalities decrease in Alabama

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:11:00 -0500

MADISON CO. Ala (WAAY) - Teen driving fatalities are on a decline in Alabama thanks in part to state efforts aimed to keep kids safe behind the wheel.

Madison Teen, Monica Johnson, just got her first car.

"I feel like i have more independance and i can just do my own thing,"

Her parents are not as excited.

"Its nerve-racking because i worry about her being out there among the drivers and being inexperienced," said Monica's father Raleigh Johnson.

Governor Robert Bentley declared October 14th-20th "Teen Driver Safety Week" in Alabama. It is an effort to boost awareness that most at fault teen driving deaths are caused by inexperience and distracted driving.

In 2010 Alabama had 96 at fault teen driving deaths. In 2011 that number droped to 54. One of those happened to be Monica's classmate.

"A guy in my history class, he actually got in a wreck and he got killed so that just kind of changed the mood, and you know just got me more aware that I have got to be safe and just wear my seatbelt and watch my surroundings," Monica Johnson said.

Not only did that death hit home for Monica but for her parents as well.

"Devestating. I just cant imagine as a parent getting that phone call that my child has been in an accident or been killed," Raleigh Johnson said.

They established rules that Monica knows to follow.

"They always tell me to put my seatbelt on no texting and driving so i always put my phone in the compartment so i wont even think about it," Monica Johnson said.

They plan to use teen driver safety week as a time to further encourage her to drive smart and stay safe. "Its a big responsibility driving for a young lady that is 18 years old, and so we wont to make sure she understands that," Petra Johnson, Monica's mother said.

Cemetery Stroll

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:41:36 -0500

Huntsville, AL 9WAAY TV) - Hundreds of the living in Huntsville spent the day in Maple Hill Cemetery with those that are…not so living. Carla Holder recalls her favorite ghost of the day.

“Her name was Sally and she died suddenly, probably of whooping cough.”

The annual Cemetery Stroll is a tour around the historic site where people can learn about Huntsville’s history and those who shaped it.

“Since I just moved here a couple of years ago, learning about the people in this cemetery has helped me understand Huntsville,” said Holder. She and her husband attended the tour for the first time this year.

“I like looking at what happened in the past and how it could impact things in the future,” said history buff Joseph Marchelites.

But the cemetery stroll isn’t your typical guided tour. Sunday afternoon some of the more prominent ghosts of Huntsville’s past took a break from their rest to share some of the more interesting moments in their lives with the visitors.

“Some say I fell down the stairs on my wedding day, others say my father murder me,” said the ghost of Sarah, who has been dead more than a century.

“You know I like to say any day above ground is a good day,” said the ghost of Thomas Percy, the founder of the Huntsville Library. He and several of his ghostly friends and family entertained the crowds with tails of the ups and downs while building the city we now called Huntsville. Leroy Pope was one of the more popular ghosts.

“The father of Huntsville, he implied that that was literal as well as figurative and he was quite a character from what we hear,” laughed Holder.
“Boy did Andrew Jackson like to drink,” joked the ghost of Pope while he spoke to the group of enthralled listeners.

The stroll is hosted by the Huntsville Pilgrimage Association every year and is free of charge, although donations are accepted. All money raised goes towards the restoration and maintenance of the tombstones and monuments.

Huntsville’s most historic figures entertained the crowds throughout the afternoon before turning in for a nap, until next year. But before going Percy reminded everyone to come back in 2013.

“We were here when it happened and we have got the first hand accounts. Always glad to come back and share some stories.”

For more information on the cemetery stroll or the tour of historic homes visit http://www.huntsvillepilgrimage.org.

Prescription drugs collected by Madison County law enforcement

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 22:47:36 -0500

HUNTSVILLE Ala (WAAY) - Nearly one thousand pounds of prescription drugs were set on fire Saturday afternoon following the Madison County Drug Take Back.

Deborah Soule, director of Partnership for a drug free community said improper disposal of prescription drugs can be harmful to the environment.

“People think you can just flush them down the toilet and its harmless but its not because it gets into the water so they have to realize, no, no, no. Don’t do that," Soule said.

The Drug Take Back offered people a safe and environmentally friendly way to get rid of prescription drugs. Madison County officers joined with Partnership for a Drug Free Community in collecting pills at three drug drop off locations throughout the county.

“Its so easy that nowadays kids can go into their parents or grandparents medicine cabinets and get different drugs. The problem is that a lot times they don’t even know what the drugs are, and they take them to school and start experimenting, and when you combine certain ones it can really cause medical complications that can last them their entire lifetime,” said HPD Officer John Hollingsworth.

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug epidemic in the country. The Drug Take Back provided people with a safe way to get rid of their drugs, so they don’t end up in the wrong hands.

“We strictly take the bags. We get it down there we get it all processed into the boxes that way we can take it straight to the incinerator. There is no looking at what they are brining. We just want to get if off the streets,” Hollingsworth said.

Florence Board of Education member resigns

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:53:10 -0500

FLORENCE, Ala. (WAAY & TimesDaily) - The Florence City Board of Education President, Bill Jordan, announced Friday that Board Member Jim Fisher has resigned.

Fisher stated in a letter that he is leaving his position over comments he posted on a website, “I made a grave mistake in publishing some personal views on education in a public forum. Although my statements were not meant to be hurtful, they have done irreparable damage to our system,” he said.

Our news partners over at the TimesDaily reported that Fisher's comments on that site referenced a recent article regarding the school board's recently-approved $22,000 raise for superintendent Janet Womack.

According to the Legislative Act 2000-656, “a vacancy on the board of education shall be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining members of the board of education for the unexpired term…a person filling a vacancy on the board shall reside in the district which the vacating member represented.”

The Florence City Board of Education has called a board meeting for Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. to act on the resignation.

Colbert County teen shot in head during prank

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:36:58 -0500

CROOKED OAK, Ala. (WAAY & Times Daily) – Colbert County deputies reported that a teenager is in critical condition after being shot in the head during an apparent prank-gone-wrong early Saturday morning.

15 year old Jesse Rainey was flown to UAB Children’s Hospital around 3:30 a.m. from a friend’s home in Crooked Oak.

Our partners over at the TimesDaily reported that a group of close friends were spending the weekend at a house on 5985 Jones Road when the accident happened. Sheriff Ronnie May said a few members of the group walked outside at one point and decided fake a home intrusion, and it was during this prank when Rainey was shot with a .38-caliber handgun.

“We’ve found no indication that this was planned by anyone,” Sheriff Ronnie May said. “We believe this was a prank that went terribly wrong. We continue to pray for Jesse and his family. We hope he is able to return to his family soon.”

Rainey is a 10th-grader at Colbert County Heights High School

Bulldogs reunite for homecoming on "The Hill"

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:49:22 -0500

NORMAL, Ala. (WAAY) - Alabama A&M University is celebrating a week filled with homecoming festivities.

Many people have already parked their RV's and fired up the grill to kick off the tailgating portion of homecoming.

The AAMU Bulldogs will take on Alcorn State University at 1pm. You can catch the homecoming parade in Downtown Huntsville Saturday at 9am.

Surveillance cameras to be installed in Madison City Parks

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:40:12 -0500

MADISON Ala. (WAAY) - A new security feature is coming to Madison City Parks in an effort to make the them a safe place for families.

In response to recent vandalism and other criminal activities the City of Madison Police Department will be installing video surveillance camera’s in various city parks.

City of Madison Police Officer Damian Williams said the new security feature follows multiple outbreaks of graffiti containing vulgar images in areas where children often play.

Video survelliance cameras will be installed and rotated to various areas within the parks in an effort to deter criminal acts and to assist in prosecuting individuals who violate city ordinances.

“The reason that we established the city parks was so that the community would have a safe place, a family friendly place, where they can take their children and go out and play. We don’t want them to have to be exposed to graffiti and trash and the kinds of things that were hoping these cameras will help to eliminate,” Williams said.

The city is still in the process of obtaining the cameras. They will be installed in the coming days.