State

Birmingham police officer charged with arsons

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:10:01 -0500

WARRIOR, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say a Birmingham police officer has been arrested and charged with at least two arsons in Warrior.

Warrior Fire Chief Clay Neely told the Birmingham News (http://bit.ly/MNDC85 ) that Curtis Thornton has been turned over to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Neely said Thornton had been a suspect for some time and is believed to be linked five fires set in an abandoned mobile home and other properties near the police officer's home.

The Birmingham police department is expected to hold a press conference at 3 p.m. to talk about the case.

Thornton joined the police department in 2009. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

Warrior is about 25 miles north of Birmingham.

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Information from: The Birmingham News, http://www.al.com/birminghamnews

Bills in NW Alabama meth trash lead to arrest

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:09:26 -0500

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (AP) — Colbert County authorizes say they cracked a methamphetamine manufacturing case when they found portions of some mail thrown out with leftovers from the meth lab.

The director of the Colbert County Drug Task Force, Curtis Burns, said a business in Muscle Shoals notified authorities last week that someone had put materials from a meth lab in its trash bin. The business found more meth lab leftovers in its trash on Wednesday. The second round of trash included the portions of phone and cable bills that led investigators to the address of 43-year-old Larry M. Mason of Tuscumbia.

Burns told the TimesDaily that (http://bit.ly/LNkzv9 ) Mason was charged Thursday with first-degree manufacturing methamphetamine and illegal possession of a controlled substance. Court records indicate he doesn't have an attorney yet.

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Information from: TimesDaily, http://www.timesdaily.com/

2 sentenced to life in prison for Ala. robbery

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:09:12 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Two Chicago men have been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of robbing and beating an elderly Alabama man in 2009.

The Huntsville Times reports (http://bit.ly/KpLmtQ ) that Michael Tonnon and Kevin Sayavong went to the home of then 71-year-old Artie Byrd, pointed guns at him and began searching his house. The home also served as an office for Byrd's finance and loan company.

Authorities say the men hit Byrd when he refused to open his safe. The two were sentenced Friday in Madison County Circuit Court.

Tonnon and Sayavong were fined $60,000 each. Both said they plan to appeal.

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Information from: The Huntsville Times, http://www.al.com/huntsville

Space Camp celebrating 30th anniversary

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:04 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Space Camp on June 15.

The center is hosting a weekend of family-friendly activities and a reunion of Space Camp alumni.

Officials say five-time Shuttle astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson will be inducted into the Space Camp Hall of Fame along with International Space Station flight director Ed Van Cise, Space Station physiologist Liz Warren and meteorologist Stephanie Abrams of The Weather Channel.

Officials said nearly 600,000 trainees have graduated from the Space Camp since it began.

Police say biker topped 140 mph in 2-state chase

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:59:45 -0500

FORT PAYNE, Ala. (AP) — Police say a motorcycle rider reached speeds of more than 140 mph as he was being pursued by officers in a chase that spanned two states.

The Fort Payne Times-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/K162cV) that the chase began when a Georgia State Patrol officer attempted to stop the biker on a routine traffic stop Wednesday. Georgia officers chased him to the state line and officers in Cherokee County, Ala., picked up the pursuit.

Fort Payne Police Chief Randy Bynum said officers tried to keep the red "crotch-rocket style" motorcycle in view as it traveled through the city's downtown, residential districts and three school zones.

Bynum said officers finally blocked a road and then found the suspected driver hiding behind a garage.

Police say the suspect faces multiple traffic violations in Georgia and Alabama.

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Information from: Fort Payne Times-Journal, http://www.times-journal.com

Alabama governor signs both budgets

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:25:49 -0500

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has signed two state budgets into law.

Bentley said Thursday he didn't like everything the Legislature put into the education and General Fund budgets, but there were more positives than negatives.

Bentley said he waited to sign the budgets until the Legislature passed a use tax bill early Thursday morning. It moves part of the state use tax from education purposes to the General Fund budget.

The General Fund budget also depends on voters in September approving a transfer of funds from a natural gas revenue savings account and from the education budget. Bentley plans to travel the state to promote the referendum. He predicted voters will approve it if he explains it is a way to finance the General Fund budget without raising taxes.

Elton John falls sick, cancels 3 Las Vegas shows

Thu, 24 May 2012 13:27:48 -0500

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Elton John is canceling three Las Vegas performances on doctors' orders after being hospitalized with a respiratory infection.

Officials with Caesars Entertainment say the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday performances of "The Million Dollar Piano" are being cancelled.

Show officials say Elton John came down with the infection last weekend and was admitted Wednesday to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was later released.

Doctors recommended he not perform for a week and take antibiotics.

The singer says in a statement that he's sorry he can't be with his fans at The Colosseum.

Ticket holders are eligible for refunds or exchanges at the site where they bought tickets.

The singer is set to come to the Von Braun Center on Wednesday, September 12. There is no word at this time if John's health will affect the Huntsville performance.

"The Million Dollar Piano" launched in September for a three-year run and features the singer's classic songs.

Alabama Legislature passes redistricting plans

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:49:14 -0500

MONTGOMERY (AP) — The Alabama Legislature approved plans that redraw House and Senate districts during an all-night session that saw Democrats claim Republican leaders used strong-arm tactics to gavel the plans, which could give the GOP greater control of the Legislature.

It was after 4 a.m. Thursday when the Senate voted 23-12 to pass a House redistricting plan moments before the House approved a Senate plan by a 62-34 vote.

The redistricting plans must be approved by Gov. Robert Bentley and the U.S. Justice Department before they take effect for the 2014 elections.

The Senate vote came as tempers were boiling over following an all-night session filled with delaying tactics and a few angry outbursts.

When the Senate approved the House redistricting plan, several black Democratic senators called Senate Republican leaders "prejudiced racists" and claimed Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh ignored pleas from Democrats that the bill be read aloud before the vote. Marsh said reading the 605-page bill would have taken 36 hours and cost the state thousands of dollars. He said he did not hear the cries that the bill be read until the Senate staff had started taking a roll call vote.

Democrats had said earlier in the debate that they wanted to have the bill read. But the bill's sponsor, Sen. Gerald Dial of Lineville, caught them off guard when he suddenly called for a vote while talking to another senator.

Democratic Sen. Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham said he exercised his constitutional right to have the bill read and was ignored by Marsh.

Marsh said he did not ignore Smitherman or other senators who were screaming asking that the bill be read.

"Once the vote has started, I can't stop it," Marsh said. "I'm glad this is now behind us and now it's time to go to the Justice Department."

Marsh said it was "silly" that he would be called a racist.

But Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford of Russellville said Marsh "violated the state Constitution. This is the lowest point I've seen in this Senate."

In the House, Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville, asked at about 2 a.m. that the Senate bill be read at length. House staff had the bill read by an electronic reader, but Jackson withdrew the request after the Senate approved the bill and it quickly passed the House.

Democrats complained throughout the debate that the plans stacked black voters in certain districts and were designed to help Republicans build on their already dominating majorities in the House and Senate.

"The scheme of this thing was to eliminate Democrats," Jackson said.

But Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard of Auburn defended the plans.

"I think we did an excellent job," Hubbard said. He said the plans passed by the House drew districts that are almost the same size.

He said the districts were fairer and came closer to following federal rules than ones passed 10 years ago when Democrats controlled the House and Senate.

"The goal was to come up with fairly drawn districts and I'm confident these will pass muster," Hubbard said.

The biggest complaints about the newly drawn districts probably came from the Montgomery County and Jefferson County delegations. Because of the declining population in urban areas and increasing population in suburban areas, districts shrunk and grew in both counties. One district in Montgomery County was moved about 70 miles north to Shelby County and one Jefferson County district was moved 100 miles north to Huntsville.

Former House Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton represents the Birmingham district being moved to Huntsville.

"I guess Rep. Newton is going to have to move and take up residency in Madison County if he decides to run again," Democratic Sen. Linda Coleman of Birmingham said of the switch.

Ala. lawmakers hope to finish redistricting task

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:41:21 -0500

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Legislature is working through the night to wrap up a special session called to redraw lines for the state's 105 House and 35 Senate districts.

Lawmakers hope to gavel the special session to a close before the sun comes up Thursday morning. Republican leadership is hoping the new districts will help the GOP expand commanding majorities in the House and Senate.

Both chambers have already approved new maps for their own districts. Committees were scheduled to meet Wednesday evening to consider the plans approved for the opposite chambers. Both chambers are expected to come into session late Wednesday night to receive reports from the committees and again shortly after midnight to debate and take final votes on the new districts.

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Maps of proposed districts at:

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/reapportionment/reap.html

http://policymaker.alabama.gov/

Business partner of former Auburn coach indicted on fraud charges

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:34:58 -0500

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A business partner of former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville is scheduled for trial Oct. 1 on charges accusing him of illegally selling securities and defrauding his clients.

John David Stroud of Auburn has been indicted on 21 total counts, including sale of securities by an unregistered agent, fraud in connection with the sale of securities and theft of property in the first degree.

The Alabama Securities Commission says Stroud is accused of misusing more than $5 million in investor funds and stealing more than $500,000 from his clients.

Tuberville and Stroud face a separate civil lawsuit by seven plaintiffs that alleges the two defrauded investors of more than $1.7 million.