March 1st, 2011 — Fairhope, Schools
School board members approved Fairhope Middle School Principal Deadra Powe’s retirement at their regular meeting Thursday night, nine months after placing her on paid leave as officials conducted an internal review that involved Fairhope police.
According to school board records, the board paid attorneys $532 for work involving Powe, who was placed on leave June 1. At the time, Police Chief Bill Press said officers were “looking into the possibility of any criminal misdoing.” Press declined to comment on Friday.
School board approves retirement for Fairhope Middle School principal after internal review
March 1st, 2011 — Gulf Shores
March 1st, 2011 — Bay Minette
Baldwin County Sheriff’s authorities are investigating what they are calling a “bizarre” shooting. They said it appears two members of one family were shot, and it all appears to have been accidental.
The incident happened Friday night, when Allen Jones took his .40 caliber handgun out of his truck. As he was walking back to the house, he tripped and fell. The gun allegedly went off and shot Allen in the leg.
“He called for assistance from his wife Aleisha. She came to his aide,” said Major Anthony Lowery.
Lowery said while all this was happening, the couple’s two-year-old son ran to pick up the gun.
Aleisha tried to get the weapon from the boy, but the toddler wound up shooting his mother in the neck.
Mom and dad shot, expected to be okay
March 1st, 2011 — Crime, Daphne
February 25th, 2011 — County Government
In a work session that lasted more than six hours Tuesday, commissioners heard department heads outline reorganization plans and suggest relocating dozens of workers
“I don’t understand why we’re doing every department here,” said Commissioner Tucker Dorsey at one point in the talks. “I’m ready for personnel (issues) to be behind us.”
The only move commissioners agreed on was a plan to consolidate offices for accountants working in Clerk/Treasurer Kim Creech’s department. Under the plan, all of the employees will move into the Annex I building in Bay Minette. The workers are currently stationed at various locations in the county seat.
Baldwin departments talk reorganization, relocation
February 25th, 2011 — Announcements
When the state Legislature starts its session Tuesday, a group of south Alabama residents hope that a new governor and Republican majority will mean renewed interest in addressing soaring coastal property insurance rates.
At meetings around Mobile and Baldwin counties, members of the Homeowners Hurricane Insurance Initiative have been discussing grassroots efforts to support Senate Bill 2. The proposal, also known as the Property Insurance Clarity Bill, is sponsored by Sen. Ben Brooks, R-Mobile.
Gulf Coast residents pushing for coastal insurance reform
February 25th, 2011 — Orange Beach
The Wharf Conference Center could become a public civic center under a proposal being studied by the City Council.
At a special meeting Tuesday night, the council voted unanimously to conduct a study on buying the 25,500-square-foot center and converting the site into a civic center. The building’s owner, Solution Capital Investment of Birmingham, is asking $1.6 million for the facility on Canal Road, according to the resolution
Orange Beach Wharf conference center being studied as possible city civic center
February 25th, 2011 — Other News
The population of Baldwin County shot up nearly 30 percent in the past decade to about 182,260, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released this afternoon.
That was the second-highest growth rate of any county in the state. Among the state’s 67 counties, only Shelby County south of Birmingham grew at a faster pace — 36 percent, according to the 2010 census.
Census 2010: Baldwin County 2nd-fastest-growing county in Alabama
February 25th, 2011 — Gulf Shores
A Mobile man will spend five years in prison for a hit-and-run accident that left a bicyclist dead 6½ years ago.
Terry D. Rodgers, 35, charged with manslaughter, entered a blind plea to vehicular homicide, according to the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office and his attorney. Baldwin Circuit Judge J. Langford Floyd handed down the sentence on Thursday along with a concurrent five-year term for leaving the scene of the accident, according to defense attorney J. Clark Stankoski and the District Attorney’s Office.
The accident occurred near the intersection of Ala. 59 and Baldwin County 4 east in Gulf Shores in August 2004.
Man enters plea in bicycle fatality
February 25th, 2011 — Daphne
The City Council on Monday overturned the mayor’s veto of a council decision two weeks ago to change the municipality’s bonding requirements for certain elected officials and staff members.
Of the council’s seven members, five voted in favor of overriding the veto, one voted against the measure, and one — Council President Cathy Barnette — abstained from voting.
Daphne council overrides mayor’s veto of bonding ordinance
February 23rd, 2011 — Fairhope
Councilman Stankoski said he is worried about the corroded iron natural gas piping installed in older neighborhoods — and asked the Mayor to give a progress report on its replacement at a future meeting. He said it ought to be a higher priority–given the city’s improving financial picture and numerous such explosions occurring throughout the country
Councilman Worried Old Gas Lines May Explode
February 23rd, 2011 — Daphne
Council President Cathy Barnette said she is being politically attacked because she is personally vulnerable — her husband had two recent heart surgeries, her family’s income dropped and her credit score plummeted.
As a result, the city’s bank wouldn’t bond her, as required by city law. The council voted Feb. 7 to drop the requirement that the council’s president and president pro tempore carry $500,000 bonds to protect the municipality against theft or loss.
Last week, Mayor Fred Small vetoed the ordinance. He said Monday that he had tried to avoid airing out Barnette’s personal business, but he’d been forced to do so.
Daphne mayor vetoes bonding changes
February 23rd, 2011 — Crime, Daphne
A man whose body was discovered Sunday in his apartment had been strangled with a pair of electrical cords by a man who had been his roommate for just a week, police said today.
Steven McCullough’s wife had been living in San Antonio for the past 6 weeks, caring for a sick relative, police spokesman Lt. Jud Beedy said Tuesday.
Carmadelle, 31, signed a confession late Monday, and law-enforcement officers charged him with capital murder, Beedy said.
Police: Daphne man was strangled to death by new roommate
Daphne Man Charged In Murder Of Roommate
February 23rd, 2011 — County Government
During its first couple of years, it appeared that the Baldwin County-run Girls Wilderness Program might not make it out of the woods financially. But now, the alternative sentencing program seems to be gaining solid footing, according to officials
The program aimed at helping teenage girls who end up before a judge for uncontrollable or illegal behavior began in March 2007. But by the end of its first year, the program was more than $800,000 in debt and saw a loss of $1.7 million the following year
Management changes and a system of Medicaid billing for the rehabilitation services provided helped the program turn a profit, making nearly $100,000 last year
Baldwin County wilderness program for wayward girls turning a profit
February 23rd, 2011 — County Government
Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon is defending her decision to cut some salaries and lay off three employees.
Alabama law allows Dixon to make changes to the amount of money her workers make, but some employees say they were not properly warned how drastic the changes would be.
One employee says her yearly salary was cut by $18,000 which is about $600 dollars a paycheck. She also told LOCAL 15 News she did not learn about the cut until payday.
Paycheck Controversy at Baldwin Co. District Attorney Office
Four employees received raises rather than cuts. Their increases ranged from $1,275 to $5,500 annually, according to state records.
Baldwin County DA employees learned of salary cuts when receiving paychecks
