Two Jacksonville Brothers drown in Coosa River

Authorities say that Two Jacksonville brothers drowned early Sunday morning while fishing in the Coosa River.  According to Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown, 44 year old Xao Le,  and his brother 28 year old Cong Le, died when the canoe they were fishing in overturned.  The two brothers and a cousin were fishing at night with nets in the Coosa River near Robins Mill Road in Ohatchee.  Brown said the canoe overturned shortly after 1 a.m. knocking the two brothers into the cold water. The cousin, who had stayed behind on the riverbank, left to call for help, but when he returned both brothers had disappeared.  Xao’s body was found shortly after rescue efforts began at around 2 a.m., He had become caught in the nets that were attached to the canoe and drowned. His brother Cong’s body was found underwater not far from where the canoe overturned at around 7 a.m. Sunday.  Both brothers were not wearing life vests, and the water temperature was around 47 degrees Sunday morning.

EMS workers walk off the job in Gadsden after not being paid

Workers with Gadsden Etowah EMS walked off the job Friday afternoon saying they haven't been paid in weeks.  According to employes, their paychecks began to bounce several weeks abo. Then they say checks just stopped coming. They said that money to fix their trucks stopped coming as well.  Some employees said it had become so serious that they could not afford the gas to drive to work  Gadsden Etowah EMS is part of a corporate company that also owns Decatur EMS. Those workers walked off the job two weeks ago Friday for similar reasons.  Gadsden Fire Chief Stephen Carroll says that citizens shouldn't be worried that their EMS service will stop. He says that Rural Metro Ambulance will fill in services for Gadsden Etowah EMS.  Officials with the company that owns Gadsden Etowah EMS have been unavailable for comment.

Garrard denied bond judge to decide on change of venue motion

A motion to dismiss capital murder charges against Joyce Garrard and a renewed motion for bond were both denied Friday by Etowah County Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree.  Garrard is charged in the death of her 9-year-old granddaughter, Savannah Hardin, whom she allegedly forced to run for about three hours in February 2012 as punishment for a lie. Ogletree also heard a motion for a change of venue and said he would rule on that early this week.  During the motion to dismiss the charges, Garrard’s attorney, Dani Bone, said his client was not guilty of the charges because Savannah had a seizure and was not treated properly when the family brought her to GRMC, causing the child’s death.  Chief Deputy District Attorney Marcus Reid interjected that each side could argue the merits of its case, but this was a motion to dismiss and there were no procedural rules, such as stand your ground, that would allow for the dismissal of a capital murder charge. Bone agreed and the motion was denied.

Gadsden Sunday Sales bill moving forward in house

A vote on a Gadsden Sunday Alcohol sales bill could come this week in the Alabama House according to the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Craig Ford of Gadsden.  Ford introduced the bill Thursday.  Both Rep. Mack Butler, of Rainbow City, and Rep. Becky Nordgren, of Gadsden, have indicated  they will sign the bill out of committee Tomorrow. That will allow the bill to come to the full House for a vote on Thursday.  Local bills usually pass if they are supported by the local delegation. 

Republican party removes Bryan from ballott

The Alabama Republican Party headquarters announced Friday afternoon has denied ballot access  to Anniston Attorney Ray Bryan and three other Republicans in this years republican primary.  Bryan was among 18 candidates whose status qualifications to run as Republicans were challenged after the sign-up period to run in the 2014 elections ended Feb. 7. Party chairman Bill Armistead said that all 18 were challenged by other party members, and that those challenges would be reviewed this weekend.  Party officials have never publicly stated what grounds any complainant had for challenging Bryan's candidacy. Armistead said that challenges to the 18 candidates were due to a variety of issues, including questions about residency, technical or paperwork problems or doubts that the candidates were truly Republicans.  Bryan announced his candidacy for state auditor last year, saying if elected, he hoped to work for an amendment to the 1901 Constitution to abolish the state auditor's office  Placing it under the Examiners of Public Accounts, the auditing agency of the legislative branch. Four Republicans and one Democrat remain in the race for state auditor. Independent candidates have until June to qualify to for the election.

Four Gadsden residents charged in Albertville murder

 Albertville Police Chief Doug Pollard, in a Friday press conference said that  Four people from Gadsden have been charged with capitol murder in the shooting death of Willie Coleman Jr. in Albertville on January 9.  22 year old  Shontavious Williams, 23 year old  JaMichael Kinchen, 25 year old  Derunteze Parker, and 20 year old Maya Morris are all charged with murder. The 22 year old Coleman  was shot to death Jan. 9 at a residence on Valley View Drive.Williams, Kinchen and Parker are each being held on $1 million bond in the Marshall County Detention Center. Morris is being held on $500,000 bond.  Chief Pollard said some of those charged were arrested in Albertville and others in Gadsden.  Pollard said Coleman was shot during a robbery and that the four charged did not know him prior to his death.  Kinchen was out on bond at the time of the shooting for an attempted murder charge in Gadsden. During a preliminary hearing in January, Kinchen also was mentioned as a possible witness in the case against 28 year old Cedric Orlando Young, of Mobile.  Young is charged with capital murder for the deaths of two men in a shooting Aug. 17 on Meighan Bridge.