Gadsden Resident makes national TV Debut

Gadsdens Sunny Mabrey

Sunny Mabrey, a model, turned actress from Gadsden, made her debut Sunday night as Glinda the Good Witch of the South in ABC's "Once Upon a Time." 
In the series, the characters are fighting against the Wicked Witch of the West, and only Glinda can help them overcome her powers. 

New Talladega Experience

Talladega Superspeedway

As race fans begin arriving at the Talladega Superspeedway for this weekends Aarons Dream Weekend, they will fine an enhanced Talladega Experience.  Speedway president Grant Lynch says fans will find a new Talladega Experience with improved seating and
new large screen monitors.  In additon to the physical changes, the speedway has also added a new event Saturday night, Bar B Que Sauce wrestlilng.  It all kicks off friday and WTDR is your broadcast home for expanded Talladega race weekend coverage.

Piedmont school wins award

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and Discovery Education announced Tuesday the winners of several challenges and sweepstakes as part of the Together Counts program,  a joint initiative aimed at addressing childhood obesity through educators, students and families.  Piedmont Elementary has been selected as the grand prize winners of this year's Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes and will receive $30,000 in cash and new sporting goods equipment as well as a new playground from Playworld Systems.   As part of this year's incentive programs, more than $200,000 in prizes will be awarded to deserving schools across the nation in an effort to extend the reach of health and wellness programs both in and out of school.

Cherokee drug bust

Three Louisiana residents were apprehended monday with a large amount of drugs after being pulled over for speeding in Cherokee County.  20 year old Miles Edward Borcherdt, 19 year old Randell Kaleta Dolin, and 21 year old Brent Joseph Champagne, were each charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and first-degree possession of marijuana.  Two deputies pulled over a vehicle north of Centre on U.S. Highway 411. As one of the deputies approached the vehicle, he smelled what he believed to be burning marijuana and called for assistance from the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigative and Counter-Drug Unit.  Investigators and deputies found a sizeable amount of illegal drugs, including marijuana, MDMA (also known as Ecstasy or Molly) and various prescription drugs, and a large sum of cash. The trio were traveling through Cherokee County from a location in Georgia, where they had attended a festival over the weekend.  All three were taken to the Cherokee County Detention Center, where they are being held on $5,000 bond.

Gadsden council considering toughening smoking ordinance

The Gadsden City Council is working on an ordinance that would ban indoor smoking in all public places within the city limits.  The new rules were discussed Tuesday morning at a meeting of the council’s Public Safety Committee. The ordinance would replace one passed in 2007 by the City Council and would be known as the “City of Gadsden Smoke Free Air Ordinance.”  Language in the ordinance says it is designed to protect public health and welfare, to reduce air pollution and to afford non-smokers the right to breathe clean air while out in public or at work.  The old ordinance exempted bars, restaurants that elected to be smoking-only establishments, designated smoking rooms at hotels and private clubs from having to be smoke-free. The new ordinance will ban smoking in all of those places.  The ordinance still is being worked on, with exceptions and certain rules being examined. The committee indicated it wants to make sure it doesn’t hurt local businesses in the process.

Storm recovery underway in Smith Institute Community

As cleanup began Tuesday in the smith institute community in Northeast Etowah county, residents began trying to pick up the remains of their life.  For Ranae Higgins, it was nothing new, just Thirteen months ago a tornado had destroyed her home and Tuesday Higgins stood in disbelief among what was left of her trailer destroyed by a Monday night storm.  Higgins was one of several people left homeless by a storm that cut through the area County early Tuesday morning. A suspected tornado packing winds estimated at 150 miles per hour tore through the area shortly after midnight, ripping off roofs, uprooting trees in an area still recovering from a storm that hit scarcely a year ago.  Officials say the damage was extensive in a concentrated area around Underwood, Liberty and Roden Roads. Rescue crews spent the morning in two coordinated searches looking for those who were hurt and trapped. Only a few injuries were reported.

Attalla man arrested trying to steal property from home during Monday night storm

Bobby Delane Henry

An Attalla man has been arrested and charged after attempting to steal property from a homeowner who had left his home to seek shelter.  52 year old Bobby Delane Henry is charged with one felony count of third degree theft of property.  Henry was attempting to steal a pressure washer Monday night from a residence on Boutwell Road in
the Carlisle community.  The homeowner, while on his way to seek cover from the severe storms, saw and confronted Henry.  Henry is being detained in the Etowah county detention center on a $1,000 bond.

School delays and closings 4-29

School delays and closings

SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND DELAYS FOR APRIL 29TH:

1ST BAPTIST CHURCH PLEASANT GROVE KINDERGARTEN AND DAYCARE: CLOSED
12TH ST BAPTIST PRESCHOOL RAINBOW CITY: CLOSED
AIDB WILL NOT RUN DAILY STUDENT BUS ROUTES - INDUSTRIES BUSES WILL RUN ON NORMAL SCHEDULE
ALEXANDER CITY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
ANNISTON CITY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
ATTALLA CITY SCHOOLS: CLOSED
BLOUNT COUNTY SCHOOLS: CLOSED
CALHOUN COUNTY SCHOOLS: CLOSED
CHEROKEE COUNTY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
CLAY COUNTY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
CLEBURNE COUNTY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
COOSA CHRISTIAN AND DAYCARE: 2 HR DELAY
ETOWAH COUNTY SCHOOLS: CLOSED
GADSDEN CITY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: CLOSED
JACKSONVILLE CITY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
NEW BEGINNINGS ACADEMY SOUTHSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH: 2 HR DELAY
NORTH RIVER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY PRESCHOOL: OPEN AT 10AM
OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
PARKWAY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: CLOSED
PIEDMONT CITY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
RANDOLPH COUNTY SCHOOLS: 2 HR DELAY
SACRED HEART OF JESUS CATHOLIC SCHOOL: CLOSED
THE LEARNING CENTER 1ST PRESBYTERIAN ANNISTON: CLOSED
VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: OPEN 10AM
WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: 2 HR DELAY