Gaylesville man drowns at Weiss Lake

A 70-year-old Gaylesville man drowned just after noon Wednesday in Weiss Lake, according to Cherokee County Deputy Coroner Carl Brown .
Jerry Wayne Clowdus and his wife had taken their pontoon boat out, apparently just checking the boat out.
About noon, Clowdus  apparently intended to load the boat up and had gotten out at the state dock off Alabama Highway 68 in Cedar Bluff. The boat floated away from the dock with his wife on board.
“She hollered at him. She wasn’t a strong swimmer, so he pulled off his shirt and shoes and went in the water after the boat,”
He went under and never surfaced again.
Cedar Bluff Police, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee County Rescue Squad and emergency medical services responded, they were able to retrieve Clowdus’ body by 12:45 p.m.
EMS personnel were unable to resuscitate him.

Federal grand jury indicts Mexican nationals for illegal entry after being deported

Federal prosecutors Wednesday announced the indictments of two Mexican nationals on charges they illegally re-entered the U.S. after previous deportations and convictions.
29 year old Jose Anival-Rivera,  formerly of Decatur, and 33 year old Jose Adan Pavon-Rodriguez,  formerly of Oxford, are charged with entering the U.S. following felony convictions.
Anival-Rivera, also known as Jose Anibal-Rivera, Paulino Balderas, and Wan Camacho, was deported in March 2011, January 2013, February 2013 and July 2013, after a felony conviction.
Pavon-Rodriguez was deported in December 2011, and again in August 2013, following a felony conviction, according to his indictment.
Court records show Pavon-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and to promoting prison contraband in 2011. A Calhoun County grand jury in March indicted Pavon-Rodriguez of possessing cocaine. He pleaded not guilty to the charge on June 9.
Pavon-Rodriguez faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Anival-Rivera faces a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Gadsden man seriously injured in bicycle accident

A 56 year old Gadsden man is in serious condition at UAB Hospital after he sustained a head injury Tuesday in a bicycle crash.
Gadsden police were called to assist the Gadsden Fire Department at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the scene of an accident on South 11th Street.
Jerry Bonness,  was riding a bicycle, heading south on 11th Street, when he apparently lost control of the bike and crashed. According to the police report, he apparently hit his head on the pavement. He was treated at the scene, then moved to another location so he could be airlifted to UAB.

Goodwater man arrested on drug charges

A 26  year old Goodwater man is being held in the Talladega County Jail on a $100,000 bond after being arrested for manufacture of a controlled substance in the first degree.
Scott William McCook, was arrested Tuesday on the felony drug charges. He was also charged with attempting to elude law enforcement.
McCook was pulled over by Sylacauga Police Friday, along with three other people. While the Sylacauga officer was occupied with the three passengers, McCook fled from the scene.
A fully-active methamphetamine lab was discovered inside the vehicle. The warrants against McCook were issued at that time. He was found on Tuesday and arrested without further incident.

Ranburne council member steps down

Ranburne city councilman  Ernie Crawford informed Town Clerk Pam Richardson on June 29 that he was moving out of state and would no longer be able to serve.
Ranburne’s council has 60 days to appoint a new member under state law.  resident David Walker talked to the four remaining council members at their July meeting about filling out Crawford’s term. Notices were posted this week about the vacancy at City Hall, the Ranburne Senior Center and Ranburne Post Office.
Crawford had been a council member since March 16, 2007, when he was appointed to serve the remainder of Councilman Trevor Kribbs’ term. He ran unopposed in 2008 and 2012.
In fact, Ranburne hasn’t had an election of town officials since 1992.  Members have either been appointed or have run unopposed.
The Ranburne mayor and council members are not paid for their service.
According to state law, if the council members don’t appoint someone within in the 60 days, the mayor and the council members may each submit a nominee to the governor who then has 30 days to appoint someone. If the governor doesn’t appoint someone within those 30 days, the town will have to hold a special election.

Talladega BOE hires former Anniston City Finance Director

Danny McCullars

The Talladega City Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday evening to hire former Anniston City Finanance Director Danny McCullars as chief school financial officer for the district, pending a successful background check.
McCullars has worked for the City of Anniston for the past 12 years, and has been that city’s finance director for the past six years.
McCullars was one of two classified personnel actions on the agenda for Wednesday. Both had been tabled at a meeting Monday. The second item was tabled again Wednesday, and will most likely come up again during the next regular board meeting on Aug. 11.
Wednesday was also the first meeting with Donna King as superintendent. When King presented the personnel actions to the board for approval, she pointed out that the recommendations were actually made by her predecessor, Doug Campbell.