Oxford police arrest forgery suspect, searching for other suspects

Oxford police have charged an Anniston man after he attempted to cash two fake checks and police are searchingfor three more suspects in unrelated forged check cases.  47 year old Alan Jeffery Gross, was charged with two felony counts of possession of a forged instrument. Police say that Gross attempted to cash a check Wednesday afternoon written for $1,754 at BB&T on Hamric Drive. An alert bank employee turned Gross away because the check was suspicious and contacted Oxford police.  A few minutes later, police were called to Noble Bank and Trust on U.S. 78 where Gross was trying to cash another forged check.  The second check was written for $1,875. Gross was unable to cash either check and was apprehended by Oxford police at the second bank. Gross was using a Maryland driver’s license, but he lives in Anniston.  Police were also investigating three more cases of forged checks reported this week.  Earlier in the week two men tried to cash checks at Noble Bank and Trust in Oxford. Two bank tellers helping the men both called the business to ensure the checks were real but the men left before the tellers got off the phone and both left their driver’s licenses at the bank. Police are searching for 48 year old Everett Harris,  of Jacksonville, and 51 year old Erskine Thomas, of Selma, for attempting to cash the forged checks.  Police say they believe the account and routing numbers of the businesses were taken from checks left in mailboxes over the weekend.

Highway 21 sinkholes to be reparied

Some relief may be in the works for drivers that use Highway 21 in Talladega county.  Department of transportation officials met yesterday with representatives from the Talladega EMA to discuss an 8 million dollar emergency construction project that would repair sinkholes along the highway.  ALDOT assistant  division engineer Robert Camp, says The goal is to have a contractor on the ground putting up signs by the end of July and The contractors will work around the clock to complete the task which they anticipate would take from three to five weeks.  Camp speculated that both sinkholes could be as deep as 100 feet and there have been past efforts to patch up the surface when it has shown signs of collapsing.

Headliner for free Boaz concert announced

The city of boaz has announced that grand ole opry star Marty Stewart will headline the cities 13th annual free concert later this month. Birmingham folk trio Three on a String will perform as the opening act for the June 29^th event.  Boaz Mayor Tim Walker said the event, which is on Billy B. Dyar Boulevard the Saturday before the Fourth of July, is the city's way of thanking area residents for shopping in Boaz throughout the year.Opening activities begin at 6:30 p.m., and Three on a String will perform at 7 p.m. Stuart will take the stage at 8:15 p.m..

Anniston police searching for rape suspects

Anniston police are investigating the reported rape of an Anniston woman by Two men at a party early Wednesday morning. The twenty-one year old victim told police she attended a party on Elm Street in Anniston at midnight. The woman said that when she started to leave, a man she knew asked her to go into a bedroom with him and then started undressing her. When the victim refused, another man entered the room and forced the woman to the ground and raped her. Police say the second suspect also sexually assaulted the woman. Law enforcement has identified one of the suspects and is still trying to identify the other. The men could be charged with first-degree rape.

Cross replaced above Gadsden Hospital

Last week the landmark crosses that overlook the city from atop riverview regional medical center were removed from their tower, and Thursday, workers lifted and installed two brand new crosses to take their place.  Hospital CEO Jim Edmondson says that Simmons Signs of Gadsden helped to design and build the bigger, brighter, LED crosses.  The crosses are a left-over reminder the hospital’s early days as the Holy Name of Jesus Hospital that was founded by the Sisters of the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity in the early 1900’s.  The order sold the hospital to Health Management Associates in 1991.  Edmondson says that the hospital will hold a cross blessing ceremony that is open to the public on Sunday afternoon from 2 until 4 in the hospital cafeteria.   And, as for the old crosses, Edmondson says that one of the original crosses will be part of a special display inside the hospital.           

Anniston police arrest robbery suspect seeking additional suspect in shooting

Anniston police have one suspect in custody and are searching for another susptect following a Wednesday night shooting on Dooley avenue in Anniston.    An 81-year-old woman told police she heard gunshots around noon outside her home on Dooley Avenue. Officers discovered that a bullet went through a window and hit the woman’s refrigerator. According to Captain Alan George, the victims identified one of those involved in the shooting as 53 year old Kelly Tatum, whom officers were already searching for in connection with the armed robbery of a couple Sunday night on Cobb Avenue.  According to Captain George, a warrant investigator spotted Tatum and made the arrest..   Police are continuing to search for additional suspects in the dooley avenue shooting.