News

Two arrested, one sought in residential burglary

Submitted by JoBeth Davis, Community Web Producer

Thursday, April 4th, 2013, 5:04pm

Two arrested, one sought in residential burglary

On April 3, 2013 the Dothan Police Department made two felony arrests following the recent investigation of a Burglary that occurred the previous day. Investigators say on April 2, 2013 Cortavious Byrd, Gerald Birmingham Jr. and Calvin Cochran Jr. forcefully entered a home on Mona Drive, robbed the occupant at gun-point and took an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency before leaving the residence. Investigators have arrested Byrd and Birmingham and are now seeking the assistance of the community in locating Cochran Jr.

Cortavious Jamar Byrd, black male, 20 years of age, of Kinsey, Alabama was arrested and charged with first degree Burglary. His bond has been set at $350,000. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Dothan City Commission to hold special called meeting Friday morning

Submitted by Donna Wallace-King, Community Web Producer

Thursday, April 4th, 2013, 10:01am

Dothan City Commission to hold special called meeting Friday morning

The Dothan City Commission has scheduled a special called meeting for Friday, April 5, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. to discuss economic development. The meeting will be held in the City Commission Chambers on the second floor of the Dothan Civic Center.

Following the meeting, a press conference will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Dothan Opera House for an economic development announcement from Governor Robert Bentley, The Alabama Department of Commerce, City of Dothan, Houston County Commission, Dale County Commission, Dothan-Houston County Airport Authority, Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce and Dothan by Design, Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation, and the Wiregrass Legislative Delegation.

The public is invited to attend. For more information, please call the Dothan Mayor’s Office at (334) 615-3111.

Source: City of Dothan

View Comments | Post a Comment

Weekly benefit cut for the long term unemployed to be implemented due to federal sequestration

Submitted by Donna Wallace-King, Community Web Producer

Thursday, April 4th, 2013, 9:10am

Weekly benefit cut for the long term unemployed to be implemented due to federal sequestration

Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Tom Surtees announced today that Alabamians receiving Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits can expect to see a 12.8% reduction in benefits for weeks beginning April 28 through September 30. The cuts are due to mandated federal budget cuts, known as sequestration.

In most cases, Alabamians receiving regular unemployment compensation benefits, or those who have been unemployed for 26 weeks or less, will not be impacted by the cuts. This is because the State of Alabama is responsible for paying claims for up to the first 26 weeks with unemployment insurance taxes collected from employers.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Police searching for bank robbery suspect

Submitted by JoBeth Davis, Community Web Producer

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013, 5:17pm

Police searching for bank robbery suspect

DOTHAN, AL (WSFA) - Dothan Police are searching for a suspect after someone walked into the Sun South Bank on Jamestown Blvd. this afternoon and robbed it.

Preliminary descriptions of the suspect depict a white male approximately 6 feet tall wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with an orange bandanna over his face.

This man was last seen running west from the business.

Dothan police say they are searching for this suspect and will provide updates as they come available.

View Comments | Post a Comment

IRS expands identity theft program to 50 states

Submitted by Donna Wallace-King, Community Web Producer

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013, 1:59pm

IRS expands identity theft program to 50 states

The Internal Revenue Service today announced a nationwide expansion of the program designed to help law enforcement obtain tax return data vital to their local efforts in investigating and prosecuting specific cases of identity theft.

More than 1,560 waiver requests have been received since the Law Enforcement Assistance Program’s inception from over 100 state and local law enforcement agencies in the nine states participating in the pilot. The expansion covers all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia and will be effective Friday, March 29, 2013.

“The results of the pilot illustrate that this works as an innovative tool for law enforcement to help pursue tough identity theft situations,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven T. Miller. “This program is an effective way for law enforcement to work with the IRS to pursue identity thieves and protect taxpayers.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Ala. Legislature sets stricter abortion standards

Submitted by WSFA 12 News Staff

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013, 11:42pm

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA)- A bill placing stricter regulations on abortion clinics in Alabama is heading to the Governor's desk. The House of Representatives voted late Tuesday night to pass the bill, following a 22-10 Senate vote to approve the Women's Health and Safety Act.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Groups seek to educate public during National Autism Awareness Month

Submitted by Donna Wallace-King, Community Web Producer

Monday, April 1st, 2013, 12:22pm

Groups seek to educate public during National Autism Awareness Month

Governor Robert Bentley has proclaimed April as Autism Awareness Month in Alabama. The Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council and the Autism Society of Alabama are partnering to promote this observance. The month-long awareness campaign held annually in April has been sponsored since the 1970s by the Autism Society of America, and seeks to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism spectrum disorders.

Events will be held statewide celebrating the observance, including a series of Walks for Autism in 15 locations around the state. Proceeds from the walks benefit the Autism Society of Alabama, which also sponsors the walks. In addition, a “Light It Up Blue” campaign will also be going on during April, involving everything from office buildings to people’s front porches.

According to the most recent autism prevalence rate released by the CDC, 1 in 88 children are identified as having an autism spectrum disorder.

View Comments | Post a Comment