Archive for the ‘Local’ Category
Mayor: Public Deserves Accounting of New Jail's Finances
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle plans to begin a financial review and audit of the new jail upon issuance of the facility’s Certificate of Occupancy (CO).
The Mayor’s Office released the following statement concerning the jail Thursday afternoon:
In the 65 days that I’ve been in office, I’ve asked for and received daily briefings on the status of the Huntsville/Madison County Jail project. During that time period the contractors have repeatedly assured us that the Certificate of Occupancy (CO) would be ready for issuance on December 31st, 2008. That date passed with no CO being issued.
Much to my disappointment, it has now been reported to me that this project, as of the November reporting period, is now at $72.24 million dollars. With December and January invoices having yet to be reported, clearly more overruns will be processed before the total cost to taxpayers is known.
After this report I asked for a tour of the facility. Oscar Montgomery, Chairman of the Public Building Authority, Bruce Lee, a principal of Lee Builders, Jeff Easter and I then conducted a site review during our visit. These visits will be a regular occurrence.
This is the most expensive and challenging project in Huntsville history. The taxpayers and citizens of our community deserve an accounting of costs on this issue.
The contract with the builder has provisions allowing for that accounting. As the project nears its completion, it is now at a point where it’s appropriate to begin that review. We have an obligation to the taxpayers to report how their dollars are being spent and I will direct Randy Taylor, our Director of Finance, to start the process of an independent audit and financial accounting of this project upon issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.
Warning Sirens Today Are Only A Test
If you hear sirens today at noon, don’t worry. Disaster is not imminent. The Huntsville-Madison County EMA is just conducting a test of the county’s outdoor warning system.
EMA Releases List of Areas Affected By Flooding
The Huntsville-Madison County Emergency Management Agency has released the following list of weather related problems.
Roads/areas flooded:
Hill Road near Hobbs Island Road.
County Line/Madison Blvd Just South of Old Highway 20.
Nick Fitcheard Road near Kelly Cemetery.
Country Club near Memorial Parkway.
Balch Road near Gillespie just south of Intersection.
Also reported:
HPD Communications reports that barricades needed on Terry Drake Rd. at Tricke and Thornwood due to water over the road.
HPD reported Little Cove Road and McMullen Road barricaded due to flooding.
Water is covering Road Old Hwy 431 at Sam Maples Rd. in New Hope.
Owens Cross Roads PD reported 4-6″ of water across Mayo Road South of Johnson Road and water covering the road at Oak Grove Road near Scott Branch Road both in the city of New Hope.
Motorists are encouraged to avoid these areas until waters recede.
Madison County Schools Delayed One Hour Wednesday Due To Weather
All Madison County schools will open one hour late Wednesday morning due to anticipated hazardous road conditions, according to a press release from the school system.
School buses will also run one hour later than normal.
Flash Flood Warning In Effect For Area; Waters Rising in Eastern Madison County
By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire
While the National Weather Service has placed Madison County under a flash flood warning through Tuesday afternoon, waters in area creeks and rivers are rising quickly.
A check of the Gurley and Brownsboro areas by HNW, including the Hurricane Creek and Flint River, found levels rising towards their banks.
Little Cove Road was still open but water had already begun to cross the highway near Rock Cut Road.
Rock Cut Road was open as well but water was encroaching on the pavement.
These areas flooded during heavy rains last month and are likely to do so again.
Officials urge extreme caution by motorists and advise drivers never to cross flooded roads.
Watch For High Water Today, Wednesday As Heavy Rains Move Through
A Flood Watch is in effect for all of North Alabama as a large low pressure system moves through the area.
Rainfall amounts of between 2-4 inches are expected throughout the region, with some areas possibly receiving as much as 6 inches.
Flooding of low-lying areas is expected as rivers and streams begin to fill, then overtop their banks.
Drivers should exercise extreme caution as they navigate and never drive through a flooded area.
Additional car crashes are also possible as vehicles hydroplane and lose control on wet roads.
Police: Woman Found Dead New Years Day Was Murdered
By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire
A woman whose remains were found on New Years Day was a victim of homicide, police said Monday.
According to HPD spokesman Sgt. Mark Roberts and published reports, the woman was found concealed under firewood in the back of a pickup truck bed behind a business on Derrick Street just west of downtown.
Roberts said the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, who had been examining the remains, determined the woman had been shot.
Roberts would not say where the victim had been shot but said the remains had likely been in the truck bed since last fall, most likely September or October.
Roberts said the victim was wearing several pieces of jewelery and officials were releasing photos of the jewelery in the hopes that someone may recognize them.
The items can be viewed at this link:
http://www.hsvcity.com/police/News%20Releases%202009/News_Release%201_05_09.htm
Anyone with any information about the jewelery or the victim is urged to call the HPD at 722-7100 or 911.
Teen Dead, 5 Others Hurt In New Year's Eve Crash
By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire
The identity of a 17-year-old boy who died in a two-vehicle crash on US 431 in New Hope Wednesday evening has been released.
Madison County Coroner Bobby Berryhill said Jeremy Lee Dudley of New Hope was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
According to information from the New Hope Police Department, and HEMSI Chief Operations Officer Don Webster, a BMW 318 was eastbound on Oak Grove Road around 6 p.m. when the driver, identified as Dudley, disregarded a stop sign and pulled into the path of a southbound Ford F250 pickup truck.
The BMW was then struck broadside, killing Dudley.
Two passengers in the car, John Walling, 17, and Briana Nelson, 15, both of New Hope, were taken to Huntsville Hospital. Walling reportedly had internal injuries while Nelson had only minor injuries.
The pickup’s driver, Vickie Gray, 41, of Collinsville, and her two daughters, Jadia, 9, and Jericka, 7, were also taken to Huntsville Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigating officer Ted Newman said he did not think alcohol was a factor in the collision.
No further information was available.
Major Accident Blocks 431 In New Hope Community, Fatality Involved
By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire
Emergency crews are on the scene of a crash involving three vehicles on Highway 431 at Oak Grove Road in the New Hope Community of south Madison County.
The accident was reported shortly after 6 p.m.
Crews on the scene reported at least 5 injured persons, some of whom were trapped in their vehicles.
Two of the injured were thought to be children while three were adults.
At least one victim is being described as a fatality.
At 6:40 p.m. MedFlight was enroute from the scene to an area hospital with at least one victim. Three HEMSI units were also on scene treating victims.
Traffic will be blocked or slowed in the area for some time while troopers investigate the crash.
UPDATE: At least three of the victims in the crash are juveniles. Reports indicate HEMSI units are transporting girls aged 15, 9, and 7 years of age. A 41 year-old woman is also being transported.
Certificate of Occupancy For New Jail Delayed Until 2009
(From release) Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle announced that the Huntsville/Madison County Jail project would not receive its Certificate of Occupancy by Wednesday, December 31st and that the project would be delayed into the New Year.
“Upon daily review of the jail project it has become clear that additional reviews and inspections could delay the CO (Certificate of Occupancy) by another two weeks,” said Battle.
