Our network

4 men charged for stealing artifacts from TVA

LAUDERDALE COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- Four men were fined in federal court for stealing cultural artifacts from TVA property.

Roger Fountain and Heath Dubois of Tuscumbia and John Bates of Florence pleaded guilty to theft of government property. The charge was in violation of the Archaeological Resource Protection Act. The artifacts were stolen from the Pickwick Reservoir shoreline.

Matthew Buttrman of Ider pleaded guilty to theft of government property. He was accused of stealing Native American relics from the Guntersville Reservoir.

Each defendant was sentenced to one year probation and $500 in fines.

An official with TVA said that ARPA violations are aggressively pursued in an effort to preserve cultural and local history.

If any of the man violate ARPA again, they could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved

Community Sponsors

Vacation for a Lifetime
Quality Education in a Christian Environment.

FDA warns against illegal HCG diet supplements

HUNSTVILLE, AL (WAFF)- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is sending warning letters to
manufacturers about a popular diet supplement.

FDA officials said any diet supplements including human chorionic
gonadotropin, commonly called HCG, are illegal.

Better Business Bureau officials said they have received dozens of
complaints about one of the most notable companies producing the drugs. BBB
officials gave HCG Xtreme an "F" rating, citing 53 customer
complaints about billing, collection and problems with products. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the FDA issued letters to businesses
selling HCG warning they are selling illegal weight loss drugs that are not FDA
approved. Despite the warnings, major retailers like Wal-Mart, Target
and GNC still sell the supplements.

Officials looking to improve communication during disasters

GUNTERSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- State Homeland Security officials are meeting with the first responders in Marshall County hoping to increase better communications during disasters.

They are hoping to resolve communication issues between different emergency responders by enacting a statewide system.

Emergency responders and emergency management officials from across Alabama are meeting this week in Guntersville to address problems of different agencies being able to communicate during disasters.

For now, the state has a mobile strategic technology reserve that can go to locations, such as tornado hit areas during the April 27 tornados, and put together the different frequencies of agencies so they can get help when they need it.

New communications system coming to north Alabama

GUNTERSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- The state of Alabama is working to strengthen it's communications between agencies during times of disaster. They're working on a statewide system where different first responders will be able to speak with one another.

The new statewide system would allow agencies to speak with one another on a mutual aid frequency, even across the state if need be.

Residents said they can't wait for the new radio system because it will solve a lot of problems.

When the April 27th tornadoes hit last year emergency responders did the best job they could but they also found out it is sometimes hard communicating with each other.

"Some agencies across the state work VHF type radio systems, some operate off of UHF radio. Those two radio systems do not talk together," said Charles Murph, Jr., Alabama Homeland Security Assistant Director.

Deputies arrest suspected car burglars

MARSHALL COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- Marshall County Sheriff's deputies arrested two people charged with car burglary.

Saturday, deputies responded to calls of a suspicious vehicle on Highway 431 in the Honeycomb community. Witnesses said they had seen the occupants acting suspicious near the boat ramp just north of the river bridge.

As deputies investigated they found the suspects in a shed behind a home on J R Hollow Road. They determined the offenders had burglarized a vehicle at the boat ramp and then entered the shed. Officials found tools commonly used to commission cars in the offenders' possession.

Christopher Scott Campbell of Huntsville and Amy Michelle Wharton of New Market were arrested and charged with unlawful burglary of a vehicle and possession of burglar tools. Their bond was set at $3000 each.

Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved.

10 bike-related recalls to check out before you hit the road

Now that spring is here, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers to check to see if their bicycles, bicycle components or accessories have been recalled before using them.

 Recalled bicycles, components and accessories can be dangerous and cause an accident, resulting in injury or even death. If you have a recalled product, contact the business for the remedy. Once that's taken care of, remember to properly strap on your bike helmet!

You can find out more about these recalls and others at the CPSC website www.cpsc.gov.

The (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell them about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov.

Reported jumper off Guntersville river bridge thought to be a hoax

Reported jumper off Guntersville river bridge thought to be a hoax


al.com (blog)

Reported jumper off Guntersville river bridge thought to be a hoax
al.com (blog)
By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times View full size The US 431 bridge over the Tennessee River in Guntersville in a 2006 photo. (The Huntsville Times/File photo) GUNTERSVILLE, Alabama - Police think that a report that a person jumped off the US 431 ..... Read More