This past Thursday a Menlo woman reported that her spare wheel and tire was taken from the bed of her Ford Ranger truck. According to the report by the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office, Rebecca Tucker told deputies that the wheel and tire are valued at $200. Tucker, who works at Walmart in Trion, said she normally parks next to the building, but the theft could have occurred while she was at work. She said she's not sure when the wheel and spare were taken. The report indicated that the theft could have occurred as early as November 30. Tucker was to have had  Walmart security  review the security tapes in the area that she parks, according to the report. 

A Beavers Road home was burglarized while the family who lives there were out of town. According to the Chattooga County Sheriff's Department report, the burglary was discovered on Sunday by someone watching the home and feeding the dogs. The woman reportedly arrived at the home on Sunday and found the front door standing open and apparently had been kicked in with a foot print on the door. The frame also was damaged. Deputies made sure no one was inside the residence. Since the residents are out of town there was no list of what was stolen or an estimated value. The incident has been turned over to investigators.

Two burglaries were reported at homes in Trion Monday.  A Nellie Lane, Trion, woman reported that her home was broken into Monday while she was at the hospital. According to the report, the bedroom window had been forced open and the screen had been torn and removed. Things apparently had been thrown around the bedroom, including drawers that had been opened. The woman said several things that belonged to her and her daughter had been stolen. She was told to make a list of items taken and deliver it to the investigator in charge.  A Carol Drive, Trion, woman reported that when she returned home Monday her front door was standing open. According to the report, it appears that someone pried open the door and came into the residence. Money, medication, and some toys were takenm, valued at $106.

It's the Holiday Season and, according to local Sheriff's Department Officials, it is a prime time for thefts and burglaries in Chattooga County.  Captain Ken Anderson with the Chattooga County Sheriff's Department says that the county has seen an increase in burglaries and thefts recently.

The department has reported 10-15 burglaries and thefts in the past month alone. Anderson credits that to the holiday season which always bring an increase in burglaries and thefts, as well as the economic situation and lots of people being without jobs. He said most of those crimes are occurring in rural areas, during the day, when people are at work. He said the Sheriff's Department is trying to combat the increase with extra patrols.

Anderson says the best way to keep your home safe is to arrange for neighbors to keep an eye out on your home when you are away. He says neighborhood watch programs are very effective. Anderson also says that if you see any suspicious vehicles to call 911. He said many people think that's a nuisance, but that's the job of law enforcement personnel. Many of the items being stolen are copper wiring, weapons, tools, jewelry and electronics. 

FORT PAYNE, Ala. – Strikingly beautiful, people-friendly and ecologically sustainable, the Little River Canyon Bridge on State Route 35 received national recognition from the Sierra Club as one of the 50 Best U.S. Transportation Projects in 2012, the Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center announced today.

“After partnering with the Alabama Department of Transportation to support its design and construction, we have used the bridge as a classroom for school classes, bird watchers, photographers, engineers and tourists from around the world, but now it’s even more, it’s a recognized model as how to build something right,” said JSU Little River Canyon Center Director Pete Conroy.

Transportation Director John Cooper agrees. “The Little River Canyon Bridge is an example of ALDOT’s commitment to work with local stakeholders to design a project that matches the landscape,” he said. “ALDOT worked with stakeholders to design a modern bridge that fits into one of Alabama’s most beautiful and scenic areas, and we worked hard to be environmentally responsible during construction. We’re committed to working in this manner on all ALDOT projects.”

Connecting Cherokee and DeKalb counties, the current bridge replaced the old State Route 35 Bridge built in 1948. Dedicated upon its completion in Sept. 15, 2010, the $7.6 million construction project combined functional and sustainable construction with aesthetics to enhance the natural beauty of the already breathtaking Little River Canyon National Preserve.

“The National Park Service is proud to have partnered with ALDOT in expanding a series of boardwalks under and all around the bridge. Visitors are treated to amazing views of Little River and the falls from the bridge,” said Gail Bishop, Superintendent of the Little River Canyon National Preserve.

The structural integrity and environmentally sensitive design of the bridge project is paving the way for similar projects in the future.

With a driving surface 53 feet above the riverbed, the bridge is 465 feet long and has only one pier set in the middle of the streambed, causing the least possible amount of impact to the natural flow of the river. Support beams and rebar were manufactured using recycled steel, and recycled asphalt was used to pave the driving surface. The bridge has a fully-developed pedestrian lane featuring three viewing areas with benches overlooking the scenic Little River Canyon and falls. Another unique aspect of the bridge is its 11,800 square feet of simulated stone masonry, adding overall artistic value and visual appeal. Additionally, materials from the old bridge were recycled and reused in other construction projects.

Walker County Attorney Don Oliver has submitted a response to the lawsuit over salary, filed by out-going State Court Judge Bruce Roberts. That response says,  "Reimburse the county for dismissing 53 traffic cases in a single day." Roberts called that action a "spur of the moment decision – sort of an amnesty thing." Roberts' complaint alleges that the county shorted him 72 thousand dollars in pay, compared to the judge he replaced by appointment. Commissioner Beve Heiskell said she negotiated Roberts' 100 thousand dollar annual salary with him, just after he was appointed to the position by the governor and it was more than he had been making in his law practice. Oliver's response alleges that Roberts threw out tickets in an attempt to potentially cause financial harm to the voters and taxpayers of Walker County who had turned him out of office after his bid for re-election  failed and voters opted for Lafayette attorney Billy Mullinax.  The suit is scheduled for May of next year and will be heard by a judge from Rome.
 

Harbin Clinic Nephrologist, Dr. Rashid Ishaque, recently authored a chapter in a new textbook, Clinical Decisions in Nephrology, Hypertension, and Kidney Transplantation. The text book provides a state of the art, updated reference for superlative management of patients with diseases of the kidneys and hypertension.

An auction on Monday at the Forum in Rome resulted in the county making an estimated $65,000. Dempsey Auction company hosted the property auction in which 90 of 123 parcels  were sold. Floyd County acquired the property, some residences, over the past several years.