A federal jury in Anniston found Woodall guilty on two counts of bribery and three counts of lying to federal agents in February. The charges, prosecutors said, stemmed from Woodall’s acceptance of money in exchange for voting on behalf of an insurance company seeking to continue coverage of Cherokee County government.
The Centre City Council agreed to lobby local, state and federal legislators about keeping the Centre-Cherokee County-Piedmont Airport specs as they were originally intended after it was announced that the planned 5,500-foot runway would be cut to 4,000 because of lack of funding.
The runway at the current city airport, according to reports, is 3,400 feet, as council members pointed out, which was one of the main reasons Centre opted to relocated the facility, to ensure the runway is big enough to accommodate corporate jets.
Cherokee County dodged another bullet in early July as the brunt of Hurricane Dennis moved more southwest of the area. While there was some heavy wind and rain, no serious damage was reported in the area.
Cherokee County District Attorney Mike O’Dell issued a statement in July assessing the outcome of a community meeting called to discuss the status of the Cherokee County Court Referral Office and the Cherokee County Drug Court. The meeting was called in response to what he described as “rumblings and grumblings” from some leaders in the community about the transition of oversight of the Community Corrections program.
Rain-swollen waters contributed to the drowning death of a Cedar Bluff man and his daughter as they were swept over Little River Falls into Little River Canyon in July as they waded below the G.E. Hill Bridge off Alabama Highway 35.
The bodies were later recovered by divers from the river. The victims were identified as Michael Thomas Hughes, 30, and his daughter, Kayla Shae Hughes, 7.
According to one witness, Hughes and his daughter were clinging to each other as they went over the waterfall. Another witness reported that the man hit his head on the rocks and was bleeding as he went over.
A group of volunteers in the Collinsville area sought to restore the old Weaver Homeplace, located on Church Avenue (formerly Church Street) in Collinsville. The home was built in 1880 by Amos Millard Weaver. Mr. and Mrs. Jackie Weaver, (founder of Peoples Telephone Company, now TDS) still live on the street along with some of their grandchildren.
Local Roofers Tim Smith, Stan Ledbetter, Tim Johnson and David Wright were some of the volunteers who gave their time restoring the old Weaver Homeplace.
Authorities probed an early morning shooting in Cedar Bluff in late July which appeared to be a case of domestic violence between an ex-boyfriend and girlfriend according to a Cherokee County investigator. The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. at the residence of Darlene Horn on Cherokee County Road 41 near the Unity and Watson’s Crossroads Communities.
The victim, according to reports, was identified as Mickey Hall, 34, who was transported to Floyd Medical Center in Rome.
The Town of Cedar Bluff and Utility Board and Solid Waste Authority discussed some important items of business in July.
In a special called meeting, the Board received its preliminary fiscal audit from September 2003 to September 2004 from Kirkland and Associates of Gadsden.
According to the report, the board’s current assets total as of May 31 was $2,571,360.
The board’s total operating revenue was $702,193.
The board’s total operating expenses was listed at $505,866.
The board’s operating loss was $46,242.
Supt. Brian Johnson and the Cherokee County Board of Education prepared for the opening of another school year in late July and early August. According to Johnson, enrollment for the Cherokee County School System for 2005-2006 was estimated at 4,220, up from last year’s end-of-the-year enrollment of 4,194.
The city of Centre officially welcomed its new fire department building in late July. The city donated the building to Firefighter Hobart Reed, former fire chief, who has been with the Centre Fire Department for more than 50 years.
The ongoing investigation into corruption in Cherokee County government in Cherokee County had another Cedar Bluff official facing charges in early August.
Alice H. Martin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama and Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a criminal information was filed against Rickey L. Steele, 49, of Cedar Bluff.
The information charged that Steele lied to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on March 11 by telling them that he had not taken part in the removal of firearms that were being stored in the evidence room of the Cedar Bluff Police Department.
Steele subsequently changed his story and admitted his participation in the removal of firearms.
Also in August, James “Frog” West, 61, of Centre, pleaded guilty to three counts of a federal information on charges of federal excise tax evasion, according to a press release from the office of Alice H. Martin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, and James D. Vickery, special agent in charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.
The Cherokee County Commission, in August, met with Cherokee County Sheriff Larry Wilson to discuss renovations and expansions to the Cherokee County Detention Center. Wilson reported that the detention center population, particularly the women’s area, has increased, mainly because of the growing drug problem in Cherokee County, mainly methamphetamine.
The annual sweep of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and National Guard turned up close to 6.000 marijuana plants with a street value of up to $18 million in a four-day run in August. While the numbers were up over the previous year, Sheriff Wilson said, the numbers were down from previous years since more users are going to methamphetamine as their drug of choice.
Cong. Mike Rogers in August announced that the McCords Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department would receive a $48,308 grant to help purchase new fire safety and operations equipment.
The grant, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will help support firefighting efforts in the area and provide critical support to local firefighters.
Rogers said funding for the grant was included under the 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, an essential Federal program which supports first responders across Alabama and the nation.
Five men accused of committing half the murders in Floyd and Polk Counties in neighboring Georgia in 2003 were among 30 alleged drug gang members named in an indictment unsealed Monday (Aug. 29) by the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Josh Smith of Silver Creek, Ga., Shane Rosser of Centre and Sammy Duque of Cedartown, Ga. were implicated in the March 2003 shooting deaths of Floyd County residents Truitt Jerome “TJ” Agan and Christopher Kane Fortenberry.
A Leesburg physician sought to get his license and practice back after his office was abruptly shut down in August. In April 2001, as indicated by court records, the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama sought to remove the license of Dr. Pat Herrera in connection with the controversial pain killing drug, oxycontin. Dr. Herrera was practicing in Gadsden at the time and the case was tried in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County.
Letters of support poured in during August after it was announced that Dr. Pat Herrera had closed his office in Leesburg. Some of Dr. Herrera’s patients appealed to the State of Alabama Licensure Commis-sion to return Dr. Herrerra’s license so he could resume his practice.
At least four local Red Cross volunteers (and later others) were dispatched as cleanup efforts from Hurricane Katrina continued on the Gulf Coast in September.
Approximately 45 families, as of mid-September, has registered with the Cherokee County Chapter. The first priority, according to Betsy Hollis, chapter manager, Cherokee Red Cross, was getting those who survived the hurricane evacuated from the immediate affected area which included getting those evacuees secured with temporary living quarters and essentials.
Cherokee Electric Coopera-tive crews departed in late August to help rebuild the Washington-St. Tammany Elec-tric (WSTE) System located in the Franklinton, La. area, which was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Cedar Bluff Town Manager Rickey Steele announced plans to resign in September. Steele, according to reports, agreed to plead guilty to one count of lying to the FBI in connection with a recent federal charge. Earlier, Steele was arraigned on a federal charge of one count of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A local citizen and members of the board of education revived the enthusiasm for building a new Centre Middle School Building in September. A few years earlier, the board had secured 80 acres of land for this purpose, but the project was put on hold because of funding concerns.
Gaines Brewer said he first moved to Cherokee County in 1963 and after raising his own family in the Cherokee County School System, felt the time had arrived to make a move on this issue.
Cherokee County Sheriff Larry Wilson initially approach-ed the commission about the need for more female inmate space, noting that the current populations were rising because of the local drug problem. Architects with Fuller and Thompson agreed to draw up plans and submit them for the commission’s consideration.
A local youth died in an automobile accident in neighboring Georgia in September. James Stephen Mason was killed just two days before his two-month wedding anniversary, according to reports.
The wreck occurred as Mason and his wife, Janice, were traveling east on Georgia 20 near Hall Valley Road, Floyd Count police reported.
Mason’s Chevrolet Truck had hydroplaned a minute before the crash, though he corrected it before crossing another patch of water a half a mile into Georgia, said Floyd County Police PFC. Nancy Montgomery. The truck, according to reports, spun close to 150 feet onto the north side of the road. It struck a fence and slid another 66 feet where it came to rest in a ditch.
Coroner Barry Henderson said the cause of death was blunt trauma to the chest.
In the continued aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, local groups merged their efforts to better provide assistance to those in need. Local ministers, the Red Cross and other agencies arranged a dinner and forum for Hurricane victims who located to the Cherokee County area permanently or temporarily.
During an organizational meeting, the groups expressed appreciation to WEIS Radio Personality Jerry Baker and staff for their efforts in collecting funds and other items for Hurricane Victims. These efforts quickly expanded into finding homes and furniture, according to reports.
Baker asked the churches to consider taking over the task of delivering the furniture into the homes for the victims. Local ministers agreed to take the idea back to the churches and see if they can work something out on a daily rotating basis. The churches agreed to this plan.
According to Brian Johnson, superintendent, Cherokee County Schools, the Cherokee County School System had 17 students enrolled who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, including 12 from Louisiana and five from Mississippi.
The city of Centre took a step forward in bringing a new Gadsden State Community College-Cherokee County Campus facility to Centre.
Centre Mayor Phil Powell met with Architect Julian Jenkins and Baker Land Surveying Representative Greg McGinnis on city-owned property located adjacent to the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce office on Cedar Bluff Road in Centre.
According to Jenkins, the proposed $5 million-plus facility, which will house a nursing school and possibly a gymnasium and theater facility, will need, at minimum, 20 acres, not counting for future growth. Jenkins noted that other similar facilities have been built on a minimum of 40 acres or more.
Cherokee County Drug and Violent Task Force Commander Jeff Morgan tendered his resignation in September. According to Cherokee County Sheriff Larry Wilson, Morgan stated he was not satisfied with his position and submitted his resignation Sunday, Sept. 18. Wilson said the sheriff’s department would begin searching for a new experienced commander in the near future but was not taking applications at the time.
A Cedar Bluff man died as a result of injuries he sustained in an explosion Sept. 18. The accident occurred on Money’s Bend Road in Cedar Bluff.
According to reports, Tony Scott Wiggley, 42, was airlifted to UAB Medical Center in Birmingham after receiving first and second degree burns when his camper trailer exploded, apparently from a gas leak.
Former Cedar Bluff Town Manager Rickey L. Steele, 49, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to lying to the FBI about the illegal disposition of guns from the town’s police evidence room in September. The guilty plead was entered before Judge L. Scott Coogler.
At its Sept. 19 meeting, the Cedar Bluff Utility Board decided not to hire Steele as a utility board employee.
In September, the Cherokee County Commission awarded the Residential Solid Waste Collection and Disposal Contract to Waste Away Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc. The contract was for a period of three years, becoming effective Oct. 1, 2005.
The new cost per household per month will be $15.95 for the first year of the contract; $16.40 per month for the second year and $16.90 for the third year. These prices reflect a significant increase from the previous contract negotiated three years ago. The increase, according to reports, was mainly because of skyrocketing operations costs for the bidder. The operational cost increases stem mainly from rising oil prices as well as from increased health insurance costs. No other company was willing to submit a bid to the county for these very reasons.
The previous rate, before approval of the new contract, was $11.75 a month.
Mary Shaner tendered her letter of resignation as town clerk of the Town of Cedar Bluff Friday, Sept. 23, effective Nov. 5, 2005.
However, when asked who would be town clerk since Shaner tender her letter of resignation, Mayor Donald Sanders virtually denied that Shaner had resigned, saying, “Mary is out on sick leave; she’s fixing to have surgery.”
Shaner allegedly has been under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A Gaylesville man faced rape and sodomy charges after allegedly assaulting a Cedar Bluff woman in September. The suspect, according to reports, was identified as Jonathan Lee Tucker, 23. The victim said she was entering her vehicle when Tucker apparently forced his way into the vehicle and drove to a spot in Floyd County, Ga. Where she was allegedly raped by the suspect. The suspect then drove back to the northern portion of Cherokee County where he assaulted her again, reports said.
The Cedar Bluff Alcohol sales issue was back on the table in early October. Information received by the Herald confirmed that an unidentified group of citizens from Cedar Bluff retained Birmingham Attorney Eric Johnston to pursue action against Cedar Bluff in the legal sale of alcoholic beverages.
Johnson confirmed that the lawsuit was expected to be filed in the Cherokee County Circuit Clerk’s office in the near future.
Four Spring Garden High School students were found to be in possession of marijuana on school property in October. Cherokee County Sheriff Larry Wilson said Spring Garden School Prinicipal Mike Welsh notified the sheriff’s department that the male students were found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Cherokee County School Superintendent Brian Johnson said violations of school drug policy call for strong measures so children will get the message that drugs are not allowed on the school campus and parents can be assured their children are attending school in a drug-free environment.
Farmers reported harvesting a bumper cotton crop in early October. Local farmers reported getting upward to 1,000 pounds per acre at best, and for the most part, the least they could hope for was about half that per acre.
Crop conditions, reports said, showed eight percent excellent, 55 percent good, 25 percent fair, eight percent poor and four percent very poor.
The Cherokee County Commission, in October, approved a $17.8 million budget for Fiscal 2005-2006. The budget included a 4 percent cost-of-living raise for county employees and also a 4 percent cost-of-living raise for retired county employees.
The city of Centre, in the fall, adopted a resolution to pay its matching portion for the Centre-Piedmont-Cherokee County Regional Airport and also to seek a 1,300-foot extension for the runway.
In the original design, the airport was to have a 5,500-foot runway, which was slashed to 4,200 because of lack of funding.
The Centre City Council agreed to send a letter of intent to Dr. Renee Culverhouse, president, Gadsden State Community College, agreeing to pay $150,000 per year for 20 years for construction of a nursing school in Cherokee County.
In October, Geral Greene filed a motion to intervene in the Citizens Caring for Children vs. Town of Cedar Bluff case regarding alcohol sales.
The case was left open by Circuit Judge David Rains, claiming that the local option referendum that allowed the town to sell alcoholic beverages was not constitutional.
The case, according to reports, was left open so other interested parties would have a chance to prove damages so that the case could go before the Alabama Supreme Court.
At an Oct. 25 Town of Cedar Bluff Utility Board meeting and town council work session, board and council members explored the possibility of United States Department of Agriculture grants for a proposed sewerage project, a new police department building and a new volunteer fire department truck.
The utility board, which wishes to upgrade its sewerage plant and install sewerage line to County Road 44, appeared to be eligible for a 45 percent USDA grant for a 55 percent USDA loan.
On hand was USDA Representative Dan Anderson, who informed the council on different types of loans, the procedures for loan application and the feasibility of the municipality being approved for said loans.
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley visited the area in late October. He first met with local officials at Centre Middle School to discuss the possibility of new middle school building and then spoke at the Annual Republican Dinner/Banquet at the ROC (Recreation Outreach Center) of Centre First Baptist Church.
James “Frog” West was sentenced Wednesday, Nov. 2, on charges of tax evasion.
West, 61, was sentenced by United States District Judge L. Scott Coogler to 10 months, with two months to be served in federal prison and eight months in home detention. He was also sentence to serve three years of supervised release after the term of custody is served. In addition, West owed $26,944.71 in federal excise taxes on the unreported wagers from his bookkeeping operation. West was convicted on these charges Aug. 3, 2005.
Local community leaders felt it was a win-win situation for business, education and the community in November when the Alabama Board of Education agreed, upon the recommendation of Roy W. Johnston, Chancellor of the Alabama College System, agreed to consider the development of a Cherokee County Center of the Gadsden State community College to be located in Centre.
Attending the November work session of the board, according to reports, was a local delegation of Cherokee County citizens, education representatives and officials who attended the meeting as a show of solidarity.
The project would be funded through a collaborative partnership including the State of Alabama, the Alabama College System, Gadsden State Community College, local and county governments and a State Board of Education bond issue. In early February, Governor Bob Riley committed $5,500,000 in state bond funds for the Cherokee County facility. The City of Centre will donate the land for the facility and provide annual funding of $150,000 for 20 years. The county commission will handle site preparation and contribute $100,000 per year for 20 years. Other local municipalities have made long-term financial commitments as well.
In November, a couple now living on the coast shared with the Herald their ordeal with Hurricane Katrina.
John and Lynn Roberson, along with 21-month-old daughter, Cheyenne, were among those who rode out the storm in Bayou La Batre. Mrs. Roberson, formerly Lynn McClellan, is a 1999 graduate of Cherokee County High School. Husband John is a lifelong resident of the Bayou La Batre area and both said they have never seen anything like Katrina.
“I’ve been through some bad storms, but none like this one,” said Roberson. “There will probably never be one like it again. I lost my boat, my truck, everything I had. Everything I’ve worked for was gone.”
Mrs. Roberson recalled, “We had a 12-foot storm surge with four-and-a-half feet of water in our house. And we were in the house at the time.”
The town of Leesburg officially welcomed two new businesses in November. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held for Leesburg Guns, owned by local Veterinarian Roger Nichols, at 215 Industrial Blvd, adjacent to Leesburg Town Hall. Leesburg Guns, according to reports, is managed by Dr. Nichols’ wife, Gay Nichols, Jason Foster, Lisa Morgan and Roy Crane.
Leesburg Guns, reports said, is a specialty shop that features a variety of guns. One can find various brand names of rifles, shotguns and handguns and “if we don’t have what you are looking for, we’ll find it for you,” said Mrs. Nichols.
Just down the street, Leesburg Pawn opened at 110 Industrial Blvd. Leesburg Pawn, owned by Tammy Cowart, Tommy Hankins and Rhonda Martin, carries a variety of items, including tools such as Conair, Pollenex and other items as well.
“I love the location,” said Hankins. “There hasn’t been anything in this location for so long that people forgot it was here. It is just taking a while for them to drive by and see a sign or something. But it is picking up every day.”
A Centre man lost his life as a result of an automobile accident in Dekalb County in early November. The accident was reported Saturday, Nov. 5, around 12:30 a.m., on Dekalb County Road 83, approximately one mile north of Sand Rock.
The victim, according to the Dekalb County Coroner’s report, was identified as Dwight Stanley Moore, 35, who was driving a 1999 Suzuki Motorcycle. He apparently lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway and struck a utility pole, reports said.
Peter Selman, CEO, Cherokee Baptist Medical Center and Dekalb Baptist Medical Center, gave an update on the hospital during a meeting of the Cherokee County Commission.
While the hospital, as of that date, had not been sold, Selman did say there had been some serious inquires and that Baptist Health Systems would be narrowing those inquiries down before the end of the year.
Cherokee County Sheriff Larry Wilson announced that his department had hired a new chief of the Cherokee County Drug Task Force. Charles “Chas” Clifton, 34, a detective sergeant with Rainbow City, begin his duties with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department Nov. 28.
Clifton, a graduate of Etowah high School, earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Jacksonville State University. He began his career with Rainbow City in 1995. He replaced Jeff Morgan, who resigned as chief of the task force a few months earlier.
It was good news for Cherokee County Road 19 in November when Congressman Mike Rogers announced he had secured $500,000 for improvements to this road. Rogers said funding for the project, which was contained in an appropriations bill passed by Congress, was among his top priorities for Cherokee County in the coming year. He said he hoped the funding would help support the further economic growth of the county and enhance the existing roadway.
After five months on the lam, a convicted murderer from Cherokee County was taken back into custody Monday evening, Nov. 14. Calhoun County authorities, acting on a tip, found Herman Earl Adkinson at 16419 Alabama Highway 9 in Piedmont around 5:15 p.m.
Adkinson, according to reports, walked away from Childersburg Community Work Center, a state facility, on June 10 while on work detail. Since then, he moved around, sometimes living in a tent in the woods in Cherokee and Calhoun Counties.
At the time of his capture, reports said, Adkinson was crippled by severe gangrene in his leg, which occurred as a result of a diabetic condition.
At its Nov. 14 council meeting, the Cedar Bluff Town Council accepted Town Clerk Mary Shaner’s letter of resignation.
Family and Consumer Science students at Gaylesville School made comfort pillows for the patients of Cherokee Baptist Medical Center as part of their community service project in November.
“We wanted to give patients a little comfort while they are in the hospital,” said Diane Warren, Family and Consumer Science Instructor at Gaylesville School. “They can rest their arm on the pillows while they are on an IV. We made them with bright, cheery fabrics to bring some color into their day.”
The Cherokee County Warriors used a superb defense and several big offensive plays for a 28-0 win over Winfield, advancing the Warriors to the state championship match.
“This is a thrill of a lifetime,” said CCHS Coach Tom Curry. “The kids had a few minutes after the game to celebrate the chance to play for a state championship, which is a special thing. One of the best things about this week is our seniors know that it will be their last practices, so they can really soak in the experience. This is such a great win, not only for the school but also for the community.”
Gaylesville Methodist Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary in November. According to historical information, the Methodist Church of Gaylesville was organized around 1855. The first building was constructed on Smyre Hill overlooking the Chattooga River.
The Cherokee County Commission adopted a resolution authorizing an expenditure to finance construction of certain improvements for the benefit of Gadsden State Community College and to approve an agreement with Gadsden State Community College in late November.
Cherokee County Administrator Tim Burgess said the county voted to contribute $100,000 toward the new Gadsden State Community College-Cherokee County Campus project over the next 20 years (for a total of $2 million) plus provide $250,000 for site preparation.
The Cherokee County High School Warriors came in second place in the state football championships in early December after losing a heartbreaking game 10-6 to Pike County in Birmingham. The Warriors led the Pike County Squad 6-2 at half. The game, according to reports, turned with just less than 10 minutes to play.
It was “Mission Accomplished!” for the Gadsden State Community College-Cherokee County Campus project in December as the Alabama Board of Education voted 6-1 to fund the $21.8 million project. Board Member Randy McKinney cast the dissenting vote and Board MemberBetty Peters also expressed concern but cast a positive vote along with Stephanie Bell, Ethel H. Hall, Ella B. Bell, Sandra Ray and Dr. Mary Jane Caylor.
Local representatives shared a few words prior to the meeting, including Rep. Richard Lindsey, Probate Judge Kirk Day, Centre Mayor Phil Powell and Cherokee County Nursing Home Administrator Jerry Culberson.
Legalization of alcohol sales in Cedar Bluff continued to make news in December. Geral Greene filed another suit against the Town, independent of the Citizens Caring For Children and Carl Green vs. The Town of Cedar Bluff, of which Greene asked to intervene earlier in the year.
This action, filed Monday, Dec. 5 in Cherokee County Circuit Court, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief against the issuance of licenses for the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages as allowed by a 2003 local law. The 2003 local law, which purports to allow these rules following a municipal election in Cherokee County, concerns a matter “which is provided by a general law” and, therefore, violates the Alabama Constitution.
According to Case No. CV2005-172, William Geral Greene vs. Town of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, a municipal corporation, there is a bona fide justifiable controversy between Plaintiff and the Town. By granting relief in favor of the Plaintiff, the Town will be required to stop the spending of tax monies, including monies paid by Plaintiff, on activities contemplated by the municipal option election.
Former Cedar Bluff Town Clerk of Cedar Bluff Mary J. Shaner was charged in a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in December.
The information charged that Shaner, 55, forged the endorsement to a Town of Cedar Bluff check dated March 25, 2003, in the amount of $2,338 that was made payable to a named individual.
United States Attorney Alice Martin stated that Shaner was formerly the Town Clerk of Cedar Bluff for many years until her resignation. She further stated that the person listed as payee was unaware that Shaner had written the check and did not receive any of the proceeds.
Shaner, according to the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, faced a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Shaner was arraigned in December on charges of felony theft in federal court in Birmingham.
The arraignment, according to reports, came a week after Shaner was charged in the criminal information filed in U.S. District Court.
As the year continued to wind down, residents were reminded that their property taxes were due by Dec. 31.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson, a criminal information is similar to an indictment but charges do not have to go before a Grand Jury; instead, the information is outlined and the defendant is in agreement with a document filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Rickey Steele, another former employee for the town of Cedar Bluff, was sentenced to probation for three years with standard conditions plus a $100 imposed fine and a $100 court fee. Sentencing was imposed by Judge L. Scott Coogler in December.
Steele, 50, pleaded guilty in a case against him by the U.S. Government for lying to the FBI and his sentencing memorandum was accepted.
Steele’s attorney, Michael Hanle, said that Steele’s request stated that after Steele indicated to the FBI that he had no knowledge of any wrongdoing by late Mayor Bob Davis and had no knowledge of any weapons being disposed or sold by Davis, he voluntarily approached Cedar Bluff Agent Jimmy Wallace, admitted that he had lied to federal agents and sought Wallace’s help in making things right. Wallace was assisting federal agents in the investigation of Davis, reports said.
New uniforms for the Centre Fire Department sparked controversy in late December. During one council meeting, the council approved payment of approximately $1,400 for new Quartermaster uniforms which firefighters would wear at parades, school events and other events when they represent the city.
Mayor Phil Powell, along with Council Members Harry Moon, Glenn Chandler and Tony Wilkie approved the purchase of the uniforms. City law allows the mayor to spend up to $1,500 without the approval of the full council.
Councilman Frankie Kelly, who is chairman over the fire department, said that while he was approached by Wilkie about the uniform purchase, he never agree to the purchase and that the issue was never brought up in a council meeting
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