A Tuscaloosa man has been charged in a nearly $2 million lending fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Maley announced in a joint statement today.

According to a document filed in U.S. District Court, Gregory T. Smith, 36, has been charged with four counts in the scheme to defraud First South Farm Credit in Northport of  $1,894,043 between 2007 and 2010. An agreement with the government for Smith to plead guilty to the charges also was filed today, according to the statement from federal authorities.

labama Gov. Robert Bentley today declared 3 percent proration -- across-the-board budget cuts -- in the Education Trust Fund for fiscal 2011, and announced plans to declare 15 percent proration in the state's General Fund. 

A news release from Bentley's office stated that he made the decision "after working with the Legislature for supplemental appropriations to protect priority agencies that provide necessary and critical services." 

The proration in the Education Trust Fund is effective immediately, the release says. 
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MOBILE, Ala. -- With six new dolphin carcasses discovered in Mississippi and Alabama since Saturday, a review of the scientific literature associated with similar mass die-offs of marine mammals around the world suggests a common culprit: a morbillivirus.

In the same family as the viruses that cause measles in humans and canine distemper in dogs, there are well-documented outbreaks of fatal morbillivirus infections in dolphins, whales and seals around the world since the 1980s.

Houston County — During a routine driver license check Saturday at Judge Logue and Cumbie roads in Houston County, Alabama state troopers made contact with a man who had in his possession 20 one-pound bags of marijuana.

Troopers discovered the marijuana in a blue bag in the backseat of the 2001 GMC Yukon driven by Ramon Demetrius Brown, 41, of Dothan. Brown’s vehicle was seized, and he was arrested for trafficking in marijuana. He was transported to the Houston County Jail with bond set at $500,000.

MONTGOMERY — An FBI agent who investigated corruption allegations at the Alabama Statehouse defended in court Monday how the agency intercepted 12,000 phone calls saying probe's number of targets growing larger as time passed during the more than a month of wiretaps on the phones of two indicted casino owners and a jailed lobbyist.

Defense attorneys for the two casino owners, Milton McGregor and Ronnie Gilley, maintain the FBI didn't follow its own rules for the wiretaps. They want a judge to prohibit prosecutors from using them when the two casino owners and eight other defendants go on trial June 6 in Alabama's gambling corruption probe.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Wallace Capel Jr. will hear testimony through Wednesday and then decide, but he said the disputed wiretap recordings would not be played in the courtroom during the three-day hearing.

HOUSTON COUNTY:  Houston County Sheriff Andy Hughes, Deputies from the Sheriff Department and members of the National Humane Society are on the scene of a animal rescue in Lucy, the far eastern part of Houston County.

Sheriff Hughes said the department learned of about 140 animals mal nourished at a residence loacted at 2390 Grimsley Road in Lucy. Sheriff Hughes said they have worked with the home owner attempting to get the situation under control.

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PRESS RELEASE

Enterprise Police Department

February 28, 2011

The Enterprise Police Department arrested CHRISTOPHER L. WILLIAMS (32) for Robbery 3^rd Degree. The incident occurred Friday night near the intersection of Dixie Drive and Rucker Blvd. The victim advised that he was walking home after making a purchase at a convenience store. WILLIAMS walked up to him and asked for a soft drink and the victim refused. WILLIAMS then grabbed the victim and took his cell phone. A witness identified WILLAIMS as the suspect. The victim was not injured during the robbery.

Christopher L. Williams b/m 32

103 Ouida Street

Enterprise, AL

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The Enterprise Police Department arrested Caleb Seth Owens (26) for Trafficking in Marihuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Narcotics Investigators executed a search warrant Friday night at Owens’ residence located at 107 Wooddale Drive. When investigators entered the residence they located an indoor marihuana grow operation in one of the bedrooms. Investigators seized twenty-three (23) marihuana plants in the bedroom and several smaller plants were located in the closet on a rack used to dry the plants. Two large zip-loc bags containing marihuana were also recovered. Also seized were numerous items used in the cultivation of marihuana and a video surveillance system.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Montgomery — A man likely will face charges of attempted murder after ramming an Alabama State Trooper patrol car with a vehicle.

Shortly after midnight Sunday, an Alabama state trooper stopped a Ford Mustang for a traffic violation on Alabama 165 in Russell County. The driver, James Wesley Mabry, was subsequently arrested for DUI. The sole passenger, Richard William Curtician, was allowed to leave with Mabry’s wife at the scene.

While the trooper was en route to the Russell County Jail with the DUI suspect, his patrol car was rammed from behind, at a high rate of speed, by Curtician,  who had gotten behind the wheel of the Mustang after the trooper’s departure.  The collision sent both vehicles off the roadway. While the trooper and Mabry were treated and released at local hospitals, Curtician was taken by Life Flight helicopter to Columbus Medical Center.  Curtician is currently in ICU.

Assault

ASSAULT27 Feb 2011

FERN ST

Harassment

ASSAULT27 Feb 2011

900 Block SNOWDEN DR

Harassment

ASSAULT27 Feb 2011

900 Block SNOWDEN DR

Harassment

ASSAULT27 Feb 2011

W SMITH STREET

Assault Third Degree

ASSAULT26 Feb 2011

200 Block DAHLIA DR

Domestic Violence Third Degree

ASSAULT24 Feb 2011

500 Block BREWTON ST

Domestic Incident

ASSAULT24 Feb 2011

300 Block SMITH ST

Domestic Violence Third Degree

Theft

THEFT26 Feb 2011

CHURCH ST

Fraudulent Use of Credit/Debit Card

THEFT23 Feb 2011

1300 Block W RIVER FALLS STREET

Failure to Pay for Gasoline