Alabama
Alabama legislators pass bill to increase penalties for phony calls
DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – After unanimous votes in both the Alabama House and Senate, House Bill 82 has been sent to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk to be signed.
The bill strengthens the penalties for people who make phony calls to law enforcement. It used to be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable up to a year of jail time, but will now be classified as a Class C felony, punishable up to 10 years in prison.
“It’s kind of a step in the right direction for us because it helps us maybe deter somebody from just going out and doing it and thinking it’s a joke,” said Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship.
The bill was introduced following the Carlee Russell incident, where she faked her kidnapping in 2023. Sheriff Blankenship said his department was called the same year with a phony call of an active shooter in a Henry County school.
“We had to bring our SWAT team there, we had to clear the entire school to ensure that there really wasn’t an active threat,” said Sheriff Blankenship.
Sheriff Blankenship explained the domino effect of bad circumstances that occur for the department whenever a false call is made.
“It not only puts a strain on us with manpower, but it also puts a strain on budgets and having to pay overtime, said Sheriff Blankenship.
When a phone call comes through 911, it is expected to be serious. Sheriff Blankenship hopes the stricter penalties make others thing twice before trying to pull a quick one on law enforcement.
“If it’s a valid reason where law enforcement needs to be there, by all means call 911If,” said Sheriff Blankenship. “It’s in a hoax or a prank or anything, we have severe penalties now, not only for the swatting calls, but also for just abuse of the 911 system.”
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Alabama
Alabama lawmaker’s son, 6, shot teen brother while parents were home: ‘All is well’
An Alabama state lawmaker — and outspoken gun rights advocate — is thanking “God” after one of his young sons accidentally shot his older brother in the back with the dad’s rifle.
Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, a Republican and father of four, told the Alabama Daily News that his 13-year-old son was making a speedy recovery after the harrowing incident at their Lawrence County home Saturday nearly took the teen’s life.
“Thanks be to God, all is well. A flesh wound only. He has been playing basketball with me tonight,” Yarbrough said.
A child, who was later identified as Yarbrough’s 6-year-old son, accidentally shot his older brother in the back of the shoulder at the residence, Lawrence County Chief Deputy Brian Covington told the TimesDaily.
It is unclear how the little boy was able to retrieve his dad’s .556-caliber AR-style rifle from a bedroom while Yarbrough and his wife were home, the outlet reported.
It’s also unclear if Yarbrough’s two other children witnessed the shooting.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office notified the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which is a requirement whenever kids are involved in a shooting, AL.com reported.
The Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office has launched a probe into the shooting.
Yarbrough, a first-term lawmaker in the Alabama statehouse, is a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, according to his campaign website.
In 2023, he sponsored a bill that prohibits the enforcement of any “red flag” laws, which are intended to prevent mentally and emotionally unstable people from gaining legal access to firearms.
The unsuccessful bill, dubbed the “Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act,” stipulated that any state or local law enforcement officer found abiding by a red flag law would be subject to a $50,000 civil penalty.
The act also laid out a judicial relief process for anyone who could prove they were “injured” when they were subject to a red flag law.
The same bill failed to pass the state legislature again last year.
Previously, Yarbrough touted an endorsement from the National Association of Gun Rights, AL.com reported.
The NAGR mirrors the National Rifle Association — save for its hardline on “absolutely NO COMPROMISE on gun rights issues,” according to its website.
The Post reached out to Yarbrough for comment.
Alabama
Why Vanderbilt football’s Cole Adams transferred from Alabama, ready to prove himself
A Vanderbilt football goal post that was escorted down Broadway by an enthusiastic band of Commodores fans before being heaved into the Cumberland River on the night of Oct. 5, 2024 helped make graduate transfer receiver Cole Adams a believer that Nashville might be the place for him.
Adams, you see, was on that No. 1-ranked Alabama team. He had a front-row seat to what some consider the beginning of the rebirth of a program that had long been the laughingstock of the SEC.
Adams made two catches for 17 yards during that 40-35 loss. He also made it a point to pay attention to what was going on around him and the Diego Pavia-led Commodores.
“There were more Alabama fans in the stands than there were Vanderbilt,” Adams said March 24 after a spring practice. “And they whooped our butt. They whooped our butt.
“Not only was I in awe, but I was like, ‘Look at these guys.’ It was pretty cool from the opposite side of the field to see the relatedness and the brotherhood. … That was the first time I really looked at Vanderbilt, and I was like, ‘These guys have something good going on.’ “
How Tim Beck, Clark Lea helped bring Cole Adams to Vanderbilt football
Adams, who had 13 catches for 176 yards and one touchdown in 24 games spanning three seasons with the Crimson Tide, is expected to play a bigger role with his new team.
It’s a team that will have a new quarterback − freshman Jared Curtis seems most likely − with 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up Pavia gone chasing his NFL dreams.
A team that will have a bigger target on its back.
A team Adams joined thanks in large part to offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who recruited Adams when he played for Owasso High School in Oklahoma and Beck was coaching at TCU.
“We created a really close relationship really quickly,” said the 5-foot-10, 183-pound Adams, who also was Alabama’s primary punt returner. “Even back then, I felt like we related to each other a lot. He talked to my parents a ton, and they loved him as well.”
Clark Lea also made quite the impression on Adams during his official visit.
“When he came on campus and met with us, I was blown away with his engagement, his personality and just had the feeling that he was a fit for us,” Lea said. “He’s brought confidence. He’s brought that snap experience.
“He’s also a misfit. He’s a chip-on-the-shoulder guy, which I appreciate. It fits with our environment.”
Vanderbilt football replacing leadership with Diego Pavia’s departure
Which is a void the Commodores must fill in the absence of Pavia, whose leadership skills were lauded by many to be as, if not more, impressive as his abilities on the field.
Pavia quickly became a vocal leader. Wore a C on his chest. Led both vocally and by example.
Adams still considers himself the new kid on the block, but his pedigree and his past, not to mention his new coach, suggest that also will be part of his role.
Even if doesn’t fully feel prepared for that just yet.
“First I have to show on the field that I’m capable, showing the guys I can do the right things at all times before you’re vocal,” Adams said. “There’s a time and place to be a leader. You need to gain trust and respect before you can … help them out.
“I still feel young, but I guess I’m kind of an old head now. I guess you could say I’ve been through it. I’ve had some peers I looked up to and learned from. So now I’m just implementing that in my game.”
Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter covering the Predators, Titans, Nashville SC, local colleges and local sports for The Tennessean. Reach him at pskrbina@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina.
Alabama
Pregnant mother, 29, fatally shot by stalker in Alabama murder-suicide
An Alabama mother who was set to give birth to her second child was gunned down by a cowardly stalker — who later turned the gun on himself while being hunted by authorities.
Shelby Amidon, 29, was fatally shot by Ricky O’Neil Beck Jr., at her home in the city of Warrior early Thursday morning, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said.
Amidon, who was married and pregnant with her second child, identified Beck as her stalker when she phoned 911 after being shot, AL.com reported. The creep had apparently been stalking the victim for some time, according to reports.
It’s unclear how the pair knew one another.
Beck, 43, took off from Amidon’s home in his Chevrolet Z71 with a silver toolbox, according to an alert issued by local police.
Senior ALEA Trooper Brandon Bailey said he saw Beck pull out a gun while ramming a responding Blount County sheriff deputy’s patrol vehicle, the outlet reported.
The deputy opened fire, but Beck was able to get away — sparking a manhunt.
Beck’s body was found in a wooded area later that same day, where he appeared to have shot himself, Bailey told the outlet.
The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation is still investigating.
Amidon was married to Nick Amidon, a data analyst at a local bank. The two share one young son, according to a GoFundMe organized by Nick’s mother.
“Shelby was a beautiful soul who brought love, warmth, and light to those around her. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her,” she wrote.
“No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain.”
The GoFundMe was close to clearing the $12,000 mark as of Tuesday evening.
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