MIDLAND CITY: 07:44 AM Ozark – Dale County 911 dispatched Midland City Police, Midland City Volunteer Fire and ECHO Rescue to reports of a three vehicle accident with roll over. The location was Highway 231 and 1 Covan Coleman Drive. Reports of three vehicles involved with a roll over.
On the arrival of Midland City Police they reported traffic backup on the south bound side of Highway 231.
Shortly thereafter Midland City Police reported a second wreck with injuries on Highway 231 and Hinton Waters. One victim has head injuries.
ECHO Rescue has several ambulances rolling both from Pinckard and Echo.
Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum and Dale County Sheriff Deputies on the scene along with Pinckard Police.
REHOBETH – TAYLOR: In a combined agreement between Rehobeth Mayor Kimberly Trotter and Rehobeth Town Council, Taylor Mayor Billy Snell and Taylor City Council, and Joey Pilcher of Dothan ( Pilcher’s ) Ambulance Service, several months ago Rehobeth Rescue assumed the awesome responsibility of providing emergency medical services for the Taylor Community.
Over these months this Rehobeth – Taylor relationship worked well. Taylor Volunteer Fire Chief Nathan Peterman and the men and women in Taylor Volunteer Fire Department, Rehobeth Fire – EMS Chief Nick Floyd and the men and women of Rehobeth Fire -Rescue along with Rehobeth Operations Manager Todd Phillips have worked hand in hand together. Lock step in everything to save lives and property.
All announced today, in the partnership, Rehobeth will keep a second crew staged at the Taylor Volunteer Fire Station on Highway 605 in Taylor. This will reduce response times to calls and make response diversified to respond in any direction.
Currently Rehobeth EMS Division runs from Rehobeth to the Alabama – Florida line on Highway 109, to the Alabama – Florida line on Highway 231, some areas of Hodgesville. When Taylor territory came on board Rehobeth EMS runs to Fortner Street on Highway 605 to Trawick Road near Alabama 52, and to Highway 203 ( outside the ciy limits of Dothan ). A large territory. With the movement of the additional ambulance and crew to Taylor it makes great sense in an effort to save lives and property.
On EMS side Taylor Volunteer Fire supports response with Rehobeth. On the fire side Rehobeth/Taylor are automatic aid on fire calls, and depending on location, Bay Springs Volunteer Fire, Southern Junction Volunteer Fire, Hodgesville Volunteer Fire, Madrid Volunteer Fire are all in automatic aid agreements. Depending on the call one, two or all departments are automatically dispatched.
Some of these departments have mutual aid agreements with Malvern Volunteer Fire, Slocomb Fire – Rescue and Fadette Volunteer Fire.
HISTORY
Having a lot of volunteers to respond, especially daytime, is a thing of the past. When Todd Phillips joined Rehobeth they were in debt to around $ 300,000.00. The registered voters elected Kimberly Trotter as Mayor. She had then Rehobeth Fire Chief Todd Phillips started a lot of discussion and plans. And members of Rehobeth Town Council were in those plans. At the time Todd Phillips was a Captain with Dothan Fire Department. As progress began to be made, larger discussions were held and optimistic plans were made.
Together the debt was brought under control and down.
There were many plans that became realities. Both Mayor Trotter and Chief Phillips looked at the model in Slocomb of their fire – rescue. Where the crews on the ambulance were full time, crossed trained in medical and fire, and had benefits. Each day with each tick of the clock, many hours of discussions and what if’s, the Town of Rehobeth was able to put together a great plan of how to serve the citizens of the Town of Rehobeth with full time fire and EMS services. Services which were Paramedic services. As time clicked, Nick Floyd took over as Fire – EMS Chief and Phillips moved to Operations Chief. The clocked ticked more and opportunities opened for Todd Phillips to leave Dothan Fire Department to go full time with the Town of Rehobeth.
Phillips, as Operations Chief, may be on a ambulance one minute, a fire truck the next, a lawnmower the next, and wherever the Town of Rehobeth needed him to make the service to the citizens better and more efficient.
As the services came together so did discussions between Rehobeth Mayor Kimberly Trotter and Taylor Mayor Billy Snell. Both very progressive Mayors who had a shared vision of serving their respective towns and surrounding community with top notch fire and EMS services. Both Mayor’s well aware that seconds counts when emergencies happen.
Those discussions then evolved into discussions with Dothan ( Pilcher ) Ambulance. They had served the Taylor community and serves as backup now. The volume of calls in the City of Dothan have grown tremendous and Mr. Pilcher welcomed the partnership, because his primary purpose is to save lives.
With everything working smooth, the visions and talks making sense to save lives and property, with service above self, the agreements and financial assistance in place, today marked a major step with the staging of a second ambulance crew at Taylor Volunteer Fire Station.
This has been a team effort. And one of people with vision with the elected public servants in Rehobeth and Taylor as well as the Rehobeth Fire – EMS and Taylor Volunteer Fire. With a vision of what “we” can do and no one with what “I” can do.
And “WE” will strive to serve the citizens and guests, and save lives and property.
COFFEE COUNTY: 11:20 AM This morning Coffee County Sheriff Deputies arrested a Coffee County resident from Elba for tresspassing on a school bus.
At around 11:20 AM, Jessica Dye Davis, age 32, was arrested for Trespass on a School Bus in the first degree. Davis has been booked into the Coffee County Jail under a $ 6,000.00 bond.
The allegations are on Friday the school bus picked up one child from the Davis residence but the second child was not ready. Shortly thereafter the child was ready and the allegations are Davis chased the school bus down and blocked the bus with her vehicle. The allegations are Davis attempted to open the door to the bus and was refused. The Coffee County School Resource Deputy either responded or investigated the incident. The SRO assigned obtained arrest warrants on Davis and she was arrested and booked into the Coffee County Jail this morning.
In Alabama, trespassing on a school bus is a Class A misdemeanor under the Charles “Chuck” Poland, Jr. Act (Alabama Code § 13A-7-4.2), punishable by a fine of up to $6,000 or up to one year in jail. You can be charged with this crime if you intentionally damage the bus, enter it without permission when the doors are open for loading/unloading, remain on the bus after being told to leave, or intentionally stop, delay, or impede the bus’s operation. However, children under 12 and authorized school personnel with a job-related reason for boarding are excluded from this law.
Specific Actions that Constitute Trespass
Damaging the bus:
Intentionally demolishing, destroying, defacing, injuring, burning, or damaging any public school bus is a crime.
Unauthorized entry:
Entering a school bus while the door is open to load or unload students without a lawful purpose.
Refusing to leave:
Remaining as an occupant of a public school bus and refusing to leave when asked by the bus driver or an authorized school official.
Intentionally interfering with operation:
Stopping, impeding, delaying, or detaining a public school bus being operated for school purposes with the intent to commit a crime.
Penalties
A Class A misdemeanor, which can result in a fine of up to $6,000.
Imprisonment for up to one year in jail.
Purpose of the Law
The Charles “Chuck” Poland, Jr. Act was named in honor of a heroic bus driver who died protecting students. Poland lost his lief in Dale County Alabama when a man entered a school bus, gundown Poland and took a child into an underground bunker where he was held for six days. Sniper teams entered the underground bunker, eliminating the gunman and saving the child. The late Wally Olson was Dale County Sheriff when this took place at Midland City. The Alabama Legislature passed this legislation naming it after Mr. Poland who gave his life for the children.
The law aims to enhance the safety of students and bus drivers by addressing the rise in unauthorized entries onto school buses.
Key Takeaway
Always have a lawful purpose for entering a school bus and never remain on the bus if asked to leave by an authorized person. If you are unsure about the rules, speak to the bus driver or school official from a safe distance, such as a window.
Section 13A-7-4.2 CODE OF ALABAMA
Trespass on a School Bus in the First Degree.
(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Charles “Chuck” Poland, Jr., Act.
(b) A person commits the crime of trespass on a school bus in the first degree if he or she is found guilty of doing any of the following:
(1) Intentionally demolishing, destroying, defacing, injuring, burning, or damaging any public school bus.
(2) Entering a public school bus while the door is open to load or unload students without a lawful purpose, while at a railroad grade crossing, or after being forbidden from doing so by the authorized school bus driver in charge of the bus, or upon demand of a principal of a school to which the bus is assigned or other duly authorized school system official.
(3) As an occupant of a public school bus, refusing to leave the bus on demand of the authorized school bus driver in charge of the bus, or upon demand of a principal of a school to which the bus is assigned or other duly authorized school system official.
(4) Intentionally stopping, impeding, delaying, or detaining any public school bus being operated for public school purposes with the intent to commit a crime therein.
(c) The crime of trespass on a school bus in the first degree is a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) Subdivisions (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b) do not apply to a child who is less than 12 years of age or to authorized school personnel who are boarding the school bus as a part of their job assignment.
WIREGRASS: This article is directed towards several.
First, if you were not re-elected in these past elections, I am sorry. But the registered voters elected you in the last election and you are in office until November. You owe it to the citizens you were elected by in the last election to serve each day until your term ends.
Some who lost this past election have quit, act as if you despise the community which elected you the past election because you were not re-elected. Your quitting before your term ends, not being the public servant you were elected to, to fulfilling your obligations shows you do not have any character.
RESIGN NOW if you are not going to do more than just get by.
Second, some of you lost election to a fellow council person or someone within the organization. And you have not spoken to the person the registered voters cast their vote for. GET OVER IT. You applied for a job and your employers selected another applicant. Congratulate them and do all you can do to help them hit the ground running day one. You have an obligation to the registered voters to do all you can do to help them hit person the registered voters have selected to take the torch and run to the next level.
GET OVER IT and show the character you demonstrated to the registered voters last election.
Third, to the Alabama Legislature. In County Commission elections, the current commissioners sit for one meeting following the election. And that meeting is to certify the election. They do not get a chance to blow the money or cause headaches for those taking the torch from you to run the race on the next level. The municipal offices, legislation needs to be updated where the positions change following the certification of the election.
Just because the registered voters decided to hire someone else, does not mean you have nothing to offer to the community. Government is not here for the people to serve but here to serve the people.
A large number of officer holders have forgotten they are to serve the people. The people are not here to serve the government. The Constitution reads “ WE THE PEOPLE ….”. Not the government is here to tell the people.
RISE UP, hold your chin high, and move to the next chapter of your life. You never know when GOD closes one door what HE has in store for you at the next door.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Now rise up and be who you should be…
HENRY COUNTY: Do you want to know what Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship was doing on his Friday night? He was on the roads working with the deputies and municipalities serving and protecting the citizens of Henry County and guests thereof.
When you move from Deputy Sheriff to Sheriff you have moved from a daily enforcement officer to an administrative officer. You are involved in more office work, meetings, trips to Montgomery in making contacts for additional funding and to Washington for additional funding. As a Sheriff you become active in the Alabama Sheriff Association with various meetings to attend and have to stay on top of the Alabama Legislature. Henry County has had a great legislative working relationship in the past with State Representative Dexter Grimsley and an excellantone with Rick Rheem, Alabama State Representative and Senator Billy Beasley. But as Sheriff you have to work hand in hand with them.
With all of the administrative duties, the Sheriff does not get on the streets as much to actually be boots on the ground with the men and women on duty. You respond to major crimes, but reguslar day to day calls. Such as last evening Sheriff Blankenship, during the flood raining, responded with Abbeville Police Department and Henry County Sheriff Deputies to a man in camo attempting to break into cars at Money Ford. Sheriff Blankenship encountered the man as responding to Money’s in camo. The Sheriff ordered the man to put his hands on his head and he kept dropping them. The Sheriff noticed a gun in the man’s waist at which time the Sheriff drew his weapon ordering the man to keep his hands on top of his head. The Sheriff, which by then Abbeville Police was with him removed the firearm from the man and placed handcuffs detaining him. Unable to link that he was attempting to break into cars, the man was intoxicated and palced in jail for public intoxication.
Later the Sheriff was answering additional calls. Again, during the flooding rain last evening, Sheriff Eric Blankenship was in and out of the truck on calls assisting officers.
Why do I write this? Because you, the people served by the Sheriff, need to know your Sheriff not only handles administrative duties but field duties. Willing to serve along the men and women of the Henry County Sheriff Department, Abbeville Police Department, Headland Police Department, Newville Police Department, ALEA – Troopers, and fire/ems in Henry County in the performance of his duties to serve the people of all of Henry County Alabama.
SHERIFF ERIC BLANKENSHIP CHAT ON FACEBOOK
Lately a lof has been happening and Sheriff Eric Blankenship has not had time to do his FACEBOOK chat. He did one this week.
