WIREGRASS: We are fortunate in this area of the State of Alabama they we have a great – not a good – a great Legislative Delegation. And they will be leaving tomorrow sometime to go to Montgomery to begin the 2026 Alabama Legislative Session.
Alabama State Senator Donnie Chesteen, Alabama State Senator Billy Beasley, Alabama State Senator Josh Carnley ( Coffee County ), Alabama House of Representatives Members Paul Lee, Jeff Sorrells, Steve Clouse, Rick Rehm, Marcus Paramore ( Dale and Pike County ). Rhett Marques is also a State Representative but not seeking re-election to Alabama House but seeking election to U.S. Senate or House.
We have a GREAT Legislative Delegation who have worked to be in key places in the Alabama Legislature. And these key places help make things happen in the wiregrass area.
The Alabama Legislature meets for 30 days, normally in session on Tuesday and Thursday with committee meetings on Wednesday’s. If you have ever been it can be wild. There are 105 members of the Alabama House of Representatives and 35 in the Alabama Senate.
Governor Kay Ivey will have the State of the State Address on Tuesday evening.
ALABAMA: 6:06 PM This is a warning to ALL POLITICAL CANDIDATES AND SUPPORTERS WORKING FOR CANDIDATES !!!
DO NOT move anyone’s political signs, DO NOT put political signs where not allowed. Do not put political signs on the right of way, which is normally in front of telephone poles.. DO NOT put political signs on property without permission.
DEER CAMERAS are placed on signs and other jhidden cameras. Candidates or supporters working for candidates have been caught on cameras tearing down signs, moving signs or destroying signs of their opponents. Supporters have also been caught.
If you are a supporter and out working, the candidate you are working for will receive the backlash for any signs tampered with. So if you are a supporter, DO NOT bother someone else campaign signs. Make sure if placing yard signs, you have the address correct before you place the sign.
This message is not directed at any particular candidate but a message for all candidates. If someone produces video or pictures, RSN will post them, regardless of who the candidate is.
ALSO candidates, run your race of why you are the best candidate. Run your race of what you are going to do when elected. RSN will do interviews and debates and the recordings will be saved and your feet will be held to the fire if elected. So do not get way out there in promises because we are tired of empty promises and reasons why you can not do as promised during an election.
In several meetings recently I have heard office holders tell people you have 3 minutes or 5 minutes for privileges of the floor and they do not answer your questions. And some in office go, this is a person with only a few votes, we are not going to respond to the public comments. Ladies and Gentleman, this is your time to speak by voting. I think it is a disgrace when office holders say that because it really means the office holders feel above you, you are not important enough for a response. YES, some people are stupid in what they ask or saying. But respond to them, in an honest answer. But saying 3 minutes and not going to respond, VOTERS – your voice is stronger because they can not be in office if you do not vote for them!!!
Untll his death I had not really followed Charlie Kirk. Since his death one thing I heard him say, to the voters, do you really know the candidate, who they are and what they stand for. So this election cycle, RSN is going to attempt to bring you interviews and questions to the people seeking office.
GOOD LUCK and may the BEST PUBLIC SERVANT – who has a servant’s heart, be elected to serve.
DOTHAN: 04:03 AM Dothan 911 dispatched a firearm assault, 3611 Montgomery Highway, Houligan’s. A person received a gunshot wound to the chest. Within 1 minute of the call Dothan Police Patrol Units were on the scene. The victim is in the parking lot and a vehicle was seen leaving the scene by persons reporting.
Dothan Fire Engine Company 6 ( Napier Field Road ), Pilcher Ambulance and Dothan Fire Battalion Chief responded.
A broadcast was issued of a suspect vehicle. Dothan Police Patrol stopped a vehicle, 04:10 AM, at Carroll Street and Ross Clark Circle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. After a brief investigation the vehicle was not related to the firearm assault and vehicle released.
Multiple Dothan Police Patrol Units are spread out searching for suspect vehicle. Houston County Sheriff Deputies are also searching for suspect(s).
Houston County Sheriff Deputies are also on the scene.
04:19 AM Crime Scene investigators and Criminal Investigators requested to respond.
04:22 AM Dothan Fire Engine Company 6 Paramedics and Pilcher Ambulance have left the scene transporting firearm assault victim to hospital, emergency, trauma alert. Dothan Police Patrol following the ambulance to hospital.
NOTE: Flowers Hospital will be on lockdown because a firearm assault victim transported and no suspect in custody at time of transport.
04:48 AM Dothan Police Organization – within 45 minutes of call hitting 911, Dothan Police Criminal Investigation Commander, Lt. Hall, in service at 04:40 AM responding to scene. A Criminal Investigator responding to hospital, Criminal Investigators responding the scene. Intelligence information already gathered to help identify/locate suspects. It is interesting to observe how all areas begin to come together in the early morning hours when something happens. Both Dothan Police and Houston County Sheriff Department extremely organized and everyone knows their assignments and flows to where needed, quickly. Both agencies working hand in hand to serve and protect. Dothan Police Chief Will Benny and Dothan Police Major Will Glover engaged in case also along with Dothan Police Patrol Captain Davis and Dothan Police Investigation Captain Penn.
UPDATED @ 7:18 AM
Not confirmed by law enforcement at this time, but information is firearm assault victim is deceased. This is now a murder investigation.
According to witnesses the two subjects were arguing in the parking lot of Houligan’s on the side of The Barn. Then shots were heard, multiple shots were heard. The arguement is reported to have been nothing which warranted someone to be shot over.
Dothan Police are continuing the investigation. TO THE SUSPECT, call 334-793-0215 and make arrangements to turn yourself in. You know who you are. The number is Dothan Police Communications Center.
UPDATED @ 6:05 PM
The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Brandon Layfette Jones
UPDATED @ 6:43 PM
Dothan Police has made an arrest in this murder case. Ted Carstiel Caldwell has been arrested and booked into Dothan City Jail and at some point will be transferred to Houston County Jail.
Dothan Police Criminal Investigators have worked since 4:03 AM until suspect identifed, located and in custody.
UPDATED @ 9:20 PM
There is a Ted Caldwell, year of birth 1985, which was arrested in Coffee County on April 9. 2017 for murder. On May 8, 2017 the Caldwell found in the Alabama Court System was released from Coffee County Jail. In 2018 a plea was entered in Coffee County Circuit Court for Reckless Endangerment and Tampering With Physical Evidence. The court sentenced the Caldwell found to 12 months in jail with credit for time served and probation of 24 months. At this time unknown if the same person because RSN does not have his date of birth.
HENRY COUNTY-HEADLAND: Tonight a Henry County Sheriff Deputy went to make a traffic stop at the square in Headland in front of the bank. The vehicle refused to stop. The vehicle traveled from the square to Mrytle Street and turned towards the school.
As the Henry County Sheriff Deputy approached the vehicle the driver threw a bag of dope in the face of the Henry County Sheriff Deputy. The passenger exited the vehicle and began fighting the Henry County Sheriff Deputy and in the fight was attempting to gain control of the Deputies service weapon. The Henry County Sheriff Deputy called for backup.
A Henry County Sheriff Deputy near Headland and a Henry County Sheriff Deputy near Tumbleton rolled emergency to the Deputy as did Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship. They were able to gain control of the suspects and take them into custody. It was a scary few moments for the Henry County Sheriff Deputy while in a fight for his life with the suspect attempting to take control of his service weapon.
After the two Henry County Sheriff Deputies arrived and Sheriff Blankenship arrived Headland Fire-Rescue arrived on the scene. Which Fire-EMS are not to arrive until the scene declared safe. Headland Police also responded.
The two suspects are in custody, under no bond, per Henry County District Court Judge Spence Danzey.
COWARTS: 9:45 pm Houston County 911 dispatched Cowarts Volunteer Fire, Ashford Rescue and Houston County Sheriff Deputies to Jordan Avenue in Cowarts. You will see multiple units. There is no foul play, as we understand, as to why the units are present.
PRAY for those involved. RSN is not going to explain. Just letting you know there is no foul play at this time, expected.
Houston County Sheriff Department is in charge.
UPDATED @ 5:37 AM
Last evening Houston County 911 dispatched a firearm assault, possible self inflicted, in the 2900 block of Jordan Avenue in Cowarts. The reports were a 15 year old was shot and was possibly self inflicted.
Houston County Sheriff Major Bill Rafferty, Houston County Patrol Deputies, Cowarts Volunteer Fire, Ashford Rescue responded. Shortly thereafter Houston County Sheriff Donald Valena, Houston County Criminal Investigations Lt. Anthony Hatcher, Houston County Sheriff Criminal Investigations Captain Arias, Houston County Criminal Investigations Sgt. Brandon Barnes and others responded to the scene. In fact Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza just went home at 5:37 AM this morning.
RSN was brief because initially it was thought to be self inflicted, and it being a 15 year old male, well RSN does not cover self inflicted unless in public place and this was at a residence. But with 10 or more Sheriff Deputies on the scene, Fire and EMS, on the main street in Cowarts, RSN felt something needed to be posted.
As the investigation moved forward, this changed from a self inflicted to a murder. Sheriff Valenza and Criminal Investigators have worked through the night on the case. While all details are not known at this time, and I am not going to wake Sheriff up, and no one is showing on the booked list on the Houston County Jail – which is a common problem with the Houston County Jail. For the Sheriff to go home I feel a person or persons have been arrested.
What the murder is over is unknown at this time. No press statement has been issued.
RSN always questions myself. On the first call, a 15 year old, possible self inflicted. And RSN knew the person was deceased. And Ashford Rescue had to return to the scene because someone had difficulty breathing, do we post that or not. RSN felt something needed to be posted because the amount of activity, but RSN does not want to publish someone’s child who took their life. So where do we draw the line?
So we were brief with what the initial reports were. This one changed in the course of the investigation. So what something looks like at the beginning is not what it is once all layers are peeled back.
As more information is available we will update.
UPDATE: @ 9:46 AM Teen Identified in Cowarts Murder Investigation
Authorities have identified the victim in an apparent overnight murder investigation in Cowarts as a teenager.
Multiple sources confirm that Robert Byrd, Houston County Coroner, identified the victim as Karion Parrish. Parrish was fatally shot at a residence on Jordan Avenue in the town of Cowarts.
While investigators have not released an official statement, sources familiar with the case say Parrish was inside the home when shots were fired from outside the residence.
According to sources, multiple individuals were questioned in connection with the shooting, and possible charges may be pending.
The Houston County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate. Additional information is expected to be released as it becomes available.
DOTHAN: 6:12 PM Dothan 911 has dispatched Dothan Fire, Pilcher Ambulance and Dothan Police to a structure fire at 415 Mona Drive ( Denton Road ) in Dothan.
Reports to Dothan 911 a fire in the oven, smoke and flames.
Multiple Dothan Fire Engine Companies rolling because you roll assuming worst case until someone is on the scene and determines a all out response is not needed.
If nothing else posted all is ok.
UPDATED @ 6:20 PM
No fire at this location. All units return to service.
