Dale County Sheriffs and a WASP (Wiregrass Aviation Support Program) helicopter searched for missing boaters before locating them on foot near Barbour County.
The search was on the Pea River near Highway 231 and West Mincey Bridge Road in Ariton.
On-scene units requested rescue services to check up on those found.
Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum is on scene.
The National Weather Service has issued a cold weather advisory for Wiregrass counties.
Houston, Henry, Dale, Geneva and Coffee Counties can expect very cold temperatures, with wind chills as low as 19 degrees tonight after 9 p.m. until 8 a.m. tomorrow.
Wear appropriate clothing and bring pets inside.
Governor Kay Ivey joined Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry in declaring days of mourning for the victims of the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans.
Alabamians Kareem Badawi and Drew Dauphin were killed in the attack.
Monday, January 6 will be the day of mourning for Kareem Badawi, and Wednesday, January 8 will be the day of mourning for Drew Dauphin.
Flags around the state are ordered to be flown at half-staff. Flags were already lowered for the passing of President Jimmy Carter.
Kareem Bawadi was a University of Alabama freshman and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native. He was 18 years old.
Drew Dauphin was a Montgomery native and Auburn University graduate. He worked for American Honda Motor Company Inc. He was 26 years old.
Kareem Badawi (left) and Drew Dauphin (right)
Due to forecasted low temperatures this week, the City of Dothan announced recreation centers will be open as warming stations during normal operating hours:
Eastgate Lodge: Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Andrew Belle: Monday-Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. : Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Walton Park: Monday-Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. : Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wiregrass Park: Monday-Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. : Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Westgate Recreation Center: Monday-Thursday: 5:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. : Friday: 5:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. : Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. : Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Rose Hill Senior Center: Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
If you need to visit one of these centers, please check-in with building staff when you arrive. You will be directed to an area where you can rest and warm up for a while. These centers will close at their normal times.
Help your community by informing those who may not have access to online information about the warming centers.
UPDATE: Donald Trump was officially named as the winner of the 2024 presidential election at the certification in Congress.
The count went smoothly and was finished in less than an hour.
ORIGINAL:
Congress is set to convene this afternoon to count electoral votes and formally cement President-elect Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 presidential election.
Proceedings are scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. Eastern time.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in November, will preside over the joint session of Congress in her role as president of the Senate.
Harris will open certificates of electoral votes from each state in alphabetical order and hand papers to tellers to be read aloud. After the certificates are read, Harris will call for any objections. An objection must be made in writing and be signed by at least one-fifth of the House and Senate and list the grounds for objection. They would have to be sustained by both chambers. No Democrats have said they plan to object.
Congress will then count the votes, and Harris will announce the result to be entered into the Journal of the House and Senate.
Harris joins a short list of other vice presidents to oversee the confirmation of their opposing candidate’s presidential win.
Richard Nixon did it after losing to John F. Kennedy in 1960. Al Gore followed suit when the U.S. Supreme Court tipped the 2000 election to George W. Bush.
A huge winter storm is battering the country with heavy snowfall, possibly impeding some lawmakers’ ability to reach the capital in time for the certification. Five inches of snow was dumped on D.C., and government offices are closed, but the certification is set to continue.
Ruben Ortiz was last seen on January 1 outside his residence, near the 1200 block of Fairlane Drive in Dothan. He was last seen wearing glasses, a blue hoodie, blue jeans and gray tennis shoes. He has a speech impediment and a learning disability.
If you’ve seen him, or you have information on his whereabouts, call the Dothan Police Department at 334-793-0215 or 334-615-3632.
UPDATE: Stewart has been located.
Dierra Chantel Stewart was last seen on January 3 at 280 Crossing Lane in Dothan. She left the apartment complex with an unknown black male around 8:30 p.m. and has not been seen since. She does not have any known method of transportation. She is 29 years old, 5’5 and around 205 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. It’s unknown what she was wearing when she went missing.