Author: WAKA Action 8 News

Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in 10 Armed Robberies Across Central Alabama

Two men were recently sentenced to federal prison for committing multiple armed robberies across central Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. On January 29, Marcus Greathouse, 41, of Opelika, was sentenced to 72 months (6 years) in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Then, on February 20, Branden Tyrone Matthews, 32, of Camp Hill,…

Alabama Inmate Recaptured in Brantley After Week-long Search

An escaped Alabama inmate has been captured after more than a week on the lam. The Department of Corrections says 34-year-old Dustin Joel Morton was arrested Tuesday in the town of Brantley. He escaped from the Elba Work Release Center about 20 miles away on February 17. Morton was serving a 15-year sentence for obstructing justice and using a false…

AUM Celebrates 50 Years of Service with Mardi Gras Parade

In honor of celebrating homecoming week at Auburn University at Montgomery, the college had a Mardi Gras parade. The parade ended on the quad with Dr. Carl A. Stockton unveiling a proclamation given to AUM by Governor Kay Ivey for 50 years of service. The school opened on September 16, 1969, with almost 600 registered students. Categories: Montgomery Metro, News…

Prattville Girl, 16, Charged with Attempted Murder After Allegedly Setting Fire to Bed While Person Slept

On February 24, the Prattville Police Department and the Prattville Fire Department Fire Marshall’s Office investigated a suspicious fire that occurred at a local residence on February 23. This case involved a bed being set on fire while a person was sleeping in it. A sixteen-year-old female juvenile was identified as a suspect in this case. Upon further investigation and…

Will Audit of Montgomery Public Schools Stop Efforts to Bring Schools More Funding?

The Montgomery County school board has been hoping to get more funding through a property tax increase. However, an audit that uncovered more than $700,000 in misused and missing funds has at least one Montgomery County commissioner re-thinking what he thinks would be best for schools at this time. The school board wants the Montgomery County Commission to pass a proclamation…

Salvation Army Confirms Understanding to Sell Property to Montgomery for New Whitewater Center

Lt. Bryan Farrington with the Salvation Army confirms the organization has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to sell their Maxwell Blvd. building and property to the City of Montgomery. The Salvation Army will move to a new location purchased from the city. Farrington says they expect the sale and purchase to be finalized by July of this year. The current…

Lowdnes County Attempted Murder Suspect Turns Himself In

The Lowdnes County Sheriff’s Department says an attempted murder suspect is now in police custody. Justin Lawrence is suspected of shooting Tracy Tillman. The shooting happened on Friday, February 21 on Harris Road in the Collirene community in Tyler. Upon arrival deputies discovered that the victim had been transported to Vaughn Medical Center in Selma. Tillman was then airlifted to…

ADOC Conducts Raid at Easterling Correctional Facility to Eliminate Illegal Contraband

The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Tuesday announced it has completed a joint law enforcement Operation Restore Order raid to locate and eliminate illegal contraband at Easterling Correctional Facility (Easterling) in Clio. Following careful and strategic planning to ensure operational safety and success, ADOC officials launched the Restore Order mass search at 4:00 a.m. CST with support from more than…

Alabamians Who Borrow from Alabama Ag Credit to Receive $9.8 Million

Alabama farmers and rural property owners who borrow money from  are receiving a record $9.8 million in cash from the lending cooperative this year. That number equates to nearly one percent of the interest they paid in 2019. Customers of Alabama Ag Credit aren’t just borrowers — they are members and when the co-op does well, so do they. “The…

Troy University Mourns the Death of Music Educator and Band Director Dr. Johnny Long

Photo from Troy University Troy University is mourning the death of longtime university music conductor Dr. Johnny Long. He died yesterday after a brief illness. He was 94 years old. The university says Long has been in declining health for more than a year. Long was a past president of the American Bandmasters Association and was a member of the…