'scope it out for October 20, 2009

Published On: 10/20/2009

Environmental group reaches agreement with DOT

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - An environmental group has reached an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation over construction of a new section of U.S. 98 in west Mobile.

Both parties said Friday that Mobile Baykeeper had asked a judge to dismiss its claim but neither party would discuss the contents of the agreement Friday when contacted by the Press-Register newspaper.

The DOT plans to replace a two-lane section of U.S. 98 but the project has gone more than $40 million over budget and is years behind schedule. The Press-Register has uncovered numerous environmental violations.

Russell County coach accused of painting graffiti

SEALE, Ala. (AP) - Russell County High School’s head football coach and athletic director has been arrested after police say he spray painted graffiti on a road.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported that Rico White was arrested Thursday after turning himself in. A grand jury had indicted him on a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.

The charges stem from a June incident. A message containing the names of two school system employees was discovered on the road between the high school and Russell County Middle School.

People who saw the graffiti say it alleged the two employees were having an affair. Authorities say White painted the message.

Alabama man sentenced for false threat about Obama

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A Huntsville man has been sentenced to four months in prison for e-mailing the White House with a false claim that an individual had threatened to kill President Obama.

Charles Thurman was charged with making a false statement to law enforcement and pleaded guilty to the crime in April.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn fined the 54-year-old $1,000 and ordered him to be placed on three years of probation after his prison term.

He faced up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Each e-mail was sent from a different e-mail address, but contained the same information. The person identified in the e-mails as having made the threats was a process server who had tried to serve a summons on Thurman.

The Secret Service determined the threatening statements were false.

Authorities arrest Decatur man in death of friend

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) _ Authorities arrested a Decatur man after they say he stabbed his friend to death and tried to kill a woman.

U.S. Marshals and local police arrested 48-year-old Wayne Duncan at his Decatur home Friday. Hoover police spokesman Kip Cole says investigators believe Duncan stabbed 25-year-old Nicholas Matthew Johnson to death at a Hoover home around 1 a.m. Friday.

Cole says police responding to a 911 call found a woman suffering from serious stab wounds. They found Johnson’s body inside.

He said the female victim underwent surgery Friday and was in intensive care at a Birmingham hospital.

Police arrested Duncan at his home around 2:30 p.m. Friday and charged him with murder and attempted murder.

Police were questioning a second person but hadn’t filed charges.