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Area News

Sept. 15-21, 2025

    Jail population as of Sept. 21: 48 inmates Males: 37 Females: 11   ARRESTS On September 16, Deputy Payton arrested Isiah Jamaal Beard, a citizen of Opelika, on the charge of Failure to Appear in Court. He was processed into the Coosa County Jail with a $559.40 cash bond. On September 16, Sgt.…

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Horse in Coffee County confirmed positive for rabies

  Special to the News An investigation was begun September 22 after a horse in Coffee County was confirmed positive for rabies. Rabies is a viral disease that is almost always fatal if untreated. The horse’s owners said they noticed the horse had scratch marks on her nose, and she began rubbing and showing irritation…

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Jefferson County’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange under construction

    Special to the News   Construction is underway on Jefferson County’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) in McCalla. The $22 million project will transform Exit 14 on I-59/20 at McAshan Drive. The job was awarded to Carcel & G. Construction, with funding coming from three sources. Jefferson County pitched in $14 million, adding…

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Trespasser at Holman Correctional Facility arrested on contraband charges

Special to the News   On Monday, September 14, a trespasser was discovered on the grounds of Holman Correctional Facility. At approximately 3:25 a.m., ADOC K-9 agents spotted a man with a bag running towards the Holman perimeter fence. The suspect was detained and identified as Jauvon Travis Leonard. ADOC Narcotics agents arrived on the…

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Historical Society makes plea for saving building

By Christa Jennings Senior Staff Writer During last week’s County Commission meeting, the Historical Society once again approached commissioners with a request and proposal for saving the old Extension building located next to the County Courthouse. After discussing the building periodically for years and having held a public hearing regarding the structure, during its June…

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Portable telehealth arrives in Coosa County

  Special to the News Submitted by Dr. Shannon Davis Coosa County Extension Office director   The Coosa County commissioners, town mayors, the Coosa County Chamber of Commerce, and the Coosa County Extension Office-Telehealth Planning Committee recognized the need to improve local access to healthcare services within the county. In collaborations for more than a…

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Coosa County Schools celebrate Constitution Day

  Special to the News   Constitution Day is recognized on September 17, the day in which the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia agreed to and signed the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Every year Central High School seniors receive a personal pocket U.S. Constitution to use throughout their government course and to keep as a guidebook in life. After analyzing the meaning…

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Ray Water increases pressure

  By Christa Jennings Senior Staff Writer    Water customers in the Ray community have recently noticed an increase in pressure, for which they are thankful. Ray Water Manager Ronnie Brown explained that they put in new pumps a few months ago. “We had a lot of customers who didn’t have the water pressure that…

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Westwater Resources announces issuance of U.S. patent for graphite purification tech at Kellyton Graphite Plant

Special to the News Westwater Resources Inc., an energy technology and critical minerals company focused on developing battery-grade natural graphite, has received U.S. Patent Number 12,415,731 for innovative graphite purification methods. This patent, awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is a significant milestone in Westwater’s technological advancement and reinforces the company’s dedication to…

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America has a problem: Part 1

  I had finalized this column Wednesday morning (September 10), but modified it after the Charlie Kirk assassination on Wednesday afternoon. We all heard about the Kirk assassination, the woman brutally stabbed on a North Carolina train (after the public outcry forced it into the news cycle) and the two children killed and 18 injured…

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