Understanding Etowah County special referendum: Sunday alcohol sales
When Alabamians get to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6, voters in some counties will see local amendments and special referendums on the ballot. Here’s a look at what some residents of Etowah County, outside of municipalities, will need to know about a special referendum they’ll see on the ballot: On the ballot: SPECIAL REFERENDUM Pursuant to Act No. 2017-305 Do you favor the legal sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages outside the corporate limits of any municipality within the county on Sunday as further provided for and regulated by ordinance of the county commission? Vote: Yes/No What it means: If passed, the special referendum would allow the sale and distribution of alcohol on Sundays outside of the corporate limits of any county municipality. The referendum is made possible by legislation sponsored last year by Gadsden-Republican, State Rep. Becky Nordgren that gave Etowah County municipalities the right to call for referendums on Sunday sales, and authorized the County Commission to do so in unincorporated areas. Sample ballot Click out the Etowah County sample ballot: Front side | Back side Don’t live in Etowah County? Find your county’s sample ballot here.
Gadsden sheriff loses election amid jail program criticism
An Alabama sheriff who was criticized for making money from the county jail’s food program has been defeated in a primary election. In Alabama, it’s possible for sheriffs to personally profit from jail meals. In many cases, the less a sheriff spends on feeding inmates, the more he or she can make. Before Tuesday’s Republican primary election for sheriff, Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin released tax forms showing he made a profit of $672,392 from the jail kitchen in 2015 and 2016. Entrekin had made the documents public during a news conference where he denied allegations that prisoners were malnourished. Rainbow City Police Chief Jonathon Horton, who won the primary, tells Al.com that Entrekin called him and conceded the race after early returns showed Horton with a large lead. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Ceremony marks opening of Alabama computer forensics lab
A new lab specializing in digital forensics is operating in Huntsville, Alabama. The FBI and local leaders held a ceremony Wednesday to mark the opening of the Tennessee Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. The center is one of 17 such facilities in nationwide specializing in training and the analysis of digital evidence. The FBI will provide the facility, equipment and training for the lab. Local agencies will provide staffing for the center including the city of Huntsville police; sheriff’s departments in Etowah and Madison counties; and the Alabama National Guard Counterdrug program. The U.S. attorney’s office for north Alabama will help as a prosecuting agency. The lab is located at Redstone Arsenal. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
