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Photo courtesy of Rebecca Boyd of the former Goodyear Tire & Rubber plant, now Takkion, a blaze Saturday morning. TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News GADSDEN, Ala. — Firefighters responded early Saturday morning, Dec. 6, to a blaze at the former Goodyear Tire & Rubber manufacturing plant, now operating as Takkion, located at 922 E. Meighan Boulevard in Gadsden. Photo courtesy of Shane Christensen of the former Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant. The fire was

Photo of the new Cherokee County Board of Education building in Centre by TWLN staff photographer Cherri L. Burt. CENTRE, Ala. — The Cherokee County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Board’s Central Office, located at 200 Armory Road in Centre. The meeting agenda includes routine business items such as approval of previous minutes, adopting the agenda, and reviewing current j

A family of black bears strolls through a yard. Photo courtesy of Shawn Slome T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — Black bear sightings have become increasingly common in Fort Payne neighborhoods — and city officials say some residents are making the situation worse by intentionally leaving food out to draw the animals closer. In response, the Fort Payne City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a new ordinance that prohibits residents from

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Special Report In the span of just a few months, school officials in Ohio, Alabama, and multiple Florida counties have confronted a chillingly similar pattern: students creating “kill lists,” “death notes,” or notebooks naming classmates alongside threats of violence. The details vary from district to district. Some threats were discovered in journals or notebooks, others were scrawled on desks or typed on school laptops. In some

Photo courtesy of Giving Tuesday. T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community LEESBURG, Ala. - After a weekend filled with shopping and holiday excitement — from Black Friday deals to Cyber Monday clicks — Giving Tuesday invites us to pause and shift our focus back to what truly matters: helping others. Observed annually on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday has grown into a global movement encouraging individuals to support the organizations that stre

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community Leesburg, Ala. - As we gather with family, friends, and loved ones today, The Weekly Ledger News would like to extend our warmest wishes to all of our readers across Northeast Alabama, Northwest Georgia, and beyond. Whether you’re traveling for the holiday or celebrating right at home, we hope your day is filled with joy, comfort, and gratitude. This Thanksgiving, we are especiall

Photo of Otsego Elementary School in Woods County, Ohio. TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | National News WOOD COUNTY, Ohio — An elementary school in northwest Ohio is taking disciplinary action after two alarming lists labeled “Kill List” and “Death Note” were recovered from a student’s journal, according to statements from Otsego Local Schools and local media with WPTA and WTVG. School administrators say the incident came to light last week when a student repor

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News CENTRE, Ala. — A late-night standoff in Centre ended safely after deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who reportedly threatened law enforcement while claiming to be armed. According to Sheriff Jeff Shaver, the incident began around 10:30 p.m. when deputies responded to assist the Centre Police Department on a call involving a man allegedly refusing to allow a woman to exit a vehicle. During init

Photo courtesy of TWLN of Sand Rock High School. T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Breaking News SAND ROCK, Ala. — The Weekly Ledger News has received multiple reports from concerned parents and community members regarding an alleged “kill book” — as it has been referred to — created by a Sand Rock School student, an incident reportedly brought to light during the first week of November and now generating significant concern throughout the community. According to seve

TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | Area Business News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — A new national retailer is officially on the way to Fort Payne. City leaders have confirmed that Five Below will open a new store at DeKalb Plaza, further expanding the shopping options available to local residents. Mayor Brian Baine announced the news this week, saying Five Below will join Marshalls as the latest major retailer to invest in the Fort Payne community. The addition is expected t

International Motorsports Hall of Fame photo. TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | State News TALLADEGA, Ala. — Governor Kay Ivey has removed all members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame Commission after a state audit uncovered extensive governance violations and alleged financial misconduct exceeding $200,000 by a former employee. “Governor Ivey is responsible for ensuring all state entities operate effectively and with transparency,” Communications Director Gina Mai

An Amazon Prime delivery van parked near the company’s Seattle’s headquarters features a new slogan related to what’s inside the vehicle. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser) TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | National News WASHINGTON — Amazon has begun issuing automatic refunds to eligible customers as part of its multibillion-dollar settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to the FTC, payments to select Prime customers started on Nov. 12, with r

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News CENTRE, Ala. — On November 19, 2025, David Akin and Beverly Akin, both of Centre, were arrested following a Grand Jury indictment for Theft of Property in the First Degree. According to the Centre Police Department, the investigation began in late September 2025 after the Centre Police Department received a report of missing funds from the Cherokee County Youth Football League. Upon receiving the complaint, Centre Police la

Photo courtesy of Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times- Five senators in the Democratic caucus spoke at a news conference at Capitol Hill on Sunday night to explain why they voted with republicans. TWLN Staff Writer Jay Roberts | The Weekly Ledger News | National News | November 11, 2025 WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a moment of high political drama and deep division, eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus broke ranks and voted with Republicans to reopen the federal governmen

TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | Weather Update CENTRAL ALABAMA — It’s been an exceptionally cold morning across north and central Alabama, with temperatures plunging to near-record — and in several places, record-breaking — lows. Image courtesy of NWS Huntsville: High temperatures and precipitation chances for today for North Alabama. Image courtesy of NWS Birmingham: High temperatures and precipitation chances for today for Central Alabama. Image courtesy of NW

Suspect Charged With Capital Murder After Fatal Sunday Evening Shooting T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — The Fort Payne community is reeling after a tragic double homicide Sunday evening left two young parents dead and a suspect behind bars. According to Fort Payne Police Chief David Davis, the shooting occurred at approximately 5:59 p.m. on November 9 in the 1300 block of Alabama Avenue NW, within the Fort Payne Housing Authority complex

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Breaking News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — Authorities have confirmed that two people were shot Sunday night in the 1300 block of Alabama Avenue NW in Fort Payne. The Fort Payne Police Department is actively investigating the incident. Officials report that the suspect has been taken into custody in another jurisdiction. Law enforcement remains on the scene as the investigation continues. The area surrounding Alabama Avenue NW is currently rest

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Weather Update CENTRAL & NORTH ALABAMA — After a stretch of mild fall weather, big changes are on the way across Alabama as a strong cold front sweeps through the state this weekend. Freezing temperatures coming. Low temperatures are forecast to be in the mid 20s to mid 30s Monday morning, and in the 20s area wide Tuesday morning. Rain chances will taper off through this afternoon, followed by a sharp drop in temperatures beginning Su

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Breaking News | Area News GADSDEN, Ala. — Tragedy struck in Gadsden on Saturday, November 8, when a child died following an apparent accidental shooting, according to local authorities. Officials with the Gadsden Police Department confirmed that investigators are actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. “Our investigators are carefully working through the details to understand exactly what happened. Th

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — After an intense, multi-day manhunt involving numerous law enforcement agencies across state lines, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the capture of Gary Jody Childers. Childers was apprehended by authorities in Floyd County, Georgia, at approximately 9:15 p.m. Central Time following days of investigation, false leads, and extensive inter-agency coordination. Image courtesy of Floyd Sh