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Photo courtesy of Fort Payne Police social media. TWLN Staff Report | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — The Fort Payne Police Department is actively investigating what officials have described as an “isolated incident” in the area near Fort Payne Middle School. According to the department, officers responded to a call received shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Authorities emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the community and confirmed that

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community News ROCK RUN, Ala . — One of Cherokee County’s most cherished holiday traditions returns this Saturday as the Rock Run Christmas Parade celebrates its 21st year, bringing Christmas cheer, community pride, and small-town spirit to the rural Rock Run community. The parade will take place on Saturday, December 20, in Rock Run, Alabama. Lineup begins at 10 a.m. along County Road 12, which has been extended slightly farther back

TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News ETOWAH/DEKALB COUNTIES, Ala. — A 17-mile stretch of Interstate 59 in northern Etowah County and southern DeKalb County will be closed to through traffic Friday, December 19, as the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) completes critical roadway and bridge repairs as part of a $40.7 million reconstruction project. According to ALDOT’s North Region, the closure will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will affect I-59 be

TWLN Staff Report | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News FORT PAYNE, Ala. — A transfer truck pulling an empty trailer crashed into a residence Wednesday afternoon in Fort Payne after the driver reportedly suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel, city officials confirmed. According to a dispatch call, the crash was reported at approximately 2:25 p.m. near the 1400 block of Gault Avenue South. City officials later confirmed the truck left the roadway and struck a home in th

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. — Marshall County Sheriff Phil Sims announced that deputies and investigators conducted a multi-hour traffic saturation detail on Thursday, December 11, 2025, resulting in 14 individuals being taken into custody by federal immigration authorities. In this photo, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detain a man during an operation. AP Photo/Gregory Bull)(WVLT) According to She

Photo (Left to Right): Dogtown Fire Department Fire Chief Jon Burt, LPN Cherri Burt, along with fellow Dogtown Fire Department volunteer firefighters Theresia and Donnie Pruitt. T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community News DOGTOWN, Ala. — Deb Headrick and the Dogtown Fire Department played a vital role in honoring America’s veterans during the annual Wreaths Across America observance held Saturday, December 13, at Walker’s Chapel Cemetery in Dogtown, where 202 vet

TWLN stock image. TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News CHATTOOGA COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities are continuing an active death investigation after two adult bodies were discovered on Monday, December 8, 2025, in an advanced state of decomposition inside a residence near Chattooga High School, raising questions about their identities and the circumstances surrounding their deaths. Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office in Chattooga County, Ga. shield. According to t

A Mexican national who repeatedly re-entered the United States illegally and was charged with the rape of a child faces 18 months in prison. TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Mexican national previously charged in DeKalb County with multiple sex offenses involving a 12-year-old girl has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced. United States District Judg

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News FYFFE, Ala. — The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has launched an intensive investigation following the discovery of two deceased women at a residence on the 200 block of County Road 158 in Fyffe on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Deputies responded to the scene alongside the Powell Police Department and DeKalb Ambulance Service after receiving a report of two unresponsive females inside the home. Upon arrival, authorities c

Hands at work, hearts in service. Volunteers preparing the Christmas Eve meal plates with love for the community. Photo courtesy of Danny Wright. T.L. Sullivan TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News - Community Events LEESBURG, Ala. - What began five years ago as a simple act of kindness has grown into one of the community’s most cherished Christmas Eve traditions — a free Christmas Eve Dinner Giveaway that brings comfort, fellowship, and joy to hundreds of

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