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Credit: Bits and Splits - stock.adobe.com Alabama may soon adopt its own minimum wage, potentially increasing pay to $10 per hour by January 2027, a significant shift from the current federal standard of $7.25 TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The long-standing debate over workers’ pay is resurfacing at the Alabama Statehouse as lawmakers consider legislation that would establish a state-mandated minimum wage for the first time in Ala

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community News CHEROKEE COUNTY & SURROUNDING AREAS — Love is in the air, and so is the aroma of great local food! The Weekly Ledger News is excited to announce our upcoming “14 Days of Valentine’s Dining” restaurant spotlight series, beginning January 31 and running through February 13. For 14 consecutive days, we will feature one local or area restaurant each day, highlighting the incredible dining options our communities have to off

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Weather Update NORTHEAST ALABAMA — After a brief midweek moderation, another surge of bitterly cold arctic air is expected to move into Alabama just in time for the weekend, bringing some of the coldest temperatures of the season back to Northeast Alabama. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures today will be slightly higher than earlier this week but will remain chilly across the region. Northeast Alabama can expect p

The former Badcock Furniture building will soon be home to Ross Dress for Less. T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News - Business & Development FORT PAYNE, Ala. — A long-vacant commercial space in Fort Payne is set to see new life, as city officials have announced that a Ross Dress for Less store will be opening at the former Badcock Furniture location along Glenn Boulevard. The announcement was made during the Fort Payne City Council meeting on January 20, where

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News GADSDEN, Ala . — An early-morning house fire in East Gadsden claimed the life of an elderly man Saturday, January 24, authorities confirmed. Gadsden Emergency Services responded to a 911 call reporting a structure fire at approximately 7:47 a.m. at a residence located at 1006 Wainwright Avenue, in the Green Pastures community. Firefighters from Gadsden Fire Station #3, which is situated directly across from the residenc

A teenage girl was arrested for battery after she allegedly struck her mother with a pork chop during an argument. (Martin Country Sheriff's Office, Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News JENSEN BEACH, Fla. (WKRC) — A Florida teenager was arrested on a domestic battery charge following a heated family dispute that allegedly escalated into an unusual physical altercation involving a pork chop, according to authorities. The incident

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News NORTHEAST, Ala./NORTHWEST, Ga. - Several local and surrounding-area school systems have announced closures and delayed times for Monday, January 26, 2026, and Tuesday, January 27, 2026, as winter weather continues to impact travel conditions across the region. Below is a list of school system updates as of publication time: Albertville City Schools - Closed Monday Anniston City Schools — Delayed 3 hours Arab City Schools - C

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News Published: Jan. 24, 2026 | 8:00 a.m. CST LEESBURG, Ala. — School districts across Alabama are closely monitoring developing winter weather conditions this weekend as administrators prepare for the possibility of school closures or delayed starts on Monday due to frigid temperatures and the threat of icy roadways. With forecasts calling for very cold conditions and potential freezing precipitation, districts throughout the re

The decision follows President Donald Trump's announcement a year ago. (ASSOCIATED PRESS, CNN, WHO) TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | National News NEW YORK, N.Y. — The United States has officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending a 78-year partnership following a decision announced one year ago by President Donald Trump, federal officials confirmed Thursday. Despite the formal withdrawal, the separation is not without comp

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | State News MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Governor Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency on Thursday as North Alabama prepares for an expected round of wintry and icy weather that could create hazardous travel conditions across the region. The emergency proclamation applies to 19 northern Alabama counties, including Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Mari

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community News CENTRE, Ala. — Centre Parks and Recreation has officially opened registration for its youth baseball and softball programs, offering local children the opportunity to participate in organized sports this spring. Parents and guardians are encouraged to complete registration by February 14. All registrations must be submitted online through the Centre Parks and Recreation registration portal at www.centre.recdesk.com . Of

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News VALLEY HEAD, Ala. — A Norfolk Southern freight train carrying grain partially derailed Friday morning, January 23, in DeKalb County, according to local emergency officials. The DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency reported that approximately five to ten rail cars left the tracks near County Road 761 in the Valley Head area. At this time, officials have not confirmed whether any injuries occurred as a result of the derai

Bro. David Woodard | The Weekly Ledger News | Faith & Inspiration Column You got hammered at the bar on Saturday but came to church on Sunday… You can sit with me. You’re right where you need to be. You’re a drug addict but came to church on Sunday… You can sit with me. You’re right where you need to be. You’re divorced and the last church you attended condemned you for it… You can sit with me. You’re right where you need to be. You’ve had an abortion and it’s slowly eating a

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News - Weather CALHOUN & CLEBURNE COUNTIES, Ala. — The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Calhoun and Cleburne counties as forecasters warn of potentially dangerous winter weather expected to impact the region this weekend. The watch is in effect from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon, with meteorologists forecasting a period of heavy mixed precipitation that could include snow, sleet, and f

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News SUMMERVILLE, Ga . — Fire crews battled an intense blaze Tuesday evening that destroyed Henry’s BBQ, a longtime and well-known restaurant located at 10757 Commerce Street in Summerville, Ga. Firefighters arrived to find the building fully engulfed, working aggressively to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures. Summerville Police Chief and Public Safety Director Brian Ozment confirmed

Local agencies review forecasts, coordinate response plans, and urge residents to stay weather-aware. T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Local Weather CENTRE, Ala. — The Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) convened a winter weather planning meeting Thursday morning, January 22, at the Cherokee County Administrative Building, bringing together local government officials, emergency responders, utility representatives, and department heads to review the late

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Community News GADSDEN, Ala. – The Fall Semester 2025 President’s List at Gadsden State Community College was released by President Alan Smith. Full-time students who earn a semester grade point average of 4.0 and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of college-level work are named to the President’s List. They are: Albertville – Gustavo Casillas, Micaela Garcia, Rilck Kensly Jean Paul, Bryan Lara Benitez, Eduardo Ramirez, Kenyan Smit

Ozark Police Officer Dylan Griffin uncovered over 80 gallons of illegally distilled moonshine during a traffic stop on Jan. 9. (Ozark Criminal Investigations Bureau) TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | State News DOTHAN, Ala. —A routine traffic stop earlier this month led to a significant illegal alcohol seizure after law enforcement officers discovered more than 80 gallons of moonshine inside a vehicle traveling through southeast Alabama. According to the Ozark C

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News GADSDEN, Ala . — The Gadsden Police Department has provided an update regarding a previously reported fraud investigation involving two individuals whose images were released to the public. According to authorities, after further investigation, the individuals pictured have been identified and cleared of any wrongdoing. Police confirmed that neither individual is connected to the fraud-related incidents under investigat

TWLN Staff Reporter | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News SPRING CREEK, Ala. — One person was injured after an intense house fire tore through a residence in the Spring Creek community during the early morning hours of Wednesday, prompting a multi-department emergency response. Fire officials said crews were dispatched before sunrise to a structure fire in the 300 block of County Road 573, also known as Sandy Shores. Firefighters from the Spring Creek, Ellisville, and McCord’