Montgomery Congresswoman Martha Roby says eight C-130 cargo aircraft will remain at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. Roby said the information is contained in a report issued Monday by the Air Force. The Republican lawmaker said the report shows a long-term commitment to keep the C-130 planes assigned to the 908th Airlift Wing. Three years ago, members of Alabama's congressional delegation persuaded Air Force officials not to relocate the planes to another base.
New School
The new Pike Road School opens in August and construction continues on the $16 million building that will house grades K-8th. On Monday, the Pike Road School Board approved the hiring of 53 educators. The teachers were picked from a list of 500 people who applied for positions. Pike Road Mayor Gordon Stone and School Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Freeman said the hirings are a milestone for the town.
Deadly Accident Update
According to a grand jury report issued on Monday, a teenage driver was traveling at an excessive speed, estimated at 98 miles per hour. When the vehicle collided into a patrol car driven by Elmore County Sheriff's Deputy Bart Hart. The head-on collision occurred on November 23rd, 2014 on Firetower Road. The crash claimed the lives of Deputy Hart and three teenagers. The accident report was compiled by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and presented to the Elmore County grand jury.
Spice Cases
Montgomery authorities say police officers and fire medics responded to several cases that involved the use of synthetic marijuana called "spice." The Montgomery Department of Public Safety said there were at least ten new cases over the weekend, overall, there have been 70 cases in Montgomery that involved medical emergencies linked to the "spice" drug. At a news conference, Mayor Todd Strange said people must understand the dangers associated with ingesting or smoking "spice."