WVAS Local

An Alabama woman pleaded guilty to fraud charges for portraying herself as a terminal cancer patient in a pair of online fundraising schemes. A statement from acting U.S. Attorney Robert Posey says 37-year-old Jennifer Flynn Cataldo of Shelby County entered her guilty pleas  Tuesday to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud in federal court. Authorities say Cataldo agreed to repay nearly $80,000 to people verified to have given her money. Authorities say Cataldo used online fundraising drives to ask for money for medical expenses and a family trip to Disney World.

Lower voter turnout is expected in next week's U.S. Senate primary for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' old Senate seat. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said Monday that he is projecting that 20 percent to 25 percent of voters will go to the polls on Tuesday. Merrill said a typical primary brings turnout of 30-32 percent. The summer special election comes at a time that voters aren't accustomed to going to the polls. The seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Luther Strange who was appointed. Former Chief Justice Roy Moore, Congressman Mo Brooks and state Sen.

Federal, state and local law enforcement officials announced Thursday 26 people were arrested in connection with a drug trafficking with ties to East Alabama.  Officials say the suspects are facing various charges including narcotics and money laundering.  Acting U.S. Attorney Clark Morris for the Middle District of Alabama says it is one of the largest takedowns in recent years.  She says the estimated economic impact of removing the suspects from the streets could be in the millions.  

A federal judge has struck down an Alabama law that put minors seeking court permission for an abortion through a trial-like proceeding where the fetus could be represented by a court-appointed lawyer. U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Russ Walker sided with the American Civil Liberties Union on Friday, saying the law imposes undue burdens on girls, violating their rights to a confidential proceeding by allowing the district attorney, witnesses and others to get involved in opposing her decision.

   There was one fatal accident in Central Alabama over the weekend. It happened in Macon County. State Troopers report that the single-vehicle wreck took place on Macon County Road 65 Saturday afternoon about three miles north of Tuskegee. A car left the roadway and struck a tree. Troopers say the driver, 64 year old Ronald Cleo Gibbs of Tuskegee, was killed. He was reportedly not wearing a seat belt and pronounced dead at the scene. No word yet on what may have caused the crash.

   The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has announced that its director of 23 years is retiring. Mark Johnson was appointed in 1994 and is the museum’s longest-serving director in its history. In that time, the museum has received some 3 million visitors, collected 17-hundred pieces of art and undergone three major renovations or expansions. Another project to add a sculpture garden is currently in progress. Johnson will be awarded the honorary title of Director Emeritus by the museum’s board. His last day is August 15. Dr.

 Montgomery Public Schools has announced the return of the Transportation Hotline. The number allows parents to find information like pick-up and drop-off times and the location of bus stops. MPS Communications Officer Tom Salter says the hotline has been a useful tool for several years now.That number is 334-223-6900. Salter encourages parents to call before the first day of school to avoid a last minute crush of callers. The Montgomery Public School system has about 30-thousand students and approximately 15-thousand ride a school bus. 

   A Montgomery man has been hit with a capital murder charge in a deadly shooting from last week. Police say 27 year old Johnel Travis has been arrested on the murder and attempted murder charges. He is accused of killing 73 year old Rebecca Quillin and seriously wounding a man while in the 27-hundred block of Sumter Avenue Friday night. Investigators say the shooting occurred during the course of a felony. The victims reportedly knew their assailant. Travis has been placed in the Montgomery County Detention Facility without bond.