Comer Bridge effort gets $3,500 and other news from areas around Chattanooga

photo The 1931-era B.B. Comer Bridge over the Tennessee River in Jackson County, Ala., could become the target of preservation efforts.

Comer Bridge effort gets $3,500

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. - The effort to raise money for a preservation study of Scottsboro's B.B. Comer Bridge netted $3,500 of Tennessee Valley Authority in-lieu-of-taxes funds for the foundation that is working to save it from demolition.

Comer Bridge Foundation officials said Friday that the Jackson County Discretionary Fund Committee voted earlier this week to award the money to help pay for the December site visit by bridge preservation experts Julie Bowers, executive director of Workin' Bridges, and Nels Raynor of BACH Steel and Jim Schiffe of Schiffer Group, both in Michigan, which is the next phase of the foundation's collaboration with Workin' Bridges.

The money bumps the total collection effort to more than 60 percent -- $7,000 -- of the $11,000 needed for the site visit and site plans, officials said in a release.

The Discretionary Fund Committee meets two days each month to disperse funds allocated to a discretionary fund from TVA's in-lieu-of-taxes money.


Man charged after break-ins

CALHOUN, Ga. - Police say a Calhoun, Ga., man broke into a car, stole a rifle and then broke into a house with another gun.

The Calhoun Police Department, along with officers from the Georgia State Patrol, arrested 23-year-old Tyler Higginbotham on Wednesday on five counts of aggravated assault, two counts of burglary, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

According to a news release, Higginbotham broke into someone's car in the driveway of that person's home on Nov. 15. When the victim confronted Higginbotham, the two began to fight.

Higginbotham grabbed the victim's rifle out of the victim's car and pointed it at him, police were told. Then, Higginbotham hopped in his own vehicle and drove away.

Later, on Monday, Higginbotham broke into a Gordon Avenue house. Higginbotham thought someone he was looking for was hiding inside the house, so he at first asked the owner to let him in. Then, when the owner said no, Higginbotham kicked the door open and flashed what the owner thought was a machine gun.

Higginbotham remains in the Gordon County Jail, according to the release.


Deer season begins at dawn

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Deer season in Alabama begins today, and the Montgomery Advertiser reports the state's 535,000 licensed hunters will be dealing with new regulations and schedules this year. Although archery season began in mid-October, today is the first day of gun season.

The newspaper says the Game Check program sparked controversy earlier this year. The program initially required hunters to report deer and turkey kills within 24 hours, but is now voluntary. Those participating will be asked to provide their hunting license number, the county where the deer was killed, whether it was on private or public property and the animal's sex.

In portions of southwest Alabama, deer season will end Feb. 10. In the remainder of the state, the season will close Jan. 31.

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