Governor Bentley has designated April as Child Abuse Prevention Month for the state of Alabama. The Department of Child Abuse Prevention funds over 200 community-based prevention programs throughout Alabama. All of the agencies funded are dedicated to supporting healthy communities, healthy families and healthy children.

Child advocates must speak with a collective voice both at home and in Montgomery. You can join in on April 13th, on the steps of the State House at 10:00am, in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

This is an opportunity to let your elected officials know that you support children and will be vote accordingly.

Lawrence County Sheriff's investigators say they have arrested 47-year-old Susan Aldridge Kerby of Town Creek and charged her with two counts of second degree forgery. 

Sheriff Gene Mitchell said that the arrest comes after an investigation into a report that Kerby had stolen checks from a family member and passed them at a Lawrence County business. 

Mitchell said that investigators were able to determine that Kerby forged the account holder's signature prior to cashing them.  He said that on each occasion Kerby would purchase a few items and then write the check in excess of the actually purchase price, in order obtain cash. 

Sheriff Mitchell said Kerby has confessed to committing the crimes.  She was taken to the Lawrence County Jail where she is being held in lieu of a $5,000 bond.

Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell said that a traffic stop by drug agents led to the arrest of a Sheffield man.

On Thursday, Lawrence County Drug Task Force Agents were working a traffic detail on Alabama Highway 157, which led them to stop a vehicle driven by a Carl James Hingle.  While agents stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation, agents saw Hingle attempting to conceal something inside the passenger area. Agents then searched the area and found oxycodone pills.