News

Huntsville students to participate in Greenpower Car Race

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Friday, May 17th, 2013, 7:50pm

They unveiled the sleek car at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center on Friday.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- A group of Huntsville students is getting ready for a big race.

They worked with the Huntsville Center for Technology to design and build an electric vehicle.

They unveiled the sleek car at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center on Friday.

They're the first team from the United States to compete in the Greenpower Car Race this summer.

One New Century High senior said it was a lot of work, but fun too.

"Most kids won't give up their summer to do something like this. This is a lifetime opportunity," said Ammouri Lang.

"They built and designed it by scratch right here in Huntsville, and this is going to propel them to victory, I'm sure of it," said USSRC CEO Dr. Deborah Barnhart.

The team will travel to the United Kingdom on June 9 for the race.

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Huntsville City School leaders vote on desegregation case

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Friday, May 17th, 2013, 12:27am

Huntsville City School officials have been in talks with the NAACP and The Department of Justice regarding the issue.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Thursday night the Huntsville City School board met for the last meeting before the end of the 2013 school year.

One big topic on the agenda, the desegregation rules for the school system. The board voted unanimously to send a motion to a federal judge Friday morning to rid of it.

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski said the decision is the result of 40 years worth of work.

Huntsville City School officials have been in talks with the NAACP and The Department of Justice regarding the issue.

Now that the choice has been made to rid the school system of its desegregation rules, some big changes can come from it. Some of those changes include a building a new Grissom High school, a new school to replace Johnson High and more.

"With this effort we are talking about $194-million worth of construction. Over the next three years, we will remove 1.8-million square feet of schools," said. Dr. Wardynski.

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Hearing date set for choral director accused of child abuse

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Thursday, May 16th, 2013, 5:43pm

Cleopha Pair's preliminary hearing is set for June 12.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- A Madison County judge set a hearing date for a Huntsville City Schools choral director charged with child torture.

Cleopha Pair faces one count of torture-willful abuse of a child.

Investigators said his 2-year-old god-child suffered third degree burns on both hands while in Pair's care.

Pair is on administrative leave from Huntsville City Schools.

Pair's preliminary hearing is set for June 12.

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Case of teen killing dog with tomahawk goes to grand jury

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Thursday, May 16th, 2013, 11:38am

Powell was arrested at his home on Wood Lane in Madison County.

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- A Madison County grand
jury will hear the case against a teenager accused of using a tomahawk and an
axe to kill a dog.

19-year-old Brandon James Powell faces multiple counts of first degree cruelty to dogs or cats.

According to court
documents, the attack happened on or about February 28th. Madison County investigators
said they found several dead cats when they discovered a small terrier killed.

Powell was arrested March 19th. He waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday
and the judge sent the case to the grand jury.

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Madison Co. capital murder case goes to grand jury

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Thursday, May 16th, 2013, 10:31am

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)-

A woman charged with
capital murder for killing her uncle during a robbery will have her case heard
by a grand jury.

Lisa Perry appeared in
court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.

Perry is accused of
beating William Ivy to death in his home in December.

Perry has been in
custody since her arrest in February.

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AL man charged after altercation with soccer referee

Submitted by WAFF Web Staff

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013, 10:15pm

The altercation occurred back in April, but the 27-year-old was only recently arrested and charged.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Huntsville Police arrested a North Alabama man accused of confronting a soccer referee in the middle of a match.

Rony Francisco Lopez Maldonado is charged with harassment of a sports official.

According to Huntsville Police, a referee called a foul on Maldonado in the middle of a match. Police said Maldonado wasn't happy with the call, and that's when things got out of control.

Maldanado ran up to the referee and struck the referee's chest with his body. The altercation occurred back in April, but the 27-year-old was only recently arrested and charged.

WAFF 48 News stopped by the Merrimack soccer complex Wednesday afternoon. Both league officials and park leaders said WAFF was the first to alert them to the altercation and arrest.

The league has a zero tolerance policy for any kind of violence and players are not allowed to physically touch any of the referees before, during, or after any matches.

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