The search on Smith Lake has been suspended indefinitely.  There are some search operations planned for the future, but we will no longer have personnel searching every day.  ALEA Marine Patrol troopers will search the area regularly while on boat patrol.  ALEA Aviation will still conduct aerial searches periodically.  Winston County EMA has specialty sonars out of Dothan and Florida scheduled for next week as well.

Thanks to all of you for your patience with us as we attempted to bring closure to the Starling family.  Obviously, this did not have the outcome that we had hoped for.  Many organizations and agencies have worked hard over the last 15 days.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the Starling family.

Sgt. Chad Pate, ALEA-Marine Patrol Division, Northern District Assistant Commander

The search for the missing boater on Smith Late has been postponed today because of weather.

Sgt. Chad Pate, ALEA-Marine Patrol Division, Northern District Assistant Commander

The search continued for the missing boater on Smith Lake today.

These are photos of a sonar image of an area of the search.  You can see the standing timbers.  This is in the range of 150 to 225 feet.  These photos came from Daphne SAR.  They captured these images over the weekend while they were assisting with the search.

Sgt. Chad Pate, ALEA-Marine Patrol Division, Northern District Assistant Commander

Fred’s is closing 159 locations by next May. Most will close before then. The Haleyville store next to the Haleyville City Hall on 21st Street is one of those locations. The closures include underperforming and unprofitable locations, which Fred’s said will include a “thorough evaluation of the company’s current operating plan as well as other potential alternatives to maximize value.”

With everything in the store marked down to reduce the inventory, Fred’s in Haleyville is due to be closed in the first part of August.

Fred’s also sold off most of its pharmacy assets to Walgreens, including its pharmacy patient prescription files and remaining pharmacy inventory. The company operated 179 pharmacy stores. The transaction closed at the end of the company’s fourth fiscal quarter. The downtown Haleyville Fred’s pharmacy is reported to still be Fred’s pharmacy and will remain open.

Fred’s was started in 1947 and serves the southeastern portion of the U.S.

The Haleyville City Council met Monday with Drew Thrasher absent. The Council approved the general operation bills and purchase orders for June in the amount of $325,799.58. Various equipment purchases were authorized for the street department in the amount of $55,199.00. The equipment, as well as a rotary tiller for the Park and Rec Department for $1,000 all, came from the Haleyville Water Department.

Original 1940 sign from Att’s Repair Shop, which was located Highway 195 across from what is now Littleville Road. Photo from Atticus’s grandson, Bobby Taylor.

The Council approved the purchase of signs to mark the southernmost part of Littleville Road between Highway 195 and 30th Street as the Atticus Taylor Road. Mr. Taylor, the father of Mitchell Taylor, donated the land for the road to the city many years ago. Mr. Taylor ran the Att Taylor garage on Highway 195 for many years, specializing in generators and automotive electrical work.

The next meeting of the Haleyville City Council will be on Monday, August 5. 5:30 pm at the Haleyville City Hall.

The search on Smith Lake for the missing boater, Kelsey Starling continues today. The search was suspended Sunday afternoon because of weather.

The search continues today for the missing boater on Smith Lake.  Nothing new to report.

SGT Chad Pate, ALEA Marine Patrol – The search for the missing boater Kelsey Starling on Smith Lake continues. Kelsey has been missing since a boating crash on July 4.

Alex City Rescue Squad, Smith Lake Task Force, North Alabama Search Dog, ALEA Aviation and ALEA Marine Patrol all participated in the search efforts on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Colbert County has personnel here running sonar and an underwater camera.  Winston County EMA and ALEA Marine Patrol are on site assisting with the search also.

The search efforts resumed this morning.  North Alabama Search Dog has been utilizing cadaver dogs.  Alexander City Rescue Squad is here with a 360-degree imaging sonar.  It is placed on the bottom and gives a 360-degree image of the area.  ALEA Aviation conducted an aerial search this morning and will do the same this evening.  Smith Lake Task Force, Winston County EMA, and ALEA Marine patrol Division are assisting in the search efforts.

The search resumed this morning.  Nothing new to report as far as findings.  Christian Aid Ministries SAR Unit is still utilizing sonar to try and identify objects that are on the bottom.  Divers are on scene to dive on targets that can’t be ruled out with sonar.  Divers have already been in the water this morning searching.  ALEA Aviation flew over the area this morning to do an aerial search.  ALEA Marine Patrol boats are on scene.  There are other agencies there as well.  I hope to have a full list of those involved in my next update.

Sgt. Chad Pate,  ALEA-Marine Patrol Division, Northern District Assistant Commander