Where & Why: Risner, Surratt, & Watkins

A reader has asked why Kenneth Eugene Risner, recently arrested for terrorism in Tuscumbia's Spring Park, is being held in the Florence-Lauderdale Detention Center. From what we can glean from contacts, Risner's original case of stalking stemmed from an arrest in Lauderdale County. On bond in that case, Risner was returned to Lauderdale County which held priority.

Another reader informs us that Risner's preliminary hearing in the Colbert case will be May 15th. He also still faces a similar stalking case in Franklin County.

Related post: Bad Boys--Risner

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Gerald Winston Surratt Jr. is free on bond after a recent arrest for sexual assault in Sheffield. Besides several DUIs, Surratt also has previous arrests for drug related crimes.

Sources state Surratt lived in Alpine Village owned by his uncle's family and where he did at least occasional work in property management. While he lived in Florence, his alleged crime was committed in Sheffield, where he was initially transferred before being released.

Several have asked if more charges may be forthcoming. We've not been able to get anyone to speak either on or off the record on this, but our take is Surratt would have already been arrested if he was connected to other crimes.

Related post: Two Lovely Houseguests

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Convicted rapist Amanda Duboise Watkins was sentenced to do ten years in prison and ten years on probation; however, she is currently serving her sentence in the Franklin County Jail, ostensibly because of prison overcrowding. Several readers have written to ask if Watkins is receiving preferential treatment since her parents and siblings reside in Franklin County.

We're not sure how this arrangement came to be, but we do know Colbert County Judge Jackie Hatcher had to approve any variations in normal procedure. Watkins will be serving the next ten years without opportunity for parole. We would expect her to be transferred eventually to a state facility.

Related post: Delmer & Amanda Duboise 


Note: Incorrect photo of Surratt has been obscured; for photo of Gerald Winston Surratt Jr., please see 5/10/12 blog.



Shoalanda

Goodbye, Dr. Lindsey

The sad news greeted most of us this morning; George Lindsey had passed away. Stories of his precarious health had made their way around the Shoals for the past year, but his passing was still unexpected to most of us.

His legacy will live on at his alma mater. The world has lost a true star...and a true gentleman.

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Trivia: When Lindsey's character of Goober first appeared on The Andy Griffith Show, his last name wasn't Pyle, but Beasley.



Shoalanda

How Much Money Does Keller EMS Take In (Net)?

 Doug Arnold--He May Need Refresher Course in Accounting

If you haven't kept up with the Colbert E-911 ambulance controversy, here's a quick synopsis. Bryan Gibson has founded Shoals Ambulance Company, an entity the City of Muscle Shoals wants to use as its primary responder within its boundaries. The Colbert E-911 Board says sorry, no can do. They award the service contracts and have awarded the sole contract to Keller EMS. Keller has stated that any competition will cause it to go out of business, having lost 2K already this year according to Keller CEO Doug Arnold. Really?

Let's look at available figures for past years. Keller charges a base rate of $440.00 for a service run. It answered 8K calls during the last year for which statistics are available, for a gross income of $3,520,000.00. This amount doesn't include any non-emergency runs.

How many of these 8K emergency runs did Keller actually receive payment for? A source tells us that 70% is a reasonable figure to use. This rate includes both insurance and private payments. How much does insurance pay? A quick check online shows that insurance reimbursement runs around 80%. Some of the remaining 20% in charges are paid by the individual and some are written off.

Using the above figures, the actual gross income for Keller EMS would have been $1,971,200.00. Using these same figures, we could reasonably assume the gross income for the first quarter of 2012 would have been $492,800.00--at least. From this amount would be subtracted utilities, salaries, fuel, ambulance maintenance, fees, and replacement of used/outdated supplies. How much would the net income for Keller be? Since we have no actual amounts for the above expenses, that would be impossible for us to say. What we do say is, using normal accounting practices that pro-rate depreciation, etc., a gross income of almost 493K (and it's obviously much higher due to non-emergency runs) that results in a 2K net loss seems extremely unusual, particularly for a well established company.

Note: If any of our readers have more accurate figures on actual percentages of fees collected and/or reimbursed, please forward them to us. Many thanks.



Shoalanda

Laurel Pruett & Matthew Fox Back in Court

Thursday saw two of the four defendants in the Amanda Taylor case back in court. Laurel Pruett (pictured right), along with Matthew Fox and Ashley Greenhill are accused of helping admitted killer Ronald Weems dispose of Taylor's body--in legal terms, abuse of a corpse and hindering prosecution.

Pruett sought a reduction in bond. Not surprisingly, Colbert Judge Jackie Hatcher refused. A reader has informed us that Pruett has undergone a transformation of sorts since her arrest; but with no family in the Shoals, she is considered a flight risk.

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Matthew Fox, now 21, requested that he be given youthful offender status. Fox (pictured left) was 20 when he assisted in disposing of Taylor's body at the request of Ashley Greenhill.

Judge Jackie Hatcher will rule on Fox's request June 3rd. We're predicting the Florence man won't receive that coveted designation. The Colbert County District Attorney's office is opposed to the request, especially in such a high profile crime. Many states use the age of 18 as a cut-off date for youthful offenders, and Fox was close to his 21st birthday at the time of his crime.

For information on the youthful offender classification, see post on Autumn Marie Wood: Link

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Ashley Greenhill did not join her fellow conspirators in court. It remains possible that the part-time stripper may be tried as a habitual offender. Greenhill and Pruett have court-appointed attorneys, while Fox's family is said to have hired a lawyer to represent him.

Related post:

The Killers Three



Shoalanda

What Can Dr. Diana McCutcheon Expect?

The formal announcement that Dr. Diana K. McCutcheon had been indicted for Medicare and other insurance fraud came as no surprise to many in Lexington or the surrounding communities in Lauderdale County. From physicians to Nurse Practitioners to laser technicians...one by one they had left McCutcheon's practice over the past few years, citing differences in vision...or sometimes worse.

The question on everyone's lips today is what can McCutcheon expect should she be convicted. Obviously no two judges will think alike on such matters, but we can look at others who have faced similar charges. Most over billing accusations have been leveled at hospitals, but a few have been lobbed at physicians. A doctor in Virginia served 18 months for fraud that occurred over a two year period from 2005 to 2007. Is this indicative of what McCutcheon might expect?

The second concern is repayment and fines. How hard pressed will McCutcheon be to repay 1.3 million? That figure may seem inconsequential compared to fines that are often levied against those convicted--not to mention the loss of her medical license. The aforementioned doctor in Virginia was forced to sit a second time for his medical exam, something those who have been in practice for many years do not find easy.

Others are asking what the Elgin-Lexington communities will do if they are deprived of a physician. Sadly, most insurance will not allow them to drive to Tennessee. Look for Rogersville and Florence physicians to pick up a number of patients...

Related post: Lexington Medical Clinic Closes

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Don't forget Larry Fisher and  Debra Glass will be at First Fridays tomorrow in downtown Florence. If you can't make it Friday, the pair will be at Ye Olde General Store across from the post office on Seminary Street Saturday morning with copies of their latest book. If you missed Volume 1 of Remembering Florence, we understand there are a limited number of these remaining.

Many thanks to Larry for taking the time to come back home to personally autograph these fantastic volumes. Thanks also to Debra for her tireless efforts in helping compile these wonderful memories.

Larry Fisher Fan Page

Shoalanda

Have a Wild Weekend! (And a Date with Mable...)

Would you like a date with Mable this weekend? Say no more. We can fix you up.

"Brave Mable" is the creation of Shoals artist/writer Amy Collins. Amy (along with Mable) will be at the 2nd Annual Jack O'Lantern Farms' Arts & Crafts sale this Saturday. The farm is located on Garage Road in Sheffield just off Hatch Boulevard; the sale hours are 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

We recently added Amy's blog to our list and have been extremely impressed with her work. The show will also feature other local artists as well as cooking demonstrations. See you there!

(If you don't make it to the show Saturday, you can buy cards featuring Brave Mable at The Yellow Door, the Wine Seller, and the Spa at the Shoals Marriott.)

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If the art sale wears you out, don't worry. You have a week to rest up for Rodgeapalooza.

Yes, it's the latest brainchild of our friend Daniel Horton, so you know it will be entertaining. Here's the link for more info:

Rodgeapalooza

Shoalanda

Two Lovely House Guests: Liles & Surratt

Not every girl is lucky enough to have a date for Valentine's Day. Florence Police made sure Tabitha Dawn Liles (pictured) had holiday companionship when they arrested her on February 14th for Failure to Appear. Apparently she was a fun date, and the city's finest again asked Tabitha out for May Day festivities.

The 29 year-old East Florence resident was arrested Monday for kicking her three year-old son in the chest. If her son is lucky, maybe she won't be out by Mother's Day. Kudos to the family Liles was visiting for alerting police to her abusive nature.

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Another house guest was recently arrested. Gerald Winston Surratt Jr. was apprehended by Florence police after a young woman accused him of entering her locked bedroom at a Sheffield apartment complex where he was a guest and sexually assaulting her.

Our sources say that Surratt has contacts in property management and has access to keys and floor plans of various rental properties in Florence and the surrounding area. Surratt, who had been drinking at the time of the alleged assault, has a record of DUIs. Instead of driving school, wouldn't Gerald Surratt have been better served, not to mention the public, by a stretch in rehab?



Shoalanda