Decatur, AL- One local business will get a big boost Saturday when a mob of people descends on a store with one intention, spend money.
 
"I would think it was nirvana, I mean I would give them cookies," says business owner Diane Scanland. She owns the Cottage House on Bank Street and says although she made it through the economic downturn it's not always easy.
 
"Small businesses sometimes have a tough row. We don't always have the capital to do a lot of advertising," she explains.
 
But Shop Decatur First would like to change that. The group/website focuses on small businesses. Saturday morning members are meeting at Gateway Shopping Center, picking a store, and spending twenty dollars a piece.
 
"When everyone gets there we are going to tell them what place has been chosen ahead of time, they don't know at this point. Everybody brings twenty dollars with them in cash and we all spend twenty dollars and the business gets a good boost," explained event co-organizer Jeremiah Prevatt.
 
Prevatt is the founder of the organization that helps smaller businesses advertise and connect with the community.
 
“It gives businesses the ability to put out there what they do so people can find  them online, find the products that they offer, find the services that they offer, and basically connect with a  local business a little more affectively than they can right now.”

Twenty dollars may not sound like much, but it does add up. Prevatt says the goal is not to make the business owner rich, but to make the public aware.

“Locally owned business (owners) tend to spend money with another local merchant or another local provider and so actually that tax revenue is actually generated more. That’s what the whole Shop Decatur First campaign is about, educating people on the benefits and just getting them to think local first.”
 
The event is open to the public the group will meet at the Gateway Shopping Center Saturday morning at 10:00 AM.
 
“It can really make a sizeable impact. It boosts their spirits a little bit and just gives them a little bit of hope in the community and the support they are getting from local residents."

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.

It's the biggest birthday party to ever land in Huntsville, and easily the largest event held at the U.S. Space and Rock Center this year.

Preparing a party for more than 700 people takes a lot of time, enthusiasm and hard work. All of the elaborate decorations, food and music came from a long, hard day of work by dedicated patrons of Wernher von Braun.

Dot Threlkeld worked since 6:00am Friday morning. She created centerpieces made up of red and yellow gerber daisy’s held inside beer steins from all over the United States.

Threlkeld says it’s a labor of love because von Braun hired her husband to work with him back in 1956.

“It was a thank you to him by doing this today. It was a thank you for hiring my husband 50-some odd years ago,” said Threlkeld.

Chef Jonathan Wickersham loves the adrenaline rush he gets from cooking for big events.

He served a traditional German meal, complete with gherkin salad, jagerschnitzel, potato’s and red cabbage.

“It’s an art work. It’s a lot of fun. You got to be built for this stuff. You really have to like what you do,” Wickersham said.

An elaborate Saturn V cake was designed by celebrity cake designer, Jay Qualls. Qualls was a finalist on TLC’s Next Great Baker.

“There is a lot of engineering going into cakes. It’s pretty intense,” said Qualls.

80 centerpieces, 400 balloons and more than 700 dishes later, the hard work is all worth it for the man that Threlkeld credits for making Huntsville the place it is today.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - An Alabama appeals court has reinstated the execution of a man twice convicted and sentenced to die for the 1999 rape and stabbing death of a Huntsville nurse.

Thirty-four-year-old Jason Michael Sharp's death sentence was among two upheld by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday.

The death sentence of 28-year-old David Phillip Wilson was also affirmed. Wilson was convicted in 2007 of strangling Dewey Walker with a computer mouse cord during a robbery.

The court also denied the request of 59-year-old Jerry Hammond for a DNA test to challenge his 2002 murder conviction. Hammond was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 1988 stabbing death of his elderly uncle.

The Hunger Games earned a record breaking $19.7 million at the midnight screenings across the country, and thousands more will be hitting the theaters over the weekend.  However, one University of North Alabama student got a sneak peek working behind the scenes as a food assistant stylist for the movie.

Culinary Arts Major James Perini said that working on the movie set for The Hunger Games was the best learning experience he could've asked for.

"I had no idea how much goes in to making a movie," said Perini.  "There's the actors and hundreds of people running around making it happen.  It was really cool to see and be a part of."

Perini said that he first heard about the opportunity to work with L.A. food stylist Jack White while in class at UNA one day.  

"I hear food styling and L.A. and walked out of class immediately and called him (White) and a couple of days later he called me back," said Perini.  "We did some small events together.  I helped him with an open house in Tennessee. The summer came around, and he was talking about this new movie he was working on and if I would like to help him.  It sort of just fell in to my lap."

Perini travelled to North Carolina where he can White worked for several days.

"Just working with the food on that level was a crazy experience for me," said Perini. "Working with someone like Jack White, as talented as he is, and who's been in the business as long as he has, was just a really cool experience."

Perini said that he had no idea what a hit the movie would be, but is excited about its growing popularity.  He said that it'll be rewarding to see all the food in the movie, knowing he had a hand in making it.

"Food is my passion and just seeing something that I love on the big screen is just really exciting," said Perini.  "It's going to be interesting, but I'm ready to see it for sure."

Perini is hoping this will just be the beginning of his food styling career and has big plans after he graduates this year.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, AL - An afternoon on the water ended in death Sunday for a Russellville fisherman. 37 year old Francisco Martinez drowned while fishing in a kayak on Cedar Creek near the Belgreen community. 

His mother, Irene Martinez said, "Today is the first day he used the kayak and didn't come back. He no come back."

Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver says something went wrong and Martinez ended up in the water. Bystanders tried to help, but it was too late.

"Witnesses noticed him outside the boat, swimming toward the boat ramp and they saw him go under and they went to try to help him, then they couldn't locate him," said Oliver.

Martinez had a small motor attached to the kayak. Relatives say he was a good swimmer and has been fishing his entire life.

Sheriff Oliver says this incident was a tragic accident that others can learn from. "In this situation, there was no life jacket present, so I would tell people to make sure you have your life jacket and make sure all your equipment in the boat works properly," Oliver said.

Irene Martinez says her son died doing what he loved most: spending time outdoors, fishing. She says thinking about her son on the water is helping her come to grips with this tragic loss.

Spry Funeral Home in Russellville is handling arrangements for Francisco Martinez.

Madison, AL -- In 1998, Willowbrook Baptist Church in Huntsville planted a new church in Madison. Originally called Willowbrook West, it eventually became known as The Brook. Now, 14 years later, The Brook is doing a little planting of its own. Senior Pastor Brian Mayfield says the idea first came from the church's youth pastor, Josh Britt.

Britt thought he would always be involved with youth ministry, but two years ago, he says he began to feel God was calling him to do something different. After several months of prayer, he knew he was supposed to plant a church. At the time, he and his family believed that would mean moving to another part of the country or, at least, another part of North Alabama. "We prayed about several different places," he says, "Decatur, Athens, or maybe even South Huntsville... and we still hit a brick wall."

Over and over, Britt found himself drawn to the Zierdt Road community, on the border of Huntsville and Madison, but its proximity to The Brook gave him pause. "We knew we just never wanted to be that person that left a church and went right down the street and planted another church... That was never my heart," he says.

However, Britt has since accepted the location as God's plan, and so has Mayfield who says, "if churches are really on mission to reach people in Christ, there can't be any competition. There has to be this understanding of partnership." From the beginning, The Brook has given its full support to the new church, which is currently in the planning stages.

A launch team has been formed to discuss strategy, assignment and roles for the plant. A community Easter egg hunt, prayer walks and block parties are also in the works. Britt says a definite location has yet to be determined, but he's in talks with the Huntsville school system about possibly using one of its buildings to hold services. If all goes well, the first worship services will take place on August 19th. More information may be found at www.plantthegospel.net

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.

Becky Seitel is proud that she gets to help preserve an important part of history through her photographs.

Seitel is the photographer for the “Darkness into Life” traveling art exhibit, now on display at the Huntsville Museum of Art. The exhibit is presented by The Birmingham Holocaust Education Committee and combines Seitel’s photographs with artwork by Mitzi Levin to tell the stories of Alabama’s holocaust survivors.

The exhibit features 20 survivors, including Stan Minkinow who went to a concentration camp when he was only 6-years old. He now lives in Huntsville.

“It’s part of history. It happened. And I think that our kids and grandkids, unless we tell them and show them, will forget,” Minkinow said.

Seitel says her favorite part of the project was the hearing the survivor’s inspiration stories of hope and survival.

“So many of them said, ‘if we were bitter Hitler would have won. So we chose happiness.’ And I think that is such a good message for all of us,” said Seitel.

The exhibit runs Match 25- Junes 10. Event coordinators say this is an exhibit you don’t want to miss.

“You not only have the photography, you have the artwork. So it is a very compelling exhibition,” said Deborah Taylor.

“We are here to honor them. And their stories tell us that we must never forget. And that is why we are so happy to have this here,” Arlene Averbuch said.

April 22 is Holocaust Remembrance Day. The museum will host another special program honoring survivors through stories and music.

HUNTSVILLE, AL - A fugitive from Florida is in the Madison County Jail.

Danny Madison was arrested Saturday night at a Huntsville hotel.

He was wanted on bank robbery charges in Florida and Tennessee.

Investigators say he held up a bank in Tampa on March 13th, then robbed two banks in Nashville.

Madison had just been released from federal prison after serving ten years for bank robbery.

NASHVILLE, TN - Everybody loves free apps, but there is a price to pay. Free apps drain your battery faster than paid apps. According to a study from Purdue University, advertisements inside free apps use 75% more power than the game or app itself.

The study used the free version of Angry Birds. The game uses 18% of the power, but advertisements use 60% of the power. So, if making your battery last longer through the day, the $.99 version may be worth the money.

There may be a good reason flight attendants told Alec Baldwin to put away the Words with Friends game he was playing on a flight. Or is there? The FAA is looking into whether mobile devices really do interfere with an airplane’s navigation and operational system. As it stands now, each airline has to test individual gadgets like iPads, smartphones and Kindles before relaxing the rules on individual devices. So, it’s been easier for them to just ban them all during takeoffs and landings.

Now you can take a trip down the Amazon without hopping on a plane. Google Street View has added the Amazon to its growing list of places it covers. The Amazon street view gives 360 degree photos down the river and on the trails. It took 50,000 photos to cover the Amazon.

Are you tired of hearing your phone ring when everything is quiet around you? Like in a movie theater or church? Even if you forget, there is an Android phone app that turns itself down. Ring Dimmer is a $.99 app that controls the ringer based on the sounds around you. If it’s nice and quiet, ring dimmer rings softly. At a ballgame or loud party, the ringer turns itself up. So, no excuses for annoying rings in your next business meeting.

Keeping you plugged in, I’m Jamey Tucker.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala (WAAY) - WAAY 31 won several key awards at the 2012 Alabama Associated Press and Alabama Broadcaster's Association Awards ceremony in Birmingham Saturday night.

Melissa Riopka won two AP Awards for her "Focus on Faith" segment. she was named  Best Specialized Reporter, and her special reports "Finding Hope in Haiti" won the Best Series Award.

WAAY 31's Rachel Keith was named the top photojournalist in the state, winning the prestigious Stan Tarilton Best Photographer Award from the AP.

WAAY 31 was also given the AP's Cooperation Award, for contributions to the group throughout the year.

WAAY 31 Sports was recognized with two major awards. 

Friday Night Football was named Best Sports Program in the state. The award honors the hard work of more than a dozen people in front of, and behind the camera to bring you the best high school football coverage possible. Named this year were : Anchors Ronnie Duncan and Kyle Burger, Producers Mike Brown and Josh Voight, Photographers and Reporters Brian Barnett, Barry Hiett, Erika Odell, Lillian Askins, Rachel Keith and Scott Michael, Director Stan Williams, Graphics Designer Brian Holcomb, Intern Tucker Sargent and Editors Eric Eisgrau and Chondi Gray.

Ronnie "Slam" Duncan walked away with the biggest award in his field, winning the ABA 2011 Sportscaster of the Year Award.

Michelle Swinney said that this hit too close to home for her.  She said that she can't imagine losing her daughter who was a good friend of Hollins.

"I know I can't keep her in the house all the time, but this is just one of the times she wanted to get out and I wouldn't let her," said Swinney.  "Now, I'm grateful this morning and thanking God that I kept her home."

Swinney said that she visited Hollins' family and they are coping the best they can.

"It's just hard.  It just hasn't sunk in yet," said Swinney.  "Brooklyn's mom is pretty torn up.  I mean, she's holding up the best she can under the circumstances."

Swinney said that it's a shame how so many people are affected now by this senseless act.

"With these kids these days, not only do you have to kind of stay closer to them as parents, but you have to know their whereabouts at all times," said Swinney.  "I mean just a simple going out can turn tragic just as this."

A skate memorial is being organized at the Florence Skate Center from 5:30-8 p.m. on April 12th.

We're told that both Wood and Hollins were currently being home schooled.

Tuscumbia Police are investigating a recent break in to the Lighthouse Learning Center located on Woodmont Drive in Tuscumbia.

Police said that someone broke in to the school through the back window on Wednesday night.  Tuscumbia Police Department received a call about it on Thursday morning.

This is the third time in six months that this has happened.  Thankfully, this time nothing was stolen.

Investigators said that whoever broke in on Wednesday night, cut their hand on the glass and left a bloody handprint.  That has been sent to forensics for testing.

If anyone has any additional information, call Tuscumbia Police at (256) 383-3121.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has ordered a 10.6% spending cut for state agencies.

Bentley issued the proration order Friday. He said the state General Fund budget has been impacted by several factors, including the cost of tornado recovery and reduced earnings from state investments.

State Personnel Director Jackie Graham said she's already been contacted by several departments about the procedures for layoffs.

State Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan notified his employees Friday that their salaries could be cut up to 7.5 percent because of the budget reduction.

Graham said the Agriculture Department is the only department that has sought approval for pay cuts instead of layoffs.

The budget cuts do not affect the state education budget.

The Phil Campbell High School Band is getting ready to perform its first concert since the April 27 tornado destroyed their band room and instruments last year.

They are planning to "Give Thanks" to the Shoals community on Saturday night for supporting and helping them rebuild their program during such a devastating time.  

During the past 11 months, the program has received more than $100,000 in grants and donations from people and organizations around the world, and thanks to that, they now have new uniforms and instruments.

"It's important for the community to see how resilient these children are, and in turn, the community of Phil Campbell.  These children represent the community of Phil Campbell," said event coordinator Melanie Orseske.  "Many of them lost homes, some lost family members, and this is something that brought them together and gave them hope and brought some normalcy to their lives."

Orseske said that more than 100 invitations were sent out, but the event is free and open to the public.

The concert starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday night in the Sears court area of Regency Square Mall in Florence.  

The concert is expected to last about an hour.

"This is one of those concerts that's going to make you smile," said Orseske.  "You're going to walk out of here feeling that this is a community that is back up on their feet and perhaps you are one of the ones who helped them."

For those who are unable to attend, the concert will be streaming live at www.ustream.tv/channel/phil-campbell-high-school-concert .

PACIFIC BEACH, Calif. - Jason Russell, the 33 year old co-founder of "Invisible Children" and the driving force behind the "Kony 2012" campaign, has been detained by police in the San Diego area after an alleged lewd act Thursday night.

According to TMZ, Russell was allegedly drunk vandalizing cars and masturbating when approached by police. 

Friday, the group responded to the incident, releasing the following statement : 
"Jason Russell was unfortunately hospitalized yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition. He is now receiving medical care and is focused on getting better. The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday. Jason's passion and his work have done so much to help so many, and we are devastated to see him dealing with this personal health issue. We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time."

WASHINGTON (AP) - Actor George Clooney and his father have been arrested at a protest outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington.

The protesters accuse Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, of provoking a humanitarian crisis and blocking food and aid from entering the Nuba Mountains in the county's border region with South Sudan.

Clooney and others, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Moran of Virginia and NAACP President Ben Jealous, were arrested after being warned three times not to cross a police line outside the embassy. They were handcuffed and placed into the back of a U.S. Secret Service van.

Clooney said earlier that he hopes to draw more attention to the issue and that if action is not taken in the next three to four months "we're going to have a real humanitarian disaster."

UPDATE - 3:30 p.m. - Clooney paid a $200 fine and was released from jail a couple of hours after the arrest. "Paid a fine." Clooney told reporters after being released. "There was a, it was fun.  We were all in, it looked like, we were all in a cell together.  It was nice."

DECATUR, Ala (WAAY) - Decatur Police are looking for two men who barged into a gas station Thursday night, demanding money. The duo jumped the counter and got into a scuffle with the clerk.

The clerk was shot in the arm during the fracas, and the robbers ran when he was able to get his own handgun and scare them off. Police say the clerk fired his weapon at the suspects as the fled, but they don't believe the men were hit. The clerk's injuries were on life threatening.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - Doug McDermott scored 16 points and Creighton overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat Alabama 58-57 Friday for its first NCAA tournament victory in 10 years.

Alabama had a chance to win during the frantic final seconds, but Josh Jones blocked Trevor Releford's 3-point attempt from the top of the key as time expired.

McDermott, the MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference and the nation's third-leading scorer at 23.2 points per game, was held scoreless for more than 14 minutes but then scored nine points in the game's final 14 minutes.

He grabbed a huge rebound with 33 seconds left after teammate Greg Echenique missed the front end of a one-and-one. McDermott was fouled immediately and converted one of two shots.

Alabama answered with an inside basket from Andrew Steele to cut the lead to 58-57 and Jones missed two free throws on the other end. But Alabama couldn't come up with the winner.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Supreme Court has tossed out the settlement over Alabama's financially troubled Prepaid Affordable College Tuition plan.

The court's 6-1 decision Friday voids the settlement approved last year by a Montgomery judge at the request of the PACT board and many participants in the program.

An attorney representing parents who opposed the settlement, Wally Walker, called it a victory that will provide for full tuition rather than the partial tuition in the settlement.

But an attorney for parents who supported the settlement, Doyle Fuller, said he will ask the court to reconsider because PACT lacks the money to pay full tuition. He said that if the ruling stands, PACT will likely collapse unless it gets more money from the Legislature.

CULLMAN, Ala (WAAY) - Cullman was hit hard during the April 27th tornado outbreak. An EF4 tornado tore through the city, destroying and badly damaging many local landmarks.

Two people were killed in the storm, and millions of dollars in damage was done. 

To commemorate the event, the city of Cullman has decided to celebrate on April 27th, rather than mourn. They've organized a new music festival they're calling the "Rock the South" festival.

Friday morning, officials announced the event will be held on Friday, April 27th at Heritage Park. 

The headliners of the event will be country stars Dierks Bentley and former American Idol Kellie Pickler.

More artists are expected to be added to the lineup in coming weeks.

Tickets for the show will cost $10 if purchased ahead of time. They'll be $15 at the gate the night of the show. City officials will release more information about ticket sales next week.

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) - An Etowah County judge has scheduled a hearing for the grandmother and stepmother facing murder charges in the death of a 9-year-old girl who was allegedly run to death.

Circuit Judge William B. Ogletree has set an arraignment hearing for Wednesday for 46-year-old Joyce Garrard. She's facing a possible death penalty in the death of her granddaughter, Savannah Hardin.

The girl's stepmother, 27-year-old Jessica Hardin, also is set to appear in court that day. Defense lawyer Morgan Cunningham says the judge scheduled the hearing to accept initial pleas from the women and consider any motions in their cases.

Defense lawyers say both women are innocent and expect to be vindicated in Savannah's death last month.

Prosecutors say the child collapsed and later died after being forced to fun as punishment.

If you grew up in Alabama, you probably learned about Streights Raid sometime in elementary school. With the sesquicentennial upon us, the Cullman County Museum has put together an exhibit that brings to life those battles across north Alabama in the Spring of 1863.

"If you want to learn how NOT to conduct a cavalry raid, you look at Streights Raid. He mounted his men on mules, and he should have been on horses," said John Kelton, who designed the exhibit.

"They all brought mules. Unfortunately they made a mistake, because it rained a lot the roads were muddy, mules couldn't handle it, they were ornery, they wouldn't comply, they ran away," said Bob Sackheim of the Blue and Gray Museum of North Alabama.

Colonel Abel D. Streight led the mules and the Union Cavalry into north Alabama on a mission to disrupt Confederate supply lines. General Nathan Bedford Forrest made that a difficult task as the Southern Soldiers and their horses chased the Union Troops with running battles across the Tennessee Valley. 3 battles over a 24 hour period.

The exhibit features a short film and artifacts. It also tells you about the Alabamians who fought on both sides of these battles. That's right there were Alabamians who fought for the Union in Streights Raid.

"Some of them led Colonel Streight through north Alabama as his guides. The men that were in what is now Cullman County were divided on the issue of secession. Some joined the Confederate Army. Those that joined the Union Army were assigned to the 1st Alabama Cavalry U.S."

"Forrest used a ploy, saying in the interest of sustaining more casualties it's wise for you to surrender because we outnumber you 3 to 1. The truth is the Union Cavalry outnumbered the Confederates 3 to 1. Forrest bluffed him, and Streight and his guys surrendered."

Limestone County, AL-
There are two candidates running for Limestone County's District 6 Board of Education seat.
One has held the office for 5 years....and one just got the right to vote.

"I couldn't vote til this year. First time I voted, I voted for myself. I won't ever forget it no matter what happens," said 18-year-old Cory Elrod.

After Tuesday's votes were tallied, only 20 votes separated the two candidates.
Elrod came out on top with 383 over Anthony Hilliard's 363 votes.
Now they are headed into a run-off.

Though surprised, Hilliard has nice words to say about his opponent,
who was actually one of his daughter's classmates.

"He's a nice young man. I respect him and he's ambitious."

But, Hilliard goes on to say, that doesn't mean his opponent is qualified for the job.

"We are an advisory board. And I think my background in business management and education would help me to continue to do that, where as he would possibly be a little overwhelmed at first because he is 18 years old. He hasn't had life experiences or background to be involved in any of that," said Hilliard.

But Elrod disagrees.
He says the fact that he is young and fresh out of school will help him.

"We need some younger people on the board of education to help them keep up to date academically and socially with what's going on inside the classroom. Just because you have kids or grandkids in school itself it's not like being amongst the kids and their environment. I can help them that way," said Elrod.

The run-off is set for April 24th.

  Huntsville, AL- The Huntsville School Board had two big items on the agenda Thursday evening. Money is always a hot button item and the board heard an update from the newly hired CFO Frank Spinelli.  The school system is currently attempting to dig its way out of debt and Spinelli says a few changes have made all the difference.
 
“Just like you balance your checkbook at home we are trying to balance the budget here at the district. We want to spend less than what we receive as revenue. In the past the district did spend more than it received.”
 
He says that they are making progress towards achieving a one month budget reserve which is mandated by the state.
 
Also discussed was the futures of 5 are principles. In years past school principles were able to obtain tenure just like teachers but now they are subject to review periodically. Thursday the contracts of Frederick Barnes of Lakewood Elementary, Christie Finley of Blossomwood Elementary, Patty Boyd of Morris Elementary, Dr. Deborah Hargett of Huntsville Middle and Greg Hicks of Whitesburg Middle were all up for renewal. Board President Laurie McCaulley says all aced their reviews.
 
“Their evaluations were great. We look on their evaluations and based upon their evaluations and the atmosphere of their school--we use a lot of different factors to determine if we will renew their contract-- and all of them met the criteria for continuing on with us.”
 
A sixth principle is also up for renewal this year, the unnamed persons future was not discussed at tonight’s meeting. McCaulley says the matter is being handled by the human resources department.

Decatur-Morgan County drug agents raided a home in Decatur and discovered a major pot growing operation.

Wednesday night investigators discovered a home on Bob White Drive had been rigged to grow marijuana. Neighbor Linda Mize lives three houses away and is
concerned. "Its the craziest thing that's ever happened in this neighborhood. This is usually a quiet neighborhood" Mize said.

According to police the walls of the home were covered with foil insulation. Air and heating units and special lighting were used to grow Marijuana plants. Investigators say the crooks were stealing electricity to power the house. Sheriff Ana Franklin says this operation is bigger then Morgan County. "This is huge, its a lot of money and the amount of work and effort into this is definitely part of a organized criminal activity this is not a one person thing" Franklin said.

Authorities say at least 300 thousand dollars worth of pot has been grown at the house in recent months. 100 marijuana plants were confiscated. A warrant has been issued for the homeowner who was not at home during the raid. The suspect is a Mexican national who has already been deported once for a robbery.