LAUDERDALE COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- Four men were fined in federal court for stealing cultural artifacts from TVA property.

Roger Fountain and Heath Dubois of Tuscumbia and John Bates of Florence pleaded guilty to theft of government property. The charge was in violation of the Archaeological Resource Protection Act. The artifacts were stolen from the Pickwick Reservoir shoreline.

Matthew Buttrman of Ider pleaded guilty to theft of government property. He was accused of stealing Native American relics from the Guntersville Reservoir.

Each defendant was sentenced to one year probation and $500 in fines.

An official with TVA said that ARPA violations are aggressively pursued in an effort to preserve cultural and local history.

If any of the man violate ARPA again, they could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved

Leaders await TVA plans
Times Daily
By Dennis Sherer After a series of meetings with TVA officials last fall to discuss options for redeveloping the Muscle Shoals Reservation, Shoals leaders were optimistic they would learn plans for the property before Christmas... Read More

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- The Federal government is teaming up with wireless phone
services to send text messages during severe weather.

A new program starts Monday to notify people of dangerous
weather and other emergencies. The Wireless Agency Alerts service is free and
consumers don't have to sign up. Wireless users will receive a text on their
phone if there is an emergency such as a tornado, flood, hurricane, blizzard or
other disaster.

The program is known as IPAWS or Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System. This is the first national service by the federal government
and wireless services.

The alerts will be location based.

Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved.