This photo provided by The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office shows an illegal winery that was operating at a municipal sewage plant in Rainsville, Ala. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement it received an anonymous tip about an alcohol operation at a municipal building in the small north Alabama town on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. (The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Sheriff’s officials say they've busted an illegal winery that was operating at a municipal sewage plant in a small north Alabama town.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement it received an anonymous tip about an alcohol operation at a municipal building in the town of Rainsville on Thursday. Investigators then uncovered what’s described as a large illegal winery inside the Rainsville Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Photos released by investigators show glass containers, buckets, a fermenting rack, and other equipment often used by people who make wine at home.
The agency says officers seized a lot of illegal alcohol and arrested Allen Maurice Stiefel, 62, of Fyffe. He faces a felony charge of use of official position for personal gain and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of an illegally manufactured alcoholic beverage.
Rainsville Mayor Rodger Lingerfelt said Stiefel has been suspended without pay, according to WHNT-TV. Stiefel has been a city employee for 15 years, the mayor said.
“I want to thank the mayor for his cooperation and willingness to allow law enforcement to do our job and shut something like this down," Sheriff Nick Welden said in a statement. “This is definitely one of the biggest operations we’ve seen in our county and possibly our state.”
The town of about 5,100 people is 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Birmingham.
It's legal to make limited amounts of wine at home in Alabama, but it's illegal to have more than 15 gallons of homemade wine or beer at a time. Police photos show multiple fermenting vessels filled with what appears to be more than 100 gallons of white and red liquid.
Édgar Barrera — the producer and songwriter known for his work with such artists as Madonna, Karol G, Peso Pluma, Shakira, Grupo Frontera and beyond — leads the 2023 Latin Grammy nominations with 13.
Insomnia has been an issue for many people for years. Dr. Rebecca Robbins, sleep scientist and co-author of 'Sleep for Success,' joined Cheddar News to provide tips on what to do before going to bed and how to successfully implement those steps for a good night's sleep.
Peruvian cuisine has been on the rise globally with some of Lima's restaurants named as some of the top eateries in the world. Cheddar News was on the scene at Artesano in downtown Manhattan where Chef Cesar Taboada displayed some of Peru's finest and most famous dishes, including ceviche, causa and lomo saltado. Taboada also explained the Asian influence on Peruvian cuisine that has helped the Andean country expand its offerings to hundreds of typical dishes on its menu.
British police said Monday that they had received a sexual assault allegation after media outlets published claims by several women against Russell Brand. Promoters postponed the remaining dates in a string of live gigs by the comedian, who denies the allegations.
It wasn't an escapee from the Country Bear Jamboree attraction, but a wild black bear managed to be the star of its own show Monday at Walt Disney World.
