After speaking with several other broadcast professionals and also with one former "employee" of WJLX, here is a summarized version of the "Vanishing Tower of Jasper".
I've received numerous emails and phone calls in the past several days, prompting me to provide some clarity. I'm in Birmingham and local. Here's the condensed version of the real story:
About five years ago, the station manager, as always, posing as the owner, deemed the AM operation too high-maintenance. Consequently, he shut down the AM transmitter when it required significant repairs. The site was neglected for all these years.
Recently, rumors of an FCC complaint about the silent AM led him to believe there might soon be an inspection, revealing the tower's sad state and inability to operate.
During all of this time, the tower "rotted" and fell so that local individuals were able to gradually dismantle it over a period of months.
To mask the prolonged (unlawful) non-operation, the manager claims the damage occurred "within the past several days or weeks."
He's seeking $60k, but networking within engineering groups could get him back on air for $10k or even less. However, despite offers of a free tower and transmitter, he insists on cash. I, myself, possess a 250-foot Rohn 45-G tower I'd give him if not for his neglect and refusal of free equipment since shutting down WJLX AM intentionally. This was no "accident" or "mistake" or "act of God". What has befallen him is sheer and willful neglect.
His actions point to a local scam now spiraling out of control due to media exposure, and investigators must now play a role and I do hope they will actually do their jobs. Personally, I'm amazed that investigators have not already obtained power consumption records from the site which *will* prove the AM transmitter has not operated during the past several years and this would put to rest the ridiculous claims that this is a situation which occurred suddenly and unexpectedly and which "caused the shutdown of a small town radio station". The AM station was shut down at least four years ago by ***NAME REDACTED***. The FM translator was operating unlawfully (illegally) ever since. (I'm still waiting for the advertisers who paid for illegal advertising to realize they are all due refunds.)
Personally, I refrain from arguing any of these points, choosing only to observe.
The lack of any details about the transmitter and equipment supposedly "stolen" raises questions. It seems even the station manager can't specify what was there, only further emphasizing his disinterest in the AM site since his decision five years ago to shut it down and to ignore it.
