Progress PAVING THE WAY
2016
Clanton City Council Mayor Billy Joe Driver, Greg DeJarnett, Mary Mell Smith, Sammy Wilson, Jeff Price and Bobby Cook.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Railroad paved the way for Maplesville
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Students take dual enrollment courses
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Industrial park could spur growth
20
Closed center being remade into community hub
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Twins celebrate 90 years Town battles with bandwidth Citizen of the year named
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Progress PUBLISHER Tim Prince EDITORIAL Stephen Dawkins, managing editor Emily Reed, writer Anthony Richards, writer
MARKETING Zack Bates, marketing consultant Brandy Clackley, marketing consultant CUSTOMER SERVICE Laura Cleckley PRESSROOM & MAILROOM Jimmy Ruff, production manager Michael Turner, press operator Jimmy Huett, press maintenance Scott Mims, mailroom manager Malinda Nance, mailroom manager Progress is a special publication of The Clanton Advertiser P.O. Box 1379, Clanton, AL 35046 205.755.5747 clantonadvertiser.com
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Railroad paved the way for Maplesville STORY BY ANTHONY RICHARDS PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RICHARDS AND CONTRIBUTED
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www.caec.coop
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The Fox Hotel was a popular place to stay for visitors of Maplesville during the early days of the railroad.
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n 1853, the Alabama and Tennessee Railroad started building a railroad through the state of Alabama, coming down from the Birmingham area and making its way to the town of Maplesville. Since its establishment in the 1820s, Maplesville served as a crossroads for stagecoaches. However, once the railroads began coming through town, the merchants gained easier access to the goods that were needed to maintain their businesses. “It didn’t have a chance of competing with the railroad once it came through,” said Maplesville Historical Society Director Joel Atchison. Turner Myrick and Nancy Elizabeth Goodwin owned the majority of the land at that time after having bought the original federal land grants. “They had a lot of cotton and therefore a vested interest in getting the railroad to come through their land,” Atchison said. The Goodwin family offered up the land for the
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CSX overview: ` Founded in 1827 and is one of seven Class I railroads in North America. ` The company employs about 32,000 people, 1,500 of those reside in the state of Alabama. ` Its rail network connects major metropolitan centers in 23 states throughout the eastern United States. ` Moving freight by rail is four times more fuel-efficient than trucks, making it the most fuel-efficient form of land transportation.
railroad to lay the tracks and build the depot to gain access through Maplesville. “They had been shipping their cotton down to Mobile to warehouse it before sending it to England,” Atchison said. “Once the trains came through, they could load all of that cotton and it was much cheaper and took less time.”
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Once the railroad connected a path through Maplesville, people began to gravitate to the area and a vibrant culture had begun to be established. In 1864, the Union army came through town and burned down the original train dept. That did not stop the railroad boom that was taking place and another depot was constructed by 1868. The depot would be burned yet again in 1911 by a fire that spread throughout town. A year later, the depot that currently sits in the heart of downtown Maplesville. Though the depot is no longer used for its original purpose, it continues to serve as the home to the Maplesville Historical Society and Museum as well as a community center for senior citizens. Passenger trains kept the depot active until the early 1960s, when trains began to be used
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The view of the proximity of the tracks from the deck of the Maplesville Depot.
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To Clanton’s Future PROGRESS and SUCCESS
solely to haul freight. According to Atchison, Maplesville was settled 40 to 50 years prior to any other current town within Chilton County today. “The old town had a population of about 800 people, which is actually higher than the population of new Maplesville,” Atchison said. The introduction of the rail lines enticed major corporations and opened up Maplesville and central Alabama to be the beneficiaries of economic growth. According to Atchison, Maplesville had some large employers and industries especially early on that included Twin Tree Lumber. The company was established in
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1900 by a couple of brothers who came down from Ohio and built one of the largest saw mills in the south. Atchison remembers growing up in Maplesville during the 1950s when the town had eight to 10 stores to purchase food or clothing, and a movie theater that would be packed with a couple hundred people on Friday and Saturday nights. “In the first half of the 20th century, Maplesville was a thriving town,” Atchison said. “All of that was centered around the railroad.” According to Atchison, while the peach industry was big on the
950
The number of public and private grade railroad crossings throughout Alabama.
east side of the county, the railroad, timber and the cattle industries are what have kept Maplesville alive over the years. The railroad continues to be a major driving force today and connects central Alabama to the rest of the state. According to the CSX website, the company operates and maintains about 1,500 miles of track throughout the state, and just over 1.5 million carloads of freight are handled by the state network. “CSX carries a variety of commodities important to our economy and way of life, including consumer products, automobiles, food and agriculture products,
coal and chemicals,” said CSX Corporate Communications Coordinator Kristin Seay. “Major commodities produced or consumed within Alabama include containerized consumer goods, aggregates, passenger vehicles and packaging paper.” Major rail yards are in located in Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile. The tracks that run through Chilton County and the inner part of the state are a necessity in the overall transportation process. “In 2014, CSX invested $80 million in rail infrastructure improvements to keep freight moving safely and reliably throughout the state,” Seay said.
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BEST OF
BOTH WORLDS LOCAL STUDENTS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DUAL ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAWKINS
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tarting college in the fall won’t be as much of a transition for Santana DeJarnett, Logan Easterling and Julianne Lyn as it will be for many other freshmen. The three students, all seniors at Chilton County High School with ambitious plans for higher education and their careers afterward, are among a growing group of local students taking advantage of the opportunity to take dual enrollment courses at Jefferson State Community College’s Clanton Campus. Dual enrollment allows students to take one class that counts both toward their high school requirements and as a college credit. Ninety-eight students from all six county public high schools took dual enrollment courses at Jeff State during the spring semester, an increase from 36 last year. The jump can be attributed to the Chilton County Board of Education opening up dual enrollment to juniors as well as seniors for 2016, but other reasons include the addition of more dual enrollment courses and growing awareness about the opportunity. “As a teacher and as an administrator, I think the big-
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Isabella student Caley Booth studies in the Jefferson State Community College computer lab during a dual enrollment course.
“I think our students are better prepared for college because of it.” — Tommy Glasscock Chilton County Superintendent of Education
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Julianne Lyn, Logan Easterling and Santana DeJarnett are among the Chilton County High School students who take dual enrollment courses. gest primary benefit to the dual enrollment program is the chance for students to not only earn college credit, but to also experience college instructors, college atmosphere, and college administration,” said Ashley Kitchens, Jeff State Clanton Campus Division Chair and English instructor. “[Advanced Placement] classes can offer rigor, but those classes are still offered in the high school setting. When students are able to get out of the high school arena, they learn more about themselves and what they are capable of socially, academically, and personally. “This also gives these students a chance to learn how to talk to instructors so that if they are headed straight to a four-year university, they will have the foundation down pat.” Students reap benefits of dual enrollment DeJarnett, Easterling and Lyn have experienced those benefits first hand. Lyn, who plans to attend Auburn University for a public relations degree before the University of Alabama School of Law, said she wanted to get ahead on her college requirements. “It’s really beneficial to get your college English out of the way,” Lyn said. “It really only makes sense.” Easterling, who plans to study engineering at Auburn, said he’s enjoyed the added responsibility that comes with college courses. “In high school, they kind of hold your hand more,” he said. “I like being here at Jeff State because you have more freedom.” DeJarnett said she feels more prepared for her future—which includes studying biomedical sciences to become an orthopedic surgeon—because of dual enrollment.
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BY THE NUMBERS
98
Ninety-eight students from Chilton County public schools took dual enrollment courses at Jefferson State Community College during the spring 2016 semester, more than twice as many as the 36 who took such courses in 2015.
DeJarnett and her classmates, who take Kitchens’ English 102 dual enrollment course, lauded their instructor’s ability to make the subject interesting and build relationships with students. “We can text her, and she responds right away,” DeJarnett said. “I think they picked the right person for this.” For Kitchens and Jeff State, dual enrollment is a chance to show prospective students that the class size, tuition cost and personal attention from instructors and administrative faculty at the college makes it an attractive site to start or continue their educational endeavors. Jeff State isn’t the only option for local students interested in dual enrollment. Chilton County Superintendent of Education Tommy Glasscock said the school system has arrangements with the University of Alabama and Auburn University based on online classes, which will open additional doors for dual enrollment at other colleges in the future. Also, dual enrollment is offered through LeCroy Career Technical Center in welding, HVAC advanced manufacturing. The school system has partnered with Jeff State and Johnson Controls, an international company with a local operation, to provide an adjunct professor to teach students interested in these topics.
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Additional courses offered The Alabama Community College System recommended in April 2015 that dual enrollment classes be offered on a 1:1 ratio, allowing students to earn full credit for classes including history, speech and psychology, Kitchens said. With English classes, a high school student must have the American literature 11th grade equivalency with English 101 and the British Literature 12th grade equivalency with English 102. The Chilton County School System opened up a dual enrollment credit to 11th grade students as well as 12th grade students and decided to supply the literature teacher to satisfy the requirements of the high school literature component along with the English 101/102 courses. So, students take English 101 on two days of the week and attend literature class on two other days. Once seniors completed their 12th grade literature class (during the fall semester), their schedules had room for a second class on the opposite days of their English class,
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Dual enrollment students study in Ashley Kitchens’ senior English class.
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Instructor Nicole Burn (center) helps students in a computer lab.
so they are attending at least two college courses for the spring semester. More opportunities could be forthcoming Jeff State and the Chilton County Board of Education have developed an online literature component that will be offered with the next year of English dual enrollment students, taking the place of a physical literature class—to align the program with the method other schools are adopting. “This is still in the works as to the complete set-up for next year, but we will continue to offer this to 11th and 12th grade students,” Kitchens said. “Moving forward, since the students will have this online literature component, they will have the two days opposite the English class open, so JSCC will work with the BOE in determining a history, speech, psychology, or other offering that students would be interested in.” Glasscock said the school system must stay in front of a growing trend toward dual enrollment. A significant issue identified was transportation. Traditionally, students were responsible for transporting themselves to
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a college for dual enrollment classes, but this was a hindrance for some interested students—especially those who live further away from the college’s Clanton campus. It was mandated that students use shuttles provided from local schools, but some students and parents balked at the arrangement. In some cases, students drove past Jeff State to get to their high school, where they would catch a bus that took them back to the college. Glasscock formed a dual enrollment committee to address such issues. The committee will be made up of BOE representatives Linda Hand, Lori Patterson and Nichelle Bulger-Johnson; student representatives Lauren Wyatt of Thorsby and Mackenzie Roller of Verbena; parent representatives Angie McGee and Maurice Lyn; and teacher representatives Amy Ballew of Isabella High School, Robin Gray of Jemison High School and Jaime Bee of Chilton County High School. The committee’s first meeting is scheduled to be held in February. There will be plenty for the committee to talk about, with the discussion focused on opportunities for local students to better themselves. “I think it’s a growth opportunity for them,” Glasscock said. “I think our students are better prepared for college because of it.”
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Room to
grow PLANNED INDUSTRIAL PARK COULD SPUR GROWTH STORY BY EMILY REED PHOTO BY DAVID CLACKLEY
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he growth of Chilton County has been a common theme for several years, with the concept becoming more of a reality in 2015. The Chilton County Commission and the city of Clanton voted to jointly purchase 520 acres of land for an industrial park. “With the purchase of this land, this makes the largest industrial site with interstate access in Central Alabama, and one of the largest in the state,” Chilton County Industrial Development Coordinator Fred Crawford said. “The best use of this land tends to be for auto suppliers or for two large warehouse distribution centers.” The land is located near Interstate 65 Exit 212 and borders both Interstate 65 and Highway 145. Access to the park would be from 145.
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“Chilton County and the city of Clanton purchased 520 acres of land for an industrial park off Highway 145 near Interstate 65.�
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BY THE NUMBERS
520
520 acres of land near Interstate 65 Exit 212.
$2.7
The city of Clanton and the Chilton County Commission each paid $1,364,000 for the land.
2 Parks
There are now two industrial parks in Chilton County with one location being at Interstate 65 Exit 200 and one at Interstate 65 Exit 212.
LEWIS MACHINE CO. INC.
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History of the park The land was owned by Dr. Henry Laws, a retired surgeon who lived in Birmingham and had a farm in Chilton County. Laws lived on the farm about three days a week and lived in Birmingham the remainder of the time. After attending the Birmingham Rotary Club and listening to the secretary of commerce talk at the meeting about industrial development, there was a statement made that there were no big tracts of land in Central Alabama that was enticing for industry. Although there were large acreages of property, it was discussed at the Birmingham Rotary Club meeting that it would take a lot of work to get the pieces of property leveled out for industry. “Dr. Laws went up at the end of that meeting and told the secretary of commerce that he had a piece of land,” Crawford said. “The secretary told him to contact his local legislature and get it registered on the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama web page.” Laws contacted Kurt Wallace, who was state representative at the time, and had the land listed on the web page. “I went and met with Dr. Laws, we struck up a friendship and shared our vision of what could be done,” Crawford said. “The Chilton County Industrial Development Board and Dr. Laws came to an agreement that we would invest money into his privately held land, and in exchange he would give us some acreage for a certain amount we invested. That investment would be us hiring engineers for surveys, soil testing, and all of the things that make environmental work acceptable to an industry coming in.” Crawford said although most of the land was classified as “pasture land,” the results of the engineer-
v Per Ser
ing
1-65 Exit 208 Clanton
205-258-5347
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Moving forward ing surveys showed that there would not be any hindrance for the location of industry The city and the county plan to work there. “Several industries took a visit to the together in 2016 to draw up a plan for opland, but because of the lack of infra- eration of the park, and figure out the best structure they were not ready to make a ways to market the park. “By adding 520 acres of land, Chilton decision,” Crawford said. “Dr. Laws beCounty now has two industrial parks,” came very sick at this time and passed away in March 2014. The farm was left Crawford said. “There is one at Interstate 65 to his estate, which included his three Exit 200, which is a smaller park, and now one at Interstate 65 Exit 212.” children.” The park at Exit 200 is classified as an AdIn early 2015, conversations began to happen between the city of Clanton and vantageSite, which is a voluntary program the Chilton County Commission on how that allows communities to demonstrate that sites have underto work together to gone a vetting process promote industrial to show important indevelopment. here are a lot formation about a site The group took sevof things changing in is readily available. eral trips to other this county. We have A site awarded counties to see what AdvantageSite desthey had done in PUBLIC OFFICIALS has met their industrial reWORKING TOGETHER ignation standards related to cruitment, and severto see that ownership, accessial meetings were held bility , infrastructure, and sponsored by the THIS COUNTY GROWS, planning and zoning, IDB and the Chilton and when you and environmental County Chamber of and geotechnical due Commerce related to have people diligence, according to industrial growth. working together amazingalabama.com. One trip was to FOR THE SAME GOAL, “During the first Cullman County, part of 2016, staff with where the group met you can achieve the IDB will include Cullman’s Economic so much more.” marketing to German Development Agen— Fred Crawford companies, attending cy director Peggy economic development Smith. Smith later came to Chilton County summits, automotive shows, and advertisand shared different experiences and ing,” Crawford said. “The challenges that ideas related to Cullman’s growth with- were facing Chilton County in the last several years are now being met.” in recent years. St. Vincent’s Chilton is expected to open During a work session in 2015, Smith highlighted the similarities between in fall 2016, which Crawford said brings a viCullman and Chilton County, pointing tal component to industrial growth. “It is crucial to have healthcare in a counout similar numbers in population, high school graduates ages 25 and older, in- ty when you are recruiting industries to dividuals with a Bachelor’s degree who come,” Crawford said. The hospital will be located at 2030 Lay are 25 and older, the homeownership Dam Road in Clanton, near Exit 212 where rate and the median household income. In the summer of 2015, the city and the the newly purchased industrial park is locounty began to discuss purchasing the cated. “There are a lot of things changing in this industrial park, and in late 2015 the city of Clanton and the Chilton County Com- county,” Crawford said. “We have public mission signed an agreement and pur- officials working together to see that this chased the land between themselves and county grows, and when you have people the Laws’ trust with the county and the working together for the same goal, you can achieve so much more.” city each paying $1,364,000.
“T
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OPPORTUNITY AMID DISAPPOINTMENT Closed center being remade into community hub STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAWKINS
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hat began as a grave disappointment has turned into an opportunity for a community to better itself. The E.M. Henry Head Start Center in Clanton has been closed for more than two years because of fire code
“E.M. Henry Head Start Center was closed due to fire code violations, but renovations will allow the center to become a community hub.”
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LEFT: The center includes a weight room. ABOVE: Work on the center has been ongoing. violations, leaving preschool-aged children in the area without access to valuable services that would help prepare them for kindergarten. But while renovations are being completed to reopen the center, work will allow the facility to become even more: a community hub. Center shut down The E.M. Henry Head Start Center was closed in January 2014. Clanton’s Fire Marshal was called to the facility when a security alarm sounded, apparently because of an overloaded electrical circuit. During the visit, other fire code violations were found, including an out-of-service stove hood being cooked under. Because the building is owned by the city of Clanton (Head Start pays a minimal monthly rent), Clanton Fire Department Chief David Driver said he contacted the state fire marshal’s office for an inspection, to avoid any conflict of interest. The state fire marshal’s report listed 36 violations, among them the hood system and a lack of exit signs. Also, city maintenance personnel keep equipment in an adjoining part of the building for work at E.M. Henry Park, and storing fuel under the same roof as the rest of the building was considered a violation. The Head Start center opened during the 1994-95
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academic year, according to Angela Johns, interim director of Community Action Agency of Central Alabama, which operates out of Wetumpka and covers a region that includes Clanton. Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families through agencies in their local community. Head Start and Early Head Start programs support the comprehensive development of children from birth to age 5, in centers, child care partner locations, and in their own homes. At the time of the center’s closing, 40 children were being served. While some Clanton families are receiving services at the Jemison, Maplesville and Billingsley sites, most of the children who would be served at a Clanton center find themselves shut out of an opportunity. Johns said that families declined homebased services, stating they preferred center-based services. Also, seven staff members worked out of the center. The employees were re-assigned within the agency. If and when the Clanton center re-opens, it would have to be re-staffed pending approval from the regional office. With renovations constantly ongoing since the center’s closing, city officials have said they have had difficulties determining exactly what needed to be done to bring the facility into compliance with the fire code. However, work seems to be nearing an end.
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Renovations include a new sprinkler system and updated restrooms, while reminders of the center’s use as a Head Start facility remain. Work completed, still to be done Darrell Bolding, director of E.M. Henry Park, said extensive renovations have been completed at the center. A sprinkler system and fire alarm has been installed along with drop ceilings, restrooms have been reconfigured to be handicap accessible, new lighting has been installed, a central heat and air
system serves the entire facility, exits have been added along with new windows and insulation. DeJarnett said Councilman Sammy Wilson, who has a background in construction, has served as a sort of project manager for the renovations. “I admire his commitment to the city,” DeJarnett said. “Regardless of whoever’s district the work is in, he dedicates his time and tal-
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ent to assist in any way he can.” As a result, a facility that is about 80 years old, and neglected for a time, has new life. The building initially served as an elementary school at a time when the education system was segregated. When schools were integrated, it became the Skills Center, a sort of trade school where skills including carpentry were taught. Bolding was a third grader when he moved from the West End school to Clanton Elementary School. He said he remembers that a baseball field was present at the school at the time, but much more has been added. The park now includes multiple fields, concession stand, a playground with recently added equipment, pavilion, basketball courts and a swimming pool. Remaining work at the center will focus on landscaping, and an inspection will have to be performed by the state fire marshal before it can re-open. Future of the center Clanton City Councilman Greg DeJarnett stressed that the center is about more than Head Start. “It’s the E.M. Henry Community Center,” DeJarnett said. “Our future plans are to allow Head Start to use a couple of classThe facility will also have meeting space rooms, but we also want to start using that that could be utilized by West End Neighfacility for our senior citizens to have someborhood Watch and other civic groups. where to go and fellowship throughout the An existing weight room is being upday.”
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E.M. Henry Park, which features basketball courts, baseball fields, a playground and a pool, is important to the West End community.
dated, and office space will be include for park Director Darrell Bolding. “A lot of work has gone into updating the facility,” DeJarnett said. “This is just the beginning. We want to make sure we have the building updated and its equipment and technology so we can have the building to use throughout the year for youth to go down and watch movies, have skits or plays and programs. “We want to use that facility to make life better for all citizens but especially our young folks and our senior citizens.” The center could also be a venue for parties and reunions. DeJarnett said plans also call for the installation of a “wall of recognition,” which would highlight the achievements of natives
of the West End community. “The West End community, from an outsider’s perspective, is deceiving,” DeJarnett said “Someone might wonder if anything good comes from West End, but the West End community has produced hundreds and hundreds of people who have left and gone off and moved away who are professionals, military heroes, military retirees, doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, school teachers, business owners—and they’re doing great things throughout the country. “My goal is to do all that I can to help create and foster an environment, using the park and center as a springboard, to give young people a fighting chance for the opportunities that life provides.”
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Sharing moments for a lifetime Chilton County twins celebrate 90 years
STORY AND PHOTOS BY EMILY REED
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F
or Thomas Earl Williamson and Lona Porter, life has been filled with many shared moments. Born on Dec. 13, 1925, Williamson and Porter were born within 45 minutes of one another to Thomas Edward and Leona Smith Williamson. “It is likely that our mother didn’t even know she was having twins,” Porter said. “She had seven children at home before we were born. We were the babies.” Williamson was born first, and said he “picked that day” as the day he wanted to be born.
“I must have wanted that day to be my birthday or something,” Williamson said. “It has been a good day for me throughout the years.” In 2015, the fraternal twins celebrated their 90th birthday with family and friends at Porter’s home in Clanton. “I guess some people find it unusual that we have both lived until 90,” Porter said. “I don’t think either one of us saw us living until 90, but here we are.” The twins were born at the family home near Lay Dam Road by Dr. J.S. Johnson. “We were country people so we were born
Thomas Earl Williamson (left) sits in a boat when he was younger; Lona Porter and Williamson (center) in the 1980s and pictured together when Williamson returned to Chilton County after serving in the United States Navy. On Page 36, the twins are pictured with a photograph that was taken of their parents when they first married.
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Looking back at 1925: ` “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published. ` Chrysler Corporation was founded by Walter Percy Chrysler. ` Flannery O’Connor, William F. Buckley Jr., Yogi Berra and B.B. King were born. ` Calvin Coolidge was inaugurated as the 30th president of the United States. at home,” Williamson said. Porter said there was no record of anyone in their family having twins prior to their birth, but their family has since had two sets of twins born throughout the years. Both Porter and Williamson spent much of their childhood playing together and enjoying spending time with one another. “The thing about us is we never really got mad at one another,” Porter said. “When we started school at Flint Hill, a kid would tell on us about something or another, but we never tattled on each other. We were always loyal to one another and we looked out for each other.” Williamson recalled a time when he wanted to try smoking cigarettes as a young boy, but didn’t want his mother to find him smoking. “Lona would sit by the fence and whistle when she thought she heard our mother coming,” Williamson said. “She didn’t want me to get a paddling for being caught smoking so she would watch out for me.” Williamson was eventually drafted in the United States Navy in 1943, while Porter stayed in Chilton County to finish high school. When Williamson returned from the Navy, Porter married Sidney Porter and started her family including three children the late John Allen Owens, Kay Dennis and Bo Owens. Williamson married Betty Macon in 1947. “I think my life goal was to get out of school, get married and have kids,” Porter said. Although the twins said they somewhat drifted apart when they started their own families, the two often thought of one another and tried to visit each other as often as possible. “We have always been close, but I think the time we were the closest was when we were children,” Porter said. Porter worked at Walmart for 15 years, and Williamson had several different occupations throughout his life including a barbershop business, which he owned for 30 years. “I had shops in Birmingham near Ensley and Center
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Porter is pictured in Chilton County in 1946 while Williamson is pictured near a plane. Williamson said he flew airplanes for a while and eventually worked for many years in the air conditioning business; the twins are pictured as children.
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Point,” Williamson said. “I had a pet monkey in a cage, and when the kids would come get their first haircut, they got to take their picture with the monkey.” Williamson also flew airplanes for a while and eventually worked for many years in the air conditioning business. “He still fixes anything that I have problems with in my home,” Porter said. Now, Williamson and Porter live about 30 minutes away from one another, and Porter will often visit her brother to sit, visit and “catch up about the world.” “We are the only siblings left out of our family,” Porter said. “We are all we have left.” Both Porter and Williamson agree one of the best parts of growing up with a twin is always having someone to count on. “I always knew I could trust him,” Porter said. “No matter what happened in our lives, or what stage of life we were in, I knew that I could count on him for anything.” “I agree with her,” Williamson said. “It has been nice having her around.”
FLETCHER D. GREEN Attorney at Law 610 Second Avenue North P.O. Box 1607, Clanton, AL 35046
205-755-8386 Progress 39
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Maplesville battles with bandwidth STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RICHARDS
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ow more than ever, education is reliant on digital methods as tools in the learning process. The public school system in Chilton County has partnered with Alabama Supercomputer Authority since the Internet became a viable alternative to gather information. ASC is a non-profit corporation of the state and was originally set up to pro-
vide high performance computing resources for the research colleges in Alabama. It is funded by the state’s education trust fund as well as the U.S. Department of Education’s E-rate program. “We are chartered to serve the public education community in Alabama,” ASC Network Support Manager Ray Jacoby said. “We have a state-wide network that serves all of the K-12 public schools and also has connections to the 27 community colleges and other public universities.” However, there remain certain areas that continue to not receive the same Internet reliability as the majority of the state.
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From back to front, Maplesville sixth graders Trevon Blackmon, Trinity Rylee, Charity Nix and Corey Pitt spend time on the computers in the school library. 42 Progress
The history of Alabama Supercomputer Authority: `` In 1987 the center was built as part of Cummings Research Park in Huntsville. `` It was the first state funded supercomputer center in the country with the passing of the Alabama Supercomputer Authority Act in 1989. `` Established prior to the World Wide Web, and was originally used by researchers at certain educational institutions. `` Gov. Bob Riley initiated the distancelearning program ACCESS in 2006.
This often due to a school’s rural location and the distance it is from the nearest established fiber optics. Maplesville High School is one example of how certain schools continue to lack the educational advantages that the digital age can provide. “We cannot have too many students on the Internet at the same time or else it will bog down,” Maplesville Principal Steven Hunter said. According to Hunter, classes have to be monitored and are assigned certain segments of the day that are designated to use the Internet access. During the allotted time periods, students are researching and visiting various educational programs, similar to ACCESS. The problem is centered on the lack of bandwidth that Maplesville High School has access to. Maplesville currently uses two copper-based 10-megabyte circuits that ASC uses to create a 20-megabyte service. “They really need more than 20 megabytes,” Jacoby said. “That is all we can do for them unless we pay the construction to extend fiber into the high school.” According to Hunter, the solution would be to install fiber optics at the school and in the Maplesville area. That would go a long way in improving the school’s Internet capabilities.
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“They already have wireless access points in every classroom in the school, so all they need is the fiber to be run for better bandwidth,” Chilton County Schools Technology Coordinator Kim Arrington said. “[ASC] increased the bandwidth at Maplesville over the past year, but it is maxed out at this point. Our hands are tied until they can get fiber to the school.” Chilton County as well as other school systems previously had ASC connect all of the area schools to a central location. “We bring a big Internet pipe into their board of education building,” Jacoby said. “That building acts like a hub for all of the schools.” According to Arrington, Chilton County ‘s Board of Education has discussions with ASC about four times a year in an attempt to ask them to revisit and to see what they can do concerning Maplesville’s situation. It appears that the persistence has paid off, as a possible solution appears to be on the horizon. “We are in the process of negotiating a new contract, and it looks right now that we would be able to
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20
The available megabytes that Maplesville High School currently has use to, which is not nearly enough to provide a full benefit for its students.
provide relief to Maplesville High School by July 1, if not sooner,” Jacoby said. At that point, the capabilities would be available and the only thing standing in the way of Maplesville and Internet tranquility would be the cost of purchasing the service. Because the finalization has not yet been completed, the price range that would ac-
company the Internet service has not been determined. “Computer-based training allows for teachers to focus their energy on those that are more challenged,” Jacoby said. “It is neat to see when technology really makes a difference.” Maplesville will soon be able to experience the difference first hand.
Mon. - Fri., 7:30am - 5pm • Sat., 7:30am - Noon 20600 US Hwy. 31, Thorsby, AL
205-646-2666 • 1-877-213-0082
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Congratulations to the
2016 Citizen of the Year Lloyd Nutter
Congratulations Curtis Smith
Chilton County Board of Education
Lloyd Nutter on your well deserved award!
Congratulations Lloyd Nutter on your award
Thanks
Lloyd Nutter for your dedication to Chilton County!
Joseph Parnell Chilton County Commissioner
Co
tul ngra
ations O
n Yo ur Wel l Dese
bin Farms D ur
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market
Jackson & Jackson, LLP
Attorneys at Law 500 Second Avenue South, P.O. Box 1818 • Clanton, AL 35046
A wa
r d!
Since 1933
(205) 755-2004 • (205) 755-2009 No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality legal services performed by other lawyers.
2130, 7th Street South, Clanton • 755-1672
Congratulations! Congratulatetrions t Lloyd Nu LLOYD NUTTER
Glenn McGriff Chilton County Circuit Clerk
Congratulations
on a well deserved honor! Robert M. ‘Bobby’ Martin Chilton County Probate Judge
Congratulations
Lloyd Nutter
Lloyd Nutter on this Great Award!
on this special award!
P.O. Box 66, Clanton, AL 35046
Allen Caton Chilton County Commissioner
205-755-2400
Email: info@chiltonchamberonline.com www.chiltonchamberonline.com
Congratulations on your award! Offers His Sincere Congratulations to
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR Lloyd Nutter
Paid for by Committee to Elect Cam Ward, P.O. Box 1749, Alabaster, AL 35007
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222 7th Street South Clanton, AL 35046-1920
Skilled Nursing Occupational Therapy Medical Social Services Physical Therapy Speech Therapy Home Health Aide
205-280-4663 • Fax: 205-280-3489 Toll Free: 800-482-8442
Congratulations Lloyd Nutter
on a well deserved award! Thank You for your service to Chilton County!
Shannon Welch
Chilton County Commissioner
“He never takes
any assistance, and he won’t even allow me to reimburse him for his gas. It’s pretty amazing that someone takes it upon themselves to be that useful and live such a meaningful life. He’s pretty awesome.”
A civic statesman - Carolyn Fortner Price
B
STORY BY CHANEL BINGHAM PHOTOS BY CONTRIBUTED
y definition, a civic statesman is a wise and skilled leader among the community. He or she is a person of integrity that has earned the respect of his or her peers. But what few fail to realize is that the statesman’s qualities of leadership are only fully developed in the fertile soil of service. There is a quote by author and motivational speaker Krish Dhanam that says, “For eight hours a day, practice the skill that allows you to make a living, but for sixteen hours of the day, practice the will that allows you to make a life.” Lloyd Nutter understood from a very
young age that to serve is to live. And he has spent a lifetime practicing service. Nutter is the 2016 recipient of The Clanton Advertiser’s “Citizen of the Year” honor. Previous recipients of the honor, which began in 2003, choose the nomination each year. Nutter was born the oldest of five sons to Leslie and Elisabeth Nutter. He made his living working as a service manager in the automotive industry. He was a hard and dedicated worker, but it was in his service to others where he made a life. Nutter is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He has served as a volunteer with the American Red Cross and United
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Lloyd Nutter is shown with family and friends, at gospel singings he helped organize and performing community service projects.
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Way, but he has a special place in his heart for senior ministry. “He is the go-to man for my agency in Chilton County for pretty much anything,” said Carolyn Fortner Price, executive director of Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging. “He has installed grab bars, flooring and guard rails, and he even takes it upon himself to get donated supplies from local businesses. “He never takes any assistance, and he won’t even allow me to reimburse him for his gas. It’s pretty amazing that someone takes it upon themselves to be that useful and live such a meaningful life. He’s pretty awesome.” Kendra Williams, executive director of Community Action, echoed that same sentiment. “Mr. Nutter is a blessing. He has been volunteering with our program for over 20 years. He builds ramps and porches for our seniors in need. If it wasn’t for him, many of these needs would not be met. He is a true advocate for seniors,” Williams said. “He always tells me, ‘It’s not me doing this. It’s the Lord that lives in me that’s doing it.’ He is a great person.” Chilton County Extension coordinator Gay West also expressed her appreciation for Nutter’s service. “He has assisted me around the office with different projects, especially those requiring tools or repairs,” West said. “He has never said no to any request for help from me, and I imagine others would say the same. Once, I had an elderly friend on a
“We have plenty of
politicians. What we need is a statesman. We need someone not seeking to enrich themselves but to enrich others. Lloyd Nutter is a civic statesman.” - Tony Smitherman
CLANTON
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limited income who lived alone and needed a grab bar installed. One call to Mr. Nutter was all it took to get it done.” In addition to his volunteer work with seniors, Nutter combines his love for helping others with his love for gospel music by organizing and emceeing gospel singings to help raise money for local organizations and those in need, said Percy Scott, choir director at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church and member of Southern Gospel Group “Fishers of Men.” “He’s a good man. He loves gospel music, and he loves people,” Scott said. “I’ve known him over 10 years, and he loves to help people. He is always having a gospel singing to raise money for handicapped people and helped promote gospel singing for fundraisers for the Red Cross.” Nutter has spent his life cultivating the rich soil of service in which his roots have been firmly established, according to his close friends. “He is a great friend that would give the
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shirt off his back to anyone in need, because he is just that kind of person,” Kenneth Moates said. Moates, host of local radio program, “Joy in the Morning,” first became acquainted with Nutter while promoting gospel singings in the area. They instantly bonded over their love for the genre and their passion for helping others. Curtis Smith, former chairman of Chilton County United Way and Chilton County Board of Education member said, “He is an excellent man. He is concerned about helping people, especially senior citizens. He is a fine Christian.” Tony Smitherman, chaplain at Martin Funeral Home and longtime friend, added, “I’ve known him for years, and he’s humble. He approaches everything with humility and with sincerity. He’s not looking to make a show, and he never puts himself out front. He always puts the cause upfront, and he does it consistently. He is a public servant.”