Discover The Essence of St. Clair
February & March 2026
Traveling
Writers AND Photographers
Carol Pappas
Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines. She won dozens of writing awards and was a Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn. She serves as president/CEO of Partners by Design, which publishes Discover and LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®.
Roxann Edsall
Roxann Edsall is a freelance writer and former managing editor of Convene Magazine, a convention industry publication. She has a degree in (broadcast) journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, worked as a television news reporter in Biloxi and as a reporter and assignments editor in Birmingham.
Graham Hadley
Graham Hadley is the managing editor and designer for Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine and also manages the magazine website. Along with Carol Pappas, he left The Daily Home as managing editor to become vice president of the Creative Division of Partners by Design multimedia company.
Paul South
Paul South, a native of Fairfield, is an Auburn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, he had a versatile career as reporter, columnist and first full-time sports information director at Samford University.
David Smith
David Smith aka BamaDave, is originally from Birmingham. He and his wife Renee made Logan Martin Lake their home 19 years ago. He is a freelance photographer, videographer and drone pilot. He has worked for ESPN’s College GameDay Show for the last 25 years as a cameraman and drone pilot. He has won 12 Emmys with the show and was ESPN’s first drone pilot.
Joe Whitten
Joe Whitten was born in Bryant on Sand Mountain. When he arrived in Odenville in 1961 to teach at St. Clair County High School, he found a place to call home. Joe was active in the Alabama Writers’ Conclave and the Alabama State Poetry Society. The society named him Poet of the Year in 2000. Joe has also published several local history books.
Cherith Glover Fluker, a freelance writer, blogger, and EdTech professional, holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Auburn and a doctorate in educational leadership from Samford. With her blog, WhatCherithinks, she channels her passion for self-care and travel. She has been featured in publications such as Chicken Soup for the Soul, Mother.ly, Birmingham Mom Collective, and Dollywood Insiders.
Mackenzie Free is an experienced and nationally published photographer with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is a Birmingham native now cultivating life on a farm in Steele with her husband & 4 daughters.
About THE Cover
The new historic model train display in action at the Museum of Pell City. Photo by Carol Pappas
Mackenzie Free
Cherith Fluker
From the Editor Community focus driving successes
When we launched Discover St. Clair Magazine 15 years ago, we consciously decided it would be a free magazine – a ‘gift’ to the community about this place we all share as home.
We soon found that although we distribute the magazine widely – about 6,000 print magazines – throughout St. Clair County, Trussville and Leeds and another 5,000 online, some readers wanted their own magazine delivered directly to their home.
Under our mantra, ‘Find a way to say yes,’ we obliged, and we’ve been delivering to subscribers through the mail ever since. At the time, we thought our content was compelling and our photography top-notch, but when people ‘bought’ a free magazine, we were flattered. In subsequent years, when they handwrite a note enclosed with their check for renewal, we consider it the ultimate compliment.
As we reflect on our first 15 years, we want to return the favor and thank our readers and our advertisers for their support. Your confidence is not something we take lightly. This is your magazine, and we never lose sight of that.
Each issue is focused on bringing you something to discover, just as our name implies. It could be the stunningly creative wood carvings of artisan Eric Knepper. Or, it could be inside Museum of Pell City, where a newly built flight simulator is taking all ages on adventures or the fascinating model train exhibit nearby.
It could be what’s in store on the restaurant scene with the long-awaited openings of Longhorn Steakhouse and Olive Garden in Pell City in early Spring.
Or, you might want to get a preview of Dancing With Our Stars – where local celebrities use their latest dance moves to raise money for good causes in the community.
You might want to learn more about the upcoming Great Grownup Spelling Bee raising money for literacy. Dig a little deeper and see what kind of impact the literacy council is
making on so many lives in St. Clair County.
How about more good news for Big Canoe Creek Preserve in Springville as it prepares to open a nature center in the historic Rock School? You can even explore the new enhancements to Jefferson State Community College’s workforce development program benefitting students and employers throughout the region.
As the St. Clair Mayors Association celebrates 25 years, discover how the cooperative effort among our leaders we benefit from today in one of the fastest growing counties in the state has ties to the organization.
And in our Traveling the Backroads segment, meet Tonya Forman – if you haven’t already – and be inspired by the energy she puts into being involved in her community and working to make it a better place.
Of course, photographer Mackenzie Free shares her insights on being a grownup in her regular Final Focus column.
It’s all here and more in this issue of Discover. Turn the page and discover it all with us!
Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher
Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher
Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer
Dale Halpin • Advertising
Patrick Stokesberry • Graphic Designer
work
Eric Knepper shows off some of his
Creations on display at the Museum of Pell City
Woodworking Masterpieces Revealing the Beauty Within
Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free
Close-up details of award-winning bowl
Eric Knepper doesn’t take credit for the beauty in his work. A profoundly spiritual man, he says he’s simply revealing the beauty that is already within the wood when he carves his oneof-a-kind pieces.
“You just get inside the piece of wood and see what God made,” says the artisan. “That’s what you want to show, all the beauty in the grains.”
For nearly three decades, Knepper has been unveiling the natural beauty in the wood around him and crafting hundreds of pieces of original wood treasures. An old rotten maple tree found new life as a beautiful bowl. A red oak tree that had to be cut on his property was transformed into a rolltop desk, a credenza and a file cabinet.
His wife, Pat, smiles across the table as she talks about different items he has created over the years. The house is filled with them, from the dining room’s exquisitely carved grandfather clock with cabriole legs to the stunning freestanding cabinet in the living room made from pieces of an old fireplace screen. “He is so talented. I can’t think of anything I’ve asked Eric to do that he hasn’t been able to do,” she adds, her eyes filled with pride. “He will find a way to do anything.”
Template for a design of a kneeler at New Life Church in Pell City
The son of a carpenter, and a very determined man himself, Knepper made furniture early in his marriage to meet the needs of his family. “When you get started, you have nothing. We built things then because you couldn’t afford them,” he explains. He even did all the millwork in the home that they built in 1997. But it wasn’t until after retirement at age 60 that his woodworking expanded into a new passion – wood carving.
On a camping trip the couple took to Florida, his interest in carving came alive. “People in the campsite next to us carved, and he took me to a carving club in Fort Myers.” When Knepper returned to Pell City, he met with Tom Goodwin, a carver from a local carving club, and the two became great friends.
Goodwin took Knepper under his wing, showing him how to work with different woods and specific tools. His friend has since passed, but Knepper still has the carving equipment that once belonged to Goodwin. After revealing that he was terminally ill, Goodwin asked Knepper to buy his carving tools so he could pass them on to someone with a passion for the art.
Those specialty tools, Knepper explains, are mostly different chisels and knives, with some power carving tools. “On a given project, you might use two or three tools primarily, or for furniture, (you might use) your whole shop,” Knepper says. He has a wood carving room within the house for smaller projects. Larger pieces are handled in his wood shop in the barn.
As any wood carver would tell you, keeping your tools sharp is essential. Keeping them sharp is important for precise cuts, but it can also create the need for some emergency care, as was the case for Knepper seven years ago. “I cut the end of my thumb off about 6 years ago,” he admits. “You don’t even notice it now. I don’t even remember what I was working on, but I did a dumb thing.”
“He just came in and said he needed a band aid,” tells Pat. He needed a bit more than that. “It was hard to get it to fit back together,” she adds, giving credit to “a wonderful nurse practitioner at Dr. Helms’ office.”
The Kneppers handled the crisis with the same grace and perseverance that has defined their 63 years of marriage. The two met while Eric was in the Navy in Virginia. Moves to Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Indiana preceded their final landing in Pell City where he came to work at National Cement. He later left that company and bought Pell City Fabrication, which provided maintenance and support for steel fabrication and other industries.
The completed kneeler at New Life
Knepper’s woodworking bench
Eric and Pat Knepper
The couple have three grown children (Shawn, Scott, and Ericka), eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. Knepper says he sees talent in each of them and potentially at least one future wood carver. Several family members were among the guests at a recent art exhibit at the Pell City Museum of Art featuring his wood carvings.
Knepper’s most challenging piece was among that collection of works. He describes it as a “gold spiral thing,” for lack of a more technical term. “I just saw a picture of it and decided to give it a try,” he says. “It was very difficult because it’s hollow. I had to work from the inside out.”
The art of carving is an ongoing lesson in patience and finesse. Knepper also stresses the importance of listening to the wood. “The wood will tell you what to do, basically.” He considers himself less of a designer and more of a collaborator, with each knot, grain and imperfection guiding his hands. The character of the wood, with its texture and color, add to the direction the project takes.
Knepper has done much of his work from wood that has fallen on his property or that others have brought to him. Oak and Cherry woods are favorites, but he also has done many projects with Cottonwood and other bark woods. “I really like the color and grain of cherry,” he adds. “Sometimes people bring me roots they’ve dug up. It looks terrible, but I cut it up and look inside and it’s beautiful. You just never know.”
Though he finds it difficult to choose a favorite, some pieces – like a beer bottle complete with a bear in a Paul “Bear” Bryant houndstooth hat – clearly delight Knepper. Throughout his home, bowls, spiral works, vases and boxes crafted by this modest woodcarver are on display.
His faith is evidenced in another of his masterpieces which sits on the table – an intricate chapel featuring a lectern with an open Bible. Knepper’s craftsmanship extends beyond his home and into the heart of the local faith community. Over the years, he has used his talent to create kneeling rails for the altars of three area churches.
The first kneeler was crafted for the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Rainbow City, designed specifically to complement an altar the church had received.
This careful attention to detail highlights Knepper’s ability to harmonize his work with existing elements, ensuring each piece feels at home in its setting. Later, he constructed a pair of kneelers for Pell City First Methodist, further demonstrating his commitment to supporting his community through his artistry.
Most recently, Knepper designed a folding, movable kneeler for New Life Church, which gathers at the Municipal Complex in Pell City while a new church is being built. This innovative design reflects his adaptability and practical approach, ensuring the kneeler could be easily moved and stored as needed. Form, function and beauty are hallmarks of Knepper’s work.
A quiet, serious man, Knepper is uncomfortable with attention. He shrugs off accolades, dismissing his own talent. “I’m always using other people’s design, not mine,” he says. “I just put my own spin on someone else’s design.” It gives him something to do, he says, adding that it keeps him from watching TV.
Knepper’s keen eye and ability to see what rough wood can become is what has defined him as an artist and wood carver. Hearing how a discarded root was crafted into a beautiful bowl certainly makes one pause for thought. Each gnarled root or discarded branch may still have a story to tell.
With patience, perseverance and careful listening, the wood carver reveals the beauty within. l
Living well happens
Living with a chronic health condition doesn’t mean childhood has to stop. At Children’s of Alabama, we make sure kids can keep doing what they do best— laughing, playing, and simply being kids. With expert care, advanced treatments, and a team that never stops believing in brighter days, we help families navigate their healthcare journey with confidence, strength, and hope.
Childrens AL •org
We are here in your neighborhood at Pediatrics East. To schedule an appointment at either the Trussville or Deerfoot locations visit www.pediatricseast.org
New Nature Center
Historic Springville Rock School will once again focus on education
Concept designs from Centercut Creative on what the Nature Center will look like
Story and Photos
by Graham Hadley Architectural renderings
Courtesy of Stewart Knox Centercut Creative
Springville’s old Rock School has always been a cornerstone for education and community activities in the region. So it should be no surprise future plans for the historic structure continue that tradition.
The Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners will be developing parts of the building as an educational Nature Center – an immersive and interactive walkthrough experience highlighting the natural wonders of the preserve and surrounding areas to help better educate people of all ages about the importance of the regional biome.
“The Nature Center will teach people about all the diverse animals and plants in the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, all the biodiversity, the Big Canoe Creek watershed and what a watershed actually is,” said Preserve Manager Doug Morrison.
The project will use between 1,200 to 1,900 square feet of space in the historic Springville building. Some of that space is already being put to use as office space for the Preserve staff, which was previously primarily operating out of a small building at the preserve.
The idea for the educational Nature Center came to Morrison a little over a year ago during a planning and zoning meeting.
“The Springville Preservation Society owns the building and has done a great job restoring it. They needed to rezone the property to properly make use of it. During one of the zoning meetings where that was being discussed, the idea for the center just came to me. The old school would be ideal for that,” Morrison said.
“It gives us room for the Nature Center, office space, handicapped parking and has a ramp for ADA compliance. It checks all the boxes. The Preservation Society remodeled it and were looking to lease it.” The Rock School has been a centerpiece of the community for decades. “My son used to do Scouts here years ago,” Morrison said.
Frank Waid, president of the Preservation Society, told Morrison they had the big room and some other space available for lease, and things started coming together.
Community support has been instrumental to the success of Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, and this latest project is no different.
Morrison is quick to point out how much help he, Education Coordinator Lucy Cleaver, Maintenance Tech Jake Tucker and the others who work to make the preserve such an amazing place, receive from the non-profit Preserve Partners. It was organized to handle fundraising and similar activities for the preserve. From the Board of Directors to the individuals and businesses that donate, along with the City of Springville, none of what they are doing would be possible without that collective support.
The historic Rock School in Springville
Doug Morrison in front of the blackboard in the Rock School where organizers brainstormed ideas for the center
Shortly after discussing the idea with Frank Waid, Morrison was sitting in Nichols Nook drinking coffee with Justen Burns when he shared the vision for the Nature Center. Burns immediately responded, “I might be interested in helping out with that.” His company, Peritus Wealth Management, quickly stepped up to cover a portion of the lease expenses.
Granger Waid and his company, Norris Paving, also jumped on board to cover the remaining portion of the lease, saying, “I believe in what they are doing here.”
“We have the first year of the lease taken care of thanks to these good folks in our community,” Morrison said. “And thanks to other donors in the community and the Alabama Power Foundation, we are already accumulating funds for next year’s lease. If anyone would like to contribute to the Nature Center and the Preserve, donations can be made through our website at bigcanoecreekpreserve.org. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful support in this community, and we are extremely grateful.”
Once they had the fundamental pieces in place, things started moving quickly. Morrison and Cleaver have already moved into their new offices, making use of much-needed space for managing the preserve and planning for its future.
Morrison, Cleaver, Granger and Jessica Waid sat down after discussing the project and, using one of the old blackboards in the school’s big room, Granger mapped out exactly what their vision was.
What they have come up with is something very special for the city and the region.
“We have a guy, Stewart Knox with Centercut Creative, doing the master plan for the Nature Center,” Morrison said.
“He was involved in parts of the Natureplex at the Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook. I really like their 3D and interactive
The walk-in behive display at the Natureplex in Millbrook designed by Stewart Knox
This display case was originally in Laster Sundries
displays, especially this giant beehive you can go into. I want to have displays like that here.”
Knox, an Auburn graduate with a degree in industrial design, said it is “all concept-based design.” His work has focused on special projects – like the beehive at the Natureplex. “I am very hands-on; you have to be with this. I am good at coming up with complex plans.”
According to the design proposal Knox has put together, “The design will highlight the mission of Big Canoe Creek through storytelling, visual engagement and handson learning, while maintaining flexibility for future growth and programming.”
It incorporates free-standing and wallmounted displays, interactive 3D installations and more. Knox refers to it as “nature’s classroom.”
Morrison said that they would also like to possibly have live animals at the center – “fish and turtles, maybe snakes. People have already started donating fish tanks that I need to go pick up.”
They also want to include displays about how the local native people lived in the area and others about community involvement in the Preserve and the conservation process.
“It goes to our core ideals: Preserve, Explore, Discover,” Morrison said. “When you educate people about everything that makes up the biome here, those are going to be the people who want to help preserve it.”
Plans call for wallmounted and freestanding displays
Morrison sees other parts of Springville and the county working with the center. “Lucy is already putting together plans with the Springville Library to collaborate on educational programs. And we have two other businesses leasing space in the school – a photographer and an artist. I can see both of those being very much resources we can collaborate with.”
The Nature Center and the Preserve are the sort of big-picture projects that benefit the area by attracting people to Springville from all across the region and the state, he said.
The Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is already doing just that. This past Christmas, more than 1,200 people came through the preserve to see the holiday light display called “Christmas in the Pines,” an event that Morrison expects to grow next year. “This was a great idea from Lucy and working with Jake, myself and our many volunteers, it turned out to be a huge success. People loved it!” And the Nature Center is only one of several projects attached to the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve that is in the works, including an education and multi-use pavilion. All of which, Morrison reiterated, are made possible through the support they receive from the city, Preserve Partners, grantors and many others who are working to make the preserve and center successful regional destination points. l
A museum on the move
Attorney Lyle Harmon takes inaugural flight on simulator at opening
Much more than the history of Pell City on display
St. Clair District
As Museum of Pell City approaches its third birthday, it’s hard to imagine a ‘down time’ for this quickly growing museum.
On Feb. 5, the museum will present its third edition of the Breaking Barriers series focusing on the Black community and its place in the city’s history. Headed by Museum Board Member Tonya Forman, its popularity has grown right along with the program itself.
This year’s theme is Education: Foundation for Success and pays tribute to the early Black educators whose guidance and compassion transformed the lives of Pell City students.
The day’s program, which begins at 11 a.m. features a reception and a film premiere of family and former students of these educators on the legacy of their impact. It will also mark the opening of an expanded Breaking Barriers exhibit.
Opening the next day, Feb. 6, and extending for two weeks until Feb. 21 is an art show by Sundi Hawkins. The show is a continuing series of the museum, giving the art community a home to display their works.
The museum board invested in a hanging system, and the exterior walls of the atrium just outside the museum have already displayed the creations of artist Nettie Bean and her students, a spectacular quilt show and Duran Jr. High’s art show. The quilt show will return in 2026, and more art shows are scheduled.
In December, the museum’s art gallery hosted the wood carvings of Eric Knepper, intricate, creative pieces of artwork crafted by the local artisan.
Upcoming are shows by Penny Arnold, Williams Intermediate students, a return of Nettie Bean and her students and the Helen Keller Foundation Art Show of Alabama.
In November, the museum opened an expansion of its
The museum hosted artist Nettie Bean and her students
Art from the Helen Keller exhibit
Quilts hang in new gallery space provided by museum
Model train expert Malcolm Sokol and a group of volunteers, including Max Jolley, Winston Greaves, David Smith and Erik Grieve, helped build the train display
military section and added a flight simulator, which is already drawing crowds of young and old alike. Designed by Jeremy Gossett, the simulator resembles the cockpit of a Boeing aircraft with a curved monitor that displays various flight patterns including Pell City and Logan Martin, Mosul and the French countryside.
The software is highly sophisticated and gives museum visitors a real feel of flight – from takeoff to landing. It was made possible by a special fundraiser providing nearly $7,000 to build and equip it.
In April, just a few days past its third anniversary, the museum is celebrating with the official opening of its longanticipated model train exhibit – Where It All Began. Headed by retired architect Malcolm Sokol with a team of volunteers –David Smith, Max Jolley, Erik Grieve and Winston Greaves – it took a year to build.
The 16-foot train runs through a replica of 1920s-30s Pell City and will be surrounded by artifacts, narratives and photos depicting the train’s history in Pell City. After all, that is where it all began – when founder Sumter Cogswell missed his train to
Talladega in 1890 and spent the night in what is now Pell City.
Nationally known artist Dirk Walker has donated an original painting of a Pell City train depot that will be used as a fundraiser for the museum.
An evening reception is planned along with tributes to the museum’s volunteers and naming “Volunteer of the Year.”
“We are so humbled by the community support we have been given since our opening,” said President Carol Pappas. Our docents give their time every week to guide visitors through our museum. We could not operate without them, and we are so appreciative of their work.”
Pappas lauded the dedication of the team who built the train, which now will be a centerpiece of the museum’s exhibits. “They met every Monday night for an entire year to assemble each rail of the track, recreate historic buildings from scratch, hand paint and place miniature figures throughout the town and so much more. It is so realistic. It is a must see. We cannot thank them enough.”
She noted that the museum is in the midst of a capital campaign, and businesses and individuals have stepped forward
with multi-year sustaining funds. “They are the very foundation of our museum,” Pappas said.
“Recognizing the importance of cultural arts in our community as educational, historical, an enhancement to quality of life and a boost to tourism, the City of Pell City and St. Clair County have been supportive with appropriations over the past three years. Without their support, we could not have come this far.”
When the museum opened in a 4,000 square foot space provided by the City of Pell City, its mission was to preserve and promote the rich history of the city. Billing itself as the “small city museum that thinks big,” in less than three years it has attracted over 5,000 visitors from all over the state, country and points around the world.
It has created innovative, interactive exhibits highlighting the people, places and events that have shaped the city’s history, and the momentum shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
In October, the museum will reach back to the city’s real roots – Avondale Mills – with an impressive, interactive exhibition to celebrate and pay tribute to its first industry. Never-before-displayed artifacts, photographs and exhibits will tell the story of those early days along with a special film of oral histories premiering at the opening.
“As they say, we’ve come a long way since then,” Pappas said, “and Museum of Pell City is honored to be able to share that story along with countless others.” l
Editor’s Note: See videos of the flight simulator and the model train in action at discoverstclair.com.
Pell City fourthgrade students at the quilting exhibit
A bowl from the Eric Knepper Woodcarving exhibit
DA Lyle Harmon, veteran pilot and keynote speaker, cuts ribbon on flight simulator
Traveling the BACKROADS
Rotunda ‘Tonya’ Forman Putting love into action
Forman helping with Wreaths Across America
Forman and Kimberly Moore with church hat display during Deeply Rooted: Reflections of Faith and Family exhibit at museum
Story Joe Whitten
Submitted photos
Spend time talking with Tonya Forman, and you’ll soon realize you have found a person who loves Pell City, Alabama, and is focused on advancing the city and preserving the history of its citizens.
Born to Lesley Sr. and Fannie Forman were Tonya and her siblings, Sharod, Lesley Jr., and Diane. Tonya grew up in Pell City and was an active member of Rocky Zion Missionary Baptist Church. She graduated from Pell City High School in 1987. After graduation, she attended Central Alabama Community College in Childersburg.
Accepting a job with AT&T, she began commuting to Birmingham every workday. Before long, co-workers in the city began encouraging her to move to Birmingham rather than commute. Her response, she recently confided, was always, “There’s no place like Pell City! I can safely sit on my porch without a concern, and I’m not gonna leave that for a 30-minute drive down the interstate.”
Those conversations and her responses seem to be what
urged her on to know her hometown better and to work for its upbuilding. “I realized what a blessing I had here in Pell city.”
CITIZENS IN ACTION
Tonya is a founding member of District 2 Citizens in Action, serving District 2 of Pell City. Established in 2021, the citizenship partnership is designed to achieve improved communication, understanding, and cooperation between citizens and city officials through increased personal contact between City Hall, neighborhoods and communities throughout the city. President of Citizens in Action is Bishop Donald Gover.
PELL CITY BLOCK PARTIES
One Pell City event Tonya devotes time to is the yearly Block Party. This event started in 1999 as an initiative to celebrate and bring the community together. For the past 26 years, it has brought citizens of Pell City and surrounding communities to the historic downtown for live music, kids’ rides, vendors, and food.
Tonya’s involvement in the Block Party began because
Traveling the BACKROADS
at one event attendees began asking her questions to which they thought she should know the answers. Specifically, they asked about Greg White’s R&B Set which had occurred at 3:00 pm.
“A lot of people didn’t come to the Block Party until after the sun went down,” Tonya explained. “So, about 4:30 or 5:00 people were asking about Greg and Keith White.”
When they asked Tonya, she had to tell them his set was over. “It was amazing,” she laughed, “at how many were asking me, and I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
That would soon change, however, for a visit to Urainah Glidewell at the Pell City Chamber of Commerce office got results thatTonya hadn’t planned for or expected.
In the meeting with Urainah, Tonya explained how a lot of people avoided the heat of the day and came to the event when the day cooled down a bit. She asked that Greg White’s Set be moved to 5:00 instead of 3:00.
As they talked, Urainah said, “Why don’t you become an ambassador?” Which brought Tonya’s response, “What’s that and what does it involve?”
To that, Urainah responded, “Just do what you’re already doing. You’ve got a love for the city, promoting it and getting people involved.”
Ambassadors of the Pell City Chamber of Commerce are volunteers who help with events, welcome new chamber members, and support local Pell City businesses.
Never one to be uninvolved, Tonya filled out the Ambassador Application and was soon accepted.
Urainah Glidewell, Executive Director of the Chamber recently said of Tonya, who is now on the Chamber Board, “Rotunda ‘Tonya’ Forman has been a wonderful addition to the Pell City Chamber Board of Directors. From her tireless involvement with the community and her willingness to help with chamber events, to her generosity of time and spirit, we are so blessed to have Tonya as part of the team.” Tonya currently serves as Vice President of the Pell City Board of Directors.”
In her work with the Block Party, Tonya recognized that involving church musical groups would increase attendance as well as be a way churches could promote their ministries. So, church choirs, praise teams, and musicians became sets at the Block Parties.
When emergencies arise, as they will, Tonya can help assess the situation and bring resolution. One of these emergencies occurred at the 2025 Block Party. For the sponsors of the event, there is a VIP section where refreshments are served. As the day progressed, a storm rolled in, not only disrupting the event, but also blowing a tree across the driveway to Blue Eye Eatery, the caterer for the VIP section. “She had everything ready to bring out,” Tonya recalled, “but they were waiting to see if the power company was going to come out and cut the tree up.”
The power company didn’t come, and the caterer realized the only solution was a boat. “So, they communicated back and forth with Urainah Glidewell and Chamber members,” Tonya continued, “and they got on the boat with all the food and got it to the Civic Center where chamber members were there to unload, put it in a truck and get it here to the VIP area.”
Although delayed an hour or so by the storm, the VIP refreshments were ready by 5:30 or so. The early performers missed out, but the groups that came in at 5:00 and 6:00 were able to come in and enjoy the food.
Forman and Johnnie Mae Green at the museum
Chamber Board
Member Forman at ribbon cutting for new business
Traveling the BACKROADS
ARCHIVING BLACK HISTORY
Tonya has accomplished a major success in the work of collecting and preserving the history of Pell City’s Black communities, schools, churches, and citizens.
Erica Grieve, Museum of Pell City Coordinator, recently said this about Tonya’s work. “Rotunda’s passion for preserving Pell City’s Black history has been nothing short of inspiring. She has spent countless hours collecting stories, photographs, and artifacts that ensure the experiences and achievements of our Black community are never forgotten. Her dedication and heart have shaped the Museum’s Breaking Barriers Exhibits and continue to bring our shared history to life for future generations.”
When the museum director and board approached Tonya about collecting Black history, she told them, “Black people don’t have a lot of [recorded] history because they were either burned out, ran off, or left because of work.” She also pointed out fires and floods had damaged or destroyed photographs and treasured history recorded in family Bibles, etc. It would not be an easy task.
However, never one to be daunted by difficulty, she acknowledged it and set about collecting history of churches, communities, and citizens. A significantly rewarding part of the collection occurred with the taping of community members: those who had lived long lives; those who had helped integrate Pell City schools; and those who had excelled in professions once unavailable to our Black citizens. These people broke the barriers of segregation and blazed the way for those coming afterwards.
The first Breaking Barriers event was announced in the Anniston Star, February 6, 2024, in an article by Laura Nation. “The Museum of Pell City opens its locally produced Black History Month exhibit Feb. 8, featuring the people of this community as they experienced events of the times in which they lived. Their stories reflect decades of a changing community through the years as well.
‘This particular focus of the city’s history was actually born early in the development of the Museum of Pell City, said director Carol Pappas.’ Carol Papas is President of the Museum of Pell City.”
Nation’s article continued: “There are 15 profiles among the videos, some of these are Thelma O’Neal Jones, the first Black female elementary school principal; Don Allen, a member of the first integrated football team; Bob McGowan, first Black Avondale Mills supervisor; and Keith White, the first Black art teacher in Pell City Schools.” Terry Young and Tom Ham were also on the first integrated football team.
Carol Pappa recently spoke of Tonya, saying, “In the time that I have worked with Tonya on our museum board, I discovered that she’s not just a member in name only. She goes to work, ensuring that any project she’s associated with becomes a success story.”
Ninety-five-year-old Johnnie Mae Green gives high praise to Tonya and her work of collecting Black history. “For a person in her generation to reach back and to think about the times that we had in our young days and to get interested in our history]is just amazing. I’m telling you: she is one to be complemented.” Johnnie Mae further stated, “Now, God had to have given Tonya the inspiration to do this. Because, without our history
recorded, we will never know our background. And I thank God for her. She’s just a dynamic person.” She paused, then added, “She’s a God-fearing young lady. That’s the ticket to life. She’s one in a thousand.”
Tonya’s journey of faith began at Rocky Zion Missionary Baptist Church where she grew up learning of God. She was baptized by Pastor James Adams who served the church for eleven years. As she matured, she sang in the choir and on occasion led the singing. She was youth director at a time when the youth program flourished. “At that time the church published a small youth newspaper,” she recalled, “and the “the youth would write about a topic we had studied in Sunday School or about events and trips that were upcoming. They highlighted achievements of a youth member.”
WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA
Wreaths across America became another focus of Tonya’s as soon as she learned of this yearly event.
Wreaths across America, a non-profit organization, coordinates the placing of Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans. The motto of the organization is “Remember, Honor, and Teach. Remember our veterans that served and are serving America, Honor the fallen veterans, and Teach our youth about the service and sacrifice of our veterans and families.”
Tonya learned of the project in a conversation with Mindy
Forman’s high school senior portrait
Traveling the BACKROADS
Manners at the Museum of Pell City. “I knew about Wreaths across America, nationally, but I didn’t think of it as locally involved,” she confided recently.
So, when Mindy started talking about it, I thought, I do remember flags, but I didn’t recall seeing wreaths, and I didn’t realize that it was a program doing it versus individual families or churches doing it.” In their conversation, Mindy told Tonya about the cemeteries she helped with, and Tonya realized they were traditional white church cemeteries. When Tonya commented, “We have Black veterans in our cemeteries,” Mindy’s response was, “Would you be interested in doing it for them?”. Tonya’s immediate response was “What do I have to do? How do we get this started?
The answer to that question was that Mindy Manners was getting ready to have a meeting at Pell City First Baptist Church. Tonya immediately called her Aunt Verhonda Embery, and good friend Jennifer Gover. These women travel together and always find cemeteries to explore, and they attended Manners’ meeting.
“We got the information we needed ,” Tonya recalled, “and Mindy told us how to get started—the website that we could communicate with.”
Tonya gives much credit to Jennifer Gover for getting Wreaths across America successful in the Black cemeteries of Pell City. “Jennifer took the lead. I like to work in the background, and I’m good with that.”
They began researching cemeteries and the veterans buried in each, and ended up with six cemeteries: Mt. Zion, Rocky Zion (Pell City Community), Coleman, First Baptist Cropwell, Greenfield, and Bloominglight (which used to be called Robinson).
Tonya and Jennifer had difficulty locating graves that didn’t have markers, and family members had to show where they were. Dirt had obscured some markers and they removed the dirt from those. “We involved the community,” Tonya reminisced, “and told them you’re gonna have to help us find where they’re buried.
Tonya and Jennifer got gas line marker flags to mark graves they located. The churches got involved, and the person in charge of individual cemeteries made sure they were spruced up for the wreath placing ceremony.
Wreaths cost $17.00 each Family members paid for some, and others who had no veteran to honor gave donations—some for more than one wreath, and the money came in to pay for the wreaths.
That first year, 2023, the wreaths arrived and were stored at Rocky Zion Baptist Church and some at Jennifer Gover’s home, and the two ladies organized up the program. “We got ROTC involved.” Tonya recently recalled. “We couldn’t get Pell City ROTC involved that first year, so Jennifer found veterans in Bessemer who had a program, and they came out and did the salute for us at the church, and we had singing. So, we had a small program. “
Volunteers distributed wreaths to each church, and the ladies had someone at each cemetery to meet the families and place the wreaths on the family graves. As each wreath was placed, a family member would say the names out into the atmosphere. A proclamation that here we honor one who served the United States of America, and we are proud of their service.
Writing of the premiere event, Laura Nation wrote in the December 14 issues of The St. Clair Times, “Excitement for the Wreaths Across America program has been building as two Pell City women, Jennifer Gover and Rotunda Forman, noted the need to honor the veterans and set out to develop a way to do so earlier this year.”
After mentioning the excitement of the project, Nation speaks of Gover and Forman’s labor of love in the wreaths. “Preparation for the 2023 event involved much research, contacting family members and friends, and spreading out into the community to locate as many veterans as possible. The women said they were met with much interest and help in the effort, and now, in the first year of their plan, the program is in place.”
Tonya recounts an interesting 2023 event at one of the cemeteries. “Coleman is a split cemetery—there’s a Black side and a white side. The person in charge of the white side saw what we were doing and wanted to participate; so Jennifer was able to get enough wreaths to cover the graves of the white veterans also.” What a beautiful cooperation that calls to mind the lyrics from the 60s which are as true today as then: Black and white together someday/ Deep in my heart I do believe / We shall overcome someday.
Having known Tonya for a long time and having worked with her on this project, Jennifer Gover observes, “Tonya and I have served together for the past three years as Location Coordinator and Coordinator Assistant for Wreaths Across America. During that time, she has been an invaluable asset in sharing with others the mission of WAA while convincing individuals to sponsor wreaths for our veterans resting in six local cemeteries.
“She has a strong sense of purpose and is always able to provide additional options while giving that beautiful smile.
Parents Lesley Sr. and Fannie Forman
Proudly serving Alabama communities in Pell City, Ragland, Odenville, Branchville,
Cropwell, Alpine and Vincent.
She has a heart for service and sometimes overextends herself . I think she does that because of the willingness to serve rather than be served. She’s always ready for the next adventure.”
The wreaths are removed before they turn brown and ugly. “We get our volunteers to go back and remove them,” Tonya explains. “If available, we get Greg Gossett of the Pell City Maintenance and Street Department to get someone to come out and pick them up. We bagged them up and they came and removed them.”
The success of the first year of participation in Wreaths across America has continued. In 2025, more than 200 wreaths were placed on graves.
HOLD FAST TO DREAMS
Of Tonya’s devotion to collecting and preserving Pell City’s Black history and the Breaking Barriers project, Johnnie Mae Green says, “She should be as famous as Harriet Tubman,” for Tubman collected and preserved the stories of those she helped escape slavery. Carol Pappas, President of the Museum of Pell City, praises her work as well.
“Breaking Barriers, our celebration of Black history in our community, resulted from Tonya’s work, her creativity and her vision to make it happen. We are now in our third year in the series, which has focused on the first to break barriers in their respective fields, reflections of faith and family, and this year, foundations of education – a salute to educators who made a difference.
“Tonya is that rare soul who can see a need and doesn’t stop working until that need is filled. We could never have come this far in bridging our community together without her efforts.”
Langston Hughes, Black poet of the mid-twentieth century, wrote, Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Supported by her faith, Tonya pursued her dreams of preserving the history of a city and its people, and in fulfilling that dream she put love into action.
Tonya, your work will continue to benefit and influence generations to come. Hold fast to your dreams and keep on collecting history. Your dream has strong wings. l
Traveling the BACKROADS
Forman at 2021 event with District 2 Councilwoman Ivi Wilson and Siri Truss
On the rim of the Grand Canyon in 2025
Dancing With Our Stars
Returns to Pell City for 12th Year
Story by Cherith Glover Fluker
Submitted Photos
Looking for a high-energy evening that brings the community together while supporting a meaningful cause? Dancing With Our Stars, Pell City’s version of the popular television show Dancing With the Stars, returns for its 12th year this spring, continuing a beloved local tradition with a few thoughtful updates.
The event will take place on March 14 at 6 p.m. at the Center for Education and Performing Arts (CEPA).
For more than a decade, Dancing With Our Stars has showcased performers from Pell City and surrounding areas in a fun competition that celebrates creativity, connection and community pride. While the Pell City Line Dancers organized and headlined the event for its first 11 years, this marks the first year CEPA has taken on full responsibility for planning and hosting the event.
CEPA Executive Director Ash Arrington says the transition feels like a natural next step. “We’re excited to expand off the stage and get into the community planning this event,” Arrington said. “It’s always been our goal to reach more people, and having this under the CEPA brand adds a level of legitimacy to our desire to serve the community in new ways.”
For years now, Dancing With Our Stars has been a huge success
A beneficiary of the event, CEPA will be hosting the competition this year
CEPA Assistant Director Maci Johnsey acknowledged that taking on the event has been a big challenge for the organization’s small staff, but also a rewarding one. “It’s been a lot to take on, but that also makes it more personal,” Johnsey said. “We have a small committee, which makes communication easy, and everyone involved really cares about keeping the heart of the event intact.”
What is New This Year
This year’s program introduces expanded performance categories, with group sizes classified as Duo/Trio, Small Group (3–15 participants) and Large Group (16–30 participants). The number of participating groups will also be capped to keep the total runtime at approximately 2.5 hours.
The event is open to community members who want to participate. Groups perform a short routine of their choice. Registration is free and open until capacity is reached. Participants can register at www.pellcitycepa.com, where full performance guidelines are available, or in person at the CEPA Box Office. Questions may be directed to Johnsey at maci@ pellcitycepa.com.
“We want to keep the event fun while also keeping the audience engaged,” Arrington said.
Judging will include first-, second-, and third-place awards, along with several special recognitions. Winners will be selected by celebrity community judges, and awards will be given in each category.
Audiences can expect a diverse lineup of performers, including children, professional dancers, neighborhood groups, local schools and dance studios. Returning favorites include Red Apple Dance, an Asian dance group based in Birmingham, along with the Pell City Line Dancers. Both groups remain a cornerstone of the event.
Want to go?
Date: March 14, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Center for Education and Performing Arts (CEPA)
Tickets: $30 in advance | $35 at the door
Tickets are available online through the CEPA website, at the CEPA Box Office, and locally at Pell City Coffee Company and Magnolia’s. Tickets may also be purchased at the door the night of the event.
Giving Back to the Community
In keeping with CEPA’s mission, proceeds from the event will benefit organizations whose work aligns with community enrichment. This year’s primary beneficiary is the Pell City Education Foundation, with a junior recipient, The Hartzog Foundation.
“We love spotlighting these organizations and bringing awareness to the incredible work they’re doing right here in our community,” Arrington said.
In addition to the dance performances, the evening will feature a silent auction, concessions and beer and wine available for purchase.
A Night That Brings People Together
For Johnsey and Arrington, the impact of Dancing With Our Stars goes beyond dance. “People show up year after year to support their family and friends,” Johnsey said. “It’s a tradition.”
Arrington agrees and says one of her favorite moments is greeting attendees as they arrive. “So much work happens behind the scenes,” she said. “Seeing people walk through the doors and watching the program come together makes it all worth it.”
In a time when connection feels especially important, Dancing With Our Stars continues to offer something simple and powerful: a reason for the community to come together, celebrate one another, and support causes that matter. l
St. Clair Mayors Association
Celebrates 25 years and still going strong
Group attending anniversary meeting marks occasion with photo
Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos
The year was 2000. Y2K. It was a time for thinking about new beginnings. After all, a new century was dawning.
Meanwhile, a new, young mayor had come on the scene in St. Clair County – full of ideas, yes, but a yearning to learn from his older counterparts, too. So, Guin Robinson, mayor of Pell City at the time, took an old idea, resurrected it and helped put it on the road to revitalization.
This past December, the St. Clair Mayors Association celebrated its 25th year as what has become a catalyst for engaging leaders from around the county with programs, conversations and informational resources to play a role in moving the county forward as a team.
Robinson, no longer mayor but dean of economic development for Jefferson State Community College, welcomed the group to the college’s Pell City campus to celebrate. In the midst of the reminiscences, it was easy to detect the camaraderie developed over the years.
“When we organized the St. Clair County Mayors Association 25 years ago, the county was in a very different place than it is today,” Robinson recalled. “The St. Clair County Economic Development Council was still new, and the idea of cities and towns working together was, for the most part, untested.
In 2000, a largely new group of mayors from across the county was elected. “Early in that first year, we met as a group and quickly recognized that we had much in common, enjoyed working together and could accomplish far more collectively than we ever could alone,” Robinson said. “That moment was significant and, in my view, marked the beginning of a new spirit of cooperation that continues to this day.”
The original mayor’s association had been established years before but had gone dormant for some time before Robinson suggested it be revitalized.
Robinson served as its first president and soon, the group was up and running and making an impact. They exchanged ideas. They heard updates from state and county officials. They shared what worked and what didn’t in their own towns and cities.
The end result was a more unified county of leaders, sharing in each other’s triumphs and learning from each other’s tries that may have fallen short of success. They found common ground, and they worked together to make a positive impact.
“Over the years, the Association has grown to include non-mayors, a change that has only strengthened both the organization and its impact,” Robinson said. “Today, it serves not only as a forum for leaders to gather, but also as a catalyst for collaboration aimed at improving the quality of life for citizens throughout our municipalities and the county as a whole.
It became a resource center for not only mayors, but county officials – even state officeholders. They were able to hear the latest news from all parts of the county from those who knew it best, and they impressed state and federal officials with a unified front when requesting funding.
In an editorial the same year the association reorganized,
Springville Mayor Austin
Phillips, St. Clair School Board
Member Bill Morris and Moody
Councilman Ellis Key
The Daily Home newspaper endorsed the concept, calling it “a major breakthrough in effective communication with the ability to bring about improvements all around the county.”
The editorial rightly noted that issues like transportation, infrastructure and water are not unique to a single town. They are shared. “But, more important,” the newspaper said, “they realize the answers are shared, too.”
That has been the key to this success story since 2000. It’s a cooperative effort that continues to provide a strong foundation for progress that still thrives today.
“In my opinion,” Robinson said, “the Mayors Association has exceeded our earliest hopes for what could be accomplished.” l
Robinson addresses the crowd
LITERACY OPENING THE DOORS
Central Alabama reading program working to level the playing field
Story by Paul South Submitted Photos
Imagine the inability to read a sign, fill out a job application or even a check. Far too often, that scene plays out in Alabama, where one in four adults find those everyday tasks impossible. They are functionally illiterate, shackled by an inability to read, but a growing number are reversing the challenges they face thanks to literacy programs like that of the Central Alabama Literacy Council.
Words like those of Helen Keller, who overcame profound disability to inspire the world, motivate retired pastor Ron DeThomas to meet the challenges head on. Keller once said, “More than at any other time, when I hold a beloved book in my hand, my limitations fall from me, my spirit is free.”
DeThomas and the volunteers at the Central Alabama Literacy Council are working to help dozens of students overcome what has become their own disability.
The council serves St. Clair, Calhoun, Talladega, Etowah and Cleburne County in east Alabama, and DeThomas serves as county coordinator for the organization in those counties, which is funded through the United Way of Central Alabama.
Right now, the organization is working to help 25 individuals. To DeThomas, the former assistant pastor of Victory Christian Center, this is another type of ministry.
He was approached by Pell City leaders about taking the position. “I didn’t have any reason to say no. I have a lot of flexibility in the job.”
Surprisingly, some 90 percent of clients served by the council are high school graduates or higher. They have become victims of social promotion, the educational practice in which a student is moved to the next grade at the end of the academic year, regardless of whether they have mastered the material, with the objective of keeping students with their peers.
“Our average student might be somewhere in the area of 30 to 35 years old,” DeThomas said. “I think that’s pretty much it. Some years back we got off the old and strict standards of the school system, and they got lax in it.”
In 2019, at Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s urging, the legislature passed the Literacy Act, mandating that Alabama third graders must demonstrate reading proficiency on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program to advance to the fourth grade.
“We needed this for a long time,” DeThomas said. The first hurdle the council has to overcome in attracting new students is that stigma. “There aren’t many who we approach about literacy who just turn us down and don’t want to do it,” DeThomas sad. “Most of the reason they turn it down is because they are afraid someone is going to find out they can’t read at 42 years old or something. But I can assure them there are really not going to have that issue to face because
Volunteers at Central Alabama Literacy Council help countless others learn how to build reading skills
Tutors encouraged to volunteer in effort
the student, the tutor and myself are the only people who know they are being tutored. We keep all the information confidential.”
Many of the tutors are retired teachers or reading specialists. But classroom experience isn’t required.
“You don’t have to be in the field of education,” DeThomas said. “When we find a person who wants to be a tutor, we put them through a one-day training course. But it’s pretty extensive stuff. When they get through (the training), they start teaching. We have had an abundance of retired teachers that are doing this. That’s hard to beat.”
DeThomas has also tutored, working with a student at the St. Clair County Correctional Facility. For the retired pastor, tutoring is a different type of evangelism. But there is the joy that comes when the light of learning flips on.
“There are times like that in a lot of people’s situations, you just think, ‘’That’s what I’ve been waiting for,’ for the bell to come on, or something like that. But I think it does make a difference. I think it really does encourage the tutor as much as it does the student,” DeThomas said.
“These teachers really get into this tutoring thing, because they see the importance of it. They can tell when a student is really on board.”
In his eight years of work with the organization, only one or two students dropped out early in the program. “That’s really more of an encouragement for both the student and the tutor,” DeThomas said.
Students invest an hour each week for anywhere from nine months to a year. There is an emphasis on phonics and comprehension. The one-on-one classes are offered at no cost.
People from across the region take part in the Great Grown-up Spelling Bee at CEPA
“They’re learning the things we learned in first, second third and fourth grade that they didn’t learn for whatever reason,” DeThomas said. “A lot of the students think it’s their fault that they didn’t learn to read. But that’s not always the case,”
For example, DeThomas told the story of one student who changed schools seven times in eight years. “He was a floating battleship out there,” DeThomas recalled. “He didn’t know what was going on. He got a different view of everything at every different school he attended.”
DeThomas believes parents who don’t place a priority on learning are a major issue in the struggles kids have in the classroom. “That’s sad, but it’s the truth,” he said.
He is hopeful about the future because of programs like this. Every encounter he has with students affirms he made the right decision when he chose to work in adult literacy.
“We’ve had students in the past who will tell you in a heartbeat their lives changed when they learned to read. They’ve become proficient in what they’ve been missing all these years. Their situation changed when they learned to read.”
That could mean the ability to read a beloved book, or the words of a hymn, or on a menu, or a driver’s license manual or job application. Some go on to get their GED. Think of it, as Helen Keller said, a mind and spirit freed.
“They feel comfortable reading now,” DeThomas said. “The light really comes on then. That happens with about every student that comes our way. Our commitment is, we’re going to make you a better family member, a better employee and help you be the person that you really want to be.” l
Editor’s Note: For more information about the Central Alabama Literacy Council, to become a student or tutor or to donate, or who knows someone who wants to learn to read, call 205-378-9072.
THE GREAT GROWN-UP SPELLING BEE
The community has a chance to boost literacy by competing in or supporting the Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee at 7 p.m. on March 12 at the CEPA Center on the campus of Pell City High School. Doctors, lawyers, business and political leaders compete in three-member teams matching their spelling skills.
Proceeds from the Spelling Bee go to benefit the Literacy Council. For more information and for corporate sponsorship, call 205-3789072.
The Bee helps build awareness of the Literacy Council and its work in bringing folks up to speed in their reading skills.
Conferring bee team members from left, former Pell City City Manager Brian
Muenger, Camaran Williams, Mayor Bill Pruitt
Glorifying God, Making Disciples, and Blessing others in Jesus’ Name.
St. Clair, Alabama Business Review
Longhorn Steakhouse and Olive Garden near opening
Story by Paul South
Photos by David Smith
Longhorn Steakhouse and Olive Garden
Much-anticipated restaurants set to open
There’s a recipe for cooking up a broader restaurant menu for hungry St. Clair County residents and visitors – patience, hard work and teamwork.
And that formula will come to life in 2026, with two popular national chains coming to Pell City in early Spring – Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse. Groundbreaking for the restaurants took place in March 2025, and Longhorn Steakhouse is expected to open first with Olive Garden’s following about three weeks later, officials say.
The two newcomers will join Outback Steaks and prove an unwritten economic development adage, said Pell City developer Bill Ellison. Brands follow brands.
The restaurants come on the heels of the Pell City Square retail development that features Hobby Lobby, PetSmart, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, Ross, Ulta and others. Ellison was a co-developer of the shopping center.
The new restaurants, located at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Hazelwood Drive adjacent to the I-20 interchange, are in response to residents who have long hungered for new full-service eateries in one of Alabama’s fastest growing counties.
“This has been something the community has really wanted,” Ellison said. “We’ve had a lot of retail success, but we just didn’t have the full-service restaurants. We’ve done well with everything else.”
He added, “I think when Pell City Square shopping center came in with that store mix, that’s sort of a regional type shopping center. The tenant mix that’s there, we had hoped, would bring in at least one full-service restaurant to the community, and we got Outback.”
Outback has had blockbuster success, Ellison said. “It’s a truly outstanding restaurant. As I understand it, the restaurant had the highest opening volume of sales in the history of Outback, and it’s been extremely high volume ever since.”
Pell City Square’s arrival lured more shoppers to Pell City than had shopped there in the past, Ellison said. The restaurants are the culmination of two to three years of work, Ellison said.
“The expansion of the trade area helped us to recruit Olive Garden and Longhorn to Pell City.
Business Review New Restaurants
It’s kind of like brands follow brands. When we got that shopping center, and Outback came, other brands look at Pell City, and they say, ‘Those stores came to Pell City. We might need to look at that.’ That just kind of gets the synergy going.”
Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, said bringing in new full-service restaurants was part of the public’s wish list.
“Having more sit-down restaurants was something that the community had expressed a desire in having here,” Smith said. “The elected officials have listened and made it a priority for us to work on. Through collaboration and partnerships with the developer, property owner, the city, the county and the EDC, we were fortunate to get those national chains to come to the community, to go along with those shoppers who are coming from outside of Pell City to shop at the new Pell City Square.”
Longhorn and Olive Garden are under the Darden Restaurants umbrella of brands, Ellison said. Darden operates 2,100 restaurants nationally with more than 200,000 employees.
Pell City’s growth, local industries and the Honda plant, tourism with Logan Martin Lake and a growing health care landscape all fueled the company’s decision to come to the county. “Needless to say, that’s a big honor for Pell City, Alabama,” Ellison said. “To attract those restaurants to this city, that really says something.”
All of this economic activity can have a snowball effect that can bring more restaurants and retail to the area. Big picture is that it can mean a regional boost to northeast Alabama.
“Like I said earlier, brands follow brands,” Ellison said. “It’ll just be a continuing progression. We’re expecting St. Clair County to continue to grow with a very bright future moving forward. As long as St. Clair County continues to grow and Pell City continues to grow, our region will continue to grow.”
Smith credited Ellison’s efforts.
“Bill Ellison worked really hard on a number of different retailers and eateries,” Smith said. “He felt, and we felt that these two brands (Longhorn and Olive Garden) filled a void that had existed. I think the community’s demographic fits really well with (the restaurants’) target customer.”
Ellison makes a critical point. “I didn’t do this by myself. I’m a hard worker and the rest of it. But the elected officials in Pell City and in St. Clair County and the EDC and Metro Bank through the years, have been with me hand in hand through all of this. It’s a team effort.”
Booth waiting on customers to sit at Olive Garden
Classic western vibe at Longhorn Steakhouse
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Our Place Or Yours?
Elevate your holiday gathering with our full service catering -- onsite or in our restaurant.
Business Review
Celebrating 60 years of education excellence
Story by Roxann Edsall
Submitted Photos
For the past six decades, Jefferson State Community College has been guided by a single principle – opportunity. Since it’s opening in 1965, it may look different – much bigger, in fact, but it hasn’t wavered in providing opportunities.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary this past fall, Jefferson State now has its highest enrollment ever – 10,400 and eclipsing its old record set in 2010 by 800 students. The Pell City-St. Clair Campus experienced enrollment gains as well.
Whether it’s opportunities for students to learn and find gainful employment or those doing the hiring having an opportunity to hire workers with the skills they need, its workforce development program has been making a sizable impact in both sectors.
Keeping pace with the needs of today’s industries, Jefferson State has unveiled a new milestone in its mission. The college opened a new Workforce Education Center building on the Jefferson Campus, which serves the entire system.
Housing industrial and craft skills training courses, it includes their existing line worker program and new electrical, HVAC and multi-craft maintenance technician programs. The 7,500 square-foot building features flexible classroom spaces and laboratories that can be adapted to a variety of needs within the college’s short certificate Fast Track program.
The Fast Track program is a credentials program offering 35 options within their portfolio of skills training, specifically focused on developing skills needed for high-demand entry level career opportunities. “The new building really represents opportunity for our community,” says Leah Bigbee, dean of Workforce Education for JSCC. “We’ve been strategically focused on industrial and craft skills training because business
Pell City campus one of four in state
Business Review jefferson State
and industry have been asking for these programs.”
Bigbee says the Workforce Development Program relies on relationships with local businesses and industry to share their needs and help develop and refine the curriculum in each specialty. “Across the board, our programs are developed with actual jobs in mind – from developing the curriculum to having seasoned veterans teaching classes to mock interviews to actual job interview days,” said Bigbee.
“Our programs are really co-created with industry, which is especially helpful in teaching the specific, current skills needed by area businesses,” said Bigbee. “We have the ability to adapt and be flexible to meet those needs. Really, our north star is those companies who give us continuous feedback.”
Guin Robinson, Jefferson State’s dean of Economic Development, has a unique perspective and understanding of the workforce needs of area businesses, having served as mayor of Pell City for five years and at Avondale Mills in Pell City as manager of Human Resources.
“When I was mayor, it was all about community and connecting industry and business and recruiting through the Economic Development Council. It’s what I’ve always done and love doing, connecting community to, in this case, the college.”
Jefferson State offers 116 transfer programs, 40 career and technical programs, and 35 non-credit, credentialed workforce education programs. They also offer online courses and 100 dual-enrollment course options.
“The credit classes that transfer to fouryear institutions is still a lot of what we do,” Robinson says. “But not everyone has to have a four-year degree. As we came out of the COVID experience, that helped to highlight and better articulate what training and workforce needs we had. Our Fast Track program is playing a vital role in developing and training that workforce. Our new building, being the first completely new building on campus in years, speaks to the significance of the program.”
The short-term Fast Track programs include electrical, HVAC, lineworker, forklift operator, commercial driver (CDL), welding and a host of business and healthcare options. These credential programs help meet the needs of fresh high-school graduates beginning their careers, as well as those reentering the workforce or wanting to change career paths.
“We serve almost three thousand students in the Workforce Department,” says Bigbee. “Our data shows us that 80 percent complete the program and go on to find employment. Companies depend on us to create these
Lineman, welding and construction programs are part of the offerings at Jeff State
Business Review jefferson State
customized training programs that really do give someone a leg up and give them a better chance to make it in an entry-level role and be retained, as opposed to someone who is just hired off the street.”
“At the end of the day,” adds Robinson, “it’s about providing economic opportunity for our students and marrying that with the needs of business and industry. It’s very rewarding.”
Some of the Jefferson State workforce development partner companies in St. Clair County include Goodgame Company, Ford Meter Box, Hubble Power and Gorbel. Jefferson State welcomes inquiries from other companies who might want to partner with their workforce development programs.
Several Fast-Track programs are offered at the Jefferson State St. ClairPell City Campus each year, including a clinical medical assistant class funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.
In the spring, additional fast-track offerings such as welding, field engineering, and clinical medical assistant will be available.
Editor’s note: For more information, go to jeffersonstate.edu/fasttrack.
CDL drivers are in high demand these days
Ribbon cutting at new workforce development center
Says
Because You Give,We Can Give!
The 2025 Jingle Bell Run raised over $60,000 to benefit St. Clair Sheriff’s Boys Ranch, Ann’s New Life Center, The Wellhouse and The Arc of St. Clair County. Our sponsors make those gifts for worthy causes in our community possible.
Michael and Brandi McSweeney Family Fund
Steven Allen
TCI of Alabama
I-20 Development
Greater Pell City Community
Endowment Foundation
Friends Bound for New Horizons
Regions Bank
AMC Mechanical LLC
Southern Wings Eleven LLC
Cable One
Aultman Dental
Andritz Inc.
Lovejoy Realty Inc.
Union State Bank
Parkway Properties LLC-Raindrop Car Wash
QuikTrip Corp.
Steve Hobbs
Publix Supermarket Charities Inc.
Eden Family Dentistry
City Market
Johnny’s Electric
Annette P. Cox
Serge & Sarah Brazzolotto
Chris Seay
TCI Sales
James W. Bedsole Inc.
Rick Jotani
Cline & Co. Properties LLC
Rogers for Congress
Fort McClellan Credit Union
Maco Industries
Goodgame Company
Ford Meter Box Inc.
Douglas Rulmeca
Webb Concrete
Planet Fitness
The St. Clair
Pell City Steak House
The Bline Agency LLC
Wallace Bromberg
Caran Wilbanks
ERA King Real Estate
Artistic Hair and Nails LLC
Brock’s Gap Training Center
John C. Morris
Trussell, Funderburg, Rea, Bell & Furgerson
Hill, Gossett, Kemp, PC
Bob Mize
Todd Seay
Benjamin Moore
River Richard
Partners by Design
Gilreath Printing
Walmart
Signum Strategies
Fresh Value Market
Abernathy Fine Jewelers
Lamar Advertising
CVEC marketing staff earns state recognitions
The marketing team from Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative and Coosa Valley Technologies received six awards at the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives Communications Awards, which recognize excellence in marketing, communications and public relations among electric cooperatives across Alabama.
The awards, given during AREA’s annual communications conference in Huntsville, are for work created in 2024.
“These awards highlight the impact that marketing does for cooperatives and subsidiaries,” said Jon Cullimore, CVEC general manager. “I’m grateful for the team’s efforts and look forward to seeing what they can achieve next.”
CVEC and CVT each earned two Awards of Excellence, the highest honor given in each category. Cullimore received the Best Column Award for his Alabama Living magazine piece, “Giving Thanks After Helene.” The column recounts the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and highlights the critical role Alabama’s cooperatives and linemen played in restoring power to affected communities.
“Orchestrating an Outage Response,” also published in
Winners at the convention. Kylie Entrekin of Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative’s marketing team is second from left. Kylie Mason is third from left. She is in sales and marketing for Coosa Valley Technologies.
Alabama Living magazine, was named Best News Story for its behind-the-scenes look at the coordinated efforts required to respond to a power outage.
CVT, a subsidiary of CVEC, won Best Wild Card for “Daily Dose of Fiber,” a nutrition-label-themed cereal box featuring the organization’s fiber service features. Pioneer Utility Resources, a firm specializing in electric cooperative marketing, created the cereal box design.
CVT’s Trunk R Treat Cybersecurity Halloween Event was recognized with the Best Event Campaign Award for its engaging, family-friendly approach to promoting online safety.
CVEC also received two Awards of Merit. The Alabama Living article titled “Helping with Helene” highlighted CVEC linemen providing mutual aid after Hurricane Helene. It was honored in the News Story category.
Safety Director Tommy Tant earned a Best Photo nod for his nighttime image titled “Nighttime Ballet,” which captured the precision and teamwork of linemen working after dark.
Marketing efforts from 2025 will be recognized during the annual conference in October 2026.
OUR COMMUNITY. OUR STARS. ONE INCREDIBLE NIGHT FOR CHARITY.
MARCH 14, 2026 6:00 PM
CEPA GYM – 25 WILLIAMSON DR • $30 ONLINE - $35 AT THE DOOR
Benefitting Pell City Schools Education Foundation and Hartzog Foundation.
Sponsors
Presented by
Final F cus
Life through the lens of Mackenzie Free
Grown up...
No matter how old I get, I always seem to be waiting for the day I finally grow up. We spend our childhood looking toward all these mile markers — driving, graduation, college, marriage, parenthood — believing that once we pass a few of them, something magical will happen. We’ll grow up. We’ll know things. We’ll FINALLY arrive and stop feeling like we’re just guessing our way through life.
But here’s the secret no one tells you when you’re young: You never really grow up. … At least not all the way. Sure, you age. You get larger … taller … wiser in some ways, tired in others. But truthfully, the older you get, the more you realize how little you actually know. And the more you realize you’re not alone.
The big secret in childhood is that no one ever really warns you that you never really grow up completely … no matter how old you get. I’m convinced even the oldest and wisest among us still have moments where they still feel 16 again, a little unsure and a little lost. Most days, I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I am literally just “winging” my way through life. At least once a week, I would give anything to call my mom (who’s been gone over 10 years now) and ask her to come over and help me fix my life. Some days, my kids call out for a grown-up, and it takes me a minute to remember —that’s me. I’M the grown-up. And like so many other “grown-ups,” I still look around wondering how in the world I got here — But here I am. Trying. Failing. Guessing. Growing up. Hoping I’m choosing right. … And occasionally glancing over my shoulder to see if a ‘real’ grown-up is coming to save me.
Spoiler— they’re not. It’s us. It’s always been us.
- Mackenzie FreeWife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama
