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From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce held the annual Toast of the Town: Celebrating Trussville’s Best event on Monday night. Festivities began at 5:30 p.m. at Corbeau Wine Bar in the Trussville Entertainment District. Guests enSee AWARDS, Page 6
Local students named to Gadsden State President’s List, Dean’s List From Tribune staff reports
GADSDEN — The Fall Semester 2023 President’s List at Gadsden State Community College was released by President Kathy Murphy. Full-time students who earn a semester grade point average of 4.0, with all As, See GADSDEN, Page 5
Troon Acquires Eventive Sports Special to the Tribune
Scottsdale, Arizona — Troon®, the leader in providing golf and club-related leisure and hospitality services, is pleased to announce it has acquired Eventive Sports, a Birmingham, Alabama-based sports marketing and event management company. Troon’s acquisition of Eventive Sports adds expertise and resources in large See TROON, Page 7
Alabama Sheriffs Association Completes Winter Conference Special to The Tribune
The Alabama Sheriffs Association, a nonprofit instituted in 1889 to encourage educational, social, and charitable activities among sheriffs, recently completed its 2024 Winter Technology Conference held January See SHERIFF, Page 6
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CCHS Coach
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www.TrussvilleTribune.com
Jan. 31 - Feb. 6
Trussville Chamber names Gatekeeper award winners
WED THU
2024
Gillespie named Trussville Tribune’s Person of the Year By June Mathews
TRUSSVILLE — HewittTrussville High School choral director Allen Gillespie has been named Trussville Tribune’s Person of the Year for 2023. The award was presented at Monday’s Toast of the Town event hosted by the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce. Presented by Scott Buttram, publisher of the Tribune, Person of the Year is annually awarded to someone who has made a positive impact on their community. “Allen Gillespie has impacted countless lives in a positive way.” Buttram said. “Allen has a gift for communicating with his students. He sets the bar high, without compromise then teaches and encourages his students to meet the standard and settle for nothing less.” A veteran educator with 50 years of service, Gillespie began his teaching career at Wenonah High School, transferring two years later to Huffman High School, where he spent the next 20 years. “At the peak of the (Huff-
By Terry Schrimscher
IRONDALE — The Irondale City Council approved major upgrades to Ruffner Baseball Park, Tuesday night January 23. The often contentious meeting, originally scheduled for January 16 but moved due to weather, lasted See IRONDALE, Page 4
TACC scholarship applications are now being accepted Trussville Tribune Person of the Year Allen Gillespie with publisher Scott Buttram
man) program, I had 270 students in five different choirs,” he said. “I ‘graduated’ from there with American Idol II, Ruben Studdard in 1996. Clay-Chalkville was opening as a new school, and I was privileged to start the choral program there.” After 13 years at Clay-
Chalkville, Gillespie retired in 2009. A few weeks later, he got a call from Trussville City Schools, asking him to teach part time. He decided to accept, intending to teach for only a few more years. “That ‘few’ now numbers 15, but I plan to REALLY retire after the ‘24-’25 school
From Tribune staff reports
year,” said Gillespie. “Receiving the award was sort of a reality check. I’ve enjoyed making music so much that it’s hard to believe that it’s been 50 years! I can’t imagine ever doing anything else.” Under Gillespie’s leader-
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce announced on Friday that applications for the annual scholarship program are now open. Students in the class of 2024 who are graduating this Spring are eligible
See GILLESPIE, Page 6
See SCHOLARSHIPS, Page 5
Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve to open this week By Terry Schrimscher
After more than a decade of planning, the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville will officially open to the public on February 3. The ribbon cutting for the park will be on Friday, February 2 at 1 p.m. The Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is located on 422 acres at 1700 Murphrees Valley Road in Springville. The ribbon cutting ceremony is open to the public with a guided tour to follow the ceremony. Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is a project of the Forever Wild Land Trust (FWLT) in collaboration with a wide range of public and private partners. “I have been involved with the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve project since 2009 when I was a board member of The Friends of Big Canoe Creek,” said Doug Morrison. Friends of Big Canoe Creek was the grassroots organization that nominated the property to Forever Wild. After receiving board approval, Forever Wild con-
Irondale planning major upgrades at Ruffner Mountain
Barber Motorsports Park and BMW Motorrad partner with All Kids Bike for bike donation at Leeds Primary School Students at Leeds Primary School were surprised Friday morning, January 26 when they were called to a special assembly at the school. Representatives from Barber MoSee BICYCLE, Page 5
Entrance to Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve. Billy Pope, ADCNR
tributed more than $1 million to the land purchase in 2018 adding the preserve to its list of projects in the state. FWLT has secured more than 284,000 acres of land in Alabama for public use since the Trust was established by constitutional amendment in 1992. “In 2022 the City of
MARTY’S TRUSSVILLE
Springville hired me as Manager of the Preserve, a Forever Wild property,” Morrison said. “We are finally ready to open and welcome the public to enjoy the beauty of Nature and Alabama’s incredible biodiversity. Our goal is to have a place for relaxation, recreation, bird watching and conservation education,” he
added. Morrison also serves as Chair of Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners, a nonprofit charitable foundation created in 2022 to support the nature preserve. The foundation is one of many public and private partners listed on
Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces Indictment of Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge Special to the Tribune
Montgomery – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the in-
See BIG CANOE, Page 7
See MARSHALL, Page 7
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