The Trussville Tribune – February 2 - 8, 2022

The Tribune

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From The Tribune staff reports

TRUSSVILLE — The Gatekeeper Award winners were announced on Tuesday, February 1, at Trussville Chamber of Commerce’s “Toast of the Town: See GATEKEEPER, Page 5

Railroad representatives respond to bill prohibiting railroad crossing blockages From The Tribune staff reports

MONTGOMERY — Several railroad representatives visited Montgomery yesterday to discuss the bill filed on Thursday, January 13.

See RAILROAD, Page 4

TCS BOE discusses COVID surge in schools, recognizes several teachers for their accomplishments

By Hannah Curran Editor

TRUSSVILLE — Trussville City Schools (TCS) recognized the board members for School Board Member Recognition Month and TCS teachers for their accomplishments See BOE, Page 2

Springville Police Department welcomes newest member

By Hannah Curran Editor

SPRINGVILLE — The Springville Police Department (SPD) has welcomed its newest member to the force.

La La, a 4-year-old Dutch Shepard, has been a perfect addition to the SPD. Corporal See SPRINGVILLE, Page 3

FRI

SAT

SUN MON

70 45

47 30

50 33

49 33

53 27

55 29

57%

85%

37%

5%

42%

7%

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2022

2021 Trussville Tribune’s Person of the Year: Mike Ennis

By Hannah Curran Editor

TRUSSVILLE — The 2021 Trussville Tribune’s Person of the Year is Faith Community Fellowship’s Executive Pastor, Mike Ennis.

Each year, The Trussville Tribune names one outstanding person to take the title of Person of the Year. The person inspires others and embodies what was important about the year.

Tribune Publisher Scott Buttram said every community needs people like Mike Ennis who give freely of their time and talent to support others.

“Like so many people, the first time I met Mike he was serving the community,” Buttram said. “I don’t know very many people who spend the time serving others the way he does. I think he’s very deserving of the Tribune Person of the Year.”

Through Faith Community Fellowship and Springville Area Rotary Satellite Club Chair, Ennis’s contribution to the community has impacted many people and earns Ennis

(Left to Right) Mike Ennis, 2021 Tribune Person of the Year, and Hannah Curran. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

Trussville Tribune’s Person of the Year award.

“I met Mike when I was 14-years-old, and he was my youth pastor,” Senior Pastor Steve McCarty said. “I really don’t think Faith Community Fellowship would be in Trussville if it weren’t for Mike. He had a great impact on me.”

Ennis is Springville’s Faith Community Fellowship campus pastor; he’s also involved in the Trussville Chamber of Commerce and the Trussville Rotary Club.

“He’s everywhere,” Mc-

Carty said. “I mean, he is just everywhere all the time.

Helping anyone that he can, that’s just his nature.”

Throughout the years, Ennis has found ways to improve the community. He works closely with Restoration Academy in Fairfield and Heritage Independent School in Springville. He’s led teams for each school and serves on the board for Heritage Independent School.

“He serves on several boards of several different civic groups as well as min-

istries,” McCarty said. “He provides leadership in a lot of different ways to a lot of different groups.”

He served as the associate pastor for many years before becoming the executive director of a ministry called Convoy of Hope, the largest relief organization in the United States.

“Convoy of Hope goes everywhere, anytime there is a natural disaster, they show up with semis filled with food,” McCarty said. “Mike really spearheaded that, getting off the ground. So he served as their executive director for a long, long time.”

Ennis then went on to be the executive director of the largest home treatment facility for sex traffic girls in the nation. While also leading that facility McCarty asked Ennis to leadership seminars at Faith Community Fellowship. McCarty said he told Ennis six years ago that he wanted him back, helping him, and Ennis came back and has been at Faith Community Fellowship ever since.

See AWARD, Page 5

Moody Middle School hosts groundbreaking for new playground

By Hannah Curran Editor

MOODY — Moody Middle School (MMS) hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for their new PE facility/playground area on Friday, Jan. 28.

Moody wanted to ensure that the students were involved with the groundbreaking ceremony because it directly impacted them and their schools.

“At the end of the day, what we do is all about students; it’s everything, every decision that I make on a daily basis; how does this affect 700 students?” Moody High School (MHS) Principal Dr. Chris Walters said. “You want to do what’s right for them and what’s best for them and help them figure out what is their dream and how do you go achieve your dream. So if you’re able to support them with resources, now they can see what those dreams are, and they can go dream big and go get whatever it is they want to do. People don’t real-

Students were able to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony. Those students were: Kayln Alexander, Daniel Baker, Hunter Bailey, Mary Faith Brooks, Izaiah Callahan, Lydia Feltman, Anna McCullough, Aliyah Ousley, Owen Randall, Serenity Rutledge, Lainey Saunier, and Mariah Whiddon. (Photo by Ron Burkett)

ize that Moody’s had graduated film directors and Big Als and all of these things, but this now allows them to see what do I want to do and how do I go make it happen.”

MMS Principal Brett Causey explained that the student body as a whole doesn’t have

a space where they can play outside, and while they do utilize different areas around the school, MMS doesn’t have a designated space for the children to play or have class outside. The goal is to have the PE facility/playground area finished by the

end of the school year so that the students can use that space before the summer break.

“It gives us options, and it’s a game-changer for the students of MMS on a daily basis,” Causey said.

5886 Trussville Crossings Blvd 205.655.3388

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By Hannah Curran Editor

TRUSSVILLE — Magnolia Elementary School (MES) special education teacher received a grant from Valluzzo Companies’ Teacher See MAGNOLIA, Page 3

Behind-thescenes look of Leeds Arts Council’s ‘Shadowlands’

By Hannah Curran Editor

LEEDS — The Leeds Arts Council offers a behindthe-scenes look at their upcoming show Shadowlands with performances scheduled for February 25 – 26 and March 4 – 5, 2022, at 7 p.m., See SHADOWLANDS, Page 3

TCS superintendent received excellent reviews during annual evaluations From The Tribune staff reports

See TCS, Page 3

www.robinshoppe.com

News - Pages 1-5 Finance - Page 6 Calendar - Page 7 Classified - Page 7 Obituary - Page 8 Sports - Pages 9-12

Valluzzo Companies presents grant to Magnolia Elementary special education teacher

TRUSSVILLE — Trussville City Schools (TCS) reviewed the annual Superintendent’s Evaluation in the monthly board member on Thursday, January 27.

Robin’s Sewing Shoppe

Inside the Tribune

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www.TrussvilleTribune.com

February 2 - 8

Gatekeeper Award winners announced at Trussville Chamber’s ‘Toast of the Town’

WED THU

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Fabric Machines Classes Demos

See MOODY, Page 4

Clay city manager alerts council of ‘huge hit’ city could take due to increased gas prices

By Faith Callens For the Tribune

CLAY— City Manager Ronnie Dixon alerted the council on Tuesday, Jan. 25 about the impact of increased gas prices that could take a toll on the city’s current funds.

See CLAY, Page 4

The Trussville Tribune

Page 2

BOE

The

From front page

Trussville Tribune 190 Main Street Trussville, AL 35173 (205) 533-8664 Scott Buttram, Publisher publisher@trussvilletribune.com Tanna M. Friday, Managing Editor news@trussvilletribune.com Bobby Mathews, Sports Editor bobby.mathews@trussvilletribune.com Hannah Caver, Staff Writer SALES STAFF Ryan Jennings, Director of Advertising & Sales Shari Moore, Account Executive Meredith White, Account Executive Lauren Taylor, Office Mgr/Traffic Coord.

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in the monthly board member on Thursday, January 27.

Linda Woodfin OdomMargaret WickershamThe Board discussed the COVID surge in schools, and Neill proposed and recommended that TCS Friday, February 4 and Friday, February 18 be remote learning and instructional days.

Neill said it has been “like a juggling act,” trying to get students, teachers, and faculty realigned. COVID has impacted different schools in different ways.

The remote learning days would mean the students would learn from home.

Teachers and faculty would have a chance to upload lesson plans for students.

Several TCS teachers completed their Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) Training.

• Magnolia Elementary School (MES): h Fran Box h Jeanette Cerisano h Phyllis Faust h Tiffany Reed • Cahaba Elementary School (CES): h Beth Ann Marshall h Linda Odom h Christina Patterson h Lisa Rich h Tara Vincent • Paine Elementary School (PES): h Kristi Brooks h Carla Dillard h Cheryl Enoch h Kimberly Felts h Jennifer Hunt h Haley Jacobs h Kylee Kimbrough h Meleigha Kizer h Hannah Lutz h Amy Meredith h Hannah Puryear h Angie Seeley h Destin Walters h Cynthia Weyerman • BOE: h Kelly McGough h Jenni Peters Teachers named Teachers of the Year for their school:

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• MES: h Kimberly Hendrick • Hewitt-Trussville Middle School (HTMS): h Mandy McIntosh • PES: h Shayna Swann • CES: h Linda Odom • Hewitt-Trussville High School (HTHS) h Margaret Wickersham TCS Teacher of the Year: • Elementary h Shayna Swann • Secondary h Mandy McIntosh TCS Bus Drivers of the Year • Elementary: h Bob Duncan • Secondary: h Marc Lockett The teachers and bus drivers of the year received TCS recognized HTHS Varsity Softball Coach Taylor Burt, who was named the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) Coach of the Year.

January is School Board Member Recognition Month, and TCS wanted to show their appreciation to the board members: Board President Kathy Brown, Board Vice President Steve Ward, Board Member Kim DeShazo, Board Member Mark Sims, and Board Member Sherrye Tolbert.

In other matters, the Board approved: • Accounts Payable for December 2021; • Payroll for December 2021; • Financials for December 2021; • Work Session Record and Board Minutes for December 13, 2021; • Renewal of Bid 20-06 for Cahaba Elementary Lawn Care and Ground; • The following field trips: h Revised date for Leadership HT to April 7-10, 2022; h HTMS Cheer to UCA Cheer Camp – Great Wolf Lodge LaGrange, Georgia July 10-14, 2022;

February 2 - 8, 2022 HTHS Tennis to Mobile March 17-19, 2022; h HTHS Tennis to Mobile (state tournament) April 17-19, 2022; h HTHS Tennis to Auburn March 4-5, 2022; h HTHS Girls Tennis to Mobile March 10-12, 2022; h HTHS Softball to Gulf Shores March 20-23, 2022; h HTHS Boys Golf to Point Clear February 21-22, 2022; h HTHS Softball to Columbus, Georgia February 17-18, 2022; h HTHS Golf to Huntsville – Hampton Cove May 9-10, 2022; h HTHS Boys Golf to Auburn March 6-8, 2022; h HTHS Track and Field to Fayetteville, Georgia April 1-2, 2022; h HTHS Track and Field to Gulf Shores May 4-7, 2022; h HTHS Track and Field to Austin, Texas March 2427, 2022; h HTHS Boys Baseball to Gulf Shores March 2024, 2022; h HTHS Boys Baseball to Chattanooga March 30 – April 2, 2022; h HTHS FBLA to Mobile April 19-21, 2022; h HTHS Boys Soccer to James Clemens April 8-9, 2022; h HTHS HOSA to Renaissance Montgomery February 24-25, 2022; h HTHS Girls Soccer to Foley February 10-12, 2022; • Quote for new Hewitt-Trussville High School band uniforms; • The following facility usage agreements; h Alabama Association of School Nurses annual conference June 9-10, 2022; h Youth Volleyball Practice Sunday’s from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. January 10 to March 13, 2022, for Bryant Bank arena and Auxillary Gym; h

Youth Volleyball Practices Tuesdays and Thursdays from February 1 to April 29, 2022, for the Middle School Gym; • Agreement with Alabama Supercomputer Authority effective June 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023; • Amendment to Kimberly Blanton Contract for additional Evaluation Services; • Technology agreement for Spectrum Metro-E connection; • Agreement with University of West Alabama for Intern and Residency Placement; • The following change orders: h Coston Change Order 8; • CRI Engagement Letter • Quote and signage for the naming of David and Anita Dobbs Cross Country & Track & Field Complex; • Photography contract with Belmont Studios; • Agreement with CenturyLink for phone lines at the new central office; and • Approval of Superintendents recommendations regarding changes in personnel, contracts, extra services, and supplements.

Items tabled for 30 days: • Place the 2022-23 Student Code of Conduct on the Table; • Place revisions to the 2022-23 TCS School Calendar on the Table; • Place the following Contributions Lists for 2022-23 on the Table: h Cahaba Elementary School; h Magnolia Elementary School; and h Paine Elementary School.

The February Monthly Board Meeting will be Monday, February 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the Central Office. There will be a Work Session held at 5 p.m. before the Board Meeting. The Board Meeting and the Work Session will be live-streamed.

In addition, a link will be posted on the TCS website at 4:45 p.m. on February 28, 2022. h

February 2 - 8, 2022

The Trussville Tribune

Local / Region

Magnolia

Springville

of Impact Program on Friday, January 28.

Fran Box at MES received a $1,000 grant from Valluzzo Companies for her classroom.

As a result, she has ordered supplies and educational materials for her students presented to Box at the ceremony today.

“This means the world,” Box said. “I was very humbled to be nominated by Stephanie and Rob Langford. Just the impact that this is going to have on my classroom and my school is, is amazing. To have this grant money to get the things that we need to go the extra mile with our students is just unbelievable. I ordered a variety of things from books, math, manipulatives, a new laminator, earbuds for technology, and we ordered sensory things for the students to be able to have sensory breaks, just a wide variety of teaching tools.”

Valluzzo Companies, Nick Valluzzo, an owner and operator for McDonald’s in the greater Birmingham area, presented the grant to Box. Valluzzo explained that the Teacher of Impact Program was a way to acknowledge teachers, faculty, and staff that have had a positive impact on students

Brandon Keith said that when they traveled to iK9 in Anniston to pick a dog, La La chose him, and that’s when he knew that this was his partner.

“She basically picked me, she came up to me,” Keith said.

“We bonded well at the facility.

She really didn’t have anything to do with the handlers that were already there. She just stayed by me the whole time.

So I guess we kind of picked each other right there.”

After bringing her home to Springville, Keith and La La went through an almost threeweek deep bonding process before they started training together. Chief Wayne Walton explained that Keith and La La have finished the national training portion and only have one more step to complete their certification.

As a K9 unit, Keith and La La are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. SPD is trained to be aware of any situation involving narcotics, and

From front page

Shadowlands From front page

and February 27 and March 6, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Clay Boyce directs Shadowlands, and this is his second time producing the show.

However, don’t expect to see the same Shadowlands as before. Instead, Boyce wants the audience to experience the show in a whole new light.

“It’s a true story of C.S. Lewis, the writer, and how he met his wife Joy, and their love story,” Boyce said. “It’s one of my favorite scripts because it’s just a beautiful love story.

It’s what we all have in our lives when it comes to meeting the person of our dreams, and how that turns into love from a friendship.”

if it is deemed so, SPD will alert Keith if La La is needed.

Keith explained that he has always wanted to go into narcotics and help keep drugs off the streets.

“The police officers know the policy that we’ve got set in place,” Walton said. “They know when to call him, and then what he’ll do is, if he thinks there’s enough to go, he goes. Then while he’s on his way, he’ll call me or the other sergeants and say, ‘hey, I’m headed this way.’”

Walton said that La La will be a great asset to the SPD because SPD had a K9 unit before, and when Walton came back as chief, he wanted to bring the K9 program back as well. He explained that the

department wanted a calm and laid-back dog.

“We wanted a dog that was really laid back like she is,” Walton said. “You can pet her, and that’s what we want, especially when he goes to the schools, kids can pet her. The dog we had before was the same way. This just gives us another tool to help keep our schools safe, drug-free, and our city drug-free.”

Kieth and La La have already shown that they have an incredible bond. Walton explained when they were going through training, and the instructor said that the two are the best match he’s ever seen, and they both will excel.

“It was a great experience, it was great watching her learn as well as myself because I was new to it,” Keith said.

“It’s cool to watch them progress and get better.”

La La and Keith are already on patrol together, and if they were needed, they could get called at any moment.

“Where he goes, she goes,” Walton said.

tion President Kathy Brown led the annual evaluation of Neill, who is in her tenth year of serving as superintendent.

“Dr. Neill’s evaluation results reflected her outstanding job performance at TCS Superintendent,” Brown said. ” Dr. Neill has continued to lead us through these challenging times while keeping our academic standards high, planning for current and future needs, and supporting and addressing the needs of our staff and students. Dr. Neil has surrounded herself with an excellent team that works with her to meet the district goals and achievement.”

Aside from noting school year challenges present by

COVID-19, the Board also highlighted Neill’s leadership over capital projects such as the district’s first-ever Central Office and the continued financial strength of TCS as the district continues a brisk growth trajectory.

Neill thanked the Board members for her excellent evaluation.

“It is an honor to work this board of education to maintain excellence during these challenging times,” Neill said. “I am very proud of the work we have done together.

These positive evaluations results affirm our teamwork, progress, and excellence as one of the top school systems in the State of Alabama.”

From front page

From Left to Right: Nick Valluzzo, Fran Box, and Morgan McLean. (Photo by Hannah Curran)

and their families.

Box had been nominated by one of her student’s parents after their incredible experience at MES and was one of the numerous teachers nominated from across the Greater Birmingham area. Valluzzo Companies allowed the community to comment and vote on the Facebook post made for each Nominee. The teacher, faculty, or staff member with the most votes won.

“Ms. Box had a lot of nominations,” Marketing Coordinator at Valluzzo Companies, Morgan McLean, said. “She had a total of 600 plus votes on the Facebook posts that we did. She had a lot of votes, a lot of comments, a lot of people supporting her.”

McLean explained it was “a very beautiful and inspiring thing to see how everybody in the community just kind of supported” the Teacher of Im-

pact Program.

The nomination post for the Teacher of Impact Program states that Box is “truly one of a kind” and “was a reading intervention teacher for many years and just came back into a classroom. She has done a phenomenal job of transitioning into her new role and getting to know her students and parents.”

“It’s super important for me as a parent that these teachers have the correct tools and the correct support from not only their district but add that to local community support from businesses,” Valluzzo said. “So we recognize this as a great opportunity to join in a very special partnership.”

Valluzzo asks if you want to be involved with Valluzzo Companies, please contact Morgan McLean at Morgan.

McLean@vallcomp.com or call (205) 584-0114.

weekend. Actors also provide their own costumes for the show, and many times they reuse old costumes from previous shows.

“If you do community theater, you end up keeping all of your old clothes,” Brian Allison, playing Priest/Waiter/Dr. Oakley/Clerk said. “You never can tell when you’re going to need that priest costume again.”

Allison explained that people who are involved in community theatre have to have a certain amount of “hey, look at me!”

“This is so drastically different than my everyday work persona,” Allison said. “This is almost my therapy because I can worry about this guy’s problems and their problems

pict C.S. Lewis in a way that reaches every member of the audience.

“I think what people will get out of it is that whether you’re a believer or not, and that there is hope,” Bridges said. “We’re never going to understand the reason for all pain and suffering. It builds us and makes us strong. So I hope it will give them hope. I hope it will make them feel like ‘I’m not so crazy feeling this way.’ Here’s this guy, this was a famous writer who had these feelings too, and he grappled with, and he wrote these very inspiring books like ‘The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe,’ but he had some hard times.”

Tickets are available for purchase at www.leedsartscouncil.org, and are $10 per person. For more information call (205) 699-1892.

Cast List: • C.S. Lewis – Mike Bridges • Joy Gresham – Holly Ford • Major Warnie Lewis – Jon McClaran • Christopher Riley – Matthew McCarron • Harry Harrington – Kenneth Hurst • Douglas (2nd weekend) – Eli Duckworth • Douglas (1st weekend) – Jax Rutledge • Alan Gregg/Doctor – Carter Sanderson • Woman/Registrar/Nurse – Brandi McClaran • Priest/Waiter/Dr. Oakley/ Clerk – Brian Allison • Stage Manager – Shannon Jordan

Clay Boyce walks through a scene with his cast members trying to ensure each scene in the show grabs the audience.

(Photo by Hannah Curran)

The Leeds Art Council is a small community theatre that allows its participants to step into the shoes of another person, even if it is only for a couple of hours, and make the character their own. Shadowlands has actors ranging from 8-years-old to 70-year-old.

“It’s really generic when you come to this show because so many people know C.S. Lewis, through his writings, they don’t really know what he looks like,” Boyce said. “So it can be anybody, and the main thing is finding the actors who want to work on the show and devote the time because the character of C.S. Lewis never leaves the stage. It’s 102 pages of you.

So you have to really want to learn all those lines.”

The role of Douglas was double-cast because Boyce saw something in both actors that he wanted to work with both.

“I wanted to work with both of them and give them a chance to do it,” Boyce said.

“So one is going to do it one weekend, and the other one will do it the second weekend. They’re just really good young men. So it’s nice to give them both a chance.”

The cast practices for almost three hours Monday through Thursday, and as the show dates get closer, they will begin practicing on the

Page 3

for two hours. Instead of worrying about everything, I have to deal with it all day, every day. Honestly, as a performer, if I can get these people to forget about their lives for two hours, it’s giving by giving.”

Boyce explained that the humor in the show is what stands out to him because “if there’s humor to be found in everyday life, that if we don’t find joy, then what’s the point?”

“I think if you don’t know, the story of C.S. Lewis, and how he originally set out to disprove religion, and through that, he discovered his own faith,” Boyce said. “That to me, is a journey we all take with faith, of how do we end up believing in God? I was telling somebody earlier that one of the show’s characters was an atheist, and it was C.S. Lewis’ friend, Christopher Riley. When they talked about religion, they could talk from the standpoint of knowledge, give their opinions, and never lose the fact that they were best friends. That, to me, says so much about friendship.”

Michael Bridges, playing C.S. Lewis, said it’s been a good challenge to learn his lines. Bridges said that the moment he announced he was auditioning for the show, his friends were ecstatic because they are huge fans of C.S. Lewis. Bridges’ hope is to de-

TCS

From front page

TCS Superintendent Dr. Pattie Neill received excellent reviews and an overall composite score of 98 percent across six critical areas of school district leadership in her annual Superintendent’s Evaluation.

The Board evaluated Neill’s performance across the following six standards: • General responsibilities • Instructional leadership • Personnel administration • Financial management • Chief Executive Officer • School/community relations TCS Board of Educa-

La La is a 4-year-old Dutch Shepard. (Photo by Hannah Curran)

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The Trussville Tribune

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Moody From front page

MMS will install an outdoor PE facility/playground area behind the school, including equipment, fencing, a basketball court, and an ADA-compliant playground for special needs students. In addition, the 15 millage increase allows an outdoor classroom and a STEM lab.

“We have a couple of different projects going on, right behind the main building of the school will be a huge multipurpose field with a track around it, there’ll be a basketball court that’s painted and decorated, just like the kids like it to be, there’ll be an area for physical fitness, and an obstacle course, kind of an area where they can work on their own physical fitness that way,” Causey said. “In the middle of the building, there’ll be a space for outdoor classrooms and places to meet and eat in the shade and shelter from the weather. Then on the opposite side of the building, there’ll be a specialized playground for our special needs group with an ADA compliant playground area with a poured rubber surface and equipment filled specifically for them, a place for them to go where they can get outside and do things.”

Superintendent Mike Howard explained that it is essential for the community to see that Moody is fulfilling the promises made during the campaign.

“By breaking ground today, we’re able to show that we are moving forward with the projects that we have intended to move forward with,” Howard said. “We’re hopeful that some of these projects will be completed for the end of this school year, so the current students will benefit from it.”

Not only do the MMS students get to experience the new playground, but they also

get to be the first group to experience the new MHS, which is expected to be completed in the next two years.

“Moody’s passing ad valorem taxes is a really big deal for the town, and mainly because they’re able to personally invest in the students within their community,” Howard said. “I’m still heartbroken for the other areas that were not able to pass this time. But I know that there’s been a lot of talk about future plans of trying to get on a new ballot. So I have full confidence that we’ll see this continue to grow as St. Clair County moves forward, and I couldn’t be happier for the students.”

Walters explained that he is proud of his community for understanding the importance of the ad valorem and how it benefits the kids in Moody.

“It means a tremendous amount about what they want out of their community,” Walter said. “They know they value education, they know it’s a critical part of small towns and growing towns and what Moody has been and wants to become, and so it’s just awesome to see that they want more, they want their kids to have more, they want them to advance into the world and continue to be better than than the past generation.”

Walters said while the new football field is a part of the ad valorem, the weight room, and the field house facility is Coach Jake Ganus’ vision.

The weight room and the field house will be built through funds that are raised and funds that MHS already has in the school account and booster account.

“The field house and weight room is not a part of the ad valorem increase,” Walers said.

The official groundbreaking for the new MHS will be Friday, April

Clay

• Vehicle registration – $7,794.97 • Contractor bonds – $155,947.16 • Capital fund – $1,712,588.72 • 45 cent gas fund – $187,245.34 • 7 cent gas fund – 37,192.50 • Rebuild Alabama gas fund – $125,081.15 • Rebuilding fund – $10,000 • Pave and Supplement fund – $256,840.98 • Reserve fund – $1,750,000 • BB&T Fund – $67,383.04 • Ballpark Income – $16,945.35 • Ball Park expenses –

$12,235.97 Other Business The council confirmed that the pickle ball courts is set to open in March at the Clay Elementary school.

Clay-Chalkville Middle School will be back in Session on Wednesday, Jan.16 and Clay-Chalkville High School will be back in session

If a train blocked a crossing for two or more continuous hours, it would be deemed “a public nuisance and would levy a civil penalty of $5,000 for each additional hour the train blocks the railroad-highway grade crossing. The civil penalty would be limited to $50,000 per day.”

Garrett explained that the visit from the railroad companies was needed and “a step in the right direction.”

“We indicated to them that what had happened was unacceptable, that many of the problems could be avoided,” Garrett said. “They explained to us what they were doing to try to rectify the situation, and we stressed to them that they need to do better planning. We also indicated we felt like they could do a better job communicating with communities when there have been planned outages or plans problems. They need to communicate that so people know ahead of time what there may be interruptions.”

The railroad companies reiterated the problems with

hiring workers, but the companies explained they are working to change and modify their approach.

“They’re having difficulty hiring workers, although they are doing some things to go out and actively increase workers, they’re also changing some of their operating practices that had previously focused on cutting cost and improving rail efficiency in yields,” Garrett said. “But the problem was that was contributing to part of the problem with the supply chain issues and these labor shortage issues.”

Garrett said that the House of Representatives offered at the state level to try to help the railroad companies find workers.

“We’ll continue to be hopeful to see some improvements,” Garrett said. “I don’t think we’ll see the problems go away overnight, but they certainly should improve. We will continue those efforts to solve the problem.”

The CSX representative told the House members that

From front page

Dixon said balances from the previous year in November showed the city’s income was in “good standing” but now the city’s expenses could take a huge hit by gas prices rising to three dollars.

“We are in fine shape where the budget is concerned but I just want to remind y’all again, don’t be overly excited because you see five and a half million dollars in the bank because it’s going to cost that much to get everything that we have to do,” Dixon said.

The city’s current balances: • General Fund – $1,738,176.33

Railroad From front page

According to Representative Danny Garrett, the bill had caught the attention of three major railroad companies.

“Representatives from Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, and Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), all came to Montgomery, many of them came from out of state, and met with about seven or eight House members to discuss the issues,” Garrett said.

The bill states that it “would provide that, except for trains stopped due to mechanical failure where separation or movement is not possible, and except for trains stopped as required by federal law, any train that has come to a complete stop and is blocking a railroad-highway grade crossing shall be cut, separated, or moved to clear the crossing upon the approach of any authorized emergency vehicle.”

February 2 - 8, 2022

Clay city council, January 25, 2022. (Photo by Faith Callens)

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on Monday, Jan.31.

The council approved Resolution 2022-01 Moratorium on Storage Unit Facilities on the consent agenda.

The resolution was a staff request/ recommendation which delays or stops the building process of any new storage unit facilities within the city limits of Clay because of the difference in ratio: the number of existing storage units to the number of homes in the city limits.

The council said there should be enough storage units that currently exist in the city limits to accommodate the residents of Clay.

The next city council meeting is February 8.

they had the railroad company’s attention and would like to move forward in a positive way.

Railroad companies have a term called “precision railroad,” and Garrett explained that it was a mode of operation.

“It basically has to do with lengthening trains and has to do with how trains are staged and are moved, using less personnel,” Garrett said.

“When things are all aligned, that’s a really good working model, when you don’t have all the tools in the toolbox, things tend to fall apart. So what they’ve done now is to kind of move away from cost-cutting as a focus to customer service as the focus.”

Garret said that he believes that the railroad companies have always been customer-oriented, but this reiterates their focus.

“They basically said, ‘Look, we’re not into the mode of increasing or decreasing costs. We’re now focused on improving customer service,’” Garrett said.

“Of course, part of that has to do with the timing of how they deliver, when they deliver. The issues they talked to us about were specific things they were doing to change their operating practices to modify their operating models.”

The plan moving forward is to continue to have discussions with the railroad companies and have a plan if such blockages were to occur.

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The Trussville Tribune

February 2 - 8, 2022

Page 5

Lass But Not Least: Angels On Bicycles

By Ken Lass

As a child, I was taught that each of us has an angel that has been assigned to watch over and protect us. But we grow up and become cynical adults, and the concept of a guardian angel becomes merely the stuff of childhood fairy tales.

Until you meet yours.

Back in the good old days, when Highway Eleven was actually paved, I was an avid bicycle rider. Biking was more fun than jogging. Jogging is a constant grind. On a bike, at least, there are times you can lean back and coast downhill.

When the weather warms up, the best time to go for a ride is early in the morning, around

sunrise, before the commuter traffic hits the streets.

My favorite route was to head from Trussville, up Highway Eleven northbound toward Argo. About four miles up the road, the landscape breaks into an open field, with a wooded range of hills sprawling behind it. It would take my breath away watching the sun come up over the ridge, its beams reflecting off the morning dew in the field, making the horizon appear as though it is actually glowing. All the while, the cool morning breeze floats across your face as you pedal up the road. It was like riding into the middle of a beautiful oil painting.

I would turn left onto Ad-

Gatekeeper From front page

Celebrating Trussville’s Best.” The event took place at Ferus Artisan Ales in Trussville’s Entertainment District.

Two 2021 Ned & Goldie Paine Memorial Gatekeeper Awards will be presented for outstanding community service, one to an individual and one to a group.

Group winner – Free Lawn Care (FLC) FLC was formed by eight teenage boys in Spring 2020 when Covid-19 had shut down the schools and many of the local businesses. Instead of complaining or playing video games all day, they decided to use their time to help the elderly and disabled with their lawn care needs. Their entire summer was spent cutting grass, trimming shrubs, cutting down bamboo, clearing out underbrush, hauling away debris, and more. If there were elderly residents in the area that needed help, they were always ready and willing to lend a hand. The impact on the community was so great they returned this past summer to volunteer again, and

(Left to Right) 2021 Gatekeeper Award Group Winners - Free Lawn Care: Wes Ellison, Chris Mauldin, Garrett Yokelely, Paul Copus, Jack Sullivan, and Will Edwards. 2020 Gatekeeper Award Group Winners Trussville Public Library.

(Photo by Bobby Mathews)

there are plans for a third year.

“This group has put their hearts and souls into this organization for the past two years,” Rhonda Antkowiak, mother of Matthew Antkowiak, said. “It’s hard to describe the impact these boys have had on the community and even harder to describe the impact the community has had on them.”

In an essay at school, Matthew Antkowiak stated that this Facebook post, “Free lawn care for the elderly and disabled,”

vent Circle, cross over Interstate 59, and pass by a horse farm, which leads to a long remote stretch of road, heavily wooded on both sides. So peaceful. Then a right turn onto Liles Lane, which features an extremely steep hill that can propel you to speeds approaching forty miles per hour. That’s not much when you’re in a car, but I can assure you, it is terrifying on a bicycle. I was on the brakes all the way down. Liles Lane reconnects with Highway Eleven, completing the loop back home. It’s a journey of about fifteen miles.

One early Saturday morning, I headed out to do my usual ride. Rain was in the forecast, and skies were al-

changed his life.

“We called ourselves FLC (Free Lawn Care), and immediately we were in over our heads,” Matthew said. “Within hours of that Facebook post, we had a lot of jobs and an uproar of community support. I was taken by surprise and felt I was playing catch up to my own idea. I was having to teach myself how to run a lawn care business on the fly.”

Matthew stated that he would never have it through that first summer if it weren’t for his crew. He stated he would not trade that summer for anything because he met many amazing people and the impact that lawn care can have on a person is something he will never forget.

“Even on the days when everything went wrong, and there were many, they continued to come back,” Matthew said. “Then I realized they came back every day because they truly believed in what we were doing. They believed in FLC. With Covid 19, politics, and racial issues heating up, it was sometimes hard to see the good in people. But seeing these guys work to the point of

ready starting to cloud up. So I took off around 5 a.m. to try to beat the storm. As luck would have it when I hit the wooded stretch on Advent Circle, the remotest part of the route, I felt the bike vibrating on the road and the pedaling becoming more labored. Any veteran biker knows that feeling. It’s a flat tire. Normally, I carry a spare inner tube in my seat pack, but I had recently used my last one.

At this point, I was about six miles from home, with storm clouds intensifying overhead. I heaved out a big sigh, resigned to the fact I would have to walk my bike all the way home, and if I got caught in the downpour, so be it.

I had walked about a quar-

(Left to Right) 2021 Gatekeeper Award Individual Winner Jeremy Tuggle and 2020 Gatekeeper Award Individual Winner - David Dobbs. (Photo

by Bobby Mathews)

exhaustion every day to help the most vulnerable among us restored my faith in people.”

Individual winner – Jeremy Tuggle Tuggle was nominated by two of his employees at Bryant Bank and is described as an intelligent and kind individual, not to mention a well-deserving candidate for a Gatekeeper award. In addition, the two nominators consider him an understanding and helpful boss and a natural leader who creates order yet cares enough about the members of his work-

ter-mile when I saw….could it be? At 5:30 in the morning?

On this country road? Sure enough. It was a young man riding a bike coming toward me. He was wearing the unmistakable uniform of a veteran cyclist. Tight-fitting body jersey with the brand name Trek in big letters. Trek was the brand endorsed by Lance Armstrong before his fall from grace. My bike was a Trek.

He immediately recognized and understood my situation.

He stopped, pulled out a spare tube, and grabbed my bike to install it within my flat rear tire. I told him he didn’t have to bother, that I could do it myself, that I was just grateful for the spare. It takes me

about half an hour, but I can do it. He laughed and told me he was an expert on flats, and he had the new tube in place in about five minutes. I thanked him profusely, and he rode off saying, “Have a blessed day.”

I pedaled home. I beat the rain by about ten minutes.

I continued to bike that same route for years. I never saw him again, nor had I ever seen him prior to that morning.

Was he my guardian angel?

Some would say it was just a very fortunate coincidence.

Too much of one, if you ask me.

Ken Lass is a former Birmingham TV news and sports anchor and Trussville resident since 1989.

place team to offer patience and encouragement when they need it.

“He enjoys leading people as they work toward a common goal,” Bryant Bank employee, Natalie Spott, said. “That attitude also applies to how he feels about community service.

Though Jeremy has lived and worked in Trussville only since 2015, the mark he has made on the community suggests he’s been around a lot longer than that. During that short time, he has served two terms as Board President of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce; currently serves as Past-President of the Trussville City Schools Foundation; serves as Treasurer of the Trussville Daybreak Rotary Club; was recently ap-

pointed to the Trussville Utilities Board; and coaches youth football and basketball. All that in addition to being a busy father of four, which goes a long way in explaining his easy rapport with the younger generation.”

Another Bryant Bank employee, Deanna Schrecongost, also spoke highly of Tuggle and how he positively impacts the community.

“Jeremy is always proud to be the face of Bryant Bank Trussville, but especially when our local kindergarten classes come to visit, “Schrecongost said. “The children love him.”

Jeremy and his wife, Lauren, have been married for 16 years. They are members of First Baptist Church Trussville.

Award

From front page

“His role has always been in helping others, whether it’s community development, crisis relief from natural disasters, or in the example from the Ministry lead in Atlanta.”

McCarty said that Ennis

starts every conversation with a “yes.”

“Whatever you’re going to ask him, he’s gonna say yes to that,” McCarty said. “He’ll tell you, I may not know how to do it. I may not be able to do it. But the answer is yes. And we’ll find a way together. So he starts every conversation with a yes.”

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The Trussville Tribune

Page 6

February 2 - 8, 2022

Finance

The Impact of Inflation on Consumption 1/20/2022

By David R. Guttery Sponsored Content

Inflation is a multi-faceted and complex conversation, where its underlying determinants are in constant motion.

Today, that motion becomes increasingly clear with each new data release, which highlights the importance of understanding not only what inflation is, but also its impact on the broader economy.

At a high level, lets first observe that gross domestic product is 70% consumption.

Said another way, consumption is simply you and I buying things. These things can be daily routine staples, a new car, or a household appliance, as well as any services and other non-tangible items. Clearly, in order to consume you must have income, or otherwise have the capacity to spend. Fundamentally, inflation erodes that capacity through rising prices that increase faster than your income. As we discuss this, it’s important that we do so in the context of how inflation impacts patterns of consumer behavior. If inflation rises faster than your income, then consumption generally declines.

If consumption is weaker than

expected, then products aren’t being purchased, and if companies aren’t selling more products and services, then revenues are lower than expected.

Ultimately, the markets re-price for the risk that a given stock may be too highly priced for lower-than-expected revenue results. This is why keeping an eye on inflation, as it pertains to consumerism, is very important if you’re an investor.

Presently, inflation has been rising significantly, and 2021 is a clear demonstration of this increase. From December to December, inflation at the producer level was higher by 9.7%.

Prior to that, we saw a reading of 9.8% from November to November. This was a modern era record high for inflation at the wholesale level. The components behind wholesale inflation are many, with factors like supply chain disruption continuing to add to inflationary pressures; That is only part of the equation though, and frankly it’s not the largest culprit in my opinion.

From the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, our M2 money supply has ballooned significantly, which has resulted in a precedent-setting amount of dollars currently in circulation.

This is adding, in my opinion, the greatest upward pressure to the inflation that we can measure at the present time. This is not showing signs of abating, as all 10 of the leading economic indicators continue to reflect higher inflationary pressures. While I can’t guarantee continued inflation, for this reason, I am reasonably sure that subsequent readings on inflation at the producer level over the short term could very well be higher than what we are observing right now. As for what we as consumers will feel, while it is not a perfect translation that which you see at the producer level will ultimately be felt at the consumer level.

From December of 2020 to December of 2021, consumer inflation was higher by 7%.

This was a level of inflation that we have not seen since 1980, and because of what I can see at the producer level, I am reasonably sure that we will

continue to see higher inflation at the consumer level over the short term ahead.

Recent headlines in business media have floated the idea that the average household income was keeping pace with inflation, which is then a healthy sign of a growing economy. 7% inflation at the consumer level would be fine if your wages increased by 8.25% over the same period.

That would have to happen so that after taxes, you are able to just tread water and keep up with the higher cost of living.

For the vast majority of us, that did not happen.

From November to November, across all nonfarm payrolls, wages grew by 4.9% on a gross basis. After tax, let’s assume that you kept 4.3% of that increase. As we have just observed, cost of living has risen by 7%, so if the increase in wages reflects your capacity to spend, then we now have a

negative capacity to consume relative to previous years. It is also worth noting that there is a difference between income and wages. Wages simply reflects what you earned. Income also includes anomalous items like the child tax credit, pandemic unemployment compensation assistance, and other, one-off items that originated from the CARES Act in response to COVID. On January 17th I noticed

the above headline, and within the article we learned that just recently Congress failed to renew the child tax credit.

Starting on January 24th, there are roughly 30 million families who will notice their income declining because of the absence of this anomalous piece of income. Contrary to what the headlines might suggest, for many of us the increase of our wages is of greatest importance, and that is not keeping up with the cost of living.

While consumer inflation has increased by 7% over the last year, that is not a uniform distribution across all economic sectors. Energy is a prime example of the disproportionate impact that inflation can have across daily life, as it included certain economically inelastic things that you absolutely must consume and do so in consistent quantities.

You drive to work, take the kids to school, go to the grocery store, and in doing so consume fuel in many ways. The cost of that fuel is higher by 50% over the previous 12 months.

and also because everything that you purchased the last time you went to the store was not delivered on an electric truck.

Fuel touches every aspect of our lives, and in the case of inelastic commodities such as food and energy, if you are required to spend increasingly greater amounts of money on these things, that leaves you with that much less to spend on discretionary items. As we have just seen, the cost of those discretionary items is rising at a rate faster than your ability to consume them.

None of the aforementioned factors bode well for future patterns of consumption. Since consumption is 70% of Gross Domestic Product, the obvious question is this: To what degree might the market reprice for the risk that revenues will not be high enough to support current valuations?

Because we are still near an all-time record high in the market, I am reasonably certain that point of inflection remains in front of us, which makes it all the more important to en-

This is taking an increasingly greater chunk out of your spendable income for a commodity with which you cannot do without. Furthermore, food prices are sharply higher due to scarcity of materials and labor,

gage with a professional who can help navigate the uncertainty before us.

David Guttery and Brandon Guttery offer products and services using the following business names: Keystone Financial Group – insurance and financial services | Ameritas Investment Company, LLC (AIC), Member FINRA/SIPC – securities and investments | Ameritas Advisory Services (AAS) – investment advisory services.

AIC and AAS are not affiliated with Keystone Financial Group. Information provided is gathered from sources believed to be reliable; however, we cannot guarantee their accuracy.

This information should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Past performance is not an indicator of future results.

The Trussville Tribune

February 2 - 8, 2022

Calendar

Storytime for Growin’ Beans with Ms. Allison: Love February 4 @ 10:00 am 11:00 am Free

(All ages) Join us on February 4th at 10 AM for a moon-themed storytime at the library! We’ll read books & have some fun!

There will be snacks & a craft to take home.

Storytime is designed for pre-K children, but all ages are welcome.

Masks are encouraged inside the library.

Venue Pinson Public Library Valentine’s Heart Garland February 7 @ 9:00 am February 12 @ 2:00 pm Free

(Adults, 18+ only) Make a cute Valentine-themed heart garland!

Register below to pick up all of the supplies needed to create the garland at home.

Registration: https://forms. gle/En2uMkzXf98MuJT79

Venue Pinson Public Library An evening with Patti Callahan Henry February 8 @ 6:30 pm 9:00 pm Free

Join us at the Trussville Public Library on Tuesday, February 8th at 6:30PM for a magical evening with New York Times Bestselling Author and Podcast Host, Patti Callahan Henry! She will discuss her new book, “Once Upon A Wardrobe.” Books will be available for purchase through Alabama Booksmith the night of the event! Registration REQUIRED. You may register through our website at www. trussvillelibrary.com Venue Trussville Public Library Samford Legacy League’s annual Scholarship Luncheon February 10 @ 11:30 am 1:00 pm

Women of Faith Dramatist Allison Allen to Speak at Two Legacy League Events on February 10 On Thursday, February 10, the Legacy League will host Allison Allen, Women of Faith dramatist, Broadway actor, Bible teacher and Christian writ-

er, for two events. At each, she will share a timely, life-shaping message relevant for women of all ages and stages of life. “Allison’s life-giving content…has the power to fill your sails with holy wind and literally change the trajectory of your story,” says bestselling author Lisa Harper. Proceeds from both events will provide life-changing scholarships to students with significant financial need and challenging circumstances.

“Your Story Matters” is the theme of the Legacy League’s annual Scholarship Luncheon to be held at a country club in Vestavia. Premium sponsors are Brookdale University Park and Wells Fargo Advisors.

Doors will open at 10:45 a.m. for Silent Auction for Scholarships, and the program will begin at 11:30 a.m. Reservations (required) are $55, $28 of which is tax-deductible.

That evening, Allison will share a message entitled “Resilient Hope” in a program at 7 p.m. at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church Chapel in Homewood. Reservations (required) are $15; doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from both events will provide life-changing scholarships for students with significant financial need and challenging circumstances.

Since her kindergarten stage debut as a bovine, Allison has relished the power of story, the thrill of walking in the shoes of others, and, most importantly, spot-lighting the Ultimate Storyteller. She graduated from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University then appeared on Broadway in Grease. Later Allison performed her original one-woman pieces for over 200,000 women at Women of Faith conferences. The author of two books, she loves weaving Biblical principles and acting pieces together in unexpected ways as she teaches.

Allison and her husband, a worship pastor, live in Tennessee with their two boys.

The Legacy League, a volunteer organization with nearly 800 members ranging in

Page 7

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The Trussville Tribune

Page 8

O b i t u a ry

Susan Waldrep november

(age 72)

February 2 - 8, 2022

6, 1949 ~ january 24, 2022

Susan "Birdie" Powell Waldrep, age 72, of Trussville, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2022.

She was born in Birmingham on November 6, 1949 to William and Emily Powell, the founders of Fairmont Foundry, Inc. Susan attended Brooke Hill and Banks High School, Class of 1967. At the age of 17, she was swept off her feet and married the love of her life, David Waldrep, on July 3, 1967.

She will be remembered to those closest to her as Mama, Grammy, and Birdie, the retired fairy-godmother. As devoted Christian, avid reader, passionate friend, wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, lifetime Girl Scout, Wayfarer with the Cahaba Council, she embraced life in a creative, whimsical, and magical way.

The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Susan, such as a cigarette in one hand and a Coke in the other, shopping from home, watching old movies, reading her Bible, and "toe planting". She had an uncanny ability to connect with children and animals, and instill in others a passion for learning. Susan derived joy from her relationships with family and friends and was a bright star to many.

If it's possible to capture the essence she effortlessly radiated, her talents include, but never limited to: interior designer, vocalist, painter, floral arranger, artist, poet, thespian, dancer, storyteller, story writer, cook, swimmer, Debutante, spiritual advisor, history scholar, counselor, community volunteer, etc. Yet, her self-proclaimed greatest dream was fulfilled by being a mom to her children. Her limitless imagination was projected in the years she spent directing summer camps for Camp Coleman and Camp Kanawahala. Her laugh was contagious and her Girl Scout day camps, of the 1980s, were legendary. Some of her characters include: Gypsy Sue, Queen Susan, Kassim Susim, Texas Sue, Captain Trueblood.

She is survived by her husband, David, of 54 year; her brother, Donald (Marilyn) Powell; her children: Wendy Olivia (Tony) Anselmo of Trussville, Leigh (Mark) Sales of Coeur d'Alene, ID, Wes Waldrep, Sandy "Sunny" (Ivan) Vitanov of Columbus, GA; grandchildren: Adell (Tanner) McCracken, Samantha, Alex, and Frankie Anselmo, Sydney Sales, Lindsey (Austin) Boschma, Evie, Baron, Maxim and Grant Vitanov; great-granddaughter, Claire McCracken, and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Emily Powell, her brother William "Bill" Powell Jr., her sister, Patricia "Patty" Willett.

Visitation will take place on Monday, January 31st from 2:00-3:00 PM at Jefferson Memorial, with funeral service immediately following.

Jeremy Brian Owen august

22, 1970 ~ january 29, 2022

Jeremy Brian Owen, born August 22, 1970, in Anniston, passed away on Saturday, January 29, 2022.

Jeremy graduated from Hewitt Trussville High School in 1988. He began his work career at SouthTrust Bank, ultimately establishing SouthTrust’s first IT security program. He was the Senior Vice-President of IT Securities for Wells Fargo at the time of his death. He was a friend to many and was always ready with a smile and a laugh. He was a self-taught musician, singing and playing at numerous locations in the area. He and Jen moved to Logan Martin Lake in 2016 and are actively involved in all aspects of “lake life.” Jeremy has made “Best Friends’ from North Carolina to San Fransisco and many points in between. Once you met Jeremy, you could never forget him. He truly loved many people, but he adored his wife Jen, his children, and his family. His family was his first priority in everything he did and said. Jeremy lived a “big life,” and he will be missed greatly by those who loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Jennifer; his children, Cati, Cobi, Julia, Jakob, and Jordan; his parents, John and Cathy Owen; his brothers, Seth Owen, Joel Owen (Sarah); his sister, Anna McLain (Michael); his motherin-law, Deborah Frederick (David); his father-in-law, Richard Johnson (Diane); his nephews, Noah Owen, Oliver Mason Orion McLain, Connor Roberts and his niece, Ophelia Owen.

Visitation will be Friday, February 4, 2022, from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Celebrations, Located at 3005 Martin Street, Pell City, Alabama 35128, followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 7:30 p.m. His friend, Tim Sessoms, will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that, if you feel led, you may make donations at gofundme to assist the family with final expenses.

Wilma Lee Brokaw

26, 1925 ~ january 24, 2022 (age 96) may

Our beloved Wilma Lee Hasty Brokaw peacefully left us on Monday, January 24, 2022, to be with her Lord and Savior and her cherished ‘boys’. Born on May 26, 1925, in Venice, Illinois, she was raised in Saint Louis, Missouri and lived most of her adult life in Birmingham, Alabama. For some family members she was known as ‘Will’ and for many others she was simply known as ‘Honey,’ a fitting title that reflected her ‘sweet’ recognizable nature.

Wilma celebrated 44 years of marriage to her one and only third grade sweetheart, George, Sr., and was blessed with two sons, George, Jr., and Barry. She opened her home to a special first cousin, Debbie, who she loved and raised as her own. Although she did not experience having her own grandchildren, she considered her nieces, nephews, and extended family relatives as if they were. Family and friends were always welcomed in her home and were always encouraged to have something to eat and to ‘spend the night.’

Wilma was a member of the Woodlawn United Methodist Church and never hesitated to share her faith. She believed in prayer and loved the old-time gospel hymns.

While raising her family, she found time to be a member of the Crestwood Garden Club; play many hands of Bridge with special neighborhood friends; serve as her young sons’ Cub Scout Den Mother; plan and host many holiday and Friday night cookouts; always attend her ‘boys’ baseball, football, and basketball games and track meets; dance the night away at weekend dance club ‘lead outs’ including accompanying her adored husband, George, Sr., in attending and hosting many formal ‘Sabado’ events; and, always participating in various craft activities. She loved attending annual family reunions in Alley Springs, Missouri. When someone mentioned wanting to ‘go,’ Wilma rarely had to be asked twice and almost never turned down an invited opportunity. She loved shopping and never bought anything that was not on sale. She loved all spectator sports especially if related to Alabama athletics and professional tennis, basketball, baseball, and hockey.

Working outside the home, Wilma was able to enjoy her love for flowers while working with a local florist. She developed a love for travel by being employed as a Travel Specialist with Carolyn Allison Your Travel Agent and AAA. In 1984, she was recognized as the ‘World’s Greatest Travel Agent’, an award she talked about with pride. After her faith, family, and friends, she loved traveling, particularly cruising. She traveled the world and on one trip to Rome, she had an audience with the Pope. She completed more than seventy-six cruises after her first experience in the 1970s. Her itineraries included trips to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Alaska, South America, and several Transatlantic and Transpacific voyages. She often could be found soaking up the sun or taking a nap on deck and dining at the Captain’s Table as a special guest.

Always ready for a good meal, Wilma’s favorite was hamburgers. Her dad called her ‘Wimpy’ because of her love for them. She was proud of that ‘nickname’ and always said the one she was eating was the ‘best she’d ever had.’ Of course, she would never say no to strawberries or ice cream.

Wilma was loved by everyone she met and never encountered a stranger. She will be deeply missed by all that knew her but comfort is found in knowing she is now with her Lord and re-united with her family.

Wilma was preceded in death by her husband, George William Brokaw, Sr., sons George William Brokaw, Jr., and Barry Alan Brokaw (Tommie), parents Harvey Lee Hasty, Sr., and Sallie Florence Blankenship Hasty, and brother Harvey Lee Hasty, Jr. She is survived by her daughter-in-law Tommie Lacey Lowery Brokaw, first cousin Debbie Blankenship Burgess (Lonnie, deceased), first cousins loved and always considered ‘sisters’ Sherlene Bryant Bryan, and Linda Blankenship Yardley Shaffer, numerous very dear nieces, nephews, and cousins, special friends Barbara and Allen Sale, Cyndi Sale Bass (Johnny Ray), Carol Elam Dillard (Richard), Tim Hendrix (Linda), and a very special caregiver and friend Jacqueline Hines.

Deep appreciation is given to Noah Fitzpatrick, MD; the caregivers and staff of Southview Medical Group, Ascension Saint Vincent’s Hospital Birmingham, Kirkwood By The River, Affinity Hospice; Gwendolyn Starkey, CNP, Aspire Health Care; the First Responders of the Center Point Fire and Rescue District and the Cahaba Valley Fire & Emergency Medical Rescue District; and, Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home and Gardens for their professional care, compassion, and kindness.

A celebration of Wilma’s long, full life will occur at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home and Gardens, 1593 Gadsden Highway, Birmingham, AL 35235, (205) 322-0543, on Saturday, January 29, 2022, with family visitation at 8:30 am, open visitation at 9:00 am followed by the service and interment at 10:00 am. The service will be viewable for non-attendees via Live Steam accessible through the obituary on service@jmgardens.com. Officiating Reverend Doctor Cary Speaker. Service speakers Scott Bryan, Jacqueline Hines, Cyndi Bass. Catering Janice Hines. Face mask and social distancing respectfully requested. In lieu of flowers, donations to your favorite charity are encouraged.

Charles Steven Snodgrass august

30, 1944 ~ january 18, 2022

Charles Steven Snodgrass passed away peacefully on January 18, 2022.

He leaves his wife of 52 years Dorothy Ann and his son, Jay, and Heather Snodgrass. Siblings Gary Snodgrass and Rebecca Snodgrass.

Bobbie Jean Owen april

We wish to thank the kindness and care of Alabama Hospice.

A service will be held later in Point Clear, Alabama.

29, 1946 ~ january 21, 2022 (age 75)

Bobbie Jean Owen, age 75 of Odenville, AL passed away on January 21, 2022. She retired from banking industry after 25 years of service. She is preceded in death by her husband, Carlos Owen, mother, Bonnie Huff and brothers, Jerry and Freddy Huff. She is survived by her daughters, Kim McFall, Gina Williams (Phil) and Dana Banna (Ronnie Popwell); grandchildren, Lauren Gilleland (Alan), Amanda Partacz (Dustin), Kayla Williams, Jordan Banna (Tyler Wilkerson) and Miles Hartley; great grandchildren, Blakely Gilleland and Hoyt Gilleland and two great grandchildren on the way, Ryland Miles Partacz and Parker Kate Wilkerson; brother, Jimmy Huff

Ask Eddie

Jefferson Memorial is a full-service funeral home and perpetual care cemetery dedicated to serving our community with dignity and compassion.

We Make it Personal®, one family at a time.

Robert Chamblee, Sr. may

3, 1936 ~ january 21, 2022 (age 85)

Robert Chamblee Sr. ( Bobby/Mr. Bob) of Locust Fork, Alabama, was born on May 3, 1936 and passed away on January, 21, 2022. He was a faithful follower and servant of Jesus Christ and long time active member of Locust Fork Baptist Church. So kind to everyone he met. He loved and was loved by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents, LeRoy and Edith B. Chamblee; his daughter, Pamela J Chamblee; his brothers, Lawrence, LeRoy, James, Hubert and Charles Chamblee; his sisters, Ruby Nell Chamblee, Bonnie Woodall, Frances Wells and Grace Lee. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Patricia Chamblee; his sons, Robert Chamblee Jr. (Sherry), Kenneth (Anna), and Stephen Chamblee; his daughters, Terry C. Rush (Greg), and Stephanie Chamblee; his brother, Frank Chamblee; his sister, Mamie Jo Amberson (Jack); 10 Grandchildren; 11 Great Grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, close family members and friends, all who loved and will miss him dearly! Funeral Service will be held on Thursday 1/27/22 at 12:00PM at Locust Fork Baptist Church, with a visitation beginning one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Trussville.

Murl Keith Davidson

Eddie Seal, General Manager

february

Mend a Broken Heart Month

February can be a trying time for those who have experienced a loss. And while for most February has other more symbolic meanings, it is also Mend a Broken Heart Month. In the spirit of mending broken hearts, here are a few ways to cope with the grief of a lost loved one.

For those who have experienced a recent loss, the prospect of going out and dating again can seem scary and even disrespectful to their lost partner.

There are plenty of dating groups both community and online that specialize in helping widows and widowers find love again after a loss. These groups often provide both emotional support and physical activities to encourage those who are bereaved to mingle and grow together past their grief.

If your grief is still too recent, there are projects that can help ease the pain of loss. If your lost beloved had a favorite shirt or sweater that you don’t mind parting with: try adding some pillow filler to the garment and sew up the sleeves and the neck. The completed pillow can now provide some comfort, as if your lost loved has never truly left.

If there was a cause that you and your lost loved supported together: try donating your time or energy to the same cause in their honor their legacy. If there was not a cause that you and your loved one shared, there are plenty of other causes that are doing great work during the month of February. February is Women’s Heart Health month and Mend a Broken Heart month. Those causes can be supported by donating blankets to those in need, winter coats to the homeless or donating time to visit the lonely in hospice care centers or local nursing homes and hospitals.

This February, take some time to try and mend a broken heart: be it yours or someone else’s. Know that you are not alone and that things will improve.

Jefferson Memorial FUNERAL HOME AND GARDENS

205-322-0543

1591 Gadsden Hwy

Birmingham, AL 35235

If you have any questions about funeral planning please email: askeddie@jmgardens.com

www.jmgardens.com

JeffMem.AskEddie’20 5.3”x10”

8, 1943 ~ january 21, 2022 (age 78)

Murl Keith Davidson, 78, of Pinson passed away January 21, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, Murl and Daisy Davidson, and wife Helen Davidson. He was a 1961 graduate of Hewitt Trussville High School and received his degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After serving in the United States Army as an aircraft mechanic, he had a long career as a draftsman and technical designer for many industrial firms in the Birmingham area. He was an automotive enthusiast who prized his 1936 Plymouth, and was a railroad aficionado to the end. He is survived by his daughter Sheryl Davidson (Lori), son Nathan Davidson (Tiffany), brother Stephen Davidson (Anne), granddaughters Taylor Wasmer and Eva Davidson, and a plethora of nieces, nephews, close family members, and friends, all of whom he loved dearly. Visitation will be on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 from 11 AM to 12 PM at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home. Services will follow at 12:00 PM in the chapel. Interment to follow at Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Face mask and social distancing respectfully requested. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, PO Box 727, Calera, AL 35040.

Richard Milo Washington, Jr. december

(age 81)

26, 1940 ~ january 21, 2022

Richard Milo Washington age 81 of Remlap passed away on January 21, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents Milo and Dorothy Grider Washington. He is survived by his wife,Joan Washington; three sons, Ricky (Julie) of Pinson, David of Fort Morgan, Danny (Tina) of Remlap and one daughter Leigh Karagas ( John) of Birmingham; one brother Gary (Betty) of Birmingham; one sister Linda Redd of Birmingham. He is also survived by fourteen grandchildren; Alexandria, Mac,Stephanie,Gary,Victoria,Toby,Olivia, John, Hannah,Laura,Danielle, Cody,Rebecca,Haley; five great grandchildren Carly,Becca,Makenzy, Sam and Ben. Richard was a lifelong lover of nature and the outdoors. He was a member of the National Speleological Society and the Alabama Paleontological Society. Many of his fossils finds are on display at the McWane Science Center and at the University of Alabama.Richard was also a super fan of Alabama football and an occasional golfer.

A family graveside service will be held on Wednesday,January 26th,2022.

Donations can be made in his memory to Alabama’s Natural History Museum.

Donald Gene Cochran

October 31, 1937 ~ January 27, 2022 (84) Donald Gene Cochran Sr., 84, of Pinson, went to be with Jesus surrounded by his family on January 27, 2022. Don was born in Rome, GA, on October 31, 1937, to Clarence and Esther Cochran.

He was a graduate of Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, where he and his teammates won several state football championships. Don received a football scholarship to the University of Alabama in 1956, where he played his first two years under Coach J.B. Whitworth and his last two years under Coach Paul Bryant. Don received All-SEC and All-American honors for his play under Coach Bryant and was the Most Outstanding Player on Coach Bryant’s first teams. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1960 but chose to be an assistant coach under Coach Bryant in 1960 and 1961 as a part of the National Championship Team.

Don had a lot of respect and admiration for Coach Bryant, as Coach Bryant did for him.

Following his playing and coaching days at the University of Alabama, Don also coached at George Washington University and Oklahoma State University.

Don had a successful home building and remodeling business for many years, which he had an excellent reputation with numerous repeat customers, who became his friends.

Don enjoyed bass fishing and hunting, in which he spent many hours teaching his son, grandsons, and other family members and friends to enjoy as well.

Don is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 64 years, Sondra Cochran; son, Donald Cochran, Jr. (Tammy); daughter, Dana LeMaster (Spike); brothers, Coleman Cochran Jr. (Judy), and Phil Cochran (Cynthia); grandchildren, David Fallin (Janie); Faith Lang (Adam); Brooke Richardson (Paul); John Sharbutt (Brittany); Bethany McCandless (Gavin); Jordan Sharbutt; Bailey Whitfield (Austin); Jenna LeMaster; 12 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews close family members and friends, all who loved and will miss him dearly.

Don was a member of First Baptist Church of Trussville and was in the Phil Foster Sunday school class.

Visitation will be Friday, February 4, 2022, at Deerfoot Memorial Funeral Home in Trussville, AL, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m., with service to follow. Burial will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Trussville, concluding the service.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association – Alabama Chapter.

William E. Bright, Jr. Attorney at Law

205-655-9284

Page 9

sports Hewitt-Trussville vs. ClayChalkville. Prep basketball Friday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Leeds vs. Springville Prep basketball Friday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.

The Trussville Tribune February 2 - 8, 2022

AHSAA Indoor Track State championships Saturday, Feb. 5, 3 p.m.

For Burt, competitive fire brings accolades, championships

By Bobby Mathews Sports Editor

TRUSSVILLE — Hewitt-Trussville softball coach Taylor Burt was apologetic when she called a little after 8 p.m. for an interview that had originally been scheduled for early in the afternoon. With softball season ramping up — the Huskies play February 17 at Wetumpka — the days are long. She’d been on the field with the team or working individually with players since around 1 p.m., and wasn’t able to call until she’d finally finished up.

That’s Burt in a nutshell,

Hewitt-Trussville’s Taylor Burt has won two state championships in softball and another in flag football since signing on to lead the Huskies in 2017. (File photo)

though, that kind of work ethic that earned her the National High School Coaches Association Softball Coach of the Year award. It’s one of the reasons she’s led Hewitt-Trussville to consecutive state championships in softball, as well as co-coaching the Huskies to the state’s first-ever flag football title.

It’s why she’s the reigning AHSAA 7A Softball Coach of the Year.

Coaching is, quite literally, in Burt’s blood. Her mother has coached cheerleading for “27 or 28 years,” See BURT, Page 12

Ties to Pinson Valley remain for new Miles College coach Shade

By Bobby Mathews Sports Editor

FAIRFIELD — New Miles College head coach Sam Shade won’t be a stranger at Pinson Valley. That’s because his son, Jacoby, will return for his senior year as the strong safety for an Indians team that finished 9-4 and made the quarterfinals of the 6A playoffs.

Shade, introduced Friday, January 28, 2022 as the new head coach for the Golden Bears, said that Jacoby’s desire to return to Pinson Valley to finish his high school career was indicative of the quality of education and teammates in Pinson.

“He wants to stay at Pinson Valley, and that’s fine by us,” Shade said. “That’s a tribute to

the players that are there, great group of kids in Pinson. And also it’s a tribute to the school.

It’s not just about the football, but it’s also about the school.

For him to say ‘Dad, I want to stay at Pinson,’ I thought that was pretty special.”

Shade left his former players with some words of wisdom after he decided to take the Miles College opening.

“We always talk to the kids about life lessons that they get out of the game of football,” Shade said. “I talked to them about change. In life, things are going to change. At some point, you’re going to go get a job. Your supervisor’s going to change, your boss is going to change. You’ve got to learn to handle change, and that’s one of the messages I left

those guys with. Just wished those guys well and told them that they’ve got a shot to really be successful.”

One of Shade’s strengths as a coach has long been to foster strong relationships with his players. It’s a skill he plans to continue using at Miles College.

See SHADE, Page 12

Pinson Valley beats up Parker to wrap up regular season From The Tribune staff reports

PINSON The No. 4 ranked team in 6A whipped up on Parker on Friday, January 28, winning 59-24, finishing their regular season with a 21-7 (60) record.

Caleb White led all scorers with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists, going 2-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Cameron White added 14 points, a pair of assists and two steals. He went 4-for-9 from three-point range. Ray McCants poured in 10, going 3-for-5 on three-point attempts.

HewittTrussville Middle School wins Metro championship From The Tribune staff reports

Another banner is going up at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School! The HTMS Wrestling team won the Metro South Wrestling Championship in Hoover Saturday. The Huskies finished with 188 team points.

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Page 10

February 2 - 8, 2022

Leeds falters in 4th quarter vs. Ramsay

By Bobby Mathews Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM – In the end, Ramsay harried and harassed a talented Leeds team until it could take no more, turning the tide of a Green Wave squad that led at halftime and at the end of the third quarter.

Of course, the only score that really matters is the final one, and the Rams beat Leeds for the second time this season, this time to secure the 5A Area 10 regular season championship, 59-52.

"We're not as mentally tough as I thought we were," Leeds head coach Jeremiah Millington said after the loss.

"Their pressure for the full game, it wears on you. But we need guys who want to be in those situations. I don't think we had guys who wanted to be in those situations. I think we had guys who wanted to get the ball out of their hands and have someone else do the job for them, and we ain't gonna be able to beat a team like (Ramsay) if we don't have guys step up and make plays down the stretch like we

Leeds coach Jeremiah Millington talks to his team during a timeout in the Leeds-Ramsay game from January 28, 2022.

(Photo by Bobby Mathews)

Leeds drops to 15-7 on the year, while Ramsay improves to 16-9.

The Green Wave's inability to handle Ramsay's press made a real difference down the stretch, as the Rams challenged every pass and created havoc as Leeds tried to bring the ball up the court.

The Green Wave turned the ball over on their side of half court on multiple occasions – errors that are fatal against a team like Ramsay.

need them to."

Jamal Jordan led the Green Wave with 17 points, while Tanner Chambers added 15 and Mekhi Jones had 10.

Jordan helped bring Leeds back from a 7-point deficit late in the first half, first hitting a soft jumper from about 10 feet out and then scoring on a layup to cut the Rams' lead to 26-25. At the same time, the Green Wave defense clamped down and forced five

straight turnovers. Jordan was then fouled on a three-point shot. The senior hit all three free throws to give Leeds a 28-26 lead with 1:21 left in the second quarter.

Senior point guard Josh Ruff was fouled bringing the ball up the court, and hit both ends of a 1-1 for a 30-26 advantage, but the Rams' shooting guard Brandon Nixon proved that no lead was safe, lacing a three-pointer to bring the score to 30-29, Leeds.

Chambers hit one of two free throws as the half ended to make it 31-29, Leeds In the third quarter, Leeds tried to pull away, pushing to a 37-30 advantage after Jones hit a three-pointer from in front of Ramsay's pep band.

The Rams battled back behind Kerrington Keil, who had 8 points in the quarter, including a short jumper inside to tie it at 40 with 57.1 seconds left. Jones stepped up with another three-ball, this time from in front of the Leeds bench, to make it 4340 in favor of the Green Wave going into the fourth quarter.

But Leeds couldn't maintain its advantage as the Rams' salty defense began to finally work its will. Jacquille Malone gave Ramsay the lead early in the fourth on a layup, then Jalen Jones hit a three for the home team.

Malone got another easy layup, and that was enough for a seven-point swing and a 49-43 Rams lead.

"I always see it when we're not physical," Millington said. "I think there were a lot of moments when we could have been a little bit tougher, a little more physical, and we weren't."

Ramsay never trailed for the remainder of the game, securing the 59-52 victory to host the 5A Area 10 tournament.

Hewitt-Trussville's bowling team beat Spain Park 4-3 on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 to open the season. The Huskies fell to the Jags in the semifinals of the state championship bowling tournament on Friday, January 28, 2022. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

Hewitt-Trussville falls to eventual state champ Spain Park From the AHSAA

GADSDEN – No. 7 seed Hewitt-Trussville beat remarkable odds to advance to the semifinals The Huskies defeated defending state champion Sparkman 4-3 despite trailing in by 157 total pins. The Senators totaled a first-round high of 1,380 pints with a 221 in the third game, 203 in the fourth game and 244 in sixth game.

The decisive factor came in the fourth and seven games, however, when the Huskies won by eight and two pins.

But when the dust settled following the semifinals Friday, the championship came down to a City of Hoover finale with Hoover and Spain Park.

Hoover High School’s top-seeded boys’ bowling team came close to perfection Friday afternoon in game three of the AHSAA Class 6A/7A State Bowling Championships with its five bowlers knocking down 10 strikes in a row to finish with a 288-203 victory over city rival Spain Park to

take a 2-1 lead the finals at The Alley Bowling Center.

Bucs bowlers A.J. Nelson, Connor Davis, Rhett Pearson, Carter Hughes and Alex Lee combined for two strikes each but the bid for the AHSAA’s first perfect 300 game as a team came up short when Hoover, coached by Dustin Edgar, left two pins standing on the 11th roll to finish with a state-record 288-203 victory.

The historic game didn’t faze the Jaguars of Coach Stephen Hobbs, however. Spain Park’s strong lineup of Russell Partin, Lucas Mitchell, Cole Henson, Ethan Lee and Michael Kimble responded with nine strikes to win the next game 279-188 to tie the contest at 2-2 and closed out the comeback taking game five 246-191 and game six 201143 to claim the 6A/7A boys’ state championship 4-2. It was the Jags’ third state title over and the first since winning back to back 2016 and 2017 in the first two years the AHSAA offered bowling as a champi-

onship sport.

Sparkman’s girls, coached

by Lisa Ivey, rolled to their second straight Class 6A/7A state championship besting Stanhope Elmore 4-0 in the finals. It was the Lady Senators’ third state crown overall winning the title in 2016 and 2021.

The strong lineup anchored by Emily Lindsey, Jenna Webber, Angela Webber, Natalie Alsup and Kaity Alexander outscored the Mustangs 758-642 in the finals with rounds of 209, 201, 183 and 165 in the final match.

Sparkman also had little trouble beating Gulf Shores 4-0 and Southside-Gadsden 4-1 in the first two rounds.

Stanhope Elmore edged Vestavia Hills in its quarterfinal battle 4-3 but finish 100 pins behind the Lady Rebels, 1,092 to 992. The Mustangs of Coach Bridget Wilson, anchored by Allysa Ward and Samantha Wilson, sealed the win with a 183-181 thriller in game seven to advance to the semifinals and then beat Spain Park’s girls 4-1.

The Trussville Tribune

February 2 - 8, 2022

Page 11

Springville & Moody boys, girls honored with all-tournament selections

Members of the St. Clair County All-County football team recognized on Saturday, January 29, 2022. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

St. Clair All-County coach of year, football, volleyball and cheer teams recognized

By Bobby Mathews Sports Editor

SPRINGVILLE — Former Moody High School football coach Adam Wallace was recognized as the St. Clair County Coach of the Year during the county-wide basketball tournament finals on Saturday, January 29, 2022.

football team, as honored on Saturday: Springville: Noel Cox, Jacob Neil, Jamel Williams, Johnny Wolf.

Moody: Kolby Seymour, Mason Myers, A.J. Madison, Davion Dozier, Logan Suggs.

St. Clair: Garrett Whitehead, Chris Hardin Ragland: Ethan Courtney, Owen Schall, Kentrell

2021 coach of the year.

Members of the All County volleyball team follow: Springville: Brooke Walker, Morgan Baswell, Kira Young, Kloey Daniel Moody: Tarryn Woodall Ashville: Sera Beth Potter, Whitney Goodwin Ragland: Sammie Day Jones, Cadence Buchanan, Rylee Mickler, Kloey Poe

Members of the St. Clair County All-County volleyball team recognized on Saturday, January 29, 2022. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

Wallace, who was relieved of his coaching duties in November, is still currently a member of the faculty at Moody. He led the Blue Devils to a 6-4 record in 2021, narrowly missing the playoffs.

In addition, Wallace's son, A.J. Wallace, was recognized as the St. Clair County offensive MVP, while Blue Devils linebacker Matthew McDonald earned defensive co-MVP honors alongside Springville's Cody Abts.

The St. Clair All-County

Turner, Javaris Turner, Jordan Turner Ashville: Dylan Harris, Cole Hyatt, Chandler McGinnis, Ashton Mostella, Jalen Williams Also recognized on Saturday was the All-County volleyball team as well as the county volleyball coach of the year. Springville's Sandlin Short shared the most outstanding offensive player award with Campbell Grace Adams of Ragland.

The Purple Devils' Brooke Ford was recognized as the

St. Clair: Bethan Shelton Also honored on Saturday was the all-county cheer squad. Moody's Jaylon Smith was selected as the 2021-22 St. Clair County Cheer Captain.

Other members of the all-county cheer squad follow: Moody: Sydnie Lunsford Springville: Kali Nolin, Bre Miller, Sara Byrd, Brooke Cross, Emma Howard, Malorie Martinez St. Clair: Savannah Kelley, Macey Messick, Brynn Wilson

The St. Clair County basketball tournament All-Tournament team. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

By Bobby Mathews Sports Editor

SPRINGVILLE — It was a clean sweep for Springville as the tournament hosts won every level of the St. Clair County Tournament over the weekend. The Tigers scored double-digit victories the for varsity boys, varsity girls and JV boys divisions.

The Tigers placed three players on the All-Tournament team, as did runner-up Moody.

All-Tournament selections for the boys: Cason Kersh (Springville), Garrett Howard (Springville), Gavin Gooch (Springville), Kolby Seymour (Moody), Davion Dozier (Moody), Mason Trimm (Moody), Garrett Whitehead (St. Clair County), Jonah Carden (Ashville), Ashton Vann (Ashville), Shepard Sargent (Victory Christian), Jordan Turner (Ragland) and Kentrell Turner (Ragland).

The tournament MVP was Springville senior Derek Moore.

For the girls’ All-Tournament selections, three Springville players were

The St. Clair County girls' basketball tournament AllTournament team. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

honored as well as two from Moody.

For Springville: Makalyn Kyser, Farrah Hawkins and Bella Bullington; for Moody: Tori Pyles and Destany Chattman; for Ragland: Sammie Day Jones, Cadence Buchanan and Aubrey Ball; For St. Clair County: Jaden Thomas and Jaylay Whitsey; for Victory Christian: Haley Hendrix; and for Ashville Sera Beth Potter.

The girls’ tournament MVP was Springville senior

guard Abbie Talton.

For the JV tournament, three Springville and three Moody players led the way on the All-Tournament team.

For Springville: Jake Isbell, Brodie Frederick and Ben Wood; For Moody: Blaine Burke, Aiden Johnson and Chase Jackson; for St. Clair County: Caden Ray and Joseph Coker; for Ragland: Tacorion Soles, Braydan Collins and Ryan Harris.

Springville’s Jake Conner was the JV tournament MVP.

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The Trussville Tribune

Page 12

February 2 - 8, 2022

Clean sweep: Springville boys, girls win county tournaments

things started for the Tigers, Bullington went to work inside, staking Springville to a 4-0 lead.

Ragland would not go quietly, however, as Aubrey Ball dropped a pair of three-point shots to put the Purple Devils up 6-4. A quick layup by Campbell Adams stretched Ragland's lead to 4. That's when Kyser went to work on the low blocks, drawing a foul and hitting a pair of free throws. Farrah Hawkins got

the bucket and a foul on a fast break, converting the free throw to give Springville the lead back.

"I knew going into the season with how tough our schedule was, I knew this was probably where we were going to be," said Springville head coach Warren House.

"Tonight (Bullington) did a really good job. She's had a couple of games where she wasn't finishing like that, but tonight really got in there and got some points and got some boards for us."

The Tigers began to pull away in the closing seconds of the first period when Talton stroked a three and then found Bullington on a lead pass for a score right before the buzzer to make it 14-10, Springville.

From there, it was all Tigers, as Springville scored on three straight possessions to open the second period, building a lead they would not surrender.

Bullington led all scorers with 15, while Kyser had 14. Talton and Hawkins each scored 8 for the Tigers.

Now, more than a decade into her career, Burt says she’s changed and grown as a coach, and credits that personal growth with much of the success she’s seen as the skipper for Hewitt-Trussville.

“It took learning about people,” she said. “When I first started, I thought the tougher I could be, the better.

Now I try to provide a little more grace for the players, I think.”

That’s not to say that Burt isn’t demanding. She is. She knows what it takes to win, and the level of talent and dedication in her team shows what’s expected when those girls put on a Hewitt-Trussville uniform. Away from the field, Burt is pleasant, kind, low-key hilarious if you talk to her for long enough, with the delicately dangerous sense of humor that a lot of former athletes possess. But on the field, she’s all business.

It’s like a switch has flipped, and now she’s all intensity and concentration.

“I think that’s just the competitiveness in me,” Burt said. “I want to compete at everything I do. I thrive with it. The second we step out there onto the field, it’s go time, and I want us all to have that go-getter mentality.”

That go-getter mentality has made some fantastic memories for Hewitt-Trussville’s softball program, like Hannah Borden’s walk-off homer in the 2019 state quarterfinals against Baker.

“That first championship in 2019, we weren’t favored to win that one,” Burt said.

The Huskies were down 11-9 in the final inning of a game that had been delayed

for about four hours due to inclement weather. With two outs and no one on base, the bottom half of the lineup came alive for the Huskies.

After one Hewitt-Trussville player reached base, Abigail Dorsett hit a grounder to second base. It should have been an easy out for Baker.

It should have eliminated the Huskies.

Instead, the first basewoman couldn’t find the bag.

“She was probably three or four inches off the base, and on video you can see her trying to find the bag,” Burt said. “The umpire was right there.”

By the time she did find the base, Dorsett had reached safely. That brought up Hannah Borden. The 5-10 senior — now playing at Southern Miss — could bomb it from the plate, but she’d been walked “50-something” times that season because of how dangerous she was, Burt said.

With Burt watching from the third-base coach’s box, Borden smashed two long fly balls over her coach’s head.

They were just foul. The Baker pitcher went outside on the next pitch, and Borden went with her. The ball flew over the right-field wall, and Hewitt-Trussville had the win and a ticket to the semifinals.

“We stayed up until 3 a.m. washing uniforms, because the girls said they weren’t going to wear any other uniform the next day,” Burt said.

Who can blame them?

That 2019 team felt like a team of destiny after that, mowing through Auburn in the semis and taking down Sparkman in the finals to claim the state championship.

By Bobby Mathews Sports Editor

SPRINGVILLE — Tigers – both boys and girls – have been named The Tribune’s Argo Hardware Team of the Week after winning the St. Clair County basketball tournaments.

Boys: Springville 60, Moody 39 The Tigers have played Moody four times this season, and Saturday they made it a clean sweep, going 4-0 against their county rivals and claiming the St. Clair County Tournament championship with a 60-39 victory.

The first period was a backand-forth affair as Carson Dillashaw stepped outside the arc and dropped a three-ball to give the Blue Devils (16-10) a 7-5 lead. But Derek Moore and Gavin Gooch scored twice in a row for the Tigers (18-4) to retake the lead before Davion Dozier tied it up on a drive into the lane.

The Tigers ran out to a 2112 lead in the second quarter before Mason Myers went to the basket from the low blocks, scoring and drawing a foul.

"You've seen us play a lot. We don't normally press the whole game like that,"

Shade From page 9

“In sports, I’m a big believer in the relationships you establish,” Shade said.

“It’s not only the relationship you establish with the student-athlete, but with their parents and support system.”

Shade is a former assistant football coach for the Cleveland Browns, Georgia State University, and Samford University. Shade recently

Moody's Mason Myers fouls Springville's Derek Moore during the Tigers' St. Clair County Tournament victory on Saturday, January 29, 2022. (Photo by Josie Howell, The St. Clair Times)

said Tigers head coach Jeremy Monceaux during an interview following the game.

"But this was the fourth time we've played them. I have a bunch of respect for their team, and I think we needed to do something to be the more energetic, aggressive team. The kids went hard and it worked to our advantage."

On their next three possessions, Springville went to senior Derek Moore, who scored each time he touched the ball. Moore had six in the quarter, and finished the game with 20 points, earning tournament MVP honors. At halftime, Springville led 32-19.

served as head football coach and athletic director for Pinson Valley High School.

Taking the Golden Bears’ head coaching position is something of a true homecoming for Shade, who was born at Lloyd Nolan Hospital in Fairfield.

During his coaching career, Shade has led the Pinson Valley Indians to a 2020 6A State Championship and was a 2021 6A playoff quarterfinalist. He has a 21-6

"They did a really good job with a kind of run-andjump press on us and we didn't pass it or shoot it well enough," said Moody head coach Chad Bates. "They rotated really well, and they took it to us. We couldn't stop Derek Moore on the inside, and they were making shots on the outside, and we weren't. That made it extremely difficult."

Moore led all scorers with 20, while Gooch added 11 and Cowan scored 7 for the Tigers.

Girls: Springville 57, Ragland 36 Bella Bullington and Makalyn Kyser combined for

record as the Indians’ head coach. Shade is a native of Birmingham, a former football standout at Wenonah High School, The University of Alabama — where he won a national championship under the leadership of Coach Gene Stallings — and a former NFL player. He has coached as an assistant at the professional and collegiate level. Miles College is his first collegiate head coaching job.

Team of the Week

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Springville’s Abbie Talton brings the ball upcourt against Ragland’s Aubrey Ball. (Photo by Josie Howell, The St. Clair Times)

29 points as the Tigers (1010) handed Ragland (20-3) only its third loss of the year, winning the St. Clair County Tournament here on Saturday, January 29, 2022 by a final of 57-36.

As the teams traded scores in the first quarter, it became apparent that Ragland would have trouble with Springville's pressing attack, which caused multiple turnovers. After senior guard Abbie Talton scored to get

Burt

From page 9

Burt said, and her father coached basketball and softball. And in her own coaching career — 11 years now, with stops at Fort Payne and North Jackson — she’s learned a thing or two about how to put together a successful program. One of the things she does, almost always, is credit others with her level of success.

When presented with the NHSCA coach of the year award, Burt was quick to point to her players and assistants.

“I have a lot of support and people around us,” she said at the time. “We have an incredible coaching staff that works hard even though we carry some crazy hours and do some crazy things. They are 110 percent behind our girls, and our girls work hard, so I can take zero credit for this.”

On the phone, she says something similar: “I think I do a good job of surrounding myself with people whose strengths are my weaknesses.”

That’s not false humility.

Softball is a team sport, after all, with every player knowing their role and embracing it. Burt knows that. So even when she’s asked what makes her a good coach, Burt said she thinks it’s not what she does on the field that sets her apart.

“I think the thing I try to do is create relationships over results,” she said. “I’m not always great at it, but I try to love the kids as a person first, and as a player second.”

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