City Council hears proposal for gaming in Center Point, addresses continuing Upland Apartment concerns
Leeds councilman confronts mayor over city employee
See LEEDS, Page 5
Grants Mill Road property for a new public library, approves due diligence plan on future police headquarters
ByLoyd McIntosh For The Tribune
-–The Irondale City Council pushed
By Terry Schrimscher For the Tribune
CLAY – Students from Clay-Chalkville High School took home the trophy for the second consecutive year at the Magic City Dance Off on Feb. 14, 2023. The dance competition is held annually for exceptional education students in Jefferson County Schools.
“The Magic City Dance Off has been held for the past 10 years as a way for students with special needs to work with typical peers to create dance performances,” said Wanda Westbrook. “Acts are judged on the evidence of practice, the participation of all students with disabilities, and coordination with nondisabled students.”
Westbrook, who serves as adapted PE coordinator for Jefferson County schools, helps organize the event each year. This year’s competition was held at Pinson Valley High School. Nine schools participated in the dance
CCHS won first place in the Magic City Dance Off. The Magic City Dance Off is a dance competition for exceptional education students in Jefferson County Schools. (Photo courtesy of Julie Crouch)
competition and 12 schools attended.
“It’s one of the things they (students) look forward to each year,” said Dr. Orletta Rush. She said activities like the dance contest and proms are empowering for special needs students who may not feel as connected to other events. “This is an opportunity just for them.”
Rush serves as Deputy Superintendent for Jefferson County Schools and also serves as a member of the city council in Clay.
Clay-Chalkville High School teachers Julie Crouch and Chelsea Holmes worked with the winning team. Teachers from Gardendale and Mortimer Jordan high schools prepared food for the
participants with chicken donated from Tyson and chips from Golden Flake.
“Teachers are often amazed at the enthusiasm from students as they learn a dance,” Westbrook said. “It is not unusual for quiet students to excel during the performances.”
Tribune
LEEDS – Career Day
at Leeds High School was in its first year since before the COVID pandemic when it took place on Thursday, Feb. 23 and hosted 42 vendors there to give students an idea on what their career path might be when they graduate.
Career Coach Catrice Thomas has been at Leeds High School for around 10 years now and is in the 18th year of her working in education, having taught business and computer science before coming to the high school.
“And then I transitioned to this position, which the official title is ‘career coach’ but I kind of call it like a ‘next steps position,’” she said. “So I work with students on whatever their next step is going to be, whether it’s working with finding a job, a part-time job in high school or scheduling classes that they want to take, getting prepared for college or anything after graduation
and kind of everything in between.”
She said that her role is working with career technical education and counseling, a “hybrid” position, she calls it, in order to assist students with gaining success after graduating from high school.
Career Day is one of those ways that she helps students.
It’s a day where professionals will set up in the gym of the high school and students are
invited to speak with them and see demonstrations. It’s not an event for recruitment but the young people will have the opportunity to possibly apply for these positions after they’ve met with the representatives.
“It’s a day for students to be able to ask, hey, what do you do? What was your path? What do I have to major in if I have to go to college or whatever other educational back-
ground,” Thomas said. “We just wanted the opportunity to have students see different careers that were available.”
This year was different from the one in previous times before COVID when several professionals would be invited and they would go from classroom to classroom to talk about their careers.
“We wanted to do something a little bit different this year in which we didn’t want to limit the students to just three,” Thomas said. “And so we wanted to have kind of like an open fair so students can go from table to table and they’ll have the opportunity to meet more people in different fields because if you want to go and talk to the lawyer, well a hundred other people wanted to the lawyer and you may not have gotten in that section. But now it’s open, our seniors and our juniors get an hour, our sophomores and freshmen get 45 minutes to come and walk through.
See CAREER, Page 3
Point Councilman Williams
Center
For The Tribune CENTER POINT — Center Point Place 2 Councilman Glenn Williams is hosting a community meeting this Saturday at the Center Point Community Center.See COMMUNITY, Page 5
Terry Schrimscher For the Tribune ARGO – The City of Argo will soon have a system in place when faced with plans for future growth. The Argo City Council passed an ordinance at the Feb. 27 meeting
CHETS MOVING SERVICE (205) 854-4336 Serving the community over 25 years! Fishing National Championship Page 12 Arbor Week Page 2 MARTY’S TRUSSVILLE • NOW OPEN • 75 64 24% 72 64 76% 70 48 75% 64 43 5% 65 42 4% 70 51 7% 74 55 24%
The Trussville Tree Commission wrapped up its Arbor Week celebrations with a tree giveaway and face painting Saturday morning, Feb. 25, 2023.
According to Jean Cox, VP of Friends of Pinchgut Creek, 150 families picked up trees (60 x 3 gal potted trees)
and over 300 bare root trees were given away.
“Because of the huge turnout, trees were all given away by 10:30!” Cox said.
Girl Scout Troop 30679 planted a Kousa Dogwood next to Heritage Hall. Other Arbor Week events in Trussville included a presentation from
From front page announced U.S. Attorney Prim
F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles.
A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment Thursday against John Alan Robson, 40, of Trussville, on charges of health care fraud conspiracy, kickback conspiracy, and kickbacks.
According to the indictment, Robson was a sales rep who marketed to doctors’ offices various health care products and services, including prescription drugs from specialty pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME), and electro-diagnostic testing. Robson was paid fees for the prescriptions, DME, and tests he generated from doctors.
From at least 2014 through 2018, Robson allegedly conspired with others to pay and receive kickbacks to induce medical providers to issue medically unnecessary prescriptions and order medically unnecessary goods and services, which were then billed to Medicare and other health insurers.
One of those services was electro-diagnostic testing provided by a Huntsville-based electro-diagnostic testing company called QBR, or Diagnostic Referral Community. Robson received per-patient payments from QBR for inducing medical providers to order tests from QBR.
According to the indictment, medical providers received payments from QBR too; the payments were disguised as hourly payments for the ordering physician’s time and staff’s time, but in reality, they were per-patient kickbacks.
The case against Robson is related to several other cases that have resulted in convictions in the last year. Dr. Eric Beck, 64, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty last year to health care fraud conspiracy for his role in the QBR scheme. John Hornbuckle, 53, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and kickback conspiracy offenses for his role, as QBR’s CEO, in orchestrating the fraud. James Ewing Ray, 52, of Gadsden, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and kickback conspiracy for his role as a sales rep who marketed QBR’s scheme to medical practices and received kickbacks per test ordered.
Early last year, a jury convicted Dr. Mark Murphy, 65, and his wife Jennifer Murphy, 66, both of Lewisburg, Tennessee, of drug distribution, fraud, and kickback crimes.
The Murphys operated North Alabama Pain Services, which closed its Decatur and Madison offices in early 2017.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Murphys took kickbacks from QBR of more than a million dollars. In return, Dr. Murphy ordered electro-diagnostic tests from QBR for his patients, regardless of whether there was a medical need for those tests. Dr. Murphy also pre-signed prescriptions for expensive specialty topical creams, sprays, and patches,
which patients then received whether they wanted the products or not.
Before the Murphys went to trial, a co-defendant, Brian Bowman, 42, of Gadsden, pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy. According to Bowman’s plea agreement, Bowman marketed QBR’s electro-diagnostic testing to medical providers, and was paid a fee for each test they ordered. Bowman received nearly a million dollars in fees from QBR. Bowman also marketed high-reimbursing specialty prescription drugs to the Murphys and other providers and received payments for the prescriptions he generated.
Beck, Hornbuckle, Ray, Mark Murphy, Jennifer Murphy, and Bowman are all awaiting sentencing. Other co-conspirators have already been sentenced.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit health care fraud is ten years in prison; the maximum penalty for conspiracy to receive kickbacks is five years in prison; each kickback count also carries up to ten years.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.B. Ward and Don Long are prosecuting it.
An indictment contains only charges. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
From front page
The 2023 Career Day event resembled a convention with numerous tables setup and students walking from representative to representative. Companies and professionals ranged from locals in the police and fire departments, as well as the chamber of commerce and the recently opened CrossFit Righteous to outside of the city with TriGreen Equipment, Hardy Corporation, Alabama Power and others.
Other fields included companies dealing with trade, piping, energy, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, finance, entertainment and so on that presented the students with a diverse range of options. Thomas said that students are especially drawn the medical field, as well as IT and different types of trades.
“Our goal is to make sure that the students get experience these types of professions and these types of careers because they may find out that they really like this and they want to do this and sometimes they feel like ‘You know what, this really isn’t for me. I thought I wanted
to go into nursing but I can’t stand the sight of blood.’ And so they need to change their paths. Our goal is to make sure that they are aware of what’s out there, they get a
better understanding because I come from a background of education. I’m not an expert in all of the fields but I’m able to connect you with some experts who can.”
eo gaming to the city and addressed more concerns related to the Upland Apartment complex in its council meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 21.
In a meeting rescheduled following the cancellation of its Thursday, Feb. 16, meeting due to the threat of severe weather, the Center Point City Council opened the public comment portion of the meeting with a short presentation from Arthur Humphrey, a gaming machine entrepreneur.
Shrouded in ambiguous language, Humphrey’s brief presentation included a twopronged proposal to bring a manufacturing plant for gaming machines to Center Point, as well as to allow for the presence of Bingo and other electronic gambling machines within the city.
“What I would like to know from you guys is what could I offer or what could we do, are you guys even open to something like that,” said Humphrey.
After some back-and-forth discussion with the city council aimed at determining the exact nature of Humphrey’s proposal, Council President D.M. Collins and Mayor Bobby Scott finally batted the proposal back to Humphrey, recommending he speak the Planning and Zoning Commission, which has original jurisdiction over the issue.
“This has come up before the planning and zoning commission before and it did not pass so it’s not in our zoning ordinance right now,” Collins said. “I’m not sure, with the makeup of the commission now, how that would go over with the commission, but in the past, the charity Bingo has
Arthur Humphrey seeks approval to bring a manufacturing plant for gaming machines, including Bingo and other electronic gambling machines, to Center Point
not been (something) that the commission has recommended to the council.”
“The reason that those facilities are banned in the ordinance now is because they did get out of hand before the city annexed and did become a city,” added Scott.
Next, the council heard from Kimberly Berry, a onetime tenant of Upland Apartments regarding liveability issues at the complex. One of two apartment complexes purchased by Capstone Realty & Management of New Jersey last summer, the Upland Apartments have been a concern of the city for several years due to its lack of upkeep and other safety issues.
Capstone is currently in the process of renovating Upland and the neighboring Southwind Apartments – both to be renamed “The Palms” upon completion.
Berry, first addressed the council in January about what she contends are unliveable conditions at the Upland complex.
“Stuff is still going on. Still having a rat issue, still have feces in my tub, still have no heat, so I haven’t been staying there,” said Berry. “The issue is still going on. It hasn’t been handled, I haven’t heard anything from anybody or gotten a response.”
In a rebuttal, Mayor Scott said that he is in regular contact with the management of Capstone and has seen the company make progress with the property.
“I can tell you from the outside they have been working on them. I don’t know the extent of what they’ve done to the inside of the buildings, but I know they’ve started painting and doing work at the Upland side apartments,” said Scott.
Scott added that key members of Capstone were due to address the council via Zoom during the originally scheduled meeting on Feb. 16, and will be present at the next meeting on Thursday, March 2.
During the meeting members of the council, including Place 2 Councilman Glenn Williams as well as City Attorney Julian Hendrix, addressed the fact that Berry apparently moved out of the complex and has not paid rent on her apartment at Upland since November 2022.
“Have you been paying rent since November?” asked Williams.
“No, I have not,” Berry answered.
“My understanding is that you have moved out and vacated the residence,” said Hendrix. “You’re saying that you are still residing in the apartment?”
“Me and my family is not staying there,” Berry replied.
In other business, the city council approved a measure to purchase new playground equipment for a property located near the Center Point Community Center on Sunhill Road and recommended more than a dozen properties for abatement due to weed overgrowth and other public safety concerns.
From front page was rescheduled to Feb. 21, where the subjects of Waste Management services were discussed, followed by public comments regarding a disabled resident.
The council agreed to spend $5,004 to send two school resource officers or SROs to an upcoming conference being held by TASSRO, an association for SROs. Councilman Robbie Roberts said that the conference will allow the attendants to learn the latest policies and techniques.
“Personally, we’re a little disappointed that the sheriff’s office, which used to do this, provide this training, apparently is unable to do this or unwilling,” Roberts said. “I’ll let the sheriff answer to that to do this at this time. But we think that this was important enough that this needs to be done.”
Mayor Joe Cochran said, “Well, nothing is more important than being prepared to protect our kids. And if you can go to this training and learn one thing that prevents a serious event, it’s worth every dime. And why they wouldn’t pay for it, I don’t know. Don’t care, because we will.”
Later in the meeting, Roberts addressed an issue brought up by residents in the past about the lack of garbage pickup and recycling by Waste Management. On Jan. 5, Waste Management representatives Mike Mitchell and Ken McLain spoke to the council, citing staff shortages as the reason. Roberts said that he has noticed some improvement on the street that he lives on. He also mentioned that the citizens be refunded their money for the lack of service through credit.
“That credit has not yet shown up,” Roberts said. “I don’t know how that’s proceeding. I don’t know if they’re giving serious thought to that but I would encourage them to continue to go back on it.”
He said that he called a local number and that a “generous” amount has been given back. He suggested that those who did not receive service should call Waste Management about being refunded.
Afterwards, Councilwoman Glenda Kirkland brought up bingo parlors, saying that she has been receiving letters about them and encouraged others to reach out to her. She urged that action be taken but clarified that she was not against gambling but wanted it to be done legally.
“We’re not going to forget about it,” she said. “Trust me. We’re not. And we’re going to do something about it.”
Roberts added that bingo parlors have not been found in the city limits but that they are in the neighborhoods of unincorporated areas. He also said that the sheriff’s office has not taken action against them. Cochran said that he would invite Sheriff Mark Pettway to a meeting to address it.
During public comments, Dwayne Hyche asked who owns the PHCC or Palmerdale Homestead Community Center building, to which Cochran said that it was owned by the Jefferson County Board of Education and that the city has a lease on it.
Hyche said that he spoke with Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight and that he was told that the commission owns it. Cochran said that this was not so, that he had “bad information”. Hyche said that the reason he brought this up was to file a complaint about an incident regarding a resident named Luke, who has a disability.
He said that Luke has not been able to attend events at the PHCC because of past incidents where the police have been called to him and his escorts. Cochran said that he has addressed this and that Luke is welcome to any event there that is not private.
Afterwards James Hyche spoke on the same subject, stating that Luke is his son. He said that the PHCC is advertised as a public event space but that the signage on the building advertises private events that are invitation only. He claimed that Luke has tried to go to events that he said were public several times but has had sheriff’s deputies called to the building.
He pointed out Cochran’s recent disability as he needs assistance moving. Hyche urged him to “remedy” the reported situation with Luke and the PHCC. Cochran de-
clined taking documentation that Hyche offered before his time was up.
“The mayor’s physical condition and all should never be used by anyone in the community regarding the actions that the public takes,” Roberts said.
Cochran explained that he has ALS, a condition that will eventually cause him to be wheelchair-bound and will need other assistance as the disease continues, saying “at the end of the day, no one is being turned away because of a disability.”
“You can wave that flag all you want,” he told Hyche. “That is not the case. And generally they’re being turned away because of your behavior, because you don’t know how to be decent around people.
Some words were exchanged between the two, with Cochrane insisting that it was the reported behavior of Luke’s escorts that caused the incidents and that all has been done to accommodate the disabled in the city.
In other business the council:
• Honored Pinson High School student Aniyah Griffin for winning a state girls wrestling tournament,
• Annexed a property on Joy Circle,
• Approved the purchase of radar signs for $8,790 for Main Street, Announced the Shred-athon dates as March 25, June 17, Oct. 21, all from 9 a.m. to noon, and
• Approved replacing the windows at City Hall for $1,380.
Pinson City Council meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at City Hall on 4410 Main Street. Live-streamed meetings can be seen on the city’s Facebook page.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@ gmail.com.
From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE – Magnolia Elementary’s Student Leadership Team organized a food drive for T.E.A.M., Trussville’s local food bank, as their random act of kindness for the month of February. Students decided to contact T.E.A.M. to see what items were most needed.
From front page
The council passed three items on the agenda before Turner asked Miller two questions, the first being if there was progress on the development of a sports complex north of Grand River. Miller replied that there was. Turner then asked if any reports have been made, to which Miller said that he hopes that the Finance Committee will do so and that discussions are being made with the county.
Miller added that he was scheduled to meet with the head of Retirement Systems of Alabama as well as with the Jefferson County Commission.
He said that a proposal had been sent to the county, with several items rejected, but that it has been resubmitted.
“Maybe we’ll have some substantive things to report about that project,” Miller said. “I’ll say just as a comment that it’s looking good. Of course we can’t do anything until the names are on the dotted line. We hope to be able to do that soon. It’s been a long, long process and lots of moving parts.”
Turner then said that he had a concern about attempting to add items to the agenda in the past several meetings but that they were declined.
“How do we go about changing that?” he asked
Miller. “I mean, can you stop me from putting something on the agenda?”
Miller said no. Turner said that he had tried to add an item to an agenda before but that the city clerk told him that Miller declined to include it, even after approval from the city attorney. Miller said that he never heard back from the attorney and so the item was not added. Turner insisted that he had approval and that the item regarded a concern about a city employee who he said had contacted the employers of two citizens that spoke at a past meeting and “gone after their livelihoods”.
Turner later specified to the Trussville Tribune that the city employee told the citizens’ employers that they had made homophobic remarks while speaking. He denied that such remarks were ever made.
“Our council came to you and the attorneys and said we had some strong concerns with this,” he told Miller. “And we discussed this with the personnel board and the personnel board said it was time to discuss this with that employee and that we wouldn’t be breaking any rules or anything.”
He said that a discussion was made about meeting with the board but that Miller sent a letter saying that there was no issue with the employee.
He then asked Miller if the letter could be publicized, to which Miller said that he did not oppose it.
“I just think people need to know that you didn’t have a problem with that behavior,” Turner told Miller. “And everyone in this room knows what the behavior was, and you basically said that it didn’t rise to anything to be addressed at all.”
Turner said that he would publicize the letter.
In other business the council:
• Granted a liquor license manufacturing to Sweet Home Spirits Inc. after a 3-2 vote, Approved job descriptions and their related pay grades for the public library (these can be seen on the agenda packet for the Feb. 21 meeting on the City of Leeds website), and Entered into an agreement with Alabama Power to replace the current lighting system at the tennis courts with a new LED system.
Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of every month at City Hall on 1400 9th Street Northeast. Agenda packets can be seen online at the City of Leeds website.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@ gmail.com.
Ann Forde, a representative from T.E.A.M., let them know they needed breakfast items, peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, pasta, and dry cooking ingredients the most. Each grade level was encouraged to bring in an assigned item from the list provided by T.E.A.M.
In less than a week, Magnolia students donated over 300 items to show kindness
Williams is inviting the community to come out to voice their opinions on issues facing the city as well as to learn about the direction the city is headed, which Williams said he believes is positive.
“I’m hoping people will come out and just talk about what’s going on in the community and what they think some of the main issues are,” said Williams. “I think Center Point is on the right track, but I want to hear from the community about what they want from the city and what issues are important to them that we can address in the future.”
The two most likely topics of conversation, Williams says, are likely to be related to quality-of-life issues, chiefly police protection and public cleanliness, two issues that
and help others in need.
“We really talked about making sure the families who visit T.E.A.M. have yummy food to eat just like we would like to see when we open our pantries at
home,” Mrs. Blake, school counselor and Student Leadership Team sponsor, said. “We love how our students worked together to meet a specific need in our community.”
hope to accomplish is getting people to come out so we can communicate on these and other issues.”
Williams said he hopes offering a public outlet in person for citizens will open a more respectful dialogue instead of the often toxic comments from people on social media looking to stir up trouble, many of whom aren’t residents of the city.
have been topics of conversation at council meetings and online forums for months. Williams hopes this meeting will help the citizens better understand what the city leadership is doing to address these issues as well as discuss ideas for improvement.
“Public safety and debris pickup have been major issues for a while so I know people will want to talk about that,” Williams said. “What I
“So many of the people that get on Facebook and say negative things about Center Point don’t even live here,” Williams said. “I want to hear from the citizens about what they want from us and how to make Center Point a better place to live.”
Community Meeting Details Saturday, February 25, 10 a.m.-Noon Center Point Community Center 533 Sunhill Rd NW Center Point, AL 35215
From front page
through a pair of proposals aimed at moving city amenities to new locations Tuesday night.
During the Feb. 21 city council meeting, the council unanimously adopted a proposal to rezone property Grants Mill Road for the potential relocation of the Irondale Public Library. Additionally, the council adopted a last-minute request for a feasibility study regarding a new police headquarters.
The property located at 1038 Grants Mill Road was rezoned from a C-1 Commercial to Inst-2 Institutional District for potential use for a new Irondale Public Library.
In the Tuesday, Feb. 7, meeting, the City Council approved a $1 million expenditure to purchase the old Marks Fitzgerald building located at 1847 Crestwood Boulevard for the new police headquarters and municipal court building.
Despite being vacant for several years, the building’s owners only granted 30 days for the city close on the property, creating a tight time frame for the city to inspect the building and complete needed diligence. The adopted proposal allows Irondale Mayor James Stewart to spend up to $30,000 with Gardner Architects of Mountain Brook to complete a feasibility study on the structure.
”We have a very short
for that feasibility work,” said Council President David Spivey.
During the Feb. 7 meeting, District 3 Councilwoman Cindy Cuellar raised some concerns about the compressed closing time frame. However, Cuellar said her reservations on the swiftness of the project have been addressed, and is happy to move forward with the project.
“I asked our city attorney if we could do this due diligence in 30 days and she said that we could,” said Cuellar.
“This is part of that due diligence and this is why we adopted having this gentlemen move forward with that feasibility study so that would satisfy part of that due diligence that we need to make.”
the project is necessary to bring the Irondale Police Department, currently housed in four buildings, under one roof.
“I’m excited about it. Right now our police department is kind of cramped and needs some more room,” said Box. “This will bring dispatch, records, patrol areas, and investigations into one area. It’ll have new locker rooms and it will be a complete upgrade for our police department.”
“The police department is asking to be in one location and we’ve found that location,” added Cuellar. “They’re happy with that location and that’s why we’re moving forward.”
In other business:
• The City Council approved a $1,000 dollar expenditure to assist with travel expenses for the Shades Valley girl’s basketball team during its regional tournament run.
• The City Council approved an expenditure of $791.11 for the removal of weeds and overgrowth at the property located at 775 Abigale Lane. Mayor Stewart recognized the winners of the Martin Luther King art contest held at all schools throughout Irondale. The winners were:
• Kyra Vaughn- Grantswood Community School Jayden Powell- Grantswood Community School
From front page
Acts are judged by evidence of practice and participation level. The winning team receives $200 for their classroom account and a trophy. The runner up receives $100 for their classroom.
Kyra Vaughn, of Grantswood Community School, was one of the winners of the Martin Luther King art contest held at all schools throughout Irondale.
• Kyler Aultman- Irondale Community School
Scarlet Ortiz- Irondale Middle School
Dancers are spread out across two divisions for middle school and high school. Erwin Middle School won their division.
Students and teachers from Pinson Valley decorated for the competition and served as ambassadors, greeting visiting students and
• Melany Valier SanchezIrondale Middle School Dominica Wilson- Shades Valley High School
teams. The Pinson Valley fine arts department provided music and audio for the teams.
“The Magic City Dance Off is a wonderful opportunity for students with different abilities to develop friendships that continue during the school year and beyond,” Westbrook said.
creating a Planning and Zoning Commission for the city.
“I’m glad we’re moving forward with it and hoping at our next meeting we’ll be able to appoint our commission and get started,” said Mayor Betty Bradley.
The Council is expected to pass a resolution at the March 13 meeting to begin appointing members to the commission. Representatives from Goodwin Mills Cawood in Birmingham are expected to be at the meeting to assist with the selection process.
City Attorney Michael Brymer explained to the Council the qualifications for membership on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
According to the ordinance he presented, all members of the commission, except for the administrative official, must be residents of the city of Argo. There was some confusion about allowing nonresident business owners to serve.
The commission will consist of nine members including the mayor or a designee of the mayor, and one administrative official appointed by the mayor. One city council member will be elected by
the Council to serve as an ex officio member. The terms for these members will coincide with their terms of office.
The remaining six members will be nominated and elected by a meeting of the Council. These members will serve six year terms.
The ordinance gives the Commission jurisdiction over all land in the city limits and property within the city’s police jurisdiction. The role of the Commission will be to codify zoning ordinances within the city.
After the Feb. 13 meeting, Bradley told The Trussville Tribune the benefits of having a Planning and Zoning Commission including protecting property values.
“Zoning is broken down into multiple categories to help balance a city to ensure proper land use and provide value to citizens that own property,” she said.
“There will be a certain place for each thing,” Bradley said, speaking about the locations of business and residential districts. “We’ll plan for the future of Argo,” she added.
Brymer advised the Council to appoint a broad group of citizens to serve as the six appointed members of the Commission.
In other business, the Council appointed councilmember Danny McCarley as a voting delegate to the upcoming Alabama League of Municipalities Convention in Birmingham. Councilmember Dennis Griffin will serve as his alternate.
The Council did not act on a request to buy a smoker for city fundraisers. The grill was expected to cost $5200 but members of the Council asked for a committee to be in place for fundraising events before spending the funds on a smoker.
The Council approved Noah Plumbing to install a water heater in City Hall. The plumber in turn offered to donate his $500 fee back to the city to apply toward the smoker purchase.
The Council also approved the following items: $4957 to paint the interior of Argo fire station located at City Hall.
• Up to $10,000 to repair a washed-out section of Roulain Road.
St. Clair County is transitioning to digital radios for first responders by the end of the year. The Council is expected to discuss pricing for new police and fire radios for the city at the next meeting on March 13.
cal pub for a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. The council held a brief regular meeting where they approved an ABC Board 140-Special Events Retail License to Oh Sherri Pub owner Joel Wallace for a “Saint Patrick’s Day Shenanigans” event on March 17 and 18.
Wallace said that a pipes and drums band will be part of the event of the first day, which will begin at 11 a.m. and will not go past midnight. The next day will feature more activities, including a bounce house for children and even an axe throwing contest, he said. The event will be held at the front parking lot of the pub and the lot next to the building.
The council also approved a request from Fire Chief Larry Horton to apply for an American Firefighters Grant or AFG “micro grant” of $60,000 and will be a 5% match for the city or $3,000 to $5,000. Horton said that if the department is awarded the grant the funds will go to replacing their SCBA cascade fill system.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a request from Horton to purchase five pairs of firefighting boots for $1,875,
• Approved a request from Horton to the engine of E-2 for $3,278.25,
Approved a request from Parks and Recreation Director Mike Staggs to renew the annual RecDesk subscription for $4,400,
• Approved a request from Police Chief Thomas Hunt to repair Car #346 for $2,379, Approved a request from Police Chief Thomas Hunt to repair Car #342 for $1,273.50,
• Approved a request from Police Chief Thomas Hunt to repair Car #351
for $606.40,
• Approved a request from Police Chief Thomas Hunt to have Capt. Reece Smith attend the summer Chiefs Conference July at a cost not to exceed $2,500, Approved a request from Public Works Director Steve Mitchell to build a 72’ X 30’ pole barn at the Public Works shop to cover equipment for a cost not to exceed $15,000, and
• Approved the voting delegates for the Annual Convention of the Alabama League of Municipalities on May 12 with the delegates being: Mayor Joe Lee, Councilwoman Linda Crowe as first alternate and Councilman Lynn Taylor as second alternate.
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We are now a week away from the first day of the 2023 regular session of the Alabama Legislature.
As lawmakers head back to Montgomery, there is discussion of what bills will be up first for debate. However,
it appears that before Alabama State Representatives and Senators get to work on their own legislation the Governor is preparing to call for a special session right off the bat. The Governor wants approval for the distribution of the remaining federal covid monies that is close to a bil-
lion dollars. There has been a lot of debate on how to spend the money. The state has already appropriated $1.1 billion dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Of those funds, $400 million went to construction for new prisons in the state, while almost $300 million went to expand rural
broadband service in the state. There are more dollars expected to be spent towards broadband, but there is a lot of money that has to be approved to be spent for state needs. The United States Congress has loosened the restrictions on the way those funds can be used by the state.
Other suggestions for the state leaders include tax relief for Alabama citizens considering the inflation and tough economic times. Other states have passed reforms and returned dollars or removed taxes in the past year. Some states are in the process of even eliminating their income tax.
Most importantly lawmakers need to make use of these dollars which will be n the best interest of Alabama citizens. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter at @ Paul_DeMarco
By Phil Williams, 1819 News Commentary
I’m watching with increasing discomfort as the Biden administration fumbles its way through foreign and military policy as if there’s no plan. What is their analysis? What is the intended end state?
Those experienced with leadership know the old adage that “a failure to plan is a plan to fail.” There will always be times when leaders have to adapt, pivot to new opportunities, or seize momentum. But whenever possible, a leader must have a plan.
In the private sector, a new business should have a full SWOT analysis, examining the strengths, weaknesses, obstacles, and threats of each business case.
When an attorney goes to court he needs a litigation plan with a desired end state, which comes from researching a position under the law
before ever appearing before the judge.
Every young Army officer is taught to write and disseminate a five-paragraph Operations Order clearly outlining the mission, the enemy situation, and the commander’s intent. This plan should specify subunit tasks, command and signal, and key timelines.
True planning provides an orderly and cogent means of helping guide a leader’s thoughts with the ultimate purpose clearly in mind. In the absence of a plan missions can go awry.
Yet what we are watching with U.S. involvement in the Ukraine war is a form of international hopscotch that comes from having no coherent strategy.
President Joe Biden visited Ukraine and Poland this past week. In a very tired and dispirited manner he spoke to NATO leaders, saying that the U.S. is “in it for as long as it takes.” With his face sit-
ting on folded hands he quietly urged other members of NATO to “do their part” to stop the Russians. Back at home, we can’t see the end state.
To be clear, almost no one in the West wants Russia to win. Sovereign nations should not be allowed to just hop across a border and seize land at a whim.
But what does “for as long as it takes” really mean?
Billions of U.S. tax dollars have been committed, but we don’t know what the outcome is supposed to look like. Is there a true strategy? Is there a milestone, or better yet, a series of milestones? Who’s in charge? One wonders if the Secretary of State is negotiating anything or just playing catch-up. Has NATO received any additional instructions?
We’ve had the Monroe Doctrine, the Bush Doctrine, and the clearly defined Reagan foreign policy of “peace through strength.” There was
the Trump philosophy of “America First.” But can anyone articulate a foreign policy position, strategy, or doctrine to which the Biden administration can attach its name—a “Biden Plan” or Biden philosophy? If so, what is it?
Not since the Marshall Plan in the wake of WWII have we poured as much into Europe as we are now. But unlike the current state of Biden-led aid to Ukraine, the Marshall Plan had a name, a defined set of terms, and announced goals for all the world to see and believe in.
The Marshall Plan was a U.S. initiative beginning in 1948 to provide foreign aid to Europe in the wake of WWII. Billions in U.S. dollars were committed with a stated intent to rebuild Europe over a four-year period. Its goals were clearly defined, and Marshall Plan aid was divided among recipients on a per capita basis. The plan was forward-thinking, had a
price tag, milestones, and an end state that the whole world could see. It had bipartisan support in Washington. Better yet, the American people knew why they were being asked to support it.
The Marshall Plan was unique in that American leaders trusted their constituencies enough to lay out the cause, the concern, the plan, and the price, and the American people rallied behind it. There was no loosey-goosey speech filled with platitudes about staying “for as long as it takes.”
Speaking of the Marshall Plan, U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the former general for whom it was named, said:
“It is logical that the United States should do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health to the world, without which there can be no political stability and no assured peace. … Its purpose should
be the revival of a working economy in the world so as to permit the emergence of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist.”
The war in Ukraine is one of the defining stories of this decade. But the American people deserve a plan. Stop telling us that we need to write more checks and clearly tell us what we will achieve!
Tell us how it impacts us if we do or if we don’t!
Is there a Biden doctrine?
Is there a Biden plan? The fact that I’m having to ask those questions speaks volumes.
To contact Phil or request him for a speaking engagement, go to www.rightsideradio.org. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News.
To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
The Hunter Education Program with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, and the program’s effect on hunter safety has been remarkable.
Started as a voluntary program in 1973, Hunter Education has progressed through numerous phases over the years. James Thornhill was the first Hunter Education Coordinator in the Division, and he remained in that position until his retirement in 1992, the year before hunter ed became mandatory in 1993. Ray Metzler was head of hunter ed from 1993 to 2011, when current coordinator Marisa Futral assumed that role.
“What’s interesting to me is that in 50 years there have only been three Hunter Education Coordinators,” Futral said.
What’s remarkable about the success of hunter education in Alabama is that hunting-related accidents have been on the decline, and during the 2021-2022 hunting seasons, no fatalities from firearms or treestand accidents were recorded. During the 1973-74 season, 19 fatalities were attributed to firearms accidents.
In an attempt to reduce the number of accidents, the Alabama Legislature passed a law in 1992 that made hunter education mandatory to be able to purchase a hunting license. Those who were 16 years or older on or after August 1, 1977, were grand
fathered in and were exempt from the hunter ed requirement. The Alabama Wildlife Heritage Act of 2007 provides a mentor provision for hunter education. Hunting license buyers have the option to hunt under the “supervision required” status in lieu of passing the hunter education course. However, successful completion of an approved hunter education course is mandatory for all non-supervised hunting license buyers. Hunters under supervision must be under normal voice control, not to exceed 30 feet away from a properly licensed hunter 21 years of age or older. The supervising person cannot be the holder of a “supervision required” license.
During Thornhill’s tenure, the hunter ed course was 10 hours over two days. It evolved into an 8-hour program to be able to complete the course in one day. In 2013, the complete course became available online.
“We went to an online option to remove any perceived barrier to obtaining the course,” Futral said. “We were one of the first states to offer the course online. Indiana was first. Alabama and three other states went to that option later that year. Technology has come a long way. People are confident they are getting what they need in an online class.
“The number of people taking the hunter education course each year has been pretty consistent at about 13,000. People really like the convenience of the online course because they can take
chapters – Introduction to Hunter Education, Know Your Firearms Equipment, Basic Shooting Skills, Basic Hunting Techniques, Primitive Hunting, Be a Safe Hunter, Be a Responsible Hunter, Preparation and Survival Skills, and Wildlife Conservation. A review of the material and a test follow the completion of the chapters.
“You can see from the reduction of accidents through the years that hunter education becoming mandatory was important,” Futral said. “And even if you’ve been hunting for a while, there’s always something you can get out of that class. We also talk about the evolution of safety equipment and how much better it is now. We talk about using full body harnesses and other safety equipment when climbing a tree.”
Thornhill was tasked to develop Alabama’s Hunter Education Program with Pittman-Robertson Act funds, an excise tax levied on firearms and ammunition. That tax money has been distributed to the states for specific uses, including hunter education.
“I started writing grants
Thornhill, whose staff consisted of a part-time secretary and himself. If it hadn’t been for the vocational agriculture teachers in the state, hunter ed probably would have been a flop. I had a good friend who was a vocational ag teacher, and he was really interested in hunter education. We got the majority of vocational ag teachers on board, and, instead of 8 to 10 hours, they taught it for six weeks.”
Thornhill was so successful at recruiting that he had the highest volunteer roll in the state at 1,200 instructors. He set up booths at every fair, gun show and outdoors gathering possible to spread the word about hunter safety.
Thornhill said 19 hunting-related fatalities occurred during the first year of the hunter ed program, and the number of fatalities had significantly decreased by the time he retired.
“We got the hunter orange requirement incorporated in the regulation in 1985, which helped,” he said. “I saw a lot of decrease in firearms accidents, but we had an increase in treestand accidents because treestands were becoming so
had the first treestand safety brochure in the nation with the help of John Woller. He was a real big supporter of hunter education.”
Thornhill also pushed for the first shooting ranges on U.S. Forest Service land, one in Bibb County and one in Macon County. He said the two WFF (Game and Fish back then) shooting ranges were on wildlife management areas but had to be rebuilt.
WFF now operates 12 shooting ranges and recently opened its 20th community archery park, the highest number in the nation. Visit www.outdooralabama.com/activities/archery-parks for an interactive map and details. Go to www. outdooralabama.com/activities/shooting-ranges for more information.
“I can’t believe how many archery parks we have now,” Thornhill said. “That is fabulous. Ray Metzler really got that started. He was a big bowhunter and was instrumental in getting those archery parks started.”
Metzler admits he’s a bowhunting fanatic, and the first year of the mandatory hunter education requirement interfered with his time in a treestand.
“We were really busy,” said Metzler, now with the Alabama Forestry Commission as a rare and endangered species specialist. “It was a Department-wide effort. We didn’t really know what to expect.”
Metzler and staff scheduled courses for the summer of 1993, but few took advantage of the early classes.
November, we got swamped. I really appreciate what James Thornhill did. The best thing he ever did was he got it into the schools in the vo-ag programs. It was really hectic, but it would have been worse if we hadn’t had so many schoolteachers on board.
“During my tenure, we started online courses. We had a CD where you could do it on your computer at home. You had to do a field day back then. Now you can do it all online. I think we’ve made a lot of progress in all aspects of hunter ed – firearms safety, treestand safety and general hunter behavior. Over the long haul, I think we’ve done a really good job. I hope the lower number of fatalities will continue, and I think that it will.”
Metzler credits the hunter orange requirement of a garment of at least 144 square inches above the waist or a full-size hunter orange cap or hat for a significant reduction in firearms accidents.
“There’s not a deer in the woods that wears blaze orange,” he said. “Anything resembling blaze orange, that’s a human being. I also encourage people to do their part to protect themselves. Wear your blaze orange and carry a flashlight when you’re going into the woods in the morning and coming out at night. A deer doesn’t wear a blaze orange cap or carry a flashlight. It doesn’t take much of a light for people to know that’s a human coming out of the woods. I just hope everybody will do their part to keep the fatalities at zero.”
Visit www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/hunter-education-alabama for more information.
september 3, 1944 — february 17, 2023
Donna (Black Hawkins) Hite. age 78 of Vestavia Hills, AL, entered the final stage of her eternal life with God from home on February 17, 2023. She waged a valiant fight with Alzheimer’s over the last years. She maintained her brilliant smile and sweet disposition until the end. She was preceded in death by her parents Pete and Polly Black, her sister Diane Martin, one grandchild Mia Hite, and multiple other relatives. She is survived by her husband Harold Hite, her daughter Jennifer (Victor III) Atkins, her step-sons Brian (Jenny) Hite and Preston (Janelle) Hite as well as grandchildren Victor Atkins IV, Ellefair Atkins, Archer Atkins, Evan Hite, Karis Hite, Logan Hite, Nathan Hite, and Owen Hite. Donna was born in Birmingham, graduated with the first full Banks High School class, and, although she traveled all over the world, never had a home address outside Jefferson County AL. Many of her travels were as she assisted her first husband Don Hawkins with his travel business. Her favorite cruises were Alaska and through the Panama Canal. Her favorite land based trips were to the Holy Land and St. Petersburg, Russia. Her last international trip was with Harold as they escorted Evan to spend much of the summer with his Bulgarian grandparents followed by a Danube River cruise from Bulgaria through Hungary. She also enjoyed traveling to the Gulf Coast to sit by the beach and listen to the waves. She was active with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra organizations and supporting Birmingham Southern College but her favorite activity was her service to her Lord including many years as Communion Steward at Canterbury United Methodist Church. She and Harold met at Canterbury and they will have their cremains interred at the Canterbury Columbarium. There will be a celebration of life at the Canterbury Sanctuary at 11AM on Saturday February 25, 2023. Visitation will new at 9:30 in the Canterbury Chapel where she enjoyed worshiping in the Sunday morning service which included communion each week. The family would like to thank the caregivers who showed love as they cared for Donna in the last stages of her life - Isha Hill, Sherry Joes, Lesha Lewis, LaToya McHenry, Anne Njuguna, and Jami Square - and Aveana Hospice which provided medical care. in lieu of flowers please consider a donation to your favorite charity in Donna’s name or to Canterbury
march 21, 1931 — february 16, 2023
Birmingham Summa Juanita “Nita” Collett Shackelford, 91, passed away on Thursday February 16, 2023. It was discovered on the morning of January 4th, 2023, that she had suffered a major trans ischemic stroke, the effects of which set her on a path of decreasing health which resulted in her loss of life.
Juanita grew up in Whitney Junction, Alabama and after graduating from Ashville High School, she moved to Birmingham, Alabama to begin a career with the telephone company. As a young AT&T employee she was selected to home deliver the City of Birmingham’s first Princess Telephone to the Customer while donning a “princess crown.” She handed the Princess Telephone to the customer on a royal blue pillow with gold trim, a photograph of which appeared in the Shades Valley Sun in 1960.
And she appeared again in the local Birmingham UAW-CIO newsletter as one of the local CWA-CIO chapters typical female members, of which 90% of the members at that time were women.
At the age of twenty, she was introduced to a sailor named Kenneth Lee Shackelford, and they married in 1951.
The pair relocated to Key West, FL then to Pensacola, FL where once again Juanita found herself included in a photograph as an Operator in the local paper during a tour of the premises by J. Carrol Naish, star of the Luigi radio and television show.
In August of1952, Juanita bore her first child, whom she named Raymond. Some 12 years later, having returned to Birmingham, AL she gave birth to her daughter Lana. Juanita was a member of the Roebuck Park Methodist Church and served as Church Treasurer for several years.
After a 43-year career in telecommunications, Juanita retired from the managerial ranks at BellSouth in 1991. She was a lifelong member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.
Whereupon she began assisting her husband Kenneth with his musical pursuits as he led his band that was named
The Prime-Time Band. For many years they traveled to The American Legion Post 170 in Ashville, AL where Ken’s band performed every Monday night for more than thirty years and Juanita, a member and officer in the American Legion Auxiliary Post 170 dutifully managed “the door” by collecting the cover charge from the patrons and she also coordinated concessions for the event.
In her later years, Juanita enjoyed attending her church, GraceLife Ministries, her job at Sam’s, her many friends she met there, crocheting with friends and dining out with them after a they had all spent the morning at the hair salon.
Nita was preceded in death by four brothers, Woodrow, Theodore, Paul, and Herbert, her brother-in-law Charles, her sister Patsy, and sisters in law Shelia, and Carolyn, her niece Kayla, and nephew Keith.
Juanita is survived by her brother Howard Collett, and her sister Peggy Wise, as well as her two children, and Lana and Ray, along with his wife Melissa, her grandson Joel, and her great granddaughter Dylan, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Lent is a sacred period that lasts 40 days, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday. It is typically a time for reflection, prayer, penance, giving, and fasting to prepare one’s heart and mind for Good Friday and Easter and to remind Christians of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ.
The word Lent comes from the Old English word “lencten”meaning springtime, and from the German word “langitinaz” meaning lengthening.
Lent recognizes the 40 days following Jesus’ baptism when he went into the desert without food or water and was tempted by Satan. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ following his death on the cross, and Lent helps Christians remember the events leading up to his crucifixion.
While some Christians may fast for the entire period, most use this as a time to give up a particular vice as a sacrifice. Typically these are things like a favorite food or drink. Others may fast only on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday (the Friday before Easter). Another common practice during this time is to give to others by donating goods to charity, giving money to those in need, or giving one’s time to a special cause.
Christians do not believe that this time of repentance and sacrifice is done to earn favor with God, as Christians believe that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the only thing that has the power to save. Instead Lent is seen as a time to improve one’s relationship with God, accept his mercy, repent and grow as a believer.
august 27, 1932 — february 15, 2023
Birmingham, AL
On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, James Coy Howell, loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away at the age of 90. Coy was born on August 27, 1932 in Birmingham, AL, to James and Annie (Morrow) Howell. He graduated from Tarrant High School in 1950. After graduation he married his high school sweetheart, Jackie on September 9, 1950.
They raised one son, Rickey and two daughters Diane and Sue. In Middle School, Coy began his career at the Birmingham News as a paper carrier. He went on to retire from the Birmingham News as a Pressroom Supervisor. He owned/operated Complete Printing Service, with his wife and son, in Tarrant City for over 35 years. Coy also held a Lifetime membership in the Tarrant Masonic Lodge #596.
Coy played baseball and softball and coached the Birmingham News Ball Club. He loved being with his family going to the beach, camping and going to Disney World. He enjoyed flying with his son Rickey, as they were both licensed pilots.
Coy was an active member of Tarrant Rock United Methodist church serving on the Administrative Board, the Usher Committee and as leader of the United Methodist Youth Fellowship. He later joined Gardendale -Mt Vernon United Methodist Church and Open Door Sunday School Class.
Coy was preceded in death by his parents James Grover and Annie Morrow Howell, his brother Elton, sisters Vivie Betts, Bea Vines and Ina Smith. He is survived by his wife Jackie, his three children, Rickey Howell (Susie), Diane Yates and Sue Conn. Grandchildren: Stacey Howell, Laura Yates, Stephen Yates (Meleah), Jacqueline McVoy (R.J.), Christopher Conn (Savannah) and James Conn (Brittany). Great-Grandchildren: Will Jeffcoat and Katie Hove; Tyler and Carter Yates; Conner and Chloe McVoy; Penelope, Elizabeth and Owen Conn. His Sister Ann Sewell and other cherished family & friends. He also leaves behind his faithful dog’s Daisy and Bella.
My Family would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr. Doug Alford, Troy Henderson, NP and the Hope Hospice Team for their compassionate care they gave not only to Coy but to his family and friends during this his final days.
In Lieu of flowers he family asks for donations to The Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
Goodbye, my Sweetheart, until we meet again.
The service for Mr. James Howell will be held on Tuesday, at 12:00 PM at Jefferson Memorial Gardens East.
Visitation: Tuesday, at 11:00 AM at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home.
Burial: Jefferson Memorial Gardens East, AL.
november 30, 1936 — february 16, 2023
Billy Wayne Perry, age 86, of Pinson, AL passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2023. He was a native of Delta, MS. He served in the U.S. Army and was Postmaster in Brooksville, MS before moving to Trussville, AL in 2002. He was employed by Loomis since 2003.
Billy was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Davis Perry, his daughter, Cheryl Perry Russell, and two sisters.
He is survived by his sons, Dr. Terry Wayne Perry (Dr. Maria Lee) and Robert Roland Perry (Edra); his grandchildren, Morgan Burruss (Charlie), Austin Russell, Josiah Perry, Grace Anna Perry, Davis Perry, and Kaylee Rose Perry. The funeral for Billy will be held at Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Trussville on Saturday, February 25th at 12:00 noon with visitation held one hour prior. Entombment will immediately follow the church service ay Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Trussville, AL. Father Massey is officiating.
april 20, 1939 — february 20, 2023
Mary Lillian Jones Davis Mary passed away peacefully in her sleep and is now in the loving arms of Jesus and is no longer in pain. She was a resident of the Summerhouse Assisted Living in Birmingham, Alabama (currently is Proveer at Grayson Valley Assisted Living) for over four years. Mary attended and graduated from Hewitt Trussville High School in 1957 where she was in the honor society and sang in the school choir. After graduation, she received her Registered Nurse diploma from the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing program. Also, she worked as a Public Heath Nurse for Jefferson County before she started working as an registered nurse for the East End Memorial Hospital that later moved and became Medical Center East prior to becoming Ascension St. Vincent's East. Also, she worked as a home health nurse for a few years prior to retiring from nursing. After retiring from nursing, she volunteered her time in her community participating in health fairs and sitting with those that were sick. She was also a breast cancer and stroke survivor. She was previously a member of the First Baptist Church of Trussville until she married. Following her marriage to her late husband, Eugene Davis, she was an active member of Beulah Baptist Church in Sterrett, AL where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. Most recently she was a member of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Vandiver, AL. along with her late husband.
She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, as well as, an aunt. Her joy was being surrounded by her family and sharing her faith with others.
She is survived by her daughter, Terri Murphy (Jim), her son, Kevin Marsh (Julie), her stepdaughters, Joan Wyffels (Jeff) and Eve Slater (Glenn). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jonathan Marsh, Sarah Marsh, Anna Marsh and step-grandchildren, Lance Slater (Ann) and Tiffany Nelson (Jeff) and her step-great grandchildren, Millie, Grady, Lyles and one step-grandson on the way; she is also survived by her siblings, Olivia Jean "Jeannie" Nabers (James), Patricia "Pat" A. Tucker (James) and Everette E. Jones, Jr., and extended family.
She is preceded in death by her late husband, Eugene Leroy Davis, her parents, Everette E. Jones, Sr. and Grace E. Jones, her brother, Joel M. Jones and her son that died shortly after birth, Brice F. Marsh, Jr. Services will be held Friday, February 24, 2023 at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home. Visitation starting at 1:00 PM and funeral service at 2:00 PM. Graveside service will follow the funeral at Jefferson Memorial Gardens.
january 28, 1934 — february 18, 2023
Wilma V. Johns went to be with the Lord on February 18th, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. Ms. Johns' family will receive friends from 11:00 until 12:00 PM on Thursday, February 23rd 2023 with funeral services beginning promptly at 12:00 PM in the chapel. Burial will take place immediately following the chapel service in Jefferson Memorial Gardens.
Reverend Matt Scott officiating.
205-322-0543
If you have any questions about funeral planning please email: askeddie@jmgardens.com
Spring Gardening - with Extension Agent Bethany O’Rear
Wednesday, March 01: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Trussville - LBK Auditorium
AGE GROUP: ADULT (AGES 18+)
EVENT TYPE: HOME & GARDEN, ADULT PRO-
GRAM
Yarn Manglers (Knit & Crochet Group)
Thursday, March 02: 2:00pm - 4:00pm Trussville - Cahaba Room
AGE GROUP: ADULT (AGES 18+)
EVENT TYPE: DROP-IN, CRAFT, ADULT PROGRAM
Get your garden ready for spring
Learn how to set up your garden for success throughout the growing season with this overview of spring gardening tasks. Bring all of your gardening questions!
Presented by Bethany
O’Rear, Extension Agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.
Children’s Storytime
Thursday, March 02: 10:30am - 11:30am
Trussville - LBK Auditorium
AGE GROUP: EARLY
LEARNERS (BIRTHPRE-K)
EVENT TYPE: STORY-
TIME, CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
Knit & crochet meetup group (aka The Yarn Manglers). Bring any projects you are working on; join us for fellowship and creativity. This is a great way to check in, catch up, see what everyone is working on, and get help if you are stuck. Please join us - newcomers are welcome!
Join our Facebook group: YARN MANGLERS ANONYMOUS
An Evening with Sean of the South - Author Sean Dietrich at Trussville Public Library!
Thursday, March 02: 6:30pm - 9:30pm Trussville
AGE GROUP: ADULT (AGES 18+)
EVENT TYPE: AUTHOR
EVENT, ADULT PROGRAM
mance and to discuss his new book, You Are My Sunshine. This will be a ticketed event. Ticket prices are $15 without a book and $35 with an autographed copy of his new book. Doors will open at 6PM and ‘southern’ appetizers and hors d’ oeuvres will be served. Books will be available for purchase and signing afterwards.
Tickets may be transferred to another person by contacting the library. Refunds will not be issued unless the event is canceled.
Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Good Grit, South Magazine, the Bitter Southerner, Thom Magazine, The Birmingham News, The Mobile Press Register, and he has authored fourteen books.
A mediocre sailor and fisherman, a biscuit connoisseur, and barbecue competition judge, when he’s not writing, he spends much of his time aboard his fourteen-foot fishing boat (The S.S. Squirrel), along with his bloodhound, Thelma Lou.
Republican Women of Trussville March 2 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville-Clay Road Trussville, AL 35173 United States Meetings held the 1st Thursday of each month.
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Author Sean Dietrich at Trussville Public Library!
Join Ms. Alicia for stories, songs, bubble time, and lots of fun! The event will be held in the library auditorium every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
All ages. Every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
Join us for an evening with Sean of the South! Whether you know him for his books Will The Circle Be Unbroken and Stars of Alabama or his latest book, You Are My Sunshine, the beloved author Sean Dietrich will be at the Trussville Public Library on Thursday, March 2nd at 6:30 PM for a perfor-
New Jefferson County GOP Chairman Chris Brown will give his vision for the Republican Party
Aty. Daniel Flickinger will speak on 2 Parental Rights Bills he helped write for the Next Legislative session, why they were written, what it could mean for you as parents and How you can make a difference.Come Join us and meet our New officers. Coffee and refreshments
5:30 til 6
ATTENTION ACTIVE Duty & Military Veterans! Begin a new career and earn your Degree at CTI! Online Computer & Medical training available for Veterans & Families! To learn more, call 866-475-1014 (M-F 8am-6pm ET).
Eagle Forum Trussville March 9 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Trussville Civic Center, 5381
Trussville-Clay Road
Trussville, AL 35173 United States
Monthly Meeting, 2nd Thurs-
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PREQUALIFICATION PROPOSALS will be received digitally, as described in the official prequalification proposal requirements, on behalf of the Owner by TURNERBATSON Architects at 1950 Stonegate Drive, Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35242, for the below referenced project, until 5:00 PM Local Time, March 17, 2023. Faxed or late submittals will not be accepted. The prequalification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Prequalification proposal requirements may be obtained from the Architect by contacting Wil Bradford, wbradford@turnerbatson.com, 205.403.6201. Additional qualifications and requirements for Bidders are indicated in the Bid and Contract Documents. In reviewing the submittals, emphasis will be placed on your firm’s experience with projects similar in size and type to this project.
A written list of Contractors receiving prequalification will be issued to all who requested consideration by 5:00 PM Local Time, March 20, 2023.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at 9:00 am Local Time, Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in the City of Trussville Conference Room located at 131 Main Street Trussville, AL 35173. Attendance by all Prequalified Bidders is mandatory in order to avoid disqualification.
SEALED PROPOSALS will be received only from previously PRE-QUALIFIED Contractors by the City of Trussville, AL, located at 131 Main Street Trussville, AL 35173 until 2:00 PM Local Time, Thursday, March 30, 2023 for this project:
Site Development Package for TRUSSVILLE FIRE STATION NO. 4 5540 Trussville-Clay Road
Trussville, Alabama 35173 for The City of Trussville, AL at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read.
A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the City of Trussville, AL in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder's proposal. Performance and statutory Labor and Material Payment Bonds, and insurance in compliance with requirements, will be required at the signing of the Contract. Final bid documents (Plans, Specifications, and Addenda) will be sent to prequalified Contractors only from TURNERBATSON electronically with no deposit on March 20, 2023. Drawings and Specifications may be examined at local plan rooms. Subcontractors should contact a Contractor or plan room for documents.
Only Contractors who have completed the prequalification process within the stated time limits, and which are properly licensed in accordance with criteria established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended, will be considered for prequalification for the work of this project. For questions regarding this project, please contact TURNERBATSON Project Manager, Wil Bradford, at wbradford@turnerbatson.com.
Per the Owner and the Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR), Act 2013-205, the project will be bid EXCLUDING TAXES. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive technical errors and/or abandon the prequalification and bid process if, in their judgment, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted.
City of Trussville, AL
113 North Chalkville Road
Trussville, AL 35173
TURNERBATSON Architects
1950 Stonegate Drive, Suite 200 Birmingham, AL 35242 Phone: (205) 403-6201
– On Thursday, the Montevallo duo of Peyton Harris and Dalton Head came from behind in the Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship to edge out Weber International University for the 2023 national championship. Harris and Moody native Head caught 15 bass for a total of 66 lbs and 15 ounces total.
The Montevallo boys closed in on the big prize after finishing day 1 in sixth place and day 2 in third. “Day one, we had some areas and we started on one of our really good areas,” said Head.
“You’ve really got to watch the wind because the wind will muddy up your areas. We caught a lot of our weight before 9:00. After that it got muddy. We got to 21 lbs the first day and we were like ‘ok, we are in the hunt.’”
On day two, the team faced a bit of adversity, but found a way to overcome it.
“There was a fog delay until 10:00. We were staying over an hour and a half away. We were in the 160’s and we decided we were just going to go to the lock and see if we can get it. We went there and we got in and that was the
only way we could have a chance. We caught 19 lbs in 2 hours. After that we were sitting in third.”
There was anticipation as Head and Harris waited for the day 3 announcement of the winner. “When he said we needed 26 lbs and 3 ounces to win, I knew we had 25plus. I didn’t do the math all day on our fish because I like to under-guess. All day long I didn’t think we had it. As soon as he said our weight, we knew we had won at that point.”
This championship, for Dalton, was possibly years in the making. Dalton lived in Moody all of his life with grandparents who lived in Trussville. That is where his love of fishing began. “My dad and my grandad would take me fishing. My grandad lived in Trussville and I was there more than I was in Moody. I was only in Moody when I had to go to school. My grandad had his boat there and every day, I was in his boat, messing with stuff. I was in his pond trying to get better. It’s always something I’ve wanted to get better at. I played baseball and soccer and my love for those sports always went away. My love for fishing never went away. That’s why I’m just so tied up in it. Baseball and soccer
were fun, but in fishing when you fail, it makes you want to do so much better.”
Speaking on his teammates at Montevallo, Dalton said, “When I first came in Freshman year, I came in thinking I was just here to fish and not make friends or anything. That was the wrong mindset. I had the wrong mindset then and there. These guys have made me so much better. They have more ex-
perience and being here is a team. It’s like a football team, nothing different. That’s how I would explain it. We are family, not just a team.”
Dalton hopes that this will catapult him to the next level of fishing. “This has ignited that fire for me. I’ve always told people that I just need one opportunity. One shot at it. I need everything to go right just one time. This tournament finally gave me
a shot. I’ve always wanted to do this for a living. My family has always know that about me. This is all I’ve ever wanted. I would love to further my career in bass fishing. My dad always told me to find something that I love to do and I’ll never work a day in my life.
Danny had the following to say about Dalton’s love for fishing. “I honestly think I remember him being born with
a fishing pole in his hand. Dalton was fishing probably before he was walking. I took him to my parents’ pond in Trussville when he was small enough that he could stand in the live well so I didn’t have to worry about him falling overboard. He’s always loved fishing. He fished for Moody in high school, starting in 7th grade. I’ve been a tournament fisherman for over half my life so I knew if he was going to be competitive, we would have to get to work. He has a God-given talent for it. To see him excel in this sport and in this school has made me realize I have raised a fantastic young man.”
To say this is a big deal to this proud father would be an understatement. “Watching weigh ins like that might be the death of me. I have never been more nervous in my life. When the last team fell short, I was overwhelmed with emotions. My boy did it!!! He is a champion!”
Indeed, Dalton is a champion. He and his teammate Peyton won a $43,500 prize package including $10,000 and a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat as well as automatic entry into the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot to win up to $235,000.
For the Tribune
Clay – Avery Prichard helped lead the Shades Valley Mounties (2-2) past the Clay-Chalkville Cougars (04) 21-3 Tuesday night.
Prichard, who had seven RBIs, drove in runs on a double and a homer in the fifth inning went three for four at the plate.
The Mountie bats came alive with 16 hits against the Cougars. The Valley offense had been lethargic, managing only 17 hits in their previous three games. Along with Prichard, Jacob Mahand, Jacaryous Burrow, Ty Tippettt, and J’Caius Moore had multiple hits. Valley put four runs on the
board in the first inning and then exploded for nine runs in the second.
Stephen Manley got the start and win for the Mounties. Manley gave up three
runs on only four hits in his five innings of work. The lefty kept the Cougars off balance all night, throwing 50 strikes in 77 pitches, and sat eight Cougars down with strikeouts.
OJ Jones started on the mound for Clay-Chalkville. Jones exited early in the second inning after giving up six hits and ten runs to the visiting Mounties. Jones had one strike out before heading to the dugout. Jaden White and Jay Sexton gave up ten hits and eleven runs in relief of Jones. Mahand led the Mounties with four hits in his five trips to the plate and knocked in four RBIs.
JACKSONVILLE – It has been quite the year for the Hewitt Trussville Lady Huskies this season. They spent most of the season ranked in the top 5 and just finished off an amazing 16-game winning streak for the season, not losing since December. But that streak would come to an end on Tuesday morning in the Regional Finals of the AHSAA tournament when they took an 11-point loss to the top-ranked Senators of Sparkman, 55-44.
It looked like business as usual to start this game for the Huskies. The defense smothered the Senators in the first quarter, allowing them only 6 points. On offense, the Hus-
kies just did what they do, putting up an impressive 16 points to start the game. Audre Benson led the Huskies with 6 points in the quarter, followed by April Hooks and Deondrea Powell who had a three-pointer each.
The second quarter was
not business as usual for Hewitt as Sparkman’s defense found a way to stop the bleeding on defense and blew the doors off on the offensive side, scoring 14 points against the Huskies. For Hewitt, Jor-
By John Goolsby For the Tribune
Jacksonville – The Shades Valley Lady Mounties saw their season come to an end against Parker High School Thursday morning. Valley fell in the Regional tournament 54-45 to the Thundering Herd. The Lady Mounties finished the season at 23-6, won the Area 10 regular season title, won the Area 10 tournament, and advanced to the 6A Sweet 16.
The Lady Mounties will return Area 10 MVP Angela Williams, who averaged 16 points per game and had seven double-doubles.
Zoey Little (All-Area), Kyliah Ravizee, Rhaegan Evans, and Siniya Singh will also return for Valley.
Gary Ferguson’s team loses only two seniors, Kyia Crayton (All-Area) and Trinity Collier. Valley will see the return of Miya Cobb and Lauren Nelson from ACL injuries next season.
The injuries forced the team to pull together early in the year. “This has been such a cohesive group of girls who genuinely care for one another,”
have put our program back on the winning track,” Ferguson said. “This year was really fun, and we’re looking forward to next year.”
“Our
Clay Chalkville
For the Tribune
HANCEVILLE — It was a heck of a run.
With a trip to the Alabama High School Girls Semifinal on the line, the red-hot ClayChalkville girls’ basketball team lost to Hazel Green, 55-49, Wednesday at Wallace State Community College In Hanceville.
Clay-Chalkville came into the game with a 24-7 record and riding a seven-game win streak. However, their opponent, Hazel Green, winners of the last five consecutive state championships, came in with a 33-1 record, their lone loss to Hoover back in January.
Coming into the game, Clay-Chalkville Girls Head Basketball Coach Kevin Conner said his Lady Cougars squad would have a solid opportunity to surprise the Lady Trojans if they could control the lane on defense and compete for rebounds.
In comments after the
game, Conner said he felt the Lady Cougars implemented the defensive strategy effectively, however, Hazel Green’s shooters found the zone early in the contest, forcing Clay-Chalkville’s defense to alter their game plan,.
“I thought we did a pretty good job in the paint,” said Conner. “The difference was in the first half, they made six of 11 on three pointers and that kind of stretched our defense out.”
At the end of the first quarter, Hazel Green held an 18-10 lead over the Lady Cougars.
Despite the fast start by the Lady Trojans, ClayChalkville kept pace with Hazel Green in the second quarter and had a chance to take the momentum into halftime.
Behind the efforts of junior Kamoriah Gaines and senior Cheyenne Pearson, the Lady Cougars cut Hazel Green’s lead to one point before some miscues tipped the balance in favor of the Lady Trojans.
“The difference in the game was at the end of the second quarter,” said Conner. “We were down 25-24 and had couple of turnovers which led to them ending half on 7-0 run.” Hazel Green went into halftime with an eight-point lead, 32-24.
Clay-Chalkville controlled the third quarter, outscoring Hazel Green 13-10. However, the Lady Trojans were just too much down the stretch, holding Clay-Chalkville to only eight points in the final period and ending Lady Cougars season, 55-45.
Conner says there is much for the Lady Cougars to be proud of in spite of Wednesday loss. “The season obviously was a huge success. We played a really tough schedule and finished the year 238,” said Conner. “We were area champs and made it to the Elite 8.”
Gaines led all scorers with 20 points, followed by Gaines with 12 points.
From page 13
Shades Valley coach Darryl Dunbar was happy with
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dan Hunter would be the lone scorer in the second quarter, putting up all 4 points for the Huskies. The halftime score would be 20-18 with Sparkman swinging the momentum in their direction, but Hewitt keeping it close heading into the locker room.
Hewitt recovered a bit on offense in the third quarter, but could not stop the Senators from having another 14-point quarter. The Huskies would score 9 points of their own, allowing Sparkman to widen the gap a bit. Hunter would lead the Huskies with
his team’s performance. “We pray together, play together and win together,” the first year Mountie coach said. Sexton led Clay-
another 4 points in the third and Powell would add another three-point shot for Hewitt. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Huskies found themselves in a manageable hole trailing Sparkman by a score of 34-29.
In the final period of the game, both teams would find the most success on offense of any other quarter in the game, which spelled doom for the Lady Huskies. Sparkman would light up the scoreboard with 21 points for the quarter. Hewitt would score 17, which would not be enough to advance them to Birmingham. Hooks had 5 points to lead the Huskies in the fourth with
Chalkville with two hits. The Mounties face Lanier Thursday night in their home opener while the Cougars host Corner.
Hunter close behind with 4.
Jordan Hunter would lead the Huskies on the night with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals. Audre Benson would not be far behind Hunter with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal.
“Today’s game just didn’t play out in our favor,” said Tonya Hunter, Hewitt’s Head Coach. “We love how hard our girls played. I’m so proud of this senior group, they had so much fight. Sparkman was the better team on today. We will celebrate this season not on the end result but on all of the memories we created together.”