The Trussville Tribune – May 3 - 9, 2023

Trussville City Council passes ordinances on short-term rentals

By Chase Holmes News Reporter

TRUSSVILLE – The Trussville City Council met for its second April meeting on Tuesday, April 26, 2023.

Early in the meeting, the Council unanimously approved City Zoning ordinanc-

Springville honors fire and police chiefs for years of service, donates $2,000 to SHS softball

By Terry Schrimscher

For the Tribune

SPRINGVILLE – The Springville City Council issued two proclamations Monday night, May 1, to honor Police Chief Wayne Walton and Fire Chief Richard Harvey for

Pinson Valley Arts Council to host inaugural ‘First Friday’ street party this week

By Crystal McGough Editor

PINSON – The Pinson Valley Arts Council will be kicking off its inaugural “First Friday” street party event on Main Street this Friday, May 5, beginning at 6 p.m.

Trussville Chamber announces 2023 scholarship recipients

From The Tribune staff reports

– The Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2023 TACC Scholarships. Scholarship certificates were presented at Senior Awards

Freestanding Emergency Department now open in Trussville

Clay Council approves zoning request for new business, hears Chick-fil-A update

By Terry Schrimscher

For the Tribune CLAY – The Clay City Council met for the second regular meeting of the month on Tuesday night, April 25. The meeting moved swiftly

From

The 12,500 square foot facility is the first of its kind in the Trussville community and will provide patients with another option for 24/7 emergency services in the region.

The new FSED is located at 5542 Vanlerberghe Lane, just off Highway 11, next to the Trussville Board of Education. It includes nine exam

rooms, five Fast Track rooms, on-site lab services, and diagnostic imaging for X-ray, CT, and ultrasound. There is also a helipad on site.

A ribbon-cutting was held for the FSED on Tuesday, April 4, with guest speakers including Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat, local meteorologist James Spann, and Grandview CEO Daniel McKinney, among others.

“What this freestanding emergency department provides for in Trussville and the surrounding areas is improved access to care,” said emergency physician and Trussville

resident Dr. Jeremy Rogers. “We desperately need more emergency medicine beds available in our community and that’s what this provides. Particularly here in the heart of downtown Trussville.”

Rogers said that the department operates 24/7. A number of health issues can be addressed by staff physicians such as chest pains, abdominal pains, trauma, ankle sprains and many others that often need immediate attention. The location is a convenient spot for those who need help much quicker.

“Really, freestanding

emergency departments and specifically the one in Trussville is about meeting a community’s needs,” said Dr. Kevin Cope, DO and emergency medicine specialist at Grandview who also spoke at the ribbon-cutting. “A lot of the Trussville community uses Grandview services. We recognized that Birmingham’s a fairly large geographic area and recognized that the residents of Trussville deserved a facility here and that we could provide an elevated level of care.”

Sweet Home Spirits Distillery in Leeds to hold grand opening May 11

available.

Leeds Council presents $1,000 check to Leeds High School track team

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From The Tribune staff reports

LEEDS – Sweet Home Spirits Distillery, a small batch distillery located in the Leeds Historic and Entertainment District, announced its grand opening will be held on May 11, 2023, from 12 p.m.8 p.m. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 12 p.m., and the grand opening weekend will continue through May 14, with hours of operation from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The distillery’s address is 8316 Parkway Drive, Suite 120.

“Our distillery will provide a unique experience for craft spirits lovers, and it gives us the opportunity to engage directly with the community about our small batch liquors,” said Austin Creel, President and founder of Sweet Home Spirits Distillery. “This facility will be our springboard for our research of new products and our prototype of future developments.”

Customers can purchase 1.5-ounce sample flights and craft cocktails on site during

the grand opening weekend. Sweet Home Spirits bottles to-go are also available. Following the grand open-

ing, the tasting room will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., with private event bookings

Sweet Home Spirits will celebrate its two-year anniversary on May 5, and now offers a Brick and Mortar Tasting Room. Creel said the distillery is proud to offer a unique experience for craft spirits enthusiasts, and that its commitment to quality, sustainability, and community is evident in its small batch liquors.

“We started this journey in 2020 and are thrilled to be able to continue it by opening our own distillery in Leeds. We are as grassroots as they come with 25 founders who cobbled together their time and resources to make this dream a reality,” Creel said.

“Starting as a modest brand with two package stores, we’ve grown to be in over 200 shelves in Alabama and Georgia. We welcome you to ‘Share a Taste of Home’ in our new home at the ‘Stillery.’”

About Sweet Home Spirits Distillery: Sweet Home Spirits is a Leeds, Alabama, based craft distillery dedicated to making creative,

Robin’s Sewing Shoppe

Opinion - Page 7

Finance - Pages 8-9

Outdoors - Page 10

Calendar - Page 11

Classified - Page 11

Obituary - Page 12

Sports - Pages 13-16

Springville to host dog walking 5k in support of Help Hope Live, Springville resident

From the Tribune staff reports SPRINGVILLE – The nonprofit Help Hope Live is holding

Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club announces

scholarship recipients

(HT) scholarship recipients for this year.

Credit: Grandview Medical Center

Officials, partners and staff members cut the ribbon. (Photo by Nathan Prewett)

L oca L / R egion

From

This free event will feature live entertainment from DieDra and The Ruff Pro Band, and those attending will also have the opportunity to patron a variety of local businesses on Pinson’s historic Main Street.

First Friday goers can visit Price’s Ice Cream, which is located in the historic Price’s Drug building and looks like something straight out of the 50s, or browse through a unique and stylish selection of clothes at Celina’s Boutique. They will also have the opportunity to grab a specialty coffee or tea from Barking Bee Coffee and then head over to Love Life Naturals to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift – or a gift for themselves.

“With First Friday, my goal is to try to help all the stores right there on Main Street,” PVAC founder DieDra Ruff said. “Try to get people to stop and shop at Celina’s, eat lunch at Price’s, go into the little perfume store. You’ve got the dog grooming place (Comfort Grooming), so that’s somewhere you can take your dog.”

Ruff said that traffic comes down Main Street often but doesn’t really stop on Main Street. By offering live entertainment in a block party style setting, she hopes to get people to notice and take pride in the small busi-

nesses of their community and encourage them to shop local.

“I want people driving down the street to hear the music and pull over and come and sit down,” she said. “The way it will be set

up, you just bring your folding chair, pop your chair out and listen to some live entertainment. Send the kids next door to Price’s and get ice cream or pizza or whatever. If you feel like going next door to Celina’s and buying something – it’s just to benefit the whole street.”

In addition to the band and local stores, Ruff said there will be local artist set up, as well. There will also be a raffle for items donated by the merchants and businesses of Main Street. Raffle tickets will be $5.

While First Friday is a free event, there will be a donation box in case anyone wants to help contribute and ensure that these types of events can continue to be provided by the Pinson Valley Arts Council.

As for now, Ruff said the Arts Council plans to host First Friday at the start of each month from May to October.

First Friday is sponsored by Steve Mezrano Law Firm, Studio 54 School of Arts and Beverly’s Dance Unlimited. For more information or to inquire about booth spaces at future First Friday events, contact DieDra Ruff at (404) 379-0096.

Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama to host GirlCon this weekend in Trussville

From the Tribune staff reports

TRUSSVILLE – Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is hosting GirlCon at the Trussville Civic Center on May 5-6, 2023.

According to a press release, Girl Scout Juniors and up are invited to join Girl Scouts of North-Central Al-

abama for GirlCon: a comic con-style event where they can celebrate their favorite fandom, hobby, or passion for the arts.

GirlCon is a Girl Scouts Destinations event co-sponsored by Girl Scouts of the USA.

The event will be held at the Trussville Civic Center. On May 5, doors will be open

from 5:30- 8:30 p.m. On May 6, hours will be 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

At GirlCon, girls can choose between three specialty tracks: costuming, storytelling and gaming. Throughout the day, they will attend classes, panels, and hands-on workshops on these subjects while also earning badges along the way.

For the costuming track, girls will have the opportunity to sew from patterns in a costuming workshop, learn special effects makeup, and try their hand at prop building.

With the storytelling track, girls will have the chance to attend an author Q&A with Ash Parsons (author of Girls Save the World in This One) and Shelli Johannes (author of Rewired), take part in a movie magic special effects lab, and get creative with a draw-along comic class.

Girls in the gaming track will create their own board games, find their way out of an escape room, and play to win with experienced game masters in open game play.

In addition to these panels and workshops, girls will have the opportunity to par-

ticipate in a costume contest on Friday night and a professionally judged art show on Saturday.

From front page

Emergency physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, respiratory therapists and other patient care professionals staff the ER.

Many emergency services can be effectively managed at

Distillary

From front page

authentic liquor and helping to build a great craft spirits culture within communities it serves. Founder, Austin Creel, is a Birmingham native with a passion for craft distilling.

Born from his desire to bring

the freestanding emergency department without the need for transfer to a traditional hospital setting. However, if a higher level of care is needed, relationships with ground ambulance and medical helicopter services can quickly transport patients to Grandview Medical Center or the facility of their choice.

exciting, flavorful, fresh small batch liquors to his hometown, Sweet Home Spirits is bringing the craft liquor tradition to Central Alabama. For more information, please visit their website at www.sweethomespirits.com or follow them on social media @drinksweethomespirits

Clinic

The x-ray area. (Photo by Nathan Prewett)

The reception area of the emergency department. (Photo by Nathan Prewett)

Credit: Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama

es 2023-04 and 2023-05 that ban the unauthorized operation of short-term rentals such as an AirBnB anywhere except the Downtown Overlay District without a licence. It also regulates what constitutes a short-term rental and the requirements for owning and operating them.

Mayor Buddy Choat said the ordinance was necessary to safeguard Trussville residents and their neighborhoods.

“People’s largest investments are usually their homes, and we just want to be careful and do all we can do to make sure home values are protected,” Choat said.

The Council also heard a first reading on an ordinance to re-zone two undeveloped lots on North Chalkville Road. The lots are currently being acquired by the St. Vincent’s freestanding ER for the purpose of merging the rezoned lots with their own.

A second first reading was heard on an ordinance to rezone two properties pur-

chased by a individual for the purpose of rezoning them from commercial to residential as the acquired properties are apart of the access point to their residence.

Resolution 2023-28 was passed authorizing the mayor to sign utility easement agreements with Alabama Power for the Loop Road project, which will create a loop road allowing drivers to bypass the downtown four way if downtown is not their destination.

In other business, the council passed the following: Resolution 2023-26, approving professional services contract with Sain and Associates for the development of the Glendale property • Resolution 2023-27, for the purchase of a police cargo van for the Trussville SWAT team Resolution 2023-29, declaring two city vehicles, a 2004 Freightliner bus and a 2003 F-150 as surplus

The Trussville City Council regularly meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the City Hall Annex, beginning at 6 p.m.

HTHS Senior Samuel Simmons is a member of the AllState Jazz Band and is head trumpet. He is also a member of the UA Honor Band Top Band. Samuel received the Crimson Achievement Award and a $500 scholarship from the UA Honor Band. Other activities include helping to coach TUSC soccer, serving as a Peer Partner, being a part of Leadership HT, and was named to the Band Leadership. He plans to pursue the CREATE path to the MBA program and minor in music performance at the University of Alabama. Simmons will receive the $5,000 Van Horne Honorarium Scholarship, named for one of the founding members of the club.

Will Cochran is the first-ever recipient of a $1,000 vocational scholarship from this club. Cochran placed third in the Skills USA contest for electrical construction wiring. He is a member of the leadership team, is a student body leader, and has been in an electrical class for three years. Cochran is also a high school leader at First Baptist Trussville. He ran his own business cutting grass, pressure washing, and more. He plans to attend Southern Union for welding. The Trussville Rotary

Day at Hewitt-Trussville High School on April 21. The recipients will be recognized at the chamber luncheon with special guest Gov. Kay Ivey on May 18.

“We had 26 applications this year, and each was outstanding in its own way,” said June Mathews, executive director of the chamber. “Our

Daybreak Club meets at First Baptist Church Trussville on Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. For more information on the Club, or to help with one of their projects, please ‘like’ them on Facebook (Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club) or email Diane Poole at dlpoole1225@gmail.com.

The Rotary International motto is ‘Service above Self,’

judging panel definitely had their work cut out for them, but they did a great job of combing through the applications and finding the ones they considered most deserving of the awards.”

TACC Academic Scholarships for $1,500 each were awarded to Duane (D.J.) Carter, who plans to attend Missouri University of Science & Technology this fall, and Grace Brooker, who plans

Credit: Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club

and this club lives out this motto by serving the community in many ways. Proceeds from fundraising events, including the coordination of a golf tournament for almost 30 years, go toward the club’s many projects. Those projects include leadership opportunities for local high school students, ribbons at City Hall in recognition of Veterans’ Day,

to attend Auburn University. A third Academic award in the amount of $1,000 went to Jordan Laboon, who will be attending Samford University.

The $3,000 TACC Leaders Scholarship went to Vanessa Kiriuki for overall outstanding achievement. Vanessa will be attending the University of Alabama in the fall.

The new TACC Cham-

lunch for campers and staff at Smile-a-Mile, trees planted at Civitan Park, and more. The Club has recently funded the new clock tower in downtown Trussville, two solar benches at parks in downtown Trussville, benches at the walking track at Cahaba Elementary, and playground equipment at The Mall in historic Trussville.

ber Champions Scholarship went to Emily Bozeman. This $3,000 award was based not only on the recipient’s achievements but on a parent’s membership and level of involvement in the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce. Emily’s father is Brian Bozeman of Alfa Insurance, an active member of the chamber’s ambassador team. Emily plans to attend Auburn University.

TACC scholarship awards are generally based on scholastic achievement, financial need, community and school involvement, and a 300- to 400-word essay on an assigned topic.

The application period for TACC scholarships is currently closed. Next year’s application period will open in January 2024. Visit www. trussvillechamber.com for more information.

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Trussville City Council members listen to a master planning proposal for the Glendale property from representatives of Sain and Associates (Photo by Chase Holmes)

Springville

From front page

service to the city. Walton and Harvey are both celebrating 25 years with Springville.

Mayor Dave Thomas read each of the proclamations aloud, thanking both men for their dedication to the city.

Thomas and Councilmember

Herbert Toles discussed ways to preserve the proclamations with a plaque or framed print.

Harvey has previously served as a building inspector for the city and has been Chief of the Fire Department since November of 2001. Walton was promoted to Chief of Police in November of 2020.

“If we’ve got others with the city who have put in decades of service, we need to recognize them,” Thomas said. “We’ve got several employees that are pursuing additional training for their jobs, their responsibilities; as those are completed, we also want to recognize them as well.”

The Springville High School Softball team visited the Council during the meeting to accept a $2,000 donation to the school to support the team. The team recently moved into first place in class 5A and will host a regional tournament this week.

The Council approved a resolution authorizing the

State of Alabama to collect sales, use, rental and lodging taxes for the city. Springville previously contracted with Avenu Insights & Analytics to collect taxes but did not renew the contract last month.

In the work session prior to the meeting, Dean Goforth presented a financial update.

As of March 31, Springville has total revenues for the year of $6,171,511 and expenses of $5,675,033. The total cash balance in all accounts is $8,677,044, with $1,334,703 in the general fund.

He made the recommendation to consolidate some accounts and explore other opportunities to invest the funds.

Goforth also suggested the Council consider using some funds to buy police cars when they find available vehicles because of multi-year delays on orders for new police cars.

At the end of the meeting, Toles announced the city’s electronic recycling and paper shredding event. He invited everyone to bring recycling to City Hall on Saturday, May 6, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. A list of accepted items can be found on the Springville Facebook page.

The next meeting of the Springville City Council will be held on May 19, at 6 p.m., with a work session at 5:30 p.m.

Clay

From front page with only a few items for consideration on the agenda.

The Council held a public hearing to change the zoning of a property at 2401 Springville Road near City Hall. The Clay Planning and Zoning Commission met on April 20 and made the recommendation to approve a request to zone the property commercial.

Property owner Eddie Dawson was on hand to speak at the hearing. He owns Dawson Automotive, which is currently located at 817 Florentine Drive in Birmingham, but plans to locate his business in Clay.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be back in the city with a new business,” Dawson said. “We greatly appreciate everyone who supports us.” The property is currently being renovated for the new use and Dawson said he expects to have cars for sale on the lot in approximately 30 days.

There was no one present to speak in opposition to the proposal. The Council voted unanimously to affirm the recommendation to rezone the property to commercial.

City Manager Ronnie Dixon told the Council he expects another zoning request this summer for the new Chickfil-A location near City Hall. Chick-fil-A announced plans last year to build a drivethrough-only location on the corner of Old Springville Road and Chalkville Mountain Road.

The Council approved a resolution abating property located at 6511 Self Lane. The property has appeared on the agenda several times over the last few months.

In the November 22 meeting, the Council approved a resolution condemning the burned home and accepted a bit of $16,600 to perform demolition on the property. The home had previously appeared on the agenda in October but a vote was delayed while the property owners waited for insurance to settle. The city will place a lien on the property for the cost of the work.

In his report, Dixon announced the Clay-Pinson Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at Grayson Valley Country Club. The meeting will feature guest speaker Tony Cooper from Jimmie Hale Mission. The meeting will begin at 7:30 a.m. on May 2 and the price is $10 per ticket. Interested parties can reserve tickets at the Clay-Pinson Chamber of Commerce website.

The National Day of Prayer is traditionally held on the first Thursday of May each year. Dixon announced the Council will be participating in a Bible reading marathon held at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross located at 90 Parkway Drive in Trussville. The event begins Thursday morning, May 4, and will continue for approximately 82 hours until the entire Bible has been read.

The next meeting of the Clay City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 9, at City Hall.

2401 Old Springville Road will be the new location of Dawson Automotive. The dealership expects to open in the next month in the City of Clay.

The top ranked Springville High School Softball team visited the Springville Council meeting. (Photo by Terry Schrimscher)

Chief Wayne Walton received a proclamation for 25 years with Springville. (Photo by Terry Schrimscher)

Chief Richard Harvey received a proclamation for 25 years with Springville. (Photo by Terry Schrimscher)

From front page

Jennifer Jenkins, 37, of Springville, has been living with life-altering disabilities since she was six years old. Help Hope Live is holding a dog walking 5K that culminates in a special event on May 20, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., that includes a dog parade and a chat with special guest Dr. Johnathan Elliot.

Those in attendance will also receive free tips from dog trainer Chris Sides. The event will take place at Big Springs Park, in Springville, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“I was born with a rare AVM (arteriovenous malformation) on my spinal cord that caused me to have four strokes,” Jenkins said in a bio on Help Hope Live’s website. “I was paralyzed the first time at six from the neck down and with a lot of work was able to regain most functions. I was treated for these strokes at 19 in California and a year later, I became paralyzed from the chest down.”

Jenkins states that she has gotten two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree since being put in a wheelchair, and she works full-time helping other people with disabilities like hers to stay in their home.

“When I’m not working, I love walking my two dogs in town where one has to walk the whole town and speak to everyone he sees,” she said. “I also read and do anything crafty. As someone who sits all the time and can’t move my legs, I’ve always had really bad spasms in my legs and abdomen. These spasms interfere with working and daily life as I pretty much have to stay strapped in my chair just to stay in it.”

Jenkins is raising money to purchase an electrical stimulation bike that she can roll her wheelchair up to and strap her legs to so that the stimula tion can get her legs to move the pedals. This will reduce her spasticity and increase her stamina, which will make

working easier for me, she said. “I have used this type of bike before in therapy and it was so beneficial, but insurance won’t cover it due to it being experimental and not considered standard, Jenkins said. “It will also

Leeds is seeking community input on the future of downtown

who has supported me from the beginning and those who support me now and always!”

Those who want to participate in the 5K fundraiser can walk their dog anytime between now and May 20 for 3.1 miles and register to support Jenkins -

Registration is $20 and all proceeds will go to help pay for medical expenses related to

From the Tribune staff reports LEEDS – Leeds Main Street, a Designated Main Street community and nonprofit focused on downtown revitalization, is asking consumers to take a survey to better understand what the community wants in the downtown district. Insights and suggestions from survey participants will be used to fine-tune economic development strategies in a Market Analysis conducted by Downtown Professionals Network and made available by Main Street Alabama.

To take the survey online, click the link here or scan the QR code below.

“We really want to hear from anyone that lives, works, visits, or does business in Leeds,” said Amber Vines, Leeds Main Street Executive Director. “Community input, along with supporting market data, will help us identify the types of businesses and inventory that can be successful in downtown Leeds.”

The survey is short and will be available until May 2. Consumer survey results, along with information from a concurrent downtown business survey and other market data, will help equip Leeds Main Street to better promote downtown business and development opportunities, and to focus resources on projects and initiatives that align with the community’s priorities

and its vision for Downtown Leeds. Since Main Street Alabama Designation in June 2022, seven net new businesses have opened downtown creating seven jobs. Total investment during that time is $343,120 investment with $253,207 being private dollars and 1,718 reported volunteer hours.

Mayor David Miller presented a $1,000 check to be used by the team for an upcoming state championship game. The check was given to coach and teacher Jesse Turner.

Turner spoke before taking the check, expressing his gratitude. Despite a decline in participants in recent times, there have been more who have signed up this year.

“In a track program, we don’t make a lot of money,” Turner said with a laugh. “So, a thousand dollars goes a long way to help kids have a wonderful experience. I told all eight kids today and two of them shed real teenager tears, which if you haven’t seen those, something about them just hit a little bit different.”

He gave Miller a Leeds High School cap, calling it his “$1,000 hat.”

During the regular meeting, the council approved a resolution allowing the city’s fire department to be an EMS clinical training location. The resolution approved the location as an agreement with Regional Training Institute.

Fire Chief Chuck Parson said that the department will be paying $5,500 for training, less than in a previous agreement.

“It’s a lot cheaper but we’re getting good, quality

teachers in this school,” he said.

Councilwoman Angie Latta asked if there was an insurance policy to protect the city, to which city attorney Johnny Brunson said that there is.

The last item on the agenda was the discussion of a property at 1600 Moton Street, in which the owner, Alma Watson, and her attorney, Oshanta White Bulgar, gave an update on its condition as it is being considered for demolition based on an order by the court.

Bulgar said that Watson and her family have been coordinating with a contractor and architect to begin repairing the house and bring it up to code in the hopes of avoiding the demolition. She said that the timeframe

for completion would be 90 to 120 days. When asked by Councilman Johnny Dutton what the cost would be, she said that she did not have an exact amount but the family is working to pay for it.

In other business, the council:

• Authorized a budget amendment for the purchase of a fire department quad cab truck, not to exceed $80,000, and to be paid for out of the St. Clair County EMS funds, and Adopted and ratified the February 2023 city expenditures and payables.

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.

Credit: Help Hope Live

Jennifer Jenkins (Credit: helphopelive.org)

David Miller presents a $1,000 check to Jesse Turner, who is coach of the track team at Leeds High School.

(Credit: Nathan Prewett)

The PRICE Act got punk’d

By Phil Williams, 1819 News

Commentary

Beginning in 1948, the early days of television, the catchphrase, “Smile! You’re on Candid Camera!” became a part of pop culture.

Amazingly detailed practical jokes can take some time to develop. Planning, staging, and orchestrating a scenario that leads the hapless victim down a primrose path of emotion and incredulity takes time and planning.

“Candid Camera” turned the practical joke into an art form.

Some have said that

“Candid Camera,” with host Allen Funt, was the original reality show. An entire genre of prime-time viewing sprang out of that one gag-oriented, hidden camera show, with spin-offs, reboots, syndications, and international copycats around the globe, the latest iteration being the celebrity-focused show “Punk’d.”

For those that don’t track the latest trends in modern vernacular, “punked” simply means that someone has been the butt of a well-played, and often public, practical joke. Punking someone can be done in fun, with smiles all around.

But punking can also be hurtful. Punking can be spiteful. Punking can be insensitive and even bullying. “Candid Camera” and its spin-offs have faced lawsuits on multiple occasions for everything from bodily injuries, emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and more, because of punking gone too far.

And sometimes the “punker” just has little re-

gard for the “punkee.” That is exactly what happened recently in the Alabama Senate. Recent polling indicates an overwhelming majority of Alabamians support expanded school choice. Across the nation, Republican majorities have expanded school choice for their state residents. In 2023 alone, Indiana, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Utah, and West Virginia have passed or are close to passing legislation providing families with the option for universal school choice, allowing parents to have the final say regarding the educational environment that best fits each child’s needs.

Alabama’s budgets show the coffers are full, boasting the largest education budgets in state history. Despite being flush with cash, Alabama remains at the bottom of the heap in education quality and outcomes. This is a gross injustice to our children, especially given that many states spend less per child than Alabama and yet rank higher overall – proof positive that money is not the issue, but rather how we spend that money.

Enter the Parents Rights in Children’s Education Act (PRICE) and State Sen. Donnie Chesteen, (R-Geneva) Chairman of the Senate Education Policy Committee and architect of the biggest political punking of 2023.

The PRICE Act is a landmark school choice bill on par with those in other states. Sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia) and other Republicans, the PRICE Act would establish that Alabama believes funds

for education are first and foremost for the education of a child, and not so much for funding government public schools.

But nowhere in the nation has such legislation ever dismantled public education. In fact, the free market principle of competition often drives the public school system to improvement. But the teachers’ union and Alabama’s “educrats” fear change, and they certainly fear any loss of power. Follow the money and you will also find that a large swath of Republican legislators have been taking campaign donations from the teachers’ union despite the longstanding prohibition on doing so by the state Republican Party.

And so, with complete disregard, the great PRICE Act punk was orchestrated.

Despite his initial request for assignment to the education budget committee, Sen. Stutts was reportedly assured that Sen. Chesteen’s Education Policy Committee was the best assignment. Populism runs strong with this bill, so when it was announced that a public hearing would be held, a large crowd of supporters took time from work to travel to Alabama’s Statehouse to participate in the moment, supporting this highly sought and very conservative legislation.

Speakers for and against the bill were given the opportunity to speak, one of the leading proponents being Terry Lathan, the immediate past Chair of the Alabama Republican party. The crowd applauded loudly at every supportive speech. The energy in the room

certainly favored a vote for favorable report to move school choice to the floor of the Senate. And that’s when it happened.

Without so much as a word of consideration, or a sidebar with his colleague, Chairman Chesteen inexplicably announced that the bill would be recommitted without a vote to the Clerk of the Senate for referral to the education budget committee, a referral originally sought. The room was stunned. The bill sponsor was caught offguard and called the move a stalling tactic. This is not the usual way of things. The PRICE Act was punked.

At this point, the bill still has not been recommitted, and the legislative clock is ticking.

In eight years of service in the State Senate I saw some hoo-doo and backroom finagling. But the punking of the PRICE Act ranks as one of the most disrespectful and misleading incidents against the general public, and certainly of fellow caucus members who have held press conferences, done their research, and ably worked their bill.

Punking the public is bad form. Punking a colleague is unprofessional. Punking the PRICE Act is bad for Alabama’s children.

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.

Alabama legislative session success so far, still work ahead for lawmakers

By Paul DeMarco

We are now just past the half way point of the current session of the Alabama Legislature. While there has been a lot accomplished, there is still a lot to do.

Lawmakers deserve praise for passing several pieces of needed legislation. Specifically, a bill that would require mandatory minimum sentences for trafficking of fentanyl and the reform of prison “good time” laws that allowed violent felons out of prison years before their sentence was complete are now law.

At this point, still waiting for debate and final passage are a number of other bills that are being considering by state representatives and senators, which could include the following:

• the potential removal of the 4 percent state grocery tax

• the enhancement of penalties for violent gang activity

Penalties for shoplifting

BY retail theft rings

• Lifting the restriction on pay for retired police officers who serve as school resource officers

• education reform initiatives

All of this legislation is significant and work by lawmakers to get them passed is happening in the committees. To get them to the governor’s desk, however, will take a lot

of work with the sprint to the end of the session since there is so much left to do.The education and general fund budgets also must be approved by both chambers. With significant budget surpluses this year, there are a lot of eyes watching where state funds are being appropriated. In addition, the decades long issues of problems with the state’s corrections facility have got to be addressed sooner rather than later. Even with the construction of three new facilities, the ongoing problems have to be addressed to avoid a federal takeover of the system. There are about fifteen days left in the session. We will see what lawmakers get accomplished before they adjourn for the year.

Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter @ Paul_DeMarco

Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter @Paul_DeMarco

By David R. Guttery, RFC, RFS, CAM President, Keystone Financial Group-Trussville Al

At a high level you could certainly say that inflation is moving in the right direction. Right now, I believe that markets remain reticent to have faith that the Federal Reserve will not deliver another shock with regard to monetary policy though and this is adding to volatility.

As we have discussed in previous articles, at about this time last year, the Federal Reserve unveiled what has proven to be the most aggressive approach to the removal of accommodation in over 35 years. I believe that this shocked the markets because tightening, at a high level, is the process through which the Federal Reserve attempts to control inflation. In the months leading up to the inception of tightening, both the Federal Reserve and the treasury were describing inflation in terms of being transient, short-term,

and event driven. I believe this left market participants with the impression that when the Fed eventually began to remove accommodation, that it would be mild, and certainly not this aggressive. After all, you’re telling us that you aren’t worried about inflation, so how bad could tightening possibly be?

This was the origin of the shock, and even today, I’m left with the impression that markets are still unwilling to fully trust that the Federal Reserve will not depart from what they told us in November of last year, that pursuing targets of tightening would be slower, and less hawkish. So, to understand the impact of inflation, and why that’s important, we must view that in the context of the Federal Reserve, and how that might drive future changes in economic policy, so that we can then understand market volatility, and its causes, to a greater degree. What could cause the Fed to suddenly revert back to a

more hawkish stance? In my opinion if we saw a sudden departure from recent inflationary trends, that would certainly catch the attention of the Federal Reserve. So, let’s take a look at inflation broadly, but then I would like

Looking at this chart, you can discern that inflation is definitely moving in the right direction. The concern, is whether or not we will see a second inflationary peak that might prompt the Fed to return to a more aggres-

just purchased. The red line is the consumer price index, and this represents what you actually paid for that item.

marathon and not a sprint.

to discuss the individual components of headline inflation so that everyone understands the deeper story behind the composite data.

sive schedule of tightening. The blue line is the producer price index. This represents what it cost the manufacturer to make the item that you

The green line is the PCE deflator. This is the Fed’s favorite measure of broad inflation. We are clearly moving in the correct direction, but the target for the PCE deflator is 2%, so we have further to go. This is not going to resolve overnight, and this is truly a

On that note, I believe that invokes a second state of mind that cannot be quantified on the spreadsheet. I mentioned earlier that markets seemingly do not trust the Federal Reserve, and you could characterize that as fear. Clearly, fear cannot be quantified on the spreadsheet. Neither can fatigue. I believe that market participants are just simply growing weary of the incessant, daily infatuation over higher-than-average inflation, and the slow pace with which it is resolving. We must be cognizant of the fact that states of mind are real, and while they can’t be quantified, they do have an impact on the daily movements of the markets.

There are too many individual components to discuss thoroughly within this article, so let me describe three of them. Let’s talk about inflation at the tangible goods level, the services level, and the shelter level. The first thing that I want everyone to realize is that forces that impact

elements of inflation are different. We have a mixed bag of components and they are not all moving in the same direction. So, let’s take a look at inflation at the tangible goods level.

This component of inflation has improved dramatically. In large part, this is due to the fact that logistical impediments have improved. We no longer have a great number of ships at anchor waiting to enter port, we are able to deliver materials to warehouses, and manufacturers with much greater efficiency than at any time since the economy reopened. While this looks encouraging, we must understand that the forces impacting inflation at the tangible goods level are different than those that impact shelter, or services.

So let me give you this example. During COVID, we heard much about hoarding. You can buy as many rolls of toilet paper as you can fit into your car, at one time. You’re only limited by the amount of money that you have to spend on that item. Tangible goods can be purchased one at a time, or many at a time.

With regard to services on the other hand, you can only get one haircut at a time. You can’t go to your favorite barber and get 10 haircuts at one time. So, the forces that impact inflation at the services level are going to be different, and thus the inflationary pressures will abate differently than they do when it comes to tangible goods.

Inflation at the services level is also moving in the right direction. It also seems to be abating, but it will do so at a slower pace than for tangible goods.

So again, back to the haircut example, for a long time we could not go to the theater to see a movie, or to a barbershop, or to a restaurant, or to get a massage. The purveyors of those services received some income through programs like the payroll protection plan, but that isn’t a substitute for being employed. There was definitely a loss of income for the purveyors of services while the economy was closed. Again, you can’t consume multiple services at one time.

So, when the economy reopened, if I am a barber and previously charged $25 for a man’s haircut, I began to charge $40 for that same

haircut. This was my attempt to recoup income that was lost while the economy was closed. The problem with this is that you can only charge so much for the same service before a competitor begins to undermine you by offering the same haircut for $35.

Well, I will be incentivized to lower my price when I begin to lose customers to that competitor. You can price yourself out of the economy if you raise your fee for services beyond a certain point. I believe we have seen that, incomes have largely normalized, and inflation at the services level, broadly, is moving in the right direction albeit more slowly than what we observe with tangible goods. The reason is simply that the forces impacting inflation at the services level are unique, and different from forces that impact inflation in other areas.

As it pertains to shelter, things are becoming worse. You could argue that while the Fed is attempting to control inflation at a headline level, it is making inflation at the shelter level worse.

Last year at about this time the Federal Reserve described their plans to pursue targets of tightening, and it went beyond just raising the discount rate. It also involved unwinding its balance sheet of assets that were acquired over a 30-month period of time when the printing of new money debased the currency by 36%. The Fed’s balance sheet ballooned to a historically precedent-setting level. They must unwind this in an orderly fashion, because if they don’t it could create a larger problem than the one they are attempting to solve.

Unwinding the balance sheet means that they are selling the bonds that they purchased with printed money, in the open global market. As I have mentioned before, there seems to be a glut of U.S. Treasury debt on the open global market at this time as a result. At a high level, if you have too many things for sale, and too few buyers for those things, prices will go down. There is an inverse relationship between price and yield. As prices drop, yields rise. Mortgages are tied to those yields. In December of last year, Fannie Mae told us that the average rate for a 30-year amortizing mortgage was above 7%. In February of last

year, it was at 2 ½%. In March of last year, Case Shiller told us that real estate had never been more nominally, or relatively expensive,

and this was the month when the Fed began tightening. So, at a point when real estate was at a relative high, the cost of affording that real estate

began to rise. By the end of the year this squeezed many people out of the housing market, and into multifamily dwellings like apartments, condominiums, and other rental forms of shelter.

Well, if I am a landlord, and the thing that I own is being sought by three times as many people, clearly I will raise the rent that I charge for that space of shelter. So, shelter in all of its forms continues to move higher, and this will likely not abate anytime soon, so long as the Federal Reserve continues to unwind its balance sheet, and bond yields remain higher, thus having an upward pressure on mortgage rates, and rents by extension.

That which rose like a rocket, will descend like a feather, and that’s just the financial physics behind tightening. It remains to be seen if the Fed will be successful in the soft landing they are attempting to achieve, but so far, I do not see anything that I can quantify on a spreadsheet that would lead me to believe that the Federal Reserve will be incentivized anytime soon to return to a more aggressive posture of tightening.

Over the course of the year, if the Fed remains consistent with its messaging, and its actions, I anticipate that markets will increasingly find faith that the Fed will

not shock them again. As this happens, I believe volatility will return to more normal levels, and I also believe this will incentivize market participants to reprice for the risk that previously made assumptions about the economy were wrong. Said another way, I believe it is possible that the market could be positive this year as fear abates, the Fed remains consistent, and inflation continues to gradually move in a lower direction.

(*) David R. Guttery, RFC, RFS, CAM, is a financial advisor, and has been in practice for 31 years, and is the President of Keystone Financial Group in Trussville. David offers 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 – 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.

David has been in practice for 26 years, with a distinctive focus on the management of retirement assets for the production of durable income. David R. Guttery, RFC, RFS, CAM, is an Investment Advisory Representative of Ameritas Investment Corp, and President of Keystone Financial Group, in Trussville, Alabama. David independently offers securities and investment advisory services through Ameritas Investment Corp. (AIC) member FINRA/SIPC.

Melton’s Motivation Leads to First Wild Turkey

By David Rainer Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

One of the motivational factors for new hunters discovered by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division is a quest for organic protein.

Individuals who participate in WFF’s Adult Mentored Hunting Program hunts often rank providing meals prepared with wild game for them and their families high on the priority list.

That motivation is what prompted David Melton of Huntsville to search for hunting opportunities after transferring from his Lockheed job in California to Alabama.

Although he grew up near Houston, Texas, he had not been introduced to hunting by friends or family.

“I’m from the suburbs,” Melton said. “I’m not a country boy, to be honest. My dad was not into hunting.”

After graduating from the University of Texas-Austin, he went to work for Lockheed and lived in California for 14 years.

“I transferred to Huntsville two years ago, and I’m quite happy,” Melton said. “After living in California, especially the last few years, I realized how unreliable our food supply can be when things disappear from the grocery store shelves.

“I was thinking about that song from Hank Williams Jr., ‘A Country Boy Can Survive.’ I was thinking, ‘There’s wisdom in that song.’ I did not grow up with these skills, but I’m going to find some

country boys to teach me. That was my attitude.”

His quest began last year during turkey season with a Google search, and he found that Casey’s Hunting Camp in the heart of the Alabama Black Belt had an opening. Although the camp is not associated with the WFF Adult Mentored Hunting Program, Casey’s has seen an increase in new hunters. Melton booked the hunt for the last weekend of the 2022 season. Unfortunately, the gobblers weren’t cooperative, but it fueled a desire to try again this year.

“I liked the family,” Melton said. “They were just great people. I said I’d come back and hunt with them again, and they offered the first weekend of the season this year. The first day of the season, it was hot that day. We were at the top of a ridge, and we could hear the turkeys gobbling at the base of the ridge. We set up three times and called to them. They would gobble at us, but they wouldn’t come. They were gobbling like crazy, like machine guns, but they wouldn’t come.

“That night as we were strategizing, we knew we had to get down to where they were. Bright and early the next morning, we head down to the bottom of the ridge.”

However, a big line of thunderstorms was on the horizon, increasing the urgency to get a gobbler within range as soon as possible. Charles Casey and his brother, Bill, were Melton’s guides for the weekend.

“Charles is calling and sitting next to me because I’m the inexperienced one and need guidance,” Melton said.

“I see the turkey first. It’s directly at my 12 o’clock. I’m sitting with my back to the tree and using my left knee to brace the shotgun.

“I got caught by surprise. I was expecting him to show up in full strut. But what I saw was a thin profile. I thought it might be a hen. I whispered to Charles, ‘Is that a male.’ He said, ‘Yes, I can see the beard.’ It occurred to me I had made a grave error by looking for a fan.”

Then Melton worried that the gobbler might be a jake, a juvenile, but Charles assured him it was a mature gobbler.

“It was still pretty dark, and we were under tree cover,” Melton said. “I asked Charles if I should fire, and he said, ‘Yes.’ I was trying to sight in, and I was amazed

at just how small that head looked at 40 yards. It started moving to my right. I don’t have enough flexibility to keep that shotgun on my knee, so I raised the shotgun offhand. I’ve got about one second left before he’s going to duck back down the hill. So, I pulled the trigger and nailed him.

“I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty proud of that shot. That’s the most difficult shot I’ve ever made in my life. Thank God for that one. I was praying for one turkey, and he came right to me.”

In 2022, Melton purchased a turkey choke for his shotgun designed for the Winchester Longbeard XR shells, and the Caseys had helped him pattern the gun on a turkey target before the hunting began.

As with most successful turkey hunts, Melton has no recall of any recoil from the shotgun.

“In that moment when I pulled the trigger on the turkey, I didn’t feel anything,” he said. “I only barely heard it, even. I was completely focused on that shot. It wasn’t like some people have told. I wasn’t really nervous or shaking. It was more like, oh, I hope I don’t miss this shot.

“The single biggest thing that almost threw me off was I had gone in with the assumption that the turkey would be in strut. I almost missed my chance because I was looking for the wrong thing. I was looking for a fan and not the

beard. I was glad I had someone like Charles sitting right next to me so I didn’t miss that opportunity.”

From a perspective of a veteran turkey hunter and guide, Charles said the gobblers were active that second morning, and they could hear five or six gobbling in their classic turkey woods setting.

“We got set up on an old roadbed, which gave us a shooting lane,” Casey said. “It was all oaks and hardwoods, and we had a stream right in front of us. I purred and clucked at the turkeys, and three of them gobbled. I waited about 15 minutes for the turkeys to fly down. The turkey gobbled once when he hit the ground. I purred at him. He gobbled. In three or four minutes a turkey walked up. It was almost still dark.

“David thought turkeys came up gobbling and strutting, but this turkey just walked up and topped the hill. Once I saw his head, I could tell he was a gobbling turkey because he was all flamed up.”

The turkey took another step up the hill, and Casey spotted his beard. He whispered to Melton that it was a longbeard and to take the shot whenever possible.

“He shot, and the turkey didn’t even flop,” Casey said. “I had my brother behind us if the turkeys had circled us. The other turkeys kept gobbling. We sat there another 30 minutes, but the other gobblers were out there breeding hens. I went and got David’s turkey and we high-fived and thought we were heroes. We had a good time.”

Although this was his first turkey harvest, Melton had been able to harvest ducks this past January and took a whitetail buck in February.

“I hunted last year but didn’t get anything,” he said. “I bought out the rack at Cabela’s to have the camo I needed. Now that I’ve gotten a few kills, I actually feel like I’m a hunter instead of just a wannabe.

“I can definitely see me doing this for a long time. I’ll be 42 in July, and I’m well aware that I’m kind of late getting started. I’m learning skills that most people have already had for years. I’m just glad that I’ve gotten such a positive reception. When I go with the Caseys, I’m stepping out of a culture I’m familiar with and into one I’m not.

They have always received me warmly and are happy to teach. I’m grateful to Charles, his son Jackson, and Bill.”

After the successful hunt, Melton hauled the 18.5-pound gobbler back up the ridge, and the hunting party headed to the camp.

“They offered to clean him for me, but I told them I didn’t want them to do that,” he said. “I wanted to learn. I cut him open and breasted him out and cut off the legs. Charles cut the beard and tail fan off for me.”

Casey said quite a few of their clients these days are new or inexperienced hunters.

“It’s pretty intense,” he said. “You have to coach them at camp. We sight their guns in and remind them they have to aim down the barrel. A lot of people will just kind of point the gun at the turkey, thinking they’re going to kill it. But David was real good at it. He’s rebooked for next year.

“He said it’s quite the experience. I told him I’d been doing it for 40 years, and it’s still quite the experience.”

Casey said the hunting camp is on 6,700 acres of family land in Dallas County. He purchased his grandparents’ house that was built in 1840, and started taking clients hunting in the early 1980s, when he was 23 years old.

“I’m the last one here,” Charles said. “My mom and dad died a couple of years ago. Between the Casey and Yates families, there used to be 20 people here two generations ago. Now I’m by myself.”

For those who are considering hunting in Alabama, visit www.outdooralabama. com/hunting/adult-mentored-hunting-program to sign up for a session.

Melton had the pleasure to carry the 18.5-pound turkey back up the ridge. (Credit: Charles Casey)

David Melton of Huntsville shows off the gobbler he bagged in the Alabama Black Belt. (Credit: Charles Casey)

c a L enda R

2023 Trussville

Beautification

Award Contest

April 24 @ 8:00 amJune 5 @ 5:00 pm

This year’s annual Beautification Awards Contest will be held Monday, June 5, with a rain-day of Monday, June 12, 2023. Categories are: Best Use of Color, Best Home Landscape Design, Best Home Overall, Best Business Overall, and Best Turf. Nomination forms will be available from May 1-31, at Trussville City Hall, Trussville Public Library and the Trussville Chamber of Commerce. Nominations can also be submitted online at https:// trussville.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-Beautification-Nomination-Form-Fillable.pdf.

Pokemon Club

Thursday, May 04: 4:00pm - 5:00pm Trussville - LBK Auditorium

The Republican Women of Trussville will be hosting a presentation by Pfizer whistleblower Debbie Bernal on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the Trussville Civic Center. Coffee and snacks will be served at 5:30 p.m., and the presentation will begin at 6 p.m. Bernal is the former consultant for Pfizer who exposed the company’s Covid virus mutation experiments. She recently spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) with James O’Keefe and she is now working with Eagle Forum of Alabama as a consultant for healthcare policy issues.

Spring Plant Swap

May 4 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Pinson Public Library (RSMC), 4509 Pinson Boulevard Pinson, AL 35126 United States

FREE SHOW – ALL AGES

Join us for a fun night with Frankly Scarlet (Atlanta, GA ) that plays the music of the Grateful Dead…… and they put their own “fingerprint” on it.

Birmingham Taco Fest

May 7 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Sloss Furnaces Visitor Center, 20 32nd St. N. Birmingham, AL 35222 United States

more, call 866-475-1014 (M-F 8am-6pm ET).

HEALTH/BEAUTY

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Are you a fan of Pokémon?

Bring your friends for an hour of playing the card game and watching a classic episode in the library auditorium.

Spend time playing Pokémon or enjoy watching a classic Pokémon show and creating a craft! Kids are welcome to bring their own cards, but staff cannot supervise trading. Parents are welcome to join us at the end of the program to monitor their child’s trading. Extra playing decks will be available for use during the program. This club is open to 1st - 5th grade students. Registration

Required!

Republican Women of Trussville: Guest speaker Debbie Bernal, Pfizer whistleblower May 4 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville-Clay Road

Trussville, AL 35173 United States

(Adults)

Join us for a Plant Swap on Thursday, May 4th! We’ve got plant propagations & seeds for you! Bring any of your own propagations &/or seeds to swap, or just your gardening tips or enthusiasm! We will have some soil, starter planting cups, & containers for you too.

Main Street Pinson: Parking Lot Yard Sales

May 6 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Main Street Pinson, 4281 Main St Pinson, AL 35126 United States

Main Street Pinson: Parking Lot Yard Sales take place the first Saturday of every month on Main Street, Pinson. Sign up now for a free space! For more information and to sign up, go to Pattis Flea Market & Consignment Shop located at 4281 Main St., Pinson AL Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. (Please no phone calls or texts)

Frankly Scarlet - A Tribute to the Grateful Dead

May 6 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Trussville Entertainment District, 101 Beech Street Trussville, AL 35173 United States

Taco ‘bout a good time! Join Bare Hands, Inc. in celebrating the city’s top taco vendors and food trucks during the sixth annual Birmingham Taco Fest presented by Rubio Law Firm on Sunday, May 7, 2023 from noon to 5 p.m. at Sloss Furnaces (20 32nd St. N., Birmingham, AL 35222). With approximately 20 taco vendors competing to be crowned top taco, this fiesta will be packed with family fun, food and lots of flavor! Along with the good eats, taco lovers can also expect an artist village, live music, libations, a children’s area, a farmers market featuring Pierce Farms and more. As a cultural and culinary experience for attendees, Taco Fest creates awareness of the many restaurants and artists that are proud to call Birmingham home. Proceeds from the event will benefit Bare Hands, Inc., an arts organization dedicated to creating meaningful art experiences for artists and the community. Advance general admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.bhamtacofest.com. Day of event general admission is $12. Children 12 and under are free. General admission tickets are for admittance only and do not include beverages or food. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $35, which includes a shaded area with access to seating and a bar with two drink tickets. This is a rain or shine event.

STEAM for Kids!

Monday, May 08: 5:00pm - 6:00pm Trussville - LBK Auditorium

nology, engineering, art, and math?

Join Ms. Jan, the science lady, of Dynamic Education Adventures in the library auditorium!

This club is open to K - 5th grade students. Registration is Encouraged!

Bloomin’ Bookfair!

May 8 @ 9:00 amMay 9 @ 6:00 pm Pinson Public Library (RSMC), 4509 Pinson Bou-

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levard Pinson, AL 35126 United States

Welcome to our Bloomin; Bookfair on Monday, May 8th from 9 AM to 7 PM & Tuesday, May 9th from 9 AM to 6 PM!

Browse our selection of USED books & media as well as new toys, trinkets, candy, posters, & more! All sales will benefit our upcoming Summer Reading

GENERAC Standby Generators provide backup power during utility power outages, so your home and family stay safe and comfortable. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free quote today! Call for additional terms and conditions. 1-877-323-5516

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Program!

All sales are final. This event is not affiliated with Scholastic.

This month we are exploring Rocket Science with Ms. Jan, the science lady, of Dynamic Education Adventures. Open to K - 5th grade students Ready for some hands-on application of science, tech-

o bitua R y

Alvin Hardaman

november 14, 1937 — april 19, 2023

Alvin Hardaman, age 85 of Birmingham, AL passed away on April 19, 2023. He was a member of North Clay Baptist Church. He retired from ALTEC Industries after 35 years of service. He was preceded in death by his brother, James Hardaman and sister, Flora Jean Wade and daughter-in-law, Andrea Hardaman. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Hardaman; son, Dean Hardaman; grandchildren, Jamie Mizerany (Matthew), Nick Hardaman (Rebecca), Ashley Davis and Chelsea Gargus (Zac); great grandchildren, Kaiden, Cate, Kara, Wesley, Jayce, Grayson and Ashton.

Lois Ellington

december 20, 1942 — april 20, 2023

Lois Ellington, of Pinson, AL, died peacefully in her sleep on April 20th. She was born on December 20, 1942 to Pinkney and Cora Coleman. Lois retired from the Social Security Administration office after several years of service where she served as a clerical assistant. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lindsay Ellington and her son, Ron Clearman, Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Susanna Griffin, seven grandchildren, and many great grandchildren. May she rest in heavenly peace. Visitation will be held on April 27th at Jefferson Memorial from 1pm-2pm with a graveside to follow at Jefferson Memorial's adjoining gardens.

Clifford Nixon, Sr.

january 2, 1936 — april 20, 2023

Mrs. Clifford Nixon, age 87, of Irondale, passed away on April 20, 2022. He was born on January 1, 1936. A visitation for friends and family will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home in Trussville from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Burial will take place on May 8, 2023 at Green Hill Cemetery in Muskogee, OK. Lescher Millsap Funeral Home of Muskogee will be handling the burial arrangements in OK.

Robert “Bob” Ferry

january 1, 1945 — april 23, 2023

Robert Franklin Ferry,78, of Birmingham went to be with the Lord on April 23, 2023. Robert grew up in Birmingham where he attended St. Paul’s Grammar School and John Carroll High School class of 1963. He then went to Brevard College in North Carolina for two years. In October of 1966 he made the decision to join the US Navy Active Duty for 26 years and then October 1992 until October 1996 for a total of 30 years. He achieved the rank E9 Senior Master Chief. He received several commendations including 3 Bronze stars for Vietnam Service. He served on several ships receiving 4 Bronze Stars for Sea Service. Upon being Honorably Discharged he went to work for the Mass Transit Authority in Los Angeles, California where he worked as an Inspector until 2016 when he retired and then moved back to Birmingham. He has spent last 7 years enjoying his love for making his yard at Doss Ferry in Kimberly beautiful. Preceding Robert in death are his parents: Oscar and Melba Ferry of Birmingham, a brother Charles M. Ferry of High Ridge, Missouri and Piper his beautiful and loving dog. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Charlotte Gene. Also survived by a brother, John David Martin (Beth),and a sister Julia (Steve). A daughter, Lynn (Stephen)and a son Christian (Cecy)and one grandchild.

A Military Honor Ceremony will be held in his honor on May 10 at 12:00 pm in the center of the Veterans area to the right of the office area. Live video will be on Jefferson Memorial web site. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Lovelady Center here in Birmingham. Fair winds and following seas, my dear brother, I love you brother.

AskEddie

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

Coping With the Death of a Parent

Reactions to Losing a Parent

Grief is as individual as it is natural. Your relationship with your parent strongly influences your grief, but so does your age, sex, previous experience with death and religious beliefs. If your parent died suddenly, you may grieve more intensely than if death came at the end of a long illness that allowed you to prepare yourself for your loss. In short, no one can tell you how you will or should experience grief.

They are, however, common reactions to the death of a loved one. You may experience shock. If your parent falls victim to a sudden illness or accident, you may even deny at first that he or she has died. Later, the initial shock may dissolve into numbness. You may feel that nothing is happening is real - as if you are watching a movie. This does not mean there’s something wrong with you. Shock is nature’s way of insulating you, of giving you time to accept what has happened slowly.

Coping With Your Grief

Take time to cry, and don’t be afraid to share your tears with other mourners. Talk openly with family members and friends. Express your anger if you are feeling it. Lean on your friends.

If you usually have a pressing schedule, try to lighten it. Set aside some quiet times just for yourself to think about your parent’s death and put things in perspective.

If your other parent is still alive, talk with him or her and share your memories. Sooner or later, you’ll find yourselves laughing about the good times and grieving for your loss. Gently suggest that your surviving parent not make any major decisions for several months. A grieving widow or widower may sell the house or give away belongings, only to regret those actions later.

Jefferson Memorial

FUNERAL HOME AND GARDENS

Michael Clark

october 10, 1956 — april 22, 2023

Michael Parish Clark, age 66, of Pell City passed away on April 22, 2023. He was born on October 10, 1956 to Layton and Frances Clark. He was a native of Pleasant Grove, AL where he graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 1974. After high school he attended the University of Alabama where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology. He retired from the city of Mountain Brook after over 25 years of service. Michael had a passion for animals and was involved with many animal rescue organizations throughout the Mountain Brook and Birmingham areas. Michael was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his sister, Dianne Bonner (Gordon); nephews, Derek Michael Bonner (Adrienne) and Kyle Matthew Bonner (Laura). In addition, he leaves behind one great nephew, Cameron Parish Bonner, one great niece, Valerie Leigh Bonner and one aunt, Laura Sundy. A graveside service for Michael will be held at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Trussville, AL on Thursday, April 27th at 10:00 a.m.

James Stirling

february 5, 1940 — april 22, 2023

James Larry Stirling Sr passed away on April 22,2023 at the age of 83. He is survived by his loving wife, Julia L. Stirling; Son, James Stirling Jr.; Daughter, Angela DuPre (David DuPre); Grandson, Tyler DuPre (Kelcy DuPre); Granddaughter, Shelby Hudgins (Josh Hudgins), Granddaughter, Jaclyn Drake (Taylor Drake); Great-Grandchildren, Wyatt, Kase, Elsie, Leah, Ryker and Hallie; his sister Margaret Tucker. He loved his family very much. A service will be held to celebrate his life at First Baptist Springville church on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Visitation will be at 11:00 am with the service following. He will be buried at the Springville Cemetery. James Larry Stirling Sr. Will be missed on this earth, but we know he is finally home with his Heavenly Father in heaven.

Margaret Lane

april 6, 1928 — april 28, 2023

Margaret D. Lane, age 95 of Birmingham, AL passed away on April 28, 2023. She was member of Fultondale United Methodist Church for over 60 years. She retired from Bell South Telephone Company. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack H. Lane. She is survived by her sister, Lois Pici of Florida; brother and sister-in-law, John and Carol Lane; numerous nieces and nephews.

Dyrel Dwayne Barnett

january 1, 1949 — april 25, 2023

Dyrel Dwayne Barnett, age 74 of Springville, Alabama passed away on April 25, 2023. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. His family and God was very important in his life and he loved and cherished both very much, He was a member of NorthPark Baptist Church. He retired from American General Insurance. He is preceded in death by his wife of 21 years, Donna Chilton Barnett; his mother, Alene Edge Barnett; his brother, Larry Don Barnett; his grandparents, Wilburn Bunyon Barnett, Willie Mae Garner Barnett, Porter Taylor Edge and Elinor Nail Edge. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kay Stephens Barnett; daughter, Alison Barnett Murphy and her husband, Jason Murphy; grandson, Taylor Murphy (Tayler); granddaughter, Madison Murphy; father, Wilburn Dyrel Barnett.

Billie Williamson

july 19, 1929 — april 22, 2023

Billie Jean Williamson, age 93, passed away Saturday April 22, 2023. She was a long time member of Huffman Baptist Church, and enjoyed participating in the Happy Hearts Choir. She worked at UAB as an administrative assistant in respiratory care for many years. Billie volunteered in the Cardiac Rehab Program at St. Vincent's East for 25 years and enjoyed the many special friends she made there. Billie was proceeded in death by her husband Joe Williamson, her parents Newell and Daisy Wheless, and siblings Newell, Harold, Martha, and Auda Lee. She is survived by her son, David (Wendy), grandchildren Jason (Anna) and Kalie, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at Jefferson Memorial on Saturday April 29th at 2PM with a visitation at 1PM.

Martha Sue Rooker

november 14, 1934 — april 22, 2023

Martha Sue Rooker, age 88 of Tarrant, AL passed away on April 22, 2023. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her parents, Samuel Leo Hadley and Dena Gladys Hadley, her son, Joe Mark Rooker and several siblings. She is survived by her son, David and his wife, Cindy Rooker; sister, Bonnie Franklin; grandchildren, Brad and his wife, Amy, Craig and his wife, Tamara, Todd and his wife, Jess Rooker, Emily Ellison and her husband, Cody, Katie Shelton, Kaci Rooker, and Kari Bickerstaff and her husband, Will; 11 great grandchildren; special friend, Hershel Yates and numerous nieces and nephews.

Everette Henley

november 7, 1930 — april 22, 2023

Mr. Everette G. Henley, Jr., age 92, went to his eternal resting place in Heaven on Saturday, April 22, 2023. He was a kind, generous and Godly man who lived his life with, humility, integrity, honor and service to his fellow man. Everyone that knew him, whether it be for years, days or minutes, loved and respected him. The way he lived his life is the true definition of a Servant. He served his Country, Community, Church, Family and Friends, and anyone that just needed help along the way. He was a selfless man who always thought of others first even during the last days of his life.

Mr. Henley was born on November 7, 1930, in Russellville, Alabama and then grew up in the West End area of Birmingham. He joined the Marines in 1950 and served as a Sargent in the Korean War. In 1955, he married Jewel Dean Walker and they moved to the Center Point area to raise their family and he worked as a Letter Carrier for the U.S. postal Service for thirty-six years. He was a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church and faithfully served for sixty-one years in many capacities until he became ill in November of last year.

1591 Gadsden Hwy Birmingham, AL 35235

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

205-322-0543 www.jmgardens.com

JeffMem.AskEddie’20 5.3”x10”

He is preceded in death by his father, Everette Gibson Henley, Sr., his mother, Aubrey Coburn Henley and three sisters, Mary Wright, Sue Armstrong and Louise Harrell. Mr. Henley is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Jewel Henley, two daughters, Paula Hughes (Neil), Kristin Jensen (Tim), two grandsons, Blake McDonald and Austin Morris (Emily), and one great-granddaughter, Rory Elaine Morris. His precious soul, love and infectious laugh will be missed by the many lives he touched. May he rest in peace. He is healed.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7: 6) For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of the God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. Family and friends will gather at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home in Trussville on Friday, April 28th from 11am until 12pm with a graveside immediately following at Jefferson Memorial's adjoining cemetery. Pastor Jamie Walley will preside over the service.

Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin Wins At Barber With Late Race Pass

By John Goolsby For the Tribune

BIRMINGHAM

– It was a big day for Barber Motorsports Park. The NTT IndyCar event drew the largest race day crowd in ten years and had over 80,000 spectators on site for the three days event. An exciting race, beautiful weather, and a huge crowd weren’t the only reason for the excitement. Zoom Motorsports announced that the IndyCar race contract had been extended through 2027.

“It has been an honor to host this race since 2010 at

the world-renowned Barber Motorsports Park,” said Gene Hallman, CEO of ZOOM.

“The event has become a cornerstone of the Birmingham community, drawing fans from all over the world. We are excited for the future of this event and what it means to Children’s of Alabama.”

Children’s of Alabama, in the first year of a five-year contract, will continue as the event’s sponsor. “The multiyear extension coincides with the new agreement with the entitlement partners of the race, Medical Properties Trust and Children’s of Alabama,

which executed a multiyear commitment with ZOOM Motorsports this year.”

“For the last 13 years, Barber has been an ideal host and the perfect Southeastern venue to showcase IndyCar’s bold and brash personality and compelling action,” said Penske CEO and President Mark Miles. ‘With its unique layout and dramatic features, this beautiful facili-

ty is a favorite with our fans and within our paddock. We look forward to growing this meaningful partnership with more thrilling racing and iconic moments.”

On the track, Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin used a three-stop strategy to beat pole-sitter Romain Grosjean of Andretti Autosport, whose team opted to use a two-stop strategy, by 1.7 seconds.

The 90-lap Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix saw 87 laps of green flag action, 175 passes, and seven lead changes between four drivers. The only caution of the race came on lap 36 when A.J. Foyt Racing’s rookie driver, Sting Ray Robb, came to a stop in turn nine due to a mechanical issue.

For the second time this season, McLaughlin and Grosjean found themselves fighting each other for a possible victory. The two came together in a crash in the season opener at St. Pete. For McLaughlin’s part in the in-

cident, he received an avoidable contact penalty. The Kiwi said, “there’s no hard feelings.”

Grosjean, a Formula One veteran, made his final pit stop on lap 60 after leading the first 59 laps of the race. McLaughlin ducked in the pits on lap 63 for his third and final stop and emerged just ahead of Grosjean at the end of pit lane. The Swiss-born Frenchman passed McLaughlin less than a lap later at turn seventeen to take fourth place. “Well, he caught me

Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin Photo by: Drew Goolsby

Grosjean leads McLaughlin into turn 12. Photo by: Drew Goolsby

McLaughlin at speed. Photo by: Drew Goolsby

See MCLAUGHLIN, Page 16

IndyCar Rookie Races With Faith

By John Goolsby For the Tribune

IRONDALE – NTT Indy-

Car rookie Sting Ray Robb is a breath of fresh air. In a world where censorship of one’s beliefs is increasing almost daily, Robb is not afraid to share his faith in Christ. “James 1:2-4 has been one of the most impactful verses in my life,” he said.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

“It has helped me get through some tough times because it’s a good reminder that whatever is happening, whatever the struggles are, it’s for a purpose, and we’re still in God’s control.”

Robb’s message is as unique as his name. “Sting Ray Robb is his real, legal name,” said his mother, Kim-

mie. “Sting Ray is his first name and his middle name is Davis, my maiden name.”

“Sting Ray’s dad, Larry, and I were avid car enthusiasts. We both had Corvettes and were, to say the least, big Corvette (Stingray) fans. But that isn’t all there is to the name,” she said. “In addition to that, the Robb name was originally found in Stirlingshire, Scotland. In Europe, Stirling is often shortened to Sting. Furthermore, Larry’s dad and my dad’s middle names are Ray. So, as you can see, Sting Ray was quite simply the best way to tie it all together!”

The Payette, Idaho native started racing in karting as a five-year-old and quickly advanced to open-wheel cars. In 2017 and 2018 he competed in the Pro Mazda series. He moved to the Indy Pro 2000 series for the next two years and won the championship in 2020. He advanced to Indy Lights for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He was runner-up in the Lights championship in

2022. Robb then signed with Dale Coyne with RWR in 2023.

Robb has adapted quickly to the bigger and more powerful IndyCar. “It is different,” he said. “I feel like the IndyCar is actually easier to drive than the Lights car at times, but you’re doing it longer.”

“You’re not doing a 45-minute race; you’re doing a two-hour to three-hour race, so you have to sustain it for longer,” the 21-year-old rookie said. “Therefore, it’s more physical, so for me, that was a big focus during the off-season.”

Robb competes at Barber, a track that he is very familiar with, this weekend. “Barber is a very unique track,” Robb said. “It is definitely not something we have as far as driving style or car set up anywhere else.”

“As a driver, it’s very, very physical. You go into the compression at the bottom of turn twelve and up the hill into thirteen and fourteen, and we’re getting probably

upwards of three and a half Gs for a pretty long while,” he said. “Whereas other tracks you go to, you don’t have that. You might get a splash of three and a half Gs but not sustained like at Barber.”

Robb has big plans for the month of May. He is partnering with Kingdom Racing to put John 3:16 on his Dale Coyne with RWR Honda at this year’s Indy 500. “We’ve worked with them the last couple of years. They bring underprivileged kids or groups to the track to give them an experience outside of the life they know,” Robb said. “A lot of times, you get kids in family situations that are not optimal. Bringing them to the racetrack shows them what they could be. It gets them inspired to be an engineer, mechanic or something like that, and gives them some sort of a path and goal.”

Kingdom Racing’s platform and initiatives were something that Robb wanted to get involved with. “I felt like I was there to encourage

and just bring a little hope to them,” he said. “Look at me, I’m just a small-town Payette, Idaho kid, and I got here because of blessings that God gave me.”

Robb’s vision for using whatever platform he had for sharing Christ with others came at an early age. “I saw Tim Tebow wearing the John 3:16 eye-black during the college football national championship when I was young and it inspired me to share my faith,” he said. “I feel there’s a movement that was inspired by Tim that I can continue.”

“I believe God is giving me this platform to be sort of like the next Tim Tebow of racing,” Robb said. “I believe racing has given me a lot of life experiences that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise, and because of that, I have gotten to grow my faith.”

“There are plenty of miracles that we get to see on the racetrack,” Robb said. “I know we’re not anyone else’s

doing other than God’s. Because of those instances, I know what I’m here for, and racing is just a byproduct of what God’s doing for me.”

The whole John 3:16 message is not meant to be complete. We want to get the Word into someone’s ears so they can develop that faith; hear before they can do,” he said. “Our goal is just to reach the people that may not have heard the Word yet. And what better platform to do it than at the Indy 500.”

“God has had a hand every step of the way along this incredible journey that has brought Sting Ray to IndyCar,” his mom said. “He’s right where God intended him to be. Sting Ray is using his God-given talent on the God-provided platform to reach others for Him. We are all so blessed to be on this amazing journey with him.”

Tickets for the Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix can be purchased at indyalabama. com or by calling 877-3327804.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR PREQUALIFICATION AND BIDS

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, May 5, 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, May 9, 2023

PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at 9:00 am Local Time, Thursday, May 11, 2023 in the City of Trussville Conference Room located at 113 North Chalkville Road 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, June 8, 2023 for this project:

Building 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 May 9, 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

Sting Ray Robb. Photo by: Penske Entertainment: Chris Owens Robb in action at Long Beach. Photo by: Penske Entertainment: Joe Skibinski

Lady Mounties Advance To 6A Soccer Playoffs

By John Goolsby For the Tribune

IRONDALE- The Shades Valley girl’s soccer team rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Gardendale by a score of 3-2 this past Thursday. The victory ended the regular season on a high note for the Lady Mounties. Valley is currently on a four game win streak.

Green Wave overcome early adversity, continue playoff run

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

LEEDS – The Leeds Green Wave find themselves in the second round of the state baseball playoffs after a weekend series against the Scottsboro Wildcats. The Green Wave started a bit slow, losing the first game of the series on Friday despite an early lead, but came back and blew out Scottsboro in game 2 and then pulled out a hard-fought battle in game 3 to advance.

In the first game, the teams went the first 3 innings without scoring. Andrew Howard and the Leeds defense did not yield any points until the fifth inning, where they gave up 2 runs by the Wildcats. Before that, in the fourth inning, where Will Landers reached base on a single and got driven in by a Dax Phillips double. Peyton Moore would get

walked and then Grant Gulock would get the single to bring Phillips home to make it 2-0.

In the fifth, as stated above, the Wildcats would tie the game with 2 runs. Leeds would open it up in the sixth, scoring 4 runs in the inning.

Scoring would get started as Phillips would get a single to start the inning, followed by a 2-run homer by Jarod Latta, making it 4-2 Green Wave. Moore would get a single to reach first base and a Ty Bedell single and an error by the Scottsboro third baseman would score Moore and make it 5-2 Leeds. Alex Bradford would then drive in Bedell and the Green Wave would head into the seventh inning with a big 6-2 lead. The seventh inning would not be good to the Leeds Green Wave. Scottsboro would come back, scoring 5

runs in the inning, stealing the win with a 7-6 victory over Leeds.

In game 2, the Green Wave would not be denied. Leeds jumped out of the gate with 9 runs in the opening inning of the second game. C Vance would drive in Bedell followed by a Landers single that would bring in Vance. Phillips would smash one to left field for a 2-run homer to make it 4-0. After walking, Latta would reach home plate on a Moore double to center field. Back to back errors would score Gulock and Bedell and Conner Nelson would hit a single to bring home Bradford to cap off the 9-0 inning.

The second would be scoreless but Leeds was not finished. In the third, Bedell would open the inning by

This season marks the third year in a row that Valley has advanced to the 6A playoffs under head coach Troy Cable. Shades Valley will face Homewood, the number one ranked team in 6A, Thursday.

Team captains Ashley Leon and Hope Migwi have been the foundation of the Valley team all season. Along with Leon and Migwi, Aaliya

times for Valley.

HTMS Mountain Bike teams grabs third straight 1st place finish

From Tribune staff reports

TRUSSVILLE — The Hewitt Trussville Mountain Biking team had a successful third race April 16th and 17th at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Ala. There are two races left in the season. The HTMS team continued their streak of 1st place for the overall team award for the third race in a row. Seventh

Evelyn Lol-

Leeds Pitcher Dax Phillips with the pitch. Photo by: RGR Photography

Shades Valley Girls Soccer Team

Photo by: John Goolsby

McLaughlin

From page 13

napping. It was a great move by him,” said McLaughlin.

Grosjean inherited the top spot three laps later when Will Power pitted from the lead. McLaughlin moved to the second position and began stalking Grosjean.

The 29-year-old threetime Australian Supercar champion kept the pressure on Grosjean for the next six laps. On lap 71, Grosjean went wide exiting turn six in Charlotte’s web. McLaughlin took advantage of the opening and made the pass for the lead just before the bridge going into turn eight.

Grosjean, in fuel conservation mode and out of pushto-passes, could not track McLaughlin down over the last 19 laps and was forced to hold off a hard-charging Will Power, who finished third.

“We’ve been close,” said McLaughlin. “We just didn’t quite get it the last few rounds, but we’ve got it now. To reset, go again, then pass him back with the pace that we had, that’s a proud drive for me personally, but from a team perspective, really proud.”

“This one hurt, I’m going

Mounties

From page 15

were to Hewitt-Trussville, 4th in 7A, Indian Springs, 9th in 6A, Mountain Brook, 5th in 6A and 7A Chelsea.

“The thing that has made this team successful is they have one heart,” Cable said. “They are absolutely in it for each other. This team is not about just one player. When one hurts, they all hurt, and when one excels, they all excel.”

Leon echoes her coach’s assessment. “I felt the joy in helping out each day to make us a better team,” she said. “I love how the girls communi-

to be honest,” said Grosjean. “The three-stop never wins at Barber until today. The pits staying open gave McLaughlin the edge on the three-stop strategy. I mean, look at the other two stoppers 20 seconds behind us.”

McLaughlin became the fourth winner in IndyCar this year. Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson won the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Pete, Nashville’s Josef Newgarden won the PPG 375 at Texas, and Jupiter, Florida’s Kyle Kirkwood, won the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Barber Final Results, points standings in parentheses:

1. Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet (4)

2. Romain Grosjean, Honda (5)

3. Will Power, Chevrolet (7)

4. Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet (2)

5. Alex Palou, Honda (3)

6. Christian Lundgaard, Honda (12)

7. Scott Dixon, Honda (8)

8. Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet (14)

9. Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet (15)

10. Marcus Ericsson, Honda (1)

11. Marcus Armstrong,

cate with each other, not only on the field, but off of it. We try to keep each other close as a family.”

“I love being a part of this team because we are a family and always support one another,” said Migwi. “We have cried, laughed, sang, and even experienced similar injuries, but always overcome our challenges together. Our team’s positivity and our coaches’ constant support has helped all of us strive to work hard, even when times are hard.”

What the Shades Valley team lacks in depth, they make up in skill, conditioning, selflessness and toughness. Cable, a retired Ma-

Green Wave

Honda (17)

12. Kyle Kirkwood, Honda (9)

13. Callum Ilott, Chevrolet (11)

14. Colton Herta, Honda (10)

15. Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet (6)

16. Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet (19)

17. Graham Rahal, Honda (16)

18. Simon Pagenaud, Honda (21)

19. David Malukas, Honda (13)

20. Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet (22)

21. Helio Castroneves, Honda (20)

22. Benjamin Pedersen, Chevrolet (26)

23. Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda (27)

24. Jack Harvey, Honda (23)

25. Conor Daly, Chevrolet (24)

26. Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet (18)

27. Sting Ray Robb, Honda (25)

The NTT IndyCar Series returns to action on May 13 for the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The 107th Running of the Indy 500 takes place on May 28.

rine Lt. Colonel and Shades Valley’s JROTC instructor, stresses mental toughness and conditioning. “Coach pushes us to become better players and to be a better team. He always puts us in the right mindset and really encourages us to excel,” said Vanessa Hernandez. “We have improved so much, and we are like a family.”

Goalie Karma Fitzpatrick summed up the spirit of the team. “Being a part of this team means getting to have fun and enjoy soccer,”she said. “This season has meant getting to enjoy the sport and getting to bond with teammates.”

From page 15

being walked. After 2 outs, Vance would hit a double that brought Bedell across the plate. Landers would single to bring Vance home and make it 11-0 after 3 innings.

Nolan Moore would continue to be brilliant from the mound, shutting out the Wildcats. In the fourth, Moore and Gulock would wait on base as Bradford hit a single that would bring both home.

Phillips would continue his amazing game with a double that would score a waiting Vance to make it 14-0 and that would be the final.

The rubber game of the series would have a lot on the line with the winner advancing and the loser going home. After 3 scoreless innings, the Green Wave would get on the board and score 2 runs, their only runs of the game on a Nelson single that brought home Gulock and Bedell. Scottsboro would attempt a comeback in the fifth and score a run, but the Leeds defense and Phillips’ pitching would hold them scoreless as Leeds would advance with a 2-1 win.

“Scottsboro has a great team. It was similar to the Moody series. We had a big

Bike

From page 15

ley and 6th grader Isabelle Garver are both points leaders for the season. Sixth grader Lenwood Jones is in second place in the season points race. The HTHS team finished 5th overall in Huntsville, but the team is in third place in the season points race.

Podium winners for the high school team were:

Varsity Division: Conrad Jones – 5th place

Junior Varsity

• One Division: Shazie Bryant – 5th place

lead in the seventh in game 1. They came back. Give them credit, “said Leeds coach Jake Wingo. “I told them that unfortunately we had just been through this and we would see how we would respond. They responded the same way. I’m just proud of our guys and the leadership. We scored 9 runs in the first inning of game 2. Then in game 3, it was a low-scoring tough game. We were fortunate to beat them and move on.”

With the win, the Green Wave improve to 24-13 and

Freshman Division:

• Teague Jones – 3rd Place

• Davis Sharp – 4th Place

Podium winners for the middle school team were:

7th grade girls division:

Evelyn Lolley – 1st Place

6th grade girls division:

• Isabelle Garver – 1st Place

6th grade boys division:

• Lenwood Jones – 3rd

Place

• Jude Lolley – 4th Place

Other top 10 finishers were:

Alex Davis – 8th place, Varsity Division

Noah Clark – 10th place, Junior Varsity One Division

• Lily Neal – 10th place, 6th

advance to play a familiar foe in the Russellville Golden Tigers this coming weekend. “They are great. They have been a powerhouse for years. They’ve won 5 of the last 9 state championships and won back-to-back championships in 5A. We played them last year in the third round and they beat us. They have a great program. We are excited for the opportunity to go play them again,” said Wingo. The first game of that series will be at Russellville on Friday at 5:00 pm.

grade girls Lleyton Sharp – 8th place, 6th grade boys

Most improved at Race 3 were the following:

Jax Mock – 28 places

Brian Elmore – 16 places

John Toczko – 12 places

Ryland Spence – 10 places

• Nicholas Davis – 7 places

• Aiden Wordell – 7 places

• Lily Neal – 6 places

• Noah Williams – 5 places

• Kell Littlefield – 5 places

Braden Smith- 5 places

Conrad Jones – 5 places

The Hewitt Trussville MTB travels to Gadsden this weekend for Alabama Cycling Association Race 4 at Noccalula Falls.

Nolan Moore – Leeds High School Baseball

Leeds Alex Bradford at bat. Photo by: RGR Photography