The Trussville Tribune – May 31 - June 6, 2023

May 31 - June 6

DYNASTY

Hewitt Trussville girls win 2023 7A State Softball Championship

By Johnny Sanders

Sports Editor

OXFORD – The best teams in the state visited Oxford’s Choccolocco Park this weekend for the Alabama softball state playoffs. Despite a Friday afternoon loss, the Hewitt Trussville Huskies solidified themselves, for the third time in the past four state softball championships, as the state’s best team on Saturday night with back-to-back wins over the Fairhope Pirates.

The Huskies started the weekend going 2-1 to start the tournament. They beat Daph-

Inside the Tribune News - Pages 1-10

Opinion - Page 11

Outdoors - Pages 12-13

Leadership - Pages 14-15

Obituary - Page 16

Calendar - Page 17

Classified - Page 17

Sports - Pages 18-24

ne in game one by a score of 3-2 on a walk-off grounder by Gracie Reeves that drove home Ryleigh Wood for the winning run. The second game would not be nearly as dramatic as the Huskies made short work of the Central Red Devils 6-0. Sara Phillips pitched a 3-hit shutout and multiple players contributed from the plate in the win.

Hewitt would then run into the Fairhope Pirates in the third game of the day, falling 1-0 in a game that saw the Pirates score in the opening inning and the remainder of the game was a pitchers’ duel in which

neither team could score. Going into day two, the Huskies would find themselves playing for their lives, digging out of the loser’s bracket and taking the hard road to the blue map. The task was a daunting one, but the Huskies were built for such a challenge.

In game one on Saturday morning, the Huskies took on the Sparkman Senators. Hewitt scored methodically over the Senators, putting up one run in the first, second and fourth innings and getting a 2-run sixth to seal the

deal. Sara Phillips continued her brilliant season, getting the win with a 3-hit shutout and striking out 7 before Kate Hicks came in to finish it off, allowing no hits nor runs and striking out 2. Olivia Faggard would go 3-of-4 from the plate with 2 RBI in the game and that would not be the last we would hear from her.

The second game would be the first of two against Fairhope that the Huskies would need to win in order to see their goal of being state champs become reality. The game would see 3 scoreless

innings before Hewitt’s bats came to life in the fourth inning, where they put up 4 runs. Fairhope would manage just 1 run in the fifth before Hewitt got another one across the plate in the sixth to make it 5-1 heading into the final inning of play. Hewitt would add 2 runs in the seventh and, despite Fairhope’s best effort to make a comeback, their 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh would not be enough as the Huskies would get the 7-4 win to force another game between the two teams. Phillips would get the win, going 5

Robin’s Sewing Shoppe

innings and allowing just one run on 7 hits and striking out

6. Zaylen Tucker and Kate Hicks would finish the game off for the Huskies, allowing a combined 5 hits and just 3 runs while striking out 2. In the final game of the day, these two teams would face off for the third time this weekend. The game did not start very favorable for the Huskies as Fairhope would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Hewitt would not get any runs across the plate in

Huskies win the 2019 7A State Softball Championship (Photo by Ron / Burkett Tribune)

Members of the Hewitt-Trussville softball team pose for a selfie following the Huskies’ state championship win over Fairhope on May 21, 2021. (Photo by Ron Burkett)

Hewitt-Trussville head coach Taylor Burt addresses her team moments after the Huskies finished the 2022 season as AHSAA 7A runners-up. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

Alabama Fallen Warriors Monument dedicated in Trussville on Memorial Day

By Nathan Prewett

For the Tribune

TRUSSVILLE – It was quite a turnout at Veteran’s Park in Trussville where a monument was dedicated to honor Alabama’s deceased soldiers during a ceremony on Memorial Day.

The Alabama Fallen Warriors Monument project is the result of U.S. Navy veteran Mark Davis and Retired Marine Colonel Lee Busby. Read more about the origins of the project at https://bluestarsalute.org/fallen-warriors-monument.

The dedication was attended by many civilians as well as a number of veterans who are current military officers or had previously served in Iraq, Korea and Vietnam.

The monument is a square of multiple columns flanked on both sides with rows of blocks mounted with busts. The columns are inscribed with the dog tags of soldiers killed in action and the busts

are of six veterans who served in the more recent wars.

These are:

• Jason D. Stegall, U.S. Army, died Dec. 14, 2009

• CV3 James Michael Butler, U.S. Army Reserves, died July 15, 2011 John T. Sims, Jr., U.S. Marine Lance Corporal, KIA in Iraq, died April 10, 2004, at age 21

• Thomas E. River, Jr., U.S. Marine Lance Corporal, KIA in Afghanistan, died April 28, 2010, at age 21 Herman Jerome Murkerson, Jr., U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt., KIA in Iraq, died Oct. 1, 2007, at age 35

• SSGT Michael Wesley Hosey, U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group, KIA Afghanistan, died Sept. 17, 2011, at age 27

The monument honors

226 Alabama soldiers, in all, who fell in battle or died nonviolently since Sept. 11, 2001. All 67 counties in the state are represented here.

Hosey’s bust was the latest to be added and was unveiled that day. He was killed in Afghanistan when his unit was attacked by insurgents.

The ceremony was opened by Master Sergeant Chad Carroll, who is president of the Trussville Veterans Committee. He began by thanking the Gold Star Families, Blue Star Families and the community. Gold Star Families and Blue Star Families are people who have lost veteran relatives and are related to current military servicemen respectively.

Carroll read a quote from Harry S. Truman: “Our debt to the heroic men and women in service to our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifice.”

Following this was the arrival of official colors and the National Anthem as sung by Rob Langford from American Legion, Post 205. Several

guests spoke afterwards, including retired Sergeant Major Octavious Rogers, Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat, retired Rear Admiral Kent Davis, and Alabama Fallen Warriors Project Founder Mark Davis. This project was approved unanimously by the mayor and the city council in November of 2021 for an estimated $200,000, and a groundbreaking was held later that month.

“It’s been a true journey,” Choat said. “A lot of hard work, a lot of planning. But at the end of the day I think we’ve made something that not only Trussville will be proud of, but I hope you – the Gold Star and Blue Star Families and many others – will be just as proud as we are.”

Later, Davis spoke and said that of the 226 dead, 115 were killed during combat and 111 died non-hostile deaths.

“Unfortunately one more was added last month, so now we have 112,” he said.

Four service members from Alabama were killed in the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11. The youngest of the honored soldiers was 18 years old and the oldest was 58, Davis said. They served in all branches of the American military.

“Personally I want to thank all of the family members here today for the sacrifices made of your fathers, your mothers, your sons, your daughters, your brothers and your sisters,” he told the crowd.

Before the ceremony was concluded, TAPS was played and a 21-gun salute was given by the Alabama Sons of the American Revolution, who were all dressed in period-accurate uniforms.

Veteran’s Park is located at 105 Parkway Drive in Trussville.

Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail. com.

Alabama Fallen Warriors Monument Project founder and U.S. Navy Veteran Mark Davis speaks at the dedication.

(Photo by Nathan Prewett)

Onlookers – many of them veterans themselves – crowd around a monument for fallen soldiers.

(Photo by Nathan Prewett)

Service members arrive with the official colors.

(Photo by Nathan Prewett)

From left to right these busts display Sgt. Jason D. Stegall, CV3 James Michael Butler, and John T. Sims, Jr. (Photo by Nathan Prewett)

Barbecue Stop’s Cliff Mortimer considers retirement, looks for someone to take over the Clay-based business

By Crystal McGough

Editor CLAY – Barbecue Stop has become a staple of the Clay community and is touted by many as the best barbecue around, boasting award-winning competition-style barbecue that has won over 250 awards from cities across the northeastern United States, including the title of “Bama’s

Best Beef” from the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association in 2017.

Barbecue Stop announced on its Facebook page on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, that owner and pitmaster Cliff Mortimer is considering retiring. Comments on the post included a mixture of reactions, from congratulations on his retirement and praise for his barbecue, to shock and sadness.

Fortunately for fans of Barbecue Stop, it doesn’t appear that Mortimer is simply going to close the doors and walk away. The post also stated that he is looking for someone to take over the business and learn his recipes.

“We would love to train someone so that BBQ Stop can continue to serve the community,” the Facebook post says. “Please share this with anyone

you may know who would be interested in purchasing the business. (Of) course Cliff would work with the new owner and teach them all recipes. If interested, please private message us or stop into the restaurant and ask for Cliff.”

Barbecue Stop is located at 6633 Old Springville Road, Pinson, AL 35126. Current hours of operation are 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday.

Trussville native wins Residential Sales Associate of the Year from Birmingham Association of Realtors

By Chase Holmes News Reporter

TRUSSVILLE – Chris-

ty McDonald won the 2023 Residential Sales Associate of the Year award presented to her by the Birmingham Association of Realtors. McDonald represents Arc Realty and has almost 20 years of experience in realty. She is a native to, and lives in, Trussville.

She said that winning this

award is the culmination of years of hard and dedication to her craft.

“More than anything, I am overwhelmed and super honored. After 20 years in realty coming up this November, and with everything that goes into realty, it’s just an honor to be recognized for your hard work and the relationships I’ve built,” McDonald said. “Being in this business, it’s hard not for it to be personal. Realtors are

helping people find their forever homes and even though it is business its still means a lot to the people we help and it is so much more than a business and I’m proud to be recognized.”

With the award sitting on her shelf, McDonald is looking towards the future.

“We’re feeling great about the market. There are still a lot of people looking for real estate and I am super excited about helping those people

40th annual Missing Children’s Day observed on May 25

From The Tribune staff reports

WASHINGTON – The 40th annual National Missing Children’s Day was observed Friday, May 25.

Proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, this day highlights the significance of efforts to locate and reunite children with their families.

find their home. We’re excited about continuing to grow our brokerage in Trussville and we do a lot of business outside of Trussville as well we’re looking to grow.”

The Residential Sales Associate of the Year award is presented to a sales associate who exemplifies the realtor image and has a reputation of sales achievement, ethics, and professionalism as well as a record of service to the association.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) invited the public to join in honoring the children who have come home and spreading awareness of the ongoing efforts to locate those who remain missing.

The establishment of NCMEC was prompted after the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979 sparked a nationwide search, followed by the Atlanta child murders that claimed the lives of 29 children and young adults. In 1981, the abduction and brutal murder of 6-year-old Adam Walsh highlighted the critical need for action.

In response to these incidents, Congress passed the Missing Children’s Act in 1982, enabling the inclusion of missing child information in the FBI’s National Crime Information Center database (NCIC). NCMEC was officially opened by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, fortifying the organization’s comprehensive approach to addressing issues surrounding missing and sexually exploited children.

Since its inception, NCMEC has served as a national resource center for families, victims, private organizations, law enforcement and the public. In 2022 alone, NCMEC assisted in 27,644 cases involving missing children.

Since 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement, families and child welfare with more than 400,000 cases of missing children who were recovered.

On National Missing Children’s Day 2023, NCMEC encouraged everyone to help out by taking the following actions:

• Share a poster of a missing child in your area. To search for missing children in your area, visit https://www.missingkids. org/gethelpnow/search

Stay connected with NCMEC on social media @ missingkids to stay informed and contribute to spreading awareness

• Learn more about NCMEC and child safety on their website at www. missingkids.org

Trussville Scout troop keeps Memorial Day tradition alive

By Loyd McIntosh For The Tribune

Trussville

– One local Cub Scout troop continued an annual tradition to honor America’s heroes this Memorial Day.

For the 16th consecutive year, Trussville Cub Scout Pack #216 placed American Flags by the graves of veterans at Jefferson Memorial Gardens on Tuesday afternoon. An annual service project carried out by the troop, the flags will remain in place for two weeks and will serve as a visual reminder to the community of the sacrifices of many area people who served in the military.

“We want them to learn to honor our veterans, to remember those who have fallen, remember their sacrifice, and also to keep their families in mind,” said Allison Sheffield, den mother of Troop #216.

Cub Scout Pack #216 also invited the local Scouts BSA troop to participate in the project, which serves as a valuable learning opportunity for the young boys and girls as well as a service project.

“One thing we try to encourage them to do when we do this project is to find one or two grave markers of veterans, take a picture of it, take it home, research that person, and see what conflicts, if any, that they were in and see what history that we can learn,” said Sheffield. “So we try to make it a learning experience, too, but this is also a huge community service project for us.”

For the 2023 project, the troop received support from the Roebuck Elks Lodge #79, which purchased more than 700 flags for the project. Elks member and Hewitt-Trussville graduate Mickey Drinkard said

she and the other lodge members jumped at the chance to support this worthy cause.

Drinkard said she was contacted by Sheffield, her friend and neighbor, about the project and knew this was an ideal service project for her lodge.

“I immediately went to the lodge and said, ‘Hey, guys, let’s use some of our grant money on this,’” Drinkard said. “It’s multifaceted for us. The motto of the Elks is, ‘As long as there is a veteran, they’ll never be forgotten.’ It’s amazing to be out here with these kids and get to celebrate our veterans.”

Cubmaster Rich Koch, a member of the military currently serving as active-duty Lieutenant Colonel running the Army program at UAB, said this is an opportunity to see how the cub scouts grasp the importance of the project over time.

“It seems to mean different things as they get older,” said Koch. “The young guys may just see the military emblem on the headstones while the older guys see things such as dates and times and what those words mean, like ‘killed in action.'”

Each flag is wrapped with a sticker with the troop’s number #216 printed on it, which, Koch said, often leads to heartfelt communications from friends and families of heroes they are honoring.

“We often get emails from family members through our troop website saying things like, ‘Thank you for remembering our loved one,’” said Koch. “We’ll share those with the young guys and reinforce the message and the purpose of our time here.”

To learn more or to contact Pack 216, visit pack216.org.

Springville native named recipient of Barry Goldwater scholarship

From The Tribune staff reports

SPRINGVILLE – A

Springville native has been named as the recipient of a Barry Goldwater Scholarship.

Jaden Adams, a graduate of Springville High School, studies biology at Jefferson State with plans to transfer to UAB to study biomedical sciences. He said he wants to pursue a career in physical therapy research.

“I want to advance the techniques that physical therapists have,” Adams said. “Playing sports in high school was what introduced me to PT. I got hurt a couple of times, and I thought it was cool how they know the functions of the

human body — how it works, how it tries to repair itself.”

1,267 natural science, engineering and mathematics students were nominated by 427 academic institution from an estimated pool of more than 5,000 college sophomores and juniors to compete for 2023 Goldwater Scholarships.

Adams was introduced to the Goldwater Scholarship Program by Dr. Nicholas Kin and Jefferson State’s Bridges to Baccalaureate program. A requirement for applying for a Goldwater Scholarship is lab experience, which Adams satisfied with an internship at UAB that included research with well-known scientist and the presentation of their findings to the local scientific

community.

Adams said he remembers the excitement of opening the email that informed him of his selection as a scholarship recipient.

“I was so happy,” he said.

“I told my parents, and they were like, ‘’his is just the beginning.’ It was a great day.”

Adams, along with fellow Jefferson State students Melody Dailey and Chandlor Dobbs, were among 413 recipients nationwide, and among 10 from institutions in Alabama.

Campus Representative Jamie Holley said it was remarkable for JSCC as a community college to meet or exceed the number of recipients from other institutions in the state.

Clay Council sets new rules for fishing at Cosby Lake

By Terry Schrimscher For the Tribune

CLAY – The Clay City Council met for the second regular meeting of the month on Tuesday night, May 23. There was no new business on the regular agenda but City Manager Ronnie Dixon introduced two important items during his report to the Council.

Dixon made recommendations to the Council for new fishing rules after conducting an inventory of the lake last week.

“Starting June 5, we allow fishing — and keeping the fish — for bass under 14 inches, all catfish and all crappie,” Dixon said. “Catch and release will stay in effect for all bream, all bass over 14 inches, and all carp. I think you all know we pay a lot of money for those carp.”

is the feeder food for the big fish.”

Dixon said the inventory of the lake revealed hundreds of bass between the four- and sixpound range, and the largest one they measured was more than six pounds. He said catfish were ranging from yearling to as much as 15 pounds.

The fine for illegal fishing in Cosby Lake can reach $1,000 for violations of the regulations. Dixon asked for a motion to post new signage with the new regulations and said the city will be more strict on enforcing the rules for the lake.

“This award is life-changing for these students,” said Holley, division chair for math, engineering, and physical sciences. “This is the most prestigious and sought-after scholarship awarded to students pursuing research careers in engineering, natural science, or engineering and is usually reserved for students attending a university, working in a research lab, and seeking a PhD. This scholarship is only awarded to the top research students in these fields, and these students are usually enrolled at a university, not a community college.

To my knowledge, JSCC was the only community college represented out of the entire country.”

In 2020, the city began work on improving the lake and completed dredging and upgrades to the property in early 2021. The city also stocked the lake with more fish before reopening the park to the public.

“The report on the lake was outstanding,” Dixon said. “From the pH acidity and all of that, the dredging has made it into a completely different lake.”

Dixon added the water tested very clean, but said the lake is still full of leeches. He said the hope is that the additional depth of the lake will kill off most of the leeches over time.

“The bass population has gone from a 72% weight that we were last year to 94%,” Dixon said. “Putting in all the shad and putting in all the bream made a big difference. That’s why we don’t need them to take the bream. That

“In order to keep the population growing like it is and to keep the water quality the way it is, we need to do just one thing,” Dixon added. “We’re going to put 22,000 pounds of crawfish in the lake. These are creek bred crawfish for bait. We don’t want anybody putting baskets out there for boiling.”

The Council approved posting the new regulations on signs around the lake.

In other business, the Council approved issuing a letter to the occupants of a rental home at 7511 Weems Road, which is in violation of zoning ordinances. Farm animals are being kept on the residential property against city codes. The residents will be given 10 days to remove the farm animals from the residential property.

The next meeting of the Clay City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 13, at City Hall.

Center Point Area Chamber of Commerce collecting nonperishable food donations for summer school

By Chase Holmes News Reporter

New teen specialty retailer is opening in Leeds at The Outlet Shops of Grand River

From the Tribune staff reports

LEEDS – The Outlet Shops of Grand River announced the opening of their latest retailer, Journeys.

The grand opening is scheduled for June 10 at 11:00 a.m.

Journeys joins three new retailers who recently opened at The Shops that include Francesca’s, Windsor and Leggings Park. PUMA will also open in June.

Photo by CPACC

• Juice boxes

call them at (205) 853-9711.

Any check donations can be mailed to the CPACC. On-

• Oatmeal (individual packets)

Birkenstock, Adidas, UGG and more.

• Raisins (individual boxes)

• Small bottled water

• Pudding (individual cups) Jello (individual cups) Chips (small bags) Applesauce (individual cups) CPACC is also taking suggestions for food items of similar type and size.

The new retailer will be located in Suite 626 across from Old Navy.

Journeys is a teen specialty retail store with a focus on trendy and affordable branded footwear, apparel and accessories. They carry brands like Converse, Vans, Crocs,

“Journeys has remained successful for 36 years by continuing to evolve how we serve our customers to best fit their needs and busy lifestyles,” said Mario Gallione, President of Journeys.

“Expanding into off-mall locations takes Journeys stores closer to where our

customers live, work and go to school, making it as easy as possible to access our locations.”

Customers can get $5 off a purchase of $25 when they text COUPON to 20101.

Journeys customers can also shop using their direct-mail catalog or shop online. You can also follow them on social media.

3-year-old Birmingham girl has died after being found unresponsive in hotel pool on May 22

From the Tribune staff reports

BIRMINGHAM – A Birmingham girl has died after she was found unresponsive inside of a hotel pool on Monday, May 22, 2023.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s office has identified the girl as Irmani Ray, 3, of Birmingham.

The drowning happened at 10 p.m., Monday, at Drury Inn and Suites in Birmingham. She was swimming with family when the incident occurred, said Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates.

was pronounced

Anniston man sentenced to 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography

From The Tribune staff reports

ANNISTON – A federal judge sentenced an Anniston man on child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Immigration and Cus-

toms Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, on Friday, May 26. According to the Department of Justice, U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Michael Lee Haynes, 40, to 240 months

in prison for possession of child pornography followed by lifetime supervised release. Haynes was also ordered to pay $5000 restitution to the victim. Haynes pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2023. According to court documents, in May 2022, Anniston

police received a report that Haynes had exposed himself at a local park as a woman walked a track nearby. A review of Hayne’s phone yielded more than fifty videos of child pornography involving minor children. Haynes was on supervised release at this

time.

In 2013, Haynes pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama to child pornography crimes and was sentenced to ten years in prison. According to the plea agreement in the 2013 case,

Haynes sent an undercover agent child pornography and sent and received emails attaching images and videos of child pornography depicting young children. HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward prosecuted the case.

3 charged with conspiracy to steal government property from Anniston Army Depot

From The Tribune staff reports

BIRMINGHAM – Three additional individuals have been charged with conspiracy to steal United States property from Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) in an ongoing investigation.

This news was announced by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal In-

vestigative Service, Southeast Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones, Defense Logistics Agency Office of the Inspector General Deputy Inspector General Jerold Unruh, and United States Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent in Charge

D. Todd Outlaw.

According to a press release issued by the Department of Justice, in charging documents filed in United States District Court, Kelvin Battle,

53, of Anniston, Steve Bonner, 62, of Goodwater, and Shane Farthing, 41, of Gadsden are each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal United States property. Battle and Bonner are also each charged with an additional count related to specific instances of stealing or selling property stolen from ANAD. Six other individuals have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty to offenses related to the theft of property from ANAD.

26-year old man drowns after falling off a log into Cahaba River in Irondale

By Chase Holmes News Reporter

IRONDALE – A Hoover man drowned after falling off a stationary log into Cahaba River on Saturday, May 28.

Jesus Garcia-Ruic, 26, of Hoover went missing near Grants Mill Road in Irondale.

According to a report from WVTM13, Garcia-Ruic fell into slower, deeper water and didn’t know how to

swim. His body was located within an hour of him falling into the Cahaba River. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

According to the charging documents, Battle and Farthing, who were police officers at ANAD, and other civilian employees of the Directorate of Emergency Services stole military property from warehouses at ANAD. Bonner acted as a middleman, selling stolen property directly to buyers and delivering stolen property to the owner of a military surplus store in Sylacauga. The stolen items included equipment that was designed to be attached to military weapon systems to provide operators with instant nighttime engagement capabilities and/or improved target acquisition.

Battle has also been charged with two counts of wire fraud in connection with false statements made to obtain emergency loans and a

Credit: Anniston Army Depot Facebook

loan guarantee from the Small Business Administration under programs designed to provide support to small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a plea agreement, also filed today, Farthing has agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to steal United States property. The plea agreement states that Farthing agreed to pay restitution to the United States and forfeit the

money he made from the conspiracy.

The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for theft of government property is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Defense Logistics Agency Office of Inspector General are investigating the cases. Assistant United States Attorneys George Martin and Ryan Rummage are prosecuting the cases.

An indictment or information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

From the Tribune staff reports

BIRMINGHAM – Representative Fred L Plump, Jr. has been charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice and has agreed to resign from the Alabama House of Representatives, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, a charging document filed today in United States District Court charges Fred L. Plump, Jr., 76, of Fairfield, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice. These charges arise from an investigation of wrongdoing in connection with the Jefferson County Community Service Fund.

According to the charging document, in 2015 the Alabama Legislature passed Alabama Act No. 2015-226 (the “Act”) and authorized the Jefferson County Commission to levy and distribute a one percent sales tax and a one percent use tax to benefit the public welfare and enhance the education of the children of Jefferson County. Jefferson County began levying the new taxes in or about August 2017. The Act required the County to distribute the tax revenue according to certain specified priorities, including paying debt incurred during school construction, increasing the County’s general fund, giving funds to each board of education serving students in the County, and for certain

other purposes set forth in the Act. The Act created the Jefferson County Community Service Fund (the “Fund”), which was subsidized by approximately $3.6 million annually from the new taxes. The Act also created the Jefferson County Community Service Committee (the “Committee”), the four members of which were elected by members of the Jefferson County House and Senate delegations. The Committee was responsible for ensuring that the Fund was used only for the purposes set forth in the Act, which included to support public entities and

projects such as schools, libraries, museums, parks, zoos, neighborhood associations, athletic facilities, youth sports associations, road construction, the performing arts, police departments, the sheriff’s office, fire departments, and certain nonprofit entities. Each Representative and Senator representing Jefferson County could make recommendations to the Committee of expenditures from their allotted amount of the Fund. These recommendations were made on a form created by the Committee that required certain certifications by the legislator. The organization receiving the funds was re-

quired to submit information about the organization and confirm that it intended to use the money for a public purpose. During each fiscal year from 2018 to 2022, each Representative was allocated approximately $100,000 and each Senator was allocated approximately $240,000 from the Fund.

The charging instrument identifies certain relevant parties. Legislator #1 was a long-serving member of the Alabama House of Representatives. Defendant Plump served as the Executive Director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League (“Piper Davis”), a nonprofit

Credit: www.repplump.com

organization that claimed to provide a positive sporting experience for inner-city youth in Jefferson County. Individual #1 was Legislator #1’s assistant.

Between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Legislator #1 was allocated approximately $500,000 by the Fund. Legislator #1 directed approximately $400,000 of those discretionary funds to Piper Davis. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Individual #1.

The charging instrument alleges that from in or about March 2019, and continuing through April 2023, Plump conspired with others to de-

fraud and obtain money from the Fund. It is alleged that it was part of the conspiracy that Legislator #1 recommended during each fiscal year that most of his allotment of Fund money be paid to Piper Davis. In turn, Plump agreed to pay kickbacks to Individual #1. Plump submitted false and fraudulent information to the Committee about Piper Davis’s intended use of Fund money. Upon receipt and deposit of Fund checks, Plump gave checks to Individual #1 for approximately one-half of the amount of Fund money received by Piper Davis.

The charging document alleges further that Plump, after being interviewed by agents and served with a grand jury subpoena, corruptly attempted to obstruct the investigation by sending Individual #1 a text stating “Red Alert” and meeting with Individual #1 to warn her about the investigation.

According to the plea agreement, also filed today, Plump agreed to plead guilty to the charges, pay restitution of at least $200,000 to the Fund, and resign from office immediately upon entering his guilty plea. The Court will set a date for Plump to enter his guilty plea.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys George Martin and Catherine Crosby are prosecuting the case.

An information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Birmingham continues violent crime wave as suburbs are both most dangerous, safest municipalities in U.S.

By Will Blakely 1819 News

BIRMINGHAM — Last year was Birmingham’s most violent year since the early 1990s, and several sources have ranked the city one of the most unsafe in the country. Meanwhile, Birmingham suburbs like Vestavia Hills and Mountian Brook had considerably low crime rates in 2022, and Vestavia even ranked among the safest places to live in the United States.

According to the Birmingham Police Department, the city has seen 46 homicides this year. Three of the homicides were justified. This time last year, Birmingham had already experienced 48. By the end of the year, Birmingham experienced 144.

Recently, the BPD addressed the continuing violent crime wave in a statement following five shootings over the weekend of May 20.

BPD assistant public information officer Truman Fitzgerald said that the police

department continues to see violence stemming from unresolved disputes.

BPD jurisdiction only extends to a central portion of the metropolitan area, and many of the city’s suburbs lie in separate municipalities that are not included in the city’s crime statistics.

1819 News used Neighborhood Scout to analyze crime statistics in Birmingham and 25 surrounding municipalities. Neighborhood Scout purports to provide crime risk analytics with 98% accuracy. It claims to use data from local authorities and updates its statistics annually.

In 2022, Birmingham’s overall crime rate was 77.09 per 1,000 people. Its violent crime rate was 20.57, and its property crime rate was 56.52. The highest crime areas within Birmingham city limits include North Central Birmingham, Ensley, Jones Valley and Garden Highlands.

Meanwhile, the crime rate for Alabama was only 31.82 per 1,000 people. Its vio-

lent crime rate was 5.96, and its property crime rate was 25.85. The national median is 4 for violent crime and 25.85 for property crime, totaling 29.85 per 1,000 people.

Neighborhood Scout ranked Birmingham seventh in its “Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in the U.S.” However, another Birmingham area municipality made it even higher on the list.

Neighborhood Scout ranked Bessemer the most dangerous city in America, with a violent crime rate of 33.18 and a property crime rate of 79.33 per 1,000 peo-

3 injured after Birmingham patrol vehicle was struck by a truck on I-59

From The Tribune staff reports

BIRMINGHAM – A community member and two Birmingham police department (BPD) officers are recovering after a truck ran into a BPD patrol vehicle on Thursday, May 25.

At around 4:00 a.m., the Birmingham 911 Communications Division received a call of a patrol vehicle struck

on I-59 South near the 19th Street exit. Officers and medical personnel arrived on the scene and discovered that a Ford F150 had collided with a BPD Ford Explorer. Birmingham Fire and Rescue (BFRS) personnel arrived on the scene and transported the driver of the Ford F-150 to a local area hospital. BFRS transported two BPD officers, who were seated in the patrol

vehicle, to a local area hospital. The community member and one officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Another officer suffered serious injuries but is in stable condition.

Two BPD officers were seated in their patrol vehicle blocking traffic on a separate wreck prior to this incident. The circumstances surrounding the crash are accidental.

ple, totaling 112.51. In 2022, Neighborhood Scout reported 850 violent crimes and 2,032 property crimes in the city of just 25,615 residents. Several other Birmingham suburbs had crime rates higher than Alabama’s, including Pell City at 33.06, Homewood at 34.77, Hueytown at 34.9, Center Point at 36.92 and Adamsville at 61.48. Gardendale

and Irondale’s crime rates at 29.01 and 30.11, respectively, did not exceed Alabama’s crime rate but exceeded the national median.

Nevertheless, other Birmingham-area suburbs had crime rates lower than the national median. Less populous municipalities Chelsea, Adger and Pinson all had total crime rates of less than 8.

Vestavia Hills had a total crime rate of 8.09 per 1,000 people, mostly due to property crime. Vestavia’s violent crime was considerably low, at 0.62, despite being one of Birmingham’s most populous suburbs and a little over a ten-minute drive from some of the city’s most dangerous areas.

Vestavia had the lowest total crime rate out of all municipalities in the Birming-

ham area exceeding 20,000 people. It even made it in Neighborhood Scout’s “Safest Cities in America – 2023” in 89th place.

After Vestavia came Morris with a total crime rate of 8.87 per 1,000 people, Alabaster at 9.12, Clay at 9.7, Helena at 9.97, Mountain Brook at 10.24, Pleasant Grove at 12.53, Mulga at 12.87, McCalla at 14.27, Trussville at 16.22, Pelham at 16.4, Moody at 18.73 and Hoover at 21.53. Morris, Alabaster, Mountain Brook and Trussville all had violent crime rates of less than 1 per 1,000 people.

Overall, Birmingham and its surrounding suburbs had a crime rate of 39.57 per 1,000 residents. Its violent crime rate was 9.08, and its property crime rate was 30.51.

The city of Birmingham photo by Scott Buttram

Convicted felon sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for gun and drug charges

From The Tribune staff reports

ANNISTON – A federal judge today sentenced a New York resident on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Jer-

relle Quintez Gladden, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, to 330 months in prison. In September 2022, a federal jury convicted Gladden of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.

“This sentencing signifies our unwavering commitment to combat the threat of

illegal drugs and firearms,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we strive for safer streets, and through our collective efforts, we will work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”

“The ATF commends the collaborative efforts that our brave men and women in law enforcement make on a daily basis,” SAC Watson said. “Criminals do not take

a break, and neither will we. The ATF pledges to continue to work with our state, local, and federal partners to keep the communities safe from narcotic dealers and illegal gun possessors.” According to evidence presented at trial, in January 2020, law enforcement officers executed a state search warrant on a residence in Anniston. Police officers searched the house and found

Gladden, a convicted felon, in a bedroom where officers also found digital scales with white crystal-like residue, small plastic baggies consistent with distribution, Gladden’s personal items, and 2 baggies of methamphetamine. Behind the door in the bedroom next to Gladden’s room, officers found a folded chair that contained a clear baggie of methamphetamine, a brown paper bag of U.S.

currency, and two loaded firearms: a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Taurus .380 caliber pistol. The Sig Sauer was reported stolen 8 days prior to finding it during the execution of the search warrant.

ATF investigated the case along with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit and the Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Plyler and Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.

Chelsea man sentenced for advertising child pornography online

From The Tribune staff reports

BIRMINGHAM – A federal judge sentenced a Shelby County man for crimes involving images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples on Thursday, May 26.

According to the Department of Justice, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Shawn Michael

Hughes, 38, of Chelsea, to 180 months in prison followed by lifetime of supervised release for advertising and possessing child pornography. Hughes was also ordered to pay $116,500 in restitution to the victims. On August 2, 2022, Hughes plead guilty to one count of advertising child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Hughes admitted to being a member of a dark

web chat board dedicated to discussing and exchanging images of child sexual abuse, where he posted links to images of child sexual abuse material. He also amassed a vast collection of images of child sexual abuse on his electronic devices seized from his residence. This conviction will require Hughes to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

“Today’s sentencing sends

a resounding message to those who would use the shadows of the Dark Web to commit such heinous crimes,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for every child impacted by these heinous acts.”

FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case, along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Trial

Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White of the United States

Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploita-

tion and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Man sentenced to more than 26 years in prison on drug trafficking charges

From The Tribune staff reports

HUNTSVILLE – A federal judge sentenced an Athens man on drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton

Peeples on Friday, May 26. U.S. District Court Judge Liles Burke sentenced Eric Cordelle Bass, 35, of Athens, to 322 months in prison. Bass pleaded guilty in February 2023 to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession

L.

of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Bass is a Career Offender based on prior felony convictions. The sentence reflects his status as a Career Offender.

“This sentence sends a message that armed drug dealers will face stiff consequences in the Northern

District of Alabama,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “I am grateful to the FBI and Limestone County Sheriff’s Office whose efforts ensured that this career offender was brought to justice.” According to the plea agreement, the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office Nar-

cotics Unit executed a search warrant at Bass’ residence on October 28, 2021. In Bass’ bedroom, investigators found approximately one pound of methamphetamine and two firearms. In addition, on March 16, 2022, Bass was found to be in possession of a bag containing methamphet-

amine and a firearm. Bass attempted to bribe the officers after the methamphetamine was discovered. The FBI investigated the case along with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.

Phil Williams: Always remember and never forget

By Phil Williams, 1819 News Commentary

Memorial Day is designed for us to always remember, and never forget. Those words may sound synonymous but they really aren’t.

To “always remember” implies that something from the back of the mind needs to be brought forward. To “never forget” indicates an intentionality, a memorialization.

On Memorial Day we bring honorable sacrifices to the front of our minds, intentionally determining as a people that we will not let go of the fact that we are made free by those sacrifices. Honor can be coupled with memorial. It is a reasonable and necessary combination of things given the sacrifices this nation was built upon.

If you’ve never been to Arlington Cemetery you should make it a point to do so. I attended the final resting of a soldier at Arlington and will not soon forget it.

The flag-draped casket was moved to the gravesite by a horse drawn caisson. The fields of perfectly spaced white headstones in manicured grounds were interspersed with occasional tombs and trees. The family was gathered. A firing party delivered a rifle volley. A bugler played taps in the near distance. The casket team folded the flag with precision, and on behalf of a grateful nation, the folded flag was presented to the next of kin.

It seemed like a holy moment, as if speaking above a whisper would have been disrespectful.

Equally weighty is the ceremony held by troops at the field of battle when they lose

one of their own. I will never forget a friendly conversation with Erik McRae, a young cavalry first lieutenant. We sat there shooting the breeze on our FOB in central Baghdad one day in early June. He was a good kid who had married his young wife just a couple of weeks before deployment.

A 25-year-old, all-American, boy-next-door kind of guy.

The next day he was gone.

This June 4th will mark 19 years to the day that McRae, and Specialists Justin Eyerley and Justin Linden were killed in a coordinated attack in central Baghdad by a combination of IED strikes and small arms fire.

The ceremony we held was marked by their rifles with bayonets fixed and pointed down, their dog tags hanging from the pistol grips, their empty boots positioned in front, with their helmets, or in McRae’s case his Cavalry Stetson, sitting on top. We honored who they were. We honored what they did, and why they did it.

Arlington, like other cemeteries throughout America,

is where the accounts are kept. They are where we keep the ledger of what it takes to be a free nation.

Freedom is not something to be taken lightly. Freedom is far too often just a seemingly nebulous and esoteric thing. You can almost touch it, but not quite. But the day that you don’t have it you are suddenly keenly aware of it. Freedom is too easily taken for granted, too easily forgotten, but never easily gained. Freedom is the most expensive commodity known to man. More costly than any precious metal, or earthly possession. Freedom is on par with air, water, and food as one of the essentials of life. It paid for by the blood, sweat, and labor of men and women. It is constantly refreshed and kept viable by each successive generation.

What we now call Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. Officially sanctioned in May 1868 to honor the war dead from the Civil War. General John Logan proclaimed in his General Order No. 11 that,

“The 30th of May, 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.”

On that first “Decoration Day” participants decorated the graves at Arlington Cemetery. Then-congressman— and future president—James Garfield gave a speech in which he said, “I am oppressed with a sense of the impropriety of uttering words on this occasion. If silence is ever golden, it must be here, beside the graves of fifteen thousand men, whose lives were more significant than speech, and whose death was a poem, the music of which can never be sung.”

With each war the cost of freedom was refinanced again

and again as more and more graves became a part of the solemn celebration.

In 1971 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and the last Monday of May officially became Memorial Day. Ronald Reagan delivered a speech at Arlington on Memorial Day in 1982 in which he said, “The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we—in a less final, less heroic way—be willing to give of ourselves.”

This Memorial Day it is important that we pause in the midst of cooking hot dogs on the grill, hanging out at the lake, and enjoying a day away from our usual routines,

and take stock of the reason the day exists and those it was designed to honor.

Tell your kids and grandkids what it means to have actual freedom here in the greatest nation on the earth. Remind yourself that freedom is not free, and that men and women have gone before us to ensure that freedom remains dynamic, not static. Speak their names out loud. Do them the honor of being intentional.

Always remember, and never forget.

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.

Phil Williams is Policy Director for the Alabama Policy Institute.

Flickr-Arlington National Cemetery, Pubic Domain

R s

Deepwater Horizon Settlement Projects Surpass $1 Billion

By David Rainer Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

With the conflict among deer hunting factions at an all-time low, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Commissioner Chris Blankenship used last weekend’s Conservation Advisory Board meeting in Huntsville to update the Board on the numerous projects in the state under ADCNR oversight.

A milestone was surpassed this year when projects funded through the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement exceeded $1 billion, Commissioner Blankenship said. ADCNR’s Deepwater Horizon Restoration Coordinator, Amy Hunter, and her staff oversee the projects funded by the settlement.

“The big takeaway is we have $1 billion, $29 million in projects underway in Mobile and Baldwin counties that we are managing through our Deepwater Horizon Section,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “That is 176 individual projects. That’s a lot of money and a lot of work going on. We have six people in that section, and they’re doing a very good job of managing projects that will make generational changes on the Gulf Coast.

“We never want to go through another Deepwater Horizon event, where 11 lives were lost. It was a terrible, terrible event for our coast. However, we’re try-

ing to do good work with the money that came from that settlement.”

Among those projects are ones to replenish and protect Alabama’s living coastal and marine resources.

“That includes restoration of oysters and oyster reefs,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “We’re building about $30 million in artificial reefs. We’re increasing funding for research for stranding response for marine mammals and sea turtles, conser-

vation of bird nesting and foraging habitat as well as construction of a wildlife rehabilitation center and sea turtle triage facility in Orange Beach.”

Another goal of the funding is to support and enhance community resilience during environmental or economic crises. The $65 million in projects includes the construction of the Auburn University Gulf Coast Engineering and Research Center in Orange Beach to

improve engineering in the coastal environment. Also, a new Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) office is under construction on the coast. The Alabama Seafood Commission is funded as well as Fairhope’s Working Waterfront and Green Space initiative.

“Resilience is important for all of our state but particularly our coastal areas,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “We’re working

to make us more resilient during storms or drought or economic downturns, things that make our communities stronger when we have negative impacts in our state.

“As an aside, Governor (Kay) Ivey, by executive order, created a resilience council just a few weeks ago, and the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation is one of the members.”

Funding will also be used to provide and enhance economic development and

infrastructure. The 11 projects, totaling $197.5 million, include the construction of Africatown Welcome Center, which will house a portion of the Clotilda. The Clotilda, discovered in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, was the last slave ship to transport slaves from Africa to the United States. In another key project, the Port of Mobile has constructed a roll-on, roll-off facility that will facilitate the export of cars and trucks that are built in Alabama. Road improvements in Baldwin County are also included in this funding.

About $401 million is being used to restore, conserve and enhance habitat in coastal Alabama.

“This is primarily land acquisition,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “So far, we have acquired more than 13,000 acres of land in coastal Alabama to protect and provide recreational access. That includes the west end of Dauphin Island, Grand Bay Savanna, Pilot Town on Fort Morgan, Gulf Highlands property on Fort Morgan, which is one of the last undeveloped areas of the beach that was not part of Fort Morgan or the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. It also includes multiple parcels in Weeks Bay, parcels at Dauphin Island, Oyster Bay, and we have purchased three parcels in the Three Rivers area that we have transferred to the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.”

Land acquisition also includes tracts along the Perdido River watershed to provide a wildlife corridor

A portion of the oil spill settlement has been used to increase Alabama's wild oyster production.

(Credit: David Rainer, Benjamin Rollings)

from the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area to the Lillian Swamp Forever Wild property.

“We have been working for the past six years to connect those wildlife management areas,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “It will be a distinct wildlife corridor with about 50 miles of river frontage.

“When that work is done, we will have well over 30,000 acres along the Perdido River for public access, hunting, hiking, canoe trails and river frontage from near the headwaters all the way to Perdido Bay in public ownership. We have used more than eight different funding sources to acquire this property. This shows how working together with our divisions and the Deepwater Horizon Section has been really successful at putting all this together for the people of Alabama for perpetuity.”

Another $159 million is committed to improving water quality in coastal Alabama through sewer and septic tank mitigation.

“We are working with the utilities to avoid sanitary

sewer overflows to improve water quality,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “Using Deepwater Horizon and GOMESA (Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act) funding, we have done several septic to sewer conversions in the coastal areas, like Fowl River, Grand Bay and Bayou La Batre, that are really close to the water.”

The effort to provide and enhance recreation and public access will receive $147 million in funding.

“During the oil spill, it wasn’t just the environment that was impacted, it was also the people,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “We lost recreational access to the beaches, fishing and a lot of other activities. As part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), a large portion is dedicated to recreational use to include projects at our State Parks. Gulf State Park and its 28 miles of trails is probably the most obvious example of that. But we are also expanding the campground at Meaher State Park on Mobile Bay, a trail on Fort Morgan, and blueway and greenway develop-

ment in the City of Mobile. That also included improvements to Gulf State Park Pier, which was finished just as Hurricane Sally hit. And the Fort Morgan Pier was rebuilt. Scott Bannon and Marine Resources oversaw that construction.”

Commissioner Blankenship said the $39 million in GOMESA funding was received this year and projects will be announced by the Governor this summer. Previously, more than $120 million in GOMESA funding has been used for multiple boating access improvements, land acquisition, other public access for parks on the water in Mobile, Spanish Fort and Daphne, water quality improvements, environmental research and economic development. Additionally, beach nourishment projects will begin in late summer for Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Gulf State Park.

Several years ago, Governor Ivey created Innovate Alabama, an entity with the goal of attracting people, businesses and manufacturing to the state. Commission-

er Blankenship is the chair on that entity’s Council on Outdoor Recreation.

“Innovate Alabama was set up to differentiate us from other states, to attract or retain workers and improve the quality of life in Alabama,” he said. “One of the things that came out of that was outdoor recreation and the beauty of our state.

“We have a lot of woods and water in our state, and that gives us great opportunities for recreational access. It is a way to differentiate us from other states.”

Commissioner Blankenship said the council decided to expand its reach by creating the 19-member Outdoor Recreation Advisory Roundtable to include a variety of recreational activities and geographical areas. Tim Wood of Selma, a Conservation Advisory Board member, also serves on the roundtable.

“We have a list of 13 recommendations that we will take to Innovate Alabama at its June meeting on things that can be done to take advantage of our assets in Alabama,” Commissioner Blan-

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

kenship said. Commissioner Blankenship said construction is underway at many Alabama State Parks across the state, using the funds provided by the bond issue that was overwhelmingly approved by voters last year. He said some areas of the parks may be closed during the construction.

“I tell people, ‘Pardon our progress. Once we get this done, you’re going to be really pleased with the finished project,’” he said. “As part of the renovations of the parks, we hosted a public meeting at Northport for Lake Lurleen State Park to get input from the public about what they wanted to see when we do the renovations at that park. It is going to be pretty much a rebuild at that park. I thought we might have 20 or 30 people show up, but we had more than 100 people show up at the community center to voice their opinions on what they want to see at the park. In fact, they canceled the church service on Wednesday night at the Baptist church so everybody could attend the meeting. We

were happy to see so much interest in Lake Lurleen State Park.”

The Board was also updated on Alabama’s red snapper season with the announcement of the 85-day season for for-hire (charter) vessels from June 1 through August 25. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet June 5-8 in Mobile, where the council will consider a proposal to increase the quota for the private recreational fishermen. The private recreational snapper season will consist of four-day weekends, Friday through Monday, opening on May 26 and continuing until the quota is projected to be met.

“If approved, that would be about a 110,000-pound increase before the end of the year, which would be about a 20 percent increase in our quota,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “Our quota was reduced by about half this year from recent years, and this increase would help us get some of that back, which should give us a long, successful season for red snapper this year.”

ABC Form

Sealed proposals will be received by Jefferson County Board of Education, 2100 18th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35209, until 2:00 p.m. CST June 29th for JEFCO 2023 Boiler Replacements for Oak Grove Elementary & Oak Grove High at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read. All proposals must contain “Jefferson County Bid #21-23” on the outside of the proposal. The project consists of the removal and swap out of existing boilers as well as associated controls. All existing duct will remain and necessary measures taken to tie existing into new boilers.

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to Jefferson County Board of Education 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 Payment Bonds and evidence of insurance required in the bid documents will be required at the signing of the Contract.

The Owner intends to award multiple or single contracts for this work to pre-qualified General Contractor(s). The Owner will accept proposals only from firms which demonstrate their experience and ability to perform the work necessary for this project. Interested General Contractors must submit a Contractor’s Qualification Statement, AIA A305. Minimum qualifications to be certified by prospective bidders include: 1) statutory licensor requirements, 2) bonding capacity in excess of $1,000,000 dollars, 3) minimum of five (5) years successful history as an approved, authorized or licensed General Contractor, 4) successful current experience in construction of a size and scope similar to this Project, and 5) submit list of proposed contractor’s team including subcontractors.

Joint venture arrangements must qualify solely on the strength of the principal firm’s qualifications. Notarized Contractor’s Qualification Certificates must be submitted to the Architect along with any request to obtain Bid Documents by a General Contractor by Thursday, June 15, 2023. The required Form of Certificate is AIA Document A305 Contractor’s Qualification Statement 1986 Edition and may be obtained from the Architect.

Drawings and specifications may be purchased from Alabama Graphics, 2801 5th Ave, South, Birmingham, AL 35233, 205-252-850.5 Contractors must purchase sets at their own expense - no deposits or refunds will be allowed. Drawings may be examined at the offices of TURNERBATSON, 1950 Stonegate Drive, Suite 200, Birmingham, Alabama 35242, the office of Birmingham Construction Industry Authority (BCIA), and F.W. Dodge Birmingham (a.k.a. McGraw Hill), Associated General Contractors, Construction Market Data on Friday, June 16th 2023.

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms furnished by the Architect (Engineer) or copies thereof. All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, and must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by the Architect (Engineer); the bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying his or her current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technical errors if, in the Owner’s judgment, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at Oak Grove High School at 2:00 pm, CST, Tuesday, June 20th, 2023. Attendance at Pre-Bid Conference by Prequalified Contractor Bidders is Mandatory. Meet at the chillers on the exterior at the rear of the school.

Awarding Authority: Jefferson County Board of Education Dr Walter Gonsoulin, Superintendent

Architect:

The Pilot Town acquisition on Fort Morgan conserves prime habitat for migrating bird species and native bird nesting. (Credit: David Rainer, Benjamin Rollings)

A proposal at the June Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting in Mobile would increase Alabama’s red snapper quota by 110,000 pounds. (Credit: David Rainer, Benjamin Rollings)

Congratulations to the Inaugural Class of From the Trussville Tribune

2022-23 Class

Fran Aldridge, Keller Williams

Leslie Armstrong, Trussville City Schools Foundation

Ryan Benson, Daniel Iron

Lisa Bright, Trussville City Council/Will Bright Foundation

Greg Carroll, Carroll Pharmacy

Cody Clark, Intermark Group

LaShanda Crenshaw, Curry Law LLC

Mike Ennis, Faith Community Fellowship

Tommy Gay, Southeastern Refrigeration, Inc.

Logan Johnson, Valent Group

Jim Kirkland, Trussville City Schools

Ian Maddox, Hitchcock Maddox Financial Partners

Jim Meads, Sain Associated, Inc.

Shelly Mitchell-Talley, Trussville YMCA

Sarah Moss, Regions Bank

Cass Ridley, Bristol Myers Squibb

Tony Riley, Trussville Gas & Water

Tim Shotts, Trussville Fire Department

Cherie Smith, Landmark PLC

Alan Taylor, First Baptist Church Trussville

Adam Trammell, Hemphill Services, Inc.

Jeremy Tuggle, Bryant Bank

Ryan Vernon, Lathan Architects

Brandi Vines, Gridco, Inc.

Ty Williams, Restoration Academy

Josh Wooten, Cory Watson Attorneys

Chase Wright, Spire

Leadership Trussville graduates first class

From The Tribune staff reports

TRUSSVILLE – Leadership Trussville conferred 27 certificates of completion as it graduated adult members of the inaugural class on May 11, 2023. The certificates bestowed recognized each class member’s fulfillment of one full class day each month from September to May, and the successful development of a sustainable project that would benefit the community of Trussville.

“Many in this class are already leaders in their profes-

sions but desired to be more informed about our great city and become better advocates or volunteers for Trussville, which helps move our city forward,” Mayor Buddy Choat said.

Leadership Trussville, a 501(c)(3), launched in January 2022, by seating a Board of Directors to govern the nonprofit’s mission of developing highly motivated individuals who are interested in expanding their leadership skills, deepening their sense of civic responsibility, and becoming more involved in helping their community as a whole.

“Through this experience, we have seen many Leadership Trussville class members apply for, and receive appointments to, local Boards and committees,” said Dr. Kristi Bradford, Leadership Trussville’s Executive Director.

“They are excited to hone their leadership skills and serve in a variety of ways to support Trussville’s momentum.”

Through the nine-month commitment, participants gained perspective and information about specific issues, needs, and successes within the vivacious community of Trussville. Relationships were

acquired through specific access to affluential people in the community, and beyond.

Class members utilized their leadership skills, knowledge, and insight to develop sustainable projects that benefit an entity or residents in Trussville.

“The class presented five amazing projects that will strengthen and improve the schools, businesses, and residents of Trussville,” said Mike Ennis, President of the Leadership Trussville Board of Directors. “The class participants were incredible leaders and the projects presented

reflected their leadership and experience.”

Leadership Trussville applications for the 2023-24 class year may be submitted from June 1-30 on the Leadership Trussville website –www.leadershiptrussville.org. Class members will be selected in July.

“Leadership Trussville was a great opportunity to bring our first class together with people of different backgrounds who have a genuine appreciation of living or working in Trussville,” said Mayor Buddy Choat. “This first year exceeded my expec-

tations in many ways. I am looking forward to extending this opportunity to many more in our community as we look for a new class to begin in September.”

Jim Kirkland

Jim Meads

Ryan Benson

Tony Riley

Cherie Smith

Josh Wooten

Ryan Vernon

Ty Williams

Cody Clark

LaShanda Crenshaw

Sarah Moss

Adam Trammell

Fran Aldridge

Leslie Armstrong

Shelly Mitchell-Talley

Brandi Vines

Greg Carroll

Lisa Bright

Tim Shotts

Cass Ridley

Ian Maddox

Logan Johnson

Tommy Gay

Chase Wright

Jeremy Tuggle

Congrats to the Leadership Trussville Class of 2023!

o bitua R y

Kenneth Wayne Hartsfield

september 21, 1943 — may 22, 2023

Kenneth Wayne Hartsfield, age 79, of Birmingham, AL, passed away on Monday, May 22, 2023.

He was born on September 21, 1943 in Birmingham, Alabama as the middle son of Mary Kiedinger Hartsfield and Erskin Hartsfield.

As a 1961 graduate of Shades Valley High School, he enrolled in the Cooperative Education Program at Auburn University. He then worked and paid his own way through college by co-oping with Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas and Vitro in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. With hard work and dedication, he proudly graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering in August of 1966.

Following his graduation from Auburn University, he moved to Florida after accepting permanent employment with Vitro. This is where he met and married his wife of 56 years, Carol T. Hartsfield, in February of 1967.

In 1972 he went back to school full time. He graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting in August of 1973.

Directly following his University of West Florida graduation, he moved back to Birmingham to begin his career with South Central Bell (aka Bellsouth / AT&T) as an OSP Engineer. Over the next almost 42 years, he worked in various ca

pacities to include: OSP Engineering Level 1 and 2, State Staff, Capital Budget Administrator, OSP/ISF Group Supervisor, Corporate Project Administration and an OSP Liaison working to develop an ADSL Loop Qualification process. In Sep

tember of 1994, he transferred to Bellsouth International - European International and worked extensively in Brussels, Belgium; Utrecht, Netherlands; Dusseldorf, Germany; Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain on a Telecommunications project.

He completed that project in July of 1995 and transferred back to the Bellsouth Science and Technology Group. He re

sumed working as an OSP Liason in the ADSL Loop Qualification process, distributing over 30 different process releases as technology continued to evolve.

He earned a number of accolades throughout the years but most specifically he was awarded the "In the Company of Leaders" award for the successful development of the Qualification process in the Spring of 1999. He also received his first patent for the ADSL Loop Qualification process in March of 2005. He received a second patent in March of 2012 for the upgrade releases. He continued to work on additional qualification releases until his retirement on March 30, 2015 after 41 years and 7 months of employment.

Following his retirement, he found tremendous joy in traveling and spending time with his two beloved granddaughters, Violet (13) and Ambree (13).

He successfully battled lymphatic cancer in 2016 and went into full remission in 2017.

He was originally a member of McElwain Baptist Church, and most recently North Clay Baptist Church.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Erskine Kiedinger; his brother, Thomas A. Hartsfield, and several extended family members.

He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Carol T.; his brother, Robert (Doris); his cousins Robert and Ronnie; his children, Laurie (Dan); Greg (Kathy) and Aimee (Chad); his granddaughters, Violet and Ambree and a host of extended family and friends.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 25, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home and Gardens. A service in his honor will immediately follow in the chapel. Burial will conclude in the adjoining cemetery.

Juanita Clem

october 10, 1943 — may 19, 2023

Clem, Juanita Lee Corliss, age 79, wife of Robert C. Clem, of Moody, Alabama passed away on Friday, May 19, 2023. Juanita was preceded in death by her daughter Melissa Lee Clem, her mother Mildred M. Heath, her father, John S. Corliss, her in-laws Burnam and Lucile Clem, her brothers Richard Corliss and Mike Corliss, and her sisters-in-law Anita Corliss and Valerie Corliss. She is survived by her husband of 59 years; sons Daniel B. Clem (Melissa), Moody,AL. and Steven J. Clem (Michele), Hoover, AL.; grandchildren Courtney Lee Clem, Leeds AL. Brittney Clem Pate (Cory), Orange Beach, AL. Ashton Clem DiGiandomenico (Mark), Austin, TX, Austin P. Clem, Moody AL., Dayton B. Clem, Moody AL., Joseph M. Clem, Hoover, AL.; brothers Wayne Corliss and Jeff Heath, Moody, AL.; sister Tammy Heath, Moody AL.; seven nieces and nephews; sixteen great nieces & nephews. She had a love of children. She taught kindergarten @FBCMoody for over 30 years. Her hobbies included sewing, cross stitching, reading her Bible, reading novels, decorating for any holiday and spending time with family. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday May 23, 2023 at 2:00 pm from the Chapel at Jefferson Memorial funeral home in Trussville. The family will recieve friends from 1:00 pm till 2:00 pm at the funeral home.

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 family at a time.

What are some ways to support the elderly through their grief?

Supporting the elderly through grief and loneliness looks somewhat different from supporting younger ones.

Here are some tips to help support elderly parents, family members or friends in their grief.

1. Grief can last a long time. Grief doesn’t end just because the cards, texts, and phone calls stop coming. Make sure to continue to check in long after the outside world has moved on.

2. Grief may sometimes be delayed. Initially, the caretaker may feel relief or even deny that they are grieving because they were expecting the death. It can take weeks or even months for the grief to surface.

3. Grief can cause stress which can weaken the immune system. Make sure your loved one is going to the doctor for checkups.

4. Find time for meaningful conversations. Often, those visiting elderly friends and relatives are busy and don’t have time to do much more than check in on them. Setting aside some time for meaningful conversations during a visit can go a long way.

5. Help them stay involved. Find other services to come to them if they can’t get out. Many services can come into an elderly person’s home to support them, or services can pick them up to take them to social events.

6. Seek outside help. If your loved one seems depressed or has difficulty coping beyond what you can provide, it might be good to encourage them to find support from a therapist.

The critical thing to remember is to continue to reach out to the elderly and to help them stay connected to their friends, family, and community.

205-322-0543

1591 Gadsden Hwy Birmingham, AL 35235

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

Mary E. Wright Seals

january 23, 1929 — may 21, 2023

Mary Eloise Wright Seals went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 21, 2023, at 94 years of age. She enjoyed spending time with her family and serving her Lord. She was born to the late Arthur Alton and Ethel Mae Wright. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Oliver Eugene Seals, her two brothers Arthur Wright Jr. and Richard Wright, her daughter Lyn Marsh, granddaughter Robin Dill and great grandson Mason Scucchi.

She is survived by her sister- in-law Sarah Wright and two daughters, Mary Louise Murdock (Wayne) and Wanda Bearden (Hal) and her two sons, Michael Seals (Bivian) and Al Bertram, son in law, Ronald Marsh. Also, her grandchildren, Jerry Murdock (Gina), Brian Murdock (Callie), Teresa Landenberger (Matt), Jeff Bertram (Jacqueline), Tammy Grizzell (Bryant), Scott Marsh (Sha), Michelle Keeton Gray (T.R.), Mary Mason (Paul), Matthew Bearden (Hollie), Misty McCade, Shane Seals (Rachel), DeAnn Davis (Eddy) and several great and greatgreat grandchildren. The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 25,2023 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am with a service to follow in the chapel at Jefferson memorial Funeral Home. Burial will conclude at Forest Crest Cemetery in Irondale.

Thomas Perkins

january 27, 1933 — may 17, 2023

Dr. Rev. Thomas Hill Perkins, Sr. born on January 27, 1933, left his earthly home on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 to join his heavenly Father. In his 72 years of ministry, he pastored numerous churches in Mississippi and Alabama. His latest church was Faith Baptist Church in Bessemer, Alabama.

He leaves behind his very best friend, the love of his life, mother of his 4 adult children and his life partner of 73 years Elizabeth Perkins. He also leaves to cherish his memories Thomas H. Perkins Jr. (Miriam), Diane (David) Brown, Joyce Perkins and Lanita Jackson. He leaves 3 grandchildren, Jeffery (Jami) Brown, Brittney Bethune and Laurie Brown, 10 great grandchildren, Isaiah, Isaac and Harrison Brown, Ella, Rylan, Masyn, and Kane Burgess, Star Rearden, Shaleah and Shaniya Bethune, 1 step granddaughter, Grace Wilson, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Dalton and Robbie Perkins, brother, A.A. Perkins and 3 grandchildren, Tiffany, Shelby and Evangelia. Brother Perkins devoted his life to the calling of Jesus Christ and was a shepherd of his flocks with compassion and grace. He truly believed in the Great Commission to evangelize across the nation. “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:23

The visitation for Brother Perkins will be held on Sunday, May 21st at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The funeral service for Brother Perkins will be held at Jefferson Memorial’s chapel on Monday, May 22nd at 10:00 a.m. Following the chapel service family and friends will gather at Furnace Hill Cemetery 8000 Hwy 18, Vernon, AL 35592 for the committal service. Estimated time of arrival is 1:30 p.m.

Daniel Friday

february 9, 1951 — may 19, 2023

Daniel Friday, 72, beloved Spouse, Son, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, and Father-in-Law was called to his eternal resting place May 19, 2023. He entered this world on February 9, 1951, in Birmingham, AL born to Harold & Jimmie Friday. He graduated from the University of Montevallo on May 9, 1981. He was employed as a Firefighter/ EMT by the City of Mountain Brook in 1976.

He is survived by his spouse Cecelia Friday; son Rodney Friday; granddaughter Kelsey Chambers; grandson Hunter Friday; grandson Garrett Friday; great granddaughter Lola Friday; daughter-in-law Ashlee Friday; granddaughter Addison Friday; granddaughter Kaia Friday; brother Randall Friday; brother Bruce Friday. He was preceded in death by his son Joseph Friday and brother James Arthur Friday.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday @ 12:00 PM at Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Visitation is Wednesday @ 11:00.

Jimmie “Jay” Barton

may 19, 1967 — may 21, 2023

Jimmie (Jay) Don Barton Jr., age 56, of Trussville, Alabama passed away on May 21, 2023. Jay graduated from Jackson University. He was passionate about his work at Byers Engineering. His work ethic was impeccable and all that worked with him knew this. The love and care he had for his employees was incredible. He spent countless hours helping and working out issues with his employees. Always patient, always helpful, always caring, sometimes loudly! He loved and was so proud of his son Cliff, constantly talking about and praising him. His grandchildren Keiden and Kehlani were his heart and soul. His love for them was immeasurable. He was blessed with two stepsons that he loved and treated like his own. He was there for them at a moment’s notice to help, encourage, offer advice, or just listen. His puppy dog pack will miss him dearly. He loved Auburn football emphatically. Winning or losing, it didn’t matter, always a true Auburn fan. Lastly, Jays one true love was his wife, Michelle. Love at first sight were the words whenever he spoke of her. She was the beating of his heart. Jay loved so many, to know him was a blessing.

Jay is preceded in death by his mother; Naomi Smith Barton; sister, Jacqueline Paige Barton, and niece Maegan Elisabeth Sime.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Michelle Kennedy Barton; sons, David (Cliff) Clifford Barton (Kristie), stepsons, Jacob Brechin (Kaitlyn), Joshua Brechin (Riley); father, Jimmie Don Barton Sr.; sisters, Barbara Barton Gillespie (Jim) and Rebecca Barton Duffie (Brad); grandchildren, Keiden Barton, Kehlani Barton; numerous nieces, and nephews, cousins, and friends.

Last by not least his puppy pack, Tuco, Buddy, Oddie, and Eddie.

Eulogy will be given by Becki Barton and Josh Brechin with prayers given by David Gillespie. The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 27, 2023 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm with a Celebration of life to follow at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home.

Eddie Seal, General Manager

c a L enda R

2023 Trussville Beautification Award Contest

April 24 @ 8:00 am - June 5 @ 5:00 pm

year’s summer reading challenge and upcoming events.

Petting Zoo, Laser Tag, lawn games, and live music! No

Registration is Needed. Food trucks will be available for purchase during the event.

Pinson Trade Days

how different animals work together in nature & meet some awesome animals!

Take-Home Tuesdays: Shadow Puppets

June 6 @ 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

HEALTH/BEAUTY

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.

Yarn Manglers (Knit & Crochet Group)

Thursday, June 01: 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Trussville - Cahaba Room

AGE GROUP: ADULT (AGES 18+)

EVENT TYPE: DROP-IN, CRAFT

June 3 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Main Street Pinson, 4281 Main St Pinson, AL 35126 United States

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

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit. Call 844-322-9935.

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Pinson Trade Days will be held on Main Street in Pinson on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 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)

#SquadGoals Summer Kick-Off!

June 3 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

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

(All ages)

Knit & crochet meetup group (aka The Yarn Manglers).

Bring any projects you are working on; join us for fellowship and creativity. This is a great way to check in, catch up, see what everyone is working on, and get help if you are stuck. Please join us - newcomers are welcome!

Join our Facebook group:

YARN MANGLERS ANONYMOUS

Summer Reading Kick-off Party

Friday, June 02: 5:00pm7:00pm

Trussville

AGE GROUP: UPPER ELEMENTARY (3RD-5TH)

TWEEN (3RD-6TH) TEEN (6TH - 12TH GRADE) LOWER ELEMENTARY (K-2ND)

ELEMENTARY (K-5TH)

EARLY LEARNERS (BIRTH - PRE-K) ALL AGES ADULT

(AGES 18+)

EVENT TYPE: TWEEN PROGRAM, TEEN PROGRAM, SUMMER READING, FAMILY EVENT, DROP-IN, CHILDREN’S PROGRAM, ADULT PROGRAM

Pinson Public Library’s Summer Reading Program is here! Join the #SocksSquad by registering for our Summer Reading Program online (info coming soon).

Celebrate the beginning of summer on Saturday, June 3rd from 1 to 3 PM. Enjoy sports-themed inflatable fun, team activities with friends, yummy concession food, & more! Commander, the mascot for Birmingham Squadron, will be available to meet & take photos from 1 to 2 PM. More information coming soon!

Animal Tales: Animal Alliances

June 5 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

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

(All ages)

Tuesday, June 6th at 9 AM

It’s Take-Home Tuesday! Drop by the library beginning Tuesday, June 6th at 9 AM to pick up an all-ages kit with a craft & fun surprise! This week’s theme is Shadow Puppets. Supplies are limited, so kits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Tech Tuesdays June 6 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

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

To learn more, call 866-475-1014 (M-F 8am6pm ET).

TWO BURIAL PLOTS at Jefferson Memorial Gardens. Located in the shady and serene center of the cemetery in the Garden of Everlasting Life away from busy traffic noise. Plot 54C, spaces 3 and 4. $4,300 each, seller is responsible for transfer fee. Call 251-404-9321.

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(Adults)

Need help with your tablet, smartphone, or computer?

Mr. Keith is here to help! Drop in on Tuesday, June 6th from 10 AM to 12 PM for helpful tech tips & tricks, Please bring your device with you if you are able to do so. No registration is required.

Let’s Create: DIY Squishies June 6 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

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

Join us in the Masonic Park located behind the Trussville Public Library for activities and treats for all ages! Pick up information about this

(All ages) Monday, June 5th at 4 PM

Animals Tales is back to present “Animal Alliances”. Learn

(Teens only, 6th-12th graders)

Tuesday, June 6th, 4 to 5:30 PM

Create your own fun & adorable squishies on Tuesday, June 6th at 4 PM! Just bring your imagination & we’ll supply everything else that you need.

This

DYNASTY: Note from the Editor,

Your Hewitt Trussville Huskies are state champions in softball once again. In this commemorative issue, we would like to pay tribute to the young ladies who have put in the work to become a true dynasty in Alabama High School Softball, winning 3 of the last 5 State Championships in 7A play with one of the “off years” being a Covid year and the other seeing the Huskies finish as the runner up. In this special edition, we want to take a look back at the Huskies’ season by re-running the articles for the games and tournaments that led to this momentous occasion for the Huskies as well as some of the photos from previous championship seasons. Congratulations, once again, to the 2023 Alabama 7A State Softball Champions, YOUR Hewitt Trussville Huskies!

Sara Phillips pitches no-hitter as Huskies win JAG Classic at Spain Park

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

HOOVER – On Saturday, the Spain Park Jaguars hosted the JAG Classic Softball Tournament, inviting teams from all over to Hoover to compete. The Hewitt Trussville Huskies was one of those teams and they stole the show in the Jaguars’ house, going 4-0, allowing just 3 runs total in those 4 games and scoring a no-hitter for Sara Phillips in one of those games.

In game one, Hewitt played the Calera Eagles, winning 6-1. Hewitt got on the board first by scoring 2 in the first as Hannah Dorsett got on base on a single to right field and Olivia Faggard followed it with a double that drove the runner in. Chaney Peters would then hit a double to drive in Faggard and end the first at 2-0 Huskies. Both teams were scoreless in the second followed by a 3-run third inning for the Huskies that saw Dorsett get on base on a bunt, Faggard get walked and Peters hit a sacrifice fly that would bring both of them home, followed by a solo home run by Lexy

Kelly, to put Hewitt up 5-0 after three innings. Calera would get their only run in the fourth and the Huskies would close out their scoring in the bottom of the inning with a Faggard single that brought in Dorsett for the score. Kenly Poe got the win for Hewitt, surrendering no runs on three hits in two and two-thirds innings, walking zero. Kate Hicks came in from the bullpen to finish off the win.

Game two would be a bit closer as the Huskies took on the Hartselle Tigers, beating them by just one run, 3-2. In the first, Zaylen Tucker got hit by a pitch to get her on base and Ahkeela Honeycutt was walked to put 2 runners on. Peters would then drive in Tucker with a single to center field. Both teams would be blanked by great pitching in the second before Hewitt put 2 runs on the board in the third on a Faggard home run and a double by Sara Phillips to drive in Gracie Reeves who hit a single earlier in the inning. Hartselle would try to mount a comeback by scoring a run in each of the next two innings, making it 3-2, but Hewitt and Sara Phil-

lips would slam the door on those hopes. Phillips went all six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out nine batters.

Congratulations on another incredible season, Huskies!

Hewitt would take on the Brooks Lions in game three and promptly shut them out 5-0. The great pitching by the Husky girls continued in this game

with Zaylen Tucker pitching a complete game and allowing zero runs. Ryleigh Wood hit a triple to drive in Reeves and begin the scoring in the second. Tucker would hit a single to shortstop, bringing Wood to the plate and Peters would drive in Dorsett who was walked earlier in the inning to make it 3-0 Huskies after 2. In the fourth, Dorsett would get on base on an error and be brought home by a sacrifice fly by Tucker. The Huskies would get another run in the sixth when Wood got on base and was brought home on a single by Tucker. Zaylen Tucker did it all In this game, pitching the whole game, getting the shutout and driving in 3 runs on 3 hits in all of her atbats. The final game of the day would be perhaps the most impressive with the Pell City Panthers being the victim this time. Not only did the Huskies get another shutout for the day but pitcher Sara Phillips would throw a no-hitter to help the Huskies get the 11-0 win. The Husky bats caught fire in this game and it did not take long to get them heated up. Hewitt put 5 runs on the board in the

first to get things started as Phillips would drive in two runners (Dorsett and Tucker) on a single to left field. Faggard would bunt to get on base due to an error by Pell City and Peters would bring her home. Kelly would hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Faggard and Rubie Simon would bring in Peters on a single to center field. Dorsett would add a run in the second on a passed ball as the only run in the inning. Reeves would reach base on a single to second base and come home after a Kelly double to left field to make it 7-0 Hewitt after three innings.

After a score on an error by Tucker, Faggard would hit a two-run home run to make it 10-0 heading into the fifth. The Huskies would then get one more run in the fifth as Dorsett stole home while Phillips was at bat. Sara Phillips struck out 12 batters in her no-hitter, allowing just one runner to get on base in the fifth on an error, in a brilliant performance. Hewitt is now 14-4 and winners of the JAG Classic. On Tuesday, the Huskies will take on the hosts of the JAG Classic, at Spain Park.

Sara Phillips (Photo by Shawn Bowles Photography)

Phillips gets another no-hitter and home run in Huskies win

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

CHELSEA – The Lady

Huskies are on a tear lately in the softball ranks. They have won 14 straight games with a 17-4 record and now 2-0 in the area after a 13-0 thrashing they put on the Chelsea Hornets Thursday night with Sara Phillips stealing the show once again with a no-hitter on the mound and a home run at the plate.

The Huskies wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, jumping out 2-0 after one inning of play when Hannah Dorsett reached on a ground ball to shortstop and was brought home on a Zaylen Tucker single to center field. Olivia Faggard came to the plate later in the inning and drove in Tucker to make it 2-0 Huskies. After a scoreless second inning, Hewitt put 3 runs on the board in the third to take

a commanding 5-0 lead over the Hornets. G Reeves would get a single to start things off followed by an Ahkeela Honeycutt single and a Sara Phillips walk to lad the bases. Lexie Kelly hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Reeves. Ryleigh Wood hit a single to right field that drove in Honeycutt and pinch-runner Taylor Davis before Chelsea would get out of the inning. The fourth would be an-

other scoreless inning with the Huskies putting up 4 more in the fifth and sixth respectively. In the fifth, Phillips and Wood had backto-back singles followed by Dorsett being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tucker would single to shortstop to drive in Davis (pinch running for Phillips). Chaney Peters would hit a double to left that drove in Wood, Dorsett and Tucker to make it 9-0 Hewitt. The sixth would be much

the same as Hewitt put up 4 more runs on Chelsea. With Sarah Beth Golden on first base, Phillips, who was already brilliant from the mound, stepped to the plate and kindly knocked the ball over the left field fence for a 2-run home run to make it 11-0. Amber Newman would follow with a double to centerfield and Makaila Hope would hit a 2-run homer of her own to close out the scoring and secure the blowout

win for the red-hot Hewitt Huskies Softball team. Phillips was yet again impressive in her second no-hitter of the season, pitching all 6 innings. She gave up no runs, no hits and just one walk in the shutout win, striking out twelve batters on the day.

Hewitt is now 17-4 and they will spend Spring Break in Gulf Shores this week competing in the Gulf Coast Classic.

Sara Phillips pitching. (Photo by Hewitt Trussville Athletics)

Hewitt Trussville and Springville own Gulf Shores Classic III

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

GULF SHORES

– The Hewitt Trussville Huskies and Springville Tigers took a trip to the beach for spring break but it was a bit different from the trip many students took this week. This was a business trip and the fact that these two teams from the Trussville Tribune coverage area came home with both the first and second place trophies says all you need to know about how seriously these ladies took the challenge. While both teams did squeeze in some fun this week, they were focused on the task at hand and neither team would disappoint.

On day one, in pool play, the Huskies scored wins over Forest High School (7-0), Enterprise (3-2) and Wilson (3-1). Meanwhile, Springville took on Dale County (7-0), the top-ranked 7A team in the state, Thompson (2-7 loss) and Community High (9-0),

going 2-1 for the day.

Day two was shortened by weather but Hewitt got in a game, a 2-1 win over Hokes Bluff, and Springville likewise got one in and blasted Colbert County 9-0.

The third and final day was a long one for both teams as Springville played 5 games and the Huskies played in 4 themselves. Hewitt beat Houston Academy 10-1, Hoover 5-3 and Vestavia 5-1, making it to the championship game. Springville beat Kaneland 11-0, avenged the earlier loss to Thompson with a 3-0 win over the Warriors, beat Hartselle 7-2 and Spain Park 6-4, leading to the championship showdown with the Huskies.

In the championship game, the Hewitt Trussville flexed their muscle and got a big win over the Springville Tigers by a score of 12-0. In typical fashion, Sara Phillips threw a gem in the championship game, allowing no runs

against the red-hot bats of the Springville Tigers. For the weekend, Phillips was brilliant, pitching 15

innings, getting 4 wins, 26 strikeouts and allowing no earned runs. Shelby Hathcock had a good week for the Ti-

gers, doing most of the pitching for Springville, pitching 20 innings, earning 5 wins and 15 strike outs. Georgia Chancellor also got key wins over Thompson and Spain Park for the Tigers.

Springville coach JP Taruc had the following to say about how his team did in the Gulf Shores Classic, “I am extremely proud of my girls for beating the number 1 team in 7A (Thompson), beating the number 2 team in 6A (Hartselle) and beating the number 5 team in 7A (Spain Park) all in one day during bracket play. However, we lost to the number 3 team in 7A (Hewitt Trussville) in the championship game. Gulf Coast Classic was loaded with great softball teams. I always like to enter this tournament because you’re going to play the best of the best in different classifications. It makes us tougher in the long run. Plus shows us what we need to work on to get better. I hate we lost the

championship game but I am extremely proud of my girls for competing throughout the tournament. I have a great group of girls who are willing to play as one and win as one.”

Hewitt coach Taylor Burt said this about her team’s performance, “We started slow but came out an played our best when it mattered in elimination. Our bats were not great the first couple of days bur the girls really showed up on day 3. Our pitchers did great and we really performed well in the situations we needed to, to win.”

The Huskies are now riding a 21-game winning streak with a 25-4 overall record heading into a game at home against Oak Mountain on Tuesday.

Springville moves to 22-4 on the season and the schedule does not get easier as they head to Hoover to take on the Buccaneers on Tuesday night.

Hewitt Trussville Lady Huskies Softball team, winners of the 2023 Gulf Shores Classic (Photo by HTHS Athletics)

Springville pitcher Shelby Hathcock at Gulf Shores Classic (Photo by SHS Softball)

Huskies overcome early loss to Spain Park to take home the area title

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

TRUSSVILLE – The second-ranked Hewitt Trussville Lady Huskies hosted the 7A Area 6 tournament this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Goldie Paine Stadium, taking on Oak Mountain, Spain Park and Chelsea and playing a late Thursday night game to capture their thirdstraight area championship in wild fashion.

In the first round of the tournament, the hosts drew Oak Mountain. The game would be dominated by the Huskies right from the start. In the first inning, Hewitt would jump out 3-0 on the Eagles. The second inning would see the Huskies score 2 more runs and then another in the third. The fourth would be the worst for the visiting Eagles as they allowed Hewitt to get 5 runs across the plate, making it 11-0 Huskies in the end. While Olivia Faggard drove in 4 runs from the plate on a grand slam in the fourth to go with 2 RBI each from Sara Phillips and Gracie Reeves, all Phillips did from the mound was pitch a no-hitter and strike out 9 Oak Mountain batters.

On Wednesday, the Huskies would take on Spain Park, who had a similar win to theirs the previous day, beating Chelsea 11-1. With both teams riding a wave of momentum, the Jaguars came into the game looking to spoil the tournament for the host team. This one was a backand-forth battle between 2 top 10 teams in a tournament to determine the area champions. It had all the makings of a monumental game, and it did not disappoint. Both teams got a run each in the first inning before Hewitt jumped out 2-1 on Spain Park

in the second. The third and fourth were scoreless and then Hewitt got 2 more while the Jaguars got one in the fifth. The sixth was scoreless but Spain Park came back in the seventh and tied the game at 4. In the top of the ninth, Hewitt would take a 5-4 lead over Spain Park but with a 2-0 count, 1 out and 2 runners on, Spain Park’s Maggie Daniel would drive a steak into the hearts of the Lady Huskies in game 2 with a walk-off home run, sealing a 7-5 victory for the seventh-ranked Jaguars. With the loss, Hewitt would now have an uphill battle if they wanted to get that third-straight area title.

They would have to now play 3 games on Thursday, 2 of them being against the team that had just defeated them.

Thursday started with the Chelsea Hornets as the opponent. After a scoreless first inning, the Huskies would pour it on in the second and third, outscoring the Hornets 7-2 in the two innings. Hewitt would get another 3 in the fifth while Chelsea only managed 3 runs to this point. The Hornets would threaten in the sixth and seventh, outscoring the Huskies 3-0, but it would not be enough to overcome what Hewitt had already done and the Huskies would walk away with a 10-6 victory and

the right to get revenge on Spain Park.

The second game of the day would see yet another heavyweight fight between two excellent softball teams as Spain Park took a 1-0 lead in the first and it stayed the same until the sixth inning. That is when Faggard drove in Tucker and then L Kelly hit a 3-run shot to center field to make it 4-1 Huskies. Each team would score a run in the seventh giving Hewitt the 5-2 win and leading both teams into a final game to decide who would be the 5A Area 6 champions. Z Tucker got the win from the mound for the Huskies, going the entire 7

innings and giving up just 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 8. At the plate, Kelly led with 3 RBI, going 2-3 with the bat in her hand.

And this is what it is all about folks. A final softball game to determine the champions of the area at 9:00 on a Thursday night, in the third game of the day for the Hewitt Trussville Lady Huskies. You would think that fatigue would set in and there would be some sloppy play in this game, but that did not appear to be the case. Spain Park jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first. The second and third would be scoreless, but the fourth would be anything

but that. The Jaguars would get 2 more runs in the top of the fourth, making it 5-1.

Like a light switch, the Huskies’ offense flipped on in the fourth, scoring 7 runs, to make it 8-5 Hewitt. The fifth would be scoreless and then Hewitt would put up 3 more in the sixth for good measure. 11-5 would be the final score and the Hewitt Trussville Huskies would be the winners of the 2023 5A Area 6 championship.

The Lady Huskies, now 39-7 and ranked second in the state in 7A, will take on the Thompson Warriors in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday, May 11.

Hewitt Trussville Softball. 2023 7A Area 6 Champions. Photo by: HTHS Softball

Huskies beat Thompson and Spain Park to reach state playoffs

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

TRUSSVILLE – It may be a different year, but the headline is, at the very least, similar. Yes, the Hewitt Trussville Huskies have once again made the 7A state softball playoffs. Under Head Coach Taylor Burt, the Huskies have made the playoffs every year since she became the head lady at Hewitt in 2017. In that time, Hewitt has won 4 area championships, appeared in the final four 4 times and won the blue map twice. So, making it to state this year should come as no surprise to anyone.

“We are to the point in our program where the girls expect to not only make it to the state tournament, but really compete and have a legit chance to win it,” said Coach Burt.

On Thursday, the Huskies had to win two games to make it this far. The first game was against the Thompson Warriors. Hewitt jumped all over them in the first inning, scoring 5 runs in the bottom, after Thompson was unable to score to start the game. Hewitt would add a single run in the second and another in the third, while Sara Phillips and the Husky defense held the Warriors at bay with no runs across the plate.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Warriors managed 2 runs in the top of the fifth but Hewitt would answer with 2 of their own to make it 9-2. The Huskies would stay the course, allowing no more runs by Thompson, and close the game out with a 9-2 win to start the regional tournament.

Sara Phillips would go the distance, pitching all 7 innings and allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 5. At the plate, Hannah Dorsett was

a perfect 3 for 3 with an RBI. Gracie Reaves and Ahkeela Honeycutt had 2 RBI each.

The next game would be a familiar foe, as the Huskies took on the Spain Park Jaguars, whom they had to play 3 times in the area tournament, one of those being a 7-5 loss. There would be no such luck for the Jaguars this time as Hewitt beat them for the fifth

time this season.

The game started with both teams getting 2 runs each in the first inning. Then, after 3 scoreless innings, the Huskies got the bats going in the fifth with 4 runs. They would then score another run in the sixth before Spain Park ended the scoring in the seventh with a single run of their own, making it a 7-3 final and

sending the Huskies into the state playoffs.

Zaylen Tucker got the start and allowed 2 runs on one hit and struck out one. Sara Phillips entered the game during the second and allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 10. Olivia Faggard owned the plate as she went 3 of 4 batting with 3 RBI for the Huskies.

“I thought we came out ready to play and did a great job putting up runs early,” said Coach Burt. “Our pitch selection was a huge contributing factor to our success at the plate. We were patient and didn’t chase. Our pitchers did a great job working ahead in counts and letting the defense work behind them. We also came up with some really big

2-out RBI in game two. We preach how big those are to our team. We played well but we left some runners on so that’s something we need to improve on before this coming weekend. I am proud of the way they showed up and took care of business. It was a complete team effort from top

See HUSKIES, Page 24

The Huskies Softball team celebrates their win over Spain Park, punching their ticket to state.

Photo by: Kyle Parmley

Huskies make championship series, set to face Fairhope at 2:30 p.m.

From the Tribune staff reports

OXFORD — HewittTrussville High School will play for the softball 7A state championship for the fourth

time in four years. The Huskies will face Fairhope at 2:30 p.m. in Oxford and will need to win twice to take the trophy. The Huskies opened the state tournament with two

Hewitt softball drops second straight in lowscoring loss to Pell City

wins before falling to the loser’s bracket after a 1-0 loss to Fairhope. Hewitt battled back Saturday morning to earn a shot at the blue map trophy.

By Johnny Sanders Sports Editor

PELL CITY – After a 3-1 start, the Hewitt Trussville Lady Huskies softball team find itself in the midst of a 2-game skid with losses to Hoover and Pell City this past week. Tuesday’s game against Pell City was what many would passionately refer to as a pitcher’s duel with the Panthers pulling out the 3-2 win in dramatic fashion, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the eight inning. Hewitt struck first blood in the opening inning of the game after Hannah Dorsett was on third as the result of

a stolen base and Olivia Faggard hit a single to left field, driving in the runner and putting the Huskies up 1-0 in the first.

Both teams would hold serve for the next two innings, but in the fourth, each team would get some offensive traction. Hewitt’s Zaylen Tucker would get on base after a ground ball single to shortstop and she would advance to second base after a Pell City error. After the next two batters were struck out by the Panthers, H Dorsett went to the plate and drove in Tucker to put the Huskies up 2-0 before Pell City came up to bat. The Panthers would even the score before the in-

ning was over, scoring two runs. The score would stay 2-2 until the eighth inning. In the eighth inning, the Huskies would fail to score a run while giving up one to Pell City to seal the deal for the Panthers and give the Huskies their second loss in a row.

Zaylen Tucker was the pitcher for the Huskies and tallied an impressive 23 outs in the game while Hannah Dorsett was the star at the plate, going 3 for 3 hitting. The Lady Huskies, now 3-3, look to rebound on Saturday in tournament play at home against North Jackson and Tuscaloosa County on Saturday morning.

Sara Phillips

(Photo by Shawn Bowles Photography)

Olivia Faggard takes a pitch for Hewitt Trussville (Photo by Bobby Mathews)

Dynasty

From front page

the bottom of the inning and a lightning delay would slow things down for approximately one hour. The clouds would part and the skies would clear up, bringing the tarps off of the field and allowing the teams to get back to business. The Huskies came out determined, beginning with a one-run second inning. In the third, Hewitt would take the lead at 3-2, and never relinquish it.

The Husky bats absolutely exploded in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring 8 runs against the Pirates. All this time, Phillips and company did not allow another

run and, in the fifth inning, the Huskies would get a run across the plate to go up by 10 points, 12-2, and pick up the blowout win by way of the run rule, sealing the win and the state championship. Phillips pitched the whole 5 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits and striking out 2 batters. Faggard finished the game with 3 RBI on 2 of 4 batting. Phillips, Reeves, Hannah Dorsett, and Lexie Kelly all had 2 RBI each for the Huskies.

This marks the third time in four state championship series that the Huskies have won the most prestigious prize in the state of Alabama in 7A softball, solidifying themselves as a true dynasty in the state.

2023 HTHS Softball

2023 HTHS Softball Roster: #1 Ahkeela Honeycutt

#0 Amber Newman #27 Chaney Peters

• #7 Emily Renda

• #16 Evie Andrews

• #22 Sara Phillips

• #25 Gracie Reeves

• #15 Hannah Dorsett #3 Kate Hicks #24 Kinley Poe #4 Lexie Kelly #99 Makaila Hope

• #28 Olivia Faggard

• #38 Peyton Hull

• #5 Presley Hull

• #8 Rubie Simon

• #21 Ryleigh Wood

• #11 Sarah Beth Golden

#2 Taylor Davis #7 Zaylen Tucker

HT 5 Pell City 2

May 2 HT 11 Oak Mountain 0

May 3 HT 5 Spain Park 7

May 4

HT 10 Chelsea 6

HT 5 Spain Park 2

HT 11 Spain Park 5

May 11 HT 9 Thompson 2

HT 7 Spain Park 3

HT 3 Daphne 2

HT 6 Central 0

May 19

May 20

HT 0 Fairhope 1

HT 5 Sparkman 0 HT 7 Fairhope 4

HT 12 Fairhope 2

REPORTED EARLIER:

The Hewitt-Trussville softball team had a big day at the state playoffs in Oxford on Friday, but must win on Saturday morning to make the 7A championship series. They are hoping for a big

to bottom.”

The Huskies now look to the state playoffs where they will take on the Daphne Tigers at Choccolocco Park in

crowd to show up and push them to their goal of another blue map trophy.

The Huskies defeated Daphne 3-2 and Central Phenix City 6-0 on Friday before falling to Fairhope 1-0.

The ladies will take the field at 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning to face the winner of the 9 a.m. game between

Oxford, Alabama on Friday morning.

“We are looking forward to the challenge that the 8-team format brings. We will need to win 3 on day one to put ourselves in the best position possible to win it on day

Thompson and Sparkman. If the Huskies prevail, they will face Fairhope in the championship series which is slated for 1:30 p.m.on Saturday.

All State Tournament games are being played at Choccolocco Park in Oxford 954 Leon Smith Parkway Oxford, AL 36203.

two,” said Burt. “The road is extremely tough but we still have our best ball I front of us and we have faith that we will do our very best to make it happen.”

Friday’s first game will begin at 9:00 am.