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Hewitt-Trussville Wrestling Victory
Page 7
Christmas Parade & Cookie Walk
Hewitt-Trussville Wrestling Victory
Page 15
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The Trussville Tribune TRUSSVILLE • PINSON·CLAY • CENTER POINT • ARGO • SPRINGVILLE • LEEDS • MOODY
December 11 - 17, 2019 Woman charged with capital murder in the death of 5-year old Center Point Elementary boy
www.TrussvilleTribune.com
Grayson Valley woman dies after trying to save dogs from house fire By Erica Thomas, managing editor
See RICKKIA ALLEN, Page 5
Trussville City Council approves cameras for Entertainment District and discusses land swap with TRA From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The city council approved resolutions to award Greenway bids to install fencing and lighting around the ball fields near the Trussville Public Library. See CITY COUNCIL, Page 9
St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office announces arrest of the GRINCH
The Grinch. Photo: St. Clair County Jail. See GRINCH, Page 5
Springville Library offering STEM materials for kids
See LIBRARY, Page 10
Inside the Tribune
News - Pages 1-10 Tribune Living - Pages 11-12 Calendar - Page 13 Classified - Page 13 Obituary - Page 14 Kids page - Page 16 Sports - Pages 17-20
50 Cents
GRAYSON VALLEY — A Grayson Valley woman is being remembered for her love for Jesus, tennis and her animals. Kim Jourdan passed away on Monday, Dec. 9, after a house fire Friday, Dec. 6. The fire started around 4:30 p.m. Jourdan attempted to save her dogs from the fire and was burned in the process, according to her close friends. Center Point Fire District and Trussville Fire and Rescue responded to the fire on Pentland Drive. Jourdan was transported to the hospital where she was admitted into the trauma and burn unit. Her close friend, Sandy Lancaster, went there to visit Jourdan the day before she passed. “We thought she was doing a lot better yesterday,” said Lancaster. “We talked to her and prayed with her but I knew when I didn’t hear anything this morning that something wasn’t going right.” Lancaster said prayer was very important to her dear friend. Along with volunteering at her church, Jourdan
was known for praying for others. “She was my prayer partner. She was always very happy and laid back and everybody loved her. She was so kind. She would help anybody in need and she would pray for anybody that needed prayer,” Lancaster explained.
Lancaster and Jourdan went to church together at Mountainview Baptist Church. They also played tennis together at the Trussville Racquet Club. “She was so well-liked and they were always wanting her to play,” said Lancaster. “She was loved by everyone and
Popular restaurant in Clay closing down From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
she was such a good friend to me. We were very close. I am going to miss her so.” If there can be any comfort for her friends and loved ones, it would be to know that her faith in God never faltered. Lancaster said she knows her friend is now in a better place. “She was a great witness for the Lord and she loved her church,” Lancaster said with tears. “It was just a big shock that she passed away today because she was so strong and healthy. She was 42, so that’s very young. She was going to have a birthday this month.” Now, that birthday will be a time to reflect on the faithful and loyal life. A life gone too soon and a life that will not be forgotten. As for her beloved animals, Jourdan did save several of her dogs. In fact, one puppy was found protected and alive in a lunch pail. “She had put it in the pail because it was a newborn and she was going to pick it up and take it outside,” said Lancaster. See KIM JOURDAN, Page 5
Center Point High School principal visits site where Aniah Blanchard’s body was found
CLAY — When Eddie Dawson opened Wing-A-Fish in Clay, the restaurant was an instant hit. The hot wings, wide selection of fried fish and soul food Sundays drew crowds of diners from the city and surrounding communities. But rising rent was more than owner Eddie Dawson could overcome. See RESTAURANT, Page 4
Pinson Council approves interactive art mural on exterior of Rock School By Crystal McGough, copy editor
PINSON – The Pinson City Council unanimously approved a motion on Thursday, Dec. 5, for two “wing” murals to be painted on the north exterior wall of the Rock School Center. See ART MURAL, Page 6
Moody City Council honors local couple responsible for starting program to help feed children in need
By Erica Thomas, managing editor
By Joshua Huff, sports editor
CENTER POINT — Center Point High School’s principal took to Facebook, urging people to come together and return to God, as he visited the site where Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes said Aniah Blanchard was found murdered. Principal Van Phillips is known for his honest approach to violence. He is also known for his faith and his undying motivation to bring people closer to God. During a visit to Montgomery, Phillips said he felt the pull to visit the site where the 19-year-old’s body was found over a month after she was last seen. “I felt I just needed to come to the place where they found that sweet Aniah Blanchard’s body a couple of weeks ago,” said Phillips. Phillips spoke about bringing humanity and love back to the forefront of American society. “In some respects, I feel that we are like a wild dog in the summertime, running wild in the street in our commu-
MOODY – The Moody City Council made a point to push agenda item number eight into the forefront of Monday afternoon’s meeting as the Christmas Parade Committee. See CHILDREN PROGRAM, Page 4
nity,” said Phillips. “There is no fear of anything, no fear of God, no fear of jail, no fear of the policemen, no fear of the death penalty. They have sort of overtaken our community.” From Macon County Road 2, Phillips spoke for a moment, specifically to the African American population, asking for an end to the violence. “It saddens me that in Birmingham we lost another 5-year-old to senseless violence,” Phillips asked, referring to the shooting death of
Tanarius Moore. “A 5-yearold child and it’s as if there are no marches. Where was the march for Blanchard? Where was the march for the 5-year-old killed because his family members were shooting at each other?” Phillips said it is time for people to stop standing by and start standing up to demand compassion for all lives. As he walked around the property near the site where Blanchard’s body was found, Phillips pointed out that the area was dark and desolate,
except for a small white church nearby. He said he had to come there to pray. “For a baby’s body, a sweet, innocent child, who was going to the store to get something to eat and we find her body in the woods a few weeks later is diabolical,” Phillips said. There cannot be that much lack of compassion in this world that we accept this as normal behavior in a civilized world. We cannot do it.” See SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, Page 3
Robin’s Sewing Shoppe www.robinshoppe.com 5886 Trussville Crossings Pkwy 205.655.3388 -
Fabric Machines Classes Demos
Toys for Kids Luncheon raises money for children in Moody
Moody Police Chief Thomas Hunt and St. Clair County Sheriff Bill Murray serve at Toys for Kids Luncheon. See TOYS FOR KIDS, Page 11
Casa Fiesta Mexican Grill
5084 Pinnacle Sq Suite 112 Trussville
655-3530