Oxford Access Vol. 5 Issue 1

Oxford

ACCESS

2020

FREEDOM PARK

KEVIN GREENE: HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS AND DEDICATION HELPED TURN A DREAM INTO A REALITY

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Kristen and Chris Bobo enjoy Simmons Park in downtown Oxford.

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4 MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR 7 LIVE WELL ALABAMA 10 SPOTLIGHT: CHRISTIE RENFROE 12 CELEBRATING RUBY CROLEY

2020 VOL 5. ISSUE 1.

CONTENTS

16 FREEDOM PARK 22 EXIT 185 DEVELOPMENTS 28 MESSAGE FROM THE OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY 30 OCS @ OPL 37 MESSAGE FROM THE OXFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT 38 SPOTLIGHT: EDC LARRY DEASON 40 SKILLED INDUSTRIAL JOB FAIR 42 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: KRONOSPAN 48 MESSAGE FROM OPAC 56 SPOTLIGHT: VANN HOLLINGSWORTH 58 OXFORD PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE 60 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: HOUSE COUNSELING 62 REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN OXFORD 65 HISTORIC MAIN STREET UPDATE 68 COMMUNITY CENTERS AND PARKS 70 “APPROACHING REIGN” BY LARRY K. MARTIN 80 CIDER RIDGE GOLF CLUB UPDATE 82 A BRIEF HISTORY: BLUE SPRINGS SOUTHERN COTTON MILL 86 READERS ENTRY WINNER 87 MESSAGE FROM THE OXFORD POLICE CHIEF

Community conversations are important and we encourage residents to engage directly with city staff—this is your city and your mayor and council are here for you.

Don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can help. Big or small, we’re happy and honored to listen.

City of Oxford Mayor Alton Craft Oxford City Council Phil Gardner Mike Henderson Charlotte Hubbard Chris Spurlin Steven Waits If you are a citizen living within the Oxford city limits and are not receiving an Oxford Access magazine and would like to receive them, let us know! We want all of our citizens to be able to have access to the Access.

You can pick-up a free copy at the Oxford Public Library, Oxford Civic Center, Bynum Community Center, Friendship Community Center, and Oxford City Hall.

OXFORD ACCESS P. O. BOX 3383 OXFORD, AL 36203 WWW.OXFORDACCESS.COM

88 OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION 93 OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS UPDATE 98 WELCOME TO OXFORD 102 HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for highlights of community news, city events, and special moments as they happen in our beautiful city.

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Message from the

Oxford Mayor Dear citizens, What an exciting summer we have had in Oxford! From new capital projects that are beginning to reopening our city during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still going strong. We have many things going on in Oxford that will be outlined in this edition of the Oxford Access.

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you for your patience and understanding as we have and will continue to reopen Oxford and our facilities. Our Recovery Task Force committee has been working non-stop to continue all functions of our departments safely. They are currently finalizing a policy manual regarding safe and sanitary practices during pandemics and other public health crises. The council and I are ready to review it along with the city’s legal team. As we continue to keep your health in mind, I encourage you to continue to practice safe and sanitary habits as we navigate through the hopefully last phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please bear with us as we slowly reopen Oxford.

We have had many great things going on in Oxford since the last edition of the Oxford Access. Choccolocco Park is back to full-speed, and I am happy to see people walking along our public trails and playing in our playgrounds safely and healthily. We have athletes from all over come and play at Choccolocco Park and Oxford Lake, and our tennis courts and all-new pickleball courts are being used daily. At our state-of-the-art track and field complex at Choccolocco Park, we had athletes from 18 states competing at a meet in August, so we have shown visitors all across the country just how strong Oxford is!

I am also excited that our Historic Downtown Oxford streetscape renovation has come to a close. We had a grand reopening for our oldest neighborhood, and I am excited to see what’s next for downtown. I encourage you to check it out for yourself if you have not already, and while you are in that area, check out some of the shops and restaurants. Even though we are still not having events in the Oxford Performing Arts Center, you can always go inside and check out what’s featured at the Martin-Lett Art Gallery. You can also stop by the Oxford Public Library and see what they have to offer for citizens of all ages.

In closing, I am prouder each day to lead Oxford. It has been a great honor for four years, and I am looking forward to the next four years. We will continue to reach new heights in our great city, and this cannot be done without the help of you, the citizen. Continue to pray for our leaders in Oxford, the state of Alabama, and America. We are grateful and blessed, and we are “Oxford Strong.”

Kindest regards, Mayor Alton Craft

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Alton Craft Mayor

Phil Gardner Council

Mike Henderson Council

Charlotte Hubbard Council

Chris Spurlin Council

Steven Waits Council

The City of Oxford would like to congratulate all candidates who were involved in the 2020 municipal election. After a great campaign season, all incumbents were chosen by the citizens to serve as our elected officials for the 2020-2024 cycle. The future is bright in Oxford, so please continue to be involved in our city as our officials make decisions on your behalf.

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HEALTH

LIVE WELL ALABAMA

The relationship between the City of Oxford Parks and Recreation’s Joshua Craft and Alabama Extension SNAP-Ed Educator Tammy Hall resulted in beautiful new Live Well Alabama signs in several parks throughout Oxford.

Alabama Extension uses an evidence-based, multi-level approach to create a healthier population, and the implementation of the park signs falls in line with that mission. Extension’s partnership with the City of Oxford, which also has a goal of making its citizens healthier, helps to further that goal.

Hall is one of several SNAP-Ed educators throughout Alabama providing nutrition education to nearly 50,000 individuals while facilitating hundreds of local policy, system, and environmental changes to increase access to healthy food and physical activity. We encourage citizens of all ages to begin a journey to better health by doing simple things such as walking to your mailbox daily or eating fresh fruit or vegetables if you need a snack.

The Live Well Alabama signs in Oxford’s parks are part of a statewide social marketing campaign to get Alabamians to Eat Better, Move More, and Make a Change. When I called Oxford, I was immediately directed to Joshua Craft, and he was happy to assist us in getting our “Live Well Alabama” signs put up around their beautiful parks and walking trails. After just a few weeks, the signs were up at every outdoor park in Oxford, and he even ordered some more for the city to put in other common outdoor areas.

While hitting the trails when exercising, remember to social distance, and enjoy all the great parks and amenities Oxford offers. Walking, running, or exercising outdoors can be done easily with the health guidelines in place, and the City of Oxford and Alabama Extension encourage everyone to get a jump start on their health and wellness. For more tips and tricks to stay healthy, follow “Live Well Alabama” on social media. www.LiveWellAlabama.com

BY TAMMY HALL

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SPOTLIGHT

CHRISTIE RENFROE

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OXFORD 311 CALL CENTER

Christie is one of the friendly voices answering the phones in the City’s 311 call center. Launched in 2017, the department provides residents with one convenient number to call for city services.

With her wireless headset and multiple computer screens, she helps answer up to 800 calls a month. Christie claims, “My best times are when I can help one of our senior citizens and build a relationship with them.”

Christie has three grown children, and all are graduates of Oxford High School—Austin, Allie, and Konnor. She has an adorable granddaughter, Maryn Cate, that she is raising and who is her pride and joy. She helps fill Christie’s time outside of work with ballet lessons, swimming practice, and soccer games.

What is your job title?

311 Technician.

How long have you worked for the City?

I have worked for the City of Oxford for threeand-a-half years.

What are your responsibilities at 311?

We are a service helpline for our citizens. We take phone calls, answer questions, and direct problems to the appropriate city departments.

We also call citizens back and check on requests to make sure they have been completed.

Describe a typical workday.

Usually before 8:00 am our phones are ringing, and our day has started. We check messages left from the night before, and when we have breaks, we use that time to do callbacks.

What are some calls you will always remember?

I have had several calls I will always remember.

The first one was a call from another city that mistakenly, somehow, got to me. It was a 911 call, and the male voice on the other end of the phone told me that he had shot his wife and was about to shoot himself. I was able to

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get the street name from him before he hung up. I immediately called the police. They were able to locate the home and were on the scene within a few minutes.

The second event that stands out in my memory was an older lady who called because she had fallen down and could not get back up.

She did not live in Oxford city limits, but we do the right thing and try to help every caller whenever possible. I talked to her to calm her down and called the police station to see which ambulance service covered her location.

I then proceeded to get an ambulance headed her way and contacted one of her family members working in Birmingham while continuing to check on her on the other line. I stayed on the phone with her until the ambulance arrived and followed up while she was at the hospital.

I was happy to learn she had no broken bones and had a good recovery.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love spending time with my family and friends, which usually involves me cooking for them. I genuinely enjoy cooking and baking.

My co-workers at Oxford City Hall enjoy the leftovers I bring them.

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ONE HUNDRED YEARS

RUBY CROLEY

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On August 27th, 1920, James Walter and Liller Mae Holland welcomed their daughter, Ruby Doris Holland Croley, into the world. This year, on the centennial of her birth, we celebrate with her and her family.

Ruby Croley was the fourth of six siblings. She had four brothers, Wallace, Clyde, Forrest, and Huey, and one sister, Dorothy. She grew up on the family farm and attended Saks, where she played on the women’s basketball team. Ruby would pass down the stories of living rurally in Calhoun County and tell her family what it was like to grow up during the depression years.

During World War II, Mrs. Croley worked as a typist-supply clerk for the Anniston Army Depot.

In 1946, at 26 years old, Ruby met the love of her life and soulmate, Francis Denman Croley.

When Mrs. Croley met her husband Denman, he had just completed his service as an Army instructor pilot and would then work for Texaco, Inc. During his 38-year career, the family moved all over the southeast. In their retirement, the Croley family returned to Oxford and moved into Denman Croley’s childhood home, where Mrs. Croley still lives today. She and her husband would always do their part in helping with the polls in the municipal elections. Denman passed in September of 2017, having been married to his wonderful wife for seventy years. Their three loving sons, Frankie Croley, Major General John M. Croley, and Colonel Mark H. Croley, have continued their fantastic legacy. Mrs. Croley is the grandmother of six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mrs. Croley loves her church family and attends Oxford First Baptist.

When asked about her longevity, Ruby claims she owes it all to her hard work, faith, and the love of her family and friends.

Mayor Alton Craft hereby proclaimed Thursday, August 27th, 2020, as “Ruby Doris Holland Croley Day.” The City of Oxford wishes Mrs. Croley an incredibly happy 100th birthday, and we are thrilled to celebrate her life.

Photo to the left: John Croley, Ruby Croley, and Frankie Croley

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CITY OF OXFORD

FREEDOM PARK

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On June 27th of 2020, the City of Oxford rededicated Freedom Park with the man who helped make it all possible, Kevin Greene. Greene, a former NFL player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, and Auburn alumni, spent his personal time, hard work, and dollars to help the City of Oxford raise money for the Oxford fixture that we call Freedom Park.

The revitalization of this park was the Greene family’s idea, and they spent over a year planning and raising money. This year, the city wanted to thank them and all of our sponsors again, and we wanted to add some new features to Freedom Park’s splash pad, such as the new water bucket and the mushroom water features. The park now features brand new paint, new signage, and new benches. Mayor Craft thanks all of the staff members and the departments that worked so hard to update the park, as it was an in-house effort. We want this park to be loved by all our citizens, and we want it to be a reminder of the things that can happen when you love your city and the fantastic things you can achieve when you put time and hard work into bettering it.

Photo to the left: Don Hudson, Oxford PARD Director, and Kevin Greene

Photo on the front cover - from left to right: Michael Cobb, Karen Cobb (sister of Kevin Greene), Collin Searcy, Paige Phillips, Tara Greene (Kevin Greene’s wife), and Kevin Greene

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HELP BUILD FREEDOM PARK Helping the community of Oxford by giving the parents of Oxford a safe and fun place to bring their children to play.

SPONSOR AN 8X8 BRICK PAVER: • 8x8 brick paver can have six lines with 13 characters per line including punctuation and spaces.

• Family names and dedications are allowed.

• The Oxford Park Rebuild Committee reserves the right to refuse to engrave any message that it deems inappropriate. This includes phone numbers, political messages, and suggestive wording.

• Each brick paver is priced at $500 including engraving.

• Money donated goes to a non-profit organization and is tax deductible to the fullest extent as allowed by law.

For any questions or to fill out a form please call 256-831-2660 OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | 2020

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EXIT 185 DEVELOPMENTS

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The City of Oxford is excited to announce that many of the Exit 185 developments are in the final months of construction.

Big Time Entertainment, a 58,000-square-foot complex, will be a major attraction for residents and guests. Featuring go-karts, laser tag, bowling, and much more, Big Time Entertainment will provide hours of family-friendly fun for children and adults. Look for them to open in late 2020-early 2021.

Planet Fitness and the adjacent shopping area are also a few months away from opening.

Planet Fitness is a judgment-free, affordable workout area for families to enjoy. This two-story facility will have 32,000 square feet of cardio equipment, free weights and machines, a tanning and hydro massage therapy, a spa, and many more exclusive benefits for members. This will be one of the flagship Planet Fitness facilities. The new construction will also feature a Smoothie King, Buff City Soap, and a restaurant to be named later in the outdoor mall area next to the training facility. Winter 2020 is the expected completion date.

RaceTrac is opening a newly-constructed service station at the former RaceWay location right off Exit 185. The RaceWay, Valero, and Subway were demolished to make way for more extensive semi-truck areas to refuel and create more space for shoppers.

Construction is expected to be completed in early 2021.

Lastly, Quintard Mall is making progress on its renovations. The owner, Hull Property Group, is planning to demolish more than 200,000 square feet beginning in 2021.

Most of the original mall property will be torn down, and there will be a hybrid of outward-facing shops and closed mall space. HPG is also planning to start a new renovation phase and begin construction on all-new shopping and dining areas in 2021.

I-20 Exit 185 is a major thoroughfare for visitors and residents, and the City of Oxford is proud to work with many different organizations that are working to revitalize the area.

Leaders are excited that the new construction, once completed, will provide Oxford residents with over 70 new jobs. With new construction and more plans to soon be announced, more employment opportunities are just around the corner for Oxford and the surrounding area!

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RACETRAC

BIG TIME ENTERTAINMENT

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PLANET FITNESS

SMOOTHIE KING

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UPDATE OXFORD LIBRARY The Oxford Public Library is happy to be serving our community in lots of different ways! Whether reading with children, helping with computers, or facilitating safe social activities for our community, library staff works hard to provide the services our community needs in ways that keep our patrons safe and happy.

STORY TIME IS BACK! We missed seeing the small, giggling smiles in the library, and we were so excited to be able to safely welcome the children we love so much back to dance and sing with Ms. Beth and Mrs. Jeanna. Thursday is time for stories, singing, and dancing all day; we have expanded the times we offer the Story Time program each Thursday to five times, at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:30, and 3:30. This allows for better social distancing measures to be put into place.

We love our kiddos, and we want them to stay safe. We do ask that parents register ahead of time at oxfordpl. org/storytime. When a time slot becomes full, we will notify parents to allow them to move to another slot. Story Time is so important to foster a love of reading and storytelling in young children. Participants also learn about letters, numbers, shapes, and other fundamentals, but don’t tell them; they’re too distracted by having fun!

1KBB4K What’s the biggest indicator of school success in early childhood? Reading! The more books a child reads (or has read to him), the more his language and other essential skills are developed before starting school. OPL has a few programs to encourage parents to read aloud to children. How many books should a kindergartner have read? At least 1,000! That may seem like a lot, but it is easily achieved with time to spare by simply reading 20 minutes each day. Reading only one book per day, reaching 1,000 books would take just under three years. By designating 20 minutes of reading time per day, many days will see more than one children’s book, thus shortening the three years further. OPL wants to celebrate the milestones with you. For every 100 books read, Miss Beth puts the child's star on the wall in the children’s department, calling attention to the child’s proud accomplishment. OPL even provides an app to help keep track. We want to help you succeed! Just talk to Miss Beth when you come to the children’s department. She’ll get you started!

COMPUTER LAB Computers are available for patron use. Protocols have been put into place to protect patrons as they apply for jobs, learn something new, complete coursework, file paperwork, or use the internet for many other purposes.

Printing and faxing services are also available, as well as scanning documents to email, laminating documents or other papers, and notary services. All computer stations and touchpoints are sanitized after each use for our patrons and staff's safety.

SAFETY PROTOCOLS Library staff is well aware of the virus’s dangers, and we are taking extra precautions to make library services available as safely as possible. Research on library materials has indicated that while paper surfaces are very unlikely to transmit the virus, COVID can be detected on the plastic surfaces on the exterior of books when stacked together for six days. Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that the virus can be transmitted after that long. Rather, it is detectable in trace amounts at that length of time. Nevertheless, OPL wants to take no chances with the safety of

MONDAY - FRIDAY 9 TO 5 • SATURDAY 9 TO 1 • SUNDAY 1 TO 5 • (256) 831-1750 • 110 East 6th Street, Oxford 28

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our community. When books are returned, either in the library or through the outside drop box, the books are quarantined for a full week before returning to circulation shelves. Many other safety precautions have been put into place in order to ensure the safe use of library services by our beloved community.

HANDCRAFT CLUBS Quilting, knitting, and crocheting groups have enjoyed meeting at the library for several years now. Although they stopped meeting during the pandemic, they are safely and happily meeting again in the library’s basement.

This allows the participants to enjoy being together and creating lovely projects while spreading out far enough to ensure their safety.

ONLINE MATERIALS OPL’s robust online services have gotten another incredible boost of late. Check out www.oxfordpl.org/online-resources for a list of databases, online courses, homework assistance, test prep help, ebooks, medical information, access to Ancestry.com, and much more! There are new databases; however, that really should draw your attention.

Please see the list below: • Legal Forms – Understand common legal procedures and access thousands of customizable legal documents.

Using the templated forms available here, individuals can create accurate, reliable legal documents specific to Alabama without stress or uncertainty.

• Business Plan Builder – Use this step-by-step planning tool for starting, managing, and optimizing a business or nonprofit. The program's intuitive dashboard walks users through five areas of exploration to develop a business plan focused on long-term success.

• Gale E-Books – Check out this collection of ebooks for up-to-date information on a wide range of nonfiction topics. Learn more about a medical issue, current political issues, personal or professional growth, or many other topics. Don’t worry about hold times. There is no limit on people who can read each book at the same time.

OPL is always on your side; use your library’s services to your best advantage. Resources and programs abound at OPL; use them to accomplish your goals or enjoy your community. We are here to help you!

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OCS @ OPL

BY AMY E. HENDERSON

Planning the 2020/2021 school year required some challenging and creative decisionmaking on the part of school administrators. These decisions had to be made quickly and had to accommodate a huge number of needs from students, parents, teachers, and staff.

Oxford City Schools’ parents had three options to register their students for this school year.

1. All Traditional 2. All Virtual 3. Hybrid The hybrid option is a unique alternative for students. In the upper grades (seventh and up), hybrid students go to school using an assigned A/B schedule. The “A” schedule goes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. The “B” schedule goes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday. The times they are not at school, they have virtual assignments to complete at home. This drastically limits a student’s interaction with other students, which allows for better social distancing measures to be taken to protect the hybrid and the traditional students.

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In the lower grades (sixth and below), hybrid students split each weekday. The first group comes in person in the morning and does virtual work at home in the afternoon. The second group does virtual work at home in the morning and arrives in person in the afternoon. To better accommodate social distancing in kindergarten, first, and second grades, school administrators had the brilliant idea to pull those hybrid students away from the school campus altogether. This would, of course, reduce the risk of interaction with other students for the hybrid students, but it will also allow for more effective social distancing for the traditional students.

Building on the Vis1on partnership between the City of Oxford and Oxford City Schools in recent years, the school administration reached out to the Oxford Public Library to explore options. After much discussion and planning, a strategy was prepared to benefit students and teachers in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

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This is where the Oxford Public Library enters the discussion. OPL has a beautiful and spacious Community Room with movable walls, enabling the space to be segregated by grade. The location is perfect because of its central location in the city. The proximity to books and other resources offered by the Oxford Public Library is ideal for aiding in instruction. OPL can also provide study spaces throughout the building for the virtual teachers to conduct their lessons. It is important to know that all safety and security regulations in place on school campuses have been implemented at the library to protect our community’s precious children.

The Oxford Public Library is proud to work with the Oxford City Schools to be part of the solution in our community. Both organizations want our community’s children to excel; protecting their safety and health must be paramount before learning can successfully occur. Providing resources and encouraging lifelong learning is very important to the Oxford Public Library; serving our schools is certainly part of that goal. Oxford City Schools does an excellent job of ensuring the safety, wellbeing, and instruction of our community's students, and the Oxford Public Library welcomes the OCS students, teachers, and administrators as we work together to solve a problem distinctively and innovatively. Go big O!

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Oxford teacher Myeshia Anderson

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NEED A SMOKE DETECTOR?

Go by Oxford Fire Station #1 located at 70 East 6th Street, and receive one for free.

You can also call them at 256-831-3208 if you would like for a firefighter to come out and make sure your smoke detector is working properly and/or does not need new batteries.

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CITY OF OXFORD | FIRE DEPARTMENT

Message from the Oxford Fire Department October is Fire Prevention Month in Alabama, and the Oxford Fire Department asks you to “Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention.” Sadly, fire claims an average of nine lives per day, and Alabama has one of the highest fire death rates per million in the United States: 101 fire deaths in 2019. Nationwide, home fires occur every 85 seconds and account for 85% of all fire deaths. On average, someone dies every three hours and 12 minutes in a home fire and is injured every 43 minutes.

Did you know the leading factor contributing to home fires in the United States is unattended cooking, while smoking and improper heating equipment are the leading cause of deaths? The simple tips below can help you and your family remain safe and play your role in fire prevention.

It is vital to stay in the kitchen whenever you are to fry, grill, or broil food, and remember never to put water on a grease fire–instead, turn off the heat source and cover the flames with a metal lid or baking sheet. If the fire is small and manageable, pour baking soda or salt on it to smother the fire and use a Class B dry chemical fire extinguisher as a last resort. It is also essential to make sure your grill is at least 10 feet away from your home to prevent sparks igniting the siding, deck rails, or eaves. Make sure always to smoke outdoors, and put out cigarettes in a can filled with sand. Never smoke in a home where oxygen is used–even when turned off! Oxygen can be explosive and will make a fire burn hotter and faster. Do not smoke when sleepy or have taken medication that can cause drowsiness— falling asleep while smoking can lead to chairs or sofas catching and accelerating the fire. Winter is approaching along with the use of portable space heaters, please remember to keep all space heaters at least three feet

away from all combustible objects (i.e., furniture, mattresses, bedding, and curtains).

Oxford Fire Department suggests that families sit down and develop fire escape routes for your home with multiple options depending on the fire's location and remember to always stay low and close doors behind you if possible. Families and individuals should often practice escaping their homes, and make sure children know how to get out without a parent’s help.

It is also essential to know where to meet outside of the home. You must check your smoke detectors once a month by pressing the test button. The Oxford Fire Department will be conducting a community-wide smoke detector blitz during October. We will announce on Facebook the date we will have firefighters in different neighborhoods to install smoke detectors if needed. You should have smoke detectors on every level of your home, including the basement and sleeping space.

We want to take a moment to thank the City of Oxford residents for remaining vigilant during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been proud to see our residents practicing social distancing and wearing facial coverings in public. As of writing this update, Calhoun County has seen a decrease in new COVID-19 cases, and we are continuing to trend downwards. Keep up the great work!

In closing, we want to say good luck and GO BIG O to the Oxford Football Team in their 2020-2021 season. This football season is unprecedented, but everyone involved with the Oxford Football program has diligently worked to keep our student-athletes safe and make sure they have another successful year!

— By Oxford Fire Department staff

FIRE CHIEF • ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF • FIRE MARSHAL • 256-278-3290

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PHOTO: LUCAS GOCKEL/EDC 38

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SPOTLIGHT ON BOARD CHAIRMAN

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LARRY DEASON

Since 2009, Larry Deason has served as the chairman of the Calhoun County Economic Development Council (EDC). He also serves as the chairman of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce–an organization he has been involved with for over 40 years. As an Anniston native, he graduated from Anniston High School, Jacksonville State University, and Louisiana State University School of Banking. Since a young age, he has been involved in numerous civic organizations that give back to Calhoun County and Northeast Alabama. Deason has been with Farmers & Merchants Bank for more than 38 years, and “semi-retired” in 2017 into a part-time position as the bank’s president emeritus to spend more time with his wife and family, especially his grandson. Larry enjoys spending time on the lake with his family, golfing, and watching sports.

Economic development has many elements and has become a buzz word in recent years.

Deason firmly believes it is essential to let others know the EDC was created for industrial development. “We are not involved in commercial or retail development. That is left up to the local municipal governments,” Deason said. Serving on the EDC board has given him the mindset to think daily on how many jobs can be brought to this county. “The EDC is here to create jobs that allow our residents to have a better lifestyle in Calhoun County.”

Deason is most proud of the EDC staff and their commitment to recruiting, sustaining, and expanding industries. “We have an outstanding four-person team, with Don Hopper serving as our executive director. Along with Mary Katherine Ginn, Lucas Gockel, and Lorie Denton, they work together daily to carry out the EDC’s mission,” Deason said.

Deason understands the importance of developing a pipeline of skilled workers within our community. “Part of what we do is support our existing industries, making sure they have what they need to grow. We do that through our director of business development, Lorie Denton. She continues to meet with our industries daily, while organizing industry tours for our local educators, holding industrial job fairs, and talking with our schools,” Deason said.

Deason plans to continue serving on the EDC because he loves this area and community, and firmly believes in leaving something better than it was.

“

The EDC is here to create jobs that allow our residents to have a better lifestyle in Calhoun County.

”

BY LORIE DENTON, CALHOUN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (EDC)

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BY LORIE DENTON, CALHOUN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (EDC)

Skilled Industrial Job Fair The first in-person social distancing job fair was a huge success.

The Skilled Industrial Job Fair held on June 10 at the Oxford Civic Center brought 377 hourly and salary job seekers. A total of 11 manufacturing companies and three staffing agencies took hundreds of resumes over the four hours, with nearly half receiving job offers. It was a massive win for Calhoun County, and plans are already in the works to host another industrial job fair.

Assistant Oxford Fire Chief Ben Stewart played a considerable role in the event’s successful planning and execution. “It was such a pleasure to be part of this team that helped put the job fair together after the wave of job loss across our region. I was impressed by how fast it all came together after my initial meeting with Oxford’s Mayor Alton Craft, where he first mentioned this event. I want to thank Lorie Denton, the Director of Business Development at Calhoun County Economic Development Council, for kickstarting this event so quickly. I would also like to thank everyone for their hard work and willingness to work together to make this event successful,” Stewart said.

and the people who arrived and showed patience while we practiced Covid-19 guidelines.

“

The job fair was a huge success. Nearly four hundred people came through and it took a lot of people from many different organizations to make that happen.

Seeing everyone work together for the common good of others was a breath of fresh air. We look forward to hosting many other job fairs in the future.

— Mayor Craft

Missed the fair? Check out the careers tab on any of the participating industries’ websites: Anniston Army Depot, API, BAE, Bridgewater Interiors, Honda, Koch Foods Gadsden, Kronospan, New Flyer, Precision Materials, Southern Metal Processing, Tyler Union, Personnel Staffing, Elwood, and Tempforce.

Make sure to follow the Calhoun County Economic Development Council’s Facebook page to stay informed about future events!

EVENT ORGANIZERS: City of Oxford, Calhoun County EDC, Alabama Power, Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, City of Anniston, East Alabama

A special thank you is deserved to everyone who attended the job fair, from the industries who supported this event

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Works, Gadsden State Community College, and Jacksonville State University

”

CALHOUN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

WHAT DOES THE EDC DO? • Recruit Manufacturing Industry to our county • Develop Land for Industrial Use • Bring Manufacturing Jobs to our county • Support our Existing Manufacturing Industries to Sustain and Grow Jobs in our county • Partner with JSU and GSCC to Train and Provide a Skilled Workforce for Manufacturing Industries • Assist in Educating Local Public and Private School Systems about the Workforce Needs and Career Opportunities Within our Local Industrial Base • Manage the Northeast Alabama Entrepreneurial Business Incubator

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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

I

KRONOSPAN

In 2005, the official announcement that the world’s largest producer of wood-based panels and particleboards had chosen to locate in Oxford was made by Oxford’s late Mayor Leon Smith and former Governor Bob Riley. Kronospan was coming to town. Mayor Smith told the crowd that gathered, “We are excited that a company of this caliber is investing in Oxford. This represents the largest investment in our area in years. This will mean a great deal for our citizens.” As usual, he was right on track.

More than a year of confidential negotiations and planning between Kronospan, Governor Riley’s office, various state agencies, local elected officials, the City of Oxford, and the Calhoun County Economic Development Council resulted in landing this mega-project. Fred Denney, who at the time was chairman of the Calhoun County EDC, echoed Smith. “This has been a team effort from the beginning. The Mayor and Council in Oxford, the County Commission, my fellow EDC members, state agencies, our legislative delegation, Governor Riley, and his office, and, of course, our friends at Kronospan have all been working intensively to make this happen.”

In 2008, Kronospan started operations at its Oxford facility, where it now manufactures wood-based panel products such as medium and high-density fiberboard, resins, laminate flooring, and particleboard related value-added products. Kronospan is also well known for its environment-preserving initiatives. The company utilizes residue from sawmills to reduce timber destruction and supply certified wood-based panels that prove their products use timber from managed forests, ensuring a renewable and sustainable resource.

In 2016, Kronospan expanded with a $362 million investment, creating 160 new jobs. In 2018, they invested an additional $101 million, adding 150 other employees. Tim Pack, Chief Financial Officer for Kronospan,

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said that since the company began operations here in 2008, their total investment is close to $900 million. He explained that Kronospan is the most vertically integrated laminate flooring company in North America. From cutting the tree, debarking and chipping the wood, manufacturing the coreboard for the laminate, to impregnating raw paper with the resin, Kronospan prides itself on a start to finish product. Their laminate flooring can be found worldwide, yet also locally at home improvement chain stores Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Fast forward fifteen years to 2020. Oxford’s late mayor was right. Currently employing more than 400 people, the Austrian company’s Oxford plants also serve as the company’s North American headquarters. Today, Kronospan represents the most extensive private capital investment in the City of Oxford and Calhoun County and is one of the largest employers in our area.

John Connell is the human resources director for Kronospan and is proud to call Oxford home for his family and his company. “We at Kronospan are grateful for the strong partnerships we have with Oxford, the Calhoun County EDC, and our local school systems and are proud that we can offer stable, well-paying jobs to the folks in our community,” says Connell. The company is currently growing, meaning Connell and his team is actively searching for more people to join the Kronospan family. Connell is always happy for any platform he can use to reach future employees. “Kronospan operates the most technologically advanced plants in our industry. We are constantly searching for candidates who possess the intellect, ambition and work ethic to help us successfully operate them. We have several ways to apply for positions with our company–interested candidates can visit our careers page at www.kronospan-worldwide.com, submit a resume to hr@ kronospanusa.com, or apply through the Alabama Career Center,” encourages Connell.

BY LORIE DENTON, CALHOUN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (EDC)

1 Kronospan Way Eastaboga, AL 36260 400+ Employees and Growing

2005 Kronospan makes location announcement 2008 Kronospan begins production at its Oxford, AL facility 2016 $362 million expansion creating 160 jobs 2018 $101 million expansion creating 150 jobs 2020 Still growing today with over 400 employees

“

KRONOSPAN IS PROUD TO BE A PART OF CALHOUN COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

”

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OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

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2019-2020 SEASON

OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

2019-2020 SEASON

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100 Choccolocco Street Oxford, Alabama Buy online at OXFORDPAC.org with no convenience fees!

Charge by phone by calling 256-241-3322 Purchase at the OPAC Box Office in advance: Tuesday – Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Purchase at the door beginning 90 minutes prior to most ticketed events.

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OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

2019-2020 SEASON

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UPDATE OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Welcome to Fall at the Oxford Performing Arts Center!

Friends of OPAC, we have missed you; we are so ready to bring you a full slate of fall activities while we wait to reopen the theatre for regular programming. The staff at OPAC and myself continue our mission to bring arts and culture to our community in various forms!

This summer, we welcomed our Gold Circle members to the theatre for designated movie nights to show our thanks for their continued support. In several parks around the city, we utilized a massive forty-eight (48) foot projection screen–purchased with the generous support of Mayor Craft and the city council–to offer family-friendly movies while allowing for social distancing. Events like these will remain an essential part of our offerings for the fall.

Our biggest Halloween yet is just around the corner! OPAC and several city departments are banding together to present HALLOWEEK: a family-friendly Fall Festival. Have you always wanted to show off your “witchy” side and love to bike, walk, or dance through town? Hunter Gentry and the Main Street crew present a Witches’ Ride on Saturday, October 24! Monday, October 26, will feature a night out for grown-ups and classic horror, while Tuesday, October 27, will bring a night of kid-friendly movies, crafts, and events. On Wednesday, October 28, the Oxford Public Library and Main Street Oxford will host scavenger hunts and events surrounding the infamous book, Thirteen Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey. Thursday, October 29, will include two special events for two special groups! In the morning, Oxford Public Library will have a not-so-scary Halloween-themed Story Time for its smallest patrons. A night full of fun awaits your furry friends as Four-Legged Friends Fright Night welcomes costumed pups and Tricks-and-Treats, plus events for dogs and dog parents. A projection light show and ghost tours take center stage on Friday, October 30, after your group is finished cheering on the Oxford Yellow Jackets in their last home game. We go big on Saturday, October 31, with a whole day of events, an outdoor concert, and a Zombie 5k Fun/Run. HALLOWEEK is shaping up to be the ghostliest party Oxford has ever seen, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Visit oxfordhalloweek.com to learn more.

We at OPAC know how much our community values and loves the arts! Did you know that across the United States, the Arts & Culture sector adds $877 billion in value to the economy, employs 5.1 million people, and is 4.5% of the GDP? The Oxford Performing Arts Center is right at the heart of this nationwide movement to enhance communities’ cultural and economic spirit. We are beyond grateful for our outstanding members, patrons, city, and friends for allowing us the time, space, and support to create and present the arts!

We believe that we’ll be back in 2021 bigger and brighter than ever!

OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER • 100 CHOCCOLOCCO STREET, OXFORD, AL 36203 256-241-3322 • OXFORDPAC.ORG

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ROUND AND ROUND WE GO! In September, the Oxford Performing Arts Center crew completed a project like none other. During the week of September 6, 2020, our team disassembled a 16,000-pound carousel located in Gadsden in preparation for its move to Oxford.

Thanks to the tremendous support of the Oxford City Council and Mayor Alton Craft, the City of Oxford partnered with the Alabama Children’s Museum Fund and the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama to acquire this thirty-two foot wide Venetian Carousel!

One day, this magnificent carousel will be a major feature within the new Alabama Children’s Museum to be located here in Oxford.

Carousel Facts & Figures • The carousel was built in Italy by a company called Bertazzon. This company builds hand-crafted carousels in a factory located just north of Venice.

• The carousel is 32' in diameter and 18' high.

It weighs 16,000 pounds when empty!

• It features 22 hand-decorated horses, a rocking chariot, and two spinning teacups.

• It has a total capacity of 44 riders at a time.

• The central steel mast, which holds up the entire carousel, weighs over 2,000 pounds alone and is 10 inches in diameter.

The carousel, featuring hand-detailed scenes from Venice, will be fully restored before its grand reveal to the Oxford community. We are working on plans to replace the lighting system with a brighter and more efficient LED system. Also, the carousel’s audio system will be replaced, allowing for a more dynamic experience for riders. In addition, all of the moving parts will be carefully cleaned and inspected by the City before it goes into use.

Plans for the Alabama Children’s Museum are progressing! We anticipate announcing the final site for the museum by the end of 2020. Stay tuned for more details.

— John Longshore, Oxford Performing Arts Center

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HalloWEEK

Saturday October 24 — Saturday October 31

Saturday I October 24

Witches Walk & Ride at 5pm on Main Street Registration is $25. All money will be donated to the Alabama Children’s Museum fund.

Monday I October 26

A Classic Horror Movie Night for Grown-ups Beetlejuice at 6pm and Young Frankenstein at 8pm in the OPAC main theatre • Trivia and other activities in the Studio between movies • All adults encouraged to dress up Tuesday I October 27

Little Ghouls’ Night Out Double Feature Cartoon at 4pm (best for ages 6+) • It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown - and - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

• Hocus Pocus at 6:30pm (best for ages 10+)

A Family Friendly Movie Night

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Movies in the main theatre.

Activities between movies in the Studio to include spooky snacks, mask painting, and not so spooky creatures.

All Ghoul’s and parents encouraged to dress up!

Wednesday I October 28

• 13 Alabama Ghost and Jeffery at the Oxford Public Library - more details announced soon • Ghost Scavenger Hunt through downtown Oxford - more details announced soon Thursday I October 29

• Not-So-Scary Halloween Story Time the Oxford Public Library at 10:00am • Join us downtown for an evening filled with Costume Chop-a-titions, Fang-tastic Trick

and Treat Contests, and many other activities for you and your favorite four-legged friends that will wrap up with a showing of Frankenweenie in Simmons Park.

• All adults, kids, and pets encouraged to dress up.

Friday I October 30

• Ghost of OPAC Tours: A behind-the-scenes walking tour experience (throughout the building at 8:30pm and 9:30pm — tickets will go on sale soon!

• Fright-light Spooktacular: A family-friendly outdoor animated light show experience on the front of OPAC at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm

Saturday I October 31:

• Zombie Fun Run (Walk) A Frightening Five-K- 8am at Choccolocco Park

Sign-up and more information online soon. Sponsorship opportunities available, all money will be donated to the Alabama Children’s Museum fund.

• Trick-or-Treat on Main - 6:00pm-8:00pm Some activities include: • Fright-light

Spooktacular (Same times as above) • Ghost of OPAC Tours (Same times as above) • Monster Mash Dance Party • Patch Party Pumpkin Painting • Petrifying Pumpkin Carving Contest • Creepy Cupcake Walk • Mad Mask-erade Best Mask Contest • Egg-cellent Halloweek Egg Hunt • Black Cat Bowling • Pumpkin Balloon Pop • Witches Hat Toss • Hay Ride

• Face

Painting Photo Spot • Trick-or-Treating with our downtown businesses • Halloweek Cat Walk Costume Contest • Hay Maze • And special appearances by: Lady Stella, Duke Skellington, Belladonna Riddle, Dr. Cornelius Moriary with a live performance by Levon and Still Broke • Phantom

Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume

oxfordhalloweek.com

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Fall Float

CHOCCOLOCCO KAYAK

OCTOBER 16TH - 18TH MORE DETAILS TO COME 1506 Boiling Springs Road For more information, please call(256) 847-5191

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SPOTLIGHT

VANN HOLLINGSWORTH

V

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

Vann Hollingsworth loves his job with the City of Oxford and is thankful that he gets to work alongside such an awesome group of people. He loves going into work every day, providing help to the citizens of Oxford. When he’s not at work, he loves spending time with his family and loves being outdoors.

What is your job title?

Department of Public Works Superintendent.

How long have you worked for the city?

I have worked for the city for six years.

What are your responsibilities?

I supervise all employees within my department. I am responsible for planning and organizing daily tasks, including road maintenance, right of way maintenance, brush and rubbish removal, cemetery maintenance, placement of street signage, striping, and guardrails. I also oversee the city landfill and incinerator operations, formulate long and short-term projects, and schedule “on-call” personnel to respond to city emergencies.

What does a typical day of work look like?

On a typical day, I respond to work orders and problem reports that are requested by the citizens of Oxford through our 311 Helpline.

I get 47 employees out and assigned to their job duties each day, and meet and talk to people about road conditions and problems along the city right of way throughout the city.

What is your most memorable moment on the job?

As we were demolishing the old motel–where Planet Fitness soon will be built–the floor fell in, and I ended up tearing my ACL. Even though it’s not a great memory, it is definitely one that I will never forget.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

I enjoy doing anything outdoors. I love to hunt, fish and spend time with my family out on the lake.

Tell us about your family.

My wife’s name is Donnette, and we have been married for 34 wonderful years this October. I have three children and four beautiful grandchildren, which take up a lot of my time, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

If you could tell one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’m very approachable and easy to get along with.

What is your favorite aspect of your job?

I really enjoy working with people and providing services that help keep Oxford beautiful and help meet the needs and concerns of the citizens of Oxford.

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UPDATE OXFORD PUBLIC WORKS Dear Citizen, I hope this letter finds you well. It’s an honor to come to you again with a quarterly update on Public Works projects in our great city.

As you know, fall is upon us with winter quickly approaching. Our curbside leaf vacuum pickup will begin in early November and will progress through the city. This service only collects loose, non-bagged leaves. We will provide this service through April 2, 2021. Bagged leaves will be picked up year-round by our weekly curbside service. Due to demand, please keep in mind that our leaf vacuum trucks do not move at the same pace as our weekly curbside service. Our service begins at the western end of our city and progresses eastward. The route is repeated multiple times throughout the season but does require some time to complete a full circuit. Due to our vacuums’ operational nature, loose leaves must be placed in their own pile and not mixed with limbs, brush, or other curbside pickup items. Leaves will not be vacuumed if there are other objects mixed with them.

Please continue to separate your curbside debris piles containing the following items: • Tree and shrubbery trimmings cut to a maximum of six feet in length • Loose Leaves (November –April) • Bagged Leaves and Grass Clippings • Eligible Household Items for pickup (a list of prohibited and eligible items may be obtained by calling 256-835-6124) Please help us spread the word and help yourself stay informed by liking and following us on Facebook. Search City of Oxford Department of Public Works or @oxfordpublicworks.

Thanks, and I hope you have a great holiday season. God Bless.

Sincerely, Rusty V. Gann, P.E. Public Works Director/City Engineer Oxford, AL 36203 (256) 835-6124

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

HOUSE COUNSELING Name of Business: HOUSE Counseling Owner: Anjuli R. Thompson Office Manager: Haley Helms Address: 506 Main Street, Oxford, AL 36203 Phone Number: 256-342-6107 Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Services Offered: Private Individual and Family Therapeutic Services, Mitigation, Criminal, and Family Court work, Training to First Responders, and Play Therapy.

How long have you had your business in downtown?

Since December 2016.

Why did you choose to have your business downtown?

I initially chose this location because I knew Adam and Alyssa at Enzor & Maniscalco. By them, I was granted the opportunity to start my small business as a tenant in the back of their law firm. I am forever grateful for these people and them allowing me to “squat” (as Adam says) for as long as they did. Over the years, I have become addicted to Southern Girl Coffee, Pastime Peanuts, First Class Ice Cream, Hubbard’s Off Main, and The Vine Chiropractic.

It just fits my life.

What are your plans for the future of HOUSE Counseling?

I plan to create my “forever HOUSE.” I have always wanted to be in private practice. I never thought I would have such a successful practice this young, but here we are. I plan to be a strong “anchor tenant” in the downtown area. At HOUSE Counseling, we bring families and individuals into Oxford and always encourage them to invest in downtown small businesses–and they always do. In February 2019, we purchased the vacant lot at 0 Snow Street at the corner of Main and Snow Streets.

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When will you start the construction of your new office?

Currently, construction will not begin until after build costs drop. According to our banker, prices are up 300 percent (I could be exaggerating this). We are currently sitting ready to build with the lot and with our full construction plans.

When is the expected completion of the project?

I hope that the project would be started in the Spring of 2021 and will be completed six to nine months later.

What is the inspiration for the design of the building?

The inspiration for the design was the old downtown feel. I want it to look clean, simple, and timeless with an old-world twist. I was hoping I could paint it a New Orleans style color (purple).

How many professionals will be employed in your office?

I will have six other clinicians and myself, along with Haley Helms (Chief Administrative Assistant). We will also periodically have interns that work with us. We have had students from Jacksonville State University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Montevallo. We want to create a learning environment to help grow the profession.

What do you enjoy most about your business?

I enjoy the assessment of clients. I enjoy providing recommendations. I enjoy coordinating care with other medical professionals. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy building relationships with each one of my clients. I genuinely love when people trust me in my practice enough to assist them in managing different aspects of their lives. Counseling is a lot deeper than many people choose to know, and a huge part of my mission is to reduce the stigma surrounding getting help.

LEFT TO RIGHT: DR. PRISCILLA WILSON, HALEY HELMS, AND ANJULI THOMPSON. (NOT PICTURED, TIFFANY GAINES)

What is the most interesting part of your career?

One moment, I may be assessing a three-year-old.

The next, I may be in jail, assessing a murderer. You NEVER know what your day will look like up here.

I get bored easily and enjoy being in the moment with each person I serve.

What piece of advice would you pass along ?

Don’t quit when you hear “no.” Use that word to motivate you. Don’t stop when someone tells you

that “you will never make it.” Instead, use those words to motivate you. You really can create whatever you want. You just have to try, fail, and then try again until you get what you want.

Over the years, I would say that persistence has been my best quality. When someone tells me “no,” one better believe I’m going to ask until someone tells me, “YES!” If I can’t find a yes, I will figure it out on my own. I don’t quit.

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REVITALIZATION OF

DOWNTOWN OXFORD Oxford, Alabama, settled in the 1830s and later incorporated in 1852, was one of the first incorporated cities in Calhoun County. This small settlement and town would later become the rapidly growing city we know and love today. The City of Oxford hit its stride in the 1870s when it boomed as a cotton trading area. The cotton industry would bring traders from all over the county and state to downtown Oxford, giving Oxford the push to start its growth. The cotton boom made it possible for us to have some of the buildings that you see on Main Street today, most of which built in the 1870s to the early 1920s. As a city, we are so proud of the history that resides in downtown Oxford

Downtown Oxford is home to three historical churches–Dodson Memorial Presbyterian (built in 1857), First United Methodist (built in 1872), and First Baptist (built in 1910), as well as four homes on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. This is excellent news for the downtown area because any property owners in the historic district owning property older than sixty years and retaining historical character can participate in the Alabama historic tax credit program, which is a 25 percent refundable credit on eligible expenses. The City of Oxford has taken on the mission to revitalize our downtown area, and there are many people to thank for their efforts and contributions.

As early as the 1980s, there was an effort to renovate the storefronts, and then in 2014, Charlotte Hubbard pushed to have the downtown area designated as a Main Street community. Main Street Alabama's goal is to turn around Main Streets and downtown areas across Alabama completely. Another person to thank is Aaron Sexton.

Aaron tirelessly worked to ensure that our downtown area had certified ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) accessible sidewalks. He also contributed by getting ADECA (Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs) funding. The Streetscape renovation began in November of 2017 after much planning and preparation. We want to thank Goodwin, Mills, and Cawood for their excellent plans and design of this project, and we also want to recognize Hale Building and Construction for all of their contracting work that went into this job. One of the driving forces for this project was the Oxford Performing Arts Center, which brings patrons from across thirty states. They recognized the need to better our downtown for our citizens to enjoy and our visitors.

The streetscape project was a 3-million-dollar renovation that added underground utilities to the area, the relocation of power and water meters to the backs of the buildings, street lamp poles, accessible sidewalks, and beautiful landscaping and irrigation.

Main Street Director Hunter Gentry is very passionate about Oxford’s history and its preservation. This project was near and dear to his heart. He stated, “Historic Downtown Oxford is located in the core of the City of Oxford. I am beyond thankful for the investment from the City of Oxford for this project. The mission of Historic Main Street Oxford is to bring prosperity and vitality back to our downtown, to celebrate the past while keeping an eye on our future. I truly believe that this streetscape renovation is the key piece to make our mission possible.”

As Hunter stated, Downtown Oxford is the core, heart and soul, and Oxford lifeblood. As a city, we look forward to continued growth, even more prosperity, and more history to come. The future of Downtown Oxford is bright, and the possibilities are endless.

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In August 2020, the City of Oxford and Historic Main Street Oxford celebrated the completion of a three-year-long streetscape renovation in Historic Downtown Oxford. Attendees of the event included the Honorable Congressman Mike Rogers, City of Oxford Mayor Alton Craft, City of Oxford Council Members, representatives from Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood and Hale Building and Construction, Main Street Oxford Board of Directors, and business and property owners.

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UPDATE HISTORIC MAIN STREET OXFORD In August 2020, the City of Oxford and Historic Main Street Oxford celebrated the completion of a three-year-long streetscape renovation in Historic Downtown Oxford. Attendees of the event included the Honorable Congressman Mike Rogers, City of Oxford Mayor Alton Craft, City of Oxford Council Members, representatives from Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood and Hale Building and Construction, Main Street Oxford Board of Directors, and business and property owners.

Annually in August, Main Street Alabama hosts the aLABama Downtown Laboratory to bring together the Four Point Approach of Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Vitality.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference was postponed. However, designated Main Street Communities were still able to submit projects completed within the last year for the annual Awards of Excellence. In September 2020, Main Street Alabama announced that the City of Oxford, nominated by the Historic Main Street Oxford Board of Directors, received the Award of Excellence in Planning & Public Space. Planning & Public Space recognizes outstanding planning projects and quality completed design improvement projects such as streetscape or public spaces. Gwen Parrish, vice chair for Historic Main Street Oxford, was the recipient for Oxford’s Main Street Hero Award. The award recognizes one community leader or public figure who has made an outstanding contribution to your local Main Street organization.

Best Regards, Hunter C. Gentry Director Historic Main Street Oxford & Oxford Business League Oxford, AL 36203 256-241-6667 256-403-8052

THINK LOCAL. SHOP LOCAL. BUY LOCAL. HUNTER GENTRY • HISTORIC MAIN STREET OXFORD • P.O. BOX 3383, OXFORD, AL 36203 • 256-241-6667 OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | 2020

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Upcoming Events: OxfordFest Saturday, October 3, 2020- 8 PM - 4 PM Witches Ride & Walk Saturday, October 24, 2020- 5 PM Ghost Scavenger Hunt Wednesday, October 28, 2020- 9 AM - 7 PM Trick-or-Treat on Main Saturday, October 31, 2020- 6 PM - 8 PM Shop Small Saturdays Saturday, November 7, 2020 Saturday, November 14, 2020 Saturday, November 21, 2020 Saturday, November 28, 2020 Black Friday Friday, November 27, 2020 Downtown Christmas Open House Saturday, December 4, 2020 Christmas Parade Thursday, December 10, 2020- 6 PM For more information and details of events, please follow Historic Main Street Oxford on Facebook and MainStreetOxford.org

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COMMUNITY CENTERS & PARKS

CALENDAR BYNUM COMMUNITY CENTER 200 Victory Dr, Eastaboga, AL 36260 (256) 241-2716 CRAY_FIT Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 5:30pm – 6:30pm Led by Rachael Cramer. $3 per class or $25 for a 10 class punch card.

Hello!

My name is Rachael Cramer and I teach a dance fitness class at Bynum Community Center called Cray-Fit. We are a group of positive, uplifting and welcoming women who spend an hour three days a week dancing, laughing and making lifelong friends.

CHOCCOLOCCO PARK 954 Leon Smith Parkway, Oxford, AL 36203 (256) 342-0174

My class is a judgment-free zone where women know they can come and let loose and have a great time while getting fit!

USFA GULF COAST WORLD SERIES Softball, October 23-25

All women-no matter size, shape, age and fitness levels are encouraged to join.

OXFORD CIVIC CENTER AND OXFORD LAKE 401 McCullars Lane, Oxford, AL 36203 (256) 831-2660

We want to invite more amazing women to join our family!

FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY CENTER 2930 Friendship Rd, Oxford, AL 36203 (256) 831-2679 YOSHUKAI KARATE Monday and Wednesday 6:30pm - 8:00pm Instructor Mike Mangham. Ages 7 to adult. $45 per month.

SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER 424 Main Street, Oxford, AL 36203 (256) 831-5900

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O F

O X F O R D

OXFORD PARKS & RECREATION

k n u Tr or T OXFORD LAKE PARK

reat

SATURDAY OCTOBER 31

FOR AGES 0-12

For more information call 256-831-2660 FREE ADMISSION 4:30-6:30 ( OR UNTIL CANDY IS GONE )

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All im

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mages and text are protected. Copyright by Larry K. Martin

“APPROACHING REIGN” LIFE OF A MALE LION ON THE AFRICAN PLAINS

BY LARRY K. MARTIN

The rains haven’t yet arrived in this part of Tanzania’s upper Serengeti, but darkening skies and an occasional roll of thunder signal dramatic changes in the making. Down in the Serengeti’s Central Plains, the annual calving season ends for the vast wildebeest herds. The long clockwise trek begins for more than two million herbivores–the homely and ungainly wildebeest, the plains zebra, and the graceful, diminutive Thomson’s gazelles. This seemingly infinite panorama of darkgrey bodies interspersed with patches of striped equine figures and the elegant buff-colored patterns of the “tommies” makes for a vast, flowing carpet of energy. The herds flow northward en masse, into a mobile staging area for one of the world’s greatest spectacles–“The Great Migration,”–a panorama of some two million wildebeest and half a million Thomson’s gazelles and tens of thousands of plains zebra grazing their way northward to Kenya’s Maasai Mara. Bone-dry savannah grasses rapidly are being replaced with fresh, tender, green shoots that mean life itself to the vast herds. Countless thousands of years of this–nature’s dynamic network of animal and plant life–have assimilated into predictable clockwork.

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As the herds extend their movement from the parched, nutrition-deprived sage into verdant areas of fresh grasses, the nearly-starved predators also seem to sense an upcoming season of plenty.

The seasonal rains signal a monumental change for lions, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, African hunting dogs, and the other carnivores–the smaller predators and a queue of scavengers, as hunting becomes easier, and food is plentiful, if for only a while.

Predators seem to acquire a posture of anticipation as the distant signs of approaching herds (the mixed scents and the rumble of two million guttural sounds) are detected. Wildebeest are noisy, and their collective moans and grunts can be heard for many miles. We don’t know how the memories of past migrations are registered in an adult lion’s brain. Still, the memories are there, as evidenced by a lion’s change in behavior–alertness and focus on the distant spirals of dust from millions of hooves, watching for a vanguard posed by the leading animals. After a long, lean, dry season, how pleasant it must seem, to an apex predator such as the lion, as skies darken over the plains, and the first sustained drops of rain begin to splatter all around. (The sound of heavy rain on the canvas of a safari tent, at night in the Maasai Mara, was one of the most pleasant safari sounds to me–rivaling the childhood memory of the beat a hard rain on the tin roof of my grandparents’ house.) But, it’s not this cozy sensation that a lion feels. He soon becomes soaked and chilled and hears the thunder from the sky and the hooves.

But minor discomforts are nothing to the big cats.

The wet season is welcome, no doubt associated with memories of past events more significant than mere aesthetics–a full belly of delicious muscle and viscera, for days on end.

“Approaching Reign”…

Years of Preparation for Conquest This year will be different–very different from his previous five or six “growing-up” years. This

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born-to-be-monarch no longer sports a scrubby “Mohawk” topknot–the vestigial mane that has marked his identity like a high-school sophomore with acne and a peach-fuzz beard. This year’s magnificent black-fringed mane and 500 pounds of testosterone-pumped muscle signal a dramatic transformation.

Since birth, he has weathered day-by-day struggles for the privilege of life itself. Even when only days old, before his eyes were able to see, he was in constant mortal danger from marauding hyenas, or massive Cape buffalo–red-eyed with seething anger reserved exclusively for their arch enemy, the lion.

“Who’s Your Daddy?”

Most surprising of the threats to a young lion comes from its own kind–from a rival pride and especially from nomadic adult males. When a lion pride is taken over by a new male (or pair of males), all cubs are virtually doomed. If the pride’s dominant male is killed or is seriously wounded and forced to leave the territory, the pride belongs to the conqueror. Then all the young cubs and adolescent male lions are immediately targeted and eliminated.

Male lions are programmed to show no mercy. The goal is a complete conquest, with all the lionesses being the bounty. Although the conquering male probably doesn’t understand the reason for his behavior, there is a motive in the madness. Any young male lion (even the youngest cub) would represent an eventual threat to the new pride male.

If allowed to live, it would, in turn, challenge this aging takeover leader as he, himself, began the downward spiral into old age. In the long run, the new male’s instinct to defend the pride does not kick in until all the young carry his DNA. Not burdened with human sentimentality, the lioness follows the conqueror; she almost immediately comes into heat and is ready for mating with the new king.

All images and text are protected. Copyright by Larry K. Martin

Life of a Young Nomad The fight is over. The patriarch, two years past his prime, was mortally wounded. The broken pride has a momentary killing field for the cubs. Within a few days, the pride was beginning to adjust–lionesses accepting the new male and his magnanimous offer–their survival.

Any young lion of the pride who survives the takeover is extremely lucky, but it becomes an outcast without the pride’s support. He enters a long period of vulnerability, solitude, and self-reliance. Our lion had been an exceptionally fortunate cub–with a mother who was able to escape during the two days of intermittent battle between his father and the invader. The single lioness with cub has faced an extremely dire prospect…but, not an impossible one.

As the months and a few years pass, the young lion becomes proficient in the solitary hunt and the wise selection of prey. The lioness might well join her old pride or mate with adult nomads. The mother and son go their separate ways.

After having survived the extremely difficult years of transition into adulthood, our lion has finally arrived. The roles have all shifted. He will now play the aggressive intruder, as he searches for a pride of his own. His conquest for a takeover will happen–but only after one or more bloody battles–as each becomes the fight of his life.

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The Reign A male lion in his zenith years is, in human eyes, the quintessentially noble, symbolic animal in the animal kingdom. He moves with a casual stride, ignoring the insignificant creatures around him.

He seldom turns his head to look back over his shoulder for any threats, as most animals in the African wild will do. He is the reason other animals look back.

The magnificent Siberian tiger might be a bit bigger, but African lions display a dramatic, as a zoologist would say, “sexual dimorphism” (visual differences between male and female adult animals). There is no mistaking our young, now adult, lion, for a female or immature male lion.

His disproportionately huge, maned head serves as a dramatic signal to any would-be combatant (especially other male lions) that he is formidable.

He is almost double the size of most lionesses.

The nemesis of a lion, the hyena, knows from thousands of generations of conflict, competition, and mutual hatred that the fully-maned male lion is the ultimate hyena killer. Hyenas will, if numbers favor them, wage combat against a pride of lionesses, but not if the massive mane of one male materializes out of the dust.

In the Maasai Mara of Kenya, the lion that served as a reference most of this painting's features was a black-maned mammoth cat in his prime. He walked casually from the bushes into the open, near the Mara River, annual crossing site for the millions of wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelles, and zebra that make the Serengeti trek each year. No prey animals were evident near the lion, and he appeared not to be concerned with anything that moved, including our Land Rover. If there was a look, it was one of disdain, or absolute lack of interest in the awe-struck, irrelevant Homo sapiens, and their whispered admiration.

Age, fitness, and aggression determine the course of a monarch’s rule. A lion pride led by an older male is destined to be taken over by sheer force from rival males who are younger and more resilient.

Studies have indicated that the colors of a mane play a role in the selection of mates among lions in the wild. Although it is ordinarily a matter of force rather than a choice that determines mating behavior, there still is an element of selection. Lionesses prefer males with a mixture of gold, deep brown, and black-fringed manes, at least when the female can make a choice.

GALLERY: WREN’S NEST AT OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 100 E. CHOCCOLOCCO STREET, OXFORD, AL 36203 256-238-0710 • 800-833-9736 • WWW.WRENSNESTOPAC.COM

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“Approaching Reign” by Larry K. Martin

All images and text are protected. Copyright by Larry K. Martin

The painting: “Approaching Reign” Of all the large cats in Africa, the fully-maned male lion makes a unique visual statement of size and strength. He is feared by prey animals and potential foes, with a well-deserved measure of respect.

Surprisingly, his location and movement often can be pinpointed by herds of antelope and zebra’s behavior. They’re not running away in panic, but are spread into a broad, mobile front, all facing the lion, and moving slowly as he moves, keeping him in sight and maintaining a constant, safe distance from the threatening figure. Long histories of experience have taught each herbivore what a safe

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distance is, and both they and the lion know that distance. In this painting, the giraffes, occasionally the target of a lion pride, are casually browsing from their comfortable distance, reassured by their huge eyes and high vantage point. They see that this lion is a loner and that no other pride members are hidden in the grass, posed for an ambush.

On the African plain, panic is not an effective escape strategy when a pride of lions is in pursuit.

There are two stories here: A male lion who has beaten the odds and grown into magnificent adulthood, ready to conquer a pride and continue his bloodline.

And, the dependence of African savanna animals–herbivores and predators alike–on the cyclic rainy seasons that change the plains from parched, dusty starvation zones, into a buffet of lush, green, new grasses.

This annual trek is so important that millions of animals herd-up and slowly follow the rains en masse, facing the constant shadow of predation. It’s the numbers that save them as a species–overwhelming the supply line of meat for hungry lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and crocodiles. Hundreds, even thousands, might be killed, but millions continue the cycle.

Cats, by and large, are solitary hunters (although cheetahs might team up with one or two siblings), but lions are the feline masters of cooperative hunting. (They are perhaps second only to the masters of synchronized

pursuit–the African hunting dogs, who think as a single unit–the pack. Each dog is programmed to move in a specific direction and speed for the pack to intercept the game animal collectively.) For lions, the ladies tend to be the heavy lifters. The pride divides as if by assignment as the hunt materializes.

The males might be absent, or simply non-participants unless the game is enormous and dangerous (e.g., the African buffalo). Some females become the chasers, while others hide in ambush. The male waits until the kill is made, and then he moves to the front of the line when the feasting begins. It's not quite as misogynistic as it might appear. His primary value to the pride becomes evident when encountering a large clan of hyenas, a buffalo herd, or another pride of lions. Ironically, his most valuable contribution is in protecting the pride from other male lions, singly or in pairs (or more), who are eager to eliminate him, and then kill his cubs and marry their mothers.

As for my painting: I tend to make everything more difficult than it has to be. Small paintings often are more challenging to create than larger ones, but I painted a small acrylic original and then painted it again, larger. Although this seemed to take an inordinate amount of time, it is always pleasant to watch the countless diluted layers of paint assimilate into an image that, to me, captured just a fleeting glimpse of one of Africa’s most captivating animals.

ALL IMAGES AND TEXT ARE PROTECTED. COPYRIGHT LARRY K. MARTIN STUDIO: 256-235-2120 • WWW.LARRYKMARTIN.COM

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UPDATE CIDER RIDGE Greetings from everyone at Cider Ridge!

We hope everyone is enjoying the start of their holiday season! It’s been a bit of a wild year for golf, much like everyone else. Changes to the PGA TOUR season have made for a great winter.

A late US Open and a November Master’s Tournament have sports fans finally getting their fix of watching the best players in the world compete again.

This year has brought many unexpected challenges, and we want to say how much we appreciate every one of our customers throughout this time. There have been tons of changes to how businesses conduct themselves, and we do not take lightly how this has affected our guests. We thank you all for figuring out this with us as we navigate the safest and most efficient way to get you all on the course.

With that said, we are excited to see what 2021 will bring for everyone. It’s an excellent opportunity for everyone to get back out there and try some new things. If you are new to golf, we suggest looking into our schedule for our Get Golf Ready program. It is a five-lesson introductory program to the game. The clinic setting is great for beginner golfers and is designed to be a lot of fun for all those who participate.

Don’t forget to check out the Cider Ridge Golf Club for any of your needs for the golfer in your life during the Christmas season, and be on the lookout for our holiday sales. Keep up to date with the course news on our Facebook page, our Instagram, Twitter, or online at ciderridgegolf.com and sign up for our email list.

Lee Shurden, PGA Director of Golf/Club Manager Cider Ridge Golf Club

CIDER RIDGE GOLF CLUB • 200 APPLE BLOSSOM WAY, OXFORD, AL 36203 LEE SHURDEN, PGA, DIRECTOR OF GOLF/CLUB MANAGER • LEE.SHURDEN@HONOURSGOLF.COM OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | 2020

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A BRIEF HISTORY

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BLUE SPRINGS SOUTHERN COTTON MILL

In recent months, there has been new development taking place at the former Blue Springs Southern Cotton Mill site. The mill was constructed in 1885, designed after a European castle in the Gothic architectural style. The community worked together to raise $50,000 for the construction of the mill. The hand-hewn timbers and oversized bricks were constructed on-site. Blue Springs Southern Cotton consisted of a street lined with mill village homes, a schoolhouse, a water tower, and a warehouse. Today, the only remaining structures are the main tower, water tower, and smokestack.

A nearby spring provided a water source for steam-powered production. The spring is connected to Oxford Lake and Blue Pond; they are all fed from the same source of underground water, much like a running river hundreds of feet below the earth’s surface.

For many decades, the mill was the primary textile industry for Oxford, producing rope, twine, maps, cotton sheeting, and specialty products until closing in the early 1980s due to a national decline of textile production. Oxford boomed as a cotton trading destination during Reconstruction following the Civil War for traders from Cleburne, Clay, Randolph, and Talladega Counties. The nearby proximity of the railroad aided in the success of Oxford’s industrial affairs, especially for the cotton trade. Early accounts suggest that rail cars hauled over eighty bales of cotton a piece.

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In 1896, mill owners, James B. Draper and Oliver W. Cooper, expanded the mill’s production by constructing an addition. The name of the mill was later changed to Southern Cotton Mill after being purchased by new owners.

The 21-acre site and 57,000 square foot mill and warehouse were sold in 1981 to the Collateral Investment Company of Birmingham. The next chapter of life for the closed

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mill included its transition to becoming the south’s largest indoor antique malls. From 1983 to 1997, the Olde Mill Antique’s Mall, owned by Huey Burrows, operated in the building. Due to a boom in retail and commercial development, the majority of the mill complex and nearby homes were torn down in 1998. The tower was briefly used as a restaurant.

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BEST ENTRY

READER SUBMISSION In this issue of the Oxford Access, we welcomed readers to submit articles about a person, place, business, or event involving the City of Oxford.

The Oxford Access staff received numerous great entries, and after a lot of consideration, the article below was picked as the winner.

Congratulations Destry Gilmore!

We want to thank everyone who submitted their stories, and we encourage you all to participate in the next issue’s contest. You can submit your articles to marketing@oxfordal.gov.

Be sure to include your name and a good phone number so we can contact you.

Shortly after the Blizzard of ‘93, I was born in Anniston at Regional Medical Center. I have lived in Oxford my entire life. I attended and graduated from Oxford High School.

That’s where I met the love of my life and the mother to my children. We are now happily married and live in our own house here in Oxford. I work for the Oxford Water Department. It’s hard to think about living anywhere else but here. Because, when I think of Oxford, I think about civil servants. I think about a fast and responsive Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services. I think about Chief Bill Partridge and the Oxford Police Department and how they are always informative and current with their social media presence on Facebook.

The civil servants and city service I utilize the most are the Oxford Public Library. If you haven’t been there, it’s a fantastic and beautiful facility located right behind City Hall. The librarians have always been kind and courteous to my family and me. Since my oldest son could walk and talk, I have taken him to the reading time program every Thursday. My wife and I enjoy him being able to hear fun and educational stories and puppet shows performed by the friendly librarians. They have events all year round in their community room, like celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday. They have excellent facilities and resources that are free for anyone to use. You simply need to come down and get your library card. My children are now old enough to come and pick out their books and interact with a very diverse group of children and parents from all different walks of life.

I have been going there more often, checking out books and working on my writing projects. I am trying to finish my first novel, and the Oxford Public Library is the perfect place to work on it. While doing so, I have been very impressed by how the library has been handling the current Covid-19 pandemic issues. During the statewide lock down, they allowed you to check books out online, and they would wear protective equipment and meet every person outside in their cars. They have gone above and beyond to accommodate the people of Oxford during these trying times.

My children now love reading books, and sadly that’s something that a lot of children their age simply do not share. So, I much appreciate the Oxford Public Library for that. I often think about a quote from the American journalist Margaret Fuller, “Today a reader, Tomorrow a leader.”

BY DESTRY GILMORE

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Oxford Police Department

600 Stanley Merrill Drive, Oxford, AL 36203

Message from the Oxford Police Chief First of all, I would like to thank all of our first responders for their ability and willingness to adapt to the many new challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on, and I would also like to thank the citizens of Oxford in doing their part to slow down the spread of this virus with their social distancing efforts. This summer has educated us to new realities and also tested our strengths. I am also thankful for the increased Personal Protective Equipment to help continue to keep our men and women safe. I look forward to moving into the new seasons and am ready to face any new challenges head on.

I am pleased to report that due to our addition of the East Metro Area Crime Center, crime in our area has gone down. As a city and as a department we are lucky to have this state-of-the-art facility.

By now, you all should be accustomed to seeing school buses back on the roads throughout the city. To stay on top of school safety, please use these tips to help ensure you and your children are well protected: Bus Riders–Teach your children the proper way to get on and off the bus. They should stand approximately six feet from the curb (or bus stop) and should never run towards the bus as it approaches. If children must cross in front of the bus to enter, make sure the bus comes to a complete stop, and that the children walk in front of the bus at a distance great enough for the driver to see them.

Drivers–Take extra care during the schools’ opening and closing hours; especially within our school zones.

Always yield to pedestrians, never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians, and never pass a school bus while loading or unloading children. As always, the most important tips for safely driving around our schools and children is to slow down and stay alert.

This means putting your phone away!

In short, please stay cognizant of your actions and the actions of your children. Teach your children and teens to slow down, pay attention to what is happening around them, and help take care of others.

As we transition into the holiday seasons with shopping right around the corner, we want to remind you to stay safe. The holidays can be a time of rushing to family gatherings or hurrying to buy that last-minute present. These distracted times can allow people to become targets of theft and other holiday related crimes.

Here are some holiday safety tips we would like you to keep in mind: • When walking to your car, stay off your phone and be aware of your surroundings. Have your keys ready to minimize time spent outside your vehicle.

• Know where the alarm button for your car is located on the key fob. This could be a significant deterrent if a suspicious person approaches.

• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.

• Lock your packages out of plain sight.

Utilize your trunk or place them under a blanket.

• If having packages delivered, promptly retrieve them from exposed areas. Thieves often thrive on packages left out.

• Once all gifts are opened, never leave boxes which contained expensive items exposed or on the curb. These are indicators for thieves.

Instead, break or cut them up and bag them.

This year the Oxford Police Department is proud to help with the Festival of Lights. When attending this event, you will see several officers, cameras, and equipment in place to make sure your time is safe and enjoyable. We look forward to the upcoming holidays and we want to remind you that should you have any concerns or questions to please reach out to us.

INVESTIGATIONS 256-835-6136 • ANIMAL CONTROL 256-591-4103 • GENERAL (NON-EMERGENCY) 256-831-3121

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS

EDUCATION FOUNDATION I am honored and excited to be allowed to serve as the Oxford City Schools Executive Director. I have always had a passion for education and serving students. I graduated from Jacksonville State University, where I received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in secondary education. I also earned a master’s degree in Library Science. I began teaching in 1990 and was blessed to teach 29 of my 30 years for Oxford City Schools. I am very passionate about the Oxford community, and I am excited to continue to bridge the gap between the community and the schools.

The Oxford City Schools Education Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that partners with the Oxford City Schools and our community to enhance learning experiences. This education foundation has utilized the community's generous support to invest over a half million dollars in our schools.

How did the Education Foundation get its start?

The Oxford City Schools Education Foundation was founded in 2008 by a group of concerned citizens dedicated to continuing the strong tradition of outstanding academic achievement and teacher excellence.

Why is the Education Foundation important to the Oxford City School System?

The Oxford City School System offers high-quality instruction for all students and is considered one of the state’s top schools. To maintain this status, the school system must continue to have a vision and move forward. The Foundation provides a source of income for innovative educational opportunities.

Is the Education Foundation independent of the school system?

Yes, the board is composed of volunteers from the community. It functions independently of the school system, but always with the school system’s needs in mind to enhance our students’ quality of education.

I am proud to be a part of a foundation supporting teachers, students, and the community.

Please join OCSEF in our mission to enhance learning experiences for all students by attending one or more of our annual events: Breakfast with Santa, Dancing through the Decades, and Edible Evening. You can also contribute by purchasing a brick on the “Walk of Champions” or leave an endowment.

Oxford City Schools Education Foundation Post Office Box 7261 Oxford, Alabama 36203 Phone: 256-282-9158 judymuncherOCSEF@gmail.com oxfordcityschoolseducationfoundation.org

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On July 17, 2020, the City of Oxford installed a monument at Choccolocco Park to celebrate the 2019-2020 GreenPower USA national champions from Oxford High School. This is the first national championship ever won by any team or club from Oxford, and the city was proud to host the inaugural Choccolocco GreenPrix in January. The second annual GreenPrix will be held in 2021, and the event is free. Come out and support the defending national champions.

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Thank you

BECAUSE OF THE GENEROUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT OCSEF HAS BEEN ABLE TO INVEST OVER $540,000 IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

Advanced Placement Testing Archery Team Fine Arts Program Green Power Team National Championship Rings Outdoor Classroom Piano Lab

Robotics State Championship Football Rings STEM Student Instructional Support Teacher Instructional Support Technology VEX Robotics Kits

ANNUAL EVENTS BREAKFAST WITH SANTA DANCING THROUGH THE DECADES EDIBLE EVENING FOR EDUCATION LEVELS OF GIVING Diamond $10,000 • Platinum $5,000 Gold $2,000 • Silver $1,000 • Bronze $500

oxfordcityschoolseducationfoundation.org

Oxford City Schools Education Foundation partnering with Oxford City Schools and our community to enhance learning experiences for all students.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JUDY MUNCHER

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DIRECTORS KEN HOWELL, PRES.

SHANNON PAGE

BRAD WILLIAMS, V.P.

TREY PILKINGTON

JANE HAMRIC BATEY, SEC.

KENDALL POOL

TIM WILSON, TRES.

THOMAS PRATT

WAYNE CALDWELL JACKI LOWRY

256-282-9158

ADAM MANISCALCO

HONORARY

JUDYMUNCHEROCSEF@

JIMMY NEWMAN

DIRECTORS

GMAIL.COM

DEBBIE NOTHDURFT

DR. DAVID BENNETT

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS

OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS Building for the Future FOR THE PAST NINE MONTHS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN A SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION EFFORT. THIS EFFORT WILL CONTINUE AND ACCELERATE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS WELL.

Our DeArmanville campus will be the new home for a three-bay Transportation Maintenance Facility. Work on the facility began in February of 2020. When complete, the transportation shop will be able to provide service for all of the district-owned vehicles. This includes the fleet of 50 route buses, spare buses, and maintenance vehicles. The transportation shop will employ three full-time mechanics. The general contractor for the project is Hurst Construction of Munford. This cost of this project is $1.9 million.

On the campus of Oxford High School, ground was broken in March of this year for a new concession stand and bathroom facility. Located in the south end zone, it will provide additional restrooms and a new concession area for the stadium. A 40-foot net has been installed in the south end zone to protect the building. The building is scheduled to be opened for the first home football game against Scottsboro. Hurst Construction is the general contractor on the project. The cost of the building is $850,000.

Hale Building of Anniston is working with the school system to replace the roof at Oxford

Middle School. The current shingle roof has been in place since the school opened and will be replaced with a metal roof. The project will also add gutters to the building. This project began in September.

Plans are also developing to complete a renovation of the restroom facilities and exterior windows at Oxford Elementary School soon.

The school board is in the design phase of a major renovation of the athletic facilities and a renovation of the former vocational annex and Fulton Hall at Oxford High School. A committee will be working with the architect to design the building plans for the projects. This work at Oxford High School was part of an original master plan developed by the board in 2007 that presented the construction projects in four phases. Phase one included the construction of the college building and the main high school building, completed in 2010; phase two was the addition of new career technical classrooms, completed in 2016; phase three is the renovation of Fulton Hall; while phase four highlights the addition of the athletic facilities.

BY ERIC BURRAGE, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS

Restoring Fulton Hall to its original configuration of an auditorium and demolishing a portion of the current annex building represents the scope of phase three. The facility will also include some renovated classroom space. A part of the annex renovation will consist of new fencing and upgrades at the historic rock stadium at Oxford High School. To bring back the grand look of Fulton Hall, the planning committee will be using old photos and newspaper articles showing the building in its original state. The construction is planned to begin in 2021. The estimated cost of the renovation is $3.5 million.

The first significant work to be completed in phase four is replacing the football field surface with synthetic turf. This will allow more practice time on the field and enable teams to play in all weather conditions without damaging the turf. The previous work at the stadium completed two years ago will help keep costs down as the field was built up, and additional drainage was added to accommodate a new synthetic turf field in the future. The work on the field turf is planned to begin after the end of the 2020 football season.

The new multi-purpose facility at Oxford High School will provide a major change to the school and stadium’s look. The current facility has served the school well and has been home to four football state championships since 1988, but it has not kept pace with the growth of the system’s athletic programs. It will be a benefit to all programs once complete.

The new athletic facility will be constructed beginning in 2021. It includes a field house and an indoor practice facility. The field house will have new locker rooms along with a visiting team area. A new weight room will be located adjacent to the indoor facility for use by all sports. The building will connect to the high school, and students will have access to the new facilities from the current structure. The existing field house will be removed as part of the new construction. In addition to the athletic facility, a new ticket booth will be constructed at the south end of the stadium. The estimated cost of the new construction is $13-15 million.

The construction projects are funded with a $20 million local bond issue by the Oxford School Board, a state-funded bond issue for construction passed in the last legislative session, and additional state funds that are exclusively earmarked for construction in the system.

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS Transportation Department Report On each school day, morning and evening, if you’re around Oxford, you’re likely to see an Oxford City Schools bus transporting Oxford’s children to and from school. However, you may not know that for 50 years, the school buses serving our schools have been maintained by the mechanics at the Oxford Fleet Services (formerly known as the city garage.)

Throughout these years, the city mechanics have helped provide Oxford’s children with one of the safest forms of transportation to school, field trips, athletic events, and wherever students needed to travel. However, with the soon to be completed Oxford City Schools bus garage, maintaining the 67 school buses will become the responsibility of the district’s very own state-certified mechanics. Meet Leslie “Buddy” Morrison, Tracy Phillips, and Barry “B.J.” Sewell, the school district’s new bus mechanics.

Buddy Morrison will serve a dual role as both garage foreman and mechanic. He comes to Oxford with over 30 years of mechanic related experience. Buddy took his first paid job as a mechanic in 1990 and continued while also working with an auto parts supplier. In 1998 he accepted a bus mechanic position with Talladega County Schools, a position he held until being hired by Oxford City Schools. Buddy and his wife, who works as a school bus driver, have two daughters and sons.

Tracy Phillips is a fourth-generation mechanic who has been working on engines since he was ten years old. As a certified diesel mechanic and welder, Tracy is the MacGyver of the staff

with years of experience building and repairing diesel engines and farm equipment, trains, tow motors, motor cross bikes, and go-carts. Tracy comes to Oxford from Talladega County with over nine years of experience working on school buses. Tracy and his wife of 28 years, who is also an educator, have one son.

B. J. Sewell graduated high school and immediately began his nine-year career with the Anniston Army Depot, where he trained and worked as a diesel mechanic. He left the depot after accepting a position as a certified diesel mechanic for Calhoun County Schools. It is from this position that B. J. was hired as a bus mechanic for Oxford City Schools. B. J. is an avid hunter and enjoys the outdoors. He and his wife have two children, a son and a daughter.

Together, the staff of mechanics brings over 70 years of combined experience in working on engines and many other related mechanical items. Just as important–they bring a love and concern for the safety of those being transported on a school bus.

This year is the 50th anniversary of Oxford City Schools. We have many things to celebrate as a school district, among which is the tremendous support the City of Oxford mechanics have given our schools through these years. We are confident that the tradition of providing our community with a safe and reliable fleet of school buses will continue as this responsibility is transferred from the City of Oxford mechanics to the mechanics of the new Oxford City Schools bus garage.

BY MARTY LIVINGSTON, TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR

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KEEP OXFORD BEAUTIFUL • AFFILIATE OF KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL

“WELCOME TO OXFORD” A HISTORY OF THE PROJECT THAT IS NOW A REALITY

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The first Oxford Beautification Board held its organizational meeting on July 1, 2013. The members, including Robin Leonard, Nancy Burnell, Jeremy Cruse, Cindy Lynch, Rod Harris, and Bill Bunn, with Charlotte Hubbard as the council representative, discussed projects they wanted to work on for the City of Oxford. The board chose their first major project: a “Welcome to Oxford” sign at four locations: Exit 185, AL 21, US 78, and Exit 179 in Coldwater.

The board discussed features for a design over several meetings and looked at welcome signs from other cities. The board decided on a flat rock structure, like the Choccolocco Park sign, with landscaping and lighting. Oxford’s marketing and media department used our ideas and made several designs to give us a visual aid for the different styles.

The pictures were presented to the mayor and city council, and their ideas were added to ours. The decision was made to use Cheaha stack rock for the structure and make the design similar to the Choccolocco Park sign. The signs’ location had to be revised because they could not be placed on the state right-ofway. Thanks to the location of three of our fire stations, we owned property to construct three signs for the east, west, and south approaches to the city, and the fourth location was to be determined at a later date.

The Beautification Board’s attempt to find a business to construct the sign presented a challenge. However, during a council work session, a group submitted a request to build an electronic billboard in the city.

They showed several designs, and several had features that we wanted in the “Welcome to Oxford” sign. Later discussion with the company determined they could design and build the signs for Oxford.

During our board meeting on June 4, 2019, there was a proposal to change the Oxford Beautification Board’s name to Keep Oxford Beautiful Board and become affiliated with the Keep America Beautiful organization. The board voted to change the name to Keep Oxford Beautiful, pending approval of the mayor.

With a new board name and some new members, the project for the “Welcome to Oxford” sign began to move forward. Southern Custom Exhibits (SCE) of Anniston was chosen to design and build four “Welcome to Oxford” signs. SCE presented a design to the council for comments, and several changes were made, giving a final design.

We then hit some snags. The board discovered that just because we owned property adjacent to the right-ofway that we could not just place a sign there.

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) governs the type of structures placed adjacent to the right-of-way. We were required to obtain a permit for each sign, three in Calhoun County, and one in Talladega County. City engineer Rusty Gann took the specifications for the signs to ALDOT for their review to obtain the required permits. ALDOT had to approve the sign size, structure, wording, and location, which for this project fell under the governance of the Federal Highway Beautification Act. ALDOT could not allow a sign to be placed on the right-of-way, so Alabama Highway 21 on the southbound side was struck down immediately. Between our engineer and SCE working with ALDOT, changes to the sign were identified, and the design was changed to meet ALDOT’s requirements, including a footing that would withstand a 100 mile per hour wind. ALDOT

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Dr. Matthew Ulmer, the Community Workforce, Leadership & Economic Coordinator from Auburn University Extension, met with Mayor Alton Craft, Hunter Gentry, and Mary Patchunka-Smith to discuss economic and community development. In his recommendations, he stated that it was a vital opportunity for Oxford to increase signage and visibility from the city’s main corridors. Placing signs in strategic places would establish Oxford as an independent destination.

(both Calhoun and Talladega counties) issued permits for construction of signs at the #3 fire station in Bynum, #4 station on Alabama Highway 21 north side, and #5 station on US Highway 78 in DeArmanville.

With the required changes, the council had to revise our purchase from four signs to three signs to stay within the allocated funds.

Finally, with an approved design and permits in place, SCE went to work. The structure and sign were constructed at SCE’s facility in Anniston, piece by piece.

The Oxford Street Department dug the holes for the foundations. Taylor Electric did the electrical work, and

Pirkle Irrigation will install irrigation. Landscaping for the signs will be completed later after the temperature drops to give the plants a better chance to take root.

The project had many ups and downs and took six years and a few months to complete. It also involved a lot of people–both city and private business employees.

The result has given Oxford the visibility needed to let travelers know they are in the best city in northeast Alabama.

Thank you to all that helped on this project; you can be proud of these beautiful signs.

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This year the City of Oxford is thrilled to bring an all-new light show, all-new attractions, and new entertainment to Choccolocco Park. Starting November 21st and ending on December 24th, the Festival of Lights will run every night.

Visitors will have so much to see and do. There will be new lights, new inflatable attractions, a larger skating rink, more entertainment, and even more new additions and surprises.

There has already been such a commitment to this event in the form of tireless dedication. City workers have put in many working hours to prepare and make sure this event is all that our citizens can imagine it to be. All have been incredibly dedicated to making sure this event only gets bigger and better for the people of Oxford year over year.

2020 has been a turbulent year for residents, the city, the country, and the world; this holiday season, we are looking forward to bringing back some joy and excitement to our area. We hope this event gives all of our citizens something to look forward to seeing during the holiday season, and we could not be more thrilled to do it. We look forward to seeing you and your family at the 2020 Festival of Lights.

Festival OF

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Lights

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2019 CITY OF OXFORD HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST SPONSORED BY THE OXFORD ARTS COUNCIL Business The Vine Chiropractic

Dr. Ryan and Gwen Parrish

Best Lighting

Lee and Linda Miche

Main Street

Matter of a Pinion

Heather Miller Most Artistic

Douglas Reed Wilson

Most Beautiful

Ralph and Lora Pinson

Most Christmas Spirit

Boice and Connie Turner

Most Creative

Laura Born

Most Traditional

Bill and Carolyn Prince

Reason For The Season

James and Ann Jennings

Winter Wonderland

Creekside Farms

LIFETIME HONOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Trent and Courtney Arnold Denny and Judy Besser Jerry and Linda Carter Dan and Joyce Cooper William and Janice Pugh

HISTORIC OXFORD AWARDS Dodson Memorial Presbyterian Church (est. 1857) Gray-Shaddix House (1870s) Mr. and Mrs. Pat Wayne Shaddix Smyth-Draper-Strickland House (1871) Mayor and Mrs. Alton Craft

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Christmas THE OXFORD ARTS COUNCIL PRESENTS

HOLIDAY DECORATION CONTEST

Each year the Oxford Arts Council sponsors a Christmas Holiday Decoration Contest. The event encourages community pride and celebrates the individuals and businesses who have gone above and beyond in decorating their residents or businesses.

Exceptional and creative approaches are recognized for their hard work and the joy the decorations bring everyone.

The 2020 contest begins on November 27 and ends on December 7.

Let's brighten up Oxford! Enter your house or nominate a neighbor’s house! Shop local and nominate your favorite business.

The awards presentation for the winners will be at the Oxford City Hall in the Council Chambers on December 8, 2020.

THE CATEGORIES ARE: Business Lighting Award Main Street Most Beautiful

Most Christmas Spirit Most Creative Most Traditional Reason for the Season

Nominations are encouraged and will be accepted at the Oxford Performing Arts Center at 100 Choccolocco Street or online at oxfordpac.org/christmascontest.

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