Oxford Access Winter 2018 Vol 3, Issue 3

Oxford

ACCESS

WINTER 2018

LEGENDS OF LAMAR FIELD A WINNING TRADITION AT OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL

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OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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CONTENTS 5

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

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SPOTLIGHT: SHARON WADE

WINTER 2018

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PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE

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"THE CHALLENGE"

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MADE IN OXFORD - SARAH CAVENDER METALWORKS

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FROM BOILING SPRINGS TO OCONEE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY

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

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BIKE SHARE COMES TO OXFORD

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CHOCCOLOCCO PARK BECOMES PART OF THE ALABAMA INDIGENOUS MOUND TRAIL

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YARD SALE PERMITS - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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MESSAGE FROM THE OXFORD FIRE CHIEF

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LEGENDS OF LAMAR FIELD

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MESSAGE FROM THE OXFORD POLICE CHIEF

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MESSAGE FROM THE OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY

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OPAC’S 2018 - 2019 SEASON

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THINK LIKE AN ARTIST

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CHRISTMAS LIGHTS CONTEST

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CIDER RIDGE GOLF CLUB UPDATE

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CALENDAR OF CITY EVENTS

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WELCOME TO OXFORD: NEW BUSINESSES

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OXFORD BUSINESS LEAGUE UPDATE

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WHY I TEACH: LORRIE OWENS

OXFORD ACCESS P. O. BOX 3383 OXFORD, AL 36203

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS UPDATE

WWW.OXFORDACCESS.COM

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.

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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STUDENTS AT OHS ENGAGED IN BOOTSTRAP ALGEBRA. The course is a hybrid of pre-written code and student-written code. The object of the course is simple: create a 2D video game using Racket code. However, this simplicity provides boundless opportunities for students to get creative and really be in control of each step of the game design and planning process.

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1 November 2018 RATING Aa2 General Obligation

City of Oxford, AL

Annual Comment on Oxford ISSUER PROFILE

The City of Oxford is located primarily in Calhoun County in northeastern Alabama, about 90 miles northeast of Montgomery. The county has a population of 115,883 and a moderate population density of 190 people per square mile.

The county’s median family income is $52,511 (4th quartile) and the August 2018 unemployment rate was 4.9% (4th quartile). The largest industry sectors that drive the local economy are retail trade, local government, and manufacturing.

CREDIT OVERVIEW

Oxford has a very high quality credit position, and its Aa2 rating is a little stronger than the median rating of Aa3 for cities nationwide. The key credit factors include a robust financial position, a sizable tax base, a healthy wealth and income profile, an affordable pension liability, but an extremely elevated debt burden.

Finances: The financial position of Oxford is robust and is relatively strong in comparison to the assigned rating of Aa2. The city’s fund balance as a percent of operating revenues (127.9%) far exceeds the US median, but decreased dramatically from 2013 to 2017. Moreover, cash balance as a percent of operating revenues (151.3%) is far superior to the US median.

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Economy and Tax Base: The economy and tax base of Oxford are strong. However, they are slightly unfavorable in comparison to the assigned rating of Aa2. The city’s full value per capita ($109,494) is stronger than the US median, and remained stable from 2013 to 2017. Also, total full value ($2.3 billion) is consistent with the US median. Lastly, median family income is 91.7% of the US level.

Debt and Pensions: The pension liability of Oxford is small and is a modest credit strength relative to its Aa2 rating position. Moody’s-adjusted net pension liability to operating revenues (0.51x) favorably is materially below the US median, and remained flat between 2013 and 2017. Yet, the debt burden of the city is extremely large and is highly unfavorable in relation to the assigned rating of Aa2. Net direct debt to full value (5.4%) far exceeds the US median.

Management and Governance: Alabama cities have an Institutional Framework score of Aa, which is high compared to the nation. Institutional Framework scores measure a sector’s legal ability to increase revenues and decrease expenditures.

One of the sector’s major revenue sources, property taxes are subject to a cap which can be overriden with voter approval only. Another major revenue source, sales taxes are subject to a cap which can be overriden at the local level (without voter approval). Unpredictable revenue fluctuations tend to be moderate, or between 5-10% annually. Across the sector, fixed and mandated costs are generally less than 25% of expenditures. Alabama is a Right to Work state, providing significant expenditure-cutting ability. Unpredictable expenditure fluctuations tend to be minor, under 5% annually.

Message from the

Oxford Mayor Dear citizens, On behalf of the city council and myself, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to you, the citizen, and a “Merry Christmas” to you and your loved ones. As we wind the year down, we are reminded of the reason for the holiday season–the birth of God’s Eternal Light, Jesus Christ. I am thankful that our elected officials and I seek His guidance in all of our decisions, and I pray for that to continue in the generations after us. God has blessed us so much in Oxford, and we have many things to celebrate in our great city.

Oxford is continuing to move forward in the 21st century. We are working to help solve problems that have been in our area for years, and we are on the cusp of more great ideas and innovative projects that will be happening in the not-so-distant future. The East Alabama Metropolitan Crime Center is being built as I write this, and law enforcement officials from around eastern Alabama and western Georgia are excited that we are diligent in ensuring that our area is a “zero crime” region.

With the success of Choccolocco Park continuing to be an economic boom for Oxford, we are again preparing for many more retailers and restaurants to come to the city. To name one in particular, the second phase of Oxford Commons has been very successful so far. There are many more businesses that are planning to open or are under construction right now off of Exit 188, and our

citizens are looking forward to their openings. Choccolocco Park is on track to continue to break records that were set in previous years, and we will have many more historical and extraordinary achievements at our nationally-ranked complex in 2019 and beyond.

The Historic Main Street Oxford redevelopment is also coming along nicely. The Oxford Performing Arts Center is undergoing significant renovations as well, with the first of two phases already complete. You will notice the expanded box seating and new color schemes, and we have also built a new catwalk and lighting fixtures above the seats. Be on the lookout for the final phase of renovations at the performing arts center and Downtown Oxford; it will be a perfect blend of yesterday, today, and tomorrow in the historic part of town.

Finally, I would like to again congratulate you, the citizen, for being the most vital part of Oxford. Visitors from across North America make a point to call my office or find us on social media and brag on your hospitality. We are not Oxford without you, and the council and I cannot thank you enough, especially during this season of Christmas. May God continue to bless us, and may His Eternal Light shine on Oxford.

Kindest regards, Alton Craft

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SPOTLIGHT

SHARON WADE

BY TAYLOR SLOAN

If you live in the City of Oxford, or if you pass through the city on a regular basis, you have likely seen a blond-haired woman cutting the city’s grass with determination and precision. That woman is Sharon Wade, a member of the City of Oxford Public Works Department. Sharon has proudly carried the title of “grass cutter” for thirteen years. Some would even call Sharon a legend in our city. Public Works Superintendent Vann Hollingsworth says, “There are not many places I go where people don’t recognize Sharon and ask about her. She’s a legend and an important asset to our department.”

Sharon was the first woman to work for the Public Works Department and remains the only woman, besides secretaries, in the department today. Some of her male coworkers may have been a little skeptical about her when she first started the job, but Sharon quickly proved she was one of the best and gained their respect with the amount of hard work and pride she puts into her position.

Today, Sharon considers herself to be one of the guys. She told us everyone in the street department is one, big family. She said, “I love my job.

Every day is an adventure.”

If you happen to see Sharon, give her a wave and thank her for her hard work and dedication to keeping our city looking beautiful.

We asked Sharon a few questions to get to know her a little better: What is your favorite part of your job?

Being outside is my favorite part. I grew up outside, played softball, my kids played ball, and now my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson loves being outside. We play sports and ride on my RZR

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almost every day after I get home from work.

What all does your job entail?

I cut all of Highway 78 and 21 by myself every week. In the winter, I will be on the leaf truck, and we pick up all the leaves on the side of the roads.

You have been working in this position for a while, do you have any stories?

I have three short stories that stand out to me: When you are working the leaf vacuum, you sometimes find surprises. One time, someone left a piece of Styrofoam under the pile of leaves.

When it came through the vacuum, it looked like it was snowing. It may have seemed funny at the time, but it is important to note that this service only collects loose, non-bagged leaves. Loose leaves must be placed in its separate pile and not mixed with limbs, brush, or other curbside pickup items.

Another time on the leaf truck, I discovered I had somewhat of a “stalker.” A man would follow us and hand me poems he had written. I found out the gentleman had been in a bad car wreck, so I just thought the poems were nice, but the guys at the Public Works Department would always watch out for me if I was approached.

The last story I have, Vann can tell you about it too. When Vann first came on as head of our department, we were short on staff one day, so he decided he would come with me to help cut grass.

After, he told me he would never be back to help me because I embarrassed him at how fast I was able to go. I finished way before him!

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C I T Y O F OX F O R D P U B L I C WO R K S D E PA R T M E N T

PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE 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! We have another exciting new project that you will begin to see soon.

In a continued effort to be more energy efficient, we are progressing towards replacing the existing streetlights with efficient LED lighting throughout the entire city. This project will provide much cleaner roadway lighting that will increase visibility and help make our roadways safer.

The scheduled work along Snow Street is progressing. The drainage work is ongoing and will be followed by a new pavement surface. Thank you all for your patience and understanding during this project. This should help with the flooding issues that occur in the area.

The design phase of the planned widening along Leon Smith Parkway is nearing its final stages. We are anticipating work to begin in the spring of 2019.

We also have another planned roadway improvement project currently under design. The intersection of Barry Street and Highway 78 will be widened to allow for a dedicated left turn, through movement and right turn lane on either side of Barry Street.

This will enable this intersection to function much more safely and efficiently.

As you know, fall is upon us with winter quickly approaching. Our curbside leaf vacuum pickup began in mid-November and is currently progressing through the city. This service only collects loose, non-bagged leaves. We will provide this service through mid-April 2019. 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 on the western end of our city and progresses eastward.

The route is repeated multiple times throughout the season but requires some time to complete a full circuit. Due to the operational nature of our vacuums, 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 in.

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

RUSTY V. GANN, P.E., DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, CITY ENGINEER (256) 835-6124 | 42 Public Works Drive, Oxford, Alabama OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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“THE CHALLENGE”

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WREN’S NEST ART GALLERY

THE EAGLE BEHIND THE PAINTING I was well immersed into creating this wildlife portrait before I gave much thought to “the story behind the painting.” The pose was based on a captive eagle that I had met some 26 years ago in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. During the intervening decades, I had occasionally thought about that extraordinary day spent with a bald eagle called “Challenger.” Wildlife cinematographer Dennis Holt and I had arranged the visit with an invitation from Al Louis Cecere, founder and director of the “American Eagle Foundation.” This was during a period when no one could guarantee the future existence of our beloved national bird and symbolic icon. The American Bald Eagle population had reached a critically-low point and was still shrinking due to habitat loss, pesticide misuse, and an occasional rogue shooter. Extinction was a realistic prognosis.

That chilly day was filled with light-hearted excitement as we took turns releasing Challenger from a hilltop to fly unfettered toward another hill about 100 yards away.

As soon as the falconer’s “blinders” or “cap” was removed and the large, piercing eyes uncovered, he’d be off–launching into flight, an extemporaneous waltz of graceful moves above the Tennessee hills, and coming in for a perfect landing onto the outstretched, gloved wrist of his handler, who waited with the anticipated morsel of salmon. Al Cecere was an affable, unassuming young man, and he seemed to appreciate our enthusiasm as he related the story of Challenger, one of the first rescued eagles to owe its long-term survival to the American Eagle Foundation. He was a fledgling when received, having been discovered after plummeting to the ground when storm winds blew down the nest-laden tree. A kindhearted family saved his life, but inadvertently caused Challenger to become permanently dependent on humans (“imprinted,” as they say) and consequently, not releasable into the wild. But he was perfectly healthy, and an ideal candidate for becoming the world’s most recognizable living Bald Eagle.

And so it was that Challenger became this nation’s premier Bald Eagle to achieve controlled free-flight capability, under the rigorous but rewarding (no doubt, in perpetual luxury) lifestyle of any captive bird. With the disciplined routines at the AEF, Al Cecere, and his team, Challenger’s flights were honed to perfection, and he was soon capable of flawless performances, even in the ambiance of a deafening roar–in a stadium or other arena filled with up to 100,000 screaming admirers, the noise reaching a crescendo, as the last words of our national anthem, “…and the home of the brave” blared over the sound system.

Watch Challenger fly online

Amazing Free-Flying Bald Eagle “Challenger” American Eagle Foundation www.youtube.com

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By Larry K. Martin OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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THE BALD EAGLE— SYMBOL OF A NATION Aren’t we fortunate that our founding fathers made so many brilliant strategic decisions in designing this republic!

Just as the Constitutional Convention of 1787 adjourned, Ben Franklin was asked, “Well, Doctor, what do we have, a monarchy?…or a republic?” His prophetic reply was, “A republic–if you can keep it.”

We should admire the wisdom of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, and our other leaders during that period. But as might be expected, the voices of our Continental Congress were not all in perfect union. They couldn’t even agree on our national symbols–at least when the subject first came up.

Aren’t we fortunate that this same Ben Franklin did not have the final word on the selection of our national bird!

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams recognized that the bald eagle had no rival as to be the obvious choice, but Franklin, perhaps with a wry grin and tongue in cheek, suggested that the wild turkey would be more appropriate. He pointed out the flawed character of the eagle–the fact that it would sometimes bully the osprey, a smaller and more efficient fishing bird, into dropping its freshly-snared fish, so the acrobatic eagle could grab it from mid-air. Even worse than being a thief, the eagle would often stoop to the lowest level on the food chain and, like the despised hyena, become a practicing scavenger.

Rather than take issue with Ben on these offensive habits, it seems sufficient to note that virtually every magnificent, fierce and courageous predator on Earth, is also a thief– and even a scavenger. Mother Nature is not burdened with such aesthetic sensibilities when it comes down to the bottom line of survival. Our ancestors probably learned to close their eyes, take a deep breath, and eat that “over-ripe protein,” long before it was known as road kill.

In fairness, it is generally believed that Benjamin Franklin made his case for the wild turkey, primarily in letters to his granddaughter, rather than in any serious proposal to Congress. The wild turkey is truly beautiful only to mother turkeys, wildlife artists, and–if properly dressed– to both a chef and a hungry audience.

As with most animal subjects, the bald eagle requires no human embellishment or other assistance in becoming a thing of beauty, drama, and awe. There is something magical, as well as beautiful, about the striking contrast of the deep-brownish-black body plumage, with the crowning glory of a pure-white head and tail feathers (and white tail coverts). It is superficially mirrored by the African fish eagle, which is attractive in its own right but cannot stand up to a close comparison to our own national symbol.

I’ve probably painted 20-25 Bald Eagles over the years, which is something rare for a painter who acknowledges that he has a short attention span, and does not enjoy repetitious work. But there’s just something magical about the animal. When it takes to the air, it becomes a stunningly beautiful symbol–as symbolic as our flag and our national anthem. We live in some turbulent times–it’s always like that, to one degree or another, but as a uniquely resilient republic, The U.S.A. always finds a strategy, or at least a tactic, to meet each challenge. And it’s only fitting that this painting that pays tribute to a remarkable, resilient and handsome species, and this individual eagle–embodies both a challenge and a response.

© 2018 All images and text copyright by Dr. Larry K. Martin.

LARRY K. MARTIN /CRYSTAL D. HANCOCK 2018 100 Choccolocco Street, Suite 200, Oxford Performing Arts Center, Oxford, AL 36203 16

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SARAH CAVENDER METALWORKS

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MADE IN OXFORD

Q&A WITH SARAH CAVENDER

Business Name:

Sarah Cavender Metalworks Business Address:

500 Main Street, Oxford, AL 36203 Business Phone Number:

256-831-6241 Business Owner:

have several stores in London. We sell to both the Royal Academy of Arts Gift Shop and the Victoria and Albert Museum Gift Shop. Both of those are incredible institutions and tourist destinations. We also are carried by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Australia, the Museum of Modern Art in Japan and NYC, as well as the MCA Chicago, the High Museum in Atlanta and the Frist Museum and Cheekwood Gardens in Nashville, and the Santa Fe Museum of Art.

Sarah Cavender General Operating Hours

Monday-Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM and by appointment How long has your business been in Oxford?

We have been in this location since 1994 as a manufacturer of handcrafted jewelry and accessories. We have had the retail shop open on and off since then, more regularly since 2005.

Why did you choose to have your business in Oxford?

We moved here to be near family, and I loved this small downtown location. When I bought the building, it was a thriving downtown with the post office, bank, city hall and police, and fire station. But it started slowing down shortly after that. Now that it is in the process of reinvention, I am excited that Oxford will return to a thriving downtown.

How many employees do you have?

What items does your business sell and produce?

We produce and sell artisanal jewelry, belts, scarves, handbags of metal meshes, and other interesting or industrial materials.

How is your business unique from others?

Our products are made by a process I developed.

As far as I know, I am the only one in the world who does what we do. We are mostly known for our flowers and insect pins and more recently our colorful finishes on more traditional jewelry. We

Five, not including myself and my dad (who does payroll and some accounting).

Do you do online sales?

Yes, we do. We have ShopSarahCavender.com and an Etsy Store.

Which forms of Social Media do your business utilize?

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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FROM BOILING SPRINGS TO OCONEE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY PART I OF II

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nson West wrote in the History of Methodism in Alabama that in 1836, east of Oxford, was the Boiling Springs Methodist Church. One history tells that the church burned after a controversy, and another says that the church was given to freed slaves after the Civil War. Before the war, in the early years of the establishment of the church, members of the congregation included the Allen, Bush, Caver, Clawson, Cumming, DeArman, and Turnipseed families. Many of the members transferred their memberships to the First United Methodist Church some years later.

An article from The Anniston Star, dated December 13, 1925, states that John DeArman came to Benton County and exchanged “a drive of ponies” for possession of several thousand acres of land between Oxford and White Plains from Chief Oconee. References to Chief Oconee are few to none. There is, however, a few counties across the Southern United States that

bear the name, as well as a lake and a river.

It seems that the word is in association with the Muscogee Creek Tribe.

According to notes of local historian, Bessie Coleman Robinson, the Oconee Church (often referred to as “Old Cony”) was later established where the Boiling Springs Church was. Members of the Oconee Church included many former slaves and their descendants. Presently, the cemetery contains an overwhelming majority of African American graves, except for a few earlier graves including William Cornelison, Joel Caver, Major John and Nancy King Bush, and Mary Simmons Turnipseed. The cemetery contains approximately 150 graves with only about 75 marked with some type of headstone, marker, rock, or block. The earliest recorded burial is from 1847, but the earliest marked grave is from 1852. The last burial at Oconee was in 2012.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Findagrave.com, Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County, and The Anniston Star

BY HUNTER C. GENTRY

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“THE OLD BUSH HOME SAT BACK FROM THE ROAD IN A GROVE OF OAKS AND IS MOST ATTRACTIVE AND PICTURESQUE AS VIEWED FROM THE BANKHEAD HIGHWAY.”

WILLIAM CORNELISON, son of Conrad Cornelison and Jemima Todd, was born October 13, 1774, in Rowan County, North Carolina and died June 30, 1851, in Benton County, Alabama. On July 28, 1794, Cornelison married Miss Sarah Felts in Wilkes County, Georgia.

They had no known children together. On October 6, 1880, Cornelison remarried to Miss Nancy Carter also in Wilkes County, Georgia. Their only known child is Nancy Cornelison, who married Hudson Holley Allen of DeArmanville, Alabama. Documentation and records on William and his family are scarce. It is known that sometime between 1840 and 1850, he and his family migrated to Alabama from Georgia. According to a cemetery survey completed several years ago by the Alabama Room at the Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County, Cornelison is buried at Oconee Cemetery in Oxford, Alabama.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Findagrave.com, and Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County

JOEL CAVER, son of John Caver and Catherine Murph, was born a twin on August 14, 1809, in Georgia and died sometime between 1868 and 1870 in Calhoun County, Alabama. On July 16, 1833, Caver married Miss Sarah Curry in Lincoln County, Georgia. Sarah, daughter of Thomas Curry, was born August 15, 1814, in Georgia and died May 14, 1852, in Benton County, Alabama. Their known children are Martha A.P. Caver, Mary Francis Caver, Harriett Ann Elizabeth Caver, Thomas C. Caver, Eliza Jane Caver, Sarah Savanna Caver, Josephine Caver, and George P. Caver. Joel and his brother, Thomas John Caver, migrated to Benton County, Alabama from Georgia in the 1840s and settled in the Boiling Springs area, east of Oxford, Alabama. After the death of Sarah, Joel remarried to Lavenia Emaline Spruce Rouse on April 28, 1859, in Benton County, Alabama. Lavenia, daughter of William Hankins Spruce and Martha Thompson, was born January 13, 1831, in Georgia and died June 6, 1906, in Randolph County, Alabama. Joel was buried at Oconee Cemetery, and Lavenia was buried at Union Baptist Church Cemetery in Newell, Alabama. Their children were: John Hankins Caver, J. Robert Lee Caver, and Joel Franklin Caver.

MAJOR JOHN BUSH, son of Daniel Bush and Elizabeth Toney, was born c. 1780 and died October 17, 1847, in Benton County, Alabama. On March 27, 1804, Bush married Miss Nancy King in Greene County, Georgia.

Nancy was born on July 14, 1789, in Halifax County, Virginia and died April 18, 1859, in Oxford, Alabama. Their known children are Edmund Thomas Bush, Judith A. Bush, John Winfield Bush, William C. Bush, Albert Peyton Bush, Anderson C. Bush, Mary Elizabeth Bush, James J. Bush, and Daniel Bush. The Bush family migrated to Benton County, Alabama from Franklin County, Georgia in 1837. The Bush family owned nearly six hundred acres that included the property in which the Oconee Cemetery is now located. A letter found within the Bessie Coleman Robinson Collection states, “Over by the railroad tracks near their old home are a few graves, the last resting place of some of the first settlers of this section of the county.

In an iron enclosure are the remains of John and Nancy (King) Bush, pioneer settlers.” The letter continues to read, “The old Bush home sat back from the road in a grove of oaks and is most attractive and picturesque as viewed from the Bankhead Highway.” The graves of John and Nancy Bush cannot be located presently.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Findagrave.com, and Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County

MARY M. SIMMONS TURNIPSEED, daughter of Elisha and Mary Simmons, was born January 11, 1816, in South Carolina and died August 24, 1852, in Benton County, Alabama. On May 17, 1836, Mary married William B. Turnipseed in Benton County, Alabama.

William, son of Andrew Turnipseed, was born c. 1812 in South Carolina and died May 8, 1876, in Bosque County, Texas. Mary died at a fairly young age and was buried at the Oconee Cemetery. There are no known children of William and Mary. William remarried to Martha Jane Matilda Duprey Stamps. In the 1850 U.S. Census, Mary’s sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth Simmons Hughes and Rev. Jacob S. Hughes, resided near the Turnipseed family.

Hughes was a Minister of the Methodist Episcopal faith; it is assumed that he was the minister of the Boiling Springs Church during the time.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Findagrave.com, Larry Caver, Jr., and Public Library

Sources: Ancestry.com, Findagrave.com, and Public Library

of Anniston-Calhoun County

of Anniston-Calhoun County

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BIKE SHARE

FIRST MULTI-CITY BIKE SHARE SYSTEM IN ALABAMA

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ome early December, you will be able to use an app on your smartphone to rent a bike and enjoy a ride around the lake at Choccolocco Park. The company is VeoRide, and rental rates start at 50 cents for 15 minutes, and you can pay-as-you-go or get a membership plan.

This new amenity grew out of a desire for a family-friendly activity the city could offer at Choccolocco Park. The Oxford City Council and Mayor Alton Craft saw an opportunity to bring in a bike share program that would benefit locals and out-of-town visitors at the park.

“We know families travel together to come to sporting events at Choccolocco Park and we wanted them to be able to ride around the lake in-between games,” Mayor Craft explained.

“We have beautiful weather, a great bike trail, and now they can enjoy a fun activity where VeoRide provides the bikes.”

City of Oxford Risk Manager Marc Webb was instrumental in bringing bike share to Choccolocco Park. He worked closely with Lindsey

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Gray of Bantam Strategy Group. Lindsey was able to connect the City of Oxford, as well as the City of Anniston, the City of Jacksonville, and Jacksonville State University with VeoRide to establish the first regional bike share program in Alabama. In total, there will be 180 VeoRide bikes available to rent, promoting a healthy lifestyle among all communities.

“We will have 20 to 30 bikes at the park and bike racks at the trailhead and near the ball field playground,” Webb shared. “If the response is positive, we could expand to other locations around the City of Oxford.”

A local website has been established to introduce the community to VeoRide and provide bicycle parking and safety tips for users. Visit www.eastalabamabikeshare.com, or you can download the VeoRide app from the App Store and Google Play.

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CHOCCOLOCCO PARK CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX BECOMES PART OF THE ALABAMA INDIGENOUS MOUND TRAIL

The Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail, launched by the University of Alabama Museums and the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, seeks to inform citizens and visitors of the rich indigenous cultures that populated Alabama for thousands of years predating statehood. The trail provides an opportunity for Alabamians and out-of-state visitors to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the purpose, function, and significance of the ancient indigenous mound centers located around the state. The mound sites are scattered across Alabama and are either publicly accessible or have public parks nearby that offer opportunities to educate visitors about the site.

Centered around Boiling Spring, the Choccolocco Creek Archaeological Complex once consisted of at least three earthen mounds, a large stone mound, and a large snake effigy (representation). The earliest earthen mound construction at the site began during the Middle Woodland period (ca. 100 BC to AD 250) when the site became a regionally important ritual center connected through cultural exchanges with groups living on the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Tennessee Valley. Mound construction appears to have resumed at the site around AD 1100 when the inhabitants of the Choccolocco Valley were closely connected with the people of the Etowah site near present-day Cartersville, Georgia. Prior to the 1830s, the Choccolocco Creek Archaeological

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Complex was the location of the ceremonial ground of the Abihkas, one of the most ancient tribal towns within the modern Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

The Choccolocco Creek Archaeological Complex is an important site to numerous Southeastern indigenous tribes who assert an ancestral connection with those who built and occupied Alabama’s ancient mounds. City of Oxford Mayor, Alton Craft, is excited to celebrate the rich cultural tradition connected to Choccolocco Park. “Beyond the outstanding recreational aspects of Choccolocco Park, it is very special for the City of Oxford to provide a venue where visitors can gather, celebrate, engage in activities, and learn about the deep history and importance of the land surrounding the park. We are happy to celebrate this exciting time with the Muscogee [Creek] Nation leadership.

We want them to know how special it is to our City to celebrate their heritage here in Oxford and that we will protect and preserve the land for future generations.”

The story behind the Choccolocco Creek Archaeological Complex at Choccolocco Park can be found on signage and plaques located around the park’s walking track.

For more information on the Choccolocco Creek Archaeological Complex please visit: https://alabamamoundtrail.org/mound-site/choccolocco/

THE CITY OF OXFORD CELEBRATED THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE LAND SURROUNDING CHOCCOLOCCO PARK, AS THE CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX WAS HIGHLIGHTED AMONGST 13 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES ON THE ALABAMA INDIGENOUS MOUND TRAIL. PICTURED ABOVE AT THE EVENT ARE MAYOR ALTON CRAFT, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS STEVEN WAITS, CHARLOTTE HUBBARD, CHRIS SPURLIN, MIKE HENDERSON ALONG WITH ROBERT PERRY, ARNOLD TAYLOR, DEL BEAVER, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION.

ARNOLD TAYLOR OF THE ARBEKA TRIBE IN OKLAHOMA, MAYOR ALTON CRAFT, AND DEL BEAVER OF THE MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION.

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Moving, downsizing, or cleaning out?

Before you have a yard sale, make sure you comply with City Ordinance No. 2017-13 regulating these sales.

The Oxford City Council passed an ordinance on June 13, 2017 regulating yard sales within the city with Ordinance No. 2017-13 (Article XII, Section 26-301 through 26-305). The intent was to minimize the disruption to neighborhoods and to keep individuals from turning yard sales into a sideline business.

Get Your Permit. It’s Free.

Obtain a permit from the City by calling 311, or (256) 241-4311, or you may click on the Oxford 311 icon on the City’s website www.oxfordalabama.org.

You will be given an ID number which is your permit number. There is no cost for a yard sale permit.

What You Need To Know: When requesting your permit, please state the date(s) and location of the yard sale.

Signs and the-right-of-way: • Yard sale signs are permitted on private property only.

• No signs are permitted on stop signs or utility poles.

• No signs are permitted in the public right-of-way.

Generally, this is the area between the sidewalk and the curb, but can range from 10ft, to 50ft, to 125ft depending on the location in Oxford.

PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY

You may hold one yard sale every 30 days, not to exceed six (6) per year.

Each yard sale may last a maximum of four (4) days.

If you do not own the property where you are having the yard sale, you must have written permission from the owner.

Have A Question? You can call the building department (256) 831-9685 Monday - Friday. 8:00am to 4:30pm.

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CITY OF OXFORD | FIRE DEPARTMENT

Message from the

Oxford Fire Chief “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go” As we prepare for this wonderful time of year where we will all eat too much, watch a lot of football, catch up with friends and loved ones, exchange presents, celebrate our Faith and have a truly Merry Christmas, please don’t forget to be “FIRE SAFE.” Below are some essential safety tips to make your Christmas Season safe for everyone.

• • • • • • • • •

•

Don’t ever leave cooking unattended.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are two of the peak days for kitchen fires.

Make sure you have working smoke detectors in your home.

If using candles, keep them at least 12” from any combustibles.

Never leave your home or go to sleep with candles burning.

If using a real Christmas tree, make sure you water it daily.

Make sure your artificial tree is certified as flame retardant.

Make sure trees, decorations, or gifts block no exits in your home.

Use Christmas lights that have a label of a recognized testing laboratory and make sure you know if they are for indoor or outdoor use.

Don’t overload electrical circuits.

From the Oxford Fire Department Family to yours, we wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Chief Gary Sparks

2018 SMOKE DETECTOR BLITZ October was Fire Prevention Month all across the United States. Each year, the Oxford Fire Department participates in various activities to bring awareness to the importance of fire safety. This year, we partnered with the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs through the “Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention” campaign to do a smoke detector blitz in Oxford.

From October 15 to October 18, our firefighters went door to door in various neighborhoods checking for smoke detectors. We were able to install 351 smoke detectors at no cost during this four-day event. The smoke detectors were provided to us through a generous donation to the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office.

It is a proven fact that smoke detectors save lives, so if you need a smoke detector, please contact Fire Station #1 at 256-831-3208, and we will gladly come and install them for you.

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BY JOSHUA CRAFT

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LEGENDS OF

LAMAR FIELD Alabama knows football. Football fans know Alabama. There are not many people in the country that would have difficulty recognizing names like Bear Bryant, Nick Saban, Bill Belicheck, or even Tom Brady or Joe Montana. Some of these names have transcended the barriers of time so far, with legacies that are so vivid that nothing is lost in translation; sons that hear these stories from their fathers are able to be there as well, in that very moment, when they saw that winning field goal, or that defensive stop on 4th-and-goal, or to see the coach being hoisted onto the shoulders of his players. That is the love affair that many of us have with the gridiron, and Oxford has been blessed to actually live out this love affair with the game that becomes life for some of us, because of two men that have left their stamps on football not only in Oxford, but in Alabama and across the Southeastern United States.

What if you were a head football coach for over 70 years? Would it be impressive for you to average nine wins a season? Is over 500 career wins enough?

What if I said you would win three state championships, a national championship, and be elected to several local and state halls of fame? Could you do that? Not many of us could, but there were two coaches for Oxford that did just that—two icons in Alabama and the Southeastern United States. Bill Burgess and Robert Herring are two football legends that coached in our hometown for almost three decades, and their names are cornerstones in Alabama football history. You are about to embark on two separate journeys that share many common threads, from humble beginnings to sellout games, but the one thread that matters most is that they both had vital roles in creating a winning tradition at Oxford High School.

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Bill Burgess was the head football coach at Oxford High School from 1971-1984. He led the Yellow Jackets to uncharted territory in football: eight playoff appearances, three semi-final appearances, and one state championship appearance in his 14 seasons at the helm. His reputation was so good that he was hired by Jacksonville State in 1985, and led them to their first and only football national championship in 1992. We got a chance to interview him and his wife, Geynell, and we talked to some of his players and family as well.

Coach Burgess attended Auburn University, and he said he was a fan of the Auburn Tigers until recently. “I like the way Nick Saban coaches, so I started pulling for Alabama a little more,” he said with a grin.

Geynell then remarked that his daughter has told him many times that he can’t pull for Alabama, but he just laughs it off.

So Coach, you played for Auburn?

1959-1963, yes. I played fullback, linebacker…and water boy [Laughter]. Ralph “Shug” Jordan was the coach.

Do you have memories of the time that stands out?

Just if I could play football only and not have to go to class, it would’ve been a lot better [Laughter].

When you finished college, did you immediately get into coaching?

I went straight to Banks High School with Coach George White, who was the best-known coach in Alabama. After serving under him as an assistant for a few years, I accepted the head coaching job at Woodlawn High School in 1966.

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Tell us about your move to Oxford.

Geynell: I’m not sure how it happened, but he got word that there was head coach position open at Oxford, and he applied for it. It was funny because we were living in Birmingham and the boys [Rick and Greg] were six and four; Bill came home and said that Oxford had talked to him and he met with the board and they offered him the job and a great salary. He would be making considerably more. It didn’t take us long to make the decision to come to Oxford, and it was the best decision we could have ever made. You know, our boys tell everyone that they had the perfect childhood growing up in Oxford. They loved it.

What was Oxford like when you moved here?

Geynell: It was so small when we go here. There was nowhere to eat. [Laughter] Shoney’s was the first big restaurant here, and we were so happy when the interstate opened up.

Did you teach high school while coaching?

Burgess: I taught before I came to Oxford, but another thing that made it easy to move here was that they told me I did not have to teach. All I had to do was run athletics and coach football.

What did you enjoy the most about coaching?

Burgess: The biggest thing was having influence on the young men and seeing how they grew, and once they got out of school, most of them were successful, and you feel like you may have had a part in that. Some of them are almost as old as us, because when I started coaching, those guys were seniors.

Geynell: Sometimes he sees people and he will say, “He played for me? Well, he looks older than me!” We still have players from all the schools he coached at call us and they will take him to lunch. Bill has always been happiest when he is reminded of the difference he made in their lives. He won’t ever say it, but he’s a role model to many of them.

Do you think coaching was worth it?

Burgess: There was a lot of sacrifice that went into it for our entire family, but at Oxford, the entire coaching staff and their families were like one big family. After the games on Friday night, we started off with everyone coming to our house, and the coaches would come and watch film on the wall and the kids would fall asleep on the floor…all over the house.

Those Friday nights ended up growing in people, and our friends started coming over too.

Geynell: It’s not easy being a coach’s wife. I learned really quick to sit around people that I knew. I missed one ball game when he was at Jacksonville State because I had to have some unexpected surgery; one game in 35 years. I couldn’t imagine not going; it was part of my life too.

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What were the differences between coaching high school and college?

Burgess: I coached JSU from 1985-97, then retired. We got out of there before they could run us off. [Laughter] Geynell: Oxford was like family, and we tried to keep that up at JSU, but it wasn’t the same.

It was year-round because of recruiting. High school was more fun. He did have some loyal athletes, alumni, and supports when he was at Jacksonville Sate. They called themselves “The Burgess Boys” and they still have a Facebook page for supporters. When JSU moved up from Division II to Division I-AA [now NCAA FCS Subdivision], the administration decided that they needed to change direction and get a new head coach, and The Burgess Boys didn’t like that too much. They defended Bill, and we are still appreciative of all the support they’ve given us over the years, and still today. The Boys eventually made up their mind that wanted to see his name somewhere on campus, so they worked hard to get the field named in his honor, so it’s now “Burgess-Snow Field” at JSU Stadium, which embarrasses him, but it’s good to be reminded of how much his supporters loved him.

Do you have memories like that or any one game that really stood out?

Geynell: I will never forget the first game he coached at Oxford. I think the score was like 28-0 Jacksonville at the end of the first half, and of course, the people are not happy. I remember thinking about the boxes that I had left to unpack, and I remember thinking ‘Bill’s going to say he told me not to unpack.’” [Laughter] Anyway, Oxford came back and beat them.

That was pretty huge, being his first game. Then they won the rest of the games that year. His first season was an undefeated season.

Was it difficult coaching your children?

Burgess: Rick and Greg played for two years together on varsity. I was very proud. Their friends would say, “Gah, how do you handle him when you go home?” They said I was a completely different person coaching and at home.

Geynell: They never talked about football when they came home. We sat around the table and laughed when they may have talked about something funny that happened. It was unique because he never got onto them about football at home. The boys would tell you that he would get onto them on the football field, especially Rick. He was always in trouble.

Burgess: Ol’ Rick, you had to stay on him. I really don’t think it was hard because the coaching staff that I had was hand-picked by me, and they knew that we weren’t playing favorites, even for my two sons. We would go home and I would aggravate the heck out of them, especially Greg, because he would get all carried away and fired up. I would say, “That wide receiver ran by you like you weren’t even lined up out there,” and he wouldn’t let it happen again. He made sure of that.

Geynell: Rick was a defensive tackle and offensive guard. Greg was a defensive back and running back, and that was fine with me. I made Bill promise me to never let our kids be a punt returner. That scares me the most.

If there was a play that went wrong, whose side would you be on?

Geynell: [Whisper and with a grin] I’d be on my children’s side.

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Do you get to go to any JSU games and Oxford games now?

Geynell: We try to go to all the JSU home games but Oxford we usually don’t because our grandson coaches over in Georgia. We will go with Greg and his wife to watch him play. We keep up with Oxford though.

Final thoughts?

Burgess: We never worried about much. We were just going to take our team and play your team, and try to whip your butt the best we could. We didn’t worry about how big the school was. We said let’s go and get after it. We had some good kids, they played hard, and they would get after you. They were a lot of fun to coach. You’d have to tone them down every now and them, especially local rivalries.

Geynell: I regret that I didn’t keep a journal when he coached college because of all the places we went. When we moved here, everybody took care of us. Everyone was just family.

We raised all three of our children, they all graduated here. Angie, our daughter, is a teacher in Birmingham. We still live in Jacksonville. We moved there when he was coaching because if he got a little break, he could come home. We just stayed, but Oxford is our home. We raised our children here, have our friends here, and have great memories here.

Advice to other coaches?

Burgess: If you win the game everyone wants to be your friend [Laughter]. That just comes with the job. If you can’t handle it, find something else to do.

Angela Morgan, Coach Burgess' daughter:

There are so many things that I could say about my wonderful daddy. I don’t know where to start. Although my dad worked long hours, he was still always there for us. When he was home, he was just our dad. We didn’t sit around the dinner table and talk about football. He wanted to hear about what was going on in our lives.

Dad instilled in us the importance of loyalty, work ethic, and taking responsibility for our mistakes. There were no excuses in our house. He was also the first to encourage us to do better and be better.

Dad is one of the funniest people in our family. All of my friends loved my dad. He makes everyone feel like he has known them for years.

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Greg Burgess, his youngest son, had a lot to say about his father as well:

Mickey Shadrix, childhood friend of Rick and Greg, and one of Coach Burgess’ players:

Most people thought that my Dad had Rick and me doing blocking and tackling drills from the time we learned to walk, but that is not true. My Dad never required us to play football or any sport, but if we chose to play, he wanted us to give it all we had! Dad is a great football coach and he loves the game, but his passion was the outdoors, and he shared so much knowledge with us.

It was a true honor to have played for Coach Burgess, and that becomes more and more clear to me the older I get. There just aren’t many more coaches left like him. Was he tough? Absolutely! He had that ability to get on you during practice...but then he would make sure he found you in the locker room after practice, put his arm around you and make sure you knew everything was okay before you went home.

My fondest memories growing up were the times we were in a boat fishing or in the woods hunting with Dad. Like I said, we were not required to play but my brother and I loved playing sports, and football was our favorite one to play.

We grew up watching Oxford on Friday nights and dreamed of the day when we would be on the team playing for our dad. That time finally came and we had some of the best times of our lives.

A great story is the time Rick and a few friends and I did what we did every Thursday night before a football game on Friday—go eat dinner and then go shoot fireworks in front yards! On this night, one of our friends shot a bottle rocket out of the car we were riding in, a police officer spotted us, pulled us over, and said “follow me.”

We ended up at the field house, where the officer called Coach Burgess, told him what happened, came back outside, and said “I’m going back to work, but I just called Coach and he said for y’all to wait here, so he’ll deal with this.” I remember waiting for what seemed like forever. Two amazing things happened in those moments: the officer trusted Coach Burgess to punish us accordingly, and he trusted him to make sure we would get home safely, and that Coach knew that making us wait for what seemed liked forever was going to have a drastic effect on our behavior. I don’t even remember what he did or said to us, but I do remember waiting.

Playing for your father can be hard, but he never coached us at home; what happened at practice stayed at practice. He might chew me out on the practice field, but when we got home and sat at the dinner table, it was never mentioned.

My mom may have had something to do with that, because if anyone can keep him in line, it is her. As far as the practice or games, he treated us just like everybody else, he was hard on you but he cared about you, and if he chewed you out, before the day was over, he was going pat you on the back and encourage you about something you did well.

I was truly blessed to have Bill Burgess as my football coach, but more than that, I was blessed to have him as my dad, he taught me how to be a man and a father. He was my hero growing up, and he still is today.

Coach Burgess also understood that Friday nights were “pay day” for his players. He knew how hard his players worked Monday through Thursday, and that Friday night was our reward.

He didn’t over-coach during the game. He prepared his players and then on game night he let them play.

Coach Burgess was humble...he was a team coach. It was always “we” when it was about the team...he treated every player the same. His players knew he cared about them as people and he had his players utmost respect. I wish we could have a few more Coach Burgesses today!

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Robert Herring is a legend at Oxford. Often seen as the greatest coach in Oxford history by many, he took over as head coach at Oxford in 1985 and qualified for the playoffs in all 14 seasons he was at the school.

The Yellow Jackets won the Alabama 5A classification state championship in 1988, 1989, and 1993. In 1988 and 1993, Herring’s teams finished with perfect 14-0 records. One of his two sons, Robert IV, was a quarterback during the two back-to-back state championships in 1988 and 1989. Records were set for total points in 1988 and 1989—records that were not broken until 2011.

In high school at Louisville, Mississippi, Coach Herring was a four-sport letterman, and he continued his football, basketball, and baseball careers as a freshman at Mississippi College. After a year at the college, he then transferred to Mississippi State to obtain his bachelor’s degree.

In 1969, he became the head football coach for Jones Valley High School in Birmingham, where he remained for four seasons. He spent the 1973 season as an assistant at North Alabama. In 1974, Herring returned to Mississippi, where he coached Winston Academy, a private school, to two state football titles in 1975 and 1983.

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In 1984, Coach Herring returned to Alabama to become the head football coach for Oneonta.

In his only season for the Redskins, he led the team to a 9-2 record and a playoff appearance.

He took over as head coach for Oxford soon after the playoffs, and he continued the winning tradition that Bill Burgess had left for the Yellow Jackets. For the 14 seasons Herring coached, Oxford would create some of the greatest memories and triumphs it ever has created on the football field.

In all 14 seasons at the helm, Herring would lead his Yellow Jackets to the playoffs, and in eight of those seasons, he would lead them as region/area champions. Oxford won all three of its state championships while he was the head coach, and it finished with perfect records of 14-0 in 1988 and 1993. He was selected as Calhoun County Coach of the Year – by his peers – in 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, and 1998, and was named the Alabama Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year for Class 5A in 1993. To add to his long list of honors he has received, he was the Southeast United States Athletic Director of the Year in 1996, he was elected to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2001, is a member of the Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame, and just recently had a scholarship named in his honor that will be given to an athlete at Oxford High School on a yearly basis.

How long did you coach, and what made you want to coach?

I’ve coached 45 years, 14 of them as head football coach at OHS. When I was four or five years old, our dad would carry us to every football game. I actually liked basketball more than any other sport while I was growing up, but I guess I just fell in love with football after having all those memories of going with Dad. I grew up playing four sports, too: football, baseball, basketball, and track. Some of my friends were out deer hunting or bird hunting, but I was playing a sport!

How is coaching different from when you began to today?

Back then, you had to coach everything. I was the head coach of basketball, an assistant for football, and I helped with baseball. You coached everything on a salary, and it was a little salary, too. Nobody made the money they make today, but you didn’t think much about that.

Was there a secret to your success at Oxford?

I remember when the job opened at Oxford, and someone told me that the way to get the job there was to be recommended for it, and that’s what happened with me. It was a dream job, too. The kids would do whatever we asked them to do, and we worked them to death, but with one goal in mind from the first day I walked in: to win a state championship.

I had great assistant coaches and great players, too. I trusted my coaches, but I would tell them that I wanted to them to know more about their position than I did, so I challenged them.

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What did you enjoy most about coaching?

Any coach will tell you that he enjoys winning [Laughter], but I enjoyed seeing a player improve. It was always good to see coaches that work on the field with their players, especially those that are teaching their players instead of just working them out. That’s when kids become leaders.

How was Oxford when you arrived?

Football was already established when I got here, and that’s where everybody wanted to be on Friday nights. We didn’t have to do much recruiting in the school, because everybody was playing football.

FOLKS WOULD BE STANDING AROUND THE TRACK TO WATCH THE GAME, AND THEY WOULD SIT IN THE STADIUM FROM THE TIME THE GATES OPENED THREE HOURS BEFORE THE GAME STARTED. THOSE WERE THE GOLDEN YEARS, WHEN WE HAD A TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY AND LOCAL RIVALRIES LIKE ANNISTON AND WELLBORN. What were Friday nights like during the football season?

Folks would be standing around the track to watch the game, and they would sit in the stadium from the time the gates opened three hours before the game started. Those were the golden years, when we had a tight-knit community and local rivalries like Anniston and Wellborn. We were playing local teams the whole season which cause the crowds to be bigger and the games to be more intense. I even remember when the Wellborn head coach said in an interview on TV that they were playing us next week it was going to be a war. One of our players bought everybody dog tags and everybody wore fatigues to school on Friday. Our team was fired up, and so was the city, and we beat Wellborn bad that year.

Was there anything in particular that made your decision to move and stay in Oxford for over a decade easy?

I loved that people expected us to win. They didn’t cut corners with us either; if they didn’t think we should’ve lost a game that we did lose, they’d be honest about it. They expected greatness, and we tried to deliver on that on Friday nights.

Were there any particular influencers in your life and career?

I had great role models in high school – coaches that never used profanity but were tough on

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us. My favorite coach was my basketball coach; I was a minute late to practice one time and I had to run 60 laps. I learned my lesson, and I appreciate that discipline still to this day.

I even had a friend named Doug Wheeler, who was the most organized coach I had ever known. Everything he did was written down...from how you talk to coaches, to how you coach players, to how you treat their teachers, too. He called it “team management.” There was also Coach Andrews, who had a minute-by-minute plan for practice and gameday, just so his teams didn’t skip anything.

What was your family life like as a football coach?

Coach Gann at Hoover told me, “Robert, your wife, Gail, is one in a million.” She never complained about me being on the field seven days a week, and it made my life easier. She was a cheerleader in high school, so at our ball games, she would still try to get folks cheering.

We moved about seven times, and she was already ready to go if I was ready to go. She was always there for our two daughters and two sons if I was at football.

His son Ryan, Oxford’s current football coach, had some words to say about his father:

Getting to grow up with a head football coach for a dad was like living a fantasy every fall. Watching Dad coach and getting to be around the players at practices and games was indescribable. I was his ball boy for years until I was one of his players. Playing for him was a blessing from The Lord. He spent seven days a week at the field house every football season.

We joke now and tell people our mother taught us everything we learned in sports, but she definitely taught us how to be competitive and never quit. It’s quite funny that I still use things as a coach today that he was doing 30 years ago, and they still work. I hear “Your dad was the best coach I ever faced” from other coaches all the time. He was definitely a once-ina-lifetime coach, but more importantly, he was a great man and a Godly man. He and my mother taught my sisters, my brother, and me the power of the Holy Spirit and need to rely fully on Jesus in everything we do. I definitely drink from a well that I did not dig, and I am thankful for that!

Alton Craft, mayor of Oxford, who coached Herring’s 7th and 8th grade football team for his entire career at Oxford:

Coach Herring told Sal [Gardner] and me, along with all the other coaches that coached with us, that he wanted us to teach the kids how to run, block, and tackle, and I’m glad we got a chance to help him throughout his years at Oxford. He called us the “building blocks” of his program, and we always considered that an honor. He was able to adapt, although I do remember a time when Sal and I went up to his office and we told him that we were going to put in a Spread Offense. Coach Herring said “that’s fine, y’all just don’t get in the Shotgun.”

We still joke with him about that today, but he was fine with it when we started doing it, and he even incorporated it into his scheme a little. His ability to make changes during the game and at halftime were something that only a handful of coaches I’ve seen can do. I am thankful for his time at Oxford, and I am even more proud that I have the honor of calling him my friend.

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Here’s one final question: has that tradition been continued?

We’ve had historic runs since Herring’s final season.

Coach John Grass has mirrored Coach Burgess: he took the Yellow Jackets to the semifinals and has taken over as head coach for Jacksonville State, winning five straight conference championships as well. The younger Coach Herring has led Oxford to undefeated regular seasons, and is close to bringing a title back to his hometown. These are almost carbon copies of the legacies of that Burgess and Herring left us.

Maybe we are close. Maybe their successful seasons on the football field have come back to us in a full circle.

The thing is, their teams were successful not only because they were great coaches, but their athletes have been successful after football because they were trained by two great, God-fearing men. Oxford High School and the City of Oxford are better places because of men like Bill Burgess and Robert Herring. Many of our traditions have stemmed from these two men, and we have continued to use their styles and philosophies as the building blocks of programs in and outside of the school system.

Thank you both, for your leadership, which has produced CEOs, successful coaches, doctors, lawyers, and even mayors. Henry Adams said it best: “a teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” I think that’s true for Coach Herring and Coach Burgess. As my father – who was coached by one and coached with the other – raised me, so I will raise my children...their influence is already in three generations, so here’s to another generation that have Godly men influencing others, and to the generation after that, and the one after that, and on and on...

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We Welcome New Business THE OXFORD BUSINESS LEAGUE The City of Oxford is excited to announce the launch of the Oxford Business League.

The League will host at least six workshops annually, act as the liaison between the businesses and City, recruit new businesses, promote available properties for expansion, and enhance partnerships for existing and new businesses.

Hunter Gentry | hcgentry@mainstreetoxford.org 256-241-6667

ALABAMA’S BI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION It is not often that a state celebrates two centuries of statehood. During the span of 2018 and 2019, the state as a whole will celebrate its “Places, People, & Stories.”

Oxford will be participating by supporting, creating, and executing events and activities that commemorate the local stories of our people, places, and path to statehood.

It is fully encouraged that anyone interested get involved with our committee.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: HUNTER GENTRY AT 256-241-6667, OR BY EMAIL AT HGENTRY@MAINSTREETOXFORD.ORG

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Oxford Police Department

600 Stanley Merrill Drive, Oxford, AL 36203

Message from the Police Chief Farewell, 2018! Since my previous letter, we have transitioned through the summer’s heat, established our school routines, and enjoyed the Thanksgiving holidays with our families. Now, as the excitement of Christmas is undoubtedly building, let me urge you to take the time and prepare.

With December 21st being the first day of winter, there is still time to ready yourselves; and as our winters often bring uncertain conditions, preparing for the worst is always in our best interest. Use these suggestive measures to ensure your family and assets are protected from the upcoming cold weather.

STOCK UP FOR EMERGENCIES: • Stock water in clean containers, as well as food that does not need to be cooked and requires no refrigeration.

• Ensure that your cell phone is fully charged.

• When planning travel, be aware of current and forecasted weather conditions.

• Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including: Battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a

weather radio, and lamps; extra batteries; first-aid kit and extra medicine; baby items; and cat litter or sand for icy walkways.

PREPARE YOUR HOME: • Wrap exposed pipes, disconnect and drain all outside hoses, and if possible, shut off outside water valves.

• Make sure your furniture isn’t blocking your home’s heating vents.

• Install a smoke detector, or ensure you have fresh batteries in existing detectors.

• Have a safe alternate heating source and alternative fuels available.

• Prevent carbon monoxide emergencies by installing a carbon monoxide detector.

PREPARE YOUR CAR: • Top off antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, gas, oil, and other fluids.

• Make sure your tires have enough tread. Consider snow tires.

• Keep bagged salt or sand in the trunk for extra traction and to melt ice.

• Save the numbers for your auto club, insurance agent, and towing service into your cell phone.

• Keep a cold-weather kit in your trunk. It should include a blanket or sleeping bag, gloves, hard candy, bottled water, folding shovel, first aid kit, flashlight, and cell phone charger.

Most of us are last-minute shoppers, so expect crowds this year. Understand, though, the shopping season brings not only crowds of anxious shoppers, but also those who wish to steal your hard-earned possessions. For this reason, it is essential that you pay close attention to your actions: • 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.

• 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.

As always, stay completely aware of your surroundings. The Oxford Police Department is always here to help, but please, invest in your safety as much as possible. If you need me or any member of the agency, please call. We are more than happy to ensure you and your family are safe.

Merry Christmas, Oxford!

Very Respectfully, Chief Bill Partridge

INVESTIGATIONS 256-835-6136 • ANIMAL CONTROL 256-591-4103 • GENERAL (NON-EMERGENCY) 256-831-3121 OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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UPDATE OXFORD LIBRARY I am very excited to announce a very important new program we are beginning here at the Oxford Public Library!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten will make a huge impact in the lives of our community’s children, and I look forward to seeing all of our community parents take part in the program. See more information below, and keep reading for more details on some of OPL’s other programs as well.

1000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN There is no better way to encourage success in school and life than to read to your child. During early childhood, it is particularly important to read to your child; this is when they learn vocabulary, understand the impact and importance of print, and make a visual connection between shapes and symbols with letters and numbers. That knowledge encourages educational, developmental growth to allow those letters and numbers to shape words and math.

Beyond the educational benefits, which are numerous and irrefutable, reading has many other benefits, as well.

Learning to sit and pay attention is an obvious behavioral benefit that is gained by reading, but also the ideas imparted from the books that are shared are an essential benefit. One topic often addressed in children’s books is feelings/ emotions. Naming the feelings—positive and negative—felt by all children as they learn to encounter the world around them is important; knowing that those feelings are felt by others, too, is also important; learning how to cope with those feelings may be one of the biggest lessons learned in childhood. Books often show how to behave in a particular situation (or when feeling a particular, perhaps unpleasant, emotion). Here are some books that address feelings in little ones that are part of OPL’s collection: • The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems • Ladybug Girl Feels Happy by David Soman and Jacky Davis • When I Feel Sad by Cornelia Maude Spelman • Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods that Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis • The Bad Mood and the Stick by Lemony Snickett • Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s Growing Up Is Hard by Dr. Laura Schlessinger • Everybody Gets the Blues by Leslie Staub • I Am a Rainbow by Dolly Parton Beth Mayes, OPL’s Children’s Librarian, wants to encourage parents to read aloud to their children. Contact Beth to enroll in a special program called 1000 Books Before Kindergarten! At each milestone, Beth and OPL want to celebrate with you and your child as you work together to provide him/her with a benefit that reaps lifelong results.

One thousand books may seem like a lot, but Beth is excited to help you each step of the way.

TEEN ADVISORY BOARD The Oxford Public Library would like to invite teenagers to make a difference in their community. OPL will launch a Teen Advisory Board (TAB) on January 8, 2019. Applications to participate on the board will be accepted from November 13-December 18, 2018. Visit oxfordpl.org/tab for more information and to print out an application.

Applicants should be 14-18 years old.

The TAB will evaluate existing library programming, advise for new library programming, help to execute any programs designed by the board, and recommend titles to be added to the library’s collection. The TAB will allow teenagers to address needs they see in our community and serve those needs. Teenagers will work in a team atmosphere that will encourage group work to accomplish a specific task. It’s an excellent way for teens to get involved in the brainstorming and planning processes for programs just for them.

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Please join us at 10am

Thursday, December 20th

for a special event featuring 2 great holiday stories and songs starring

Pete Cat the

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C I T Y O F OX F O R D P U B L I C L I B R A R Y

PETE THE CAT SAVES CHRISTMAS Pete is a groovy cat, and he loves Christmas and kiddos!

Pete will visit OPL to sing about how at Christmas time, we give it our all to help others. OPL will also read Pete’s brand new book about Christmas, Pete the Cat’s 12 Days of Christmas. Make fun crafts, sing aloud with Pete, enjoy a fun story, and have a great time at OPL! Join us on December 20th at 10:00.

ONLINE RESOURCES Did you know that there is a wealth of FREE online resources on OPL’s webpage? From free e-books for every age, free databases that provide accurate information to aid in smart decision-making (and to aid in exemplary essays/graded work for school), free access to reliable medical/health information, free in-library access to Ancestry.com, to free courses you can take online to learn new skills, and much more. Check out oxfordpl. org/online-resources to check out these marvelous resources. Here are some of our favorites that you should know about: • Chilton Library: For more than 100 years, Chilton has set the standard for automotive enthusiasts and professionals. This database offers manuals for most makes and models.

• Merck Manuals: The most powerful medicine in the world is knowledge, but the wrong information can be hazardous to your health. Cut through the clutter and start learning the right way here.

• Learning Express Library: Achieve your educational and career goals with educational resources--including more than 1,000 tutorials, practice exams, and eBooks--for basic skills mastery, academic success, job preparation, and career advancement.

• Knowledge City: Over 12,000 online courses are available that will help build core competencies, computer skills, and education. A certificate of completion will be awarded at the end of every course.

• Alabama Virtual Library: A collection of 56 databases with reliable, valid information from peer-reviewed and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, and other sources. Using a search engine online when searching for information (especially medical or legal information) can be wrong (whether inaccurate or misleading) or harmful. AVL allows you access to information that is accurate and reliable to help you make smart decisions.

ADULT ACTIVITIES Adults have fun at OPL too! Something interesting happens all the time at OPL. Each month, create or learn something new, play a few games, or discuss good books.

• Bunco: This fun dice game gets the whole group laughing! First Tuesday of each month at 10:00.

• Book Art: Make something beautiful out of old book pages! Second Tuesday of each month at 10:00.

• Card Sharks: Enjoy a fun card game! Third Tuesday of each month at 10:00.

• Dominoes: Have fun with this classic game! Fourth Tuesday of each month at 10:00.

• Free Friday Flicks: Join OPL on Fridays at 11:00 for a free movie to inspire your soul. Feel free to bring lunch or snacks.

• Computer Classes BEGINNER CLASSES: For beginner computer users, join us on Tuesdays at 10:00 to learn hands-on basic computer skills. Learn the basics from how to use a mouse, confusing terminology, to how to search the internet. These classes restart monthly and build on each other to learn skills. Please feel free to repeat a month’s lessons if needed.

ENHANCED CLASSES: For computer users with basic skills, enhance those skills by joining us at 2:00 on Tuesdays to learn about specific subjects. These classes stand alone, so you may choose any class that would benefit you.

• Book Club: OPL’s Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month at 3:30. Members of the club read an interesting book and share their thoughts.

Contact Barbara at OPL to get a copy of each month’s book. Then share how you felt about the book with the rest of the group. It’s fun and interesting!

• Handcraft Classes: Learn to create something beautiful.

CROCHET: Mondays at 9:30 QUILTING: Wednesdays at 10:00 KNITTING: Thursdays at 9:30 As always, I would like to invite you to take advantage of your library. The Oxford Public Library is here to serve the needs of our community. We offer many services, programs, and events to do just that. For more information, please visit the library or oxfordpl.org.

Happy Reading!

Amy E. Henderson

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

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UPDATE OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER To Our Valued Patrons: With our 2018-2019 season well underway, we are presenting more outstanding performances than ever. Since opening in 2013, OPAC has grown from presenting five season performances to over sixty in the current season. From Broadway staples like Chicago and Cinderella to legendary performers like the Beach Boys and Trace Adkins, this year is sure to provide something for everyone.

Back by popular demand, former Celtic Woman star, Chloë Agnew, returns to the OPAC stage for her third performance at the venue. A Celtic Christmas featuring Chloë Agnew and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra kicks off our Christmas season here at OPAC on December 14.

Lightwire Theatre will present A Very Electric Christmas on December 20 in a family-friendly show that will delight all ages.

A community favorite, we will be presenting our fifth annual Christmas Movie Festival which will include showings of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, A Christmas Story, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Each movie will play at 5:00 p.m. (captioned showing) and 7:00 p.m. Admission is free to all ages.

Work is in progress on phase two of our $2 million renovation project. The first phase of construction began in early July and was completed in time for our season-opening performance featuring Melissa Etheridge. In the theatre, we added 100 tiered-box seats, a new fly system, and a catwalk for lighting fixtures. Drawing inspiration from the movie palaces of the early 1900s, we have adopted a color palette of rich red and gold hues to create a look that reflects an era of magnificent theatres and architecture.

Our second phase will include a 5,000 square foot events space, additional restrooms, expanded concessions, a gift shop, and access to the historic jail beneath the lobby. We anticipate this new space will open in early 2019. This project is funded with an allocation from the Oxford City Council. Key individual donors and corporate sponsors provided additional financial support.

As the region’s largest presenter of performing and visual arts, we are excited to continue enhancing your patron experience. It is an honor to serve the Oxford community, and we hope to see you at OPAC this season!

For a complete list of our upcoming performances, please visit oxfordpac.org.

Thank you, John Longshore Oxford Performing Arts Center

OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER • 100 CHOCCOLOCCO STREET, OXFORD, AL 36203 256-241-3322 • OXFORDPAC.ORG 58

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OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SEASON EXTRAS 2018 — 2019 OXFORDPAC.ORG

JERSEY BOYS

DECEMBER 7 AND DECEMBER 8, 2018

JOHN ANDERSON FEBRUARY 1, 2019

DON MCLEAN FEBRUARY 2, 2019

SAMMY KERSHAW FEBRUARY 8, 2019

TICKETS ON SALE

NOW OXFORDPAC.ORG THE FAB FOUR FEBRUARY 22, 2019

LEE BRICE MARCH 17, 2019

256-241-3322

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

OXFORDPAC.ORG

2019

JANUARY 18 $45 | $55 | $65 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

AIR SUPPLY

2019

JANUARY 25 THE BEACH BOYS 60

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$65 | $75 | $85

PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

OXFORDPAC.ORG

2019

MARCH 24 $35 | $49 | $65 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM NOBLEBANK & TRUST

CHICAGO, THE MUSICAL 2019

JANUARY 13 $35 | $45 | $59 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM NOBLEBANK & TRUST

SOMETHING ROTTEN! OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

2018

DECEMBER 2 $29 | $45 | $55 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM WEBB CONCRETE & BUILDING MATERIALS

CHRISTMAS WITH HOME FREE

2019

JANUARY 11

$29 | $45 | $55 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM WEBB CONCRETE & BUILDING MATERIALS

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OXFORDPAC.ORG

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

$19 | $25 | $29 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM EDWARD JONES OF OXFORD ANNISTON

OXFORDPAC.ORG

2018

DECEMBER 15

50 YEARS OF ROCK & ROLL

2019 $19 | $25 | $29 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM EDWARD JONES OF OXFORD ANNISTON

FEBRUARY 9

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: Creedence Clearwater Revival –Chronicle, Vol. 1 OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

OXFORDPAC.ORG

2018

DECEMBER 20 Lightwire presents A VERY ELECTRIC CHRISTMAS $15 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM GREG & CHERYL POTTS

2019

JANUARY 24 ERTH’S PREHISTORIC AQUARIUM $15 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM GREG & CHERYL POTTS 64

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

OXFORDPAC.ORG

2018

DECEMBER 14 $25 | $35 | $45 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM THE BERNARDI FAMILY

A CELTIC CHRISTMAS with the Atlanta Pops and Chloe Agnew $25 | $35 | $45 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM THE BERNARDI FAMILY

2019

FEBRUARY 15

VALENTINE’S WITH THE ATLANTA POPS ORCHESTRA OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

256-241-3322

OXFORDPAC.ORG

2018

DECEMBER 16 $35 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHEAST ALABAMA

CHRISTMAS WITH THE WESTERLIES 2019

FEBRUARY 23 $35 PRESENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHEAST ALABAMA

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OXFORD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

100 Choccolocco St, Oxford 256-241-3322

Christmas Movies

Our annual festival will feature four evenings of Christmas movies with free admission.

In lieu of admission, guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items which will be provided directly to local organizations.

Friday, December 21, 2018 How the Grinch Stole Christmas 5:00pm (captioned) 7:00pm

Sunday, December 23, 2018 A Christmas Story 5:00pm (captioned) 7:00pm

Saturday, December 22, 2018 Elf 5:00pm (captioned) 7:00pm

Monday, December 24, 2018 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (adult language/themes) 5:00pm (captioned) 7:00pm

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THINK LIKE AN ARTIST ART PROJECT BLENDS LEARNING WITH CREATIVITY

Think back to your favorite teacher, someone who really made a difference in your life.

Did she give you all the answers? No! Did he make you look for the answers? Yes! These are the ways great teachers help students learn, cultivate their potential, and enable growth.

Anita Ambrister is glad to be able to inspire students in the same school system she grew up in. She teaches over 600 students per year at C. E. Hanna, and wants each student to learn art history, theory, and have a good understanding of the elements and principles of art. She says, “It is a joy to work with students challenging them to see the world in a new way, solve problems, and gain insights into cultures beyond their own.”

When Anita is working with students, she is always aware of the importance of the “why” and the “how.” Children are curious. Challenging students to think is what stimulates discovery, solutions, and growth. Art is always open to interpretation, but a foundation of skills, vocabulary, and an eye for details are what they learn for twelve weeks under her guidance.

FIFTH GRADERS RECENTLY COMPLETED A PROJECT ON LOCAL BIRDS. “This was an entirely student-led project,” Anita said. “They were given a list of birds seen at Choccolocco Park. They used their Macbooks and did their research online. They could choose any pose on that bird that they liked.”

Out of three sketches, she asked them to choose their best, and then they were to research and tell about that bird and its habitat.

Anita explained, “I walk them through step-by-step how to use contour lines and how to use wavy lines. I demonstrate how to use light lines to start analyzing the shapes, and then you turn it into a three-dimensional form using texture and value.”

As they manipulated colored pencils, their fine motor skills improved. They dabble in science and history as they research the park and the birds. Creativity, self-expression, art techniques, and spatial reasoning were all key elements in the final illustration.

To complete the project, they uploaded their artwork to the website artsonia and typed in their artist’s statement. To see all the illustrations, go to www.artsonia.com and search for C. E. Hanna School.

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The Northern Cardinal created by Rachel17254 in Grade 5 at C.E. Hanna School from school project “Birds of Choccolocco Park�

Artist Statement: The Northern Cardinal lives in the trees at Choccolocco Park. The bird eats worms and insects. The eggs colors are pale , white , and green.

The nest is made out of grass, tree bark strips, thin twigs, and lined with grasses and plant fibers.

I used the flat technique to color the back ground and the tip to out line the bird lightly.

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Top row: Blue Jay by Angelis34 Chickadee by Eric13146 Killdeer by Tia1350 Summer Tanager by Susannah189

Middle row: American Robin by Sidney2229 Blue Jay by Degan42 Horned Owl by Malaki348

American Goldfinch created by Charlie7109 in Grade 5 at C.E. Hanna School from school project “Birds of Choccolocco Park�

Artist Statement: American Goldfinches are also known as the Eastern Goldfinch or the Wild Canary, and are a member of the finch family.

American Goldfinches prefer open habitats with shrubs and scattered trees. They are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world, feeding on a diet consisting almost exclusively of seeds. American Goldfinches will tightly weave their nests together from weeds, vines, and filaments in order to be waterproof.

I learned how to color with colored pencils and make it look nice by using the side of the pencil. My art teacher taught me that the bird is born in a egg and grows in a egg shape and live in a egg shape. She also taught me that when you draw, you draw things the way they grow. You can also use white to make it look like a painting.

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Bottom row: Palm Warbler by Chole181 Barn Swallow by Kaylee11338 Prairie Warbler by Soraya256

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CHRISTMAS LIGHTS CONTEST

OXFORD ARTS COUNCIL 2018 CHRISTMAS DECORATING CONTEST

The annual City of Oxford Christmas Decorating Contest has been sponsored by the Oxford Arts Council for many years.

The 2018 contest began on November 25 and will end on December 15.

The Awards Presentation for the announcement of the winners will be at the Oxford Performing Arts Center during the OPAC Christmas Movie on Saturday, December 22, at 7:00 p.m. A reception for the winners will be on the second floor of OPAC at 6:00 p.m. before the movie.

Nominations are encouraged and will be accepted

at OPAC at 100 Choccolocco Street in Oxford or oxfordpac.org/christmascontest.

The Categories are: Business Lighting Award Main Street Most Beautiful Most Christmas Spirit Most Creative Most Traditional

Reason for the Season

This special season is a wonderful time to enjoy Oxford’s beautifully decorated homes and businesses.

Merry Christmas to all from the Oxford Arts Council

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Christmas THE ANNUAL

LIGHTS CONTEST

SPONSORED BY THE OXFORD ARTS COUNCIL

2017 AWARDS

BEST LIGHTING Trent and Courtney Arnold 84 Suzenell Lane

BUSINESS Farmers and Merchants Bank 35 Ali Way

LIFETIME HONOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Larry and Liza Grizzard 487 Marsh Lane 74

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MOST TRADITIONAL Jimmy and Machelle Goss 1514 Circle Drive

MOST BEAUTIFUL Mike and Tonya Sargent 175 Willow Cove Road

REASON FOR THE SEASON Clay and Janet Goff 32 Mallard Circle

MAIN STREET Stinson Howard Fine Jewelry 501 Main Street

MOST CHRISTMAS SPIRIT William and Janice Pugh 2417 Friendship Road

MOST CREATIVE Elyse, Josh, and Tyler Traywick 1111 Turner Road OXFORD ACCESS MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018

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UPDATE CIDER RIDGE Greetings from Cider Ridge Golf Club, We hope everyone is excited about a festive and fun-filled holiday season. Things are pretty quiet around the golf course during this time of year, but our staff is currently hard at work in the meantime to make improvements and have Cider Ridge ready for a fantastic 2019. During the winter months, feel free to keep up with all of our projects through our Facebook page for the latest updates on all the happenings at the club.

This Christmas season, don’t forget to check out all of the merchandise for the golfers in your life that is available at Cider Ridge. We’ll have a great selection of clothing, accessories, clubs, balls, and more from the best brands in the golf business, and if we don’t have it in stock, we can always place an order to have it in time for the holidays. If you’re not sure what to purchase, gift cards are available and are always a great option! If you’re not able to make it to the golf club, you can buy your gift cards directly from our website at www.ciderridgegolf.com.

Before you put your clubs in the closet for the winter, keep in mind that now is the perfect time to keep working on your golf game! Even when it’s cold outside, keeping your game in shape by rolling putts around the house, or sneaking out to hit a bucket of range balls when the weather is nice will pay huge dividends once springtime rolls around. Keeping your game in shape cuts down on the work that it will take to “knock the rust off” once the temperatures get back up.

Always remember that if you have any questions or need a little assistance with your swing, the staff at Cider Ridge will be happy to help.

Also, if you are looking for a place to host your personal or business holiday parties, Cider Ridge is an excellent venue for this. Our dining room and fireplace rooms make perfect settings for small, intimate gatherings, or larger festive groups. Cider Ridge has a space that can do it all.

Even as winter approaches, everyone at Cider Ridge is excited to get started on a great year in 2019. We’ve got lots of great events on the calendar already, including being chosen as the host site for the Alabama Golf Association’s 29th Annual Women’s Stroke Play and the 46th Annual Women’s Senior Amateur Championships. If you are interested in hosting an event in the upcoming year, we would love to help set that up. Golf tournaments or buddy trips can be great ways to compete, raise charitable funds, or be an excuse to get out and have a great time with friends! Whatever your reason for golfing, we want to make sure we do everything to exceed your expectations.

Finally, on behalf of all the staff for Cider Ridge, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Lee Shurden, PGA Director of Golf/Club Manager

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 | WINTER 2018

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Calendar BYNUM COMMUNITY CENTER RED HOT DANCE FITNESS: BYNUM COMMUNITY CENTER Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 5:30pm – 6:30pm $3 per class or $25 for ten classes Stacy Lloyd, Instructor FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY CENTER YOGA Monday and Thursday 6 - 7:00pm YOSHUKAI KARATE Monday and Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00pm SENIOR VOLLEYBALL Tuesday and Thursday 9 - 11:00am BLUEGRASS Tuesday 3:30 - 7:30pm MAIN STREET OXFORD CHRISTMAS PARADE December 6, 2018 at 6:00pm CANNED FOOD DRIVE Businesses located in our downtown participate in a Canned Food Drive. The items collected are donated to local food banks and charities that give back to our community. For a full listing of participating businesses, please email hgentry@mainstreetoxford.org or call 256-241-6667.

OXFORD CIVIC CENTER CHRISTMAS SENIOR DANCE OXFORD CIVIC CENTER December 14, 2018 7:00pm to 10:00pm Ryan Robertson Band - Entertainment $5 admission includes live music and meal More info call: 256-831-2660 SENIOR DANCES 7:00pm – 10:00pm Admission $5- includes meal and entertainment.

More info call: 256-831-2660 2019 SCHEDULE: January 18 – SunDance Band February 22 – Duo Sonix March 8 – Ryan Robertson April 5 – SunDance Band

C I T Y

O F

O X F O R D

OXFORD CIVIC CENTER VALENTINE SENIOR ADULT DAY OXFORD CIVIC CENTER February 11, 2019 8:00am - registration begins Ryan Robertson Band - Entertainment Free event - Live music, meal, and door prizes More info call: 256-831-2660

OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY Weekly Events for Adults: Crochet: Mondays – 9:30am Beginner Computer Classes: Tuesdays – 10:00am Enhanced Computer Classes: Tuesdays – 2:00pm Quilting: Wednesdays – 10:00am Knitting: Thursdays – 9:30am Free Friday Flicks: Fridays – 11:00am Monthly Events for Adults: Book Club: 3rd Monday of each month – 3:30pm Bunco: 1st Tuesday of each month – 10:00am Book Art : 2nd Tuesday of each month – 10:00am Card Sharks: 3rd Tuesday of each month – 10:00am Dominoes: 4th Tuesday of each month – 10:00am BYOD Bynum: Last Wednesday of each month – 11:00am

at Bynum Community Center Events On Demand Ancestry BYOD: Bring Your Own Device Weekly Events for Children: Building Blocks with a Purpose: Mondays – 3:30pm Story Time: Thursdays – 10:00am Monthly Events for Children: Elementary Age Story Time: 1st Saturday of each month

– 10:00am Weird Science: 2nd week of each month

Friday and Saturday – 11:00am Unplugged: 3rd Saturday of each month – 10:00am Sensory Activity Time: 4th Saturday each month – 10:00am Common Core Support Group: January 31 – 3:30-4:30pm Christmas Break Events for Children: Pete the Cat Saves Christmas: December 20 – 10:00am Craft Day: December 21 – 9:00am - 4:00pm Science Project: January 4 – 11:00am Elementary Age StoryTime: January 5 – 11:00am

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Valentine SENIOR ADULT DAY PRESENTED BY

OXFORD CIVIC CENTER FEBRUARY 11, 2019 8:00am - Registration begins

Ryan Robertson Band - Entertainment

FREE EVENT

Live music, sack lunch, crowning of a King & Queen, and door prizes. Come celebrate Valentine’s Day with us.

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CHOCCOLOCCO PARK SPORTS COMPLEX

954 LEON SMITH PARKWAY, OXFORD, AL 36203

(256) 342-0174

A GRAND SLAM

15 MARCH 3 MAY 2019

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SPRING BREAK TOURNAMENT

2019

GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

8 MAY 2019

OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

9 MAY 2019

AHSAA EAST CENTRAL REGIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

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WELCOME TO OXFORD

RAINDROP CAR WASH 41 Larry Gardner Drive, Oxford, AL 36203 (205) 814-1000 Life is too short to wash your own car!

Ask about our unlimited monthly plans.

Triple Foam Wheel Cleaner Dry & Shine Wax Tunnel Clean Car Guarantee

WELCOME TO OXFORD

FARMERS HOME FURNITURE 1881 US Hwy 78, Oxford, AL 36203 256-831-4266 One of the fastest growing furniture retailers.

Living room, bedroom, dining room, kitchen, and everything else home.

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WELCOME TO OXFORD

ULTA

50 Commons Way, Suite A, Oxford, AL 36203 256-371-6586 Makeup Tools & Brushes Fragrances Bath & Body Skin Care Hair, Skin, Make-up and Brows Salon

WELCOME TO OXFORD

DAZZLE TIME SPA FOR GIRLS

5065 US Hwy 78 W, Suite B, Oxford, AL 36203 256-453-4569 From painting your nails to birthday parties and more!

Bring your divas and the best modeling attitude you can have. You are the superstar of the runway!

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WELCOME TO OXFORD

CHEAHA ANTIQUES 1605 Hillyer Robinson Industrial Pkwy, Oxford, AL 36203 256-403-0632 Cheaha Antiques is a large, multi-dealer antique mall with an enormous selection of antique and collectible merchandise.

WELCOME TO OXFORD

ATI PHYSICAL THERAPY 50 Commons Way Ste D, Oxford, AL 36203

(256) 624-9722 Physical Therapy Sports Therapy Workers’ Compensation Rehabilitation Physical Therapy services include manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, therapeutic modalities, cardiovascular conditioning, and strength training.

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UPDATE OXFORD BUSINESS LEAGUE In March 2018, the City of Oxford launched its newest program, the Oxford Business League. The Oxford Business League’s mission and purpose are to promote the growth, property, and partnership among all businesses within Oxford. The Oxford Business League’s responsibilities include hosting dynamic and professional development workshops annually, communicating between the City of Oxford businesses, recruiting new businesses, assisting with openings, ribbon cuttings, and groundbreakings, promoting available properties for business expansion, coordinating with the City of Oxford Marketing Department, and catalyzing future partnerships among independent and franchise businesses.

WORKSHOPS Topic: When: Where: Time:

IMPROVING YOUR BRAND & WEBSITE Friday, December 7, 2018 Oxford Civic Center 8 AM – 10 AM

Topic: When: Where: Time:

ENHANCING SAFETY IN YOUR BUSINESS Friday, February 8, 2018 Oxford Civic Center 8 AM – 10 AM

Topic: When: Where: Time:

CUSTOMER SERVICE DEVELOPMENT Friday, April 5, 2019 Oxford Civic Center 8 AM – 10 AM & 1 PM – 2:30 PM

Topic: When: Where: Time:

BUSINESS FUNDING SOURCES Friday, June 7, 2019 Oxford Civic Center 8 AM – 10 AM

Topic: When: Where: Time:

BUSINESS BUDGET PLANNING Friday, August 9, 2019 Oxford Civic Center 8 AM – 10 AM

OUR NUMBERS 21,286 13,021 978 $53,117

Population Jobs Businesses Median Household Expenditure

Data collected from Auburn University Government & Economic Institute as of May 2018.

Since January 2018, the City of Oxford has welcomed 30 new businesses!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT HUNTER GENTRY - HGENTRY@MAINSTREETOXFORD.ORG OR 256-241-6667 OxfordBusinessLeague | OXFORD BUSINESS LEAGUE, P.O. BOX 3383, OXFORD, AL 36203

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WHY I TEACH

Oxford City School System Teacher Spotlight — Lorrie Owens

THE CITY OF OXFORD IS PROUD TO HAVE SOME OF THE BEST EDUCATORS AND HIGHEST RATED SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE. RECENTLY, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW LORRIE OWENS, WHO WAS AWARDED AND RECOGNIZED BY THE OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION AS “EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH” IN SEPTEMBER 2018.

Owens grew up in the Choccolocco area of Anniston. She attended DeArmanville Jr. High School through 9th grade. At the time, it was a K-9 school and part of the Calhoun County school system. In grades 10-12, she attended Oxford High School. Owens has been married to her husband, Clay, for almost six years. Clay owns a fence business, Southern Heritage Fence.

Together, they have a miniature Schnauzer named Gracie. Lorrie’s stepdaughter, Mollie, just received her LPN certificate from Gadsden State and is currently pursuing her RN degree as well as working at a local healthcare clinic. Owens attended Jacksonville State University where she received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Elementary Education, grades K-6, and currently works as a 6th grade ELA teacher at C.E. Hanna. She teaches three classes of ELA, one reading enrichment class, and one math enrichment class. She has also served on numerous committees and teams such as CIP, CHAMPS, and Student Council over the years. Past responsibilities have included 6th-grade lead teacher and ELA department chairperson.

We invite you to join us in congratulating Mrs. Owens with the Employee of the Month recognition and hope you enjoy getting to know her better in the Q&A that follows:

How long have you been part of the Oxford City School System?

I am blessed to say I am currently in my 22nd year with Oxford City Schools.

What grades do you teach, and have you taught other grades?

I currently teach 6th grade but was hired my first year as a 7th-grade math teacher.

What made you want to become a teacher?

I wanted to become a teacher because of some of the great role models I had growing up. I remember being read to as a child, listening intently to the enthusiasm of my teachers as they introduced something new, and always feeling that I had a “village” of people supporting and encouraging me through the years. Some of the most warm-hearted, selfless individuals I have ever known are/were teachers. There is no other profession like it.

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Partnering with Oxford City Schools and our community to enhance learning experiences.

Please Join Us At Our Annual Events For more information visit www.oxfordedufoundation.org

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Breakfast With Santa December 1, 2018

Dancing Through The Decades February 5 & 7, 2019

Edible Evening for Education March 14, 2019

Oxford High School Cafeteria

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Oxford High School Arena

oxfordalabama.org

Teacher Spotlight — Lorrie Owens

What is the most satisfying thing about teaching?

In my opinion, the most satisfying thing about teaching is having the opportunity every single day to make a difference in someone’s life. With teaching comes a lot of responsibility, not just academic responsibility, but knowing that you are a source of inspiration to others, a voice of encouragement, and often times the reason a student looks forward to another day. That’s pretty powerful stuff!

What do you look forward to most at the beginning of each year?

What I look forward to most at the beginning of each year is getting to know a new group of students…truly learning about THEM as individuals. What most students don’t realize is that they bring with them new ideas, new challenges, and cultures that I constantly learn from on an everyday basis. Getting to know them and their families truly makes me a better person.

What’s the most challenging part of being a teacher?

The most challenging part of being a teacher is the feelings of inadequacy that come when my students aren’t as successful as I hoped they would be at something. The blame that I place on myself can sometimes be overwhelming. Challenging myself to be better today than yesterday is my ongoing motto and literally my prayer every single day.

How do you want former students to remember you?

I want former students to remember me as someone who cared about their overall well-being.

I want to be remembered as a role model who tried to make them productive citizens and problem solvers. I also want to be remembered as someone they could trust and come to no matter how big or small their problem(s).

What methods do you use in your classroom to bring out the best in students?

To bring out the best in students, I make sure they know the rules as well as consequences for their actions. We also have conducted lessons on kindness and how important it is in knowing that when given a choice, they should always choose kindness. We also have a variety of reward systems in place.

What are your thoughts on receiving the teacher of the month award?

I am completely blown away by receiving the honor of teacher of the month. It is such an honor. I try to give my best every single day. Loving and educating these kids is my mission, so to be rewarded and recognized for it warms my heart so much.

When you see former students who are now older, what’s one thing they typically say they remember about your classroom?

They generally comment on remembering getting to work together or they specifically mention an activity we did that they loved. I have several former students who still mention and have kept the autobiographical “Me Quilts” that we used to do in sixth grade.

Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do when not teaching?

My hobbies include working out with my husband, traveling (love to cruise), going to concerts and movies Do you have anything else you would like to add?

I would like to add that being a teacher is part of who I am. It is my identity. It is not only my passion but my purpose. I can’t imagine having spent the last 22 years doing anything else.

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS

UPDATE OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS It is hard to believe that November is already here and that we are approaching the midpoint of the 2018-2019 school year. It certainly brings to mind the old adage “time flies when you are having fun” and I certainly believe that school and learning should be, and are fun in our district. Every day that I am able to visit our schools I have the pleasure of seeing our students engaged in meaningful and enjoyable work with their peers and teachers. From our Pre-K classrooms to our senior high students at OHS our children enjoy quality instruction and extra-curricular activities that accentuate and compliment the learning process.

Our top-notch schools and school district would not be possible without the efforts of all our employees who work hard every day for our students. Their dedication and commitment to providing the best possible environment for all children is second to none. Our district also benefits from a school board that is totally focused on making each child the heart of the system’s efforts and a city government that has education as a priority. Finally, our relationships and collaboration with the parents, guardians and concerned community members who represent and care for the children of the Oxford Schools, is a dynamic and powerful driver of our success. Taken together, we are a team of champions for the city’s most valuable resource, our children.

Dr. Jeff Goodwin

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“HONORING CHAMPIONS AND A LEGEND” On Friday, November 2, 2018, Oxford High School recognized the 1988 and 1993 State Championship teams during senior night activities. The 1988 team was the very first team of any sport to win a state championship and with a “Perfect Season” (14 wins, 0 losses). This achievement was momentous for the Yellow Jackets, Oxford High School and the City of Oxford.

The team was led by Coach Robert Herring, Tim Britt, Clint McCall, Wayne Livingston and position coaches Morgan Scribner, Larry Davidson, B-Team coach Corky Graham, trainer David Weeks, and volunteer coaches Andy McCall and Chris Young.

The 1993 team was also a “Perfect Season” team. It was the third state title for the Yellow Jacket Football team under the leadership of Robert Herring. Assistant coaches for the ’93 State Championship included Britt, McCall, Davidson, Livingston, as well as Jeff Goodwin, Don Birchfield, Greg Hydrick, Wayne Caldwell, and trainer Weeks. Rounding out the ’93 staff were volunteer coaches Todd Chandler, Joey Gallahar, Will Hill, and Jeremy Sewell.

The 1988 season was the fourth year under the leadership of Coach Herring and his staff. Coach Herring came to Oxford in 1985 from Oneonta, where he spent one season. Prior to coaching at Oneonta, he had been head coach at Winston Academy in

Louisville, Mississippi, leading them to two state championships in 1975 (perfect season) and 1983. Herring and victory were synonymous, as the population of Oxford learned through his fourteen-year tenure with OHS. Coach Herring retired in 1999 and moved to Newnan, Georgia to continue his career as a successful head football coach. He made it to the state semi-finals twice during his ten-year tenure there, coaching and mentoring student athletes along the way.

The motto “Jackets Are Great in ‘88” signified that this team was not only CHAMPIONS, but they were guaranteed to go down in OHS and the City of Oxford history as the first ever State championship team. The fans were also unforgettable as they followed the team during this awe-inspiring season. They were known as the “12th man” as they cheered loudly and proudly, showing people all over the state the support that the Oxford community had for its team. Each week, fans arrived at the stadium hours early to ensure they had a great view of the field. The cheerleaders, guided by Phyllis Embry, led the crowd in chants and cheers. The term “Black Death” became the intimidating name of the Jacket Defense throughout the state. A member of the 1988 and 1989 State Champion teams, Todd Chandler, remembered Coach Herring telling them over and over, “Always have class, pride and dedication. Class in how you act; pride in a job well done, and dedication to the task at hand.”

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After the 1988 championship, Coach Herring was quoted as saying, “This is a great win for everyone who has ever played, gone to school, or coached at Oxford. This is a great feeling for the players and us. This is for our seniors, the people of Oxford, and the people of Calhoun County.”

In 1993, Oxford built a new press box which was dedicated to and named for Lane Thweatt, Jr., a legendary figure in the City of Oxford. A former student, he had been a constant at practice and games for decades. He was known as Oxford’s greatest fan and was with the team wherever they went.

The 1993 season was another one to remember. Coach Herring’s inspirational sayings were ingrained in the teams each year, and this team felt those quotes brought them together even more and created a love for one another and the team as a whole. One of their favorite Coach Herring maxims was “It’s not as long as it was yesterday.” He had a way of keeping the team laughing and kept them together. One quote every team he has ever coached will remember is “Go ahead! Go Ahead!” Coach Herring was a very strict "do it by the book and do what is right all the time" kind-of coach, but he also had a humor that would come out when it was least expected. Most of the team grew up under Coach Herring’s leadership at Oxford and knew the dedication, discipline, perseverance, and hard work he would expect from them. The 1993 team had more All-State Players than any team before with three chosen to play in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star game.

Because of this, Coach Herring was selected as one of the coaches that year for the All-Star Game and was the Alabama Sports Writers’ Association 5A Coach of the Year. Additionally, USA Today ranked the team in the top 25 in the nation.

Coach Herring was also the Athletic Director during his tenure at OHS. In 1996, he was one of six national athletic directors to receive the prestigious Citation of Excellence from the National Federation of State High School Associations. His coaching peers named him Coach of the Year in Calhoun County in 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, and 1998. He was inducted into the Alabama High School

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Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame in 2001 and into the Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. Coach Herring was selected as the Georgia Region 4-AAAAA Coach of the Year in 2006. He retired from Newnan in 2008 after 45 years of coaching. The Atlanta Falcons recognized him then as Coach of the Year with an award.

In 2013, the ALFCA bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award upon him stating, “In 45 years of coaching he won 302 games, but his victories will never tell the whole story. No one ever loved coaching and talking high school football more than Robert Herring. His lifetime of work over these 45 years and three states exuded professionalism and class at every stop.” Herring ended his successful career with 302 wins, 5 State Championships, numerous trips to the playoffs, including quarter-final and semi-final rounds. However, no award ever meant more to him than the respect and love shown to him by his players, coaches, and students. The best award was evident in the tools he gave young men to become responsible, contributing members of society.

INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST & PARTNERS Oxford City Schools spotlights an outstanding team of professionals. Dr. Kim Vivanco, Instructional Specialist and four instructional partners, Dottye Armstrong, Leigh Ann McCullough, Lisa Schwyn and Kelley Whaley work collaboratively as a team and strive to provide support to all of our students and staff. This group of individuals is responsible for providing supports with Curriculum and Instruction. Each of these individuals delivered high quality educational services and demonstrated excellence in their role as classroom teachers. They bring various special expertise to the group from their role as master teachers. These professional ladies emerged from their classroom teacher roles into instructional partners because of their willingness and abilities to offer support and help to others. Their kind spirit and enthusiasm was demonstrated consistently. This group of ladies is dedicated to provide professional development and support daily to classroom teachers so that the highest quality education may be provided for our young students. Each one of the team member’s expertise ranges from reading to math and other specialty areas.

Oxford City Schools is very fortunate to have them providing educational services throughout the district.

Left to right: Dottye Armstrong, Kelley Whaley, Leigh Ann McCullough, Kim Vivanco, Lisa Schwyn

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OXFORD CITY SCHOOLS DOTTYE ARMSTRONG Dottye’s career in education began 24 years ago as a 7th-grade social studies teacher in Talladega, Alabama. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary Education. In 1997, she received her Masters of Science Degree in Secondary Education, Social Science. Dottye is married to Jim Armstrong, and they have three children: Alex, Olivia, and Lola. Jim has a daughter, Marlye, who lives in Auburn, Alabama and works for Auburn University.

Dottye taught for 18 years in Talladega City Schools where she had countless opportunities to develop her craft and improve her skill set. She left her community of students, family, and coworkers to move 20 miles northeast to Oxford City Schools.

As she began the second phase of her career at Oxford, she taught 8th-grade world history. For the past five years, Dottye has served the Oxford City Schools system as an Instructional Partner. She is also Oxford Middle School’s Dynamic Learning Project Coaching Fellow.

Dottye values contributing to an environment in which students are encouraged and empowered to grow and develop to reach their highest level of success. Go Big O!

LEIGH ANN MCCULLOUGH Leigh Ann has been an educator for 26 years. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Jacksonville State University in Early Childhood/Elementary Education. She has been married to her husband, Keith McCullough, for 22 years. They have two children, Brennan, a 2018 graduate of Oxford High School, and Emma, who is currently a sophomore at OHS. Leigh Ann taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades in other school districts before her family moved back to this area and settled in Oxford. She taught many precious students as a 1st-grade teacher and reading/math interventionist at Oxford Elementary School before taking her current position as an Instructional Partner. While teaching in Oxford, she has had the opportunity to be certified as an Alabama Reading Initiative Coach Trainer as well as a Certified Academic Language Teacher trained in Multisensory Language Education as well as being trained as a trainer for several reading interventions.

As the daughter of an educator who instilled in her a love for children and learning, she felt God’s call to education at a young age. She has a passion for seeing that children are given the best opportunities and believe that all children can be

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successful. Her love for children is fueled by her calling and is driven by Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

LISA SCHWYN Lisa has been in education for 21 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education with a minor in reading from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Also, she earned a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Wright State University. She has been married for 29 years to her husband, Bob, and has a wonderful family with three grown children, Allison, Kyle, Jacob, a son-in-law, Ryan, and an adorable grandson, James. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and loves sports (Boiler Up and War Eagle).

Lisa's early experience in education started with teaching 2nd and 3rd grades when she lived in Ohio. After moving to Alabama, she joined the Oxford City School system. She began her career here teaching 4th and 5th grades with a focus in math and science for the first 11 years. Next, she became an Instructional Partner and have been in this role for the last seven years. Throughout her career, Lisa has received certifications in AMSTI, Alabama Reading Initiative, Mathematical Design Collaborative, Level 1 Google Educator, and Project Wild and Aquatics.

She enjoys what she does and firmly believes this is a wonderful profession. To have even a small impact on helping students’ and teachers’ smile, learn, and grow each day is very rewarding to Lisa.

KIM VIVANCO Kimberly Vivanco is Instructional Supervisor/Federal Programs Coordinator for Oxford City Schools.

Dr. Vivanco has dedicated over 25 years in K-12 education and served as an elementary teacher, reading coach, literacy specialist, mentor liaison, and system testing coordinator. She currently supervises elementary instructional partners and closely supports schools as they implement Response To Instruction.

A critical part of this responsibility to train and consult with problem solving teams at each of Oxford’s schools as they strive to provide students with needed supports in academics and behavior. Dr. Vivanco is responsible for overseeing Title I, Title II, Title III, and Title IV programs. Before employment with Oxford City Schools, Dr. Vivanco worked as a reading consultant with Voyager Expanded Learning. Her former work in

foundational reading development has proven to be a critical asset to the students in Oxford.

She is married to J.C. Vivanco and has a beautiful daughter Mia Vivanco who attends C.E. Hanna in 6th grade.

KELLY WHALEY Kelly Whaley has been in education for 24 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Auburn University, a Master’s Degree from Troy State University, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Teacher Leadership from Jacksonville State University. Kelly has been married to her husband Jimmy Whaley for 24 years. They have three children: Morgan, a 2015 graduate from Oxford High School and a senior at Auburn University; Joshua, a sophomore at Oxford High School; and Addyson, a first grader at Oxford Elementary School.

Kelly’s career in education began in Alexander City, Alabama where she taught Pre-K, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade. In 2003, Kelly and her family relocated to Oxford where she was fortunate to continue her career in education. For the past seven years, Kelly has been an Instructional Partner for the Oxford City School System; before that she was a classroom teacher, ARI reading coach, and interventionist. Throughout her career, she has received certifications from WIDA, ARI, and Multisensory Language Education.

Kelly cares deeply about helping teachers and students. She feels incredibly blessed to work with so many dedicated and caring educators in the Oxford City School System. She is thankful for the opportunities God has given her to grow and learn as an educator, Christian, mother, and friend. Her passion for loving others and wanting students to succeed motivates her to be a lifelong learner.

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Formed as a territory on March 3, 1817, ALABAMA became the nation’s twenty-second state on December 14, 1819.

This milestone lets us commemorate the people, places, and events that form our rich history. Its a moment to celebrate the people who made our state and to nurture the generations who will carry us forward.

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