U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and his Republican challenger Tommy Tuberville have clung to their respective party's position in regards to filling an open vacancy on the Supreme Court

Submit your local upcoming events to zach@southerntorch.com to be featured in the print edition of The Southern Torch!

September 26, 3rd Annual Cruisin' for Kids

Poker Run - The DeKalb County Children's Advocacy Center's third annual "Cruisin' for Kids" Poker Run will be held on Saturday, September 26 in association with American Cruisers MC Chapter 49. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with kickstands up at 11 a.m. at a cost of $20 per rider and $10 per passenger. Door prizes will be given out and all proceeds will be benefit the DeKalb County Children's Advocacy Center, located at 104 Alabama Ave. NW, Fort Payne, Ala. 35967.

September 28, DeKalb Co. Republican

Women's Meeting - The DeKalb County Republican Women will hold their monthly meeting on Monday, September 28 at 6 p.m. at the Republican HQ in Fort Payne, next to Dixie Salvage. Former state legislator Dawn Pettingill will be the guest speaker. Free Tommy Tuberville and Trump signs and bumper stickers will be available. For more information, please visit the DeKalb County Republican Women's page on Facebook.

October 1, DeKalb CAC Golf Tournament -

The DeKalb County Children's Advocacy Center's 15th Annual "Fore the Kids" Golf Tournament will be held on Thursday, October 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Terrapin Hills Golf & Country Club in Fort Payne. For more information, please visit dekalbcac.com.

October 2, DERA

Meeting - The DeKalb Education Retirees Association (DERA) will host an open air/ drive-thru meeting on Friday, October 2 at 10 a.m. at the Field of Dreams pavilion in Rainsville. Free flu shots will be available with an insurance card. Attendees must adhere to social distancing and face mask guidelines. All retired education employees from the Fort Payne City, DeKalb County, and Northeast Alabama Community College systems are welcome!

October 3-5, Scottsboro First Monday

- Head to the Scottsboro square for the monthly First Monday Trade Day beginning on Saturday, October 3 and running through Monday, October 5! Join for local craftsmen, food vendors, and anyone who wants to come sell or trade their items. For more information, please visit www.cityofscottsboro. com.

October 10-11,

Christmas at Eddie's - The annual Christmas at Eddie's is set for Saturday, October 10 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, October 11 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.! There will be over 150 Christmas trees, each sporting a different theme, ornaments ranging from western to whimsical, cartoons to retro, Victorian to collegiate, and festively decorated rooms to provide endless inspiration for the holiday season!

FISH DAY! IT’S TIME TO STOCK YOUR POND!

Delivery Will Be: Wednesday, October 7 Albertville 7:30-8:15 @ Albertville Farmers Co-op Boaz 8:30-9:15 @ Farmtown Crossville 9:45-10:30 @ DeKalb Farmers Co-op Collinsville 11:00-11:30 @ Tyler Farms Centre 12:00-12:30 @ Cherokee Farmers Co-op Gadsden 1:15-2:00 @ 411 Feed & Seed Garden Center

To Place an Order, call: FISHWAGON 1 (800) 643-8439 • www.fishwagon.com

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October 17-18,

Mentone Colorfest - Come and enjoy the fall season at Mentone Colorfest on Saturday, October 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, October 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.! Since 1983, visitors have enjoyed this free, open event by taking in the breathtaking fall colors! Join them for arts, crafts, food, live entertainment, and more! Located at scenic Mentone Brow Park & downtown.

Dozer Work • Pond Construction • Chert, Gravel, Topsoil, Etc.! • We accept partial trade on Cattle!

FP Chamber Cancels Halloween Block Party

By Zach Hester Reporter zach@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — The Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce has announced the cancellation of this year's Halloween Block Party. "This was a tough decision, but we know our sweet community will understand," the Chamber said via a statement on Facebook. "Next year will hopefully be the best yet!" "While we hear our community and understand the Halloween Block Party is a great event for our community, and is loved by many, Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce had to make a tough decision to cancel the Halloween Block Party this year," said Jennifer McCurdy, Executive Director of the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce. "Our local business community provides candy at no charge to the community, and several businesses were unable to participate this year, due to company policy regarding COVID. Additionally, we felt pulling together such a crowd was not safe nor recommended by the CDC."

The cancellation comes as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new guidelines regarding typical Halloween festivities like trick-or-treating and crowded costume parties. "Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses," the CDC via their website. "There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween."

The CDC puts its Halloween guidelines into three separate categories: low, moderate, and high risk. • High Risk: door-to-door trick-or-treating and events like trunk-rtreats where children get candy in a large group of people, indoor haunted houses, hayrides with people who aren't in

your household • Moderate Risk: trick-or-treating via picking up bagged candy at the end of driveways or yards while preserving social distancing measures, small outdoor costume parades or parties with masks and social distancing, haunted forests, apple or pumpkin picking, outdoor movie nights • Low Risk: carving pumpkins in your households or outdoors with friends, Halloween scavenger hunts

The CDC stated a costume mask is not a substitute for a traditional face mask, but advised that citizens should not double up and impede their ability to breathe.

DON'T MISS OUT! we are going live at the dekalb county vfw fair on 98-3 wild country with joe from 4-6 on wednesday, september 30!

COURT

FROM PAGE 1

“The next Supreme Court justice could open the door to finally overturning Roe v. Wade, protecting our gun rights, and firmly securing the religious freedoms guaranteed to us by the First Amendment,” said Tuberville in a statement. “They will determine if the court follows the Constitution as written or invents new law from the bench for generations to come.”

The controversy surrounding the vacancy comes from a precedent set in 2016 by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who refused to hold confirmation hearings in 2016 for Merrick Garland, who was nominated by Trump’s predecessor President Barack Obama, months before a national election.

“If there is an urgency for a Supreme Court nomination, doggone it there ought to be an urgency for relief for businesses and the American people,” said Jones in reference to the lack of movement on a second coronavirus relief bill.

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) also agrees that Trump should replace Ginsburg before the election.

“The circumstances that face the country and the current U.S. Senate are vastly different than those in 2016,” said Shelby. “The Senate has not filled a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year when there was a divided government in nearly 130 years. If Democrats had the same opportunity as we do today, they would move forward just like the current Senate majority plans to do in the days ahead.”

Ginsburg passed away last week at the age of 87 due to complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was first nominated to the Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993.

Trump has stated his nominee "will be a woman” with candidates like Amy Coney Barrett, Barbara Lagoa, Allison Jones Rushing, and Joan Larsen appearing as frontrunners. U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton are also reportedly under consideration. President Trump said on Monday that his SCOTUS pick was likely to come later this week.

SOUTHERN TORCH • 98-3 WILD COUNTRY • 101-7 THE TORCH

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