CULLMAN - The Cullman County Animal Shelter’s Donna Ruttkay introduces us to Bingo, The Cullman Tribune’s Pet of the Week.

Bingo is an unusual plott hound mix; the breed has German ancestry and is the North Carolina state dog.  Bingo is approximately 1 year old, athletic, muscular and agile. He’s a medium- to high-energy pet who loves to run around the yard, with a cheerful, bubbly personality. This dog needs a job and might make a good therapy/service/agility/hiking companion.

Bingo’s adoption fee is $90, which includes: DHLPP vaccine, Bordetella vaccines, rabies vaccine, wormer, general exam at the vet, neutering, microchip, free 45-day health insurance policy issued by 24PetWatch (with valid email only) and a free bag of food from Cullman Pet Depot (you must pay sales tax).

Animal shelter staff and volunteers work with their dogs to make sure they are accustomed to being around people, walking on a leash and practicing good behavior. Several of the shelter’s dogs have even been “hired” recently to work as special needs service dogs.

Please consider adopting to give a rescued pet a chance at a happy and healthy life.

Contact the Cullman County Animal Shelter at 256-734-5448 or visit them at 935 Convent Road NE. Reach them by email at cullmancountyanimalshelter@gmail.com.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dr. Gregory S. Windham

CULLMAN– Cullman Regional is excited to announce Gregory S. Windham, MD, has joined the Cullman Regional Wound Healing Center.

Windham will see patients at the center, which offers leading-edge treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure therapies and bioengineered tissues among other advanced modalities to optimize the body's innate ability to heal. He also practices at Surgical Arts, P.C. and is on the medical staff at Cullman Regional.

At the Cullman Regional Wound Healing Center, a member of the Healogic network, Windham will collaborate with a network of academic medical centers, hospitals and thousands of professionals committed to advancing wound healing by creating, sharing and activating wound prevention and care expertise.

Windham is a board-certified surgeon and has been in practice in Cullman since 1982.  He completed his undergraduate studies with high honors at Auburn University where he was also a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta premedical honor society. He earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham with an interest in surgery. His surgical training was obtained at Carraway Methodist Medical Center in Birmingham where he completed his residency and served as chief surgical resident. He is an active member of the Alabama State Medical Association, the Southern Medical Association and the Cullman County Medical Society.

“Cullman Regional Wound Healing Center has been creating exceptional outcomes for patients in our community since it began in 2012,” Windham said. “I am excited to join several of my practice partners as a part of the physician team and continue that success.”

Chronic wounds affect more than eight million people in the U.S. and the number is rising, fueled by an aging population and increasing rates of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity and the late effects of radiation therapy.

For more information about the Wound Healing Center or services provided by Cullman Regional, visit CullmanRegional.com or call 256-737-2980.

CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 10. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

No report provided.

Cullman Police Department

Flanigan, Aundrey L., 35

• possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Bevington, Brian A., 51

• first-degree receiving stolen property
• attempting to elude
• possession of drug paraphernalia
• running a stop sign
• failure to signal

Carter, Kenneth S., 36

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Steele, Timothy G., 41

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Capps, Mary K., 56

• DUI

Kirby, Roy L., 51

• DUI

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

Find arrest reports online Monday-Friday at www.CullmanTribune.com.

Sherry Ennis, who lost her granddaughter to HAE, hopes to bring awareness to the condition. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - On Saturday, a local group of concerned citizens will gather at Sportsman Lake Park in Cullman for Lyndon’s Walk Across America, an event to raise awareness of Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) and raise funds for research into the rare genetic disorder.

According to the U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association, HAE is a very rare and potentially life-threatening genetic condition that occurs in about 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 people. Symptoms include swelling in various parts of the body including hands, feet, face and throat. Patients often suffer abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting caused by swelling in the intestinal wall. Swelling of the throat can block the airway and cause death by asphyxiation.

The walk was named in memory of Lyndon Stidham, a Cullman area child who died in 2004 of asphyxiation during an attack.  Lyndon’s grandmother Sherry Ennis, who has three other family members with HAE, spoke to The Tribune and explained about the danger of the rare condition:

“A lot of people don’t know what they have.  And they’ll show up at the emergency room, and they’ll just try to give them an Epipen or Benadryl, or something like that which might work for a few minutes, and then they continue to swell.  A lot of people, and a lot of your medical people don’t know what this disease is . . . there is treatment. If they have an attack, they do have the drugs to counteract the attack, if the disease is recognized.  We’re trying to get people aware of the disease and the symptoms.”

Lyndon’s mother Lora Moore, who has the disease herself, was one of four HAE patients featured in the international award-winning documentary “Special Blood,” a film described on its website as:

“A poignant, heartfelt documentary chronicling the lives of four patients with a dramatic, rare disease. Due to the rarity of their condition, Ava, Noah, Kelsie, and Lora face misdiagnosis, improper treatment, and preventable tragedy in the emergency room all as they fight to live normal lives. Struggling to be heard by an ignorant healthcare system, they join their voices together to conquer adversity and create change.”

The event, which will begin at 11 a.m., will feature barbecue plates for sale, T-shirt tie dyeing (according to Ennis, Lyndon was a big fan of tie-dyed shirts) and karaoke.  After sundown, there will be a free screening of “Special Blood.”

For more on HAE, visit www.haea.org, and find out about the documentary film at http://www.specialblood.com/about.html.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

HANCEVILLE - An eligible student may now receive a full federal Pell Grant for the summer semester, even if he or she received a full federal Pell Grant award during the fall and spring semesters, according to Wallace State Community College.  A majority of students will qualify for some amount of financial aid.

Students still have time to register for financial aid at Wallace State and to register for summer classes. Classes for the summer regular term and mini-term begin May 23.  Mini-term II begin June 27.

Congress’s authorization of year-round Pell means that students can receive up to 150 percent of a regular grant award over the course of the academic year so that they can continue taking classes in the summer and finish their degrees faster than they would otherwise. Previously, students could only receive the equivalent of a full Pell award for two of the three semesters in an academic year, so that eligibility was often used up during fall and spring semesters.

“In years past, many students were forced to pay out of pocket for summer semester, and those who couldn’t afford to do that had to sit out a semester,” said Becky Graves, director of financial aid at Wallace State Community College. “We know that sitting out a semester reduces momentum and persistence. The likelihood students will finish on time, or finish at all is negatively affected. Students who don’t attend year-round may miss classes that are offered in sequence in programs like nursing. And there’s the chance that during a semester off that life will intervene, or a student will become committed to a job that pays less than they could command had they finished their degree.  Summer Pell is a huge advantage for our students who are motivated to get through quickly and on to a university or a career.” 

The condensed schedule during the summer semester generally provides for smaller classes and a more relaxed atmosphere. Students use it to catch up, stay on schedule and to get ahead. Meeting with an advisor is key to establishing a plan of study.

Three criteria must be met for a student to be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds. First, the student must be otherwise eligible to receive Pell Grant funds for the payment period. Second, the student must be enrolled at least half-time in the payment period or six credit hours during the summer term. Third, the student must maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Students interested in using year-round Pell should contact Wallace State’s Financial Aid Department. Visit www.wallacestate.edu/financial-aid, call 256-352-8182, stop by the Lion Central one-stop center for enrollment services in the Bailey Center on the Wallace State-Hanceville campus, or inquire at the Wallace State-Oneonta campus.  Go to www.fafsa.gov to complete the 2017/2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for summer funds. The 17/18 FAFSA deadline is June 30, so it is not too late to take advantage of the opportunity for summer.

All students applying for financial aid will need to complete a FAFSA.  Go to www.wallacestate.edu for a schedule of summer classes and additional information.

This year’s Cullman Savings Bank Foundation Scholarship recipients are pictured with members of the bank’s Board of Directors (back row). (Heather Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - Cullman Savings Bank on Friday held its annual scholarship awards luncheon. The bank, through its foundation, awards scholarships to Wallace State Community College to several area students. Eligibility for these scholarships is based on recommendations from the students’ teachers and principals, and the award amounts range from $250 to $5,000. Recipients for the 2018-2019 awards were honored Friday morning at a luncheon at Top of the Town.

CSB President John Riley shared, “We are in the people business, the Cullman business, and that goes in many, many different directions. It’s not just making loans, it’s not just cashing checks; it’s a lot of different things. I love being a part of these things.”

Riley said the scholarship program stemmed from the bank’s desire to take some of its profits and put them back into the community.

“People don’t come ask us for money; we just watch and look for different things,” he said. “When we see something good happening that needs a little push, we don’t just throw money at it, we go get involved in it and find out what they’re doing. We make sure that it’s money well-spent and that the money being spent is actually doing good. Over the years, one of the greatest things to do, that we’ve found, is to get involved with the school system. When we see that we can invest in these young people, it’s amazing to watch that financial gift that we give make such a difference in people’s lives.”

Cullman County Schools Superintendent Shane Barnette shared. “I’d like to say how much I appreciate Mr. Riley and his staff at Cullman Savings Bank. This wouldn’t be possible without you and your board of directors, and we’re very grateful and appreciate that. I’d also like to recognize our principals and our guidance counselors and the impact that you have on our young people. Then I’d like to congratulate our young people, and I guess the challenge that I’d like to give y’all is to be a success story. Don’t take this for granted. Somebody saw something in you, and they knew you would follow up on this and continue this path, so I challenge you to do that.”

In addition to the scholarships, recipients were given gift bags. First-time recipients were given Galaxy Tab E tablets and Bluetooth keyboards, returning recipients received smart watches and Wallace State students who graduate this year were given cash.

First-time recipients were:

-Logan Mae Chambers - Holly Pond

-CarrieAnn Douglas - West Point

-Haley Frankham - Cullman

-Kailey Goble - Fairview

-Anna Hampton - Fairview

-Serah Hudson - Hanceville

-Cassidy Johnson - Good Hope

-Presley Marks* - Holly Pond

-Jamie Marotz - Vinemont

-Katelyn Neely - Fairview/Cullman Area Technology Academy

-Madison Smith - Vinemont/Cullman Area Technology Academy

Returning recipients were:

-Emily James

-Tania Albarron

Graduating students (from Wallace State) were:

-Marissa Woodall

-Kayley Fortner

*Marks was also the recipient of the Mike Duke Scholarship. All the schools in the county, including Cullman High School and the Cullman Area Technology Academy, are eligible for two Foundation Scholarship winners each. However, in memory of CSB employee and Holly Pond graduate Mike Duke, Holly Pond HS is allotted a total of three scholarship recipients: two for Foundation Scholarships and one for the Mike Duke Scholarship, if one student doesn’t win both the memorial award as well and the Foundation award.

The CSB Board of Directors includes: Senator Paul Bussman, Judge Kim Cheney, Nancy McClellan, Chad Burks, Greg Barksdale and Dr. Bill Peinhardt.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

CULLMAN - An Alabama EMA/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open in Cullman Monday morning, May 14 at Cullman City Hall. It is one of three DRCs that will open next week. The other two will be in Calhoun and Etowah Counties.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the DRCs will be one-stop information centers for homeowners and renters who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms and tornadoes March 19-20, 2018.

“Business owners who had damage and who may be interested in talking to the Small Business Administration about a low-interest business loan also may want to visit one of the DRCs,” said Alabama’s State Coordinating Officer Brett Howard.

Hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The DRCs will be located at:

Cullman County

Cullman City Hall

204 Second Ave. NE

Cullman, AL 35055

Calhoun County

Jacksonville Community Center

501A Alexandria Road SW

Jacksonville, AL 36265

Etowah County

Rainbow City Annex

4412 Rainbow Drive

Rainbow City, AL 35906

“The recovery centers serve as a central location for survivors who need one-on-one help,” said Thomas McCool, FEMA federal coordinating officer for the disaster. “State and federal professionals will be available to assist eligible survivors to get help as quickly as possible.”

According to FEMA on hand to answer questions at the centers will be specialists from the State of Alabama, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernment organizations and the local community.

services provided will include:

• Guidance regarding disaster recovery
• Clarification of any written correspondence received
• Funding for housing repairs and rental assistance
• Answers to questions, resolutions to problems and referrals to agencies that may provide further assistance
• Status of applications being processed by FEMA

FEMA said assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses. Applicants also may be referred to SBA to apply for a low-interest disaster loan from SBA. These loans may be available to qualified individuals and families to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Those with storm damage in affected counties also can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Multilingual operators are available.

Disaster assistance applicants who use TTY should call 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

For more information on disaster recovery, go online to Alabama Emergency Management: ema.alabama.gov and Twitter: @AlabamaEMA. You also can follow FEMA on Twitter: @femaregion4, Instagram: @fema, and Facebook: @FEMA.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Each pinwheel on the Cullman County Department of Human Resources lawn represents a Cullman County child in foster care. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - About 200 colorful pinwheels line the walkways and curbs across the front of the Cullman County Department of Human Resources (DHR) office.  The bright and cheery pinwheels were placed on Thursday afternoon, and the breeze had them doing the things pinwheels do, but pretty isn’t the point. Each one represents a Cullman County child who’s currently in foster care. 

DHR’s Amanda Buchanan explained, “Today we’re just trying to bring awareness to Foster Care Awareness Month, and the fact that we need more foster homes for our children in Cullman County.

Anywhere from five to 20 new kids will enter the local foster system each month, balanced by typically comparable numbers leaving.  The most common reason kids enter the system is drug use by their parents. According to Buchanan, Cullman County currently has 194 children in foster care, but only 47 homes to take them in.  At this time, 67 of those kids are housed in other counties. DHR hopes to see that change.

Said Buchanan, “Whenever kids have to come into care, we’d rather them be in a home that’s close to where they were already living, ideally continuing to go to their same school, you know, change their environment as little as possible.  But if the resource is not available, sometimes it’s not possible.”

Once kids enter the system, 70 to 80 percent will eventually return to a parent or other family member, according to DHR.

“Reunification is the number one goal, usually,” said Buchanan, “and so that’s another reason why it’s so important to have kids being able to be placed in their same community or close to their community, because it helps in the reunification process.  They’re able to visit more often. A lot of times our foster parents will even befriend and support the parents and help in that reunification and be there as a support for them.

“I feel we do have some of the best foster parents in the state, regarding how hard they work for our kids and advocate for them, and also with the families, and partnering, truly partnering with us and the families.”

DHR needs more local families to open their homes to foster children.  This August, the local office will host an expo in Cullman to increase awareness and introduce the program, and to connect prospective parents with those already serving the community’s foster kids.

Buchanan said, “We’re hoping this is going to be a discussion for the community to understand and see how many children we actually have, the amount we have, and why the need is there.”

For more information, to get involved, or to keep up with upcoming events, visit www.facebook.com/cullmandhr/ or call 256-737-5300.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Keller Williams volunteers cleaned and refurbished three RWO houses in Cullman on Thursday.  (Photo courtesy Karon Tubbs/Keller Williams)

CULLMAN - Around 40 volunteers from Keller Williams Realty took a break from the real estate business Thursday to go work on, what else, houses.  For its part in the Keller Williams company annual RED Day program, the staff from the Cullman office visited three houses belonging to the local nonprofit Restoring Women Outreach to clean, refurbish and upgrade the facilities that house women in addiction recovery.

Broker Karon Tubbs explained, “Every office in the world at Keller Williams Realty closes today, and we do a community project.  Today we’ve chosen to work on three different homes that are homes for women that are, maybe, coming out of addiction. They help them find jobs.  It’s a nonprofit; it’s a great organization!

“We have pressure washed, we have cleaned windows, we have shampooed carpets, replaced tile in the bathroom, replaced hinges on cabinets, just whatever they told us needed to be done.  It’s a great day! It’s a fun day!”

According to Keller Williams, RED stands for “Renew, Energize, and Donate.”  The event takes place on the second Thursday of each May, and local committees choose charitable projects in which to participate.  

Said Tubbs, “We just have the best agents in the world!  You know, who would just give a whole day in the middle of the week, so to speak, to help out somebody?  And we do this every year on this day. And we really enjoy it.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Circuit court judge challenger Melvin Hasting (left) and incumbent Judge Martha Williams (right) had the liveliest exchanges of the evening at Thursday’s Cullman County Republican Party town hall forum, with Williams fending off repeated verbal attacks by Hasting and his supporters in the audience. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - The Cullman County Republican Party on Thursday held the last of its community town hall meetings, this one at West Point before a standing-room-only crowd which, after outbursts at the previous meeting at Fairview, included a substantial number of Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) personnel.

In attendance were several elected officials, including Sen. Paul Bussman, Circuit Judge Martha Williams, County Commissioner Kerry Watson, County Sheriff Matt Gentry, Circuit Clerk Lisa McSwain, County Commissioner Garry Marchman, Revenue Commissioner Barry Willingham, Baileyton Mayor Johnny Dyar and West Point Mayor Kenneth Kilgo.  The crowd heard from Bussman and Marchman, whose challengers did not attend the event. As County Probate Judge Tammy Brown did not attend, challenger Carol Berry addressed the crowd alone.

Alabama House of Representative challengers Scott Stadthagen and Justin Morrow went head to head in a tame session.  A little excitement ensued when the candidates were pressed on the sources of their funding.  Morrow stated simply that he had received no funding from liberal sources, while Stadthagen responded that he did not keep track of the political leanings of every person who gave him a check.  He assured the questioner that no monetary contribution would change his positions.

The real excitement of the evening came when incumbent Circuit Judge Martha Williams and challenger Melvin Hasting took the floor.  Melvin, who in media advertisements has attacked Williams’ handling of certain cases, cited the “Canons of Judicial Ethics” to claim that he is within his legal right to campaign in that manner, and stated that he would continue to do so.

Hasting told the crowd that too many things go on behind closed doors at the circuit court, and that ads he had posted were exposing actions the public needed to know about.

“It may be ugly for some people,” said Hasting, “but it’s the truth, and you’re entitled to know it.”

Williams spent the question and answer portion fending off verbal attacks from Hasting supporters in the audience, some citing evidence presented against the judge in ads by The Victims Voice PAC in the Community Shopper’s Guide.  One supporter was escorted out of the building by Sheriff Gentry and deputies while Williams said that the information in the ads did not present a complete picture of her work.

In her conclusion, Williams told the audience, “As you can see throughout this campaign, and as we’ve talked, clearly the job of a circuit judge is not an easy one.  It is sometimes very difficult; it’s sometimes not very fun; it sometimes is controversial and often people are unhappy about the rulings they might get. But I have spent 30 years doing everything I know to be fair and honest, and a good officer of the court.”

On Friday, Brown sent the following message to The Tribune:

Good afternoon. I just wanted to provide you both information about the West Point Town Forum. 

The West Point Town Hall Forum was scheduled for Thursday, May 10, 2018. I provided a message that I had a scheduling conflict. My intent was to attend my first meeting and then go to West Point. On the way to the forum I was sent a text that it was over. I want everyone to know the reason I did not attend and it was definitely not intentional. 

Thank you

Tammy Brown 

Judge of Probate

Cullman County

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

MONTGOMERY - Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded grants totaling $924,255 to assist low-income and elderly Alabama residents who need help reducing their home’s utility bills.

The grants support Alabama’s Weatherization Assistance Program which provides funds to improve the energy efficiency and safety of qualifying homes. Priority is given to those with disabilities, the elderly and low-income households with children.

Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc., which serves Cullman, Lawrence, Marion, Morgan, Walker and Winston Counties, received $61,025.

“Those living with limited and fixed incomes, including elderly and disabled residents, often struggle to pay higher utility bills in the hot summer months,” Ivey said. “I am pleased that these grants will help make energy-efficiency improvements to their homes, freeing up funds in their budget for other essentials.” 

An energy audit is conducted of each home that qualifies for weatherization assistance to determine the most cost-effective measures. Common improvements include installing insulation in the attic, walls and floor; sealing air leaks around doors and windows; repairs or tune-ups for air conditioning and heating units; and replacing incandescent light bulbs with high-efficiency bulbs. In addition to lowering energy bills, the improvements can reduce the risk of fire and other hazards.

Ivey awarded the grants to 14 community action agencies across the state that manage the program at the local level and receive applications from individuals who wish to be considered for assistance. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 “Gov. Ivey and ADECA are committed to helping those who truly need it most throughout the state,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “Through the Weatherization Assistance Program, we’re able to help many elderly, disabled and underserved residents make permanent improvements to lower energy bills during these hot summer months.”

Below is a list of each grant, the recipient agency, counties served and the agency telephone number:

• $103,678 to Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Perry, Russell and Shelby) 334-262-4300
• $25,607 to Community Action Committee Inc. of Chambers-Tallapoosa-Coosa (Chambers, Coosa and Tallapoosa) 256-825-4287
• $17,279 to Alabama Council on Human Relations Inc. (Lee) 334-821-8336
• $52,045 to Community Action Partnership of Huntsville-Madison and Limestone Counties Inc. (Madison and Limestone) 256-851-9800
• $113,065 to Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (Jefferson) 205-327-7500
• $86,939 to Mobile Community Action Inc. (Choctaw, Mobile and Washington) 251-457-5700
• $51,768 to Montgomery County Commission (Montgomery) 334-832-1210
• $61,025 to Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. (Cullman, Lawrence, Marion, Morgan, Walker and Winston) 256-355-7843
• $69,293 to Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama Inc. (Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Marshall and St. Clair) 256-638-4430
• $34,577 to Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale) 256-766-4330
• $102,793 to Organized Community Action Program Inc. (Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes and Pike) 334-566-1712
• $68,770 to Community Action Agency of South Alabama (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe and Wilcox) 251-626-2646
• $60,236 to Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun and Cleburne (Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph and Talladega) 256-362-6611
• $77,180 to Community Service Programs of West Alabama Inc. (Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, Sumter and Tuscaloosa) 205-752-5429

Holly Pond High School Band Director Evan Curtis with one of the new uniforms the band hopes to purchase (Heather Mann for The Tribune)

HOLLY POND - Wrapping up his first year at Holly Pond means planning and preparing for several years down the road for band director Evan Curtis. As part of his campaign to get new marching band uniforms - a $30,000 goal that he estimates will take at least a couple years - Evans organized a car show fundraiser this past Saturday. Along with classic cars, visitors enjoyed a bake sale and refreshment tents, could purchase old band T-shirts or color guard flags, or go down to the football field for games, face painting, or burgers at the concessions stand. 

The bake sale stands featured homemade brownies, rice cereal treats, cookies and cakes made by auxiliary members and their families. The repurposed craft stand not only had T-shirts from previous band years and old flags from the color guard, but also sold yearbooks from as far back as 2006 and drawstring bags made from even more old flags. Down at the football field, there was a tent set up for prizes won at games like bowling or cornhole and a second tent for face painting, and the visitor-side concessions stand was open and selling savory foods like burgers, hotdogs and nachos for people who satisfied their sweet tooth at the bake sales.

When asked about future fundraisers, Curtis mentioned a majorette camp for kindergarten through fifth grade. The camp will help act as an introduction to twirling and will be held June 18-22. He also talked about the band’s traditional fundraisers, two chicken dinners and the golf tournament, and stated that he hopes to make the car show a new tradition. While most of the events held throughout the year will go toward general band maintenance or funding the band’s spring trip, the car show was specifically to raise money for new band uniforms.

This fall will be the 20th season for the current uniforms, and many of the students and parents agree that the age is obvious. Many of the jackets are missing buttons or snaps, have stains on the collars that won’t wash out, and have had seams taken in or let out more times than can be counted. The pants’ age isn’t as obvious, but years of hemming, letting out and dragging the ground has taken a toll.

“When I was in band, I’d complain all the time, ‘These uniforms are so old! These things have been here for nine years,’” Curtis recounted, “then when I got here I was like, ‘20 years old?!’ This isn’t just something where we want to get new uniforms because they look nicer, this is a desperate need.”

Curtis said donations are always welcome, saying the Bronco Band needs all the help it can get in this endeavor. 

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Trevoris Waugh was one of six members of the Wallace State basketball team to graduate Friday night. He is also a published poet.

HANCEVILLE - Wallace State Community College and President Dr. Vicki Karolewics celebrated the college’s 52nd commencement at Tom Drake Coliseum Friday.  More than 700 students participated in the ceremony, a record by most estimates, while approximately 1,400 will have earned degrees or certificates this year.

“Congratulations graduates! You made it,” said Karolewics. “Your story began at Wallace State, and tonight we celebrate your story, and we excitedly anticipate tomorrow as we watch your story continue to unfold.”

Karolewics recognized several local officials and special guests at the ceremony as well as platform guest Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman, who brought greetings to the audience.  “Tonight is a big night,” he said. “Tonight, you are opening the door to opportunity. You are opening the door to success…not only for your success, but for the success of those around you, your children and your family.”

Wallace State has educated hundreds of thousands of students since opening its doors in 1966, and tens of thousands have had degrees conferred. The college produces more graduates than any other institution in the Alabama Community College System and is known for its reputation of excellence as one of the most outstanding community colleges in the nation.

In her remarks, Karolewics shared the following stories of the night’s graduates, who embody the richness, diversity and dreams of the students Wallace State serves:

Morelia Tinajero
Morelia Tinajero was named the Student Support Services Student of the Year.  Of the eight members of her family, she is the first to graduate from college. Morelia is 21, and she graduates tonight with two degrees in business administration and paralegal. She is an honor student who is transferring to Athens State University to earn a baccalaureate degree, and she plans to continue to law school to attain her goal of becoming an immigration lawyer. She dreams of making a difference in the lives of those immigrants who dream of becoming citizens of the United States just as her father did. After immigrating to America, Morelia’s father earned his citizenship in 2012. Morelia said that graduation tonight will be emotional for her family. She acknowledges the many sacrifices her mother and father made for her to have a college education and how proud they are of her being the first to graduate from college. She hopes that one day she can watch as her dad graduates from college.

Trevoris Waugh
Trevoris Waugh is one of six members of the Wallace State basketball team to graduate tonight and he is also a published poet! Tre was born in Miami, Florida. Despite the reputation Miami has for being violent at times, Tre enjoyed a happy and blessed childhood, and he began writing poetry when he was only 11 years old. Trevoris was raised by his great grandmother who cared for him, his sister and his cousins. At the age of 12, Trevoris moved with his grandfather to have a positive and strong male figure and influence in his life.  Before coming to Wallace State, Tre penned a collection of poems dedicated to his great grandmother and focusing on topics of fear, ambition, pain and compassion entitled “Blessed: Dedicated to My Truest Thoughts and Feelings.”  Tre’s book was released in print last year, and I bought one of the first copies. Tre is continuing his basketball career as he transfers to the university as a business major.

Fast Track graduates
These gifted and ambitious students are graduating with their associate degrees and certificates tonight, and they will receive their high school diplomas next week.  As students in the Fast Track Academy, these ambitious students started their college journey as high school juniors, completing their junior and senior years of high school as college students on Wallace State’s campus. They have bright futures ahead of them and tonight they also have a total $1.7 million in scholarships awaiting them as they continue their studies at the universities to which they are transferring.

Allied Health and Nursing graduates
During the last few days, each of these graduates has been pinned in a symbolic pinning ceremony for their chosen profession.  Wallace State has absolutely the most outstanding health programs anywhere in the United States, boasting licensure and registry rates that exceed the national average.  If you have a need for medical care, you will be in great hands to be cared for by a Wallace State graduate.  They are in great demand in the workforce and the majority of these graduates already have jobs.

Diane Wood
After two decades of juggling different jobs and being laid off, Diane Wood decided to take a leap of faith and enrolled in Wallace State’s Academy of Culinary Arts at the young age of 45. It was a wise decision! Diane graduates tonight with a degree in culinary arts after becoming the first Wallace State Culinary student to be named Student of the Year by the Alabama Chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Diane said she is thankful to have taken advantage of the door that opened due to a layoff. Culinary Arts always interested her, and it has turned into her passion and something she wants to do for the rest of her life.  Diane said that because she has never truly graduated from anything before, tonight is going to be extra special.

Paul Knetter
Paul embodies the very definition of a student-leader. This highly decorated 4.0 GPA entrepreneurship graduate is representing several organizations on campus tonight. First, let’s talk about the Scholars’ Bowl Team.  Paul is member of the most accomplished scholars’ bowl team in the college’s history. This team has won back-to-back state championships and finished eighth at the national tournament with a 58-2 record overall. He is also the president of our Rotaract Club. Under Paul’s leadership as president, that group has grown to more than 60 members. But that is not all; he is involved in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society as well as the English and math honor societies, and all while helping to run his family’s roofing business.  His scholars’ bowl sponsor said that on the way back from tournaments, especially after the storms this spring, Paul was often taking calls, scheduling jobs, placing orders and more while on the road--without ever breaking stride. Paul’s outstanding work ethic exemplifies the very qualities we strive to instill in our students.

Cassandra and Justin Vanderau
For Justin and Cassandra, graduation is more than an academic milestone. It is the anniversary of the day they met five years ago. Their first few years together were filled with hard times, hard life lessons. The birth of their son provided urgency for change, and they knew education would be key. Justin started to school first, majoring in engineering, but with only one salary, the new family was unable to keep up financially. Before long, they lost their apartment. A loving family took them in while they tried to better themselves. But the miracle of a second child brought new realization that they needed to speed up their plans. Justin, who was a year into the engineering program at UAH, was inspired and encouraged by his wife’s budding, yet timid, interest in engineering. When Cassandra paid a visit to Wallace State’s engineering technology program, Justin came along for moral support. After talking with instructors, not only had Cassandra found the confidence to pursue this dream, but Justin was so sold on the program that he enrolled, too. Tonight, they graduate together, just as they started. They both already have amazing jobs in their chosen field, two beautiful children, and their own home! And both plan to pursue engineering at the university level within the next year.

Kenya Relief volunteers
Last September, Wallace State’s Dental Hygiene students embarked on an international service-learning trip to Kenya where they worked as part of a global health outreach team providing dental care to scores of patients, many of whom were receiving dental care for the first time in their lives.  Elizabeth Vinson, Jenny Barber, Drakken James, Casie Hall, and Donna Flores went as part of Wallace State’s first group. In April, a team of Wallace State Physical Therapist Assistant students comprised our second team. Corina Bloodworth, Deanna Hay, Emaleigh Parker, Spencer Plunkett, and Mason Wood distributed personal energy transport vehicles, which are hand-powered carts, to polio-stricken individuals whose physical disabilities prohibited them from walking. Imagine for a moment how it feels for them to have served a woman who crawled into the Kenya Relief compound with flip flops on her hands. After they fitted her with a cart, she pedaled away, never to crawl on her hands again. All of these students have been changed through their gift of service to others.

Special presentations were made to Paul Knetter of Gardendale, a business entrepreneurship graduate, for the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence; to Maci Key of Hayden, a machining graduate, for the Presidential Award for Technical Excellence; and to Carrie Ward of Hartselle, a nursing graduate, for the Presidential Award for Health Excellence. These awards go to students of superior achievement in each area and are the highest academic honors presented at graduation.

Jennifer Hill, interim dean of students, gave special recognition to students who were wearing medals and pins received during the college’s Honors Night for program excellence, leadership and service, and recognized members of Phi Theta Kappa national honor society, Sigma Kappa Delta English honorary society, Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honorary society, Kappa Beta Delta business honor society, state SkillsUSA medalists and other honor graduates with GPAs of at least 3.5 or higher. She also recognized veterans in the student body and in the audience.

Music was provided by the Wallace State Concert Choir and Symphonic Band. Fine and Performing Arts students Duke Cleghorn and Eli Parker sang “Found Tonight” for the audience.

Maci Key and Paul Knetter offered the invocation and benediction.

The Wallace State Coliseum seats approximately 6,000 and was filled to capacity for the event.

Wallace State Future Foundation Executive Director Suzanne Harbin with student Alleah Welch, the recipient of the Jim D. and Mattie Moody Endowed Scholarship and the Sonya Hembree Memorial Scholarship

HANCEVILLE - The Wallace State Community College Future Foundation matched students who received foundation scholarships with the donors who funded those scholarships during a special celebratory breakfast at Wallace State last week. The event is scheduled each year during the lead-up to graduation.

During this year’s fifth annual Scholarship Celebration Breakfast, Foundation president Jason Spann announced the awarding of more than $205,000 in named, endowed and Foundation scholarships to 135 students, double the amount awarded last year.

“Our story begins with you,” Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics told the guests in attendance. “The story of each student awarded today will begin or continue here at Wallace State because of the generosity of donors like you.  Today’s event celebrates the success of these students, while honoring those who choose to give and to make their success a reality. We are eternally grateful to all of our donors who give throughout the year to support Wallace State and the Future Foundation.”

Suzanne Harbin, executive director of the Future Foundation, said they received more than 200 scholarship applications, and were able to grant approximately 65 percent of those requests.

“We feel so passionately about being able to help students complete their educational goals,” Harbin said. “We work really hard to fund as many scholarships as we possibly can, based both on need and on merit.”

In keeping with a tradition set in past years, the group heard from both a scholarship donor and a recipient.

Lt. Capt. Aaorn Matthis, who flies for American Eagle, provided the donor remarks. He received word he was being promoted to captain before the event and said that speaking at the breakfast was a “full circle moment.”

Matthis, 22, was the recipient of the Richard Caretti Aviation Technology Scholarship when he was a student in the flight program at Wallace State several years ago. He has since established his own scholarship, the Aaron J. Matthis Future Professional Flight Scholarship.

“Wallace State offered much more for me,” he said. Not only was the college tuition and the cost of living more affordable than university programs, even for the flight program which has the added cost of air time requirements, but also, he was able to offset some of that cost with his scholarship, and the facilities, equipment, and faculty and staff were top notch, he said.

“There’s no better feeling than signing in to register, and finding a scholarship credit on your account,” he said. “It helped me and my parents.” His mother reminded him later how fortunate he was to have received that scholarship.

“Wallace State provided everything I needed to go from zero to hero,” he said. “Being back here has been amazing.”

Matthis presented the first scholarship awarded in his name to flight student Lindzey Hughes at the event.

Alleah Welch, the recipient of the Jim D. and Mattie Moody Endowed Scholarship and the Sonya Hembree Memorial Scholarship, offered a scholarship recipient testimonial. She is majoring in nursing.

Welch explained that she was a single teenage mother, who wouldn’t have been able to dream of a college education without the support the Foundation has provided.

She thanked the foundation and her donors for recognizing the worth of investing in those “who may not come from great wealth but who are wealthy in our hearts,” and who have a desire to learn and to serve.

The Wallace State Future Foundation is in the midst of a Major Gifts Campaign and more than two-thirds of its way toward its goal of raising $5 million for scholarships. To date, the Foundation has established 45 endowed scholarships, which require investments over five years of $25,000 or more, and 89 named funds and scholarships, which may be established with gifts of any amount.

The Foundation has already awarded more than 2,000 scholarships valued at $1.5 million.

In addition to the Scholarship Fund, the Major Gifts Campaign includes fundraising for instructional technology, an entrepreneurship center and a Lion Legacy fund, which is a best use fund that will be used to address unbudgeted needs, such as setting up training for a new or expanding business or industry.

In addition to Spann, members of the Foundation Board of Directors include Danny Kelly, Cheryl Bailey, Leah Bolin, Tim Compton, Dr. Jim Davis, Dr. T.J. Franey, Dale Greer, Donna Guthrie, Scotty Hooper, Don Hubbard, Billy Jackson, Shirley Quattlebaum, John Riley, Bill St. John, Dr. Tomesa Smith, Retha Tinney, Lisa Weeks, Jason White, Board Members Emeriti - Betty Haynes and Fred Cespedes and Dr. Vicki Karolewics – Wallace State president.

For more information about the Wallace State Future Foundation, visit www.wsccfuturefoundation.org or call Suzanne Harbin at 256-352-8144.

CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 11-13. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (also includes arrests from May 10)

Bennett, William Daniel, 27

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Berry, Brandon Lewis, 32

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment
• FTA- driving while revoked

Black, Robert Lee, 34

• FTA- third-degree domestic violence- second-degree criminal mischief
• FTA- third-degree domestic violence- harassment (2 counts)
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Burney, Rowdy Ervin, 51

• FTA- third-degree domestic violence- harassment
• FTA- resisting arrest

Campbell, William O’Neal, 46

• probation revoked- first-degree sexual abuse

Crowe, Steven Lee, 40

• violation of a domestic violence protection order

Durante, Devon Paul, 22

• third-degree burglary

Ennis, Amber Lea, 30

• third-degree burglary

Frink, Jessica Leann, 29

• FTA- permitting dogs to run at large

Grant, Steven Lynn, 30

• FTA- speeding

Harbison, Richard Heith, 36

• negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument

Humanes, Richard Mark, 33

• third-degree criminal mischief

Hurt, Kevin Eugene, 35

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Johnson, James Brandon 42

• contempt of court/contempt of court

Koshowsky, Donly Kevin Sadet, 27

• distributing a private image

Lane, Dana Faye, 22

• public intoxication

Lindner, Dillon Tyler, 26

• negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument (4 counts)

Martin, Dannal Justin, 34

• unlawful breaking and entering of a vehicle

Minor, Gregory Joe, 44

• failure to provide registration information- SORNA

Morton, Alexander Scott, 19

• third-degree burglary

Pickering, Angela Ann, 42

• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Pitt, Natalie Marie 34

• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Posey, Christopher Glen, 34

• third-degree burglary

Self, Patrick Shane, 27

• FTA- DUI- controlled substance

Shipley, Robert Thomas, 36

• illegal possession or use of a credit or debit card
• possession of burglar’s tools

Stewart, Anthony Chawn, 37

• fourth-degree receiving stolen property

Stewart, Kenneth Michael, 41

• FTA- third-degree assault

Twilley, William Travis, 40

• FTA- driving while suspended

Vasquez, Claudia Millwood, 39

• FTA- driver’s license not in possession
• FTA- liability insurance required
• FTA- texting while driving

Vaughn, Samantha Jo, 29

• third-degree criminal trespassing

Weldon, Samantha Halee, 18

• third-degree burglary

Winstead, Gordon Lance, 48

• illegal possession of alcohol
• possession of drug paraphernalia
• illegal possession of prescription medicine

Cullman Police Department

Taylor, Anthony W., 33

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Hays, Daniel J., 41

• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance
• first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Perez, Alvaro, 39

• DUI

Hill, Aubrey P., 34

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Kilgo, Zeke T., 22

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance

Campos, Giovanni R., 20

• DUI
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• possession of drug paraphernalia
• third-degree promoting prison contraband

Hyde, Bronada F., 42

• FTA- fourth-degree theft of property

Briggs, David K., 36

• FTA- driving without a license

Tipton, Tyler N., 22

• FTA- third-degree criminal trespassing
• FTA- driving without a license

Grant, Steven L., 30

• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Aker, Samantha A., 27

• FTA- third-degree theft of property

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

Find arrest reports online Monday-Friday at www.CullmanTribune.com.

The Fairview High School ROV team: CEO/Pilot Tre Kinney, CFO/Tether Operator Katie Golden, Marketing Director Jozi Jackson, Intern/Hydraulics operator Jarret Clayton and Faculty Assistant Eric Vest.  (Photo courtesy Michelle Watwood/Fairview High School)

FAIRVIEW - Fairview High School (FHS) recently sent a four-student team to compete in the sixth annual Northern Gulf Coast Regional ROV Challenge at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, at the mouth of Mobile Bay.  An ROV is a remotely operated vehicle used underwater, and the ROV Challenge is a form of robotics competition that takes place in an aquatic environment. FHS has a regular robotics team as well, but students wanted to try something new.

“I believe we just wanted to try something different and something people don't really hear that much about,” said team member Katie Golden.

Fairview’s ROV team has been competing for four years, practicing at the Cullman Wellness & Aquatic Center.  As competitions include deployment and use of the ROV, and the additional challenge of a “Shark Tank” style marketing presentation, the team includes operators and administrative personnel.  The current roster includes:

• CEO/Pilot Tre Kinney
• CFO/Tether operator Katie Golden
• Marketing Director Jozi Jackson
• Intern/Hydraulics operator Jarret Clayton
• Faculty Sponsor Stephanie Chambers
• Faculty Assistant Eric Vest

The annual competition is part of an international program created by the California-based Marine Advanced Technology Education Center (MATE), whose stated purpose is “to provide the marine technical workforce with appropriately educated workers and to use marine technology to create interest in and improve STEM education.”

This year’s competition theme was “Jet City: Aircraft, Earthquakes, and Energy,” and had students address hypothetical uses for ROVs in places like Seattle on the Pacific Northwest coast.  According to the mission description for the event:

“The Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and crew that can operate in the salt and fresh water areas in the Pacific Northwest. The specific tasks for the ROV and operators include:

1) Locating the wreckage of a vintage airplane and returning its engine to the surface.

2) Installing or recovering a seismometer.

3) Installing a tidal turbine and instrumentation to monitor the environment

“Before launch and operations, the ROV must complete a series of ‘product demonstrations’ staged at a swimming pool at various regional locations . . . Companies that successfully complete the product demonstrations and deliver exceptional engineering and communication components (e.g. technical documentation, engineering presentations, and marketing displays) will be awarded the contract.”

Teams competed in one of four levels, depending on grade level and previous MATE tournament experience.  Fairview entered as a “Navigator” team which had to:

• Locate and identify a submerged aircraft, remove debris from the engine, and return the engine to the surface using lift bags
• Deploy and activate an earthquake detecting Ocean-Bottom Seismometer
• Locate the optimum place for, and install an energy generating tidal turbine; as well as collecting and transplanting samples of Eelgrass

Fairview won last year’s competition but encountered setbacks and did not place this time around.  Vest told The Tribune:

“This was our first year to implement a hydraulic pincher so there was big learning curve.  Unfortunately, some hard lessons were learned during our product demonstration in reference to the claw.  We plan to take these lessons learned and create a better designed ROV for next year's competition.

“I am waiting for the score sheets to be sent to me, but I must say that I was very proud of the way our students represented themselves and our school during the engineering presentation.  After their presentation there was a Q&A with the judges, who are engineers themselves, and I feel that the students handled themselves very well; they also had the opportunity to learn some interesting facts from the judges.  Overall it was a great experience, they are a great group of kids!

“Finally, I would like to give recognition to Bill Smith for loaning us a vehicle for the trip, Cullman Aquatic Center for allowing us to use their pool for practice, and Walker Brothers for donating materials.”

Team member comments

Jackson

“ROV has been a pivotal experience in my life and has influenced many future goals.  Without ROV, it is very possible that I would still have no clue on what career I wish to pursue but now I know.  Engineering is the career field for me and I couldn’t be more excited.”

Golden

“This is my fourth and final year being a part of this team.  Being here since the beginning, I have seen this team not only grow competition wise but as people.  We have grown so much of the years; it is amazing. It is going to be difficult not having this experience next year.”

Kinney

“This year we regret to inform everyone that we did not place in this year’s ROV competition due to some unexpected events.  We had an incredible experience competing with our ROV, and with the competition in general.

“This is my fourth year competing and piloting our ROV at the competition, and I have always enjoyed it.  I got to meet lots of new people and seeing what ideas other teams had, as well as sharing some of our own.  To me, it is always fun to see what you can do under pressure, and this competition really tests you.

“Next year we hope to conjoin with the Fairview Robotics team to gain more experience working with computer programs electrical components to help advance how we approach building an ROV for future competitions.”

For more on MATE programs at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, visit http://dauphinisland.marinetech2.org.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Good Hope City Council passed a resolution Monday night to allow Mayor Jerry Bartlett to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a new pump station, part of the City’s sewer expansion project. (Nick Griffin for The Tribune)

GOOD HOPE - The Good Hope City Council passed three new resolutions at its meeting Monday night, concerning zoning, this summer’s back-to-school sales tax weekend and AGCOR Steel.

Based on an opinion from the Good Hope Planning Commission, Resolution No. 009-2018 was passed to allow the City to hire consulting firm Kendig Keast Collaborative to review the city zoning ordinance and make suggestions and or changes at a cost of no more than $600.

Resolution No. 010-2018 passed next. It reserves the third weekend of July, through 2020, as the back-to-school tax weekend for Good Hope. Mayor Jerry Bartlett said he believes participating in the annual event will help the City of Good Hope as well as the surrounding communities.

“It would be more trouble for us if we did nothing because Hanceville goes with it, Cullman goes with it and if we don’t do it then we’re the oddball, so it’s actually better for the whole community for us to be involved with it,” he said.

To close the meeting, the council passed Resolution No. 011-2018, which will allow Bartlett to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a new pump station, part of the City’s sewer expansion project. The station will cost approximately $250,000, according to the council.

Last month, the City awarded a bid for engineering services to CDG Engineers & Associates, Inc. for the new station, which must be completed before AGCOR Steel can move to Good Hope.

The Good Hope City Council will hold its next meeting on May 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Good Hope City Hall.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cullman Gymnastics and Cheer Academy’s Xtreme Allstars cheerleading team was recognized for a national championship and CGCA’s first undefeated competition season. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - With Memorial Day quickly approaching, the Cullman City Council held an early second May meeting Monday evening. 

Council Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Committee Chairman Clint Hollingsworth started by leading the council in recognition of Cullman Gymnastics and Cheer Academy’s Xtreme Allstars cheerleading team, which won a national championship in the U.S. Finals Cheer and Dance competition in Pensacola on Apr. 14-15.  According to Cullman Parks and Recreation Director Nathan Anderson, this was the first Xtreme Allstar team in CGCA history to enjoy an undefeated season and was the only public team competing in a private gym division at the national tournament. The team is coached by Ashley Wilbanks, Abbie Wallace and Amy Wallace. Hollingsworth presented the team a resolution of congratulations on behalf of the City.

The councilman also presented a resolution to the Cullman County 4-H Shotgun Club for its recent first-place finish in the State 4-H Shooting Competition April 13-14 in skeet, trap and sporting clays. The team will represent Cullman and Alabama in the 2018 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships in Nebraska, June 25-29. Members include Griffin Barksdale, Cole Herfurth, Ezra Burk and Blake Arrington and coaches James Conway, Willy Hendrix, Greg Barksdale, Hayden Faulk, Bobby Barrett and David Benefield.

Following the sports recognitions, Councilman Andy Page, Police Chief Kenny Culpepper and Assistant Police Chief Craig Montgomery presented two Cullman Police officers with service pins. Patrol Officer Adam Walker, who works on day shift patrol and has been active in the Cullman County Special Needs Track and Field Day, received his 10-year pin. Lake Patrol Officer and department helicopter pilot Matt Dean was recognized for 15 years of service to the city, after 10 years of state service.  Montgomery reported that Dean has continued in his duties even while undergoing treatment for cancer, and that his treatment has yielded positive results.

Ordinance concerning deteriorating or unsafe properties in the city

The council considered, then tabled, Ordinance No. 2018-27 to address unsafe and dangerous structures located in the city limits of Cullman.  Benjamin Goldman, who drew up the document, addressed the council about the ordinance, which covers City action in numerous instances, including (among others) buildings:

• with load-bearing walls or structures overloaded, buckled, or leaning
• with significant deterioration even in non-structural areas
• damaged by disaster, vandalism, or abandonment
• infested with vermin
• with improper ventilation or sanitation
• lacking sufficient emergency exits
• containing electrical or other equipment operating in an unsafe condition

The ordinance sets forth the actions that can be taken when such conditions are found, including repair, relocation or demolition of buildings at the City’s expense with a tax lien being placed on the land to reimburse City costs.  When necessary, according to Goldman, the City will be able to foreclose on the lien. He explained that the goal is to get voluntary compliance from property owners, so that the City has to take no action beyond notification.

The ordinance also sets forth a detailed procedure governing how municipal officials are to deal with such properties and their owners.  When the City Planning Commission voted last week to recommend the ordinance, City Building and Planning Director Rick Fulmer told the Tribune that the extensive regulations create a series of checks and balances to protect both City officials and property owners and to prevent abuse of the ordinance’s policies by anyone on either side.

On the requests of council members Jenny Folsom and Hollingsworth, the motion to adopt was tabled for more study.

Annexations

The council suspended the rules of procedure to approve Ordinance No. 2018-28 to annex property owned by Kenny Culpepper located at 118 County Road 463 into the city limits of Cullman as AG-1 Agricultural District. This ordinance received a favorable recommendation from the City of Cullman Planning Commission.

The council also read Ordinance No. 2018-29 to annex property owned by Minuteman Construction located at County Road 702 in the city limits of Cullman as R-2 Residential District. This ordinance received a favorable recommendation from the City of Cullman Planning Commission.  The council did not take action on this ordinance, leaving it until the next meeting.

Other council business

The council approved the following resolutions:

• Resolution No. 2018-52 to award the bid for traffic signal installation on US Highway 31 near the old Dodge dealership to the lowest responsible bidder, Shoals Electric Co., Inc., in the budgeted amount of $136,000.  Stone Electric Co., Inc. of Birmingham was the only other bidder, with a bid of $156,548.10.
• Resolution No. 2018-53 to extend, for one additional year, the hot mix and cold mix (R-01746) and hot lay mix (R-01745) bids which were awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, Good Hope Contracting, Inc.   Street Superintendent Scott Talley recommended extending the current bids with Good Hope Contracting until May 23, 2019, instead of putting the contracts up for new bids. According to City Clerk Wesley Moore, the contract will have to be rebid next year.
• Resolution No. 2018-54 to levy the 2018-2019 Ad Valorem Taxes in the City of Cullman.  The taxes will be levied as follows:

1. A tax at the rate of 5 mills on all taxable property in the City of Cullman, Alabama, as assessed for state taxes, is hereby levied, pursuant to authority of Section 216 of the Constitution of Alabama to pay any general obligations incurred by the City of Cullman, Alabama.
2. A tax at the rate of 3 mills on all taxable property in the City of Cullman, Alabama, as assessed for state taxes, is hereby levied for educational purposes, pursuant to authority of Section 216 of the Constitution of Alabama and an election held in the City of Cullman as required.
3. A tax at the rate of 7½ mills on all taxable property in the City of Cullman, Alabama, as assessed for state taxes, is hereby levied for general school purposes, pursuant to authority of Section 56 of the Constitution of Alabama and an election held in the City of Cullman as required.

• Resolution No. 2018-55 to surplus property (equipment, tools, etc.) owned by the City of Cullman that is no longer needed for public or municipal purposes.

The council had a first reading of Ordinance 2018-30 to amend Ordinance No. 2015-23 establishing officers of the City of Cullman.  This ordinance would establish the office of director of the City’s new Technology Village. The council will consider the measure at the next meeting and may be presented a candidate at that time.

The council also reappointed Michael Sullins to the CCTV Board, and reappointed Rusty Turner and Mark Aderholt to the Parks and Recreation Board.

Parks and rec updates

When Hollingsworth opened the floor to Nathan Anderson, Anderson announced that this Friday’s Dinner on First event may be relocated due to bad weather to the Cullman Warehouse on Fifth Street near the civic center, where it was held last year.  A final decision on location should be made by Tuesday evening.

Anderson also gave a quick summary of this year’s Strawberry Festival, noting that sales set records for farmers, food vendors and craft vendors.  He reported that two years ago, 900 gallons of strawberries were sold and last year saw an increase to 1,300 gallons. At this year’s festival, farmers had to go back home and get more strawberries as they sold out, resulting in a final total of 2,800 gallons of strawberries sold.

The Cullman City Council usually meets on the second and fourth Monday nights each month at 7 p.m. in the City Hall auditorium.  The public is invited to attend.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Graduate Jason Weatherford, right, receives his certificate from Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics.

HANCEVILLE - Wallace State Community College’s Fast Track Academy and Fast Track for Industry students were recognized recently during a special graduation ceremony honoring 23 Fast Track Academy graduates and 26 Fast Track for Industry graduates.

Both programs allow high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to simultaneously earn their high school and college degrees, meeting state requirements for high school graduation while also providing the general education requirements for the certificate, associate degree, and associate in applied science degree programs at Wallace State. For Fast Track for Industry, students are taking courses in their chosen career technical field. Students in these programs are allowed to participate in their high school’s extracurricular activities, including athletics, band and student organizations.

Fast Track Academy serves eligible high school students in Blount, Cullman, Morgan and Winston Counties. Fast Track Academy students earn an Associate in Science or an Academic Transfer. Fast Track for Industry is a partnership between Wallace State and Cullman County Schools in which students are enrolled in Applied Technologies or Health Sciences programs. Both programs continue to grow in popularity. A Fine and Performing Arts Academy is the Fast Track program for students interested in majoring in the creative arts.

“I’m always in awe of you because as high school students it requires a lot of courage to step out and say I want something different than the typical high school experience as a junior or senior. You’ve decided to go to college and pursue it full-time. That step takes a lot of courage,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “You are two years ahead of your counterparts in most situations and you have a leg up and head start on your career. We are proud of you at Wallace State.”

Between the two groups, the Wallace State Fast Track students have earned $1,749,767 in scholarship money to further their college careers.

“This is an inspiring group of students. They’ve all taken on a big challenge, and there are some stories that are life-changing. It has changed the direction of their life and changed the direction of their families’ lives,” said Rachael Howze, director of Wallace State’s Extending Learning Department (Fast Track, Dual Enrollment and Off Campus Learning). “I’m proud to be a part of this program. Many of these students are taking full-time high school classes, a heavy college class load and working. It’s impressive.”

Fast Track Student President Adalynn Smithson encouraged her fellow graduates to cherish the friendships they’ve made through the program, learn not to sweat the small details in life and strive to learn something new every day.

Also serving as officers for the academic year were Kylie Williams (vice president), Kacie Griffith (secretary) and Sophia Brown (treasurer).

The following Wallace State FAST Track Academy/Fast Track for Industry graduates have already received the following scholarships, with more to come:  

Nathan Hunter Appling– $10,000 University of South Alabama Achievement Scholarship; $9,000 Athletic Scholarship; $2,500 Achievement Scholarship – Bryant-Jordan Scholarship; Belmont Scholarship; Troy University  

Thomas Baker - $20,000 University of North Alabama Vanguard Academic Scholarship; $3,600 Honors College Scholarship; $3,600 Pride of Dixie Marching Band; $3,600 Burger King Scholarship; $1,000 Michael Stewart Foundation; $1,000 Cullman Electric Cooperative; $2,000 Fisher House Military Kids

Kaylan Blake - $10,000/year Freed-Hardeman University Merit Scholarship

Samuel Briehn - $12,000/year Wilson College Presidential Scholarship 

Sophia Brown - $9,356/year UAH Charger Distinction; $28,000/year Spring Hill College Presidential Scholarship; $6,000/year University of Mobile Presidential Scholarship

Alesia Cupp - $30,000/year UAH Merit Scholarship

Haley Heaton - $1,500/year Wallace State Health Scholarship; UAH Merit Scholarship 

Madison Hunkeapillar - $43,400 UAB Presidential Scholarship 

Payton Johnson - $694 WSCC Future Foundation Scholarship; $20,000 University of Tennessee-Martin Explorer Scholarship; Murray State Academic Achievement Scholarship

Elizabeth Maddox– Western Governor’s University Teaching Scholarship

Lillian McSpadden - $1,000 Mississippi State Freshman Academic Excellence; $8,500 Mississippi State Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship

Julianna Ogle - $5,000 Wallace State Sigma Kappa Delta Scholarship 

Robyn Phillips– REHAU Apprentice Scholarship

Taylor Robinson - $22,000 UAB Collegiate Honors Scholarship

Tucker Putman - $1,500 Wallace State Future Foundation – Topre America

Maxwell Ratcliff– REHAU Apprenticeship Scholarship

Auston Ricks - $1,000 Bagwell Foundation – WSCC Future Foundation Scholarship

Kana Schofield– UAB Breakthrough Scholarship; UNA Academic Scholarship

Adalynn Smithson - $30,000/year UAH Merit Scholarship

Jason Weatherford – Automotive Scholarship

Kylie Williams - $5,000 Randall Shedd – WSCC Future Foundation Scholarship

For more information about Wallace State’s Fast Track and dual enrollment opportunities, contact 256-352-8051 or visit www.wallacestate.edu.

Editor's note: American Proteins employs 700 company-wide, with approximately 250 of those at the Hanceville plant. The Tribune has reached out to General Manager Jason Spann for comment.

SPRINGDALE, Ark. and CUMMING, Ga. - Subsidiaries of Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) have agreed to buy the poultry rendering and blending assets of American Proteins, Inc. and AMPRO Products, Inc., the companies announced Tuesday. The acquisition is expected to enable Tyson Foods to recycle more animal products for feed, pet food and aquaculture, among other things and expand its presence in the growing animal feed ingredient business. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

“Rendering plays a key role in growing our business and helping us deliver on our sustainability goals,” said Tom Hayes, president and CEO. “Through this important business, no part of the animal goes to waste, and we can recycle valuable ingredients into feed for pets and aquaculture.”

Rendering is an environmentally friendlier way to keep animal products out of landfills and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the National Renderers Association, rendering’s contribution to carbon emission reduction in the U.S. and Canada is equivalent to removing more than 12 million cars from the road annually.

“This acquisition is a great complement to our existing business, gives us the ability to render raw materials in a region we don’t currently serve, and better positions us to meet the competitive, fast-growing national and global demand for animal protein,” said Doug Ramsey, group president of poultry for Tyson Foods.

The acquisition includes four rendering plants located in Georgia and Alabama and 13 blending facilities located throughout Southeastern and Midwestern states. The facilities are expected to provide additional capacity to Tyson’s current animal byproducts business. Approximately 700 people work for American Proteins and most are expected to become Tyson Foods team members.

Mark Ham, president and CEO of American Proteins said, “We value and appreciate our 700 plus employees as well as the relationships we have with our suppliers and customers and are confident that after the transaction closes the Tyson team will offer them the same commitment to service and quality as provided by American Proteins.”

The purchase price is approximately $850 million. Over the next 12 months, the business is expected to generate adjusted net sales of more than $550 million. Tyson expects to realize synergies over time driven by manufacturing efficiencies, mix optimization and distribution network consolidation.

“American Proteins’ management team has built a great business and the production teams have done a wonderful job making animal feed ingredients for years. We admire the company and believe this will be a good cultural fit,” Ramsey said. “Investing in this part of our business is an investment in the future sustainability of our company.”

Tyson Foods recently announced its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2030, including a commitment to support improved environmental practices on two million acres of corn by the end of 2020 -- the largest-ever land stewardship commitment by a U.S. protein company. More information about Tyson Foods’ commitment to sustainably feed the world with safe, high-quality and nutritious food products is available in its 2017 Sustainability Report.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it’s available and raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 122,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit www.tysonfoods.com

About American Proteins

American Proteins was founded by Leland Bagwell in 1949 who subsequently turned over the management of the company to his son Tommy Bagwell in 1972. For sixty-nine years the Bagwell family, through American Proteins and it’s 700 plus dedicated employees, has serviced the poultry industry from its plants in Georgia and Alabama and supplies feed ingredients for pets and farm animals throughout the world through its subsidiary AMPRO Products providing custom blended protein feed products meeting national and international demand for consistent quality ingredients. Visit www.americanproteins.com for more about American Proteins.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the expected consummation of the acquisition, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the satisfaction of closing conditions for the acquisition, such as regulatory approval for the transaction; the possibility that the transaction will not be completed; the impact of general economic, industry, market or political conditions; risks related to the ultimate outcome and results of integrating the assets and business operations of American Proteins, Inc. and AMPRO Products, Inc.; the ultimate outcome of our strategy applied to this transaction and the ultimate ability to realize synergies; the effects of the business combination, including our future financial condition, operating results, strategy and estimates; and other risks and uncertainties, including those identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The words “will,” “anticipate,” “expect,” and other similar expressions (or the negative of such terms) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results and/or timing discussed in the forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.

Image: http://www.americanproteins.com/