Jordan Wilson’s son, Dylan Sandefur, 13, poses with a photo of his mom this month at Smith Lake, where Wilson was raised. Wilson has been missing since May 15, 2016. She is daughter of Judy (Johnston) Thomas and Wayne Johnston. (Photo credit: Crystal R. Mendoza)

CULLMAN COUNTY - Jordan Lee Wilson and her sister, Nicole Wright, were raised on Smith Lake. That’s why Wilson’s family chose the lake as the place to hold a small, private vigil for her this month. Today, May 15, 2018, marks two years since Wilson went missing. And though there is a $50,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts, there has been no break in the case, according to Jordan’s mom Judy (Johnston) Thomas.

“We had another search in February,” shared Thomas. “This one was the typical search. We had about 30 people. We’re exhausted, mentally and physically. But we do need to keep her name out there. We know no more today than we did two years ago.”

At approximately 5’8” and 150-160 pounds, Wilson, who was 32 at the time she disappeared, has dark blonde hair and was last seen by friends and family on May 15, 2016 driving a newer, dark-colored Kia Sorento near the Walker County line in the Bremen and Bug Tussle area. Later discovered near Busby Road and Campbellville Lane in an area north of Sipsey and west of Arkadelphia, the SUV was abandoned approximately 7 miles from where Wilson was last seen by friends and family, and Wilson was nowhere to be found. Her cell phone was in the vehicle.

“The community has shown so much support,” said Thomas. “We have the billboard up on (Alabama Highway) 69, they put a banner up at Cold Springs School, at the ballfield, and we’ve seen around 300 decals on cars showing Jordan’s picture and the information about the reward.”

Wilson’s family is asking everyone in the community to pray for her, especially today, on the anniversary of her disappearance. An online event was created at www.facebook.com/events/444905145961781. On that page, Wilson’s family writes:

“Jordan's loved ones ask that on the 15th of May you join with them and friends and all who loved her in a day of prayer to bring her home and have the answers so needed. Please share this page on all social media and take a moment that day to light a candle and say a prayer for Jordan. Post your prayer, light a candle and share on this event page.

“Such a simple thing to do, and one that will help this family as they continue to search for their loved one. Pray for answers, courage, strength, hope and resolution. Pray by yourself or gather your family together or even your friends. Let’s completely cover Jordan and all who know and love her in prayer. Thank you all.

"’For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ Matthew 18:20”

The past two years have been a struggle for Thomas. She shared, “I’m better today. There was a time I couldn’t have a conversation with anyone. I went into seclusion. I protected her two boys. It was disbelief. This is not happening. It’s just something you see on TV. I was in a vegetative state of mind until last fall. I had to come out of it. I forced myself out of it. Here I am, today, continuing to fight.”

Wilson’s aunt, Dawn Shoults, was the face of the family’s search until the beginning of this year, stepping in for Thomas.

“Jordan was 32 years old at the time she disappeared,” Thomas said. “My life stopped that day. It stopped. There’s very little recollection between then (before Wilson disappeared) and now.”

Wilson is not only a beloved daughter and niece. She is also a mother to two young boys.

“The little one (Caleb), we keep him pretty protected, we just tell him mama’s in heaven,” said Thomas. “May is a hard month. He’s still making Mother’s Day cards. It makes it difficult. He was 6 when Jordan disappeared. He’s 8 now. Dylan is 13. It’s taken a toll on him. He’s coming into manhood; he’s stayed in that protector mode, ‘I wanna fight for my mama.’”

Thomas shared that one of the worst parts is all of the phone calls the family receives. “There’s a $50,000 reward, but nothing has come forward. We get all kinds of crazy phone calls, and what I’ve learned since the beginning of this, and I’ve talked to other parents of missing children, or spouses, or whoever the family member may be, they get the same kind of phone calls that we get. They’re gruesome, gory stories. It’s all the same. And those were the stories that we were told, and there’s nothing that leads to any of this.”

For their part, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office is still actively working the case, along with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office.

“The sheriff’s office (CCSO), they’ve not dropped the ball on anything in any aspect; they have covered every base there is to cover, and there’s nothing. There’s not a drop of blood, anything,” said Thomas. “If we find Jordan, things will change. The search will continue.”

Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry said, “On behalf of the sheriff’s office, this case is very important to us. The family means a lot to the sheriff’s office and we went to ensure we’re doing everything we can to give them closure in this case. No matter what, we’re not going to stop, you know, we ‘re going to continue to work every day on this case, for the family. We’re continuing to work every lead we can get. I want the family to know they’re still on our heart and prayers. We’re going to continue to be vigilant on this case.”

“Sheriff Gentry, when he looks at me in my eyes, I know,” Thomas said through tears, “I know that he will never give up. You know, you just don’t find that anywhere. Because this is happening to us. It’s happening to other families across the country, families next door to us in other counties, and they do not get what we get out of Sheriff Gentry. I’m not putting up there at the pearly gates with God and Jesus, but he’s real close.”

The CUE (Community United Efforts) Center for Missing Persons has been instrumental in the search for Jordan Wilson. The nonprofit has organized several searches in the area where her car was found, working its way outward and searching in grids, documenting each search and keeping records of exactly what areas have been searched.

Anyone with any information on any missing person in Cullman County or the surrounding area is asked to contact the Cullman County Sheriff's Office at 256-734-0210 or 256-734-0342, or the 24-hour CUE Tip Line at 910-232-1687 or 910-343-1131. Find out more about CUE at www.ncmissingpersons.org.

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CULLMAN - An Alabama EMA/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is open now at Cullman City Hall. The DRC is for anyone with qualifying expenses related to storm damage that are not covered by insurance for any reason.

Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Cullman City Hall is located at 204 Second Ave. NE.

“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 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.

Pictured L-R: Police Chief Kenny Culpepper, IT Systems Technician Christina Thomas, Assistant IT Director Jacob Smith, IT Systems Technician Allen Handley, Street Sign Shop Foreman Greg Powe, Police Assistant Chief Craig Montgomery, Street Foreman Wesley Bennefield, Council President Pro-Tem Jenny Folsom, Mayor Woody Jacobs, Street Foremen Michael Leon Freeman and Tim Kritner, Street Labor Foremen Supervisor Chris Howard, Street Labor Foreman Dexter Perkins, Street Superintendent Scotty Talley, Council President Garlan Gudger, Street Assistant Superintendent Mike Jenkins, Director of Building, Planning, & Zoning Rick Fulmer, City Councilmembers Andy Page and Johnny Cook, Police Lt. J.P. White (Nick Griffin for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - The ribbon was officially cut on the City of Cullman Street Department’s brand-new facility Tuesday morning at 69 Mitchell Road NE, and no one was more excited than the men and women of the department. On hand for the ribbon-cutting were Mayor Woody Jacobs, Council President Garlan Gudger, City Council President Pro-Tem Jenny Folsom, City Councilmembers Johnny Cook and Andy Page, Street Department Superintendent Scotty Talley and Assistant Superintendent Mike Jenkins, Police Chief Kenny Culpepper and Assistant Chief Craig Montgomery, Director of Building, Planning, and Zoning Rick Fulmer, and other employees from various city departments.

Gudger got the event started by breaking down the responsibilities of the street department.

“The street department provides all services related to the construction, drainage, maintenance and repair of city streets and sidewalks,” Gudger said. “You may be surprised to learn that this department also oversees making, installing and maintaining street signs and signs for municipal facilities and other departments, drainage projects in the city of Cullman, concrete sidewalks and street projects in the City of Cullman, striping of city streets, transportation of heavy equipment, holiday decorations at City Hall and repairing or replacing damaged streets, sidewalks or signs.”

Gudger talked about the new facility and some of its features that will help the street department run more efficiently.

“Scotty Talley, myself and the council are excited today to show off the new 9,000-square-foot street department office complex that allows us to streamline our processes. The additional space gives us a new tool room three times larger than the room at the old facility. This allows us to keep our small parts and equipment in one building and prevents us from traveling to multiple locations for parts, materials and supplies. We have a larger storage yard offering the convenience to store pipe and gravel in a single location. No more driving from site to site to gather materials needed for the first job of the morning. Streamlining that process means we spend more time meeting needs and less time traveling.”

He continued, “It has a new, enlarged sign shop increasing the capacity and the size of the signs. Increased volume allows us to produce signs for other city departments in a timely manner at a reduced cost. We have a generator large enough to power the two main buildings to ensure our ability to continue operating during power outages and sever weather. The city has purchased new equipment as well. Including new backhoes and a new salt brine tank for keeping roads and bridges safe for travel in icy conditions and six new employees have been added to the staff.”

Talley spoke briefly about the new facility but made it clear how excited he and his staff are to have it.

“We’re very fortunate. I know all the employees are proud of it and I’m proud of it so we all feel very fortunate for what y’all have given us to work with,” Talley said. “We’re all thankful for it.”

Jacobs said he is excited to see the project pay off and solve a problem for both the Street Department and the community.

“We’re happy to get a facility that’s large enough to keep them all in one spot. Beforehand, the offices were all kind of in one place, but we had equipment and parts in different locations. Now when they come in the morning, the crews will be able to get together and get what they need, leave to go on the job and be able to stay on the job instead of having to leave and run here and there so that’s more efficient,” Jacobs said. “We’ve got plenty of room to keep all their trucks so that we can keep up with them, know where they are and keep them serviced. We’ve got room for storing materials for roads so if we have a problem its already here, we don’t have to wait and go get something so it’s all just better for the department and better for the citizens.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Retiring Cullman Electric Cooperative CEO Grady Smith, right, becomes emotional as he is told that the room in which his reception was held has been named the Grady Smith Community Room. (Nick Griffin for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - It was an emotional day at Cullman Electric Cooperative Tuesday as dozens of employees, colleagues, friends and family members gathered for longtime CEO Grady Smith’s retirement reception. Cullman Electric Co-op Board of Trustees member James C. Fields led the ceremony and got things started by talking about the first time he met Smith and how he came to be CEO.

“For Grady this is a tough moment. He’s dealt with this for the past few months, keeping the board in tears and we hate to see him go,” Fields joked. “Somewhere around December of 1997 our co-op was going through a transition and we were sitting around the table, a bunch of new board members, and we didn’t know what we were doing, and it just so happened we were getting ready to make a decision on the new direction of the co-op. The chairman at that time came to us and said, ‘Hey I got another resume, there’s a young man that we need to look at before we make a decision.’ Everyone said OK and it was late in the evening around 12:15 and at the next meeting he brought this young man in. He was a big, tall fella’ and we started the interview process and it was going along really well, and all of a sudden he reversed the roles and he as interviewing us and sharing with us his vision for Cullman Electric Cooperative.”

Fields smiled, talking about Smith’s performance as CEO and the impact he has made on the people around him.

“Unknowingly to me, I didn’t realize he had worked here before for some years and had left to work at other co-ops and manage other co-ops and was doing a great job. We were very fortunate to have him come back to us. Since then, he has performed to the highest perfection that anyone could have performed as a CEO of a cooperative that makes sure that little lady on the end of the line is provided power. She is just as important as those who live up on the road and he always stressed that, that we are to provide power with care,” Fields shared. “Anyone who has worked with this guy knows these facts about him; he’s a firm believer in the cooperative business model and its seven principles that we live by, and he loves his hometown of Cullman. As a result, his passion shows in each and every meeting or every time we are around him, his passion for the co-op and the role that we play in improving the quality of life for everyone that (is) touched by this co-op, even its employees.”

At the end of his speech, Fields revealed an honor for Smith that had been kept secret before the reception: the room in which the reception took place has been named the Grady Smith Community Room in recognition of Smith’s many years as CEO.

“As we prepared for this celebration, the board of trustees wanted to, in some kind of special way, recognize Grady’s commitment to, and his concern for, his community,” said Fields. “So, Cullman Cooperative along with its employees, members of the board of trustees and members that make up this co-op, they will little note and nor long remember what we say about this man today and what he’s going to leave behind, but we can never forget what Grady has done here. The future of the co-op is brighter, the hope of the co-op is brighter and it’s because of his leadership. He constantly encourages the board to seek out training to go to classes, to learn more about what it is we do. The most important thing we can do for Grady is to just bid him farewell with love. It is to make sure that that little moment in his life when he’s sitting on the porch or in the backyard or in his hobby shop, that he remembers the faces of those that he touched. On behalf of the board of trustees, your 34 years of service here, your commitment and your compassion give all of us a great honor. It’s a privilege. We’ve done something we hope that when people come by Cullman Electric Co-op, they’ll know Grady Smith was here. So, we named this room in your honor, because you have honored us with so much,” Fields smiled.

Smith closed the presentation ceremony himself with thanks to everyone who’s been part of his life with the co-op and a brief message to his employees and colleagues about the co-op going forward.

“Thank you very much. I can’t think of anything that would do me more good than to have something like that given to me, thank you. I can’t say thank you enough to everyone here that has supported me in so many different ways,” an emotional Smith said.

“I thank all of you for your support. We’ve done a lot of things, we’ve accomplished a lot and we’ve still got a long way to go. If you read my article in the May magazine, you read where my daddy loaned a wheelbarrow out to a fella and when the guy brought it back it had concrete in it. My daddy told me to clean it out and said there was a lesson to be learned there. ‘Always bring something back in better shape than it was when you got it.’ So, as I said at the end of my article, I feel good about leaving this place because there’s a lot of outstanding concrete chippers in this room that can fix it up no matter how bad we left it. It’s a little bit better than it was when we got here, but I know there is plenty of knowledge, skill and ability in here to continue that process. I hope you will look at things going forward as to what’s best for that little lady at the end of the line and what’s best for the co-op, not what Grady would do, because that’s not a problem anymore. I encourage you to be different. Work outside the box and there are people here that can do that. There are people here that are smart enough and that have the vision wide enough to keep things going as they are.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 14. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

Cunningham, Tonya Farr, 41

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Gilland, Chad Michael, 36

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Gilland, Vanessa Nichole, 34

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• running a stop sign

Herron, Jason Edward, 42

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Johnson, James Richard, 50

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Mickle, Joseph Lee, 26

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Weathersby, Lee Jameson, 34

• judge’s order- possession of drug paraphernalia
• judge’s order- unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Wilbanks, Martha Lynn, 40

• probation violation- first-degree theft of property

Williams, Cody Cyle, 25

• first-degree theft of property

Wilson, Jeremy Matthew, 39

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Cullman Police Department

Isbell, Matthew A., 35

• FTA- DUI
• FTA- driving without a license
• FTA- improper lane usage
• FTA- switched tag
• FTA- third-degree domestic violence

Brown, Andrea N., 35

• fraudulent use of a credit or debit card

Bright, Denise S., 59

• fourth-degree theft of property

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

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

West Elementary Principal Dr. Jay Page talks to the Cullman City School Board Tuesday about the state of his school. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - The Cullman City School Board had a full agenda Tuesday at its last meeting during the 2017-18 school year.

Recognitions and awards

• Johnny Cook from Premier Bank presented the board a check to be divided among three Innovation Grant Award Winners:
  • Jennifer Crumpton, West Elementary, $1,000 for Lego robotics, to help students learn about coding and programming
  • Priscilla Henshaw, Cullman Primary, $500 for OSMO kits that will pair students’ iPads with hands-on manipulative activities to expand learning activities beyond the tablets’ screens
  • Savannah Wood (Principal David Wiggins accepting), East Elementary, $500 for STEM engineering and coding technology, including Sphero SPRK “Spark” robots
• Kane Ward, first grade, Cullman Primary School, received the 2018 annual State Superintendent’s Art Exhibit Award.
• Cullman County 4-H shotgun team: Griffin Barksdale, Ezra Burks and Cole Herfurth of Cullman High School, along with Blake Arrington of Vinemont High School, were recognized for winning the state 4-H shotgun competition and received $500 toward their trip to the national championship in Nebraska this June.
• Cullman High School, Cullman City Primary School and West Elementary School received Alabama Bicentennial Commission Commendations sent from Gov. Kay Ivey.  CHS Principal Kim Hall, in receiving her school’s certificate, asked science teacher Kyle Morris to stand with her. Morris teaches a special class, “The Science of Alabama History,” and has led the school’s application process to be named a Bicentennial School.
• Superintendent Dr. Susan Patterson gave certificates of appreciation to PTO presidents:
  • Bethany Aldredge, Cullman City Primary School
  • Melissa Aaron, East Elementary School
  • Tina Dover, West Elementary School

State of the School: West Elementary

Principal Dr. Jay Page made a presentation to the board about West Elementary School.  He began by pointing out the school’s results on the recent state report card:

• An overall grade of A (94), one of three schools in the county to receive that letter grade
• Academic Achievement score of 88.04
• Academic Gains score of 100
• Attendance score (lower is better) of 10.83

He attributed the report card results to faculty team effort, teachers understanding the standards to help students understand expectations, students being familiar with the academic rigor that the standards require, and a multi-pronged approach to professional development.

According to Page, the next steps in West’s progress will include:

• helping students develop a deeper understanding of the standards
• helping students answer the “why” of what they are learning
• having students articulate what they are learning and why it is important
• having students track their own progress by using data to identify areas of strength and weakness, and even leading their own parent conferences
• involving students in project-based learning using AMSTI science models and technology, and teaching students to identify problems and formulate solutions

Page emphasized the need to connect with kids using approaches they are accustomed to, like social media, and invited those interested to search the hashtags #westway and #weststory to learn more about what the school is doing.

Other agenda highlights

The board’s approvals included the following requests:

• CHS Band to travel to Orlando Nov. 10-14 to perform in the Stars Performance Program during Veterans Day Celebration Week at Universal Studios
• CHS Fishing Team to travel to Paris, Tennessee Aug. 2-4 for the 2018 Bassmaster High School National Championship
• CHS HOSA Future Health Professionals to travel to Dallas June 27-30 for the International Leadership Conference and Competition
• An increase in nonresident student fees for the 2018-19 school year from $750 to $800 per student, and $1,300 to $1,400 for two or more students
• A contract with Bridges Therapy and Consulting of Florence for behavior analytic services.  Bridges is one of the first mental health care providers in the region to offer Applied Behavior Analysis, which studies the relationship between specific behaviors and the person’s environment and seeks to develop acceptable alternatives to offensive behavior.  According to Patterson, the contract allows access to services on an as-needed basis.
• Approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between Cullman City Board of Education and Cullman City Council to provide police officers at each school.  The measure will give school resource officers a raise to match the standard pay scale for Cullman Police reserve officers, and will increase the number of SROs at Cullman High School from one to two.
• Several measures concerning Cullman City Head Start:
  • Permission to enter a partnership agreement with Dr. James Thomas of Urgent Care Center of Cullman to provide TB screenings
  • Approval of the Health Services Advisor Agreement between Cullman City Head Start and Dr. Mark Addison
  • Approval of the following Cullman City Head Start Community Partnership Agreements for the 2018-2019 school year: Cullman Housing Authority, Cullman County Department of Human Resources, Cullman City Parks and Recreation, Cullman Caring for Kids, The Crossing, Good Samaritan Health Clinic, The Link of Cullman County, United Way of Cullman County and Brooks’ Place (Child Advocacy Center)

The board also approved the following personnel changes:

Resignations:

• Daniel Hassell, computer technician at Central Office
• Austin Mansell, instructional assistant at Cullman High School
• Renata Puckett, Special Education teacher at Cullman Middle School

Leaves of Absence:

• Rita Dean, requests extension of Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Elizabeth Shaddix, counselor at West Elementary School, requests Family and Medical Leave beginning approximately Aug. 6, 2018 - Nov. 25
• Kim Shelton, instructional assistant at Cullman High School, 15 on-the-Job Injury days
• Roxi Lee, instructional assistant at West Elementary School, on-the-Job injury days for May 10-11

Transfer:

• Michelle Nix, transfer from CNP Manager at West Elementary to CNP Manager at Cullman High School
• Employments: Conditional employment under the terms of the Child Protection Act of 1999, Act No. 2002-457, and pending certification, as applicable.
• Hannah Shelton Hunt, fifth-grade teacher at East Elementary School
• Sadie Gregory, temporary math teacher (to fill a leave of absence) at Cullman High School, April 16 through May 25
• William David Hannah, instructional assistant at Cullman High School, effective Aug. 2

Modification of Employment:

• Paul Ross, computer technician at Central Office, transfer from Step level 4 to Step level 5 to include prior years of IT experience

Athletic Supplements

• Austin Mansell, resignation of football, basketball and softball supplements
• Taylor Sasser, resignation of CHS assistant baseball coach supplement
• Remainder of Taylor Sasser's supplement of $867.30 to Maison Goodwin as assistant baseball coach for the remainder of the 2018 season

The Cullman City School Board will hold a special called meeting at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 24, and its next regular meeting at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 7.  Both meetings will be held at the Central Office board room. The public is invited to attend.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Wallace State Community College’s Respiratory Therapy program recognized the Class of 2018 at its Pinning Ceremony on May 3, 2018.

HANCEVILLE - Wallace State Community College’s Respiratory Therapy program recognized 32 students Thursday, May 3, during its pinning ceremony at the James C. Bailey Center.

Awards were presented to several students, including Hannah Crumbley and Cameron Nichols, who tied for the Outstanding Performance in Academics award, and James Sahm, who received the Outstanding Clinical Performance Award.Program graduate Ryan Jones, who is the Clinical Coordinator of Respiratory Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at

Children’s Hospital in Birmingham was the keynote speaker.

Jones told the students that any hard times they’ve experienced during their time in school will prepare them as they begin their careers, where they will face more hard times.

“What respiratory therapy really taught me was the hard things in life are what makes it worth it,” he said. “Seeing a 4-year-old old patient walk down the hall for the first time in six months really makes it worth it. Helping a severe asthmatic finally find relief after struggling to breathe is what really makes it worth it. Caring for a half-pound infant struggling to survive in the NICU for months and helping them in their car with the family for the first time is really what makes it worth it.

“Respiratory therapy school taught me to appreciate the hard things in life,” he added. “It taught me the importance of teamwork and how to be an integral part of a healthcare team. As newly-graduating therapists, you too will have hard times ahead. However, it’s the hard times that help you grow.”

Wallace State’s Respiratory Therapy program is a five-semester program, with one semester of pre-requisites required before applying to the program. Applications for Fall 2018 entry are being accepted through June 1. For more information, call 256-352-8000 or visit www.wallacestate.edu.

CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 15. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

Bartlett, Micheal Shawn, 40

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Brown, Lee Roy Jr., 30

• probation violation- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Cray, Shane Robert, 31

• possession of drug paraphernalia (2 counts)

Criscoe, James Michael Thomas, 30

• public intoxication

Dooley, Tyler Dwight, 24

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Edwards, Amber Nichole, 32

• contributing to truancy

Floyd, Lewis Donald Jr., 37

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• attempting to elude

Hankins, Tyler Mark, 23

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)

Hyde, David Brandon, 34

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)

King, Bobby Nathaniel, 21

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)

Malcom, Adam Christopher, 26

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Osborn, Scotty Ray, 38

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Tubbs, Eric Brandon, 30

• probation revoked- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Wallace, Benjamin Jacob, 24

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)

Williams, America Ann, 20

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

Yarbrough, Bobby Glen, 56

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Cullman Police Department

Lynn, Donald J. Jr., 27

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Laningham, Kevin L., 40

• FTA- third-degree domestic violence

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

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

Circuit Judge Martha Williams (Martha Williams)

CULLMAN - Recently, The Tribune spoke to incumbent Circuit Judge Martha Williams, who is facing a fierce challenge from Melvin Hasting for her seat.  Hasting and his supporters have gone after Williams’ handling of certain cases, both in print media and face-to-face at a series of Cullman County Republican Party town hall meetings around the county.

What made you want to become a judge to begin with?

“I’ve always been a peacemaker, and so I think that the challenge of trying to settle disputes between people or companies, or those kinds of things is something has always intrigued me.  I’ve had a long private practice, and then, after I was at the district attorney’s office, I just felt like it was time. But it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

What do you hope to accomplish in your next term in office?

“We have already started trying to be more efficient with the limited actual resources that we have.  We have less personnel, we have more cases than judges to handle all of that. So Judge (Gregory) Nicholas and I, who is the other circuit judge, have divided our docket so that I’m responsible primarily for the criminal dockets, and he for the domestic dockets.  We have tried to streamline our administrative duties so that we can spend more time with the cases that are in front of us. I would hope that, in the next term, that we could continue that and be even more efficient.

“But also, I’ve had the honor to be on the task force for development of some kind of mental health resources here in Cullman County, and I’m looking forward to having an opportunity to do more for the folks that sometimes will end up before me, and really need treatment.”

Are there differences between you and your opponent that are important to consider?

“Well, I would say the main difference is that I’ve had so much more experience.  I’ve had experience both in private practice, and also as a prosecutor. So every case that will come before me, and that has come before me, I’ve handled, and I’ve handled them from both sides.  I have the experience, and I have the desire to continue to work for my community, and I want to serve.”

When asked if she wanted to address attacks by Hastings supporters through The Victim’s Voice PAC in local print media and social media, Williams declined.

If you had to boil your message down to a concise statement, what would you want people to know about you?

“I think I have a unique set of talents and experience to serve this community, and I want to continue.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Melvin Hasting (Melvin Hasting)

CULLMAN - Before the last Cullman County Republican Party town hall meeting, The Tribune spoke to Melvin Hasting, who is challenging incumbent Martha Williams for her seat as Cullman County Circuit Judge.  Hasting and his supporters have used social and print media to go after Williams hard concerning her handling of certain cases. He has challenged her handling of cases and the administration of her office face-to-face at the GOP meetings, and a group of his supporters followed him to those meetings to question the professional behavior of both Williams and her staff.  Hasting maintains that every aspect of his campaign has stayed firmly within legal bounds, and that every claim he has made is true and supported by documented evidence.

What made you want to seek this office?

“I love Cullman County, number one, and I’ve been born here, I’ve been raised here, I raised children here, and I raised a family here.  And Cullman is special to me, and I see an opportunity as a circuit judge to do what I can to keep Cullman special, to keep Cullman safe.

“One of the important things that a circuit judge does is handle criminal dockets.  So when you’re handling a criminal docket, you’re handling the criminal jury trials, you’re handling probationers--people that’s been convicted of crimes; you’re also instrumental in helping people with the victims collect their money.  So I want to work to keep Cullman safe. I don’t want Cullman to get in this situation like some of these other towns and cities, where all the criminals are coming in and taking over. I want to do what we can to keep them out, by sending a message that we’re tough on crime in Cullman.”

What do you hope to accomplish in office?

“Since I’ve been campaigning, I’ve listened to what the electorate, what the people in Cullman County, say they have a problem with and how we can fix it.  And one of the things is these cases that get continued, continued, continued--criminal jury week cases, and then some of these criminal cases. And we can fix that, number one, by having criminal jury trials and getting these cases resolved.  

“You can’t just let cases go on and on and on.  And that’s going to take someone that’s proactive, where you step up to the bench and say you’ve got to, a month, two months in advance of these criminal jury weeks, get with the DA--the district attorney, get with the attorneys and say, ‘Which cases do we have? Which cases require trial, and which cases may settle?’ so we can set in order ‘This case is first.  If it gets settled, we’re going to go second, third, fourth.’

“Also, when we have a jury week like a criminal jury week, we just had one last week, if you don’t have criminal cases to try--which we do--then you can have civil cases tried, because all we need is a jury.  So making more efficient use of our jury weeks is very important to me.

“And the other thing is people sometimes feel like their judges are out of touch with them, you know, that they don’t want to hear their cases, they don’t want to be heard.  I hear it all the time. So, as your circuit judge, I’m going to hear your case. Some people just want their day in court, and I’m going to give them their day in court, and I’m going to follow the law when I do it.”

What differences between you and your opponent do you think are important to consider?

“Number one, neither one of us are entitled to this job.  We’re both running as candidates for circuit judge. So it’s important to me that I get the message out: what is the differences.  And what I have chosen to do in two ads that I’ve run is take two particular cases and said, ‘Here’s what happened, and this is how we can fix it.’  And they really--all it boils down to is being fair.

“Three of the cases I talk about are criminal cases.  And what’s happened to them: it’s been one side heard the story; the state side hasn’t been heard, and there’s been errors made in those cases by my opponent.  So I want to fix that: give everybody hearings, follow the law, and do what we’re supposed to.

“Another example is a case that I had brought out, which is an estate case where it’s a 2015 case.  The case has drug on and on and on, and all the money’s depleted out of the estate. And your judge has control of that.  Unfortunately, this case has got out of control, and that’s what happened. So we’ve got to be on top of these cases, make sure that the decisions we’re making lines up with law, lines up with the facts and lines up with people.  We’ve got to take people into consideration.

“So that is some differences.  I’m going to give you hearings, I’m going to treat you right and we’re going to follow the law.”

If you had to boil your message down to a concise statement, what would you want people to know about you?

“As your circuit judge, I care.  I care about your case, and I understand that your case is important to you, and your case also will be important to me as your circuit judge, because my decisions affect you and affect your life, and I know that’s important.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: top row, left to right, Bethany McNeil, Cameron Hudson and Cameron Kretzschmar (valedictorian); bottom row, left to right: Cory Jones, Jazmin Barrett (salutatorian) and Madison Hooks (Bill Miller Photography)

Congratulations to the Cullman Christian School Class of 2018! Graduation is Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 7 p.m. at Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Congratulations to the Cullman Christian School 2018 Senior Class! While our students have studied hard and learned well in many academic areas, I am most proud that these seniors have grown in their understanding of God and in their relationship with Him. As the Word of God says, ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.’ (Proverbs 1:7). These students have achieved excellence in the classroom and demonstrated character outside the classroom. They have learned from mistakes and shown determination to overcome obstacles. I believe these students will not only can be successful in whatever academic or vocational area they choose to pursue, but I believe they will also make an everlasting difference in the world by sharing God’s love through Jesus Christ with others. We love you, Seniors! May God bless you.”

Doctor Wayne Williams, principal, Cullman Christian School

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Goat Island’s new Duck River Dunkel was a hit at 99 Bottles of Beer on the Lawn in Daphne, tying with a Fairhope brew for “People’s Choice” and helping Cullman’s hometown brewery win first place in the overall competition.  (Photo courtesy Goat Island Brewing)

CULLMAN - Accolades are becoming a common thing for the folks at Goat Island Brewing. After winning the March Madness Competition at Slice Pizza & Brewhouse in Birmingham with its Blood Orange Berliner Weisse, the Cullman brewery took on 31 other breweries last Saturday, in the 99 Bottles of Beer on the Lawn craft beer festival hosted by Southern Napa Fine Wine House in Daphne. The competition featured beers from top Alabama breweries like Yellow Hammer, Back Forty Beer Company and Straight to Ale and also drew national entries like Sierra Nevada and Goose Island, and even those from as far away as Belgium with Hoegaarden Brewery joining the contest.

Goat Island walked away from the festival with the Best Brewery Overall and Best Alabama Brewery prizes, and its newest brew, “Duck River Dunkel,” tied with Fairhope Brewing for the People’s Choice Award for the Best Beer.

In a conversation with The Tribune Wednesday afternoon, Goat Island President and CEO Mike Mullaney described Duck River Dunkel as “a dark German lager: very malty, not a lot of hops, so pretty smooth and easy drinking.”

In a press release, Goat Island Vice President John Dean commended Head Brewer Paul White, saying, “Paul is a fine brewer who is meticulous with his brewing technique. I am very proud of him, and our whole team.”  In the same release, Mullaney shared, “This is the first competition where Goat Island has tested its beers against national and international brands. To beat out Sierra Nevada, one of the most prestigious and respected breweries in the world, is truly an accomplishment.”

Mullaney said, “We were extremely excited about that win, because we just won the March Madness thing, and so it seems like we’re on a roll, getting a lot of notoriety, and people are recognizing that our beer is really good.  So we’re excited!”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Graduate Morelia Tinajero (left) is the 2017-2018 Student Support Services (SSS) Student of the Year.

HANCEVILLE–  Wallace State graduate Morelia Tinajero has been named the 2017-2018 Student Support Services (SSS) Student of the Year.

Last Friday night, she also became the first person in her family to graduate from college. Tinajero, 21, has five siblings, ranging from 20 years old to an infant.

“I’m honored to be named the SSS Student of the Year. It truly was breathtaking when I found out. When I first came to Wallace State, I was anti-social and didn’t know my way around. I was encouraged to sign up for the SSS program, and it’s helped me more than I could ask for. I would have been lost at Wallace State without them. I encourage any student to check out all that SSS has to offer,” Tinajero said.

While at Wallace State, Tinajero was consistently named to the President’s and Dean’s Lists and served as strong advocate for the TRIO/Student Support Services program. Tinajero, a 2015 graduate of Susan Moore, graduated with degrees in paralegal and business administration.

Tinajero plans to continue her education at Athens State and ultimately hopes to enroll in law school, specializing in immigration law.

“That’s important to me because my father came to the United States illegally, and one of his main goals was to get his children into college. He’s seen the fruits of that. He’s made so many sacrifices for our family and earned his citizenship around five years ago. He’s always given me the tools to pursue my dreams,” Tinajero said. “One of his goals was to become a math teacher, and I have the dream of helping him earn a college education.”

Because Morelia is the first person in her immediate family to graduate from college, she knows it will be an everlasting memory.

“It’s a big deal for our family. It’s another breathtaking moment. I get emotional thinking about the sacrifices my dad and mom have made for us. I want to be a role model for my siblings and other students who have similar stories. I want to help them the best way I can,” Tinajero said.

Tinajero urges all Wallace State students to inquire about joining TRIO/SSS, a federally-funded program that provides opportunities for academic development and assists with students with basic college requirements and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.

“The program has helped me lay out my future and that’s where I’ve received some of the best advice both personally and professionally. If you would have told me when I began at Wallace State in 2015, that I would be sitting here, I’m not sure I would have believed it. This graduation is a big step for me and my family,” Tinajero said. “It’s another leap for my future and something I can pass on to others.”

For more information about Wallace State’s TRIO/Student Support Services program, contact 256-352-8073.

For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.

Author Dawn Owens signed copies of her book “Like Me or Not” Tuesday at Yates-Chance Christian Bookstore. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - As if Dawn Owens didn’t have enough to do as director of The Link of Cullman County, she decided to add “author” to her resumé.  Worthy Publishing has just released her book “Like Me or Not,” which deals with approval addiction, an unhealthy preoccupation with pleasing or gaining the approval of other people.

Counselors will say that an emotionally healthy person should want the approval of others, but that approval, or lack of it, should not determine a person’s sense of self-worth.  This is the dilemma Owens sought to address in her faith-based approach to healthy self-esteem.

Sixteen chapters, including the introduction and conclusion, address various aspects of approval addiction and offer biblical principles for identifying and overcoming issues like people-pleasing, insecurity, comparison and jealousy.  Originally conceived as helpful tool for 20- to 40-year-old women, the book has received a positive reception from men as well, and from readers of all ages from young adult up, according to Owens.

“From what I’ve been hearing so far,” said Owens, “it’s been very helpful and tangible for people to read through a chapter and get a good grasp of how to work on that area of struggle for them.”

On Tuesday, the official launch day for “Like Me or Not,” Yates-Chance Christian Bookstore hosted a book signing.  During a short lull in a steady stream of customers who threatened to buy out the available stock of copies, The Tribune talked with Owens.  

“Originally, I started to write the book because I recognized that I was probably not the only person that struggled with approval addiction, and, as I talked with others, they kept saying, ‘Oh, yeah, with social media it’s becoming even more of a struggle, but that was about seven years ago.

“Then I went through a journey of trying to start The Link of Cullman County, and found myself stuck in the struggle of trying to navigate listening to others, believing their opinions, beliefs--and a lot of times they were naysayers in what I was trying to start--and so, through that battle, realized that there might be a story in this for others to hear, and not only get a picture of what it looks like to overcome approval addiction, but then what it also looks like to walk out your purpose in it.  And so, that’s really what the book is about: to inspire others to do what God has called them to do.”

“Like Me or Not” is now available in bookstores, as well as online from distributors like Amazon.  For more information, visit https://dawnmowens.com.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Kayla Leigh Cobbs (Photo courtesy of Cheri Cobbs)

MOBILE - Cullman’s Kayla Leigh Cobbs earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of South Alabama (USA) on Saturday May 5, 2018. Cobbs is a 2012 graduate of Cullman High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from USA in 2016.

Cobbs in the daughter of Phillip and Cheri Cobbs of Vinemont and the granddaughter of Ronald Cobbs and Faye Cobbs, Gail Tidwell and the late James Tidwell.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 16. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

Cody, Steven Lynn, 40

• FTA- attempting to commit a controlled substance crime

Collins, Brenda Diane, 36

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• illegal possession of prescription medicine
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)

Floyd, Lewis Donald Jr., 37

• attempting to elude

Fuller, Cregary Alan, 41

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• illegal possession of prescription medicine
• proof of liability insurance required
• switched tag
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)

McClellan, Lee Zane, 27

• FTA- driving while suspended

McKenzie, Theresa Angelica, 22

• public intoxication

Morton, Alexander Scott, 19

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Murphy, Morgan Culley, 49

• public intoxication

Norton, Kenneth James, 58

• DUI- .08 BAC or greater

Teague, David Gary, 60

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Teague, Gary Wayne, 52

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Teague, Sherry Ann, 51

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Weeks, Jacqueline Kris Geer, 41

• public intoxication

Cullman Police Department

Criscoe, James M., 30

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- third-degree criminal trespassing

Tidwell, James M., 28

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

McClellan, Lee Z., 27

• third-degree possession of a forged instrument
• FTA- driving while suspended
• fourth-degree theft of property

Guillot, Norris J. III, 43

• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Mentzer, Joshua R., 21

• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Burdeshaw, Elizabeth B., 22

• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Walker, Christopher F., 45

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Champion, Jennifer L., 34

• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance
• possession of drug paraphernalia
• second-degree promoting prison contraband

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

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

CULLMAN -  A Pickup Tower has been installed at the Olive Street Wal-Mart on the south end of Cullman, according to a media release from the company. 

“Pickup Towers function like high-tech vending machines, capable of fulfilling a customer’s online order in less than a minute.”

How to use the Pickup Tower

1. Order from www.Walmart.com and select the “Pickup” option at checkout.
2. When the item arrives at the store, an associate loads it into the Pickup Tower and you will receive a notification.
3. When you arrive at the store, step up to the Pickup Tower and scan the bar code sent to your smartphone.
4. You will receive your order in less than a minute.

The Pickup Tower service is in addition to grocery pick-up services, which were launched at both Wal-Mart locations in Cullman on May 9.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Representatives from a variety of local organizations were on hand Monday at the Cullman Civic Center for the Cullman KIDS’ Summer Showcase. (Photo courtesy Joey Orr)

CULLMAN - As the end of the school year and beginning of summer vacation approaches, parents and kids alike face the inevitable question: what now?  Grace Chapel Children’s Minister and Cullman City School Board member Joey Orr coordinated this week’s Cullman KIDS’ Summer Showcase at the Civic Center, in cooperation with the Cullman County Board of Education and others.

Following is an alphabetical list of groups and organizations that presented ideas at the event, along with program and contact information, based on information supplied to event coordinators by group representatives.

Alabama Cooperative Extension System - Learn, Grow, Eat & Go Camp June 18-22, 2018 for second-fifth graders going into 2018-2019 school year. 4-H Gardening Classes. Monthly, first one May 31, noon to 2 p.m.  Fifth graders 2017- 2018. Contact Cynthia Tubbs at cat0053@auburn.edu, www.facebook.com/jmgcullman/.

Alabama Kids Code - STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Camp ages 5-18. Contact Jackie Whitehead at jackie@alabamakidscode.org, www.alabamakidscode.org.

Clairdays Karate - Karate.  Contact Robert Clairday at Robertclairday@gmail.com.

Cornerstone Revival Center - VBS July 11-13, buses each Sunday for Children’s Church.  Contact Robert Brantley at Robertbrantley88@gmail.com, www.cornerstonerevivalcenter.com.

Courtney’s Dance Artistry - Summer dance camps in June ranging from ages 3-16.  Contact Courtney Foshee at dancecda.info@gmail.com, www.dancecda.com.

Cullman City Head Start - Preschool for ages 3-5.  Contact Heather Battles at hbattles@cullmancats.net, www.cullmancats.net/headstart.

Cullman City Schools Summer Feeding Program - Summer Feeding Program at West Elementary. Children 0-18 eat free breakfast and lunch.  Contact Terri Abbott at tabbott@cullmancats.net.

Cullman Created For A Purpose - Created For A Purpose at St. John’s Church, July 9-13 for Girls third-eighth grade.  Contact Stephanie Jowers at stephjowers@bellsouth.net, www.facebook.com/cullmancreatedforapurpose/.

Cullman Custom Travel - Travel opportunities.  Contact Leigh Anne Combs at cullmancustomtravel@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/cullmancustomtravel/.

Cullman First Baptist Church - Vacation Bible School, Summer Bible Study, Sunday and Wednesday Night Programming.  Contact Rebekah Mickle at rmickle@cullmanfbc.com, www.cullmanfbc.com.

Cullman High School - Athletic Camps for Cullman High School.  Contact Mark Stephens at mstephens@cullmancats.net, www.cullmancats.net.

Cullman High School Athletic Department - Athletic/academic camps hosted by CHS. Contact Jonathan Hayes at jhayes@cullmancats.net.

Cullman Homeschoolers Activities and Resource Group (CHARGe) - Field trips, meet-ups, park days and clubs for different age groups.  Contact Lana Freeman at lanafreemanschool@yahoo.com.

Cullman Regional- One-day Safe Sitter babysitting training course, June 19 and July 18, for boys and girls ages 11-14 or grades six through eight.  This course prepares children to become responsible, safe sitters and teaches choking rescue and CPR. Class fee is $55. Children of Healthy Life members $35.  Each child will receive a Safe Sitter babysitting kit. Lunch and snacks are provided. Contact Meredith Easterwood at meredith.easterwood@cullmanregional.com, www.cullmanregional.com.

Cullman Shooting Sports - Summer Firearm Training Camp, Phase I and II for boys and girls ages 9 -16.  PHASE I: safety education, different types of firearms, learn different calibers, fundamentals of basic pistol and rifle shooting, simulation to improve accuracy, safety and sportsmanship; June 11-15 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  $200 per child (cost includes protective eye and ear wear for each child, firearm rental, ammunition, and simulation room with firearm). PHASE II: June 18-22, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. $225 per child (includes items as listed above).  Contact Rachel Handley at rachelxGL19@yahoo.com, www.cssrange.com.

Cullman United Soccer Club - Youth soccer organization, registration and tryouts happening now and season starting Aug. 1.  Summer camps to be promoted soon. Contact Jacob Swann at jswann@cullmanunited.org, www.cullmanunited.org, www.facebook.com/cullmanunited/.

Cullman Volleyball - Cullman High School Volleyball Team youth camp for school age kids (K-6) in the Auxiliary Gym at Cullman High School, June 11-13, 9 a.m. - noon.  Contact Meagan Cagle at Mcagle@cullmancats.net,

Daystar Kids - Kidfest at Daystar.  Contact Steve Patrick at Stevepatrick@daystarchurch.tv, www.daystarchurch.tv/Kidfest.

Fancher Education Center - Summer Literacy Camp for Children ages 5-10: reading and writing activities to help keep kids’ reading skills fresh and to help build on their experiences with literature throughout the summer; ongoing throughout the summer available on a weekly basis. Craft Camp for Ages 5-13, throughout the month of June with a new theme each week: different summer-themed crafts with different media.  Summer Tutoring for kindergarten through 12th grade in math, literacy, science, social studies, etc.; available by appointment. Sensory Friendly Educational Enrichment Activities available by appointment.  Contact Cherrelle Fancher at lifelonglearning@fancheredu.org, www.fancheredu.org.

First United Methodist Church - VBS, June 4-7, Youth Summer Days, Young Moms Bible Study.  Contact Melissa Betts at Mbetts@cullmanfumc.com, www.cullmanfumc.com.

Genesis Performing Arts - Baton, dance, tumbling, and pageant summer classes and clinics.  Contact Stacey Long at genesis.performers@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/genesisperformers/.

Grace Chapel - VBS, June 25-27, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for students who have completed kindergarten to completed sixth grade.  Contact Joey Orr at gracechapelkids@yahoo.com, gracechapelal.com.

Heads Up Prevention (Wellstone Behavioral Health) - Evidence Based Programs: ages 9-13, 8-Session Program for ages 14-19, 12 Session Program. Dates and times are flexible. Contact LaQuentin Ragland at laquentin.ragland@wallacestate.edu, www.facebook.com/HeadsUpPrevention/.

Holly Pond High School Majorettes - 2018 Bronco Tiny Twirlers Camp, June 18-22, for K-5 students, at Holly Pond School.  Contact Evan Curtis at wcurtis@ccboe.org, www.facebook.com/HPBroncoBand/.

Karma in Cullman - Summer feeding program for kids 0-18 years old at different locations throughout the county in June and July on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with partnership with West Elementary.  Contact Stephanie Fillmore at fillmore455@att.net, www.karmaincullman.org.  

North Alabama Agriplex - Summer camps.  Contact Rachel Dawsey at cullmanag@gmail.com, www.agriplex.org.

North Alabama Homeschool Expo - Homeschool Expo with workshops and events for the whole family on June 16 at Cullman Civic Center from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.  Contact Stephanie Pragel at admin@4-theloveoflearning.com, www.northalabamahomeschoolexpo.com.

Northbrook Baptist Church - VBS: Game On, June 10-14, 4 years-fifth grade.  Contact Erica Tucker at erica@northbrookbc.com, www.northbrookbc.com.  

Ole Time Way Baptist Church - VBS (no date given).  Contact Christin Blackmon at Christin@drakecpa.com, www.facebook.com/Ole-Time-Way-Baptist-Church-1418106675108806/.

Saint Andrews United Methodist Church - Vacation Bible School, June 25-29 for age 4 through those who have just completed 6th grade.  Contact Kellie Britton at kgb12905@gmail.com, www.standrewsumc.org.

Southern Starlets - Baton, dance, and tumbling camps and clinics in June.  Contact Shirley Byrd Beshears at Southernstarlets@bellsouth.net, www.facebook.com/southernstarlets/.

The Factory Dance Productions - Dance classes, Disney Dance Camp, master workshops.  Contact Nohealani Naehu at thefactorydance@gmail.com, www.thefactorydance.com.

The Link of Cullman County - Summer Enrichment Program: activities and tutoring for kindergarten thru 5th grade students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon until 3 p.m. June 5 through July 19 (no activities 4th of July week).  Kindergarten Readiness Camps will be held in 4 locations across the county July 16 - 27 from 10 a.m. to noon each weekday of those two weeks. These camps will help prepare kindergartners to begin school with the necessary skills to be successful in the classroom.  Contact Reginnia Roat at reginniaroat@linkingcullman.org, @TheLinkofCullmanCounty, www.linkingcullman.org.

Victory Cheer Academy - Summer Tumble Clinics and Tumble Session, Ages 3 and up, June and July.  Contact Lacy Stancil at Vca@victorycheeracademy.com, www.Victorycheeracademy.com.

Wallace State Men's Basketball - Wallace State Basketball Academy: Session 1: June 20-22, Session 2: June 25-29, Session 3: July 16-20.  Boys and Girls Ages 5-17. Contact John Meeks at john.meeks@wallacestate.edu, http://athletics.wallacestate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/07/201....  

Wallace State Volleyball - Volleyball camps conducted at Wallace State.  Contact Randy Daniel at randy.daniel@wallacestate.edu, http://athletics.wallacestate.edu/sports/volleyball/.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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

“Rejoice,” whom the staff calls Reggie, is a mix with a little bull in him.  He’s a laid-back, low- to medium-energy pet who enjoys playing in the yard. He has even tried out the shelter’s kiddie pool!  Reggie is skilled at leash etiquette and would likely make a worthy therapy, service, companion or comfort dog.

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.

Reggie’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).

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.

Airman Marco A. Valdez

U.S. Air Force Airman Marco A. Valdez graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Valdez is the son of Lurdes and Ignacio Valdez, of Vinemont. He is a 2016 graduate of West Point High School.