MONTGOMERY– Gov. Kay Ivey’s office released the state’s April 2018 unemployment numbers Friday morning. According to the state, Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted April unemployment rate is 3.8 percent, unchanged from March’s rate of 3.8 percent, and well below April 2017’s rate of 4.8 percent.  Cullman County’s rate fell to 2.8 percent for April, down from March’s rate of 3.2 percent and April 2017’s rate of 3.5 percent. Cullman County’s unemployment rate is the second lowest in Alabama.

Statewide, 2,086,659 people were counted as employed in April, an increase of 19,877 from last year.  April’s rate represents 83,208 unemployed persons, compared to 81,166 in March and 104,027 in April 2017.

Additionally, according to the governor’s office, average weekly earnings increased $41.92 over the year.  Wages in the construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation, utilities, financial activities, professional and business services, education and health services, and leisure and hospitality sectors all increased over the year.

“All 67 Alabama counties experienced rate drops both over the month and over the year,” said Alabama Department of Labor Sec. Fitzgerald Washington. “Wilcox County, which traditionally has the highest unemployment rate in Alabama, saw its rate drop by 2.2 percentage points over the year.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 2.6 percent, Cullman County at 2.8 percent, and Marshall, Madison, and Elmore Counties at 3.0 percent.  Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 8.6 percent, Clarke and Lowndes Counties at 6.6 percent, and Greene County at 6.0 percent.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Homewood and Vestavia Hills at 2.2 percent, Alabaster at 2.5 percent, and Hoover, Madison, and Northport at 2.6 percent.  Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Prichard at 6.1 percent, Selma at 6.0 percent, and Anniston at 5.2 percent.

The governor’s office also announced on Friday that Alabama’s wage and salary employment measured 2,039,200 in March, the highest since December 2007.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 24,600, with gains in the professional and business services sector (+7,700), the leisure and hospitality sector (+4,700), and the construction sector (+3,400), among others.

Wage and salary employment increased in April by 13,900. Monthly gains were seen in the professional and business services sector (+6,000), the leisure and hospitality sector (+4,900), and the construction sector (+2,300), among others.

“The good news just keeps coming in Alabama,” Ivey said. “Our workforce is growing, more people are working, and businesses are moving to our great state.  We are proud of how much we’ve improved and are working hard to build on that momentum.”

Alabama’s civilian labor force (CLF) increased 6,970 over the month, reaching its highest level so far in 2018.

“Alabama businesses are supporting more jobs than they have in more than a decade,” Ivey continued. “In fact, we’ve got the third highest wage and salary employment in history. This tells us that businesses in Alabama are hiring, and they’re confident in our economy.”

April 2018 Map by cullmansense on Scribd

April 2018 CountyRate by cullmansense on Scribd

April 2018 CityRates by cullmansense on Scribd

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Updated 5-18-18 4:43 p.m.

CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 17. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

Buckelew, Michael Andrew, 30

• FTA- attempting to elude
• FTA- reckless endangerment
• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Lee, Jonathan Leamon, 38

• diversion violation- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

McCall, George William, 52

• harassment

Reynolds, Kristopher Alan, 33

• third-degree burglary

Robinson, Ralph Allen, 37

• FTA- writ of arrest- child support

Vanhorn, Alicia Nicole, 24

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Whitfield, Nathan Wayne, 35

• third-degree criminal trespassing
• fourth-degree theft of property
• writ of arrest- child support

Cullman Police Department

Robinson, Ralph A., 37

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Ford, Jessica D., 23

• fourth-degree theft of property

Keeling, Katie M., 39

• fourth-degree theft of property

Moore, John A., 37

• FTA- driving while revoked
• FTA- switched tag

Jenkins, Jerry R., 48

• FTA- driving without a license

Hawkins, Amber R., 27

• public intoxication

Steele, Jacob W., 28

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Cochran, Shane J., 36

• DUI

Freeman, Sonja, 54

• DUI

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

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

Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail, right, participates in the community planning activity Thursday evening. (Heather Mann for The Tribune)

HANCEVILLE - Residents of Hanceville came out to the civic center Thursday evening to help Main Street Alabama and the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments (NARCOG) brainstorm ideas for developing and improving Hanceville’s downtown area.

The first half-hour of the meeting was an overview of helpful actions and resources for the development process. Trisha Black, field services specialist for Main Street Alabama, delivered the presentation, which could be broken into two main parts: preparation steps to development, and resources available to help.

The preparation section was fairly straightforward: 

-set up a place where potential business owners can get all the necessary information at once

-make information about newly-opened businesses readily available

-take inventory of the buildings around town and let people know which of those are available

-have an application process to get a zoning compliance certificate and have code teams ready to inspect buildings for violations

-have maps of boundaries and FEMA flood areas ready

-have information about utilities (what is or isn’t hooked up, where the connections are, who to talk to about problems) readily available

-understand the applicable state building codes and develop according to their specifications

The resources Black listed were mostly financial grants and loans for helping development, but she also discussed connections to other development groups who can help and ways to research an area’s market. On the financial side, cities can apply for loans with NARCOG or work with Alabama Saves to make a property more energy-efficient; Hanceville used the first option to help finance a fire station. Cities with areas listed on the National Register of Historic Places can also be eligible for state and federal tax credits. On the connection side, cities can work with organizations like the Alabama Committee of Excellence (ACE), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM),or Design Alabama to help with development, and future business owners can look up an area’s demographics on sites like www.esri.com/data/tapestry/zip-lookup to figure out what would be popular in the market.

NARCOG’s Joey Hester led the group in a few community brainstorming activities. The first was a simple five-minute session where audience members listed words that they wanted to apply to the downtown area post-development. Some words were solid plans (bike racks, shopping opportunities, housing, good parking) and others were more abstract ideas (stylish, destination, busy, unique personality), but they all represented a hopeful vision of an even better downtown Hanceville.

The second, longer activity was more hands-on: visitors could gather around maps of the downtown area and plan out what they think the town should look like. While some ideas were shared by many of the visitors, no two maps were the same. One proposed using the large empty field near the fire station as a public garden while another suggested moving city hall there. One map included several new retail outlets and a hotel for visitors to Wallace State Community College or the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, another added spots for free food-pantry cabinets and proposed using two large buildings for shopping centers.

Hester said there will be another development meeting planned for June, in which he hopes to present some maps drawn up based on the ideas gathered.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Jon Morton (Cullman Police Department)

LOGAN -  A Logan man was arrested this week, charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

The Cullman Police Department said Jon Waylon Morton, 29, was arrested on May 15 by officers assigned to the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force and the CPD’s Crime Suppression Unit for allegedly selling methamphetamine.

Morton is being held in the Cullman County Detention Center on $10,000 property and $2,500 cash bonds.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

CHARLESTON, SC - Nicholas Shugarts of Cullman graduated from The Citadel during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5. Shugarts received a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

The Citadel Class of 2018 includes 516 cadets from 29 states and four countries. The ceremony followed three days of the Corps' commencement-related actives, which included an awards convocation, commissioning ceremonies for cadets becoming military officers and The Citadel's iconic Long Gray Line parade.

About The Citadel

The Citadel, with its iconic campus located in Charleston, South Carolina, offers a classic military college education profoundly focused on leadership excellence and academic distinction. Graduates are not required to serve in the military but about one-third of each class commission as officers in every branch of U.S. military service. Graduates of The Citadel have served the nation, their states and their communities as principled leaders since the college was founded in 1842.

The Citadel Graduate College offers 26 graduate degree programs with 42 concentration options, 25 graduate certificate programs and 10 evening undergraduate programs, through an all-evening schedule with many courses now available online. The Citadel was named Best Public College in the South by U.S. News & World Report for seven consecutive years, and #1 Best Public College for Veterans in the South as well as Best Value out of all South Carolina colleges and universities by Forbes.

Image credit: The Citadel

The all-fifth-grade West Point Intermediate team won the sixth-grade division at the West Point High School Invitational in March.  L-R: John Davis Yovino, Brodie Henry, Eli Taylor, Katie Beth Yovino (Photo courtesy Lee Henry)

WEST POINT - The 2017-18 school year was a huge one for Lee Henry and the students he coached on multiple scholars’ bowl teams at West Point Intermediate (WPI), Middle (WPM) and High (WPH) Schools:  an undefeated “regular season” for his high schoolers going into the state tournament, national tournament bids for his high school and middle school teams, and an all-fifth grade intermediate school team (which included his son Brodie) that swept the all-sixth grade field in an invitational tournament.

Henry stayed in touch with The Tribune through the spring, updating the progress of his teams and taking time at the end of the season to reflect on the experience.

County tournament

On January 26, the high school and middle school teams swept the county tournament without the loss of a single match.  WPM’s Carter Duke took the top individual middle school spot, while the top three high school individuals were all from WPH: Will Parker, Tom Parker and Kohan Lovett.

District competitions

On the day following the county tournament, WPM placed second in its pool at the district middle school tournament, qualifying it for state competition.  WPH followed suit in February with a first-place finish at the district high school tournament. Both teams’ finishes also qualified them to attend their respective national tournaments in May.

West Point Invitational

The invitational tournament held on West Point’s “home court” challenged the all-fifth-grade team from WPI.  It proved itself, though, sweeping a field otherwise made up entirely of sixth graders. With their season officially ended, the intermediate students were allowed to join WPM for the state and national tournaments.

Snead State Invitational

Missing senior starter Billy Ellis, Henry put in Gabe Aufderhaar, then brought in sophomore Garrett Willingham for the match against powerhouse Hoover, which WPH won.  Henry said of Willingham’s breakout performance, “He made the difference for sure. We wouldn't have won that match without him.”

In the championship match against Gadsden City, senior captain Will Parker solved a math computation “insanely fast” (in Henry’s words) to win the match on the last question.

State tournaments

WPH went into the April state tournament undefeated, looking to land its third consecutive state 5A division title, but fell to Sylacauga on the final question in the championship match, leaving the scholars disappointed runners up, but still eyeing the national tournament.

WPM won only one match at state and did not place but had already qualified to attend nationals in May.

2018 Small School National Championship

Henry took three WPH teams (A, B, and C) to nationals in Rosemont, Illinois at the end of April and provided a rundown on the group experience, with a special focus on all-senior Team A:

“The top 96 Quiz Bowl teams from small schools (500 students or less in grades 10-12) were at the tournament.  After failing to three-peat as the 5A State Champions due to a heartbreaking loss to Sylacauga in the championship round a couple of weeks ago, I think my guys had something to prove.  They didn't play great during Saturday's prelims. Every team played 10 prelim matches. Teams that went 6-4 or better moved on to the double-elimination playoffs on Sunday. The team went 7-3 and went into Sunday's playoffs seeded number 10.  That was the lowest seed we've ever gotten in this tournament.

“But something happened on Sunday.  The team came alive like I hadn't seen from them in a while.  It was like a different team. For example, one of our prelim losses on Saturday was against Southwestern High School for Piasa, Illinois.  They destroyed us by a whopping 660-135. In the second round of the playoffs, we came against them again. I could see how confident Southwestern was to be playing us again.  Except this time, we beat them 480-220.

“After that, we played Ottawa Hills, Ohio, who would eventually place second.  We only lost by 20 points. After that, it was do-or-die. These kids knew that their next loss would be their last round together.  And, they were just determined to stay alive. We beat teams that statistically were way better than us. On paper, we were lucky to be in the top 10.  But, thanks to some great play, some miraculous comebacks, and some amazing luck, we managed to finish the tournament in fifth place.

“In addition to the fifth-place finish for the seniors on the A team, our B team went five and five in the prelims and were only a win away from making the playoffs themselves.  The highlight there was that sophomore Garrett Willingham received a "Rising Star" trophy for being the second-highest scoring sophomore in the tournament. Obviously, this makes me confident that we can continue to have success over the next few years.  Even our young C team was able to go two and eight!”

Henry, whose entire A Team is graduating (something the coach has never faced in his 20 years), said of Willingham, “Knowing that Garrett is there as the rising star, and I’m going to have two more years with him, that makes me feel confident that we’re going to keep moving forward.  And we’ve got a lot of talent moving up.”

2018 National Middle School Championship Tournament

Two weeks after his high school team saw a top five national finish, Henry was back at the same hotel in Illinois with two WPM teams which, by that time, included his own son, fifth-grader Brodie Henry.  Henry said of that experience:

“I kind of knew they were going to struggle, and I had no illusions that we were going to win that or even make the playoffs, but I told them--they won one match at state; I wanted them to win two matches at nationals.  And (the A Team) did that. So, in less than two months, they went from one win at state to two wins at nationals, and that shows a lot of improvement in a short amount of time.”

As proud as Henry was of all his players, no parent would fault him for taking time to point out that his son Brodie, on the WPM B Team, was ranked as the number five fifth grader at the national tournament.  Said Henry, “I’m proud of him, and he loves it, and I can only imagine what he’s going to be like when he’s in high school.”

To his seniors

WPH’s A team is composed of four seniors: Will Parker, Tom Parker, Kohan Lovett and Billy Ellis.  Of his players about to graduate, Henry said:

“It's always hard to say goodbye to your seniors--the kids you've worked with and watched grow as players and as people for several years--but this group is just special to me.  They have gone to war together for four-plus years. They've also gone to war against each other, and even against me a few times! But I thanked them from the heart before their last match on Sunday.  Sunday was one of the most-fun days of my 20-year coaching career. It was an absolute blast watching them succeed at such a high level. Of course, I'd have loved to have won the whole thing, but these kids played their hearts out and I couldn't ask for much more.  I'm going to miss them dearly.”

Of those coming up

Henry also talked about the group of players he still has for next year and beyond; who, from the sixth grade up, all have national championship competitive experience:

“I’m trying to build something, and I think it’s going to come together.  Having them from fifth grade to 12th grade is huge. Of course, that's going to make saying goodbye even harder in the years to come, especially since my son, Brodie Henry, is currently on the fifth-grade team.  But I'm very excited to see how far I can take a team with seven consecutive years of coaching!”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

On Thursday evening, May 17, 2018, 22 local high school students graduated from the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2017-18 Youth Leadership Class. (Nick Griffin for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the graduation of its 2017-18 Youth Leadership Class Thursday evening, with 22 local high school students and their families gathered at Stone Bridge Farms for the event.

This year’s graduating class included: Sydney Newton and Matthew Blair from Cold Springs High School; Mary Kate Stanford from Cullman High School; Klowy Barrett, Iva Burdette and Nolan Warner from Cullman Christian School; Kristen Hayes and Riley Carroll from Fairview High School; Lindsey Couch and James McWhorter from Good Hope High School; Chandler Lane and Tess Mirella Brown from Hanceville High School; Kara Hollis, Hailey Crumbley, Korey Butler and Seth Self from Holly Pond High School; Paige Tackett and Shiloh Walker, who are home-schooled; Elliott Deep and Emma Pierce from St. Bernard Preparatory School; Trey Boland from Vinemont High School; and Sadie Junkins from West Point High School.

Youth Leadership Co-Chair Wes Moore was one of the ceremony’s speakers; he talked about some of the opportunities he has seen this program yield in the past as well as the potential he sees in this year’s class.

“Some of the things that I wanted to let you know, I went back through and looked at some of my friends that went through this program, those after me and those in my class, and through this program we have had graduates who have become doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, managers of different businesses, educators, administrators, accountants, engineers, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, business owners, a newspaper editor in Los Angeles, and the list goes on and on. Looking through the students in this class, these graduates, you’re going to do the same thing. You’re going to make a difference in this world,” Moore said. “There’s a couple of things I want you to remember. I want you to remember that a leader is honest, that they’re inspiring, committed, passionate, decisive, accountable, creative, thankful, empowering and they have to be a good communicator. You may not have all those characteristics right now, but you’re molding and you’re working towards that, to become a better leader. I’m just so proud of this class, they’ve done a great job, they’ve worked really hard and we’ve really enjoyed it.”

Before the graduates were officially presented, they divided into groups and made their way to the podium to talk about some of their favorite activities or programs they participated in during the year. Sydney Newton, Matthew Blair and Sadie Junkins talked about “Experiencing Leadership day;” Mary Kate Stanford and Klowy Barrett recapped “Tourism & Community Day;” Iva Burdette and Nolan Warner discussed “Education & Etiquette Day;” Kristen Hayes and Riley Carrol took “Quality of Life Day;” Lindsey Couch and James McWhorter touched on “Public Safety Day;” Chandler Lane and Tess Brown covered “Local Government Day;” Hailey Crumbley and Korey Butler talked about “Business & Industry Day;” Trey Boland and Emma Pierce spoke about “State Government Day;” and Paige Tackett, Shiloh Walker and Elliot Deep explained “Agriculture Day.” All the groups of students had different takeaways and things they remembered the most, but the common theme was that they got to see parts of the community they hadn’t experienced before, whether it be agriculture, government, education or industry.

Chamber President and CEO Leah Bolin sent the graduates home with a message about how much this program means to her and how much she enjoys seeing students grow throughout the year.

“Tonight is always one of my very favorite nights because when these students come in on those first interviews and they’re trickling through the Chamber and they’re scared and they’re nervous and then today they come up here and they get in front of all of you and give a speech and talk about the things they’ve done. The growth that occurs in this year is always amazing to me,” she said.

“Thank you for letting us have your students for a year; you have done such a great job raising them. We’re excited about their career path and the things they’re going to do in the future and like many have said tonight, our hopes and dream are that these students will come back to Cullman or they stay in Cullman and they will be the leaders of tomorrow,” smiled Bolin. “We’re working on things at the Chamber right now to make sure that the quality of life that you’ve come to love and hope that you have for your children and grandchildren is here in 10, 20, 30 years. That your students have a job to come back to and that we can continue to make Cullman County the best place to live, work and play.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Happy JSU graduates move their tassels after graduation. (Photo by Matt Reynolds)

JACKSONVILLE - Just six weeks after an EF-3 tornado devastated Jacksonville State University and its surrounding community, 724 students received degrees at Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium on May 4. Twenty-six of them are from the Cullman area.

The following Cullman area students earned degrees:

• Areli Alfaro, of Oneonta, earned a B.S. in Accounting.
• John Barefield, of Arley, earned an MS in Sport Management.
• Jacob Bentley, of Cullman, earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice.
• Sandy Byrd, of Cullman, earned a B.S.N in Nursing.
• Sesaria Calderon, of Hayden, earned a B.S.W in Social Work.
• Kelsey Calvert, of Trafford, earned a B.S. in Accounting.
• Mary Carr, of Cullman, earned a B.S.R.T. in Respiratory Therapy.
• Kathleen Carson, of Arab, earned a B.S. in Accounting.
• Debra Curington, of Hanceville, earned a B.S.N. in Nursing.
• Molley Eagle, of Horton, earned a B.S.N. in Nursing.
• Brendan Fink, of Hayden, earned a B.S. in Computer Science.
• Derek Gilliland, of Horton, earned a B.S. in Sociology.
• Audrey Glitzer, of Horton, earned a B.S.E. in Early Childhood Elementary Ed.
• Brandon Horton, of Oneonta, earned a B.S. in Emergency Management.
• Makayla Isley, of Arab, earned a B.S.E. in Early Childhood Elementary Ed.
• Virginia Lovett, of Vinemont, earned an MSE in Collaborative Educ K-6, 6-12.
• Dylan McMurrey, of Trafford, earned a B.S. in Accounting.
• Ashley Parker, of Arab, earned a B.S. in Psychology.
• Annalee Posey, of Oneonta, earned a B.S.E in Early Childhood Elementary Ed.
• John Sanders, of Oneonta, earned a M.S. in Sport Management.
• Huston Self, of Blountsville, earned a M.S.E. in Physical Education.
• Joseph Simmons, of Hayden, earned a B.S. in Emergency Management.
• Adriana Smolik, of Arab, earned a B.S. in Biology.
• Jamie Tinker, of Hayden, earned a B.S.N. in Nursing.
• Zachary Williams, of Hayden, earned a B.S.N. in Nursing.
• Andrew Yarbrough, of Arab, earned a B.S. in Management.

The tornado left a $42 million trail of destruction in its wake. President Donald Trump declared the area a federal disaster on April 27, just a week before spring commencement was scheduled to take place. In an act of resilience and perhaps even defiance, the university salvaged the last few weeks of the spring semester and held its spring commencement ceremony as planned with one change: three ceremonies were combined into one and moved to the Gamecock football stadium due to damages at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

Summer classes are currently in session as workers replace roofs on a total of 34 buildings and make other necessary repairs to the more than 50 damaged buildings. All repairs, except for any new construction projects, are fast-tracked to be completed before the fall semester begins Aug. 21. For more information, including how you can help with recovery efforts, visit www.jsu.edu/jsustrong.

The 45th annual Arley Day, sponsored by the Arley Women’s Club, was held on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Hamner Park. (Heather Mann for The Tribune)

ARLEY - Years ago, a small group of women in Arley wanted the citizens to celebrate the town with a day of games and music. Now, 45 years later and more than 80 members larger, the Arley Women’s Club (AWC) has made the annual Arley Day festival into a town-wide event with a morning fun run, a parade, a car show and a park full of food and fun.

Saturday’s 45th annual Arley Day began with a 5K race and mile-long fun run at Arley First Baptist Church as warm-up events before the festival began, followed by a pancake breakfast at the fire station. The festival officially started with a parade marching from Dollar General to Hamner Park, where the opening ceremony was held. The entrance to the park displayed an extensive car show on one side and several inflatables and rides on the other, with vendor booths and live music further inward.

The live entertainment lineup for the day featured musical acts ranging from local groups like the Shed Band (a contemporary praise band from Arley First Baptist Church) to more widely-recognized artists like Austin Lewis, who was a contestant on The Voice. Along with the music, the live entertainment included a hula hoop contest and a bubblegum-blowing competition; the second contest offered the chance to meet the holder of the Guinness World Record for Largest Bubblegum Bubble Blown, Chad Fell.

Visitors more interested in the vendors could buy crafts like soaps or pottery, support the Meek varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders, or learn about the Walker County Humane Society at its puppy kissing booth. Due to the heat and humidity, many vendors that weren’t in the food area were selling water (some giving it away for free), and the Houston Memorial United Methodist Church was even giving out free sunscreen. 

The AWC had its own booths set up for the celebration. One in the craft vendor area sold boutique items like purses and scarves, as well as raffle tickets for a handwoven quilt, and a booth in the food area was set up with bake sale treats. Members were also selling ride and game tickets throughout the park, though the train ride around the festival (courtesy of Traditions Bank) didn’t require a ticket.

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate James Fields, second from left, speaks with supporters at an event in Hanceville on Saturday, May 19, 2018. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

HANCEVILLE - On Saturday afternoon, Cullman County’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate James Fields stopped by Veterans’ Park in Hanceville for a community outreach event with food, a DJ playing music and children’s activities.  The Tribune caught up with him after he finished an address to the crowd of his supporters to find out how his campaign is doing.

“Campaign’s going great; we can’t complain,” said Fields.  “Where we are, right now it appears that we’re still running just a fraction of a percentage point ahead, and if we just stay focused, we’ll pull it out in June.  The worst thing that can happen to us is that we’ll be in a runoff. We don’t know if it’ll be Walt Maddox or Sue Bell Cobb, but we know that there will be a runoff, from the way things look right now.

“The message we’re trying to get out right now is to stop the message that is being circulated by particular groups: ‘Don’t waste your vote on James Fields, because Alabama is not going to vote for a black guy.’  And so we’re trying to squelch that by pointing out to people that James Fields was victorious in Cullman, and he’ll be victorious in Alabama.”

Fields’ all-volunteer campaign team

Fields told us, “This is probably one of the best campaign teams I’ve ever seen, because they’re all volunteering.  And they’re working hard, day and night. They’ll call you at 3 a.m. in the morning if they’ve got an idea. They’ll call you at six o’clock, they’ll call you at nine o’clock, 7 a.m., because they’re wanting to win.  They’re wanting to show the world that it just takes hard work to win a campaign.

“You know, no one’s an expert, and so they’re working together.  Do we have headaches and heartaches? Oh, yes! We work them out and they just keep going.  They keep digging and digging, and the tougher it gets for us, the harder they work, and they’re good.  Every last one of them are good.

“You can’t beat Tiffany Collins, you can’t beat Chanelle, Becca Smith.  Becca Smith, every time you see her, she’s the one that brings the smile to the table.  Donald Law brings the strategy, he and Gene Price. Annie Erskine stepped in from Huntsville, which is a person we never heard of before, but Annie and I had worked together years ago, and she stepped up and says, ‘I want to help you win,’ and she’s taken care of us in Huntsville.  Then you’ve got Ernestine Linton, Richard and Lana Heinl--they’re there. And my nephew Ivan, who drives. Mike Johnson, who goes with us; he and I grew up together. They’ve just been champions!”

Getting the word out

“The people we meet on the campaign trail, when we get through giving a speech, they’ll come up and say, ‘We believe in you, because what you’re saying is the truth.’  And these are people who’ve been around politics for years; they know when somebody’s just blowing smoke.

“We were speaking in Gadsden Thursday night.  It was a Republican political rally; of course, they invited Democrats.  And two mayors from two other towns over there came up to us afterwards--and they’re Republican--said, ‘We’re going to support you, because what you said is true.’  And they know that.

“And we always say in our speeches, ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’  And so they know that we’re reaching out to them. They know that we’re serious about what we can and cannot do.  

“All our opponents talk about is what they did a hundred years ago, or ‘We pass a lottery, we can do this, this, this.’  But what if the lottery don’t pass? What are you going to do? Those children still need books, they still need school supplies, they still need adequate transportation.  So what are you going to do? They have no answer, because they’re not willing to make the tough and hard decisions that we’ve got to make as a state, as the people of Alabama.  

“And everybody knows you need to expand Medicaid, but none of our Republican opponents talk about insurance coverage.  Now, the Democrats are smashing it to death, but the thing is, I want to do the same thing with Medicaid. But if I get you health care, but I don’t have no place for you to go to see about whatever’s ailing you, then all you sitting there with a card saying, ‘Hey, I’ve got insurance, but I’ve got nobody (to provide service).

“We’re just trying to get people to understand: we’re going to make sure your lives are made whole.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

HANCEVILLE - The Medical Coding and Health Information Technology programs at Wallace State Community College will hold informational meetings on Tuesday, May 22, for anyone interested in learning more about the program and career. A meeting will be held at 11 a.m. for the Medical Coding Certificate program and at noon for the Health Information Technology program. Individuals may attend one or both meetings, which will be held in room 404 of the Tom Bevill Health Education Building.

Wallace State’s Medical Coding program is a four-semester certificate program. It prepares students to become medical coding specialists who perform detailed review of medical records to identify diagnoses and operative procedures. The courses can be taken completely online.

The Health Information Technology (HIT) program is an associate degree program that can be completed in five to six semesters. It prepares students to become health information professionals who play a vital role in the healthcare system by performing the data collection and analysis that doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals need to do their jobs. It can be completed almost completely online.

The Medical Coding program can be used as a bridge to complete the HIT program.

Applications for each program are being accepted through June 1. Applicants for the Medical Coding program are required to have a reading test score that is current within three years of the June 1 deadline. The reading score must be 85 or greater on the ACCUPLACER reading section or 18 or higher for the ACT reading section. HIT applicants need a minimum ACT composite of 17 and a 2.5 GPA on all general required pre-HIT courses.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that median annual pay for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians nationwide as of May 2017 was $39,180 and that employment is projected to grow by 13 percent from 2016-2026.

For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu or contact program director Donna Conn at 256-352-8325 or donna.conn@wallacestate.edu.

The placard on the Buddy Bench reads, “Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure.  You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.” (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

CULLMAN - On Saturday evening, friends and family of Tiffiney Crawford gathered with members of Mothers Helping Mothers (MHM), the support group for area moms that Crawford founded, to dedicate a “Buddy Bench” in her memory in the playground at Sportsman Lake Park. Crawford died suddenly on May 3, 2017 at the young age of 32.

The Buddy Bench program originated at an elementary school in Germany and was introduced to the U.S. by first-grader Christian Bucks at his school in Pennsylvania.  The bench is a place for kids who are alone and have no one to play with. Students are encouraged to go to any child they see sitting on the bench and invite them to play.

MHM Director Valerie Shields shared a little the official Buddy Bench definition along with her own feelings, telling The Tribune, “‘The Buddy Bench is a simple idea to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground,’ to help ‘spread the message of inclusion and kindness;’ and that’s what Tiffiney was all about.”

“She was amazing,” said Maggie Derrick, “never met a stranger, and was everybody’s best friend.”

Derrick continued, “With MHM and the friends from MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers, the precursor to MHM), we all got together and purchased the bench, and asked (Cullman County) Parks and Rec if we could donate it.  They installed it for us, and it’s perfect. It’s purple: she loved purple, her favorite color was purple. Her hair was often purple!”

In her address to the crowd during the dedication ceremony, Shields said of Crawford, “She wanted to eliminate loneliness.  She wanted to include everyone. She didn’t like cliques. You know, she wanted everyone to be part of her clique. If she was your friend, she made you feel like you were her best friend, every single one of you, complete strangers.

“We would go to play dates, and she would pick out somebody: ‘Oh, well she’s sitting by herself.  I’m going to go talk to her. I’m going to go tell her about MHM, and I’m going to be her best friend.’  And she sure would, she sure would. She never met a stranger. She could talk to anybody, anytime. It’s just who she was.

“We all love her, and we miss her dearly, and this is in her honor.  So now, it’s not just for the kids, y’all; every one of us have kids.  You want to come and sit on this bench? Talk to her; she’s listening!”

MHM today: bursting at the seams!

Shields defined MHM as “a support group to help bring mothers together, so no mother is ever alone in her journey through motherhood, because moms tend to feel alone a lot when they have children, and they feel kind of secluded.  And (Crawford) always wanted people to say, ‘Hey, come out and join us! You know, we’re not in middle school anymore. We can be friends, and we don’t have to act weird!’ And that’s what she was.”

MHM, which began as a small local support group with fewer than 10 members, has a current membership of 11,183 “and still growing!” according to Derrick.  That number, by the way, includes only mothers, not their entire families, meaning that the number of people who benefit from the group’s support and encouragement efforts is substantially higher.

For more on MHM, visit www.facebook.com/groups/momshelpingmomsal. For more on Buddy Benches, visit http://buddybench.org.

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HANCEVILLE - On Saturday afternoon, the Hanceville Fire Department hosted a fundraising dinner featuring Swamp John’s. The event is held twice per year to generate funds for the department to purchase new equipment.

The Swamp John’s folks had to contend with a flat tire on the way, but people will be patient for good food, so the cooks had a crowd waiting when they arrived.

Chief Rodger Green told The Tribune, “Having Swamp John’s down twice a year really helps with our fundraiser.  And we do have some good support around the whole neighborhood and the whole city, whenever we do the Swamp John’s. We usually get a lot of support with the fire department, and we appreciate that.”

Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Milo’s awarded grants to, clockwise from top left: Good Hope Primary School, The United Way of Cullman County, West Elementary School, Brooks’ Place and ALAbundant. (Photos courtesy of Milo’s)

CULLMAN - Milo’s Hamburgers has awarded $1,000 grants to five organizations in Cullman County, the company announced Monday.

More than 30 organizations and schools in Cullman applied for grants through the Milo’s Little Something Extra Foundation in the spring and five nonprofit organizations were chosen to receive a grant. Schools, as well as local nonprofits with a focus on education and leadership, were encouraged to apply for a grant.

Milo’s was honored to present the grants to the following schools and nonprofits.

• Good Hope Primary School received a grant for its Math Manipulatives program, which will introduce more hands-on math skills to students.
• West Elementary School received a grant to update its sixth-grade science classroom with new materials and supplies.
• The United Way of Cullman County received a grant to assist its agencies.
• ALAbundant received a grant to help stock the pantry for Knapsacks for Kids, a program that gives non-perishable food items to underprivileged students in schools across Cullman County.
• The fifth grant was given to Brooks’ Place, a child advocacy program that works to nurture hope and healing in the lives of children and families impacted by child sexual abuse.

“We are honored and excited to be getting more deeply involved with organizations that have local purposes. We believe in the value of hard work, leadership and helping our communities become better places,” said Tom Dekle, CEO of Milo’s. “By partnering with the people that do this best, we are convinced we can make a bigger difference together!”

Jason Dewayne Crawford (Cullman County Sheriff's Office)

CULLMAN - A Cullman County man has been indicted for the murder of his wife. Jason Dewayne Crawford, 38, of Cullman was indicted by a Cullman County grand jury which convened last week for the murder of his wife Tiffiney Joy Crawford. Tiffiney Crawford, 32 at the time of her death, was found dead at the couple's residence on May 3, 2017.

Jason Crawford turned himself in to the Cullman County Detention Center. His bond was set at $100,000 property. He has since made bond and been released.

Tiffiney Crawford was the founder of the popular MHM Mothers Helping Mothers community on Facebook. Members of MHM this past Saturday dedicated a Buddy Bench in Tiffiney Crawford's memory at Sportsman Lake Park. Jason Crawford attended the event.

Phone calls and messages to Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock have not been returned.

This is a developing story.

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CULLMAN - Below are the arrests reported for May 18-20. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

Aaron, Amos Moses, 31

• FTA- first-degree theft of property

Bass, Erica Renee, 30

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Black, Travis W., 54

• negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument (4 counts)

Bradford, Kenneth Lee, 25

• negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument

Chambers, Jason Wayne, 35

• fourth-degree receiving stolen property

Checkon, William Edward, 75

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment

Crowe, Steven Lee, 40

• violation of protection order

Dingler, Sebastian Joseph, 22

• public intoxication

Edge, Patrick Thomas, 24

• judge’s order- DUI

Edwards, Stacy Dion, 41

• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Guillot, Norris Joseph III, 43

• second-degree bail jumping- certain person forbidden to possess a pistol

Hays, David Andrew, 32

• second-degree sodomy

Henderson, Sheila Ann, 50

• third-degree domestic violence
• illegal possession of prescription medicine

Leslie, Elizabeth, 32

• FTA- illegal possession of prescription medicine

McCay, Mandy Michelle, 38

• probation violation- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Moore, Ashley Denise, 33

• FTA- third-degree domestic violence- third-degree assault
• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Nickens, Shannon Dwayne, 31

• third-degree domestic violence- third-degree assault

Overton, Brandon Gene, 28

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

Rogers, Adrian Brian, 42

• FTA- PSC- no fuel marker

Self, Cru Alex, 29

• FTA- third-degree domestic violence- third-degree assault
• writ of arrest- child support

Shipley, Robert Thomas, 36

• attempting to elude
• second-degree criminal mischief (6 counts)
• possession of drug paraphernalia
• fourth-degree theft of property (3 counts)

Shoemaker, Shasa Marie, 29

• third-degree theft of lost property

Smith, Jonathan Wayne, 38

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Sobkowiak, Jacqueline Riedlin, 47

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

Stephens, David Lee, 39

• second-degree criminal mischief (6 counts)
• fourth-degree theft of property (3 counts)

Vanderberg, Gage Allen, 23

• obstructing government operations
• resisting arrest
• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Cullman Police Department

Freeman, Charles M., 56

• public intoxication

Thompson, Destiney K., 20

• first-degree criminal trespassing
• illegal possession of prescription drugs
• possession of drug paraphernalia

Moore, Kristina L., 33

• DUI

Champion, Kimberly J., 32

• FTA- improper lane usage

Lynn, Donald J. Sr., 58

• FTA- insurance violation (2 counts)
• FTA- expired tag

Vanderberg, Gage A., 23

• FTA- failure to register vehicle
• FTA- insurance violation

Weston, Eddie D., 56

• DUI

Calhoun, Dustin L., 33

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

Overton, Brandon G., 28

• attempting to elude
• unlawful possession or receipt of a controlled substance
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• reckless driving
• speeding
• failure to signal
• driving while revoked
• no tag

Patterson, Kyle E., 29

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Campbell, Rodney L., 47

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

Self, Cru A., 29

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- driving without a license

Kneece, Michael D., 57

• FTA- third-degree theft by deception

Hanceville Police Department

No report provided.

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

Back row, (left to right): Tanner O'Neal Dickson, Logan Martin Aldridge, Quintin Alexandar Collins, Scott Lee Turner, Tyler Dale Branon and Jonathan "Dakota" Powell
Front row, (left to right): Jacob Andrew Gower, Kenya Lynn Harbison and Katelyn Brooke Steele (Photo courtesy of Teresa Fincher)

Congratulations to the Child Development Center Class of 2018!

Graduation is Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 1 p.m., in the Child Development Center gymnasium.

The day of graduation marks a special time of completion and beginning in a person's life. The CDC graduates, parents, CDC faculty and staff should feel a sense of great pride and take time to enjoy this time. So many people have made this graduation day possible. We want to wish the graduates good luck in their future but also say thank you to all that helped make this day of graduation possible. At the CDC, we celebrate the little things as well as the big and graduation is a special day of recognition of all that made a difference. All need to enjoy this day and reflect on the many days that lead up to this celebration of accomplishment.”

Chris Chambers – principal, Child Development Center

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(Listed alphabetically) John Mark Abercrombie, Sevanna Banks, Britney Bridgemon, Maggie Cleghorn, Amanda Cunningham, Mikella Dunnell, Kaytlin Elliott, Jacob Farley, Abby Gibson, Stormy Gossett, Seth Hankins, Stephanie Heath, Shelby Hood, Mason Irving, Anthony Key, Kelsy Kilpatrick, Nathanael Logan, Blaire Marchman, Gabrielle Martinez, Noah Mathews, Christopher Page, Lane Phillips, Kaitlin Phillips, Wyatt Powell, Maria Rivers, Missy Robinson, Ashley Rowe, Alexis Rubley, Joni Rudd, Ian Sargent, Luke Sherer, Hayden Smith, Garrett Sparks, Lacey Stewart, Haydon Twilley, Jayden Waldrep, Vernon Welch III, Jacob Woodard, Jester Wright, Kylie Wright and Mikayla Youngblood (Bill Miller Photography)

Congratulations to the Meek High School Class of 2018!

Graduation is Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 6 p.m. at Wayne L. Tidwell Gymnasium.

Valedictorian- Abby Gibson

Salutatorian- Maggie Cleghorn

Congratulations to the Class of 2018! Although you may be a little nervous about what lies ahead, the world is before you. You have so many opportunities for success. Failure and setbacks may come, but what matters most is how well you keep pressing forward. Live in the present, make your time count, and be grateful for every day of your life. We will miss you, but we wish you the best of luck as you set out to achieve your hopes and dreams.”

Marla Murrah, principal, Meek High School

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Row one: Oakley Gilbreath-valedictorian, Ben Robinson-class president and Emee Baldwin- salutatorian
Row two: Sarah Wilson, Payton Yarbrough, Josie Womack, Hannah Mertens, Julie Hatcher, Katlyn Anders, Cecilee Gaither, Felicia Warren and Gaea Hood
Row three: Jake Blackburn, Tyler Borden, Cayden Hayes, Bryant Ridgeway, Braxton Preuitt, Allie Townsend, McKenzie Berry, Laken Tyree, Brianna Chandler, Kendra Tyree and Gracie Herald Row four: Amanda Erb, Chloe Lee, Trystyn Barnett, Savannah Blakely, Karli Bartlett, Hannah Oliver, Blake Maze, Sheila Miller, Lilly Schmalfeldt and Breanne Laseter
Row five: Abbie Chambless, Allie Chambless, Caleb Ergle, Justin Cain, Rodney Hatcher, Gabe Alexander, Kody Benton, Destiny Wilkerson and Katelyn Simmons
Row six: Jackson Carroll, Zach Fricks, Reilly Butler, Christian Baker and Joseph Miller
(Bill Miller Photography)

Congratulations to the Addison High School Class Of 2018!

Graduation is Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 8 p.m. at AG Hicks Stadium.

The Addison High School class of 2018 has been one the most successful classes to ever walk the halls of Addison High School. They have displayed success in the classroom, as well as in all extracurricular activities. They have received, as a class, almost $600,000 in scholarships in academics and athletics to two-year colleges and four-year universities. They have had several students score 30 or above on the ACT, been very competitive in scholars’ bowl and placed in the state robotics competition. In athletics they have been a part of five straight state volleyball championships and consecutive semi-final and quarter-final playoff appearances in football.

“I cannot wait to see what this class accomplishes after high school and the difference they can and will make in society. I will continue to pray for this class as they go out into the world and embark on what I hope is a successful journey through life. Thank you for the great memories we have shared and know that my doors will always open to you if there is anything you need.”

 Micah Smothers, principal, Addison High School

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The Vinemont Middle School Archery Team won the county tournament, was the state runner up and placed in the top 30 out of 171 teams in national competition. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)

FAIRVIEW - For its last meeting of the school year, the Cullman County Board of Education (CCBOE) assembled at Fairview High School, taking plenty of time out of its schedule to recognize the achievements of numerous students.

• Vinemont Elementary School finished fourth in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) state tournament.  The team shot an all-time school best score of 3,101 and finished 21st out of 171 teams in the national tournament.  Team member Hayden Robinson placed second in the state 3D archery competition, and Lily Hastings placed fourth in the state tournament.
• Vinemont Middle School enjoyed two first-place finishes and eight second-place finishes in 10 season tournaments and won the county archery tournament.  They also finished as runner-up in the NASP state tournament and in the International Bowhunting Organization state tournament. At nationals, they finished 24th in IBO and 28th in bullseye.  Team member Savannah Mann was recognized as the overall 1A-7A state champion, shooting 293 out of 300 in her championship match.
• Principal Billy Troutman of the Cullman Area Technology Academy (CATA) was on hand to help Superintendent Shane Barnette recognize several student achievements:
  • Russell McDonald, a Drafting Technology student, was named Career Tech Student of the Year.  Ethan Burson and Hunter Kaser were also nominated.
  • At the recent SkillsUSA state competition, Jacob Ryder, Carter Robertson and Payton Oden won first place in the community service category.  Dustin Burney, Jason Peck and Jordan King took second place in the chapter display category. CATA won the ACTA Public Relations Award for the second consecutive year, and 10 CTE programs earned business/industry certifications.
  • CATA cosmetology students won all awards at the Bevill State Cosmetology Competition.  Maria Cortes won first for the third year in a row, while Madison Smith took second and Grace DiBenedetto took third.
• Sixteen Health Science students passed their Certified Nursing Assistant exams and qualified to become CNAs: Breanna Allen, Adam Barnett, Skyler Bowers, Allison Crawford, Lisabet Diaz, Madison Jacobs, Serena Knedlik, Jennifer Maldonado, Ariel Mann, Avery McClure, Maggie Miasek, Jessica Mosley, Erika Nava, Mercedes Needham, Katelyn Neely and Melissa Rodriguez.
• Hanceville High School’s math team won the state math competition.
• Hanceville Middle School’s YEA STEaM team won first place in a smart phone/device app competition, working on an app that will allow faculty and staff members at all three of Hanceville’s schools to alert all others to an emergency with the push of a single button.

Dealing with employee absenteeism

The board approved a policy change concerning employee leave that would make the rules for leave stricter and cut down on employees missing work beyond the amount of their available leave.  

While the board did not share specific details, Barnette said, “One of the issues we struggle with in Cullman County--and we have for years--is at any given time, we have five to six of our employees that may be staying out, that don’t have sick leave, personal leave.  They’ve used up all of that type of leave. And this kind of gets them in line, that if they need to request board leave if they’re going to be absent and they don’t have any other leave.

“Whereas in y’all’s jobs, if somebody didn’t come to work and they didn’t have those days, they probably would no longer have a job; we’ve been deducting and cutting people’s checks, and we just want to put a little more meat into that, saying ‘Hey, we need you at work.  If you don’t have the leave to take, we need you here. Otherwise, you can be let go.’”

Summer academic offerings

The board approved several requests for schools to offer summer educational programs:

• Two schools will offer driver’s education at a cost of $150 per system student or $200 for out of district students.  West Point High, starting June 4, and Holly Pond High with two sessions starting June 4 and June 9.
• Cold Springs High and Hanceville High will offer Summer School/Credit Recovery classes June 4-15 at a cost of $150 per credit for system students and $200 for out of district students.
• Fairview Elementary will offer a summer reading and math enrichment program June 6-8, 13-15, 20-22 and 27-29 (Tuesdays through Thursdays), 8 a.m. to noon.  Attendance will be free, and snacks will be provided.
• Hanceville Elementary will hold a kindergarten camp for incoming 2018-19 kindergarten students.  Dates and other details to be announced.

Personnel considerations

The board approved a number of personnel items, including a set of contract and supplement non-renewals that were approved after a 37-minute executive session that was closed to the public. Affected personnel will not be named until the board has had time to notify all affected. The list is expected to be released Thursday.

The CCBOE’s next meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on June 12 at the central office board room, with work session at 5:30.  The public is invited to attend.

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