North Jefferson Magazine serves the communities and people of North Jefferson County. Published every month, the magazine is available for free at more than 100 locations in Fultondale, Morris, Kimberly, Warrior, Tarrant, Mt. Olive, Trafford, Corner, and other areas.
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Copyright 2026. All rights reserved.
Staff
Matthew Allen, Publisher matthew@jbmcmedia.com
Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director (205) 613-7850 | rachel@jbmcmedia.com
Michelle Salem Haynes, Media Sales Consultant (205) 381-1311 | michelle@jbmcmedia.com
Kevin Lester, Media Sales Consultant (646) 956-6388, kevin@jbmcmedia.com
High school football season is just around the corner, and teams across North Jefferson County are preparing for the season. Read our previews starting on page 6.
PHOTO BY HEATHER WARDEN
Welcome to the very first issue of North Jefferson Magazine.
There is something both exciting and a little terrifying about beginning something new. For months, if not years, North Jefferson Magazine has existed as an idea, a collection of conversations and a growing list of stories I wanted the opportunity to tell. Now, we finally get to place the first issue in your hands.
And I can’t think of a better place to begin than under the Friday night lights.
For this inaugural issue, we visited Mortimer Jordan, Fultondale and Corner to talk with the coaches, players, cheerleaders and band members who make Friday nights about so much more than a football game.
Each school has its own traditions, its own challenges and its own expectations for the season ahead. Mortimer Jordan enters the fall with experience and leadership. Fultondale is building with a young team that has already grown tremendously. At Corner, the Yellow Jackets are preparing for another season with a program built around hard work, commitment and community.
But the stories in these pages go beyond wins and losses.
Friday nights in North Jefferson are about communities gathering in the same stands where generations before them sat. They’re about children watching from the fence and imagining the day they’ll wear that jersey, carry that flag, play in that band or cheer on that sideline. They’re about tradition, belonging and pride in the places we call home.
That is also what I hope North Jefferson Magazine will be about.
Beginning with this issue, we’ll be here every month telling the stories of the people, businesses, schools and communities that make this corner of Jefferson County special. Some will be stories you already know. Others, I hope, will introduce you to people and places you’ve somehow missed along the way.
Starting a magazine is a big undertaking, but I believe our communities deserve a publication that celebrates them, tells their stories and preserves the moments that might otherwise be forgotten. I’m grateful JBMC Media and publisher Matthew Allen share that belief, and I’m humbled that he and you trust me with those stories.
This is only the beginning, and I’m so glad you’re here for it.
Welcome to North Jefferson Magazine
Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director
Friday
Corner’s Time to STEP UP
CORNER 2026 SCHEDULE
8/21: 7:00pm vs Dora
8/28: 7:00pm @ Oneonta
9/3: 7:00pm vs Bibb County
9/11: 7:00pm vs Pleasant Grove
9/18: 7:00pm @ Cordova
9/25: 7:00pm vs Gordo
10/2: 7:00pm @ Fultondale
10/9: 7:00pm @ Tarrant
10/16: 7:00pm vs Hale County
10/23: 7:00pm @ West Blocton
STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR
After graduating a talented senior class, the Yellow Jackets enter a new season ready to find out just how good they can be. With a veteran quarterback leading the offense, a 100-member band bringing a medieval twist to halftime and a new cheer coach ready to build on tradition, Friday nights at Corner are once again about much more than the final score.
At Corner, Friday night football has always been about more than football.
There is no incorporated town surrounding the school. Instead, Corner is the center of several communities that come together beneath the stadium lights each fall. Generations of families fill the stands. Children watch the players they hope to become one day. The band marches in to a familiar cadence, cheerleaders lead the crowd and, for a few hours, everyone gathers in one place.
Winning has only made those Friday nights a little more exciting.
“Every Friday night, it’s this huge community gathering,” Head Coach Trent Campbell said. “Everybody’s getting together and socializing. Since I’ve been here, we’ve been pretty darn successful, so I think people are paying a lot more attention to the football that’s going on on the field.”
As Campbell prepares for his third season as head coach and fifth year at Corner, the Yellow Jackets are entering a season of transition and opportunity.
PHOTOS BY HEATHER WARDEN, WARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Corner graduated a large and productive senior class, with approximately 15 seniors who Campbell said were nearly all major contributors. This season’s senior class is smaller, but the Yellow Jackets have a large junior class and a group of younger players who have spent the summer beginning to make their presence known.
Campbell believes the mix could be a good one.
“We’ve got some pretty good leadership in the senior group,” he said. “But there are going to be a lot of new faces that have to fill in some of the gaps of the production that we’ve had the last couple of years.”
For Campbell, that is part of what makes high school football special.
Every year, familiar faces graduate and another group gets its opportunity.
“That’s one of the most fun things about the job,” Campbell said. “You lose those guys every single year, and being able to reload is oftentimes a challenge, but it’s also very rewarding to see the kids that have put a lot of effort in finally get their opportunity.”
One familiar face will remain at the center of the Corner offense.
Senior quarterback Keaton Coffee enters his third season as the Yellow Jackets’ starter, and Campbell expects much of the offense to run through the veteran signal caller.
“Most of our success will hinge on our quarterback this year,” Campbell said. “He’s looked fantastic so far this summer.”
Coffee has continued developing both as a passer and a runner, putting in work throughout the offseason—even while playing baseball.
“He’s been dedicated to getting better at that position the whole offseason,” Campbell said. “Even during baseball season, he was continuing to find time to work on playing quarterback and throwing the football, and it’s paying off.”
While Coffee will be throwing to several new faces, Campbell said
those relationships are beginning to come together. Several younger players have also emerged during summer work and seven-on-seven competition.
“It’s going to be his show on the offensive side for sure,” Campbell said.
The biggest question may not be whether the Yellow Jackets have talent.
It may be how quickly they realize it.
Campbell sees similarities between this year’s team and the Corner squad from two seasons ago. That team also followed a large, talented senior class and had to learn how to step out of the shadow of the players before them.
As the season progressed, that group found its confidence, built momentum and eventually advanced to the third round of the playoffs.
“I feel like this is a group that’s a little bit unsure of how good they can actually be,” Campbell said. “I’m hoping we can get a little momentum, and I think when they start realizing what they can do and what they can accomplish, then it’s going to be huge.”
Campbell describes it as the moment when “little brother” realizes he is ready for his turn.
“Big brother just graduated,” he said. “You’ve got this huge class that everybody sort of looked up to, with some great players and great talent. When you lose those, it’s time to see little brother step up and realize, ‘Hey, I can do this too.’”
The Yellow Jackets will enter the season with high expectations, including their ultimate goal of competing for a state championship.
Corner will compete in Class 3A this season, and Campbell expects a challenging region schedule. The approach, however, remains simple: win the first game, then focus on the next.
“The goal is always going to be to go win a state championship and find a way to get that done,” Campbell said. “That’s something that we don’t
Friday Night Lights Corner High School
shy away from.”
The season will begin with one of the most anticipated games on the schedule when Corner hosts longtime rival Dora.
The rivalry already carries generations of history, but this year’s matchup has another personal element. Dora’s new head coach previously worked alongside Campbell at Hueytown.
“I consider him a dear friend,” Campbell said. “That will make that game even more interesting for us on a personal level, coaching against each other for the first time.”
Campbell expects a packed stadium.
“If previous games are any indication, it’s going to be difficult to find somewhere to sit down,” he said.
Tradition, with a Twist
When the Yellow Jackets take the field, they will not be the only ones bringing a show to Friday nights.
The Corner High School band will march approximately 100 students this season under Director Adam Murphy, who is entering his seventh year at the school and 16th year in music education.
Murphy came to Corner after nine years at Huntingdon College, where he served as assistant director of bands and taught on the music faculty. At Corner, he leads one of the school’s largest and most established student organizations.
With Corner High School’s enrollment at roughly 450 to 460 students, a band of more than 100 represents more than 20 percent of the student body.
“It’s got a long-standing tradition,” Murphy said. “It’s one of the most established groups at the school.”
This year, that tradition is getting dragons, castles, a sorceress and an unexpected soundtrack.
The band’s 2026 production is titled “Mid-Evil,” a play on words that
blends a medieval theme with a story centered around a sorceress journeying between good and evil.
The musical selections are just as varied as the story, incorporating “Bad to the Bone,” “Maneater,” “Kings & Queens,” “Go the Distance,” music from Wicked, Radiohead’s “Creep,” How to Train Your Dragon and Adele’s “Skyfall.”
The show will also feature student electric guitarists.
“It’s going to be really fun,” Murphy said.
Beyond Friday night halftime performances, the band typically competes in three marching competitions each fall, primarily during October. Those Saturdays can last more than 12 hours, from early rehearsals and travel to warmups, performances and nighttime awards ceremonies.
Corner has enjoyed a successful competitive run over the last several seasons, earning numerous superior ratings and Best in Class awards.
Murphy, however, is careful not to define the season solely by trophies.
“It’s more about the journey and improving and making memories,” he said. “But they enjoy the awards, so that’s nice too.”
This year, one of Murphy’s biggest goals is improving the quality of instruction available to students. The program has added a new percussion instructor and has what Murphy believes is one of its most complete staffs yet.
Assistant Director Sam Gravlee, who also directs the Corner Middle School band, works alongside Murphy and the program’s auxiliary and instructional staff.
“We feel like we’ve got, finally, for the first year, a complete staff in place,” Murphy said. “That will help provide the kids with top-notch instruction, which is what I’m really proud of.”
While Corner’s halftime show changes each year, some things remain the same.
There is the familiar cadence as the band marches into the stadium.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORNER HIGH SCHOOL
There are pep rally traditions, including the school’s popular black light pep rally, when students dress in glow tape, bracelets and other light-up accessories. There are pregame traditions, halftime traditions and a march-out and rally after the game.
“Corner is a band and a place of tradition,” Murphy said. “That’s something that’s cool to be a part of.”
And if Murphy gets one extra wish for the fall, it is one shared by the entire Corner community.
“I believe they can go deep into the playoffs,” he said of the football team. “It would be cool to go deep into the playoffs and support the team.”
The band is also looking beyond football season. Plans are underway to travel to Universal Studios in April to participate in the Parade of Champions, continuing a tradition of travel experiences that give students opportunities beyond the classroom and football field.
A New Voice on the Sideline
There will also be new leadership for the Corner cheer program this season.
Macie Otwell took over the program just weeks before speaking with North Jefferson Magazine, coming to Corner after eight years coaching at Hueytown High School.
Although she had only worked with the team a handful of times, her first impression was clear.
“I’m very excited,” Otwell said. “I feel like they’re really coachable girls. They’re very respectful, and I feel like that’s going to make it easy for me to come in and do the things I want to do.”
The squad is made up primarily of sophomores and juniors, along with four seniors, giving Otwell an experienced group with time to continue developing.
“I feel like they have the talent,” she said. “I feel like they just need a little bit of a drive or a push to get there.”
Friday Night Lights Corner High School
The cheerleaders will balance their role on Friday nights and at school events with an early start to competition season. Corner plans to compete in the Game Day division, with competition beginning in late September.
For Otwell, the immediate goal is to build on what is already working while expanding the team’s competitive success.
“I feel like they’ve always been really good at their school stuff,” she said. “So, continuing that, having pep rallies that are successful and then also trying to build a successful competition season as well.”
Otwell is still learning her new team, but the fall will offer plenty of opportunities for the coach and athletes to grow together.
That sense of growth runs through every part of the Corner Friday night experience this year.
The football team is replacing a class that helped raise expectations for the program. The band is pairing decades of tradition with a new show and expanded instructional staff. The cheerleaders are beginning a new chapter under new leadership.
But the heart of Friday night at Corner remains unchanged.
The community will be there.
“Our folks are so good,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t matter what happens on the field. They’re going to support our kids anyway. Our parents and our community love their kids.”
For this year’s Yellow Jackets, that support will be waiting as a new group gets its turn to step forward.
And Campbell believes they may surprise themselves with just how far they can go.
“When they all come together and start realizing what they can do and what they can accomplish,” he said, “it’s going to be huge.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CORNER HIGH SCHOOL
“Just TRIPP”
STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR
Ask Tripp Reid what the coaches and players at Corner High School call him, and his answer is simple.
“Just Tripp.”
There may not be an official title attached to everything the rising senior does for Corner athletics, but that doesn’t mean his role is a small one.
On any given day, Tripp may be flying a drone over football practice, washing basketball jerseys, making sure balls are ready and equipment carts are in place or painting bases and preparing the baseball field for a game.
If there is something that needs to be done, chances are Tripp is somewhere nearby, ready to help.
Corner Head Football Coach Trent Campbell calls him a “vital part” of the team, praising the hard work and dedication Tripp has shown to the program. And while Campbell may be the coach who nominated him for the recognition, football is only one part of Tripp’s busy schedule.
His involvement with Corner athletics began years ago. His older brother played sports, and Tripp wanted to be involved, too. Playing wasn’t really his thing, but helping was.
So, he found his own place on the team.
“He’s always helped, even in middle school,” his mother, Bree Reid, said. “With his older brother playing the sports, he just wanted to be involved.”
Over the years, that involvement has grown into a year-round commitment spanning football, basketball and baseball.
For football, Tripp flies the drone during practices and games, capturing footage for the coaching staff. He helps sort, wash, fold and organize jerseys and distributes game-day uniforms. Before games, he helps prepare the field and sidelines, setting up goal post pads, pylons, chain equipment and tents.
After the game is over and the crowd has gone home, there is still work to do. Tripp helps collect equipment, clean up and get the jerseys ready to be washed again.
During basketball season, he washes uniforms, makes sure basketballs are ready, rolls out equipment carts and helps with whatever else is needed.
Then there is baseball. Tripp helps get everything ready for game day— including a job that surprised even his interviewer.
He paints the bases.
Although Tripp may insist he is “just Tripp,” others around Corner have occasionally given him another name: Coach Tripp.
Baseball Coach Josh Hull has been known to use the nickname, Bree said, and when the coaches gather for photos for the school’s athletic
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREE REID
programs, Tripp is right there with them.
The way the Corner coaching staffs treat him leaves little doubt about where he belongs.
“They always make sure he’s taken care of,” Bree said. “Everything the coaches get, even without us asking or without Tripp asking, they always give him everything the coaches get—the coaches’ jerseys, the coaches’ shirts, the coaches’ pants, the coaches’ shoes. They really do take care of him and treat him like a true coach.”
In the football field house, Tripp doesn’t simply have access to the locker room.
He has his own desk in the coaches’ office.
For Tripp, being part of Corner athletics has become about much more than Friday night football games or wins and losses. The teams have given him a place to belong, and in return, he gives them his time and effort.
That commitment means even more in light of the challenges Tripp has faced away from the field.
Tripp lives with 7q11.23 Duplication Syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause developmental and learning challenges. More recently, he was diagnosed with Budd-Chiari syndrome, a rare and potentially lifethreatening condition that caused three extensive blood clots in his liver.
He has faced hospital stays, surgeries, medical appointments and months of uncertainty.
Last summer, his illness kept him from one of his longtime traditions.
Beginning when Tripp was around 6 years old, he spent part of his summers on the road with his grandfather, whom he calls Pop, an 18-wheeler driver. The trips began with a week at a time. Later, Tripp would spend as many as 21 to 28 days traveling with him.
His grandparents also live in Mexico Beach, Florida, and since he was 5, Tripp had spent part of every summer with them.
This year, however, Tripp made a different choice.
For the first time since he was a little boy, he decided not to spend his summer in Florida.
Not because he had to stay home.
Because it was his senior year, and he didn’t want to miss anything.
“This is my senior year,” Bree recalled him saying. “I want to stay and do all of the football camps, the basketball camps and the baseball camps.”
So that is exactly what he has done.
“When he’s not at football, he’s at basketball,” Bree said. “If he’s not at basketball, he’s at baseball—or vice versa.”
It is a schedule that would wear out most people, but for Tripp, it is simply where he wants to be.
He has already been part of one championship celebration. When Corner baseball won a state championship, Tripp was there on the field with the team. One photo captured him near the dugout, holding one finger in the air to celebrate being No. 1.
Naturally, he would like to experience that feeling again.
A state championship for football would be “really nice,” he said— although his mother quickly added that Tripp would be happy to see all of Corner’s teams bring home a title.
When he does find a little free time, Tripp enjoys gaming. His new PC setup includes two monitors, a keyboard and a steering wheel, perfect for one of his favorite games, American Truck Simulator.
Perhaps that isn’t surprising for someone who spent so many summers riding beside Pop in a real 18-wheeler.
As Tripp prepares for his senior year, he doesn’t have every detail of what comes next figured out. But for now, there are practices to film, jerseys to wash, equipment to prepare, bases to paint and games to get ready for.
There will be long days spent moving from one sport to another and plenty of work that most people in the stands will never notice.
That seems to suit Tripp just fine.
He has never needed to score the touchdown, sink the winning basket or drive in the winning run to know he belongs.
At Corner, there are coaches and athletes who depend on him. There is a desk waiting for him in the football coaches’ office. There are teams that make sure he is included in their photos and coaches who make sure he receives the same gear they do.
And somewhere along the way, the kid who simply wanted to find a way to be involved became something more.
Young Wildcats build for THE FUTURE
FULTONDALE 2026 SCHEDULE
8/21: 7:00pm @ Mortimer Jordan
8/28: 7:00pm @ Center Point
9/4: 7:00pm vs Cordova
9/11: 7:00pm @ Tarrant
9/18: 7:00p vs West Blocton
9/25: 7:00pm vs Gadsden City
10/2: 7:00pm @ Corner
10/8: 7:00pm @ Hale County
10/16: 7:00pm vs Pleasant Grove
10/23: 7:00pm @ Bibb County
STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR
For the Fultondale Wildcats, youth is still very much a part of the story heading into the new football season. With only three seniors on the roster, Head Coach Jake Hogan’s team remains one of the youngest around.
But this time, they aren’t staarting from scratch.
The Wildcats return 13 starters from a team that put 11 ninth graders on the field a season ago. Those young players now have a year of varsity football behind them, a full offseason in the weight room and another year in Hogan’s system.
Now, the goal is simple: take the next step.
“We have made a tremendous amount of strides,” Hogan said. “We’re still extremely young, but we’re returning 13 starters off of the team that we started 11 ninth graders from last year.”
Hogan is entering his second season at Fultondale after arriving in February of last year. His first season was one of installation, development and asking young players to grow up quickly.
This year, the Wildcats are still young—but they are no longer inexperienced in quite the same way.
PHOTOS BY HEATHER WARDEN, WARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
CONSIGNMENT SALE KINGDOMKIDS FALL&WINTER
Kingdom Kids Consignment Sale is a twice-yearly consignment sale hosted by Hope Church in Gardendale.
The sale started in February 2008 with 110 sellers and now averages over 400 sellers per sale featuring gently-used children’s clothing, shoes, toys, baby equipment and so much more!
PUBLIC SHOPPING DATES
Thursday, August 27, 2026 8:00 am to 7:00 pm
Hope Community Church
Offer HOPE in Christ by Loving God, Loving Others, and Serving the World
The Kingdom Kids Consignment Sale helps Hope Church fulfill our mission by...
X Helping families save money on kid’s clothing
X Provides clothing to local families struggling to clothe their kids
X Providing love and hope to our mission partners
X Bringing together many volunteers giving their time and efforts
X The arms of love from this sale touch so many
Friday, August 28, 2026 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday, August 29, 2026 7:00 am to 12:00 pm
Kingdom Kids supports numerous efforts locally, nationally, and internationally. In addition, local schools, families in need, clothing closets, foster care groups benefit from receiving donated items.
Mission Partners:
Z Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank
Z The WellHouse
Z Christian Service Mission (Birmingham)
Z Firehouse Shelter
Z Jimmie Hale Mission
Z Urban Ministries
Z First Light Women’s Shelter
Z Cornerstone Ranch
Z Three Hots and a Cot (Veterans)
Z 100 Oaks-After School Program
Z Michael Agwanda (Kenya)
Z The Guzeman’s (Mexico)
Z Alabama Teen Challenge
Z The Kipukes (Africa)
Z Royal Family Kids Camp
Z First Priority
Z The Lovelady Center
Z Lennie Allen (Israel)
Z Wiegerts (Peru)
Z Society of St. Andrew
Z New Partnerships & Special Appeals Serving You Ministries
Z ACT Affordable Counseling Therapy 8
Z Reach A Village (Asia & Eastern Europe)
Z Dr. Amanda Allredge (Nepal)
Z Community Benevolence
Come and experience this event! We cannot wait to see you!
Friday Night Lights Fultondale High School
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
“We’ve had a year in the weight room and had an actual full offseason with us, and my coaches have been there for a year,” Hogan said. “We’re just hoping to settle into the system and take that step.”
The Wildcats have a number of young players Hogan believes could make an impact on both sides of the football.
Upcoming sophomore Kaleb Parker will lead the offense at quarterback, while sophomore Kaleb Brown is expected to contribute at wide receiver and on defense. Junior Jimmy Washington is another player Hogan expects to make plays, along with Rodriguez King at linebacker and defensive end and sophomore slot receiver Travis Jackson.
The Wildcats will also be young in the trenches, where much of the offensive and defensive line will be made up of 9th- and 10th-grade players. Senior defensive end Cedric Pierson will be counted on to provide leadership for that group.
For Hogan, however, the Wildcats’ potential goes beyond talent.
He describes the group as young, talented and hardworking—but, perhaps most importantly, as a group of high-character young men.
“I’m very blessed to be a part of it,” he said.
Defend Home
Every program has goals. For Hogan, the first one begins at home.
“I tell our players that you divide championship programs by how they win at home,” he said. “So it always starts with trying to go undefeated in Fultondale.”
From there, the Wildcats want to find success against their Jefferson County opponents. Fultondale shares a region with Pleasant Grove and Corner and will also face Mortimer Jordan and Center Point in non-region action.
After that, the goal grows bigger.
The Wildcats want to host a playoff game, something that would
require finishing first or second in the region.
But Hogan believes winning at home is about more than the players wearing helmets and shoulder pads.
“It’s not the Fultondale football team versus our opponent,” Hogan said. “It’s Fultondale versus our opponent.”
The Wildcats have a community that shows up, a band led by Mr. Parker and cheerleaders sponsored by Brandy Bentley, all helping create the atmosphere that makes Friday nights at Fultondale special.
“We have a really great game-day atmosphere at Fultondale,” Hogan said. “We want to do everything we can to make it as imposing of an environment as possible for our opponents.”
Discipline.
Family. Tempo. Finish.
Those four words define what Hogan wants his program to become.
Discipline means doing things the right way in every area of life. Family means playing for the person beside you. Tempo means setting the pace rather than allowing an opponent to dictate it.
And finish means exactly that—finishing plays, games and everything the Wildcats start.
Hogan wants those values to be visible when his team takes the field.
“You’re going to see a group that plays hard for each other,” he said.
More than wins, statistics or individual performances, Hogan wants the people in the stands to recognize the kind of young men representing their city.
“The biggest thing that I want to put out there is I think it’s a team that the community can be proud of,” Hogan said. “We’ve got great young men that happen to be great football players, but more than anything, it’s a team that I think Fultondale will be proud to have represent them.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FULTONDALE HIGH SCHOOL
Navigating the Medicare Maze.
Pam Harrison and Tammy Jones provide independent advice, to cut through the Medicare red tape to find the options that truly benefit you, and no cost to you. They answer some frequent questions to help you get started.
Q: Does Medicare cover prescription drugs?
A: Original Medicare does not typically cover most prescription medications. You may need a separate Medicare Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage.
Q: When can I enroll in Medicare?
A: Most people can enroll during their Initial Enrollment Period, which begins 3 months before turning 65, includes your birth month, and ends 3 months after.
Q: Do I need to enroll in Medicare if I still have employer insurance?
A: It depends on the size of your employer and the coverage you have. Some people can delay certain parts of Medicare without penalty while still covered by employer insurance. The Harrison Agency can help you determine the best time to enroll.
Q: Do I need a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plan?
A: It depends on your healthcare needs and budget. Medicare Supplements help cover out-of-pocket costs, while Medicare Advantage plans often include additional benefits like dental, vision, and prescriptions.
Q: Can I keep my doctor with Medicare?
A: Many doctors accept Medicare, but plan networks can vary depending on the plan you choose. At The Harrison Agency, we help you compare plans, check provider networks, and ensure your preferred doctors and hospitals are included—at no additional cost to you.
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Ready to learn more? Register for a Medicare 101 Class by scanning the QR code or visiting: Medicare101theharrisonagencyllc.eventbrite.com Or you can call us at 205-514-9568.
There is plenty of youth on the sidelines at Fultondale, too.
After graduating 10 seniors from last year’s cheer squad, sponsor Brandy Bentley is working with what is essentially a new team. Only four cheerleaders return from last season, including just one senior.
But Bentley doesn’t see that as a setback.
She sees an opportunity.
“Basically, it’s a brand-new team,” Bentley said. “We have a chance to develop skills now.”
Bentley jumped at the opportunity to become a cheer sponsor, a role that already had a personal connection. Her daughter cheered and is now serving as an assistant coach alongside her.
Bentley previously sponsored the middle school cheerleaders, and now she and many of those girls have moved up together.
With new cheerleaders and new staff, the focus is on building skills, growing together and finding ways for the squad to have an impact beyond Friday nights.
“Of course we want to build skills, but we also want to get out in the community more,” Bentley said.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 PHOTOS COURTESY OF
The cheerleaders are already working toward that goal by holding a clinic at the elementary school once a week. They are also exploring the creation of a community fundraiser, “Cheering for a Cure,” with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.
The squad has already found success this summer. At cheer camp at the University of Alabama, both the junior varsity and varsity squads placed third in their respective Camp Day team competitions.
“I was thrilled,” Bentley said, “but there is also room to learn and grow.”
One of the program’s youngest cheerleaders has already earned special recognition. Eighth grader Mikayla Moore was nominated for UCA All-American honors and completed a tryout in which she was judged across multiple areas.
“I’m so proud of her,” Bentley said.
For both the Wildcats on the field and the cheerleaders on the sidelines, the season ahead is one built around potential.There will undoubtedly be growing pains. But there is also experience gained, talent developing and a belief that something special can be built in Fultondale.
Blue Devils chasing the NEXT STEP
MORTIMER JORDAN 2026 SCHEDULE
8/21: 7:00pm vs Fultondale
8/28: 7:00pm @ Shades Valley
9/4: 7:00pm vs Parker
9/11: 7:00pm @ Cullman
9/18: 7:00pm vs Gardendale
10/1: 7:00pm @ Jackson-Olin
10/9: 7:00pm vs Minor
10/16: 7:00pm @ Jasper
10/23: 7:00pm @ Huffman
10/30: 7:00pm vs Northridge
STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR
At Mortimer Jordan, Friday nights are more than four quarters.
They are the sound of the band filling the stadium, cheerleaders lining the track, a sea of blue in the stands and a football team trying to take the next step.
For Head Coach Heath Lauderdale, now entering his third season leading the Blue Devils and fifth year at Mortimer Jordan, this year’s team has something every coach wants–experience.
“We’ve got a good group of seniors coming back,” Lauderdale said. “That’s always important. Most of the time, a large group of seniors provides more experience. They’ve been around long enough. They’ve got a lot of reps, and they’re cohesive.”
That leadership matters for a program that has reached the playoffs three straight seasons. This fall, the Blue Devils are not just hoping to get back. They want more.
“Getting there is not enough,” Lauderdale said. “We want to take another step.”
That step could mean competing for a region title, winning playoff games and continuing to build on what has already been established. Lauderdale knows it will take health, hard work and chemistry — especially after injuries changed the dynamic late last season.
PHOTO BY HEATHER WARDEN, WARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Friday Night Lights Mortimer Jordan High School
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
“We pray for health and hard work and cohesiveness and teamwork,” he said.
The Blue Devils return key experience in several areas, including the offensive line and defensive backfield. Blaze Neely returns at quarterback, bringing three years of starting experience. Xavier Burrow, also a three-year starter, will contribute at free safety and slot receiver. Chris Brown will see time at running back and linebacker, while Kody Crews, Connor Helm and Cason Bridges are expected to help at receiver. Riley Harp will play center and defensive line, with Amir Higgs, Kollin Lee and Brycen Harris among the players expected to contribute defensively.
“We’ve got a lot of areas where we’ve got to stay healthy to keep that depth,” Lauderdale said.
But the Blue Devils’ strength is not just on the field. Lauderdale said Mortimer Jordan’s support system is part of what makes the program special.
“It’s great to be a Blue Devil,” he said. “They’re always here supporting everything we do. It’s unbelievable. We’re going to give them all we’ve got.”
PHOTOS BY HEATHER WARDEN, WARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
That support stretches beyond football.
Cheer sponsor MacKenzie Keedy Hawkins said this year’s cheer squad has already shown a level of ownership and work ethic that has her excited for the season. The squad includes 21 cheerleaders from grades nine through 12, including six seniors.
“This group seems like they really care,” Hawkins said. “They have gotten after it so far.”
All six seniors tried out for and made All-American at camp at Great Wolf Lodge in LaGrange — an accomplishment Hawkins said is not the norm.
The squad will compete at county and regionals, with state and possibly nationals still on the table depending on how the season progresses. After finishing second and third at county in recent years, Hawkins said winning county is a definite goal.
“That’s kind of a chip we have on our shoulder,” she said.
The cheerleaders will also help lead one of Mortimer Jordan’s most beloved traditions: the black light pep rally, held around the final home game of the season. Hawkins said the event fills the gym and has become something uniquely Jordan.
“It’s really, really a big deal,” she said. “Other schools have kind of tried to do it, but it’s just not the same.”
The band will also be a major part of the Blue Devil atmosphere. Director Mason McFarland, now in his sixth year at Mortimer Jordan, said the band has grown from less than 100 students, including auxiliary units, to a program pushing well beyond that.
“It has been great,” McFarland said. “Our population overall is growing, and it seems the band is doing that as well.”
That growth has created a good problem: the band has more students than uniform jackets. McFarland said the program is raising money for new uniforms, with a goal of preparing for
Friday Night Lights Mortimer Jordan High School
continued growth.
The band will compete at three competitions this year: Lake Martin Invitational, Hayden and Athens. McFarland said the next step is learning to compete confidently in bigger arenas.
“Last year we were in uncharted waters,” he said. “Now I think the goal is to go into those arenas and be competitive.”
Beyond marching season, the program includes a growing jazz band, winter guard, dance team, majorettes and the North Jefferson Indoor Drumline, which earned a silver medal at SCGC championships. The winter guard also earned a gold medal, and the dance team received a bid to UDA nationals.
For McFarland, the goal is bigger than trophies.
“I want them to be good people,” he said.
That same idea carries across Mortimer Jordan on Friday nights — from the players taking the field, to the cheerleaders leading the crowd, to the band setting the soundtrack. This season, the Blue Devils are chasing the next step.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MORTIMER JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
North Jefferson Chamber Leadership Conference
The North Jefferson Chamber recently brought together business and community leaders from across the region for the North Jefferson Leadership Conference.
It was a day filled with meaningful conversations, practical takeaways, and opportunities to grow as leaders. From AI and marketing to communication, conflict resolution and personal leadership, our speakers challenged attendees to think differently and lead with purpose.
Ribbon Cutting for Mike Herrod, Alfa Insurance Agent
The North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting on June 19, in recognition of Mike Herrod-Alfa Insurance Agent’s commitment to serving individuals, families and businesses throughout our community.
The office is at 2488 Palomino Lane in Forestdale.
Hirtle graduates Fort Payne Fire Academy
Morris Firefighter/EMT Justin Hirtle graduated from the Fort Payne Fire Academy. He and other recruits have spent the last 10 weeks learning the minimum standards of firefighting.
Kimberly Fire visited SOAR at Bryan Elementary
The Kimberly Fire Department visited Bryan Elementary SOAR students at Bryan Elementary School to help beat the Alabama heat.
Fultondale Senior Center 4th of July
Fultondale Senior Center hosted a pre-Fourth of July picnic that included hotdogs with all the trimmings, macaroni, salad, potato chips, cantaloupe, watermelon and ice-cream cake, and Keylime pie for dessert.
City of Morris signs workforce agreement with Bevill State
Bevill State Community College and the City of Morris have signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a partnership to bring education and training to the City of Morris through their North Jefferson Innovation Center.
The agreement outlines a collaborative process through which BSCC and the City of Morris will work together to identify, schedule, and promote education and training opportunities that are in-demand and beneficial to the local community.
Kathy Bolton, City of Morris Councilor stated, “We look forward to this partnership with Bevill State and the positive impact it will have on workforce and business development in the North Jefferson area. Through expanded training opportunities and collaborative efforts, this agreement will help strengthen the regional ecosystem, support economic growth, and benefit employers, workers, as well as the broader community.”
Kimberly Police Student Ride Along
Kimberly Police Department allowed upcoming North Jefferson Middle School student Nick Robles to take a student ride-along. His future plans include joining the military, his current favorites are the movie GI Joe and cookies and cream ice cream. He also got a tour of the fire station.
Local roads included in county paving project
Two local roadways are included in the Jefferson County Commission’s $5.1 million paving projects in 2026. Here is a look at those projects that will start this summer and are planned to be completed by next summer.
• Warrior Kimberly Road will be resurfaced from Stouts Road to Louisa Street and is approximately 3.6 miles in length. Jefferson County is allocating $1,575,000 to resurface Warrior Kimberly Road.
• Bone Dry Road will be resurfaced from Bill Jones Road to 2nd St N and is approximately 2.5 miles in length. Jefferson County is allocating $1,050,000 to resurface Bone Dry Road.
Warrior Public Library Summer Reading Program
The Warrior Public Library Summer Reading Program featured events each week, like Found Space Theatre, Ms. Jan the Science Lady and Dynamic Education Adventures and Michelle’s Magical Poodles.
Kimberly Senior Center
The seniors from Kimberly Senior Center had a great time visiting the Grand Ole Opry show last weekend at Wallace State!
Hot Ham and Cheese Crescent Squares
When back-to-school season hits and the days get busy, my Hot Ham and Cheese Crescent Squares (also called Crescent Roll Ham and Cheese Bake) are about to become your new secret weapon. Made with two cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough and about 10 minutes of prep, these buttery, golden squares are layered with melty Swiss cheese and savory deli ham, perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, or a quick weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough (or crescent roll dough sheets)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
12 slices Swiss cheese or Mozzarella or provolone, divided
8 ounces deli ham or other deli meat slices (about 6 to 8 slices)
2 tablespoons melted butter
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (optional)
In The Kitchen with Kathleen Phillips
Kathleen Phillips is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. Food Blogger, GritsAndGouda.com
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375F°. Lightly coat a 12x8 baking dish or 2 ½ quart rectangle baking dish with nonstick spray.
Remove the crescent roll dough from one can and press it into the bottom of the dish. Spread the Dijon mustard on top of the dough.
Arrange 6 slices of the cheese on the dough, cutting the cheese as necessary to fit.
Arrange the ham or deli meat on the cheese, overlapping as necessary to fit in the dish. Arrange the remaining cheese slices on the ham, overlapping as necessary.
Remove the crescent roll dough from the second can. Spread it out on a cutting board
or a clean counter and smooth out the edges to about the same size as your dish.
Carefully place it on top of the cheese. Press the edges to the sides of the dish together with the bottom dough.
Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, (and if using) the Italian seasoning. Brush the tops of the dough with this butter mixture.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
For breakfast, brunch or brinner servings, cut into 8 servings. For parties, showers, or finger food potlucks, cut into little squares for appetizer servings.
North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Luncheon
NJ Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheons on August 6, September 3, October 1, November 5 and December 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fultondale Event Center.
Fultondale Founders Day will be August 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Black Creek Park. The event is free and will feature vendors, entertainment and fun for the whole family.
North Jefferson Republican Patriots
The North Jefferson Republican Patriots will meet August 20, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center.
Kimberly Founders Day
Kimberly Founders Day will be September 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kimberly Truck Stop.
Warrior Day
Warrior Day will be October 17, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Main Street.
15th Annual Barking at the Moon Festival
The City of Fultondale will host its 15th Annual Barking at the Moon Festival on October 25, 1-5 p.m., at the Fultondale Bark Park. The event will feature costume contests for children and dogs, craft and food vendors, tent-or-treat and weiner dog races. The event is free to attend and leashed, friendly dogs are welcome.
Morris Blue Spoon Chili Fest
The Morris Blue Spoon Chili Fest will be November 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Morris Town Park.
