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Features and Articles Discover
The Essence of St. Clair
CEPA Looking Ahead Curtain goes up on new director, new energy
Logan Martin’s very own Pirate’s Island Page 8
Page 26 New in PellCity The story of the clock
Page 32 The life of a rodeo clown Page 56
Page 22
Northside Medical Expanding Page 52
Traveling the Backroads Ragland, Alabama
A look at Odenville, Alabama
Page 16
Page 65
The Ranch of their Dreams Business Review
Page 71
Workforce development Eissmann expansion years in the making Buffalo Wild Wings
Page 74 Page 86
Page 90 Law firm opens in historic home Page 92 Father & daughter dental practice Page 94
August & September 2016
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Writers AND Photographers Carol Pappas
Graham Hadley
Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines during her career. She won dozens of writing awards in features, news and commentary and was named Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn University. After retiring, she launched her own multimedia company, Partners by Design Inc. In addition to marketing, design and web services for companies and nonprofits, Partners publishes Discover, various community magazines for chambers of commerce and Mosaic Magazine, a biannual publication of Alabama Humanities Foundation.
Graham Hadley is the managing editor and designer for Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine and also manages the magazine website. Along with Carol Pappas, he left The Daily Home as managing editor to become vice president of the Creative Division of Partners by Design multimedia company. An Auburn journalism graduate, Hadley also served as the news editor for The Rome News Tribune in Rome,Ga.
Elaine Hobson Miller Elaine Hobson Miller is a freelance writer with a B.A. in Journalism from Samford University. She was the first female to cover Birmingham City Hall for the Birmingham Post-Herald, where she worked as reporter, food editor and features writer. A former editor of Birmingham Home & Garden magazine and staff writer for Birmingham magazine, she has written for a variety of local, regional and national publications.
Jerry C. Smith Jerry C. Smith’s interest in photography and writing go back to his teen years. He has produced numerous articles, stories and photographs for local websites and regional newspapers and magazines, including the St. Clair County News, Sand Mountain Living, and Old Tennessee Valley. His photos have appeared in books, on national public television, in local art displays and have captured prizes in various contests.
Wallace Bromberg Jr. Wally graduated from Auburn University where he graduated in 1976 with his BA in History and minors in German and Education. Wally’s skills in photography blossomed during college.After a 30-year career, he decided to dust off his camera skills and pursue photography full time.
Linda Long Linda Long has worked in communications for more than 25 years in print, broadcast, nonprofit promotion and special event planning and implementation. Her writing has appeared in Business Alabama Magazine, Technology Alabama, Mobile Bay Monthly, Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, Partners Magazine, Birmingham Magazine, Alabama Alive, Cahaba Talk, Hoover Outlook and Shelby Living. She served as news and special projects producer for NBC13 News, where her work won national, regional and state honors, including two Emmy Award nominations.
Leigh Pritchett
For almost 30 years, Leigh Pritchett has been involved in the publishing industry. She was employed for 11 years by The Gadsden Times, ultimately becoming Lifestyle editor. Since 1994, she has been a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in online and print venues. She holds the Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Montevallo.
Mike Callahan Mike Callahan is a freelance photographer who resides on Logan Martin Lake in Pell City. He specializes in commercial, nature and family photography. Mike’s work has been published in Outdoor Alabama Magazine, Alabama Trucking Association and Alabama Concrete Industries magazines. Publishing his work to the internet frequently, he has won many honors for pictures of the day and week.
Paul South
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Paul South, a native of Fairfield, Ala., is an Auburn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, South had a remarkably versatile career as a reporter, columnist and editor. Before transitioning to newspapers, South was the first full-time sports information director at Samford University in Birmingham
From the Editor
Stories that beg to be told
As we plan each issue of Discover, it is not lost on us that the stories we choose really choose themselves. They stand out in a crowd. They have an interesting twist, a back story or a little known fact, if the fact is even known at all. And the common theme – whether it is a person, place or thing – is that they underscore the notion that St. Clair County is a special place to call ‘home.’ From our mountains to our lakes to our wide open pastures and thick forests, the beauty is evident. It surrounds us. Places like Quail Creek in Ashville at the foot of Chandler Mountain is one of those stories that beckon you to tell it. It got its name from the quail preserve it once housed but long before that, it was a place where Native Americans roamed, camping by the creek that flows through it. Today, it is home to Brangus cattle and a family whose patriarch dreamed of owning a ranch like his childhood hero, Roy Rogers. Passing by Pirate’s Island on Logan Martin Lake – its skull and crossbones flag flying high above dozens of boats anchored around it -- begs a closer look. That’s why a photographer and writer spent some time on the island to give readers an inside look at a day in its life as a major lake attraction. Odenville is in the spotlight this issue as we continue our series of community profiles of growth, progress and a bit of history. We learn more about Odenville as home to one of America’s bestselling Western novel authors, an impressive museum, a tourism destination point for barbecue and an emerging national reputation for preserving the iconic Mustang. The growth boom Pell City is experiencing of late couldn’t escape our notice either. A new library, Chamber of Commerce and a splash pad have opened. A national restaurant chain has broken ground. A movie theater and bowling alley are coming, and other restaurants are expected to follow suit. And the latest in a long line of expansions at Eissmann, the German leather components maker for the automobile industry, pushes its employment roster over the 850-mark and keeps the jobs creation
streak for the county thriving. No small wonder that St. Clair earned the number one ranking in growing wealth for its citizens – a 15.4 percent jump in median household income since 2009. That’s just a sampling of what’s in store in this issue of Discover. Come along in the pages that follow, and discover it all with us. Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher
Discover The Essence of St. Clair
August and September 2016 • Vol. 31 • www.discoverstclair.com
Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer Brandon Wynn • Director of Online Services Mike Callahan • Photography Wallace Bromberg Jr. • Photography Susan Wall • Photography Dale Halpin • Advertising
A product of Partners by Design www.partnersmultimedia.com 6204 Skippers Cove Pell City, AL 35128 205-335-0281
Printed at Russell Printing, Alexander City, AL 7
Pirate’s Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr. Submitted photos Drone Photo by David Smith, Star Aerial It’s a place that would make Jimmy Buffett proud. Surrounded by family and friends and scores more of adopted family and friends, this tiny island in the middle of Logan Martin Lake is like the star of the singer’s tune, Cheeseburger in Paradise – “heaven on earth with an onion slice.” On this Saturday afternoon in late June, one of the hottest of the year, there are no complaints about the sweltering temperature, only laughter, music, children’s squeals and an unrivaled camaraderie of hundreds gathered around Pirate’s Island. It has become THE place to meet, anchor your boat or personal watercraft, wade into the shallow water all around and greet friends – old and new. It’s a recreational respite in an otherwise wide open waterway of boats darting to and fro. Lincoln’s Kent Crumley has been coming to the island since 2012. Now joined by his son and grandchildren, the fun they have as a family is unmistakable. Brian Crumley and his children, Easton,
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A day in the life of a Logan Martin landmark
Island
9
Pirate’s Island
‘The family,’ from left, Sandy Regan, Jim Regan, Laurie Regan, Tom Regan, Kathy Collier. Standing behind, John Selden, Ben “the mayor and chief architect” Dugger and Steve Regan
Addie and Brynlee are there to celebrate Easton’s first birthday. What makes this place so special? “Just the people,” Kent says. “The fellowship,” his son adds. “We came to hang out and have a great time,” Kent says, putting an exclamation point on the sentiment of the day. And it’s precisely the purpose Jim Regan intended for the island when his wife, Laurie, bought it for him as a birthday present. She had decorated it with crepe paper, but rain put a damper on the surprise impact it was supposed to have when approached by boat that evening. So, Laurie improvised. She grabbed a drink Koozie, wrote “Welcome to Your Island” on it, put a drink in it and handed it to Jim. He kept putting the drink down, never glancing at the message. Laurie said she finally – and strongly – urged him to look. He read it, and in that moment of realization, “he dove right off the boat!” That was 2008. It took about a year to fulfill the vision they had in mind for the island – they cleared underbrush, built a beach, brought in palm trees, a hammock, a treasure chest and of course, a pirate flag. They first named it Grand Island, but the throngs of boaters who found their own paradise there won out. Pirate Island, it became, and Pirate Island, it will stay. “We were outvoted by the people,” Laurie says. And the people keep coming. On Memorial Day, 46 boats were counted anchored around the island. On this day, a typical Saturday afternoon, there were 29 boats full
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Pirate’s Island
of people. On the 75 x 50-foot island itself, its palm trees leaning out over the water, the Regans’ family and friends gather around a fire pit, relaxing in chairs of all shapes and sizes. A nearby grill, still smoldering, hints at noon day activities on the island. “It was Cheeseburger in Paradise Day,” says Jim. He cooked 36 hamburgers for his invited guests and boaters who happened to be there. It’s not unusual for Jim to cook on the weekends. He simply signals in boaters when the hotdogs or hamburgers are ready, according to Laurie. All are welcome on Pirate’s Island. It’s a tradition that evolved when a boat load of 10 year olds asked if they needed help on the island. They helped clean it, and their pay came in hotdogs. Of course there are other riches on the island. A treasure chest full of Mardi Beads and gold coins awaits, and children rush to see what’s inside. Down on their knees like a cannon shot, they surround the chest, combing through to pick just the right color. Giggles and shrieks tell the rest of that story. “I get them from a Mardi Gras supplier in Mobile where I grew up,” Laurie says. The treasure chest is filled to the brim, and it is the island’s most popular destination point for kids. As a bonus, Jim sprinkles gold coins all around the water’s edge for children to ‘discover.’ Palm trees don faces and perhaps a pirate kerchief – “Palm Pirates,” they call them. A ‘pirate’ pontoon boat sits anchored on the main channel side of the island. It even has a gang plank. The customary island hammock hangs between palms, an inviting place for a summer’s day. And a skull and cross bones pirate flag flaps in the summer breeze some 50 feet above on a pole made of bamboo courtesy of a neighbor, helping passersby pinpoint this Logan Martin landmark. On Saturday mornings, Jim puts out an oversized float a few feet offshore – a Lilypad – for kids to launch themselves in innovative ways into the water. He doesn’t dare take it up until Sunday night. Too much fun would be missed, he and Laurie surmise. “Everybody has taken responsibility for the island,” Laurie adds. “We’ll get calls if someone is not doing something right. They help
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clean it up. They love the island. Everyone takes ownership in it.” Why do the Regans share their own bit of paradise? “We love our family and kids. This is our town. It’s our home,” Laurie says. “It just feels good.” Perhaps this email Jim sent to his family in 2008 just after he became the proud owner of the island tells the evolution of the original vision best: Laurie surprised the living daylights out of me for my birthday by purchasing the tiny island just 1/4 mile down the beach from us. I’ve been pining for it for over a decade, and Laurie thought it was a pretty worthwhile goal also. We have named it “Grand Island”...owing to its “massive” size (75 ft.X 50 ft. excluding beach & sandbar) and also to the original purchase price some years ago by our friends & the former owners-Randy & Sandy. The island is a popular place to park your boat and swim from its sandy little beach. It will remain open to the public. We’ve already heard some excellent ideas like: planting fruit & palm trees; placing a “Grand Island” plaque on it; mount a “Wilson” volleyball on a pole (from the movie “Castaway”); hanging a hammock between two trees; and the ideas just keep coming. Feel free to add your art to the picture. Whether you remember this little Corona commercial of an island or not, I happen to know that each of you have been there. We hope you’ll come to the island many times again in both mind and body. Once you’ve hacked your way through the jungle and pass the lost temple beyond the largest cave on the other side of Blue Lagoon, look for us...We’ll be right there in a hammock holding out your favorite cold beverage. On any given weekend, it’s easy to see: Dream fulfilled. l
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Jim and Laurie Regan
Joe Funderburg MAYOR This is our time... ELECT EXPERIENCED, PROVEN L E A D E R S H I P T H A T G E T S R E S U LT S COME BY BOAT OR CAR Valet parking for Boats Saturday & Sunday
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LET’S KEEP PELL CITY MOVING FORWARD! Pd. Pol. Adv. By Joe Funderburg for Mayor, P.O. Box 809, Pell City, AL 35125
DOT WOOD City Council District 3
DOT WOOD UNDERSTANDS … She is a small business owner (Wood Appraisal Service) DOT WOOD IS AN EXPERIENCED LEADER …Two-term Pell City councilwoman and president pro-tem. DOT WOOD KNOWS team work gets things done… She has been part of the leadership team that brought so much growth to Pell City.
Check the track record of success: 4 Nearly $4 million for Pell City Schools 4 $2 million in new improvements for 29th and 30th Street 4 New Municipal Complex 4 New Library 4 New Chamber Of Commerce 4 New Splash Pad 4 New Senior Center Addition 4 2 new playgrounds for 19th Street Look forward to more of the same: • Movie theater • Bowling Alley • International chain restaurant • Civic Center Renovations • Tennis courts improvement • Citywide paving • More new jobs
Continue the progress! Vote Dot Wood City Council District 3 PD. POL. ADV. BY DOT WOOD, 1302 GOLF COURSE ROAD, PELL CITY, AL 35128
All about kids at splash pad
Wyatt Dale pops through tire swing at library
Board room for meetings available in complex.
New, New, New
Municipal complex, library, chamber, splash pad headline Pell City’s growth Story by Leigh Pritchett Photos by Michael Callahan Wow! ... That was the prevailing sentiment — though expressed in many different words — as scores of people got their first look at the new Pell City Municipal Complex. At the June 13 ribbon-cutting ceremony, hundreds saw the results of an extensive renovation that changed the first floor of the former CenturyLink building into a multipurpose facility. The $3 million project included the purchase of the 53,000-squarefoot CenturyLink building and the creation of a library, banquet room, event and meeting rooms, classroom, office suite for Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce, and handicap accessible restrooms, said Brian Muenger, city manager for Pell City. Goodgame Company served as project manager, and Forsyth Builders was the contractor. It was desinged by Sean Witt of Williams Blackstock Architects. “I’m just so amazed,” commented Bev Gattis of Margaret after touring the complex. “I am blown away. This is just way beyond what I ever expected. This is beyond big!” Much the same could be said at Lakeside Park on May 1 as giggles and shrieks of delight greeted the opening of another significant city project — a splash pad. The $1.63 million undertaking produced a public pavilion; three rental pavilions; an office; handicapaccessible restrooms; a paved parking lot; a gravel parking area, and a splash pad with 32 fixtures that spray, squirt, spew, shoot and dump water on eagerly awaiting youngsters.
City and library officials cut ribbon. From Left, Danny Stewart, Barbara Fincher, Courtney Cook, Laurie Regan, Pat DeMotte, Charles Smith, Dot Wood, Joe Funderburg, Jay Jenkns, Sharon Thomas, James McGowan, Terry Templin and Brian Muenger.
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
Inside state-ofthe-art library 17
New, New, New
Spacious meeting and event area unofficially dubbed “the Rotary Room” because of the club’s work to equip it with cutting edge technology. Children’s area of library
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For only $3 a day per person 3 years or older, the splash pad “gives people something to do for family time,” said Harold Edge, Jr., director of Pell City Parks and Recreation. Library, complex result of team work More than a week after the library opened, Assistant Library Director Susan Mann was still elated. “We are all so pleased and thankful to be in our new facility! We are very grateful to the library guild, to the City of Pell City and to the businesses and individuals who believed in this undertaking and supported it so faithfully and generously. The library is amazing. It’s everything that we hoped for through the years ... and more!” The library’s use already has increased. During its first week in the complex, an average of 10 new membership cards were issued daily, said Danny Stewart, library director. The library encompasses more than 14,000 square feet of the municipal complex’s first floor, he said. That is almost three times the floor space that the 15,000-patron library had at its previous site, which was a former post office next to City Hall. The library was there the past 40-plus years. For 20 years before that, it was in a room inside City Hall, having moved there from an old schoolhouse behind City Hall. The new library has the capacity for 55,000 volumes, which means 20,000 could be added to its current inventory, Stewart said. When visitors see how nicely the library’s collection fills out its new environs, they have difficulty believing all of it actually fit in the old library, said worker Dawn Holliday. Here are some amenities the library is able to offer because it has more space: A teen room, with large screen and Wii U console. • A “maker” room, with additional GoPro cameras, 3-D printer, 3-D scanner, “green wall” background for videography, and space for assembly projects. • An arts and crafts room. • Study rooms. • A staff resource room. • A history and archives room. • A designated story time area. • A boardroom (no rental fee, but reservation is required). • A large circulation area. Stewart said the library has more than doubled its technological capabilities, now providing for public use 18 computers and seven laptops. The added space, as well as the classroom and meetings rooms available right across the
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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New, New, New Chamber Executive Director Lisa Gaither in her new office
A classroom is available
More event space provided
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hall, will enhance current library programs, and will allow the staff to plan many others activities and events, Stewart said. “I’m so glad this has happened,” said Jeanette Wadsworth of Cropwell. Pell City Mayor Joe Funderburg said he has “always felt the library was the center of the city.” The new library and city complex is something the citizens had wanted for a very long time. “I’m proud for the people of Pell City,” he said. Tammie Williams, District 4 member of Pell City Board of Education, said the library remains important to the community. Even in this digital age, there still is nothing that compares to reading from “a good, old-fashioned book,” she said. She sees this “beautiful” library as a tremendous learning tool for local students. “I think our students will be very excited about a library like this,” she said. Muenger said the desire to have a municipal complex and to give the library a bigger home was evident in the community. “I don’t ever think I’ve worked on a project with more groups, individuals and families working to bring this to its fruition,” he said. For example, Alabama Power gave “classy” furnishings for several areas in the complex, he said. Also, Rotary Club of Pell City purchased and gave to the city china settings, silverware and crystal that people can rent for formal events at the complex, said Ed Tyler, a past Rotary president. The club also bought and donated a commercial dishwasher for the kitchen, and paid half the cost of audiovisual equipment and technology for international teleconferencing in the banquet room. Muenger called Pell City Library Guild, Inc. “a huge partner” in the municipal complex project. The guild gave $250,000 toward the project, and more than $300,000 for furnishings and computers for the new library, said Pat DeMotte, guild president. The 120-member guild was able to give this assistance because the citizens had generously supported the group’s 10 years of fundraising. “The community was amazing. The people of Pell City love their library. They have advocated for it and support it.” The library, Stewart continued, contributed toward its new home a $250,000 state grant awarded during Gov. Bob Riley’s administration, and an additional $100,000 from other grants and from the estate of beloved Pell City educator Millie Ann Lawley. Separate from the capital campaign, the guild also receives contributions that are used for programs and services of the library. Those donations come from many individuals and other sources, such as the fundraising travel group Friends Bound for New Horizons. People who have taken trips with this group, which is led by Deanna Lawley of Pell City, have given the library nearly $20,000 in about five years. Muenger said the various rooms at the complex
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
AS CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF PELL CITY, WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE TEAM.
WE CONGRATULATE THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE OPENING OF THE NEW PELL CITY MUNICIPAL COMPLEX.
1 9 0 5 Fi r s t Ave n u e S o u t h , Pe l l C i t y, A L 35 1 25 | P h o n e : 2 0 5 - 33 8 - 7 27 3 | Fa x : 2 0 5 - 33 8 - 6 0 9 4 No representation is made that the quality of legal services performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
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New, New, New provide more places for people to hold events, parties and showers. The option of renting china, crystal and linens makes hosting a refined event more convenient, he said. Nancy Crow, Pell City Civic Center coordinator, said the complex’s rooms — which can hold from 20 to 140 people — range in rental fees from $50 to $200. Funderburg sees the potential at the complex for conferences and events that will draw out-of-town groups and guests. “I’m really proud this city was able to...add to what we already have,” he said. The complex also gives the city government space for its departments to expand, Muenger said. CenturyLink — which is now a tenant — occupies 6,400 square feet on the second floor of the building and in the basement. The remainder of the second floor possibly could provide room for city departments that need it. “I feel like we will grow into that space over time,” Muenger predicted. Chamber welcomes from new quarters Lisa Gaither, executive director of the 375-member Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce, said the municipal complex shows potential residents and business prospects that the city’s government is investing in the community and the Chamber. “It conveys a strong message to visitors,” she said. The Chamber’s suite, directly across from Pell City Library, features a reception office, executive director’s office and a storage area, she said. The Chamber can use, as well, the conference room and other rooms in its quest to promote businesses in the area and to host events that bring revenue into Pell City. “I love our new offices,” she said. The location along well-traveled U.S. 231 positions the Chamber centrally between the downtown business district and the Logan Martin Lake area and gives the Chamber office much visibility, she said. Muenger said the city gives office space and some funding to the Chamber because “your Chamber is the image of your community in many ways. They are the face of your community.” Splash pad a hit already Building the splash pad required nine months of construction and “basically mov(ing) a mountain” across from Kids Kastle, said Edge. One contractor built the 5,000-square-foot splash pad and another constructed the building for the office, restrooms and adjoining public pavilion. Pell City Street Department employees did site preparation and the parking areas, and city Parks and Recreation maintenance workers built the rental pavilions, Edge said. And the result has brought a very positive reception from the people of Pell City, said Funderburg and Edge. It certainly drew the attention of Alexis Allor of Lincoln and friend Chloe Cox. “We saw it before when we were having a picnic” at Lakeside Park, said 11-year-old Alexis. The two girls came to the splash pad the next week because “it looks fun.” By mid-June, Ruth Pope of Pell City already had taken
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Clock a memorial tribute to Pell City Banker The clock in front of Pell City Municipal Complex is a memorial to longtime resident and businessman Ray Cox. It was given by his wife, Annette, and son, Emory. Ray Cox died of cancer in 2005. Born and raised in Pell City, Ray Cox began his career as an FDIC bank examiner in North Alabama. He saw the need for a customer service-focused community bank in Pell City and founded Metro Bank in 1989, his son said. “Founding Metro was his lifelong dream and his most lasting achievement.” Ray Cox also was involved in Pell City Rotary Club, serving as its president; was a member of Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce, and was a strong supporter of Pell City Library Guild. For all those reasons, it seemed fitting to place a memorial clock at the building that incorporates three of Ray Cox’s passions, Emory Cox said. “He was a visionary,” said Lisa Gaither, the Chamber’s executive director. And the clock is a reminder of the countless hours spent crafting that vision.
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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her grandchildren there several times. “I love it! It’s enjoyable; it’s safe, and the price is wonderful.” Here are some quick facts about the splash pad: • It will accommodate 130 people. • It is wheelchair accessible. • It requires 4,000 gallons of water. The water is filtered twice before it recirculates through the system; the water is changed once a week. • A computer system constantly monitors the water quality and adjusts the amount of chlorine and other chemicals accordingly. Splash pad employees take the extra precaution of manually checking chemical levels three times a day, Edge said. • Sensors around some fixtures detect movement and automatically shut down water flow after a time of inactivity. • A total of 14 people were hired to work at the splash pad. • Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The pad is closed for maintenance on Mondays that are not holidays. • The pad is expected to open May 1 each year and to close between mid-September and Oct. 1, depending on Alabama’s weather. By design, the splash pad’s fixtures have been divided into three sections — toddler, family and “big feature” — to promote safety, especially for younger children, Edge said. In order to play on the larger features, visitors must be at least 5 years old. Danielle Pope of Pell City was particularly pleased about the separate fixtures for different age groups. The mother of two said this allows younger children to play safely in their own designated area. “It serves so many ages with natural separation,” she said. “... I’ve been to three other splash pads, and this one is the best.” l
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Curtain goes up on new director, new energy at CEPA Story by Linda Long Photos by Michael Callahan Jeff Thompson is fitting right in to his new role as executive director of the Pell City Center for Education and the Performing Arts (CEPA), but at four years old, Thompson was on a totally different career path. “At my preschool graduation, I told the whole class that I was going to be an aeronautical engineer. Well, that brought a whole bevy of laughs,” recalled Thompson, “but I loved planes and as a child, that’s all I wanted to do. That is, until I found out the engineers get paid by contract work. I didn’t see much stability in that. So, suddenly, aeronautical engineering didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore.” The intrepid young Thompson then turned to “Plan B.” Architecture. Though foiled again, he was not the least chagrined. “I could not pass Physics. I failed it twice. I do not understand the concept – never have, never will, and you can’t be an architect if you don’t get Physics. I can draw just fine,” laughed Thompson. “I just wasn’t able to do those high level equations.” Those two early career misdirections are clearly St. Clair County’s gain. Thompson, who has been in his new role as CEPA director for only two months, already has a clear vision for leading the top notch 2,000 plus-seat sports arena and a state-of-the-art, 400-seat theater into the future. That vision is clearly spelled community. An Auburn University graduate in Journalism, Thompson comes to CEPA with a 10-year background in newspapers, most recently as editor and general manager of the St. Clair News Aegis. “My formal training is newspapers,” said Thompson, “and certainly one of the things newspapers gives you is intimate access and understanding on how to build identity. And that’s what we’re looking to do with CEPA at the moment is to
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Pell City Center for Education and the Performing Arts
Looking to the future
Story by Linda Long Photos by Michael Callahan
Executive Director Jeff Thompson interacts with drama camp youths DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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CEPA
take this phenomenal product which is here and really does benefit the community and build it around that.” Already finalizing the 2016 fall season, Thompson said, “We’re looking to create programming that attaches itself to numerous demographics in the community. We don’t want to follow a show with another show that attracts an identical audience. We want to make sure that everybody across St. Clair County feels like they have a home at CEPA. This facility was built, created and conceptualized on that bedrock. There shouldn’t be anyone who doesn’t have access to this facility. It was built for this community.” To that end, CEPA is kicking off a fall lineup which should indeed include something for everyone. The season begins in September with an amazing magic show followed just days later by a performance of the full Alabama Symphony Orchestra, a first for Pell City. The “top tier” magic show features Brian Reaves, and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is seen as a major coup for the theatre. Next up will be country music band, Confederate Railroad, another major act, with Two Halos Shy as opening group. Confederate Railroad, a country rock, southern rock band, is a multi-platinum recording group.
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Alabama Symphony Orchestra
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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ELECT Bill Pruitt Mayor
CHANGING THE FACE OF PELL CITY ELECTION AUGUST 23 • • • • • • • • • •
Pell City resident since 1992 Married to Stephanie Pruitt for seventeen years Sons, Will and Max, are 10th and 8th grade students in the Pell City School System Active Member at Cropwell Baptist Church Partner at Pell City law firm, Pruitt & Richardson, P.C. Board of Directors: Pruitt & Richardson Charitable Foundation •Host of the Fall Frenzy benefit for the Pell City School System •Home of the Lt. Richard Woods Memorial Scholarship Board of Directors: Pell City Chamber of Commerce Pro Bono counsel for local non-profit ministry, Majestic Outdoors Member of Pell City Rotary Club Past Member Pell City Civitans Club
As a resident, a business owner, a husband and a father, I know the issues that are important to you because they are important to me. As your mayor, I will work closely with the City Manager and the City Council to change the face of Pell City. The new face of Pell City will be one of competence, common sense, and cooperation. The new face of Pell City will be one that unites with a common vision of progress. With your support, we will change not only the face of Pell City, but its future as well.
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CEPA
Brian Reaves and his magic show
Whitney Junction bluegrass
It has been nominated for a Grammy Award, and it won an American Country Music award. In May, the group appeared in Nashville with Willie Nelson, John Anderson, Colt Ford and former NFL Coach Jerry Glanville for the 20th anniversary version of its signature smash hit, “Trashy Women.” Two Halos Shy features Madibeth Morgan and Anna Tamburello. When their vocal harmony hits an audience’s ear, you would swear the halos were there as the vocals sound almost angelic. Very little sounds better than a pair of voices in perfect harmony, and this talented duo fits the bill. Although still teenagers, they have been writing music and singing since before they could legally drive a car. They are working on their first album. Capping the season is a multi-faceted arts festival featuring Alabama’s top storyteller, Dolores Hydock, and bluegrass group, Whitney Junction. “This event is all about St. Clair County,” said Thompson. “It will feature local artists of all kinds.” Hydock is an award winning, premiere storyteller based in Birmingham, who has entertained audiences large and small around the country. She will be performing, Footprints on the Sky, a story about the time she spent on St. Clair County’s Chandler Mountain. Sharing the stage with her, providing music for her words, is Whitney Junction. This bluegrass group formed as a ministry of First Baptist Church of Ashville and while its primary musical focus is a unique brand of bluegrass gospel, the band also performs old time bluegrass music at festivals, rallies and other events. “We want to wrangle in as many people as we possibly can and get them tied into this,” said Thompson. Built nearly 10 years ago as a partnership among the Pell City School System, City of Pell City and the community, Thompson said, “community builders came together to support this facility.” A huge granite marker hangs in the lobby, telling the story of the people who built this facility. It is not just for Pell City, but for everybody. “We want to make sure every bit of our programming educates, inspires or entertains and gives them a reason for coming back.” CEPA has already established many ongoing traditions, such as its annual summer drama camps, performances by many artists from local schools and the Pell City Players, a local drama troupe created as part of its community theater offerings. But Thompson is hoping the facility will soon have some new programs making new traditions. “We want to maximize the availability of the facility as much as possible. One of the main activities we’re looking at now using some captive audience around football games to open up the center and let folks come and be entertained prior to or following a football game. “According to Thompson, “Whatever legacy we can create with it, I want it to be something that includes the idea that we build community off of it. II think it fits in with the chamber of commerce, the city, and the school system. I think there are ties for to almost every aspect of generating a positive image for Pell City and St. Clair County. I know community, and I love community and when I look at this building, I know it can be what my definitions are for it.” l
Tickets are available individually and in season packages. Go to www.pellcitycepa.com to order or call the box office at 205-338-1974.
Dolores Hydock 30
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
Growing community ‘A place to call home’ Story by Paul South Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr. There’s a story Joe Whitten likes to tell, a story that speaks far more loudly about Odenville than about himself. In 1961, Whitten was a newly-recruited teacher to St. Clair County High School, a stranger in town. He’d been given a 10-month contract, paying $350 a month. And he was scared. “I’d been in town for about three weeks, and parents of the kids were calling me and inviting me for an evening meal. I don’t remember exactly what was served, except it was good home-cooked food. But what I remember is that these people invited me into their lives and into their community. I’ll never forget that acceptance.” Whitten, now 78, would go on to teach in Odenville for more than 35 years and write histories of Odenville and St. Clair County High. He still lives in town, on some nights, he’s lulled to sleep by the gentle rumble of the CSX train as it rolls slowly through town. “God put me here,” he said. “I love it here.
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Odenville It’s wonderful.” Stories like Whitten’s – of welcome and acceptance --- are told over and over again by newcomers and lifelong residents to this town of less than 5,000, 3,585 according to the 2010 census. Even as the town has expanded out to Interstate 59, the heart of the town hasn’t changed. Beginnings Peter Hardin, a blacksmith and Presbyterian pastor, led the first band of settlers to what’s now Odenville in 1821, two years after Alabama was granted statehood. It was the first of several key historic milestones for the town once known as Hardin’s Shop. Odenville was incorporated in 1914, but no one is sure exactly how it got its name, Whitten said. In 1903, the Seaboard Airline Railroad (now CSX) helped tie Odenville to Birmingham, Atlanta and the northeast. Not only that, but along with good-paying jobs and company-built homes, the railroad boosted local businesses. The Cahaba Hotel was one of them, offering room and board for travelers. The now-gone landmark once was a favorite of Odenville’s children, according to Odenville Library director Betty Corley. “There was a candy store on the first floor of the hotel, “she said. “And kids used to love to go there to buy penny candy.” Whitten recounted how townsfolk would gather near the tracks to wave at Miss Alabama each year, as she traveled northeast to Atlantic City, N.J., for the Miss America pageant. Strictly freight rides the rails now through Odenville. But in its prime, the passenger line even provided transportation to school for rural St. Clair County schoolchildren to the St. Clair County High, which once housed grades 1-12 under one roof. The high school and where it would be located sparked spirited debate between the editors of the newspapers of Odenville and Pell City. Whitten has written a history of the high school (Where the Saints Have Trod) and of Odenville (Odenville, Alabama: A History of Our Town,1821-1992). “The editor of the Pell City paper (The Pell City Progress) wrote that he was afraid the state would regret “ ‘putting a $10,000 school in a thousand-dollar town.’ ” And the editor of the Odenville paper countered that Pell City was fine for a mill town, but not for a school. It was something,” Whitten said. Odenville won the school, and St. Clair County High remains to this day. The original school opened in 1909. Today, a
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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state-of-the-art high school has replaced it. And while the trains no longer haul passengers, they carry a multitude of memories for Odenville residents like Jimmy Bailey, Odenville’s Mayor Pro Tempore and the manager of Odenville’s water system, the county’s largest water utility. Bailey’s father was a conductor on the Seaboard Airline train that ran through Odenville. Bailey often rode with his dad to Atlanta and back in a day. Among his treasures are his Dad’s uniform, his briefcase and a timetable. “I’ve always loved trains. What stood out to me was the Atlanta Terminal Station. They had a big model railroad set up there,” Bailey said. But while the passenger trains are gone, more people – and businesses – would come to Odenville and St. Clair County. An expanding footprint If a key word could describe Odenville’s growth, annexation springs to mind. In 2007, the town of Branchville merged with Odenville after a landslide approval. A subsequent annexation has expanded Odenville’s footprint to the Springville/Odenville exit on Interstate 59. Four new businesses have already located there. The town is hopeful for more, city leaders say, and there is a daily drive to recruit new businesses. The city has developed a reputation that may lead to success. “Odenville is the most business-friendly city in the county,” said longtime real estate executive and developer Lyman Lovejoy. “They are out recruiting every day.”
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Evidence of Odenville’s growing footprint is Legacy Park, an approximately 250-acre mixed use development near I-59. Four businesses are already open at the site. A Foodland Plus grocery store is also on board for the multimillion-dollar project, according to Greg Bratcher, building inspector and revenue officer for the City of Odenville. On the residential side, an apartment complex with an estimated 242 units is planned for the site. “As this site is developed, this will provide extra funds for the surrounding communities, employing hundreds of people, which will have a large impact for Odenville, Springville and St. Clair County, Bratcher said. The anticipated economic bounce is also expected to provide more money for police and fire protection, Bratcher said. And the City of Odenville has purchased a 65-acre tract in the community to provide a multi-purpose park. Like many of its neighboring communities, Odenville wrestles with managing growth, while preserving the history and character of the city. It’s a delicate waltz of preservation and progress. Traffic is a problem, particularly during school hours. But on the other side of the coin, the town has invested in preserving historic buildings, like the old Odenville Bank building and city hall, where the “Sis” Fortson Museum and Archives now resides. The town also converted one of Odenville’s historic homes into the police station and is working on other preservation projects. Pride is the driving force behind the preservation of the past in Odenville, Mayor Rodney “Buck” Christian said. The city is “full of public servants,” committed to making their town better. “They’re proud of their history and where they came from, and hopefully they’re encouraged about where we are headed in the future,” he said. “There are people in our community who would prefer no growth, I’m sure. But it’s coming our way, whether we like it or not. How you manage and accept that growth is critical.” The reality of growth is evident in developments like Legacy Springs, where hundreds of homes have already been built. But there is hope for more restaurants, motels and other businesses, to meet the needs of the citizens. But Christian makes it clear, the heart of Odenville has to be preserved. Asked his vision for the town moving forward, Christian said, “Obviously we want more economic development, a stronger revenue stream and an improved road system, but at the same time maintaining our identity as a small, close-knit, family-oriented, Christian community.”
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Bailey agrees. He’s witnessed the demands of residential growth firsthand as manager of the water system. Now with 7,300 customers, the board also sells water to the Cook Springs Water Authority, the City of Margaret and the Northwest St. Clair Water Authority. In the early 21st century, he said, residential development took off. He points to 2006, where there were some 20 subdivisions under construction within the water system, a good bit of that construction within Odenville. To put the growth of Odenville’s water system in perspective, when Bailey began as the system’s only full-time employee --aside from office staff—in 1979, the utility had 550 customers. Now with more than 7,000 customers, the system will begin selling water to Rainbow City in November of this year, Bailey said. “Fortunately, we have always had a board composed of members that wanted to see the system grow and provide water service to those that needed it,” Bailey said. “Also, the growth (of the utility) enabled the creation and development of local jobs, which was a priority for me and the board. As growth continues, Bailey believes “smart growth” is critical. “That is a big part of it,” Bailey said. “Upgrading infrastructure is a constant thing. Most of the growth is residential. There’s a small amount of commercial growth that has come with it. One of the challenges that we face is
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that the residential growth outruns the commercial growth. People who move here expect services and amenities that are in larger towns, and we still don’t have the tax base to provide. We’re constantly encouraging new businesses and commercial development to increase our tax base.” The heart of the city But beyond tax bases and infrastructure, the heart of a city is its people. Talk to enough Odenville residents and their stories sound a lot like Joe Whitten’s. The people are in love with the town and deeply care about each other. Trese Mashburn has lived in Odenville for 15 years after marrying her husband Marlin, an Odenville native whose family owned the Cahaba Hotel. She wears a lot of hats – Odenville columnist for the St. Clair County News-Aegis, account representative for a local radio station, 94.1-FM, The River, and she was the creator of the Odenville Area Business Association, a business networking group that on most Mondays, draws 50 business representatives. She also directs the city’s Christmas parade and in the past has been involved in charitable efforts and two music festivals in Odenville. The Birmingham native calls her adopted hometown, “a little slice of heaven.” “It doesn’t have a big bang as far as big business, but we
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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have what we need,” she said. “It’s close-knit and wonderful.” What makes Odenville special? “To me what makes it unique and special are the people. Everybody there, even if you’re a transplant like myself, once you’re part of the community, you’re part of the community,” Mashburn said. Everyone there is so helpful and thoughtful and looking out for each other. Anytime there’s a person in need, we pull together and help those people.” Lifelong St. Clair resident Joanie Mardis knows personally how the town pulls together. She and her husband Bruce operate Seasons of Adventure Travel, a full-service travel agency they operate in a home passed down from her grandparents. While to folks in big cities, a travel agency in a town of less than 5,000 may fly in the face of conventional wisdom, Seasons of Adventure has flourished since opening in 2010, with customers in St. Clair County, throughout Alabama and in other states. “The house that was in the front yard was probably 75-80 years old, but it burned when my dad was a little boy,” Joanie Mardis said “They had an oldfashioned barn raising and everybody came and built my grandparents’ house. They were without anything. Everyone worked together to help everyone else.” The same has happened for Seasons of Adventure. Odenville and surrounding communities have supported the Mardis’ efforts. “People might think that people in small towns don’t travel,” Joanie Mardis said. “But let me tell you, they travel.” Dr. Mike Hobbs had never traveled more than 30 miles from his home in the rough-and-tumble Ensley neighborhood on Birmingham’s west side. Burglar bars on the windows and doors were common. While a student at Jefferson State Community College, he befriended an Odenville native, Shain (cq) Wilson. The two became fast friends and encouraged each other through school and remain friends to this day.
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Hobbs remembers the first time he visited Wilson’s home. “I was like, ’Wow, this is almost to Atlanta,’” he said with a laugh. There were no burglar bars. In fact, Wilson told him, there were some nights folks didn’t lock their doors. Fast forward a few years. While a student at UAB, Hobbs met a St. Clair County girl. The two dated and eventually married. Bachelor’s, masters and doctoral degrees later, and the Hobbs family has settled in Odenville, where there are no burglar bars. In fact, the only additions to the doors and windows are Christmas lights in December. Hobbs may be Odenville’s Clark Griswold of Christmas Vacation movie fame. Hobbs, dean of enrollment at Jeff State for the past 18 years, loves Odenville. “I knew this was the place for us,” Hobbs said. “Everybody just welcomed us here like we’d been here our whole lives.” ‘A Place to Call Home’ In Odenville, there’s a Hall of Heroes, honoring all of the city’s men and women who served in our nation’s military. There is a fragile, 1652 volume of John Milton in Latin in the library. The family of comedian Pat Buttram lived here, as did the Western writer Ralph Compton. Football stars Dee Ford of Auburn and the Kansas City Chiefs and former Jacksonville State standout and NFL player James Shaw call Odenville home. But what you hear about most in Odenville is love and kindness and family. And you hear about memories, of bluegrass being played years ago at an old blacksmith shop, or students and parents leading a new teacher around town, schooling him on the history of his new community. Historian and retired educator Joe Whitten – the new teacher back in 1961 -- probably described Odenville best. “It’s a place to call home.”
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Treasuring the past, learning for today and tomorrow Story by Paul South Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr. When you consider that the Odenville Public Library houses everything from a 17th century copy of John Milton, to a collection of international dolls, to Alabama’s first Ukulele Club, it’s hard to argue with library director Betty Corley. “Odenville Library is the heartbeat of the town, where our patrons are like family,” Corley said. “It brings joy to our hearts when a child gets a card for the first time. We love seeing new people and spreading the love of reading” The library has come a long way since 1960, when it first opened in a one-room cinderblock facility, with only about 1,000 books. In 2005, the new library opened on the former site of the historic Cahaba Hotel. It has 18,000 books, as well as online access to 20,000 to 30,000 online books. In addition, it has historic newspapers, local histories and genealogies, the works of the late Odenville native Ralph Compton, one of the masters of western fiction along with the late Louis L’Amour. But there are other treasures of learning in Odenville that serve as sources of pride for Odenville. First, the Mary “Sis” Fortson Museum and Archives and St. Clair County High School, the newest school in the county, was completed in 2007. The museum, operated by volunteers and filled with donated and loaned historical artifacts and rare photographs, celebrate Odenville’s past. The museum also celebrates Odenville’s sacrifice. The Hall of Heroes at the museum honors all local men and women who served in the military.
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At the Fortson Museum
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
Inside the library
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There’s so much to see in the museum, housed in the old Odenville Bank building. The museum opened in 2009, but celebrated a grand opening in 2010. Every inch of space is put to use, even the bank’s former vault. It protects the rare photographs from sunlight that can eat away at photographic images. City Councilwoman Brenda Riddle volunteers at the museum and is the liaison between the library and the council. Riddle is fascinated by everything at the museum. But some items — paintings on letterhead stationery, envelopes, anything the artist Ellis Stewart could get his hands on — fires Riddles imagination. History and politics play into the artwork. Stewart was a staff member for the late U.S. Sen. John Sparkman, D- Ala., a frequent visitor to Odenville. Sparkman was also the 1952 Democratic vicepresidential nominee. Museum namesake “Sis” Fortson was active in party politics and close to Stewart and Sparkman. Stewart sent hand-painted Christmas cards annually to “Sis” and her husband Garland. “This is somebody who used whatever he could find to paint, and he could have bought anything he wanted. That’s the most interesting thing to me,” Riddle said. While Odenville pays homage to its past, it has a firm grip on the future. There’s new leadership at St. Clair County High School. Odenville resident Mike Howard, 40, was named last month as the new principal at the school. He comes back to the county after serving at Oak Mountain High School in Shelby County, replacing Brian Terry. Howard is no stranger. He has lived in Odenville for 14 years. “I’m real excited to be back in the community in which we live,” Howard said. “My kids are in the school system here and it’s an honor to be the principal at the high school my kids will one day attend.” Howard is also excited about working in the county’s newest educational facility. “The building aesthetically is just absolutely
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Fortson Museum’s treasures gorgeous,” he said. “There’s a great pride for the students to be part of something special like that where they’re a part of a newer school. It takes a whole community to keep the building as it is, as well as a lot of pride from the parents and community leaders and also the staff and faculty of the school to work together to keep the building looking as it does now.” Howard believes SCCHS has the best faculty in Alabama. Asked what legacy he hopes to leave at the high school, Howard said, ““When all is said and done, I want to leave a legacy that we held all students to a high standard. We demanded excellence and that St. Clair County High School would be a nationallyrecognized school for academic excellence.”
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Award-winning eateries make Odenville a hidden culinary gem Story by Paul South Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr. To borrow from the Beatles: “Listen. Do you want to know a secret?” The city of Odenville, Ala., is one of the South’s hidden culinary gems. While the food snobs might scoff at the notion that a town of less than 5,000 could dish awardwinning food, think again. Three local eateries have won state or national awards for their fare. And all three have somewhat unlikely stories. Lou Consoli grew up in an Italian neighborhood in Philadelphia, learning recipes for lasagna, homemade meatballs and other delights in his grandmother’s row house kitchen. He learned to make real Philly cheesesteaks, the City of Brotherly Love’s defining dish, by learning at Pat’s and Gino’s and other South Street cheesesteak meccas. A former professional bass fisherman, Consoli started out making a dozen varieties of homemade pickles and selling them “anywhere there was a crowd on the weekends.” That evolved into “Louie’s Pickles and Deli”, whose pizza was voted the Best in the Birmingham area by AL.com. He also hosts a regular cooking segment on the local Fox television affiliate in Birmingham. Just down the road, you’ll find Charlie’s. Scott Holmes has always loved cooking. The former painting contractor cut his restaurant teeth working for fast-food kingpin Chick-fil-A. But since 2008, he’s owned Charlie’s Barbecue, where folks can get a taste not only from a place voted the best barbecue “dive” by the Alabama Department of Tourism, but where his own barbecue, as well as barbecue styles from Texas, Kansas and across the nation are celebrated. And Colt Reese first broke onto the area restaurant scene in 2012, catering and cooking up barbecue from a food truck. That smoked goodness of Little Bit of R&R BBQ has earned him national honors from mobilecuisine.com in 2015 and 2016. In June, he opened a small brickand-mortar restaurant in Odenville. Here’s a quick glance at the three eateries: Charlie’s Barbecue: Holmes bought Charlie’s from original owner Charlie Wiles in 2010.For Holmes, the purchase was a “no-brainer.” As Odenville and St. Clair County grow, Holmes hopes Charlie’s will grow with it. “There’s a lot of growth potential here,” he said.
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What’s the secret to Charlie’s Barbecue? “It’s a lot of attention to detail. It’s making sure our product is consistently good, having processes in place to achieve it and then listening to the customers. “We pay attention to what sells and what doesn’t and if they say something’s too spicy we adjust it.” Holmes is also something of a student of barbecue, once taking a “brisket tour “through Texas and the Midwest to learn different techniques. It may not be unusual to see one of those recipes pop up as the restaurant’s daily special. He’s also learned from some of the legendary Birmingham barbecue joints, now gone, like Golden Rule and Ollie’s At the heart of Charlie’s are values he learned while at Chick-fil-A: Work ethic. How to treat employees and customers and integrity. If you’d like a taste of how successful Charlie’s has been in Holmes’s six-year tenure, consider this: On the Saturday in 2011 when Alabama and LSU met for the first time that season –they later met later for the national title – Charlie’s sold 2,000 wings. Louie’s Pickles and Italian Deli: For Lou Consoli, it’s all about being genuine, serving quality food, and giving customers a dining experience. And Louie’s does that, through a cold process that insures a tasty crunch for his gourmet pickles, and cheesesteaks, hoagies and pizza crafted from breads, meats and cheeses shipped from Philadelphia. “When you come to our restaurant, we know your name. We make the best food that we possibly can. We use good ingredients. When you come to Louie’s Pickles, you get award-winning pizza, incredible hoagies, phenomenal cheesesteaks. You get an experience so that when you leave, you want to tell your friends. There’s no pickle place on the planet I’ve seen with a pickle bar, olives, or a real Philly cheesesteak just like you get on South Street at Pat’s or Gino’s.” And Consoli, 44 truly loves his customers. And it’s paid off. The first Louie’s opened in Odenville in 2013. A second location opened in Rainbow City in 2015. Consoli’s motto: “Dream big. Take Risks. And Work Hard. His most recent venture is a pilot he crafted in July for Fox 6 in Birmingham called “Fun, Food, Alabama” He wants to tell the stories of average people and their beloved recipes. In a way, it’s a nod to the recipes his mother and grandmother made in the old neighborhood. It’s about being genuine, just like at Louie’s. People love (our food). This is what they like. I don’t care where you’re from, people know what good food is and what isn’t. They know what flavor is and they appreciate it. If you can’t give that to the people, then buddy, you better do landscaping. You have to make it like Mom used to make it. You don’t skimp on that.” Little Bit of R&R BBQ: Odenville’s newest barbecue spot opened this summer. But Colt Reese’s business was already known thanks to a still-hot culinary trend – the food truck One truck was in Leeds, another made the rounds to office buildings. The new brick-and-mortar Odenville location is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. After watching barbecue competitions on TV, Reese dove in to the fray in 2012. He took another gamble when he opened his food truck early on in Moody. “Honestly, we just took a chance. We opened up down in Moody just for a couple of days a week. The response was so good, we stretched it into more days. It’s something different. Nobody really has that many food trucks in this area. As for the Odenville location, Reese guards some of his recipe secrets like the gold at Fort Knox. “We’re bringing out a different kind of barbecue than what everybody else serves. It was a little slow starting out, but once they tried it, they just kept coming, and it kept growing from there,” he said. What makes it unique? “We cook fresh every day. You can taste the difference.” Customers apparently can taste a difference in Reese’s ribs, chicken, barbecue pork and on Saturdays, brisket. In 2015 and 2016, Little Bit of R&R BBQ was named the best barbecue food truck by mobilecuisine.com. Closer to home, Reese said his decision to open in Odenville was confirmed as the right move the second day they were open, serving up ribs, sandwiches, chicken and on the weekends, brisket. “People were saying it was the best barbecue they’d ever eaten,” Reese said.
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Odenville
FAST MACHINE
The new Mustang mecca Story by Graham Hadley On a large plot of land behind Fred’s, the future home of the Mustang Museum of America is taking shape. And just around the corner and down the road, SVP Unlimited can create the custom Pony Car of your dreams, whether it is duplicating Steve McQueen’s “fast machine” from Bullitt, turning the already speedy SVO into a street-legal race car or adding modern amenities like air conditioning and restraint systems to your vintage ride. The museum, well on its way to becoming a reality in Odenville, is the brainchild of Bob Powell and his family and is happening with support and guidance from local business leaders like Realtor Lyman Lovejoy and officials in the city and county governments. Plans call for a facility that can hold more than 100 vehicles, representing every make and model of the iconic American car, something to rival the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. The Mustang Museum of America, is a non-profit project and something of a labor of love for the Powell Family, who between them have a substantial Mustang collection — much of which they plan to house in the 32,000- to 34,000-square-foot building. There are also plans for a gift shop and a multi-use outdoor area for drive ins, vintage car shows and other public events. Powell said he hopes to draw around 1,000 visitors a month and says the Odenville location, in the heart of some of St. Clair County’s scenic highways and winding roads through the Appalachian foothills, is an ideal car enthusiast’s destination. He said coming to Odenville was an easy choice and lauds the community, government and business leaders for all the support they have received from them. “We consider Odenville home. This just seemed like the thing to do,” he said. If plans stay on track, they will break ground on the Museum in the next few months and open some time in 2017. BUILD YOUR OWN For those who want to do more than just look at collectable Mustangs, SVP is ready to put you behind the wheel of exactly the car you want. Though they are quick to point out SVP will work on any car, they specialize in customization and restoration of Mustangs from all years. No project is outside their scope. You can have your vintage Pony Car touched up so it looks new, or build something from the frame up, every part
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added to your specifications. Some custom jobs, especially modernizing a classic Mustang with the latest comforts, drive train, suspension and other upgrades, can top $100,000. Other restorations are less expensive — but the guys behind SVP, Paul Becker and Jason Nance, say they can work within any budget, even doing the work in stages over a year or more so the car owner does not get hit with the total bill all at once. Becker said taking more time with the restorations actually yields better end-results. “We may not do the fastest restorations in the business, but we want to turn out the best vehicles we can, and that takes time,” he said. That doesn’t mean they can’t do fast turnarounds, but those come at a premium. “If someone came in here and said money is no object, then we could probably turn one of these restorations around in a year, but the average is two to four years, sometimes more,” Paul said. SVP also takes special pleasure in working on later generations of Mustangs, particularly the SVO — one of the fastest street cars ever to come out of a Ford factory. In fact, they took the inspiration for the SVP name from the SVO. Regardless of what you are looking to do with your vintage car — particularly if it has the Mustang badge on it, SVP is one of the top vehicle restoration and customization businesses in St. Clair County. For more on the Mustang Museum of America, see the June and July 2016 edition of Discover The Essence of St. Clair. For more on SVP, see the October and November 2012 Edition of Discover The Essence of St. Clair. l
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
EXPANDING AGAIN Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Michael Callahan Every vision starts with a visionary. For Northside Medical Associates, it began with its founder, Dr. Rock Helms, and it hasn’t looked back – only forward. Northside has been growing and expanding at a dizzying speed since its inception in 2001. And slowing down simply is not in the doctor’s vocabulary. He has accelerated the pace with one thought in mind – the patient – and this hometown practice is now becoming a medical community to serve the needs of an equally growing region. To continue the momentum he started, Helms saw the necessity of moving from full time doctor to CEO, overseeing the growth that is to come. “In order to be more effective in that role, it takes time from seeing patients. As of July 5, he moved from seeing patients to ensuring that the progress continue. “I will still see patients in the hospital, to a limited extent in the office, and I will still be behind the scenes and available to staff to help in the transition as well as continue as medical director for Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home and for Alacare Hospice,” Helms explained. Dr. Hunter Russell, board certified in Family Practice and who has completed his fellowship in Sports Medicine, has joined the staff to help meet the needs of this growing practice. The announcement has come as ground was broken on Phase III of Northside Medical, which will more than double the size of this burgeoning medical facility. An official groundbreaking ceremony is expected in mid to late August. It was designed by Sean Witt of Williams Blackstock Architects. In the 50,000 square foot, two-story facility being built by Pell City’s Goodgame Company on the hillside
above I-20, specialties of all kinds – more than 20 – will populate its office space. Physical Therapy, OB-GYN, Gastroenterology, Ear, Nose and Throat, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Allergy specialists, Immunology, Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine and more will now call Northside home. What that means for the community is quality care close to home without the need to travel to larger cities traditionally the source for such services. Northside Apothecary, the onsite pharmacy, will be moving there as well. “I think we originally created something unique, and we continue to improve upon it to make it better for patients,” Helms said. “We wanted to create a medical home for people with access to primary care, specialties and diagnostics all in one place.” Look no further than Phase I and II to see evidence of that. State-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and lab, more doctors, more nurse practitioners. It even has a cutting edge Imaging Suite, which opened in 2015, featuring an MRI that is custom designed for the comfort of the patient – less noise, wider opening and the latest technology for pinpoint accuracy in diagnosis. No sooner had the finishing touches been applied to the Imaging Suite than Helms and company began finalizing Phase III plans. In addition to the gamut of specialties it will house, there will be a 9,000 square foot cardiology center with full time cardiologists from Birmingham Heart Clinic staffing it. Nuclear stress tests, Echocardiograms and vascular studies can be conducted there. An infusion center for chemotherapy patients and other IV conditions is planned as is a 6,000 square foot ophthalmology services center with full time optometrists and ophthalmologists. Full-time general surgeons will call Phase III home as well, and there will be a full-time oral surgery practice. “We want to expand our quality and preventative
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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EXPANDING AGAIN
medicine department and have it morph into a group that takes care of high risk cases, like Diabetes and congestive heart failure and other chronic diseases,” Helms said. Ever the visionary, he one day sees a team that goes into homes to manage medications and provide the care these chronic cases demand. Citing the statistic that 50 percent of health care costs today come from 5 percent of the population, he talks of piloting a high risk team to mitigate those risks. Instead of philosophizing on the problems in the health care system, “We’re going to go do something about it,” he said. Eventually, Northside may partner with a larger health care organization to accomplish shared goals. A larger organization wouldn’t own the practice, it would partner to bring about better outcomes for patients. “They want to do the same thing,” he said. The original vision will be intact, he stressed, “It will be a physician owned, physician operated, patient driven entity that continues for a long time.”
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Smiling on the inside Loving the rodeo clown life Story by Leigh Pritchett Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr.
Huck and the kids
He is known as Huck Hano — Skylar’s Dad, ... the neighbor, ... the sheet metal mechanic, ... the man who plays guitar at St. Clair County Cowboy Church. Yet, when he walks into a rodeo arena, the Louisiana native becomes the Cajun Kid, a clown with oversized Wrangler jeans, a star-spangled shirt and a hat full of humor. For 38 years, he has been a rodeo clown, appearing in more than 25 states. He has worked at small rodeos, and he has worked at big ones that drew as many as 30,000 spectators. Performing before such a large crowd was scary, he said, but oh so fulfilling when the people laughed. “I love entertaining people,” said 55-year-old Hano. “I love making people smile.” In May, he got to be a clown locally during a horseless rodeo at St. Clair County Arena. Interestingly, his love for clowning came from riding a bull. In his early teens, Hano started riding bulls two days a week at an arena near his home in Albany, La. He became so proficient at the sport that he advanced to state finals his senior year in high school. When he was at a rodeo, however, his competitors were not his focus; the clowns were. He studied what they did and how they did it. He noted their timing, body language and jokes. “That was my whole reason to be there,” he said about his five years of riding bulls. His first time to be a clown was in 1978 at a high school rodeo in McComb, Miss. “It was the greatest thing in the world,” Hano said. “I knew then that it was what I wanted to do.” In the beginning ... His name is actually Elisha Henry Hano. He acquired the nickname “Huck” as a 5-year-old dressed in jean shorts and a straw hat. His Dad, a Baptist preacher, remarked that his son looked like the character Huckleberry Finn. And the name stuck. It was also his Dad who was glad when Hano become a clown. “My dad was relieved because, when I started clowning, I started riding bulls less,” Hano said. In a rodeo, Hano said, there are two kinds of clowns. The job of one kind is to protect. A bullfighter is a clown who distracts the bull to let the rider get to safety. There is also a “barrel man,” who wears a barrel and gets between the bull and the rider, or between the bull and a tired or imperiled bullfighter. The job of the other kind of clown is to entertain. That clown tells jokes and performs acts to amuse the audience. Hano has been all of them. At first, he was a bullfighter before moving into a comedic role.
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
The rodeo clown life
The purpose of the entertaining clown is to fill time gaps between activities to make the program flow smoothly. Generally, each of the clown’s appearances during the rodeo is just a few minutes long. If glitches or interruptions occur during the program, in comes the clown. At a rodeo in New York, for instance, a transformer blew, putting the arena in darkness. For 25 minutes, Hano and the announcer told non-stop jokes to the crowd. In all his years as a rodeo clown, Hano has never suffered a serious injury. But there have been some harrowing moments. A particularly frightening one occurred in Lafayette, Ga., in 1985. A bull got his horn behind Hano’s leg and threw the clown into the air. While Hano was still in midair, the bull caught the man in his horns and tossed him up again. That would happen once more before the bull finally let Hano fall to the ground. The entire time, a rider was sitting on the bull’s back. That “hooking” happened on the first of a three-night rodeo series. Hano performed the other two nights with bruises and soreness. “I’ve taken several hookings (through the years), but that was definitely the worst,” he said. Dwayne Banks of Odenville, who is pastor of St. Clair County Cowboy Church, said Hano was a clown at the first rodeo in which Banks participated. He described Hano as humble. “That’s who Huck is.” Banks said Hano’s personality makes people feel comfortable. He has a quick wit and can connect with the audience. “He is a very down-to-earth type of individual. (He) has the ability to capture attention by what he says and how he acts.” Behind the clown makeup is a man who “loves the Lord with all his heart,” Banks said. “... He’s got a heart for the people around him. ... He wants to serve.” Hano does indeed want to serve. Currently, he is music minister at St. Clair County Cowboy Church, and
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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believes that clowning is a talent God gave for serving Him. In a rodeo, “the clown’s job is actually to serve,” Hano said. Being a clown has given Hano opportunities to speak in churches and schools all across the country and to tell people about Jesus Christ. “God used me as a rodeo clown and that’s what I want to do is be used,” Hano said. For about 12 years, Hano was a clown fulltime, traveling from March through October. His living quarters were in the front third of a trailer he towed. In the middle section, he stored the props for his acts, such as a spaceship he built himself. The back third of the trailer was a stall for his four-legged comedy partner. During the rodeo circuit’s “winter months” of November through February, Hano was at home with his family and worked at another job. It was his career as a clown that led him to move to Odenville in 1993. Where he lived in Louisiana was flat and “a long way anywhere,” Hano said. St. Clair County, on the other hand, is near three interstate systems ... and has mountains. The five acres on which his home sits are nearly encircled by mountains. It is a quiet refuge where he reads his Bible, farms and works to train a colt named Dolly. “I love the mountains. Where I came from, there were no mountains,” said Hano. “I walk out and say, ‘Thank you, God.’ I get to see this on a daily basis.” When his daughter Skylar was a baby 18 years ago, Hano felt he was missing much of her life by being on the road. At that point, he took a full-time job locally and became a weekend clown. He has continued to be a clown part-time and currently works full time as a sheet metal mechanic at Hardy Corp. in Birmingham.
The rodeo clown life
Clowning is hard work Being a clown is not all chuckles; it is work. “Clown acts are not as easy to come up with as you would think,” Hano said. It takes researching and planning. It takes building props. It takes rehearsing and refining. Perfecting an act could easily require two years of work, he said. “You want as many different acts as you can. But you want quality acts,” he said. For many years, Hano had a comedic sidekick named Esther. She was a white mule. “She turned out to be one of the best acts I’ve had,” Hano said. “She opened a lot of doors for me across the country. People loved that mule.”
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The rodeo clown life
A guitarist, too Esther would lie down, roll over, play dead and sit up, all on command. “I think her greatest asset was she loved doing what she did. (Other clowns said) they had never seen a mule work as smoothly as she did,” Hano said. “She was one of a kind.” Two years ago, at age 32, Esther died. She is buried underneath her favorite tree in the pasture. It is Hano’s hope that Dolly will be Esther’s successor in comedy. When Hano got Dolly a few months ago, she did not like him, he said. But that has changed. Now, she runs to the fence to meet him when she sees him come out his front door. When he reaches the fence, she nuzzles him, indicating she would appreciate a back-scratching. In some ways, she is like Esther was at first. “When I got Esther, she was six months old,” and was so unruly that four people were needed to handle her, Hano said. Within a few months, he had won her trust. That was when the training began. He is encouraged as he watches Dolly learn to trust, too. “I like seeing them come from nothing to being disciplined,” Hano said. Eighteen times in his career, Hano has been given the privilege of clowning in the finals of several rodeo associations across the county. The selection of clowns for the finals is done by a vote system, and only those ranked “best” are invited to perform. Even so, Hano expresses humility about his work as a clown. “I never considered myself the star of the show,” he said. “I considered myself a part of the team that made the show work.” After nearly 40 years of making people laugh, Hano is now accepting fewer engagements and thinks he might, at some point, retire from being a clown. He is seeking to serve in a different way in this season of his life. “I’ve had a good career,” Hano said. “And if I had it to do all over again, I’d do it again. ... God has given me a good life. Now that I’m slowing down, I’m going to give it back to Him.” l
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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BACKROADS
RAGLAND A good-hearted town
Church Street 64
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
Story and photos by Jerry C. Smith Submitted Photos Tucked unobtrusively between Shoal Creek Mountain and the Coosa River, the St. Clair County town of Ragland does little to pique the attention of passers-through. It’s like the town is taking a well-earned furlough from the generic commerce and sprawl that makes other cities seem so impersonal. Save for a small dollar store, there’s not a single franchised big-box in sight; no Walmart, Winn Dixie, not even a chain restaurant. Many local folks see this as an asset and willingly drive to nearby cities for their major purchases. Lifelong resident Joan (Davis) Ford says, “I have a loving heart for Ragland. It still has a lot of country to offer. How great it is to come home and enjoy the peace and satisfaction of owning a home and property here.” She really understands the concept of coming home, having visited 40 American states and 20 other countries, including Russia. Wendy Dickinson says of Ragland’s small-town motif, “We have one caution light, one one-way street, one alley, one school, and one red light.” Mrs. Ford emphasizes that the city is actively seeking new industry, but of a nature that will not seriously alter the community’s idyllic lifestyle. As a former mayor, she’s always been active in education and civic affairs and participated in the formation of the St. Clair Economic Development Council. The football field at Ragland’s Municipal Complex is named after her, to honor decades of service to the community. She sees the field as an example of how Ragland citizens and businesses have always pulled together to get things done. Although she was the driving force behind its construction, she quickly shifts credit to others; “The community built that field. We had high school football players and volunteers from the cement plant who came after-hours to work there, and all I had to do was call National Cement and let them know what we needed, like a load of cement or rock or whatever, and they were right there with it. They also gave us a check for $10,000 to help cover expenses.” Some of the hard labor was done by prisoners from St. Clair Correctional Facility, who were always eager to work because the town ladies fed them so well at lunchtime. “The guards said they would almost have fights at the bus every morning to see who got to go to Ragland,” she said. In gratitude, the prisoners built a memorial barbecue pit next to the field, keeping it hidden under a tarp as a surprise for her when the project was done. At age 81, she remembers a much more vibrant Ragland. “This place was hopping in the 40s and 50s. The streets were lined with businesses of all kinds, and people crowded the streets and sidewalks on weekends.” She also recalls when all the roads were unpaved and full of horses, wagons and carriages. Mrs. Ford reminisces about town life during her childhood: “There were all kinds of businesses downtown, with several restaurants, one of which even allowed dancing. There was a movie theater called the BoJa (pronounced Bo Jay). When the Walt Disney movie Bambi came to town in the late 40s, school let out and the kids got to walk across town to see it. Mr. Haynes sold bagged peanuts and popcorn balls in front of the theater.” Ragland is home to two major companies that have been in operation more than a hundred years each — Ragland Brick
Frogtown Company and National Cement Company. Besides these plants, Ragland was once heavily committed to the coal and lumber industries, providing products and minerals of high quality that were distributed worldwide. Truckloads of lumber regularly left the Dickinsons’ sawmill for Birmingham and beyond, while Ragland’s superb lowsulfur coal was much in demand for blacksmithing and the iron industry, even during the Civil War. When Mrs. Ford’s father worked at the cement plant, the Davises lived in a community of some 15 company houses called Frog Town, so-named for the abundance of croaking frogs at night. Company officials lived in another neighborhood of swankier homes, called Society Knob. Mrs. Ford remembers catching fishing worms along the banks of a little branch, and her horror when she caught some baby water snakes by mistake. She’s presently working with Ragland officials to obtain a historical marker for the Frog Town area. She also tells of Elmer “Paw Pa” Davis driving a wagon that hauled mail sacks from the train depot to the post office, a simple but important daily event for many small towns. A big black man called Patches sat beside Paw Pa on an old wood bench seat. Sometimes she joined them there, but would ride with her legs hanging off the tailgate if she was with friends. The wagon was drawn by a retired army mule named Maude, who had the letters US branded onto its side. Mrs. Ford sees Ragland as a place with real heart, where people have always pulled together during times of need, a sentiment echoed by others. “If there was anything that happened, deaths or disaster or whatever, it didn’t matter who you were or what you believed in, you got help,” she said. She’s especially proud of her church, Hardin’s Chapel Bible Church (non-denominational), whose facilities saw heavy usage during the months following the tornado that wracked Shoal Creek Valley. “The whole community responded with volunteer work, food, supplies and clothing. Seven ladies and I fed hundreds of people from our kitchen. We came in at 5:30 in the morning, and rotated 12-hour shifts. I told them to be ready for a long
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Traveling the
BACKROADS haul, because this thing would not be over in a few days, more like several months. And bless their hearts, they stuck by us the whole time.” She also recalls when the tornado of 1974 came through, tearing things up so badly you could not get to Ragland on any road, and how people had pulled together then, like they always do. It seems Ragland has been blessed over the years with folks whose love of community and their fellow man inspired them to empathize and share what they had with their neighbors. Such a man was Pop Dickinson, for whom Alabama Highway 144 was re-named shortly before his death in 1982. POP DICKINSON Leon Ullman Dickinson, always known as Pop, came to Ragland from Lincoln in the late 1930s as the Depression was winding down and quickly became legendary for the way he treated (and trusted) people. He freely gave credit to customers at his sawmill and lumber operation in Ragland, which he and his brother Hal had begun while still in Lincoln. Pop was also known for financing mortgages for those whom the banks had refused. Pop ran these business interests with help from son Lowell Leon “Buck” Dickinson and his grandson, Robert Leon “Bob” Dickinson (all three men had Leon in their names). According to granddaughter Wendy Dickinson, when Bob wanted to foreclose on a woman, recently widowed, who could no longer make payments, Pop told Bob that if he needed that house more than the widow needed it, he would buy Bob’s part of the company and absorb all the loss himself. Bob relented and simply gave up his share. Meanwhile, Buck went on to other ventures, which included starting the first telephone exchange in Ragland with nine old magneto crank phones, like the ones seen on vintage TV shows where you crank a handle and ask an operator to connect you. This company later expanded into the present-day Ragland Telephone Company, operated by Bob after Buck’s death in 1959, thence by Bob’s widow, Peggy Alexander Dickinson, after his death in 1982. It has always been a privately held utility, with no connections to the big comms like AT&T. The Dickinsons were well-involved in local politics. Buck and Bob both served as mayors. Bob was a Democratic Party delegate in the 1960s and also started Ragland’s first TV cable company. Bob’s wife, Judith (Mitchell), formerly of Leeds, was Ragland’s first female mayor and also served two terms on the Board of Education. She was highly praised in her 2007 obituary by current BOE Superintendent Jenny Seals. Judith’s brother-in-law, Ed Goodson, was a mayor of Leeds. Birmingham News writer Thomas Spencer describes Judith, “Judy ... loved to wear outlandish hats to church; a red felt one with netting on the front and a big feather sticking out of a bow in back, and a pink one with sequins and a ponytail holder. “At Christmas she wore one festooned with colored lights. She was flamboyant and fearless about what other people thought. She just wanted them to smile. ... At her request, they played the bombastic, cannon-firing 1812 Overture at her memorial service.” Wendy tells of Pop’s personality, “He was a very good
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man, who never touched liquor or missed church, although one time he fell asleep in church because of the time change, and everybody thought he was dead.” Wendy says Pop loved to fox hunt, but never killed a fox because he just wanted to hear the dogs run. “He beat the heck out of one of his dogs once for killing a fox, but later found out the poor dog hadn’t done it, and he felt bad for weeks afterward, cuddling that dog and telling him how sorry he was for the beating.” She adds that Pop made his own dog food from scratch and openly carried a gun while patrolling their neighborhood at night. Several vintage Raglanders spoke of Pop’s total lack of driving skill, often weaving all over the road at breakneck speed, running traffic signs and never giving turn signals. Wendy says Pop once bought a pickup truck with an automatic transmission, hoping it would allow him to concentrate less on shifting and more on driving, but quickly tore the transmission up trying to shift gears anyway. A Mr. Barnhill, with whom your writer chatted at Ragland Civic Center, tells that he once rode in a carload of kids along with Pop. They were on their way to a ball game, and Pop made the owner of the car pull over and let him drive because he felt they weren’t going fast enough. Barnhill still recalls how quickly that ride turned fearsome once Pop took the wheel. Pop passed away in 1982, just days from his grandson Bob’s demise, and is buried in Birmingham’s Elmwood Cemetery. The Pop Dickinson Highway sign is long- gone, but most anyone in town will affirm the real name of Alabama 144. WATT T. BROWN, GODFATHER OF RAGLAND Some refer to Watt Brown as the Sumter Cogswell of Ragland. He was there in the town’s earlier years and was largely responsible for its coal industry as well as active interests in virtually every other major endeavor in the area. In her book, From Trout Creek To Ragland, historian Rubye Hall Edge Sisson says of Brown, “His influence would color Ragland more than any other individual.” It’s said that at one time he owned so much land that one could walk all the way from Ragland to Odenville and never set foot off his property. Indeed, he contributed greatly to the development of Odenville and Coal City as well. Born at the closing of the Civil War in the Talladega County settlement of Kymulga near Childersburg, Watt grew up in Ohatchee. At age 18, he partnered with the Green mercantile
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BACKROADS firm, then joined his brother James as a stockholder in Ragland Coal Company, soon to be joined by another brother, Adolphus. Always a mover, by 1893 Watt had become president of the company, and the brothers started buying up mineral-rich lands all over St. Clair County, reaching as far as Coal City and Odenville. He succeeded in getting a major portion of Coal City incorporated as Wattsville. The town’s name was also given to a major seam of fine coal that underlies a large part of St. Clair. Ragland had originally been known as Trout Creek, after the stream that still flows through the heart of town and once caused a major flood with great damage. In 1899, Brown and others petitioned for Ragland’s incorporation, naming it after the family who owned Ragland Coal Company. Watt presumably served as its first mayor. A few years later, he married Ashville Judge Inzer’s daughter, Lila, gaining both connections and a stepson in the process. He also formed Brown Construction Company to take advantage of the economic boom he was helping to create. Over the next two decades, Watt served in the State House of Representatives, as chairman of the St. Clair County Executive Committee, as alderman for Ragland, and as a state senator. With others, he formed the Ragland Water Power Company, hoping to build a hydroelectric plant at Lock Four, but was pre-empted by another project proposed by Alabama Power Company. Sisson lists more of his accomplishments: “The Progress, a newspaper published in Pell City, endorsed Watt Brown ... in his first run for Senate (saying that) during Watt’s term in the State House he had helped the Pell City cotton mill, brought the brick plant to Ragland, and had been a moving force in securing the cement plant. “Other newspapers ... proclaimed him a captain of industry who had made millions. He was president of Odenville Bank, a director of Anniston National Bank and Alabama Life Insurance Company, and trustee of the Jacksonville State Normal School.” Sisson also credits Watt Brown with building a St. Clair High School in Odenville in 1908 that served students from the whole county. He spearheaded a drive to get a high school for Ragland, offering huge tracts of his own land to sweeten the deal. But not every project started by Brown came to fruition. He’d wanted an industrial school in Ragland, but the powers chose to build it in Gadsden instead. Likewise, his bid for a tuberculosis sanitarium was rejected, as well as a cotton mill using local resources and labor to make shipping bags for the cement plant. Brown never tired of promoting Ragland. Sisson continues: “When the Alabama State Land Company proposed to publish information on ... the natural resources, climate etc. of Alabama, Watt described Ragland in glowing terms. ... Alabama State Land encouraged him to print his own brochure. This brochure was sent all over the country.” Jenna Whitehead, in a 1974 story in St. Clair News Aegis, quotes (another writer) as saying, “During the Depression, Brown wrote down a 10-point plan that would pull the country out of the Depression,” remarking that it was almost identical
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Bob Dickinson in Ragland Phone Company office
to the plan later tendered by President Franklin Roosevelt. Yet, for all his forward-looking ideas and tireless promotion of the towns he loved, not everyone approved of Watt T. Brown. In a recent interview, your writer encountered a lady who claims that her mother would never use the name Wattsville, always clinging to its previous name, Coal City, even to the point of getting a post office box in another town so her mail would never bear his name. It’s also said that a man had rented some retail space in Odenville’s Cahaba Hotel, which Brown built and owned outright. While the tenant was moving in, Brown approached him and asked how he intended for customers to enter his business. The man told him they would enter the front door — how else? Brown then informed him that he owned the sidewalk and the tenant would have to pay a usage fee. In 1930, Brown ran for governor, with a brilliantly conceived platform that was way ahead of the times. He put everything he had on the line, and lost. Apparently, he had overestimated the admiration of his constituency. Watt T. Brown quickly sank into destitution and obscurity, dying in poverty some 10 years later. The man who had practically fathered at least three towns and made a huge fortune for his family was so poor he was buried in a borrowed spot until his family finally moved him to their own plot at the Methodist Cemetery. Today, only a few eastern St. Clair old-timers (and a historian or two) even recall his name.
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
MEET RAGLAND From US 231 at Coal City, it’s only a few pleasant miles’ drive to Ragland. Along the way, you’re treated to numerous pastoral scenes, some with long, white wooden fences. There are several historic churches, among them Harkey’s Chapel Methodist and the aforementioned Hardin’s Chapel. Watch for interesting road names, such as No Business Creek, Memory Lane, Homebrew Knob and Center Star Road as you drive. Near Ragland, a wooded bend in the road suddenly opens to expose one of the town’s main industries, National Cement Company, alongside the remnants of an old football stadium, barely visible through the overgrowth. Alabama 144, aka Pop Dickinson Highway, becomes Church Street, Ragland’s main crossroad, thence to Main Street. The historic, picturesque Champion Drug building, originally the Lee Hotel, dominates this intersection. Now awaiting repurposing, this fine old structure played various roles in the town’s early history. Trout Creek crosses Church Street next to the railroad tracks, the Methodist Church and the old depot. Ragland Brick is just west of the church. Before leaving town to the east, consider taking a few side roads to see dwellings more than a hundred years old, many of them company houses. As you exit the downtown area, there’s a fine library and the town’s main supermarket, the Food Barn, reminiscent of an earlier, less gaudy era. Shopping there is almost like stepping into a time machine. A mile or two farther eastward on Alabama 144 lies Neely Henry Dam, thence onward to Ohatchee at Alabama 77. Just a few blocks northward on Alabama 77 is the Spring Street turnoff for Janney Furnace and Museum, a great site to visit at GPS coordinates 33 47.712N 86 1.164W LOOKING TO THE FUTURE While Ragland is typical of many aging Alabama towns with a more vibrant past, it’s currently primed for new ideas and energy. As Mrs. Ford said in our opening paragraphs, it would be a great place to call home and start a new business that doesn’t depend on heavy road-frontage traffic. The municipal complex, tucked quietly away on landscaped grounds just west of downtown, is totally adequate for official, recreational, senior citizen, and athletic functions. Among its amenities are a splash pad, a walking track designed by Judith Dickinson and Rufus Bunt, the Dustin Lane Ford baseball and softball complex, a very active Senior Citizen Center, and a playground. Everything one really needs for a simple, front-porch life is right there. Best of all, a century-old tradition of togetherness and mutual aid still thrives in Ragland. l In a word, it’s home. l
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Champion Drugs/Lee Hotel DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
The ranch of their dreams
From pulling calves to facing skunks, Quail Creek Brangus does it all By Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Michael Callahan It all started with a girl named Eve. No, not the Eve of biblical days, but a week-old Angus/ Holstein bottle calf that Donna Vines bought at the Ashville Stockyards in 1988. Like her namesake, this little girl became a founding mother. She was the beginning of the cow business known as Quail Creek Brangus and the farm that Johnny and Donna Vines consider their own little Eden. “I bought her because I loved cows and thought it would be neat to have one,” says Donna, explaining why she made such an impromptu purchase. Her yearning happened to mesh with that of her husband, Johnny. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a cowboy. He wanted to ride his horse through his own herd of cattle on his own land, singing “yippee-ki-ay” just like his heroes in TV and movie westerns. That dream led to the purchase of a 150-acre piece of property on U.S. 231 South, and the herd of 120 cows and 70 bulls that make up the JRV brand today. Quail Creek sells calves to other Brangus breeders and to commercial breeders, the latter being those who do not have registered animals. While they don’t sell cows to the food industry, ultimately that’s where they end up. “A Brangus steak is equally as good as an Angus steak, but they (Angus breeders) have done a better job of promotion,” says Donna. Johnny Vines grew up in a housing project in the eastern section of Birmingham, but was a frequent visitor to St. Clair County because his grandmother lived just outside Ashville.
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Quail Creek Brangus He had hunted near his present property several times before the elderly sisters who owned it decided to sell in 1983. Johnny jumped at the chance to buy such a familiar place. “There was no house here then,” Johnny says. “The old Awtrey farmhouse had burned. We used the rocks from its foundation in our house’s stone fireplace.” The land had been farmed since the early 1800s and was used by American Indians well before that. Muckleroy Spring, which originates just below Johnny and Donna’s house, attracted Indians, farmers and Civil War soldiers long before the Vineses ever saw the place. Johnny turned his newly-acquired land into the first quail preserve in North Alabama. Within a matter of months, he had built a small house there. The couple would come out on weekends and picnic, when Johnny wasn’t leading an organized quail or dove hunt. It wasn’t until the last of their three children finished college in 1996 that the couple remodeled their original house and moved in permanently. By that time, they had already started their cattle herd. “We did everything wrong when we first moved out here,” Johnny says, as Donna nods in agreement. “We made every mistake; we knew nothing. People would shake their heads and tell their wives, ‘You won’t believe what they’ve done now!’” They’ve had mean horses that bucked, which is why Johnny rides a pickup truck or Kawasaki Mule through his herd instead of the horse of his childhood fantasies. They weren’t quite prepared for the birth of their first calf, either. ”It was just us and our good friends, Carol and Phillip Franks, and we were going to have to pull it,” Donna says, referring to Eve’s first motherhood experience. “But we didn’t have the tools.” Johnny picks up the story. “So we grabbed an extension cord, tied one end around the calf’s hooves and the other end to a truck bumper, all while trying to fight off the other curious animals,” he says. “But it popped out and was fine.” The calves born at Quail Creek are the result of embryo transfers (ET), artificial insemination and natural service. With ET, eggs can come from donor mommas, sperm from their herd sires and a few others. The embryos are carried to term by “recips,” which is short for “recipients.” It’s a method that produces far more babies than using natural, pasture breeding. “Number 188 had 34 cows last year,” Johnny says, referring to one of his donor mommas. “The gestation period for a cow is nine months and ten days. We use hormones to make her ovulate, and we have tanks of semen cooled by liquid nitrogen. It’s expensive, but if you do it right, one cow (the donor) can produce multiple calves a year instead of one.” All four JRV herd sires are registered Brangus, like most of the calves born on the property. “The only thing not registered are the recips that are totin’ the donor babies,” says Donna. Jack Reacher is their newest sire. “Like the fictional character, he can handle any breeding problem,” Johnny says. “Yet he’s quite gentle.” Donna’s favorite sire was Garrett of Brinks, who dropped dead suddenly at the age of 10. Bulls normally live longer than that. “He used to follow me around the farm,” she says. “I choked on tears when he died.” Cows are curious creatures. When Johnny steps out of his truck while taking visitors on a tour of his place, dozens of mommas and babies walk up and stand in a respectful semi-circle around him, as if waiting for him to make a speech or preach a sermon. Each of the animals wears a color-coded ear tag, the color indicating whether Johnny or one of the grandsons is the owner. The Vineses also have two granddaughters, but they don’t take as active an interest in raising the calves as the boys do.
Johnny and Donna Vines
VOTE
August 23rd 2016
JUD ALVERSON HHHH
All five grandchildren, ages 10-19, participate in the Nanny and the Grands program, however. The brainchild of Nanny (Donna), it began with Poppa (Johnny) giving a dozen or so cows to the project. Each year, after the calves are sold, donations are made to five charities, each chosen by one grandchild at their annual board meeting. Every grandchild receives a dividend check, too. The remainder of the profits are pooled for a trip with Poppa, Nanny and all five grands. “We just got back from Branson, Missouri,” says Donna. “We’ve been to Niagara Falls, to Pennsylvania, and to a Dude Ranch in North Carolina, among other places.” There are no deductions for the expenses of raising and feeding the program’s cows. “We have an ideal setup, because most of the time our expenses are zero because of Poppa’s goodness,” Donna says. “Basically, it’s a free ride.” Johnny has been a plumber since he was 12 years old, retiring a few years ago after turning JVC Enterprises over to his son. He still bids and starts jobs occasionally, which takes him to cities across the Southeast. “I’m more of a job manager now,” he says of the plumbing work. His time is split 50-50 between plumbing and the farm, with a little golf thrown in for fun. It’s obvious, though, that the farm is where his heart is. “I love this place because it’s something different,” he says. “When I come home after being gone all day or overnight, I’m tired and stressed. Then I walk out through the cows, and it eases me.” He credits much of his success in the cattle business to farm manager Brett McLaren, who has been with him for 10 years. McLaren drops by daily to check on the herd. “He’s a great cow man,” Johnny says. “Donna is real good with cows, too.” Alejandro Sanchez has been their jack-of-all-trades, full-time employee for three years, feeding and working with the animals, cutting hay, repairing fences and handling any other chores that arise. Asked whether Johnny repairs his own faucets and toilets, Donna jumps in with an emphatic, “No! Everything leaks.” Johnny protests, but she’s insistent, especially about a faucet in the master bathroom. “No, it doesn’t,” he says. “Yes it does,” she shoots back. Donna’s favorite part of their lifestyle is seeing the results of the pairing of a particular dam and sire. She helps Johnny some with bookkeeping, but he does most of that himself. “He’s old school,” she says. “He’s not good with a computer, although he has learned to register his calves online. All his records are on paper.” One of their biggest problems has nothing to do with cows, though. For some reason, their farm attracts skunks like fiddlers to a hoedown. “This is a convention area for them,” says Donna. One made its home in their HVAC duct work under the house a few years ago. Johnny squeezed his way into the duct, then couldn’t get out fast enough when he came eye-to-eye with a momma skunk. Married 51 years, Johnny and Donna are a team on and off the farm. She goes with him to cow sales and out-of-town plumbing jobs. They face the scary times and inherent dangers of cattle raising and farm life together. “You’re gonna lose five to ten calves every year,” Johnny says. “I always ask what I could have done different, and even when there is nothing, it still hurts.” l
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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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St. Clair Alabama
Business Review Louis
Companies like Garrison Steel, Ford Meter Box and Goodgame Company are investing time and money in training the next generation of skilled workers their businesses depend on to operate.
74 Essence of of St.of Clair • August && September 2013 of St. Clair •The Business Review DISCOVER The Essence St. Clair • February March 2016 74• DISCOVER The EssenceDISCOVER DISCOVER The Essence of St.Clair Clair June &&July July 2016 DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair June 2015 74 DISCOVER The Essence St. •••April May
Story by Graham Hadley Photos by Michael Callahan and Graham Hadley
Workforce Development
Programs changing lives, building business A decade ago, if you were a high school student in Alabama, chances are, all eyes were on what was touted as the ultimate prize – a four-year college degree. But about that same time, employers across the state and the country started noticing how lean the labor pool was for skilled workers, whether it was a metal fabricator, carpenter, certified nursing assistant, pharmacy tech or paralegal. We were literally “running out of skilled labor,” said Garrison Steel owner John Garrison. An immediate response was needed, particularly in Alabama, if we were going to remain economically competitive. “As we were getting graduating seniors, we could not get students who needed to do what we needed them to do. They were worried about graduating students who were going to college and not about students who needed a job,” said Jason Goodgame, vice president at Goodgame Company. “Some students don’t need to go straight to college. They need to work.” St. Clair County and Pell City were particularly in a prime position to address the problem — all the pieces were already in place. Goodgame, Garrison and other businesses like Ford Meter Box, working with the Economic Development Council, the Pell City School System and Jefferson State Community College, began to develop a plan, actually a series of initiatives, to help identify and train students starting in high school or immediately after graduation to fill the evergrowing gaps in the workforce. “We need brick masons, electricians, plumbers, and really, for us, people who can be a jack-of-all-trades: put down a foundation, frame out a door, a bit of everything,” Goodgame said. “So we passed a measure to tax ourselves, the businesses that needed the employees, to educate these students that we need.” The initial results, spurred on by the growing demand for workers as the economy recovered, were varied. From training schools in Birmingham to the iCademy next to Jefferson State Community College in Pell City to new initiatives and classes in the school system — often involving spending part of the school day doing on-the-job training. “We want students who are coming out of high school to have entry-level skills,” Garrison said. “… Beyond high school, we want them to come into our companies and continue training with post-secondary schools and with on-site training at our facility by skilled instructors.” As business owners from all areas of the Pell City economy — heavy manufacturing to medical, food, legal and other professional services — stepped up to the plate to help with training and hiring the students, the Pell City School System responded in kind.
“We just have students who are being matched up with specific career interests. The program gives them the opportunity to try out career fields before committing to study through two- and four-year schools,” said Kim Williams, curriculum coordinator for Pell City schools. “And we are getting the students partnered with people who are passionate about what they are teaching – places like Garrsion Steel, Goodgame, Ford Meter Box,” Superintendent Michael Barber added. “… It is one generation of workers training the next. Whether it is health care, business, construction, kids are getting excited. It’s very meaningful.” The original varied workforce-training programs are starting to work together under a more unified structure, with coordination coming from both the state and local levels. “Where we are headed is merging these programs back together,” Goodgame said. That means better coordination between the school system
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Business Review and the business community and better job placement for students and recent graduates. Williams even serves on the Industrial Development Board, a sign of the close partnership between schools and the business community. According to all involved, it is a win-win proposition: The businesses get job-ready workers, and students have the ability to go right into the workforce, earn a real living wage, receive training with room for upward mobility and, if they want, continue their education, often without incurring the heavy debt loads students going straight to college do.
GOOD JOB, GOOD LIFE BLAKE Blake White, a member of the 2015 graduating class at Pell City High School, is in his second year at Ford Meter Box. The first year he worked there was during his senior year of high school. And according to Blake, things could not be going better. He has a good job that he likes, he is training and has already moved up Blake White the ladder, he is still attending college, and he is earning more money than he dreamed possible right out of high school. “If I work here full time, they will pay for college — tuition, books, the whole nine yards.” He already had a scholarship to Jeff State, but that does not cover everything, especially living expenses. Blake always knew he would have to work after graduation to pay those expenses, but before doing co-op at Ford Meter Box, he expected to go to school full time and work fast food or some similar job like many of his friends. Instead, he works full time and goes to school part time, opening multiple options for his future. “It was an easy choice, college for two years and have all those expenses, or work, earn money and have someone pay for school,” Blake said. “I really like working with my hands. I started at the bottom as a flange washer, but now I am in maintenance — I fix things,” he said. Along the way, he is learning a wide range of skills. Already a natural mechanic, he is picking up electrical skills along the way, something he says may help if he pursues a degree in electrical engineering or similar field. And starting as the low man on the totem pole was no problem for Blake — it means he gets to train under people who know the business and to work with people he likes. “Never settle for where you are at. Do whatever needs doing. You can make it to the top, but you have got to pay
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Workforce Development your dues,” he said. He is working on his core classes for his two-year degree, and the jury is still out on where he goes from there, whether he stays in the business or starts on some kind of engineering degree. “In a place like this, you can go as far as you want to go if you are willing to put in the time and work hard for it,” he said. C.C. From his first day on the job at Garrison C.C. Steel, Charles Clellon “C.C.” Watson was getting training from one of the best. Now he helps estimate the cost for putting up the buildings. He has only been there two and a half years. C.C. graduated with a degree in communication from Mississippi State in 2013 — a time when the communication industry was lean on jobs. At first “I wanted to do physical therapy school. My father-in-law was a project manager here and said they were looking for another erector estimator. John Garrison hired me on a 60-to-90-day trial to see if I was the right person for the job, plus training for about a year. “My family has always been in the construction industry, but not the steel industry. I came in here pretty much blind and had to learn from scratch,” he said. “All the training was on the site. From the first day, John opened up a set of drawings. He taught me what everything was, from what each piece of steel costs to sizing construction cranes. And then I went out into the field to do more training there.” Quick to point out he is making much more money than he probably would have with his communication degree, C.C. says despite the change in professional direction, he is very happy with where he has landed. “After I got out of college, this was the last thing I thought I would be doing, but I love what I am doing. I have always been really good at math, so this is right up my alley. This is a very competitive industry, so your numbers have to be spot-on to get the contract. “This has opened up a ton of new doors to new successes for me. Garrison is a great place to work. It has given me options for new jobs here — or anywhere — in the future in the construction industry.” And though he could go elsewhere with his new training, C.C. is happy where he is now. “I will stay here as long as they let me. I live in Oxford. It’s an easy drive. John is a great boss. Everyone here is great, and the company is moving in a great direction.”
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CODY Like many of his co-workers at Garrison, Ragland graduate Cody Poe first heard about a job through a friend who already worked there. “A buddy of mine who was a welder called and told me they were looking for a burntable operator — it’s a CNC plasma machine that burns parts out of plates. That takes training and skill to operate,” he said. He had originally wanted to be a State Trooper, but things have worked out well at Garrison. “When I started out, Mr. Garrison was impressed with my work ethic. He pulled me off the floor and is training me to do steel purchasing for the company. “I came in and proved myself, and doors opened for me. They are talking about sending me to class, but there is also lots of hands-on training from the guy who has been doing it all his life. He took me under his wing, showing me the ins and outs. That training is an essential part of what has made the whole process such a success. “Garrison believes in training. When you are first hired, they stick you with an experienced person. You stick with that person until they say you have enough experience to be working by yourself,” he said. For Cody, that has helped lay the foundation for the rest of his life. “It has given me financial security. I moved out on my own. I got to buy a vehicle on my own. It’s a jump start on my future. I live about 5 miles from here. It is really great. I don’t ever plan on leaving. I plan on staying here as long as I can. “You have got to come in and prove yourself, come in and want to work. Give it all you have got to get the job done. “I came in, gave it my all, and it paid off,” he said.
Cody Poe
LAUREN Pre-med Auburn student Lauren Luker already had a good idea what she wanted to do with her life when she graduated from Pell City High School in 2015, thanks in part to Dr. Jotani workforce training at Pell City Internal and Family Medicine her senior year and during with Lauren the summers after graduation. “I heard about it from other students who had jobs or who were interning for things like Luker physical therapy. I asked the teacher. I had to fill out a lot of forms and get permission,” she said. The initial work fit nicely with her senior schedule, leaving plenty of time for school, extracurricular activities and a social life. “Dr. (Rick) Jotani was the one who gave me the chance and let me do this. I left every day about 2 and stayed until around 4 p.m. It was really good because it started during school,” Lauren said. The initial school training program was unpaid, but that soon changed. “I was not paid during the first internship. Then in May, right before I stopped, they asked if I was interested in continuing over the summer. That was paid. So was this summer. “It’s been really nice. They have been so good to me. They really want me to learn. They have taken a chance on me, always asking if I want to learn to do new things. I have been in the business office, checking people in,” she said, pointing out those are sides of a medical practice usually not covered in medical school. “This lets me see how a practice works, lets me see that side of things. This reinforced what I wanted to do. When you are in college, everything is so hard, it is difficult to see the big picture. When you get back here, you see what the end goal is.”
GOOD WORKERS, GOOD BUSINESS
Jim Ford, human resources manager for Ford Meter Box in Pell City, believes everything they are doing in workforce development is an investment, not only in his business, but in the local economy as well. “We are doing anything we can to help get the idea out that education is important – not just four-year, but technical training, too — something that gets them a good-paying job,” he said. “We pay 100 percent if our people will commit their time to school as long as they pass. It grows our workforce and our community. “That is a tenet of Ford Meter Box as a whole. “It means a sustainable workforce for us in the long run. We think it makes our community
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Workforce Training Cody Poe started out on the floor at Garrison and is now training to handle steel purchasing for the company.
better. It brings in jobs and keeps jobs here,” he said. And an educated and skilled workforce helps people like St. Clair Economic Development Council Executive Director Don Smith bring in better-paying jobs. “It’s a cooperative effort. We are glad to do it and hope it continues,” Ford said. Smith agreed, pointing out the beginnings of workforce development go back years, first with the iCademy, now with new classes at Jeff State and Pell City High School and on-the-job training at businesses across the area. “At the end of the day, companies are going to come where the people have the skillsets they need. Whether it is high school, a two-year or four-year college, if you are producing students, giving them the opportunities to learn those skillsets, then those companies are going to come,” he said. In fact, that is one of the first questions a prospective business asks about when considering locating somewhere. Having a skilled and trained workforce and a training program in place is essential. “It’s a great recruitment tool,” said Jason Roberts, assistant director with the St. Clair EDC and someone Smith credits with much of the success of the workforce training program. The workforce development effort could not have come soon enough for Roberts.
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“In the recent past, schools did their own thing, and their objective was usually four-year college or bust. But the reality is, in our community, we have many jobs and fields where the skilled working population is retiring, getting older, and there is no one ready to backfill those positions,” he said. Some fields, like truck driving, are so in demand that employees willing to put in the time can earn six figures a year. “You can get those truck driving jobs all day long. The same is true for welders, plumbers and electricians,” he said. Now, with everyone working together, the workforce development program is helping the EDC take St. Clair County business recruitment to the next level. “Now everyone is trying to connect. We have let education know companies and businesses are buyers of their products — educated students – and there is a big push to get people trained to fill these gaps in the workforce,” Roberts said. “It’s essential to business recruiting, especially here, because we have proof of product — students in place at businesses here. It’s the No. 1 driving force when companies are looking at an area,” he said. “They know their employees are going to make their company successful.” l
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Business Review Eissmann expansion
Relationship years in the making
Eissmann has grown to be one of the largest employers in St. Clair Colunty.
Story by Graham Hadley German manufacturing giant Eissmann Automotive announced in June it once again would be expanding its Pell City operations — a new 130,000-square-foot building, a new advanced production line and an increase in their already substantial workforce. The company, which specializes in leather parts for car interiors, has grown from an original employee base of 85 workers to become one of the largest single employer in St. Clair County. Currently, they have 650 people working there. With the addition, that number is expected to top 850. That is great news for Pell City, St. Clair County and the entire region — but it did not have to be here. Eissmann has operations around the globe, 13 locations, three continents. The expansion could have happened somewhere else, but thanks to a decade-and-a-half old business relationship with the St. Clair Economic Development Council, local businesses like Goodgame Company and the community, it did happen here. Eissmann’s history in St. Clair spans the careers of three EDC directors, Ed Gardner Sr., Ed Gardner Jr., and now Don Smith. “When they started, they were supposed to have about 75 employees and one contract. Since that time, especially since the end of the recession, they have drastically increased contracts and suppliers and their workforce,” Smith said. “Eissmann has locations all over the world, but they chose to come here, and we are very happy they chose our community. It means more opportunities for our citizens as well as additional funding for things like local schools. And people will have more disposable income, which in turn means more retail
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revenue, more sales and use tax, and that means more money for city services.” “When you are putting millions in payroll into a local economy, it has multiple benefits beyond the direct economic impact. It’s dynamic. Dollars turn over,” he said. It’s a circular process — all of that increases the quality of life for Pell City and St. Clair County, which makes the area more attractive to new businesses. “It’s the circle of economic development and recruitment,” Smith said. Goodgame Company Vice President Jason Goodgame said his company has been involved with Eissmann since the beginning, from recruitment to building and maintaining the actual facility. He had originally met and become friends with several people at Eissmann, and the relationship between the two companies grew from there. “We met up and hit it off. They said they wanted to come here, the area reminded them of home,” Goodgame said. Smith said the German business owners were particularly fond of Logan Martin Lake and the mountains and hills in the region, and he and Goodgame said the fact Eissmann is a family-owned company made it a good fit with the local business community. “Eissmann is owned by the Eissmann family. They are a family business; we are a family business,” Goodgame said. “They know they can rely on us for things they need. … It goes beyond a simple contractor relationship. They know if they need anything, you call us. We want to keep building that relationship.”
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Business Review Smith also credits the cooperative effort put forth by the EDC, local and state governments, businesses and entities like the Chamber of Commerce. “Local leadership, partnering with the EDC, County Commission, City of Pell City and the state — it was everyone working together then and on each expansion since then. It takes a cooperative effort.” Jason Roberts, assistant EDC director, agreed. It was the ability for everyone to work together, overcome differences and look at the big picture that paved the way for Eissmann. “Even though elected officials might have different views on how to do something, they all agreed that bringing in more jobs and boosting the economy outweighed minor differences. Everyone kept their eye on the common, ultimate goal,” Roberts said. Eissmann has been an ideal community partner, supporting a long list of community activities, not the least of which has been the cardboard regatta. “They are one of those companies that have been involved in our community. …When Leadership St. Clair comes through, they are always gracious with their time, providing tours, which they also do for students and elected officials. And they really got involved in the cardboard regatta,” Smith said, pointing out that they have a friendly rivalry going with WKW Erbsloeh. “One year, they used a mile of duct tape on their boat — a mile.” And during the recession, Eissmann strengthened its relationships with other companies, working together to see each other through the economic downturn. “One of the keys to building these relationships is finding ways to accommodate and to meet each others needs,” Goodgame said, pointing out that his business and Eissmann’s mutual cooperation and flexibility were keys to keeping things going during the recession. “It is a family relationship. It works. They feel comfortable with us, and we feel comfortable with them.” And the success of Eissmann in St. Clair County, even during hard times, but especially since the recession ended, has helped bring more business and industry to the area, Smith said. “Many times we are asked by prospective industries for contact information of owners of local manufacturers. Anyone coming into a community, they want to talk to their potential peers, to see what the community is actually like,” Smith said. “We are paid to promote the community, but existing companies can give an unbiased review of the city. We have a number of great companies here, but Eissmann is always at the top of that list. “Because Eissmann has been able to grow here, that shows other companies looking at the region that growth here is possible.” Smith, Roberts and Goodgame all are quick to point out the quality of the local workforce is an essential component in the success of Eissmann, WKW Erbsloeh, Honda and other businesses in the region. “German and Japanese auto manufacturers build highquality vehicles that last. The quality of the parts coming out of Eissmann is key to their success. “And that means they have the skilled workforce necessary to make that happen,” Roberts said. l
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Eissmann Expansion
Eissmann specializes in interior automotive parts.
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Coming soon to Pell City
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr. Submitted Photos Courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings When city and county officials hoisted shovels full of dirt in the air on a warm, June afternoon, they viewed it as breaking ground on more than just a new restaurant coming to Pell City. It was a signal of more to come. Officials didn’t mask their excitement as the international restaurant chain, Buffalo Wild Wings, broke ground on Vaughan Drive, across from Home Depot and fronting Interstate 20. It marks the seventh location in the franchise group, which includes Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Trussville, Alabaster, Gadsden and Hoover. And it adds to the chain’s burgeoning list of expansions with more than 1,800 locations across the country and around the world. In 2015, its systemwide revenue topped $3.6 billion. It makes other businesses take notice, said developer Bill Ellison, who helped recruit the restaurant to St. Clair County. You will often see other nationally known restaurants and businesses following suit. Sterling Barbour, owner of the franchise, called it a “great location. It was the first site he showed us.” Barbour said the decision to locate in Pell City was driven by two factors. “The community was underserved with sit down family restaurants.” And seven day sales of alcohol enhanced the decisionmaking. “It is a perfect demographic for us. It’s the right time and the right place. It’s a good fit,” Barbour said, noting that it will be the restaurant’s first new stadia concept. “There’s not one just like this.” Tim Spencer, area director for the franchise group, said it is “exciting to see the whole brand grow,” and he talked of the kinship of the restaurant to the community
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as did Sean O’Brien, who will be the general manager for the Pell City location. Involvement and assistance to charities and nonprofits through the business are hallmarks of the company, they said. Spencer also talked of Ellison’s role in convincing Buffalo Wild Wings that Pell City was the place to be. “He was on it. He didn’t just push it for himself, he pushed for the city to get us here. He always talked about community.” And Net Lease Alliance played a significant role as developer for the property, helping facilitate the final deal. Pell City Mayor Joe Funderburg called it “a great benefit” to the area, providing an atmosphere of a nice restaurant that sports fans and families alike can enjoy. “It is something we have been looking at for a long time, and it finally has come to fruition,” said Council President James McGowan. “We look for this type of establishment to do very well in Pell City.” Councilwoman Dot Wood hinted at the future. “This is a project that had been going for a long time. Others should announce very shortly. It takes time for all these projects – longer than we want.” “I’m glad it’s coming,” said Councilman Jay Jenkins. “It will attract traffic from town and off the interstate. It means more revenue for the city so we can do other things like this.” “We’re excited about Pell City expanding this way,” added Chamber Executive Director Lisa Gaither. It demonstrates the caliber of restaurants looking to Pell City and bodes well for a more progressive future, she said. “It’s a nationally recognized chain with extremely high volume, and they wouldn’t be here at all if not for seven day sales,” Ellison said, referring to Pell City’s recent passage of alcohol sales seven days a week. “The day after the vote, I told them I thought they needed to look at Pell City. Two weeks later, they agreed to come.” Opening is expected in late October or early November. The menu features traditional chicken wings, boneless wings, and other items including chicken tenders, flatbreads, specialty hamburgers and sandwiches, wraps, Buffalito® soft tacos, appetizers and salads. l
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Business Review
Church Brogdon, PC Law firm opens in historic Pell City Home
Story and photos by Carol Pappas
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When Billy Church and Jonathan Brogdon were looking to start a new chapter in the life of their law firm, they turned to historic surroundings. Church Brogdon, Attorneys at Law, have opened their practice in one of St. Clair County’s oldest homes, the Garry House. The turn of the century home, returned to the grandeur of its former life, was ideal for the firm, which blends the talents of veteran Church and a more youthful Brogdon. “We were stricken by the beauty of it, the history,” Church said. “It’s one of those buildings outside and in where you get a feeling of history,” added Brogdon. “It’s a beautiful building all the way through from the street to the back door. It could be one of the most beautiful offices anywhere.” “It is an ideal setting for a law office,” Church said. “We are delighted to be here and continue to serve the people of Pell City and St. Clair County.” Church has a particular fondness for history. After all, he has played a significant role in St. Clair County’s. He first came to the county in 1971 when the late Judge Edwin Holladay was the only practicing attorney. The late Judge Charles Robinson Sr., who would later become a partner of Church’s, had left private practice to become district attorney, and Church took his place with the late Judge Frank Embry’s firm. Meanwhile, the Alabama Legislature created a second judgeship for the 30th Judicial Circuit to serve St. Clair and Blount counties, and the governor appointed Holladay to the bench. As a result, Church “inherited” the legal work of City of Pell City, several other municipalities, St. Clair County and the hospital. He would go on to become one of the leading attorneys in the county, serving as legal counsel during some of the most progressive periods of the county’s history. After a long and successful career, Church “thought” he retired a few years ago and moved to Daphne, he said, but he soon found that returning to practice was the life for him and he found his way back to Pell City. He joined forces with Brogdon after he wound up on the other side of a case with him. “I was impressed with his legal skills,” Church recalled. Brogdon, who grew up in West Etowah County, was working for a law firm in Birmingham, specializing in
Jonathan Brogdon, left, and Billy Church
litigation and insurance defense work. When the case concluded, Brogdon said he connected with the small town atmosphere he found in St. Clair County and asked Church if there was “room out here for another lawyer.” In Church’s typical mentoring fashion, he replied, “Jonathan, there is always room for a good lawyer.” Brogdon assisted Church on a few cases and six months later, they were law partners, and he moved his wife and two daughters to Pell City. “My gut instinct was right. These are my kind of people,” Brogdon said. “I feel a unique kinship with the people in this area.” l
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Business Review DeShazer Dental Daughter joins father’s dental practice Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Michael Callahan From the time she was 14, Claire DeShazer worked in her father’s dental office, helping out wherever needed. “She grew up in this office,” Dr. Bob DeShazer said. “She grew up with the staff.” Now, she is back – but this time as Dr. Claire DeShazer Leverton, following in many of the same footsteps her father tread when he opened the practice in Pell City 36 years ago. It has been a bit of a surprise along the way as Leverton made decisions that eventually would lead her back home. She never seemed to have an interest in dentistry as a career path until her senior year in high school, when she asked her father what he thought about the possibility. He told her he thought it would be “great,” he recalled, and she put her trust in that assessment. After college at the University of Alabama, dental school at UAB and dental residency training in Columbia, South Carolina, she returned to the practice where she spent her teenage years. Memories of that time are still fresh. It is where she met Daniel Leverton. A hygienist in the office knew him, knew her and thought the match might work. He was coming in for a cleaning, and “she set him up. He had no idea he was being set up,” she mused. The hygienist was right. They are now husband and wife. “It’s pretty cool,” DeShazer said. “People ask me about her because they remember her” from working in the office in her younger years. “Now, she is here in a professional capacity.” “I am very fortunate to have the opportunity and a role model,” Leverton said. “There is an excitement in moving beyond the education and training phase and starting a career.” The practice will continue as general dentistry. “I’m lucky to have been here a long time,” added DeShazer. “I can ease out over the next several years, and she can step into a practice that is established.” What will it be like working side by
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A father, daughter bond through the years.
side? “We’re both pretty easy going,” DeShazer said. “I bring experience. She brings new blood, new techniques and new energy. I’m looking forward to it.” “We’re both excited about it,” he added. “I think there is a little trepidation on both our parts. I realize she will bring her techniques and ideas, and there will be give and take. But I hope to learn from her, and I hope she will learn from me. It’s exciting.” l
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • August & September 2016
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Front, left to right: Bill Gossett, Lawrence Fields, Brenda Fields and Blair Fields 2nd Row, left to right: Tina Stallings, Mary Ellis, Karen Bain, Nan Morris, Carey Monistere and Michelle Shoemaker 3rd Row, left to right: Carl Howard, Scott Fields, Gary Smith, Joel Jones, Adam Bain and Tony Gossett
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Your Real Estate Needs - Our Specialty Karen Bain 205-473-4613 karenbainfgre@gmail.com Adam Bain 205-369-2704 adambainfgre@gmail.com
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Providing a broad range of legal services to individual, business and local governmental clients including:
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James E. Hill Matthew E. Gossett Candace B. Crenshaw Joel P. Watson Judge James E. Hill, Jr. of Counsel Moody Professional Building, 2603 Moody Pkwy, Suite 200, P.O. Box 310, Moody, AL 35004 6441 U.S. Highway 11, Springville, AL 35146
Phone (205) 640-2000 or (205) 467-2225 Fax (205) 640-2010 No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.