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By Nathan Prewett For the Tribune
PINSON – The Pinson City Council presented a $60,000 grant approved at the previous meeting to all four of the local schools during a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15. See PINSON, Page 4
City of Clay seeing impact of grocery tax cuts as inflation reduces spending By Terry Schrimscher
CLAY — The Clay City Council met for the first regular meeting of the month on Tuesday night, February 13, at City Hall. There were no petitions or hearings and the Council moved quickly through the short agenda in a See CLAY, Page 5
Arbor Day art finalists, schedule of events announced From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — On Tuesday, the Trussville City Council passed resolutions designating Feb. 19-25 as Tree City Week, also referred to as Arbor Week, and Feb. 24 as Arbor Day. The State of Alabama See ART, Page 5
Center Point approves installation of bulletproof glass in City Hall By Terry Schrimscher
CENTER POINT — In the wake of recent shootings in the Birmingham area, the City Council of Center Point approved the purchase and installation of bulletproof glass at City Hall. The Council unanimously approved the See CENTER POINT, Page 3
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Gina Carano
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Pinson council presents $60,000 to schools at meeting
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Biggest Trussville lowers Hwy 11 speed limit, World’s Bounce Park hear plans for upcoming tree giveaway coming to Leeds From Tribune staff reports
bor Day celebration and tree giveaway. Mitchell thanked Mayor Buddy Choat for reinvigorating the Tree Commission and the council for their financial support. Mitchell said the commission combined their city budget allocation with grants from Sen. Shay Shelnutt and Alabama Power to obtain 230 3-gallon bucket trees and 300 bare root trees to give free to residents on Arbor Day. The tree giveaway will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Mall under pavilion on Feb. 24. A recent survey of the protected trees that form the oak canopy in the Cahaba Homestead Historic District listed 498 trees. Mitchell said the commission worked with the surveyor to identify the historic district boundaries and the number of protected trees rose to 569 in the recount. Mitchell said 32 trees have been replaced with about 60 to go. Approximately 22 to 23 trees need to come down and the commission plans replace all of them.
LEEDS – The Leeds Board of Education recognized three teachers for achieving the coveted certification by the National Board of Teaching Standards during a meeting
See TRUSSVILLE, Page 4
See LEEDS, Page 5
Alabama Senators eye comprehensive gambling legislation: ‘It would be very embarrassing for the Senate to fail’
Ascension St. Vincent’s East Freestanding Emergency Department opens in Trussville
By Scott Buttram publisher
TRUSSVILLE — A major thoroughfare in Trussville will get a speed limit reduction and the Trussville Tree Commission is preparing to give hundreds of free trees away to citizens in honor of Arbor Day. Those were two of the highlights in the Trussville City Council regular meeting on Tuesday night. The meeting went quickly, but the council moved a lot of business forward through the consent agenda. Additionally, the council recognized Trussville City Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year Hannah Lutz and Secondary Teacher of the Year Charlotte Booker. TCS recently honored both for their outstanding service to Trussville students. The council unanimously approved reducing the speed limit on U.S. Highway 11 from Deerfoot Parkway north to the city limits just past the entrance to Carrington. The current speed limit is 55 mph and the vote lowers the speed limit to 45 mph.
Trussville City Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year Hannah Lutz and Secondary Teacher of the Year Charlotte Booker were honored by the City Council.
The reduction in speed was approved and recommended to the council by the Public Safety Committee. Trussville Police Chief Eric Rush cited the development along the northern stretch of road which includes two of the city’s largest neighborhoods, Carrington and Stockton, as factors in lowering speed limits. Earlier Tuesday, the Tribune reported that Leola W. Manuel, 82, of Trussville, had died following a crash at Carrington Drive and Gadsden Highway on Monday.
Rush also pointed out that the 55 mph speed limit dropping to 35 mph in the Paine Elementary School zone, while legal, isn’t optimal. He said, coming south in Hwy. 11, the transition from 45 mph to the 35 mph school zone is safer and makes more sense. Ralph Mitchell of the Trussville Tree Commission also addressed the council as they passed resolutions for the upcoming Tree City Week from Feb. 19 – Feb. 25 and Arbor Day on Feb. 24. It will be the commission’s third Ar-
Caleb Taylor 1819 News
MONTGOMERY — The gambling debate will now move to the State Senate after the House of Representatives passed two comprehensive bills on Thursday. House Bill 151 (HB151) repeals all constitutional amendments allowing gambling in certain parts of the state and removes the state’s constitutional gambling prohibition. House Bill 152 (HB152) authorizes a series of provisions legalizing casino gaming in specific locations, a statewide lottery and online sports betting. “It passed the House with 70 votes. That’s significant. I think it would be very embarrassing for the Senate to fail on this one,” State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) told 1819 News on Thursday. “It is very, very similar to the bills that I dropped two and three years ago. I like it. There’s parts of it that I don’t like, but I can’t argue with the results. I think it’s going
Photo: Irochka
to give Alabama a chance to capture this industry, cap it, control it, regulate it, tax it, stop the growth, and have a regimen that we can enforce and collect.” Albritton said he didn’t know of a timeline yet for when the bills would appear in committee in the Senate. “Most of the Senate was sitting back in laissez-faire mode, hoping that they wouldn’t have anything to do,
MARTY’S TRUSSVILLE
but the House got mean and sent it up. We’ve got some work to do. We’ve got some training and instruction and going through it. I don’t know how long it will take. We’ll see,” Albritton said. “There’s not anything new. There’s not anything in there that we haven’t seen previously. It’s just in different positions, I guess.” State Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia) said he wasn’t
sure how much support the two gambling bills currently had in the Senate. “I am not sure of the potential vote count in the Senate. I remain opposed to gambling,” he said. “I have not seen exactly what amendments were added in the House. Gambling doesn’t generate any goods or services; it just redistributes available money that would be spent or other things with the state taxing the transaction. Casinos aren’t built by winners but by losers. We outlaw other schemes that are designed for one to lose money, but efforts are being made to sanction this statewide. It isn’t good for families, our moral climate, or the culture.” Senate leadership said both bills would be treated no differently than other types of legislation. “The Alabama Senate is prepared and ready to address gaming and lottery legislation passed by the House of Representatives,” Senate
LEEDS — Funbox, an attraction that bills itself as the World’s Biggest Bounce Park is coming to Leeds. Scheduled to make its debut on March 1 at The Shops of Grand River, specifically in the front parking lot, Funbox boasts ten exhilarating play zones, including the Tumble Temple, Marshmallow MounSee BOUNCE, Page 2
Leeds BOE recognizes teachers for achieving national certifications By Nathan Prewett For the Tribune
From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Ascension St. Vincent’s East Freestanding Emergency Department in Trussville officially opened to the public on Friday, Feb. 16 at 6 a.m., according to a statement released on See ST. VINCENT, Page 5
Artwork of 20 Trussville students on exhibit in Montgomery From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The artwork of ten students from Trussville City Schools is currently on display in the Old Supreme Court Library in the State Capitol building in Montgomery. Ten more will be showcased in March.
See GAMBLING, Page 5
See STUDENTS, Page 2
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