Te Tribune
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Colin Glover
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www.TrussvilleTribune.com
Fly Line Coffee Co. brings fresh-roasted specialty coffees to Trussville
Pinson Mayor spreads awareness about ALS after diagnosis, ‘I’m just thankful for all the support’
TRUSSVILLE – Coffee enthusiast in Trussville and the surrounding communities don’t have to look far to find high quality specialty roasts. In fact, they don’t have to look any further than the Magnolia See FLYLINE, Page 5
Pinson Council creates ‘Operations Director’ position By Crystal McGough Associate Editor
PINSON – The Pinson City Council unanimously approved a resolution Thursday night, Dec. 15, establishing a new full-time employment position within the city: Operations Director. See PINSON, Page 3
Superintendent Gonsoulin presents updates on Clay schools By Terry Schrimscher For The Tribune
CLAY — The Clay City Council met Tuesday night, Dec. 13, for the first scheduled meeting of the month. Dr. Walter Gonsoulin, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools, delivered an update on schools to the Council and See CLAY, Page 5
$31,108 of grant money awarded to Trussville City Schools teachers From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Schools Foundation (TCSF) presented grants to the schools in the TCS school zone. Twenty-four Motivational Unique Strategic Helpful (MUSH) Grants were awarded for a toSee TCSF, Page 5
By Hannah Curran Editor
PINSON — Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function, ultimately affecting a person’s motor nerves, such as walking, eating, speaking, and breathing. For Pinson Mayor Joe Cochran, the realization of this disease became all too real after he began noticing problems with his physical abilities over a year ago. “I was limping, and my hands started acting up,” Cochran said. “So I went to the doctor and said, ‘Look, something’s going on here.’” Cochran was sent to a neurologist, where he received a preliminary diagnosis of ALS. He was then sent to a neurologist specialist, who confirmed the ALS diagnosis in July 2022. “It’s all been kind of quick, really, when you think about the way things go,” Cochran said. “It’s weird when
June and Joe Cochran (Photo courtesy of Joe Cochran)
you sit there, and somebody tells you, ‘We believe you have ALS.’” When you receive a diagnosis like ALS, Cochran explained that it makes you take a step back and think about the life you’ve lived. “You take stock of your life, and you look back and
say, ‘What have I done?’ and ‘Have I done it well,’ because I know now my time is more limited,” Cochran said. “To be honest, I’ve looked at my life, and it couldn’t be any better. I couldn’t ask for more goodness or better friends and family. I have a wonderful wife and daughter. It’s been
BIRMINGHAM — Ascension St. Vincent’s East has scheduled its 300th Watchman Procedure, which will be performed before the end of the year. Dr. Corey Coleman, Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Ascension St. Vincent’s East, explained that the Watchman procedure is where they implant a small device inside the heart to help lower a person’s risk for stroke from a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation. “It’s a catheter-based procedure where we use a small catheter in the vein at the top of someone’s leg to then go in and access the heart,” Coleman said. “The device is loaded inside this catheter and then deployed inside the heart in a specific location where clots can develop that will immobilize or move out of the heart and go to the brain, causing strokes. So we close off this area of the heart to
Dr. Corey Coleman (in green) and Dr. John Parks (holding the sign). (Photo courtesy of Shea Allen)
help lower the risk of stroke.” Coleman said it’s designed to try and help remove the need for blood thinning medications to lower the risk of stroke. Dr. John Parks, Interventional Cardiologist at Ascension St. Vincent’s East, explained that atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm abnormality that comes with an increased risk of blood clots and stroke.
MARTY’S TRUSSVILLE Inside the Tribune
“People normally are put on a blood thinner for atrial fibrillation, but we have a large number of patients who have bleeding issues or have other reasons that it’s not ideal for them to take up blood thinner for the rest of their life,” Parks said. “So this procedure is a minimally invasive alternative for them to have another way to protect against stroke without taking a blood thinner.”
just one absolutely magnificent life.” Cochran explained that ALS is a rare disease that affects everyone differently. Only about 16,000 people are living with ALS in the United States. ALS affects people between 50 and 70 years old, most of whom are diagnosed around 55. Also, men are 20 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ALS than women, but as a person ages, the likelihood that a male or female is diagnosed is almost equal. Additionally, 90 percent of ALS cases occur without any family history of the disease. Cochran falls into that 90 percent range with no knowledge of any ALS diagnosis in his family. “No family history for me,” Cochran said. “My mom and dad both died pretty early. My dad was 62, and my mom was 50; nothing was in their DNA that told us anything. It’s just one of those diseases. See ALS, Page 3
The Watchman Procedure also helps improve a patient’s overall quality of life. “Patients have a lot of frustration with the problems with taking blood thinners,” Parks said. “So once we’re able to successfully do the procedure, they have protection against stroke, but they also have less complications with bleeding, and have less emotional angst with the risk of taking a blood thinner. So it’s, in general, an improvement in their quality of life, and also can help keep them out of the hospital with bleeding complications.” Coleman said this procedure has increased in volume over the last several years. “This is a relatively new procedure in our field,” Coleman said. “It’s only been available really for widespread use in the past decade.” Coleman explained that prior to the procedure, people who were in this situation See WATCHMAN, Page 6
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Ascension St. Vincent’s East schedules 300th Watchman Procedure By Hannah Curran Editor
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December 21 - 27
By Crystal McGough Associate Editor
SUN MON
Emergency Missing Child Alert issued for Springville 6-year-old
Joslyn Marie Campbell See MISSING, Page 3
Center Point Council discusses purchase of vehicles By Nathan Prewett For the Tribune
CENTER POINT – The Center Point City Council met on Thursday, Dec. 5, to discuss the proposed purchase of two vehicles. The council first considered the purchase of a Dodge See CENTER POINT, Page 4
Trussville Council approves resolution endorsing road improvement project on North Chalkville Road By Hannah Curran Editor
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Council approved a resolution endorsing a road improvement See TRUSSVILLE, Page 4
TCS BOE heard changes to Husky Hour, updates on superintendent search By Hannah Curran Editor
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Schools (TCS) Board of Education (BOE) heard changes to Husky Hour during its workshop on Monday, Dec. 12. See HUSKY, Page 6
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