By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

Mayors from all across Shelby County recently signed a statement, which vocalizes their support for the nation of Israel in the wake of the war crimes committed by Hamas.

“We recognize the brutality of war and the death and destruction it wreaks; however, the battle for justice against injustice and good versus evil must prevail to protect the innocent and ensure liberty,” the statement reads. “We pray for a speedy end to hostilities and a lasting peace.”

The statement goes on to condemn Hamas attacks on civilian populations on Oct. 7, Israel’s sovereign right to defend itself against terrorist forces and demands the immediate release of all hostages currently held by Hamas. 

The document itself cements the mayors of Shelby County as being firmly on the side of Israel, and focuses heavily on the crimes Hamas has committed against the Israeli people. However, the document neglects to mention many of the war crimes also perpetuated by Israel itself on its Islamic population and citizens in Gaza which include the violation of medical neutrality.

The letter was signed by the following local politicians:

• Tony Picklesimer, mayor of Chelsea
• Scott Brakefield, mayor of Alabaster
• Theoangelo Perkins, mayor of Harpersville
• Frank Brocato, mayor of Hoover
• Rusty Nix, mayor of Montevallo
• James Latimer, mayor of Vincent
• Ricky Ray Morris, mayor of Wilsonville
• David Mitchell, mayor of Columbiana
• Jon Graham, mayor of Calera
• Brian Puckett, mayor of Helena
• Brenda Bell-Guercio, mayor of Indian Springs
• Gary Waters, mayor of Pelham
• Larry Riggins, mayor of Westover
• Deborah Wilson, mayor of Wilton

The post Mayors of Shelby County speak out in support of Israel appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

Last Week’s Picks: 4-0

Overall Record: 107-20

Since the season started, both the Thompson Warriors and Hewitt-Trussville Huskies have had one goal in mind: make it to the state championship game for a chance to win the Class 7A crown.

On Black Friday, one of them will fulfill that dream.

The lone game in Shelby County this week figures to be one of the best games of the season as the top two teams from Class 7A, Region 3 battle it out for a spot in the Super 7 on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

For the Warriors, this is familiar territory. Thompson has made it to the semifinals for seven straight seasons, and every single time, they faced the Hoover Buccaneers in this round and beat them each of the last five years.

That is, until now. Hewitt-Trussville broke that streak by beating Hoover in the second round, and, despite its success in recent years, they are now in the semifinals for the first time since 1996, before the creation of Class 7A.

For each of the last five years, the Huskies have been eliminated by Thompson or Hoover. Now, they have a chance to eliminate both to reach their first state title game since 1992.

However, Thompson has recent success on its side, not just in this round, but against Hewitt-Trussville as well.

The Warriors beat the Huskies 40-14 on Oct. 6 in a game that quickly got out of hand after Thompson found success in the passing game and its defense stifled a high-flying Hewitt offense for its fifth straight win in this series, dating back to 2020.

Even with that lopsided result, consider that Mark Freeman-coached teams tend to play even better in rematches than the first time around. Look no further than last week’s 34-14 win over Vestavia Hills after they beat the Rebels 21-3 in the regular season.

While the Warriors defense allowed for the first time since they played Hewitt-Trussville, the offense made up the difference and posted the second-highest point total that Vestavia had allowed all season, behind, conveniently, Hewitt-Trussville.

All of that should make for a tremendous football game come Friday. These are two teams playing their best ball at the right time and will clash with a shot at a state title on the line. It doesn’t get better than this.

While you could argue that Vestavia Hills posed the bigger threat to Thompson with its stout defense, Hewitt-Trussville’s offensive firepower may make them just as dangerous. Granted, the Huskies defense allows a full touchdown more per game on defense than the Rebels (21.2 vs. 14.4 PPG), but Hewitt outscores Vestavia in offensive points per game 40.3 to 33.0.

Much of that is because of what Peyton Floyd can do in the passing game with his receivers. The reigning 7A Back of the Year has been electric in the air when he is clicking this season, as he was in last week’s 40-7 win over Hoover.

However, Trent Seaborn has proven that he has quite the cannon as well with a plethora of receivers to throw to including Kolby Hearn, Deuce Oliver, Kolben Landrew and Angel Jones. All of them can make plays at any given moment and have different tools to utilize in a variety of situations.

Even with their recent success in the passing game, I think Thompson could easily flip the switch and go for a ball-control attacking style with Michael Dujon and AJ Green to keep Hewitt’s offense off the field and get the defense tired.

The latter is what I expect coach Mark Freeman to try against the Huskies to save the big guns for the right opportunity, but if he decides to go in guns blazing, expect some big numbers from Seaborn and his receivers.

Just like in the first game, though, I think the defense is the ultimate deciding factor. The Warriors have been almost lights out on defense this season, with the unit averaging just 10.2 points allowed, and that includes the 36-point outlier that Clay-Chalkville posted.

Time and time again, we’ve seen that defense wins championships. If this Thompson team is to reach the Super 7, it will be because of a lockdown coverage game by Anquon Fegans and Kaleb Harris while Jayden Davis, Tyler Hicks, Cam Pritchett and the rest of the defense get after Floyd.

It may not be an easy win, but the Warriors have the pieces on both sides of the ball to take care of business and the track record that suggests that they will do so. I’m picking Thompson to pull away and get a shot for a fifth straight state championship. Thompson 35, Hewitt-Trussville 14.

Season stats provided by the Alabama High School Football Historical Society.

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ALABASTER – The Thompson Warriors secured a key win over a county foe on Thursday, Nov. 16 with a 70-66 victory at home over the Oak Mountain Eagles in a tight contest.

The Warriors overcame a big third quarter from the Eagles to tie the game at the end of regulation and get out with an overtime victory.

Thompson had the early edge in the contest and ended the first quarter with an 18-14 lead to go up by four.

That was key in the second quarter as the teams were deadlocked through the period with each side scoring 10 points. That meant that the Warriors took a 28-24 lead into the halftime break.

However, the game completely flipped on its head after the teams came out of the locker room for the second half.

Oak Mountain came flying out in the third quarter, scoring 21 points and holding Thompson to just 10 for the second straight quarter.

That erased the Warriors’ lead and gave the Eagles the advantage, and Oak Mountain led 45-38 going into the fourth quarter.

With the Warriors needing a response to win the game, they came out and delivered. Thompson fired back with a 23-point fourth quarter, and while Oak Mountain kept hitting shots, the Warriors did enough down the stretch to tie the game and send it to overtime.

In overtime, Thompson pulled away after the 61-61 deadlock and overcame the best effort from the Eagles in the extra period to win, 70-66.

Riley Bryant and Jay Green both scored 20 points in the win with Green grabbing five rebounds and Bryant having three rebounds and three assists. DaeShaun Morrissette had 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals, and Carson McKenney scored 11 and had five rebounds.

For Oak Mountain, Grey Williams scored 13 points and had three rebounds and two steals, Chase Lamey had 12 points and Gray Plaia scored 10 points and had four rebounds and two steals.

The post Thompson edges out Oak Mountain in overtime thriller appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By STEPHEN DAWKINS| Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – Thompson exploded out of the locker room to start the second half against Vestavia Hills on Friday, Nov. 17, as the Warriors scored 20 unanswered points to break open a halftime deadlock and win, 34-14.

“For whatever reason, we needed to get to halftime and make a couple of adjustments,” Thompson coach Mark Freeman said. “When we did, we said ‘let’s go score on the first possession and win the game.’ Our plan was to play the first half tight like that and then come out in the second half and do what we do.”

The second-round playoff win keeps alive Thompson’s hopes for a fifth consecutive state championship. THS (10-1) next will host Hewitt-Trussville in the semifinals on Nov. 24, following the Huskies’ 40-7 win over Hoover.

Against Vestavia (9-3), the Warriors were hampered by penalties in the first half. They managed just four first downs, giving the visitors hope that they might break through and advance past the second round for the first time since 2013.

The teams traded punts to start the game, but Vestavia quarterback John Paul Head jump-started the Rebels’ second possession with his arm and his legs as he took a 38-yard run all the way to Thompson’s 3-yard line.

Head then punched it in from the 1 for the first score of the game. Owen Simpson’s extra point made it 7-0 with 6:17 on the clock in the first quarter.

The hosts wasted no time in answering. On the second play of the ensuing possession, Kolby Hearn got past his defender, and quarterback Trent Seaborn hit him in stride for a 72-yard touchdown pass. John Allen McGuire’s point-after was good to tie the game at 7-7.

Thompson’s Tyler Hicks and Curtis Oliver-Avery combined to make a third down stop on Vestavia’s next possession, and the Rebels punted it back to THS.

Seaborn carved up the VHHS defense to grab the lead for the Warriors, moving the sticks on passes to Deuce Oliver and Hearn, then finding Angel Jones, who outraced the defense to the front left pylon for the touchdown.

McGuire’s extra point made it 14-7 with 15 seconds left in the first quarter.

Head responded with an impressive touchdown drive of his own, converting a third-and-1 on the ground, then passing to Keown Richardson and Cooper Mollison for first downs before heaving one to the end zone that Mollison ran under and held onto the ball in the end zone despite a hit from a Thompson defender.

The game was tied again and would remain so until the second half as penalties derailed two THS drives, and a third-down sack by Thompson’s Chance Strown helped keep Vestavia from threatening the end zone.

The Warriors needed just 1:24 to take the lead for good at the start of the third quarter. Two Seaborn passes, to Hearn and Oliver, advanced the ball to Vestavia’s 35-yard line, and then AJ Green ran it to the 22.

On third-and-1 from the 13, Green took a handoff up the middle, broke through a couple of would-be tacklers and glided into the end zone to make it 21-14.

Thompson added to its lead with a 23-yard field goal by McGuire with 1:33 left in the third quarter, and then another field goal—this one from 29 yards out—to make it 27-14 about one minute into the fourth quarter.

The Thompson defense was flexing at this point in the game, forcing two three-and-outs and a turnover on downs on Vestavia’s second-half possessions.

Anquon Fegans added an exclamation mark with an interception, and Cam Pritchett added another with a sack on a third down.

The scoring concluded on a long pass from Seaborn to Colben Landrew that the sophomore standout grabbed over the top of the defender to make it 34-14.

Thompson now leads the all-time series with Vestavia, 16-14, including the last 10 in a row.

The Warriors also kept alive another streak: not allowing more than 14 points in any game this season other than their lone loss.

The post Thompson flips switch at half to beat Vestavia Hills in quarterfinals appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

MONTEVALLO – Ahead of the University of Montevallo’s first home dual on Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Thompson Warriors got a chance to shine on the Trustmark Arena mat and earn a big win over the reigning Class 6A state champion McAdory Yellow Jackets, 53-16.

The Warriors jumped ahead to a dominant lead by winning 10 of the first 11 matches and earning falls in many of them, and that helped them secure the early season victory on a neutral site.

Braylon Johnson started the dual off strong, cruising to a 17-3 lead and forcing a technical fall at the 3:16 mark of the 106-pound match.

Skylar Mobley of McAdory won the 113-pound match by a 10-2 major decision, but that one-point deficit would be the closest the Jackets got to leading.

Will Atkinson dominated his 120-pound match, pinning Jalen Howard of McAdory in just 53 seconds, and Austin Owen nearly secured a major decision with a 17-10 win.

Then, Thompson pulled away for the win with four straight pins. Jordan Weltzin won 2:41 into his 132-pound match, and right afterwards, Kiowa Vines and Turner Hutson both secured first-period pins. Henry Betke also earned a pin 2:20 into the second period.

Nick Dempsey took a 15-5 major decision over Jeffery Locke in the 157-pound match, and then Paxton Miller extended the lead to 48-4 with a pin just 1:05 into the match.

From there, McAdory won three of the final four matches, but it wouldn’t matter as Thompson had already secured the victory.

Wyatt Massey of Thompson dropped a 15-3 major decision to Christion Griggs in the 175-pound match, McAdory’s Erik Lessears earned a technical fall with a 22-7 lead at 4:25 in the 190-pound match against Rylan Davis and Timothy Wilson edged out a 7-3 decision over Marley Cholewinski in the 285-pound match.

The Warriors would win one more match in the final portion of the dual, as Avery Clark jumped out to an early lead over Jourdan Godwin to score a technical fall after building up a 16-1 lead just 3:33 into the match.

That closed out a phenomenal day for the Thompson wrestlers, who won 11 matches on the night to start out the season strong with a 53-16 victory.

Beyond securing a dominant win over the reigning state champions, the Thompson Warriors had the chance to showcase their skills to the local wrestling community that had gathered to watch the Montevallo vs. Midway match following their dual and to college coaches.

Montevallo coach Daniel Ownbey said that this combined meet was a phenomenal opportunity for the Thompson and McAdory wrestlers and was even more special given that multiple former Warriors and Jackets now compete for the Falcons.

“I think that giving them an opportunity, to wrestle in a college gym on a college mat in front of a college crowd was definitely something that I think could be a highlight of their high school career,” Ownbey said. “It shows them that they can get up to the next level, being able to wrestle in front of a couple of college coaches and show what they have.

“I think it was just a cool atmosphere. It was a cool idea. I love the fact that both Coach Wilson and Coach Dutton agreed to do it, and it just brought more energy and more electricity and more passion of wrestling to Montevallo today.”

Thompson then kept the momentum rolling with a sweep in their quad match with Fairhope, Foley and Spanish Fort ahead of the Gulf Coast Clash. Thompson beat Fairhope 77-6 before winning 65-18 against Foley, and the Warriors finished out the day with a 78-6 win over Spanish Fort, with Fairhope and Spanish Fort’s lone wins coming off forfeits.

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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – There were smiles and hugs across Alabaster City Schools as the Board of Education surprised staff with extra compensation checks the week before Thanksgiving break.

After approving the annual extra compensation checks for ACS staff during a BOE meeting on Monday, Nov. 13, members of the board of education visited each school on Tuesday, Nov. 14 to personally hand deliver the checks to the workers that make the school system possible.

“I’m just so thankful for our wonderful board of education that always makes the extra compensation a priority when we’re doing our budget,” Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said. “This year, we were able to give the largest amount that we’ve ever been able to give to our employees. So, we’re very excited to be able to do that.”

This year, all certified employees received $2,000 and classified employees received $1,000 which is double the amount that was given last year. The delivery of the checks has become a tradition for Alabaster City Schools as this year marked the 10th year that the board has provided extra compensation.

During the first stop on the journey, the BOE visited Meadow View Elementary School and were met with surprised smiles from office staff, child nutrition workers and teachers alike. Plenty of hugs were exchanged between staff and this year was special for several who received checks for the first time as new ACS employees.

“It’s one of the most wonderful feelings,” Vickers said. “When I was a teacher, I remember getting a turkey one year from Bruno’s. That was one of the gifts to our employees, and it was so exciting. It was a wonderful thing, but to be able to give employees some extra compensation at a time of year when they need it with Thanksgiving holidays, Christmas holidays and winter break—it’s an exciting time to be able to do that and our employees deserve it.”

Afterward, Alabaster City Schools were also able to look forward to a full week of Thanksgiving break after it was previously approved by the board of education.

“I’m glad this year they agreed and the advisory council that helps me with the calendar came up and we presented it and it was overwhelmingly supported by everyone,” Vickers said. “Everyone seems to be very happy with it.”

The post Alabaster BOE surprises staff with extra pay appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City Schools Board of Education approved multiple pieces of technology to aid in its goal of educating students during a regularly scheduled BOE meeting on Monday, Nov. 13.

During the meeting, the ACS Board of Education approved the purchase of Magma Math for grades K-12.

“We’re trying to make math come alive, and we’re also trying to give our teachers the ability to monitor and give feedback without the traditional (way of) having to get up to the board,” ACS Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said.

The interactive program allows students to do work on their chrome books and the teacher can pull up each desk individually and see how the student is doing.

During the meeting, the ACS Board of Education also approved purchase of Viewsonic Interactive Panels for the front of classrooms to assist in instruction as well as Cortex Desktop Security Software.

The BOE approved a resolution at the recommendation of Volkert, Inc for the purchase of Wenger Choir Risers for Thompson Middle School.

“That’s something that we’ve done at the high school and we’ve done at the others—theirs were just ready to be replaced so we just took care of it,” Vickers said. “We don’t want people to have to raise money for choir risers, we want to be able to take care of that. That’s part of their instructional program.”

In other news the ACS Board of Education approved the following resolutions:

• Out-of-state field trip requests for TMS and Thompson High School.
• Purchase of Chromebooks from Clear Wind Technologies.
• Volkert, Inc recommendation of owner/architect agreement.
• Volkert, Inc recommendation of funding for VE for subsequent CO.
• Volkert, Inc recommendation of Amendment #5 renewing program.
• Approval of Alabaster City Schools vehicle purchase.

After addressing the items on the agenda, Vickers spoke to those to the Board and those in attendance.

“I want to thank everyone, especially our administrators and our central office staff for the great work that they do,” Vickers said. “We’ve had a great school year so far and we’re looking at having our first full week of Thanksgiving coming up, that’s new for our system and very well-received by everyone.”

The post Alabaster BOE purchases new educational program appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

After a week of double-digit results in the first round, we have a certified buffet of quality football on the menu this week.

It starts with a state championship game over in 8-man football on Thursday between Cornerstone and Springwood in a rematch from an overtime thriller in the regular season and then continues on Friday with Thompson, Helena and Briarwood each taking on a top 10 team.

The Warriors will hope to improve on their 21-3 win over Vestavia Hills in the regular season, Helena will look to carry last week’s dominant showing into a road battle with unbeaten Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa and Briarwood will welcome the top team in the state in the Saraland Spartans to Lions Pride Stadium after a shutout win in the first round.

Let’s dive into this week’s slate of four matchups, going classification-by-classification.

Last Week’s Picks: 6-0

Overall Record: 103-20

Thompson vs. Vestavia Hills (Class 7A Quarterfinals)

After a relatively easy win over Florence in the first round, the Warriors will face arguably their toughest test on the road to Tuscaloosa in a rematch of their closest win of the season. The last time Thompson and Vestavia met at Warrior Stadium back in September, the game hung in the balance late with the Warriors leading just 7-3 before a pair of late touchdowns and an interception sealed the win. As the saying goes, it’s hard to beat a team twice, especially a surging one like Vestavia Hills which has played mostly stellar football since the blowout loss to Hewitt-Trussville. I wouldn’t be shocked to see another defensive battle in this one given the strengths of both units, but what I’m most interested to see is if either team will rely on the passing game more or instead go back to the ball-control style on the ground that worked well in their first meeting. Like coach Mark Freeman said after last week’s game, I expect facing Florence’s blitz packages helped prepare Trent Seaborn for a game like this where Vestavia will bring the pressure inside the box. If there’s one thing that Freeman-coached teams do well, though, it’s that they improve as the season goes on, especially in rematches. Expect a closer game than last time but a similar result as Thompson heads to the semifinals for the seventh straight season. Thompson 24, Vestavia Hills 17.

Helena at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (Class 6A Second Round)

After a dominant 600-plus yard performance on offense against Wetumpka, Helena’s reward is the third-ranked team in the state in Hillcrest. The Patriots have been dominant so far during their undefeated season, averaging 40.8 points per game on offense and allowing 7.1 points per game on defense. To go in and get a victory, Helena will need its best effort of the season across all three phases, but I believe that the Huskies are playing their strongest football of the year right now. Obviously, a big part of that is because of Jordan Washington’s seven-touchdown night in the first round, but now that Hunter Hale is getting healthy again, Nathan Jones has stepped up and Torrey Ward is available, that has opened up a world of options for Carson Acker in the passing game. Having a full arsenal has been the key to Helena’s success for much of the season, and if they can use that to get on the board early and play consistently well across the field, the Huskies will have a chance to win this. However, even with the talent and skill of the Huskies, Hillcrest are likely a step above where Helena is at this point, especially health-wise. The final result will probably say more about the Patriots than it does about the Huskies, but Helena has no reason to be ashamed at reaching the second round after missing out entirely last year. Hillcrest 28, Helena 14.

Briarwood vs. Saraland (Class 6A Second Round)

Thanks to the AHSAA’s travel rules, the top ranked team in Alabama will pay Briarwood Christian School a visit. Saraland has been nothing short of phenomenal this season behind Texas quarterback commit KJ Lacey, Alabama wide receiver commit Ryan Williams and a roster full of future Power Five players. The Spartans offense has scored the second-highest points in the state this season at 598 points for an average of 54.4 per game. To find success here, Briarwood needs to replicate its dominant performance against Carver-Montgomery where it pitched a shutout and made big plays throughout the first-round game. If Luke Reynolds and Grey Reebals are able to take away Lacey’s options, that could turn the game into the messy style of football that the Lions love to play. However, to do so, they will have to learn from their matchups against Clay-Chalkville and Benjamin Russell, the two quickest and most physical teams they have faced to this point. If Briarwood can keep its composure, move on if it gives up a big play and consistently excel from the first whistle to the final buzzer, this one could be closer than expected. In the end, though, I don’t see the Lions offense making up more than a 30-point gap between what the teams average on that side of the ball. Expect a valiant effort from Briarwood but a Saraland victory to close out a phenomenal turnaround to keep the program going in the right direction after a disappointing 2022 for the Lions. Saraland 38, Briarwood 13.

Cornerstone vs. Springwood (AISA 8-Man State Championship, Thursday in Montgomery)

It’s one of the biggest days in school history for Cornerstone and a chance for both teams to right the wrongs of last season after Cornerstone lost to Springwood in the semifinals last year before Springwood fell in the state title game. It took overtime to separate these teams in the regular season as the Chargers won 44-42 in a fantastic effort, but they also won the 2022 regular season meeting in close fashion before taking a decisive loss in the semifinals. That has weighed heavily on Cornerstone ever since, so expect a highly motivated team to roll in to the Cramton Bowl in search of a championship. The Chargers have the offensive firepower to walk away as the winners here with Zeke Adams’ talent both running the ball and passing it to talented receivers like Noah Schober and Keaton Keef. The defense will be the deciding factor after allowing 42 against a talented Springwood offense in their first meeting and 34, 45 and 20 points in their last three. However, Cornerstone was much improved against Evangel Montgomery last week than they were three weeks ago when they met in the regular season, and if they get two touchdowns better against Springwood like they did against Evangel Montgomery, that should be all it takes to win. If the Chargers can get off the field quickly on defense, that allows the offense more chances to find the end zone. In the end, I firmly believe that Cornerstone will show why it has been one of the best 8-man teams in the state this season with a state title to prove it. Cornerstone 48, Springwood 35.

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By JOSH BOUTWELL | Special to the Reporter

TROY – It’s been a long road, but Alabama’s very first legal bourbon whiskey distillery attraction, Conecuh Ridge Distillery, is planning for a May 2024 opening as the complex in Troy nears completion.

Conecuh Ridge Distillery will produce the official state spirit of Alabama, Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey. The moonshine whiskey was made famous by former moonshiner Clyde May, a native of Alabama.

After proudly serving his country in the Army’s 77th Infantry in World War II – earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart – Clyde May returned home to Alabama and became known as one of the “most wanted” moonshiners in the state. His original still was set up close to Pike County in nearby Bullock County.

While Clyde May passed away in 1990, his son, Kenny May, launched the legal Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey in 2001 and it became the official state spirit of Alabama in 2004.

While Conecuh Ridge Distillery has bottled and produced its products outside of Clyde May’s home state of Alabama over the years, it will now return to Troy, Ala., when it opens in 2024.

Conecuh Ridge Distillery will produce numerous products, including Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey, Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon, Clyde May’s Cask Strength, Clyde May’s Straight Rye Whiskey and Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The facility will feature not only the distillery but also a bottling plant, a restaurant and bar, tasting rooms, a retail shop and a barrelhouse to age barrels of whiskey.  All of that will be part of tours that will be featured at Conecuh Ridge Distillery.

The distillery will create approximately 50 new jobs in Pike County once it is fully operational and up to capacity.

Steve May (no relation to Clyde May) serves as vice president and general manager of the Conecuh Ridge Distillery. Prior to joining Conecuh Ridge, May served as director of marketing operations for the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Tennessee.

During his tenure there, he oversaw significant growth in the distillery’s retail sales and annual guest count, which grew from 191,000 to over 300,000 annually. That growth also added to the economic growth of the area. During his tenure, the Jack Daniel’s Distillery invested more than $25 million in capital improvements at the site, as well.

“I was responsible for marketing operations for the Jack Daniel’s Distillery, one of the largest tourist attractions in Tennessee,” May said. “Before the pandemic, we had over 300,000 people a year taking tours there and 190 employees just in marketing. It had an enormous economic impact on the area and it’s our hope that we can do similar things in Troy.”

The distillery will offer five different types of tours when it opens with prices ranging from $20 to $45. Tours will begin at the Clyde 240, Clyde May’s original moonshine still, which was named so because it took $240 worth of copper to make the still. After learning the history of May and Conecuh Ridge Distillery, tourists will get to tour the entire distillery facility and process.

“We will be very family friendly. If you bring your children you can take a tour that doesn’t include any alcohol,” May said. “We have a little bit of everything going on here. We are not just a tourist attraction but a full-fledged distillery with a bottling plant that will produce Clyde May’s whiskey and Conecuh Ridge whiskey.”

“We’ll be buying local grain grown in Alabama,” May said. “Our corn will come from farms right here in this area.  We’ll sell our spent grain, which is very nutritious, to local cattle farmers.”

Troy Mayor Jason Reeves said that he believed the distillery would bring a unique tourist experience to Troy.

“The Conecuh Ridge Distillery will provide a quality tourism destination and investment on the north side of Troy,” Reeves said. “It will be a unique opportunity for those traveling through Troy as well as those within a few hours who would like to take a weekend or even a day trip to see our community and the Clyde May brands’ process. I have no doubt it will be a distinctly fun experience.”

Steve May said that the distillery is planning for a May 2024 opening, but weather and other issues may push that back. Regardless, Summer 2024 looks like it will see the opening of Alabama’s first whiskey distillery that will be located off Highway 231 where 3 million cars travel annually.

The post Alabama’s first bourbon distillery experience to open in 2024 appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – With the Christmas season quickly approaching, local residents and visitors to Alabaster are preparing for the return of the city’s Christmas parade.

The parade, which has long served as the pinnacle of the city’s holiday celebrations, will return on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. and will see residents, local businesses and students representing a wide variety of class organizations all march together along Highway 31. The event is organized and directed by Alabaster city personnel.

“The Christmas parade goes back multiple decades, and we’ll easily have several thousand spectators lined up along the parade route on U.S. 31 the day of the event,” said Neal Wagner, public relations manager for the city of Alabaster. “We’ll have dozens of floats participating in the parade, with our fire department escorting Santa Claus at the end of the route.”

In years past, the parade has begun at Long Lewis Ford and proceeded south to the now former Alabaster Police Station. It then turns and goes over the train tracks, past Alabaster Auto and past the Thrift Store shopping center. The parade traditionally ends at the stop sign in front of Southbrook Village on 1st Street Southwest.

“Next to the Alabaster Arts Council’s CityFest event, I believe the Christmas parade is the most well-attended event in Alabaster each year,” Wagner said.

The parade will occur rain or shine unless the conditions become unsafe for participants and spectators. There are no fees to register for the parade and anyone can apply, however, the city of Alabaster reserves the right to refuse any person or organization.

“We’re really looking forward to kicking off the Christmas season in a few weeks,” Wagner said.

This year’s theme for the Christmas parade will be “Christmas at the movies.”

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