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 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 SASHA JOHNS | Special to the Reporter

Shelby County Schools is on the lookout for new school bus drivers to meet the ongoing needs and growth of the county’s school transportation system.

Currently, there are available driver positions all over the county, but there is also a great need for substitute drivers, particularly in the Helena and Oak Mountain school systems.

Wanda Adams, who works out of the main Bus Shop in Columbiana, wants potential drivers to know that there are benefits to both having a regular route and being a substitute driver and that each offers attributes that may appeal to different kinds of candidates.

“The obvious benefit to taking on a regular route is the county benefits like health insurance and retirement, but substitute drivers have more flexibility in their schedules and can choose which days they want to work,” Adams said. “And of course, there (is no working on) weekends or holidays for drivers.”

There are also available opportunities for drivers to pick up extra work, such as driving for field trips and transporting students and teams for games.

Bus driving is a great job for retirees and stay at home parents, but often entrepreneurs find that it works well with their schedules too, and it presents a viable route to receive benefits.

The Bus Shop will accept a new class of trainees on Thursday, Jan. 4, but wants interested parties to know there are a few things that candidates need to accomplish to qualify for the class. Most importantly, those interested need to acquire a CDL Learners Permit and must submit to a background check as well as a few other prerequisites.

One new driver, Connor Preston, is one of several new additions to the roster who completed the most recent class this past fall and did so in a search to acquire insurance. Preston, who is also a children’s minister at a local church, is currently working as a substitute driver in Columbiana.

“When I first started the classes, I didn’t realize all the things I’d have to learn when it came to the safety checks you have to memorize for the pre-trip and it was a little intimidating,” Preston said. “Austin Shifflet, one of the bus mechanics, was a great trainer though and it ended up being a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

Interested candidates can hear more information about the qualifications and prerequisites needed to join the January bus class by visiting the Shelby County Board of Education website under the Transportation tab or by calling the Bus Shop at 205-682-7130.

The post Shelby County Schools seeks new bus drivers appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

OAKVILLE – The Westminster at Oak Mountain Knights, Shelby County Wildcats, Montevallo Bulldogs and Indian Springs School all turned in solid times at the AHSAA Cross-Country State Championship on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Oakville Indian Mounds Park, highlighted by a pair of great individual times from Indian Springs and two fourth-place team finishes by Westminster OM.

Indian Springs turned in two of the top performances across all county runners as Catherine Hinson came in fourth place in the girls 3A championship with a time of 19:38.99 and Quinn Conroy finished in 14th place in the boys race with a time of 17:28.56. Both earned All-State honors for their efforts.

In the Class 5A boys meet, Westminster OM put together a strong fourth place finish despite competing three classifications higher than it does for other sports. Weaver Caldwell led the Knights with a 12th place finish and a time of 16:37.62 for an All-State place.

In addition, Alexander Montgomery came in 27th place with a time of 17:20.51, Micah Adams finished in 33rd with a time of 17:26.14, Charlie Davis came in 39th place with a time of 17:33.57 and Daniel Vansant rounded out the scoring runners in 48th place with a time of 17:47.36.

Also in the 5A boys race, Shelby County’s River Horton came in 72nd with a time of 18:18.99, and MaKonnen Falcon finished in 81st with a time of 18:34.75.

The other runners to score for the Wildcats were Alex Fleming in 92nd place with a time of 18:52.25, Nick Sykes in 113th place with a time of 19:31.08 and Tucker Busby in 115th place with a time of 19:38.47.

For the 5A girls race, Emily Mungai was the fastest Knights runner, as her 18th place finish and time of 20:00.32 powered Westminster OM to finish fourth in the state as a team. Pippa Hussar came in 25th place with a time of 20:32.49 and Kayleigh Dowis finished in 41st with a time of 21:35.04.

The trio of McKenzie Bell, Savannah Schleicher and Natalie Porterfield finished alongside each other in 43rd, 44th and 45th. They all finished within a second of each other as Bell had a time of 21:40.01, Schleicher finished with a time of 21:40.55 and Porterfield had a time of 21:40.64.

For Shelby County, Kathryn Peterson came in 70th place with a time of 22:49.55, Katelynn Greene finished in 102nd with a time of 24:15.64 and Gracie Wible finished in 112th with a time of 25:08.64.

Jennie Owens came in 120th for the Wildcats with a time of 25:47.45 and Josie Payne finished 121st with a time of 25:51.87.

In the 4A races for Montevallo, Gunner Partridge came in 98th place of the boys race with a time of 19:59.02 and Syndi Salazar finished in 140th in the girls race with a time of 28:29.87.

The post Westminster OM, Indian Springs among top finishers at 5A, 4A, 3A states appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

A hazy smoke fills the air, forcing cars to a stop as police close one of the busiest highways between Columbiana and Alabaster on Friday, Nov. 3 as local firefighters tried to control a fire spreading across the dry grass and leaves along County Road 26.

This has been a common theme recently with seven brush fires occurring in Shelby County during the past 30 days, while 393 have been spurred across the state with more than 3,000 acres burning.

“It’s definitely very dry,” said Chelsea Fire Chief Joe Lee, who recently had his department battling a brush fire near U.S. 280. “We haven’t had significant rain in a couple of months now.”

A fire requires only three specific things in order to occur which are fuel, the right weather conditions and a single spark. At the moment, Alabama is dangerously abundant with all three.

Fuel

In Alabama, the months of October, November and December are marked by a steady dryness and lack of humidity. Weeks can and do go by without a drop of rain, rivers and streams run lower and lower and combustibles, such as dead leaves and dry grass,  gather on the forest floor. For the last 60 days there has not been any rain in the entirety of Alabama, and Gov. Kay Ivey has officially declared both a statewide “no burn order” and a “drought emergency.” 

“We haven’t gotten a lot of rain recently,” said Dave Holley of the Alabama Forestry Commission. “When you combine that with other weather conditions like relative humidity that dries out the leaves, the grass and just everything else. You can hear it when you walk through the forest. Everything just goes ‘crunch, crunch, crunch.’”

Similar to starting a campfire, a forest fire begins with small combustibles being set aflame. The fire then rapidly builds from there, spreading out and consuming sticks then logs and then finally larger materials, such as trees and buildings

“The number of wildland or grass fires has increased this year,” Calera Fire Department Deputy Chief Shane Stoudenmire said. “Nothing has been really big yet, and we’ve been significantly blessed for that.”

To some people, the obvious answer to the problem of having this degree of kindling lying around and simply waiting to start a massive fire is to just have a series of controlled burns. But this is not viable for a couple of reasons.

“Population density plays a big role in that, because of air quality,” Stoudenmire said. “When you start burning off all the underbrush in rural areas some of it will start to settle in the nearby urban areas and create all sorts of issues with air quality.”

Stoudenmire noted that the way the winds have been working the last few months plays a big factor in this, both in how they push smoke into more populated areas and how they can help wildfires spread quickly.

Correct weather conditions

In addition to a fuel source, fire also requires the presence of oxygen and active winds help flames grow and spread. This leads to wildfires finding purchase in more of the dry grass and kudzu that covers much of the county.

“Windy days are when you’re at your highest risk when you burn, because the wind is gonna push these embers in the direction of the land,” Stoudenmire said.

Higher wind speeds and drought are both major contributors to wildfire risk, and both have also been linked to global warming and climate change.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has stated that increased temperature has resulted in a severe lack of moisture in potential fire fuels such as trees, shrubs and forest debris. Studies have also shown that this has in turn more than doubled the rate of large wildfires in the US since 1984.

The current weather conditions may be providing the perfect environment for wildfires, but ultimately a fire cannot be started without a source. While wildfires do naturally occur, brought about by lightning and other natural phenomena, more often than not they are brought about through human action and error.

The spark

When the Saginaw Fire Department reported that six acres of land was burned in a brush fire near County Road 26 on Friday, Nov. 3, they were able to determine that the fire’s origin stemmed from a single bottle rocket.

When conditions are as primed and prepared for fire as Alabama is currently witnessing, something as small as a bottle rocket can lead to a wildfire that can potentially consume countless acres. It was only thanks to the immediate action and reaction from firefighters that this latest fire only spread across six acres.

According to Stoudenmire, the incident was hardly an outlier, saying he has been called to multiple scenes where fires have been started from something as small as someone tossing a smoking cigarette out of their window while driving down the highway.

“Luckily those fires are usually small, but if you get a good windy day, they can quickly get hard to control,”  Stoudenmire said.

Similar to the Smokey Bear saying, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” local fire departments across Shelby County are asking for the help of the public to make sure residents aren’t put into those dangerous situations.

“The best thing that people living in the community can do is just refrain from outdoor burning of all types,” Lee said. “If they can just hold out until this winter when we have plenty of rain, then it’ll be fine. But this isn’t the right time of year to have fires outside.”

The Dangers of fighting fires

When fighting a wildfire, it’s less about putting the fire out and more about just keeping the flames contained and preventing the spread of destruction.

“Depending on the terrain and where the fire’s at, we sometimes just can’t get water up there,” Cahaba Valley Fire Chief Buddy Wilks said. “A lot of times, it just gets into a position where we’re just trying to contain it by clear-cutting lines into the ground.”

Wilks noted that fire departments often call in the local forestry commission to aid in wildfire containment efforts by using tractors to dig trenches around the fire. 

“It’s a lot,” Wilks said. “It’s a very strenuous activity because we are just basically using rakes, hoes and chainsaws to cut down trees and to monitor things.”

Alarmingly, these wildfires can continue on for days. Wilks went so far as to comment that several fire departments in Shelby County have been fighting the same fires for days on end at the time of this writing.

“It’s a very difficult operation we go through and very manpower intensive,” Wilks said. “Just rotating companies around and working with the forestry commission to keep things contained.”

Sometimes, though, the environment gets ahead of the firefighters. The wind may start blowing the other direction, or a stray ember may jump over the trenches and into a fresh batch of dead leaves. That’s when things get truly dangerous.

“There comes a point that you just have to let it go because you can’t get can’t get ahead of it,” Wilks said. “Then it’s all just trying to protect houses and doing your best.”

Luckily, there have been no recorded fatalities in Shelby County from any of the recent wildfires, and all of the firefighters across the assorted departments in the county have expressed their dedication to continuing fighting fires and keeping people safe. They all stressed the importance of abiding by the burn ban as long as it lasts.

“The rain this weekend, if we get it, will probably help the fires that are burning right now,” Wilks said. “But it’s not going to change the drought conditions enough to keep fires from starting elsewhere. It’ll help a little bit, but we’ve got a long period of time for us to get out of real danger.”

The post Battling the blaze: Local fire departments combat wildfires during recent drought appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – During a span of two days, youth leaders from across Shelby County participated in a special kickoff event at the Alabama 4H Center in Columbiana along the banks of Lay Lake.

The group of carefully selected leaders are members of the Youth Leadership Shelby County Class of 2024 and were hand selected by a committee.

The class of 33 were picked from more than 100 applications to participate in the prestigious program and took part in the opening retreat Nov. 5-6.

The retreat kicked off a special start to a journey that will last throughout the school year with the students participating set to take part in different class days that will occur each month.

Throughout the year, the participants will also join together in different groups to work on projects that will help make a difference in the community by picking a non-profit or organization in need of help.

The students will use their different leadership skills and personalities to come together and make a difference in their community as juniors in high school.

Throughout the opening retreat, they got their first taste of what to expect throughout the months long venture that will culminate with a graduation near the end of the school year.

Activities included going through the ropes course at the 4H Center and working together as teams, personality assessments, a round table with Youth Leadership Shelby County alumni to learn what to take advantage of during the class, a class introduction featuring the participants introducing each other in unique skits and many more icebreakers.

“The Youth Leadership Shelby County Opening Retreat opened my mind up to so many different possibilities and ideas I had never thought of before,” said class member Abby Nave of Shelby County High School. “I got to meet so many wonderful, remarkable, and truly inspiring people, who I can’t wait to continue this journey with. The Class of 2024 is definitely the best class yet!”

The event, however, was centered around the goal of the class, which is learning about each other as leaders in the community.

Students, who range from high schools around the county, got to hear from Alabama Teacher of the Year Jeff Norris, motivational speaker Timothy Alexander and many more throughout the two days, showcasing the true definition of what it takes to be a selfless leader and leave your impact.

“The professionals we had the opportunity to learn from at the retreat provided great insights on how to successfully apply leadership qualities to life endeavors outside of school,” Pelham student Brenna Vickery said.

The opening retreat helped build bonds and friendships, while bring together young leaders in the community who all make a difference in their own way.

Now, they’ll work together the next few months to bring their leadership skills together to make a difference.

This year’s class includes:

-Grant Blakely, Chelsea High School

-Belle Casey, Oak Mountain High School

-Sofia Contreras, Spain Park High School

-Ella Fields, Vincent High School

-Sasha Gann, Thompson High School

-Andrew George, Chelsea High School

-Addison Grigsby, Shelby County High School

-Ava Horn, Calera High School

-Abe Ivey, Oak Mountain High School

-Mia Kendrick, Evangel Christian Classical School

-Addie Knight, Pelham High School

-Patrick Maddox, Chelsea High School

-Camdyn Martin, Pelham High School

-Ali Mims, Chelsea High School

-Halle Morris, Evangel Christian School

-Abby Nave, Shelby County High School

-Will O’Dell, Oak Mountain High School

-Lissy O’Kelley, Oak Mountain High School

-Abby Olsen, Briarwood Christian School

-Jake Parker, Evangel Christian School

-John Will Peterson, Oak Mountain High School

-Aiden Poe, Vincent High School

-Alyson Ragland, Helena High School

-Anjali Reed, Helena High School

-Kailyn Reynolds, Thompson High School

-Jarret Scott, Helena High School

-Maddie Shebs, Pelham High School

-Madi Claire Sims, Chelsea High School

-Thomas Starkey, Calera High School

-Mallory Venable, Shelby County High School

-Brenna Vickery, Pelham High School

-Sydney Williams, Calera High School

The post Youth Leadership Shelby County celebrates new class at opening retreat appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

VESTAVIA HILLS – The Megan Montgomery Foundation is readying to hold their second annual Gingerbread Jam on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Set to take place at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center at 1090 Montgomery Highway, the event holds its origins in a family tradition that stretches back more than 4 decades. For Susann Montgomery-Clark, building gingerbread houses was always a special and distinct family tradition that saw herself, her two daughters Meredith and Megan, family members and a long list of friends gather together in the spirit of the season.

Following the tragic murder of her daughter, Megan, on Dec. 1, 2019 and the founding of MMF in April 2021, that family festivity is being continued with the added vestige of raising awareness.

“It’s a way to carry on the tradition that our family and friends loved for many years and now a new generation can participate as they build their own houses to enter,” Montgomery-Clark said, “The most fun will be viewing and voting for your favorite houses through the People’s Choice Awards and bidding in the silent auction for beautiful gingerbread houses made by professional bakers in the culinary division.”

MMF’s Gingerbread Jam currently holds the distinction of being the only gingerbread house competition of its kind in the Birmingham metro area. Returning after its support of the inaugural event, Edgar’s Bakery will once again serve as the signature sponsor of the event.

“This event is a fun way to raise funds for implementing healthy relationship education for men and women,” said Meredith Montgomery-Price, Megan’s sister and executive director of the Megan Montgomery Foundation.

In accordance with the foundation’s goal of ending domestic violence before it begins, this year’s theme for the Gingerbread Jam is, “every home should be a happy home.”

The Gingerbread Jam will be free and open to the public for viewing the gingerbread houses from 9 a.m. to noon. Children of all ages are also invited to visit and take part in the kid’s corner which will offer a host of craft activities for their enjoyment. Kids will also have the chance to meet and have their picture taken with Santa, who will also be in attendance.

A $5 admission fee applies for those seeking to submit a gingerbread house of their own. Those who choose to do so are asked to design, build and decorate their houses at home and then drop them off at the Vestavia Civic Center the day prior to the event, Friday Dec. 8.

Those who are interested in submitting a gingerbread house for the competition are encouraged to submit their application and view more details on the event’s website at Gingerbreadjam.swell.gives.

All proceeds from the event will benefit The Megan Montgomery Foundation which provides grants to high schools, colleges and non-profits in order to bring about age-appropriate healthy relationship education, help young adults recognize unhealthy behaviors and stop relationship violence before it starts.

More information regarding MMF and their mission can be located at Megansfoundation.org.

For more information about the event, please contact Kim McAdams at 205-837-4649.

The post Megan Montgomery Foundation readies for second annual Gingerbread Jam on Dec. 9 appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

PELHAM – Indian Springs finished off a dominant run through area play with back-to-back 3-0 sweeps over the Midfield Patriots and Tarrant Wildcats to clinch the area championship on Thursday, Oct. 19.

With the wins, Springs is now a perfect 8-0 in area play in 2023, and they will advance to the regional tournament as the top seed from Class 3A, Area 7.

To start the day, Indian Springs easily took its semifinal matchup against Midfield, winning in straight sets, 3-0, to set up a match for the title with Tarrant, who defeated Childersburg, 3-1, just before the championship match.

Indian Springs opened up the game with a 7-4 lead, but it would soon open up a wide lead to seal the set. Springs quickly went up 12-5, and they finished the set on a 13-3 run to take the first set, 25-8, and go up 1-0 in the match.

Tarrant battled back in the second set and trailed by just one point as Indian Springs led 8-7. Springs established a four-point lead shortly after and pulled away from there.

After Indian Springs went up 23-16, it scored back-to-back points to close out the second set win. The 25-16 win put Springs up 2-0 in the match as they put the pressure back on Tarrant after the Wildcats’ challenge to begin the set.

From there, Indian Springs grabbed control of the match by getting off to a commanding start to the third set. It won the first four points of the set and kept its momentum rolling to go on a 11-3 run to begin the set.

Springs’ lead only extended from there as they went up 16-4 before growing it to 21-6 for a 15-point lead. In the end, the final gap was 18 points as Indian Springs cruised to a 25-7 win in the third set, which sealed the 3-0 straight-set win and the area championship.

Indian Springs will face Sumter Central in the first round of the 3A South Regional tournament in Montgomery on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 10:15 a.m.

The post Indian Springs takes area championship in dominant fashion appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

The Pelham Civic Complex hosted the annual Shelby County Chamber Public Safety Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 27. First responders throughout various Shelby County police and fire departments were honored and recognized at the luncheon for their exemplary service in the line of duty.

“There’s a lot of people in this room from around Shelby County, fire, EMS, and law enforcement,” Alabaster Fire Chief Tim Love said. “All of these groups work together really well. That’s how we have such successful counties and how we have such a great environment to live in. So your work is appreciated. And your work is needed. And there’s always more to do. But we thank you for people like you being here today.”

Chief Love was among many leaders who presented awards to members of their individual departments and recognized recipients for their bravery and commitment to duty.

The award recipients per jurisdiction were as follows:

Alabaster

-Firefighter Dane Polk for his dedication to fitness and keeping his fellow department members healthy and in shape.

“Dan is a guy that is dedicated and very passionate about fitness,” Alabaster Fire Chief Tim Love said. “We’ve been developing a program over the last five years in our department of health and wellness program.Dan has been an integral part of that as our fitness administrator and he puts on lots of hours of extra time making sure that we’re building a program that successful keeps our people healthy,”

-Officer Tyler Posten for his actions while responding to a call regarding a suicidal woman. Postern’s actions resulted in a safe conclusion to the incident, despite the woman’s self-inflicted injuries.

“Tyler realized it was a very dangerous situation, and he did what he had to do,” Alabaster Police Chief Curtis Rigney said.

Cahaba Valley Fire Department

-Firefighters Andrew Dunlap, Micheal Foshee, Robert Baylis and Nick Burch for their actions responding to a structure fire on June 21 and their subsequent efforts to save a victim from the collapsing building.

“Today, we want to honor the work these gentlemen did,” Cahaba Valley Fire Chief Buddy Wilks said. “The outcome of this incident was not what we wanted, but that does not change the efforts that they put in.”

Calera

-Firefighters Austin Jenkins and Keith Johnson for their work in the rescue operation of a girl who was severely injured after falling down a waterfall.

“They’re both very dedicated to our department and to the career of firefighting,” Calera Fire Chief Sean Kendrick said. “ They have very different personalities but they both have very strong skill sets.”

–Sgt. Blake Atkins for his investigation, pursuit and arrest of a fugitive serial rapist and kidnapper who had been on the run from law enforcement for the past several years.

 “I really want to honor Sgt. Atkins for what he did and I want to state that this is a young leader we need in law enforcement,” Calera Police Chief David Hyche said.

Chelsea

-Commanding Captain Josh Rossetti for his actions responding to the devastating LifeSaver helicopter crash.

“He represents the kind of attitude and dedication to training and knowledge that we look for in our department,“ Chelsea Fire Chief Joe Lee said.

Columbiana

-Officer Steven Cranson for his dedication to his job and community. In particular, Cranson was recognized for his actions in a case where an elderly man suddenly lost his wife. Cranson stayed with the man for several hours afterward to offer comfort and support.

“Officer Cranson did his job with compassion and service to others,” Columbiana Police Chief Jeff Bowers said. This is the true definition of public service.”

Helena

-Firemen Jacob Mueller and Paul Shearon for their actions in responding to an incident involving four teenagers and a near-fatal train accident.

“They actually went above and beyond,” Helena Fire Chief Peter Valenti said. “They placed themselves in quite a bit of danger, and it paid off.”

-Cpl. William Givan for his dedication to leadership and compassion and his actions in a fraud case that allowed for the triumphant return of an elderly Helena resident’s life savings and the arrest of a scammer in New York City.

“I know that he’ll continue to thrive and grow as a leader in Helena and I’m excited to see what his future holds for him,” Helena Police Chief Brad Flynn said.

Hoover

-Battalion Chief Nathan Hinds for his long career, dedication to service and leadership.

“He is one of the hardest working and most dedicated people I’ve ever known,” Hoover Fire Chief Clay Bentley said. “There is never a task we have asked him to do that’s too complicated.”

-Detective Clifton Washington for pursuit of a burglary case that resulted in the arrest of several Chilean gang members.

“A perfect example of his tenacity is the two year long investigation of burglaries and Hoover that started back in December 2020,” Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said. “This is just an example of the type of devotion to duty and selfless effort that Washington delivers to us everyday.”

Pelham

-Fire medic George “Buddy” Ingleright for his long service and his dedication to learning new skills to better serve the community and save lives.

“Buddy is a member of our peer support team and sits on the State Emergency Medical Control Committee and has been on that committee for the last seven years representing the professional firefighters of Alabama,” Pelham Fire Chief Mike Reid said.

-Detective Todd McCann, Sgt. Brad Jordan, Detective Isaac Cruz and Detective Donnie Peterson for their work investigating internet crimes against cases involving minors and their continued efforts against the exploitation of children.

“We have four dedicated individuals in the city of Pelham that choose to do this job,” Pelham Police Chief Brent Sugg said. “They never shy away from it. They work diligently to put bad people in jail.”

Shelby County Sheriff’s Department

-Sgt. Jamie Moore for his long-standing service and his actions in a case responding to a woman having a mental breakdown. He was responsible for de-escalating the situation and rescuing the woman’s baby, who was left alone in a hot car with the windows rolled up on a day that reached 115 degrees.

“He displayed courage and common sense to de-escalate the situation, and a steadfast devotion to duty,” Sheriff Floyd Bonner said.

University of Montevallo Police Department

-Officer Cameron Davis for his dedication to his job and willingness to show up no matter the situation.

“Cameron is an effective part of our team’s success,” Montevallo University Police Chief Tim Alexander said. “As a team we chose him based on that consistent level of professionalism, showing the quality of service.”

The luncheon concluded with Shelby County Chamber President Kirk Mancer thanking the first responders for their hard work and dedication to their community.

“Thank you all so very much for being here,” Mancer said. “Each of our recipients and their  colleagues in Shelby County make it an even safer place to live and do business.”

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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

Shelby County remained one of the top counties for education in Alabama after the latest Niche.com rankings were released, highlighting all four school districts in the county inside the top 30.

Alabaster, Hoover and Pelham city schools all ranked inside the top 15 of the 2024 rankings, while Shelby County Schools was just outside but still one of the top 30 districts.

Hoover City Schools was the highest-ranked school district in Shelby County and was listed as the fifth best school district in the state of Alabama by Niche. 

HCS received an overall grade of A+ by Niche, thanks to breakdown grades of A for Academics, A for Teachers, A+ for Clubs & Activities, A- for Diversity, A+ for College Prep and A for Administration.

Next in the rankings is Alabaster City Schools, which scored as the eighth best school district in Alabama.

ACS received an overall grade of A+, which can be broken down into A for Academics, A for Teachers, A+ for Clubs & Activities, A for Diversity, A for College Prep and A for Administration.

Pelham City Schools was just narrowly behind Alabaster as the 12th best school system in the state.

PCS received an overall A grade, with breakdown grades of A- in Academics, A in Teachers, A for Clubs and Activities, A in Diversity, A in College Prep and A in Administration.

The Shelby County Schools district ranked 27th in Alabama, with a breakdown grade of A- in Academics, B+ in Teachers, B+ in Clubs & Activities, B+ in Diversity, A- in College Prep and B+ in Administration.

Shelby County is also home to some of the top elementary schools in the state, with Greystone, Meadow View,  Calera, Creek View and Pelham Ridge elementary schools all ranked inside the top 50 elementary schools in Alabama.

Greystone, a member of Hoover City Schools, ranked 14th out of all the public elementary schools in Alabama and first in Shelby County. Greystone’s Niche score was A and can be broken down into a combined score of A for Academics, A for Teachers and B+ for Diversity.

Meadow View, a member of Alabaster City Schools, ranked 20th out of all public elementary schools in the state. Meadow View received an overall grade of A, which can be broken down into A for Academics, A+ for Teachers and A for Diversity.

Calera, a member of Shelby County Schools, ranked 38th out of all public elementary schools in Alabama with an overall Niche grade of A. The grade can be broken down as A for Academics, A for Teachers and A for Diversity. 

Pelham Ridge, a member of Pelham City Schools, is ranked as the 50th best public elementary school in the state. Pelham Ridge was given a grade of A, which can be broken down as A- for Academics, A for Teachers and A for Diversity.

Other public elementary schools in Shelby County ranked as follows:

-Oak Mountain Intermediate at No. 54

-Inverness Elementary at No. 59

-Mt Laurel at No. 60

-Oak Mountain Elementary at No. 63

-Pelham Oaks at No. 69

-Chelsea Park at No. 74

-Thompson Intermediate at No. 92

-Forest Oaks Elementary at No. 110

-Shelby Elementary at No. 141

-Helena Intermediate at No. 149

-Wilsonville at No. 154

-Montevallo Elementary at No. 177

-Elvin Hill at No. 183

-Calera Intermediate School at No. 253

-Helena Elementary School was not ranked but received an overall Niche grade of B, same as Calera Intermediate.

Factors considered for the Best School District ranking include the following grades and weights: academics, 50  percent; culture and diversity, 12.5 percent; parent/student surveys and overall experience, 12.5 percent; teachers, 15 percent; clubs and activities, 2.5 percent; resources and facilities, 5 percent; and sports, 2.5 percent.

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