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 NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY – Local residents enjoyed the fall atmosphere as they shopped for arts and crafts during The Town of Mt Laurel’s annual fall festival.

The Mt Laurel Fall Festival took place this year on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the town’s center.

The festival serves as a biannual showcase for local artists and as a way to promote the community. The event boasted a variety of activities including a craft fair, inflatables, live music, food trucks, a farmers market and more. A kids zone was also present at Olmsted Park.

“It’s just such a wonderful time of year in The Town of Mt Laurel, it’s a beautiful landscape,” said Codie Thoma, office coordinator at the Mt Laurel Arc Realty Office. “It’s just got a really nice feel.”

The event featured a variety of local vendors and craftsmen for locals to discover.

“We do get a lovely collection of home items, we (have) young entrepreneurs breaking out in the business as well as seasoned veterans,” Thoma said. “We are very familiar with the arts and crafts scene in Birmingham.”

Residents were also able to enjoy live music throughout the event as they traveled about the festival.

This year’s edition of the fall festival symbolizes a special milestone as 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the Town of Mt Laurel.

“Mt Laurel is a sustainable neighborhood that offers residents a relaxed pace of life,” reads the town’s website. “ It’s a place with a unique identity, formed by three core values: community, respect for nature and a commitment to the future.”

Those interested in more information on events at Mt Laurel may visit its website at Mtlaurel.com.

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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY – Thousands of people in the Peruvian Amazon do not have access to safe, clean drinking water, but Kingdom Ventures International plans to change that with their 50/50 Water Challenge.

“It’s going to be taking place in Jacksonville, North Carolina on Saturday, Dec. 9,” Pastor James Grayson Jr. said. “Basically, what I’ll be doing is that I’ll be walking, running and biking 50 miles and our goal is to raise $25,000.”

Grayson has been a pastor for the past 22 years, and during that time he has served on mission trips all around the world. But it wasn’t until a fateful trip to Mexico that Grayson became aware of the critical need for clean drinking water in many parts of South America.

“We heard about this group of Indians called Tzotzil Indians that had actually been kicked out of their village because they were following Christ and the Mexican government gave them land on the backside of this lake about 25 acres in a really arid area and so we went out to meet them,” Grayson said. “Their kids had really distended stomachs, and they were really sick. I had been in the Amazon, and I thought they had parasites, so we gave some money for them to take the kids to the doctor. The next day, though, we found out that it wasn’t parasites. It was their livers.  Their livers were inflamed from drinking directly from the lake where they get their water.”

In the United States, waterborne illnesses and diseases are thought to cause roughly 120,000 hospitalizations and 7,000 deaths each year according to the CDC. Both of these numbers are thought to be much higher in countries where healthcare resources are less readily available. 

“It’s estimated that there are 500,000 people in the area of the Amazon we work in,” Grayson said. “I would say that about 90 percent of them don’t have access to clean drinking water.”

A little while after discovering the need for clean drinking water in South America, Grayson and his wife Crystal founded Kingdom Ventures International, a nonprofit with a mission to provide clean water filtration systems to communities in the Peruvian Amazon.

“Iquitos, Peru is the largest city in the world that’s only accessible by boat or plane,” Grayson said. “There are no roads connecting it to the outside world. It’s basically only accessible by the stretch of the Amazon river, and in the next 15 years we want to see that every single family in that area has clean exit access to clean water.”

Kingdom Ventures International provides clean water to the people of the Peruvian Amazon in several different manners. Mostly though, it is by giving families a water filtration system for their homes, or by building a solar-powered well for a village. Either way, what sets Kingdom Ventures apart from many other nonprofits is that members regularly return to help maintain the water filtration systems and to teach locals how to do the same.

“The thing about their ministry doing this is that they don’t just go and give it to them and leave,” said Christy Kelley of Focus Church. “And then here it is, they go back and check off. They go back and see them and see how they’re doing and make sure it’s working properly.”

While Grayson and his wife may only spend a few months out of the year in Shelby County now, with the rest of their time split between North Carolina and their work in Peru, local churches like Focus Church in Shelby still actively support Kingdom Ventures’ humanitarian efforts and participate in mission trips.

“One thing that I really appreciate and love about Kingdom Ventures is that they really get to know the people and love them,” Kelley said. “They make sure that those people are going to have clean water for 20 years down the line.”

Kingdom Ventures International will have its 50/50 Clean Water Challenge on Saturday, Dec. 9. Donations can be given at Kingdomventuresintl.org/donate.

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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY– Three men were recently apprehended by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office robbing a vehicle on Highway 280, on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

At 2:20 a.m. Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported car robbery in progress near Highway 280. When the deputies arrived, they found a black 2018 Dodge Charger with signs of an attempted break-in, but no subjects were found.

Deputies then proceeded to canvas the area and discovered one of the alleged perpetrators attempting to evade police custody on foot. It was then learned that two other accomplices were also in the area in a stolen vehicle, a purple 2023 Dodge Charger valued at $70,000, and would be returning to retrieve the first man. 

The two other accomplices were subsequently arrested. 

“This is an example of fantastic police work from some of our hardest working patrol deputies,” said Clay Hammac, chief deputy for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. “I think the residents of North Shelby County and business owners should be just as proud as I am of these deputies and the work that they put into their job to make sure that they’re keeping their community safe.”

The three men arrested for the alleged car break-in, Dexter Dewayne Williams, Isiah Demonte Henley and Maurice Antonio Summerville, were found to be in possession of not only a stolen car, but also two unregistered guns, a Glock 17, an altered short barrel rifle, and drugs and drug paraphernalia, including marijuana wax and a digital scale

The three men were then taken to Shelby County Jail in Columbiana and are currently being held there on the following respective bonds and charges:

Williams is being held on a bond of $60,500, and on the following charges:

• Receiving stolen property, first degree.
• Unlawful breaking and entering into a vehicle.
• Possession of a short-barrelled rifle.
• Attempting to elude law enforcement.

Henly is being held on a bond of $60,500 and his charges break down as follows:

• Receiving stolen property, first degree.
• Unlawful breaking and entering into a vehicle.
• Possession of a sawed-off rifle/shotgun.
• Attempting to elude law enforcement.

Summerville is being held on a bond of $67,500. His charges break down as follows:

• Receiving stolen property, first degree.
• Unlawful breaking and entering into a vehicle.
• Use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Possession of a short-barrelled rifle.
• Attempting to elude law enforcement.
• Unlawful possession of marijuana, second degree.
• Unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

The investigation is still ongoing and details will be released as they become available.

The post Three arrested after car robbery on Highway 280 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.

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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 ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

OAKVILLE – The Briarwood Christian Lions will bring a trophy back to Shelby County, as their runner-up finish in the AHSAA Class 6A Cross-Country State Championship on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Oakville Indian Mounds Park stood out among other great times from Pelham, Helena and Calera.

The Lions’ girls team scored 83 points and were led by top five finishes and personal records by Mary Grace Parker and Bela Doss.

Parker came in third place with a time of 18:10.74 and Doss finished in fourth with a time of 18:14.71.

In addition, Luci Williams finished in 25th place with a time of 19:58.06, Allie Hale came in 26th with a time of 19:58.09 and Lena Anne Parker finished 28th with a time of 19:59.37.

For the 6A boys, Helena’s Aspen Warren came in 10th place with a time of 16:06.21 to lead all area runners.

Also for the Huskies, Drew Cook came in 28th place with a time of 16:40.46, Josh Howard came in 56th place with a time of 17:24.21, Merrick Blackman finished in 57th with a time of 17.24.27 and Camp Herndon came in 60th place with a time of 17:26.24.

Briarwood’s Whit Thornton came in 25th place with a time of 16:33.11 and Kolby Day finished 72nd with a time of 17:41.71.

Jacob Horton was the fastest Pelham runner with a time of 18:16.02, and he finished in 97th place. Robert Lewis came in 102nd with a time of 18:16.02 and Levi Clardy finished in 107th place with a time of 18:28.75.

For Calera, Cooper Manning finished in 168th with a time of 19:37.00 and Carter Duncan came in 202nd with a time of 20:57.14.

Behind Briarwood’s stellar performance in the 6A Girls race, Helena’s Ashlynn Beery came in 16th place with a time of 19:38.75.

Teia Briggs came in 121st place with a time of 23:08.51, Elizabeth Awtry finished in 138th place with a time of 23:38.21, Abigail Cory crossed the finish line in 140th place with a time of 23:40.46 and Kylie Scoggins finished in 154th place with a time of 24:09.53.

Pelham’s Emily Webster was the fastest Panthers runner with a time of 19:55.30, which was good for a 24th place finish.

Mikayla Leftwich came in 97th with a time of 22:12.02, Mariana Channell finished in 136th place with a time of 23:35.37, Anna McDonald came in 156th place with a time of 24:12.36 and Abigail Silwal finished 187th with a time of 25:56.44.

The post Briarwood girls’ runner-up finish highlights great performances at 6A cross-country states appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

OAKVILLE – The best runners from Shelby County got their chance to shine on the biggest stage at the 2023 AHSAA Class 7A Cross-Country State Championship, and many turned in their best times of the season on a fast course at Oakville Indian Mounds Park on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Oak Mountain’s John Shoemaker came within a second of claiming the Class 7A state championship with a second-place time of 15:11.20.

Whitt Kilgore came in 33rd place with a time of 16:39.60, Cooper Jeffcoat finished in 49th place with a time of 16:52.04, Luke Marvin came in 50th place with a time of 16:52.05 and Zachary Joyce finished in 65th place with 17:10.44.

Parker Campbell also finished in the top five, coming in fifth with a time of 15:31.81 for Chelsea. Hudson Williams finished in 15th place with a time of 16:07.20, Conner Campbell came in 20th place with a time of 16:20.23 and Wilbur Valencia Nava finished 60th with a time of 17:06.51.

Thompson’s Doster Robinson came in 28th with a time of 16:34.63 and Spain Park’s Eian Phillips finished 44th with a time of 16:44.83 to round out the county runners in the meet.

In the girls 7A race, Chelsea’s Ty Cason came in fifth place with a time of 18:32.38, and she was joined on the All-State team by Spain Park’s Delaney Vickers, who finished 11th with a time of 18:56.93, and Oak Mountain’s Lauren Cole, who had a personal-best time of 18:57.96 in 13th place.

Chelsea’s Mia Dunavant finished in 22nd place with a time of 19:22.84, and she was joined by Brylee Bryant, who came in 40th place with a time of 20:03.79, Adeline Keith, who finished in 47th place with a time of 20:10.77, and Juliette Edwards, who came in 56th with a time of 20:23.38.

In addition for Oak Mountain, Catarina Williams came in 34th place with a time of 19:48.61, Ava Fields finished in 39th place with a time of 20:03.65 and Brighton Bell came in 59th place with a time of 20:27.01.

Spain Park’s Remy Richards also had a personal record time for the Jags, coming in 23rd place with a time of 19:23.91.

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The Thompson Warriors, Helena Huskies and Briarwood Lions will all gear up for big second-round playoff matchups this week, while the Cornerstone Chargers will take on Springwood in the AISA 8-man State Championship Thursday. We break it all down on this week’s show!

0:00 Highlights

1:26 Show intro

7:37 Thompson vs. Vestavia Hills

15:47 Helena at Hillcrest Tuscaloosa

26:48 Briarwood vs. Saraland

34:18 Cornerstone vs. Springwood

39:13 SCR Stars of the Week

44:40 Show close

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