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 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 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.”

The post Shelby County Chamber holds 2023 Public Safety Awards appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

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.

The post All Shelby County school districts ranked in top 30 in 2024 Niche rankings appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

The subject and content of this story is sensitive and involves personal depictions. Those interviewed wanted an authentic story to help show the seriousness of this issue, spark conversation and help with suicide prevention. 

By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

On the night of Monday, July 10, Brandi Logan returned home from the community pool and immediately went upstairs to talk with her daughter, Dori. To Logan’s surprise, she was met with an empty bedroom and no sign of her daughter. Immediately, she began checking every room of the house but found nothing. Left with no other options, Logan called for help, which quickly arrived in the form of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Although Logan did not fully know it at the time, an event she had long feared had already occurred.

Only 45 minutes earlier, Dori and her mother, were involved in what many would identify as a common mother and daughter disagreement that began around inconsistencies in Dori’s need for the money that would be used to pay for a barrel racing event scheduled to take place the next night. In trying to avoid a potential argument, Logan withdrew from the conversation for a time, asked Dori to go upstairs, then went to complete tasks at the pool, which she cared for at the time.

After what Logan said was an hour-long period of searching, one of Dori’s friends, who was a close neighbor and had come to the home after noticing the commotion, went inside to check again. After a short time, Logan heard her scream and knew instantly that her life had changed forever.

“Her closet door was open, (and visibly obscured) where the chair was in that corner,” Logan said. “She had taken the chair—taken one of her ropes she used with roping cattle—and she hung herself from the frame of that chair. That’s how she did it.”

Police deputies and Cahaba Valley paramedics immediately raced upstairs to render aid, but it was already too late. That night became yet another addition to the statistic that represents a too often silent epidemic that has steadily been on the rise in the United States for the past 20 years.

Dori was just 27 days short of her 15th birthday. Even at such an early age, she had been heavily involved in her church, where she had taken on the role of an organizer, acted as secretary of the Chelsea High School Key Club and was involved in the school’s band and the color guard. She never knew about her selection as student of the week, which appeared in print just the day before, and she never realized just how loved and admired she truly was.

To nearly everyone who knew her, her loss came as a heartbreaking shock. Although she had openly spoken about her struggles in the past, was currently medicated for depression and regularly spoke with a counselor, she had always been the one to encourage others to seek help. Although she was often outspoken regarding her struggles, for many, it was easy to overlook this when faced with the outgoing and smiling inspiration that Dori was.

“That I believe, is what has made a huge impact in not only the Chelsea community, but also down in Chilton County, because everybody saw her as confident,” Logan said. “Everybody thought she had everything just all in a line, but as she stated in her own words, her whole life, she struggled with things. She just couldn’t keep up with her struggles. She thought she was doing best by taking her own life that night.”

Although Dori was unable to see her great impact on the world, her loss was felt immediately and led to more than 650 individuals to attending her funeral, with many of her friends traveling for more than an hour to attend the services in Clanton. Online, an even larger outpouring of support could be seen both on social media and on her memorial page. Person after person told stories of how such a young individual helped them through some of their darkest times.

“I realized during the funeral that so many people would meet Dori (outside of class) and she would talk to them, and she would give them advice, and talk about depression and anxiety,” Logan said. “She would say, ‘Suicide is not the answer.’ She helped so many people at Chelsea High School, she wanted to make sure that everybody else was happy even though she was struggling deep on the inside.”

Dori’s story is one of at least 32 so far in Shelby County this year that plead for the community to never give up, and never relent, in the fight against mental illness. Her story shows well enough by itself that suicide awareness and suicide prevention is of paramount importance not just in Shelby County, but everywhere. In a fight where even one more loss is one loss too many, there exist those in the community that stand to inform and help anyone who calls for help.

Identifying the types and causes of suicide

Dori’s passing was the second suicide to rock the community of Chelsea in as many months, with another 14-year-old also taking his life just 33 days prior to Dori’s own act. In the aftermath of these two events, the Chelsea community began to rally together to identify and address the issue in whatever ways they could find.

This included the presentation of a seminar organized by Compact, Central Alabama Wellness and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) that was held at Morningstar Methodist Church on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

Among the speakers that were present was Gabrielle Pybus of Central Alabama Wellness, who herself is a survivor of two suicide attempts. During her presentation, Pybus identified the four common classifications of suicide. Those classifications are:

• Egoistic: Which are suicides that occur when an individual suffers from a prolonged sense of not belonging or not being integrated into a community.
• Altruistic: Which are suicides that occur when a person feels that they are sacrificing themselves for the betterment of the group.
• Anomic: Which are suicides that take place when someone feels trapped or are under intense stress. These types of suicides are commonly linked to dramatic social and economic upheavals.
• Fatalistic: Which are suicides that occur when someone is placed under extreme expectations or has, or feels that there is, no way out.

In Dori’s case, there is little doubt to Logan that her daughter could be classified into the first of these categories.

“Honestly, I know in her heart that she felt like no one really cared,” Logan said. “That’s the sad part about somebody that’s in that deep black stage of their life, or in the moment, they think that nobody cares, that nobody loves them—that it would be for the better (for them to take their own life). They do not realize how much of an impact they have made on the world.”

Dori, who made the determination in a video testimony at her church, attached the origins of her depression to the fact that she had never been able to have a positive relationship with her father.

“Sometimes when you want one person to love you so much, and they don’t, you feel like no one else does,” Logan said. “Dori would often feel that no one cared about her, wanted her or would miss her when she was gone. It was the thought that eventually led her to take her own life.”

Knowing the classifications for the types of suicides can not only help in assigning reasoning to what many see as an illogical action, but it can create awareness that serves individuals to better recognize the warning signs that might be generated and might aid them in knowing what situations others might be going through that can present advanced warning.

The Alabama Department of Public Health cites the following as major factors that can indicate an individual’s likelihood to experience suicidal behavior:

• A history of depression, bipolar disorder or other mental illness diagnoses
• A serious personal loss or number of losses and defeats that are taken personally
• Low self-esteem and self-loathing
• Social isolation
• Believing there is no hope for feeling better
• Chronic alcohol or other drug use
• Easy access to the means for dying, such as guns

“There are a lot of resources out there for someone that’s dealing with someone going through this,” Logan said. “There are not just resources for the person that’s having those thoughts or going through that situation, but it’s for the people around them that are supporting them. I think (NAMI) is a great organization.”

Reading the warning signs and opening conversations

Individuals who are suffering from such catalysts, and others, can exhibit multiple common warning signs that can be easily overlooked and must be watched out for with attentive vigilance.

Shelby County Schools’ current awareness program titled, Shelby Cares, lists the following warning signs that can indicate someone may be experiencing problems affecting their mental health.

Those warning signs may include:

• Often feeling anxious or worried
• Having very frequent tantrums or being intensely irritable much of the time
• Having frequent stomach aches or headaches with no physical explanation
• Being in constant motion and unable to sit quietly for any length of time
• Having trouble sleeping and potentially experiencing frequent nightmares
• Losing interest in things he or she used to enjoy
• Avoiding spending time with friends
• Having trouble doing well in school or their grades suddenly decline
• Developing a fear of gaining weight or exercising or dieting obsessively
• Having low or no energy
• Having spells of intense, inexhaustible activity
• Harming herself/himself, which may include cutting or burning her/his skin
• Engaging in risky or destructive behavior
• Harming themselves or others
• Smoking, drinking or using drugs underage
• Openly having thoughts of suicide
• Expressing a belief that their mind is controlled or out of control and/or hearing voices

Alice Farricker, a representative of NAMI Montgomery, also stipulates that even with these warning signs being common indicators, they are not a catch-all, and every case and individual is unique.

While it is important to know the warning signs and common indicators, it is potentially even more important to encourage an open dialogue that makes mental health common in daily discussion.

This was indeed something that was done in Dori’s case. Dori and her mom talked about the issues she faced. Dori was often open about her inner struggles, but could also return to holding them internally. At several times, her depression had led her mom to fear that the worst was inevitable.

“I can’t lie, as a mother, sometimes I would get so frustrated with her and I’m like, ‘You’ve just got to talk.’ And she wouldn’t,” Logan said. “In the last 8-9 months, it just kind of got worse. I thought we were just getting through the hormonal teenage stuff and the emotions around that. Since then, things that I have found and read, she truly was struggling more but, on the outside, she always put up a front.”

This frustration is not an uncommon occurrence in those that seek to help those suffering from mental illness and suicidal tendencies.

“It’s very easy for parents to get overwhelmed because they don’t know how to help their kids in that moment, and they’re panicking themselves sometimes,” Pybus said. “And so, what is coming across for them as worry, may come across as anger for the child, and then the child’s not going to want to reach out for help.”

However, at the time of her death, Dori had finally connected with a counselor that she enjoyed and felt comfortable with, had medications in place and balanced by her lifelong pediatrician and was settling into high school life better than she had before. Despite the normal disagreements that occur between a daughter and mother during adolescence, Logan and Dori’s relationship was also as solid as it had ever been. On all accounts, Logan believed the hard times in Dori’s story to be on the mend and trending toward improvement.

Logan has heard from several in law enforcement and the community that have reached out to say that it is a similar feeling many parents have in the aftermath of tragedies like this.

“I think that is what scares me and motivates me to be a bigger advocate now for mental health, because between me saying I thought we were passed it, even though I still had the doubt, and hearing other families say that, it is just heartbreaking,” Logan said. “I don’t have the words to describe it. As a community, the numbers are way too high and it is absolutely tragic.”

Farricker, like Logan, is also the mother of a child who has been lost to suicide.

“What I have found, is that our kids today are holding so much in and they are not talking,” Farricker said. “We’ve got to get rid of the stigma and get our kids to talk because they’re holding in and they’re not telling us and obviously that’s what she (her daughter) was doing.”

The Local Response

The National Center for Health Statistics finds that the suicide rate among young people ages 10-24 increased 62 percent from 2007 through 2021, from 6.8 deaths to 11 per every 100,000. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. for the entire population, and young adults ages 10-34, it is the second leading cause of death. In 2021, Alabama reported a total of 821 total suicides.

Regardless of any federal focus, the national fight against the suicide epidemic is one that must be fought on the local level, in every home and in every school in the nation. In Shelby County, it is being addressed in a variety of ways, but many believe more needs to be done and quickly.

According to Lina Evans, the Shelby County coroner, there has been a total of 32 suicides so far this year in Shelby County, with three of them being under the age of 18.

“We usually have about 30-35 per year (total),” Evans said. “We’re expecting more, this isn’t going to be the end of it.”

In Chelsea specifically, individuals like Cody Sumners, who serves on the Chelsea City Council and as a Lt. with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, are looking to create change.

“Throughout 25 years of law enforcement, one of the things that has always bothered me more than any other call are the suicides,” Sumners said. “The fact that you’re dealing with a family that is distraught—that’s left behind—and just coming to grips with the fact of how sad it was. How disheartening it was that this person felt like they were in such a deep dark place and couldn’t get out and were in such a state that they thought, ‘This is the only answer.’ That has always bothered me.”

Sumners has worked to provide mental health and crisis intervention team (CIT) training to law enforcement officers since 2016 and was placed on the NAMI Shelby board of directors in 2022.

The morning after Dori’s passing, Sumners received multiple texts, emails and messages from members of the community who felt that something had to be done in Chelsea. Their first meeting was one week after Dori’s death.

“I think we had 15 people that showed up,” Sumners said. “It was parents and we had a couple of teachers and coaches from the middle and high school and we just started spit-balling—throwing out ideas—of what we could do to bring awareness to suicide but really more specifically mental health and how important it is. It’s no different than physical health, mental illness is no different from heart disease, cancer or diabetes it’s just a sickness that’s affecting the brain. We are trying to get rid of the stigma.”

Calling themselves the Chelsea Mental Health Action Committee, the group is focusing on three different aspects that they hope will affect positive change where mental health is concerned in the community.

The first of which is having a presence during community events and having a message that can be presented during these gatherings that will raise awareness. In doing so, they intend to get the names and locations of resources out into the community and let those in need know that help is available.

They also intend to reach out to churches and those within the faith community. Already, the group has made noticeable progress in this category. In several churches, they are now providing youth mental health first aid training that is intended to help pastors, youth pastors and adults in the church who help with the youth on how to correctly handle and react when those in need come to them for help. In these trainings they are also taught how to identify those that may need help. Moving forward, the committee is looking to incorporate teen mental health first aid programs, which would be taught directly to the youth groups.

“Those students are going to go into the schools and look out for each other—and that’s the thing (we need),” Sumners said. “We can train every teacher in the school, every coach in the school and all the adults in these churches, but they only see the kids an hour, or a couple of hours, a day. The kids see each other 24 hours a day, especially when considering social media. They always know what’s going on in everybody’s life. We really want to focus on the kids and teaching them how to look out for each other.”

It is there where the third aspect of focus rests for the committee, the schools. It is their current hope to take on a mental health campaign within the schools that will help students realize they are not alone and that there are resources available to them.

“The ultimate goal is to grow this effort in Chelsea and then expand it throughout the rest of Shelby County,” Sumners said.

Currently, the committee is actively partnered with NAMI Shelby, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Shelby County Commission, the city of Chelsea, Central Alabama Wellness, the Shelby County Board of Education and multiple area churches.

This effort in Chelsea is not the only front in this fight either, with school systems already taking the matter of student mental health very seriously.

Raising awareness in schools

The Shelby County School System also offers similar youth mental first aid training to all staff members as they seek to make the distance between a student and the help they need as short as possible.

“Our school counselors are valuable team members that use state guidelines to help ensure all of our students receive suicide prevention education at an age appropriate level,” said Emily Littrell, the mental health coordinator for SCS.

They have also activated Shelby Cares, which is an all-encompassing program throughout the school district aimed at making mental health a common topic that is discussed openly, safely and responsibly. It seeks to promote a community focused on caring for each other’s stability and mental health.

“Shelby cares is a movement to create a culture of connecting, communicating and caring for one another,” said Dr. Lewis Brooks, superintendent of Shelby County Schools. “It is our effort to work with school personnel and students to increase awareness and emphasize the importance of emotional wellness, teach resilience and build confidence for the journey of life.

In bringing this awareness, it is a chief goal of the program to rid the topic of its stigma and generate positive discussion and awareness that can affect a lasting change in the community.

“I think it is important as we continue to talk about the impact of mental health to continue to have the dialogue,” Brooks said. “We certainly can’t continue to not talk about it. It’s important (that we talk about it).  I don’t want to have to attend any more funerals.”

Similar initiatives, even if they lack branding or specific titles, are also in place and underway in both Pelham and Alabaster city schools.

At Pelham City Schools, Mental Health Coordinator Anna Nicholson works on a daily basis to coordinate mental health services for the students and their families. Examples of these initiatives can be seen in Pelham Park Middle School’s Wall of Hope, where students were invited to write their personal answers to the question “What keeps you moving?” and share it for all to see on the wall. Students also participated in the Steps Towards Healing Walk during PE classes on Friday, Sept. 15. Each of these exercises were all intent on establishing opportunities for reflection and open discussion on the topic of student mental health as well as providing sources of hope and support.

In Alabaster City Schools, the administration also offers free parenting classes for parents in the district that cover parenting strategies and how best to address situations if their kids bring up topics surrounding mental health. They also have openly available counselors and through their website offer a mental health referral form that students are encouraged to use.

“All of our counselors have an open-door policy for students,” said Sherrita Drake, the mental health coordinator for Alabaster City Schools. “In the event that they are feeling suicidal—or they have fears that their friends are suicidal—or are in a crisis, they can always come to the counseling suite. They will talk to the peer, occasionally they will call me in too and I can come in and talk to them. We can assist in that way.”

Drake, who is a social worker and former child and adolescent therapist, is also part of the school’s crisis team which includes counselors and bi-lingual counselors for ESL (English as a second language) students. She also publishes and sends out a mental health newsletter each month that is distributed to parents and staff at the school. The school resource officers are also trained to undergo risk assessments.

“We try to make it a real team effort, and we have a large team at our disposal for our students who are facing any kind of crisis,” Drake said.

This past May, as part of mental health awareness month, students at ACS were also given silicone bracelets emboldened with the phrase “Mental health matters, Warriors break the stigma.” On the reverse side of the band, these bracelets also included hotline numbers and resources so that every student would be made aware of them.

“Our students know if they need help, or need any kind of mental health assistance, they know who they can go to and they know it is multiple people at each school they can go to,” Drake said.

Shrinking the statistic

When it comes to a matter like mental health and suicide, it is important to remember that even with every resource, even with a steadfast awareness, it sometimes isn’t enough to overcome what someone may be facing internally.

“She had all of the resources, but the scary part is that not every child has that or has a supportive family member, no matter who it is, that can get them help,” Logan said. “I want to make that change and get her story out there.”

Dori’s story is a sad reminder that even when the catalysts, warning signs and symptoms are identified and actively being treated, it sometimes still isn’t enough. But that doesn’t mean attempts can ever be lessened or attention ever faltered in trying to ensure that more aren’t added to a rising and troubling statistic.

“We see that youth suicide ideation, attempt and completion have been steadily going on the rise amongst all age groups,” Pybus said. “We’ve also seen an uptick in individuals wanting to get mental health treatment—which we love. We want them to get that mental health treatment. We want them to get that before there’s the thoughts of suicide.”

Brandi Logan chooses to view the loss of Dori as her fulfilling her ultimate purpose, a purpose that, through education and awareness, helps countless others who are also combatting darkness within themselves and their own lives. She also views this as her new mission, to take part in making that change.

“If her story changes one person, if they can think about Dori while they are in that deep dark moment, or something that I have said, something they’ve read and realize that it’s not the end of their story, that just gives me hope,” Logan said. “Every kid matters, and we’ve got to make a change. Dori is still moving mountains. Her story is not over, because she has made a huge impact and I continue her story and her fight.”

The post A Silent Struggle: Fighting to make a difference in mental health and suicide prevention appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

WESTOVER – Westover resident Barry Nobles was recently declared the UCI Masters BMX World Champion of 2023 after participating in a competition in Glasgow, Scotland.

Nobles has been racing BMX for 25 years and discussed his journey to being declared a world champion.

“I actually won my first amateur world championship in 2003, exactly 23 years from this event,” he said. “I hadn’t done a world championship in a couple years, and it was just the right time. I thought, ‘Let’s get back on the international stage after stepping away for a few years.’ And I went over to Scotland and did what I needed to do and came home with the world title.”

Nobles and his family have been residents of Westover since 2019 and he learned his craft here in Shelby County at Oak Mountain State Park.

“There was a BMX track there and I fell in love with the sport,” he said. “Here we are 25 years later, still doing it as a profession and a full-time job.”

Nobles emphasized the importance of his background when it came to representing Alabama on the global stage.

“I grew up with much less than a lot of guys who have reached the top in this sport and to do it from a small town in Alabama makes it that much more special because we haven’t had anyone in the sport really form the south that’s done what I’ve done,” he said.

Despite making it to the top, Nobles still takes the time to share his craft with others and share his love of BMX with young aspiring athletes.

“I work with kids all over the country a lot and, when I’m on the road, I try to reach out and do coaching at the tracks that are from small towns just because those kids don’t have a local pro rider to look up to, just like me,” he said. “I didn’t have a local rider here in Birmingham, a pro rider to look up to and learn from. I really had to trial and error and kind of learn as I go and ended up making it work.”

Nobles shared that one of his goals is to potentially set up training here in Shelby County.

“That’s kind of the long term goal is to get something here and for all levels and all ages of bicycle riders,” he said.

Westover Mayor Larry Riggins honored and recognized Nobles accomplishment with a proclamation during a recent Westover City Council Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

“We are very honored and proud to have a world champion living right here in Westover,” Riggins said.

In his proclamation, Riggins declared Sept. 9, 2023 as Barry Nobles World Champion Day in the city of Westover.

“(We) encourage our citizens to join together in observing this day and supporting our neighbor in offering congratulations to him and his family for this great accomplishment,” Riggins said in his proclamation.

The post Barry Nobles of Westover named BMX World Champion appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.