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STARNES PUBLISHING Publisher: Dan Starnes Managing Editor: Sydney Cromwell Design Editor: Kristin Williams Director of Photography: Frank Couch Editorial Assistant: Lucy Ridolphi Community Reporter: Erica Techo Copy Editor: Louisa Jeffries Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett
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INSIDE
Publisher’s Note By Dan Starnes
THE BEGINNING
From early settlers to the ‘Big Narrows’ breakthrough ............ 6
PRIDE & PROGRESS
Chelsea’s one-and-(currently)-only mayor has seen it all..... 12
GAME NIGHT LEADERS
Snapshots of young men and women who don the Blue ..... 16
MEET OUR PEOPLE
Get to know a few of the faces of Chelsea ............................... 18
WELDON: A LOOK INSIDE
Iconic landmark still special to the city of Chelsea ............... 23
CITY’S EYES, EARS
Residents take safety into their own hands ............................. 24
WHAT’S IN STORE
Growth in all areas of Chelsea on the horizon....................... 26
For such a young city, Chelsea has already created a lot of love and loyalty from its residents. As we created this special edition to mark the 20th anniversary of Chelsea’s incorporation, we heard the same thing everywhere we went: “I love this city for its atmosphere and its people.” From the early families whose descendants still live here to the recognizable faces around the city, this magazine is all about you, your neighbors and your friends. Because it’s the people that have made Chelsea a great place to live and work. I hope you enjoy this look at Chelsea’s past, present and future.
Your Home
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CHELSEA: BY THE NUMBERS
INC
YEAR INCORPORATED
1996 MEDIAN AGE*
DOB
34
POPULATION 1996
906 JULY 2014*
11,758
POPULATION GROWTH (2000-10)
152% GENDER OF POPULATION* FEMALE
51.5
MALE
48.5
*LATEST DATA PROVIDED BY THE 2014 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU’S POPULATION ESTIMATES PROGRAM SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
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THE BEGINNING Throughout a span of nearly two centuries, transportation paves way for Chelsea’s growth
An illustration of “the Big Narrows” providing a route over the mountains from Chelsea to Birmingham. Photos courtesy of Bobby Joe Seales.
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By SYDNEY CROMWELL
he story of Chelsea’s growth is centered around transportation. The c eation of the A.B. & A. Railroad and U.S. 280 enabled a tiny settlement initially called Coalville and Melrose to grow into a city. As the former director of the Shelby County Museum and Archives, Bobby Joe Seales has spent years collecting newspaper clippings, U.S. Census records and other knowledge about the history of Chelsea. Seales’ records show the earliest settlers in the Chelsea area came in the mid-1800s to farm. Th y built a small community and would have made multiday trips by wagon to nearby towns such as Pelham and Bessemer for supplies and trading. A copy of a 1904 map of Shelby County shows Coalville as one of many tiny towns dotting the area, far from any of the railroad lines or signifi ant roads. The 1910 Census which called Chelsea’s precinct the “Yellow Leaf area,” indicated most residents were farming or working at the sawmill, with a few mining, working on the railroad or setting up a handful of businesses. The e was a small schoolhouse with seven teachers. The A. . & A. railroad was established in 1908, and it was most likely then that railroad official gave the town its new name of Chelsea. That name would offici ly appear in the 1920 Census. As evidenced by reading Seales’ archives of
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newspapers from the time, the people of Chelsea were interested in forming a community. The pages of newspapers such as the Shelby County Sun were fi led with reports on the success of local businesses, where people were traveling or getting jobs. Alongside the marriage and death notices, the papers also published jokes and commentary on whatever news — small or large
See HISTORY | page 8
Left: Elizabeth Crane Gilbert and Ellery Jasper Gilbert. Ellery was the Census taker for Chelsea’s precinct in 1910, 1920 and 1930. Above: Early residents of Coalville, which was named after a mine nearby. Coalville would eventually be renamed Chelsea.
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HISTORY
CONTINUED from page 7
Above: The J.I. Crane Store sold dry and canned goods in Chelsea. It was also the home of the Chelsea Post Office at one time. (L to R) Lloyd Blackerby, Lawson Blackerby, Postmaster Albert Blackerby, Chelsea School Principal Lewis Blackerby and John Davis. Right: Frank and Dovie Chesser owned one of the early mercantile stores in Chelsea. Far right: George and Vassie Weldon opened Weldon’s Grocery Store in Chelsea in 1908.
— was going on. A June 1911 copy of the Shelby County Sun included a column of “Chelsea items” that would look strange or even nonsensical in a modern newspaper: “The singing at Ch lsea schoolhouse Sunday evening was a success.” “Health good with few exceptions.” “Mr. J.H. Adams of Nocatee, Florida, passed through here Monday enroute [sic] to Birmingham with a car of watermelons. Hurrah for Shelby’s boys. Th y are coming to the front; and just think, our magic city gets the first shipment of melons this season.” “Some of our young men spent Sunday in Sterrett.” “From the way Professors Willies are keeping the roads hot, we will eat cake soon.” For the people who lived and worked in Chelsea at the time, there were three places to purchase supplies: Franklin Chesser’s store, C. Walter Chesser’s store and George Weldon’s store. The
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101-year-old Weldon store still stands in Chelsea today. The sole teleg aph operator, Harry Clary, lived with the Weldon family. Chelsea received its first hone connection in 1911. An April 1911 issue of the Sun noted the work going on in Chelsea with the phones, saying, “we notice telephone bells now ring at Chelsea, and we hope we will soon have good connections with the whole county and elsewhere.” A June issue of the same paper that year included, amid reports on crops and gossip about local visitors, the notice that a new drug store had opened. “The n w drug store is open for inspection,” the paper said. “Boys, come and bring your ladies to Chelsea.”
See HISTORY | page 10
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Left: Washday at Kendrick Springs. From left: Era Kendrick, Ruby Kendrick, Effie Stone Kendrick and Hattie Kendrick. Above: A baptism at Liberty Baptist Church. Top left: This house was the Coalville Post Office until about 1908. After that, it was the home of Pinkney Gilbert and his family until 1924.
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HISTORY
CONTINUED from page 9
Above: Chelsea School students in 1946. From left: Faye Christian, Alvion Olderson, May Lang, Charlotte Parker, R.U. Parker, Christine Maddox, Pauline Salster (kneeling), J.T. Johnson, Mary Harper, Sterling Moore, Opal Alverson, Lera Jean Kendrick, W.J. Ferguson, Erlene Moore. Right: Students at the Kendrick Springs School, about 1903.
Chelsea’s first high s hool opened in October 1912, with S.P. Williamson as the first p incipal and main teacher. The e were about 100 students for the first te m. By 1913 a Chelsea baseball team had been established and played teams from surrounding Shelby County towns on its own diamond. As Chelsea was growing around the railroad and sawmill, blasting began to build “the Big Narrows,” as residents called the path that would become U.S. 280. Building the Big Narrows was a slow toil, Seales said, built by prisoners on work release and members of the Works Progress Administration. But one particular tragedy stood out in the history of the road. A November 1906 article in the Columbiana Sentinel stated Robert Kendrick, a merchant who owned other early Chelsea stores, was killed when a dynamite blast sent a rock into the air, falling through the roof of his store and onto Kendrick’s head. Seales said the rock was placed on Kendrick’s grave. The n w highway created by the Big Narrows would not be completed and opened to traffi until the end of 1932. Once U.S. 280 was complete, the direct access to Birmingham made Chelsea’s residents and businesses increase. It was just a few years later that Chelsea’s first
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Above: The Narrows were constructed by the 1930s and opened a route from Chelsea to Birmingham. Below: Left: Rex Tavern was the first restaurant in Chelsea and opened in 1936.
restaurant, Rex Tavern, opened. “The arrows is very important as part of Chelsea’s history,” Seales said. Over the ensuing decades, Chelsea increasingly became part of Birmingham’s outlying suburbs and metro area. By the 1970s, Chelsea was hot real estate; Seales provided an Oct. 13, 1977, article from the Shelby County Reporter talking about increasing property values in the area. “Chelsea is one of the most desirable places to live in Birmingham,” real estate broker Brooks Emory said in the article. “Everything along 280 is desirable now, because U.S. 31 is such a nightmare.” By the time Chelsea’s 906 residents incorporated in 1996,
many of the signs of the town’s earliest years had been erased by development. However, some buildings remain standing. The Chelsea Ci y Library is housed inside the Crane home, which was built by the Chesser family in the late 1800s. And when the city was considering tearing down the Weldon store in 2003 as part of a roadstraightening project, Chelsea residents showed their support for preserving the building, and the Weldon store still stands. These sites along with historical markers and other preserved locations around the city, stand in testament to the farmers, miners, merchants and teachers who came to Coalville and built it into Chelsea.
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PRIDE & PROGRESS Earl Niven, the only man to serve as Chelsea’s mayor throughout its 20-year history, looks back on city growth, projects Earl Niven has been Chelsea’s sole mayor since its incorporation in 1996. Photo by Frank Couch.
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ncorporating Chelsea on March 1, 1996, was about preserving Chelsea’s values. “We had a group of people that put their heads together and said, ‘Wait a minute. Look up Highway 280,’” Mayor Earl Niven said. “’We’ve got other municipalities coming our way, and if they get Highway 280, they don’t care about the [Chelsea] residents, and if we lose Highway 280, how can we provide services to our people?’” After incorporation, the group made a trail of annexations down to Chelsea High School, Niven said, to annex it and make sure it was not in another municipality. “We wanted to provide and protect what was ours,” Niven said. “And the best thing we could do in protecting what was ours was to put a border around areas that we were concerned about.” ˜ e city had annexations toward the high school, up and down U.S. 280 and in a few other sections to help establish those borders. “If you look at the ÿ rst map of Chelsea, it would look like a plate of chicken ÿ ngers,” Niven said. After establishing those borders, Chelsea began ÿ lling in the gaps between the “chicken ÿ ngers.” To this day, Niven said, Chelsea has continued to annex land as it has grown. “It’s totally di˛ erent from what we were on March 1, 1996,” Niven said. “I think one of the biggest things that has made the city of Chelsea successful is the organization that we have had since Day 1.” To help plan for Chelsea’s future development, committees formed to determine what the community was looking for and what projects the city should begin. “˜ ere was Highway 280 in front of us, but we didn’t have water down Highway 280,” he said. “So there’s no development without water.”
1ST BIG PROJECTS
Two of Chelsea’s ÿ rst big projects, Niven said, were aimed at the future. One was constructing a city hall building; the other was bringing water to the Chelsea Park subdivision. ˜ e ÿ rst mayor’s o˝ ce was in Niven’s home. After about two years, the First National Bank in Chelsea o˛ ered the city the upstairs portion of their building for the mayor’s of-
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Mayor Earl Niven remembers being worried to take out the $2 million loan to build City Hall so early in Chelsea’s life as a city, but he feels it helped put the city on the map. Photos by Frank Couch.
The recently completed community center is one example of how a young city like Chelsea is trying to bring in more families.
ÿ ce. ˜ e council used the boardroom for meetings, and Niven’s o˝ ce and the city clerk’s o˝ ce were limited to a few hundred square feet. A few years later, Niven decided to begin work on a city hall. ˜ e city borrowed $2 million to build it, which he said helped establish Chelsea as a city with plans for the future. “City Hall, that was a big growth for our city,” Niven said. “I don’t think the people recognized how important it was to have a city hall like we have, that people can see and realize we know what we have in Chelsea. We know the city we have, and we know the growth and the future that we have.” ˜ e next project to tackle, Niven said, was bringing water to some of Chelsea’s neighborhoods. “Eddleman [Residential] had said, ‘˜ is is going to be a 3,000-home subdivision,’ and he had already started developing, but with no
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Taking out $5 million as a city that was less than 8 years old was no small task, Niven said. “It was scary for me because I have always paid my bills, and if I’m going to be associated with any organization, we’re going to pay our bills,” he said. “We had to have faith in our city, that it’s going to grow and we’re going to provide for our people. So the $5 million went in, and then Wal-Mart came, and then all the other stores came in to where right now, if we don’t get another penny from these water taps, we’ve got our investment back from the sales tax that has come into our city.” ˜ e water helped bring houses to Chelsea, which brought in people, which brought in businesses, he said. A city that incorporated with 906 people now has more than 10,000.
FAVORITE PROJECTS
Over the past 20 years, Chelsea has grown from a couple subdivisions to 48, as well as an established ÿ re department, a community center, a softball complex and a second sports complex underway. ˜ ose projects bring Niven the most pride. ˜ e Chelsea Fire Department was established in 2000, starting o˛ with a paid, part-time ÿ re chief and ÿ reÿ ghters working eight-hour shifts. ˜ ere are now eight ÿ reÿ ghters on duty 24 hours a day, as well as the full-time chief and sta˛ , at two ÿ re stations. ˜ e city has plans to purchase land for one more station water,” Niven said. “He couldn’t fully this year. ˜ e ÿ re department has also develop without water.” been an accomplishment, Niven said, Niven met with Shelby County because all of their ÿ re equipment to discuss bringing water down U.S. has been paid for in cash. 280. ˜ e county said it could not put With other projects, Niven the water line in, so it was up to the said it might appear he has been city. Chelsea borrowed $3 million to “sports-minded.” But the sports combuild the line and turned it over to plexes already built or in the works Shelby County. In return, Niven said, help Chelsea appeal to 30- and Chelsea would get tap fees every 40-year-olds with families, he said. time a house requested a water meter. For families looking to move to “Even today, we get the tap fees Chelsea, a good school system and for everything that is opened up on children’s activities are critical. Chelsea Park’s water line,” he said. Improving and maintaining ChelA sewer line, built by ˜ ornton sea’s schools has also been a high Homes and Double Oak Water Rec- priority since the beginning, Niven lamation, followed after the water said. ˜ e ÿ rst City Council had three line was installed. former teachers, Niven included, “˜ ose are the two things, the and one of their goals was to ensure water and the sewer, that set Chelsea proper education funding. aÿ re,” Niven said. “Because [Chelsea “Education was not getting the is] a perfect location for growth bemoney that it should be getting, cause Inverness is building out, and you get into the top of the mountain, See MAYOR | page 14 and we are next.”
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MAYOR
CONTINUED from page 13 and any way that we could help, we needed to,” Niven said. ˜ is started with $10,000 given to each school annually from the city, and now that number has grown to $25,000 per school. Now approaching a total of $3 million, city donations have funded projects such as the road to Forest Oaks Elementary and the construction of Forest Oaks’ gymnasium. “It’s been a pleasure for me to serve. It hasn’t always been easy, but nothing is easy in life unless there’s a struggle to get there,” Niven said. “Working with great people in Chelsea and coming together with ideas, and then the support in developing these ideas has made us what we are today.”
STEPPING AWAY
At a Co° ee with the Mayor event in January, Niven said a woman approached him and asked him about being Chelsea’s only mayor. When
Earl Niven wears a T-shirt supporting Chelsea’s incorporation leading up to the vote in 1995. Photo courtesy of Bobby Joe Seales.
he said he planned to retire and not seek re-election, she asked him why. “She said, ‘Well I think it’s sort of nice being the only mayor of the city, and I think it should continue that way,’” Niven said. Niven said regardless of the job he’s done, after 20 years people might want to bring in new people with new ideas.
“˜ ere are other people with other ideas that can make this city great, greater than what it is today,” Niven said. “But it is a super city.” When Chelsea was ÿ rst incorporated, they did not know much about running a city, Niven said, but help from the councils enabled Chelsea to look toward the future and plan for growth.
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“I think the success that Chelsea has comes from not just the mayor, but the mayor and the various councils that we have had over these 20 years,” Niven said. “You’ve got to love Chelsea and don’t take a job as a councilman or the mayor as your main source of living. Take a job with the city because you love the area and you want to make it a better place to live.” Becky Landers, who has been Chelsea’s city clerk for 10 years, said Niven’s love for Chelsea is one reason it has been able to ˝ ourish. Not having Niven as mayor will be a change, Landers said, but she is not worried about Chelsea’s future. “He’s developed a really good foundation for this city,” she said. In retirement, Niven said he plans to travel and spend time with his grandchildren. He said that while 20 years seems like a long time to serve as mayor, it did not feel like it. “In a sense, it doesn’t seem like 20 years,” Niven said, “but a couple of weeks ago I saw a picture of when I took my oath of o˙ ce. ˜ ere’s been a change in hair color.”
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GAME NIGHT LEADERS Photos by Cari Dean
W
hether it’s football, basketball, band or wrestling, Chelsea loves its Hornets. When it’s game night, the stands aren’t just ÿ lled with students — there are parents, neighbors, church pastors and other community members there to cheer on their young athletes in blue. ° e young men and women who put on their jerseys and uniforms today to represent the Hornets will be some of the same leaders who help guide Chelsea’s future.
Allie Miller
No. 84 Zach Adams
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Ben Prater announcing basketball players.
Noel Glenn on snare drum, Julianna Martin on bass drum.
Josh Gregg
CHS alumnus Jake Ganus with, left to right: No. 44 Blake Travelstead, No. 27 David Hardenbergh and No. 6 Michael Waller.
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CHELSEA:
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MEET OUR PEOPLE
In honor of Chelsea celebrating its 20th anniversary, we asked a few residents share some of their favorite memories of life in Chelsea.
BECKY LANDERS
CASEY MORRIS
CITY CLERK OF CHELSEA
BARISTA AT GROUND UP COFFEE AND SMOOTHIES
Q: What do you like about Chelsea? A: I love the people who live here. Even though I don’t live here in Chelsea, I spend a lot of my time here. We have the best businesses here too. I really enjoy Becky Landers poses at a display my relationship with our business table for the city of Chelsea. people! Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea memory? A: Some more of my favorite memories here in Chelsea are from the puppet show our library does every summer for the reading program. My grandchildren love it and also the many other children who attend the presentation every year. It is performed by North Shelby Baptist Church Youth here at City Hall, and they do a great, powerful presentation.
Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: Being in Chelsea my whole life, I have
seen a lot of growth and change here, but one thing remains the same and that is the genuine care and support Chelsea residents show towards one another and the city itself. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea memory? A: I have many great memories of my life in Chelsea from playing football and baseball at Chelsea High School, winning Mr. Relay two years in a row at the Chelsea Relay for Life, opening my own business, Snowpocalypse 2014, weekends spent with friends and family.
Casey Morris with his wife, Rachel, and daughter, Alyssa, at a Chelsea football game.
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MEET OUR PEOPLE MANDA O’CONNELL
JAKE GANUS
HOME-BASED TRAVEL AGENT, PART TIME SALES ASSOCIATE AT SEW PRECIOUS CHELSEA, FULL-TIME MOM
FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER, CHELSEA HIGH, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Q: How long have you been in
Chelsea? A: 17 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: Chelsea has a small town feel with city conveniences. It is a great place to raise a family. We love attending Chelsea football and basketball games with friends. We also enjoy supporting the Chelsea High School band. It is exciting to see how much the city has grown since we have been here. The O’Connell family, from Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea left, Tom, Davis, Manda and memory? Madison, poses for a picture. A: Our annual traditions of attending the Chelsea Christmas parade, Santa coming by our house on the ÿ re truck, and the Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church (Morningstar United Methodist).
Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley stands beside his father, Donald Shirley, who got his son started in firefighting 35 years ago.
WAYNE SHIRLEY FIRE CHIEF, CHELSEA FIRE AND RESCUE
Q: How long have you been in Chelsea? A: 47 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: ° e community atmosphere. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea memory? A: Family Christmas gatherings, riding dirt bikes with my son and my
dad, and being appointed ÿ re chief.
Q: How long have you lived in Chelsea? A: A little over seven years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: I like the small town feel it has and the great people that live here. Chelsea has everything you need, but if they don’t have it, it’s probably not too far away. Also, I met my ÿ ancée in Chelsea, so I am Jake Ganus, a linebacker for the forever grateful for that. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea University of Georgia Bulldogs, poses with his now fiancée Peyton memory? Thomas of Chelsea. A: My junior year we played at Sylacauga High School. We were down 13 points with about 6 minutes left to play. We came all the way back and won 35-34. ° e fans stormed the ÿ eld, and it was by far the best game I have played in and one of my favorite memories.
DAVID INGRAM DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, UAB DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS AT CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA; CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Q: How long have you lived in Chelsea? A: 31 years. Q: Why do you like living in Chelsea? A: ° e pride of people in our community and the family atmosphere. Q: What’s your favorite place to go in Chelsea and why? A: Baseball park, softball park, David Ingram stands with his football ÿ elds and our community family, from left: daughter Kinlee, basketball game. Anywhere that our son Dawson, daughter Sara and wife Kristi. youth are competing and having fun. Q: What is your favorite memory of your life in Chelsea? A: High school with my mother as my teacher. High school baseball coach Roger Taylor. Youth baseball and coaching my son, Dawson, and all the other outstanding kids in Chelsea.
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MEET OUR PEOPLE DR. JEANETTE CAMPISI-SNIDER PRINCIPAL, CHELSEA PARK ELEMENTARY
Q: How long have you been in Chelsea? A: 10 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? Dr. Jeanette Campisi-Snider said her A: I absolutely love living favorite memory of Chelsea is creating and working in the Chelsea the playground at Chelsea Park. area because Chelsea has such a small-town atmosphere where everyone knows each other. ˜ e people of Chelsea share values and a vision of growth that is family-oriented. ˜ e local city government, including Mayor Earl Niven, have been so supportive of our schools. ˜ e ÿ nancial contributions to Chelsea Park Elementary and to the other Chelsea schools have been signiÿ cant in helping our schools reach and maintain the quality of education we currently provide for the children of Chelsea. ˜ e Chelsea Fire Department and the Shelby County Sheri˛ s’ Department have also proved to be valuable friends in helping keep our school safe. ˜ e addition of the newly built senior citizen building illustrates the city of Chelsea’s commitment to provide for all of its citizens. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea memory? A: I guess my favorite memory of life at Chelsea Park would be the addition of our wonderful playground. When the school was built, there was no playground. However, with the help of $30,000 grant, a very nice donation from the newly built Wal-Mart, and Shelby County Board of Education, we were able to build a state-of-the art playground for our students. We were able to build a large playground with an adjoining smaller playground for kindergarten. We have since added equipment to meet the needs of students with special needs. Our next “dream come true” is a walking track which we hope to have completed by this summer.
JEFF SEABOLT OWNER, ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE SUPPLY
Q: How long have you been in Chelsea? A: 15 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: I like the small town atmosphere with big town amenities. It feels like The Seabolt family, from left, Dylan, Trussville in the ’80s, which Emma, mother Angie, Morgan and Jeff, is where I grew up. pose for a group picture. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea memory? A: Raising my three children in the community. My wife and I have been hands-on parents and it’s so rewarding watching them all grow and develop.
Hilltop Montessori School
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MEET OUR PEOPLE CHRIS GEORGE
DANA POLK
CHIEF DEPUTY, SHELBY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
DIRECTOR, CHELSEA PUBLIC LIBRARY
Q: How long have you been in Chelsea? A: 17 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? The George family, from left, Luke, A: Chelsea has great schools Lisa, Andrew, Christopher and and an atmosphere that feels like Chris, takes a selfie before the home. Although it has grown Christmas parade. dramatically over the past 15 years, Chelsea continues to foster the feeling of “family ÿ rst.” We built our forever home here, knowing that business and other providers such as medical and dental will continue to move down 280. We rarely go over the mountain and shop local as much as we can. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea memory? A: ˜ ree years ago, we broke ground on our home that we designed to raise our boys. Our home is nestled away in what I have thought of as home for as long as I can remember. Our boys spend nearly every day running through the woods, jumping in the creek or riding their bikes through the neighborhood. We are building memories every day. And don’t forget about the Christmas parade!
Q: How long have you been in Chelsea? A: Almost 18 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: I love the atmosphere of Chelsea. You know you are in a small (at least used to be small) town, but you don’t have to go far for work, shopping or entertainment. Q: What’s your favorite Chelsea Dana Polk, director of the public memory? A: ˜ ere are so many memories, library, holds her library card. but the one I keep going back to is just watching the city grow. I remember when 280 was just two lanes from Inverness all the way through Chelsea. ˜ ere used to be a trailer parked on the bank that is no longer there, by the Kangaroo that was a gift shop. I loved stopping and shopping there. I bought my son his ÿ rst teddy bear there. ˜ at was just over 29 years ago.
LORI NIVEN KING
MIRANDA CARTER
CITY TREASURER
OWNER OF JOHNNY RAY’S BBQ IN CHELSEA
Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: Chelsea is a very close-knit community. I was raised here, and I loved raising my two girls, Cindy and Kristen, here as well. Q: What’s your favorite place to go in Chelsea and why? A: I love being at home babysitting my new granddaughter, McKenna. She is my joy. I have another granddaughter due in April. Q: What’s your favorite memory of life in Chelsea? A: My favorite memories are at Lori Niven King holds her Christmastime. As a child growing up, granddaughter, McKenna, for a my mama and daddy made each one Christmas photo. very special with warmth and love. I hope I have instilled those same memories for my children as they were growing up.
Q: How long have you lived in Chelsea? A: 12 years. Q: What do you like about living in Chelsea? A: Chelsea is all about family. ˜ e schools, city and business community strive to promote family activities and include everyone. Q: What’s your favorite place Juliana Swinford, left, and Miranda to go in Chelsea and why? Carter pose at Miranda’s favorite A: My favorite event is ChelChelsea event: the Booapalooza. sea’s Booapalooza. It is always so fun to see all the kids, parents and business owners dressed up. Q: What’s your favorite memory of your life in Chelsea? A: My favorite memory is Johnny Ray’s celebrating our 10-year anniversary. ˜ e mayor, Citizens on Patrol and South Shelby Chamber of Commerce surprised me with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and plaque. It was overwhelming how many people from my community came to share their support for my business.
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WELDON: T
A LOOK INSIDE
By SYDNEY CROMWELL
he Weldon store, one of Chelsea’s most iconic landmarks, was built in 1915, and it was in operation until the 1970s. It is the successor to an earlier store built by George and Vassie Weldon. Mayor Earl Niven, a lifetime Chelsea resident, said he still remembers when the building was the main shopping spot in town. “I could sit right here, and I can visualize walking into that store,” Niven said. “To the left was the Coke box. … Up on the wall — and it’s not there now, but I wish it was — it was movie stars, an 8-by-10 of John Wayne and Betty Grable and all the old famous photos.” Velarie Weldon, the daughter of the original owners, kept a number of movie star photos on the wall of the Weldon store. According to a May 1975 article about the store in the Shelby County Reporter, the Widemire Ice Company from Sylacauga provided the photos. Children could save the tops of their ice cream cups and trade them for a photo of their favorite celebrity. Velarie often had to help the children decide which photo to get. Niven also remembers the ice cream box, where you could grab bread and where you would get a wedge of cheese or salami sliced just how you liked it. “And then you had a candy counter, it was a glass counter, and you’d just stand there as a little kid looking in there at all the candy,” Niven said. His family bought groceries at the store, where shoppers could buy anything from horse feed or clothes to bread. “A lot of memories,” he said.
Photos by Frank Couch.
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SPECIAL EDITION
CHELSEA TURNS 20
CITY’S EYES, EARS Residents take city’s safety into their own hands with the Citizen Observer Patrol — a program still running strong after 15 years A member of the Citizen Observer Patrol helps monitor crowds during the Chelsea Christmas Parade. Photo by Frank Couch.
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acting, and I can pretty much tell them what is wrong with it just by talking,” Shirley said. Chelsea COP members help out in the community however they can. Th y help direct traffic ound car crashes and traffic ccidents, pick up community members who cannot drive, direct the Christmas parade and patrol local businesses. “Th y drive through your neighborhood when you’re out of town, just to keep an eye out, if you notify us and let us know that you’re going to be out of town,” Niven said. Members are required to volunteer at least 12 hours a month, July 2015 B25 Shirley said, but • around 20 or 30 members are very active, like himself, and consistently surpass that requirement. “We don’t have to get in very much time, but last month I got in 46 hours,” he said. “Twelve hours is all that’s required, so I went way June 2015 | Volume 8 | Issue 10 over.” Some COP members also work to stay active in the community by
By ERICA TECHO
A
fter 15 years, Chelsea’s Citizen Observer Patrol (COP) program continues to go strong. COP member and lifelong Chelsea resident Donald Shirley was the 28th person to join the organization, and Shirley said their numbers have continued to grow. The e are now around 110 individuals involved in the COP program, he said, and they recently added another car to their fleet in 2015 “It sounds like everybody is happy The Citizen Observer Patrol280Living.com in Chelsea has a faux police car with a with the COP program, with the November 2015 | Volume 9 | Issue 3 cardboard cutout driver that they park in different locations to deter way it keeps growing,” Shirley said. Berry Middle girls speeding. Photo by Frank Couch. “And the mayor keeps backing it up win Metro South golf with whatever we need.” championship on a tour, we call the sheriff ’s dereport of the vehicles, and Shirley Mayor Earl Niven said he apprewill determine if work needs to be partment that we’re going to be out, ciates the work COP does, whether done. Most work he can complete we’re in car so-and-so, and if you it’s a basic patrol or helping with ly news & entertainment need me call me.” by hand, he said. In addition to traffic ntrol. Dawgs maintaining COP vehicles, Shirley Shirley also serves as the COP “COP is the eyes and ears of helps out drivers in Chelsea having “maintenance supervisor,” which Chelsea,” Niven said. “Th y have no car trouble. means he helps maintains the arrest authority, but they go out and handmade Students bring warmth to warriors through quilts NEW “If they’ve got a problem, theyCHURCH LAUNCH ON 280 group’s fi e vehicles. At their they’re in contact with the sheriff ’s 280Living.com August 2015 • A15 can normally tell me how their car’s monthly meetings, members give a department. Every time we go out See PATROL | page 27 Encouraging Messages
80 iving
Stitching hope
Pathway Pediatrics opens Chelsea office
as he takes ulldogs.
See page C1
A12 • January 2016
280 Living Berry Middle School’s Girls Golf team won the Metro South championship.
Berry Middle School’s girls golf team won its third straight title by winning the Metro South Girls Golf Championship at Highland Park Golf Course. Eight area middle schools sent their top players to compete in a nine-hole end-of-the-year tournament. Berry, Bumpus, Hewitt-Trussville, Homewood, Liberty Park, Mountain Brook, Pizitz and Simmons competed in the annual event.
B20 • April 2015
The individual champion was Sarah Kate DeCarlo from Pizitz Middle School with a score of 42. Berry was first with a team score of 142, followed by Hewitt-Trussville (154) and Pizitz (155). Berry team members are Caroline McCabe, Lauren Choi and Jaxi Arterburn. Pizitz team members are Sarah Kate DeCarlo, Rachel Kaiser and Emily Kirby.
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Chelsea fi st state wrestling champion first
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’50s-themed nigh
YEAR IN PREVIEW
By DAVID KNOX programs in Chelsea at the time. who worked in Chelsea from 2004“I couldn’t find any place,” Led2009, became theLedbetter second doctor on Aaron made school hisbetter said. So he took his sons to tory when he captured the Class 6A Alabaster and got them started in the When Dr. Leslie Sawyer and phystaff on July 20. Her arrival comes 120-pound title at the AHSAA WresWarrior Wrestling Club. “Over time, cian assistant Megan Moore decided at the perfect time to keep everything tling Championships in Huntsville. I recruited some other prospective o go into business together, they were moving, as Ledbetter, Moore aisChelsea due High withjunior, her wrestlers to come over there with me.” wonin hisAugust. school’s first wrestling chamAfter a while, he enlisted Ken old many times their partnership second child pionship with a sudden victory over Waller to help start a wrestling proouldn’t work. However, there was “We are Muscle really Shoals’ excited she isShankles coming Brennen in gram in Chelsea. final. area,” Moore said. Aaron said of Waller, “He’s had o way either could operate their busiback to thethe Chelsea Ledbetter finished with a record of a huge impact on our wrestling proess, Pathway Pediatrics, by herself. “She has a44-17 large base and will for client the season. gram. He’s really helped manage the In less than a year, their partnership bring a lot ofSudden patients withis her.” victory an overtime program, and when we didn’t have a period the wrestlers are tied after head coach, he took on a huge role to as worked so well thatOak theyMountain recently Middle School teacher Melinda Gargiulo shows her students how a finished quilt will look. The students are making the quilts Although the ifprocess of opening a three periods. keep things going. of Covered With Love, a project to donate quilts to local veterans. Photo by Sydney Cromwell. pened a second officeasofpart Pathway second location hasn’t been always Ledbetter was anxious about the “If it weren’t for him, we might championship opponent not even have a wrestling program.” ediatrics, located in Chelsea. easy, the women agreematch. that His their faith By SYDNEY CROMWELL project to involve her sixth, seventh and eighth like a bigger and better idea and would involve had beaten the wrestler Ledbetter had The high school program began at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen will host its ss helping After completing her pediatric got them through. lost to in sectionals. Chelsea High when Aaron was in the annual block party this month. Find all grade classes. A friend told her about Three Hots all my students, not just a select few.” ome learn esidency, Sawyer went to work for “It’s been“He a kind lot of ofdominated hard work,” the first seventh-grade and he was a member the event inside. Her project is called Covered With Love. GarFrontdetails row: Ryan Giegel, Will Shaver, Taylor Bush and Cameron Atkinson. Back Wilder “Butbeen as the of that inaugural team.row: Coaches have Oak Mountain Middle School, students in and a Cot, which provides basic necessities and oosa Valley Pediatrics inAt Sylacauga Epperson period,” said. Ledbetter “Theresaid. have pageand B4Tyler Fanning. Assistant coaches Evers, Brady Dunn, EvanSee Smith Mike Evers and head match went on, I started feeling a lot come and gone, but current work Gargiulo’s class are learning to make other services to veterans who are dealing with giulo’s students – about 225 in total – willvery n 2008. She met MooreMelinda during one of few off days, it has been toa better about but myself. He seemed coach East seems to have proChris Shaver (not pictured), Head Coach Kris Dunn. Photo courtesy of Ben Angela Dunn. quilts in oneApril fabric square at a time. If the stitches homelessness, addiction and other challenges throughout the year to create 10 to 15 twin-sized startawesome getting wornexperience, down, and I got vided stability. He came from Pelham. er rotations as a PA student See page B20 very fun and ana adjusting to civilian life. From there, “it just quilts. Each is responsible for creating at least lot more confident. “We’ve literally had a different are a little crooked, the veterans who will receive 012 and Moore joined the practice in humbling, eye opening, faith building “When we went to overtime, I was head coach every year since seventh clicked.” one quilt square, made up of four smaller pieces The 2015 Oak Mountain Raptors fi fth-grade basketball team recently completed a perfect the finished quilts probably won’t mind. anuary 2013. experience.” By SYDNEY CROMWELL By ERICAalmost TECHO for sure I was going to win. I grade.” Ledbetter said. “So we were “We can’t fix all that but we can at least show season, going 35-0 and winning 5 competitive city titles, including the getting NSBAto regular post-seaGargiulo,on who teaches family and consumer had been “He in three overtimes already that pointand where we were The two bought the practice Moore added, has put everya little love,” Gargiulo said. “This just seemed this season and hadn’t lost. So after of coaching ourselves and didn’t See HOPE | page A30 son titles, the OTM regular and post-season titles and the Jingle Bellkind Jam. science, said she was looking for a Hayley service Barber was crowned This spring, Chelsea is set ov. 1, 2014 and renamed it Pathway thing in place at the right time and prothe third period I could tell I to had the really trust anybody coming in. But advantage going into overtime.” when he came in, he’s really changed Miss Pediatrics, Shelby County in 2015, andin late June, is made up of registered nurses, many of whom have three new baseball fields. ediatrics, taking from the Bible verse vided exactly what we need. We don’t The staff of Pathway which opened ts..............B14 Chelsea High junior Aaron Ledbetter won the first wrestling title in school history at the AHSAA state Heare feltpart a tremendous sense of the program around.” the Pelham resident is ready to help The fields of the first have children treated at Pathway. The pediatricians have offices in Sylacauga and Chelsea. Photo courtesy of roverbs 22:6 about directing children want to take the credit for him. This tournament in Huntsville. munity.........C4 accomplishment and achievement Moving into his senior year, LedPathway Pediatrics. find a new pageant queen on July phase of the Chelsea n the right path. is the pathway he match has Sports laid outComfor us.” when the was over. better has his sights set as repeating ol House .. .C17 “All that hard work put into stuff paid off when I won that state fifth-grade. His father, Wayne, decided laugh, “I was tired of them fighting as a state champion. 15, 2016. plex, which also includes a I’ve walk“When we decided to buy the Estate........C20 to get he and his brother involved in with each other all the time.” wrestling for seven, eight years finally title.” “That’s the goal,” he said. TheisMiss Shelby County the park, batting a Chelsea colorfulpagpatient rooms with televisions Pathway Pediatrics is one of the ing trail around ractice, we also decided we would area,” said Sawyer, who But there were no wrestling Ledbetter has been wrestling since wrestling, because, he said with a ndar...........C21 paid off… all the practice and extra is theoffers secondcollege fast- scholarships, and a lactation lounge with a recliner few places in the area that provides cages, a 222-spot parking lot and pen a second one,” Moore said. resident. “Chelsea eant andfastest-growing winners go on to and compete in Most of the laboratory QB testing, an FDA-approved com- a concession stand. couch. We procured the area [in Chelsea] est-growing city in the Planning for the complex, to work istheir done in-house and the entire puterized test that checks for ADHD. Pathway n November, hired additional staff in county in the state.”Miss Alabama and represent Pediatrics chosen platform the Events B4 Medical ear piercing is also done be located off Shelby County 11, The Pathway Pediatrics office inthroughout office is handicap accessible. March – going from five employees to Koa Vicens hugs his father and gives the “hang loose” hand sign after his early graduation ceremony on May 12 at Chelsea High 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 7 Living Barber, platform is By ERICA TECHO Earlwhose Niven said is proud Chelsea opened onyear. JuneMayor 25. Sawyer, Allhethe nurses at PathwayCommunity are RNs. inB10 the office by nurses. Children must started in June 2014. The Chelsea 2 – and in June, we opened.” School. Photo by Sydney Cromwell. Chelsea children vision Attendees wore poodle skirts and other traditional ’50s attire to Fores of how far the projectwith has come, andHayley practice manager Most of them are parents of patients be over two months old and be up to City Council approved a con- A blueprint of the three new ballfields is shown. The Barber, in the center, and fellow Miss Shelby They chose Chelsea for their second Moore and RN andsupporting School House B16 678-1286 impairment, said she won $4,000 in struction contract for phase one in Chelsea City Council hopes construction will be done Thearea Chelsea Centerdesigned after the 2015 competition. he hopes enjoys Megan Epperson it withthe par-community that wanted to County join the participants Pathway team. dateJuly on all their shots to qualify. This Elementary School’s Back to School Bash. ocation because they felt the was Community scholarships from the competition September and for the concession Photo courtesy of Hayley Barber. Photo by Erica Techo. by the start of the season. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to mind. the public using the center. center is set B18 offers an alternative to going to a store ents in There are separate sickTheEpperson is to also a Board Sports Certified n need of pediatricians.is set to open its doors stand in November. and is preparing for Miss Alabama 280 A14 • March 2015 this fall. The father-like figure in Mike Vest’s life to therooms, public in Lactation November, and Saturdays: Sick patients only, and well entrances andopen waiting Consultant and is passionate for ear piercing. “This half of Shelby County nhas e i g h b o r l y n e w s & e n t einr tJune. ainment the concession stand because Coston also is She encouraged Shelby County young women “I think this is all the contracts Forest Oaks Elementary School hosted The event featured an old-fas came through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Its original opening was planned the official grand opening will be in Recently, another Chelsea doctor 9 a.m.-noon larger population than the three large bathrooms that can accommo- about helping mothers achieve their on the we need, now, to get that complex complete,” working “Miss Shelby County isgym an opportunity to to participate even if they have no prior pagRead his fields story at in the thissports issue.complex. 280living.com/topics/video/ for the summer, but setbacks delayed December. While the is finjoined the practice. Dr. Alice Hardy, a Rockin in the Forest ’50s Back to sock hop dance, dinner, famil ounties we serve in the Sylacauga date strollers, two triage rooms, six breastfeeding goals. Hopefully, this will make it easier to coordiand yourselfequipment to learn more Mayor Earl Niven said. that by several months. The $4 mil- grow ished andpush the exercise has about eant experience. See page B1 School Bash on Sept. 11. Students, teach- tume contest, graffiti wall and “I have learned much more about Shelby community, state is and your Construction of the fields, the parking nate, he said. lion project includes a senior center, yourself, moved your in, Niven said theyour opening By SYDNEY CROMWELL who has Down syndrome, is beloved by fellow special education teacher Eleanor Wise said. The council hopes construction is done by Barber “There is an unparal- County than I would’ve thought and had the lot, batting cages and walking trail will warming kitchen, workout room, country,” contingent on a said. working emergency ers and parents wore poodle skirts and activities. students and teachers. Behind Koa’s smile is the work of his father, chance to meet people who are always willing cost $1.14 million, along with an additional the start of baseball season. The Chelsea Community Center is expected to open to the public gymnasium, walking track, activity leled confidence that comes from knowing leather -Submitted by Resia Brooks Around Chelsea High School, Koa Vicens “Amongst my population of special needs Ralph, who gets up at 4 a.m. to getjackets his son for the fun family night. in November. by Erica Techo. to help inPhoto my pursuits,” Barber said. Planning for the second phase of the sports who you See are, and participating in Miss $348,150 for electricity and lighting at the room and meeting rooms. CHELSEA | page A31 Shelby is recognizable by the smile on his face, the [students], he is a leader. He is also extremely ready for school and has driven him to school Applications for Miss Shelby County will County forces you to do that.” fields. The concession stand construction is complex will likely start this year. Future Sponsors ............. A4 Opinion..............A31 lei around his neck and his frequent use of the helpful to his classmates and teachers. He is well additions to the complex could include addiBarber will be on hand in the Miss Shelby be available in June and are due one week costing $399,760. Proudly keeping homes cleaner See GRADUATION | page A29 280 News ............ A6 Community.........B7 “hang loose” sign popular among surfers. Koa, liked and loved throughout the school,” CHS before the pageant. More details on pageant tional fields for baseball or softball, a football County pageant this year, helping backstage, Niven said it was good that Coston General and athealthier since 1987 Contractors had the lowest and best bid for field and Business...........A8 School House ....B15 missshelbymultiple tennis courts. dancing and presenting on stage. At the end, participation can be found Mayor Earl Niven poses with the Chelsea Pain Train baseball team after the June 16 Food...................A12 Sports .................B17 she will pass on her crown to a new winner. county.com. A6 • meeting. October 2015 council Photo by Erica Techo. 280 Living
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We scan & convert old photographs, slides, scrapbook pages, children’s
depressed for several months. And & documents “She’s seemingly artwork into always digitalpositive, files after her father died, she decided she coming from the situation that she’s Yourornew images will display on been, Sammie LaBeau’s smile lights up a could either go on being depressed come from as difficult as that’s room. Considering the darkness that’s go on living. She chose to embrace always has a smile on her face phones, tablets, tv’s, computers andand a been a part of her life, it’s a magical life, and got involved in even bounce in her step. aremore perfect for sharing & archiving. thing. school activities. “Things aren’t always easy for her The 17-year-old Chelsea High “After my parents passed away, here, either, dealing with issues that senior cheerleader is a Bryant-Jordan I felt like I needed to do everything girls deal with in high school, be they • Your for scanning, and printing Student-Achievement regional winner, to local make source them proud, be the kindrestoration of relationships and thatservices kind of stuff. nominated by her school and selected • Print memory books & illustrated treesthrough in anythetype binding person they would want me to be. It’sfamily And even day-to-day stuff, by a committee of administrators•fromWe acreate bad situation, but I just don’t from see old she’s a way to be a good DVD quality movies orstill newfound photographs Class 6A, Region 5. why I shouldn’t draw something roleold model younger cheerlead• Convert VHS to DVD, edit andgood improve & for newourfamily movies LaBeau has succeeded in school ers andvideos for our younger students as • andWe from printit.photographs from your old home in life despite being dealt a difficult “I wouldn’t be in all the clubs I’m well.” • Custom digital photograph enlargements hand. Her mother died from a stroke involved with if it hadn’t happened this She’s been a cheerleader since sevin 2012. Her father died from compli- way,” she said. “I felt like I — I don’t enth grade. She’s captain of the squad, cations from alcoholism the next year. want to say I want to ‘inspire’ people and when the cheer squad went to Taken in by her cousins Chrissy because that sounds dumb …” perform at halftime of the 2014 Sugar and Brian Beavers after her mom But Chelsea High Assistant Princi- Bowl, she was named the Worldstrides passed away, Sammie (she prefers pal Joshua Britnell said that’s exactly that to “Samantha”) admits she was what she does, inspire others. See CHEER | page B21
The right kind of training
INSIDE
Faith...............A30
Calendar ............B24
Chelsea resident opens instruction facility for athletes LPMS discusses suicide preventio Healthcare sector explodes
He knew all the coaches By JESSA PEASE and most of them were on By ERICA TECHO going down and watching a group of young the idea. 13 years of teaching and coachmen hit the ball better than I could whenInI was Liberty Park Middle School’s eighth- how to help a “Itfriend. The curr seems to be growin in Alabama high schools, Brooks The 8U Chelsea Pain Train baseball team a senior in high school … We’ve goting a future facebook.com/280Living grade counselor Stephanie Holcomb consists of four sections: “Wh said. “We’ve only had on Barron saw a lot of permanent injuries stopped by the Chelsea City Council meeting on our baseball team as they grow up and move no to us, so we know this that could have easily been avoided. on June 16 to receive recognition from Mayor forward,” Niven said. invited Abby Litovsky from the Crisis Friend in Trouble?”, “How Doi By ROY L. WILLIAMS Jesus made Himself known in the breaking of bread. coaches and teachers.” About 5 million youth injuries happen Earl Niven. The mayor shook the players’ hands and ~ Luke 24:35 Center to speak to all eighth graders a Friend?”, “Where Can Go t What began withI only every year, andCommercial a simple lackReal of educaThe team had just achieved its third tourna- handed a City of Chelsea Wheneach Terry Ponder opened pin. Ponder Properties has grown to more than 1 tion and understanding in the weight about suicide prevention. The Lifelines Help?” and “How Can I Use Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. ment win of the season and was getting ready Estate LLC in Meadowbrook Office Park inback 1995, the U.S. 280 corridor “Y’all bring the state championship MVP trains about 300 ath room are to blame, he said. was in theofearly stages ofsupper,” businessNiven growth. the district in Columbiana. here, we’ll have a pizza said. Suicide Prevention curriculum teaches I’ve Learned?” Students watch We welcome people from for all walks of lifetournament to experience the love and saving power Jesus Christ. area and the sports teams the sad part Twenty years later, Ponder says the 280“That’s corridora lot, has and become what he about “IByhad the TECHO pleasure Sunday afternoon everything of ERICA I can to help the city,” Seitz said. students how to help a friend if he or videos, actedMountain, in role-plays Chelseaand and en Jo it is that over half of them can be prebelieves to be the leading business center in metro Birmingham. While Mayor Earl Niven said he also hopes to help high schools. Barron off vented with the right kind of training she is considering suicide. in multiple discussions. newSunday: restaurants and business headquarters continue to choose the 280 New Chelseajoin firefighter Seitz wasthisSeitz, reminding him to rely on his team. Please us forBert worship Easter April 5, 10:30 a.m. term program so coaches movement skills,” Barron said. introduced at Tuesday’s Chelsea City Council “You’re not the going to do it by yourself,”Realtorand area, veteran says a new trend of growth is Students learned the warning signs -SubmittedfitsbyandLinda Rummel Located on the campus of King’scommercial Home in Chelsea, Alabama the athletes will ke “They just don’t have that anymoreAmerican Family Care CEO Dr. Bruce Irwin stands in meeting. Niven said. “It’s a team work, just like the their new emerging: healthcare. 221 Kings Home Drive, Chelsea, Alabama 35043 Seitz has been with City of Chelsea Fire & Marines and just like the football team, suicide as well as three steps in well. they don’t| go outA28 and playnational headquarters off U.S. 280. Photo by KeithofMcCoy. page Seebecause HEALTHCARE Rescue for one and a half years, starting off as whether you’re Ohio State or not.” “My favorite part is goin s tjo h n s BHShirley M . oalso r g announced an 2 0initiative 5 . 8 6 in2 . 5 1 8three 8 different sports.” a volunteer. In that time, Seitz has received 17 athletes actually compete Kids’ sports have changed in the fire certifications and is working on his para- conjunction with the Red Cross that will help what we do in its proces past five years, according to the Chelmedic training. install smoke detectors where they’re needed. said. “I like seeing athlete sea resident. While children used to “Bert has taken these career goals and is The Red Cross is providing the smoke detecmoving forward,” said Chief Wayne Shirley. tors and some volunteers to install them. The have surgery. I like seeing a play a variety of sports such as base“Not only is he working hard to achieve those program won’t cost Chelsea Fire & Rescue don’t miss games because ball, football and soccer, now kids career goals, but he’s also most of the time OK money, Shirley said. There will be a sign-up That’s my passion.” often stick to one specialization from to be around.” sheet for a smoke detector at National Night He describes a progra age 5 all the way up to high school. Seitz received his badge at the meeting, Out on Oct. 6. Carroll as the essence of This leads to the overuse of musbecoming an official part of Chelsea Fire & “There’s way too many fire fatalities in Rescue. our state, and we’re working to do something does. They teamed up cles andFire often need for surgery Chelsea Chiefthe Wayne Shirley gives Chelsea’s newest firefighter, Bert Seitz, his “I appreciate the opportunity, and I’ll do about it,” Shirley said. badge. Photo by Erica Techo. orthopedics and its traine by the ninth grade. But to Barron, it’s groups share all the injuri not supposed to be like that. His pasgeries they are performing. sion led to starting his own coaching have cut the number of inju program, MVP Training. MVP works compared to last year’s nu to build the foundational habits for “It helps us to prove athletes such as how to move, squat Brooks Barron runs drills with athletes from Oak Mountain, Chelsea and John Carroll high schools. Sammie LaBeau cheers for Chelsea High School. we do actually works,” B and hold their own body weight. He Photos courtesy of Brooks Barron. By ERICA TECHO the front of the park. increase that was instated in August 2014, any projects. While one of Barron’s g said athletes nowadays aren’t taught During pre-council, council members dis- Niven said,skills whichearly, couldwhich help pay the to A $348,000 bid for lighting and electrical in expand his mobile training those canforlead Chelsea City Council accepted a bid for cussed the possibility of delaying some aspects decreased bid cost and the delayed projects Phase I of the sports complex was also accepted and coaching in high schools that his a year. Although that company failed In the beginning he would visit wood Christian School and injuries later. $1.13 million for Phase I of the Chelsea Sports of the project in order to put off the expense, down the road. from Titan Electric. eyesengineer were Frank opened. He said signed on to after about six months, Barron used area coaches and offer to take over High School, he is current For Barron saw inju- City Complex at its Sept. 15 meeting. such as leaving the walking trail or part of the Niven saidyears, the council did not needthese to decide Spencer the ballform a different comthat knowledge to form a mobile train- their strength conditioning training to open a physical locatio happening, he didn’tat know The bid covers construction of the three parking lot unpaved until a later date. Niven howries much money wouldbut be borrowed this parkhelp should be open by May 1, training 2016. Phase II baseball fields, batting cages, a 222-spot park- said he suggested the cutbacks so that the city council meeting, and theuntil council to planning take place the secondfor pany will thatlikely researched theinproblem ing program for high school teams. program year-round for a small cost. Training so that individual why. It wasn’t heonly leftneeded teaching
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Chelsea wraps up 1st phase of sports complex
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280 Living is proud to cover the people, places Chelsea City Council accepts sports complex bids and events in Chelsea. We look forward to what theCopy next 20 years hold for our readers. and Photo Cafe ing lot and a walking trail around the park. The council also accepted an alternate bid in the amount of $11,500 for a decorative fence at
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make a decision on accepting the whole bid or parts. The council decided to accept the Phase I bid with the contract as is rather than delay
half of 2016.
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26
SPECIAL EDITION
CHELSEA TURNS 20
WHAT’S IN STORE FOR OUR CITY? Officials’ vision of Chelsea’s future includes variety of businesses, more residential development and, of course, population growth By ERICA TECHO
A sports complex is on the way to add more amenities for those who live and work in Chelsea. Photo by Frank Couch.
Chelsea’s growth and development operates in phases, said Mayor Earl Niven, and he is expecting another upswing soon. “It’s sort of a cycle — residents, commercial, residents, commercial growth,” Niven said. When Chelsea ÿ rst installed a water line down U.S. 280, Niven said that spurred more residential development that brought in new businesses. With two new neighborhoods coming in, Niven said he expects a population growth to lead to more development in the city. In 2015, the city of Chelsea started looking into options for commercial property tools to help bring more developers and business-
es to the area. Niven said there are several businesses he would like to see in Chelsea, including a hardware or building material store, a pet store, more sit-down restaurants and a new car dealership. “I would prefer to have businesses we don’t already have because I think variety is what we need,” he said. Niven also said Chelsea could beneÿ t from having a motel in the area. As the city works on its new sports complex o° Highway 11 — which in its ÿ nal form will include eight baseball ÿ elds, six tennis courts, a football ÿ eld, a soccer ÿ eld and a 5-acre lake — he is looking forward to potential tournaments at the complex. “When we start thinking about what we are going to have to o° er
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with our sports complex with eight baseball ÿ elds, we’re going to need to have a place for people to stay,” Niven said. One issue Chelsea will have to tackle in the future, Niven said, is transportation. He said the city should consider constructing side roads o° of U.S. 280 to help with tra˛ c ˝ ow. “Highway 280 is a mess,” Niven said. “˙ ere’s nothing that I feel that we as Chelsea could do on Highway 280 other than have a road access plan, and that is having little side roads where you don’t have to pull into every single business.” Chelsea also faces an issue with the railroad tracks, he said. If there is an emergency in some areas and a train comes, there is no way to get across the railroad tracks to the hospital. Niven said he has talked with the Alabama Department of Transportation about building a
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SPECIAL EDITION
Chelsea continues to grow and add new retail development. Photo by Frank Couch.
crossover or bridge over the tracks, but the plan has never come to pass. “˙ ey come up with a ÿ ve year plan, which they seem to always change every four years,” Niven said.
Chelsea was named the secondfastest growing city in the most recent census, Niven said, and he expects that to continue. “I think in the ÿ rst 20 years,
PATROL
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A member of the Citizen Observer Patrol helps monitor crowds during the Chelsea Christmas Parade. Photo by Frank Couch.
going to City Council meetings and providing updates to the council. A group of members also regularly attend the South Shelby Chamber luncheon, and Shirley said he uses those gatherings to encourage more individuals to join COP. Shirley and another COP member, Alicia Johnson, were nominated for the South Shelby Chamber’s Citizen of the Year at the annual Diamond Awards in December. Individuals hoping to join COP will go through training that includes driving school and information on being alert. New members will also complete three patrols with three di° erent COP members. “We talk about everything we do — what to look for, what to listen for, where to get a good cup of co° ee,” Shirley said. When it comes to co° ee, Shirley said it is about more than the ca° eine. Most of the time, COP will start their shift at the McDonald’s on U.S. 280 grabbing a cup of co° ee and answering questions. “And we’ll be seen, right there in the McDonald’s,” Shirley said. “Everybody sees you. We get to talk to a lot of people — everybody who comes in wants to
Chelsea is in a ÿ ne, ÿ ne position to take o° ,” Niven said. “I look for the next ÿ ve to 10 years to pick up, not only in a commercial ÿ eld but also in the residential.”
know what we do. And that’s the idea, to be seen.” When community members see the COP around, whether it’s patrolling neighborhoods or walking through local businesses to deter crime, Shirley said he believes it brings them comfort. “Wal-Mart likes us to walk through [the store],” Shirley said. “People see us, and they don’t ÿ ll their pockets. We like to walk through all the businesses.” COP members also assist the Shelby County Sheri° ’s O˛ ce by reporting suspicious activity or problem situations to them and by assisting in emergencies. Niven said COP members will help with crowd and tra˛ c control when the sheri° ’s o˛ ce needs it. “˙ ey [Shelby County Sheri° ’s O˛ ce] love what we’re doing,” Shirley said. “Chelsea has less crime than any town around, they tell us, and they think it’s because we’re out all the time being seen. We don’t have to do anything except be seen.” In addition to staying visible around town, the COP has a patrol vehicle with a cardboard cutout driver that changes locations occasionally. Shirley said it is a way to encourage drivers to slow down and hopefully keep the roads safer. “˙ ere’s always something going on here, where we’re assisting somebody or something,” Shirley said.