Discover The Essence of St. Clair
OctOber & NOvember 2024
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KEEP ON TICKIN’
Pell City man repairs clocks and jewelry
OUTDOORS
So much to see and do VETERANS
St. Clair honors those who have served
Pell City Rotary
50 years of service above self
Cottage Industry Success
BFIT Bakery focuses on healthy meals
Page 16
Brittle Heaven and More finds success downtown Pell City Page 16
Outdoors
Kayak Fishing on the Coosa River
Outdoors
Lighting the way for safe kayaking
Page 43
Hiking Big Canoe Creek Preserve Page 44
Veterans
Events planned across county
Page 55
Moody banner program growing Page 60
St. Clair Business
Springville commerce park
New Realtor rules
Page 66
Page 72
Page 38
50 About THE Cover
Final Focus
Life is rarely predictable
Page 74
Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is quite a draw for nature enthusiasts, especially this time of year. Granger Waid of Springville takes advantage of a Fall afternoon at the preserve, taking Mary Grace Waid, Grayson Thrasher and Sawyer Waid on a hike. Photo by Graham Hadley
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Join us as we partner with local dealers for our 6TH ANNUAL Car Sale Event. We will have a team onsite to assist with questions and financing. The three-day event is happening at our main office on HWY 280 - but don’t forget that we can also help with your auto re-financing needs at any of our five locations from October 1-31. Trust us - you don’t want to miss this opportunity! Get pre-approved today by calling, visiting us online, or coming by one of our branches.
Writers AND Photographers
Carol Pappas
Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines during her career. She won dozens of writing awards and was named Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn University. She serves as president/CEO of Partners by Design, which publishes Discover and LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®.
Graham Hadley
Graham Hadley is the managing editor and designer for Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine and also manages the magazine website. Along with Carol Pappas, he left The Daily Home as managing editor to become chief operating officer and vice president of the Creative Division of Partners by Design multimedia company.
Roxann Edsall
Roxann Edsall is a freelance writer and former managing editor of Convene Magazine, a convention industry publication. She has a degree in (broadcast) journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, worked as a television news reporter in Biloxi and as a reporter and assignments editor in Birmingham.
Paul South
Paul South, a native of Fairfield, is an Auburn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, he had a versatile career as reporter, columnist and first full-time sports information director at Samford University.
Cherith Fluker
Cherith Glover Fluker, a freelance writer, blogger, and EdTech professional, holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Auburn University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Samford University. With her blog, WhatCherithinks, she channels her passion for self-care and travel. She has been featured in publications such as Chicken Soup for the Soul, Mother.ly, Birmingham Mom Collective, and Dollywood Insiders.
Elaine Hobson Miller
Elaine Hobson Miller is a freelance writer with a B.A. in journalism from Samford University. She was the first female to cover Birmingham City Hall for the Birmingham Post-Herald, where she worked as reporter, food editor and features writer. She is a former editor of Birmingham Home & Garden magazine and staff writer for Birmingham magazine.
Loyd McIntosh
Loyd McIntosh is a freelance writer and marketing professional originally from Trussville. He has contributed to more than 30 online and print publications. Loyd is also a former reporter and sports writer for several newspapers throughout the Southeast, including The Daily Home, and was the managing editor for The Cahaba Times and Upper90 Magazine.
Mackenzie Free
Mackenzie Free is an experienced and nationally published photographer with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is a Birmingham native now cultivating life on a farm in Steele with her husband & 4 daughters.
From the Editor
Lots to explore in October
It seems that nothing beats October and what it has to offer. Cooler weather, deep blue skies, leaves beginning their seasonal change in color, fun family festivals and of course, football.
It is a time you can still get out on the boat and enjoy our two lakes, Logan Martin and Neely Henry. Boo Bash is coming up on Logan Martin, a lake-wide event with pier-to-pier trick or treating for the kids and a boat load of fun for the adults.
The skies above will be filled with aircraft as St. Clair County Airport puts on its traditional Aviation Career Day much to the delight of young and old alike.
How about taking a hike, a bike or even a horse ride at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville? Moody’s Oktoberfest is always a treat. So is a trip up Chandler Mountain to Smith Tomato Farm for its fall and holiday festivals.
Pell City Lakeside Park is always humming with activity this time of year and why not? There’s certainly plenty to do. Picnics, Kids Kastle, walk or run along the nature trail, see the Wetlands or stroll through the native plant garden. There’s a beach, too … and fishing piers, boat slips and a launch.
They all underscore the notion that St. Clair County is one of those places where there seems to be something special going on in just about every corner, especially in October. So, get out and enjoy it!
In our October-November edition of Discover, we give you a glimpse of those ‘something specials’ in an effort to introduce or re-introduce you to the people, places and events that define just what a special place the county is indeed.
You’ll take a kayak fishing trip with Allen Norris of Cropwell’s Yak Shak. You’ll explore the kitchen of Anna Warren, who joins a growing legion of bakers in the cottage food industry with her sourdough bread creations.
We’ll take you inside the commercial kitchen of Sarah
Deese as well. She turned her cottage industry into a fullfledged brick and mortar business called Brittle Heaven & More. And it is definitely more!
Our stories take you behind the scenes with James Denney, who helps bring jewelry and antique clocks back to life, and the many acts of service above self by Pell City Rotarians in their 50-year history.
In Moody and around the county, we’ll see how veterans are honored – not just approaching Veterans Day but all year long every year.
And it’s rare to open a Discover St. Clair Magazine without a business story or two in it to add an exclamation point to the reputation as one of the fastest growing counties in the state. And this month’s no different. Springville is preparing for a new commerce park that will see this bustling city growing even more.
There’s plenty to do and see in St. Clair County this month. Turn the page and discover it all with us!
Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher
Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher
Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer Dale Halpin • Advertising
Design
James Denney heating up a piece of jewelry he made
Keep on tickin’ Pell City man repairs clocks, jewelry
Repairing the motor and gearing of a vintage clock
Story by Elaine Hobson Miller
Photos by Graham Hadley
James Denney had been a jewelry repairman for six years when a woman brought him an antique Ansonia clock. Probably made in the late 1800s or early 1900s, it had not run in 40 years.
“I know you do jewelry repairs, think you can do clocks?,” she asked Denney. He could tell her heart was in it, so he took a stab at it.
“Turns out all it needed was cleaning and oiling,” he says. “She had tears in her eyes when she picked it up. That got me started.”
Denney had gone to school to learn jewelry repairing, but there are no such schools for repairing clocks. So, he bought a series of video tapes on the subject and began tinkering with grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks, the latter being smaller versions of the former. And yes, there are (even smaller) granddaughter clocks, too, but he hasn’t serviced any of those. He also works on mantel and wall clocks.
The first clock that he actually repaired came back to him, but he got it right the second go-round. “It’s very rare that someone doesn’t say how happy they are with my being here because it’s so hard to find a clock man,” Denney says.
Even though self-taught, he does have a filial background to draw from. His step-grandfather, Kirk E. Ross, ran Ross’ Jewelry in downtown Pell City in the 1960s. “I watched him my whole life,” Denney says. “Also, my dad was a jeweler for about five or six years, and an uncle had a jewelry shop in Florence.”
His business name, X-Dross Jewelry & Clock Repair, is a blend of names and a Biblical meaning. “My dad’s name was Denney, and his stepfather was named Ross,” he explains. “I wanted to blend my step-granddad’s name with mine, hence Dross. Then I found that word in the Bible, in Exodus, where God describes his people
as having become ‘dross,’ meaning having impurity or foreign matter to them. In other words, slag. So, I added an ‘X’ to indicate ‘no dross,’ because it was Xed out.”
His shop is on the second floor in a building that houses several shops at 1600 Martin Street, just off US 231. His wife, Crystal, has a specialty dog boutique, Jazz’m Up Pet Salon, on the first floor. The front room of X-Dross is both the entry area and his clock workshop. It’s decorated with plants, clocks and paintings of Jesus, while a Bible can often be found on the arm of a comfy sofa.
A back room serves as a place for jewelry repair and includes a high-speed steamer for cleaning small items, a small Crockpot for acid dips, and an ultra-sonic jewelry cleaner. His watch and jewelry lathe is in his storage room, and there’s another storage room that he hopes to turn into a display area some day. He’s buying a new lathe for clock works because bigger gears require bigger tools.
If you’re in the shop at the top of the hour, you’ll hear five of his own clocks chime, but not all at once. He set them to chime in succession. At home, he has two clocks, one a grandfather that’s a “regulator” clock (powered by a weighted and geared mechanism). He changed out the handles with drawer knobs, painted the case and used adhesive blue varnish over the paint, and replaced its Korean-style motor with a German movement by Hermle.
He has serviced many brands of antique clocks, including a green mantel clock with Greek columns on each side of the clock face that was manufactured by the Sessions Clock Company.
He once took in a Black Forest cuckoo clock that had a “messed up” music box. He replaced one mechanism on it. He’s working on an Hermle mantel clock for a friend.
“It probably has a bent timing arbor,” Denney says.
He restored the body of a crystalenclosed mantel clock from the late 1700s or early 1800s by sanding it with fine sandpaper and steel wool, then buffing it.
Grandfather clocks are his favorites to work on because they are bigger, so it’s much easier to see the components. “I really enjoy
Showing off a delicate chime mechanism
Repaired and restored antique clocks
restoring the cases as well as the workings,” he says. “The other day, a man brought me a Waterbury Clock Company clock from an old fire station that had caught on fire. Half the gears were bent. I bent them back, and it worked fine.”
The toughest he’s ever worked on was a Herschede brand, a grandfather clock with a tube in back and a big hammer that hits on the hour and plays music. “The pendulum was not in sync with the gears, but I fixed it,” he says. “I had to readjust the pendulum’s swing and adjust the verge (tick-tock motion) mechanism.”
Another man brought in an Ingraham clock, and Denney replaced the motor, because the man was in a hurry and did not have time to wait for him to fix the movement. “Every job finished brings me a sense of accomplishment,” Denney says.
He has also repaired small timepieces, like a clock face in a tiny figure in the shape of a teapot. That one simply needed its hands bent and a new battery. “I work on all types of clocks now, but eventually will give up batterypowered ones,” he says.
So, what are the requirements for what he does? “Patience and finesse,” he says. “I don’t get bored with my work, and I have an eye for details.’
A favorite aspect of his business is making house calls. That’s right, this clock repairman will go to your house to service your clocks. “I like to service clocks in people’s houses because I like meeting people,” he explains. “Often,
Invisible repair on a delicate necklace
Another successful repair and restoration
all the clock needs is a slight adjustment, but they want to keep their clocks going so I will oil them. I use a synthetic oil because it cleans and lubes without leaving a residue to build up, the way natural oil does.”
Recently, Denney has started “messing around” with gold plating on jewelry. He picks up a chain with an initial pendant on it, explaining, “That one didn’t turn out as shiny as I wanted.” He’s doing it for a friend. He can make gold or silver rings using a mold made of cuttlefish bone. “Each mold can only be used once because the hot metal burns it,” he says.
As for watches, their seals tend to dry rot and break, or corrosion can set in, or the hands come loose. Sometimes, the numbers on a watch face come off. But he can handle any of those problems. Ironically, there’s a wooden puzzle hanging on one wall of his shop that functions as a clock … when it works. That makes for an interesting conversation with a clock repairman. l
Showing how the hammers in a chime mechanism are timed
A DIY wooden clock hangs on the wall
Precision jewelry repair tools
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Story Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submitted Photos
From her home kitchen in Pell City – armed with the ancient staples of salt, flour and water along with a wicked sense of humor – Anna Warren fills the air with the warm, embracing aroma of fresh baked sourdough bread, cakes and cookies.
And she does it with a wink and a smile.
You see, sourdough begins as starter dough in a Ball jar. The living concoction is the heart and soul of the centuries-old recipe that’s fed and nurtured until time to bake.
In Warren’s world, every starter has a name. Her first was Lucille, named for television legend Lucille Ball. Another jar is named Ricky Ricardough. There’s also Betty, Martha and Jane Dough. And don’t forget Lucy’s friend Ethel, and Fran.
“Living, wild yeast has to be fed to stay alive, so they get named,” Warren said. “It’s more tradition than anything. And it’s fun.”
Make that deliciously fun.
Like many cottage food businesses,
Making sourdough magic with an ancient recipe and a sense of humor
Baked to order
Picture Perfect
It’s not hard to imagine the beauty of St. Clair. A drive down just about any road reminds you. You are surrounded by it. Just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of its cities is wide open country – lush , green pastures meeting colorful rolling hills, and inviting waterways are just around the bend. They call it the good life. Just take a look around, and you’ll see why.
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Pantry full of all the makings for healthy cooking
The Lucille Ball starter
Using only the freshest ingredients is key
the COVID-19 pandemic sparked Warren’s BFIT Bakery. It’s her second venture into the cottage industry. Her first was a home bakery in Florida. The Pensacola native learned to cook from a neighbor, back when Warren was barely tall enough to reach the counter.
“When COVID hit, I started watching TikTok, and I learned to do sourdough from another lady on the platform, and I decided to make a business of it.”
Her interest in sourdough came from her family’s digestive health challenges related to gluten allergies and her own battle against Celiac Disease. She wanted a better gluten-free product than what was available in stores.
Buying the store-bought foods, first if they’re gluten free they’re nasty, and they’re full of all kinds of crap,” she said with a laugh. “So, I wanted to find something that I could really enjoy for myself that wasn’t going to hurt my stomach.”
Also, she wanted to include her three children in the mix. She has two in college and another is a high school junior.
“Anything that I could do that would include them. They love coming into the kitchen when they’re here and making it with me and learning about it. Other people enjoy it.”
BFIT Bakery began in January 2024. Before that, it was just BFIT. I got certified as a trainer and worked at Workout Anytime in Pell City, so that’s where the name comes from.”
She added, “A lot of people think I call it BFIT because it’s healthy, and it truly is because it’s flour, water and salt. Those are the three ingredients and if you want something else to go in it, I add that.”
And it’s not just bread, but a pantry full of items.
“Cookies, cinnamon rolls, rolls. Around Easter, I do Resurrection Rolls, and I do kits for the kids with little flash cards that are really, really popular so they can learn about the Resurrection.”
At Christmastime, she makes assorted flavors – cinnamon and gingerbread – and at Halloween, pumpkin goodies are part of the menu.
She grows the herbs and flavors – like rosemary and lavender – in her own garden. Jalapenos and other produce for her goods come from the local farmers market in an effort to support local growers.
“It’s limitless what you can do with sourdough,” Warren said.
Think about these flavors – triple chocolate espresso and lemon blueberry – like all her recipes crafted from scratch.
2025 Models now on the lot
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
The process to make sourdough takes about 36 hours. Her sourdough starter begins with flour and water. Her recipe has evolved.
“When I first started learning, I wasn’t measuring with a scale,” she said. “I was just doing what I was taught through watching other people.”
And sourdough has risen into a community of bakers, some for business, others for family enjoyment.
“I’ve met so many people I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for sourdough,” Warren said. “I’ve kind of come up with a recipe that works for me.”
Along with selling her goods from her home, Warren teaches others how to make tasty goods. She conducts community classes, where for $125 per person, Warren will come to your home and teach her tasty brand of kitchen magic. The classes are held once a month, except for a summer hiatus because of the heat and bad timing.
“When I teach these classes, I really explain to people that what works in my house, isn’t going to necessarily work at your house because your temperature and the humidity will play into how your bread turns out. So, you may have to tweak things.”
Her first class begins this month (October). She will conduct one or two monthly out of her home. The three-hour classes are limited to six people.
“They’re learning the very basics of sourdough,” Warren said. “They get a starter, and they get to name their starter, and they learn about feeding and maintenance. We make a loaf in class that I’ve already started for them. They get to watch it in different stages, and they get to take home a sourdough journal. It’s a whole kit in a basket, the starter, the journal, the scoring
A first step in making bagels
Anna’s go-to for everything bagels
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
tool. They get it all as part of the class.”
For Warren, the passion for sourdough, baking and cooking burns brightly. “If food was a love language, it would be mine.”
It all started with Pensacola next door neighbor, Miss Karen, who taught young Anna the basics of the culinary arts.
“She had me at her house every chance she could from before I could reach the counter,” Warren remembered. “She taught me to cook and measure and all those things. It’s just something that I’ve always done.”
The philosophy of BFIT Bakery is simple:
“Making homemade bread and sharing it with the community. It’s good for you. It’s good for people who are diabetic. It can help breakdown the sugars because of the fermentation process. Just giving people another option because we don’t know what they’re putting in our food anymore. It’s not the same.”
Warren, who works full time for the Alabama Department of Human Resources, has seen her side hustle grow. Her bread and baked goods are wildly popular.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, she fills her front porch bins with bread and other goodies, complete with cooler packs to fend off summer heat.
She also takes orders online at Bakesy.com. The address is https://bakesy.shop/b/the-bfit-bakery.
“I really had to set boundaries for myself, because I could bake from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed,” Warren said.
But the bread has become a staff of her life. The chill of fall and winter heats up her bread business.
‘It’s just become part of my every day at this point,” Warren says. “I feed Lucille. I bake bread. My co-workers love it because they get to try everything. They’re my guinea pigs.”
Bagels
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Anna keeps a coldstorage box on the front porch for pickup orders
Her own starter
As often happens with cottage businesses, The BFIT Bakery started with a heart for family.
She acted on encouragement from friends and sparked by a desire to buy a lifetime sportsman Florida license for her youngest son, an avid outdoorsman. At Christmas, the licenses went on sale for half the normal $1,000 price.
Warren and “Lucille Ball” went to work baking bread, two loaves at a time. She then hosted a one-day event featuring her bread at Pell City’s 4 Messie Monkeys in Pell City.
“I sold out in an hour and a half, and I made $700,” Warren said.
The business has given her a chance to do more for her kids. But again, it all comes down to Warren’s love language – food – good, homemade food.
“Whether it’s baking, grilling smoking meat, whatever it is I’m doing, it’s always going to be food related. My Dad is Italian. My Mom is Maltese, so it’s a lot of food. A lot of food and talking with our hands. That’s how I show my family and friends that I care.”
And while some cottage food businesses have exploded into corporations or retail chains, Warren wants to stay grounded.
“There’s something special about getting up at 4 in the morning on a Tuesday to bake bread for the community. I want to harbor that and keep it safe and special.”
For ordering information about The BFIT Bakery, visit its Facebook page, at Bakesy.com, or email at awarren@121218@gmail.com. l
Story by Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submitted photos
On Pell City’s Cogswell Avenue, there’s a sweet spot that fills hearts and tummies with comfort and joy with a combination of homemade candies, cookies and cakes, down home Southern dishes and soft serve ice cream shakes and malts.
And it all started as a cottage food business in Sarah Deese’s home kitchen.
The place is Brittle Heaven & More. And while it’s hundreds of miles from the 80-acre Arkansas farm where Deese’s mother, Sadie Miles, taught her time-tested, generations-old recipes, the spirit of that kitchen is never far away.
“I couldn’t have done it without her influence,” Deese said. “She would always let me help in the kitchen. And with the brittle, she would always let me help her during the holidays when we were making it to give out as Christmas gifts.”
She added, “She was an excellent cook, so we were always busy doing something.”
It seems that Deese and her staff are always busy, especially since she moved from her home kitchen in Pell City where she started in 2019, to a brick-and-mortar storefront that opened downtown in September 2021.
Faith and family feed the sweet taste of success at Pell City eatery
Sarah Deese celebrating Brittle Heaven’s twoyear anniversary
Storefront on Cogswell Avenue in Pell City
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
“I really had no idea that it would take off like it has,” Deese said. “My main goal was just to help my son, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. He had a lot of doctor bills, hospital bills, student loans that he was having to pay for. I just wanted to help him out.”
Pardon the pun, but to Deese’s surprise, folks went nuts over the candy sparked by her dream.
“When you saw how it was received, it was kind of hard to stop,” Deese said, “because when you see you’re making people happy, you know you just want to keep making them happy.”
Brittle Heaven & More attracts that happiness with nut brittles of all kinds, old-fashioned confections like Martha Washington balls, Turtles, fudge, buckeyes and pecan Divinity and new creations like Almond Joy cookies, sweet treats not found in the grocery store.
“(Customers) say it reminds them of their grandmother or their grandfather, who used to make the brittle.”
But when Deese opened her brick-andmortar shop, she knew she had to do more. So, she added cakes, pies and cookies,
No shortage of sweet treats of every flavor
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Racks and shelves of treats are interspersed with books and knick-knacks
Bella enjoys some of the fresh ice-cream served at Brittle Heaven
Their signature goods are just the beginning
sourdough and banana nut bread to her growing basket of goodies.
Then came prepared meals. At J&S Country Store, she and Melissa Parker, a colleague she had met at an Alabama Cooperative Extension cottage foods course, began to make breakfasts, lunch and dinner, with daily specials customers could take home. Seating is limited.
“We try to specialize in home cooked plates,” Deese said. “Like today, we had chicken and rice and corn and tomorrow we’ll have meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans. Wednesday is chicken and dumplings.”
She added, “We don’t go all out meat and three. We just try to make whatever we do that day as a plate.”
Breakfasts feature omelets, breakfast burritos and croissants.
But Brittle Heaven & More is best known for its sweets. And for the weight conscious, she also has sugar-free offerings.
What drives the store’s popularity? Maybe it’s a longing for a taste of childhood and home.
“I guess people just love home-cooked food,” Deese said. “Everything we make is from scratch. You don’t find that everywhere. I think that’s one of the reasons we’re so well received. It’s different from the store bought.”
Deese and her team – something of a family itself – tries to create a warm, homey atmosphere. “We try to be as friendly as we can,” Deese said.
And with the holidays just around the corner, Brittle Heaven & More is gearing up for its busiest time of the year, when the shop’s high demand for sweets would make Buddy from the movie Elf sing at the top of his lungs.
Asked if there is a holiday hustle and bustle, Deese didn’t hesitate. Perhaps it would be best call it the “nuttiest time of the year.”
“Oh Lord, yes,” she said. It is the craziest time of the year. We have to shut down breakfast and lunch in November and December, especially December. We just can’t do anything except mostly make brittle and supply the store.”
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COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Deese also gets a number of orders to ship out to other parts of the country.
“I’m just constantly making brittle during the holidays,” she said. “It’s almost 24-7.”
Deese is surprised by the store’s success.
“I feel like I gave birth to a baby, and I’m watching it grow,” she said. “Whenever we had the grand opening, I felt like that was the birthday. It’s just like a child. It’s going to grow slowly.”
Two years in, like any new parent, she knows what to expect. But in the stores’ early days, she admits, she didn’t even know how to run a cash register.
“Eventually, (the business) is going to carry itself,” she said. “In the beginning, I was thrown into a management position that I knew nothing about. All I knew is I wanted to make brittle.”
But those challenges have turned to joy. With her kids and grandkids grown and gone, she fills time with the business and her customers who have become friends.
And her staff has become family. Brittle Heaven & More has created four and sometimes five jobs for the local economy. Along with Parker, the staff includes River Goodwin, Tammy Ray and Gloria Todd. Niece Jada Wade helps when home from college and Deese’s sister, Frances Brown, pitches in during the holidays.
“That makes me happy” Deese said.
And like any successful business, she loves her customers.
“I love people. And it’s just inspiring to know that they appreciate our hard work. It inspires you to keep going.
Putting the icing on one of the best carrot cakes around
COTTAGE-INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Anytime you feel appreciated, you want to do more.”
Deese cleaned houses for 28 years while raising her boys, Now in an empty nest at home, Brittle Heaven & More has provided sweet relief from boredom. And it’s kept customers happy and well fed.
Two ingredients fuel the business more than sugar and nuts, cinnamon and flour, chocolate and caramel. The first is faith.
“I gave God this business from day one,” Deese said. “I remind Him now and again that this is your business. I’m just in a position of managing it for Him. God has inspired me.”
The other key ingredient, a piece of counsel Sadie Miles gave her little girl in that Arkansas kitchen long ago, is more timeless than the recipes Deese and her staff cook up on Cogswell Avenue.
“Cook with love. If you don’t put that extra ingredient in it, you can really tell a difference.” l
Brittle Heaven serves a wide variety of foods and posts their daily specials on Facebook
Sarah Deese, Tammy Ray, River Goodwin, and Melissa Parker - just a few people who have made Brittle Heaven a success
Real People. Real Life Stories.
“When my mother had the beginnings of dementia, she was in Birmingham, and I was in Pell City. Working full time, I couldn’t be there. But Always There could, and they helped her with the things she needed to remain independent -- taking her grocery shopping, making sure she got the right medications at the right time, being a companion. Always There allowed her to stay in her own home and took the worries away from my siblings and I when we couldn’t be there for her.”
• Companionship
• Care Management
• Errands
-- Carol P.
• Bathing and Grooming
• Dressing
• Escorts for shopping
• Laundry and appointments
• Light Housekeeping
• Meal Preparation
When you can’t be there, Always There can.
OUTDOORS EXPLORING ST. CLAIR
Kayak fishing on the Coosa
KAYAK FISHING
Paddle, pedal and have fun on the water
Story by Roxann Edsall
Submitted photos
Sitting out on the dock sipping your first cup of coffee, you watch the morning sun begin to cast a pinkish-orange glow on the water. Absorbed in the majesty of the morning, you startle as you catch the movement of the boat as it silently glides by just yards away.
Silent, that is, until the snap of the line as it is cast again, all the while drifting past the dock. Almost immediately, he jerks the line and reels in the prize. After a moment to inspect and admire his catch, the angler releases the fish off the side of his kayak.
Kayak fishing has exploded in popularity in recent years, thanks to huge improvements in materials, technology and available accessories. Fishing tournament organizers have even created competitive tournament series specifically designed for kayak anglers. Since having no live well makes transporting live fish to a weigh-in problematic, new rules were created for kayakers.
Kayak-specific tournaments and most tournaments with kayak divisions use cumulative length, rather than weight, as the unit of measure. Competitors in kayaks are often governed by the CPR (Catch, Photograph, Release) Rule, which includes catching, photographing the fish on a special measuring “ketch” board, then immediately releasing the catch.
The evolution of the kayak from simple shell to tricked out vessel, loaded with fish-finding tech and gear storage has helped to define the growth of the kayak fishing industry. Technology and electronics originally developed for bass boats have been redesigned, and in some cases, retrofitted for use in kayaks. Live scope electronics can be added to fishing kayaks, too.
Arguably, the biggest development propelling its popularity has been the application of pedal drives to the hull, allowing the kayak to be moved through the water without the need for a paddle. The hands-free option allows anglers to cast and reel without having to switch to a paddle to maneuver the kayak. As anglers are known to say, it’s a numbers game. And more casts equate to more fish.
“There are so many options when choosing a kayak,” says Allen Norris, co-owner of Cropwell’s Yak Shak and veteran kayak angler. “When you see something labeled fishing kayak, lights should go off to let you know it’s going to be more comfortable, more stable, and be able to carry more gear.”
He and Jessica, his co-owner and wife, ask a lot of questions of potential buyers to make sure they get them into the right kayak. Buyers will likely need to do a bit of research to be prepared to answer those questions, which would likely begin with what you want to do in your kayak and whether you’re looking for a sit-in or a sit-on type design.
The sit-on design, according to Norris, is more stable and many models are large enough to allow stand-up fishing. Also, with sit-on designs, there is no worry of taking on water, as they are designed to allow water to flow over the top and to drain
through scupper holes.
After having the pedal/paddle, sit-in/sit-on, stand up/sit down discussion, then comes the question of motor versus muscle. Fishing kayaks can be fitted with small trolling motors, if desired, although Norris admits to being a bit of a purist. “When I’m kayak fishing, I want to be as tactical and stealthy as possible,” he says. “I don’t want to put more in the water than I have to. If you’re into lots of vegetation and stumps, you can’t use the motor anyway.”
In a sit-in kayak, be prepared to use a different set of muscles while casting, as opposed to those you’d use performing the same activity while standing. “Casting and aiming are very different when you are sitting,” says Norris.
“It’s very strenuous. A lot of people would describe kayak fishing as intense.” Being so close to the water and to the fish adds to the intensity of the fishing experience, Norris explains. “You can get close to the nooks and crannies that boats can’t, places where the fish really are.”
Adding to the excitement, he says, “You feel every movement on a catch in a kayak. You can also see the movement of wildlife and fish along the shore as you move through the shallow areas in coves and among boathouses and piers. Kayaks are perfect for wildlife photography, for exercise, and for just getting out and enjoying the water,” he adds. “The tranquility and therapy are very real.”
Josh Tidwell agrees wholeheartedly. He’s a huge fan of kayaking and fishing. He’s combined the two for more than 25 years and now runs a kayak rental and tour company at Big Wills Creek, a tributary to Neely Henry Lake. “It’s quite a bit of fun,” he says. “You get to be out in nature and even if you’re not catching, you’re still enjoying nature.”
Tidwell, an accomplished tournament fisherman, began fishing nearly three decades ago from creeks and riverbanks, either wading or by canoe. Kayak fishing made it easier for him to get to the tight places he wanted to fish. “Bass boats can’t get to where I go,” he says. “I like to fish smaller waters. I don’t want to look at the back of somebody’s house, when I could be looking at cliffs or
Having the right gear on the water is a must for kayak fishing
Allen Norris and his catch
waterfalls.”
Although he says he likes small water fishing, he says, kayaks are not just for lake fishing. He took his kayak to Gulf Shores a few years ago and hooked a 6-foot shark. His brother-in-law caught a 150–200-pound tarpon. For reasons which seem obvious, they did not try to bring it aboard their kayaks. “We got dragged all over the place. That’s part of the appeal,” he laughed. “You just have to prepare for it. And don’t go alone!”
The Coosa River system offers a variety of fish, from crappie to catfish, to several species of bass, including the Alabama bass. “On Logan Martin, I’ve pulled in a 15-pound channel catfish in my kayak,” says Norris. “I’ve seen a 50-75-pound catfish pulled in, unfortunately not by me.”
Strategies for success in kayak fishing are somewhat different, Norris explains. “We attack fishing in a very different way. We don’t fish the open waters as much as we do the tighter places. Where the bass boat world is launch as fast as possible, get to your spots as fast as possible, and cover lots of water. We might launch and stay near that launch fishing the harder to get places and cover only a mile or two.”
No matter what type of vessel you use or how you fish, all nautical rules apply. Kayaks are no exception. Before sunrise and after sunset, kayaks must have a stern light. The same holds true for red and green navigation lights. These are especially important for kayaks, which sit lower in the water and are harder to see.
Equipment add-ons for safety and for convenience and comfort make kayaking an activity perfect for anyone ages 5 to 95. Your grandpa’s kayak may have given you the inspiration to learn, but it is definitely not the only design option anymore. Today’s kayaks are lighter and stronger. They offer options in how they are propelled, how you fit into it and how you maneuver it. They can be outfitted for whatever activity you want to do on the water.
A final reminder that whatever fun you’re having in a kayak, be sure to remember safety is paramount. Alabama law requires all boaters, including kayakers to have a personal floatation device onboard for each occupant.
While it’s not required that boaters wear them, it’s a good idea. It’s also a good idea to always include water, a hat, and sunscreen in your float plan.
You may catch a beautiful sunrise, too, so don’t forget your camera. And give a wave to the lady sipping coffee on the dock as you drift by.
Jessica Norris’ catch of the day kayaking on the Coosa
Sunset over the lake as another fishing day draws to an end
LIGHTING THE WAY FOR KAYAKING
Proper boat lighting is essential to safe kayak fishing
Chad Watts knows all too well how hard kayaks are to see in the dark. Several years ago, while fishing in a tournament on Lake Jordan, he nearly ran over a kayaker.
They were fishing at what is considered “safe light,” just as it is getting light enough to see, but before the sun has risen. “I was running 75 miles an hour toward a wide cove. There was a piece of land that jutted out about 30 feet, so I couldn’t see around the other side of it until I got almost even with it,” said Watts.
“By that time, I was doing about 60. When I came around, there was a kayaker 20 yards from my boat. How I avoided running completely over the top of him, I don’t know. I was so rattled, I couldn’t fish.”
Watts went to check on the kayaker and wound up talking to him for 30 minutes (in the middle of the tournament). What came from the experience was a friendship and a product that makes kayak fishing safer.
Watts started Firefly Marine, a company out of Trussville, that produces the Firefly stern light. The difference in their product over what was available previously is both the height of the light (telescopes to over 9 feet) and the material of the light (refracting plastic to eliminate blinding light).
HIKING & MORE
Story by Loyd McIntosh
Staff photos
Located just off of St. Clair County 9 in Springville, Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve can make you forget you’re just a mile or two away from the highway’s busy intersection of U.S. 11 in the middle of town.
As you drive along the winding, two-lane road covered with trees, you can already feel the temperature drop, even on this hot-as-molten-lava day in mid-August. It’s possible to roll your window down and take in a nice breeze.
The entrance to Big Canoe Creek is just under a half-mile past Homestead Hollow, but, if you’re not paying attention, you can drive right by it without noticing it.
Once you arrive on site, you’re reminded immediately of just how spectacular this part of St. Clair County truly is. On today’s visit, the sky overhead is mostly blue with a few clouds meandering by, and everywhere you look, you see green – undisturbed green. In a word, it’s breathtaking.
The Preserve, which opened to the public in February 2024, began to take shape when Alabama’s Forever
Bird-watching is drawing people from all around
Entrance to Big Canoe Creek Preserve
Granger Waid treats his daughters and a friend –Mary Grace Waid, Grayson Thrasher and Sawyer Waid – to a hike at the Preserve.
Doug Morrison on the trail
Wild Land Trust purchased 382 acres of land in Springville in 2018. A year later the trust added 40 acres, bringing the Preserve to its massive footprint of 422 acres.
Preserve’s Historic Path
The Preserve’s caretaker and longtime advocate is Doug Morrison, now manager of it for the City of Springville. His interest in the area’s preservation goes back to 2007 while serving as the president of the Friends of Big Canoe Creek. Upon learning that the property was being eyed for development, Morrison and other members of Friends of Big Canoe lobbied the Springville City Council to take action to protect the creek.
At minimum, they asked for a riparian buffer, a strip of trees, grass, or shrubs either planted or left intact to protect bodies of water from development. Morrison said they even looked at what other nearby cities were doing to protect other bodies of water.
“A lot of times, developers will just clear every tree, and all of that sediment just goes into the creek,” says Morrison. “We were just trying to get them to be better stewards of the earth and at least leave riparian buffers.
“We even looked at some ordinances that Trussville had, for instance, with the Cahaba River and how they have setbacks leaving riparian buffers, basically just saying ‘leave the natural vegetation that’s already there,’ “ Morrison recalls.
Soon after the developers scrapped their plans altogether in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and Morrison and others continued their quest to preserve and protect the creek and surrounding property.
Upon learning about the Forever Wild Land Trust, an initiative created by the state of Alabama in the early 90s, Morrison began approaching landowners about nominating their land for a potential sale to Forever Wild, a goal that took almost a decade of negotiations to accomplish.
With help from Springville and St. Clair County leadership and the owners of Homestead Hollow, the initial 386 acres were sold to Forever Wild in 2018.
Morrison says the creek had been affected by other developments in the area over the years, but it is now well on its way to full recovery. Big Canoe Creek is home to more than 58 species of fish, making it number one in Alabama in aquatic biodiversity. It is number four nationally in total biodiversity, and number one in the nation in aquatic diversity.
Still, Morrison says efforts are needed to protect “the special critters” of Big Canoe Creek. For instance, the creek is home to the Big Canoe Creek Club Shell, a mussel that can only be found in Big Canoe Creek that was listed as endangered in 2022.
Many different trails wind through the park
“That’s one of the things we’re trying to tout and educate people about is our waterways are important, they’re special. They are home to a lot of different species of animals, and they’re disappearing at an alarming rate,” explains Morrison. “So hopefully with this preserve, we can get an educational program off the ground to help teach people about our great biodiversity.”
All sorts of interesting finds along the trail
Today’s Path(s)
Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve boasts four trails, Creek Loop Trail, Easy Rider Trail, Fallen Oak Trail and Slab Creek Trail, ranging from 1.2 miles to 2.5 miles in length available for a mixture of uses – hiking, biking and horseback riding.
You can also canoe or kayak with outfitters on the creek offering gear rentals and guided tours along the creek.
This writer, on the day of his visit, hiked for a bit along the Fallen Oak trail and the Easy Rider Trail, and was struck by the preserve’s natural, rustic beauty – if the word “rustic” isn’t redundant when discussing nature. After a few yards of crushed gravel, the trails give way to narrow dirt paths winding along the natural topography of the land under dense tree cover. The trails are suitable for novices and children, however, anyone who is moderately active to the most experienced hikers will enjoy the trails and the chance to see a variety of wildlife, including the occasional deer.
Morrison says this is the ultimate goal of Big Canoe Creek Preserve: to give everyone a chance to experience the natural surroundings and biodiversity of Big Canoe Creek. He added that the organization, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is exploring grants for the construction of a pavilion where they can hold educational events and field trips for the county’s school children.
“We want classes to go on field trips and along the trails and along the creeks and just experience nature,” Morrison says. He references an influential book by non-fiction author and journalist Richard Louv titled, Last Child In The Woods. In the book, Louv coined the term “nature deficit disorder,” a concept that resonated with Morrison and one he hopes to remedy over time.
Through the Preserve, he says, “We’re hoping we can do away with nature deficit disorder in St. Clair County.” l
Celebrating 50 years of service above self
As most pivotal moments in history have their roots, this one began with a ‘what if?’ What if a group of business and civic leaders formed an organization that would work as a team to serve their community?
The notion that these men could work together to give back to the community that had served them so well individually sparked the founding of Pell City Rotary Club, a story of service that has unfolded over the past 50 years.
Just take a look around, and Rotary’s good works are easy to spot. The new park benches throughout historic downtown are courtesy of Rotary. So is the cutting-edge recording studio for Museum of Pell City’s Living History program.
Dozens of students have furthered their education with college scholarship awarded by the club, and the Sheriffs Boys Ranch has a new home and more because of Rotary’s efforts. The Love Pantry’s shelves are stocked for feeding those in need, and the Children’s Place Child Advocacy Center comforts children at their most vulnerable moments in life.
Those in need of health care but unable to afford it, find it at St. Clair Community Clinic, yet another entity supported by Rotary.
Serving first-responders
Fun at the Father-Daughter Dance
Pell City Rotary Club says thanks to our sponsors of the Ray Cox Memorial Golf Tournament, Rotary Tennis Tournament, Father-Daughter Dance & Jingle Bell 5K run!
Because you give, we can give...
GOLF TOURNAMENT
ALFA – Brooke Tollison
AOD Federal Credit Union
ASC Allen Service Company
Adam Bain
Bain & Company Barnett, Jones, Wilson, LLC
Dr. James Bedsole
Gay Blackwell
Sarah Brazzolotto
Serge Brazzolotto
BSE Industrial Contractors
Byron Woods
Municipal Construction
Dot Wood Appraisal
Douglas Manufacturing Company
St. Clair EDC
Eden Family Dentistry
Ellison Land
Ventures, LLC
F&D Enterprises, LLC
Fields Gossett Realty
Fort McClellan
Credit Union
Ford Meter Box
Gallery of Eden
Gavin Gillison
Goodgame Company
Griffins Jewelers
Hargray
Lyle Harmon
Dr. Rock and Jennifer Helms
Henderson Builders
Supply
Judge Jim Hill
Hill, Gossett, Kemp
Hugh Holladay
JCSC Services
JRBC Packaging Solutions
Kilgroe Funeral Home
Leeds Stained Glass
Lovejoy Realty
Paul and Marie Manning
Metro Bank
National Cement
New Life Church
Raymond James
Rodney’s Marine Center
Royal Foods
Billy Shute
Southland Golf Carts
Southern States Utilities
State Farm – Bart Perry
Stone and Son Electrical
Trotter Foundation
Trussell, Funderburg, Rea, Bell & Furgerson
Union State Insurance
Caran Wilbanks
Davis Worley
Randy Wood
Woods Surfside Marine
Usrey Funeral Home
Brad Young Insurance
Planning
John Rea In Memory of Bob Watson
J.P. Dailey and Lyman
Lovejoy In Memory of Ray and Jimmie Nell Miler
Kelly and Mark Furgerson
In Memory of Bill Hereford
J.P. Dailey and Eddie Gilreath In Memory of Frank Viohl
P. Douglas Ross
TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL
Trussell Funderburg Rea
Bell & Furgerson
Paul and Marie Manning
Bill Hereford
The Brazzolottos
Caran Wilbanks
Union State Insurance
Union State Bank
Joe Sawyer
Dr. James Bedsole
New Life Church
Dot Wood
Bill Ellison
FATHER-DAUGHTER
DANCE
Mainstreet Drugs and Gift Shop
PCHS Interact Club
94.1 The River
Metro Bank
Pell City Coffee Company
Main Street Memories with Brittney Smith
Red Magnolia
Photography
Melissa McClain
DJ Carson Bruce
Pell City CEPA
City of Pell City
Pell City High School
Jefferson State
Community College
Southland Golf Cart
JINGLE BELL
5K RUN
ALFA Insurance-Brooke
Tollison
Allstate Insurance
Andritz Pulp and Paper
Aultman Dental
James W. Bedsole
Benjamin Moore
Company, Inc.
Tommy and Sherry Bowers
Serge and Sarah Brazzolotto
Buffalo Wild Wings
Pell City
Chick-fil-A
City Market
Annette Cox
JP Dailey
Douglas Equipment
Eden Family Dentistry
Ford Meter Box
Fort McClellan
Credit Union
Four Oaks Designs-Allen
Family Foundation
Garrison Steel
Gilreath Printing
Goodgame Company
Healing Touch Caregivers, LLC
Holly Automotive, LLC
Hufford Law Firm, PC
I-20 Development, LLC
Johnny’s Electric
FJ and Barbara Kelly
Kirkpatrick Concrete
Lovejoy Properties
McSweeney Auto Group Metro Bank
Mike Rogers, U.S.
Representative
Bob Mize, St. Clair County
Commission
Pell City Steakhouse
Premiere Cinema LUX
QT Service Station
Rainbow Car Wash
Douglas Ross
Phil Seay
St. Clair Association of Realtors
Trish Couch
Trussell, Funderburg, Rea, Bell & Furgerson
Union State Bank
Allen Vincent
Visionary Branding
Vulcan Tire & Automotive
Walker Excavating
Davis and Barbara Worley
WHERE LEADERS MEET
The Rotary Club of Pell City meets at noon every Tuesday at the Pell City Municipal Complex, 1000 Bruce Etheredge Parkway in Pell City, AL. For more information, please visit our website at pellcityrotary.org
The list is seemingly endless. Good causes – large and small – have Rotary’s helping hand behind them. Echoing through the heart of it all is the club’s motto, “Service Above Self.”
“That’s why we do what we do,” said President Kelly Furgerson, who represents a continuation of a part of the club’s history herself. Rotary was once a ‘men only’ club. June Brascho broke the gender barrier as the first woman member and later president in the 1990s, and Furgerson follows in her footsteps as the sixth.
“It is an honor to serve in the community in which we live,” said Furgerson. “Each day, we have an opportunity to do good individually and together as a club. The Pell City Rotary Club is made up of people of action who want to make our amazing community better one project at a time.”
How do they do what they do?
Rotary works beyond its own boundaries, bringing the community together to further its good causes. The money raised through these events provides the foundation for so many worthwhile projects throughout the community.
The Father-Daughter Dance is one of the most anticipated events of the year with daddies and daughters making lifetime memories on their special ‘date night.’ Led by Rotarians Blair Goodgame and Meg Clements, the dance venue is magically transformed into its colorful, imaginative theme, whether it be Candyland, fairy tales or lighting up the festivities with Glow Crazy.
The club’s tennis tournament in October each year could be called ‘spooktacular.’ Just in time for Halloween volunteers and competitors dress up for the occasion, making it a fun time for all. Meg Clements leads the effort.
Rotary’s Ray Cox Memorial Golf Tournament brings golfers, sponsors and volunteers together in a fun, sporting event at Pell City Country Club that continues a longstanding tradition of 42 years of service. Joe Paul Abbott heads this major fundraiser that has made so many charitable projects possible.
New to Rotary is the Jingle Bell 5K Run and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk. Led by Rotarian Bill Ellison, this event raised
Jingle Bell 5K Run at Lakeside Park
$65,000 in 2023 to help build a new home at St. Clair Sheriffs Boys Ranch. Set for Dec. 14, the run is through Pell City Lakeside Park and this year, it will set its sights on raising funds for Boys Ranch and a number of other charities throughout the community.
Why join?
Rotary continues to grow its membership roll, seeking business, government and civic representatives to join their movement to make their community a better place.
It’s all about community service – seeing a need, rolling up your sleeves and working to fill it. That’s Pell City Rotary Club, Where Leaders Meet. l
Editor’s Note: If you’re interested in learning more about Rotary or applying for membership, go to: pellcityrotary.org.
Tennis and Pickleball tournament
A salute to our military VETERANS
Honoring those who served
Events planned all across St. Clair County
Veterans history on display at the Museum of Pell City
Story by Cherith Fluker
Submitted photos
As Veterans Day approaches, St. Clair County is preparing to honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Across St. Clair County, flags flying, special tributes, events and exhibits will express gratitude to the veterans who have sacrificed so much to protect the country’s freedoms.
This year, the Museum of Pell City will host its annual Salute to Service event. “Salute to Service promises to be a heartfelt and meaningful experience for all who attend,” said Museum President Carol Pappas.
The event, set for Nov. 8, had its beginnings in 2023 with an expanded military exhibit at the museum, approximately three times the size of the regular exhibit. This special tribute highlighted the history and contributions of veterans, and the museum premiered a short film it produced, War and Remembrance, which featured local veterans of World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War.
“It was our very first outreach project, and over 100 attended the first day followed by others throughout the month of November.
This year, Salute to Service will include a reception and special presentations to honor the veterans in attendance, says Pappas. Each veteran will receive a special challenge coin as a token of appreciation for their service.
Expanded exhibits include more in-depth looks at some of Pell City’s “hometown heroes” and
A salute to our military
VETERANS
St. Clair’s rich military history at the museum
photographs, artifacts and other items of interest.
The museum is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is always free.
St. Clair County Extension Veterans Outreach will host its Veterans Program is slated on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Springville Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This program will feature tributes in honor of all who served. Highlights include a proclamation from Dave Thomas, mayor of Springville; a Veterans’ Appreciation speech by Greg Bailey, U.S. Air Force Veteran; musical performances by the Something Else Trio and Springville High School Tiger Chorale; and the 13 Folds Ceremony.
It also will include the Run for the Wall Presentation by Chuck Wright, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and the Missing Man Table Presentation by Wayne Johnson, U.S. Air Force veteran.
Greg Bailey, administrator of Outreach Programs for the St. Clair County office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, is partnering with the Josiah Brunson Chapter, National Society Daughter of the American Revolution, for the Springville event.
“This program is the least we can do for our servicemen who have done so much for us,” Bailey says. “Our office is focused on ensuring veterans are aware of the resources available to them. “
In addition to the Veterans Day program, Bailey and his team are also partnering with local schools and community organizations to honor and celebrate veterans across the county. Throughout the month of November, cities and towns across St. Clair County will also honor veterans in various ways. Flags will be flying high in public spaces, special banners
St. Clair County Extension Outreach Veterans program at Springville Methodist Church
will be displayed along main streets, and communities will participate in events that pay tribute to those who have served. These collective efforts create a powerful visual reminder of the respect and gratitude the county holds for its veterans.
All of these events are open to the public and free to attend, but registration is required. Those interested in attending the Salute to Service reception event may register on the Museum of Pell City’s website, museumofpellcity.org.
The event at Springville Methodist Church is free as well, but attendees are asked to RVSP by calling the St. Clair County Alabama Cooperative Extension System at (205) 338-9416.
“Veterans form the very foundation of all of our communities across our country,” Pappas said. “Their history is what our history is built upon, and we truly thank them for their service.”
Mike Rogers proudly salutes the valiant men and women who have served our country throughout our nation’s history.
As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, I know just how important their sacrifices have been and continue to be in service to America.
I am honored to represent St. Clair County in Washington, whose own history underscores the critical role veterans play in a strong democracy.
A salute to our military
VETERANS
Banners honor Moody’s heroes
Story by Cherith Fluker
Photos by Graham Hadley
In the heart of Moody, a touching tribute to military veterans has taken root.
The Veterans Banner Program, which began in 2023, is a community-driven initiative to honor those who have served in the armed forces. Spearheaded by city officials and embraced by residents, this program is more than just a display of banners; it’s a testament to the city’s deep respect and gratitude for its local military service members, past and present.
The idea for the Moody Veterans Banner Program was inspired by similar efforts in nearby cities like Jasper and Montevallo. City Councilman Ellis Key, after visiting these towns, was enthusiastic about bringing a similar tribute to Moody. Mayor Joe Lee and Mayor Pro Tem Linda Crowe had been advocating for a way to honor local veterans, and after three years of planning and discussions, the program finally launched.
In August of 2023, the city began selling banners to families who wanted to honor their loved ones who have served the country. By Veterans Day, the first nine banners were proudly displayed. The program’s popularity grew quickly, with additional banners added for Memorial Day and Patriots Day. In the first year of the program, the city displayed 14 banners.
Each banner tells a unique story. One banner honors a West Point graduate and decorated Vietnam Banners line the streets and parking lots around the Moody Civic Center and Library
A salute to our military
VETERANS
War veteran, while another recognizes a Vietnam War veteran who received both a Bronze and Silver Star. Three of the banners displayed honor a father who fought in WWII and his two sons, one of whom fought in Vietnam.
Moody resident Jimmy Banks surprised his mother with a banner honoring his father and her father. Additionally, there is a banner dedicated to a WWII soldier who was killed in Luxembourg.
Program organizers are hopeful that the Veterans Banner program will continue to inspire future generations.
Moody’s Mayor Assistant Melissa Fraser says the community’s response has been overwhelmingly positive. Residents frequently inquire about the cost and eligibility criteria for the banners. Fraser emphasized that the banners are not limited to veterans. They can honor anyone currently serving or who has served in the past.
Longtime Moody resident Kathy Lunsford shared her excitement about the Moody Veterans Banner Program. She recently purchased banners for herself and her husband, William. Both Kathy and William are Air Force veterans who met during their service. Kathy was inspired to participate after seeing the banners displayed while leaving the library. Lunsford said, “As a veteran, I am proud of the time I served in the military. It is an honor to have served my country. I’m looking forward to my and my husband’s banners being displayed soon. I can’t wait to show our children and our family.”
The banner program has received an overwhelmingly positive response from honorees and the community. “One particularly memorable reaction came from a woman who surprised her husband with a banner. Responses like these show the pride families feel in recognizing their loved ones’ service,” shared Fraser.
Starting the program wasn’t without its challenges. Initially, finding appropriate locations to display the banners was a concern. Currently, the banners are displayed near the Civic Center at 200 Civic Center Drive in Moody. This location has
As the program grows, plans are to expand the areas where the banners are displayed
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Pictured left to right, Bob Mize, Tommy Bowers, Stan Batemon, Ricky Parker and Jeff Brown
been well-received by the public. Additionally, maintaining the banners, which are subject to weather wear and tear, requires careful logistics. The city’s Public Works Department plays a crucial role in displaying the banners during patriotic holidays.
Gilreath Printing and Signs, LLC, a Pell City business, has been instrumental in creating high-quality banners. The Gilreaths have consistently produced banners that families and the community are proud of. “Even when families submit older photos that are worn and faded, Mr. and Mrs. Gilreath, along with their graphic designer, Dani Chistopherson, have made the banners look fantastic,” Fraser added.
The program is not designed to be a money-making venture. The $200 fee for each banner covers the costs of production and their picture being featured in an exhibit at the Moody Museum. This exhibit will have a dedicated room where the veterans’ legacies will be preserved for future generations.
As the program grows, there are plans to expand the banner displays to Moody Crossroads and eventually along Highway 411.
Fraser believes that other cities could benefit from starting similar programs. Her advice is straightforward: “It’s a deeply rewarding program that brings communities together and honors those who have served.” The cooperation and dedication of city partners and local businesses have been key to the program’s success.
For those interested in purchasing a banner, Fraser advises contacting her at least a month before one of the key patriotic holidays for the displays that are expected to continue to grow.
And rightly so, say city officials. The program stands as a beacon of gratitude and community spirit, honoring the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving their country.
Banners can be purchased for $200 each, which guarantees three years of display. Additionally, the honoree’s picture will be featured at the City of Moody Museum and on the city’s website. l
Editor’s note: If you have any questions or if you would like to purchase a banner for a service member, contact Melissa Fraser at the City of Moody at (205) 6400307 or mfraser@moodyalabama.gov
A
VETERANS
Banners around the Moody Library
St. Clair, Alabama Business Review
The commerce park is slated to be just east of the Wal Mart and accessed from the County 23/I-59 Interchange.
Partnership for success
New commerce park for Springville could bring in $500 million in investments
A partnership between the City of Springville and the St. Clair County Commission to buy 250 acres of land to use as a commerce park is expected to deliver a sizable return – $500 million in investments from new companies employing 1,500 people.
The planned commerce park is located east of Wal-Mart and will be accessed from the County 23/I-59 interchange. “This will minimize any traffic impact while providing a location for quality companies to build and employ people from the surrounding area,” said Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council. “The less we must drive for good paying jobs the better it is on the overall traffic congestion in the region.”
The EDC and St. Clair County Industrial Development Board are working with both partners to obtain grants and outside funds. “Our focus is to minimize the local funds being invested into the parks but at the same time, develop a park that will provide jobs and taxes for decades.”
This park will be the only rail-served park in St. Clair County for new companies to locate. “There are fewer and fewer rail sites in Alabama, and this park will give the I-59 corridor a recruitment advantage,” Smith predicted. “We target advanced manufacturers in food production, automotive supplier and advanced metals.”
Based on the acreage and target sectors, “We believe we will be able to recruit multiple companies into the park,” Smith said.
The initial effort was boosted by a SEEDS grant that provided $2.1 million for the purchase of the property. The remaining funds needed were split between the county and city.
The SEEDS program was launched in 2023 to provide state funds to purchase and develop competitive properties for the state’s target sectors in Alabama. The funds have a 50 percent local match with smaller communities and distressed counties a lower local match.
In addition to the Springville grant, the EDC was able to obtain roughly $400,000 to run sewer to the new Kelly Creek Commerce Park, a similar project in Moody. “It was the only missing piece of infrastructure needed to make the park complete,” Smith said.
Officials in Moody cut the ribbon on that 170-acre park in early 2023, and it is expected to generate 1.5 million square feet of distribution facility space and $125 million in investments in good paying jobs.
Looking ahead, the economic forecast for the county continues to be bright, Smith said. “We are in the running for a few manufacturing projects in Moody and Pell City. I also believe we will have several impactful retail projects to
Further along in the development process, Kelly Creek Commerce Park is also on the receiving end of SEEDS grant, which will help run sewerage service to the park.
announce in the upcoming months throughout the county.”
He credited residential growth as the factor “now catching the eye of many retailers that just 10 years ago would have passed on us. They see our growing household income and job creation numbers and are ready to invest in St. Clair County.”
Business Cards
A local look at new rules for Realtors
Commission settlement, interest rates examined in housing market outlook
Story by Carol Pappas
There’s more to being a Realtor than opening a door and showing a home, and a settlement by the National Association of Realtors that took effect Aug. 17 is being viewed as a means of demonstrating just that.
The suit centered on the nondisclosure of a buyer’s agent commission when a house is sold. The commission for agents for the buyer and the seller was shared, averaging about a 6percent split. As part of the settlement, the commission for the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent are no longer shared when a home is on the Multiple Listing Service
“This is not a bad thing,” said ERA King CEO Josh Wright. “It’s us being more transparent in dealing with the client.”
Basically, the seller’s price increased to cover the total commission, and it appeared the buyer’s agent was working for free.
Now Realtors disclose who is paying and how. “Commission was always negotiable, it’s just more transparent is all as an industry we’re doing,” Wright said. A real estate agent is not part of the contract. The agreement is between the buyer and seller, and the commission is part of that agreed upon price.
Since the requirements of the suit have gone into effect, “we haven’t seen much disruption,” he said. As the trainer for ERA’s sales force, he stresses that they need to understand their own value to the process and relate that to the client.
He pointed to the over 100 services Realtors provide to their clients. Some of the key services include property valuation, negotiating the contract, marketing the house – a sizable cost and undertaking – overseeing the inspection process to make sure it is done thoroughly and facilitating appraisals.
Wright, whose background is in finance, sees the outlook for the housing market in a positive light. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a half point in September, which will have a good impact on financial markets, but it’s not expected to impact mortgage rates significantly in the immediate future. A better indicator, he said, is the 10-year treasury bond. Mortgage rates follow that trend.
Over the next 12 months, he expects mortgage rates to slowly drop, probably into the 5.5 percent to 6.25percent range. In the fourth quarter of 2025 or into the first quarter of 2026, he anticipates mortgage rates to be in the high 4percent range.
Rates would need to get into the 5percent to 5.5percent range “before it starts booming again. It’s closer to a buyer’s market right now.” A buyer’s vs. seller’s market is determined by how long a house is on the market. When it’s less than six months, it’s a seller’s market.
“We’re closer to a buyer’s market,” Wright said. “We’re
St. Clair Housing Activity – August 2024
• List to Sold Price – 98 percent
• Median Estimated Value – $280.910
• New Listings Median List Price – $274,880
• Median List Price-Active Listings – $315,000
• Median List Price-New Pending Listings – $273,375
• Pending Listings-Median List Price – $281,700
• Sold Listings-Median Sold Price – $266,255
- Realtors Property Resource®, LLC
starting to see things getting more normal.”
During the COVID pandemic, new construction “went away,” he said. Now it’s coming back in significant ways. In St. Clair, much of the growth is due to large builders developing subdivisions with a high number of homes and having the ability to offer their own mortgage rates in the 5.5percent range.
It’s still good news, Wright reasoned. “Overall, it’s the sign of a healthy market and a great one for our local economy.”
Final F cus
Life through the lens of Mackenzie Free
Life is rarely predictable
In fact, it’s littered with so much uncertainty it’s really best not to form any preconceived ideas or make too bold of assumptions about what the future holds. Because the truth is... You. have. no. idea.
You will walk through things you never thought you would. You will find yourself in situations for which you absolutely can’t prepare. You will be forced to make hard decisions you never thought you’d have to make. You will make false friends and feel the sting of their ulterior motives. You will be humbled and have your heart broken. You will try and fail and face unexpected consequences and disappointments. You will lose people you love and thought you’d get to keep forever.
But you will also find love and unshakable friends. The right people stay, and the wrong ones will go. You will find grace and forgiveness are the best gifts you can give and receive. You will learn grit grows best in tough times, and trials really are the best teachers. You will find light in dark places and compassion in the eyes of hard faces. You may find your broken heart held together by unexpected hands and mended in ways you can’t really comprehend.
And just as soon as you start to assume you’ve got a solid grip on your life ... It will shift and surprise you all over again.
- Mackenzie FreeWife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama
