For his 38 years of service, Dr. Roger Moss, a family practitioner, is one of three recipients of Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation’s Caddell-Grisham Award. Page 24
Maria Gonzalez, 56, shared her culture during Decatur’s inaugural Dia de los Muertos festival last year. Page 12
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023
R I
away from R hodes Fer r y Pa rk a nd t he Ten nessee R iver, enjoy a n I N DEPEN DEN T L I F EST Y L E a long w it h a l l of t he ser v ices a nd a men it ies t hat
a l low ou r residents to ENJOY T H E BEST L I F E. St ud ios, One Bed room, a nd Two Bed room Apa r t ment s Now Ava i lable.
A lways i nc luded: I nd iv idua l c l i matecont rol led apa r t ments, pr ivate bat hs, a mple storage, fu l l or m i n i-k itc hens, housekeepi ng a nd lau nd r y ser v ices, t h ree c hef-i n spi red mea ls da i ly, soc ia l a nd rec reat iona l act iv it ies, rela x i ng ga rden a reas, secu r it y, a 24/ 7 at tent ive a nd ca r i ng sta ff, a nd more! Free loca l move-i n assista nce is ava i lable. Visit
As a locally owned real estate company, we’re part of your community and understand the importance of delivering exceptional service Whether you’re retiring, downsizing or a significant life event has made you consider a move – MarMac Real Estate has the experience and understanding to help you navigate your unique real estate needs.
MarMac Real Estate understands that the decision to sell can be difficult
Selling a home can be an emotional time, potentially involving other life decisions. A MarMac Real Estate REALTOR® understands the issues facing older adults. By taking a no-pressure approach, we can help you navigate your choices and may be able to suggest alternatives that help you stay in your home.
MarMac Real Estate can patiently support you through each step.
We take the time needed to make you feel comfortable with the complex selling process. A MarMac Real Estate Professional understands the demands a sale can make on you, and works hard to minimize them. They will tailor the marketing process to your specific needs and be there when you need them
MarMac Real Estate will be with you throughout the entire process.
A MarMac Real Estate REALTOR® is interested in looking out for your best interest through all aspects of your transition, not just the sale of your home We’ve invested the time and resources to be knowledgeable before, during, and after your transition
MarMac Real Estate can draw upon a network of other professionals focused on 50+ customers
It’s important to have a network of professionals, and that’s exactly what we’ve built over the years. Whether it’s tax counselors, financial advisors, or estate planners who can help you understand the financial consequences of selling your home, to trade contractors to get your home prepared for showings, estate sale organizers, and senior moving specialists - we’re connected to those that can help you
256-466-0756
caitlin@marmac.us
caitlinfite.marmac.us
Publisher
CLINT SHELTON
Operations Director
SCOTT BROWN
Executive Editor
ERIC FLEISCHAUER
Living 50 Plus Editor
LORI FEW
CATHERINE GODBEY
News Editor
FRANKLIN HARRIS
Living 50 Plus Writers
CATHERINE GODBEY • BAYNE HUGHES
DAVID GAMBINO • ERICA SMITH
DEBORAH STOREY
Living 50 Plus Photographers
JERONIMO NISA • TRISTAN HOLMES
Circulation Director
WALTER GOGGINS
Advertising Director
BARETTA TAYLOR
Advertising Graphic Artists
STEPHEN JOHNSON • RHONDA STENNETT
Retail Advertising
TERRI HASTON • BECKY SPIVEY • SHELIA SMITH
EDDIE JOHNS • ANNA BAKER • KIARA KOGER
Website
DANIEL BUFORD
256-340-2408
Visit us at living50plusdm.com
For story ideas or comments:
Bruce McLellan 256-340-2431
For distribution questions:
Walter Goggins 256-740-5784
For advertising questions:
Baretta Taylor
256-340-2370
For website questions:
Daniel Buford
256-340-2408
Published by
Daily Tennessee Valley Media
ON THE COVER: Dr. Roger Moss has practiced family medicine in Decatur for 38 years and once had nearly 8,000 patients. He is one of the recipients of the Caddell-Grisham Awarded bestowed upon community servants. Photograph by Jeronimo Nisa. Cover design by Stephen Johnson.
Older adults, both male and female, can benefit from regular physical activity. Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits. Older adults can obtain significant health benefits with a moderate amount of physical activity, preferably daily. A moderate amount of activity can be obtained in longer sessions of moderately intense activities, such as walking, or in shorter sessions of more vigorous activities, such as fast walking or stairwalking. Additional health benefits can be gained through greater amounts of physical activity, either by increasing the duration, intensity, or frequency.
Previously sedentary older adults who begin physical activity programs should start with short intervals of moderate physical activity (5-10 minutes) and gradually build up to the desired amount. Older adults should consult with a physician before beginning a new physical activity program.
Here are some facts to consider:
• The loss of strength and stamina attributed to aging is in part caused by reduced physical activity.
• Inactivity increases with age. By age 75, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity.
• Among adults aged 65 years and older, walking and gardening or yard work are, by far, the most popular physical activities.
• Social support from family and friends has been consistently and positively related to regular physical activity. Benefits of physical activity
• Helps maintain the ability to live independently and reduces the risk of falling and fracturing bones.
• Reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes.
• Can help reduce blood pressure in some people with hypertension.
• Helps people with chronic, disabling conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength.
• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and fosters improvements in mood and feelings of well-being.
• Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
• Helps control joint swelling and pain associated with arthritis.
Food for thought: Staying active has tremendous benefits
Looking for a day trip that is not too far from Morgan County? Covered bridges are scattered all around North Alabama and remind
“The Easley Covered Bridge was built by a crew led by foreman Forrest Tidwell and his nephew, Zelma C. Tidwell, in 1927 over Dub Branch,” according to Wikipedia. The 95-foot-long, lattice truss single-span covered bridge was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on March 3, 1976. It was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places on Aug. 20, 1981. It is currently the oldest and shortest of the three historic covered bridges still existing in Blount County. It is accessible from both sides of Easley Bridge Road.
The Easley Covered Bridge has been open for continuous traffic except for occasional repair work and a short period when it was restored and eventually reopened to motor vehicle traffic. After a routine inspection, the bridge was closed in
us of the way things used to be. Blount County has the most in North Alabama, which has earned the county the “Covered Bridge Capital” title. Mix in the upcoming fall colors, a trip, or multiple trips, to check out each of these scenic covered bridges could be very rewarding.
Cambron Covered Bridge is in the Green Mountain Nature Trail in Huntsville and is named after Joe E. Cambron, who was the Madison County Bridge Foreman from 1958-1974. The Nature Trail is recognized as a Treasure Forest by the Alabama Forestry Commission. It is also considered a Wildlife Sanctuary.
2009 due to unsafe conditions along with nearby Swann Covered Bridge. The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was already closed as a result of vandalism, which occurred in 2007. Restoration of all three bridges began in late 2011. Following necessary repairs and upgrades, the Easley Covered Bridge was reopened to motor vehicle traffic on Oct. 22, 2012.
“The Old Union Covered Bridge is a privately owned wood & metal combination style covered bridge that spans the West Fork of the Little River in DeKalb County. It is located on an access road between Shady Grove Dude Ranch and Cloudmont Ski & Golf Resort on Lookout Mountain, which is off County Road 614 near the town of Mentone,” according to Wikipedia.
The Swann Covered Bridge, also called the Joy Covered Bridge or Swann-Joy Covered Bridge, is a county-owned, wood-&-metal combination style covered bridge that spans the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama. It is located on Swann Bridge Road off State Route 79, just west of the town of Cleveland, about 10 miles northwest of Oneonta.
Built in 1933, the 324-foot bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over three spans. The Swann Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 20, 1981. It is currently the longest existing historic covered bridge in Alabama and the second longest in the state overall after the 334-foot Twin Creek Covered Bridge in Midway, Alabama which was built in 2000.
“One of Cullman Couty’s most well-known attractions, Clarkson Covered Bridge, was originally built in 1904 and was once used by farmers and travelers to cross Crooked Creek. It is now closed to traffic. The bridge was torn in two in 1921 by a huge storm. “One piece was left intact, the other swept downstream and soon salvaged. One year later, the project to repair the bridge with the salvaged material was completed,” according to Cullman County Parks.
“On June 25, 1974, Clarkson Covered Bridge was named to the National Register of Historic Places. Shortly thereafter, in 1975, the Cullman County Commission restored the site with the help of concerned citizens as part of the American Bicentennial Project, embellishing the grounds with hiking trails, a picnic area, and two period structures built to accent the historical nature of the bridge: a Dogtrot log cabin and a working grist mill. Located just off U.S. 278 in Bethel.”
We'll help you find your perfect blend of Comfor t, Style, and Function with beautiful fur niture that fits the way you live.
“The Gilliland Reese Covered Bridge was constructed in 1899 by a crew under the direction of
Etowah County Commissioner Jesse Gilliland,” according to Wikipedia. It’s a Town Lattice truss made of rough-hewn lumber and covered with weathered shingles, originally located over Little Wills Creek at Gilliland Plantation. It was in the vicinity of present-day Bethany Sitz Gap Road near Reece City. The bridge was also a favorite meeting place.
Eventually, the bridge was replaced in the 1920s by the new Reeceville Road. In 1966, the bridge was donated to the City of Gadsden by the family of Judge H. Ross Gilliland as it was threatened by the construction of Interstate 59. No other structures of the Gilliland Plantation are known to remain. The bridge was fully restored and moved to Noccalula Falls Park in 1967. Most of the lattice truss setup was removed during restoration, making the bridge more of a Stringer construction. Therefore, it is currently classified as a non-authentic covered bridge.
“Built in 1934, the 220-foot bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over two spans. The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Dec. 29, 1970, the first covered bridge in the southeastern United States to be added. At 70 feet, it is the highest covered bridge above any U.S. waterway. It was reopened on March 11, 2013, after being closed in 2007 due to vandalism. The bridge is currently open to motor vehicle traffic. However, there is only one lane, and the posted speed limit is 5 MPH,” according to Wikipedia.
By ALICIAMARIE RODRIGUEZ Guinness World Records
The new Guinness World Records 2024 book will be out soon, and in it you will find two remarkable seniors. According to Guinness World Records, two ninjas are proving that age is nothing but a number, after earning record titles for the oldest female competitive ninja athlete and the oldest male competitive ninja athlete.
Ninja challenge competitions involve people of different ages negotiating obstacle courses containing challenges in the categories of jumping, climbing, swinging, traversing, balancing, and floor skills.
Both athletes, who have been working on their craft for years, are showing the world that you are never too old to pursue your passions.
Guinness World Records said 71-year-old Virginia Lenore MacColl from Southport, North Carolina, has been a competitive ninja athlete for five years, making her the oldest competitive ninja athlete.
She first began entering ninja warrior competitions at the age of 66 after watching her daughter compete.
“As I cheered on the sidelines for my daughter, Jessie Graf, on ‘American Ninja Warrior,’ I was inspired by her strength and grace and how healthy she looked,” said Virginia.
Virginia had never in her life participated in sports or worked out with weights. But before she knew it, Virginia was engaging in cardio and strength training four times a week and obstacle training at least once a week.
“I swim two to three times a week for cardio,” said Virginia. “For strength training, I break it into push (chest/triceps), pull (back/biceps), leg and abs days. And I train obstacles once a week.”
Some of her favorite ninja skills include swinging on the rings and climbing ropes, while some of the more challenging skills include the salmon ladder and the warped wall.
Virginia often enjoys competing with her daughter, who she says is very competitive and hard to keep up with.
“When you share something you both love, it brings you closer. These are memories I will never forget.”
Known as the “ageless ninja,” Dave Kozak is 76 years old, making him the oldest male competitive ninja athlete.
He first happened to stumble upon the Ninja Warrior sport at the age of 67 and has been training and competing ever since.
He particularly enjoys the sport because of the camaraderie amongst the competitors and says the community is like nothing else he’s seen.
“I enjoy the challenges it presents,” said Dave.
“I made no specific effort to establish any record.”
Dave says being competitive in any sport requires an inner drive to achieve and succeed, and that rigorous training in any sport requires discipline.
Although being a ninja athlete requires being in top shape, Dave says he trains for overall fitness.
“I train for general fitness, strength and agility at home five to six days per week,” he said.
“I train at the ninja gym one or two days per week for specific skills on the obstacle course.”
Dave says the most significant physical requirements for a ninja competitor are grip strength and core strength.
It’s also critical to understand the body’s momentum: getting it, keeping it throughout the obstacle and regenerating it if lost.
Dave says people are generally surprised to learn that someone his age is an active participant in such a demanding sport.
“I explain to them a body is capable of so much more than the calendar would suggest if it is kept active,” he said.
You can learn more about both athletes at www. guinnessworldrecords.com.
Armed with a popcorn machine, chicharrónes, hot sauce and drinks, Maria Gonzalez set up her booth at Decatur’s first Dia de los Muertos celebration last year and waited.
Soon, thousands of people flooded the streets of downtown Decatur and Gonzalez sold out within 45 minutes. The sight of the altars, the people dressed in traditional Mexican outfits and the faces painted like skulls — calaveras — brought tears to her eyes.
“It was beautiful to see a part of my culture brought into the city where I call home. Every culture and every race was there. For the entire community to come and celebrate, it brought tears of joy to me that day. I felt like I was in Mexico,” said the 56-year-old Gonzalez, who has lived in Decatur since 2002.
Organizers estimated that 3,500 people attended Decatur’s inaugural Dia de los Muertos event.
“I was surprised and amazed by the response,” said Mayte Sanchez, one of the event’s organizers and Gonzalez’s
daughter. “We were going to be happy with just 50 people, with just 25 people, really, if 10 people showed up, we were going to be happy. We weren’t expecting the response we got.”
Because of her uncertainty about how the community would respond, Sanchez, who organized the event
with Jesse Gonzalez and Mari Juarez, reached out to her mother.
“We didn’t know if we were going to have any vendors or any people from the community show up. I said, ‘Mom, I need you to help me. If no one else shows up, I need you to be there for me.’ And she was,” Sanchez said.
“I wanted to be part of the event to support my daughter and because Dia de los Muertos is a tradition from Mexico that I had never seen in Decatur before,” Gonzalez said.
Dia de los Muertos translates as “Day of the Dead,” and it’s a traditional Mexican holiday with origins in Aztec and other pre-Hispanic cultures.
Like in other parts of Mexico, in Chilpancingo-Gro, where Gonzalez grew up, Dia de los Muertos celebrations span several days. On Nov. 1, people wait for the younger souls to visit. And, on Nov. 2, they wait for visits from the grown-ups who have passed away.
To honor the dead, Gonzalez created altars, filling them with food, drinks, calaveras and photographs. She also, along with her family, visited the graveyard with flowers and a mariachi band.
“Dia de los Muertos is a big celebration. It is a time the family gets together to share and remember and honor our loved ones,” Gonzalez said.
The Dia de los Muertos event in Decatur last year allowed Gonzalez, who moved to Decatur to provide a better life for her children, a time to, once again, remember.
“I was able to put a picture of my parents on the community altar. That was beautiful and heart-warming to me,” Gonzalez said.
For a glimpse into how Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico, watch the “Coco” movie, Gonzalez
[JERONIMO NISA]
“Dia de los Muertos is a big celebration. It is a time the family gets together to share and remember and honor our loved ones.”
“I wanted to be part of the event to support my daughter and because Dia de los Muertos is a tradition from Mexico that I had never seen in Decatur before.”
Decatur’s inaugural Dia de los Muertos event attracted 3,500 people to downtown last year. “It was beautiful to see a part of my culture brought into the city where I call home. Every culture and every race was there. For the entire community to come and celebrate, it brought tears of joy to me that day,” Maria Gonzalez said. [JERONIMO NISA]
said. The Princess Theatre will hold screenings of “Coco” on Oct. 29 at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
Decatur’s second annual Dia de los Muertos event will take place Nov. 2, 5-9 p.m.
Sanchez, who was recruited to help out with the inaugural event by Philip Mann, the former executive director of external affairs for the Alabama Center for the Arts, is anticipating an even larger community response to the celebration.
“When Philip approached me, I thought it was a great idea. It’s something I’ve wanted to do, I just didn’t know if it would happen. Our culture, at that point, just didn’t feel like we were very welcome; now we do. We just needed that invitation,” Sanchez said. “Everyone is excited for
the event and wanting to be part of it. I expect to see my community come together and experience a piece of our culture and our city because this is our home.”
The event will include authentic Mexican food, food trucks, music, children’s activities, art, community altars and more.
“It will be larger and there will be many surprises coming this year,” Sanchez said.
While Gonzalez hopes to attend the event, because of her job — working second shift as a machine operator at Sonoco in Hartselle — she is unsure if she will be able to participate.
“Even if she is not there physically, I know she will be there in spirit supporting me and our culture,” Sanchez said.
▸ Dia de los Muertos coincides with All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2. On the first day of the two-day celebration, people remember children who have passed away. On the second day, adults are honored.
▸ Altars for the dead contain candles, to light the way for the dead, spirit animals called alebrijes, which help lead individuals to the land of the dead, marigolds, whose scent, according to legend, leads the soul of the dead to the land of the living, and skulls.
▸ Foods association with Dia de los Muertos include the bread Pan de Muertos, the hot chocolate-type drink atole, tamales and sugar skulls.
▸ Dia de los Muertos began 3,000 years ago in the Aztec, Toltec and Mayan cultures as a way to celebrate and not mourn the dead.
Efforts to educate women about breast cancer have helped raise awareness of the disease and just how treatable it is when detected early. Despite that, a diagnosis can still be difficult for women and their families. When someone close to you is affected by breast cancer, priorities suddenly change and you may be wondering what you can do to provide the support needed to help this person navigate any ups and downs that could be on the horizon.
A breast cancer diagnosis does not produce a uniform response. While one loved one may embrace others wanting to help, another may feel she is a burden and exhibit an unwillingness to accept help. In the
latter instance, being a supportive bystander may require walking on eggshells. Even still, there are some universal ways to lend support when a friend or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer.
· Offer practical support. Cancer affects the body in a number of ways. Energy levels may wane and certain symptoms may arise. Side effects from treatments also can make it difficult to continue with daily tasks. So an offer to help with tasks associated with daily living, such as cooking meals, gardening, washing clothes, or cleaning up around the house, can be practical and much appreciated. Approach the individual and ask questions in pointed ways. Rather than, “What can I do to help?”, which may result in an answer of, “Nothing,” figure out a way to pitch in and then ask if that would be acceptable. This may be, “Would you like me to run to the supermarket for you today?”
· Offer emotional support. Someone
with breast cancer may just need a person who can be there and listen. A hug, a nod of understanding or even a companion who can chat and take the person’s mind off the cancer can be immensely helpful. Keep in mind that emotions may change on a dime,
expect. If the person is amenable, you may consider accompanying her to appointments to hear firsthand about the next steps in her treatment and recovery.
· Maintain a positive attitude. It’s never easy knowing someone you love is sick. They are going through their own emotional roller coaster, and support systems can lift their spirits by maintaining positive attitudes. Avoid wearing rose-colored glasses, but try to remain as upbeat as possible.
and some emotions may be directed at support systems. While it can feel hurtful, remember the real reason for any outburst is the disease. Patience is needed at all times.
· Learn what you can about breast cancer. Research the type of cancer your loved one has, which may make it easier to understand what to
· Find a support group. Professional support groups are great resources for coping with a cancer journey. Supporting a person with cancer takes its own unique toll, particularly when caring for a spouse, child or mother with breast cancer. Support groups for support networks can be helpful.
Individuals diagnosed with breast cancer may need a little extra love and support. It’s up to caregivers and friends to step up and provide what is needed.
Maintain a positive attitude. It’s never easy knowing someone you love is sick
Serving as a caregiver for a friend or loved one can be both rewarding and taxing at the same time. The senior housing authority A Place for Mom indicates that 41 million Americans offer unpaid caregiving services, and that number is expected to increase as the aging population grows in the
coming decades. Formal caregivers are paid care providers in a home or care setting. However, an informal caregiver is an unpaid individual that assists others with activities of daily living as well as medical tasks.
Whether one is a formal or informal caregiver, researchers have long known that caregiving can adversely affect a caregiver's mental and physical health. The AARP Public Policy Institute says 17
percent of caregivers feel their health in general has gotten worse due to caregiving responsibilities. The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP also indicate older caregivers caring for persons age 65 and older report a higher degree of physical strain.
The fatigue that arises from caring for another individual is often referred to as caregiver burnout. Since caregiving takes place over several years, the impact can escalate over time. Caregiver stress is directly related to burnout. One of the first steps to take is recognizing the signs of caregiver burnout so that action can be taken to improve the situation.
·
The Mayo Clinic says signs of caregiver stress include:
worrying all the time
feeling tired often
changes in sleep
gaining or losing weight
becoming easily irked or angry
losing interest in activities once enjoyed
feeling sad or depressed
experiencing frequent headaches, pains or other health problems
misusing drugs or alcohol, including prescriptions
missing your own medical appointments or other appointments
Ask for help. Figure out ways that others can help out and then be sure to let them know and accept anything that is provided.
Do the best you can. Every caregiver feels they are not doing enough at some point in time. Do whatever you can manage and know that it is adequate.
Set small goals. Categorize responsibilities into smaller, more manageable tasks. Make lists of what is most important and tackle those goals, moving on as needed.
Reach out to a support group. There are support groups for many different types of needs, including caregiver support. People who are experiencing the
same highs and lows as you can offer advice or just be there to listen.
Find ways to rest and sleep. Many caregivers are sleep deprived. If sleeping has become an issue, discuss potential remedies with your own doctor.
Look into respite care help. Taking a break from caregiving can do wonders. Certain adult care centers and skilled nursing homes offer temporary respite care services for informal caregivers. A loved one can be dropped off for a night or two, giving you a rest. This also is an option if you want to go on vacation.
Caregivers may feel burdened by stress. There are options available to manage it.
Caregivers need to put themselves first at times in order to help avoid health complications that can come from the stress and demand of caregiving. Make use of these caregiver stress management tips, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic and Penn Medicine.
Every year for the past 39 years, Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation bestows the Caddell-Grisham Award to individuals dedicated to the community and the hospital.
This year, the foundation selected three men to join the ranks of the previous 72 honorees. Past honorees included doctors, nurses, teachers, judges, hospital volunteers, politicians, business leaders and community servants.
The 2023 recipients of the award named after the late John Caddell, an attorney and activist, and Trudy Grisham, who served 33 years as the foundation president, are Dr. Roger Moss, Wade Weaver and Clint Shelton.
The foundation’s Gala 39 will honor the recipients with an honorees luncheon on Dec. 8 at 11:30 a.m. and a black-tie event at 7 p.m. at Ingalls Harbor. The silent auction will be on display at both events and online.
“The Gala is our final fundraiser of the year for our hospital foundation. It is a great time. We would love the community to come out and support our local hospital,” said Dan Durbin, chair of the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation board.
Proceeds from Gala 39 will benefit the hospital’s surgical services and employee scholarships.
Dr. Roger Moss remembers the days when the family doctor had to do pretty much anything local folks needed, from delivering babies to setting broken legs.
“When I started residency, family medicine was still doing gallbladders and appendices and some surgeries,” he recalled.
The routine of the family practitioner has changed dramatically in the almost four decades that Moss has practiced in Decatur, but he still enjoys every day.
“It’s what I love to do,” said Moss, a recipient of Decatur Morgan Hospital’s Caddell-Grisham award.
Hospital officials said he is being honored for his steadfast support for the hospital over the decades, where he has been instrumental in its growth and success. Moss has been a member of the medical staff for nearly 40 years. He served on the medical executive committee for several years and was medical staff president in 1999.
Moss’ patients say he is a wonderful doctor, using words like “respectful,” “honest” and “caring” to describe him. Many consider him a friend. His colleagues say that his outstanding contributions to patient care, hospital support and medical education have left an indelible mark on the community and a positive impact on countless lives.
“We are grateful to Dr. Moss for his contributions to our hospital and for his dedication to nurturing the next generation of medical professionals,” said Noel Lovelace, president of Decatur Morgan Hospital
Foundation.
Moss was born in Illinois and moved to Texas with his family when he was 6 months old.
“We moved to Alabama in the 1960s,” he said. After medical school, “I ended up moving to Fayette, Alabama, for about two years and practiced down there for about 22 months.”
He came to Decatur in 1985.
“I’ve been here ever since,” he said.
While many physicians pursue narrow specialties, Moss chose family practice because he really enjoyed helping patients with a variety of issues. He is a board-certified family medicine doctor.
“I looked at a lot of different things, including surgery, and I liked doing so many of them,” he said. “Family practice was a place where you could do a lot of them.”
Years ago, Moss delivered babies, did C-sections, circumcisions and even a little dental work.
“Over the years, little parts of that piece of medicine have been chopped away,” he said. “I’ve finally become
more of a gerontologist internist than anything else.”
Although he’s technically still a family doctor, Moss said he doesn’t really treat children anymore.
“When you get into a bigger town, most of the patients want to take the kids to a pediatrician,” he said.
In his Fayette practice years ago, the whole population was only about 3,000 and the town had no pediatricians.
“We got to take care of all the kids and deliver all the babies,” he recalled.
Even in his early days in Decatur he attended to a wide variety of medical needs.
“When I moved here, I was even doing orthopedics,” he said. “I was setting bones and putting on my own casts.”
One young patient was fed up with the itchy old cast after about six weeks and “tore it off himself,” Moss recalled, somewhat amused.
Casts were plaster back then. Now they’re fiberglass and “you can’t do that so easily,” he said.
Moss gave up orthopedics, which
saved on his malpractice insurance.
“There was enough other work to do with general medicine,” he said.
Moss hasn’t seen a pediatric patient in over a decade, he said, and now most of his patients skew much older. He’s not sure how many patients he has these days, but at one time it was almost 8,000.
Health care in Decatur has changed a lot since Moss came to town, particularly at the hospital.
Many people go to Decatur Morgan Hospital even if they don’t have insurance.
“The hospital has to accept those patients and take care of them,” he said. “We’ve got to have physicians that will do it.”
As Moss turns 70 this year, he decided it was time to give up on-call hospital duty.
“With hospitalists there’s somebody there all the time,” he said.
Hospitalists — physicians who
work only inside the hospital — are a fairly new specialty.
Decatur Morgan Hospital is the north Alabama core site for third- and fourth-year medical students from the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine.
“Dr. Moss consistently has a medical student rotating with him in the hospital and in his clinic,” said Lovelace. “He is extremely generous to the students, sharing his knowledge and skills.
“That kind of care and attention is vital to ensuring that we have physicians to care for future generations.”
Looking back, Moss believes that “we’re a lot better off” these days with the types of care available to Morgan County area residents.
Frankly, Moss said, 10 years ago, the hospital was struggling like many other hospitals across the South.
“We didn’t know if it was going to survive or not,” he said.
“I think if we’d have just stayed by ourselves, we would have been in trouble. Huntsville Hospital has kept this hospital going.”
Many people, even those with insurance, don’t have a regular doctor — particularly younger ones, he said. As a result they go to the hospital for treatment.
“There’s not, unfortunately, enough physicians to take care of all the needs so you’ve got to have that hospital and you’ve got to have that emergency room,” Moss said.
Many Decatur medical practices are full.
“If I really wanted to open up completely I could be here 24/7,” he said. “There’s enough patients.”
As north Alabama’s population increases the need for doctors does too.
“Decatur is going to be growing and with that there’s not enough physicians,” he said. “We need to bring some in.”
One of President John Tyler’s grandsons is still alive today—and he was born in 1790. How is this possible?
President Tyler, the 10th US president, was 63 when his son Lyon Tyler was born in 1853; Lyon’s son was born when he was 75. President Tyler’s living grandson, Harrison Ruffin Tyler is 94. His 95th birthday is coming up on November 9. Lyon’s other son Lyon Jr. passed away in 2020 at the age of 95.
Tyler is a preservationist. His family purchased the President’s home, Sherwood Forest Plantation in Virginia, from relatives in 1975 and oversaw its restoration. In 1996, he purchased and financially supported the preservation of Fort Pocahontas. Beginning in 1997, Tyler sponsored annual American Civil War reenactments at Wilson’s Wharf. In 1997, he collaborated with the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research to assess and research Fort Pocahontas. In 2001, he donated $5 million and 22,000 books and documents from his father to the College of William & Mary department of history. In 2021, the college renamed the department the Harrison Ruffin Tyler Department of History in his honor.
Tyler had a series of mini-strokes starting in 2012 and now has dementia. He lives in a Virginia nursing home and his son William oversees the Sherwood Forest Plantation. His grandfather is the earliest former president of the United States with a living grandchild.
We k n ow t h a t l o c a l , h i g h q u a l i t y h e a l t h c a re i s i m p o r t a n t t o f a m i l i e s a n d b u s i n e s s e s i n o u r c o m m u n i t y S i n c e 2 0 2 1 , H a r t s e l l e H e a l t h Pa r k h a s b e e n a d d i n g s e r v i c e s , i nve s t i n g i n t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d b u i l d i n g t r u s t a s t h e p re m i e r h e a l t h c a re p rov i d e r i n H a r t s e l l e O u r c o m m i t m e n t t o b r i n g h e a l t h c a re t o yo u c o n t i n u e s w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n of H a r t s e l l e H e a l t h Pa r k E R , a n ew f re e s t a n d i n g e m e rge n cy d e p a r t m e n t o p e n i n g i n 2 0 2 4.
IMAGING CENTER · URGENT CARE
PHYSICIAN SPECIALISTS
PRIMARY CARE · PEDIATRICS
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Dr Stephen Gould, Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and Dr D’Lisa Bitterly, General Surgery
HartselleHealthPark.com
Most of us celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, pumpkin pie and football, but how did these traditions come about? Have you ever wondered about the origin of Thanksgiving Day? Here are 10 fun and educational facts about Thanksgiving that will give you more insight into the origins of the holiday and the traditions associated with it.
The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621.
Every Thanksgiving, the current U.S. president pardons a turkey.
Macy’s has put on a parade every Thanksgiving since 1924.
Pr e - planning your funer al should be a nat ur al par t of life, because it pr ovides you w it h t ime t o make end - of-life decisions in a calm and r at ional at mospher e.
S t ar t t he online pr ocess now, or meet w it h one of our pr e - planning ad v isor s . I t jus t makes sense.
Thanksgiving is the biggest travel day of the year.
The foods eaten for Thanksgiving dinner haven’t changed much since 1621.
Americans eat over 280 million turkeys every Thanksgiving.
Cranberries are native to North America.
There is an official Thanksgiving postage stamp.
The wishbone tradition is much older than Thanksgiving.
Watching football is an integral part of most Thanksgiving celebrations.
In 1985 or 1986 — Wade Weaver can no longer remember which year it was for certain — he took a meeting with Trudy Grisham, who was then the president of the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation.
In his small office in the Church Street warehouse he rented while starting Decatur’s Valley Budweiser distributorship, Weaver listened as Grisham pitched the hospital’s capital campaign and asked for a donation.
“There I was, less than a year into starting the business. I had bought two trucks, borrowed another and hired 11 people and Trudy asked me for $10,000 a year for five years for a total of $50,000. I thought she was crazy,” Weaver said. “But her presentation was such that I knew one day, when I could, I would do something.”
And he did.
As general manager of Valley Budweiser, the 65-year-old Weaver has sponsored all 20 of the foundation’s golf tournaments and all 10 of the foundation’s dragon boat races.
“You want to do whatever you can to fund the hospital, but it makes it easy when they are putting on events like dragon boat,” Weaver said. “Not only is your business visible at a great event, you are also doing something to help the hospital.”
“YOU WANT TO DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO FUND THE HOSPITAL, BUT IT MAKES IT EASY WHEN THEY ARE PUTTING ON EVENTS LIKE DRAGON BOAT,” WEAVER SAID.
“NOT ONLY IS YOUR BUSINESS VISIBLE AT A GREAT EVENT, YOU ARE ALSO DOING SOMETHING TO HELP THE HOSPITAL.”When Wade Weaver moved to Decatur in 1985, he joined the Rotary Club and, eventually, served as president then handed off the gavel to Ellen Didier. [LIVING 50 PLUS FILE]
At Christmastime, Weaver makes tributes to the foundation’s Lights of Love program in honor of family and friends.
“I don’t do Christmas cards, so Lights of Love is like my Christmas cards,” Weaver said.
For his commitment to the hospital and the community, the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation will honor Weaver with the Caddell-Grisham Award.
“I think it’s fantastic that we are honoring Wade this year. He has been a great friend to the hospital and a champion for our community for decades. He doesn’t ask for — or probably even want — recognition, but he certainly deserves it,” Noel Lovelace, president of Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation, said.
Weaver shied away from the praise.
“I feel like they should have canceled the award before they got to me,” Weaver said with a laugh. “Truly, I was surprised, very surprised. It’s very special because of the people who have received it before me. They are pillars of the community. To just be mentioned with them is quite an honor.”
Weaver’s journey to being named along with the city’s pillars started in college.
A product of Birmingham, Weaver attended the University of Alabama in Birmingham where he studied business and marketing.
“Truthfully, the money is why I chose business and marketing. I wanted a job where I would be comfortable,” Weaver said.
After graduation, Weaver worked at Birmingham Budweiser. When the Dobbs family, out of Memphis, bought six distributorships in New Mexico, Weaver’s immediate boss asked him to help run the businesses in the Southwest.
Weaver stayed in New Mexico for 2½ years until November 1984 when, by 306 votes, Decatur voted to allow alcohol sales. In 1985, he returned to Alabama to start Valley Budweiser.
“I fell in love with Decatur. I couldn’t think of a better place to live. When I was younger, I probably thought a big city was the place to be. I lived in Albuquerque and Birmingham, but Decatur felt like home. It is amazing how welcoming and friendly the people are,” Weaver said.
Soon after moving to Decatur, Weaver became entrenched in the community.
He became a member of the Rotary Club of Decatur and currently serves as the public policy chairman for the DecaturMorgan County Chamber of Commerce and on the boards for Decatur Morgan County Tourism, Morgan County Economic Development, the Business Council of Alabama and Tennessee Valley Outreach, which helps the homeless and hungry by providing temporary living accommodations and food.
“The Tennessee Valley Outreach is dear to my heart. I’ve been on that board for longer than I can remember. That’s kind of my key charity,” Weaver said. “It’s a great
organization. They help people that want to be helped. They don’t just feed and house them, they minister to them. They try to help them get a job and a home if they can live on their own.”
Along with the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation, Weaver and Valley Budweiser have financially
contributed to, helped sponsor or donated to the Decatur Jaycees, Carnegie Visual Arts Center, 3rd Fridays in downtown Decatur, the Volunteer Center of Morgan County, tourism events, the Lions Club, St. Ann’s Catholic Church and many other organizations.
“If there has been an event in Decatur, there’s a good chance we’ve been part of it. Giving back is just part of the business I am in. In beer distribution there are programs that rate distributorships with ambassadors of excellence awards. A big portion of that is they want to see how you are committed to your community,” Weaver said. “When we give, it feels like we are doing something good for the community. We know the organizations, the people running them and the people benefiting from them.”
For inspiration, Weaver has looked to the Shabel family, who own Pepsi Cola Bottling Decatur.
“If you want to see someone who is doing it right, look at the Shabel family and Pepsi. They are committed to this community. When I first got to Decatur, I decided I wanted to be that guy like the Shabel family. I wanted to have the same impact on the community the Shabel family had. To do that would be a big accomplishment,” Weaver said.
Patients can now direc tly selec t their screening mammography appointment online at ODC Alabama.
Select the day, time, and location most convenient for you.
Leisure time can seem like a luxury for many adults. While it can seem like there’s little time in the day to do more than tend to responsibilities at work and at home, people may have more time to pursue leisure activities than they realize.
Finding new hobbies that encourage active participation can make leisure time more memorable. Here are some helpful tips.
· Think back to your childhood. Hobbies you once enjoyed as a child may have long since been forgotten, but it can be fun to reimmerse yourself in such interests. Adults who loved to play sports as a child can no doubt find adult leagues in their area, while once budding artists might want to dust off their easels and visit a local paint and sip facility.
· Reinvent something you’re already doing. Another way to find a new hobby is to consider the things you already do and see if there’s ways to make them better. For example, cooking for a family each night might be made more enjoyable by enrolling in a cooking class, where you can meet fellow foodies while fine-tuning your culinary skills. If you love to read, start a community book club.
· Expand your horizons. It’s easy for anyone to say “no” to something new, but especially so for adults accustomed to their routines. But men and women who are willing to try anything are more likely to find something new to be passionate about than those who shy away from the unknown. You don’t have to make a big initial commitment when trying a new hobby, but approach any new ideas or suggestions with an open mind.
Finding a new hobby as an adult can be tricky. But approaching activities with an open mind may help people uncover new hobbies they can be passionate about.
Many people associate garden chrysanthemums, or mums, with the beginning of autumn. These floral features are already occupying garden centers and front porches around the country. There are tips and tricks
to make sure that every mum has maximum longevity. Lucy Edwards, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System county coordinator, said everyone can have thriving mums, but long-term success depends on several factors.
One of the most popular fall plants, mums provide great pops of color to
homes and gardens. However, much like a tomato plant, they seemingly find any excuse to prematurely wither away. Edwards, who is the Chilton County Extension coordinator, said everyone needs to understand the basics of caring for mums in order to be successful.
“There are two main categories of mums: floral and garden,” Edwards said. “Floral mums are those that typically are not grown outside and sold by florists for arrangements. Garden mums are those that people see in garden centers during the fall.”
The two most common types are daisy mums and decorative flower mums. Popular colors of this species include white, bronze, yellow, red, coral, pink, lavender and red. Edwards said mums grow well in Alabama if done properly.
To put it plainly, mums require moist, well-draining soil combined with six hours or more of daily sunlight. Edwards said planting depth is also a factor.
“Plant your mums at the same depth as the size of their original containers,” she said. “It’s better to plant too shallow than too deep.”
A commonly forgotten practice with mums is dividing its shoots. By pinching new growth, this prevents long, spindly blooms and allows for more blooms across the entire plant. Deadheading spent flowers also aids in maintaining their appearance through the fall.
Choosing the best mum is one of the most important aspects of care. Edwards said there are a couple of characteristics to look for when choosing the right plant at a garden center.
Buy mums with primarily unopened blooms. When buying a mum, it can be tempting to grab the largest, fully blooming plant. Make sure to buy the mums with their blooms not quite open. This choice will allow for a longer bloom time once you get it home.
Always check a chrysanthemum for insects and diseases. Nobody wants a sick plant. Be on the lookout for powdery mildew in mums. Fungal infection occurs quickly on dry plant surfaces at mild temperatures and at a relative humidity of at least 95%. The characteristic cottony patches are usually seen within a few days after infection. To control mildew, remove all infected leaves and treat the mum with an appropriately labeled fungicide. Water is imperative. Mums rely heavily on adequate watering, especially in dry or hot conditions. Edwards said this is the most common mistake when growing mums.
“It is easy to assume the plant is fine,” Edwards said. “Too often, cooler temperatures lead us to neglect the task of watering – especially if we have had a few afternoon rain showers. Before we realize it, there is a dead plant on the front porch.”
To remedy a dry soil, daily measurements of soil moisture should
be a routine. Feel the soil each morning to the depth of one inch, and if the soil is moist, wait 24 hours and measure it again. If it feels dry, be sure to soak the soil well.
Some people may have a difficult time regularly measuring water retention. In this case, plant mums in a container that has a reservoir at the bottom. A saucer can also be added to collect water. These provisions can help extend watering intervals.
Mums are an autumn staple for many decorators and horticultural enthusiasts. Be sure to share these tips with neighbors, friends and family to ensure that everyone’s porches and landscapes remain colorful. Lastly, consider a mass planting of one mum color for a landscape statement that is sure to have the neighborhood talking.
For more information about mums and other seasonal plants, visit the Alabama Extension website at www.aces.edu.
By METRO NEWS
Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving each October. While October may not be home to Thanksgiving in the United States, Americans, much like their Canadian counterparts, have much to be thankful for in the tenth month of the calendar year. Fall temperatures tend to be at their most accommodating in October, which also happens to be home to Halloween. Those are not the only interesting and fun facts about this popular month.
11. October has something of a misleading name. Licensed drivers undoubtedly know that the prefix “octo” means eight, which is why Stop signs are octagons. So why does October, the tenth month of the year, have a name that suggests it should be the eighth month of the year? That peculiarity can be traced to the early Roman calendar, which featured just 10 months, the eighth of which was October. The Romans eventually converted to a 12-month calendar, and October kept its name despite becoming the tenth month of that calendar.
3 2 4
2. Some notable individuals have holidays in their honor in October, including two on the same day. This year, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, is both Columbus Day and Leif Erikson Day. It’s fitting that each figure’s holiday falls on the same day, as both are among history’s more well-known explorers. Columbus Day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, while Leif Erikson Day celebrates a man believed to be the first known European to set foot in continental North America.
3. Columbus Day might court its fare of fanfare (and controversy), but its popularity cannot match that of October’s most beloved day to celebrate: Halloween. Halloween is celebrated on October 31 and History.com notes this can be traced to ancient Celts. The Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain on October 31, the night before their new year. They did this because they believed that night marked the return of the ghosts of the dead to earth. That emphasis on the ghoulish is present each Halloween as well.
4. October is considered a great time of year to take a road trip, and much of that reputation can be traced to fall foliage. Leaves begin to change color in many regions in early October, and the resulting colorful landscape is beautiful to behold. Though some may presume the shift in color in October is due to the month’s typical drop in temperature, it’s actually due to a decrease in sunlight. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, leaves begin to lose their green color when photosynthesis from sunlight slows down, which happens because the hours of daylight dwindle considerably during the month of October. That lack of sunlight causes chlorophyll to break down, which in turn causes leaves to change color. But not all leaves will look the same, as any leaf-peeping pro will know. Some leaves turn red, while others turn brown, orange or yellow. The trees that turn red get more direct sunlight in October, while those that get less direct sunlight turn brown, orange or yellow
Sports are often credited with bringing people together. That tendency to connect people from different walks of life is even more noticeable when sports are combined with food.
Food and sports go hand in hand. Food is never too far away when getting together with fellow fans. That’s true if fans are hosting a game watch at home or if they’re tailgating in a stadium parking lot. Certain styles of food are synonymous with sports, and that includes grilled and smoked items. Smoking has become particularly popular among sports fans in recent years, and many modern smokers are now portable enough that they can be taken on the road when following a favorite team.
Gameday can be the perfect time to master the art of smoking. Smoking can take a long time, which makes it an ideal option for day-long tailgates or game-watch parties. Fans who have volunteered for cooking duties this season can impress guests with their smoking skills by following this recipe for “TexasStyle Beef Brisket” from “The Essential Kamado Grill Cookbook” (Rockridge Press) by Will Budiaman.
Serves 6 to 8
▸ 1 8- to 10-lb. beef brisket
▸ 3 tablespoons kosher salt
▸ 3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
▸ Dry-brining time: Overnight
▸ Prep time: 15 to 30 minutes
▸ Cook time: 7 hours, 30 minutes to 9 hours, 30 minutes; plus 1 to 2 hours to rest
▸ Grill temperature: 250 F to 275 F
▸ Smoking wood: Oak or pecan
1. Trim off any hard fat from the brisket and square off the edges. Trim the fat cap down to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle evenly on all sides with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Prepare the grill for smoking at 250 F to 275 F.
3. Place the brisket fat-side up on the grate over the drip pan. Close the lid. If desired, wrap in aluminum foil after 5 to 6 hours or once the bark (crust) is dark brown.
4. Turn over the brisket, close the lid, and continue cooking for 2 hours, 30 minutes to 3 hours, 30 minutes more or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 200 F.
5. Rest the brisket, wrapped in foil, for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Cut across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Pour over as much of the drippings from the pan as you like and serve.
Cooking tip: The grain in each part of the brisket - it’s made up of two different muscles, known as the flat and the point - runs in two different directions. Roughly speaking, the grain in the point runs perpendicular to the grain in the flat, so you’ll want to slice the two sections separately.
When Geometr y Sees t he Light the result is fun and fabulous st yle
Do you have special dishes or sweets you make for the winter holiday – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Diwali? Living 50 Plus wants to know about your favorite festive foods, including cookies, pies, casseroles and side dishes.
We’ll share as many submitted recipes as possible in the December issue of the Living 50 Plus magazine. Getting them to us is easy. Put the recipe into an email (cgodbey@decaturdaily.com) along with a short explanation about the recipe, your name, hometown and phone number. If possible, include a photo of the dish.
Deadline to submit recipes is October 25.
If you want to reach active adults over the age of 50, our Living 50 Plus magazine is the place to be seen! This high-profile active senior magazine is filled with informative features geared toward active seniors on topics like travel, healthcare, safe driving and much more. It’s an ideal opportunity for your business to showcase products and services for active seniors in a format they’ll turn to again and again.
To learn more about targeted advertising in Living 50 Plus, contact your sales rep.
Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation is honoring newspaper publisher Clint Shelton for his support of the hospital and overall work in the community.
Shelton, 59, publisher of The Decatur Daily, is one of three recipients of the Caddell-Grisham
Award presented each year at a blacktie gala.
“Clint has supported Decatur Morgan Hospital for years and also has a determination to make Decatur and Morgan County a better place to live,” said Noel Lovelace, president of the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation and vice president of development.
“He served on the DMH Foundation
board for several years and is still very active today — participating in events including Dragon Boat and Power of Pink to our Gala event,” she said.
Lovelace said Shelton’s passion is cleaning up Decatur — literally — “from keeping the crepe myrtles trimmed properly, even if it means doing it himself, to picking up litter off the streets and in the creeks.
“He often walks to work and picks up trash on the way,” Lovelace said.
In 2018, she said, Shelton spent several weekends alongside workrelease program inmates and volunteers to clean the refuge area along Country Club Road, Dry Branch Creek and other areas in Northwest Decatur.
Helping the community is just part of his family’s legacy.
“You try to help in any way that you can and plug holes and find things that will work,” Shelton said.
He certainly stays busy doing it.
Shelton is chair of the Salvation Army board and the Alabama Center for the Arts Foundation. He has served on the boards of the Princess Theatre, Boys & Girls Club, Mental Health Association, Morgan County United Way, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Pryor Field Airport Authority and Athens State University.
He co-chaired the Carnegie Visual Arts Center's capital campaign and Decatur Morgan Hospital’s oncology campaign. He served as Decatur Jaycees president and was Riverfest chairman for two of the event’s first three years.
Lovelace added that Shelton has been very involved in downtown economic development and was key to establishing the Alabama Center for the Arts there.
“We’ve been working on higher education with the Alabama Center for the Arts,” Shelton said, which brings a stronger college presence.
“You want those sharp, engaged kids around you and they help a downtown flourish.”
While hospital leaders lauded Shelton’s support, Shelton had just as many good things to say in return about the hospital.
“The hospital means everything to the community,” Shelton said. “Health care obviously is one of the most important pillars of the community. It’s just crucial. It’s incalculable what the impact on the city is.”
Shelton said not only is quality health care vital to the Decatur area, but so is the economic impact.
“You just want good doctors in your town. They’re economic engines. The way I want to live my life is, I want to have good doctors all around me. We’ve got that at Decatur Morgan,” he said.
Shelton recalled the time he heard
an impressive new doctor speak at a local Kiwanis Club meeting. He walked out thinking “Decatur just landed an all-star.”
“Once you get people like that, obviously it will attract more,” he said.
In 2012, Huntsville Hospital brought Decatur General into its wide care-service region of north Alabama and southern Tennessee as part of a 40-year lease partnership. The arrangement seems to have worked out well so far, Shelton believes.
“Huntsville Hospital has done a good job of taking ownership of Decatur Morgan. That’s the biggest change I’ve seen in my lifetime,” he said. “From my perspective it looks like it’s been really good.”
He praised Kelli Powers’ leadership as Decatur hospital president, as well as the entire staff’s dedication during the worst days of COVID.
“It’s just all across the board” he said of the “fantastic” staff.
As Decatur’s hospital continues to expand services and specialties, local residents benefit by having most of the care they need close to home, he said.
“I just can’t tell you how convenient it is having a loved one right in your back yard when they’re going through what they go through” in the hospital with a serious ailment, he said.
Shelton is president and owner of the Tennessee Valley Media Company, which publishes two daily newspapers, seven weeklies, 14 websites and multiple magazines. He is the fourth Shelton to serve as The Decatur Daily’s publisher. The Shelton family legacy dates to the early 1900s.
In 1912, Kentucky-born William Randolph Shelton published the first edition. His son Barrett Shelton followed him as publisher in 1924. His
son, Barrett C. Shelton Jr., took over in 1984.
When William Randolph Shelton started the paper, Decatur was two towns — Decatur and Albany, Clint Shelton said, and “they didn’t like each other.” Local business leaders “gave (William Shelton) all the stock in the newspaper,” he said, and begged him to keep it running.
“He did it for like eight years to try to help get the town united,” Clint Shelton said.
As publisher for more than 60 years, Shelton’s grandfather “worked all the time,” he said.
He “was just instrumental in getting a lot of that industry up and down the river,” such as Wolverine Tube and Alabama Farmers Co-op.
After graduating from Decatur High School in 1982, Clint Shelton earned a degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, in 1986. He attended the University of Georgia’s Media Management master’s degree program for two years.
He worked for Boone Newspaper in Waxahachie, Texas, then returned to The Decatur Daily in 1993 as assistant to the publisher and later general manager.
In 2010 his father told him it was time to take over and “pretty much dumped everything on my desk,” Shelton recalled with a laugh.
In an era where many newspapers are dropping their print product entirely, The Decatur Daily devised a compromise for its readers by sending the printed newspaper through the mail. (In 2018, publication moved to five days a week.)
Shelton called it “one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make.”
“Our older readers are just begging us to stay in print,” he said. “They don’t care what time it gets there.”
Keeping a newspaper presence is vital to a community, he believes.
“Just to get the facts out there, just to keep an eye on city hall — to let people know what’s going on,” he said.
