Irondale Mayor James Stewart released a post and video on Facebook last Thursday, Aug. 15, honoring former Mayor Dan Praytor, who passed away after a lengthy illness.
Stewart posted, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of
Page 3
Pinson Council delays budget vote, again
By Nathan Prewett,
PINSON, Ala. – A resolution to consider the FY25 budget failed after a 3-2 vote by the Pinson City Council on Thursday, Aug. 15, further delaying it until a future meeting.
The budget was first brought up on July 18 and was discussed at the Aug. 1 meeting though it was
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Former Trussville doctor sentenced on child porn, trafficking charges
From Tribune staff reports
BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. – A former Trussville Wellness Medical Center doctor was sentenced to prison on Monday after pleading guilty to two
1 dead, multiple injuries in I-59 crash in Argo
From Tribune staff reports
ARGO, Ala. – A crash on Interstate 59 last Thursday left one person dead and several injured, according to Argo Police Cpl. Cason Davis.
Davis said the Argo PD was dispatched to a motor vehicle collision on Interstate 59 in Jefferson County near the 146-mile marker on August 15, around 12:30 p.m.
Outreach efforts ramp up ahead of TCS tax vote on Aug. 27
By Chris Basinger, Staff Writer
TRUSSVILLE, Ala. – Trussville City Schools and the City of Trussville are working hard to get the community informed in the lead-up to city-wide special municipal tax election in Trussville next Tuesday, Aug. 27.
The proposed property tax increase would fund three projects in the school system to address the challenges TCS faces with overcrowding in all of its schools as Trussville continues to grow.
The projects include a new elementary school at Glendale Farms, kitchen, cafeteria, gymnasium, and special needs classroom upgrades at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, and the addition of a C-Wing at Hewitt-Trussville High School, which would include over 20 new classrooms.
Ahead of the vote, Mayor Buddy Choat and Superintendent Dr. Patrick Martin have hosted three town hall meetings at Hewitt-Trussville High School and eight
town halls at each elementary school. A website titled Truss-
villeTogether.com has also been launched to give voters more resources to learn about the property tax vote. It features answers to frequently asked questions about the
Paul’s Hot Dogs reopening in Argo as Luke’s Hotdogs & Burgers
From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE, Ala. – A longtime Trussville restaurant is reopening in Argo under a new name as the grandson of the original owner looks to carry on the family business.
Luke and his wife Abby LaRussa will reopen Paul’s Hot Dogs as Luke’s Hotdogs & Burgers on Wednesday, August 21, continuing the legacy of serving quality food to the community as they have for 30 years.
The restaurant, which closed in August 2023, is making its comeback at a new location–8885 Gadsden Highway, next to Carbon Fitness and Beverly’s Dance Unlimited. Martin Paul LaRussa opened Paul’s Hot Dogs in 1993, fulfilling his lifelong dream of opening a hot dog stand. For Martin, it wasn’t just a job, but a passion. His grandson Luke
came on board when he was 16-years-old and worked by his side for 12 years, teaching him recipes and everything he needed to know about managing the store. It was always his plan to hand over his legacy to his
grandson and now Luke is proud to continue his legacy and keep serving, “The best food in town!” The restaurant’s hours will be Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Argo looks to future with grants and salaries
By Terry Schrimscher
By Nathan Prewett,
LEEDS, Ala. – The Leeds City Council has approved an amended policy regarding the distancing requirements for establishments selling liquor brought up at the previous meeting and appointed
town hall meetings with various HOAs in Trussville to answer questions from voters. They have also met with each school’s PTO as well as TCS faculty and will have
vote and videos of Choat, Martin, and TCS
Martin and Luke LaRussa.
Dr. Martin speaks on the property tax vote during Monday’s TCS Board of Education meeting.
The Trussville Tribune
190 Main Street
Trussville, AL 35173 (205) 533-8664
Scott Buttram, Publisher publisher@trussvilletribune.com
Chris Basinger, Staff Reporter chris.basinger@trussvilletribune.com
Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor news@trussvilletribune.com
Jana Matthews, Finance Manager
Brookelyn Rush, Office Manager
Leigh Hays, Director of Sales & Marketing
principals detailing both the tax increase and the projects that would be made possible with its approval.
“Some of you may say, ‘Well, I don’t have children in the schools anymore.’ I would challenge you to say, what did other parents do for your children while they were in school,” Choat said in his video.
“This is not an individual, this is Trussville, Trussville together. This is what we do.”
This week, videos of TCS principals talking about how the projects will impact their schools are also being posted on the TCS Facebook page as well as on TrussvilleTogether. com.
Martin spoke on the vote at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, giving a breakdown of the projects and stressing the importance of getting out and voting.
ACTION TREE SERVICE
“When individuals have had questions and reached out to us on social media or email or phone calls I’ve invited them into the office here. I had a couple conversations even today with individuals that just wanted to come in and look and I think that’s very important because that transparency, hopefully, will garner trust with the community of Trussville,” Martin said.
During that time, he mentioned that due to the size of the cafeteria at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School half of the students are eating lunch in classrooms every other day and only have about 10 minutes to eat before the bell rings.
He also discussed a conservative local enrollment projection based on homes being built in the community that could see the capacity utilization of Cahaba and Magnolia rise to over 85% and Paine Elementary School to 103%.
With a new elementary school, the capacity utili-
zation at each school would drop to around 70-80%.
Currently, HTMS utilization is at 88.8% and HTHS is at 105.7%.
A video of that meeting is available on The Tribune’s website.
The ad valorem tax vote will let voters decide on a proposed 12.9 mill increase.
According to Martin, the millage increase would bring Trussville City Schools in range with other competitive school systems in Alabama as they look to accommodate growing enrollment.
The current millage in Trussville is 62.1, which puts Trussville between Bessemer, 68.7, and Hueytown and Gardendale, both 60.1. In comparison, Mountain Brook’s millage is 109, Vestavia Hills is 92.6, Homewood is 75, and Hoover is 72.6. A 12.9 mill increase would bring Trussville’s millage to an even 75.
If approved by voters,
annual property taxes would increase by about $129 for a home valued at $100,000 and by $645 for a home valued at $500,000. The increase would bring in about $90 million in funding over the next 30 years, which would go solely to the three expansion projects.
In 2014, Trussville voted 2,812-1,935 in favor of the 7 mil Trussville School Tax, which funded Magnolia Elementary School and Cahaba Elementary School. In 2022, Trussville voted in favor of its renewal 1,688-292.
This Thursday, Aug. 22, Choat and Martin will also appear on Tribune Unscripted to discuss the vote. Tribune Unscripted is broadcast live on Facebook every Thursday at noon and is also available on The Tribune’s website.
A copy of the sample ballot that will be used for the special municipal tax election is available on The Tribune’s website.
Outreach efforts ramp up ahead of TCS tax vote on Aug. 27
“The collision occurred when a vehicle left the southbound lane of travel crossing the median colliding with a vehicle head on in the northbound lane,” Davis said.
Several occupants from both vehicles were transported to a local area hospi-
Sentencing
From front page
counts of possession of obscene material depicting a child under the age of 17 and one count of human trafficking, according to court records.
Janaki Earla, 60, was sentenced to 15 years for human trafficking, of which he will only serve three years in prison, and 10 years for possession of child porn, of which he will only serve two.
All three counts will run concurrently, and Earla will receive credit for time he served since Oct. 11, 2022.
According to reporting from Carol Robinson, Earla’s immigration attorney told the court that he will be removed from the United States after he is released.
In October 2022, Earla was arrested by the Blount County Sheriff’s Office after making an offer to be a “Sugar Daddy” to a 17-yearold female patient.
According to court records, the Blount County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation on Oct. 5, 2022, after the teen’s mother contacted investigators to report an inappropriate incident that had taken place during the teen’s Oct. 4 appointment with Earla.
The girl allegedly told her mother that Earla put a
L oca L / R egion
tal for further medical treatment.
“Once at the hospital one occupant was declared deceased by medical staff,” Davis said. “The Argo Police Department traffic homicide investigator partnered with Springville Police Department investigators and are currently investigating the collision.”
stethoscope on her breasts instead of above her breasts.
Charging documents also stated that Earla then took the teen to his office, where he told her she was beautiful and had her put her cell phone number in his cell phone.
He texted her, “You can text me whenever you feel like.”
Earla allegedly continued to text the minor, insisting that she keep their text conversations a secret and not tell her parents. A search warrant was later obtained for the cell phone Earla used to communicate with the victim.
“During the analysis of Earla’s cellphone, the analyst recovered three digital images depicting the nude breasts and/or nude genitalia of a minor engaged in sexual contact or sexual conduct,” court documents stated.
Earla was booked into the Blount County Jail Monday morning after his sentencing.
Irondale
From front page
Irondale’s 7th Mayor, Dan Praytor. We will be flying a flag in his honor at half staff until his memorial service. Please keep the Praytor family in your prayers as they mourn the loss of their loved one and celebrate the life of a true community hero.”
Praytor loved the city of Irondale and was committed to making it the best community. He was a volunteer fireman, City of Irondale Police Officer, and served as Irondale Mayor and on the City Council. He owned his own business Parts LTD.
Praytor served his country with distinction before entering public service.
Joining the United States Marine Corp at the age of nineteen, he served in Mike Company 3/5 as an M60 machine gunner in Viet-
Pinson
stricken from the agenda when it was decided that the numbers presented needed to be reviewed.
The item was put back on the agenda for the Aug. 15 meeting where, during the work session, Councilor Clinteshia Irvin explained Mayor Pro-Tem Robbie Roberts’ proposal to adopt a quarterly budget in which the council would accept one with the presented numbers and divide it by four or 25%.
At this point Mayor Joe Cochran vehemently disagreed, calling it “stupid”. After a moment of silence, Irvin went on to explain that a monthly budget-to-actual would be brought to the council as part of the proposal.
“I wanted us to have something for us to be able to move forward but I didn’t want the staff to be restricted because I think they’ve indicated that it’s very important for them to have numbers to be able to put in,” said Roberts. “We know that we still have areas that we want to take a deeper dive and look at.”
Cochran said that he had not been consulted about the proposal before the meeting and urged that it not be taken up yet. Roberts defended his idea and later added that Councilman Brad Walker, who was absent, had previously approved of it.
“My desires are more about what’s actually being spent, where it’s at, make sure the staff–we all are on the same page, not the actual fact we even have a budget,”
Roberts said.
Cochran said that he wanted to think about it further but Roberts proposed putting the motion forward under unanimous consent in the regular meeting so that if it does not pass it could still be brought up at the next meeting, especially with all members being present, or else it could be even further delayed.
Irvin suggested tabling it while Cochran had time to consider it and talk with Roberts. Councilwoman Glenda Kirkland asked what would be the issue with voting on it in the regular meeting.
“I don’t think it’s fair that we’ve waited this long for one side to say ‘Hey, we need all these numbers’ but now that the mayor, who is essentially the leader of us,
he needs to know, he needs to be communicated with,” Irvin said. “And so he hasn’t had that opportunity.”
Kirkland said that she would put the motion up for a vote on unanimous consent to consider in the regular meeting.
“At least we’re moving forward,” said Kirkland during the regular meeting. “Because we’ve been criticized so much because we’ve voted ‘no’ on it so many times. So, all of us agreed here that we would do it, that this would be a good thing and at least it moves forward.”
The vote failed when she and Roberts voted in favor but Irvin, Cochran and Councilman John Churchwell voted against. Roberts said that it would be brought up at the next meeting.
nam where he received two Purple Hearts. He received wounds from shrapnel in the hand and a gunshot wound to the head resulting in the loss of his left eye.
The City of Irondale gathers to celebrate the life and legacy of former Mayor Dan Praytor. Photo via City of Irondale Facebook.
Janaki Earla
In the work session, Mayor Betty Bradley led discussion on pay rates and hour requirements for the next administration. The council is evaluating the workload as it prepares to set budgets which will be in place after the next election cycle.
“[The handbook says] part time to be 40 hours per month. If you’re going to do research on stuff, you’re going to be here more than that. Most people are,” Bradley said. “I want to make sure whoever comes in next is going to be able to do those kinds of things. I don’t want to tie somebody down if they’ve got another job and not be able to run because they have another job.”
In the regular session, the council tabled discus-
sion on time and salary requirements for the mayor and council members. They expect to vote on changes in the next meeting after evaluating current published requirements compared to actual workloads.
“We just need to make sure whatever we do is fair to the next administration coming in,” Bradley said.
Corporal Cason Davis of the Argo Police Department delivered the department’s monthly report for July activity. Davis reported 546 total calls for the month.
Fire Chief Scott Payne also presented his monthly report during the meeting. In his report, he said the department received 59 total calls including 14 assists. The department also issued 4 burn permits.
Candice Hill with the Economic Development Council spoke near the end
of the meeting on grant applications and how funds can be used for existing grants. The city hopes to make announcements in the near future on new grant allocations.
The council accepted qualifications for city engineering services from Sain Associates. The proposal was discussed in the previous meeting.
The next regular meeting of the Argo council is scheduled for Tuesday, August 26 with a work session at 5 p.m. and the regular meeting following immediately after the session. An agenda for each meeting is posted in local businesses including Hill Top Farms, Argo Hardware, Liberty Automotive, Shell, Southland BBQ, Fox’s Pizza and Buckeye Grocery. Agendas are also posted on the city’s Facebook page.
a new member to the Leeds Water Works Board despite an accusation that it was a political move.
At the Aug. 3 meeting the council heard from James Carroll, who owns a building that he wants to turn into a cocktail lounge and said that his request to apply for an ABC license was turned down by the mayor because of its proximity to a church and library. After discussion on the subject it was agreed that the policy would be redone.
“What this amounts to is our city…has changed over the years,” he said. “We actually now have an entertainment district–two actually–and the rules that have been applied to our residential areas and other places in the city have become outdated.”
The new ordinance still maintains the 100-foot rule but now makes an exception for entertainment districts.
After brief discussion the ordinance was unanimously approved and it now gives Carroll and similar business owners eligibility to apply for ABC licenses.
Following this the council then considered two candidates among several others for Position 1 on the LWWB board. The first was a nomination from Councilman Eric Turner for Cary Kennedy, who was the incumbent and was up for reappointment.
Turner made the motion but it was not seconded, causing it to fail. Sabrina Rose was then appointed after a 4-2 vote, with Turner and Councilman Johnny Dutton against it. According to her application Rose is a self-employed real estate agent who has served on the Parks and Recreation Board.
The term lasts for six years.
Turner later criticized the action, accusing it of being a political move. Kennedy has a lawsuit against the city in
which he alleged that Miller and City Administrator Brad Watson defamed him after a reported disagreement regarding his construction contracting services.
“This is obviously a political move,” Turner said. “Mr. Kennedy served the board so very well. People have said that’s been the best board in 30 years. It’s not suspicious, it’s obvious that they’re eliminating political opponents, but the council has spoken.” Council members Kenneth Washington and DeVoris Ragland-Pierce both denied that their motive for voting for Rose was political.
“Well, all appointments to all boards are political,” Miller commented to the Trussville Tribune. “They’re political because they are appointed by the political body of the city. It’s just the judgment of the people here that Mr. Kennedy did not need to be reappointed and so that being the case we go to the list of people that have applied and Ms. Rose was the first to apply and so we voted on her first and she was voted in.”
L ifesty L e
Lass But Not Least: A Reason to Come Together
By Ken Lass
Did you happen to notice the TV ratings for the recently concluded Summer Olympics in Paris? They were through the roof. NBC reported the two weeks of games averaged more than thirty million viewers every day. That was an 82 percent increase over the 2021 summer games in Tokyo. I don’t do much streaming of TV programs, but apparently tons of others do, because the network says the games attracted 23.5 billion minutes of streaming time on its Peacock service and other platforms.
Unless you are totally uninterested in sports of any kind, it was hard not to be drawn in to the drama of these games. There was star power everywhere you looked. Mega-names such as Lebron James, Steph Curry, Simone Biles, and Sophia Smith were magnetic in their appeal. There were stirring finishes, tears
of joy, desperate heartbreak, emotional parents, and irresistible melodrama, all spiced with audience shots of famous celebrities like Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron, Martha Stewart, Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order SVU) and Seth Rogan. Yep, all the elements for a compelling display of entertainment were there. Yet, I don’t believe that’s the whole story behind the massive ratings. There’s a far deeper reason. It was a rare opportunity for Americans to be united in their passion. And we reveled in it. You don’t need me to tell you we are living in an era of intense division in our country. Political differences have become weaponized to foster fear and hate. Outlets such as Fox News and CNN reel in viewers by playing to these emotions, fanning them into wildfires of intensity, sometimes resulting in extreme, even tragic overreaction. We have witnessed a storming
of the United States Capitol building, an assassination attempt, and all manner of deception, misdirection and manipulation on both sides of the aisle. And we are tired of it. It’s exhausting. We are sick of being made to feel scared. Fearful of walking out our front doors. Terrified that moral values are disappearing. Worn out from being made to feel that some of our fellow Americans have to be enemies because of how they feel about issues. Weary from worrying the deterioration of our nation is washing over us like a tidal wave, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
In the midst of all this psychological fatigue arrives the Olympics. Suddenly, it’s no longer Republicans against Democrats, conservatives against liberals, race against race, young against old. It’s our country, our whole country, defending its place as the greatest and most accomplished na-
tion on this earth, against the rest of the world seeking to take that distinction away from us.
The United States basketball teams, men and women, used to win gold medals barely having to break a sweat. But foreign teams have gotten better. Much better. Good enough to threaten us. So we watched, all of us, with joyful pride as both teams fought off mighty challenges to remain the elite. We still got it, baby.
We watched entranced as distance swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most decorated woman of all time in her sport. We saw Simone Biles reclaim her mastery of gymnastics. We got shivers when a nerdy and somewhat frail looking young man with a ponytail came out of nowhere with a finishing kick to defeat two overwhelming favorites in the 1,500-meter run. As Cole Hocker’s crying parents draped him in an Amer-
ican flag, it was hard for any of us to hold back the tears of joy. We didn’t care if he was a conservative or a liberal, gay or straight, prolife or pro-choice. We were just happy for him. All of us were. We had to wait breathlessly as sprinter Noah Lyles leaned into a photo finish with a Jamaican competitor in the men’s 100 meters, then rejoice seconds later as he is declared the winner. A few days later, the same Lyles finishes a disappointing third in the 200 meters, but we watch in alarm as he lay on the track afterward, struggling mightily to breathe. In obvious distress, he is taken off the track in a wheelchair. We later learn he competed despite being diagnosed with Covid. It didn’t matter how he felt about border crossings or runaway inflation. We just wanted him to be okay. All of us did. In those dramatic moments, we were all togeth-
er. It made no difference if you lived in Trussville, Pinson, New York City, Los Angeles, or Possum Trot. For at least that fortnight, we could take a break from fighting the cultural battles. We rediscovered we are all still Americans, and at least when it comes to sports, we are still the best in the world when we compete as one. It made us feel good. Dare I say it may even have given us some hope. It will serve us well to remember those feelings over the course of the next two and a half months, because those months are going to be brutal. We are electing a president and a large portion of Congress, and the campaigns are going to be ruthless. Both sides will try to secure your vote by scaring you and making you feel insecure and uncomfortable. No doubt we will again be in need of some sort of break from the political pounding. Thank goodness for football season.
Sean of the South: Walmart Guy
By Sean Dietrich, Sean of the South Commentary
The old man was in Walmart. He was wearing pajama bottoms and an Eagles T-shirt. The band, not the football team.
He also wore slippers. I knew they were slippers because they were fuzzy and white. Ballcap, crumpled and stained with sweat and grime. He hadn’t shaved in a while. Gray stubble covered his cheeks and chin. There were tattoos on his
forearms. Not the new kind of fancy tats, multi-colored and expensive. These were a few grades below battleship tattoos. Crudely done. Almost like the inkwork inmates give themselves with guitar wire and BIC pens. He wore an oxygen tank, contained in a fanny pack, strapped around his waist. A rubber cannula snaked from his pack, securely set beneath his nose. The old man checked out at the self-checkout kiosk. He loaded his own plastic bags. The machine spit out
his receipt. He grasped his aluminum cane and began shuffling toward the door to present his receipt to the receipt checker. Consequently, I remember the days before receipt checkers. I remember the days before self-checkout kiosks, too. In fact, I remember a time, boys and girls, when—hard as this is to believe—you walked into a store and there was an ACTUAL person behind an ACTUAL cash register, who, after they rang you up, ACTUALLY told you to have a
“blessed day.” Those days are gone. The old man, unsteady on his feet, walked toward the door. I was afraid he was going to fall. By the time he reached the receipt checker, he was teetering badly, on the brink of collapse.
He fell into the Walmart employee, holding the employee’s shoulders for support.
“God, I’m sorry,” the man said to the employee. “I’m so sorry.”
The receipt checker looked like a manager of
some sort. Maybe even a high-level guy, stuck working the door. He was well dressed. Pressed khakis, button-down shirt. Nice shoes. He probably smelled good, too.
The old man leaned on Walmart Guy, having a hard time catching his breath.
“You okay?” asked Walmart.
“Just got out of the hospital yesterday,” the old man explained. “It’s been so hard on my own. I got nobody.”
Walmart Guy wrapped an arm around the man. “Do you need help out to your car, sir?”
The old man looked like he was about to either cry or vomit. Or both. “I’m embarrassed,” he said. Walmart Guy took the man by the arm. Together they shuffled through the parking lot. The old man leaned on him heavily. The employee put the man in his truck. Shut the door.
And on my way into the parking lot, I passed Walmart Guy, on his way inside.
The guy just looked at me and said with a smile, “Have a blessed day, sir.”
Things Aren’t Always As They Seem
By David R. Guttery, RFC, RFS, CAM, President, Keystone Financial Group, Trussville
So far, this year has been a roller coaster of emotion and sentiment to say the least. At a high level, as I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I believe that we continue to emerge into economic Spring, from economic winter, and this kind of evolution doesn’t occur in a straight line. It evolves in fits, and starts, and periods of panic and optimism. In my opinion, the last four years, and even today, is like walking through a fun house of mirrors at the circus.
As I’ve evaluated economic data and other metrics, more often than not, I’m left with the impression that nothing is as it initially seems. There’s distortion, and we can’t be satisfied with superficial observations. We must look more deeply to decipher between that which is technical or fundamental as we evaluate opportunities, and threats.
To me, the activity that we’ve seen in the markets over the last month comes down to four things.
First, the Magnificent Seven stocks retraced quite a bit of gain in the month of July. Second, economic concerns manifest in the unwinding of something called carry trade, and I’ll unpack that in greater detail. Third, it was the market’s largely pessimistic reaction to otherwise seasonally slow economic data, and lastly, all of the above at the same time as Chairman Powell hinted that accommodation could arrive as early as September. I believe that market participants may have construed this negatively as being necessary to stave off a recession. Remember, markets can worry about anything, at any time. It doesn’t mean that they’re always right.
It’s interesting that at the beginning of the year, market participants were clamoring for as many as three rate cuts over the course of 2024. It was just two months ago that the fixed income market seemingly reversed course, and began to price into itself the thought of two rate hikes before the end of the year. On the 14th of August, we received fresh CPI data, and it showed a year over year change of 2.9%.
As we’ve discussed in previous videos, the rate of inflationary change seems to be back to levels experienced prior to the pandemic. So far this year, inflation just seemed stubbornly stuck at a 3 % level. The fear over the early summer was that the Federal Reserve might lose its patience, and offer a new series of excessive rate hikes in an effort
to plunge through this 3% barrier, to achieve their target of a 2% rate of inflation. That thought stood in stark contrast to what the Federal Reserve was actually suggesting about their thought process, and what could lie ahead in the future.
Here we are in August, and once again we are pricing in the thought of potentially having three rate cuts before the end of the year. What a roller coaster. We go from expecting three rate cuts, to two rate hikes, and now we’re back to three rate cuts. In my opinion, that alone demonstrates the degree by which we remain with nervous lemming mentality in the market.
Sure enough, at the end of last month, Chairman Powell suggested that easing could be in our nearterm future, and market participants seemingly discerned from the Fed speak between the lines, that such accommodation could begin as early as September.
That has seemingly kicked off a new wave of concern that we may be headed into a recession, and this sudden departure from previous guidance could be the Fed tipping its hand, and implying that it knows more about impending economic doom than we may realize. In my opinion, the Federal Reserve has been transparent in their efforts to remove accommodation, and although this has been the most aggressive posture that we’ve seen since Paul Volcker, the Federal Reserve has none the less been very clear that further restriction would likely not be the next move. Again, markets can worry about anything at any time. It doesn’t mean that such worry is rational, or correct.
I’ve drawn reference to herds of nervous lemmings within previous articles. When a herd of nervous lemmings decides to evacuate toward the nearest body of water, the most-healthy course of action may be to at least outfit yourself with a life jacket. In my opinion, the data just does not justify the latest stampede.
I would remind everyone that in any given year, the economic data coming from the summer months is usually the slowest. We
normally see a slowdown in hiring, and in production, and across other metrics as the vacation season reaches a peak, and for other seasonal reasons. Also remember that weather can have an impact in quarterly economic data. At the beginning of July, hurricane Beryl impacted nearly two thirds of the United States, as it swept into Texas and eventually made its way through the Midwest, and into the Northeast, bringing torrential rain.
Many economists have cited the economic impact that was felt by such a strong hurricane. To feign oblivion to this is just not rational.
In my opinion, there are many bullish indicators that would suggest that market participants should actually be responding in a different manner. So, what has negatively captivated the attention of the latest lemming stampede?
First, in my opinion, markets worried that a slight pull back in manufacturing activity over the summer, may be an indication that recession was on the horizon. Again, we normally see slower data over the summer months, and I think this is more rationally viewed as being nothing more than this.
I also believe that participants viewed this glass is half empty headline from Bloomberg in a negative manner. Employment conditions seem to be moderating toward a historical mean rather than improving. When I look at this chart however, I see that since 1990, when we’ve hit this mean line, we’ve bounced and employment conditions have recovered.
As rebuttal, I would offer this graphic that depicts announced job layoffs. We have seemingly experienced a sharp increase in announced job layoffs just as recessed economic conditions materialized going back to 1995. Look at where we are today on the far right of the chart. That certainly doesn’t seem to be consistent with some new recession on the horizon.
Last month, in July, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago released its financial conditions index. As you can see in the bottom chart, the financial conditions index continues to improve, and continues its upward movement from the bullish breakout indicated in November of last year. Markets as a result have seemingly paid attention to this metric as is evidenced by the top chart.
Over the last 30 days, I have seen no evidence that the financial conditions index has retreated or deteriorated from this positive momentum.
Credit spreads between corporate high-yield issues and treasury issues remain very tight. This too is considered a bullish indicator. Normally, investors demand higher yields from companies offering lower credits of quality. In this environment, as late as June of this year, there was a very thin margin between yields of lower credit quality issues, and higher credit quality
issues, implying that fixed income market participants saw little economic concern to warrant higher yields from lower credit quality issues. In my opinion, this can be construed as a positive referendum on economic conditions.
Anecdotally, over the years we have always heard that the bond market rarely gets it wrong. For this reason, we seem to pay much attention to the inversion of the yield curve as it pertains to being a predictor of an impending recession.
A brief primer on the inversion of the yield curve. This is the comparison of yields between two-year treasury issues and 10-year treasury issues. Remember, there is an inverse relationship between price and yield when it comes to bonds. The higher the price, the lower the yield. If you believe that a recession is on the horizon, then you are more inclined to sell two-year issues, resulting in lower prices, and higher yields. In such circumstances, issues of 10-year treasury debt are in greater demand, and therefore prices rise, and yields decline.
The result is a higher yield for the two-year issue, and a lower yield for the ten-year issue, thus giving you the inversion of the yield curve that we heard so much about.
Every recession that has ever been recorded was preceded by an inverted yield
curve. This is why inversions get so much attention. Every time the yield curve has inverted however, we have not always had a recession. As a high-level rule of thumb, the longer the inversion, and the deeper the inversion, the worse the recession could possibly be. At its deepest, the recent inversion of the yield curve stood at 108 basis points. As of Friday, the 2nd of August, the inversion stood at just under eight basis points.
In my opinion, this is a huge reversal, and you can see the degree by which it has occurred since the middle of June. There is only one way that the yield curve can reverse an inversion. There is more buying on the two-year issues, and more selling on the ten-year issues, thus leveling the yield curve inversion. In my opinion, this is clearly a bullish indicator, and suggesting that there is increasingly less concern about the possibility of a recession in the near term. Otherwise, why would there be such discernible buying in the two-year issues? Have we had weaker than expected employment data? Yes, we have. Is the ISM Manufacturing index once again below 50? Yes, it is. Are weekly jobless claims stubbornly above 200,000 again? Yes, they are. Each of these points of data can be explained by seasonal weakness coming during the slowest quarter of
the year, while coupled with weather anomalies.
Might we truly be on the precipice of a long and deep recession? Clearly, I can’t guarantee that were not, but as far as the data is concerned, I see no evidence of that. To me, this is like hearing your local weather forecaster suggesting that you should break out the winter coats, because we could potentially have 6 inches of snow, on 5th of August, in Alabama.
Again, welcome to my fun house of mirrors. You must look more deeply than just the surface to really get to the truth, and right now, that requires quite a bit of effort.
Lately, we’ve heard about something called “carry trade”. Carry trade at a high level is just a leverage and arbitrage trade. Bear in mind that we’re talking about institutional investors doing this with billions of dollars. This isn’t a strategy that the average individual could employ. I think this graphic depicts the concept pretty well.
We’re able to borrow dollars at a low rate of interest. Let’s say two percent. Those dollars are then used to buy Yen, where we’re paid a high interest rate. Let’s say that’s eight percent. The six percent difference is then used to purchase equities. The arbitrage between the two currencies is used to purchase equities, and recently, most of these purchases have been equities that have come to be known as The Magnificent Seven.
Well, if suddenly markets begin worrying about weakening economic conditions, and furthermore, accommodation by the Federal Reserve is more about an emergency reaction to stave off that recession instead of simply being a shift in policy, then you also begin to worry that the favorable metrics that supported the carry trade could diminish or reverse. If that happens, then you need to unwind the carry trade long positions.
Again, I think this is a mechanical and technical event that precipitated from the economic concerns that we just discussed. Interestingly enough, the carry trade concern that contributed to market volatility on the 5th of August, had nearly evaporated entirely by the end of that week. Again, welcome to my fun house of mirrors where things aren’t always
as they seem. Markets can worry about whatever they want to, at any time. It’s not always rational, and when it’s not, it can create opportunities for those with the intestinal fortitude to leverage such times to their benefit.
I have 103 years-worth of data that suggests that markets average again of 15% over the 12 months following the first easing, from a cycle of restriction.
I have no idea if the Fed was merely hinting at the possibility of a rate cut in September. What I do know is that it hasn’t happened yet, so it remains in the windshield. Remember that the windshield is 35 times larger than the rearview mirror for reason. Where we are going is what is most important, and we haven’t received the first rate cut yet, and I can’t discount what 103 years-worth of previous anecdotal evidence tells us about what might happen next following that first rate cut.
Furthermore, going back to 1965, I know that markets have averaged impressive gains during environments when bond yields were falling. Again, as referenced by the yield curve, that seems to be happening now. Frankly, it has been happening since October 2023.
So why exactly are falling bond yields generally beneficial to the prices of equities? As interest rates and bond yields decline, the equity market looks to be an increasingly compelling place to seek growth and forward momentum.
Indeed, as late as July, there seem to be over $6 trillion that had been drawn to the sidelines as bond yields peaked. As referenced by the previous two graphics, those yields may be falling at the present time, and if history is any indicator, the market could become increasingly attractive at these valuations to the cash that has built on the sidelines during the Covid crisis, and the economic aftermath that followed.
When you couple this with other economic metrics, such as the University of Michigan’s consumer confidence survey, ISM manufacturing and services data, and industrial production, in my mind, a picture of economic summer begins to emerge.
Has consumer confidence risen this year? Yes, it has. Until just recently, the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment survey stood at a level that we had not seen since prior to the Covid pandemic. This has translated into better-than-expected patterns of consumption behavior.
People who feel increasingly confident about their ability to consume, generally demonstrate increasingly better patterns of consumption. As data indicates over the first and second quarters of this year, that is happening.
It was just in mid-July, just four weeks ago, that the market was up 742 points on the day when we received this much better-than-expected indication of consumption patterns.
Why is this important, and why did the market respond so positively on 16th of July when we received this report? Because consumption is 70% of gross domestic product. To me, there seems to be a great disconnect between these most recent indications of consumption behavior, from just three weeks ago, and the current concern just three weeks later, that we may be on the precipice of a long and deep recession. Those two conclusions just don’t seem to exist in the same ZIP Code. I’m not sure how you can be wet and dry, at the same time.
In my opinion we continue to emerge into a warmer, early economic summer period of time, from the economic winter through which we have been over the last four years. Remember, this will happen over the course of fits and starts. Nothing ever evolves in a straight line. Along the way, we will have the metaphorical blackberry economic winter, where we have a cold snap in the middle of emerging into a warmer season.
Lastly, please bear in mind that all of this is happening under the specter of an election year. The sensationalism and the hyperbole are palpable. I find it interesting that when potential voters are asked for their opinions regarding the economy, and inflation, they are returning much more dire answers when it comes to the candidate for whom they will cast a vote.
However, when the University of Michigan calls and asks, do you have a job, can
you get a job, do you believe that the job that you have will pay a higher income over the next 12 months, do you have a greater capacity to purchase today than you did 12 months ago, and similar questions, we are getting much more positive answers.
You absolutely must insulate yourself from the noise, and wade through the sensationalism and the hyperbole to get down to the data. Data is what it is. There is no distortion. You just have to approach the analysis of data with a stoic disposition, and without foregone conclusions. Then data can talk to you. When it does, you must then have the intestinal fortitude to listen, and do what it is telling you to do.
So, in conclusion, in my opinion I do not believe that we are on the precipice of a long and deep recession. I believe that the Federal Reserve has done exactly what they said they were going to do, since March 2022. This is particularly true since November 2022 when they adopted a more docile and data-driven approach to monetary policy.
I believe that the market is replete with attractive valuations, and now would be the time to critically evaluate the implementation of your financial plan with an
eye toward where you will be one year from now, and five years from now, rather than five minutes from now. We must resist the temptation to join the stampede of lemmings. Rise above that, as we move from one economic season to the next.
(*) David R. Guttery, RFC, RFS, CAM, is a financial advisor, and has been in practice for 33 years, and is the President of Keystone Financial Group in Trussville. David offers products and services using the following business names: Keystone Financial Group – insurance and financial services | Ameritas Investment Company, LLC (AIC), Member FINRA / SIPC –securities and investments | Ameritas Advisory Services – investment advisory services. AIC and AAS are not affiliated with Keystone Financial Group. Information provided is gathered from sources believed to be reliable; however, we cannot guarantee their accuracy. This information should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not an indicator of future results. Examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered representative of any investment. Investments involve risks, including loss of principal.
Dan Newton Praytor
2024
Dan
Dan was born April 8, 1947 and raised in Irondale, Alabama. His parents
B. and Helen Hurtt Praytor and brother Thomas Lee Praytor (Pam) preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Sharon Corbett Praytor, his son Daniel Corbett Praytor (Kristel), grandson Brett Corbett Praytor (Bree), grand dog Huk, daughter April Praytor Chamberlain (Ritchie), grandsons Noah Ryne and Luke Ethan Chamberlain, brother Rev. Robert E. Praytor (Nelda) and a host of other family members.
Life-long friendships were made through the years as he attended Irondale Community School, Shades Valley High School and Samford University.
Dan was a former member, Chairman of Deacons, Sunday School teacher and Youth Backer at First Baptist Church of Irondale. He joined Cedar Grove Baptist Church of Leeds in 2021. Joining the United States Marine Corp at the age of nineteen. He served in Mike Company 3/5 as a M60 machine gunner in Vietnam where he received two Purple Hearts. He received wounds from shrapnel in the hand and a gunshot wound to the head resulting in the loss of his left eye.
Dan was devoted to his family, friends and his community. Some of his most enjoyable times were spent
He loved his city of Irondale and was committed to making it the best community. He
be held on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at Cedar Grove Baptist Church at 2:00 pm. Visitation will be held Monday, August 19 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm and Tuesday, August 20, 2024 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at Cedar Grove Baptist Church.
Burial to follow at Forest Crest Cemetery near the cross. A military honor guard representing the United States Marine Corps will be present.
Cedar Grove Baptist Church, 2001 Cedar Grove Road, Leeds, AL 35094. Forest Crest Cemetery, 5730 US Highway 78, Irondale, AL 35210.
Alice B. Pyle
november 5, 1931 — august 15, 2024
Graveside Services for Mrs. Alice B. Pyle, age 92 of Leeds, will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. at Jefferson Memorial Gardens with friends and family officiating.
Mrs. Pyle passed away on Thursday, August 15, 2024 at East Glen Nursing Home. She was born on November 5th, 1931 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama and was a lifelong resident of Alabama, She graduated from Jones Valley High school (Birmingham) and worked as the book keeper for A.C. Legg Packing Company for over 30 years, a job she dearly loved. Mrs. Pyle was an avid Atlanta Braves and Alabama fan and enjoyed watching their games any chance she could. She also enjoyed listening to music, having fun with slots and playing Mahjong with her many friends. Mrs. Pyle was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be dearly missed.
She is survived by her two sons, Harold Steven White (Kathryn) and Charles Head, her daughter, Angela Morgan (Kenny), her grandchildren, Jacob White (Eva Allard), Erik White (Ashley Alred), Karen White (Bret Whitaker), Whitney Tanner and Justin Tanner (Angela King), two great-grandchildren, Owen Whitaker and Cobe Tanner, her brother Eugene Watson and her sister Zelma Inez Higdon and a host of nieces, nephews and extended family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James Boone and Ilma Brookshire, and her brother, Louie Boone.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 from 9:00 A.M. until service time at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home.
The family requests no flowers per Mrs. Pyle’s wishes. Instead memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the charity of your choice.
Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.
AskEddie
Creating Sympathy Gifts
It can be challenging to find the right combination of words to say when death occurs to a close friend or colleague. Creating a sympathy gift is a heartfelt way to show support and comfort to that individual, as this gesture can remind them that they are not alone in their grieving journey.
There is no wrong way to create a sympathy gift, and there are numerous ways to craft one. For example, creating a message jar of encouraging and uplifting notes can provide moments of comfort to the individual. Another example is offering your time for practical support, such as helping around the house, running errands, or babysitting. However, one of the most powerful and meaningful gifts you can give is being a compassionate listener. Your presence and empathy for the grieving individual can make them feel valued and cared for. Each gesture, whether small or grand, communicates care and solidarity, reinforcing the importance of community and support during this time of loss. Sympathy gifts serve as tangible reminders of compassion and care, helping to ease the burden of grief.
Tree Talk: Let the Kids Climb!
By Jean Cox, Executive Director Friends of Pinchgut Creek, Former member of Trussville’s Tree Commission
When I was a child, as soon as the school bus dropped me off, I couldn’t wait to kick off my shoes and climb the tree in my backyard. I’d happily spend hours sitting in the crook of those branches reading Highlights magazines or whatever books I had checked out from the library. My parents knew they could find me either up a tree or down in the woods at a nearby fishing pond. I was spending time doing what kids are made to do; what I wish more kids spent time doing these days.
Those cute little opposable thumbs and flexible feet our offspring were born with were surely designed for climbing trees. When we let them freely climb and play, they can grow and learn lessons that parents can’t easily teach them. Kids need to learn how big they really are. They need to learn how to calculate risks and figure out how to overcome fear. They need to learn how to make their own decisions and plans. Climbing trees teaches them all these things and more.
Researchers at the University of North Florida published a report that shows working memory and cognitive function are improved because of climbing trees. Seems like a funny thing to study. It only makes sense that allowing kids to connect with nature and challenge themselves will make
them smarter. But those researchers broke down the why, with big words like “proprioception”. That is the awareness of your body’s movements and orientation to accomplish tasks. When kids are climbing trees, they really are using everything they’ve got; thinking about their ability, moving all their muscles, calculating the course, and overcoming obstacles. They are doing big stuff! We need to let them. It is unfortunately difficult to find climbing trees these days. We can’t have them in public spaces or on municipal properties because of liability concerns. Trees are limbed up intentionally to limit access. I
think in a perfect world every town would have a climbing forest planned for kids to be free and climb as nature intended. That climbing forest would have to be plastered with signs declaring the hazards and limiting liability, with an attorney on site with waivers for parents to sign. So, I guess we just need to make sure we keep trees around in our own yards that are great for climbing. Elms, Oaks, Birch, and Magnolias make great climbing trees. Mature Crepe Myrtles will work too if they are not over-pruned. Apples always taste sweeter when you must go up in a tree to pick them, but it takes a long time for apple trees to get big enough for climbing. If you don’t have a climbing tree, please plant one. Our kids need them. Parents also probably need to spend more time in the trees. The best way to make sure it’s a safe tree for your kid, is for you to climb up it first and check the strength of those limbs. Let them be. Let them climb trees.
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Walker looking forward to reunion with former student and JAG head coach
By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor
Former Alabama running back and new JAG
(formerly Jeff Davis) football coach Roy Upchurch has had many influences on his football career.
He played for legendary coach Nick Saban at the University of Alabama and, as a running back, won both a national and an SEC championship.
The former Parade All-American prep player always believed he was destined for the NFL, but a neck injury ended his professional football hopes before they began.
However, Upchurch and football weren’t finished with each other. The Pensacola native got his first taste of coaching when he was offered the opportunity to assist former Alabama offensive line coach Joe Pendry at the 2011 Crampton Bowl All-Star game.
That experience led Upchurch to join Jimbo Fisher’s staff at Florida State as the Quality Control Assistant in 2013.
He then coached running backs under former FSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke at IMG Academy.
Upchurch left his native Florida and worked as the strength and conditioning coach at South Carolina un-
der Will Muschamp.
He then had stops at Georgia Military College, Pinson Valley High School, and most recently at Dora High School.
Of all the coaches Upchurch has worked with over the years, Hewitt-Trussville Athletic Director Lance Walker may have had the most influence on Upchurch’s career path.
The two will have a reunion when Hewitt hosts the Jaguars on August 23.
Walker, who spent 11 years in Tuscaloosa in the athletic department at Alabama, was Upchurch’s academic advisor.
“I was overseeing football student services, eligibility, assisted with on-campus recruiting and scheduling for all the teams,” Walker said. “When I first got there, Roy was a sophomore.”
Upchurch acknowledges Walker for setting him on the right academic path.
“I dealt with coaching changes, injuries, and setbacks of my own, and there weren’t many people around that I trusted,” Upchurch said. “Lance was a new guy with a fresh face. He kept telling me we were going to be alright. We are going to get through this.”
Upchurch remembers Walker as a kind, caring, and selfless person.
“Lance was always
like, let me know whatever you need,” Upchurch said. “Lance was there and provided for whatever I needed.”
Walker opened Upchurch’s eyes to the impor-
ries caused him to be redflagged, and the Baltimore Ravens did not sign him as a free agent.
Over the years, the two have seen and talked about their relationship in Tuscaloosa.
“I knew him as a 19-year-old student, and I was so excited to see him go into education and coaching,” Walker said. “At that age, they are not always sure what they want to do. It is fulfilling to see a kid find their purpose.”
tance of education and what it could do for him in the future.
“Lance had a different mindset of success. He set my mind toward the future,” said Upchurch. “He made sure I understood that I really didn’t know what my football future was because of all my injuries, and it was going to be mandatory that I invest in what I want to do in the future and get my degree.”
“That opened my eyes to a bigger picture,” he said.
“Lance convinced me of the importance of obtaining a degree, and he motivated and assisted me in achieving it,” Upchurch said. “His support was very encouraging to me.”
Ultimately, Walker’s advice proved correct, as Upchurch’s history of inju-
“As an adult, it feels good to have this relationship still,” Upchurch said. “He still motivates me, and the connection is still there.”
“I enjoy him as a person, and he always has in mind nothing but good for me.”
“He was welcoming to me and willing to help,” said Upchurch. “It gives me a mindset that relationships do matter in life.”
The pair never imagined they would compete against each other almost two decades later. “It’s honorable that they are rolling out the red carpet for us,” said Upchurch.
“I have seen what Coach Floyd has done here at Hewitt-Trussville and the positive impact that he has had on the students and community,” Walker said. “I am excited that Roy has the opportunity to have that same impact in Montgomery.”
While Walker might have most influenced Upchurch’s path, the greatest coach of all time still influences Upchurch’s coaching style.
“Everyone said that Saban was a perfectionist as a coach,” Upchurch said.
“That got a little annoying to a point because we aren’t perfect as people, but at the same time, you have to be almost perfect in football,” he said. “Your assignment has to be perfect, and you must do things the right way. I look for perfectionism in my players and in myself because it helps mature you.”
“There are times where I can find myself having a moment where nothing is going right, and I am looking for some right, and the next thing I know, I have a blow-up moment [like Saban],” Upchurch said. “His brand of football is one thing I feel I have to have. Smashmouth football wins football games. Physicality is one thing I’m looking for and trying to drive into this team. We are going to learn how to dominate an opponent.”
The path that Walker set Upchurch on has certainly been winding, and Friday night, that path leads through Husky Stadium.
“It is cool to see it come full circle,” Walker said.
Lance Walker, TCS Athletics Director
New JAG head coach Roy Upchurch. Credit: ALSDEOSI
Season Preview: Shades Valley Mounties
By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor
As head coach Rueben Nelson enters his fourth year at Valley, he is optimistic about his 2024 Mounties.
The Mounties have registered one winning season over the last three years, gone 12-16 and have not made a playoff appearance since 2020.
However, with a 126-80 record and a state title on his resume, Nelson knows what it takes to guide the Mounties back to success.
The Mounties have made several changes to the program in the past year, including overhauling the offensive philosophy, enhancements to the strength and conditioning program,
and an increased focus on accountability and academics.
The Mountie roster includes 21 seniors, the largest senior class in years. That number would have been closer to 30 if Valley hadn’t lost several players to the growing high school “transfer portal.”
No fewer than six former Mounties will play key roles for other high school teams across the Birmingham metro area this fall.
The Mounties will have a new starting quarterback this year in junior Zayvian Bolden after the departure of Steve Brown, a two-year starter and Tennessee Tech signee.
“Zay is going to have to have a good year for
us,” Nelson said. “He is a smart kid who can make the throws, and the team seems to follow his lead.”
Look for wide receiver Javien Williams and Dre’shaun Cook, a talented 6’4, 210 lbs tight end, to be major threats in the passing game, which will showcase more tight end involvement than last season.
Running back Geordan Clarke, who started as a freshman, returns for his junior year. Expect freshman Quincy Poole to compete for playing time.
The offensive line is the strength of this year’s team, with all five starters and the top seven from last season returning.
Offensive linemen Julian Maddox, Aiden Smith,
Johnny Steele, Jaydon Ford, A’Jari Jones, Peyton Kidd and Will Looney return with lots of playing experience.
“They played more than anybody else,” said Nelson. “We get a chance to put some older guys up front where it matters, which is big for us.”
Steele will see playing time on the defensive front as well.
“Johnny has to play big in the middle,” Nelson said. “He has to set the tone. I think we are going to need a big year from Terrance James, too. He saw a lot of playing time last year.”
On the defensive front, look for senior Landy Saxton to be a mainstay with Steele and James.
Senior Jamie Small moved from safety to line-
backer and will replace Alabama State signee Ethan Johnson. “I think he’s going to have a big year,” said Nelson. “He’s a level-headed kid, super smart, and a great athletic teammate. We moved him from strong safety to linebacker, and he’s done well.”
Look for talented seniors
Ja’Caryous Burrow and Chandler Marks to return in the Valley defensive backfield.
In Region 6, the Mounties will face defending 6A state champion ClayChalkville, 6A title contenders Mountain Brook and Oxford, Pinson, Pell City, and Huffman.
“Toughest schedule in 6A football,” Nelson said. “Can’t complain about it
though. That’s how it lines up.”
In non-region play, the Mounties open their season at home against Woodlawn, then travel to 5A contender Leeds and host Cherokee County, a 4A powerhouse with a 25-5 record over the past two years.
2024 schedule: 8/23 Woodlawn
Brook (region)
11/1 OPEN
Season Preview: Pinson Valley Indians
By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
PINSON – The Pin-
son Valley Indians enter the 2024 season in familiar fashion. With a new head football coach for the third year in a row.
Lee Guess entered the 2022 season at the helm of the Indians. In 2023, it was Gentrell Eatman. Now, in 2024, James Thompson is your head football coach at Pinson Valley High School.
The obvious question for a coach coming into this situation is, “does this type of turnover concern you?” Thompson was emphatic in his answer.
“Simply, no,” said Thompson. “I believe everything is destined. Where you are is where you are supposed to be. I have no fear. I know how to work and what works and nothing in the past bothers me. We look forward and we move forward. Nothing behind us
bothers me. We are here to work, we are back and we are going to get better. I am confident in what we are doing and we have a good football team.
Thompson takes over a team that finished the regular season strong last year, winning three of their last four games and making it into the playoffs with a 4-5 record, where they lost to Muscle Shoals in the first round.
The cupboard is not bare for coach Thompson and his staff. There are playmakers all over the field. The offense should click and the defense will have a lot of speed and athleticism. On offense, the Indians have some real weapons. At quarterback, after taking a year off, Jamison Green will take the starting snaps. “He’s a 100% guy. He studies, stays in the weight room and is in the film room all the time. He checks off all the boxes for a quarterback
and does all of the important things.” Behind him is freshman Raymond Howard, who looks to be the future of the position.
Running back may be the most interesting position on the Pinson offense. Thompson coached running backs at the collegiate level, so this is his baby. Returning starter Rico “Fudge” English was set to be the go-to guy in the backfield but his unfortunate passing earlier in the year leaves a void there. TJ Calhoun, who was a slot receiver, will fill the role of running back, getting most of the carries. Simeon Conner, a freshman, will look to back him up. Amir Marshall will be the “load” as Thompson calls it. “He will help us on short yardage situations and such.”
Calhoun will also play some wide receiver in the rotation with a host of weapons at the position who will catch passes from Green. The offensive line may
be the biggest mystery as they replace several across the front. However, this is a big, athletic group led by senior Gabe Lando. “There are about 18 guys up there that will have to play, but they aren’t just bodies up there. We believe they are all good and we can do well with any of them in the game. These guys come to work every day and we have coaches who are committed to teaching. I am confident in them all.”
A new face on the field for Pinson’s offense will be coordinator Grady Griffin, who has coached with Thompson in the past at Pickens County, as well as served as head coach at Aliceville for the past three seasons, posting a 24-12 record overall and making the playoffs each year. “I am very excited to have him on staff and I have confidence that, he and the offensive staff will put points on the board,” said Thomas.
On defense, the whole
unit hinges on the line. The leader of the defensive line is edge rusher Jarmaricus Thomas. He will lead a group that returns six starters who are experienced, five of which were starters last year. “We were able to retain Maurice Belser as our defensive coordinator and Justin Matison as our DB coach. I have a lot of confidence in these guys. We are going to fly around and not be predictable on defense. Our coaches know how to mix things up and I am really excited to see these guys get out on the field. Thompson is jumping right into the fire from the frying pan, as they say, with a tough out of region schedule that includes 7A state champion Central Phenix City on the road in week zero, with a familiar coach on the opposite sideline in Patrick Nix, who coached Pinson to consecutive state championships in 2017 and 2018 and a semifinal ap-
pearance in 2019. Following that road trip is a road game at Gardendale, who is looking to rebound from a 3-8 year. After that, Pinson gets into region play with a home game against Huffman and road games at Oxford and Shades Valley. Other out of region games include Hewitt-Trussville and Hueytown.
“In order to be the best, you have to play the best and even beat the best. We want to win games and that’s tough to do. We are glad to have the opportunity for our kids to see teams like this. 7A champs and 6 and 7A playoff teams. That is what you want. But, no matter who we are playing, we will accept the challenge and we will not change anything about how we play. We schedule these hard teams, and I did it at Pickens County, to prepare for November. Being battle tested going into November is a good thing.”
