December 2010
cityofcolumbiana.com
OUTDOOR WEATHER SIREN TEST WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8, 11 A.M.
BEAUTIFICATION BOARD...........................................6 COLUMBIANA CITY COUNCIL....................................7 FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY...................................14 COLUMBIANA WATER BOARD.................................14 COLUMBIANA CITY COUNCIL, CITY HALL.............21 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.........................................24-25
MERRY CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER UPCOMING EVENTS
DECEMBER 25TH
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON
2 ELVIN HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNTY SCOOL NEWS Christmas Holidays for Shelby County Public Schools: December 20, 2010 through January 3, 2011 Check out the Shelby County Board of Education web site at: http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us
CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Cornerstone Christian is pleased to announce
MICHAEL ENGLISH
The facility and staff would like to wish everyone in our school family and community a joyous holiday season. Holidays are times of tradition, times of celebration. This is the perfect time to stop and wish you a special season filled with peace and love. Christmas holidays begin the 20th and we return on January 4, 2011! We would like to thank James Spann and Miss Annie for the visits they made to our school. Our Christmas Santa Shop is open for business on December 6-10. We all miss our Assistant Principal Melody Byrne, who is at Shelby Elementary as acting principal during a maternity leave. We welcome Mr. Kearley, who is filling in for Mrs. Byrne. A big thank-you to the Dream Makers Community Education Dancers and Twirlers, who entertained the crowds in town prior to the Christmas parade. We also give a shout-out to all of the students who participated in the parade on various floats. Thanks you to our Student Council, led by Caitlin White, for organizing our annual Pet & People Food Drive. Once again, Happy Holidays from the faculty, staff and students at Elvin Hill Elementary!
COLUMBIANA MIDDLE SCHOOL Congratulations to seventh grader Landon Bentley for winning the school’s spelling bee. Bentley’s winning word was “monstrosity,” and he’ll represent CMS at the county competition in January. Congratulations to Lynn Hanson for being named the school’s Support Person of the Year.
January 2. 2011
Congratulations to Rhonda Mack for earning a laptop through her winning entry in Shelby County Schools’ “I-am21” technology literacy focus. Congratulations to Samantha Bailey and the CNP staff for earning a “100” rating by the Food and Health inspector for two months in a row.
Tickets available for $20.00 in advance or $25.00 at the door. If you already hold a ticket stub from the previous cancellation, just present it at the door.
Eighth grade World History Teacher Todd Davis has been conducting online teleconferences through SKYPE with his history classes. His classes have already communicated with students and teachers in Russia and France.
in concert 7:00pm
For more info and the purchase tickets, call 205-669-7777. For information on Cornerstone Christian School visit their web site at: www.ccschargers.us
Congratulations to the following six students who were accepted to UAB Middle School Honor Band this year: Olivia Snyder, Will Balzli, Elizabeth Stancil, Kelli Roper, Brittney Bearden, and Nathan Brom. Also, Valerie White will represent CMS at the University of Georgia Honor Band Dec. 9-10.
The OfďŹ cial Newsletter of the City of Columbiana
September, DECEMBER 2009 2009 3
COLUMBIANA HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
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The Official Newsletter of the City of Columbiana
September, 2009
Winter Caregiver Tips To those of you who may be in the midst of caring for another and for those who may be missing a loved one, the entire staff at Columbiana Health and Rehabilitation hopes you also find peace and comfort. We wish you and your family love and happiness during this holiday season and wish you a new year
filled with love and hope. Please remember we are here for you – to help you make the best decisions, to get the best care for your loved one, to help you care for yourself, and to give you easy access to the best resources to help you with all your caregiving needs.
Columbiana Health and Rehabilitation is a 63-bed skilled nursing facility located on Highway 25 in Columbiana. The facility provides residents with access to extensively trained professionals in nursing care, physical, occupational and speech therapies. For more information, call Kay Sertell at (205) 669-1712.
Dr. Stancil Handley “Cares For Eyes”
Business License Renewals Renewal notice for your 2011 City of Columbiana Business License will be mailed out the week of December 15, 2010.
If you have questions regarding business licensing for the City of Columbiana, call 205-669-5806.
DRUG FREE MESSAGE Only 14.4% of 6th-12th grade Shelby County students that use illicit drugs reported that their parents talk with them a lot about the problems of using these substances. Your children are listening: Let them know every day you expect them to be drug-free. The Shelby County Drug Free Coalition provides the drug free message each month. The Coalition is a program of Family Connection made up of volunteers who are concerned about and want to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among our youth. Representatives from law enforcement, health agencies, businesses, church and civic groups and Shelby County Schools are part of the Coalition.
Join the Seniors Columbiana Senior Center at the Rec. Building Monday – Friday 9 AM until 1 PM For More Information call Donna Higgins at (205) 669-3969
COLUMBIANA 669-4131
Liberty Day 2011
Holiday Shopping Safety Tips The Columbiana Police Department has provided the following tips for safe and happy holiday shopping! •Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member. •Dress casually and comfortably. •Avoid wearing expensive jewelry. •Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible. •Always carry your Alabama Driver License or Identification Card along with necessary cash, checks and/or a credit card you expect to use. •Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings. •Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. •Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible. •Keep cash in your front pocket. •Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen or misused. •Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home. •Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, transportation terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit. •Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps. •Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.
COMMUNITY
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Liberty Day 2011 will begin with Friday Nite Live on Main Street, June 24, 2011 and Saturday will be a full day of activities. The Liberty Day Committee will begin meeting soon to plan various aspects of the event. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome one of our local residents to participate in the planning of the event. Our meetings are generally held on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. If you are available for about an hour, every other month between now and May, please contact me, Gina Antolini, Liberty Day Coordinator, via e-mail at cityclerk@cityofcolumbiana.com. Our next meeting will be in January. Thanks in advance for your interest!
OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS FOR CITY HALL December 2010 – December 2011 City Hall will be closed on the following dates: December 24, 2010 Christmas Eve January 17, 2011 Martin Luther King Day Friday, April 22, 2011 Good Friday May 30, 2011 Memorial Day September 05, 2011 Labor Day November 11, 2011 Veteran’s Day November 24, 2011 Thanksgiving November 25, 2011 Day After Thanksgiving
Beautification
November Yard of the Month! Congratulations to Jean Rasco. Their beautiful yard is located at 245 Chelsea Road. (Hwy 47).
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The Official Newsletter of the City of Columbiana September, 2009 News from City Hall Year-end tax preparation Updates to city website As the calendar year winds down, just remember that with it brings the closing of the tax year. Here are some tips and information on things to think about as we bid good-by to 2010.
Don’t forget to check out and utilize our newest feature to the city website: The Community Bulletin Board! This allows residents to submit content for inclusion on the site. An example would be an upcoming local event that would afford you the opportunity to publicize it without any cost. We are hoping that many of our local organizations, churches and schools will utilize this feature to help us help you “get the word out” about community events. We just added the feature a few weeks ago and have a couple of events there but anticipate that it will become a fast favorite. The city calendar of events now utilizes the Google calendar application, which gives us greater flexibility in posting events, including the ability to open the item up for Internet searches on the web. We will keep you posted about new enhancements to our website but if you haven’t taken a look at the site, please do and let us know if there is something that you would like to see there that we don’t have.
How the Bush Tax Cuts Affect Tax-Savings Strategies The Bush tax cuts and credits are set to expire at the end of 2010. If they do expire, a lot of folks will experience a significant adjustment to their tax situation. The “Bush tax cuts” refers to legislation enacted in 2001 and 2003. The cuts lowered tax rates on income, dividends, and capital gains; eliminated the estate tax; lowered burdens on married couples, parents, and the working poor; and increased tax credits for education and retirement savings.
Visit the city website at cityofcolumbiana.com!
Check your withholdings With less than two months remaining in the calendar year, it’s a great time to double check your federal withholding to make sure enough taxes are being taken out of your pay. Certain folks should pay particular attention to their withholding. These include: •Married couples with two incomes •Individuals with multiple jobs •Dependents •Some Social Security recipients who work •Workers who do not have valid Social Security numbers •Retirees who receive pension payments As was the case in 2009, taxpayers who wind up owing tax because too little was taken out of their paychecks during 2010 may qualify for special relief on a penalty that sometimes applies. Depending on their personal situation, some people could have less withheld from their paychecks than they need or want. Failure to adjust withholding could result in potentially smaller refunds or, in limited instances, a taxpayer may owe tax rather than receive a refund next year. ***The information contained within this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or financial advice from a professional accountant. While we use reasonable efforts to furnish accurate and up-to-date information, we do not warrant that any information contained in or made available through this article is accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of this article.
Among other things, if the Bush tax cuts were allowed to expire, the following would take place: 1. Tax brackets would change, from 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35% to 15%, 28%, 31%, 36%, and 39.6%. 2. Long-term capital gain tax rates would rise from 15% to a maximum of 20%. 3. The child tax credit would be lowered. 4. The alternative minimum tax would cease to be indexed for inflation. 5. The marriage penalty would be reinstated. If you are a Middle Income Taxpayer here are some tips to save on taxes this year: defer income, accelerate your deductions, and plan out your capital gains. Defer Income • If you are planning to sell an investment on which you have a gain, it may be best to wait until the new year. This will defer payment of the taxes for another year (subject to estimated tax requirements). • If you are due a bonus at year-end, you may be able to defer receipt of these funds until January. Again, this can defer the payment of taxes (other than the portion withheld) for another year. (Note that deferral of tax generally won’t work where the bonus is contractually due in 2010.) • If your company grants stock options, it may be wise to wait until next year to exercise the option or sell stock acquired by the exercise of an option. (Exercise of the option is often a taxable event; sale of the stock is almost always a taxable event.) • If you’re self-employed, and you can afford the delay in cash inflow, defer sending invoices to clients until the end of December. Accelerate Deductions • Pay a state estimated tax installment in December instead of at the January due date. Just make sure the payment is based on a reasonable estimate of your state tax. • Pay your entire property tax bill, including installments due in 2011, by year-end. (This is not applicable to mortgage escrow accounts.) • Try to bunch threshold expenses, such as medical expenses and miscellaneous itemized deductions. (Threshold expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed a certain percentage of adjusted gross income.) By bunching these expenses into one year, rather than spreading them out over two years, you have a better chance of exceeding the thresholds, thereby maximizing your deduction. For example, you might pay medical bills and dues and subscriptions in whichever year they would do you the most tax good. ***The information contained within this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or financial advice from a professional accountant. While we use reasonable efforts to furnish accurate and up-to-date information, we do not warrant that any information contained in or made available through this article is accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of this article.
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What’s New At The Library By Jane Bailey - Director
There is a different sort of atmosphere in the air this time of year. There is a spirit of giving, sharing, and excitement all around us. Smiles become contagious and warm greetings abound. While there are many opportunities to help others year round, something inside of us just seems to bloom this time of year and many of us feel an insatiable urge to share our many blessings with others.
The Columbiana Library knitting group, the Loose Stitches, is currently working on a project that we would like to invite our community to participate in. The library has placed a Christmas tree in our hallway that we have named “The Giving Tree”. Anyone who is interested may place new, adult-sized hats, gloves, scarves or socks on the tree. These can be handmade, but this is not necessary. These items will be distributed through Family Connections
Columbiana Friends of the Library
Adult Knitting Classes Enjoy knitting or crochet? Would you like to learn? Join the Loose Stitches for fellowship & fun, projects & patterns!
Dec. 1st – 9 till noon – Glass Etching Class (materials provided) Dec. 8th – 9 till noon – Butterfly Quilt Class & Appliqué Dec. 9th – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Evening Quilt Class Dec. 14th – 1 p.m. – Friends of the Library meeting Dec. 15th – 9 till noon – Christmas Sweatshirt Class Dec. 16th – 6 p.m. – Christmas Movie for the Family ($1 donation)
Pre-school Storytimes with Ms. Jane Join us every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. 7th – Surprise Stories 14th – Here Comes Santa 21st – Christmas is Almost Here! 28th – Happy New Year!
Polar Express Christmas Program Tuesday, Dec. 14th - 6 p.m. Wear your P.J.’s if you like! Hot chocolate & cookies will be served
Monthly Recommended Reads
to homeless teens that live on the streets in the Birmingham area. Remember that we need new, warm, adult-sized items which can preferably be worn by either a young man or woman. These items will be picked up by Dec. 15th for distribution. Help us share in the spirit of giving this Christmas Season. The library staff and I wish you a wonderful Holiday Season and a very prosperous New Year!
Jane
Shelia
“Same Kind of Different As Me” by Hall & Moore
“Hush, Hush” by Becca Fitzpatrick
Barbara “The Reversal” by Michael Connelly
Agnes
Retta
“The Kitchen House” by Kathleen Grissom
“Is It Just Me?” by Whoopee Goldberg
The OfďŹ cial Newsletter of the City of Columbiana
City of Columbiana 107 Mildred Street Columbiana, AL 35051
September, 2009
Columbiana is on Facebook! If you are on Facebook, look for Columbiana, AL.
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