The Southern Torch — Vol. 4, Issue 49 by Southern Torch

Bobby Ledbetter’s

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM TWIN CITY 1411 Glenn Blvd SW, Fort Payne, AL 35967

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THE SOUTHERN TORCH / FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018 / VOL. 4, NO. 49 / $1.00

Sheriff's Office updates on weekend crime

Changes at AgriBusiness Center

FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER FULL COVERAGE

(DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)

HEADED TO THE 'SHIP!

By Staff Reports DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — On Saturday, December 1, deputies and local police were dispatched to a shooting at a residence on County Road 34 in Crossville. The victim, George Allen Murphy, 45 of Crossville, was struck one time in the head by an apparent accidental gunshot from inside the residence. The victims was at his neighbor’s house standing on the front porch when the shot came through the closed front door. The individual who fired the shot was a juvenile who resides at the residence. While the case appears to be accidental at this point the case is still under investigation. Murphy is still hospitalized at this time at an undisclosed location. On Sunday, December 2 at approximately 2pm, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a possible homicide

> CRIME, P2

By Marla Jones Reporter RAINSVILLE, Ala. — (Full Video on our Website) At this week’s meeting of the Rainsville City Council, changes were made regarding the Rainsville Agri-Business Center. Public Building

Authority President Eric Samples addressed the Council on the need to open a credit line for $15,000. Samples stated that it would make it easier in the lean times. Some months have several events and others do not; therefore, it is harder to pay the monthly bills. Samples also reported to the Council that changes had

been made regarding bill paying at the Center. From this point forward, the Public Building Authority (PBA) would follow the recommendations set out by the Agri-Business liaisons, private auditors, and the Mayor.

MISSION COMPLETE

> COUNCIL, P2

TRUCK HITS JOE'S TRUCK STOP

PHOTO BY JOHN DURICKA

By Zach Hester Reporter

By Staff Reports FORT PAYNE, Ala. — According to Fort Payne Police Chief Randy Bynum: At 8:40am, a 2017 Volvo Truck, owned by E Trucking of Chamblee, Ga., being driven by Ni Luai Sung of Tucker, Ga., lost control of his truck, struck a utility pole that carried several

utilities on it and ran into a yard at a residence at 5th Street NE. Mr. Sang and his co-driver, who was asleep in the truck at the time, were not injured. The trailer was carrying various food items to be delivered to local restaurants in the area. Roads are expected to be

closed until around 4:30pm today. Along with Fort Payne Police, those responding to the accident were Fort Payne Fire Department, Fort Payne Improvement Authority, EMA and the street department. The accident remains under investigation.

After losing former First Lady Barbara Bush in April of this year, the Bush family is once again on America’s prayer list as former President George H.W. Bush passed away on Friday, November 30, 2018. He was 94. George H.W. Bush served the nation as President, Vice President, Director of Central Intelligence, Ambassador to the United Nations, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from

Texas. I would argue that this long line of experience makes him the most qualified man to ever sit behind the Resolute Desk, but it was his character that really made Bush a great commander-in-chief. His son, a fellow former president, George W. Bush, stated on Friday that his father “was a man of the highest character.” Bush’s Secretary of State and longtime friend, James Baker, said “[His legacy] will be forever etched in the history of America and

> BUSH, P2

DAMAGE IN DISTRICT 1 boe approves early graduates By Marla Jones Reporter

By Marla Jones Reporter RAINSVILLE, Ala. — Several social media sites have been flooded with pictures of

automobiles that have received damage due to an asphalt sealer that was applied to County Roads

> DAMAGE, P2

DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — The Dekalb County Board of Education met November 29, 2018. After the approval of minutes from last session and a 2017, an audit presentation by Cade Burke of the State of Alabama Examiners of Public Accounts was made. The Board then went into Executive Session to discuss the discipline, suspension and possible expulsion of two students. The Board came back with a unanimous discussion to expel the students for the remainder of this school

year and next. As a suggested requirement for the Board for early graduates, Alexis Rhea Schlageter of Geraldine High School and Shelby Hope Pettis addressed the Board on their future goals and ambitions. The Board commended the girls for their accomplishments and wished them the best of luck in all their endeavors. The Board approved

the following Early Graduates (pending the completion of all graduate requirements): Collinsville High School: Miguel Arellano Jr., Natalie Barrientos Hernandez, Jyrah Campbell, Joshua Dutton, Peyton Hornbuckle, Cyranda Hughes, Paul Eugene Laster III, Christian

> BOE, P3

Visit our website at www.southerntorch.com for daily news updates and pick up your weekly print edition at news stands every Friday.

FRIDAY — NOVEMBER 30, 2018

COUNCIL from Page 1 Southern Torch reached out to all members of the Rainsville City Council as well as the Mayor for comments on these changes. “Changes that we have done will help the situation with what’s going on,” said Councilmember Derek Rosson. “Something has to be done. We need a change.” “I am not involved in those changes, but I trust my fellow councilmembers and the mayor on their decisions regarding that,” Rosson concluded. Councilmember Brandon Freeman, who serves as a co-liaison to the Agri-Business Center, said he was happy with the changes coming to the Center. “I think the changes will be good. If you want to get technical with it, the auditors are the ones who changed it and we just did what the auditors wanted.” When asked if he believed the changes would be good and his opinion on granting a line of credit, Councilmember Bejan Taheri replied, “Yes, they needed the help. Of course,

DAMAGE from Page 1 141, 140, and 137. According to District 1, DeKalb County Commissioner, Shane Wooten, “ We apologize for the damage to your vehicles, this sealer has been used on several miles of roads in DeKalb County over the past five years and nothing like this has ever happened before.” Wooten went on to say “The contractor that applied this product to the roads is currently working to set up cleanup shops to assist in cleaning the vehicles of people affected. If you have damage please contact Tim Ribes, the project coordinator of Corrective Asphalt Material at (618) 254-3855 or tim@ cammidwest.com. Wooten would like to

CRIME from Page 1 on Alabama Hwy 68 in Crossville. When deputies and Crossville police arrived on the scene, they found that Austin Dell Gilbert, 27 of Crossville, and William Craig Nicks, 42 of Crossville, had been in an altercation. During the

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the Agri-Business Center is not there to make money, it’s set to bring people in.” Taheri stated that Mr. Mike Sweat is still the director of the center, although, he is set to retire in eighteen months. Councilmember Ricky Byrum stated that there were just some odds-andends on how things were to be done and who had the authorization to spend. Councilmember Marshall Stiefel stated that he left the meeting with more questions than answers. “Why would Mr. Sweat be paid $57,000+ per year, according to the City Accountant, Betty Holcomb, and have part of his duties removed? This amount is equivalent to what the City of Fort Payne pays their Mayor to run the entire city. I have tried to get answers to questions about the Agri-Business Center, but have been stonewalled at every turn.” “I have contacted the Mayor, City Accountant, Gordon at the outside audit firm of Gant & Croft in Scottsboro and a member of the PBA to get financial records from the center. According to the mayor, the City subsidizes $360,000 per year of taxpayer money to the center; therefore, I feel

that the citizens need answers. I left wondering if this has anything to do with the delay of the outside audit from 2016-17?” Mayor Rodger Lingerfelt said, “The changes at the Agri-Business Center that we talked to them about [pertained] to the way that the auditors wanted stuff done.” When asked if this was the reason that the outside audit was delayed, “No, the delay of the audit was due to a couple of things. We were not hardly ready with some of the paperwork that they needed.” According to Lingerfelt, the firm started another audit and lost three employees, which put things behind. In other business, Councilmember Stiefel requested the purchase of a printer for the annex in the amount of $1,011.79. The purchase was approved. Rosson brought forward the purchase of a lights and siren package for the recently purchased Tahoes for the Fire Department in the amount of $5,545, which was also approved. The next meeting of the Rainsville City Council will be held on Monday, December 17 at 5pm with a work session beginning at 4:15pm.

thank all for their patience as we work through these issues. He stated that he had received an update from Mr. Ribes of Corrective Asphalt. “Some vehicles have more severe material buildup than others. There are vehicles that have the gray film that easily washes off and then there are vehicles that have the gray film plus the sticky tar substance in varied amount. Many people are just asking what they can do to clean their vehicles themselves so as they don’t have to go through the process of filling out paperwork and setting up appointments to have their vehicles cleaned.” “Again we apologize that this has happened and we greatly appreciate your willingness to clean your vehicles yourselves,” Wooten said. “There have been so many vehicles

affected it may be several days before the cleanup shops can get to every vehicle and Mr. Ribes is receiving a high volume of calls and it is taking a lot of time to work through all of them. We ask that you please be patient.” If you want to clean your vehicle yourself Mr. Ribes suggests the following. "Hot soapy water or a car wash (the earlier one can get to a car wash, the easier it will be to remove) will help remove the dust and debris on people's vehicles. A bug and tar remover will remove any asphalt or tar that is on any of the vehicles. WD-40 works the same as well. " If you are not satisfied with the service they are providing, you will need to contact the DeKalb County Road Department to file a county insurance damage claim at (256) 845-8585.

altercation, Gilbert stabbed Nicks. After Gilbert stabbed Nicks, he fled the scene on foot. After a short time, Gilbert was apprehended not too far from his residence. Nicks was transported to Marshall Medical South where he passed away from his injuries. Gilbert was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Detention Center where he was charged with murder.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputies, investigators, Crossville police officers, Geraldine police officers, and Jacksonville State forensic science investigator were all called to the scene to assist. “I would like to thank all the agencies involved for their assistance on both cases,” said Sheriff Jimmy Harris. “Our prayers go out to both families during these horrific incidents.”

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BUSH from Page 1 the world. It is a lifelong record of selfless patriotic service to our nation.” Bush’s service to the nation extends beyond his years in elected and appointed office. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he postponed his own collegiate career to enlist in the United States Navy and become one of the youngest aviators in the Navy at the young age of 18. In remembrance of his service and in accordance with his affinity for great colored socks, he is set to be buried in a pair of socks adorned with naval aviator wings and a squadron of jets. In addition to affection from friends and family, Bush’s casket was accompanied by his devoted service dog, Sully, to the Capitol this week. Posthumously, Bush has been treated as nothing less than a true patriot and icon by both sides of the political aisle. Congressman Beto O’Rourke, a fellow Texan and former Democratic Senate candidate, said Bush “will be missed and long remembered for his leadership, his decency & his essential kindness. [He] made public service about country, and America’s responsibility in the world, less about party.” In a statement on

Saturday, President Trump praised Bush for his “essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family, and country.” “President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service – to be, in his words, ‘a thousand points of light’ illuminating the greatness, hope, and opportunity of America to the world,” the statement continued. “His example lives on, and will continue

to stir future Americans to pursue a greater cause.” Regardless of your feelings on the the politics of George H.W. Bush, his administration, or his family, what no one can deny is that he was not only one of our most dedicated public servants, but one of the proudest American presidents. We will remember Bush today – and every day – as the perfect example of how to approach public service and politics from here on out.

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THE SOUTHERN TORCH

COMMUNITY

First Annual A Moment with Megan: BOE from Page 1 Home Town More Than A Gift Christmas Village By Megan Blansit ST Faith Contributor

By Amy Thrash, Reporter GERALDINE, Ala. — The first annual Home Town Christmas Village will officially be open for guests this weekend! Scott and Carol Hawkins will ring in the holiday season with three special nights at 13875 County Road 52 in Geraldine. The village will be open beginning on December 7 and go through December 9 with each night being open from 5pm to 8pm. The village will feature a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, letters to Santa, a petting zoo, story time, hot cocoa and cookies, smores and even an ice cream truck! There will also be packages available through Firefly Photography, who will be taking pictures. For more information, please visit the 1st Annual Home Town Christmas Village event on Facebook.

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Does anyone love giving gifts to others?! I sure do! Gift wrap, boxes, tape, the gift(s), bows, scissors…. there is a preparation to make the “perfect” gift, right? However, I hate to break it to those who spend hours wrapping gifts- it’s not about what’s on the paper or what kind of bow that the gift box gets, its about what’s inside! For example, we probably don’t remember the wrapping paper that our boyfriend/ girlfriend or husband/wife used last year. I bet that you certainly remember what was under the paper though! This could parallel with our personal lives. People may not remember what outfit you wore 2 weeks ago (whats on the outside) but I can almost bet they remember how you treated them or how you made them feel. These feelings could be good or bad. For example, are we guilty of snapping at the cashier at McDonald’s because he/she got our order wrong or do we take a breathe and say something nice like, “It’s okay, you guys seem very busy today…. you have a

great day.” It’s amazing how much power we have in our words; we actually have the power to set the mood for someone else. I’ve had people speak positivity into my life (aka warm fuzzies) and I still to this day remember that when I see those people. They’ve made an impact and whether we realize it or not, we are all making impacts on people, daily. It’s in our hands if it’s a positive or a negative one. Our life is a gift. We “decorate” ourselves everyday and if you are like me, you may do a lot of “preparation.” This girl loves her hair products and makeup! But, I am also aware that my heart needs just as much preparation; as I mentioned earlier, its what’s inside the gift box that really matters. I can completely tell a difference with my attitude and how I treat others when I am reading God’s Word verses when I do not spend time with Him. My main prayer each week is that people would see Christ in me; I want to love others like He does. I challenge you, friend, to focus less on the “wrapping paper “and focus on the gift you are giving. By gift I mean love, patience, kindness, self-control, etc. I also

challenge you to take a step back and examine the “gifts” you have already given this week. When people look at us do they focus more on the outside or are they amazed by the love we are showing towards them? Remember, we all mess up, no one is perfect. You are never a failure until you quit trying! In closing, I am reminded of the song, “Mary Did You Know.” I wonder if Mary realized the gift she was about to receive and do we, as Christians, realize the gift we have already been given- God sending his son to die for us. This is a great time to reflect on the perfect gift that God has given us; He’s a good good Father. As horrific as the crucifixion was, I truly believe Christ would do it all over again if he had to. Why? Because He loves us THAT MUCH! Have a Merry Christmas!

Leath, Erick Leath, Emily Lozada, Billy Dean Nelson, Reace Osborn, Jennifer Portillo, Mark Roe, Jake Smith Ider High School: Bennet Evan Strickland Geraldine High School: Alexis Rhea Schlagester Sylvania High School: Liara Rae Rafalowitz-Sionni, Timothy Gifford Valley Head High School: Olivia Nanette Phillips Fyffe High School: Shelby Hope Pettis The Board accepted the bid from T.C. Fence Company, for the School Fencing and Gate Project, in the amount of $187,630.00. For a full list of approved placements, resignations, retirements, and hires, please visit our website at www.southerntorch. com.

UPCOMING EVENTS Every Monday, By His Hand Outreach Ministry - The By His Hands Outreach Ministry will host a soup kitchen beginning on Mondays at 6pm. The Clothes Closet will be open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Both are at 2494 Church Avenue in Rainsville. Donations are greatly appreciated! Every Wednesday, Parents of Addicted Loved Ones - A new support group for Parents of Addicted Loved Ones is starting in Fort Payne at Word of Life Ministry, located at 3610 Gault Avenue North. The meeting will be held every Tuesday from 6pm to 7:30pm. Any adult family member over 18 is welcome to attend these PAL meetings, however, for insurance reasons, no one under the age of 18 may attend and child care will not be provided. For more information, visit palgroup.org. Every Wednesday, Breakthrough Church free meal - Come and enjoy a free meal and hear the Word of God on Wednesday nights starting January 3 at 5:30pm. If you need a ride, please contact: Lynn Haas at (256)

605-7854 or Connie Holdem at (256) 605-1776. December 7-9, 13-16, NACC Theatre presents A Christmas Carol - NACC Theatre will present “A Christmas Carol” held at the Tom Bevill Lyceum on the campus of Northeast Alabama Community College. Friday-Saturday evening performances begin at 7pm and Sunday matinees begin at 2pm. All seats are reserved and tickets are $5 each. December 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - Come and be a part of this remembrance program presented by the DeKalb County VFW. The program will culminate at the bridge. Each year, Traci’s donates a wreath that is dropped from the bridge and carried downstream in tribute to those who gave their lives in the line of duty at Pearl Harbor. Please join the VFW members in this Pearl Harbor Remembrance ceremony at the exhibit hall of the Little River Canyon Center from 11am to noon. December 7, Christmas in the Park - Fort Payne’s annual Christmas in the Park festivities will be held in the city park on Friday,

December 7 from 3pm to 7pm! Festivities include drinks, hot chocolate and apple cider, popcorn, music and fun for the whole family! Be sure to join in this Christmas season! December 7, DERA Meeting - The DeKalb Education Retirees Association (DERA) will meet on Friday, December 7 at Kelly’s Kitchen in Rainsville at 10am. Our program will focus on the best balance exercises for seniors. All DeKalb County and Fort Payne City School retired education employees, active and support, are invited and encouraged to attend. December 8, Canyon Christmas - An annual tradition to celebrate the season that is filled with holiday spirit and activities including Christmas arts and crafts, a gift shop, puppet shows and a visit with photos with Santa & more! It will be held at the Little River Canyon Center on Lookout Mountain from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, December 8.

December 8, EXILE at the Pickin’ Post - Enjoy a spectacular night of country music with EXILE at the Pickin’ Post in Fort Payne! The show begins at

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6pm on Saturday, December 8. Tickets are available at Black’s Tire in Rainsville and Roger’s Pawn in Fort Payne. They are $30. December 9, Johnny Minick Concert - Johnny Minick, a longtime member of the Happy Goodman Family and Gaither Homecoming singer, will have a concert on Sunday, December 9 at the First United Methodist Church in Geraldine. There are two services: 11am and 5pm. Contact Russ Austin for more information, (256) 572-8600 or see the church's Facebook page. December 14, Vulcraft Holiday Market - Come enjoy a night of food, crafts, clothing, jewelry and a silent auction at the Vulcraft Holiday Market in

The Building in downtown Fort Payne! It will be held on Friday, December 14 from 4pm to 9pm. All proceeds go to the Dekalb County Children’s Advocacy Center. Everyone is invited to attend. December 14, Wilburn/Wilburn & The LeFevre Quartet at the Pickin’ Post - Join Wilburn/ Wilburn and the LeFevre Quartet at the Pickin’ Post on Friday, December 14 at 7pm for a special Christmas show! Tickets are $15 per person and can

be bought at Black’s Tire in Rainsville and Roger’s Pawn in Fort Payne. For more information, please call 256-845-4115, 256-657-3817, or 256-996-8910. December 15, TVRA at the Agri-Business Center - The Tennessee Valley Roping Association will present the Team Roping Competition at the Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center in Rainsville on Sunday, December 15 at 9am.

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LEGALS IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF DEKALB COUNTY, ALA.

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF DEKALB COUNTY, ALA.

CASE NO: CS-18-900115

CASE NO: CS-18-900116

HERMELINDO GONZALEZ VELASCO, Plaintiff/Father v. ALICIA MENDOZA SANTIAGO, Defendant/Mother

ANA MARTIN TOMAS FRANCISCO, Plaintiff/Mother v. TOMAS ANDRES TOMAS DOMINGO, Defendant/Father

NOTICE OF CUSTODY PROCEEDINGS

ALICIA MENDOZA SANTIAGO, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer the Complaint and other relief by the 25th day of January, 2019 or, thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against her in Case No.: CS-18-900115, in the District Court of DeKalb County, Alabama.

TOMAS ANDRES TOMAS DOMINGO, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer the Petition for Paternity and Custody Determination and other relief, by the 25th day of January, 2019, or thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against him in Case No.: CS 2018-900116, in the District Court of DeKalb County, Alabama.

To Be Published: November 30, December 7, December 14, December 21

Attorney for Plaintiff: Gabriela Watson, Esq WATSON & WATSON P.O. Box 1068 Albertville, Ala. 35950 Phone: 256-660-1280 Fax: 256-660-1541

FRIDAY — NOVEMBER 30, 2018

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POLITICS

Inside the Statehouse By Steve Flowers AL Political Columnist MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Now that the dust has settled on this year’s elections, let’s look back at who are the big winners and losers of the year. The obvious winner in the Heart of Dixie is the Republican Party. The GOP retained the reins of the state’s highest office and every other statewide Constitutional position. Kay Ivey was elected governor, overwhelmingly, as was Will Ainsworth as Lt. Governor, John Merrill as Secretary of State, John McMillan as State Treasurer, Rick Pate as Agriculture Commissioner, Jim Ziegler as State Auditor, Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker as PSC members. Our entire judiciary is Republican, all members of the Supreme Court, and Courts of Criminal and Civil Appeals. There are 29 statewide office holders and all 29 are Republican. However, more importantly the Legislature is overwhelmingly Republican. More than two-thirds of both the House and the Senate are Republicans. That’s what you call a super majority. Our Republican

legislature can pass anything they want without a Democratic vote or letting Democrats speak. Our Congressional delegation is made up of six Republicans and one lone Democrat. Folks, that makes us a pretty red state. Several years ago, I had the honor of being a keynote speaker at the Boys State 75th Anniversary. I had attended Boys State 45 years earlier as a high school leader and aspiring young politico. I shared with these future political leaders this advice, “If you plan to run for statewide office in Alabama even if you believe you are a Democrat, you will need to run as a Republican.” This year’s election reaffirmed and confirmed that truth. Winning the GOP Primary in Alabama is tantamount to election. Therefore, to pick the biggest individual winner of the year, you have to look back to the GOP Primary. Young Will Ainsworth, a 37-year old Sand Mountain Legislator/ businessman emerges as the Gold Star award winner of the year in Alabama politics. His victory as Lt. Governor has propelled him onto the

state political scene as the most prominent rising star. He was the top vote getter in the state on November 6th. He is a clean-cut, successful, family man who has been vetted by a high profile, statewide race. The second biggest winner of the year was the loser of the GOP Primary for Lt. Governor, Twinkle Cavanaugh. In all my years of following Alabama politics, I have never seen a more graceful and gracious second place finisher. She only lost by an eyelash. She genuinely smiled on election night and said she had not gotten the most votes, even though she could have contested such a closely defined outcome. She had entered the race as the favorite having been elected three times statewide. During October, she held a fundraiser for Will Ainsworth in her Montgomery home. She will never be seriously challenged in her post as President of the PSC. Speaking of rising stars, the third runner up is a young 18-year old fellow from Geneva County. Weston Spivey became the youngest elected official in the state by winning a County Commission seat in his

home county. He won the GOP Primary before he was graduated from high school at Ridgecrest Christian School in Dothan. Young Spivey is also a volunteer firefighter with the Slocomb Fire Department. You should keep your eye on young Weston Spivey. He may become Governor of Alabama before he is 30. Besides Will Ainsworth, there were two other Republicans who were top vote getters. Governor Kay Ivey and Secretary of State, John Merrill. The biggest loser has to be the Democratic Party and our current anomaly, junior Democratic U.S. Senator Doug Jones. Mr. Jones won this seat until 2020. Because he was on the other side of the ballot than Roy Moore in the 2017 special election. Every left wing, ultra-liberal group and individual in the country gave to Jones to beat Moore. Jones has never hidden the fact that he is a liberal, national Democrat. He showed his true colors when he voted against President Trump’s Supreme Court appointee, Brett Kavanaugh. Jones voted against this highly qualified jurist to appease his contributors in San

Francisco and his like-minded Democratic buddies, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Diane Feinstein. We essentially have only one U.S. Senator. We have ceded our second seat to California. Jones believes in the old adage, “You dance with the one who

brung ya.” Hope he is renting in Washington because Alabamians are the ones that vote in 2020. By the way, if you have Richard Shelby as your Senior Senator, you really don’t need a second senator. See you next week.

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Christmas in the Park

December 7th from 3PM to 7PM

IN THE CITY PARK

Festivities include drinks, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, popcorn, music and fun for the whole family!

Christmas in Dixie Parade

PRESENTED BY THE FORT PAYNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GRAND MARSHAL: ALABAMA BAND

46th Annual Parade December 14th 6PM

The parade will begin at the VFW Fairgrounds and run south on Gault Avenue to 3rd Street South.

FRIDAY — NOVEMBER 30, 2018

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FINAL ROUND BOUND By Marla Jones, Sports Editor

FYFFE, Ala. — On Friday night, Fyffe defeated the Aliceville Yellow Jackets 49-8 in the semi-finals of the Class 2A Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Playoffs. To start the game off on a good note, the Fyffe Red Devils recovered a fumble on the Aliceville 16-yard line with 5:14 remaining in the first quarter. Payton Anderson followed up with a touchdown just sixteen seconds later. The PAT was good giving the Red Devils the early lead of 7-0. With 8:53 remaining in the second quarter, Fyffe’s Zach Pyron charged into the endzone from 1-yard out for another score. The PAT by Brody Dalton was good, making the score 14-0. With 7:01 left in the second, Anderson sailed in to score again. The PAT was once again good, giving Fyffe the 21-0 lead. A Zach Pyron shuffle resulted in another score for the Red Devils. With 2:34 left in the first half, Anderson galloped into the endzone once again giving Fyffe the 35-0 lead at halftime. With 6:44 left in the third quarter, Aliceville put their first points on the board. The two-point conversion was successful, making the score 35-8. With just 17.6 seconds left in the third, Fyffe’s Payton Anderson punched one in from the 6-yard line. The PAT was good, making the score 42-8 in Fyffe’s favor. With 9:23 in the fourth quarter, Jake Stone tacts on another Red Devil touchdown. The PAT was good, making the score 49-8. With 9:00 minutes left in the game, an Aliceville touchdown was called back due to penalty. The final score of the game was 49-8, with Fyffe advancing to the State Playoffs. The Fyffe Red Devils will face Luverne for the State Championship on Friday, December 7 at 3pm at Jordan-Hare Stadium at Auburn University.

Fyffe's Payton Anderson dives in for the score at last week's semi-final game against Aliceville. (Photo by Cheryl Boydston)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Ahead of this year's State Championship game, two deserving seniors from Fyffe High School received a prestigious honor! Congratulations to Fyffe's Payton Anderson for being selected as the MaxPreps/ Marines Semper Fidelis 2018 Player of the Year!

Congratulations to Fyffe's Payton Stoner for being selected as the MaxPreps/ Marines Semper Fidelis 2018 Defensive Player of the Year!

BASKETBALL IS IN THE AIR

PHOTO BY KRISTY GALLAGHER

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