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THE SOUTHERN TORCH / FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2019 / VOL. 5, NO. 5 / $1.00
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THE CIRCUS REPRIMANDED: Taheri confirms NEW E-911 CENTER UNVEILED IS COMING TO Ag Director was disciplined TOWN By Marla Jones present at the meeting Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
Special to the Southern Torch
RAINSVILLE, Ala. — Get ready to share the magic of the circus with your family, when Loomis Bros. Circus brings their all new 2019 “Circus TraditionsTour” Tour to Rainsville, Alabama on Monday, February 4th and Tuesday, February 5th. Performances will take place at the Northeast Alabama Agri-Business
> CIRCUS, P2
RAINSVILLE, Ala. — Following the Southern Torch exclusive breaking story concerning misuse of funds at the Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center (Ag Center), Councilmember Bejan Taheri confirmed that Ag Center Director Mike Sweat has been disciplined. According to Taheri, the disciplinary action includes reimbursement of alleged misuse of funds, a written reprimand and employment probation. “Everything has to go through the Board (Public Building Authority, PBA) right now as far as expenses
and what he needs [to operate the facility],” said Taheri. The PBA Board has yet to show proof that Sweat paid any money in the form of a reimbursement. Councilmember Brandon Freeman provided Southern Torch with the February 2012 Agri-Business Center Board minutes that show when the credit card and the authority to use the card was authorized by the Agri-Business Center Board. The members
that authorized the credit card were Bryan Thomas, Larry Traylor, Randy Tumlin, Nathaniel Ledbetter and Ricky Byrum. Last week in our online post, Freeman stated, “The credit card was issued through the Public Building Authority NOT the City of Rainsville, plus we pulled the minutes when it was issued and it wasn’t labeled how it could be used. The PBA came to the City and we told them how ours was used and they implemented the changes, not the City, the bill belongs to them not the City of Rainsville.” Our online post
(Marla Jones | Southern Torch) By Marla Jones, Managing Editor marla@southerntorch.com RAINSVILLE, Ala. — The brand new E-911 Jimmy Wright Emergency Operations Center is now open for business. On Thursday, the new center welcomed visitors for tours and held a dedication for the new building. The center, located in Rainsville, serves the citizens of DeKalb County, minus Fort Payne, by responding to all 911 calls in the county. With this new center, county officials hope to be better prepared for incoming emergencies from across DeKalb County.
> SWEAT, P4
MACKEY MAKES STOP SATURDAY IN DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL?
By Marla Jones Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
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RAINSVILLE, Ala. — On Thursday, the DeKalb County Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Jason Barnett welcomed Dr. Eric Mackey, the Alabama State Superintendent. Mackey, a Sand Rock High School graduate, stopped in DeKalb County during a series of visits to local school systems across Alabama. He was welcomed during a banquet at Rainsville’s Tom Bevill Center. The meal was served by the Geraldine High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club members. DeKalb County is one of the first school systems to welcome Mackey since he took office as State Superintendent last May. “Our rural schools are the heart and soul of Alabama,” said Mackey. “They don’t get all the
Geraldine School is the first to implement a Saturday School in DeKalb County this year. (Submitted Photo) By Marla Jones Managing Editor marla@southerntorch.com
The DeKalb County Board of Education welcomed State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey on Thursday. Pictured (L to R): Carol Hiett, Robert Elliot, Mark Richards, Monty Darwin, Dr. Eric Mackey, Dr. Jason Barnett and Randy Peppers. (Submitted Photo) schools across the attention, and the truth small town and rural county to meet with is, we’ve got seven large communities, where teachers and engage school systems that have people believe in their with students on the more than 20,000 schools and people still issues of safety and students each, and they go to all the football improvements to the get the vast majority of games,” concluded classroom. all the media coverage.” Mackey. “I have great hope “The truth is if you Dr. Barnett noted that our best years are look at the performance that Mackey has been a ahead of us,” said of our students in school source of wisdom and and what out students encouragement since he Mackey. “We’re going to try to support all our go on and do after took office. schools in the state as school, our greatest The following day, best we can.” success rates are in our Mackey visited our local
GERALDINE, Ala. — In order to decrease student absences, support positive student management, and increase student progress, Geraldine School has begun to implement a new program called Saturday School. The first session of Saturday School (SS) was held last weekend. In its initial semester, SS is required for students in grades 7-12 with any
> SCHOOL, P3 Visit our website at www.southerntorch.com for daily news updates and pick up your weekly print edition at news stands every Friday.