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THE SOUTHERN TORCH / FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019 / VOL. 5, NO. 51 / $1.00
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THIS WEEK IN SPORTS
THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS
THIS WEEK IN POLITICS
THIS WEEK IN COMMUNITY
• Eight Years in a Row! • Sand Mountain Tournament
• Groundbreaking at Boozer Bridge • DeKalb Urgent Care & Wellness Clinic
• Westbrook Announces Re-Election Campaign • Inside The Statehouse with Steve Flowers
• See What's Going on in our Upcoming Events! • Talks to Makeover Theatre Sign
STIEFEL TAX CUT DIES ON TABLE
By Marla Jones Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
RAINSVILLE, Ala. — The Rainsville City Council held their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, December 16. At the meeting, Councilmember Marshall Stiefel suggested the abolishment of Ordinance 5-3-1120, which pertains to
the yearly fee paid on rental property in the City of Rainsville. The motion died due to lack of a second. Stiefel explained that he felt the citizens of Rainsville are already overtaxed. “Our citizens are already paying property tax on their rental properties. This city tax is double taxation. It is unfair and excessive, and it
punishes our business people for providing much needed housing for our area,� said Stiefel. “After our citizens had the state gas tax forced on them earlier this year, I believe our folks need some relief.� The Council also opened bids for the sewer line expansion, which will create upwards of 80 new
>> RAINSVILLE, P3
The Rainsville City Council failed to second a tax cut by Councilmember Marshall Stiefel at the meeting on Monday night. (Marla Jones | Southern Torch)
PHILLIPS DROPS OUT OF DISTRICT JUDGE RACE By Zach Hester Reporter
zach@southerntorch.com
FORT PAYNE, Ala. — DeKalb County attorney Teresa Darwin Phillips dropped out of the DeKalb County District Judge race on Friday. DeKalb County Republican Party Chairman David Gulledge received an emailed statement from Phillips, the Republican Primary candidate for
District Judge. "David, I regret to inform you that I will be dropping out of the District Judge Primary Race effective immediately. - Teresa Darwin Phillips, Attorney at Law" “At this time, I have no further information about her decision to exit the race. The Republican Party is actively seeking a candidate to replace her
on the ballot at this time. I will comment further as more information becomes available,� stated Gulledge. One week ago, Phillips became the Republican nominee for DeKalb County District Judge after incumbent Judge Steven Whitmire was denied ballot access on the Republican ballot to appear before voters in March 2020 by the state Republican Party.
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT GIVES BACK
By Marla Jones, Managing Editor marla@southerntorch.com DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — Several local law enforcement agencies are giving back this holiday season. The Rainsville Police Department (right) collaborated with Ider native Mycah Swift for the third annual Shop with a Cop. This year's goal was to help over 100 children. Swift, an Ider native, had a vision of helping other children have joy at this time of year as well. Swift took
this idea for “Shop with a Cop� to Chief Kevin Smith of the Rainsville Police Department and made it not just a reality, but a tradition. This year, the Rainsville Police Department, along with deputies from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and Sylvania Police Department, received enough donations to purchase Christmas presents for 101 DeKalb County children. In their second year of the program, the Fort Payne Police Department (left) bought presents for many Fort
• Check out this week's edition of Southern Torch for our special Christmas insert!
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Payne children this Christmas. "This program has grown in the last two years and we hope to keep growing it in 2020," said Fort Payne Police Chief Randy Bynum. "I'd like to give special thanks to our project chairman David Barnes, who did a fantastic job raising funds and coordinating the project this year." At this time of year, it is important for us to stow away all of the bad headlines from across the globe and come together.
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