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PAGE 2 January 2025
Top Stories from 2024 By Brandon K. Pierce | Alabama Ledger With the start of the new year, it’s time to reflect on some of the top news stories reported in the Alabama Ledger during 2024. This year’s list contains our top story from each month. In January of last year, the biggest news around Alabama, and maybe in the entire county, was the announcement that University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban was retiring. Kalen DeBoer was hired on January 13, 2024, as the Crimson Tide’s 28th head coach. During his first season at the helm of the Tide’s program, DeBoer guided Alabama to a 9-4 overall record and a 5-3 SEC record. His program finished the season with a 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. In February, the newspaper reported that Alabama companies exported goods and services worth over $27.4 billion in 2023, setting a new annual record for the second consecutive year. The value of last year’s exports rose 6% from the previous year’s total of $25.5 billion The Alabama statewide primary election was held in March. All eyes were on the US presidential primary, where Donald Trump earned a resounding victory over Joe Biden. Trump also rallied for a landslide victory in the general election to become the 47th President of United States. In April, it was reported that Gadsden State Community College’s Dual Enrollment Program reached a milestone during the 2023-24 academic year. The program had 1,867 students enrolled in the program during the fall and spring semesters. This is a 21.4 percent increase over the previous academic year. Several Northeast Alabama student-athletes were selected for the newspaper’s annual Ledger Leader awards this past May. These students include: Crossville: Eric Ramirez- Diaz and Leidy Linares Ramirez; Plainview: Lauren Jimmerson and Richard Dean “Trey Rutledge III; Boaz: Ty Sullivan and Ava Rhoden; Douglas: Mallory Ackles and Zane Hayes; Gadsden City: Alex Swafford and Karleigh Sheffield; Albertville Adison Pierce and Christian Rios; Asbury: Lucas Wyatt and Peral Zurita, Fyffe: Bryce Totherow and Madelyn Hawkins; Cornerstone Christian: Jake Nelson and Sadie Camp; and Fort Payne: Coner Kinsley and Ruthie Jones. The award is based on athletics, academics, GPA, and community services. The students were nominated by their respective high schools. There were several schools in the Alabama Ledger’s five county coverage area that did not submit a nomination, or the student did not meet the criteria. In June, Alabama State Troopers reported that six traffic fatalities and one boating fatality occurred during the 2024 Memorial Day weekend. Four drivers, one passenger and one motorcyclist were killed. Three of the five individuals traveling in vehicles equipped with seat belts were buckled up, and the motorcyclist was using a helmet. The fatal crashes occurred in Autauga, Calhoun, Covington, Lauderdale, Marshall and Walker counties. The Highway Patrol Division also investigated 324 traffic crashes, issued 350 seat belt citations and made 29 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests. Summer was a busy time for local authorities. In addition to regular crime and new reports, the July print edition had articles about a murder suspect arrest, a part time deputy arrest, and animal cruelty. James Michael Howard Jr., age 27 of Valley Head, was arrested for an alleged murder and public intoxication; Part-Time DeKalb County Sheriff Deputy Joshua Dane Wells, age 40, of Fort Payne was terminated and arrested for allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct with minors; and Trenton Dewayne Sudberry, age 18 of Gadsden, along with an unnamed juvenile, were arrested and charged after an animal cruelty video appeared on social media. In August, the Alabama Ledger reported that Jacksonville State University held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Randy Owen Center for Performing Arts. The new center will pay tribute to Randy Owen, who is a Jax State graduate and the lead singer of the award-winning band Alabama. The $41.3 million project is located at the corner of Church Street and Roebuck Waters Drive. It has estimated completion date of Fall 2025. Late August and early September brought the return of high school, college and NFL football. The September edition of the newspaper shared a story from Valley Head, AL, where the school honored the 40th anniversary of its 1984 State Championship football team during a pregame celebration. The Tigers 2024 football team followed the celebration with a 35-6 victory over Section. Valley Head also defeated Cedar Bluff 34-13, Gaylesville 28-14, and Ider 50-7 to open the 2024 season with four straight victories. The Tigers went on to finish the season at 6-5 overall. Workforce and career training were a big part of the Alabama Community College’s mission last year. In the October print edition, the Alabama Ledger reported that more than 300 people attended the Open House and Ribbon Cutting for Snead State Community College’s new Workforce and Career Institute. Also, Gadsden State Community College received a $1 million grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to support its Precision Machining Program located at its new Advanced Manufacturing and Workforce Skills Training Center on the East Broad Campus. Northeast Alabama Community College in Rainsville also opened its Workforce Development and Skills Training Center last fall. The 55,000 sq ft. facility includes a state-of-the-art laboratory space for programs centered on industrial systems maintenance, industrial electronics, precision machining, design and 3D modelling, and building construction craft training. In addition, the $30 million facility has space that is flexible to interchange up to six programs to meet future needs. Numerous crime reports highlighted the November print edition, including a press release from the Etowah County Sheriff’s office stating that Investigators arrested and charged a caregiver with credit card fraud. The arrest was made after an investigation revealed someone allegedly exploited their position of trust to commit financial crimes against a family they were employed to assist. Brittani Autwell, age 27 from Attalla, was charged with fraudulent use of a credit/debit card, Identity Theft and Theft of Property 4th. Autwell was reportedly employed by the victim to care for their grandson, who has autism. In December, the Jacksonville State University football program accepted an invitation to play in the 2024 StaffDNA Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL. The Gamecocks fell to the Ohio Bobcats 30-27. It was Jax State’s second ever Bowl game. Following the game, head Coach Rich Rodriquez resigned to become the head coach at West Virginia. The Gamecocks have hired Charles Kelly to lead the football program next season. Read more about the college football Bowl Games in The Sports Ledger section.
Lynn's Ledger Devotional Column By Denise Lynn A Year of Possibilities There is this day for me and it happens every year. It occurs after the hustle and bustle of Christmas. With my multiple jobs, health issues in our family, and really just an extremely wore out body, mind & spirit, rest is required to rejuvenate. I’m a busy lady, but I have had to steal a few hours here and there and just rest. I started feeling like my fog had lifted and I was getting out of my “ funk”. Raise your hand if you can relate! At this point I remembered the scripture from Matthew 11:28. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, & I will give you rest." How do you apply that scripture? I did that by re-reading it and re-reading another great scripture found in Philippians 4:4-7. "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." This is such a powerful scripture and it reminded me to do the following. (The list maker in me can get behind this). I came to HIM, I layed out my troubles. I reminded myself to Rejoice (so hard to do like 80% of the time). The biggest reminder was in the middle of the scripture where it said the Lord is Near. He is Near! Not far away. He has not forgotten you or me, He is loving me fiercely and probably wanting to shake my shoulders and say “Don’t you know I can do All things?”. What things have you ask the Lord to help you with today? Today is that day for me where I can say “Awwh ok, a New Year is here….the world is full of possibilities… Denise’s world is full of possibilities… and God can do All things. Happy New Year and remember God loves you. May 2025 be your best year ever. Embrace the possibilities of God being able to do All things.
Snead State Community College will host a Piano Master Class and Recital on Saturday, Feb. 8, with the University of Alabama’s Assistant Professor of Piano Dr. Hannah Roberts. The Piano Master Class with Dr. Roberts will begin at 1 p.m., and the piano recital featuring Dr. Roberts will be at 5 p.m. Both will take place in Fielder Auditorium, located in the Story Administration Building at 220 North Walnut Street, Boaz. Admission is free. Dr. Roberts, NCTM, teaches piano and piano pedagogy at UA. Prior to that, she taught group and applied piano at the University of Oklahoma as a graduate teaching assistant. She also formerly taught with the piano faculty of music academies in Alabama and Oklahoma. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, where she studied piano with Jeongwon Ham and piano pedagogy with Barbara Fast and Jane Magrath. She holds a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of South Alabama, where she studied with Robert Holm. Dr. Roberts is an active member of MTNA and the College Music Society and currently serves on the board of the Alabama Music Teachers Association. Piano Master Class & Recital
Celebrating 40 Years It is not often that a person stays in the same job location for an entire career, but Bennie Clayton has managed to do just that. On Thursday, January 16, 2025, Bennie celebrated 40 years of working at what is now First Southern State Bank in Crossville. She started at the Crossville location when it was The DeKalb Bank in 1974, before working a few years at Albertville National Bank. She returned to DeKalb Bank in Crossville in 1984, where she has worked for the past 40 years. She is pictured with First Southern State Bank President Scott Kirk. Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, Alabama Ledger
Passing Grade NACC in Rainsville recently passed the first step in its comprehensive reaccreditation process. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges which accredits community colleges in Alabama and the south, gave the college a perfect score after an on-campus visit regarding compliance standards and the college’s proposed quality enhancement plan on online learning and instruction.
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