Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008

Jasper Man Dies In Motorcycle Accident

Jasper police are investigating a motorcycle accident that claimed the life of a Jasper man Sunday afternoon.

According to Jasper police, 36-year-old Scott David Dill died around 1 p.m. Sunday when the motorcycle he was riding collided with another vehicle on Alabama 195 in Jasper.

Officers say the accident occured in front of Connie’s Qwik Sak in the Five Points area and is still under investigation.

Dill was pronounced dead on the scene.

Primary Runoff Today; Absentee Applications Up

Officials are expecting a light turnout for today’s party primary runoffs. This, despite the fact that about 100 more absentee ballots have been applied for than were applied for during the June 3 race, possibly concentrated on a Democratic Walker County Commission race.

A glance at absentee applications provided by the Walker County Board of Registrars at the Walker County Courthouse show an overwhelming number of the applications appear to be coming from the western half of the county. The absentee ballots are specifically from areas that would likely be within District 2. At least one candidate in that race particular noted the influx of absentee ballots last week.

A spokesman for Secretary of State Beth Chapman, said on Monday that her office had received no complaints concerning absentee ballots, and the number of extra ballots would not be enough to be of concern.

Polls are be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. Voters will have to declare a party to vote in, although they will not have to do so during the Nov. 4 general election.

Democrats, who last went to the polls during the June 3 primary, will choose nominees for county treasurer and the District 2 seat of the county commission.

Walker County Republicans, who have no local races to be decided today, will choose nominees in two statewide races, for the president of the Public Service Commission and Court of Criminal Appeals Place 1.

According to Circuit Clerk Susan Odom, who is also absentee ballot manager, 359 applications have been turned in for the runoff as compared with 254 for June 3.

Board Of Education Looking To Fill District 4 Position

The July 1^st resignation of Dustin Beaty from the Walker County Board of Education has caused a seat to become available on the board for a representative from District 4.

District 4 includes all the East Walker County schools consisting of T. S. Boyd Elementary, Sumiton Elementary/Middle, Dora High and Sipsey Junior High schools.

The board began accepting applications immediately following Beaty’s resignation and continued to do so until Tuesday, July 8.

The following 12 individuals are being considered to fill the District 4 position on the Walker County Board of Education:

•Scott Aaron of Jasper

•Robert Bradford of Empire

•Douglas Channell of Jasper

•Mike Harris of Sipsey

•Richard “Tony” Headrick of Sumiton

•Norman Holt of Dora

•John Jo David Landrum of Sumiton

•Antonio Riddle of Dora

•Stephen Rizzo of Sumiton

•Michael Rollo of Jasper

•Eddie Ray Turner of Sipsey

•Sonia Waid of Sumiton

Gas Prices Wreaking Havoc On County’s Cities

Rising gas prices are affecting the way services are being administered by officials in small cities surrounding Jasper.

According to Mayor Phillip Howard, Carbon Hill’s council is stressing over the cost of fuel for their police vehicles. Gasoline costs this year, are up $3,600 as compared with last year and diesel costs are up approximately $5,000. Restriction on the use of fuels is not an option for the police force because that could bring about increased criminal activity, according to Howard, who is asking that his officers not leave cars running when possible and also to limit the time spent at accident scenes.  

Carbon Hill is also reducing the hours of street maintenance. Dry weather is assisting with the amount of grass that needs to be cut so, mowing every two weeks has become the norm, according to Mayor Howard.

Garbage pick up has become a serious problem, but Carbon Hill can not afford to cut back because a double-day pick up would involve the use of two trucks instead of one. During the beginning of the current administration, the city instituted a rise in garbage fees in anticipation of upcoming changes.

The fuel surcharge from other companies has affected delivery fees for goods coming in to Carbon Hill. The delivery fee for asphalt and gravel has soared.

Dora has taken a different approach with their police vehicles by replacing the gas-guzzling Ford Crown Victorias with Chevrolet Impalas for better fuel efficiency. Various sources report that Crown Victorias average around 11 mpg in the city while Impalas average around 18 mpg under the same driving conditions.

Dora is also monitoring gas receipts, to track any discrepancies with the street vehicles.

Cordova has tightened up on street maintenance such as bush hogging and cutting grass on city property. Cordova has also cut back on the number of patrol vehicles in use on any one shift. Instead of having two, City Administrator Randall Gammon says that only one patrol vehicle will be in operation.

Even items such as road signs have increased in price. Fuel is needed to make these signs and in turn companies are passing the buck on to customers.

Hospital Treating Many Heat-Related Illnesses

Walker Baptist Medical Center’s Emergency Department staff is reporting seeing a large number of heat stroke cases and instances of exhaustion this summer and is advising people to be cautious when working in the heat.

Dr. Jeffrey Milner, medical director of the ER, says, “It’s that time of the year. It’s hot and it’s humid.”

Milner says that a majority of the cases he’s been seeing have been construction workers who are dehydrating while working in the hot summer sun.

Milner suggests that, if it’s necessary for anyone to be out in the sun, you should drink fluids that replenish nutrients and electrolytes that are lost through sweating. Drinks like Gatorade, Propel or just plain water. This should apply to everyone working, and even children who are practicing sports or band or simply playing, during the hottest hours of the day from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Milner also suggests that you should take frequent breaks throughout the day, don’t overexert yourself and, again, drink fluids on a regular basis.

Milner also suggests to not only stay away from sugary drinks, but also alcoholic drinks when in the hot hours of the day.

Suspect Arrested In Burglary At Walker High

A 16 year old juvenile was taken into custody early Friday morning in connection with an alleged burglary at Walker High School.

There were no reports of damage at the school.

Voters to pick Democratic nominee for treasurer

The two Democratic runoff candidates for county treasurer sounded in good spirits as they touted experience in an effort to win the nomination today.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. 

The previous county treasurer’s appointed replacement is not running for office, essentially keeping the office going until voters pick a new treasurer in the fall.

Morris Studdard Jr. won 45 percent of the vote and 32 of 46 boxes in the June 3 primary and racked up big margins in a number of the county’s larger cities. Shelia Rice received 35 percent of the votes and did well to the east, with large victories in Sipsey, Bevill State, Dillworth, New Hope and Pineywoods.

Ruth Cloud received 11 percent and James Maloy received 9 percent. You may recall that Maloy dropped out before the vote and endorsed Studdard. Cloud said on this past Thursday that she was declining to endorse anyone in the runoff.

The winner in the treasurer’s Democratic runoff will face Republican Keith Duncan of Jasper in the November general election.

Bray, Wright vie for District 2 nomination

The two District 2 Democratic candidates continued to campaign last week in advance of Tuesday’s runoff to pick a candidate to go against Republican Sandy Grace Pennington of Nauvoo.

Polls will be open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Democrats to choose nominees for county treasurer and for District 2 commissioner, as Commissioner Larry Farris is retiring. Republicans will go to the polls on two statewide runoff races.

In the June 3 primary, Mitchell “Dan” Wright got 42 percent of the vote, while James “Pete” Bray got 34 percent and Tex Sparks got 24 percent. Bray had big victories in Carbon Hill, Eldridge, Kansas, New Bethany and the absentees, while Wright had major wins at Memorial Park, Westside, Macedonia and the county Emergency Management Agency.

On Friday, Sparks said he was endorsing Wright.

Qualifying for city elections ends Tuesday

The two-week municipal qualifying period ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday in advance of the Aug. 26 elections and any resulting runoffs on Oct. 7.

Qualifying forms are available from the city clerks for the positions. Winners will take office on Nov. 3.

Carbon Hill Mayor Phillip Howard and Dora Mayor George Sides have announced they will not run for office. Incumbent mayors in Nauvoo, Eldridge, Sipsey and Oakman have not signed up yet — and as of this past Friday afternoon, no candidates at all had qualified for any position in Eldridge and Sipsey.

No council positions had any candidate in Oakman. Two council positions in Parrish and one in Carbon Hill had no council candidates, while four council positions in Nauvoo were vacant.

Emergency response training offered through college

Bevill State Community College in Sumiton will be hosting emergency response training for fire, police and rescue services, along with city officials, to connect agencies in times of disaster and to meet requirements for federal funding.

The classes, which are required by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), will take place Aug. 4-7 at 8 a.m. on the Sumiton Campus. The classes are being funded by a $45,000 Police and Homeland Security grant provided by the Department of Postsecondary Education. According to Charles Ireland, Bevill State’s director of skills training, the classes will be offered in all of Bevill’s service area, but will begin in Walker and later on the Hamilton campus.

The following is the complete list of candidates as of this past Friday (July 11, 2008):

 

Nauvoo

Mayor: Billy H. Ward, 116 Old Lynn Road.

City Council:

Place 1: Tammy G. Mote (I), 205 Third Ave.

Place 2-5: None.



Carbon Hill

Mayor: Chris Hart, 1246 North First Street; Jean Cagle, 107 Forest Ridge Circle, F-2; James “Pee Wee” Richardson, 366 Rubbing Ridge Road.

District 1: Joe Killingsworth (I), 385 Second Street SW; Sandra Garrison, 223 Third Ave. SW.

District 2: Willie B. Clayton, 539 Fourth Ave. NE

District 3: Carol Ann Page Hackney, 199 12th Ave. NE

District 4: Scott Wright, 957 Northeast 7th Street.

District 5: None

District 6: Jack Hinds, 718 Second Avenue NE.



Cordova

Mayor: Jack Scott (I), 196 McCrory Street; Randy Fielding, 115 North Street; Guy Zwetzig, 76 Buttercup Terrace; J.B. (Doc) Weaver, 35 Amory Dr.

District 1: None.

District 2: Bradley Grace, 4129 Massachusetts Ave. N.; Kurt Zolman, 275 North Street; Shelley Skinner, Massachusetts Avenue (house number unavailable due to clerical error).

District 3: John Borzelli (I), 229 Stewart St.

District 4: Ralph Sandlin (I), 225 High Street.

District 5: Kim Brown, 303 Highland St. E.

District 6: Jim Madison, 157 Valley Rd.; Bobby (Hootie) Homan, 56 Oak St.

District 7: Tina (Harris) Woods, 4481 River Road; Tommy Harbison, 329 Sixth St.



Dora 

Mayor: Arthur Lee Taylor, 309 Dickerson Circle; Richard Lovelady, 328 Morgan Road; McArthur Sargent, 221 Butler Circle; Chris Edwards, 481 Burnwell Road; Adam Ritch, 117 Dunbar Trace.

City Council (vote for only one council candidate; top seven receiving votes are elected to council): Betty Sanders, 169 Butler Circle; William “Buddy” Sparkman, 304 Nethery Road; Clyde H. Nix, 1500 Burnwell Road; John Y. Smith, 348 Doliska Road; Carl Frost, 1788 Horsecreek Boulevard; Donnie Burns, 1861 Doliska Road; Jeremy Daniel Williams, 37 Red Road; Nicholas Isbell, 21 Lockerbie Lane; Richard Crawford (I), 414 Morgan Road; Hezikiah Walker Jr., 140 Railroad Ave.; Todd Wolfe, 1960 Sharon Blvd.

Wayne Sanford (I), 291 Shady Grove Road, withdrawn from the council race Tuesday.



Sumiton

Mayor: Petey Ellis (I), 204 Morgan Road; Gwin Wells, 916 Main St.; Ralph Shoemaker, 1732  Main Street.

Place 1: Charles E. Yow (I), 67 Ovel St.; Brian Sides, 66 Ovel St.

Place 2: Jim Brown, 355 Whitlow Rd.

Place 3: Billy Killian (I), 64 Dogwood Lane.; Ricky Thomas, 950 Sullivan Road.

Place 4: Geoffrey Phillips, 906 Main St.; William S. (Bill) Fowler (I), 254 Church Street.

Place 5: Robert T. Brown, 963 Main Street; Doug Ragsdale, 104 Pineview St.



Jasper

Mayor: V.L. (Sonny) Posey (I), 300 Bankston Dr.

District 1: M. (Andy) Braden, 3400 19th Street; Morris Studdard (I), 509 Crest Circle Rd.

District 2: David S. Cain, 2402 Oak Ridge Circle; John M. (Johnny) Rollins (I), 2102 Overton Road.

District 3: Gary Cowen (I), 1101 Hickory Hill Lane.

District 4: Lee Swann (I), 1105 10th Ave.

District 5: Sandy P. Sudduth (I), 3009 Simmons Rd.; Edward (Ed) White, 2709 Gamble Ave.



Parrish

Mayor: Billy J. Dunn (I), 46 Barber St.; Crea Howard, 114 Castile St.; James (Smitty) Smith Jr., 97 Town St.

District 1: Carol S. Wilson, 75 Hill Drive.

District 2: William Banks, 151 Fifth St.; Lloyd Hitt (I), 90 Fourth St.; Donald J. Howton, 275 Third Avenue.

District 3: David L. Brown, 148 Castile St.

District 4: None.

District 5: None.


Clerks in Kansas and Oakman could not be reached Friday afternoon. As of Tuesday, the only candidate who had qualified for any race in Oakman was Joseph Aldridge, 141 Basin Street, who signed up to run for mayor, while no one had qualified for any council positions.

Here are the list of candidates that were in place as of Tuesday in Kansas.

Mayor: Joey Bagwell (I), 1323 Old Highway 78

Place 1: Linda Tittle, 61 Rutledge Street

Place 2: Brenda Faye Darty (I), 345 Blackbranch Street

Place 3: Eunice Rutledge (I), 166 Dogwood Lane.

Place 4: Sheila Clark (I), 71 Charles Ave.

Place 5: Cindy Wright (I), 385 Blackbranch Street

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