(Left) April Hays (front row, second from right) is so attached to her students that, when we brought her out to see her Nissan Rogue, she brought them with her. (Center) Michelle Pender checks out the 2019 Nissan Rogue she’ll be driving for the next month. (Right) Cullman Child Development Center Principal Chris Chambers checks out his Nissan Titan. (W.C. Mann for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala.- Tony Serra Nissan is proud to announce that it is expanding its Teacher of the Month award program, in partnership with the Cullman County Board of Education (CCBOE) and The Cullman Tribune. 

CCBOE Superintendent Dr. Shane Barnette explained, “I’m so thankful that Nissan’s partnering with us. I’m all about recognizing people, and I think this is a great opportunity. We started off as one Teacher of the Month, but now we’ve expanded that to do an Elementary Teacher of the Month, a Secondary Teacher of the Month and a Principal of the Month!”

Two teachers per month are nominated by the principals of their schools and reviewed by a committee of administrators at the CCBOE central office.  Additionally, the central office has now been charged with selecting a Principal of the Month. All honorees receive free use of a Nissan vehicle from the Tony Serra organization for one month.

Meet the Tony Serra Nissan/Cullman Tribune Teachers and Principal of the Month for March!

Michelle Pender, Elementary Teacher of the Month - Hanceville Elementary School

Principal Tony Johnson, who nominated Pender, said, “Ms. Pender is a fabulous teacher and a fabulous person.  She works up here tirelessly. We employ her, but the board really is employing sister, mom, dad. They’re up here all the time working: changing signs, cleaning rooms, straightening beds; everything that you can think of, Ms. Pender’s doing it.  She’s spearheaded the Milo’s Student of the Month, so she runs that. Anything that we can do to recognize kids, she’s involved in it; she’s very, very good. We’re so fortunate to have her. The kids are fortunate to have her here at Hanceville.”

April Hays, Secondary Teacher of the Month - Holly Pond High School

Principal Kim Butler, who nominated Hays, shared, “She’s a great teacher.  She does so much beyond the classroom to help us out. She handles all of our student data, and she’s always willing to do whatever we need her to do.  She’s one of many great ones we’ve got.”

Chris Chambers, Principal of the Month - Cullman County Child Development Center

Barnette smiled, “We’re really excited to recognize people, and Chris is a perfect principal to recognize as our first Principal of the Month.  He pours his heart and soul in everything he does, and you can tell his passion for the young people here at the Child Development Center. We’re excited to recognize him this morning.”

Chambers reacted, “It’s just an honor and privilege to be here, to serve, and I don’t feel like I deserve it.  I’m just doing my job. And the people of Cullman County’s been very good to me and my family.”

Barnette also commented on the recognition program: “I also appreciate The Cullman Tribune partnering with us and following these stories.  I think it’s a great opportunity just to highlight teachers. We have so many teachers and so many different employees in Cullman County Schools that we don’t have an opportunity to highlight them as much.  But in this situation, we get to highlight at least three. And then we’re also, every month at board meetings, we’re highlighting in a service award up to five people every month, just letting them know how much we appreciate them for going above and beyond, as well.”

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

I am fortunate to work in a school system whose community voted to keep a local tax to improve schools. I am also fortunate to live in a community that has supported an ad valorem tax for the past 60 years. This tax has benefited me as a student, my children as current students, and my family as employment. This tax is up for renewal and I ask that you put your gas tax frustrations aside and vote yes on Tuesday. These kids are amazing and the ones that follow will be too! Cullman citizens, they need our support and encouragement, and sometimes that is shown in the form of a tax. Keep this community ever striving for better things for our children. Remember the kids, teachers and those that are tied to education when you cast your vote. #voteyesplease

Leeanna Smith

Editor’s note: Read about the upcoming Tuesday, March 19 tax referendum vote at www.cullmantribune.com/articles/2019/03/08/what-you-need-know-about-marc...

I want to start off by introducing myself. I am an avid outdoorsman, a tournament angler and a high school fishing coach. I have fished all my life, and even though I fish professional tournaments such as FLW and BASS, I have never considered myself as a pro such as Kevin Vandam and Rick Clunn. I still learn new things each year as new baits and techniques emerge, along with new technology.

I have won local tournaments over the years, but I know I may never hold a major pro tournament trophy like our local pro Jordan Lee, and although that would be a dream come true I’m fine with that. It’s in my blood; I truly love the sport and the competition. That’s why I keep trying to compete.

Each fishing trip has its own challenges with every changing condition. Some days seem like you can’t do anything wrong and the next trip you can’t seem to do anything right. It is a very humbling sport to say the least. One week you’re buying tons of new tackle and equipment and the next week you want to burn it all because you had a bad day or tournament. That’s why it’s called fishing, and I love it, at least for now; ask me after my next trip out.

With that being said, most avid bass anglers will know all about what I’m talking about in the rest of this column, but I ask you if you do to pass along your knowledge to a kid so they can carry on the next generation. High school and college fishing have blown up over the last few years and will continue to grow the sport.

Most weekend bass fisherman start getting their tackle out to get ready for the fishing season when we start getting those few warm, sunny days. We start seeing buttercups blooming and the trees budding and begin to get excited about spring fishing. The boat ramps start getting crowded and the tackle shops get busy. Spring is just around the corner, officially, even though it has been a fairly mild winter.

With all the rain in recent weeks most lakes and rivers are full or over full pool and most are heavily stained. This sometimes makes fishing a challenge, but the stained water sets up an opportunity because the lack of vison forces bass to rely on vibrations and sound to feed.  High, muddy water can quickly scatter out fish due to some fish venturing into shallow new territory forging on food while some remain close to areas where they were prior to the water change. The challenge is figuring out where to start looking for them.

One simple rule of thumb to remember after a heavy rain (especially in the spring) is to fish where water is coming into the lake such as a small creek or stream. These creeks pump thousands of gallons of water into the lake, and along with the water is food such as crawfish, salamanders and other fish. Some good baits for bass in these places would include crankbaits, jigs and shakey heads, just to name a few.

Springtime fishing is usually great because bass are getting ready to spawn and they are feeding up and they will bite many different type baits.

Here is a list of baits I keep on hand in the spring months: Jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jigs, crankbaits, rattlebaits and various soft plastics.

One technique I use quite often is the Carolina rig. This technique can be used with a variety of baits like lizards and worms. This technique will catch bass just about anywhere you fish. Another bait I use frequently is a jig. This bait is perhaps the closest thing that resembles a crawfish there is. The way a jig looks in the water and the action it has when drug along the bottom looks just like a crawfish crawling on the bottom.

When I choose a crankbait I normally stick with a medium diver, one that dives 10-12 feet deep depending on how deep I think the bass are and usually in a crawfish pattern of some kind since they feed so heavily on crawfish with all the creeks following in. Square bill crankbaits are also good when bass are shallow on the banks. These baits run approximately 1-5 feet and work well around logs, bushes and other shallow cover. Some square bills have rattles and some are silent. You will have to play around with them to see what the fish are wanting that day. Sometimes subtle changes like no rattles or a small color change make the difference.

Try some of these baits and techniques the next time you’re out if you haven’t. Maybe they will put some fish in your boat. Remember to do your part in protecting our lakes and rivers so our kids can enjoy the same things we are.

Please email me questions or pictures of your recent catches. They may end up featured in this outdoors column. I will also try to keep up with local, high school, college and pro tournaments and post results. Thank you for reading!

Tim Arnold

Facebook: Tim Arnold Fishing

Instagram: @timarnoldfishing

Email questions and pictures to: tim@cullmantribune.com.

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Aggies and Lady Aggies knocked off Good Hope and West Point respectively to win Saturday's inaugural Cullman County Cup. (Nick Griffin for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala.– Heritage Park was the site for this year’s inaugural Cullman County Cup and the field was made up of boys’ and girls’ teams from Holly Pond, Good Hope, Fairview and West Point. The girls kicked things off in the morning with a pair of one-sided, semi-final matchups. Fairview handled the Lady Raiders 10-0 to advance to the title game and the Lady Warriors knocked off Holly Pond 7-0 to secure a spot for themselves. On the boys’ side, the Aggies blew past Holly Pond 10-0 while Good Hope punched its ticket to the title game with a 9-2 win over West Point.

The first championship matchup between the Lady Aggies and the Lady Warriors was the first tight game of the day and West Point got things started with a goal from Kylie Armistead that made it 1-0 in the opening minutes.

That score held for most of the first half, but Sydney Babb put one in the back of the net for Fairview just before the break to make it a tie game at the half. Both teams continued to play well on the defensive end but a goal from Greta Bishop was enough for the Lady Aggies to pull ahead and hold on to win it 2-1.

After the game, Fairview Head Coach Nick Feldner reflected on Babb’s goal at the end of the first half and believes it was a big key to his team finding a way to win it down the stretch.

“We opened up the game giving up a quick goal to West Point and that kind of set us back and we were total off-guard with that,” Feldner said. “We saw what kind of potential and speed they had so we were playing catch up the whole time and I think if we didn’t get that goal to equalize it going into the half, it would’ve really been a struggle to rebound in the second half.”

The boys’ title game got underway next and the Fairview Aggies didn’t have a lot of trouble setting the tone against Good Hope. Two quick goals in the opening minutes of the game put the Raiders in a hole early and Fairview managed to stretch the lead to 4-0 by the halftime break.

The Aggies tacked on two more goals in the second half to officially put the game out of reach and secure their place as county champions. Luis Cortes and Jaxxon Swann each scored two goals in the win for Fairview. Will Butler and Ricardo Medina each scored a goal for the Aggies as well and Bailey Byrd collected an assist.

Feldner is also the head coach for the boys’ team at Fairview and he was happy to see his team take control of the game early and play their game.

“The first time we played Good Hope about a week ago, we were kind of in the opposite situation. We were fighting the whole match there so to be able to settle in early makes a huge difference. When you get to play your game and not let the other team dictate what you’re doing, we can calm down, control the game and play the way we like to play.”

Feldner is proud that his teams were able to perform well during the event, but he was even more excited that the event happened at all. He’s optimistic that this year’s Cullman County Cup could lead to even more developments for soccer across the community.

“Our ultimate goal has always been to help get programs for all of the county schools and help build that up so to finally see us have enough teams to put together an event is a really big deal and if nothing else, we get a lot of promotion and publicity out of this that we hope bleeds into all the other programs,” Feldner said. “I still think people are a little shocked when they hear that we have county school soccer programs so that means more than anything else.”

2019 Cullman County Cup All-Tournament Teams

Girls:

Jasmine Cortes, Fairview (MVP)

Greta Bishop, Fairview

Maira Cortes, Fairview

Emma Gardner, Fairview

Kyli Armistead, West Point

Mallory Campbell, West Point

Faith Lee, West Point

Maddie Hucks, Good Hope

Hannah Adams, Good Hope

Emma Grace Daniel, Holly Pond

Josie Harbison, Holly Pond

Boys:

Bryan Cruz, Fairview (MVP)

Luis Cortes, Fairview

AB Diaz, Fairview

Jaxxon Swann, Fairview

Andres Aguilar, Good Hope

Walter Perez, Good Hope

Oscar Tepetate, Good Hope

Diego Garcia, Holly Pond

Ryne Bryant, Holly Pond

Axel Roman, West Point

Logan Selby, West Point

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

CULLMAN, Ala.– Pell City traveled to Cullman High School on Saturday for a matchup with the Lady Bearcats and the Lady Panthers were sent home with a 5-0 loss. Cullman got two goals from Abby Branham and a goal from Pia Murri, Ashlei Bryant and Mimi Lunsford in the shutout. Muri collected two assists and Bryant added another in the win.

Head Coach Jacob Brown was very proud of the way his team played and wants to see them build off a big win against a good team.

“We played awesome. I am really, really happy with the outcome. Pell City is a solid team, and this was a big win despite the score,” Brown said. “We hope to carry this momentum into the big part of our season now.”

The Lady Bearcats are now 9-2-1 on the season and they’ll be looking for win no. 10 when they travel to Gadsden City on Tuesday.

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cullman's Cannon Trimble and St. Bernard's Joseph Arriaga comepte in the 1600-Meter Run at the Cullman Invitational Saturday morning. (Nick Griffin for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala.– Cullman’s girls and boys track teams placed second and fourth respectively at this year’s Cullman Invitational after the Bearcats and Lady Bearcats put together several strong performances on a chilly Saturday. There was a huge field of schools competing on the turf at Oliver Woodard Stadium Saturday, including Holly Pond, Hanceville, Meek, St. Bernard, Fairview and Cold Springs. and there was a long list of local medalists by the time the meet was over. St. Bernard's girls finished in sixth place and the boys placed 23rd, Fairview's girls came in 24th while the boys finished 13th, Holly Pond's girls and boys placed 12th and 22nd respectively, Cold Springs' girls finished 18th while the boys finished 19th, Hanceville's boys came in 17th and Meek's girls placed 20th. 

Full list of local medalist results:

Gracie Loyd, St. Bernard – 3rd place Girls 200-Meter Dash – 26.61

Gracie Loyd, St. Bernard – 3rd place Girls 100-Meter Hurdles – 16.88

Gracie Loyd, St. Bernard – 2nd place Girls Triple Jump – 32-11.00

(names not available) St. Bernard – 2nd place Girls 4x800-Meter Relay – 11:26.01

Jaycey Bowling, Meek – 2nd place Girls Pole Vault – 8-06.00

Bernarda Tizapa, Cullman – 1st place Girls 1600-Meter Run – 5:56.35

Ivy Edge, Cullman – 3rd place Girls 1600-Meter Run – 6:01.18

Jennifer Aviles, Cullman – 2nd place Girls 3200-Meter Run – 12:39.57

Ivy Edge, Della Kelly, Jennifer Aviles, Bernarda Tizapa, Cullman – 2nd place Girls 4x400-Meter Relay – 4:35.36

Caroline Hollingsworth, Cullman – 3rd place Girls High Jump – 5-00.00

Caroline Hollingsworth, Cullman – 3rd place Girls Triple Jump – 32-07.00

Ragan Canter, Cullman – 2nd place Girls Shot Put – 32-05.00

Ragan Canter, Cullman – 1st place Girls Discus Throw – 97-06

Will Thompson, Cullman – 1st place Boys 3200-Meter Run – 10:04.37

Jackson Tucker, Adam Mangum, Walker Huddleston, Edgar Medina, Cullman – 2nd place Boys 4x800-Meter Relay – 8:42.02

Colton Smith, Cullman – 1st place Boys High Jump – 6-00.00

Colton Smith, Cullman – 1st place Boys Triple Jump – 42-08.00

Bailey Hayes, Cullman – 1st place Boys Shot Put – 48-00.00

Bailey Hayes, Cullman – 2nd place Boys Discus Throw – 136-05

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

JASPER, Ala. – The Lady Warriors traveled to Jasper this weekend for a packed slate of softball action at this year’s Smith Lake Classic and punched their ticket to Saturday night’s championship game after knocking off Corner and Lamar County on Friday and Gordo, Dora and Fayette County on Saturday. West Point faced Corner once again with the title on the line but couldn’t quite get the bats going this time around and the Lady Warriors fell in the championship game 13-1.

The Lady Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first and the Lady Warriors led off the bottom half of the inning with back to back singles, but a double play got Corner out of the inning and kept the score at 1-0.

Neither team crossed the plate in the second inning, but the Lady Yellow Jackets were able to score five in the top of the third to take a 6-0 lead over West Point. Corner brought home seven more runs in the top of the fourth to go up 13-0 and put the game out of reach for the Lady Warriors.

An RBI single from Gracie Thompson got West Point on the board in the bottom of the fourth but it was too little too late, and Corner went on to win it 13-1.

Gracie Abbott was 2-for-2 at the plate and Thompson (one RBI), Molly Pendley and Makayla Brown recorded hits for West Point as well.

It didn’t end the way they wanted it to, but the Lady Warriors won five games at the Smith Lake Classic and will try build off of a really strong weekend going forward.

West Point 10 – Gordo 0 (softball)

Makayla Brown racked up eight RBIs in West Point’s 10-0 win over Gordo thanks in large part to a pair of 3-run bombs that she hit in the first two innings.

Her first homerun in the top of the first gave the Lady Warriors an early 3-0 lead and in her next at-bat, she made it 6-0 with her second homer of the morning. An RBI single from Gracie Thompson stretched the lead to 7-0 and West Point tacked on two more runs on a fielder’s choice and an RBI single from Carlie Wilkins to seal the deal.

Wilkins went two innings on the mound for the Lady Warriors, allowing just one hit and picking up three strikeouts. Braelee Quinn tossed the final inning for West Point and allowed just one hit as well. Brown was 2-for-3 at the plate with two homeruns and eight RBIs.

West Point 6 – Dora 1 (softball)

West Point plated three runs in the bottom of the second to take a big lead early in the game and added three more in the bottom of the fourth to pull away with the win over Dora. Bethany Minck (one hit) led the Lady Warriors with three RBIs and Gracie Abbott (two hits) finished just behind her with two RBIs.

West Point 16 – Fayette County 0 (softball)

The Lady Warriors took all the drama out of this one early by bringing nine runs home in the bottom of the first and they cruised to win it 16-0. Molly Pendley was 3-for-3 at the plate and racked five RBIs in the win. Gracie Thompson (one hit) finished with three RBIs and Carlie Wilkins (two hits) posted two RBIs.

Stewarts Creek 6 – Cullman 0 (softball)

The starting pitching for Stewarts Creek was a handful for the Lady Bearcats as they were held without a hit in the 6-0 loss.

Cullman 1 – Alcoa 0 (softball)

After four scoreless innings, Cullman was finally able to break the tie when Brandy Peoples walked it off with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. Sydney Holder got the start on the mound for the Lady Bearcats and kept Alcoa off the scoreboard, allowing just five hits and collecting six strikeouts in the win.

Cullman 8 – Battleground 1 (softball)

The Lady Bearcats plated four runs in the top of the first to set the tone early and Battleground was never able to respond, allowing the Lady Bearcats to pull away and win it 8-1. Alex Stansell was 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs in the win and McKenna Kline was a perfect 3-for-3. Ashlen Heatherly (two RBIs), Savannah Davis and Carlie Burnham each recorded two hits for Cullman as well.

Blackmon 6 – Cullman 2 (softball)

Cullman was able to score in the top of the second to the game with Blackmon but allowed three runs in the bottom of the third and that was enough for Blackmon to pull away and win it 6-2. Alex Stansell was 2-for-2 with an RBI for the Lady Bearcats in the loss and Savannah Davis (one hit) drove in a run as well.

Falkville 9 – Vinemont 1 (softball)

The Lady Eagles managed to strike first by scoring in the opening frame on a solo homerun from MacKenzie Lawrence, but Falkville quickly answered and plated six runs in the bottom of the second to put the game out of reach for Vinemont. Lawrence’s solo shot was the only hit and RBI of the game for the Lady Eagles.

Columbia 5 – Vinemont 4 (softball)

The Lady Eagles were tied at 4 with Columbia going into the final frame but a walk-off triple from Columbia put things away for good and sealed the 5-4 loss for Vinemont. Maddie Oliver, Hailee Moore and MacKenzie Lawrence each posted two hits for the Lady Eagles. Brooklyn Knott, Emilie Hoffman and Callie Millwood each drove in a run for Vinemont in the loss.

Lamar County 10 – Meek 0 (softball)

Emma Fincher recorded Meek’s only hit of the game during its loss to Lamar County.

Fayette County 7 – Meek 3 (softball)

Fayette County built an early 2-0 lead and the Lady Tigers were able to cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the fourth but three runs from Fayette County in the bottom half of the inning put the game out of reach for Meek. Emma Fincher (two hits) and Nikki Yoshiwara (one hit) each collected an RBI in the loss.

Shades Valley 10 – Meek 0 (softball)

Kalin Rivers and Bailee Fincher each recorded a hit for the Lady Tigers in their loss to Shades Valley.

Hazel Green 7 – Cullman 3 (baseball)

The Trojans built a 4-0 advantage after the third inning and even though the ‘Cats were able to chip away, it wasn’t enough to overcome Hazel Green and Cullman fell 7-3. Brennen Norton (one RBI) led Cullman with three hits and Brady Patterson (one RBI) finished just behind him with two.

Danville 5 – Vinemont 2 (baseball)

The Eagles scored in the bottom of the first to things up at 1 apiece but Danville moved in front in the third and pulled away in the sixth to win it 5-2. Issac Smith (one RBI), Wyatt Thomason and Will Rhodes each collected a hit for Vinemont.

Fairview 10 – Brewer 7 (baseball)

After going up 9-0 in the top of the fifth, the Aggies got a bit of a score from the Patriots when they began chipping away at the lead, but it proved to be too much for Brewer and Fairview held on to win 10-7. Preston Ryan, Will Bailey and Oakley Mullican each collected two hits and two RBIs for the Aggies in the win.

Dora 3 – Fairview 0 (baseball)

Fairview was held to just four hits in its second game of the day and Dora was able to find enough offense to put away the Aggies. Riley Carrol collected two hits for Fairview in the loss and Will Bailey and Oakley Mullican added hits as well.

Hueytown 7 – West Point 6 (baseball)

The Warriors plated six runs in top of the third to take a 6-0 lead in this one, but Hueytown was able to put together enough runs to tie things up in the bottom of the seventh and walked it off in the bottom of the ninth. Isaac Hoffpauir (three RBIs) and Aubry Cleghorn (one RBI) each recorded two hits for West Point.

Corner 5 – West Point 1 (baseball)

This was a low-scoring affair most of the way and the was knotted at 1 after five innings but Corner plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull away from the Warriors. Hunter Persall, Whitt Laney and Levi Farley recorded the only hits of the game for West Point.

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Harold Junior Harris was born on Aug. 10, 1955 and passed away on March 15, 2019 at the age of 63. Visitation will be March 23 at Moss Service Funeral Home from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at Union Grove Methodist Cemetery, 3349 Union Hill Road, in Arab.

Mary Roberts Wise Lambert, 80, of Albertville, passed away on Friday, March 15, 2019. She was born Nov. 21, 1938, to Earnest and Arvella Lemons Roberts.

Mary was a housekeeper by trade. She was employed by a local nursing home and spent many years cleaning for the residents. Mrs. Lambert was also a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her passing brings sorrow for many.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents; and a son, Monty Wise.

Survivors include her husband, Ronald Lambert; son, Ronnie (Mary) Wise; daughters, Mary Jean (Don) Shirey, Cindy (Mark) Lang, Fritz Ann (Scotty) Lang; sisters, Sharon Riveria, Evonda Roberts, Wanda Frigga; 13 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and 6 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mrs. Lambert are 2 p.m., Sunday, March 17, 2019, in the Holly Pond Funeral Home Chapel, Shannon Chadwick officiating. Burial will follow in Duck River Cemetery. Timmy Wise, Thomas Chadwick, Cory Lang, Brandon Lang, Matthew Lang, Billy Wise, and Vince Wise will serve as pallbearers for their grandmother. Friends may visit with the family two hours prior to services, from noon until 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Holly Pond Funeral Home is honored to serve the Lambert family.

Farming Feeds Alabama, but our state’s farmers also help feed the world.

That’s why the Alabama Farmers Federation is urging Congress to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement.

Canada and Mexico are our first and third largest export markets. This agreement not only preserves our partnership with these neighbors, but it also shows the United States can get a better deal for American farmers, businesses and families through strong negotiations.

Alabama already exports about $2.5 billion in agriculture and forest products worldwide, and there’s potential to greatly expand these markets. With plans underway to deepen the shipping channel at the Port of Mobile, customers around the world will have greater access to Alabama-grown food and fiber.

Currently, Alabama exports about $1.3 billion in forest products, $315 million a year in chicken,  $158 million in cotton and $92 million in soybeans. Our North American trading partners make up a large portion of these totals and are a big reason agriculture is a bright spot in America’s trade balance. 

According to the Alabama Commerce Department, state exports totaled $21.3 billion in 2018, just shy of the $21.8 billion record in 2017. During the last decade, the value of Alabama exports increased 34 percent.

That means more jobs for Alabama families, more investment by businesses and more tax revenue for public services.

Alabama’s business-friendly climate and hardworking people have led to tremendous economic growth and job creation. To sustain that growth, Alabama farmers and manufacturers must have access to world markets. 

The Trump Administration’s tough negotiating style is paying dividends with better trade deals. Still, we must act to finalize the USMCA. Last year, Alabama exports were down 3 percent to Canada and 12 percent to Mexico. When the USMCA is ratified, we can turn those numbers around. 

The USMCA will provide new market access for dairy and poultry products. Canada also agreed to grade imports of U.S. wheat in a manner no less favorable than their own, and Mexico agreed all grading standards for agricultural products will be non-discriminatory. 

Simply put, the USMCA preserves all the zero tariffs on agricultural products in the North American Free Trade Agreement while leveling the playing field for other farm products.

Alabama farmers have proven time and again their ability to grow healthy, abundant supplies of food and fiber. With access to global markets, there’s no doubt Alabama agriculture and forestry will expand to meet world demand.

Jimmy Parnell is a native of Stanton in Chilton County and a graduate of Auburn University in agricultural business and economics. Parnell was elected president of the Alabama Farmers Federation in 2012.

Parnell is a fifth-generation farmer and a partner in his family's beef cattle farm and timber business, Parnell Inc. He has served in numerous leadership roles for business, environmental and agricultural organizations including Central Alabama Farmers Co-op board of directors, Chilton County Water Authority, Chilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Alabama Forest Fund.

The Alabama honeysuckle border was inspired by an 18th century, Southern applique quilt.

The Cullman Tribune is celebrating the Alabama Bicentennial (1819-2019) with statewide field reporting by Alabama Master Gardener/Botanical Artist Ben Johnson South. This year-long feature, "The 67-County Alabama Garden Party," will spotlight different counties each week. Each county will get its own "quilt block," along with a historical profile, and we'll share a recipe specific to the area. At the end of the year, all 67 counties will be put in a book to commemorate the Bicentennial.

Blount County

Grand opera scenery is how Blount County was sumptuously designed by nature. The soaring mountains and plunging gorges have a jaw-dropping grandeur and are exhilarating to explore on foot or on the tree-skirted roads which have been carefully carved into the landscape. Even though we Alabamians have a lot more experience with the Grand Ole Opry than grand opera, it is easy to imagine a full-chested Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Callas or Dolly Parton filling and trilling this thrilling panorama with their arias. By the way, aria means “air” and if you’re in need of the good stuff, the plant-cleansed, fresh air in Blount County could be just what your lung doctor ordered.

Blount Countians regularly defy the challenges of planting on a hillside; you’ll spot a tidy farm with a well-tended garden resplendent with bountiful vegetables and, just for the heaven of it, some colorful flowers. The Blount County hills are alive with the joy of gardening.

This could seem like an embarrassment of visual riches, but to this sweeping terrain, picture-perfect farmland and charming gardens, add the most covered bridges of any county in Alabama. If you’re an Alabama landscape painter or photographer, just go ahead and get in your car and GPS it to Blount County.

The bridges of Blount County have their own compelling stories and deserve a best-selling romance novel and a film of their own. Most were built to cross rushing streams. Wood for the timber trusses, roofs, decking and siding all came from the nearby forest. When you visit, notice how the longitudinal timber-trusses are engineered as backbones and how the latticework is pretty but is really designed to light safe passage. These bridges are picturesque, but they were also practical. A covered bridge can endure rain and sun for a hundred years, while a typical uncovered wooden bridge would last 20.

Like the high-profile example of the covered bridges, picturesque, practical preservation is a hallmark of Blount County and has been from the earliest days of the settlers. The Alabama Territory Legislature established Blount County on Saturday, Feb. 7, 1818. You could imagine the locals hearing that news a few Saturdays later when they came into town to trade for the few supplies they couldn’t produce on their mostly self-sufficient farms.

Traditional preservation techniques like canning, sun-drying and freezing locally-grown produce are still common here, the knowledge and skills often passed down from one generation to the next. And, if somebody outgrows a shirt or dress and there isn’t someone waiting for the hand-me-downs, the garment is repurposed into a quilt. The land sustains the people of Blount County and the people preserve the place.

Here are other positive and pleasurable ways PEOPLE + PLANTS come together in Blount County:

*BLOUNT COUNTY FARMERS MARKET—Blount County-Oneonta Agri-Business Center, 500 New Street, Oneonta, AL 35121; Saturdays in May, then from June-October every Tues./Thurs./Saturday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

*BLOUNT COUNTY U-PICK FARMS—Baty Farms (Cleveland) blueberries; Daniel Allman (Oneonta) tomatoes, green beans, sweet corn, watermelons, honeydew melons, cantaloupes; Jerry Marsh Farm (Cleveland) strawberries, peas, tomatoes, beans, peppers, melons, corn, cucumbers, squash, potatoes; Kenneth Witt Farm (Hayden) strawberries, cantaloupes, blackberries, peaches, squash, cucumbers; Moody’s Blueberries (Oneonta); Tumblin Farms (Cleveland) muscadines, scuppernongs

*BLOUNT COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE—Dan Porch, Blount County coordinator for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, suggested these PLANTS + PEOPLE places to explore also: The Great Pumpkin Patch (Hayden); Graves Family Market (Altoona) and Mann’s Produce (Hayden); check the Facebook page of each for best time of year to enjoy.

*BLOUNT COUNTY LOCAL NURSERIES—Triple J Nursery (Hayden), Blackwood Crossing Nursery (Cleveland), T.J.’s Nursery (Blountsville)

*DUNN’S BLOOM-N-PIE DAYS —(2 weekends in June, check their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Dunns-Angus-and-Daylilies-917771511577249/); daylilies and pies, what’s not to love?

*BEST PLACE FOR A LANDSCAPE PAINTER/PHOTOGRAPHER IN BLOUNT COUNTY—remember this entire county is loaded with grand operatic scenery, but one all-time favorite vista is high on the refurbished fire tower on Ebell Mountain; this is located in the 145-acre public Palisades Park, created and managed by Blount County.

*BLOUNT COUNTY COVERED BRIDGES—Take your picnic blanket and a camera, each of these is a lovely backdrop for a memorably delightful visit: Easley Covered Bridge, Swann Covered Bridge and the Horton Mill Covered Bridge.

*BANGOR CAVE—It has gone from Prohibition-era “speakeasy” to the spelunkers of today; the natural cave in this neck of the piney woods in Blount County once housed the infamous Bangor Café Club where visitors could be dropped off at the entrance by the L&N Railroad and welcomed by poker cards and “painted ladies.”

*BLOUNT SPRINGS RESORT—It was popular in the early part of the 20th century for natural mineral springs, and a cool, leafy respite for Southern city folks to escape the sultry hot summers. Lillian Russell, the biggest star of the day, vacationed at Blount Springs accompanied by famous NYC restaurateur, Diamond Jim Brady; the tabloids reported Miss Russell got so many chigger bites while sunbathing it took all the butter in Blount County and a number of willing hands to soothe her.

*BLOUNT COUNTY “JUST A BOWL OF BUTTER BEANS” BOB CAIN—Pay your respects to one of Alabama’s most popular entertainers, Robert Lyle “Bob” Cain, buried in the Clear Springs Cemetery (Allgood). In my salad days, Bob Cain owned the funniest, “live music” supper club in Birmingham, The Cane Break, and performed when Bob Cain and The Canebreakers weren’t playing Las Vegas. Top stars Bob Hope, Ray Charles and Johnny Cash would pop in and join the rest of us while Bob Cain led a happy sing-along of “Just a Bowl of Butter Beans” to the tune of “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” a hymn he knew from his Alabama childhood. You’ll want to YouTube Bob Cain performing this classic while you cook up the recipe for BLOUNT COUNTY BUTTER BEAN SOYBEAN SUCCOTASH—song lyrics provided.

PLANTING AN IDEA: Saluting the self-reliance and creativity of Blount Countians and 200 years of hand sewn clothing and quilts, Blount County-grown cotton could be creatively dyed using traditional plant dyes such as indigo (blues), safflower petals (yellows) and black walnut hulls (rich browns). Classes could be taught by the North Alabama Agriplex, which serves the area.

Y’ALL COME to Blount County on your Alabama Garden Party tour. This is a particularly stunning place to celebrate the positive and pleasurable ways PLANTS + PEOPLE have come together for more than 200 years.

Many thanks to Dan Porch, Blount County coordinator, Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

BLOUNT COUNTY BUTTER BEAN SOYBEAN SUCCOTASH

This healthy, 1800s basic recipe highlights Blount County produce and brings it into Alabama’s third century by adding fresh, green soybeans (which fancy grocers like Whole Foods call edamame) and herbed corn. It’s so easy to cook you’ll be singing “Just a Bowl of Butter Beans” to the tune of “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” as Blount County’s Bob Cain popularized. Here are your lyrics: “Just a bowl of butter beans. Pass the cornbread, if you please. I don’t want no collard greens. Just give me a bowl of them good ole butter beans.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fresh, Blount County butter beans
• ½ cup fresh, Blount County edamame (aka edible soybeans)
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• ½ cup chopped, Blount County red bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped, Blount Count onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh, Blount County sweet corn kernels
• 3 tbsp. water or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. fresh, chopped basil or 1 tbsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. salt
• Fresh, ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook butter beans and soybeans in a large saucepan of lightly salted water, about 4 minutes until tender. Drain well.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.
3. Add bell pepper and onion, cook, stirring often until the onion is translucent (about 2 minutes).
4. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds to allow it to sweat.
5. Stir in corn, water or chicken broth, butter beans and soybeans.
6. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar, basil, salt and black pepper.
8. Serve immediately.

NOTES: 6 servings; can make ahead and refrigerate up to two days. Healthy meat lovers could top this succulent succotash with their favorite Blount County grilled poultry or fish. For those who like a little spice, a dash of red pepper will add a little pop to this new, classic dish.

Also, check out Alabama Bicentennial: 200 ways to save Alabama for the next 200 years.

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

HANCEVILLE, Ala.– Wallace State’s Student Engagement and the Diversity Committee are hosting a Fashion Show on Thursday, March 21 at noon at the Burrow Center Recital Hall as the college recognizes National Women’s History Month.

The event is free and open to the public and to all Wallace State students, faculty and staff.

Wallace State’s Fashion Show will highlight women’s accomplishments and fashions from the 1800s to today.

Wallace State students interested in participating in the Fashion Show are encouraged to contact Leigh Ann Courington at 256-352-8147 or at leighann.courington@wallacestate.edu.

Wallace State recognizes National Women’s History Month each March, planning events and activities on campus to celebrate the occasion.

On the same day, the college’s female coaches and athletes will be recognized in between Wallace State softball’s doubleheader vs. Calhoun.

For more information about the event, contact Jon Stephenson at 256-352-8209 or at jon.stephenson@wallacestate.edu.

For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.

Kim Chaney (W.C. Mann)

Our children are our nation’s most valuable assets.  They represent the bright future of our country and hold our hopes for a better nation.  Our children are also the most vulnerable members of our society. Protecting our children against the fear of crime and from becoming victims of crime must be a national priority.  As a District and Juvenile Court Judge, Kim Chaney wants parents to know how to protect their children from the monsters of the internet.

Chaney said, “In my day, it was the man in the van with candy luring children; today that man is in the bedroom of your child on their game system, in the palm of their hand on their cell phone or tablet.”

As Juvenile Court Judge and a founding member of the Human Trafficking Task Force here in Cullman, Chaney feels an obligation to protect our children.

Advice from Judge Chaney:

What are signs that your child might be at risk online?

• Your child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.  Most children that fall victim to computer sex offenders spend large amounts of time online, particularly in chat rooms.  They may go online after dinner, during the evening hours, and on the weekends.
• You find pornography on your child’s computer.  Pornography is often used in the sexual victimization of children.  Sex offenders often supply their potential victims with pornography as a means of opening sexual discussion, and for seduction.
• Your child receives phone calls from men you don’t know or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you don’t recognize.
• Your child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don’t know.  As part of the seduction process, it is common for offenders to send letters, photographs, and all manner of gifts to their potential victims.
• Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you come into the room.  A child looking at pornographic images or having sexually explicit conversations does not want you to see it on the screen.
• Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.  Computer sex offenders will work very hard at driving a wedge between a child and their family, or at exploiting their relationship.  Children may also become withdrawn after sexual victimization.
• Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else.  Even if you don’t subscribe to an online service or internet service, your child may meet an offender while online at a friend’s house or the library.

What can you do to minimize the chances of an online exploiter victimizing your child?

• Communicate, and talk to your child about sexual victimization and potential online danger.
• Spend time with your children online.  Have them teach you about their favorite online destinations.
• Keep the computer in a common room in the house, not in your child’s bedroom.  It is much more difficult for a computer sex offender to communicate with a child when the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.
• Utilize parental controls provided by your service provider and/or blocking software.  While electronic chat can be a great place for children to make new friends and discuss various topics of interests, it is also prowled by computer sex offenders.  Use of chat rooms, in particular, should be heavily monitored.  While parents should utilize these mechanisms, they should not totally rely on them.
• Always maintain access to your child’s online account, and randomly check his/her email.  Be aware that you child could be contacted through the U.S. Mail.  be up front with your child about your access and reasons why.
• Teach your child the responsible use of resources online.  There is much more to the online experience than chat rooms.
• Find out what computer safeguards are used by your child’s school, the public library, and at the homes of your child’s friends.  These are all places outside your normal supervision, where your child could encounter an online predator.
• Instruct your children:
  • to never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met online
  • to never upload pictures of themselves onto the internet or online service to people they do not personally know
  • to never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number
  • to never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance there could be sexually explicit images
  • to never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or harassing
  • that whatever they are told online may or may not be true

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Jesse Wiggins sitting on the hot seat as the leader during Sunday's weigh-in at the Bassmaster Classic. (Photo courtesy of Josh Griffin)

KNOXVILLE, TN.– After a slow Friday on the Tennessee River where he hauled in just 10lbs, 11 oz, Cullman native Jesse Wiggins stormed up the leaderboard on Saturday and Sunday to finish third at this year’s Bassmaster Classic. Wiggins caught 15lbs, 15 oz on Saturday and added another 17lbs, 4 oz on championship Sunday for a grand total of 43lbs, 14 oz and a $40,000 prize. Ott Defoe finished as this year’s champion with a weight of 49lbs, 3 oz and Jacob Wheeler finished in second place just ahead of Wiggins with 45lb, 5 oz.

Wiggins’ big finish in Knoxville continues the winning tradition at the Bassmaster for former Bearcats. Fellow Cullman High School graduate Jordan Lee won the Bassmaster Classic in 2017 and 2018 and Wiggins made a big run at this year’s title after putting together a huge Sunday on the water. Lee placed 42nd at this year’s tournament with a total weight of 13lbs, 10 oz.

When this year’s Super Six made up of Wesley Strader, Chris Zaldain, Jacob Wheeler, Michael Iaconelli, Mark Daniels Jr. and Ott Defoe made their way to the stage, Wiggins was sitting in the hot seat as the current leader and he was thrilled to be front and center on the biggest stage in the sport.

“People ask me all the time when I started fishing and I’m like ‘I don’t remember because I can’t remember ever not fishing’. I’ve been fishing that long and this is the biggest tournament in the world and just to be leading it before they come out is just super. Fishing back at home, I remember me and my brother used to fish in an old sewage drain for snapping turtles. That’s how much we love fishing,” Wiggins smiled. “Growing up fishing is all we ever knew and getting to be on this stage, you think about but it you don’t really think its possible. Like I said I’m just a young, redneck kid from Alabama and I didn’t think I could make it to this, but I just kept fishing and kept fishing and I don’t know how it happened but I’m here somehow.”

Wiggins was knocked off the hot seat when Knoxville native Defoe brought 18lbs, 14 oz on stage to move into first place with a total weight of 49lbs, 3 oz.

Before he left the stage during his earlier weigh-in, Wiggins wanted to share a message with any aspiring anglers that may be watching.

“I’m just a little, ole redneck from Alabama so guys, if you’re out there and you think you want to do this, trust me you can,” Wiggins said. “Just put your head down and fish and fish and fish. Don’t take any shortcuts and just fish your butt off as much as you can locally, then go to the next stage and fish regionally at some of the opens and then you can work your way here. That’s exactly what I did. Take baby steps and you can get here.”

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

West Elementary third grader Avary Russo shows off her artwork Friday night at the Cullman Civic Center. (Christy Perry for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala. - Pablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” It’s a favorite quote of West and East Elementary’s art teacher Judith McBrayer and a source of inspiration for her students’ art projects this year. Approximately 1,200 students had their artwork on display at the WES/EES Art Show at the Cullman Civic Center on Friday night.

Students and parents came to enjoy the vivid color and unique artistic styles. McBrayer has been teaching art at both elementary schools for 13 years and she was noticeably proud of all her students’ originality and hard work.

She said, “I’m really into the bright colors. I love the bright colors. I think it just makes you happy. These kids at this early age, they need to be happy. There’s so many that need that excitement and joy. I do, too, and I get it from them.”

The art exhibit showcased a broad range of styles and textures. Putting on a show including 1,200 students takes planning.

“I start at the first of the year looking for different things they can do with different artists. From that I just start an art project and think about what they can do and think about what medium they can use,” McBrayer explained.

This year’s show drew inspiration from many famous artists including Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Leonardo DaVinci and Picasso. 

West Elementary third grader Avary Russo was excited to show her family her art project. Her class colored roses applied paper to give a 3-D appearance. She chose four roses in a large vase.

Said Russo, “I used two colors for the roses. Rust and red.” The blending gave her roses a textured appearance. 

The sixth graders were able to do something new this year, McBrayer said, “I’ve never had canvas. I had a donation of enough money that I could buy them canvas.”

The kids were able to paint what they wanted rather than adhering to a chosen theme.

“They took the ball and ran with it. They really did some awesome work,” McBrayer said. 

A great crowd came out to support the young artists and the schools’ art exhibit. McBrayer was greeted with many hugs and thanks.

She acknowledged, “Both of my principals are fabulous. They both encourage. They are just wonderful. I just couldn’t be more thankful. Our superintendent does, too! She is very, very supportive. The teachers, oh my gosh, the teachers-I just love them! They are all so supportive.” 

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Wallace State’s Relay For Life Team is gearing up for its March 30 March Madness Golf Tournament at Cullman’s Cross Creek Golf Course. The event is a flighted two-person scramble with a couple’s division offering cash prizes. Registration will begin at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon. Prizes will be awarded at 5 p.m.

Main sponsors for the event include, Domino’s Pizza, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A and Jack’s Hamburgers, with more than 40 other sponsors supporting the fight against cancer.

Registration for the event will continue through March 23 at www.wsccalumni.org/marchmadness19 or by contacting Debra Young at 256-352-8334 or debra.young@wallacestate.edu.

Image sent from Cullman High School to parents

CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County voters can head to the polls tomorrow, Tuesday, March 19, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. to vote on the continuation and renewal of an existing property tax allocation for schools. The tax is not new or an increase. State law requires the allocation be renewed through a referendum every 30 years.

See more here.

Cullman High School sent out a message to parents Monday morning, saying, "Cullman City Schools requests that you vote to maintain the funding allowed to CCS through the property tax. This is NOT a new tax."

Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Leah Bolin shared the following message with Chamber members: "On behalf of the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee, I wanted to ensure our membership was aware of tomorrow’s special election on the renewal and continuation of countywide and district school taxes. This is an extremely important election that greatly impacts our area school systems. This is not a new tax, and voting in favor to renew means our schools will be able to continue providing a high level of education throughout Cullman County. See the attached one-pager for more information. A sample ballot is also attached. (See below)
 
"Please spread the word about this special election, and please remember to exercise your right to vote tomorrow. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. If you’re not sure of your polling location, call the Cullman County Board of Registrars at 256-775-4750."

March 19 School Tax Referendum Information by TheCullmanTribune on Scribd

March 19 Sample Ballot by TheCullmanTribune on Scribd

Tracy and Shawn Burgess were two of the colorful attendees at Saturday’s Hanceville Irish Heritage Festival. (Christy Perry for The Cullman Tribune)

HANCEVILLE, Ala. - The second annual Hanceville Irish Heritage Festival was held Saturday. Organized by Hanceville Friends of the Festival, the event featured a packed lineup of entertainment, including Black Market Haggis, A Shamrock in Kudzu, Chuck Carpenter and Tommy Chapman. Dancers from The O'Faoláin Academy of Irish Dance also performed.

The clouds and cool weather gave way to sunshine and warmer temperatures by the afternoon, and the crowds began to pick up. By 1 p.m., the festival had lots of folks doing a jig and having a great time. Downtown merchants welcomed shoppers and Bulldog Country Cook’N had a packed house for its special Irish menu. 

The Hanceville Drug Company offered green milkshakes as a St. Patrick’s Day special. Vendors were set up on Commercial Street, while Bangor Avenue offered carnival games, a kids’ area, food vendors and the main stage. Irish folk group A Shamrock in Kudzu took the stage and attracted a nice crowd as they sang traditional Irish folk songs like “Waxies Dargle.”

“Waxies Dargle” is a traditional Irish drinking song, but despite the great effort, no alcohol was served at this year’s festival. Although the Hanceville City Council approved the special permit, the state did not.

Event organizer Tim Burney explained, “The state kept asking for more paperwork and more background checks. This went on for two months before we gave up and decided to just try again next year.”

Burney was otherwise pleased with the Saturday turnout, saying early in the day, “It’s better than last year despite the cooler temperatures. People are having fun and we have great acts coming up later. We have lots more coming up this year in Hanceville. We are really trying to bring more back to the community.”

Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

CULLMAN, Ala. – Below are the arrests and incidents reported on March 18, 2019. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.

GJ = grand jury; FTA = failure to appear

Cullman County Sheriff’s Office

Incidents

March 14

• unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking drugs; CR 1435, CR 1355
• domestic violence; CR 62
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia; CR 1655, CR 1660
• unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia; CR 1447, CR 1448

March 15

• harassment; CR 1101
• harassment; Hwy. 31
• theft of property; CR 1223
• trespassing; CR 1437
• theft of property; CR 468
• theft of property; CR 222
• harassment; Hwy. 91
• burglary; Hwy. 157
• burglary; Hwy. 91

March 16

• domestic violence; CR 1625
• domestic violence; CR 219
• theft of property; CR 1736
• unlawful possession of marijuana; Hwy. 69 N, CR 1807
• theft of property; CR 1668
• harassment; CR 1607
• domestic violence; CR 1485

March 17

• unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia; CR 818, CR 831
• domestic violence, menacing; CR 1447
• domestic violence, criminal mischief; CR 1718
• theft of property; Shaver Ave.
• theft of property; CR 1375
• unlawful possession of marijuana; CR 222, CR 438
• burglary; Red Hill Road
• theft of property; CR 1592
• domestic violence; Hwy. 69 N, CR 1807

Arrests

March 14

Barnett, Richard Shane, 19

• FTA- fourth-degree theft of property

Barrett, Charity Joy, 25

• public intoxication

Elliott, Joshua Dustin Donnie, 34

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Gean, Clifford Wayne Jr., 22

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Green, Willie Jack, 35

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Johnson, Johnny Wayne, 34

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• trafficking illegal drugs
• trafficking in methamphetamine
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Moore, Alexander Kenyon, 18

• discharging firearm in occupied/unoccupied building/vehicle

Nickelson, Loyd Berton, 33

• third-degree criminal trespassing

Parker, Morgan Nichole, 24

• FTA- second-degree theft of property
• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Snyder, Jeremy Robert, 44

• DUI- influence of alcohol

Weldon, Tracy Michelle, 44

• third-degree burglary (2 counts)
• unlawful breaking and entering of a motor vehicle

March 15-17

Allred, Terry Dewayne, 41

• probation violation

Anders, Kevin Russell, 34

• FTA- liability insurance required

Banister, Nikki Virginia, 31

• probation violation- first-degree theft of property

Foshee, Jennifer Joy, 43

• probation violation- second-degree promoting prison contraband

Foster, Raphael Maurice, 35

• FTA- open container in vehicle

Francis, Shane Michael, 25

• third-degree criminal trespassing
• public intoxication

Franklin, Cristy Linn, 43

• FTA- second-degree theft of property

Grier, Starla Danielle, 38

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Kilpatrick, Justin Todd, 55

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• possession of drug paraphernalia
• unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Lively, Timothy Lee, 37

• negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument

Lucas, Gregory Ryan, 35

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Mewbourn, Ricky Charles, 53

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Moore, Christina Johnson, 41

• FTA- fourth-degree theft of property
• FTA- unlawful breaking and entering of a motor vehicle

Peoples, Melissa Gail, 37

• FTA- public intoxication

Sanford, Christopher Lee, 34

• probation violation

Scott, Kilee Jade, 21

• third-degree domestic violence- third-degree criminal mischief

Sherrell, Cameron Daniel, 21

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Smith, Justin William, 30

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia (2 counts)

Swann, Brandon Lee, 27

• FTA- third degree domestic violence- harassment

Thompson, Joshua Andrew, 38

• FTA- driving while suspended

Wagner, Tonya Lynn, 38

• possession of drug paraphernalia
• possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Whitehead, Nicolas Aren, 37

• unauthorized use, unlawful breaking and entering of a motor vehicle

Williams, Sarah Elizabeth, 28

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana
• FTA- unlawful possession of a controlled substance

Wise, April Nichole, 31

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Cullman Police Department

Incidents

March 15

• fourth-degree theft of property; person; 4th St. SW; drill and socket set; $149
• third-degree theft of property; Manning Construction, LLC; Cherokee Ave. SW; saw; $1,450
• harassment, harassing communications; person
• fourth-degree theft of property; Wal-Mart; Hwy. 157; miscellaneous; $63
• fourth-degree theft of property; Wal-Mart; Olive St. SW; camera; $99
• identify-theft; person

March 16

• fourth-degree theft of property; person; 8th Ct. NE; air compressor; $150
• third-degree domestic violence- harassment; person

March 17

• third-degree domestic violence- harassment; person; 5th St. SW

Arrests

March 15-17

Anders, Kevin R., 34

• FTA- disorderly conduct

Ford, Brandon L., 45

• possession of drug paraphernalia

Cummings, Madyson B., 21

• fourth-degree theft of property

Brasher, Ronald A., 35

• DUI

Oliver, Samuel K., 24

• FTA- public intoxication

Tolbert, Barry K., 54

• disorderly conduct

Rodgers, Joshua A., 34

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia
• FTA- third-degree criminal trespassing (2 counts)
• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Parson, Derek C., 35

• DUI

Mendez, Jamie R., 35

• DUI

Thompson, Joshua A., 38

• FTA- second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Hawkins, Paul F., 45

• second-degree theft of property

Williams, Sarah E., 28

• FTA- possession of drug paraphernalia

Griffin, Kristopher L., 33

• FTA- DUI
• FTA- driving without a license
• FTA- insurance violation

Kelso, James G., 26

• GJ- third degree forgery (2 counts)
• GJ- third-degree possession of a forged instrument (2 counts)

Foshee, Jennifer J., 43

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Strickland, Trey M., 18

• second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

Oneal, Jason L., 37

• DUI

Cornett, Randall C., 29

• FTA- driving while suspended
• FTA- insurance violation
• FTA- running a red light

Whittle, Jacob E., 34

• DUI

Hanceville Police Department

No incidents or arrests reported.

Find arrest reports daily online Monday-Friday at www.CullmanTribune.com.

HANCEVILLE, Ala.- Wallace State’s BASS Fishing Club and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce are hosting the next stop on Carhartt Bassmaster College Series circuit, welcoming college anglers to Cullman’s Smith Lake on March 21-23.

More than 100 college teams and 265 boats are expected to converge upon Smith Lake Park during the event.

Weigh-ins are scheduled at Smith Lake Park on Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22 at approximately 3 p.m., and the final weigh-in is at Wallace State on Saturday, March 23 at approximately 3:30 p.m. The campus weigh-in is at the Bevill Building parking lot.

“It’s special to have the Bassmaster College Series bring this tournament here. It’s great they think enough of Wallace State, Smith Lake and everyone else involved to do so. Our students have a wonderful opportunity to fish on our home lake, which not many anglers get to enjoy for an event like this. We have a great chance to showcase Wallace State and Smith Lake,” said Wallace State BASS club employee sponsor Wesley Sams of the auxiliary department.

Wallace State’s BASS Club team began six years ago and has enjoyed success throughout the series, winning a pair of Wild Card events and competing at the collegiate series championship.

Sophomore Josh Butts is among the previous Wild Card winners for Wallace State.

“It’s awesome to be able to host a tournament during my last semester here. We couldn’t ask for anything better. It’s going to be important and cool to show people what Wallace State is all about. We appreciate (Wallace State President) Dr. Vicki Karolewics believing in us and treating us as importantly as any other team or group on campus,” Butts said.

During the 2018-2019 season, Wallace State’s BASS Fishing Club consists of Butts, Justin Baxley, James Whitacre, Tyler Pendergrass, Noah Garnett, Griffin Stephens, Tucker Putman, Will Dickerson and Dylan Richardson.

The team began the spring season two weeks ago on Lake Norman in Cornelius, N.C., marking the first tour stop.

Other collegiate tournaments are scheduled for Bull Shoals Lake at Mountain Home, Ark., and St. Lawrence River at Postdam, N.Y. The collegiate championship is set for Dayton, Tenn., in August.

Sams also credited the Cullman County Parks and Recreation Department for their willingness and support for hosting the tournament at Smith Lake Park.

For more information about the Carharrt Bassmaster College Series, visit https://www.bassmaster.com/college-bass-fishing

For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.