Welcome To Chilton County News in Clanton, Alabama, located in the center of the State of Alabama in the Heart Of Dixie.
This web site contains local Peach Country information, news and happenings about the people of
Clanton, Jemison, Thorsby, Maplesville, Isabella, Verbena and Cooper in Chilton County, Alabama.
"Chilton County's Best-Read Weekly Community Newspaper"
RECENT NEWS FROM AROUND CHILTON COUNTY!
Anne Lathan, right, spoke at Senior Connection on Monday, February 17. She is a Registered Dietitian with the St. Vincent’s Health System. She gave Senior Connection members important information on ways to stay heart-healthy.
Class Reunion April 18
The Chilton County High School Class of 1970 will have their 50th Class Reunion on Saturday, April 18 at the Yellowleaf Creek Mill in Clanton from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m. The cost is $30.00 per person.
For additional information call Kathy Plier at 205 646-2011 or Rhonda Sharman at 205 529-3545 or mail your check to David Weldon at 520 County Road 789, Clanton, AL 35045-6073. Deadline to register is April 10.
Senior Connection members enjoyed a game of bean-bag baseball on Friday, February 14. Left to right: Zed Price, Sarah Spalding, Don Hand, Brenda Rhodes, Jon-Ellen Nix, Yolanda Fox and Alvin Teel.
Senior Connection, in Clanton, held a Valentine Dance on February 14.
Chill Hours/Portions for
October 1, 2019 - February 15, 2020
Jemison (Union Grove) 836/53
Jemison (Petals From The Past) 821.5/52
Thorsby (CREC) 804/50.1
Thorsby (Boozer Farms) 869/48
Fairview (Durbin Farms) 763.5/52.7
Recorded Rainfall
as of February 16th
Jemison (Union Grove) 9.86”
Jemison (Petals From The Past) 11.07”
Jemison Intermediate School 9.89”
Thorsby (CREC) 9.46”
Thorsby (Boozer Farms) 11.97”
Clanton (Airport) 10.36”
Fairview (Durbin Farms) 7.21”
"Blast From The Past"
Tickets On Sale
Blast From The Past will be held in the McKee Auditorium at Chilton County High School on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29, at 7:00 p.m. There will be a Sunday afternoon performance on March 1 at 2:00.
Tickets are $7.00 each and may only be purchased each Tuesday through the month of February in the auditorium lobby from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. They will also be available from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. February 24 through February 28. Tickets will be available at the door at each performance one hour prior to showtime, provided the shows aren’t sold out. Cash or checks are accepted.
A total of 24 Billboard Top 40’s Hits will be performed with singers and dancers. Students from all county schools will participate. Songs include hits from the 1950’s including El Paso and Put Your Head On My Shoulder. Hits from the 1960’s include Let’s Dance, Maybe I Know, I’ve Told Every Little Star, and You Ain’t Woman Enough.
There will also be songs from the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s. I Hope You Dance from 2001 will also be performed.
Heart Of Dixie Beauty
Pageant This Month
The 22nd Annual Heart Of Dixie Pageant, sponsored by the Jemison Band Boosters, will be Saturday, February 29 at Jemison High School Auditorium. Pageant times are: 10:30 a.m. for 0 to 9 years old and 3:30 p.m. for 10 to 18 years old.
Story Hour At Jemison
The Jemison Public Library is hosting Story Hour each Wednesday at the Jemison City Hall from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
If you are interested in becoming an instructor or have an idea for a class, please call Cheryle English or Tammie McGriff at the number above.
Celebrate Recovery On Monday
At Clanton Methodist
Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12 step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, habit or a hang-up of any kind.
The program is held every Monday night at Clanton First United Methodist Church with a large group meeting at 6:30 pm and men and women’s small groups meeting at 7:30 pm.
Dinner is provided from 5:30 until 6:15 pm. The church offers Celebration Place for children 5 through 12 and childcare for children 3 to 4 years old.
Everyone is invited to attend!
Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling your life.
HEAVY RAIN JANUARY 14!
Farm Center Project
Expected To Grow County
By Becky Tucker, News Reporter
Whitney Barlow spoke at a luncheon, hosted by Senior Connection on Wednesday, January 22, about the proposed farm center project to be located on Highway 145 in Chilton County. She is the Executive Director of the Chilton County Industrial Development Authority which has members from the City of Clanton, Town of Maplesville, City of Jemison and Town of Thorsby.
“The Industrial Development Authority’s goal is economic development in Chilton County and its municipalities,” Barlow said. “In 2019, the Alabama Farmers Federation introduced their gift to the State of Alabama for their 100th year of existence in 2021, which will be the Centennial Park Ag Center.”
The Center will be located off Exit 212 and consists of 527 acres of property purchased by the City of Clanton and Chilton County. The Center will host a variety of shows such as car shows, RV shows, fairs, concerts, livestock shows, a variety of different horse shows. Barlow said, “What this means for us locally is, individuals will be coming into Chilton County and buying food, staying in hotels and shopping here. Every time they spend a dollar, tax money will go into the county and city which means better roads, schools, jobs, and economy.”
According to Barlow, commercial growth in an area is based on the number of people living in there, along with their income. She said studies for the Center project have included Shelby and Autauga Counties in the economic impact area because those areas have higher household incomes and greater population than Chilton County.
Businesses look for areas with higher average incomes and more people than currently live in Chilton County. “It’s all about traffic in getting businesses to locate here,” Barlow said. The Center should draw in crowds to attend events, stay a few days, cause traffic issues, but she added, “they will go home.”
The Authority has begun work with the local college on trying to expand on workforce development. “We are in a great location to help fill workforce needs,” Barlow said. “The Center will help us develop leadership skills in our youth, increase our commercial growth, and fill the workforce need.”
The Center will be built in phases. The main arena will seat 7,500 people, there will be an equestrian/livestock indoor arena, a sheep and swine barn, and a 150,000 square foot exhibition hall. The plan is to break ground in May of this year with a building completed by 2021. Barlow said the livestock barns would be built first and one of the three arenas, along with the exhibition hall and RV parking areas.
As for expanding Highway 145 near the proposed site, Barlow said that is still being talked about. She said Highway Department is aware this project has to be put at the top of the list, once the final plans for the Center are completed.
There are wetlands on the upper part of the property. “Everyone was aware of the wetlands the entire time,” Barlow said. “There are some streams and we do have some issues out there, but not at that upper part. We knew that could not be developed at all.” The employment projection for the actual Center itself will never be more than 75 people continuously, according to Barlow. At peek season there will be more people employed. “Commercial growth is where a lot of the jobs will come from, hotels, restaurants, and retail development,” she said.
Clanton Fire Calls
January 22, 2020
200 Block 3rd Avenue North-Fall
1400 Block Meadowood Drive-Public Assist
900 Block 8th Street North-Altered Mental Status
January 23, 2020
1300 Block 4th Avenue South-Public Assist
300 Block Airport Road-Unresponsive
2000 Block Lay Dam Road-Fire Alarm
100 Block Peach Tree Lane-Abdominal Pain
900 Block Wilson Road-Medical Alarm
100 Block Thompson Avenue-Medical Alarm
400 Block Inverness Drive-False Alarm
January 24, 2020
100 Block Peach Tree Lane-General Illness
1100 Block 7th Street North-Syncope
January 25, 2020
800 Block Scott Drive-Fire Alarm
900 Block 7th Street South-AMS
1400 Block 7th Street South-Unresponsive
30 Block Maplewood Circle-Altered Mental Status
100 Block Thompson Avenue-Chest Pain
January 26, 2020
300 Block City Street-Fall
100 Block Thompson Avenue-Medical Alarm
900 Block Wilson Road-Fall
300 Block 6th Street South-Motor Vehicle Accident
January 27, 2020
2800 Block 4th Avenue North-General Illness
200 Block 3rd Avenue South-Smoke Investigation
100 Block Thompson Avenue-Chest Pain
300 Block Health Center Drive-Difficulty Breathing
2400 Block Big M Boulevard-Chest Pain
January 28, 2020
3900 Block Old Henry Road-Seizure
700 Block 8th Street North-Chest Pain
1100 Block 4th Avenue South-Chest Pain
500 Block 2nd Avenue South-Public Assist
700 Block 8th Street North-Unresponsive
2500 Block 7th Street South-Fire Alarm
100 Block Oak Ridge Lane-Smoke Investigation
1300 Block 4th Avenue North-Smoke Investigation
January 29, 2020
200 Block Willis Circle-General Illness
I65 211 Mile Marker South Bound-Motor Vehicle Accident
1400 Block 4th Avenue South-Chest Pain
I65 211 Mile Marker North Bound-Motor Vehicle Accident
January 30, 2020
700 Block Wilson Road-Motor Vehicle Accident
100 Block Marie Street-Seizure
3300 Block Lay Dam Road-Assist Police
1000 Block Bud Littlejohn Road-General Illness
300 Block City Street-Childbirth
January 31, 2020
1200 Block 7th Street South-Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle
1700 Block 7th Street North-Public Assist
20 Block 2nd Avenue South-Abdominal Pain
300 Block Pinedale Road-Public Assist
900 Block 7th Street South-Public Assist
800 Block Lay Dam Road-Blood Pressure Check
February 1, 2020
1600 Block 7th Street South-Altered Mental Status
700 Block 8th Street North-Overdose
4000 Block 7th Street North-Blood Pressure Check
1000 Block Bud Littlejohn Road-Chest Pain
500 Block 7th Street North-Altered Mental Status
900 Block Wilson Road-Medical Alarm
1400 Block Taylor Avenue-Seizure
February 2, 2020
3000 Block 7th Street North-General Illness
2500 Block Yellowleaf Road-Public Assist
3000 Block 7th Street North-Public Assist
700 Block 8th Street North-Altered Mental Status
2000 Block Lay Dam Road-Helicopter Landing Zone
1200 Block 7th Street South-General Illness
7th Street South and Scott Drive-Motor Vehicle Accident
20 Block 2nd Avenue South-Abdominal Pain
2800 Block 7th Street North-Public Assist
3000 Block 7th Street North-General Illness
700 Block 8th Street North-Seizure
February 3, 2020
4000 Block Gowan Road-Difficulty Breathing
200 Block 8th Street North-Altered Mental Status
600 Block 9th Street North-General Illness
I65 211 Mile Marker-Motor Vehicle Accident
400 Block 7th Street North-Seizure
800 Block 14th Avenue North-Altered Mental Status
2500 Block 7th Street South-Equipment Fire
February 4, 2020
2500 Block 7th Street South-Traumatic Injury
800 Block Scott Drive-Fall
300 Block 2nd Street South-Diabetic Emergency
Price Drive-Helicopter Landing Zone
2000 Block Lay Dam Road-Helicopter Landing Zone