By Stephen Dawkins | Assistant Managing Editor

Jemison’s girls basketball team shook off an early funk and came back for a 30-27 win over Holtville on Monday in a game that was a tune-up for the area tournament.

Host JHS could manage only two points in the first period and trailed, 4-2, going into the second period.

Things weren’t much better in the second and third periods as the Panthers trailed 11-8 and 20-14, respectively.

But in the fourth quarter on Senior Night—the last home game for the team’s seniors—the Panthers came alive.

Shelby Lopez tied the game at 20 on a long jump shot with 6:25 remaining on the clock, and she gave the hosts the lead with 4:45 left when she dribbled into the lane, was fouled in the act of shooting and made one of the ensuing free throws.

Lopez made seven free throws in 10 attempts in the fourth quarter alone, and the Panthers made 12 out of 18 as a team.

Lopez finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Teammate Shayna Robinson had seven points and four steals.

The boys game ended too late to be included in this edition.

The Jemison girls play host Southside-Selma at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Class 4A, Area 6 tournament. If they win, they would play again at 3 p.m. Saturday in the area championship game.

The Jemison boys play host Dallas County at 6 p.m. Friday in the Class 4A, Area 6 tournament. If they win, the Panthers would play again at 6 p.m. on Feb. 13 for the area championship.

Mayor Eddie Reed announced in a Jemison council meeting Feb. 6 that the city has submitted information to the Alabama Department of Transportation in an attempt to receive funding for a project to repave County Road 42 East in Jemison.

Reed said the project would be too expensive for the city to take on without help from outside grants.

“If it comes through, it shall be an awesome thing for the city,” he said. “We’re working on it.”

In other business, the council approved the second reading of an ordinance to change the minimum acreage required in an agricultural district from 10 acres to one acre for the property of Jemison resident Clyde Varden.

Reed said the ordinance applies only to Varden’s property, and the council had to approve the ordinance before it approved the property’s rezoning.

The council approved a one-time water bill adjustment for Bobby Giles.

The council also approved to waive the fee for Ginny Hallmark to use the Jemison Municipal Complex for her second annual Get Moving Jemison event March 17.

Ryan Bowman, operations manager at Waste Pro in Birmingham, introduced himself to the council.

City Clerk Sheila Hogge noted that the city has started running checks through a check reader and must have a driver’s license number and current phone number on each check.

By Stephen Dawkins | Assistant Managing Editor

Jemison won at Chilton County on Friday in a game that might have been more hard fought than usual.

Bragging rights are always at stake between the two girls basketball teams, but Friday was the last home game for several CCHS seniors.

The visiting Panthers won, 43-36.

JHS led throughout the first half, but a Chynna Davis free throw with 4:23 remaining in the third period gave Chilton a 23-22 lead.

Jemison responded with a bucket inside by Shelby Griffin that sparked a 6-0 run and a 28-23 lead going into the fourth period.

But the hosts wouldn’t go quietly.

Keondra Looney drained a three-pointer with 6:58 left on the clock for a 31-30 CCHS edge.

The advantage was short-lived, though, as Jemison retook the lead, and two clutch free throws by Shelby Lopez with 52 seconds left sealed the win.

Lopez led Jemison with 13 points, eight of which came in the final quarter.

Teammate Shelby Griffin had 12 points.

Keona DeJarnett had a game-high 17 points for CCHS.

From Staff Reports

The University of West Alabama football team will have a Chilton County flavor this fall.

Three county players signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday to take their talents to Livingston.

Jemison receiver Eddie Hubbard and running back Javae Swindle held a joint ceremony Wednesday morning, and then Chilton County High School defensive end Dyquan Floyd signed with the Tigers later in the afternoon on what is known as National Signing Day, the first day high school football players can sign letters to play at the college of their choice.

By Stephen Dawkins | Assistant Managing Editor

The word might start spreading about Minooka Park, one of Chilton County’s best-kept secrets.

Park Manager Gerald Arrington’s efforts to have the blue, state-issued “Attractions” signs placed near Interstate 65 Exit 219 in Jemison may finally pay off.

Arrington has received word that Minooka was approved for the signs, and the Chilton County Commission has agreed to pay the costs associated with installing the signs.

“To say the least, it’s been a long process,” Arrington said. “Some of the delay was us not meeting the criteria.”

Namely, state officials wanted the road from Highway 31 to the park entrance paved, expanded hours of operation and a list of at least four activities available at the park.

“That satisfied the requirements that they had,” Arrington said.

Opening an RV campground provided the park with its fourth activity, along with fishing, hiking and picnicking.

The park was designed for ATV riding, though that isn’t one of the state’s recognized activities. Primitive campsites are available, and horseback riding has also been added since Arrington began working toward having the signs more than two years ago.

The signs off the interstate—there will be signs along the northbound and southbound sides of the road, and two more signs along the exit ramps—could benefit the park’s RV campground the most.

“Right now, the campground is doing really well on the weekends, if we have nice weather,” Arrington said. “I think that the signs will help us pick up more traffic during the week—people stopping in for one or two nights on their way to some other destination.”

C&C Trophy in Clanton is developing a logo for Minooka, and Arrington will submit the logo for approval by the state’s Department of Transportation along with necessary paperwork and fees.

“As soon as I get the things together that I need and send it to the state DOT, then the ball is in their court,” Arrington said.

The county will pay the state $1,700. Most of that amount is an annual fee, while $300 is a one-time payment for installation of the signs.

Arrington said he thinks the amount of business the signs could bring to the park makes them worth the fees, especially when compared to the cost of purchasing billboard space.

“The cost on those signs compared to a billboard made this a lot more attractive,” he said. “I think the biggest thing is just drawing more attention to the park.”

As part of the agreement with the state, the city of Jemison also had to commit to installing a “trailblazer” sign at the intersection of County Road 42, coming off the interstate, and Highway 31. The city council has done so.

“They said, ‘If we get them off the interstate, you all will have to direct them to the park from there,” Arrington said.

From Staff Reports

Chilton Christian Academy’s girls basketball team lost a big lead but held on to win in overtime, 41-39, thanks to free throws from Alissa Harris and Mary’l Smitherman.

The Patriots led 15-6 at halftime and 22-14 at the end of the third period, but Cahawba Christian tied it in the fourth.

Harris made a free throw to put CCA ahead in the fourth but then missed a second attempt. The miss was rebounded by Smitherman, who was fouled and then made one free throw of her own.

Rebekah Kirkland led the Patriots with 10 points, while Destiny Richards posted nine points and 17 rebounds.

The Jemison City Council accepted Officer Tera Mayfield’s resignation from the Jemison Police Department at its meeting Jan. 17.

Mayfield has been with the department for three years, Chief Shane Fulmer said.

“It took her two days to tell me,” Fulmer said of Mayfield, noting that her resignation came because of another career opportunity.

“She was an awesome officer,” Mayor Eddie Reed said. “We just simply hate losing such a good officer. She was very dedicated and professional.”

The council approved an amended ordinance for the police department’s pay scale in its manual, including guidelines for pay grades and pay steps for the department.

In new business, the council:

•Discussed amending an ordinance to change the minimum acreage requirement in an agriculture district from 10 acres to one acre.

•Adjusted Jemison resident Rhonda Picken’s water bill according to a city ordinance

•Approved a 50-cent pay raise for city employees Karen McMinn and Andy Sutley according to the 90-day city policy for full-time hire.

•Approved buying a half-page ad in The Clanton Advertiser’s Progress Edition for $775.

By Stephen Dawkins | Assistant Managing Editor

A home was destroyed but no injuries resulted from a fire Tuesday in North Chilton County.

Neighbors reported a mobile home on fire to Chilton County 911 at about 4 p.m., and firefighters had the fire under control about an hour later.

The incident took place in the 5600 block of state Highway 155, between Jemison and Montevallo.

“The home was totally destroyed,” North Chilton Fire Department Chief Jason Scott said. “We do not have a definite cause of the fire. They had been gone an estimated two hours (when the fire started), according to their reports.”

West Chilton Fire Department assisted on the call.

The Thorsby Town Council approved adding a $20 fee to reserve Richard Wood Park’s pavilion.

The non-refundable charge will only affect people or groups seeking to have use of the facility for a specific time, said Mayor Dearl Hilyer.

People will still be able to use the pavilion without reservations, but the space can’t be guaranteed without one. All money gathered from reservations will be spent on only park improvements, Hilyer said.

In other business, the council took the following actions:

•Passed an ordinance putting Thorsby under the Safe Streets Act. In a related measure, the town tabled approving a wrecker rotation policy until its next meeting. Look for updates on both in future Advertiser stories.

•Approved sending Chief Rodney Barnett to the Alabama Police Chief’s Conference in Huntsville later this month. The council also approved sending two officers to a fingerprinting workshop in Andalusia next month.

•Hilyer announced the town has received a $1,000 grant from Walmart for parks and recreation equipment.

Jemison’s boys team won its first Chilton County Basketball Tournament championship since 1994—and in the process broke rival Chilton County High School’s streak of nine consecutive titles.

The Panthers, who entered as the tournament’s top seed, won Saturday at host CCHS, 51-31.

JHS led by just three points at halftime, 18-15, in a game that included several hard fouls and the referees calling both teams to midcourt at one point for a warning.

Chilton’s physical play forced Jemison out of its usual fast-paced attack that can rack up points in a hurry, but the hosts also had trouble scoring because Jemison’s athleticism and length forced its opponents into deep shot attempts that are not their strength.

Seniors Trey Bryant and Jalen Hardnett led Jemison’s effort with 12 points each. Austin Lovette came off the bench to score 10 points, all in the second half.