By Stephen Dawkins

The umpire finally decided the rain was falling too hard.
Jemison’s and Thorsby’s baseball teams had played in a constant rain for about an hour and a half on Tuesday, but the game was called with Thorsby holding a 4-1 lead.
The Rebels (11-1) were at bat with runners on first and second bases with no outs when play was halted.
“The way we’re hitting the ball, I think we could play with just about anybody,” Thorsby coach Ab Argent said as the Class 2A Rebels were leaving the field with an advantage over the Class 4A Panthers (4-8).
Thorsby did most of its damage in the top of the first, before most of those attendance became completely soaked with water.
Jemison starting pitcher Cruz Martinez walked three straight batters—Jace Maddox, Brantley Bice and Cory Woodall—and two runs scored on wild pitches.
Jason Price drove home Thorsby’s third run with a solid single up the middle
Catcher Matt Morgan led off the Thorsby second with a base hit, and his courtesy runner, Stephen Mims, scored one out later on a double steal—Mims from third base and Evan Bryan from first.
Thorsby starter Cody Carroll was effective throughout despite the muddy mound and unsure footing of his fielders.
Carroll allowed two hits in three innings while striking out three, but the singles came in the same inning and produced a run.
Jemison’s Jacob Chapman hit safely with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. After a Thorsby throwing error, Jackson Mims drove a ball to deep right-center field.
Chapman scored easily from second base, but Scott Clements was thrown out at home plate to end the inning on a perfectly executed 9-4-2 relay—Maddox to Wesley Smitherman to Morgan.
Because of the weather, the hosts wouldn’t get another shot.
Jemison coach Jason Easterling said the game could be resumed at a date that has yet to decided.

By Scott Mims

Thorsby kindergarteners, first and second graders participated in a “hat parade” Friday afternoon led by the school’s marching band.
The parade ended a week of activities held in conjunction with Read Across America Day, which coincides with the birthday of famous children’s author and illustrator Dr. Seuss. The parade went along with this year’s Read Across America theme, “Grab a Hat and Read with the Cat.”
At the end of the day, school administrators waved goodbye to the students from atop the school’s roof.
Faculty members and administrators also donned hats of all colors and sizes.
“They’ve been reading books throughout the month,” said Thorsby reading coach Karen Watley. “They read books to see who got on the roof.”
Thorsby history teacher Ken Copen, lunchroom manager Debbie Dutton and assistant principal Carlton LeSueur all were good sports and went up on the roof Friday.
Other activities were held throughout the week. Students got to eat some green eggs and ham and pay tribute to their favorite Dr. Seuss book of the same title.
They also wore silly socks and read “Fox in Socks.”
Thorsby joined schools across the county in celebrating the importance of reading for a week.

By Scott Mims

The Thorsby Public Library is well-hidden in the back of city hall, but the secret is coming out.
Nearly 60 people visited the library in January, compared to five people or less per month from January through September 2009, librarian Mary Angel reported.
“It’s like a well-kept secret. As more people come here, they tell other people,” Angel said.
Attendance started picking up in December and was spiked partly by the temporary closing of Jemison’s public library. The closing was due to the construction of a new municipal building in Jemison, which will house the library once complete.
Another attendance booster is the Senior Rx program, which assists eligible people 55 and older in paying for prescription medication. The program also helps disabled people with no prescription coverage. A representative is available each Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Now they’re coming back to check books out or use the computer,” Angel said of those benefiting from Senior Rx.
The Thorsby Library has a computer with Internet access and approximately 1,000 titles of fiction. Visitors may request a title unavailable on site, and the Chilton-Clanton Public Library can deliver any available titles from their facility.
Angel said popular requests include Sarah Palin’s autobiography, “Going Rogue: An American Life,” and anything by James Patterson or Janette Oke.
“There are a lot of good stories here,” she said.
Not all of those stories exist on print, however. Angel frequently finds herself chatting with visitors, recommending book titles and even helping a few aspiring novelists.
Lisa Moon is one of those aspiring writers. She frequents the library often.
“I have never enjoyed a library more. She (Angel) has such a passion about her books,” Moon said Friday.
Future goals of the library are to add a children’s reading program, another program for junior high and high school students and a book club.
For more information, call Thorsby City Hall at 646-3575.

By Stephen Dawkins

The library at Jemison Elementary School  checked out its 100,000th book of the school year.
The occasion—which occurred during Literacy Week and on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, no less—demonstrates how teachers and administrators have challenged students to read and how the students have responded.
School librarian Regina Young didn’t know exactly what book was the 100,000th to be checked it out or what student checked it out Tuesday.
“She was so busy, she missed it,” JES Principal Louise Pitts said.
“I missed it by about 200,” Young said.
Young stays busy because the library is used so regularly.
Pitts said most libraries use a fixed schedule, where each class visits the library at a certain day and time each week, or a flex schedule, where students visit the library individually after they have finished a book.
The JES library used both types of scheduling, and so as many as 12 classes visit the library on a given day to go along with the students that drop by as they finish a book.
“Ms. Young gives us the best of both worlds,” Pitts said. “Without her doing this, we wouldn’t be learning like we’re learning.”
The emphasis is part of the school’s employment of the Accelerated Reader program, where students are tested on their reading comprehension and their reading level increases as they perform well on the tests.
Each student has his or her own library card, and they have been instructed on how to use them to check out and check in their books without Young’s help.
The school even has a reading coach, Stephanie Halpert.
The students seem to enjoy the challenge of raising their reading level and trying more difficult reads.
“Ms. Pitts, I’m on a 4.3 level!” third grader Brianna Edwards exclaimed Thursday after checking out a new book.
“They love to tell you what level they’re on,” Pitts said.
Young said it’s not uncommon for the library to check out 1,300 books a day, remarkable considering the school has an enrollment of 885.
“That’s becoming our issue now is that so many kids are checking books out, they can’t find them on their level,” Pitts said, but that’s a problem she doesn’t mind having.

By Stephen Dawkins

ISABELLA – Asked what his team did better Thursday than it had earlier in the season, Jemison baseball coach Jason Easterling had an easy answer: “Everything.”
The Panthers swept a doubleheader from Isabella, 9-2 and 12-0, for their first two wins of the season after starting out losing eight straight.
“We pitched better, we hit better, and we played better defense,” Easterling said.
The better pitching was thanks to Jacob Chapman, who earned the win in the first game, and Nick Campbell, who held the hosts to four hits in seven innings in the second game while striking out four.
The better hitting came in the form of Jemison putting together big innings.
Isabella (3-7) was within striking distance, down 5-2, until the Panthers struck for four runs in the top of the seventh inning of Game 1.
An error allowed Patrick Sims to record an inside-the-park home run, sparking the rally.
In Game 2, much of the damage was done on three hits.
Chapman’s second-inning single scored Zak Kaylor and Jacob Bass, then Kaylor drove home Alex Campbell and Donny Eslinger with a hit in the third to make it 5-0, and finally, Scott Clements drilled a three-run home run to right-center field in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Bass and Chapman.
And then there was the defense, including a well-turned 6-4-3 double play—Cruz Martinez to Eslinger to Clements—in the bottom of the third inning.
“I think we may be turning the corner—if we’ll just keep it going, Easterling said.”

At the plate: Jacob Chapman (2/4, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Zak Kaylor (2/4, R, 3 RBI), Cruz Martinez (4/5, 2B)

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison: Where the water flows like…it’s free.

City officials won’t be adopting that as a new motto anytime soon and, in fact, have been working to prosecute those suspected of stealing water.

One Jemison residence had illegally used an estimated 68,000 gallons of water over a period of about four years, Police Chief Shane Fulmer said, in what has become a more common problem for the city.

“In the past two and a half weeks, we’ve had more trouble than we’ve ever had,” Fulmer said.

Three people from two different residences will be prosecuted in April in municipal court for tampering with water meters to allow the flow of water onto their property without paying for it.

In both cases, service had been cut off, but the suspects broke a lock that is put on the meter.

In one case, the suspect also altered the meter to prevent the numbers from turning, making it impossible for Water Department employees to tell the water was running.

If convicted, the suspects would be forced to pay restitution for the water stolen and $86 for the broken meter and curb stop, the locking mechanism.

“We want people to know that it is criminal mischief,” Fulmer said. “If we get complaints or we figure out something is going on, we’re going to do an investigation.

“They’re not just stealing from the city; they’re stealing from other citizens.”

City officials might receive complaints from water bill-paying residents, and the city’s Water Department employees often check the meters of homes that have had their service terminated.

In the case of the long-term water thief, Animal Control and Code Enforcement officer Bobby Tucker was actually checking the residence after an animal control complaint and saw evidence of running water. Tucker knew the residence was not supposed to have water, and the investigation began.

“The Water Department does a good job of paying attention,” Fulmer said. “If anything is suspected, we work together to figure out what is going on.”

By Scott Mims

The town of Thorsby is partnering with Wallace Community College-Selma to host free GED classes Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-8 p.m. at Helen Jenkins Chapel.

Those who are interested may also study for their GED online at the Thorsby Public Library or from their home computer.

The classes, which are conducted by the WCCS Adult Education Program, began March 2. People may join the class anytime.

“Maplesville is already doing that, and we had heard a lot of positive things about the program,” Thorsby Mayor Dearl Hilyer said. “We just thought it would be something positive for our end of the county.”

A GED, or General Education Diploma, is equivalent to a high school-level education. To obtain a GED, one must pass a group of core subject tests.

Free classes are also offered at the Maplesville Depot on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-8 p.m., and in a building behind Martin Funeral Home in Clanton Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon and from 5-8 p.m.

Those who wish to take classes in Clanton must attend orientation, which is held the first Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. and again at 6 p.m.

“We’re grateful to the people in each of those communities,” said Lula Snowden, Adult Education Director for WCCS. “We’re so thankful for the city of Thorsby. Mayor Hilyer has helped us tremendously getting the class started there.”

For more information about GED classes in Thorsby and Maplesville, call (334) 876-9369. For more information about Clanton classes, call 280-8484.

Our country’s economic recession has affected everyone.
Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed, though, is happy to say his city has weathered the storm quite well.
According to a presentation by Yolanda Watkins, a regional account manager with Revenue Discovery Systems, Jemison’s sales tax revenue has dropped 2 percent since 2007.
“Some cities are down 30 percent,” Watkins told the Jemison City Council on Feb. 15.
“You don’t want to say you’re down, but at least you’re not down by that much.”
Almost one-quarter of Jemison’s sales tax revenue comes from grocers, according to the RDS report. The next biggest contributor is gas stations, with 16 percent; then limited-service restaurants, with 15 percent; and then discount department stores, with nine percent.
Reed said the city’s diverse tax base is what has allowed it, so far, to withstand the economic downturn.
“That is due to the fact that we don’t have the big malls or the strip malls,” Reed said. “We have done extremely well.”
The city has seen the number of tax-paying businesses increase from 600 in 2004 to 1,500 in 2009.

By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby senior Kevin Brasher on Tuesday signed to play football for Faulkner University in the fall.
Brasher’s ceremony in front of some family and friends in the school library is proof that hard work can go a long way.
“His work ethic is second to none,” Thorsby coach Billy Jackson said. “You couldn’t ask for a better kid.”
Brasher said he visited Faulkner a couple of weeks ago and liked “the coaches—just all the people down there,” he said.
Faulkner coach Duane McWhorter said Brasher’s grades are more evidence of his willingness to work.
“The first conversation I had with his coach, he talked about his work ethic and he talked about that he’s a good person,” McWhorter said. “Secondly, he’s a good football player.”
McWhorter said he envisions Brasher playing the slot receiver position in the Eagles’ offense.
Brasher was a starting strong safety and backup fullback for Thorsby.
Jackson said he thinks the role will suit Brasher.
“I think he’ll do well for them,” Jackson said.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison City Council on Monday granted its first two alcohol licenses.
City residents voted on Jan. 12 to allow alcohol sales, and the council passed an ordinance on Jan. 18.
Jemison Exxon, near Interstate 65 Exit 219, and Stop and Shop, on Highway 31 north of Jemison High School, are the first businesses licensed to sell alcohol in city limits.
“Ya’ll just made history,” Mayor Eddie Reed told the council after its unanimous vote.
Before being granted licenses, businesses are scrutinized by Police Chief Shane Fulmer, who runs background checks on the business owners, and Fire Chief John Dennis and Building Inspector Shannon Welch, who both ensure the business is compliant with local and state fire and building codes.
All three officials were present at the meeting and approved granting licenses to the businesses.
Jemison’s ordinance also allows for public debate before licenses are granted, but no one was present at the regularly scheduled meeting at Jemison City Hall to voice opposition.
“This is a historic moment for the city of Jemison,” Reed said. “It’s gone smoothly because we have the people in place.”
In other business, the council:
•Heard a presentation from Diane Calloway about regulations that could apply to the auditorium in the new city hall that is still under construction.
Calloway previously had volunteered to gather information about rental rates and other usage regulations adopted for Helen Jenkins Chapel in Thorsby and Calera Community Center.
The council thanked Calloway for her help and indicated action could be taken on the matter in a future meeting.
•Heard from Dennis about the Alabama Smoke Alarm Initiative, which Jemison will participate in. The state initiative is a way of ensuring all residents have working smoke alarms.