By Scott Mims

Ryan Powell will begin his high school basketball coaching career at Thorsby High School this fall.
Powell, who has coached at several different schools on the college level, comes to Thorsby from the University of Montevallo, where he worked last year as an assistant coach.
“Being a college coach involves so much traveling, I just wanted to settle down in an area and get my feet wet,” Powell said Friday.
Powell is a native of Grove Hill and graduated from Clarke County High School in 2001. He went on to play college ball at Southern Miss for two years, then at Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette for one year, and finally at Auburn University Montgomery, where he graduated in 2006. His has degrees in science and education and a master’s in human environmental sciences.
Before Montevallo, Powell coached as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama. The year prior, he was a graduate assistant at the University of Louisiana Monroe. The year before that, he assisted at Jones County Community College in Mississippi.
Powell said he thinks high school coaches need to have a more diverse philosophy than college coaches.
“I think I know enough about the game to be successful at the high school level,” he said. “Instead of recruiting … you’re dealt with a hand and you have to just use what you’ve got to the best of your ability.”
He did say he would like to promote an up-tempo kind of play at Thorsby, but that depends on what kind of athletes are there.
“I’m going to have to adjust more than the players are going to have to adjust,” he said.
Powell spoke positively about getting to meet a couple of students and said he is looking forward to meeting the rest. The Rebels’ first game will be Friday, Nov. 19 against Fayetteville.
“I’m looking forward to working with them, having an impact on their lives and helping them to be successful,” he said.
He thanked Thorsby Principal Russ Bryan for giving him the opportunity.
Powell currently resides in Pelham with his wife, Candace, and 3-week-old son, Grayson.

By Scott Mims

Chilton County Sheriff’s Deputies and Clanton Police have arrested a husband and wife team suspected in a string of burglaries in the Clanton, Jemison, Calera, rural Chilton County and Autauga County areas.
Quantez Nathan Perry and Sonya Denise Perry, both of Birmingham, were arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 4 following a short foot pursuit and scuffle with law enforcement officers.
Quantez Perry was arrested leaving the scene of a residential burglary located at 847 Lake Mitchell Road in Clanton, according to Clanton Police. A passerby had reportedly become suspicious and dialed 9-1-1, which led to the arrest.
Cpt. Erick Smitherman with the sheriff’s department was the first officer on the scene. Upon arriving at the residence, he noticed a back door had been forced open. The male suspect exited the door and a foot pursuit ensued, and he was apprehended close to the residence.
Sonya Perry was arrested at the Lake Mitchell Exxon. Both offenders were armed at the time of arrest.
“It just happened that we had people in the area and the response time was good,” Chilton County Sheriff Kevin Davis said. “We are appreciative of the help from the citizen who made the 911 call.”
Davis also commended other agencies involved, which included Clanton PD, Jemison PD, Calera PD and the Autauga County Sheriff’s Department.
“It was good police work between all agencies to bring them to justice,” he said.
Detectives with Clanton Police Department have signed 29 warrants on the two listed offenders stemming from seven burglaries within Clanton city limits. The bonds have been set at $260,000 for each defendant on these cases. Both were charged with seven counts of burglary and theft of property, and Quantez Perry was also charged with one count receiving stolen property for being in possession of a stolen firearm.
Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell said Sonya Perry has been cooperative with law enforcement.
“(She) has told detectives that they were planning on going out like Bonnie and Clyde,” Stilwell said, adding, “I am glad no one was hurt. The sheriff’s deputies and police officers did an outstanding job making this arrest with only minor injuries to Mr. Perry.”
The couple also face 22 total charges (11 each) for crimes in the Jemison area ranging from burglary to theft of property to criminal mischief. Jemison PD has set $220,000 bond on each.
“It’s unfortunate that things like this happen, but they do,” said Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer, recognizing all agencies involved. “It’s not uncommon that we get out-of-towners. The majority of our (incidents) were within a 2-mile radius of the Interstate.”
Jemison Police are in the process of recovering the stolen property so that it can be returned to the victims.
Meanwhile, much property was recovered from a Birmingham residence after Chilton County Sheriff’s Investigator Shane Lockhart presented a search warrant to a Jefferson County judge, who approved the warrant.
Both Davis and Fulmer indicated that further charges are pending.
“Of course, it doesn’t stop there,” Fulmer said. “You’ve got to connect all these cases and do a lot more investigation.”

By Scott Mims

The town of Thorsby is ready to begin Phase 2 of its lighting improvement project in Richard Wood Park, which will involve the installation of concrete light poles and several new lights.

Phase 1 required the placement of 10 lights around the perimeter of the park and an evaluation of how many additional fixtures would be needed for adequate lighting.

The town’s Swedish Fest Committee came up with the idea and donated $14,000 toward the new lights. The money was raised from two years of Swedish Fest events. The remainder of the project is being funded by half of a $12,500 grant from Rep. Jimmy Martin.

“We’ve been really pleased with how much light they give off and the whole appearance. It really looks nice,” Mayor Dearl Hilyer said.

The 10 working lights are affixed to poles made from PVC pipe. These will be replaced with permanent, decorative concrete poles originally made for the city of Memphis, Tenn. The city turned down a batch of 30 poles because they contained too much brown sand, Hilyer said.

Thorsby purchased all 30 poles for approximately $12,000, and the mayor called it a “good buy,” crediting councilman Neil Benson with locating the poles. He said about 15 would be used in Richard Wood Park, and the rest could be used elsewhere if the council decided to pursue a sidewalk grant.

Had the town decided to wait about purchasing additional poles, Hilyer said they could have easily cost twice as much.

“At first, we were not sure about the number of poles we would need (for the park),” he added.

After the study, Hilyer is confident that five additional lights will be enough for the park’s interior. The cost for all 15 lights was $4,500. There will be additional costs in labor and installation.

The mayor estimated the project could be completed within two to three weeks.

“That park is really the centerpiece of our town,” Hilyer said. “I feel like we have one of the nicest, safest parks in the county.”

The other 50 percent of the Martin grant will go toward improvements in Sam Bentley Park. The town is currently waiting on the Park and Recreation Committee to submit a plan for the improvements.

By Scott Mims

Thorsby Police are investigating the apparent accidental shooting of a 12-year-old boy who was severely injured Saturday night.

At approximately 6:12 p.m., Thorsby Police, Thorsby Fire and Rescue and RPS ambulance responded to a report of a gunshot victim in the 900th block of Third Street in Thorsby. Upon arrival, they found a 12-year-old boy with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to the head.

Reports indicated the boy was home alone at the time of the incident. The gun, a .38 caliber revolver, was found in the room with the child.

The victim was transported via RPS ambulance to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. Lifesaver helicopter was called but could not fly due to inclement weather.

“At this time it appears the shooting was accidental,” said Thorsby Assistant Police Chief Rick Simmons. “There’s nothing to indicate anyone else was involved.”

In a statement released by Thorsby Police, the older brother of the victim had said his brother (the victim) was OK when he left to pick up their mother from work. Upon their return, they found the boy on the floor and called authorities.

Details of the event are still under investigation by the Thorsby Police Department. As of Monday, the child was being treated at Children’s Hospital.

Simmons did not know the boy’s official condition but said the injuries were severe.

By Scott Mims

Nearly 20 people were in attendance Saturday for the dedication of Thorsby’s Scandinavian Cemetery and the unveiling of a historical marker at the site, located on County Road 37.

Among those present were descendants, members of the Thorsby Historical Preservation Committee, other citizens, and representatives of the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance.

“Someone is to be congratulated. The cemetery is beautiful,” said Tom Wingfield, who made the trip from Atlanta with his wife, Carolyn.

Wingfield has several family members buried in the cemetery, including both sets of great grandparents. His great aunt was the organist in the Concordia Lutheran Church, the church that once owned the cemetery.

Wingfield said the last time he visited the site was in 2003, and his recollection was of an old, grown-up cemetery. But Saturday, he said, was a different story.

“It’s gorgeous now,” he said.

Ralph Mason, whose grandparents, Rueben and Charlotte Foss, are buried there, was grateful to the town of Thorsby and the organizations and volunteers that helped turn the site into something to be proud of again.

“It’s a great heritage, and I can’t commend them enough for taking care of this cemetery and promoting the Swedish history of Thorsby,” he said. “It just makes you feel really good.”

Lee Anne Wofford of the state Historical Commission was accompanied by Phyllis Armstrong of the state Cemetery Preservation Alliance.

“Not everybody gets one of these,” Wofford said of the marker, which is given only to sites listed on the state historic register.

Tracia Bussey of the town’s preservation committee recognized the Chilton Cemetery Association for being proactive in getting the site listed. She also thanked town leaders and others who assisted.

“It’s a tranquil place to come out and just spend a little time,” Bussey said.

The following is the text as it appears on the historic marker:

“In 1896, Swedish settlers organized the Concordia Lutheran Church and acquired this land for the Concordia Cemetery, later known as the Lutheran Cemetery. This is the former site of Stassburg School. In the 1980s it became known as the Scandinavian Cemetery since most of those laid to rest here were Lutherans, not only of Swedish descent, but also of Norwegian, Danish and Finnish. They were primarily from the upper mid-western United States and desired a better climate and living conditions to work in and raise their families. They cleared the land, built homes, planted orchards and vineyards, established businesses, schools and churches. They developed a thriving town where they enjoyed social gatherings, band concerts, festive celebrations, and built lifelong friendships. This marker was placed here in 2010 by descendants of the Scandinavians laid to rest here and by the Thorsby Historical Preservation Committee to remember these people who founded the town of Thorsby.”

By Lisa Moon

I think we can all remember a teacher that made a difference in our lives.

Thorsby School teacher Angie Barnett is one of those teachers. While watching “The Oprah Winfrey Show” one day, she saw a program designed to teach children awareness about the dangers of and the lures used by predators to abduct children.

At the time, she was also reading a book by John Walsh about the abduction of his son, Adam. She couldn’t imagine how anyone could live through the heartache of losing a child that way.

Right away, Barnett started teaching the basics of what has become the Safeguarding Kids Is Priority program to her own children at home while she waited for her information packet to arrive in the mail. She then got together with the other teachers, and later with parents, to discuss bringing the program to Thorsby. The program got 100 percent participation from the other kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers.

“It has progressed from, ‘let’s try this,’ to something we do. It is part of Thorsby now,” Barnett said. “The program teaches kids to be aware of their surroundings and the actions of others.”

An example of the kinds of things Barnett considers important to teach is for kids to know that abuse is not their fault and to teach them that they can talk to their parents and teachers about these kinds of things.

Safety Day, held last May, was the conclusion of the two-week training program. The Chilton County K-9 patrol and Special Operations Units were on hand as well as Operation Lifesaver and Thorsby fire and police departments.

“It is important the students know that we are approachable,” Thorsby Chief of Police Rodney Barnett said.
Angie Barnett said she would like to see other schools get involved in the SKIP program. They can do so by logging on to www.childluresprevention.com.
“It takes time (to do the program), but when you hear about an abduction or abuse, you have to think: What if that was my child?,” Barnett said.

By Lisa Moon

In the center of the town of Thorsby sits a park across the street from City Hall on U.S. Highway 31. The beautiful park started out as a mobile home park people refer to as being ‘rough.’ When the mobile home park went up for sale, the town quickly bought it. The land was turned into a well-manicured recreational park that gets used everyday. The town named the park after one of its favorite citizens, Richard Wood of Wood Drug Company.

“He was always a good person,” says Joni Wyatt, about the former pharmacist. “He would help anyone.”

Wood took care of the good folks of Thorsby, and they take good care of his park.
In all types of weather, people can be seen walking on the winding trail that wraps around the park. On the hottest days, people come to walk under the beautiful shade trees. Even during the worst storms, raincoat-clad walkers can be seen making their laps to the amazement of most.

“We love that it is not a continuous circle,” says Becky Garrison, who walks the park several times a week with her friend, Angela Hicks. They walk together to catch up on things. The children – Abby and Kaitlyn Garrison and Rianna Green – walk with them. The girls love the big trees.

Hope Falotico brings her boys – Anthony, Balen and Chandler – a few times a week to run and play in the park. She says that the park never makes her feel nervous like some other parks do.

“It feels safe, not isolated,” she says, as she gives Anthony another push on the swing.

On July third everyone meets in the park to celebrate our nation’s independence. In October, the town hosts the Swedish Festival to celebrate the town’s Swedish heritage. The Thorsby football team can be seen running laps under the shade trees. There are too many events held in the park to mention. It is truly a park the late Richard Wood and his lovely wife Julia can be very proud of, as well as the citizens of Thorsby.

By Scott Mims

The Thorsby Town Council passed a resolution Tuesday night applying for a $250,000 Community Development Block Grant to replace the bridge on West Medical Center Drive.

The vote followed a public hearing held last week to gather input from citizens. No one in attendance at the hearing opposed the town’s proposal to replace the bridge.

If the grant were awarded, the town would provide a cash match of $4,639.75 in support of the project.

“Currently, the bridge lacks adequate weight requirements to legally carry school buses, service vehicles or emergency vehicles,” wrote Mayor Dearl Hilyer in a letter to Doni Ingram, director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).

Hilyer was absent at Tuesday night’s meeting because he was on vacation. Council member Jean Nelson sat in for the mayor.

The council also approved a citizen participation plan stating how the public hearing, advertising and other aspects of the grant application process were handled.

In other business, Council member Tara Jewell announced a reminder that Bluegrass in the Park featuring G2 Bluegrass Band from Sweden will be Thursday, July 8 in Richard Wood Park from 7-9 p.m.

Movies in the Park will resume Friday at 8 p.m. with the film “Planet 51.” This will also be held at Richard Wood Park. Fire Chief Lee Gunn said attendance at this year’s movie events has averaged between 300 and 350 people.

Also, at the request of Police Chief Rodney Barnett, the council voted to let Billy Shields attend an educational course in Mississippi at no cost aside from transportation and lodging.

By Scott Mims

Intriguing stories abound with Thorsby’s historic Scandinavian Cemetery — the site of nearly 100 burials, many of which are relatives of the town’s first settlers.

Among the most well-known people buried there is Gustaf Berlin, an interior decorator who worked in the Florida home of P.T. Barnum, American showman and founder of the circus that became Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Some of Berlin’s work can be found in Thorsby, such as the home that occupies the corner of Third Street and Peterson Avenue. Sadly, a beautiful mural painted by Berlin was lost forever when the Concordia Lutheran Church was torn down to make way for the local telephone office on Jones Street.

“He worked for a lot of well-known people all over the United States,” said Tracia Bussey, chairwoman of the Thorsby Historical Preservation Committee.

Then there’s the tale of Nester Oberg, a Norwegian who made his home in Thorsby, who, according to the town’s historical records, was given a “lift” by a tornado that passed through the area.

“He was picked up in his chair and sat down outside in his yard and survived,” Bussey recounts.

The town was recently contacted by descendants of Oberg who had traced their ancestry and wanted to find out more information about him.

There are many others of Scandinavian descent buried in the cemetery, including two relatives of Thorsby founder T.T. Thorson. The majority were Lutherans, as the land was owned by the Concordia Lutheran Church.

In order to recognize the cemetery’s rich history and heritage, the Thorsby Historical Preservation Committee has scheduled a dedication ceremony for Saturday, July 10 at 10 a.m. During the ceremony, a historical marker will be unveiled and refreshments will be served.

Bussey said the marker was purchased with donations to the committee by family members of the deceased. The total cost came to more than $1,900. She said family members responded generously to letters sent out by the committee.

“They were very glad we were working on getting recognition for the cemetery where their ancestors are buried,” Bussey said.

The Chilton Cemetery Association, a local nonprofit group, is credited for getting the cemetery listed on the state’s historic cemetery register. The committee also set out to get the site registered, but CCA had already taken steps to do this.

“We were very excited about it. We went right to work collecting donations for the marker,” Bussey said.

The general public is invited to the dedication. The Scandinavian Cemetery is located on County Road 37 across from Orchard Hills Subdivision. Pictures can be found on a link to CCA’s website at townofthorsby.com.

By Scott Mims

There was no opposition to the town of Thorsby’s proposal to replace a bridge on West Medical Center Drive in a public hearing held Wednesday.

Currently, the bridge cannot support a school bus, fire truck or similar vehicle. Mayor Dearl Hilyer estimated that there are approximately 40 homes located within corporate limits west of the bridge.

Peggy Matthews, a grant writer for the town, urged each citizen to write a letter in support of the project.

“We really need support letters saying the problems you have,” Matthews said. “I can’t express how important [community participation] is. It could mean the difference of getting it funded or not getting it funded.”

Matthews said petitions are also acceptable but are not as effective as individual letters from residents. She said people do not have to live in the target area in order to submit a letter.

The estimated cost of replacing the bridge, not including engineering fees, is about $204,450. The original wooden substructure would be replaced by a series of concrete culverts. There would also be dirt work to raise the level of the road approaching the bridge, as well as some resurfacing.

The town will apply for a Community Development Block Grant, which would be funded by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The grant must benefit at least 51 percent low- to moderate-income residents.

Letters may be taken to Thorsby City Hall or mailed to the town’s address, P.O. Box 608, Thorsby, AL  35171.

For more information, call 646-3575.