Marla Jones, Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
By Marla Jones
Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
FORT PAYNE, Ala.-- Southern Torch has brought DeKalb and Jackson County breaking news, political insight, and revolutionary sports coverage since its online launch in August of 2013.
On May 28, 2015, Southern Torch debuted its print edition to complement the online edition. As the print edition of Southern Torch will soon come to an end, we are looking back on several stories that made our headlines. We will finish off the series next week in our final edition of the Southern Torch newspaper.
During the first year in print (2015), the Southern Torch covered several historic issues.
• A debated topic was the removal of the Confederate flag from the Alabama Capitol. Many Southerners were outraged that the Confederate flag was removed from memorials and argued that the flag was a symbol of the history of the South and the home they loved dearly, not a symbol of slavery and racism. In true Southern Torch fashion, we asked the readers their opinions in an online forum that turned into one of the biggest forums that we ever hosted. (Vol 1, No. 5)
• In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gay and lesbian couples could legally be married in the U.S. This ruling had outspoken supporters and opponents from across the country, with some of the loudest voices being from officials right here in Alabama. (Vol 1, No. 6)
• Marla Jones joined Southern Torch, as the first female Sports Editor in Jackson and DeKalb County, on September 3, 2015. ( Vol 1, No 15)
• Tyler Wilks was sworn in as DeKalb’s first GOP Revenue Commissioner. Wilks, defeated the incumbent Revenue Commissioner, Democrat Martha Crye Ogle in November 2014 and took office in October 2015. (Vol 1, No. 19)
• Coach Jeremy Pruitt came home to Alabama after spending two years as the Defensive Coordinator at the University of Georgia. He returned as the Defensive Coordinator for the University of Alabama.(Vol 1, No. 30)
(2016)
• The ongoing drama between Mayor Nick Jones and members of the Rainsville City Council continued as the locks to the Rainsville City Hall were changed. Mayor Jones was informed via an email from Councilmember Melissa Ledbetter that the locks had been changed and that only two keys would be issued for admittance to City Hall. This began a heated back-and-forth exchange of emails which was reported by the Southern Torch. Southern Torch reached out to mayors in Crossville, Geraldine, Fyffe, Sylvania, Henagar, Ider, Valley Head, Fort Payne, and Collinsville with all confirming that they indeed had a key to City Hall. A week later, Mayor Nick Jones received a copy of the new key. (Vol 2, No. 7)
• The acquisition involving two of North Alabama’s leading banks was announced. First State Bankshares announced that an agreement had been reached for the company to acquire First Rainsville Bankshares, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, First Bank of the South. Following the acquisition, First Bank of the South merged with and into First State Bank, of DeKalb County. (Vol 2, No. 7)
• In perhaps the most highly anticipated race on the DeKalb County ballot, Dr. Jason Barnett defeated incumbent DeKalb County Superintendent Hugh Taylor in the Republican Primary race for Superintendent on Super Tuesday.
• Fort Payne and Rainsville announced a city merger, combining both towns and naming the town Willstown. This would be the largest municipal merger in Alabama’s history. On April 1, Southern Torch announced that the merger would make the city a “megacity” and the 26th largest in Alabama. Phones were ringing off the hook in both cities for the April Fool’s prank. (Vol 2, No 14)
• A juvenile was shot while attempting to roll a yard in the Town of Sylvania. According to Sylvania Police Chief Ross Greenwood, a group of seven to eight juveniles had pulled off Turner Road and parked. As they proceeded to walk to their High School Counselor’s yard, Ronnie Lee Neeley allegedly pulled up to them in his vehicle and fired a shot into the air. As the juveniles were running, Neeley allegedly fired two more shots with one striking the tailgate, striking the victim in the hip. (Vol 2, No. 18)
• Shaw Industries closed the Valley Head plant, with 183 DeKalb County jobs displaced (Vol 2, No. 21)
Fort Payne resident, Carolyn Martin donated a charter bus to be utilized by both the DeKalb County School system and the DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The bus was completely renovated and used as a rolling classroom for the virtual school project. (Vol 2, No 31)
• The City of Henagar voted to go “wet” with 388 YES votes to 290 NO votes (Vol 2, No 35)
PERFECTION- Fyffe wins the Class 2A State Championship with an undefeated record (Vol 2, No. 50)
(2017)
• Chick-Fil-A announced that they would be coming to Fort Payne and would open in mid July (Vol 3, No. 6)
• According to records obtained from the Alabama Department of Enviromental Management (ADEM) 42,000 gallons of gasoline leaked from a convenience store on Gault Avenue in Fort Payne (Vol 3, No. 5)
• Mule Days Come to an End- After 38 years, Ider decided to discontinue its annual Mule Day Festival (Vol 3, No. 11)
• Coach Robi Coker was named the Class 3A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. (Vol 3, No. 12)
• On her second day on the job, Alabama’s new governor, Kay Ivey, announced her intentions to sign an executive order that would abolish the state’s Office of Rural Develpment, putting Fort Payne native out of a job. (Vol 3, No. 15)
• A near fatal attack by a dog had the Rainsville community abuzz. Gary Haymon, retired pastor of the Rainsville Church of God was viciously attacked by a pitbull. (Vol 3, No. 18)
• Hard to Say Goodbye- On Friday, April 28, 2017, Hunter Jones of Crossville was involved in a fatal ATV accident. A young star taken too soon. (Vol 3, No. 18)
• Fort Payne and Rainsville approved a Vicious Dog Ordinance in the wake of resent attacks (Vol 3, No 20)
• The great Rainsville Emu chase was featured on Good Morning America (Vol 3, No.21)
• Valley Head Police Chief Nick Welden announced his candidacy for DeKalb County Sheriff. (Vol 3, No 24)
• The Rainsville City Council voted to “indefinitely table” a discussion regarding paving a private road where several Rainsville citizens lived. (Vol 3, No.25)
• Fort Payne City moves forward on the condemning of Mapco property which now serves as a parking lot and electric car recharging center in the middle of town. (Vol 3, No. 31)
• Another candidate for DeKalb County Sheriff emerged with Michael Edmondson threw his hat into the ring. (Vol 3, No.
• The Fort Payne City Council opted to let the citizens decide about Sunday Alcohol Sales. (Vol 3, No.38)
• Todd Greeson announced his plans to run for DeKalb County Circuit Clerk throwing his hat in the ring against Melissa Ledbetter. (Vol 3, No 49)
• Rainsville native Jeremy Pruitt announced that he was heading to Knoxville as the new Head Coach of the Tennessee Vols. (Vol 3, No, 50)
(2018)
STORY #1: DeKalb’s Red Wave (November 9) — Democrats may have almost dominated in the national elections this year, but DeKalb County went completely red in its local races for Sheriff, Circuit Clerk, and County Commission. Republicans Nick Welden, Todd Greeson, Lester Black, and Ricky Harcrow found themselves as the beneficiaries of a major “red wave” that swept through the County in November. Greeson and Black toppled blue incumbents Pam Simpson and DeWitt Jackson, respectively, while Welden and Harcrow defeated Democrats John Baker and Ben Johnston.
STORY #2: City of Fort Payne Approves Sunday Sales (March 23) — In a 3-1 (1 abstained) vote in March, the Fort Payne City Council approved sunday sales within the City. A 2004 ordinance passed the sale of alcohol in Fort Payne, but sunday sales weren’t approved until this year. The new ordinance was passed by votes from Johnny Eberhart, Wade Hill and Lynn Brewer with Council President Brian Baine abstaining and Gerald Taylor voting against. The City of Fort Payne previously approved city-wide alcohol sales with Ordinance 2004-14 and a public vote that passed by a slim margin of just 184 votes in 2004.
STORY #3: TOO MUCH BLUE: Plainview’s Last Second Finish (March 9) — In a game that will go down in AHSAA history, the Plainview Bears basketball team defeated the Hillcrest-Evergreen Jaguars 78-75 in overtime to win the Class 3A State Championship. The game was won in a last second shot by Caden Millican, who took a feed from point guard Jeffery Armstrong to sink a perfect 3-pointer as the final buzzer sounded. Before 2017’s appearance in the State Championship, it had been almost forty years since Plainview had made it to a State Championship. The Bears also shattered the State AHSAA record and the national record for
3-point shots attempted and made this season.
STORY #4: State Champions! (December 14) — The Fyffe Red Devils brought home the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Class 2A State Championship title this year after toppling the Luverne Tigers, 21-19, in the final game of the year. The Red Devils celebrated the victory at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium on Friday, December 7. The win gave Coach Paul Benefield his third state title in five years and improved his overall record to 282-53. “The kids played with courage and heart, and persevered through a lot of bad times this year,” said Benefield. “I’m so proud of them, I don’t even know how I can express in words. Fans across Northeast Alabama have dubbed Benefield as DeKalb’s “Nick Saban.”
STORY #5: Changes at Agri-Business Center (December 7) — In a recent turn of events, the Director of Rainsville’s Agri-Business Center’s job duties were changed. When asked about the changes, Councilmember Brandon Freeman said, “I think the changes will be good. If you want to get technical with it, the auditors are the ones who changed it and we just did what the auditors wanted.” It is still unclear what prompted the changes to the way the Public Building Authority
(PBA) allows finances to be managed at the Agri-Business Center.
