At the end of each year, we compile a list of the best stories we did that year. In 2018, we had so many great articles that we had to break it into two parts! Here are stories #1-5 of our Top Stories of 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.