The Trussville Tribune has recapped the top stories of 2014, from a vote that will allow two elementary schools to be built in Trussville, to the start of a city park in Pinson, to a state championship football team in Clay.
Miss. couple dies in plane crash north of Clay
A Mississippi couple died in a plane crash near Clay and Trussville in February. The couple was identified as Cali Campbell, 46, and Allan Campbell, 44, of Florence, Miss.
The couple was reportedly delivering blood samples to UAB Hospital. Investigators said there was no black box or data recorder on board the airplane. A possibly fragmented GPS receiver will be sent to Washington D.C. for further evaluation. The aircraft departed from Jackson-Evers Airport in Jackson, Miss., and was headed to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said Allan Campbell requested an Instrument Flight Rules clearance prior to losing contact with air traffic controllers at about 10:18 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. An IFR is usually requested when pilots are prevented from using their field of vision during the flight and must rely on instruments instead, Knudson said.
Trussville residents vote for 2 elementary schools
Trussville residents on Feb. 25 voted in favor of a seven-millage property tax increase to fund two new community elementary schools. The final results of the vote were 2,813 people in favor of the increase, while 1,935 voted against it. The new tax began Oct. 1. Seven additional mills in property taxes will cost Trussville residents $70 per year on homes appraised at $100,000, $140 per year on homes appraised at $200,000 and $210 per year on homes appraised at $300,000.
The Trussville City Board of Education then approved Michael Brady Inc. as the architect for both new community elementary schools. The plan is to open the schools for the 2016-2017 school year. The New Deal-era building on Parkway Drive will be renovated and another school will be constructed near the Magnolia Place neighborhood.
“This is a pivotal moment for the students in Trussville City Schools,” said Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill. “The voice of the people has been heard. We will act accordingly to move forward with our community school plan. This can only make things better. Anything that helps the schools helps the community, and it’s obvious that the community really wanted this. And we agree.”
Matt Pitt released from Shelby County Jail
On Palm Sunday in April, youth evangelist and The Basement founder Matt Pitt, of Trussville, was released from Shelby County Jail in Columbiana, where he had been since August 2013, serving time for a probation revocation on an impersonating a police officer charge. He was released about four months early for good behavior.
“This has been a long period for him, eight months sitting in a jail,” said Pitt’s attorney, Brian Ritchey. “A lot of people could have sat and languished during this time. Matt didn’t. He spent a lot of time, most of his time, ministering to others, using his unique style to make an impact, to make a change in other people’s lives. That’s really the story about what’s been going on the past eight months, not him sitting in jail but actually what he’s done to other people.”
Pitt in September 2012 pleaded guilty to impersonating a peace officer after he allegedly pulled behind traffic on Interstate 65 near Calera in May 2012 and activated flashing blue lights.
In August 2013, Pitt was charged with the same offense in Jefferson County relating to a June 2013 incident in Grayson Valley, in which he presented a Jefferson County honorary sheriff’s badge to Brandon Vessels and Brad Lunsford after the two Grayson Valley residents found what they believed to be a rifle about 50 feet into the wooded area near their homes.
A trial date for the Jefferson County case is set for April 20, 2015, at 9 a.m. in Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Tommy Nail’s courtroom.
Northern Beltline construction begins in Pinson
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in the Pinson-Palmerdale area in April, signifying the beginning of construction of the Northern Beltline, a 52-mile multi-lane highway that will stretch from Interstate 59 in northeast Jefferson County to the Interstate 459 interchange with I-20/59 near Bessemer.
The first phase will connect Alabama Highway 79 to Alabama Highway 75 in Pinson. The contract for the first phase of the project was awarded to Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc. of Charleston, Tenn. The estimated cost for the first phase of the project is $46 million and is expected to be completed by mid fall 2016.
“Certainly I think that will bring some commercial growth to our area,” Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders said of the Northern Beltline. “We’re excited about what that will mean.”
A new era begins for Hewitt-Trussville football
A new era of Hewitt-Trussville football began in June, when the Trussville City Board of Education approved Josh Floyd as its new varsity football coach. Floyd, who previously coached at Shiloh (Ark.) Christian High School, replaced Hal Riddle, who was relieved of his coaching duties in April. Floyd won state championships in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 at Shiloh Christian. He led the Huskies to a 5-6 record in 2014, Hewitt-Trussville’s first year in Class 7A, Region 3, easily the toughest region in the state.
The new Hewitt-Trussville Stadium was constructed by Trussville-based Blalock Building Company for $14,626,550 and was completed in October. Hewitt-Trussville opened the stadium Oct. 24 against Class 7A No. 1 Hoover, losing 38-14. Hewitt-Trussville lost to Class 6A No. 1 Clay-Chalkville the following week in the new stadium, 59-28.
With Hewitt-Trussville Stadium now constructed, work to demolish Jack Wood Stadium will begin in January.
Clay approves five-millage property tax
In July, the Clay City Council approved an ordinance that levied a five-millage property tax for the city’s residents. The funds were going to be geared toward a city school system or police department. The property tax equates to $50 per year on a house with an assessed value of $100,000. It would be $100 per year on a house with an assessed value of $200,000.
Mayor Charles Webster said he’d like to see the money put in a contingency, school or public safety fund, similar to how items show up in the city budget, instead of earmarking the funds. Councilman Ricky Baker, however, said the ordinance has already been voted on and approved, with all but Councilman Ben Thackerson voting for the money to be earmarked. He said the five mills were voted on based on what that money would go toward. If not earmarked, Baker said, “Let’s do away with it.”
Two last-minute ordinance additions to the Aug. 4 agenda would have changed that earmark in order to “support the contract for providing 5 Deputy Sheriffs and support through grants issued to the Clay Elementary School, Clay-Chalkville Middle School, Clay-Chalkville High School,” Ordinance 2014-07 stated.
Thackerson said he thought the five mills would go toward capital improvements, such as road paving and additions at Cosby Lake Park.
At a meeting in September, Clay City Manager Ronnie Dixon said the direction of the property tax may not be discussed for six to eight months, meaning the earliest the council may discuss it again will be in March 2015.
3 killed, including gunman, at UPS warehouse
On Sept. 23, a former UPS employee came to the UPS Customer Center in north Birmingham, shooting and killing two supervisors before turning the gun on himself. The victims were Brian Callans, 46, and Doug Hutcheson, 33. Callans was a Birmingham resident and Hutcheson a resident of Odenville.
Callans was engaged. Hutcheson, a 1999 Clay-Chalkville High School and University of Phoenix graduate, was married to Tiffany Hutcheson with twin sons, Braddock and Sawyer.
In October, the Trussville Baseball Association and Moody Youth Association partnered to form the Doug Hutcheson Memorial Tournament, which was held Oct. 16-19 at the Trussville Sports Complex.
Pinson park construction begins
Ground was officially broken at the site of the new Pinson city park Nov. 30. Site work began in October. Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders said the park is tentatively scheduled to be complete by the end of April 2015, depending on the weather.
The Pinson City Council in August approved of entering into a contract with Clements Dean Construction to build the new city park for $1.57 million. J.A. Dawson will be paid $277,850 for equipment. The total includes all alternates for the park project.
The park will be located near Center Point Parkway between Sweeney Hollow Road and Glen Brook Road. The park still hasn’t been given a name. Sanders said the “leading candidate” for the name of the park is Pinson Recreational Park. The city council will have to vote on a name at some point. The new park will include an event center, playground, splash pad, walking trail, disc golf course and amphitheater. A map of the park shows there could eventually be a dog park and baseball field.
UAB football program shut down
On Dec. 2, it was announced that UAB football, along with women’s bowling and rifle, were being shut down. UAB President Ray Watts made the announcement. CarrSports Consulting conducted a yearlong strategic planning study to evaluate the feasibility of the athletics programs with and without football. It was determined that “investments in football were unlikely to provide a sustainable return relative to the required investment,” according to the statement from Watts via email.
The decision to keep UAB’s football program would have been “fiscally irresponsible,” according to the statement.
Alabama House of Representatives District 44 Rep. Danny Garrett wrote a letter to Watts, urging him to work with the city of Birmingham, corporations and individuals in the metropolitan area to identify ways to financially support and continue the football program.
UAB is the first since 1995 to cease operations of an FBS football program. Conference USA bylaws also indicate that to remain in the conference, a school must compete at the FBS level in football. It is uncertain whether or not the Blazers will be allowed to remain in the conference.
There are six players on the UAB roster from The Trussville Tribune coverage area. Senior running back D.J. Vinson, redshirt freshman safety T.J. McCollum, sophomore running back Marcus Reaves and redshirt freshman linebacker Brandon Fuller all played at Clay-Chalkville High School. Junior wide receiver Jamal Hundley and freshman linebacker Joseph Roberts played at Hewitt-Trussville High School.
Clay-Chalkville wins 2nd state championship
On Dec. 5, the Clay-Chalkville football team came out on top, 36-31, against Saraland in the Class 6A state championship game in Auburn, capping a perfect 15-0 season. It’s the second football state title in school history (1999 was the first). Junior quarterback Ty Pigrome completed 15-of-20 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. His lone interception was on a tipped ball. He rushed 14 times for 101 yards and three touchdowns en route to the game MVP award.
Saraland amassed 199 yards of offense in the third quarter and took a 24-22 lead into the final frame. With 5:46 left, Pigrome found junior wide receiver T.J. Simmons for a 79-yard TD down the Saraland sideline. Jordan Young passed to Pigrome for the two-point conversion, giving the Cougars a 30-24 lead.
Saraland answered six plays later when Tyler Sims found the end zone from 23 yards out on fourth-and-1. The extra point gave the Spartans a 31-30 advantage. On the ensuing drive, Pigrome bolted 47 yards for a touchdown with 2:10 to play. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Clay-Chalkville with a 36-31 lead. Saraland marched down the field quickly and got to the Clay-Chalkville 25-yard line with :34 left. After two incompletions, Nick McDaniel sacked quarterback Chris Weaver for a seven-yard loss with :25 left. The fourth down pass attempt fell incomplete near the end zone.