Blount Countian

City building activity dives in fourth quarter this year

by Ron Gholson — 12/31/2008

The total number of building permits for the City of Oneonta dropped 29 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared to the fourth quarter of 2007. There were a total of 130 residential and non-residential permits issued in the fourth quarter last year, compared to 92 in the quarter just ended.

Museum exhibits fabric postcards

12/31/2008

Collage of unusual fabric postcards brings an explosion of color to Memorial Museum's lineup of new displays beginning the new year. The 4" x 6" hand-made cards are miniature works of art, and Chris Wheeler's collection contains examples by hobbyists from around the country and some from overseas.

Final night for holiday lights

12/31/2008

Volunteers, like the three pictured above, invite everyone to Palisades Park tonight for the final night of the annual Christmas lights display. Attendance has been heavy this year for the event and the number of lights used, easily in the tens of thousands, has amazed visitors both young and old.

Oneonta council rezones lot, hears reports

by Jim Kilgore — 12/31/2008

Following its usual public-hearing policy, the Oneonta City Council accepted the unanimous recommendation of its planning commission and rezoned property near the downtown area. Requested by developer Lonnie Fowler, the rezoning alters from R-3 to B-2 a lot at 223 Jefferson Ave. E. No one spoke at the public hearing.

Correction

12/31/2008

The last issue of The Blount Countian should have listed the regular Snead Town Council meeting dates as the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m.

Unique contest open to students

12/31/2008

Debra Gordon-Hellman of Royal is urging teachers to encourage their students to enter a unique contest dubbed River of Words and open to ages from kindergartners through 12thgraders. Gordon-Hellman heads Friends of the Locust of the Locust Fork's education committee.

American Legion oratorical contest

12/31/2008

High School students are encouraged to participate in the 2009 oratorical contest being sponsored here by American Legion Post 72.

Oneonta students have holiday spirit

12/31/2008

Kindergarten students taught by Beverly Anderson and Amanda Wood gather around the mitten tree at Oneonta Elementary School. The Oneonta High School SGA collects socks, mittens, and hats each holiday season for needy families and this year the elementary school was included in the project.

CareFirst opens in Oneonta

12/31/2008

Blount County-Oneonta Chamber of Commerce announces the opening of CareFirst in Oneonta. A home health and hospice provider, CareFirst serves 12 counties from offices located in Oneonta, Pell City, and Birmingham. Located at 1104 2nd Avenue East, Suites B and C, in Oneonta, CareFirst is available for referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Alabama Scene

by Bob Martin — 12/31/2008

Congressman Artur Davis believes he can follow in the footsteps of Barrack Obama's successful quest for President and become the first African-American governor of Alabama. To accomplish that he will have to dramatically remake the state's political landscape.

Clearly Speaking

12/31/2008

At certain points in the portfolio management process, you may decide that you should rebalance or even redesign your portfolio. Either choice may require that you sell some or all of your investment holdings. However, you shouldn't take the decision to sell lightly, and you should carefully consider the timing of any sale.

From the Archives

12/31/2008

Rescue squads recover body Blount County Rescue Squad and squads from Allgood and Remlap searched for an hour Monday before recovering the body of a young man drowned in Inland Lake. Michael Patrick McCombs, 22, of Pinson and a friend were fishing when McCombs apparently fell from their boat and drowned. Both were said to be without life preservers.

LIVING WELL

by Lynn Pass — 12/31/2008

Water aerobics might be just what you need! The benefits of exercising in the water are many. Running, jogging, and walking underwater in a pool not only strengthen the leg and hip muscles - the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus - but help to develop cardio-respiratory fitness.

Culinary creations

12/31/2008

Continuing as space allows are recipes The Blount Countian is featuring. Most are from cookbooks produced by groups within the county. The first recipe below is from newspaper employee, Barbara Davis, whose delicious sausage balls are a sure winner for a holiday gathering.

Readers write

12/31/2008

The following was contributed by Neil Staton of Locust Fork, who says it is his "hope that some 17-year-old or any child might read this and, by the grace of God, be touched by these words." The day I died was an ordinary school day.

'Dustin's special Christmas'

12/31/2008

We need to share with you and the paper how very special this Christmas has been for our son Dustin. Dustin has Down's Syndrome and has made some very special friends this year at Oneonta High School. The football team has been very special to him this year, especially Casey O'Toole, Oneonta's quarterback.

SPORTSBRIEFS

12/31/2008

ONEONTA GIRLS REC LEAGUE BASKETBALL REGISTRATION continues at the Oneonta Rec Center. Players can register Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, phone 625-3534. GIRLS REC LEAGUE BASKETBALL COACHES will meet Sunday, Jan. 11, and Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Oneonta Rec Center. Each meeting will begin at 2 p.m.

Holiday tournaments heat up

12/31/2008

Several Blount County schools were involved in holiday basketball tournaments over the last week, including a trio of boys teams in the Oneonta Holiday Classic and three girls teams in the Dewey Barber Chevrolet Christmas Classic at Hayden.

Coaches vs. Cancer Saturday

12/31/2008

Cleveland High School will host a series of basketball games this Saturday in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. All proceeds from the games will go to the American Cancer Society. The games will tip off at 11 a.m. with the host Cleveland girls taking on Alexandria followed by the Cleveland boys and Alexandria boys meeting at 12:30 p.m.

PEOPLEBRIEFS

12/31/2008

SHARON TURNER joins Dr. Bob Smith Jan. 6 as a nurse practitioner at Blountsville Health Center, a service of Cullman Regional Medical Center. Turner is a graduate of East Carolina University School of Nursing in Greenville, N.C., and received her master's degree as a family nurse practitioner from the University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Nursing.

THE BIBLE SPEAKS

by Lawrence W. Althouse — 12/31/2008

Background Scripture: Exodus 8:1-21. Devotional Reading: Proverbs 16:1-7. When Israel was in Egypt land, Let my people go! Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let my people go!

FAITH MATTERS

by Jim Evans — 12/31/2008

New Year's celebrations have traditionally become a time for us to gather up our hopes and prayers for the coming year and express them in resolutions. I confess to being a resolution maker. Not just about the little things like losing weight and going to the gym more. But also prayers and hopes about big things, global things. So, I thought I would share a few with you.

CHURCHBRIEFS

12/31/2008

SINGINGS VALLEY GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH bluegrass gospel singing Saturday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. Specials Hurricane Creek. Supper after the singing. GRACE FELLOWSHIP ALLIANCE CHURCH will have a concert Sunday. Jan. 4, at 10:45 featuring various styles of Christian music by singer Dana Baker from Nashville, Tenn. A love offering will be taken for him.

OBITUARIES

12/31/2008

EDWARD JOE BURTON, 46, of Altoona, died Dec. 21, 2008, at St. Vincent's Birmingham. A tree surgeon with Asplundt, he had recently been ordained as a minister. He was predeceased by his father Lloyd Burton and brother Hoyt Burton.

NEWSBRIEFS

12/31/2008

BLOUNT COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB will host its annual "Freezefest" tailgate and swapmeet Jan. 3 beginning at 8 a.m. All active or inactive ham radio operators and families plus anyone interested in amateur (ham) radio are invited. Location is the old rock school on U.S. 231 just north of Rainbow Crossing in Summit.