Council Continues Airport Financing In Monday Session
Piedmont continues to share in the cost of developing a regional airport for the area. A resolution passed Monday night approves a $13,333.33 as Piedmont's annual share of the project.
Similar amounts have been pledged by the Centre City Council and the Cherokee County Commission. The facility is located less than 10 minutes from downtown Piedmont on the east side of Ala. Hwy 9. The recent appropriations will go to finance a 4,200-foot landing strip, but final plans call for the field to be a mile long. Work will begin on paving the facility in the spring. Federal Aviation Administration and state Airport Authority funds are being used fund the bulk of the project. The money from the two cities and Cherokee County represent only matching money for the state and federal grants.
The council gave approval to the Parks and Recreation Department to accept the lowest bid on basketball equipment for the upcoming season. The equipment will be purchased from the vendor who meets the required specifications. Craig Russell told the Council the new inventory system implemented by Jeff Formby was working well for the department.
Mayor Charlie Fagan asked the council to make recommendations to the city clerk on a downtown parking ordinance. "All parking done in the downtown area right now is illegal," he said. The ordinance now in effect prohibits any parking on the downtown streets. Fagan hopes that the Council can approve an ordinance in the next scheduled meeting.
He also requested council members to go throughout their districts and make note of streets in need of paving and turn in any problems. Fagan commented that Commissioner Rudy Abbott has been a big help in the past helping on City projects and he is due thanks from area residents.
Road signs were also discussed. "It is very important to emergency personnel that the City maintain and replace intersection signs," Fagan said. "Whoever is responsible for destroying or removing these signs do not realize the seriousness of it. It is not just a prank."
Replacing the signs costs the city approximately $27 per intersection.
The city surplus sale went well and netted approximately $28,000, noted Fagan. Auctioneer Gene Motes donated his time and the Mayor expressed appreciation for his services.
After paying respects to the family of Carol Weatherbee over their loss, Fagan talked about the new businesses opening in the area. The Mayor said he was pleased with the amount of interest Piedmont receives from business prospects and the area may soon need additional buildings.
A new business will be opening in the H & R Block building and soon the downtown area will have a new restaurant. Another commercial facility will be opening, but Fagan was not free to disclose the type of business at this time.
The Commercial Development Authority continues working with a prospect about property in the Industrial Park. They have met with the Economic Development Council concerning work to be done on the site. Once everything is set, an announcement will be made.
Fagan also voiced his concerns about the condition of several downtown business buildings.
"Downtown looks good except for a few building that are in need of repair," Fagan said. "These land owners are going to have to do something about these blighted eyesores."
Several property owners have made efforts to clean up their buildings while others have delayed necessary improvements.
The green-front store owner, Bob Rogers, has assured the Mayor that remodeling will be done in the near future. Rogers will hire someone to do the reconstruction work for him. "The City will continue to monitor this situation," said Fagan. "His promise is about a year late, but he says he will get it done."
There has been no success working with Buster Miles on his property. "It is another blight on downtown," commented Fagan.
The Miller building, reported Fagan, has been painted and a new roof was installed in the immediate past. The owner, Dr. Regina Holiday, has plans to begin work on the front of the building.
A house on Woolf Avenue is now under contract to be demolished. As soon as the city crews are available the home will be torn down.
Recently Fagan and Councilwoman Bramblett attended a regional meeting at the DAV and heard several good comments made about the changes in the downtown area. "It's time we got all these building taken care of and move on to something else," Fagan noted.

Friends Mourn Loss Of Carol Weatherbee
Sunday afternoon, more than 200 gathered at the First United Methodist Church to attend the memorial service of Carol Ann Weatherbee.
Many of them knew her as Lane's sidekick, his wife, mother to Missie, Greg and Scott, and the advertising manager at The Journal-Independent. She was much more than that.
Carol grew up as an only child, and throughout the years the bond between Carol and her mother, Patricia Harper, remained strong. Her mother lives in Athens, and phone calls between the two helped maintain the special relationship.
Carol moved from her home to attend Jacksonville State University and while there she met Lane Weatherbee. They married in December 1969, and Carol took on the role of wife, mother, and daughter-in-law to the Weatherbee clan.
After working at SCT for a time, Carol joined the staff of the family owned newspaper and did the bookkeeping and sold advertising. Her unique personality won her friends both in and out of the business.
"She never met a stranger," said Betty Lawler, who worked with Carol at The Journal for 14 years. "She got along with everyone."
"Carol had the ability to meet everyone on their level," said B.J. Lyle, a close friend. "She served as my mentor when I became involved with the Shriners. She knew everybody and made sure I knew the proper protocol in every situation."
B.J. and her husband, Art, are extremely appreciative of Carol's special personality and for good reason. It was through Carol's efforts that the two met.
"She didn't let up on me until I arranged to meet B.J.," he said.
He fondly recalled the many times Carol had volunteered his services. "She would get involved in something and the next thing I knew she was telling me what she had volunteered me to do. I am going to miss her. She was my bantering partner."
According to Trudy Dunaway, a friend from the Birmingham area, Carol was the most selfless person she knew. "Once Carol gave a scarf to someone she had just met just because the women had commented on its beauty," she said. "She literally would give you the shirt off her back."
She was always available to her friends, said Sandy Allen. "No matter what time of day or night you called her to talk she was there for you. She would say 'Let me grab some coffee' and the conversation lasted as long as you needed it to."
For many years she was an active member of the Eastern Star and had served as Past Worthy Matron of the Lozahatchee Order of the Eastern Star No. 99 in Piedmont.
Carol had a taste for gourmet food and area residents often ran into her in the local grocery stores as she searched the shelves for just the right ingredients. She loved to share her favorite recipes with those around her.
Carol was also very fond of pets. She and Lane own two miniature schnauzers, a beagle and a variety of tropical fish. Carol loved "hers" so much that she created an e-mail address using the dog's name. One of the last outings attended by Carol was an open house at a Gadsden fish store.
In years past, Carol was often seen riding on the back of Lane's cruising motorcycle. The couple recently purchased individual motorcycles and Carol became the topic of Lane's Strictly Personal column. To become a safe driver, and eliminate Lane's frustration, Carol enrolled in a beginner's motorcycle riding class. She passed the class with no problems. Unfortunately, she was never able to master the art of driving a motorcycle and had asked Lane to sell her bike.
In accordance with Carol's wishes, her body was donated to medical science. "It was her final unselfish act," said Dr. Harris Hand who spoke at her memorial service.

Students Celebrate Annual Anti-Drug Red Ribbon Week
The annual celebration of Red Ribbon Week began Monday at Piedmont Middle School. Throughout the week students and teachers will be engaged in a variety of activities designed to make students aware of the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use.
Red Ribbon Week is a national awareness campaign observed each year during the last full week in October.
It began in 1985 as a grassroots tribute to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique Camarena, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico. Friends and neighbors wore red badges of satin in his honor to show they would continue his fight against illegal drugs.
The campaign not only serves as a memorial for Camarena, but is a symbol of support for DEA's efforts to reduce demand for drugs through prevention and education. According to their website, it is a time for gratitude for all the lives that remain drug free, a time to pledge to live a safe and drug free life, and a time to remember the lives lost in the fight against drugs.
The Red Ribbon Campaign is now the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation reaching millions of young people each year.
In preparation for Red Ribbon Week, students at the middle school were encouraged to write essays and design posters on the dangers of drugs. Last week, winners were announced in each category.
Faculty members of the school served as judges and winners of both contests were awarded a red "Drug Free" t-shirt. Students receiving honorable mentions were given a choice of a water bottle, football, or dog tag necklace embossed with the slogan "Show Good Character by Being Drug Free."
Winners of the essay contest were sixth-grader Destini Monahan and seventh-grader Andrea McElderry. Christa Smith and Addie Jane Minton were given honorable mentions for their work.
Trevor Breed and Ethen Downey were declared winners of the poster contest. Honorable mentions went to Hunter Amberson, Lauren Brown, Sara Posey, Erin Gunnels, Hannah Cooper, Hilarie Hincy, Austin Grissom, Patricia Pinkard and Andrew Tuck.
The celebration at the school includes using flags to decorate the fence and hanging red ribbons around the school. Each child will be encouraged to sign a Drug Free pledge and receive Red Ribbon items in their homeroom. The lunchroom will get into the spirit of it all by serving Red Ribbon food.
"All of these activities," said Mrs. Clayton, guidance counselor, "will help to educate our students about the dangers of drugs and help to inspire them to remain drug free."

Christmas Week Plans Announced
The Christmas season is nearly here, and a sparkling, five-day series of events is scheduled for Dec. 4-8 in Piedmont, according to members of the Piedmont Christmas Parade Committee.
The list of events includes:
€Sunday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. the opening celebration will be a musical event in the downtown mini-park. The event, called "Christ, the true meaning of Christmas and the real reason for celebration," will feature music by "Proof of Grace," a southern gospel quartet from Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. Jon Holder will add a reading of The Christmas Story, followed by the lighting of the new, 18-foot-tall Christmas tree.
-Monday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m., plans include a non-denominational church service. The committee is inviting the Piedmont Schools' children's choir and singing groups from around the area. This night will be designated as a Downtown Open House, and the committee is inviting all downtown merchants to remain open until 8 p.m. for early Christmas shopping.
-Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m., there will be a brief non-denominational church service followed by plays and music furnished by the children of the area.
-Wednesday, Dec. 7, 6 p.m., there will be a brief non-denominational religious service, and area children will be treated to a variety of entertainment
-Thursday, Dec. 8, the Christmas parade will begin at Piedmont Middle School at 6 p.m. The procession will travel south on Main Street, turn left onto Ladiga Street and continue to the Clyde H. Pike Civic Center. Bands, floats, beauties and Santa will highlight the event. Following the parade, the Civic Center will be the site of a number of activities, including an opportunity for children to visit with Santa Claus, harp music by Shirley Hardy and free food and drinks.
These are the committee's basic plans, but chairman Keith Word says his group needs help. The committee is requesting all area churches, school and civic groups to participate in the week-long celebration. Churches are needed to provide singing groups, lead one of the downtown services and provide entertainment for children. Any church or civic group that can assist in any of the events or wishes to enter a float is asked to call Word at 447-6734; Tara Reedy, 447-3564; or Kelli Bobbitt, 435-1660.
The committee's goal is to have 20 floats and five bands in the parade, Word said, and he also appealed to area residents for any ideas to make the celebration better.