INSIDE TODAY: Allegations against Roy Moore dividing GOP women / A4 NOV. 18, 2017 JASPER, ALABAMA — SATURDAY — WWW.MOUNTAINEAGLE.COM 75 CENTS SEASON ENDS FOR AREA TEAMS CORDOVA CITY COUNCIL Developer PREP still interested PLAYOFFS in downtown Saks 31 Dora 24 project By JENNIFER COHRON Hillcrest-Ev. 42 Daily Mountain Eagle Oakman 14 CORDOVA — A developer will present his plans for constructing Cherokee 35 four storefronts in the downtown Daily Mountain Eagle - Ron Harris area to the Cordova Planning Com- Lynn 14 mission next month, Mayor Drew Oakman quarterback Jon Avery (11) scrambles for yardage in the first quarter of the Wildcats’ Gilbert said Tuesday night. Addison 41 42-14 loss to Hillcrest-Evergreen in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs Friday “That developer is fully green-lit, night. The loss ends the season for Oakman. Dora and Lynn also lost Friday night to conclude ready to go. Finances are in order. Hackleburg 16 He’s chomping at the bit, literally their 2017 seasons. For more, see A12 of today’s Eagle. calling me every day,” Gilbert told members of the City Council. The developer has not addressed CAMPAIGN SUMITON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL the council or been named publicly, CALENDAR and Gilbert declined to give more specific details about the project on Tuesday. Election ‘Eat “I’ll let him speak to that as he and Greet’ progresses just to make sure that he is firm on the four things he wants set for today to do, and obviously before we moved to donate the property, that Nick Smith, a can- would be included,” Gilbert said. didate for Walker He added that he has been frank County sheriff, is with the developer that the four holding an “Election storefronts are more important to the city in the long-term than the Eat and Greet” at businesses that inhabit them. the Carbon Hill “We get storefronts. Whether Community Center that’s a successful business or not, from 3 until 5 p.m. we have a storefront that another business can go into. I hate to be today. This rally will that way, but that’s something that focus on Carbon we are missing right now. We don’t Hill and surrounding have building capital, and he is areas, but all county going to give us that,” Gilbert said. Gilbert first notified Cordova City residents are wel- Council members of the developer’s come. The commu- interest in August. nity center is The council voted Sept. 12 to located at 229 SW allow Gilbert to sign a letter of in- tent for the developer. 2nd Street. Gilbert has previously stated that Daily Mountain Eagle - Lea Rizzo one of the lots currently being con- The Campaign Calendar will sidered for the project is not owned run periodically in the Daily Dora High School and Sumiton Elementary School students are coming together in a men- Mountain Eagle. The an- by the city and said that city leaders nouncements are paid by politi- toring relationship through the Bulldog Buddies program. would reach out to the owner in cal candidates to allow the hopes of getting the land donated or public to know about their up- sold at a “low, market-rate price.” coming events. For more infor- mation on placing an event in Gilbert said Tuesday night that the Campaign Calendar, call both he and council member Larry 205-221-2840. Bulldog buddies Sides have been in touch with the property owner. “I reached out today trying to get DEATHS High school, elementary students paired in mentorship program a reasonable sales price for that lot. See CORDOVA, A11 Deborah June Key, 63, By LEA RIZZO signed to a “big dog” (high gram stemmed from wanting to Cordova Daily Mountain Eagle schooler). Second-, third- and create more of a sense of commu- Smitty Foch Ferguson, 88, Jasper fourth-graders participate in the nity between Dora High and Betty Smith, 57, Jasper SUMITON — Students from program, along with 10th-, 11th- Sumiton Elementary students. Dora High and Sumiton Ele- and 12th-graders. Ellis added that the younger Political sign near Full obituaries / A2 mentary schools are being “We really felt like their was a students are “devastated” if brought together through the need for some of our students to their Dora students are not able home damaged new Bulldog Buddies program, have a positive influence in their to come that month. which pairs together a student lives,” said Laura Lee Ellis, Jennifer Hamrick, the sponsor by recent gunfire WEATHER from each school and allows counselor and sponsor of the pro- from Dora, said students started them to do activities together. gram at Sumiton Elementary. asking her at the beginning of By ED HOWELL The program, which started Sumiton’s principal Dr. Kristi the year when the Bulldog Bud- Daily Mountain Eagle High Low last school year, has 32 students Wheeler and Dora principal dies program would be starting 71 39 from each school get together Paige Abner worked together to up again. CORDOVA — Cordova Police once a month, with each “puppy pick the mentors and younger Chief Nick Smith, who is a candi- dog” (elementary student) as- students. The idea for the pro- See BUDDIES, A11 date for sheriff in 2018, said gunfire recently damaged one of his cam- INDEX paign signs, adding that charges for such actions can result in arrests. Classifieds..............A9 KIWANIS CLUB OF JASPER After being in law enforcement for Comics....................A8 over a decade, Smith said he has Dear Abby...............A8 seen all sorts of campaign signs Horoscope..............A8 Merrill promotes new damaged, such as knocking them Religion...................A5 down or stealing them. “I don’t Sports...................A12 know that I’ve ever heard of one Today in History......A2 technology for election being shot,” he said. “It looked to be a small caliber, maybe a .22.” One section, 16 pages process in Alabama Smith said the action happened Monday between 6 a.m. and 6:15 Check By ED HOWELL a.m. on Gardners Gin Road in a res- out our Daily Mountain Eagle idential area with a Cordova ad- Facebook dress, but in the county jurisdiction. page at Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill is promoting He has not filed a report with the Jasper Daily Mountain Eagle the technology advancements to improve elections, say- county, saying he is still looking to ing he one day hopes to bring electronic poll books to find any security video. Walker County. “The residents heard gunfire that At a Kiwanis Club of Jasper meeting Monday, Merrill morning, but didn’t really know passed out an annual report for calendar year 2016 in what it was,” he said. “Later in the his office, as well as a brochure that shows his business Daily Mountain Eagle - Ron Harris day, they were cutting grass and no- card reproduced with his office number, 334-242-7200; Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill ticed the holes in the sign.” his cell phone number, 334-328-2787; and his email, A total of six shots were heard, [email protected]. His website is talks with Jasper resident Bill Cleghorn and three holes were found in the following Monday’s Kiwanis Club of See SIGN, A11 See MERRILL, A11 Jasper meeting. A2 — DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE Jasper, Ala., Sat., Nov. 18, 2017 www.mountaineagle.com Today’s weather DEATHS & FUNERALS Forecast for Saturday, November 18, 2017 TENN. Deborah June Key Smitty Foch Ferguson December 10, 1953 – November 16, 2017 Smitty Foch Ferguson, 88, of Jasper, passed away Oxford 69/36 Huntsville Deborah June Key, 63, of Cordova, passed away Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, at Walker Baptist Medical Cen- ARK. 70/38 Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, at her residence. ter. The family will receive friends Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, A graveside service will be held Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, at 11 a.m. at Collins-Burke Funeral Home. at 2 p.m. at Saragossa Baptist Cemetery. Bryan Richard- GA. Funeral services will be held Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, son will officiate. at 1 p.m. in the Collins-Burke Chapel, with burial at Ferguson was preceded in death by his son, Sean Farley Greenville Birmingham 72/38 71/40 Union Chapel Cemetery. Houston Gardner will officiate. Ferguson; and parents, Sudie and Ernest Ferguson. Key was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil He is survived by his daughter-in-law, Kalei Ferguson; Roberts and Elisabeth Roberts; grandson, Kevin Key; nephew, Roger Ferguson, Charlie Ferguson and Fred Fer- brother, Otis Roberts. guson; niece, Annette Wilson, Rita Bice and Janice Mont- She is survived by her husband, Norman Preston Key gomery; and special friends, Carl and Gloria Harbison. Jackson Montgomery Sr.; daughter, Shannah Key Bramlett (Dennis); sons, 81/43 77/42 Norman Preston Key Jr. (Sarah) and David Wayne Key; You may sign the register online at www.kilgoregreen- sisters, Judy Early and Geraldine Davidson; sister-in- funeralhome.com. law, Faye Herron; special friends, Lisa Tidwell and Mar- Brookhaven Hattiesburg 77/42 garet Dunn; brothers, Pierce Roberts, Danny Roberts, Kilgore-Green Funeral Home, Jasper; 205-384-9503 79/42 Norman Roberts, Steve Roberts and Greg Roberts; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Mobile 78/46 LA. FLA. Collins-Burke Funeral Home, Jasper; 205-384-5571 Obituary policy The Daily Mountain Eagle publishes obit- Betty Smith uaries for a minimum $40 charge for a stan- dard obituary. The standard obituary Betty Smith, 57, of Jasper, passed away Friday, Nov. 17, includes the deceased’s complete name, age, 2017, at her residence. occupation, date, cause and place of death, Funeral arrangements will be announced by Collins- time and place of services and survivors.