A3 / NEWS B5 / LIFESTYLES Laura victims may go Business hosts weeks without power; yoga classes on death toll climbs to 14 Lewis Smith Lake Daily Mountain Eagle “The newspaper that cares about Walker County” MOUNTAINEAGLE.COM WEEKEND EDITION, AUG. 29-30, 2020 $1.50 WALKER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION VIKINGS PLAY Walker Foundation celebrating AT CULLMAN TODAY County 25 years with virtual event lags in area By JENNIFER COHRON The 30-minute presentation will debut Daily Mountain Eagle at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at www.wacf.org. and on TV16. for Census The Walker Area Community Founda- Several clips of community leaders tion’s 25th anniversary celebration will speaking about the work of WACF are feature familiar faces in a new format. available now on the Walker Area Com- response Because of COVID-19, WACF’s annual munity Foundation Facebook page. luncheon has been replaced with a free virtual event. See FOUNDATION, A7 By ED HOWELL Daily Mountain Eagle With only a month to go before the WALKER COUNTY SCHOOLS U.S. Census count ends early, Walker County and its municipalities are lag- ging behind surrounding counties and the state Daily Mountain Eagle - Ron Harris in self-re- sponding Jasper’s Treyvon Stewart (7) to the and Spencer Rosenfeld (10) Cen- celebrate after Stewart’s touch- sus -and down run during last week’s with some 30-20 win over Mars Hill. The communities well below 50 percent. Vikings’ game Friday was post- A state survey earlier in the year poned due to the threat of se- determined Walker County was the vere weather and will be played 12th most indifferent county in the state for completing the Census sur- today, with kickoff set for 11 vey. a.m. in Cullman. Officials are concerned that they are running out of time to improve the response to the Census-which could WALKER COUNTY be detrimental to losing funding for Walker County and its citizens, de- REVENUE COMMISSION spite the fact almost everyone can fill out the Census in only a few minutes, Revenue office as it only involves 10 questions. Daily Mountain Eagle file - Nicole Smith The Census can be taken online Students at Carbon Hill Elementary/Jr. High School are pictured during last closed Sept. 2-3 at my2020census.gov or by phone at year’s summer program at the school. Then, the children were participating 1-844-330-2020. in “sweet corn day,” where a local farmer taught the children about corn and due to software See CENSUS, A7 how it is harvested. installation Oakman to By ED HOWELL ‘They really blossom’ Daily Mountain Eagle host Census rep The Walker County Revenue Students reap benefits of summer reading program Commissioner’s Office will close next week to the public Wednesday, Sept. 2, By NICOLE SMITH School both held summer reading pro- and Thursday, grams in July, and the schools also have By NICOLE SMITH Daily Mountain Eagle Sept. 3, due to successful after-school programs during Daily Mountain Eagle software instal- Summer reading and after school pro- each school year. lation. OAKMAN — A Census team rep- grams made possible by the 21st Century According to Amy Atkins, coordinator The phones resentative will be in Oakman next Learning Grant continue to enhance of 21st Century programs for the school will not be an- week to help residents complete their the lives of students in Walker County system, Carbon Hill has received 21st swered the same participation in the Census. Schools. Century funding for the past 16 years, two days. This According to Oakman Town Clerk Carbon Hill Elementary/Jr. High is necessary for Jennifer Wade, the representative will School and Oakman Elementary/Middle See SCHOOLS, A7 the installation be at the town’s square on Monday, and training on Aug. 31, Wednesday, Sept. 2, and Fri- a new advanced Jerry day, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to system being Guthrie assist residents with the Census. Reed: State loan to bring 100 jobs to Lynn installed for the Recently released data shows that Fiscal 2021 tax season starting Special to the Eagle loan from the state to start new jobs. Oakman has a Census completion a manufactured housing Reed was appreciative of Oct. 1. rate of only 47 percent, which is below Senate Majority Lead- production and assembly the new jobs and economic “Please excuse our progress Walker County’s overall response rate er Greg Reed, R-Jasper, plant in Lynn. impact the project would and I apologize for any inconve- of 57.3 percent. assisted by state Rep. This loan is to provide have for Winston County. nience,” Revenue Commissioner Overall, the state of Alabama ranks Tim Wadsworth, R-Ar- working capital to Hamil- “This is great news for Jerry Guthrie said in a statement 31st in Census completion, compared ley, announced Friday ton Home Builders, LLC Lynn and Winston Coun- Friday. that Winston County was in Winston County to See OAKMAN, A7 receiving a $3.5 million create an estimated 100 See JOBS, A7 See OFFICE, A7 DEATHS WEATHER INDEX SOCIAL Lessie Kilgo, 94, Crane Hill Classifieds .................... B3 LEFT Gary C. Defore, 70, Quinton Dear Abby ..................... B7 ON Bettye Lou “Memaw” Tirey Garrett, 87, Foley Horoscope .................... B7 RED Nakia Chappel, 37, Quinton Use your LifeStyles ...................... B5 Michael Glenn ‘Mickey’ Dean, Jasper phone to Opinion .......................... A6 Find us on your Helen Pendley, 79, Parrish High Low quickly sign Sports ............................ B1 favorite podcast up for our streaming 90 73 weekly e-mail platforms. OBITUARIES / A2 newsletter Two sections, 16 pages A2 — DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE Jasper, Ala., Weekend Edition, Aug. 29-30, 2020www.mountaineagle.com Today’s weather DEATHS & FUNERALS Forecast for Saturday, August 29, 2020 TENN. Oxford 92/74 Huntsville Lessie Kilgo Michael Glenn Dean ARK. 90/74 Funeral services for Lessie Kilgo, 94, of Crane Hill, Michael Glenn Dean, affectionately called Mickey Alabama, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, August 29, all his life, passed away Wednesday, August 26, 2020, GA. 2020, at Bethany Baptist Church in Crane Hill. The at Walker Baptist Hospital from complications of Rev. Thomas Reeves will be officiating. Covid-19. Greenville Birmingham 95/74 88/75 Burial will follow after the service at Ryan’s Creek Born August 30, 1946, in Bir- Cemetery in Brushy Pond. The family will welcome mingham at the old West End Hos- guests for a visitation on Saturday prior to the service pital, now Princeton, Mickey was beginning at 1 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church. raised and educated in Hueytown. Jackson Montgomery Please wear a mask and follow social distancing He was a graduate of Hueytown 93/76 90/75 guidelines. High School Class of 1964. As a Mrs. Kilgo is survived by her children, Jan (Earl) youth he participated in the usual Brookhaven Hattiesburg Parker, Teresia (Billy) Morrow, and Buddy (April) school and community sports, but 90/75 89/75 Kilgo; grandchildren, Amy (Phillip) Stancil, Tina his true passion was born during Parker, Andrea (James) Phillips, Steven (Lauren) a 6th grade stage production while Mobile 89/75 FLA. Morrow, Jack Kilgo, and Addie Kilgo; great-grand- playing the part of a shipwrecked pirate. Over the LA. children, Kaitlin (Shawn) Tankersley, Stone Phillips, years he never forgot his lines. Logan Stancil, Breeze Phillips, Addox Morrow, Daisy He worked hard and well, eventually owning a steel Phillips, Eden Stancil, Joy Phillips, and ZuZu Phil- tank construction business in Birmingham. Mid-life, lips; and a brother, Oather Phillips. however, the stage beckoned him into the comedy Mrs. Kilgo was preceded in death by her husband, entertainment profession. As his career grew, he was Laverne Kilgo; brothers, Luther and Lawrence Phil- often invited as a motivational speaker at high school ©2020 AccuWeather, Inc. lips; sisters, Carolyn Needham and Lucille Tanner; assemblies, youth group meetings, church banquets, and parents, Isaac and Millie (McCurley) Phillips. team devotions, and corporate events. His timely and The family of Lessie Kilgo would like to send a sage advice on becoming the best at whatever you do special ‘Thank You’ to all of the staff at Hanceville in this life was always offered with a good dose of old Nursing Home for all of their love, support and com- fashioned sensible humor. AG: It’s time for fort that was selflessly given to Mrs. Kilgo during her His love for Jesus Christ, God’s Word, and the peo- residency at the nursing home. ple of God was important to him in recent years. He Hubbard to go to prison was embraced as a member of Dora Church of God. He loved living in Walker County, inspired by the for ethics conviction self-reliant, “can do – get it done” trait of its people. Gary C. Defore Their kindness in recent months gave him a great MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Su- Gary C. Defore, 70, of Quinton passed away Friday, measure of happiness. The family especially thanks preme Court on Friday refused to reverse its decision August 28, 2020, at his residence. our dear friend, Donna Williams, who was steadfast upholding much of the 2016 ethics conviction of former There are no services scheduled at this time. Bell in ensuring us he was cared for well. House Speaker Mike Hubbard, and the state attorney Funeral Home Sumiton has been entrusted with the He was the proud father of two wonderful sons, general said it’s time for the once powerful Republican arrangements. Scott and Mac, who gave him gave three talented and to report to prison. Preceding him in death were his father, Garvin beautiful granddaughters and two delightful and ath- Justices without comment turned down Hubbard’s Defore; his mother, Edna Wallace Defore; brother, letic grandsons.