Serving the greater NORTH, CENTRAL AND SOUTH BALDWIN communities Celebrating Black History Month PAGE 5 BCHS promotes female athletes The Onlooker PAGE 11 FEBRUARY 28, 2018 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Silverhill to advertise Vosloh Foundation and Foley Bay Minette for new Rotary Club honor 2017 winners woman dies police chief By JESSICA VAUGHN ate School Teacher of the Year, always been nominated, we just in head-on By JOHN UNDERWOOD [email protected] Kathy Kendrick; Foley Middle couldn’t get her to make it to the [email protected] School Teacher of the Year, finish line.” collision Cain Harbin; Foley High School This year is different, and SILVERHILL — FOLEY — The Vosloh Chari- Teacher of the Year, Col. Scherry Hayes, who teaches third grade The Silverhill Town table Foundation, established by Douglas; Foley Police Officer of and was born in Foley, accepted with big rig Council voted at Sue and David Vosloh in 2008, the Year, SRO Labron Williams; the award. She did her student its regular meeting teamed with the Foley Rotary on and Foley Firefighter of the Year, teaching during college in the ALEA REPORT Monday, Feb. 19 to ad- Friday, Feb. 16 to give a special Brandon Irwin. 3rd grade room at Foley Elemen- vertise the position of lunch and awards ceremony Each recipient was given the tary, before leaving to work at GATESWOOD — A Bay police chief, following to six local recipients. The re- chance to speak with the audi- Elberta Elementary. Minette woman was killed a determination by cipients of the awards received ence as well as revealing what “The last day there, I was Wednesday in a head-on colli- the town’s attorney a $1,000 bonus from the Vosloh they will be doing with their brought home to Foley Elemen- sion with a tractor-trailer on that they must do so. Foundation, with taxes being $1,000 bonus. tary,” said Hayes. “This Sep- County Road 112 near River “According to the paid by the City of Foley and the tember will be 25 years ago that Road in the Gateswood com- state statute, the School Board. The recipients also FOLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL I walked onto the campus as a munity. town has the option received a certificate from Gulf Foley Elementary School teacher, and I love every bit of it, According to a release of whether or not Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Moyer Principal William Lawrence in- I love every one there, it’s home. issued Wednesday by the they want to form a Ford in Foley offering them the troduced the Foley Elementary It’s where my heart is.” Alabama Law Enforcement police department,” opportunity to purchase a new School Teacher of the Year, An- With the bonus, Hayes said Agency, 32-year-old Katy L. said Attorney Josh vehicle at actual cost with no gela Hayes. that she has already bought a Ganey, was pronounced dead Myrick during the mark up. “This recognition is long over- fitbit, two pairs of new Nike ten- at the scene after the 2006 meeting. “If the town For 2017, the recipients in each due,” said Lawrence. “The teach- nis shoes, some workout clothes, BMW she was driving collided does elect to form a category were: Foley Elemen- ers at our school all nominate the and she was able to fix a plumb- head-on with a 2001 Volvo police department, tary School Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year, and Hayes which this town has, Angela Hayes; Foley Intermedi- has always been on that list, she’s SEE ROTARY, PAGE 2 SEE CRASH, PAGE 3 then the department must have a chief.” Myrick said also that the town must also consider that Retirement salute for Elberta’s Police Chief their municipal ordi- nance has established the office of chief of police. “Even if the state code would allow you to not hire a chief, you would still need to change the ordi- nance,” Myrick said. Myrick was asked to look into whether or not the town could not hire a new police CLIFF MCCOLLUM / STAFF PHOTOS chief at the council’s Last week, residents and well-wishers gathered together at regular meeting Elberta Town Hall to celebrate the retirement and recognize Monday, Feb. 5, fol- the service of Elberta Police Chief Stan DeVane. DeVane was lowing the resigna- recognized with a presentation of his service weapon, a com- tion of Kevin Brock memorative plaque and a copy of the script of the film “Rio on Jan. 25. Bravo” signed by the cast. DeVane told the crowd he was proud Brock served as the to have served as Elberta’s chief and was thankful for the peo- ple of the town who showed him continued support throughout town’s police chief his tenure. SEE CHIEF, PAGE 34 DEATHS PAGE 17 Jean Belfield Tracy Lee Burroughs Butcher Burnice Leroy Dorman William Percy Manders III Donald Stevenson Ming Christina Elizabeth Steed Nelson Edward J. Sweat INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 5 OUT & ABOUT, 20 Coast CLASSIFIED, 8 PUZZLES, 7 Media HEALTH, 19 SPORTS, 11 VOLUME 110 • ISSUE 7 LEGALS, 22 TV LISTINGS, 13 1 SECTION • 36 PAGES OPINION, 10 2 • The Onlooker • February 28, 2018 • Gulf Coast Media ROTARY interviewing people in wanted to do and never sors each year to make a CONTINUED FROM 1 California and Washington been able to before. nomination at the end of State by phone because the year,” said Darby. “I these are people who typi- FOLEY POLICE OFFICER give them one month to ing problem recently when cally are recently retired OF THE YEAR submit to me nominations a pipe broke in a wall, or about to be retiring.” The Foley Police Officer and to give me some very stating that the money Though he spoke with of the Year, SRO Labron good reasons why, and couldn’t have come at a many outstanding can- Williams, was unfortu- they always do.” better time. didates, Douglas stood nately unable to attend Darby stated that when out and impressed him the ceremony. Foley Chief he came to Irwin’s nomina- FOLEY INTERMEDIATE instantly. David Wilson accepted the tion, the shift supervisor SCHOOL “We finished our con- award on his behalf. had made points that were Shannon McCurdy, prin- JESSICA VAUGHN /STAFF PHOTO versation and as soon as “There are 64 cops in not at first obvious, as cipal of Foley Intermedi- we hung up, I said, ‘why Foley,” said Wilson. “It is Irwin is a person who often From left, Firefighter of the Year Brandon Irwin; Foley High ate School, introduced the School Teacher of the Year Col. Scherry Douglas; Foley Police did I let her get off the the most difficult decision does not want to be at the school’s Teacher of the Chief David Wilson on behalf of Officer of the Year SRO Labron phone without offering her that I make every year on front, staying behind-the- Year, Kathy Kendrick, a Williams; Foley Intermediate School Teacher of the Year Kathy the job?’” Moore said. He which one to select in our scenes instead. graduate of Robertsdale. Kendrick; David Vosloh; Foley Elementary School Teacher of called her back right then selection process. This se- “One of the key state- “Kathy was selected the Year Angela Hayes; and Foley Middle School Teacher of the and hired her. lection was not so hard.” ments that his supervisor by our faculty,” said Mc- Year Cain Harbin present their check bonuses from the Vosloh “I continue to be thank- Williams will receive a made was that Brandon Curdy. “I met her four Charitable Foundation. ful, humbled, and honored special Officer of the Year constantly does things years ago, and she’s be- by this experience,” said ribbon from the depart- both around the station come a friend, probably a bin, was introduced by camp in the summer. Douglas. “More so because ment, as well as a framed and on those fire scenes lifelong friend, as she is a Foley Middle School Prin- “I absolutely love work- it was those dedicated citation which reads: that not only get the job lifelong educator.” cipal Danny McDuffie. ing there,” said Harbin. teachers at Foley High “SRO Labron Williams done, but make him, his Kendrick stated she “He’s been with us four “I love working with my School, my peers, who is selected as our depart- shift supervisor, look plans to use the money years now,” said McDuffie eighth grade kids, I love bestowed this honor upon ments’ Policeman of the good,” said Darby. “And towards her daughter’s of Harbin. “He came to getting kids who don’t re- me.” Year 2017. Labron serves I think all of us in leader- quickly approaching wed- Foley Middle as a student ally like science to come Douglas spent more the students, the teachers, ship, that’s what we want ding, which is fitting since teacher, and as soon as I in and be like, ‘Oh, I don’t than 30 years working for the city, and our depart- from all of our staff. If our she became an educator met him, there’s a person- know, this looks like a lot the government in the Air ment as one of four school staff is out there working thanks to her daughter, ality that connects with of work,’ and then we start Force, but teaching had resource officers. His daily hard to make us look good, when she took on the role kids, especially middle doing labs, we go out into always been in her blood. interaction has contrib- then that makes us work of room mother at her schoolers.