A2 / NEWS A14 / NEWS Laura gains Officials: No sign of strength, could bring foreign targeting ‘unsurvivable’ surge of mail-in voting Daily Mountain Eagle “The newspaper that cares about Walker County” MOUNTAINEAGLE.COM THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 2020 75 CENTS Virtual CLEANING, DISINFECTING DONE AT JASPER SCHOOLS INSIDE series planned on addiction, recovery By JENNIFER COHRON Daily Mountain Eagle Registration is open for a free six- week virtual series on addiction and Vikings take new recovery, which will include some speakers from Walker County. approach with Attorney General Steve Marshall two-way players will provide a live keynote address Jasper Coach Philip on Sept. 3 for “The Journey Bailey has several play- Series,” which will ers getting game reps be offered each on offense and defense Thursday through this season, which is Oct. 8. a new thing for the Vi- Webinars will Workers at all Jasper kings’ program. / A11 be hosted on Zoom city schools were busy at 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday cleaning and 3:35 p.m. each disinfecting classrooms week. They can and hallways as preventive WALKER COUNTY be watched on a Steve COMMISSION desktop or smart- Marshall measures to avoid the phone. spread of COVID-19 to Originally planned as a one-day protect students and fac- County event, the virtual series was devel- ulty members in schools. oped after the coronavirus pan- Thorough cleanings will be reviews demic made in-person gatherings done each Wednesday at unsafe. all city schools. new lift for “I think it became a blessing in disguise because not only are we courthouse getting to reach Walker County people safely, but we also have the By ED HOWELL ability for people across the state Daily Mountain Eagle and beyond the state to tune in and hear about what is happening in Walker County Com- mission officials discussed See SERIES, A8 the new lift being planned for disabled to enter the south end of the court- PREGNANCY TEST AND house RESOURCE CENTER during its meeting PTRC Golf Mon- day, Aug. 17. Classic set Coun- ty En- gineer for this fall Mike Short By ED HOWELL Jerry said the Daily Mountain Eagle Bishop county The Fifth Annual Pregnancy Test Photos courtesy of Jasper City Schools is work- and Resource Center (PTRC) Golf ing with architects on the Classic will be held Oct. 9 through project, noting it people Nov. 20 at Musgrove Country Club, would go from the ground with prizes set for first, second and Smith elected mayor of Sipsey level to the first floor of third place. the courthouse, where the All proceeds will benefit PTRC, a CH City Council moves meeting defeated Robinson 83 votes, or 72 percent, to Revenue Commissioner’s local ministry serving mothers and due to tonight’s football game / A8 32 votes, or 28 percent. Office and the Board of fathers who have had an unplanned Smith will take office on Monday, Nov. 2. Registrar’s is located, pregnancy. The ministry offers Robinson was elected to the Sipsey Town among other offices. By ED HOWELL The architect plans are pregnancy testing, ultrasound, baby Daily Mountain Eagle Council in 2016, but replaced Mayor Jerry Sad- items, parenting classes, support dler after he died last year. She also assisted close to being completed, and connections to local resources. SIPSEY — Challenger Sonya Smith defeated him while he was in declining health. She said putting the project at a “Basically, players/teams can reg- Sipsey Mayor Brenda Ramsey Robinson for recently she had worked on the city’s financ- projected $200,000, Short ister (online), and then we will pass the town’s top municipal es and made improvements to the recreation said, although the project their registration on to Musgrove,” position Tuesday, ending center and community center, and that new will have to be bid out. Jenny Hyche Odom said on behalf of Robinson’s bid for a full walking trails were being installed. “There is money set the center. “They will have the op- term as mayor. Robinson also said the town council had de- aside for the project,” portunity to play between October 9 Unofficial results posted cided to sell the old Sipsey school, although it Short said. Chairman at the town’s community See COMMISSION, A8 See PTRC, A8 center, where the vote was held, showed Smith See ELECTION, A8 DEATHS WEATHER INDEX SOCIAL Classifieds .................. A13 LEFT Linda Dickerson Jones, 55, Jasper Comics ........................ A10 ON Michael W. Bray, 54, Jasper Dear Abby ................... A10 Religion ......................... RED Gwyn Vondell Holcomb, 81, Jasper Use your A5 phone to Opinion .......................... A4 Find us on your Steve Wilcutt, 69, Jasper High Low quickly sign Sports .......................... A11 favorite podcast up for our streaming 92 76 weekly e-mail platforms. OBITUARIES / A2 newsletter One section, 14 pages A2 — DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE Jasper, Ala., Thurs., Aug 27, 2020 www.mountaineagle.com Today’s weather DEATHS & FUNERALS Forecast for Thursday, August 27, 2020 TENN. Oxford 89/77 Huntsville ARK. 93/75 Linda Dickerson Jones Gwyn Vondell Holcomb Linda Dickerson Jones, 55, of Jasper, passed away May 4, 1939-August 26, 2020 August 25, 2020, at her residence. Gwyn Vondell Holcomb, 81, of Jasper, passed away GA. Visitation will be held Friday, August 28, 2020, Wednesday, August 26, 2020, at Ridgeview Health Greenville Birmingham from 5 to 7 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home. Fu- Services. 92/76 87/75 neral service will be held Saturday, August 29, 2020, The family will receive friends Friday, August at 2 p.m. at New Bethel Church of God in Christ, 28, 2020, at 8 a.m. at Collins-Burke Funeral Home. Jasper, with burial to follow at Gay Reed Cemetery. Funeral services will follow at 9 a.m. in the Col- lins-Burke Chapel. Burial will be at Walker Memory Jackson Montgomery 88/76 93/75 Faith Chapel Funeral Home, Jasper; 205-384-9680 Gardens. Thomas Hyche will officiate. Mrs. Holcomb was preceded in death by her hus- band, Odis Holcomb; father, William Jesse Berry; Brookhaven Hattiesburg 85/76 88/76 Michael W. Bray mother, Cynthia Watts Berry; brothers, Ray Berry, Michael W. Bray, 54, of Jasper, died Tuesday, Au- Ellis Berry, Harrison Berry and Houston Frank Ber- Mobile ry; and sisters, Earlene Hallmark, Jessell Chambless, 88/76 FLA. gust 25, 2020, at his residence. LA. Funeral services will be 7 p.m. today, August 27, Alta Cagle and Faye Banks. 2020, at Bell Sumiton Chapel, with burial at Midway She is survived by her daughter, Teresa Baldwin Cemetery in Adamsville at 10 a.m. Friday. Robert (Phillip); son, Michael Holcomb (Lisa); brother, Billy Dollar and Ronnie Howard will officiate. Berry (Anna); grandchildren, Krystal Johnson and Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Brodie Baldwin; and three great-grandchildren. the funeral home. Bell Funeral Home Sumiton has ©2020 AccuWeather, Inc. been entrusted with the arrangements. Collins-Burke Funeral Home, Jasper; 205-384-5571 Preceding him in death were his parents, Robert Bray Jr. and Lillian McDaniel Bray; and son, Justin Lee Bray. Steve Wilcutt Survivors include his wife, Angie Bray of Jasper; Steve Wilcutt, 69, of Jasper, passed away Wednes- FOR THE RECORD daughters, Megan Bray Roberts (Clifton) of Hunts- day, August 26, 2020, at Princeton Baptist Medical ville and Cailin Bray of Roebuck; grandsons, Slade, Center. JASPER POLICE field, 33, Birmingham: Bray and Ashton Roberts; sister, Lisa Howard (Jeff) Arrangements will be announced later by Col- DEPARTMENT criminal trespass third of Dora; and a host of other friends and relatives. lins-Burke Funeral Home. August 16 degree; public intoxica- You may sign an online register or express private • Christin Faith Gold- tion condolences to the family at www.bellsumiton.com. Collins-Burke Funeral Home, Jasper; 205-384-5571 smith, 27, Jasper: FTA • Beverly Louise Busby, • Edward Natale 32, Jasper: FTA Bell Funeral Home, Sumiton; 205-648-6611 Munao, 26, Nauvoo: August 19 possession of a controlled • Joseph Leon Camp- substance; possession of bell, 45, Jasper: fleeing or marijuana second degree attempting to elude law • Tracy Michelle How- enforcement officer ton Gilbert, 47, Sipsey: • Charity Dove Tessen- FTA er, 35, Jasper: FTA Laura gains strength, could • Dwight William Liv- • Bradley Samuel ingston, 49, Jasper: FTA Rigsby, 37, Jasper: DUI August 17 alcohol bring ‘unsurvivable’ storm surge • Misty Dorene Smith, • Earnest Eugene 40, Dora: FTA Gosha, Jr., 54, Jasper: • Susan Elizabeth Hart domestic violence third DELCAMBRE, La. Edgil Lay, 57, Jasper: two degree (AP) — Laura strength- counts of FTA • Adam Ryan Wide- ened Wednesday into • Kayla Nicole Burton, man, 35, Jasper: DUI a menacing Category 4 29, Dora: theft of property combined substance; hurricane, raising fears fourth degree possession of drug para- of a 20-foot storm surge • Joey Lee Dill, 44, phernalia that forecasters said Jasper: arrest of fugitive • Rhonda Leigh Milli- would be “unsurvivable” from justice gan, 33, Jasper: FTA and capable of sinking • Keith Alan Allred, August 20 entire communities. 51, Jasper: public intoxi- • Daniel Brett Authorities implored cation; possession of drug Markham, 33, Jasper: coastal residents of Texas paraphernalia public intoxication and Louisiana to evacu- • Christopher Tyler • Amanda Jean Brunk- ate and worried that not Hoobler, 29, Jasper: er, 29, Jasper: FTA enough had fled. domestic violence third • Loretta Ann Calloway The storm grew nearly degree Flippo, 43, Oakman: FTA 70% in power in just • Kody Lynn Lashum, • Brandon Ray Cole, 24 hours to a size the 28, Quinton: FTA 34, Nauvoo: FTA National Hurricane August 18 August 21 Center called “extremely • Ildefonso Joaquin Lo- • Steven Sanford Hart- dangerous.” Drawing pez, 31, Double Springs: ley, Jr., 30, Talladega: energy from the warm Gulf of Mexico waters, FTA FTA NOAA via AP • Judith Diane Busby, • Shannon Leigh the system was on track 59, Cullman: theft of Fender, 48, Jasper: DUI to arrive late Wednesday This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Wednesday at 2:40 p.m.