INSIDE TODAY: Fed raises interest rate, foresees three hikes in 2017 /A5 DEC. 15, 2016 JASPER, ALABAMA — THURSDAY — WWW.MOUNTAINEAGLE.COM 75 CENTS BRIEFS Ridgeview Health Services 4 dead after vehicle goes hosting Living Nativity off dock CENTRE (AP) — By LEA RIZZO nity, Wallace explained. Sharing Daily Mountain Eagle the Christmas story was one of the A vehicle drove off things that Ridgeview employees a boat landing in Ridgeview Health Services in came up with. northeastern Ala- Jasper will be holding its annual “No matter how busy people get, bama, and at least Living Nativity program tonight, and as hectic as things may be, [I starting at 6 p.m. encourage people] to take time out four people inside David Wallace, chaplain at and come enjoy the Christmas drowned, while a Ridgeview, said the tradition story with their family,” he said. fifth was missing, began in 2011. “This has become part of the fam- Because Ridgeview is locally ily traditions of many people in the an official said owned, company president Joette area.” File photo Wednesday. Kelley-Brown and vice president The Living Nativity tells the Those killed Alicia Kelley-Stewart enjoy doing biblical Christmas story from the Residents and staff of Ridgeview Health Services participate ranged in age from things to give back to the commu- in a live Nativity last December. See NATIVITY, A4 their 20s to their 40s, said Cherokee County coroner Dr. HOLIDAY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST BEGINS FRIDAY Jeremy Deaton. Local Farmers News outlets re- ported that two peo- ple survived and Federation donates were taken to a hospital after the to fire departments vehicle plunged into Weiss Lake from By ELANE JONES do for our community,” Daily Mountain Eagle said Dorman Grace, a Leesburg Landing representative from the in Cherokee County The Walker County local Farmers Federa- just before 7 p.m. Farmers Federation tion Board of Directors. Tuesday. and representatives Grace said the dona- from local ALFA Insur- tion of the checks was Deaton said au- ance agencies pre- made possible through thorities are still in- sented local fire the ALFA membership vestigating what departments with an fee collected each year caused the car to early Christmas pres- from ALFA Insurance ent on Tuesday. policy holders. The end up in the water All 26 fire depart- money is used by the and searching for ments in the county re- Farmers Federations in the fifth person. ceived a $500 check their community to Al.com reported during the Walker help others in the agri- County Firefighters As- culture industry who that the vehicle hit sociation meeting to are in need. the water as a help recover from the “We can’t just go out nearby powerhouse recent wildfires. Local and give the money to fire departments, along had a generating Daily Mountain Eagle - Jennifer Cohron anybody, but we saw with the Alabama what was going on with turbine running and The Walker Area Community Foundation is inviting local amateur photogra- Forestry Commission, the wildfires and we that churning water phers to take pictures of their favorite holiday moments for the Walker 24/7 battled a total of 253 knew the fire depart- might have carried contest, which begins Friday and ends Jan. 3. Winning photos will be on dis- wildfires during the ments were spending a the vehicle farther month of October. lot of money they prob- play at the Bankhead House and Heritage Center next fall. Submissions are “We know they had a ably didn’t have, so we into the water. due to the WACF office by Jan. 27. rough time in October thought we would come and November with all and give them a little the wildfires, and we bit of help,” Grace said. just wanted to do a lit- “It’s not a lot and we DEATHS CORDOVA tle something to say wish we could do more Priscilla Sanders Kelsey, thank you for all they 60, Lawrenceburg, Tenn. See DONATION, A4 Pauline McGee Elliott, 77 City plans for parks and rec expansion Nicholas Alan Akins, 27, Jasper, Ruby Jean (Lucy Brown) By JENNIFER COHRON Stoker, 79, Parrish Daily Mountain Eagle Children’s Trust Fund Martha Joan Patilla, 58, Jasper Improving the parks Mr. John William “Bubba” system and increasing awards $115K to Hubbard II, 25, Quinton recreational opportunities will be a focus of the Cor- Full obituaries / A2 dova City Council in 2017. local service center Mayor Drew Gilbert placed parks and recre- By JENNIFER COHRON $25,000 to educate and WEATHER ation at the top of a prior- Daily Mountain Eagle provide support to fam- ity list he presented to ilies on effective strate- The Children’s Trust council members Tuesday gies to identify and Fund of Alabama re- night. prevent at-risk behav- High Low cently awarded “I want us to define it as iors, including reducing 42 25 $115,000 to the Jasper not just baseball and soft- the risk of child abuse Area Family Services ball leagues. I want us to and neglect. Center to fund three of 5-day forecast / A2 truly have parks and The Jasper Area its programs through recreation for all ages,” Family Services Center 2017. Gilbert said. is a private, nonprofit INDEX Daily Mountain Eagle - Jennifer Cohron The Walker County Potential projects in- agency incorporated in Fatherhood program, a Classifieds..............A7 clude rebuilding the dock Federal funds have been used for several disaster 2002. secondary prevention Comics..................A10 at Disney Lake, turning recovery projects at the Old Park in Cordova. The According to center program for noncusto- Dear Abby.............A10 the old Armory into a com- director Donna Kilgore, most recent improvement was the installation of a dial parents, received Horoscope............A10 munity center and con- the center was organ- shade system. Next will be a basketball court. $60,000. The program Opinion...................A6 structing a full-sized ized “for the purpose of works to prevent child Sports...................A11 basketball court near the coordinating compre- stalled at the park above the possibility of construct- abuse and neglect and Arrests....................A2 skate park. hensive community re- the bleachers and adjacent ing several small basket- to address the need for Council members voted sources at one site to playground. ball courts throughout the fathers and mothers to One section, 14 pages to move forward with the empower families by The city will pay $1,089, city. be emotionally and fi- latter by accepting a bid of providing support serv- or 10 percent of the cost of In 2017, the new Parks nancially supportive as $10,890 from Black Dia- ices.” constructing the basket- and Recreation Board is well as present in their Check mond Paving. The center’s website ball court. expected to assume control children’s lives. out our The Federal Emergency highlights one success Gilbert noted that the of the leagues that have Baby TALK (Teach- Facebook Management Agency will story of a young man city has not had a public been under the supervi- ing Activities for Learn- page at reimburse the city $9,801 who was ordered by the basketball court since the sion of a nonprofit for the ing and Knowledge), a as the final portion of an court to attend the cen- Jasper Daily Mountain Eagle new Cordova High School past decade. nationally recognized ongoing disaster recovery ter’s Fatherhood Initia- was built on the site of a “Kids who sign up need program founded in project that began after tive and Employment park facility in 2008. to be getting equal treat- 1986, received $30,000. the 2011 tornadoes. Prep Services. “I grew up on it up there. ment in league ball. This The program encour- The city used federal After 20 days in the I know a lot of kids did, isn’t school ball or travel ages and instructs par- funds in 2012 to rebuild program, he obtained a and we’ve been missing it. ball. This is recreation for ents on methods to the baseball fields and GED and driver’s li- I would love to have it all kids of all ages coming establish a nurturing skate park at the Old cense, secured a Pell back for our community,” from all walks of life so relationship with their Park, which was destroyed grant and enrolled in Gilbert said. they can get a taste of children. in the tornadoes. This year, college. Council member Larry baseball and softball,” The Parent Project of FEMA reimbursed the city He later worked with Sides suggested exploring Walker County received for shade systems in- See PARKS, A4 Y Your Yourour FFavoriteFavoriteavorite DDealership ealership See CENTER, A4 for for for 51 51 51 YYYears!ears!ears! A2 — DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE Jasper, Ala., Thurs., Dec. 15, 2016 www.mountaineagle.com Today’s weather DEATHS & FUNERALS Forecast for Thursday, December 15, 2016 TENN. Priscilla Sanders Kelsey Martha Joan Patilla Oxford Priscilla Sanders Kelsey, 60, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., Aug. 6, 1958 - Dec. 13, 2016 37/25 Huntsville passed away Monday, Dec. 12, 2016, at Martha Joan Patilla, 58, of Jasper, passed away on ARK. 37/23 UAB Hospital in Birmingham, after an Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, at Grandview Medical Center. extended illness. She was a native of The family will receive friends Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, Walker County, Alabama. She was a at 1 p.m. at Collins-Burke Funeral Home. Funeral serv- GA. professional secretary and a member ices will be Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at 2 p.m. in the Greenville Birmingham of Gum Springs Baptist Church. Collins-Burke Chapel, with burial at Walker Memory 40/27 42/25 She was preceded in death by her Gardens.