News

By Kaitlin Fleming, Staff Correspondent Alabama’s 14th annual sales tax holiday for school-related items began at 12:01 a.m. today, July 19, and ends at midnight Sunday, July 21. This tax break gives shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain school supplies, computers, books and clothing without the Alabama’s four percent sales tax. The following items are tax

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor On Wednesday, July 17, local students got the opportunity to go back-to-school shopping with Dre Kirkpatrick, a Gadsden City High School graduate and former University of Alabama football player who is now a professional cornerback with the Cincinnati Bengals. This is the second year Kirkpatrick’s 21 Kids Foundation hosted the 2019

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor At the Gadsden City Council Meeting on Tuesday, July 16, the City of Gadsden announced that Motus Integrated Technologies, an automotive interior supplier, will be locating its new facility in Gadsden. Motus will invest over $15 million dollars in the community and create over 90 new jobs in the area. “This

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor The Gadsden Kiwanis Club celebrated its 100-year anniversary on Wednesday, July 10 at the Gadsden Museum of Art. Club members and local supporters gathered to reminisce and celebrate the club’s birthday by singing “Happy Birthday” and enjoying a meal and birthday cake. During the festivities, City of Gadsden Mayor’s Assistant Shane

By Sarrah Peters/News Editor On Friday, June 14, hundreds of volunteers worked on projects throughout Etowah County as part of United Way’s 22nd Annual Day of Action. The Day of Action is a campaign where local charities and organizations sign up to get projects done and volunteers come out to work on the projects all

By Sarrah Peters/News Editor The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office hosted its 9th Annual Student Leadership Academy this past week.  Sheriff Jonathon Horton said he was excited to keep the program going, as it offers a great experience to the students who will become leaders in the future. The students participating in the program, which got

Name: Carl Brady Where were you born and raised? “I was born in Gadsden in 1968 at the Holy Name of Jesus Hospital, and was raised on The Mountain near Noccalula Falls.” What is your occupation? “My current occupation is Workforce Program Manager for the East AlabamaWorks Regional Workforce Council. I work with local business

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor This year, Emma Samson Middle School started a camp for students who are English as a second language learners. Marcia Farabee, who spent time working with English language learner camps throughout Alabama, was inspired to start the camp when she returned to working at Gadsden City Schools and realized there was

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor The Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association is seeking nominations for the Patriots Hall of Fame. Patriots Association member Rick Vaughan said that the organization is looking for people that give back to the community without seeking recognition. “When our founding fathers set this country up, what we are looking for in a patriot,

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor The Humane Society Pet Rescue and Adoption Center is holding a fundraiser concert featuring The Swingin’ Medallions on June 28 at The Venue at Coosa Landing. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Swingin’ Medallions are a swing band that are well-known in the South for their hit “A Double Shot (of

Name: Jared Vaughn Where were you born and raised? “I grew up in the Bellevue Highlands community on the mountain in Gadsden. I attended R. A. Mitchell Elementary School, General Forest Middle School and Emma Sansom High School.  My parents still live in the same house I grew up in to this day.  My family

By Sarrah Peters News Editor Westbrook Christian had an outstanding 2019 graduating class, with 85 percent of the students receiving scholarships. “We keep up with the percentage every year,” said Principal Cindy Greer. “Over the past five years it’s been like 58 percent, 59 percent. Last year’s group, the class of 2018, had 65 percent,

By Sarrah Peters News Editor On Wednesday, June 5, a group of bikers stopped at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Gadsden and Etowah County. University of Dayton Professor Peter Titlebaum, Dwight Matlock and Moshe Bargil embarked on a week-long biking trip the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 1 in

Name: Kara Scheller Where were you born and raised? “I was born and raised here in Gadsden!” What is your occupation? “I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, also known as a BCBA, and owner of Coosa Behavioral Services.” What made you decide to work in your field? “I became interested in disabilities, specifically autism,

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor On Monday, May 27, people gathered at Ola Lee Mize Patriots Park at Noccalula Falls inn Gadsden to remember the reason for the Memorial Day holiday: the soldiers who have died fighting for our country. City of Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton encouraged people to keep remembering our military and veterans, especially

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor The cast of the Noccalula Experience, an immersive theater performance based on the local legend of Princess Noccalula, has been rehearsing for the last few weeks, and everything is in place to open the show this weekend. The show will be held from May 31 to June 7 on Friday through

By Sarrah Peters News Editor The fifth annual Bash in the Bend will be held Saturday, June 1 at 103 Robert Lee Road in Gadsden. Five years ago, neighbors Jeff Little, Shane Reid and Mark Cassidy decided to host a cookout in Tillison Bend the weekend of Father’s Day on their several acres of property.

By Kaitlin Fleming Staff Correspondent The Gadsden City Council may soon vote on a new benefit plan for city employees that may see those same workers pay an additional 1.5 percent from their paychecks, according to city council members. On Monday, May 20, councilmember Deverick Williams suggested during a finance meeting that it would be

By Kaitlin Fleming Staff Correspondent Local fifth grader Emily Ragsdale sold 2,222 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, which is well above the 200-500 box national average and landed her the title of Top Cookie Seller in all of Etowah County. Ragsdale was excited about selling the most of her troop, which is part of the

By Sarrah Peters News Editor On Monday, May 13, Rainbow City took steps to protect the investment it has made into the Etowah County Mega Sports Complex. A bill introduced by State Senator Andrew Jones created uncertainty about the Sports Complex’s future. The bill is very similar to the one State Representative Becky Nordgren advertised

By Sarrah Peters News Editor In 1975, Juanita Moman opened an eyeglass dispensary called Moman’s Eyecare at 227 Broad Street. Moman’s Eyecare has the distinction of being the oldest retail business on Broad Street. Now, after 44 years in business Moman’s is closing its doors. Juanita’s inspiration to open Moman’s came from her love of

By Sarrah Peters News Editor On Thursday, May 9, the Etowah Chamber took the time to honor the many great educators in the county at the second annual Excellence in Education Award Luncheon. “We have so many wonderful things going on in our educational systems,” said Chamber President Heather Brothers New. “So, Excellence in Education

By Sarrah Peters News Editor Sports enthusiasts, Boy Scout supporters and locals flocked to 210 at the Tracks in Gadsden on Tuesday, May 7 to enjoy a good meal and more at the Etowah Boy Scouts Steak Social. Attendees enjoyed drinks and food (steak, of course) while they socialized with each other. During the event,

By Sarrah Peters News Editor Oscar Adams Elementary Schools is proud to announce that over the last year, its students have been reading a ton. Even students in kindergarten have been reading books and taking Accelerated Reading (AR) tests. Through the tests taken, a school can track the number of books and words read by

Name: Chance Goodwin Where were you born and raised? “I was born in Gadsden and raised in Hokes Bluff.” What is your occupation? “Principal of C.A. Donehoo Elementary School and Minister of Saks Church of Christ in Anniston.” What made you decide to work in your field? “From a young age I wanted to be

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor On Tuesday, April 30, the YMCA of the Coosa Valley held its 26th annual Youth in Government Day. Gadsden City High School students were invited to Gadsden City Hall to learn about how government works with an inside look into the process. “The mission of our Youth in Government Day is

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor On Saturday May 4, the 2019 Gadsden Heart Walk will be held at the Gadsden Mall at 8 a.m. The walk starts at 9 a.m. Participants will be walking in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park. The Gadsden Heart Walk is a free event that aims to raise funds for the

Name: Tom Banks Where were you born and raised? “Besides college, I’ve spent my entire life in Gadsden.” What is your occupation? “I’m the deputy director of the Gadsden Cultural Arts Foundation, overseeing the Foundation’s programs and projects, including the Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, Imagination Place Children’s Museum, the Etowah Youth Orchestras, and the

By Kaitlin Fleming, Staff Correspondent Local city mayors are indignant over an advertised “home rule” bill that would allow the Etowah County Commission to raise taxes without the consent of municipalities. State Senator Andrew Jones from Cherokee County advertised the bill that would grant the county the authority to levy taxes, abate nuisances and impose late

By Sarrah Peters, News Editor Art on the Rocks began as a project of the Gadsden Woman’s Club in 1958, when the club decided to do an summer art show. The first art show featured over 100 artists and their works at Noccalula Falls. This art show sparked the Gadsden Art Association. The art association sponsored