Category: GCV News

CHS Future Teachers need your help providing for their 3rd Annual “Rudolph’s Rockin’ Reindeer Bash” for elementary students

South Talladega County Future Teachers of Alabama are preparing for their 3rd Annual “Rudolph’s Rockin’ Reindeer Bash,” and they could use your help in making it a success.

The event is a Christmas party for Talladega County Elementary Collaborative Education Special Needs and Pre K students. They have created an Amazon Wish List, and are asking for your help in filling in that wish list. Please follow the link:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MVXRFH93K64S?ref_=wl_share

For more information, or to make a monetary donation, contact Tammy McWilliams of Childersburg High School at [email protected]

Oak Grove Town Council meeting report for 11/12/2024

The Oak Grove Town Council met at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12th at 6:00 p.m.

Councilman David Harris reported that the recent Oak Grove Fall Festival essentially broke even in terms of expenses and sponsorship revenues, “It was our smoothest and most successful festival, thanks to everyone joining in and working together.”

The Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department made their monthly report to the Town Council for October 2024:

Total Calls – 54
Structure Fires – 6
General Fires – 5
EMS-Only Calls – 41
Non-Fire, Non-EMS Calls – 2
Aid Given Calls – 4
Aid Received – 6
No-Aid Required – 44
Calls Inside Town Limits – 14
Calls Outside Town Limits – 40

The following are action items from their agenda:

William L. Taylor was approved to joing the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department.

The Council approved the 2025 Town holiday schedule for Town Hall and employees. The only change in the traditional schedule is for the Christmas holiday, with Friday (12/26) added to the schedule , along with Wednesday (12/24) and Thursday (12/25).

Repairs to the bumper of the Street Department’s 2022 Ford F-250 were approved at a cost of $1,700 by Collier Motors.

The Town Council approved the purchase of 2024 Gooseneck Trailer ($9,500) and hitch ($699). The 8.5’ by 30’ trailer will allow the Street Department to transport all three lawn mowers to job sites.

Resolution 617 approved declaring the 15-passenger Transportation bus as surplus and authorized disposal of the 2017 E350 Cutaway Bus.

The Council discussed a proposed 2.5-percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for town employees. The proposal will be formalized with a Resolution during the December regular meeting.

The Town of Oak Grove voted to approve Resolution 616, which joins the State of Alabama in approving a Sales Tax Exemption for Agricultural Fencing, up to $25,000.

A revision of the National Flood Insurance Ordinance had its first reading and will be considered during the December regular meeting.

The required Oak Grove Annual Safety Meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, November 27th at 2:00 p.m.

A contingency budget of $500 was approved for the annual Oak Grove Christmas Tree Lighting event, which is scheduled for Monday, December 2nd at 6:00 p.m. in Oak Grove Park.

Scenes from the Greater Coosa Valley Chamber Coffee 11/12/2024

Bates Industrial & Safety Supply hosted the November Coffee from the Greater Coosa Valley Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, November 12th. Besides the spotlight on the Highway 280 business, details were provided on a lot of upcoming holiday events in the region.

Ragan Bates welcomed visitors on behalf of the host company, “We opened two years ago to provide for the needs of our industrial community, along with a lot of merchandise the general public loves and appreciates, too!”

Pete Storey spoke on behalf of Majestic Caverns, “Christmas at the Cave is always a special time for families to build lifetime memories.” This year, Adventus is coming this December 14, 21, & 28 and is the perfect Christmas event for families, friends, and churches looking to celebrate together with live music, festive entertainment, and holiday magic in the most unique setting.

Kara Eslinger was introduced as the owner of the brand new Fair to Middlin’ Gifts & Boutique on 1st Street in downtown Childersburg. “It truly provides something for everyone on your holiday shopping list,” said John Mark Freeman of the Chamber.

The City of Childersburg hosts their annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday, December 3rd, starting at 6:00 p.m. with all sorts of family fun throughout the decorated downtown.

The Childersburg Parks & Recreation Department hosts Breakfast with Santa on Tuesday, December 10th, Find details at Childersburg.recdesk.com

The annual Rainwater House Christmas Bazaar is scheduled for Saturday, November 23rd, hosted at the Limbaugh Community Center from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The 2024 Childersburg Christmas Parade is set for Thursday, December 12th, sponsored by Cadence Bank.

Holiday season shoppers are reminded to turn in sales receipts from businesses in the Greater Coosa Valley region at the Chamber Office at 805 3rd St SW in Childersburg. A drawing for ten $100 gift cards will be held and winners announced on Tuesday, December 10th, when the historic Butler-Harris-Rainwater House hosts the December Chamber Coffee.

Join CVMC in honoring loved ones with the annual “Christmas Tree of Love”

Coosa Valley Medical Center (CVMC) invites the community to celebrate the season with its annual Christmas Tree of Love lighting ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 6:00 p.m.

The event, organized by the Coosa Valley Auxiliary, offers individuals an opportunity to honor loved ones by purchasing a light on the Christmas tree. Proceeds from the sales benefit the Coosa Valley Medical Center Foundation.

In the meantime tribute lights are available for $2, or $3 with a card notification, while group tribute lights with card notifications are priced at $20.

To purchase a tribute light, community members can scan the QR code in the attached graphic or by visiting this link – https://givebutter.com/treeoflove24

Childersburg welcomes “Fair to Middlin’ Gifts & Boutique”

Kara Eslinger opened the doors to “Fair to Middlin’ Gifts & Boutique” with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 7th, including both the Greater Coosa Valley & Sylacauga Chambers of Commerce.

Childersburg Mayor Ken Wesson welcomed the new downtown business, “The transformation has been nothing short of amazing. This is a shop that Kara and her family can be proud of creating, something special for the future of downtown Childersburg. It’s great to see such a crowd welcome her and her new shop.”

Eslinger got more than a bit teary-eyed as she explained the name she chose, Fair to Middlin’, “The name is a tribute to my GrandPa, using one of his favorite sayings. I was blessed to have such a supportive family. Everybody chipped in, allowing me to research what I wanted to include, while getting the building ready, and deciding how to display everything. I know he’d be so proud of everything about Fair to Middlin’.”

Here are some scenes for the dig day:

Check out “Fair to Middlin’ Gifts & Boutique in person at 705 1st Street Southwest in downtown Childersburg.

Hometown celebrity brings a pair of magical events to the Comer Museum

David Merlin’s “magical” events are usually reserved for places like New York City, Las Vegas, or prime time television. In fact, his act is fresh off October appearances in the Big Apple, but his hometown of Sylacauga gets two shows next week from Merlin.

Merlin’s performance history includes shows with Penne & Teller, David Letterman, America’s Got Talent, the Mike Huckabee Show, appearances on Comedy Central, and so many more. And he has something brand new for a pair of shows at Sylacauga’s Comer Museum next week.

His magical illusions are legendary, with dozens of magicians including them in their international shows. But those will have to wait for another day, because Merlin will delve into a whole new area of mind-reading for his Sylacauga shows, “I’ve done shows in the area of paranormal phenomenon. I’ve read minds and made predictions as a mentalist. I’ve performed shows which include complete audience participation. But I’m about to feature a brand new experiment in mental telepathy,” explained Merlin, “You’ll be the star of my new show at the museum, as the audience will read MY mind, instead.”

Prepare to be “wowed” on the evenings of Wednesday and Thursday, October 23rd and 24th. The shows are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. each night, with a limited number of seats available for each show. Get your tickets at the Comer Museum. Call (256) 245-4016 to reserve your seats now.

HSCU presents, “All Things Considered” on 10/21, 11:00 a.m. at the BB Comer Library

The Heritage South Credit Union Foundation has commissioned an original play about the reality of financial scams, “All Things Considered.”

The play is scheduled to be performed live at the B.B. Comer Memorial Library on Monday, October 21st at 11:00 a.m. A FREE Lunch will be provided for the first 100 guests.

“We wanted to do something to raise awareness of financial scams,” said HSCU’s Kevin Whitman, who is directing the play, “We obtained a grant to make the production possible, including having Sylacauga native Logan Chance write the script, along with myself, Beth Chance, and Jessie Vincent.”

Heritage South held auditions back in early September, and the troupe has been rehearsing since. They held a dress rehearsal for staff members on Monday, October 14th at the main branch in Sylacauga. The cast features:

Janie Giddens as Marjory
Donna Walker as Sara
Randy Clark as Ed
Michael Giddens as Jon
Robin Wallace as Stella

Ribbon-Cutting & Open House for College Park development

Rausch-Coleman Homes held a Ribbon-Cutting & Open House event on Thursday, October 15th. Twelve homes of a planned 132-home College Park development have been completed and more are currently under construction. A great crowd was on hand as College Park gave its first public peek at its new homes.

Here are some scenes from the big event:

We talked with Rausch-Coleman’s in-house College Park representative, Robbyn Duncan:

Wow! What a weekend!

Wow! What a weekend in the Greater Coosa Valley! There was NO shortage of things to do in the region on Saturday (10/12), all full of family fun! A pair of annual festivals drew crowds in south Talladega County, as well as a big veteran-related music event in the Lincoln area.

Childersburg’s John Cox Stadium hosted a “combo” event – the “Pumpkin Festival & Coosa Fest 484,” while the Childersburg Rescue Squad’s “Ride to the Rescue” brought hundreds of bike riders to town, along with a Classic Car, Truck & Bike show and some of the south’s best BBQ and all the fixings.

And for the 14th consecutive year, Oak Grove’s Fall Family Festival was the biggest and best ever, along with a great collection of vintage vehicles from the Marble City Cruisers.