​ I finished this story the day before Byrd Stewart passed away.I’m leaving the story just as it was written. I am so honored to have had the privilege to do this and get to know Byrds wonderful daughters. My heart goes out to this great family.

              A Man of Character
       I wonder how many people can say that they were born in World War I, lived through the Great Depression, fought in World War 2 and can speak of it today? Not many, if any, I’d say but we have such a person right here in Randolph County. His name is Mr. Byrd Stewart. At 103, he still lives at home, enjoys a good book, conversation and watching the birds outside his picture window.

Byrd Stewart enlisted in the Army in June of 1941, at the age of 25. He went in as a mechanic and as soon as his training was complete, he was loaded on the Queen Elizabeth, seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time, and shipped off to Scotland to eventually join the 6th Cavalry Mechanized Division.

In his service, he witnessed the tragedy of war. The effects of bombs, bullets, fire and inhumanity were obvious everywhere. As his exit paperwork shows, he was there in the Battle of the Bulge in Normandy, Central Europe and Ardennes Rhineland. In all, he was in three different campaigns that were called the Bronze Service Star Campaigns.

For his service, Sgt Stewart earned the Bronze Star as well as the European-African- Middle Eastern service medal with one silver star.

To read more about Mr. Stewart, pick up your copy of Southern Holiday Life.

​Tags: #Community   #Local Flavor  #CharleyNorton

While Boating Wedowee is known for its beautiful lakes and rivers and many people take advantage of enjoying the waterways each year. In the coming weeks more people will be pulling out their boats from winter storage in preparation for summer getaways on the water. We’ve reached out to Coty Brown of the Alabama State Troopers - boat patrol division for suggestions, preventative pointers, common issues on the water, which can contribute to your boating safety and add to your boating pleasure. “A lot of times I am asked does the law require you to have line tied to the throwable,” Brown said. “The answer is no. It’s a smart idea to add some on there just in case, but you will not be cited for not having it on there. “ I’m also always asked about a paddle. This is also not a requirement by law, but always remember the old saying. You definitely don’t want to be up the creek without one.”

Preventative Pointers and Tips:
The best way to avoid me is to obey all safety regulations and laws on the water way. Treat the water way as if it was a roadway and stay to the right of mid channel at all times. Always be aware of your surroundings and be courteous to other boaters.
​
Most Common Issue on the water:
There are several different issues that have come up in the past few years. It’s hard to say which one is the most common so I’ll just touch base on a few different subjects. People riding with their hips above the gunwales of the boat. I’m seeing a huge issue with people laying on the back cushions of ski boats. If something happens and these people fall off it can possibly be fatal for these people. Also on pontoon boats as well. You have to be seated down inside the boat when it’s in motion at all time. Also when in pontoon boats make sure that you’re inside the railing as the boat is in motion. Underage people operating vessels without a license:   Alabama requires that its residents possess a valid vessel license to operate on the waterways in Alabama. A person at the age of 12-13 may get a license but cannot operate unless they have someone at the age of 21 or above with a valid vessel licenses on board with them.

Fourteen and above can operate a vessel in Alabama by themselves with a valid vessel license. Out of state residents may operate on the water ways in Alabama for a total of 45 days with a VALID DRIVERS LICENSE without possessing a vessel license through Alabama. Learners permits are not considered a valid driver’s license. People under the age of 16 from Georgia must take the Georgia boating test before they can operate by themselves in Alabama. They will be issued a card after they complete the test successfully, and they have to have this card with them as they operate. This will be cracked down on more this year and if someone is caught operating a vessel without a license, the guardian will be cited for allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a vessel. Pay close attention to the buoys and markers they are placed in various areas for a reason. Idle speed zones are going to be enforced stricter than ever. If you are uncertain what idle speed is then put your boat in neutral and slowly place it in forward gear. When the boat starts to slowly glide through the water, this is considered IDLE SPEED.

Boaters in Need:
If you ever happen to find yourself in distress while out on the water here are a few tips to remember. Try and flag someone down by waving by arms up high. The boating community is usually very helpful to each other, and will usually help one another when in need. Check with the local marinas. A lot of times they will help you out and can make it to you quicker than I can. Especially if you’re already a customer with them. Don’t be afraid to dial 911. You can also dial *HP. Just make sure to be able to give a good location to where you’re at, and a brief description of what your emergency is (whether you ran out of gas or something else mechanical). We are fortunate enough to have mile markers on this lake, but if you don’t know which river (Tallapoosa or Little Tallapoosa) you’re on, it doesn’t help matters. A quicker response time relies on you being able to tell me a general area so I know where to begin my search. If anyone needs to speak with me directly you can give dispatch a call at 256-357-2309 and leave a message for me. I’ll return your call as soon as I can.

Have fun this year, be safe, and I'll see y'all on the water.



​

A practice that has been opened since 1979, Dr. Michael Edwards, D.M.D.. P.C. has provided excellent dental care and orthodontic work for residents of Randolph County, as well as East Alabama. His story, like so many that call Randolph County home, begins in another location. 

Once earning his degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, Dr. Edwards found himself in a residency program that took him to a small town in Western Montana called St. Ignatius. Dr. Edwards fell in love with the reservation that served the Salish and Kootenai tribes, so much so, that he wanted to settle in a small town that reminded him of St. Ignatius, that was much closer to his hometown of Birmingham. 

"Being a native of Birmingham, (Dr. Edwards and his wife, Terri) were tired of the traffic and the city. We just decided to come (to Wedowee) and look around," says Dr. Edwards. 

Dr. Edwards, who claimed to have never been south of Mt. Cheaha upon arriving in Wedowee, says that there settlement took it's next step during a stop at a convenience store on Main Street. 

"A guy asked me what I did, and I told him. He said that “Hey, we need a dentist down here really bad!” We stayed around and a nice committee of citizens here cooked lunch and had us up to their house. The next thing that we knew, we had made a lot of friends. We decided to give it a try, and we fell in love with it." 

While the area has grown since 1979, and continues to grow, many residents still have to drive to cities such as Oxford, Carrollton, Auburn, or even Atlanta and Birmingham for doctors visits, shopping, dining, among a variety of other reasons. Dr. Edwards cuts down on travel time for dentist-related appointments, as many procedures can be handled here in Wedowee. 

In addition to standard cleaning, fillings, and implants, Dr. Edwards also offers orthodontic work. 

"I went back and trained in orthodontics, where I could do braces and have been doing braces for over 30 years for kids in the area. That was something that families had to drive long distances to get that service, so we felt that we would start to implement things and training that would allow us to give those services to our patients." 

New to the practice, is 3D digital imaging. With this new technology, Dr. Edwards can now create the "perfect smile" for patients and allow them to see the generation prior to the procedure. 

"Everything in dentistry is moving digitally in every aspect," says Dr. Edwards. Patients love it because they don’t have to have all the impressions stuff in their mouths, that’s all gone now. We just let the camera look at their bite, the way that their teeth fit and are arranged, and we can create any smile we want to from that, and they get to preview it ahead of time.”

It's easy to say providing the area with great dental care for nearly 40 years has been rewarding for Dr. Edwards.

#InTheSpotlight

The regular season has come to a close for 2018, and four teams are left standing. Clay Central, Handley, Randolph County, and Wadley will all host playoff games as 2-seeds in their respective regions. 

The Randolph County Tigers will be tasked with welcoming the Lauderdale County Tigers to Wedowee to open the playoffs. While the Tigers are ranked #1 in Class 3A, it was Piedmont who claimed the region 6 crown, winning the tie-breaker by owning the head-to-head matchup that was played in mid-September. 

Lauderdale County is 4-6, with all four wins coming over region opponents. The Tigers finished third behind Colbert Heights and #7 Westminster Christian. 

Wadley, under first year head coach Jonathan Farr, are in the playoffs as the 2-seed after an impressive 7-2 regular season. Their lone loss came to the #1 Lanett Panthers, who ended as region 4 champions. Coach Farr looks to become the first first-year head coach in Wadley history to win a playoff game, as his Bulldogs welcome 1A power Brantley to Curtis Lynch Memorial Field on Friday night. Brantley enters the game at 7-3, finishing third in 1A Region 2 behind Elba and region title owner Georgiana. This will be the 2nd time that Wadley has faced Brantley, the Bulldogs in red clad defeated Brantley in 2007, 21-20 in a comeback effort for Brantley at home. 

Handley's topsy-turvey region has finally gotten figured out, as they claim the 2-seed in 4A Region 4. In the first round, the Tigers will host an old friend in Trinity out of Montgomery. This will be the seventh time that these two teams have faced each other, with Trinity winning the first five meetings. Handley won the most recent match, 28-14 in the 2007 playoffs. Trinity has had a down year, entering the game at 4-6, but has won three of their last four games to close out the year. 

Finally, Clay Central will be rewarded in the first year of Danny Horn's return by hosting a playoff game as the 2-seed in 5A Region 5. Their only region loss came to region champ Mortimer Jordan on a bizarre final play that involved a blocked field goal resulting in a touchdown. The Blue Devils won that game, 32-27. The Volunteers from Clay Central will host Corner from 5A Region 7 in round one. Much like many opponents from the 2018 season, Corner and Clay Central have never met on the gridiron before Friday. Corner and Clay Central share a mutual opponent, the Jasper Vikings. Jasper defeated Corner 35-20 on September 14, and got the best of Clay Central two weeks later, 10-7, scoring on a last-minute field goal. Corner finished third in region 7, with a 6-4 record, 4-3 in region.  

The regular season came to a close last Friday night for our area High School Football teams, and for two teams, they ended the season on a high note. 

RANDOLPH COUNTY 28 WADLEY 0

This game was much closer than the scoreboard indicated. Randolph County led the game 7-0 at the break, with the only score coming on a turnover due to a busted play on a Wadley punt. The Tigers ultimately pulled away in the second half for the win. 

Both teams are qualified for the playoffs in their respective classifications, and will host round one games this upcoming Friday night. 

CLAY CENTRAL 45 HANDLEY 7

The Volunteers from Clay County had a great end to their season, by defeating Handley 45-7 on the road. 

Clay Central did most of their damage in the first half, scoring 38 points to take a 38-0 lead going to the locker room. Handley's lone score came in the 3rd quarter at the 4:10 mark. 

Much like Randolph County and Wadley, both Handley and Clay Central will host playoff games at their home stadiums this Friday night. 

DONOHO 56 WOODLAND 0

The 2018 football season has come to a close for the Woodland Bobcats, it ended with a shutout loss at Donoho last Friday. The Bobcats end the season with a 2-8 record, with wins coming over Fayetteville and Gaston. 

Be sure to visit tomorrow, as we give you a guide to first round playoff games for our area teams. 

Here it is, the regular season finale. "Football Weather" is in full effect as most games will see temperatures in the high 40's at kickoff. Oh, and it's non-region rivalry week. Here's a preview of this week's games. 

Woodland (2-7) at Donoho (7-2)

In the season finale for the Woodland Bobcats, they hope to spoil the final regular season game of the year for Donoho on the road. Donoho, who has been known to be streaky over the last few seasons, have won seven games this year, and will host a round one playoff game. For Woodland, who entered this re-classification cycle as the smallest 2A school in the state, playing a local 1A team is beneficial says Coach Jeremy Stanford. 

"We need to be playing schools that are nearby, that we can keep on our schedule, we could possibly be in their region (next re-classification cycle in 2019)."

Clay Central (6-3) at Handley (5-4)

In what has become a solid rivalry game, the Vols and Tigers meet for the seventh time on Friday night. Both teams finished second in their respective regions, and will have one last test before hosting playoff games next week. In his first year back in Clay County, Danny Horn has gotten the Volunteers on the right track, losing three games by just 13 points. Handley has won two straight, and wants to keep that momentum going into the playoffs. 

Wadley (7-1) at Randolph County (8-1)

Here it is, the big one of the week. Wadley wrapped up the 2-seed in 1A Region 4 last week with a win over Notasulga. For Randolph County, they need a win and a Piedmont loss to win 3A Region 6. Both teams have one loss, and are hungry to get after each other.

"It will be a great challenge for our guys to come out and play hard," says Wadley head coach Jonathan Farr.

​Wadley has shut down premiere athletes all season long, Friday's match with RCHS will be the ultimate test for the first-year head coach and his squad against the best team in 3A, who has athletes all over the field. 


​

I had the privilege of spending a little time with Principal Steve Giddens during the first week of classes at Randolph County High School to learn more about him and the upcoming year at RCHS. This is a man who loves his job, the students of RCHS, and he is excited to take on his first year as principal of RCHS. But take it from me, do not call him Mr. Giddens, this man is a coach through and through.

​Q- What has you most excited about for the upcoming school year?
A- I am excited about getting to know the kids and watching them grow.

​Q- What is your favorite part of starting a new school year?
A- See the excitement on the kids’ and faculty/staffs’ faces. To see them be excited about football, volleyball, cheerleading, seeing their new friends. Most people say they dread school, but I don’t think that is really true.

Q- How would you describe your school to someone from another town?
A- We are a small school that represents Wedowee and who we are. We are proud to be from RCHS, we love this place, we love each other, we take care of each other, and we defend each other.

Q- Who is the unsung hero of your school?
A- Coach Allen Whaley. He gives a lot of his time, and his love of the students of RCHS, the athletic teams. He is here 12 months a year – He doesn’t have to be here all day, but he stays all day. The kids know he loves them. He is an inspiration because he gives of himself so willingly.

Q- What is Friday Night Life like for your school?
A- It is the only place to be! Football games are the heartbeat of the town. It represents the best of what we have to offer. They love it, they are excited. Most people that live in Wedowee, went to RCHS, and played. Their dad played, their grandfather may have played, and now their son is playing. Everyone is connected – the band plays, cheerleaders cheering. It is the only place to be.

Q- What is your big goal for the 2018-2019 school year?
A- Every child feels important and feels loved. We teach them and at the end of the year, they are glad they belong to RCHS. That is our goals for students and our faculty/staff.

Q- How can the community support you/the school in achieving this goal? 
A- I am proud of the relationship that RCHS has with the town of Wedowee. Anything we ask for – financial, man power, support – they give it to us. They help take care of RCHS and we help take care of the town of Wedowee. We love their help, and we want their help to make this the greatest high school in the state. They have been so good to us, so just for them to keep doing what they are doing.

Q- If you could pick a theme song for your school, what would it be?
A- Eye of the Tiger

Q- Tell me something good. Something fun, unexpected, or interesting that readers might not know about your school.
A- The neatest thing to me is taking the principal job at RCHS. It was never a part of the through-process. But Clifton “Stick” Drummonds is the assistant principal, and it is neat to be back with him. I coached him in 7th grade, and now it is a neat feeling to be back with him. He is a great guy, and he is good for this place. I am glad to be back working with him.

Wadley High School is led by Principal Lori Carlisle, and she is excited about the opportunities and plans for the upcoming school year. She has a clear vision for what it means to be a part of the Wadley Bulldog community. The mission of Wadley High School is to provide a learning environment which prepares students to be productive members of society. Ms. Carlisle and her team work towards this goal every day, and they have track record of success. Discover more about Wadley High School from the woman herself:

Question: What has you most excited about for the upcoming school year?

Answer: I am not sure I could pick out one thing. We are so excited as about everything from academics, athletics, extracurricular. We are just having a real sense of excitement in the air.

Question: What is your favorite part of starting a new school year?

​Answer: It is a new start. It is a fresh beginning. Each student, teacher, administrator gets a chance for a fresh start. Opportunities to do something new or different, and an opportunity to try something again, and maybe get it better.

Question: What about your school are you most proud of?

Answer: The most recent thing is a report that came out in al.com in March. We have 87% of our graduates attending college. There are only 19 schools with more than 80%, and we were ninth in the state. We outdid schools with a ton more resources, and we were ninth in the state! That is a credit to our parents, our teachers, our students, everyone working hard to have a rate that high.

​Question: Who is the unsung hero of your school?

Answer: All of our support staff, but if I had to pick one it would be my custodian, Tim Bennett. He is so loved by our students, our staff, everyone. He would do anything for anyone. The kids know how much he loves them, and they respect him.

Question: What is your big goal for the 2018-2019 school year?

Answer: For every kid to buy into something that we do here. I want every student to be actively involved in something, whether it be the yearbook, or pep band, athletics, FFA, etc.  Whatever it is, I want them to be invested in what we do here. For athletics, I want to win a state championship.

​Question: How can the community support you/the school in achieving this goal?

Answer: I could not ask my community to do anything more than they are already doing. They pour into this school with everything they have, and I could not imagine asking them for anything else. They are the heartbeat of this school.

Question: How would you describe your school to someone from another town?

Answer: To describe the school is to describe the community. The school is a family, the community is a family, and we are really intertwined. We work together, and I would include Southern Union in that too. We work together to make sure that our kids are taken care and loved. Wadley High School could not operate without the support of the community.

Question: What is Friday Night Life like for your school?

Answer: I don’t know if the population triples or quadruples, but it is the place to be! There is not a seat left in the stands, the community is there. There is nothing like it.

​Question: If you could pick a theme song for your school, what would it be?

Answer: When we do well academically with math tournaments or FFA – I play We are the Champions. We don’t do that for athletics, because it doesn’t necessarily show our humility. But We are the Champions fits us even when we don’t win, because we are still winners because we are trying; we are competing; and we are learning.

Question: Tell me something good. Something fun, unexpected, or interesting that readers might know about your school. 

​Answer: Cam Newton’s wide receiver on Auburn’s 2010 national championship team, Terrell Zachary, is one of our assistant coaches. Oh, and this is fun, our football stadium is named for Coach Curtis Lynch, and our new head football coach, Jonathan Farr is his great nephew.

Principal Greg Foster is a veteran administrator at Handley High School, and it is evident that he is passionate about his students’ success and safety. After getting to spend some time with Mr. Foster, you can hear his dedication to the school, the students, even the alums who make up the larger Handley family. Read on to learn more about Mr. Foster and the 2018-2019 school year.

Question: What has you most excited about for the upcoming school year?
Answer: The preparation and the professional development to prepare the students for the ACT. We have put a lot of time in the summer getting ready for this. All of the juniors have to take the ACT, but it doesn’t start with the juniors.  Our professional development centers on this. We are excited about our plans and preparations.

Question: What is your favorite part of starting a new school year?
Answer: Having an opportunity to see the students. They grow tremendously over the summer, and to see all of the gains they have made. That is my most favorite part getting to see them and share with them. It is all about building relationships so that you can hopefully have an impact on their lives.

Question: How would you describe your school to someone from another town?
Answer: Family. We always talk about the Handley family. We support each other. We do what we need to do be successful. Even when they leave, we continue to be a support system. They continue to be a part of what we do, and we love to see what they are becoming.

Question: What about your school are you most proud of?
Answer: Our 96% graduate rate and college readiness rate. When students come into the 9th grade. They come in as a co-hort, and our goal is to get them from 9th-12th grade and graduating. This is the highest rate you can get, and we are 3 points above the state average. Coming from a small town with 57% poverty rate, and we are one of only 9 schools in the state to get this rate, and most of those are in the larger areas such as Birmingham, Huntsville, and Montgomery – and Coffee County. That is pretty remarkable.

Question: Who is the unsung hero of your school?
Answer: Kelli Hendon, our school counselor and testing coordinator. She seems very attune to our students. She is there for them. She know their transcripts, she knows the courses that they need to be in. She is constantly in conversations about their life goals. She is a role model for them and she goes far and beyond for our students.

Question: What is Friday Night Life like for your school?
Answer: Exciting. This is a time when the entire community – parents, community leaders, churches, student body, administrators, younger kids. Everyone comes together to cheer on the Handley Tigers. No matter what you are dealing with, you can put that aside for three hours and just enjoy win, lose, or draw. We want to win, but we always come together as a family, and it just bring happiness.

Question: What is your big goal for the 2018-2019 school year?
Answer: You hear a lot about things that are going on in schools – shootings, bullying, and our big goal is to continually create a safe environment for all of our students so they are able to learn. We have a new intercom system being installed, more safety features, changing door systems, check-in system, so that our students feel safe

Question: How can the community support you/the school in achieving this goal?
Answer: The community does. We receive the county sales tax. Our city council does a great job of supporting us financially, and we are able to fund these things to continue to create a safe environment. That is support is why we are able to do the things we do.

Question: If you could pick a theme song for your school, what would it be?
Answer: Roar – Katy Perry.

​Question: Tell me something good. Something fun unexpected, or interesting that readers might know about your school.
Answer: We teach our kids to be proud. We tell them you don’t lose. Even at the end of the game no matter what the scores say, you don’t lose. You continue to fight, and we teach them to compete. That is the thing that our kids enjoy the most, and they don’t want to lose. They don’t care what it is. We believe in what we do. We are definitely creating an environment where students can be successful when they leave.
 

​On a sunny, fall-like Wednesday afternoon in October, the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association and all of their volunteers stopped for a meal at Rice Pavilion at Lake Wedowee. The 37 volunteers had just wrapped up another solid day of cleaning trash and other debris around the lake, as part of the “Renew Our Rivers” campaign, that has just wrapped up their 27th year. 

Following the wonderful lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, Brunswick stew, and cookies provided by WM Grocery; Sheila Smith, Bob May, as well as Marlon and Betty Glover,  sat down for a discussion on how far the campaign has come over the last two decades, and how much the local community has helped the cause. 

Today’s journey has improved since beginning in 1992, says Bob May, one of the organizers of “Renew our Rivers.” May says that the effort began with less than 10 people on one boat, and would last upwards of six days, from 8 AM to dark. 

“We would spend two days just on one cove, it was a lot of work,” says May of the first lake cleanup. “I’d lose ten pounds in the week that we were doing it.”

Not only has the number of volunteers increased, but the amount of trash collected has dropped since the project began. 

Marlon Glover told us that the number of refrigerators, washing machines, tires, and even stranger items such as bowling balls were alarming. 

More volunteers began to come out, and the event became more organized and was then given the title of “the Tallapoosa Trashout,” says Sheila Smith of the Alabama Power Shorelines, who has also been a part of the efforts since the inception. Alabama Power then began to consolidate all 37 cleanup efforts into one campaign and became what it is known today as “Renew our Rivers” 19 years ago. 

The Lake Wedowee version of “Renew our Rivers” has been called the most organized lake cleanup efforts in the state, and it all goes back to the volunteers. 

In 2018, “Renew our Rivers” on Lake Wedowee averaged 36 volunteers per day, ranging from members of the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association to community members who took a few vacation days to help out. Even the Randolph County High School fishing club sent members out to help with cleanup efforts. 

The volunteering does not stop at just cleanup. Local restaurants and grocery stores have donated food and water to volunteers, and others have donated boats to provide transportation around the lake. 

“This community is wonderful at donating,” says Betty Glover. Mrs. Glover took the time to thank Lakeside Marina, WM Grocery’s deli, and Crystal Barnes with Hunter Bend Realty for feeding the volunteers, in addition to Small Town Bank and Perryland Foods, who donated water and snacks respectively.  

“Renew our Rivers” has also seen an abundance of boats donated to aid in cleanup efforts. Randy Morris at Wedowee Marine donated three boats, as well as gas; Alabama Power and other local donations had the number up to nine donated boats. 

From humble beginnings filled with bologna sandwiches and six-day efforts to a growth in community involvement, “Renew our Rivers” is stronger than ever. Marlon, Betty, Bill, and Sheila all say that the event is more than just collecting trash and providing a better lake for residents and wildlife, it has become a fun experience full of memories and meeting others who share a love for our lake. 

For more information on “Renew Our Rivers”, as well as everything going on with the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association, visit www.lakewedoweepoa.com