franklin living march/april 2016
DESCRIPTION
Lifestyle MagazineTRANSCRIPT
1FRANKLIN LIVING
The bonds of service Keeping it
R.E.A.L.
Passion for
Pets
2 Franklin living
304 Jackson Ave. NRussellville, AL
Contact Russellville City Hall at 256-332-6060
A Great Place to Live, Work & Raise a family.
Russellville City Councilmen Jamie Harris, Lanny Hubbard,
Gary Cummings, William Nale, David Palmer & Mayor David Grissom
3Franklin living
Dedicated to Hope, Healing and Recovery
Quality Care from a staffwho respects yourhealth care needs.
• Short-term rehab • Long-term care• Physical therapy • Occupational therapy• Speech therapy
4 FRANKLIN LIVING
Passion for PetsRHS students focus on animals’ needs through Pet Club
Every year, my favorite edition of Franklin
Living is the pet edition.
I am an animal-lover, particularly dogs. It seems that most of you are, as well. The majority of the photos that were sent in to us for this editions special pet-themed Faces of Franklin County were dogs – and that’s OK by me.
Pugsley, my house dog, is my best friend. I know that anytime that I am home, Pugsley is going to be close by, if not right on top of me. I love her, and she loves me. She doesn’t want to be anywhere that I am not. She sits with me on the couch when I watch TV, and if I’m in the kitchen, she is sitting somewhere that she can watch every move I make. She also sleeps right next to me or between my feet in the bed. No doubt, it does get annoying when she has me pinned down in the bed with the blanket, and I can’t even move … but if we go out of town overnight, I miss her.
Just like the special connection I have with Pugsley, you each have a special connection with your pet, and we featured a few of those in this edition of Franklin Living.
Pets are sometimes our protectors, such as Chill from the K9 Unit of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. His “fellow officer” and handler Jordan Seahorn takes care of Chill, and Chill takes care of him. They depend on each other.
Pets need to be loved and cared for. They need people to look out for them; they can’t take care of themselves. That’s why it is so important to have organizations like R.E.A.L., which not only tries to find homes for lost or abandoned pets but also tries to educate people on the importance of taking care of their animals, as well as the absolute necessity of spay and neuter.
It is also important that the next generation learns to care about and take care of pets. The Pet Club at RHS is such a great way to teach students the importance of caring about animals.
I hope you enjoy this edition of Franklin Living; we have A LOT of readers’ animals gracing these pages and making their magazine debut. If you don’t own a pet, I hope you take the time to adopt one – you will receive more joy from him than he will ever take from you.
FCNI General Manager Nicole Pell with her husband, Hans.14
24
10
FROM THE MANAGER
The bonds of service
Keeping it R.E.A.L.
Seahorn says K-9 Chill is much more
than just a police dog
Nonprofit promotes pet rehoming and
adoption
ON THE COVER: MaKayla Franks of Tharptown and her pug, Maggie Moo. Cover photo by Sommer Hamilton of Saving Grace Photography.
6 Pet Pics
20 What’s Hot
21 Classifieds
29 Looking Back
30 Parting Shot
Make something delicious for dinner tonight
Make something delicious for dinner tonight
Cooking with Sam
20
5Franklin living
P.O. Box 1088 • Russellville, AL 35653
256-332-1881 • fax: 256-332-1883
www.franklincountytimes.com
General Manager NICOLE PELL
Managing Editor ALISON JAMES
Sales PEGGY HYDE
Circulation TOMMY MORRIS
Photography ALISON JAMES and
KELLIE SINGLETON
Franklin Living is published monthly
by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.
Copyright 2011 by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.
6 Franklin living
PET PICS
Gracie, Owners Justin, Charlotte & Brilynn (pictured) Green of Russellville
Astro, Owner Nick Howard of Russellville
Bama, Owners Michael & Debra Lawler of Phil Campbell
Doc’s Last Boy, Owner Willie Ergle of Phil Campbell
Ace, Owner Brandon Warhurst of Tharptown
Bree, Owners Richie & Brittne Prince of Tharptown
Cody, Owners Robert & Janeice Gober of the Burn Out Community
Dixie Bell, Owner Danielle Gasaway of East Franklin
7Franklin living
PET PICS
Buck, Owner Gail Swinney of Spruce Pine
Foxey, Owner Lisa Ozbirn of Vina
Allie, Owners Michael & Debra Lawler of Phil Campbell
Bebe, Owners Mike & Samantha Stone of Russellville
Harley, Owner Butch Balentine of Balentine Properties
Daisy, Owners Ricky, Kathy & Travi Hall of Russellville
Heisman, Owner Samantha Bain of Tharptown
Gracie, Owner Jodi Cochran of Russellville
Bella, Owner Sandra Pace of Russellville
B.J., Owners David & Cindy Kennedy of Russellville
Daisy, Owner Janice Taylor of Spruce Pine
Bo, Owner Sandy Evans of Russellville
Dottie, Owner Kitt & Angela Garrison & Reagan of Russellville
Daisie, Owner Nicole Pell, FCT General Manager
Axel, Owner Riley Reeves of Russellville
Jake, Owner Montana Howard of Hodges
Harlie, Owners Wayne & Debbie Thorn of Red Bay
Henry, Owners Mark, Brandy, Kelsey, Megan & Seth Bullock of Gravel Hill
8 Franklin living
PET PICS
Jody, Chris Ozbirn, Franklin County Archives
Maggie, a rescue, Owners Joel & Cynthia Daniel of Red Bay
Lucky, Owner Caitlan Smith of Russellville
Gus, Bella, Zacky & Bella, Owners Ramona & Brandon Reed of Russellville
Houdini “the artist”, Owner Cristina Ruiz of Russellville
Lassie, Owners Elsie & Starland Newell of Phil Campbell
Maggie Moo, Owner MaKayla Franks of Tharptown
Maddie, Owner Addie Scruggs of Russellville
Koda, Owner Jada McCluskey of Russellville
Millie, Owner Addie Scruggs of Russellviille
Kian, Owner Beth James Rhea of Russellville
Mallie, Owner Haley Crain of Russellville
Katie Boo Boo, Owner Betty Robinson of Cedar Creek Lake
Little Bit, Owners Justin, Charlotte & Brilynn Green of Russellville
Loki, Owners Linden & Linda Lawler of Phil Campbell
Peaches, Owner Lisa Ozbirn of Vina
Miss Blossom, Owner Sam Warf of Russellville
Lillie, Owners Lt. Scott, Tanya, Alyssa & Trent Pearson
9FRANKLIN LIVING
14131 Hwy 43 • Russellville 256-332-1881
fax: 256-332-1883
www.franklincountytimes.com
State Senator Roger Bedford
Your Hard Working Senator!
Working
to:
Carrie DeArman
of
(256) 332-7400
Behind KFC on Gandy Street
Come see Carrie for all your
Pharmacy Needs
www.familypharmacygroup.com• Easy Prescription Transfers
• FREE Deliv
ery
• Drive-thru
• Friendly Staff
HOMETOWN
PHARMACY
Local high school fo
otball season previews
See The Game Plan inside.
Red Bay routes Colbert Heights 59-28
See more on Page 12.
RBHS SADD chapter
receives national recognitio
n
See more on Page 15.
50¢ | Vol. 134, N
o. 35
Hometown Newspaper of Joan Scott —
Est. 1879 | Wednesday, A
ugust 27, 2014
Briefl y
Index
Records .........
..........
....... 3
Opinion .........
..........
....... 4
Kids .........
..........
..........
....5
Worship .........
..........
....... 6
Classifieds ....
..........
....... 9
Sports .........
..........
........ 12
Community .....
..........
... 15
REDUCE
HEAT & GLARE
Reduce
mperature by
up torees!On Air Blue 80
ELECT
DON GARRARD
Revenue Commissioner
November 4
Gordon Ave., Russellville, AL 35653
Responsible
adership
At their recent busi-
ness meeting, members
of the Franklin County
Commission voted
to
approve the closing of
the Franklin
County
Courthouse at 5 p.m. each
day on Monday – Friday
effective Sept. 1
.
Currently, the Probate
Judge’s office stays open
until 6 p.m. on Mondays,
but this is
the only offic
e
in the courthouse that is
open past 5 p.m.
Commissioners felt
it would be best to have
a uniform closing of the
Probate Judge’s office at
5 p.m. so the courthouse
itself could also close at 5
p.m. each day.
The Franklin County
Sheriff’s Offic
e will be
conducting traffic
safety
checkpoints this week-
end in conjunction with
the Alabama Department
of Public Safety’s “Drive
Sober or Get Pulled Over”
campaign. Checkpoints
l be set up at various
s throughout the
inning this
Courthouse
receives
new hours
Checkpoints
this weekend
By Bart Moss
For the FCT
United States Senator
Jeff Sessions
and
Congressman Robert
Aderholt visite
d one
of Franklin
County’s
leading employers,
International
Hearth
Products (IHP) this past
week.
Due to
scheduling
conflicts, Sessions and
Aderholt made separate
visits, but both came at
the behest of company
officials concerned about
a new Environmental
Protection Agency (E
PA)
rule that has the poten-
tial to
cost their in
dustry
several million dolla
rs
and hundreds of jobs.
According to th
e EPA,
the new rules – set to go
into effect in February
2015 – are supposed to
reduce air emissions
from wood burning and
pellet-fu
eled stoves as
well as fir
eplace inserts,
which are products pro-
duced by IHP.
IHP officials said th
ey
are absolutely committed
to clear air and producing
compliant products, but
the new rule goes beyond
the intended goals and
could prove very costly
to the in
dustry.
Mark Klein, president
and CEO of IHP, said in
a statement that while
the company welcomes
Sessions, Aderholt visit I
HP
PHOTO BY BART MOSS
Sam Scarbrough, IHP plant m
anager, talks to Russellville Mayor D
avid
Grissom, IHP’s V.P. of Engineering and Quality Mike Pennington, and
Sen. Jeff Sessions.
See VISIT,
Page 7
PHOTO BY KELLIE SINGLETON
Franklin County Arts and Humanities Council member Judy Horton sells tickets last Saturday to the firs
t movie shown at th
e historic Roxy Theatre
since 1976.
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
The historic Roxy
Theatre in downtown
Russellville
opened its
doors on Aug. 15, not to
host a ty
pical concert or
recital,
but to actually
show a feature-length
movie for the first time
since 1976.
Crowds of people fil
ed
into the theatre that
afternoon to see “Elvis
on Tour”, which is a
musical documentary
about the King of Rock
and Roll.
Showing a feature-
length movie is major
milestone that members
of the Franklin County
Arts and Humanities
Council have been work-
ing toward for many
years, and council mem-
ber Wanda Myrick said
last Saturday’s event
was the beginning of
what they hoped would
be a monthly tradition at
the Roxy Theatre.
“Being able to show
a movie at the Roxy for
the first time in more
than 40 years was a very
special thing for us and
something all of us on
the council were excite
d
about,” Myrick said.
“We put the event
together quickly so that
we could do it in conjunc-
tion with
the Watermelon
Festival, so considering
the short notic
e, we had
a good turnout.
“We are already plan-
ning and finalizing plans
for movies that will be
shown at the theater in
the next two months,
More movies planned at R
oxy
See ROXY, Page 2
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
A community tip
led to
the arrest of tw
o cousins
last week after 92 meth
labs were
discovered in
their posses-
sion, author-
ities said.
D o n a l d
Wa
yn
e
Clark, Jr., 34,
18966 U.S. 43,
Russellville
,
was charged
with 92
counts first-
degree man-
u f a c t u r i n g
a controlled
substance.
Bi l l y
Wa
yn
e
Clark, 35, 400
Cotaco St.,
Russellville
, was charged
with 20 counts of fir
st-
degree manufacturing a
controlled substance.
According to Franklin
County Sheriff Shannon
Oliver, this is the larg-
est number of meth labs
found in one location in
Men
arrested
for 92
meth labs
See METH, Page 2
Donald
Clark, Jr.
Billy
Clark
Kellie Singleton
kellie.s
ingleton@
franklin
countytimes.c
om
PHIL CAMPBELL —
A local woman was kille
d
on Friday in a car crash
that occurred near Phil
Campbell.
According to
the
ma State Troopers,
r Allen, 73, of
was killed
rolet
she was driving left
Franklin County 81 and
struck a ditch three miles
east of Phil Campbell.
The single-vehicle
crash occurred at 11:58
a.m. Troopers said she was
not using a seat b
elt and
was pronounced dead at
the scene. Nothing further
is available as Alabama
State Troopers continue
to investigate th
e crash.
Local killed in crash Kellie
Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
RED BAY — Being
prepared is the most
important step in many
areas of life, but it
’s espe-
cially essentia
l when it
comes to self-p
rotection.
With reports of vio-
lence in th
e news every
day, there is a growing
trend, especially among
women, to be adequately
prepared in the event
that they ever need to
provide protection for
themselves or someone
else.Members of the Red
Bay Police Departm
ent
are offering an opportu-
nity for area women to
be prepared in th
ese sit-
uations by hostin
g their
Women’s Basic Handgun
Course on Thursday,
Sept. 4, from 6 p.m. – 9
p.m. and Saturday, S
ept.
6, from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m
.
at the Red Bay Police
Department.
Red Bay Police Chief
Janna Jackson said the
course will be taught
by Red Bay Police Lt.
Scottie Belue, who is a
certified FBI
firearms
instructor.
RBPD offering handgun class
See CLASS
, Page 2
State Senator Roger Bedford
Your Hard Working Senator!
Working
to:
Carrie DeArman
of
(256) 332-7400
Behind KFC on Gandy Street
Come see Carrie for all your
Pharmacy Needs
www.familypharmacygroup.com
• Easy Prescription Transfers
• FREE Delivery
• Drive-thru
• Friendly Staff
HOMETOWN
PHARMACY
It pays to be a Cattleman.
See more on page 2.
RHS cruises past Deshler in home opener.
See more sports on page 12.
Meet Phil Campbell’s Homecoming court.
See more on page 15.
50¢ | Vol. 134, No. 36
Hometown Newspaper of Angie Skidmore — Est. 1879 | Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Briefl y
Obits
Index
For a complete list, see page 3.
Vicky Jo Tompkins —
August 29, 2014
Carolyn Marie Lynch
Bishop — August 27, 2014
Tricia Reeves — August
27, 2014
Roy Carmack Garner,
Jr. — August 30, 2014
Records .............
.............
3
Opinion .............
.............
4
Kids .............
..............
......5
Worship .............
.............
6
Classifieds .............
........ 9
Sports .............
..............
12
Community Spotlight 15
Come see
Pamfor youring
Covering all the
news because
everything is
important to
meone1 256-383-5217
256-248-5362heffield, AL
REDUCE
HEAT & GLARE
Reduce
Temperature by
up to
30 Degrees!
On Air Blue 80
ELECT
DON GARRARD
Revenue Commissioner
November 4
Pd. Pol. Adv By: Don Garrard, 120 Gordon Ave., Russellville, AL 35653Responsible
Leadership
EMT arrested following transport
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
A local ambulance
service employee was
arrested last Tuesday
after authorities said
she failed a field sobri-
ety test following the
transport of a patient.
Pleasant Bay
Ambulance Service
employee Gina Jones,
38, of Franklin 25 in
Red Bay, was arrested
on charges of reck-
less endangerment and
public intoxication,
Russellville Police Chief
Chris Hargett said.
According to Hargett,
the Russellville Police
Department received a
call morning Tuesday
stating Jones had helped
with the transport of
a patient to an area
hospital and that she
appeared to be under the
influence of some type
of substance that wasn’t
alcohol.
Hargett said when
officers arrived on the
scene, they performed
a routine field sobriety
test on Jones.
Hargett said Jones
failed the test and was
arrested at that time.
Jones consented to a
blood test, and Hargett
said the blood has been
sent to forensics to deter-
mine what substances
were in her system at
the time of her arrest.
Jones, who is the
daughter of Pleasant
Bay owner Elzie Malone,
is a part-time emergency
medical technician with
the company.
Malone said Jones
has been placed on leave
pending the result of
the forensic analysis,
but Malone said Jones
denies that she was
under the influence of
any substance at the
time of her arrest.
PHOTO BY KELLIE SINGLETON
Pictured (L to R): WES librarian Mary Kay Rogers, Carol Glass, Jemma Moore, Connor Evans, Jake Sturdivant, Audrey Oliver, Annette Sturdivant,
Shirley Ezzell and Elizabeth Glass.
Local group donates books
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
Farming is an essen-
tial industry that is most
often the starting point
for many other indus-
tries. Its effects are far-
reaching and it’s safe to
say that we wouldn’t be
able to make it too long
without the men and
women who are part of
this essential facet of
our world.
Because of its impor-
tance, one local group
is doing their part to
promote farming to our
county’s youth through
the donation of books
at local elementary
schools.
The Women’s
Leadership Division of
the Franklin County
Farmer’s Federation
recently donated seven
books with farm-relat-
ed themes to West
Elementary School in
Russellville.
The books will be
added to the collection
of 18 books the group
donated in February
2013 along with a unique
New
PCHS
opening
delayed
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
PHIL CAMPBELL –
Students and faculty at
Phil Campbell High School
will have to wait a little
while longer before they
are finally able to attend
school at the new PCHS.
According to Franklin
County Schools
Superintendent Gary
Williams, the best case
scenario was to have the
school ready for occupa-
tion the day after Labor
Day, but Williams said
there were still a few
things that had to be com-
pleted before that could
happen.
“The main thing is the
parking lot,” Williams
said.“We didn’t want to send
the students back to school
without the parking lot
being completed, mainly
because that would pose
some safety concerns if
Phil Campbell
receives $100K grant
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
PHIL CAMPBELL
— The town of Phil
Campbell is getting clos-
er to completing neces-
sary sewer improvement
projects thanks to the
continued support from
state officials and agen-
cies.Sen. Roger Bedford
recently announced that
he has secured a $100,000
grant from the Alabama
Department of Economic
Affairs for the town of
Phil Campbell.
The funding will assist
the town in the replace-
ment of two sewer pump
stations.
“I’m proud that
through our efforts, we
were able to secure much
needed funding for the
town of Phil Campbell,”
Bedford said.
“This grant will
enable Phil Campbell to
continue to provide out-
standing infrastructure
Water board starting new project
Kellie Singleton
kellie.singleton@
franklincountytimes.com
The Russellville Water
and Sewer Board is offi-
cially moving forward
with plans to build a new
raw water pump station
that will not only better
serve the board’s cur-
rent customers but will
allow the board to pro-
vide adequate services
for future customers for
many years to come.
Members of the
water board,
the
Alabama Department
of Environmental
Management (ADEM),
the city of Russellville,
B.H. Craig Construction
Company, Inc., and
Utility Engineering
Consultants, LLC, met
last Wednesday to break
ground on the station.
Russellville Water and
Sewer manager Doug
Clement said the project
is being made possible
through a $500,000 grant
from the Tennessee
Valley Authority, admin-
istered through the
ADEM Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund,
coupled with funding
provided as low interest
loans to total the $1.3 mil-
lion final cost.
Clement said the new
raw water pump sta-
tion would allow the
Russellville Water and
Sewer Board to pump
up to 12 million gallons
of water per day into
their plant – a signifi-
cant jump from the six
million gallons the plant
is currently capable of
processing.
“What this means for
us is that we will be able
to continue providing
the same level of quality
See PROJECT
, Page 7
See EMT, Page 11
See PCHS, Page 7
See GRANT, Page 7
See BOOKS, Page 11
Courthouse
closing at 5 p.m.
At their recent busi-
ness meeting, members
of the Franklin County
Commission voted to
approve the closing of
the Franklin County
Courthouse at 5 p.m. each
day on Monday – Friday
effective Sept. 1.
Currently, the Probate
Judge’s office stays open
until 6 p.m. on Mondays,
but this is the only office
in the courthouse that is
open past 5 p.m.
Commissioners felt
it would be best to have
a uniform closing of the
Probate Judge’s office at
5 p.m. so the courthouse
itself could also close at 5
p.m. each day.
Dairy Margin
Protection
Program
Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack announced
that starting Sept. 2,
2014, farmers can enroll
in the new dairy Margin
Protection Program. Visit
FSA online at www.fsa.
usda.gov/factsheets, or
stop by a local FSA office
to learn more about this
program.
Life in the great
outdoors
One local family makes
camping a priority
Hunting a major part of the
fall season in Franklin County
October 2014 Vol. 4 Issue No. 9
Enjoying life after 50
Travel important to many after retirement
Local couple competes in Alabama Senior Olympics
September 2014 Vol. 4 Issue No. 8
May Vol. 4 Issue No. 4
Feeding those in
needLocal bakery offers fr
e
made pastries
test: Franklin Co
estaurant
Covering news & events that are special to Franklin County.
10 Franklin living
Russellville High School students Cameron DeArman, Grace Mitchell and Harley Thomas, with sponsoring teacher Lorraine Perez, are movers and shakers in the Pet Club at RHS.
11FRANKLIN LIVING
Passion for Pets
RHS students focus on animals’ needs through Pet Club
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALISON JAMES
It was a trip to Russellville Animal Control that spurred Russellville High School teacher Lorraine Perez to initiate the Pet Club at RHS three years ago.
“I talked to my students about the homeless pet population and the rescue efforts of local groups, and they expressed an interest,” Perez said. A little research led her to an organization of Georgia she felt she could mirror “and got the idea to start a Homeless Pet Club at RHS. The students enjoy volunteering for a worthwhile cause. The pet club is a great way to get students involved in community service.”
The club is intertwined with the Science Club, of which Perez is also the sponsor. Harley Thomas, a senior, is president of the Science Club and has participated with the Pet Club for two years.
“Pets don’t really have a voice for themselves, so I thought if we could get a bunch of advocates together and create a voice for them, it would help them out,” Thomas said.
Science Club Vice President Cameron DeArman has been part of the Pet Club since it began. His interest in homeless pets stems from his family’s own experience.
“Our dog was from a family that couldn’t keep it, so we took it in,” DeArman said. The dog, which the DeArmans named Taffy, was being fostered by Kim’s Dog Grooming.
Of course, it should probably go without saying that members of the pet club are animal lovers. Thomas also has pets – A Labrador named Dino and a Chihuahua named Copper – as does Pet Club President Grace Mitchell, who has a poodle named Annabelle, a cat named Max from an
12 Franklin living
animal shelter and two dogs she found and rescued from the Walmart parking lot.
“I call them Walmart specials,” Mitchell said.Throughout the year the club meets monthly
and participates in a variety of efforts for cats and dogs in Northwest Alabama, including initiatives with Shoals Animal Advocates and R.E.A.L. Club members have volunteered with pet adoption days and at the Colbert County and Lauderdale County Animal Shelters. They have also collected items to donate to shelters and completed one project making dog toys out of old T-shirts.
“Students are learning the value of responsible pet ownership and deriving great satisfaction from saving animals, while earning community service hours,” Perez said. “We have partnered with the National Honor Society to provide students with a means of obtaining the service hours through local pet adoptions and volunteering at shelters in the
area.”Of course, one focus is education. Perez said
she wants to impress upon the students all facets of proper pet care – particularly spaying and neutering.
“If we can get people to spay and neuter, we’re helping the whole population,” Perez said. The club has a goal to expand to the elementary schools to further the education reach.
“Through this program, they could learn responsibility and compassion,” Thomas said.
Overall, the students are realistic – but hopeful – about their ability to impact homeless pet populations and make a difference for these animals.
“We know we can’t help them all, but we can try,” DeArman said. “Getting people to try is sometimes the hardest thing to do, but just a simple act can be the beginning of a snowball effect.”
ABOVE: DeArman, Mitchell and Thomas try to choose a few items for the Pet Club’s upcoming supply drive.
13Franklin living
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2513 E. Avalon • Muscle Shoals(256)383-8335
117 S. Jackson Ave. • Russellville (256)332-2061
Sinclair-Lawrence & Associates Insurance
For all Your Insurance Needs Call...
14 Franklin living
Jordan Seahorn and K-9 Chill are a dynamic duo at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
15Franklin living
Each time he heads out on duty as a deputy for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Jordan Seahorn has
a dutiful partner right beside him – his K-9, Chill.
For the past three years, Seahorn and Chill, a German shepherd, have been working together to apprehend criminals and get drugs off the streets and have been an important part of the FCSO.
“As a K-9, Chill is able to go into places that other officers might not be able to get to, and he can sense and smell things the rest of us can’t, so he’s definitely an important part of our office,” Sheriff Shannon Oliver said. “The presence of a dog can also be a deterrent for some suspects and get them to stop what they’re doing or surrender without further incident.
“He’s also great with the kids in schools and helps the children warm up to the deputies and lets
them know we aren’t someone to be scared of.”
But as valuable as his work is with the sheriff’s office, Seahorn said Chill has also become a valued friend, a truth any pet-owner can relate to.
“It just makes sense that if you’re around someone – a person or an animal – for an extended period of time, you’re going to form a bond,” Seahorn said. “Forming a bond between a K-9 and a K-9 handler is important because you have to have the same level of trust as you would with a human partner. The dog needs to respect you and work well with you. But Chill also lives with me, so we have been able to develop a bond outside of work that I think strengthens our bond when we are on duty.”
The bond between Seahorn and Chill began in December 2012 when the two first met during their training in North Carolina.
The bonds of service
Seahorn says K-9 Chill is much more than just a police dog
STORY AND PHOTOS BY KELLIE SINGLETON
16 Franklin living
17Franklin living
ABOVE: Seahorn and Chill go through extensive training together, but there’s also a chance for playtime. The important thing is for these two officers to bond and work well as a unit.
18 Franklin living
“We started the bonding process right away, but it definitely took some time for us to get used to each other,” Seahorn said. “Dogs, especially police dogs, have a Type A personality and want to be the alpha and have the control, so it took a lot of time, training and patience for us to get to the point where he understood that I was the alpha and that he has to listen to what I say. He was still young at the time, but once he caught on, he started doing well with his commands, and now we work great together. He can usually anticipate what I’m going to do before I even do it.”
Once Seahorn and Chill were ready for duty in January 2013 as the FCSO’s first active K-9 Unit in eight years, they got straight to work and have stayed busy, not just in Franklin County but in surrounding counties as well.
“We’re currently the only K-9 Unit that’s active in the county,” Seahorn said. “Not every agency has a K-9 Unit, so we’ve been called in to assist on cases in other counties, and that’s been a great experience for both of us. It allows Chill a chance to do his job as a K-9 and it allows me the chance to work with other law enforcement agencies and develop a network of contacts and be exposed to and have knowledge of different situations that could be beneficial down the road.”
But as exciting and rewarding as his law enforcement work is, Seahorn says he enjoys the downtime with Chill just as much.
“Just like any human law enforcement officer, when Chill is at work, he has to be a cop, but when he’s off duty, he gets to be just a regular dog,” Seahorn said. “I have another dog at home that he likes to play with, and we just hang out together watching TV or playing outside – just doing things any other normal dog would do. Just like any other dog, he’s there for me when I’m down or not having a good day, and he’s there to share in the happy times, too. He really is my best friend.”
After three years as a K-9 handler, Seahorn said he can’t imagine not being in this line of work.
“I wanted to be a K-9 deputy because I’m a huge animal person, and now that I’ve done it for three years, I hope it’s something I’m always able to do. When I’m on duty, I’m not only looking out for myself – I’m looking out for him too. It’s second nature to me, even when I’m off duty and in my own car, to glance in the backseat and make sure he’s OK. Our lives depend on each other. He’s very protective of me, and he can sense adrenaline or hostility and he knows when he needs to take action.
“We’ve been through a lot together these past three years, and I’m looking forward to many more years of working together.”
Seahorn said Chill likes to do “things any other normal dog would do.”
19Franklin living
20 FRANKLIN LIVING
FOOD
Cooking with Sam Recipes by SAM WARF
8 cups chopped red delicious apples2 cups celery1 cup English walnuts½ cup mayonnaise½ cup sour cream1/8 tsp. vanilla¼ cup sliced red grapes
Toss apples in lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Mix all ingredients. Serve cold.
Waldorf Salad
21Franklin living
1 can of refrigerated biscuits½ cup butter, melted¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Drop biscuits in butter and then in Parmesan, stack in a slanted position in a loaf pan. Bake according to directions on can of biscuits. Add cheddar cheese to the top of bread a few minutes before the timer goes off.
Pineapple Surprise½ cup butter3 eggs, beaten½ cup sugar1-16 oz. can crushed pineapple5 slices bread, cubed
Mix first 4 ingredients & stir into bread cubes. Bake in covered casserole dish for 40 minutes at 350˚. I serve this with baked ham.
Welsh Rabbit 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese1 1/2 cup heavy cream2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce1/2 tsp. mustard1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper1/4 tsp. paprika8 English muffins, halved & toasted16 tomato slices16 slices of fried baconParsley flakes (I use fresh)
Melt cheese in a double broiler, add cream, worcestershire sauce, mustard, cayenne, paprika. Heat to assemble. Place hot muffins halves on plate, tomato on each, 2 strips of bacon on each half. Spoon cheese sauce and sprinkle parsley flakes.
Parmesan Cheese Biscuits
Tea Punch7 tea bags2 cups sugar2 - 6 oz. cans of frozen orange juice concentrate1- 6 oz. can limeade concentrate1- 6 oz. lemonade concentrateEnough water to finish 1 gallonA few sprigs of fresh mint
Brew tea Mix other ingredientsChill
Pour tea punch in an ice mold. Freeze. Then put mold of the frozen punch in bowl with the Tea Punch to keep cold.
Onion Casserole4 cups slice onions, cooked in salt water & drained1 can mushroom soup½ cup slivered almonds1/3 cup melted butter1 cup cornflake or cracker crumbs
Mix all ingredients together, topping with almonds. Bake until bubbly at 350˚ oven.
22 FRANKLIN LIVING
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23Franklin living
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24 Franklin living
For pet rescues and education in Franklin County, there is a relatively new place to turn.
R.E.A.L. – Rehome, Educate, Adopt and Love – was founded in mid-2015 by Rick Alexander, Jennifer Larder and Cindy Honey and operates in Franklin, Colbert and Lauderdale counties. The group is principally focused on helping Northwest Alabama pets in need find new homes with loving owners.
“I wanted to help start R.E.A.L as an alternative to foster-based rescues,” explained Alexander. “While foster-based rescues have their place, they are limited by the number of people willing to foster pets
until adoption. Then there is the problem that those who are willing to foster are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals awaiting adoption or rescue.”
R.E.A.L. aims to assist pet owners looking to rehome their pets through postings on their Facebook page and by hosting monthly adoption events. “R.E.A.L. has assisted with placement of several pets from Franklin County, preventing them from entering Franklin County Animal Control,” said Larder. “We also have been able to place several litters while covering the cost of spaying the female dog, thus lowering the number of unwanted pets in Franklin County.” From R.E.A.L.’s perspective, proactive rehoming allows people to avoid placing their pets in an animal shelter – an especially valuable benefit in Franklin
Keeping it
R.E.A.L.Nonprofit promotes pet rehoming and adoption
STORY BY ALISON JAMES
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY
ABOVE: Cindy Honey, Rick Alexander and Jennifer Larder are the driving force behind R.E.A.L. – efforts to Rehome, Educate, Adopt and Love for pets in Franklin County.
25Franklin living
County, where there is no traditional animal shelter. When R.E.A.L. accepts a pet for rehoming, Alexander, Honey and Larder walk with the pet owner every step of the way to identify a new family to place the pet in. Multiple home visits – both before and after the rehoming – ensure the new family a good fit and the pet is happy and well-cared for. “The largest benefit R.E.A.L. offers our community is the ability for pet parents to have an active role in rehoming their pet and ensuring that each rehomed pet is spayed or neutered prior to adoption,” Larder said.
Rehoming can be an arduous process, and in order to diligently and carefully find a home for each pet, R.E.A.L. only accepts five to seven animals at a time for rehoming. All those slots are presently filled with animals that need a new forever home.
“We like to be able to give them our top priority. If we have too many, then that will not be possible,” Honey said. “They do stay with their present owner until they are rehomed. We are not foster-based.”
Honey said although they cannot presently accept any more pets for rehoming, “we would be happy to list any pets needing rehomed on our Facebook page and website as a courtesy listing.” Education is another chief focus for R.E.A.L., which aims to present programs in local schools to teach children responsible pet ownership. “The most important part of R.E.A.L.’s mission is teaching people that pets are our responsibility,” Larder said. She said they also emphasize the importance of spaying and neutering to help reduce populations of unwanted animals. “There is a need in the community, not only to simply rehome pets but to help solve the pet overpopulation problem through educating our children about compassionate pet care.”
Honey said her heart is truly in the education arm of R.E.A.L.
“My biggest desire is to see a growing knowledge of responsible pet ownership. I want to see more people taking care of their pets properly and more pets spayed and neutered,” said Honey. “There are so many lost and neglected unwanted pets out there … We’ve noticed a huge number of animals getting lost. One of the problems is that people don’t take the time to get their pets microchipped or don’t get a collar with a tag.” Honey visits schools and addresses topics from grooming and feeding to how to approach unknown animals.
R.E.A.L. is not a formal nonprofit but is currently operating as a nonprofit. “It’s been an exciting journey. It’s really very rewarding,” Honey said.
Right now, R.E.A.L.’s focus is on Lil Bit, Baxter, Izzy, Pearla, Susie, Biscuit, Mary and Bella – the pets currently awaiting rehoming/adoption.
To inquire about adopting a pet; submitting a pet for rehoming; volunteering to help with R.E.A.L.; or any other information, visit Facebook – REAL Rehome Educate Adopt Love – or www. rehomeandeducate.webs.com or email [email protected].
FROM TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: These sweeties are currently available for rehoming through R.E.A.L. – Izzy, Susie, Baxter, Pearla, Biscuit, Mary, Bella and Lil Bit.
26 Franklin living
PET PICS
Sophia, Owners Lisa & Steve Tidwell of Russellville
Max & Snoopie Owner Kris Spencer of Red Bay
Phoebe, Owners David & Kellie Singleton of Russellville
Tide, Owners Justin, Charlotte & Brilynn Green of Russellville
Penny, Owners Robert & Pam Clement of Phil Campbell
Runt, Owners Janice & Terry Pennington of Tharptown
Tiffy Lee, a rescue Owner Janeice Gober of the Burn Out Community
Spooky, Owner Melissa Vandiver of Russellville
Smudge Burns, Owner Nicole Burns (pictured with sister Billie) of Phil Campbell
Rosie, Owners Seth & Melissa Godsey of Russellville
Pepper, Owners Johnny & Pam Taylor of Russellville
Mathew, Owners Robert & Janeice Gober, of Pleasant Site
Pugsley, Owner Nicole Pell, FCT General Manager
Reese, Owner Macy Reeves, FCT Intern
Rowdy, Owner Chelsea Bates of Russellville
Rosie, Owner Nicole Pell, FCT General Manager
Rhudy, Owners Mitchell & Denise Oliver of Belgreen
27Franklin living
Molly B., Owners Lee & Jill Adams of Cedar Creek Lake
Kora, Owners Richie & Brittne Prince of Tharptown
Honey, Owner Kerry Gilbert of Russellville
PET PICS
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28 Franklin living
PET PICS
Max, Owner Dana & Jacob Aycock of Russellville
Samantha, Owner Nancy Sinclair of Spruce Pine
Toto, Owners Robert, Ann, Allison & Kayla Hicks of Spruce Pine
Miss Pearl, Owners Cary & Amanda Hitt of Russellville
Oscar, Owner Beverly Michael of Posey Mill Community
Twinkles, Owner Floyd Thorn of Russellville
Tiger, Owners Dwayne & Katina Petree of Tharptown
Sullivan, Owner Amanda Hovater of Russellville
Samantha, Kit & Caboose, Owners Pam & Robert Clement of Phil Campbell
Stinky Cat, Owners Michael & Debra Lawler of Phil Campbell
Tuby Bear & Smokey, Owners Melissa & Eddie Landers of Russellville
Twilight, Owners Pam & Robert Clement of Phil Campbell
Tucker, Owner Tori King of Russellville
Sam, Owner Ashleigh Morgan of Russellville
Suzy, Owner Lillie Mae Hall of Russellville
Stevie, Owner Tammy Stone of Russellville
29Franklin living
LOOKING BACK
Looking back photos courtesy of the Franklin County Archives.
30 FRANKLIN LIVING
PARTING SHOT
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
– Josh Billings
31Franklin living
www.tif nmotorhomes.com
Darren Grissom
Brian Self
Tif n Motor Homes105 Second Street NW • Red Bay, AL
256-356-8661Working at Tif n Motorhomes is a family
affair for Darren Grissom.The Phil Campbell native is one of four
family members currently working for TMH. Along with his wife, Stacy, who is a material handler at the Red Bay plant, Grissom also has a mother and brother who work for the company.
Grissom, who now works in the prep-ping department at the Belmont paint shop, joined TMH in 2001, and has seen substantial growth in the paint department during that time.
“The paint process has changed a lot,” he said. “Most of them used to have decals and then we started doing clear coat on the Buses and eventually started doing that to all the units.”
In the prepping department, he helps tape the units and get them ready to be painted.
“Everything about what we do has changed since I rst came here. It’s like day and night,
but everything is a lot more streamlined now than it was back then and there is a particular process for everything we do.”
Grissom is grateful to the Tif n family and TMH for standing by his family during times in which he has faced medical issues.
“They have been very good to us,” he said. “When I started here I weighed 470 pounds and they worked with me and allowed me to be off to have gastro-bypass surgery and whenever I have needed to go to the doctor for other health issues, they work with me on that, so I can’t say enough good things about them.”
The Grissoms have one son, Hunter, and two daughters, Whitney Cole and Magen Johnson, and one grandson, Xander Cole.
He is a shing and hunting enthusiast.“This has been a very good place for me
and my family to work,” he said. “It’s been stable and secure and there are a lot of good people to work with and to work for.”
Brian Self has done a little of everything at Tiffin Motorhomes since joining the company three and a half decades ago.
The Red Bay resident will celebrate his 35th anniversary at TMH in August. He has worked running wires, cleaning mo-torhomes and for the largest amount of time, he worked placing upholstery in the units. He now serves as a utility at the paint shop in Belmont as part of the final finish department.
“It’s really changed quite a bit,” he said. “There have been so many changes from the inside and out, the old ones look like a cracker box now. They were state-of-the-art at the time.”
Self has seen the days in which the plant produced three units a day up until eventu-ally reaching as many as 15 a day at times.
“This job has always provided security and a good work atmosphere so I have liked it. I have been here a long time, so
I guess I must have liked it,” he said with a laugh.
It has also been good for his family.His daughter, Brianna Hester and her
husband, Brad, also work for the company.Self and his wife, Vickie, have two
grandchildren, Allie and Cameron.“I like to hunt and fish, but the grandkids
take my hobbies now,” he said. “I ride a motorcycle some, not as much as I did, but I like doing that.”
Though he has spent so many years at TMH, he said he is always surprised at the next steps of innovation and change to the product line.
“They just keep adding things and get-ting more sophisticated each year,” he said. “It’s something to think back on the way they used to be and how we built them, to the way they are now. I never would have imagined some of the things they can do way back then.”
32 Franklin living
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