The pioneers who paved the way for Alabama stock car racing
Story by John Garrison Jr. Submitted Photos
World War II had just ended, and America emerged victorious. The economic engine turned from war production to consumer production. People who, during wartime rationing of everything from rubber, gasoline, meat and butter, suddenly had plentiful supplies of everything.
American auto manufacturing had quit producing cars from 1943 to 1945 to support the war effort. American ingenuity, however, came alive after 1945. People felt good about America, and new inventions abounded and by that same year, Americans were saving on average 21percent of their earnings.
In a good economy, hard-working people like to enjoy some of the fruits of their labor with social activities, and many turned to sports events.
Couple all that with a re-emerged automobile industry, and the everyday American, blue-collar guy looked for ways to continue the good feeling that competition and another chance to win brought about.
Enter the thrilling stock car racing industry where an old family jalopy dragged from the barnyard would get a new lease on life as a racecar.
Imagine a group of guys coming together as a ragtag team to build a racecar. One might have mechanic’s skills, another as a body and fender/painter/welder type and yet another ex-soldier with courage enough to drive at breakneck speeds.
This is how a whole new enthusiasm for motorsports began in Alabama and across the nation. Despite automobile racing existing prior to this period, it was reserved primarily to a small population and cars built specifically for racing and not your typical old family coupe or sedan, thus the term “stock car.”
Around Birmingham, circa 1948, there was a track carved out of an old field near Roebuck called the lronbowl Speedway. The track was a dirt oval and on Sunday afternoons, crowds would gather to see the daredevil field of drivers and their home-built machines compete to be the first to the checkered flag. The hill above the track would be filled with wives, kids and neighbors with picnic baskets sitting on the hoods of their family cars taking in the spectacle. Everybody came home covered in dust.
As the early days of stock car racing in Alabama was forming, the fairgrounds at Birmingham had a 1-mile oval horse racing track built in 1906 that sometimes held an occasional motorcycle race or a car race of specially built open-wheel racecars.
During the same period as the old lronbowl Speedway, Birmingham Fairgrounds began running stock car races, as well. Then in 1958, NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) brought sanctioned racing to Birmingham and other tracks in Alabama.
Checking out a wreck that was stopped by the fence
Stock car racing was being born from the crude beginnings of low-budget, homebuilt cars to a commercial industry that brought higher levels of engineering talent and corporate sponsor dollars emerging into the highly refined sport of stock car racing today. Racing was financially out of reach for the regular guy. The old days and ways were changing quickly.
There is still a group of traditionalists that have a love and devotion to the old days where it all began. Beginning days that produced such greats as Bobby and Donnie Allison, Red Farmer, still making racing appearances at 90 years old, and Neil Bonnet, who died racing stock cars in 1994 at 47 years old.
Although those became household names in the sport because of the entry into corporate racing, there were great racers that will forever have places in the hearts of the “purists” of the sport. People like Nero Stepto, Sonny Black, Fletcher Ford, Alton Jones, Fred Thompson, “Paddlefoot” Wales and those who went by aliases – drivers who changed their names so their employer wouldn’t fire them for engaging in such a dangerous sport.
There is an organization dedicated to the preservation of racing history in Alabama named the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers (aarpinc.org) where hundreds of old photographs and stories abound on the history of racing here.
At the Talladega Motor Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Racing Pioneers room features photos and memorabilia from that bygone era.
Membership in the organization is only $35 a year to join. Current membership is 320 across the state and there are gatherings and banquets for those interested in preserving the history. l
Sue Turton will never forget the young girl who came to the Christian Love Pantry with her father years ago. She couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7, but she’d already experienced the hard realities of life. Her father had lost his job, the family was hungry, and they turned to the ministry based in Pell City for help.
The little girl’s eyes got wide as she looked at the groceries the volunteers had prepared for the family, Turton remembered. “Oh Daddy, look, there’s peanut butter,” the child said. “We’re not poor anymore.”
Pell City Rotarians join volunteer ranks
For more than four decades, the Christian Love Pantry, has been providing much more than just food to St. Clair County families in crisis. Based on the belief of neighbors helping neighbors, they’ve offered hope, love, kindness and compassion by the grocery cartful.
“The Lord always provides enough,” said Bob Osborn, a volunteer who serves as director of the nonprofit. “This community is wonderful that way. If we need something, they step up.”
That was certainly obvious in December when the Christian Love Pantry gave away 22,500 pounds of food during its annual Christmas in the Park event held at Lakeside Park. Area churches and civic organizations provided volunteers, and the St. Clair County Airport Authority and members of the Pell City Seventh Day Adventist Church distributed toys and treats collected during a toy drive sponsored by the Airport Authority.
“You’re helping people, and that’s what people need,” one recipient said. “There’s a lot of people who are hungry.”
In the beginning …
The Christian Love Pantry began in 1980 when three Pell City churches – St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church, First United Methodist Church and Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church – joined forces to meet the ongoing need for emergency food distribution.
After receiving a donation of $10,000 in 1982, the Pell City Ministerial Council officially established the ministry, which was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1991 and began receiving United Way of Central Alabama funding. Since then, many more churches have come on board, helping in a variety of ways.
“The original articles of incorporation said the purpose was to help the needy in the community and to also give members of different denominations to work together for the common good and understanding of each other,” said Turton, who serves as secretary.
So far, they’ve remained true to both goals. Seven churches – the original three, plus Cropwell Baptist, Harvest Center, Pell City Seventh Day Adventists and First Baptist – still have members on the Christian Love Pantry’s board of directors. Another nine or 10 congregations provide volunteers, financial support, or food donations. “We are all different denominations, but we are all Christians and believe in Jesus,” Osborn said. “The unity we get from hanging out with one another and volunteering together is special.”
Providing daily bread
The organization, which serves thousands of people each year and is completely staffed by volunteers, is not a substitute for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), often referred to as food stamps. Instead, it is designed to help families during emergency situations. For some, that’s the loss of a job or a health diagnosis resulting in high medical bills. For others, it’s a broken car transmission, a heating unit in need of repairs, or grandparents who have taken in a grandchild and haven’t started receiving benefits.
Getting everything ready for distribution a team effort all enjoy
“We give them enough food to get through a crisis,” Turton said. Typically, the Christian Love Pantry offers two emergency services per family each year in addition to providing food during special giveaway events usually held in the spring or summer, at Thanksgiving, and before Christmas. Clients are referred by other agencies, churches, the 211 directory, or family, friends and neighbors.
All recipients must live in St. Clair County, meet federal poverty guidelines, or be facing a special circumstance. The average family served has 2.5 members and an income of about $1,200 a month, which is well below the federal guidelines, Turton said.
Twice a year, families can receive enough food to last a week, if not more. The bounty, based on the number of people in the household and the food available in the warehouse includes a variety of soups, stews, vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, beans, pasta, rice, crackers, powdered milk, flour, corn meal, and more. In addition, recipients get fresh produce such as apples, oranges, carrots and potatoes, as well as meat and chicken. Publix donates bread and pastries daily, and the pantry also provides items such as diapers and pet food when available.
“Some families come every six months, and some you may see every five years,” Osborn said. “We don’t send anyone who’s out of food and hungry away,” Turton said, adding that partial services can be provided when necessary.
In addition to the twice-yearly services, the Christian Love Pantry also hosts several special event distributions each year. In December, for example, 250 families received over 90 pounds of food, including a 6-pound ham, 8 pounds of chicken, ground beef, as well as a variety of canned goods, breads and staples.
So how does it all happen? It takes a lot of partnerships, Osborn said. United Way is still the ministry’s top funder, providing about 40 percent of the budget. The rest comes from grants, churches, individual donations, fundraisers and civic organizations.
The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama in Birmingham is an important partner, as well. The agency serves as a hub for food pantries, homeless shelters and children’s programs, and Christian Love Pantry volunteers can buy food, including meat, for 16 cents a pound through the Food Bank so they can distribute it to their clients. “We get a lot of good food for very little money,” Osborn said. “It allows us to give generously.”
In addition to bread and pastries, Publix donates pallets of food a few times a year. Fresh Value offers a discount on food, and fresh produce is harvested from Gateway Community Garden. In addition, local farmers donate fresh eggs. The volunteers also provide recipes and information about other social services available.
Meeting the need
At its peak, the Christian Love Pantry provided nearly 3,000 families with regular services in a year. In 2020, the numbers dropped since clients received relief payments from the government, but since then the numbers have been on the rise again. In 2021, the ministry served 1,150 households with 2,961 people, Turton said. Last year, 1,406 families with 3,607 people were served. About 30 percent of those were children.
Although volunteers currently number about 100, there’s always room for more, according to Debbie Parmenter, who is a former volunteer coordinator and current Board chair. Volunteer opportunities range from working directly with clients for screening and food distribution, stocking donations, using pallet jacks to move large quantities of food and picking up daily donations at Publix. Only one shift per month is required, but many volunteers look forward to helping more often.
“We all have our niche,” Osborn said. “This is one little thing we can do once or twice a month that contributes to the community at large.”
Many of the volunteers are retired and have supported the ministry financially for years, but they are now enjoying a more personal commitment now that their children are grown, and job commitments have ended. “Many of us for many years had more money than time to help,” Turton said. “It’s indescribably better to be on this side of it and provide more than financial support.”
For information about receiving assistance, call (205) 338-2358 during the ministry’s business hours, which are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. To learn about volunteer opportunities, message them on The Christian Love Pantry Facebook page.
Roster, programs growing – even a llama carries a card
Story by Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Meghan Frondorf
Librarian Kaitlyn Siewert
When the Steele Public Library held its grand reopening celebration, it gained an unexpected patron. Her name is Chenille Borg, and she gives the library the rare distinction of having a llama as a member.
If you don’t believe she’s a bonafide, card-carrying member, see her picture accompanying this article. Her owner, Steele Town Councilwoman Nancy Miller-Borg, is standing beside her, card in hand.
Her membership is all in fun, and Miller-Borg, the library board, librarian Kaitlyn Siewert and town officials hope it will help bring attention to the newly-remodeled facility and all it has to offer.
“The library was closed for a month in the spring while we underwent some remodeling, including new floors in the main room and a new interior paint job,” said Siewert. The reopening celebration had to wait a few months, though, for a few finishing touches inside and outside the building, and for some new shelving to be installed. Kaitlyn herself is fairly new, too, having come on board July 18, 2022.
The official name is Jane Battles Brown Memorial Library
“We’re hoping that the new environment will be inviting and will bring in more patrons,” says Miller-Borg, a library patron and promoter. The library also is known as the Jane Battles Brown Memorial Library, after its founder. “That’s its official name, but we’re using Steele Public Library so town folks will get to know it better,” says Karen Bowen, vice chair of the library board. She knew Brown, who was affectionately called, “Janie.”
“She worked tirelessly to start the library, much of it without pay,” Bowen says of the library’s founder. “She has been dead about 48 years, and we’ve had several paid librarians since then. Right before Kaitlyn, it was Lynda Fann.”
Brown opened Steele’s first library in a small storage building next door to a gas station at the corner of US 11 and Steele Station Road, according to Bowen. “Next, it was in the gas station building itself,” she says.
Some folks believe the opening was in the early 1960s, others think it was the late 1960s. Ironically, town records are stored in the very building that housed the first library, and no one has gone through them to validate the precise date. The library moved to its current location after the town purchased the house it’s in at 78 Hillview Street, which is right up the hill from its original building, in April 2003. Library board members, in addition to Bowen, include Hannah Parris, chair; Brandy Dunn, RoseMary Hyatt and Esther Dunn.
When Siewert became librarian, she began the laborious task of culling the library cards to remove those that hadn’t been active in five years or more. With the help of Paula Ballard at Ashville’s McCain Memorial Public Library, the cards went from about 8,000 to 685 adults and 254 children, for a grand total of 939. By the end of the grand reopening day, when 26 more signed up (not counting Chenille), that total had reached 965. As of mid-December, it was at 975 and climbing.
All ages of the community turned out for the opening
Siewert has several new programs in the works, including a free project-supply closet (posters, markers, tape, etc.), a summer reading program for children, and a crochet group. The latter is a “coming together” of crocheters, rather than teaching sessions, but experienced crocheters will be on hand to help beginners. They began in January meeting every Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Then on Feb. 4, the library will host a “Bring Your Child to the Library Day” from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be face painting, sidewalk chalk drawing, refreshments and other activities.
Siewert, whom Karen Bowen calls “Janie 2.0” because of the tremendous work she is putting into her job,was in the medical field for 10 years before heading up the Steele Public Library. “I wanted something outside that field, something I could grow into and be helpful,” she says. “So far, this job has been beyond my expectations. It’s the job I never knew I needed. It doesn’t even feel like a job.”
Editor’s Note:The Steele Public/Jane Battles Brown Memorial Library is open Monday through Thursday. Its winter hours are from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., while the rest of the year its hours are 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Story by Linda Long Photos by Graham Hadley and David Smith, submitted
The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades …
Those lyrics from an old 1980s rock song could well be the theme for St. Clair County’s economic movers and shakers. Fiscal 2023 is beginning to shape up as another banner year – like the one before it.
The 2022 numbers tell the story – 675 new jobs, $400 million invested and $20 million in new wages announced in 20 projects that were announced, broke ground, or opened in 2022. The county saw an economic upswing across the board, from housing to manufacturing, retail sales to tourism, new business to expansion of existing industry.
The St. Clair and Tavern at The St. Clair restaurant in Pell City
According to Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, there’s reason for optimism. “We’re excited about the prospects that we have in the pipeline for 2023. A lot of the projects announced last year and even the year before will be coming on line this year,” said Smith. “We saw the number of projects at one of its highest levels in 2022 and this is carrying into 2023.”
For Pell City, new retail is coming to town. Smith says, “The groundbreaking we had for the big shopping center, Pell City Square, was actually expected in 2019. It was put on hold for a while because of the pandemic but now it’s moving forward.”
The shopping center, to be completed this year, will include Hobby Lobby, PetSmart, Ross Dress for Less, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, Ulta Beauty, Five Below, Rack Room Shoes and others.
St. Clair’s menu for success also includes white tablecloth, fine dining with all the frills. According to Smith, The St. Clair and Tavern at The St. Clair, should be opening the beginning of 2023. “It’s something different. There’s nothing else like it here at all. It will be a place where you can celebrate special occasions and where you could also entertain guests. It just opens up all sorts of possibilities.”
Because of Pell City Square, “other eateries, shops and hotels are expected things that may be in our local market,” he said.
Smith said the largest revenue generator among all the new projects will be that new retail center. “A big number will be generated off that each year in sales tax.”
The largest potential job creator of all new projects is the Kelly Creek Commerce Park in Moody. “It’s a New Year’s present for the county,” Smith said. “The 172-acre industrial park is expected to create 800 to 1,000 new jobs in the next five to 10 years. “We don’t know who the companies are yet, but we will have the space and infrastructure for them to invest. We’re expecting it to accommodate company headquarters, light manufacturing and warehousing as well.”
Ribbon cutting at National Cement
Also new to Moody will be a Starbucks and an entertainment center housing a trampoline park, an arcade and a bowling alley to be announced.
“Both of those projects fall in line with the Moody’s community input that was given to the city by its citizens on projects that they wanted them to focus during their recent comprehensive planning sessions,” said Smith.
The largest investment in the county, by far, is the $325 million dollars committed by National Cement in Ragland.
“This is the largest private investment in St. Clair County’s history,” said Smith. “It secures that facility’s production for another 50 years.”
He said National Cement is central to Ragland’s history. “Decades ago, the cement plant did a lot of labor-intensive mining,” said Smith. “It employed about a thousand people. Trains would come through and drop people off downtown. Over time, automation and machinery became available, and it was a lot easier to extract materials with a machine rather than shovel and pickaxe.”
As time went by, employee numbers have gone down, but wages have gone up. “What we saw,” he said, “was the need to reinvest and keep up with changes in technology. They had to modernize almost their entire facility, so now Ragland will have those jobs for the next 50 years.”
Other parts of the county are seeing growth as well. Springville has new business coming to town, including the Blue Water Bottling company and the opening of the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve. Big Canoe Nature Preserve is set to open in the spring or summer of this year. The long-awaited preserve will provide hiking and horseback riding trails as well as canoeing and kayaking.
New trail at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve
According to St. Clair County Tourism Coordinator Blair Goodgame, “We are thrilled with the progress of the BCCNP. This project will be an asset to St. Clair County for generations to come. Not only will the Preserve enhance the lives of locals, but it will serve as an attraction for outdoor enthusiasts across the Southeast – adding to the county’s already vast catalog of outdoor recreational opportunities.”
In the commercial sector, the EDC is eyeing a number of retail prospects, including a new grocer in the Springville, Odenville, Argo and Margaret area. “There’s a number of developers who represent different grocery brands looking at different sites. We’re just trying to find the right spots for the right brand and the size acreage. That’s the key, but it’s been a challenge because building costs have skyrocketed.”
Interest in sites throughout the county is heightening. “We have active prospects on almost every interstate interchange on the I-59 corridor, and we hope to announce some in early 2023,” Smith said. “A community like St. Clair County has so much potential because of its two interstates and close proximity to both Birmingham and Atlanta. That’s a big draw in helping us recruit.”
Prospects for the future continue to look promising. “So long as long as we continue to make St. Clair County a welcoming place for people to invest, which may include residential, commercial or industrial, we will continue to grow at a strong rate,” Smith said.
“It just makes me very happy to see job opportunities and conveniences now in the county. People will soon not have to drive outside our community to get what they need.”
Eissmann announces $3.4 million expansion, creating 79 new jobs
German automotive supplier Eissmann Automotive, N.A., has announced an expansion to its Pell City facility. It includes a $3.4 million investment in new advanced manufacturing equipment for their new production line. They expect to hire an additional 79 employees to support the production necessary for their new orders.
Eissmann Automotive has 13 locations on three continents. The company specializes in car interiors, built-to-print trim components, shifter modules and many other parts for German and Domestic auto makers, such as Mercedes, Audi, Jeep, Tesla, Porsche, Volkswagen and others. Their commitment to high quality and 100% customer satisfaction has been a key to their success.
“Eissmann Automotive Group’s decision to expand their facility in St. Clair County is wonderful for our citizens and community,” said Stan Batemon, St. Clair County Commission chairman. “It is always beneficial to both our community and the company when higher paying jobs with more advanced technology are announced. This is a testament both to the company’s ability to produce a great product and the faith they have in St. Clair County’s workforce.”
“We have been very pleased with our experience working with the City of Pell City, the St. Clair County Commission and Alabama’s Department of Commerce,” said Tracy Breeding, plant director for Eissmann. “They have been wonderful partners as we continue to invest in Pell City to provide quality service and products to our valued customers.”
“Pell City is excited to be home to quality companies like Eissmann Automotive Group,” said Pell City Mayor Bill Pruitt. “They have always been a great partner in the community, and this expansion is great news. We are looking forward to their continued success and the new jobs that will soon be available in our city.”
“St. Clair County and the State of Alabama are very fortunate to have Eissmann Automotive Group expand in our community,” noted Alabama Senator Lance Bell, (R-Pell City). “We applaud them for their success in capturing the business necessary for this expansion, and we are excited that they are growing as an important part of the state’s automotive supply chain.”
St. Clair Economic Development Council Chairman Joe Kelly said, “Eissmann Automotive is a great company who has experienced much growth and success here in St. Clair County. We are excited to learn that they are making this new investment in their Pell City facility. We congratulate Eissmann and wish them continued success.”
Moody breaks ground on Starbucks development
Commuters and coffee drinkers will soon have a new choice. A project to bring Starbucks to one of Moody’s busiest gateways broke ground in December. The site is located at Moody Parkway and Blue Ridge Drive.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Will Roark, Brice Johnston and Chris McCoy with RJ Development thanked all the stakeholders involved in the project, saying the project was coming up on about the one-and-a-half-year mark. “We’re excited to see this project come to fruition and want to thank all those involved in the process. We have enjoyed working with the city and county on this project” McCoy said.
The 2,500 square foot Starbucks is scheduled to open in June 2023 and will create approximately 20 jobs. Customers will have the option of indoor and patio seating, as well as a drive-through. The project brings a multi-million-dollar investment to the City of Moody.
“The City Council and I listen to our neighbors about the different retailers we would all like to see in Moody,” said Mayor Joe Lee.
“Most times this involves our team connecting the right developer, who has a relationship with the retailers we want, with a property owner who is willing to work with them. I am happy we were able make this happen on this project. I know this project will be a tremendous success because this is a brand many have talked about, and Chris McCoy’s team has worked hard to make it happen. It’s all about working as a team.”
“We are happy to once again be able to partner with Mayor Lee and his team on another great project,” said St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon.
“Chris and his development team have been wonderful to work with, and I believe this is just the first of many of their investments in Moody and other parts of our community.”
RJ Development specializes in all aspects of commercial real estate with a primary focus on the development of new retail shopping centers. The company has developed more than 2 million square feet of retail space.
Entertainment Center on horizon for Moody
Moody City Council cleared the way for a 60,000 square foot entertainment center for the city, an answer to a much-requested type of development in input from the community for quite some time.
The council is entering into an agreement with Signature Developments, LLC and Starz events, LLC to construct and operate a new family entertainment center near the I-20 interchange.
The new facility is expected to be approximately 60,000 square feet and will be built on roughly 6.7 acres with interstate visibility. The project site is owned by the city’s commercial development authority (CDA), and the agreement allows the transfer of the property to the developer with certain personal and business guarantees to repay the city the appraised value of the property over 10 years.
The family entertainment center will offer popular activities like a bowling alley of approximately 10-16 bowling lanes, a trampoline park, a soft play recreation facility designed and intended for use as an area for young children, a snack bar/concessions area and other attractions in high demand.
“We are looking forward to opening a state-of-the-art entertainment center customized to the interest of the local citizens, said Shafiq Samji, the project’s developer and operator. “Moody is a fast-growing community with incredible potential, and we believe this project is a perfect fit. We have enjoyed working with the City of Moody, Chamber of Commerce and County Commission on this project.”
The agreement allows the developer 24 months to open the facility. “We would like to open the facility today, but much of the equipment is specialized and will require a number of months to receive and have installed after the building is constructed. We would like to be open before Thanksgiving of 2024,” Samji said.
“Most times private retailers and developers choose where they are going to locate,” Mayor Joe Lee noted. “On this occasion, the city’s CDA owns the property, which gave us a say in what would locate on the site.
“This is a project both the citizens and our council have wanted to see in our community. People expressed a desire to see more family entertainment options during our recent community input session for city’s comprehensive plan, Moody at the Crossroads. We listened and hope this will be the anchor for a larger, master planned entertainment district.”
St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon expressed confidence in the project.
“Mr. Samji has a number of successful business ventures in St. Clair County and Shelby County. He also has experience in the family entertainment sector, and we look forward to supporting the city in another successful project.”
Coosa Pines FCU gives $500,000 in Bonus, Refund to members
Coosa Pines Federal Credit Union announced that its members in November received over $500,000 as a bonus dividend and loan interest refund for 2022. This is the eighth consecutive year that Coosa Pines members have received a bonus and refund, for a total of over $2.7 million.
The Board of Directors made the decision to issue the bonus and refund based on the success of the credit union in 2022. “This year has been one of the most successful for Coosa Pines, and the outlook for next year is positive,” said CEO Don Carden. “While the purpose of a bank is to make money for its shareholders, as members of a financial cooperative, we all share in the success of our credit union.”
The dividend bonus was figured using 7.25% of dividends earned on the member’s share savings account from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2022. The loan interest refund amount is determined by 7.25% of the loan interest paid for the same period. Certain exclusions applied, but qualifying members saw a deposit in their share savings accounts.
The bonus dividend and interest refund are based on the current year’s results and projections for the following year. Therefore, any future bonus or refund are not guaranteed. “Every member is an owner of Coosa Pines,” said Carden. “Every decision we make is with their financial success in mind. We are elated when we can save them money, reduce financial stress, or share with them a bonus and refund like this.”
Coosa Pines FCU was chartered in 1950 and has a field of membership that includes Talladega, Shelby, St. Clair, Jefferson, Coosa and Clay counties.
Douglas Manufacturing invests $2 million in technology
Douglas Manufacturing closed out 2022 with an announcement about its future. The company, established in 1978 in Pell City, is investing more than $2 million in growth and automation.
Over the next two years, the investment will go toward new manufacturing technologies, such as new CNC equipment and automation, as well as expanding its physical plant. The company estimates that this investment and expansion will create more than 20 new positions in Pell City and increase the plant by roughly 15,000 square feet.
Once complete, the company plans to add a second shift, thus allowing the business to more than double the production capacity of key components so that the company can keep up with an increase in demand for its core component lines: pulleys, lagging, idlers, magnetics, impact beds and take-ups.
The investments will spur economic growth with increased purchases from local and national suppliers.
“The significant new investment Douglas is making to expand its Pell City manufacturing plant illustrates our strong commitment to the conveyor industry, to Alabama and our local community,” said Paul Ross, company president. “We would like to thank St. Clair County, the City of Pell City and the St. Clair County EDC for their support in helping to make this new investment possible.”
For 45 years, Douglas has established its legacy as a leader and innovator in the conveyor industry.
The plant expansion represents the latest chapter in the Made in Alabama success story that has been written over the past four and a half decades. To learn more about the Alabama-made products Douglas produces, visit www.douglasmanufacturing.com.
Carden opens new Classic Home Mortgage office
Mortgage Specialist Teresa Carden of Classic Home Mortgage celebrated the opening of her new office with an open house for the community. The office is located at 2600 Mays Drive, Suite B, in Pell City.
A Pell City native, Carden began her career in finance in 1996 and insurance in 1989. She worked as an in-house bank loan processor, transferring quickly to mortgage loan processor. She rose to Mortgage Department Head and has 20 years of experience in home loans.
She opened the local branch of Classic Home Mortgage in September 2022, building on her experience and passion for helping people achieve home ownership. “It is the largest investment most people will ever make,” she said.
Carden is a Home for Heroes Mortgage Specialist, which gives EMS, educator, healthcare professional and military service personnel a Heroes Thank You Reward.
The same way we inherit our grandfather’s eyes or our mother’s mannerisms, I wish we could recall memories of our loved ones as they once were … back when they existed without us.
I wish I could remember the first time my mother fell in love or how my grandad felt the day he arrived home from war. I wish I could close my eyes and recall my great grandmother’s childhood home and the way her momma looked in the morning light of their farmhouse kitchen window or the rush of emotions my grandfather felt the day my father was born.
I wish that “family inheritance” consisted not of money or things, but instead, we were gifted our ancestors most treasured memories, their most carefully curated moment – wrapped up just waiting to be untied.
This kind of inheritance anchors us. It offers us some insight into who we are and where we came from. We are by no means defined by them. Our lives are still wholly our own. But, in a way, we are all still conceived a bit by these memories from long ago. These memories helped make us. They are a part of us … poured into the very foundation of our existence.
(The above image is a digital copy of a slide taken in 1953 by my grandfather, Maxie L. Black.
Featuring my grandmother, Betty Lou Black, and aunt, Patricia)
– Mackenzie Free –
Wife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama
