Odenville Chamber of Commerce welcomed Tractor Supply in April with a ribbon cutting ceremony, celebrating the addition of the nationally recognized retailer to its growing community. Local leaders, business representatives, and residents gathered to celebrate the store’s opening and the continued economic development in St. Clair County.
The new Tractor Supply store brings a wide selection of products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden care, livestock, pet supplies and outdoor living. The addition of the store is expected to provide both convenient access to essential goods for residents and new employment opportunities for the area.
Store Manager Ross Coleman expressed enthusiasm about becoming part of the Odenville community. “We are thrilled to open our doors in Odenville and serve the hardworking customers in this area,” he said. “Tractor Supply is committed to supporting growing communities, and we look forward to building lasting relationships with our neighbors while providing the products and services they need.”
Odenville Mayor Buck Christian also highlighted the importance of the new store to the city’s growth. “This is an exciting day for Odenville,” he said. “Tractor Supply is a perfect fit for our community, and we are grateful for their decision to locate here. This store not only enhances the services available to our citizens but also contributes to our local economy and quality of life.”
St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon offered his thanks for the investment into the county. “We are proud to welcome Tractor Supply to Odenville and St. Clair County. This investment reflects the strength of our local economy and the continued confidence that national retailers have in our community. Tractor Supply will be a valuable resource for our residents and a strong partner moving forward.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony marked an important milestone for Odenville’s continued growth and development. Community members were invited to explore the new store, meet the team and take advantage of opening promotions and offers.
For more than a decade, on a small piece of God’s good earth, folks here have found sustenance for the body and solace for the soul.
The precious piece of ground is known as Pell City Gateway Community Garden, where a small cadre of volunteers tends to the one-acre field that yields a growing harvest to help the hungry.
The garden has a natural garden area where organizers have recently planted Alabama native plants. The nature sacred area, said Gateway Director Renee Lilly, “Is a really a big deal,” “The Nature Sacred program is a national program created for people of all faiths by the Nature Sacred Foundation. They wanted to create places where people could be meditative.”
Founded by an Iowa couple, Kitty and Tom Stoner, the aim is to create more green spaces in communities to ease the fatigue and clamor of modern life. The idea took root some three decades ago after the Stoners moved to the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area. Now known as Sacred Places, the sites “serve as a kind of a healing poultice for people to regain balance as an antidote to stress,” according to the website, naturesacred.org.
The Pell City Gateway Community Garden was established in 2014 on the former Avondale Mills site near downtown Pell City. It later moved to land across from St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church at 3705 Mays Bend Road.
While organizers want the Gateway community garden to be the sacred space, it also holds fast to the mission of raising fresh food – like kale, collards and cabbage in winter. Everything harvested from the garden is donated to the local food pantry and senior center.
At the end of the year 2025 The Anniston-based Northeast Alabama Community Foundation provided an emergency grant to boost a food drive because last winter, the federal government put a hold on funding for the SNAP food assistance program. “They (the foundation) have been good to us,” Lilly said.
Food insecurity and affordability have added to the urgency of the work of the garden, Lilly said. It brings to mind the Victory Gardens that sprouted across the nation during World War I.
But the garden’s vision isn’t simply to grow food, but to grow gardeners as well. “We’ll still provide harvest for the places where we provide food, but it’s like teaching people to fish,” Lilly said.
Lillian Olin-Sanchez, April Sanders, Audrey Sanders, Charlena Miller, Riley Robinson and Tia Glanze learning to garden
“If we teach people to garden, they can provide for their own needs, making people self-reliant and showing them they can grow food in a very small space,” said Gateway Community Gaden President Rebel Negley.
The garden produces food grown without the use of pesticides, said Negley, who at one time worked in the food industry. “That will really open your eyes. There are so many chemicals that are banned in European countries that (the American food industry) continues to use. That’s why we’ve been passionate about growing fresh food,” she said.
“We live in a society, where increasingly, people don’t know where their food comes from. A lot of kids eat canned foods, and they eat frozen stuff,” Negley said. “There’s nothing wrong with that sometimes. But our mission is to teach people where their food comes from. Good nutrition is not as affordable, unless you grow it yourself. It takes a village to make a community garden work.”
That’s why organizers are looking for people to invest their time to make the garden and its sacred space flourish.
“We need people. We need volunteers. We need teachers who want to teach, and we need administrative people. It’s not just tilling the soil. It’s administrative work as well,” Lilly said. “We need social media and marketing help. If you can show up, we’ll find something for you to do,” Lilly said.
The garden has the support of two local churches, St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church along with First United Methodist Church of Pell City.
Gateway is also collaborating with similar successful programs like Sylacauga Grows community garden in Sylacauga.
Sacred Space bench lures visitors to find solace in nature
While food for the body is a critical part of the Gateway mission, so is nourishment for the soul.
“The sacred space is a place where you can reflect,” Lilly said. “There is a journal underneath a wooden bench in the garden where people can sit and write and listen to the birds and see the beautiful plants that are in the nature area. They’re also able to see all the growing vegetables in our growing garden. People need to see that it’s a special place.”
The garden now flourishes with cucumber plants, okra, beans, potatoes – sweet, red and white – heading toward a seasonal harvest. The garden has produced some 30,000 pounds of food in its history.
Volunteers like Lilly and Negley haven’t just learned lessons about working the land, but also about themselves.
“One of the most important things is that any one of us could be food insecure at any given moment,” Negley said. “It doesn’t matter where you live or how much you have. Things can change, and you can find yourself with food insecurity. And there’s so much satisfaction in growing your own food because you know where it comes from, and you have excitement through the efforts in growing a garden. It’s a stress reliever. It’s peaceful.”
Lilly, who knew food insecurity as a child, recalled last December’s food drive. “I spoke to every person who came through our line,” she said. “People that were educators, people who had lost their husbands or had just lost their jobs. The feeling that you are able to help people. We all need to love one another and take care of each other.”
Gateway Community Garden has a Facebook page, and donations may be sent to Pell City Gateway Community Garden, P.O. Box 17, Pell City.AL 35125.
“Come see us,” Negley said. “See what we’re doing and if you want to get involved,” Negley said. “It takes all of us just working together to make the garden work.”
From Pell City Gateway Community Garden, hope – like the flowers and vegetables – is blossoming, even in these difficult days. And so is something comforting to be found here, Lilly said. “There is good in the world, and there are people who are kind.”
Fast paced, exciting dog agility trial takes center ring at arena
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Bob Crisp
Four-footed competitors from across the Southeast headed to Odenville in April for an action-packed event at what has become a destination point for events as diverse and wide-ranging as the organizers who plan them.
St. Clair County Arena and Event Center has played host to everything from rodeos and circuses to vintage markets and truck shows. And in April, dogs of all shapes and sizes took to the arena filled with jumps, tunnels, weave poles and what planners called “plenty of tail-wagging excitement.”
Spectators, dog lovers and handlers came together for three days of Greater Birmingham Agility Club’s Spring Into Agility Trial, a mixture of a qualifying run for further competition, fine-tuning skills or simply sharing time with other dog agility enthusiasts. Organizers billed it as “a weekend of fast dogs, great runs, and even better community.”
Dog agility is “a dynamic and fast-paced canine sport where dogs navigate through a timed obstacle course, showcasing their agility, speed, and teamwork with their handlers,” according to GBAC’s website.
“Yes, your dog can definitely participate in dog agility,” GBAC added, “and we welcome all breeds, both mixed and pure, to join the excitement and fun of agility training and competitions.”
Agility training involves obstacle courses, obedience drills and agility trials.
When the day is done, the final hurdle crossed and a clean jump through the ring is made, it comes down to connections – the bond between dog and handler. Through this sport, that bond is promoted, strengthened and on display for all to see.
The next Odenville event is Nov. 15-17 for GBAC’s Fall Trial. Club officials are already looking forward to it, noting that the 100 x 100-foot ring offers plenty of room for “exciting and challenging courses for the dogs to navigate.
“This event promises an exhilarating experience for both competitors and spectators, making it a must-attend for the agility community.”
“We’ve really enjoyed working with the Greater Birmingham Agility Club and have had a great response from them about hosting events at the Arena,” said Public/Recreation Asset Manager Ashley Hay. “We try to work closely with every group that uses the facility to make sure we’re meeting their specific needs, especially when it comes to footing and ground preparation.”
She noted that dog agility trials have very specific requirements, “and we’re happy to accommodate those details, just like we would for any group using the space. Seeing them choose to return is a great sign that the partnership is working.”
The goal of the center complex and campus has centered on creating a facility that serves the community and evolves alongside the needs of the people and organizations using it.
“We want groups to know we’re listening and willing to adapt where we can,” she said. “In fact, groups like GBAC have helped shape some of our future improvements.” She credits their hosting of multi-day events and bringing participants in from outside the area with reinforcing the need for RV and trailer hookups, “which we’re now working to add.”
Hay also talked of the overall interest in the Arena continuing to grow. “More people realize it’s more than just a place that hosts rodeos. We’ve had great interest across a wide variety of events, from dog agility and vintage markets to equestrian events and community gatherings. It’s been exciting to see people discover new uses for the space and reinforces our belief that the Arena can continue growing as a place that brings together a wide range of interests across our community.”
Editor’s Note: The St. Clair Arena and Event Center is located at 100 Arena Drive, Odenville. Learn more about the facilities at: stclairco.recdesk.com
In the very home where Dr. Robert A. Martin once lived while ministering to the medical needs of early Pell City residents, a doctor of another sort works on a prescription for the souls of today’s people well beyond the streets of Pell City.
The treatment plan calls for an infusion of discernment, acute wakefulness and a hunger for spiritual growth.
“The phrase, ‘Keep the cookies on the bottom shelf,’ is an old educational philosophy often utilized in contemporary Christianity,” says Dr. Ed Glasscock. “That is contrary to my philosophy of ministry. If first-grade-level classes are all that is taught to students, they cannot become mature and productive adults. Christians must be progressively stretched to greater levels of understanding.”
A minister and educator, Glasscock is also published author, specializing in books designed to help modern day readers make sense of the lessons and prophesies contained in the Bible, specifically relating to the end-times.
In his latest book, Olivet Discourse, Glasscock underscores the need to stay vigilant (awake) and to live spiritually productive lives. The 300-page book is a deep dive into two chapters of the Bible within the Book of Matthew.
Matthew chapters 24 and 25 specifically address the questions posed by four of Jesus’ disciples pertaining to the signs of the second coming of Christ, the timing of the end of the age, and the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem as prophesied in the Old Testament.
Modern day Christians face the same confusion, Glasscock writes, as did those disciples who questioned Jesus on the Mount of Olives. Glasscock goes on to emphasize that while no specific day or date is given in answer to the timing, the admonition is given to Christians to not grow lazy or apathetic about displaying what he calls “kingdom character.”
“I wrote a separate book on those two chapters because they’re really often misunderstood,” adds Glasscock. “They’re critical, I think, for us in getting a perspective of what Christianity means and how it all works out in the end. They help us understand what’s happening in the world and how scripture makes us aware of the spiritual realities behind earthly events.”
This is Glasscock’s third book and second specific to the Book of Matthew. His first book, The Gospel According to Matthew, was first published in 1997, then reprinted in 2025. A second book, a work of fiction titled, Deadly Beast – a Case for Mr. Parks, was published in 2020.
Olivet Discourse took nearly five years to write, says Glasscock, “mostly because I didn’t work on it seriously at first. I put it aside and did other things. About a year and a half ago, I decided to get serious about it.”
Glasscock’s wife, Gail, is his sounding board and manuscript reader. She has experience working at a printing house and holds a degree in print media communication. “She doesn’t just correct my punctuation,” Glasscock emphasizes, smiling. “She’ll come in and offer suggestions so that readers might better understand the intent of the text.”
Dr. Ed Glasscock and his wife, Gail
The two have been in ministry together for most of their 60-year marriage. “She has been a great pastor’s wife,” says Glasscock. “And she was an incredibly great faculty member’s wife.” Glasscock has over 22 years of pastoral experience and 18 years of teaching as a seminary professor at Chicago’s Moody Graduate School and Virginia Beach Theological Seminary, including six years in Birmingham as academic dean at Southeastern Bible College. He earned his doctor of theology from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana.
This is all a far cry from the much younger Glasscock’s plan to be a professional musician. He was born in Sylacauga and raised in Leeds. He and Gail were high school sweethearts. A bass guitar player, he planned to make a living working in the music industry. But it was not to be.
It was the late 60s, and Glasscock and a drummer friend headed out west to find fame and fortune.
With the country entrenched in the Vietnam War, the draft was taking many young men, making it hard for them to find other band members. “I’d already been turned down by the army, so this last attempt to make a music career shattered my dreams,” remembers Glasscock. “I had to find a real job, which ended up being at a binding company in Birmingham.”
Inexperienced and headstrong, it wasn’t long before Glasscock faced another challenge, this time a physical one. He nearly lost one hand after it was crushed by a printing press. “When I got my hand caught in the printing press, that’s part of how I became a Christian,” says Glasscock. “I was setting up a machine. The boss checked on me, but I wanted to do it myself. So, I taped down a switch to allow me to feed the machine by myself. The doctors had to put my hand back together like a puzzle.”
Following the accident, Glasscock received a call from a younger cousin. “My cousin talked about how messed up I was and wanted me to talk to her pastor, so Gail and I hopped in our MGB and went to Tampa to see this pastor named Hank.”
The resulting discussions between the two men brought a complete turnaround in Glasscock, who says his life was forever changed. Glasscock says that from that moment, he knew he was called into the ministry.
An acoustic guitar sits among all the books as a reminder of Glasscock’s love of music
After retiring from seminary teaching, Glasscock started an independent ministry in 2009 called Xdoulos, the name meaning Christ’s Servant. The non-profit organization specializes in providing teaching resources and education, and publishing articles and books.
The focus of Xdoulos is to help churches equip Christians for ministry within their churches. His work is international, taking him to places like Uganda, Nigeria, Ukraine, Austria and the United Kingdom.
Christians often suffer persecution in those areas, and part of Glasscock’s message is that Christianity is not designed to “conquer the world with love and popularity.” We are called, he says, to have loving and respectful discussions about Christianity and the end of times.
At 80 years old, Glasscock still teaches three classes per week in his local church and has plans to open a Bible Institute in Pell City.
The author is not resting in his success. He says he has at least one more book in him and can’t wait to work out the details and get to work.
In the meantime, you’re invited to satisfy your hunger and grab Glasscock’s latest book, Olivet Discourse. It is a thought-provoking work and truly written with the end in mind..
