Gardendale

Authorities respond to threat

A bomb threat was reportedly called in to Gardendale High School on Friday afternoon. Deputies from the sheriff’s office responded to the threat, as well as the Gardendale Police and fire departments. Principal Dr. Anna Vacca said a call was placed to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office from a phone inside the school. Vacca said students were on lockdown and deputies cleared the building. She said students are no longer told to go outside during a bomb threat. “To release them outside puts them in an open threat,” Vacca said. “No one moved until we got the clearance.”



Gardendale

Students will have to change walking routine

Students walking from Gardendale Elementary and Bragg Middle schools will have to find a new route beginning Monday. Dr. Melanie Archibald Crook, chairman of the Gardendale Education Committee, said sidewalks on the road are being destroyed to accommodate the moving of utilities for the planned widening of Mt. Olive Road. Crook said students at Bragg Middle School will no longer be able to walk in either direction when leaving the school. Students walking from Gardendale Elementary School can only walk to the left toward Fieldstown Road. She said Bragg is working on an alternative that will be announced when one is determined. She said this scenario was discussed at the traffic meeting held at Gardendale First Baptist Church in the fall. She asked for the patience of parents and added, “This is for the safety of our local school children.” She also added that vehicle traffic flow will be uninterrupted.