By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



The following events were reported in The North Jefferson News during this week in 2003, 1998, 1988 and 1978.



Five years ago

• The city of Gardendale is preparing to fight mosquitoes with a truck-mounted pesticide sprayer. Last year, the West Nile virus affected 49 people in the state of Alabama.

• Gardendale motorists have experienced traffic jams in recent weeks as APAC Alabama, Inc. has begun repaving 62 roads in the city. The company bid the job for $467,147.

• In Fultondale, an unusually large crowd was on hand at this week’s council meeting to address the reopening of Willow Lane, which was washed away during severe flooding a month ago.



10 years ago

• The town of Morris founds itself wrapped in controversy once again as a vote was taken Monday to recognize the vacancy of Karen Rock’s seat on the town council. At the previous council meeting, Rock had resigned in protest after being removed as chair of the fire department committee by Mayor Mike Jefcoat. She has since attempted to retract her resignation.

• When Gov. Fob James failed to show up at a debate scheduled for Monday of this week at UAB, his rival in the Republican primary runoff, Winton Blount, used the opportunity to hold a 90-minute forum.

• Stephanie Davis, daughter of James and Celia Davis of Gardendale, was recently selected by the Auburn University Communications Board to serve as the editor of the Auburn Plainsman for the summer quarter.



20 years ago

• Drugs appear to be the motive for the armed robbery of the Big B Pharmacy in Fultondale Friday night in which at least three store employees apparently were held at gunpoint. No one was injured.

• Those wishing to run for Fultondale city government posts now will pay $50 in qualification fees, with this year’s proceeds going to the Rescue-70 fund for a new emergency vehicle.

• Officers from several law enforcement agencies watched Saturday morning as a radio-controlled robot whirred back and forth across an abandoned railroad bed in Morris. The demonstration was aimed at showing area police personnel the capabilities of a bomb-disposal robot available through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.



30 years ago

• Fultondale Council members discuss the future of emergency medical equipment, boxes of which are stacked in an office of the Fultondale Police Department. Police Chief William J. Finn applied for grants for the equipment, but the council is unhappy that a department head would spend $7-8,000 without their consent.

• Seven teachers are retiring from local schools: Bryan Elementary is losing Agnes Hughes; Rogers Vocational, Murl Davidson, Enoch Alldredge and Mildred Tucker; Gardendale Elementary, Mary Scott Taylor; Fultondale Elementary, Naomi Sims; and Fultondale High School, Lela Hobson. Their collective experience has seen drafts for two wars, returning veterans, the coming of TV, progressive education, integration, the new math and the present movement, “back to the basics.”