Here’s a look at what we’re working on for the Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, edition of The North Jefferson News. For complete stories, see Saturday’s paper or visit us at www.njeffersonnews.com on Monday at 4 p.m.



ACCESS lab connects students statewide



Clarissa Finley is a teacher at Fultondale High School, but 10 of her students are 89 miles away and in a different county.

The 10 students at Akron High School in Hale County join 13 students at Fultondale High School in a forensic science class that Finley teaches in Fultondale’s ACCESS lab.

The ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide) lab was funded by a $90,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Education.

Fultondale got the lab last year. It consists of two large-screen televisions, 30 Gateway laptop computers, headsets, microphones, video cameras, 30 flash drives, a high-tech projector and a Promethean Board.



Kimberly center director wins senior pageant



Jody Newman did not even sign up for a recent pageant, but she ended up taking home the tiara.

Newman, director of the Kimberly Senior Center, was one of 13 women age 60 and older who competed on Jan. 30 in the 2009 Ms. Senior Jefferson County Pageant. The pageant is sponsored by the Jefferson County Commission Office of Senior Citizens Services.

Several ladies at the Kimberly Senior Center conspired to sign Newman up for the pageant. Newman did not find out until she received contestant information in the mail.



Business Spotlight: Webb Payroll



Webb Payroll Service Inc., located at 2550 Decatur Highway in Gardendale, is owned by Sherry Webb.

The business can be reached at 631-3614 or online at www.webbpayroll.com.

Dean Taylor is vice president of marketing and sales and is also Webb’s son. Taylor talked to us about the business in the inaugural edition of The North Jefferson News “Business Spotlight.”



In sports



Gardendale pulls of a stunning upset over ninth-ranked Mountain Brook in the Class 5A Area 12 girls basketball tournament. Class 5A Area 11 girls: Hayden advances while Jordan falls. Area 11 boys: Devils survive a scare from Hayden.