• 50°
Hartselle Enquirer

A meal well earned

The job of a police officer is not one that ranks at the top of a “most desirable occupation” list. How many of us would like to leave home for work every day not knowing what danger might lurk in our path?  Could the next vehicle  I stop for a traffic violation have a crazed cop hater behind the wheel?  Or, could a call to intervene in a domestic dispute land me in the company of an armed gunman wild on drugs?

Unfortunately, police officers don’t get the credit they deserve in many parts of our nation.  They are cursed, abused, attacked by mobs and  far too often shot and killed by a gunman for no obvious reason.

Fortunately, that’s not the case in Hartselle. Our city has a reputation for having a low crime rate and a healthy respect for the law.  Police officers credit that in large part to the cooperation, support and respect they get from citizens.

An example of how local citizens feel about their police officers was demonstrated last week by Forrest Chapel United Methodist Church. A home-cooked meal capable of feeding the entire police department staff was delivered to the police station in time for lunch. Instead of a cold sandwich or a fast food burger, officers feasted on barbecue pork, baked beans, deviled eggs, banana pudding, German chocolate Cake and iced tea.

+++

Hartselle lost one of its most memorable and beloved citizens on Sept. 15 when Estelle Hunter Smith died at age 95.  For many years, she led a busy and productive life working as a volunteer for various community and fraternal organizations, operating businesses and serving her Lord as a member of First Baptist Church.  At one time after World War II, she owned and operated the Dinner Bell Cafe in downtown Hartselle and later owned and operated Smith’s Florist on Main Street.  However, she was best known as a lifetime member and officer in the American Legion Auxiliary.  She was honored as the 1987 American Legion Auxiliary Woman of the Year and finished second at the national level. She also received the Lifetime Achievement Award   for her service to the Auxiliary in 2007 and was honored with an “Estelle H. Smith Day” in Hartselle in 2011.

+++

Hats off to the Town of Priceville for partnering with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Morgan County to establish a new unit in the town’s old library building. The facility provides students of ages five to 18 a safe place to go after school, with bus transportation, to do homework, socialize with friends and play games. Parents love it and town officials believe it will help them locate new businesses and enhance revenue growth

At a Glance

PowerGrid Services in Hartselle evacuated for bomb threat

Morgan County

20 under 40: Trey Chowning

Falkville

20 under 40: TJ Holmes

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Spencer Bell

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Shelby Keenum

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Rachel Howard

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Mary Virgina Halbrooks

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Maggie McKelvey

Decatur

20 under 40: Maegan Jones

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Lindsey Tapscott

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

‘He lets us have sex’: More details emerge on Hartselle man accused of child exploitation 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Hartselle church creates Easter-themed escape rooms 

Danville

Family tradition: State livestock show legacy spans generations

Editor's picks

Baseball for Beau: More than $8k raised for scholarship named after Hartselle child  

Falkville

20 under 40: Lela Weeks

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Kalleigh Thomas

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

20 under 40: Jaime Hatcher

Hartselle

Veteran Hartselle firefighter charged with possessing child porn

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Cerrowire expansion named finalist in Business Alabama Awards  

At a Glance

Work begins on repairing two bridges over I-65 in Morgan County in coming weeks

At a Glance

Tickets for Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame banquet available

Falkville

Morgan County volunteers celebrated at annual fire department banquet 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Man jailed for stealing car from jail after earlier release 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Police: Hartselle man encouraged children to have sex inside his apartment

x