Year in review

With the new year just beginning, reflect with us on the local stories that made 2024. It was a busy year in Hartselle and Morgan County, and the editorial staff of the Hartselle Enquirer covered feel-good feature stories, local events in the community, crime, civic news and more.

From city growth and progress to new leaders in the school system, keep reading to take a look back at the biggest stories of the year.

1. Newton named new head football coach

The Hartselle Tigers found their new head football coach.

The school announced Jan. 2 it was promoting Bert Newton to be the new leader of the program in the wake of previous head coach Bryan Moore’s departure for Opelika.

Newton was previously the associate head coach and defensive coordinator for the Tigers.

Newton has been at Hartselle as defensive coor-dinator since 2017 except for one season in 2021. He was enthusiastic about his new role with the team.

‘I’ve wanted to be the head coach at Hartselle since I got here,’ Newton said at the time. ‘It’s even more special now because my family lives here. I’m excited and ready to get rolling.’

Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

2. Junior Hill dies at 87

Hartselle evangelist Junior Hill, the man who shared the Gospel with hundreds of thousands of people at more than 1,800 revivals spanning 48 states and 12 countries, the man described by fellow pastors as a “giant” in the ministry, “one of America’s greatest evangelists” and a mentor, died January 9, 2024 at the age of 87.

“Junior Hill was one of the most beloved preachers and one of the most influential leaders in the Southern Baptist Conference,” said Craig Carlisle, president of the Alabama Baptist Convention. “God used him in some incredible ways to influence so many people. There is no telling how many people came to know Jesus Christ because of Junior Hill.”

Photo courtesy of Greg A. Lane

3. Winter storm coats Tennessee Valley in snow, ice

Jan. 14-18, the Tennessee Valley faced a rare winter storm that left a blanket of snow and ice across the region, impacting daily life in Hartselle and surrounding areas. Schools and businesses were closed and travel became hazardous as the storm system made its way through Morgan County.

4. Clif Knight, former Hartselle mayor, Enquirer writer, dies at 88

Clif Knight, longtime Enquirer editor and writer and former mayor of Hartselle died in April. He was 88. Knight chronicled many of the great athletes, coaches and championships in Hartselle sports history. He was there for Hartselle state championships in football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, golf and wrestling.

Because of his decades-long career, Knight was inducted into the Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.

What’s more, he chronicled daily life in Hartselle and the surrounding communities. He covered everything from football games on Friday nights to city council meetings on Tuesday nights, officially retiring in 2016. Still, he retained a staff writer emeritus title, covering the occasional story and writing a weekly column for the opinion page.

Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

5. New school in Hartselle opens

Students and teachers at Crestline Elementary School finished the 2023-24 academic year in a brand-new building. The first official day in the newly completed school building was May 8. Principal Karissa Lang said the school’s enrollment has been steadily rising over the years, with 718 students there this year, and the 105,000-square-foot school has room for up to 1,000 students.

The total enrollment for pre-K students this year is 179, with the pre-K programs that previously were in three elementary schools now centralized at Crestline.

6. Northern Lights visible from North Alabama

In a spectacular display that took many by surprise, the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, were visible in parts of North Alabama May 10-12, 2024. Typically associated with polar regions, the Northern Lights are a rare sight in the southern United States, making this event a special one for Alabamians.

The phenomenon occurred during a powerful solar storm in early spring, which produced stunning green, pink, and violet waves of light that danced across the night sky. As the lights shimmered and shifted, many Hartselle residents paused to take in the rare sight, with some heading to more open areas like parks and rural spots to escape city lights for a better view.

The event occurred for a second time in October.

7. Hartselle baseball legend William Booth dies

Hartselle said goodbye to longtime baseball coach William Booth in May. Alabama’s winningest coach died at 79 after a long battle with cancer.

Booth coached Hartselle baseball to nine state championships in 36 years. Booth holds the state record for baseball wins at 1,217. He’s a member of the Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Hartselle Educator Hall of Fame. The inaugural Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Booth in January.

8. Driver in chase that killed deputy’s mother charged with murder

A Tennessee man faced murder and firstdegree assault charges after he allegedly fled multiple law enforcement agencies in a high-speed chase that began May 24 in Hartselle and ended with a multi-vehicle wreck in Cullman and the death of a Morgan County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s mother, according to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Neal Ivy, 39, of Middleton, was already charged with felony attempt to elude, resisting arrest, reckless endangerment and several traffic offenses when CCSO announced the additional charges.

9. Hartselle Historical Society launches guided interactive walk

In a celebration of Hartselle’s rich heritage, the Hartselle Historical Society launched an exciting new initiative in June: a guided interactive walkthrough that invites both residents and visitors to explore the city’s historic landmarks through a unique, immersive experience. This new offering promises to be an exciting way to connect with the past while embracing the future of digital technology and community engagement.

The historical walk-through, which debuted in the summer of 2024, is a self-paced, tech-enhanced tour that guides participants through key locations in downtown Hartselle. Using smartphones or tablets, visitors can scan QR codes placed at various sites, unlocking stories, photographs, videos, and even old newspaper clippings from the past. This interactive element adds a modern twist to the traditional walking tour, allowing users to experience Hartselle’s history in a more personal and engaging way.

10. Hartselle firefighters injured in Highway 36 wreck

Two Hartselle firefighters were taken to the hospital after a close call on Highway 36 West on Aug. 28. According to a statement posted on the City of Hartselle’s official Facebook page, Engine No. 2 was returning from a call when the driver experienced a medical emergency and lost control of the vehicle. The truck veered into oncoming traffic near Dollar General on Highway 36. The lieutenant in the passenger seat was able to grab the steering wheel and keep the vehicle from veering into oncoming traffic, activating the airbrake.

The engine continued, however, ultimately colliding with the corner of an unoccupied house before striking a large pine tree behind the house.

11. Land near J.P. Cain Stadium cleared for surveys, future development

Photo by Rachel Howard

In September, land the Hartselle City School board purchased in 2021 for future use was cleared.

The 12.24-acre tract of land at 1642 Sparkman St. was purchased by the board in December 2021 for $170k according to director of operations Rocky Smith.

(There) might be potential of gravel lot or grassed parking in the interim,” board member Daxton Maze said at the time. “Probably not this year, but maybe in the near future.”

12. Homicide case closes

The capital murder cases against Frederic Rogers and John Legg, accused of a 2020 septuple homicide in Valhermoso Springs, closed this year. The two men on June 4, 2020, killed Jeramy Roberts, 31, of Athens; James Wayne Benford, 22, of Decatur; William Zane Hodgin, 18, of Somerville; Roger Lee Jones Jr., 20, of Decatur; Tammy England Muzzey, 45; Emily Brooke Payne, 21; and Dakota Green, 17, of Valhermoso Springs.

In a unanimous decision on Aug. 28, a Morgan County jury found Frederic Rogers guilty of three counts of capital murder. Rogers, 26, shot and killed four of the victims at a drug house on Talucah Road on June 4, 2020, according to testimony.

The jury found Rogers guilty of capital murder and recommended that he be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, a recommendation adopted by Circuit Judge Stephen Brown.

Legg, 24, pleaded guilty Dec. 18 to his role in the murders.

As part of the plea deal with Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson, Legg received life in prison without the possibility of parole rather than the death penalty.