First Avenue in the Warehouse District celebrated survivors as the sun set Friday night, hosting a first-ever “Lights on First” drive-thru Survivors’ Parade and luminaria memorial display as Cullman Relay for Life took its annual cancer fundraiser to the streets.

HANCEVILLE — It’s taken a while and forced the city to scrounge for extra funding, but a new senior center at Hanceville is finally within sight.

Cullman-based Cyber Broadband recently received three grants to expand broadband infrastructure in Cullman County.

The Cullman County School Board has approved a contract to sell the Smith Lake property that has been owned by the school system since 2010.

Here is a look at the arrest that were reported by the Cullman Police Department for Wednesday:

A bill that would let Cullman County voters decide if the Cullman County School Superintendent should be an elected position has passed both houses of the Alabama Legislature. 

This is the first in a series on the 60th Anniversary of The Freedom Riders.

The installation of the new aquatic park in the Palomino RV Resort began this week, and Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs said the aquatic park is planned to be open to the public by Memorial Day weekend.

Each month, Mountain Grove Missionary Baptist Church takes up an offering for Relay for Life, a fundraiser for cancer research.

Here is a look at the arrests reported by the Cullman Police Department for Tuesday:

On Friday, the Cullman Rotary Club will be holding its annual auction, which includes drawings for a handgun and $600 cash. 

The annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has been canceled for the second straight year, but the United Way of Cullman County is asking area residents to still make their food donations to help support local food banks through the summer months.

HOLLY POND — Holly Pond town leaders will meet next week to weigh a potential across-the-board sewer rate increase, as well as to examine instituting impact fees for future commercial sewer customers.

BAILEYTON — The town of Baileyton celebrated holding its first meeting in the new town hall by recognizing all those that have served on the town council.

Here is a look at the arrests reported by the Cullman Police Department for Monday:

Due to the threat of severe weather this afternoon, schools in the Cullman County School System will be dismissing at noon and the Cullman City School System will be dismissing at 12:30 p.m. 

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Cullman County until 10:30 this morning, and a tornado watch for the north central and northeastern Alabama areas until 4 p.m. this afternoon.

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is asking all healthcare providers in the state to strongly recommend all age-eligible patients take the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Cullman Planning Commission approved the site plan Monday night for a Slim Chickens fast food restaurant to be built on Cherokee Avenue SW. 

FAIRVIEW — At Monday night’s meeting, the Fairview Town Council heard from resident Paula Brock, who requested the town pass a noise ordinance, saying the loud music from her neighbors is affecting her health.

Tyler Hanes

Here is a look at the arrests reported by the Cullman Police Department for Friday, Saturday and Sunday:

The North Alabama Agriplex had some good eatin’ on display at its outdoor picnic tables on Friday…and why not? 

After unveiling plans for school expansions and new facilities earlier this month, the Cullman City School Board approved a revised capital plan and approved contracts with architecture firms to begin working on the projects.

A Cullman man who reportedly threatened to bomb a Walmart was arrested by Hartselle police Thursday, April 29, on charges of making a terrorist threat.

Here is a look at the arrest reported by the Cullman Police Department for Wednesday and Thursday:

Editor's Note: Story has been corrected to note that if the town has to pay the interim clerks, they will be paid $10 total.

The Tennessee Valley Authority will hold a virtual information session on proposed transmission system improvements to prepare for growth and increase power reliability in the Jones Chapel area of Cullman County.

It may have taken a little longer than originally planned, but Curt’s Closet is set to open in its new location on Thursday and welcome in families who are in need of clothes and accessories.

The town of Baileyton will hold its first meeting in the new town hall Monday night and will use the opportunity to recognize past council members.

Cullman High School has been named among the best high schools in the country in the 2021 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s Best High School Rankings.

Camp St. Bernard will be in full swing at St. Bernard this June, offering traditional camp programs for children ages 8-12 and 10-14. 

A Vinemont man was killed Tuesday morning in a motorcycle accident.

According to Cullman County Coroner Jeremy Kilpatrick, Robert "Bobby" J. Hill, 29, died around 4:30 p.m. in a single vehicle accident on County Road 1101 in Battleground.

April 27, 2011 started like any other mild spring day. But after three waves of severe storms and tornadoes struck the area, entire communities in the Tennessee Valley Authority region were devastated and the TVA system sustained the worst damage in its history.

Like so many things, strawberries weren’t on the menu last spring as the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled plans for events and public activities. 

VINEMONT — The Vinemont High School library was turned into a courtroom Tuesday morning as the school’s senior Honors English students conducted a mock trial based on John Milton’s poem, “Paradise Lost.”

COLONY — The town of Colony is seeking a new clerk. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the town council voted to terminate clerk Patricia Ponder, “without prejudice.”

Here is a look at the arrests reported by the Cullman Police Department for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday:

Gov. Kay Ivey has declared April 27 a Day of Remembrance and ordered flags to half-staff to recognize those who were lost in the tornado outbreak that claimed more than 200 lives across the state 10 years ago. 

Houses of worship were among those hit especially hard when historically severe tornadoes and storms rolled through north Alabama ten years ago.

A bill in the works by Sen. Garlan Gudger would create a Cullman County Tourism Bureau to coordinate tourism and marketing activities in Cullman County. Gudger said the measure is needed to create a “laser focus” on marketing and tourism for Cullman County.

The unprecedented destruction from the April 27, 2011 tornado left a lasting legacy on anyone who lived in Cullman County at the time, but that legacy also serves as a learning experience for first responders to make sure they are equipped and trained to handle a similar disaster in the future.

“Dinner on First” is back on the menu of events taking place in Cullman. After a year’s hiatus due to the coronavirus, the Cullman City Council Monday approved the return of the event on May 21. 

GOOD HOPE — As part of a continuing effort to prevent rainwater infiltration into its sewer system, Good Hope will be performing a smoke test in the Deer Run subdivision next week. 

The morning of the April 27 tornado, Judy and Bo Waldrep celebrated a milestone. They’d just paid off their home mortgage and were debt free.

The EF4 tornado that destroyed several blocks of Cullman’s downtown presented the city with an opportunity: Reimagining how the downtown would look going into the next century.

Internet connections and high-speed cellular services have improved people’s access to real-time weather information in the decade since the April 27, 2011 storms that wreaked havoc across Cullman County and much of Alabama.

A lot can change in ten years — and a lot can change in a day.

GOOD HOPE — The flowers are blooming at Gibbs Garden Center’s new home in Good Hope, and the company held its official grand opening and ribbon cutting Friday morning to celebrate the move to the city.