Pharmacy opens for business

Dr. Christa Hayes of Jemison opened Thorsby Drugs with her husband Jeremy on June 25.

Thorsby Drugs, located on Highway 31, was the first pharmacy to open in the town in 10 years.

Hayes made the decision to open the pharmacy while working for Richard Wood at Wood Drug Company in Thorsby.

It was her first job out of high school, and it led her to her dream job.

Initially, Hayes said she wanted to take over Wood Drug Company when Wood retired, but he passed away before she went to pharmacy school.

Hayes said ever since Wood passed away Thorsby needed a drugstore and she was happy and honored that she was the person to open the store and serve the community.

September

Jemison district race decided by runoff

A run-off election in October was necessary for Jemison City Council District 4 candidates Rex Bittle and Rusty Jones.

A count of Jemison’s provisional ballots resulted in a tie between the two candidates, 60-60.

In the municipal election Aug. 28, Bittle received 57 votes and Jones earned 60 votes, including ballots submitted on voting day and absentee ballots counted.

But no winner was announced because questions arose concerning the city’s provisional ballots and how many were submitted by residents within the city limits.

In the seven days following the election, the Chilton County Board of Registrars checked to see if each person who submitted a ballot in Jemison was a current resident within the city limits.

The board confirmed 17 of the 20 provisional ballots to be counted as city limit votes.

Bittle won in the run-off election Oct. 9.

October

Thorsby mayor Hilyer passes

Thorsby Mayor Dearl Hilyer passed Oct. 16 at the age of 44.

Hilyer in August was re-elected to his second term as mayor.

Town council member Neal Benson said Hilyer was excited about what could be accomplished in his next term.

“Everybody in town is proud of the job he did and was really looking forward to the next four years,” Benson said. “He was a good person to work with. He was just a good person.”

Hilyer had experienced health problems for several months and was undergoing tests to determine the cause when he had a heart attack. He had been hospitalized at Shelby Medical Center in Alabaster since the episode on Oct. 5.

Cancer was apparently the root cause of Hilyer’s health problems.

Hilyer’s death was felt personally by many Thorsby residents, including Benson, who said his wife, Judy, had been good friends with Hilyer since childhood.

Council member Jean Nelson was elected mayor in November.

Jury hung in trial for baby’s death

A trial over the death of a 5-month-old child ended in October with a hung jury.

Patrick Compton, 29, stood accused of murder and aggravated child abuse, but after deliberation, the 12-person jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict, according to information provided by District Attorney Randall Houston.

Compton’s defense attorneys said they didn’t think the defendant will be convicted–even if there is another trial.

A child abuse charge against Compton was dropped before the trial began on Oct. 1 at the Chilton County Courthouse.

Judge Sibley Reynolds declared the mistrial on Oct. 5.

The incident that led to the child’s death occurred on Dec. 15, 2009, at Compton’s residence on County Road 969 in Jemison.

The child belonged to Compton’s girlfriend, Johnna Phillips.