FIRST COMMUNITY BANK BLOG

Good Luck, Heather!!

2012-02-10T06:34:00.001-08:00

Good Luck on your future endeavors, Heather!

We will miss you here at

First Community Bank!

18 Tax Credits and Deductions To Take This Year

2012-02-08T12:38:00.001-08:00

Even the most organized people hate tax season, but this year Uncle Sam had a special present: two extra days to prepare. Taxpayers will have until Tuesday, April 17 to file their 2011 tax returns because April 15 falls on a Sunday, and Emancipation Day--a holiday observed int he District of Columbia--falls on Monday, April 16. According to federal law, D.C. holidays impact tax deadlines in the same way that federal holidays do.

Now to your returns: Claim these often overlooked deductions and credits and you just might be able to pay less money to the IRS.

IRA/Roth Conversion: When you contribute to an individual retirement account (IRA), you help fund a future goal while lowering your current tax bill. You have until the tax-filing deadline to contribute up the lesser of your taxable compensation for the year or $5,000 to a 2011 IRA ($6,000 if you are 50 or older). If you are self-employed, have a Keogh or SEP-IRA, and have filed for an extension to October 15, you can even wait until then to put 2011 money into those accounts. If you are covered by a retirement plan at work, you can deduct some or all of your IRA contribution.

Roth IRA Conversion: The income limit for Roth conversions was permanently removed, but taxpayers who converted to Roth IRAs in 2011 no longer have the option of deferring conversion income into later years. That means it is time to pay Uncle the taxes due on your conversion.

Itemized deductions and personal exemptions: The itemized deduction limitation is repealed for 2011 (and through 2012). This means that taxpayers can deduct the full amount of their itemized deductions in 2011. The personal exemption phase-out rules also do not apply through 2012. Tax credits are even better than deductions, because they lower your taxes dollar for dollar, instead of being calculated based on your tax bracket. If you are using last year's return as a guide, you should note that some credits, like the Making Work Pay credit, have expired. Still there are plenty of other credits for taxpayers who qualify.

The Child Tax Credit is up to $1,000 for each qualifying child who was under the age of 17 at the end of 2011. This credit can be claimed in addition to the credit for child and dependent care expenses. For married taxpayers filing a joint return, the phase-out begins at $110,000. For married taxpayers filing a separate return, it begins at $55,000. For all other taxpayers, the phase-out begins at $75,000.00

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable credit (meaning that even if your credit exceeds your tax liability, you don't lose the excess and are entitled to receive any overage as a refund).

The Child and Dependent Care Credit is calculated based on your expenses paid for the care of your kids under age 13 to enable you to work or to look for work in 2011.00 The credit is 20 percent to 35 percent of your child-care expenses, up to $6,000.00.

The Retirement Savings Contributions Credit is designed to help low- and moderate-income workers save for retirement.

Energy and Appliance Tax Credit applies to taxpayers who made energy-efficiency improvements to their homes in 2011. You may be eligible for a tax credit of 10% for the cost, up to a maximum of $500. Approved improvements include new windows, insulation, high efficiency furnaces, water heaters and air conditioning, among many others, but you will need your receipts and manufacturer certification as back-up.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit: Each student can now get a $2,500 "higher education tax credit" for the first four years of college.

Lifetime learning credit: The credit can be up to $2,000 per eligible student and is available for all years of post-secondary education and for courses to acquire or improve job skills.

Tuition and Fees Deduction: Every family can deduct up to $4,000 of college tuition and fees in 2011.

Miscellaneous deductions: These are deductible if they total more than 2% of your adjusted gross income. They include tax-preparation fees, job-hunting expenses, business car expenses and professional dues.

Sales Tax: you can deduct sales tax paid in 2011 if the amount was greater than the sate and local income taxes you paid. Write off your sales taxes or write off your income taxes.

Medical Expense: This one is hard to claim, because the bar is so high to qualify. You can only deduct the portion of your 2011 medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.

Mileage: Deducting miles driven for work or other purposes can be a huge tax break and save you significant money.

Mortgage Insurance Deduction: Borrowers with AGI's up to $100.000 may be able to treat qualified mortgage insurance as home mortgage interest, which means that 100% of 2011 premiums may be deductible. The insurance contract had to be issued after 2006 and deductions are phased out in 10% increments for homeowners with AGI's between $100,001 and $109,000.

Enhanced adoption credits: As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Adoption Tax Credit was extended one year until Dec. 31, 2011, the amount of credit was increased to $13,360 and it was made refundable, meaning that families can benefit even if they have less that $13.360 of federal income tax liability. If adoption expenses have been paid for by an employer, you may qualify to exclude up to $13,360 from income.

Classroom deduction for teachers: K-12 educators who work at least 900 hours during the school year can claim and above-the-line deduction of up to $250 ($500 if married filing joint and both spouses are educators, but no more than $250 each) of any unreimbursed expenses (books, supplies and computer equipment--including related software and services--other equipment, and supplementary material) used in the classroom.

6 Calming Foods to Zap Stress

2012-02-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

With tax time, winter blues and elections now in high gear, we thought we would offer a little "food for thought". Here are six calming foods to zap stress.

Asparagus- The B vitamin found in Asparagus is essential in helping you keep your cool when stress rears its ugly head.

Avocados- Besides being an excellent source of healthy fat, these creamy green fruits can stress-proof your body. They're rich in glutathione, a substance that blacks intestinal absorption of certain fats that cause oxidative damage (the process that creates free radicals, the harmful compounds responsible for aging). Avocados also contain more folate than any other fruit.

Berries- All berries, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are rich in vitamin C, which has been shown to be helpful in combating stress. German researchers tested this by asking 120 people to give a speech and then do hard math problems. Those who had been given vitamin C had lower blood pressure and lower levels of cortisol after the stressfest.

Oysters- Oysters earned a place on this list because they're a mother lode of zinc. Six oysters-what you'd typically be served in a restaurant as an appetizer-have more than half the recommended daily allowance for this important calming mineral.

Walnuts- Research has proven that these shelled marvels provide more than one kind of cognitive edge. They contain alphaliolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid, and other polyphenols that have been shown to help prevent memory loss. And studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that the omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts keep the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in check.

15-Point Tax Return Checklist

2012-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's time to start thinking about getting those taxes done. Maybe you're in a panic. Not to worry. Just follow these 15 steps provided by Jeff Schnepper of MSN Money and you'll be much happier.

Get serious. Unless you're focused, you're going to see that receipt six times rather than the once you need.

Get started. Remember that commitment to get to work? Keep it!

Get organized. Something has to go on those returns. Get your W-2's together to report wages, your 1099s to report interest and dividends, your 1099Bs for reporting stock and bond sales, and your 1098s for deducting your interest and taxes.

Get informed. Have you been following all the changes the U.S. tax code has seen in the past decade? In April, IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman reported that there had been about 3500 tax changes since 2000, including multiple tax measures passed last year and this year. Enery creidts for home improvements and scheduled to expire at the end of 2011.

Get help. You might remove a splinter from your own finger, but you wouldn't perform heart surgery on yourself. A trip to a tax professional should at least tell you what you're missing. Don't hesitate to ask for help; it's deductible. But call for an appointment now!

Get status. Decide how you're going to file. The lowest rates are with joint returns, but if there are potential high medical or miscellaneous deductions, married filing separate may yield a lower total tax. Do it both ways. Alternatively, a single mother may qualify for the head-of-household rates, which are better than the rates for filing as a single.

Get adjusted. There are certain deductions that are allowed regardless of whether you itemize. Such deductions include IRA and qualified pension contributions, student loan interest, moving expenses, alimony, medical savings account deductions, and, for the self-employed-, the health insurance deduction and deduction for half the self-employment taxes paid. These are known ad "above the line" deductions. The infamous "line" is your adjusted gross income-line 37 on Form 1040.

Get itemized.

Get exemptions. For 2011, you get to take off as much as $3,700 from your income for each qualified exemption you have. Despite myths to the contrary, these include children who are full-time students under the age of 24, regardless of how much income they may have.

Get credit. A tax credit is the best expense to have. It's a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your taxes.

Get cash. Decide how you're going to file. That's going to affect how quickly you get that refund. If you e-file and make the IRS happy, you're going to get your money back faster.

Get filed. None of this matters if you don't actually get your return to the IRS. If you owe money, interest and penalties accrue for not filing, in addition to interest and penalties for not paying.

Get receipts. If you filed on paper, get a receipt. I always mail my IRS correspondence certified, return receipt requested. If the IRS doesn't get your return, it wasn't filed. It may have been lost in the mail or lost by the IRS itself. But unless you can prove that it was filed, if the IRS doesn't have it, legally it wasn't filed.

Get planning-It's not too early to start your planning for the 2012 tax year. You can check out tax brackets, standard deductions and exemptions for 2012.

Get real. It's only your taxes-not life or death!! Do your best, but don't obsess!!

Groundhog Day!

2012-01-30T07:24:00.001-08:00

Groundhog Day is coming up on Thursday, February 2. Will we have an early spring? Or will we endure six more weeks of winter?

Groundhog Day is observed on February 2 in both the United States and Canada. Traditionally, if a groundhog emerges from its hole on Groundhog Day, then winter will soon end. If, however, a groundhog retreats back into its hole on Groundhog Day, then winter will continue for another six weeks.

The largest Groundhog Day 2012 celebration will take place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It is here that a groundhog named Phil will emerge from his burrow at around 7 a.m. The movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, gave this already popular holiday worldwide recognition.

Balancing Your Checkbook-Helpful Hints

2012-01-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

Balancing your checkbook can seem like a daunting task. Timely and accurate record keeping can help! Here we offer a few helpful hints.

For each check written, immediately enter the following information in your check register:

Check Number

Date

Check Amount (in the "Payment Amount" Column)

Remember to enter ALL withdrawals from the account including:

ATM Withdrawals

Debit Card Transactions

Service Charges

For each deposit made to the account, enter the following information:

Date

Deposit Amount (in the "Deposit Amount" Column)

Subtract all checks written, cash withdrawals, debit card transactions, and service charges from the account balance. Add all deposits made to the account balance.

Each month you will receive an account statement. This statement will detail all the deposits, withdrawals (check, ATM, ect) and service charges posted to your account. It is always a good idea to double check the statement amounts for these items against your recorded amounts to ensure you recorded the transactions correctly. If you discover a mistake by the Bank, report the mistake immediately to Bank Customer Service.

Due to timing issues, your recorded check register balance will not necessarily equal the bank balance shown on your statement. To get your RECONCILED BANK BALANCE, simply perform the following calculation:

Bank Balance as shown on the Bank Statement

(+) Deposits you have recorded and added to your balance that do not appear on the Bank Statement.

(-) Checks you have written and subtracted from your balance that do not appear on the Bank Statement.

This should equal your Check Register Balance.

We hope this helps! Remember, if you ever have any questions, please feel free to give us a call @ (256)734-4863.

Defusing Phishing Threats

2012-01-20T11:09:00.001-08:00

Here are three very important keys to defuse phishing threats:

Never click on a link contained in an email from your financial institution. Take the time to type the URL into the browser. You can hover your mouse over the URL, without clicking, to see where it will take you.

First Community Bank will NEVER ask for personal, password or credit card information in an email. If you receive an email that requests this type of information, call us to confirm the request. (256) 734-4863.

Any message starting with "Dear Customer" instead of your name is clearly suspect.

As the phishing landscape continues to evolve, First Community Bank will keep you informed on regular attacks and communicate regularly with you, our customers. Above all, remember to "Trust, but verify."

Congratulations, Diamond Simmons!!

2012-01-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Diamond Simmons of

Hanceville High School!

Diamond was voted best back

by the Alabama Sportswriters Association!!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-16T12:42:00.001-08:00

Born January 15, 1929 (Atlanta, Georgia)-Died April 4, 1968 (Memphis, Tennessee)

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who let the civil right movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. His leadership was fundamental to that movement's success in ending the legal segregation of African Americans in the South and other parts of the United States. King rose to national prominence as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which promoted nonviolent tactics, such as the massive Mark on Washington (1963), to achieve civil rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Phishing

2012-01-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Phishing is a way of attempting to acquire information such as user names, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in electronic communication.

Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting public. Phishing is typically carried out by e-mail spoofing or instant messaging, and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to deceive users, and exploits the poor usability of current web security technologies. Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, public awareness, and technical security measures.

First Community Bank will never contact you for personal information.

BCS Championship tonight!!

2012-01-09T12:48:00.001-08:00

Are you ready for the rematch of the "Game of the Century"?

Alabama v. LSU

tonight at 7:30 p.m.!!!

Community Profile-Rebuilding after the Tornado-Busy Bee

2012-01-05T13:59:00.001-08:00

The Busy Bee is rebuilding!!!!! Since the tornado on April 27, 2011 there have been many questions as to when the Busy Bee would rebuild/reopen. While the reopen date has not been set, they are pleased to announce that Joiner Construction began rebuilding on Tuesday in the same location. The process should take around 150 days (weather permitting).

Though the burger recipe will be the same as it has been for the past 92 years, they do plan on changing things up just a little. They will open one hour earlier (6 a.m.) for breakfast and remain open until after the lunchtime rush at 2:00 p.m. However, they will also be opening on Friday and Saturday nights for dinner with some new menu items!!

We cannot wait for the Busy Bee to reopen!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

Wishing you and yours

a very BLESSED, HAPPY, and PROSPEROUS

2012!!

Improve your finances in 2012

2011-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

It's almost 2012, and like nearly everyone, this is the year that you WILL cut your debt, save money and spend more wisely. And like, most everyone, you will fail for no good reason. Want to break the cycle? Professionals say you MUST get automated, educated and get over your fear of making changes.

How to get from Point A to Point B:

Automate as much as possible:

Setting up an automatic transfer to your savings account is easy on First Community Bank's online banking website. Doing so will make you much more likely to keep that resolution to save more. Add auto bill pay, and you will take a big step toward avoiding late charges that run up unnecessary costs. Making payments on time is also the single most important thing you can do to maintain a healthy credit score.

Automation doesn't mean you can avoid periodically checking on your progress, how3ever. At least once a month, designate a day to go over your performance during the prior few weeks and make any necessary adjustments.

Check you credit reports:

Everyone is entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major agencies, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.

The data in these reports is what's used to determine your credit score, which in turn is what banks and credit card companies use to decide if they'll lend to you and at what interest rate. You'll get a good picture of what problems exist that can drive down your credit score, like late payments or a forgotten bill that went to collections. And you may find mistakes that could be hurting your score as well.

A low credit score can cost you big. The difference between a 4% interest rate and a 5% rate on a 30-year, $200,000 mortgage is nearly $42,000 over the life of the loan.

By spacing the free reports to one every four months, you can also monitor your records for unexpected activity that may indicate you're a victim of identity theft. To learn more and start the process of obtaining your free reports, visit www.annualcreditreport.com.

Take advantage of all your job benefits:

You may be up to speed on how much your co-payments cost, but are you aware of all the benefits offered through your health insurance? Log in to your insurance company website to find out if you are eligible for reimbursements or discounts on health club memberships or programs to help you with weight loss or quitting smoking. You may even be able to check a few other resolutions off you list at the same time you save a few dollars.

Likewise, many companies and unions offer extra benefits that are often overlooked, from discounts on cell phone plans and computer purchases, to reduced price travel and entertainment, pet insurance, college test preparation programs and even legal advice. Ask you human resources department or visit UnionPlus.org to learn how you can shave dollars off the spending you'll likely be doing anyway.

Re balance your investments:

Rebalancing involves adjusting the mix of stocks, bonds and other assets you hold to keep them appropriate for your stage of life and the amount of risk you're willing to take. In general, most advisers say the older you are, the less risk you want to take, which means a higher portion of bonds that stocks.

Even if all you have is a 401(k) plan through work, it's important to make sure the funds you picked when you first enrolled are the best choices for you now. If you own additional mutual funds or have an IRA, those items should be considered as well, to create as complete a picture as possible.

If you haven't made any adjustments in the last few years, it may be worth spending a few dollars to enlist the help of a financial advisor. An advisor can be an even bigger help if the thought of dealing with investments battered by the economy leaves you full of fear. First Community Bank is proud to have Jason Zinsmeister for all your investment needs and questions.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-22T07:57:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours,

Merry Christmas!!!

Best Sales for Last-Minute Shoppers

2011-12-19T07:57:00.001-08:00

With only a handful of days left til Christmas, experts say last-minute shoppers may still find sales--but on a smaller selection of items.

The National Retail Federation revised its holiday forecast Thursday, projecting a 3.8% increase in sales to a total of $469.1 billion. Previously, it expected an "average" 2.8% increase. But while sales are up, surveys indicate shoppers are far from done. According to the NRF, only 7.6% have finished their shopping--and another 16.5% have yet to start. Meanwhile, 20% have held off on a big-ticket holiday purchase in hopes of a last-minute deal, says coupon site RetailMeNot.com. They may not have waited in vain: Stores are likely to offer splashy sales on what is usually one of the busiest shopping times of the year, says Michelle Madhok, founder of sale-tracking site Shefinds.com.

But how deep those discounts will be, and to what extent the merchandise will be available, is iffier, says Jeff Green, an independent retail analyst. Deals on video game consoles, movies and other electronics have largely dried up since Black Friday, and those for flat-screens haven't yet been good enough to attract many buyers. Most prices in other categories will probably be nearly as good as Black Friday, he says, but inventory is likely to be scarce. "In apparel, the stores appear to have size small and then extra large. No mediums, no larges," he says. Retail experts advise shopping these three categories for the biggest selection of last-minute bargains:

Outerwear- Cold weather drives sales of coats, scarves and other winter wear, but November was relatively balmy, with few snowstorms to speak of, says Scott Bernhardt, chief operating officer of Planalytics, a research firm that studies the weather's impact on retail. As a result, sales are good--and inventory is still fairly high. Gap, for example, has up to 60% of coats, while Saks have up to 40% off. Macy's "wrap it up" sale has 40-50% off coats, plus an extra 20% off with an online promo code or in-store savings pass.

Toys-There was no one hot holiday toy this year, which means stores are still pushing a variety of popular items to clear shelves, Madhok says. Deals include $50 off an Imaginarium train table (regularly $170) and $30 off a $120 Home Depot building workshop, plus free shipping on orders of $49 or more. Target, Wal-Mart and Amazon also have a wide variety of toys on sale, with free shipping offers still in play.

Gadgets-"Electronics surprisingly seem to have more inventory left over that I would ever thought," Green says. Look to slow-selling categories like televisions (especially high-end sets) and digital cameras. But shoppers buying for themselves may want to wait. Prices will go still lower come January, he says. Best Buy has up to 44% off digital cameras. DealNews.com found for big TV deals at stores including Wal-Mart and TigerDirect.com.

Kelli B. Grant

Smart Money

Savings Accounts

2011-12-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Have you found the perfect Christmas gift for the child in your life? With only nine shopping days left, we have the perfect solution. Open a Kids Club savings account with only $5.00 and earn a high rate of interest. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

10 Holiday Survival Tips

2011-12-12T13:39:00.001-08:00

10 Holiday Survival Tips

Purge Those Toys: Now is the time to go through old toys. Pull all the ones with broken wheels ans missing parts. You may have toys in good condition that your kids have simply outgrown. You can donate them to Salvation Army or the Foundry.

Wrap Now: Start wrapping gifts now as you buy so your not scrambling at the last minute. If you have several kids, use one color wrapping paper for each child so it makes Christmas morning smoother.

Make a Check List: Start a check list of all things you are wrapping so you don't forget what you bought and end up buying double.

Delegate: Don't try to tackle your entire to do list yourself. Get the family involved and delegate those chores.

Preparation: Prepare holiday treats and gifts early. Cookies freeze well as do diced veggies etc. for recipes.

Stock Up: Now is a good time to stock up on things like batteries. There is nothing worse than opening up presents on Christmas day only to find out batteries are not included. Make sure you have plenty of screwdrivers and scissors on hand to make Christmas day go smoothly.

Shop Ahead: The day after Christmas is a great time to shop for the next year. You'll save up to 50% and save your sanity as well.

Keep it Simple: Take the emphasis off "things" and put it on what is most important, the people! Visit family, tell old stories, go over photo albums and have a meal together. Invite friends old and new. Enjoy the food, music, laughter and love. No Gifts.

Take Time for Yourself: Go get that mani & pedi you have been putting off. Grab hubby and plan a date night. It's important to take time off from the holidays and focus on making sure you are rested and ready to get back in the game.

Make a Holiday Binder: Start collecting holiday recipes, making a guest list, a Christmas card address list, shopping list and even decorating ideas. This will ensure you don't forget anything important. You will be able to keep everything in one place.

Cullman Middle School

2011-12-08T11:05:00.001-08:00

We are proud to be the Corporate Sponsor for

Cullman Middle School!!

Holiday Closings!

2011-12-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

We will be closed in observance of Christmas

Monday, December 26, 2012

and in observance of the New Year

Monday, January 2, 2012!

BCS Championship Game!!

2011-12-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

It will be the game of the century (again) on January 9, 2012 when the University of Alabama Crimson Tide plays the Louisiana State University Tigers in the BCS Championship!

Congratulations to both teams! Way to go SEC WEST!

Saturday Banking Hours!

2011-12-02T12:12:00.001-08:00

Don't forget that our drive thru is open on Saturdays from 8-12 a.m.! Come by and visit Natalie and Jillian at our Main Office or visit Yvonne and Kathy at our South Office!

Can't make it to the bank? Sign up for online banking and e-statements at www.fcbcullman.com

Don't forget!!! We have 24/7 banking available also at our ATMs and telephone banking at (256)737-8937!!

Community Profile-Kolby Lawrence

2011-11-30T13:22:00.000-08:00

Kolby Lawrence grew up right here in the city of Cullman. He attended East Elementary, Cullman Middle School and Cullman High School and attended church at Sacred Heart. After high school graduation, Kolby attended Wallace State on a soccer scholarship. He graduated from Wallace with an Associates Degree in Business Administration. After, graduating from college he attended Auburn University until he made the decision to come back to Cullman for good.

A strong work ethic was instilled into Kolby at an early age when he worked for his parents at Lawrence Trophy. When Kolby was 15 he started working at Southern Accents and remained there until the summer of 2011. He began working at JCR Recycling in September of this year and also opened Cabin Fever Beverages in March of 2011.

Kolby enjoys spending time with his son Fisher and his fiancee Lindsay. He also loves Auburn sports, playing basketball and softball and hanging out with his family and friends.

Snow!!

2011-11-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

Rain will continue to fall throughout the day, followed later tonight or in the morning with a mix of snow.

That's the prediction coming from the National Weather Service, although hazardous road conditions are not expected to occur.

One forecast from the National Weather Service is calling for an accumulation of snow of up to a half-inch Tuesday. But Phyllis Little, director of Cullman County Emergency Management Agency, said most of the accumulation would likely occur in grassy areas.

"We don't expect a lot of problems from the snow. But as always motorists should use extreme caution on bridges and low-lying areas," Little said.

-The Cullman Times, Monday, November 28, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2011-11-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours,

Have a VERY HAPPY

THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

The Top 25 Worst Passwords of 2011: See What To Avoid

2011-11-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

Think your password is fine? You'd better check this list to be sure.

Password management app maker SplashData has released their list of the 25 worst passwords of 2011. These are the passwords that get hacked the most frequently, based on SplashData's study of millions of stolen passwords that have been posted online by hackers.

Many of the worst offenders are sequential numbers ("123456") or sequential keyboard keys ("qwerty") or password-related words like "password" or "letmein".

So how can you make your passwords better? Use a variety of letters, numbers and symbols. Change them every six months. Don't use the same one for every account, and know that even a slight variation makes a difference. Avoid using real words. According to Daily Finance, hackers use "dictionary attacks" that make it easy for them to crack passwords that are words or sequential numbers. And finally, don't use any of these--SlashData's 25 worst passwords of the year:

password

123456

12345678

qwerty

abc123

monkey

1234567

letmein

trustno1

dragon

baseball

111111

iloveyou

master

sunshine

ashley

bailey

passwOrd

shadow

123123

654321

superman

qazwsx

michael

football

How to Save on Thanksgiving Day!

2011-11-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

Prices are rising on everything from brussel sprouts to the bird itself. Here are some strategies that will help soften the blow.

Thanksgiving dinner keeps getting more expensive. The cost of ingredients for the average meal for 10 people is up 13% from lst year, to nearly $50, according to a supermarket survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Turkey prices have been ruffled up the most. This year a 16 pounder will set you back $21 and change, up 22% from 2010, according to the survey, which polled retailers in 35 states. Shoppers' wallets may take a bigger hit if they buy a fancy organic turkey and other gourmet items, experts say.

Why such a big jump? Higher grain prices have made feeding and raising livestock-like turkeys-more expensive, says Jack Plunkett, chief executive officer of Plunkett Research, a Houston based market research firm. What's more, bad weather throughout the country has caused shortages of some grains and produce. A drought in Texas, for instance, has pushed up the price of vegetables and beef, while flooding in the Northeast has made dairy product pricier. "We do have a food inflation problem," says Plunkett.

To avoid higher prices, experts say people should start shopping early--like now. Supermarkets are offering early birds generous discounts to offset this year's rising turkey prices, says Teri Gault, founder of TheGroceryGame.com, a site that compiles coupons and sales for groceries. Supermarket chain Giant Eagle, for example, is selling some store brand turkeys for $.69 a pound through November 16, down form $1.99 a pound; shoppers must also spend an additional $25 at the store. Through the same date Publix Super Markets in Florida is selling store brand turkeys for $.59 a pound, discounted from $1.49 a pound.

Indeed, because deals change weekly, shoppers will likely find more deals if they start shopping this week, says Gault, and many supermarkets will also off coupons online or in the store for additional savings on certain items.

Finally, Stephanie Nelson, founder of CouponMom.com, recommends keeping an eye out for wallet busters; not all promotions this time of year are good deals. For example, many grocery stores advertise free turkeys for shoppers who spend a minimum amount at the store. While those deals may seem appealing, shoppers can end up spending more that they planned, says Nelson.

SmartMoney.com

Jonnelle Marte

e-Statements!!

2011-11-16T13:30:00.001-08:00

No more waiting for the mail to run!!

e-Statements are available at First Community Bank!!

Come by today!! Sign up for e-Statements!!

Receive a FREE First Community Bank t-shirt!!

Veteran's Day

2011-11-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

We would like to take this time

To THANK all of our

Military Personnel

Past and Present!

We are able to live the way we do today,

Because of your service!

THANK YOU!!

May each of you take the time to reflect on what a great nation we live in,

and the people who fought for us to do so!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Christmas in Cullman!

2011-11-09T10:52:00.001-08:00

Christmas in Cullman is this weekend!!!

First Community Bank a proud participant

and a very proud sponsor of Santa Claus

in the children's area on

First Avenue SE!!

A Message From Scott Edmondson-Eagle Eye Excavating

2011-11-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

If you live in Cullman, youʼre probably asking yourself- will I ever recover from the
devastation caused by this years tornadoes.Are you faced with a home in need of
repairs, a yard full of holes, and a house that no longer has shade trees like the rest of us? My name is Scott Edmondson, horticulturist and owner of Eagle Eye Excavating and as a homeowner in the Historic District of Cullman, I know what itʼs like to have lived through the tornado. Lives changed in a flash, but that also includes the lives of the plants in our yards. I am being asked questions daily about trees, shrubs, and sod.

I was asked to blog about it, and I hope this answers your questions about where to
start once you have all the firewood out of your yard. First, letʼs talk trees. Clearly the absence of 100+ year old oak trees in our community has changed the landscape; but itʼs not forever people. They teach us in school that there is a dead tree, and then there is an “aesthetically dead” tree. The dead tree is the one with no leaves in the summer time. The aesthetically dead tree normally is full of leaves, yet also poses many dangers and liabilities. I mention this because the knee jerk reaction is to cut most of the damaged trees in town to the ground. If the tree is leaning, split down the trunk, or has not got enough viable growing
vegetation in the canopy to support the life of the tree, then to the ground is probably a safe choice. However, most in the town are “damaged”, not destroyed.

Right now, the trees which are deciduous (lose their leaves) are beginning to go
dormant for the winter. Itʼs great for two reasons: you can access the damage and itʼs
soon going to be a safe time to prune. Many of the trees that were pruned during the
summer showed a severe reaction to being cut, and the sap bled from the wounds and
caused die back in the branches. While this is normal, it doesnʼt mean cut it down. Use this fall and winter to remove the obvious dead or destroyed limbs from the tree. In order for the trees to survive next summer, they will have to have enough green tissue (leaves) to sustain enough photosynthesis for the tree to survive. Instead of pruning your tree back in one fatal blow, look at the restoration as a 3-5year process.

Pruning allows adventitious buds the opportunity to gain enough sunlight so they
will promote new growth the following season. However, a small amount of new growth
will not sustain a 50 year old oak tree on its own, so as much branching with leaf buds on it needs to remain to allow the tree to survive the summer. My hope is people will only remove the severely damaged limbs that are hanging, dangling, or apt to fall from a tree. Instead of cutting the tree way back, only make the necessary cuts to take the hazards away and consider putting a “clean cut” as far out on the branch as possible. A tree with a damaged branch will most often not heal properly as it promotes disease and insects which can endanger the tree, no matter what size.

If we take on a 3-5 year approach, we will find that slowly cutting back the tree
will promote the new tissue and the new growth can then be pruned properly to reshape
the tree to the desired growth pattern for that species of tree. Whacking it back and
letting nature take its shape is only a saying people. Just remember one thing, those
limbs that are detached from the tree but still 50-60 feet up are what we call “widow
makers”. So on Saturday, after youʼve read this article, as youʼre looking up in your tree and telling your wife “this is what Scott was talking about”, stand at a safe distance outside of the tree canopy, please.

If youʼre wondering about replacing trees, realize in todayʼs horticulture industry,
trees are often “cloned” trees. Many of the leading tree producers now produce trees
that are hardy for a more urban development scenario. For example, many of the trees
being produced are being altered to allow for a certain growing height. How many white oak trees did Cullman have all these years that were cut in half due to their proximity to power lines. White oaks can grow 80 feet tall, which as we know makes them dangerous because of wind. These days, one of my favorite trees is the Quercus lyrata or overcup oak. This tree is a cloned tree in the white oak family and has a more lateral growth habit than vertical. It makes it safer, faster growing, and the growth habit is more desirable than a standard white oak would be.

Fall color has now taken over as the biggest factor in selecting a tree. We now
have many cultivars of the red maple, chinese elm, and ash for no other reason than for the color of the changing leaves. Many of these trees are man made, by selecting the best qualities of certain trees and altering them to get a specific desirable trait. ʻAutumn Flameʼ, ʻAutumn Blazeʼ, ʻOctober Gloryʼ, and ʻRed Sunsetʼ are all cultivars of the Acer rubrum or red maple, for example. You will notice the ʻAlleeʼ or ʻBosqueʼ are new cultivars of Ulmus parvifolia or the chinese elm tree. For example, these elm cultivars are desirable because they have a unique puzzle-piece-looking bark and can handle harsh or restricted soil conditions along with being resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. If you need help, donʼt hesitate to call me. Once again, my name is Scott Edmondson-Horticulturist and owner of Eagle Eye Excavating. I am available at 256.708.3678 and would be glad to assist you anytime.

Not to put the cart before the horse, but if youʼre in need of repairing the grade in
your yard due to fallen trees, consider soil replacement and drainage. Dirt is not dirt. If you were to take a soil test of your yard, you would find that it probably changes about every foot throughout your yard. So when a soil test is done, numerous samples are taken in a composite form so that your soil test results are giving you an “average”; and from that nutrients are determined. Trees and shrubs need quality soil, soil that has enough organic material to prevent compaction. Be careful of the soils that you may be buying to fill in your stump hole, especially if youʼre going to replant in the same spot. Soil compaction can restrict the flow of air, water, and nutrients which are needed to support the tree.

Soil amendments are great but can be over done. Tree roots are going to spread
toward a a desirable soil media, yet if a hole has too much of a good thing the roots may never escape your man made hole. The roots will circle the hole for years and then one day the tree literally chokes itself to death. Try and consider more natural compost ingredients when amending your soil and stay away from the store bought potting soils. Normally, I will add ingredients such as sand, manure, and very small bark chips. Remember not to go overboard with how much you add; all you want is to reduce the bond of the clay particles to prevent compaction. If you get it all right, and you plant your tree; do not plant it too deep. Never add soil over the top of the rootball; only mulch is a good rule of thumb.

Go ahead and repair your yard with some form of grass, even though winter is
coming up soon. Keeping a good ground cover will likely prevent your soil from
compacting or allowing for erosion. Right now you can plant “cool season” grasses
from seed. Youʼre going to be looking, most likely, at an annual rye or fescue type
grass. There are lots of blends available on the market now, but remember a soil test is recommended. If youʼre looking to have success and not waste your money, I would make sure there is some form of lime and fertilizer on your shopping cart when you check out. I really like the new “fast acting limes” that are available. It allows for instant benefit, whereas regular pelletized lime normally takes 90 days to break down before itʼs actually working. Yes, you do learn something everyday.

If youʼre a Centipede or St. Augustine fan, forget it right now. The seed will never
happen and if you sod, you run a great risk that your roots will not be to a depth to
prevent winter kill from nights below freezing. You can cheat with sod if youʼre willing to spend the money and try, but you will be in your pajamas in the front yard at 10:30 p.m., with a water hose, watering your grass after you watched the news and the weather girl has informed you itʼs going to be 28 degrees. Zoysia and Bermuda grasses are both warm season grasses; seeding is out. You can sod these grasses 12 months a year in Cullman, as long as youʼre not laying the sod on frozen ground. Once again, be ready to water, because plants use their available water to prevent their cells from freezing and bursting. If they survive the freeze, yet donʼt have enough water in their system to survive the warming temperatures, they may dry out during the day time and die. Now you see why lots of 50 pound bags of annual rye are sold this time of year for $19.00 per bag.

I hope if youʼre reading this blog today, you will ask plenty of questions. I look
forward to helping anyone who may need to know more about concerns on their yard. I
know Cullman will recover from the April 27th tornadoes. Our community has shined
during the last couple of months and I believe we will put this all behind us. Letʼs work together to make it better for generations to come. Thanks for your time. Hope I have been a help.

Scott Edmondson
Horticulturist / Designer
Auburn University Graduate 1999
256.708.3678

Community Profile-Eagle Eye Excavating & Eagle Eye Entertainment

2011-11-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Eagle Eye Excavating was founded in December 2010 by Auburn graduate Scott Edmondson. Scott earned his degree at Auburn in horticulture and landscape design.

Eagle Eye Excavating specializes in forestry mulching machines for land clearing, land reclamation, timber management and development. They are a full excavating company which provides standard earth moving equipment and mulching equipment. They also offer full service demolition including Asbestos and Lead testing along with abatement.

While the mission of Eagle Eye Excavating is to provide property owners with a cleaner way of clearing, the goal is to provide clients with the maximum impact for services rendered and minimize the impact on the environment.

Landscaping is a large part of Eagle Eye also. They have landscaped for many areas and residences in the Cullman area. First Community Bank has used them to plant the large trees around our parking lot. They also completed the landscape around our bank.

Eagle Eye Entertainment is a new venture that Scott and his company have taken on. The general concept of Eagle Eye Entertainment is to provide "an outdoor living area." Beautiful fireplaces, hand stained concrete, underground power and cable help to create the feeling that you are living outdoors. The signature element to all Entertainment areas is a beautiful 20" bench of rock. Each rock is dry stacked (no mortar) used and provides extra seating as well as a fabulous finish to any outdoor area.

Eagle Eye Entertainment's philosophy is that they are the "Solution to your Statement." Any idea that you may have can be created for your perfect outdoor living area.

For more information email Eagle Eye at lakescapes@bellsouth.net or phone at (256) 708-3678.

Like Eagle Eye Excavating on facebook.

Halloween Holiday Trivia

2011-10-28T08:30:00.001-07:00

Orange and black are the Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.

Jack 0' Lanters originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green. Great for unique monster carvings!

Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.

Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.

Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.

Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.

Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.

Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.

How to Carve a Halloween Pumpkin With Power Tools

2011-10-26T11:51:00.000-07:00

Cutting off a lid: Using a jigsaw blade is just like using a kitchen knife but with more power. Plunge the blade in the top of the pumpkin at a 45 degree angle, move in a circular motion and watch how quick and easy it is to open the pumpkin up.

Gutting the pumpkin: Purchase the Pumpkin Gutter tool for $10 and save 20 minutes of sticking your hands in the gooey center. Simply insert the gutter into your drill, tighten and make mince meat of your pumpkin guts.

Create circular patterns: Using a spade bit can make very interesting shapes such as starts and other unique designs. Coring bits are a great way to make perfectly circular eyes, or use the coring bit in combination with spade bits to make intriguing circular patterns.

Intricate details: When working on the fine details, Linoleum cutters are the perfect tool. Unless you are an artist, the best bet for making an intricate design is to print out a pattern and then use a thumbtack or other small needle to mark the lines.

Advanced Carvers: One of the biggest raves in pumpkin carving is to chip away the flesh of the pumpkin. Large wood working chisels are good for removing the top layer of skin, or for removing larger areas for design. Smaller sized chisels work well for carving intricate designs in your pumpkin.

Concert today at Wallace State

2011-10-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

Local band students and directors who'd looked forward to joining the Dallas Brass (DB) onstage last April had their hopes dashed, at least temporarily, by the historic storms that ravaged portions of the Wallace State Community College campus.

The storms turned away the accomplished musical group, which had originally been slated to perform at the college as part of last year's Cullman Community Concert series.

Thanks to some deft planning, the community concert association was able to regroup after the storm and secure a spot for the DB, one of the nation's most acclaimed wind ensembles, during an open spot in this fall's concert lineup.

The group's performance, originally scheduled for April 30-only three days after fierce winds wreaked havoc on the Wallace State campus-will take place at 4 p.m. today at the college's Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre. Subscribers who hold season passes from either last year or this year will be admitted to what community concert board president Lavell Thrasher describes as a "bonus" performance.

If you haven't subscribed as a community concert member for the season, tickets at the door are $20; student tickets are $10.

"We're looking at it as just sort of a bonus concert for ticketholders this season, and of course those who held subscriptions from last season are welcome as well," said Thrasher Saturday. "The Dallas Brass puts on a really incredible clinic for the local band students, and they will rehearse with them during the afternoon before the concert.

"Then, just after intermission, they will participate in performing a piece of music with the ensemble on the stage. We're really excited about featuring local musicians not only from the schools, but really from all walks of life and of all ages who have joined in to take part in what's really a unique experience for both themselves and for our local audience."

Signed on to join the professional talent in today's performance are students from Cullman Middle School, Cullman High School, Holly Pond High School, St. Bernard Prep School and Wallace State. In addition, local adults in the Cullman Community Band will participate.

You've Been Ghosted!!

2011-10-21T12:28:00.001-07:00

Kids love Halloween. The costumes, the candy, the creepy decorations. Besides the potential for cavities, there's just one thing to give parents pause about the whole business-the way the candy frenzy sometimes makes our otherwise excellent kids a bit...greedy.

There is a fun way, though, to turn the holiday on its head and make Halloween as much about giving as it is about getting. Families call it "ghosting." It's a lot like the random-act-of-kindness movement that was so big a few years back, but with a Halloween twist.

Here's how you do it:

Make a sign-your kids can go to town decorating their sign with ghosts, pumpkins, witches on broomstick over full moons. It doesn't matter what it looks like. It just has to let recipients know two things: 1) that they've been ghosted, and 2) they should pass the favor on to someone else. One more thing: It has to be anonymous.

Choose your recipient-Picking who to ghost is ofter what kids like the most. many will want to choose a neighborhood friend, but you can guide them to think even more sweetly. Is there a new kid in school? This is a great way to welcome him or her to the community. Or is there an elderly neighbor living alone? You can really make someones day with a surprise like this.

Prepare a bag of treats-When assembling treats, you can break into a bag of Halloween candy if you want, but there's the danger that you will then eat the treat and have to go to the store and buy more.

Often, it's just as much fun to skip the candy and tailor the treats to the recipient.

If it's the new kid at school, how about a box of fresh crayons or some Halloween stickers? If it's an elderly neighbor, then you might consider a little potted plant, a scented candle, a tiny box of chocolates, or even an original piece of artwork by your kids.

You can always bake something if you have the time and inclination. Bear in mind, though, that the trick is to make the delivery when the recipient is home by ringing his or her doorbell and running away. If you simply leave your fall harvest muffins on the porch, the neighborhood cat will find them first.

Make your delivery-You want all of this to happen sometime the week before Halloween, to give your recipient time to ghost others.

Have your kids dress in costume (most kids relish the chance to wear theirs early), and pack scotch tape so you can stick the sign to the recipient's front door. When everything's ready, you should all make your way to the front door as stealthily as a ninja, tape the "you've been ghosted" sign up and the leave the goods.

Ring the doorbell if you're leaving something vulnerable to a cat attack, or just slip away silently if you're leaving crayons and stickers, happy with the knowledge that someone is going to love your treat-and the ghosting tradition!

On the road to recovery!

2011-10-17T11:45:00.001-07:00

Nearly six months after the tornado of April 27,

we are FINALLY getting our windows back and our dome fixed!!

We are so excited!!

Thank you for your cooperation during this rebuilding process!

October is the National Month of........

2011-10-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

I bet you did not know that October is the month of...........

Adopt a Shelter

American Cheese

Antidepressant Death Awareness

Apple

Bat Appreciation

Bullying Prevention

World Blindness Awareness

Caffeine Addiction Recover

Celias Disease Awareness

Celebrating the Bilingual Child

Children's Magazine

Christmas Seal Campaign

Church Library

Church Safety and Security

Class Reunion

Co-op Awareness

Cut Out Dissection

Domestic Violence Awareness

Down Syndrome Awareness

Dyslexia Awareness

Eat Better, Eat Together

Emotional Intelligence Awareness

Emotional Wellness

Employee Ownership

Energy Management is a Family Affair-Improve Your Home

Fair Trade

Financial Planning

Feral Hog or Hog Out

German-American Heritage

Global Diversity Awareness

Gay & Lesbian History

Global Diversity Awareness

Go Hog Wild-Eat Country Ham

Halloween Safety

Head Start Awareness

Health Literacy

Home Eye Safety

International Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness

International Starman

International Strategic Planning

International Walk to School

Long Term Care Planning

Month of Free Thought

National AIDS Awareness

National Animal Safety and Protection

National Audiology Awareness

National Bake and Decorate

National Book

National Bullying Prevention Awareness

National Breast Cancer Awareness

National Caramel

National Chili

National Chiropractic

National Crime Prevention

National Cyber Security Awareness

National Dental Hygiene

National Depression Education & Awareness

National Disability Employment Awareness

National Domestic Violence Awareness

National Down Syndrome

National Ergonomics

National "Gain the Inside Advantage"

National Go on a Field Trip

National Kitchen and Bath

National Liver Awareness

National Medical Librarian

National Orthodontic Health

National Physical Therapy

National Popcorn Poppin'

National Protect Your Hearing

National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness

National Reading Group

National Roller Skating

National RSV Awareness

National Sarcastic Awareness

National Spina Bifida Awareness

National Stamp Collecting

National Window Covering Safety

National Work and Family

National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness

Organize Your Medical Information

Pear and Pineapple

Photographer Appreciation

Pizza Month

Polish American Heritage

Positive Attitude

Raptor

Rett Syndrome Awareness

Rhizomes and Persimmons

Rhubarb

Right Brainers Rule!

Sausage

Self-Promotion

Spinach Lovers

Squirrel Awareness

Tackling Hunger

Talk About Prescriptions

Vegetarian

Wishbones for Pets

Workplace Politics Awareness

World Menopause

CRMC's Monster Dash 5K Run/Walk

2011-10-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

CRMC will host their Monster Dash 5K Run/Walk at 8 a.m. Saturday, October 29. The even will begin with a warm-up and stretch session at 7:30 a.m. in the ONE Rehab Center in Professional Office Building 1 on the CRMC Campus. Awards will be given to the top three male and female participants in each division with a Top Prize for Best Costume. The 3.1 mile course begins and ends in the parking lot of Professional Office Building 1 on the CRMC campus.

Registration fees are $15 for CRMC Employees and $25 for individuals before October 12 and $30 after the deadline. All participants registered in advance are guaranteed a T-shirt, others will receive them until they run out. Participants are asked to park in the southern part (closest to AL Highway 157) of CRMC's Main Parking lot. Proceeds from the event benefit the CRMC Wellness Team & the Wounded Warrior Project.

Register online at www.crmchospital.com/monsterdash, with the CRMC cashier inside the main hospital lobby, or with a ONE Fitness staff member at the Cullman Wellness & Aquatics Center. For more information, contact CRMC's ONE Fitness at 256-775-7946, ext 30.

Cullman Times Food Drive

2011-10-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Cullman Times' annual drive to collect food for the Cullman Caring for Kids Food Bank opened Monday morning.

Last year's effort produced 61,000 pounds of food. This year's goal is 75,000 pounds.

The food bank operates throughout the year, but lingering problems in the economy are pushing the demand for food to new levels, said Javon Daniel, director of Cullman Caring for Kids, which is a United Way agency.

"We're ready for the food drive. We're very appreciative of how the community responds to the growing need. We are seeing an increase in the number of families needing assistance and it will continue to rise at this time of year," Daniel said.

In a return match up between newspapers, The Times' team, Bama Brats, is challenging its sister paper in Greenville, Texas-The Haral Banner, Texas Hunger Busters-to a friendly bet in this year's food drive. Both newspapers are setting a goal of 75,000 pounds of food.

The food drive carries the same dollar conversion as last year. A $1 donation converts to seven pounds of food. Participants are welcome to bring cash, checks or bags of canned good to the Times office Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Handy TV and Appliance is providing a deep freezer as the grand prize this year. Many other local merchants are also providing prizes for those who contribute the most food to the drive.

"each year we do this food drive, I'm just amazed at the amount of caring and sharing Cullman County residents display. The drive has grown from collecting just under 10 tons of food to over 30 tons in just four years. It seem to be something that bridges almost everyone together.

"The Lions Club, last year's largest contributor of food and cash donations, is an organization that has been an anchor for this event. We know that civic organizations and churches do a great deal for the community and we hope to see more participation from many of them this year. Hopefully more civic clubs will take part and challenge each other. Greater church participation would be a wonderful thing because we know the Caring for Kids Food Bank reaches many people that the individual churches don't even though some of them have their own food banks. I know I've said this before but the thought of any child going to bed hungry night after night is chilling."

"The Texas team barely beat us out last year, when it came down to the final day in Food Bowl I. Food Bowl II will be Alabama's turn to show Texas what taking care of our own really means. I hope all county residents will participate whether it be with a check, a grocery bag of food or a single can of food. A single can of food will mean a meal to some child and perhaps a smile on their face when they go to bed that night," said Bill Morgan, publisher of The Cullman Times.

Businesses, schools and organizations can make challenges during the drive. If you organizations, school or business would like to issue a challenge, contact the Times and they will publish the details.

The food drive will conclude on November 11.

David Palmer, The Cullman Times

Oktoberfest 2011

2011-10-05T09:05:00.001-07:00

Our very own Terry Harbin

enjoying

Oktoberfest 2011!

Congratulations!!

2011-10-03T13:49:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to our $25.00 Gift Card

Winner,

Kimberly Brown Oliver!!

Thank you for liking us on facebook!!

Community Profile-First Community Bank 3rd Annual Oktoberfest Shred-a-Thon

2011-09-30T12:53:00.001-07:00

First Community Bank

3rd Annual Oktoberfest Shred-a-Thon

Saturday, October 8, 2011

8 a.m.-12 p.m.

420 Second Ave SW, Cullman

(Main Office Parking Lot)

Congratulations Fair Queen 2011

2011-09-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Fairview High School's, Haylee Smith for winning the 2011 Cullman County Fair Queen Pageant and for winning the talent competition. Congratulations also to Vinemont High School's, Sydney Taylor for placing first and Cullman High School's, Morgan Moore for placing second. West Point High Schools, Erica Kelly won Miss Congeniality!!

Way to go ladies!!

Student Investment Dinner

2011-09-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

T.J. Franey, Cullman County Schools

The Cullman County Schools' Student Investment Dinner will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 18, at St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church's Christ Hall, 512 2nd Ave. SE, Cullman 35055. Guest speaker will be Rev. Chette Williams, chaplain for the Auburn University football team. Entertainment will be provided by West Point High School String Band and the Cold Springs Elementary School Choir. Dinner will be prepared by Stone Bridge Farms.

Cost is $15 will all proceeds going to Cullman County Schools. To purchase a ticket, contact T. J. Franey at 256-590-4803/256-734-2933 or any of the schools.

Those who would like to sponsor a table for the event, contact Ms. Franey.

'Wizard of Oz' slippers could fetch millions

2011-09-23T12:20:00.001-07:00

A pair of the iconic ruby red slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" is going up for auction with an estimated price of $2-$3 million.

California auction house Profiles in History said the slippers-on of four know surviving pairs made for the 1939 movie-are believed to have been worn by Judy Garland's Dorothy when she clicks her heels to return home to Kansas near the end of the film.

The slippers will be auctioned on Dec. 16 in Los Angeles as part of a Hollywood memorabilia sale. Profiles in History owner Joe Maddalena said he was expecting bids from around the world.

"This is the most important film prop in the world. There is nothing more famous," said Maddalena. "They are one of the greatest pieces of pop culture in existence."

One of the pairs of slippers used in the "Wizard of Oz" is on exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, one is in private hands and the other was stolen from the Judy Garland museum in Minnesota.

Maddalena said the pair up for auction in December were original found on the MGM lot by costume department worker Kent Warner in the 1970's, and later sold at auction in 1988 to a private collector.

They are marked #7 Judy Garland, and the leather soles are painted red. They are described as in mint condition except for a few small scuff on the soles.

The auction house said the scuffs suggested they were used in close-up shots when Garland kicks her heels together 3 times, and that possibly put on the protruding feet of the Wicked Witch of the East after she was squashed by Dorothy's house.

The slippers have a pre-sale estimate of $2-$3 million. A pair of red test slippers for "The Wizard of Oz" from the vast Hollywood collection of actress Debbie Reynolds sold for $612,000 in May.

Cullman County Fair!!

2011-09-22T11:59:00.001-07:00

DON'T FORGET THAT THE
CULLMAN COUNTY FAIR
BEGINS TONIGHT!!!

"Like" us on facebook!!

2011-09-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

First Community Bank would like to invite you to "like" our new page on facebook for a chance to win a $25.00 gift card!!

10 Largest-Fast Growing Companies

2011-09-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Many of the 100 fastest-growing companies are small and scrappy, but these 10 giants also rank in the Fortune 1000 list.

Apple: Fast Growing Rank: 21 Fortune 1000 Rank: 35

Amazon: Fast Growing Rank: 45 Fortune 1000 Rank: 78

Newmont Mining: Fast Growing Rank: 80 Fortune 1000 Rank: 260

BroadCom: Fast Growing Rank: 84 Fortune 1000 Rank: 343

O'Reilly Automotive: Fast Growing Rank: 51 Fortune 1000 Rank: 424

Cognizant Technology Solutions: Fast Growing Rank: 79 Fortune 1000 Rank: 484

Catalyst Health Solutions: Fast Growing Rank: 100 Fortune 1000 Rank: 562

Celgene: Fast Growing Rank: 57 Fortune 1000 Rank: 578

Life Technologies: Fast Growing Rank: 72 Fortune 1000 Rank: 584

HealthSpring: Fast Growing Rank: 71 Fortune 1000 Rank: 641

5 Ways To Trim Your Grocery Bills

2011-09-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

To help you get a grip on this tasty but often cost of living, here are five ways to cut the fat from your grocery bill.

Make a grocery list and check it twice: Going through your kitchen before hitting the supermarket is free, and a little planning can fatten your wallet by preventing expensive impulse buys. You might even save on gas by being organized because you won't need to make a second shopping trip to buy those forgotten items.

Watch the price scanner: Mistakes on price scans are common at the grocery store and can cost you additional dollars. A Consumer Reports survey found that 6% of respondents were overcharged at the grocery checkout, and no particular chain stood out as more or less accurate. Watching while your grocery prices scan and verifying their accuracy at checkout can save you money and may even score you free food-many grocery chains will give you the item for free if it scans at the wrong price, but it's up to you to spy the error.

Buy generic items over big brand names: Save a huge 10% to 50% on every shopping trip by switching your brand-name buys for generic items. It costs big bucks to market brand-name products, and you're paying for that expense when you buy a foot item with a recognizable label. Compare many generic items to the brand-name equivalent and you will find that the brands are not necessarily better than their less-advertised alternatives.

Stop clipping crappy coupons: Take a good look at the grocery coupons you're clipping before getting excited about the dean. Many coupons offer deals on highly packaged foods low in nutrition and high in unpronounceable ingredients. Skipping the coupons and opting to pay a little bit more for whole foods may be a better deal for your health in the long run.

Skip the cans, buy dried beans in bulk: Why are you buying beans canned in captivity? Buying dried beans in bulk and soaking them overnight is a frugal way to add protein to your diet without paying for the high cost of meat. Besides, dried beans are extremely cheap and expand when soaked, so your family gets more meal for every dining dollar spent by forgoing the canned variety.

Community Profile- 2011 Cullman County Fair

2011-09-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

The Cullman County Fair

September 22-October 1, 2011

Since 1954, the Cullman County Fair has been sponsored and delivered by the Cullman Lions and Lioness Club, delighting the citizens of Culman and surrounding counties with thrilling rides, amazing exhibits, and the best in local and regional entertainment.

Now in its fifty-seventh year, the Cullman County Fair is back to quicken the pulses of both the young and the young at heart with an event that is sure to be the best ever.

Come join the fun September 22 through October 1 at the Cullman County Fairgrounds. Join the entire community at other local fair events such as the annual Fair Parade (Saturday, September 17) in downtown Cullman.

Although, the Cullman County Fair is best known for the fascinating rides, the fabulous exhibits and the livestock show, the daily entertainment is not to be forgotten. The line up for this year's Fair is as follows:

Thursday, September 22 (6 p.m.)- Tiny Fair Princess and Petite Fair Princess Pageant

Friday, September 23, (7 p.m.)- Talent Contest

Saturday, September 24, (7 p.m.) The Heaton Brother Band

Sunday, September 25- Military Appreciation Day/(5 p.m.) Military Brass Band

Monday, September 26 (12:30, 2, and 3:30 p.m.)- 'On the Edge' 2-Wheel Action Show

Tuesday, September 27- Miss Cullman County Fair Pageant

Wednesday, September 28- Karaoke Night

Thursday, September 29 (7 p.m.)- "Little Fair", "Junior Fair", and "Teen Fair" Princess Pageant

Friday, September 30 (7 p.m.)- Kentucky Headhunters

The Miss Cullman County Fair Queen Pageant is sure to be one of the hi lights of the week. Sierra Swalve, Miss Cullman County Fair 2010, will crown her successor. The beautiful and talented girls competing this year are the following:

Abby Myrex- Cold Springs High School

Erica Kelly- West Point High School

Erica Pitts- Hanceville High School

Haley Smith- Fairview High School

Mallory Ratcliff- Good Hope High School

Mia Dodson- Holly Pond High School

Morgan Moore- Cullman High School

Sydney Taylor- Vinemont High School

Profits from this year's Fair will be donated to several different charities including:

Alabama Lion's Sight Foundation

The Eye Foundation

Wounded Heroes of Cullman County

CCDC-Special Olympics

Arborist- for the replanting and upkeep of trees damaged or destroyed during the tornado of April 27, 2011.

Connecting Cullman

Cullman County School Foundation

Everyone go out and enjoy this year's Fair. Not only will you have a FABULOUS time, but will be helping some tremendous charities in the process.

21 things you can get for $1

2011-08-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

Back in 1930, the humble dollar could get you a decent table lamp, a quality bathrobe, or roughly six gallons of regular gas. But these days, it's hard to find anything that costs $1 or less.

Here is what can be bought for $1 in 2011.

A phone call. You can place a four-minute call from your cellphone to the Cayman Islands with AT&T.

Quality Items. You can buy 100 different "quality" items from the One Cent Store. All you have to pay is shipping (which on 100 items will run you about $800)

A CEO. Own the CEO of a large corporation! Yes, Steve Jobs took only a $1-per year salary from Apple.

Relaxation. Travel to the Philippines, and you can get a 30-minute foot massage for $1.

A place to put your car. In downtown Denver, you get one hour of street parking.

E-books. There are many out there for free, including the awesome "Unleashing the Ideavirus," but if you want to blow a whole $1, you can.

Penny stocks. Buy penny stocks. Depending on which company you choose, you could get quite a chunk of them for $1, as many shares trade for just a fraction of a cent. Of course, they probably won't go anywhere, but, hey, everyone starts somewhere.

Little stuff from Amazon. Get crazy with Amazon fillers. There are a bunch of items on Amazon that cost less that $1, and if you're ordering something anyway, why not tag one of them on there? Often, they can bag you free Super Saver Shipping, so you spend a buck or less to save a lot more in postage.

Cellphone protection. Make 100 cellphone screen protectors.

10 memories. Sotres like Wal-Mart charge about 10 cents for a 4x6 inch photo print.

Crafty plans. Some knitting and crochet patterns cost just 99 cents at Ravelry.com and there are delivered as .pdf files.

Almost-free handmade goods. Etsy artist often give away items for free. It's considered "paying it forward," and shipping on some of these is $1 or less.

Books. Half.com, eBay and Amazon all offer used books for less than $1. If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you'll get your book with free shipping.

Mobile phone apps. While many are free, there are also a lot that you can pay for. Some are as low as 99 cents, and they are great.

Lemonade. Buy a few glasses of lemonade from a child's lemonade stand. You get freshly made lemonade, and children learn a little about the value of hard work.

Hope. Dropping your $1 bill into the bucket of a charity may not seem like much, but it all adds up.

Pool. Well, not a swimming pool, but a game of pool in a bar will usually cost you 4 quarters. If you're really bad, that $1 could stretch for an hour of entertainment.

A house. Not a monopoly house either, but a real one. The housing crash, coupled with some local economic factors, has produced some ridiculous deals. Of course, you may have to pay to move the house off some land that the government owns, or a small fortune in taxes and fees, but the actual deed could be yours for a buck.

A second date. Research shows that bad breath is a real turnoff for either sex, so invest in a pack of gum or a roll of mints. Both can usually be found for less than $1.

Gold. But no much. When the price of god was $1,516.99 an an ounce, your $1 would have gotten you about 0.00066006601 of an ounce.

Gas. You could buy about a third of a gallon of gas (the national average is $3.617 for regular). Depending on the fuel efficiency of your car, that's enough for a round trip of 6 to 8 miles. More if you drive a hybrid.

How Much of My Annual Pay Should I Be Saving?

2011-08-29T09:20:00.001-07:00

It is up to you to determine the percentage of how much of your annual pay should be going into a savings account, but you should always pay yourself first, because you will need it more for your retirement than you do today.

There are several viewpoints that people can come from when trying to figure out how much you should be saving from your pay for retirement. Their calculations all seem to take into account different assumptions and criteria, so it's important to look at them all, and figure out which you think would work best for your situation. How much annual pay should I be saving?

Some of the criteria that may be important when calculating how much you'll need include how long you expect to live, the costs of health care in the future, how much inflation we'll see and what type of lifestyle you are living. Also important are your age, your current income, how much you've already saved, your employment prospects in the future and how much you are willing to sacrifice now for future security.

Most retirement calculators will use people's current pre-retirement income as a frame of reference when calculating how much the person should save for retirement. A lot of financial planners will say that most people will need anywhere from 70-100% of their income in retirement in order to be able to live a similar lifestyle when they retire. To do that most of them will suggest that people save anywhere from 10-20% of their income.

The average social security income isn't enough to live on. That is why you should be saving a percentage of your annual pay. Take control of your future because you will need it more tomorrow that today.

For suggestions about financial planning, contact Jason Zinsmeister at 256-734-4863.

Last-minute disaster prepartation

2011-08-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

This has been quite a year for Mother Nature. January saw snows and blizzards. In April we had tornadoes. Wildfires have been rampant. An earthquake last week and now a hurricane.

If you have time to prepare for any natural disaster, here are the most important things to do

Get important originals out of harm's way. Put difficult-to-replace papers in a water-proof container-Tupperware, or even a baggie. Keep it where you can grab it and run. Your first priority should be documents with raised seals and original signatures: car titles, passport, home deed.

Grab your camcorder. Shoot video of everything in your house, and I mean everything. Open drawers and cabinets. Go in closets. This is your last-minute inventory of everything you own. If you need to file an insurance claim, it is going to be the smartest thing you've ever done. If you can send that video digitally to a friend far away, great. If you can't, make sure it stays with you.

Get cash. It's hard to understand what life without electricity for weeks is like. If Cullman hadn't just gone through this same scenario, we would have no idea. When there's no electricity, there are no ATM and the credit card machines at the store may not work.

Get gas. There is also no gas without electricity. This is most useful if you have a generator, because without working traffic lights, you won't be doing a lot of driving.

If you have time, scan important papers and store them online. This includes just about everything: deeds, titles, wills, birth certificates, marriage, divorce and adoption papers, insurance policies, mortgage documents, Social Security cards, driver's licenses, passports, tax returns. While digital copies of some of these things won't replace the original-passports and driver's license, for example-at least you'll have a copy of the numbers on them. Store it all in cyberspace where no disaster can find it. If scanning stacks of paper seems to onerous or time-consuming-your mortgage or insurance policies, for example-just scan the first page. It's better than nothing.

If you have time, get a second cellphone. Go to the cellphone store and get the cheapest possible phone that will hold your SIM card. Charge it and put it in your waterproof container. This serves two purposes: You have a fully charged backup phone if yours runs out of juice, and you have a replacement if your primary one gets wet.

Put your insurance company's phone number in your cell phone. As soon as cell service resumes, your first calls will be to your friends and family, but the next one will be to your insurance company. First come, first serve.

Five Ways To Protect Your Financial Identity

2011-08-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

Five ways to protect your financial identity.

Set up mobile alerts for your phone if your financial institution provides provides the feature. That way, you can be aware of unusual activity as quickly as possible.

Regularly monitor your accounts online, so you can identify fraudulent transactions faster.

Avoid public computers. Don't log on to your email if your bank corresponds with you there. Set up an email account just for you finances and check it from a safe location

Avoid doing business with unfamiliar vendors. Stick to established merchants and websites.

If your information has been compromised, notify your financial institutions and local law enforcement, which will contact the Secret Service if necessary. Also notify any of the three major credit reporting agencies-Experian, Equifax and TransUnion-to set up a fraud alert on your credit reports.

School

2011-08-19T12:56:00.001-07:00

We hope that all of our

friends had a

WONDERFUL

first week back to school!!

City Schools Place 3rd in Alabama

2011-08-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

Cullman City Schools are inching closer to the top!! For the second year in a row, the city school system placed third in the state in Stanford 10 test scores-improving their overall numbers by nearly two percent.

The Stanford 10 grading system measures reading and math scores for 3-8 graders across Alabama. Last year the city schools placed third in the state with 79.33 percent.

Though the system is still in third place with 81.167 percent-behind top-scoring Mountain Brook (89 percent) and Vestavia Hills (82.3 percent)- Superintendent Jan Harris said Cullman is gaining traction on the traditional-elite.

Students set a new local record this year and moved into the 80th percentile division for the first time ever The results were formally announced earlier this week at the system's annual institute day for employees.

School board president, Steve Sides is quoted as saying, "we really appreciate the hard work (school staff) have put in this year, and the work in years prior to get us to this point. These accomplishments came about because of a team spirit."

Averages listed here are based on the 2011 CSSO Report-National Individual Percentile Rank on Total Reading and Total Mathematics as reported by the Alabama State Department of Education.

Trent Moore-Cullman Times

Benefits of a Backyard Garden

2011-08-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

Planting a backyard vegetable garden is an age-old tradition that is coming back into style in a big way. Gardeners have many reasons-both financial and non-financial-for growing their own food. Some want to eat only local foods, some like the fact that they can grow organically and some just want to save money on their grocery bills. If the financial side of growing your own food is a concern for you, here are five things to analyze to ensure that you are coming out ahead.

Upfront costs: If you are starting your garden from scratch, you will need to purchase equipment, seeds, fertilizers and everything else that goes into building and maintaining a vegetable garden. As with any other hobby, you can spend ten of dollars or hundreds of dollars, depending on the equipment and other accessories you choose to buy. You may need to bring in purchased soil if yours is not rich enough. You many also need shovels, tillers, material for raised beds, trellises, hoses and a host of other implements. If you buy only the basic materials second-hand, you can save a significant amount of money.

Ongoing costs: Once you have all of your equipment and materials purchased for your garden, there are some costs that you will incur on an annual basis to keep the garden going. You will have to purchase seeds or seedlings if you are not saving your own from year to year. You will also need fertilizer and any pesticides that you may be using. You can save a significant amount of money if you grow heirlooms and save the seeds, and also set up a compost bin to make your own fertilizer.

Annual versus perennial: The value of growing food varies significantly depending on whether you are growing annuals or perennials. Annuals provide a single-season crop and then must be planted again in future years to continue to harvest food. Examples of annuals are tomatoes, lettuce, peas and corn. Perennials provide a crop every year without having to replant depending on your climate zone. They are often far less work than annuals and provide a significant amount of food. For example, Rabbiteye blueberry bushes can produce up to a bushel of blueberries in a season and can grow for up to 40 years without replanting. Other examples of perennials include oregano, chestnuts, apples and rhubarb.

Higher nutrient value: Various studies disagree on whether organic vegetables contain more nutrients than non-organic ones. However, most agree that just-picked vegetables and fruits contain more nutrients than ones that have been picked unripe and shipped over thousands of miles and potentially several weeks. If you are eating vegetables from your backyard, you may not need to take a daily vitamin supplement and this can save over $100 a year for a family of four.

Comparing (organic) apples to apples: If you do choose to grow your garden organically, be sure you are comparing your costs to the price of purchasing similar quality organic vegetables in the grocery store. Organic vegetables and fruits in the store are often significantly more expensive that their non-organic counterparts and your costs of growing them will compare more favorably.

The bottom line: Growing your own vegetable garden is a hobby that may keep some money in your wallet. However, it is possible to overspend and lose the financial benefits. Engage in it only if you enjoy the work and you may save money on your grocery bill at the same time.

Heat Warning

2011-08-03T13:53:00.001-07:00

The Cullman Times has issued a heat advisory that will remain in effect today until 7 p.m. Afternoon temperatures are expected to be around 100 degrees in many locations across north Alabama, according to the National Weather Service.

Heat index values will reach 105 degrees today and between 105 and 109 Thursday afternoon.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends that anyone engaged in outdoor work or activities take frequent breaks in shaded or air conditioned areas. Anyone overcome by heat stroke, which is a medical emergency, should be moved to a cool and shaded location.

Community Profile-First Community Bank

2011-08-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce First Federal has recently completed a year-long conversion process from a federally chartered savings and loan association to an Alabama chartered state bank.

Most things relating to you and your account will remain the same. The most noticeable change will be our new name--First Community Bank of Cullman. The name change is necessary to comply with state law which mandates the name of a state chartered bank cannot contain the word "Federal". We chose First Community Bank to represent our commitment to putting OUR community first!

Please be assured that our ownership, Board of Directors, management and staff will remain the same. Both of our two convenient locations will remain open, and we will continue to provide the same friendly personal service we have provided since First Federal was founded in 1905.

For further information please visit our homepage at www.firstfederalcullman.com

Best Wishes, Jackie Heaton!!

2011-07-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jackie has been with First Federal for 4 1/2 years.

Today we wish her all the best as she leaves us and pursues her education degree!!

Bizarre July Holidays

2011-07-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

July 1 is..........Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day and Build A Scarecrow Day

July 2 is..........Visitation of The Virgin Mary Day

July 3 is..........Stay Out of the Sun Day and Compliment Your Mirror Day

July 4 is..........National Country Music Day and Tom Sawyer Fence-Painting Day

July 5 is..........Workaholics Day

July 6 is..........National Fried Chicken Day

July 7 is..........National Strawberry Sundae Day

July 8 is..........Video Games Day

July 9 is..........National Sugar Cookie Day

July 10 is....... Clerihew Day

July 11 is....... National Cheer Up the Lonely Day

July 12 is....... National Pecan Pie Day

July 13 is....... Fool's Paradise Day

July 14 is....... National Nude Day

July 15 is....... National Tapioca Pudding Day and Respect Canada Day

July 16 is....... International Juggling Day

July 17 is....... National Peach Ice Cream Day

July 18 is....... National Ice Cream Day and National Caviar Day

July 19 is....... Flitch Day

July 20 is....... Ugly Truck Contest Day

July 21 is....... National Tug-of-War Tournament Day

July 22 is....... Ratcatcher's Day

July 23 is....... National Vanilla Ice Cream Day

July 24 is....... Amelia Earhart Day

July 25 is....... Threading the Needle Day

July 26 is....... All or Nothing Day

July 27 is....... Take Your Pants for a Walk Day

July 28 is....... National Milk Chocolate Day

July 29 is....... Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day

July 30 is....... National Cheesecake Day

July 31 is....... Parent's Day

Couple in their 70's love Whataburger

2011-07-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

Think you are committed to your favorite burger chain? Meet Karl and Carol Hoepfner. The husband-and-wife team have made it their mission to visit every single one of the 722 Whataburger locations in the United States. They have made through 225 of them and aren't looking to slow down any time soon.

"I've been all over the world and it's probably the best hamburger I've eaten," said Karl, 75, who says he has visited the Whataburger near his Rockport, Texas home at least 7,000 times.

"We eat every breakfast there and almost every lunch, though sometimes we go somewhere else for dinner."

Karl estimates he and his wife, who is 73, eat all but three of their meals every week at Whataburger. The order is usually the same: a Whataburger with grilled onions and jalapenos for him, a Justaburger with grilled onions for her. Both of them order their buns toasted. Their love affair with the chain began back in 1963, when the couple got their first taste.

While the Hoepfners eat plenty of Whataburgers, they also spread the wealth around to the people who need it most. Back in 2010, Karl won $8,600 in free Whataburgers after winning an essay contest by explaining why he was the chain's biggest fan. He decided to give $7,000 of it back, asking for 1,000 gift cards for $7 that they could give out to hungry people on the street and d0-gooders like firemen.

"We just like to give back to the community," he said. "It's a win-win situation for everybody. We help people who are down on their luck and when they're back on their feet, where are they going to go? Back to Whataburger."

At home in Rockport, the staff knows them so well, they save the number 13 just for them, a nod to the Hoepfners home street address. The couple is currently traveling through 10 states to visit every location, treating each journey as a vacation.

"I had one fella ask me if I ever go tired of it and I said, No, because every store is different and they always try to outdo themselves when we walk in."

When asked how they felt, health wise, after eating so many burgers, Karl responded, "We've visited 225 of them so far, but we don't eat them all or we'd weigh like 300 pounds."

Alabama tornado update from FEMA

2011-07-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Registration with FEMA, which ended July 18 for survivors of the tornadoes, now totals nearly 87,000 individuals and households.

The end of registration for federal disaster aid does not mean that the assistance process has ended for survivors.

Everyone is urged to stay in touch with FEMA.

Survivors with questions about Monday's deadline to register, their FEMA application, or if their contact information has changed, can call the toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Insured applicants are encouraged to keep FEMA up-t0-date about the status of their insurance settlement. If someone was under insured, they may be eligible for additional federal assistance.

For answers on SBA disaster loan applications, call the SBA toll-free at 800-659-2955 (TTY 704-344-6640).

The determination by FEMA to accept a late registration is based on individual circumstances and requires a written explanation as to why the deadline was missed.

The SBA will decide whether to allow a a late registration on a case-by-case basis and also requires a written explanation.

Survivors who have received all the federal assistance they were eligible for and still have disaster-related needs can call the helpline at 800-621-3362.

Those who did not receive federal assistance and have disaster-related needs call 2-1-1.

Free help for disaster-related legal problems is available from a team of volunteer lawyers of the Alabama State Bar. Call 800-354-6154.

Crisis counseling is available by calling the Alabama Department of Mental Health crisis counseling hotline at 800-639-7326.

By the Numbers (As of July 19, 2011):

More than $65 million in FEMA assistance to individuals and households has been approved (total includes $47 million for housing assistance and $18 million for other needs assistance).

Nearly $74 million has been approved for SBA low-interest disaster loans.

More than $48 million has been obligated for public assistance projects.

Almost $191 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for debris removal.

Nearly 87,000 individuals and households registered for assistance.

33,865 visits have been made to disaster recovery centers.

289 families are temporarily living in FEMA-provided manufactured homes.

Nearly 8,000 Alabama families are receiving temporary rental assistance.

99.3 percent of disaster housing inspections have been completed.

Japan's Women's Soccer Team Stuns U.S.A.

2011-07-18T12:30:00.001-07:00

Japan has won the Women's World Cup, stunning the United States 3-1 in a penalty shootout Sunday after coming from behind twice in a 2-2 tie.

Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath all failed to convert for the Americans, who squandered dozens of chances throughout the game and blew a lead just six minutes from winning their third World Cup Title.

Japan had not beaten the Americans in their first 25 meetings, including a pair of 2-0 losses in warm-up games a month before the World Cup. But the Nadeshiko played inspired throughout the tournament, hoping their success could provide an emotional lift to their nation, still reeling from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

It has been 12 years since the United States has won the World Cup, and this team was certain it would be the one to break the drought. They had needed to beat Italy in a two-game playoff just to get into the World Cup, then lost two games in a three-month span, an uncharacteristic "bad streak" for the U.S.

After easy wins in their first two games in Germany, the Americans lost to Sweden-their first loss ever in World Cup group play. But they rallied with one of the most riveting finishes ever in a World Cup game-men's or women's-against Brazil in the quarterfinals. Down a player for almost an hour and on the verge of making their earliest exit ever from major tournament, Abby Wambach's magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute tied the game.

The Americans beat Brazil on penalty kicks.

The Americans had taken the lead in the 104th minute. Alex Morgan, who scored the first American goal, came up with a blocked cross and sent it to Wambach who sent the ball sailing into the goal.

But Homare Sawa flicked in a corner kick in the 117th minute-earned after 36-year-old captain Christie Rampone raced to clear Yukari Kinga's chip over Hope Solo off the line.

The Americans got one last chance when Morgan was floored by Azusa Iwashimizu just outside the area in the 121st minute. Lloyd, Boxx and Heather O'Reilly huddled behind the ball before O'Reilly tipped it to Lloyd. But Lloyd's shot was well wide, and Heath couldn't make anything happen with the rebound.

After beating Brazil on penalty kicks in a quarterfinal, the Americans just didn't have the same touch on Sunday.

Though the fight for the World Cup didn't end the way we Americans would have wished. We are all very proud of our United States Women's Soccer Team!!

Bastille Day

2011-07-14T12:49:00.001-07:00

Bastille Day is the French national Day which is celebrated on July 14 of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fete Nationale (The National Celebration) and commonly le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July). It commemorates the 1790 Fete de la Federation, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France. The oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe is held on the morning of July 14, on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, French officials and foreign guests.

Bastille Day is not only celebrated in France but also in Belgium, Hungary, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States. Over 50 U.S. cities conduct annual celebrations such as: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

One time celebrations include:

1979: A concert with Jean-Michel Jarre on the Place de la Concorde in Paris attracted one million people, securing an entry in the Guinness Book of Record for the largest crowd at an outdoor concert.

1989: France celebrated the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution, notably with a monumental show on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, directed by French designer Jean-Paul Goude. President Francois Mitterrand acted as host for invited world leaders.

1990: A concert with Jean-Michel Jarre was held at La Defense in Paris.

1995: A concert with Jean-Michel Jarre was held at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

1998: Two days after the French football team became World Cup champions, huge celebrations took place nationwide.

2004: To commemorate the centenary of the Entente Cordiale, the British let the military parade with the Red Arrows flying overhead.

New Era Set for 9/11 Site

2011-07-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

On September 12, 2011, the public will encounter a moving public space, threaded with hidden stories at Ground Zero. As visitors stare at the names of the 2,983 people who died in the attacks in 2001 and 1993, they can wonder about the invisible connections between them. Although the names appear to be scattered randomly around the rims of the pools, they have been grouped to reflect relationships among friends, families and colleagues, as requested by families.

Visitors will encounter a sweep of trees that one day will rise to form a canopy filtering light and sound. As they approach the footprints of the towers destroyed during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, rushing water will mute the sounds of the surrounding city. They will find voids where the buildings once stood, and emptiness now filled with waterfalls.

There is meaning to be found in subtle details- such as the way the waterfalls begin as individual strands of water before merging into a single sheet midway through the descent.

Architect Michael Arad, remembers the feelings of nothingness and emptiness in the days, weeks and months following the attack on America. He wanted to convey the message though he had these feelings they didn't have to be mournful. His design says that "emptiness can be full of meaning" and "silence is filled with intention."

He wanted people to be able to mourn, think, reminisce and on days when the sun catches the names, etched in bronze or a night when an internal light will make the names blaze, or when rainbows have arched over the voids, we will always remember. Yet, we will always persevere.

Facts You Didn't Know About Social Security Numbers

2011-07-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

Since 1936, over 420 million different Social Security numbers have been issued.

Over 5.5 million new numbers are assigned every year.

The first three digits of a Social Security number are known as the area number. Are numbers assigned before 1972 reflect the state where you applied for your number; otherwise; they are based upon the Social Security card application mailing address zip-code.

Some people believe the next two digits, called the group number, helps identify a person's race. It doesn't.

The two-digit group number was actually created as way to organize Social Security Administration filing cabinets into sub-groups to make them more manageable.

The last four digits on a Social Security card are serial numbers that are issued consecutively within a group from 0001 to 9999.

Are numbers are assigned geographically with the lowest numbers in the northeast and the highest in the northwest. That practice will no longer apply, however, after a new randomized assignment methodology officially goes into effect on June 25, 2011.

Based upon the original assignment criterion, one would naturally expect a Maine resident to have the lowest Social Security number ever issued. However, New Hampshire was ultimately given the 001 area number designator so that social security number 001-01-0001 could be assigned to Social Security Board Chairman John G. Winant, who was a three-time governor of the state.

Winant eventually declined the honor of having the lowest social security card number. As a result, it eventually found its way to Grace D. Owen of Concord, New Hampshire.

Officially, the first social security number issued was 055-09-0001 and it was assigned to John David Sweeney.

Sweeney died of a heart attack in 1974 at the age of 61; ironically, he never received a single penny of Social Security benefits.

In many cases, invalid Social Security numbers can be easily spotted. That's because cards have not been issued where the first three digits are 000, 666, or higher than 772. Valid cards are also never issued with the middle two digits or the final four digits all zeros.

In 1938 a sample Social Social card with the number 078-05-1120 was inserted into new wallets manufactured by the E.H. Ferree company in Lockport, New York. Unfortunately, that number belonged to Hilda Schrader Whitcher, the secretary of an E.H. Ferree Vice President who decided to use her official number on the the sample cards. Nice guy, huh?

Not surprisingly, over 40,000 people have since claimed Mrs. Whitcher's Social Security number as their own at one time or another.

Mrs. Whitcher was eventually issued a new number, but not before being questioned by the FBI. They wanted to know why so many people had her number.

If you object to certain digits in your Social Security number you can appeal for a new one, but only if you can prove your concerns are firmly rooted in your religious beliefs or cultural traditions.

Social Security numbers are not reused after the card holder dies.

Even though numbers aren't reused, the Social Security Administration says the current numbering system is capable of providing enough new numbers for "several generations into the future." That means Social Security numbers will still be available well past 2030. Even if the benefit money won't.

17 Products That Were Invented by Accident

2011-07-07T13:15:00.001-07:00

The best-laid plans can often go awry. Sometimes, when they do, the result can be pure profit. Millions have been made from accidental discoveries, proof of the adage that sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi were birthed as medicinal remedies.

Plastic was first synthesized in a failed effort to reproduce the shellac once made from beetle husks.

Goodyear- Charles Goodyear made no secret that his revolutionary process for vulcanized rubber was discovered randomly.

Viagra- Chemists were developing a pill to treat cardiovascular ailments.

Rogaine- The drug-laced foam was synthesized after Upjohn researchers realized that a blood pressure drug, Loniten, had the side-effect of thickening and darkening hair.

Corn Flakes- In 1894, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg adhered to his faith's vegetarian diet by leaving some boiled wheat unattended. It went stale. Attempting to salvage it by rolling it into dough, Kellogg found that it tore into pieces and refused to hold a shape. Undaunted, he toasted the flakes and was pleasantly surprised by the result. After a bit of trial and error (with his brother helping), he decided to use corn, instead of wheat, as the main ingredient.

Microwave Ovens- In 1945, a Raytheon engineer was experimenting with a device called a magnetron, a microwave-emitting tube used as part of military radar systems. As he tinkered with the device, he noticed a candy bar in his pocket melting. Suspecting the radiation was cooking his snack, the engineer set out to test the theory. In doing so, Percy Spencer discovered a revolutionary way to cook and goes down in history as the first person to make microwaved popcorn.

Artificial sweeteners- In 1879, a chemist by the name of Constantin Fahlberg was working with coal tar. He finished his day's work and apparently headed home for dinner without washing his hands. While dining with his wife, the scientist noticed that everything he ate had a sweet taste. Connecting the dots, he realized his hand residue was the source.

Saccharine's cousin, aspartame, has a similar story. It was discovered in 1965 by chemist James M. Schlatter, who was trying to fashion an anti-ulcer medication. It was later developed and branded as NutraSweet.

Silly Putty-An inventor employed by General Electric by the name of James Wright is credited with discovering the rubbery mix of boric acid and silicone oil in 1943. Like many chemists during World War II, he was seeking a synthetic rubber substitute amid a shortage of the real stuff. As fake rubber, the goo was a failure; as Wright shopped around his creation, however, a toyshop owner came up with the idea to market it to kids.

Play-Doh- Created in 1956 by Noah and Joseph McVicker (brothers). The brothers had initially cast aside their invention. It was meant to be a cleaning substance for wallpaper (but it failed miserably). Then, inspiration struck when a teacher casually mentioned her dissatisfaction with the hard, tough-to-shape clay her students used. The soft, pliable wallpaper product began its new life when they offered to supply schools in the Cincinnati area with their squishy stuff. It was such a success that department stores took notice.

Warfarin- Warfarin sold by Bristol Myers Squibb as Coumadin, a blood thinner used to stave off strokes and heart attacks, was a rat poison until its low-dose benefit to humans was stumbled upon. The actual discover of Warfarin was itself surprising. In 1933, a Wisconsin farmer dropped in on Professor Karl Paul Link of the University of Wisconsin-Madison' School of Agriculture and asked for his help in figuring out why local cows were dying. The suspect was the type of hay the cows were eating and the type of sweet clover added to the feed. It took Link and his lab until 1941 to fully identify and isolate the powerful anticoagulant killing the cattle.

Phosphorous-Penicillin-As most everyone knows, it was an unexpected byproduct of moldy bread. Less likely to be discovered in a classroom is that the chemical phosphorus was first isolated by a would-be alchemist who thought he could chemically extract gold from urine, and instead wound up with a glow-in-the dark white powder. The versatile chemical (now yielded from far less nasty sources) is used in toothpaste, shampoo, pesticides and fertilizer.

Chocolate Chip Cookies- Famously, chocolate chip cookies were a failed baking experiment. Legen has it that in 1930, Ruth Graves Wakefield, owner of the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, was trying to concoct a chocolate dessert and was pleasantly surprised when the chunks failed to melt into the batter as planned. The details of this happy accident are sometimes disputed, with an argument made that the accomplished cook's discovery was more premeditated than accidental. What is not disputed, however, is that billions of chocolate chip cookies have been consumed around the world since that fateful day.

Community Profile-The Munger Brothers

2011-07-05T11:17:00.001-07:00

The Munger brothers (Michael and Theo) grew up in a competitive family. Whether it be basketball, volleyball, baseball, cards, each member of their extended family competed to win. When the brothers decided to go to the University of Alabama, they found a new game in which their family could compete...cornhole.

The history of the game is mostly unknown, though stories abound. One story claims that the game was first played during the 14th century in Germany, then rediscovered in Ohio within the last century. Many American scholars confirm that a game of very similar nature was played amongst Native Americans in the Midwest America, who filled pigs' bladders with dried beans and competitively tossed them for entertainment, notably, the Blackhawk tribe in Illinois. Debate about whether the game was actually created in the Kentucky farmland, Champaign, IL or the West Side of Cincinnati, is ongoing. Popularity of the game began to increase in the late 1990's in Athens, OH and East Lansing, MI area universities, particularly Ohio University and Michigan State University where the cornhole became a mainstay at parties. Helped along by the advent of commercial cornhole bags and boards, cornhole is now popular game in the Midwestern and Southern United States, especially in college towns.

Which brings us back to Michael and Theo. Michael and Theo have been busy making hand-made corn toss game boards that can be fully customized to any patter. With summertime upon us and football season right around the corner, this is the perfect time to have the brothers make your cornhole boards. The pictures above are the actual boards the Mungers' have created. For more information, message Theo on facebook. Or email ashley@firstfederalcullman.com.

Celebrate Independence Day!!!

2011-07-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.

John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adam's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown of the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, the Fifth President of the United States, died on July 4, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, the Thirtieth President, was born on July 4, 1872, and thus was the only President to be born on Independence Day.

Today, families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue and take advantage of the day off and, in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades are often held in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.

Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country 'Tis of Thee", "This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and, regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in the northeastern states and "Dixie" in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall the images of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812.

A salute of one gun for each state in the United States called a "salute to the union," is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base.

The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics-By Francis Scott Key 1814

2011-06-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!!
Blest with the victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

10-Time Management Tips That Work

2011-06-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

Chances are good that, at some time in your life, you've taken a time-management class, read about it in books, and tried to use an electronic or paper-based day planner to organize, prioritize, and schedule your day. "Why, with this knowledge and these gadget, do I still feel like I can't get everything done that I need to?"

There are two different types of time-clock time and real time. In clock time, there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, and 365 days in a year.

In real time, all time is relative. Time flies or drags depending on what you are doing. Two hours at the department of motor vehicles can feel like 12 years. And yet our 12-year old children seem to have grown up in only two hours.

The reason time-management gadgets and systems don't work is that these systems are designed to manage clock time. Clock time is irrelevant. You don't live in or even have access to clock time. You live in real time, a world in which all time flies when you are having fun or drags when you are doing your taxes.

The good news is real time is mental. Anything you create you can manage. Practice the following techniques to become the master of your own time:

Carry a schedule and record all your thoughts, conversations and activities for a week. This will help you understand how much you can get done during the course of a day and where your precious moments are going. You'll see how much time is actually spend producing results and how much time is wasted on unproductive thoughts, conversations and actions.

Any activity or conversation that's important to your success should have a time assigned to it. To-do lists get longer and longer to the point where they're unworkable. Appointment books work. Schedule appointments with yourself and create time blocks for high-priority thoughts, conversations and actions. Schedule when they will begin and end. Have the discipline to keep those appointments.

Plan to spend at least 50 percent of your time engaged in thoughts, activities and conversations that produce most of your results.

Schedule time for interruptions. Plan time to be pulled away from what you're doing. Take, for instance, the concept of having "office hours". Isn't "office hours" another way of saying "planned interruptions"?

Take the first 30 minutes of every day to plan your day. Don't start your day until you complete your time plan. The most important time of your day is the time you schedule to schedule time.

Take five minutes before every call and task to decide what result you want to attain. This will help you know what success looks like before you start. And it will also slow time down. Take five minutes after each call and activity to determine whether your desired result was achieved. If not, what was missing? How do you put what's missing in your next call or activity?

Put a "Do not disturb" sign when you absolutely have to get work done.

Practice not answering the phone just because it's ringing and e-mails just because they show up. Disconnect instant messaging. Don't instantly give people you attention unless it's absolutely crucial in your business to offer an immediate human response. Instead, schedule a time to answer e-mail and return phone calls.

Block out other distractions like Facebook and other forms of social media unless you use these tools to generate business.

Remember that it's impossible to get everything done. Also remember that odds are good that 20 percent of you thought, conversations and activities produce 80 percent of your results.

How to turn teen girls into financial prodigies

2011-06-27T12:19:00.001-07:00

The first time you heard the title of the game show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?", you probably paused for a second. Truth is, many of us just might not be able to hold our own against those whiz kids. Well, here's another question for you. Are you a better investor than a teenage girl?

If you are comparing yourself to the teenage girls participating in the ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge, you might be surprised by the caliber of the competition. Four of the teams started a little over two years ago have portfolios that are up on average, roughly 30 percent through mid-May. The two investment teams formed a year ago are up 7.32 percent and 2.19 percent-not half bad for newbies in this market.

How fast can you say "girl power"? Giving young, underprivileged girls the tools they need to make smart money decisions is the mission of the Investment Challenge started in 2009 by ING, in partnership with the nonprofit Girls, Inc.

With some assistance and guidance, the teams build and manage virtual $50,000 diversified portfolios in real time as part of their financial education. But the 12-to-18 year-old girls make the final investment decisions and get practical, hands-on investing experience.

The girls participating in the program mostly come from urban areas and typically are in schools with high free-lunch ratios, says Larin Cathey, head of multicultural affairs at ING. Beyond the competitive investing facet of the challenge, the teens are taught the basics of personal finance, such as saving, budgeting, credit, debt, investing and financial planning. They even open virtual bank accounts, though many have been inspired to open a real savings account. And they create short, medium and long-term personal financial goals.

All portfolios are managed and tracked using an online-trading platform that allows the participants to track their performance, as well as to see how they stack up against other challenge teams.

While the money they invest with is virtual, the payout is real. Any profits the Team's portfolio makes are split evenly among the members in the form of college scholarships from ING.

10 Money-Saving Travel and Vacation Tips

2011-06-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Try these tips to s-t-r-e-t-c-h those travel dollars!!

Rent a car

Eat breakfast where kids eat free and split meals

Eat lunch in your room

Take advantage of coupons

Bring your own stroller

Bring along individual refillable water bottles

Take advantage of multi-day passes at the attractions

Make your own reservations

Give each child a set amount to spend

Spend the day away from the attractions

Candy Holidays

2011-06-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

Need a reason to celebrate your favorite candy item? Check out this list of fun candy holidays.

January

3rd- National Covered Cherry Day

8th- National English Toffee Day

26th- National Peanut Brittle Day

February

15th- National Gum Drop Day

19th- Chocolate Mint Day

March

3rd week- American Chocolate Week

19th- National Chocolate Caramel Day

24th- National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day

April

12th- National Licorice Day

21st- National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day

22nd- National Jelly Bean Day

May

12th- National Nutty Fudge Day

15th- National Chocolate Chip Day

23rd- National Taffy Day

June

NATIONAL CANDY MONTH

16th- Fudge Day

July

7th- Chocolate Day

15th- Gummi Worm Day

20th- National Lollipop Day

28th- National Milk Chocolate Day

August

4th- National Chocolate Chip Day

10th- S'mores Day

30th- National Toasted Marshmallow Day

September

13th- International Chocolate Day

22nd- National White Chocolate Day

October

National Caramel Month

28th- National Chocolate Day

30th- National Candy Corn Day

31st- National Caramel Apple Day

November

7th- National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

December

7th- National Cotton Candy Day

16th- National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day

26th- National Candy Cane Day

28th- National Chocolate Day

29th- National Chocolate Day

Park reopens after storm damage

2011-06-20T13:25:00.001-07:00

Hanceville's C.W. Day park sustained a lot of damage when the first of the April 27 storms blew through Cullman County.

There's still a lot of work to be done to fully restore the park and its facilities to the condition they were in before the storms came. Hanceville officials, employees and volunteers have taken a lot of pride in improving the park over the past few years with a little money and a lot of elbow grease.

But the park's open again, and visitors who want to splash in the pool or take in a softball tournament can come and go as they always did.

They may see a landscape that looks a little like a park, and a lot like a construction site.

Project manager Danny Collins said storms did approximately $75,000 in damage to the grounds and park infrastructure, not including another $30,000 worth of playground equipment that was destroyed by massive fallen trees on the park's west side.

The storms wreaked havoc on park infrastructure, claiming five baseball dugouts, two backstops, 19 light poles, four pavilions, two picnic sheds, a concession stand, a maintenance building and all the water in the pool.

By: Benjamin Bullard-The Cullman Times

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-06-17T10:54:00.001-07:00

Father's Day!!!

2011-06-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

In the US, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The first observance of Father's Day actually took place in Fairmont, West Virginia on July 5, 1908. It was organized by Mrs. Grace Golden Clayton, who wanted to celebrate the lives of the 210 fathers who had been lost in the Monongah Mining disaster several months earlier in Monongah, West Virginia, on December 6, 1907. It is possible that Clayton was influenced by the first celebration of Mother's Day that same year, just a few miles away. Clayton chose the Sunday nearest to the birthday of her recently deceased father.

Unfortunately, the day was overshadowed by other events in the city, West Virginia did not officially register the holiday, and it was not celebrated again. All the credit for Father's Day went to Sonora Dodd from Spokane, who invented independently her own celebration of Father's Day just two years later.

Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Arkansas, was the driving force behind Modern Father's Day. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who reared his six children in Spokane, Washington. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday. However, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.

Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

More phone calls are made in the US during Mother's Day than during Father's Day, but the percentage of collect calls on Father's Day is much higher, making it the busiest day of the year for collect calls.

Thank you!!

2011-06-13T13:45:00.001-07:00

Thank you to each and everyone one of you who had a hand in helping plan and organize CELEBRATE CULLMAN!! We had so much fun participating and enjoyed being out with the citizens of this great town!! Congratulations on the HUGE SUCCESS!!!

CELEBRATE CULLMAN!!!

2011-06-09T11:04:00.001-07:00

CDMA & CULLMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENT
CELEBRATE CULLMAN
FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH
2 PM-10 PM

Celebrate Cullman will kick of tomorrow, Friday, June 10 to help raise funds for our Cullman Downtown Merchants who were affected by the storm!! We are ready to prove that our community is still strong, in spite of the tornado.

Here is a sneak peak of some of the EXCITEMENT happening at Celebrate Cullman:

Street Performers spread throughout downtown

Various Performers in Retail

Shops and Restaurants

5K Group Run

Busy Bee selling food, t-shirts and booths from the restaurant

Exit 310 at Carlton's

Art Guild selling art at the 3rd Street Promenade to raise money for tornado victims

Hero Row at Depot Park to honor local Fire and Police Departments

Face Painting

Mini Manicures

Big Wheel Races

Clowns & Characters

Painting and Crafts

Yard Games

Baseball pitching station

2 4 U performances

Inflatables

and LIVE BANDS:

Noah Guthrie (featured on the Ellen DeGeneres show)

Little Memphis

Three Leaf Clover

Hope Cassity

CHS Fine Art Showcase

Mean Seeds

WESK

Smith and Western

Alaysin

Braver by the 2nd

2 4 U

Exit 310

Desperation Church

Crosshaven

Tela Washam

Wes Duren

Jim O'Dillion

Bimini Road

and more....

Castille Football Character Camp-June 17 & 18th

2011-06-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah Castille will bring his Castille Football Character Camp to Heritage Park. "We teach the kids lessons about character and implement football into it," Simeon Castille said. "We try to influence young men to be better people as they grow up."

The camps is sponsored by the Jeremiah Castille Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on "Hope Revealed" to the hopeless.

Jeremiah grew up in a dysfunctional family and was introduced to God at age 13 and started seeing that there was hope for him. He played football at the University of Alabama for Bear Bryant, then went on to play professional ball with Tampa Bay and Denver.

In 2001, Jeremiah was ordained as a minister.

Two of Jeremiah's sons, Tim and Simeon, also played at Alabama and both are current pro players. "We've been blessed to have a lot of athletic ability and to have good, Christian parents," Tim said. "we just try to pass on some of our blessings to others in and effort to help them become better Christians and better people."

Friday's camp will run from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturday's agenda goes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There are 150 slots available for sixth-eighth graders and 150 slots for freshmen-seniors. Participation is free.

For the younger athletes, from first grade through fifth, two-time Olympic gold medalist will hold a speed and agility camp, with a morning session from 9-11 a.m. and an afternoon session from noon-2 p.m.

After the camp ends Saturday, there will be a Cullman County for Christ rally at Northbrook Baptist Church. From 5-6 p.m., there will be a meet and greet session followed by an inspirational program with Jeremiah Castille and Krish Dhanam speaking. Dhanam is a Zig Ziglar trained speaker who came to America from India with $9 in his pocket. He now travels the world as an ambassador of hope, speaking of how precious life and freedom are.

Have a Safe and Happy Weekend!!

2011-06-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend. Remember that the temperature will be nearing the triple digits. Make sure you hydrate often, wear sunscreen, relax in a cool room to keep from having heat induced problems!!

Community Profile-Cullman Parks and Recreation

2011-06-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

The City of Cullman is fortunate to have wonderful award-winning facilities available for the recreation needs of Cullman citizens and visitors to our area. From hiking trails at Hurricane Creek Park to the fairways at the Cullman Golf Course, the Cullman City Parks and Recreation facilities await you with all of their recreational offerings.

The Cullman Golf Course lost over 450 trees during the recent tornado, however, now all 18 holes have been restored and are ready for play. The Cullman Golf Course has won several awards over the years including The Cullman Times Readers Award for "Best Golf Course" and was listed in Golf Digest Magazine's "Best Places to Play". It has also been featured in Golf South Magazine.

With temperatures well into the 90's, why not visit the Cullman Wellness and Aquatics Center?

The outdoor pools are now open and offer amenities such as an outdoor water park and leisure pool that features two large water slides, high and low diving boards, lazy river, water play area and zero entry area for special needs.

Full fitness center complete with weights, cardio, specialized equipment, and professional training.

Indoor rubberized walking track.

A variety of aerobic and cycling classes.

8 lane outdoor and 6 lane indoor competition pools.

Indoor leisure pool.

Whirlpool spa.

Gymnasium equipped for both basketball and volleyball.

Large locker rooms with saunas.

Hurricane Creek Park is a 67+ acre natural area, nestled in a 500 foot deep canyon in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. In addition to hiking, visitors can picnic beside the creek under the covered pavillion or at individual tables in the same vicinity. Currently the park is building mountain bike trails and dirt jumps.

Cullman Gymnastics and Cheer Academy focuses on teaching the basics of cheer/tumble and gymnastics. The CGCA also offers two competition teams: The Cullman Elite Competitive Gymnastics Team and the Xtreme Allstars Competitive Cheerleading Squads.

Heritage Park...Play ball and more!!!!

Heritage Park features five lighted softball fields with championship lighting along with underground dugouts equipped with phones to communicate with the control tower.

There are four picnic shelters, a large warm-up area and playground facilities for the children. The park also has five soccer fields, a multipurpose field, outdoor basketball court, four pavilions, a 1.5 mile walking trail and a water-play area for children. The Recognition Garden is the perfect spot to relax after a walk around the trail.

The Field of Miracles is the centerpiece of a four-field baseball and softball complex at Ingle Park. It is specifically designed with a rubberized surface to accommodate people who are physically and mentally challenged.

Festhalle Market Platz...shop for home-grown produce beneath the roof of the largest timber frame structure in Alabama.

The Cullman City Parks and Recreation also offers tennis, archery and summer camps. For more information, please contact 256-734-9157.

Tips for staying COOL

2011-05-31T10:41:00.001-07:00

Triple-digit summertime temperatures are a fact of life in Alabama. Heat can be a killer if you are not careful and play it cool. Here are things to remember when the temperatures start to soar.

If your area cools off in the evening, take advantage of the cool evenings to cool off your entire house. Open windows and doors with screens to bring the inside temperature down.

Consider using a whole-house fan. It is a natural evening air conditions.

In the morning, close up your house and draw blinds and drapes so the house stays darker and thus cooler.

If you have Venetian blinds, close them or angle them upwards. That way, light is reflected up and into the room and direct rays of the sun are not let in.

Set your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you are home and 85 degrees when you are away from home.

Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place.

Drink lots of cool, non-alcoholic fluids.

Check with your doctor if you have health problems that require you to limit fluid intake or you're taking diuretics.

Don't wait until you're thirst to drink.

Don't drink liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar.

Avoid hot foods, and keep meals light.

NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.

Pay attention to warning signs:

Red, hot sweaty skin, cramps, lightheadedness and fatigue will occur long before a heatstroke.

Get out to the heat immediately and seek medical attention before serious harm is done.

Memorial Day!!

2011-05-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates men and women who died while in military service to the United States. First enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

Memorial Day often marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day its end.

Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the civil war, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family gatherings, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500 (since 1911) and the Coca-Cola 600 (since 1960) auto races.

On Memorial day the flag is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.

The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

Congratulations!!!!

2011-05-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS, Class of 2011!!

Special CONGRATS to First Federal's very own graduates,

Kallie Flynn and Abbie Knight!! We are so proud of you!!

2011 Wings over Cullman Airshow

2011-05-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

The City of Cullman and the Cullman Regional Airport are proud to host their 1st major annual airshow on Saturday, May 21, 2011. This year's event will feature the US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II West Coast Demo Team and the Sky Soldiers 2-ship Cobra Demonstration Team. Our civilian performers will include Greg Koontz and the Alabama Boys, Jimmy Fordham in his YAK 52, John Bostick in the AT-6# Texan, and Julia and Tony Wood in their Russian SU-26M and Pitts S2C. Performers from as far away as Arizona and Texas will be coming to Cullman for this world-class event on Armed Forces Day 2011.

Also participating in the event will be Cullman's own Skydive Alabama Skydiving Group, the Alabama State Police, and Air Evac Lifeteam 15.

The event will also host numerous static display aircraft for the public to enjoy during the day. Gates open at 9 am. Flying starts at noon. Come see the new things that are happening and enjoy the day! Admission and parking are FREE!!

Bearcat Baseball Heads to Montgomery!!

2011-05-18T10:20:00.001-07:00

Good Luck, BEARCATS!!

Bring home a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!!

We are so proud of you!!

Space Shuttle Endeavor Lifts Off for Final Flight

2011-05-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

The space shuttle Endeavor embarked on its 25th and final flight today, taking the $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer particle detector, supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station.

The flight will be the 134th for NASA's shuttle program, with one mission to follow this summer before the fleet is retired.

Here are the highlights of Endeavor's mission, which is scheduled to last 16 days:

Endeavor is carrying a new type of science instrument, called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, or AMS, which will make detailed studies of high-energy cosmic rays. The device, built by an international consortium of 60 research agencies, will be mounted outside the space station.

Also aboard the Endeavor are spare parts, including 10 circuit breakers, two communications antennas, a tank of ammonia coolant, a high-pressure oxygen tank for the station's airlock and a spare arm for the station's robotic crane.

Endeavor's astronauts will conduct four spacewalks to install a materials science experiment, refill an ammonia coolant reservoir and conduct other station maintenance.

A 50-foot (15-meter) extension for the shuttle's robot arm, developed for in-flight inspections after the 2003 Columbia accident, will be left behind at the station for use by its robotic crane.

The crew also will text sensors being developed for NASA's new deep-space exploration vehicle called Orion.

Endeavor will be the second of NASA's three space shuttles to be retired this year. After its mission, Endeavor will go on display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

Superstitions

2011-05-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Are you superstitious? Today is Friday the 13th and we thought we would share some of our favorite superstitions with you.

If you break a mirror, seven years of bad luck will follow.

If you drop a fork, a man will come to visit you.

If you drop a spoon, a woman will come to visit you.

If a bird flies into your house a death will occur.

If you sweet under some one's feet, they will never marry.

When you peel an apple say the alphabet and the letter that you are on when the peel breaks is the initial of the person that you will marry.

When your palm itches, you will come into some money.

Never say "thank you" when someone gives you a plant or it will die.

If all the food on the table is eaten it will be a clear day tomorrow.

If you start to go somewhere and come back for something you will have bad luck.

If two forks are laid at a plate with no knife you will be invited to a wedding.

If you drop a dish towel on your floor, a worse housekeeper than yourself is coming to visit you.

If your ears itch or burn, someone is talking about you.

If you spilled some salt, you picked some of it up and threw it over your left shoulder to stop bad luck from coming.

When a black cat ran across the road in front of you, you would say BREAD & BUTTER ON MY TABLE, CUT IT WITH A BUTTER KNIFE if you could not turn around and go another way, or bad luck would come to you.

Never walk under a ladder, or bad luck will come to you.

If salt is borrowed from anyone, pay it back with sugar so no bad luck will come to you.

You never tickled a baby's feet because it would make it stutter.

When leaves on trees turn up, a storm is coming.

When chimney smoke goes to the ground, bad weather will follow.

The number of fogs in August predict the number of snowstorms the following winter.

A ring around the moon means that rain will come in three days.

If big black storm clouds came up you take an axe, hold it up towards the sky and bring it down. This cuts the clouds into and they would go away.

Community Profile-Jason W. Zinsmeister, First Federal Investment Professionals

2011-05-11T09:29:00.001-07:00

With a diverse background that spans the U.S. military service, business management and financial consulting, Jason W. Zinsmeister, AAMS has experienced many of his client's situations first-hand. Many have commended him for his desire to translate complex strategies into plain English and his interest in understanding his client's needs.

Jason offers FULL SERVICE financial planning and investment services. He is also qualified to help with retirement, estate and education planning. He is well versed in insurance and annuities. He also offers consulting for private client services, equity investments, fixed incomes, global wealth and REITs.

Jason grew up in Cullman, Alabama, graduating from both Troy University with a B.S. in Marketing, Magna Cum Laude and the Alabama Military Academy Officer Course in 1995. During his eight year tenure, Jason served in the U.S. Army national Guard as an enlisted soldier and quickly advanced to the ranks of Commissioned Officer.

Both during and following his military service, Jason managed a three-crew residential construction business where he learned the importance of financial analysis, decision-making, asset and resource management. He transferred these skills into a rewarding position as Financial Advisor at a leading national investment firm. In this role, Jason served more than 250 families.

Jason is an active member of Cullman's Daystar Church, the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Farm-City Board. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Noah and Chloe.

Jason's office is located at First Federal Cullman, 420 Second Avenue SW, Cullman, Alabama. He can be reached by phone at 256-734-4863.

Trees to statues??

2011-05-10T12:52:00.001-07:00

If you have a hardwood tree on your property that is still standing but was badly damaged by the tornado on April 27, DO NOT cut it down just yet!! Jason Zinsmeister just met with Mayor Townson about having the old trees around the city carved into statues or other carvings meaningful to Cullman and he LOVED the idea. It is still in the early stages and there are no guarantees, but if you have any interest in this project, DON'T CUT YOUR TREES DOWN!! For more information, contact Jason Zinsmeister at 256-734-4863.

WE ARE OPEN!!!!

2011-05-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Both of our locations are now open regular business hours. If you will be visiting our Main Office location, please enter on US Hwy 31. All other entrances are blocked. Thank you!! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!

First Federal Relay for Life 5K

2011-05-04T10:41:00.001-07:00

Due to the destruction caused by the recent tornadoes in the Cullman area, we must cancel the First Federal Relay for Life 5K originally scheduled for Saturday, May 7, 2011. We will be rescheduling the race for some time in June, and we will post the date as soon as we confirm. We hope everyone will still be able to race with us, but we will be refunding the registration fee for those who cannot race.

All of us at First Federal would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all individuals affected by the storms.

BAD WEATHER THREAT

2011-04-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Due to the threat of severe weather, First Federal will close at 1:00 p.m. today.

Please take a few extra minutes and review your "place of safety" with all your family members.

Stay safe!

Easter Egg Coloring Contest Winner-Mackenzie Gay

2011-04-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our Easter Egg Coloring Contest Winner:

Mackenzie Gay!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

2011-04-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

We wish each of you a very happy and very blessed Easter!!

Easter Fun Facts

2011-04-20T09:12:00.001-07:00

When taking a bite into a chocolate bunny, 76% of Americans prefer to bite off the ears first. 5% eat the feet first and 4% eat the tail first.

During the Easter season, Americans buy more than 700 million Peeps-making Peeps the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy.

Adults prefer milk chocolate (65%) over dark chocolate (27%).

86% would prefer having chocolate bunnies instead of a live rabbit.

Each day throughout the year, 5 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter.

16 billion jelly beans are made specifically for Eater which is enough to fill a plastic egg the size of a 9-story building.

Kids prefer red jelly beans and 75% are willing to do extra chores for more Easter candy.

57% of kids get up super early on Easter to see what the Easter bunny has brought them.

80% of parents carry on the tradition of the Easter bunny by preparing a surprise Easter basket filled with goodies for their children and 90% of adults hope for their own Easter treat.

The first chocolate eggs were made in Germany in the 19th century and remain one of the most popular Easter candies today.

Solid chocolate bunnies are favored, followed closely by hollow chocolate bunnies, marshmallow filled bunnies, and other Easter bunny candy.

In the old days pretzels were associated with Easter because the twists of the pretzel were thought to resemble arms crossing in prayer.

The exchange of eggs for Easter dates back to a springtime custom older than Easter itself in which eggs were given as a symbol of rebirth in many cultures.

The Easter egg roll on the White House lawn has been a tradition since 1878.

After Halloween, Easter is the biggest candy consuming holiday.

It is OKAY to file for an extension

2011-04-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

What happens now that it's Tax Day and you know you can't file your income tax return on time? You could simply ignore the problem and hope the IRS doesn't notice. Not a good idea. If you have file before, the IRS will notice, and you will probably pay penalties. You could panic.

Or you could use a short-term, easy fix: File an extension.

The IRS has a simple form that allows you an automatic six-month extension to file your taxes. It is Form 4868 and it is easy to complete-even without an accountant.

The form starts by asking for your name, address and Social Security number. It then asks you to estimate your tax liability and send any balance due. If you make this payment and cover at least 90% of your real liability, you won't owe a late filing or late payment penalty.

You can use the IRS Free File system online, pick up the form at any IRS office or order it toll-free at 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). If you're using tax preparation software at home, you can file by computer and receive an acknowledgement by email.

You must file it by the regular due date of your return. It is an automatic extension. You don't have to give the IRS any reason. You can get it even if the only reason you haven't filed is that you were lazy or didn't want to think about it.

Form 4868 gives you until October 15 to complete and send in your return. But, regardless of the form, if you think you owe money to the government, you must send it in by April 18.

You can only ask for one extension, So you really do have to file by October 15.