Look Back ... to bankruptcy court in a new home, 1999

Bill Edwards, The Anniston Star, Ala.
·2 min read

Jun. 17—June 17, 1949, in The Star: The Rev. E. L. Shirey will celebrate his 10th anniversary this coming Sunday as pastor of the Pentecostal Holiness Church here. He will conduct the morning services and a guest speaker, a pastor visiting from Oklahoma, will conduct evening services. In the 10 years since he became pastor of the Anniston church, the Rev. Mr. Sherry has finished a four-year college course at Jacksonville, served two years as chaplain in the Army, married and had two children, and has built a new church with a membership more than doubled. Also this date: What's the bulldozing work being done on the 1700 block of Noble Street? That's where ground is being cleared and leveled to allow construction of the new Sears-Roebuck store. Frank Brownette Company of Jacksonville, Fla., the general contractor, yesterday procured a building permit showing that the contract portion of the project would cost $218,000. Clifford Collier, project manager, is on the job and has established an office on 18th Street. [The incorrect spelling was used in 1949. This was actually a reference to G. Clifton Colyer Sr., who would go on to become a prominent general contractor based in Anniston.]

June 17, 1999, in The Star: Solutia will pay $43.7 million to settle a lawsuit brought against the company by more than 4,000 property owners bordering Choccolocco Creek and Logan Martin Lake, lawyers for both sides said yesterday — the day the settlement papers were filed in Pell City. The company, formerly Monsanto, was accused of contaminating the waterways with PCBs. The six-year-old case, after numerous delays, had been scheduled to start trial June 28. Everyone who owned a piece of property fronting Choccolocco Creek or Logan Martin Like at any time between October 1993 and May 1999 is eligible to receive part of the settlement. Also this date: The U.S. Bankruptcy Court that's been handicapped in its operation due to cramped quarters in the basement of the federal courthouse is being moved to renovated, spacious offices in a building at 914 Noble Street. The General Services Administration selected the site early last year; the building now even boasts an elevator. The move should be completed by tomorrow, says U.S. Bankruptcy Court Division Manager Kenneth A. Comfort.

Assistant Metro Editor Bill Edwards: 256-236-1551. On Twitter @bedwards_star.