It's nearly the end of one year, and the beginning of another. Often this time is one of reflection on all the good things and the bad things that took place over the year. The Journal would like to recall some of what we think were the top stories of 2009 for our town.

The grades are in

Piedmont High School has a reputation, and we think it deserves talking about.

For the third straight year, the school has been ranked by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the best in the nation. The teachers and staff at PHS have good reason to be proud, and we are too.

The news-magazine started the ranking system three years ago, and PHS has been on their winning list since every since. The magazine looks at test performances, performance of less-advantaged students, and college-readiness performance. Piedmont High School continues to show outstanding academic achievements.

The return of 45

Watching Jacob Prince walk onto the sidelines at the 2009 season opener game against Cherokee County was surely a sight worth remembering for Piedmont.

The community was rocked by the wreck in December 2008 on Wagon Road that claimed the lives of two young women, and nearly took Jacob's ability to walk. But eight months after that horrible day, there he was in his number 45 jersey, ready to cheer on his fellow Bulldogs.

Piedmont coach Steve Smith said that Jacob might even rejoin the track team soon. We think everyone can agree that seeing Jacob smiling while hundreds rose to their feet to give him a standing ovation during the trophy presentation for the championship Bulldogs put everything into perspective.

You'll find new stop signs on Wagon Road these days. Calhoun County, in cooperation with the city of Piedmont, put them up to help prevent accidents like Jacobs' from ever happening again.

Building a future

Piedmont has seen new businesses pop up this year, and new buildings for exiting ones as well. There were more than this article can list, but we think the opening of the Key West Inn and the new Farmers & Merchants bank building deserve a second look.

Construction began on the 30-room Key West Inn on U.S. Highway 278 at the first of the year, and the ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 7. The motel, owned by B.J. and Judy Gambill, features 30 rooms with wireless internet, continental breakfast, a laundry area, and flat-screen televisions.

Judy Gambill said business has been great, and they'll soon put a bid in for the Jaycee's meeting to be held at the Inn. "People are so glad that we're here," said Judy. "During Christmas we had a lot of people that came in to visit with relatives. We're just real pleased with the way it's going."

This year not only saw the opening of new businesses like the Key West, but also the start of a new chapter for a 94-year-old Piedmont business. ¬¬Farmers & Merchants Bank has been a fixture in Piedmont since 1915, and on November 6, it held the grand opening of its new building on Ladiga Street.

The building is state of the art according to bank president Franklin Latta. The extra space will allow the fifth generation bank to grow and give Piedmont residents a more enjoyable banking experience.

"We've grown so much that we needed more space for the Piedmont area," said bank vice president Chris Latta. "If you're going to either build a place for operations or a new bank for the customers, you need to spend the money on the new bank for your customers, so that's what we did."

The old bank building next door, which opened in 1971, was turned into the operations center for the bank.

Remembering Lea Fite

Lea Fite's sudden death stunned our area. Fite died on Oct. 26 from a heart attack. He represented District 40 for two terms, was a co-owner of the Food Outlet grocery chain with Mike Sanders, and was elected a member of the Calhoun County Commission in 1998.

Fite was instrumental in helping Piedmont City Schools secure the money used to build the new Career Tech Center and Community Storm Shelters. But more than his good work, those that knew him remember him as a good friend.

"I lost a great friend and our community lost a person who really loved this community and did everything he could to help it," said County Commissioner Rudy Abbott.

"We were on different parties. We might not vote together and have different opinions on things, but we were still best friends," said Randy Wood of the 36th District (R) (Calhoun and St. Clair) "Lea was a great individual. I think one of the things that he did that he was most proud of was when he passed the legislation requiring insurance companies to fund screening for breast cancer. I think that really tickled him to death to know that he could do something to make life better for other individuals."

Candidates are preparing for the special election to fill the vacant seat. During last week's candidate forum in Jacksonville, moderator Lawson Veasey asked the audience to remember Fite.

"With the holidays and the New Year, we need to keep Lea Fite and what he did for us during his time in the legislature us, and his family in our mind and in our prayers," said Veasey. It's a terrible thing to have to fill his position but it is also a great thing having the quality of candidates we have. I am sure he is looking down on us today, and I think Lea would be thrilled knowing the range and quality of candidates that may represent you in the not to distant future."

Winning it all

Piedmont is a football town. And for a football town there's nothing better than winning a state championship. The 35-28 win over Cordova at the Bryant-Denny stadium gave Piedmont their first state championship, and enough smiles to last through 2012.

The hard work of the players, the leadership from the coaching staff, and the support from family and friends made this year's win possible. Coach Steve Smith said it best when he said after the game, "Guys, that was the best two-and-a-half hours of football I've ever seen."

Chase Childers was named the most valuable player of the championship game, rushing for 102 yards with 2 touchdown passes and threw for a total of 56 yards. Christian Cantrell ran for 108 yards and 3 touchdowns, with a fourth touchdown on a 6 yard pass from Childers. But as good as Childers and Cantrell played, they needed the support of every player on that field, and they got it. Throughout the season, Piedmonts' linemen did their jobs, making the plays that put the Bulldogs into the playoffs and into the history books.