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OUTDOOR WEATHER

SIREN TESTWEDNESDAY,

DEC. 8, 11 A.M.

DECEMBER UPCOMING EVENTS

BEAUTIFICATION BOARD...........................................6COLUMBIANA CITY COUNCIL....................................7FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY...................................14COLUMBIANA WATER BOARD.................................14 COLUMBIANA CITY COUNCIL, CITY HALL.............21CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.........................................24-25

cityofcolumbiana.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

DECEMBER 25TH

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY

SEASON

ELVIN HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Cornerstone Christian is pleased to announce

MICHAEL ENGLISHin concert

January 2. 20117:00pm

Tickets available for $20.00 in advance or $25.00 at the door.If you already hold a ticket stub from the previous cancellation, just

present it at the door.

For more info and the purchase tickets, call 205-669-7777.

For information on Cornerstone Christian School visit their web site at: www.ccschargers.us

The facility and staff would like to wish everyone in our school family and community a joyous holiday season. Holidays are times of tradition, times of celebration. This is the perfect time to stop and wish you a special season fi lled with peace and love.

Christmas holidays begin the 20th and we return on January 4, 2011!

We would like to thank James Spann and Miss Annie for the visits they made to our school.

Our Christmas Santa Shop is open for business on December 6-10.

We all miss our Assistant Principal Melody Byrne, who is at Shelby Elementary as acting principal during a maternity leave. We welcome Mr. Kearley, who is fi lling in for Mrs. Byrne.

A big thank-you to the Dream Makers Community Education Dancers and Twirlers, who entertained the crowds in town prior to the Christmas parade. We also give a shout-out to all of the students who participated in the parade on various fl oats. Thanks you to our Student Council, led by Caitlin White, for organizing our annual Pet & People Food Drive.

Once again, Happy Holidays from the faculty, staff and students at Elvin Hill Elementary!

COLUMBIANA MIDDLE SCHOOLCongratulations to seventh grader Landon Bentley for winning the

school’s spelling bee. Bentley’s winning word was “monstrosity,” and he’ll represent CMS at the county competition in January.

Congratulations to Lynn Hanson for being named the school’s Support Person of the Year.

Congratulations to Rhonda Mack for earning a laptop through her winning entry in Shelby County Schools’ “I-am21” technology literacy focus.

Congratulations to Samantha Bailey and the CNP staff for earning a “100” rating by the Food and Health inspector for two months in a row.

Eighth grade World History Teacher Todd Davis has been conducting online teleconferences through SKYPE with his history classes. His classes have already communicated with students and teachers in Russia and France.

Congratulations to the following six students who were accepted to UAB Middle School Honor Band this year: Olivia Snyder, Will Balzli, Elizabeth Stancil, Kelli Roper, Brittney Bearden, and Nathan Brom.

Also, Valerie White will represent CMS at the University of Georgia Honor Band Dec. 9-10.

COUNTY SCOOL NEWS

Christmas Holidays for Shelby County Public

Schools:

December 20, 2010 through January 3, 2011

Check out the Shelby County Board of Education web site at:http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us

The Offi cial Newsletter of the City of Columbiana September, 2009DECEMBER 2009 3

The Offi cial Newsletter of the City of Columbiana September, 20094

DRUG FREE MESSAGE

Join the SeniorsColumbiana Senior Center at the Rec. BuildingMonday – Friday 9 AM until 1 PMFor More Information call Donna Higgins at (205) 669-3969

Only 14.4% of 6th-12th grade Shelby County students that use illicit drugs reported that their parents talk with them a lot about the problems of using these substances. Your children are listening: Let them know every day you expect them to be drug-free.

The Shelby County Drug Free Coalition provides the drug free message each month. The Coalition is a program of Family Connection made up of volunteers who are concerned about and want to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among our youth. Representatives from law enforcement, health agencies, businesses, church and civic groups and Shelby County Schools are part of the Coalition.

To those of you who may be in the midst of caring for another and for those who may be missing a loved one, the entire staff at Columbiana Health and Rehabilitation hopes you also fi nd peace and comfort.

We wish you and your family love and happiness during this holiday season and wish you a new year

fi lled with love and hope. Please remember we are here for you – to help you make the best decisions, to get the best care for your loved one, to help you care for yourself, and to give you easy access to the best resources to help you with all your caregiving needs.

Winter Caregiver Tips

Columbiana Health and Rehabilitation is a 63-bed skilled nursing facility located on Highway 25 in Columbiana. The facility provides residents with access to extensively trained professionals in nursing care, physical, occupational and speech therapies. For more information, call Kay Sertell at (205) 669-1712.

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Dr. Stancil Handley

“Cares For Eyes”

COLUMBIANA669-4131

Business License RenewalsRenewal notice for your 2011 City of Columbiana Business License will be mailed out the week of December 15, 2010.

If you have questions regarding business licensing for the City of Columbiana, call 205-669-5806.

COMMUNITY

Holiday Shopping Safety TipsThe Columbiana Police Department has provided the following tips for safe

and happy holiday shopping!•Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night,

go with a friend or family member. •Dress casually and comfortably. •Avoid wearing expensive jewelry. •Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible. •Always carry your Alabama Driver License or Identifi cation Card along

with necessary cash, checks and/or a credit card you expect to use. •Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay

alert to your surroundings. •Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. •Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible. •Keep cash in your front pocket. •Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen

or misused. •Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home. •Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime

targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, transportation terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit.

•Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.

•Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS FOR CITY HALL

Liberty Day 2011 Liberty Day 2011 will begin with Friday Nite Live

on Main Street, June 24, 2011 and Saturday will be a full day of activities. The Liberty Day Committee will begin meeting soon to plan various aspects of the event. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome one of our local residents to participate in the planning of the event. Our meetings are

generally held on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. If you are available for about an hour, every other month between now and May, please

contact me, Gina Antolini, Liberty Day Coordinator, via e-mail at cityclerk@cityofcolumbiana.com. Our next meeting will be in January. Thanks in advance

for your interest!

December 2010 – December 2011City Hall will be closed on the following

dates:

December 24, 2010 Christmas Eve January 17, 2011 Martin Luther King Day

Friday, April 22, 2011 Good FridayMay 30, 2011 Memorial Day

September 05, 2011 Labor Day November 11, 2011 Veteran’s Day November 24, 2011 Thanksgiving

November 25, 2011 Day After Thanksgiving

5

Beautifi cationNovember Yard of the Month!

Congratulations to Jean Rasco.Their beautiful yard is located at 245 Chelsea Road.

(Hwy 47).

The Offi cial Newsletter of the City of Columbiana September, 20096 News from City HallUpdates to city website

Don’t forget to check out and utilize our newest feature to the city website:

The Community Bulletin Board!This allows residents to submit content for inclusion on the site.

An example would be an upcoming local event that would afford you the opportunity to publicize it without any cost. We are hoping that many of our local organizations, churches and schools will utilize this feature to help us help you “get the word out” about community events. We just added the feature a few weeks ago and have a couple of events there but anticipate that it will become a fast favorite.

The city calendar of events now utilizes the Google calendar application, which gives us greater fl exibility in posting events, including the ability to open the item up for Internet searches on the web.

We will keep you posted about new enhancements to our website but if you haven’t taken a look at the site, please do and let us know if there is something that you would like to see there that we don’t have.

Visit the city website at cityofcolumbiana.com!

Year-end tax preparationAs the calendar year winds down, just remember that with it brings the closing of the tax year. Here are some tips and information on things to think about as we bid good-by to 2010.

How the Bush Tax Cuts Affect Tax-Savings Strategies

The Bush tax cuts and credits are set to expire at the end of 2010. If they do expire, a lot of folks will experience a signifi cant adjustment to their tax situation. The “Bush tax cuts” refers to legislation enacted in 2001 and 2003. The cuts lowered tax rates on income, dividends, and capital gains; eliminated the estate tax; lowered burdens on married couples, parents, and the working poor; and increased tax credits for education and retirement savings.

Among other things, if the Bush tax cuts were allowed to expire, the following would take place:1. Tax brackets would change, from 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35% to 15%, 28%, 31%, 36%, and 39.6%. 2. Long-term capital gain tax rates would rise from 15% to a maximum of 20%. 3. The child tax credit would be lowered. 4. The alternative minimum tax would cease to be indexed for infl ation. 5. The marriage penalty would be reinstated. If you are a Middle Income Taxpayer here are some tips to save on taxes this year: defer income, accelerate your deductions, and plan out your capital gains.

Defer Income• If you are planning to sell an investment on which you have a gain, it may be best to wait until the new year. This will defer payment of the taxes for another year (subject to estimated tax requirements). • If you are due a bonus at year-end, you may be able to defer receipt of these funds until January. Again, this can defer the payment of taxes (other than the portion withheld) for another year. (Note that deferral of tax generally won’t work where the bonus is contractually due in 2010.) • If your company grants stock options, it may be wise to wait until next year to exercise the option or sell stock acquired by the exercise of an option. (Exercise of the option is often a taxable event; sale of the stock is almost always a taxable event.) • If you’re self-employed, and you can afford the delay in cash infl ow, defer sending invoices to clients until the end of December. Accelerate Deductions• Pay a state estimated tax installment in December instead of at the January due date. Just make sure the payment is based on a reasonable estimate of your state tax. • Pay your entire property tax bill, including installments due in 2011, by year-end. (This is not applicable to mortgage escrow accounts.) • Try to bunch threshold expenses, such as medical expenses and miscellaneous itemized deductions. (Threshold expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed a certain percentage of adjusted gross income.) By bunching these expenses into one year, rather than spreading them out over two years, you have a better chance of exceeding the thresholds, thereby maximizing your deduction. For example, you might pay medical bills and dues and subscriptions in whichever year they would do you the most tax good.

***The information contained within this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or fi nancial advice from a professional accountant. While we use reasonable efforts to furnish accurate and up-to-date information, we do not warrant that any information contained in or made available through this article is accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of this article.

Check your withholdingsWith less than two months remaining in the calendar year, it’s a

great time to double check your federal withholding to make sure enough taxes are being taken out of your pay.

Certain folks should pay particular attention to their withholding. These include:

•Married couples with two incomes•Individuals with multiple jobs•Dependents•Some Social Security recipients who work•Workers who do not have valid Social Security numbers•Retirees who receive pension paymentsAs was the case in 2009, taxpayers who wind up owing tax because

too little was taken out of their paychecks during 2010 may qualify for special relief on a penalty that sometimes applies. Depending on their personal situation, some people could have less withheld from their paychecks than they need or want.

Failure to adjust withholding could result in potentially smaller refunds or, in limited instances, a taxpayer may owe tax rather than receive a refund next year.

***The information contained within this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or fi nancial advice from a professional accountant. While we use reasonable efforts to furnish accurate and up-to-date information, we do not warrant that any information contained in or made available through this article is accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of this article.

Visit us online @ shelbysavers.com

He has one goal in mind:save you money, and lots of it.

save time. save money.

What’s New At The LibraryBy Jane Bailey - Director

Jane “Same Kind of Different As Me”

by Hall & Moore

Shelia“Hush, Hush”

by Becca Fitzpatrick

Barbara“The Reversal”

by Michael Connelly

Retta“Is It Just Me?”

by Whoopee Goldberg

Agnes“The Kitchen House” by Kathleen Grissom

Monthly Recommended

Reads

Dec. 1st – 9 till noon – Glass Etching Class (materials provided)Dec. 8th – 9 till noon – Butterfly Quilt Class & AppliquéDec. 9th – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Evening Quilt ClassDec. 14th – 1 p.m. – Friends of the Library meetingDec. 15th – 9 till noon – Christmas Sweatshirt ClassDec. 16th – 6 p.m. – Christmas Movie for the Family ($1 donation)

Polar Express Christmas ProgramTuesday, Dec. 14th - 6 p.m.Wear your P.J.’s if you like!Hot chocolate & cookies will be served

Columbiana Friends of the Library

7There is a different sort of atmosphere

in the air this time of year. There is a spirit of giving, sharing, and

excitement all around us. Smiles become contagious and warm

greetings abound. While there are many opportunities to

help others year round, something inside of us just seems to bloom this time of year and many of us feel an insatiable urge to share our many blessings with others.

The Columbiana Library knitting group, the Loose Stitches, is currently working on a project that we would like to invite our community to participate in. The library has placed a Christmas tree in our hallway that we have named “The Giving Tree”. Anyone who is interested may place new, adult-sized hats, gloves, scarves or socks on the tree. These can be handmade, but this is not necessary. These items will be distributed through Family Connections

to homeless teens that live on the streets in the Birmingham area.

Remember that we need new, warm, adult-sized items which can preferably be worn by either a young man or woman. These items will be picked up by Dec. 15th for distribution.

Help us share in the spirit of giving this Christmas Season. The library staff and I wish you a wonderful Holiday Season and a very prosperous New Year!

Enjoy knitting or crochet? Would you like to learn? Join the Loose Stitches for fellowship & fun, projects & patterns!

Pre-school Storytimes with Ms. JaneJoin us every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.7th – Surprise Stories14th – Here Comes Santa21st – Christmas is Almost Here!28th – Happy New Year!

Adult Knitting Classes

The Offi cial Newsletter of the City of Columbiana September, 2009

Columbiana is on Facebook!If you are on Facebook, look for Columbiana, AL.

City of Columbiana107 Mildred StreetColumbiana, AL 35051

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