With construction set to begin on the Cleburne County Emergency Medical Service headquarters building in Heflin, the Cleburne County Hospital Board increased the project budget by $15,000 Thursday. The board, which manages EMS and the Cleburne County Nursing Home, approved construction of bedrooms in the building at its March meeting and allocated $22,500 toward the project. However, in light of the damage wrought by the Moore, Okla., tornado, Tracy Lambert, interim director of EMS and a board member, asked if the board would consider adding a storm shelter in the building. “We’ve got to make sure our guys are protected,” Lambert said. The original plans for the building included concrete walls for the bathrooms which would allow them to double as a storm shelter, Lambert said. Lambert said his cousin, Robby Brown, does poured-concrete construction and would donate his labor for the project. However the materials and the pump truck would add about $7,000 to the cost of the project, he said. In addition, there was more work that needed to be done to close in the bedrooms to shelter them from the truck exhaust, Lambert said. All the added work would increase the cost of the project to about $37,500, Lambert said. “I’m trying to be extremely conservative on this,” Lambert said. The board voted unanimously to increase the scope of the project. Construction is scheduled to begin next week, Lambert said. In other business the board: — Voted to purchase two ambulances. The low bidder was Florida-based Quality Emergency Vehicles with bids of $76,897 for a 2013 model and $77,802 for a 2014 model. Locally owned Buster Miles had submitted an incorrect bid. Buster Miles bid was for a box-type ambulance, while the board had requested bids for van-type ambulances. However, the board members wanted to support a local business and they voted unanimously to accept the 2013 bid and to purchase from Buster Miles if the company came in with a lower bid. Lambert said after the meeting that he had discovered that it could conflict with Alabama’s bid law to accept a late bid from Buster Miles. He said the board had no recourse but to go with Quality Emergency Vehicles. — Unanimously accepted a bid from Emergency Services Insurance Program for property and casualty insurance for $17,130 for the year. The new coverage would start in June. — Heard that the nursing home had changed its door lock codes and added a doorbell to the front door to alert staff to let them in. Staff writer Laura Camper: 256-463-2872. On Twitter @LCamper_Star.

Shaquan Gay, TyDarious Williams and Mauricieco Massey huddled around their parked car, straightening their cardinal red graduation robes and grinning from ear to ear. Behind them, Anniston High School’s Lott-Mosby stadium buzzed with excitement. Bouquets of balloons held by proud parents rose from the bleachers, and white chairs with red ribbons lined the football field under stadium lights. “We finally made it,” Williams said. “Hard work, it’ll get you here. We made it,” Massey echoed. “I’m glad.” “I can’t wait,” Gay added, smiling. Anniston High School’s Class of 2013 graduated Thursday night, as did its counterparts at Oxford and Saks High Schools. All three ceremonies were held at the schools’ respective football stadiums, and graduates accepted their diplomas in front of packed stands. It was graduation night for many other area schools as well. In Anniston, seniors stood in small groups, taking pictures and adjusting mortarboards and tassels. “I’m going to cry,” Chiquita Stewart said. “It’s emotional. School was fun…I’m going to miss JROTC the most.” For Stewart’s friend Carlisha Motley, graduation evoked contradictory feelings. “It’s going to be emotional,” she said, adding, “I’m excited. I’m ready.” Ambriyana Taylor was excited to begin the coming year. “I’m ready to see what the future holds at Troy University,” she said. Taylor is not the only new alumni from Anniston High who is excited about the future. Marquez Colbert is eager to start his baseball career at Tuskegee University. “We’re going to be the best class that’s ever come out of Anniston,” he said proudly. Trevekio Roberts will also begin his college career playing sports as a member of the Huntington College football team. “For myself, I made a name,” he said. “I’m going to college.” School administrators scrambled to organize the graduates, but also took the time to appreciate the significance of the event. “Graduation is always a great night,” said Becky Brown, Anniston High School’s librarian. “It’s fun to see them make it and excel.” In Oxford, family and friends of the graduates squeezed into Lamar Field’s packed stands. Rhonda Hubbert Abbott, Oxford High Class of 1970, sat with OHS Class of 2009 graduate Savannah Cooper. The two came to see Abbott’s niece and Cooper’s sister, Betsy Cooper, walk across the field. Terry and Lisa Jones also braved the heat to support their daughter, Krista, who is planning to pursue a degree in nursing after graduation. “We’re very excited. This is a great class,” Jones said. At 7 p.m., the OHS Class of 2013 marched across the field, one after the other wearing black robes and gold stoles. Most of the seniors stared straight ahead and fought smiles as they passed by the whoops and cheers of the audience. An hour later, a single silver star-shaped balloon escaped the crowd and floated into the night sky as the graduates of Saks High School began to wend their way down from the school onto Jack Stewart Field. While the graduates hid smiles, parents could not contain their excitement. Francis Robertson, who came to see her granddaughter, Tiffany Dover, graduate, was one of them. “This is the last grandchild to graduate. We’ve had three graduate here and one in Oxford. She’s graduating with honors and in the top 10 of her class,” Robertson said. Monica Lee, armed with flowers and balloons, was proud to see her stepdaughter, Jennette Russell, accept her diploma. Russell plans to begin cosmetology school after graduation. “It’s beautiful and wonderful,” Lee said. Saks seniors fidgeted in folding chairs on the field, crossing and uncrossing their legs and fanning themselves with paper programs. Senior class vice president Kendra Prater stepped up to the microphone to introduce class president Mitchell Goodwin. “I’m introducing the president of the United…school,” she said, clapping her hands to her mouth. “Not yet,” Goodwin said. The audience roared just as loudly as if he were.

JACKSONVILLE — At least two major construction projects are now feasible here following the City Council’s authorization Thursday of the issuance of $17,890,000 in general obligation warrants. Roughly $13,915,000 of the money is designated to be used for the construction of a public safety complex, which will contain a jail, a police department, a municipal court, a fire department and might contain city hall. The remaining $3,975,000 has been promised to the Jacksonville City School System, which plans to use the money to help build at least one new school. “This is the big approval,” said Lee Birehall, a bond attorney who is working with the city. “They will have the money in the bank on the 29th.” Birehall presented paperwork at the Jacksonville City Council meeting Thursday evening for city officials to sign. Jacksonville leaders have been planning to build a public safety complex for three years and more than a year ago they passed a one-cent sales tax increase to generate money to pay the warrant debt, but until Thursday the officials hadn’t taken the requisite step for securing the money needed to build the complex and the new school. The next task in the process will be to obtain an estimated cost for the safety complex, a task that’s expected to be complete within the next four weeks, officials said. Whether city hall is able to relocate to the new complex will hinge on the results of that estimate, officials said. The estimate will also determine if the school system is able to build one, or two, new schools, they added. City officials have said they might be able to give more than $4 million to the school system if the safety complex estimate is less than they expect it to be. If so, the school board might be able to build two schools — an elementary school and a middle school. If not, officials have said they will likely scrap plans to build a middle school, but that they would still build a new elementary school, Superintendent Jon Paul Campbell said. “Once they have that information, we’ll be able to move forward,” Campbell said. Staff writer Laura Gaddy: 256-235-3544. On Twitter @LJohnson_Star.