May 4, 1948, in The Star: The Calhoun County Beef Cattle Show starts tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock in the lot directly behind the City Auditorium, with many 4-H Club members exhibiting. County Agent A. S. Mathews said the show promises to be better than last year’s, with at least 15 boys and girls planning to take their exhibits to Birmingham day after tomorrow for a cattle show at the fairgrounds.
May 4, 1998, in The Star: The cycling field for the 6th annual Cheaha Century-Plus Challenge took off in the rain yesterday morning from the Piedmont Civic Center. The ride was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Mark Wiltshire, former chief of family practice at Regional Medical Center, who died with throat cancer in December at age 37. He had been “a driving force behind the Cheaha Challenge for the past three years,” said ride coordinator Dr. Barry Nichols, an Anniston veterinarian. Mark’s father, Martin Wiltshire, told the cyclists before the ride, “For those of you who never knew him, I’m sorry. Have a good ride. You’re going out in memory of a wonderful person.” Eighty cyclists registered early, and a total of 155 had done so by the time the race was ready to roll. Also this date: When Anniston public schools reopen in August, many students will be going to schools that are not only new to them, but freshly renovated as well. There are other hurdles for the system to negotiate, too. A new superintendent must be selected soon; the system faces an apparent major financial shortfall for the coming year; test score results will determine whether the system remains on academic alert; and there’s a shortage of classrooms for the rezoned elementary school students (brought on by the closure of Johnston Elementary).