AREA NEWS IN BRIEF

Gym opening Hartselle location

HARTSELLE — Bender’s Gym will hold an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at its new location at 1309 Alabama 31 North.

A neighbor of Kentucky Fried Chicken, this is the second Bender’s in area, joining the Decatur location. Owner Amanda Bender said the new gym will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will feature Nautilus, Precore, Byvex and Magnum exercise machines and free weights.

Members will get unlimited tanning and access to a full range of fitness classes, including Body Pump.

Bayne Hughes

Bama fans win blood drive

Alabama fans continued their dominance at the annual rivalry blood drive for the Morgan-Lawrence County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Crimson Tide supporters donated 39 pints compared to 24 by Auburn fans. It was the 12th straight year Alabama won.

The drive normally occurs on the Thursday before the football game, but was moved up a week because the drive would have fallen on Thanksgiving.

Donations were down to 63 pints this year, compared to 80 in 2006.

Paul Huggins

Church to break ground for addition

Point Mallard Parkway Baptist Church will have groundbreaking Sunday at noon for an education building.

The two-story addition will have 13,220 square feet and 23 classrooms. It is the first phase of a construction plan that will also include a new sanctuary.

The congregation is 120 years old and was originally named Antioch Baptist Church.

Melanie Smith

Man allegedly fires air rifle at daughter

A man allegedly fired an air rifle at his 11-year-old daughter during an argument, Decatur police said Friday.

The child was not injured, said Lt. Dennis Hughes, a police spokesman.

Hughes said the 44-year-old father allegedly became angry “because his daughter refused to leave the cat outside during a rain storm” Wednesday evening.

The man’s wife reported the incident to police, who were called to a local elementary school Thursday afternoon because the woman refused to leave the premises with her daughter, Hughes said.

Police went to the man’s home in the 800 block of Fourth Avenue Southeast and arrested him on a charge of domestic violence reckless endangerment, Hughes said.

Seth Burkett

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