Game Art, Runners, and don't trip carrying a rifle on a bridge

Gameday Art
Local Helena artist Scott Thigpen created a hip piece of art for a the Alabama football team. You can see it up close at this link: Thigpen Designs

A city of runners
Below are the results of Helenites who were in the recent Red Nose Run in 5k & 10 Miles runs. In case you are in the mood for a run this weekend then check out the Snowball Run this Saturday at 8am at the Evangel Gym 423 Thompson Road Alabaster, AL. You can still register here at the active link: ECCS Snowball Run

Here is the Red Nose results:

Red Nose Run 5k Jan 7th 2012
Helenites and their rank in age group:

4th Alyssa Scott
5th Jordan Payne
1st Ryan Scott
10th Wyspr Black
24th Layla Varvoutis
2nd Andrew Varvoutis
7th Stephen Hill
20th Shannon Williamon
38th Heather Sharer
44th Melisaa Dunaway
45th Anegela Payne
7th Samuel Kent
16th Jamie Scott
16th Darren Payne
6th Karen Jambusarwalla
11th Lisa Sims

Red Nose Run 10 Mile Jan 7th 2012

13th Angel Tillman
50th Malerie Huguley
37th Lindy Tubbs
45th Jason McCormick
6th Brooke Dodson
27th Gabe Whited
36th Rebecca Clark
33rd Eddie Bauer
48th Robert Harrison

Helena History
Sorry for being late for this post. I have been under the weather (so to say). I didn't have much to write about so I started pulling up the historic records to find two articles

Accidental Death
Ala., Sept. 19 1896 — Richard Cobb, son of ex-Governor R. W. Cobb, was accidentally shot and probably fatally wounded this morning. He was walking across a bridge when he stumbled. The rifle he was carrying was discharged, the ball passiuß through his lungs.

Ok Encyclopedia Brown, this one seems to be a 116 year old puzzler. The only bridge that I know they had in Helena was the one by the waterfall. It could have been a railbridge which makes seems if you were hunting out there but they would have mentioned it being a railbridge. At this time his father, former Alabama Governor,  had just finished up a stint as the president of the Central Iron Works at Helena and was serving as an attorney for the Louisville and Nashville Railway. No word if someone was with him who saw him stumble or if that rifle could have flipped and fired while pointed at his chest. I couldn't find anymore info about the the man or the incident.
To add to this mystery, in the History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 3 by Thomas McAdory Owen, and Marie Bankhead Owen stated that  Governor Cobb had only one son, "Richard C who went west several years ago Last residence Birmingham". So what really happened? 

BOLL-WEEVIL DESTROYER
Everyone who has taken Alabama History knows about the Boll Weevil, and King Cotton. Samuel J. Patton from Helena submitted a patent because he had "invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boll Weevil Destroyers of which the following is a specification My invention relates to a device adapted for capturing and destroying boll weevils and like insects which injure or destroy plants".

 It looks like a you would move this forerunner of  lawnmower across the plants and it would shake the weevil off and capture them in a trap. Unfortunately it didn't happen, so I guess the Weevil wobbled but they didnt fall down.

Found Dog
Phillip found this dog off Roy Drive at Jenkins MH park (I am unfamiliar with the location, does anyone else know it?). If you are the owner then let me know and I will pass along Phillips email.

PS Jewelry Show
I was just about to click post but Karen messaged me and said, "local Park Lane Jewelry vendors at LaReunion this Thursday from 6-8. I suggested the location and need warm bodies to show her Helena was a better choice than her neighborhood clubhouse". Swing by Thursday and say Hi.

Ok, I know I kinda threw this post together, you can tell by the scattershot format but I was able to get it up before 10:30am at least. I should start writing tomorrow's post but it is almost time for the nyquil bottle...