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High marks

The state is recognizing the top 25 schools and the top 25 most-improved schools according to the state’s 2022-2023 school report cards, reports AL.com’s Trisha Powell Crain.

The top 25 schools receive a $2,000 cash prize. The top 25 most-improved receive $8,000 each.

At the top of the list of most-improved is the Houston County Virtual Academy followed closely by Dothan City Virtual.

Scoring grades of 100 on the report card are Brookwood Forest Elementary of Mountain Brook City Schools, Liberty Park Elementary of Vestavia Hills City Schools, Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School in Montgomery County and Mountain Brook Elementary of Mountain Brook City Schools.

A dog’s story

It’s not every day that we do a story about a dog being adopted. But this one stands out, because this black lab/pitbull mix had been at the 2nd Chance Shelter in Boaz since June 20, 2014, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.

That’s nearly 10 years of shelter living, watching families come in, select other dogs and leave.For a while she must’ve felt like she was in the Alabama prison system. Wasn’t I supposed to be out of this place by now?

But Maggie May finally had her day. On Dec. 20 she was adopted and left the shelter, finally, for home.

Don’t over-drip

If you’ve been in an area of the state that has experienced freezing weather, and you’ve been letting your faucets drip, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management is reminding you to stop your faucet from dripping once temperatures are above freezing, reports AL.com’s Leada Gore.

Seems obvious, since we all know that our pipes can handle cold water. But officials really don’t want us forgetting to cut off the water whenever we can because as pipes thaw out in your area, there will be people who have pipes bursting, and that’s already putting pressure on utilities trying to keep up with water demand.

We have another blast of cold in the state today and tonight, depending where you are, so don’t forget to bring in your plants, pets and kids.

Remembering a sandwich-shop owner

The owner of Kool Korner Sandwiches in Vestavia Hills has passed away after quite a life, reports AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz.

Ildefonso Ramirez was born in Cuba under the Batista regime. He was studying to be a doctor but left school when his dad got sick and didn’t return for financial reasons. He worked as a chemist in a rayon factory for nearly 20 years, but in came Castro and it became evident that he and his family would eventually find new horizons.

He came to the states when he was nearly 50, but it turns out he was just getting started in life. He went into the grocery business and ended up in Midtown Atlanta operating Kool Korner Grocery, although it was his Cuban sandwiches that really created a buzz. After his wife Lucia died, he moved to the Birmingham area to be closer to his son, and he opened Kool Korner Sandwiches.

Kool Korner announced his passing on Thursday. Here’s a piece of good news if you swear by Ramirez’s Cubano: He did plan to put his secret marinade recipe in his will for his son to finally know it.

Ildefonso Ramirez was 100 years old.

Robert Minchew shared this game-cam photo from where he hunts deer near Graysville. It shows a bobcat passing through earlier this week, and it appears to be, well, one hoss of a bobcat.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1974 former NFL offensive lineman Walter Jones of Aliceville.

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