By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
GUIN — Guin Elementary school has received an “A” grade from Niche, an organization that ranks schools and places to live based on statistics and survey results.
According to a release from Niche, GES scored an A in academics, an A+ for teachers and a B for diversity.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Marion County’s pay scale saga has officially come to an end after commissioners unanimously voted to implement a pay scale for all 87 county employees on Monday, Jan. 9, in Hamilton.
The short and quickly taken unanimous vote to implement the new pay scale was nothing in comparison to the months of debate over the best way to keep county employees on a regular raise schedule that encouraged long-time service as a county employee.
A turning lane is planned to be added here on State Highway 129 in Brilliant.
By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
BRILLIANT — Brilliant received just shy of $2 million in ATRIP-II funds to install turn lanes on State Highway 129 in front of the Stone Canyon Homes plant.
The turn lanes are intended to make the entrance to the plant safer, since it is located in a curve of the road, and several accidents have occurred there.
Hackleburg is set to receive just under a quarter of a million for road work and drainage improvements.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HACKLEBURG — The Town of Hackleburg has been awarded $225,000 as a part of the $40 million in state transportation funding that was awarded to cities and counties for various road and bridge projects.
The new emergency room at Northwest Regional Health is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in June.
By P.J. Gossett
General manager
WINFIELD — A new state of the art emergency room is currently under construction at Northwest Regional Health. This new emergency room will have a capacity of 10 beds and will be approximately 9,300 square feet in area, which is 6,300 square feet more than the current one.
Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies Jerard Tidwell, left, and Jordan Carter, right, take Eric Hall, middle, into custody after a foot chase.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
MARION COUNTY — Marion County law enforcement agencies were involved in a chase in slippery conditions, narrowly escaping harm on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 4.
The above photo is courtesy of the Winfield Police Department.
By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — Emergency personnel responded to a house on Woodvale Avenue in Winfield on New Year’s Day after a Toyota SUV was accidentally left in gear and rolled down a steep driveway, through the wall of a house across the street.
Police said no one was in the car, but there was one person in the house who narrowly escaped injury.
Police said the occupant of the house was about to sit on his couch but changed his mind and sat on his recliner right before the vehicle came through the wall where the couch was.
Cecil Rye
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON —Hamilton resident and World War II veteran Marvin Cecil Rye passed away last week on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the age of 98.
Rye, who was born in Detroit on Oct. 30, 1924, was one of the 13 children born to John and Millie Rye.
“It was wonderful,” Rye said about growing up with 12 brothers and sisters during an interview with the Journal Record in 2021. “We disagreed some, but we got along.”
Pictured is the area in which the remains were discovered in Hamilton off of Bexar Avenue West, east of Thompson’s Menswear and on the north side of the road.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Human remains were found on the west side of Hamilton this weekend after a resident was outdoors with their dog.
According to Hamilton Police Sergeant Scotty Chandler, the resident was chasing her escaped dog when the remains were discovered near the 600 block of Bexar Avenue West in Hamilton.
District 5 Commissioner Larry Akers stands on the playground at Brilliant Elementary, showing the area needing to be leveled.
By P.J. Gossett
General manager
HAMILTON — Recess is still an important part of the elementary school day by providing a short break from schoolwork. To keep the children as safe as possible, improvements are looking to be made at the playgrounds of both Brilliant and Guin elementary schools. Attention to ways of improvement was brought to the attention of District 5 County Commissioner Larry Akers, and he approached the Marion County Board of Education at their last meeting on Thursday, Dec. 15, to see how the two could work together to achieve the improvements.
Shown is Winfield First United Methodist Church, located at 835 Bankhead Highway in Winfield. The church has voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church over the issue of homosexuality. The church hasn’t formally changed its stance against the act, but the fact that it is being debated so fiercely has many members concerned.
By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — Winfield First Methodist Church and Bexar Methodist Church are both disaffiliating with the United Methodist Church over the issue of homosexuality.
The United Methodist Church at large has been debating what the denomination’s stance on the act should be.
Many conservative members are concerned the stance could change in favor of what they believe is a sin, while those on the more liberal side think the denomination’s stance should change to be more inclusive of the LGBT community.
Byrd Fire Department assists with two structure fires early Christmas morning.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
DETROIT — While many were wrapped up in their blankets during the intense cold weather on Christmas Eve, the Byrd Fire Department was hard at work responding to a structure fire that took place on Sunday, Dec. 24, on State Highway 19.
On the morning of Christmas Eve, the Byrd Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched by Marion County E-911 to a reported structure fire.
When the department arrived, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department stated the house was fully engulfed in flames.
Frozen water could be seen in many places on Dec. 23. Temperatures reached single digits.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Marion County got quite the cold Christmas period this past week, and while major damage was avoided for most, some major issues were caused by the cold when it came to water.
Hamilton Water and Sewer Department Manager Rodney Williams stated several residents and business owners suffered from burst pipes, leading to floods and the lack of available water for many, especially on the west end of Hamilton.
Hester Bowley turns 100.
By Amy Melson
Courtesy of the
Northwest Alabamian
HALEYVILLE — Hester Bowley, of Haleyville, celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday, Dec. 22.
The vast majority of her first hundred years have been filled by hard work and caring for others.
Hester was born in Marion County in 1922 to Floyd and Carrie Reynolds. Floyd was a native of Marion County, and Carrie, née Hand, was from Georgia. Hester was the second oldest of twelve children, nine girls and three boys.
Gilbert Butler turns 100.
By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
GUIN — Mr. Gilbert Butler of Guin, turned 100 years old on Friday, Dec. 2. Friends and family gathered in the gym at Guin First Baptist Church to celebrate his birthday.
Butler was born on Dec. 2, 1922, in the Woodville, Ala. area and grew up on a farm halfway between Scottsboro and Huntsville.
“I don’t remember much about the day I was born, but I know I was there,” Butler joked.
Butler was child number five, and had four sisters and three brothers. His parents were Robert Lee and Almira Bottoms Butler.
Eddy Posey
By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — The Winfield City Council voted during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 20, to declare a vacant seat on the council.
Councilman Eddy Posey passed away on Friday, Dec. 9, leaving an open seat on the city council.
Posey was appointed to the city council in late 2021, after Rusty Barnes, who held the seat before him, had to resign after moving outside Winfield city limits. Posey ran against Barnes for the seat in the last election and lost by a slim margin, which made Posey the council’s first choice to fill that seat.
Doc Hudson
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HACKLEBURG — The Town of Hackleburg has a tough decision to make after the death of councilman Ronnie “Doc” Hudson.
With a seat on the council now vacant, Hackleburg has a short window to bring a replacement in for Hudson.
“With Doc passing away, we’re going to have to replace a city council member,” said Mayor Darryl Colburn.
By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — Winfield City Police are investigating a crash on Highway 129 at the intersection near the new Dollar General and the old Huatulco restaurant that happened on Sunday, Dec. 18. According to Police Chief Brett Burleson, only one person was injured in the crash, the driver of the vehicle. Burleson said the accident is under investigation and that police are waiting on test results to see if the driver will be facing any charges relating to the accident.
From left, Hamilton Council Members Wade Williams, Mayor Bob Page, Matt Sims and Ross Reed look at plans for the Hamilton Track Facility. Also pictured is Hamilton City Clerk Angela Owen.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Hamilton’s new track facility now officially has the green light for construction after the Hamilton City Council unanimously voted to begin putting out bids on the project.
Phase One of the Hamilton Track Facility, located at the old Munsingware property, is estimated to cost approximately $4.7 million.
Trey Cunningham wins Bowerman award.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
COLORADO — Winfield star athlete Trey Cunningham has further etched his name in Marion County and world history books after he was presented with the Bowerman Trophy on Thursday, Dec. 15, in Colorado.
The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009 and is named after former University of Oregon Coach Bill Bowerman, is presented annually by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association to the most outstanding male and female NCAA track and field athletes in the nation.
