By Luke Brantley
Staff Writer

By Scott Johnson
General Manager

My husband and I left a democratic run state 25 years ago. We relocated here in Alabama, where my family originally is from. We knew this state believed and was run “by the people and for the people’s” freedoms.
Those freedoms now are under siege right now by a tyrannical, bordering on communism, illegitimate regime. It's time for U.S. citizens to save our great country.

Well folks, the final Census figures are in from last year’s 2020 nose count.  The census is taken every 10 years to determine the lines and boundaries of congressional and legislative districts. However, the census reveals a lot more information about us as a state and nation than just how many of us there are.  It paints a picture of who we are as people and what we look like.

The Winfield City Council voted to adopt a new budget during its meeting on Sept. 7.
According to Winfield Mayor Randy Price, this budget marks the first time in a long time that the city will have a significant surplus in the budget.
Price said that in the past, the city has often found itself scrambling to move funds around to make sure all of the bills get paid.

College football games launched in full force earlier this month with stadiums packed full of spectors and screaming fans. High school football games and volleyball games have been taking place without restriction for a month. And from the looks of it, Hamilton will have its Buttahatchee River Fall Fest. But Mule Day has been canceled. Do we have a shared sense of reality anymore?

We cannot afford to lose jobs in Marion County. That may sound like a rather obvious statement that could apply to any city or county on the planet, but it’s one that we at the Journal Record feel needs to be said after the news that Gov. Kay Ivey plans to close Hamilton’s Aged and Infirmed facility within the next few years.
Ivey’s plan to reform prisons in Alabama involves the closing of four prisons in the state, including our own in Hamilton.

By Scott Johnson
General Manager

By Luke Brantley
Staff Writer

WINFIELD — The Winfield City Council voted to accept the proposed 2021-2022 budget during its meeting on Sept. 7, 2021. The new budget will allow the city to pay off several debts faster, pay for more paving projects and still stick some money back in savings.
“This is the eighth year I’ve prepared a budget,” said Mike Watkins, the city administrator, who created the budget and presented it to the council. “I’ve been waiting on a budget like this.”

By LOUIS MELLINI
Staff Writer

A high-speed chase ended with four men from Memphis, Tenn., being apprehended in a wooded area near Interstate 22’s Exit 22.
According to Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams, Aubrey Smith Jr., 20; Tyrez LeRick Sheton, 21; Detarius Harris, 18; and Deven D. Rolfe, 21, were all arrested and charged individually with attempting to elude, reckless endangerment and possession of marijuana.

By Scott Johnson
General Manager

By LOUIS MELLINI
Staff Writer

By Luke Brantley
Staff Writer

WINFIELD - Interim Winfield Superintendent of Education Randy Thomley says Winfield schools are in a fortunate position despite cases of COVID-19 increasing in Marion County communities.
“Since last Tuesday, Aug. 24, we’ve had 30 positive students and six positive employees,” Thomley said.
Winfield City Schools is requiring students to wear masks at all times while on the school campus. Marion County Schools have not made a mask requirement, though they are being encouraged.

By Scott Johnson
General Manager

My family moved to Winfield when I was halfway through second grade.
My dad had been hired as the youth minister at Winfield First Baptist Church, so we moved to Winfield and have been here ever since.
When we first arrived, my dad was informed of a tradition that applied to newcomers to town.
He was asked to be a pooper scooper in the annual Mule Day parade.
My family used to live in Vernon, so my parents were aware of Mule Day, but I was too young to remember it, so I was hearing of it for the first time.

To my own embarrassment, a recent event afforded me a few moments to do something I had not done in quite some time--contemplate the words and meaning of our National Anthem.
Invited to sing our anthem at the Marion County School System teacher in-service event in August, I actually listened to the words for the first time in what seemed an eternity.
As the words flowed across my lips and those in attendance stood at attention, the words had meaning like never before.

This week marks the 20th Anniversary of the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation.
It was a day in your life where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon. It changed our world.
Like most people, I thought the first plane that flew into the towering Trade Center, was an accident.
However, when the second plane hit you knew it was not pilot error.
It was traumatic and terrifying.
I asked several of our state leaders their memories of that fateful day.

By LOUIS MELLINI
Staff Writer

By Scott Johnson
General Manager

By Derek Trimm
WINFIELD CORRESPONDENT