GLEN ALLEN — He was only 20 and out for the summer from the University of West Alabama in Livingston when he went to check on his draft status.
You see, the Vietnam War was underway, and Billy Mack Spann of Winfield knew his time would come.
“They said, ‘You’re next’ and sure enough, when I got back home, I had my draft notice,” he noted. “I knew I was going to Vietnam, because that was the hottest part of the conflict.”

Program will be Army Sergeant Major James “J.O.” Duke.
HAMILTON — We’d like to remind all veterans and their families of the “Third Annual Marion County Veterans Day Program” on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bevill Business & Community Center on the campus of Bevill State Community College-Hamilton at 1333 Military St. S., Hamilton, AL 35570.

Brilliant man arrested for threatening students
BRILLIANT — A Brilliant man was arrested for threatening two Brilliant High School students through social media on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24.
“There (were students who were) threatened by someone who was not a student,” said Brilliant Police Chief Robert Snow. “Due to the timing and nature of the threats, they put the school on lockdown. We responded, and the sheriff’s department came with us. We found the guy who was making the threats away from the school, and he was arrested.”

WINFIELD — Winfield City Schools broke ground on its new football and track stadium facility, which will also include a new softball concession stand, on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Members of the school board and city council joined with football coach David McKinney, track and field coach Steve Reaves and long-time supporter of Winfield athletics Parker Spann at the site as ground work begins for the new complex.
The new complex was first approved last year and will include a new football field, a new track and a new concession stand for the softball field.

HAMILTON — Before the Oct. 7 Hamilton City Council meeting, those present heard from Seth Dawson of Dawson Philanthropy, concerning his organization’s ongoing efforts to help with relief efforts in hurricane-devastated areas in Florida and North Carolina.
He said his organization would be taking supplies to the areas in full knowledge that boats would possibly be needed to get them delivered to those in need. He also stressed his team members would be keeping safety in mind as they went to help “our brothers and sisters in the south.”

HAMILTON — During its Monday, Sept. 16, meeting, members of the Hamilton City Council heard from Water Department Manager Rodney Williams regarding several updates of ongoing projects.
• Regarding the County Road 49 project, where the city is working to obtain a backup water supply, Williams said he had received confirmation from ADEM that a grant would be awarded for $162,175 to tie in with the Marion County Water Authority system.

HAMILTON — The Hamilton City Council recently authorized the purchase of 6.03 acres of land located across from the Hamilton Track Complex to be used for additional parking.
Known as the Lawhon property, funds totalling $126,630 were paid for the land on County Highway 42.
Approximately $66,630 of the monies came from the city’s general fund, with the remainder of $60,000 coming out of the city’s capital improvement fund account.
Other council business on Sept. 16 included the following:

HAMILTON — Christmas for Kids has returned for another year in Hamilton and will aim to help kids in the community this holiday season. The organization is ready to take applications beginning in November.
The charity, started in 1985, will begin its 39th year this November. Individuals donate money to the charity, and they in turn help children in Hamilton and Marion County by purchasing clothes and other items for families.
To date, the organization has raised $970,066.96 for kids. Gifts have been donated to 12,965 children since the program began.

GUIN — Marion County High School student Karston Cook is currently undergoing cancer treatment at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and there are several ways anyone can help.
Cook, a 17-year-old junior at Marion County High School, was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a form of soft tissue cancer, in September.