Jail committee taking shape

HAMILTON - The Marion County Commission selected names for the Marion County Jail Committee during a special-called meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the commission office in Hamilton.
Commissioners present during the meeting were chairman Tim “Ears” Estes, Bobby Burleson, Dale Holt and Kenneth Cochran. Commissioner Keith Nichols was absent.
The committee will feature several members of the Marion County Community.
The members of the committee are as follows:

 

Diesel mechanics course now offered at Brilliant School


Taylon Lothrop installs a window regulator on an 18-wheeler at Brilliant High School on Thursday, Sept. 26.

BRILLIANT - Students in the Marion County School system now have the opportunity to take a dual enrollment diesel mechanics class that could put them in the driver’s seat to a well-paying job in the future.
The class is being hosted at Brilliant High School and is a partnership between Bevill State Community College-Hamilton and the Marion County School System.

City buying police safety equipment


Hackleburg Police Chief Jeremy Marbutt addresses the Hackleburg Town Council during a meeting held on Monday, Oct. 14.

HACKLEBURG - The Hackleburg Town Council unanimously approved of the purchase of various safety equipment items for the Hackleburg Police Department during a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 14, at the Hackleburg Town Hall.
Hackleburg Police Chief Jeremy Marbutt was present to address the council about the needs of the department during the meeting.
One of the key needs Marbutt discussed for the department was an Active Shooter Kit for five of the police cars in the department.

 

Marion Co. rancher hosts world-traveling cattle breeders

WHITEHOUSE COMMUNITY - Santa Gertrudis cattle breeders from around the world stopped off in Marion County on Sunday, Oct. 6, to see how one local breeder succeeds in his enterprise.
Delmo Payne played host to 35 Santa Gertrudis cattle breeders taking part in the annual Santa Gertrudis World Congress.
Payne’s headquarters for his Grandview Farms was the third stop along a 16-day tour of nine ranches that began in Alabama on Oct. 4 and ended in Kingsville, Texas, on Oct. 19.  

4th annual trunk-or-treat set for Oct. 26

HAMILTON - Dress up the kids and grab a bag.
NTN-Bower in Hamilton will be hosting its third annual “trunk-or-treat” Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Event coordinator Jason Price said they are expecting as many as 1,500 people to attend the event.
The event is open to everyone and will kick off at 7 p.m. and for an entire hour treat-or-treaters will be able to go from car to car to gather bag-fulls of candy.

Turkey, ham fundraiser cooking up

HAMILTON - The Hamilton Kiwanis Club will once again sell smoked Thanksgiving turkeys as a fundraiser, but this year the club will also offer smoked half-hams.
A 10-12 pound turkey or a half-ham, both smoked and ready to heat, can be purchased from any Kiwanis member from now until Monday, Nov. 18.
The group will use the proceeds from the smoked turkey fundraiser to make its annual donation to Christmas for Kids and to fund and prepare the club’s Christmas food baskets for the needy.

Transplant gave Roden the gift of life, fatherhood

HAMILTON - The Marion County Probate Judge’s office is being recognized for its improvement in registering motorists to be organ donors.
Legacy of Hope, a Birmingham-based organ procurement organization, announced the local probate office as the second most improved department of motor vehicle (DMV) offices in the state.
The organization held a special reception for the local probate office and staff on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Marion County Courthouse in Hamilton.

County recognized for improved organ-donor rates

HAMILTON - The Marion County Probate Judge’s office is being recognized for its improvement in registering motorists to be organ donors.
Legacy of Hope, a Birmingham-based organ procurement organization, announced the local probate office as the second most improved department of motor vehicle (DMV) offices in the state.
The organization held a special reception for the local probate office and staff on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Marion County Courthouse in Hamilton.

14th Annual Buttahatchee River Fall Fest set for Oct. 26

HAMILTON - The Hamilton Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 14th Annual Buttahatchee River Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 26, in downtown Hamilton.
The fall festival, which will officially kick off at 9 that morning, is a family-friendly event and there is no charge for admission.
This year’s festival will be as jam-packed with fun for the whole family as it has been in the past, according to Hamilton chamber president Lacy Williams.

All city employees receive 25¢ raise

WINFIELD - The Winfield City Council voted to approve a 25 cents per-hour raise for all Winfield city employees  at the council’s Tuesday, Oct. 1, meeting. The raise affected all full-time and part-time employees and went into effect the next pay period.
City administrator Mike Watkins presented the city’s 2019-2020 budget to the council for approval which factored in the raise.
Winfield Mayor Randy Price chose to hold two separate votes on the raise and the budget approval.