Also helping out with the Thanksgiving meals are, from left, Lindsey Shotts, Gena Holloway and Linda Richards.
HAMILTON — The Hamilton Methodist Church hosted its 38th annual Thanksgiving Dinner for community members unable to attend or unable to afford a family meal on Nov. 28. There were 250 plates provided to those who signed up through Fred’s Pharmacy or the church.
Wreaths Across America
MARION COUNTY — Nearly 5,000 locations held Wreaths Across America ceremonies nationwide in December, with more than 3 million wreaths placed on interred veterans graves. Shown are photos taken in Hackleburg, Hamilton, Bexar and Weston. The American Legion Sonny James Post 165 held a ceremony and wreath placement on Dec. 14 at Cedar Tree Cemetery in Hackleburg with assistance from Bikers Against Bullies NWA and BSA Troop 56 of Hamilton. Scout Troop 56 of Hamilton held a ceremony on Dec. 16 at the Marion County Courthouse with wreath placements at the city cemetery afterwards.
On the right, Samford University Head Coach Terry Bowden is shown with #25 Jamie Brown, about 1991.
Hamilton High School Alumnus Jamie Brown is set to be inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame and the Samford University Hall of Fame in 2025.
For Brown’s senior year at Samford University, under head coach Terry Bowden, the Bulldogs went 12-2 overall, making it to the semifinals of the national championship, resulting in their being number three in the nation. Brown was awarded the most knock outs of a competing team in a single season with 18.
Luke Herring, center, a senior at Hackleburg High School, has signed a track and field scholarship to attend the University of Central Arkansas. On the left is his mother, Jody Herring. His father, Kevin, is on the right.
HACKLEBURG — His goal is to train to make the U20 Canadian National World team that will compete in the World Athletics Championship in Oregon in 2026. He has many accolades. He is ranked number one in shot put, number one in hammer and number one in weight in the State of Alabama going into the 2025 track season. He is also just 17.
Bear Creek Mayor Rob Taylor stands at the break-in site, next to a sign warning any tampering with the facility is a federal offense.
BEAR CREEK — The Bear Creek Town Council had to take quick action at their Wednesday, Dec. 18, meeting, to keep the water department in operation after over $20,000 in equipment was stolen during a break-in.
“We’re working on leads, and we have some leads,” pointed out Bear Creek Police Chief Eddie Collins.
Sometime between 1-4 a.m. on Nov. 26, suspect(s) cut open a fence behind the metal facility located by two water tanks on County Highway 106, entering the property, police said.
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HAMILTON — The Marion County Commission discussed the possibility of increasing garbage pickup fees during a work session on Monday, Dec. 9.
County engineer Chris Willbanks explained during the work session that Marion County hauls the garbage it picks up from customers to a landfill in Franklin County.
That landfill has announced that it will be increasing its rates from about $40 per ton to about $65 per ton.
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HAMILTON — Most of the time lately, there seems to have been little to no audience members present for public notice hearings held prior to the Hamilton City Council meetings.
But on Monday, Oct. 21, the public showed up, stood up and spoke up. Seats in the council room were filled, with some members of the audience also having to stand along the sides of the room.
There were two different public notice hearings held back-to-back, with the first matter concerning a request for a road closing and the second addressing a request for property rezoning.
Winfield Fire Department Lieutenants Will Riley, left, and Packy Butler, are shown with diving equipment purchased with an RC&D grant.
WINFIELD — The Winfield Fire Department has purchased new scuba equipment for its diving and recovery team thanks to a $7,000 grant from the Northwest Alabama Research Conservation and Development Council.
According to Winfield firefighter Blake Farley, the new equipment will give the dive crew better capability and upgrade existing equipment.
Davis Bowen is a graduate of Winfield City High School and Jefferson State Community College. He is currently enrolled at Athens State University.
WINFIELD — Bowen Funeral Home is welcoming Davis Bowen as its new funeral director.
Bowen, who will turn 21 at the end of December, graduated from Winfield City High School in 2022.
Bowen shared that he never thought this is the direction his life would take, until he started to work at the funeral home with his dad.
“I started back when COVID started, and I was still in high school,” he said. “We weren’t in school, so I would come up here and work every once in a while, and that’s when I realized that this is what I want to do.
Garlan Gudger
MONTGOMERY — State Senator Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) was selected by the Alabama Senate Republican Caucus as their party’s nominee for the position of President Pro Tempore of the senate.
The decision was made in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3. The previous pro tem, Greg Reed, will be stepping down to accept a position in Governor Kay Ivey’s administration at the start of the new year.
Gudger was first elected to the state senate in 2018 and is on his second term.
The ATM at State Bank and Trust in Guin was broken into and an undetermined amount of money stolen Friday.
GUIN — Police responded to the scene of an ATM burglary and theft of money at State Bank and Trust in Guin in the early morning hours of Friday, Dec. 6.
“About 5:20 this morning, a white truck pulled up to the ATM,” Guin Police Chief Daryl Spencer said. “They used tools to manipulate the ATM door, then once they got the door opened, they backed the truck up and used tow hooks with a chain to jerk the vault door open using the truck. They took the money out of the ATM, and there was a getaway car that was waiting on them nearby. They left the truck at the scene.”
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HAMILTON — A two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, has claimed the life of a Laneville, Texas, woman. Shelly I. Coleman, 69, was critically injured when the 2014 GMC Yukon she was driving collided head-on with the 2016 BMW X4 driven by Eboni L. Johnson, 50, of Atlanta, Ga.
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GUIN — For 37 years, Santa’s Workshop has gifted families needing assistance in Guin, providing gifts, clothing and groceries to children and the elderly at Christmastime through the assistance of volunteer shoppers and donations from the community.
Approximately 70 families are helped annually, including 150 children and 30 elderly citizens.
Heather Bellew is the program director, and she emphasized Santa’s Workshop would not be possible without its supporters.
Free carriage rides from the “Walk of Trees” to downtown Hamilton will be sponsored by the Hamilton Area Chamber of Commerce from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.
HAMILTON — Hamilton Downtown Merchants will present a “Hometown Christmas” this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, around the courtsquare in Hamilton.
“Join us for a jolly good time,” organizers note. “Ho-ho-hope to see you there!” Festivities will take place Friday night from 6-9 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Riders arrive in 2023 for last year’s Toy Run. Some years, motorcycles have totalled more than 800, with approximately 75 antique vehicles and 2,000 attendees.
ELDRIDGE — All roads lead to Eldridge every year on the first Saturday of December for the Toy Run.
Attendees are welcome to participate in the Toy Run individually by motorcycle or vehicle or join a group ride by visiting eldridgetoyrun.com to select a nearby staging area.
Once on site at the home at 86 Academy Drive, Eldridge, AL 35554, participants are able to view all the motorcycles from groups across the state and southeast who consider the event one of the most worthy causes of the year to participate in.
Shown decorating their tree on Monday morning, Nov. 25, are (from left) Land Home Financial Services Chattel Underwriting Manager Candace Ingram and Office Manager Melissa Michaelson. Land Home was among those businesses and organizations which claimed a tree early and decorated it well ahead of the Dec. 6 deadline for lighting and the start of voting.
HAMILTON — Last year’s inaugural “Walk of Trees” put on by the chamber and city was a grand success.
The second annual event is now gearing up for another fantastic year. The trees have been set up, and businesses and organizations are beginning to decorate them.
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MARION COUNTY — Alabama's 2024 school report cards were released Friday, Nov. 22, and schools in the Marion County School System and the Winfield City School System mostly showed overall improvement. The MCSS has a three-point improvement over last year with a grade of 87, and WCSS has a one-point improvement with a grade of 94.
Marion County Schools Superintendent Ann West says she is pleased with the overall scores.
Parker Spann has had a 60-year career as P.A.
WINFIELD — Winfield City Schools recognized Parker Spann for being the voice of the Winfield Pirates for over 60 years on Friday night, Nov. 15, just before the Pirates’ second round playoff game.
“It was a surprise to me, but it was very much appreciated,” Spann said.
Spann graduated from Winfield City High School in 1953, lettering in football, basketball and baseball.
Spann said his family moved from just outside Winfield into town in 1945, the same year Coach Estes Hudson came to town.
Hamilton Fire & Rescue recently signed with Safety Cloud® to enhance road safety and protect first responders.
HAMILTON —In an effort to enhance road safety and protect first responders, Hamilton Fire & Rescue is now integrating HAAS Alert's Safety Cloud® digital alerting into their fire apparatus. This collision prevention service enables the delivery of real-time alerts to Alabama drivers when emergency services are active in the vicinity.
