‘We made mistakes’

Tracy Peoples (left) and Chris Hargrove (right), vice presidents of Dynamic Security Inc., who have provided security guards for the Marion County Courthouse since 2016, visited with members of the Marion County Commission and other local officials to discuss solutions and preventative measures after the Friday, Feb. 22, incident in which a security guard accidentally discharged two rounds from a handgun while on duty.

HAMILTON - Following the accidental discharge of a weapon in the Marion County Courthouse in Hamilton on Feb. 22, Chris Hargrove and Tracy Peoples, vice presidents at Muscle Shoals-based Dynamic Security Inc., who have provided security to the courthouse since 2016, visited the Marion County Commission to discuss solutions and preventative measures after the incident. 
In attendance were county commissioners Bobby Burleson and Dale Holt, sheriff Kevin Williams, 25th Judicial Circuit Judge Daryl Burt and Marion County Commission Attorney Scott Hunt.

Turnovers sink Lady Pirates

Winfield head coach Joseph Wilson (right) walks toward senior guard Andrea Harbin (10) after the final seconds ticked off the clock in Winfield’s 48-41 loss to Montgomery Academy in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A Basketball State Tournament semifinal at the Legacy Arena in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

BIRMINGHAM - Winfield suffered a heartbreaking 48-41 loss to Montgomery Academy in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Basketball State Tournament Semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the Legacy Arena in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
The Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 3A’s fourth-ranked Lady Pirates led a majority of the contest, including a three-point advantage heading into the final period of play, before suffering the seven-point loss to the state’s seventh-ranked Lady Eagles.

McKinney, Pyron named to North squad

Marion County senior Braden Pyron (2) slips through the arms of a Vina defender. Pyron was named as a wide receiver to the North All-Star Football Team.

Marion County will be well represented in the 60th Annual Alabama High School Athletic Association’s North-South All-Star Football Game on Thursday, July 18.
Winfield head football coach David McKinney was named the North’s head coach for the event at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.
“I am honored and proud for the opportunity,” McKinney said. “They told me that the North has won four years in a row, so the pressure is on.”

 

Hackleburg, Marion County, Winfield earn wins

Hamilton second baseman Dawson Morris (10) awaits the throw-down from the catcher as the Muscle Shoals runner attempts to steal second.

HACKLEBURG - Hackleburg scored early en route to an 11-5 victory over Brilliant on Thursday, Feb. 28.
The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the first inning. Brilliant evened the score in the top of the second before Hackleburg added five runs to make the score 6-1, Panthers.
Hackleburg added three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth while the Tigers crossed home plate twice in the top of the fifth.

 

Lady Aggies start season with wins

Hamilton’s Katelyn Peoples (15) ropes a double into the outfield in the Lady Aggies’ 6-1 win over Haleyville. Peoples had two RBIs in the contest.

GUIN - Hamilton toppled Marion County 17-9 in a county clash on Thursday, Feb. 28.
Hamilton scored five runs in the top of the first before Marion County trimmed the Lady Aggie lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame.
Both teams scored four runs in the second inning. The Lady Raiders tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third.

 

Recent misstep good reminder of open government

The public’s business should be done in public. We have sounded this charge time and time again over the years. In the wake of a curious situation that the Hamilton City Council was faced with, we believe it’s a great opportunity to sound this charge again.
The Hamilton council, at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19, was tasked with repealing a resolution for water department raises which it had swept through for approval at its previous meeting on Feb. 4. It then turned around and passed a clarifying resolution, correcting an error included in the previous ordinance.

Cochran pleads not guilty to capital murder

Christopher Andrew Cochran (right) is shown sitting with his defense attorney, Jim Standridge of Tuscaloosa, at a preliminary hearing held on Jan. 14.

HAMILTON - Christmas Day 2018 murder-suspect Christopher Andrew Cochran, 29, Hamilton, has plead not guilty to charges of capital murder.
The 25th Judicial Circuit Court held an arraignment hearing for Cochran on Friday, March 1, at the Marion County Courthouse in Hamilton.
Cochran’s court-appointed defense attorney, Jim Standridge of Tuscaloosa, told 25th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Daryl Burt that Cochran is pleading not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

 

Missing street signs to be replaced


(From left) Town Clerk Carla Rector, Kevin Barnwell, Eugene Marbutt, mayor Darryl Colburn and Don Barnwell of the Hackleburg Town Council unanimously agreed to replace over 100 missing street and stop signs during the Hackleburg City Council meeting on Monday, Feb. 25, at Hackleburg Town Hall.

HACKLEBURG - The Hackleburg Town Council unanimously agreed to begin replacing over 100 missing street and stop signs.
The town had recently replaced 30 stop signs that had been stolen or damaged, but now finds the need to replace other street and stop signs that have been knocked down or gone missing.
Hackleburg Mayor Darryl Colburn and Town Clerk Carla Rector suggested that not replacing the signs could come at a great cost to individuals in the community.

 

Judge rules mistrial in Cantrell case

DOUBLE SPRINGS - A Hamilton native’s trial has been dismissed due to misconduct by prosecutors, according to Winston County court records.
 On Thursday, Feb. 21, in 25th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Lee Carter granted a mistrial motion and dismissed with prejudice the case of the State of Alabama v. Jarod Chase Cantrell.
The state has a right to appeal this decision.

 

Adams, Richards inducted into hall of fame

Dennis Adams (left) of Timberline Homes, Inc. and Britt Richards (right) of Clayton Home Building Group, were both inducted into the Alabama Manufactured Housing Industry Hall of Fame at Bevill State Community College on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

HAMILTON - The Alabama Manufactured  Housing Industry (AMHI) inducted Dennis Adams, president of Timberline Homes, Inc., and Britt Richards, vice president of operations and marketing for Clayton Home Building Group, to the industry’s hall of fame during an induction ceremony at Bevill State Community College Hamilton Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 6.
“To be nominated by the members of our industry and chosen by those who have already been inducted into the hall of fame is a special honor, and it means more to me than they will ever know,” said Adams.

Winfield stylist participates in New York Fashion Week

WINFIELD - Stylist Sabrena Handley just returned from New York’s Fashion Week where she lived out one of her lifelong dreams--to work backstage at an international fashion show.
From Feb. 8-16, Handley worked side-by-side with renowned stylists and models during one of the world’s preeminent cultural gatherings. During the week, fashion designers from around the world showcase their creations to buyers, the media and the public in a series of high-profile fashion shows.

County Road 42 undergoing emergency repairs

County Road 42 is shown washing away as a result of heavy rainfall during the weekend of Feb. 23-24.

HAMILTON - Marion County Road 42 is undergoing emergency repairs after a portion of the road began to wash out from heavy rainfall.
As of presstime on Friday, March 1, the road remains closed between CR-107 and CR-98.
This portion of CR-42 was just recently re-opened after the Marion County Commission spent more than $116,000 to repair it.

 

$950 elevator switch to be replaced

HAMILTON - The Marion County Commission voted unanimously to fix the elevator switch that controls the elevator in the courthouse for a total of $950 on Tuesday, Feb. 19.
The elevator is known to have been moving very slowly and the doors have taken longer than intended to both open and close.
Marion County Commission attorney, Scott Hunt, stated that he, as well as several others, prefer to take the stairs as it is usually the quicker method to traveling as opposed to riding the malfunctioning elevator.

 

Sibley’s station open for business

Estes Jackson, 93, is shown pumping gas as the station’s first-ever customer using his first credit card in 93 years with his Chevron credit card.

HAMILTON - Jim Sibley, owner of the new Chevron gas station, invited special guests and supporters to the soft opening of the station across from the Walmart Supercenter in Hamilton on Monday, Feb. 25.
Members of the Hamilton City council, along with mayor Bob Page, were also in attendance at the brand-new gas station as food was served from the station’s “Heritage Deli.”
Before Sibley served his guests, he expressed his thanks to those who supported the building of the new station on Hamilton’s Military street.

 

World champion three-peat

The Winfield cheerleading squad captured its third-consecutive world championship at the Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8, 9 and 10. Shown are (front row, from left) Savannah Williamson, Julia Taylor, Meg Bowen, Kati Rose Hardin, Anna Kate Gruwell, Sara Beth Cotton, Olivia Burleson, Jacie Cummings, (second row, same order) Bailey Dodd, Addie Birmingham, Brooklyn Bozeman, Macy Cummings, Memory Clark, Jaken Terrell, Abi Webb, Halie Lowry, Anna Grace Sims, (back row, same order) cheer coach Sandra Seals, Lexi Welch, MaKenna Tucker, Melody Harrison, Olivia Webster, Preslee Loring and Isabella Taylor.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Winfield cheerleading squad captured its third consecutive world championship at the Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8, 9 and 10.
The squad, which also won its ninth UCA National Championship at the event, has now claimed the world crown for the large varsity non-tumbling division for three-straight years.

Final Four

Three Winfield players, along with head coach Joseph Wilson (second from right), answer questions during the postgame media session after the Lady Pirates’ 46-41 overtime victory over Lauderdale County on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Shown are (from left) freshman Emma Kate Tittle, senior Andrea Harbin, Wilson and senior C’era Beck.

HANCEVILLE - Winfield rallied from a double-digit deficit for the second-straight game to advance to Birmingham after defeating Lauderdale County 46-41 in overtime.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A Northwest Regional Final was on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Tom Drake Coliseum on the campus of Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.