Bowen reappointed to city school board

Tommy Bowen is reappointed to the Winfield City School Board of Education.

WINFIELD — The Winfield City Council voted 3-1 in favor of reappointing Tommy Bowen to the Winfield City Board of Education during its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 4, as recommended by the school board.
“Mr. Thomley and the entire board recommended to the mayor and city council to reappoint Tommy for another term,” Board of Education Chairman James Garner said. “Tommy has proven to be a valuable asset for our school system and has always put our students’ needs first.

New pediatric clinic opening at Northwest Regional

WINFIELD — Northwest Regional Health is pleased to announce Mackenzie Hill Doherty, pediatric nurse practitioner, will begin seeing patients in her new clinic on Monday, April 24. The clinic will be located behind the emergency room at 200 Carraway Drive, Suite 2, in Winfield.
“We are very excited to have Mackenzie join us here at NRH,” says Keri Moody, chief operating officer.  

Early morning tornado leaves behind destruction

An early morning tornado batters the northeastern part of Marion County, between Hackleburg and Bear Creek, Saturday. What is left of the residence of Eugene and Tracy Marbutt on Chalk Mine Road is shown above.

After early Saturday’s major storm, north Marion County has now suffered two tornadoes in just a week.
Just as the county was catching its collective breath from last week’s tornado weather, Marion County was hit by yet another storm system that brought with it another tornado, this one making it to an EF-1.
According to the National Weather Service, the tornado began at 2:32 a.m. on Saturday morning just east of County Highway 348, three miles south southwest of Hackleburg.

Hamilton re-ups on rodeo sponsorship

HAMILTON — The City of Hamilton has made the decision to yet again sponsor the Marion County Stampede during its second annual rodeo to be held in Hamilton.
The city will sponsor the event in the amount of $5,000.
Marion County Stampede organizer Matt McCracken was in attendance during the Hamilton City Council meeting to ask for sponsorship.
He also met with the Marion County Commission and Hamilton Kiwanis Club earlier that day.

Winfield eighth graders develop app

Ivey Blake Sims, left, and Lily Parks, right, show the app they have developed and will go to state competition for later this month.

WINFIELD — Two Winfield Middle School students are headed to Montgomery later this month to compete in front of a state convention and Governor Kay Ivey as part of The Governor’s App Challenge.
The Governor’s App Challenge is a statewide computer programing competition for Alabama students. According to the web page for the challenge, “The goal of the challenge is to allow more students to gain recognition for their mastery and application of computer programming and design.”

Local library helps citizens by offering free classes

Those interested in taking free technology classes at the Winfield Public Library can scan this code to be taken to a survey on which class topics they want to see.
Local library helps citizens by offering free classes

WINFIELD — Technology can be frustrating to some people. To those who have never had the opportunity before, using programs, phones and the internet can be challenging. Now with a full staff, the Winfield Public Library has seen the need for technology classes and has been offering them for free.

County makes huge drug arrest

Tommy Sprinkle, left, and Tanya Hamilton, both of Brilliant, were arrested on multiple drug-related charges.

BRILLIANT — The Marion County Sheriff’s Department has made two big arrests this last week in their quest to make Marion County safer by getting drugs off of the streets.
Tommy Shane Sprinkle, 44, and Tanya Hamilton, 46, both of Brilliant, were arrested on Wednesday, March 22.

County suffers storm damage

MARION COUNTY — Marion County was hit by severe weather yet again this weekend, with many fearing the worst after reports that a tornado damaging much of Amory, Miss., was heading close to home.
Just as storm winds made their way to the county line, the tornado dissipated, but straight-line winds continued to cause damage and power outages across the county late Friday night.
Marion County Emergency Management Agency Director Eric Terrell stated many in Marion County suffered from property damage as well as downed trees and power lines.

Hamilton makes major $860,000 sewer repair

Pictured is the sewer lift station located behind Bevill State Community College in Hamilton.

HAMILTON — The City of Hamilton is prepared to spend approximately $860,000 on a major sewer renovation project following a unanimous vote from the city council on Monday, March 20.
According to Hamilton Water and Sewer Department Manager Rodney Williams, a lift pump located behind Bevill State Community College is in a state of major deterioration and affects many major locations on Hamilton’s Military Street.
“This lift station is right behind Bevill State Community College. It’s our biggest lift station that we have on our sewer system,” said Williams.

Bridge dedicated to two Marion County coaches

Family members of the late Coach Billy Raper and the late Coach Alton “Monk” Romine unveil the sign naming the County Highway 79 bridge near Twin Forks Park in Bear Creek in memory of the two coaches.

BEAR CREEK — Two Marion County Schools coaches/
teachers who left a legacy behind for future generations have been honored by renaming the bridge over Bear Creek on County Highway 79  in their honor.

Lights permanently removed in Hamilton


Shown is the intersection of First Avenue and U.S. Highway 43 in Hamilton, now without its notorious traffic lights.
HAMILTON — The bell has finally tolled for Hamilton’s First Avenue traffic lights after the Alabama Department of Transportation permanently removed them on Friday, March 17. Hamilton used yellow caution lights in place of typical traffic lights on the street for a trial run this past month.

Hackleburg Panthers are county champions


Hackleburg Panthers are, front row from left, Jakoby Bruns, Kross Weeks, Chandler Benford, Gavin Heggy, Carson Swinney, JaQuan Reeder, Cameron Ingram and Maddox Vickery. Back row, Alan Slusher, Jon McKinney, Payton Scott, Edge Weeks, Jayce Ables, Blaise Vickery, Ross Hudson, Drew Williams, Abe Morgan, Aydan Beard, Braiden Godwin, Jaxon Fincher, Brynn McGuire and Rynn McGuire.
HACKLEBURG — The Hackleburg Panthers were crowned the Marion County Champions after beating Winfield, Marion County and Hamilton on home turf on Saturday, March 11.

Marion County back in C3


Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance (C3) CEO Tom Wisemiller speaks to Marion County Commissioners during a meeting.
HAMILTON — Marion County is back in the Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance (C3) after commissioners voted to rejoin the economic development group lead by CEO Tom Wisemiller.