HAMILTON -  David Thornell, president and chief executive officer of the Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance (Northwest Alabama EDA), addressed the Marion County Commission to provide an update on potential business and answer questions from commissioners during a regular meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the commission office in Hamilton.

HAMILTON -  The driver of a live fish transport truck crossed the median going east-bound on I-22 and collided with an 18-wheeler, a collision that caused a fire and resulted in the fish truck driver losing his left arm.
Matt McCracken with Hamilton Fire and Rescue arrived at the two 18-wheeler collision near exit 11 on I-22 at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, in Hamilton.
“On arrival we found that a live fish transport truck had crossed the median and struck an 18-wheeler hauling shingles,” said McCracken.

HAMILTON - City officials in Hamilton are talking trash, specifically about the need for a new garbage truck—a move which could require customers to own a wheeled garbage can purchased from the city.

WINFIELD - A number of system projects are being specifically highlighted during Winfield City Schools’ 2019-2020 school year.
The Winfield City Board of Education approved the system’s 2019-2020 school year capital plan during its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
Winfield Superintendent of Education Chris Cook presented the plan, saying that resurfacing the track was the system’s number-one priority.

WINFIELD - Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, attended the Winfield City Board of Education’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13, where he was asked to give a legislative update.
The representative obliged, noting he was attending the meeting just to listen and visit with friends.
“We’re not letting you get off that easy,” said board member James Garner with a laugh.
Estes said the 2019 legislative session was very productive and passed a $7.1 billion education budget.

HAMILTON - In order to increase attendance rates, the Marion County Board of Education (MCBOE) has declared the month of September as School Attendance Month. The declaration came during the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 20, meeting.
MCBOE Supervisor Patrick Sutton made the announcement before presenting some alarming statistics to the board and suggesting ways to curb truancy and chronic absenteeism in Marion County schools.  

An upcoming gas tax increase may go virtually unnoticed due to gas prices gradually falling over the last month.
“With the prices going downward, we won’t notice it as much,” said Birmingham-based American Automobile Association (AAA) spokesperson Clay Ingram. “Having it this time of year is better than doing it in the spring when prices would already be increasing.”
Alabama’s gas will increase 6 cents beginning Sunday, Sept. 1, raising the state’s gas tax from 18 cents to 24 cents per gallon. Tax on diesel will increase from 19 cents to 25 cents per gallon.

GUIN - “I’ve gotten so used to driving here, my car just automatically turns toward Guin to get here,” said Gay Green, who is marking 45 years as a nurse at Sunset Manor Nursing Home in Guin.
“I come down here so much from Pea Ridge. This is just my second home,” she said, her laughter echoing through the lobby of the nursing home that was built five years before she started working there.
Green, 66, has worked at Sunset Manor since June 1974 and is considered an asset among the staff, said the nursing home’s owner and administrator, Lance Junkin.

TWIN - “Grandad, I’m up here in jail in Jasper.”
This is how a scam phone call began which was on its way to successfully cheating a Marion County couple out of $1,000.
Smithie Weeks, who is a councilwoman for the Town of Twin, says she wants to share her and her husband’s experience as she believes other seniors may be targeted.
On July 30, Weeks, 78, said she walked in to find her husband, James,  80, in mid-conversation over the phone with someone claiming to be their 21-year-old grandson, Caleb, who lives in Atlanta, Ga.

WINFIELD - Northwest Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Bob Henger appeared before the Winfield City Council at its Tuesday, Aug. 20, meeting to give an update on the hospital.
Henger, who came out of retirement two months ago to run the hospital, appeared before the council at the request of councilman Chris Ballard. Ballard has been requesting an appearance from the CEO for a few weeks. Henger was scheduled to appear at the Aug. 6 meeting but missed due to surgery.  

The following garbage pickup schedules have been announced in connection with the Labor Day holiday on Monday, Sept. 2: