WINFIELD - Culminating a nearly three-month-long search, the names of the five candidates under consideration for the Winfield Superintendent of Education position were released at a board work session on Tuesday, Oct. 9.
The Alabama Association of School Boards has assisted the Winfield Board of Education in its  search for a new superintendent since Tuesday, July 17.

HACKLEBURG - The status of Hackleburg Police Chief Kenny Hallmark came to a head during the Monday, Oct. 8, Hackleburg Town Council meeting.
Councilman Eugene Marbutt addressed a few points he had concerning Hallmark’s role on the Hackleburg Police Department.    
On Sept. 19 the Florence Times Daily reported that the Russellville City Council voted to approve School Resource Officer (SRO) contracts with “retired police officers Sammy Washington and Kenny Hallmark.”

HAMILTON - The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board of Trustees left three Marion County residents unrecognized during a public meeting last week after an initial commitment to give them an opportunity to speak.
The Bevill State Community College (BSCC)-Hamilton Campus Legislative Advisory Task Force for Education traveled to the ACCS main building in Montgomery on Wednesday, Oct. 11, to attend the ACCS’ board meeting that morning.

HAMILTON - An Open Records Act lawsuit against 49 Alabama county sheriffs—including Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams—has been dismissed.
At the beginning of this year, the Atlanta-based Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR) and the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice sued the Alabama sheriffs after the officials refused to release inmate meal finance records.
The advocacy groups sought to compel the sheriffs to produce the records, which the Alabama Sheriffs Association argues were not public records at all.

HAMILTON - As of Sept. 1, Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams is temporarily no longer personally financially responsible for feeding his inmates.
In July, Gov. Kay Ivey directed the state comptrollers office to no longer deposit jail food money into personal accounts of Alabama sheriffs and instead, deposit it into official county accounts.

HAMILTON - An inmate in the Hamilton Work Release Center escaped and was then recaptured on Friday, Oct. 12.
According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, Richard Bernard Talis, 34, left from his assigned job location at approximately 7:50 a.m.

Recently the Journal Record has reported about two local municipal governments not following the law as established by the State of Alabama in The Alabama Open Meetings Act.
In the Sept. 26 edition of the Journal Record, we reported that the Guin City Council did not follow the protocol that is required after an executive session has ended.
In the Sept. 5 edition, we published a story about the Hackleburg Town Council using a group text among council members to discuss town business in lieu of an open work session.  

Since this is Alabama vs. Tennessee week and we have a governor’s race in three weeks, allow me to share “The Story of Shorty Price.”

Hamilton Police Dept.

HAMILTON - The following arrests and activities were reported by the Hamilton Police Department for the period of Oct. 2-8:
Incident, offense cases
One each for third-degree domestic violence, first-degree theft by deception and possible elder abuse.
Citations, Arrests

HAMILTON - ‘Tis the season for Christmas for Kids to partner once again with the Marion County Department of Human Resources and Christ Community Fellowship to help distribute hundreds of Christmas gifts to children in need.
Officially launching in 1985, the charity is celebrating 34 years of generosity this year.
Prior to 2014, Christmas for Kids was helping provide Christmas gifts to children throughout Marion County courtesy of donations received from county and area residents.

HAMILTON - The following couples obtained marriage licenses during the month of  September at the Marion County Probate Judge’s office:
Sept. 4 - Alexander Jack Wylie, 56, Smithville, Miss., and Myra Sue Guthery, 56, Smithville, Miss.;
Sept. 5 -  Hunter Drake Rhudy, 22, Guin, and Allison Paige Webb, 23, Guin;
Sept. 6 - Jaylen Dwan Anthony, 20, New Albany, Miss., and Kerri Ann Griffin, 18, New Albany, Miss.;

HAMILTON - The Independent candidate for Marion County District 2 Commissioner has announced that he will not be suspending his campaign following a severe health emergency.

Next month’s General Election will also decide the fate of four proposed state constitutional amendments--whether they will be written into the state’s constitution or be discarded.
Amendment 1 would authorize the display of the Ten Commandments on state, school or public property. The proposed amendment would also prohibit spending public funds to try to prove that the public display of the Ten Commandments is unconstitutional.

Don’t be caught unprepared when exercising your right to vote in the Tuesday, Nov. 6, general election.
Voters have until Monday, Oct 22, to register to participate in the U.S. midterm election.
Registering to vote
Residents can register to vote online by visiting alabamavotes.gov.
Marion County Registrar Hoyt McMillan noted that those who wish to register in this fashion, must have a valid Alabama driver’s license.

WINFIELD - In a council meeting much more docile than the last one, the Winfield City Council voted to change the pay raise schedule for the Winfield Police Department on Thursday, Oct. 4.
Police Chief Brett Burleson addressed the council requesting the change in the raise schedule.
“With everything that’s going on in the world these days, you all know that this isn’t the favorite job in the world,” said Burleson.

GUIN - An 83-year-old man with dementia was found safe in Guin after the Tuscaloosa Police Department reported him missing on Sept. 28.

BRILLIANT - The Town of Brilliant will be hosting its second annual Family Fall Fun Fest at the Ivan Ganey Park on Thursday, Oct. 25.
The festival begins at 6 p.m. and will feature food vendors, a trunk-or-treat for children, games,  inflatables and more.
Everyone is encouraged to wear their best, family-friendly costumes. There will be door prizes handed out, as well as a prize for the best costume, so bring your A-Game!
A chicken-chase will take place during the evening for the fleet-of-foot of all ages.

Winfield represents the lone Marion County school to have secured a playoff spot in 2018.
The Pirates  have been dominant in Class 3A, Region 4 and have a chance to secure a region title with a victory over Greene County.

CARBON HILL - Winfield needed only 24 seconds to get on the scoreboard for the first time Friday night, Oct. 12, and added another to go up two touchdowns in less than five minutes to cruise to a 35-12 win over the Carbon Hill Bulldogs.
The Pirates improved to 8-0 overall, 5-0 in Class 3A, Region 4 play, and the win also clinched a playoff berth and at least the first or second slot in the region. Winfield will need one win in the next two games against Greene County or Hale County to clinch the Class 3A, Region 4 Championship.

HACKLEBURG - Hackleburg suffered its second-straight loss with Phillips defeating the Panthers 38-8 on Friday night, Oct. 12.
The loss dropped Hackleburg to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in Class 1A, Region 8. The victory gave Phillips its third-consecutive win and improved the Bears to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in Region 8.
Following the Panthers’ sixth loss on the season, head coach Rod Hudson was straight-to-the-point about what the team needs to improve.

GUIN - Marion County suffered its third loss of the season when South Lamar defeated the Red Raiders 55-31 on Friday, Oct. 12.
The loss dropped Marion County to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in Class 1A, Region 6. The Alabama Sports Writers Association’s fifth-ranked Stallions improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in Region 6.
Marion County received the opening kickoff and was unable to get anything going offensively and punted to South Lamar.

RUSSELLVILLE - The Hamilton Aggies became the homestanding Russellville Golden Tigers seventh victim of the 2018 season in as many outings on Friday night, Oct. 12, losing 65-34.
The Class 5A, Region 7 loss marked the Aggies’ fifth-consecutive after winning the first two games of the season and eliminated Hamilton from the playoffs. Hamilton now stands at 2-5 overall and 1-4 in region play.

BRILLIANT - Brilliant suffered its 27th-consecutive region loss when Berry defeated the Tigers 42-6 on Friday, Oct. 12.
The loss dropped Brilliant to 2-5 overall and 0-5 in Class 1A, Region 6. Berry improved to 2-6 overall and 2-3 in Region 6 play.
Brilliant received the opening kickoff but was unable to sustain the drive.
Berry’s opening possession ended with the Wildcats’ Isaac Darty capping it off with a 1-yard run. A successful point-after try gave Berry a 7-0 lead with 6:14 left in the first quarter.

WINFIELD - The Marion, Fayette and Lamar County Extension Offices will host a demonstration concerning calibrating farm equipment on Monday, Oct. 22.
The presentation will take place from 5 - 6:30 p.m. at the Winfield Experiment Station, which is located at 171 Experiment Loop, off Highway 36.
A short presentation will be given on the how’s, why’s and where’s for calibrating farm equipment, followed by a hands-on, interactive demonstration.

WINFIELD - The Winfield American Legion Post 100 had a flag-lowering ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 20, to honor prisoners of war and those missing in action.
In a remindful, touching ceremony, veterans looked on as the American Flag, the POW - MIA (Prisoners of War - Missing in Action) flag and the  Vietnam Veterans flag were lowered. The group held a moment of silence for service members who remain missing while in the course of duty.
Post 100 Commander Danny Loftis said that the ceremony turned out to be quite a success.