Winfield wins Bill Collins Classic

Winfield’s Anna Kate Crumpton (47) swings at a pitch against Marion County on Tuesday, March 5. Crumpton hit two home runs in the Bill Collins Classic in the Lady Pirates’ two contests against Northside.

CARBON HILL - Winfield toppled Cordova 7-3 in the finals of the Bill Collins Classic held at Carbon Hill High School on Saturday, March 23.
Cordova led 1-0 through the first three innings after scoring in the first frame. The Lady Devils added to their lead in the fourth with another run.
Winfield responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead into the fifth.
After holding Cordova scoreless in the fifth, Winfield added three runs to its lead to take a 7-2 advantage.

Pirates take down three 6A schools

Winfield’s Ben Parrish (15) throws across the diamond to first base to record an out during the Marion County Baseball Tournament on Thursday, March 7. Also shown is Marion County High School head coach William Box.

GULF SHORES - Class 3A Winfield downed Class 6A Minor 11-10 in the Gulf Coast Classic II in Gulf Shores.
Winfield is ranked No. 4 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 3A poll.
The Pirates’ Jack Williamson claimed the victory in a relief appearance. He pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out three.
Brock Hollingsworth collected two hits and two RBIs. Jackson Elkins added two hits and a RBI.

 

Bevill receives $4,900 grant from Alabama Power

(From left) Director of Students Jill Preuninger, BSCC President Kim Ennis and Alabama Power Business Office Manager Melinda Weaver are shown holding the Alabama Power Good Roots grant given to Bevill State Community College on Friday, March 1, at Bevill’s Hamilton Campus.

HAMILTON -  Bevill State Community College (BSCC) has received a $4,900 grant from Alabama Power through their Good Roots campaign at Bevill‘s Hamilton campus on Friday, March  1.
These funds will be used to plant trees and fund various landscaping projects on each of the five campuses.
Bevill’s Hamilton campus received $1,000 from the grant and used the money to purchase seven Crepe Myrtles.
Dr. Kim Ennis, president of BSCC, expressed her thanks to Alabama Power for supporting the campuses with the grant.

 

First Fridays series kicks off April 5

HAMILTON - This Friday, April 5, the Hamilton Area of Chamber of Commerce will be kicking off the first of three “First Friday” downtown shopping events.
The event will take place from 6-9 p.m. with local and satellite vendors setting up booths lining the city square and downtown businesses extending their usual hours to host shoppers.
Food will be available for purchase during First Fridays at Leonelli’s First Avenue Grill, Coffee Buzz and potentially other food trucks.

 

Third annual mock wreck

 Students, faculty and members of the local police, fire, air evac and emergency paramedic departments are shown gathered together after the Third Annual HOSA Prom Promise Mock Wreck on Wednesday, March 20, at Hamilton High School.

HAMILTON -  Hamilton High School students conducted the Third Annual Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Prom Promise mock wreck on Wednesday, March 20, in which students performed a mock car wreck to provide a sobering reminder for students to make good decisions during the night of prom, Friday, March 22,  at Hamilton High.

Hackleburg makes $500 donation for youth baseball

HACKLEBURG -  The Hackleburg Town Council unanimously voted to donate $500 to the Hackleburg youth baseball team when the council met during a regular session on Monday,  March 25, at the Hackleburg Town Hall.
Hackleburg youth baseball treasurer David Ray appeared before the council to request financial assistance for the team’s equipment. He mentioned that while the team had been making some money through concessions, it was not enough to meet their needs.

County jobless rate drops to 4.6%

MONTGOMERY - Marion County’s unemployment rate was marked at 4.6 percent in February, according to Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington, six points lower than January’s rate of 5.1 percent.
Meanwhile, the State of Alabama’s unemployment rate continues to break records as it has now decreased to the lowest recorded rate on record, 3.7 percent—one point lower than January’s 3.8 percent, which also set the record.

Alabama Speaker of the House McCutcheon visits Winfield

Alabama Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon (center) visited the City of Winfield on Monday, March 25. Shown with McCutcheon are (from left) Main Street Program President Don Studdard, mayor Randy Price, McCutcheon, District 17 Rep. Tracy Estes and theatre chairman Mary Hyche.

WINFIELD - Great first impressions are hard to make, but the City of Winfield succeeded grandly last week when the Alabama Speaker of the  House, Mac McCutcheon, came to town.
McCutcheon, along with District 17 Rep. Tracy Estes, met with local leaders at a Winfield Chamber of Commerce meeting to discuss issues affecting the town.
“I really enjoyed the event, McCutcheon said. “It was good to sit down and meet with local leaders as well as leaders in the business community.”

 

Northwest Alabama Conference champions

Marion County won the Northwest Alabama Conference Baseball Tournament with a 19-9 victory over Hackleburg in the finals on Saturday, March 16. Shown for the Red Raiders are (front row, from left) Seth Knight, Grant Beckon, Alex Warren, Cade Atkins, Brayden Smith, Jackson Trimm, Leonardo Imami-Fugihara, (back row, same order) statistician Blaine Pyron, head coach William Box, Hunter Smith, Braden Pyron, Josh Rhudy, Logan Maddox, Mason Ezekiel, Preston Walker, Ryan Jaggers and assistant coaches Zane Miles and Kyle Smith.

GUIN - Marion County defeated rival Hackleburg 19-9 in the Northwest Alabama Conference Baseball Tournament finals on Saturday, March 16.
The Red Raiders scored three runs in the bottom of the first. Hackleburg responded with a run in the top of the second before Marion County added seven runs in the bottom of the frame to hold a 10-1 advantage.
The Panthers scored two in the fourth and six in the fifth to trim Marion County’s lead to 10-9.

Winfield hosts powerlifting meet

Winfield head football coach David McKinney (standing, right) give directions to the lifters during the 2019 Winfield Invitational Powerlifting Meet on Wednesday, March 20. The meet saw 110 total competitors in the 18 different weight classes. More photos can be found on page 7B.

WINFIELD - Winfield hosted the 2019 Winfield Invitational Powerlifting Meet on Wednesday, March 20, at the Winfield City High School Indoor Athletic Facility.
Brilliant, Marion County and Lamar County participated in the meet, along with Winfield. No team winners were named, just individual winners by weight division.
The event started at 8 a.m. with each participant weighing in before the lifting began at 9:30 a.m.

 

Winfield earns second win in area play

Hamilton’s Ansley Kerr (20) lays down a bunt against Lawrence County on Tuesday, March 19.

VERNON - Winfield cruised to a 12-0 victory over Lamar County in Class 3A, Area 10 play on Tuesday, March 19.
The Lady Pirates’ Alana Ballard earned the win with four hits and one walk allowed in five innings. She struck out four.
Winfield’s offense had 13 hits, two walks and nine stolen bases with Sara Cotton getting hit by pitches twice.

 

Spann, Estes, Stutts condemn Lindh’s early release

Winfield resident and mother of Johnny Micheal Spann, Gail Spann (front right), speaks on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives in Montgomery on Thursday, March 21. District 17 Rep. Tracy Estes (left) sponsored a resolution condemning the early release of John Walker Lindh and honoring Johnny Micheal Spann.

 MONTGOMERY -  Winfield resident Gail Spann, the mother of Johnny Micheal “Mike” Spann, appeared on the floor of the Alabama State House on Thursday, March 21, to express her opposition to the early release of Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh.
Lindh was a prisoner at the Qali-I-Jangi fortress where Micheal Spann was killed on Nov. 21, 2001, after a prison uprising.
Spann was the first American killed in combat after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

 

Council votes to do away with cumulative voting

Guin City Councilman Roger Agnew (left) looks on as councilman Bobby Bellew announces the spring cleanup day for Guin at the Monday, March 18 council meeting. Bellew said the cleanup day will be held on April 27.

GUIN - The Guin City Council voted to do away with cumulative voting as the method of electing council members at the council’s Monday, March 18, meeting.
Cumulative voting is a form of voting that allows each voter to cast multiple votes for one candidate. The method allows for a low population of racial minorities in a certain district the chance to gain representation on a governmental board or council.  

Common Core repeal headed to House

MONTGOMERY - The state Senate has voted 23-7 to repeal Common Core Standards from public school curriculums.
Common Core, also known in Alabama as Alabama College- and Career-Ready Standards, is a set of academic standards for English and math adopted by 41 states.
Both Marion County senators, District 4 Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, and District 6 Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia, voted in favor of the repeal, also known as Senate Bill 119.

 

Gilmore set for retirement

(From left) Jimmy Gilmore, Rolna Gilmore Palmer and Rita Gilmore are shown standing in front of family-owned Jimmy’s Cut and Style. Jimmy Gilmore has been a barber for 51 years and Rita Gilmore has been a cosmetologist for 51 years.

HAMILTON -  Rita Robertson Gilmore, 70, will be retiring after 51 years as a cosmetologist in Northwest Alabama.
“I’m looking forward to (retirement), I haven’t had a Saturday off in a long time. I’ve really enjoyed serving the people here, now it’s time to hang it all up,” said Gilmore.
She expressed that her favorite thing about working in cosmetology was the opportunity to better the self-esteem of her clients, one of which was Willa Dean Spratlin of Detroit, who has been a loyal client of Gilmore’s for over 50 years.

 

Council looking to cap towing fees

Winfield City Council attorney Todd Atkinson advises the council to pass a more inclusive resolution that would cap the towing and storing fees for large and small vehicles at the council’s Tuesday, March 19, meeting.

WINFIELD - The Winfield City Council moved to table a vote on a resolution that would cap the towing and storage fees for towing companies on the city’s rotation wrecker service at its March 19 meeting.
At the March 5, meeting the council voted to allow city attorney Todd Atkinson to draft the resolution that would cap the fees. The resolution would cap the towing fee at $150 and the storage fee at $35 per day.