By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
Marion County Engineer Mike Shaw, 62,  has retired after 23 years working to improve the county.
The empty position Shaw leaves behind will be filled be Hamilton native Chris Wilbanks who will start his work on Friday, April 1.
“I’m getting older, and I want to spend time with my family--my kids and my grandkids. I want to maybe do a little traveling,” said Shaw.
Shaw stated that he feels that he has done a good job alongside his workers and Marion County Commissioners.

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — The Winfield Chamber of Commerce announced via Facebook post on Wednesday, March 23, that Mule Day is happening this year.
The annual event was called off the last two years in a row due to COVID-19 but is now scheduled for September 23-24 of this year.
Chamber of Commerce President Zac Hallmark said everything is set to move forward.

By Chad Fell
Courtesy of Northwest Alabamian
HALEYVILLE — A portion of Marion County Highway 48 collapsed Tuesday night, March 22.
Dale Holt, Marion County commissioner for District 3, reported that an old metal culvert in place since 1952 underneath County Highway 48 which connects highways 129 and 241 in the eastern portion of Marion County had deteriorated, causing a portion of the westbound lane of 48 to collapse.  The collapsed section of road is approximately 18 feet wide and 30-35 feet deep.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — The prospect of the Hamilton City School System is an idea no more after the Hamilton City Council reached an agreement with the Marion County Board of Eduacation on Monday, March 21.
Hamilton Mayor Bob Page stated that the city is waiting for the agreement between the two parties to be completed, but an agreement was unanimously approved during Hamilton’s City Council meeting on March 21.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Hamilton’s downtown area is gaining a major improvement as its curbs will now be handicap accessible.
Crews have been working everyday for the past week to complete the project that will make sure those who are handicapped are able to safely exit and enter sidewalks in the downtown area.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Hamilton’s Lake Reed, younger brother of Hamilton City Councilman Ross Reed, made his return home on Thursday, March 17, drawing a big welcome from the Hamilton community.
Lake suffered a brain bleed in late January and has gained the support of those in the Hamilton and Marion County community.
Lake, 10, is the son of Mike and Michelle Reed and brother to Ross and Cole Reed.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Former Marion County Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Cobb turned herself in to the Marion County Sheriff’s department on Thursday, March 17, with charges of fraudulent use of a credit card. She was arrested and placed in the Marion County Jail in Hamilton.
Cobb’s charge dates back to an offense that occurred in October 2020.

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
GUIN — The Guin Water Works and Sewer Board met with Mark Smith, representing Krebs Engineering, to go over plans for a new, temporary addition to the water treatment plant which will allow the plant to filter out PFAS and other toxic chemicals from the city’s drinking water.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — The Hamilton Lady Aggies varsity softball team won the annual Aggie Classic this past weekend in Hamilton.
The Lady Aggies won all of their games against Winston County, Sumiton Christian, Sipsey Valley and narrowly against South Lamar.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
Interstate 22’s completion in 2016 represented the start of a new era in Marion County with the promise and hope of bringing new business and industry to the area.
A dark side, however, has been rearing its ugly head as crime has loomed over the county with Hamilton being very close to now being the midway point between Memphis, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — The Marion County Sheriff’s Department made a big drug arrest involving two and a half pounds of marijuana and a runaway juvenile on Saturday, March 5, near exit 16 on Interstate 22 in Hamilton.
A sheriff’s deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s department was working speed enforcement on I-22 and attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 16 on a black Dodge Charger traveling near speeds of 100 miles per hour.

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
GUIN — A class action lawsuit has been filed against 3M, the Guin Water Works and Sewer Board and other individuals and entities the lawsuit claims played a role in polluting the city’s drinking water and continuing to distribute that water to residents.

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — Winfield missionary Mark Posey was woken by explosions around 5:30 in the morning on Thursday, Feb. 24. He got a call and answered his phone. It was his friends letting him know it was time to go. Russia was invading Ukraine.
Posey had originally planned to leave that day, but all flights had been canceled since the airport was now in the line of fire. He tried to reschedule a flight for the next day, but it was also cancelled.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HACKLEBURG — Hackleburg’s Town Council meeting ended on a bit of a sour note after council members Pam Pickens and Don Barnwell voiced their frustrations with mayor Darryl Colburn’s decision to appoint Kenny Hallmark as the new police chief in the town.
Following Jeremy Booth’s decision to resign just a few weeks ago, Colburn placed Hallmark in charge of Hackleburg’s police department.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Counterfeit $100 bills have been making their way through cities in Marion County and has hit Hamilton businesses in a major way in the last month.
Hamilton’s Dollar General has stopped the acceptance of $100 bills after a recent breakout of customers using counterfeit money at the store.

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
BIRMINGHAM — The time has come to resolve unfinished business and avenge a loss.
The Marion County High School Lady Red Raiders claimed their first ever 1A state title with a solid 72-55 victory over the Skyline Lady Vikings on Thursday, March 3 at the BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Marion County commissioners are determined to prioritize county water projects in order to serve those without access to water during a regular meeting held on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Hamilton artist Missy Miles met with Mayor Bob Page and Hamilton City Council members to discuss the potential for making new murals in the community during a work session meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at Hamilton City Hall.
Miles addressed council members with a powerpoint presentation highlighting various locations within the city that she stated would be good for a mural.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Marion County has experienced quite a whirlwind week in terms of weather and has not been helped by its lack of a tornado alarm system.
Marion County was placed under a tornado watch on Thursday, Feb. 17, with both Guin and Winfield being placed under a tornado warning in the afternoon, which was canceled 20 minutes later. Residents noticed that none of the city’s tornado warning system sirens had sounded.

Guin Colored School/Guin High School’s first classes met in Real Chapel C.M.E. Church in Guin.
The teachers were, Cora Swanigan and Micha Terrell Warren.
The location for classes was the Joseph Northington place in Guin.
The county then built a two room school, the location of which now is the Curtis Wallace place.
The C.M.E. church was also used. Students were bused from Winfield, Brookside and Brilliant.