HAMILTON -  “Right now, we’re not taking hardly anyone in the jail,” said Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams when speaking about the effects of COVID-19 on the Marion County Jail and Sheriff’s Department.
“There’s been arrests that have been made, but if we can, we bond them out. I hate to do it, but we have to do what’s best to protect the people in the jail.”
Williams stated that, although they were trying to keep jail numbers low, they will still arrest and put violent offenders and those with more severe charges in jail.

Marion County currently has the third-highest coronavirus mortality rate in the State of Alabama while neighboring counties have yet to report a single death.
According to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), out of 67 Alabama counties, Marion County currently has three reported deaths, resulting in a death rate of 10.1 per 100,000 people. According to 2019 Census data, the county has a population of 29,709.
According to the ADPH, the county is currently reporting 53 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There have been 159 local tests administered.

One data company has given Marion County residents an F for social distancing.
Unacast, a New York-based data company, has published a dashboard using mobile data to gauge local, statewide and national foot traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company also provides grades for each based upon how traffic has changed since the coronavirus was introduced to the United States in February.

HAMILTON - The Journal Record will be publishing a special Healthcare Worker Appreciation section in next week’s paper.
“Join us in recognizing the efforts and accomplishments of our outstanding area healthcare professionals in our community by purchasing an ad with a note of thanks to all medical professionals or a special note to an individual healthcare worker who has made a difference in your life or the life of someone you know,” said Journal Record General Manager Jesse Lamar.

WINFIELD - Former Disney and Nickelodeon actress and writer/director Michaela Carrozzo has wrapped filming in Winfield with her mother Jill Carrozzo, on a new television project at The American Heritage Hour television production studio located in Winfield.
Carrozzo, 25, is a California native who came to Marion County to work with Winfield-based artist and director/producer Tom O’Mary, who recently opened his art gallery and television production studio in downtown Winfield.

GUIN -  Scott Slatton, 25th Judicial Circuit District Attorney, gained the approval of the Guin City Council for his plan to improve investigations at the District Attorney’s office for victims of sexual abuse and child abuse by hiring a new female investigator during the regular meeting held on Tuesday, April 7, over a telephone conference.
Within the past few months, Slatton has traveled and spoken to several municipalities in Marion County in order to propose his plan and gain funding from city/town councils and the Marion County Commission.

HAMILTON -  Marion County District 2 Commissioner Kenneth Cochran was given unanimous approval to borrow $180,000 from PeoplesTrust Bank for the purchase of excavating equipment.
Marion County Administrator Kalyn Moore informed the commissioners that the loan will be paid over a 72-month period at $2,700 per month, with an interest rate of 2.42%.

Moore also stated that, although District 2 will acquire the loan funds, the entire county will be required to pay the debt if Cochran’s district is unable.

MONTGOMERY -  Gov. Kay Ivey awarded a $217,595 grant to the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama which covers Marion, Winston, Walker, Cullman, Lawrence and Morgan Counties.
This comes as a part of 14 grants totaling $2.9 million to assist low-income and elderly residents with improvements to their homes to lower energy costs and improve home safety.
The grants support Alabama’s Weatherization Assistance Program which provides funds to keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in summer and makes them more energy efficient.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak hitting Marion County, local businesses have stepped up to the occasion to do what they can to help preserve much-needed personal protection equipment (PPE).
Sugar Bend Sewing in Hamilton has been operating for three years and, on any normal business day, would be working its niche--quilts, alterations and other projects.
But with non-essential businesses shutting down due to coronavirus, a normal business day for sewers Doris Gardner and Mary Rye now looks like sewing face masks covers.

HAMILTON -  Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams stated that the two-week curfew period will be crucial to the county’s future during the Marion County Commission meeting on Monday, March 30, at the commission office in Hamilton.
“Our numbers are going to go up, I can guarantee you that. We may have our first death in the next 48 hours here in Marion County, that’s just how serious this is. It’s spreading pretty quickly,” said Williams