WINFIELD - Following the agenda of a regular Winfield City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 4, a Winfield resident asked mayor Randy Price what could be done about supporting a specific individual in need in the city that had asked the resident for food.
Price stated that there was nothing that the city would be able to do financially and further took the time to voice his compassion for those in need and voice his frustration with the court system.

HAMILTON - The Marion County Commission unanimously approved a bid for 15 new computers and docking stations for the Marion County Sheriff’s Department during a special-called meeting on Monday, Jan. 27, at the commission office in Hamilton.
The accepted bid was for $60,126.90 from Vernon Hills, Ill.-based CDW Government LLC, a company that provides computers and software to businesses, government offices, and education and healthcare organizations.

MONTGOMERY - Gov. Kay Ivey has appointed state Rep. Tracy Estes (R-Winfield) to represent the state as a member of the Alabama Legislative Advisory Council to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).
The association is comprised of 16 states across the region ranging from Delaware to Texas. The association was created in 1948 by governors and state legislatures to enhance public education as a means to improve the overall quality of life in the region. The SREB was the first such regional board created in the U.S.

HAMILTON - Sisters Calva Cooner and Gwinna Boyd of Jasper and Tommy Colley of Eclectic have been recognized as Alabama manufactured housing greats.
The Montgomery-based Alabama Manufactured Housing Association (AMHA) hosted its 19th Annual Hall of Fame Ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Bevill Business and Community Center in Hamilton.
Since 2001, AMHA has inducted key industry figures into its Hall of Fame. With the new additions, the number of honorees now totals 53.

WINFIELD - The historic Pastime Theatre in Winfield has announced its 2020 Concert Series which will begin on Saturday, Feb. 15, with season headliner Pam Tillis and her trio.   
“This group performed at The Pastime Theatre several years ago and we are delighted to bring them back again for our Valentine concert,” said Mary Hyche, Pastime Theatre board chairman.
Prior to the concert, theatre goers may have dinner next door at the Pastime Civic Center. Dinner tickets are $20 and reservations are required.

HAMILTON - Brown’s Pottery and Sons in Hamilton hosted the annual Molding Hearts, Hands and Minds for students of Phillips Elementary School on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 4 and 5.
 The Northwest Alabama Arts Council (NWAAC) is supporting the arts and art education program in Marion County.
In 2007,  in conjunction with Hamilton potter Jerry Brown, a program was created for fourth-grade Alabama History students entitled “Molding Hearts, Hands & Minds.”

Marion County’s December 2019 unemployment rate experienced a slight increase.
According to data published by the Alabama Department of Labor on Friday, Jan. 24, Marion County’s rate rose to 3%—a 0.2% increase from the previous two months, which maintained rates of 2.8%.
The county’s unemployment rate this time last year was 4.2%.
Surrounding counties’ unemployment rates include: Fayette County at 2.7%, Franklin County at 2.4%, Lamar County with 2.7%, Walker County with 2.8% and Winston County with 3%

HAMILTON – A healthy education budget has freed Marion County School officials to seek new sets of bleachers for two schools.
The Marion County Board of Education voted unanimously during its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22, to seek bids on new bleachers for both Brilliant High School and Phillips High School gyms.
Marion County Superintendent of Education Ann West told the board that new bleachers were a line item included on a recent heating and air conditioning upgrade for Phillips, which cost $350,000.

HAMILTON - Scott Slatton, district attorney for the 25th Judicial Circuit, has announced Leslie Smith as his office’s new Victim’s Services Officer (VSO), which will service both Marion and Winston counties.
Slatton announced Smith as the new VSO on social media on Saturday, Jan. 25, noting the position is funded by the $6.3 million grant awarded in December 2018 by Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). The monies are being used to fund a total of 88 VSOs statewide.