Red Raiders dominate for first win


Marion County quarterback Deuce Belk (2) stiff-arms a Vina defender. Belk amassed 200-plus rushing yards in the season-opening win.

GUIN - Marion County toppled Vina 41-12 behind a 288 rushing yards on Friday, Aug. 23.
"I thought we played hard," Red Raider head coach Kyle Williams said following the game. “We made several mistakes, but now we know what we need to work on.
"We had several guys make plays in different situations, so we are excited to se what the year has in store for us as a team."
Vina received the opening kickoff and the Red Raider defense forced a punt.

Panthers drop season-opener


Hackleburg’s Caden Jones (2) throws a pass to an open Daniel Cooper (1) on a screen pass.

HACKLEBURG - Hackleburg suffered a 44-16 loss to Class 2A Winston County on Friday, Aug. 23, at Ray Stadium in Hackleburg.
The Panthers trailed 14-8 at halftime before the Yellow Jackets outscored Hackleburg 30-8 in the second half.
The Yellow Jackets struck first with William Owens scoring from four yards out. A failed 2-point try gave Winston County a 6-0 advantage with 4:57 left in the first quarter.

Phillips loses home-opener to Decatur Heritage


Phillips’ Xavier Hanner (20) and Ezra Glauses (4) hold a jersey for the late Kiah Taylor during the coin toss. Taylor was a 16-year-old junior at Phillips High School. He died in a two-vehicle accident on Thursday, July 25.

BEAR CREEK - Phillips suffered a 48-7 loss to Decatur Heritage in the Bears' season-opener on Friday, Aug. 23.
"We were completely out-manned up front on both sides of the ball," head coach Adam Lawler said of his team's first game. "We need to be bigger and strong and that doesn't happen overnight.
"We are going to keep coaching and keep working because what we did Friday night is not acceptable."

 

Aggies fall short to Wildcats


Hamilton sophomore Tyree Wilson (20) slips through the Oakman defense as he picks up an Aggie first down. Wilson is the younger brother of Hamilton standout Rakeem Wilson, who is on the track and field team for Mississipi College in Clinton, Miss.

The Hamilton Aggies began their 2019 football season with a fall jamboree game against the Oakman Wildcats on Thursday, Aug. 22.
After winning the coin toss, the Aggies chose to receive the kick and began an unsuccessful drive which ended in a punt by Hamilton’s Jathan Jackson.
In the Wildcats’ first offensive possession, Lucas Bridges’ pass was intercepted by Hamilton’s Robert Johnson who returned the ball from the 45-yard-line to the 5 with 9:57 remaining in the first quarter.

 

OBITUARIES

Brenda Faye Abramson
 
Brenda Faye Abramson, 77, Florence, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, at her granddaughter's residence.
She was born in Alabama on Thursday, June 11, 1942, to the late James Benny Raburn and Bernice Morrow Raburn.

Marion County has a school attendance problem

Students in the Marion County School System have an attendance problem. The problem was revealed last week at the Marion County Board of education meeting as Patrick Sutton, a supervisor in the school system, gave a presentation on chronic absenteeism to kick-off September’s “School Attendance Month” (see story on page --).
During the presentation, Sutton revealed some disturbing numbers regarding school attendance in Marion County. An average of 24%--almost a quarter--of students in the Marion County School System missed 15 or more days of school during the 2018/19 school year.

The Summer of 1969

Flowers
Steve Flowers

As we say goodbye to the summer of 2019, allow me to reminisce with you and indeed commemorate more than likely a summer exactly 50 years ago that was undoubtedly the most momentous summer in American history--the Summer of 1969.

School board puts emphasis on attendance in September


Marion County Board of Education supervisor Patrick Sutton speaks to the board about school attendance on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

HAMILTON - In order to increase attendance rates, the Marion County Board of Education (MCBOE) has declared the month of September as School Attendance Month. The declaration came during the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 20, meeting.
MCBOE Supervisor Patrick Sutton made the announcement before presenting some alarming statistics to the board and suggesting ways to curb truancy and chronic absenteeism in Marion County schools.  

Gas tax increasing 6¢ Sept. 1 

An upcoming gas tax increase may go virtually unnoticed due to gas prices gradually falling over the last month.
“With the prices going downward, we won’t notice it as much,” said Birmingham-based American Automobile Association (AAA) spokesperson Clay Ingram. “Having it this time of year is better than doing it in the spring when prices would already be increasing.”
Alabama’s gas will increase 6 cents beginning Sunday, Sept. 1, raising the state’s gas tax from 18 cents to 24 cents per gallon. Tax on diesel will increase from 19 cents to 25 cents per gallon.

Green celebrates 45 years as nurse


Gay Green is pictured here performing her duties at Sunset Manor Nursing Home in Guin on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

GUIN - “I’ve gotten so used to driving here, my car just automatically turns toward Guin to get here,” said Gay Green, who is marking 45 years as a nurse at Sunset Manor Nursing Home in Guin.
“I come down here so much from Pea Ridge. This is just my second home,” she said, her laughter echoing through the lobby of the nursing home that was built five years before she started working there.
Green, 66, has worked at Sunset Manor since June 1974 and is considered an asset among the staff, said the nursing home’s owner and administrator, Lance Junkin.

Weeks warns of gift card phone scams

TWIN - “Grandad, I’m up here in jail in Jasper.”
This is how a scam phone call began which was on its way to successfully cheating a Marion County couple out of $1,000.
Smithie Weeks, who is a councilwoman for the Town of Twin, says she wants to share her and her husband’s experience as she believes other seniors may be targeted.
On July 30, Weeks, 78, said she walked in to find her husband, James,  80, in mid-conversation over the phone with someone claiming to be their 21-year-old grandson, Caleb, who lives in Atlanta, Ga.

 

Henger gives update to Winfield council


Northwest Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Bob Henger speaks to the Winfield City Council during the council’s Tuesday, Aug 20, meeting in Winfield.

WINFIELD - Northwest Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Bob Henger appeared before the Winfield City Council at its Tuesday, Aug. 20, meeting to give an update on the hospital.
Henger, who came out of retirement two months ago to run the hospital, appeared before the council at the request of councilman Chris Ballard. Ballard has been requesting an appearance from the CEO for a few weeks. Henger was scheduled to appear at the Aug. 6 meeting but missed due to surgery.  

Gas tax to assist funding road projects


Hamilton resident Laura Crawford is shown voicing her concerns for the City of Hamilton during the regular meeting held on Monday, Aug. 19, at Hamilton City Hall.

HAMILTON -  The Hamilton City Council unanimously approved committing $36,248 from gas tax revenue to fund the 2019 transportation plan in which the City of Hamilton will stripe and realign streets within the city.
This resolution was approved on Monday, Aug. 19, during a regular meeting at Hamilton City Hall.
“This is committing funds that are projected to be collected as the City of Hamilton’s portion of the upcoming increased gas and fuel taxes for the Rebuild Alabama Act,” said Hamilton Mayor Bob Page.

Rural strategist confident with C3


Economic Development Association of Alabama Rural Development Strategist Brian Hilson spoke during the Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance’s annual membership luncheon which was held at the Holiday Inn in Guin on Thursday, July 25.

GUIN - Economic development officials are optimistic concerning Marion County’s future.
Brian Hilson of Hoover,  who serves as a rural development strategist for the Economic Development Association of Alabama, reviewed the county’s economic state and potential during the Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance (EDA)’s annual membership appreciation luncheon on Thursday, July 25, at the Holiday Inn in Guin.

Winfield cheerleaders


Winfield cheerleaders

The 2019 Winfield cheerleaders are (front row, from left) Ana Beth Hawkins, MaKenna Tucker, Memory Clark, Melody Harrison, Ella Chaffin, Jaken Terrell, (middle row, same order) Brooklyn Bozeman, Addie Birmingham, Bailey Dodd, Tatum Franks, Macy Cummings, Abi Webb, Halie Lowry, Isabella Newman, Anna-Grace Sims, Chloe Graham, (back row, same order) Katilyn Gilbert, Jacie Cook, Lexi Welch, Karley Sullins, Madison Wennberg, Olivia Webster, Preslee Loring, Isabella Taylor, Reid Hollingsworth and Makenzie Nix. In the Wednesday, Aug.

Threadgill looks back on 50 years in radio

WINFIELD - “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” said WKXM radio disc jockey Doug Threadgill as his eyes dart back and forth from the mixing console to a computer screen inside the cramped radio station east of Winfield.
Threadgill cues up a commercial to the fading notes of a song that was popular in the late 1960s.
“I’m probably one of the few people that spent their whole life doing the only thing they ever wanted to do.”
Threadgill’s hands are busy turning knobs, sliding faders and pressing buttons.

 

Baker charged with sexual abuse of infant

WINFIELD - A Hamilton man is being held on a $150,000 bond for charges of sexual abuse of an 11th-month-old child.
Daryl Baker, 30, is being charged for sexual abuse of a child less than 12 and remains in the Marion County Jail in Hamilton.
Winfield Police Department Lt. Dustin Hulsey said he responded to the Northwest Medical Center’s Emergency Room in Winfield on Sunday, Aug. 11, in response to a complaint by the infant’s grandparents.

Marriage laws change Aug. 29

HAMILTON - New marriage laws enacted this past Spring by the Legislature will become effective on Thursday, Aug. 29. However, a county official is saying there are still serious questions in the air that need answering.
Marion County Probate Judge Paige Vick posted on Facebook on Tuesday, Aug. 13, saying with the change, there may be some complications for those currently considering or planning to acquire a marriage license.