Marion County

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer — With information from Rob Swinney and Marie Sullins Holmes
When it comes to car transmissions, many folks nowadays don’t know how to operate manual transmissions, or “stick-shifts.” Manual transmissions have mostly fallen out of favor after the rise in popularity of the automatic transmission.
One Marion County man might have had a significant role to play in this transmission transition.

By Chad Fell
Courtesy of the Northwest Alabamian
HALEYVILLE — A man wanted on escape charges from Marion County was in the wrong place at the wrong time on Wednesday, Feb. 1, in Haleyville.
Arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 13 at 18th Street in Haleyville was Ashley Dewayne Pipkins, 46, of Haleyville, who has been charged with  trafficking methamphetamine (possessing 28 grams or greater) and possession of marijuana second degree, according to Haleyville Police Investigator Lt. Eddie Collins.

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — Departments within Marion County got their wishes granted when the Marion County Commission approved the new pay scale.
A pay scale in Marion County has been long awaited by many, but likely none more than Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams.
Williams, who has been sheriff for over 20 years, has the largest of any department in Marion County with 35 employees.

By P.J. Gossett
General manager

By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — After months of evaluating different pay scales for county employees, the Marion County Commission is getting closer to implementing a pay scale after a work session held on Monday, Dec. 5, in Hamilton.
In attendance were Marion County Commissioners and department heads including Revenue Commissioner Barbara Cooper, Marion County Sheriff Kevin Williams, Marion County Engineer Chris Wilbanks and Probate Judge Paige Vick.