Interfor, a forest product company based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, announced on May 27 the acquisition of the Belk Georgia Pacific sawmill facility. Also acquired during the purchase were three additional Georgia Pacific operations, facilities located in Bay Springs, Miss.; DeQuincy, Louis. and Philomath, Ore. Interfor announced a total purchase price of $375 million for the four facilities.

The Berry Town Council held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Monday, June 7. All council members were present for the meeting. During the absence of acting Police Chief Bart Norris, Berry mayor Jimmy Madison gave the police report covering May 1 – June 6. Mayor Madison said that 36 arrests were made by the department, with many of the arrests coming as the result of serving warrants. The Berry Police Department also issued 27 traffic citations and filed 15 reports.

The Fayette City Council met in a work session on June 3 to discuss several topics prior to its next meeting. All council members were present for the meeting. The first topic of discussion was the direction that the council prefers to follow concerning the city shop and property lease.

The 10th annual meeting of C3 of Northwest Alabama Economic Develop- ment Alliance, Inc. will be held on Friday, June 25 at the Earl McDonald Auditorium on the Fayette campus of Bevill State Community College. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Plan to enjoy brunch, catered by Fannie’s, and networking with friends and business associates from 9 – 10 a.m. The program will begin at 10 a.m.

The Glen Allen Town Council met in regular session on Tuesday, June 1 at the town’s community center. Council members Robert Aldridge and Willie Rose McClinton were not in attendance for the regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Mayor Allen J. Dunavant addressed the council with his concerns about the conditions of the town’s streets, stating that several of the streets were in very deteriorated conditions.

The Fayette County Commission honored a Berry youth at its May 24 meeting for his recent athletic accomplishment. All commissioners were present for the meeting. Nathan Jacobs, son of Commissioner Wesley and Cheli Jacobs of Berry, recently competed in a football game at Berry High School during which he scored five touchdowns. The game was held at the school’s stadium and was attended by his fellow students, faculty, friends and family.

A team of students from Hubbertville School recently competed in the 2021 Alabama FFA Quiz Bowl Championship, winning the state Quiz Bowl title. The Alabama FFA Quiz Bowl Leadership Development Event is designed to develop agricultural leadership by providing for seventh and eighth grade participation in an agricultural competition based on a knowledge of agriscience topics.

The Fayette City Council gave its consent for Mayor Rod Northam to hire Jordan Roberts as a police officer for the City of Fayette during its special-called May 28 meeting. All council members were present for the meeting. Fayette Police Chief Danny Jenkins said that three candidates for the position were interviewed on May 26, and that his recommendation was to hire former police officer Roberts. Roberts is currently employed at the Fayette County Sheriff’s office as a deputy.

The Fayette Medical Center’s Long-Term Care facility held a “drive-through” parade for its residents on May 26. The residents enjoyed going outside to greet the many friends and family members who participated in the event.

The Fayette County Board of Education took action on several personnel and contract issues during its May 25 meeting. All board members with the exception of Keith Madison were present at the meeting. Before any business was conducted at the meeting, board member John Stowe made a motion to enter executive session to discuss a personnel issue involving “good name and character.” The motion was seconded by board member Brenda Webb and was approved unanimously.

When Derrick Mills finished Fayette County High School in 1996, he did what many young high school graduates do; he left Fayette for college seeking bigger and better things. But Mills never forgot where he came from, and last Friday night, he returned to prove his love for his hometown. Mills delivered the commencement address at Fayette’s graduation, then delivered on a promise he had made to himself long ago – a promise to help others as he had been helped throughout the years.

A private contract mail route truck that transport mail for the United States Postal Service (USPS) was involved in a one vehicle accident on the morning of Saturday, May 22. The truck was enroute from the mail processing facility at Millbrook to the Fayette Post Office at the time the accident occurred. Debra J. Fetterly, United States Postal Service’s Strategic Communications Director for Alabama and South Florida Districts, said that the vehicle carrying the mail ended up overturned in a ditch alongside Highway 18 East. The accident occurred approximately five miles east of Fayette.

A Berry man who was driving drunk when he caused a serious accident that injured a 17-year-old has been sentenced to serve 15 years and a day in prison for first-degree assault. Wesley Aaron Studdard, 31, pleaded guilty in the Fayette County Circuit Court during a hearing held on May 11. 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Andy Hamlin announced the sentence on May 19.

What began as an investigation into a residential break-in near Lynn led multiple law enforcement agencies to Fayette County, where a majority of the allegedly stolen items were found and the suspect was arrested. Michael Dylan Tittle, 27, of Lynn, has currently been charged in Fayette County with receiving stolen property, since a large portion of the items taken from the Lynn residence were located there, noted Lynn Police Chief Bryan Kirkpatrick.

The Hamilton State Trooper Post reported two separate accidents during the past week that claimed the lives of two Fayette County residents. They released the following information concerning the accidents. A two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 6:43 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12, claimed the life of a Bankston man. Miles David Whitson, 70, was killed when the 2004 Toyota Tacoma he was driving attempted to pass two vehicles and collided head-on with a 2006 Dodge Ram. Whitson was pronounced deceased at the scene.