Toni Robertson, representing the Fayette Area Community Development Corporation (CDC), attended the July 28 meeting of the Fayette City Council to address the council concerning a liquor license for a proposed hotel. All council members were present for the meeting.

The Fayette County Commission voted to hire Phillip Rushing as a temporary, part-time maintenance supervisor during its July 27 meeting. Commissioner John Underwood was absent, with all other commissioners in attendance. The Fayette County Commission is currently without a maintenance supervisor, and the commission had inquired about the availability of former supervisor Rushing to fill in until the position can be filled with a full-time person. Rushing held the position for more than 10 years prior to his retirement last year.

The parents of students who were juniors and seniors at Fayette County High School during the 2019-2020 academic year held a prom for the students at Timber Valley Lodge on Saturday, Aug. 1. The parents wanted the students to enjoy one of the big social events of the year, since so many of their events had been cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alabama’s new cases of the COVID-19 virus again increased by nearly 11,000 new cases last week, with the weekly death toll dropping from 189 new deaths to 134. Although the numbers in Alabama are slightly better than last week, the number of new coronavirus cases remains alarmingly high as school is scheduled to reopen on Aug. 19. Fayette County saw its weekly total of new cases increase from 23 the previous week to 30 new cases for the seven-day period ending Aug. 3. Fayette County’s death toll from the COVID-19 virus remains at five.

The descendants of James William Smith and Rebecca Little Smith held their annual Smith - Little Reunion at the Paul Hubbert Pavilion, located on the campus of Hubbertville School, on Saturday, Aug. 1. The reunion was a little different this year, with the attendees practicing social distancing and wearing facial protection due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions. Although the pandemic kept some of the usual participants from attending this year’s event, a few family members were able to attend for the first time in many years.

The Fayette County Board of Education selected John Aaron to fill the vacancy left on the board by the resignation of Waldon Tucker in District 1 during its July 21 meeting. The action was taken at the conclusion of the board’s regular agenda and before the meeting was adjourned. Board Member Keith Madison was absent from the meeting, with the remainder of the board members present.

Qualifying has ended and the candidates are set for the Aug. 25 municipal election in Fayette. There will not be an election in the towns of Belk, Glen Allen and Berry, as no more than one candidate has qualified for each position. In Belk, incumbent Sherry Spack qualified for Seat One, incumbent Bill Davis qualified for Seat Two, former Council Member Karen Strickland will again be a part of the Belk governing body in Seat Three, and incumbent Jeanie Hollingsworth qualified for Seat Four.

The resurfacing of Martin Luther King Drive in Fayette is underway. The project was funded by the City of Fayette through funds provided from the State of Alabama through the “Rebuild Alabama” Act. Also included in the funding is the resurfacing of 10th Street in the north section of the city.

Dr. Jon Emory Sanford, 79, a long-time resident of Fayette, passed away on July 25 at Kirkwood by the River Skilled Nursing facility after extended illnesses. A private service will be held on Friday, July 31 at the Fayette Church of Christ and will be conducted by his sons. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Dr. Sanford was born on Sept. 14, 1940 on the family farm in Manchester, Walker County.

The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) has cleared the way for high schools in Alabama to participate in sports beginning this fall. Officials met in Montgomery last week, establishing the groundwork for fall football practices to begin this week and games to be played beginning on Aug. 20-21. The AHSAA released a pamphlet called “AHSAA Best Practices” that details certain guidelines and rules that will need to be followed if the return of high school sports is successful.

The Fayette Boy Scout Troop participated in Day Camps last week, where they learned about metal working, horsemanship, emergency preparedness and taking ccare of pets. The scouts also visited Vernon Milling during the camp.

Alabama’s new cases of the COVID-19 virus continued at an alarming pace last week, with an increase of more than 11,000 new cases and 189 new deaths. The number of cases hit an all-time daily high increase of 2,283 new cases from July 22 – 23. The news was slightly better for Fayette County, which registered an increase of 23 new cases and no additional deaths for the seven-day period from July 20-27. Last week, Fayette had a seven-day increase of 31 new cases and four additional deaths reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health.

The Fayette County Board of Education held a work session on Thursday, July 16 to present a tentative working “roadmap” for reopening school in Fayette County this fall. All current board members were present. Superintendent Jim Burkhalter said that the scheduled start date for students remains Aug. 20. He said that on-line, remote and virtual classes during the new school year would be much more difficult and challenging then the classes that the school system finished the spring semester with. “Our objective is to be as safe and efficient a school system as possible,” Burkhalter said.

Former Berry City Councilman Wesley Jacobs and political newcomer Robert Townley were the big local winners in the July 14 Republican primary runoff election. Jacobs defeated Roger Morrison 395 (58.52 percent) to 280 (41.48 percent) to secure his nomination for the County Commission District 4 seat. Current District 4 Commissioner James Knight was defeated during the March 3 primary, and since there will be no Democratic opposition for the commission seat in November, Jacobs is virtually assured a position on the commission.

The Fayette City Council approved a change in benefits that will allow Tier II employees to receive  the same benefits as Tier I employees at retirement. Councilwoman Linda McCraw was absent, with all other council members present. Tier II employees were hired on or after Jan. 1, 2013, and most of the employees perform the same tasks that Tier 1 employees perform. Tier II employees have to pay a higher percentage into the retirement system and normally receive a lower retirement benefit.

The Hamilton post of the Alabama State Troopers reported that, “A single vehicle crash on Heartline Road in Fayette County claimed the life of a Bankston man.  Scotty Wayne Keeton, W/M, DOB 3/1/72, died after being run over by a vehicle. The incident occurred at approximately 8 p.m. on 7/13/20.”  Nothing further was released by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Troopers, as they continue to investigate the incident.

Fayette hosted its annual Lawn Tractor Pull on Saturday, July 18 at the Fayette County Multipurpose Complex.

Fayette County recorded its largest weekly total of new COVID-19 cases last week, as the numbers spiked following the Independence Day holiday. From Monday, July 13 - Monday, July 20, Fayette County had an increase of 31 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total at press time to 121 cases. The largest previous increase in one week was 26 new cases for the seven-day period concluding on June 15. On July 13, the Alabama Department of Public Health was still reporting only one death in Fayette County from the coronavirus.

The Fayette County Commission discussed raising the retirement benefit of Tier I employees to the level of Tier II employees during a work session that proceeded its July 13 meeting. All commissioners were present for both the work session and the meeting. Tier II employees are employees that were hired on or after Jan. 1, 2013. These employees perform the same tasks as Tier I employees, but pay a higher amount into the retirement system while receiving less in benefits at retirement time.

An accident in Glen Allen on Wednesday, July 8 claimed the life of a Fayette County resident. Gaylon Wayne Dubose Jr., 53, of Glen Allen, was killed when a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train struck him on a section of tracks near Glen Allen. The accident happened at approximately 7 p.m., and according to investigators, Dubose died on the scene. Lieutenant Dustin Hulsey, investigator for the Winfield Police Department, was one of the officers who responded to the scene.