Former Fayette Police Chief and former Fayette City Councilman Mike Hardin passed away at his residence on Wednesday, May 22 at the age of 70. Hardin began work at the Fayette Police Department in Feb. 1979 and was promoted to sergeant in March 1985. He became chief of the police department in Jan. 1995 and remained in that position until he retired in July 1999.

Dexter Roberts of Fayette finished a very respectable third on season 16 of “The Voice.”
The results were announced last Tuesday night, with Andrew Sevener finishing fourth, Gyth Rigdon capturing second, and Maelyn Jarmon taking home the top prize. During the results show, it was announced that each of the top four finalists would receive a new Toyota Rav 4 as a gift.

Barry Corkren, Fayette County Commissioner for District Three and a sergeant with the Fayette County Sheriff Department, was arrested on Monday, May 20 and charged with driving under the influence (DUI). The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reported that troopers responded to a one-vehicle accident occurring at the intersection of Highway 102 and County Road 142 in Fayette County.

Christopher Lee Price, who received a last-minute stay of execution on April 11, is scheduled to be executed at Holman Prison on May 30. Price, 46, was convicted in the 1991 robbery and murder of Bill Lynn.

The Berry Town Council approved a resolution to adopt the 2018 municipal water pollution prevention report during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, held on May 13 at the town hall. All council members with the exception of Troyce Townsel were in attendance for the meeting. No police report for the previous month was presented to the council due to the absence of Berry Police Chief Gerald DeDeaux.

More than 500 people attended the 22nd annual “March for Jesus” walk and rally held in downtown Fayette on Saturday, May 18. The march began at the Depot Museum and concluded at the parking lot adjacent to the First Baptist Church on Temple Avenue. When the marchers reached the parking lot, balloons with Bible verses were released to carry a portion of the Word to parts unknown.

Editor’s note: Dexter Roberts competed this Monday on “The Voice” as one of the top four contestants. The results of the voting were not released until Tuesday night, after The Times-Record was printed for the week. Dexter Roberts continues to impress music fans across the nation as he was voted one of the top four contestants this season on “The Voice.”

Two parents voiced their concerns to the Fayette County Board of Education during its May 14 meeting. Jennifer Terry and Tammy Back delivered prepared statements at the meeting addressing the treatment of special needs children within the school system. Terry said that “students have lost the entire year of instruction due to allegations of abuse and mistreatment, and the system seemingly unwillingness to act in the student’s interest. I do not believe this would have been acceptable except for the student’s enrollment status in special education.”

The Fayette City Council heard an update on its paving project, and the monthly fire and police reports at its May 14 meeting. Councilman Cedric Wilson was absent from the meeting with all other council members in attendance. City Engineering Consultant Luke Porter said that the county commission is not being able to get an advance payment for paving that was to be used for its joint project with the city. He said that the new “Rebuild Alabama Act” changed the way that money is now distributed to the counties.

The Fayette County Commission hired a new maintenance supervisor during a special called meeting on May 16. At the regular meeting, held on May 13, County Commission Chairman Mike Freeman appointed a committee consisting of Commissioner Barry Corkren, Commissioner Shane Hughes and Commissioner James Knight to review the applications for the maintenance position and make a recommendation. At the May 16 meeting, the committee said that following interviews, they were recommending James Vaughn of Boley for the position.

The Glen Allen Town Council voted unanimously to accept a bid from R.G. Remodeling of Winfield to implement ceiling repairs at the Water Department storage building and the Glen Allen Volunteer Fire Department buildings during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 7. The bid submitted by R. G. Remodeling totaled $2,000 and will include materials and labor which will consist of removing damaged sheet-rock from the ceilings and replacing the sheet-rock with oriented strand board (OSB) in all three buildings.

Hubbertville School held its athletic banquet on May 13, presenting awards to students who excelled in their various sports.

Dexter Roberts is still living a dream, riding high after becoming one of the top eight contestants on NBC’s “The Voice.” Last week, Roberts sang Tim McGraw’s number one hit song, “Something Like That,” and was voted through easily by the fans’ vote. Roberts appears to be one of the fan favorites this season, and also appears to be a favorite contestant of Blake Shelton, who has five of the remaining  eight contestants on the show.

Fayette’s 22nd annual “March for Jesus” celebration and prayer rally will be held Saturday, May 18, beginning at the Fayette Depot Museum and concluding at the First Baptist Church on Temple Avenue. The march and rally has been held in Fayette each year since 1997, with the exception of 2003. March for Jesus is an annual interdenominational, global event that started in England in the 1980s before spreading to other countries. The first known march in the United States was held in Austin, Texas in 1989 and has been observed nationwide since 1992.

Although the weather caused a change of venue for this year’s Fiddle Fest and Southeast Fiddle Championship, the event’s organizers said the Fiddle Fest was still a huge favorite among the fans who attended. Glenn Taylor, one of the organizers of the event, said that despite the inclement weather, the event still ran smoothly and allowed the performers to showcase their talents.

Tommy Wilcox, former All-American football player at the University of Alabama and current host of the popular hunting and fishing show, “Tommy Wilcox Outdoors” will be the guest speaker at this year’s Fayette Area Chamber of Commerce banquet. The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21 and will be held in the Earl McDonald Auditorium of Bevill State Community College, Fayette Campus. Tickets for the event are $15 each and will include a meal. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Chamber’s office.

The Fayette Exchange Club annually honors the top senior students at Fayette County High School during the academic year. At the May Exchange Club meeting, the top three seniors receive plaques from the club in recognition of their outstanding achievement.

Fayette County Memorial Library (FCML) is proud to present the 2019 Summer Reading Program: “A Universe of Stories,” from May 28 – June 28. The program is comprised of the Summer Reading Challenge and a variety of events and programs offered throughout the summer.

On Thursday, May 9, the Berry High School softball team traveled to Choccolocco Park in Oxford to compete in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s East Central Regional.  
Game one paired Berry against the Area Seven winner, Victory Christian. Berry’s bats came alive early, scoring seven runs in the top of the first while coasting to a 23-0 victory.  

Fayette Middle School held its first-ever Eighth Grade Graduation this year on May 9 in the Arthur Hughes Gymnasium at the school. The graduation was initiated because the school’s administration and teachers felt the students should be rewarded for their accomplishment of completing middle school. The diplomas that they receive were also intended to serve as encouragement for the students as they begin a new journey of academics in high school.