The Fayette County Commission held a brief regular meeting on June 11 before entering executive session. Commissioner Joe Acker was absent from the meeting and all of the other commissioners were present. County Engineer Luke Porter was also absent from the meeting. County Shop Superintendent Mike Tomlin attended the meeting during Porter’s absence. County Administrator John Gordon asked the commissioners about the upcoming 90th annual Association of County Commissions of Alabama meeting that will be held at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach on Aug. 21-23.

The Fayette City Council received reports from two new businesses that are opening soon in the downtown area during its June 12 meeting. Ron and Anita Morris spoke to the council concerning their new business that will be opening in July. Ron Morris said that it would be a business that would sell his pottery and paintings , but added that it would also offer pottery classes for children and adults who want to learn more about the craft. Anita Morris will also have an area where she will teach cooking classes.

The Glen Allen town council held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 5 at the Glen Allen Town Hall. All councilors were in attendance for the meeting. Mayor Allen J. Dunavant brought before the council a consideration for the municipality to become a participating member of the Alabama League of Municipalities, Municipal Intercept Services (MIS).

The Hamilton Post of the Alabama State Troopers reported that a one vehicle crash at 10:45 p.m. on Monday, June 11 claimed the life of a Fayette man. Denver James Turner, 21, was killed when the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Dylan Keith Harkins, 23, ran through a stop sign, striking a tree and catching on fire. Turner was pronounced dead at the scene and Harkins was transported to DCH in Tuscaloosa.

Mike Freeman and Mike Newman will face each other in the Republican runoff for Fayette County probate judge, while Byron Yerby and Fayette Police Chief Danny Jenkins will square off against each other for the Republican nomination for sheriff. During the primary elections held on June 5, incumbent Fayette County Superintendent Jim Burkhalter defeated challenger Sandy Aldridge 2,577 to 1,800 to secure the Republican superintendent nomination. No one qualified in the county to run for superintendent as a Democrat.

The remains of a soldier who was killed during the Korean War have been identified and returned home for burial with full military honors. A casket carrying the remains of Sgt. Julius Ellis McKinney arrived Wednesday, June 6 at Memphis International Airport in Tennessee. He was declared dead by the army after being last seen on Dec. 2, 1950.

Restoration Springs held its open house for the public on Sunday, June 10. Restoration Springs is a transitional home for people recovering from drug addiction.

Editor’s note: The following article is being reprinted in its entirety in The Times-Record with permission and courtesy of B-Metro Magazine of Birmingham. The author’s name is not stated on the article. The exhibit that opens at the Birmingham Museum of Art on June 16 contains works of four Alabama folk artists with ties to Fayette and the Fayette Art Museum. These artists are: Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Benjamin F. Perkins, Sibyl Gibson and Fred Webster.

The Fayette County Board of Education approved several personnel and contractual items during its June 4 meeting. The board granted four days of on-the-job injury for Tammie Tittle, lunchroom worker at Hubbertville School. Maternity Leave and Family & Medical Leave was also granted to Emily Weeks, teacher at Fayette Elementary School, from approximately Aug. 1 - Aug. 27. The resignations of Kerrie Logan, Fayette Elementary teacher, and Caroline Watson, special education teacher at Fayette Elementary School, were accepted.

The Berry Town Council held its monthly meeting on June 4 at the Berry Town Hall. Mayor Jimmy Madison was present and all councilmen were present with the exception of Councilman Wesley Jacobs. Councilman Troyce Townsel made a motion to table discussion concerning the former armory building lease until after the council tours the building on June 22. Councilman Russell Madison seconded the motion and the motion was approved unanimously by the councilmen in attendance.

Berry High School had two softball players named to the Class 1A all-state team as selected by the Alanama Sportswriters Association. Bailey Thomas (near left), a junior, was selected as a first-team utility player. She led Berry in most offensive  categories for the year. Sommer Bullard (far left), a senior, was a team captain and defensive Most Valuable Player for the Lady Wildcats.

Receiving awards at the 2018 Berry High School Sports Banquet were the following softball players: Most Improved - Gracyn Hydrick, Utility Award - Lydia Young, Utility Award - Allie Taylor, Most runs, doubles - Iannah Fields, Highest Average, most home runs, RBI, triples, most hits - Bailey Thomas.

Gwen Sanders celebrated her 100th birthday last week as many of her friends, former colleagues and former students dropped by to congratulate her on reaching this milestone. Sanders was born May 27, 1918 in Winfield and graduated from Winfield High School in 1936. She attended Florence State Teachers College (now the University of North Alabama), and started teaching after two years of college. She received her Bachelors degree from Florence and later received a Masters degree from The University of Alabama.

Ken is a misfit at school who keeps to himself and does not appear to have many friends. He is bullied by many of his classmates, and he never participates in group activities or sports. Ken’s grades are slipping, and he often skips class or does not attend school at all for a few days. One day, Ken tells his friend Barbara that he is “sick and tired of school.” He says that he has something planned that will make people wish they had been nicer to him. Ken tells Barbara that she shouldn’t go to school on Friday, because “something bad is going to happen at school that day.”

The Fayette County Relay for Life organization held its annual Survivors' Dinner and Luminaria Ceremony on Friday, June 1 in downtown Fayette. Held in conjunction with the Relay for Life was the initial Tunes on Temple for the 2018 season.

The Fayette County Commission approved hiring four summer employees and also agreed to the purchase of two trucks and a mini-excavator during its May 29 meeting. Luke Porter said that he received seven applications for seasonal workers to help with the road crew. He recommended to the commission that Cameron Bonner, Owen Taylor, Tyler Smith and Max Miller be hired for the summer jobs. Bonner, Taylor and Smith have all worked as summer workers with the road crew during previous years.

Opening Day - 2018 at the Fayette Aquatic Center was an overwhelming success, according to the aquatic center manager, Chris Champion. Champion said that once the clouds cleared and the sun brightened up the day, the crowd responded with a near-record opening day attendance.
Many at the park said this was their first visit and said the atmosphere was a very pleasant experience.

The Fayette Medical Center - Long term Care facility celebrated National Nursing Home Week with its residents from May13-19 by hosting several special events throughout the week. In keeping with the theme of the week, “Celebrating Life’s Stories,” four of the residents recalled their unique life’s stories.

The June 5 primaries for the Democratic and Republican parties are June 5, as several loca candidates seek their parties’ nominations. In the Republican race for Sheriff, current Fayette police chief Danny Jenkins, Byron Yerby and Justin White face each other for the nomination. The Democratic nominee, Tierre Agnew, is unopposed and current Sheriff Rodney Ingle will be on the general election ballot as an Independent.

Fayette County High School held its annual awards day on May 3 at Bevill State Community College. The top 10 academic seniors were announced at the ceremony. Valedictorian for 2018 is Anna Kate Pinkerton and Salutatorian is Luke Avery. The R.C. Cobb Memorial Scholarship, a full academic scholarship to the University of Alabama, was awarded to Jake Beede.