The Fayette County Board of Education held a work session at Fayette Elementary School on Aug. 17 to discuss the opening of the school year during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. All board members except for John Aaron were in attendance. Several concerned parents, along with teachers and school administrators were also in attendance. Fayette County Superintendent of Education Jim Burkhalter opened the work session by telling the crowd, “I don’t know what a normal day is anymore.

A two-vehicle accident that occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, claimed the life of a Carbon Hill man. Kevin Edgil, 56, was killed when the 2002 Ford F-250 he was driving hit head-on with a 2016 GMC Sierra driven by Jeffrey Norris, 38, of Berry. Edgil was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Fayette City Council held a work session last month to discuss plans for focusing on eight key areas of development for a strategic plan that will strengthen and grow the City of Fayette. All council members were present for the work session. Also present for the work session were several local business leaders and concerned citizens.

Current Fayette County Board of Education President Tom Hubbert officially changed from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party during a special meeting of the Fayette County Republican Party held on Aug. 17. The party’s executive committee welcomed Hubbert to the Republican party by a unanimous vote. Hubbert had applied for membership with the party at a previous meeting.

The Fayette Tigers began its 2021 football season last Thursday night with an old-fashioned defensive struggle on a rain-soaked field, losing to the Pirates by a score of 6-0. Playing the first half in a steady rain, neither team could get any momentum until Winfield hit a pass over the middle late in the fourth quarter to score a touchdown and secure the victory. Fayette’s effort was also hampered by six turnovers and nine penalties for 70 yards.

The Berry Wildcats opened its 2021 season on the road, traveling to Northside to face the Class 4A Rams. Rain throughout the day leading up to the game and rain throughout most of the first half made the playing conditions less than ideal. The Wildcats could never get any momentum on offense because of numerous turnovers, which gave the Rams a short field for most of the game. The Wildcats scored late, but could not come back to defeat the Rams, taking the 37 – 6 loss.

The Hubbertville Lions kicked off the 2021 football season under the leadership and guidance of new head coach Caleb Hynds on Friday night by traveling to Hackleburg to face-off against the Panthers in a fall jamboree game. In an agreement between the two head coaches, the varsity starters played the first half of the game and the second and third string players competed in the third quarter, followed by the junior varsity team taking the field for the final quarter of the matchup.

The Fayette County High School Tigers begin this 2021 football season on the threshold of achieving a milestone football victory that has never been accomplished by any other high school football team in Alabama – 700 wins. Fayette began the chase last season and after winning three games in a row, it appeared that the Tigers were destined to reach the milestone in 2020. However, the 700-win mark proved to be elusive, as Fayette lost its final five games of the season to finish one game short of the mark. Meanwhile T.R.

The Fayette County Commission hired a road supervisor during a special called meeting on Friday, Aug. 13. All commissioners were present for the meeting. A committee consisting of Commissioner Robert Townley, Commissioner Wesley Jacobs, County Engineer Josh Knight and County Administrator Brooke Slatton interviewed applicants for the road supervisor job vacancy prior to the meeting. During the meeting, Townley said that the consensus of the committee was to hire Keith Edmonson for the job.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first and only state football championship for the Fayette County High School Tigers. The Tigers had gotten close to making the championship game before 1996. When Coach Waldon Tucker’s oldest son Lance was a freshman quarterback at Fayette in 1989, the team made it to the semifinals before losing a game. In 1990 and 1991, the Tigers again lost in the semifinals. In Lance Tuckers’ senior year, the Tigers made it to the quarterfinals, and again in 1993. In 1994, the Tigers suffered a rare losing season with a 4-7 record.

The Fayette City Council voted at its Aug. 10 meeting to set a date for a public hearing to possibly proceed with vacating a portion of two streets at the request of property owners. All council members were in attendance for the meeting. Prior to the beginning of the meeting, Shaun Watts led the council in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

In the fall of 1977, a relatively unknown coach by the name of Lamar Harris took the reins of the Hubbertville football program. Not only did Harris coach the football teams, for many years he coached all of the boys’ and girls’ athletic programs at Hubbertville. Recently, after a record Alabama high school football coaching tenure of 44 years, Harris decided to retire from coaching. A search for his replacement ensued, and Berry’s head football coach, Caleb Hynds, was chosen as Harris’ successor.

The Fayette County High School Tigers are seeking to rebound from a rare 3-7 losing season in 2020, and Head Football Coach Waldon Tucker appears to be optimistic when looking ahead to this season. “We’re awfully young at most positions, but I’ve never had a group of kids who have worked harder in the off-season than this group of kids,” Tucker said.

Following Caleb Hynds’ departure to Berry’s rival school in the northern part of the county. former U.S. Marine Lieutenant Hunter Mims has been thrust into the heat of gridiron battle as the new head football coach at Berry High School. Less than a year ago, Mims was serving out his tour of duty with the Marine Corps. That duty included a stint in the Pacific Theater and also time spent in the Middle East. He returned home to the United States and following his discharge from the service, accepted a teaching position at Berry High School in January.

The Fayette County High School “Pride of the Tigers” Marching Band presented a portion of its halftime show for the upcoming football season following a fundraiser at the school on Aug. 6. A large group of parents, teachers and band supporters attended the event. New FCHS Band Director Sebastian Dobbins showcased the band playing some Motown hits during the performance.

Fayette native and 2005 Fayette County High School graduate Braxton Stowe is 300 miles from his old hometown, but he is solidly embedded in his element - the field of education. Stowe was named as principal of Ocean Springs High School in Mississippi, effective July 1. The school is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and has approximately 1,900 students in grades nine through 12. Only Tupelo High School has a larger high school enrollment.

The Berry Town Council approved a resolution to apply for grants that will allow the town to upgrade and replace a portion of its sewer lines during its Aug. 2 meeting. Councilwoman Mary Sue Lollar and Councilman Russell Madison were absent from the meeting, with all other council members present. Following a brief discussion concerning the need to replace and upgrade a portion of the town’s sewer lines, Councilman Calvin Madison made a motion to seek grants for funds that will assist with the project. Councilman Troyce Townsel seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously.

The Fayette County Board of Education made several additional personnel changes prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 school year during its Aug. 2 meeting. Board President Tom Hubbert and Board Member Julie Stough were absent from the meeting, with all other board members present.

The Glen Allen Town Council met in regular session on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at the town’s community center. Councilman Robert Aldridge and Councilwoman Willie Rose McClinton were absent from the monthly meeting. Following standard meeting procedures, Mayor Allen J. Dunavant addressed an item of old business. He informed the council that the air conditioning units had been installed in the Town Hall and the Post Office.

Fayette Police Chief Danny Jenkins said that with school beginning in Fayette County on Aug. 9, motorists need to exercise extreme caution on the roadways. Jenkins said that it has been more than two months since school buses have been on the roadways, and that drivers may have forgotten that the buses are once again making regular stops. He said that the failure to stop for a school bus that is loading or unloading passengers could not only be costly, it could be a deadly mistake that could tear the community apart.