After a four-year absence, the Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet will have an induction ceremony this August for its Class of 2023 inductees. The ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5 in the Earl McDonald Auditorium on the Fayette Campus of Bevill State Community College. Fayette County High School graduate and University of Alabama broadcasting legend Tom Roberts will once again emcee the event.
A brief, isolated thunderstorm produced large hail and caused some tree damage in the Bankston – Berry area of the county on Thursday, June 29, according to Fayette County Emergency Management Area Director Michael Stoker. Stoker said that due to temperatures reaching nearly 100 degrees in Northwest Alabama last week, the heat caused isolated thunderstorms to occur in certain areas. The official high temperature for Fayette last Thursday was 97 degrees, with a heat index of approximately 110 degrees.
The summer heat and high temperatures are here, with temperatures approaching the 100 degree mark. However, the heat index last Thursday - Sunday was approximately 110 degrees, causing many to seek cool shelter in an effort to avoid the dangerously high heat.
The Fayette City Council held its regular council meeting on Tuesday, June 27. All council members were present for the meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Eddy Campbell led the meeting during the absence of Fayette Mayor Rod Northam, who missed the meeting due to attending a conference. Fayette County High School student Sean White opened the meeting with prayer and also led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Berry High School Lady Wildcats got next year’s season off to a good start, as they participated in the “Battle on the Diamond” softball tournament in Aliceville on June 16 and brought home the first place trophy.
The Bevill State Community College Department of Adult Education is proud to announce the launch of a new online Pharmacy Tech training class. The interactive online course is free of charge to individuals who qualify for Adult Education services.
Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE) announced the expansion of the Alabama First Class Pre-K program. The department will initially add 69 classrooms in 30 counties this fall, providing seats for more than 1,200 children. The classrooms included in this first round are part of Governor Ivey’s specific education initiatives that include addressing turnaround schools and high needs areas, as well as reducing wait lists for Pre-K programs.
Bevill State Community College has partnered with The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing as part of the “UAB School of Nursing/Community College Joint Enrollment Pathway” to offer Bevill State students a seamless path from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The UAB School of Nursing/Community College Joint Enrollment Pathway is for students who are interested in earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree while still enrolled in their associate degree program.
Matt Belk was selected as mayor by the Belk City Council during the council’s regular monthly meeting on Thursday, June 22.
The Fayette County Board of Education voted unanimously during its June 22 meeting to name Dr. Kim Williams as the new principal of Berry High School. All board members were in attendance for the meeting. Dr. Williams is a 1989 graduate of Berry High School, where she was valedictorian of her senior class.
The Fayette Kiwanis held its annual “Youth Fishing Rodeo” on Saturday, June 24. The rodeo was held at Lake Hutto at Guthrie Smith Park.
The Fayette County Commission held its June 26 meeting at the Canaan Community Center at the request of Commissioner John Underwood. All commissioners were present for the meeting.
During the absence of Commission Chairman Mike Freeman, who was attending a conference meeting, Commissioner Wesley Jacobs stepped in as vice-chairman to conduct the meeting. Underwood led the commission in prayer to open the meeting.
Fayette Medical Center is the only hospital of its size in the West Alabama area to offer the latest in three-dimensional mammography services with its new “Hologic Selina Dimensions 3D Performance Mammography System.
Bevill State Community College Division of Workforce Solutions announces the return of the college’s Real Estate program. The first classes will be held on the Fayette Campus beginning July 31.
Belk Mayor Karen Strickland lost her ongoing battle with cancer and passed away at her residence on June 17 at the age of 68. Strickland was a lifelong resident of Fayette County, and lived most of her adult life in the community of Belk. She loved Belk deeply, and devoted her life to helping make life in the small community a better place for the residents.
Note: The following people were sentenced this year in Fayette County Circuit Court. The list was compiled from information received from the Fayette County Circuit Court Office.
This past Saturday, approximately 38 motorcycle riders participated in a memorial ride to honor the memory of longtime Fayette County Sheriff Deputy Frankie McCafferty. McCafferty died in March of cancer.
The Fayette City Council held its regular council meeting on June 13. Councilwoman Aliska Hughes-Monroe was absent from the meeting, with all other council members present. The meeting was opened with prayer led by Councilman Tommy Williams. Williams also led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Fayette County Board of Education approved personnel items and contracts during its June 13 meeting. All board members were present for the meeting.
The Fayette Area Chamber of Commerce held a “Volunteers Appreciation Luncheon” on June 6 to recognize and honor volunteers throughout the community.
