The Fayette City Council voted to purchase a new backhoe for the street and sanitation department. All council members were present for the meeting. Prior to the start of the meeting, two members of the local Girl Scout Troop were present to lead the council in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Morgan Bahm led the prayer and Paige Bahm led the pledge. Marty Weeks, supervisor for the street and sanitation department, said that the city had received two bids for a new backhoe.

Tom Wisemiller of Marysville, Ohio has been hired as the new President/CEO at C3 of Northwest Alabama, Inc. David Thornell, President/CEO since C3’s inception in September 2010, announced his retirement in the fall of 2020 after 42 years in the economic development field. C3’s nationwide search for Thornell’s replacement spanned several months.

Due to spring break and the recent rainy weather, the Fayette Tigers baseball team played only three games the past two weeks. Fayette won two of the games and lost one. On Thursday, March 18, Fayette traveled to Sulligent and defeated the Blue Devils by a score of 6-2. The Tigers led 2-1 until Sulligent tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when a run scored on an error. Fayette sealed the victory in the top of the seventh, as Drake Johnson hit a three-run double. The Tigers added another run in the inning to capture the 6-2 win.

The Berry Lady Wildcats won two-of-three games played on Saturday, March 20 during the Hubbertville Round-Robin Softball Tournament. Marion County defeated Berry by the score of 4-2. Kyla Edmonson pitched the complete four-inning game for the Lady Wildcats and suffered the loss. She allowed two earned runs on only two hits and struck out six batters. Anna Kate VanDee had Berry’s only hit in the game, which was a double. She also batted in both of the Lady Wildcats runs. Edmonson scored both of Berry’s runs during the game.

The Berry Wildcats baseball team defeated Marion County on Saturday, March 13 by the score of 4-2. Berry broke a two-two tie in the bottom of the fifth inning as Johnathan Locke hit into a ground out, driving in the lead run. Trace Nelson started the game at pitcher for the Wildcats. He allowed only two runs on six hits and struck out four in 6 2/3 innings of work to record the victory. Hunter Harrison, Matthew Morrison, Isaiah Kizzire, Tyler Lollar and Nelson each had a hit during the game for the Wildcats.

A multi-agency investigation in Fayette County resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs and firearms. on Thursday morning, March 18. Investigators executed a search warrant at a home in the 200 block of 11th Street Southwest in Fayette at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, March 18. Agents charged Steven Patrick Musgrove, 25, with trafficking methamphetamine, first-degree possession of marijuana, failure to affix a tax stamp, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and certain persons forbidden from possessing a firearm.

The Fayette County Board of Education voted during its Tuesday, March 16 meeting to not renew the contract for Dr. Alicia Nalls as principal of Fayette Elementary School. All board members were present for the meeting. Board President Tom Hubbert asked for a motion on Superintendent Jim Burkhalter’s recommendation to non-renew Nalls contract, effective June 30. Board member Julie Stough made a motion to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to non-renew, and the motion was seconded by board member Keith Madison.

An audit completed by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts for fiscal year 2018 concludes that Fayette County Commission funds from other accounts were incorrectly allocated to a fund that was used to help construct the new Fayette County Jail. While the report indicates that funds may have been mishandled and used from other accounts in an inappropriate manner, the auditors did not find that any funds were used for personal gain.

Quinton Aaron, the actor who played Michael “Big Mike” Oher in the movie “The Blind Side,” visited Fayette County High School on Wednesday, March 17 to present a program to the students on bullying. Students from Berry Elementary, Berry High School and Hubbertville School also attended the program.

For the second year in a row, Fayette Medical Center has been included in Newsweek Magazine’s list of the “World’s Best Hospitals.” Newsweek, in partnership with Statista Inc., released its 2021 list of the World’s Best Hospitals recently, and only four Alabama hospitals made the list.
Like last year, Fayette Medical Center received the second highest rating in the state after UAB.
Fayette Medical Center, has been part of the DCH Health System since 1984, and includes 61 licensed hospital beds and 122 long-term care beds.

The Belk Town Council held its March monthly meeting a week early because of a pending medical issue involving Mayor Mike Ellison. All council members were present. The council addressed the appointment of a Mayor Pro Tem to serve in the absence of the mayor. The council approved the appointment of Bill Davis as Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Belk. The council voted to purchase a tractor from Freeman Tractor Sales in Fayette. The cost of the Mahindra tractor was $22,430.

The 2021 Fayette Garden Tractor Pull was a huge success, with nearly 100 garden tractors competing in the event.

The Hubbertville Lady Lions softball team played five games last week, with mixed results in the outcomes. Hubbertville started the week with an 11-1 victory over Brilliant. Emma Nichols pitched a complete five inning game and allowed only two hits and no earned runs while striking out 10 batters. Laikyn Wright had three hits in four at-bats, including a double, with two RBIs and two runs scored. Krissa Comer was also three-for-four at the plate, with four RBIs and two runs scored.

The Hubbertville Lions finished second in the NAC Baseball Tournament held last week. In the semifinal game against Hackleburg, the Lions won by a score of 5-2. Gage Key was the starting pitcher, pitching 4 1/3 innings and allowing no hits while striking out 11 batters to record the win. Tanner McGough pitched the final 2 2/3 innings in relief and also allowed no hits. T.J. Keeton had a hit, two RBIs and scored a run. Carter Hollingsworth had a RBI, and Grayson Sullivan had a hit for the Lions.

The Bevill State Bears suffered a tough series against Southern Union, losing four games to the Bison. Bevill lost the first game by a score of 7-4. Jacob Hall was the starting pitcher for Bevill and suffered the loss. He allowed six runs on five hits in two innings of work. Jackson Elkins led Bevill offensively with two hits.

ARCA Champion Bret Holmes visited with Temple Bowling and Kimberly Bowling, owners of the Golden Eagle Syrup Manufacturer in Fayette last week. Holmes presented them the hood that was on his car when he won the ARCA Series Racing Championship last season. The Bowlings sponsored Holmes’ car for that race, and will also sponsor him this year in the April ARCA race and the October Truck race at Talladega. The hood was designed by the Bowling’s son, Walt Bowling.

The Fayette City Council voted to raise its rates for weekend parties at the Fayette Aquatic Center to $500 each for the 2021 season. All council members were present for the meeting. Aquatic Center Administrator Chris Champion spoke to the council concerning the current rates at the center. Champion said that as they were preparing to open for the aquatic center’s ninth season, they are proposing an increase in the price for a weekend party. He said that season passes and the daily admission price would stay the same, as would the price for weekday parties.

The many ornamental Bradford pear trees that have bloomed in Fayette and the surrounding area during the past several days appear to be signaling that springtime is here. The grass is getting greener, the temperature has already topped 80 degrees, and spring begins Saturday, March 20.

The Fayette County Commission discussed at its March 8 meeting applying for a $300,000 Community Block - CARES grant that would be used with other funds to build a new clinic in Fayette. All commissioners were present for the meeting. Commission Chairman Mike Freeman said that the current clinic is full, and that the county needs a new, more efficient clinic. He said that the commission has a short window of opportunity to apply for the grant, and thinks that a clinic would be a worthwhile project. The deadline to apply for the grant is April 1.

After a one year absence due to coronavirus concerns, the Berry Town Council approved the return of the annual Berry Heritage Festival. All council members were present at the March 9 meeting. The council had solicited response from possible vendors and vintage car owners about renewing the event this year. A favorable response was received, and with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic waning in conjunction with the increased availability of coronavirus vaccinations, Councilwoman Mary Sue Lollar made a motion to hold the festival this year.