C3 of Northwest Alabama has been awarded a second $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help assess and prepare potentially contaminated properties for future redevelopment in Fayette, Lamar and Marion counties. The Brownfields Assessment Grant will fund environmental site assessments, cleanup planning, redevelopment planning and community engagement activities aimed at returning vacant or underused properties to productive use.

Justin Calloway, 24, of Cordova, died Wednesday evening following an accident at Warrior Met Coal’s Blue Creek Mine near Berry. According to authorities, Calloway was working underground at the active mine on Highway 69 North when he was found unresponsive around 6 p.m. on July 1. He was brought to the surface, where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators with the Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit responded to the scene. A preliminary investigation indicated the death resulted from a machinery-related accident underground. Officials said there is no indication of foul play.

The Town of Berry kicked off Independence Day festivities early with its America 250 celebration on Thursday, July 2, bringing residents together at Berry Heritage Park to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary. The evening honored America’s past, present and future while providing an opportunity for neighbors to gather in celebration. The event began with free hot dogs, chips and drinks for the first 250 attendees as families spread blankets and lawn chairs across the park in anticipation of an evening filled with patriotic music, fellowship and fireworks.

The Berry Town Council approved several appointments, selected a name for the town’s new museum and postponed action on a proposed police technology purchase during its regular meeting on July 6. Mayor Mary Lollar called the meeting to order with Council Members Calvin Madison, Russell Madison and Nancy Shepherd present. Council Members Charles Tidwell and Chris Lindsey were absent. The council approved minutes from its June 8 and June 22 meetings.

The Fayette County Commission approved the purchase of two replacement tractors and authorized the sale of surplus equipment during a brief special called meeting on Monday,  July 6. All commission members were present except Commissioner David Hubbert. Commission Chairman Mike Freeman said the meeting was called following discussion at the commission’s previous meeting regarding the need to replace equipment used by the county’s road department.

City officials and members of the Fayette Fire Department met June 24 to discuss proposed policy changes that prompted an extended discussion during the previous night’s City Council meeting. Present for the meeting were Fire Chief Shannon Taylor, City Clerk Sherry Fowler, Councilmen Floyd Rodgers, Steve Herring and Cedric Wilson, along with six members of the fire department. The meeting was held after the City Council voted to table proposed fire department policy changes and appoint a committee to meet with firefighters before the matter returns to the council.

The Fayette County Commission approved several routine items and heard updates on emergency management, road projects and equipment needs during its regular meeting on June 22. All commissioners were present. Commissioners approved minutes from the previous meeting and authorized payment of claims totaling $1,269,831 for the current period. The largest portion of those claims was related to the county’s Rebuild Alabama road program. The commission also approved the annual Insolvents, Errors and Taxes in Litigation report submitted by the Fayette County Revenue Commissioner’s Office.

The Fayette City Council discussed proposed fire department policy changes, received updates on paving projects and the city’s America 250 celebration, and addressed several other matters during its June 23 meeting. All council members were present. Southside Baptist Church pastor Kent Shepherd led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and the meeting was called to order. The council approved minutes from the previous meeting.

Community members gathered June 24 to help imagine the future of downtown Fayette’s Flag Park during a public design workshop led by consultants with Your Town Alabama. The “charrette”—an interactive planning session—was hosted by the City of Fayette as officials continue exploring improvements to the small downtown park dedicated to veterans. The project grew out of an ACE Leadership class proposal, and city officials hope the redesigned space will become both a tribute to Fayette’s history and veterans while serving as a gathering place for community events.

The 56th Fayette Arts Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fayette Civic Center and Art Museum, 530 Temple Ave. N. One of Alabama’s longest-running arts festivals, the event attracts artists, craftsmen and visitors from across the Southeast. The festival is a juried arts and crafts show featuring fine art, folk art and craft categories, with cash awards presented to selected participants. Organizers said many returning artists and vendors are expected to participate in this year’s festival.

Fayette County third graders posted some of the strongest reading scores in Alabama this year, with nearly all students meeting the state’s literacy benchmark. According to results released June 11 by the Alabama State Department of Education, 96.48 percent of Fayette County’s 142 third-grade students scored at or above the benchmark on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) reading assessment. The county’s performance significantly exceeded the statewide average of 88.18 percent  and placed Fayette County among the highest-performing school systems in Alabama.

On Thursday, June 18, in honor of Father’s Day, the Brother 2 Brother organization visited with male residents at Fayette Long Term Care. They spent time with the residents, talking and bonding. They brought along goodie bags for the men present for this event.  Members of Brother 2 Brother who attended were Sean White, Joseph Brock, Gilbert Gay, Milborne Savage, Felix Caine, Mil Savage and Rev. Floyd Rodgers, Jr. On Friday, June 19, local pastors and community leaders served lunch to male residents, and sat down to eat and fellowship with them.

Children and families packed the Fayette Civic Center on Monday for an educational animal presentation hosted by the Fayette County Memorial Library as part of its Summer Reading Program. The Snake Show, presented by Brittney Johnson and her daughter, Auburn, introduced audience members to a variety of reptiles and other exotic animals while teaching about wildlife, habitats and conservation.

Fayette County voters returned to the polls Tuesday to decide two Republican runoff races, selecting Jeananne Edwards as the party’s nominee for Revenue Commissioner and Steve Sawyer as the Republican nominee for Fayette County Superintendent of Education. According to unofficial results released by the Fayette County Probate Office, 3,613 ballots were cast in the June 16 Primary Runoff Election. Fayette County recorded a voter turnout of 28.33 percent among its 12,755 registered voters. The closest race of the night was the contest for Fayette County Superintendent of Education.

The Berry Town Council discussed public safety technology, preparations for the town’s upcoming America 250 celebration, employee policies and several infrastructure issues during its June 8 meeting. Berry Police Chief Gerald Dedeaux presented a department activity report covering Jan. 1 through May 31. During that period, the department recorded 27 arrests, including 15 drug-related arrests, worked three traffic accidents, completed 32 incident reports, issued 66 citations and approximately 185 written warnings.

The Fayette County Board of  Education approved a series of personnel recommendations during its June meeting, including teacher hires, resignations, summer program contracts and coaching assignments for the 2026-27 school year. All board members were present for the meeting. The board accepted the resignations of Jackson Elkins, countywide paraprofessional assigned to Fayette Elementary School; Harley Holsonback, teacher at Fayette Elementary School; Isabella Butts, teacher at Fayette Elementary School; and Bailey Burleson, teacher at Berry High School.

The Glen Allen Town Council met Tuesday, June 2, at the Glen Allen Community Center. All council members were present. Mayor Allen J. Dunavant called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. Councilman Brad Whitehead opened the meeting with prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor Dunavant. Following the pledge, Mayor Dunavant announced that the town had successfully secured funding through the Rebuild Alabama Act (RAA) Annual Grant Program to resurface 10 streets within the town.

Visitors to the Berry Civic Center may notice something different the next time they walk through the doors. What was once a beige, institutional-looking facility has been transformed into a warm and welcoming community gathering place through the efforts of Mayor Mary Lollar and a committee of local volunteers. The civic center serves many functions in the town, hosting municipal court, various meetings, a quilting group and numerous other community events throughout the year. Town leaders felt the building should better reflect the community it serves.