As automated license plate-reading cameras draw increased scrutiny across the country and in Alabama, Fayette Police Chief Danny Jenkins says the Fayette Police Department has safeguards in place designed to prevent the technology from being misused. Fayette currently has two Flock Safety cameras. One has been located at the entrance to Guthrie Smith Park for approximately five years, while a second was recently installed near the Fayette Fire Department’s north station, across from the airport.

Two Fayette County families lost their homes to fires on Friday, Aug. 21. The home of Jeremy and Dwan Madden was destroyed by fire while the family was away. Jeremy Madden, principal of Northside High School and former principal of Fayette County High School, learned of the fire while attending the school’s football game. No family members were home at the time, and the family’s dog was also found safe. Fire also destroyed the Columbus Street home of Jennifer Peterson, a single mother of four boys, near downtown Fayette. All family members are reported safe.

A 20-year-old Winfield man was killed in a single-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon in Fayette County. According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alexander M. Greene was fatally injured when the 2004 Nissan Sentra he was driving left the roadway, struck a ditch and a gate, and then struck multiple trees.

Fayette County residents could benefit from several projects included in more than $144 million in grants announced Monday as part of Alabama’s new Rural Health Transformation Program. Gov. Kay Ivey announced 138 grants to healthcare providers and institutions across the state, with projects covering rural areas in every Alabama county. The funding is intended to improve healthcare access, quality and outcomes in rural communities.

Capstone Health will expand its services into Fayette after receiving a federal grant to establish a new community health center in the city. The organization announced Aug. 18 that it has been awarded a New Access Point grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA. The funding will allow Capstone Health to establish a Fayette facility offering a range of health care services to residents of Fayette and surrounding communities.

One person was killed in a single-vehicle crash on County Road 35 in Fayette on Saturday, Aug. 15. The crash occurred around 11 a.m. near the second bridge on County Road 35, in the area of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The Fayette Police Department confirmed that the crash involved one vehicle and resulted in one fatality. The identity of the driver had not been released as of press time.

Downtown business owners and community leaders gathered at Fayette City Hall on Aug. 13 to discuss ways to strengthen downtown Fayette and learn more about the city’s participation in Main Street Alabama. Fayette is currently a Network Community through Main Street Alabama, a nonprofit organization focused on revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through economic development, community involvement and preservation. The Aug.

The Fayette City Council discussed more than $680,000 in proposed paving work, appointed a new city attorney and prosecutor and reviewed upcoming sewer rate increases during its Aug. 11 meeting. All council members were present. The first speakers, representatives of the Fayette Garden Club and Brother 2 Brother, thanked the city and community for supporting their recent basketball tournament and back-to-school event. Kathy Bordelon and Brother 2 Brother President Felix Caine said the groups organized the event to raise money for backpacks and school supplies for local children.

The Fayette County Board of Education heard a proposal for a Bible literature course, discussed classroom overcrowding and future facility needs and approved its five-year capital plan during its Monday, Aug. 11 meeting. Jared Wilson returned to the board to discuss plans for establishing a Bible as literature course, an idea he first presented to board members in January. Wilson said organizers have continued working on the proposal and have received encouragement from members of the community.

A Fayette County grand jury has indicted Timothy Vess Benton on two counts of violating Alabama’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), and he was arrested Aug. 4 by investigators with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. Benton was booked into the Fayette County Jail, where his bond was set at $1 million. The new charges stem from events following a June 2025 ruling by Circuit Judge Samuel W. Junkin that modified Benton’s original sentence.

The Fayette County Commission approved an extended warranty on a piece of county road equipment and discussed restricting through-truck traffic on County Road 21 South during its Aug. 10 meeting. All commissioners were present except Shane Hughes. The commission approved minutes from its July 27 meeting before approving $22,505.91 in claims for the period. Of that amount, $17,594.73 was attributed to the county’s General Fund. The commission approved its annual contract with the Alabama Department of Youth Services related to the detention of juveniles who have been charged with offenses.

The Glen Allen Town Council met Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the town’s community center. All council members were in attendance for the monthly meeting with the exception of Councilman Dustin Youngblood. Mayor Allen J. Dunavant called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. Councilman Robert Aldridge opened the meeting with a prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by the mayor. Dunavant brought before the council the Glen Allen Fiscal Year 2027 Transportation Plan. The plan is a requirement of the Rebuild Alabama Act (RAA), which requires the council to adopt a transportation plan annually.

Representatives from the Alabama Department of Transportation met with Fayette residents Thursday, Aug. 6, to discuss a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Highway 171 and Temple Avenue South. The public involvement meeting gave residents an opportunity to review plans for the project, ask questions and provide comments to ALDOT and City of Fayette representatives. The proposed project would convert the three-way intersection of Highway 171 North, Highway 171 South and Temple Avenue into a roundabout designed to allow the three legs of the intersection to function as one unit.

The Berry Town Council addressed several major issues during its Aug. 3 meeting, including a proposed residential development, police equipment upgrades, municipal court concerns and several infrastructure projects. After the invocation and pledge, Randall Kelley reported that the Berry Fire Department responded to 26 calls during July. Kelley also updated the council on the recent multi-agency kratom investigation that included the Berry Police Department. Kelley said investigators recovered 188 bottles of kratom products from one Berry store owned by an individual under investigation.

Federal, state and local officials gathered Tuesday, July 28, at Richard Arthur Field to celebrate the completion of a major airport expansion that leaders say will strengthen economic development opportunities throughout Fayette County. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the airport’s new hangar and expanded apron drew U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, State Sen. Matt Woods, State Rep. Brian Brinyark, representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Katie Britt and Gov. Kay Ivey, Alabama Department of Transportation officials, county leaders and local elected officials.