The Alabama Legislature passed and Governor Ivey signed an Education Budget that includes $950,000 in funding to expand Bevill State’s mine training facility to include longwall mining training.  Bevill State Community College is the only college in the state that offers Mine Technology curriculum.

As Kalos Sims was approaching retirement age, he began to think of a new career that he would enjoy working for a few years. He had always enjoyed cooking, so when he had a chance to buy an upstart barbeque place called Lisa’s, he jumped at the chance. “I was 57 years old when I bought Lisa’s in April 1995,” Kalos Sims said. “My thought was to keep the business until I turned 65, then sell it and retire. Those first eight years went by fast, so I finally sold the business after keeping it 24 years.”

Former Fayette mayor and longtime Fayette County High School band director Jerry Bobo passed away on Sunday, June 9 at Fayette Medical Center. He was 83 years old.

The Fayette County Board of Education approved several personnel changes and contracts for the 2019-20 school year during its June 4 meeting. Board Member John Stowe was absent from the meeting, with all other board members present. Prior to the beginning of the meeting, Josh Taylor of the Alabama Department of Public Accounts, gave a brief overview of his department’s recent audit of the school board.

The Berry Town Council voted to unanimously reinstate Troyce Townsel to his position on the council during its June 3 meeting. Townsel had missed meetings for 90 consecutive days or longer and according to a town’s ordinance, he had to be reappointed to his position on the council by a vote of the council members. Council Member Russell Madison made a motion to reappoint Townsel, and the motion was seconded by Council Member Chris Rice. The council members unanimously voted to approve the motion.

Every day, skilled nursing centers assist our seniors and people with disabilities in living their happiest and best lives. Whether it’s planting, cooking, reading or listening to music, these centers pay it forward by helping individuals find their own happiness to improve their quality of life. This year, National Skilled Nursing Care Week focused on living soulfully and will celebrate skilled nursing centers, their residents and staff, by showcasing how they help residents achieve happy minds and healthy bodies.

Following the Fayette City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting on May 28, the Fayette City Council held a lengthy work session to primarily discuss the proposed “Rails-to-Trails” project.
Councilman Jerry Nichols, Councilwoman Linda McCraw and City Clerk Dawn Clapp were absent from the meeting. Assistant Clerk Sherry Fowler assumed the duties of Clapp at the council meeting.

After several appeals and a last-minute stay of execution in April, convicted killer Christopher Price was executed on May 30 for the murder of Bill Lynn. On the day his sentence was carried out, Price reportedly apologized to Lynn’s family through his attorney, saying, “I’m terribly sorry for the victim of my crime and his family. Neither he nor his family deserve what happened to him. No one deserves that.”

The Fayette Fire Department, along with the Belk Volunteer Fire Department, responded to a fully-involved fire on County Road 6 in Belk on Thursday, May 30 at approximately 12:50 p.m.
Fayette Fire Chief Shannon Taylor said that two vacant mobile homes were fully engulfed in flames at the time of his department’s arrival. He said that the fire departments contained the fire to the area of the mobile homes and prevented the fire from spreading to the nearby woods.

The Hamilton Post of the Alabama State Troopers reported that a two-vehicle accident occurring at approximately 8:45 a.m. on May 31 claimed the life of a Fayette County woman. Merlene Williamson, 77, was killed when the golf cart she was driving collided with a Hyundai Sante Fe. The driver of the other vehicle was not identified by the troopers’ office.

In a major step towards continued expansion of broadband internet service in rural Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill 90 into law. Sponsored by Senator Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville), SB90 expands an existing grant program under the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, which was established by the Legislature in 2018.

Berry High School presented its athletic awards at its annual banquet. Awards were presented to several student-athletes in each of the school's varsity sports.

Randy, Donna and Wesley Parker received the Fayette Garden Club’s Yard-of-the-Month for May. Their house is one of the oldest houses in Fayette, and also was the first hotel in town. The house was built in 1850. The Parkers received this month’s award due to the tremendous job they do keeping their yard neatly groomed and blooming with flowers.

Last week, two Bevill State Community College Upward Bound students met to discuss their upcoming trip to Washington, D.C. for the 30th Annual National Student Leadership Congress (NSLC) which takes place June 8-13. Brennon Ballard, a junior from Hamilton High School and Araceli Ramirez, a junior from Carbon Hill High School, were two students chosen of just 180 from around the United States.

The warm temperatures and clear sky helped the Fayette Aquatic Center have a very successful opening day for the 2019 season.

The Fayette Area Chamber of Commerce held its 2019 banquet on Tuesday, May 21 at Bevill State Community College. Guest speaker for the event was former University of Alabama All-American defensive back and current TV show host Tommy Wilcox. Wilcox played on Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s last football team at Alabama, and also served as one of the pallbearers at Bryant’s funeral.

Former Fayette Police Chief and former Fayette City Councilman Mike Hardin passed away at his residence on Wednesday, May 22 at the age of 70. Hardin began work at the Fayette Police Department in Feb. 1979 and was promoted to sergeant in March 1985. He became chief of the police department in Jan. 1995 and remained in that position until he retired in July 1999.

Dexter Roberts of Fayette finished a very respectable third on season 16 of “The Voice.”
The results were announced last Tuesday night, with Andrew Sevener finishing fourth, Gyth Rigdon capturing second, and Maelyn Jarmon taking home the top prize. During the results show, it was announced that each of the top four finalists would receive a new Toyota Rav 4 as a gift.

Barry Corkren, Fayette County Commissioner for District Three and a sergeant with the Fayette County Sheriff Department, was arrested on Monday, May 20 and charged with driving under the influence (DUI). The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reported that troopers responded to a one-vehicle accident occurring at the intersection of Highway 102 and County Road 142 in Fayette County.

Christopher Lee Price, who received a last-minute stay of execution on April 11, is scheduled to be executed at Holman Prison on May 30. Price, 46, was convicted in the 1991 robbery and murder of Bill Lynn.