The Fayette County Board of Education approved several personnel changes and contracts during its July 23 meeting. Board members Tim Fields and John Stowe were absent from the meeting, with all other board members being in attendance. The board approved Family Medical Leave for Barbie Mochelle Fields, beginning on July 31 and continuing until approximately Sept. 16. The resignation of Dustin Silas, assistant principal at Hubbertville, was accepted, effective July 5.

Mayor Ray Nelson appointed a budget committee for the 2020 fiscal year during the Fayette City Council’s July 23 meeting. All council members were present for the meeting. Nelson asked the President Pro Tem of the council, Cedric Wilson, to be the chairman of the committee. Councilman Jason Cowart and Councilman Eddy Campbell volunteered to be on the budget committee, and was subsequently appointed to the three-man committee by the mayor.

The Fayette County Commission voted at its July 22 meeting to resume holding its meetings in the annex building instead of the Fayette County Courtroom. All commissioners were present for the meeting. Commissioner Billy Joe Rodgers made the motion to move the meetings, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Joe Acker. The motion passed by a unanimous vote.

Josh and Casey Kauffman’s Self Express Productions company has once again delivered a big-time performance in Fayette, this time with an adaptation of the musical “Annie.” I attended the Saturday afternoon matinee performance, and if that particular performance was an indication of the quality of the other four performances, the play was a tremendous success with Fayette audiences.

A father is attributing God and prayers for the unexpected improvement of his son’s health.
“It’s a divine miracle from our Father in Heaven,” said Hamilton Police Department Lt. Jimmy Pendley, whose son was expected to either die or be brain dead after suffering a severe brain injury.

The Northwest Alabama Regional Congress was held on Friday, June 21 at the Russellville City Schools Complex. The Regional Congress strives to provide educational citizenship and leadership experiences, enhance youth self-esteem and teamwork, encourage the development of decision-making and problem-solving skills, provide opportunities for youth to develop social skills and to gain knowledge in cultural diversity, provide opportunities for youth to participate in regional-level competitive events, and to recognize and reward youth for project mastery and accomplishment.

Ronnie McCollum, a graduate of Fayette County High School, held his annual basketball camp at his alma mater last week. McCollum is currently the head basketball coach of a professional team in Lommel, Belgium. This is the 17th year that he has hosted the camp at FCHS.

During a special called meeting on July 16, the Fayette City Council voted to purchase the land from Norfolk Southern Railroad to build a walking trail. Councilman Jason Cowart was absent from the meeting with all of the other council members present. Mayor Ray Nelson scheduled the meeting during the council’s regular meeting last week for the expressed purpose of voting on the issue concerning the “Rails-to-Trails” land purchase.

Self Express Productions, in conjuction with The Fayette Arts Council, will present a theatrical version of the hit Broadway musical “Annie” this week at the Fayette Civic Center. Self Express Productions was founded nine years ago by the husband-wife team of Josh and Casey Kauffman. The Kauffmans met and married in New York, but opted to relocate in the Winfield area to be near Casey Kauffman’s dad, Ted Cox, who is a physician in Winfield.

Former state senator and longtime Fayette businessman George Bolling died at his home on July 21 at the age of 81. Bolling was born in the Brilliant in Marion County and grew up in Hamilton. After graduating from high school, he attended Auburn University, where he graduated with a pharmacy degree in 1959.

Morgan, Norris graduate from Law Enforcement Academy
Dustin Morgan and Trace Norris are shown with Fayette Police Chief Danny Jenkins after graduating from the Law Enforcement Academy of Tuscaloosa on July 18. Jenkins said that the two officers are the first to attend the academy from the City of Fayette in several years, and said that he is proud they chose to work at the Fayette Police Department.

Nineteen Fayette County 4-H members and three adults enjoyed session three of the 4-H Summer Camps at the 4-H Center in Columbiana on June 10-12. Campers participated in a variety of activities including canoeing, water games, climbing wall, giant swing, pool time, sports night and luau.

A Southern Gospel Concert at Belk Community Center will be on August 1 at 6:30 p.m. The featured group will be The New Revivers from Columbus, Miss., with Don Pennington,  Ryan Musgrove, Michelle Tucker,  and Michelle Tucker’s daughter, Lynn Tucker.

Samford University recognized 1,519 students who were named to the 2019 spring semester Dean’s List. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework. The Dean’s List is the highest academic recognition given by the school at the end of each semester.
Local students receiving this recognition were: Anna Pinkerton of Fayette, Charles Nolen of Fayette, and Allie Taylor of Winfield.

The Fayette County Commission approved the closing of the Studdard’s Crossroads voting precinct during its July8 meeting. All commissioners and Commission Chairman Mike Freeman were in attendance for the meeting. Commissioner Barry Corkren made the motion to close the precinct, citing the small number of people using the precinct and the lack of adequate plumbing as reasons for the closure. Corkren added that the voters at the precinct could be relocated to nearby precincts without causing unnecessary hardships.

The Fayette City Council voted at its July 9 meeting to cancel its current contract with Avenu/RDS for sales tax collection and return to having the tax collected by the State of Alabama. Councilwoman Linda McCraw was absent from the meeting, with all other council members in attendance. Prior to the start of the meeting, current Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill spoke to the city council concerning his upcoming bid for a U.S. Senate seat.

Local artist and mural painter Missy Miles has completed a mural for the Town of Glen Allen depicting the town’s rich history. The mural is painted on the south wall of the Glen Allen Volunteer Fire Department, next to the Glen Allen Town Hall and Post Office. A grant from the Alabama Bicentennial Commission Foundation paid for the cost of the mural.

The municipalities of Fayette and Berry, in conjunction with Fayette County and the State of Alabama, will participate in the annual school sales tax holiday on July 19-21. This is the 14th year that Alabama has held the tax holiday, and the third time that the event has been held in July. The sales tax holiday will begin on Friday, July 19 at 12:01 a.m. and end on Sunday, July 21 at 11:59 p.m.

The Fayette Medical Center Long-Term Care facility hosted an Independence Day “Watermelon Celebration” for its residents. The Long-Term Care facility provides daily activities for its residents and always sponsors special events during the major holidays, as well as Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day.

Eli Champion, 12, an eighth-grader at Fayette Middle School, recently attended Space Academy for Leading Students in Alabama (SALSA) at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, home of Space Camp®, Space Camp® Robotics™, Aviation Challenge®, U.S. Cyber Camp® and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Official Visitor Center.