Fayette County School Superintendent Jim Burkhalter held an open meeting to address concerns about Fayette Middle School on Thursday, July 18 at the FMS gym. Deputy Superintendent Mary Raines and FMS Assistant Principal Ray Trull were in attendance, along with many concerned parents.

By Amber Sitton | Guest editorial

Missing persons cases cast a long shadow across the United States. It’s a problem that plagues communities nationwide, leaving families in anguish and uncertainty. Alabama, like many states, grapples with this issue, but a beacon of hope shines from Fayette County in the state’s northwest corner. Remarkably, Fayette County currently has no missing persons reported.

Each year, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) joins fellow highway patrol and state police agencies across the nation vying for the top spot in the American Association of State Troopers’ (AAST) “Best-Looking Cruiser” Contest. Photos are chosen through popular vote and placed in the AAST’s calendar.

Bungalow’s RealtySouth held a ribbon cutting for their new real estate office, located inside Bungalow’s Venue, on Thursday, July 11. Several were in attendance. Pictured above, front row, left to right: Belinda Watts, Anita Morris, Jennifer Roberts, Emily Montague, Jamie Mansfield Farris (Broker w/scissors), Peyton Mansfield, Rebecca Green, Sherry Terry, Melanie Warren and Marla Kizzire. Back Row, left to right: Ron Morris, Floyd Rogers, Dolan Lyle (Agent), Jeff Farris, Mayor Rod Northam, Daxston Farris and Willy Ivey.

Departments in Fayette County were recognized and shown appreciation for their service of commitment and training to keep Alabama safe. Shown above, bottom row, left to right: Chris Roos (Alabama Forestry Department), Paul Madison (Boley), Terrell Stripling (Belk), Eddie “Bunky” Hayes (Lawrence Mill), David Dozier (Hubbertville) and Logan Fisher (Alabama Forestry Department).

Governor Kay Ivey on Monday encouraged Alabamians to begin preparing for the upcoming academic year by participating in Alabama’s annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, held Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21. Items available for purchase and exempt from sales tax during the weekend include pencils, paper, binders, calculators, rulers and even computers, as well as school uniforms, gym suits and other types of clothing.

The Glen Allen Town Council met in regular session at the Town Community Center on Tuesday, July 2. All council members were in attendance for the monthly meeting. Following standard opening procedures for the meeting, Mayor Allen J. Dunavant informed the council that he had received a bid proposal for purchasing the old water meters which were recently replaced with the Automated Meter Reading (AMR) water meters.

The Fayette County Commission convened for a work session at the Fayette Courthouse Annex Building on Monday, July 8. All commissioners were present, except for District Five Commissioner Robert Townley. Fayette County Commission Chairman Mike Freeman stated the meeting was primarily about discussing and putting together plans for 2025 that are due by the end of August. He mentioned that this is not the only meeting, and there will be more discussions in the future.

The Fayette City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 9, at Fayette City Hall. All council members were present, except for Councilwoman Aliska Hughes-Monroe

On Friday, July 5, at approximately 9:08 p.m., the Fayette Fire Department responded to a building fire in the 100 block of 2nd St. NE. Three downtown businesses were damaged during the incident.

The Fayette City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 25, at Fayette City Hall. All council members were in attendance, with the exception of Councilwoman Virettia Whiteside. The meeting commenced with a prayer led by Rick McCabe, an elder at Central Church, and the Pledge of Allegiance recited by Councilman Tommy Williams.

On Monday, July 1, the Berry Town Council held its regular meeting at Berry City Hall. All council members were present, except for Councilman Chris Lindsey. The session began with prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

On Saturday, June 29, Michael Wade Tucker was taken into custody and subsequently charged with the murder of 21-year-old Laci Whitson, according to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Reports show that Tucker was the last known person to be with Whitson who was reported missing by her family earlier this week.

The Berry Fire Department has recently been placed under new management and is actively seeing new recruits for the volunteer fire department.

On Saturday, June 29, around 1:18 a.m., Berry Police were alerted to a possible break in at Berry Discount Apothecary.  According to Berry Police Officer Randall Kelley, surveillance cameras began recording the incident when the suspects broke out the windows of the establishment. 

The new city transit system is officially on a roll! The Fayette Transportation System began operations on Monday, July 1.

Ashtin Berryhill applied to the casting call on June 4 and was selected later that same day and filmed in Nashville on June 5. She was not informed of who the singers would be prior to arriving on set but was overwhelmed with excitement when she found out it was Post Malone and Blake Shelton.

On Tuesday, June 4, the Glen Allen Town Council met in regular session at the Town Community Center. All council members were in attendance except for Councilman Joel Isham. Following standard meeting procedures, Mayor Allen J. Dunavant announced to the council that the lone bid for the Telemetry Upgrades on the Water System Improvements Projects had been accepted and cleared the review of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), authorizing Kazmier and Associates, Inc. to move forward with implementing the proposed project.

As we gear up to celebrate Independence Day with friends and family, it’s important to prioritize safety while traveling. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) kicked-off its annual ‘101 Days of Summer Safety’ campaign that began on Memorial Day weekend and runs through Labor Day in September. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office will also be taking steps to safeguard travelers, ensuring that everyone reaches their destinations safely.