BY GENA HUFF, Editor

At the Reform City Council meeting Sept. 18, councilmembers discussed the upcoming budget for the new 2019 fiscal year. One of the main topics was a raise for all city employees. Although all members were in favor of a raise, there was some contention as to the percentage of the raise.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The 2019 budget for the Pickens County Board of Education was passed at its second mandatory budget meeting the evening of Sept. 10. Before the budget was passed, Chief School Financial Officer Jennifer Shirley presented the finalized budget and informed the board of any changes made since the first budget meeting, held three weeks prior.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

For the past two weeks, I have written a series of articles concerning an interview done with the Director of the Aliceville Chamber of Commerce, Edgar Pruitt. Much was discussed during this interview with the outcome a hope for a change in the conversation concerning our communities here in Pickens County and throughout West Alabama. To change the face of tomorrow, we must, as residents, change our conversation from negative to positive, from finger-pointing to stepping up and contributing.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Pickens County Commissioners’ meeting on Sept. 11 went smoothly as items on the agenda were announced, motioned, seconded, and approved. At the end of every meeting, each Commissioner is asked if they have any discussion items. District 4 Commissioner Jerry Fitch asked County Engineer, Clint Terry, if the bid for a project on County Road 75 would still be coming in Friday, Sept. 14.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

At the Gordo City Council meeting, September 10, the mayor read into the minutes a proclamation stating September 24 as Family Day in Gordo, and the week of September 23 – September 29 as Family Week. Citizens are encouraged to join together in observing this day/week by spending time with their families and by engaging in appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor and strengthen both our city’s and state’s families.

The proclamation reads as follows:

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

In last week’s issue, the Part One article of “Changing the Face of Tomorrow,” focused more specifically on the local school system and how it is affecting our community as a whole. Part Two of the series focuses on the housing issues within our communities.

After speaking at length with Aliceville Chamber of Commerce Director, Edgar Pruitt, it was quite clear the housing market within our county cannot support the employees for the jobs created or the ones waiting to be created in the county.

Applications for absentee ballots must be filed in the office of Keith “Booty” Cox, Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk not less than five (5) days prior to the election. The deadline to apply is the close of business day, Thursday Nov. 1, 2018.

A traffic stop in Gordo, on September 2, at about 8:30 p.m., resulted in the confiscation of a large amount of marijuana, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and two hand guns.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Budgets are the topic of this month as local towns, cities, and boards prepare for the new fiscal year. Carrollton is no exception.

After some deliberation, members of the Carrollton Town Council voted to give a five percent raise to the town’s department heads and authorized Mayor Mickey Walker to handle other raises as he sees fit. “You earn it, I’ll give it to you,” said Walker.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

In an interview with the director of Aliceville’s Chamber of Commerce, Edgar Pruitt, our mutual love of our county and how we can improve it, how we can promote it, how we can change the downward spiral we seem to be on, is the number one concern. The closure and reconfigurations of our county schools and the issues that seem to face the community in the face of new social concepts and the occurrence of new business but no economic boost, is troubling.

Aliceville Manor Nursing Home is one of 15 Alabama Nursing Home Association members to win the Customer Satisfaction Excellence in Action Award from NRC Health.

This honor, awarded exclusively to NRC Health post-acute clients, recognizes organizations that achieve the highest overall resident or employee satisfaction scores in the NRC Health database–the largest source of long-term care and senior-living satisfaction metrics in the nation.”

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Big changes have been taking place at the Pickens County Medical Center (PCMC) the past few months. A breath of fresh air in the guise of John O’Neal, recently appointed CEO/Administrator, has brought new life and new changes to the formerly struggling hospital.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Pickens County Board of Education held its first of two required budget hearings August 20. Chief School Financial Officer Jennifer Shirley went through the preliminary layout of the budget for the board and audience.

“Everything is not totally complete,” said Shirley. “Our second budget hearing will be September (10). I always try to give everyone a really good comparison of where we were last year compared to this year.”

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

With deer season fast approaching, bow hunters in particular should be wary of the lures they use to attract deer. Some popular deer urine lures could contain Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), an always fatal, debilitating disease similar to mad cow disease. CWD is a neurodegenerative disease found in most deer species including moose, elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. Deer can spread the disease among themselves before symptoms develop, and symptoms may not develop for up to two years.

BY GENA HUFF

Editor

A lawsuit filed August 3 in the circuit court of Pickens County names Pickens Academy, Pickens Academy Board of Trustees, and Brach White, Pickens Academy principal, as defendants. The suit was filed on behalf of one of the victims of Charli Jones Parker, a former teacher at Pickens Academy currently serving out a three-year imprisonment for improper sexual contact with two students under the age of 19 years.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

An appeal filed February 6 in the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals was denied for Charli Jones Parker, the former Pickens Academy teacher currently serving a sentence after a guilty plea of improper sexual contact with two students in 2016.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

James (Jamie) Franklin Parker III, was sentenced on August 14 for the charge of a school employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19 years. The sex acts involved a former female student at Pickens Academy. Parker pled guilty before going to trial.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Some dispute was had over the upgrading and purchasing of new motor graders for the county last week at the August 14 bi-monthly Pickens County Commissioners meeting. A seemingly innocuous item on the agenda reared its head as items were added, pursued, and challenged.

Usually, items are brought off the agenda, motioned, seconded, approved, and the meeting moves at a steady pace.

Tommy Hyche, lifelong resident of Northport/Tuscaloosa County, formally announced today he is running to represent the citizens of District 61 in the Alabama House of Representatives.

“No matter how hard they work, too many folks across our District still live paycheck to paycheck in constant fear of an unexpected illness or expense,” said Hyche. “It’s time that we have someone in Montgomery who understands these everyday struggles and will work to address them.”

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

With a new fiscal year approaching in October, the city of Gordo is gearing up to pass its budget for 2018-2019. During the August 6 city council meeting, Mayor Craig Patterson discussed budget with the council members. Patterson wanted to answer any of the council’s questions regarding the budget in anticipation of getting it passed at next month’s council meeting

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Reform City Council made decisions regarding two properties in the city at the council’s first meeting this month, held August 7. Mayor Bennie Harton and the city’s building inspector went to a mobile home which had been so neglected, “We were afraid to go in,” Harton told the council. “The door was open, but trees had grown to the door so, we really couldn’t enter the building.”

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Butch Hobson, manager of the Chicago Dogs professional baseball team and formerly of Aliceville, gave away third base during an August 7 game between Hobson’s Dogs and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Hobson was unhappy a RedHawks’ runner on third base was not called out in the second inning. Hobson proceeded to let American Association umpire, Mike Jarboe, be sure he understood his disagreement with the call.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The city of Aliceville will be having a community Clean-Up Day, August 25. The event is being led by Councilman Robert “Cookieman” Wilder. When it was brought up during the August 8 city council meeting, it garnered a few suggestions and comments.

Mayor Marva Gipson suggested Wilder ask each council member to get help from their districts. “And then you’ll meet at a certain area, but we’re all going to have to meet here first,” Gipson said.