BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Pickens County YouthBuild program saw 16 young adults move one step closer to a successful future at their graduation ceremony held December 17 at Mt. Hebron Baptist Church Community Life Center in Aliceville. Wayne Davis, Director of YouthBuild welcomed the parents and friends of the graduates. “Our (YouthBuild) main goal is to educate and inspire,” Davis said.

The Aliceville Fire Department was called out to an early-morning house fire on December 19. The house was located on 5th Street NW, behind the Food Fare grocery store. Assistant Fire Chief Derrick Jones said the volunteers responded in a timely fashion and were able to save the house.

JP and Mozelle Dixon of Reform celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 27, 2018 at the Belk Activity center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Rejoicing and celebrating with them were their children; Russell (Ruby), Lisa (Maurice Sr.) and Victoria (Damaine Sr.) and grandchildren; Anthony, Maurice Jr., Mya, Malayiah, Katelynn, and Damine Jr. Also, many family members and friends shared in this celebration of love. Congratulations!

Jerry and Terisa Robbins of Carrollton, Alabama would like to announce the upcoming marriage of Terisa’s daughter, Breanna Stone to Cody Walker, son of David and Julie Walker of Lebanon, Tennessee.

Breanna is a 2013 graduate of Pickens Academy in Carrollton, Alabama and received her Bachelor in Fine Arts degree in Digital Photography from The Art Institute of Nashville in 2017. She is currently employed by Tucker Photography of Donaldson, Tennessee.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced on December 10 a $6.23 million state grant which will allow Alabama District Attorneys to hire 88 Certified Victim Service Officers to assist victims of crimes.

“The criminal justice system can seem intimidating to people who have been victims of crime,” the Governor said. “I am pleased to support this program, which will provide knowledgeable professionals to help crime victims understand the court process and ensure that they know of other community resources that may further assist them.”

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Pickens County District Court succeeded in keeping repeat offenders off the streets of the county in at least two sentencing hearings held November 26.

Kevin and Tonya Robertson announce the engagement of their daughter, Carley Marie Robertson, to Austin Elkins.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Winston and Mavis Robertson and Johnny and Patricia Smith. She is employed by Little Blessings daycare.

The groom-elect is the son of Buck and Charolette Elkins and Dewayne and Nicole Nance. He is the grandson of Gene and Sue Mcateer; and Debob and Julie McDaniel. He is employed at Envirro-Vac.

The wedding will be Dec. 16, 2018, at 2 p.m. at Sardis Freewill Baptist Church in Echola, Ala. 

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Every fire department in Pickens County is volunteer based. “There is not a paid fire fighter in Pickens County,” said District 1 Commissioner Bobby Bain. Amazing considering the amount of time, not to mention the danger involved, in being a fire fighter/first responder.

Aliceville Fire Chief Willie Dixon had a few things to say about that at Aliceville’s city council meeting on November 28. Every meeting the council hears a report from the fire, street, and police department heads.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Natalie Lavender, Health Science teacher at the Pickens County College and Career Center (PCCCC) in Carrollton, has been awarded Teacher of the Year in the Health Science division by a national organization for career technical educators known as the Association for Career and Technical Education.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and private nonprofit organizations located in Alabama as a result of rainfall and flooding from April 1 through June 30, 2018.

The loans are available in the following counties: Colbert, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Marion, Mobile, Pickens, and Washington in Alabama.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Carrollton Town Council met December 6 for its monthly meeting. Mayor Mickey Walker was absent from the meeting as he was double-booked and was required to attend another meeting at the same time. Mayor Pro Tem, Freddie Lowe, directed the council meeting in Walker’s absence.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The newly-formed Pickens County Commission, containing two newcomers in the form of District 2 Commissioner Bobby Ingram and District 5 Commissioner Mark Gray, met for their first administration meeting the morning of Nov. 27. After general business was conducted, District 4 Commissioner Jerry Fitch raised the issue of a new motor grader for each district, an issue he had brought to the Commission’s attention several times before.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

As far back as June 27, the Aliceville City Council has been working to get the former funeral home on 3rd Avenue either demolished or repaired by the owners.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Lively St. Nick had to make an emergency stop at the Aliceville Public Library last Friday afternoon. Apparently, Santa was doing a fly-over to gather coordinates for the many parades scheduled in Pickens County over the next couple of weeks. Rudolf, Santa’s favorite reindeer and GPS, had a malfunction due to some bad reindeer lettuce and ended up in an emergency “crash” landing close to the library.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

With deer hunting season now upon us, all the male and female hunters out there begin thinking of that big trophy buck. The one they can hang on the wall and reminisce about the wait and the kill.

Mounting a deer is no easy task and it is definitely not for the inexperienced. One local taxidermist sat down with me to discuss his process and experience mounting deer and other wildlife for display.

The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) is pleased to announce that Drew Wade, COO, West Alabama Bank, Reform, Ala., has graduated from the Executive Development Institute for Community Bankers® (EDI), a rigorous 19-month leadership development program for up-and-coming executive officers of community banks.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The swearing in of elected officials in the Pickens County community occurred over the past couple of weeks, welcoming all those elected to their positions in an official capacity. Former Pickens County District Attorney Chris McCool was sworn in as the Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Place Number 2 on November 9 in Montgomery.

At the swearing in of the Commissioners on Nov. 14 at the Judicial Building in Carrollton, McCool was on hand to swear in District 4 Commissioner Jerry Fitch.