BY LINDA FORTE, PhD
Guest Columnist Lsforte50@gmail.com

The Board of Directors of the Pickens County Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Association invites all citizens throughout the county to come out and celebrate with us as we commemorate mental health awareness. We are using the international theme “Celebrating the Power of Community Kindness” to emphasize the power and impact of community kindness in dealing with the challenges as- sociated with mental issues.

BY SHAWN PERRIGIN
Guest Columnist

By Donna Bain
Staff Writer
 CARROLLTON- The Carrollton City Council met on April 6, 2023. Following the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes were approved with a motion from Councilman Phillip Trull and a second from Councilman Sherman Mayhew. The Council voted to pay the city’s bills with a motion from Councilman Chuck McDaniel and a second from Councilwoman Terisa Robbins.

By Donna Bain
Staff Writer

By Doug Sanders Jr.
News Correspondent
The Gordo Town Council on April 3 saw a tense exchange between the mayor and a councilmember over the town’s lack of action against dilapidated houses.
 Councilwoman Floy Goode mentioned some places in the town in her district that have fallen into disrepair or are unsightly, but she specifically mentioned a residence on Preacher Street. She said she is halfway through her second four-year on the council with no results. “What can we do?” she asked.

The Pickens Academy Board of Trustees, an independent private school located in Carrollton, Alabama, announced today the hiring of Jason Moore as its next Headmaster. Mr. Moore will succeed interim Headmaster Bobby Beasley and will begin fulfilling these duties May 1, 2023. Mr. Moore was unanimously recommended for the position by the Headmaster Search Committee after a careful search and interviews from an impressive pool of candidates.  The search began on January 1, 2023. 

By Donna Bain
Staff Writer
If you’ve ever been to Food Fare in Aliceville, Alabama, you have seen what a large, clean, organized and beautiful store the Hankins family has created for the people of Pickens County.
   A.J. Hankins, the first owner of the Aliceville Food Store, retired in Memphis from the Marine Corp in 1970. He came to Aliceville to sharecrop with his brother. Soon his sons came to Pickens County as well.

By Felicity Holman
Managing Editor
 CARROLLTON- The Pickens County Board of Commissioners meeting was held on March 28, 2023. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jerry Fitch. Commissioner Jill Noland was not in attendance.
The meeting began with a motion from Commissioner Drew Elmore to approve the consent agenda. Commissioner Jody McGee seconded the motion, and it was approved.

By Felicity Holman
Managing Editor

ALICEVILLE- The Aliceville City Council meeting took place on March 22, 2023. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Terrence Windham. Councilmembers Talya Ball and Rebecca Gilliam were not in attendance.
   The council approved the minutes of the last meeting.

The Reform City Council took place on March 21, 2023. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Melody Davis. Councilmember Richard Richardson was not in attendance.
   The council approved the minutes of the March 7, 2023, meeting as well as the payables from the March 8, 2023, through March 21, 2023.
  The meeting began with new business, where Mayor Davis announced the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday that will begin on July 21, 2023, and will end on July 23, 2023.