By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Pinnacle Renewable Energy plant celebrated safety last Wednesday evening, inviting all employees and several members of the community to partake in a cookout at the plant on Highway 17. The celebration was called for, as the plant had gone 365 days with no workplace accidents. General Manager Ritu Linhart introduced each of the team leaders, managers, and employees and recognized them for their role in achieving this milestone. The plant achieved the milestone on January 21st and has remained accident free since then, as well.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Jeanette Filpi recently moved to Pickens County to serve as the CEO of the Pickens County Medical Center. Filpi has been in Pickens County for just over two weeks now and is looking to make a difference at the PCMC and in the local community. She sat down with Pickens County Herald Editor Brian Hamilton for the inaugural publication of ‘People of Pickens’.

Q: How did you end up hearing about the PCMC opportunity?

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Mayor Marva Gipson was out last meeting due to sickness, but two meetings ago Police Chief Tonnie Jones asked Gipson and the council about the possibility of storing vehicles in the gated lot by the police department for a small storage free, to be deposited into the police department’s fund. This discussion was brought up again during the Aliceville council on Wednesday, March 13th.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Everett Owens was named Aliceville’s Citizen of the Year for 2018 at the Aliceville Chamber of Commerce banquet last Tuesday.

“I’m very humble, very thankful, and very appreciative, but I’m also aware that this has not been done just by me alone,” Owens said.

“I have a wonderful support system and surprisingly they’re all here tonight. I know you’ve all heard the old saying that ‘Behind every successful man, there stands a woman, rolling her eyes’,” Owens joked.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Two weeks ago there was a house fire at 945 7th Street in Aliceville and with an individual inside the home, Chief Deputy Jonathan Gann and Jordan Powell pulled the man to safety. Gann is from the Pickens County Sheriff’s office and Powell is
from the District Attorney’s office.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

The Gordo City Council began their meeting on Monday, March 4th by listening to a proposal by Shawn McDaniel of the Gordo Dixie Youth board. The proposal asked the council to consider the board and city working together in a partnership to raise money to renovate the fields.

“What we’re asking is that if we raise $50,000, that the city, being a city park, and holding that responsibility, would the city park be willing to come that, to raise $50,000?”

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

The Carrollton council began on Thursday, March 7th by discussing a surplus of an old 1-ton pickup truck. Mayor Mickey Walker said he would like for the city to either trade or sell the pickup. Walker said there was also a surplus on an old Army fifth-wheel truck that the council needed to make a motion to trade or sell.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

The Gordo town council was presented with the results of the 2018 audit on Monday, March 4th by Ryan Alexander from LeCroy and Hunter. Alexander said the town’s revenues were up, due to grant income. There was a $95,000 increase in revenues, so he said if the grants were removed, the town’s expenses would go down.

By Ginger Pearson, Correspondent

The Reform City Council met on Tuesday, March 5th, with all present, except for Councilman Richard Richardson and Councilwoman Pat Wheat

Members of the Pickens County College & Career Center Health Science/PLTW chapter of HOSA recently attended the Alabama State HOSA competitive events in Montgomery where members representing Aliceville High School, Gordo High School, Pickens County High School and Pickens Academy participated in various health-related competitions.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

The Pickens County Commission meeting on February 26, 2019 began with commissioner Jerry Fitch making a motion to add an item to the agenda regarding changing the name of the Sapps Community Center to Sapps Multi-Purpose Center, Inc. However, Commission Administrator Cheryl Bowles said that the commission would not need to vote on the name change.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

When Wayne Davis took over as the Director of Pickens County YouthBuild in September 2018, he had a vision to help young people succeed in life, as he has done with his 327 non-profit organization and with Gordo Youth Football.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Mayor Pro-tem Warren Lavender led the Aliceville City Council meeting on February 27, as Mayor Marva Gipson was ill Wednesday evening. The first order of unfinished business discussed was to activate the Parks and Recreation committee and establish the proposed members' terms. 

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE

Boa Vida Healthcare in coordination with the Pickens County Medical Center Board of Directors is pleased to introduce Jeanette Filpi to serve as CEO of PCMC beginning March 4th, 2019. 

Ms. Filpi comes to us with a clinical as well as an administrative background, having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Colorado State University, a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Colorado and a Master’s degree in Health Care Administration from Trinity University. 

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

The Reform City Council began its bi-weekly meeting on February 19 by going over old business regarding a lease agreement for a local business. The lease agreement was concerning Asia Criswell looking to rent the old city hall building to relocate her business, Asia’s Salon.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

On Sunday, February 10, Frieda Blakney was presented with a plaque for her dedication and service for the last five years as the coordinator for Aliceville First Baptist Church’s Operation Christmas Child drop-off center. Chuck and Kristy Gross, the West Alabama area coordinators for Operation Christmas Child, presented the plaque to Blakney during the Sunday morning service. Aliceville First Baptist was honored for five years of serving as a drop-off center, as the church became a drop-off location in August 2014.

The County Commission article titled “Commission: Property Taxes to remain the Same” which appeared in the Feb.

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

An organization called ‘Ghost Girls’ held a paranormal investigation at the Historic Pickens County Courthouse on Saturday, February 9th and many folks came from near and far for the opportunity to go on a live ghost hunt. Ghost Girls was founded by friends Lesley Hyde and Heather Lawrence because of their interest in the paranormal.

Six months to the day Coker woman Janet Hamner went missing, a search was conducted by her family members on Tuesday, Feb. 11 — also her 60th birthday.

Family members and other volunteers searched along side Highway 82 and wooded areas between the former Dunn’s store back to the Pickens County line. A candlelight vigil was held afterwards.

BY DOUG SANDERS JR., Correspondent

The Pickens County Commission held an uneventful and brief meeting last Tuesday night, including a delay on a decision about a real property appraiser, no change in property taxes, and a name change for the Sapps Communit Center.

Meeting for about 15 minutes on Feb. 12, the session began with the Commission agreeing to keeping the 2019 property tax rates the same as last year.

Real Property

Appraiser

By Brian Hamilton, Editor

The Carrollton City Council on Thursday, February 7th began with Pam Acker and Jane Quarles being appointed to the library board. Also, it was announced that bids for the Carrollton City Hall remodeling would be opened on February 14, at 8am.

Dumping and Loitering on West Highland Street

By Brian Hamilton, Editor

The Aliceville City Council met on Wednesday, February 12, at the Aliceville City Hall. Mayor Marva Gipson began the meeting by appointing District Attorney Andy Hamlin and Demetrius Miller to the park and recreation committee and said that she would appoint at least two others at the next meeting. Aliceville librarian Francis Lewis asked that the city council re-appoint Susan Jones and John Paluzzi. The motion to re-appoint Jones and Paluzzi carried.

Warming Station

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

Pickens County Medical Center is entering into an agreement to partner with Boa Vida Healthcare, which will allow the hospital to maintain current operations and provide additional services to the community. Last February, PCMC brought in John O’Neil, the former CEO of St. Vincent’s Hospital, to be the hospital’s CEO and help identify a strategic partner to lead the hospital in the future.

BY DOUG SANDERS JR., Correspondent

Eli Dawkins, a fifth grader from Gordo Elementary School, correctly spelled the words “hundredth” and “mathematics” last Thursday morning to win the 2019 Pickens County Spelling Bee.

Six students from Pickens County gathered at the Central Office of the Pickens County Board of Education on Feb. 7 for the event.