A frozen water line burst and spewed water down from the ceiling in one of the Haleyville High School classrooms Tuesday evening. The cascade of water was discovered at 8 p.m. and apparently happened sometime after 4 p.m. Workers contained, then pushed the water down the hallway and outside. There the water froze and the city brought in enough sand to cover the ice slick in the front drive. Serv Pro was on the scene this morning cleaning up the remainder of the water as school teachers and administrators began their first day of in-school training for the new year. Students will return on Friday.

Alabama State Troopers investigated 23 traffic deaths during the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday travel period, which was from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, to midnight Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. The total is significantly lower than the total from the same period in 2016 when Troopers investigated 31 traffic fatalities. Continue reading

Postponed from Monday because of New Year’s Day, the Haleyville City Council will meet this Thursday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. With a 30 day extension on closing Lakeland Hospital, the main priority is to keep it open. At the last Council meeting, a Hospital Authority was set up, a sales and use tax approved and a Tennessee Company has agreed to manage Lakeland for the time being.

Saturday, 10:52 p.m., Haleyville, Craft, Bear Creek, Pebble and Ashridge Fire Departments responded to a fire at the vacant restaurant building across from Whitman’s Service Station on Highway 195. The Building was completely engulfed in flames when the firemen arrived and a complete loss.

New Years closed Monday, January 1 & Tuesday 2.

Monday, January 1 will be picked up on Friday, Dec. 29.

Tuesday, January 2 will be picked up on Wednesday, Jan. 3

The Haleyville Board of Education met Tuesday and approved the board expenditures for November in the amount of $1,456,466.94. Amendments were approved to the general administration policy program, the HHS coaching assignments and the superintendent’s contract of employment. In addition, one use of facilities, one field trip, and one fundraiser was approved. The Board approved the resignation of Tiffany Morgan as HHS English teacher and the hiring of Jacqueline Reynolds as English teacher at HHS.  A request for maternity leave for Ashley Adamson and leave for Dina Sparks under catastrophic illness were both approved. Recipients of the Mac McAlpine Award for December:

Haleyville Elementary School, Callie Rose Beck.

From the Haleyville Middle School, Buffy Dobbs.

From Haleyville High School, Josefina Ruiz and Macy Harrison.

Students are out for the Christmas and New Year break and will return on Friday, January 5, 2018.

The last City Council Meeting for Debra Hood and Sue Southern

In addition to the announcement Monday about keeping the Lakeland Hospital open, the Haleyville City Council conducted other business including approving the November general operation bills and purchase orders in the amount of $446,967.26.

An agreement was made with the State of Alabama Department of Transportation for a project to widen and resurface the industrial road to benefit Masonite. A grant for $245,000 will cover most of the expense of the project, following the announcement of a $3 million expansion by Masonite.

A change order was approved for the fall paving project, which will increase the expenditure by $2500 to cover four manhole covers and additional handwork necessary on 22nd Street and 8th Avenue.

The Council approved the formation of the Health Care Authority of Haleyville and Winston County. This will enable the City of Haleyville along with the county to subsidize the operations of the hospital. The Council approved a one-cent sales tax and use tax with funding to go to the hospital. These taxes are expected to generate $850 to $900,000 per year. One half will be for the hospital and one half will be utilized for economic development and a reserve for the hospital.

Following a public hearing, earlier the Council approved a request by Nathan Dobbs, Jr. to rezone his property to R-3. Plans for the Dobbs property below the Northwest Alabamian on Highway 195 are to build two-story apartments for people 55 and older.

Christy Harbin was appointed to the Planning Commission. The January Council meeting was rescheduled to Thursday, January 4. The 2018 City Court dates were approved and a report from Sue Southern was heard on the status of the City Court System.

the Mayor and Council wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Again, the next City Council meeting will be on Thursday, January 4.