Tommy Arthur, a Shoals area native but no stranger to the Haleyville area and the mobile home manufacturing industry during the 70’s and early 80’s has but one more chance to avoid execution. He has received a stay of execution 7 times in the last 15 years while sitting on death row. His last stay was on November 3, 2016. Arthur was found guilty of a murder for hire of Troy Wicker of Muscle Shoals in 1982. One of his latest appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied a review on Monday, January 23.  However, he has yet another appeal to the Supreme Court based on the lethal injection method used by Alabama. If the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear the case, his stay of execution will go away and yet another date for execution will be set.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) currently is investigating a scam targeting senior citizens in Alabama. SBI Agents warn citizens to be suspicious of callers asking for money in any form. In this case, each victim received a call from someone posing as their grandson who is in financial trouble and is requesting assistance in the form of Walmart gift cards. So far, Agents have located three victim parties in Etowah, Jackson and Washington counties, with a total approximate loss of $13,000. SBI is urging the public to be on guard for this scam and for any victims of fraud to notify their local law enforcement agencies.

The Haleyville City Council met Tuesday. The first order of business was the appointment and swearing in of G. Blue Russell. Blue is the son of George Russell, who passed away in December, shortly after being elected to the Council. Blue stated it was a bittersweet honor to be appointed to the position held by his late father.

The Council approved the general operation bills for December for $433,318.50. Also approved was selecting the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments to provide grant administration for an LWCF grant.

One change order for the Cripple Creek project and one change order for the new sports complex equipment building were approved.

The next regular meeting of the Haleyville City Council will be on Monday, February 6, 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The second meeting for February was rescheduled from Monday, February 20, President’s Day to Thursday, February 23.

The Haleyville City Hall, Library, Neighborhood Facility Building, Senior Citizen Center will be closed Monday, January 16, 2017, in observance of Martin Luther King Day. The Haleyville City Council, which would normally meet the third Monday has been rescheduled for Tuesday, January 17, 5:30 p.m. at City Hall

In a special called meeting of the Haleyville Board of Education Tuesday, Todd McNutt was selected to be the head football coach as well as Athletic Director for HHS. Coach McNutt was already the head baseball coach and will continue wearing that hat as well. The HHS conference room was packed with students, friends, and family who came for the Board of Education selection and announcement.

CITY OF HALEYVILLE, AL

POSITION AVAILABLE: STREET & SANITATION DEPARTMENT

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: Must be physically fit and able to perform strenuous work in all types of weather.  Must have valid Alabama driver’s license and be able to acquire Class A CDL license within 6 months and be able to operate heavy equipment.

Applications may be picked up at the Street & Sanitation Shop located at 1204 10^th Avenue. Call Street & Sanitation Supervisor Barry Farris at (205) 486-5025 for more information.

E.O.E. – A.D.O.

The following will be closed Friday, January 6 for inclement weather:

Haleyville and Winston County Schools

Franklin County Schools

Marion County Schools

NWSCC

Haleyville Senior Citizens Center

Listen to Paradise 92.7 for weather updates.

The first meeting of the year for the Haleyville City Council had two seats empty. Councilman Richard Bettinger was absent and the recent death of Councilman George Russell precipitated the Mayor and Council to declare a vacancy on the Council. Mayor Sunseri stated the law allows for the Council to appoint someone to fill the remainder of Russell’s term. The appointment will be made within the next 60 days.

In other business, the Mayor and Council approved a change order for the new sports complex, specifically for irrigation, sod, and skinned infield to cover for additional sod and fill dirt at a cost of $5,192.00. (Resolution 2017-01)

The Council approved the acceptance of a grant for $150,000 under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This money will be used to pave the parking area in the new sports complex.

Also approved $3,000 the purchase of grass seed, fertilizer, lime and hay and the rental of a mulching machine to stop erosion on the land around the sports complex Trees-R-Us was contracted to place netting and the above material for 2,800.00.

The city formerly accepted the 2010 Tacoma pickup donated by the family of Mr. Joseph Tarbutton who became disoriented and drove to Haleyville from Pennsylvania in his pickup the weekend before Christmas. Mayor Sunseri stated the pickup will be utilized by the city.

The retirement of Gary Adams from the Street and Sanitation Department was approved along with approval to advertise for a replacement employee.

The next scheduled meeting of the Haleyville City Council will be on Monday, January 16 at 5:30 at City Hall.

Winston County Sheriff Tommy Moore has released the name of the man whose body was found Thursday, December 29 in a ravine next to Highway 278 east of Natural Bridge. The man was identified as Harvey Kilgore, Jr., 33, who was last seen alive at the Natural Bridge Motel on November 14. His body was sent to the Alabama State Forensics Lab and the cause of death has not yet been determined. The death investigation is still ongoing.

The Haleyville City Council which normally meets the first and third Mondays each month has rescheduled the meeting for tonight to Tuesday, January 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Haleyville City Hall. One of the main items will be to declare a vacancy on the council following the recent death of Councilman George Russell. At some point in the near future, it is expected a replacement will be appointed by the Mayor to fulfill the remainder of Mr. Russell’s four-year term.