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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a four-part series looking back at the year 2024 in Chambers County. Previous parts in the series can be found in latest print and e-editions of the Valley Times-News. 

July 3

EAMC-Lanier is turning into a Rural Emergency Center; inpatient services to move to Opelika

Officials from East Alabama Health have submitted an application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting that EAMC-Lanier be designated as a Rural Emergency Hospital.

 

July 6

Lanett High School welcomes new principal

Lanett High School is welcoming Nanette Cullwell, a homegrown principal, for the 2024-2025 school year.

 

July 9

Gazebo dedication at Essie J Handy Cemetery ceremony to be held on Thursday

The community is invited to gather at Essie J. Handy Cemetery for the dedication of the gazebo and the Brick Walkway of Remembrance on Thursday at 3 p.m. CT. The ceremony will honor the late Albert Einstein Handy, sponsored by his wife Catherine Handy and the EJH Cemetery Association. 

 

July 16

First ever Miss LaFayette Main Street crowned at inaugural pageant

The first annual Miss LaFayette Mainstreet took place on Saturday in a full auditorium. The pageant had 44 girls from the ages of three to 18, take the stage at LaFayette High Schools Auditorium.

 

July 22

Lanett man spits on West Point officer, tased after resisting arrest

On July 16th, 2024, Officers responded to West Point Food Mart, 900 East 10th Street, regarding an unwanted person. Officers arrived on scene and observed a white male, later identified as, Destin Barber, 27, of Lanett, Alabama, walking away from the area.

 

July 24

Lemonade stands will fundraise for injured Troup High student

When life gives you lemons, you start a lemonade stand. Mary Joy’s Lemonade stands will be spread around the Southeast on Saturday, July 27. The Mary Joy Moosman Foundation will be putting on four lemonade stands to raise funds for Hadilee Arnold’s recovery.

 

July 27

Buffalo resident asks Commissioners to sign covenant

The group of Buffalo residents have made their next move in the ongoing issue regarding the Buffalo property intended to be the county’s new FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) vegetative debris site. Brandon Clifton, the Buffalo resident who first learned of the project, presented the commissioners with “a declaration of restrictive covenants” during Monday’s Chambers County Commission meeting.

 

Aug. 8

State aims to reopen Chambers County Lake next February

The future of the Chamber County Lake was discussed during the work session of the County Commission. State representative, Debbie Wood, brought Ed Poolos, the Deputy Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to brief the commission on the effort to reopen the lake for recreational use. 

 

Aug. 10

New West Point townhomes open to Point upperclassmen this fall

Point University’s new student housing option, nine brand-new townhomes on West 10th Street, are officially open this fall. The project began last year last fall.

 

Aug. 12

Scooter’s Coffee is coming to Valley

A new coffee spot is coming to Chambers. Prime Space Holdings, LLC, the City of Valley, and The Chambers County Development Authority have announced that Scooter’s Coffee, best known for its fast drive-thru, specialty coffee, and baked-from-scratch pastries, is set to open a new location on Fob James Drive in Valley, Alabama, according to a press release from CCDA. 

 

Aug. 13

Lanett mourns longtime Lanett Fire & EMS Chief, Johnny Allen

The city of Lanett announced on Tuesday that longtime Lanett Fire & EMS Chief, Johnny Allen, had passed away. According to former VTN reporting, Allen served all but seven of his 40 years of Fire and EMS service in the city of Lanett. He was born and raised in Lanett and began his career at a private ambulance service while still in high school. 

 

Aug. 14  

Ray Edwards inducted into the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame

PRATTVILLE, Ala. — Ray Edwards of Valley was among 12 senior adults inducted into the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame Sunday afternoon in the conference center at the Marriott Hotel in Prattville.

 

Aug. 24

Chambers County faces dropping number of foster homes

Due to a rising need for foster homes in the county, Chambers County DHR will be hosting a booth at football home games in an effort to get the word out about fostering.

 

Aug. 28

A lack of quorum two nights in a row stalls LaFayette council

For the second night in a row, LaFayette City Council was unable to hold a council meeting due to a lack of quorum stalling the vote on the city’s new police chief. Without a quorum, the council can not vote to go into session.

 

Sept. 3

For first time since 2008, enrollment in Chamber County Schools is up

For the first time since 2008 enrollment in Chambers County Schools is up. During the Wednesday meeting of the school board, Superintendent Casey Chambley reported that the district body is on an upward swing. 

 

Sept. 4 

Woman charged in connection to dismembered body cold case

Nearly 17 years ago an unidentified body was found in rural Troup County. Approaching two decades later, those remains have finally been identified and the first arrest has been made in the case. 

 

Sept. 6

Fire at Express Oil Change

East Alabama Fire District received the report of a structure fire at the commercial business of Express Oil around 8:45 pm on Friday night. EAFD units arrived on scene within minutes, to find heavy smoke coming from the business.

 

Sept. 10

LaFayette approves Cpt. Trice for new police chief

After two canceled city council meetings due to a lack of quorum, the LaFayette city council came together on Monday night for their September meeting, finally addressing the police committee’s recommendation for the police chief. All council members unanimously approved a motion to accept Captain Christopher Trice as the city’s official police chief after months of serving as the interim chief. 

 

Sept. 13

Social media frenzy launches school shooting investigations

Friday was a chaotic day for students, parents, and school staff in Chambers County. What seemed like school shooting threats against Lanett High School and Valley High School were found to be miscommunications on social media. The separate incidents come on the heels of the Sept. 4 school shooting in Winder, Georgia. Threats of violence against schools have risen since the shooting.

 

Sept. 17

Hamburgers for Hopkins: Over 800 burgers sold for Huguley child

VALLEY — Despite some periods of heavy rain from Tropical Storm Francine still being in the area, a highly successful hamburger sale took place Saturday morning underneath the Farmers Market Pavilion in Valley. The hamburger sale was a benefit for a 15-month-old Huguley girl who is suffering from a rare medical condition.

 

Sept. 21

Amelia and Elhora Dell’s heart is big: Point scholarship honors late conjoined twins

The past year has been a hard one for the Dell family. Yet somehow through the grief of losing their newborn conjoined twins, Breana and Matthew Dell have managed to find the light in the darkness, according to Matthew’s father, Patrick Dell. One of the bright spots was the presentation of the Amelia and Elhora Dell Music Award on Monday. Patrick and Susan Dell had the idea to create a scholarship at Matthew’s alma mater in memory of their granddaughters.

 

Sept. 25

LaFayette’s new police chief sworn in

After a lengthy process, Captain Christopher Trice was sworn in as LaFayette police chief during last night’s city council meeting in front of his friends and family. During its previous meeting on Sept. 9, the council voted to promote Trice following a recommendation from the police committee composed of current and former police chiefs.