HAMILTON - ‘Tis the season for Christmas for Kids to partner once again with the Marion County Department of Human Resources and Christ Community Fellowship to help distribute Christmas gifts to children in need.
Officially launching in 1985, the charity is celebrating 35 years of generosity this year.
Prior to 2014, Christmas for Kids was helping provide Christmas gifts to children throughout Marion County courtesy of donations received from county and area residents.

HAMILTON - North AlabamaWorks, in partnership with Bevill State Community College-Hamilton, will host the Worlds of Work Career Expo for Marion and Winston County students on Friday, Nov. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bevill State Community College Hamilton Campus.
This event will help students learn about high-demand, high-wage career opportunities available to them in Northwest Alabama.
Companies and organizations will provide hands-on activities in which they can participate, allowing students to explore potential careers.

WINFIELD - “I’m lucky to be alive and that’s what I convey in this book,” Lt. Larry Hunter (Ret.) said holding his newly published book, Fire Mission, Fire Mission!, while sitting in the den of his Winfield home.
Two large boxes filled with copies of the book sit nearby.
The book is about Hunter’s experiences during his tour of duty in Vietnam, “Where I almost lost my life,” Hunter said.
This weekend and the following Tuesday, Hunter will be speaking and signing copies of his book at various Veterans Day events around Marion and Winston counties.

HAMILTON - Marion County commissioners Bobby Burleson, Dale Holt and Keith Nichols approved Marion County Engineer Mike Shaw’s request to change job classification and adjust the pay of six of his employees during a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 21, at the commission office in Hamilton.
Commission chairman Tim “Ears” Estes did not vote and commissioner Kenneth Cochran abstained from voting as his brother, Kent Cochran, was among the names involved in the pay adjustments.

As qualifying comes to an end, Marion County’s last remaining elected Democrat has switched parties.
According the Marion County Republican Party Chairman David Hall, Marion County Precinct 15 Constable Joe Vasquez, has qualified as a Republican for the 2020 elections.
“The Marion County Republican Executive Committee met Tuesday, Oct. 29, and voted unanimously to allow Joe Vasquez to switch parties,” Hall said.
Commenting on the switch, Marion County Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Cobb said, “I’m very disappointed this happened.

HAMILTON - Marion County administrative ­assistant Kalyn Moore has been appointed as the new county administrator as longtime administrator Brooke Nichols-Slatton handed in her resignation during a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 21, at the commission office in Hamilton.
Slatton will officially resign on Jan. 21, 2020, after 15 years as the Marion County administrator. Slatton has accepted a job as the Fayette County administrator.

HACKLEBURG - Hutty Hutcheson,  owner of Big 95.5 WFMH Hackleburg Radio, which is housed in the old town hall building, passionately addressed the Hackleburg Town Council concerning the payment of his rent and power bill during a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 28, in the council chambers.
“I’ve been up there (at the station) for nine months, you (Kevin Barnwell) haven’t been up there, she (Tabby Lolley) hasn’t either, how are you going to tell me what’s going on if you can’t come up there and see what’s going on?” said Hutcheson.

BRILLIANT - The Brilliant Town Council unanimously approved to lease Kevin Bass 20 acres of the town-owned industrial property at Exit 30 on I-22 during a regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23, in Brilliant.
According to town clerk Jessica Lee, Bass will use the property to hold auctions for heavy machinery and farming equipment.
Bass stated that the first auction date has not been set as he plans to search for an official auctioneer and the town has yet to determine when the lease will end.

HALEYVILLE  - A Haleyville man has been charged with cruelty to animals after he  allegedly shot his neighbor’s dog, then tied a strap around its neck and hung it out the window of a vehicle as he drove down the road in his neighborhood.
Donald Gene Nix, 57, was picked up by the Haleyville Police Department at his residence on County Highway 62 on Thursday, Oct. 31. He was and charged with cruelty to animals second degree, noted Lt. Tim Steien with the Haleyville Police Department.