HAMILTON - Marion County residents should be readying themselves to participate in the upcoming Census.
Local officials are already being briefed on the vital and rapidly approaching decennial Census in 2020, which will determine the amount of funding and congressional representation Alabama can lay claim to for the next 10 years.

HAMILTON - Bevill State Community College (BSCC) signed an agreement with homebuilders from northwest Alabama on Monday, Jan. 28, to partner in an effort to reduce employee turnover and implement the Ready-to-Work (RtW) program to enhance the pre-screening process to develop a strong workforce. The area homebuilders included in the partnership include Buccaneer Homes, Hamilton; Deer Valley Homebuilders, Inc., Guin; Platinum Homes, Lynn; Southern Homes-Russellville; Sunshine Homes, Inc., Red Bay; and Tiffin Motorhomes, Inc., Red Bay and Winfield.

HAMILTON - The Town of Hackleburg has welcomed a new police chief.
Hackleburg Mayor Darryl Colburn announced the hiring of new Hackleburg Police Chief Jeremy Marbutt at a Hackleburg Town Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 14.
During the meeting, Marbutt was sworn-in by Hackleburg Town Attorney Tony Glenn. Marbutt’s mother, Jerry, held the Bible during the ceremony.

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HAMILTON - On-table proposals to help offset large losses at Hamilton’s sewer and water operations could increase minimum bills by $2.04 for sewer customers and 22 cents for water customers.
During a work session on Wednesday, Jan. 16, Hamilton Water Superintendent Rodney Williams told the Hamilton City Council that increasing residential sewer rates by 10 percent and commercial rates by 30 percent could help soften the costly blow of providing sewer to residents.

HAMILTON - The late Billy Houston Loden dedicated 42 years of his life as a firefighter in Marion County.
The Marion County Firefighters Association presented a special memorial plaque to Loden’s family during its first meeting of 2019, held on Thursday, Jan. 24, at the Bear Creek Community Center.
There to receive the large plaque were  Joyce, Loden’s wife of 61 years, and two of their children, Mark Loden and LuAnn (Donny) Harden. Daughter-in-law Sandy Loden and granddaughter Candace Ingram were also present.

HAMILTON - Alabama Power Company and the Bevill State Community College-Hamilton Campus are partnering to expand opportunities for workforce development and provide resources to bridge the gap between students and employers. 
Officials from Alabama Power (APCO) and BSCC met in the campus’ library on Tuesday, Jan. 22, to announce a $50,000 Challenge Grant from the Alabama Power Foundation that will kick-start the endeavor.  

WINFIELD - The theater students at Winfield City High School and the family of the late Scarlett Tidwell are partnering to present a dinner theater to benefit the Scarlett Tidwell Memorial Scholarship fund.

HACKLEBURG - Central Championship wrestling will present Star Wars-2019, a professional wrestling spectacle at the Hackleburg Recreation Center on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Four matches will take place that will feature such stars as Johnny Swinger, “Action” Mike Jackson, “Hotshot” Bubba Cagle, Mexican Superstar Antonio Garza, Ultimate Dragon, “The King” Cody Windham, and The America Brawlers.