HAMILTON - In October 1978, Hamilton became the home to a young, rising journalist, eager to sink his pen and ink into the newspaper business.
James Lesley Walters, longtime editor for the Journal Record, moved to Marion County that year on a business venture with The Itawamba County Times of Fulton, Miss., where a new Hamilton newspaper would be launching, The Hamilton Progress.

HAMILTON - The Marion County School System has improved its annual report card score by one point, but reactions are mixed as administrators believe they could have been named among the few A’s in the state.
The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) published its 2018-2019 Education Report Cards on Friday, Oct. 18. The Marion County School System earned an 88 (B)—a one-point jump from the 2017-2018 school year.
Out of Alabama’s 137 school districts, there were 23 A’s, 80 B’s, 29 C’s and 3 D’s.

WINFIELD - The Winfield City School System has earned an 89 on its report card for the 2018-2019 school year— an improvement over the previous school year’s score of 88.
The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) published its 2018-2019 Education Report Cards on Friday, Oct. 18.
 Out of Alabama’s 137 school districts, there were 23 A’s, 80 B’s, 29 C’s and 3 D’s.
“It’s not where we wanted to be, but we’re moving in the right direction,” said Winfield Superintendent of Education Chris Cook.

HAMILTON - Journal Record readers are reminded to turn their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, as Daylight Saving Time ends and we return to Standard Time. The change will allow for an extra hour of sleep on Sunday.
Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins on the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November.

GUIN - Guin Police Chief Doug Webb introduced a new hire to the Guin Police Department during the Monday, Oct. 21, Guin City Council meeting.
The mayor pro-tem, councilman Bobby Bellew,  was filling in for Guin Mayor Max Maddox, who was absent. Councilmen Gary Randolph and Troy Hightower were also not present.

HAMILTON - U.S. Senate Republican candidate Tommy Tuberville addressed the Marion County Republican Party at J&V’s Ole Smokehouse in Hamilton on Saturday, Oct. 12.
“I want to help, I was never in the military, but I want to give public service,” said Tuberville, addressing the individuals in attendance. “I’ve had a job for 40 years, I’ve been out in the public and I’ve seen where we hurt. Our education is in bad shape, we’re broke as a country and we have huge problems everywhere.”

Seven local Republicans have qualified to run in the 2020 elections.
No Democrats have qualified as of presstime on Monday, Oct. 21.
Marion County Republican Party Chairman David Hall told the Journal Record that the following candidates have qualified to run (listed alphabetically):
State Board of Education