GUIN - “This is exciting and this is a big deal!” Guin Elementary School Counselor Jessica Johnigan exclaimed after watching U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announce that her school is the recipient of the coveted Blue Ribbon School award.
Johnigan, along with reading specialist Angie Jefferies and principal Joshua Weatherly, were all overjoyed as they watched DeVos make the announcement via an internet video message in the school’s main office on Thursday, Sept. 26.

HAMILTON - A Hamilton High School student has selected Blake Shelton’s team on NBC’s reality singing series The Voice.
Josie Beth Jones, 17, a Hamilton junior, appeared on national television on Monday, Sept. 30, on The Voice’s season 17, performing Julie Roberts’ “Men & Mascara.”
Jones is the daughter of Danny and Juli Jones of Hamilton. She has an older sister, Danni Brooke, and a younger brother, Jesse Luke.
A clip of Jones’ blind audition on The Voice’s Facebook page has collected 1.9 million views.

HAMILTON - A Marion County jury has issued a “not guilty” verdict for a woman accused of assaulting her then-boyfriend with her vehicle.
According to court documents provided by Marion County Circuit Clerk Denise Mixon, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in 25th Judicial Circuit Court held in the Marion County Courthouse in Hamilton, Stacey Nicole Harris, Hamilton, was found not guilty on all of her charges. Those included first-, second- and third-degree domestic violence and first-, second- and third-degree assault.

HAMILTON -  The Marion County Commission has approved its 2020 budget and signed four resolutions that result in $264,751 to be cut from the General Fund for the 2020 Fiscal Year, effective Oct. 1, 2019, during a regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 30, in Hamilton.
In attendance during the meeting were Marion County Commissioners Bobby Burleson, Dale Holt, chairman Tim “Ears” Estes, Kenneth Cochran and Keith Nichols.

HAMILTON - Former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville will be in Hamilton on Saturday, Oct. 12, as a candidate for Alabama U.S. senator.
Tuberville will be speaking at the Marion County Republican Party’s monthly meeting at J&V Ole Smokehouse on the corner of Highway 17 and Steele Street.
Attendees will begin gathering around 8:30 a.m. for breakfast, which will be available for purchase. The meeting will begin at 9.

HAMILTON - Fred’s Xpress Pharmacy in Hamilton will be re-opened as Express Rx.
Fred’s Xpress, located at 1360 Military Street South, should not be confused with Fred’s Pharmacy, which is owned by Cole Sandlin and located at 797 Military Street South.
Fred’s Xpress pharmacy technician Merdith Dudley Jones of Hamilton announced the development via Facebook on Friday, Sept. 27, saying that the local pharmacy location will be an Express Rx beginning Nov. 1. The store will continue operating under the “Fred’s Xpress” branding until then.

MONTGOMERY - Beginning Saturday, Oct. 12, all local calls made within the Alabama 205 Area Code will have to be placed using the 10-digit telephone number (area code plus the seven-digit telephone number).
Calls that are currently local will continue to be local, even though 10-digit dialing will be required.
A six-month grace period began on April 13, 2019, to give consumers adequate time to adjust to the changes.
During that period, local calls were able to be made with either seven or 10 digits.

HAMILTON -  Hamilton Elementary School held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of its new playground on Monday, Sept. 23.
The project to build the playground began in November 2018 with retired Hamilton Elementary principal Lynda Hall, HES Booster Club President Paula Wood, club member Melissa Hughey and Hamilton architect Andrea Harbison.
 Hall expressed her thanks to the many individuals involved, stating that the project was a community effort.