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.

HAMILTON - The Marion County Domestic Violence Task Force raised over $5,000 from its 12th annual fundraiser golf tournament held at the Pikeville Country Club on Friday, Oct. 4.
Kier Vickery, co-chair of the task force, said the $5,094.84 was raised through 11 corporate sponsors, 27 hole sponsors and 18 golf teams who  supported the cause.
“We have sponsors that have sponsored each year for the past 12 years,” Vickery said. “They feel this cause is important enough and we just appreciate folks supporting the cause every year.”

The Brilliant Alumni Association and Guin "Feed My Sheep" Community Food Bank will be hosting a joint auction on Tuesday, November 5th.  The Brilliant Basketball Teams will be selling dinner plates for $10 each.  The meal will be provided by Rowdy Hogs Smoking BBQ.  If you would like to order a plate, you can contact Ginger Tittle Eatman at 205-399-2023 by Friday, November 1st.  All activities will be held at the Guin National Guard Armory.  Pre-order plates can be picked up between 5-7pm.  The Silent Auction will be held from 6:00 PM-6:45 PM with the Live Auction beginning at 7:00 PM.  The

HAMILTON - The Hamilton Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 14th Annual Buttahatchee River Fall Fest will be rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. in downtown Hamilton.
The chamber made the decision to postpone the event due to concerns surrounding the weather on the original Saturday, Oct. 26, festival date.
NTN-Bower also announced it would be rescheduling its trunk-or-treat event for for Nov. 2, as well. It will begin at 7 p.m.

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.