An idea invested in by teenagers to combat childhood obesity has evolved into a movement.
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The Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission provided a $400 grant to Jan Matthews with MTM Corporation for a walk that would target childhood obesity. The idea for a walk has transformed into Let’s Move Athens, a mission to promote a healthy lifestyle in four areas: fitness, finance, faith and family.

The Let’s Move Athens event will be Saturday, Nov. 12, from 8 a.m. to noon at Athens High School’s stadium on U.S. 31. The event will include a Walk for Your Cause segment where participants can register to walk the stadium’s 1.5-mile track to raise awareness about their cause, for example Relay for Life or the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Money raised from the walk will fund Limestone County Department of Human Resources foster care programs and the MTM Unsung Hero Scholarship Fund. The cost to walk is $10 per person or $8 per person for teams.

In addition, vendors will provide information related to fitness, finance, faith and family with the emphasis being to gear that information for youth.

“Let's Move Athens has become an initiative to bring awareness to obesity and hunger in our community as well as bringing all our resources and services together,” Matthews said. “Our takeaway is we hope those who are struggling with obesity, hunger, fitness, finance, faith and family walk away inspired to do more and to be so very proud of the City of Athens.”

Earlier this year, the Dekko Foundation sent Mayor Ronnie Marks $3,500 to empower youth as part of its 35th anniversary celebration. Mayor Marks gave the funds to the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission. The students from Athens High, Athens Bible, Lindsay Lane Christian Academy and home school programs voted to distribute $3,000 as grants to non-profit groups that had a project designed to improve the city. MTM Corporation received one of the grants.
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The Athens-Limestone Hospital Wellness Center has agreed to do a $500 sponsorship to support efforts and will be one of the vendors providing information geared to youth.

“To see that our grant is going to such a great organization and that the event is getting community support shows me that the youth of Athens really want to get involved in the growth of our city,” said Athens High student Sabrina Young, a member of the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission.

Mayor Marks commended the Youth Commissioners on how they decided to invest the Dekko Foundation funds to further support the community.

“Their grants have benefited the arts, Girl Scouts and a Hospice program for grieving children,” he said. “Now their investment in Let’s Move Athens has spurred additional financial support from our hospital and an opportunity to raise funds for DHR’s foster children and the graduating seniors who receive Unsung Hero scholarships. I’ll take that return on an investment any day.”
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Those interested in sponsoring the event, being a vendor or registering to walk can call Matthews at 256-874-2941 or email her.

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 ATHENS, Ala. - The Athenian Players of Athens State University will present Verdigris, a play by Jim Beaver, directed by Dr. Hugh K. Long. This will be the Athenian Players’ first performance in the new Studio Theatre of the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur.

 “This is an amazing contemporary play and we are thrilled to be able to perform it to inaugurate our new space,” said Long. “Jim Beaver is a well-known actor and playwright and we are honored that he has selected the Athenian Players to bring his characters to life.”

 The play centers around Margaret Fielding who has spent her entire adult life in a wheelchair. But that doesn't stop her from throwing the lives of a half-dozen people into the air and twirling them like saucers in a circus act. "Verdigris" can be defined as corrosion, but it also glows with beauty. Verdigris -- a word you may not know. A story you'll never forget.

  Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on November 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19.  A Sunday matinee will be performed at 1:30 p.m. on November 13.  All performances will be in the Studio Theatre of the Phase II Building of the Alabama Center for the Arts.

 Verdigris writer Jim Beaver is an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film historian. He is most familiar to worldwide audiences as the gruff but tenderhearted Bobby Singer in Supernatural. He also played Whitney Ellsworth on the HBO Western drama series Deadwood, a starring role which brought him acclaim and a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for Ensemble Acting after three decades of supporting work in films and TV.

 Admission is $15 for general admission, $10 for students, faculty, staff, and seniors.  Tickets are available at the door, at the box office or online

Limestone County is fortunate to be surround on three sides by prime fishing waters.  The mighty Tennessee River expanse known as Wheeler Lake bounds the county to the south and the Elk River wraps the western and northern boundaries of the county.  With warm air temperatures but cooling waters... the conditions are perfect for a little angling.
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Both waterways boast rocky outcroppings, shallow grass, and sudden depression -- all perfect for fishing Bass.  The Elk River boast additional feeder waters as well as log jams, stumps, residential piers, bridge abutments, and other underwater obstacles great for angling Smallmouth Bass.

The Bass population is diverse in Limestone County's waters -- Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass and Spotted Bass.   Anglers can also enjoy the challenge of Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Bream, Crappie and Sauger as well.  The rich waters of Wheeler Lake and the Elk River draw anglers from all over to practice in the "off-season" of the professional circuits.

Anglers in the Limestone County waterways are often surprised by the schooling of Bass around grassy shallows that can often occur without notice during the Fall and Winter months.  Record sized Bass have been caught in Fall and throughout most of Winter due to these unusual conditions and schooling behavior.  Crankbaits, spinner baits, rattling lipless lures and simulated bait lures are proven to be effective in the Fall as the schooling baitfish are prominent in the shallows and confluences on Wheeler Lake.

Boat ramps are found along the Limestone County side of Tennessee River/Wheeler Like and portions of the Elk River.  Lucy's Branch Marina offers transient slips, fuel, food, repairs and more at mile marker 287 on the Tennessee River/Wheeler Lake.   Limestone County's Lucy's Branch Park also has a one-lane boat ramp into the same bay as Lucy's Branch Marina.  Limestone County's Arrowhead boat ramp, south of Mooresville Alabama on the western side of Limestone Bay, is down a dirt road winding through farmland that can be difficult to reach during or after high water events.  The Elk River boat ramps share with the Limestone County Canoe and Kayak Trail.  Below is a map featuring the ramps and their locations for the Limestone County Canoe and Kayak Trail.
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The talented marvels known as Three on a String will be at the 10th Annual Athens Storytelling Festival October 20th – 22nd in Athens, Alabama.  This vaudevillian-like act has been on their anniversary tour performing to sold out audiences – making this appearance very special opportunity for fans and non-fans alike.

The men behind Three on a String’s eclectic and colorful performances are an amazing ensemble of experience and talent.  Jerry Ryan, formerly a teacher, coach and principal left behind his academic career for his dream of performing as guitarist, vocalist, harmonica player and funny man extraordinaire.  Bobby Horton started with boyhood trumpet lessons and now has over 20 instruments to his repertoire which has led him to balancing his demand as a professional Civil War musician sought after by Ken Burns and maintaining his position as a Three on a String staple.  Brad Ryan might be known locally for the Rick and Bubba theme and even more so abroad for touring Scotland with Michael Adler Ministries but old and new fans have come to love his wit and humor in his comedy bits.

Three on a String will be joined by storytellers Donald Davis, Andy Offut Irwin, Dolores Hydock and Michael Reno Harrell during the 10th Annual Athens Storytelling Festival from October 18th to October 22nd in downtown Athens, Alabama.  

The storytelling kicks off Tuesday, October 18th under the big tent with the 5th Annual Dan Williams’ Local Teller night.  The amateurs take the stage starting at 7:00 p.m. and the cost is $5.00 per person.

For schedule, ticket and teller information click here

Dolores Hydock, a Pennsylvania native, calls Birmingham Alabama home when she’s not touring the world or filming.  Dolores was bitten by the storytelling bug at an early age – only 5 years of age to be precise.  A tiny framed girl took the stage at a Reading storytelling competition and she walked away a giant with the blue ribbon and her desires set on the performing arts.

Dolores Hydock has gone on to perform in one-woman plays, teach acting, and produce ten award winning CD’s featuring her original stories.  She’s been the featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee as well as the Teller-In-Residence at the International Storytelling Center. Dolores’s tremendous success is mirrored by her tremendous imagination.  

Dolores isn’t a stranger under the storytelling tent in Athens, she last appeared at the Athens Storytelling Festival in 2012.  Attendees of the 10th Annual Athens Storytelling Festival will enjoy her return as they are woven into the tapestry of her tales and caught up in her contagious excitement as she burst with energy and motion on the stage.   

The 10th Annual Athens Storytelling Festival will occur from October 18th to October 22nd in downtown Athens, Alabama.  For schedule, ticket and teller information, visit their website here  

​CALHOUN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES 16TH ANNUAL WRITER’S CONFERENCE

Dr. Sherry Turkle, noted author and MIT Professor, to be featured writer for
October 24th event

Has the art of conversation become lost?  Find out how one-on-one conversation has changed in the digital age at Calhoun Community College's 16th Annual Writer's Conference, Monday, October 24th. The conference will be held in two sessions - 9:30am at Calhoun's Health Sciences Building, Decatur Campus, and at 7:00pm at the Alabama Center for the Arts, Second Avenue Theatre in downtown Decatur. Both sessions are free and open to the public.

Featured author is Dr. Sherry Turkle, known as the Margaret Mead of digital culture. Turkle, who has spent the last 30 years studying the psychology of people's relationships with technology, will speak on her latest book, Reclaiming Conversation:  The Power of Talk in a Digital Age.

Professor, author, consultant and researcher, Turkle is the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology and Society at MIT, as well as the founder and current director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, a center of research and reflection on the evolving connections between people and artifacts.

Professor Turkle has investigated the intersection of digital technology and human relationships from the early days of personal computers to our current world of robotics, artificial intelligence, social networking and mobile connectivity.  Her New York Times best-seller, Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in the Digital Age (Penguin Press, October 2015), focuses on the importance of conversation in digital cultures, including business and the professions.  Her previous book, "Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other" (Basic Books, 2011), was a featured talk at TED2012, describing technology's influence on relationships between friends, lovers, parents and children, and new instabilities in how we understand privacy and community, intimacy and solitude.

Turkle has been profiled in such publications as The New York Times, Scientific American, and WIRED. She is a featured media commentator on the effects of technology for CNN, NBC, ABC and NPR, including appearances on such programs as Nightline, 20/20 and The Colbert Report, and has been named a Harvard Centennial Medalist and a Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year. In 2014 she was named to American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Professor Turkle received a joint doctorate in sociology and personality psychology from Harvard University, and is a licensed clinical psychologist.

This year’s Writers Conference will also include a ticketed "Meet and Greet" with the author, scheduled for 5:00 pm at the Alabama Center for the Arts, Phase I facility.  Tickets for the Meet and Greet are $50 each, with all proceeds from this event going to fund Calhoun’s Wendy Williams Scholarship for English majors.  Click here for tickets or more info.

​Historic Mooresville Holiday Home Tour and Progressive Dinner
Saturday, December 10, 2016
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The 50 residents of Historic Mooresville, incorporated in 1818, invite you to celebrate the season with a tour of the 1839 Brick Church, 1820 Stagecoach Tavern, 1840 Post Office and five private homes, all decorated in the tradition of Christmas past. Check-in begins at 2:00 PM at the Stagecoach Tavern where you will receive a map and begin your walk through the beautifully decorated village. Homes plus the unique shops will be open 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Salad in the Brick Church. Two seatings for dinner - 3:30 to 4:30 and 5:00 to 6:00 in the festive town square, and coffee and dessert at the Peebles' Barn - 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Tickets are limited. Reservations and payment required in advance and available via PayPal on the website, click on "Holiday Dinner" in the menu bar at top of page, or by mailing a check to PO Box 17, Mooresville, AL 35649 with your seating time. $70 per person.

​Maddie Denton was named “Fiddle Champion” at the 50th annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention at Athens State University Saturday night on the Alabama Farmer’s Cooperative Main Stage.  The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention is the home of the Alabama State Fiddle Champion.
Denton of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, won the title by winning the “fiddle off” which pits the top fiddlers from the junior, intermediate, and senior divisions. Joel Whittinghill of Bowling Green, Kentucky finished runner-up.   Denton, who won the junior fiddle division, earned the convention’s top prize of $1,200.
The convention is sponsored by the Athens State University Foundation and the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. The convention contributes to Athens State by funding student scholarships and University projects.

Calhoun Community College today announced that the college has planned two events in recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Both events are sponsored by the college’s Black Student Alliance and Student Government Association and are free and open to the public.
The first event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 12, 2016, 12:30 pm in the Student Center at the college’s Huntsville campus.  Featured speaker for this event is Michele S. Bright, a native of Mobile, Alabama.  Bright was diagnosed with breast cancer and esophageal in 2011 with a recurrence, and is now cancer free. Although her journey has not been easy, she is a living testimony to all experiencing this same battle.  She uses her story to encourage those suffering to continue to fight. She is the founder of the Michele S. Bright Foundation, a non-profit.  She is a mother, a grandmother, and most of all a survivor.
The second event will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2016, at 12:30 pm in the college’s Health Sciences Building on the Decatur campus.  Rogersville, Alabama native and cancer survivor Joy Watkins will be the featured speaker.  Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, Watkins has been blessed to live 11 years’ breast cancer free. Watkins uses her story of survival to encourage women all over the world to get tested. She has spoken across the State of Alabama as an American Cancer Society Hero of Hope and is the founder of her own foundation, 365 Pink.com.  She is a mother, a grandmother, and most of all a survivor.
A balloon release to include 50 pink balloons will follow each program.  For more information on these free community events, call 256-306-2561 or visit Calhoun’s website.

​Athens State University Names Katherine Quinnell as Library Director
               ATHENS, Ala. - Athens State University announces the appointment of Dr. Katherine Quinnell as the Director of the Library effective November 1. Quinnell was hired after a national search to replace Dr. Robert Burkhardt who retired after more than 30 years in the position.
               Quinnell completed her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Mercer University in December 2015.  She also holds a Master of Education in College Teaching from Northeastern State University, a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman's University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Texas Woman's University.
               “We are excited that Dr. Quinnell will bring her expertise to Athens State,” remarked Athens State Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joe Delap. “We were fortunate to have a very strong candidate pool and I feel we have identified the most appropriate person to lead our efforts in Library Services.”
               Quinnell most recently served as Assistant Dean for Public Service at Clayton State University where she oversaw all the service operations of the library.  Her research interests include the advancement of technology in education, the effective use of space by students in learning environments, student research methods, and mentoring as a relationship.
               The Athens State University Library houses approximately 100,000 volumes in subjects supporting the institution’s curriculum.  Collaboration with the Alabama Virtual Library and the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries allows Athens State to offer a wealth of online databases.

Athens-Limestone Tourism Bureau will host a select group of esteemed travel writers who will descend on Athens this weekend for the 50th Anniversary Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddler’s Convention.  
The travel writers will be taking in the sight and sounds while sampling local cuisine of Athens over the course of the weekend on the last leg of their North Alabama tour following stops in nearby Huntsville and Muscle Shoals.
The writers who will be documenting their experience include:
Judy and Len Garrison of Atlanta, Georgia whose work can be seen in Georgia Connector Magazine, Deep South Magazine, Southern Hospitality Traveler, Blue Ridge County, Simply Buckhead, GoNomad, US Airways Magazine, as well as on SeeingSouthern.com.
Vivian Vassos – Executive Editor, Zoomer Magazine for Baby Boomers out of Toronto, Canada.
Gina Samarotto – Editor-in-Chief, Private Air Magazine out of New York. Principal and Founder of Samarotto Design Group.
Karen Hamlin – Recipient of two first prize NATJA awards for travel destination essays and has been published in national and regional magazines including L.A. Times, The Herald Tribune, Big Apple Times, travel editor of City & Suburban Magazine.
Jennifer Billock - Clients include, but are not limited to, National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times, Smithsonian, Playboy, Disney Books, Yahoo Travel, Luxury and Boutique Hotels, Readers Digest, FlyerTalk, Mental Floss, Midwest Living, PPI Group, F+W Media, Marie Claire, Illinois Department of Tourism, Michigan State University Press, Conde Nast Traveler, Perfect Promotions, Lucky Peach, Barilla Pasta.
Kim Schneider - Regular travel column and features for Booth Newspapers, Midwest Living, Traverse Magazine, Michigan Blue, Our Mississippi and other publications such as Hearthside Grove Resort/Motorcoach Living Magazine;
2011 "Mark Twain Travel Writer of the Year"
The tour has been organized in collaboration with Ms. Verna Gates, contributor to Troy Public Radio, former reporter for Reuters and TIME Magazine. She was also one of the original crew who launched CNN. Ms. Gates is a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Federation of Press Women.
“The Fiddler’s Convention is a time-honored, cherished tradition that has blossomed into the perfect opportunity to spend a weekend in Athens. The entire city comes alive with the flavescent leaves and sounds of bluegrass and it is a wonderful time to kick off the fall season,” says Teresa Todd, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Director. “We are very proud of how much the Fiddler’s Convention has grown and to be able to share its rich history with these notable authorities on all things travel is a real privilege.”
The semi centennial Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddler’s Convention will take place this weekend, October 6-8.
The convention has historically attracted more than 15,000 people for the Friday and Saturday competitions, with more than 200 musicians participating. There are 20 different categories, including several fiddle and guitar categories, harmonica, mandolin, bluegrass banjo, dobro, dulcimer, old time singing, banjo, and buck dancing.
For more information on the Convention, Click Here