Morning Update

Good morning, readers, take a look at what’s going on today:

Weather:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 34. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 22. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Best bets for today:

Alzheimers/dementia support group: The support group for caregivers will be at 5:30 p.m. today at Westminster Assisted Living, 1020 Olive St. SW, Cullman 35055. Reservations: Jane Farley at 256-737-2033/jane.farley@crmchospital.com.

Cullman City Board of Education: The Board will meet at 6 p.m. today in the Central Office Board Room, 301 1st St. NE, Cullman 35055.

TOPS: The Take Off Pounds Sensibly group will meet at 5:30 p.m. today at Benedictine Manor, 200 Janeway Drive, Cullman 35055. Info: Kathleen Camardella at 256-531-3086 or Jo Schaffer at 256-734-7428.

Food For Fines is back: The Cullman Public Library System is offering Food For Fines now through Saturday November 22. All branches will be participating. $1 will be forgiven in overdue fines for every non-perishable food item (canned or boxed) that a patron brings in. All items collected will go to the local food banks. Food cannot be used for pay for lost or damaged items. This will be a great way to clear up library accounts and help your fellow neighbor at the same time. Info: Lesia Coleman at 256-734-2720 ext. 21.

QuickBooks seminar: The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a QuickBooks seminar from 5:30 to 8 p.m. today, at the Chamber office. This is an advanced class for people who’ve covered the basics and intermediate levels of QuickBooks. Those interested should contact the Chamber office at 256-734-0454.

Operation Christmas Child (OCC) Shoebox Ministry: The OCC decorated shoeboxes and “How to Pack A Shoebox” brochures may be picked up at Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1310 St. Joseph Drive, Cullman 35055, (256-739-0505), or at Chick-fil-A restaurant. Filled shoeboxes can be delivered to Christ Covenant during the week of Nov. 17-24. All shoeboxes must be delivered prior to 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 24.

Upcoming events:

Sign up for the Women’s Self Defense class: Keep yourself safe during this holiday shopping season. Learn striking techniques, knife defense, choke defense, defensive grabs and more. For women and girls ages 11 and older. Classes are sponsored by the Cullman City Police Department and taught by Officer Cindy Rohrscheib. Classes will be held December 2 and 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cullman Wellness and Aquatics Center, 1636 Field of Miracles Drive, Cullman 35055. Cost is $25/household for the student manual. Open to the public. You do not have to be a member of the Aquatic Center to attend. To register, contact Officer Cindy Rohrscheib 256-736-4703 or by email at cindyr@cullmanpd.com.

Swamp John’s meal: Lonesome Dove Cowboy Church, 97 County Road 1677, Cullman 35083, will hold a Swamp John’s meal from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, December 4. All proceeds go to the building fund and community outreach programs. Cost is $10/plate.

Of note:

Gun safety classes offered in Hartselle: The HCPAAA helps educate the public in the practices and procedures of the Hartselle Police Academy. It helps the community to maintain a supportive and interactive relationship with the Police Academy which in turn creates more public awareness for the people of Hartselle. Currently the HCPAAA is offering a Gun Safety Class taught by Sgt. Randy Adams, who is a 17-year veteran of the Hartselle Police Department. He oversees all training for the department and is a certified firearms instructor and trainer. The class costs $25 dollars and is tax deductible. It is a four-hour class with the first three hours being classroom instructions on gun safety and proper usage and the last hour being live fire training. If you, or someone you know, are unfamiliar with handling and shooting a firearm properly this is an excellent opportunity to work with the trained professionals of the Hartselle Police Department. Classes will be scheduled when enough people call to register: Contact Myron Thompson at 256-773-2132 or contact Sgt. Adams at radams@hartselle.org.

Cares & Shares food drive: The Cullman Times’ Cares & Share food drive is in full force, with a goal of 195,000 pounds of food for the Cullman Caring For Kids Food Bank. The Times, partnering with the Cullman Lions Club, is collecting food and taking donations for the children of Cullman County, knowing that the winter time is particulary a time when food quickly runs out. Many of the donations that came through in 2013 were cash offerings. Cullman Caring For Kids is able to buy food at seven pounds per dollar. Donations of $100, for example, will purchase 700 pounds of food. Area schools are also collecting for the drive. Cash donations should be brought to The Times’ office at 300 Fourth Avenue SE, Cullman 35055, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each weekday. Canned goods may also be dropped off at The Times, where they will be weighed and recorded for the food drive. Anyone with large pallets of food should have those weighed in advance and delivered to Cullman Caring For Kids at 402 Arnold St., Cullman, where they will be attributed to the food drive. Any questions concerning the food drive may be answered by calling The Times at 256-734-2131 or Cullman Caring For Kids at 256-739-1111.

Total Access: Had to get out-and-about and didn’t bring your paper? No time to run and find a paper? Wonder what everyone is talking about, but you’re far from home? Neighbor’s dog play fetch and not bring it back? Well, we have a simple solution: Try Total Access. Anyone who has a print subscription to The Times, can have a free online subscription. Access it on your work computer, your smart phone or any device you can use to access your email. To activate it, contact the Circulation/Audience Development Department at 256-734-2131. Information needed: Valid email address and a password at least six characters long, a valid phone number, and the current address the paper is delivered to. Digital-only subscriptions are available; contact the same department for more information.

10 Things to Know for Today

By The Associated Press

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. FOUR DEAD IN ATTACK ON JERUSALEM SYNAGOGUE

Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to respond harshly to the killing of worshippers which Palestinian President Abbas has condemned.

2. HUNT CONTINUES FOR 60TH VOTE IN FAVOR OF PIPELINE

Fifty nine Senators have vowed to support the Keystone pipeline in a vote that will advance the measure today.

3. WEDDINGS REFLECT WANING EBOLA FEAR IN LIBERIA

More and more couples are celebrating their nuptials in public in the country’s capital, Monrovia, after the recent drop in infections.

4. WHO HAS MARRIAGE PLANS

Mass Murderer Charles Manson has received a license to wed a 26-year-old woman who visits him in prison.

5. NAVY SECRETARY’S COSTLY TRAVEL COMES AMID CUTBACKS

Ray Mabus racked up the miles, and more than $4.7 million in costs, on 40 official trips in the past five years.

6. CROP CALAMITY BRUISES EUROPEAN ECONOMIES

A cool summer and abundant rain are affecting the harvest in Mediterranean Europe which may push olive oil prices up.

7. MIDEAST VIOLENCE STANDS IN THE WAY OF IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL

President Obama could secure the goal of improved relations with Tehran–but the disagreement between both countries over the Syrian conflict is an obstacle.

8. STATE OF EMERGENCY IN FERGUSON, MISSOURI

Gov. Jay Nixon activates the National Guard ahead of a grand jury decision on whether a white police officer will be charged in the fatal shooting of a black 18-year-old in the St. Louis suburb.

9. WHY EARLIER AMNESTY FOR IMMIGRANTS DIDN’T PROVOKE SIMILAR UPROAR

Unlike Obama’s planned moves in a divided Washington, amnesties agreed to by Reagan and George H.W. Bush took place amid a sweeping, bipartisan immigration overhaul.

10. HOW A PENNSYLVANIA MOM WANTS TO GET GIRLS INTERESTED IN SCIENCE

Software engineer Kelly Mathews is teaming up with a nonprofit that aims to bridge the gender gap by teaching school girls about tech careers.