NEWS HEADLINES 1/4

AS HAS BECOME CUSTOMARY AT THE CLOSE OF A COMBAT TOUR, AN AWARDS CEREMONY WAS RECENTLY HELD IN AFGHANISTAN FOR MEMBERS OF THE THIRD BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM'S ''TASK FORCE IRON'', WITH FIVE BRONZE STARS AND 21 ARMY COMMENDATION AWARDS PRESENTED.
                                        ++
MEANWHILE, THE LENGTHY REDEPLOYMENT OF THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION(AIR ASSAULT) BEGINS LATER THIS WEEK, WITH THE FIRST GROUP OF 275  RETURNING ''RAKKASANS'' OF THE THIRD BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM SCHEDULED TO BE WELCOMED HOME AT 7:45 THURSDAY NIGHT.
                                        +++
A NOTABLE MILESTONE IN THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN WAS MARKED DURING THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE ''SCREAMING EAGLES'', AS LATE NOVEMBER MARKED NINE YEARS AND 51 DAYS THAT THE U.S. HAD BEEN FIGHTING THERE, WHICH WAS ONE DAY MORE THAN THE RUSSIANS IN THEIR ILL-FATED FORAY.
                                             ++
HOPKINSVILLE POLICE MADE TWO SIGNIFICANT DRUG ARRESTS MONDAY NIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY, WITH 21-YEAR OLD CHRISTIAN ALATORRE OF HOPKINSVILLE CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING IN EXCESS OF FIVE POUNDS OF MARIJUANA AND 28-YEAR OLD BISHOP LOVING OF HOPKINSVILLE CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING IN ''CRACK'' COCAINE, IN ADDITION TO OTHER OFFENSES INCLUDING ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER. IN ANOTEHR ARREST OF NOTE, 33-YEAR OLD JOSEPH EARLY OF HOPKINSVILLE WAS SERVED WITH A FUGITIVE WARRANT FROM ASHLAND, TENNESSEE, WHICH NOTES THAT THE ORIGINAL CHARGE WAS POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA FOR RESALE. AND OFFICER DAVID HYDE, WHO WROTE NUMEROUS CITATIONS TO MOTORISTS WHO DISREGARDED THE RED ARROW ON CLINIC DRIVE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE WAL-MART DURING THE HOLIDAY PERIOD, FOCUSED HIS ATTENTION ON SEAT BELT VIOLATORS DURING HIS 8 HOUR SHIFT TUESDAY, CITING NO FEWER THAN 20 DRIVERS FOR FAILING TO ''BUCKLE UP''.
                                        +++