The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 10 has announced that the official opening ceremony for the newly constructed US route 33 will be Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. The opening ceremony will be held at the new State Route 78/State Route 691 interchange and is open to the public.  Persons wishing to attend the ceremony can access the area via the new State Route 691 access road off of old route 33, southeast of Nelsonville. Some Hocking College students, board and administration will be participating in the ceremony.
 
Once the opening ceremony is complete ODOT hopes to have the new westbound lanes of US route 33 open by noon. The new eastbound lanes should be open by 3:00 p.m. Traffic on the new US route 33 will be down to a two lane roadway at the Elm Rock Road overpass Southeast of Nelsonville while construction crews complete the final transition away from the old roadway.

Persons traveling the new US route 33 corridor through the Nelsonville area should use caution due to numerous traffic pattern changes.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has appointed Hocking Nursing faculty member Sue Erlewine MSN RN, to serve as a content expert to assist in the development of a new national certification: the ANCC Faith Community Nursing certification.

Faith community nursing is a growing field for nurses who wish to combine their knowledge of conventional medicine with a focus on the mind and spirit of the patient.

"The ANCC is the world's largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA). Having an assistant professor of nursing chosen to be part of this certification team will bring national recognition to the quality of our nursing faculty and reflect the high standards of our nursing program," Tammy Keith MS RN, Dean, School of Nursing, said.

 
Hocking College Fitness Management Class of 2014 would like to invite you to their second annual Indoor Triathlon on Saturday, November 16, 2013 in the Hocking College Student Center.

This event includes a 20-minute swim, 20 minutes of cycling and a 20 minute run. Results are based on total distance traveled in the time allotted. Deluxe Ribbons will be given to the top three placers (male and female). High quality medals will be given to the top three overall winners (male and female). To register, contact Tamatha Shell with any questions or concerns. or download the registration form.

On November 7, 2013 the Eleventh Annual Weightlifting competition will be held. The entry fee for this event is $10 and must be paid at the time of registration. Only cash is accepted. To register for the weightlifting competition, contact  Bill Finnearty or download the registration form.

All participants who register for either event before or on Monday, October 21 will receive a free t-shirt.

This week's article will be longer than usual, since the subject is cars. Since cars are so frequently used, tips are included to protect your from criminals and prevent vehicle theft.

To protect yourself:

• Check the back seat before entering.
• Keep your vehicle doors locked at all times, even when driving in the daylight.
• Keep enough gas in your tank for emergencies.
• Do not offer rides to anyone you don't know, even if he/she claims to be a student.
• Honk your horn if someone suspicious approaches your vehicle. Criminals do not like attention.
• Lift the hood, put on flashers and wait inside the vehicle with the doors locked if you break down. Ask people who stop to call the police or AAA for you. Do not accept a ride with anyone you do not know. Do not stop for standard motorists. You are of greater help to them by calling the police or highway patrol.
• Keep valuables in the trunk of your vehicle, not on the seats or floor.
• Park your car in well-lit areas.
• Remove all keys from your vehicle. Thieves look for keys. 

To prevent vehicle theft follow the rules above, as well as the following:

• Always lock your vehicle.
• Never leave your vehicle running while unattended.
• Install an anti-theft device that is highly visible, hard to defeat and that renders the vehicle inoperable.
• When parking curbside, turn your wheels sharply to the curb and apply the emergency brake.
• Engrave Owner Applied Numbers on stereos and navigation equipment.

Be sure to pass these tips along to students. For more on safety, visit http://www.hocking.edu/campussafety/prevention.

October is Ohio Archaeology Month at the Athens Historical Society and Museum with a Wednesday lecture series from 5 - 6 p.m.

Lecture topics include:

• The Archaeology of Extraction in Southeastern Ohio: Using multiple lines of evidence to tell the story of Southeastern Ohio's past on October 2. 
• How the "Hopewell" Built Their World: Middle Woodland Period Domestic Landscape Management and Modification in the Ohio Valley is on October 9.
• Possible Astronomical Alignments of Ohio's Earthworks will be held on October 16.
• Salt: Southeast Ohio's First Industry and the Rise of a Historic Cultural Tradition is set for October 23.  
• Hopewell Settlement Patterns Around Circleville, Ohio will be on October 30, to end Ohio Archaeology Month.  

Please email Dawn Walter Gagliano for further information about any lectures. 

The Hocking College Bookstore is closed for the move to its new location. It will reopen Monday, October 14, 2013 on the second floor of Davidson Hall. There will be no bookstore transactions during the move. Sonja Hill, Director of Retail and Dining Services asks that everyone please be patient during this time.