Sorted by date Results 826 - 850 of 1714
I want to congratulate, applaud and give a big thumbs up to the Brewton Area YMCA. I can't say the same about the Hardee's restaurant in Flomaton. On June 18 the YMCA learned that a member who had used the facilities had tested positive for COVID-19. They not only immediately contacted the Alabama Department of Health and shut the facility down, they also sent out an email to YMCA members telling them that a person who tested positive visited the Y on June 17 and used the gymnasium, the...
According to the U.S. Census' website, as of June 15, Flomaton ranks dead last in Escambia County (Ala.) in terms of how many people have filled out their 2020 census form and Century's response is a little bit worse. The figures showed 61.4 percent had filled out the forms across the nation; 59.3 percent of residents in Alabama have filled out the forms; 56.6 percent have filled out forms in Escambia County; and 46.6 percent of Flomaton residents have filled out the forms. Looking across the...
"Escambia County will miss Eddie Gideons," is what Escambia County (Ala.) Judge of Probate Doug Agerton said of the 56-year old Atmore man who was killed Tuesday morning when his crop dusting plane crashed northwest of Atmore. "I met Eddie about 30 years ago at the Matthews' hunting camp," Agerton said. "He was a great guy. We hunted turkeys together and used to argue who was the best turkey hunter. I'm going to miss him. We lost a great guy." Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Heath Jackson said...
Three of the four Republicans who will be on the July 14 runoff ballot in Escambia County (Ala.) gathered at Hour Glass in Brewton Monday night, with Tommy Tuberville absent, as they presented their thoughts and ideas on the upcoming election. U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Sessions and U.S. House of Representatives candidates Jerry Carl and Bill Hightower attended the event sponsored by the Escambia County Alabama Republican Party. Sessions, who stepped down from the Senate to become President...
Although a federal judge has ruled in favor of plaintiffs who claim that some of Alabama's voting restrictions will create difficulties and risks created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Escambia County Circuit Clerk John Robert Fountain said he's received no new guidelines that have set July 9 as the last day to apply for an absentee ballot for the July 14 runoffs. U.S. District Judge Abdul Kallon of the Northern District of Alabama granted part of a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed May 1 by...
Taking down confederate monuments don't change history. Changing the names of colleges doesn't change history. Taking Elmer Fudd's gun away from him won't slow down gun violence. We can't bury the past by taking down signs of the past. I remember when I was in school and really didn't understand why I was taking a history class. We all had them and had to remember all those dates and who did what. More than one teacher told my classmates and me that you study history for several reasons. You...
An Atmore man with a prior violent conviction has been arrested and charged with murder for the April 25 shooting death of Desmond Deshun Dirden, 33, also of Atmore. Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks announced the arrest of Antonio Albert Crenshaw, 38, 209 Nettles St., last Thursday. During a bond hearing last Friday, Assistant District Attorney Todd Stearns told District Judge Eric Coale that Crenshaw had three prior felony convictions. He told the judge Crenshaw had been arrested for murder in...
In 2004 Dewey Bondurant, Jr., decided to run for mayor due to his experience working on Hurricane Park and his love of Flomaton. The 72-year old Flomaton mayor announced this week that he will seek re-election for a fifth term in the Aug. 25 municipal elections. "I've really enjoyed trying to make the town better," Bondurant said. "Over the years we have made the town better. I just enjoy helping people." Born in Jackson, Ala., Bondurant moved to Flomaton where his father set up his sawmill...
A Flomaton man has been arrested for willful abuse of a child for allegedly beating his 11-year old son on the child's birthday and will likely face additional charges. Gary W. Presley, 34, 20600 Highway 31, was arrested last Wednesday and transported to the Escambia County Detention Center. Flomaton Police Chief Chance Thompson said an officer responded to a domestic complaint at Presley's address and the investigation revealed that, in addition to beating the child, Presley began firing a...
The town of Jay will proceed with its annual Fourth of July celebration but the annual events in East Brewton, Century and Flomaton have been canceled. Jay will hold its fireworks show at Bray-Hendricks Park at dark on Friday, July 3. The 5-K run will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 4. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of East Brewton has canceled its Fourth of July activities that include a spades tournament, bingo, games, live entertainment, the duck race and fireworks. The Century Town...
In its first in-person meeting since March 17 the Escambia County (Ala.) Commission passed a resolution to rescind its previous state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the March 17 meeting, the commission passed the state of emergency that allowed County Clerk-Administrator Tony Sanks, Commission Chairman Karean Reynolds and Commission Vice Chairman Brandon Smith to execute documents and other things essential to keeping county government operating. That order allowed the county to...
Those who knew Trayton Gage Adams talked about his smile. They talked about his big heart and the hugs he loved to give. Six-year old Trayton died last Thursday when he was riding on the back of a four-wheeler that turned over pinning him underneath. Trayton had just finished kindergarten at Flomaton Elementary School, but that smile will always be etched into the minds of the principal, his teacher, his classmates and others who knew him. FES Principal George Brown said the news of Trayton's de...
After more than 17 years on the bench, Escambia County (Ala.) Circuit Judge Dave Jordan has announced he will be retiring July 31, 2020. Jordan, 61, was born in Meridian, Miss., but grew up in the Mt. Sterling community in Choctaw County. He graduated from Patrician Academy in Butler, Ala., and went to the University of Alabama, where he received his bachelor's degree in history in 1981. He then received his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1984. Jordan began his legal...
With 34 years of serving the citizens of Pensacola and the county, Chip Simmons is looking to add a new chapter to his life by running for sheriff of Escambia County, Fla. Simmons, 56, is seeking the Republican nomination and currently has no opposition on the GOP ticket. "I've dedicated my entire adult life to law enforcement," Simmons said. "I want to continue to serve every family in Escambia County and want to make the county the safest place to live." Simmons was born on a military base in...
The video of Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of of George Floyd as he pleaded that he couldn't breathe sparked outrage. It was a disturbing video and the screams for justice came quickly. Chauvin was arrested a few days later and charged with murder. That's how our system works; that's how justice works. But protests quickly turned to violence, looting and vandalism. I cringe every time I see the national news and the networks call these looters and vandals...
On Dec. 13, 2019, a sister of Rufus Evans III filed a petition in Escambia County (Ala.) Probate Court claiming Evans was mentally ill. The same day, Southwest Alabama Behavioral Health Care Systems in Brewton evaluated Evans and determined he “does not meet criteria for placement at this time”. Today, Evans, 54, is being held in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton on $300,000 bond charged with murder and 22-year old Tyler Dawayne Lisenby is dead. Lisenby was found shot to death on...
The state of Alabama failed Rufus Evans III and his family. It failed Tyler Dawayne Lisenby and his family. Alabama's mental health agency failed everyone in the community and it fails people everyday. Lisenby is dead and Evans' life will never be the same. The lives of their families and friends will be changed forever. Just months before Evans was arrested for shooting Lisenby to death, Evans' sister filed a mental health petition claiming her brother was mentally ill. A short visit to...
A Brewton man who was listed as an escapee from Escambia County's Community Corrections Office was arrested Friday night in East Brewton with additional drug charges after officers found a large quantity of drugs inside a residence. Devante Aaron Knight, 28, 210 Ball Lane, Lot 36, Brewton, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (cocaine), unlawful possession of a controlled substance (Estacy), unlawful possession of a controlled substance (crack...
All parks in Flomaton were opened Wednesday in wake of Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey's latest ease on the coronavirus restrictions but social distancing is still required. Under the new order, athletic activities are allowed to begin with practice involving conditioning. Her order resumes athletic competitions on June 15. All facilities at Hurricane Park in Flomaton are now open as well as the other town-owned parks which include Oak Commons Park on Martin Luther King Drive and Abernathy Park. Her...
A Jay man was arrested when he failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to Santa Rosa County from Escambia County, Fla. Matthew Lee Hopkins, 20, 14572 Highway 89 North, was arrested May 20 for violating the Florida statute that requires him to register when he changes addresses. According to information released by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff's Officer Joseph William Spirakis made contact with Hopkins in April in reference to a complaint filed by the Offender...
The Flomaton Town Council has given Police Chief Chance Thompson permission to proceed with a volunteer chaplain program with the only expense to the town being about $400 per year to provide workman's comp insurance for the volunteers. Thompson told the council members that he's wanting to get three pastors who live in different districts in the town to serve as chaplains. He said they will be considered reserve officers and need to be covered under workman's comp. He said the chaplains can be...
Atmore District Court was in session Monday and Flomaton Municipal Court will resume its normal schedule in June on the first and third Tuesdays of each month after the Alabama Supreme Court lifted its restrictions on in-person court hearings. However, the high court's administrative order left in place an order stating that jury trials will remain suspended until Sept. 14. Although the court system has never been closed, the COVID-19 pandemic forced restrictions on most in-person court...
I've talked to several people over the past month or so in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some had been in lockdown, others had 'essential' jobs but schedules got moved around. Most all agreed that the pandemic and the state and federal guidelines have gotten us all thrown out of whack in terms of the calendar and routines we had in place. With many churches cancelling services, Sunday didn't seem like Sunday. Those who scheduled to go out to dinner a few nights a week were left at home...
An investigation into the May 9 shooting death of Tyler Dawayne Lisenby, 22, led to the arrest Friday of Rufus Evans III on murder charges. Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson said deputies were dispatched on May 9 to 3660 William Cook Road in the Damascus community in reference to an unknown disturbance. When deputies arrived they discovered Lisenby's body, with a gunshot wound, on the front porch of the residence. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Evans, 54, 3660 William Cook Road was...
A Brewton man, whose wife took her own life on Tuesday, May 14, was arrested Monday on domestic violence charges for allegedly beating her three days before she committed suicide. Donnie H. Polk Jr., 64, 15 Camp Williams Circle, in the Roberts community, was charged with Domestic Violence III – assault, kidnapping II and interfering with a domestic violence call. Polk was released from the Escambia County Detention Center Tuesday on $50,000 bond. According to the arrest warrants, Polk is a...
