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The age of antebellum river culture was already in decline at the outset of the War Between the States. Better roads and the coming of the railroad allowed easier access to distant inland areas. During the final days of the war, blue clad invaders marched through these areas during the twilight of their antebellum existence. Beginning in March 1865, General Frederick Steele's Union forces had begun the march north from Pensacola in support of General Canby's movements against Mobile. Steele...
We have ancestors that some of us are interested in past. Knowing where they came from and how they lived can sometimes help us understand how we got to where we are. When you start researching your ancestors you may find some that you will be proud of and then you may find some that you rather not know a lot about. When I first got interested in where my family came from you had to do a lot of leg work and traveling to various cities and towns checking local libraries for records of your family that may have lived in the town at one time. I...
Last week, I was honored to host some of our local mayors, city councilmembers, and city officials from Southwest Alabama in Washington to hear about what they do every day for our communities. I am a firm believer that the best people to run our towns and our communities are not the bureaucrats in Washington or the federal government. The best people to do that are the people who live, work, and play in the same place as their neighbors they represent. That is why I come home to Southwest Alabama every weekend, to be in touch with the people...
Last week we talked about the importance that roads are to the economic development of our state. We spoke about urban growth and expansion, especially the needs for highways in Huntsville and the improvement of the Port in Mobile. Well, I overlooked the needs and importance of our rural roads. Make no doubt about it, our rural roads need fixing too. A good many of the rural bridges in the state have been condemned and are hazardous for heavy trucks and school buses to travel. Many folks figure it would be cheaper to pay more for gasoline than...
This week, March 17th – 23rd is recognized as National Poison Prevention Week. It is the perfect time to raise awareness among families to reduce unintentional poisonings, and promote poison prevention in our corner of the world. We believe poisonings can be prevented 24/7, 365 days a year. Shockingly, 90% of all poisonings occur in the home, which is the one environment you'd think people had the most control over. Please, be sure to keep all products in their original, labeled containers, and read those labels prior to use. The main goal t...
Raymond O'Neal Cumbie, 84, died Thursday, March 14, 2019 in Mobile. Mr. Cumbie was a native and lifelong resident of Little River, Ala. A U.S. Army and U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, he was a member of the International Iron Worker's Association #798, the Teamster's Union #991, and the Little River Baptist Church. He also served on the Board of Directors at the Mamie's Chapel Cemetery. The funeral was held at 3 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, at Little River Baptist Church with Bro. Corneluis Phillips officiating. Burial followed at Mamie's...
David Ephraim, 78, of Atmore, died Monday, March 11, 2019. Mr. Ephraim was a native of Camden in Wilcox county, Ala. who was a longtime resident of Atmore. He attended Escambia County Training School and had worked at Masland Carpet as a piece dye operator until his retirement. He enjoyed several hobbies including fishing and mechanics. The funeral will be held at 12 p.m., Saturday, March 23, at Pleasant Hill Full Gospel Church on Highway 21 in Atmore with Rev. Freddie Banks officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery with Turner...
Angelia Irene Hadley, 47, died Sunday, March 10, 2019 in Mobile. Mrs. Hadley was a native of Atmore who resided in Perdido most of her life. Retired from Advance Auto Parts with more than 20 years of service, she was of the Baptist faith. The funeral was held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 13, at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Sis. Helen Lister officiating. Burial followed at Bryars-McGill Cemetery with Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Hadley is survived by her husband, Janik Soto of Bay Minette; one son, Khrystofer...
Lou Ada Berry Henderson, 93, of Atmore, died Sunday, March 17, 2019 in Atmore. Mrs. Henderson was born Dec. 2, 1925, to Porter and Lettie Bell Thompson in Ariton, Ala. A member of Oak Grove Church of Christ, she was a retired supervisor from Vanity Fair. The funeral was held at 3 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bros. Brad Sullivan and Billy Randolph officiating. Burial followed at Oak Hill Cemetery with Johnson Quimby Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Henderson is survived by one son, Ronnie (Brenda) Berry of Brat...
Ellen Earnestine McKinley Holder, 83, of Huntsville, Ala., died Friday, March 15, 2019. Mrs. Holder was born in Excel, Ala., and later worked as a telephone operator and as a hostess at a Florida boarding house restaurant. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, March 22, at Johnson Quimby Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Uriah Cemetery with Johnson Quimby Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Holder is survived by one son, John (Tamra) Holder, Jr.; one daughter, Betty (Chandler) Hall; one sister, Shirley (James) McGee; three...
Shelby King, 74, of Flomaton, died Thursday, March 14, 2019 after a brief illness. Mr. King was a native and lifelong resident of Escambia County, Ala. Of the Baptist faith, he was a graduate of W.S. Neal High School and a former mechanic for Bill Smith Logging. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Monday, March 18, at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Mitch Herring officiating. Burial followed at Pollard Cemetery with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mr. King is survived by one nephew, Jason (Marandia) Davidson of...
William Burns “Bully” Nelson, 84, of Brewton, died Friday, March 15, 2019 after a brief illness. Mr. Nelson was a native and lifelong resident of Brewton who was a retired millwright from T.R. Miller Company. He was an avid gardener who shared his vegetables with the public for many years. The funeral was held at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, March 17, at Spear Cemetery with Rev. Jeff Edwards officiating. Burial followed with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Brewton directing. Mr. Nelson is survived by two sons, Sammy (Tammy) Nelson and Hub...
Mary Frances Byrd Otts, 99, died Friday, March 15, 2019. Mrs. Otts was born March 17, 1919, to Henry Carson and Addie May Byrd in Wilmington, N.C. A graduate of New Hanover High School and East Carolina University, where she earned a degree in history and business, she taught high school for several years before joining the American Red Cross in 1944. Sent to Cirencester, England, where she helped operate a clubmobile that served soldiers at various hospitals around the city, she continued to work in France and Germany. Upon moving back to the...
Stephen Ray Wilson, 70, died Tuesday, March 12, 2019 in Fairhope, Ala. Mr. Wilson was a native of Stockton and former resident of both Atmore and Lewisville, Ky., for 16 years, who resided in Bay Minette. Former co-owner of HML, Inc. of Rocksprings, Texas, he was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam Conflict and of the Baptist faith. The funeral was held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 16, at Hollingsworth Cemetery with Min. Chester Richardson officiating. Burial followed with Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mr. Wilson is survived...
William “Billy” Coker, 77, died Monday, March 11, 2019 in Atmore. Mr. Coker was a native of Huxford who had resided in Atmore most of his life. He was of the Baptist faith. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 17, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Min. Maurice Square officiating. Burial followed at Oak Hill Cemetery with Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mr. Coker is survived by two sons, Rodney (Sharon) Coker of Atmore and Billy Joe (Elyssa) Coker of Largo, Fla.; two daughters, Deana Coker (Joseph Hub...
THE MUSIC PLAYED. Our radio was dialed to any local radio station during the day for news, Farm & Market Reports and Country Music. Saturday nights the dial was set on WSM clear channel 650, for the Grand Old Opry. That was the time for Daddy and Mama to enjoy their evening of music. We listened also. Lordy I loved listening to Earnest Tubb singing, "Walking The Floor Over You". THEN. WLAC 1510 AM GALLATIN, TENNESSEE...circa 1956-,59. Our old Zenith dialed to Randy's Record Shop at Gallatin, Tennessee. 50,000 watts of clear channel. Monday...
The world was stunned by the savage senseless attacks on two Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. With over 50 slaughtered and scores wounded, the cruel carnage shocked average people around the planet who were repulsed by the violence and deeply saddened by the incredible loss of innocent lives. In times of catastrophe, affiliation matters not. The victims were children, the elderly, families; they were human beings cut down by a mad man. This is when our humanity should transcend any differences for God created everyone. We can disagree on p...
Brett Richard Yeiter will die by lethal injection following an Escambia County (Ala.) jury's 10-2 vote Wednesday afternoon that Yeiter should die instead of spending the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole for the Oct. 27, 2014, shooting death of his father-in-law Paul Phillips. That same jury found Yeiter guilty of capital murder Tuesday afternoon and under Alabama law there are only two sentences: death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Yeiter was...
A Flomaton area family who thought they'd lost everything in a fire that engulfed their home cried tears of joy when they learned firemen had rescued their dog, Indie, found hiding under a bed in the home. The Flomaton Fire Department responded to a call around 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, about a fully-involved structure fire at 4500 Old Foshee Road in Flomaton. Homeowners Glen and Nita Brown were on the way out of town and had left, so the house was vacant. They received a call that their h...
With about eight weeks left in the school year, Flomaton Elementary School Principal George Brown and Flomaton High School Principal Scott Hammond are stressing the need for students to be at school. Excessive absences hurt the students, hurt the school and could have criminal implications for parents in certain instances. Schools lose points on the state report cards when a student misses 15 days, whether those absences are excused or unexcused. Both principals want A's for their schools and...
The town of Century lost a beloved member when longtime Century resident and co-founder of the Alger Sullivan Historical Society, Margaret Collier, 92, died Wednesday, March 13, 2019. "Margaret and Mrs. Vivian Jones were the originators of the Alger Sullivan Historical Society (ASHS)," said Century resident and historical society President Jerry Fischer. "They got it started in the Methodist Church, where we held the meetings, starting in 1988. Anyone who was interested in Century could come,...
A complaint call and three traffic stops led to Flomaton police sending four people to jail on drug charges. On March 16, Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis pulled over a vehicle traveling 75 mph in a 25 mph zone on Highway 113 that led to the arrest of Ruth Ann Anderson, 57, from Winston Salem, N.C., for marijuana possession. According to police reports, Davis said he smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle following the traffic stop and Anderson admitted to smoking marijuana...
From the Amazon to Turtle Point Environmental Center in Flomaton, Dr. Darryl Searcy has left his mark on the botany world and the Meadorwood Garden Club and Garden Club of Brewton are honoring the local botanist with a reception today (Thursday) from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the St. Maurice Catholic Church Parish Hall in Brewton. Dr. Searcy, 83, was attending the University of Missouri when he enrolled in a microbiology class that led him to botany. He moved to Brewton in 1978 and officially retired...
The town of Century will spend $4,000 to send three town employees to Texas to train for the town's gas billing system following a 3 to 2 split vote at Monday night's council meeting. Century Mayor Hawkins sought the council's approval to send Gas Superintendent Wally Kellette, Billing Clerk Toni Simmons and Kim Godwin to Tyler, Texas for training on April 9 and 10, to receive training that is required to properly utilize the town's gas billing system. Brooks asked why three had to go and...
A Flomaton man sought after by law enforcement following a report of an armed disturbance March 16 faces a felony drug charge following a search of his clothing. Steven Ray Gresham, 36, 5771 Wolf Log Road, was arrested when officers dispatched to an information armed disturbance searched his clothing and found a small plastic baggie containing a clear crystal-like substance and a glass pipe used to ingest narcotics in his pants pockets according to an Escambia County Sheriff's Office report. The...
