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Last week, I was honored to address a group of newly naturalized citizens of the United States. It was an experience that gave me the opportunity to reflect on a question as old as our nation itself: “What does it mean to be an American?” In the United States, we don’t define citizenship as being part of the dominant ethnic group. And we do not define citizenship as being part of the dominant religion or hound out those with whom we disagree. Nor are we defined as the subjects of a monarch or strongman dictator. Indeed, we Americans belie...
Our Senior U.S. Senator, Richard Shelby, turns 85 this week. In March he reached another milestone – he surpassed Senator John Sparkman as the longest serving U.S. Senator in Alabama history. Shelby has been our senator for 32 plus years. Alabama has a treasure in Richard Shelby. He is not only the longest serving U.S. Senator in Alabama history, he is also the most successful U.S. Senator in Alabama history. During his illustrious tenure, Senator Shelby has chaired the Senate Banking Committee, Intelligence Committee and Rules Committee. H...
Willie Nelson warned Mamas to not let their babies grow to be cowboys because it was a hard lonely life. Alabama Representative John Rogers (D-Birmingham) tells Mama’s to not let their babies grow up at all or more precisely don’t let them even be born because life without nanny state government benefits isn’t worth living. Rogers shocked the nation when he said “kill them now or kill them later!” Rogers made his incredibly callous comments in a floor debate to oppose the current abortion ban bill now passed by the Alabama House and referred...
In the old days, meaning that time before the early 1960s, when many of the tiny communities in our area seemed to prosper and their residents had more of a home view than a world view, there existed small places like Malta and Dugout which had a big influence on farming on industry. The exact origin of the name 'Dugout' is clouded with the fog of history but some say it comes from a train wreck that "dug out" a hill or from a dirt pit which operated there at the time of the construction of Highway 31 in the 1920s. At one time, an agricultural...
A unique feature of the American landscape is the county courthouse. Take a trip along the old major highways and you will often find at the center of a county seat stands a large, old, sometimes overly elaborate courthouse. At first glance, you may think that these ancient buildings have always marked the center of county government, but this is often not the case. All of our local counties have moved county seats. Milton is the second known center of government in Santa Rosa County. In Escambia County, Alabama, Pollard once held the title,...
I'm writing this story in honor of my brother Jarvis. He was known all his short forty nine years as "Humpy". Humpy got that moniker from a fall from the farm wagon when he was just a little tike. Daddy and Mama were clearing some land where they thought one day would be where they planned to settle and build our family a house. Baby Jarvis was in the wagon and somehow tumbled out to hit the ground. The family lore had Daddy and Mama saying he was like Humpty Dumpty in the fable nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty. Humpty got shortened to "Humpy". In...
Mother’s day is this Sunday, May 12th. We would like to extend Best Wishes and a Happy Mother’s Day to all the “Special Women” in your life that have shown you some “Motherly Love” through the years. It could be your Aunt, Auntie, co-worker, daughter, friend, Grandma, Granny, Mama, Mi Mi, Me Maw, Mommy, Mother, Nana, sister, and sister-in-law. It’s a time we recognize the importance of being a female and the beauty and responsibility that it entails. However, May is also a time for women to think about their health and what we can all do to...
Lee Bain, 81, died Tuesday April 30, 2019 at Crowne Healthcare in Mobile. Mr. Bain Was born Nov. 30, 1937, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Serving in the U.S. Air Force as a flight medic, he then graduated from the University of Alabama with a commercial arts degree and went on to receive a Master's degree in Art Education from Troy State University. Afterwards, he moved to Brewton when he received a grant from the National Endowment of Arts and the Alabama State Council of Arts and Humanities. Hired as the first art teacher for T.R. Miller High School,...
Ernest J. Coleman died Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Enon, Fla. Mr. Coleman was a correctional officer with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for more than 30 years after serving in the U.S. Army for 24 years. He was an avid outdoorsman. The funeral was held at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 4, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home chapel with Pastor Chris Dudgeon officiating. Burial followed at Enon Baptist Church Cemetery with Johnson Quimby Funeral Home directing. Mr. Coleman is survived by his wife, Carolyn Joyce Coleman; one son, Paul Ernest Coleman;...
Kenneth “Kenny” Lee Crutchfield, 62, of Brewton, died Friday, April 26, 2019, after a brief illness. Mr. Crutchfield was a native of Mobile and longtime resident of Brewton and East Brewton. A member of the Cedar Hill Baptist Church, he was a 1974 graduate of W.S. Neal High School and owned and operated Crutchfield Pest Control for many years. He was an avid outdoorsman. The funeral was held at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 2, at Cedar Hill Baptist Church with Pastor Steven Dresen and Rev. Billy Ray Singleton officiating and Williams Memorial Cha...
Marianne Rose Roman Eddins, 79, died Wednesday, April 24, 2019. Mrs. Eddins was born Jan. 11, 1940, in Flushing, N.Y. and worked for IBM Corporation, where she met her future spouse, for many years. The two moved several places with their jobs before they relocated to Alabama, where she enrolled at USA in Mobile and studied chemistry and biology, graduating cum laude as bachelor of science. She worked with the Baldwin County Commission to establish the county's first mosquito control project before she and her husband established a 50-acre...
Jeanette Ellison, 76, died Monday, April 29, 2019 in a Pensacola hospital. Mrs. Ellison was born in Brewton and had lived in Montgomery before she returned to Brewton. A 1960 graduate of W.S. Neal High School, she had worked as a packing operator at Vanity Fair for several years and was a member of New Bethlehem Baptist Church. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Thursday, May 2, at the chapel of Craver's Funeral Home with Revs. Jessie Bohannon and Tony Richburg officiating. Burial followed at Pineview Cemetery with Craver's Funeral Home...
David Floyd Elliott, 84, died Wednesday, April 24, 2019 in East Brewton. Mr. Elliott served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years and later retired from UPS with 18 years of service. Afterwards, he and his wife moved to her home town of East Brewton where they had resided for 23 years. The funeral was held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 27, at the chapel of Craver's Funeral Home with Rev. Dan Baughman officiating. Burial, with military honors, followed at Fort Crawford Cemetery with Craver's Funeral Home directing. Mr. Elliott is survived by his wife of...
Kathy Sue Elliott-Fuqua, 58, died Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Mrs. Elliott-Fuqua was a lifelong resident of the Brewton area. Of the Christian faith, she worked as a bookkeeper at Lucas Tire and Welding for several years. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Friday, May 3, at the chapel of Craver's Funeral Home with Bro. Eddie Hammac officiating. Burial followed at Weaver Cemetery with Craver's Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Elliott-Fuqua is survived by five brothers, Burns Elliott, Johnny Ray Elliott, Bubba McGhee and Harold McGhee, all of Brewton, and...
Infant Natalie Ruby Grace Holden died Saturday, April 27, 2019 in Bay Minette, Ala. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at Hadley Brooks Cemetery with Sis. Helen Stewart and Bro. Brian Crane officiating. Burial followed with Petty-Eastside Funeral Home directing. Infant Holden is survived by her parents, Chris and Lizzy Holden of Perdido; one sister, Robin Krystina Holden of Perdido; three grandparents, Jennifer Grubbs of Theodore, Ala., and Marshall Wayne and Christina Holden Hadley of Perdido; six great-grandparents, Allen and...
Patsy Ann Presley, 74, died Monday, April 29, 2019, following a lengthy illness. Mrs. Presley was a native and resident of Perdido, Ala. who had worked at Bryant's Hospital as a nurse's aid, Perdido Junior High School as a cook and server, then the Baldwin Times as a paper distributor, eventually retiring from the U.S. Postal Service as a rural mail carrier at the Perdido Post Office. A homemaker, she was a member of Pine Grove Freewill Baptist Church and sang in a gospel music group called The Perdido Quartet. The funeral was held at 11 a.m.,...
Thomas L. “Tom L.” Robinson, Jr. died Friday, April 26, 2019 at Atmore Community Hospital. Mr. Robinson was born Oct. 5, 1945 to Thomas, Sr. and Emma L. Williams Robinson in Atmore. A 1963 graduate of Escambia County Training School, he attended Danial Payne College in Birmingham and worked as a correctional offcier and professional concrete finisher until his retirement. He was a member of Gaines Chapel A.M.E. Church where he served on the Stewart Board. The funeral was held at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at Gaines Chapel A.M.E. Church wit...
Clinton Eugene Watson, 61, died Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at a Montgomery, Ala. Hospital. Mr. Watson was born in Atmore and had been a lifelong resident of Escambia County, Ala. Of the Christian faith, he had worked as a tug boat captain for Gulf South Marine Transportation. The funeral was held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 26, at Weaver Cemetery with Rev. Doug Greer officiating. Burial followed with Craver's Funeral Home directing. Mr. Watson is survived by his wife of 21 years, Chrissie Laster Watson of Brewton; four sons, Clinton Dean...
A former Walnut Hill Volunteer Department fireman accused of stealing the department's brush truck in April is now behind bars in Escambia County, Ala., on multiple unrelated charges that involve a domestic dispute between him and his ex-girl friend. Lawrence Ethan Coon, 22, 3510 Sandy Hollow Road, Century, was arrested by Escambia County (Ala.) sheriff's deputies May 2 and charged with domestic violence III (harassment), domestic violence III (reckless endangerment), domestic violence III (crim...
Reports of a reckless driver and two other traffic stops resulted in four people going to jail after Flomaton police found marijuana, spice and methamphetamine. On May 3, Officer Derrick Hodges arrested Morgan M. Odom, 29, 2225 Scott Road, Brewton, for unlawful possession of marijuana II following a traffic stop for having no tag light. According to reports, Hodges pulled the vehicle over near the intersection of Highway 31 and Old Fannie Road. When he approached the vehicle he reported he...
Jerry Fischer, right, spent most of Saturday reliving the history of the Century-Flomaton area during the annual Saw Mill Day and Car Show in Century's historical district. For more on the fun-filled day of entertainment, food and crafts, see Page 1B....
At a special meeting to address the grand jury and Florida League of Cities reports that resulted from a recent investigation into the town of Century was held Tuesday night to address the town's issues. Councilman Ben Boutwell gave out a document draft about the rules and procedures of the meetings, stating there are no policies and procedures in place. Among nine people present, suggestions were made that the council could address public comment at the meeting's beginning instead of the end...
Last Thursday and Friday, seniors from seven local high schools got to witness real court cases at the courthouse in Brewton and afterwards render a verdict as part of Escambia County (Ala.) Law Day, sponsored by the Escambia County Bar Association. On Thursday, Ray Weaver, who was charged for felony possession of a controlled substance, was tried and found guilty by a jury of students from Atmore Christian School, Escambia Academy and Escambia County High School. The guest speaker on Thursday...
The Century Council was approached Monday night by West Florida Gin to purchase the old helicopter technology building in the Century Industrial Park to be used to store cotton, although no decision was made. Robert Godwin and Larry Baxley with West Florida Gin in Walnut Hill, Fla., want to purchase the building for $240,000 at $4,000 a month for five years. Councilwoman Ann Brooks pointed out that the building was appraised to be worth $550,000 several years ago or $6,667 a month for rental....
A teenager who entered Jay Hospital with apparent gunshot wounds Tuesday night claiming he was shot by unknown masked men in Century is not cooperating with police about the incident. According to Escambia County (Fla.) PIO Amber Southard, a 17-year-old male with apparent gunshot wounds showed up at Jay Hospital Tuesday night sometime before midnight, claiming that he was at the Carver Community Center in Century when numerous black males wearing masks came out of a wooded area nearby and began...
