Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 34
First it was the public health experts whose projections were wrong about COVID-19. They predicted far more spread of the disease, and death from it, than we have actually experienced. They also predicted that those states which opened up before others would have a widespread breakout and a spike of hospitalization, and that hasn’t happened either. Then, on Friday, the unemployment numbers for May were released by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Economists predicted that the report would show another 7 million people lost their jobs i...
The U.S. Senate runoff between former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was put on hold by the coronavirus. The original primary on March 3 had Tuberville and Sessions in a dead heat. The runoff was scheduled for March 31. However, the pandemic shutdown placed a freeze on everything politically. The runoff is now set for July 14. The epidemic hiatus shutdown began to melt a little around Memorial Day, and it started with a meltdown between President Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions. Trump, our...
Please pause for a moment; take a deep breath and stop whatever you are doing. America is having an anxiety attack. Literally everyone is upset and emotions are fever pitch, and with good reason. After months of questionable quarantine, the nation was already suffering acute cabin fever. Then out of nowhere, a gruesome video of a Minneapolis Police apprehension that went horribly wrong resulting in the callous killing of George Floyd shocked Americans; it was disturbing and heart wrenching. National outrage was immediate and justified;...
American society is in free-fall. Nevermind we are enduring a pandemic the likes of which hasn't been seen in a century, but we are also confronted with riots, looting, protests and the chaotic scream of voices on the national level that drown out any logic or reason or dialoge between participants. Let me set it straight right out of the gate, I oppose what happened to George Floyd. Furthermore, I oppose violence, brutality, corruption, cronyism, nepotism and a host of other "isms," in our...
In 1787, while serving as Minister to France, Thomas Jefferson received a draft of the new constitution from his friend James Madison. Jefferson agreed with the draft, but objected to the non-inclusion of a bill of rights and returned a letter strongly suggesting one. As a result, Madison introduced 10 amendments that became the U.S. Bill of Rights. This is Amendment 1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right o...
This year's hurricane season appears to be developing into an active one. Now, only three days from the official beginning of hurricane season (June 1), three storms have already been named. Two named storms developed before June 1 while a third earned the name Cristobal on Tuesday. Forecaster Predictions for 2020 For the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 30 percent chance of a...
Emil lived in a small village in Southern France. He was employed as a stone cutter, toiling daily at the task of reducing huge boulders to brick-size stones. Steadily he would cut and chipped with a wooden mallet at the mountain of boulders, stacking the bricks he created carefully as he went. For twenty years Emil labored at his job, and each year he grew more and more weary of the drudgery. Chip…cut…stack, chip…cut…stack, and on it went each day. As soon as one boulder was reduced to a brick, there stood inevitably the challenge of the nex...
Donald “Lefty” Benjamin Boutwell, 80, of Jay, Fla., died Sunday, June 7, 2020, in a Pensacola Hospice following a brief illness. Mr. Boutwell was born Aug. 6, 1939, to Desmond and Vera Campbell Boutwell in Jay, where he was a lifelong resident. A member of Jay United Methodist Church and 1957 graduate of Jay High School, he owned and operated Boutwell Feed and Seed and worked as a farmer. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 11, at the Cornerstone Christian Church with Rev. Bobby Carnley, Rev. Cecil Jackson and Rev. Fredrick Bar...
Leo Dean Dixon, 84, of Brewton, died Thursday, June 4, 2020. Mr. Dixon was born Aug. 3, 1935, in Munson, Fla. and had been a resident of the Brewton area since 1963, coming from Milton, Fla. Of the Protestant faith, he was a retired truck driver. Mr. Dixon is survived by one son, Christopher Dixon of Port St. Joe, Fla.; one sister, Shirley Copeland of Catawba, N.C.; two grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. Mr. Dixon was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille L. Dixon; and one brother, Tommy Decader Dixon....
Evelyn Pauline Savage Dorman, 88, died Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in the Andalusia hospital. Mrs. Dorman was born July 24, 1931, to Elie and Celie Minchew Watson, in Escambia County, Ala. She had been a resident of Brewton and Mississippi before moving to Andalusia in 1992. Of the Pentecostal faith, she was a homemaker. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m., Friday, June 5, at Beulah Cemetery with Bro. Daniel Rodgers officiating. Burial followed with Craver's Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Dorman is survived by two sons, Larry (Pamela) Harold of...
John J. Lambeth, 82, of Flomaton, died Sunday, June 7, 2020. Mr. Lambeth was born Sept. 26, 1937, to J.T. and Rosa Mae Knowles Lambeth in Escambia County, Ala. Serving as Flomaton's Fire Chief from 1961 to 1965, he served with Flomaton's Police Department for many years and was the driving force in establishing Flomaton's Rescue Squad. He was of the Pentecostal faith and attended Pleasant Home Holiness Church, The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, at Flomaton Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Glenn Johnson officiating. Burial...
Dennis Craig Martin, 59, of Pensacola, died Friday, June 5, 2020, following a brief illness. Mr. Martin was born Oct. 15, 1960, in Lancaster, Penn. and relocated to Pensacola. A long-time resident of Pensacola, he was a U.S. Navy veteran with 10 years of service and a Fed Ex courier for more than 30 years. The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Friday, June 12, at the Weaver Cemetery with Rev. Mike Hutto officiating. Burial followed with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Brewton directing. Mr. Martin is survived by his wife, Jolene Martin of...
Joe Henry McLendon, Jr., 69, of Bay Minette, Ala., died Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Mr. McLendon was a native of Baton Rouge, La. and former resident of Mobile who had resided in Bay Minette for the past 37 years. Of the Church of God faith, he enjoyed fishing. The funeral was held at 12 p.m., Tuesday, June 9, at the Lighthouse Tabernacle Church of God with Bro. Randall Short officiating and Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mr. McLendon is survived by his wife of 43 years, Dianna M. McLendon of Bay Minette; two sons, Joe H....
George Montgomery, 85, died Friday, June 5, 2020, at Atmore Community Hospital. Mr. Montgomery was a native of Alabama and resident of Atmore who worked for many years at Scott Paper Company. A graveside service was held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, at Fairview Cemetery with Rev. Donzell Young, Sr. officiating. Burial followed with Turner Funeral Chapel directing. Mr. Montgomery is survived by three sons, Robert Montgomery, Curtis Montgomery and Gary Montgomery; two daughters, Patricia Mason and Nicole Walker; and two sisters, Mable Knight...
John Clark Perkins, 85, of Atmore, died Friday, June 5, 2020. Mr. Perkins was a native and lifelong resident of Atmore. A member or Canoe Methodist Church, he had retired from Monsanto and was as a used car dealer who also owned B & J Bait Shop. The funeral was held at 11 a.m., Monday, June 8, at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Willie Armstrong and Rev. Larry Renfroe officiating. Burial followed at the Oak Hill Cemetery with Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mr. Perkins is survived by one son, John Terrell (Melba Jean)...
Kendra Taylor Reed, 22, died Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Atmore. Ms. Reed was a native of Atmore and lifelong resident of Uriah, Ala. Who attended J.U. Blacksher High School. Of the Baptist faith, she had been employed as a CNA and was employed with Wind Creek Casino as an usher. She was a first generation Poarch Band of Creek Indian. The funeral was held at 10 a.m., Thursday, June 4, at Friendly Holiness Church with Bro. Ray Ward and Bro. Dale Aplin officiating. Burial followed at New Home Cemetery with Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home...
Mary Ann Williams, 63, of Chrysler, Ala., died Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Mrs. Williams was born in Atmore, grew up in Bay Springs, Ala., and spent most of her life in Huxford, Ala. A homemaker, she has resided in Chrysler for the past 13 years. The funeral was held at 6 p.m., Friday, June 5, at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Williams is survived by one son, James Williams (Hannah Bowen) of Chrysler; two daughters, Rose Mary (Ronnie) Merchant and Terri Williams, both of Jay, Fla.;...
Betty Ann Wamsley, 82, of Flomaton, died Sunday, June 7, 2020. Mrs. Wamsley was born April 30, 1938, to Narvie and Mary Bell White, in Flomaton. A homemaker, she was a life-long member of the Flomaton community. The funeral was held at 11 a.m., Friday, June 12, Flomaton Funeral Home with Pastor Steve Massingill officiating. Burial followed at Traveler's Rest Cemetery with Flomaton Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Wamsley is survived by one son, Anthony (Anna) Bingham of Milton, Fla.; two sisters, Nell (Danny) Brock and Treasa Lowry, both of...
Harold Philip “Phil” Wilson, 67, of Atmore, died Monday, June 1, 2020. Mr. Wilson was born July 3, 1952, to Harold Q. and Shirley Jean Wheat Wilson, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. A graduate of Auburn University where he earned a bachelor's in forestry, he was a retired forester from the Alabama Forestry Commission with more than 25 years of service. He later worked for the Mississippi Forestry Commission before he retired a second time, having planted more than one billion seedlings in the State of Alabama. He was of the Baptist faith. The funeral was...
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...
Jay High School graduate Jamie Harrison won second runner-up in the U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz's First Congressional District Virtual 2020 Congressional Art Competition and will have her artwork displayed in the congressman's Pensacola office for one year. The theme of Harrison's work was 'Scenes from Northwest Florida'. Harrison's scratch-art work, entitled 'Equestrian Elegance', was entered in the contest by Harrison's senior year art teacher, Teresa Dobson. Harrison said she found out about the...
Century area voters will see places to vote for three council seats and mayor on the ballot after Escambia County (Fla.) Supervisor of Elections David Stafford announced Monday that Councilman Ben Boutwell resigned from his council seat 3. Boutwell's term will not expire until 2022. Council seats 1 and 2, held by council members Ann Brooks and Luis Gomez, Jr., are also on the ballot, as well as mayor. The town's charter states that the existing council is responsible for filling the vacancy...
Too often we are accused of 'sensationalizing' bad news to sell newspapers. Granted, drugs, sex and violence sell more newspapers than other stories, but is that a reflection on us or on you, the reader? We talked to a group once and said we could have a story that General Motors was opening a plant in Escambia County, Ala., and would employ 5,000 people and our rack sales would drop. If we run a story about a preacher abusing a little boy, we'll run out of papers. We try our best to give a balance. This week is a perfect example. In today's...
