Author: Don Fletcher

Don Fletcher

‘Battlefield promotions’ put Murphy, Billups in charge of EA athletics
Billups Murphy By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer In times of war, if a military leader is felled on the battlefield, a soldier might receive a battlefield promotion, elevating that soldier into an immediate leadership role. To a lesser degree, that’s what happened at Escambia Academy.When an immediate need for a new athletic director and head football coach unexpectedly arose about three weeks ago, school officials turned to Cassidy Murphy and…
by Don Fletcher access_time2 years ago
County budget approved by split vote
By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer The Escambia County Commission, at odds over the proposed elimination of a special projects road crew, passed a $26.5 million budget, but barely, last week.District 5 Commissioner Karean Reynolds and District 1 Commissioner Steven Dickey each voted against the measure, while District 2’s Raymond Wiggins, District 4’s Brandon Smith and District 3’s Scottie Stewart each voted in favor of the funding package for Fiscal Year…
by Don Fletcher access_time2 years ago
Execution date set for ‘hitman’ convicted of 1988 murder
Smith By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer A jury recommended in 1996 that Kenneth Eugene Smith spend the rest of his life in prison. That sentence came a step closer to fulfillment last week, when the Supreme Court of Alabama set an execution date of November 17 for Smith.When the condemned man, a “second-tier hitman,” was convicted of the murder of a Colbert County woman, a jury recommended by a vote…
by Don Fletcher access_time2 years ago
Bank robber pleads guilty to bribing ECDC officer
Young By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer A Selma man, already convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison for robbing a South Alabama bank two years ago, was ordered to serve an additional 30 months after admitting that he bribed an Escambia County Detention Center officer while being held in the facility.Stanley Young, 34, entered a guilty plea to the federal bank robbery charge in June. While being held in…
by Don Fletcher access_time2 years ago
Domestic incident leads to felony drug arrest
Harris By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer A 28-year-old Atmore man was arrested September 28 on a felony drug charge after city police responded to a report of a domestic incident at a house on Bragg Street.Police were called to the residence around 1:35 p.m. after the suspect, D’Darrius Harris, had refused to leave his ex-girlfriend’s home. Harris also told the responding officer he wasn’t going to leave.When the policeman approached…
by Don Fletcher access_time2 years ago