Don Fletcher

Firefighters contain mobile home blaze
Usually, when firefighters are dispatched to a mobile home fire, hopes of actually saving the fast-burning dwelling are not all that high. Their main points of focus are on making sure no one is still inside the structure and preventing the usually destructive blaze from spreading to adjoining structures. That wasn’t the case, though, on January 5, when Atmore firemen arrived around 1 p.m. at a single-wide Liberty Street house…
Sunday alcohol sales approved – Council action clears way for introduction in legislature
Barring any complications in the Alabama House, alcoholic beverages will soon be available in Atmore on Sunday. City council members approved Resolution 2018-01 by a 4-0 margin, clearing the way for a measure that Mayor Jim Staff said was long overdue. (District 4’s Susan Smith is recuperating from surgery and was unable to attend the January 8 meeting.) “This is piggy-backing on the state’s ‘brunch law’ (or “mimosa law”) regarding…
Rice not seeking reelection
Circuit Judge Bert Rice has decided not to run for reelection. In a letter issued January 4 to members of the Escambia County Bar Association, Rice made this statement: “After much prayer and consideration with and for my family, I have decided to not seek reelection as Circuit Judge. I will conclude my present term in January, 2019. I am forever grateful that the Lord has allowed me this great…
Raymond Norris passes
Raymond Norris, the area’s oldest World War II veteran, passed away Friday, January 5. He would have been 99 next month. Mr. Norris was proud of his military service as an Army Air Corps mechanic during the war. His patriotism continued for decades as he was dedicated to serving veterans’ organizations with membership in both American Legion Post 90 and VFW Post 7016. In April 2017, he was honored by…
ALEA troopers investigate 23 fatal crashes during holiday period
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials announced that state troopers investigated accidents that resulted in 23 traffic deaths during the 17-day Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday travel period, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, December 16, 2017, and continued until midnight Monday, January 1, 2018. The total is significantly lower than the total from the same period in 2016, when troopers investigated 31 traffic fatalities. The fatal traffic crashes occurred…