Peanut mill layoff among biggest stories in first half of 2024
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
While a massive layoff at the $87 million Coastal Growers peanut shelling plant was probably the most significant news story of 2024’s first six months, there was enough positive news to override the negative, although such news had become scarce by the start of the year’s second half.
Honors, awards
Numerous locals were honored by various organizations, including seven — Foster Kizer, Velma Jackson-Wilkins, Lavant Martin, James McNeil, Howard H. Patterson Sr., Dr. Delaine Salter and the Rev. Monroe Tucker — who were inducted into the Atmore Area Hall of Fame.
Other honors and awards earned by locals between January 1 and June 30 included:
*Escambia Academy basketball standout Quinton Odom exceeded the 1,000-point mark for his high school “career.”
*Cheryl Prevost was selected as Ms. ANC at Atmore Nursing Center.
*Judson Lee earned his Eagle Scout ranking.
*Sandy Hollinger was named a “Woman of Impact” by Yellowhammer News.
*Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) were honored by a visit from Deb Haaland, U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
*Numerous local students earned Dean’s List, Provost List, Chancellor’s List and similar honors at various colleges and universities across the nation.
*Sherry Digmon and Don Fletcher were invited to speak at Berkeley University about their unlawful arrests during an annual symposium on investigative journalism.
*Tom Latino was honored by Archbishop Thomas Rodi for 25 years of service to St. Robert Bellarmine Church
*PCI Attorney General and Chief Legal Officer Lori Stinson was chosen by “This Is Alabama” as one of the “Women Who Shape the State.”
*Atmore Lions Club members Bub Gideons and Nancy Karrick attended the organization’s state convention. Gideons presided over the convention, while Karrick was presented with the Helen Keller Legacy Award.
*The late Cornell Torrence, who coached basketball and football at Escambia County Training School and Escambia County High School, was inducted posthumously into the Alabama High School Athletic Association Sports Hall of Fame.
*Glenda Carlton, PCI’s first employee, retired after 48 years.
*Sara Milliken won the Miss Alabama title in the National American Miss competition.
Events, crowds
The community’s annual Mayfest celebration drew an estimated crowd of 4,000, and numerous other local events drew crowds of varying size during the first half of last year. Some of those:
*The city’s largest Martin Luther King Day parade included 75 entries.
*Several awards were handed out during the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Gala, including Citizen of the Year, which went to Lillie Johnson, and Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to Eddie Tullis.
*The annual reunion of Freemanville families and former residents of the community drew an estimated 750 people.
*Myrna’s Salad Luncheon, a fundraiser for Pride of Atmore, brought “about 300” local diners together.
*The city’s first Juneteenth celebration, to mark the official end to slavery in the U.S., was attended by only two or three dozen people.
*Awards presented during the annual Rosa Parks Breakfast included the Rosa Parks Award, which went to the Rev. Michael Jackson, and the Trail Blazer Citizens Award, which was presented to Brian Stallworth.
Education news
As the controversy over the superintendent’s seat began to fade, Escambia County’s public school system underwent several changes. At the same time, other educational facilities also announced changes. Among those:
*Escambia County Middle School (ECMS) was one of the 25 most improved schools in the state, based on its state report card.
*Dr. Michele Collier was formally hired as the new superintendent of education for the county school system.
*Dr. Aaron Miller was introduced as the new president of Coastal Alabama Community College’s Atmore campus.
*The county school board’s lengthy search for a new chief accountant finally paid off when Avery Ford accepted the job of Chief Schools Financial Officer.
*Former Escambia County High School (ECHS) basketball coach Layton Knight became interim principal at ECHS, replacing Kike Pettaway, who was named Mental Health Services Coordinator for county schools.
*Jennifer Lee was hired as the new principal at Rachel Patterson Elementary School (RPES), replacing Toya McMillian, who was named principal of the system’s new alternative school for students in grades K-5.
*Jerry Wilson defeated Mike Edwards for the District 3 seat on the county school board.
*Three local schools were reshaped, with all kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students attending A.C. Moore Primary School, 4th-graders who had been at ECMS were moved back to RPES, leaving the middle school with grades 6-8.
*Student cell phones were banned at ECHS and ECMS.
Crime, legal news
Although the city experienced two murders — of a man who tried to intervene in a street fight along Martin Luther King Drive and a woman who was shot to death by her common law husband ¬— and an Atmore woman was charged with stabbing a Baldwin County man to death, gun violence in the city was infrequent during the first six months of 2024.
Other stories related to criminal activity and the legal system included:
*An accused murderer was released from the county jail after six years of incarceration after DA Steve Billy admitted he had no evidence against the man. The man was released, and shortly afterwards was charged with shooting into a crowd at a “rap battle” in the Freemanville community, where 85 shell casings were found by authorities.
*An anti-violence presentation was attended by less than two dozen people.
*Charges of revealing grand jury secrets were eventually dropped against Sherry Digmon, who had been jailed three separate times, Don Fletcher, Ashley Fore and Cindy Jackson.
*A knife fight in the parking lot of an Atmore business left two men, a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old, hospitalized with serious injuries. The older combatant was eventually charged with assault.
*A clerk at Ramey’s grocery was killed during a shooting that erupted at a May Day celebration in a Stockton farm field.
*Perhaps the most interesting story involving local law enforcement took place when a mule led city police in a “slow-speed chase” across town before the animal’s owner coaxed it into a livestock trailer.
*Three Atmore residents were killed in separate car crashes.
Other stories:
*Pre-schoolers at First Baptist Church raised $4,700 for St, Jude Research Hospital with a Trike-A-Thon. Another group published a book of their own composition, “If I Were a Cloud.”
*Escambia County Healthcare Authority officials confirmed that Atmore Community Hospital’s surgical department would close.
*High school football coaching legend Carl Madison, a former member of the Barnes Boys at Atmore High, passed away.
*Longtime educator and community leader Juanita Smith passed away.
*City garbage collection was privatized. Waste Pro submitted a low bid and won the contract for three years.
*Atmore’s Arts & Entertainment District was established.
Next week: A look at the top stories from July 1 through December 31, 2024.