Author: Don Fletcher

Fountain By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer W.S. Neal High School head football coach and athletic director Hugh Fountain passed away Monday, March 24, at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, after a brief illness.Fountain, who coached high school football in Alabama public and independent schools for nearly 40 years, starred on the gridiron at W.S. Neal, then lettered as an offensive lineman at Troy State University (now Troy University).…

The black ribbon on Buy-Rite’s front door signals impending doom for small pharmacies everywhere, unless steps are taken to improve reimbursements. By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer A black ribbon on the door of a home or business usually signals the death of an occupant of that home or an employee of that business. But the black mourning band that adorns the door of Atmore’s Buy-Rite Drugs signals the impending death…

Coach Tommie Lewis, Principal LaTonya Gill By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer Tommie Lee Lewis Jr., who has enjoyed success at the collegiate coaching level for a decade but has never coached a high school team, was introduced last week as the latest to accept the challenge of rebuilding a once-proud football program at Escambia County High School (ECHS) while overseeing all the school’s other athletic programs.The Escambia County Board of…

By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer Atmore City Council, sitting one member short, approved during the panel’s Monday, March 24, meeting a lease of 34 acres of farmland adjacent to Atmore Municipal Airport.Under terms of the lease agreement, the lessee, Michael Glick, will pay (or has already paid) $3,400 to use the land for “the sole purpose of planting, cultivating and harvesting agriculture crops.”Glick also agreed to obtain a general liability…

By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer As the current school year rapidly approaches its end, Escambia County education officials are continuing to prepare for next year. During the March 20 meeting of the Escambia County Board of Education, members approved the expenditure of more than a half-million dollars for textbooks that will be used systemwide during the next school term (see details in “other business”). They also approved more than…