Author: Don Fletcher

Don Fletcher

Chamber mural project ‘moving swiftly’
By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer When Emily Harp, the enthusiastic executive director of Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce, was looking for someone to paint a mural that would serve as the focal point for a proposed project to enhance the attraction of downtown Atmore, she only had to look about 65 miles to the south. Patti Gillespie, a Crestview, Fla. artist who specializes in murals and whose works have…
by Don Fletcher access_time6 years ago
Chason announces retirement
By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer Paul Chason, who has held the chief executive officer position at Atmore Area YMCA since September 29, 2013, has announced his retirement, effective December 31. Chason was born in Atmore, at Vaught Hospital, “quite a few years ago” and grew up in Huxford, where he attended grades 1-9. He graduated in 1975 from Escambia County High School. (Ironically, his sophomore year was spent in…
by Don Fletcher access_time6 years ago
Lightning strike sets house afire
By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer A lightning-heavy storm cell that moved through Atmore Sunday afternoon was blamed for a fire that damaged a Grubbs Street home and a near-fire at a McKenzie Street home. The McKenzie Street residence was the first affected by the bolts of electrified air that came flashing out of the black clouds that dumped heavy rain on the area. According to Atmore Fire Department Capt.…
by Don Fletcher access_time6 years ago
Unity Festival draws ‘nearly 1,000’ kids, parents
By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer Last year, it was morning thunderstorms that caused a slight drop in attendance for the Unity in the Community Festival at Grace Fellowship Church. This year, it was just the opposite that kept that number from rising. A few more children and parents than came last year braved a blistering July 28 summer sun, the effects of which were minimized only rarely by passing…
by Don Fletcher access_time6 years ago
‘Stained glass’ project turns STEM into STEAM
By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer The project that participants in Atmore Public Library’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program worked on last week had little to do with science. Neither was it based in technology, engineering or math. So the program playbook was revised just a little. “This is an art project, so we added an ‘A’ today,” said APL Director Hope Lassiter prior to the library’s July…
by Don Fletcher access_time6 years ago