Author: Don Fletcher

Lightning strike triggers destructive blaze at First Presbyterian Firefighters sprayed thousands of gallons of water on the flames. By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer State investigators have confirmed that a lightning strike was responsible for the Saturday, March 15, fire that effectively destroyed First Presbyterian Church of Atmore’s sanctuary and connected buildings.Alabama Fire Marshal’s Office investigators were on the scene early Sunday and announced Monday that lightning — spawned by a…

By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer English For the third time in just over a year, an individual initially charged with capital murder in the shooting death of an Atmore resident was allowed to swap a plea to much lesser charges for a time-served release from jail.The most recent occurrence came last week, when retired Baldwin County Circuit Judge Charles Partin, who was appointed to hear the capital case against Anthony…

Webster By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer Jerome Webster, who guided Escambia Academy’s boys basketball team to this season’s Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) Class A state championship, has been selected by the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) as the state’s AISA Coach of the Year.One of Webster’s veteran players earned a first-team slot on ASWA’s all-classification All State team, and a senior who was playing his first full season at…

By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer Atmore Police Department’s separate investigations into a pair of December shootings that occurred two weeks apart on Ashley Street, including one in which two local men were murdered, have been moved to a back burner.It’s not that local police don’t have evidence that could tie one or more individuals to one or both of the crimes. It’s just that an overworked and understaffed state crime…