Don Fletcher

Fatal fire – Atmore woman, 65, perishes when flames devour home
What had been a year full of tragedy for Jane Lee Russell ended early Tuesday in a tragic manner when the 65-year-old Atmore woman perished in a fire that swept through her Carver Avenue home. “This has been one year for our family,” said Marilyn Wesley, Russell’s second cousin. “In February we had to go to New York when her twin brother died unexpectedly. A month later, her brother’s daughter…
No room at the inns – Local hotels reach capacity as evacuees flee Irma
As Hurricane Irma swept through Florida and into Georgia less than two weeks after Hurricane Harvey had dumped up to 50 inches of rain on parts of Texas, it left devastated cities and towns in its wake. Atmore, located almost in the center of the two mammoth storm paths, received some rain and gusty winds, but was otherwise spared the brunt of the malevolent weather. In fact, the biggest effect…
Church’s Chicken robbed – Gun discharged as customer tussles with suspect
Atmore police are looking for an unidentified “person of interest” who is believed responsible for the Friday night, September 1, armed robbery of Church’s Chicken, as well as a second individual who is believed to have helped the gunman elude officers. Police reports show that the stick-up occurred shortly after 9:30 p.m. when a man brandishing a weapon entered the restaurant and demanded money from the employees. Investigators are not…
Alleged embezzler re-arrested – Jaime McCoy a no-show at court proceeding
An Atmore woman, charged with embezzling a “significant amount” of money from a local realtor whose office she managed, was rearrested recently when she failed to appear in court for a hearing on the case. District Attorney Steve Billy had not returned by Tuesday’s press deadline several calls seeking details of the re-arrest, but Escambia County Detention Center records show that Jaime LeAnne McCoy, 34, was charged with failure to…
Accused sex-trafficking trio indicted
Although District Attorney Steve Billy had not responded by Tuesday’s press deadline to several phone calls seeking confirmation, published reports are that a special grand jury was called into session in late August to hear evidence against three Atmore residents charged in connection with the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. The grand jury reportedly returned bills of indictment against all three defendants — 66-year-old Mary Lue Daw, 87-year-old Charles…