Author: Don Fletcher

Victim, 18, says local barber sexually assaulted her over 9-year period Craft By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer An Escambia County barber is free on bond this week after his August 16 arrest on charges he subjected a local girl to sexual abuse from the time she was 6 years old until she was 15.Joe L. Craft, 57, who has owned and operated Craft Barber Shop for the past 30 years,…

By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer Four Atmore City Council members gave unanimous approval to the purchase of five new vehicles and a subscription to an online risk management program for city police and formally accepted two grants that will be used to pay for the recently constructed hangars at the local airport.The police vehicles, five Ford F150 Responder Supercrew 4×4 pickups, will be purchased from Stivers Ford Lincoln in Montgomery,…

Senator Britt By DON FLETCHERNews Staff Writer U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials and U.S. Senator Katie Britt announced this week that a $2 million grant has been awarded to financially strapped Atmore Community Hospital for the purchase of medical equipment to replace that which is old or worn out.Escambia County Healthcare Authority Chairperson Debbie Rowell said county healthcare officials are glad to see the windfall, which will…

By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer Escambia County Board of Education members approved spending measures of nearly $387,000 during their August 22 meeting, including almost $114,000 to replace Escambia County Middle School’s storm-damaged fire alarm system and damaged technology equipment. The board voted to spend insurance proceeds of $92,621.88 to replace the technology equipment that was damaged and $21,325 for a new fire alarm system. Most of the other approved…