Top Stories

Dropping a line
Traffic slowed to a crawl on Howard Street for not quite an hour and Internet and phone service in the area was interrupted for about two hours Monday afternoon (May 1) after a tractor-trailer rig snagged a power line and toppled a rotted power pole. The pole fell between the truck’s cab and trailer, and the electrical wire became entangled in the cab’s undercarriage. The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m.…
OWA presentation
Patty Castleberry, left, talks with Kristin Hellmich, marketing director for the $500 million OWA tourism complex and amusement park that is nearing completion in Foley. Hellmich addressed the Atmore Rotary Club Tuesday, May 2. She announced that the opening of the complex, which will also include two hotels, 1950s- and 1960s-era restaurants and shops, a lake that includes a 1-1/2 acre island, and more, has been pushed back to mid-July…
Woman assaults mother
A Brewton woman was arrested on several charges after she allegedly assaulted her mother during a domestic dispute that took place in the middle of two rural roads. According to a press release issued by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mike Lambert, 23-year-old Jina E. Barlow of a Pennie Lane address was charged with one count each of third-degree domestic violence assault, third-degree domestic violence reckless endangerment and endangering…
Mayor accentuates the positive at meeting
Mayor Jim Staff might or might not be a fan of Johnny Mercer’s 1944-era music, but he borrowed the theme of one of Mercer’s biggest hit records during his appearance at the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce’s April 27 edition of its Breakfast With An Elected Official series. Staff chose to “accentuate the positive” during a 30-minutes-plus oration delivered to about two dozen men and women of the local business…
BOE approves personnel changes
The Escambia County Board of Education approved the following personnel changes at the board meeting Thursday, April 27. Leave of absence 1. Allen Whitman, teacher, Escambia Career Readiness Center, leave of absence under the Family Medical Leave Act, effective March 6, 2017 2. Elizabeth Mitchell, teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, maternity leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, effective April 19, 2017 Resignation 1. Josh Cockrell, band director, Flomaton High School,…