As deer activity increases across Alabama during the late fall and early winter months, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is urging motorists to use extra caution on the roadways. New crash data released by the ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division shows a sharp rise in vehicle-versus-wildlife collisions during this period, with troopers investigating 1,652 such crashes statewide in 2024. According to the report, 1,243 of those crashes occurred during the fall and winter months, compared to just 409 during the spring and summer. The numbers show a clear upward trend beginning in October and peaking during the winter rut season — when...

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The 1960s was a very tumultuous and consequential decade. One of the prolonged problems that came home to roost in that era was the Civil Rights issue. Lyndon B. Johnson had become president after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Johnson was a ruthless “win at all costs” former senator from Texas. He had been a strong- armed Democratic Senate majority leader. He had been in the group of very powerful seniority laden southern bloc of senators who had blocked Civil Rights for at least a decade, even after the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of...

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THOMASVILLE — Coastal Alabama Community College celebrated the talent of its students Monday night as the Thomasville campus hosted its Fall Semester Art Show on Nov. 17. According to Marcus Gordon, campus director, art students filled the venue with a diverse collection of work created throughout the semester. Nearly 30 students submitted pieces for the show under the guidance of Art Instructor Phillip Counselman, whose classes have continued to grow in both participation and creativity. The show featured drawings, paintings, and physical art. Family members, classmates, and community supporters walked through the displays to view the students’ work. Gordon said...

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The U.S. Mint marked the end of an era on Nov. 12 as U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach struck the final circulating penny in its Philadelphia facility, officially concluding the penny’s 232-year run. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on,” acting Mint Director Kristie McNally said. “As its usage in commerce continues to evolve, its significance in America’s story will endure.” First authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792, the penny has been a staple of American commerce since the nation’s earliest days. But rising production costs and shifting consumer behavior have made it increasingly impractical to produce....

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Gratitude is a word we hear more this time of year. At many previous Thanksgiving celebrations, my family and friends would often go around the table, each stating something we were thankful for that year. I feel like this is a pretty common Thanksgiving tradition. During a recent conversation, a friend was telling me about someone they knew who complained all the time, and they were just sick of hearing them complain about everything under the sun. We have all known someone who just has to say something negative all the time. Keeping a positive attitude around this type of...

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Clarke County High School students and teachers supported Spina Bifida Awareness Month in October by wearing yellow. They were able to raise 3 to support the hospital, Children’s of Alabama’s – Spina Bifida Program. The schoolwide project, led by sponsors Mary Robinson, Mary Roberts, members of the SGA, FTA, and Grove Hill LEO Clubs. This brought the campus together in a meaningful show of unity and compassion. Their efforts not only highlighted the importance of awareness, but also helped provide valuable support to children and families affected by Spina Bifida.  

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Clarke County Sheriff DeWayne Smith and his team have made a ,000 donation to the United Way of Southwest Alabama to support the organization’s Healthy Communities initiatives. United Way officials said they are grateful for the contribution, noting that Sheriff Smith has shown strong commitment to counseling and addiction intervention efforts throughout the community. He partners with agencies such as Drug Education Council, Inc. and Lifelines Counseling Services to help expand access to services for individuals and families in need. The donation will assist United Way in continuing programs aimed at improving health, stability, and overall quality of life for...

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Most of the time I have my column written on time but this time I was late. I am thankful they saved me a place in the paper. So here is my Spiritually Speaking for Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is about being aware of our blessings and giving thanks to the God of all blessings. What we are thankful for is important because what we are thankful for motivates us. So what should we be most thankful for? What ought to motivate us? We need to look to Jesus as our example so I asked, “What motivated Him? What was He...

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Years ago it was a heart-warming experience for me to take my wife and sons to visit my childhood home. With some hesitation I knocked on the door. The new owners remembered me and invited us in. We began our tour in the living room, then went into the dining room and eventually the kitchen. We walked upstairs and paused in my childhood bedroom before visiting the attic. Then we went to the basement. Though there had been some changes, many things remained the same. Walking through my “original home” brought back many memories that flooded my heart. There were...

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GROVE HILL — The Grove Hill City Council on Monday, Nov. 17, approved a permit allowing the soon-to-open Paladin’s Laundry to dig a deep-water well on its property. The laundromat, owned by Grove Hill native Edward Walters, plans to operate using both city water and water drawn from the well. “We’ll use city water and city sewage for part of the laundromat [and] use the well water for the other part,” Walters said. Walters purchased the building and property six years ago with plans for his daughter to run the business, but after she moved in a different career direction,...

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