The Clarke County Democrat Podcast Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:44:54 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1502380 en-us © 2026 The Clarke County Democrat Podcast yes 91dae0b5-a213-5fa3-af9d-3eff4a14bbee Our-Hometown.com episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Our-Hometown.com https://storage.buzzsprout.com/j172hxoo3palwek3yaqunpzufku6?.jpg The Clarke County Democrat Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/1502380 Clarke Prep trio were in All-Star Game Clarke Prep trio were in All-Star Game Fresh off a run to the AISA Class 2A state championship series, three members of Clarke Prep’s baseball team were selected to compete in the 27th annual Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Underclassmen All-Star Game. The Gators’ Camden Jones, Gray Wilson and John Allen Powell were selected to participate and were the only Alabama Independent School Association players invited. Jones, a rising junior catcher, and Powell, a rising senior first baseman, were both members of Team Columbia Blue. Wilson, also a rising senior, competed for Team Cardinal. The showcase on June 8-10 at Troy University featured six teams — three from...

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]]> Fresh off a run to the AISA Class 2A state championship series, three members of Clarke Prep’s baseball team were selected to compete in the 27th annual Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Underclassmen All-Star Game. The Gators’ Camden Jones, Gray Wilson and John Allen Powell were selected to participate and were the only Alabama Independent School Association players invited. Jones, a rising junior catcher, and Powell, a rising senior first baseman, were both members of Team Columbia Blue. Wilson, also a rising senior, competed for Team Cardinal. The showcase on June 8-10 at Troy University featured six teams — three from...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19396945 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 79 full false Gator teams shine at AISA Camp Gator teams shine at AISA Camp Clarke Prep’s junior varsity and varsity cheer squads brought home multiple awards and individual honors while competing at the AISA Cheer Camp at Troy University. The Gators’ JV earned first place in the cheer champion and overall spirit categories and was second in the sideline champion category and the overall camp champion runner-up. The varsity captured fourth place in the cheer champion competition and both squads received blue superior ribbons. Eight Clarke Prep cheerleaders earned individual recognition as Universal Cheerleaders Association All-Americans — Abigail Newton, Bella Casteel, Collins Wright, Weezie Keahey, Payton Smith, Lucy Breaux, Meg Gates and Halli Jackson....

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]]> Clarke Prep’s junior varsity and varsity cheer squads brought home multiple awards and individual honors while competing at the AISA Cheer Camp at Troy University. The Gators’ JV earned first place in the cheer champion and overall spirit categories and was second in the sideline champion category and the overall camp champion runner-up. The varsity captured fourth place in the cheer champion competition and both squads received blue superior ribbons. Eight Clarke Prep cheerleaders earned individual recognition as Universal Cheerleaders Association All-Americans — Abigail Newton, Bella Casteel, Collins Wright, Weezie Keahey, Payton Smith, Lucy Breaux, Meg Gates and Halli Jackson....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19396944 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 57 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar JUNE 27 Thomasville will host its annual hometown celebration June 27 at 5 p.m. downtown. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Watermelon Festival announced by Thomaston Historical Foundation on Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. East watermelon at the festival and take one home. The festival will take place on the old Marengo County High School grounds. June 28 Fulton Fireworks will be hosted Sunday, June 28 at 9 p.m. Parking will be available at Fulton Baptist Church, the red dirt lot across from Mid-Central Water, Fulton Town Hall and the Mike Norris Ball Field. JUNE 26...

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]]> JUNE 27 Thomasville will host its annual hometown celebration June 27 at 5 p.m. downtown. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Watermelon Festival announced by Thomaston Historical Foundation on Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. East watermelon at the festival and take one home. The festival will take place on the old Marengo County High School grounds. June 28 Fulton Fireworks will be hosted Sunday, June 28 at 9 p.m. Parking will be available at Fulton Baptist Church, the red dirt lot across from Mid-Central Water, Fulton Town Hall and the Mike Norris Ball Field. JUNE 26...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19396943 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 604 full false The best birthday present The best birthday present I had another birthday last week. Funny thing, I don’t feel any older. I thought I still got around just fine until I took that family trip to Europe. I thought I did a fair amount of walking around here, but when we did all that walking in Europe, I found myself lagging behind the younger family members. I was surprised because so many of my friends tell me I walk fast. Of course, I have to take into account that most of those friends are in my age group. I walk a regular route that takes me up and...

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]]> I had another birthday last week. Funny thing, I don’t feel any older. I thought I still got around just fine until I took that family trip to Europe. I thought I did a fair amount of walking around here, but when we did all that walking in Europe, I found myself lagging behind the younger family members. I was surprised because so many of my friends tell me I walk fast. Of course, I have to take into account that most of those friends are in my age group. I walk a regular route that takes me up and...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19396942 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 233 full false There's more to do in Clarke County than you think There's more to do in Clarke County than you think Every year around this time, I always hear there is nothing to do in Clarke County. We may not have giant amusement parks or beaches in our backyard but one of the best things about living in Clarke County is that entertainment often comes in simpler forms. Sometimes all it takes is a sunny afternoon, a few friends and a willingness to get outside. If you're a golfer — or even if you've never picked up a club — we're fortunate to have two courses in the county. Jackson Links in Jackson and the Thomasville Golf Course offer great places to...

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]]> Every year around this time, I always hear there is nothing to do in Clarke County. We may not have giant amusement parks or beaches in our backyard but one of the best things about living in Clarke County is that entertainment often comes in simpler forms. Sometimes all it takes is a sunny afternoon, a few friends and a willingness to get outside. If you're a golfer — or even if you've never picked up a club — we're fortunate to have two courses in the county. Jackson Links in Jackson and the Thomasville Golf Course offer great places to...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19396941 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 213 full false Voters deserve facts, not political trash talk Voters deserve facts, not political trash talk I have said many times that I do not like politics. I have never had any desire to get involved in it. My husband, on the other hand, loves it. He enjoys every minute of it. Frankly, sometimes it gets on my nerves. That does not mean I do not have opinions. There are people I will support and people I will not support. Over the years, my husband and I have even found ourselves on different sides of certain races. That is OK. We do not have to agree on everything. This column is not aimed at one political...

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]]> I have said many times that I do not like politics. I have never had any desire to get involved in it. My husband, on the other hand, loves it. He enjoys every minute of it. Frankly, sometimes it gets on my nerves. That does not mean I do not have opinions. There are people I will support and people I will not support. Over the years, my husband and I have even found ourselves on different sides of certain races. That is OK. We do not have to agree on everything. This column is not aimed at one political...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19396940 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 349 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362323 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 2 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar JUNE 19 The Clarke County Alumni Chapter of Alabama State University cordially invites all and your congregation to join in a Juneteenth celebration on Friday, June 19, at 4 p.m., at Jackson City Hall, 400 Commerce Street, Jackson. This year’s theme is: “Remembering the Past, Building the Future.” JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the Senior Center in Grove Hill. Brunch will be from 10 a.m. to noon and a banquet at 6:30 p.m., with a cost of per person due by May 1. The Clarke County Historical Museum in...

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]]> JUNE 19 The Clarke County Alumni Chapter of Alabama State University cordially invites all and your congregation to join in a Juneteenth celebration on Friday, June 19, at 4 p.m., at Jackson City Hall, 400 Commerce Street, Jackson. This year’s theme is: “Remembering the Past, Building the Future.” JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the Senior Center in Grove Hill. Brunch will be from 10 a.m. to noon and a banquet at 6:30 p.m., with a cost of per person due by May 1. The Clarke County Historical Museum in...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362322 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 604 full false Alabama nears end of historic Ivey governorship Alabama nears end of historic Ivey governorship Alabama is on the verge of having a new governor. For the first time in nearly a decade, the occupant of the governor's office at the State Capitol will not be Kay Ivey. Ivey's path to the state's highest office was unlikely. In the early 1980s, she failed to win elected office in then-Democrat-controlled Alabama, losing a race for state auditor. After spending two decades in various state government and political roles, she won election as state treasurer in 2002 as a Republican — eight years before the GOP completed its takeover of state government. Her name was often mentioned...

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]]> Alabama is on the verge of having a new governor. For the first time in nearly a decade, the occupant of the governor's office at the State Capitol will not be Kay Ivey. Ivey's path to the state's highest office was unlikely. In the early 1980s, she failed to win elected office in then-Democrat-controlled Alabama, losing a race for state auditor. After spending two decades in various state government and political roles, she won election as state treasurer in 2002 as a Republican — eight years before the GOP completed its takeover of state government. Her name was often mentioned...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362321 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 285 full false ALFA flexes political muscle in legislative primary upsets ALFA flexes political muscle in legislative primary upsets Prior to the primaries, I had disingenuously written that state legislative seats have become analogous to congressional seats. Very few incumbent legislators are even challenged and those who do get opposition are easily reelected. I was half right. Eighty percent of incumbent State House and Senate members did not have an opponent. However, I was wrong to assume that those legislative incumbents who do get opposition prevail. There were a host of legislative incumbents defeated in Alabama's wild legislative primary elections. Most of the upsets were in the Republican primary. That is because the vast majority of legislators are Republican....

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]]> Prior to the primaries, I had disingenuously written that state legislative seats have become analogous to congressional seats. Very few incumbent legislators are even challenged and those who do get opposition are easily reelected. I was half right. Eighty percent of incumbent State House and Senate members did not have an opponent. However, I was wrong to assume that those legislative incumbents who do get opposition prevail. There were a host of legislative incumbents defeated in Alabama's wild legislative primary elections. Most of the upsets were in the Republican primary. That is because the vast majority of legislators are Republican....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362320 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 253 full false What hurricanes taught me about home What hurricanes taught me about home With our special hurricane section coming out this week, I found myself thinking back on the hurricanes I remember from my childhood. Some memories fade with time. Others stay tucked away in your heart. They may be small details — a hallway full of pallets, the smell of food cooking outside or the sound of grown-ups talking in serious voices — but somehow those are the memories that come back every hurricane season. One of my earliest memories is Hurricane Camille. I was about 5 years old when Camille struck in 1969. My brother was only a few weeks old....

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]]> With our special hurricane section coming out this week, I found myself thinking back on the hurricanes I remember from my childhood. Some memories fade with time. Others stay tucked away in your heart. They may be small details — a hallway full of pallets, the smell of food cooking outside or the sound of grown-ups talking in serious voices — but somehow those are the memories that come back every hurricane season. One of my earliest memories is Hurricane Camille. I was about 5 years old when Camille struck in 1969. My brother was only a few weeks old....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362319 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 348 full false A summer guide to Clarke County A summer guide to Clarke County Every year around this time, I always hear there is nothing to do in Clarke County. We may not have giant amusement parks or beaches in our backyard but one of the best things about living in Clarke County is that entertainment often comes in simpler forms. Sometimes all it takes is a sunny afternoon, a few friends and a willingness to get outside. If you’re a golfer — or even if you’ve never picked up a club — we’re fortunate to have two courses in the county. Jackson Links in Jackson and the Thomasville Golf Course offer great places...

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]]> Every year around this time, I always hear there is nothing to do in Clarke County. We may not have giant amusement parks or beaches in our backyard but one of the best things about living in Clarke County is that entertainment often comes in simpler forms. Sometimes all it takes is a sunny afternoon, a few friends and a willingness to get outside. If you’re a golfer — or even if you’ve never picked up a club — we’re fortunate to have two courses in the county. Jackson Links in Jackson and the Thomasville Golf Course offer great places...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362318 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 212 full false Grove Hill's vals and sals honored at city council meeting Grove Hill's vals and sals honored at city council meeting Grove Hill’s high school valedictorians and salutatorians were recognized and presented with awards at the city council meeting Monday, June 15. Front row from left are Mayor Ross Wood, Clarke Prep salutatorian Kady Thomas, Clarke County High School valedictorian Jamacia Ezell and Clarke Prep valedictorian Ella Davis. CCHS salutatorian Jack Fuller did not attend. In the background are Councilmembers Lanessa Pugh, Eddie Foster, Verria Beckham, Phyllis Barnes and Jason Anderson.

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]]> Grove Hill’s high school valedictorians and salutatorians were recognized and presented with awards at the city council meeting Monday, June 15. Front row from left are Mayor Ross Wood, Clarke Prep salutatorian Kady Thomas, Clarke County High School valedictorian Jamacia Ezell and Clarke Prep valedictorian Ella Davis. CCHS salutatorian Jack Fuller did not attend. In the background are Councilmembers Lanessa Pugh, Eddie Foster, Verria Beckham, Phyllis Barnes and Jason Anderson.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19362317 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 35 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19326524 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 2 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the Senior Center in Grove Hill. Brunch will be from 10 a.m. to noon and a banquet at 6:30 p.m., with a cost of per person due by May 1. JUNE 27 Thomasville will host its annual hometown celebration June 27 at 5 p.m. downtown. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Watermelon Festival announced by Thomaston Historical Foundation on Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. East watermelon at the festival and take one home. The festival will take place on the...

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]]> JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the Senior Center in Grove Hill. Brunch will be from 10 a.m. to noon and a banquet at 6:30 p.m., with a cost of per person due by May 1. JUNE 27 Thomasville will host its annual hometown celebration June 27 at 5 p.m. downtown. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Watermelon Festival announced by Thomaston Historical Foundation on Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. East watermelon at the festival and take one home. The festival will take place on the...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19326523 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 550 full false Some friendships outlast time Some friendships outlast time I went to lunch with some friends the other day. They brought along a 91-year-old friend to meet another 91-year-old who had been his classmate. One lives in Monroeville and the other near Demopolis. They meet regularly, usually in Thomasville or Camden, to catch up and reminisce. Both men are still sharp-minded, which they consider a blessing. At their age, many of the people they once knew have died or struggle with memory loss. I thought of a woman who lived up the street from me. By the time she reached 91, she was the last surviving member of her...

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]]> I went to lunch with some friends the other day. They brought along a 91-year-old friend to meet another 91-year-old who had been his classmate. One lives in Monroeville and the other near Demopolis. They meet regularly, usually in Thomasville or Camden, to catch up and reminisce. Both men are still sharp-minded, which they consider a blessing. At their age, many of the people they once knew have died or struggle with memory loss. I thought of a woman who lived up the street from me. By the time she reached 91, she was the last surviving member of her...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19326521 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 227 full false Several major races still await a final verdict Several major races still await a final verdict The May 19 GOP primary election resolved several important statewide races. In Alabama, winning the Republican nomination is often tantamount to election, making the Nov. 3 general election largely a formality for these candidates. Every statewide office in Alabama is currently held by a Republican. Four statewide races have already been decided. Tommy Tuberville for governor, Caroleene Dobson for secretary of state, Young Boozer for state treasurer and Andrew Sorrell for state auditor were all elected on May 19. The most interesting battles of the year will be decided next week in the June 16 GOP runoff elections. The runoffs for...

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]]> The May 19 GOP primary election resolved several important statewide races. In Alabama, winning the Republican nomination is often tantamount to election, making the Nov. 3 general election largely a formality for these candidates. Every statewide office in Alabama is currently held by a Republican. Four statewide races have already been decided. Tommy Tuberville for governor, Caroleene Dobson for secretary of state, Young Boozer for state treasurer and Andrew Sorrell for state auditor were all elected on May 19. The most interesting battles of the year will be decided next week in the June 16 GOP runoff elections. The runoffs for...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19326520 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 256 full false Even doves practice tough love Even doves practice tough love Last week, I was sitting at my desk in our sunroom doing what I seem to do most of the time these days — working behind a computer screen. One of the reasons I love working out there is because I can watch the squirrels and birds while I work. I keep bird feeders filled year-round and I enjoy seeing the different visitors that stop by each day. It is usually a peaceful place to work, with birds fluttering around the feeders and squirrels putting on a show of their own. But this day was different. A sound broke through...

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]]> Last week, I was sitting at my desk in our sunroom doing what I seem to do most of the time these days — working behind a computer screen. One of the reasons I love working out there is because I can watch the squirrels and birds while I work. I keep bird feeders filled year-round and I enjoy seeing the different visitors that stop by each day. It is usually a peaceful place to work, with birds fluttering around the feeders and squirrels putting on a show of their own. But this day was different. A sound broke through...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19326519 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 376 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19326518 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 2 full false McIntosh hires McKenzie McIntosh hires McKenzie John McKenzie, who took Vigor to the Class 4A state championship in 2021, has been named the new head football coach at McIntosh, where he said he intends to build on the recent success of former coach Josh Harris. McKenzie, who was fired a few weeks after leading the Wolves to the 2024 Class 5A semifinals, is 36-22 overall in his career. He was 31-8 in two stints at Vigor and also coached at Murphy and Paul Bryant High. “I want to be a state champion and I want that opportunity again,” McKenzie said. “I was looking for a place...

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]]> John McKenzie, who took Vigor to the Class 4A state championship in 2021, has been named the new head football coach at McIntosh, where he said he intends to build on the recent success of former coach Josh Harris. McKenzie, who was fired a few weeks after leading the Wolves to the 2024 Class 5A semifinals, is 36-22 overall in his career. He was 31-8 in two stints at Vigor and also coached at Murphy and Paul Bryant High. “I want to be a state champion and I want that opportunity again,” McKenzie said. “I was looking for a place...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288803 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 86 full false Hayes: Jackson relationships mean as much as state titles Hayes: Jackson relationships mean as much as state titles After eight seasons, two state championships and a remarkable run of success, Jackson head basketball coach Anthony Hayes resigned to become Monroe County High School’s coach. Hayes was 129-29 with the Aggies while establishing one of the state's premier basketball programs. Veteran assistant coach Jimmy Martin was named the new head coach. “Coaching at Jackson has been one of the greatest experiences of my career,” Hayes said. “Winning back-to-back state championships was special and a blessing, but what made it meaningful was the relationships built with our players, coaches, faculty and community.” Under Hayes, Jackson captured consecutive Class 4A state...

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]]> After eight seasons, two state championships and a remarkable run of success, Jackson head basketball coach Anthony Hayes resigned to become Monroe County High School’s coach. Hayes was 129-29 with the Aggies while establishing one of the state's premier basketball programs. Veteran assistant coach Jimmy Martin was named the new head coach. “Coaching at Jackson has been one of the greatest experiences of my career,” Hayes said. “Winning back-to-back state championships was special and a blessing, but what made it meaningful was the relationships built with our players, coaches, faculty and community.” Under Hayes, Jackson captured consecutive Class 4A state...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288802 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 137 full false Martin leads Aggie hoops Martin leads Aggie hoops Jackson High School has turned to a familiar face to lead its boys basketball program, naming Jimmy “BooJu” Martin as the Aggies' next head coach following the departure of Anthony Hayes. Martin steps into the role after spending the past five years as Jackson Middle School head boys basketball coach, Jackson High School junior varsity coach and an assistant under Hayes during one of the most successful periods in program history. His promotion comes after Jackson captured back-to-back state championships in 2024 and 2025 and reached the Final Four in 2026. Martin believes his experience within the program will help...

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]]> Jackson High School has turned to a familiar face to lead its boys basketball program, naming Jimmy “BooJu” Martin as the Aggies' next head coach following the departure of Anthony Hayes. Martin steps into the role after spending the past five years as Jackson Middle School head boys basketball coach, Jackson High School junior varsity coach and an assistant under Hayes during one of the most successful periods in program history. His promotion comes after Jackson captured back-to-back state championships in 2024 and 2025 and reached the Final Four in 2026. Martin believes his experience within the program will help...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288801 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 128 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-you-can-eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per person for dine-in only. The post is located at American Legion Post. JUNE 6 Grove Hill Arts Council will host a Coffee Painting class June 6...

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]]> July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-you-can-eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per person for dine-in only. The post is located at American Legion Post. JUNE 6 Grove Hill Arts Council will host a Coffee Painting class June 6...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288800 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 575 full false The best souvenirs weren't in my suitcase The best souvenirs weren't in my suitcase Just think, last week I was sailing on the blue Mediterranean. Now I am back home with a bit of jet lag and a new appreciation for comfortable shoes. I thought I was in pretty good shape from walking and going to the gym regularly. Then I spent nearly two weeks exploring cities on foot. I quickly learned why so many of the locals we saw were trim and fit. They walk everywhere. The weather was cool and pleasant, at least by Deep South standards. Many of the locals wore shorts and tank tops while I wore a cardigan every day....

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]]> Just think, last week I was sailing on the blue Mediterranean. Now I am back home with a bit of jet lag and a new appreciation for comfortable shoes. I thought I was in pretty good shape from walking and going to the gym regularly. Then I spent nearly two weeks exploring cities on foot. I quickly learned why so many of the locals we saw were trim and fit. They walk everywhere. The weather was cool and pleasant, at least by Deep South standards. Many of the locals wore shorts and tank tops while I wore a cardigan every day....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288799 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 234 full false Alabama Girls State - An Unparalleled Legacy Alabama Girls State - An Unparalleled Legacy Alabama Girls State is being held this week at the University of Alabama. For more than eight decades, the American Legion Auxiliary’s Alabama Girls State has quietly built one of the most powerful leadership pipelines in the state. What begins as a weeklong immersive experience in government has become something far greater. In Alabama, it has become a premier breeding ground for future governors, senators, judges and civic leaders. Its true legacy is not found only in mock elections or simulated cities. It is found in the remarkable women who leave the program and go on to help shape Alabama....

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]]> Alabama Girls State is being held this week at the University of Alabama. For more than eight decades, the American Legion Auxiliary’s Alabama Girls State has quietly built one of the most powerful leadership pipelines in the state. What begins as a weeklong immersive experience in government has become something far greater. In Alabama, it has become a premier breeding ground for future governors, senators, judges and civic leaders. Its true legacy is not found only in mock elections or simulated cities. It is found in the remarkable women who leave the program and go on to help shape Alabama....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288798 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 289 full false A cell door, a police tour and a lesson A cell door, a police tour and a lesson Years ago, a steel cell door closing behind me taught me a lesson I never forgot. No, I had not been arrested. I was about 10 or 12 years old, and our school had taken us on a field trip to Mobile County Metro Jail. Nearly 50 years later, I can still remember walking through those doors. The jail was nothing like what we see on television today. There was nothing comfortable about it. The room was stark and stale. The walls were bare. There were no decorations, no pictures and no signs of home. In the middle of the room...

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]]> Years ago, a steel cell door closing behind me taught me a lesson I never forgot. No, I had not been arrested. I was about 10 or 12 years old, and our school had taken us on a field trip to Mobile County Metro Jail. Nearly 50 years later, I can still remember walking through those doors. The jail was nothing like what we see on television today. There was nothing comfortable about it. The room was stark and stale. The walls were bare. There were no decorations, no pictures and no signs of home. In the middle of the room...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288796 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 302 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19288795 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 2 full false Sheila Faye Roberts Cowan Sheila Faye Roberts Cowan

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249314 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 3 full false Snapper now 7 days a week Snapper now 7 days a week Anglers who fish in Alabama waters will now gain more access to American red snapper, effective the Friday before Memorial Day. The 2026 season for private recreational anglers and state-licensed charter boats opened May 22 and will run seven days a week. The season will remain open until the NOAA Fisheries allocation of 664,552 pounds is projected to be met or Dec. 31, whichever comes first. “Under state management we have the ability to adapt our red snapper season to meet the needs of anglers who fish in Alabama,” said Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and...

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]]> Anglers who fish in Alabama waters will now gain more access to American red snapper, effective the Friday before Memorial Day. The 2026 season for private recreational anglers and state-licensed charter boats opened May 22 and will run seven days a week. The season will remain open until the NOAA Fisheries allocation of 664,552 pounds is projected to be met or Dec. 31, whichever comes first. “Under state management we have the ability to adapt our red snapper season to meet the needs of anglers who fish in Alabama,” said Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249313 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 278 full false Predator bites the dust Predator bites the dust I have always believed if you kill something, there needs to be a reason for it. Deer and turkeys provide food. Coyotes hunt and kill those deer and turkeys. If coyotes are constantly hunting the same deer and turkeys you hunt, you will have much harder hunting seasons. That was the situation I found myself dealing with recently. During deer season, there had been only one coyote showing up on the trail camera and it didn’t affect anything. By middle of spring, that number had grown to three. Seeing multiple coyotes roaming the same land where turkeys were nesting and...

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]]> I have always believed if you kill something, there needs to be a reason for it. Deer and turkeys provide food. Coyotes hunt and kill those deer and turkeys. If coyotes are constantly hunting the same deer and turkeys you hunt, you will have much harder hunting seasons. That was the situation I found myself dealing with recently. During deer season, there had been only one coyote showing up on the trail camera and it didn’t affect anything. By middle of spring, that number had grown to three. Seeing multiple coyotes roaming the same land where turkeys were nesting and...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249312 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 187 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-you-can-eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per person for dine-in...

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]]> JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-you-can-eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per person for dine-in...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249311 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 658 full false Can kindness help save a marriage? Can kindness help save a marriage? Sinking ship marriages — if you are in one, it’s a scary thing … with a lot of anger, defeatism, anxiety and damaged pride as shipmates. But maybe you still feel that you would rather patch the holes that are rapidly taking on water, rather than just bailing out. Maybe you feel the kids deserve a home with both a mom and a dad in it. Maybe, just maybe, you believe that what you two had, at one point in time, is still worth fighting for. If so, then let’s talk about how to fight for what you want. First...

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]]> Sinking ship marriages — if you are in one, it’s a scary thing … with a lot of anger, defeatism, anxiety and damaged pride as shipmates. But maybe you still feel that you would rather patch the holes that are rapidly taking on water, rather than just bailing out. Maybe you feel the kids deserve a home with both a mom and a dad in it. Maybe, just maybe, you believe that what you two had, at one point in time, is still worth fighting for. If so, then let’s talk about how to fight for what you want. First...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249309 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 160 full false June 16 runoffs promise Alabama's next political test June 16 runoffs promise Alabama's next political test The dust has settled from the momentous May 19 primaries and there were very few surprises in the statewide results. The turnout was low, which has become the norm for midterm election years in Alabama. The 23% turnout was about what it was four years ago. There were close to 900,000 votes cast. The partisan participation was about 60% Republican and 40% Democratic, which parallels the division of voter preference in our state. This 60/40 split is right on course for what the results will be in the general election in November. This 40% threshold for Democrats has been the...

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]]> The dust has settled from the momentous May 19 primaries and there were very few surprises in the statewide results. The turnout was low, which has become the norm for midterm election years in Alabama. The 23% turnout was about what it was four years ago. There were close to 900,000 votes cast. The partisan participation was about 60% Republican and 40% Democratic, which parallels the division of voter preference in our state. This 60/40 split is right on course for what the results will be in the general election in November. This 40% threshold for Democrats has been the...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249308 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 270 full false Before we criticize, consider the heart Before we criticize, consider the heart Sometimes the smallest moments teach us the biggest lessons about grace. When my son William was about 5 years old, we had beautiful pink azaleas blooming along the sidewalk in front of our house. One afternoon, William came to the door carrying a bucket filled with water and the flowers he had picked. “Look, Mama,” he said proudly. “I watered your flowers.” At first, I was upset. He had picked nearly every bloom off those beautiful azaleas and put them in the bucket of water. Then I stopped. In his heart, he was doing something kind. He wanted to make...

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]]> Sometimes the smallest moments teach us the biggest lessons about grace. When my son William was about 5 years old, we had beautiful pink azaleas blooming along the sidewalk in front of our house. One afternoon, William came to the door carrying a bucket filled with water and the flowers he had picked. “Look, Mama,” he said proudly. “I watered your flowers.” At first, I was upset. He had picked nearly every bloom off those beautiful azaleas and put them in the bucket of water. Then I stopped. In his heart, he was doing something kind. He wanted to make...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249307 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 184 full false GES recognizes perfect attendance GES recognizes perfect attendance Grove Hill Elementary School recognized Bentley Strong, Michaela Johnson and Skylar Walker for perfect attendance in the 2025-26 school year.

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]]> Grove Hill Elementary School recognized Bentley Strong, Michaela Johnson and Skylar Walker for perfect attendance in the 2025-26 school year.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249306 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 12 full false Two local teachers honored as master teaching fellows Two local teachers honored as master teaching fellows Two Clarke County School District teachers were selected as master teaching fellows in the NSF-funded Cultivating Elementary Mathematics Specialists project. Celena McCormick of Gillmore Elementary School and Tiffany Singley of Grove Hill Elementary School were chosen.

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]]> Two Clarke County School District teachers were selected as master teaching fellows in the NSF-funded Cultivating Elementary Mathematics Specialists project. Celena McCormick of Gillmore Elementary School and Tiffany Singley of Grove Hill Elementary School were chosen.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249305 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 19 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19249304 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 2 full false Tigers win 3 before falling, 6-3 Tigers win 3 before falling, 6-3 Thomasville won three games at the Class 3A softball South Regional in Gulf Shores before being eliminated by a 6-3 loss to T.R. Miller on May 14. Losing pitcher Mary Lindsey Drinkard gave up five runs on nine hits in four innings while Kianna Smith had a hit and two RBIs for the Tigers (32-12). “We got a little bit out of everybody,” Thomasville coach Robby Carpenter said of contributions from his players. Zion Howard threw 25 innings and won twice. Hailey McCall caught for 36 innings and Zakiya Pritchett had eight RBIs. • Thomasville 4, Cottage Hill 0 On...

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]]> Thomasville won three games at the Class 3A softball South Regional in Gulf Shores before being eliminated by a 6-3 loss to T.R. Miller on May 14. Losing pitcher Mary Lindsey Drinkard gave up five runs on nine hits in four innings while Kianna Smith had a hit and two RBIs for the Tigers (32-12). “We got a little bit out of everybody,” Thomasville coach Robby Carpenter said of contributions from his players. Zion Howard threw 25 innings and won twice. Hailey McCall caught for 36 innings and Zakiya Pritchett had eight RBIs. • Thomasville 4, Cottage Hill 0 On...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211035 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 109 full false Lyric Thompson signs with CACC Lyric Thompson signs with CACC Thomasville three-sport standout Lyric Thompson signed to play volleyball for Coastal Alabama Community College in Bay Minette on May 15. Thompson, who was also a basketball and track star at THS, said she is ready to get started at CACC. “I’m going to work really, really hard to be a dominant player for the team,” she said. Tigers coach Mary O’Guynn said Thompson will be successful on the next level. “They are going to get a dedicated, hard-working, talented player,” O’Guynn said. “She always did everything that I asked. She was very coachable. She is absolutely a one-of-a kind volleyball...

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]]> Thomasville three-sport standout Lyric Thompson signed to play volleyball for Coastal Alabama Community College in Bay Minette on May 15. Thompson, who was also a basketball and track star at THS, said she is ready to get started at CACC. “I’m going to work really, really hard to be a dominant player for the team,” she said. Tigers coach Mary O’Guynn said Thompson will be successful on the next level. “They are going to get a dedicated, hard-working, talented player,” O’Guynn said. “She always did everything that I asked. She was very coachable. She is absolutely a one-of-a kind volleyball...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211034 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 55 full false Clarke Prep girls end as state runner-up at 32-12 Clarke Prep girls end as state runner-up at 32-12 Clarke Prep’s softball team finished as the Class AA AISA softball runner-up after falling to Bessemer Academy in the finals on May 2. Bessemer swept the Gators 10-0 and 6-0 but coach Haley Thorpe said the season and her players were defined by resilience, chemistry and unwavering commitment to each another. “This team earned everything they accomplished this season,” said Thorpe, whose team finished 32-12. “They showed toughness, resilience and a commitment to each other from the very beginning. No matter the situation, they continued to compete and trust one another.” Clarke Prep will graduate seniors Kelsen-Ann Davis, Drue Flint...

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]]> Clarke Prep’s softball team finished as the Class AA AISA softball runner-up after falling to Bessemer Academy in the finals on May 2. Bessemer swept the Gators 10-0 and 6-0 but coach Haley Thorpe said the season and her players were defined by resilience, chemistry and unwavering commitment to each another. “This team earned everything they accomplished this season,” said Thorpe, whose team finished 32-12. “They showed toughness, resilience and a commitment to each other from the very beginning. No matter the situation, they continued to compete and trust one another.” Clarke Prep will graduate seniors Kelsen-Ann Davis, Drue Flint...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211033 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 92 full false Gators take it to the limit Gators take it to the limit MONTGOMERY — Clarke Prep’s bid for back-to-back Class AA AISA baseball titles fell short in a 2-0 loss to Southern Academy in the deciding game of the finals on May 14 at Paterson Field. Southern’s Mason Turner won a duel with the Gators’ Camden Jones as both pitched complete games. Turner pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts while Jones threw a three-hitter and gave up an earned run. Clarke Prep coach J.D. Powell, whose team finished 28-12, said the Gators’ success was fueled by leadership, toughness and growth from younger players. “We had good leadership all year,” Powell said. “We...

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]]> MONTGOMERY — Clarke Prep’s bid for back-to-back Class AA AISA baseball titles fell short in a 2-0 loss to Southern Academy in the deciding game of the finals on May 14 at Paterson Field. Southern’s Mason Turner won a duel with the Gators’ Camden Jones as both pitched complete games. Turner pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts while Jones threw a three-hitter and gave up an earned run. Clarke Prep coach J.D. Powell, whose team finished 28-12, said the Gators’ success was fueled by leadership, toughness and growth from younger players. “We had good leadership all year,” Powell said. “We...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211032 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 137 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-you-can-eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per person for dine-in...

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]]> JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-you-can-eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per person for dine-in...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211031 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 614 full false The return of Mo Brooks The return of Mo Brooks Mo Brooks, a former six-term congressman, was aiming to win a seat in the Alabama Legislature. Such a move is unprecedented, going from one of the world's most exclusive clubs as a member of Congress to likely being relegated to a backbencher in the Alabama House of Representatives. Even his closest longtime confidantes ask, "Why, Mo?" Brooks is a true believer. He always has been. My first encounter with Mo Brooks came in 2006, when the then-Madison County Commissioner made an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. He was the same idealist that he is now. That played well to the...

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]]> Mo Brooks, a former six-term congressman, was aiming to win a seat in the Alabama Legislature. Such a move is unprecedented, going from one of the world's most exclusive clubs as a member of Congress to likely being relegated to a backbencher in the Alabama House of Representatives. Even his closest longtime confidantes ask, "Why, Mo?" Brooks is a true believer. He always has been. My first encounter with Mo Brooks came in 2006, when the then-Madison County Commissioner made an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. He was the same idealist that he is now. That played well to the...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211030 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 286 full false Faulkner rises Faulkner rises The 2026 regular legislative session has concluded. This is an election year in Alabama. In election years, lawmakers often introduce bills that generate favorable headlines but do little to improve the health and welfare of their constituents. State Rep. David Faulkner of Mountain Brook bucked that trend when he filed and passed legislation creating common-sense regulations for Alabama’s overnight summer camps. House Bill 381, also known as the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Act, was recently signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey after receiving nearly unanimous support in the Alabama Legislature. The legislation is named after Sarah Marsh of Birmingham,...

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]]> The 2026 regular legislative session has concluded. This is an election year in Alabama. In election years, lawmakers often introduce bills that generate favorable headlines but do little to improve the health and welfare of their constituents. State Rep. David Faulkner of Mountain Brook bucked that trend when he filed and passed legislation creating common-sense regulations for Alabama’s overnight summer camps. House Bill 381, also known as the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Act, was recently signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey after receiving nearly unanimous support in the Alabama Legislature. The legislation is named after Sarah Marsh of Birmingham,...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211028 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 205 full false It is time to ask why this keeps happening It is time to ask why this keeps happening In nearly 45 years in the media business — including 33 years in newspapers — one thing I have always dreaded is covering tragedies in our communities. As our newspaper group has grown across South Alabama, I now find myself covering painful stories throughout the region. No matter where they happen, it never gets easier. Back in the days before I had enough reporters, I often had to go out and cover wrecks myself. I can remember praying for the victims before I ever arrived on the scene. Many times, I did not know their names or even the outcome,...

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]]> In nearly 45 years in the media business — including 33 years in newspapers — one thing I have always dreaded is covering tragedies in our communities. As our newspaper group has grown across South Alabama, I now find myself covering painful stories throughout the region. No matter where they happen, it never gets easier. Back in the days before I had enough reporters, I often had to go out and cover wrecks myself. I can remember praying for the victims before I ever arrived on the scene. Many times, I did not know their names or even the outcome,...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211027 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 301 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19211026 Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 2 full false Anna Grace Johnson Anna Grace Johnson Anna Grace Johnson, 22, passed away far too soon, leaving behind a world that was brighter because she was in it. A 2022 graduate of Fairhope High School, Anna Grace was fearless in the way she lived and loved. She proudly served in the United States Air Force Reserves while building a new life in Fort Collins, where she attended Colorado State University. Anna Grace found happiness and freedom in the outdoors and the adventures she embraced so wholeheartedly. Whether she was hiking mountain trails, paddle boarding, kayaking or racing down snowy slopes, she felt most alive surrounded by nature...

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]]> Anna Grace Johnson, 22, passed away far too soon, leaving behind a world that was brighter because she was in it. A 2022 graduate of Fairhope High School, Anna Grace was fearless in the way she lived and loved. She proudly served in the United States Air Force Reserves while building a new life in Fort Collins, where she attended Colorado State University. Anna Grace found happiness and freedom in the outdoors and the adventures she embraced so wholeheartedly. Whether she was hiking mountain trails, paddle boarding, kayaking or racing down snowy slopes, she felt most alive surrounded by nature...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172346 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 127 full false Thomasville ends fine season with 21-11 mark Thomasville ends fine season with 21-11 mark Thomasville saw its season end with 20-1 and 10-1 losses to No. 8-ranked Lee-Scott Academy in the third round of the Class 3A state baseball playoffs in Auburn on May 6-7. The Tigers (21-11) captured the 3A Area 4 title and won 15 of their last 18 games —including 13 straight — to reach the quarterfinals. “I am incredibly proud of this group of guys,” Thomasville coach John David Phillips said. “While the season ended on a disappointing note, looking back on the totality of the growth of this group is very gratifying.” Phillips said Isaac Parten and Braydon Bradford,...

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]]> Thomasville saw its season end with 20-1 and 10-1 losses to No. 8-ranked Lee-Scott Academy in the third round of the Class 3A state baseball playoffs in Auburn on May 6-7. The Tigers (21-11) captured the 3A Area 4 title and won 15 of their last 18 games —including 13 straight — to reach the quarterfinals. “I am incredibly proud of this group of guys,” Thomasville coach John David Phillips said. “While the season ended on a disappointing note, looking back on the totality of the growth of this group is very gratifying.” Phillips said Isaac Parten and Braydon Bradford,...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172345 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 76 full false Clarke Prep All-Stars Clarke Prep All-Stars Fresh off a runner-up finish in the AISA finals, six Clarke Prep players were selected to participate in the AISA Softball All-Star event. Selected were seniors Drue Flint, Kelsen-Ann Davis and Kady Thomas along with juniors Brooke Brasell, Addie Hicks and Malli Gates. The games were played May 4 at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

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]]> Fresh off a runner-up finish in the AISA finals, six Clarke Prep players were selected to participate in the AISA Softball All-Star event. Selected were seniors Drue Flint, Kelsen-Ann Davis and Kady Thomas along with juniors Brooke Brasell, Addie Hicks and Malli Gates. The games were played May 4 at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172344 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 22 full false Tiger girls surge to Area 4 crown Tiger girls surge to Area 4 crown Zakiya Pritchett had three hits and drove in five runs to lead Thomasville to a 24-0 win over visiting Dallas County on May 4 to win the 3A Area 4 softball tournament. Winning pitcher Zion Howard allowed one hit in the three-inning mercy rule contest. Kianna Smith had two hits and two RBIs while Imani Brothers and Howard each had a hit and two RBIs. The Tigers advanced to the South Regional in Gulf Shores this week. In earlier tournament games, Thomasville also beat Wilcox Central 15-0 behind Mary Lindsey Drinkard’s three-inning no-hitter and Dallas County 12-0 as Howard pitched a...

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]]> Zakiya Pritchett had three hits and drove in five runs to lead Thomasville to a 24-0 win over visiting Dallas County on May 4 to win the 3A Area 4 softball tournament. Winning pitcher Zion Howard allowed one hit in the three-inning mercy rule contest. Kianna Smith had two hits and two RBIs while Imani Brothers and Howard each had a hit and two RBIs. The Tigers advanced to the South Regional in Gulf Shores this week. In earlier tournament games, Thomasville also beat Wilcox Central 15-0 behind Mary Lindsey Drinkard’s three-inning no-hitter and Dallas County 12-0 as Howard pitched a...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172343 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 69 full false Gators going back to state! Gators going back to state! Camden Jones pitched a complete-game three-hitter and Clarke Prep put the game away with a six-run fifth inning as the defending champion Gators returned to the AISA baseball finals with a 9-3 win over Lowndes Academy on May 7 at Paterson Field in Montgomery. Clarke Prep (27-10) swept the semifinal series after winning the opener 6-4 in extra innings. The Gators meet Southern Academy in the AISA Class AA finals beginning with a 10 a.m. doubleheader on Friday back at Paterson Field. Game 3 is Saturday if needed. Clarke Prep coach J.D. Powell said his team is confident going into...

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]]> Camden Jones pitched a complete-game three-hitter and Clarke Prep put the game away with a six-run fifth inning as the defending champion Gators returned to the AISA baseball finals with a 9-3 win over Lowndes Academy on May 7 at Paterson Field in Montgomery. Clarke Prep (27-10) swept the semifinal series after winning the opener 6-4 in extra innings. The Gators meet Southern Academy in the AISA Class AA finals beginning with a 10 a.m. doubleheader on Friday back at Paterson Field. Game 3 is Saturday if needed. Clarke Prep coach J.D. Powell said his team is confident going into...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172342 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 120 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar MAY 21 The Clarke County Education Retirees will meet May 21 at 11:45 a.m. at Davids Catfish House in Thomasville. There will be a birthday celebration. Those attending are asked to bring can goods and paper goods. JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. JUNE 6 Grove Hill Arts Council will host a Coffee Painting class June 6 at 11 a.m. led by local artist Karla Taylor. The class costs and includes supplies, with coffee used as the painting medium. Spots are limited....

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]]> MAY 21 The Clarke County Education Retirees will meet May 21 at 11:45 a.m. at Davids Catfish House in Thomasville. There will be a birthday celebration. Those attending are asked to bring can goods and paper goods. JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. JUNE 6 Grove Hill Arts Council will host a Coffee Painting class June 6 at 11 a.m. led by local artist Karla Taylor. The class costs and includes supplies, with coffee used as the painting medium. Spots are limited....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172341 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 449 full false Why I Still Travel Why I Still Travel I am going on a Mediterranean cruise shortly. It will be my first international trip since COVID and a lot has changed since I last traveled abroad. Now we all obsess over luggage weight. If your suitcase weighs more than 50 pounds, you are in trouble. I am packing lightly and carefully editing my wardrobe. Thankfully warm weather means lighter clothes. I will also be wearing comfortable tennis shoes. Years ago, tennis shoes immediately identified Americans as tourists. Now I do not care. I promised myself long ago that I would never sacrifice comfort again just to look fashionable. My...

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]]> I am going on a Mediterranean cruise shortly. It will be my first international trip since COVID and a lot has changed since I last traveled abroad. Now we all obsess over luggage weight. If your suitcase weighs more than 50 pounds, you are in trouble. I am packing lightly and carefully editing my wardrobe. Thankfully warm weather means lighter clothes. I will also be wearing comfortable tennis shoes. Years ago, tennis shoes immediately identified Americans as tourists. Now I do not care. I promised myself long ago that I would never sacrifice comfort again just to look fashionable. My...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172340 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 222 full false GOP primary likely to decide major races GOP primary likely to decide major races Our much-anticipated 2026 primary elections are next Tuesday, May 19. Alabamians have awaited the election for months. This is a major year in Alabama politics. All constitutional offices and legislative seats are on the ballot. Most states elect governors during presidential election years. Alabama, along with several other Southern states, holds gubernatorial races during what is nationally known as the “off-year” election cycle. In Alabama, we simply call it a gubernatorial election year. In years past, more Alabamians voted in gubernatorial elections than in presidential elections. Voters were often more interested in who would serve as governor than who would...

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]]> Our much-anticipated 2026 primary elections are next Tuesday, May 19. Alabamians have awaited the election for months. This is a major year in Alabama politics. All constitutional offices and legislative seats are on the ballot. Most states elect governors during presidential election years. Alabama, along with several other Southern states, holds gubernatorial races during what is nationally known as the “off-year” election cycle. In Alabama, we simply call it a gubernatorial election year. In years past, more Alabamians voted in gubernatorial elections than in presidential elections. Voters were often more interested in who would serve as governor than who would...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172339 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 266 full false Inclusion should not mean hiding achievement Inclusion should not mean hiding achievement Graduation season has a way of making you stop and reflect. As we were getting ready for my granddaughter’s graduation this week, we were going through her awards and scholarship. I was excited to hear about all of her accomplishments. Of course, we have been part of her journey since the day she was born, but there is something special about watching a child cross that stage at high school graduation. During our conversation, I mentioned how nice it would be to see all of her honor cords at graduation. That is when she told me something that honestly caught...

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]]> Graduation season has a way of making you stop and reflect. As we were getting ready for my granddaughter’s graduation this week, we were going through her awards and scholarship. I was excited to hear about all of her accomplishments. Of course, we have been part of her journey since the day she was born, but there is something special about watching a child cross that stage at high school graduation. During our conversation, I mentioned how nice it would be to see all of her honor cords at graduation. That is when she told me something that honestly caught...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172338 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 248 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19172337 Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 2 full false Tigers rip Leroy Tigers rip Leroy Kianna Smith was 3 for 3 with six RBIs, including a two-run home run, to pace Thomasville to a 10-1 win over visiting Leroy on April 28. Zion Howard earned the win, allowing three hits in a complete game. Kloee Rollins had two hits and an RBI and Aryana Burroughs added a hit and an RBI. • Thomasville 6, WCHS 4 On April 30, Howard allowed three runs on four hits in three innings to get the win. Rollins had a hit and two RBIs, Imani Brothers and Mary Lindsey Drinkard each added a hit and an RBI and Zakiya...

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]]> Kianna Smith was 3 for 3 with six RBIs, including a two-run home run, to pace Thomasville to a 10-1 win over visiting Leroy on April 28. Zion Howard earned the win, allowing three hits in a complete game. Kloee Rollins had two hits and an RBI and Aryana Burroughs added a hit and an RBI. • Thomasville 6, WCHS 4 On April 30, Howard allowed three runs on four hits in three innings to get the win. Rollins had a hit and two RBIs, Imani Brothers and Mary Lindsey Drinkard each added a hit and an RBI and Zakiya...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135923 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 132 full false Imani Brothers signs with UWF Imani Brothers signs with UWF Thomasville softball star Imani Brothers signed with the University of West Florida on April 30. Tigers coach Robby Carpenter said the Argonauts got a steal in Brothers. “She is one of the best players I have ever coached,” he said. “She is five-tool, a complete package. There couldn’t be a person more deserving … Her work ethic has been impeccable for six years. Her character matches that. “She has had a great group of teammates to push her along. She is a great teammate. I have seen her go 0 for 3 — that is rare — and as soon...

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]]> Thomasville softball star Imani Brothers signed with the University of West Florida on April 30. Tigers coach Robby Carpenter said the Argonauts got a steal in Brothers. “She is one of the best players I have ever coached,” he said. “She is five-tool, a complete package. There couldn’t be a person more deserving … Her work ethic has been impeccable for six years. Her character matches that. “She has had a great group of teammates to push her along. She is a great teammate. I have seen her go 0 for 3 — that is rare — and as soon...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135922 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 68 full false Aggies win third state relays title Aggies win third state relays title GULF SHORES — Jackson High School won a third straight state championship in the Class 4A boys 4x100-meter relay at the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s outdoor track and field championships on Saturday. The Aggies pulled off the threepeat with two new members of the squad and without Mr. Football E.J. Crowell, now playing at Alabama, and Landon Duckworth, now playing at South Carolina. Keeyun and Keegan Chapman are the only two members of the team that played a part in all three titles but newcomers Jamarcus Locke and Victor Darrington helped Jackson finish in 43.88 seconds in extremely windy...

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]]> GULF SHORES — Jackson High School won a third straight state championship in the Class 4A boys 4x100-meter relay at the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s outdoor track and field championships on Saturday. The Aggies pulled off the threepeat with two new members of the squad and without Mr. Football E.J. Crowell, now playing at Alabama, and Landon Duckworth, now playing at South Carolina. Keeyun and Keegan Chapman are the only two members of the team that played a part in all three titles but newcomers Jamarcus Locke and Victor Darrington helped Jackson finish in 43.88 seconds in extremely windy...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135921 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 64 full false Thomasville on a roll Thomasville on a roll Coleman Pilkington allowed four hits and didn’t walk anybody in a complete-game win as Thomasville nipped Providence Christian 3-1 in the decisive third game of the Class 3A second-round playoff series on May 1 at Donnie Fendley Field. The Tigers (21-9) go to Auburn to meet Lee- Scott Academy (24-11) in the quarterfinals with a doubleheader Thursday at 4 p.m. and a third game Friday at noon if needed. Providence Christian scored its only run off a Thomasville error in the fourth inning but the Tigers responded in the bottom half of the inning on Braydon Bradford’s RBI single to...

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]]> Coleman Pilkington allowed four hits and didn’t walk anybody in a complete-game win as Thomasville nipped Providence Christian 3-1 in the decisive third game of the Class 3A second-round playoff series on May 1 at Donnie Fendley Field. The Tigers (21-9) go to Auburn to meet Lee- Scott Academy (24-11) in the quarterfinals with a doubleheader Thursday at 4 p.m. and a third game Friday at noon if needed. Providence Christian scored its only run off a Thomasville error in the fourth inning but the Tigers responded in the bottom half of the inning on Braydon Bradford’s RBI single to...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135918 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 57 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar MAY 10 Red Blood Cross Drive May 10 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Thomasville United Methodist Church in Thomasville. JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. JUNE 6 Grove Hill Arts Council will host a Coffee Painting class June 6 at 11 a.m. led by local artist Karla Taylor. The class costs and includes supplies, with coffee used as the painting medium. Spots are limited. JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the...

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]]> MAY 10 Red Blood Cross Drive May 10 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Thomasville United Methodist Church in Thomasville. JUNE 1 White Smith Memorial Library, Jackson, will hold a board meeting June 1 at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. JUNE 6 Grove Hill Arts Council will host a Coffee Painting class June 6 at 11 a.m. led by local artist Karla Taylor. The class costs and includes supplies, with coffee used as the painting medium. Spots are limited. JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135916 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 442 full false District drama ends in strategic swap District drama ends in strategic swap A couple of years ago, Democratic Party legal groups found a sympathetic federal panel in the Northern District of Alabama, and that court created a new minority Democratic congressional district. That district came into existence a little more than a year ago. The Constitution gives state legislatures the power to draw congressional and legislative districts. For decades, Alabama’s Legislature created districts that yielded six Republicans and one Democrat. Using the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the federal court drew new congressional maps that led to a second Democratic district. That seat is now held by Mobile Democrat Shomari Figures. The state’s delegation...

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]]> A couple of years ago, Democratic Party legal groups found a sympathetic federal panel in the Northern District of Alabama, and that court created a new minority Democratic congressional district. That district came into existence a little more than a year ago. The Constitution gives state legislatures the power to draw congressional and legislative districts. For decades, Alabama’s Legislature created districts that yielded six Republicans and one Democrat. Using the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the federal court drew new congressional maps that led to a second Democratic district. That seat is now held by Mobile Democrat Shomari Figures. The state’s delegation...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135915 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 237 full false Scroll at your own risk Scroll at your own risk I have been watching a lot of YouTube and Facebook lately and the ads drive me crazy. So many of them feel fake and I often wonder if they are AI-generated. There are endless ads about losing weight. You would think everyone would be skinny by now. One minute there is a “Korean gelatin trick” and the next there is another ad explaining why it failed. According to them, it only didn’t work because you bought the wrong one. I once ordered what was advertised as a pair of Clarks shoes from a Facebook ad. When they arrived, they were...

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]]> I have been watching a lot of YouTube and Facebook lately and the ads drive me crazy. So many of them feel fake and I often wonder if they are AI-generated. There are endless ads about losing weight. You would think everyone would be skinny by now. One minute there is a “Korean gelatin trick” and the next there is another ad explaining why it failed. According to them, it only didn’t work because you bought the wrong one. I once ordered what was advertised as a pair of Clarks shoes from a Facebook ad. When they arrived, they were...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135914 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 209 full false Let them grow, serve and shine Let them grow, serve and shine Every year, the ladies of our church host a tea the week before Mother’s Day. It is a special tradition that brings everyone together for fellowship, a shared meal and a message that always leaves us with something to carry home. This year, however, the message began before our guest speaker ever stepped inside the church. On the Wednesday before Saturday’s tea, our scheduled speaker called our music director and told him she had been diagnosed with pneumonia. She was extremely ill and would not be able to come. He called me right away, but before I could worry, he...

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]]> Every year, the ladies of our church host a tea the week before Mother’s Day. It is a special tradition that brings everyone together for fellowship, a shared meal and a message that always leaves us with something to carry home. This year, however, the message began before our guest speaker ever stepped inside the church. On the Wednesday before Saturday’s tea, our scheduled speaker called our music director and told him she had been diagnosed with pneumonia. She was extremely ill and would not be able to come. He called me right away, but before I could worry, he...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135913 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 349 full false Wilson Hall honors Taite for Principal's Week Wilson Hall honors Taite for Principal's Week Wilson Hall Middle School Principal Dr. Carolyn Taite was honored on Principal’s Week.

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]]> Wilson Hall Middle School Principal Dr. Carolyn Taite was honored on Principal’s Week.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135912 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 9 full false CCHS honors Young for Principal's Week CCHS honors Young for Principal's Week Clarke County High School Principal Christopher Young was honored on Principal’s Week.

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]]> Clarke County High School Principal Christopher Young was honored on Principal’s Week.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135911 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 8 full false CCHS accepts donation for the baseball program CCHS accepts donation for the baseball program Clarke County Parks and Recreation Board Chairman Darryl D. Perryman presented a donation to the Clarke County High School baseball program to support equipment acquisition. Bulldogs coach Will Buford is seen accepting the donation.

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]]> Clarke County Parks and Recreation Board Chairman Darryl D. Perryman presented a donation to the Clarke County High School baseball program to support equipment acquisition. Bulldogs coach Will Buford is seen accepting the donation.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135910 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 17 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19135909 Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400 2 full false Makos sweep Jackson out of baseball playoffs Makos sweep Jackson out of baseball playoffs No. 8-ranked Orange Beach hammered Jackson 12-0 and 20-1 Friday to sweep the Aggies from the Class 4A baseball playoffs. In the opener, the Makos scored 10 runs in the first inning and never looked back. Starter Lance Moseley took the loss, giving up nine runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning. Carlos Barientos recorded the lone hit for Jackson, which finished 11-17. In Game 2, Orange Beach again jumped out to a big early lead, scoring eight runs in the first, and was aided by six Jackson errors. Barientos took the loss, giving up three earned runs...

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]]> No. 8-ranked Orange Beach hammered Jackson 12-0 and 20-1 Friday to sweep the Aggies from the Class 4A baseball playoffs. In the opener, the Makos scored 10 runs in the first inning and never looked back. Starter Lance Moseley took the loss, giving up nine runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning. Carlos Barientos recorded the lone hit for Jackson, which finished 11-17. In Game 2, Orange Beach again jumped out to a big early lead, scoring eight runs in the first, and was aided by six Jackson errors. Barientos took the loss, giving up three earned runs...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098060 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 48 full false Tigers roar in playoffs Tigers roar in playoffs Thomasville rolled past visiting Hillcrest-Evergreen 12-2 and 13-3 to sweep the Class 3A first-round baseball playoff series on Friday. The Tigers (19-8) will host Providence Christian (11-15) in a second-round series beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 5 p.m. A third game will be Saturday at 11 a.m. if needed. In the opener, Isaac Parten allowed two runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts in five innings. The Jaguars led 1-0 before Thomasville answered with two runs in the third on Coleman Pilkington’s sacrifice bunt and Christian Draper’s RBI double. Draper finished with three RBIs. The Tigers broke the game...

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]]> Thomasville rolled past visiting Hillcrest-Evergreen 12-2 and 13-3 to sweep the Class 3A first-round baseball playoff series on Friday. The Tigers (19-8) will host Providence Christian (11-15) in a second-round series beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 5 p.m. A third game will be Saturday at 11 a.m. if needed. In the opener, Isaac Parten allowed two runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts in five innings. The Jaguars led 1-0 before Thomasville answered with two runs in the third on Coleman Pilkington’s sacrifice bunt and Christian Draper’s RBI double. Draper finished with three RBIs. The Tigers broke the game...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098059 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 81 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar NOW-MAY 1 The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors for upcoming First Friday events. Vendors may offer homemade and baked goods, fresh lemonade and drinks, retail and boutique items, handmade crafts, artisan goods, specialty products and other unique finds. Those interested may register at www.jacksonalabama.org. The first event will be May 1 and feature the Cruise-In. APRIL 30 The Alabama Power Foundation is offering scholarships to high school seniors in its service area who plan to attend college or vocational school. The deadline is 3 p.m. April 30 or when 590 applications are received. Apply at scholarshipamerica.org/scholarship/apfcommunity/. Jackson...

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]]> NOW-MAY 1 The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors for upcoming First Friday events. Vendors may offer homemade and baked goods, fresh lemonade and drinks, retail and boutique items, handmade crafts, artisan goods, specialty products and other unique finds. Those interested may register at www.jacksonalabama.org. The first event will be May 1 and feature the Cruise-In. APRIL 30 The Alabama Power Foundation is offering scholarships to high school seniors in its service area who plan to attend college or vocational school. The deadline is 3 p.m. April 30 or when 590 applications are received. Apply at scholarshipamerica.org/scholarship/apfcommunity/. Jackson...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098058 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 542 full false Embracing change, one click at a time Embracing change, one click at a time I have been watching YouTube a lot lately. You can find most anything on there. You can learn how to hang wallpaper, fix the display on your car, pack more efficiently for a trip, research places you plan to visit and watch cooking demonstrations to perfect dishes. I have watched some of all these things. In the winter, I put a yule log on my television and play classical music. YouTube is a handy tool. Right now, I am watching astrology predictions on it. How in the world did I get hooked on that? There are tons of astrologers who have...

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]]> I have been watching YouTube a lot lately. You can find most anything on there. You can learn how to hang wallpaper, fix the display on your car, pack more efficiently for a trip, research places you plan to visit and watch cooking demonstrations to perfect dishes. I have watched some of all these things. In the winter, I put a yule log on my television and play classical music. YouTube is a handy tool. Right now, I am watching astrology predictions on it. How in the world did I get hooked on that? There are tons of astrologers who have...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098057 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 241 full false Very few open state House races Very few open state House races Like the Alabama State Senate, the state House of Representatives will have very little turnover. State legislative seats are becoming analogous to congressional seats when it comes to incumbency. More than 80% of the Legislature is unopposed. The partisan makeup will be largely unchanged, with Republicans retaining a 75% supermajority. Leadership continuity will be strong between this quadrennium and the next. Leadership on both sides of the aisle will remain largely the same. The speaker of the House will again be the respected and powerful Nathaniel Ledbetter, a Republican from DeKalb County. He will have the affable gentleman from Mobile,...

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]]> Like the Alabama State Senate, the state House of Representatives will have very little turnover. State legislative seats are becoming analogous to congressional seats when it comes to incumbency. More than 80% of the Legislature is unopposed. The partisan makeup will be largely unchanged, with Republicans retaining a 75% supermajority. Leadership continuity will be strong between this quadrennium and the next. Leadership on both sides of the aisle will remain largely the same. The speaker of the House will again be the respected and powerful Nathaniel Ledbetter, a Republican from DeKalb County. He will have the affable gentleman from Mobile,...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098056 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 257 full false Ready for their future Ready for their future As I thought about writing my column this week, I realized we are entering May, which means graduation season is here. There will be awards programs, banquets, senior walks, baccalaureate services and graduation ceremonies. For many families, May will be filled with pride, tears, memories and a few nervous thoughts about what comes next. This year, graduation feels even more personal to me. My oldest granddaughter will walk across the stage, receive her diploma and prepare to go on to college. It does not seem possible. I think back to when my son and daughter graduated from high school. At...

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]]> As I thought about writing my column this week, I realized we are entering May, which means graduation season is here. There will be awards programs, banquets, senior walks, baccalaureate services and graduation ceremonies. For many families, May will be filled with pride, tears, memories and a few nervous thoughts about what comes next. This year, graduation feels even more personal to me. My oldest granddaughter will walk across the stage, receive her diploma and prepare to go on to college. It does not seem possible. I think back to when my son and daughter graduated from high school. At...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098055 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 259 full false Clarke County marks Child Abuse Prevention Month with 188 blue and white pinwheels at courthouse Clarke County marks Child Abuse Prevention Month with 188 blue and white pinwheels at courthouse Child Abuse Prevention Month is being marked in Clarke County with 188 blue and white pinwheels in front of the county courthouse in Grove Hill. The pinwheels represent the 188 children served last year by the Regional Child Advocacy Center, which provides services to children in Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties.

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]]> Child Abuse Prevention Month is being marked in Clarke County with 188 blue and white pinwheels in front of the county courthouse in Grove Hill. The pinwheels represent the 188 children served last year by the Regional Child Advocacy Center, which provides services to children in Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098054 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 26 full false Hinton honored with a law enforcement procession Hinton honored with a law enforcement procession Thomasville Police Department officer Dallas Hinton was honored by law enforcement, firefighters and first responders from Thomasville, Fulton, Grove Hill, Jackson and many other departments with a procession on April 23 from Mobile. Hinton was killed in the line of duty in a collision on U.S. Highway 43 on April 22.

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]]> Thomasville Police Department officer Dallas Hinton was honored by law enforcement, firefighters and first responders from Thomasville, Fulton, Grove Hill, Jackson and many other departments with a procession on April 23 from Mobile. Hinton was killed in the line of duty in a collision on U.S. Highway 43 on April 22.

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098053 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 24 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19098052 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400 2 full false Church Announcements Church Announcements Dunning Cemetery in Dixons Mills will host Decoration day on April 26. A potluck lunch will be hosted by Central Baptist Church. Drop off dishes at Central before attending. The cemetery service begins at 11 a.m. Attendees will return to Central after the service for lunch. For more information, call Melvin Dixon at 334-456-1155. Spencer Chapel AME Church will host a Women’s Day program April 26 at 2 p.m. Guest speaker will be Minister Arline Gracie, associate minister of St. James Baptist Church in Thomaston. Orange Hill Missionary Baptist Church will host the first pastoral anniversary celebration for the Rev....

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]]> Dunning Cemetery in Dixons Mills will host Decoration day on April 26. A potluck lunch will be hosted by Central Baptist Church. Drop off dishes at Central before attending. The cemetery service begins at 11 a.m. Attendees will return to Central after the service for lunch. For more information, call Melvin Dixon at 334-456-1155. Spencer Chapel AME Church will host a Women’s Day program April 26 at 2 p.m. Guest speaker will be Minister Arline Gracie, associate minister of St. James Baptist Church in Thomaston. Orange Hill Missionary Baptist Church will host the first pastoral anniversary celebration for the Rev....

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062055 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 198 full false Clarke Prep's streak up to 8 Clarke Prep's streak up to 8 No. 4-ranked Clarke Prep extended its winning streak to eight games on April 14 with a doubleheader sweep of Hooper Academy and Crenshaw Christian Academy. • Clarke Prep 13, Hooper 1 Brooke Brasell was 4 for 4 and winning pitcher Kady Thomas allowed three hits and an unearned run in five innings. Addie Hicks had three RBIs to lead the Gators’ 18-hit attack. Clarke Prep broke the game open with a six-run fifth, sparked by two-run singles by B.B. Messer and Drue Flint and Brasell’s RBI single. • Clarke Prep 10, Crenshaw 7 Mia Davis had four hits and Thomas...

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]]> No. 4-ranked Clarke Prep extended its winning streak to eight games on April 14 with a doubleheader sweep of Hooper Academy and Crenshaw Christian Academy. • Clarke Prep 13, Hooper 1 Brooke Brasell was 4 for 4 and winning pitcher Kady Thomas allowed three hits and an unearned run in five innings. Addie Hicks had three RBIs to lead the Gators’ 18-hit attack. Clarke Prep broke the game open with a six-run fifth, sparked by two-run singles by B.B. Messer and Drue Flint and Brasell’s RBI single. • Clarke Prep 10, Crenshaw 7 Mia Davis had four hits and Thomas...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062039 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 220 full false Jackson surges into playoffs with 2 wins Jackson surges into playoffs with 2 wins Jackson headed into the Class 4A playoffs with some momentum after winning two games last week. The Aggies (10-14) visit Orange Beach (19-14) in a best-of-three first-round series beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 5 p.m. A third game, if needed, is Saturday at 1 p.m. • Jackson 3, S. Choctaw 0 On April 14, the Aggies scored all three runs in the first on Kylin Gates’ bases-loaded walk and sacrifice flies by Carlos Barientos and Damion Taylor. Winning pitcher Kemauri Bryant set the tone on the mound, striking out the side in an immaculate first. • Jackson 16, Fruitdale 4...

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]]> Jackson headed into the Class 4A playoffs with some momentum after winning two games last week. The Aggies (10-14) visit Orange Beach (19-14) in a best-of-three first-round series beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 5 p.m. A third game, if needed, is Saturday at 1 p.m. • Jackson 3, S. Choctaw 0 On April 14, the Aggies scored all three runs in the first on Kylin Gates’ bases-loaded walk and sacrifice flies by Carlos Barientos and Damion Taylor. Winning pitcher Kemauri Bryant set the tone on the mound, striking out the side in an immaculate first. • Jackson 16, Fruitdale 4...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062038 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 231 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar NOW-MAY 1 The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors for upcoming First Friday events. Vendors may offer homemade and baked goods, fresh lemonade and drinks, retail and boutique items, handmade crafts, artisan goods, specialty products and other unique finds. Those interested may register at www.jacksonalabama.org. The first event will be May 1 and feature the Cruise-In. APRIL 25 Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Alabama will host the Hole Lotta Fun Scramble April 25 at Thomasville Golf Course. Entry is per player and includes lunch and cart. Fulton will host the annual Pig Squeal show and auction...

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]]> NOW-MAY 1 The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors for upcoming First Friday events. Vendors may offer homemade and baked goods, fresh lemonade and drinks, retail and boutique items, handmade crafts, artisan goods, specialty products and other unique finds. Those interested may register at www.jacksonalabama.org. The first event will be May 1 and feature the Cruise-In. APRIL 25 Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Alabama will host the Hole Lotta Fun Scramble April 25 at Thomasville Golf Course. Entry is per player and includes lunch and cart. Fulton will host the annual Pig Squeal show and auction...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062036 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 601 full false Incumbents dominate state senate field Incumbents dominate state senate field This is a big election year in Alabama politics. All constitutional state offices and all legislative seats are on the ballot. All 35 State Senate seats and all 105 House seats will be decided. Alabama is one of the most Republican states in America and that is reflected in the State Senate and State House. Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers. In the Senate, there are 27 Republicans and eight Democrats. That balance is expected to change little, if at all, in this election cycle. The membership is not likely to change much either. More than 80% of the Legislature...

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]]> This is a big election year in Alabama politics. All constitutional state offices and all legislative seats are on the ballot. All 35 State Senate seats and all 105 House seats will be decided. Alabama is one of the most Republican states in America and that is reflected in the State Senate and State House. Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers. In the Senate, there are 27 Republicans and eight Democrats. That balance is expected to change little, if at all, in this election cycle. The membership is not likely to change much either. More than 80% of the Legislature...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062035 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 242 full false Until then, let us dance Until then, let us dance I have been thinking a good bit about death this week. Our church pianist died in her sleep Sunday night after playing for church Sunday morning. It was a real shock to those of us who took for granted she would always be here. Her death appeared to be from natural causes. That is the way I want to go — just go to sleep and not wake up. Still, she was only 61. That is a mighty young age in this day and time, especially when there are now so many ways to fix what goes wrong in the...

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]]> I have been thinking a good bit about death this week. Our church pianist died in her sleep Sunday night after playing for church Sunday morning. It was a real shock to those of us who took for granted she would always be here. Her death appeared to be from natural causes. That is the way I want to go — just go to sleep and not wake up. Still, she was only 61. That is a mighty young age in this day and time, especially when there are now so many ways to fix what goes wrong in the...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062034 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 168 full false Lost again and learning late Lost again and learning late Have you ever known someone who thinks they know everything and refuses to believe they need to be taught anything? I have known a few people like that over the years. Truthfully, every time I start thinking about folks like that, I get reminded of myself. One of my earliest lessons came when I was about 5 years old. My dad was building our first new home. Because my dad was a contractor and his father was a contractor, I naturally thought that qualified me to be some kind of tiny construction expert. I remember one day my grandfather was...

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]]> Have you ever known someone who thinks they know everything and refuses to believe they need to be taught anything? I have known a few people like that over the years. Truthfully, every time I start thinking about folks like that, I get reminded of myself. One of my earliest lessons came when I was about 5 years old. My dad was building our first new home. Because my dad was a contractor and his father was a contractor, I naturally thought that qualified me to be some kind of tiny construction expert. I remember one day my grandfather was...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062033 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 285 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-19062032 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0400 2 full false Clarke County hunters bag some big turkeys Clarke County hunters bag some big turkeys

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021552 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 4 full false Thomasville rolls by Dallas County Thomasville rolls by Dallas County Coleman Pilkington was 3 for 3, Hunter Norwood had two hits and four RBIs and Christian Draper threw a two-hitter to lead Thomasville to an 11-1, five-inning romp over visiting Dallas County on April 7. Pilkington tripled in the fifth inning and singled in the second and fourth. The Tigers scored twice in the first and added five runs in the second, including RBI singles from Pilkington and Draper. Thomasville stole 11 bases in the game and played errorless defense. The Tigers (12-8) claimed the 3A Area 4 title and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs after...

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]]> Coleman Pilkington was 3 for 3, Hunter Norwood had two hits and four RBIs and Christian Draper threw a two-hitter to lead Thomasville to an 11-1, five-inning romp over visiting Dallas County on April 7. Pilkington tripled in the fifth inning and singled in the second and fourth. The Tigers scored twice in the first and added five runs in the second, including RBI singles from Pilkington and Draper. Thomasville stole 11 bases in the game and played errorless defense. The Tigers (12-8) claimed the 3A Area 4 title and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs after...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021551 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 67 full false 'Optimistic' on E.J. 'Optimistic' on E.J. TUSCALOOSA — In its first formal appearance before the public since being emasculated by Indiana in the Rose Bowl, Alabama gave no clues that it could be a great football team based on what transpired in Saturday’s A-Day game. The running game still needs a lot of work. With a completely new offensive line, it was still alarming that the Tide couldn’t hammer the ball into the end zone inside the 5-yard line several times Saturday. “Maybe we’ve still got some work to do on the offensive line,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer conceded afterward. “Their communication, technique and execution is...

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]]> TUSCALOOSA — In its first formal appearance before the public since being emasculated by Indiana in the Rose Bowl, Alabama gave no clues that it could be a great football team based on what transpired in Saturday’s A-Day game. The running game still needs a lot of work. With a completely new offensive line, it was still alarming that the Tide couldn’t hammer the ball into the end zone inside the 5-yard line several times Saturday. “Maybe we’ve still got some work to do on the offensive line,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer conceded afterward. “Their communication, technique and execution is...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021550 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 93 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar NOW-MAY 1 The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors for upcoming First Friday events. Vendors may offer homemade and baked goods, fresh lemonade and drinks, retail and boutique items, handmade crafts, artisan goods, specialty products and other unique finds. Those interested may register at www.jacksonalabama.org. The first event will be May 1 and feature the Cruise-In. APRIL 17-18 Thomasville High School Class of 1976 will hold its 50th reunion April 17-18. Contact Mary Frances Slade at 334-830- 0195 for information. Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting ambassador applications for the 2026-2027 school year through April 17. Applicants...

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]]> NOW-MAY 1 The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors for upcoming First Friday events. Vendors may offer homemade and baked goods, fresh lemonade and drinks, retail and boutique items, handmade crafts, artisan goods, specialty products and other unique finds. Those interested may register at www.jacksonalabama.org. The first event will be May 1 and feature the Cruise-In. APRIL 17-18 Thomasville High School Class of 1976 will hold its 50th reunion April 17-18. Contact Mary Frances Slade at 334-830- 0195 for information. Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting ambassador applications for the 2026-2027 school year through April 17. Applicants...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021549 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 537 full false Only one contest counts Only one contest counts This will be a strong political year, with several interesting and competitive races. However, there is only one truly hotly contested open congressional seat in Alabama. The state’s other six incumbent congressmen are expected to cruise to reelection, either unopposed or with only token opposition. That is not unusual in modern politics. Defeating an incumbent member of Congress is extremely difficult. The reelection rate for sitting congressmen is around 95%. Even the Russian Communist Politburo did not enjoy that kind of job security. The newly configured 1st Congressional District is the one open seat that offers a competitive race. It...

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]]> This will be a strong political year, with several interesting and competitive races. However, there is only one truly hotly contested open congressional seat in Alabama. The state’s other six incumbent congressmen are expected to cruise to reelection, either unopposed or with only token opposition. That is not unusual in modern politics. Defeating an incumbent member of Congress is extremely difficult. The reelection rate for sitting congressmen is around 95%. Even the Russian Communist Politburo did not enjoy that kind of job security. The newly configured 1st Congressional District is the one open seat that offers a competitive race. It...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021548 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 221 full false Stumbling into a better outlook Stumbling into a better outlook My bruises have not yet disappeared from my fall last week. One thing it has taught me is not to be vain about my appearance. The bruises were not all gone by Easter. I sing in the choir, and we had a big anthem prepared for the holiday, so I knew I needed to be there. I did what I had done for the theater in New Orleans. I put on a pair of sunglasses and went. I looked like a cross between Ray Charles and the Bride of Frankenstein. The sunglasses hid most of the bruises, leaving only Ray Charles...

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]]> My bruises have not yet disappeared from my fall last week. One thing it has taught me is not to be vain about my appearance. The bruises were not all gone by Easter. I sing in the choir, and we had a big anthem prepared for the holiday, so I knew I needed to be there. I did what I had done for the theater in New Orleans. I put on a pair of sunglasses and went. I looked like a cross between Ray Charles and the Bride of Frankenstein. The sunglasses hid most of the bruises, leaving only Ray Charles...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021547 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 207 full false Life in the passing lane Life in the passing lane Have you ever been driving down the highway minding your own business when the vehicle in front of you suddenly whips into a driveway with no blinker at all? No warning. No signal. No clue. Just a sharp turn that makes you hit the brakes and wonder if they learned to drive from a cereal box. Then there is the driver with the blinker on for 10 miles. Click. Click. Click. At that point you are not expecting a turn. You are wondering if they know it is on or if they just enjoy the sound effects. Then there is...

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]]> Have you ever been driving down the highway minding your own business when the vehicle in front of you suddenly whips into a driveway with no blinker at all? No warning. No signal. No clue. Just a sharp turn that makes you hit the brakes and wonder if they learned to drive from a cereal box. Then there is the driver with the blinker on for 10 miles. Click. Click. Click. At that point you are not expecting a turn. You are wondering if they know it is on or if they just enjoy the sound effects. Then there is...

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]]> Buzzsprout-19021546 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 246 full false Front page Front page

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]]> Buzzsprout-18984234 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400 2 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar APRIL 11 Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Alabama will host the Hole Lotta Fun Scramble April 11 at Thomasville Golf Course. To register call 334-636-5402. Thomasville will host Youth Day Saturday, April 11. Details will be announced. Demopolis will host Rooster Day April 11. Vendors may reserve booth space while available, with a early registration rate through March 3. Grove Hill Arts Council will host a cherry blossom painting class April 11 at 11 a.m. at the Grove Hill Cultural Arts Center. Cost is and includes supplies. CCARC Foundation in Jackson will host its 26th annual Spring...

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]]> APRIL 11 Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Alabama will host the Hole Lotta Fun Scramble April 11 at Thomasville Golf Course. To register call 334-636-5402. Thomasville will host Youth Day Saturday, April 11. Details will be announced. Demopolis will host Rooster Day April 11. Vendors may reserve booth space while available, with a early registration rate through March 3. Grove Hill Arts Council will host a cherry blossom painting class April 11 at 11 a.m. at the Grove Hill Cultural Arts Center. Cost is and includes supplies. CCARC Foundation in Jackson will host its 26th annual Spring...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18984233 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400 555 full false A love the world misread A love the world misread A man, who had already lost his beloved wife to an illness that had taken her life a few months earlier, had only one child. An adorable blonde-haired, dark-eyed baby girl they had named Leslie Raynelle. Leslie was understandably the light of her dad’s life. Everything he did, everything he worked for, was focused on what was best for his little daughter. But then a catastrophic day came. It was a day when the man’s entire beloved hometown, where he had lived his entire life, was put in the laser focus of certain unavoidable disaster. At the last possible moment,...

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]]> A man, who had already lost his beloved wife to an illness that had taken her life a few months earlier, had only one child. An adorable blonde-haired, dark-eyed baby girl they had named Leslie Raynelle. Leslie was understandably the light of her dad’s life. Everything he did, everything he worked for, was focused on what was best for his little daughter. But then a catastrophic day came. It was a day when the man’s entire beloved hometown, where he had lived his entire life, was put in the laser focus of certain unavoidable disaster. At the last possible moment,...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18984232 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400 172 full false Goat Hill's hidden agenda Goat Hill's hidden agenda he late Alvin Holmes left an indelible T mark on Alabama politics. Some of it was good, some of it not so much. In 2005, the Democratic-led Alabama Legislature passed the state's Open Meetings Act, a long-sought law by the media and then-Attorney General Troy King that was intended to break up the backroom dealings of the state's government agencies, from city hall to Montgomery. Of course, it being Alabama, the Legislature at the time exempted so-called coalitions or legislative caucuses from the law that required meetings to be "open." Holmes was an early critic of the law. "I think...

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]]> he late Alvin Holmes left an indelible T mark on Alabama politics. Some of it was good, some of it not so much. In 2005, the Democratic-led Alabama Legislature passed the state's Open Meetings Act, a long-sought law by the media and then-Attorney General Troy King that was intended to break up the backroom dealings of the state's government agencies, from city hall to Montgomery. Of course, it being Alabama, the Legislature at the time exempted so-called coalitions or legislative caucuses from the law that required meetings to be "open." Holmes was an early critic of the law. "I think...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18984231 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400 295 full false The price decision The price decision ack when my son was aboutB10 years old, he and one of his little buddies, Greg, decided the house was apparently the perfect place to play with a baseball bat. Let me be clear — we did not allow that. We did not allow ball playing in the house. We did not allow roughhousing in the house. We certainly did not allow anything involving a baseball bat in the house. They knew better. Of course, knowing better and doing better are sometimes two very different things when boys are involved. Somewhere between playing and roughhousing and doing whatever it is...

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]]> ack when my son was aboutB10 years old, he and one of his little buddies, Greg, decided the house was apparently the perfect place to play with a baseball bat. Let me be clear — we did not allow that. We did not allow ball playing in the house. We did not allow roughhousing in the house. We certainly did not allow anything involving a baseball bat in the house. They knew better. Of course, knowing better and doing better are sometimes two very different things when boys are involved. Somewhere between playing and roughhousing and doing whatever it is...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18984229 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400 216 full false Front Page Front Page

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]]> Buzzsprout-18945740 Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 2 full false Community Calendar Community Calendar APRIL 3 Jackson Rotary Club and Interact Club will host Easter in the Park April 3 from 3 to 5 p.m. The free event will include an Easter Bunny visit, egg hunt, games and activities. Egg hunt for Grove Hill April 4 at 10 a.m. on Main Street in Grove Hill. There will be over 1,000 candy filled eggs. Pictures with the Easter Bunny will be available. APRIL 4 Jackson Rotary and Interact club will present Easter in the park April 3 from 3-5 p.m. at City Hall Park in Jackson. There will be candy filled eggs, prize given for...

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]]> APRIL 3 Jackson Rotary Club and Interact Club will host Easter in the Park April 3 from 3 to 5 p.m. The free event will include an Easter Bunny visit, egg hunt, games and activities. Egg hunt for Grove Hill April 4 at 10 a.m. on Main Street in Grove Hill. There will be over 1,000 candy filled eggs. Pictures with the Easter Bunny will be available. APRIL 4 Jackson Rotary and Interact club will present Easter in the park April 3 from 3-5 p.m. at City Hall Park in Jackson. There will be candy filled eggs, prize given for...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18945739 Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 613 full false Is Alabama really the 'most conservative'? Is Alabama really the 'most conservative'? While making the media rounds during an apparent image-repair tour in response to his leaked comments about the Alabama Republican Party, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter repeatedly highlighted the House's conservative record. He did it in his apology letter to the Republican Party and in at least three separate media appearances. "I think our record speaks for itself. I mean, you know, since I've been speaker, Alabama has become the most conservative legislative body in the country," he declared on Alabama Public Television. "And so, we're proud of that. We're proud of the accomplishments we've had this quadrennium alone. We've already cut...

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]]> While making the media rounds during an apparent image-repair tour in response to his leaked comments about the Alabama Republican Party, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter repeatedly highlighted the House's conservative record. He did it in his apology letter to the Republican Party and in at least three separate media appearances. "I think our record speaks for itself. I mean, you know, since I've been speaker, Alabama has become the most conservative legislative body in the country," he declared on Alabama Public Television. "And so, we're proud of that. We're proud of the accomplishments we've had this quadrennium alone. We've already cut...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18945738 Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 301 full false Black eyes and broadway shows Black eyes and broadway shows Whenever I go to New Orleans, somebody invariably says, “Be careful.” A lot of people think it’s a dangerous place. I think they may have put a curse on me. It certainly was dangerous for me, but not for the reason you may be thinking. Nobody drove into the crowd I was with while I was cavorting on Bourbon Street or shot at us with a fatal pistol. Nope, I just stepped up on a curb and missed, falling flat on my face, busting my temple and spraining my wrist when I attempted to break my fall. Nothing glamorous ever...

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]]> Whenever I go to New Orleans, somebody invariably says, “Be careful.” A lot of people think it’s a dangerous place. I think they may have put a curse on me. It certainly was dangerous for me, but not for the reason you may be thinking. Nobody drove into the crowd I was with while I was cavorting on Bourbon Street or shot at us with a fatal pistol. Nope, I just stepped up on a curb and missed, falling flat on my face, busting my temple and spraining my wrist when I attempted to break my fall. Nothing glamorous ever...

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]]> Buzzsprout-18945736 Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400 245 full false Tractors, trolls and thinking for myself Tractors, trolls and thinking for myself I have had this column on my mind for quite some time. I started to write it more than once, then stopped. Finally, I decided I had toyed with it long enough. It was time to say it. Several weeks ago, I wrote a couple of political endorsements based on my personal opinions. They were my views, my words and my decision. After they were shared online, the comments started rolling in. Most were what you would expect. Some agreed. Some did not. Only two were truly ugly, but both carried the same implication — that as a woman, my...

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]]> I have had this column on my mind for quite some time. I started to write it more than once, then stopped. Finally, I decided I had toyed with it long enough. It was time to say it. Several weeks ago, I wrote a couple of political endorsements based on my personal opinions. They were my views, my words and my decision. After they were shared online, the comments started rolling in. Most were what you would expect. Some agreed. Some did not. Only two were truly ugly, but both carried the same implication — that as a woman, my...

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