Podcast from the ClarkeCountyDemocrat.comSubscribe for just $0.99 with the coupon code "PODCAST"
Ronnie Milton Phillips, 72, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend passed away at home in North Pole, Alaska, surrounded by family on April 16, 2025. Ron was a 20-year Air Force retiree, 100% disabled veteran, and Alaska resident since 1982. Ron is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sharon; their four children, Christina, Jeremy, Marcus, Stephanie and spouses; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild and extended family in various southern states. Ron was preceded in death by grandparents, Alec, Erma, G.W., Annie Bea; parents, Roy and Velma; older sisters, Opal, Gail and spouse Wes; nephews, Michael and Tony; plus, many...Article Link
Wallace Gene Pezent, 82, passed away on May 16, 2025, at Colquitt Regional Hospital in Moultrie, Ga. Wallace was born on Nov. 10, 1942, to parents Joseph Pezent and Mary Pezent. Wallace retired after a 45-year career at Boise Cascade in Jackson, where he established numerous lifelong friendships. He loved spending time with his family and friends, teaching them about fishing on the Tombigbee River, where they had a fish camp for many years. And he had plenty of fish stories to tell anyone who would listen. Wallace was of the Baptist faith and a member of Leroy Baptist Church....Article Link
Payton Smith is on the campus of Troy University this weekend for the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership conference. Payton was selected by the faculty and staff of Clarke Prep to be our 2025 HOBY representative. Founded in 1958, HOBY's mission is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. HOBY programs provide students selected by their schools an opportunity to recognize their leadership talents and apply them to become effective ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace, and community. Hopefully it will be an amazing weekend making memories...Article Link
Attention all Clarke Prep pee wee, junior varsity and varsity athletes and cheerleaders there will be sports physicals at the Grove Hill Healthcare Clinic on Wednesday, June 4 at 1 p.m. Any male or female that will be participating in any pee wee, junior varsity, or varsity athletic/cheer program during the 2025-2026 school year will need to attend. A current physical must be completed and on file at school before any student is allowed to participate in any athletic/cheer programs (this includes summer camps). Forms are available outside the Clarke Prep school office. Forms should be filled out, signed and...Article Link
The fifth annual BLACK BELT BIRDING FESTIVAL will take place on Aug. 1, 2 and 3. Highlighting the birds, history, and heritage of Alabama's Black Belt region, the festival brings together the joy of birding with the benefits of ecotourism to a region of profoundly important ecology and civil rights history. “We are super excited about this year's festival given that participation has surged over the past two years. Nowhere else can you see Wood Storks, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, and Swallow-tailed Kites against a backdrop of bountiful grasslands and epic civil rights history.”— Dr. Scot Duncan, Executive director of Alabama Audubon...Article Link
Town Hall Meeting will be hosted in Linden at the Marengo County Economic Development Authority May 29th at 5:30 p.m. about the impacts of federal cuts and tariffs. Speakers will include Rep. A.J. McCampbell, Rep. Thomas Jackson and Sen. Bobby Singleton. The event will also be live streamed on Soom and Gumptown News. The Marengo County Economic Development Authority office is located at 2400 E. Coats Ave., Linden, AL 36748. Elam Baptist Church will be celebrating homecoming and decoration day Sunday June 1 beginning with Sunday school at 10 a.m., worship service at 11 and lunch at noon. The Rev....Article Link
Arrests booked in the Clarke County May 19 - 25 include the following: Cedrick Demond Davis, 24, harassing communications, assault third degree Jonathan Bettis, 45, sex abuse – child less than 12 years of age Latrice Lachelle Boykin, 40, theft of property third degree Tasha Merrick, 48, interference with child custody Christopher Harwell, 54, disorderly conduct/disturbing the peace, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful receipt/possession of controlled substance, resisting arrest, unlawful possession of marijuana second degree James Baretta Washington, 49, theft of property first degree Edward Dale Dickinson, 51, probation violation – new charge – misdemeanor Cardel Hickenbottom, 43, unlawful possession...Article Link
Marriage License May 19 - 23: Chad Andrew Bright Sr. to Leslie Nicole Edgar Nathan Lee Chapman Jr. to Sarah Katriona Harkless Deeds May 19 - 23: Hybard Maurice Paul, John Newsom Revocable Trust A of 2005 to Hybard Maurice Paul (Warranty) Victor B. Driver to Victor B. Driver, Nancy J. Driver; Victor B. Driver to Victor B. Driver, Nancy J. Driver; Victor B. Driver to Victor B. Driver, Nancy J. Driver (Survivorship) Johnson Boys LLC to Tiesha S. Burroughs, Za- 'Layaa Tarvin; Paul Gregory Dungan, Michael Wayne Dungan to James Roney (Warranty) Blanch Starks, Alisa G. Moss to Deborah...Article Link
I just saw some of my grandchildren's homecoming dance photos. Why am I writing about old folks stuff? We are supposed to write about what we know and I got inspiration for this week's column from my grandsons' hair. They were dressed up but their hairdos reminded me of dust mops. They were pictured with their whole group of friends and all of them but one with very thin hair had the same style. It looked like they had been caught in a high wind and their hair froze in a tousled position. One of the two boys has beautiful...Article Link
When Republicans finally took control of the Alabama Legislature in 2010, they put a conservative stamp on Alabama's legislative process and lawmaking. They have made sure that Alabamians, and for that matter the rest of the country, know that Alabama is a ruby red Republican state, both socially and fiscally. A good bit of the social posturing has been for show, rather than governing. However, the real impact and resonance has been with the conservative approach to budgeting and the fiscally prudent stewardship of Alabamians tax dollars. Prior to 2010, the Democrats in Alabama spent money just like the Democrats...Article Link
This time 25 years ago as a new high school graduate, all I knew was that I was going to (hopefully) be a social studies teacher. I briefly explored other professions as they sparked my interest or were recommended to me, but I know that my calling for the first part of my career was to teach social studies. I did so for 13 years until I knew it was time to do something else. Educators are lifelong learners, so I conducted extensive research into the types of fields former educators often enter after teaching. Sales and corporate training were...Article Link
The bill, which is intended to combat inner city gun violence, includes: 1. New firearm possession prohibitions. It will now be a class C felony for someone to possess a firearm if he or she has been convicted of (a) any felony offense within the past five years or (b) three felony offenses at any time. It will now be a class C felony for someone to possess a firearm while out on bail awaiting trial for certain prescribed offenses (e.g., a violent offense). 2. Increased penalty for shooting into occupied dwelling. It will now be a Class A felony—not...Article Link
Patricia Jackson president of the Women's Missionary Society at Sandflat MP Church, presented a check for ,000 from the annual WMS plant sale to the Clarke County Kingdom Builders. From left are with the Clarke County Kingdom Builders are Ken Knight, Bret Wildrick, Thomas Schultz and Patricia Jackson with Sandflat MP Church.Article Link
SUN Bucks provides 0 in grocery benefits per eligible school-age child when school is out for summer. SUN Bucks can be used to purchase food from authorized retailers in participating states, Tribes, and territories. It may also be known as Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (or Summer EBT) in certain locations. Children can receive SUN Bucks on top of other benefits like SNAP and WIC, and in addition to free SUN Meals from local meal sites or SUN Meals To-Go in eligible rural communities. In states, Tribes, and territories participating in SUN Bucks (Summer EBT), schoolaged children whose families receive SNAP,...Article Link
GROVE HILL -- Another broadband internet provider addressed Clarke County Commissioners on Tuesday regarding the Alabama BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Development) program. Bright Speed Media Affairs representative Kent Ward noted his company was requesting the commissioners to provide a letter of support to include with Bright Speed's grant application to ADECA (Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs) for BEAD grant funding. A representative of Mediacom addressed commissioners at the May 13 meeting. “ This will bring broadband and internet access to Clarke County areas currently under-served as determined by the FCC and ADECA,” Ward said. The areas of...Article Link
A swirling summer storm once left me stranded in the darkness with dozens of bewildered children. My fellow camp counselors and I had decided to surprise our campers with a pajama party in the lodge on the final night of camp. But the real surprise wasn't the disco ball strung from the rafters or the karaoke contest. It was the raging wind and rain that severed tree limbs and snapped power lines, leaving us huddled in a blackout. Most kids eventually surrendered to sleep — but not the fretful one beside me. “I hate this place,” she murmured with a...Article Link
Darius Slayton is not from Jackson, but his mother is, and that's reason enough for the seven-year NFL veteran wide receiver to host the Slayton Skills Camp in her hometown. The camp will be June 28 for 9th-12th grade boys, from 8-11:30 a.m., at Jackson High School's Legion Field at Simpkins Stadium. Check-in will begin at 8. This camp is free to the first 100 people signing up at www.lhrhfoundation.com/s kills-camp. Parents can register with their child's first and last name. Pamela Slayton, Darius' mother, graduated from Jackson High School in 1980. Darius, who grew up in Atlanta, is having...Article Link
Micah Caster, a Division I basketball player at the University of Louisiana Monroe, is coming home to host a free camp for young athletes in Southwest Alabama in late May. Born and raised in McIntosh, Caster grew up surrounded by basketball. He started playing at just 3 years old with STARZ Youth Sports, and later attended Jackson schools, while his father Marcus Caster coached at Jackson High School. Although proud to wear the Aggies jersey, Caster was always torn because his mother is a graduate of McIntosh High School. His heart has always belonged to both towns. Caster made history...Article Link
This year's Free Fishing Day is June 7. Each year, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources designates a "Free Fishing Day" for the public to fish recreationally in public waters without a fishing license. The event is part of National Fishing and Boating Week, which runs June 1-8. State Public Fishing Lakes still require a fishing permit on Free Fishing Day, and fishing in a private pond requires the pond owner's permission. Some piers may also require fees and permits. Free Fishing Day takes place during Alabama's red snapper season. Saltwater anglers will not need a saltwater fishing...Article Link
The Bible has some good thoughts. Psalm 62:8 says, “Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” Our eternal God understands our everyday life, and when we suffer grief, he understands. Remember that Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Grief is the way God intended for us to deal with loss. It is nature's way of healing a broken heart. Jesus himself wept when he received news one day that his close friend Lazarus had died. There is no correct timetable for grief work. Each person must be allowed...Article Link
Early Years John Gerald Bradford Jr. was born on March 8, 1941, in Grove Hill, Ala., to Gladys Kennedy and John Gerald Bradford Sr. He grew up in a close-knit small-town community where childhood days were filled with friends, outdoor adventures, and strong values. John often reminisced about those early years, sharing stories of the friendships and community support that shaped his character. Education and Career John attended Clarke County High School in Grove Hill, Ala., and went on to pursue higher education at Auburn University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management. Paying for college was...Article Link
Roselyn Harrison Martindale, 84, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 due to natural causes. Roselyn was born in Jackson, on Jan. 6, 1941, to Grady Byrd Harrison and Elizabeth Palmer Harrison. She was the first child, and first grandchild on both sides. The family welcomed her only sibling, a brother, William Grady Harrison five years later. Roselyn was the granddaughter of Warren Fletcher Harrison and Lillie Griffin Harrison, and Dr. Ransom Dabney Palmer and Margaret Lee Palmer. The family resided in Thomasville where Roselyn graduated as salutatorian of the Class of 1958. She was very active...Article Link
Bobby Gray Walker, 78, of Thomasville, died Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Dickinson. He was born June 5, 1946 in Fulton to Fred M. Walker and Wreda McClure Walker. He is survived by his daughter, Tina Overton (James); 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Brenda Sue Walker. A memorial service was held at Walker Springs Road Baptist Church in Jackson on Saturday, May 17, at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Daniel Mairet officiating. Condolences may be offered at obryatnchapelfh.com. Arrangements by O'Bryant Chapel Funeral Home and Crematory.Article Link
John Gerald Bradford Jr., 84, passed away peacefully on May 17, 2025. He was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather who was a native of Clarke County and a longtime resident of Fulton. He was born on March 8, 1941, to Gladys Kennedy and John Gerald Bradford Sr. of Grove Hill. John married Betty Jean Hamilton of Fulton on March 11, 1962, and enjoyed 56 years of marriage until her passing on May 19, 2018. John attended Clarke County High School in Grove Hill and went on to pursue higher education at Auburn University where he graduated with a Bachelor...Article Link
Spencer Chapel AME Church will host Colorama May 25 at 2 p.m. The church is located at 718 NE Main St. in Fulton. The church pastor is the Rev. LaDarrell Thames. Every memorial day at 3 p.m. local time, Americans from coast to coast pause to remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. “Taps Across America” is a way to honor those service members. Musicians from all backgrounds join in a synchronized nationwide sounding of Taps, uniting the country in a shared moment of honor, remembrance and reflection. Again this year, trumpet players from the Flying...Article Link
Arrests booked in the Clarke County May 12-18 include the following: Kelston Mykfrel Fikes, 23, assault third degree Deonte Cortez Albert, 29, probation revocation – technical violation Kristen Stephan Watkins, 31, rape first degree Fredrick Freeman II, 24, assault third degree Steve Tyler Webb, 28, 2x possession of controlled substance Anthony Karl Yelder Jr., 28, assault second degree Latrevian Foxx, 23, petition for revocation of probation, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana second degree Breaun Shaundell Pendleton, 33, probation revocation – technical violation Dacarius Mar'Shawn Johnson, 23, Sorna violation Ronald Pritchett, 59, possession or receipt of controlled substances Beau...Article Link
Marriage LicenseMay 12 - 16: Vincent Anquawn King to Vanessa Olivia Wright Ricky Irvin Mock to Rena Ailene Goodman Kevin Gregory Champion to Wendy Lou Wilson Tensley N. Criswell to Hunter Kyle Furrow Jared Patrick Moon to Jena Lynn Pickle Tyler Garrett Overton to Kaylee Alyssa Bradford Gordon Kirby Marks to Kelly Dee Bates DeedsMay 12 - 16: S&P Investments LLC to Kevin Lyda, Robyn Lyda; Charlie James Clarke to Sylvia Lee Hunt (Warranty) Sherry Jordan to Kathy Locklar (Survivorship) Jimmie C. Baugh, Sheryl A. Baugh to Therese Ann Long (Quit Claim) Howard Phillip Reynolds, Catherine Virginia Larimer, Howard Nelson...Article Link
When you meet someone from somewhere else, how do you describe your Southerness? If you are around them for a while, they get it without having it explained but when you first meet them, what do you tell them so that they will understand your culture? Southerness is a culture. Pat Conroy once said, “South Carolina is a cult.” Isn't the South a cult with subsets like states, regions and parts of these states that have distinct cultures of their own? What do we all have in common as Southerners? We live in a land of rich and plenty of...Article Link
You would have to be living under a rock to not be aware that two of our state's metropolitan areas have a serious problem with violent crime. Montgomery and Birmingham have become crime-ridden war zones that resemble third-world countries like Mexico, run by drug cartels. The rampant, open-ended violence and cavalier murders in Montgomery and Birmingham leapt so high in 2024, that people who still lived there were scared to come out of their homes for fear of being shot. Even their homes were not safe places, a good many small children were reported murdered from stray bullets in Birmingham,...Article Link
Ivey Griffin kept up with the news and happenings of Thomasville and Clarke County -- and much of the rest of the region -- even after he was sidelined to his porch in Oak Hill in Wilcox County. The owner of WJDB Radio had a network of friends -- and their cell numbers. He'd sometimes call me three times a week to tell me something or to hear anything I knew. He always had more news than me and often with tantalizing background details. I wasn't the only person he called; likely as soon as he hung up with me,...Article Link
You did it, Graduates! Now, it's your time to continue to shine! As I reflect on my high school and college graduations, I think of all the things I learned in school and through experience. Upon graduating from high school and starting my freshman year at the University of South Alabama, it was a summer of excitement that was gradually joined by feelings of fear of the unknown. As my parents drove away after moving me into my dorm room, I cried from the window as I watched them drive away. It was at that moment that I realized what...Article Link
The Clarke County Democrat will publish a keepsake edition of the Class of 2025 graduation edition in its May 29 issue.Article Link
The Clarke Prep salutatorian is Ashlyn Rose BrunsonArticle Link
Clarke Prep golfer Brody Bradford, a sophomore, recently fired 3-under par to win the two-day AISA state golf individual championship at Auburn's Pines Crossing Golf Course. It is the best a golfer from Clarke Prep has ever fared. Already, Bradford has received some inquiries about his future in golf after high school. There are several colleges Bradford would enjoy playing for, according to Clarke Prep Golf Coach Bill Weide. Weide noted Bradford's work ethic was special. “Yes, his work ethic is incredible,” Weide said. “He will spend hours working on different aspects of his game. “I believe his greatest strength...Article Link
I am 81. My wife, Peggy, is younger. We have been married for almost 62 years. We have three children, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. We have lived at 20 different addresses in five states, two countries and on two continents. Having lived at 20 different addresses is not a world record, but it means that we have packed up all of our belongings and moved lock stock and barrel 20 times. There are many things that we have learned in living in all these places. One of the most important things is this, “wherever you go, there you are.”...Article Link
MONROEVILLE -- Twenty-four years ago, Pilots for Christ provided hope and support to David Landis and his family by flying their 2-year-old daughter to Miami Children's Hospital for critical neurological testing. Inspired by this life-changing experience, Landis and his team at Landis Design Company recently completed a custom-designed boat wrap featuring sponsor logos and prominently showcasing the Pilots for Christ logo on a boat owned by local supporter Brad Trotter. Trotter, whose father in-law was also profoundly impacted by the generosity of Pilots for Christ, joined with a group of generous local business sponsors to highlight the ministry's Day of...Article Link
GROVE HILL -- The economy and tax revenue in Grove Hill have grown in the last four years but better infrastructure is needed for the trend to continue, according to Mayor Ross Wood. The city's total tax revenue has grown substantially from .1 million in fiscal-year 2020 to .65 million in fiscal-year 2024, Wood said, by adding businesses and getting a boost by becoming the only municipality in Clarke County to sell alcohol on Sunday. “ There ' s some property owners that don't want to rent their buildings, but for the most part, all the empty buildings that we...Article Link
THOMASVILLE -- A preceding -- thunderstorm and hour-long rain delay did not stop the efforts of those supporting Relay for Life Friday night in Thomasville at Gates Drive Park. Chamber Director Kara Durie led the opening ceremony with this year's Relay superhero theme, “Saving the World, One Cure at a Time.” Thomasville High School student and ambassador, Charlie Nordan, sang the National Anthem. After thanking everyone involved and setting the stage for the night, Durie went on to say that “Relay for Life is not just an event, it's a mission.” The first lap was led by cancer survivors, followed...Article Link
GROVE HILL — A man known for his overwhelming kindness and joy, though gone in body, will forever be visible in Grove Hill's memory after having the new fire station named in his honor. The Chris “Bubba Mac“ McVay Fire Station 235 was officially dedicated Monday evening with Grove Hill Mayor Ross Wood, members of the city council, the fire department, family, friends, and other spectators on hand for the occasion. McVay passed away on Nov. 10, 2020 from Covid. A 23-year veteran with the Grove Hill Fire and Rescue, McVay was known as “Bubba Mac.” “In his time with...Article Link
THOMASVILLE -- Thomasville grocery store owner Robbie Norman never envisioned he'd be as interested in thoroughbred horses as he is in making sure there are enough heads of lettuce, bunches of bananas and ground chuck at Super Foods. “I'm just an accounting nerd,” he said, “so I sit up here and look at grocery prices all day.” When he was 11, he regretted ever putting his feet in the stirrups after getting thrown off his brother's horse twice. “I was riding and somebody came down the road and started honking the horn and he got to bucking and running through...Article Link
Marriage License April 14 - 18: Teresa Joan Carter to Albert Sloan Marks Nathan Steve Aplin to Brianna Faith Roley Damion Malik Welch to Macy Elise Brooks Deeds Elroy Wade Jr, Bradley Robert Wade to Wade Elroy Jr. (Warranty) Dorothy Ann Savage Fluker Holloway, Dorothy Ann Savage to Dorothy Ann Savage Fluker Holloway (Statutory) Veronica Rambo, Rocket Mortgage LLC F/K/A, Quicken Loans LLC to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Foreclosure) Jessica Williams, Jessica Parker to Jessica Parker (Warranty) Wayne Buckalew, Pamela Buckalew to Robert Ray, Sheri Ray (Survivorship) Jim Fore III, Dorothy W. Fore to Glenda Powell; Britt D. Wilson...Article Link
The Pig Squeal is a cute name, but it has far reaching connotations well beyond the kids and their hogs. Athletes will tell you how much their coach meant to their life well after their playing days. A teacher's impact on their students often stays with them every day, not unlike their parents' influence. Saturday's Pig Squeal, as Extension Agent Wendy Padgett said, is the culmination of several months of kids learning so much more than just raising a couple of pigs. Padgett explained the day-to-day obligations, requirements, care and needs the 4H students have for the animals in today's...Article Link
GROVE HILL – Clarke County Schools Superintendent Ashlie Flowers made special mention of a fallen student at Clarke County School and his mother, both whom succumbed to gunshots allegedly fired by Edward Raine in a murders suicide on Sunday, April 6. Jayden Howell, 8, was a student at Grove Hill Elementary. His mother, Ashley Howell, 39, was also killed by Edward Raine, 43, before he turned the gun on himself in an apparent murders suicide. Raine had also shot 11-year-old Jayln Howell, a student at Wilson Hall Middle School in Grove Hill, but she was found alive when Clarke County...Article Link
Clarke County's Spring Cleanup Day will be Saturday, April 26. Alabama Power has donated several items for the event, according to Commissioner Barry Chancey, who also thanked Solid Waste Enforcement Officer Jim Hudson for his help with the project. Chancey noted at Tuesday morning's Clarke County Commissioners Court meeting where residents can use the free dumpster sites to help clean up in their area. Dumpsters will be placed at Rockville Community Center on Lady Landing Road, the intersection if Walker Springs Road and Fool's Acre Road, McVay Road (behind Don's Body Shop in North Jackson), the corner of Choctaw and...Article Link
The Town of Fulton will be filled with lots of squealing on Saturday, April 26, at 11 a.m. as the Clarke County 4-H Program will hold its annual Pig Squeal Show and Sale. The event will be on the left across from the Mid-Central Water Authority located at 1480 Highway 178. Sign-up for the Clarke County 4-H Pig Squeal project was held between October and November. Twenty youth signed up to participate in the project. The participants in the project range from age 9-18. In December, a mandatory meeting was held with the youth and parents to discuss an overview...Article Link
Abandoned Vehicle Auction NOTICE OF SALE The following unclaimed abandoned vehicles will be sold by sealed bids for towing and storage fees owed to Call Christopher Wrecker Service by Act No. 83-484 of the Legislature of Alabama and in compliance with Section 32-8, Code of Alabama, 1975. 2007 CADILLAC CTS 1G6DP577670171362 FULTON SHOP OWNER 2013 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1GNSCJE05DR274219 THOMASVILLE CCSD 2014 CHEVY EQUINOX 2GNALBEK8E6346823 THOMASVILLE STORE MGR. 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY 4TRBE32K34U362070 JACKSON PROP OWNER 2011 NISSAN MURANO JN8AZ1MU8BW053353 JACKSON JPD PLEASE MAIL BIDS TO: CALL CHRISTOPHER WRECKER SERVICE 381 SOUTH JACKSON STREET GROVE HILL, ALABAMA 36451 EACH BID MUST INCLUDE:...Article Link
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
