Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

Florida Governor LeRoy Collins

15 YEARS AGO
JAN. 11, 2007

Tate, Sawyer sworn into office Monday morning: Two Monroe County officials began their sixth straight terms of office this week while another started his first term as an elected official.
Sheriff Tom Tate of Monroeville and Circuit Clerk John Sawyer of Monroeville were both sworn into office Monday morning by District Judge John Causey.
Robert Malone, county coroner, took office Tuesday morning when he was sworn in by Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs and Probate Judge-Elect Greg Norris prior to the Monroe County Commission meeting.
Both Tate and Sawyer have served in their respective positions through five terms.

Newly elected officials to be sworn in Sunday: Three newly elected officials will take the oath of office Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the courtroom of the Old Monroe County Courthouse in Monroeville.
Circuit Judge-Elect Dawn Hare of Monroeville, District Judge-Elect George Elbrecht of Monroeville and Probate Judge-Elect Greg Norris of Excel will all be sworn in during the special ceremony.

Bowen performs during Cotton Bowl: Elise Bowen of Excel recently performed with the Auburn University Band during the Cotton Bowl held on Jan. 1 in Dallas. Bowen is a junior at Auburn majoring in Education. This was her first year in the Auburn Band, where she plays trumpet. Bowen is a 2004 graduate of Excel School, where she was in the band for seven years and served as an officer and president for two years. She is the daughter of Al and Lisa Bowen of Excel.

40 YEARS AGO
JAN. 14, 1982

Expansion to mean 60 additional jobs: A $3-million expansion of Vanity Fair Mill Inc.’s distribution center on Drewry Road in Monroeville will add 60,000 square feet to the building and up to 60 more jobs during the firm’s peak shipping seasons.
The expansion announcement was made Monday by Vanity Fair, local and state officials to a crowd in the large courtroom of the Monroe County Courthouse. About 250 people braved sub-freezing temperatures to hear the announcement.

MA award winners: Several Monroe Academy football players and one cheerleader were honored at the school’s recent banquet. The awards and their recipients were: most valuable offensive lineman, Tripp Hendrix; most valuable junior high player, Steve Kennedy; most valuable defensive lineman, Tim Carter; most valuable offensive lineman, Scotty Croft; most improved player, Danny Forshee; defensive captain, Joey Langham; most spirited cheerleader, Paula Haskew; highest academic award winner, Todd Dees; headhunter, Mark Steadman; most valuable offensive back, Paul Bennett; most valuable defensive back, Ricky Sanchez; headhunter, Chad Owens; and offensive captain, Boyd Brantley.

Monroe County area residents battled subfreezing temperatures and icy roads Monday and Tuesday that prevented the normal operations of schools and businesses and left many homes without water and power.
A low of five degrees was recorded Monday by radio station WMFC. Monroe County public schools were closed because of heating problems in some buildings, said Bobby Grissette, superintendent of education.

65 YEARS AGO
JAN. 10, 1957

Fire Here Destroys Station On Sunday: The Standard Service Station, one block south of the Courthouse Square in Monroeville, was destroyed by fire around 9 a.m. Sunday.
Paul Winters, operator of the station, estimated the damage to be around $5,000.
The fire started when a kerosene heater in the station exploded and was out of control before the local fire department reached the scene.
Firemen were able to keep the blaze from spreading to any of the gas pumps or other buildings in the immediate vicinity.
The only injury reported during the fire were slight burns suffered by an employee, Gerald Skipper.

Albert Nettles Jr. of Monroeville and a fraternity brother from Auburn, Zandy Collins of Ocala, Fla., came back from a holiday hunt with this 14 and three-quarter pound gobbler bagged near Tunnel Springs. Nettles is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Nettles Sr. of Monroeville while Collins is a relative of Gov. Leroy Collins of Florida.

Harper Is Elected Bank Vice-President: J.R. Harper of Monroeville was named a new vice-president of the Peterman State Bank, Peterman, in a recent election of officers.
Mr. Harper also holds the position of cashier at the bank.
Mrs. Maggie L. Williams was named assistant cashier.
Other bank officials who were re-elected include: P.S. Jackson, president; J.F. Nettles, vice-president; and Mrs. Martha Jackson, R.A. Wible, J.L. Tatum, A.A. Nettles, G.L. Nettles and E.W. Colgin.

90 YEARS AGO
JAN. 14, 1932

The Monroe County High School Band is rapidly going forward under its new organization. There are 31 members in the band and more are expected to join next month. Under the new organization, the fees are $3 per month for those who use school instruments and $2 per month for those who use their own instruments. Professor York feels sure that in the near future he will be able to make reductions in the above prices. It is the purpose of the Monroe County High School to put out a band second to none other in the state for schools of its size.
The band made the trip to Mobile last year taking part in the Mardi Gras festivities. We are in hopes that in spite of the depression we will be able to make this trip again this year. Sometime during March, the high school band will go to Montgomery to contest in the State Band Contest. This will be the first contest of its kind in Alabama.

Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Galloway of Frisco City, Mrs. W.W. Garrett and Rev. A.E. Emfinger of Uriah were among the visitors from other Order of the Eastern Star chapters attending the school of instruction here Saturday.

MRS. A.J. MANNING: Mrs. A.J. Manning died in the Century, Fla. hospital on Dec. 24, 1931. The body was laid to rest in the Baptist cemetery at Mexia. Mrs. Manning was a member of the Oak Grove Church for many years.

Miss Clara Armstrong and Miss Bruice Dees went to Pensacola Saturday to see Old Ironsides.

Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Williams Jr. have returned from their wedding trip and are at home at Finchburg.

115 YEARS AGO
JAN. 10, 1907

Mr. G.A. Fountain of Fork, County Hard Labor Agent, was at the capital last week.

Mr. M.M. Fountain is attending a meeting of the Alabama Sheriffs’ Association in Montgomery.

Dr. G.C. Watson’s dental office is now located in the apartment formerly occupied by the Monroeville Library.

County Superintendent John D. Forte spent several days here this week conducting the semi-annual examination of applicants for licenses to teach in the public schools of the county.

Capt. W.B. Kemp’s many friends throughout the county are gratified to learn that he was unanimously chosen Door-Keeper of the Senate in the organization of that body on Tuesday. Capt. Kemp filled this position most acceptably during the last session of the legislature.

John M. Burns, Esq., has been appointed County Solicitor to serve during the absence of Senator (Oscar O.) Bayles, who is now in attendance on the session of the legislature.

Pythian Notes: The order of Knights of Pythias is on quite a boom in all parts of Alabama, and particularly in this immediate section. Following closely the reorganization of the defunct “Prairie Queen Lodge” at Monroeville comes the institution of Beatrice Lodge, named for its home town, the thriving little city in the northwestern part of our county. The institution of this lodge took place on Friday evening, Dec. 21, and was largely attended by Knights from Monroeville, Tinela, Selma and other points. The exercises were under the direction of Prof. L.K. Benson, who has been specially commissioned by the Grand Chancellor.
Another lodge of the order will, in a few days, be organized at Manistee, this county. The Grand Chancellor has already approved a petition for a new lodge to be located at Excel, this county.