The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Jan. 18, 2022

Gov. James Elisha Folsom

17 YEARS AGO
JAN. 20, 2005

Evergreen weather observer Harry Ellis reported 1.70 inches of rain on Jan. 13. He also reported highs of 72 degrees on Jan. 11 and Jan. 12 and a low of 24 on Jan. 16.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Seth Hammett of Andalusia was the luncheon speaker at the annual meeting of the El Camino East-West Corridor last Thursday at the Monroeville Community Center. A large crowd heard the speaker pledge his support for the widening of U.S. Highway 84 to four lanes across the state.

District Attorney Tommy Chapman was sworn into office last Friday morning by Conecuh County District Judge Jeff T. Brock. Chapman’s wife, Patsy, held the Bible during a small private ceremony held in the courtroom in the Conecuh County Courthouse. He officially began his third term of office on Tuesday of this week.

E911 board approves temporary job merging: The Conecuh County E911 Board voted at their regular meeting Tuesday night to move forward with the combining of the E911 Director and Emergency Management Agency Director positions on a six-month trial basis.
It was pointed out that the EMA Director’s position has not been a full-time position in the past in this county.
After discussing the enjoining of the two positions at length, board member John Hendricks made a motion to proceed with combining the positions on a six-month trial basis with the reservation of the right to dissolve the move if the board finds that it is a problem. Board member Sean Klaetsch seconded Hendricks’ motion (which passed 3-2).

42 YEARS AGO
JAN. 17, 1980

Local weather observer Earl Windham reported 0.18 inches of rain on Jan. 7, 0.46 inches on Jan. 9 and 1.00 inches on Jan. 11. He reported a high of 68 degrees on Jan. 11 and a low of 36 on Jan. 7.

Taylor Davis, Police Communications Officer 2, was honored at a banquet Friday night in recognition of his 35 years service with the Alabama State Troopers at the Evergreen Post prior to his recent retirement. Major James L. Fuqua presented framed certificates of appreciation from Trooper Commander and Director of the State Dept. of Public Safety Col. Jerry Shoemaker and from Gov. Fob James.

Cattlemen, Cowbelles hold banquet Friday: The Conecuh County Cattlemen and CowBelles will hold their annual banquet this Friday night at seven o’clock at the Holiday Inn, according to Gerald and Kathy Salter, presidents of the organizations.
The State Association will be represented by President Milton “Buzz” Wendland of Autaugaville.
The featured speaker will be Robert Vaughn of Ozark. Vaughn is a highly sought humorous speaker who is guaranteed to give audiences lots of laughs along with some important matters upon which to think.

The Murder Creek Historical Society announces today that it will have a “flea market” sale at the historic L&N Depot in Evergreen on Sat., Feb. 2. The Murder Creek Historical Society is making final plans to “really fix up the old depot.”

67 YEARS AGO
JAN. 20, 1955

Pioneer Resident Passes Away At His Home: Mack Thomas Johnston Jr., age 88, lifetime resident of Conecuh County, died at his home on Jan. 5 in Johnstonville after an illness of several months.
He was the grandson of Asa Johnston, one of the first settlers in Conecuh County. Asa Johnston came to this county in 1818 from Georgia and built the house in which Mack Johnston Jr. was born. Three years after Johnston’s birth, the house was torn down and moved about a mile and a half to its present location, where he lived until his death on Jan. 5.
In 1907, he married Maggie L. Johnson of Belleville. She passed away in 1941. He was a member of the Baptist Church and a Mason.

Evergreen and Conecuh County Sparkle In Inaugural Parade Monday: Amid much pomp and ceremony, Alabama’s new governor James Elisha Folsom was sworn in for his second term before the largest crowd ever assembled for such a ceremony in Alabama.
Perhaps the largest parade in the history of the Southland preceded the ceremony, with floats and bands from every county in the state participating.
The float entered by Conecuh County received very favorable comment from the telecasters and radio men covering the parade. The float featured the motto of Alabama, “We dare defend our rights” in both Latin and English. Around the motto were grouped the lovely young ladies who vied for the Queen title in the Conecuh County Christmas Carnival in Evergreen in December: Queen Joy, Patsy Jones of Lyeffion High School; Princess Gaiety, Estelle Bodiford of Conecuh County High School; and the attendants, Willie Anna Hanks, Evergreen High School and Janice Butts, Repton High School.

92 YEARS AGO
JAN. 16, 1930

Castleberry To Have New Filling Station: C.E. Robinson, proprietor of the Service Garage, has virtually completed the erection of a modern gasoline filling station at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and the Evergreen-Castleberry highway and will make announcement of his opening date within a few days.
The station will be known as “Curt’s Place” and will be conducted by Mr. Robinson himself. In addition to regular filling station accessories, including well known brands of gasoline, oil, tires and parts, quick lunches will also be served.

Concrete Being Poured On Castleberry Road: Paving of the Evergreen-Castleberry highway was begun Saturday morning, Jan. 11, by contractors, the Davis Construction Co. of Atlanta, Ga. About 150 yards were laid the first day but with good weather about one mile per week is expected to be laid from now on.
Laying of the pavement was begun at the south end of Jordan Creek bridge, three and one-half miles north of Castleberry and the first project will be the laying of this three and one-half miles into this town. The machinery will then be moved to the Escambia County line three miles south of Castleberry where paving of this three-mile stretch will begin.
With these two projects completed, the pavers will start at that point where the Evergreen-Castleberry highway intersects the Evergreen-Belleville highway and pave south the remaining distance of approximately five miles. The exact length of the entire project is officially listed at 11.63 miles, contract for the paving of which was let on Nov. 6 for approximately $184,900.