The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Oct. 6, 2025

EIGHT YEARS AGO
OCT. 5, 2017

Excel crowns queen: Excel senior Haley Beard, escorted by her father Danny Beard, was crowned homecoming queen Friday night during a pregame ceremony on the football field.

MCHS crowns queen: Monroe County High School senior Erin George, escorted by Percy Parker Sr., was crowned homecoming queen Friday night during the halftime show on the football field.

Bulldogs do it again! – For the second straight week J.U. Blacksher snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when the Bulldogs rallied from a 14-7 deficit to post a 17-14 victory in overtime Friday night in Excel.
Cooper Dean paced Blacksher’s offense, completing 9 of 13 passes for 178 yards and a pair of TDs. Defensively, the Bulldogs were led by Dillan Baldwin, a senior linebacker, who had 15 tackles, including four tackles for a loss.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Jacob Bowman, Taylor Graham, Justin Heffington, JaDaniel Tucker, J.T. Tucker and Tanner Weaver. Top Excel players were Keonte Brandon, Trent Jenkins, Jalen Johnson, Carter Ledkins, Ray Maye and K.D. Rabb. Wes Sims was Blacksher’s head coach.)

Enrollment up at six schools: Over the course of the last four years, the Monroe County Public Schools System experienced a steady decline in student enrollment, but that trend changed this year with six of the county’s seven public schools reporting an increase in enrollment. Every school in the system has reported an increase in average daily membership with the exception of Monroe County High School in Monroeville, which saw a decline of 25 students from the 2016-17 school year.

33 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 24, 1998

Church gets growing room: Members of Excel Baptist Church will soon be able to spread out.
With the addition of a 10,000-square foot two-story education building, expected to be ready this week, members will have growing room. The church’s expanding congregation has been crowded in their Sunday School classrooms for the past several years, said the Rev. Tom Daniel, pastor of the Excel church for 10 years.

Frisco remains unbeaten: Frisco City High School snapped a string of seven straight losses to Flomaton High School Friday when the Whippets posted a 20-7 win in Frisco City.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Frisco head coach Scott Fountain, who is in his third season at Frisco. “We beat a pretty good football team last week.”
(Top FCHS players in that game included Roy Bonner, Adrian Bullard, Tony Gibbs, Derrick Harris, Shannon Richardson, William Sheets, A.J. White and Eric Williams.)

Council ceremonies next week: The new municipal councils will be sworn in Monday and Tuesday.
Monroeville, Frisco City, Excel, Beatrice and Vredenburgh councils will be sworn in at various times on Monday by Monroe County Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs. Town Clerk Margaret Mims will officiate in the ceremony in Repton at the beginning of the council’s regular meeting Tuesday.

58 YEARS AGO
OCT. 5, 1967

‘Taxes and Termites’ In Third Printing: Shorty Culpepper’s popular book, “Taxes and Termites,” is getting more popular every day. As a result, The Journal this week is beginning its third printing of the publication. A collection of his best newspaper columns in book form, “Taxes and Termites” is gaining recognition throughout Alabama as a favorite means of spreading joy. The book, containing 114 pages of humor, sells for $1.50 plus sales tax. Mr. Culpepper’s regular weekly column appears in The Monroe Journal.

Last Few Seconds Prove Decisive As MCHS Whips Atmore, 14-13: The Monroe County High Tigers upended the Atmore Blue Devils, 14-13, at Vanity Fair Park Friday night in a game whose outcome was not decided until the last few seconds.
With 29 seconds remaining on the scoreboard clock, Ken Kilpatrick rolled to his left only to be turned back by the charging Atmore line. He reversed his field, spotted Edward Philen in the end zone, and tossed him the ball to tie the game at 13-13. With 22 seconds showing, Wayne Turberville drove the ball through the uprights to give the Tigers a 14-13 lead.
Time ran out for the Blue Devils as they had the ball intercepted by Mike Kimberl on the first play after the kickoff.

Centennial Copy Deadline Oct. 15: The Journal again reminds its readers that Oct. 15 is the deadline for receiving copy, pictures, family histories or other items for publication in the Centennial Supplement. The issue, designed to complement the original Centennial Edition published last December, will come out later this year, probably in December.

85 YEARS AGO
OCT. 3, 1940

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hornady, near Hatter’s Mill, was completely destroyed by fire last Thursday morning. When the flames were discovered, the family only had time enough to save a few pieces of wearing apparel and two mattresses.

The opening game of the current football season will be played here this Friday night, Oct. 4, with the Monroeville High team meeting the Thomasville High team. The game is scheduled to start promptly at eight o’clock.
(Players on Monroe County High School’s team who were expected to play in that game included Kittrell Agee, Monroe Agee, Bonner Bivin, Frank Booker, Lester Caine, Jack Dennis, Carl Falkenberry, Charles Falkenberry, Elwell Falkenberry, Robinson Harper, Tiny Helton, Austin Hendrix, Ira Hetherington, Claiborne Hightower, Brutus Lawrence, Bill McMillon, Landis McMillon, Hop Stevens, Carl Taylor, Percy Taylor, Wallace Taylor, Albert Thames and Cortez Tomlinson.)

Rev. William Henry Hasty died at his home in Excel last Friday night at the age of 94 years.
His death marked the passing of the last Confederate veteran in this county.
Burial was in the Excel cemetery Sunday afternoon at 3:30 with Masonic honors.

Two Bands And Football Teams To Parade Friday: At two o’clock Friday afternoon the Monroe County High School band and the football team will parade around the public square, and at 4:30, the Thomasville band and football team will lead another parade.

110 YEARS AGO
OCT. 7, 1915

COUNTY FAIR – Monroeville, Alabama – Oct. 19th to 21st – To encourage better efforts on the part of those engaged in Agriculture, Livestock and poultry raising and kindred employments, the Gulf Coast and Monroe County Fair Associations will cooperate in the award of a large number of Premiums for the best Exhibits in these several lines. – GET YOUR EXHIBITS IN READINESS.

The enrollment of the High School is steadily climbing, 105 being the number last reported.

West Manistee: The school opened at Grimes Schoolhouse on the 4th inst. with Miss Florence Dixon of Andalusia as teacher.

J.W. BROWN – Excel, Alabama – Owensboro Wagons, Buggies, Lumber, Shingles, Brick, Lime and Building Material – GET MY PRICES BEFORE PURCHASING ANY OF THE ABOVE – E.M. Salter is my agent in Monroeville and orders given him for shingles or other building material will receive prompt attention.

Fall Opening – On Sept. 24-26 will have opening of full line of Millinery, Ready-to-wear, Fancy Goods carefully selected during recent trip to market. You are invited to come and look them over. – Mrs. B.F. Spencer, BEATRICE, ALA.

The fourth quarterly conference of the Monroeville circuit was held at the Methodist church on Monday morning, the presiding elder Rev. O.V. Calhoun presiding.