The Monroe Journal News Flashback for May 25, 2026

21 YEARS AGO
MAY 26, 2005

City receives honor: Monroeville has been recognized as an Alabama Community of Excellence, which designates the city as one of the top places to live in Alabama as well as the southeastern U.S.
Monroeville Mayor Anne Farish said she appreciates everyone who contributed to the efforts to complete the three-phase ACE program.
In addition, Sandy Smith, executive director of the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce, has been recognized by the ACE program as the top ACE coordinator in the state this year.

MA’s best athletes recognized May 12: Bonner Williams received Monroe Academy’s highest athletic award when he received the 2004-05 Bill Grant Memorial Award at its Spring Sports Banquet May 12.
The Bill Grant Memorial Award is presented to the most outstanding student athlete each year.
Williams, the son of John and Emily Williams of Monroeville, was also named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) on the basketball team and the leading scorer.

Prisoners may be on move to new jail soon: If things go as planned, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department could start transferring prisoners to the new jail on Winston Street.
Monroe County Commissioners approved a supplemental bond indenture at Tuesday’s meeting in Monroeville to cover the final cost of the project. The bond, totaling $1.46 million, was also authorized by the Monroe County Building Authority Tuesday and passed on to the commission for its approval.

46 YEARS AGO
MAY 22, 1980

U.S. clears annexation: The City of Monroeville Friday received an informal go-ahead from the U.S. Justice Department on expanding the city limits to take in Clausell and Pineview Heights.
Residents of Clausell and Pineview can vote and run in the July 8 city election, and the city will soon be expanding services to the communities.
The annexation originated with a petition by Clausell and Pineview residents and was endorsed by the city council before being approved by the legislature and signed into state law by the governor last month.

Babe Ruth to open by renaming field: The renaming of the Monroeville Babe Ruth Field to “Ronnie Dees Babe Ruth Field” will highlight opening day ceremonies as the league begins its new season Saturday.
Dees, whose Patrick Henry Junior College team recently won the Southwest Division title and played in the state junior college tournament in Dothan, coached for many years at Monroe County High School, where his 1974 Tiger team won the Alabama 3A state championship.

Post office drops Sunday box service: The Monroeville Post Office has discontinued mail service to post office boxes on Sundays.
Postmaster Dick Farish said Wednesday the service was discontinued several weeks ago because of its rare use.
“We were one of the last in the section to have post office box service on Sunday,” Farish said.
He said the cost of opening the office was a factor in ending the service. He also said not much mail came through the office from local businesses and few business establishments picked up mail on Sundays.

63 YEARS AGO
MAY 23, 1963

Graduation Plans Listed For Schools Throughout Area: Graduation exercises are scheduled at area schools during the following week when 146 Monroe County students and 25 Repton seniors will receive diplomas.
All baccalaureate sermons are planned for Sun., May 26, with commencement programs in Monroe County set for Monday night, May 27, and Fri., May 31, in Repton.

The Monroe County High School Tigers captured the Pine Belt Conference crown last Friday with a 5-2 victory of the Millry Wildcats. Monroeville’s finals record was 10-3 overall and 8-2 in conference.
(Players on MCHS’s team that season included Freddie Biggs, Gary Downs, Louie Hayles, Tim Jones, Tommy McMillon, Richard Otterberg, Ray Owens, Lloyd Sturdivant, Billy Taylor, Seth Watkins, Jimmy Wible and John Williams. Ronald Dees was head coach.)

UNUSUAL CATCH – Eddie Phillippi, eight-year-old resident of Peterman, caught the three and one-fourth pound eel pictured above. The eel measured 31 inches and was caught at Hardee’s pond near Beatrice.

Meeting Held Monday To Promote Jr. College: A group of businessmen and representatives from civic and study clubs met with Rep. Ralph Jones Monday afternoon at the Hi-Ho Restaurant to formulate plans for locating a state-supported junior college in Monroe County.
A delegation of Monroe County residents plans to meet with Gov. George Wallace and State Superintendent of Education Austin Meadows in Montgomery Wednesday, May 29, to discuss the county as a location for a college.

78 YEARS AGO
MAY 27, 1948

Funeral Conducted For Slaying Victim: Funeral services for Leonard Howard Jordan, 25, of Monroeville were conducted Friday afternoon from the Assembly of God Church in Excel with the Rev. A.L. Shell officiating.
Mr. Jordan died Thursday morning about 1:15 as the result of knife wounds suffered the previous night in an altercation at a Little River fishing camp near Chrysler. Four youths, all residents of McCullough and vicinity, have been jailed at Bay Minette in connection with the slaying.
Mr. Jordan died approximately 40 minutes after being stabbed five times about midnight last Wednesday. His death occurred at Repton Hospital.

Monroe County voters will go to the polls again next Tuesday but this time there will be only one local candidate on the ballot.
He is John M. Coxwell of Monroeville, county solicitor, who is seeking one of the two positions as delegate from the First District to the Democratic National Convention this summer. He is opposed by three Mobilians.

Work of marking the streets of Monroeville was well under way this week and Mayor Charles Cole said it will continue until all streets on which persons are now residing are properly marked.
The work is the outgrowth of efforts of the town to obtain free mail delivery within its corporate limits. The Post Office Department has refused to consider such delivery until streets have been named and marked and houses numbered.

93 YEARS AGO
MAY 25, 1933

Typhoid Fever In Monroeville: The Health Officer, Dr. T.E. Tucker, reports that there are two cases of Typhoid fever in Monroeville, a colored woman and a white man. He also reports clinics are being conducted in several places in the county each week, including Fountain, Monroe Station, Mineola School, A.E. Tucker’s place and Mexia. These clinics are conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On other days, vaccine can be secured at the office.

The Monroeville baseball team played Frisco City on the local diamond last Thursday afternoon with Monroeville winning the game by a 10-5 score. A return game was played on the Frisco City diamond on Friday afternoon with Monroeville again victorious by a 9-8 score.
On Sunday afternoon Monroeville played Chapman at that place, losing the game by 8 to 7 in 11 innings.
Chapman will meet Monroeville this Thursday afternoon on the local diamond. A hotly contested game is anticipated.
A grandstand has recently been completed at the Monroeville diamond and comfortable seats have been installed.

Mr. J.C. Hudson is building a swimming pool and fish pond on Hudson branch about one-half mile east of the courthouse. Workmen have been engaged about a week cutting the foundation ditch for the dam and spillway. According to the survey made by an engineer, the several springs at the head of the branch will afford a pond covering about two acres, the deepest point being about seven to eight feet.