The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Sept. 2, 2013

USS Oakland

EIGHT YEARS AGO

SEPT. 1, 2005

Local weather reporter Harry Ellis reported .35 inches of rain on Aug. 22, 2005, .03 inches on Aug. 24, a trace on Aug. 25 and .10 of an inch on Aug. 28. He reported a high temperature of 95 degrees on Aug. 22 and low temperatures of 70 degrees on Aug. 26 and Aug. 27.

“Traffic on I-65 slowed to a crawl Tuesday afternoon when evacuated citizens attempted to return to their homes along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area Monday. Traffic stopped many times and trucks attempting to take equipment to the area were hampered because of the bottleneck.”

“Workers were busy last Thursday morning moving this home formerly owned by the late Rance English to its new location on Highway 84. The house was moved by the state in preparation for the new bridge that will be built in Repton sometime in the future. The house has been deeded to the Town of Repton and will be used for a visitors center and Community Resource Center.”

“Conecuh County was spared when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast Monday morning. While some areas in the western part of the county saw high winds and a possible tornado, the county as a whole was spared.
“County Engineer Winston Foshee said that there was no flood damage to roads in the county and very small road blockage because of fallen trees reported.”

23 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 6, 1990

“Weatherman Harry Ellis reports .17 of an inch of rain on Sept. 1. Total rainfall for August was 2.49 inches.”
He reported a high temperature of 96 degrees on Aug. 29, 1990 and low temperatures of 66 degrees on Aug. 30 and Aug. 31.

“Troy Smith of Smith’s Ambulance Service requested the (Evergreen city) council grant his ambulance service an exclusive five-year franchise. Smith said that he would provide free ambulance service locally for city employees who needed an ambulance while on the job and if they needed to be transported out of town, he would charge half of his usual rate. The council thoroughly discussed Smith’s proposal, but the matter was tabled until a later date.”

“Tony A. Sabino Jr. of Evergreen was recently named to the Who’s Who in the Republican Party. Sabino received an official certificate of registration from Albert E. Mitchler, Executive Director of the Republican Presidential Task Force.”

“Members of the Sparta Academy Student Government Association manned the local Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon Center Sunday night and Monday in the offices of Hendrix Insurance Agency. SGA President Jeff Brundage said $1,800 was raised and thanked county residents for their support of the fight against muscular dystrophy.”

38 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 4, 1975

“Earl Windham reports rainfall of .9 of an inch on Aug. 25, .9 on Aug. 27 and .2 on Aug. 29. Total rainfall for the month of August was 7.9 inches.”

“Hartley talks to Rotarians: Attorney Richard Hartley of Greenville spoke to the Evergreen Rotary Club at its meeting Thursday noon at the Evergreen United Methodist Church. He was introduced by Mabry Huggins, program chairman.
“Hartley spoke on the implementation of the Judicial Article, a major revision of the State Constitution that was ratified by the voters of the state by a 2-1 margin. The article provides for updating Alabama’s court system and Hartley pointed out that it has been praised throughout the nation and is being used as a model by other states.”

“The Evergreen City Council accepted a low bid of $88,898 by W.P. Loftin & Son of Claiborne to resurface 6.43 miles of city streets at its meeting Tuesday night. The only other bid was $109,519.75 submitted by Hooper & McDonald Construction Co. of Andalusia.
“Portions of the following streets to be resurfaced: Bruner Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Belleville, Mill, East Front, Desplous, North Shipp, North Main, South Shipp, Chapman, Court, Jackson, Liberty, Belleview, Travis, Martin, Mimosa and Stanley Streets.”

“The Conecuh County Hospital Board is in the process of borrowing $150,000 through a bond issue with part of the receipts of the county’s two-mil ad valorem hospital tax pledges to hire the bonds, according to Chairman Jimmy Cook.”

53 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 1, 1960

“Conecuh County’s public schools will open their doors for business next Thurs., Sept. 8, according to County Superintendent of Education Guy S. Kelly.”

“There’s No Place Like… Jail: Be it ever so confining, there’s no place like the Conecuh County Jail. At least that’s the story with one of the jail’s present inmates.
“The man, a resident of the Castleberry area, was brought to the county lockup about two months ago after being involved in an altercation. No charges were pressed by others in the case, and so a week or so ago Sheriff James Brock offered the man his freedom.
“The ‘prisoner’ refused the sheriff’s offer and said if it was alright, he believed he would stay on a while. He lost a leg some years ago and says he has trouble getting around on his artificial limb and can’t work. He told Sheriff Brock that he wished the county would give him three years to serve as he was better off in jail.
“Since then, the sheriff, Chief Deputy Mancil Pearce and Deputy Ronnie Edson have all on several occasions tried to get the prisoner to leave, but he ignores the open door policy and remains right where he is.
“’I’ve had all kinds of prisoners and all kinds of problems’ the sheriff said. ‘but, this is the first time I’ve ever had one I couldn’t get out of jail.’
“The Courant wonders if the inmate would have been so happy in the old jail as he is in the new top-floor layout at the Courthouse?”

68 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 6, 1945

“J.T. Gaillard, City Clerk of Evergreen, is critically ill at his residence on Bruner Avenue, having suffered a stroke at noon Monday.”

“CASTLEBERRY, Ala. – Fire destroyed a large two-story frame building erected here 55 years ago by the late J.P. Matthews. The structure was owned by W.L. Matthews of Montgomery and occupied by the Clarence Godwin family, no member of which was present at the time.
“Mrs. Frances Hoover’s home across the street was slightly scorched.
“The Evergreen fire engine responded to a call.”

“CASTLEBERRY, Ala. – Conecuh County High and Elementary Schools opened Monday with an enrollment of 343.

“Prof. M.C. Thomasson, recently discharged from the Army after three years’ service, has been elected principal.”

“Serving On USS Oakland: On the USS Oakland in Tokyo Bay – James E. Rains, seaman, first class, USNR, Rt. 1, Evergreen, Ala., is serving on this cruiser, which is part of the powerful Pacific fleet completing the first stages of the occupation of Japan.

“Under the operational control of Admiral William F. Halsey, USN, the OAKLAND, with 19 other cruisers, 12 battleships, 17 aircraft carriers, six escort carriers and more than 290 other U.S. ships, is helping take over control of the Japs’ big naval bases.”