The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Sept. 18, 2023

Senator Howell Heflin

18 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 15, 2005

Civitan celebrates 50 years: Monroeville’s Civitan Club celebrated “50 Years of Helping People” Saturday in Monroeville.
To mark the club’s 50^th anniversary, club members and guests celebrated with a lunch party Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vanity Fair Golf and Tennis Club in Monroeville.
Featured guests and speakers at the event included Monroeville Mayor Anne Farish, Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy Smith, Glenda Donaldson of Opp, Randy Eckhoff of Mobile and Gordon Durham of Mobile.

Excel senior Justin Whatley accounted for all of Excel’s points in a 26-14 win over region rival Bayside Academy Friday in Excel, which was the Panthers’ first-ever win over Bayside in football.
Whatley, a 5-11, 180-pound tailback, collected 125 yards on 30 carries, caught two passes for 18 yards, rushed for four touchdowns and kicked two extra points in the win.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Johnny Flores, Toby Hilton, Josh House, Neil Hudson and Justin Ridgeway. Jodie Jones was Excel’s head coach.)

Mineola Water plans expansion: Mineola Water Co. of Chrysler plans to break ground on a 40,000-foot expansion project soon, according to the company’s founders.
David Forbes, the company’s chief financial officer and operations manager, and Allan Shelton, the company’s marketing and distribution director, made the announcement Tuesday to the Monroeville Kiwanis Club. Mineola Water is located in the Chrysler community, south of Uriah.

43 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 18, 1980

Two hired as sheriff’s deputies: Two men recently began work as deputy sheriffs with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. John R. Farrow of Monroeville began working in April, and William Gibson of Mexia began last month.

Frisco beats Excel: The Frisco City Whippets held on for dear life in the second half to defeat the Excel Panthers 30-19 in Frisco City Friday night, the second straight year the Whippets have beaten Excel.
The first half shocked everyone as the Whippets ran away to a 24-0 lead at halftime. But a lot of character and pride on the part of Excel made it a contest in the latter half.
(Top Frisco City players in that game included Thomas Agee, Bryan Baggett, Curtis Childs, Kenny Cross, Rodney Darby, Bill King, Daryl Lambert, Curtis Lee, Cedric Logan, Percy Riley, Marc Stevens and Rance Wiggins. Top Excel players included Phil Bowen, Robert “Too Tall” Costic, Mark Crutchfield, Michael Stallworth and Jay Warn. Ronnie Propst was Frisco’s head coach, and Lee Holladay was Excel’s head coach.)

Reagan-Bush team chairman named: Robert B. Frese has been named chairman of the Reagan-Bush Campaign ’80 effort in Monroe County. Reagan-Bush headquarters have been established in Monroeville next door to the downtown post office. The new chairman will also be responsible for coordinating the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program which began Sept. 13 and other programs, including voter identification, ballot security and fundraising.

68 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 15, 1955

Thirty-Four Members Initiated Into New Civitan Club At Charter Night Saturday: Some 34 members were initiated into the newly-organized Monroeville Civitan Club in Charter Night ceremonies held at the Community House here Saturday night.
John D. Miller, governor-elect of the Alabama-West Florida district of Civitan Clubs, conducted the initiation ceremonies at a banquet attended by approximately 175 persons, including wives of members, visiting Civitans from 17 out-of-town clubs and several local guests.
Installation of the officers was conducted by J.W. Graham, Maplesville, international sergeant-at-arms of Civitan Clubs, while presentation of the charter was made by W.J. Bailey, Birmingham, governor of the Alabama-West Florida district.

Local Physician Victim Saturday Of Auto Accident: Dr. Thomas Earl Nettles, 37, prominent Monroeville physician, was killed almost instantly Saturday in a head-on, two-car collision at nine a.m. approximately two miles north of Peterman on Alabama Highway 47.
He had been a practicing physician in Monroeville for the past eight years and owned and operated the Monroeville Hospital for the past five years.
During World War II, Dr. Nettles served as an Army Captain with overseas duty on Okinawa and in Japan.

Tigers Open Season Defeating Bulldogs Of Uriah, 7-2: The Monroeville Tigers opened their 1955 football campaign Friday night by closely defeating the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs of Uriah at the Monroe County High football field by a score of 7 to 2. The game was close all the way as both teams showed well in defense, the only touchdown of the winners coming in the third quarter as Hick Wiggins ran around left guard and scampered 11 yards for the tally.

93 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 18, 1930

Goodway Man Is Murdered: Goodway was the scene of a killing last week when a man by the name of Stinson shot and killed Davis. Stinson and Davis were neighbors and there was apparently no reason for the murder. Stinson was brought to Monroeville to jail where he still remains as there has been no preliminary trial as yet.

Eddins’ Store At Peterman is Robbed: The store of Mr. J.R. Eddins at Peterman was robbed one night last week. So far the guilty party has not been apprehended. Soon after the robbery was discovered blood hounds were brought from the prison farm near Atmore, but the track was cold and the robber could not be tracked. Nothing of great value was taken.

Mr. T.A. Black, prominent Uriah merchant, is erecting a new store building in front of the Blacksher Hotel. The building will be ready for occupancy in about three weeks.

Heflin Speaks To Large Crowd Here Last Friday: Senator Heflin spoke to a large and fairly responsive crowd at the courthouse last Friday night. The auditorium of the courthouse was crowded, and a large overflow crowd on the outside heard the speech through the three horns the Senator had rigged up for the occasion. The people came from several counties around, consisting largely of those who go regularly to hear him when his appointments are in reach. The speech was characteristic of the speaker, consisting mainly of the so-called issues of 1928, plus his usual abuse of all those who do not follow his leadership without question.

118 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 21, 1905

Dr. R.A. Smith and family are domiciled in the dwelling formerly occupied by the late H.W. Jones.

Mr. W.R. Manning of Excel was in to see us yesterday. He has launched out in the mercantile business and reports trade good and his town growing.

Lumber and other building material is being placed on the ground for Mr. C.L. Hybart’s new dwelling. A handsome design has been selected and when completed the building will be an ornament to the portion of town in which it will be located. Mr. T.J. Stevens of Brewton is the supervising architect.

Mr. Luke Coley was up from Hadley the first of the week. Luke says the possums are getting ripe down in his neighborhood and the young men of his age enjoy rare sport in hunting the marsupials.

The many friends of Mr. J. Alex. Grace were pained to learn of his death which occurred at his home at Claiborne Monday afternoon, Sept. 18, after an illness of several days. Mr. Grace had been the proprietor of the upper warehouse at Claiborne for more than 20 years and in all his dealings with his numerous patrons throughout that long period he proved himself honorable and trustworthy.

Miss Lucile Bizzelle left Tuesday for Boston to complete her studies in elocution at the Emerson College of Oratory.

JONES MILL: There was a racing contest held here recently on a one hour’s race of cotton picking between Messrs. L.N. Parson and J. Driscoll, the former picking 53 pounds and the latter 48 in one hour.