The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Oct. 24, 2023

U.S. Navy destroyer USS Sarsfield (DD-837) 

20 YEARS AGO
OCT. 23, 2003

Kayla Bass was crowned the 2003 Homecoming Queen at Sparta Academy during homecoming activities on Fri., Oct. 10, 2003.

Vernon Lyman Carlson, age 81, of Evergreen died Wed., Oct. 15, 2003 in an Evergreen hospital. He was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from June 1940 to June 1946 and was a Pearl Harbor survivor.

Local weather reporter Harry Ellis reported no rain between Oct. 13, 2003 and Oct. 19, 2003. He reported a high temperature of 80 degrees on Oct. 14 and a low of 45 on Oct. 16.

Rodney Hildreth came before the (Evergreen city) council during the informal session and asked them to consider renaming a street in Evergreen for Sgt. Troy Jenkins, who was killed in combat in the Iraq War. Hildreth said that Jenkins was a hero who gave his life for his country and should be honored for his sacrifice.
He suggested the possibility of naming the section of Highway 31 & 84 through Evergreen that currently has three names or possibly Liberty Hill Drive.
Mayor Lomax Cassady thanked Hildreth for this request and said the council would consider it and make a decision at a later date.

The Sixth Annual Thanksgiving in Conecuh ‘Caring Through Sharing’ is planned for Nov. 27, 2003.

35 YEARS AGO
OCT. 27, 1988

Skipper Construction Co. is making rapid strides in the construction of the home office and terminal building for Evergreen Transportation Co. in the Evergreen Industrial Park. Walter Poole and Pat Poole recently founded Evergreen Transportation, which is growing at a fast rate.

Attorney Windell C. Owens of Monroeville today announces that Jack Booker Weaver of Brewton is now a member of his law firm.

Local weather reporter Harry Ellis reported .66 of an inch on Oct. 21, 1988. He reported a high temperature of 80 degrees on Oct. 18 and a lows of 43 on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.

A Baldwin County man who became lost in a heavily wooded area near Evergreen was found after several hours Sunday afternoon. He was unharmed.
Sheriff Edwin Booker’s office was notified about 1:40 o’clock Sunday afternoon that a man had walked into a heavily wooded area off the J.P. Howard Road at the old P.W. Barlow place and had not returned.
When Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene, they learned that Gary Donald Thomas, 49, of Baldwin County had walked into the woods to take a picture of the old home place and had not returned. He had been gone nearly two hours.
The Sheriff’s office called in the Conecuh County Rescue Squad as well as the Sheriff’s track dogs. In less than two hours, Thomas had been returned safely to his family. He had gotten turned around and had traveled more than two miles through the woods. He was found on the Brooklyn Road by a member of the search party.

50 YEARS AGO
OCT. 25, 1973

Harper resigns; Sessions is back: In a surprise move, Mayor Coy L. Harper resigned his office Wednesday morning. The letter made the resignation effective immediately.
The city council in a special meeting Wednesday afternoon elected former two-term mayor Henry Sessions to fill the unexpired term of nearly three years. He was to be installed at a meeting last night.

Navy Fireman Johnnie R. Barnes, son of Mr. John H. Barnes, and husband of the former Miss Cindy Glass, both of Rt. 2, Castleberry, crossed the Arctic Circle while participating with NATO’s Atlantic fleet in an annual naval exercise here named ‘Swift Move.’ More than 30 ships from seven countries took part in the maneuvers. He is serving on board the destroyer USS Sarsfield.

From “The Colyum” by Bob Bozeman – I’m not going into the UFO bit this week as it has been thoroughly covered on radio, TV and in the daily newspapers. I’m sure all of you know that three persons saw a UFO over City Hall last Wednesday night. Two were policemen who tried to focus spotlights on the object but were unable to do so.
Frankly, I don’t know what they saw, but I still believe there is a logical explanation for UFOs and it doesn’t involve creatures and spaceships from another planet.

66 YEARS AGO
OCT. 24, 1957

Joe L. Grace, seaman apprentice, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rinnie A. Grace of Belleville, Ala. is serving aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge with the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Far East.

W. Paul McMillan of Evergreen will again serve as Christmas Seal Sale Chairman for Conecuh County. Mr. McMillan is principal of Evergreen City School.

At a meeting Monday night the Evergreen City Council officially turned the municipality-owned Evergreen Golf Course over to the Evergreen Golf Club.
The council met with members of the golf club and worked out the transfer Monday night. The golfers will also have charge of and be responsible for the clubhouse at the course, some four miles north of town on U.S. 31.

The Courant has a new employee these days – Arthur Pendleton, who came to us from Milton, Fla. Arthur is a printer and had considerable experience in this work in the shops at Milton.

From “As a Man Thinketh” by R.G. Bozeman – I am at a loss to understand why so many people took it for granted when it was announced that I had sold The Courant to my son, Bob, that I was retiring.
I, of course, had no such thing in mind. I have never thought I would be happy unless I could keep busy at something or other. I don’t fish, hunt or play golf and I just plain hate loafing. I once was a pretty fair amateur gardener, but, for lack of practice, I guess I must have lost that art by now. So, there isn’t much left to keep me occupied but continuing my work right here with The Courant.

80 YEARS AGO
OCT. 28, 1943

Miss Elizabeth Riley received word that her nephew, Winston Riley of Montgomery, is missing in the Pacific. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Riley, who were former residents of Evergreen.

Edsel E. Johnson, second class seaman, spent several days last week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Johnson. He has been in the Navy six weeks and finished his basic training at Bronson Field, Pensacola, Fla. After returning to camp, he will be given four weeks training in Commando School at Bronson Field. Before entering the Navy, he was manager of the Montgomery Advertiser route here.

Mrs. J.E. Evers, Edward Evers, Mrs. Arthur Mason and daughters, Dorothy and Dolores attended the Barnum and Bailey Circus in Montgomery Monday.

IMPORTANT! Check Date Of Expiration: If your time is out, or will be out soon, it will pay you to renew at once as the subscription rate on this newspaper will be raised after Sat., Oct. 30, 1943, to $2 per year to all subscribers, old and new, in the county.
We will accept new subscriptions or renewals through Sat., Oct. 30, 1943, at the old rate of $1.50 per year to those who get their mail in Conecuh County. Effective Mon., Nov. 1, 1943, the rate will be $2 per year. – NO EXCEPTIONS – DO NOT ASK.