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

 USS Saipan in 1952.

TWO YEARS AGO
DEC. 16, 2021

Marshall attends meeting: Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall attended the Monroe County Republican Party’s monthly meeting last Thursday at the Excel Community Center. (Others at the event included Rebecca Cornelison, Beth Saucer, Excel Mayor Jenny Countryman and Brian Ward.)

BHS girls 6-0: J.U. Blacksher’s Lady Bulldogs moved to 6-0 Friday night in Beatrice when they defeated J.F. Shields for the first time in the school’s history. Blacksher posted a 50-47 victory, handing the Lady Panthers their first loss of the season.
Blacksher Head Coach Zachary Smith said he couldn’t be more proud of the effort by his team, which is overall still a young team. Taniya Boykin posted 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Lady Bulldogs.
(Other top players on Blacksher’s team included Macie Chunn, Gerri-Ryan Espey, McKenna Gibson, Tanna Spence, Aniyah Tucker and Larri-Barbara Turner-Watts.)

Students attend council meeting: Local high school government students attended Monday night’s Excel Town Council meeting and helped conduct town business in the county’s final regular meeting of the calendar year.
During the meeting at Excel Town Hall, four Excel High School students took seats at the council table and assumed the roles of public officials. Saywon Dokie assumed the role of mayor, Bryson Anderson served as a councilman, Emily Taylor served as town clerk and Caleb Chandler served as fire chief. All four are members of Lee Payne’s government class at Excel.

27 YEARS AGO
DEC. 19, 1996

Local building on state register: Monroeville’s First National Bank-Elbrecht Building has recently been added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
The building is a one-story, flat-roofed brick structure dating from 1925 and reflecting the influence of the Classical Revival style on early 20^th Century commercial architecture.
Constructed by W.E. Ward, the building served as the office of the First National Bank from its organization by Dr. D.M. Maxwell in 1925 until the 1970s, when it became a branch of the Monroe County Bank. In 1995, the branch office was closed and the property was purchased by local attorney George Elbrecht.

Frisco wins thriller at home: Frisco City evened its Area 3 record to 1-1 when the Whippets nipped Pleasant Home 49-47 in high school boys basketball action Friday in Frisco City.
Walter Lambert finished the contest with 14 points and nine rebounds. William Kyles added 12 points to the charge. John Tucker had nine points. Glennis Curry scored eight points. Quamie Richardson had four points. Jeremy Watson got two points and seven rebounds.

County music recording artist Daron Norwood visited Monroeville for the seventh time last week and declared the city his “second home.” Norwood, a native Texan, received the Key to the City from Mayor Anne Farish and a proclamation from the County Commission and the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce from Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs. Norwood performed in concert Friday night and served as grand marshal of the Christmas parade in Monroeville Saturday morning.

52 YEARS AGO
DEC. 16, 1971

14 will compete for Jr. Miss title: Fourteen high school seniors will be vying for Monroe County’s Junior Miss title when the annual pageant, sponsored by the local Jaycees, is presented Saturday night, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m. in Greer Auditorium.
(Contestants that year included Anne Bailey, Pam Black, Jan Bush, Mary Clyde Duvall, Patti Pelham, Hope Robinson, Eva Marie Sinkes and Cynthia Tucker, all of Monroe County High School; Karen Barnes and Kathy Weatherford of Frisco City High School; Linda English and Betty Hartley of J.U. Blacksher High School; Jo Manning of Excel High School; and Karen Prouty of Monroe Academy.)

Excel receives sportsmanship award: Ned Turnipseed, president of the Central Alabama Officials Association, presents Excel High School Principal Bobby Grissette and Coach Lee Holliday the Best Sportsmanship Award for 1A and 2A football teams. The award is not only for the football team and school, but also for the fans that follow the Panthers. It was presented Wednesday night, Dec. 8, at the officials annual banquet in Montgomery.

Visit from the first lady: Monroeville had a distinguished visitor Wed., Dec. 8, when Mrs. George C. Wallace, Alabama’s first lady, visited Vanity Fair Mills here. Mrs. Wallace said she was very impressed with Monroeville and hopes to visit here again soon. She is pictured with Jake Niehuss, vice president of public relations, Vanity Fair Mills, as she prepared to board her plane bound for Montgomery.

77 YEARS AGO
DEC. 19, 1946

Local Scouts Take Cruise On Ship: A large party of the Monroeville Scouts left early Tuesday morning for Pensacola to go about the USS Saipan for a two-day cruise.
The Monroeville Scouts were accompanied by K.J. Lazenby, Monroeville, Scout Commissioner; A.B. Blass, the Chairman of the Troop Committees; and Scoutmasters T.M. McMillan and R.A. Wible.
The following Scouts made the trip: Bobby Lindsey, Julius Farish III, Bob Ryland, Sam Pierson, Bennett Pierson, Mort McMillan, Kenneth Hammond, Dale Phillips, Bill Thompson, Curwood Belcher, Tommy Watson, Kenneth Hundley, Karl Mims Lazenby, Joseph Blass, John C. White, Junior Ryland, Pink Jackson, Chas. Andrews, Jimmy Rowell, Allen Law McCall, Neal Terry, D.M. Nettles, Geo. C. Nettles, Joe Lee Nettles and Assistant Scoutmaster Joe Brantley.

Monroeville Defeats Chatom, 21-9: The Monroeville Tigers got off to a good start in their first basketball game of the season by defeating the Chatom team 21-9 on the home court Friday night. Farish was high scorer for the Tigers with a total of 11 points, and Taylor second with seven, Primm and Biggs scoring the remaining three points.

Miss Jennie Faulk spent several days last week with Misses Maud and Margaret Howard in Mobile.

TURKEY DINNER FOR W.H. MANNING: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Manning gave a turkey dinner recently in honor of their son, W.H. Manning, who has been discharged from the Army after serving six years.

102 YEARS AGO
DEC. 15, 1921

Postmaster W.A. Giddens of Jones Mill was a business visitor here Tuesday.

Excavations have been made for laying the foundation of the Faulk building on Eastside.

Mr. D.H. Sawyer of Jones Mill was in to see us Tuesday. He reported work on the new High School building progressing satisfactorily.

Mr. Thomas R. Coleman was shot and perhaps fatally injured by Macon Harrison, his brother-in-law, near Excel last Saturday morning. The parties had a falling out over a rental agreement. The injured man was taken to the Turberville Sanitarium for treatment. Late advice held out little hope for his recovery. Harrison voluntarily surrendered to the sheriff and was released on bond. Indulgence in “shinny” is alleged to have been the cause of the trouble.

Rev. Eugene Clarke, rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Perdue Hill, will conduct services at the courthouse in Monroeville on Thursday evening, Dec. 22, at 7 o’clock. The public is cordially invited.

LOST or STRAYED: One black Poland China sow, white streak in face, marked split in each ear. Last seen at Sam Nettles’ at McMillan old mill. Finder will shut up and notify me and get reward. E.C. Metts, Monroeville, Ala.

Mr. and Mrs. L.N. Faulkenberry of Tunnel Springs favored The Journal office with a pleasant call while in town Monday.

Messrs. Riley Kelly and J.L. McArthur were up from Excel Tuesday.