2020-12-31

Covid-19 started slow but quickly exploded, disrupting life, routines

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The big news of 2020, of course, is the coronavirus pandemic. The virus originated in China but quickly spread around the world, into the U.S. and eventually to Alabama and Clarke County. Alabama was the next to the last state in the U.S. to report the virus, doing so on March 13 (a Friday the 13th, no less!) long after […]

Winter storms and fall hurricanes; it was a rough year for weather!

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The year drawing to an end has been a turbulent one in so many ways, weather for one. Starting with winter storms in January, then near-record river floods capped by two hurricanes in the fall, Mother Nature threw many punches in 2020. It wasn’t a tornado and certainly not a hurricane but a strong storm blew through Clarke County on […]

Local politics ho-hum while presidential race pits families, friends

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2020 was an election year with offices on the ballot from the nation’s president right down to municipal mayors and council members. Most of the state and local races were routine. Many incumbents did not even have opposition and in the races that were competitive, the candidates were respectful of each other and ran traditional campaigns. Presidential election was hot! […]

Looking Back: 2020

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The Alabama and Tombigbee rivers saw near-record flooding early in the year. This is from February when Coffeeville Police Chief Mark Leon, before his shift started, and a friend cast nets for fish in the floodwaters rushing over the entrance road to the Coffeeville Lock and Dam. The road rarely floods. Leon and his family were in a two-car collision […]

Refueling high above Grove Hill

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A U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker conducted a refueling mission over Grove Hill Tuesday morning, Dec. 22. Retired State Trooper J. G. “Jimmy” Clark took this photo and offered the following description: *** The 57-year-old aircraft (PIRAT03) flew in from Tampa and made three circles between Choctaw County and Wilcox County at 26,000 feet before returning to Florida. Clark said […]

Stormy exit for 2020?

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The news shouldn’t be a shocker, given what has happened in 2020, that the year may possibly end with severe weather on New Year’s Eve. According to the National Weather Service, much of western Alabama, including southwestern Alabama, could see a slight risk for severe weather on Thursday, possibly continuing into New Year’s Day. The risk is marginal over the […]

Keeping the fire from Pritchett Park

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Grove Hill Fire and Rescue was quick on the scene at the A.J. Pritchett Memorial Park to put out a brush/woods fire Monday afternoon. Somehow a fire started in the woods on the backside of the park and had worked it’s way on the hillside. The area was once the location for the old Wilson Hall High football field.

Walker Springs man murdered Dec. 24

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A Christmas Eve argument in Walker Springs led to a shooting that resulted in a man’s death. Jamie Jackson Jr., 25, was the victim. Charged with murder is Greg Bryant, 27. The men knew each other and had a relationship. Bryant had children with Jackson’s sister, said Ron Baggette, chief investigator with the Clarke County Sheriff’s Department. Bryant said there […]

Program offering broadband connections for Alabama students extended by Gov. Ivey

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Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday announced that she has extended the successful Alabama Broadband Connectivity for Students program into 2021 thanks to a provision in the latest COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress last week and signed by President Trump on Sunday evening. Gov. Ivey’s goal is to ensure that the families currently benefiting from ABC for Students have continuity […]

New Year’s closings told

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The Clarke County Courthouse will be open Thursday, Dec. 31. That is the last day to pay property taxes that were due Oct. 1 without incurring a penalty. Grove Hill Town Hall will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The Clarke County Democrat office will close at noon on Thursday, Dec. 31 and reopen on Monday, Jan. 4. Most […]