HOUSTON COUNTY DISTRICT 2: Whitney Ingram Strength is a candidate for District 2, Houston County Commissioner.
I have known Whitney Ingram Strength all of her life. Whitney Ingram Strength is a lady of character, knowledge, and success. Whitney Ingram Strength is a college graduate who taught school for several years before opening her business in Cowarts. Since opening her business, Whit b’ Stitchin’ & More, LLC, she has been successful.
Whitney is a product of Cowarts – Webb and Ashford area. Other than college she has lived there all of her life. Whitney Ingram Strength comes from a family of volunteers and career public safety service. Whitney and her husband are also volunteers in public safety service, and they have put their money in the volunteer public safety service. Whitney and her husband support volunteer and paid public safety service in District 2, Houston County.
Whitney is asking the registered voters of Houston County for their vote tomorrow, March 19, 2026. You will be voting for a true public servant who will make the decisions with detailed study and honesty.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Each year Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza hosts a retired Law Enforcement luncheon.
The event has been held at Dothan’s First Methodist Church. A major sponsor for the retiree luncheon is Archie Solomon of Solomon Motor Company. There were about 75 retired and active law enforcement officers present. The attendee’s included Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Retired Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen and current Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, and others across three states.
Retired Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen had a 43 year law enforcement career. Sheriff McKeithen served as Bay County Sheriff from 2003 until retirement as Sheriff in 2016.
A good time by all. And impressive that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall took time at attend.
Please be clear, Donald Valenza IS NOT retiring. Just hosts a luncheon for those who have retired. Lae Enforrcement is a brother/sister hool relationship. ANd even though you retire the friendships continue.
HOUSTON COUNTY: In the 2026 session of the Alabama Legislature Incumbent Houston County Revenue Commissioner Greg Holland was the moving factor of legislation to help Veteran’s.
The local legislative delegation, Paul Lee, Rick Rehm, Donnie Chesteen, Steve Clouse, Jeff Sorrells and Billy Beasley were 100% supportive when Revenue Commissioner Greg Holland approached them with the idea.
The State of Alabama sets the laws, policies and procedures Revenue Commissioners across the State of Alabama are required to follow. The Veteran’s were having to renew the residential property tax exemptions each year or the benefit would by lost by the Veteran.
Holland put in to change that. He approached the local legislative delegation about it. Legislation was developed and introduced by the local delegation and passed by the 2026 Alabama Legislature. Out of 67 counties across Alabama, Houston County Revenue Commissioner Greg Holland saw the problem and was proactive in solving the problem.
Now, once the exemptions are made the Veteran does not have to renew it each year.
The photo is of Houston County Revnue Commissioner Greg Holland, his daughter Abi, Alabama State Representative Paul Lee, Alabama State Senator Donnie Chesteen, Christy Holland – Greg Holland’s wife , and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey when she signed the legislation into law.
HOUSTON COUNTY: On May 5, 2026 the Houston County Republican Party held a candidate forum at THE FORUM on West Main Street.
Hear the Republican candidates for District 1 – Houston County Commission, Disrict 2 Houston County Commission, District 3 – Houston County Commission and Chairman of Houston County Commission.
YOU, the registered voters of Houston County are the employing authority for the above named offices. These are YOUR interviews on who you will hire.
The Chairman of Houston County Commission is a full time job. Salary is $ 130,000.00 per year with retirement and health insurance. All cost of living raises the commission votes in for county employees, the Chairman also receives.
The Commissioners of Houston County Commission is a part time job. Salary is $ 33,000.00 per year with retirement and health insurance. All cost of living raises the commission votes in for county employees, the Commissioners also receives. In addition to the $ 33,000.00 per year a commissioner is paid $ 250.00 per month for furnishing their own vehicle.
HOUSTON COUNTY: RSN posted a podcast on Friday urging the registered voters of Houston County to vote NO on all incumbent Houston County Commissioners. And to vote NO on re-election of Brandon Shoupe as Chairman of Houston County Commission.
Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe responded as I expected he would when the podcast was posted. Chairman Shoupe was very sarcastic in his comments about the businesses he purchased and in the process of purchase and then was critical of Rickey Stokes, as Rickey Stokes expected.
BRANDON SHOUPE JUST DOES NOT GET IT
AND IS NOT TRUTHFUL WITH THE REGISTERED VOTERS OF HOUSTON COUNTY.
And in Brandon Shoupe’s own words when he called a very respected Senior Pastor, Rev. Ricky Plummer of Bethel Baptist Church a liar, “if you are a physical conservative you will agree with me”.
The Houston County Commission Chairman job is a full time job. RSN did a freedom of information request for payroll records. However the Houston County Commission paid the private attorney representing them to send a letter of refusal to provide the public records request. Because the Houston County Commission uses the citizen’s taxpayer dollars to fight public records request and RSN uses it’s own, it was not worth the legal battle. According to information on qualifying fee for candidates for Houston County Commission Chairman the salary is $ 130,000.00 per year, plus retirement in the Retirement Systems of Alabama and health insurance coverage.
ADVENTURELAND, reported to be bought by Brandon Shoupe, is currently in JOMA ENTERPRISES, LLC name and located at 3738 West Main Street. The Houston County Revenue Commissioner reflects the land and building to be valued at $ 1,353,120.00 for 2025 taxes. The documents reflect it in someone else name but Shoupe has stated he owns the business.
Now Brandon Shoupe is negotiating a deal on purchasing Tri-State Graphics located at 2865 Hartford Highway, Dothan Alabama. The Houston County Revenue Commissioner reflects the land and business to be valued at $ 757,840.00 for 2025 taxes.
These values are not reflective of what the business is worth and naturally you, the registered voters of Houston County are not allowed the documents, what the business itself is worth, is/did Shoupe buy the property or just the business.
If Shoupe purchase or is purchasing the property, combined that is $ 2,110,960.00 of debt, not including the purchase of the business.
The registered voters of Houston County are paying someone to be the Houston County Commission Chairman, on a full time basis at $ 130,000.00 per year, plus retirement and health insurance. Tri-State Graphics is not something you walk in one day and press PRINT!
As Brandon Shoupe said when he called Rev. Ricky Plummer a liar, “if you are a physical conservative you will agree with me”. So I would assume that you would agree the registered voters of Houston County are not and will not be getting a full time Chairman of the Houston County Commission with Brandon Shoupe.
Brandon Shoupe stated the citizens of Houston County wanted the “historic farm center saved and renovated for future generations”. So this Houston County Commission, under Brandon Shoupe spent $ 6.2 million dollars saving the historic Houston County Farm Center. RSN supposes that is what the citizens wanted this commission to do, or did the registered voters want the Houston County Commission to spend your $ 6.2 million dollars rebuilding the Houston County Farm Center. Does the registered voters want to pay the National Peanut Festival 50% or every dollar paid to rent the Houston County Farm Center. In Brandon Shoupe’s words “if you are a physical conservative you will agree with me”.
Shoupe stated parks never make a profit and always lose money. And the commission was not doing anything with Chattahochee State Park and the citizens who live in the area did not want it. Not sure if he was talking about Garner Farms and the current Houston County Commissioner who is reported to have the lease on Garner Farms for hunting. Garner Farms is directly across the road from Chattahochee State Park. Shoupe failed to mention the sitting Houston County Commissioner, if it is true, when he challenged Rev. Ricky Plummer and stated that he “challenges the poster ( Plummer ) and considered his comments inaccurate.
Brandon Shoupe wrote this commission improved the recreational facilities in every Houston County town. Shoupe states “we should have just hand our kids over to their devices and call it a day”. The registered voters did pass an additional tax for the recreational facilities.
Brandon Shoupe and this Houston County Commission wanted to take over the Southeast Health and control the appointments of the members of the Southeast Healthcare Authority. The registered voters overwhelmingly said NO WAY with a strong vote against Brandon Shoupe and the Houston County Commission taking over the appointments of Southeast Health.
Considering Brandon Shoupe and this Houston County Commission’s management of Houston County, and over spending and constant budget amendments they have, placing them in charge of healthcare would be dangerous. Shoupe would be opening a funeral home and crematory if they were in charge of healthcare.
Brandon Shoupe, who thinks he has this election whipped, failed to mention the multi million dollar lawsuit he has Houston County in. Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza asked Chairman Shoupe twice to repair the doors of the Houston County Jail because of the danger to the Houston County Correction Deputies and inmates in Houston County Jail. Shoupe flanked his butt cheeks at Sheriff Valenza and ignored him. Then a inmate was injured by other inmates who escaped their cells. The inured inmate was flown by Survival Flight to UAB with major injuries. He know has a lawsuit in United States Federal Court because Chairman Brandon Shoupe intentionally ignored the Sheriff. Might have been because Brandon Shoupe was not full time and playing arcade machines at Adventureland.
When Sheriff Donald Valenza told the truth, Chairman Brandon Shoupe hit the roof and questioned the Sheriff why he told the truth to the media. Shoupe stating he was a politician and you know the truth is not something some ( Shoupe ) politicians can not tell.
Shoupe challenged Rev. Ricky Plummer about deputies pay. Brandon Shoupe played a shell game stating that Houston County paid UNCERTIFIED DEPUTIES $ 1763.00 a year more than Dotha. What Chairman Shoupe did not say was you can only remain UNCERTIFIED for 6 months or a year. If not certified you are fired. Shoupe did say Certified that Dothan does pay more. Well, the shell game is Shoupe’s trying to mislead the registered voters of Houston County.
Shoupe stated that Rickey Stokes wanted to go back to Emergency Management. Rickey Stokes challenge’s Shoupe where he has ever applied. While Stokes respects EMA Director Mark Powell, really Houston County does not really have an Emergency Management. Powell is forced to operate at Chairman Shoupe and this Houston County Commission wants him to, which is not respond or be involved in anything. Most Houston County Fire, EMS and law enforcement have no clue who Mark Powell is and you never hear anything from Emergency Management.
So Rickey Stokes has zero desire to return to Emergency Management.
At area Mayor’s meeting in Rehobeth one of the Mayor’s asked a question about E911. Both Chairman Brandon Shoupe and Commissioner Tracy Adams looked to Rickey Stokes to answer the Mayor’s question. Stokes has expressed desire to go back on the E911 Board which is a true public servant task because it is free. The members do not get paid. While I respect the person appointed by this commission and she knows her stuff, a lot of the meetings she can not attend because she is an Assistant District Attorney. The meetings are normally on a Tuesday at 10 AM, and prosecutors are normally in court. The Dothan Dog Catcher has more E911 than any of the 7 municipal police departments across Houston County, the fire and the EMS. And several have talked to Rickey Stokes as he is former Chairman of E911 board. Shoupe and Commissioner Ricky Herring, who led and failed the Southeast Health vote would not re-appoint Stokes to the Board when his appointment expired.
Chairman Brandon Shoupe stated the Alabama Department of Public Examineers accused Stokes of $ 800,000.00 missing from Cottonwood Rescue. I challenge Shoupe in that figure being accurate. Stokes hired a private CPA firm from out of town and paid them $ 10,000.00 personal money for an accurate audit. My attorney’s will be talking to Shoupe in a possible depostion!!!
But when Cottonwood Rescue closed in 2017, it was Rickey Stokes concerned about the citizens of that area. Stokes took over Cottonwood Rescue and from the 9 businesses Stokes owns and operates Stokes businesses had well over $ 100,000.00 propping Cottonwood Rescue up. That should have been the responsibility of the Houston County Commission. But again the full time Chairman must have been playing arcade games at Adventureland.
Also, when Chairman Shoupe tells you Houston County does not have animal control, then why are there two Houston County trucks, with decals and county tags parked on Cottonwood Road at the Houston County Health Department with animal boxes on them. And the trucks are driven home, but Chairman Shoupe and this Houston County Commission tells people that Houston County does not have animal control.
You, the taxpayers of Houston County are paying for a truthful, full time Houston County Commission Chairman. And Brandon Shoupe is not.
Vote Chairman Shoupe and all Houston County Commissioners out on May 19. Houston County deserves better.
And Rev. Ricky Plummer, is honest and has integrity and told the truth. And it took courage for him to call Brandon Shoupe out!
KINSEY-HOUSTON COUNTY: Houston County Sheriff Deputies booked 44 year old Phillip Aaron Gore into the Houston County Jil at 1:02 AM this morning.
The recent fire in Kinsey where law enforcement officers and fireman saved a mother and two children is a arson. The mother is the estranged wife of Phillip Aaron Gore. When fireman and law enforcement arrived Gore was present on the scene. The father of the two children, a Kinsey Volunteer Fireman responded to the scene. The volunteer fireman and Kinsey Police Chief and Sergeant broke their way into the residence and pulled the three from the burning home.
Kinsey Police Chief Jim Mock performed CPR on one of the children. Headland Fire – Rescue and Pilcher Ambulance responded and transported the three to Dothan hospitals.
The three were transported to UAB and Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. All three are recovering in what has been described as a long battle.
Alabama State Fire Marshall’s Office and Houston County Sheriff Department launched an immediate investigation. Gore was taken in for questioning.
Early this morning Gore was taken into custody for Violation of a Protection Order, Attempt to Elude, Resisting Arrest and Obstructing Governmental Operations. As of this writing Gore is in the Houston County Jail under $ 48,000.00 of total bonds.
The mother and 2 children are still at UAB in Birmingham. Gore was spotted in front of the trailer where the fire took place and the offense as charged was when officer attempted to make a traffic stop and placed Gore under arrest. This was done by the Kinsey Police Department.
