DOTHAN: Someone sent me video of a lightning strike reported to have cause the fire in the 100 block of Woodleigh Road in Dothan, Look at about 35 seconds into the video.
At 9:11 PM Dothan Fire Department is actively fighting in an offensive mode the fire.
DOTHAN: 8:39 PM. Dothan 911 dispatched a structure fire in the 100 block of Woodleigh Road.
On arrival of Dothan Police Patrol they reported a working structure fire, smoke and flames visible. Dothan Police SERGEANT Blake McAllister reported he has evacuated the residence next door.
Multiple Dothan Fire Engines are on the scene. One connecting to a fire hydrant. Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams is in service and responding.
Anyone with scene pictures TEXT RICKEY 334-790-1729.
8:44 PM Dothan 911 dispatched a motor vehicle accident with injuries at 2390 Ross Clark Circle. The wreck appears to be a single vehicle accident, a semi verses ditch.
Dothan Fire Engine Companies, Pilcher Ambulance, Dothan Police and Pilcher Ambulance responded. All while working fire in Chapelwood.
UPDATED @ 8:54 PM
Dothan Fire is actively fighting an offensive attack on the Woodleigh Road fire. Have fire in the overhead.
Dale County law enforcement and EMS working a motor vehicle accident on Dale County Road 10. There is Entrapment and roadway closed completely.
Cowarts Volunteer Fire and Ashford Volunteer Fire are fires. One on Eddins Road and South Broad Street.
Webb Volunteer Fire and Columbia Volunteer Fire are working trees down.
UPDATED @ 9:16 PM
Dothan Fire Engine 10 ( West Main Street ) and Pilcher Ambulance are transporting the home owner to Flowers Hospital, non emergency.
UPDATED FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 9:12 PM
The National Weather Service has issued SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH in effect until 3 AM CST on Thursday for Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston County.
WIREGRASS: 7:07 PM. The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Houston, Dale and Geneva Counties in the Wiregrass. Please be alert and safe. Warning issued until 8:30 PM.
In Geneva County, on Highway 85 in the Bellwood Community, Belllwood Volunteer Fire and Hartford Rescue are on a tree and power line down and motor vehicle accident.
An additional Geneva County call in the area of Black. A motor vehicle accident. Because Hartford Rescue was in Bellwood the call was rolled to Geneva Rescue.
Malvern Volunteer Fire Department ( 7:00 PM ) dispatched to South County Road 49 and College Avenue to a tree down.
At 7:01 in Geneva County trees down on Geneva County Road 41 and County 45.
At 6:28 PM Southern Junction Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a tree down at 181 Martin Road.
6:30 PM Wicksburg Fire- Rescue was dispatched to West U.S. Highway 84 and State Highway 92. A tree across the roadway blocking the entire road. Because it was a state highway ALDOT ( Alabama Department of Transportation ) was dispatched to remove the tree. Wicksburg Fire – Rescue ( Volunteers ) standing by protecting the motoring public ( which is not their job ).
VOLUNTEERS are criticized by those who are paid to do this work or by county commissioners but the VOLUNTEERS give of their time and resources to protect the public.
I laugh at some law enforcement who are critical because a VOLUNTEER fire or rescue has a red light on their vehicle. Well, they are protecting the public. This is a true story, I was at Main and Oates one morning and there was a wreck with injuries in Cowarts on Highway 84 and Forrester Road. I went and took scene pictures, posted the article, went to Eastside Waffle House and ate breakfast. As I was leaving between Bojangles and Hardee’s the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction came by with lights and siren. Well, the injured had long been gone to the hospital. What was his emergency? To get a VIN and tag number.
Yet law enforcement has chewed out a volunteer fireman turning on his red light going to a structure fire. Which is more important, the fire or getting a tag number and VIN? Just sayin!!! The VOLUNTEERS work to save lives and property and just because they do not do it on a full time basis, THANK THEM!!!
Bot trying to be critical of law enforcement, but I am being critical of commissioners who complain and have no idea what all they do… and the costs associated.
Tonight Dothan School Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe left a letter being critical of Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers.
Let me begin by saying that I like Dr. Dennis Coe and I like Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers.
Coe called Childers a bully and stated that he “created ongoing issues and misbehaving”. Coe went on to claim Childers “created a hostile environment and lacked professionalism”. Coe urged voters to”to select school board members dedicated to public education who don’t have personal, political, or racial agendas when they go to the polls to vote in August”.
Coe has retired effective June 30th.
WELL … I am going to disagree with Dr. Dennis Coe. Scott Childers retired from the Dothan City Schools as a Principal. We have a mutual friend who is a very successful businessman who said he learned more under Scott Childers than any other teacher he had in the 12 years of the Dothan School system. Scott Childers, in addition to his teaching career, is a very successful businessman in Dothan himself.
While I respect Dr. Coe, as an elected public servant, which Scott Childers is, as Superintendent you are not superior. You are employed by the school system, but as Chairman of the Board you are employed by the majority of qualified voters who pay for the system. As Chairman, I would demand to be informed and never blindsided. And when I was, there would not be any second chance for those employed who did not keep me informed.
Just with the job description of the School Superintendent; who drafted the job description and who placed it on the agenda of the School Board? Because either you, Dr. Coe and every member of the Dothan School Board denied having a part in the job description at an open meeting. Someone lied. And it passed in the usual 4 to 3 vote that the job announcement required a doctorate.
The Chairman of the Board and the Superintendent, in concert with each other, is to set the board agenda.
The problem with government, and I hear it at the City of Dothan, those employed think they run the entire show and how dare the elected public servants as them a question. It is the elected public servants who are answerable to the voters. Those employed have contracts with huge buy outs and educators have all types of protection so nothing can be done with them. If I am elected and responsible to the people, I AM GOING TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON or all hell will break out and we will be in full war.
And it appears that has been going on in the Dothan City Schools. So therefore it will make a hostile work enviornment. Because as someone elected there is no protection and under contract the person gets a hefty payout.
The so called censure from the State. The public might be fooled but isn’t it amazing that D3 School Board Member Melanie Hill had the letter and knowledge of it before Chairman Scoot Childers? While I supported you being appointed, let’s not forget you worked for the State of Alabama Department of Education before returning to Dothan. You were the “elected” School Superintendent in Henry County before going to Montgomery and then Dothan. So all types of connections in Montgomery. And top level educators take care of top level educators.
I call your hand on that letter and Melanie Hill having it and reading in the board meeting while Childers did not even have it. I AM NOT STUPID.
There is a 4 to 3 vote in every meeting. And while I have known Melanie Hill for many years, she felt she is not answerable to the voters. I personally experienced her rude and obnoxious behavior at a school board meeting. She felt she was above being answerable to the people who elected her as a public servant.
Dr. Coe, you have retired and time to go fishing. You will receive a pension from the Educators Retirement the rest of your life. Go fishing. But calling Childers a bully when he was not kept informed and things behind his back. I would not have tolerated that at all. As a person directly responsible to the voters you would be calling me much worse.
TO THOSE EMPLOYED IN GOVERNMENT, the people elected are responsible to the voters. And if I was one of them, I would ask questions and demand honest answers.
The School System is one that educators have created that only functions for educators. The school system needs business people and not educators running the ship. The number two person could be a good educator. It is a big business. And just because you can teach a subject does not mean you can run and manage a huge business.
In closing, it is time for those employed to understand who is responsible to the ones paying the bills, the voters!!!
DOTHAN: D5 School Board Member Amy Bonds is not seeking re-election. As the meeting began Board Member Amy Bonds stated that she felt the employment of the new school Superintendent needed to be made by the school board members which would be elected on August 5. Chairman Scott Childers and D6 Board Member Aurie Jenkins agree.
When the item came up D3 Board Member Melanie Hill, who is not seeking re-election, made the motion for the board to select two finalists for the new Superintendent. Tonight was the least meeting of Dr. Dennie Coe who is retiring after 36 years in education. Coe will officially retire in 7 days.
D4 School Board Member Brenda Guilford requested go down the line one by one of who each wanted as finalists to interview.
Strickland: Dr. Garrick Askew and Dr. Kari McGann: Hill: Askew and McGann Jones: Askew and McGann
Guilford: Askew and Dr, Charles Corbitt Childers: Dr. Donnie Chambers No second choice
Bonds: Chambers Jenkins: Chambers and McKann
Then there was confusion on how many votes each person received. D4 Brenda Guilford was totally confused and confusing. D6 Jenkins withdrew her second choice and went with only Chamers, which was allowed because of discussion. A second time each school board members named their choices. Board Members Strickland, Hill, Jones and Guilford named: Askew and McGann, and Chairman Childers, Bond and Jenkins named Chambers.
So on a 4 to 3 vote the two finalists to be interviews are Dr. Kari McGann ( Supt. in New Jersey ) and Dr. Garrick Askew ( Athens Georgia ).
Strickland and Hill, who are not seeking re-election and have no children in the school system, and Jones and Guilford who are seeking re-election but have no children in the school system, are bound and determined to name the new school Superintendent before they leave office. Interviews will be upcoming.
Current Superintendent Dennis Coe thanked everyone who worked with him in the system. After 36 years he is retiring. He then stood, shook every school board members hands, hands in the audience, received an applause, he was able to walk out and leave the school board meeting at the beginning.
They named an acting Chairman but did not catch the name.
UPDATED @ 5:15 PM
Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers has withdrawn seeking re-election as Dothan School Board Chairman. Scott Childers has qualified as District 4 School Board Member. Childers is unopposed as no one was running for District 4.
Julia Turner has qualified as Chairman of Dothan School Board. Turner and Wes Grant will square off for Chairman of Dothan School Board.
Qualifying ended at 5 PM today. All municipal offices are officially OFF AND RUNNING!!!
DOTHAN: The deadline to qualify for Mayor of Dothan, Associate Commissioners, Dothan School Board Chairman and School Board Members is TODAY, June 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM. You must qualify with the City Clerk Office in the Roy M. Drigger’s Municipal Building ( Dothan Civic Center ).
As of this writing NO ONE has qualified for District 4 Dothan School Board.
List of Candidates who have officially qualified to run in the City of Dothan Municipal Election to be held on August 5, 2025.
Official qualifying began on June 3rd and ends at 5:00 p.m. on June 24th
Those who have qualified are:
The candidates listed below have completed all requirements for placement on the ballot, and
names are printed in the order received. The official ballot will be printed in alphabetical order
by last name.
________________________________________________________________________
6/20/2025 12:29 PM
Mayor
Mark Saliba – INCUMBENT
Jimmy McCray
Associate Commissioner District 1
Kevin Dorsey – INCUMBENT
Vivian K. Daniels
Associate Commissioner District 2
Dorinda P. McGowan
Phillipe Kirksey
Derrick Tiller
Associate Commissioner District 3
David Haight
Bradley Bedwell – INCUMBENT
Kyle Scott
Associate Commissioner District 4
Dave Stock
Josh Chapman
Associate Commissioner District 5
Gantt Pierce – INCUMBENT
Associate Commissioner District 6
David L. Crutchfield – INCUMBENT
.
The candidates listed below have completed all requirements for placement on the ballot, and
names are printed in the order received. The official ballot will be printed in alphabetical order
by last name.
________________________________________________________________________
6/20/2025 12:29 PM
Board of Education Chair
P. Scott Childers – INCUMBENT
James Wesley “Wes” Grant
Board of Education Member District 1
Michelle Beacham
Donald A. Hogans
Brenda C. Guilford – INCUMBENT
Board of Education Member District 2
Franklin Jones – INCUMBENT
Justise Black
Board of Education Member District 3
Jason Falls
Taiisha Walton
Jillian Kemp
Board of Education Member District 4
Board of Education Member District 5
Beverly Jones Lampkin
Ashley Whitfield Davis
J.T. Carroll
Board of Education Member District 6
Aurie Jenkins – INCUMBENT
If no one qualifies for District 4 then the newly elected School Board will appoint or the State School Supt. will appoint.