DOTHAN: The City of Dothan School Board will be creating a job description for Dothan School Superintendent with a specially-called meeting next week to craft the job description.
The Dothan School Board is elected by the registered voters of the City of Dothan. There are 7 school board members, all of which are up for reelection or election on August 5, 2025.
The current school board members are: Scott Childers – Chairman; Brenda Guilford -District1; Franklin Jones – District 2; Melanie Hill – District 3; Brett Strickland – District 4; Amy Bonds – District 5; Aurie Jenkins – District 6.
RSN has been doing some checking, and some of the school board members want the School Superintendent for the City of Dothan to have a doctorate degree. If the school board is successful, it will make the City of Dothan the only school board in the State of Alabama to have this requirement — that’s out of 140 School Systems in the State of Alabama.
For the School Board to add this requirement, it will take only 4 of the 7 school board members to vote YES.
Since the School Board wants this requirement, and if it passes, the registered voters will know those Board Members adding this requirement have someone in mind for the next Dothan School Superintendent. RSN will be watching if the fix is in! Look around the State at the 140 school systems, none require a doctorate; see which systems are doing well.
If you want to seek election to become a member of the Dothan School Board contact the City of Dothan Clerk’s Office. It is time to begin to plan your campaign.
Education is important to the growth and success of the City of Dothan. Having a doctorate degree is not a bonus for the City of Dothan School System. The school system is a huge corporation with a lot of financial components. Just because someone can teach does not mean they can run a multi-million dollar business. Just because you have a doctorate in no way implies that you can manage a huge business like schools, or that you even have common sense to manage the school system. Why would a Dothan School Board Member add a requirement for a doctorate and lock yourself into that requirement? From the applicants you might / might not select someone who has a doctorate. But to write it into the job description and limit yourself to only those only with a doctorate degree is foolish.
In closing, would it be wonderful if the School Board did something highly unusual?
And that is select someone local to be the next Dothan School Superintendent. Someone that was not “paid” to come to Dothan, but someone that has lived and worked in Dothan. Who truly has a heart for Dothan and not someone moving here because at least 4 elected School Board Members paid them six figures to move to Dothan, Alabama (and when their tenure is over move away from Dothan). They are only here to collect the six figures of “other people’s money” at least 4 or the 7 School Board Members gave away.
RSN will be watching and is not afraid to call each of you out for your decisions. NO SECRET VOTES, open discussion — which RSN is committed to letting the public know.
UPDATE: The meeting on this matter is Tuesday, March 11, at 5:30 p.m.
PICTURED BELOW DOTHAN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
ROW 1: Chairman Scott Childers, D1 Brenda Guilford
GENEVA COUNTY – SLOCOMB: 7:44 PM Geneva County Central 911 dispatched Slocomb Fire – Rescue to a structure fire at 1490 White Oak Road at Slocomb.
At the time of dispatch it was a working structure fire, unknown if everyone had evacuated, and caller had disconnected.
Slocomb Fire Chief Kyle Hovey advised water would be a issue, that no fire hydrants were near. Chief Hovey requested mutual aid assistance from Malvern Volunteer Fire Department and Fadette Volunteer Fire Department.
7:49 PM Geneva County 911 paged all Slocomb Fire – Rescue members that any off duty members which were close and able to respond additional manpower was needed. There were no fire hydrants and water was going to have to be shuttled.
8:23 PM Slocomb Fire Chief Kyle Hovey reported fire under control and checking for extensions.
Slocomb Fire – Rescue has been hammered since March 2025 arrived. A structure fire on Saturday, multiple medical calls, patient transfers, outdoor fires. The east end of Geneva County is well cared for with Slocomb Fire – EMS, Malvern Volunteer Fire and Fadette Volunteer Fire. The men and women involved do a great job in serving the citizens and guests in Geneva County.
DOTHAN: In June 2024 Dothan Police Chief Will Benny assembled his command staff. The Command Staff consists of Dothan Police Major Will Glover, Captain Rachel David – Training Center; Captain Jason Penn – Investigative Bureaus; Captain Thomas Davis – Patrol Uniform Division; Captain Lynn Watkins – Administrative Division.
Chief Will Benny instructed the command staff to begin preparations for Mardi Gras 2025, which took place this past weekend. The command staff, people under their command, Lieutenants, Sergeants and Corporals began developing plans.
Within those plans, training and scenarios were developed. In the 28,130 square foot Education and Training Building of the Wiregrass Public Safety Center, which includes an array of scenario-specific resources designed to simulate, with crucial accuracy, the emergency situations first responders are likely to face, training was conducted.
As the command staff developed those specific plans, Chief Will Benny was briefed and interjected his thoughts. Finally the plan was developed.
On Saturday morning some 100 law enforcement officers, combined agencies of Houston County Sheriff Department, ALEA – Troopers, Governmental Specialists from the U.S Government assembled earlier for a detailed briefing.
While law enforcement developed their plans, Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams and his command staff, Deputy Fire Chief’s Chris Etheridge, Deputy Fire Chief David Hasty, Deputy Fire Chief Pete Webb, and the different Battalion Chief and Captains along with Pilcher Ambulance. Southeast Health and Flowers Hospital developed emergency medical procedures. With each plan how to manage the huge volume of people and regular fire and EMS calls. Also how to navigate the downtown area to respond to routine emergencies.
Then the Dothan 911 Center in how to manage the routine dispatch and response of emergency calls because of different areas being barricaded.
CHECK, RECHECK, DOUBLE CHECK … all plans developed, rehearsed and all systems ready for implementation.
Saturday morning, early, over 100 assembled for the final briefing. Dothan dump trucks were positioned to assist in blocking intersections along with Dothan Police units. What Chief Benny and Command Staff was not going to allow was a New Orleans situation of a vehicle crashing into the crowds of people. There were true “undercover officers” in different places with beads and a hidden radio ear piece in their ears, stationed strategically in places to observe. Officers were not allowed to talk with these “undercover officers.” There was a display of officers in uniforms and tactical gear. Sometimes visual presence is a deterrent.
The overall commanders, Dothan Police Major Will Glover and Captain Thomas Davis. With confidence in his command staff, Dothan Police Chief Will Benny backed off in the background and let the command staff manage the operation.
At the close of the Mardi Gras parade, which was attended by hundreds of hundreds of people, the only two problems to my knowledge, were two fights that broke out. And the law enforcement officers were on top of it, quickly. Those were about the only ones arrested.
The crowd felt safe and behaved really well. A smooth safe event.
But a well planned out event. Wiregrass Public Safety Director Jason Wright commented on Facebook, that watching the training at Wiregrass Public Safety Center and then seeing the plan implemented, all involved did an excellent job. While Wright is not over the actual training implementation, but seeing and being involved at the center he was proud of all agencies and officers involved.
Following the day Dothan Police Chief Will Benny, Dothan Police Major Will Glover, Dothan Police Captain Thomas Davis expressed their gratitude to all law enforcement and emergency responders with fire and EMS. A job well done, a event concluded with no major issues and everyone worked together as designed.
DALE: 6:21 PM SATURDAY EVENING: Ozark – Dale County 911 and Enterprise 911 dispatched Level Plains Police, Level Plains Volunteer Fire Department, Dale County Sheriff Department to a motor vehicle accident with injuries.
The location of the accident was 1910 Joe Bruer Road – Daleville Sports Bar and Lounge. The reports to Ozark – Dale County 911, motor vehicle accident with injuries, involving a motorcycle. The caller reported unknown injuries but looked pretty bad.
Enterprise Rescue Medical Helicopter was unable to accept the mission to fly. Survival Flight from Headland accepted the mission and responded to the scene. The injuries were reported critical.
Level Plains Police Department was in charge of the accident investigation.
COFFEE COUNTY: 8:10 PM Coffee County 911 Center dispatched a motor vehicle accident with injuries. The accident was reported to involve a female and a male.
The location of the accident was 10232 County Road 306. The location was near County Road 307 and County Road 312. Reports to Coffee County 911 the accident involved a four wheeler.
Coffee County Sheriff Deputies, Elba Fire Department, Enterprise Rescue responded. Hayne Medical Helicopter accepted the mission and responded.
The initial reports to Coffee County 911 that all patients were conscious and the second patient, reported to be a 2 year old, was ejected from the four wheeler.
UNCONFIRMED some on the scene transported one or more injured to Troy Regional by private auto to the hospital. The first fire engine is reported to have arrived in 16 minutes from the call hitting 911. The location was in the northern end of Coffee County so there was a distance for the emergency units to respond.
This is reported to have occurred on private property. Unknown the condition of the patients.
SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2025
08:20 AM Ozark – Dale County 911 auto launched Survival Flight on a medical emergency, stroke. When EMS arrived Survival Flight was cancelled.
NEWTON – DALE COUNTY: 5:00 PM Ozark – Dale County 911 dispatched a motor vehicle accident – roll over – of a ATV. The accident is reported to have occured at 7659 S. County Road 20 in Newton at Woodham’s Bridge.
Shortly after initial dispatch the information was upgraded the accident involved an 11 year old child. Ozark – Dale County 911 auto launched Survival Flight but they were unable to accept the mission. Ozark – Dale County 911 was attempting to auto launch Enterprise Rescue medical helicopter when the caller informed they were transporting to 11 year old child by private auto to Flowers Hospital.
Midland City Police spotted the private auto on South County Road 59 at New Hope Road. Unsure as of this writing if the officer awaited EMS to respond or escorted the vehicle onto Flowers Hospital. At one time heard instructions to escort the vehicle to the hospital. So depending on the time it would take EMS to arrive at their location or go onto the hospital, whichever was best for the patient, the law enforcement did.
ALEA – Troopers were possibly dispatched if the accident occured on the roadway. If one private property then ALEA does not investigate private property accidents.
At the time of this writing the condition of the child is unknown.
ABBEVILLE – HENRY COUNTY: 5:14 PM A few minutes ago Abbeville Police Department activated their blue lights on a vehicle attempting to make a traffic stop. The vehicle in front of the blue lights made a conscious decision not to stop and for some apparent reason his mind told him press the gas pedal.
The chase proceeded on County Road 99 at Abbeville. In front of Money’s Ford the vehicle spun out, however, the driver was able to regain control of the vehicle. The chase continued with Henry County Sheriff Deputies responding to assist Abbeville Police. The pursuit continued to the suspect crossing Highway 431 onto County Road 27. As the suspect reached County Road 40 the suspect vehicle spun out of control for the second time.
This time the suspect’s mind told his feet, RUN!!! The suspect ran on foot across a pasture.
Henry County Sheriff Deputy riding with his field training officer, who is young and in great physical shape, launched the foot pursuit. As the Henry County Sheriff Deputy was in pursuit on foot and the suspect went to go over a fence the Henry County Sheriff Deputy was within range with his taser. The Deputy launched the taser shooting the probes into the suspect giving him an electrical ride like he has not had.
That immobilized the suspect and he was taken into custody with any injuries to anyone, other than the electrical shock the suspect was able to enjoy.
The suspect had used some type of deodorant that smelt just like marijuana!!! Cause he smelled of marijuana and you know he did not smoke – so had to be some type of deodorant.
He was checked by Abbeville Rescue and then transported to the Henry County Jail.
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