A woman was charged with arson for the structure fire on Bell Street on March 8th.
Latasha Renae Bryant from Dothan faces a first-degree arson charge after police say she spread an accelerant around a home and lit it on fire while three people were inside. No significant injuries were reported.
Her bond is set at $60,000.
Read our previous reporting on the fire here.
The Wiregrass was thankfully spared from the dangerous weather that rolled through the South this weekend, but local meteorologists and news media have received messages from angry viewers that the situation was blown out of proportion.
Reader, please save your ire.
This storm was dangerous — at least 40 people died across the country from weekend storms.
At least seven tornados spawned in Alabama alone.
Alongside all the negatives of the digital age in which we live, there are a few glaring positives: weather knowledge and awareness have incredible upward potential, and local experts are available on a variety of platforms to inform you about dangerous situations before they happen.
Local meteorologists were up all night Saturday into Sunday in wall-to-wall coverage to monitor the weather, as we had every ingredient for tornados.
Our diligent weather aficionados are there to keep you informed when severe weather could and has the potential to happen.
I am a big supporter of focusing on gratitude when anger or disappointment strikes.
Take some time to look at what the aftermath of a tornado looks like (if you haven’t already seen it) and simply thank baby Jesus and the grown one, too, that we did not have to see such destruction in our own backyards.
Look out at your patio furniture which may have simply been blown over and think to yourself, “Self, I’m happy I don’t have to do more cleanup than righting this chair.”
Watch the news today and be glad that person reporting on continual windy weather today not only knows the warning signs for tornados but also is there literally in rain or shine to make sure you know how to keep yourself safe.
Sunny, breezy and cool are the weather words for the next few days. Even with few clouds today temperatures will not warm to 70. So after a chilly start to Monday, temperatures are expected to top out near 67 degrees with a stiff wind, sometimes gusting over 20 mph, making for a cool windswept day.
Tonight will be colder. Temps may drop into the upper 30s by dawn Tuesday.
But then we have several beautiful Spring days to enjoy. Tuesday, Wednesday and on into the weekend, each day will be sunny and warmer; near 80 degrees for highs by mid-week and after tonight each night will be gradually milder.
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Prepared Ahead of
Severe Weather Threat HARTFORD, Alabama-As severe weather approaches our area, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative (WEC) wants members to know we are fully prepared to respond to potential outages and restore power as
quickly and safely as possible. AIL WEC linemen are on standby and ready to respond, and we’ve added two contract construction crews to support restoration efforts if needed. Should the storm’s severity require additional resources, WEC will coordinate with fellow Alabama electric cooperatives through our statewide mutual aid
network to bring in more assistance from unaffected areas. “We always prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” said Stevie Sauls, WEC Vice President of Member Services and Communication. “Our top priority is keeping members safe and restoring service
as quickly as possible after a storm.” Members are encouraged to stay weather-aware and report any outages they experience. WEC’s outage map is available online and updates in real time. For updates, outage reporting, and storm safety tips, visit our website at www.wiregrass.co.p. You can also view the outage map directly at
www.wiregrass.coop/outage-map.
Please continue to monitor trusted weather sources and stay safe.
### Wiregrass Electric Cooperative is an electric distribution system located in southeast Alabama with more than 3,500 miles of power lines providing reliable and affordable electricity and energy solutions to approximately 26,000 homes and businesses in Houston, Geneva, Covington, Dale, Henry and Coffee
counties. For more information, visit our website at www.wiregrass.coop.
Anyone who lives in the area knows Dupree School is a historic place, but the location is now receiving recognition from the federal government for its distinction.
Houston County Commissioner Tracy Adams appeared at Dupree School Friday morning to present a $10,000 check from the County Commission — but he and Dupree School Board Chairman Steve Smith also had the honor of presenting a plaque designating the school as a historic place.
The schoolhouse was constructed in 1904; however, as of 2022, the building was turning to dust.
But the love of the community helped revive the place; in years past, it was used for people to jam together and play bluegrass and old gospel music. Now, restorers are setting their sights higher.
Disability-friendly restrooms are being added, along with a catering kitchen and a gallery entry hall.
Furthermore, there are hopes to turn the building into a voting location ahead of upcoming elections.
“A great musical legacy is attached to this building,” Smith said.
And he’s right.
This reporter lovingly remembers being fed pound cake and lukewarm orange soda from sweet ladies with lipsticked smiles in the front kitchen while old folks played whatever instruments they could bring.
Expert and amateur musicians alike were welcome to play music; any musician wanting to learn more could depend on Dupree School for a crash course in how to keep up playing as a group.
Back then I could tap dance; I remember an old fiddler, Mr. Charlie, who used to teach me Hank Williams songs and how to tap tunes as he bowed at his likely decades-old instrument.
It was cathartic to wander through the freshly-upkept two-room schoolhouse. The rooms still smelled of varnish from the “new” floorboards, 120-year-old wood procured from an old Georgia cotton mill.
The main schoolroom was once divided by big doors with pews in the back and a spattering of mismatched dining chairs in the front where folks could bring guitars, fiddles, upright basses and mandolins; Smith said future plans include a stage setup and a piano.
But the blank canvas of the rooms reveals a greater future of a community hub at what Smith calls “America’s crossroads.”
“We look at this not only as a local project, but a Wiregrass project,” Smith said. “We have several objectives to restore light and life to this American landmark.
“This will be one acre of unity, no matter what your politics are, no matter what your differences are.”
He said he was grateful for the efforts of locals who donated their money, time, resources and expertise to the rehabilitation of a now-recognized historic place, calling the work a “project of the people.”
The schoolhouse looks forward to March 21 and 22, when their annual Bluegrass Revival will bring what’s guaranteed to be a huge to-do for music fans. March 21 at 5:30 p.m. features a free jam session — so bring your instruments and get ready to have fun playing music. March 22 at 11 a.m. welcomes a lineup of bluegrass artists, food, arts and crafts, and kids’ activities.
You can see Dupree School at 1116 Antioch Church Road.
