The Dothan City Schools Strategic Planning Committee invites parents of DCS students to provide feedback. THe feedback will help develop goals and strategies for the next five years. The survey is open through Feb. 25.
Visit Dothan.k12.al.us and wait for the popup shown below.
Webb Elementary School was honored by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) and was selected as the 2024 CLAS School of Distinction for the program Girls With G.R.I.T.
This award recognizes school programs that serve as outstanding educational models for other schools in Alabama.
The CLAS Banner School program was created in 2001 to recognize schools in Alabama that showcase outstanding programs and service to students. This year 234 schools were nominated for prestigious recognition with 222 applications submitted and thirty-two schools selected as the 2024 CLAS Schools of Distinction.
Congratulations!
A woman was killed and her daughter was injured in a shooting in Panama City, and two suspects have been arrested.
Georgeann Garner, 48, died from her injuries at the hospital, while her daughter, Marileigh Lewis, 19, remains in critical condition.
The suspects in a Dodge Ram fled the scene, leading police on a chase before wrecking the vehicle into a law enforcement car near the Holiday Inn at Highway 231 and Highway 77.
Ivybella Encino, was the one who rammed the suspect vehicle into a Panama City Police car, wrecking both vehicles. She was arrested without further incident.
Jubal Simmons, 23, attempted to run away, but he was caught.
Evidence suggests the murder happened due to a road rage incident that escalated to an argument and brief physical confrontation.
Simmons is charged with murder, three counts of attempted murder, two counts of firing into an occupied vehicle, firing a firearm from a vehicle, tampering with evidence, and resisting officers without violence.
Encino is charged with accessory to murder, aggravated battery to a law enforcement officer, aggravated fleeing law enforcement, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
The City of Dothan wants to inform citizens of the upcoming road and parking lot closures associated with the KOK Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, March 1st. Please see the attached map.
NOTE: JUVENILE RECORDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO POST. JUDGE LORI COLLIER INGRAM & JUDGE BUTCH BINFORD HANDLE ALL JUVENILE CASES:
HOUSTON COUNTY:
DV-District-Civil:
38-DV-2025-900193.00 Discover Bank Vs Lakeisha L Johnson (General Damages)
$8779.64 with Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-DV-2025-900194.00 Patricia A Sigmon Vs Eric Rogers (Unlawful Detainer) with
Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-DV-2025-900195.00 Christopher Robert Stevens Vs Paige Kidd (Unlawful
Detainer) $2350.00 with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
38-DV-2025-900196.00 Real Estate Services of Dothan Vs Keyun Hill (Unlawful
Detainer) $1470.00 with Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-DV-2025-900197.00 Raf Properties LLC Vs Gary Walker (Unlawful Detainer)
$1840.18 with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
38-DV-2025-900198.00 Wayne Shipes Vs Ashley Wells (Unlawful Detainer) with
Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-DV-2025-900199.00 Paul Pickard Vs Nik Strickland (Unlawful Detainer) $450.00
with Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-DV-2025-900200.00 Virginia Terrace Vs Travion Martin (Unlawful Detainer)
$1595.50 with Judge Benjamin Lewis
SM-Small Claims:
38-SM-2025-900680.00 Discover Bank Vs Desmond Jackson (Account Collection)
$2574.70 with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
38-SM-2025-900681.00 Southeastern Pediatric Associates P.A Vs Amner Love
(Mics SM Case) $400.85 with Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-SM-2025-900682.00 Wiregrass Orthodontic Specialists LLC Vs Rashida Brown
(Mics SM Case) $3555.10 with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
CC-Circuit-Criminal:
Judge Moulton had 6 cases for Attempt to Elude, Crim Mischief 1st , Identity Theft
X 2, Theft of Property 1st X 2. Judge Richardson had 1 case for DV 3nd-Assailt 2nd.
Judge Steensland had 2 cases for Arson 2nd.
DC-District-Criminal:
Judge Lewis had 28 cases ranging from Assault 2nd, Use/Possess Drug Par,
Resisting Arrest, Retail Theft 2nd and Disorderly Conduct.
TR-Traffic:
Judge Lewis had 29 cases ranging from Speeding, Expired Tag, Handicapped
Parking, No Driving License and Drive W/Suspended.
Henry County:
SM-Small Claims:
37-SM-2025-900065.00 Gulfco of Ala LLC Assignee of Southern Outdoor Solutions
Vs Joseph Hals (Contract/EJNBT/SEIZU) $3754.61 with Judge Spencer Danzey
DC-District-Criminal:
Judge Danzey had 4 cases for Paraphernalia Misdem, Pistol Certain Person,
Possess/Receipt Cont and Fugitive from Justice
TR-Traffic:
Judge Danzey 44 cases for Speeding X 34, Drive W/Suspended X 4, Open
Container Viola, Failure to Wear Safe X 4, No Driver’s License.
Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza has said time and time again there’s a great need for new vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office — but funding could be on the way in the coming years.
The Houston County Commission voted to begin negotiating a contract with Waggoner Engineering with the hope of securing funding for the Sheriff’s Office.
Waggoner Engineering, represented at a previous meeting by former Secretary of State John Merrill, is a civil engineering company which aims to lobby within Congress to secure funding for local projects.
Some of Waggoner’s past projects include park design and development, sewer work, long range planning, roads and bridges, city development, and storm shelter work. They’ve also worked with law enforcement agencies around the country.
Waggoner works with members of Congress — in our case, that would be Rep. Barry Moore, Sen. Katie Britt and Sen. Tommy Tuberville — to find opportunities for funding. Waggoner helps localities put in applications and bids for resources to be submitted to legislators in Washington, D.C.
“When you have the members support an endorsement, it enhances your opportunity, and then they will work with their colleagues to have them embrace it and endorse it,” Merrill said.
Chairman Brandon Shoupe said the opportunity was exciting, as the commission hadn’t engaged with lobbyists outside of those in the Association of County Commissioners of Alabama.
He said the entirety of the commission’s ask would be for the Sheriff’s Office — namely, new vehicles.
“We have a very aged fleet,” he said.
That’s true — Major Bill Rafferty confirmed multiple vehicles had over 200 thousand miles, even after Valenza managed to bring in over $2 million worth of new vehicles.
Shoupe also said having Merrill in particular was helpful thanks to his knowledge.
“He knows what gets funded and how it all works up there (in Washington),” he said. “We need not only help opening doors, but we need help crafting a pitch, because this is not something we’ve ever done before, so we’re definitely new with this.”
Entering the contract would require pulling around $50,000 from the general fund, but Shoupe said he and the commission were ready to take the risk, as there is huge possibility for return on investment.
“We think the risk is worth the reward,” he said.
Furthermore, if Houston County does not receive the funding in the first year they submit their applications, Merrill and his team indicated he would help the next year for free.
Merrill said Waggoner helping secure resources for Houston County Sheriffs could be incredibly helpful.
“One of the things that we want to always remind our clients of is that the people in Washington and the people in Montgomery, just like the people in Dothan and the people in all municipalities in Houston County, they work for the people that elected them,” Merrill said. “So when we can be an advocate for our elected officials, to help them identify a project… it’s helpful, because we can do it in a structured and organized fashion that helps them have a concise message that is direct to that person.”