The City of Dothan will celebrate Arbor Day on February 26, 2026, recognizing both environmental stewardship and the dedication of local school bus drivers during a special ceremony at the Dothan Botanical Gardens.
The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Botanical Gardens, located at 5130 Headland Avenue, where Dothan will also be recognized as Alabama’s Tree City of the Year.
Several guest speakers from state and local organizations are scheduled to participate, including representatives from the Alabama Forestry Commission, city officials, and leaders with Dothan City Schools.
As part of the ceremony, a tree will be planted in honor of all Dothan City Schools bus drivers, recognizing their daily commitment to safely transporting students throughout the community. The Alabama Forestry Commission will also give away a limited number of trees to attendees while supplies last.
The Arbor Day celebration is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend and take part in honoring both Dothan’s environmental efforts and the essential role of its school bus drivers.
The Wiregrass community is being asked to come together to support Candice as she continues to battle a serious medical condition that has drastically changed her daily life.
According to information shared by her family, Candice was hospitalized several weeks ago after experiencing extreme back pain along with numbness and tingling in her lower extremities. Medical imaging later revealed tumors on her spine that caused spinal cord compression.
After spending three days in the hospital, Candice was discharged with instructions to complete 10 rounds of radiation. The treatments were intended to shrink the tumors, strengthen her bones, and relieve pressure on her spinal cord. While Candice has now completed radiation, mobility remains a major challenge.
After being hospitalized with extreme back pain and numbness, doctors discovered tumors on Candice’s spine causing spinal cord compression. She has since completed 10 rounds of radiation, but mobility remains a major challenge.
Candice now requires 24/7 care from family, friends, home health providers, and physical and occupational therapy. The physical, emotional, and financial burden is significant.
Donations are currently being used for in-home care. If you are able to help, please consider donating, sharing this post, and keeping Candice in your prayers.
Terry’s Boiled Peanuts will be open today at 1 . I will be on the corner of South State Hwy 109 and Hwy 605 at the 4 way stop this is South of Rehobeth on Hwy 605 and west of US 231 on Hwy 109. Come see me ! Have a Very Blessed Day
The Dothan Houston County Library System has announced the immediate suspension of all passport processing services at its facilities.
Library officials say the move follows a recent order from the U.S. State Department, which now prohibits nonprofit public libraries from serving as passport acceptance facilities.
“To say the least, we are disappointed that we can no longer provide this service,” said DHCLS Director Chris Warren.
The suspension affects all DHCLS locations and will remain in place unless federal law is amended. A bipartisan bill currently pending in Congress could potentially restore passport services at public libraries in the future.
DHCLS says they will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates if changes occur.
UPDATES FROM RELEASED STATEMENT FROM ENTERPRISE POLICE DEPARTMENT-
The Enterprise Police Department released a brief update this afternoon regarding the investigation into missing 2-year-old Genises Nova Reid.
The child’s mother, Adrienne Reid, is the person who would be able to provide key information in the case. Unfortunately, the mother has lied in her statement to law enforcement and is now being charged with giving false information.
During the press conference, one individual asked whether an organized search would be conducted. EPD responded that an organized search had already taken place earlier this morning. While officials expressed appreciation for the public’s willingness to help, they are strongly asking that no one conduct independent searches, as doing so could interfere with evidence and potentially create complications in the investigation.
However, police emphasized that anyone who has credible information related to the case is urged to come forward and share that information with authorities immediately.
ENTERPRISE | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
Police are searching for a woman named Mariah, who may have information related to the disappearance of a 2-year-old Enterprise girl.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, Michael Moore, chief of the Enterprise Police Department, said the child’s mother mentioned the name Mariah to investigators as they continue searching for Genesis Reid, who will turn 3 next month.
Chief Moore also confirmed that the child’s mother, Adrienne Reid, is currently being detained. He emphasized that she has not been charged with a crime and said her detention is partly for her own safety.
Search efforts for Genesis continued for a second day Tuesday. Authorities are asking the public to stay away from search areas to avoid interfering with the investigation. James Tarbox, Coffee County’s district attorney, said limiting public access helps preserve the integrity of the case.
According to police, Adrienne Reid told officers she discovered her daughter missing from her bed early Monday morning and noticed a door leading outside the home was open.
Neighbors told investigators they have not seen Genesis for several weeks. Several residents said that prior to January, they regularly saw the toddler walking around the neighborhood with her mother.
Police say additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Genesis Reid or knowledge of a woman named Mariah connected to this case is urged to contact the Enterprise Police Department immediately.
SAVANNAH, Tenn. – Jerry Spencer, a Southern Baptist evangelist with deep Tennessee ties, who preached to millions across more than 50 countries and served in key denominational leadership roles for decades, died Feb. 14, 2026, in Savannah, Tenn. He was 86.
Spencer led more than 1,500 revival meetings and 100 area-wide crusades during a ministry career spanning nearly seven decades.
Born in 1939 and raised near the Mississippi River in Osceola, Ark., Spencer was called to preach at age 17, answered God’s call to preach on mission fields at 26, and made his first mission trip to Brazil in 1966 where he spent six weeks and said that was when he “fell in love with overseas missions.”
“As a teenager growing up in the First Baptist Church of Osceola, Ark., I truly enjoyed singing the old songs of the faith,” Spencer is quoted as saying. “One Sunday as we sang; ‘I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord, over mountain or plain or sea. I’ll say what you want me to say dear Lord; I’ll be what you want me to be!’ As we sang I made a commitment. ‘Lord, I’ll go, say, and be as you lead me.’”
Throughout his ministry, Spencer had a reputation for being a passionate soul winner, tireless preacher of the Gospel and iconic evangelist who conducted evangelistic meetings, revivals, mission conferences, senior adult rallies and special outreach events throughout the United States.
He challenged pastors and evangelists in 2021 during a Western Kentucky Evangelist Conference by saying that Christians today are without excuse in their evangelism efforts, considering the wealth and means at their disposal.
“Can you imagine what Paul would have done if he could have traveled in a 747? We have communications — radio, TV, the internet — yet we may be doing less than any generation before us. The church has gone into the sign business — put up a beautiful sign and then think, ‘They know where we are.’”
In his overseas ministry, he focused on pastor and leadership conferences, women’s conferences, feeding programs, street witnessing, speaking in prisons, schools, businesses, marketplaces, churches, door-to-door witnessing, literature and Bible distribution, musical concerts, and crusades in open air venues such as public squares and soccer stadiums. Spencer served the people of dozens of countries, having made more than 60 trips to India alone to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and Spencer helped establish a hospital, a Bible college and seminary in India and Ethiopia.
“Dr. Spencer has been a faithful and effective pastor and evangelist,” said Randy C. Davis, longtime friend and president/executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “He was a great encourager to local pastors in Tennessee and throughout the country. Heaven is populated with thousands of people introduced to Jesus by Bro Jerry. We will miss this dear brother greatly.”
In addition to his evangelism ministry, Spencer also authored several books and other works, with his more notable book being, “Almost Persuaded to Be a Liberal,” published in 1972 and considered a religious bestseller.
Spencer was involved in denominational leadership serving on the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee for nine years and was also vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He served as president of both the SBC Pastors’ Conference and SBC Conference of Evangelists. And was inducted into the Southern Baptist Evangelists’ “Hall of Faith” in 2008.
“He was lifelong Southern Baptist who excelled in everything he did,” said James T. Draper, Jr., former president of Lifeway Christian Resources and longtime friend of Spencer’s. “His heart was always in missions and for the people of the world, but he kept his heart tuned to the local church. Everyone respected him. He leaves a great legacy for us to follow. He was the real deal.”
Spencer was a high school and college athlete and attended Union University for three years before graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1964. He then attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and has been awarded several honorary degrees, including a doctorate from Liberty University.
Spencer had most recently served as staff evangelist at Riverview Baptist Church in Savannah, Tenn., at the time of his death
Spencer was married to Sue Walker for more than 50 years until her death. They had four children, including Dan Spencer, pastor of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, and current president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Spencer remarried to Shirley Norris Robertson and the two lived in Savannah until his death.
The funeral will be Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, 11 a.m., at Riverview Baptist Church, Savannah, Tenn.
