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.”
GENEVA COUNTY: 2:41 PM Geneva County 911 dispatched a structure fire at 21858 E. County Road 4. The emergency units dispatched Fadette Volunteer Fire, Malvern Volunteer Fire, Slocomb Fire – Rescue and Geneva County Sheriff Department.
At the time of dispatch responding emergency units were advised a grass fire had just started catching a neighbors trailer on fire.
Geneva County Road 4, this address, is about one mile west of the Geneva – Houston County line in the Southern Junction part of Houston County. It is in the far south-east corner of Geneva County, east of Highway 103 which runs from Slocomb to Graceville Florida.
When Fadette Volunteer Fire Chief Kyle Hovey arrived he instructed responding units to connect their engines to the Fadette Fire Engine and line up because water was possibly going to be an issue. Fadette Command requested mutual aid response from Rehobeth Fire – Rescue. Also responding was Taylor Volunteer Fire Chief.
On arrival of the first fire engine to the scene it was announced this was a working structure fire, two mobile home structures were on fire and it was an offensive attack. The fire grew quickly in the double wide structure and became a defensive fire attack until the heavy fire was knocked down.
Wiregrass Electric was requested. They advised a 30 minute response time. Wiregrass Electric is GREAT when requested. They are quick to respond and advises an estimated time of arrival. Alabama Power is perhaps the worst!
There was a tremendous response from all departments. Very few, Slocomb Fire – Rescue ( only a few ) and Rehobeth Fire – Rescue ( only a few ) are paid. The remaining responders fighting the fire are volunteers who give of their time, money and resources to serve the community.
The scene was under the command of Kyle Hovey who also serves as Fire Chief of Slocomb Fire – Rescue.
UPDATE:
The young man who drowned was identified as 21-year-old Byron Burks, a graduate of Elba High School. He played varsity football and basketball.
The other young man has not been identified.
ORIGINAL:
COFFEE COUNTY – NEW BROCKTON: 5:13 PM Coffee County 911 dispatched a possible drowning at 19472 Highway 84 in New Brockton. At the time of dispatch the person reporting advised 911 two boys had gone fishing in the pond and they could be heard screaming.
The scene is very close to the Coffee County Sheriff Department. Units from the Sheriff Department, New Brockton Volunteer Fire Department, Enterprise Rescue responded. Then units from Enterprise and Elba responded.
Enterprise Rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene.
One young man was transported to the hospital. One young man is missing. Two of the rescue members who were the first on the scene had to be transported to the hospital for hypothermia.
Opp Rescue Dive Team was dispatched and on the scene. A underwater search/ recovery mission is currently underway.
Coffee County Sheriff Scott Byrd, members of Coffee County Sheriff Department, Members of Enterprise and Elba Police and Fire Departments are on the scene. Coffee – Pike County District Attorney James Tarbox is on the scene. Arnold Woodham wears many hats in Coffee County. He is Operations Manager of Enteprise Rescue, New Brockton Volunteer Fire Chief and Coffee County Coroner. He is on the scene. His intial response was in hopes to save a life. At this point it looks as his final mission will be as Coffee County Coroner.
Prayers are lifted for the families of the victims and all of the emergency personnel involved in the search and recovery mission. It is 40 degrees outside in Dothan so you can imagine the water temperature.
RSN has been monitoring the situation but waited until we knew the families of the two young boys were notified of the situation to post.
As more information is available we will date.
