DOTHAN: 08:10 AM Dothan 911 dispatched a motor vehicle accident on South Park just south of Fortner Street intersection.
Reports to Dothan 911 a white vehicle overturned.
Dothan Police Patrol Sgt. Arnold was one of the first to arrive. The driver was hanging upside down in the vehicle held by the seat belt. After first checking for injuries Sgt. Arnold cut the seat belt releasing the female.
Dothan Fire Engine 10 ( West Main ) under the command of Dothan Fire Sgt. Justin Godwin, Dothan Fire Battalion Chief Jack Wood, Pilcher Ambulance and Dothan Police responded.
No one was injured. The northbound Chevrolet Impala left the west side of the road a THANKFULLY – no one was injured. However this is an example where EMS ( in this case Pilcher Ambulance ) responds and no patient. Therefore a free run. So all EMS runs do not require transport so it is a free call.
ABBEVILLE: 04:15 AM Henry County Central 911 dispatched Abbeville Fire – EMS, Abbeville Police to a structure fire located at 170 Rockhill CIrcle in Abbeville.
At the time of dispatch Henry County 911 received reports of smoke only visible and no flames. On arrival of fire engines it was quickly identified there was no structure fire. The exhaust fans were established and home ventilated and no working fire.
NOTE: The radio industry has the emergency communications so messed up. And a large contributor to that is Ryan Buie and Ben with SCI2WAY Communications on South Foster in Dothan. They have the radio system locked in Headland Police, Headland Fire, Abbeville Police, Abbeville Fire and Henry County Sheriff Department. They can not communicate with agencies outside Henry County. SCI2WAY is moving into Barbour County and doing the same. They even have the computer locked where Henry County 911 can not even re-boot the computer without someone from SCI2WAY having to travel to Headland. Most of the time is Ben who lives in Marianna and sub,its a bill for almost $ 400.00.
Houston County Sheriff Department and Geneva County refuses to use SCI2WAY COMMUNICATIONS and drive all the way to Opp Alabama to S & P Communications. Located at 118 Ellis Road in Opp, Al. Contact Number is 334-493-6729.
Houston County Sheriff Department, as I understand, does not even use SCI2WAY Communications for their uniform needs.
They have screwed the interagency communications up. And the interagency communications is vitally important to officer safety and working in conjunction with each other.
This is not the way the founder of SCI2WAY COMMUNICATIONS founded this business. The late James Buie and his wife, works there but Ryan and Ben run the show. But they built the business on providing a quality and responsive service with officer safety in the top of the mind. It hurt Mrs. Buie that Houston County went to Opp, and she and her late husband did a lot for emergency services, but Ben and Ryan are the issues.
Dothan city leaders and department heads are meeting Friday and Saturday for strategic planning, setting the scene for the many developments the city is eyeing in next five years.
Interim City Manager Randy Morris briefed the Dothan City Commission and city department heads on broad plans for development in the city, including but not limited to:
East Dothan community center, which can expect partial federal funding
New city hall and annex
Arena and arts center
Westgate supersite, which could be partially funded by the state, but requires water, sewer services, and new roads
A judicial complex, or at least a renovation for the magistrate’s office
ShotSpotter gun detection for Dothan Police
A real time crime center
A driving track for the Wiregrass Public Safety Center
Drones for the fire department and police department
Another new fire station
Renovation of Westgate Fire Station admin office
A mobile command vehicle for Dothan Fire
New software and logistics systems for Dothan Fire
New software for court systems
A large amount of new roads/road resurfacing
Downtown traffic signal upgrades
Citywide lighting replacements
Storm basin drainage improvements
Property acquisition for affordable housing projects
A City Comprehensive Plan Update
Pickleball facilities
BMX/Skate park
Eastside Senior Center feasibility study
Miracle Playground replacement
Wiregrass Pool replacement and Pool House renovation
Wiregrass Splash Pad
Doug Tew Therapeutic Pool renovation
10 new clay tennis courts at Westgate
Lazy river at Water World
Finding land for a new soccer complex
Relocating the downtown fuel site
City Shop additions/renovations
More storage space
Electrical improvements
Water system improvements
Wastewater improvements
This sounds like a lot — and it is.
Strategic planning is meant to allow city leaders to hear more about what the city wants and needs to work with department heads on guiding resources for upcoming projects. The briefing gave general updates on the money allocated to certain projects and where the city would need to obtain more funding, but several projects are already partially funded or have funds waiting to be allocated.
The meetings aren’t intended to officially set anything in stone; they are to provide direction for development; however, many matters are on the docket for the City of Dothan in the next five years.
A Senate committee Wednesday approved a barrage of bills lawmakers say will crack down on illegal immigration in Alabama, but the committee chamber was packed with opponents who insisted the proposals were against Biblical principles.
Some of the measures approved to go to the Senate include:
SB53 makes it a crime if someone conceals, harbors, shields from detection, or transports into Alabama someone “they know or should know” is an undocumented immigrant
SB55 would make Alabama not recognize out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to people who did not prove their legal status at the time of issuance
SB63 requires law enforcement to fingerprint and obtain DNA from undocumented immigrants in custody and turn them over to state law enforcement
SB66 expands forgery laws to make it a Class D felony to knowingly present forged documents to government agencies and officials
SB77 tacks on extra fees for wire transfers out of the country; taxpayers would get fees back in the form of tax credit
The bills were sponsored by legislators who visited the country’s southern border last year.
Lawmakers defended SB77 by saying people were sending money they didn’t pay taxes for. The bill was created to capture tax revenue from those working for cash and not paying state income taxes who are wiring money to family in other countries.
Supporters insist all the bills would strengthen law enforcement. Furthermore, legislators have identified illegal immigration to be a top issue for 2025’s session.
At public hearings, opponents of the bills said the measures were anti-Christian, unnecessary, and cruel.
One attendee quoted Leviticus 19:33-34, which reads, “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
Opponents of SB53 said the bill criminalizes good Samaritans who may simply give someone walking on hot or rainy days a ride; one attorney for the Sothern Poverty Law Center said the bill would make a teacher taking a class on a field trip could be penalized for the trip if any of the students or accompanying parents are undocumented.
But the immigration bills were approved after the public hearing, the proposals now put in line to be considered by the Senate.
Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba and Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe shared progress and goals for their respective governments Thursday morning at the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dothan
Saliba described a brief history of Dothan, which started with a vision for the future and the community to support that vision — and he said neither notion had gone anywhere.
“What we need to be doing now is put it into context and learn from the things that have happened, especially when it comes to finances,” he said.
He said one of Dothan’s duties was fiscal responsibility.
When it comes to spending, he shared that Dothan spends the largest chunk of its money on public safety — just under 30% of its spending — which goes not only to law enforcement but also to other emergency response efforts.
Although public safety doesn’t generate revenue, Saliba said it was a worthwhile expenditure.
While Dothan has what may seem like a significant amount of debt, he said the city had never even come close to the debt limit set by the state.
“The city of Dothan has never come close to within 100 million of (the debt limit),” he said. “We are NOT in any kind of trouble with debt… the city’s over a hundred years old, and we got a plan for the next 50 years.”
Saliba lauded the city’s opening of new fire stations, renovations of Rip Hewes Stadium, and Water World’s consistent revenue earnings after its renovations.
He said spending the money on quality of life projects was well worth it, noting the successes of Wiregrass park fields, the Grandview flag football field, BMX renovations, the Forever Wild dog park and the Doug Tew Therapeutic Rec Center.
Moving forward into “Tomorrowland,” he said millions of dollars in investments were going to allow the upcoming successes of the Opera House, events plaza, and Wiregrass Innovation Center. Plus, the city didn’t have to entirely foot the bill for the structures.
The Opera House and events plaza are expected to be completed this summer.
Dothan is also planning a new city hall project, but it will require the Dothan Eagle building to be torn down. Saliba said it would have cost much more to renovate the building rather than start from scratch.
Over $56 million was invested in the Dothan community in 2024 and over 400 jobs were created.
Furthermore, with incoming industrial projects, Saliba said the significant industry gains could change the scope of the city in the coming decade.
Saliba insisted the City of Dothan was thriving as the municipal government focused on infrastructure, entrepreneurship, innovation, agricultural emphasis, healthcare and education.
But he was adamant that Dothan’s community is integral to all its developments, a trend since the city was founded.
Houston County
Shoupe started by saying one of his favorite parts of his job is meeting new people. When he meets new residents from outside the area, he always asks what the biggest culture shock is for moving to the area; he said the most common culture shock for transplants is the kindness and welcoming attitude of the Wiregrass.
He said the Houston County Farm Center was in the forefront of the county’s priorities, and his goal was for it to be completed next year.
Shoupe also thanked the community for approving the lodging tax, highlighting at least ten recreational developments the county was planning around the area.
The county and the city are on the same page when it comes to quality of life improvements.
‘We’re going to have to elevate our game county-wide,” he said.
The investments in industrial parks was also a hot topic for Shoupe, highlighting upcoming industrial projects and the County Distribution Park’s addition of water access.
A large portion of the county’s budget goes to law enforcement as well. The county plans to raise the salaries for the sheriff and coroner.
He said the county’s debt is expected to go up this year for recreation projects and a much-needed expansion of the county jail. The county jail’s capacity has risen significantly since Covid.
He said the county also supports the Stepping Up initiative, a national move to reduce overincarceration of people with mental illness and provide better support for those with mental illness.
“The mental health issue has not gone away — the mental health issue is in our county jail,” he said.
The county also plans to support Rep. Paul Lee’s All Health measure to expand healthcare access and improve rural healthcare, without having to spend a penny of taxpayer money for 20 years.
Some areas especially in the eastern part of Houston County see a lack of health insurance and EMS access.
He praised the 17 volunteer fire stations around the county, but he said volunteer firefighting is underfunded and understaffed — not because of a lack of desire to volunteer, but because of the lack of ability to volunteer due to family and work obligations.
Some stations also have immediate needs for new pumper trucks and improvements to stations, some of which don’t even have restrooms.
Shoupe said he doesn’t think increasing funding for the current system or passing a large tax is ideal, but he does support a modest increase of financial resources to an independent body and strategically staffing departments. The county is working with local experts to design a system taxpayers would be willing to fund.
“We are going to have to raise some money,” he said.
Shoupe suggested an extra tax on vapes and adjustments of fire fees.
He said development around the county was increasing, particularly in Rehobeth. His goals were to increase infrastructure around the county to allow for that growth.
“The towns in Houston County are the growth engines of opportunity,” he said. “We have to invest in those. When (the towns) grow, we grow as well.”
