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The wait is over for the Hobo Pantry across from the Highlands Elementary opens Wednesday Morning!

The wait is over for the Hobo Pantry across from the Highlands Elementary opens Wednesday Morning!

The wait is over 💫

Join us tomorrow, 2/25 at 11:30am for our official opening!

We are so grateful for the support and cannot wait to welcome you in!.

This location across from the Highland Elementary has been in the works and a dream for the Home Oil family, for a long time. This store is worth the wait and we look forward to seeing all of our friends and customers tomorrow, for a very soft opening.

 

2:25 PM.  Governor Guy Hunt

2:25 PM. Governor Guy Hunt

Long before he took the oath of office as Alabama’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, Guy Hunt was simply a farm boy from Holly Pond.

Raised on red clay farmland, he grew up in a tight-knit community where neighbors helped neighbors and where hard work, faith and personal character shaped everyday life. Those early years in Holly Pond influenced everything he later became.

Hunt was known locally as a dependable young man deeply rooted in his church and community. He became a Primitive Baptist preacher, ministering in small rural congregations where his steady, plainspoken way of speaking made him relatable to the people he served. In Holly Pond, he was the kind of person families turned to when they needed guidance, a prayer or a calm voice during hard times. Before statewide politics ever entered the picture, he worked jobs that kept him close to everyday people, farming, helping families through his work in the funeral home industry, and staying actively involved with his community. Those who knew him often say he always made time to talk and treated everyone with respect.

His first big step into public service came in 1964 when he was elected probate judge of Cullman County. For a young man from Holly Pond, it was a surprising win, but his humble, community-minded approach quickly made him well-liked. As probate judge, Hunt listened more than he talked and supported the farmers and families of Cullman County, understanding their struggles because they were the same ones he had grown up with.

In 1986, Alabama politics took a dramatic turn. A chaotic Democratic primary left many voters frustrated and opened the door for an underdog. Hunt’s rural background, simple message and genuine manner resonated with people across the state who felt overlooked by the political establishment. When the votes were counted, he had made history as Alabama’s first Republican governor in more than a century. For Holly Pond and Cullman County, it was a moment of immense pride, proof that someone from a small, tight-knit community could rise all the way to the top of state leadership.

Even after taking office, Governor Hunt never acted like he had left rural Alabama behind. He pushed for improvements in agriculture, economic development in small towns, job opportunities outside big cities and better infrastructure in places often forgotten by Montgomery. He often reminded people that the true heart of Alabama was not found in skyscrapers but in its farms, churches and small-town streets, communities just like Holly Pond.

His time as governor ended in a difficult and controversial chapter when he was removed from office following a conviction involving inaugural funds. It was the first time in state history a sitting governor had been taken out of office, and it divided opinions across Alabama. Some believed it was a necessary legal decision, while others felt he had been targeted because he was not part of the political elite. In his hometown, many continued to see him as the same man they had always known, their neighbor, their preacher and their friend.

Guy Hunt’s life remains one of the most unique and memorable political stories in Alabama. His journey from a Holly Pond farm to the Governor’s Mansion showed that rural voices mattered and that an ordinary man with deep community roots could change the direction of state politics.

His legacy continues to influence Alabama today and stands as a testament to humble beginnings, steadfast faith, and the lasting impact one small-town leader can make.

PSA – Worth Cleaners is not a local dry cleaning business. Lets support Local!

PSA – Worth Cleaners is not a local dry cleaning business. Lets support Local!

The Worth Cleaners next to Cottonwood Corners may look like a really nice local store. There is only one problem, this is only a hub drop off location, they have to truck your garments to the head office in Montgomery, Alabama. So they will tell you, yes we will have this ready tomorrow, that is only if their truck, drives your garments all the way back from Montgomery.Lets support local dry cleaning businesses, that doesn’t have to ship your clothes two hours to get cleaned. Let’s keep the dry cleaners that made significant investments in dothan, open.

 

 

 

 

 

10:04 AM    Tommy Tuberville Backs SNAP Oversight Bill with Rick Scott

10:04 AM Tommy Tuberville Backs SNAP Oversight Bill with Rick Scott

RICKEY STOKES NEWS

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has joined Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in introducing the SNAP Data Transparency and Oversight Act, aimed at increasing federal oversight of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The bill would require states to provide recipient-level data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture upon request to help combat waste, fraud, and abuse. States that fail to comply within 30 days could risk losing federal SNAP funding.

Lawmakers say the measure is designed to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits go to those who truly need them. The bill also includes privacy safeguards and allows relevant data to be shared with law enforcement for investigative purposes.

The legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and will now move through the legislative process.

9:37 AM    Eufaula Police Department Swears In Officer Zachary Kelly

9:37 AM Eufaula Police Department Swears In Officer Zachary Kelly

No photo description available.

EUFAULA | RICKEY STOKES NEWS

The department continues moving forward with the addition of a new officer this week.

Officer Zachary Kelly was officially sworn in, bringing the department closer to full staffing and helping ensure the city receives the level of response and service it deserves.

Officials said the oath taken by Officer Kelly is a critical and meaningful step in the process of becoming a police officer and marks the beginning of his service to the community.

The department also expressed appreciation to the Judge who assisted with administering the oath.

More updates will be released as they become available.

4:48 PM   Structure Fire Dispatched on Woodland Drive – Dothan

4:48 PM Structure Fire Dispatched on Woodland Drive – Dothan

DOTHAN:    4:45 PM   Dothan 911 dispatched s tructure fire at 2020 Woodland Drive. Reports to Dothan 911 the oven was on fire.

4:49 PM  Dothan Fire Engine 2 ( Lakewood ) has arrived on the scene. Single story brick structure, nothing visible. All units go to level 1 staging. Investigating.

4:50 PM    Dothan Fire Engine 10 ( West Main ) and Battalion 2 has arrived on th scene.

4:45 PM     Dothan Fire Engine 2 reported the stove is on cleanmode, no fire. All units can return to service.

All units have returned to service.