City of Dothan approves $55 million for city hall project

by Rickey Stokes | May 6, 2025 | News

Dothan’s city commissioners approved a $55 million deal to find a new place to stay — right across from the Houston County Courthouse.

City Manager Randy Morris said the city hall project was a big part of revitalizing downtown Dothan. The project also includes an annex, the details for which expected to appear at a coming commission meeting.

The project is expected to take about 18 months to complete with construction beginning in summer.

Several months of design have led to the agreement with Brasfield and Gorrie finally appearing in a multi-million dollar deal.

The city secured the funds through a loan with Regions Bank, who provided a fixed interest rate which is projected to save the city over $3 million.

All departments in the Civic Center will move to the new location.

The city acquired nearby land and structures for the new campus.

Beware of scam toll texts

by Rickey Stokes | May 6, 2025 | News

You may have received texts like these recently — but they’re scams.

Firstly, tolls won’t likely text you — they’ll send a letter.

But let’s look further. Is there anything odd about the number sending the message?

Yes. A plus sign (+) typically indicates a message from out of the country. A quick Google reveals this message came from the Philippines.

The text they sent didn’t even include a link. Furthermore, the text itself has a noticeable lack of punctuation. Government messages love periods. They punctuate well.

Don’t believe any odd texts you get. If you’re unsure, call the department they claim to represent and ask.

4:14: Outdoor fire near County Road 85 in Gordon

by Rickey Stokes | May 6, 2025 | News

Multiple departments are responding to a report of an outdoor fire in the area of County Road 85 in Gordon.

Units on the way report seeing heavy smoke from a distance.

Units arriving on the scene report it could be a controlled burn, but at least an acre is on fire.

Back in the red: over a million in the South hold student debt as collections resume

by Rickey Stokes | May 5, 2025 | News

It’s hard enough to get by in 2025 — but student loan collections could make things even worse for those with student debt.

The federal government plans to resume collections on defaulted student loans, officially ending a pandemic-era pause that began in March 2020. As of this week, the U.S. Department of Education is once again recovering funds through the Treasury Offset Program, which allows the government to withhold tax refunds, garnish wages, and reduce federal benefits like Social Security.

About 5 million borrowers nationwide are currently in default, and with student debt in the U.S. now totaling $1.6 trillion, the financial impact could be widespread.

In the South alone, more than a million people hold student loans — many could be at risk of collections if they’ve fallen behind on payments.

Collections are restarting under the Trump administration’s direction, marking a sharp policy shift from the previous administration’s approach to student debt relief.

Borrowers in default should have received emails from the Office of Federal Student Aid with steps for resolving their debt. Options include enrolling in income-based repayment plans, making monthly payments, or entering a loan rehabilitation program that could remove their loans from default status.

Those who do not take action could face serious consequences, including wage garnishment and the loss of tax refunds. Credit scores may also be negatively affected.

This change comes after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Biden’s 2023 plan to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt. Trump administration officials have stated there will be no mass forgiveness moving forward.

Current and future borrowers are urged to review their loan details, update contact information and consider repayment options at studentaid.gov.