Typically, voter turnout for primary run-off elections is down from the initial primary vote. If that trend holds next week, relatively few people will have a disproportionate voice in how we are governed and by whom in the next few years.In the first round of voting on June 1, just 32 percent of Randolph County’s…

SEAGROVE BEACH, Florida—I was in a foul mood driving down. Even listening to Carol King and James Taylor didn’t help. Jimmy Buffett was no better. All they did was flash back memories to days when the coast was really clear, when “the air was so clean and the water so green” (identify the song and…

GRAHAM—A Graham man died Friday afternoon while swimming in the Little Tallapoosa River. According to Randolph County Sheriff’s Office investigator Gregg Dendinger, Willie Junior Ballenger, 56, was swimming with his relatives’ children when they noticed he was floating face down in the water. The children ran to tell other adults and get help. Dendinger said…

Three Randolph County men have recently been arrested by Randolph County Narcotics Unit. Joshua Huddleston, 32, of 5825 Louina Rd., Roanoke, faces charged from both Chambers and Randolph counties. After being stopped in Chambers County on June 18, Huddleston was charged there by the Chambers County Drug Task Force with first-degree manufacturing of a controlled…

Two people were injured on Tuesday night of last week in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of County Roads 82 and 23 in the Foster’s Crossroads community. The driver of a 2006 Ford, and an injury, was Virginia Tsisstinass, 33, of Decatur and her passenger, Monica Sims, 22. The driver of the other vehicle,…

(WADLEY) Funeral services for Rudolph Noles, 75, of Wadley were Sunday, July 4, 2010, at 2 p.m. at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Bobby Burroughs officiating. Burial followed in Forrester’s Chapel church Cemetery. Mr. Noles died Friday, July 2, at East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika. Survivors include one daughter, Melody (husband Jay) Westbrook of…

RANDOLPH COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO. CV10-900039 GLENDA DIANE REYNOLDS AND SHANNON LEA REYNOLDS PLAINTIFF VS. JEREMIAS VELASQUEZ DEFENDANT NOTICE Notice is hereby given to Jeremias Velasquez that a Complaint has been filed against you in the Circuit Court of Randolph County. You are hereby notified that a response to the Complaint must be filed with…

(LaGRANGE, Ga.) Para Gay Ward, 85, of LaGrange, Ga., died Sunday, July 4, 2010, at Florence Hand Home. Mrs. Ward was born Dec. 29, 1924, in Roanoke, daughter of the late Girves Russell Kellum and Ozzie Jones Kellum. She had lived in LaGrange most of her life and was a member of East Vernon Baptist…

(HAYES, La.) James Samuel “Jim” Ward, 70, of Hayes, La., died Friday, July 2, 2010, at his residence. Mr. Ward served in the army from 1961 until 1967 as crew chief, technical inspector and radio repair technician. He worked for a commercial airline and fixed wing helicopter pilot. He retired from Air Logistics as a…

(LaGRANGE, Ga.) Phillip Wayne Boggs, 76, of LaGrange, Ga., died Saturday, July 3, 2010, at his home. Mr. Boggs was born Nov. 5, 1933, in Rock Mills, son of the late Elias Bonner and Mary Elizabeth Harper Boggs. He retired as an electrician from The Uniroyal Tire Company in Opelika, and he was a U.S.…

(GRAHAM) Funeral services for Willie Junior Ballenger, 56, of Graham will be Monday, July 5, 2010, at 2 p.m. at Beason Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Freddie Whitley and John D. Collins officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Ballenger is survived by a daughter, Leanne Akins of Clay County; his mother,…

(WHEATLAND, Wyo.) A graveside service and interment for Frank Hester Sr. was at 2 p.m., Monday, June 28, 2010, in Wheatland Cemetery at Wheatland, Wyo., with Pastor Denzil G. Mauk officiating. He died Tuesday, June 22, 2010, at Platte County Memorial Hospital in Wheatland. Frank was born Jan. 22, 1934, in Randolph County, Ala., the…

(MILWAUKEE, Wis.) Lloyd Brady, 67, of Milwaukee died Sunday, June 6, 2010. Mr. Brady was born Aug. 28, 1943, to the late James and Lilly Brady of Five Points. He graduated from high school in Five Points and attended Milwaukee Technical College. He married Celestine Brooks and they lived in Milwaukee, where he retired as…

noon Randolph County Retired Educators meet at The Galley Restaurant. 7 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous meets at Woodland Volunteer Fire Department. THURSDAY, July 1 noon Roanoke Rotary Club meets at The Galley Restaurant. 5 p.m. The Lighthouse Soup Kitchen on Main Street in Roanoke is open until 8 p.m. FRIDAY, July 2 11:45 a.m. Wadley Kiwanis…

(WADLEY) Graveside services for Jean Bugg Martin, 77, of Wadley, formerly of Grady, will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 3, 2010, at Fairview Cemetery in Grady with Bro. Dennis Sanders officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 2. Mrs. Martin died Thursday, July…

WEDOWEE—Randolph County Board of Education accepted the resignation of Woodland High School principal Ricky Murphy, who is headed to Cleburne County High School. Assistant principal Don Birchfield will take over as interim principal effective July 1. In other personnel items, the board approved: € Jamie Abrams as physical education/head coach at Wadley High School. €…

(PENSACOLA, Fla.) Mabel Virginia Brumbeloe Baker of Pensacola, Fla., died on June 27, 2010. She was born on May 13, 1918, in Roanoke to William Arthur and Hettie Elder Brumbeloe. She was a beautiful woman inside and out and was a loving caring mother. She was a gourmet cook and loved flower arranging, music and…

(FREDONIA) Ethel Jackson Thompson, 84-year-old resident of the Fredonia community, Lanett, died Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika. Mrs. Thompson was born June 25, 1926, in Carrollton, Ga., the daughter of the late Flora Casper Jackson and Morgan Jackson. She was a graduate of Handley High School in Roanoke and…

(WEDOWEE) The funeral for Betty Jean Clayton, 48, of Wedowee will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at Bethel West Baptist Church, with the Rev. David Holcomb officiating and Lauren Lovvorn reading a poem. Miss Clayton will lie in state one hour before the service at the church. Burial will follow in the…