The Alabama State Department of Education recently released graduation rates for the class of 2015. Alabama’s state average climbed to a record 89%.Randolph County Schools’ overall graduation rate is 91% for the graduates of 2015–2% higher than the state average. Woodland High School’s rate is 94%, Wadley High School 93%, and Randolph County High School…

Councilwoman Tammi T. Holley said she wanted to introduce an ordinance at Monday night’s meeting. She asked those present if they wanted their streets paved? She said she wants to raise sales tax from 9.5 to 10 percent for monies for new paving. The city already collects 3.5 cents for the general fund and this…

OFELIA–A Lineville man was airlifted following a one-vehicle accident on Sunday night in the Ofelia community. According to the Troopers, the wreck happened about 8:30 p.m. on County Road 57. The driver, Debra Sue Wilson, 54, also of Lineville said she swerved to miss a deer in her 2015 Nissan Rogue, which caused her to…

 A Ford truck found on fire Jan. 25 on County Road 37 at Graham was determined to have been stolen from Cleburne County. Volunteer firefighters from Ranburne and Newell responded to the fire. The owner of the truck identified it and also said tools, a rifle and ammunition were missing from the vehicle. (For more…

 A Wadley man was arrested on Tuesday evening of last week following a crash on Highway 22, east of Roanoke. According to the report from Roanoke Police Department, Taylor Vincent Darbie, 29, of 54071 Hwy. 22, was charged with DUI. A witness said Darbie came around him in a 2003 Lincoln Town Car at a…

This week is National School Choice Week. Fittingly, it comes the week before the Alabama Legislature goes back into session and resumes the process of dismantling public education in the state. Legislators approved a law last year that will authorize charter schools beginning in 2017. Nationwide, the charter school movement began in the early 1990s…

Among the many things we lost when the Mobile daily newspapers were shut down (don’t get me started on that), we lost the frequent articles by naturalist-gardener-horticulturist-scientist Bill Finch, who carried readers through the seasons with style, grace and a lot of good information about plants and planting. So you can imagine how happy I…

As discussed last week, several of the headline Alabama news stories of 2015 may also be the blockbusters of 2016. The Mike Hubbard trial and the decision of the federal courts on Alabama’s legislative district lines will be determined in the first half of this year. The biggest news and political story of this year…

CONTINUATION OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. on May 7, 2008, by Kentovian Rowland, a single man, and recorded in MORT Book 532, Page 57 and secured indebtedness having been transferred JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association.…

NOTICE OF PRIMARY ELECTION FOR RANDOLPH COUNTY, ALABAMA Pursuant to Section 17-9-5 Code of Alabama, 1975, I, George Diamond, Judge of Probate of Randolph County, Alabama, do hereby given Notice of Election to be held in Randolph County, Alabama, and by virtue of the power vested in me as Judge of Probate of Randolph County,…

PUBLIC NOTICE Request for Bids for Low Voltage Services Posting Date: January 25, 2016 In accordance with the Official Code of Alabama Annotated (O.C.A.A. 39-2-4), Tanner Health System (THS) and the Randolph County Healthcare Authority (RCHA) are providing this notice regarding a request for bids for Low Voltage Services for a 15-bed hospital in Wedowee,…

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF RANDOLPH COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: CHERYL GORE NOTICE OF FILING OF PETITION FOR SUMMARY DISTRIBUTION Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution of the above named estate has been filed by Michael Gore on the 19th day of Jan., 2016, and that 30 days after the notice…

PUBLIC SALE Stack & Pack Self Storage, pursuant to the Alabama Self Storage Act (8-15-33) will conduct a public sale to the highest bidder for cash only on their premises, 410 Industrial Ave., Roanoke, AL 36274. Phone 334-863-7867. The auction will be on March 5, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. on the following units. The company…

NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Alabama, Randolph County Default having been made pursuant to the terms of that certain mortgage executed by Loren Pitts, a married man and Karen Pitts, his wife to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for MortgageAmerica, Inc., its successors and assigns, dated 10/17/07, said mortgage being recorded in Book…

(ROANOKE) Funeral services for Larry Wayne Cato, 69, of Roanoke will be Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Roger Jones officiating. Burial will follow at Lebanon Christian Church Cemetery. Mr. Cato died Monday, Jan. 25, at Bethany House in Auburn. A Roanoke native, Mr. Cato was born…

(EUFAULA) Graveside services for Sara Davis Pearson, 89, of Eufaula, formerly of Wadley, will be Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Wadley Cemetery with Ben Fennick officiating. Mrs. Pearson passed away Saturday, Jan. 23, at Crowne Health Care of Eufaula. Mrs. Pearson was born March 11, 1926, the daughter of James Mather and…

(ROANOKE) Funeral services for Lowell Hollis Boyd, 80, of Roanoke will be Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Antioch Christian Church with the Rev. Anthony Herren officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Boyd passed away Friday, Jan. 22, at Hospice LaGrange. A Carroll County, Ga., native, Mr. Boyd was born…

(LAKELAND, Fla.) Bobby Joe Thomas, 80, of Lakeland, Fla., died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016. The funeral was Saturday, Jan. 23, at 2:30 p.m. at Mulberry Church of God in Mulberry, Fla. A service will be held Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Stutt and Sons Funeral Home in Franklin, Ga. Burial will follow at Ridgeway Methodist Church…

(WEDOWEE) Funeral services for Sandra Bowen Christopher, 73, of Wedowee will be Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Benefield Funeral Chapel with Keith Christopher officiating. Burial will follow at Edgemont Cemetery in Anniston. Mrs. Christopher died Tuesday, Jan. 19, at Methodist Hospital/Stone Oak in San Antonio, Texas. A Randolph County native, Mrs. Christopher…

(WOODLAND) Funeral services for Frank Campbell, 76, of Woodland will be Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, at 1 p.m. CST at Bethel East Baptist Church with Bro. Keith Runels, Bro. Brad Horton, Larry Strain and Allan Daniel officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Campbell passed away Wednesday, Jan. 20, at Tanner Medical Center.…