The Clarke County Democrat Podcast

Thomasville native and U.S. Army Maj. Andrea Bagley Bynum had one of the best seats for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Bynum observed the festivities from the cockpit of an Apache helicopter as she participated in a military flyover of the July 4th event. Bynum grew up in Thomasville and attended Clarke Prep School in Grove Hill, where she graduate...

It wasn’t unusual to ride by the Clarke County Courthouse in Grove Hill on a Sunday afternoon and see a lone car parked at its base, which meant Judge Hardie B. Kimbrough was working. Kimbrough, who died on June 30 at the age of 88, left a legacy of dignified service and was the district attorney in 1971 when 10 members of the Allman Brothers Band were arrested in Jackson with illegal drugs. Kimbr...

GROVE HILL — A familiar building in Grove Hill has taken on new life with the grand opening of Adventure Acres, a new family entertainment destination. Owners Mike and Bri Johnson purchased the former Twin Rivers Roller Rink building and transformed it into Adventure Acres, creating a venue designed to provide family-friendly entertainment for Grove Hill and the surrounding communities. “Seeing so...

Long before she graduated from Thomasville High School in 2021, Chloe Drinkard had already found the place she belonged. It wasn’t on a basketball court or a ball field. It was under the bright lights of a stage, telling stories through song and performance. Today, the Thomasville Arts Council actress continues to devote herself to community theater, not only because she loves performing but becau...

The Honorable Hardie Bradford Kimbrough, 88, passed away peacefully on June 30, 2026. Hardie was born in Selma on Jan. 4, 1938. Raised in Thomasville, he graduated from Thomasville High School in 1955 before attending the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Hardie was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1959. He married...

Grove Hill Baptist Church will host a Men’s Brotherhood Fish Fry July 9 at 6 p.m. in the church fellowship hall. The guest speaker will be Brandon Smith. The church is located at 104 S Church Street in Grove Hill. Spring Revival will be hosted at Clarke Street Baptist Church in Thomasville from July 13-15 at 7 p.m. The Rev. Otto Ward of Fellowship Baptist Church in Syrene will be the guest evangel...

I remember when I was a little girl, my mama told me about my daddy coming home from work with nails stuck in his pants. He’d ripped them at work, but rather than miss a day, he grabbed a handful of nails and “stitched” the tear shut. Problem solved. She said he’d sometimes come home with a rope for a belt or his tool apron hitched up like a fashion statement, just trying to keep his britches wher...

Last week I went to see Disclosure Day. It’s Steven Spielberg’s new movie about aliens from other planets. Spielberg is a master storyteller. He brings thought-provoking ideas just when the world seems ready for them. He did it first with Close Encounters of the Third Kind. That movie got us thinking about life beyond Earth. Then he did it again with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He showed us an ali...

It is apparent that many Alabamians are confused by all the furor and hullabaloo surrounding the continuous federal litigation. The shifting of decisions, new election dates, counting of election results, and which congressman or congressional candidate is in which district has created ongoing uncertainty. I have been around Alabama politics a long time and I have never seen a scenario or so much...

July 11 The City of Jackson is sponsoring a paper shredding event July 11 from 9 a.m. until noon at the parking lot across from Pine City Farms on Kimball Avenue in Jackson. JULY 16 A history presentation featuring guest presenter Mike Bunn will be held at 4:30 p.m. July 16, at White Smith Memorial Library. Bunn will present “Fourteenth Colony: The Forgotten Story of the Gulf South During the Revo...

Thomasville High School will be without one of its key returning players this fall after running back and outside linebacker Troy Davis underwent knee surgery last week. Tigers coach Clint Anderson confirmed Davis (5-8, 170 sophomore) will miss the 2026 football season because of a pre-existing knee injury that required surgery. Thomasville will get a first look at this season’s offense and defens...

JACKSON — Several former Jackson High School football standouts will take the virtual field after being included in the newly released EA SPORTS College Football 27 video game, which is scheduled for release on July 9. Five former Aggies have been confirmed or are expected to appear in the game, representing their respective college programs. Those are Vanderbilt tight end Walter Taylor III, South...

A Grove Hill man was arrested on sexual abuse charges on June 22 stemming from alleged misconduct with a girl under 15, according to Monroe County Sheriff Tom Boatwright. Michael Neil Taylor, 53, was taken into custody at the Jackson police station and transported to the Monroe County Jail. Taylor was booked for second-degree sexual abuse and as of press time remained in jail without bond, accordi...

THOMASVILLE — A second manager at Mi Mexico restaurant was arrested for failing to report an altercation that preceded a fatal shooting at the business in June, according to the Thomasville Police Department. Jose Mendoza Chavez, 53, was arrested by the TPD on June 24 and charged with failure to report an incident in an open business. His arrest followed the June 23 arrest of Jose Ernesto Contrera...

GROVE HILL — Families from across the area gathered at S.P. Hudson Park on June 30 to celebrate America’s 250th birthday during Grove Hill’s annual summer celebration. The event featured food vendors, shopping, children’s activities, a youth sports fundraiser, the arrival of the Traveling American Flag and a fireworks display that capped the evening. Festivities began with the Grove Hill Youth Spo...

Olin Corp. and Huntsman Corp., which operate major adjacent chemical plants in McIntosh, announced a definitive all-stock merger agreement to combine the two businesses, creating a North American chemical manufacturing giant with an enterprise value exceeding billion. The transaction, announced June 10, will combine complementary product lines to establish one of the continent’s largest integrated...

The U.S. Highway 43 bypass in Linden — part of a larger project to provide four-lane travel from Mobile to Tuscaloosa — is complete and open to traffic. The new route, dubbed the West Alabama Highway, follows U.S. 43 from Thomasville to just north of Linden, where it connects with Alabama Highway 69. The new road follows Alabama 69 through Greenville to Moundville, where it will connect with the e...

Wilson Hall Middle School announced the hiring of Jaryian Jackson, left, as a P.E. assistant and Tyanena Hill, right, as the cheerleading coach. Article Link

Clarke County High School senior Tamia Turner will spend this week in Washington, D.C., as a CWEMC Youth Tour delegate. Article Link

A house on County Road 9 in Sandflat caught fire on June 26 but homeowner Red Wilson got out safely, according to Thomasville Fire Chief Chris Owes. The home had smoke damage and Owens said he was unsure how the fire started. Article Link

Clarke Prep Elementary teachers Abby Smith and Ella Etheridge recently attended the Steve Spangler Early Childhood Education STEM Learning Experience in Birmingham, where they explored engaging, hands-on ways to bring STEM learning into the classroom. The teachers participated in experiments and discovery-based activities designed to spark curiosity and encourage exploration among young learners....

As we mark America’s 250th birthday, I began to wonder how I could write about it. Of course, I was not here 250 years ago. I also do not know a lot about my ancestors or their history. But there are some things through the years that do stick out in my mind. Most of them have to do with the way we have honored America. I remember the bicentennial in 1976. Although I was young, I can still remembe...

July 3 American Legion will host its annual barbecue July 3. Dine-in service available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takeout available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue pork will be per pound with one- and two-pound takeout containers available. Chicken halves and barbecue plates with baked beans, potato salad and bread will be . An all-youcan eat barbecue meal with sides will be available for per pers...

Longtime Chatom pharmacist and community leader Elaine Hill Beech has been recognized with one of the pharmacy profession’s highest honors for her decades of community service and civic leadership. Beech received the 2026 Bowl of Hygeia Award on June 8 during the Alabama Pharmacy Association’s 145th annual Convention and Trade Show in Gulf Shores. The Bowl of Hygeia Award is presented annually by...

GROVE HILL — Clarke County and Leroy got an early look at their football teams on June 23 when the Bulldogs hosted the Bears for a 7-on-7 competition at H.G. Prim Stadium. Clarke County coach Jason Massey said replacing an experienced secondary is among the team's biggest priorities this season. “We're very young in our secondary,” he said. “We've basically replaced almost our whole...