Thomasville Times

THOMASVILLE — After decades of service to volunteer firefighters in Clarke County and across Alabama, Thomasville firefighter Charlie Dixon was left speechless when his name was called to receive one of the state’s highest honors. Dixon was presented the President’s Award at the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire Departments’ 49th annual conference and banquet June 12-13 in Muscle Shoals. The a...

Every year around this time, I always hear there is nothing to do in Clarke County. We may not have giant amusement parks or beaches in our backyard but one of the best things about living in Clarke County is that entertainment often comes in simpler forms. Sometimes all it takes is a sunny afternoon, a few friends and a willingness to get outside. If you’re a golfer — or even if you’ve never pick...

The Thomasville Public Library has kicked off its Summer Library Program with the theme “Unearth A Story” and it will run until July 31. The staff has transformed the children’s wing into a dinosaur adventure, including a nine-foot T. Rex skeleton. On designat e d days, kids can pick up craft activities to take home, attend a variety of family-fun events at the Civic Center or the library, hear fr...

Stephen Miller of Warrior CPR and First Aid was the guest speaker at the first aid workshop at the Thomasville Public Library. Article Link

With our special hurricane section coming out this week, I found myself thinking back on the hurricanes I remember from my childhood. Some memories fade with time. Others stay tucked away in your heart. They may be small details — a hallway full of pallets, the smell of food cooking outside or the sound of grown-ups talking in serious voices — but somehow those are the memories that come back ever...

Prior to the primaries, I had disingenuously written that state legislative seats have become analogous to congressional seats. Very few incumbent legislators are even challenged and those who do get opposition are easily reelected. I was half right. Eighty percent of incumbent State House and Senate members did not have an opponent. However, I was wrong to assume that those legislative incumbents...

Alabama is on the verge of having a new governor. For the first time in nearly a decade, the occupant of the governor's office at the State Capitol will not be Kay Ivey. Ivey's path to the state's highest office was unlikely. In the early 1980s, she failed to win elected office in then-Democrat-controlled Alabama, losing a race for state auditor. After spending two decades in variou...

JUNE 19 The Clarke County Alumni Chapter of Alabama State University cordially invites all and your congregation to join in a Juneteenth celebration on Friday, June 19, at 4 p.m., at Jackson City Hall, 400 Commerce Street, Jackson. This year’s theme is: “Remembering the Past, Building the Future.” JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the Senior Center in Grove Hil...

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...

Article Link

Last week, I was sitting at my desk in our sunroom doing what I seem to do most of the time these days — working behind a computer screen. One of the reasons I love working out there is because I can watch the squirrels and birds while I work. I keep bird feeders filled year-round and I enjoy seeing the different visitors that stop by each day. It is usually a peaceful place to work, with birds fl...

The May 19 GOP primary election resolved several important statewide races. In Alabama, winning the Republican nomination is often tantamount to election, making the Nov. 3 general election largely a formality for these candidates. Every statewide office in Alabama is currently held by a Republican. Four statewide races have already been decided. Tommy Tuberville for governor, Caroleene Dobson for...

I went to lunch with some friends the other day. They brought along a 91-year-old friend to meet another 91-year-old who had been his classmate. One lives in Monroeville and the other near Demopolis. They meet regularly, usually in Thomasville or Camden, to catch up and reminisce. Both men are still sharp-minded, which they consider a blessing. At their age, many of the people they once knew have...

JUNE 20 CCHS Class of 1971 will hold its 55th class reunion June 20 at the Senior Center in Grove Hill. Brunch will be from 10 a.m. to noon and a banquet at 6:30 p.m., with a cost of per person due by May 1. JUNE 27 Thomasville will host its annual hometown celebration June 27 at 5 p.m. downtown. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Watermelon Festival announced by Thomaston Historical Foundation on Sat...

Article Link

Shirley Goodman Wallace, of Thomasville, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2026, surrounded by family. She was born on Dec. 20, 1946, in Ozark. She was the beloved child of Evelyn Sasser Goodman and Robert Leonard Goodman. A servant of the Lord, she served others in every element of her life, including her husband, family, children, grandchildren, friends and community. She was devoted to her husb...

Abigail Adams famously wrote to her husband, John, at the Second Continental Congress in 1776, “Remember the ladies.” Southern Baptists currently are remembering and debating the ladies. I met a female associate pastor while visiting a Presbyterian church on recent travels. This practice is common in some American denominations. Alabama Baptists have women in ministry since we’re told about 60 % o...

Article Link

Rising senior Owen Larrimore from Clarke Prep School is on the campus of the University of Alabama as the 2026 delegate for Boys State. Alabama Boys State is a week-long leadership and citizenship program sponsored by the American Legion. Article Link

Brooke Brasell has been selected to represent Clarke Prep at Alabama Girls State on the campus of The University of Alabama. The program is committed to develop young women as future leaders grounded in patriotism and Americanism. The young women become knowledgeable about the democratic process and how our republic form of government works at the state and national levels. Article Link

Camden Jones attended the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership conference at the campus of Troy University. Camden was selected by the faculty and staff of Clarke Prep to be our 2026 representative. Founded in 1958, HOBY’s mission is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. HOBY programs provide students selected by the...

Article Link

Years ago, a steel cell door closing behind me taught me a lesson I never forgot. No, I had not been arrested. I was about 10 or 12 years old, and our school had taken us on a field trip to Mobile County Metro Jail. Nearly 50 years later, I can still remember walking through those doors. The jail was nothing like what we see on television today. There was nothing comfortable about it. The room was...

Alabama Girls State is being held this week at the University of Alabama. For more than eight decades, the American Legion Auxiliary’s Alabama Girls State has quietly built one of the most powerful leadership pipelines in the state. What begins as a weeklong immersive experience in government has become something far greater. In Alabama, it has become a premier breeding ground for future governors...

Just think, last week I was sailing on the blue Mediterranean. Now I am back home with a bit of jet lag and a new appreciation for comfortable shoes. I thought I was in pretty good shape from walking and going to the gym regularly. Then I spent nearly two weeks exploring cities on foot. I quickly learned why so many of the locals we saw were trim and fit. They walk everywhere. The weather was cool...