In 1968, 50 years ago, the first edition of The Atmore Advance since the election was full of thank you ads for those candidates who won their race. Included were Eddie Staff Jr., Tom Byrne, Ben Haley, Hal Waller, Oris E. Davis, Byard Swift and J.E. Everette Jr.

A&P was advertising the addition of some new store brand (Ann Page) soups to their stores, making seven.

This is far from the number the store would have before its closure in 1991.

There was an ad for Dodson Mobile Homes in which Harold Allen was advertising mobile homes. In his ads, Allen used to have a saying that “Harold Allen knows mobile homes and you know Harold Allen.” After my mother had a stroke and came to live with me, every time she heard him say that, she would say “No, I don’t know Harold Allen.”

Two women were arrested for burglaries that took place over two states. A home was found to be filled with merchandise they had stolen. Most of the merchandise was returned to the owners.

Craig Clemmons of Opp, won the golf tournament over his opponent from Greenville.

A countywide political rally was to be held at North Brewton School.

Southland Telephone $2.25 million expansion got approval from the Alabama Public Service Commission.

Sgt. Albert A. Taylor of Booneville was given the Army Commendation Metal for heroism in the line of duty. He voluntarily cleared a field of mines by crawling on his hands and knees through the mine field. He found and disarmed 25 mines clearing a path of 200 meters.

Now people like this are the true heroes of the world. Not only did he do the job, but he volunteered to do it.

Alton Tennant stopped by The Atmore Advance with a huge snake that he killed with a stick he found nearby.

Cucumber prices show an increase. This reminded me that this area once grew a lot of cucumbers to be made into pickles.

Piggly Wiggly had Tide detergent for 18 cents and a 10-pound bag of potatoes for 39 cents.

Larry Gibbs, radio operator for the Atmore Police Force, had a hobby that I would not be anywhere around. I am not only afraid of poisonous snakes, but of non-poisonous snakes and sticks that look like snakes.

Anyway Gibbs had turned a hobby into a business by catching snakes and selling them to companies to make medicine for combating bites by poisonous snakes. He got advice from Ross Allen, who had the snake exhibit at Silver Springs, Fla.

A man from Atmore was charged with starting a fire.

I have noticed that there are a lot of fires around here these days. I don’t know if they are set or happen naturally.