When I looked at the date on the Atmore Advance I pulled off the shelf. It read that it was 1994 and that didn’t sound so long ago, but then I looked at 25 years ago and that seemed like a long time. I guess it all depends on how you look at it.

Twenty-five years ago, state statistics said that teen birth was up and so was the rate of abuse. According to these stats, in the state of Alabama, one out of every eight births was to an unmarried teen. At the same time, one out of 6.5 teen births occurred in Escambia County. Most teens did not get the prenatal care they needed making the new borns more susceptible to low birth weights and other problems.

Kids were playing a some sort of swinging tires on the campus of Rachel Patterson Elementary School. They were enjoying it because of the warm weather in Atmore. Well, at least some of them were enjoying it. I noticed one kid in the bunch that looked as if he was crying at the top of his voice. I wonder how that happened.

Buddy Crenshaw was running for circuit clerk; Larry White was running for a place on the Escambia County Commission in District 3; Tim Hawsey was running for his fourth term as sheriff; Frank Cotten was running for the state representative and Bobby Thomas was running for county coroner.

Thirteen people were arrested for drugs in Brewton.

There was a ribbon cutting for a new business in town. Linda’s Lane had opened with a variety of items for sale. She had do-it-yourself items and all sorts of other things for sale.

The Atmore Advance had a new column, “Sister,” that covered a range of subjects. I wonder what ever happened to “her.” Of course, if you haven’t picked this up, I don’t believe for one minute it was a woman. I could be wrong. I have been once or twice.

Touch 1 planned to expand to expand in Atmore and said there were to be 157 new jobs.

A car was struck by a freight train at the Trammell Street crossing. The people riding in the car were able to get out. According to The Atmore Advance, the car got stuck on the tracks.

Several people were arrested in a burglary ring where many items were stolen.

Testimony began in the murder trial of a 16 year-old who was charged with murder in the death of his mother and his step-father. It took longer to seat a jury than the rest of the trial. The next week, it was in The Atmore Advance that he had been found guilty and a life sentence was recommended.

Four students were expelled from the Escambia County School System.

A woman was LifeFlighted to Pensacola after a car wreck.

Old Nakomis School burned. It was empty at the time and no one knew how it happened.