Day in the Life

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Living in our

9 21

A Dayy in the Life f off

Choctaw County

S

A publication of

The Choctaw

UN-ADV UN-ADVOCATE UN ADV V August, 2020

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 2 • August, 2020 •

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Living in our 921.

That’s how many square miles make up this is county y we call home, including nearly 914 square miles es of landd and just over 7 square miles of water.

Within that 921 is where we live our lives, build our homes, and raise our families. It’s where our kids go to school, where we hunt and fish and play sports, and where we worship. It’s where we work and play, and it’s where we lay our heads down at night.

In short, it’s home.

From the outside looking in, one might believe that nothing much goes on in this little county, in our little towns, in the lives of those who choose to live here.

But we know better.

In any 24-hour period, so much goes on within our 921 miles, and this publication is testament to that. Inside these pages is evidence of life in our little county.

The photos on these pages are all about the things we do, the lives we lead, and the people we call our friends and family.

921

This pub u lication is all about ub a out th ab tthee faces f ces and places, th fa tthee publication events and happenings, the jobs and the people who make up u this county. Beginning at midnight on July 15, we traveled the roads within our county, y cameras in hand taking pictures pictu t res of what takes place here. tu here For the hand, 24 hours that followed, we roamed from north to south, from east to west, and to points in between, capturing the events and people that live, work, and play in our 921.

It was a 24-hour labor of love.

When it was over at midnight on July 16, our heads were weary and our camera batteries on empty, but our excitement remained. On these pages are all the sights we saw on our 24-hour trip, and we hope you enjoy seeing them as much as we enjoyed sharing them.

And for those on the outside looking in, we hope they will look at these pages and find the answer to their question: What goes on in our 921?

The answer is simple.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 3 • August, 2020 •

Our lives.

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A Day in the Life of Choctaw County 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

12:15 a.m.

All is quiet at the Choctaw County Courthouse in Butler after a busy election night on Tuesday. Patriotic decorations are still evident at the building following the celebration of the 4th of July. Banners are also evident in preparation for one of the county’s largest events, the annual Boots for Glory Rodeo, set each year for the end of July.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 4 • August, 2020 •

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12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

3:58 a.m. Jamie Easley is gassing up his truck at Midstar’s fueling station on Ala. Highway 17 south of Butler, getting ready for the day’s work.

1:50 a.m. Mr. Harvey works behind the counter at Cefco in Butler.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 5 • August, 2020 •

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12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

2:00 a.m. Elaine Dunning and April Jones are ready for early-morning customers at Cuzz’s on Ala. Highway 10 near Lavaca.

2:23 a.m. A cross shines above the water tower in Butler.

3:58 a.m. Log trucks are on the road in the early morning hours at the intersection of Alabama Highways 10 and 17 in Butler.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 6 • August, 2020 •

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4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

5:40 a.m. Shift change at Georgia-Pacific. Traffic is steady going into and away from the Naheola mill as workers arrive for the day shift and others leave after working ‘graveyard’ shifts through the night.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 7 • August, 2020 •

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5:45 a.m. The sun comes up over the river at the top of the Sen. Richard Shelby Bridge, the county line between Choctaw and Marengo.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 8 • August, 2020 •

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4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

6:15 a.m. City workers ae out early cutting grass and taking care of the grounds at Butler City Hall.

4 a.m. Breakfast is cooking at Hardee’s in Butler, as Amy Wallace rolls 4:45 out pans of homemade biscuits before the restaurant gets ready to open.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 9 • August, 2020 •

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4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

6:255 a.m. Libb 6 Libby Si Singley l works k with ith t a client th li t att 360 6 Fitness Fit in i Butler.

B tl t

7:30 a.m. Long-time Lisman business owner Dub Ezell leaves home for his store, Lisman One Stop.

7:15 a.m. Ashley Carlisle serves up one of her speciality drinks at Gilbertown Nutrition.

7:15 a.m. Donnie Franks getting ready to bush hog before the heat of the day.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 10 • August, 2020 •

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 11 • August, 2020 •

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8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

8:05 a.m. Hermelindo Sanchez and Lolis Olivor work on their porch at their home on Barrytown Road.

Living in the

921

9:07 a.m. At Goco’s in Gilbertown, Keisha McGrew bakes up a batch of garlic bread.

8:25 a.m. Nicole takes a short break from her work at Banks Grocery in Melvin to pose for the camera.

8:41 a.m. Lamarcus Philon pumps gas at Charlette's One Stop on U.S. Highway 84 in Silas.

9:07 a.m. Chuck Reed removes a tire from a car at Silas Service Center.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 12 • August, 2020 •

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8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

9:30 a.m. Moose Jackson picks up his copy of the Sun-Advocate at the office in Gilbertown.

9:24 a.m. Clint Franks unloads the week’s issue of The Choctaw Sun-Advocate, with the help of the delivery driver who brings the newspapers to Gilbertown from the print shop in Monroeville on Wednesday mornings.

9:35 a.m. AT LEFT: Derek Touchstone volunteers to help with food delivery at F.A.I.T.H. Groceries in Butler.

ABOVE: Other volunteers help load up food in waiting vehicles, who were lined up in large numbers to receive the food items donated through the ministry.

The Choctaw a Sun-Advocate aw Sun Ad Adv dvo vocat ate at te • page pag a e 13 • August, 2020 • ag

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Mayor Billy May and staff Council Members Police Department and Fire Department The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 14 • August, 2020 •

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10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

10:15 a.m. Lewis Mosley works on a car at JDG Automotive on Highway 10 just west of Butler.

10:05 a.m. Piggly Wiggly Produce Manager Tolesha Dixon restocks apples at the Butler location.

10:35 a.m. At Lisman One Stop, customer Terrance Ruffin poses with Linda Turner Gaines and Dub Ezell .

10:04 a.m. At Needham Grocery, Janey Glover serves breakfast to a hungry customer.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 15 • August, 2020 •

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 16 • August, 2020 •

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10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

10:50 a.m. The ladies in the tag office stop long enough to pose for the camera after assisting several customers who were waiting to get their auto tags.

10:55 a.m. Ronnie Leonard renews his vehicle license at the tag office in the courthouse.

10:35 a.m. Choctaw County Courthouse visitors pass through the security checkpoint as they enter the building, while security personnel ensure that they are cleared to enter.

10:15 a.m. AT RIGHT: Raven Ridgeway checks out groceries for a customer at IGA in Butler.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 17 • August, A t 2020 •

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11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

11.12 a.m. Jamie Welford repairs a chainsaw at Rolison Saw in Butler.

Living in the

921

11:07 a.m. Madelyn was all smiles after passing her drivers’ test at the Choctaw C0unty Courthouse.

Lunch Specials

12 - 2 p.m. Monday-Wednesday Thursday 5-9 p.m.

Friday & Saturday noon- 8 p.m.

95 W. Main Street Gilbertown, AL 251-843-2077 205-457-3320 Closed Sundays 11.36 a.m. Kailin Napier tends to some postal business at the Gilbertown Post Office, with Jan Randall providing service.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 18 • August, 2020 •

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11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

11.15 a.m. Crystal Leverette and Erica Coody work behind a plexiglass partition in the Choctaw County Probate Office as part of COVID-19 precautions.

It is the official policy of the Alabama Community College System and Coastal Alabama Community College that no person shall be discriminated against on the basis of any impermissible criterion or characteristic including, without limitation, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, disability, sex, age or any other protected class as defined by federal and state law.

11.25 a.m. Melissa Skelton tends to the landscaping on the Courthouse grounds in Butler.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 19 • August, 2020 •

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11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

11:40 a.m. Teresa Dunagan shows off some of the merchandise available at Smoke-n-Chew in Butler.

11:15 a.m. Beth Gore tries to calm down this baby visitor in her lantana.

11.30 a.m. The girls in the Board of Registrars office in the Choctaw County Courthouse pause for a few minutes to pose for a quick photo.

11:37 a.m. Principal Jonathan Johnson and Secretary Kay Hopkins are at work in the office at Southern Choctaw Elementary School in Gilbertown.

11:58 a.m.

Stephanie Buchta assists a customer in the pharmacy at Mr. Discount Drugs in Butler.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate Adv Ad dvo vocat ate at te • page pag a e 20 • August, ag A gu Au g st 2020 •

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11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

11:50 a.m. It’s lunch time, and Gray Johnson, Lealon Davis, Red Houlditch, and Ryan Richardson are getting a bite to eat at Kirklands in Silas.

11:40 a.m. Bridget Spears gives Stephanie Simon her lunch order at Blasko's BBQ in Gilbertown.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 21 • August, 2020 •

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 23 • August, 2020 •

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12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

12:20 p.m. UAB Freshman Curdajah Bonner tends to a little business at Butler City Hall.

1:30 p.m. Connor Downing serving up some heaping plates of chicken to waiting customers at King Chick in Gilbertown.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 24 • August, 2020 •

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12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

12:10 p.m. Sonya Sikes gives Katie Barefield a trim at her beauty salon.

12:04 p.m. Colt Whigham feeds his herd of goats on Branch Road.

1:50 p.m.

Normie Hampton, a 24-year employee of C&H Convenience Store in Pennington, reads the news.

1:10 p.m. Jessie Tims sends an order out for a lunch customer at The Chili House in Pennington.

12:25 p.m. AT LEFT: Crews work along the railroad tracks in Jachin.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 25 • August, 2020 •

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 26 • August, 2020 •

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12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

1:50 p.m. Kayla LeBlanc Webb is busy tending to patients at Dr. Leanne McDonald’s dental office in Butler.

1:40 p.m. Customers come to Parr’s Chevron in Pennington where employees are serving up homestyle lunches at the deli.

112:02 p.m.. Crews with the Choctaw County Road and Bridge Department C fill potholes on Bottom Road.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 27 • August, 2020 •

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2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

2:15 p.m. This little swimmer was among several who took advantage of the cool water at the Choctaw Country Club swimming pool.

3:14 p.m. Robin Phillips works on her displays of merchandise at The Olive Branch in Gilbertown.

Monogramming • Business & Social Printing

• Vinyl Decals • Invitations • Programs • Hats • Banners • Invoices * T-Shirts • Booklets • Copies • Signs • Fax • Business Cards

• Labels • Tuxedo Rentals • much more The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 28 • August, 2020 •

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2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

3:35 p.m. Storm clouds loom over Toxey after an afternoon thunderstorm plowed through Butler a few minutes earlier.

2:00 p.m. Town Clerk Gary Clark discusses some brochures with Gilbertown Mayor Billy May. The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 29 • August, 2020 •

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 30 • August, 2020 •

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4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

4:10 p.m. Christy Baker waits for her total at Piggly Wiggly in Gilbertown, as Jasmine Nicholson and Jayla Osborne check and bag her groceries.

5:00 p.m. Mikaela Utsey rings up a sale for customer Rechelle Booker at Hometown Pharmacy.

5:35 p.m. The Patrician Academy Saints hold photo day for the 2020 football season, including (first row, left to right) Blakeney Armistead, Randi Ruth Rolison, Carley Rolison, Mary London Moore, Lydia Armistead, Hanna Kate Lowery and Madelyn Radcliffe; (second row) Coby Adkins, Clark McKenzie, Tate Boykin, Garrett Lewis, Bryce Mason, Clark Ezell, Jackson Brownlee and Sammy Lewis; (third row) Kade Roberts, Eli Koen, Jacob Barber, Tyler Lewis, Rob Armistead, Gavin Swink, Allen Aldridge and Landon Smith; (fourth row) Carson Coody, Cecil Perry, Augustus Lewis, Jack Gibson, Alex Harris, Merritt McPhearson, Charlie Hannah and Hardy Moody; (fifth row) Wyatt Armistead, Chandler Jenkins, Gavin Lewis, Mason Glass, Will Christopher and Sam Lewis.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 31 • August, 2020 •

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6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

8:50 p.m. Anna Michael Patrick reads to her little brother Patton at bedtime in their home on Mosley Bridge Road.

scoffice@yahoo.com

6:51 p.m. Local author Tracy Whigham works on her latest book at her home in Silas. Whigham has published five previous works.

6:21 p.m. It’s grass-cutting time as residents take time to keep up the grounds at New Lusk Cemetery on Needham Road.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 32 • August, 2020 •

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The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 33 • August, 2020 •

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7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

7:17 p.m. Gloria Phillips stocks up on a few needed supplies with the help of associate Kia Jones at Dollar General in Gilbertown.

7:06 p.m. Carla, Kylie, Lawson, and Shakira Bonner out for a walk as skies clear after a thunderstorm.

7:32 p.m. Rev. Doug Chapman delivers a message to attendees at the drive-up service at Gilbertown Assembly of God. The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 34 • August, 2020 •

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8;15 p.m. The sunset brings an orange glow to the sky over downtown Gilbertown as the town says ‘goodnight’ to another busy day.

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 35 • August, 2020 •

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10:15 p.m. The medical staff at Choctaw General provides care for in-patients and emergency room patients through the night.

Kathy R. Hallford

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate • page 36 • August, 2020 •

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