Covering all of Baldwin County, AL every Friday. Memorial Day events, travel tips and more The Baldwin Times PAGE 12 MAY 24, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ County archivist named Ambassador for 200th anniversary By ALLISON MARLOW anniversary by speaking to “I’m a little shocked,” she celebration’s most vociferous [email protected] groups about the upcoming said. “It’s something I’ve been cheerleaders and has helped anniversary and encouraging doing all along. It’s an honor to plan and produce several Baldwin County Director communities to become in- and a privilege to be named. anniversary events, includ- of Archives Felisha Anderson volved. Baldwin County leads The Alabama Bicentennial ing the recent History Fair has been appointed to the the way in the state’s celebra- Commemoration officially at Daphne High School and Alabama Bicentennial Com- tion with 14 local committees, launched on May 5, 2017 and production of the Baldwin mission as an Ambassador. the most in any county. will conclude on December County Book of Legends. Ambassadors are advo- Anderson said she is hum- 14, 2019. Since its inception cates for the state’s 200th bled by the appointment. Anderson has been one of the SEE COUNTY, PAGE 2 SUBMITTED PHOTO EMA officials host hurricane simulation exercise Loxley community mourns loss of mayor By JOHN UNDERWOOD [email protected] LOXLEY — Longtime Loxley Mayor Billy Mid- dleton is being mourned by the com- munity and the surround- Middleton ing area. Middleton died Friday at home after a brief but hard-fought battle with JOHN UNDERWOOD / STAFF PHOTO cancer. He was 78. Baldwin County EMA Director Zachary Hood addresses officials before Hurricane Simulation Training held Tuesday, May 9 at the EMA central Visitation for Middle- command in Robertsdale. ton was held Thursday, May 23 at the Loxley By JOHN UNDERWOOD close to the Labor Day holiday for the three-day weekend. east side of the storm squarely Church of God and will [email protected] weekend, officials in Baldwin Over the next 24 hours, on the shoulders of Baldwin be held Friday beginning County are already gathering Dori skirts the southern coast and Mobile counties. at 9 a.m. with funeral ROBERTSDALE — It’s at the Emergency Manage- of Florida and the northern Like hurricanes Michael services at 10 a.m. at the Tuesday, Aug. 27 and Hur- ment Agency’s central com- tip of Cuba, remaining off- and Katrina before her, Dori church. Burial will fol- ricane Dori is churning in mand office in Robertsdale to shore which means that it is becoming a massive storm, low at Greenwood Cem- the Atlantic heading for Cuba discuss not only how to coor- has steadily gained size and projected to make landfall as a etery in Loxley. and the Gulf of Mexico with dinate shelters and potential strength on its path toward the strong Category 2 with tropical Middleton was first an expected landfall on Fri- storm damage, but also how Gulf Coast. force winds stretching out 200 elected to serve as Lox- day, somewhere along the to evacuate and/or maximize By Thursday, Dori has miles. ley’s mayor in 1988 and Alabama-Mississippi-Florida the safety for the hundreds of shifted its path and is looking By Thursday, Dori has was serving his seventh Gulf Coast. thousands of visitors planning to hit the Mississippi coast term. He ran unopposed With expected landfall so to come to Alabama’s beaches directly, putting the dangerous SEE EMA, PAGE 4 in the 2012 election, while no elections were held in Loxley in 2008 and 2016 because all Baldwin County Public Schools’ Class of 2019 graduates record number of students incumbents ran unop- SEE MAYOR, PAGE 7 Submitted Foley High School, with 450 School System’s estimated ment, and it shows in this seniors walking across the graduation rate is 91 percent year’s seniors. Ninety-two Superintendent Eddie stage. for 2019, a rate which contin- percent of this year’s graduat- BALDWIN FAST FACTS Tyler is “Baldwin Proud” to Baldwin County Public ues to climb every year for ing class took the ACT during release impressive numbers Schools supports students’ the school system. Individual their 11th grade year. Also, from Baldwin County Public college and career ambitions. schools also continue to im- the superintendent is proud During the summer Orange Schools’ 2019 graduating class. These students will go on to prove, with Robertsdale High to report 154 of this year’s Beach balloons to the fifth More than 2,200 graduated two and four-year colleges and seeing a nearly 20 percent in- seniors made a 30 or better on largest city in Alabama with last week from our eight high universities, straight into the crease in graduation rate. the ACT. the help of visiting tourists. schools, with the official total workforce, and others have Over the past three years, In the days to come, the There are only 6,000 perma- number of graduates being joined the military to serve Superintendent Eddie Tyler school system will be releas- nent residents the rest of 2,264 students. The largest our country. has placed Baldwin County’s the year. graduating class came from The Baldwin County Public focus on academic improve- SEE STUDENTS, PAGE 2 Deaths Page 6 Gulf Glenda Katherine Allen Coast Ruth E. Davis Media James Anthony Grago VOLUME 129 • ISSUE 2 Evelyn Sue Keith 1 SECTION • 32 PAGES Billy J. Middleton Jessie Wrenn 2 • The Baldwin Times • May 24, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media The Baldwin Times Abortion legislation protested in Fairhope 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 By GUY BUSBY ers organized the event [email protected] on short notice. PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 “We’re not here to [email protected] FAIRHOPE — About change anybody’s mind,” two dozen people stood she said. “We’re here Allison Marlow Classified Advertising along Baldwin County to let people know that Managing Editor Whisper Edwards 48 waving to cars in the people do support Roe vs. allisonm@gulfcoast whisper@gulfcoast midday sun Tuesday as Wade.” media.com media.com they protested the pas- On May 15, Gov. Kay sage of legislation ban- Ivey signed the bill Tony Whitehead Legal Advertising ning almost all abortions passed by the Legisla- GUY BUSBY / STAFF PHOTO Sports Editor April M. Perry in Alabama. ture making it a felony Protestors gather outside the Fairhope Satellite tony@gulfcoast legals@gulfcoast Carrying signs with for a doctor to perform Courthouse to show their objections to legislation media.com media.com images of coat hang- an abortion in Alabama. banning abortions in Alabama. ers and slogans such as The bill makes no excep- “My Body, My Choice,” tions for rape or incest. cision. “Do I regret it? act, but take little action Parks Rogers protesters gathered Kim McCuiston re- Absolutely not.” to protect the health or Publisher outside the Fairhope called earlier times when McCuiston said she lives of young Alabam- [email protected] Satellite Courthouse. women had difficulties is in favor of choice, not ians once they are born. Riva Fralick, one of the getting abortions in Ala- abortions. “It’s a mat- “It’s hypocrisy,” she To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery event organizers, said bama. “I went to Geor- ter of women’s rights,” said. “People claim stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at she decided to do some- gia to have an abortion she said. “I’m not pro- they’re pro-life, but don’t www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in thing after seeing a story when I was 16 ½,” she abortion, I’m pro-choice. do anything to expand the black toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for on CNN the day before said. “I wasn’t ready to Somebody’s abortion is Medicaid to provide how to become a subscriber. or email amber@gulfcoastmedia. about national protests have a baby.” none of my business.” health coverage or do com. to take place the next She described the Fralick said officials anything when hospi- ©Gulf Coast Media 2019. No part of this newspaper may be day. event as terrifying, but claim they want to save tals are closing in rural reproduced without the prior written consent of the group She said she and oth- said it was the right de- children through the areas.” publisher or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or general columnists or those reflected in submitted letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this newspaper. The Baldwin Times (USPS 040-560) is published weekly, unveil a Bicentennial- and municipalities to said. “I love this state with its office located at 901 N. McKenzie St., in Foley, AL 36535. COUNTY themed float that will assist them in attaining and I love this county. I Periodicals postage paid at Foley, AL 36535. Subscription rates: CONTINUED FROM 1 In-county annual, $38.50 plus local sales tax; six-month, $22.50 ride in holiday parades grants for anniversary just want to get every- plus local sales tax; senior citizen annual, $36.00 plus local around the county. An- celebration events. body excited about this sales tax; six-month, $20.50 plus local sales tax; and out-of- This fall Anderson derson regularly speaks “We live in the best celebration.” county annual, $78.00, six-month, $39.00. and her committees will with community groups place in the world,” she POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Baldwin Times, 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546. STUDENTS information, including I extend our congratula- record-breaking year — scholarship totals show- tions to the graduates, simply amazing, and I’m CONTINUED FROM 1 ing an amazing result for their families and the Baldwin Proud,” Super- this year’s senior class.