Baldwin County, Alabama News and Discussion

Mystics of Pleasure parade in Orange Beach has been postponed. The Mystics will roll following the Orange Beach parade on Fat Tuesday. That parade starts at 2.

The Krewe of Les Beau Geste parade in Foley has also been canceled due to weather and will not be rescheduled.

The Shadow Barons parade in Daphne has been postponed. They will now hit the streets Sunday at 4pm

Rain Threat Cancels Afternoon Parades

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office has charged Chief Pledger with the following:

1. Firing into an occupied building
2. Filing a false police report
3. Tampering with evidence.

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office arrested Elberta Police Chief Mickey Pledger for making a false report. The arrest stems from a report the chief made two weeks ago.
The chief said that someone tried to “kill him” outside the police department.

Elberta Police Chief Arrested

Elberta Police Chief Charged With Filing a False Police Report

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a woman accused in an attack on school bus in Stockton this morning.

Deputies arrested Tippi Mims, 31, this afternoon.

Just before 7 a.m., Mims, 18-year-old Fredrick Boykin Jr. and a 14-year-old juvenile stormed a school bus while it was on a stop boarding children on St. Luke Church Road. The bus driver and of some of the children were able to force the attackers from the bus and call for help.

Baldwin County bus stormed; driver held down while teen girl attacked

Tipsy Tippi? Check her out on Facebook Good news, boys: Relationship status is listed as “In an open relationship” Claims to be interested in men, but a little time in ladies home might change that.

Freddie’s on the Facebook, too: Fred Boykin

Who would be friends with these types or people? Almost 1000 friends listed between the two of them.

More dead dolphins washed up in Alabama and Mississippi Thursday bringing the number to 51 so far this year. Five more washed ashore today one of them was in Orange Beach
Five More Dolphins Washed Ashore Toda

Alabama State Troopers have identified the driver involved in a deadly crash that happened on I-10 around 9:40 Thursday night.

Donald Davis, 80, was killed when his truck crashed head-on with a 1998 Toyota Camry. Davis, who lived in Biloxi, was driving the wrong-way on the I-10 Bayway, according to investigators.

Driver Identified In Fatal Wrong-Way Crash

From the PR article:

Burt voiced frustration that questions about the contract “didn’t get raised in workshop discussions” and blamed “blogs and e-mails that have come through” for shaking commissioner support.

One such blogger, Ian Walters of Daphne, sent an e-mail last week opposing hiring lobbyists. In answer, Burt forwarded the e-mail to Assistant County Administrator David Brewer asking, “Have you determined if Mr. Ian Walters is a registered voter in Baldwin County? Or, is it perhaps possible that he may just be another unhappy resident blogger with too much leisure time?” The forwarded e-mail went to numerous people including the Press-Register.

Asked Tuesday if commissioners directed staff to research Walters’ voting status and why, Burt responded that he sent the e-mail, and it was widely distributed. He said it was “just a question I asked of staff. I did not direct staff to research anything and Mr. Walters answered it himself. He ought to be a very happy man.”

View the emails here

Many look forward to Burt’s response to the requested “public explanation of why I should be treated any differently than any other resident in the County”

City Council President Lonnie Mixon refused to hear comments during Monday night’s meeting from more than 40 people who had come to voice their feelings about the possibility that county school officials will close the Fairhope Kindergarten Center.

“I know there are quite a few of you here who wanted to speak about the K Center, and I think Mr. Mixon has decided you won’t be speaking

Fairhope K Center advocates not heard by council

Sharp exchanges and split votes marked Tuesday’s meeting as commissioners put off approving a $100,000 lobbying contract with former U.S. Rep. Sonny Callahan’s firm and voted to solicit new bids for debris removal.

The debate started early in the meeting with Callahan present when Commissioner Bob James questioned “the money we are spending for lobbyists” given the likelihood of return on the investment in a time of severe government cutbacks

Proposed contract with former congressman leads to sharp debate for Baldwin County commissioners

2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will make her first Mobile Bay area visit May 3 when she addresses supporters of the Exceptional Foundation at a fundraiser at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, organization supporters said.

The foundation is being established to help special needs children and adults in Baldwin County, Bob Callahan Sr., foundation board president, said

Sarah Palin scheduled to visit Baldwin County for fundraiser

Entering its second year of incorporation, Baldwin County’s youngest municipality is on the cusp of establishing guidelines that would help define the town

A 112-page proposed land-use and zoning ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission in September would regulate everything from signage to manufactured homes.

Perdido Beach looks to establish zoning ordinance

Elberta Police Chief Mickey Pledger is defending his story that someone shot at him. He says an investigation will prove he’s telling the truth.

Remember two weeks ago Chief Pledger re-enacted what he says happened for our cameras. He claimed a man standing outside his office fired at him when he walked out, but there are many out there who say the chief’s story doesn’t add up.

Pledger says he knows there are skeptics and those who don’t believe his life was in danger the night of Feb. 13 when he says a gunman came for him. “You can rumor all you want, but the physical evidence doesn’t lie,” says Pledger. “That’s the bottom line.”

Elberta Police Chief Defends His Story

On Monday, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley announced a 165 million dollar shortfall in the state’s education fund. In Baldwin County, the announcement means three million dollars in cuts.

But school officials here say thanks to the one-percent school sales tax voters approved last year, teachers here will keep their jobs. No layoffs are expected because of proration.

Baldwin School Officials: “No Teacher Layoffs”

School systems across Alabama are slashing their budgets once again. Gov. Robert Bentley declared proration for education Monday night.

Bentley says the education fund is facing a $165 million shortfall, which means schools must cut 3 percent from their budgets. That’s $9 million for Mobile County, and $3 million in Baldwin County. The good news is, both school systems say they have the funds to cover it, so teachers and students won’t face anymore cuts. However, next year is where officials say things could take a downward turn.

Baldwin County Schools Facing Budget Cuts

Gov. Bentley Declares Proration in Education Trust Fund

Beads were flying in Daphne Friday. The Apollo Mystic Ladies rolled out kicking off Mardi Gras on the Eastern Shore.

The Apollo Mystic Ladies rode down Main Street and set the tone for Mardi Gras on the Eastern Shore.

Mardi Gras kicks off in Daphne

Parade in Fairhope brings in the money

View the 2011 Baldwin County Mardi Gras Schedule here

The 2010 U.S. Census statistics released last week seem to contradict predictions in recent years that hurricanes and insurance woes would slow down Baldwin County’s growth south of Interstate 10, county leaders said Friday.

Baldwin County’s 30 percent population growth in the past 10 years mostly took place in the south part of the county, particularly in the Foley area, and along the Eastern Shore

2010 Census: Baldwin growth uneven across county