Latest news with #Semmes
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Admiral Semmes statue coming to Baldwin County
Editor's note: News 5 has changed this headline and story to clarify that a new Admiral Semmes statue is coming to Baldwin County. SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WKRG) — Twenty-eight tons of granite, 'This is the original base that was put up in the 1900s to hold the Admiral Semmes statue,' said Joe Ringhoffer with the Admiral Semmes Camp 11 Sons of Confederate Veterans. The base is now prominently displayed at Fort McDermott Confederate Memorial Park in Spanish Fort. '1600 Confederates held off 30 thousand Union troops for two weeks,' said Ringhoffer. The statue of Admiral Raphael Semmes was on Government Street in downtown Mobile until June of 2020. It was vandalized and eventually removed. The statue of Semmes was placed in the Mobile History Museum, and the base was placed in storage until the local Sons of Confederate Veterans took possession of the base. 'We made a deal to get it out of the city's hands as soon as possible, and we brought it here,' said Ringhoffer. The next step is to install a new statue of Semmes, which has been commissioned and is almost finished, and then return him to his pedestal in his new Baldwin County home, 'in a commanding position overlooking the water in as rightful a place as we could get him,' added Ringhoffer. In one of the few earthen forts left from the Civil War era. The new statue of Semmes is expected to be finished by the end of the week. An unveiling ceremony will be planned once he arrives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
American Press
27-04-2025
- General
- American Press
Ceremony set to honor Elton native killed in Vietnam War
Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier was killed killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. (Special to the American Press) Final preparations are underway for next Saturday's event to honor an Elton native killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. A ceremony honoring Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Vietnam War Memorial at the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park in Jennings. 'We encourage everyone from the area to attend so we can give Spec. 4 Sonnier the honor and respect he deserves for his service and ultimate sacrifice,' organizer John Semmes said. Semmes, a Vietnam veteran and part of a local Vietnam veterans project team, discovered Sonnier's name on the memorial last year and sought out Sonnier's family. This led to locating Sonnier's grave and fundraising for a memorial marker at St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery in Elton. Sonnier died Nov. 15, 1965 at the age of 24 during the Battle of Ia Drang at Landing Zone (LZ) X-Ray – one of the most famous battles in the storied history of the 1st Cavalry Division and the first major battle of the Vietnam War. The battle was covered by war correspondent Joe Galloway, who co-authored 'We Were Soldiers Once ….and Young' with retired Lt. Gen. Hal Moore. It was adapted into the 2002 film, 'We Were Soldiers.' Sonnier was a rifleman assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division. The company suffered 68 casualties, with 42 killed in action and 26 wounded, from a fighting force of 106 men. Six of the 42 fallen troopers, including Sonnier, posthumously received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. 'This is why the fulfillment of God's purpose sometimes calls for the ultimate sacrifice of our most precious treasure,' then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Harold Johnson wrote in a letter to Sonnier's mother after his death. 'For his gift of life, your son is forever noble among men.' The ceremony is expected to be one of the most historic military events for Southwest Louisiana, according to Semmes. 'It will be a ceremonial event, but will be memorable for those soldiers – all of whom are in their 80s now, and for the young people participating in the ceremony who will get to interface with these soldiers,' Semmes said. 'But we want to make sure this is memorable for everybody and make sure these guys get the recognition they deserve.' Honored guests will include Medal of Honor recipient retired U.S. Army Col. Walter 'Joe' Marm, along with seven other LZ X-Ray veterans, including three Purple Heart recipients. Former Louisiana Veterans Affairs secretary and retired Col. Joey Strickland, who served two tours of combat duty in Vietnam, will be the keynote speaker. Sonnier's sisters, JoAnn White, who was a teenager when he died, and Sandria Doyle, who was 10 at the time, will also be in attendance. Other participants include Sea Cadets from Lake Charles; Daxton Broussard, a student at Iota High School; Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215 of Kinder; LZ X-Ray veteran Nathan Harvey; Thomas Barrett; Deputy Director of Louisiana's Veterans Affairs Dr. Jerome Buller; Vietnam veteran Wayne Milner; Kenzlie Duhon and Nolan Knight, students at Jennings High School. Several participants will be in Vietnam-era military uniforms. Author Dave Precht, a 1967 graduate of Jennings High School, will deliver two speeches. Precht has authored three books and was heavily involved in two others in the 'Brothers Beyond the Perimeter' series of books based on local Vietnam veterans. He hopes to complete a final book on local Vietnam service personnel by November. 'We are very fortunate that he (Precht) has volunteered his time and talent to make sure all these veterans and their deeds and service are finally getting acknowledged,' Semmes said. A shadow box of Sonnier's service medals will be presented to his sisters. Leather-bound autographed copies of the 'We Were Soldiers' book and special emblems will also be presented to the LZ X-Ray veterans attending the ceremony, which will include music, flag presentation, a three-gun volley, the sounding of 'Taps,' and a Fallen Warrior display.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
18 people arrested on drug and gun charges in ‘Operation Azalea Trail': Mobile PD
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile Police Department officers arrested 18 people during 'Operation Azalea Trail' — a drug operation in the Azalea Road area. Theodore Athletic Association ballpark press box burned down overnight The operation involved the MPD Narcotics and Vice Unit and Canine Detail, wrapping up on Thursday, March 27. Police said they seized 1,750 grams of marijuana, over 10 grams of cocaine, 370 grams of synthetic marijuana, 17 grams of psilocybin, $6,673 and 10 guns. 10 search warrants were executed, 18 people were arrested and there are still have people wanted. Mobile County sheriff calls for stricter consequences after Semmes man violates parole The people arrested include: Chontaria Thompson — 34 Possession of a controlled substance Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Trafficking opium Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Certain person forbidden to possess a firearm Tremain Barnett — 45 Possession of controlled substance Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana 3x unlawful distribution of a controlled substance Unlawful possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Quentin Murphy — 26 Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Michael Webb — 40 First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana possession of controlled substance Eric Bell — 24 Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Javonte McMillian — 27 First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana 4x third-degree domestic violence (warrants) Switched tag (warrant) Improper lights (warrant) Tarvourious Jackson — 60 First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Possession of a controlled substance Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Failure to obey Resisting arrest Frederick Harris — 45 Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Bryana Dickinson — 24 Possession of a controlled substance Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Loitering for the purpose of drug activity Keith Washington — 53 First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Possession of a controlled substance Certain person forbidden to possess a firearm Illegal possession of prescription drugs Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Devin Johnson — 30 Possession of controlled substance Trafficking marijuana Certain person forbidden to possess a firearm Probation revocation (warrant) 2x second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana DUI-controlled substance (warrant) Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Taylor Davis — 23 Illegal possession of prescription drugs Marlin Pettway, Jr. — 29 Possession of a controlled substance First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Trafficking fentaul Possession of controlled substance (warrant) First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana (warrant) Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (warrant) Caleb Dunn — 29 Possession of a controlled substance Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Devan Sanders — 32 First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Trafficking synthetic marijuana Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Certain person forbidden to possess a firearm Jessica McCants — 37 Trafficking synthetic marijuana Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Michael Davenport — 46 First-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia 'Juvenile Suspect' Menacing Juvenile in possession of a firearm Police are still searching for: Kendall Smith Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance Ryan Nobles 3x unlawful distribution of a controlled substance Terrance Palmore Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance Attempt to distribute drugs Fourth-degree theft or property Christian Williams 3x unlawful distribution of a controlled substance Ronald Byrd UPDATE: 2 arrested in early morning Prichard homicide Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
21-03-2025
- General
- Axios
How to pronounce Richmond's trickiest names like a local
If you're newish to town and trying to find that just-opened Amazon returns store on Quioccasin in Henrico, Parham Road is likely your best bet to get there. Why it matters: Richmonders have their own way of speaking, and if you're one of the nearly 50,000 people who just moved here, you've likely been saying most of those words wrong. The big picture: Richmond is an old(ish) city that kept or incorporated some of the Powhatan tribe's Algonquin language into its place names as it grew. As a result, Richmonders — with our unique southern-but-not twang and our refusal to change — have likely created our own Richmond-proper pronunciations. Zoom in: Here's the Richmond-correct way to say some of our weirdest proper nouns. Henrico — Hen-rye-co, never Hen-reek-o. Henricus — Hen-rye-cuss, and yes it's in Chesterfield. Powhite — If you think there's no way locals would pronounce the toll road that runs through Chesterfield, which long ago was thought to be the poor man's version of Henrico, to sound like a mumbled "poor white" … incorrect! It's Po-white. Not Pow-white. Don't let officials tell you otherwise. Jahnke — Your GPS is wrong. It's Jank, not Jank-ee. Huguenot — We're not sure why folks keep mispronouncing this very common proper noun, but it's Hugh-guh-knot. Powhatan — Pow-a-tan, not Poe-hat-en. Matoaca — Ma-toe-a-ka, pronounced like the correct spelling of the proper noun from which it's derived, Matoaka, better known as Pocahontas. Parham — Pair-um. Every other way is just incorrect. Chamberlayne — Chamber-lin, never Chamber-lane. Semmes — Simms, not seems. Foushee — It's Foo-shay, not Fooshy. Quioccasin — TBH, Richmonders will allow a pass on this one because most of us aren't sure, but we at Axios Richmond say it, Kwee-acca-sin, rhyming it with moccasin. Forest Hill — This is a tricky one. It's pronounced like it sounds, Forest Hill, emphasis on the singular hill. Other noteworthy, Richmond-specific names: The bottom line: The way Richmonders say these words might be technically "wrong," but in RVA, they're just right.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mobile County Health Department opens Citronelle kiosk — here's what it offers
CITRONELLE, Ala. (WKRG) — The Mobile County Health Department has opened its fifth health care kiosk. Semmes Mardi Gras parade and ball canceled — what we know The kiosk is located at MCHD's Women, Infants and Children office at 19255 North Main St. in Citronelle. LOCATION: According to a news release from MCHD, the kiosk offers free naloxone kits, condoms and gun locks. Man killed in Wilmer house fire: Volunteer Fire Chief 'MCHD greatly appreciates the support and assistance from the Citronelle community to establish placement for the fifth kiosk,' MCHD Overdose Prevention Program Administrator Danielle Simpson said. 'Expanding access to harm-reduction materials outside the city limits has been a priority. Special thanks to Councilman Joe Beaty and the Citronelle City Council. This initiative aims to reduce infectious disease spread, prevent overdose deaths, and provide free access to support services.' The Mobile County Health Department held a ribbon cutting Tuesday for the kiosk with several Citronelle officials in attendance. Naloxone used to be a prescription only medication, and it was approved for over-the-counter distribution in 2023. 'Naloxone, more well known by one of its brand names as Narcan, is an easy-to-use nasal spray, that works to reverse opioid overdoses,' Mobile County Health Officer Dr. Kevin Michaels said. 'If the rescue kit is used, 911 should have already been notified. Overdoses will require more than one dose to reverse the effects of the substance.' Two severe weather windows this week, Damaging wind gusts and brief tornadoes possible MCHD has opened four kiosks like the one opened in Citronelle on Tuesday. Here's where they're located across Mobile County: B-Bobs Downtown Bar at 213 Conti St. in Mobile Semmes Pharmacy at 8985 Moffett Road in Semmes Shell Health at 4231 Downtowner Loop N in Mobile Vista Medical at 1359 Springhill Ave. in Mobile 'This is so important to the City of Citronelle,' Citronelle City Councilman Joe Beaty said. 'This gives people the opportunity after hours when stores are closed, or they are afraid to be arrested. Hopefully, this will provide help for those in need.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
