Last updated October 2021

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I have not known when or if I would sell the Southern Star. But nearly a year after having had a disabling stroke it became time for me to consider selling the Southern Star.  The Southern Star owned by Joe H Adams to Pierre Little of Calais, Maine came about on October 29th. 

Looking back on my tenure I became editor on the last issue of August 1957 and publisher in 1969 to settle a tax debt against The Southern Star. 

Pierre Little, publisher of the Machias Valley News Observer and The Calais Advertiser this week announced he has purchased a newspaper located in Ozark, Alabama, The Southern Star, the state’s oldest family newspaper.

The Southern Star has been in the Adams family for 154 years, initially begun by Joe Adams’s great grandfather in 1867, when the county seat was located in the town of Newton. When the county seat moved 10 miles away to Ozark, The Southern Star moved, too.

Jim Preuitt, a legendary House member, State Senator, and Probate Judge of Talladega County passed away in September at age 86. Jim was one of my best legislative buddies. We came to the legislature together in 1982 and became fast friends. We became seat mates in the House, and we were inseparable during our entire first four-year term (1982 -1986).

MONTGOMERY, ALA. – Donald Ray Jordan, a graduate of Carroll High School, was inducted into the 2021 Alabama Road Builders Hall of Fame class on October 27. Jordan was one of four individual members inducted into the Road Builders Hall of Fame, which was created to honor, preserve, and perpetuate the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of individuals and companies that have brought significant recognition to the State of Alabama in the field of transportation construction.

Ozark City and Dale County Schools are seeing the effects of distance learning after a release from Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama last month indicated low proficiency scores during the 2020-2021 school year for some schools in the two school districts. The schools with the lowest proficiency scores were D.A. Smith Middle School in Ozark at 7.08% of students reaching proficiency in math and only 10.39% of students at Mixon obtaining proficiency.

(Editors Note: Story reprinted from www.RollTide.com)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 2/3/3 University of Alabama football team beat the LSU Tigers, 20-14, at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday night. The Crimson Tide goes to 8-1-0 overall and 5-1-0 in Southeastern Conference play, while the Tigers drop to 4-5-0 overall and 2-4-0 in SEC play.

Ozark City Schools is planning to share holiday fun and festivities during its 7th Annual Ozark City Schools Winter Wonderland Holiday Bazaar on Friday, December 3. The annual event will last all day in the Carroll High School practice gym with vendor and raffle proceeds supporting the school system’s At-Risk students and their educational and personal needs. 

After adhering to the 2020 CDC guidelines, the school system was unable to host the event last year; however, this year they are excited by the opportunity to support their students through this event. 

By Christina Faulkner

Dylan Gentry, a 26-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was charged with attempt to elude and fugitive from justice after he led law enforcement on a pursuit that ended in an officer-involved shooting. 

By Christina Faulkner

The Ozark City Police Department swore in two new reserve officers Friday, November 5. Reserve Officers Travis E. Ogburn and James Andrew Lemons were sworn in Friday morning after completing their training under Sergeant Jerome Nile. 

Mayor Mark Blankenship extended his thanks to Ogburn and Lemons, telling them he looked forward to working with them.