In 1996, twenty years ago, finishing touches were being made to the bleachers at the YMCA Sports Park. It was later celebrated by a blue balloon release. It made for a pretty photograph.

Pleasant Hill Holiness Church got a $11,000 donation from Rebuild Alabama Churches and others after the church was hit by arson. Someone set fire to a bag of charcoal and it caused some damage.

Arson is bad no matter how you look at it, but to set fire to a church is just wrong. Thank goodness it wasn’t too badly damaged.

Cate McDonald was selected homecoming queen at T.R. Miller High School and crowned at the big game which they won.

Brewton PTO was planning a fall festival for the night of Halloween, Oct. 31. All sorts of activities were planned for the children at the school in the hopes of keeping them out of the streets on the spookiest night of the year.

It may have been during a time of concern by citizens to let their children out into the streets where they could be harmed. It’s always best to check the candy before letting the kids get into it. I was raised in the country and I don’t remember ever going trick or treating. I don’t even remember anyone I knew going. Maybe I am having a mental block and just remember what I want to.

The Escambia County County Commission met and was faced with some angry lay-offs of county workers. They were not happy being laid off but the commission said it was done to balance the budget.

Someone ran into one of the gas pumps at Spudds on Belleville Ave. causing a fire to break out. Flames shot out several feet, but it was quickly taken care of by the fire department.

There was a notice to be sure and have your smoke detectors checked at the same time as daylight savings change was to take place.

This has become the time of the year that the fire department suggests everyone to check their smoke detectors. Then of course check them again when the time changes in the spring.

There was a big computer fair at JDCC which was well attended.

I guess this was when the idea of personal computers was new. There were a lot of people who showed up to learn more about them. In the past 20 years, things have certainly changed a lot.

Twenty years ago Frank Cotten was hired by Jim Peach Motors. After serving a career of coaching and another serving as the T.R. Miller High School principal, Frank was off to a new job, selling cars. Some people are just better off working and being around people and Frank is probably one of those.

There was an ad in the newspaper for the Brewton Motor Inn buffet. It sounded pretty good. I remember that place fondly and miss it. I don’t see why it can’t operate again.

Another notice in the paper was to advertise the old Oak’s Cafe hamburger to be sold again on Homecoming Day at Ole Willie’s.

These days one can get an Oak’s burger just by stopping by the new Oak’s Cafe near Wal-Mart.

The city got a $300,000 grant to build city sidewalks. There were several different places where there was a need for new streets.