Bill Perkins

Dothan

Editorial Page Editor at Dothan Eagle

A guy with a pen and some parchment.

Articles

The humble pencil: a simple machine elevates mankind

1 week ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

I squirmed in my little second-grade desk to jam my hand into my pocket for the umpteenth time to make sure the nickel was still there. The clock above the green cursive handwriting guide over Mrs. Solomon’s chalkboard ticked off the seconds toward recess. I was waiting for the bell like a stallion in the gate, ready to gallop up the terracotta corridor to the foyer outside the principal’s office.
Pansey man charged with arson in weekend fire

1 week ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

A Pansey man free on bond for two arson charges faces additional charges after his arrest in connection with a Sunday structure fire in the east Houston County community. Joshua Ingle, 38, is charged with one count of Arson II, one count of Arson III, and one count of Criminal Mischief I. He is being held in the Houston County Jail in lieu of bonds totalling $51,000.
Momentous things can happen on a moonlit drive

2 weeks ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

In the early 1990s, I wound up spending weekdays in Montgomery covering state government. Those were different days for the newspaper business, when a newsroom bustled with a stable of reporters, outlying areas were covered by correspondents, and whenever the state legislature was in session, a reporter was dispatched to Montgomery.
Dothan to Kickoff the 5th Annual Juneteenth Parade & Expo Celebration

3 weeks ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

The 5th Annual Juneteenth Parade and the Juneteenth Expo & Celebration: Dothan will commence Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. in downtown Dothan. Hosted by TSE Juneteenth Affairs, Inc. (TSEJA), these vibrant festivities commemorate the freedom of West Africans and honor the enduring legacy of those previously enslaved. This year’s parade, marking a significant anniversary, promises an exciting array of entertainment.
Wallace Community College to welcome new president

1 month ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

Dr. Kathy Murphy, president of Gadsden State Community College, will take the reins as president of Wallace Community College in Dothan June 1. Murphy’s selection was announced last week by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees, which approved Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker’s recommendation to hire Murphy to succeed Dr. Linda C. Young, who retired as Wallace College President last year after 36 years in the position.
Dothan Winn-Dixie stores to convert to ALDI this summer

1 month ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

Dothan's two Winn-Dixie stores will close for several weeks near the end of July to transition to ALDI stores. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts ALDI acquired Southeastern Grocers in March 2024 with a plan to convert many but not all to ALDI stores, and then sold Southeastern Grocers and remaining stores to a consortium earlier this year. Southeastern Grocers, under the new ownership, operates the remaining stores.
If it's 'vintage,' hold on to your wallet

1 month ago | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

Years ago, I had a stereo receiver that had developed a bit of static in the volume knob. I figured it was something I could correct myself – the old Dunning-Kruger effect again – so I grabbed a couple of screwdrivers and a can of WD-40 and opened up the case. Besides, why pay a fee just to set it on a counter at a repair shop when I could do it myself? I would soon find out.
Deciphering love of grocery stores & other arcania

Mar 21, 2025 | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

Earlier in my newspapering days I was a reporter, which was great fun because every day’s workload was a mixed bag and completely up in the air. Even when there were assignments scheduled, a phone call could upend it all and send you off on some goose chase. On one of those days, I wound up in Panama City Beach.
PERKINS: Deciphering a love of grocery stores, and other arcania

Mar 14, 2025 | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

When you hear people talk about previous lives, they’ll usually get around to letting you know that in their past incarnation, they were someone special. A princess, or a king. Joan of Arc, maybe, or an Egyptian pharaoh. Statistically speaking, it’s more likely they were a scullery maid, an anonymous person in the 15th century rabble at Rouen who cheered as flames licked at the heretic Joan, or a serf toiling in the shadows of a European castle.
Florida woman dies after crash with police vehicle

Mar 12, 2025 | dothaneagle.com | Bill Perkins

An 80-year-old Jackson County woman died mid-morningTuesday after her car was struck by an unmarked Dothan Police SUV on Ross Clark Circle between Main and Choctaw streets. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The victim was identified as Carole Hughes of Grand Ridge, Florida; the identity of driver of the police vehicle was not disclosed.