The rest of the year, the Times-Journal will be looking back on the top stories of 2016. Here’s a look at memorable stories from January and February.
January 2016
FLOOD CLEAN-UP CONTINUES

Crews worked in early January to clean up from flooding at the Selma City Marina, Bloch Park and the Selma Country Club as well as other flood-proned areas. The Alabama River topped out at 49.58 feet the week between Christmas and New Year’s, the highest it had gotten since 54 feet on Jan. 19, 1992. The water at Bloch Park was so deep that some even started canoeing there.
WINN-DIXIE STORE CLOSES

The Winn-Dixie on Highland Avenue announced plans in January to close its store. The store would later close in February; however, Winn-Dixie continues to operate its store on Dallas Avenue.
TB OUTBREAK IN PERRY COUNTY

At least three people died and more than two dozen people came down with active tuberculosis during an outbreak in Perry County. The TB case rate rose to 253 per 100,000 residents in the town of 3,600. By comparsion, the entire rate for the state of Alabama was 2.5 per 100,000 residents in 2015. The Alabama Department of Health would offer free TB tests to hundreds in an effort to get the outbreak under control.
SCHOOL EMPLOYEE DIES IN ACCIDENT

A R.B. Hudson Middle School employee died after being struck by a car outside the school. Then Selma Police Chief John Brock said an elderly woman was driving toward the school’s back parking lot when she claimed her brakes failed and she lost control of the vehicle.

The victim was later identified as Michael Charles King, 49.
DEER CRASHES THROUGH CHURCH WINDOW

An 8-point buck was shot and killed after crashing through a window at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. Selma Police Department Sgt. Harry Tubbs and church staff members corralled the deer into a mechanical room until more helped arrived. Police tried to remove the injured animal alive but were unsuccessful, and the decision was made to put the deer down.
AGHEDO NAMED DYW RUNNER-UP

Esosa Aghedo, Dallas County’s representative to the Distinguished Young Women of Alabama, finished runner-up in the program. A home-schooled student, Aghedo also won an award for her contemporary ballet piece.
CIRCUIT JUDGE CENSURED

A state panel decided to publicly censure an Alabama judge who told criminal defendants who couldn’t pay their fines to either donate blood or go to jail. The Alabama Court of the Judiciary ruled that Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins violated judicial canons with the remarks, delivered in a Perry County courthouse in September 2015. Wiggins’ fourth circuit includes Dallas, Bibb, Hale, Perry and Wilcox counties.
GARBAGE COLLECTION MOVED TO SEACOAST

After months of discussion and planning, garbage collection moved from Advanced Disposal to Sea Coast Disposal. Advanced Disposal didn’t seek to renew its contract with the city due to unpaid bills from customers.
CAMERAS MUST BE IN CLUB

An ordinance requiring nightclub owners to have security cameras inside their establishments went into effect Feb. 1. Owners also had to submit a security plan to then Selma Police Chief John Brock and have certified security guards to patrol the area.
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

The city of Selma and Main Street Selma hosted its second annual Mardi Gras celebration with a ball and parade the last weekend of January.
PETERSON, CITY DISCUSS ST. JAMES SALE

The city of Selma and businessman Mark Peterson, a Selma native, discussed him buying the historic St. James Hotel outright in January. Peterson started managing the day-to-day operations at the St. James in December. A possible deal fell apart later in the spring.
February 2016
UNMARKED COP CAR STOLEN, CRASHED

An unmarked Selma Police Department car was stolen and then crashed in early February. Police learned of the theft after responding to an accident at the intersection of Highway 41 and U.S. 80. Officers arrived at the scene and found the abandoned car, which was stolen off the police lot. Curtis Craig was charged with theft of property.
FUNDING SPLIT BETWEEN 2 YMCAs

The Selma City Council vote to split the city’s lodging tax between the YMCA of Selma and Dallas County and a fund being set aside to one day hopefully restore the closed Brown YMCA. The $2 fee was split evenly between the two YMCAs.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER’S HOME BURNS

The home of Dallas County Commissioner Curtis Williams was destroyed in a house fire. Investigators believe faulty wiring in the attic may have caused the blaze off County Road 162.
CONCORDIA QUIZ BOWL HEADS TO NATIONALS

The Concordia College Alabama Quiz Bowl Team was invited to compete in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship for the third consecutive year.
UNITED WAY DONATES TO ARSENAL PLACE

The United Way of Selma and Dallas County gave a $25,000 grant to Arsenal Place Accelerator. The grant was given to help advance Arsenal Place’s mission to help develop small and local entrepreneurs.
SELMA MARCHERS RECEIVE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

Congress honored civil rights veterans who demonstrated for voting rights in Alabama in 1965 with the Congressional Gold Medal. U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell of Selma and John Lewis of Georgia awarded the medal to foot soldiers at the U.S. Capitol. Lewis led the Bloody Sunday march in Selma on March 7, 1965.
YOUNG HERO SAVES FAMILY FROM HOUSE FIRE

An 8-year-old Edgewood Elementary School student was honored by the Selma Fire Department for saving her family from a house fire. Tamyah Johnson was awarded a Certificate of Excellence and named a honorary firefighters for waking her mother and siblings and saving the family.