By By Lisa Tindell – News writer
Fossils collected for more than 25 years by Brewton native John Hoomes will be making their public debut at the Turtle Point Science Center of Escambia County.
The massive collection has been sorted and categorized by two professionals in the field of paleontology, James Lamb of the McWane Science Center in Birmingham and Dr. Jim Lacefield, author and educator at the University of North Alabama.
The collection Hoomes has donated includes items such as whale bones, sharks teeth and sea shells with each item being found in Escambia County soil.
Hoomes says he makes his living in the field of conservation as a worker in park systems for different areas. Teaching conservation and natural history is something he holds in high regard.
The fossils will be further categorized at the Turtle Point location near Flomaton and will be displayed in special cases for the public to enjoy.
The center, which is currently closed for remodeling and creating some new exhibits, will hold a grand reopening on Sept. 30, Shirley West, director of the center, said.
The theme for the grand reopening will be &#8220Celebrate the Environment.”
Full details on the event will be released in the near future.