New board member Sandy Wright Morris sees role as another way to help others
WIREGRASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 24,000 accounts in Houston and Geneva counties in Alabama and parts of Dale, Coffee and Covington counties in southeast Alabama.
ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 450,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $15 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.
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FEATURES
8
20
Silent Hero
Cooking with honey
Honey, especially from local honey producers, is a popular ingredient and substitute for sugar in a variety of recipes, from sweets to main dishes.
Teresa Holmes founded Grace Loves to help local foster families.
Born to Teach
As a child, State Education Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey loved school. Today he presides over all the schools in Alabama and still enjoys visiting classrooms any chance he gets.
24
Worth the Drive
Picnic Beach in Gulf Shores lives up to its name with fresh flavors, beach breezes and good vibes.
Sandy Wright Morris, WEC‘s newest Board of Trustees member, sees her role as another way to help people in her community. The Samson native explains why she wants to serve. See story Page 6.
Board of Trustees
Kip Justice District 6 President
Randy Odom District 2 Vice President
Debra E. Baxley District 1 Secretary
John Clark Jr. District 3
Danny McNeil District 4
Tracy Reeder District 5
Donald Ray Wilks District 7
Sandy Wright Morris District 8
Remaining independent
BRAD KIMBRO CEO Wiregrass Electric Cooperative
During a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference earlier this year, I couldn’t help but reflect on the history and greatness of our country.
It has been 249 years since our Founding Fathers ratified the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and established the United States of America.
While visiting our nation’s capital and walking the halls of Congress, I thought about our country’s history and pondered what it means to remain independent. Our country’s independence and greatness is tied to having our own energy resources. And we need energy policies that allow our country to use these resources rather than rely on foreign sources.
The annual NRECA Legislative Conference is a time when cooperative leaders from around the country, including those from WEC, gather to advocate for our members and speak with our national leaders about the issues affecting electric cooperatives and the larger electric utility world.
Those challenges include capacity costs, which relates to peak demand even on a local level.
For WEC members, one cold day out of the year sets the cooperative’s peak demand — everything flows downhill from there.
PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, our wholesale energy provider, uses the peak demand to determine what the electric cooperative should pay for wholesale power. In doing so, PowerSouth covers its capacity costs to meet the local demand, and WEC members have electricity even when that demand is at its highest. But what the cooperative pays for wholesale power directly impacts what members pay for their home’s electricity usage each month.
Capacity and demand are ongoing problems that every electric cooperative must face.
General managers, cooperative staff members, board members, statewide and national cooperative representatives were all on hand at the NRECA conference in April to make
certain our elected officials understand how much these challenges affect local cooperatives and members.
We need realistic energy policies at the federal level, policies that allow utilities and cooperatives to provide reliable electricity to consumers and members. Energy policy should make our country more independent and reliant on our own natural resources and energy-producing capabilities, and these days demand seems to be growing faster than capacity.
There’s so much more on our nation’s electric grid these days. Naturally, demand has increased with computer usage, cellphones and chargers. However, the demand from large data centers and electric vehicles threatens to push current capacity to its limits. The grid has to be resilient and dependable, and reliability is not free.
Our business and the costs surrounding it are driven by policy and regulation at the federal level.
Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized its power plant rule on carbon dioxide emissions for coal- and gas-fired power plants, which could have led to the early retirement of plants unable to meet the new limits. Such closures would leave our country with less energy supply at a time when demand keeps growing, and new power plants take years to permit, engineer and build.
An analysis by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. last year showed that energy policy is one of the greatest threats to reliable and affordable power.
“Electric reliability is nonnegotiable,” NRECA CEO Jim Matheson told a House panel back in April. He encouraged Congress to repeal EPA’s power plant rule and improve the federal permitting process. Reliable energy, Matheson told the House panel, is key to our national economy and the country’s energy security. He is right.
We’re hopeful that federal energy policy will be revisited in a way that is more realistic and addresses the growing demand across our great nation. Our energy independence relies on it.
David Winstead District 9
NRECA Legislative Conference
WEC board member, management advocate for members
In late April, leaders from electric cooperatives around the country attended the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.
The goal? To advocate for members and encourage policymakers and the current administration to take action that will help meet the nation’s growing demand for electricity.
Wiregrass Electric CEO Brad Kimbro, Board of Trustees member Tracy Reeder and Vice President of Human Resources and Administra-
tive Services Bethany Retherford were among those who attended, meeting with legislators representing Alabama.
More than 2,000 electric cooperative leaders from around the country attended the conference where NRECA Chief Executive Officer Jim Matheson outlined the top legislative priorities for electric cooperatives, including permitting reform, protecting hydropower and supporting full funding for the Rural Utilities Service Electric Loan program to finance electric infrastructure in rural communities.
WEC representatives joined other electric co-op leaders from around the country for April’s NRECA Legislative Conference. From left are WEC Board of Trustees member Tracy Reeder, CEO Brad Kimbro, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore and Vice President of Human Resources and Administrative Services Bethany Retherford.
Contact Information
Mailing address
509 N. State Hwy 167 P.O. Box 158, Hartford, AL 36344
Find Wiregrass Electric Co-op on Twitter (@WEC2), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Payment Options
BY MAIL
WIREGRASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE PO BOX 70878
CHARLOTTE NC 28272-0878
WEBSITE
Payments may be made 24 hrs/day by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and E-Check on our website at www.wiregrass.coop.
PHONE PAYMENTS
Payments may be made any time by dialing 1-800-239-4602.
NIGHT DEPOSITORY AND KIOSKS Available at each office location.
IN PERSON
Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Payment kiosks are also available 24/7 in all offices.
Locations:
• 509 N. State Hwy. 167 • Hartford, AL 36344
• 13148 W. State Hwy. 52 • Samson, AL 36477
• 1066 Ashford Highway • Ashford, AL 36312
• 6167 Fortner St. • Dothan, AL 36305
For questions regarding sanitation service, call Houston County Sanitation Department at 334-677-4781 or Dothan City Sanitation at 334-615-3820.
Working for members
WEC newest board member sees serving as another way to help others
Sandy Wright Morris rattles off the list of her hobbies without hesitation.
“I like to work, love to go to church, love to be with my family and, really, I love to help people,” Morris says.
Morris’ daughter, Cassie Lynn Copeland, says her mother has always helped others whether it was simply taking time to visit with them or taking them a meal. Copeland says her mother never meets a stranger, and Morris just connects with people who don’t have families or anyone to take care of them.
“Mom ends up being that person for them,” Copeland says. “That’s her calling.”
At her church, Hacoda Baptist, Morris’ favorite activity is the annual fundraiser for Jeep Sullivan’s Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures, a program based in Bonifay, Florida, which connects veterans and soldiers injured in combat with hunting and fishing activities.
As the newest member of the Wiregrass Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees, Morris sees serving on the board as another way to help people.
“It’s just more people for me to get to meet,” Morris says, adding that she attends as many cooperative functions as she can to get to know employees and members. “There’s so many people there that I don’t know. I want to get out and mingle with people and let people know me and who I am personally. They can read about you or see you but to me, until somebody actually gets to meet you personally, I think, that’s where it makes a difference.”
Morris owns and operates Sandy’s on Main Beauty Shop, located across from the
Samson Feed and Seed store. She’s been in business in the same location for 25 years. When she was younger, she worked in her family’s restaurant, The Wright Place, where she met her husband, Jim.
A Samson native, her family has been in the Geneva County town for more than a century.
LEFT: Morris is seen with WEC Vice President of Member Services and Communication Stevie Sauls during a January reception to celebrate WEC’s partnership with Hubbell Inc.
BELOW: Morris chats with current WEC Board of Trustees President Kip Justice during the cooperative’s annual Employee Day.
For years, Morris says she considered ways to help people outside of what she has always done. The right opportunity presented itself when she decided to seek nomination to the WEC board. She made the decision while on a drive back to Sam-
son after one of father’s chemotherapy treatments.
Her father, Forrest Wright, vowed to be her biggest supporter. He saw her win the seat on the board but passed away before her term began.
Meet Sandy Wright Morris
Hometown: Samson
Family: husband, Jim Morris; parents, Forrest (deceased) and Charlotte Wright; children, Mary Katherine Morris, Jay Morris, Cassie Lynn Copeland; grandchildren, Ty and Haizlie Grace.
Hobbies: Being at her hair salon. Serving her church, Hacoda Baptist. Spending time with family and friends. Volunteering.
WEC Membership: When she was growing up, her family belonged to WEC. Morris and her husband have been members for 23 years.
In deciding to seek a seat on the WEC board, Morris committed to keeping members’ rates low, while ensuring reliable energy for the future and prioritizing safety for employees and members.
Morris says she loves getting out and talking to other WEC members.
“I prayed about it,” she says of seeking nomination to the WEC board. “To me, that was another way of being able to help people.”
Morris describes herself as a happy person who, while not perfect, works hard in everything she does. She focuses on her faith in God in her daily life no matter what she is facing — it’s a focus that Morris says has always come easily for her.
“My thing is, we are here on this earth to uplift people, and I have been blessed to do this,” she says.
So far, serving on the cooperative board has exceeded her expectations.
“I’ve got a lot to learn,” Morris says. “I’m not going to sit here and say I know everything. In fact, I don’t. But I’m willing to learn, and I’m excited to get that opportunity to be with Wiregrass and work for our members.”
Sandy sits at her hair station in her Samson salon, Sandy’s on Main.
Fosteringgrace
MINISTRY FOUNDER WORKS TO ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT LOCAL FOSTER FAMILIES
Teresa Holmes has seen the tremendous need for foster parents in Geneva County.
“I have always had a heart for foster care, foster kids because of my work with the school system,” Holmes says. “A lot of the kids that we were working with were in foster care, and so that’s really kind of what opened my eyes to how much these kids need. There’s definitely a shortage of foster families in Geneva County.”
Holmes, who contracts to provide mental health services for Geneva County Schools, says the needs of foster children and foster families are too vast for one group or one agency to fulfill.
In 2021, she started a ministry to support foster families, Grace Loves,
located at Place of Grace Church in Slocomb. The ministry provides items that can be particularly expensive, such as diapers and training pants, baby wipes and laundry detergent. But the ministry also provides food for foster families and works with other local churches to secure clothing.
Her efforts led Holmes to be recognized as one of this year’s Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass. A partnership between Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and WTVY, Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass honors the unsung heroes who make a difference in their communities and the lives of others.
Not wanting to duplicate the efforts of other local groups, Holmes says Grace Loves provides help closer to home so foster parents don’t have to drive to Dothan.
“We service probably around 20 to 21 families a month that come through here, and that’s probably 45 to 48 kids that are getting some supplies,” she says.
Through the ministry, Holmes realized many of the foster children had never been to church. She hopes Grace Loves can help the church be a positive influence in the lives of foster children and expose them to the idea of churches helping communities.
Holmes worked with other churches to start the Geneva County Family Advocacy ministry — an effort to promote awareness about the need for more foster parents. The group hosts activities and helped establish care teams to further encourage and support foster parents.
At Christmas, the family advocacy ministry gave out blessing boxes filled with different holiday food items as well as gift cards so foster families can enjoy fun activities together.
“The money that they get for being foster families just covers basic needs of those kids,” Holmes says. “Their budgets don’t usually allow for them to do fun activities.”
Teresa Holmes sits in front of the metal racks holding diapers and Pull-Ups available to foster families caring for babies and toddlers. Holmes started Grace Loves after seeing the need in Geneva County.
Grace Loves is located at Place of Grace Church in Slocomb.
Summer Vacations
White water rafting down the Nantahala River last summer. SUBMITTED by Dees Veca, Gulf Shores.
Looking out across the big, beautiful Gulf is my favorite way to relax and unwind while on vacation. SUBMITTED by Sylvia Hughes, Samson.
The Richardson Family has been taking an annual Panama City beach trip for over 50 years. They host 25-30 family members and friends, spending the week together and making memories! SUBMITTED by Gerri Webb, Marion.
My grandsons, Nash, Everett and Milo during our 2024 family vacation to Orange Beach. SUBMITTED by Robyn Talley, Eastaboga.
Joe, his wife Taylor and their dogs Cosmo and Jane standing at a cozy 14,000 feet on the top of Pikes Peak in Colorado. SUBMITTED by Joseph Kahl, Bay Minette.
September theme: “Cheerleaders” | Deadline: July 31
Submit photos on our website: alabamaliving.coop/submit-photo. Photos submitted for publication may also be used on our website and on our social media pages.
THIS MONTH IN ALABAMA HISTORY
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, an Alabama Original, is Born
On July 24, 1900, Minnie Sayre and Alabama Supreme Court Justice A. D. Sayre welcomed a baby girl into the world. The Sayres named their youngest child after the title character of Zelda’s Fortune, an 1874 work by novelist Robert Edward Francillon. She enjoyed a charmed Montgomery childhood. Young Zelda had, in the words of friend and fellow novelist Sara Martin Mayfield, “a dash, a style, and a daring that left me wide-eyed and open-mouthed with admiration.”
In the summer of 1918, she met F. Scott Fitzgerald, who was stationed at nearby Camp Sheridan. The couple wed in the spring of 1920, shortly before the publication of Fitgerald’s first successful novel, This Side of Paradise. Their fates and fame were linked. By the time F. Scott published The Great Gatsby in 1925, the Fitzgeralds ranked high among the influential literary figures who helped to define the “Roaring Twenties.” Zelda came to personify the quintessential image of the Flapper. But her own literary and artistic ambitions were often eclipsed by her husband’s. She frequently fell victim to crippling mental health challenges compounded by their difficult marriage.
In the early 1930s, the globetrotting couple returned to Montgomery and rented a home (now a museum) in the Old Cloverdale community. But Alabama’s capital city could not long hold them. Soon, F. Scott left for Hollywood and Zelda entered a clinic in Maryland.
F. Scott Fitzgerald died in 1940. Eight years later, Zelda perished in a fire at a North Carolina hospital. In decades since, scholars have reappraised her cultural significance to the American Age, beyond her husband’s long shadow. The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts holds many of Zelda Fitgerald’s paintings and figural artworks.
– Scotty Kirkland
Whereville, AL
Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative, if applicable. The winner and answer will be announced in the August issue.
Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, 340 TechnaCenter Dr., Montgomery, AL 36117
Do you like finding interesting or unusual landmarks? Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Remember, all readers whose photos are chosen also win $25! June’s answer: This is reportedly the world’s largest known geode, located on the campus of the University of Montevallo, in the courtyard of Harman Hall. It weighs 8 tons and was extracted from an iron quarry in Shelby County. (Photo by Morgan Haynes of Cullman EC) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Cathy Mills, Cullman EC.
Find the Hidden Dingbat!
We may have set a new record for the number of times our readers had to page through the June issue, looking for the hidden dingbat. Dianne Jacobs writes: “This took me about 30 times looking through the magazine. It’s a hard one for sure.” But she found the old suitcase on Page 30, propped against the brick wall below the windows at The Grand Hotel. Heather Candelaria agrees: “This one was hard!... Whew, that one kept me going for a long time, but I love looking for them.” We sense that those who find it, even after hours of searching, are so satisfied when they finally do spot the hidden object that they are quite proud to let us know. Lauren Mickle of Cullman even wrote us that she “found a face in the tree on Page 32! I love doing these, very awesome way to get a community involved!” We agree, Lauren! Congratulations to Jason Simmons of Hartselle, the correct guess winner who will receive a $25 gift card from Alabama One Credit Union.
In honor of Independence Day July 4, we’ve hidden Uncle Sam’s hat somewhere in these pages. But remember, it won’t be in an ad or on Pages 1-8. Good luck!
By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.coop
By mail: Find the Dingbat
Alabama Living 340 TechnaCenter Dr. Montgomery, AL 36117
Sponsored by
1923 publicity photograph of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald by Alfred Cheney Johnston
Investments drive job creation in rural Alabama
Rural Alabama is experiencing a surge in economic growth, with more than $7 billion in new investment since 2020 fueling nearly 9,000 job commitments across the state’s targeted rural counties.
The momentum continued throughout 2024, as $1.7 billion in fresh investment flowed into key industries, generating 1,700 new job opportunities and strengthening rural communities, according to a new report from the Alabama Department of Commerce.
Some of the investments highlighted in the report:
• Republic Airways’ LIFT Academy, which is creating a flight training center at historic Moton Field in Macon County;
• Two Rivers Lumber Co. announced plans to invest $115 million to build a state-of-the-art sawmill in the Coosa County community of Kellyton;
• Canfor Southern Pine launched plans last year to build a new sawmill in Fulton (Clarke County) with a $19.2 million project;
• In Lawrence County, Lockheed Martin has set up a “digital factory” dedicated to hypersonic technologies. Last year, it began beefing up its workforce with plans to add 224 workers;
• In Escambia County, Pine Gate Renewables plans to establish a solar farm capable of generating 80 megawatts of electricity, with a total investment of $350 million.
Take Us Along!
We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving. coop. Be sure to include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo. We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.
their magazine to
and on a Mediterranean cruise to Greece and Turkey. This photo was taken the day they were in Ephesus, the country in the background. They are members of Clarke-Washington EC.
Letters to the editor
E-mail us at: letters@alabamaliving.coop or write us at: Letters to the editor 340 TechnaCenter Dr. Montgomery, AL 36117
Longtime editor remembered
Thank you for the bittersweet article about the posthumous award for Darryl Gates (May 2025).
Darryl served as the very popular master of ceremonies for several years at the annual meeting of the Tombigbee Electric Cooperative Board of Directors in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. One of Darryl’s duties was to announce the winners of the door prizes which attracted enough members to attend and achieve a quorum. He performed this role with joy and enthusiasm.
Please extend my sincere thanks to Darryl’s family for sharing him with us on those Saturdays.
Woodfin Gregg, Tombigbee EC
Betty Sparks of Russellville visited the Nauticus Naval Museum in Portsmouth, VA., last year. She’s a member of Franklin EC.
Jane Cox, a member of Arab EC, took her magazine to Sankaty Head Lighthouse in Nantucket, Mass.
Connie Sandweg, a member of Baldwin EMC from Orange Beach, traveled to Costa Rica along with her sister and six friends to celebrate all turning 60.
Vernon & Carol Keith from Foley, members of Baldwin EMC, traveled to Panama last spring. This photo was taken at the Embera Indian Village in the Gamboa Rainforest.
Lucille and Jim Imhoff of Grove Hill brought
Rome
Republic Airways held a ribbon cutting last year for its LIFT Flight Academy at Moton Field in Tuskegee. The academy will partner with Tuskegee University and the city of Tuskegee to recruit and train pilot candidates for its airline.
PHOTO
Owen Harrison and LBW automotive teacher Will Reeves
Vivian Brock
Tia Bryant
Alivia Williams
Zendarious Lee
Melanie Bourne
Savannah Johnson
Lilley Frost
Addie Reed
PHOTO BY OAKLEIGH CALAHAN
PHOTO BY SARAH TURNER
PHOTO BY MAGGIE MASH
Getting a Jump Start on College
Dual enrollment allows students to save time, money
BY LENORE VICKREY
Owen Harrison knew he didn’t want to spend four years of his life on a college campus. What he did know is that he loved tinkering with cars.
When the 16-year-old student at Straughn High School in Andalusia heard about a dual enrollment program offering certification in auto mechanics at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in nearby Opp, he was definitely interested. He began taking classes at LBW his sophomore year of high school, heading to campus in the morning after dropping his younger brother at Straughn. This fall, he’ll continue to take classes for two to three more semesters before graduating in 2027 with a certification in auto mechanics. “So when I come out of high school I can start working,” he says. “I’ve always had a love for cars and figuring out how things work in cars. That’s what really piqued my interest.”
Harrison is one of more than 40,000 students enrolled in dual enrollment programs at Alabama community colleges, allowing them to bypass years of college classes. This past May, more than 100 students graduated with both their high school diploma and an associate degree or certification from a community college.
“It’s a really fantastic opportunity for students to get ahead of the game while they’re in high school and take classes in subject matter that are of interest to them and do it at no cost, which is great,” says Dr. Neil Scott, Vice Chancellor for Student Success for the Alabama Community College System.
Students who’ve completed the ninth grade can start enrolling in college classes, he says, much like Harrison, who started in his sophomore year. “A lot of students are looking for a way to start taking college classes early, just for the challenge,” Scott says. “And they can do it without risk. If you’re waiting until after high school, it’s a risk if you get into college classes and realize, ‘maybe I’m not cut out for this.’ But if you do this in high school, you don’t have to pay money to find that out.”
Her hard work allowed her to finish her degree in communication at the University of Alabama Huntsville in two years, graduating in May. She’s working this summer at Cullman Electric Cooperative and plans to pursue a master’s degree at UA in the fall. She’ll then head to New York City to work in public relations/communication and eventually use her skills as a professor.
Free education, with help from the state
Growth in dual enrollment at community colleges has been steady since 2008-2009, when the system began keeping enrollment records, with 8,490 students enrolled then, to 40,172 this spring. Part of the reason for that growth, Scott says, is because of support from the Alabama Legislature via a workforce grant.
“In the vast majority of cases, students who want to take classes can do it completely free. It covers books, supplies, tuition and fees,” he says.
“It’s basically free college,” says Addie Reed of Bridgeport, who graduated in May from North Jackson High School and also completed her associate degree from Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) in Rainsville. She started her college classes in 2022, in the fall of her sophomore year, taking three classes each semester. “I took a few classes at my high school,” she says, where Northeast certified the teachers to teach collegelevel classes. “The ones not offered at my school, I took online.”
– Dr. Neil Scott “
It’s a really fantastic opportunity for students to get ahead of the game while they’re in high school
In the next two years, Reed expects to earn her college degree in elementary education from Athens State, also online, with a goal of teaching in elementary school.
That wasn’t a problem for Vivian Brock, 19, who completed her associate degree from Wallace State Community College in Hanceville before she received her high school diploma from Holly Pond High School in 2023. She was 17. She did dual enrollment and continued to work 30 to 35 hours a week at the All Steak Restaurant in Cullman.
Tia Bryant, 17, earned her associate’s degree from NACC May 13 and nine days later received her diploma from Woodville High School. With dual enrollment, she took three classes at her high school, the rest online, and will attend the University of Alabama Huntsville to study sociology in a pre-law track in the fall.
“I’ll be credentialed as a junior,” she says, on track to graduate in 2027. “It’s really helped me for my future and taught me time management,” she says. “Northeast has some of the most inviting teachers I’ve ever had. They put you and your needs first.”
Classes in person or online
About 59 percent of students in dual enrollment take classes either at their high school or at the community college, while 40 percent take classes online, Scott says.
Alivia Williams, 19, graduated from Washington County High School in 2023 and started taking classes from Coastal Alabama Community College her junior year. “I loved doing dual enrollment,” says Williams, who’s now enrolled at Coastal Alabama fulltime working on her associate in science degree. “I thought once I got to Coastal I’d be overwhelmed, but (dual enrollment) took the stress off me.” She’s now a member of The Ambassadors at Coastal Alabama and gives tours to prospective students while also working part-time at a daycare center in Chatom. She plans to study early childhood development at the University of West Alabama and one day open her own child development center.
The online option worked best for Zendarious Lee, who graduated as valedictorian from Bullock County High School in May, while also taking classes at Wallace Community College in Dothan and Trenholm State. He transferred some of his credits from Wallace CCDothan to Trenholm State, graduating with a certificate in office administration and general studies a week before getting his high school diploma. “I wanted to get ahead in college,” says Lee, who will attend Auburn University in the fall, majoring in computer science and planning a career in cybersecurity.
Lee’s classmate Melanie Bourne also took classes online, received her certification in general studies from
DUAL GRADS: Addie Reed, Taylor Hutcheson, Isabella Hawkins and Makayla Petrey have all earned diplomas from their respective high schools as well as associate degrees from Northeast Alabama Community College in Rainsville.
Trenholm State and will attend Alabama State University as a sophomore in the fall. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to do four years (of college) completely, so I wanted to have something under my belt,” she says. “And when they gave us the option of being certified in certain things, I went ahead and took the opportunity.” Bourne was also working a part-time job and often had to stay up late to finish all her class work. “I did whatever it took.”
Earning an associate degree is a 60 to 64-credit hour program, Scott says. “It takes a lot to earn that. Students put in a significant amount of time between their 10th and 11th grade years.
“We’ve had 494 students who completed some type of credential or degree just this past school year,” he says.
Saving time
For Savannah Johnson, a senior at Thorsby High School, it was all about saving time. She plans to double major in psychology and sociology and earn a doctorate in both fields. Realizing her academic choice would require years of schooling, dual enrollment made sense. “This was a great way to get a lot of school out of the way early,” she says. She’s been able to take several science-related classes at Jefferson State Community College’s satellite campus in Clanton and is on track to earn her associate degree in 2026, along with her high school diploma. Then she’ll head to UAB for more studies.
Lilley Frost, 18, graduated from Plainview High School in Rainsville and earned her associate degree in science: pre-nursing from NACC. Her ambition is to be a nurse anesthetist.
Even though she’ll likely be two years younger than her classmates, it will be worth it because “I got a head start on my education and I’ll be two years ahead,” she says.
“It saves the students money and time,” says Scott. “A lot either take dual enrollment with us, then move on to a four-year university, and many only have to take classes for two or three years. That way they can start their career earlier or do graduate school. For the state it’s a win-win, because we’re able to get the students their education earlier so they can go out and make money and contribute to the state’s economy earlier.”
Alabama Secretary of Workforce Greg Reed agrees. “I don’t know of any better money we spend in the state of Alabama related to education than dual enrollment,” he recently stated. “Taking a smart, sharp kid and allowing the two-year colleges to come alongside and collaborate while they’re in high school so that they’re ready to go – quicker, sooner, better, faster, smarter – when they’re ready to move into the workforce. These are the things we ought to be focused on.”
Is dual enrollment for everyone? “You have to be driven and want it for yourself or you’re not doing to do good,” says Isabella Hawkins, a Sylvania High School graduate who earned her associate degree in health sciences from NACC. Taking college classes, even while working and playing sports, helped her decide to become an occupational therapist. She’ll continue her studies at Jacksonville State University and wants to earn a doctorate from UAB.
“It’s not for everyone,” says Hawkins, “but everyone should give it a try.”
PHOTO BY MEG NIPPERS
TLy’Nardia Morris: From Hardship to Hope
A COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUCCESS STORY
hree years ago, Ly’Nardia Morris never imagined she would be where she is today. Facing homelessness at a young age, she found herself living in a car while dreaming of a brighter future. Inspired by a friend in Bishop State’s nursing program, she took a leap of faith and enrolled. That decision changed her life forever.
“Bishop State is the reason for the season,” Ly’Nardia says. “It became my foundation, my family, and the place where I learned to push myself to my full potential.”
Through the support of faculty and staff, she overcame significant challenges. Emergency funding and scholarships provided her with financial stability, she mentioned several mentors including barbering instructor, Mr. Wade Dickerson, and Vice President of Instructional Services, Dr. Khalilah Burton, offered the guidance and encouragement she had longed for. “They didn’t just teach me—they lifted me up,” she recalls.
While at Bishop State, Ly’Nardia was deeply involved in campus organizations, traveled for academic conferences, and was named an Alabama AllAcademic student. But her impact reached far beyond the classroom. She dedicated herself to uplifting others, often driving fellow students to and from campus without asking for anything in return. “I just want to be able to touch somebody,” she explains. “If I can help someone get their education, I’ve done my job.”
Since graduating, Ly’Nardia has launched two successful businesses—Another Chance Hair Care and a credit repair service—both inspired by her education at Bishop State. “Thanks to my professors, I
learned financial literacy and how to build a business. Now, I help others move above the poverty line,” she says. While she has already graduated from the barbering program, Ly’Nardia is currently completing her associate degree and has been accepted to both Troy University and the University of Alabama, where she plans to pursue a degree in communications before attending law school.
For Ly’Nardia, success is measured not in wealth, but in the impact she has on others. “It’s about seeing the people around me thrive—getting their education, raising their credit scores, and believing in themselves,” she says.
To current and future students, she offers this advice: “Take it one day at a time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Walk into every room with confidence—because you belong there.”
Ly’Nardia’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education. As she looks toward the future, she has one promise: “I’m coming back to give Bishop State $1 million when I get it—so my name can go on a building.”
Bishop State changed her life. Now, she’s determined to change the lives of others.
Bevill State Community College
1411 Indiana Ave., Jasper, AL
800-648-3271
Bscc.edu
Headcount: 5,410
President: Joel Hagood, Ed.D.
Locations: Fayette, Hamilton, Jasper, Sumiton, Pickens Center
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Facility maintenance technician, management and entrepreneurship, sterile processing technician, urban forestry technician (dual enrollment only), mining technology (non-credit), general education certification
Bishop State Community College
351 N. Broad St., Mobile, AL 36603
251-405-7000
Bishop.edu
Headcount: 4,423
President: Olivier Charles
Locations: Three campuses in the city of Mobile
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Physical therapist assistant, machine toll technology, aviation manufacturing, computer-aided drafting and design, process and maintenance technology
Calhoun Community College
P.O. Box 2216
Decatur, AL 35609
Calhoun.edu
Headcount: 14,641
President: Dr. Jimmy Hodges
Other campuses: Huntsville/Cummings Research Park site; the Alabama Center for the Arts; and Limestone Correctional Facility.
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Systems engineering technology, 3D modeling and animation, respiratory therapy, biotechnology, aerospace
Central Alabama Community College
1675 Cherokee Road
Alexander City, AL 35010
256-234-6346
Cacc.edu
Headcount: 2,225
President: Jeff Lynn
Other campuses: Childersburg, Prattville and Talladega Center
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Dual enrollment, machine shop, marine tech, industrial electronics technology, peer tutoring
40,000+ Students are in dual enrollment at Alabama colleges
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
2602 College Drive
Phenix City, AL 36869
334-291-4900
cv.edu
Headcount: 2,191
President: Jacqueline B. Screws
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Electrical technology (coming in fall 2025), visual communications – multimedia graphic design, medical laboratory technician, emergency medical services, criminal justice
Coastal Alabama Community College
800-381-3722
coastalalabama.edu
Headcount: 10,023
President: Aaron Milner, Ed.D.
Locations: Academy at the Fairhope Airport, Alabama Aviation Center at Brookley Field, Atmore, Bay Minette, Brewton, Fairhope, Foley Career and Technical Facility, Gilbertown, Gulf Shores, Monroeville, Thomasville
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Pipefitting, respiratory therapy, aviation –powerplant and airframe, culinary arts, 3D animation
Drake State Community and Technical College
3421 Meridian St. N. Huntsville, AL 35811
256-539-8161
Drakestate.edu
Headcount: 1,119
President: Patricia Sims
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Machine tool, engineering design, mechatronics (industrial maintenance), salon and spa management, automotive service
Enterprise State Community College 600 Plaza Drive Enterprise, AL 36330
334-347-2623
Escc.edu
Headcount: 2,353
President: Daniel Long
Locations: Alabama Aviation College – Ozark and Andalusia campuses
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Advanced composites, digital multimedia, automotive technology, mechatronics, medical assistant technology
59% of dual enrollment students take classes at their high school or the community college
Gadsden State Community College
Gadsdenstate.edu
Headcount: 6,456
President: Dr. Kathy L. Murphy
Locations: Ayers Campus (Anniston), Cherokee (Centre), East Broad (Gadsden), Valley Street (Gadsden), Wallace Drive (Gadsden)
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: COMET – Consortium of Machining Education Training (CoMeT), a hybrid work-based apprenticeship program; Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME); cadaver lab; nursing apprenticeship program
Ingram State Technical College (For incarcerated adults) 5375 Ingram Road
Deatsville, AL 36022
334-285-5177
Istc.edu
Headcount: 806
President: Annette Funderburk
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Logistics and supply chain technology, industrial maintenance, CDL, diesel mechanics, utility tree trimming
Jefferson State Community College 2601 Carson Road Birmingham, AL 35215 888-453-3378
Jeffersonstate.edu
Headcount: 13,082
President: Keith A. Brown
Locations: Shelby-Hoover; St. Clair-Pell City; Chilton-Clanton
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Surgical technology, veterinary technology, culinary and hospitality, emergency medical services, respiratory therapy
Lawson State Community College 3060 Wilson Road SW Birmingham, AL 35221 205-925-2515
Lawsonstate.edu
Headcount: 4,644
President: Dr. Cynthia T. Anthony
Locations: Birmingham, Bessemer
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Diagnostic medical sonography, radiologic technology, robotics, logistics and supply chain management, automotive specialty training for Mercedes, Toyota, Ford and GM
A Life Long Dream:
Liston
and Rosemary Coggins embark on college journey together
Atages 75 and 73, respectively, Liston and Rosemary Coggins are proving that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. The husband-andwife duo are beginning a new chapter together as freshmen at Northwest Shoals Community College (NWSCC), determined to earn their Associate of Science degrees.
Their story begins decades ago when Liston first attended Northwest Alabama State Junior College in Phil Campbell in 1968. At the time, he was studying drafting, balancing night shifts at work and early morning classes. Rosemary, then his new wife, would take notes in class while he rested—until life, and the birth of their first daughter, shifted their focus to family.
“ For us, this journey is about more than just earning a degree, it’s a lifelong dream.”
“I am a first-generation college graduate, but they are going to change that soon,” their daughter, Tracy Hill said. “They have always supported us, and now it’s their turn to achieve something they’ve dreamed about for so long.”
Rosemary left high school after her junior year to marry Liston but later returned to NWSCC in 1996 to earn her GED. Now, nearly 30 years later, she and Liston are students again.
“We’ve always known about Northwest Shoals,” said Liston, “but the recent rebranding really caught our attention. It reminded me that the Shoals and Phil Campbell campuses, where I attended years ago, are now part of the same college. Seeing all the excitement around the rebranding and the return of athletics made us stop and think, ‘Why not now?’”
The couple say the energy and growth at the college inspired them to take the leap. “It’s been such a rewarding decision,” added Rosemary. “We’re excited to be part of a college that’s clearly investing in the community. Northwest Shoals has been so accommodating, and our instructors have gone above and beyond to make sure we can succeed.”
Their motivation? A deep-rooted belief in the power of education and the importance of leading by example.
“For us, this journey is about more than just earning a degree,” said Liston. “It’s a lifelong dream. We’re learning new skills, staying mentally sharp, and staying engaged in our community. But most of all, we want our children and grandchildren to see that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.”
Their daughter Tracy, who works in financial aid at NWSCC, beams with pride. “Watching my parents go after their own goals is one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever seen,” she shared. “They’re rolemodels for our entire family, and we can’t wait to watch them walk across that stage.”
From wearing their Patriots gear proudly to inspiring friends and neighbors to consider college themselves, Liston and Rosemary are redefining what it means to be students and proving that learning truly has no age limit. www.alabama.edu
494 Students completed some type of credential or degree this past school year
Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
1000 Dannelly Blvd.
Andalusia, AL 36420
334-222-6591
Lbwcc.edu
Headcount: 2,316
President: Dr. Brock Kelley
Locations: Andalusia, Opp, Greenville and Luverne
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Forestry and wildlife sciences (only two-year degree in the state), physical therapist assistant, building construction, salon and spa management, automotive technology
Marion Military Institute
1101 Washington St. Marion, AL 36756
800-664-1842
Marionmilitary.edu
Headcount: 417
President: Retired Col. David J. Mollahan, USMC
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: MMI is a military junior college, with programs in civilian leadership education, Army ROTC early commissioning, service academy program, FAA-certified flight training and first responder career prep
Northeast Alabama Community College
138 AL Hwy 35
Rainsville, AL 35986
256-638-4418
Nacc.edu
Headcount: 3,963
President: Dr. David Campbell
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Business, building construction, computer information systems, industrial systems technology, nursing
Northwest Shoals Community College
800 George Wallace Blvd.
Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
256-331-5200
Nwscc.edu
Headcount: 4,200
President: Dr. Jeff Goodwin
Locations: Muscle Shoals, Phil Campbell
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: HVAC, industrial systems, medical imaging, salon and spa with barbering, machining
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Diesel technology, cosmetology, industrial electricity and electronics technology (ILT), childcare education and development, computer information science
Shelton State Community College
9500 Old Greensboro Road (Martin Campus)
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
205-391-2211
Sheltonstate.edu
Headcount: 6,757
President: Dr. Jonathan Koh
Other location: C.A. Fredd Campus, Tuscaloosa
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Quality engineering technology, medical laboratory technology, data science/analytics, health information technology, computer science (cybersecurity)
Snead State Community College
220 N. Walnut St. Boaz, AL 35947
256-593-5120
Snead.edu
Headcount: 4,160
President: Dr. Joe Whitmore
Other locations: Alabama Aviation College (Albertville), Arab Instructional Site (Arab), Workforce and Career Institute (Guntersville)
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Aviation, machine tool technology, industrial systems technology, HVAC-refrigeration, computer systems technology
Southern Union State Community College
750 Roberts St. Wadley, AL 36276
256-395-2211
Suscc.edu
Headcount: 6,678
President: Todd Shackett
Other locations: Opelika and Valley
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Aviation technology, veterinarian technology, plastics engineering, physical therapy assistant, surgical technology
Trenholm State Community College
1225 Air Base Blvd. Montgomery, AL 36108
866-753-4544
Trenholmstate.edu
Headcount: 2,535
President: Dr. Kemba Chambers
Other location: Patterson site (Montgomery)
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Engineering technologies, LPN Immediate Impact Program (with Baptist Health), respiratory therapy, lineworker training, computer information systems
Wallace Community College – Dothan 1141 Wallace Drive
Dothan, AL 36303
334-983-3521
Wallace.edu
Headcount: 5,983
President: Dr. Kathy L. Murphy
Other location: Sparks campus (Eufaula)
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Surgical technology, Wiregrass FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education), pre-optometry pathway (with Troy University), agriculture pathway (with Auburn University), fiber optic technician and installer
40% of dual enrollment students take their classes online
Wallace State Community College 801 Main St. NW
Hanceville, AL 35077
866-350-9722
Wallacestate.edu
Headcount: 6,687
President: Vicki P. Karolewics
Other location: Oneonta
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Radiation therapy, early childhood educator (apprenticeship), occupational therapist assistant, cybersecurity, precision machining
Wallace Community College – Selma 3000 Earl Goodwin Parkway Selma, AL 36702
334-876-9227
Wccs.edu
Headcount: 2,310
President: James M. Mitchell, Ed.D.
Other Locations: Demopolis campus (Gallion), West Alabama Regional Training Center (Demopolis)
Top areas of study, as identified by the school: Aviation, masonry – building trades, industrial maintenance technology, computer information systems, drafting and design technology
Every CHILD. Every CHANCE. Every DAY.
BY LENORE VICKREY
Alabama schools chief proud of state’s accomplishments, but ‘we’ve just scratched the surface’
Dr. Eric G. Mackey has been Alabama’s superintendent of education since 2018. Under his tenure Alabama students have made a number of improvements in math and reading scores, and high school graduation rates have risen to 91 percent. A former high school and middle school science teacher, school principal, and city school superintendent, he holds degrees from Jacksonville State University and the University of Alabama. He was executive director of the School Superintendents of Alabama for eight years before being named superintendent. He serves on more than 30 different boards and most recently was elected president of the national Council of Chief State School Officers. We spoke to Mackey recently about what motivates him and the challenges still facing Alabama’s public schools.
Tell us a little about your growingup years.
I had an absolutely wonderful experience growing up on Lookout Mountain in the Cherokee County community of Sand Rock (served by Cherokee Electric Cooperative). It wasn’t incorporated then, but it has since become a full-fledged town. I went to Sand Rock K-12 school, as had my parents before me and most of my family. It was a great community to grow up in, a place where we could roam the woods, hunt squirrels relentlessly with a .22, ride dirt bikes, play with cousins and friends, go to church and school, and, of course, work!
We lived close to my father’s parents, and they were true subsistence farmers so there was always a fence to fix, hay to bale, or peas to shell. While there were some things that I didn’t enjoy as much at the time, looking back, I am grateful for every experience. Mostly, I am so extremely grateful for such a wonderful family. My parents still live in the house where they reared my older brother and me. They were – and still are – the most amazing parents any boy could ever want.
I think I was a pretty studious boy. I always enjoyed school; read everything I could get my hands on, and never found a subject from British literature to agri-science that I did not enjoy. I loved everything about school, joined and ended up leading nearly every club, played sports, and attended nearly every school event that I was actually involved in.
Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to be a teacher?
Well before I finished high school, I knew I was destined to become a teacher. As I mentioned, I just loved school so much! Of course, I didn’t realize how much more difficult it would be on the other side of the desk until much later. I am a first-generation college student so I had to wade my way through that experience, but I had good teachers and mentors that helped me along the way. What to teach? Now, that was another question. I first wanted to teach history. I have always been, and continue to this day, to be a voracious reader of history. Nevertheless, several people around me
said that there were already too many history teachers and many were having a hard time finding a job in the 1980s; so I opted for science instead. Never looked back and never regretted that decision. At some point along the way I taught nearly every science class available: 7th and 8th grade; biology, physical science, chemistry, and physics. I enjoyed them all but much prefer the physical sciences to the biological ones.
The superintendent visits with children at Sophia P. Kingston Elementary School in Selma.
Alabama State School Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey is surrounded by a class of happy students at Bluff Park Elementary School, excited that Katie Collins, a teacher at their school, was named 2025 Alabama Teacher of the Year.
PHOTOS
You’ve been Alabama’s state school superintendent since 2018. What have been some of the achievements you are proudest of?
We have accomplished so much since I took office seven years ago that it is difficult to find a place to start. One of the things I am most proud of is almost hidden in that very phrase: “WE”! When I was first named to this role, I began immediately to recruit team members to join me. I never stop recruiting and scouting talent! We have assembled this amazing team of very talented and caring individuals who complement each other. I look for people who have actual experience in the classroom or working directly with the public. I look for people who value people and who know that relationships, respect, and integrity are more important than numbers and statistics. Get the people right and the numbers tend to fall in place later. Of course, there is also constant churn. But even as good people retire or move on to other opportunities, I’m always looking for new possibilities to bring in new people who can complement our team in other ways.
Because we have assembled a good team and also had a strong, amazing, supportive governor and state school board, much good has manifested for our state’s students and its economic wellbeing. When I took the job, I identified some key areas that needed our focus. Among them were:
• Rebuilding the successful Alabama
R eading Initiative that had been decimated by budget cuts and shrinking support;
• Implementing a new math initiative w ith coaching support, stronger standards and testing;
• B etter instructional materials for our teachers.
I also wanted to build better civic engagement and empower our graduates to be great citizens after high school – young men and women who would lead strong families, pursue their lives’ ambitions, and give back to their communities. Looking back, we have had success in all of these!
The legislature supported our vision by passing the Alabama Literacy and Numeracy Acts, the TEAMS Act to attract more math and science teachers, the Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act, and others. They have also ponied up hundreds of millions of dollars to support these efforts. The support from our Legislature has been monumental in our work to move Alabama’s students forward.
Our most recent success is the RAISE Act which will bring additional studenttargeted funding to school systems. The passage of this bill comes after years of conversation about adding a weighted component to our funding model, but — and this is very important — without upending the Foundation Program which remains one of the most stable and consistent funding programs in the U.S. The Foundation Program is about guaranteeing a reasonable minimum level of support for all schools. Its passage in 1995, for instance, was the first time the state guaranteed teachers could make a minimum salary no matter their home county. Prior to the Foundation Program,
Dr. Mackey speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for Sumter Central Elementary School in September 2024.
Dr. Mackey speaks on a panel at the White House in March 2024 with other Chief State School Officers from around the country. He is the council president.
PHOTOS COURTESY ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
many rural counties simply could not afford reasonable size classes. It also guarantees funds for classroom supplies, textbooks, library books, and more. None of this was guaranteed prior to the Foundation Program, and in many places those things were not provided. The RAISE Act is the next step in providing directed student funding to go beyond the minimum. In future years, it will need to grow substantially, and I believe the legislature will see to it that happens; but FY26 offers a strong start toward this goal.
What challenges remain?
There is always more work to do because each new fall there is a new batch of students – not just in kindergarten, but in each grade, each subject, and on every team, too. That’s what I love about working with children and working with schools. Even though there is a rhythm to it, it is not boring or repetitive. Each new day brings with it bold challenges and opportunities.
Over the next couple years we will double-down on the projects we have started; that is, to continue to improve reading outcomes and strengthen mathematics instruction. But I am now digging ever more deeply into our work on civics and citizenship. Last December, our state school board unanimously passed the most rigorous, comprehensive
and strongest set of standards for social studies in our state’s history. After 14 years, we were well positioned for a rewrite of those standards.
But I am also working to expand projects like the Hope Institute, started by retired Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Drayton Nabers and led by the amazing Liz Huntley. I have been very involved in the Youth Leadership Development Program led by my longtime friend Kevin Walsh, and now we are also growing a youth leadership initiative created by John Maxwell. We need to give our youth examples of leadership and then give them opportunities for leadership. This also extends to youth clubs and sports teams. I long for the day when each student is academically challenged and supported but also a time when each feels engaged, involved and committed to ideals like teamwork, sportsmanship, and mutual respect. We have accomplished so much, but we have just scratched the surface of what I want us to do!
Do you try to visit individual classrooms?
I get into schools pretty much every month, usually multiple times per month. Nothing brings me more joy than visiting with students. I often frustrate my guides and handlers assigned by the
school because I linger behind to talk with students. I really do like to ask them questions and find out what they are thinking. Of course, it takes a few minutes to break the ice with students, especially since I usually walk in alongside their principal and a passel of other suitedup dignitaries. But, I pretty much always find a way to break through and get them talking.
What
inspires you to get up and go to work in the morning?
Every child. Every chance. Every day. That is our State Department motto, and it is one that I brought with me to the Department. It is now emblazoned everywhere you look. But, more importantly, it is emblazoned in people’s hearts and minds. We believe that it is our moral and ethical responsibility as educators to create opportunities, or chances, for children to pursue their own dreams and succeed in life. We come to work to do that for every child, every day! I often say, “Some days are easier than others and some children are easier than others, but that does not change our responsibility nor our commitment to get it done.” That is what drives me, and it is why I absolutely love my job! What a great blessing and opportunity to get to lead this wonderful work on behalf of young people.
Fourth grade students from Dr. Mackey’s elementary school, Sand Rock School, visit with him on the steps of the Archives and History building during a field trip in October 2024.
Good vibes, good food at Gulf Shores’ PICNIC BEACH
Picnic Beach in Gulf Shores lives up to its name. The menu, packed with fresh, lively flavors, matches the fresh beach breezes and (often) sunshine-soaked landscape outside.
STORY &
TBY JENNIFER KORNEGAY
hanks to a smiling, upbeat staff, the vibe is fun and “come-as-you-are” relaxed. The white-washed shiplap, fake grass flooring, picnic-style tables, retro surfboards on the walls and a covered, wrap-around porch for alfresco dining scream coastal chic. And the location, tucked amid a walkable area of shops and colorful cottages just one block back from white sand-shores and the glittering Gulf, amps up the allure. Here, life really does reflect a “beachykeen” picnic.
PHOTOS
The Mildly Spicy Dunked Wedge Salad is a lettuce wedge covered in house-made spicy ranch topped with bacon, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles and a choice of proteins.
The combination creates something a little different from the area’s other restaurants, according to Becky Guy, general manager and “team mom.” “We stand out in a few ways,” she says. It starts with the food. When Picnic Beach opened in 2018, barbecue dominated its offerings. During Hurricane Sally in 2020, the building sustained damage, forcing the eatery to close for a few years. In winter 2022, when it opened back up, Guy was running the show, and its Gulf-Shores-based Hangout Hospitality Group owners went in a new direction, coming up with the food style and fast-casual format of the restaurant today.
“We had the help of chef Wesley True, who’s appeared on national food shows like ‘Chopped’ and ‘Top Chef,’ for our menu,” Guy says, “and we went with a twist on what is usually available here.”
Fresh is the focus, with all sauces and marinades made in house, all fruits and veggies chopped in house daily to keep things crisp and an emphasis on local seafood. “We use fresh Gulf shrimp, always,” Guy says, which, though surprising,
isn’t always the case on the coast. All of these standout ingredients end up in bowls, tacos, sandwiches and salads.
And while the menu changes some, with tweaks and new additions, the best-selling Caribbean Bowl isn’t going anywhere; its blend of crunchy sweet and sour cauliflower, pineapple chunks and blackened chicken, all drizzled with smoked tomato aioli and piled on top of jasmine rice tossed in a salty-tangy Asian-influenced glaze, is too beloved. “You won’t get anything else like it in the area,” Guy says.
The Mediterranean Bowl’s grilled mahi-mahi, marinated golden beets, goat cheese and quinoa put it atop her favorite list. “It’s just clean and refreshing,” she says.
Guy calls out the blackened mahi-mahi tacos, too. “They are amazing, and a little elevated above your average fish taco with shredded red cabbage, fire-roasted corn and a lime aioli,” she says.
A
‘mix of food’
Other popular dishes include peel and eat shrimp with zippy cocktail sauce for dipping and creamy blue crab and artichoke dip on the starter menu; a grilled grouper filet sandwich smothered in herbaceous tartar; a traditional Old Bay-seasoned shrimp boil entrée, complete with Conecuh sausage, potatoes and corn; a hearty “beach burger” with avocado, bacon and rémoulade; and a wedge of iceberg lettuce dunked in spicy ranch (so dressing soaks into every crevice) and sprinkled with bacon, cherry tomatoes and crumbled blue cheese.
Fruity non-alcoholic peach and strawberry “bubble teas” and cocktails like the lip-puckering tequila-based blood-orange paloma wash it all down. “We’ve been really successful with this mix of food,” Guy says. Online reviews back her up. “We rank high on ‘best places to eat at the beach’ searches, and that really brings folks in,” she says.
But Guy says the service seals the deal. “It’s what makes us special; everything we do is all about the customer experience,” she says. “Even though you walk up to order, you get stellar hospitality here.” And the lack of table service proves a plus in a town that can be overwhelmed by crowds, especially in the summer. “It means you get a great meal even faster, where you might wait hours other places,” Guy says.
Whether one aspect or the entire picnic basket appeals to diners, the folks filling the tables represent a mix of locals and visitors. Residents no doubt appreciate Picnic Beach supporting all local schoolteachers by giving them 50 percent off their meal. And vacationers of all stripes find a warm welcome. Guy’s former home comes in handy with the snowbirds who flock to Gulf Shores in colder months.
“We get a big crowd of Midwesterners down here each winter, and I’m from Illinois, so they come in, and we chat it up and play cards. Midwesterners really like their cards,” she says. “But we treat everyone like that, including employees. We all work as a team and that extends out. I believe our customers feel that.”
Picnic Beach
128 E. 1st Avenue, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
251-540-0117 | picnicbeach.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
1) General manager Becky Guy and the team at Picnic Beach work to bring “stellar hospitality” to diners, Guy says. 2) The casual surfside atmosphere at Picnic Beach features fake grass flooring, retro surfboards on the walls and a covered, wrap-around porch for alfresco dining.
Gulf Shores l
PHOTO COURTESY PICNIC BEACH
Patriotic
BY MYLES MELLOR
Across
1 Site of American Village- a living-history park focusing on events connected with the American Revolution
7 Fry ing equipment
9 “Sweet Home Alabama” star, _____ Witherspoon 10 Resort in Orange Beach offering an Independence Day celebration. 12 All the pieces of the china
Independence Day is one 14 Distance measurement, abbr. 16 Covert missions, briefly 19 Dieting measurement, abbr.
20 Alabama city celebrating Independence Day with a “Freedom and Fireworks” event
25 American airline, abbr.
26 Important day in America’s history, 3 words 29 Take place 31 Alabama _____: Blakely and Pinto 34 Owing 35 Shade provider 36 American military comedy film, “Major ____”
3 N ight before significant event
4 N ickname for the Lake Martin Amphitheater which is celebrating Independence Day with performances by Taylor Hicks
5 Traditional knowledge passed on through generations 6 in America
7 Weapon used in the Revolutionary War
8 Negative word 11 Festive celebration
15 Recreational vehicle for travel, abbr. 1 7 Children’s activity
18 Gulf Shores view 21 Wheel track indentation
22 OWA’s ____ Falls: celebrating Independence Day with water fun
23 Informal debt acknowledgment, abbr.
24 Park celebrating Independence Day with fireworks lighting up Red Mountain
26 ____-Bama: Famous Gulf coast oyster bar that celebrates Independence Day
2 7 Popular cocktail, mint ____
28 Popular swing dance, _____ Hop
30 Took part in a 5K, for example
32 Grayish-brown color
33 V isit
Answers on Page 45 Down 1 Leader of a parade, Grand ____ 2 Sew ing equipment
ENTER ALABAMA LIVING’S
EVENTS
JULY3-4
Grand Bay, Grand Bay Watermelon Festival, Odd Fellows Festival Park, 10327 Taylor F. Harper Blvd. 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday (preview day) and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, admission is $5 per vehicle, with arts and crafts vendors, rides, food vendors, entertainment, a pretty baby contest, car show, games, contests for all ages and free, ice cold Grand Bay watermelon. Fireworks show at dusk. GrandBayWatermelonFestival.org
JULY3
Wetumpka, Independence Day Celebration, 6 p.m., Court Street. This free family-friendly concert and celebration features live music, children’s activities, shopping and vendors. After the concert, head over to the Gold Star Park for a fireworks show. Bring lawn chairs. Search for the event on Facebook.
JULY4
Andalusia, Fourth of July Parade, beginning at 9 a.m. Celebrate Independence Day in patriotic style with the Old Three Notch DAR Fourth of July Parade. Route begins at First Baptist Church parking lot. All kinds of entries welcomed. 912-312-6628.
JULY4
Auburn, Independence Day Celebration. Gates open at 5 p.m. Food and treats for purchase, music from DJ Ozz, giveaways, inflatables, face painting and a visit from Aubie. Fireworks begin around 9 p.m. Free. Drive to Duck Samford Stadium, 1840 East Glenn Ave. and Bo Cavin baseball fields, 333 Airport Road for parking. AuburnAl.gov
JULY4, Henagar, Sand Mountain Potato Festival, Henagar City Park. Celebrate the heritage of this northeast Alabama region with live music, arts and crafts, entertainment, games and fireworks. Parade begins at 9 a.m., with events at 10 a.m. CityofHenagar.com
JULY4
Prattville, Fourth of July Parade beginning at 9 a.m. in historic downtown. Sponsored by Prattville Cultural Arts, Prattville Parks and Recreation and the City of Prattville. Search for the event on Facebook.
JULY4-5
Fort Payne, Independence Day at DeSoto State Park, beginning at 10 a.m. Friday. This annual family-friendly event features a flag-making contest, ice cream social and pool party. Bring chairs; event is free. Campground gate will be open. Subject to cancellation due to weather. Alapark.com/parks/desoto-state-park
JULY4
Florence, 42nd annual Spirit of Freedom celebration. Food trucks, live music and fireworks; free. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at McFarland Park. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.
JULY4
Cullman, Smith Lake Park Fourth of July Fireworks Festival 2025, Smith Lake Park, 1332 CR-385. Food and arts and crafts vendors on site; begins at 9 a.m., with fireworks at 9 p.m. Music acts are Michael Warren, Daniel Bowden, Crooked Creek and Brooke Lee. $5 per person or $20 per car. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.
JULY4
Gulf Shores, Independence Day Celebration. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. from the Gulf State Park Fishing and Education pier. Spectators are encouraged to gather at the Gulf State Park and the eastern area of the Gulf Shores Public Beach for the best viewing experience. GulfShoresal.gov
JULY11
Double Springs, Winston County Tomato Sandwich Day. Mike Gilbreath Memorial Park, 635 Blake Drive. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Winston County Extension Office will hold its fourth annual event; local farmers donate fresh tomatoes to make free sandwiches for the public. Adult and youth program information will be available, with activities for kids and door prizes. Aces.edu
JULY11-12
Andalusia, World Championship Domino Tournament, Kiwanis Fair Complex. Players of all ages can compete in singles and doubles for a chance to win cash prizes, including a $5,000 grand prize. WorldChampionshipDomino.com
JULY11-12 & 18-19
Tuscumbia, annual outdoor performances of The Miracle Worker on the lawn of Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller. 8 p.m. each night. The powerful story of Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, continues to inspire audiences. General admission tickets available at TheMiracleWorker.info or call 256-383-4066 for reserved seating and group rates.
JULY19
Clanton, Chilton County Arts Festival, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center, 1850 Lay Dam Road. The Chilton County Arts Council will hold its 14th annual Arts Fest, with 13,000 square feet of vendors selling one-of-a-kind handmade items, jewelry and all styles of decorative arts. Food, fun and gifts. ChiltonCountyArtsCouncil.com
JULY26
Eclectic, Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival beginning at 6 p.m. at the AMP on Lake Martin, 8878 Kowaliga Road. Featuring Alabama-born acts Drake White, Charlie Argo and Adam Hood. Gates and food trucks open at 5 p.m. Suitable for all ages; free parking. TheAMPonLakeMartin.com
AUGUST 2
Albertville, Made on the Mountain Fest, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Albertville. Local musicians, craftsmen, vendors, food trucks and more. This event was rescheduled from early May. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.
AUGUST 7-10
Northeast Alabama, World’s Longest Yard Sale. More than 690 miles of yard sales and unique treasure finds along the Lookout Mountain Parkway from Gadsden to Chattanooga, Tenn. Enjoy the natural treasures of the area during your trip. VisitLookoutMountain.com
AUGUST 15-16
Russellville, Franklin County Watermelon Festival. 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 15 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 16. Live music both evenings, car and truck show from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 5K and 1-mile fun run beginning at 7:30 a.m., watermelon cutting and contests beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 16. FranklinCountyChamber.org
AUGUST 15-17
Montgomery, Buckmasters 30th annual Expo, Montgomery Convention Center. More than 300 booths; admission is a canned food item or $1 donation. Bull riding Friday and Saturday night. Family-friendly activities. Buckmasters.com
To place an event, e-mail events@alabamaliving.coop. or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. You can also mail to Events Calendar, 340 TechnaCenter Dr., Montgomery, AL 36117; Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.
Alabama Living on FB instagram.com/alabamaliving
The World Championship Domino Tournament will be July 11-12 in Andalusia.
ADOBE STOCK
Touching Others with the story of Helen Keller
How did you come to be executive director at the Helen Keller Birthplace?
I fell in love with the story of Helen Keller at the age of 14 when I studied “The Miracle Worker” in English class at Deshler High School, just three blocks from the birthplace. My teacher challenged the class to visit the birthplace after reading “The Miracle Worker” and she would give us extra credit, so I did. That summer I was offered a job in the gift shop, later becoming a hostess on the weekend through my high school years. After graduation, I became a hostess full time and later became assistant to the director. In 1981, the Helen Keller Board asked me to become executive director.
Why is it important for people to visit Ivy Green and to see “The Miracle Worker”?
Each year thousands of people from around the world travel to Tuscumbia to visit the birthplace and learn about America’s First Lady of Courage, Helen Keller. It is very important to keep history alive and to let everyone know that if a deaf/blind person can accomplish what she did through hard work and determination, anything is possible. Helen became the first deaf/blind person to graduate from college.
What is the typical reaction from people who visit?
Position: Executive director, the Helen Keller Birthplace, Tuscumbia.
About Sue: A Tuscumbia native, Sue has worked at the Helen Keller Birthplace for 55 years. She was instrumental having the Helen Keller Foundation start Camp Courage, a special camp for deaf/blind children in Alabama. She has served as chairman of the board of Camp Courage and Colbert County Tourism, and been a member of the boards of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Association, Alabama Travel Council, Helen Keller Festival and the Helen Keller Library. She and her husband David have two daughters, Kelley and Leslie, and four grandchildren, Katie Beth, Garrett, Fisher and Millie.
Honors: In 2013 she was Grand Marshal of the Helen Keller Festival, and in 2019 was elected the first woman president in the 145-year history of the Tuscumbia Kiwanis Club, which named her Citizen of the Year in 2018 and Kiwanian of the Year in 2024. In 2014 she was inducted into the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism Hall of Fame, and in 2020, the Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame. In 2024, she was named Alabama State Tourism Executive of the Year.
We are now going into our 64th year of putting on “The Miracle Worker” on the grounds of Helen’s birthplace. Each season as I look over the crowd at the final pump scene, I notice so many of our guests have tears flowing down their faces. I must say I cry every Friday and Saturday along with them. Anyone can put on the play, but I think the reason we have been so successful is our play is performed on the grounds where “the miracle” took place. I often say that you don’t see the play, you experience it. We are very proud that we are the Official Outdoor Drama for the State of Alabama and I have been told that we are the longest running outdoor theater in the U.S. Even during covid we had the play!
After 55 years, what inspires you to go to work every day?
I believe that success is measured not just by accomplishments but by our impact on others and the legacy we leave behind. In the words of Ms. Keller: “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose, all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” The joy I have of going to work every day is knowing that someone’s life will be touched by Ms. Keller’s story. God put me there for a reason and I thank him every day for allowing me to be able to work in a place that I dearly love and believe in.
“The Miracle Worker” showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights through July 19, with no shows on July 4 or 5. Visit themiracleworker.info —Lenore Vickrey
Sue Pilkilton
S AVING S EEDS
PRESERVING THE PAST, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Our summer vegetable and flower gardens will start winding down in the next few weeks; however, their fruitfulness isn’t over even if our plants may be moving past their prime. Seed saving is a fun and rewarding way to preserve those rare and hard-to-find varieties to add to your garden and landscape for years to come.
The first key to successful seed saving is understanding whether your plants are hybrids. If they are, saving seeds will be fruitless (pun intended). Seeds from hybrid plants are not true to type, meaning they won’t grow into the same plant as the parent. If planted, these saved seeds will often result in plants with undesirable or irregular traits.
Instead, opt for open-pollinated varieties when saving seeds. These are plants pollinated through natural methods like insects, wind or self-pollination. In general, seeds from open-pollinated plants will grow true to the parent, maintaining the same characteristics. However, be mindful of cross-pollination, which occurs when pollen from one variety mixes with another related variety. This can lead to offspring with highly unpredictable traits. Cross-pollination is common in insect- or windpollinated plants such as cucumbers, melons, corn and squash. To avoid this, grow only one variety per season.
fungal diseases can persist on seed, setting future crops up for failure even before they are planted. Allow seeds to fully mature before harvesting. For vegetables, this means letting the fruit ripen completely. For flowers, wait until the petals dry and a seed pod has developed.
The easiest plants to save seed from are those that selfpollinate, as they are less likely to cross. Tomatoes, beans, and peas are all excellent vegetable choices. Many annual flowers, including zinnias and sunflowers, are also selfpollinating and beginner-friendly.
Once you’ve identified which seeds to save, the next step is the process itself. Start by selecting only healthy, vigorous plants, diseased or weak plants yield poor-quality seed. Additionally, many viruses as well as some bacterial and
After harvesting, clean the seeds. Cleaning methods vary based on plant type. Wet-processed seeds, like those from tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons, should be removed from the fruit and washed in a large container. Viable seeds will sink, while non-viable ones float. Skim off the floating seeds and strain the rest. Then, dry the seeds in a thin layer on a flat surface. Dry-processed seeds, such as beans, peas, and many annual flowers, need to be separated from the husk, flower head, or pod. After the seeds are released, hand screens let them pass through while capturing any remaining plant debris.
Once clean and thoroughly dry, store seeds properly. Place them in labeled paper envelopes along with a packet of silica gel or a bit of dry rice to absorb moisture. Then, store the envelopes in a sealed glass jar kept in a cool, dry place. For even better preservation, refrigerate the jar. Most seeds will stay viable for 3 to 5 years.
Seed saving is a meaningful way to carry a bit of the past into the future. If you haven’t tried it before, this season is a great time to start. Hope you find these tips helpful and happy gardening!
Bethany O’Rear, a horticulturist for more than 20 years, is a regional agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, specializing in commercial and home horticulture.
PHOTO BY BETHANY O’REAR
Popular CoQ10 Pills Leave Millions Suffering
Could this newly-discovered brain fuel solve America’s worsening memory crisis?
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — Millions of Americans take the supplement known as CoQ10. It’s the coenzyme that supercharges the “energy factories” in your cells known as mitochondria. But there’s a serious flaw that’s leaving millions unsatisfied.
As you age, your mitochondria break down and fail to produce energy. In a revealing study, a team of researchers showed that 95 percent of the mitochondria in a 90-year-old man were damaged, compared to almost no damage in the mitochondria of a 5-year-old.
Taking CoQ10 alone is not enough to solve this problem. Because as powerful as CoQ10 is, there’s one critical thing it fails to do: it can’t create new mitochondria to replace the ones you lost.
And that’s bad news for Americans all over the country. The loss of cellular energy is a problem for the memory concerns people face as they get older.
“We had no way of replacing lost mitochondria until a recent discovery changed everything,” says Dr. Al Sears, founder and medical director of the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine in Palm Beach, Florida. “Researchers discovered the only nutrient known to modern science that has the power to trigger the growth of new mitochondria.”
Why Taking CoQ10 is Not Enough
Dr. Sears explains, “This new discovery is so powerful, it can multiply your mitochondria by 55 percent in just a few weeks. That’s the equivalent of restoring decades of lost brain power.”
This exciting nutrient — called PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) — is the driving force behind a revolution in aging. When paired with CoQ10, this dynamic duo has the power to reverse the age-related memory losses you may have thought were beyond your control.
Dr. Sears pioneered a new formula — called Ultra Accel Q — that combines both CoQ10 and PQQ to support maximum cellular energy and the normal growth of new mitochondria. Ultra Accel Q is the first of its kind to address both problems and is already creating huge demand.
In fact, demand has been so overwhelming that inventories repeatedly sell out. But a closer look at Ultra Accel Q reveals there are good reasons why sales are booming.
Science Confirms the Many Benefits of PQQ
The medical journal Biochemical Pharmacology reports that PQQ is up to 5,000 times more efficient in sustaining energy production than common antioxidants. With the ability to keep every cell in your body operating at full strength, Ultra Accel Q delivers more than just added brain power and a faster memory.
People feel more energetic, more alert, and don’t need naps in the afternoon. The boost in cellular energy generates more power to your heart, lungs, muscles, and more.
“With the PQQ in Ultra Accel, I have energy I never thought possible at my age,” says Colleen R., one of Dr. Sears’s patients. “I’m in my 70s but feel 40 again. I think clearly, move with real energy and sleep like a baby.”
The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and Dr. Sears receives countless emails from his patients and readers. “My patients tell me they feel better than they have in years. This is ideal for people who are feeling old and run down, or for those who feel more forgetful. It surprises many that you can add healthy and productive years to your life simply by taking Ultra Accel Q every day.”
You may have seen Dr. Sears on television or read one of his 12 best-selling books. Or you may have seen him speak at the 2016 WPBF 25 Health and Wellness Festival in South Florida, featuring Dr. Oz and special guest Suzanne Somers. Thousands of people attended Dr. Sears’s lecture on antiaging breakthroughs and waited in line for hours during his book signing at the event.
Will Ultra Accel Q Multiply Your Energy?
Ultra Accel Q is turning everything we thought we knew about youthful energy on its head. Especially for people over age 50. In less than 30 seconds every morning, you can harness the power of this breakthrough discovery to restore peak energy and your “spark for life.”
So, if you’ve noticed less energy as you’ve gotten older, and you want an easy way to reclaim your youthful edge, this new opportunity will feel like blessed relief.
The secret is the “energy multiplying” molecule that activates a dormant gene in your body that declines with age, which then instructs your cells to pump out fresh energy from the inside-out. This growth
MEMORY-BUILDING SENSATION: Top doctors are now recommending new Ultra Accel Q because it restores decades of lost brain power without a doctor’s visit.
of new “energy factories” in your cells is called mitochondrial biogenesis.
Instead of falling victim to that afternoon slump, you enjoy sharp-as-a-tack focus, memory, and concentration from sunup to sundown. And you get more done in a day than most do in a week. Regardless of how exhausting the world is now.
Dr. Sears reports, “The most rewarding aspect of practicing medicine is watching my patients get the joy back in their lives. Ultra Accel Q sends a wake-up call to every cell in their bodies… And they actually feel young again.”
And his patients agree. “I noticed a difference within a few days,” says Jerry from Ft. Pierce, Florida. “My endurance has almost doubled, and I feel it mentally, too. There’s a clarity and sense of well-being in my life that I’ve never experienced before.”
How To Get Ultra Accel Q
This is the official nationwide release of Ultra Accel Q in the United States. And so, the company is offering a special discount supply to anyone who calls during the official launch.
An Order Hotline has been set up for local readers to call. This gives everyone an equal chance to try Ultra Accel Q. And your order is backed up by a no-hassle, 90day money back guarantee. No questions asked.
The discount offer will be available for a limited time only. All you have to do is call TOLL FREE 1-888-358-9421 right now and use promo code ALUAQ725 to secure your own supply.
Important: Due to Ultra Accel Q recent media exposure, phone lines are often busy. If you call and do not immediately get through, please be patient and call back.
Honey Brownies
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, cream butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, honey and vanilla. In another bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Mix in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into a well-greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool a little before cutting into squares. This brownie is very moist. Cook’s tip: I like this brownie plain like it is but you can add your favorite frosting or dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Marlene Wood Joe Wheeler EMC
Sweet Honey as
Food prepared and photographed by Brooke Echols
Brooke Burks
Our Garlic Sticky Chicken recipe works for any occasion. We make a delicious honey sauce that not only tastes wonderful, but also helps keep the chicken tender and juicy. The sauce is made thick and rich by prepping the chicken with a flour and buttermilk mixture. We top it off with sliced green onions and some bagel seasoning for texture and added flavor. This is a great meal to serve for special times or even on a Tuesday night! We use fresh, local honey in all of our honey dishes not only to boost our immune system but support our local honey producers. Eat fresh and eat local!
Garlic Sticky Chicken with Honey Sauce
1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
11/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup green onions, diced
2 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ketchup, honey, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and set aside. Place chicken thighs in a large zipper bag. Add buttermilk, zip the bag shut, and massage into the chicken to coat. Add flour, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Seal the bag again and shake to coat chicken in flour, seasonings, and buttermilk.
Coat the bottom of a skillet or casserole dish with enough of the reserved sauce to cover the bottom. Reserve the remaining sauce. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the chicken. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Garnish with diced green onions and bagel seasoning. Serve and enjoy!
Photo by The Buttered Home
Double Honey Oatmeal Muffins
11/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup avocado oil
3/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup golden raisins
Glaze:
2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon hot honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon whole milk Rolled oats or seeds, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. In mixing bowl, combine flour, rolled oats and baking powder. Add honey, brown sugar, eggs, oil and almond milk; mix well. Add raisins and stir to combine. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan filling 1/2-2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool slightly before adding glaze. While muffins bake, prepare glaze. Combine powdered sugar, hot honey, cinnamon and milk in a small bowl. Whisk until combined. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle glaze over cooled muffins. Sprinkle with a few oats or seeds and let glaze harden before serving.
Cook’s note: Batter can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to five days. Adjust the glaze consistency if necessary by adding milk one teaspoon at a time to thin or adding extra powdered sugar.
Rachel Sterns
Sand Mountain EC
Honey Elixir
8 ounces honey (local preferred)
1 tablespoon grated ginger root (1-inch long)
1 tablespoon grated turmeric root (1-inch long)
1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange (juice and zest)
Pinch of black pepper
Grate ginger and turmeric roots. Combine with lemon and orange both juices, zests, and pinch of black pepper. Mix all ingredients well with honey in the jar.
Cook’s note: Stir well before use. Suggestion for use: add 2-3 teaspoons Honey Elixir to a glass of room temperature or warm water, tea or coffee or just take a spoonful. Useful for the immune system, periods of fatigue, and a source of energy. Measurements are for an 8-ounce jar.
Natalia Haynes Marshall-DeKalb EC
Cook of the Month
Bonnie West, Coosa Valley EC
Bonnie West likes to cook and she likes to share her cooking with others. This month, her recipe for Peanut Butter Bars will be shared with over 455,000 of our readers as she won July Cook of the Month honors. “It’s been around a long time,” she says of the simple recipe which has been passed down in her family from her mother or motherin-law. The recently retired fourth grade teacher at Ohatchee Elementary School enjoys making the bars for church events and for family, “and it makes a lot, especially if you cut them in tiny squares.” You also don’t have to store the treats in the refrigerator, she says, which may make them hard. The recipe calls for powdered milk, and unlike refrigerated milk, its long shelf life allows it to be kept conveniently on hand to make more delicious bars!
Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
11/2 cups powdered milk
1 cup powdered sugar
Heather’s Toffee Peanut Pie
2 9-inch pie shells, unbaked
1 stick butter
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
Dash salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups toffee peanuts, chopped
Brown butter in small saucepan over medium heat. While butter is browning (careful not to burn), beat eggs and sugar together. When butter is browned, add to egg mixture and add honey. Beat well. Add salt and lemon juice. Mix well. Add peanuts. Pour into pie shells and make sure crust has been pricked to prevent air bubbles. Place into a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, then lower to 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Tracy Byrd Wiregrass EC
1 pack age crushed graham cracker crumbs (1/2-3/4 cups)
Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or butter lightly. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Spread into pan. Press down lightly on mixture to make even bars in the pan. Cut into bars and serve as a dessert or snack. Serves 12-16.
Peanut Butter Bars
Generational Wealth
The first step to improving an older home is air sealing and adding insulation to attic spaces.
Efficiency Tips for Older Homes
How do I improve the efficiency of my older home while keeping its charm?
I love old homes. The details and craftsmanship have always drawn me to them. The features of older homes can make them less efficient than modern construction, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can keep the charm and make your home more efficient.
Start by prioritizing the invisible upgrades that make your home more comfortable and efficient. When we were kids, I don’t think any of us thought, “When I grow up, I want to spend my hard-earned money on insulation.” It’s not as exciting as new countertops or a remodeled bathroom, but air sealing and insulation can save you money every month. Then you can apply the savings to aesthetic improvements.
The benefits of insulation
Many older homes are not properly insulated. Insulation has several benefits beyond sealing your home and keeping outdoor air from seeping in. It reduces outdoor noise, makes your home quieter and improves your overall comfort.
Always properly air seal before you insulate. Older homes with pocket doors, coved ceilings, dumbwaiters, doors to attic spaces and laundry chutes allow indoor air to escape through the cavities, gaps and cracks around these classic features. Sealing off open cavities around those features often requires plywood, rigid foam or drywall fastened into place and then caulked around the edges.
Keep an eye out for framing features that cause drafts. Balloon framing is a type of construction where wall studs run all the way from the foundation to the roof, allowing air to flow freely through those spaces. Second floors with knee wall attics on both sides are notorious for air leakage. Open cavities allow air to flow horizontally between the
attic spaces, making the home uncomfortable and inefficient. Seal off the open cavities in the floor framing and insulate attic spaces.
Dense-packed cellulose or closed cell foam insulation can be sprayed into exterior walls. Skilled contractors can remove pieces of siding and drill holes to fill the wall cavities from the outside of the home. For brick or stone homes, holes can be drilled from the inside and then patched and painted. Insulating walls from the inside of the home requires more time and effort in preparation and cleanup, but having wellinsulated walls is worth it.
Knob and tube wiring — commonly used from the early 1880s to the 1930s with no grounding wire — should be replaced prior to insulating walls and attics for safety purposes. Contact between insulation and knob and tube wiring can create a fire hazard.
New windows may not be the answer
People often think new windows are the best way to improve a home’s efficiency. Considering the cost of replacing windows, I recommend investing in air sealing and insulation first. Then consider storm windows to keep the charm of the original windows, such as leaded glass and stained-glass windows in good condition. Choose from interior or exterior options that are operable and inoperable.
Once you’ve addressed the envelope of your home, consider appliance improvements. Replace your old electric water heater with a heat pump water heater. This upgrade can save a family of four an estimated $550 per year and more than $5,600 over the lifetime of the water heater, according to ENERGY STAR®.
Invest in high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment. A mini-split heat pump, also known as a ductless heat pump, is a more efficient option than electric baseboard heating and provides the benefit of air conditioning.
Older homes don’t have to be inefficient. Show your home some love and invest in energy efficient upgrades.
Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company. She has more than 20 years of experience helping people save energy at home, and she writes on
Inspiring Designs of Hope and Faith
Bags
The Tote features a spiritual design that includes a lavender cross with delicate scrollwork and the encouraging phrase, “With God all things are possible”. It is crafted of black poly twill with an all-over quilted diamond stitching and lavender piping. The fabric lined interior includes two slip pockets, a zipper pocket, and zips at the top with a silver-tone cross hanging from the strap. Imported. $79.95*, payable in 3 installments of $26.65 each Plus $13.99 S&S.
The Weekender Bag features the message, “With God all things are possible” in a soft lavender tone set on a pattern with the cross and words— Hope, Love, and Faith. Crafted of high-quality black poly twill, the bag showcases diamond quilted stitching, purple ribbon pullers and piping. There is a large zip pocket on the front, four interior slip pockets, and a trolley sleeve on the back that can be slipped over the handle of rolling luggage for easy portability. Double purple shoulder straps and a removable crossbody strap adjustable up to 60" complete the bag. Imported. $149.95*, payable in 4 installments of $37.49 each. Plus $16.99 S&S. Wallet
The black faux leather wallet features a lavish cross and the words “With God All Things Are Possible” on the front. The spacious design features 6 credit card slots, 3 open compartments, 3 slip pockets, and a center nylon zip pocket. A top zip-around closure keeps all your items secured. With enough room to t most smartphones and using the removable wristlet strap, this large wallet can be carried on its own or ts nicely inside your handbag. $74.99*, payable in 2 installments of $37.50 each. Plus $10.99 S&S.
Women’s Hoodie
Custom crafted in a black easy-care cotton blend fabric, the hoodie features the lavender and silver metallic embroidered words “With God all things are possible” on the back along with a delicate scrollwork cross. The collar has a miniature version of the cross, and the words “Faith Hope Believe” are embroidered on the front It also has a jersey lined hood, two side seam pockets, knit cuffs and hem, and a full front zip. Imported. Available in women’s sizes Small to 3X, add $10 for sizes 1X-3X. $99.95* (add $10 for sizes 1X-3X), payable in 4 installments of $33.32 each. Plus $15.99 S&S.
Women’s Sneakers
Expertly crafted of high-quality black canvas, these sneakers feature a religious cross pattern alongside inspirational words and the quote, “With God all things are possible”. They glitter with Ever-Sparkle™ trim and a metallic cross charm hangs from the ribbon laces of the right shoe. Their faux leather toe
Enjoy Our Feathered Friends All around Alabama
or listen to bird songs and the app will identify the species.
“Field guides are great for identifying birds,” Watts says. “National Geographic has a nice field guide, Birds of North America. Many people use apps on their smart phones now. The National Audubon Society has a free app that shows all the birds in North America. Cornell University has a terrific website, allaboutbirds.org. The Merlin app brings people to birds in a way that nothing else has before.”
To get a better look at their feathered friends, birders might want to get some binoculars. High quality optics can cost thousands of dollars, but anyone can buy a good set for less than $200.
More than 400 bird species call Alabama home. The Cotton State offers many public places to see feathered creatures. State parks, national wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas, beaches and other places provide excellent opportunities to see multiple species.
BY J O H N N REHSLEF
PURPLEGALLINULEPHOTOS
Everyone is a bird watcher but might not realize it. Who hasn’t watched a beautiful bird, such as a striking cardinal, land in a nearby tree?
“I’ve gone to some interesting places and have seen many interesting birds, but people don’t have to do that,” says Joe Watts, an Alabama Audubon board member. “Everybody sees birds every day. I live in Birmingham. We’ve had 90 species of birds in our backyard, so it’s not absolutely necessary to go into the wilderness to see birds. In downtown Birmingham, I’ve even seen an American avocet, which is a shorebird.”
Some people get more into their avian hobby. They could spend thousands of dollars buying equipment and traveling all over the world to see birds they can’t see at home. Some birders buy journals to keep track of all the species they ever spotted.
“Serious birders make life lists of all the species they have ever seen,” Watts says. “Some people travel all over to add species to their life lists. Some people try to see as many birds as possible in one year.”
However, people could just stand in their own backyards, visit a city park or other places to watch birds without spending a fortune. In Alabama, these people might spot blue jays, mockingbirds, cardinals, finches, wrens, sparrows, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and many other common feathered creatures.
To identify birds, buy field guides or download apps such as Merlin Bird ID. With the Merlin app, people can upload a photo
Watts works with the Alabama Birding Trails program (alabamabirdingtrails. com). This describes many places in the state to see birds of all kinds. Some better places include Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Guntersville State Park and Dauphin Island.
“People can drive to Wheeler NWR and walk a crushed gravel path to get into an air conditioned and heated two-story viewing building,” Watts says. “From that building, people can see thousands of sandhill cranes and ducks every winter. It has one-way glass. People can see out, but birds can’t see in.”
Many birds live in Alabama all year long, but others come and go with their annual migrations. In the fall, birds from northern states and Canada head south. Some winter in Alabama. Others continue onward to the Caribbean, Central America or South America. In the spring, birds fly back to their northern summer grounds.
In the fall, migrating birds stop in Alabama to rest and feed before crossing the Gulf. In the spring, they stop again, hungry, thirsty and exhausted. They stay a few days to rest and recuperate before proceeding on their northward journey.
Besides many common birds people see every day, birders across Alabama might spot some rare or interesting species, such as swallow-tailed kites, wood storks, sandhill cranes, loggerhead shrikes, painted buntings and many other species. What someone sees depends largely upon when and where they go.
Common west of Alabama, a few scissor-tailed flycatchers breed here every summer. Bald eagles made a significant population comeback in recent years. Once endangered, red-cockaded woodpeckers also made an incredible comeback, but still need help in their habitat. They only live in longleaf pine savannas.
Alabama Audubon holds an annual Black Belt Birding Festival in Greensboro every August. For more information, see alaudubon.org. For more information about birds, see the National Audubon Society website: audubon.org
John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer who lives in Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile, Ala. Contact him at j.felsher@hotmail.com or through Facebook.
Stopping air leaks is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your home heating and cooling costs.
Air escaping your home is a problem but so is outdoor air finding its way indoors, forcing your air conditioning system and heating unit to work even harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. While some leaks may seem small, consider that more than half of a household’s energy consumption is heating and cooling the home, according to
the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In other words, small leaks add up.
Caulk and weatherstripping can go a long way toward saving you money, making your home more comfortable and creating a healthier indoor environment. Caulk is designed for cracks and openings around things that don’t move, such as the frames of doors and windows. Weatherstripping can seal gaps in moveable items, like the doors and windows themselves.
You can hire a weatherization expert to assess the air tightness of your home, or you can take a few steps on your own.
There are some obvious red flags, for example seeing daylight around doors and windows or a drafty corner in a room. Get someone to help you and have them go outside and shine a flashlight into areas you suspect are problems while you keep an eye on the inside. If you see light, you have a gap you need to fill.
You could also make use of a windy day and walk around your home with a lit incense stick or smoke pen, a pen with a wick used to check for air leaks. If the smoke stream moves horizontally as you stand in front of windows, doors and other areas of your home, then you’ve found an air leak.
A visual inspection could reveal problem areas in the exterior corners of your home, around outdoor water faucets and places where different building materials meet — such as where the foundation meets brick or siding.
Other trouble spots that can allow air to leak in and out of your home include electrical outlets and light switches, which you can address with foam gaskets placed behind the wall plates. Places where plumbing, ducts or electrical wiring come into walls, floors and ceilings can all be the sources of air leaks. Also, if you have a fireplace, have the flue damper checked to make sure it’s closing and sealing properly when the fireplace is not in use.
Learn more energy saving tips from Wiregrass Electric Cooperative’s website at wiregrass.coop/energy-conservation/energy-savers
Be on the LOOKOUT!
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative will host its annual meeting on Friday, Oct. 10, and members can expect their packets with the annual report and election ballots to arrive in their mailboxes throughout September.
For those interested in serving on the WEC Board of Trustees, the deadline to submit the required petition and questionnaire is Friday, July 11, at 4:30 p.m. Petitions must be signed by 15 cooperative members who reside and receive service in the district for which the individual seeks nomination. The petition and questionnaire — available from WEC — must be filed with the CEO of the cooperative at the main office in Hartford.
Board of Trustee seats up for consideration in 2025 are Districts 1, 4 and 7. District maps are available at the Hartford office as well as online.
Election results will be announced during the annual meeting.
For more information on districts, qualifications and the responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, visit wiregrass.coop/about-us/our-cooperative/bylaws
Mary Selwyn Nichols, from Dothan High School, is this year’s Electric Cooperative Foundation Scholarship winner.
The Last Time You Will Hear About It
Last month I wrote about the April 28 electrical blackout that affected most of Spain and Portugal. The primary theme of that article was that PowerSouth emphasizes electric reliability more than some states, regions or countries. This month, I will discuss more about what happened with the Iberian blackout — and why it will happen again. But, first, I need to bore you for a few minutes.
Transmission grids are remarkable machines. They operate at very precise frequencies, and many are interconnected. Spain’s and Portugal’s transmission grids are interconnected. The U.S. has three separate transmission interfaces which are not interconnected with each other: ERCOT, which connects most of the electric utilities in Texas, the Eastern Interconnect that connects all utilities east of the Rocky Mountains, and the Western Interconnect that connects all utilities west of the Rocky Mountains. All generation within an interconnection not only operates at the same frequency — 60 Hertz in the U.S. and 50 Hertz in Europe —but the magnetic poles of the generators within an interconnected grid are completely synchronized.
The frequency and strength of the transmission grids are supported by the inertia of large spinning and synchronized generators — primarily powered by coal, natural gas, hydroelectric and nuclear generation. Solar and wind generation do not have the rotating mass of the spinning generators. Instead of synchronizing with the spinning generation, renewable energy is absorbed and accepted by the grid, so long as the grid’s frequency is not disrupted. The Mid-American Independent System Operator (MISO), which operates a large transmission grid in the Midwest, has expressed that introducing non-rotating generation, at levels of 30% of the total generation, can potentially disrupt or destabilize the transmission grid.
Advanced synthetic frequency inverters and capacitors can be added to renewable generation facilities to provide a form of system inertia; however, these systems are costly, and most developers do not use them. If the power grid’s frequency deviates beyond normal limits, system protection devices step in and separate parts of the power grid to prevent the generators, or the grid itself, from being destroyed.
The Spanish government has pursued an aggressive renewable energy policy for years, forcing Spain’s electric utilities to build wind and solar generation and scale back fossil fuel and nuclear generation. Ironically, a week prior to the blackout, Spain bragged that, for the first time, renewable generation provided 100% of its electricity for a few minutes.
The Iberian blackout was the largest and most widespread blackout in European history, affecting approximately 55 million people in Spain and Portugal. People were stranded on trains for hours, traffic flows were thrown into chaos when traffic lights went out, hospital services were
Gary Smith is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.
disrupted, many business transactions were interrupted and other critical services were abruptly cancelled in progress. Many people panicked, thinking Spain had come under a foreign attack. Emergency service agencies were called on to rescue stranded people, straighten out traffic jams, and attempt to restore civil order in larger towns and cities. At least five people died due to the blackout and others suffered health issues without basic social services.
Prime Minister Sánchez acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and pledged to investigate the root cause of the blackout. He stated that the government was not ruling out any possible explanations, including cyberattacks. Despite employing criminal investigators and transmission grid experts, the Spanish government still hasn’t issued a statement on the blackout’s cause.
However, Madrid was warned before the blackout. Red Electrica, the parent company of Spain’s grid operator, stated in February: “The high penetration of renewable generation without the necessary technical capabilities in place to keep them operating properly in the event of a disturbance . . . can cause power generation outages, which could be severe.” At the time of the collapse, the weather was mild, electric loads were relatively low, and the sun was shining. The Iberian grid was powered by 74% renewable energy – 55% of it provided by solar. With mild weather and low electric loads, the collapse was not caused by extreme, weather-driven loads with a power supply deficit, like what happened with Winter Storm Uri, which blacked out areas of Texas in 2021, or with the winter power supply shortage across TVA and MISO a couple Christmases ago.
There is almost no other reason for the blackouts other than the grid was totally dependent on non-rotating, renewable generation, which was disrupted for some reason. Without the spinning inertia that traditional generators provide to help stabilize the grid, the renewable generation was rejected by the grid, causing an under-frequency event across the transmission system. System protection devices deployed under-frequency actions in an effort to protect the grid by separating load from the grid, until there was a total collapse.
Yet the Spanish government is still in denial. While admitting that he didn’t know the cause of the blackout, Prime Minister Sánchez insisted there was no empirical evidence that renewables were to blame. He further stated that Spain is “not going to deviate a single millimeter” from its green energy ambitions.
And that is why it will happen again. Despite evidence that the blackout was caused by too much renewable generation, the Spanish government will stick to its green energy programs, which will subject Spain (and Portugal because they are a part of the same transmission grid) to more blackouts in the future. Also, because the politicians’ futures are based on hiding the reasons for the blackout, this will be the last thing you will hear about it. I hope that if we are faced with similar decisions, we will have more honest answers than the Spanish government.
I hope you have a good month.
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Class Reunion
Irecently attended my 50th high school reunion. A half century! It’s 600 months - 219,000 days. I’m not going to compute the hours and minutes because it’s just too depressing.
A lot of water has gone under our bridges since we got our diplomas. A partial list of what we have seen includes: Watergate, disco, the oil crisis, Rodney King, MTV, Mount St. Helens, the fall of the Berlin Wall, AIDS, the internet, mobile phones, the Challenger disaster, 9/11, “The Simpsons,” the Rover landing on Mars, and social media. Not to mention 10 presidents. And the general consensus of everyone was, “Boy, that happened fast.” Believe me, Millennials, it did. It will for you, too.
When I walked up to a group of my classmates for the first time, my initial thought was, “Who are these old people?” There were more wrinkles than an old linen suit. Upon closer examination, I began to recognize some of these codgers as my high school friends. Then it hit me: I’m a codger, too.
Some of my classmates had aged well. And that’s between them and their plastic surgeon. However, others looked like they had gone one too many rounds with Father Time. All I can say is, “Thank goodness for name tags.”
After a few hours, I came to a realization about time: It takes something away from us, but it also gives something back. There’s no doubt time steals our youth. No matter how good anyone looked, how much anyone exercised, or how healthy they ate, everyone at the reunion is about 70. You can say “70 is the new 50” all you want. Seventy is still old.
However, age is a great equalizer. I couldn’t help but notice how the passage of time had eliminated the cliques that existed in our high school. At the reunion, all the groups like jocks, nerds, thugs and brainiacs were gone. Time had somehow evened things out between us. We had become part of one collective.
It was great fun to reconnect with people I haven’t seen since the Nixon administration. All afternoon, we talked about children, careers, and life experiences. And our health. When we were teenagers, about the only medical conditions that concerned us were pimples and jock itch. Now, it’s hearing aids, knee replacements, high blood pressure, reflux, incontinence and CPAP machines.
The writer Rick Bragg once said that “nostalgia sells.” He’s right. It seems that everyone at the reunion was fondly telling and retelling stories from those formative years so long ago.
Immaturity also sells. I heard a story about shooting Roman candles out of a hotel window on a field trip. Dan and Dale recalled pulling in front of a bowling alley and mooning the patrons. Most of us rolled yards with toilet paper and egged houses on Halloween. My old pal Mickey reminded me of the time he dressed up as cheerleader and freaked out a teacher by sitting in an un-ladylike position. I think it would’ve freaked me out too. I would like to point out that everyone I just mentioned are now productive, successful citizens.
I began making a final pass through my classmates when I saw someone I missed - Darlene. We stopped, hugged and lied about how good each of us looked. She was the liar, by the way. I thought she looked just fine.
Only a few minutes had passed when I said, “I always think about Randy when I think of you.” Randy was a beloved classmate who left us much too soon.
“I can’t think of him without crying,” she sobbed. “When Randy died, it was as bad as losing my mother.”
I responded, “We all miss him. He was a great guy.”
She nodded. “When we moved down here, Randy was the first person to reach out to me. He accepted me. He made me feel like I was part of the group.”
And then she cried some more.
I pulled her close and gently patted her back. No more words were necessary.
It was the perfect ending to a memorable afternoon. In a few short hours, I had revisited some of the most formative years of my life. I reconnected with old friends. I laughed at their stories, and I cried at their losses. And like everything else in life, it truly went by too fast.
Ferris Bueller was right.
– Ferris Bueller “
Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it.
Joe Hobby is a standup comedian, a syndicated columnist, and a long-time writer for Jay Leno. He’s a member of Cullman Electric Cooperative and is very happy now that he can use Sprout from his little place on Smith Lake. Contact him at jhobby2000@aol.com.
ILLUSTRATION
SpiritualityMee
“I never expected it to be so beautiful that it takes your breath away.”
— Kaya C., on Stauer Opals
In a quaint village, nestled between rolling hills, lived a young woman with a deep appreciation for gemstones. Her grandmother gifted her a delicate cross pendant adorned with opals. The opals shimmered with a mesmerizing play of colors, reflecting hues of blues, greens, and fiery oranges. Her grandmother shared the legend of the opals, believed to bring hope, purity, and luck to those who wore them.
Using this story as inspiration, Stauer brings you the Opal Spirit Cross Pendant. With over 2 total carats of Kyocera lab-created opals set in .925 sterling silver encased in yellow gold, this pendant is a radiant celebration of beauty and craftsmanship. Each opal captivates with a kaleidoscopic dance of fiery oranges blending into oceanic blues, streaked with flashes of vibrant green that seem to come alive with every movement. The shimmering opals are skillfully arranged to create an enchanting, otherworldly glow, embodying the spirit of hope and harmony.
This breathtaking combination of color and craftsmanship is available as a limited availability of only
930 pieces, making it a rare and treasured addition to your jewelry collection. Plus, when you order today, you’ll receive the gold-finished sterling silver chain—a $69 value—absolutely free! Don’t miss your chance to own this exclusive tribute to timeless elegance and meaningful symbolism.
Necklace Specifications:
• 2 1/2 ctw. Kyocera lab opals and DiamondAura® accents
Nestled on 40 acres with stunning lake views, ReTreet offers serene ceremonies, glass-dome receptions, and 21 temperature-controlled cabins, treehouses, and tents.
Your guests stay on-site. You soak in every moment. We handle the rest.
