Athens Now Al

December 7th - December 20th, 2018

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See Our Listings Inside this edition...

Pages 25 - 32

Honeysuckle Café: Nominated For Alabama’s Small Business Of The Year

Special Feature

By Ali Elizabeth Turner

Patti Malone Portrait Unveiling...

On Sunday, Dec. 2, Athens Arts League held its Patti Malone Portrait Unveiling and Reception. Malone was born a slave in Athens, attended Trinity School after...

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Clean And Green KALB Offers A Buffet Of Opportunities...

I happen to love going to a buffet restaurant because it gives me the chance to taste new things without the...

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Cooking With Anna Christmas Pesto Torte...

Christmastime at my house is a time for celebrating family and friends. The house is decorated and every room is full of the Christmas...

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

In a few hours, Beverly Scott, owner of the Honeysuckle Café in Rogersville, is going to be honored at an awards luncheon to be held in Birmingham, which is sponsored by Alabama’s statewide Chamber of Commerce as well as the Business Council of Alabama. Why? As of now, Honeysuckle is a finalist for the award of Alabama’s Small Business of the Year, Women's fellowship at a recent private event held at Honeysuckle Café

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Prime Performance Training: Making Results A Reality

By Ali Elizabeth Turner For the last 20 years, Nick Thomas, owner of Prime Performance Training, has been involved in the personal training industry, even while he was working on his degree in electro-mechanical engineering from Chattanooga State University. Although he graduated with honors, once he was on the field, he found that he was not walking in his true calling and passion, which is fitness and Continued on pages 17

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Another Nick and the AHS football team he trains

www.JuicePlus.com

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

Publisher’s Point

Grace Notes

Publisher / Editor Ali Turner

Copy Editor

Yvonne Dempsey

Graphic Design

Jonathan Hamilton

Web Design Teddy Wolcott

Contributing Writers D. A. Slinkard Lisa Philippart Lynne Hart Anna Hamilton Cayce Lee Rosemary Dewar Jerry Barksdale Rachel Clark, MSN Wanda Campbell Joel Allen

Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3 All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 4 Special Feature . . . . . . . . . 5 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . 6 What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 8 Slinkard on Success . . . . . . 9 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12 Cooking With Anna . . . . 13 The Millennial Mind . . . . 14 Cover Stories . . . . . . . . 15 & 17 Health & Fitness . . . . . . . 16 Learning As A Lifestyle . . . 18 Jerry's Journal . . . . . . . 19

Wednesday we buried former President George Herbert Walker Bush, and if we are honest, there is a palpable sense of grief that occurs for a nation when a leader passes, a singular grief that transcends partisan bitterness. I could go on at length about the dignity of the funeral. There were the predictable antics, the preening, the steely gazes, and we could contrast that with graciousness, warmth, and affection that came from surprising sources. But at the end of the day, the most powerful picture for me was the grief of a man who had lost his dad. That would be W. I thought as well of the sight of him pushing his dad in a wheelchair at the funeral of Barbara Bush, and I remembered that for a moment, they were simply men who were grappling with the loss of a formidable woman who had affected them both in the most profound manner.

As touching as was George W’s eulogy for George H.W., I think that for a while, W. will seem to me like a little guy that is brokenhearted, and as far as I am concerned, that is just fine. He, his family, friends, and loved ones are going to need an ex-

Dog Barker . . . . . . . . . 20 Mental Health Minute . . . 21 Medical Update . . . . . . 22

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tra measure of a largely misunderstood gift that is called grace. They, and we, will need it more this holiday. The Bushes have lost a mom and dad who wore a number of hats, and that just a few months apart from each other. This will be their first Christmas without their patriarch and matriarch. Irrespective of what your political party is, today they are a bereaved family. Be a giver of grace.

Recently, my husband Steve gave our family a gift of grace in the form of a micro-mini-sermon on the subject of grace.

It changed my life and gave me a level of comfort that I want to pass on to you. It is written in his no-frills, practical, over-the-road-truckdriver style; something I

have loved for nearly a quarter of a century.

“Grace. Do you pray for grace? I didn’t. I used to have grace on the shelf with mercy, because they go together like salt and pepper. Mercy and grace, right? They “kinda sorta” mean the same thing, right? Beep, wrong answer. Thank you for playing. I was wrong.

Merriam Webster’s first definition is: unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification. Whoa! I don’t have to completely pull myself up by my own bootstraps? Pray for grace, my friends -- for yourselves, your family, and friends. Do a word search on its usage in the Bible, and you will find that it was impor-

tant enough for Paul to include in both the greeting and the benediction in most of his epistles. It is a tool that has been left out of our toolboxes for too long.

Mercy is forgiveness without having made a change. Grace is unmerited help in making the change."

May we as individuals and as a nation ask for amazing grace to “find help in a time of need,” and may that grace bring about great growth in the days ahead.

Ali Elizabeth Turner Athens Now Information & Inspiration 256-468-9425 ali@athensnowal.com Website: www.athensnowal.com

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All Things Soldier

The Battle Of Bladensburg

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

The year 2018 has been an interesting one when it comes to monuments as they intersect with history, the military, the South, and our culture at large. Currently, the socalled “Peace Cross” appeal case sent before the United States Supreme Court this past November is one of the finest examples of “the law of unintended consequences” that one could ever imagine. First, we will talk about the puzzle pieces, and then try if at all possible to find a way to make them fit together. Here goes: Most of us remember that last month was the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI. There were several celebrations -- locally, nationally and internationally, as was appropriate.

Additionally, just prior to the historic Armi-

stice Day commemoration, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal filed by The American Legion whose desire is to block the intention of the American Humanist Association to destroy a monument which honors the fallen of WWI because it is in the shape of a cross.

It is unofficially called the Peace Cross, and it was erected in 1925, seven years after the Great War. It was designed by Gold Star mothers (those whose sons had died in battle) and erected by The American Legion to honor the 49 fallen from Prince George’s County in Maryland. Its official name is the Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, and the names of the 49 are literally engraved in stone. It is also crucial to note that this is a private memorial, con-

structed by private funds, and resting on what was originally private land, but now is right next to a freeway; and the land is therefore owned by the State of Maryland.

The American Humanist Association has argued, at times successfully, that the memorial is a violation of the First Amendment because it is in the shape of a cross and subsequently can be construed, in their view, as being at odds with the constitutional clause which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”. They have no concept that the intent of the Framers was to prevent a government-sponsored or sanctioned church, such as the Church of England, from being reproduced

on American soil or in the American psyche, not sanitize symbols of faith away from view in the public square.

The Humanists originally launched their lawsuit in circuit court against The American Legion in 2014, and they lost. Then, they appealed in 2015 in the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, and they won. Then, First Liberty Institute, a legal group which specializes in defending religious liberty, along with the private law firm of Jones Day, asked the Supreme Court to hear the case, and SCOTUS agreed.

Interestingly, there was an amicus brief filed by both Republicans and Democrats in support of the memorial.

But here is where it gets dicey. The American Humanist Association has found itself in the posi-

(Left to Right: Medal of Honor recipient and Marine listed on the Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, Captain Henry Lewis Hulbert; the Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial; African-American soldier, Private John Henry Seaburn, Jr., honored by the Bladensburg World War I Memorial. Photo credit: First Liberty Institute

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tion of potentially destroying a symbol that is also a part of AfricanAmerican history. How? Ironically, in the middle of the blight of the era that was Jim Crow, a black WWI soldier by the name of Private John Seaburn, Jr., who was from Prince George’s County, was honored among his fallen white brothers as one who also made the ultimate sacrifice. His name is on the memorial with theirs, and his story is in an exhibit that is part of Black History month in the same county. If the Humanists are successful, they will have to face the fact that they not only want to destroy a monument which offends them, they will perhaps, unintentionally, be requesting that part of African-American history be literally plowed under and removed from sight. The exhibit will have to be amended to say something along the lines of, “Once upon a time one could honor Private Seaburn’s sacrifice at the Peace Cross, but those days are over.”

While to me that is not acceptable on any level, it gets even worse. It is not at all fear-mongering to point out that potentially the Humanists won’t stop if they win “the Battle of Bladensburg.” Every cross and Star of David in Arlington National Cemetery could be a part of their demolition derby, and that should make all Americans; black, white, veterans, and civilians alike sound an alarm.

December 7 - December 20, 2018

Special Feature

Patti Malone Portrait Unveiling

by Ali Elizabeth Turner On Sunday, Dec. 2, Athens Arts League held its Patti Malone Portrait Unveiling and Reception.

Malone was born a slave in Athens, attended Trinity School after the Civil War, and went on to Fisk University where she performed with the Jubilee Singers before the crown heads of Europe.

There are but a few grainy black and white photos of Malone with the Jubilee Singers, so Athens Arts League commissioned an artist to portray Malone singing. The painting, funded by a Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area grant and the League, will

Athens Arts League Board Members at the check presentation with Rep. Danny Crawford: from left, Trisha Black, Holly Hollman, Rep. Danny Crawford, Diane Lehr, Jennifer Hilton Sampieri, Vickie Camp, Gail Bergeron and Karen Middleton.

be on display permanently at Scout Music House once renovations of the house are complete. The portrait currently is at High Cotton Arts.

Retired judge Jimmy Woodroof, who participated on the committee to select the artist, blinked back tears at the unveiling. Carolyn Williams, a Trinity graduate who also participated on the artist selection committee, said, "She's singing.

She's smiling."

Artist Ann Moeller Steverson painted Malone on a copper panel, which gives the painting an ethereal beauty. In the painting, Malone is holding a hymnal and singing by a piano. A gas lamp rests atop a speller on the piano. As a student a Trinity, Malone would have carried a Bible and a speller.

Artist Ann Moeller Steverson with the portrait she painted of Patti Malone

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Athens Arts League Vice President Diane Lehr said Malone's portrait not only preserves her story but in-

spires others to seek their dreams related to the arts.

"She is our First Lady of Music in Limestone County," Lehr said.

During the event, Rep. Danny Crawford presented a $5,500 check to Athens Arts League to support its concert series and students receiving hands-on experience working behind the scenes. Crawford said the arts are important to a community, and said he hopes the delegation will continue to be supportive.

He said, "When people in Athens get behind something, they know how to make it happen."

Members of the delegation who provided funding along with Crawford were: Former Holtzclaw

Rep.

Bill

Former Rep. Phil Williams Sen. Arthur Orr Sen. Tim Melson Sen. Parker Moore

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Calendar of Events Grief Support Group 1st Thursday Monthly Jan 3rd

Hosted by Amedisys Hospice at Traditions Senior Living of Athens. 22171 Traditions Way, Athens, AL. 11am to noon. Open to the public. All are welcome to meet. First Thursday of every month with the next one being the 3rd of Jan. Questions call Bereavement Coordinator Amy at 256-760-7877.

Mommy & Me Nutcracker Tea Dec 8

Enjoy delicious treats, make a keepsake craft, meet our dancers and hear the story of The Nutcracker at our Mommy & Me Nutcracker Tea. The tea party will conclude with a mini presentation of The Nutcracker. Admission is $10 per person. Alabama Youth Ballet Studios at 1405-C Weatherly Plaza SE in Huntsville. 10am. Get your tickets online at www.alabamayouthballet.org.

Joe Wheeler Parade of Lights Dec 8

At the Marina, 4403 McLean Drive in Rogersville. Boat parade starting at 6:00PM. Viewable from Daniella's Restaurant, banks between the lodge and marina and the lodge room balconies overlooking the lake. Holiday Buffet will be available starting at 4:00PM at Daniella's.

Sip and Shop in Downtown Athens Dec 8

Everyone is invited to sip, shop and celebrate the holiday season in downtown Athens during the annual Sippin’ Cider Festival.

5 - 8pm. Winter’s favorite drink will take center stage and there will be special activities for children, visits with Santa Claus, shopping among local merchants and other family-friendly fun.

Participating merchants will prepare and offer sample tastings of their favorite hot cider recipe. Door prizes. Tackle your Christmas shopping and browse for unique holiday decorations. Merchants of downtown Athens will serve up plenty of gift ideas and special sales throughout the evening. Additional activities include festive holiday music, roasting marshmallows for s’mores and a visit by Santa Claus. For more information, contact Tere Richardson at 256.232.9040 or tererichardson@athensmainstreet.org.

Ardmore Christmas Parade Dec 10

Starting at Ardmore High School. 30285 Ardmore Avenue in Ardmore, AL. 7:00pm. Travels along Ardmore Avenue and then Main Street.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Hope for the Holidays Dinner 2018 Dec 11

With Eli's Block Party Childhood Cancer Awareness Foundation.

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Limestone County Event Center, 114 West Pryor Street in Athens. 6-8pm. Featuring ventriloquist Mark Thompson and catering by Suzanne's Bakery and Eatery. Information and tickets: elisblockparty.org

Come See Santa Dec 15

Boost Mobile. 22099 Hwy 72, Athens, AL. In the Publix Center.

1-4pm. Free photos with Santa. Food, fun and prizes!

Santa comes to Athens North Pole Stroll Dec 15

Big Spring Memorial Park, 100 North Beaty Street in Athens.

2:00PM-5:00PM. Ornament decorating with Sun Loans; cookie decoratng with Optimist Club; and Letters to Santa with Innovative Realty. Santa pops in for pictures with the kids and reading of the classic tale, "T'was the Night Before Christmas" from 5:00PM-7:00PM.

Christmas Concert with Athens High School Jazz Band Dec 17

In the small theatre of Athens Middle School. 100 U.S. Highway 31N in Athens. 6:30PM-8:00PM. To serve the community this holiday season, the band request donations of at the door: Winter Coat, Blanket, Gloves, Toboggan.

4th Annual Night of Caroling Dec 18

Grace Covenant Church invites everyone to join us for a night of singing Christmas Carols in the Community Room at the Athens-Limestone Public Library. Singing will begin at 6:30pm, but there will be cookies, cider and cocoa starting at 6pm and will also be available afterwards.

The Nutcracker - A Yuletide Ballet Dec 21-23

Celebrate your holidays with Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre and The Nutcracker – A Yuletide Ballet. Lee High School Theater, Huntsville, AL. Led by David Herriott and Keren Gibb Hilliard, the Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre dancers present the magical story of Clara and her special Christmas gift a Nutcracker; which comes to life in her dreams to defeat the Mouse King and together they travel through dancing snowflakes to the Land of the Sweets. Our special guest artist this year is Aaron Melendez, of the Ballet Palm Beach, dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Cavalier. Tickets are $18 for adults; $12 for children (10 & under) or $14 for Seniors/Military/Students. Discounts are available for large groups. Tickets are available online at www. alabamayouthballet.org/tickets.html; via phone at 256-8815930; or at the door.

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

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What Makes Ronnie Roll

The Traveler’s Gift Kings And Angels

by Ali Elizabeth Turner It had been quite a week and a most memorable weekend. In this season when we are surrounding ourselves with angels and kings, in Athens and Alabama, they were showing up everywhere – at High Cotton Arts, on the football field, at holiday concerts, and in The Traveler’s Gift.

Our most famous songstress, Patti Malone, sang like an angel all over the world, and thrilled audiences that included the crowns of nations. While it took a long time for her to gain the honor she deserved, she now has a permanent headstone as well as a beautiful portrait which was recently unveiled at High Cotton Arts. The painting is the creation of Madison artist Ann Steverson, and when the Scout House renovation project is finished, Miss Patti is the first one you will see over the fire-

place when you walk in the door.

The Athens State University Community Band gave their holiday concert, and tonight the Center for Lifelong Learning will welcome back “Committed,” an a capella singing group that gained national recognition on NBC’s The Sing Off. It is the music of angels.

On the college championship football field, King Tua and King Jalen showed us all, whether Alabama or Auburn fans, just how powerful good sportsmanship, flexibility, humility, and confidence can be. The “come-from-behind” Tide’s victory brought tears to the eyes of their normally taciturn coach, but forever we will love two extraordinary young men for functioning like “warrior angels,” both on and off the field.

The gridiron, interestingly enough led to The Gift, where we encounter a man who is named for a king, David Ponder, conversing with an actual angel, whose name is Gabriel. Mayor Ronnie began to read to me, and soon Gabriel made a strange statement for

an angel, as we normally think of them: “You must know,” he began, “that in the game of life, nothing is less important than the score at halftime. The tragedy of life is not that man loses, but that he almost wins.”

In the subsequent exchange between Gabriel and David Ponder, David bemoans his detours, lack of faith, and lack of understanding. He comes face to face with his own frailty and that of humans in general, and he nearly despairs. But Gabriel “reframes” failure by saying the following: “Between you and anything significant will be giants in your path. Easing off does not make the going easier. Neither does it guide one to the desired destination. Most men ease off when the going is rough. Most slow down when the road appears treacherous. These are

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the times when you must feel the weight of your future on your shoulders— the throbbing, unstoppable strength of destiny coursing through your veins. Times of calamity and distress have always been producers of the greatest men. The hardest steel is produced from the hottest fire; the brightest star shreds the darkest night.” Indeed, we base our faith on the fact that Babylonians followed a Star to the humble manger where the King of Kings was born, and the question must be asked: What if they had “almost made it?” Would we even have what we call "the Christmas Story?”

The mayor and I talked for a while about how we could apply Gabriel’s challenge to our own lives and help those in our circles to do the same. Then we prayed, and it was time for Ronnie to roll.

December 7 - December 20, 2018

Slinkard On Success

The Thermostat Or The Thermometer

by D. A. Slinkard

D.A. Slinkard is the manager of the Athens Staples store It is hard to believe we are in the month of December. I believe I say this every year, but what happened to this past year? Why did it go by as quickly as it did? It seems just like yesterday I was writing in regards to the goal accomplishments of 2017, and now I am quickly thinking about how I will be wrapping up 2018. There is a saying that “Time goes by quicker the older you get,” and I believe the validity of this statement.

As I write this article, I think about today and how the temperature has varied. I could not believe how hot it was for being the first part of December. That was during the day, and then at night, it seemed like a rapid temperature drop occurred, and I went from needing the A/C earlier in the day to desperately looking for some heat at night.

I found myself thinking about the thermostat and the importance it plays in regulating hot and cold air.

My next thought was about how I have spent 2018, and how I really got to know Huntsville Hospital as I have increasingly battled Crohn's Disease this year. In fact, November was one of three months in 2018 that did not require a hospital stay! With each hospital stay, it seemed like the nurses and technicians were always wanting to take my temperature with a thermometer. In case you are wondering where

I am going with this, the examples of the thermometer and the thermostat are more relevant in our lives than you may realize.

The people in your life are either a thermometer or a thermostat. Take the thermometer for instance.

The thermometer is a tool that tells you whether something is hot or cold.

Other than performing this task, the thermometer really is not good for anything else. A lot of people are like this because they go about living their life like a thermometer -- not good for much of anything. Then you have the thermostat. Oh, how I love the thermostat! In your home, if you are hot or cold, you must use the thermostat to adjust your heating and cooling system.

exactly what their job description is, nothing more, nothing less; but then they expect to be greatly rewarded for simply doing their job. We have created this mindset because for too long we have been telling people that they are winners by rewarding them just for showing up and participating; this has trickled over into their adult life. We live in a society in which people feel like they are owed something just because they showed up.

What do we do? How do we get more people to

play the role of thermostat and less people to be the thermometer? It starts in our homes. Parents have the responsibility and obligation to teach their kids how to be leaders and stop depending upon others to raise their kids. I work retail and I see a lot of interactions that parents have with their kids, and it is astonishing what some parents allow from their kids.

The next step is to eliminate all participation trophies. Just get rid of the idea completely. “It will never work,” some people

say. How did we survive long ago before we started giving out trophies for coming in 14th place?

Not everything is deserving of a trophy, and we need to stop rewarding every little thing.

This has placed us in a situation where being a thermometer looks good because you get a pretty ribbon. If we make changes in the home and do away with meaningless trophies, we will see a change in our society.

You will find more thermostats turning up the heat on thermometers.

The thermostat has the ability to increase the heat or decrease the heat. The thermostat has the ability to heat up or freeze out a person. The thermostat is a driving force for action to occur.

If your home is too hot, just touch the thermostat and before long you have adjustments coming to your living condition.

There are people in your life that are a lot like the thermostat. These people are the leaders in society, the movers and the shakers if you will.

The problem in our society is that too many people want to be like the thermometer and do as little as possible.

We have this mindset of people who want to do

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Tourism

Southeast Tourism Society Selects Athens North Pole Stroll As An ‘STS Top 20 Event’ Travel industry organization has saluted region’s best events since 1985

by Cayce Lee Social Media Specialist, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association This year’s North Pole Stroll is to be held December 1 – Dec 3. The STS Top 20 Festival and Event Awards have highlighted programs around the Southeast since 1985. Each year, Big Spring Memorial Park in Athens, Alabama, is transformed into a holiday spectacle for a month of free festive fun. The North Pole Stroll is an annual celebration of beautifully decorated Christmas trees placed in downtown Athens for all to enjoy, and one night only during the month-long event, Santa makes an appearance to spread holiday cheer and to visit with children.

The North Pole Stroll is open to the public daily December 1-30 until midnight for locals and visitors to stroll among the festival of trees and enjoy the lights and holiday decorations. On December 15, from 5 to 7 p.m., Santa makes an appearance for an evening of ‘Letters to Santa’ where hundreds of children descend onto

Hosted by:

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the park equipped with their Christmas wish list eagerly waiting to hand off to Saint Nicholas.

After Santa has met with the good boys and girls, he rallies everyone together for a reading of

local businesses, and civic groups. One of the conditions for the décor is to keep it as green-friendly as possible by using solar LED lighting. Trees can have themes that match the

“The Southeast is home to unique and memorable events throughout the year.

In spotlighting the Top 20 festivals and events each month, STS is not only giving these events the recognition they deserve but we’re also creating a quick reference guide to some of the best festivals in the Southeast,” said Bill Hardman, president and CEO of

“Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

The seven-foot beautiful Frasier fir trees, provided by Lowe’s of Athens, are decorated by members of the community,

tirelessly spent to create memories for their attendees.”

Events considered for the STS Top 20 recognition must be at least three years old and have attendance of at least 1,000.

STS, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting tourism to and within 12 states – Alabama,

sponsor’s mission or they can be uniquely designed.

The North Pole Stroll is organized by Athens-Limestone Tourism Association and supported by Lowes of Athens, City of Athens, Limestone County Commission, City of Athens Parks and Recreation, and Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful. Admission is free. For more information, call 256.232.5411 or visit www.visitathensal.com.

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the Southeast Tourism Society. “These events are important to the economic vitality of our communities and this is a way for us to acknowledge the time and resources organizers have

Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

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Clean and Green

KALB Offers A Buffet Of Opportunities

by Lynne Hart - Executive Coordinator - Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful I happen to love going to a buffet restaurant because it gives me the chance to taste new things without the commitment of an orderoff-the-menu meal. If I don’t like it, I can go back and get something else. You may not want to talk about buffets having just finished the Thanksgiving holiday and now moving into the Christmas season; however, the buffet I will be talking about here has little to do with food.

Getting involved with KALB is like a volunteer opportunity buffet.

There are so many ways to get involved without a scary, long-term commitment. Check us out by offering just a few hours of your time on a project you might enjoy.

If you don’t like it, there are lots of other choices.

If you do like it, you can decide if you want to wade in ankle-deep water or jump in!

As Executive Coordinator of KALB, I am here to tell you that KALB has one of the very best groups of volunteers anywhere.

Everyone works well together, and we leave drama to the Hollywood professionals.

Guests are always welcome at our board meetings. Come and meet our crew, and decide if you think you can work with our crazy group!

We do manage to have fun while accomplishing a great deal of work.

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I don’t have much time KALB is always looking for volunteers to help at events, such as our March Elk River Cleanup and Trash Attack, April Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO, and fall events, including the Fiddlers Convention and fundraisers. We also have one-time opportunities for roadside cleanups, event poster delivery, or office help.

Maybe you would enjoy flower planting and holiday decorating with our Beautification Board.

Whatever your likes or passions, we have a place for you.

you would love our Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO. If your forte is fundraising, we’d love your help developing new ideas for our membership drive or one of our fall fundraisers. If you love logistics, you could be a great help in planning our river, roadside, and public lands cleanup in March.

I’m a follower, not a leader

Gerry Ford

We have a place for you! KALB has sev-

teer boards which include the KALB Commission, Recycling Board, and Beautification Board. Board members meet monthly to discuss organization business and make decisions regarding board activities. Our board members are also very active in KALB activities throughout the year.

Can I help plan just one event?

It is always helpful to have volunteers who are not already involved with KALB to bring new and fresh ideas to our planning table.

We have several planning committees that would love to have you join their efforts. If you like planning parties,

Marilyn Ford eral volunteers that prefer not to be “in charge” of anything, but will do whatever they are asked when given instructions.

There are activities and programs going on year round, and we can always use willing hands.

I like commitment

Art Foster

If this is you, KALB has ongoing activities such as our Adopt-ASpot program where

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groups or individuals can clean a selected location monthly. We also have openings on our volun-

If you would like to attend a board meeting or discuss volunteer opportunities, drop in, send an email, or call us! No strings attached.

Become a Fan

(256) 233-8728 KALBCares@gmail.com www.KALBCares.com December 7 - December 20, 2018

Cooking with Anna

Christmas Pesto Torte

by Anna Hamilton

Christmastime at my house is a time for celebrating family and friends. The house is decorated and every room is full of the Christmas Spirit. We LOVE Christmas and we love entertaining for the Holidays.

Every year, we host a Christmas party on the first Saturday of December. I plan for months what I am going to make, and this year was no different. One dish seems to always find its way on at least one Christmas party menu, my pesto torte.

My pesto torte is Christmas on a plate. It’s rich and decadent and is even the color of Christmas.

Beautiful green pesto is mixed with cream cheese and layered with red tomatoes. This appetizer is a hit at every party and will be a hit at your Christmas party too. Take time this season to enjoy spending time with family and friends and embrace the spirit of Christmas.

Christmas Pesto Torte What You Need:

2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 jar (3 ½ oz) prepared pesto 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained very well 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese Crackers

Directions:

Mix softened cream cheese with pesto and mustard until well combined.

Place half of the cream cheese mixture in a plastic wrap-lined bowl; press cream cheese firmly into bowl. Sprinkle tablespoon of parmesan on cream cheese mixture then top with tomatoes. Add the other tablespoon of parmesan cheese on top of the tomatoes. Cover with remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Unmold torte onto a serving plate, serve as a spread with crackers. Enjoy!

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The Millennial Mind

When Words Fail

by Rosemary Dewar Visual art has the capacity to influence the perception of those who consume it. Any wellplanned composition can sway one’s opinion of a particular product or person. If a government were to have sole control of the output of art and commercialism, it would do what any proficient bureaucracy would do: dehumanize it. We see it in totalitarian propaganda where a leader is more than a man, and the undesirables are less than an animal. Similar to the entertainment we consume, ethics and opinions are embedded with the Art. As usual, sometimes the hardest thing to see can be what is right in front of you.

Journalist Andrew Breitbart is often quoted as saying, “Politics is downstream of culture.” That holds true as long as politics is small enough to be controlled.

If a political structure is big enough to control the culture, art has the ability to weaken the political structure. If you control the art, you control the culture. What people look at, they talk about, and what they

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halo-like motif. Notice what they wear. It is usually a clean-cut suit while staring off into the void. It is cold and sterile. Eventually, the lower half of society is being given what is efficient rather than something that is visually pleasing. Individuality is made to become obscure, and conforming one’s self to the collec-

In the United States’ current culture, individuality is so vital, but it is constantly under inspection.

Deviation from a community’s norms is met with disapproval. Public figures are banned from media platforms, and socially reprimanded for merely expressing an idea aloud. Because the visual is extremely

Michelangelo, consummate artist talk about, they think about when they’re by themselves. The content is just as important as the narrative.

During the Italian Renaissance, the Medici dynasty dominated mercantile trade so competently that they were able to function as patrons for the greatest artists, politicians, and religious leaders of the 15th, 16th, and 17th century. Without that type of influence and stature, artists such as Raphael and Michelangelo would not be known to us today. Discoveries made by scientists like Galileo would have been buried for centuries. Could you imagine being a top-dog as were the Medicis for nearly 300 years? That is quite an astonishing

accomplishment! Every regime has its flaws; of course, there was corruption and injustice.

The Inquisition is a blot on Europe’s history, and the monopolized power in a part of the Catholic Church has shadowed the legacy of the Catholic Church ever since. Simultaneously, the most magnificent and lavish paintings, sculptures, architecture, scientific advancement, and religious expansion that continue to fascinate and confound scholars today was birthed then. Art was lofty and elevated to give society something to aim for. There simply has not been another time period that parallels it in positive mastery.

There have been many totalitarian regimes that have long understood the power of art to influence and shape society.

Instead of seeing a religious figure stylized and distributed en masse, you would see the dictator stylized the same way you would see a Christian saint complete with either sun beams or a

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Adolf Hitler, consummate art thief tive purpose is expected.

This is similar to how one is made to feel in the army. Any unauthorized stimuli is deemed frivolous or contraband. It is one thing for an actual army unit to conform in this manner, but to demand it of the civilian population for the sake of efficiency and loyalty diminishes the individual as if they were livestock.

Beauty, style, and variety are privileges set aside for the leaders that keep their loyalists in line. In the 20th century, there was not a Michelangelo or Galileo that came from Stalin’s Russia or Mao’s China. Instead, the globe devolved into war resulting in over a hundred million people dead at the hand of militant uniformity.

powerful, in order to assert or enforce a behavioral edict, it is possible to present people who definitely look different, but all happen to say the same thing. It helps give the illusion that a social policy is valid. When you have someone else tell you that one may not care what you look like, but wants to find out whether or not the ideas are effectual, that changes the conversation entirely. That is ‘why’ you may see character indictments that attempt to frame people as insensitive, uncaring, or under-educated.

Should culture bend to ideological conformity, it will find it harder to cultivate the same masterful innovations we enjoy here and now.

December 7 - December 20, 2018

Cover Story

Honeysuckle Café: Nominated For Alabama’s Small Business Of The Year

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

continued from page 1

and we are waiting on tiptoe to find out if she won.

The category is “Emerging Business,” which means any business whose startup date has been in the last five years, and Beverly is blessed as well as humbled by being chosen as a finalist.

My tummy will tell you that whether or not she won, she won. So will my heart. Here is the story of a charming café that to my mind shows the very soul of Rogersville -- a place that will warm your innards, make you chuckle, and nourish you.

Beverly spent over 30 years as a nurse at Athens-Limestone Hospital, and had “always cooked for everyone.”

All her life she dreamed of owning her own place, and when the restaurant, which is located at 1609 Lee Street in Rogersville, became available in 2016 Beverly and her husband bought it.

The whole family pitched in to renovate it, and Beverly has always been grateful for their blood, sweat, tears, and love put into “gettin’ ‘er up and runnin’.” The Honeysuckle Café came to being in the spring of 2017, which is when Athens Now did a front cover advertorial on what has become one of my favorite places to land on my paper delivery route. I am there every two weeks when I come back from Florence with the latest edition of the paper, and every time, I am glad to have a couple moments of comfort from a down home, friendly place.

One of the most enjoyable features of the Honeysuckle is the wall art. All of the

walls and down the service hall are covered with sayings, maxims, scriptures, and just plain common sense observations and admonitions, and they are literally a “conversation piece.” Beverly told me that her “son has a saying for everything, and I started writing them down.” The wall art is recorded on every imaginable type of surface, and most are framed. Then, they are hung with care, and even decorate the restrooms! People from out-of-state who are

staying at Joe Wheeler State Park have come to the Honeysuckle Café for the food as well as a cultural immersion experience, and it’s not unusual to see someone read a saying on the wall and smile.

December 7 - December 20, 2018

Okay, the place is cute, but how’s the food? In a word, yummy. In some ways, it’s a classic “meatand-three,” but there are little touches here and there that are more modern cuisine if you wish it.

There are Southern classics such as “hoecakes,” fried green tomatoes, blackeyed peas, pimento cheese, and hash brown casserole.

Signature sandwiches include “the Paw Paw,” a classic grilled cheese named for Honeysuckle owner Beverly

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Scott’s dad, and the Angry Rooster, a shredded buffalo chicken and American cheese grilled sandwich. Desserts include Mama’s Best Banana Pudding, the chocolate chip mug cookie, and special daily desserts. They can hardly keep up with the

appreciate about Beverly is her heart to build up Rogersville. She has become very active in the community, which is the land of her ancestors, and has hoped that the Honeysuckle will be an expression of the hospitality with which she grew up.

This past Monday the café, which is available for pri-

demand for the banana pudding.

There is a trend in the restaurant industry that capitalizes on the concept of “putting love in the food.”

Some places make one wonder, but at the Honeysuckle Café, it is the truth. They have a saying, and it’s “Honeysuckle Café, Rogersville, Alabama, Where the Secret Ingredient Is Always Love.”

Beverly treats her staff like they are kin, and that means, “No fussin’ or cussin’.” If you want to, you can take part in the brief prayer meeting that happens at the beginning of every shift, and that always makes for a better day. One of the things I have come to

vate catered parties, hosted a women’s group for their Christmas gathering. As I heard the story of what happened, the hearts and stories and food and comfort that all came together, once again I felt honored to invite you to make the drive from where you are in the Tennessee Valley and experience the Honeysuckle Café. It will be worth it!

Honeysuckle Café

1609 Lee Street Rogersville, AL, 35652 Phone: 256-607-7075 Hours: Tue-Sun, 11-8 Facebook: The Honeysuckle Café Page 15

Health and Fitness

Deck The Halls With Cherry Preserves!

Give Your Holidays A Healthy Twist

By BrandPoint Content

(BPT) - Bring the gift of nutrition to holiday gatherings by incorporating sweet cherries into your favorite menu.

It may not seem the season for cherries, but this is the time to raid the summer stash that has been frozen, dried or canned. Adding a bright, festive touch, sweet cherries will provide a boost of flavor and nutrition to power you into the new year.

"The holidays are a perfect time to unleash the goodness locked into preserved sweet cherries to help stay in peak health during the busy season," said Mia Syn, a registered dietitian nutritionist.

"Change up traditional cranberry sauce with a cherrycranberry version - it's low in sugar, quick, easy and versatile. Add some ginger or orange peel to complement your menu, and you may have a new, nutritious winter favorite."

Try your hand at cherrycranberry sauce, and make the holidays brighter with these five hidden health benefits: 1. Reduce oxidative stress

If there's a time to reduce stress, the holidays are it.

Oxidative stress results when free radicals and antioxidants are out of balance in your body. Normally, free radicals help fight off pathogens that can lead to infection or disease, but too many can attack the body's fatty tissue, protein or even DNA, increasing susceptibility to heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, among other diseases.

Sweet cherries are rich in polyphenols and vitamin C, which have potent antioxidant properties. Adding them to a diet can return the body to a healthy balance by increasing antioxidant capacity and reducing oxidative stress.

2. Ease inflammation Are cooler temperatures spurring arthritic pain? Research has shown that sweet cherries feature anti-inflammatory properties, introducing a natural remedy for those suffering from rheumatic diseases such as arthritis.

Cherries contain anthocyanins, which work to shut down enzymes that cause tis-

sue inflammation and behave in much the same way as ibuprofen.

3. Relieve gout Don't get caught sitting down. Gout, a form of arthritis, causes severe pain, redness and joint tenderness and is linked to elevated levels of uric acid in the blood - which has been shown to decline with diets including sweet cherries.

In studies of gout patients consuming sweet cherry products, patients had a 35 percent lower risk of an attack after two days and a 75 percent lower risk when cherries and the common gout medication allopurinol were combined.

4. Improve sleep Getting a good night's sleep is always a challenge, but even more so during the bustling holidays. Enhance sleep quality and quantity, lift your mood and ease anxiety with sweet cherries. According to researchers, sleep cycles benefit when enjoying the fruit about an hour before bedtime.

Cherry-Cranberry Sauce

The reason? Sweet cherries pack a compelling combination of tryptophan, serotonin and melatonin. Tryptophan helps produce serotonin, which aids in regulating sleep, mood and appetite.

Meanwhile, melatonin works on maintaining our internal clocks, such as sleep and wakefulness patterns.

5. Lower blood pressure

Eating cherries is linked to decreasing a powerful vasoconstrictor, a compound that narrows blood vessels and restricts blood flow. At the same time, they increase the effectiveness of vasodilators, compounds that help widen blood vessels and reduce pressure.

This holiday, indulge for impact

Give the gift of lower blood pressure by serving up dishes featuring sweet cherries.

Studies have shown that making a habit of eating sweet cherries can reduce systolic and diastolic measures of blood pressure.

Don't wait for warmer temperatures to enjoy sweet cherries! Add them to your favorite holiday foods to combat common health complaints and celebrate the season knowing you're taking steps toward a better wellbeing.

The rich fruitiness of sweet cherries helps blunt the sharp edge of fresh cranberries. Cooked together, these anthocyanin powerhouses make a great holiday staple that can be used as a base ingredient for cocktails, a glaze for meats, a spread for sandwiches, a topping for yogurt and more.

Ingredients

Equal portions fresh cranberries and dried/frozen Northwest cherries 3/4 cup water or pomegranate juice 3/4 cup maple syrup, molasses, or sugar to taste Optional: 4 -2" peels fresh ginger, 3 tbsp citrus zest, black pepper, fresh herbs, raspberries

Directions

In medium-sized sauce pot, add 3/4 cup water, preferred sweetener and cranberries.

Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally and more frequently as the sauce begins to form.

Add sweet cherries, continue stirring.

Once reduced, remove from heat, incorporate other flavorings if desired.

Cool for 30 mins - 1 hour before transferring to wider, shallow pan to speed cooling.

Once cooled, refrigerate in air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

Cover Story

Prime Performance Training: Making Results A Reality

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

nutrition. He had been training athletes at school and made his career switch early on, and what a career it has been!

In the world of karate, Nick is undefeated. He officially competed in 48 matches, and lost none of them. He won all of his ISKA (International Sport Karate Association) competitions, the US Open, the Battle of Atlanta, the North American Championship, and the Alabama State Championship. One evening, after a memorable dinner with his father who pastored a Baptist church for many years, Nick decided to walk away from competing while he was still at the top of his game. He began to craft a plan for going full time in personal fitness and sports nutrition, and for the past five years, that has been his vocation and passion.

Nick is a Master Certified Personal Trainer as well as a Certified Sports Nutritionist, and trains everyone from elite athletes to Parkinson’s sufferers. Nick started working with the Athens High School sports teams in March of 2017 by giving sports nutrition training as well as performance conditioning, both one-on-one and with teams.

All of it gives him enormous satisfaction, but what causes him to get emotional is showing the videos of the elderly men who could hardly get out of a chair, and now can lift weights and walk.

The first jaw-dropping suc-

cess story was a man in his ‘80s who had been a sleep doctor.

He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and had gone to physical therapy for five years with virtually no improvement. The doc and Nick first met at church, and Nick agreed to train him.

In the video of their first session, Nick had to stand behind him to protect him from falling over, and doing even a partial squat with one leg was incredibly arduous. As is often the case, the doctor had been given a grim diagnosis by “experts” down in Birmingham, and both the machines and the doctors were locked-in to the conclusion that because he had Parkinson’s, it was going to be downhill from there.

December 7 - December 20, 2018

One day, when the sleep doc was visiting his neurologist, he patiently waited as the doctor delivered more bad news, and then asked if he could show him something.

The neurologist said, “Sure,” and Nick sent the video, which they watched together in the office. “That’s impossible,” the neurologist said, and eventually came around to a position of “seeing is believing.”

Nick has several core beliefs that help his clients to grab a hold of hope when they are sweating and know they are going to be a bit sore, and one of his favorites is: “If you can be resilient in the face of adversity, that’s when you become successful. It’s that space in the middle of the workout, when you think you

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can’t go on, where the progress is made,” he said.

Another elderly man, a wellknown local Athenian was so weak that he could not get out of a chair. He couldn’t leave the house, so Nick came to him for sessions and upon entering, confidently announced, “We’re going to make you better.” Now the man can walk to the mailbox and has become a dear personal friend.

Nick told me, “I enjoy helping people, and I have a passion for helping improve people’s quality of life through fitness and nutrition.” He also has the

already has 18 clients. He has kettle bells, does a combination of functional fitness (body weight) workouts and weights. He has floor work for flexibility and endurance, circuit training, and Nick tailormakes each person’s workout according to their ability and goals. He will design an eating plan, and for the record, does not believe in diets but rather lifestyle changes. Food must be natural and whole, and Nick recommends only a few supplements.

If you are serious about improving your total health

rare ability to do the full spectrum of training, from oldsters to kids, from women who want to lose a few pounds to elite athletes who are training for competitions. He is structured and disciplined, and expects commitment from his clients.

“I am not cheap,” he says, and I finished his sentence for him by saying, “You get what you pay for.” He smiled and nodded.

Nick is putting the finishing touches on a new studio which is located at 105 Market Street in Athens, due north of the Limestone County Courthouse Annex parking lot, and

and level of fitness, no matter what shape you are in (or not), then allow Nick Thomas of Prime Performance Training to help you get to your goals, great or small.

Prime Performance Training 105 Market Street Athens, AL 35611 256-434-7532 www.getprimed now.com

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Learning As A Lifestyle

“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

by Wanda Campbell Center for Lifelong Learning - 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 - 256-233-8262 President Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy." On that day, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory.

(Hawaii would become a state in 1959). The bombing killed more

many's surrender in May 1945. Japan surrendered in September 1945. Information about World War II is available at the Alabama Veterans Museum on Pryor Street.

President George H.W. Bush, we are reminded that the generation that remembers best and that was impacted the most by this event is no longer here to remind us of it.

According to Dictionary. com, infamy means the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed. With the passing of

In 1941, everyone was sure it could not happen again. And, yet, it did.

Only 60 years later, on September 11, 2001, Al

Qaeda terrorists aboard three hijacked passenger planes carried out coordinated suicide attacks against the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., killing everyone on board the planes and nearly 3,000 people on the ground. A fourth plane crashed into a Pennsylvania field, killing all on board, after passengers and crew attempted to regain control from the hijackers.

In my lifetime, the United States has been involved in the Korean War (June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953), allowing the Berlin Wall (Aug 12, 1961), the Viet Nam War (Nov 1, 1955 – Apr 30, 1975), the invasion of Grenada (Oct 25, 1983 – Dec 15, 1983), the first Gulf

War / Operation Desert Shield (1990-1991), Bosnia/Herzegovina / Operation Provide Promise (1992-1996), Afghanistan / Operation Enduring Freedom (2001 – 2014), and Iraq / Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011). Today, the U.S. has ongoing operations in eight hot-spot countries – Libya, Syria, Niger, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, and the Philippines.

As we come together with our families this month, let us pray for peace on earth and goodwill toward man.

Let us remember to pray for the servicemen and women who are in harm’s way. And let us pray that we can all move forward with goodwill, tolerance, and compassion.

than 2,300 Americans.

It completely destroyed the American battleship U.S.S. Arizona and capsized the U.S.S. Oklahoma. The attack sank or beached a total of twelve ships and damaged nine others, with 160 aircraft destroyed and 150 others damaged. The attack took the country by surprise, especially the illprepared Pearl Harbor base.

America sided with Britain, France, and the Soviet Union against Germany, Italy, and Japan. The loss of lives in this war was staggering.

The European part of the war ended with Ger-

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

Jerry’s Journal

The Case Of The Fallen Sparrow

by Jerry R. Barksdale www.jerrybarksdale.com

Hobey (not real name) didn’t look like a country clubber nor a deacon in the Baptist Church, because he wasn’t. Far from it. He liked whiskey – good or bad - loved to listen to Hank Williams, and was well respected at the local pool hall.

To borrow from Roger Miller’s song, Hobey was a man of means by no means. He appeared at my office unannounced with a “case” as he called it. I sized him up from across my desk. Of average size and in his late 50s, his faded complexion reminded me of a pair of overalls that had been washed too many times. He looked me straight in the eye. I liked that.

“I’ll just tell ya right off the bat,” he said, “I’m a drinking man with the longest drinking rap sheet in Limestone County.” I liked his honesty, too.

I always sized up a potential client like a juror would. Did I like him? Was he believable? Did I want to help him? Over many years of trying cases, I had learned one immutable law: Jurors won’t lift a finger to help a litigant unless they know something about him and like him. I listened in silence as Hobey told his story.

It was a hot summer morning in Athens when Hobey departed his small rental house

in North Athens and walked downtown to the pool hall. He had lost his driver’s license years earlier.

After shooting a few games of pool, he purchased a bottle of “bootleg” whiskey and walked back home. Athens was “dry” at the time, and I knew jurors wouldn’t approve of his drinking. His modest house was located next door to an in-law. She didn’t approve of Hobey and didn’t approve of drinking. He raised the window in his bedroom to catch a breeze, placed a stack of Hank Williams records on the turn table, and killed the bottle of whiskey. He lay down on the bed and let the alcohol work its magic while he listened to Hank whine about cheating hearts and lost highways. Hank’s lyrics wafted out the raised window as Hobey dozed off. Not only did his inlaw dislike drinking, she didn’t like Hank either.

She called the sheriff’s office. “Hobey’s drunk again and playing loud music.”

Shortly, a county brown skidded up. Two deputies emerged and, without a warrant and without knocking, they entered Hobey’s castle where they found him peacefully asleep on his bed. They grabbed Hobey and began pulling him from the bed.

Hobey, being suddenly and violently awakened from his alcohol fog and not knowing who was

December 7 - December 20, 2018

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attacking him, began flailing at his attackers.

Then one of the deputies beat the crap out of him. He was cuffed and thrown in the back seat of the squad car and hauled off to jail. “I’m hurting bad,” he said.

They ignored him. After all, he was just another drunk. He was placed in a cell. “I’m hurting,” he said. Finally, he was transported to E.R. with fractured ribs.

“Why do you think a jury will help you?” I asked him.

He leaned close to my desk. “Them damn Japanese didn’t treat me that bad,” he said, referring to his WWII service. And that was the crux of his case. A man’s house is his castle and the king’s men have no right to enter without a warrant. Our ancestors fought a revolution to secure that right. A citizen can get drunk and listen to Hank all day long in his own house if he chooses. “Hobey, you just found yourself a lawyer,” I said.

I filed suit in Federal Court against Limestone County, the sheriff, and the two deputies. After the defense lawyer had milked all the money he could out of the insurance company, they offered to settle.

the king’s men barging into a citizen’s castle without a warrant and dragging him from bed.

Not in America! Justice is blind. She knows no distinction between a fallen sparrow and a soaring eagle, a deacon or a pool player. She knows only justice.

The case was settled.

I received a nice fee, and Hobey got enough money to keep him in good whiskey and Hank records for a long time. Later, I was sitting at my desk with my back to the bay window that looks out to South Marion Street. I heard “beep – beep.” I turned around and there was Hobey astride a brand new shiny, red bicycle.

It was loaded - basket in front, horn and tassel handle bar. Hobey was smiling like a kid.

After telling him it was against the law to ride on the sidewalk, he pedaled off. That’s the last time I saw him until several years later when I was Athens City Prosecutor. I didn’t recognize him. He was charged with public drunkenness. “I’ll plead guilty,”

he said, “but I don’t want to attend ‘drunk school.’”

“It’s mandatory,” I said.

“The city makes a fat fee, and the defendant must attend classes.”

We approached the bench. “Your honor, Hobey admits he was drunk, but says he ‘don’t want to attend drunk school’ and pay a fee.”

“Why is that?” asked the judge.

“Your honor, I’m a drunk. Always have been and will be till the day I die. Attending drunk school and paying a fee won’t change that.”

“He’s telling the truth Judge,” I said. “I know Hobey.”

Hobey didn’t attend drunk school and I never saw him again.

I heard that he died several years ago. No streets are names after Hobey, and he was never voted Man of the Year; but he had an honesty about him that not all of us are blessed with.

I didn’t think a jury would approve of Hobey’s lifestyle, but neither would they approve of

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Page 19

Dog Barker

A Letter To Doggie Claus

by Joel Allen

Dear Doggie Claus, We went by the Athens-Limestone Animal Shelter the other day and took a few requests.

There were dogs and cats that were crying for our attention, and we decided to call out to you. See, we need your help because the shelter is full of love, meaning these dogs and cats have a lot to give to their potential families.

They sent a list of demands, I mean requests, by us to you and here is what they had to say.

Stud wanted to express that although he does not like cats, and he is old, he wants to love someone who will provide him with a warm quiet place to live out his days in style. He says his eyesight is not the best, but he is willing to look past anyone’s faults as long as they can see past his.

that he wanted a family that lives for him baying and carrying on. That if he sticks his nose to the ground and gets distracted that his family will understand and will not let him get lost.

Plinko said for everyone to come see his unusual coloring. There’s no one with markings like him! Those eyes of his promise love for all.

Lacey May said that she may be small but she is beautiful and wants a family to love her completely; and if you ignore her she will call out.

These are just a few that cry out, Doggie Claus. There are many more who are always reaching through their gates with their noses,

dancing when someone might see them, and begging to be adopted.

Some others have given up and lay shivering in their dog beds not even getting up to be noticed because they feel they cannot trust anyone.

Their Christmas wish was placed a long time ago and was dashed to pieces when they were ignored for one reason or another. Some were abandoned out right and had nowhere to go.

It would be great to see they were fostered outside the shelter and given a little extra TLC for their hearts.

Anyways, Doggie Claus, I hear the cats are not in better shape. One reached a paw out of their cage and gestured for us to come over.

They all whispered how

Mahogany asked that someone look at her and love her, for she has a lot to give. She also said look at her eyes, and you will see she is the real deal.

She also wanted to share that she loves kids and will tolerate some animals to a degree, but her family has to check with her before bringing another dog into the picture. Check your list and you will see she is not on the naughty list.

So, Doggie Claus, our lists are not hard to fill.

We each need to feel the arms of love around us.

We need that comfortable bed in a home of love. Dogs should be able to play with toys, and cats should be able to be brats if they so want to. None should be replaced with a puppy or abandoned because no one wants the responsibility anymore.

We are a choice for life and we are family.

Thank you for listening and, Doggie Claus,

whatever you may hear it, was not us that chewed the shoes, got in the trash, or even chased the cat. That surveillance camera has always glitched and you can never believe that cat. So, when we are accused of something we know we didn’t do (wink wink), well you know…

Sincerely, Zoey and Frank

Folks, as you’ve seen in this article, there is truly a need for fosters for many animals at the shelter. Won’t you come by and foster one or two for Christmas? Will you let them share the love and warmth of your home?

I promise you, it will be an experience many will never forget. There are some senior dogs that would easily adapt to a home that does not want a noisy dog and many are low maintenance.

They just want a quiet life to end their days. If someone has never had a dog, they have not lived yet. So, what do you say? What are you waiting for?

“Remember to love your dogs because they love you. Maybe not the way you want them to, like chewing up your favorite shoes or what not, but that is just love chewing. Be thankful for the time you have with them always.”

Joel Allen 256-651-2211

Tiger, the hound, said

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they wanted to spend Christmas in a home with a tree they can terrorize. They sung like a chorus about their lives but quietly stared out looking for their family to come and save them.

These are sad times for them.

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December 7 - December 20, 2018

Mental Health Minute

Staying Mentally Healthy During the Holiday Season

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor “Linus, Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.”

- Charlie Brown Over the years I have had many clients tell me that they dread this time of year. For those struggling with a mental illness, particularly anxiety or depression, Christmas stirs up extreme emotions that many are forced to relive year after year. Even if you just find the holidays stressful, I have some suggestions for what you can do to not only survive the next few weeks, but maybe even return to feelings of joy during this season.

Let’s begin by looking at your particular pressure points. Are you someone

who surrenders to sweets and rich foods? Do you fret yourself into an anxiety spiral because you can’t afford to buy everything for everybody on your list?

Do you pull away from others and isolate because of the emphasis on family togetherness? Once you have identified your triggers, you can focus on finding some specific problem-solving techniques.

Find someone you trust to share your concerns, who may be able to help brainstorm positive measures to manage the challenge.

“We are what we eat.” And this is never truer than during the holidays. Your diet can either improve or aggravate your mood. I know you will be tempted over and over again, testing your willpower and commitment to moderation. Take a few moments to answer

December 7 - December 20, 2018

this question, “What can I do to stay healthy during the holidays?” Then, make a list of specific and realistic goals on one side of the page, and challenges (what typically derails you) on the other side. Track your frustrations and achievements daily, especially if you are prone to overthinking or negative self-talk.

And it never hurts to give yourself small rewards along the way. Next, make a list of all the things you THINK need to be done, including shopping, parties, volunteer activities, family visits, etc. Then take a calendar, and pencil in a schedule of when these things need to happen. Now here is the important part: Think hard about what is really central to your celebrations. To protect your well-being, you may have to make some difficult choices

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about traditional activities.

For example, does reducing the emotional strain of travelling to visit family outweigh the potential hurt feelings and arguments?

Let’s be honest. You, yourself, can’t do it all. It’s okay to divide up some of the tasks among family members. Maybe the family party that you always host could be pot luck this year? Remember last year when you didn’t think you would get everything done? Take a breath and have faith in yourself to do the best you can. As with most things in life, attitude is everything. Take a moment to tweak your outlook. You may be placing unrealistic expectations on yourself and others, which can only lead to disappointment and conflict.

There is always that relative or friend who sets you

off, but wishing they would change will go nowhere.

You can only control how you think, feel, and act, not how others treat you.

So, let’s be less self-critical because the house isn’t spotless and more grateful for the company.

I know you have heard it before, but an attitude of gratitude has benefits both mentally and physically. If you do find yourself slipping into the fog of anxiety or depression, remind yourself that you are human and that this time too, will pass.

Lisa Philippart is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who divides her time between her own private practice in Huntsville and providing personal counseling services at Athens State University.

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Medical Update

Five Simple Solutions To SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

By Rachel Clark, MSN It’s winter again, and the days are getting shorter.

The skies seem cloudier, the air colder, and the wind has a bite to it that isn’t there in Spring and Summer. With the change of the seasons can come a change in mood for some people.

This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. According to the Mayo Clinic, SAD is a type of depression related to the change in seasons that begins and ends around the same time every year. For most, that happens in the winter.

How do you know if you’re “SAD?” Some common signs and symptoms include irritability, feeling tired or having less energy, issues getting along with others, hypersensitivity to rejection (real or perceived),

oversleeping, heavy feeling in arms or legs, appetite changes (especially increased cravings for high-carbohydrate foods), and weight gain. As SAD as this all sounds, there are some simple, natural ways to combat this change in moods. So if you’re ready to get back to your usual self, and leave the grumpy, irritable you that comes in the winter behind, below are five simple ways to get started.

1. Scents can be used as a “pick-me-up.” Most people have scents that they personally associate with positivity and comfort. For some, that is the mingled scents of baking sugar cookies, with warm vanilla and sugar wafting through the house. For others it might be roses, cinnamon, or oranges.

Diffusing essential oils can be a great way to help lift your mood, without side effects connected to anti-depressants and other chemical alternatives.

A “recipe” of sorts that I can’t wait to try is as follows: 20 drops Sweet Orange oil, 20 drops Clove Bud oil, and 20 drops Cinnamon oil. Check out Pinterest or other social media sites for additional information on essential oils and blends that can help lift your mood this winter.

2. Let the sunshine in!

The lack of available sunlight is a key factor in SAD. Open up your curtains, blinds, and doors on sunny days. Letting in the sun can lift your mood exponentially. Sit next to those open windows to maximize your sunlight absorption. You

can also use phototherapy to help. This involves using lights that mimic natural sunlight. You can also surround yourself with imagery that is bright and sunny when the days are cloudy and dull. Set your screensaver on your phone or computer to something warm, inviting, and bright. This can also help elevate your mood.

3. Start listening! Music and mood have been linked for quite some time. Choose music that is uplifting rather than dark and moody. Christmas carols or summer themed choices are generally best for combating the blues.

Who can be sad when the beat is happy? Also, schedule time to talk with your significant other, best friend, or someone else you care about. Con-

sider an alarm clock that uses natural sounds and/ or light to wake you rather than your usual methods. And enjoy the peace and quiet, get away from the noise and chaos that is everyday life.

4. Taste the joy! Many people gain weight when battling SAD. Choose foods that remind you of summer. Mix blueberries, chocolate, and nuts into trail mix and snack on it. Choose hot tea rather than coffee when you need to warm up on cold afternoons. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables as often as you can.

When you can’t choose frozen options. Put them in salads, smoothies, or as dessert itself. You’ll be amazed at the difference it can make as far as your mood is concerned.

5. Be sensitive to TOUCH! Touch is one of the first senses to develop inside the womb, so it only makes sense that it can be a huge antidepressant for some people. Clothing that is soft, breathable and comfortable can go a long way.

Also, the same characteristics in bedding can be helpful. Get affirming touches such as hugs, cuddling, and other gentle affections from your spouse, significant other, or even your pets. You may also wish to consider getting regular massages from a licensed massage therapist.

Don’t be SAD this winter. Take some of the tips above and change the pattern that may have been going on for years.

You’ll be glad you did.

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