June & July 2025
Cody Stubbs
Cowboy returns as chiropractor
Historic Springville
Preservation and revitalization done right
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Discover The Essence of St. Clair
Cody
• Longer days mean more time for showings, and vibrant homes look their best in the sunlight.
• With her deep knowledge of the market and personalized approach, Laurie ensures you get the best value for your home or find a property that checks every box on your list.
• Laurie handles the details so you can focus on enjoying the season!
Writers AND Photographers
Carol Pappas
Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines. She won dozens of writing awards and was a Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn. She serves as president/CEO of Partners by Design, which publishes Discover and LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®.
Graham Hadley
Graham Hadley is the managing editor and designer for Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine and also manages the magazine website. Along with Carol Pappas, he left The Daily Home as managing editor to become vice president of the Creative Division of Partners by Design multimedia company.
Roxann Edsall
Roxann Edsall is a freelance writer and former managing editor of Convene Magazine, a convention industry publication. She has a degree in (broadcast) journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, worked as a television news reporter in Biloxi and as a reporter and assignments editor in Birmingham.
Scottie Vickery
Scottie Vickery is a writer with a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and was a reporter for The Birmingham News. Her first assignment was covering St. Clair and Blount counties. She has more than 30 years of writing and editing experience and her work has appeared in a variety of publications. She also has worked in the nonprofit industry.
Paul South, a native of Fairfield, is an Auburn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, he had a versatile career as reporter, columnist and first full-time sports information director at Samford University.
Joe Whitten
Joe Whitten was born in Bryant on Sand Mountain. When he arrived in Odenville in 1961 to teach at St. Clair County High School, he found a place to call home. Joe was active in the Alabama Writers’ Conclave and the Alabama State Poetry Society. The society named him Poet of the Year in 2000. Joe has also published several local history books.
Free
Mackenzie Free is an experienced and nationally published photographer with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is a Birmingham native now cultivating life on a farm in Steele with her husband & 4 daughters.
Mackenzie
Paul South
From the Editor
Looking back at the beginning
With the arrival of June always comes memories of the earliest days of Discover, The Essence of St. Clair Magazine. It was in June 2011 – 14 years ago – that we transformed a simple idea into the pages of this magazine.
As newspaper veterans, we surely knew how to tell a story – plenty of them. But creating a full-fledged magazine from nothing more than the notion that telling local stories had an unrivaled allure was a bit daunting. Call it naivete or just dumb luck, but it turned out we were right. It was a commodity you couldn’t get anywhere else.
So off on this journey of ‘build it and they will come’ we went. We took the road less traveled, and indeed, it has made all the difference.
Each issue is but another chapter in our travels, and we thank you for coming along and discovering it all with us. Our readers and advertisers, many of whom have been with us from the very beginning, are owed a debt of thanks. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for encouraging us. Thank you for sharing your stories.
As we embark on year 15, we savor the memories made along the way and look forward to the memories yet to be made.
One such story is that of Jessie Homes, whose selfdescribed troubled youth led him away from his years lived in Odenville to years of self-discovery “off the grid” in Alaska and a feat the world celebrates.
In late March, Holmes won the grueling Iditarod, the longest dog sled race in Alaska’s history. It was the 53rd running of the event and covered 1,129 miles and took more than 10 days. He made history more than once, reportedly becoming the first champion from below the Mason-Dixon line.
History is being made in Springville these days by preserving it. Just ask Frank and Carol Waid, who are at the
heart of a number of projects by the Springville Preservation Society aimed at restoring landmarks, like the Rock School and Presbyterian Church, as well as growing a museum and genealogy and research center.
It’s not so much history but new beginnings for Pell City’s Gaston Williamson, who transports puppies all over the country to settle in their forever home.
Also in this issue, we’ll trace the footsteps of Les Johnson, whose found a home in St. Clair County, Alabama, after moving from his longtime home in St. Clair County, Michigan.
We’ll take you inside the long awaited arrival of Outback Steakhouse, which officials welcomed to Pell City in April.
And we’ll take you on a tour of a quartet of other new eateries adding to the diversity of the city’s restaurant scene – Kami Sushi and Asian Fusion, Jamaican Spice Restaurant, Porky Pirate Barbecue and Coosa Creamery and Cafe.
It’s all here and more in this issue of Discover. Turn the page and discover it all with us!
Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher
Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher
Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer Dale Halpin • Advertising
Design
Cowboy chiropractor Rodeo champion Cody Stubbs back home again
Staff from left, Dr. Shawn Stubbs, Dr. Cody Stubbs, Ginny Pate and Misty Cunningham
Story by Carol Pappas Staff and submitted photos
It’s been quite a ride, but the young man who at 15 had amassed dozens of championships in the rodeo circuit, is back home in Moody practicing chiropractic care as a full-fledged doctor of chiropractic.
Throughout his high school years, Cody Stubbs was a rodeo sensation – bull riding, chute dogging (steer wrestling), goat tying and, his absolute favorite, team roping, among other rodeo events. Beyond the championship buckles and saddles, his talent earned him a scholarship to the University of West Alabama for undergraduate school, where he was pursuing orthopedic medicine.
By his second year of undergraduate studies, he realized his philosophy of care aligned more with chiropractic than traditional medicine – a more holistic approach of education, wellness and lifestyle. It turned out to be a “lightbulb” moment about his future.
It seemed a natural path to take. His mother, Dr. Shawn Stubbs, has owned Crossroads Chiropractic in Moody for the past 25 years. Cody “grew up” there, she said, flashing photos of him playing in the clinic as a toddler or sporting his name-embroidered shirt he wore to escort patients back to rooms as a youngster.
It’s always been like family around the clinic. Receptionist Ginny Pate used to be Cody’s nanny. Now she’s assisting all grown-up Dr. Cody.
He graduated from West Alabama in Livingston, where he met his future wife, Raven, who was a rodeo champion, too, having finished fourth in the world in Barrel Racing at the collegiate level. After college, he headed to Life University in Marietta, Ga., outside Atlanta, where he earned his doctorate. Then, it was like homecoming, returning to Moody and Crossroads Chiropractic, where he settled in as “Dr. Cody” in October. “It’s the best job in
Cody Stubbs Chute Dogging Alabama State Champion at National Finals, Gallup, New Mexico, 2013
Cody shows off his header skills in the family’s practice arena
the world,” Cody said. “I am fortunate to be able to do it and see people get better without surgery or drugs.”
His mother said she is fortunate to have him back home working with her. “I love it. It’s like a dream come true working with him, my son following in my footsteps. The patients request him, and I get to play with my grandbaby.”
That’s her plan, she said, spending more time with the grandchildren. “Cody’s handling it great, above expectations. He’s just wonderful. He is really good with the elderly population, very respectful.”
He enjoys working with the older patients, too. He makes them laugh and puts them at ease. The aging patient traditionally has a number of doctors’ appointments. His goal is to make the appointment with him one they don’t dread.
“Everybody leaves with a smile on their face after seeing him, besides feeling better,” Dr. Shawn said.
Returning home to a piece of land between Moody and Odenville has stirred those old cowboy memories in him, and he talks of getting a horse and roping again one day. “I’m a country boy,” he said. Atlanta was “a lot of city for me,” so it’s good to be home on the land among the animals and wide-open spaces.
But for now, he’s content to take care of priorities – tending to the practice, his wife and one-yearold, Weston, and a second baby on the way. “I’ll be back soon. I have other priorities to get to. Family comes first, then I’ll get back to it.”l
Out of all of his buckles, the one he received for sportsmanship is Cody’s favorite
One Mile at a Time Former Odenville resident wins 2025 Iditarod Dogsled Race
Story by Roxann Edsall Submitted photos
A trip by car from Odenville to Boston is 1,159 miles. From Odenville to Tucumcari, New Mexico is just under 1,100 miles. Now imagine a similar distance in the harsh, winter environment in Alaska, but instead of being inside your warm car, you are standing on the footboard of a sled racing through the frozen tundra at 10 to 12 miles per hour.
Alabama native Jessie Holmes knows firsthand the experience, as a musher and veteran racer of long-distance dog sled races.
He won this year’s 1,128-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the longest Iditarod in the race’s 53-year history. Due to a lack of snowfall along parts of the normal route, the official start of the 2025 race was moved from Willow, Alaska to Fairbanks. The routing of the race was also altered,
a precaution made to protect the safety of the mushers and their dogs, but adding over 100 miles to the grueling journey.
Holmes crossed the finish line in Nome at 2:55 a.m. on March 14, having completed the race in 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 41 seconds, just a little more than three hours ahead of second place finisher, veteran musher Matt Hall. The win brought with it a check for $57,200.
This was the 8th Iditarod for the 43-year-old Holmes, his strongest Iditarod finish. He placed 3rd in 2024 and in 2022.
Success, for Holmes, has been hard fought. Born in Sylacauga and raised in Phenix City by his mom, Judy Holmes, he admits to running away and getting into trouble a lot. As a teenager, he spent two years living with his father in Odenville and attended St. Clair County High School. Still getting into trouble there, he left school and headed out West hoping to figure things out.
“I was traveling, jumping trains, hitchhiking across the country working odd jobs,” says Holmes. “I settled in Montana for a little while working for a family. Then I headed up north into the Yukon Territory, wanting to be a mountain man.” He ultimately landed in Alaska, where he has thrived living off the grid.
He calls the wilderness the cure for the troubles of his youth. “It was what my soul needed,” admits Holmes. He credits the loving guidance of his grandfather, Gene Richmond, with his love of the wilderness lifestyle. An army veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, his grandfather lived on Fort Benning, just minutes from his Phenix City home.
As a youngster, Holmes was happy there playing with the chickens and beagles and in the garden. “I was always trying to round up stray dogs everywhere I went and was always getting in trouble for it. I’ve had a strong empathy for animals my whole life,” Holmes says. “If you ran over a turtle, I was in tears.”
From his grandfather, young Jessie learned to hunt, fish, trap, garden and raise dogs, skills he still uses to provide for himself and for his animals. His grandfather has since passed, but his “granny” still lives in Phenix City.
With his human family so far away, Holmes’ describes his dogs as family. And a big family it is. Working with 60 to 70 dogs in his kennel, he breeds, raises and trains dogs for his teams and for other mushers.
He has apprentices who work with him at his homestead and learn about training sled dogs. He still trains his “A-team,” which is about 30 dogs, while his apprentices work with the “B-team” and “C-team” dogs. He’s mentoring these young people just as he was mentored by special people when he first arrived in Alaska.
Holmes gratefully acknowledges the men who took him under their wings. Jerry (Gerald) Riley, the 1976 Iditarod champion, was influential in steering the Alabama transplant through some challenging times. “He kind of adopted me,” says Holmes. “He’s the one that really saw that I could be a champion and convinced me of it. I had kind of a negative perception of myself.”
Riley taught him some important wilderness skills and got him interested in dog breeding and racing. “I learned a lot about race tactics from him, like psyching out your competitors and not letting people play mind games on you. He was a master at race strategy.” Riley never got to see Holmes win the Iditarod, having passed away last fall.
Jessie tends to the needs of his dogs before his own
Gettting ready to bed down with his dogs for a short rest
For a few years, Holmes lived in Nenana and had other Iditarod racers as neighbors. 1983 Champion Rick Mackey taught Holmes more on strategy, numbers and dog care. Bill Cotter, whose top finish was 3rd place, became a father figure to him. “All three of them taught me so much,” says Holmes.
“They came from a different era of mushing,” Holmes adds. “They didn’t typically travel all through the night because they didn’t have the high-level headlamps that we have now. All the gear is a lot more high-tech now. When it felt tough for me, I thought about them. I focused on doing this for a bigger reason than myself. I did it for all the people who believed in me and for those mentors that have passed.”
Reality Star
The Iditarod isn’t Holmes’ only claim to fame. When a National Geographic channel series producer was looking for cast members for Life Below Zero, a show about sustenance living in remote villages of the Alaskan wilderness, friends recommended Holmes. He was cast in the show, which ran from 2015 to 2023, and won nine Academy of Television Arts & Sciences prime time Emmy Awards.
“I wasn’t interested in the show at first, but I was paid very well and that gave me the income boost that I needed to be able to do the racing and the lifestyle I wanted,” Holmes explains.
He had already been excelling in mid-length races but hadn’t had the money to put into training and the expenses for the longer races, like the Iditarod. With his earnings from Life Below Zero, he was able to buy better dogs, breed them and increase the quality of his team.
He began training for his first Iditarod, and the show documented and filmed that first attempt and his second year. He was named Rookie of the Year with a 7th place finish in his first attempt in 2018.
“You’re cold, hungry, sleepy,” describes Holmes of the race experience. “You’re excited and, you know, scared. It’s almost every emotion you can imagine, all wrapped up in each day.” There are many dangers on the trail, including frostbite, whiteout conditions, injuries to the musher or the dogs and dangers from wildlife.
In the 2024 race, he ended up breaking his hand defending his dogs from an angry moose. “We kind of came up on it, and it was sleeping on a real narrow technical spot on the trail,” Holmes recalls. “The dogs were just trying to go by, and it tried to stomp some of the dogs in the team. It reared up and stomped towards the dogs and me and the sled. We’d just startled it, and it was using its survival instinct, but I came face-to-face with it and had to punch it in the nose.”
Very real dangers during races also include sleep deprivation and complete exhaustion, even to the point of hallucination. “I’ve only hallucinated once years ago,” says Holmes. “I was
in a pretty depleted state. I was along the coast and saw semitrucks going down the sea ice and going like 60 miles an hour. I was in this crazy state of believing that it was really happening, and I was so irritated that they would let that happen on the race trail. Then there was like a massive white wall about three feet high, and I felt like I had to duck under it, so I threw the sled on the side and ducked underneath it. When I jumped back up and threw the sled upright, I looked back and it wasn’t there.” That experience shook him, and he ended taking a 9th place finish in that year’s Iditarod. Since then, he’s learned to manage his energy and prioritize his health.
His health has been an issue for him the past three years as he recovered from nearly being crushed by a house. In September of 2022, Holmes was helping in the recovery efforts after Typhoon Merbok hit the coastline of Western Alaska nearly destroying the town of Golovin. He and other volunteers were pulling out wet insulation and plywood from under a house and
when he pulled his last nail, a portion of the underside of the house collapsed, pinning him beneath. Friends pulled him out and got him to the hospital.
“I broke three ribs and shattered my wrist,” tells Holmes. “That all happened at the peak of training for that year’s Iditarod. I entered that race with a lot of physical problems and basically emaciated at 142 pounds. So, I had a tough time on the trail. I ended up getting 5th that year.
With his health a priority, this year’s race strategy was to catch a one-hour nap each time he had to stop. He planned fivehour rest stops to give himself ample time to get his dogs taken care of and to give them 3½ hours of uninterrupted sleep. After they were put to bed, he made sure his hydration and nutrition needs were met, which left him about an hour of sleep time.
“So, the first thing I do right when I get stopped is to direct them off the trail somewhere,” explains Holmes. “My leaders listen to me, so a few commands, and they’ll park themselves off the trail.”
Having settled the dogs off the trail, he gets a cooker going to melt snow. It takes 3 ½ gallons of boiling water to thaw the meat his dogs will need. Because of the incredible amounts of energy needed for the race, sled dogs needs approximately two pounds of meat at each feeding. Holmes also uses the boiling water to thaw the ointments and massage oils to help each dog with sore muscles and foot abrasions.
“After they’ve gotten their ointments and massage oils, I add the kibble and supplements to their meat,” Holmes adds. “When they’re done, I put their coats on them and get them settled in the straw bed. Then it’s time for me to eat, repack my sled and climb in the straw with them for about an hour of sleep.”
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race rules mandate three stops along the race route, with one being a 24-hour stop at a major checkpoint and the other two being 8-hour stops. These required stops are designed to ensure that there is ample time for dog care and rest for the musher and his or her team.
It is also where mushers arrange for resupply shipments to be picked up. “I use them mostly for refueling points,” explains Holmes. “I get my straw, fuel for my cooker and my drop bags with supplies that I’ve ordered. I don’t stay in the towns. I camp in the country with my dogs.” That way, he says, he can keep his focus on the race and have fewer distractions.”
Holmes is very proud of all his dogs, particularly the team that won the Iditarod. “It was pretty special to have like that whole 10-dog team that I finished with be those that I bred and raised and have a deep connection to,” he says, adding that he loves them and wants them to succeed like a parent wanting to see his children succeed. “You know they’re not your children, but it’s a very blurred line for me.”
Two months before the start of the Iditarod, Holmes and his team won the Copper Basin 300, a 300-mile race. Then, just three weeks after winning the Iditarod, Holmes won the Kobuk 440. “That was my goal for the season,” says Holmes. “I saw how good the team was, and I knew we were at the peak of our career and had put the work in. To accomplish big goals, you have to set big goals.”
Holmes loves a challenge. “My goal was never to just live the simplest life in the world. It was to thrive in the wilderness,” he says. “I’m just an odd duck up here. I came from Alabama with a dream and a passion, and I pursued it to no end.
“I think it’s our southern heritage, the resilience and toughness that characterizes us from the South. When you’re hitting some terrible adversities, you’ve got to take it one day at a time, even one mile at a time.” l
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Traveling the BACKROADS Les Johnson From St. Clair County, Michigan, to St. Clair County, Alabama
Les and young friends at 90th birthday party
Story by Joe Whitten
Contributed photos
For someone to live 78 years in St. Clair County without ever eating barbecue sounds like cuisine deprivation. But that was 90-year-old Les Johnson’s sad truth. He deserves compassion, however, for he grew up in St. Clair County, Michigan. “I came to Alabama for the first time in 2012, and I ate my first barbecue at Charlie’s in Odenville,” Les admitted, “and I’ve never stopped eating them since.” In St. Clair County, Alabama, he not only enjoyed barbecue but also collard greens, fried okra, butterbeans, and cobbler pie.
Les’s story starts in Canada where his father, Leslie Hontoon Johnson, was born. Leslie was awarded US citizenship for fighting for America in World War I. After the war, he worked as Chief Steward on a Great Lakes freighter. When he was on
leave in Port Huron, Michigan, he became friends with Eva Fleming. They fell in love and were soon married.
Because Leslie was on the ship for months at a time, Eva moved back with her parents at the farm. Two daughters, Mary and Grace, were born there, and on July 4, 1934, Les joined them. Today he says all the 4th of July fireworks are for him.
Les enjoyed a special relationship with his grandfather. “I loved living on the farm,” he recounted. “My grandfather died when I was five, but I still remember him. He was over six feet tall, and there weren’t many men that tall then. He had huge hands, and he’d take mine and cover it with his.”
A creek flowed by their farm, and in winter he and his granddad would walk the frozen creek in the snow to the nearest town to buy supplies.
When his grandpa died, his mother ran the farm and his dad continued on the freighter.
Les spoke fondly of the farm. “We sold chickens and eggs
Les in uniform in his early 20s
Traveling the BACKROADS
and butter. My mother made butter with a churn. The Kroger and A&P stores would call us and tell us how many chickens they needed for the weekend, and we’d get the chickens, stick ‘em in the neck with a sharp knife, and hang ‘em on the clothesline to let the blood drip. Then we had to put them in tubs of hot and cold water and pull all the feathers out.” No automation in those days.
The Johnson children peddled their products on Saturdays to regular customers in Port Huron. “We already had their orders,” Les related. “My sister would take one side of the road, and I’d take the other. We always had eggs and butter. And when strawberries were in, we sold strawberries for 25 cents a quart.”
Just like Alabama kids, Les took chances, without much consideration of consequences. He and sister Mary rode a horse that refused to cross a wooden bridge over the creek. “One day, we decided we’d get at the top of the hill and get him going as fast as we could downhill, so he’d have to cross the bridge.” However, the horse stopped stone still the second his hoofs hit the wood. “The hor se stopped, but we went across that bridge,” he laughed. “We were picking gravel out of our legs for months.”
Les got the better of his sisters many times. He would scrunch himself between his sister and her boyfriend until they paid him to leave. Sometimes he would lock a sister in a room until they paid up. But they loved him, and his 98-year-old sister, Grace, recently said of him, “Les was always so spoiled by everyone because he was so much younger and the only boy. He got away with everything! He was and is so loved by everyone.”
As the ship’s Head Stewart, Leslie Johnson could take his wife on two trips a year and young Les went with her. They
Les with sisters Mary and Grace
would drive to Lorain, Ohio, where the ship unloaded and uploaded. “We would get onboard there,” Les said, “and we’d go through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie and get a ship load up there and come back to Lorain. We had a ’36 Chevrolet, and I’d sit on the armrest on the back seat while my mother drove us back home.”
Those times ended when Les’s dad had a heart attack on ship. The crew lowered him on a stretcher into a Port Huron mail boat which brought him to shore. Leslie was at home for about a month before he died.
The Johnson family continued farming for about two years, then his mother sold the property, and they moved to Port Huron where she took a job as a butcher. Sister Mary had married. Sister Grace lived with an aunt, and 12-year-old Les lived with his mother.
Les recalled having to move. “It was terrible, moving to a city—a city I’d never been to except for shopping. I had to get new friends and go to a different school. The first couple of weeks, I hated it, but then I made some friends and liked it a little bit. But I missed the farm.”
Having learned how to work at the farm, in the city, 12-yearold Les soon had a newspaper route. When he turned 14, he got a job cleaning an appliance store, and when he got his driver’s license, he began delivering appliances. “My first car,” Les laughed, “was a ’29 Model A. It cost me $30.00, and then it cost me $50.00 for insurance.”
On June 16, 1953, Les graduated from Port Huron High School, but perhaps the more memorable event had occurred a few weeks earlier on May 21, 1953. During the afternoon of that day, an F-4 tornado, over a mile wide, wreaked destruction throughout Port Huron, then whirled across the St. Clair River
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Traveling the BACKROADS
into Canada. In remembering the tornado, Les told how “It blew the roof off the back of our house where my mother was sitting in the kitchen. It never touched her, but she was so frightened that her hair turned white, and it never turned back to brown. The colloquial name for this phenomenon is the Maria Antoinette Syndrome, for her hair is said to have turned white overnight from the trauma of the Reign of Terror’s’ guillotine.
Les enjoyed building and remodeling houses. When asked about this, he said, “I worked for a construction company, and I always loved building stuff. The week before I graduated from high school, I got a job with a construction company, and they said they’d try me out for two weeks. I stayed there for 25 years. When I first started working there, I was in the union, and I got $1.95 an hour. When I retired, I was getting $28.00 an hour.”
That company built houses and factories, so Les developed expertise in carpentry and ironwork. He left that company in 1978, then worked for a power company until 1983.
In 1954, Les married Fay Burns, and needing a house to live in, he built it. Having learned never to waste anything, he tore down an old house for material for the new house, salvaging everything. He and Fay pulled out all the nails and filled five five-gallon buckets and sold them for scrap.
Les worked his regular job during the day and worked on their home in the evenings. He had it roughed-in when his draft notice arrived. Three weeks later he was in the army. He boarded up the windows and put tarpaper over the top, and there it sat for two years until he was discharged.
The Johnson children arrived by adoption. Fay and Les adopted Lori in 1962, Steven in 1963, and Lynette in 1968. A few years after, Les’s sister-inlaw and her husband both died close together, so, the Johnsons took his niece, Michelle, into their home as their daughter.
Any time the siblings are together, they enjoy recalling good times growing up. “When I was a kid,” Lynette related, “we used to go to a campground called Pigeon River Campground in Michigan. One night when we were sitting around the fire, dad decided to do a rain dance around the fire. It worked! Not only did we have rain that night, we also had a tornado. He still performs a rain dance on occasion.”
Sister Lori added hers. “When dad lost his leg from the work accident, he gave us kids a choice: either a pool or go to Florida. We got both,” she laughed. “When we wanted horses, he drove us all through the country and would say ‘How does that smell?’ We would respond with ‘That smells bad because it’s cow manure!’ Then we went by the horses and would say, ‘Humm that smells good! Must be horse manure!’ That worked too. We got our horses! He taught us a good work ethic. We
Les and Fay Johnson at a grandson’s wedding
Back, Les and Grace; Front, Mary and their mother, Eva
couldn’t have asked for a better dad!”
Traveling the BACKROADS
Steve’s memory connects with horses. “In 1975, dad bought a frame for a one-horse sleigh at an auction, and he and I restored it in his workshop in the basement. He built the body, the seats, and everything. Some friends of his gave him the harness. We had a few horses, and one was able to pull the sleigh. So, he put bells on it, and at Christmas time he would take us for rides through the snow around the neighborhood in the sleigh. Those were extra special moments—both helping build the sleigh and riding it.”
Michelle’s memory shows Les’s ability to assess character. “I had a date, and our dates were required to come to the door. Les answered the door and told my date, ‘You have 30 seconds to get off the porch and out of the driveway—and you better move it because it’s a long driveway.’ I was so upset, and I cried and cried. But Les said, ‘That boy’s no good, I just know it.’ And low-and-behold, a couple years later that same young man went to jail! I hated to admit that my dad was right,” she laughed, “but he certainly was. He is an amazing man, and we are all blessed to have him in our lives.”
The Johnsons enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting. They owned a parcel of hunting land, but it had no cabin. Les, who never saw a job he couldn’t do, solved that problem. The Grand Trunk Railway Company’s nearby railyard refurbished boxcars, and Les bought a truckload of boxcar two-by-sixes. “They delivered them,” he said, “and I had a John Deere tractor with a 30-inch sawblade, and I sawed the two-by-sixes down to two-by-fours and framed a cabin in my back yard—bolted the sections together, numbered them, and took it down.”
A friend loaned him a truck to haul the cabin sections to the site. On Les’s brother-in-law’s trailer they put some furniture on, and the two headed out at 3:00 in the morning. They arrived onsite at 7:00 and started working. They finished at 7:00 that night and headed home.
Les enjoyed hunting even after an industrial accident cost him a leg. He and son-in-law Tim often hunted together. “We were walking out of the woods one night,” Tim laughed, “and Les fell over. He said, ‘I stepped in a hole.’ I helped him up. He took one step and fell down again. When I helped him up that time, I noticed that his foot was missing—it had broken off his artificial leg. We hobbled to the cabin and took three of his old legs and engineered a new one for him to get home.”
All of Les and Fay’s children married and raised families in Port Huron. Grandchildren came and the grandparents enjoyed being part of their lives. However, one day Tim dumbfounded everybody by announcing his family was moving to Alabama. His company had transferred him.
When asked how that news was received, Les chuckled, “Well, my wife had a fit. ‘You can’t take my grandkids and go to Alabama! I don’t know where that is.’ I wasn’t happy about it either,” he admitted, “but we helped them move. I drove the U-Haul with Tim. We came at the end of October 2012, and my wife and I stayed that winter with them.”
The tightknit Johnsons adjusted and started making the drive from Port Huron to Alabama. Les and Fay came each winter and enjoyed the warmer Alabama weather.
When Les’s wife died in 2016, he lived alone in their Michigan home for two years. Lynette and Tim encouraged him to sell his home and move to Alabama and live with them,
and in 2018 he moved in with them.
Les began attending First Baptist Church Springville with the Hoffmans. He made friends easily and was soon involved with Sunday school and church, the Saints Alive senior group, and the Over the Hill Gang, men who meet at the Farmhouse Restaurant every Friday for lunch.
Desiring to join First Baptist, Les attended the New Members Class with the pastors. Having come from a Methodist and Lutheran background, he needed to be baptized by emersion. But how could a one-legged man get in and out of the baptistery? No problem for two deacons, as Les tells it. “I took my leg off, and Lee Love and Al Rayburn carried me down the steps into the baptistry, and Pastor David DuPre dunked me.”
After the baptism, Pastor Chip Thornton told his favorite story about Les. “He was put under anesthesia for surgery. When they rolled him out of the recovery room, he was flat on his back, still under the effects of anesthesia, but he had his arms in the air, and was saying, ‘Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!’ The congregation loved it and applauded.
One reason Les enjoys Alabama is the long gardening season. “I can garden almost year-round,” Les comments. “Certain things I can plant in the fall, and others in the spring” For early start, he needed a greenhouse, so he and Tim built one. They bought used windows, put a skylight on the roof, and heating bars inside. “I use it to grow tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and cauliflower seedlings, then I give most of them to people in the church,” he laughed. “It’s just fun watching them grow.”
Gardeners at church gave Les hints on Southern gardening, and his grand-son-in-law, Matt Hyatt, of Chandler Mountain, gave pointers as well. Les may be 90 years old, but he still enjoys learning.
And learning more about the Bible, God, and Jesus his Savior is what he enjoys most. When asked about the difference in church and preaching in Michigan and here, he responded: “Like between night and day! I thought I was
Lynette and Les
Traveling the BACKROADS
getting the Word of God,” he lamented, “but I wasn’t. It is so different. Here they go through the Bible. When I first got down here and went to Sunday school class, they could a verse—or one word--and teach on that for a whole hour—what it means and where a word came from. They never did that up north. It’s just a blessing to be down here. I love all our pastors, and I love all the people in my church.” He paused, then added, “And they love me. I couldn’t get used to that at first. When people would say, ‘I love you,’ I thought, parents and my family say that. But down here, they all say they love me!”
And they do. In the spring of 2022, Les was going through a down time resulting from events in October 2021 on a trip to Port Huron. On the first day of that trip, the airline misplaced his luggage, and someone hacked his credit card. On the second day, he stumbled and broke his hip, which resulted in hip-replacement surgery and two weeks of recuperation in a nursing home and three weeks at his daughter Lori’s home. When he finally arrived back home on Beaver Ridge Mountain, he said, “If you want to see me again, come to Alabama.” His spirits were so low that a Sunday school buddy, Chuck Whitiker, suggested to the Sunday school teacher that the class plan a surprise birthday party for Les. The class agreed and managed to keep it secret from Les.
On the day of the party, Lynette and daughter Sara decorated the church’s Family Life Center. Jeri Jenkins prepared the food. Tim’s job was to get Les to the event. By creative subterfuge concerning a church
The one-horse sleigh
Dining with friends
Traveling the BACKROADS
meeting that needed Les in attendance, Tim got Les in the truck; however, Les, being significantly disgruntled, grumbled his discontent all the way to the church. Tim opened the FLC door and frowning Les entered to be greeted with shouts of “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” Thus, he was shocked out of the doldrums into good spirits to enjoy the day.
Les thinks of Heaven often and that his body will be in working order—he’s had 25 plus surgeries, has one artificial leg, an artificial hip, is blind in one eye and has macular degeneration in the other, and he has scalloped edged ears from removed skin cancers. “I’ll have everything new in Heaven,” he laughed. He recently received a hand-held gadget that allows him to read and listen to the Bible, and that makes him happy. His grandson-inlaw, Matt, built a prayer bench for him which they placed in a wooded nook, and in good weather, Les spends time there praying for his family and thanking God for all his goodness and kindness to him. If one happened to be nearby and unseen, he might hear Les singing “And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known,” for “In the Garden” is one of his favorite hymns. The time he has spent in God’s Garden of meditation is reflected in his life. Les Johnson is a one-of-a-kind inspiration. l
Les and his four children, Michele, Lore, Lynette and Steve
Les’ tomato harvest
Les’ garden is his pride and joy
Farm to Market to Table
e state may be celebrating 2025 as the Year of Alabama Trails, but St. Clair County has a trail it savors every year – its very own trail of Farmers Markets. From one end of the county to the other, summer’s fresh bounty is on display. Take your pick! Our farms’ freshest and nest have been picked just for you!
Farmers Market, Entertainment District. Until Thanksgiving 101 Beech Street, Trussville, AL 35173 City of Leeds ● Thursdays 3-7 p.m., Leeds Farmers Market, All Summer 1st Avenue between 6th & 7th Street, Leeds, AL 35094 ● 3rd Saturdays 8-11 a.m., Market on Main: Summer Series, Market, Food Trucks, Vendors, 6/21, 7/19, 8/16, 1st Avenue between 6th & 7th Street, Leeds, AL 35094
Logan Martin Longbeards
NWTF auction and fundraiser a huge success
Crowd packs out Celebrations in Pell City for the banquet
Story
and
photos by Graham Hadley
For the first time in a quarter of a century, the local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation held a Hunting Heritage Banquet in St. Clair County and marked the event as more of a success than they ever dreamed.
“Even if we had raised half of what we did, I would have considered it a success. We brought in about twice that. This was a fantastic first-time event,” said Jim Tollison, chapter president and chairperson of the fundraiser.
The local branch of the NWTF, called the Logan Martin Longbeards, recently reorganized with the help of the national organization, Tollison and some of his coworkers at Alabama Farm Credit in Talladega, where he serves as the regional vice president, and a host of others throughout the community.
“The NWTF works to protect wild turkey habitats and hunter rights,” Tollison said, pointing out that wild turkeys were all but hunted out in Alabama in the early 1900s. “For years, it was not common to see turkeys around where we live. They had to reintroduce wild turkeys to the state, or we would not have them today.”
Those efforts run the range from conservation to working
People and businesses stepped up with sponsorships
Veterans and military were the first to line up for food
with communities and government agencies to protect the land and the heritage of the sport.
The event organizers are still adding everything up, but the banquet, held April 3 at Celebrations in Pell City, brought in between $30,000 and $35,000 and attracted more than 150 people.
Aside from the catered dinner by Bowlings BBQ, attendees got to bid on and take part in drawings for a variety of guns and other outdoor and hunting equipment.
“People came together who like the outdoors,” Tollison said. “It was just a great group of people. The Federation had some special guns to win. Some are custom that are only available from the organization.
“It’s always fun to have a live auction – there were a couple of times I realized I was bidding against my wife, Brooke. And she was bidding on lots of stuff – it looked like she was trying to furnish our son, Jay’s, college room with NWTF stuff.
“Brian Worley helped with background checks, and GNX Guns and Bama Guns & Outfitters also were big sponsors.”
Those partners were key to the success. “Chad Camp with Lovejoy Realty really stepped up. He was eager to support the outdoors and did the premiere sponsorship,” Tollison said. Others, like Realtor Dana Ellison and Rob Knight not only
Some of the guns to be auctioned off
Dillion
sponsored the event, but they came and spent money at the auction.
Other sponsors included Cline & Co Properties; Richey, Price, Sawyer and Associates; THM Electrical and Maintenance Services; Chase Phifer; GNX Gun Exchange; Coosa Guns & Outdoors; Sen. Lance Bell; Bain & Co. CPA; Dixie Sod Farm; Alabama Farm Credit; Farm Systems Inc.; Metro Bank; Covered Bridge Timber Inc.; Rodney Bunt; Knights Plumbing; Ryan’s Hope Poultry Farm; Brooke Tollison, Alfa Insurance; Scott Tucker; and Alex Williamson
“Celebrations was great to work with. They have upgraded the venue, and everything was perfect for what we wanted to do … have a family friendly event where people could bring their kids and have a fun night.”
Tollison also wanted to thank all the help he had organizing everything, especially from the NWTF and his associates at the bank.
“I had been attending these events in other places as a way to network and build business relationships and finally said to myself, why don’t we do this here? I was sitting with NWTF regional representative Coy Holloway and Hannah Grogan (who became treasurer for the organization) at
Chapter president
Jim Tollison and Chad Camp
The committee included Cameron Edge, Hanna Grogan, Logan Tucker, Karlee Tucker, Tim Smith, Brittany Smith, Jim Tollison, David Talley, Coy Holloway and
Willams (Not pictured – Brooke Tollison)
• Adults learning to read or improve reading skills
• One on one reading classes
• Classes to help with reading skills and comprehension of what you have read
• GED preparation
• ESOL Classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Every Tuesday night on second floor of Pell City Municipal Complex (above the Pell City Library)
The Literacy Council of St. Clair County offers a helping hand with FREE programs: The Literacy Council of St. Clair County offers a helping hand with FREE programs: FREE CLASSES. FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING. (205) 378-9072
“When my mother had the beginnings of dementia, she was in Birmingham, and I was in Pell City. Working full time, I couldn’t be there. But Always There could, and they helped her with the things she needed to remain independent -- taking her grocery shopping, making sure she got the right medications at the right time, being a companion. Always There allowed her to stay in her own home and took the worries away from my siblings and I when we couldn’t be there for her.”
• Companionship
• Care Management
• Errands
-- Carol P.
• Bathing and Grooming
• Dressing
• Escorts for shopping
• Laundry and appointments
• Light Housekeeping
• Meal Preparation
the bank, and everyone was on board.”
The previous chapter had ceased operations years ago. “When we came up with the name Logan Martin Longbeards and looked it up, turns out the old chapter had used the same name. We had no idea.”
From that group, they organized a board and then put their attention toward the banquet.
“It was really a small core group of people who did most of the work – people from the bank, Coy and others. Brooke was probably one of our top sellers for the event. … And Hanna did a lot of the organizing for the actual event. Representative for NWTF had high praise for her efforts.
“We were blessed this first time.”
The money raised at the event goes to the NWTF efforts, both locally and around the country, with the exception of funding set aside for a local scholarship the Logan Martin Longbeards plan to award.
After the success of this year, Tollison is already looking ahead. “We will be doing this again next year. We had people from Clay and Randolph counties who came out and supported us. I want to reach out to other neighbors, like Talladega and Calhoun counties and get their involvement.”
It was a night of “good fun,” Tollison said, “with a great crowd of quality people who came together to support the NWTF and its efforts.” l
Participants enter to win one of the guns
Opening remarks by Dillion Williams
Have puppy, will travel
Gaston Williamson enjoying life as a professional puppy transporter
Gaston holding one of his puppy ‘fares’
Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submitted photos
Gaston Williamson spent most of his career helping to connect consumers with the products and services they wanted. He’s doing much the same thing in retirement, but the process is a lot more fun.
These days, the former regional product manager for UPS is focusing on transporting cute, cuddly, playful puppies to their forever homes and families. He’s a canine courier of sorts, and his reward is lots of puppy kisses and happy smiles.
“The best part is the excitement I see when I make the final delivery, especially with the children,” Williamson said. “It gives me such a thrill to get to see them.”
Williamson, who lives in Cropwell, was looking for an English Springer Spaniel for his wife, Cynthia, when he met a breeder in Tennessee. They struck up a friendship, and sometimes when Williamson’s work took him nearby, he’d stop in to see the puppies.
“One time I mentioned I was going to be retiring, and the breeder mentioned this and said I should do it,” he said. “She’s the one who got me into it.”
Williamson had helped transport rescue dogs before, so it wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar concept. After hurricanes in Texas and Louisiana in 2017 resulted in a large number of displaced dogs, he became part of a rescue chain made up of volunteers from across the country who helped transport the animals to shelters on the Northeast Coast.
“I’d drive a 100-mile leg and pass the dogs off to someone else,” he said. The process continued until the dogs were ultimately delivered to shelters until they could be reunited with their owners or placed in new homes. “I was still working at the time, but I did that for a couple of years on the weekends,” Williamson said.
That’s why, when he retired in 2021, he became more intrigued with the idea of working with breeders. And now, the name of his Facebook page, Have Puppy Will Travel, pretty much sums up his philosophy these days.
“There’s no telling how many thousands of miles I’ve covered delivering puppies,” he said.
This puppy was headed to Maryland
A puppy delivered to new home in Arkansas, a drive of more than 1,000 miles
So why does he do it? “Number one, I love dogs, and I enjoy the puppies,” said Williamson, adding that he and Cynthia have four dogs, three of which are Springer Spaniels. “Also, I get to see a lot of places I’ve never been. I traveled a lot with my job – I traveled eight states – and I wanted to keep traveling as much as I could.”
The experience is a rewarding one, as well. “A lot of times, I deliver to families who have just lost another dog. It just gives me a kick to see the smiles on their faces.”
Williamson, who also is a driver for St. Clair Area Transportation (SCAT), primarily works with eight breeders in Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. “You’ve got to be careful because you can run into some puppy mills, which I don’t do,” he said.
He vets all of the breeders he works with and makes sure they are certified by Good Dog, an organization that helps ensure its breeders follow responsible breeding practices. Although there have been exceptions, the majority of dogs he transports are Spaniels.
“I’ve had requests for cats, potbellied pigs and rabbits,” he said. “I’ve mostly stuck with Springer Spaniels since I know the breed so well.”
Williamson had no idea the gig would become such a big part of his retirement years. “It started out as a hobby, but I go about two or three times a month,” he said. Sometimes it’s a quick trip to Tennessee, but other times there’s a lot more involved.
“A few weeks ago, I left home about 6 a.m. and drove to Bardstown, Kentucky,” he said. “I picked up a puppy and headed to Alpena, Arkansas. I dropped the dog off at 9:30 p.m. and drove 1,007 miles in one day. I got a motel room real quick.”
Another time he picked up a puppy at the Atlanta airport that had come from the Czech Republic and delivered it to a woman in Kentucky. In cases like that, the dog is shipped via air cargo. “It’s a controlled cargo part of the plane that’s heated, cooled and has oxygen,” Williamson said. “I’ve been real impressed with the way the airlines take care of the dogs.”
He’s not just going to airports to
Gaston shows off a safe way to transport puppies
Puppies that Gaston helped find homes for
pick up puppies, though. A lot of times, he acts as a “flight nanny” and accompanies the puppies on the flight. “You can take a puppy on an airplane as long as it can fit in a flexible carrier that can go under the seat in front of the passenger” Williamson said.
He’s taken lots of plane trips with puppies, and he said they usually sleep for most of the flight. So far, he and his charges have flown to Denver twice, Boston twice, Boise, Dallas and to Bozeman, Montana and Washington, D.C.
It normally costs $85 to $125 for the puppy to fly, but that’s included in the expenses paid by the new owner or the breeder. Williamson charges a fee in addition to the expenses he concurs, whether it’s gas, plane fares or lodging. “My limit is about 13 hours a day,” he said. “Anything over that, I’m probably going to get a hotel room.”
At last count, Williamson had traveled to or driven through about 30 states while transporting puppies. He’s dropped off precious cargo in New Mexico, Phoenix, Utah and Indiana, to name a few. He’s driven through all kinds of weather, including snow, high winds and record flooding. Sometimes it’s a day trip while others take two or three
Gaston and three of his four dogs
His dogs love living by Logan Martin
Cynthia has joined him on a couple of the shorter drives, but sometimes he and his wife take a trip later that was sparked by one of his deliveries. “I’ll go on a trip, and I’ll see something interesting. I’ll come back and talk about it, and we’ll end up taking a trip there,” he said.
Williamson said one of his favorite trips was when he delivered some puppies to a family in Philadelphia on Dec. 22 one year. The only thing the parents told their children was that they were going to the airport. “They probably thought they were going to Disney World or the Bahamas or something,” Williamson said with a laugh.
The kids weren’t disappointed, however. “Those three little kids went crazy over their puppies,” he said. “They were just screaming and going crazy. It was so much fun. It’s things like that that make this so rewarding.” l
Gaston can drive thousands of miles in his
The middle
was from the Czech Republic and was picked up in Atlanta before heading to Tennessee. He spent the night with Gaston’s dogs
Chevy Equinox
dog
in Alabama
One of two puppies delivered during an 800-mile trip
Nichol’s Nook, Laster Sundries and other businesses are the lifeblood of downtown Springville
SPRINGVILLE, AL Historic preservation and revitalization done right
Story by Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley
When Brad Waid, a Bloomfield Hills, Mich.,-based motivational speaker returns home to this St. Clair County town of Springville and pops into Nichol’s Nook Coffee Shop or Laster’s Sundries or any of the other downtown shops, the warm, comforting, kind feeling never changes.
“When my son visits, he says (Springville) is a perfect little town, right out of a Hallmark movie. You walk into Nichol’s and you could do a Hallmark movie in there.”
Frank and Carol Waid, lifelong town residents lead a small army of volunteers who want to keep things that way, preserving the landmarks that give a deep richness to Springville.
The Springville Preservation Society began its work restoring the 1902 Old Rock School, the Presbyterian Church, the Springville Museum and historic homes that adorn the city’s streets.
Nichol’s Nook’s warm, inviting interior with books, puzzles, games and more
People come from all over for cool treats at Laster Sundries
Joy and Tammy Robertson putting together Mice on a Mission at Nichol’s Nook
The Society celebrates historic buildings to be sure. But it’s also about people. Springville has its share of famous folks, like Detroit Tiger pitcher Casey Mize and Pat Buttram and Hank Patterson, stars of the wacky 1960s classic comedy sitcom, Green Acres
But the human story runs deeper. Families have called Springville home for generations. At the turn of the past century, ancestors hauled boulders to help build the school, now part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Work on the beloved school continues.
“The whole upstairs is completed,” Frank Waid said. “The floor’s completed. The kitchen is in. The bathrooms are in. Heating and cooling in the kitchen are in, and two of the main rooms are completed.
Close to completion is an event space made from two rooms where
Brandy Tucker operates her photography business out of one of the rooms in the rock school
a wall has been knocked out.
“That’s where we’ve had to stop right now because we need to put heating and cooling in those two rooms, and we just don’t have quite enough funds to do that. We’re real close to having the funds.”
The Society needs another $2,000-$3,000 dollars to add the HVAC system.
The organization is also working to repair and restore the floors and the front of Springville’s History Museum, housed in the old Masonic Lodge, which was built in 1903. The organization is seeking grants to make needed repairs.
“The whole front of the building is kind of like laying on the
Frank and Carol Waid at the annual fashion show fundraiser
The Woodall Building helps anchor downtown and provides a multiuse venue for the town
ground,” Waid said. “The beams have started to settle and the walls are starting to settle. That’s our big project right now.”
He added, “It’s a bigger project than we can do fundraisers for. It desperately needs to be done or otherwise, we will eventually have to close if we don’t have the funds to get it done.”
Work has also continued on the Presbyterian Church and the accompanying manse, where damaged roofs were replaced on the two buildings. The church building is being used as an event venue, and the manse is a treasure trove of information for amateur and professional researchers.
“It’s a full heritage center,” Waid said.” It’s a research center and a genealogy center. We have lots of books and records that folks can use for family research and genealogy. We have a computer and Wi-Fi for research.”
Are there other projects on the Society’s plate? “That is enough,” said Waid.
“It’s about all we can handle right now.”
The Society has a schedule of events to raise funds for its many efforts and to build community and awareness. A recent yard sale raised enough money to replace the heating and cooling system at the old Presbyterian church.
Springville has rallied to support preservation efforts and with good reason. The Rock School could well be called the cornerstone of historic Springville. “It has ties to all the families, all the way back to the original settlers of the area,” Waid said.
The Society has an active membership. More than half of the 65 members are involved, not just names on a membership roll. “The people who are our members are some of the
Frank says this sign sums up their philosophy
2206 Martin St S Pell City, AL 35128-2356
Phone (205) 884-3470 (205) 473-9080
Fax (866) 666-8481
Proudly serving Alabama communities in Pell City, Ragland, Odenville, Branchville, Cropwell, Alpine and Vincent.
Restored original single traffic light in the Springville History Museum
greatest in the world,” Waid said.
Along with its building and restoration efforts, Springville celebrates its storied heritage in other ways. It’s one of some 30 Alabama cities that hosts walking tours to highlight local history each April. “We get a lot of visitors,” Waid said. “And a lot of visitors tell us that they’re glad to see what we’ve done.”
If time allows, Society members are sure to take visitors, many born and reared in Springville, back to The Rock School. “It brings back so many memories. They love it,” Waid said.
Springville’s preservation push also brings repeat visitors from outside St. Clair County who are smitten with the town. Many make donations, and others even join the Society.
“A lot of people come to the area, and they just love the area, and they see what they are doing to protect the history and buildings so they can be maintained and used for the betterment of the community,” Waid said. “They just love what we’re doing.”
Earlier in June, the Preservation Society hosted a Tablescapes fundraiser, and representatives of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service were expected in Springville to tour the Society’s work.
In the fall, Green Acres Day returns to celebrate Green Acres and the Hollywood careers of Buttram and Patterson.
Beyond brick and mortar, at its heart, Springville is special because of its people, who make it a place where friendship or a helping hand isn’t hard to find, Waid said.
“It’s just a loving, caring city. Anytime there is an event in the city, people come out to support it … Everybody just jumps in to help. It’s that small town you grew up in and even though it’s gotten bigger, it’s more family oriented.”
As for the Hallmark movie analogy, walk into Nichol’s or Laster’s for a taste of something sweet or most anywhere in the heart of Springville and Frank Waid says simply, “It fits.”
A ramp has been added to the rock school to make it ADA compliant The Class of 65 gets to hold its reunion in the old rock school
WANT TO HELP?
The Springville Preservation Society is always seeking new members. For more information, call Frank Waid at 205-837-7790 or Carol Waid at 205837-2586.
The research center is open to the public on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center also hosts genealogy seminars and meetings.
The Springville Museum is open Saturdays from 10 until 2.
And the Springville Preservation Society fits, too.
“We’re here to preserve our heritage and our history,” Waid said. “That’s what we do through all these buildings – telling the story of our little hometown and the people in it and try to save all those memories.”
Those remembrances of days gone by, like when downtown stores used to give away $10 gold pieces, or even Frank Waid’s own father, Fred, who didn’t miss a Springville High football game for 20 years, are sweet and rich like a Laster’s sundae.
What would previous generations who built the city think of society’s work? “I think they would be pleased,” Waid said. “We support our town. If it weren’t for those little Mom and Pop stores, which was all they (our ancestors) had, we wouldn’t have been able to make ends meet.” l
The restored Presbyterian Church and Heritage Center
A section of the rock school before renovations get started
St. Clair, Alabama Business Review
Ribbon cutting at Outback Steakhouse in Pell City
Story and photos by Carol
Pappas
Outback opens
Restaurant the latest major food chain to locate in Pell City
Outback Steakhouse, the popular Australian-themed restaurant chain, cut the ribbon and open the doors to a new dining experience for Pell City in April
One of the most anticipated openings in the city in years, Outback marks a new chapter in the city’s culinary landscape, offering residents and visitors alike a chance to indulge in the chain’s celebrated menu closer to home.
It had been on citizens’ ‘wish list’ for years, and city and county economic development officials set out to make it happen. Officials had options on an outparcel of land in the development where the new shopping center, Pell City Square, located two years ago, and they designated it for a national brand, sit-down restaurant.
They got what they hoped for when Outback inked the deal on the property just west of the shopping center fronting Interstate 20.
Nicole Clark is the proprietor, and her first impression of Pell City is one of a welcoming town. “Everyone has been so hospitable. We’ve had amazing feedback.”
The restaurant created 130 jobs, and the training team developed a real sense of community, she said. “They love the job, and they love the brand. The love and support have been unmatched. I look forward to great partnerships.”
One such community partnership was the first official act at the grand opening – presentation of a check for $8,385.15 to Childhood Food Solutions based in Sylacauga and serving the region that includes Pell City. The check was courtesy of the proceeds from the grand opening.
“Giving back is a critical component of what we do,” one official said.
The restaurant has a seating capacity of 187 with a maximum occupancy of 210 and is located off John Haynes Drive.
The restaurant has been bustling since opening and is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the city in the years to come.
Crowd enjoys food on opening day
Artwork celebrating the theme of the restaurant and its new location in St. Clair County
Realtors Association hands out recognitions
Group of honorees display awards
Calling him “a true ambassador of St. Clair County,” the Association of Realtors presented its most prestigious award to Lyman Lovejoy, who has dedicated more than five decades not only to real estate but promoting the entire county.
He was recognized for his leadership roles inside and outside the organization, including St. Clair EDC, Association of Realtors and Alabama Real Estate Commission. “More than a businessman, Lyman is a builder of relationships,” the presentation concluded. His life has been “a master class in leadership, resilience and unwavering commitment to others.”
The annual recognition is held at the group’s Fair Housing Act Luncheon, which is dedicated to making land and home ownership fair for all people.
Also recognized were: Caran Wilbanks, past president; Rising Star, Morgan Munn; Realtors for Communities, Dana Ellison; ARPAC Diamond Club, Becky Bowman and Sharon Thomas; Partner of the Year, Blair & Parsons; Rookie of the Year, Sydney Howard; and 15 Years of Service awards.
over 50 years of service
Realtor Laurie Brasher presents Fair Housing program at the luncheon
Lyman Lovejoy honored with Hall of Fame Award for
Glorifying God, Making Disciples, and Blessing others in Jesus’ Name.
Food business booming in Pell City
Pell City seems to be experiencing a culinary renaissance with an eclectic array of new eateries that should please a variety of tastes.
From the exotic offerings of Kami Sushi and Asian Fusion, to the vibrant tastes of Mama Spice Jamaican Restaurant, the smoky goodness of Porky Pirate Barbecue, and the delightful treats at Coosa Café and Creamery, there is something for every palate.
Kami opened in the shopping center anchored by Publix and has already outgrown the space where it originally opened, the former Papa Murphy’s location. It has expanded to the space next door formerly occupied by Celeste Boutique.
The menu invites patrons on a culinary journey, “showcasing the best of Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and beyond. Indulge in fresh sushi, soul-warming ramen, bold Thai curries, rich Indonesian specialties and Asian-inspired cocktails.”
Mama Spice’s Facebook pages says it offers authentic Jamaican food, including jerk chicken and more. It is located in the shopping center anchored by Fresh Value. Also coming soon, according to its sign, is an old favorite of Baby Boomers – Pasquale’s Pizza – in the former Superior Automotive location on U.S. 231.
Coosa Café and Creamery is a second location for Coosa Creamery but with a cafe as well. It is a café, coffee shop and ice cream shop all in one, offering dine in, takeout and a drive through.
From banana splits to lattes to homemade sandwiches, the café has plenty of offerings. It is located on U.S. 231 South across from Richey’s Grocery at Rabbit Branch Road. Landing on the shores of Logan Martin Lake at Coosa Island Marina is Porky Pirate BBQ. Opened in early May, the restaurant has been completely renovated and offers an extensive menu of smoked meats and pork, seafood, chicken and different twists on a variety of dishes.
You can reach this restaurant by vehicle or boat.
Overlooking the lake from Porky Pirate BBQ
Great food at Coosa Cafe and Creamery
Mama Spice Jamaican Restaurant getting ready to open
Pasquale’s Pizza
Sushi at Kami
Helping hand to fight hunger
Car wash initiative nets $25,216 for Community Food Bank of Central Alabama
Raindrop Car Wash on Martin Street in Pell City
Raindrop Car Wash presented a $25,216 donation to the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, concluding its first-quarter “Wash Away Hunger Wednesday” initiative.
The contribution represents proceeds from every car washed on Wednesdays during the first quarter of 2025, with $1 from each wash allocated directly to support hunger relief efforts within the community
Senior executives from Raindrop Car Wash presented the check at the Community Food Bank’s facility, where they were greeted by the Food Bank’s CEO and leadership team. The visit included a guided tour of the facility, providing a firsthand perspective on the organization’s daily operations and unwavering dedication to providing sustenance to those in need.
Community Food Bank CEO Nicole Williams expressed her gratitude for the ongoing partnership. “I am delighted about our partnership with Raindrop Car Wash. They have been an amazing partner, lots of their locations serving our community, just like the food bank, and we are so excited to work together to make sure that our neighbors are getting food that they need and providing meals on their tables.”
“Our campaign is deeply rooted in our organization’s core values and our team’s desire to be generous members of the communities we serve,” said Blake Buchanan, CEO of Raindrop Car Wash. “We are immensely proud of our customers and team for rallying behind this cause every Wednesday, and the exciting beginning of this partnership with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama.”
Raindrop’s Wash Away Hunger campaign is a longstanding community initiative designed to transform routine car washes into acts of compassion. The company looks forward to continuing this endeavor throughout the year to help make a lasting impact.
Editor’s Note: To learn more about the campaign, visit www.raindropcarwash.com/wash-away-hunger.
Final F cus
Life through the lens of Mackenzie Free
The good life ...
The good life isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It’s not always a passport full of stamps, a huge house, or a stacked bank account. Sometimes it’s your well-worn Bible, a garden you planted, long talks with old friends or a family that still gathers for Sunday dinner.
It’s less about �������� you have, and more about ������ you have & what you value. Less about climbing, more about rooting. Less about escaping and more about abiding.
Because truth is—the “good life” is wildly subjective. To some, it’s the city skyline or the sound of the ocean. To others, it’s wildflowers, fresh eggs, and a baby on your hip. For some, it’s traveling the world or climbing the corporate ladder.
For others, it’s holding tightly to home and spending your days pouring into those you share it with.
It’s not always about how far you go— Sometimes it’s as simple as who you come home to.
A messy house full of laughter, your favorite flowers blooming outside, a steady hand to hold, a warm meal and a place to rest your head.
That is ‘the good life’ too.
- Mackenzie FreeWife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama
Renewing more than rivers.
The Renew Our Rivers program, originated by Alabama Power, has grown into one of the largest river cleanups in the nation. Over 104,000 volunteers have come together to remove 13.5 million pounds of trash from our Alabama waterways. We have shown up again and again to preserve the beauty and to create a community that is powering a better Alabama. We’ve been renewing more than rivers.
Scan to view volunteer opportunities.
