Lagniappe: January 23 - 29, 2019

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WEEKLY

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LAGNIAPPE

J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 9 - J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 9 | w w w. l a g n i a p p e m o b i l e . c o m ASHLEY TRICE Co-publisher/Editor atrice@lagniappemobile.com

ROB HOLBERT Co-publisher/Managing Editor rholbert@lagniappemobile.com GABRIEL TYNES Assistant Managing Editor gabe@lagniappemobile.com DALE LIESCH Reporter dale@lagniappemobile.com JASON JOHNSON Reporter jason@lagniappemobile.com

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BAY BRIEFS

Local leaders joined company officials last week at a groundbreaking ceremony for Airbus’ A220 final assembly line at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley.

COMMENTARY

A backlog of restaurant inspections by the health department is giving restaurateurs heartburn.

BUSINESS

The Reese’s Senior Bowl hosts its inaugural Leadership Summit on Friday to focus on team building and a broad range of business-related subjects.

CUISINE

KEVIN LEE Associate Editor/Arts Editor klee@lagniappemobile.com ANDY MACDONALD Cuisine Editor fatmansqueeze@comcast.net

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STEPHEN CENTANNI Music Editor scentanni@lagniappemobile.com STEPHANIE POE Copy Editor copy@lagniappemobile.com DANIEL ANDERSON Chief Photographer dan@danandersonphoto.com LAURA MATTEI Art Director www.laurarasmussen.com BROOKE O’DONNELL Advertising Sales Executive brooke@lagniappemobile.com BETH WOOLSEY Advertising Sales Executive bwilliams@lagniappemobile.com DAVID GRAYSON Advertising Sales Executive david@lagniappemobile.com SUZANNE SAWYER Advertising Sales Executive suzanne@lagniappemobile.com

COVER

Mobile Police Department Officer Sean Tuder was killed Sunday while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a 19-year-old fugitive.

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CONTRIBUTORS: J. Mark Bryant, Asia Frey, Brian Holbert, Randy Kennedy, John Mullen, Jeff Poor, Catherine Rainey, Ken Robinson, Ron Sivak ON THE COVER: OFFICER SEAN TUDER BY LAGNIAPPE LAGNIAPPE HD Periodicals Permit #17660 (Volume 4, Issue 17) Copyright 2015 is published weekly, 52 issues a year, by Something Extra Publishing, Inc., 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36604 (P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652). Business and Editorial Offices: 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36604 Accounting and Circulation Offices: 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602. Call 251-450-4466 to subscribe. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652 Editorial, advertising and production offices are located at 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602.

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ARTS

Joe Jefferson Players are killing all comers with Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” through Feb. 3 at 11 S. Carlen St.

MUSIC

STAN ANDERSON Distribution Manager delivery@lagniappemobile.com JACKIE CRUTHIRDS Office Manager legals@lagniappemobile.com

It’s not authentic Mexican and they serve nothing close to a street taco, but Taco Mama is pushing the boundaries of Mexican cuisine, in a good way.

Multi-instrumentalist Marco Benevento brings his blend of jam, EDM, jazz and roots rock to Soul Kitchen Jan. 23.

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With “Eighth Grade,” young writer/director Bo Burnham somehow created a truly perceptive portrait of a 13-year-old female.

COE

The Exploreum’s “Celebration of the White Moon,” a clean-up of Weeks Bay, the Mobile Jewish Film Festival and more are in this week’s Calendar of Events!

SPORTS

The 70th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl takes place this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The action will be broadcast nationally on the NFL Network.

STYLE

The 2019 Sustainability Summit, which aims to further understanding of the benefits of using sustainable business practices, takes place Jan. 25 at the University of South Alabama.

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GOING POSTAL Our goal is food safety Editor: Many thanks for your Jan. 16 article on food inspections (“Delay in health inspections affecting local businesses”). Each year 1 in 6 Americans gets sick from eating contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. This illness impacts an estimated 76 million Americans, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths each year.

Worldwide, 420,000 deaths are food related, with 125,000 deaths in children less than five years of age. In Mobile County in 2018, we investigated 10 possible cases of foodborne illness, with no deaths.

Mobile County Health Department strives to protect food service customers by educating providers and strict enforcement of U.S. Food and Drug Administration/Alabama Department of Public Health rules. Our goal is zero persons getting sick from food in Mobile County, Alabama.

Bernard H. Eichold II, MD, Dr.PH, FACP, Health Officer

You just don’t get it Editor: Speaking as someone who lived, worked in Los Angeles and San Diego for nearly 18 years (I now live in Spanish Fort), I do not believe you understand the gravity of the situation when it comes to illegal immigration,

along with its impact (Ashley Trice, Hidden Agenda, Jan. 9, “Let’s address the real crises in this country”).

“Our country has not been invaded by thousands of MS 13 members” you stated? We have thousands of illegal alien gang members spread throughout this country that commit thousands of murders and assaults each year, it just ends up in the back of whatever progressive newspaper outlet that is covering it because of hyper political correctness. We have a school shooting, 15 people are dead and there is outrage by the left all over the country, but when it comes to victims of illegal gang members or human smugglers we get the “oh, there is no crisis at the border, it’s just xenophobia,” which is counterintuitive, as there are montages of high-profile Democrats claiming such over the last three decades.

Except, strangely over the last 24 months, they have changed their tune (the same Democrats that were calling for a “fence” across the border a few years ago?). Yeah, I believe you have not witnessed what’s really happening from down here in the suburbs of Mobile, no more than the elites living in their gated compounds on both coasts have — they are immune to it. They have walls or gates around their homes, armed security in some cases, and on the westside of L.A., heavy police presence cruising around in Range Rovers.

So you have people living behind walls, calling other people out for wanting walls? I’m all for a pathway for the “Dreamers,” as I can appreciate their situation, but this can’t happen

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until the border is secure, with walls as part of it along with technology and more boots on the ground, not to mention heavy sanctions on employers for hiring illegally; once this is in place, then we put the “Dreamer” discussion on the table.

This is indeed a national emergency.

We have 12 to 20 million unvetted people in the country illegally, [of] which a vast majority just walked across the border. Be glad you’re not the one living in a border state. For the record, I blame both parties for this situation, but it just seems now the Democrats are trying to thwart any measure on the border just because of Trump, which puts a lot of people in a dangerous situation along the border and in our inner cities.

George Tarver, Spanish Fort

Courts allow second trimester fetuses to be butchered Editor: A premature baby born at just 22 weeks was discharged a few months ago from the University of South Alabama Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile.

In a touching video posted on AL.com, little Cullen Porter can be seen wearing a tiny black cap and gown on the way home, having “graduated” in August from the neonatal intensive care unit with “no major issues.”

Three months later two other

extremely premature babies were successfully discharged from Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

One was born at just 23 weeks and another at 25, according to hospital spokesperson Jennifer Malone.

This is wonderful.

Advances in medical science allowed these three babies, and many others born prematurely in the second trimester of pregnancy (roughly 14-27 weeks), to survive, thrive and enjoy life with the rest of us.

Yet stagnation in law allows many other healthy fetuses in the second trimester to be killed through what’s called a “dismemberment abortion.”

They’re too developed for simpler procedures, so they’re torn apart and removed from their mother’s womb in bloody, broken pieces.

This is horrific.

Thankfully, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall just asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case concerning our state’s ban on dismemberment abortion that was ruled unconstitutional by lower federal courts. As described in Marshall’s petition, the only meaningful difference is that during a partialbirth abortion a living fetus is almost completely delivered before a doctor uses a suction device to “vacuum out the child’s brains.”

In a dismemberment abortion, a living fetus is mutilated entirely within the womb by using “clamps, grasping forceps, tongs, scissors or

similar instruments that … slice, crush or grasp … a portion of the unborn child’s body to cut or rip it off.”

“The fetus,” the petition continues, “dies just as a human adult or child would: It bleeds to death as it is torn limb from limb.”

State data show the gruesome procedure, called “dilation and evacuation” within the medical community, was performed on 89 unborn children in Alabama during 2016 alone.

That was the same year the Alabama Legislature banned the gruesome technique while providing for a health exception to save the life of the mother.

During the last election 59 percent of Alabamians voted in favor of an amendment to the Constitution declaring that it’s the state’s policy to recognize the rights of the unborn.

And national polls have shown that more than 60 percent favor banning second- and third-trimester abortions.

The Alabama Policy Institute will file a brief in support of the state’s position should the justices decide to hear the case. Other organizations and individuals across the state and nation are sure to do the same.

Meanwhile, while our state officials appeal to a higher court, our state’s citizens should appeal to a higher power and pray that Alabama, and our nation, forever ends the scourge of dismemberment abortions.

J. Pepper Bryars, Alabama Policy Institute

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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

Here we grow again

AIRBUS BREAKS GROUND ON SECOND FINAL ASSEMBLY LINE IN MOBILE

BY DALE LIESCH

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Photo | Lagniappe

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irbus’ partnership with Mobile has come a long way since 2008, when the company lost a U.S. Air Force contract for a refueling tanker to archrival Boeing and the city was the butt of national jokes.

It’s a fact that wasn’t lost on Airbus outgoing CEO Tom Enders during groundbreaking events on a new final assembly line facility at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley Jan. 16. On several occasions, Enders mentioned the back-and-forth nature of the 2011 decision that ultimately awarded the contract to Boeing.

“We won it and then we lost it,” Enders said of the contract. “I don’t understand why the most powerful Air Force in the world wouldn’t want to use the best tanker on the market. We want to bring the best-performing tanker aircraft to the largest Air Force in the world. It makes sense, doesn’t it?”

It appears Airbus may be making another run at a military tanker contract, as the company joined Lockheed Martin in recently announcing a joint venture to build a tanker to “meet any identified capacity shortfall.”

“Reliable and modernized aerial refueling is an essential capability for our customers to maintain their global reach and strategic advantage,” Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson said in a statement. “By combining the innovation and expertise of Airbus and Lockheed Martin, we will be well positioned to provide the United States Air Force and allies around the world with the advanced refueling solutions needed to meet 21st century security challenges.”

Despite the original loss, Enders and Airbus were determined to partner with the city of Mobile and the state on another project and the A320 final assembly line was born, he said.

Establishing a manufacturing presence in the U.S. has helped Airbus secure a larger percentage of market share. While Enders wouldn’t reveal details, he used the opportunity to take another shot at the company’s main rival.

“The real number is classified because it could embarrass our great competitor,” he said.

Following an announcement punctuated by fireworks, Mayor

Sandy Stimpson called the announcement a “game changer” and compared it to when Mercedes-Benz built its manufacturing facility near Tuscaloosa.

“Just as Mercedes was a game changer in the automotive business, what Airbus is doing here is changing the perception of Mobile,” he said.

Stimpson added the success of the partnership between Airbus and Mobile is answering a lot of questions from global manufacturing leaders.

“People around the world in aviation already know about Mobile but when they see Airbus continue to invest in Mobile, that sends another message … ,” he said. “Whether it’s the people they like, or support of the government they like, the workforce they’ve been able to garner — all that will be questions in others’ minds who are thinking of coming to Mobile.”

Gov. Kay Ivey told the group the new assembly line solidifies Alabama as “the place for manufacturing.”

“I’m thrilled Airbus is expanding its operation and adding 400-some jobs,” she said. “Every job created is supported by five additional jobs in the community.”

A220

The A220 facility will give Airbus even more leverage in a U.S. market hungry for the smaller aircraft. The new plane is not really new and was created from a partnership between Airbus and Bombardier that allowed the Canadian aircraft maker better access to the U.S. market for its CSeries aircraft.

Airbus executives, including Enders, admits the partnership and American presence makes it easier to produce for U.S. customers, given the “protectionist and nationalist” political climate.

Boeing argued that Bombardier was using subsidies from Canada to illegally dump CSeries aircraft into the market. The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in favor of Bombardier and prevented the U.S. Commerce Department from slapping punitive tariffs on the aircraft. Boeing announced last year it would not appeal the ruling.

Incentives

Although it had been common knowledge the new final assembly line would be located in Mobile, the city and state put icing on the cake with a number of incentives for the European company and its promise of hundreds of more jobs.

The city and county each approved $4 million in cash incentives to the company. Additionally, the city is making a small investment in FlightWorks Alabama, a program touted as a way to create a pipeline from local schools to the aircraft manufacturing trade.

Before approving the incentives, councilors asked Airbus officials if they would be willing to assure that Mobile County residents got first preference to jobs at the new facility.

The state meanwhile chipped in $17 million of incentives, including an $8 million reimbursement on capital costs and as much as $9.8 million in jobs credits for new employees for 10 years, Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield said. The job credit, created in 2015, allows Airbus to receive 3 percent per year of the payroll taxes paid to the state from new employees, he said.

Canfield argued the facility could have been located in Canada, but added the incentives were less about drawing Airbus to Mobile again and more of an investment in the community.

Regardless of what the incentives are used for, they could put the city in a precarious position if another large industry expresses similar interest.

City spokesman George Talbot said there is enough money set aside for economic development now to cover what’s currently in the pipeline, which includes some additional aerospace-related announcements — but after that, money is tight.

Stimpson agreed, urging Airbus suppliers and others to make their decisions about relocating quickly.

“Those companies that come sooner rather than later, they will have a better shot because there will come a point in time where the pump has been primed, the water is flowing free and you know we’re always going to want a company to come here, but we may not be able to prime their pump with cash or incentives,” he said.

“We possibly could, but my advice is to come in the queue earlier rather than later.”

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY

WeMo 911

CITIZENS CONSIDER FIRE PROTECTION OPTIONS

BY JASON JOHNSON

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undreds of citizens packed a pair of public meetings in West Mobile last week as part of a grassroots effort to find solutions to the area’s lack of designated fire protection.

As Mobile has continued to roll back the fire and emergency medical services the Mobile Fire Rescue Department has historically provided in the three-mile police jurisdiction outside city limits, one area is facing the possibility of having no fire protection at all.

According to Public Safety Director James Barber, growth outside Mobile’s corporate limits has made continuing service to the area unsustainable.

“When I first began in law enforcement 30 years ago, we would go into the jurisdiction to answer calls but we didn’t police the jurisdiction. But 30 years ago, this was a very rural area,” Barber said. “Over the years, this area has grown just incredibly. If you were to incorporate that jurisdiction it would be the eighth-largest city in Alabama.”

The law only requires the city to provide services in the police jurisdiction equal to the amount of revenue it earns from business license fees in the area. According to city spokeswoman Laura Byrne, that amounts to around $2 million per year, while the city spends more than $26 million to deliver services there annually.

Mobile does bring other revenues from residents living in its police jurisdiction, though. Byrne said the city collects more than $12 million on average from sales, lodging, gas, tobacco and other taxes in the area.

Due to the strain on resources, the city has been gradually rolling back fire and emergency medical services over the past two years as other agencies, including Mobile County Emergency Medical Service and the Theodore

Volunteer Fire Department, have been able to take over.

However, unlike other rural areas in the county, the area in West Mobile never established as a standalone fire district. It runs west from the city limits past McFarland Road and south from Airport Boulevard to West Lake Road and includes about 9,000 residences that — at least on paper — could soon not have any designated fire service agency.

With that said, Mobile hasn’t put a firm date on when it would pull back fire coverage in the area, and Barber said officials are committed to providing service until the issue is resolved.

“Nobody is at risk of a 911 call ever going unanswered,” he added.

Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl organized the recent meetings in hopes of getting citizens involved to evaluate their options. Currently, those options include forming a standalone fire district, forming a new city or annexing into the city of Mobile.

Carl initially proposed a fourth option of being absorbed into the Seven Hills Fire District, but due to a breakdown in communication, the department has since said that is a burden it’s currently unable to bear. In fact, until the meeting on Jan. 15, Seven Hills appeared to be under the impression the area in question had about 4,500 fewer homes than it does. The volunteer department already serves 11,000 homes.

Of the remaining options, the most polarizing seems to be the possibility of annexing into Mobile. At the meeting, some residents expressed wariness of annexation because of the area’s history with the city government.

In 2007, the Mobile City Council pushed for a referendum vote on annexing a swath of commercial properties in

the area of Schillinger Road and Airport Boulevard. It passed, but many have viewed the move as a “cash grab” that took in businesses but drew lines around residential areas.

Lagniappe asked the city how much it collects in sales taxes from the area, but was told it would be difficult to break out what is collected from a specific geographical area. Based on an internet review, the area — which encompasses large retail centers and car dealerships — has at least 71 businesses generating sales taxes for the city of Mobile.

That 2007 annexation still appears to be a sore subject for some in West Mobile. One man at the meeting said without that potential tax base, the area couldn’t form its own city if the residents wanted to.

He suggested that annexing into the city might be the only way residents in West Mobile get a say in how their money is spent downtown.

“Right now, you get the taxes but you don’t have a vote,” he said. “If we don’t annex, we’re just going to continue to suffer the consequences.”

Some applauded those comments, but there seemed to be equal support for those who spoke against annexation over concerns about increased taxes and regulations. Others said they don’t believe the city of Mobile is accountable for the money it already collects.

Even if residents voted in favor of annexation, the city council would have to approve it, which would take at least five votes. That could turn into a separate political issue of its own, as councilors who’ve spoken to Lagniappe about the prospect have had mixed reactions.

One resident said he’s doubtful the council would approve any proposed annexation and noted that no city council members attended the meeting.

“The city had a chance to take us in when they did the last annexation and pulled in all the businesses, but they marked us out and said: ‘We don’t want that area,’” he added. “If they wanted us, they would be here.”

The third option, creating a fire district, might be the least complicated in terms of organization, but it has its own downsides. Residents would have to vote on a service fee to fund the district, which — based on other areas in the county — could range anywhere from $70 to $120 per year.

The newly appointed board of the fire district would then have to decide how to spend that money. Most districts have a volunteer fire department and use their money to invest in infrastructure, equipment and training.

However, shifting to a volunteer department from a full-time paid department would almost certainly cause the ISO rating in the area to increase, which could result in higher insurance premiums.

Some smaller fire districts use their funding to contract services from nearby cities, but at this point officials in Mobile haven’t said whether they would be open to that. It’s also unclear what it might cost if they were.

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BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Show me the money

BALDWIN DISPUTES $7 MILLION TO GULF SHORES IN SCHOOL SPLIT

BY JOHN MULLEN

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or being touted as the formal establishment of a separation agreement, much disagreement has arisen. Already.

Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey issued his rulings on contentious points between the Baldwin County Board of Education and the Gulf Shores Board of Education on Jan. 16. His instructions were for the two boards to accept his ruling and vote to accept the agreement.

Dual meetings by the two boards on Jan. 17 came out with two different results. It breezed through in Gulf Shores with a unanimous vote.

The same day, Baldwin County’s board rejected a resolution on the agreement, instead authorizing Superintendent Eddie Tyler to seek a legal remedy.

“We will seek relief from the courts,” the county’s lawyer, Don Beebe, said.

At stake is about $7 million Gulf Shores is to receive for the months of June through September for teacher payroll and in earmarked sales tax revenue. Gulf Shores will become an independent school system on June 1.

“We don’t know the exact amount because we don’t know exactly how many teachers we will have,” Gulf Shores Superintendent Matt Akin said. “Whatever that number is, the state department will determine it and say ‘Gulf Shores, here’s your money to pay the teachers who were employed last school year and are now employed with you.’” Akin said it would be about $1 million for each month.

Tyler also said he doesn’t believe the new Gulf Shores system should receive a share of the sales tax earmarked for schools during those

same four months.

“There are a lot of issues to disagree with in [Mackey’s] letter, but the most glaring is that the state superintendent directs some $7 million in Baldwin County revenue from this school year to a school system that has no students enrolled for this school year — while also directing us to pay all of the expenses through the end of this school year,” Tyler said. “Our disagreement is over money, which belongs to the Baldwin County taxpayers and not Gulf Shores.”

Those sales taxes, Gulf Shores School Board President Kevin Corcoran said, will amount to about $2 million. Corcoran said $2 million would be 11 percent of Gulf Shores’ school budget and would amount to 0.6 percent of the county board’s budget.

Mackey indicated on Friday in published reports he believes the conflict can be resolved.

Meanwhile, Tyler said he thinks Baldwin County should move forward with a legal challenge to Mackey’s ruling.

“We are glad to know [Mackey] agrees with us that foundation funds from this school year cannot be provided to a school system which has no students enrolled, but we don’t believe that further clarifications from the superintendent are going to solve the disagreement between the parties at this point,” Tyler said.

“We believe that the better and more expeditious resolution is to take this matter to court, where the parties can continue their negotiations and/or clarifications under the supervision of a judge.”

BAYBRIEF | FAIRHOPE

Slow your roll DEVELOPER PULLS HOTEL PROPOSAL FROM FAIRHOPE ZONING BOARD AGENDA

BY GABRIEL TYNES

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property owner and developer interested in constructing a four-story boutique hotel at the corner of Fairhope Avenue and Section Street in the heart of downtown Fairhope has put the project on hold.

Matt Bowers said he notified the city two weeks ago he would pull his application from the Jan. 24 Board of Zoning Adjustments and Appeals agenda. Bowers said he would be unable to attend the meeting due to prior business commitments, and also wanted to understand and resolve concerns with the proposal.

Last month, Bowers obtained a variance from the board to operate a hotel on the site, which currently houses a small courtyard, printing business and vacant restaurant. A separate variance to construct a four-story building within the maximum height of 40 feet was held over until Jan. 24.

City ordinances currently allow for only three floors within the 40-foot restriction, but Bowers was seeking four floors for a standard nine-foot ceiling height, rather than a 13-foot ceiling height.

The proposal has received mixed reviews on social media, where some residents have said it will be a landmark building anchoring what board member John Avent called “the city’s most important intersection,” while others have complained about the building’s design, size and impact on parking and other amenities downtown.

“It’s hard when you don’t have many oppor-

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tunities to speak to people directly, but I’d like to meet with everybody and would like to talk to them about what I’m doing, get some feedback, ideas, questions, concerns etc.,” Bowers said. “It’s an objective of mine over the next month and then I’ll decide what I want to do.”

Bowers, a resident of Louisiana and owner of Matt Bowers Nissan in Daphne along with other auto dealerships in the Southeast, also admitted he was unfamiliar with “local politics,” likening the development process to “walking into the middle of a divorce proceeding.”

“So it’s important I understand the concerns and am able to address them,” he said.

Only two items are on the board’s agenda Thursday, including a public hearing to consider Rick Gambino’s request for a variance to the side and rear setback requirements for property at 151 S. Mobile St., and a public hearing to consider the request of ADHD Medical Clinic of Mobile PC for a special exception to allow a clinic at 101 Lottie Lane, Unit 6.

The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Meanwhile, across the lobby at the Fairhope Civic Center, Mayor Karin Wilson will host the State of the City address from 5-7 p.m. Wilson will join City Council members and department heads to report on 2018’s accomplishments and financials, while also previewing goals for 2019.

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY

Making the grade NINE LOCAL SCHOOL SCHOOLS ON STATE’S ‘FAILING’ LIST

BY JASON JOHNSON

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espite improvements in student performance, nine Mobile County public schools were once again included on the list of failing schools associated with the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA).

The announcement came only weeks after the district celebrated some major gains in the school report cards issued by the Alabama Department of Education (ALSDE), but local school officials say the report cards offer a broader evaluation of how schools are performing.

It’s worth noting multiple schools on this year’s list earned C’s and D’s on their respective report cards, even though they were deemed failing under the AAA, which defines any school in the bottom 6 percent of statewide reading and math scores as failing.

The AAA further allows students attending those schools to transfer to other, nonfailing public or private schools. It also created a system of tax credits for individuals and corporations that donate to scholarship programs which send low-income students to private schools.

This year there were 76 schools on the statewide list.

Locally, those included B.C. Rain High School, Washington Middle School, Calloway Smith Middle School, Mobile County Training Middle School, Morningside Elementary School, Pillans Middle School, ChastangFournier Middle School, Vigor High School and Williamson High School.

LeFlore High School, Blount High School and Scarborough Middle School were on the list last year but managed to improve their test scores enough to come off the list in 2019.

Even though the number of Mobile County Public Schools (MCPSS) on the statewide list did not drop from

2018 to 2019, Superintendent Chresal Threadgill noted almost all of the schools deemed failing under the AAA this year saw improved scores on statewide standardized tests.

“We are disappointed that any of our schools made the list,” Threadgill wrote in a statement. “We have been reviewing the test scores this is based upon for several months now and most of the schools had improved. We will continue to make progress and get these schools off the list.”

Spokesperson Rena Philips said the number of schools on the list this year was actually a surprise for MCPSS officials. The failing designation is based on standardized tests, which this year included the ACT taken by juniors and the result of the 2018 Scantron assessments.

While officials have had those test results back for some time, they were unaware where they’d fall in comparison to other schools around the state.

“Just looking at the test scores, we had done better on the tests and also improved on the school report cards. But looking around the state, other schools also improved,” Philips said. “Even if schools are improving, there is always going to be 6 percent of schools on the list.”

Of the nine MCPSS schools on the list, all but one saw improvements on the recent school report cards. Washington and Mobile County Training middle schools both improved from an F to C, and three others improved by one letter grade to either a D or a C. According to Philips, Vigor and B.C. Rain were also recently recognized by ALSDE for having the highest rate of students earning college- and career-ready credentials in the state, with 99 percent and 95 percent of their students, respectively, graduating with some kind of

workplace credential.

Philips said the disconnect between the two accountability standards exists at least in part because the ALSDE school report cards are more comprehensive than the measurements of student performance laid out in the text of the AAA when it was written in 2013.

“The report cards are based on that test score but also on student growth throughout the year, attendance and, for high schools, the graduate rate and several college- and career-readiness indicators,” Philips said. “One is just a test score, while the other has multiple ways schools can show they’re working and that their students are successful.”

That said, school officials have already acknowledged that many schools in the county still have work to do. Threadgill, who is still in his first year as superintendent, said the district is already taking steps to improve the scores at schools on the failing list as well as others throughout the county.

He said some of those “instructional interventions” include providing more

OF THE NINE MCPSS SCHOOLS ON THE LIST, ALL BUT ONE SAW IMPROVEMENTS ON THE RECENT SCHOOL REPORT CARDS. WASHINGTON AND MOBILE COUNTY TRAINING MIDDLE SCHOOLS BOTH IMPROVED FROM AN F TO C, AND THREE OTHERS IMPROVED BY ONE LETTER GRADE TO EITHER A D OR A C.” professional development for teachers and working to improve students’ motivation and the accountability for their performance in school.

“This summer we began a transformational process at these and several other schools, and we are collaborating with the state to utilize some of their expertise to assist us in this process,” Threadgill said. “We also have assembled our own transformational teams that consist of experts in areas ranging from curriculum to facilities who are going into these schools and assessing their individual needs so we can be prescriptive in our approach.”

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BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Fundraising COASTAL BALDWIN FORMS ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION TO HELP NONPROFITS

BY JOHN MULLEN

L

eaders from three south Baldwin County cities are raising money to establish an endowment fund with the goal of awarding community grants to nonprofits.

The Tri-City Community Foundation aims to serve Foley, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and surrounding communities. It’s the latest of three established under the umbrella of the Community Foundation of South Alabama (CFSA) in Mobile, which serves Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington counties.

“Civic leaders come together and say they want to be on an advisory committee to participate in a foundation for our community, basically to be able to give back to the community in perpetuity,” CFSA President and CEO Rebecca Byrne said.

“To have some type of an endowed community fund for the benefit of that particular community.

That gives those communities a chance to identify the issues they want to address.”

Tri-City is still in the fundraising stage and will spend 2019 trying to raise seed money to generate interest. The fund got its start with a grant from the Coastal Resiliency Coalition (CFC), a local nonprofit created after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Disaster and focused on helping local Gulf Coast businesses and individuals survive, sustain and succeed, Tri-City Chair Michelle Hodges said.

“The CRC’s long-term strategy was to transition from an oil spill disaster response team with a focus on ‘surviving’ to a joint team of community leaders with a focus on a successful business community,” Hodges said.

To begin awarding grants the group must have at least $25,000. Tri-City recently got a boost from the Erie Meyer Community Foundation, which extended a two-to-one financial match for any contribution made to the Tri-City fund, up to $200,000.

“You don’t touch the principal,” Byrne said.

“You only spend the 5 percent of the income that’s earned during the course of the year. That’s why we ask for a threshold amount of $25,000.

That doesn’t give you a lot initially but it grows.

You need to at least have that to start with.”

Local board members do the fundraising in the communities and all administrative duties are handled by the parent CFSA office.

“We work with the community, we’re the administrative staff, we provide the resources moving forward,” Byrne said. The local board makes the recommendations but they are subject to final approval by CFSA. Byrne said when funds are raised locally and grants are spent locally people are more likely to want to be involved.

“People are more responsive to their own community,” Byrne said. “Instead of saying we’re going to raise money for eight counties, Tri-City folks can come together and say ‘we’re raising money for our community.’ We have found people like doing that and there’s a greater response.”

Hodges said Tri-City will concentrate on education and workforce development, mental health, leadership development and economic opportunity. The other two affiliate foundations are in Atmore and Point Clear, Byrne said.

BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Everything’s bigger BUC-EE’S DEBUTS FIRST ALABAMA STORE

A

BY GABRIEL TYNES

labama’s largest gas station and convenience store opened Monday at the intersection of Interstate 10 and the Foley Beach Express in Baldwin County, but on Friday, Jan. 18, first responders were welcomed to Buc-ee’s for free food and a tour. Dan Parkinson, new store opening coordinator, said the company is expanding from its home state of Texas and hoping to make an impression nationally.

“It’s the first of the company’s 35 stores to be located outside the state of Texas, and the first in our quest to take over the world, one clean bathroom at a time,” he said.

Indeed the bathrooms were gleaming ... and large. The men’s room resembled that of an NFL stadium, only cleaner. Everything about the store is outsized, from the 120 fuel pumps to an expansive digital menu where customers can order sandwiches, burritos, wraps, chicken and other made-to-order items, or grab-and-go any of the thousands of branded food products

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lining the shelves or at other stations throughout the store.

“It’s a shopping destination designed for travelers,” Parkinson said. “No 18-wheelers are allowed on the property, we have a lot of special gift items … we’re the king of the lastminute gift. We’ve got all kinds of cool and really unique items for home decor, swimwear, sunglasses, anything you need to go down to the beach, a smattering of tackle and live bait, but also grills, sports memorabilia … just all kinds of stuff people may need when they’re out on the road or going on vacation.”

Two-hundred people were hired from an applicant pool of about 3,500 to staff the location 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Pay averages $14 to $17 per hour.

“We wanted to get the best people who want to work,” Parkinson said. “It takes that level of staff to maintain the facility in the condition we want it to exceed customer expectations every time they come in.”

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

Sky high

FRONTIER AIRLINES ANNOUNCES NONSTOP FLIGHTS TO DENVER, CHICAGO

I

BY DALE LIESCH

n what must’ve felt like the perfect analogy for breathing new life into the former Air Force base, the Mobile Airport Authority used a historic building at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley to announce Frontier Airlines would begin direct flights out of Mobile to Denver and Chicago in May. Right now, the flights are the first to be scheduled to leave from a new terminal at Brookley on May 1.

“The new terminal will open on April 29 and the flights will start May 1,” Mobile Airport Authority Executive Director Chris Curry said following the announcement.

Frontier customers can fly from Brookley to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport on one daily flight on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The flights to Denver will leave Mobile on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The airline is offering introductory base rates for the flights of $39 each way to Chicago and $59 each way to Denver.

“We’re delighted to bring the Frontier family to Mobile,” Frontier Director of Communications Jonathan Freed told the crowd of local, state and business representatives. “It’s very special to be here.”

Freed said Mobile fits what Frontier is looking for in a “new and exciting” destination. The airline uses a fleet of 80 Airbus A320 aircraft and has 200 on order that will be manufactured at the Airbus final assembly line in Mobile.

“They’ll be fresh off the assembly line, some 150 yards from where we’re standing,” Freed said.

“When the aircraft flies into Mobile it’ll be like they’re coming back to where they were born.”

Frontier is a low-cost carrier that allows travelers to customize their options, Freed said.

He compared it to a plane’s throttle. If a traveler

doesn’t want drink service on a flight, he or she doesn’t pay for it. If a traveler doesn’t care where they sit, there is no additional charge. The flights are so affordable, Freed said, that travelers don’t have to miss moments.

“The fares are so low, you can afford to see your grandmother on her birthday, or fly her in,” he said. “We make the price as low as possible.”

The announcement on Tuesday times well with the authority’s plans to renovate Brookley for commercial service. Authority board President Elliot Maisel called it a “transformational event.” He said moving passenger service to Brookley would improve the quality of life for Mobilians. The authority is in the process of renovating a building given back to it by Airbus to use as a terminal, Maisel said.

“It’s going to happen,” he said. “We’re going to be flying out of Brookley Field in May.” Maisel asked those in attendance to buy tickets for some of the first flights out of Brookley.

“Frontier will lead the way, but it’s up to us,” he said. “I challenge you to use Frontier and support this effort.”

Before wrapping up his comments, Maisel mentioned a plan to tear down all of the older buildings on the Aeroplex and replace them with more modern, efficient and leasable spaces.

Curry told members of the press the authority will begin a master plan process in about two weeks. He said the plan is to have commercial service from both Brookley and Mobile Regional Airport for about three to five years before transitioning all service to Brookley.

At some point Frontier will be followed to Brookley by Via Air and its nonstop flights to Orlando and Montgomery. Curry said he does not know when Via will make the move.

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

Hangry

COUNCILMAN WANTS TO FURTHER REGULATE DOWNTOWN FOOD

C

BY DALE LIESCH

ouncilman Levon Manzie said he wants to assign a committee to discuss regulations for food trucks downtown.

The regulations are meant to help provide a “level playing field” for owners of brickand-mortar eateries in the district he represents, Manzie told council colleagues.

“These people have invested too much money to have food trucks park outside,” Manzie said of restaurant owners. “It’s unfair and we need to find a way to regulate it.”

Manzie said the trucks take away profits from restaurants that have been downtown since it was a “ghost town.”

Manzie has also heard complaints about food truck customers using tables and chairs placed on the sidewalk by business owners. However, Councilman John Williams said anything placed in the right-of-way is for “public use.”

David Rasp, owner of Heroes Sports Bar and Grille, said he favors more regulations to protect the investments of brick-and-mortar restaurateurs.

“I do think it’s a legitimate concern,” Rasp said. “People are operating food trucks in close proximity while a brick-and-mortar place is open and operating.”

Rasp said one particular truck comes from Fairhope and parks near Hayley’s bar on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The operators of the truck don’t serve food from the truck, but instead serve it from Cathedral Square within feet of his business.

Food trucks don’t have the overhead and staffing issues traditional restaurants do, Rasp argued, adding there is a “real place” for them, but just not “at the doorstep of a brick-and-mortar” restaurant.

Manzie mentioned trucks from Baldwin County as a particular problem.

Krissy Moore, general manager at Spot of Tea, said the same truck Rasp had concerns about has been a problem for her restaurant as well. She said the eatery has had similar issues in the past.

“They do need to have a designated area,” she said. “I love food trucks and good, healthy competition, but they shouldn’t be allowed to park directly in front of businesses.”

Food trucks downtown have been a point of contention for years in Mobile. Mayor Sandy Stimpson promoted a special “Food Truck Friday” at Bienville Square in 2015 until restaurant owners became upset.

The issue has only been tentatively addressed through developers’ and owners’ own workings.

The Hilton Garden Inn near Bienville Square was constructed in 2017 and included a food truck court in the back. Serda Brewing between Government and Conti also has space for food trucks, but the city has stayed largely quiet about the issue since 2015.

Manzie would like to at least discuss the issue with colleagues while also giving the public an opportunity to weigh in. A date and time for the committee meeting has not yet been assigned.

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COMMENTARY | DAMN THE TORPEDOES

Inspectile dysfunction ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

I’M NOT A HUGE REALITY TV FAN. SOME PEOPLE I LIVE WITH ARE, BUT I WON’T GO INTO THAT OTHER THAN TO SAY JUST WALKING THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM WHILE “MY 600-POUND LIFE” IS ON WILL KEEP ME OUT OF THE CHEETOS FOR A WEEK. ”

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trained to the point they can go out on their own. So issues clearly exist within the system that can conspire to put MCHD behind.

But many of the restaurateurs I’ve spoken with say the issue has been going on for quite some time.

In some parts of town it appears to have gotten better, although I didn’t talk to any restaurant owners who said they were being inspected quarterly.

Eichold wrote us a letter responding to the story, but didn’t address any of the issues regarding a lack of inspections holding up restaurant openings or business license renewals. It’s printed on page 4 of this week’s paper. It essentially just offers a lesson on the dangers of food-borne illnesses.

While I think we can all easily agree nobody wants to get food poisoning, it would have been nice for him to also offer some solutions to this problem.

Whatever is holding up getting an adequate number of inspectors out on the street needs to be addressed quickly. If the problem is bureaucracy, that needs to change.

Mobile has experienced a wonderful explosion of new dining options over the past decade and it shows no sign of letting up. Getting enough inspectors on the streets should be a priority. Diners shouldn’t have to worry no one has inspected their favorite restaurant in more than a year, and operators don’t need the additional pressures of being fined or delayed while they’re busy trying to run a business.

The last thing any of us wants to see around here is Chef Ramsay rolling into town to expose the filthiest restaurant in Alabama. It might make for good TV, but it wouldn’t be good for business.

THEGADFLY

inspections there? How could a restaurant that nasty not be shut down?” For example, the place in NOLA had a sink that hadn’t been drained in two years, according to the people working there. So had an inspector not been there in years?

Chef Ramsay’s show has not only made me enjoy cursing more, it also has me being a little more curious about how clean my favorite dining spots are. I’ve definitely found myself looking at those Health Department scores posted on the wall more often lately and wondering when that last inspection was conducted.

As we reported last week, the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) has a serious backlog of inspections waiting to be done, which means our local restaurants are being scrutinized with less and less frequency. We may not be at moldy nacho cheese level yet, but it’s concerning.

As someone with an eating-out disorder, I’m in different restaurants a lot and have come to know many of the area’s best restaurateurs. And what they’ve been saying lately is a little troubling — that Mobile County is not inspecting as often as it used to.

Restaurant owners have made this observation through clenched teeth, because — face it — what restaurateur really relishes the idea of having a health inspector poking around in the kitchen looking for violations? But while some may be just fine with not having to go through a quarterly white-glove treatment, the backlog is causing issues they’re not very excited about.

Looking into matters, we’ve heard restaurant openings have been delayed for months because the MCHD hasn’t sent an inspector. Also, restaurants are required to

present their up-to-date inspection when reapplying for their business license annually, and some owners say they’re getting fined because they can’t get an inspection in time.

It’s bad enough to get fined for something you can’t control, but it has to be murder on new restaurateurs stuck in a holding pattern for weeks or even months.

Most restaurateurs don’t business plan for two months of just waiting for an inspection. They need to “stop the bleeding,” as one put it.

To be fair, the Health Department has a heck of a lot of ground to cover. Its latest available numbers are for 2017, when there were 13,679 inspections of more than 3,000 locations. Not all of those were restaurants. MCHD also inspects swimming pools, schools, jails, day care facilities and camps, among other things. So there’s a lot to do, and simple math would suggest some of these locations require several inspections a year, since the number of locations divides into the number of inspections about four times.

Also, MCHD says resignations, retirements and changes to state code have significantly slowed the inspection process. They used to have 15 to 18 full-time inspectors, but that number has fallen to 12, according to MCHD. And further complicating matters, they must go through the Mobile County Personnel Board in order to get new ones, a process Mobile County Health Officer Dr. Bernard Eichold has complained about in the past. He has even asked the Legislature to allow MCHD to do its own hiring because of the holdup.

But after inspectors are hired it can take more than a year for them to be properly

Cartoon/Laura Mattei

I

’m not a huge reality TV fan. Some people I live with are, but I won’t go into that other than to say just walking through the living room while “My 600-Pound Life” is on will keep me out of the Cheetos for a week.

By and large, you can keep your reality TV. But there is one show I’ve kind of enjoyed lately — “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back.” It features that giant, blonde British chef with Tourette’s syndrome going to different crummy restaurants around the country and helping them become great in just 24 hours. Next to Ramsay’s constant stream of profanity, my favorite part of the show is when he gets into the kitchen and starts pointing out all the filth. It’s disgusting — and sometimes makes me queasy enough to stop shoving food in my face for 10 or 15 minutes.

It’s amazing how totally nasty some of these restaurants are when Ramsay arrives. One New Orleans restaurant featured on an episode a few weeks ago was actually serving nacho cheese with green mold on top of it. Other than some NFL referees, no one should ever have to eat something like that, especially in one of the food capitals of the world.

The one thing that constantly goes through my mind watching the show is, “Don’t they have restaurant

WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?

COMMENTARY | THE HIDDEN AGENDA

A tale of two cities

ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR/ASHLEYTOLAND@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

I

t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way… Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”

cago, starting in May. The past few weeks have been pretty great for the city of Mobile, to say the least. The best of times.

But then, on Sunday, the darkness came flooding right back in, as one of our own, Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder, was killed in the line of duty. The absolute worst of times.

The 30-year-old, who was also a member of the National Guard and had recently been named Officer of the Month, leaves behind his I couldn’t help but think of Charles Dickens’ wife and family. And this happened 11 months opening lines from “A Tale of Two Cities” when to the day from when Officer Justin Billa was killed as he responded to a domestic violence thinking of the events that transpired in Mobile call, leaving behind his wife and young son. over the past week.

So senseless and so tragic. Destroying two Last Wednesday, Airbus broke ground on a families forever. second manufacturing facility here in Mobile Making this even more gut-wrenching is the for its A220 plane. It is a move that will bring person who is charged with taking Tuder’s life at least 400 new jobs to the Port City and make us the fourth-largest aircraft manufacturing city is just 19 years old, Marco Perez.

Perez had already had several run-ins with in the world, after only Toulouse, Hamburg and Seattle. Let that sink in. Fourth-largest maker of the law, the most recent of which was allegedly faking his own kidnapping and death in what aircraft in the world. Wow. State, county and local officials were on hand law enforcement believes was an attempt to escape pending federal charges. His mother was for the groundbreaking and were every bit as excited as they were when Airbus first chose us also charged in connection with that case after she reported him missing. as the U.S. city where they would build their District Attorney Ashley Rich said the susplanes. pect had been homeless and living in the woods Maybe even more so. and was visiting someone who lived at the The buzz seemed to be this second facility apartment complex where this took place. would be the real game-changer for our city.

It was Officer Tuder’s day off, but he reNot only because of new jobs Airbus promised to bring, but the powers that be seemed to think ceived information from a confidential source on an investigation he had been working on, so we would most certainly now see a real influx he was given permission to go ahead and follow of secondary suppliers we haven’t seen yet setting up shop here, obviously bringing even more the lead.

He was shot multiple times after getting into jobs. It should soon prove to be transformative an altercation with Perez. in every way. Houses will be sold, apartments After this fallen officer is honored and laid to will be rented, restaurants will be full, retail rest, tough questions will follow. cash registers will be ringing, and on and on How have we lost two officers in less than a and on. year? Are we training, equipping and supportWe have been waiting to really feel the ing our men and women in blue? How are we economic impact of this project for quite some letting 19-year-olds become capable of capital time, and now it seems like our ship, or in this murder? At what point did someone give up case, plane, has finally come in. on this kid and at what point did he give up on Just before Airbus officials and governmenhimself? Is there anything we can do to address tal leaders dug their shovels into the dirt on these residential properties that are hotbeds for Wednesday, Mayor Sandy Stimpson spoke at criminal activity? a breakfast put on by the Downtown Mobile Is there anything we can do to stop the Alliance. revolving door on repeat offenders going from He beamed about all of the new downtown residential properties that are under construction jailhouse to back out on the streets, over and over again? And why is this still happening? We or have just become available for lease, some effective new legal remedies they have for deal- have been talking about this for years and years now! ing with blighted properties and the continued And are we really doing all we can to elimiwork they are doing on the St. Louis corridor nate violent crime and make Mobile the safest and the more pedestrian-friendly tools they are city in America by 2020? Are we? I just don’t putting in place on Water Street. He also said know. the transformation of Broad Street, made posI know there are no easy answers or solusible by a TIGER grant, was imminent — they were just waiting for the final approval on plans. tions. But we have to try.

There is a lot to be proud of and excited He reminded us the RESTORE Act money about in this city, but there are also many, many was on the way (though administering it was challenges we still need to address and obstacles going to be complicated), the I-10 bridge we must overcome. And we can’t lose sight of construction would finally be underway soon, those as we are celebrating our victories. We the Three Mile Creek Greenway Initiative was just can’t. becoming a reality and he was hopeful the It was the best of times, it was the worst of Brookley airport would offer more direct and times. affordable options to our citizens and business travelers alike, teasing the announcement this Our deepest sympathies are extended to the week that Frontier Airlines would be offering family of Officer Sean Tuder. direct flights from Mobile to Denver and Chi-

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COMMENTARY | THE BELTWAY BEAT

Is bipartisanship dead?

BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST/JEFFREYPOOR@GMAIL.COM

T

he pro-wrestling aspects of American politics have morphed into a no-rules, mixed martial arts cage match.

Remember when the House and Senate would hold votes that were never expected to actually become law? Like the 20 times the then GOP-controlled House of Representatives voted to repeal “Obamacare?” Or how about Sen. Richard Shelby’s annual introduction of a balanced budget amendment?

Noble and worthy endeavors they may be, but the practical applications of such laws and amendments to the U.S. Constitution, should they ever become a reality, would result in disruptions the federal government would be unable to address.

Yet these lawmakers still go through the motions with a wink and a nod to show their most

on for both Republicans and Democrats.

Democrats don’t want Trump to score a big win. It’s not about the money. Trump and Republicans need to show that voting Republican is not worthless.

Now that we’re at this point — with hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed — we are beyond the realm of politically choreographed pro wrestling and into the territory of blood sport.

A few decades ago Congress would have struck a deal in the middle of the night, when no one was paying attention. Perhaps it would have been on a Friday night and gotten some attention on the Sunday news shows. There might have been some compromise where sections of the border got a wall, and no one would have remembered how or why.

That was the way things used to work.

Politicians had to put on a show — a professional wrestling-style display. At THE DEMOCRATS WILL certain levels of politics, politicians had PERHAPS SOON GET THEIR to make it seem like they cared about hotbutton issues. Maybe they did care.

VERSION OF TRUMP … ONCE THAT Whatever the case, lawmakers would score the necessary political points and HAPPENS, ALL BETS ARE OFF FOR show them off to the public to secure BIPARTISANSHIP re-election. Once they checked that box, they would back down and make a deal to keep the government functioning. ideological supporters they’re on the right team.

The problem is at some point voters start to The same is true for presidential politics. catch on. They hear one thing over and over and We’re about to embark on a 2020 Democratic over again but never see the results. That leads primary cycle that will include perhaps two to the rise of politicians like Donald Trump — dozen candidates, all making promises they can and, bluntly, wing nuts like Democratic Rep. never keep.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

They will still offer lip service to the freebies And so it has gone for Trump, a novice at millennials and crusty NPR-types love, like how Washington, D.C., “really works.” Trump universal single-payer health care, free college believed a lot of the things he promised. education for all, student loan forgiveness and a The Democrats will perhaps soon get their number of badly misguided policy initiatives in version of Trump. That is, a candidate that will the name of climate change. make promises popular to the base and go to the None of their far-left policies will get passed mat to fulfill those promises. through Congress by a majority in the House Once that happens, all bets are off for and a supermajority in the Senate. (On the other bipartisanship. The ideological stripes won’t be hand, if the Senate changes its filibuster rules, the apparent false-flag operation that is nothing the prospect is more likely.) For now, however, more than a means to get elected. Instead, the this is a Congress that can’t even agree to pay stripes will be battle colors. the power bill.

That’s not to say bipartisanship is always a Take the current stalemate underway in good thing. Just because two sides agree doesn’t Washington, D.C., that resulted in the federal make it correct. Bipartisanship is at times a necgovernment shutdown. Over what? A demand essary evil. Both sides need to be able to reach for $5 billion for border wall funding — a vast, agreements that allow the gears of government unfathomable amount for most Americans, to function. but a paltry one-tenth of 1 percent of annual For now, there are some traces of bipartifederal spending. sanship in the U.S. Senate. Following a town Forget about the merits of a border wall as hall meeting in Huntsville on Saturday, Sen. a means to secure the border for the moment.

Doug Jones (D, Alabama) told Lagniappe there Let’s assume this was adjudicated in 2016 remains some camaraderie in the Senate, which (which, frankly, it was). Voters elected a presiallows for some good things to get done. dent who ran with a border wall as the main “They get fractured on specific issues on ocplank of his presidential campaign. casions,” Jones said. “There’s a lot more biparDid we think that we were actually going to tisanship that goes on in the Senate than people get a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border? A possisee. People see dueling press conferences, and bility for some, maybe. Congress authorized it a they think we do nothing but just fight. But long time ago but would never put up the funds that’s not the case.” to build it. Those proposals put forth during the Maybe bipartisanship isn’t dead, but it does 2016 presidential campaign weren’t full-on pro seem like it is on life support. wrestling, but semi-professional wrestling.

When the next election campaign cycle This shutdown is about the politics of the starts, keep an eye on how many candidates run wall. Somewhere along the way, the promise to in the name of working across the aisle. That build the wall became more than the typical hol- number will probably be less than it has ever low campaign promise and is now the hill to die been before.

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COMMENTARY | THE GRIOT’S CORNER

Service key to transforming our community

BY KEN ROBINSON/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I

t’s one of those things that’s been lauded by presidents and preachers alike. Its place and purpose in society is indispensable. It is known for bringing out the best in people and connecting people. What is it? Service.

It has been explained as many things. Muhammad Ali referred to service as “the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Famed scientist and inventor George Washington Carver declared it as the truest measure of one’s success in life. And it was none other than Jesus Christ himself who admonished his followers that whoever desired to be great among them must be chief in service to others.

Service is not only an essential element of citizenship, but also of leadership.

So it is that during this time of year, communities across the nation, rightly honor and emulate one of America’s greatest servant-leaders — Martin Luther King Jr. — by issuing a clarion call to service in a variety of ways.

It was King who so eloquently noted, “Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

Saturday, Feb. 2, the MLK Jr. Day of Service hosted

by Mobile United, is a day when local hearts full of grace and souls generated by love for their community can come out and participate in a valuable act of service.

From 8:30-11:30 a.m., Mobilians can meet at Tricentennial Park for the 1- and 3-Mile Creek Cleanup, or at the Walmart on the east Interstate 65 Service Road South

for the Eslava Creek Canal Cleanup. Mobile United’s Natural Resources Committee coordinates the event.

This particular event has a focus on the environment, but according to Mobile United Executive Director Michele Rumpf, it fits into a larger belief that “community involvement is critical for anything to get done. ... When we work together, we build relationships and trust with people/organizations we may not have met otherwise, we accomplish more and public awareness increases through the actual work and word-of-mouth.”

Members of the community working together and with a purpose cannot just help transform our physical environment, but our schools, our neighborhoods and the way we relate to each other overall. A commitment to service can be impactful in many ways.

According to Rumpf, Mobile United desires to implement a larger vision to increase a commitment to service and community involvement among Mobilians. It starts with a revised organizational mission statement that declares, “We unite the community through deliberative dialogue to train, convene and engage individuals for positive action.”

The “5:30 Forum” will be the primary vehicle to facilitate the convening aspect of Mobile United’s mission.

Rump notes, “The purpose of the 5:30 Forums will be to bring the community together over dinner to discuss topics important to the community. The Forums will feature a moderated speaker panel that will interact with the audience, so that it’s more of a conversation taking place between those present.”

The first 5:30 Forum will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12, at Moe’s Original Bar B Cue downtown. Topics to be discussed are the role of the faith community in improving Mobile, Project Thrive — an initiative of the Mobile Police Department created to close the gap between the victims of traumatic events and the services those individuals need to recover — and the feasibility study about creating a city school system. All are welcome to attend.

A community thrives or languishes according to the involvement and commitment of its members. As members dialogue and connect with one another, deeper understanding among diverse individuals and groups can be formed.

From this understanding can come the increased involvement and commitment needed for the community to thrive.

It was King who so powerfully observed, “Life’s most persistent and

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS CRITICAL FOR ANYTHING TO GET DONE. ... WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST WITH PEOPLE/ORGANIZATIONS WE MAY NOT HAVE MET OTHERWISE, WE ACCOMPLISH MORE AND PUBLIC AWARENESS INCREASES THROUGH THE ACTUAL WORK AND WORD-OF-MOUTH.” urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” In other words, how are you serving?

Hopefully, many Mobilians will ponder this question and respond by committing to engage in acts of service, not just on Saturday, Feb. 2, but throughout the year by taking time out to listen and dialogue in events like the 5:30 Forum and participating in other events hosted by Mobile United and like-minded organizations.

King’s call to service was not for one day in the year, but a call to commit to consistently finding ways to be involved in and positively impact the lives of others. Consistency and sincerity are the keys to true service. Service is the key to transforming our community.

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BUSINESS | THE REAL DEAL

Reese’s Senior Bowl hosts first leadership summit

BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST/BUSINESS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

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his year the Reese’s Senior Bowl is kicking off a high-profile leadership summit that executive producer Scott Tindle wants to eventually develop as the “South by Southwest” of sports — an annual event to complement the college football all-star game that has called the Port City home for nearly as long as a typical human lifespan.

“The Senior Bowl Leadership Summit is the first step in our attempt to grow the game into a week-long event, making it more than just about the game and giving people a reason to come to Mobile to stay longer. The summit is critical this year, because it really shows the Senior Bowl’s commitment to growing the event. Our goal is to make it be a staple of the week, just like the game,” said Tindle, co-owner of local entrepreneurial holding company “Think Bigger.”

Ticket sales for the summit have already attracted visitors from Baton Rouge, Tallahassee and Atlanta to reserve a seat inside downtown Mobile’s historic Saenger Theatre. For its inaugural year, the event is focusing on team building and will address a broad range of businessrelated subjects aside from sports-minded fare.

“The people who are involved in sports, they’re going to be telling us about the way they build teams, their strategies or tactics,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said. “It’s not about the X’s and O’s of football. It’s not about baseball. When Brandon Taubman talks about building the Houston Astros, he’s probably not going to talk about batting averages. Ozzie Newsome is not going to just talk about winning Super Bowls, but about the way that people work together when you’re constructing

high-performance teams.”

Nagy also expressed a desire to see some carryover from Friday to Saturday at the game itself, hopefully to maximize attendance inside the 40,000-seat Ladd-Peebles Stadium. “The last couple years, we haven’t filled that stadium with just our Mobile and Baldwin county population,” he said.

Purely from a financial perspective, the closest metropolitan midmarket comparison Tindle and Nagy made to the sheer amount of tourism money flowing annually into the area was the U.S. Masters tournament, which takes place in April at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

“Every year we credential over 900 NFL people. In essence the league descends on Mobile for that one week,” Nagy said. “If you just look at their salary structure, you’re talking upwards of 200 millionaires in the area in that time frame.”

He went on to say that the group encompasses head coaches and coordinators for each team, as well as general managers, front office executives, scouts and future first-round NFL prospects — all making (or soon to earn) a seven-plus figure salary annually.

“It’s the unofficial NFL convention every year as well as a big job fair,” Nagy said. “We will see a lot of college coaches from around the country that were let go this past December and are looking to make that jump into the NFL. Eight head coaches were also released in the NFL on ‘Black Monday’ recently that are looking for work.”

“From the hospitality and tourism side, what you see is this huge boon to the local businesses in the area,” said

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Tindle. “It’s obviously a big win for our hotels. It can make the month for a lot of small business owners. But what it also does is create this sense that Mobile can be a collision point for sports, business and innovation, and that’s an important part of what we’re trying to build out with the summit — that Mobile is this destination.”

Tindle didn’t pull any punches, however, when asked about area support for the 70-year-old game, noting an apparent local apathy regarding attendance.

“We take the game for granted because it’s always been here and that’s all we’ve ever known. If you have a ticket and it’s nice weather, you will go. If it isn’t nice weather, people stay home,” he said.

“But I think it’s important that Mobilians rally around this game and love it the same way that the NFL loves Mobile. We have to show that by making a serious effort to fill the stands, by supporting the people who come and put a lot of money into our economy. We have got to get into the stadium and actually see the game; only going to go to the tailgate doesn’t support the game the way it’s needed.”

More information about the inaugural Reese’s Senior Bowl Leadership Summit can be found at mobile.org.

Business moves, transactions

• Integrated Pain Management of Alabama (IPMA), located at 7860 Cottage Hill Road, was recently upgraded. Some 2,000 square feet of space in the building has been augmented to accommodate more alternative treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI), wound care and administration. IPMA is reportedly the only private clinic on the Gulf Coast offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a viable treatment for TBI. Additionally, Dr. Lloyd A Manchikes and hyperbaric technician Patrick O’Brien recently created Southern Brain Injury Clinic. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit will fund treatment of military veterans who may not have other sources of funding. The clinic is a VA health care contractor and currently treats veterans for a wide range of injuries including TBI, post-traumatic stress disorder, cerebral palsy, chronic migraines, severe burns and wounds from amputation.

The clinic also institutes treatments to reduce the usage of opioids currently prescribed in by the VA health care system.

• DDS Dentures + Implants Solutions has leased some 4,560 square feet of retail space at Spanish Fort Town Center on Bass Pro Drive in Spanish Fort. The company currently has locations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. This marks its first location in Alabama. Angie McArthur, broker associate with Stirling Properties, represented the landlord in the transaction and is the commercial listing agent for the property.

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CUISINE THE REVIEW

Taco Mama pushes the limits of Mexican dining

TACO MAMA 2534-A OLD SHELL ROAD MOBILE, AL 36607 251-333-MAMA (6262)

BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET

ave you ever felt like you didn’t want Mexican food, then you walk into a restaurant and immediately know that you do?” These were the words Rob spoke the second we got a whiff of what was cooking at Taco Mama, the Mountain Brook-based, Southern chain that opened its latest location in the same shopping center as Publix, Simple Greek, Shrimp Basket and soon-to-be Rock-N-Roll Sushi.

He was right. I was neither hot nor cold on the subject until we walked through the door to a more-than-modest lunch crowd and smelled the spices in the air. At that moment I became ravenous for tacos, burritos and all the accoutrements

IT’S A MENU THAT OFFERS A BUILDYOUR-OWN CONCEPT ALONG WITH PLENTY OF SIGNATURE ITEMS FOR THE CREATIVELY CHALLENGED DINER.” our neighbors to the south once crossed borders to bring us.

My only previous experience with Taco Mama was a brief visit during its soft opening, which featured a self-serve taco bar and a couple of drink options. This was to be my first dine-in menu venture. Having Rob as a backup ensured I could sample enough food to get a good idea of what Taco Mama can put together. It’s a menu that offers a build-yourown concept along with plenty of signature items for the creatively challenged diner.

I wouldn’t necessarily call this fast food, but you order at the counter and take a number. You get your own fountain drinks, but they bring you your beer, wine or margaritas (more on those later). I also wouldn’t call this authentic Mexican.

If it is a street taco you crave, keep going. This is more of a place to push the limits of what we think of when we mention Mexican dining.

Speaking of pushing the limits, Rob and I ordered like morons and ate like gentlemen. Don’t get the idea we overindulged as much as this article suggests. No one had to loosen the belt or move the seat back to get in the car. OK, OK, we ate more than we should, but most of this came home with us.

Let’s start with the chips and salsa ($2). Thin, white corn

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Photo | Dan Anderson / Lagniappe

H “

Look elsewhere for authentic Mexican and street tacos, but Taco Mama is pushing the boundaries of Mexican cuisine and margaritas, in a good way. tortilla chips were served with the hot tomatillo salsa, though for these temps was The Big Client Burrito ($9). This barbawe also sampled the red, mild ranchera. The green tomatillo coa rollup features refried beans, queso, shredded cheddar, tohad a little bit of fire, nothing you couldn’t handle, but pleasmatoes and the red salsa we had earlier. If you want something antly hot. Excellent flavor, but still for the masses where heat to stick to your ribs, this would do the trick. is concerned. The red salsa was still good. This is more for A side of Mexican Mac & Cheese ($3) is most definitely the kids and our friend Snake, who cannot handle the sting of in Graham’s future. Honey Chipotle Corn and Chorizo Refried anything spicy.

Beans are other best-sellers from the sides list.

Chips and guacamole will run you $8, A handful of drafts and bottles of as will a bowl of queso (a cup fetches $6), domestics and imports compete with but your best route is to get the sampler of Mexican sodas, and a simple-yet-effective all three for $9 and be done with it. The wine list can get you in the spirit. The guacamole was chunky and fresh, and the margarita menu, however, is anything but cheese dip was no better or worse than From pomegranate to watermelon, I THINK TACO MAMA IS NOW simple. what you usually get at the order-by-numcucumber to blood orange, these margs ber restaurants. could save your day. There is a fizzy ProDOING A GREAT JOB. IT’S I was building my own taco and acsecco version, a low-carb offering called cidentally recreated the Ahi Tuna-Si ($6).

TACOS, BURRITOS AND QUE- the Skinny and a hot jalapeño version. You Maybe I could be a menu consultant! AAA can order by the glass or by the pitcher!

SADILLAS — NOT ROCKET sushi-grade tuna is served completely raw, That’s worth the trip itself. as it should be. Avocado adorns the fish, There is a catering menu with a taco SCIENCE — AND PEOPLE and Sriracha slaw fills in the gaps. A side of bar, and a Happy Family takeout meal for chipotle ranch lends a little Mexican edge to any off-campus needs. We really are just ARE LOVING IT. an otherwise Asian-flavored dish. Get there scratching the surface here. Many items early for this one — limited amounts are come in baskets that include sides, and available daily. once you learn to navigate the menu, findI couldn’t judge this place without having a great deal is easy. For instance, some ing the Classic Beef ($8). This is the taco you grew up with. of the prices include two tacos.

And it’s good.

Like many newcomers, when this place first opened I heard Rob built a chicken taco that was pretty good, but didn’t a few negative comments, but I kept telling people to let them amount to a lot when compared to his Chorizo Quesadilla get their legs under them. I think Taco Mama is now doing a ($8). I realize there isn’t much to say about a quesadilla other great job. It’s tacos, burritos and quesadillas — not rocket scithan its being good or bad, so I will say this one was good. The ence — and people are loving it. sausage was good, the whole thing a little salty, as expected, By the time we were leaving our early lunch, the place was and easy to handle. packed. I expect to see it busier every day. Even if you think On this cold, wintery day, I wanted something to warm me you aren’t in the mood, all you have to do is walk in and take a up. An employee told me they don’t have soup, but her favorite deep breath.

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CUISINE | WORD OF MOUTH

Sip & Chew show up for Taste Award

Get to “Know Your Fisher”

BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR

Photo | Facebook

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Mike Bailey and Stuart Reb Donald host “Sip & Chew with Mike & Stu” Sunday mornings on FM Talk 1065.

ongratulations to our very own “Sip & Chew with Mike & Stu” hosts on being nominated for a Taste Award, the original awards for the lifestyle entertainment industry. The program, which airs Sunday morning at 8 a.m. on FM Talk 1065, is one of six finalists in the “Best Food or Drink Radio Broadcast” category. Maybe they should count as two finalists since the show is food AND drink topical.

Sipper Mike Bailey and chewer Stuart Reb Donald have

been fortifying the caloric airwaves for the past six years, and bring their expertise in food and wine to listeners weekly. It isn’t out of the ordinary to also see these media hogs gueststarring in print or on television programs such as Fox10’s “Studio 10.” Twice nominated for a Nappie Award, this is the program’s first national nod.

“I was in shock” upon hearing the news, said Bailey. “I had to take two shots of Jack Daniels just to go to sleep last night.”

Hey, Mike, you’re supposed to sip!

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Gain a better understanding of the bounty that comes from our waters Thursday, Jan. 24, at The Noble South with its “Know Your Fisher” dinner featuring Avery Bates. Hosted by Noble South and the Gulf Restoration Network, the dinner runs from 6:30-9 p.m.

Fifth-generation commercial fisher Bates will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the fish he brought, as well as what it’s like to dedicate your life to providing consumers with fresh, local catch.

“Every shrimp, fish or oyster that ends up on somebody’s plate comes from a fisherman out there fighting the elements,” Bates said.

“I’m excited to bring top-notch product directly to the consumer.”

Chef/owner Chris Rainosek adds, “We feel that their values and beliefs are in line with how we at The Noble South try to make sure we operate, by being conscious of the bigger picture in the food industry. We are always aware of where our food comes from and who provides it. We look forward to informing our patrons about more of these things — in this case, specifically informing them on local fish choices — and, of course, serving a delicious dinner.”

Amen. I couldn’t imagine this ever disappointing. The evening should find you enjoying passed appetizers and a two-course seated meal along with beer, wine or cocktails. Tickets cost $75 and are available from the restaurant and via noblesouthrestaurant.com.

Old Dutch celebrates 50 years

The jury is still out on how 2019 will shape up, but for Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Parlor it marks 50 years of dipping!

Yes, the half-century mark is a big milestone, but more growth has been seen in the past few years. It began when they started making their own ice cream, which led to distribution in stores.

That grew enough to where Cammie built a creamery, and now our favorite ice cream reaches multiple states!

Of course the new year means new moonpie ice cream, and though we usually have to wait until the first parade, Cammie has softened and is serving King Cake ice cream as we speak. Happy birthday, Old Dutch!

Recycle!

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COVER STORY

Mobile Police Department grapples with death of second officer in 11 months

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JASON JOHNSON/REPORTER

ONDOLENCES FROM ACROSS

the country continue to pour in for the family of Officer Sean Tuder and the Mobile Police Department (MPD), which has lost two officers in the line of duty in less than a year.

Tuder, 30, was gunned down on Sunday, Jan. 20, near the Peach Place Inn apartment complex on Leroy Stevens Road while attempting to serve an arrest warrant. According to Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste, the suspect, 19-year-old Marco Perez, had been on the run from local authorities for outstanding warrants in state and federal court.

According to police, Tuder was off duty at the time but requested and received authorization to investigate a tip that Perez had been spotted at the apartment complex.

Battiste said Tuder coordinated with a supervisor and requested backup, but was alone at the moment he arrived. He said Perez approached Tudor, who was in plain clothes in an unmarked vehicle, before any other officers arrived.

“When Officer Tuder pulled into the parking lot of Peach Place, Perez approached his vehicle at a rapid rate and caused Officer Tuder to take action,” Battiste said. “They engaged in a scuffle, and at some point, Perez pulled a weapon and shot Officer Tuder multiple times.”

Battiste said Tuder had been working on Perez’ case for months, and investigators haven’t ruled out the possibility Perez recognized Tuder as an officer from previous encounters.

Police also confirmed reports responding backup officers were not immediately aware Tuder had been shot. How they became aware or how long it took is currently unclear.

Tuder was transported to Providence Hospital in a police cruiser, but ultimately died as a result of injuries he sustained. Police have declined to disclose where Tuder was shot or how many times.

At press conference Sunday night, Battiste said further details about the incident would remain sparse while officers investigate and prepare for prosecution. Perez won’t be arraigned until next Tuesday, Jan. 29, but Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich said he would be charged with capital murder.

Battiste said Tuder’s death has been difficult for MPD, noting the department is less than a year removed from the shooting of Officer Justin Billa, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance on Feb. 21, 2018.

“For the family of our officer, and the men and women who wear the uniform and badge, this is a time of grief for us. We’re trying to make sense of how we can have another brother lose his life in less than a year,” Battiste said.

“We just ask the community to keep us in your prayers along with [Officer Tuder’s] family.

This is going to be a difficult time.”

survived. He and another suspect were eventually arrested and charged with armed burglary.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the shooting and cleared Tuder.

As word of Tuder’s death spread this week, officers who worked with him in Palatka and in other Florida agencies joined residents in both states in mourning the loss and offering prayers.

One resident shared a story of Tuder giving his own money to a child in need.

Officer Sean Tuder “I’ll never forget, when he found out a Tuder joined the MPD in March 2016 and young mother here in Palatka was out of a few quickly made a favorable impression. After months of working MPD’s First Precinct, which things for her baby, Officer Tuder took money the department identifies as a “high crime” area, out of his own wallet and made sure that baby Tuder was named the “Officer of the Month” in had what it needed,” she wrote in a Facebook post Monday.

July 2017.

Aside from his time working with the MPD, In a news release on his achievement, MPD said Tuder made numerous drug and gun arrests, Tuder was also a specialist in a local National Guard unit. Members of the 173rd Infantry Unit adding some of his work led to federal criminal cases. That month alone, Tuder responded to 110 have expressed their condolences, and some apcalls and 57 calls for backup and made 13 felony peared Monday alongside District Attorney Rich.

“Not only was he serving our community and 55 misdemeanor arrests. as a police officer, but he was also serving Though he had been on the force less than our country, because that’s the kind of man he three years, Battiste said Tuder had already started to have a positive impact, not just on the was,” Rich said. “He was a man of service.” community but also on his fellow officers.

“He was one of those guys that certainly Marco Antonio Perez resonates in your mind as someone who’s a true Marco Perez’s name was in local headlines leader and doing his best in this community long before Tuder’s family, the MPD and the to keep people safe and be a role model for Mobile community were left to mourn the others,” Battiste said. “He was one of those of- young officer’s death. He was arrested three ficers that believed in mentoring and helping to times in 2018, including once as a suspect in bring other officers along as well.” a rash of a vehicle break-ins throughout Mobile.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, who met Perez was one of three suspects police Tuder when he was named MPD’s Officer of believed to be connected to at least 18 breakthe Month in 2017, reflected similar sentiments. ins in the city. Although all three suspects were Stimpson called Tuder an outstanding officer juveniles, Perez was arrested just days before who had done great things despite only being his 18th birthday and was granted “youthpart of the MPD for a few years. He described ful offender” status in the case when it was Tuder’s death in the line of duty as a tremendous adjudicated. He was tried as a minor on at least loss for the department and the city of Mobile.

12 charges of breaking and entering, accord“He was really on a fast track — a very ing to court filings from an unrelated charge. aspiring officer and one that was destined to do However, because he was tried as a minor, the great things,” Stimpson added. details of that case are sealed.

Prior to joining the department, Tuder began According to Mobile County Metro Jail his law enforcement career in his native state records, Perez was also charged with unauthorof Florida. He graduated from Fleming Island ized use of a vehicle in 2018. Most recently, High School, attended the criminal justice acad- he was arrested for leaving the scene of an acemy at St. Johns River State College and joined cident — a charge he pleaded guilty to in Septhe Palatka Police Department. Tuder made tember before being sentenced to six months of national news in 2015 for his quick reactions formal probation. during an armed confrontation with a teenage District Judge George Hardesty presided over burglar in Palatka. that case. Lagniappe reached out to the court-apThere, Tuder reportedly shot a 15-year-old pointed defense attorney who represented Perez robbery suspect after the suspect allegedly during that case, but did not receive a response racked a shotgun and aimed at him while reby this publication’s press deadline. sponding to a residential burglary. Tuder was not In November, federal authorities indicted injured in the incident and the teenage suspect Perez on a single charge of possessing a stolen

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firearm. He was scheduled to go to trial in February, but police say Perez had since been on the run, trying to avoid that trial and a pending charge for probation violation in state court.

Perez made the local news again earlier this month after his mother, 38-year-old Tiffany Perez, was arrested over an alleged scheme to fake Marco’s own kidnapping and murder in what police say was an unsuccessful attempt to keep him from facing his pending criminal charges.

According to MPD, Tiffany Perez filed a missing person’s report in early January claiming she hadn’t seen her son since New Year’s Eve. A few days later, she told local TV reporters she’d received a text message indicating Marco was no longer alive.

However, MPD quickly called her claims into doubt. A department spokesperson notified local media officers had tracked down Perez shortly before his family began to suggest he had died.

Police said he ran from the officers who approached him, adding they didn’t believe Perez was “ever in any danger.” He and his mother were both charged with filing a false police report, but Perez remained at large for several more days ... until the encounter with Tuder on Sunday. Tuder is believed to have been following up on a tip about Perez’s whereabouts when he was killed.

Crime and punishment

Only a few hours after Perez was brought into police custody Sunday, Rich said her office would be pursuing a capital murder charge against him for Tuder’s death. The killing of a peace officer, she said, meets the bar for filing the state’s most severe charge, which carries the punishment of life in prison or the death penalty. Rich said prosecutors will make a sentencing decision in consultation with Tuder’s family as the case progresses.

Rich said Perez, whom she described as homeless, spent several days before the shooting “running from police and living in the woods.”

She also told reporters he was only a visitor at the apartment complex where Tuder was killed, but did not say whom he might have been visiting.

Rich also hasn’t addressed whether Perez’s mother may face additional charges related to Tuder’s death, though she didn’t specifically rule out that possibility.

“The evidence is still unfolding and this is still an active investigation,” she said.

Following the two previous deaths of police officers in Mobile, neither case required trials because the suspects died during the incidents.

COVER STORY After fatally stabbing MPD Officer Steven Green in 2012, Lawrence Wallace Jr. was killed by officers in pursuit. Last February, Robert Hollie committed suicide after fatally shooting Officer Billa and barricading himself inside his house.

Regardless of the punishment sought, if Perez’s case goes to trial, he won’t be waiting for his day in court anywhere other than Metro Jail. On Monday, District Judge Joe Basenberg ordered he be held without bond.

Basenberg determined Perez’s criminal record and the danger he poses to the community make him ineligible for bond. Rich and Battiste, each of whom have recently raised concerns about the prevalence of judicial bonds, praised Basenberg’s decision.

“We are thankful and happy the district attorney’s office was able to convince the court that no bond was the appropriate action MPD Officer Sean Tuder in this case,” Battiste said. “We’ve made it rifices made by those who wear the badge,” through the first hurdle and her office has Ivey said. done a great job in making sure Mr. Perez As she did when news of Carter’s death will remain incarcerated.” first broke, Ivey ordered flags at all of AlaPerez will be arraigned on charges of bama’s state buildings to be flown at half-staff capital murder and filing a false police report through Jan. 27 in remembrance of Tuder. Loat 8:30 a.m., Jan. 29. Rich said Perez is cally, residents in Mobile have come together expected to plead not guilty. in a number of ways to help Tuder’s family.

Several business are selling bracelets and T-shirts while others are pledging portions of A community mourns their sales with the proceeds all going toward After Billa was killed last year, Stimpson Tuder’s final expenses or directly to his famsaid the only thing worse than addressing the ily. The Facebook page “Remembering MPD death of a fallen officer would be citizens Officer Sean Tuder” is a centralized location failing to honor that officer’s sacrifice. He to follow local fundraising efforts and memolater said Billa’s city didn’t let him down. So far, the response to Tuder’s death in the line of rial events. The MPD also accepting donations for the family through the Mobile Law duty has been on par.

Dozens of police cruisers escorted Tuder’s Enforcement Foundation.

Understandably, Tuder’s wife, Krissy, has body to a funeral home Monday. Along the not said much publicly about her husband’s way, thousands of officers, firefighters, motorists and residents lined streets and bridges death, but she has extended an invitation to the public to come pay their final respects.

— some holding American flags, some Announcing the arrangements for her late saluting, others standing quietly with hands husband, Krissy wrote “come give me a hug over hearts. and say goodbye to our hero.”

Tuder is the 20th officer to lose his life in Two visitations have been scheduled for the line of duty in MPD’s long history, but Tuder, both of which are open to the public. he was also the fifth law enforcement officer The first will be Thursday, Jan. 24, 5-8 in the U.S. to be killed just this year and the p.m. at Dauphin Way Baptist Church. The second in Alabama.

Agencies around the state had already been second will be at the same location Friday, Jan. 25, 10-11 a.m. mourning the loss of Birmingham Police Sgt. A private funeral and graveside service at Wytasha Carter, who was killed Jan. 13 while Mobile Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Three confronting a burglary suspect. Another officer was wounded in the incident but survived. Notch-Kroner Road will follow.

Other than his wife, much of Tuder’s famSince Sunday, praise for Tuder has come in ily lives in Florida. In a statement given to from local, state and national officials as well as other agencies across the country. U.S. Rep. News4-Jax in Jacksonville, the family thanked those in Mobile and across the Gulf Coast Bradley Byrne wrote Tuder was “a hero who who have reached out to offer prayers and put his life on the line so that others could support. sleep sound at night.” Gov. Kay Ivey called They also requested privacy as they deal him “an exceptional young officer.”

“This senseless tragedy has sadly taken the with the loss of “our beloved Sean.”

Dale Liesch contributed to this report. life of yet another Mobile police officer, far too soon, and stands as a reminder of the sac-

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ART ARTIFICE

JJP brings monster laughs to life

BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

T

here’s a monster loose in midtown Mobile. In comedic jargon, he’s a confirmed “killer,” rampaging through Joe Jefferson Playhouse (11 S. Carlen St.) as they stage “Young Frankenstein” through Feb. 3.

It takes a lot of chutzpah to craft a stage musical from comedic genius Mel Brooks’ most acclaimed film — its Rotten Tomatoes score is 93 percent to the 90 percent “Blazing Saddles” boasts — but if anyone has nerve, it’s the indomitable Brooks. That’s why his classic creaturefeature sendup became a 2007 stage hit that delighted international audiences.

It takes even more guts to mount it in a smaller market like Mobile. The ghosts of its silver screen predecessors — universally beloved and departed talents including Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle — threaten to haunt every performance.

JJP makes it work. The humor is still so valid, the writing so delightfully silly and risqué that even though you know what’s coming, it still hits its mark. When Artifice caught the final dress rehearsal, there were 35 or more guests in the audience. The laughter and applause weren’t a mere gratuity or kindness, it was earned.

Directed by local stage veteran Gene Murrell, his other job as a radio personality shows in the music lilting through the PA while awaiting showtime. Themes from “Scooby Doo,” “Weird Science” and “The Munsters” along with The Doors’ “Strange Days,” The Cranberries’ “Zombie” and others set a playful mood for the madcap story.

The curtain opens on a rain-soaked funeral procession where a chorus of German peasants strip their mournful

MOJO makes permanent move

Cedric Brooks is the featured performer and brings a powerhouse ensemble with him.

The recent permanent closure of MOJO’s traditional confines, the Gulf City Lodge (State Street Elks), means this and future MOJO shows will take place at Bernheim Hall in the Ben May Main Library (701 Government St.) for the foreseeable future.

The show takes place Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m.

Entrance is $15, $12 for military/students and $10 for MOJO members.

For more information, call 251-459-2298 or go to mojojazz.org.

Midsummer move forced on MAC

The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) will depart its offices and exhibit space near the

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IT’S WHEN THEY LAUNCH INTO THE SONG AND DANCE OF ‘TOGETHER AGAIN’ THAT YOU FULLY FEEL THE HEARTBEAT OF OLD VAUDEVILLE AT THE HEART OF BROOKS’ WORK. IT’S LIKE THE SMUTTIEST BUGS BUNNY CARTOON YOU’VE EVER SEEN.” function as intended, a good save. I do wish his delivery of Gene Hackman’s originally ad-libbed “espresso” line had been clearer, though.

If there’s a drawback, it is the run time. Act 1 clocked in at around 90 minutes. Add an 18-minute intermission and by the time we finished an admittedly shorter Act 2, it was past 10 p.m. Maybe it’s the lengthy applause breaks.

Friday and Saturday curtain is at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

For tickets, call 251-471-1534 or go to joejeffersonplayers.com.

intersection of Dauphin and Claiborne streets after June 2019. MAC leadership said SMG has graciously agreed to host monthly MAC exhibitions in Room 1927 next to the Saenger Theatre’s South Joachim Street entrance.

However, MAC offices are another story.

“I’d love to stay downtown, on Dauphin Street if possible, but we’ll just have to see what comes up,” MAC Director Shellie Teague said.

Rent on the current spot is rising beyond the nonprofit’s means. The city lists the building as 9,537 square feet, with roughly 2,800 occupied by MAC. The other 6,737 square feet are already vacated.

When MAC moved there in 2005, it was owned by Bill Buchanan. City information lists the current owner as Helen Hayes Bu-

chanan, trustee of the William G. Buchanan Residual Share Trust.

Taxes in 2005 were $3,235.96. Now they are 50 percent higher, meaning the assessed value has increased as much.

It will be hard to duplicate the advantageous spot at the hub of the city’s designated “arts district.” MAC leadership feels opportunity exists as long as unoccupied storefronts remain on or near downtown’s main drag.

“With galleries like Mobilia Arts Center closing, there’s a lot of artists that need a place to show their work, that need the representation,” Teague said.

For now, MAC is centered on selling tickets to the Arty Awards, March 28 at The Steeple (251 St. Francis St.), and affirming their positive impact.

ARTSGALLERY

The Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed (MOJO) begins the 17th year of its popular monthly jambalaya series with a salute to jazz fusion keyboardist George Duke. The California native rose to prominence in the late 1960s after a cousin convinced the highly educated musician and instructor to switch his focus from classical music to jazz.

It paid off in short order when Duke performed with Jean Luc-Ponty, Frank Zappa and Cannonball Adderley. The keyboardist blended elements of jazz with R&B, pop, funk and soul in the coming years and built affiliations with Jeffrey Osborne, Deniece Williams, Stanley Clarke, Al Jarreau, Anita Baker, Dianne Reeves and others.

veneer and celebrate the death of mad scientist Victor von Frankenstein. Barney March provides explanation as the one-armed, one-legged, one-eyed Inspector Kemp.

Coincidentally, this is the second time March has filled a Brooks-created Teutonic role played by Kenneth Mars in film since the Mobile lawyer channeled Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in JJP’s “The Producers.” Why let a German accent go to waste, eh?

We’re quickly introduced to Frankenstein heir Frederick, an American medical school instructor played by JJP newcomer Mike Garand. He eschews strict adherence to Wilder’s precedent, finding his own strengths and interpretations. Garand reveals the appropriately manic glee in his eyes when gazing at a brain under glass and deftly handles the tongue-twisting lyrics of his first number.

JJP neophyte Shanna Stoker is Elizabeth Benning, Frankenstein’s coquettish tease of a fiancée, and she brings both the big personality and abundant cleavage needed. She pulls off the perfect blend of ego and humor, utilizing a voice brimming with operatic drama and vibrato. Her persona bursts into scenes and her Act 2 entrance is hilariously perfect.

Once Frankenstein arrives in “the old country,” we get the essence of Brooks’ sensibilities. There’s the foreseeable pun on an old Big Band hit, then he meets Igor, played by Jake Coleman. It’s when they launch into the song and dance of “Together Again” that you fully feel the heartbeat of old vaudeville at the heart of Brooks’ work. It’s like the smuttiest Bugs Bunny cartoon you’ve ever seen.

Director Murrell told Artifice some seven months back

the key to Brooks is all “timing” and he’s right. It’s a timing perfected in decades of traveling shows and Borscht Belt work, the stuff American comedy was nurtured on.

There’s another key, though and it’s perfected by Lesley Roberts as Frau Blucher (insert your own neighing and lightning now). It’s commitment. There is no “extra” with Brooks; the more you go all-in, the more comedy emerges.

Roberts’ show-stealing work is abundant in her bawdy number “He Vas My Boyfriend.” All the leads, including Kate Arrington’s Inga, are in fine voice.

As the Monster, Keller Bozeman is surprisingly nimble-footed. The big guy does an admirable job hoofing it in “Puttin’ On the Ritz.”

Kirk Corley shows off nice vocal chops as ancestor Victor in a dream sequence. That bit featured a surprise of gigantic proportion that was the night’s best visual delight.

As the Hermit, Harvie Jordan had an adept improv when a prop didn’t

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MUSIC

BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

FEATURE

Multi-instrumentalist Marco Benevento gets back to nature BAND: MARCO BENEVENTO DATE: WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23, WITH DOORS AT 7 P.M. VENUE: SOUL KITCHEN, 219 DAUPHIN ST. (MOBILE), SOULKITCHENMOBILE.COM TICKETS: $12 IN ADVANCE/$15 DAY OF SHOW, AVAILABLE THROUGH VENUE WEBSITE OR 1-866-777-8932

T

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Photo | Photography by Wyndham

en years ago, pianist Marco Mathis (Tea Leaf Green) and drummer Andrew Barr Benevento exposed the world to (The Slip). He instantly fell in love with Chamhis avant-garde sounds through berlain’s environment, especially his Mellotron his solo debut “Invisible Baby.” keyboard. Benevento says a “quirky” engineer also The critics labeled it jazz, but this introduced him to an innovative technique he still groundbreaking album existed incorporates into his live show. in its own dimension. Benevento “I do remember specifically that one of the engimixed a concoction featuring equal parts jam, EDM, neers said, ‘Oh, you should try this little amp I got. jazz and roots rock riddled with ambient overtones. It’s from an old projector from the ‘50s. Why don’t This eclectic sound shone in its ability to wrangle you run your piano through that,’” Benevento said. an improvisational creation process into one beauti- “That was eye-opening for me to think about. In ful sonic beast. the studio, you can do anything. I started doing that In 2018, Benevento celebrated the 10th anniver- live. On the road, we have an upright piano, and it sary of “Invisible Baby’ by re-releasing the album has pickups going to amps.” on his Royal Potato Family Benevento’s life and label. This decision was not music have changed greatly only a chance to celebrate 10 since the release of “Invisible years of solo work, but also a Baby.” Ten years ago, he was chance to bring the album into a member of Brooklyn’s vast, the Royal Potato Family. eclectic musical community.

IT’S REALLY COOL TO At the time of the release, However, Benevento says Benevento said he had no he and his wife felt Mother INCORPORATE INSTRUidea what label would take on Nature pulling them away this album. from the city. The couple MENTAL MUSIC WITH “Luckily, this record label wanted land and a garden in called Hyena put out ‘Invisorder to “feel more connected VOCAL MUSIC. SOMEible Baby,’” Benevento said. to the Earth.” They also felt a “My manager was working more rural area might provide TIMES IT COULD BE for them, so we had a bit of an a better environment for their in over there. Then we started children.

TALKING OR CHANTING. our own record label ... Royal So, after spending 10 Potato Family. So it was nice years in Brooklyn, Benevento to put it out on our own label.” packed up his family and Benevento says he vividly moved north of the city to remembers recording this album. One of his fondWoodstock. When he arrived, he found himself in est memories is the inclusion of drummer Matt good company.

Chamberlain as both a featured artist and producer.

“There are some other musicians who have Chamberlain is known for his work with Pearl Jam, moved up here, like my musical cohort John MedesTori Amos, Kanye West and many others. Benevento ki (Medeski, Martin & Wood),” Benevento said. cites Chamberlain as not only one of his favorite mu- “Amy Helm lives up here, who is Levon’s daughter. sicians, but also one of his favorite people. To work Jack DeJohnette (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock) with Chamberlain in the studio was a thrill for him. is up here. Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) lives up “He’s funny,” Benevento said. “He’s such an here. So there’s a community. There’s even a rock amazing drummer and on so many records that I academy up here that involves kids doing music and love. To be able to be friends with him and track with putting on shows. We loved Brooklyn, but it was him and make a record with him, I was so excited. time to get out and have a little bit more space.”

He’s a genius in the studio and has a lot of ideas.”

Benevento’s music has evolved as well, as can Benevento says he retreated to Chamberlain’s be witnessed in his latest studio release, “The Story Seattle studio to record, joined by bassist Reed of Fred Short.” While his music still maintains its

Multi-instrumentalist Marco Benevento brings his blend of jam, EDM, jazz and roots rock to Soul Kitchen Jan. 23. avant-garde persona, Benevento has added a thread of what he describes as “rock and pop sensibilities” to his sound. “The Story of Fred Short” proves that balancing these sensibilities with his style has not hindered its distinctive, eclectic sound. He’s also added vocal tracks to his musical mix with great results, for both the artist and the listener.

Benevento says adding a vocal aspect has made its own impression on his music.

“We were relying [with “Invisible Baby”] more on our improvisation to make it through a show,” Benevento said. “Now, I think there’s other factors and influences with singing. It’s really cool to incorporate instrumental music with vocal music. Sometimes it could be talking or chanting.”

While his studio work is exceptional, Benevento’s music flourishes live, which he has documented on such albums as “Woodstock Sessions,” considered a companion piece to “The Story of Fred Short.” For this endeavor, Benevento traveled two miles from home to Applehead Recording & Production. He describes this environment as a “picturesque Woodstock recording studio/barn” complete with a “giant pig that’s walking outside and horses and llamas.” Benevento loaded in his gear alongside an intimate crowd of people and documented the session.

“The gig was probably a two-hour-long gig, but we only had space for 45 minutes on a record,” Benevento said. “We cut some tunes and made a live record. They have incredible gear in there, and I know the engineer pretty well because we’ve done some records together.

It’s a killer space.”

As far as future releases from this keyboard maestro, Benevento says he has just completed work on a new album. For this effort, he entered the studio with Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings). Benevento met Michels while subbing for him with The Arcs, which also features Dan Auerbach (Black Keys), Richard Swift and Nick Movshon.

Michels is also a Brooklyn expatriate who lives in upstate New York near Benevento. The first single from the album will be released in July and the full album in September.

ANSWERS FROM PAGE 36

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MUSIC BRIEFS

Shrouded in experience

BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

Band: Jerry Joseph Date: Thursday, Jan. 24, with doors at 8 p.m.

Venue: The Merry Widow, 51 S. Conception St. (Mobile), themerrywidow.net Tickets: $5 at the door

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Photo | Courtesy of The Merry Widow | Jerry Joseph

I

f there is one philosophy that resonates with most singer-songwriters, it would be personal experiences provide a foundation for a good song. For his latest effort, “Full Metal Burqa,” singer-songwriter/guitarist Jerry Joseph (Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons, Stockholm Syndrome) has translated a number of unique experiences into a collection of insightful tracks, taking listeners around the planet on a musical journey as witnessed through his mind.

Joseph’s time spent teaching at an “underground, co-ed rock school” in Kabul, Afghanistan, inspired the album’s title as well as such tracks such as “Peacocks and Blackhawks.” For this vision, Joseph’s smooth ramble of lyrics rolls across measures of pure rock ‘n’ roll. When one considers the location and the tone of this track, “Peacocks and Blackhawks” takes on an air of irony.

Joseph also heads to the Dominican Republic for “Power Out.” Clocking in at more than 10 minutes, this epic track begins with straight rock before dropping into Joseph’s edgy take on reggae. While songs this length might grow stale, Joseph’s energy and dynamics keep it engaging.

Joseph’s show at The Merry Widow will be an intimate experience, a solo show with just a guitar and a wealth of music. Don’t miss it.

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MUSIC BRIEFS

Honky-tonk barbecue Band: The Modern Eldorados Date: Friday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m.

Venue: TexarBama BBQ, 212½ Fairhope Ave. (Fairhope), texarbama.com Tickets: Free

Photo | Facebook | Gretcsh Lyles and the Modern Eldorados

TexarBama BBQ has created quite a buzz along the Eastern Shore. From brisket to ribs, this restaurant’s distinctive fare has been a welcome addition to the area’s barbecue scene. TexarBama has also added live music to its menu, featuring such such artists as Molly Thomas & the Rare Birds and Wayne “The Train” Hancock. On Jan. 25, the smoked meats can be paired with a set from The Modern Eldorados.

Years before indie country began delving into classic forms, Tyrone “Gretsch” Lyles was keeping traditional country alive with both his original songs and his live show. Lyles and his Modern Eldorados have the reputation for igniting the stage with an electrifying delivery of music by Johnny Cash, Ray Price, Hank Williams and many other icons from the world of classic country and rock.

Lyles will also thrill the crowd with cuts from his original album, “The Rockmart Demos.”

Blues Jeans Band: An Intimate Evening with the Wes Jeans Trio Date: Thursday, Jan. 31, 8 p.m.

Venue: The Listening Room of Mobile, 78 St. Francis St. (Mobile), thelisteningroommobile.com Tickets: $25 artist donation; call 251-367-4599 for reservations

Photo | Facebook | Wes Jeans

Texas is known for many things, especially when it comes to music. However, one of the Lone Star State’s most precious resources is blues. From ZZ Top to Johnny Winter, Texas bluesmen feature prominently throughout the history of blues. While he may not be as well-known as other Texas bluesmen, Wes Jeans’ monstrous guitar sound is as mighty as the greats that have come before him.

Jeans’ string magic has earned him recognition from Guitar Player Magazine as well as opening spots for the late B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Gov’t Mule.

Jeans took a break from his music career to concentrate on fatherhood, but two years ago broke his hiatus and once again picked up the guitar. Since then, he’s been visiting fans in familiar cities such as Mobile.

Even though The Listening Room of Mobile is an intimate environment, Jeans will show the crowd no mercy, with a guitar style conjuring the spirit of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

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‘Eighth Grade’ is painful but worthwhile

E

FILMTHE REEL WORLD

BY ASIA FREY/FILM CRITIC/AFREY@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

“

AREA THEATERS AMC MOBILE 16 785 Schillinger Road South Mobile, AL (251)639-1748 CRESCENT THEATER 208 Dauphin St Mobile, AL (251) 438-2005 REGAL MOBILE STADIUM 18 1250 Satchel Paige Drive Mobile, AL (844) 462-7342 AMC JUBILEE Square 12 6898 Highway 90 Daphne, AL (251) 626-5766

ighth Grade” is an instant classic in the canon of comingof-age stories, a deceptively simple slice of life at a specific age in a specific time. Steeped in our current culture of the internet and timely details like the ubiquitous trauma of school shooting drills, first-time writer/director Bo Burnham has created something precise and evocative. The heartbreakingly realistic performance by Elsie Fisher is even better.

Fisher stars as eighth grader Kayla, a sensitive 13-year-old who isn’t the prettiest or most popular girl in school.

She’s normal and acutely aware of it; she makes upbeat little YouTube advice videos that are really for herself. She tells viewers about how to have more self-confidence and how to be yourself and make friends, and she is the one who needs help with the issues.

The well-meaning person who wants to help her with these matters, but is not always the most adept, is her single dad, played by Josh Hamilton, who stared in such ‘90s indie gems as “Kicking and Screaming” and “The House of Yes.” Here, he is wonderful as a pure-hearted

but ill-equipped male navigating some complex young-girl situations.

As we follow Kayla through a couple of typical days in her life, we see her desperation for acceptance and her own (beautifully depicted) negotiation between wanting to grow up and wanting to remain a kid. When a popular girl’s mom forces her daughter to invite Kayla to her birthday pool party, this tension is so well portrayed.

Kayla meets a delightfully sincere young man who wants to have a holdyour-breath-underwater contest; this sweet gentleman is the birthday girl’s cousin. He, too, is just a kid, and the contrast between him, Kayla and some of the more socially “successful” kids is really noteworthy.

If you have a kid this age or have ever been a kid this age — in other words, everyone — the experience will be almost unbearably moving and you will cry almost the whole time. Your own middle school experience might feed more than a bit into how emotional your reaction is and, oops, I’m crying again.

The drama of Kayla’s life is perfectly calibrated; nothing that seems overly significant on the outside

happens. But we are shown so clearly her internal struggles, and her modest improvements are deeply satisfying and extremely believable. Writer/director Bo Burnham is only 28, a stand-up comedian who got his start making YouTube videos, yet somehow he has created a truly perceptive portrait of a 13-year-old female. His deep native experience with the internet clearly informs his understanding of contemporary youth, and he defers often to his young actors to collaborate on creating a realistic young girl — and succeeds.

The suspense created over a game of truth or dare rivals anything you will experience in a blockbuster action film.

The heroism over having your photo taken in a bathing suit is far more recognizable to most of us anyway, and the film’s strength it is delicacy in presenting life’s most painful, normal moments.

We’re all still growing up, and “Eighth Grade” resonates powerfully with memories and experiences deeply buried, recent and raw, or witnessed in our own adolescent offspring. It is a painful but worthwhile experience.

“Eighth Grade” is currently available to rent.

NEXUS CINEMA DINING 7070 Bruns Dr. Mobile, AL (251) 776-6570 AMC CLASSIC WHARF 23151 Wharf Lane Orange Beach, AL (251) 981-4444 COBB PINNACLE 14 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores (251) 923-0785 EASTERN SHORE PREMIERE CINEMA 14 30500 State Hwy 181 Spanish Fort, AL (251) 626-0352 Information accurate at press time; please call theaters for showtimes.

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Photos | A24 / Twentieth Century Fox

From left: In “Eighth Grade,” Elsie Fisher stars as Kayla, a sensitive 13-year-old who isn’t the prettiest or most popular girl in school, desperate for acceptance and torn between wanting to grow up and wanting to remain a kid. A band of kids embark on an epic quest to thwart a medieval menace in “The Kid Who Would Be King.”

NEW THIS WEEK

AMC Mobile 16, Regal Mobile Stadium 18

BUMBLEBEE

AMC Mobile 16

SECOND ACT

All listed multiplex theaters.

AQUAMAN

Regal Mobile Stadium 18

A DOG’S WAY HOME

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

THE UPSIDE

THE MULE

THE FAVOURITE

VICE

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

GLASS

ESCAPE ROOM

INSTANT FAMILY

ON THE BASIS OF SEX

HOLMES AND WATSON

DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH

MARY POPPINS RETURNS

A STAR IS BORN

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING

A modern-day boy uses the mythical sword Excalibur to battle the wicked enchantress Morgana.

All listed multiplex theaters.

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

A juicy historical drama starring Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I. AMC Classic, Wharf 15

NOW PLAYING

Crescent Theater

All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining.

AMC Mobile 16, AMC Classic Jubilee Square 12, Cobb Theaters Pinnacle 14, AMC Classic Wharf

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY REPLICAS

F2: FUN AND FRUSTRATION All listed multiplex theaters.

Nexus Cinema Dining, all listed multiplex theaters.

Regal Mobile Stadium 18 AMC Mobile 16, Regal Mobile Stadium 18 All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

All listed multiplex theaters.

Regal Mobile Stadium 18

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 23, 2019 - JANUARY 29, 2019

CELEBRATION OF THE WHITE MOON FRIDAY, JAN. 25, 7-9 P.M. AT THE EXPLOREUM SCIENCE CENTER. USHER IN THE MONGOLIAN NEW YEAR WITH THE OPENING OF THE BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBIT “GENGHIS KHAN: THE GREAT CIVILIZER.” “CELEBRATION OF THE WHITE MOON” IS AN EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF THE EXHIBIT AND A FUNDRAISING EVENT. ENJOY AN EVENING OF AUTHENTIC MONGOLIAN PERFORMANCES, FOOD AND DRINKS. RSVP TO NIXON NOBLITT AT 251-208-6857 OR NNOBLITT@EXPLOREUM.COM Photo | Provided

GENERAL INTEREST Tea for $2 Thursday, Jan. 24, 2-3 p.m., Fairhope Museum of History. Guest speaker Michael Bragg will discuss Tai Chi for health and relaxation. Call 251-929-1471 or visit fairhopeal.gov.

“Know Your Fisher” Thursday, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m. at The Noble South. Read this week’s “Word of Mouth” column for more information or visit @TheNobleSouthMobileAL on Facebook.

“She Reigns: Shine Bright Like a Diamond” Saturday, Jan. 26, 12:30 p.m. at Marx Library, University of South Alabama. New Mindz Mentorship Program is hosting its second annual youth workshop for girls ages 9-17. Space is limited. Tickets and info at brownpapertickets.com.

“Back in Time for Murder” Saturday, Jan. 26, 6:45 p.m. at MidTowne Works. A murder mystery party for adults. Buy your ticket, plan your costume and show up ready to solve the murder. Refreshments provided.

Visit mid-towneworks.com for more information.

Winter Wednesdays at Bellingrath Wednesday, Jan. 30, 5:30-7 p.m.

“Viewing the Winter Sky,” an evening astronomy program led by members of the University of South Alabama Department of Physics. Following a brief lecture, telescopes will be set up to view planets and constellations. Bring binoculars and flashlights. To register call 251-459-8727 or email bellingrath@ bellingrath.org.

Mobile Jewish Film Festival Film screenings continue at several venues in Mobile and Baldwin couties through Sunday, Jan. 27. For tickets and details visit mobilejewishfederation.org.

“Ignatian Approaches to Humanity’s Brokenness” Thursday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. at Byrne

Memorial Hall Spring Hill College.

Featuring Mark Thibodeaux, S.J., pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans. Contact Spring Hill College Theology Department, 251-380-4660 or christus@shc.edu.

Fairhope State of the City Thursday, Jan. 24, 5-7 p.m., Fairhope Civic Center. Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson will address where Fairhope stands and provide an update on achievements, financials and upcoming projects. Call 251-929-1466 or email paige.crawford@fairhopeal.gov.

“Stranger Things” Escape Room Saturday, Jan. 26, 9 a.m. at Ben May Main Library. Barb is still trapped in the “Upside Down.” If your family can solve all the puzzles in 20 minutes you can help save her. Slots are limited, please register in advance; call 251-208-7079.

DISL volunteer training Tuesday, Jan. 29, 5-7 p.m. at Battleship Park in the wardroom aboard the ship.

Training will cover live animal response, dead animal response, animal first aid and triage, safety and disease protocols, general anatomy and biology, and how to use the equipment. Space is limited; visit eventbrite.com for tickets. For information email mrussell@disl.org.

3 Lives Blood Drive Tuesday, Jan. 29, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m at Remington College, Mobile Campus (828 Downtowner Loop W.).

hour and hear entertaining stories of the history of Mardi Gras in Mobile from Cart Blackwell, curator of Mobile Carnival Museum. Visit Exchange202.com.

Weeks Bay cleanup Saturday, Feb. 2, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers meet at the Pelican Point/ Big Mouth boat ramp (end of County Road 1). Bring canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, gloves and trash bags will be provided. Call 251-990-5004, email yael@weeksbay.org or visit facebook. com/WeeksBayFoundation/.

Educational Lecture Series Through Feb. 18, Gulf Shores Welcome Center (3459 Gulf Shores Parkway) will offer free educational lectures. Lectures are approximately 60 minutes. For a complete list go to gulfshores.com/plan/ welcome-centers.

Census jobs The U.S. Census Bureau is seeking temporary part-time workers to apply to conduct the 2020 Census in Southwest Alabama including Mobile and Baldwin counties. Paid training, flexible hours and pay averaging $17 per hour. Apply at 2020census.gov/jobs or call 1-855-JOB2020.

Greenleaf Writers Group Third Saturday each month at Semmes Library on Moffett Road, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

FUNDRAISERS

Junior League open house Wednesday, Jan. 30, 6 p.m. at Junior League of Mobile headquarters (56 N. Sage Ave.). JLM is recruiting women for our next class of community volunteers and leaders. Come and learn how you can make a positive impact on our community. Visit juniorleaguemobile. com/membershipinterestform for more information.

Car wash for cause Griffith Service Station, American Cancer Society and the Junior Leadership Council of Mobile are raising money to help cancer patients. For the month of January, 10 percent of car wash sales at Griffith Service Station at the corner of Government and Ann streets in midtown Mobile will be donated to ACS to cover transportation costs for cancer patients.

History chat Wednesday, Jan. 30, 4 p.m. at The Exchange 202. Join us for a free happy

Charity Chase Jackpot Saturday, Jan. 26, 8 a.m. at O’Daly’s Irish Pub. Join the chase for donations

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and race to win the Charity Chase Jackpot for your favorite local charity.

Fun run begins 8 a.m., 5K kicks off at 8:20 a.m., with after-party to follow. Visit facebook.com/mycharitychase.

Run for Shep 5K and Fun Run Saturday, Jan. 26, Daphne City Hall at 9 a.m. (Registration opens at 7 a.m. on race day.) Hosted by local charity Shephard’s Flock for Shephard Hall, a child living with pediatric cancer. To register or for more information, visit shephardsflock.com.

“Many More Miles” For the 16th year, Baldwin Bone & Joint will host a community project to collect shoes for the homeless outreach programs of Wings of Life and for, the first year, Family Promise of Baldwin County.

Gently used athletic shoe donations will be accepted through March 23. For more information and drop-off locations visit baldwinboneandjoint.com.

ARTS “Motherwork” Saturday, Jan. 26, 2 p.m. at Mobile Medical Museum. Be one of the first to view “Motherwork,” April Livingston’s latest commissioned sculpture for Mobile Medical Museum. Suggested donation $6 per person to support the museum’s nonprofit educational and cultural mission. Visit mobilemedicalmuseum.org.

“Rent Live” viewing at The Merry Widow Sunday, Jan. 27, at 6 p.m. HD projection screen and full sound system will provide a theater-like experience; drink specials.

Von Hansen at Laidlaw Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2:30 p.m. at Laidlaw Recital Hall at the University of South Alabama. Guest percussionist Von Hansen will present a free clinic at 2:30 p.m., followed by an evening concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the concert will be sold at the door only. Admission is $8 general, $5 for USA faculty and staff. Call 251-460-7116 or 251-460-6136.

Open auditions Local artists and authors are collaborating to make a film based on the novel “Beyond the Myst: Lost Years of King Arthur.” Acting parts are both speaking and nonspeaking. Needed: elves, barmaids, tavern patrons, warriors, various fey creatures, camp persons, equestrians and their mounts, undead warriors. Feb. 23 at the Copper Kettle Tea Bar, 2-5 p.m. All ages and backgrounds.

For info email Shari Prestwood wolf_kyn@ yahoo.com.

“Smoke on the Mountain” Chickasaw Civic Theatre presents “Smoke on the Mountain” Jan. 25-27 and Feb. 1-3. A fun, family-friendly musical telling the story of a Saturday night gospel sing at a rural church in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1938. Featuring old-time gospel songs including “I’ll Fly Away,” “No Tears in Heaven” and more.

For tickets visit cctshows.com or call 251457-8887.

“The Undersea Well” Jane Cassidy manipulates various technologies, such as speakers and projectors, and fuses light and sound to form meditative environments filled with visual music. Mobile Museum of Art; call 251-208-5200 or visit mobilemuseumofart. com.

Alabama bicentennial murals Through Feb. 23 at Eastern Shore Art Center. Fairhope artist and historian Dean Mosher has created nine murals for the state’s bicentennial, two of which are being displayed for the very first time in this exhibit. Visit esartcenter.org.

MUSEUMS “Parading through Time” Through April 20 at History Museum of Mobile. Join us this Carnival season as we roll through four centuries of Mardi Gras history with Mobile’s Carnival traditions, mystic societies and more. Visit historymuseumofmobile.com.

“Jerusalem” at The Exploreum Through Jan. 25. “Jerusalem” takes audiences on an inspiring and eyeopening tour of one of the world’s oldest and most enigmatic cities. Destroyed and rebuilt countless times over 5,000 years,

Jerusalem’s enduring appeal remains a mystery. Visit exploreum.com for times and tickets.

“Dream Big” at The Exploreum Through Jan. 25. Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges, “Dream Big: Engineering Our World” is a first-of-itskind film for IMAX that will transform how we think about engineering. Visit exploreum.com for times and tickets.

Thursdays at MMoA Every Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the Mobile Museum of Art offers free admission to all Mobile County residents.

No reservations necessary. MMoA is at 4850 Museum Drive. Call 251-208-5200.

SPORTS EVENTS/ACTIVITIES Midtown Girls Softball registration Sunday, Jan. 2, 2 p.m. at Sage Park.

Midtown Girls Softball, based at Sage Park and Texas Street, offers fast-pitch softball for girls ages 4-12. All skill levels are welcome. Spring 2019 season will run February through May. Register at midtowngirlssoftball.com; registration closes Jan. 31.

Reese’s Senior Bowl 2019 Saturday, Jan. 26, 1:30 p.m., LaddPeebles Stadium. For complete event information, practice schedules and tickets, visit seniorbowl.com.

Blakeley “Battlefield Blitz” Inaugural “Battlefield Blitz” 5K and fun run will be Saturday, Jan. 26, 8 a.m. at Historic Blakeley Park. Preregistration costs $20. Visit blakeleypark.com/events.

“Run the Beach” A three-race half-marathon series, whether you run, walk or wheel to the finish line. The series begins with The Big Beach Half-Marathon on Jan. 27 followed by the Sea Turtle Half-Marathon Feb. 16.

Register at GulfShores.com/Sports/Runthe-Beach.

Pool Club Mitternight Park Pool Club (off University and Moffett) is open Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., for anyone looking for a wholesome place to play pool and bumper pool.

Instructor Dwayne Rapp will be there to

help any beginners. Call 251-463-7980 or 251-208-1610.

Tennis Club Laun Park Table Tennis Club (off Cottage Hill and Demetropolis) is open Mondays and Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m. for all interested in playing table tennis. Coach Mike Ho is available to play or help with beginners.

Call 251-463-7980 or 251-208-1610.

Piyo Stretch/Tone Stott’s Studio (off Cottage Hill and N. Demetropolis) is offering Piyo Stretch (relaxing Pilates and yoga), Piyo Tone (toning Pilates and yoga plus weights).

Call 251-463-7980 or 251-208-1610.

Bingo at Via Bingo every Tuesday and Thursday, 1-3 p.m. Open to the public. Via Health, Fitness, Enrichment Center, 1717 Dauphin St., 251-478-3311.

West Coast Swing in Fairhope Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 199 in Fairhope. Hosted by the Pensacola Dance Society, it’s different every week and based around the level of the students in the room. Followed by a practice dance with Q&A time with the instructors. Call 850-503-9978 for more information.

Adult skate night The second and fourth Sunday of each month, 8-10:30 p.m. at Dreamland Skate Center (5672 Three Notch Road) with DJ Beaux, $5. Call 251-661-6997.

WORKSHOPS Mural workshop Saturday, Jan. 26, 9 a.m. at Cedar Street Social Club. Learn about the practice and business of creating large-scale murals from artist Skye Walker and get a sneak peek at Mobile’s next mural project. Free and open to the public, made possible through a partnership between the Mobile Arts Council and The Jake Peavy Foundation. RVSP at mobilearts. z2systems.com.

PUBLIC MEETINGS Baldwin County Commission: First and third Tuesday at 8:30 a.m., 322 Courthouse Square, Bay Minette. Work

sessions are second and fourth Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. rotating between Bay Minette, the Foley Satellite Courthouse, the Fairhope Satellite Courthouse and the Baldwin County Central Annex Building in Robertsdale, baldwincountyal.gov.

Baldwin County Planning Commission: First Thursday at 6 p.m., 22251 Palmer St., Robertsdale, baldwincountyal.gov.

Bayou La Batre City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 13785 S. Wintzell Ave., cityofbayoulabatre.com.

Chickasaw City Council: Second and fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., 224 N. Craft Highway, 251-452-6450.

Citronelle City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6:30 p.m., 19135 Main St., 251-866-7973.

Creola City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6 p.m., 190 Dead Lake Road, #A, 251-675-8142.

Daphne City Council: First and third Monday at 6:30 p.m., 1705 Main St. Work sessions second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., daphneal.com.

Dauphin Island Town Council: First and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., 1011 Bienville Blvd., townofdauphinisland.org.

Elberta Town Council: Third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the town hall. Workshop meeting on the second Tuesday, townofelberta.com.

Fairhope City Council: Second and fourth Monday at 6 p.m., 161 N. Section St. Work sessions held before each council meeting at 4:30 p.m., cofairhope.com.

Fairhope Planning Commission: First Monday at 5 p.m., 161 N. Section St. Visit cofairhope.com.

Foley City Council: First and third Monday at 5:30 p.m., 407 E. Laurel Ave. Work sessions begin at 4 p.m.; cityoffoley. org.

Gulf Shores City Council: Second and fourth Mondays at 4 p.m., 1905 W. First St., gulfshoresal.gov.

Mobile City Council: Tuesdays at Government Plaza, 205 Government St. Pre-council meeting at 9 a.m.; council meeting at 10:30 a.m., cityofmobile.org.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE PARLOR TRICKS

BY ANDY KRAVIS / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ ACROSS 1 Locale for a bottom feeder 7 Relinquish 11 Total nerdburger 16 The Mormon Church, for short 19 Having come apart 20 Company with a Roman centurion logo, informally 21 Name shouted at the end of the “Flintstones” closing theme song 22 I.S.P. option 23 At the ice cream parlor, the grand marshal ordered a …

25 R&B’s ____ Brothers 26 Effort 27 Atoms 28 Weak-minded type 30 Something lost in old literature 32 Airline to Ben Gurion Airport 33 Water 35 Sites with corporate names, often 36 Low-status, as work 38 Govt. org. under Homeland Security 39 The confirmed bachelor ordered a …

42 The crossing guard ordered a…

45 See 46-Across 46 With 45-Across, focus directly on hitting someone 47 Accident investigation org.

49 Navigational aid, for short 50 Actress Aniston, in the tabloids 52 God, in Rastafarianism 55 “Get ____!”

57 Winds, as videotape 59 Frequent co-star of Mastroianni 61 “Frozen” snowman 63 Question of doubt 65 How many verbs in Esperanto are irregular 66 Premium Cuban cigar brand 67 The amateur singer ordered a …

70 The dental hygienist ordered a …

72 Radicchio relative 73 Smelly 75 Amtrak stops: Abbr.

76 What an auctioneer’s gavel indicates 77 In a way 78 Home planet of TV’s ALF 80 Planted 82 Rapper who founded the record label Mass Appeal 83 Japanese drama 84 Slippery, say 85 ____-free 87 Friendly greeting on the highway 89 Wine from central Tuscany 92 The Apollo Theater usher

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ordered a …

97 The pastry chef ordered a …

100 Eastern philosophy 101 Ocular socket 102 Simpson with the 2004 hit “Pieces of Me” 103 Arthur who composed “The Yeomen of the Guard” 106 Approximately 107 All out 110 Won 111 Without alteration 112 Filming locale 113 Places for cheap drinks 115 And the homebody ordered an …

118 “We’ll teach you to drink deep ____ you depart”: Hamlet 119 Stores with Småland play areas 120 Perspicacious 121 Fishing sites 122 Director Guillermo ____ Toro 123 Earth 124 Beaux-____ 125 Vaporize DOWN 1 Elided greeting 2 One who facilitates selfdestructive behavior 3 Supermodel Lima 4 Marina apparatus 5 Stops 6 It can symbolize an open mouth in an 8-Down 7 Kind of intake, to a nutritionist

8 See 6-Down 9 Some narcs 10 What “X” may stand for 11 Bad thing on a motorist’s record, for short 12 Pufflet 13 First name of the First Lady of Song 14 Some sights in Oz 15 Where many Golden State Warriors fans live 16 Like much of the Western Hemisphere 17 Along the back 18 Most foxy 24 Pres. who signed the Glass-Steagall Act 29 Rehab affliction, for short 31 Bulbous, narrow-necked bottles 32 Lifesaver, for short 33 Successful presidential slogan of old 34 ____ al-Fitr (holiday marking the close of Ramadan) 37 Miles away 40 Fails (to) 41 Problems of amnesia 43 Stop 44 Channel with highlights 48 Angry chorus 51 Annual science fiction award 52 Isn’t serious 53 Family support group 54 Vegas establishment with a giant guitar sign 56 Writing of W. S. Gilbert 58 Weight 59 English facilities

60 Scruffs 62 Country singer with the No. 1 albums “Breathe” and “Cry” 64 Follow closely 66 Females whose gender identities match their gender assignments at birth 68 Some gametes 69 Tach readings 71 Savings vehicle, in brief 74 A pop 78 ____ rea (intent to commit a crime) 79 Winter garment insert 81 Likely to butt in 84 Pay up?

86 Toy to keep track of?

88 What “goes to” a movie star 90 “That’s really important to me” 91 T.S.A. requirements 93 Some counterculture gatherings 94 Theoretical 95 Dismissal, slangily 96 W.W. II arena 97 Had a good cry 98 Like sailors on leave 99 8: Abbr.

104 Soviet space dog of 1957 105 Contribute 108 No longer bothered by 109 Manual selection 111 Eponym of the Courage Award given at the ESPYs 114 Fed. agcy. founded by 24-Down 116 ____ Beach, Hawaii 117 “Gangnam Style” rapper

ANSWERS ON PAGE 27

SPORTS FROM BEHIND THE MIC

In new era of college football, star transfers the norm

BY RANDY KENNEDY/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

D

rew Lock is in Mobile this week as one of the eight quarterbacks participating in the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Lock was a high school star in the Kansas City area, committed to Missouri, became a star for the Tigers and is now on the verge of becoming a first-round NFL draft pick.

That seems like a perfectly natural progression for such an unbelievably gifted athlete as Lock. But it’s a testament to how much the sport has changed that Lock’s path to this point in his career is the exception to the rule.

Lock’s three quarterback teammates this week on the North squad are Ryan Finley, a native of Arizona who signed with Boise State before transferring to North Carolina State; Trace McSorley, a Virginia kid who committed to Vanderbilt but followed head coach James Franklin to Penn State; and Daniel Jones, the Charlotte native who stayed close to home to play for Duke.

The road to Mobile was even more circuitous for the South quarterbacks. Will Grier was a budding star at Florida before being suspended and transferring to West Virginia. Jarrett Stidham signed with Baylor, spent a year at a junior college that didn’t even have a football team, then played two seasons at Auburn. Gardner Minshew started at Troy, played at a junior college in his native Mississippi, transferred to East Carolina, committed to Alabama as a graduate transfer then ended up starring in his one year at Washington State. And Tyree Jackson was in the NCAA transfer portal as recently as last month before deciding to forgo his final year of college eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

Among the eight quarterbacks, that’s six transfers, two de-commitments and a last-minute withdrawal from the

transfer portal.

The crazy thing is that there’s nothing unusual about how these eight players reached this point of being converted NFL quarterback prospects.

The trend now is for young quarterbacks entering college to either win the starting job within a year of arriving on campus or transfer to another school. The net result is mostly negative for college football fans who want to believe every player who puts on the uniform of their favorite team has the same level of love and loyalty for the school as the fans do. Obviously, that’s not the reality for these players, who have dreams of making it to the NFL and earning the kind of money that can change their family fortunes for generations to come.

But there is an upside to all this player movement, especially among quarterbacks.

There are 130 schools playing college football at the highest level. Because of all of the transfers, we are much closer than ever to having those 130 teams quarterbacked by the best 130 players in the game.

Take a look at the Georgia Bulldogs of today and the recent past. Jacob Eason was the No. 1 high school quarterback prospect in the country in 2016. He was a freshman starter for the Bulldogs then got hurt and lost his job to Jake Fromm the following season. When Fromm excelled and became the clear team leader at Georgia, Eason transferred to Washington, where he’s expected to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country next season.

With Eason gone, Georgia signed Justin Fields, one of the top two quarterbacks in the country in the Class of 2018. When his freshman season didn’t go as he had hoped, Fields transferred to Ohio State, where he’s ex-

pected to be granted immediate eligibility for the Buckeyes.

This means that in 2019, Eason, Fromm and Fields all will be leading teams with hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff. There’s no question that all three players are among the best 130 quarterbacks in the country.

Back in the “good old days” of player loyalty, two of those players would be stuck on the bench in Athens while Washington and Ohio State started lesstalented quarterbacks.

The most highly publicized quarterback transfer this offseason is, of course, Alabama’s Jalen Hurts.

Hurts won the starting job at Alabama as a true freshman and was good enough to lead the Tide to two national championship games. But anyone could see that the Tide was in better hands with Tua Tagovailoa in charge of the of-

THE TREND NOW IS FOR YOUNG QUARTERBACKS ENTERING COLLEGE TO EITHER WIN THE STARTING JOB WITHIN A YEAR OF ARRIVING ON CAMPUS OR TRANSFER TO ANOTHER SCHOOL. THE NET RESULT IS MOSTLY NEGATIVE FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS WHO WANT TO BELIEVE EVERY PLAYER WHO PUTS ON THE UNIFORM OF THEIR FAVORITE TEAM HAS THE SAME LEVEL OF LOVE AND LOYALTY FOR THE SCHOOL AS THE FANS DO.” fense. So, Hurts is off to Oklahoma to direct the Sooners’ potent offense. He will follow in the footsteps of Baker Mayfield (a transfer from Texas Tech) and Kyler Murray (a transfer from Texas A&M). Both Mayfield and Murray won the Heisman Trophy and led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff.

Hurts may or may not duplicate that individual and team success. But there’s no denying that he’s one of the 130 best college quarterbacks.

Who knows, Hurts may even prove good enough to come back to Alabama for the Senior Bowl next season. That would be the culmination of a great story, but nothing out of the ordinary for a new era of college football in which star transfers have become the norm.

Randy Kennedy writes a weekly column for Lagniappe and is co-host of “Sports Drive” every weekday from 3-6 p.m. on WNSP 105.5 FM, the country’s first all-sports FM station.

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SPORTS UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Reese’s Senior Bowl celebrates 70th all-star game

BY J. MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER/SPORTS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM/TWITTER @GOULAGUY

Photos | Jacksonville State University / University of Louisville / Auburn University

Blount High School alum BJ Autry from Jacksonville State, Vigor High School alum Deshaun Davis from Auburn University and Pascagoula native Jaylen Smith of the University of Louisville are three local standouts seeking a spot in the NFL at the 70th annual Senior Bowl this weeked.

O

n Jan. 7, 1950, the first Senior Bowl all-star game kicked off in Jacksonville. Auburn’s Travis Tidwell was named the Most Valuable Player as he threw for two touchdowns in a 22-13 win for the South squad.

However, fewer than 17,000 fans made it to the Gator Bowl stadium that day. A group of local civic leaders, led by Finley McRae, got the contest moved to Mobile the following year.

The 70th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl takes place this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The action will be broadcast nationally on the NFL Network.

“I’m really excited about this being the 70th Senior Bowl,” said Jim Nagy, who took over as executive director last June after spending 18 years in the NFL. “We are adding some special things this week to help drive people to Ladd-Peebles Stadium.”

The University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band will perform in pregame and halftime festivities for the seventh time. Something new will be the appearance of numerous college mascots from across the country at fan events and during the game.

Perhaps the most spectacular will be a $10,000 giveaway event sponsored by Joe Bullard Automotive. Two random ticket holders at Saturday’s game will be selected to participate in a skills challenge with the winner taking home the grand prize.

“We want this to be the best thing we can offer,” Nagy said. “I feel really good where the roster is at. I expect this to be the highest number of draft picks ever for the Senior Bowl.”

Nagy said he wants the Senior Bowl to be a Gulf Coast event.

He hopes to attract fans from Pensacola to New Orleans.

“We are the only city this size with a connection to the NFL,” he said. “Selling out a 40,000-seat stadium one day a year is not too much to ask.”

Local flavor

Despite the presence of stars from across the U.S., the highlight for many fans is when a Gulf Coast-area player makes it to the Senior Bowl. This year, several of our own will be in the game.

“I feel if a local player doesn’t deserve to be here, it is a disservice to invite them,” Nagy said. “But there is no doubt that the group we have this year all deserve to be a part of the Senior Bowl.”

Linebacker Deshaun Davis, a former Vigor High and Auburn standout, is coming back home to play. A first-team All-SEC performer, Davis had 107 tackles this season, including 14 for loss.

He received a special invitation to play from fellow Vigor alum and Pro Football Hall of Famer Robert Brazile.

Another local player is offensive guard BJ Autry from Jacksonville State, who graduated from Blount High. A first-team FCS All-American, he started his career at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. He transferred to Baylor, but left Waco after spending just a spring there when they changed coaches.

The final Gulf Coast gridder is wide receiver Jaylen Smith of Louisville. The Pascagoula native made an impact for the Car-

dinals since his freshman year. He earned first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference honors thanks to career totals of 152 receptions for 2,505 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Coaching staffs

California’s Bay Area will be well represented in Alabama’s Bay Area. The NFL choose the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers to serve as the two coaching staffs.

The 49ers, which will lead the South team, have coached the Reese’s Senior Bowl five times. The Raiders, who will direct the North team, also previously coached in the game five times.

Both the Raiders and the 49ers finished with 4-12 records in 2018. The 49ers hold the second overall pick and the Raiders will select fourth in April’s 2019 NFL Draft.

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden will be in the Reese’s Senior Bowl for the fourth time. He led the North team as the Raiders’ head coach in 1999, falling to Bucs’ coach Tony Dungy and the South, 31-21. He then coached in the game twice as the head coach of the Bucs in 2005 and 2007, going 1-1 in those games.

Kyle Shanahan, 39, who will be with the South, is making his head coaching debut in the Senior Bowl. However, he previously coached twice in the game as an assistant.

Ironically, Shanahan’s first coaching experience in the Reese’s Senior Bowl was in 2005 as the offensive quality control coordinator for Gruden. In 2012, he returned to Mobile as the offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins under his father, Mike Shanahan.

Honoring the past

The Reese’s Senior Bowl will welcome three new members into its Hall of Fame this Friday with the addition of Oakland Raiders center Rodney Hudson, former Auburn standout DeMarco McNeil and former Alabama great Billy Neighbors. Last year’s top pick in the NFL Draft, Baker Mayfield, will be honored as the Senior Bowl Rookie of the Year.

As a two-way lineman at B.C. Rain High, Hudson had 47 pancake blocks as an offensive lineman and 55 tackles as a nose guard during his senior year in Mobile. At Florida State, where he started 48 straight games at guard/center, he earned all-Atlantic Coast Conference honors four times. After becoming the Seminoles’ first unanimous first-team All-American, he played in the 2011 Senior Bowl. After four seasons with Kansas City, in 2016 Hudson signed with Oakland, where he has been named a Pro Bowler twice (2017 and 2018) and is widely considered one of the top centers in the NFL. McNeil played in the 2004 Senior Bowl after a stellar career at Auburn, where he was an All-American and later named to the Tigers’ All-Decade Team. He played high school football at Blount, helping the Leopards win three straight Class 5A championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998. In his senior season, McNeil was the first interior lineman and first defensive-only player to be named “Mr.

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Football” in Alabama. On the Plains, McNeil was a defensive tackle from 2000-2003, earning freshman All-American honors in 2000. He earned All-SEC honors his final season. He played two years in the NFL, but his career was cut short by a knee injury.

Neighbors, who will be inducted posthumously, played in the 1962 Senior Bowl and was one of the top players on the 1961 Alabama team that won the first of six titles under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Neighbors went on to play four seasons in the American Football League with the Boston Patriots — where he was a Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro — and four years with the Miami Dolphins. He was the first of three generations of Neighborses to play in the Senior Bowl, joined later by his son Wes (Alabama, 1987) and grandson Connor (LSU, 2015).

Fan events

• All practices will be open to the public at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The North squad takes the field Wednesday and Thursday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. The South team follows each day, 3-5 p.m. ESPN and the NFL Network will cover the workouts.

• The FCA Chick-Fil-A Senior Bowl Rally will be Wednesday at the Mobile Convention Center, 6:30-8 p.m. The event attracts more than 2,000, making it the largest Fellowship of Christian Athletes rally at any bowl game. For information, visit southalabamafca.org.

• One of the highlights of Senior Bowl week is the Coca-Cola Meet the Players event. It will be Friday, 3:30-6 p.m., at the Mobile Convention Center. Fans have the chance to interact, get an autograph and snap a picture with their favorite player in the Exhibit Hall.

• Also at the Convention Center from 3-6 p.m. is the Reese’s Senior Bowl Experience. Fans can run through drills on the indoor football field and check out interactive displays from Reese’s, Adidas, the New Orleans Saints and AT&T, among others.

• The Piggly Wiggly Tailgate Party returns on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Parking Lot of Ladd-Peebles.

Passes are limited to the first 3,500 fans who purchase a sideline seat to the game. In addition to free food and drink, tailgate attendees will enjoy face painters, clowns, interactive inflatables and the Coca-Cola Family Festival game trailer.

• The Baumhower’s Tailgate Challenge will be from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the stadium. Competitors could win the Ultimate Tailgate Prize Package worth $3,000, containing an all-terrain portable grill, a satellite TV tailgate bundle, outdoor chairs and more. The top tailgater will also be recognized on the field during the game and receive a custom trophy.

• A complete roster of players can be found at SeniorBowl. com. Game tickets ($30 for sideline seat from the 10-yard line to 10-yard line; $20 for sideline seat from the 10-yard line to end zone; $10 for general admission in end zone) can be purchased at the Senior Bowl headquarters at 151 Dauphin St. in Mobile; call 251-432-4109 for information.

STYLE FEATURE

Sustainability Summit aims to engage business leaders

C

onsider the phrase “environmentally friendly.”

Do you think of recycling or harvesting organically grown crops? Maybe you think of clean solar or wind energy as alternatives to our current reliance on fossil fuels. Either way, it’s a phrase that’s becoming harder and harder to avoid, especially in work environments.

“The Green Coast Council, which the Alabama Coastal Foundation leads, has organized the Sustainability Summit every year since 2015,” said Mark Berte, the foundation’s executive director. “It is always the last Friday of January at the University of South Alabama. The purpose of the summit is to help the private, public and social sectors understand the economic and environmental benefits of using sustainable business practices.”

But what does this mean? The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) is a nonprofit created in 1993 with the purpose of improving the coastal environment we call home. This is especially important because Alabama is known as the most aquatically biodiverse area in the U.S. Many of its aims involve education and working with all people to spread awareness and knowledge about the coast, including its flora and fauna.

Various educational events are put on by ACF every year. Water festivals, where members of the team go around to several local elementary schools and give 4th graders a hands-on experience with our coastal way of life, usually take place in the spring.

The Mobile Bay Estuary Corps is a summer program for middle school-age children who are interested in learning more about environmental and biological sciences. This activity is a collaborative effort between ACF and Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Another opportunity for youngsters to learn more about our coast, and demonstrate what they already know, is the annual Coastal Kids Quiz put on by ACF and Conserva-

tion Action through Education. In its 18th run this year, the winners benefit their school and teachers. Private and public elementary schools can participate by picking a team to represent their school. From its inception, the quiz project has awarded more than $119,000 to winning students and $24,500 to winning teachers.

Children aren’t the only people who can benefit from the ACF. Cocktails for the Coast takes place each year, providing attendees with local music, food and drinks while simultaneously involving education and networking.

Connect to Your Coast is an event that happens numerous times a year. This affair is an easy and fun way for individuals to learn how to protect our precious environment.

The Green Coast Council, an initiative of ACF, is a forum for leaders in businesses and industries that encourage and practice sustainability concepts. By promoting actions and holding meetings, the council helps provide positive environmental leadership on the Alabama coast. Its mission is to protect and improve our coastal areas through education, cooperation and participation. To become a member, you need only possess an active interest in managing and sustaining our environment.

Each of these organizations works in collaboration with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, a group founded in 2004 by the governors of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. It assists in managing the Gulf with a comprehensive ecosystem approach. By helping fund what needs to be focused on and promoting knowledge, this council assists in restoration, research and community outreach, among other incentives.

At the Sustainability Summit, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 25, you can bank on gaining an extreme amount of knowledge concerning our environment and the individual impacts we have on day-to-day life. “We have an impressive lineup

Photo | Alabama Coastal Foundation

BY CATHERINE RAINEY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The 2019 Lifetime of Conservation Achievement Award was created by artist Bruce Larsen and will be presented to Jimbo Meador at the Green Coast Council’s Sustainability Summit Jan. 25 at the University of South Alabama. of presenters this year,” Berte said, “starting with Chandra Wright, director of environmental and educational initiatives at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, who is our morning keynote speaker. In addition, we have presenters on topics such as coastal resiliency, aquaculture, energy efficiency and local government recycling.

Also, Jimbo Meador will receive ACF’s Lifetime of Conservation Achievement award during the lunch portion of the day. The summit will wrap up with a ‘Sustainable redevelopment through historic building rehabilitation’ plenary session led by Greg Montgomery of Clean Source Capital and AlabamaSAVES.” It’s not every day you can witness so many environmental experts in one place. Maybe you’re wondering if this event would benefit you; it’s not just for business owners or people who already involved in coastal life.

“As a learning organization, we survey the participants after each previous summits to get their feedback,” Berte said. “When we asked ‘would you encourage others to attend the 2019 summit?’ last year, we were delighted to see that 92 percent (59 percent strongly agree and 33 percent agree) of the people responded they would!

“From green building practices to climate change to sustainable agriculture and energy conservation, there is always something new for attendees to learn and put into practice at the Sustainability Summit.”

For more information visit gulfofmexicoalliance.org or call ACF at 251990-6002.

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STYLE HOROSCOPES SIGNS OF THE TIMES

F U T U R E S H O C K

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AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18) — Recognizing that neither Catholics nor Native Americans need any more negative headlines, you offer to broker a peace treaty between Covington Catholic and the liberal left.

PISCES (2/19-3/20) — Taking the mantra of “buy local” perhaps a little too far, you begin saving spare change to someday purchase your own $100 million Airbus A220.

ARIES (3/21- 4/19) — In an effort to encourage your elderly family members to be more active, you enroll them in the Senior Bowl.

TAURUS (4/20-5/20) — The only thing you dislike about Frontier Airlines’ announcement of low cost flights to Denver is that they won’t be ready until after April 20.

GEMINI (5/21-6/21) — Seeing what all the fuss is about, you visit the new Buc-ee’s for a tank of gas only to leave six hours later with new home decor, Alabama and Auburn memorabilia, a deer feeder and three pounds of smoked meats.

CANCER (6/22-7/22) — Here’s a friendly reminder before the last minute: Valentine’s Day is still a thing, it’s on a Thursday this year, and yes she’s expecting something, even if she told you she wasn’t.

LEO (7/23-8/22) — After the Saints’ disappointing loss in the NFC championship, you go on a hunger strike until the NFL administers basic vision screening and competency exams to its entire officiating crew.

VIRGO (8/23-9/22) — Tired of swatting mosquitoes all summer, you attend Fairhope’s State of the City address to demand Venus fly traps in all the flower beds.

LIBRA (9/23-10/22) — After previewing the Exploreum’s new exhibit on Genghis Khan, you’ll mount a horse and force West Mobilians to annex into the city.

SCORPIO (10/23-11/21) — Taking advantage of Mobile’s newest waterfront attraction, you’ll ship your next harvest of cotton north to Saraland on the Perdido Queen.

SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/21) ­­— In an attempt to meet Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s pledge to make Mobile the “safest city in America by 2020,” you begin to encourage each and every citizen to move to the Eastern Shore sometime within in the next 11 months.

CAPRICORN (12/22-1/19) — Hearing about the margarita selection at Taco Mama, you begin your Scale Back Alabama regimen by going on an exclusively tequila diet.

STYLE BOOZIE

More movie stars headed to town

BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

H

out by giving them a check for $25,000, courtesy of Cheerios.

More movie stars to fall on Alabama

A movie starring Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, Jason Segel and country singer Jake Owen is set to start filming in the Port City next month. The movie, titled “The Best Friend,” is a true story from Fairhope that is actually being filmed in Fairhope, which is kind of rare these days (usually other cities/locations stand Daphne bride on “The in for the actual city a movie is set in).

Ellen Show” HAPPY SENIOR BOWL WEEK! The film chronicles the heartA video of Daphne bride Mary breaking story of a man who lost his LOAD UP ON REESE’S PEABourne Butts dancing at her wedwife to ovarian cancer and how their ding reception with her terminally NUT BUTTER CUPS (AND best friend quit his job to move in ill father, who was in a wheelchair, WHATEVER ELSE GETS YOU with them and help care for her and went viral last month after making their two daughters. everyone in our area and the world LOADED) AND GET READY TO The city of Fairhope tweeted deugly-cry. Her father, Jim Roberts, SEE LOTS OF LARGE MEN IN tails about it last week. “We are exwho had been battling glioblastoma, cited to announce that a feature film passed away two weeks later.

ATHLETIC WEAR WALKING will be made in Fairhope! Filming This beautiful video caught the AROUND DOWNTOWN. will take place during February and attention of the folks at “The Ellen March and is based on a true story Show” show. So, Ellen invited that took place here in our beautiful Mary Bourne and her new husband, city! The crew has been very profesJames, to come on the show and talk sional and they will invest a lot by filming here including about the emotional experience. hiring, eating and staying in Fairhope. More to come, but The newlyweds told Ellen they planned to save up we wanted to share our excitement!” to buy a house and start a family, so Ellen helped them

Photo | Depositphotos.com

appy Senior Bowl Week! Load up on Reese’s peanut butter cups (and whatever else gets you loaded) and get ready to see lots of large men in athletic wear walking around downtown. The weather looks great for the game, so make sure you have your tent passes ready and also your liver. Definitely get it ready.

But before we get to all that, let’s review all of the other local pop culture news of the week. Hut, hut!

Oscar-winning actor Casey Affleck will be filming a movie in Fairhope.

Preliminary Senior Bowl Sightings

It’s early, but we hear two members of the New Orleans Saints coaching staff were spotted in The Royal Scam on Monday night. The Saints lost to the Rams in the NFC Championship game on Sunday. And only because a ref didn’t call pass interference on a textbook case of pass interference near the end of the game, a move that would have all but guaranteed the Saints a spot in the Super Bowl. Since the worst call in the entire history of football had happened just over 24 hours earlier, our spies said the coaches seemed a little dazed as they dined at the Scam.

We will have a report next week on all of the other sightings. So stay tuned!

Well kids, that’s all I have this week. Just remember, whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous or some plain ol’ movie star lovin’, I will be there.

Ciao!

J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 9 - J a n u a r y 2 9 , 2 0 1 9 | L AG N I A P P E | 41

LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com FORECLOSURES FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on July 17, 2013 by Lisa B. Walker, as Grantee to Iras Development Company Inc., an Alabama corporation, as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7054, Page 578, and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to Mulherin Really, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7064, Page 38, and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on February 27, 2019. Lot 230, as per plat of RAMSEY ESTATES, UNIT XI, as recorded in Map Book 118, Page 52, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama; including a 1998 Destiny Mobile Home VIN: OW64792-GA. Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. Mulherin Realty, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan Holder of said Vendor’s Lien WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400 Jan. 23, 30, Feb. 6, 2019

NOTICE OF MUNICPAL LIEN FORECLOSURE SALE The City of Mobile hereby gives Notice of a municipal lien foreclosure sale (Code of Ala. § 11-40-60 et. seq.) for the following parcel of real property commonly known as 1953 Antoine Street, located within its municipal limits: The Property is more specifically described as Lot 7, Mary A. Antoine Property according to plat thereof recorded in Deed Book 141, page 36 of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama. The municipal code lien being foreclosed is recorded in the records of the Office of the Mobile County Judge of Probate in Book LR7613 and Page 859. The sale shall be made in front of the door of the Mobile County Courthouse (facing Government Street) at public outcry, to the highest bidder for cash, beginning at 10:00 A.M. on February 13, 2019, Ala. Code § 40-10-15. The minimum bid price for the sale of the property shall be the redemption amount. This amount includes the full amount of the municipal lien payoff and the tax payoff amount.

The municipal lien payoff amount is: $3,742.36.

The tax payoff amount is: $1,166.62.

Total minimum bid price is: $4,908.98.

Payment of the winning bid shall be due immediately after the sale is conducted. The proceeds of the foreclosure sale shall be distributed in a manner consistent with Ala. Code § 11-40-68(c)(1)-(4). Upon deposit by the appropriate parties with the Court of the tax payoff amount, any and all rights of redemption accorded to the interested parties under Title 40, Chapter 10 or Title 40, Chapter 51, are extinguished. From and after the moment of sale, the sale shall be final and binding.

Within 90 days following the date of the sale, the Court shall cause to be executed a deed to the real property identified in the petition. Upon execution, the Court shall cause the deed to be recorded with the Office of the Judge of Probate.

Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, Feb. 6, 2019

NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND FORECLOSURE SALE WHEREAS, 4th day of October, 2011, a certain Mortgage was executed by James H. Warren, Sr. and Alice Faye Warren, husband and wife, as mortgagors in favor of NRM, Inc. and was recorded on October 13, 2011, in Book 6822, Page 971, and in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage was insured by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (the Secretary) pursuant to the National Housing Act for the purpose of providing single family housing; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage is now owned by the Secretary, pursuant to an assignment; and said mortgage transferred and assigned to MetLife Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, N.A. recorded on October 24, 2011, in Book 6825, Page 651; said mortgage transferred and assigned to Nationstar Mortgage D/B/A Champion Mortgage Company and recorded September 14, 2012 in Book 6934,Page 597; said mortgage transferred and assigned in corrective assignment to Nationstar Mortgage, LLC D/B/A Champion Mortgage Company and recorded on February 8, 2013 in Book 6987, Page 1473; said mortgage transferred and assigned to the Secretary and recorded on August 9, 2017 in Bk: LR7541, PG: 904; in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama; WHEREAS, a default has been made in the covenants and conditions of the Mortgage in that the in that the payment due on October 30, 2018, was not made and remains whol-

ly unpaid as of the date of this notice, and no payment has been made sufficient to restore the loan to currency; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of November 29, 2018 is $80,685.21; and WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the Secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the mortgage to be immediately due and payable;NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, 12 U.S.C. 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR part 27, subpart B, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded in the Probate Records of Jefferson County, Alabama, notice is hereby giving that on 12th day of February, 2019 between the hours of 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, local time, in front of the main entrance of the Mobile County, Alabama, Courthouse in the City of Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama all real and personal property at or used in connection with the following described premises (“Property”) will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder: Lot 7, Block 5, Resubdivision of a Portion of Smith’s Highlands, according to plat thereof recorded in Map Book 4, Page 385 of the records in the Office of Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama.

Property being sold “AS IS”. Property is subject to any title deficiencies. No representation is made as to the title to the subject property.

Commonly known as: 1604 Dover St., Mobile, Alabama 36618.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will bid $81,607.50 plus interest, fees and costs.

There will be no proration of taxes, rents or other income or liabilities, except that the purchaser will pay, at or before closing, his prorate share of any real estate taxes that have been paid by the Secretary to the date of the foreclosure sale.

When making their bids, all bidders except the Secretary must submit a deposit totaling $8,160.75[10% of the Secretary’s bid] in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. A deposit need not accompany each oral bid. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of $8,160.75 must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within 30 days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like bid deposits, must be delivered in form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the highest bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveying fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery date of the remainder of the payment and all other costs associated with the transfer of title. At conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them.

The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extension will be for 15-day increments for a fee of $500.00, paid in advance. The extension fee shall be in the form of a certified or cashier’s check may payable to the Secretary of HUD. If the high bidder closes the sale prior the sale prior to the expiration of any extension period, the unused portion of the extension fee shall be applied toward the amount due.

If the high bidder is unable to close the sale within the required period, or within any extensions of time granted by the Secretary, the high bidder may be required to forfeit the cash deposit or, at the election of the foreclosure commissioner after consultation with the HUD representative, will be liable to HUD for any costs incurred as a result of such failure. The Commissioner may, at the direction of the HUD representative, offer the property to the second highest bidder for an amount equal to the highest price offered by that bidder.

There is no right or redemption, or right of possession based upon a right of redemption, in the mortgagor or others subsequent to a foreclosure completed pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the Foreclosure Commissioner will issue a Deed to the purchaser(s) upon receipt of the entire purchase price accordance with terms of the sale as provided herein. HUD does not guarantee that the property will be vacant.

The scheduled foreclosure sale shall be cancelled or adjourned if is established, by documented written application of the mortgagor to the Foreclosure Commissioner not less than 3 days before the date of sale, or otherwise, that the default or defaults upon which the foreclosure sale is based did not exist at the time of service of this notice of default and foreclosure sale, or all amounts due under the mortgage agreement are tendered to the Foreclosure Commissioner, in the form of a certified or cashier’s check payable to the Secretary of HUD, before public auction of the property is completed.

The amount that must be paid in if the mortgage is to be reinstated prior to the scheduled sale is $80,685.21 as of November 29, 2018, plus all other amounts that would be due under the mortgage agreement if payments under the mortgage had not been accelerated, advertising costs and postage expenses incurred in notice, mileage by the most reasonable road distance for posting notices and for the Foreclosure Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure

42 | L AG N I A P P E | J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 9 - J a n u a r y 2 9 , 2 0 1 9

prior to reinstatement.

Tender of payment by certified or cashier’s check or application for cancellation of the foreclosure sale shall be submitted to the address of the Foreclosure Commissioner provided below.

Date: 1/7/19

Mark A. Pickens Foreclosure Commissioner P.O. Box 26101 Birmingham, AL 35260 (205)933-1169 MAP #18-0149 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Notice is hereby given that the University of South Alabama (Owner) will accept sealed Bids for the following work: COMMONS CLINIC-PHASE 1 MASONRY PACKAGE University of South Alabama Mobile, Alabama USA JOB NO. 17-20B5 USA BID NO. 8090501-5 Bids will be received and clocked in at 3:00PM local time on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, in Procurement Services on the Main Campus of the University of South Alabama. Bids will not be accepted after the time indicated herein and will be returned unopened.

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the University of South Alabama in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s proposal.

Bid Documents shall be available only through the USA Purchasing Office. Contact as follows: University of South Alabama Procurement Services Technology & Research Park Bldg. III 650 Clinic Drive, Suite 1400 Mobile, AL 36688 PH# (251) 460-6151 FX# (251) 414-8291 (rbrown@ southalabama.edu) Bids must be submitted on Proposal Forms furnished in the Bid Documents or copies thereof. The preceding is an abbreviated advertisement. The complete advertisement may be obtained from the location listed above.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 10:00AM. local time on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, in Room AD80 of the Administration Building. Those in attendance will include the Owner, Engineer, and Consultants. Contract bidders, subcontractors and suppliers are encouraged to attend.

All questions concerning the Project should be submitted in writing to the Project Manager at: rcorrigan@southalabama.edu, 307 University Blvd., N., AD001, Mobile 36688.

Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that the University of South Alabama (Owner) will accept sealed Bids for the following Work: DEVELOPMENT & SERVICES BUILDING HVAC UPGRADES University of South Alabama Mobile, Alabama USA JOB #18-40 USA BID #8120701 Bids will be received and clocked in at 2:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, February 7, 2019, in Procurement Services on the Main Campus of the University of South Alabama. Bids will not be accepted after the time indicated herein and will be returned unopened. A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the University of South Alabama in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Bid Documents shall be available only through the USA Purchasing Office. Contact as follows: University of South Alabama Procurement Services Technology & Research Park Bldg. III 650 Clinic Drive, Suite 1400 Mobile, AL 36688 PH# (251) 460-6151 FX# (251) 414-8291 (rbrown@southalabama.edu) Bids must be submitted on Proposal Forms furnished in the Bid Documents or copies thereof. The preceding is an abbreviated advertisement. The complete advertisement may be obtained from the location listed above. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, in Room AD23 of the Administration Building. Those in attendance will include the Owner, Engineer, and Consultants. Contract bidders, subcontractors and suppliers are encouraged to attend. All questions concerning the Project should be submitted in writing to the Project Manager at the following: dkelley@southalabama.edu, 307 University Blvd., N., AD001, Mobile 36688.

Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, Feb. 6, 2019

PROBATE NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: EDITH R. OWEN, Deceased Case No. 2018-2473 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 27th day of December, 2018 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO SOUTH ALABAMA TRUST COMPANY, INC. as Executor under the last will and testament of EDITH R. OWEN, Deceased.

Lagniappe HD January 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JOE MCDANIEL WILSON, Deceased Case No. 2018-1999 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 27th day of December, 2018 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. JO WYLLY as Executrix under the last will and testament of JOE MCDANIEL WILSON, Deceased.

Lagniappe HD January 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: GEORGE KYLE DENTON Case No. 2018-2497 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 31st day of December, 2018 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. BARBARA D. NELSON as Administratrix of the estate of GEORGE KYLE DENTON, deceased.

Attorney of Record: LESLIE G. WEEKS, Esq. Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION CAUSE OF ACTION COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: HARRY FREDERICK PIERPONT, Deceased Case No. 2018-1493-1 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 3rd day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Cause of Action of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Cause of Action Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. SUSAN B. McCONNELL as Executrix under the last will and testament of HARRY FREDERICK PIERPONT, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: R. MARK KIRKPATRICK Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: SUSAN DENNARD BUGG, Deceased Case No. 2019-0055 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 10th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. SUSAN BUGG ROBINSON as Executrix under the last will and testament of SUSAN DENNARD BUGG, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: JOHN M. ODOWD Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JOHN FINCH, Deceased Case No. 2018-2120 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 8th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed

by law, or they will be barred. PATRICK COREY FINCH as Executor under the last will and testament of JOHN FINCH, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: THOMAS BOLLER Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JAMES M. DANNELLY, Deceased Case No. 2018-1963 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 9th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. LEONARD F. SPROAT JR. as Executor under the last will and testament of JAMES M. DANNELLY, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: PRO SE Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: MARK ALLEN CHOUINARD Case No. 2018-2508 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 4th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. VIRGINIA GAYLE CHOUINARD as Administratrix of the estate of MARK ALLEN CHOUINARD deceased.

Attorney of Record: VIRGINIA CHOUINARD, Esq. Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO. 2019-0078 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of petition for Summary Distribution in the estate of Joyce Phillips Goodroe, deceased. Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed by John Goodroe on January 11, 2019, and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an order directing summary distribution of the estate of said decedent.

Don Davis, Judge of Probate.

Petitioner: John Goodroe 5106 Perin Rd. Mobile, AL 36693 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: OLGA MAE SEWER, Deceased Case No. 2018-2243 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 16th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. ANTHONY TYRONE SEWER as Executor under the last will and testament of OLGA MAE SEWER, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: HENDRIK S. SNOW Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, Feb. 6, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JAMES ARTHUR MOONEY, Deceased Case No. 2019-0074 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 15th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. DAVID WAYNE MOONEY as Executor under the last will and testament of JAMES ARTHUR MOONEY, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: GLENN L. DAVIDSON Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, Feb. 6, 2019

LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: OLLIE FRANCES OSWALT AMOS, Deceased Case No. 2019-0087 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 16th day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. RALPH B. AMOS as Executor under the last will and testament of OLLIE FRANCES OSWALT AMOS, Deceased.

Attorney of Record: JOHN J. CROWLEY, JR. Lagniappe HD January 23, 30, Feb. 6, 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE JOINT MOBILE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO)/ TECHNICAL COORDINATING AND CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING The Mobile MPO Policy Board will meet on Wednesday, January 30th, 2019 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building located at 110 Beauregard Street. The Mobile MPO will review and adopt various changes to be made to the 20162019 Transportation Improvement Program: NATIONAL HIGHWAY 100069441 (PE) Installation of new generator to replace existing generator for Bankhead Tunnel and ITS devises; 1/1/2019; $75,000 100069442 (CN) Installation of new generator to replace existing generator for Bankhead Tunnel and ITS devices; 6/28/2019; $750,000 1000054972 (CN) Extend Eastbound Bridge on SR-42 (US98) over Big Creek East 1440’ DELETE 100060154 ( CN ) SR-158 Extension Lott Road Overpass And Jug Handle. Grade, Drain, Base, Pave, And Bridge (Eb Seabury Creek Tributary And Partial Lott Road) Old Target start date : June 28, 2019 New Target start date : November 08, 2019 HSIP 100069517 (PE) Install TWLTL and Bike/Ped friendly shoulders on US 90 East End of Cochrane Bridge to West of Bankhead Tunnel; 1/10/2019; $540,000 STP ATTRIBUTABLE MOBILE 100055880 (PE) Additional lanes on CR-656 (Zeigler Blvd) from CR-70(Tanner Williams Rd) to CR-31 (Schillinger Rd) Current Funding: $30,000 Requested Funding: $420,000 100066704 (PE) Dauphin St Sage To Springhill Hosp. CMP; FY 2018; $62,500; DELETE 100066706 (PE) Airport Blvd Univ to Hillcrest CMP Corridor; FY 2019; $62,500; DELETE 1000xxxxx (PE) Celeste Road from I-65 to Forest Ave; FY 2019; $1,363,500 BRIDGE FUNDS 100068521 (PE) Bridge Replacement (BIN 003691 on SR-16 (US-90) Over Halls Mil Mile Creek; 11/1/2018; $900,000 100068523 (UT) Bridge Replacement (BIN 003691 on SR-16 (US-90) Over Halls Mil Mile Creek; 11/1/2021; $25,757 100068522 (CN) Bridge Replacement (BIN 003691 on SR-16 (US-90) Over Halls Mil Mile Creek; 1/28/2022; $8,860,588 100068528 (CN) Bridge Replacement (BIN 005712 and BIN 005856) on SR-13 (US-43) Over Cold Creek; 6/25/2021; $5,100,500 100068526 (PE) Bridge Replacement (BIN 005712 and BIN 005856) on SR-13 (US-43) Over Cold Creek; 1/1/2019; $500,000 100069460 (PE) Bridge paint on various bridges along I-65. Gulf Coast RR, US 43, Norfolk Southern RR, Gunnison Creek; 1/7/2019, $100,000 100069478 (CN) bridge paint on various bridges along I-65. Gulf Coast RR, US 43, Norfolk Southern RR, Gunnison Creek; 1/7/2019; 9/25/2020; $2,778,588 TAP FUNDS 100069054 (CN) Sidewalks along Easterling Street From W. Clark Ave to Garrison Ave, on Garrison Ave from Easterling Street to Magee Street, and on Magee ST from Garrison Ave to W Clark Ave; 12/15/2019; $252,426 ($200,000 fed) 100069055 (CN) ADA Compliant curb rams in the unincorporated areas of Mobile County to include Kings Branch Estates, Woodbridge Place and Cumberland Subdivision; 9/18/2019; $250,178 ($200,000 fed) The 2020-2023 Transportation Improvement Program will also be discussed along with approving the Program of Projects for the FY 2019 FTA Mobile Urban Area 5310 Funds: Mobile Association of Retarded Citizens Capital for Vehicle; $48,000 ($38,400 fed/$9,600 local) Mobile Association of Retarded Citizens Capital for Paving; $12,500 ($10,000 fed/$2,500 local) Independent Living Center Operating; $100,000 ($50,000 fed/$50,000 local) City of Creola Capital for Small Bus; $57,000 ($45,600 fed/$11,400 local) Alta Pointe Capital for Vehicles; $114,000 ($91,200 fed;$22,800 local)

Learning Tree Capital for Vehicle; $48,000 ($38,400 fed/$9,600 local) SARPC Program Administration; $31,371 ($31,371 fed/ $0 local) Physically challenged persons who need special accommodations should contact SARPC in advance so arrangements can be made to meet their needs.

Transportation Planning Coordinator South Alabama Regional Planning Commission P. O. Box 1665 Mobile, AL 36633-1665 PHONE: (251)433-6541 FAX: (251)433-6009 EMAIL: transportation@sarpc.org Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 400 Dunlap Drive (South terminus of Dunlap Drive [private drive] for a Site Variance to allow a 150’ tall flagpole in an I-2, Heavy Industrial District; the Zoning Ordinance states that no structure shall be designed, erected or altered to exceed 100’ in an I-2, Heavy Industrial District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama.

This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 14th day of January, 2019.

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 3250 Airport Boulevard (Northeast corner of Airport Boulevard and Interstate 65) for a Sign Variance to allow a second wall sign for a single business on a multi-tenant site in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance allows one wall sign per street frontage for a multi-tenant site in a B-3, Community Business District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 14th day of January, 2019.

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 209 South Washington Avenue (Northeast corner of Canal Street and South Washington Avenue) for a Setback Variance to allow the construction of a 10’ x 12’ playhouse with toy storage in the required building setback in a T-4, Sub District of the Downtown Development District; the Zoning Ordinance requires that any outbuilding have a setback to the rear of the façade in a T-4 Sub District of the Downtown Development District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request.

Dated this 14th day of January, 2019.

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 451 & 457 Dauphin Island Parkway, 1965 & 1967 Antoine Street and 1968 Duncan Street (Southeast corner of Dauphin Island Parkway and Antoine Street, extending to the North side of Duncan Street, 150’± East of Dauphin Island Parkway) for a Use, Front Setback, Reduced Tree Planting, Landscaping, Surfacing, and Maneuvering Variances to allow the storage of commercial equipment in two R-1, Single-Family Residential Districts, and to allow two existing buildings within the 25’ front setback, reduced tree plantings, no landscape area, aggregate surfacing, and vehicular maneuvering area within the public right-of-way for a single-tenant commercial site in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum of an I-1, Light Industry District for

the storage of commercial equipment, and a minimum 25’ front setback for all structures, full compliance with the tree planting and landscaping area requirements, all parking to be paved with concrete, asphaltic concrete, asphalt, or approved alternative parking surface, and all vehicular maneuvering areas to be located out of the rightof-way for a single-tenant commercial site in a B-3, Community Business District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama.

This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 14th day of January, 2019.

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 5216 Overlook Road (Northwest corner of Overlook Road and North University Boulevard) for a Use Variance to allow the operation of an internet based automobile brokerage business in a B-2, Neighborhood Business District; the Zoning Ordinance does not allow automobile sales in a B-2, Neighborhood Business District.

The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request.

Dated this 14th day of January, 2019.

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE Notice is hereby given that a bill as described in the synopsis below will be introduced in the 2019 Regular Session of the Legislature of Alabama and application for its passage and enactment will be made: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT SYNOPSIS: Relating to the Town of Dauphin Island in Mobile County; to authorize the governing body of the municipality to establish three entertainment districts in areas zoned commercial within its corporate limits, one of which must have no fewer than two licensees holding a retail liquor license in that area, another in an area at times of special events as designated by the town council, and another on property owned by the Dauphin Island Property Owners Association; to define the licensed premises of the holder of a retail liquor license.

Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, Feb. 6, 13, 2019

ABANDONED VEHICLES NOTICE OF SALE The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 424 Hwy 43 N., Suite I, Mobile, AL 36571.

2006 Ford F350 1FTWW33P56EB06037 2002 Ford Expedition 1FMFU18L32LA87487 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 45615 Ann Ave., Bay Minette, AL 36507.

2006 Mercury Montego 1MEFM40166G617271 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1GCHK29U62E160873 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2307 Hwy 31 S., Bay Minette, AL 36507.

2008 Toyota Camry 4T1CE30P18U765439 2004 GMC Yukon 1GKEC13V04R176997 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 509 Dismukes Ave., Prichard, AL 36610.

1996 Toyota Corolla 1NXBB02E7TZ381351 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 16610 Camellia Rd., Silverhill, AL 36576.

2008 Nissan Titan 1N6AA07G48N332149 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 109 Delisa

Dr., Saraland, AL 36571.

2007 Dodge Charger 2B3KA43R37H672360 2005 Infiniti G35 JNKCV1E05M206715 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3GCEK23M09G202856 2009 Cadillac Escalade 1GYFC23249R202644 2004 Nissan Maxima 1N4BA41E94C803617 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe 1GNFC13017J140430

Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 105 Border Circle E., Mobile, AL 36608.

2004 Porsche Cayenne WP1AB29P24LA61086 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 478 Scott Dr., Saraland, AL 36571.

2010 Toyota Camry 4T1BF3EK7AU549672 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time -12pm, if not claimed – at 1013 Shelton Beach Rd., Saraland, AL 36571.

2008 Mercedes R350 4JGCB65E88A072421 2008 Dodge Caravan 1D8HN54P98B134984 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer 1GNDS13S942136661 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe 1GNFC23J99R153736

Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2256 Rushing Dr., Mobile, AL 36617.

2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 5NMSK3ABXAH341878 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle will be disposed of on January 31, 2019 – if not claimed – at Mobile County Public School System, Purchasing Department, 1 Magnum Pass, Mobile, AL 36618.

1997 Dodge Ram Van 2B7HB21YK56578 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1625 Boykin Blvd., Mobile, AL 36605.

1996 Dodge Ram 2500 3B7KC23C4TM106194 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7080 Wisteria Ct., Irvington, AL 36544.

2008 Toyota Tundra 5TFET54118X021486 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2571 Government Blvd., Mobile, AL 36605.

2003 Chevrolet Tahoe 1GNEC13Z23R208000 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1052 Lubel Ave., Mobile, AL 36617.

1999 Ford F150 1FTZF1823XNA72292 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 4063 Sallie Court, Mobile, AL 36609.

2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2GCEC19VX11304122 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 6812 Anders Dr., Mobile, AL 36608.

2004 Ford F250 1FTNW21P14EC13933 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on March 01, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2821 Government Blvd., Mobile, AL 36606.

1996 Dodge Ram 1500 3B7HC13Y5TG182179 Lagniappe HD Jan. 23, 30, 2019

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