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LAGNIAPPE
AUGUST 29, 2018 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 | www.lagniappemobile.com 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 KEVIN LEE Associate Editor/Arts Editor klee@lagniappemobile.com ANDY MACDONALD Cuisine Editor fatmansqueeze@comcast.net 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 ALEEN MOMBERGER Advertising Sales Executive aleen@lagniappemobile.com
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BAY BRIEFS
The Mobile County Commission is scrambling to adjust after the city of Mobile announced plans to roll back its planning jurisdiction.
COMMENTARY
It’s time to end the Mobile City Council presidency nonsense.
BUSINESS
CigarClub.com recently purchased a building in the Crystal Ice complex which will be renovated into office space and a walk-in humidor.
CUISINE
A look at Labor Day culinary traditions from the main course to side items.
BEER
A look at the offerings from Atlanta’s Monday Night Brewing.
COVER
Lifeguard programs in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have rescued dozens of swimmers from rip currents this year, while unprotected beaches continue to claim victims.
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ARTS
September means a new season arrives for Mobile arts, and change remains a constant.
DAVID GRAYSON Advertising Sales Executive david@lagniappemobile.com ROSS PRITCHARD Distribution Manager delivery@lagniappemobile.com JACKIE CRUTHIRDS Office Manager legals@lagniappemobile.com CONTRIBUTORS: J. Mark Bryant, Glenda Eady, Asia Frey, Gabi Garrett, Brian Holbert, Randy Kennedy, Hannah Legg, John Mullen, Jeff Poor, Marguerite Powers, Ron Sivak, Tom Ward ON THE COVER: GULF SHORES LIFEGUARDS BY DANIEL ANDERSON 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. Mailing address is P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: 251.450.4466 Email: ashleytoland@lagniappemobile.com or rholbert@ lagniappemobile.com LAGNIAPPE is printed at Walton Press. All letters sent to Lagniappe are considered to be intended for publication. Member: Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and Alternative Weeklies Network All rights reserved. Something Extra Publishing, Inc. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or in any way reproduced without the expressed permission of the publishers. Individuals may take one copy of the paper free of charge from area businesses, racks or boxes. After that, papers are $3 per issue. Removal of more than one copy from these points constitutes theft. Violators are subject to prosecution.
24 MUSIC
Drummer Johnny Harrelson strikes out on his own with the three-song EP “Let There Be Drums!,” recorded at Studio H20.
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FILM
Don’t feel guilty about the pleasures of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” a Young Adult film everyone can enjoy.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The inaugural Rose Center Gala, the Indoor Market at Central Presbyterian Church, Blakeley State Park’s Sunset Cruise and more in this week’s Calendar of Events.
SPORTS
The University of South Alabama Jaguars kick off the 2018 season — with a new head coach — at 6 p.m. Sept. 1 versus Louisiana Tech at LaddPeebles Stadium.
STYLE FEATURE
The Grand Hotel in Point Clear is rebranding and unveiling new amenities.
A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 3
GOING POSTAL Nonprofits hit in budget proposal
I’m with him
Editor: Can you explain the logic? Mayor Stimpson’s proposed FY 2019 budget includes $4.25 million more in projected revenue and transfers for FY19, but reduces support for many essential functions. • The Parks and Recreation Department’s proposed allocation is $46,000 less than in FY18. • The Public Works Department has proposed funding decreases totaling $550,000. • The Mobile Public Library’s proposed allocation is reduced by $500,000 compared to FY18. • The Retirees Insurance proposed allocation is $1 million less in FY19. • For the third year, the former $20,000 allocation for the African-American Archives has been omitted. Similarly, Visit Mobile must underwrite funding for our city’s visitors center for a third budget cycle. Performance contracts for nonprofit agencies are reduced by $145,000 including a proposed $60,000 reduction to AltaPointe, as well as a proposed $31,000 reduction to the Boys & Girls Clubs; $16,000 less is proposed for Senior Citizens Services Inc. and $10,000 less is proposed for each of the Innovation Portal and the Alabama Contemporary Arts Center. Penelope House’s proposed allocation was reduced by $9,000, and McKemie Place’s by $1,750. Mobile City Youth Athletic and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program were rewarded with $20,000 and $30,000 proposed increases, respectively. In short, this budget proposes reducing performance contract funding for 31 agencies, with only eight receiving level funding and the two previously mentioned gaining proposed city funding. Ironically, the Mobile Tennis Center’s proposed allocation increased by $190,000, and City Council Discretionary Funds are proposed to increase by $70,000. I hope they will give back some of what is being robbed from the agencies that serve our neediest citizens.
Editor: I read with great interest the letter from Clarence Carrio in the Aug. 8 edition regarding the USA Foundation-owned property at Brookley located on Mobile Bay, and the possibility for making it a public park. Carrio is right — it is the last piece of land left on Mobile Bay that could be used for such purpose. Mobile may be the least “waterfront” waterfront city on the coast. Sure, you can view the industrial Mobile river but there really isn’t any nice, open-to-the-public place to view the bay named after this fair city (McNally Park is really limited). Think about it. If you had friends/family from out of town who would like to experience the bay for the first time, where would you take them? To Fairhope, of course, in Baldwin County! It’s either that or risk your life standing at the top of the Dog River bridge. Most other bay waterfront has been taken by either government or private entities, and I won’t even go into the lack of available city boat-launch facilities/parking. This piece of property may be Mobile’s last chance to reclaim what it once was: a great bayfront city with an incredible history and culture that makes it the most unique in the state (and Gulf Coast).
Ronald Francis David Hunt Mobile
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M.A. Schulz Mobile
Alabama investors at risk Editor: As Alabama’s securities regulator, our office is charged with protecting investors in Alabama from fraud and abuse in the offer and sale of investments, including stocks, bonds and mutual funds and prosecuting financial frauds, including Ponzi, pyramid, prime bank and other scams. This vital law enforcement function is an essential part of what state securities regulators across America do and have done for more than 100 years. Unfortunately, this important investor protection authority is under attack by a small group in Congress. The goal of state securities laws is to keep the bad guys from ripping off investors, and that authority has served investors
well. Thanks to the efforts of state securities regulators from our office alone, hundreds of millions of dollars have been returned to hardworking Alabamians and many fraudsters have been sent to jail for their misconduct. These efforts have helped to keep the markets clean so legitimate companies have a shot at growing their businesses. A bill under consideration by the Financial Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 5037), The Securities Fraud Act of 2018, would tie the hands of state regulators in a way that would expose everyday investors on Main Street to more financial fraud and abuse. If the bill becomes law, my office would be prohibited from taking on certain types of cases, and investors who have lost money in these cases due to fraud would instead have to solely depend on the federal government to pursue the wrongdoers. That just won’t work for Alabamians. “Mom and pop” investors with small-dollar losses would be exposed to more and more fraudulent activity as state regulators are forced to prioritize these cases while federal regulators generally require significant losses involving many investors. Our office has always prided itself on listening to every Alabamian that comes in our door with a complaint and we want to keep it that way! The member of Congress from New Jersey, who wrote H.R. 5037, claims state anti-fraud laws (that means our office going after those who rip off Alabama investors) somehow deters companies from raising money in U.S. securities markets. They overlook the obvious point of such laws — the prevention of fraud — and instead point to the decline in initial public offerings (IPOs) conducted in the U.S. markets over the past few years. They then argue that state efforts to hold wrongdoers accountable are somehow responsible for those low numbers. A look at the facts tells a very different story. The introduction of H.R. 5037 represents a serious threat to investor protection and I hope the rest of the members of Congress see this legislation for what it is — an attempt by those suspected of wrongdoing to make it easier to get away with their misconduct. This bill is bad for our Alabama investors, bad for our markets and bad for our small businesses. I urge our congressional leaders to reject H.R. 5037. Joseph Borg, Director Alabama Securities Commission
BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY
‘We had no idea’
COUNTY ASKS CITY TO DELAY ROLLBACK OF PLANNING JURISDICTION BY JASON JOHNSON
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s Mobile continues to roll back services on the city’s outskirts, county officials are left to figure out how to compensate — often, they say, with little warning from Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s administration. That was the tone at least two members of the Mobile County Commission took this week when discussing the city’s plan to rein in the Five Mile Planning Jurisdiction bordering the city. Developments and subdivisions in that area are currently subject to zoning rules and ordinances set by the Mobile Planning Commission. However, the Planning Commission will hold a meeting Sept. 6 to receive public comments on a proposal to roll back the city’s regulatory authority in that area, which means Mobile County could assume responsibility for inspecting and approving proposed developments in the jurisdiction as early as January 2019. While five miles may not seem like much, Matthew Barclift, an engineering manager for the county, said the city has previously indicated 35 percent of its subdivision applications have fallen inside of the planning jurisdiction, a trend that is likely to continue given the outward migration of Mobile’s population. After an extensive review of the effects of such a rollback, Barclift said it would no doubt create a “greater burden” for the county and likely result in the need for additional employees to take on the workload. That’s one of the reasons some commissioners were unhappy with how they heard about the proposed changes. “We had no idea,” Commissioner Merceria Ludgood said, telling Lagniappe they only learned of the proposal at the Planning Commission’s Aug. 16 meeting. “[The city] kind of makes the decisions, then come and tell us what they plan to do, and typically we have to just jockey for time. It’s never: ‘Let’s talk about this’ or ‘This is the goal we’re trying to achieve, how can we work together for us to get there?’ They just decide, and we follow along.” Ludgood’s take isn’t just based on recent discussion about rolling back the planning zone, though. Similar actions have been proposed or officially taken by the city regarding police, fire and emergency medical services with Mobile’s threemile police jurisdiction in the last two years. Paul Wesch, the city’s executive director of finance and Stimpson’s acting chief of staff, said in the case of police jurisdiction and the reduction in fire service, all three county commissioners were informed well in advance of any decision being made by the city. However, Wesch did say he didn’t have information about the planning zone issue or how it was rolled out by the planning commission. While the city has been working with the county to ensure emergency medical and fire services in the police jurisdiction are rendered throughout the transition, that decision will ultimately cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra subsidies to the Mobile
County EMS for responding to additional calls in the expanded area. While no firm cost estimate has been released to the public, Barclift made a presentation to commissioners Monday suggesting additional staff members will be needed to shoulder the workload if the plan is approved. However, costs aren’t the biggest concern. According to Barclift, the county currently lacks several of the regulatory enforcement tools available to the city’s Planning Commision. To take on the new responsibilities, he said, the county would likely have to update its subdivision and stormwater regulations as well as its fire code, in addition to tweaking a number of other enforcement policies. Without those new policies in place, a change in the zoning authority could, at best, create a confusing situation for a number of developers and, at worst, leave the county with no authority at all to regulate certain aspects of development. Even if the necessary changes are made, they’ll take time to implement. Barclift noted any change to the county’s subdivision regulations takes six months to go into effect from the date it’s enacted, per state law. “The concern is that any of these adoptions take time. They take time to draft, to review, to do public comment and to advertise and implement,” Barclift said. “So, if the Planning Commission votes either on Sept. 6 or on Sept. 20, the change will take effect Jan. 1, which will leave us a very short time frame to be able to get these things in place prior to having to take on those responsibilities.” However, Alabama law will be putting time constraints on the Planning Commission as well. Barclift said if the Planning Commission doesn’t approve the rollback by Oct. 1, it won’t be able to take effect until 2020. The Planning Commission has so far not responded to emails asking about its willingness to delay the plan that long. For now, though, the county plans to ask the Planning Commission directly if it will delay the rollback long enough for it to take care of staffing and regulatory concerns. Despite the potential delay, Ludgood said she believes it’s a reasonable request given the history of cooperation between the city and county. “When the city wants to get out of the business of being a regional player with the county, I’m not going to argue with them about that. That is their right, but at the same time, for us to say we need another fiscal year to be able to do this I don’t think is unreasonable,” she added. “If they choose not to do it, then we just need to make sure people understand that, while we’re operating in chaos, it is not because we didn’t try to do this strategically. We were forced because of actions that a city body took.” The Mobile Planning Commission will take public comments about the proposed rollback during a planned meeting at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6, in the auditorium at Mobile County’s Government Plaza.
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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
Means to an end
RICHARDSON THREATENS NEW LAWSUIT OVER COUNCIL PRESIDENCY BY DALE LIESCH
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city if Mayor Sandy Stimpson was unable to do it. The law does provide for a special election in that case if there is more than a year left in a mayor’s term. However, Richardson argues someone would need to take over in the interim and he’s not sure a council vice president could do so legally. Richardson also said the city looks weak in the eyes of peer cities because of the council’s inability or unwillingness to elect a president. “It’s a citywide issue that ought to be resolved,” he said. “It’s bigger than Fred Richardson. It’s bigger than me.” For his part, Manzie said he was hopeful the council could resolve the issue. In the meantime, he said he would continue to provide “steady leadership” for the council. Councilman John Williams wants to resolve the presidency as well, but believes the issue could linger until the first of the year. Unlike Richardson, he doesn’t see a need for urgency. “Nothing is waiting,” he said. “We’ve City Councilman Fred Richardson said he is exploring a class-action lawsuit gone a year without one. It has not cost us against the City Council to resolve the presidency standoff. to miss a single beat.” The bigger issue for Williams is a need to balance the two factions on the council between the Daves also said he was hopeful for a resolution, but admitted he doesn’t three members who voted for Councilwoman Gina Gregknow what’s going to happen. Like Williams, Daves said he would support ory and the four who picked Richardson. Williams said Manzie for president. he would support Manzie for the job, but only if Gregory, “He has done an excellent job,” he said. Councilman Joel Daves or he became vice president.
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Photo |Lagniappe
ollowing the dismissal of a lawsuit aimed at forcing the Mobile City Council to name Councilman Fred Richardson president, he is still looking at legal remedies. While Chassity Ebbole’s lawsuit was thrown out by Mobile County Circuit Judge Robert Smith, who cited a lack of standing to bring the case, Richardson believes he does have standing. “I don’t think the council is going to do anything,” he said. “The court moved that the plaintiff didn’t have standing, but I have standing.” Richardson is currently weighing all of his options and is talking with attorneys about a possible class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of Richardson and the residents of Mobile. “The lawsuit will be based upon the fact that the whole city is losing,” he said. “I’m looking at a suit that says the city has been damaged. The city is not whole.” As evidence of his claim, Richardson points to the council being without standing committees for a significant portion of time. “We didn’t have committees for a whole year,” Richardson said. “The law says the council should have committees.” Until very recently, council Vice President Levon Manzie named ad-hoc, or one-time, committees to deal with issues that would arise. However, Manzie has since named standing committees in the absence of a president. Ebbole, who represented herself in a court hearing, argued that the lack of committees hurt her tattoo business. In addition, without a president, Richardson said there would be no one to run the day-to-day operations of the
BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY
Failure to appear
INMATE ‘INADVERTENTLY’ RELEASED DAYS BEFORE METH TRIAL
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he trial of a woman accused of trafficking methamphetamine was postponed Monday after she failed show up to court — surprising a judge who had revoked her bond and remanded her to police custody 11 days earlier. Court records indicate the trial for Mandy Nicole Brady, 38, was scheduled to begin on Aug. 27 before Mobile County Circuit Judge James Patterson. Brady’s charges stemmed from a December 2017 incident, for which she was indicted in March 2018. After being granted a $10,000 bond, Brady was released to await trial. However, one of the conditions of Brady’s release was that she not be charged with any new criminal offenses. So, when she was arrested and charged with theft of property for allegedly shoplifting at the Saraland Wal-Mart Aug. 13, local prosecutors quickly sought to have her bond revoked by arguing she was “a danger to herself and others.” Patterson seemed to agree and issued an order revoking Brady’s bond Aug. 16. Even though Brady had an pending matter before the court, her subsequent charge for shoplifting was entered into the system as a new charge, and like most cases it wound up on another judge’s docket. While Patterson used it to revoke Brady’s bond in the meth case, her shoplifting charge was before District Judge Bob Sherling. After her bond was revoked, Patterson says Brady should have been held at the Mobile County Metro Jail until her trial date on Monday, Aug. 27. The shoplifting charges were ultimately dismissed by Sherling, though Lagniappe has yet to verify why through the Saraland Police Department. Either way, Brady was “inadvertently” released from jail Aug. 21 due to the dismissal of those charges. When he found out, Patterson quickly issued a warrant for her arrest the following day but authorities never located her ahead of her Aug. 27 trial for methamphetamine trafficking. She hasn’t been seen since, and Patterson is now demanding answers from jail officials, Sheriff Sam Cochran and Circuit Clerk JoJo Schwarzauer. On the day Brady failed to show up for trial, Patterson shot off a fiery order suggesting she was allowed to mistakenly walk out of jail due to the ongoing funding shortfalls local courts have been working though. He noted Mobile County courts are already “way undermanned” and will lose more funding as of Sept. 30. “Despite the fact that I revoked her bond and despite that she was already in custody, somehow she is not here today for her jury trial,” Patterson wrote. “When this court ensures that bond is revoked, and when a defendant is already in custody when her bond is revoked, I am wondering why and how she is not here today — and again, we are wasting valuable resources
Photo | MCSO
BY JASON JOHNSON
Mandy Nicole Brady (right) was released from Mobile Metro Jail in spite of a revocation of her bond for a drug charge. when jurors are here ready to go and the accused is not.” According to Patterson, “It costs the state of Alabama judicial system approximately $4,000 per day for a 300-person jury [pool] to appear at the courthouse for just one day.” While the cost of assembling a 12-member jury for a day would be a little less than $200, Patterson said the cashstrapped system can’t afford to waste anything. The lack of funding for local courts has become a focus of Patterson’s in recent months. As Lagniappe has reported, he began issuing orders in some of his cases and bluntly outlining the challenges the court is facing — often describing local judges has having to “beg for money to keep the circuit afloat.” He’s has also drafted, prepared and fully intends to file a lawsuit in hopes of the forcing the state of Alabama to adequately fund its judicial system if a some kind of legislative remedy isn’t found in 2019. In the recent case, Patterson asks Cochran, Schwarzauer and Mobile Metro Jail Warden Trey Oliver to show cause within 10 days as to why Brady was released from custody despite his order to the contrary. In an email sent to Patterson Tuesday morning, Oliver said as soon as the situation was brought to his attention he had “three Jail employees stop what they were doing and focus on what allegedly happened and why.” Eventually, they were able to determine that, despite uploading the bond revocation order to the online state court system, Alacourt, clerks working in Patterson’s courtroom never actually sent the order to Metro Jail. “We make mistakes, and when we catch them, the responsible employees are always held accountable,” Oliver wrote to Patterson in a light-hearted email response to his order. “Of late, though, it appears far more mistakes are being made under the once leaky roof at Government Plaza and not Metro Jail... but who’s counting right?” As of Aug. 28, jail records indicate police have been unable to locate Brady. There are currently has two active warrants for her arrest — one issued by Patterson after she was “inadvertently” released jail and a second stemming from a failure to appear charge signed on Monday after she didn’t show up to stand trial.
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BAYBRIEF | GULF SHORES
Bowing up
GULF SHORES LEADERS HIT BACK AT APARTMENT PROTESTERS
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BY JOHN MULLEN
simmering controversy over an apartment complex on Regency Road in Gulf Shores reached the boiling point in Monday’s council meeting. Council members have sat quietly through five previous meetings and work sessions while residents vehemently protested and made demands. On Monday, during the sixth meeting, they finally spoke out. “Sir, I have listened and listened and listened,” Councilman Philip Harris said to resident Pete Sims. “But I tell you I’ve had all of these personal attacks and these degrading remarks that I care for. “[In] 2020, don’t vote for me. If y’all believe that we are conspiring, if you believe that we are underhanded and we’re having private meetings with developers that are criminals, please don’t vote for me. If the majority of the people in this community think the way you do, then I’m representing the wrong community.” When the applause died down, Mayor Robert Craft seconded Harris’ comments. “He’s the only one speaking but it’s how all of us feel,” Craft said. Before the public comment part of the meeting began, two significant announcements were made stemming from the controversy. One effectively squashes any chance of short-term vacation rentals in the new complex or any more in multi-family zones. This was one of the first major concerns residents in the Regency area presented to the council. Craft said the city was suspending issuing new business licenses for any short-term rental units zoned multi-family for 180 days. During the suspension period, city staffers will draft an amendment to the zoning ordinance to prohibit short-term rentals in those areas unless in the
beach overlay district. Any properties already licensed by the city can continue to operate. Regency Place would fall under the amendment and be prohibited from short-term rentals, City Planner Andy Bauer said. Craft also announced a date for a specially called meeting of the Planning Commission for Thursday, Sept. 6, with the sole purpose of revisiting the Regency Place apartments’ site plan approval. Chartre Consulting is not reapplying. The meeting is to revisit the application under closer scrutiny than the zoning ordinance allows. Sims wanted to know if the city had already reached its conclusions on the apartments. “The lawyer wrote in the executive session ‘we will not set the meeting until the staff has completed the findings and conclusions,’” Sims said. “My question is, has that been done?” Craft said work was still being done for the special session and questions still being answered. “You seem to act like there’s a conspiracy theory here that you’re trying to express,” Craft said. “There is none. We’re determined to do this the right way. That means it takes some time to prepare some questions.” Another of the residents’ complaints related to transparency of the Planning Commission. They said they felt blindsided because the city didn’t adequately inform them about the apartment plans. Resident Nan Hedgspeth demanded the city propose and pass a resolution to air all city meetings and work sessions either on local cable or streaming over the internet. City Administrator Steve Griffin said resolutions are normally carefully studied by city staff as to cost and feasibility but it’s something the city was willing to explore.
BAYBRIEF |FAIRHOPE
Election question
FAIRHOPE GOVERNMENT CHANGE VOTE MUDDLED
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BY JOHN MULLEN
bsentee ballots were made available Aug. 28 for an Oct. 2 referendum before Fairhope voters on a change of government, even though questions remain about what it all means. Two weeks ago, the city asked the Alabama Attorney General’s Office for an opinion on whether or not the council-manager form of government, if approved by voters, would mean council members are elected at large or from specific districts. The council eventually voted 3-1 to ask for the opinion. The result was a rare moment where Mayor Karin Wilson and Council President Jack Burrell saw eye to eye on an issue. “Clarifying this important distinction is a must,” Wilson said. “Many who signed the petition, including me, believed they were signing for a new form of government with council districts. The vote should not take place until this is clearly communicated.” Burrell and the other members of the Fairhope City Council have not taken sides in the referendum. “I think the greater question is, can you have an election on a total change in the form of government without knowing what the final government will look like,” Burrell said. Attorney General opinions usually take months to come down, and on Aug. 28 that left five short weeks until the scheduled vote. Chuck Zunk, the spokesman of the Fresh Start Fairhope group that gathered enough petition sig-
natures to force the referendum, said he thought the wording in the letter favored those who believe there should be at-large districts voting for council members. “It’s clear that the author of this draft has a strong bias against our petition generally and a strong bias against the at-large form of council representation,” Zunk said. “We wonder why such a biased draft was submitted to you in the first place.” Zunk believes the issue must be resolved but felt the resolution passed requesting the AG opinion was as confusing and unclear as the amendment to the state constitution that allows for a city to change its form of government. “Our reading of the law is that the law is silent on whether the City Council should make a determination on at-large or district representation before or after,” Zunk said. “We would prefer before. But we’re not the lawyers and we’re not the attorney general.” Wilson said she strongly believes it is time for Fairhope’s council to be elected by district. Fairhope currently has a mayor-council form of government, with the mayor in charge of operating the city day to day and the council serving as the legislative and financial arm. A council-manager form, if voted in, would change the council to five members including the mayor, who would be a voting member instead of an administrator. A city manager would be hired to run the city on a daily basis.
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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
Bond, municipal bond
RICHARDSON WANTS TO BORROW $105 MILLION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BY DALE LIESCH A Mobile City Councilman wants to give his colleagues even more money to work with through the city’s capital improvement program, or CIP. In a letter to Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Councilman Fred Richardson outlined his plan to bolster the $3 million each district gets from the revenue generated from a 1-cent sales tax increase. Richardson suggested Stimpson float a municipal bond, which would quintuple the CIP funds flowing to each of the seven council districts. “ … I recommend you bond the $21 million the seven council districts receive per year for five years, which will be a total of $105 million,” Richardson wrote. “When you divide the $105 million by seven council districts, the result will be an immediate availability of $15 million for each council district.” In addition, Richardson believes the money could be repaid through CIP funds over the next five years. “Please give this proposal careful consideration,” Richardson wrote to Stimpson. “I’m hopeful you will see that this is the path to using taxpayer dollars in the most efficient and effective way while drastically improving our infrastructure resulting in a better quality of life for our citizens and climate for our continued economic development efforts.” In a phone interview, Richardson said it would be cheaper for the city in the long run to pay for the CIP projects immediately, rather than five years down the road. He said the city would save money on inflation. In the letter, Richardson doesn’t address the impact interest rates, or the city’s bond rating would have on his plan. City spokeswoman Laura Byrne said Monday that Stimpson’s office would not comment on the letter. On Thursday, it appeared the administration had been caught off guard by the
said. “I’m against anything that creates additional municipal debt. The mayor and council have, over the last five years, reduced long-term debt overall, but we’re still not where we need to be.” Mobile has approximately $221 million in long-term bonds outstanding, Stimpson wrote in his fiscal year 2018 budget statement, representing a 30 percent reduction over the last several years. Daves also said he believes the CIP has been very successful as is and there’s no reason to change it. The city now has some financial flexibility and Daves doesn’t want to face the possibility of a credit rating downgrade should the city carry too much I’M AGAINST ANYTHING THAT debt on its books. In addition, Daves mentioned the unfunded liability in the CREATES ADDITIONAL MUNICIPAL police and firefighters pension fund, as well as more than $100 million in deferred maintenance on city-owned structures. AcDEBT. THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE, OVER cording to Stimpson’s budget statement, the city currently has about $350 million in unfunded liability — down from $473 THE LAST FIVE YEARS, REDUCED LONGmillion when he took office. TERM DEBT OVERALL, BUT WE’RE STILL NOT Council Vice President Levon Manzie said he would have to study Richardson’s proposal before being able to comment. WHERE WE NEED TO BE.” Councilman John Williams said he also doesn’t think borrowing money is a good idea. Even if the city were to borrow the money and quintuple the funding for CIP projects, the capacity would not exist to execute the projects in a timely manner. son’s budget proposal being released to the media before they “[Richardson] wants to put a huge amount of cash into a syssee it. This year, however, councilors received their copies first. tem that can’t handle what it’s got,” Williams said. “Management Councilman Joel Daves said he had concerns about Richardis a part of it all. Our CIP is already bigger than it should be.” son’s proposal. For one, the city’s financial advisers have said the Additionally, Williams said he wants the city to save $100 city is already carrying more debt than it should, Daves said, and million in reserve funds, which would provide about six months’ it doesn’t make sense to add more. worth of emergency spending. “Carrying more debt … I think is out of the question,” Daves request. The letter was sent to Stimpson’s office after copies were sent out in a news release to members of the news media and in a Facebook post to Richardson’s followers. In the past, members of the administration and councilors alike have complained about communication issues between the ninth and 10th floors of Government Plaza. About a week earlier, councilors complained about Stimpson going to the media first regarding USA’s on-campus stadium. In previous years, councilors have complained about Stimp-
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BAYBRIEF | EDUCATION
Play time
FAMILIES SEEK RECESS REQUIREMENT IN LOCAL SCHOOLS BY JASON JOHNSON
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undreds of local parents are continuing an effort to get Mobile County Public Schools (MCPSS) and other districts across Alabama to adopt policies requiring daily recess breaks for children. While some people may think of recess and physical education as synonymous, the group Alabama Families for Recess says that’s not the case. While physical education usually consists of structured games and exercises, recess — as defined by the group — is about free play. “Physical education is not free play. When my child gets free time on the weekends, he is able to strengthen his friendships, build his social skills, coordination and focus,” Laurie Dungan, mother of a Council Traditional School student, told Lagniappe. “Kids spend all day following rules and working hard to do what they are instructed to do. For them to have that unstructured break to let loose and play is so important.” Dungan helped organize Alabama Families for Recess, which started as a handful of mostly Council parents but has since grown to include parents from throughout MCPSS and in other school districts. Currently, an online petition with more than 1,200 signatures is asking MCPSS Superintendent Chresal Threadgill to mandate that students in pre-K through fifth grade have “at least 20 consecutive minutes of supervised, safe and unstructured free-play recess” each school day. However, the group’s push for mandatory recess in local schools is not unique and neither is the importance they’re placing on it. Just last year, a group of parents in Florida successfully lobbied their local school system in Pinellas County and
eventually the state Legislature to require all schools serving K-5 students to set aside 20 consecutive minutes for free-play recess every day. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) finds free play allows students to build a variety of skill sets important to their overall development. Earlier this month, the AAP journal Pediatrics published an article titled “The Power of Play,” which showed free-play recess promotes “social-emotional, cognitive, language and self-regulation skills” in children and helps develop “a prosocial brain.” The same article notes that for children, “play and learning are inextricably linked,” adding “the accumulation of new knowledge is built on previous learning, but the acquisition of new skills is facilitated by social and often playful interactions.” Lisa Roddy said she saw the benefits of recess firsthand while teaching preschool in the state of Texas. She claims the school grew “confident kids” who developed skills needed to “negotiate games and rules, handle conflicts and disappointments, imagine and entertain themselves and challenge their fears on the playground.” “People often think that this is about physical fitness or fighting obesity. Although the physical part is an obvious and important benefit, it’s about so much more than that. It’s about social and emotional development, and it’s about human biology,” Roddy wrote via email. “Kids learn better when they have recess. Their brains look different after. They retain more. They are more able to stay focused and pay attention.” Like some other parents who moved to Mobile from out of state, Roddy said she was surprised to learn “many kids” didn’t have to recess locally. That’s not say that all
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schools or even most in the Mobile public school system don’t ever offer freeplay recess for elementary age children, as many do. Currently, the principal at each local school decides when, or if, children are allowed to have recess outside of the state requirements that students have some form of physical education each school day. Threadgill said his administration is open to considering a countywide policy for recess, though. “We are forming a committee to look at recess and to discuss what our options are districtwide,” Threadgill said earlier this week. “Right now, it’s at the principal’s discretion.” However, parents in Alabama Families for Recess say, without a policy requiring principals to offer daily recess, it can often be withheld from students — either as a way of punishing bad behavior or making additional instructional time to ensure students are meeting the academic standards required by the state of Alabama. Based on correspondence Alabama Families for Recess has received from Montgomery, the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) doesn’t seem interested in any kind of change at the state level, though. “The Alabama State Department of Education encourages school systems to provide recess and breaks during the academic day. There are no plans at this time to develop a statewide policy,” Nancy M. Ray, physical education and health specialist with ALSDE, wrote to the group in October. “Each school system knows their schools’ needs and has the freedom to implement their own policy concerning recess.” One of the early organizers of the group, Stephanie Jackson, said Alabama Families for Recess plans to keep pushing for some type of recess requirement and is hopeful they’ll receive more of a response from Threadgill’s administration than they did from his predecessor’s. She said Threadgill has scheduled a meeting with the group for next month. However, Jackson stressed that Alabama Families for Recess is mounting “a respectful pursuit (without malice) to engage in dialogue intended to improve quality of life for students, teachers, administrators families, and, by default, the community at large. “None of us are rabble-rousers. We appreciate the rich curriculum and instruction provided by our schools,” Jackson said. “We are only asking, as parents and stakeholders, to be engaged in a conversation about what is best for our school communities. We want to restore the research-based and common sense practice of daily recess.”
BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
Budget talks STIMPSON SENDS $309 MILLION SPENDING PLAN TO COUNCIL BY DALE LIESCH
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ayor Sandy Stimpson’s $309 million proposed general fund and capital budgets include increased revenue, as well as increases to public safety, facilities and capital expenses. Despite a $4 million increase in revenue and a $6 million increase in overall spending, the administration is looking to cut most of the city’s performance contracts with a number of nonprofit organizations. Executive Director of Finance and acting Chief of Staff Paul Wesch said the city is in a period of “benign” increases in sales tax revenues. As a result, staff aimed at a “mild reduction” in the funding of nonprofit groups. There were two exceptions, Wesch said — for multi-year contracts and for groups with missions closely aligned with the city’s work. For instance, the Dollar General Bowl and Visit Mobile were spared because of multi-year contracts and the Child Advocacy Center’s funding stayed flat. The Mobile Youth Athletic Board saw a $20,000 increase to $120,000 this year, but that is due to an increase in the alcohol tax funds earmarked for youth athletic organizations. The board is entitled to half of the alcohol tax money the city receives. It had been budgeted a bit too conservatively over the years, which is why it’s increasing now, Wesch said. City funds to the Mobile Bay National Estuary Foundation (NEP) will more than double in fiscal year 2019, according to the proposed budget. Wesch said the increase corresponds to programs the NEP will administer related to the Three Mile Creek watershed. “They’re doing it for a whole lot cheaper than we could do it,” Wesch said. “We’re very thankful about that.” The Public Park and Recreation Board of the City of Mobile, better known as the LaddPeebles Stadium board, will not see a reduction in 2019. However, while spending on public facilities in set to increase by some $2 million, the Ladd board will not see an increase. The Mobile City Council recently rejected a plan that would send the University of South Alabama $500,000 from the city’s economic development money per year for 20 years to help pay for an on-campus stadium. In return, the school would have given the city $2.5 million to renovate Ladd. The city has recently completed a facilities assessment, which showed more than $225 million in maintenance costs on city-owned structures moving forward. The city is developing a plan to “repair, replace or sell” structures. The administration is projecting a $4 million increase in revenue. Wesch said this is largely based on an increase in sales tax revenue and license fees. “During the late spring of 2018, we began to experience increases in general sales taxes,” Wesch said. “We do feel comfortable with looking at an increase in sales tax.” The increase is bolstered by the city’s portion of tax on hotel room stays, Wesch said. Mobile has seen an increase in the number of tourists, from 3 million visitors to 3.4 million. “I think most of that is the success of Visit Mobile to attract the leisure traveler,” Wesch
said. “Leisure travel is a home run for the city … To see this rise is extremely beneficial and surely we hope it will continue.” Changes by the Legislature to the simplified sellers use tax, or SSUT, has also increased revenue, leading to a more even distribution of the tax on e-commerce items between counties and cities, as well as a tax on third-party sellers online. The changes are expected to increase revenue from about $200,000 per year to $2 million. “We think $2 million is somewhat conservative,” Wesch said. Online sales and e-commerce, however, will provide budgetary pressures on the city going forward. Because the SSUT does not tax businesses at the same rate as the city does, e-commerce has reduced the percentage of sales tax revenue to total revenue. Sales tax revenue used to make up 82 percent of the city’s total revenue, but now makes up 78 percent, Wesch said. The estimated uncollected sales tax on ecommerce is about $11 million. While the city has reduced debt service by some $2 million over the last three years by refinancing loans to take advantage of lower interest rates, pension costs total $30 million, 50 percent more than what was required five years ago. In his budget statement to councilors, Stimpson wrote that the balance of pension and health care unfunded liabilities has been reduced overall from $473 million to $374 million. “This is primarily a result of the transition of Medicare-eligible retirees to a Medicare Advantage plan, and secondarily the result of an amortized paydown of the unfunded liability in the City of Mobile Police and Firefighter Pension Plan,” he wrote. The administration has reduced the number of city employees through attrition from about 2,480 to 2,200 over the last four years, Wesch said. He said the city is probably now getting close to the right number of employees. The administration had noticed previously that the ratio of employees to citizens was “a little off,” Wesch said. There are no citywide pay raises in the 2019 budget, as the administration wants to absorb the changes in public safety spending caused by raises for both police officers and firefighters last year. “We hope to address cost of living in the future,” Wesch said. The budget includes a $2 million increase in spending for Public Works. Wesch said issues with garbage and trash pickup have been solved and that new director John Peavy requested the budget increase. The Mobile Public Library will see about a $500,000 reduction in its allocation from the city, Wesch said. “We have no relationship with the library, except we partially fund them and provide the buildings they’re in,” Wesch said. “We do know our library costs have generally been in excess of what our peer cities spend.” The proposed budget now goes to the City Council for final approval. The council has until Sept. 20 to pass it.
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COMMENTARY | DAMN THE TORPEDOES
Richardson threatening classless action suit ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
the process and complained the mayor had tried to circumvent their authority from the beginning. Not to say going around the council is a pathway to success, but the president issue has fractured this group for almost a year and the temptation not to deal with the various coalitions is understandable. Even as he threatens another lawsuit, Richardson is also providing yet another example of why he’s the wrong guy for the job. He’s now floating plans for the city to borrow $105 million to be paid with five years’ worth of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) money, so each councilor could spend $15 million at once instead of the program in his or her district. Even if the city were equipped to handle seven additional $15 million projects at once, Richardson’s plan would still leave the councilors no CIP money for the next four years. One of the reasons he’s pushing this plan is because he says it will save money on materials as inflation causes prices to go up. Unfortunately he seems to have forgotten the fat wad of interest payments involved in taking out such a loan. That’s the kind of visionary leadership President Fred would bring. The lawsuit should be a slam-dunk for him. Speaking about the vacant president’s position, Richardson had this third-person take to offer: “It’s a citywide issue that ought to be resolved. It’s bigger than Fred Richardson. It’s bigger than me.” If only he really believed that.
THEGADFLY
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they’re getting shafted because they don’t have Fred running the show. “The lawsuit will be based upon the fact that the whole city is losing,” he said. “I’m looking at a suit that says the city has been damaged. The city is not whole.” So the city has already wasted money doing whatever preparation was necessary for Ebbole’s suit and now will spend even more to fight a guy who can’t convince enough of his colleagues to vote for him as president. It’s time for all of this to end. Small or Rich (or both) need to do the right thing and cast their votes for Manzie and stop Don Quixote Richardson from wasting time and money with this nonsensical lawsuit. Richardson once again is proving exactly why he shouldn’t lead the council. He has little self-control when it comes to the things he wants or thinks he’s owed. He’s rarely restrained himself from taking a taxpayer-funded trip, except when he was running for re-election and thought it might look bad. He complains about open ditches in his district but obviously thinks paying for his trips is more important. The fight to be council president is just more travel — an ego trip. That he would waste more of that ditch-covering money trying to force his way into the president’s seat shows a level of petulance generally reserved for Trump’s Twitter feed. In the wake of last week’s defeat of Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s efforts to help the University of South Alabama fund a new football stadium, there were a few councilors who expressed bitterness about
Cartoon/Marguerite Powers
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o far it’s been quite a year for presidential scandal, and not just here in the States. South Africa’s Jacob Zuma resigned a few months ago because of a corruption scandal. In April, South Korea’s former president, Park Geun-hye, was sentenced to 24 years in prison for bribery and corruption. That same month, Brazil’s ex-president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, began serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption. Peru’s President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski also resigned in March because of a corruption scandal. And that’s not to mention the daily soap opera playing in D.C. right now. But there’s a presidential scandal closer to home that’s been heating up again — the ongoing saga of the missing Mobile City Council president. It’s nearing a year since a new Mobile City Council was inaugurated and immediately fractured over who would be elected council president. Instead of resolving over the ensuing months, the issue has become a bigger morass, and further morassiness looms because the council’s longest-serving member refuses to accept that he’s not going to be council president. To briefly recap, on that inauguration day, councilors Fred Richardson, Bess Rich, Levon Manzie and C.J. Small banded together to oust Gina Gregory from her spot as council president, choosing Richardson in a 4-3 vote. Richardson had served for years as the council vice president and naturally felt he deserved to fondle the gavel. Not so fast, Freddie D! It turns out the council vote wasn’t binding because the law requires a supermajority for the selection of council officers and four votes isn’t a big enough slice of the MoonPie. In the past the council had always conducted a legally dubious backroom vote for president, then after inauguration staged a unanimous vote for the person who got the most votes behind the scenes. But the councilors supporting Gregory dipped out on the secret vote, leaving the 4-3 vote on the official record, which left Richardson one vote shy of becoming president. Richardson took the news in typical fashion, which means he’s fought it ever since and complained bitterly he is being ripped off, despite legal assurances five votes are required. With the presidency at a stalemate, Manzie was elected vice president and has led the council since last November. At one point there were enough votes to make Levon president, but the two factions then fought over who would be veep — kind of like arguing over who gets to be runner-up in a beauty pageant — and the deal fell apart. Certainly Manzie has done a fine job of handing the council president’s duties and one would think that eventually, for the good of the city and just to move things on, seven reasonably intelligent people could put an end to this silliness. But it seems more likely Mobile will be litter-free before the City Council completes the simple task of selecting a leader. Things took a turn for the bizarre recently when Richardson’s good friend, tattoo artist Chassity Ebbole, filed suit on his behalf, hoping to have the courts force Councilman MoonPie into the president’s spot. The suit was tossed because Ebbole was ruled not to have “standing” to file the case. In other words, she wasn’t really involved. But it would be foolish to think Richardson will ever let this go. Now he’s threatening to file suit against the council and a “class action” involving people who think
LOTS OF WAYS TO SPEND A SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN SEPTEMBER.
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COMMENTARY | THE HIDDEN AGENDA
What a drag
ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR/ASHLEYTOLAND@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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fter last week’s stadium debacle, I thought we might just have a quiet week, free from controversy. But alas, this is Mobile. And we always have to be upset about something. This week’s outrage comes courtesy of the “Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH).” Hosted by Rainbow Mobile, a local LGBTQ organization, DQSH is exactly what it sounds like. A drag queen reads books to young children for an hour, usually at a public library. DQSH is a national organization and they have held events around the country. The event in Mobile is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Ben May Memorial Library in downtown. It is also totally optional and no one is forcing anyone to go. But some folks are still upset about it, many of whom I suspect haven’t set foot in any of our public libraries in decades. At the Mobile County Commission and City Council meetings this week, members and pastors from local churches voiced their opposition
RAINBOW MOBILE SAYS THE EVENT IS DESIGNED TO EXPOSE CHILDREN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT AND PROMOTE TOLERANCE. to the reading. “We have to understand that this is national agenda and a national plan to indoctrinate children,” said the Rev. Fred Wolfe, the pastor of the Luke 4:18 Fellowship. Wolfe also expressed to Lagniappe that while he knew people could choose not to go to this, he was concerned about those who just happen to go to the library that day — ones who don’t know about the event. I suppose that is something to consider, but no one is going to force them into the meeting room where this is being held and hold them captive. God was a big proponent of free will, last time I checked. Woodbridge Baptist Church pastor Mack Morris also spoke of “indoctrination” and said this is “the opening salvo in a clearly defined cultural war.” Both Wolfe and Morris said they feared this would eventually “infiltrate” the public school system. For its part, the library has said it adheres to the standards of the American Library Association, which requires them to make meeting rooms available on equal terms to all groups of people, regardless of beliefs and affiliations of their members. They said if they exclude one group, they would have to exclude them all. Some of the City Council members and County Commissioners expressed their personal moral concerns with the event, but for the most part said their hands were tied, citing the First Amendment. Councilman Fred Richardson reminded folks how much he didn’t like some of the Comic Cowboys’ parade signs, but his hands were tied there too for the same reasons. Commissioner Jerry Carl was probably the most outspoken against this, saying he thought the library’s budget should be examined if they are “wasting money” on such events.
To be clear, the library is not paying for this event. The group opposed to this also took issue with the content of one of the books being read, “Stella Brings the Family,” in which a young girl must decide which one of her daddies to bring to a Mother’s Day event. Rainbow Mobile says the event is designed to expose children to people who are different and promote tolerance. Protesters and counterprotesters are expected to be outside the library on this day, including a Tea Party group protesting the reading, which seems a bit odd because I thought the Tea Party was comprised mostly of Libertarians. Did this change? Maybe so. It’s hard to tell what anyone thinks anymore. It used to not be cool to bang porn stars and lie about it — but apparently that too is no big deal with many ministers and pastors these days Anyway, this is certain to be a spectacle. And not a single person’s mind will be changed. This whole thing is pretty pointless and counterproductive. If anything, it’s going to complicate any chance of bridging divides, as if we don’t already have enough of those in this country. We know a member of Luke 4:18 or Woodbridge isn’t going to wander into the library during this and go “you know, I was soooo wrong about this. I think I may become a drag queen, y’all!” any more than a drag queen is going to pop into church next Sunday and start reading passages from Romans or belting out “Just As I Am.” For the folks who have a problem with this, there is a very simple solution: avoid the library for one hour next Saturday. As for the Drag Queen Story Hour folks, they know what they are doing too. These readings cause controversy and protests in just about every city where they’re held. Is this really about the children and promoting inclusion and change? My kids have been raised in the most tolerant of tolerant households, but I don’t want them used as pawns, either. And that’s what this kind of feels like. If this event is truly about bringing people together and changing people’s minds about the LGBTQ community, I’m not sure that mission will be accomplished with this event. If anything, all this has served to do is make folks become more firmly planted on their “side.” The folks who will attend this already promote inclusion and tolerance in their households. They will get to feel good about themselves by looking down on the protesters with disdain and calling them intolerant bigots. The folks who think like Wolfe and Morris will get to feel superior to the attendees and will pray for the souls of these poor “indoctrinated sinners” who are trying to destroy their “culture.” But my guess is neither of these “sides” truly want to “understand” each other. They just want to continue ridiculing one another. And then they get to feel good about themselves for doing so — so I guess it’s really a win-win. Sadly, such is life in America these days. In Mobile, this is just what we will be outraged about until Sept. 8 at 1:01 p.m. Don’t worry, I’m sure we will have something brand new to get all worked up about by 7 p.m. that same evening.
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COMMENTARY | THE BELTWAY BEAT
Alabama’s highway to nowhere BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST/JEFFREYPOOR@GMAIL.COM
RED BAY — Not everywhere in Alabama is as congested as Mobile, Birmingham, Montgomery or Huntsville. Up in Franklin County, the home of former longtime State Sen. Roger Bedford (D), there is a place where one of the major highways is wide open. Imagine a multilane, limited-access highway with manicured medians and not a car for miles. This mythical-sounding creation is Alabama Highway 24, also known as Corridor V. It’s one of the more bizarre things you might encounter if you ever travel the state from corner to corner. The next time you’re stuck in traffic trying to flee Mobile for Baldwin County on Interstate 10, or playing a game of traffic-light chance headed anywhere on Airport Boulevard, know that there is this place of legendary extravagance, built by your government, and that solving traffic nightmares is indeed a possibility when they put their minds to it. Corridor V is one of Alabama’s newer highways. The portion to which I’m referring begins in Decatur, passes through the center of Lawrence and Franklin, and ends a mile or so beyond the state line, in middle-of-nowhere Mississippi. The road is fantastic for people making the 25-mile commute from Red Bay to Russellville, or the 20-mile commute from Moulton to Decatur. The problem: A comparatively minuscule number of people make that drive, while a swell of commuters to and from Alabama’s downtown metropolises face parking lot-style traffic. Eventually, the route will be completed to Batesville, Mississippi, and it will be great for people who want to attend an Ole Miss game in Oxford. Still, the highway is one of those head-scratchers. With all the road and highway needs in the state, how do projects like this receive funding? Was the lobbying arm of Red Bay’s Tiffin Motorhomes so influential it got the government to make this highway to nowhere a priority? Some of it has to do with the federal government, and Sen. Richard Shelby, who has earned the title of Greatest Statesman EVER in some quarters, because of his uncanny ability to route government pork to Alabama. Back in the 1960s, Congress passed the Appalachian Regional Development Act, a law with the goal of improving the lives of people in rural Appalachia, from New York State to Mississippi. With it came the Appalachian Development Highway System, a series of highways designated as “corridors.” The system assigned letters to each “corridor.” Although it is a worthy goal to connect these rural areas to the outside world, as is the case for many of these federal government endeavors they become an avenue for members of Congress to steer pork-barrel funding to their state and districts. And they have capitalized. That is why Alabama has most of its proposed portion of Corridor V completed; and because of that, Moulton (population 3,343), Russellville (population 9,815) and Red Bay (population 3,119) are connected to the booming big city of Huntsville. Meanwhile, Mobile (population 192,904), Montgomery (population 200,022), Birmingham (population 212,157) and Huntsville (population 193,079) are given the runaround with 20-year feasibility studies and shoulder shrugs from elected officials when it comes to addressing their road and bridge needs. Consider this: The state of Alabama by statute is addressing transportation needs designated by members of Congress who served in the 1960s and have all since left office. As a country, we’re fulfilling the highway priorities determined at a time when there was no internet and long before the explosion of suburban life in the South. The Appalachian Regional Development Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson 53 years ago. For that reason, our government is using federal tax dollars to build four-lane highways to the middle of nowhere instead of building a long-term solution for the centuries-old conundrum of crossing Mobile Bay. On a good day, you can make the 19-mile journey from downtown Mobile to Fairhope in 45 minutes during rush hour. However, the time it takes to make the trans-Franklin County trip from Russellville to Red Bay is determined by just how fast you’re willing to drive and what speed limits you violate when you do so. Such is the situation in our modern federal government that we are bound by 50-year-old laws passed by legislators who lacked the foresight to address the needs of 2018. Obviously, it isn’t quite as simple as saying ‘let’s take money allocated for this seemingly useless Northwest Alabama highway project and use it for a Mobile Bay bridge, the widening of I-65 in Jefferson and Shelby counties or the widening of I-565 in Huntsville.’ The statute dictates how the government must spend that money. But laws can be changed. Why they haven’t is anyone’s guess. Perhaps it’s the gridlock in Congress. Things like this don’t get changed without someone in the food chain getting to wet their beak. “You want your highway needs addressed? I won’t vote for this legislation unless the feds fund my solar-powered, wind-illuminated bike lane in Palo Alto.” And that’s the problem — there is little will to change quietly bad laws because it is a really, really difficult task. It could also be that members of Congress’ Southern delegation are reluctant to change this particular piece of misguided legislation that has allowed us to build dead-end highways to places like Red Bay, Alabama. They like having the ability to steer endless amounts of money back home and pat themselves on the back, or, in the case of Alabama’s elder statesman Shelby, have others in the media do it for him. But that’s just speculation. Regardless of the reason, you’re stuck in traffic while your government is building the roads and highways for the upcoming decade of the 1970s.
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BUSINESS | THE REAL DEAL
CigarClub.com relocating to Crystal Ice House BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST/BUSINESS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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eff Zeiders, co-owner of CigarClub.com, reported the recent acquisition of a 3,000-square-foot property on .29 acres at 800 Monroe St. — the second of three units forming the 1940s-era Crystal Ice House historic site in downtown Mobile’s expanding business and entertainment district. Acquired for $135,000, the building was originally the truck transport depot and warehouse for the Crystal Ice House Co. An additional $500,000 will be spent on renovations, repurposing and landscaping, with a move into the new space expected in early 2019. The new CigarClub.com space will be divided into two sections, with 30 percent — roughly 1,000 square feet — dedicated to office space and a walk-in humidor (about 300 square feet) for merchandise. “This section originally was a freezer for the Ice House, so was a perfect fit for us to repurpose it into an on-site walk-in humidor space,” Zeiders said. The remaining 2,000 square feet will be a shared open workspace for employees, and for potential tenants engaged in software design or marketing. “We took the open-sourced workspace environment that we liked at the Exchange 202 and incorporated the concept into the plan design,” Zeiders said. Exterior plans include a 10 foot by 10 foot pergola as well as upgraded landscaping. Rafters, beams, doors and brickwork will be preserved inside the historic property. Custom-built sliding wooden doors will be incorporated into the new architecture design. The company plans to hire four to six more employees by the second quarter of 2019, including a major executive-level hire. Steve Stone, local owner of dakinstreet, is the architect
on the project. Gaines Zarzour with the Zarzour Cos. managed the transaction for CigarClub.com The third building associated with the site is currently available for lease or purchase. Lewis Golden with Hamilton & Co., LLC, is the broker for the property.
Commercial real estate moves
• Haint Blue Brewing Co. is currently renovating a roughly 3,500-square-foot property at 806 Monroe St. in Mobile — formerly the home of the historic Crystal Ice warehouse. Tentative plans are for the brewery to open in late fall 2018, according to owner Keith Sherrill. • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mobile is relocating its offices to the third floor of 3 S. Royal St., above Serda’s Coffee downtown. The company will occupy 3,154 square feet, marking the building as 100 percent leased, according to Pete Riehm and Allan Cameron with NAI Mobile, who handled the transaction. • Jimmy John’s is leasing some 1,500 square feet of space in Rangeline Crossing shopping center, a new retail development to be located on Rangeline Road in Mobile. The sandwich shop will join Rock N Roll Sushi and TMobile in the tenant lineup and is expected to open early 2019. Nathan Handmacher with Stirling Properties represented the tenant in the transaction. John Vallas with Vallas Realty worked for the landlord. • Salon West Hairdressers is opening a second 2,000-square-foot shop in Mobile, at 1751 Old Shell Road. The property is already occupied by Bellator Real Estate and Mighty Advertising. Following interior renovations, the salon is slated to open next month. Owners are Whitney Vittor and Julia Pritchett Liller.
• Gaming Station & Lounge, an e-gaming rental facility, is currently renovating a 2,300-square-foot property at 3716 Moffett Road in Mobile, with plans to open in late 2018. The owner is DeAttra Hicks. • Interior renovations are underway to a 3,000-square-foot building next door to The Haberdasher, at 111 Dauphin St. The lower floor will be Sophiella, a new gallery. The upper floor will be an open office space. Grand opening is planned for the October Loda ArtWalk. Owners are Clark and Kim Kelly. • Vintage2018, a new 4,100-square-foot wine bar and rental venue in Fairhope across from Fairhope Brewing Co. is scheduled to open in late spring 2019. The bar will also feature an urban farm and European-style garden for events. The owner is Robert Evans. • The Jacksonville-based Maple Street Biscuit Co. plans to open a Mobile location in January 2018 at 5054 Old Shell Road, the former site of Rester Brothers Auto Repair Shop. A 1,500-square-foot addition with new parking will be constructed prior to opening. • Blue Fish advertising agency will be purchasing and moving into a new 3,700-square-foot building at 920 Dauphin St. in early 2019, more than doubling its current office footprint at 412 Dauphin St., according to owner Marcus Neto. Plans are also in place to acquire another 3,700-square-foot space, at 918 Dauphin St., sometime 2019, effectively quadrupling the size of the business. Jeff Jordan is the local architect on the project. • An 1850s building with a 1950s school addition, located at 451 Conti St., will be repurposed into four apartment unit spaces, ready for lease by January 2019. The owner is Stephen Carter.
Blue Fish selected Small Business of the Year
At a recent breakfast ceremony, Blue Fish was named 2018 Small Business of the Year by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. Runners-up included locally owned small businesses Harper Technologies and Lagniappe. Founded in 2008, Blue Fish is an advertising agency specializing in branding and digital advertising. The company recently added content strategy, social media management, email marketing and video production services. It also produces educational content via webcasts and podcasts. “It’s pretty stunning,” owner Marcus Neto said. “No one was notified who the winner was going to be. When they did the drumroll and actually announced the name, I almost fell out of my chair. You’d like to think that what you’re doing gets noticed. But at the same time, the competition was pretty stiff this year with Lagniappe and also with Harper Technologies,” he said. Clarence Ball Jr., president and CEO of Ball HealthCare Services, was named 2018 Outstanding Entrepreneur by the Mobile Area Chamber. Founded 35 years ago, his company currently employs some1,300 workers across the state in the senior living care industry.
A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 17
EUGENE’S MONKEY BAR ($)
5602 Old Shell Rd. • 219-7086 920 Industrial Pkwy • Saraland • 378-5314
FATHOMS LOUNGE
MONTEGO’S ($-$$)
15 N Conception St. • 378-9377
SMALL PLATES AND CREATIVE COCKTAILS 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000
FLOUR GIRLS BAKERY ($)
FRESH CARIBBEAN-STYLE FOOD & CRAFT BEER 6601 Airport Blvd. • 634-3445 225 Dauphin St. • 375-1576
FIREHOUSE SUBS ($)
809 Hillcrest Rd. • 634-2285 $10/PERSON • $$ 10-25/PERSON • $$$ OVER 25/PERSON
COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE ALL SPORTS BAR & GRILL ($) 3408 Pleasant Valley Rd. • 345-9338
AL’S HOTDOGS ($)
CLASSIC HOTDOGS, GYROS & MILKSHAKES 4701 Airport Blvd. • 342-3243
ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY ($-$$) SANDWICHES, SALADS & MORE. 3680 Dauphin St. • 380-0444
BAKE MY DAY ($)
OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN BAKE SHOP 156 N. McGregor Ave. • 219-7261
BOB’S DINER ($)
GOOD OLD AMERICAN COOKING 263 St. Francis St. • 405-1497
BIG WHITE WINGS ($)
405 S Wilson Ave. • Prichard• 301-7880
BRICK & SPOON ($)
3662 Airport Blvd. Suite A • 378-8378
CAFE 219 ($)
SALADS, SANDWICHES & POTATO SALAD 219 Conti St. • 438-5234
CAMELLIA CAFÉ ($-$$$)
CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FARE 61 Section St. • Fairhope • 928-4321
CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH ($) MOBILE’S CLASSIC ICE CREAM SPOT 2511 Old Shell Rd. • 471-1710
CARPE DIEM ($)
DELI FOODS, PASTRIES & SPECIALTY DRINKS 4072 Old Shell Rd. • 304-0448
CLARK’S KITCHEN ($-$$) CATERING 5817 Old Shell Rd. • 622-0869
CLEAN EATZ ($)
7335 Airport Blvd. • 654-1575
CHICK-FIL-A ($)
12 N Royal St • 415-1700 107 St. Francis St. • 415-1700 3244 Dauphin St. • 476-0320 3215 Bel Air Mall • 476-8361 4707 Airport Blvd. • 461-9933 435 Schillinger Rd. • 639-1163 1682 US HWY 98 • Daphne • 621-3215 30500 AL 181 • Spanish Fort • 621-3020
CHICKEN SALAD CHICK ($)
CHICKEN SALAD, SALAD & SOUP 2370 S. Hillcrest Rd. Unit R • 660-0501 5753 Old Shell Rd. • 408-3236 1802 US Hwy 98 Suite F• 625-1092
CHI-TOWN DAWGZ ($) CHICAGO STYLE EATERY 1222 Hillcrest Rd. • 461-6599
DAUPHIN ST. CAFE ($)
HOT LUNCH, DAILY MENU (INSIDE VIA) 1717 Dauphin St. • 470-5231
D’ MICHAEL’S ($)
PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS, GYROS & MORE 7101-A Theodore Dawes Rd. • 653-2979
D NU SPOT ($)
HOT SUBS, COLD SALADS & CATERING 3694 Airport Blvd • 342-2352 5300-C Halls Mill Rd • 660-0995 3075 Government Blvd B105 • 461-6080 6300 Grelot Rd. • 631-3730 6890 US-90 #6 • Daphne • 625-8723 9912 Dimitrios Blvd • Daphne • 626-7827 113 S Greeno Rd • Fairhope • 990-3970
FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES ($) BURGERS, MILKSHAKES & FRIES 4401 Old Shell Rd. • 447-2394 4663 Airport Blvd. • 300-8425 5319 Hwy 90 • 661-0071 1225 Satchel Page Dr.• 378-8768 6860 US-90 • Daphne • 626-4278
FOOSACKLY’S ($)
FAMOUS CHICKEN FINGERS 29181 US Hwy 98 • Daphne • 375-1104 7843 Moffett Rd. • 607-6196 1109 Shelton Beach Rd. • 287-1423 310 S. University Blvd. • 343-0047 2250 Airport Blvd. • 479-2922 7641 Airport Blvd. • 607-7667 2558 Schillinger Rd. • 219-7761 3249 Dauphin St. • 479-2000
FOY SUPERFOODS ($) 119 Dauphin St.• 307-8997
GULF COAST EXPLOREUM CAFE ($) HOMEMADE SOUPS & SANDWICHES 65 Government St. • 208-6815
HOOTERS ($)
3869 Airport Blvd. • 345-9544 5470 Inn Rd. • 661-9117 28975 US 98 • Daphne • 625-3910
JAMAICAN VIBE ($)
MIND-BLOWING ISLAND FOOD 3700 Gov’t Blvd. • 602-1973
JERSEY MIKE’S ($)
AUTHENTIC SUB SANDWICHES 29660 AL-181 • Daphne • 626-3161 3151 Daupin St• 525-9917 7449 Airport Blvd. • 375-1820
JIMMY JOHN’S ($)
SANDWICHES, CATERING & DELIVERY TOO 6920 Airport Blvd. • 414-5444 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-8694 62 S Royal St. • 432-0360
JOE CAIN CAFÉ ($)
SLAP YOUR MAMA GOOD HOME COOKING 220 Dauphin St. • 432-6262
BREAKFAST, HOT LUNCH & GREAT DESSERTS 23 Upham St. • 473-6115
MARY’S SOUTHERN COOKING ($)
CLASSIC BURGERS, HOTDOGS & SETTING 1808 Old Shell Rd. • 473-7872
DUNKIN DONUTS ($)
DONUTS, COFFEE & SANDWICHES 5701 Old Shell Rd Ste 100 • 442-4846 29160 US Hwy 98 • Daphne •621-2228
E WING HOUSE ($)
1956 S University Blvd. Suite H • 662-1829
OVEN-BAKED SANDWICHES & MORE 1335 Satchel Page Dr. Suite C. • 287-7356 7440 Airport Blvd. • 633-0096 Eastern Shore Center • Spanish Fort • 625-6544
GREAT SANDWICHES, COFFEE & MORE 1087 Downtowner Blvd. • 643-1611 3011 Springhill Ave. • 476-2232
MICHELI’S CAFE ($)
6358 Cottage Hill Rd. • 725-6917
MCSHARRY’S ($-$$)
AUTHENTIC IRISH PUB 101 N. Bancroft St.• 990-5100
MOMMA GOLDBERG’S DELI ($) SANDWICHES & MOMMA’S LOVE 3696 Airport Blvd. • 344-9500
18 | L AG N I A P P E | A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8
THE PIGEON HOLE ($)
SEAFOOD AND SUSHI 551 Dauphin St.• 219-7051
THE SUNFLOWER CAFE ($)
HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St • 432-8000
THYME BY THE BAY ($-$$)
HIGH QUALITY FOOD WITH A VIEW 107 St. Francis St/RSA Building • 444-0200
O’DALYS HOLE IN THE WALL ($) 562 Dauphin St.• 725-6429
PANINI PETE’S ($)
ORIGINAL SANDWICH AND BAKE SHOP 42 ½ Section St. • Fairhope • 929-0122 102 Dauphin St. • 405-0031
PAT’S DOWNTOWN GRILL ($) BAR FOOD 271 Dauphin St • 438-9585
POLLMAN’S BAKERY ($)
BAKERY, SANDWICHES & MORE 750 S. Broad St. • 438-1511 4464 Old Shell Rd. • 342-8546 107 St. Francis St. Suite 102 • 438-2261
PUNTA CLARA KITCHEN ($)
MEDITERRANEAN SANDWICH COMPANY ($)
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE ($)
LAUNCH ($-$$)
DUMBWAITER ($$-$$$) 9 Du Rhu Dr. Suite 201 167 Dauphin St. • 445-3802
GREAT FOOD AND COCKTAILS 609 Dauphin St. • 308-3105
LIGHT LUNCH WITH SOUTHERN FLAIR. 226 Dauphin St. • 433-1689
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN FOOD 351A George & Savannah St. • 436-8890
GREAT SMOOTHIES, WRAPS & SANDWICHES. 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 378-5648 7450 Airport Blvd. A • 634-3454 570 Schillinger Rd. • 634-3454 29740 Urgent Care Dr.• 626-1160
HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St. • 432-8000
WAREHOUSE BAKERY & DONUTS ($) COFFEE AND DONUTS 759 Nichols Avenue, Fairhope • 928-7223
WILD WING STATION ($)
1500 Government St. • 287-1526
THE WINDMILL MARKET ($)
85 N. Bancroft St. • Fairhope • 990.8883
YAK THE KATHMANDU KITCHEN ($-$$)
334 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope • 928-2399
‘CUE
SANDWICHES, SUBS & SOUPS 2056 Gov’t St. • 476-2777
MOBILE’S OLDEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE 4715 Airport Blvd/Regency Square • 304-1155
GREAT MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 5951 Old Shell Rd. • 460-9191
FUDGE, PRALINES & MORE 17111 Scenic Hwy 98 • Fairhope • 928-8477
REGINA’S KITCHEN ($-$$)
JERUSALEM CAFE ($-$$)
KITCHEN ON GEORGE ($-$$)
AMERICAN RESTAURANT & BAR 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890
AUTHENTIC FOODS FROM HIMALAYAN REGION 3210 Dauphin St. • 287-0115 400 Eastern Shore Center • Fairhope •990-6192
R BISTRO ($-$$)
4861 Bit & Spur Rd. • 340-6464
THREE GEORGES CANDY SHOP ($)
DOWN-HOME COUNTRY COOKIN 7351 Theodore Dawes Rd. • 654-0228
NOURISH CAFE ($)
HEALTHY WHOLE FOODS & MORE 101 N Water St. (Moorer YMCA)• 458-8572
ABBA’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE ($-$$)
FIVE ($$)
TIME TO EAT CAFE ($) TP CROCKMIERS ($)
7070 Bruns Drive• 776-6570
7 SPICE ($-$$)
GREAT & QUICK. 2502 Schillinger Rd. Ste. 2 • 725-0126 3702 Airport Blvd. • 308-2131 6890 US-90 • Daphne • 621-2271 274 Dauphin St. • 545-3161
33 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-5635
NEXUS CINEMA DINING ($$)
BACKYARD CAFE & BBQ ($) HOME COOKIN’ LIKE MOMMA MADE 3211 Moffett Rd • 473-4739
MAGHEE’S GRILL ON THE HILL ($-$$)
MINT HOOKAH BISTRO ($)
OLLIE’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL ($-$$) MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT & HOOKAH 1248 Hillcrest St • 634-9820
TAZIKI’S ($-$$)
GREAT LUNCH & DINNER 3607 Old Shell Rd. • 445-8700
MEDITERRANEAN CAFE 9 Du Rhu Dr Suite 300 • 378-2678 1539 US HWY 98•Daphne • 273-3337
LOCAL INGREDIENTS 203 Dauphin St. • 690-6824
FAR EASTERN FARE
NOBLE SOUTH ($$) NOJA ($$-$$$)
INVENTIVE & VERY FRESH CUISINE 6 N. Jackson St. • 433-0377
ANG BAHAY KUBO ($$)
4513 Old Shell Rd. D• 473-0007
AROY THAI ($$)
OSMAN’S RESTAURANT ($$)
966 Government St.• 408-9001
ROYAL SCAM ($$)
TRADITIONAL JAPANESE WITH HIBACHI GRILLS 650 Cody Rd. S • 300-8383
SUPREME EUROPEAN CUISINE 2579 Halls Mill Rd. • 479-0006
BAMBOO STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR ($$)
GUMBO, ANGUS BEEF & BAR 72. S. Royal St. • 432-SCAM (7226)
BANGKOK THAI ($-$$)
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ($$$) EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE & TASTE 2058 Airport Blvd • 476-0516
DELICIOUS, TRADITIONAL THAI CUISINE 28600 US 98 • Daphne • 626-5286 3821 Airport Blvd. • 344-9995
ROLY POLY ($)
BAR-B-QUING WITH MY HONEY ($$)
SAGE RESTAURANT ($$)
BANZAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ($$)
ROSHELL’S CAFE ($)
BAY BARBECUE ($)
SOUTHERN NATIONAL ($$-$$$)
BENJAS ($)
ROYAL KNIGHT ($)
COTTON STATE BBQ ($)
WRAPS & SALADS 3220 Dauphin St. • 479-2480
BBQ, BURGERS, WINGS & SEAFOOD 19170 Hwy 43 Mt. Vernon. • 829-9227
2904 Springhill Ave. • 479-4614
THE TASTE OF MOBILE 59 N Florida St. • 408-9997
LUNCH & DINNER 3004 Gov’t Blvd. • 287-1220
COFFEE, SMOOTHIES, LUNCH & BEERS. 5460 Old Shell Rd. • 344-4575
MARS HILL CAFE ($)
DEW DROP INN ($)
NEWK’S EXPRESS CAFE ($)
JUDY’S PLACE ($-$$)
MAMA’S ($)
113 Dauphin St.• 436-0989
DAUPHIN’S ($$-$$$)
SATORI COFFEEHOUSE ($)
PUB FOOD AND DRAFT BEERS 251 Dauphin St. • 287-6871
HEALTHY, DELICIOUS MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 3762 Airport Blvd. • 725-1177
MUFFINS, COFFEE & WRAPS 105 Dauphin St. • 433-9855
A VARIETY COMFORT F00D. BREAKFAST ALL DAY. 6882 US-90 • Daphne • (251) 621-3749
LODA BIER GARTEN ($)
CHUCK’S FISH ($$)
320 Eastern Shore Shopping Center •Fairhope • 929-0055 3055 A Dauphin St. • 479-3200
MOSTLY MUFFINS ($)
JUBILEE DINER ($-$$)
3915 Gov’t Blvd. • 219-7922 3226 Dauphin St. • 471-2590
THE HARBERDASHER ($)
107 St Francis St #115 • RSA Bank Trust Building
BAKERY 5638 Three Notch Rd.• 219-6379
LICKIN’ GOOD DONUTS ($)
FALAFEL? TRY SOME HUMMUS
CLASSIC STEAKHOUSE + FRESH FISH 17107 Tennis Club Dr. • Fairhope • 517-7700
CORNER 251 ($-$$)
SALLY’S PIECE-A-CAKE ($)
HOME COOKING 4054 Government Blvd. • 665-4547
CHAR 32 ($$$)
OPEN FOR LUNCH, INSIDE GULFQUEST 155 S. Water St • 436-8901
SOUTHERN COOKING & THEN SOME 1716 Main St. • Daphne • 222-4120
PIZZAS, SANDWICHES, COCKTAILS 26 N. Royal St. • 338-4334
2159 Halls Mill Rd. . • 648-6522
DELISH BAKERY AND EATERY ($)
MOON PIE GENERAL STORE ($)
THE GALLEY ($)
SERDA’S COFFEEHOUSE ($)
COFFEE, LUNCHES, LIVE MUSIC & GELATO 3 Royal St. S. • 415-3000 1539 US-98 • Daphne • 517-3963
SIMPLY SWEET ($)
CUPCAKE BOUTIQUE 6207 Cottage Hill Rd. Suite B • 665-3003
STEVIE’S KITCHEN ($)
SANDWICHES, SOUPS, SALADS & MORE 41 West I-65 Service Rd. N Suite 150. • 287-2793
DOWNTOWN LUNCH 101 N. Conception St. • 545-4682
DICKEY’S BARBECUE PIT ($-$$)
BBQ AND MORE 6882 US-90 G2/Jubilee Square •Daphne• 210-2151 1390 W D6 Tingle Circle East/McGowin Park• 471-1050 7721 Airport Blvd. E100/Westwood Plaza • 380-8957
THE BLIND MULE ($)
DAILY SPECIALS MADE FROM SCRATCH 57 N. Claiborne St. • 694-6853
TAMARA’S DOWNTOWN ($$)
960 Schillinger Rd. S • 660-4470
SEAFOOD, ASIAN & AMERICAN CUISINE 69 St. Michael St • 375-1113
CHARM THAI KITCHEN & SUSHI BAR ($-$$)
CASUAL FINE DINING 104 N. Section St. • Fairhope • 929-2219
CHINA DOLL SEAFOOD RESTAURANT($)
THE TRELLIS ROOM ($$$)
CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN CUISINE Battle House Hotel, Royal St. • 338-5493
3966 Airport Blvd.• 343-5530
CHEF 181 ($)
A LITTLE VINO
THAI FARE AND SUSHI 2000 Airport Blvd. • 478-9888
MOE’S ORIGINAL BAR B QUE ($)
WINE, BEER, GOURMET FOODS, & MORE. 720 Schillinger Rd. S. Unit 8 • 287-1851
5401 Cottage Hill Rd. • 591-4842
BARBEQUE & MUSIC 4672 Airport Blvd. • 410-6377 701 Springhill Ave. • 410-7427 3385 Schillinger Rd N #1 • 410-7428 6423 Bayfront Park Dr. • Daphne • 625-7427
SAUCY Q BARBQUE ($)
TRADITIONAL TEXAS BARBEQUE 212.5 Fairhope Ave. • 270-7250
SPECIALTY GROCER/DELI 650 St. Louis St. • 251-308-8488
THAI & SUSHI 5369 US-90 • 661-5100
MEAT BOSS ($)
SUNSET POINTE ($-$$)
THE CHEESE COTTAGE ($$)
VON’S BISTRO ($-$$)
ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT 10179 Eastern Shore D • Spanish Fort • 621-2104
RIBS, SANDWICHES & GREAT SIDES 3314 Old Shell Rd. • 479-9898
SUGAR RUSH DONUT CO. ($) AT FLY CREEK 831 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-7766
360 Dauphin St • 308-2387
TRADITIONAL SUSHI & LUNCH. 312 Schillinger Rd./Ambassador Plaza• 633-9077
THE WASH HOUSE ($$)
DREAMLAND BBQ ($)
AWARD-WINNING BARBQUE 1111 Gov’t Blvd. • 433-7427
4701 Airport Blvd. • 408-3379
INSIDE THE MOBILE MARRIOTT 3101 Airport Blvd. • 476-6400
TEXARBAMA BBQ($)
DROP DEAD GOURMET BAY GOURMET ($$)
A PREMIER CATERER & COOKING CLASSES 1880-A Airport Blvd. • 450-9051
BRIQUETTES STEAKHOUSE ($-$$) GRILLED STEAKS, CHICKEN & SEAFOOD 312 Schillinger Rd • 607-7200 901 Montlimar Dr • 408-3133
17111 Scenic HWY 98 • Point Clear • 928-4838
DOMKE MARKET
FOOD PAK INTERNATIONAL FOODS FOOD, WINE & MORE 5150 Old Shell Rd. • 341-1497
FUJI SAN ($)
HALAL CUISINE OF INDIA ($$) LUNCH BUFFET 3674 Airport Blvd. • 341-6171
HIBACHI 1 ($-$$)
2370 Hillcrest Rd.• 380-6062
POUR BABY
ICHIBAN ($)
FIREHOUSE WINE BAR & SHOP
KAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ($-$$)
WINE BAR, CRAFT BEERS & BISTRO 6808 Airport Blvd. • 343-3555 216 St Francis St. • 421-2022
RED OR WHITE
JAPANESE & CHINESE CUISINE 3959 Cottage Hill Rd • 666-6266 QUALITY FOOD, EXCELLENT SERVICE 5045 Cottage Hill Rd. • 607-6454
323A De La Mare Ave, Fairhope • 990-0003 1104 Dauphin St.. • 478-9494
LIQUID SUSHI LOUNGE ($$)
LIVE MUSIC, MARTINIS & DINNER MENU. 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000
RICE ASIAN GRILL & SUSHI BAR ($)
ROYAL STREET TAVERN SOUTHERN NAPA
BISTRO PLATES, CRAFT BEERS & PANTRY 2304 Main St. • 375-2800
AMAZING SUSHI & ASSORTMENT OF ROLLS. 661 Dauphin St. • 432-0109 3964 Government Blvd. • 378-8083
ROCK N ROLL SUSHI ($$) 273 S. McGregor Ave • 287-0445 6345 Airport Blvd. • 287-0555
940 Industrial Pkwy • 308-2158 6850 US HWY 98 • Daphne • 753-4367 2601 S McKenzie St •Foley • 943-4648
SHO GUN ($$)
JAPANESE ENTREES, SUSHI & HIBACHI TABLES 7038 Airport Blvd • 304-0021
SIAM THAI CUISINE & SUSHI BAR ($$) 915 Hillcrest Rd. Suite C • 380-9111
STIX ($$)
10240 Eastern Shore Blvd • 621-9088
CAJUN KITCHEN & SEAFOOD MARKET 2005 Government St. • 478-9897
OFF THE HOOK MARINA & GRILL ($) CAJUN INSPIRED/FRESH SEAFOOD & MORE 621 N Craft Hwy • Chickasaw • 422-3412
RALPH & KACOO’S ($-$$) THE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 1595 Battleship Pkwy. • 626-0045
R&R SEAFOOD ($-$$)
SUSHI 9 THAI & JAPANESE ($$)
LAID-BACK EATERY & FISH MARKET 1477 Battleship Pkwy. • 621-8366
TASTE OF THAI ($$)
SEAFOOD, BURGERS & STEAKS 6120 Marina Dr. • Dog River • 443-7318
720 Schillinger Rd • 607-7073
9091 US-90 • Irvington • 957-1414
TEAK HOUSE
RIVER SHACK ($-$$)
THE GRAND MARINER ($-$$)
1703 US-98 • Daphne • 625-8680
LOCAL SEAFOOD & PRODUCE 6036 Rock Point Rd. • 443-7540
JAPANESE CUISINE 3654 Airport Blvd • 725-6078
UNIQUE SEAFOOD 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000
WASABI SUSHI ($$)
FROM THE DEPTHS BAUDEAN’S ($$)
FRIED, GRILLED, STEAMED & ALWAYS FRESH 3300 River Rd. • 973-9070
THE BLUEGILL ($-$$)
A HISTORIC SEAFOOD DIVE W/ LIVE MUSIC 3775 Battleship Pkwy • 625-1998
BONEFISH GRILL ($$)
ECLECTIC DINING & SPACE 6955 Airport Blvd. • 633-7196
BOUDREAUX’S CAJUN GRILL ($-$$) QUALITY CAJUN & NEW ORLEANS CUISINE 29249 US Highway 98 Daphne. • 621-1991
CRAVIN CAJUN/ MUDBUGS DIP SEAFOOD ($)
PO-BOYS, SALADS & SEAFOOD 1870 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 287-1168 • 479-0123
ED’S SEAFOOD SHED ($$)
FRIED SEAFOOD SERVED IN HEFTY PORTIONS 3382 Battleship Pkwy • 625-1947
FELIX’S FISH CAMP ($$) UPSCALE DINING WITH A VIEW 1530 Battleship Pkwy • 626-6710
FISHERMAN’S LEGACY ($) DELI, MARKET AND CATERING. 4380 Halls Mill Rd. • 665-2200
HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ($) 30500 AL-181 • Spanish Fort • 206-8768 3654 Airport Blvd. • 338-9350
LULU’S ($$)
LIVE MUSIC & GREAT SEAFOOD 200 E. 25th Ave. • Gulf Shores • 967-5858
MUDBUGS AT THE LOOP ($)
THE HARBOR ROOM ($-$$)
ISLAND WING CO ($)
EVERYTHING BAKED OR GRILLED 2617 Dauphin St. • 476-9464 3947 AL-59 Suite 100 • Gulf Shores • 970-1337
MANCIS ($)
OLD 27 GRILL ($)
A TASTE OF ITALY. BYOB. 28691 U.S. Highway 98 • 626-1999
LUCKY IRISH PUB ($)
AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DISHES 312 Fairhope Ave. • Fairhope • 990-5535
MCSHARRY’S IRISH PUB ($)
BRILLIANT REUBENS & FISH-N-CHIPS. 101 N. Brancroft St. Fairhope • 990-5100 BAR & GRILL 6255 Airport Blvd. • 447-2514 BURGERS, DOGS & 27 BEERS & WINES. 19992 Alabama 181 • Fairhope• 281-2663 IRISH PUB FARE & MORE 1108 Shelton Beach Rd •Saraland • 473-0757 3692 Airport Blvd • 414-3000
TAMARA’S DOWNTOWN ($)
TIN TOP RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR ($$)
WINGS, TENDERS, HOTDOGS & SANDWICHES 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-5877
WINTZELL’S OYSTER HOUSE ($-$$) FRESH SEAFOOD FOR OVER 75 YEARS 805 S Mobile St • Fairhope • 929-2322 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 1208 Shelton Beach Rd. • Saraland • 442-3335
IS THE GAME ON?
ASHLAND MIDTOWN PUB ($-$$)
WEMOS ($)
MAMA MIA!
BUCK’S PIZZA ($$)
DELIVERY 350 Dauphin St. • 431-9444
BUSTER’S BRICK OVEN ($-$$)
FAMOUS BURGERS, SANDWICHES & WINGS 60 N. Florida St. • 450-0690
CALLAGHAN’S IRISH SOCIAL CLUB ($) BURGERS & BEER 916 Charleston St. • 433-9374
HEROES SPORTS BAR & GRILLE ($) SANDWICHES & COLD BEER 273 Dauphin St. • 433-4376 36 Hillcrest Rd • 341-9464
HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS ($-$$)
WINGS, SEAFOOD, BURGERS & BEER 7721 Airport Blvd. Suite E-180 • 639-6832 25755 Perdido Beach Blvd •Orange Beach • 981-3041
PIZZA, PASTA, SALAD & MORE 102 N. Section St. •Fairhope• 929-2525
PIZZERIA DELFINA ($) PIZZA & PASTA 107 Dauphin St. • 375-1644
ROMA CAFE ($-$$)
PASTA, SALAD AND SANDWICHES 7143 Airport Blvd. • 341-7217
TRATTORIA PIZZA & ITALIAN ($$)
ITALIAN FOOD & PIZZAS 11311 US HIghway 31 • Spanish Fort• 375-0076
VIA EMILIA ($$)
ITALIAN, STEAKS & SEAFOOD 18 Laurel Ave. • Fairhope • 990-0995 FRESH CUISINE NIGHTLY ON MENU 1709 Main St. • Daphne • 626-6082
SEMMES HOUSE OF PIZZA ($) 3958 Snow Rd C. • Semmes • 645-3400
MARCO’S PIZZA ($)
5055 Cottage Hill Rd. • 308-4888 2394 Dawes Rr. • 639-3535 2004 US 98 • Daphne • 625-6550
MELLOW MUSHROOM ($)
PIES & AWESOME BEER SELECTION 2032 Airport Blvd. • 471-4700 5660 Old Shell Rd. • 380-1500 2409 Schillinger Rd S • 525-8431 29698 Frederick Blvd.• Daphne • 621-3911 2303 S McKenzie St •Foley • 970-1414
MIRKO ($$)
PASTA & MORE 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-6611
830 W I65 Service Rd. S • 378-5837 4663 Airport Blvd. • 342-5553
LOS ARCOS ($)
QUAINT MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5556 Old Shell Rd. • 345-7484
MARIA BONITA AGAVE BAR & GRILL ($-$$) MEXICAN CUISINE 3977 Gov’t Blvd. • 660-4970
IP CASINO:
850 Bayview Ave. Bilox • 888-946-2847
THIRTY-TWO ($$$) SEAFOOD, STEAKS, WINE
TIEN ($-$$)
INTERACTIVE ASIAN DINING
HIGH TIDE CAFÉ ($)
CASUAL & RELAXING, EXTENSIVE MENU
MAYA LUNA ($-$$)
ISLAND VIEW:
POOR MEXICAN ($)
BEACH BLVD STEAMER ($) CARTER GREEN STEAKHOUSE ($$-$$$)
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RESTAURANT 4523 St. Stephens Rd. • 725-0627 30500 AL-181 • Spanish Fort • 621-7433
ROOSTER’S ($)
LATIN AMERICAN FOOD 211 Dauphin St. • 375-1076
TAQUERIA CANCUN ($)
3172 International Dr. • 476-9967
TAQUERIA MEXICO ($-$$) AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FLAVOR 3733 Airport Blvd. • 414-4496
NO GAMBLING CASINO FARE BEAU RIVAGE:
875 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 888-952-2582
BR PRIME ($$-$$$)
3300 W. Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 877-774-8439
RICH TRADITIONS, STEAK, SEAFOOD
C&G GRILLE ($)
LARGE BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER MENU
PALACE CASINO:
158 Howard Ave. Biloxi • 800-725-2239
MIGNON’S ($$$)
STEAKS, SEAFOOD, FINE WINE
PLACE BUFFET ($-$$) INTERACTIVE ASIAN DINING
STACKED GRILL ($-$$)
BURGERS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
TREASURE BAY:
1980 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 800-747-2839
FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENT.
THE DEN ($-$$)
AMAZING ARRAY OF MOUTH-WATERING FOOD.
CQ ($$-$$$)
LOCAL SEAFOOD AND 40+ BEERS
BLU ($)
STALLA ($$)
EXOTIC CUISINE AND SUSHI
WIND CREEK CASINO:
MOUTH WATERING MEXICAN FOOD 1175 Battleship Pkwy • 625-2722
TERRACE CAFE ($)
FIRE ($$-$$$)
ENCHILADAS, TACOS, & AUTHENTIC FARE Ok Bicycle Shop • 661 Dauphin St. • 432-2453
HARD ROCK CASINO:
29669 Alabama 181 • Spanish Fort • (251) 625-3300
HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ($-$$) HARD ROCK CAFÉ ($)
763 Holcombe Ave • 473-0413
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ($$$)
CHEF WENDY’S BAKING ($-$$)
SATISFACTION ($-$$)
UNDER THE OAK CAFE ($-$$)
HOMEMADE PASTAS & PIZZAS MADE DAILY 5901 Old Shell Rd. • 342-3677
TASTE OF MEXICO 5452 US-90 • 661-5509
GUIDO’S RESTAURANT ($$)
BUTCH CASSIDY’S ($)
RAVENITE ($)
GREAT PIZZA. OPEN 4PM DAILY 4356 Old Shell Rd. • 342-0024
CORTLANDT’S PIZZA PUB ($-$$)
WINGS, BURGERS & PUB GRUB 3206 Joe Treadwell Dr • 378-2444 6880 US-90/Jubilee Square • Daphne • 625-4695 BEST WINGS & SPORTING EVENTS 6341 Airport Blvd. • 378-5955
PINZONE’S ITALIAN VILLAGE ($$)
OLÉ MI AMIGO!
GAMBINO’S ITALIAN GRILL ($)
BUFFALO WILD WINGS ($)
PAPA’S PLACE ($$)
1715 Main St. (Next to Manci’s) Daphne. • 264-2520
PIZZAS, PASTAS, & CALZONES 2453 Old Shell Rd • 479-3278
BAUMHOWER’S ($)
PAPA MURPHY’S
MUG SHOTS ($$)
1715 Main St. • 375-0543
WINGS, BURGERS & OTHER AMERICAN CHOW 104 N Section St • Fairhope • 929-2219
SEAFOOD, STEAKS, & EXTENSIVE WINE LIST 6232 Bon Secour Hwy • 949-5086
PIZZA, SUBS & PASTA 1368 Navco Rd.• 479-0066 TAKE ‘N’ BAKE PIZZA 3992 Government • 287-2345 7820 Moffett Rd. • Semmes • 586-8473 2370 Hillcrest Rd • 661-4003 3764 Airport Blvd • 338-9903 705 Highway 43 • Saraland •308-2929 27955 US 98 • Daphne • 621-8666
THE SEAFOOD HOUSE ($-$$) 751 Azalea Rd. • 301-7964
NAVCO PIZZA ($$)
AZTECAS ($-$$)
CAFÉ DEL RIO ($-$$)
DAUPHIN ST. TAQUERIA ($)
DON CARLOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT ($) EL MARIACHI ($) EL PAPI ($-$$)
615 Dauphin St • 308-2655
FUEGO ($-$$)
OUTSTANDING MEXICAN CUISINE 2066 Old Shell Rd. • 378-8619
FUZZY’S TACO SHOP ($) 5713 Old Shell Rd.• 338-9697
HACIENDA SAN MIGUEL ($-$$) TASTE OF MEXICO 880 Schillinger Rd. S. • 633-6122 5805 US 90 • 653-9163
LA COCINA ($)
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE 800 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-0783
THE BUFFET ($-$$)
COAST SEAFOOD & BREW ($-$$) JIA ($-$$)
ITALIAN COOKING
BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER, LATE NIGHT
777 Beach Blvd.Biloxi • 877-877-6256
AMERICAN FARE & ROCKIN’ MEMORABILIA EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE & TASTE SOUTHERN FAVORITES BUFFET
HARRAH’S GULF COAST:
280 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 288-436-2946
MAGNOLIA HOUSE ($$-$$$) FINE DINING, SEAFOOD AND STEAKS
FLAVORS BUFFET ($-$$) ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET
THE BLIND TIGER ($-$$)
quality food and simple unique cocktails
INTIMATE & CASUAL WITH DAILY SPECIALS ELEGANT ATMOSPHERE & TANTALIZING ENTREES LOUNGE WITH COCKTAILS & TAPAS MENU
303 Poarch Rd. Atmore • 866-946-3360 PRIME STEAKS, SEAFOOD & WINE
GRILL ($)
CONTEMPORARY & OLD-FASHIONED FAVORITES
SCARLET PEARL:
9380 Central Avenue D’Iberville • 800-266-5772 MADE-TO-ORDER FESTIVE TREATS AND SPECIALTY CAKES. CLASSIC ALL-AMERICAN CASUAL CUISINE WITH OVER 100 OPTIONS.
WATERFRONT BUFFET ($$-$$$) SOUPS, SALADS, FRESH SEAFOOD, AND MORE
CHOPSTX NOODLE BAR ($-$$)
VIETNAMESE SANDWICHES, PHO, AND APPETIZERS.
SCARLET’S STEAKS & SEAFOOD ($$$) SAVORY STEAKS AND SEAFOOD
BUTLER’S BAR & LOUNGE ($$) EXTRAORDINARY DRINK MENU, COCKTAILS
A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 19
CUISINE THE DISH
Hot fun on Labor Day weekend BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET
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ou’ve heard that old chestnut before, the one that follows a lonesome tune with the refrain whining, “Summer has come and gone and you wasted it.” Where does the time go? How did school creep up so fast? When did Labor Day start coming so early? Fear not, gentle creatures. The kids may be bringing armloads of homework and permission slips to the carpool line, but the heat isn’t over yet. The Southern groundhog saw his shadow and guaranteed us at least another six weeks of summer, so enjoy those sweltering temps while you can. I swear I can’t remember how I dressed in shoulder pads and a helmet this time of year in the seventh and eighth grades. The heat may have contributed to the willful self-termination of my football career in the ninth grade, leading me into the temptations associated with music. It was better for me to watch from the sidelines and enjoy the tailgating than to abuse my small frame on the field. A man’s gotta know his limitations. With this being Labor Day weekend and the full swing of football setting in, we should look at some recipes that fit the backyard barbecue or the stadium parking lot. Let these find footing anywhere there is a barbecue grill and a Yeti cooler. Don’t forget the cold beer and sangria. Smoke that Boston butt low and slow. Same goes for the ribs. Sausage, on the other hand, can cure the hunger pangs in minutes. Good thing we have some great local and regional sausages readily available in nearly every market in Mobile. Let’s start with the most local. Hall’s Sausage is the pride of Mobile County and has been for decades. Not only is the sausage great, the red hots and garlic bologna shine bright. Conecuh is probably the most widely used sausage in our area. The loyal
WORD OF MOUTH
Nixon’s coming to former growler bar on Old Shell Old Shell Road is about to get a new tenant at the intersection of Kenneth Street. Just across from the Dew Drop Inn, we are counting the days for our first meal at Nixon’s in the former Old Shell Growlers building. Owner John Thompson of Callaghan’s and Manci’s fame says they are somewhere in the range of a couple of months from opening. Building projects are underway, with a kitchen expansion and a few minor changes, but the intent is for the menu to remain small. With Brian Reed at the helm you know it will be good, no matter the size.
followers keep this one in stores and local restaurant recipes. Most of the time you hear those three syllables “Cuh-Neh-Cuh” in place of the word sausage. Country Pleasing is from just a couple hours away in Mississippi. Try their green onion or pepper jack. There’s even a jalapeño cheddar sausage. We are at the tail end of corn season here but you can still find plenty of ears in the husk. We grill ours with the husk on, turning regularly until the outside is charred. Usually we serve it with mayonnaise and spices like Mexican street corn, but corn and shrimp salad is one of the chilled Labor Day sides that is also perfect for the tailgate. You can fill Tupperware with diced tomatoes, corn, mayonnaise, green onion and boiled shrimp the day before the event. Fresh corn will have to be boiled prior to chilling with the other ingredients. Don’t be shy about using canned shoepeg corn if you can’t find any ears. Just don’t put blueberries in this one (yes, that’s a thing). Grilled watermelon is here to stay, or at least for another month. Some of you don’t have an appreciation for the slightly slimy texture the heat produces, but a with a little soy sauce and the right seasoning you can convince a sucker or two you’ve served them a rare grilled tuna. Salt is definitely a friend of the watermelon. As a kid we always had the shaker handy for those off times you accidentally chose one that wasn’t sweet enough, usually indicating it did not come from neighboring Smith County, where they annually crown a Watermelon Queen. I’ve yet to meet anything sweet enough to dethrone that melon queen, which is why I love serving watermelon with salty feta cheese and fresh mint. Bacon crumbles are optional. Having never touched a flame, it’s an excellent appetizer when the temps are high.
“We haven’t completely nailed down the menu yet,” says Thompson, “but it will be nothing like Callaghan’s. I’m not even serving a burger.” Certainly he isn’t serving a hot dog, either, with the iconic Dew Drop across the street. The bar is beautiful and the side room is destined to have a pool table, limiting the dining area a bit. The drugstore theme is a nod to Nixon’s former days, but this incarnation will have no soda jerks. The focus will be on the happy hour crowd and dinner, but Thompson is open to the idea of Saturday lunch. Leave it to J.T. to create another neighborhood bar. It seems he’s great at running those things.
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If your party has a southwestern theme, cubed watermelon can be seasoned with chili powder, cumin, cilantro and lime juice. I like this next to the citrus flavor of mojo pork or chicken. Add black beans to that corn salad and make it a dip with tortilla chips, and trade the Conecuh entrée for chorizo. What better dessert for the tail end (pun intended) of the dog days of summer than a lemon icebox pie? This is an attractive dessert for me because my kids love to cook. When I can keep an 8-year-old away from a hot oven or gas range, I’ll take it. True, this article is becoming as much about cooling off as it is dining, but I also love lemon icebox pie and its sister, Key lime. The graham cracker crusts at the store are good enough to not make your own. If I’m going through the trouble of making my crust, I’m more likely to use melted butter and crushed vanilla wafers. I’ve seen some Pinterest queens mix in pretzels with the crushed wafers for some saltiness. Others use straight-up shortbread cookies. I’ll remind myself to get some Trefoils the next time the Girl Scouts come knocking. Once you have your crust of whatever cookie/cracker/pretzel combo you’ve chosen, the rest is simple. Remember you aren’t baking this, so steer clear of any recipes with raw eggs. This is a no-no for pregnant women, the elderly and autoimmune afflicted. Instead of eggs, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese will do the trick. Beat it with a half cup of lemon juice, a half teaspoon of vanilla, a tablespoon of sugar and some lemon zest for color and extra tartness. Top with whipped cream or whipped topping. Refrigerate for three or four hours. Whether you’re headed to the parking lot of the big game or the backyard for Labor Day, stay cool, set up that grill away from the crowd and let’s celebrate. Football is here.
Burris Farm Market closes Loxley location, may reopen
It was a famous landmark in Baldwin County for as long as I can remember, but Burris Farm Market has, shall we say, bought the farm. The giant produce stand was a popular stopping point for people on their way to the beach looking to stock their rentals full of fresh corn, tomatoes and fruit. Locals kept their dinner tables covered in their goods. Children and adults alike enjoyed their ice cream on the go. So why did this little section of Happyville close? The business announced via Facebook they were closing due to a lack of business since the new Foley Beach Express diverted traffic away from their section of U.S. Route
59. They also mentioned an increase in competition from other supermarkets/grocery stores, which I take to mean the small Piggly Wiggly just a few blocks north has upped its game. There was even a mention that business dropped off after the oil spill and they never recovered. For a minute everyone was in a panic over the thought of driving to The Wharf for Burris goods. Current owners do plan to develop that location further, but an interesting turn of events has original owner Greg Burris (who sold the business to the Stewart family in 2006) coming out of retirement with plans of reopening the Loxley farm market. No word on an opening date or new name as yet. Recycle!
A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 21
CUISINE | THE BEER PROFESSOR
Monday, Monday … BY TOM WARD/THE BEER PROFESSOR
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Night’s beer production; it always has 20 beers on tap and features a “Hop Hut,” offering a rotating tap of eight hoppy beers. In 2017 Monday Night Brewing opened a second location, The Garage, in the West End of Atlanta. The Garage houses the brewery’s barrel aging and sour production line, and also features 20 beers on tap, including its Garage Series beers, such as Mischief Managed Peach and Tears of My Enemies Apple Brandy, which are available only at the taproom. If last weekend’s Dauphin Street Beer Festival didn’t satiate your taste for craft beer, then you’re in luck, as the Emerald Coast Beer Festival will be held in Pensacola on Sept. 6-7. Monday Night Brewing is not on the list of festival beers, but a number of our local favorites are — including Fairhope Brewing Co., Serda Brewing and Big Beach Brewing — in addition to a wide variety of craft brews from throughout the Southeast and some national brands as well. One of the things making the Emerald Coast Beer Festival unique is that in addition to dozens of craft beers, the festival is open to homebrewers and homebrewing clubs, so festivalgoers will have an opportunity to try some really unique homebrews as well. The festival will be held at Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium in Seville Square. Thursday night will feature a beer-pairing dinner at 7 p.m. and the beer tasting will take place Friday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance at squareup.com/market/ecbf or $40 at the door. The beer-tasting dinner is a separate charge, and reservations need to be made by calling 850-434-6211.
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Photo | Monday Night Brewing
ast week, Atlanta’s Monday Night Brewing staged a tap takeover at Island Wing Co. on Dauphin Street to introduce four of its beers: Han Brolo Pale Ale, Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale, Slap Fight IPA and On a Boat Golden Ale. Relatively new to our area, Monday Night’s beers can be found in Mobile at Whole Foods, Cottage Hill Package Store and Loda Bier Garten, in addition to Island Wing Co. Whole Foods had five Monday Night styles available in cans and another on tap (for those of you who didn’t know Whole Foods had beers on tap, check it out — it’s a hidden gem). I picked up a six-pack of its Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA. It’s dark amber in color — probably from those blood oranges — and hoppier than I expected from a fruit-infused beer. It was a very good, strong (7.4 percent alcohol by volume) IPA, but with just a hint of orange flavor at the end. I’m looking forward to trying Dr. Robot Lemon Sour and Monday Night’s seasonal Dust Bunny Hazy IPA, which was just released last week. Like a lot of craft breweries, Monday Night Brewing emerged out of a group of friends who had been homebrewing and figured they could do it for a living. What makes its origin story a little unique is that these friends — founders Jonathan Baker, Jeff Heck and Joel Iverson — met over a Bible study class that morphed into hybrid Monday night meetings of homebrewing and Bible studies. After five years of planning and development, they put out their first beers in 2011 (Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale and Eye Patch Ale), then opened a 30-barrel brewhouse in the West Midtown section of Atlanta in 2013. That location is still home to most of Monday
Dust Bunny IPA, recently released in the Mobile market, is described as “packed with aromatics of orange and lemon dripping with honey. Its soft yet bright body contributes notes of peach.”
A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 23
COVER STORY
Drownings continue as some Alabama beaches go unguarded BY GABRIEL TYNES/ ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
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o date, this year’s victims have traveled from Wisconsin and Taiwan. Last year, it was Kentucky, Texas and Louisiana. Visitors from all over the United States and around the globe flock to the Gulf Coast each summer for vacation, and it’s not an uncommon place for them to die. According to data from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Mobile, at least 110 people have succumbed to rip current related drownings from Dauphin Island to Okaloosa County, Florida, since 1996, a total that sails above those who have died in the same time period from flooding, tornadoes, tropical weather and lightning combined. Eight of those have been in Mobile County, 40 have occurred in Baldwin County. “A large majority of fatalities are coming from nonlocals,” said Jason Beaman, warning coordination meteorologist for NWS Mobile. “They are people vacationing and not understanding the threats — 70 to 80 percent of people who die are from out of town.” On Aug. 2, it was 17-year-old Yen Yi Liu and 45-year-old Chung Chen Su of Taiwan, who were swimming on Dauphin Island’s West End Beach when they were caught in a rip current and pulled offshore. In March, 17-year-old Jevon Lemke of Reedsville, Wisconsin, was on Spring Break with his family in Fort Morgan when he disappeared in heavy surf. The same week of the Dauphin Island drownings, the body of 53-year-old Richard Coleman of Jasper, Alabama, was pulled from the water near Perdido Pass, although officials believe he may have suffered from a medical condition. While natives may be familiar with the flag warning system or connected to local media and weather services where surf conditions are broadcast daily, visitors may be ignorant. Even if they are aware, they often choose to ignore the warnings and enter the water anyway. “Look at this way,” said Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier. “If you had a one-week vacation to Aspen or Lake Tahoe and the forecast called for blizzard or avalanche conditions, you’re probably going to risk it and venture out or go skiing regardless. Unfortunately it makes sense to the standpoint that people coming here on vacation have spent a bunch of money for a rental house and have a finite period of time to have the fun they planned, and they don’t feel like they have the luxury to have a better day to go swimming.” Neither Dauphin Island nor the Fort Morgan peninsula employ full-time lifeguards. As recently as 2010, neither did Orange Beach, but a series of events set in motion by a 2003 drowning changed that.
Molly’s Patrol
Molly Bryant was a 15-year-old high school student from Trussville, Alabama, who was visiting Panama City Beach with about 60 people from her church on Fourth of July week in 2003. According to her mother, Rebecca, she was an experienced pool swimmer whose firefighter father often cautioned
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the family about all manners of risk, in and out of the water. But of the several adults chaperoning the beach trip, none reportedly knew about the flag warning system. Tropical Storm Bill was churning in the Gulf and red flags were flying, but Panama City only had one lifeguard at the time, and they were responding to another call farther down the beach. “One chaperone took a group of girls down the beach and said ‘this looks like a great spot to get in,’” Rebecca Bryant recalled this week. “There was a small sandbar with a rip current on one side of it and it was waist deep. But just within a few minutes, three girls were caught in it.” Molly’s best friend, Heather Smith, held on to her as long as she could, but then they were separated. Smith made it back to the beach, ran to a jet ski rental business and begged the attendant to pull Molly from the water. By the time she was brought back to shore she was unresponsive. She died on the way to the hospital. According to news reports from the time, at least 18 people drowned in Gulf waters that summer, including nine in two days. One was Larry LaMotte, a 60-year-old from Atlanta who was attempting to rescue his own son from rough surf in Grayton Beach, Florida, when he drowned. A school teacher at the time, Rebecca Bryant took a leave of absence during her bereavement. One morning she was watching “The Today Show” and saw an interview with Sandee LaMotte, Larry’s widow. “Here it was just a few months later and [Sandee] was already doing something about it,” Bryant said. “I contacted her in Atlanta and we became friends. For the next year or so I teamed up with her; we traveled and met lifeguards and she spoke on CNN and I helped her with her children … and we just kind of got on a little path and we did that for seven years, to no avail.” Primarily focusing their efforts on the Florida Panhandle, Bryant said they ran into resistance from elected officials concerned about the expense or liability of providing lifeguards. In 2010, during a visit to The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, a friend recommended she refocus her efforts on Alabama beaches. By September, Bryant and her husband, Larry, a retired firefighter himself, had convinced then Fire Chief Forney Howard and Mayor Tony Kennon to launch Molly’s Patrol, funded largely with donations from the Bryant family and their network. From humble beginnings with just two lifeguards and one tower, Beach Safety Division Chief Brett Lesinger said Molly’s Patrol employed 20 guards this year. “The Bryant family has been key,” Lesinger said, noting he joined the patrol six years ago under founder Melvin Shepard, who now leads the beach safety division in neighboring Gulf Shores. “Their friends and family donate hundreds of thousands every year and for any equipment we need, they try to make sure that’s available.” “We are not rich but we are blessed and this is what we need to do to carry on the legacy of our child,” Bryant explained.
The results have paid off. Orange Beach currently has four lifeguard towers stationed by two personnel each, with additional roving patrols. The department has recorded 180 rescues in 2018. “We cover 8 miles’ worth of beach and our major thing is just education, from now until the end of time,” Lesinger said. “Sometimes it feels like we’re preaching to the choir but you’d be amazed how many people are not aware of the flag system or the risks of rip currents at all. We’re here to do rescues but our main objective is to get information to our visitors in a better way.” Shepard agreed. While he supervised Molly’s Patrol before his move to Gulf Shores, the city of Orange Beach adopted new educational measures aimed primarily at tourists. Aside from daily information posted on the city’s website and social media channels, there are also pamphlets in many hotels and condo packets for guests upon arrival. Now, as lieutenant of fire and safety services in Gulf Shores, he says the city broadcasts surf conditions three times daily on Sunny 105.7 and publishes a video every morning on Facebook. “So now we have information in the most of the condos — we coordinated with the visitor’s bureau to publish some pamphlets — but how many people are going to stop and read that stuff before they put on a swimsuit and go down to the beach? The key, I believe, is educating them before they get here. I would like to see billboards on the interstates … there’s a lot of Alexander Shunnarah signs that could be replaced with rip current information.” Bryant said during her travels with LaMotte, she found Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, as one of the most proactive communities in warning of rip current risks. There, each hotel and condo visitor must sign an acknowledgement they’ve read and understood the flag warning system. “And we’ve gotten some pushback on that in Alabama and Florida, if you can believe it,” she said, “because some visitors bureaus do not want people to have to stand in check-in lines any longer than necessary to pay and get the keys to their condo.” Bryant suggested rip current education could also be easily incorporated into inland health classes and public high schools. “We could do so much more,” she said.
Hidden danger
Shepard is considered by many to be the foremost expert on the dangers of rip currents along Alabama’s beaches. A firefighter since 2001, he has attended or supervised hundreds of calls for swimmers in distress. After this month’s drownings in Dauphin Island, he took issue with how some media outlets described rip currents as “pulling victims underwater.”
COVER STORY
Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan
Back in Mobile County, Collier compared Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan rather than Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. The town of Dauphin Island only owns 400 feet of beachfront on the West End; the rest is held by the independent Park and Beach Board or private property owners. “We have 14 miles of Gulf-front beach but only half of that is inhabited,” Collier said of the island. “Our efforts now are to reach out and work with the Park and Beach Board, the neighborhood and condo associations and bring those people to the table and they will be part of the fix.” Collier said the town’s previous efforts to staff lifeguards have been ineffective because of the island’s remoteness and small pool of qualified individuals who can commit to the hours needed. “So now we’re looking at real estate companies; they have a direct connection with these visitors, so my idea was to take a look at what they are handing out in their rental packets and see if we can come up with one comprehensive page or pages so no matter who you rent from, you will get the same piece of information. If we can move on that effort and get some more comprehensive signage, I think that will go a long way to allowing individuals to make the best decisions for their families.” Shepard said officials from Dauphin Island approached him years ago about helping to staff lifeguards on the island, but transportation was an issue. However, there will be lifeguards at the Tri the Gulf triathlon in October. Bryant said she has lobbied property owners along Fort Morgan as well as the Baldwin County Commission to adopt lifesaving measures east of Gulf Shores. The peninsula is served by a volunteer fire department with limited resources, but earlier this year the County Commission approved the purchase of an EMILY Swift Water Rescue Buoy — a sort of drone lifeguard. Bryant’s other daughter, Emily Freeman, raised money last year via a GoFundMe campaign to purchase defibrillators for Orange Beach. “Our ultimate goal would be to have lifeguards and beach safety rescue along the entire coast of
Photo | Daniel Anderson/Lagniappe
“They don’t pull you underwater, they pull you offshore,” he explained. “People submerge when they can no longer remain buoyant. They tire themselves out, they can’t stay above the surface. They may aspirate small amounts of water at first but then it rapidly goes downhill from there.” Victims who do succumb may submerge below the surface in a matter of minutes, where their bodies often remain for hours or possibly days before putrefaction increases buoyancy. But in some occurrences, victims are never seen again. “Sometimes [rip currents] are easy to spot, sometimes they are not,” Shepard said. “You have to know what to look for. Dirty, churned-up water being pulled through the waves, items being pulled offshore through the waves, calm-looking areas between sets of crashing waves …” Each day, the city of Gulf Shores consults weather forecasts and makes its own observations to determine which color of flag to fly, yellow or red. “We got rid of the green flags,” Shepard said. “People see that and assume there is no risk. There is always a risk when swimming in open water, if not from rip currents than from sea life or other factors. You can never let your guard down.” Shepard said certain areas of the beach may be more risky than others, and those areas can change day by day depending on the movement of the sandbar. When conditions mandate, double red flags are ordered by a proclamation of the mayor, closing the water to all swimmers. At that point it becomes an arrestable offense to enter the water. Callaway Pass at Little Lagoon and Perdido Pass in Orange Beach are especially prone to currents as the tides fall and water rushes offshore. “We always have red flags up there because it’s never safe to swim there. Plus you have boat traffic on top of that.” As far as training, certified lifeguards must be able to swim a continuous 500 meters in a pool in 10 minutes or less. They work on more effective swimming techniques, then they move on to training certified by the United States Lifesaving Association. Gulf Shores had about 50 applicants this year, Shepard said. Twenty-three were hired. “In a week it’s hard to impart on a lot of young people the importance of what this job means. You’re not out here to work on your tan or find a date for the weekend, you’re here to make sure everyone who spends their hard-earned money to come down here and enjoy the beach goes home safely and wants to return.” Lifeguards also receive 48 hours of medical training and some are certified EMTs or paramedics. Lifeguards for the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach must meet stringent training requireShepard said the effort has paid off. There have been 91 rescues in Gulf Shores this season and ments and certifications. (INSET) Molly Bryant is pictured the day before her 2003 drowning no drownings. death in Panama City, Florida.
Alabama,” Bryant said. “I believe the funding is there, whether it be a bed tax or something similar. You just need the political will to do it.” Indeed, the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism Bureau reported 6.4 million visitors in 2017, claiming in its annual report that tourism generated $4.4 billion in spending last year. “I think there is a fear that if they close the beaches or have lifeguards keeping people from the water that the tourists would go home and they would lose that almighty tourist dollar,” Bryant said. “But after people have committed to these weeklong condo stays, they are going to spend their money somewhere — a movie, an arcade, shopping — we have to get over that stigma. I have traveled the entire United States and looked at lifeguard programs and it’s not a deterrent, it’s a safety net.” Collier agreed. “The main thing is we realize that we are a community that relies on tourism, and we need people to come and enjoy everything Dauphin Island has to offer,” he said. “We pride ourselves on being family friendly and it hurts us all when these types of tragedies take place.” Meanwhile, Rebecca Bryant and her family pledge to ensure Molly’s death will keep other swimmers alive. “It is something that is so preventable and it has to start with education,” Bryant said. “I cry for this family from Wisconsin, who will never have any closure, and I cringe every time I hear about another drowning. But when we hear about the number of rescues, we try to focus on the positive. “Yes, I miss my daughter and yes, I would like to have her back, but when we sit around and think had this not happened to us, we would be sitting around doing nothing and expecting life to be the same way it always has been. And life’s not always going to be predictable, like the current. Things happen, and we have to get active.”
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ART ARTIFICE
September arts start still hopeful BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
S
eptember used to feel more momentous. Or maybe I’m just getting old. This is my 15th September on this beat, as long as anyone else I found who served as an Azalea City arts editor. Like anyone else, nostalgia can tint my memory so I wonder about perceived differences between now and those nascent years. Used to be, the Mobile Arts Council awards ceremony in the weeks around Labor Day was the bugle call to the starting gate. Its rapid growth after its 2004 inception was proof others loved it, too. If the awards were the fanfare, then Thomas Harrison’s annual arts preview was the racing form. The early September special section of our then-daily newspaper was extensive and encouraging. Harrison supplied detailed listings from around the region, with special focus on Mobile’s approaching seasons of opera, ballet, symphony, chamber music, visual arts, theater, collegiate programs and more. He emphasized Mobile’s arts world as uncommon. It’s uncommonly robust for a town this size, for National Medal of Arts recipients to appear regularly at the Saenger Theatre, and uncommon to have a seasoned opera company and chamber music society. It’s uncommon chiefly because so few people make so much possible. Mobile’s arts community is tightly knit with the same names pitching in repeated efforts. I’ve often wondered if the average Mobilian is even fully aware of how much these people do to heighten our quality of life, to enhance the area’s allure and provide a basis to back up Mobilians’ self-image.
It’s hard to tell when you see folks bitch and balk at museum entrance or local theater tickets approaching $20, then turn around and pay three times that for football games or $150 to watch worn pop stars. That frustration is true elsewhere, too.
WHEN WE SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. IT’S ANOTHER WAY WE SHAPE THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE, HOW WE TELL OUR STORIES TO THOSE WHO WOULD LISTEN.” It’s as constant as change. Arts season previews, daily newspapers — they’ve disappeared from Mobile. The art awards have transformed into a midwinter gala on the cusp of Mobile’s Carnival season. Showcase on the Arts is gone but the Art Throwdown has arisen. Arts Alive has wafted away but a monthly gallery stroll is as healthy as ever. The opera has changed venues but remains alive. The Mobile Museum of Art is vital and versatile. Alabama Contemporary Art Center celebrates 15 years — under one name or another — this fall. New upstart theater troupe Company 11 is changing
Open call for Government Plaza exhibition
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including sale and delivery of work at exhibition’s end. Neither museum staff nor the county will act as agent or broker, delivery service or storage facility for any work. Please submit the following online: an artist’s statement of 400 words or less; a current resumé or C.V.; three high-resolution images of the work; JPG in minimum 300 dpi; 2,000 pixels on the short edge; title, medium and dimensions for each piece. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 1. This is a juried exhibition, judged by a committee of museum professionals. Works will be selected Nov. 2-15 and artists notified Nov. 16. Intake is Jan. 1-18 and installation is Jan. 21-25. An opening reception is planned for Jan. 31. For more information, go to mobilemuseumofart.com.
Juried photo show downtown
Mobilia Art Center (612 Dauphin St.) will host the Southern
Exposures Juried Photography Show for September. First place prize is $1,000, second place is $500 and third place is $100. Intake is Sept. 7-8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Entry fee for the first piece is $30, $10 for a second piece. Entries must be framed or gallery wrapped, a label attached to the back, properly wired and ready to hang. Art may not exceed 1,300 square inches including frame (36 inches by 36 inches). Judges are freelance photographer John Shadrick and artist Mike Carmichael. Judging is Sept. 10 and the awards ceremony will be during the Sept. 14 Loda ArtWalk. Artists must complete and sign an entry form. Pick-up is Sept 29 and 30. Prospectus is at Mobilia Art Center’s Facebook page. For entry forms and information, call 251-694-0278 or contact ljcrawfordartist@aol.com.
ARTSGALLERY
The Mobile Museum of Art in partnership with the Mobile County Commission is organizing its second pop-up exhibition for Government Plaza, in place from late January through June 1, 2019. There’s an open call for entries through Nov. 1. Artists may submit up to three works of visual art, new media, photography, works on paper and small sculpture completed in the last five years, detailed in JPG or video format. Applying artists must live or work in the Mobile County area. Two-dimensional works must be ready to hang and be no longer than 32 inches on either edge. Three-dimensional works must not weigh more than 30 pounds or be more than 32 inches in height. All work submitted must be able to remain in the exhibition for its duration. Artists may offer their work for sale if selected by including a price and contact info on the label. Artists are solely responsible for communicating with potential buyers for any reason,
locales, for good reason. They need room, and the intimate space at the corner of Ann and Old Shell wouldn’t suffice. Their new spot is just a block away, in Bellingrath Hall at Central Presbyterian Church (1260 Dauphin St.). Will they still be able to chase their goal of staging controversial plays? One Company 11 member said they were upfront with the church about their aims and all seems fine for now. That would mean “Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche” is on track for Nov. 8-17. Other changes have been a while in the making. Indications are the Gulf Coast Ethnic and Heritage Jazz Festival might reshape its annual midsummer appearances by eliminating the Saturday concert that has been its centerpiece for the last 20 years. A mere handful of volunteers produce the fest and want to focus on the two-week Marcus Johnson Jazz Camp. Instead of a Saturday show, headlining-level stars might be hired to play with jazz campers at the camp’s closing recital. The new structure is an attempt to address inconsistent attendance at the Saturday event. One well-versed concertgoer was overheard this year, stupefied how only a couple hundred folks were on hand while so many others let pass a chance to watch world-class performers for the monetary equivalent of a soup and salad. In Kurt Weill’s “September Song,” an older suitor sings to a younger love interest. He tells her younger men have time to dawdle, but since his days are shorter he gets right to business. “One hasn’t got time for the waiting game.” What he says should apply to all. Do any of us have the luxury of refusing opportunity? You think you’ll catch a festival next year, but the stars don’t align again and the concerts become a relic. A life enhancement is lost. When we support local arts we support our community. It’s another way we shape the world in which we live, how we tell our stories to those who would listen. It makes the time we have left count for something. Tomorrow isn’t promised, so none of us has time for the waiting game.
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O
MUSIC
BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
FEATURE
In schemin’ dreams
ne the area’s newest musical projects is Johnny John & the Schemin’ Dreamers, who have burst onto the scene with the 10-inch vinyl and digital EP “Let There Be Drums!” The project is the brainchild of local drummer Johnny Harrelson, who says it serves as a tribute to three of his favorite artists and doubles as an experimental exer-
Photo | Submitted
cise in self-reliance. While Harrelson may not yet be a household name, he says he has been playing in various local projects since his teens. Most notably, he was a member of the band The Viridian Sons, who released an indie pop rock single called “Russian Spy.” But after that group faded into the shadows, he decided to strike out on his own. “I’ve always had a desire to play music and be productive, but I’ve always found that projects have always started and stopped,” Harrelson said. “For whatever reason, I was never really a part of anything that could really sustain itself or get off the ground for a very long period of time. I think there are a lot of people that way.” Now in his 30s, Harrelson plans to have the final say on everything, ranging from the studio production to the featured players. He considers “Let There Be Drums!” to be the “opening salvo” of an industrious future for the group. “I’m in the process of releasing a series of records on a consistent productive basis,” Harrelson explained. “‘Let There Be Drums!’ is the first record in that series of releases. I wanted to start with something I knew, with playing the drums to music I like.” “Album-oriented rock” (AOR) is what Harrelson knows and likes. This offshoot genre of progressive rock is noted for a freeform The three-song EP “Let There Be Drums!” features drummer Johnny Harrelson, guitar player Joe Pizzolato, bass nature that can sometimes border on fusion jazz. Narrowing his player Adrian Howard, Cody Kallum on keyboard and Red Young on organ and piano. focus, Harrelson decided to give his interpretation of Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush’s “Poppy,” Jeff Beck Group’s “Definitely pared enough to let the chemistry happen. It was risky, and it Maybe” and Cozy Powell’s “Killer.” could’ve been a disaster. It worked out, and it was pretty cool.” His own compositions offer an opportunity to transition from Harrelson says the group laid these tracks in December band member to band leader while exposing listeners to an 2016 but the business and marketing aspects of releasing the obscure form of instrumental rock. album kept its debut on hold. As far as licensing, Harrelson “[AOR] used to be out there 30 or 40 years ago,” he said. says he was lucky the Harry Fox Agency owns the rights to THERE WOULD BE GROUPS THAT WOULD “There would be groups that would do this fusion or rock instruboth “Definitely Maybe” and “Killer.” Securing the rights for mental/AOR kind of music. I just wanted to pay tribute to that. “Poppy” took “a little more legwork,” as Harrelson said he had DO THIS FUSION OR ROCK INSTRUMENTAL/ Now that it’s out of the way, I can move on to other music that I to personally contact Canadian Frank Marino’s wife, and did enjoy.” so with a phone call to Vancouver. ALBUM-ORIENTED ROCK KIND OF MUSIC. The album’s version of “Poppy” focuses more on the song’s He also had to consider the financial requirements of releasclean fusion jazz than the rock-dominated original. “Killer” I JUST WANTED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THAT. ing this album on vinyl, as well as the time it would take to features a raunchier synth sound than the original. “Definitely press it. Maybe” trades the original version’s standout piano for a warm, NOW THAT IT’S OUT OF THE WAY, I CAN “A lot of [releasing an album] is setting up the framesoulful organ and a more prominent guitar. work, not just the mixing and mastering but also the business Harrelson owes the fresh versions of these songs to the MOVE ON TO OTHER MUSIC THAT I ENJOY. aspect,” Harrelson said. “I have never done anything like that group of musicians who joined him at Rick Hirsch’s Studio before. I wanted to make sure that I had all the right credenH2O. Harrelson says Florida-based guitarist/co-producer Joe tials as far as starting up a little vanity record label on Hello Pizzolato recruited a majority of the lineup. Hirsch brought Dare! Records. It was also getting the records pressed and in longtime friend Red Young (Eric Burdon, Big Bad Voodoo raising the money.” Daddy) to add his keyboard magic to the album. With the Harrelson said the public can expect another album in the wealth of experience that spawned AOR, Hirsch also played an near future. He is already laying all the instrument tracks by important role with the EP. himself at his home studio, then taking them to New Orleans studio engineer Jack Miele, who After Pizzolato recruited a studio lineup from the Florida Panhandle music scene, Harrelmastered “Let There Be Drums!” The upcoming release will comprise only Harrelson’s original son says there were many emails and phone calls among the musicians. Once the album’s goals songs. However, he won’t be delving into the world of AOR. and agendas were presented, the group met for one day of rehearsal before entering the studio. “I would call it pop,” Harrelson said. “I played some tracks for some folks, and they said it has Throughout the rehearsal, Harrelson says, a natural connection built, a spontaneous bond resulting some roots rock edge. I would say that it’s a pop record. There’s hooks. There’s bridges and lots in superb arrangements. of good lyrics. I play the bass, the guitar and the drums. It’s going to be a more proper solo record, “It was very organic,” he admitted. “It wasn’t articulated one way or another. The guys were but it’ll be under the same name. It should be out in probably about eight months.” familiar with the tunes and went over it on their own. Whenever we rehearsed, we were pre-
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MUSIC BRIEFS
Take the plunge
BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
Band: The High Divers Date: Sunday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m. Venue: Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, 916 Charleston St., www.callaghansirishsocialclub.com Tickets: $10 at the door
Rollin’ on the River Band: River Dan Date: Saturday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m. Venue: Flora-Bama, 17401 Perdido Key Drive (Pensacola), www.florabama.com Tickets: $5 at the door Even though the weather might say otherwise, Labor Day weekend marks the end of the summer on the Alabama Gulf Coast. A multitude of locals and visitors will flood the beaches for a last taste of sand and sun, many flocking to the world-famous Flora-Bama, where River Dan’s set will provide a raucous end to the evening. River Dan will bring country anthems about “the trials and tribulations of the life of a simple man, blondes and being a rambler.” Drawing from such influences as Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, River Dan has crafted a brand of country steeped heavily in classic sounds. Last year, he recorded 10 tracks for “Substance Abuse and a Woman on the Loose.” Attentive studio production and quality songwriting created an album that plunges the listener deep into honky-tonk realities without the usual ribbon of twang. The deep, steady beat of the rhythm section creates a rowdy environment in which River Dan’s smooth, baritone vocals thrive. While this album does provide a couple of heartfelt tunes, “Substance Abuse and a Woman on the Loose” maintains a raucous attitude.
A little bit country Band: Upchurch, Demun Jones Date: Friday, Aug. 31, with doors at 7 p.m. Venue: Soul Kitchen, 219 Dauphin St., www.soulkitchenmobile.com Tickets: $20 in advance/$25 day of show, available at www.soulkitchenmobile.com or by calling 1-866-777-8932 or Mellow Mushroom If pop country has an underground, Upchurch must be its king. Breaking onto the scene like the second coming of Kid Rock, Upchurch has shown no mercy both onstage and in the studio. When he first started gaining notice on YouTube, Upchurch mixed his country style with a hip-hop flow born in a truck on a dirt road. As time passed, he incorporated rock and nu-metal into this eclectic mix. Rehab alumnus Demun Jones is the perfect complement to Upchurch. This bearded agrarian verbal assassin has mixed a Dirty South rap style carried by banjos and electronic beats. In addition to his latest release, “Jones In Ya Speaker,” Jones joined Upchurch for the collaborative album “The Oven.”
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Photo | Sean Money+Elizabeth Fay | The High Divers
M
any in the Azalea City will be enjoying Labor Day away from the day job, making the three-day weekend reason enough to visit Callaghan’s for a Sunday evening with The High Divers. This quartet from Charleston, South Carolina, has gathered a local fan base through their repeat appearances at SouthSounds. On this visit, The High Divers will perform cuts from their sophomore effort “Chicora,” named for the neighborhood the band calls home. The High Divers recorded the album in their living room and the high-energy result maintains the band’s countrified indie rock foundation. Fans of their debut full-length album “Riverlust” will not be disappointed.
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AREAMUSIC LISTINGS | August 29 - September 4 Please send upcoming music to listings@ lagniappemobile.com by MONDAY before Wednesday’s paper.
Cockeyed Charlie’s— Chad Davidson Band, 10p Felix’s— Blind Dog Mike Flora-Bama— J Hawkins Trio, 1p / Lea Anne Creswell Duo, 2p // Mario Mena, 4p /// The Big Earl Show WED. AUG 29 featuring Jack Robertson, 5:30p //// Johnny Hayes Beau Rivage (Eight75) and the Loveseats, 6p ///// — Dian Diaz, 8p Kyle Brady, 6p /////// Scott Bluegill — Matt Neese Kohen Duo, 6p //////// David Boudreaux’s Cajun Chastang, 8p ///////// Foxy Grill— Ryan Balthrop, 6p Iguanas, 10p ////////// Brandon Brickyard— Delta Smoke White Duo, 10:15p /////////// Callaghan’s — Marlow Yellowhammer w/ special Boys guest John Popper, 10:30p Felix’s— Jimmy Lumpkin Hangout— Adam Calvert, 7p Flora-Bama— Neil Dover, Hard Rock (Center Bar) — The Mixed Nuts 2p / Rhonda Hart Duo, 6p // IP Casino (Chill Ultra) Bruce Smelley, 8p /// Albert — DJ SpiSee / AM/FM Band Simpson, 10:15p Listening Room— IP Casino (Chill Ultra) Frankie Boots, 8p — Brandon Green LuLu’s— The Middletons, 5p LuLu’s— Albert Simpson, 5p Manci’s— Delta Smoke McSharry’s— DJ Carter THURS. AUG 30 Moe’s BBQ (Daphne) — Spotswood Brothers Bluegill— Quintin Berry, Moe’s BBQ (Foley) — 12p / Shelby Brown Duo, 6p Lefty Collins Boudreaux’s Cajun Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Grill— David Chastang, 6p Bob Erickson Callaghan’s— Cooper Moe’s BBQ (OBA) — Trent Poarch Ninjas Cockeyed Charlie’s— Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) Music JJ, 9p — Brett McDaniel Original Oyster House Cortlandt’s Pizza — Drew Bentley, 6p Pub— Marcus Elizondo, 8p Soul Kitchen— Unchurch, Felix’s— Lee Yankie Duo Demun Jones, 7p Flora-Bama— Troy Tacky Jacks (Orange Brannon, 2p / Lefty Collins, 5p // Dueling Pianos, 5:30p /// Beach) — Shaggy J, 6p Waves DI— The Mark Sherrill, James Daniel, Fortunate Few, 9p Chris Newbury, and Jose Santiago, 6p //// The Bowling Buddies, 10p ///// Ryan Dyer SAT. SEPT 1 Duo, 10:15p IP Casino (Chill Ultra) Big Beach Brewing— — Brandon Green Thunder Bunny, 6:30p LuLu’s— Gypsy Pearl, 5p Bluegill— Shelby Brown, 12p / Jeff Johnson, 6p Manci’s— Ross Newell Boudreaux’s Cajun McSharry’s— Coolaney Grill— David Chastang, 6p Original Oyster House Cockeyed Charlie’s— DJ — Bobby Butcher, 6p M. Beezle, 10p Tacky Jacks (Orange Felix’s— Sergio & the Satin Beach) — Jimmy Lee, 6p Veets— Albert Simpson, 8p Dogs Trio Flora-Bama— Lea Anne Creswell Duo, 11a / FRI. AUG 31 Nick and the Ovorols, 1p // Ryan Balthrop Duo, 1p /// Beau Rivage— Better J Hawkins Trio, 2p //// Jo Jo Than Ezra, 8p Pres, 3p ///// Greg Lyon, 4p Beau Rivage ////// Brandon White, 5p /////// (Eight75)— Dian Diaz, 9p The Jack Robertson Show, Big Beach Brewing— 5:30 //////// Ja’ Rhythm, 6p The Red Clay Strays, 7p ///////// Terry McDermot and Bluegill— Lee Yankie 12p / Justin Molaison, 6p ////////// Bust, 6p Smokey Otis Duo, 8p /////////// Blues Tavern— Woo Red Clay Strays, 10p //////////// Tones Mario Mena Duo, 10:15 Boudreaux’s Cajun ///////////// Federal Expression, Grill— Jimmy and Talia 10:30p Lumpkin, 6p Hard Rock (Center Brickyard— Brett La Bar) — The Mixed Nuts Grave & the Midnight IP Casino (Studio A)— Transaction Ronnie Milsap, 8p Callaghan’s— Camm Listening Room— Greg Lewis Padilla and Doc Leytham, 8p
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LuLu’s— Chauncy Crandall, 5p McSharry’s— DJ Shadow Original Oyster House — Phil Proctor, 6p Soul Kitchen— Maximum Quepacity, 10p Waves DI— Fat Lip, 9p
SUN. SEPT 2 Big Beach Brewing— Acoustic Catfish, 4p / Jim Pennell, 4p Bluegill— Brent Loper, 12p / Fly By Radio, 6p Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Elise Taylor, 6p Callaghan’s— The High Divers Felix’s— Jimmy Lumpkin Flora-Bama— Al and Cathy, 1p / Smokey Otis Trio, 1p // Songs of Rusty, 1:30p /// Big Al and the Heavyweights, 2p //// Brittany Grimes, 4p ///// Brandon White, 5p ////// Mario Mena Band, 5:30p /////// Hung Jury, 6p //////// Perdido Brothers, 6p ///////// Mason Henderson Duo, 8p /////////// River Dan Band, 10p //////////// Terry McDermot and Justin Molaison, 10:15p ///////////// Oliver’s Twist, 10:30p Hard Rock (Center Bar) — The Mixed Nuts LuLu’s— Cadillac Attack, 5p Main Street Cigar Lounge— Manci’s— Rondale & the Kit Katz Waves DI— Franklin Pratt, 4p Zebra Club— Randy Boyette, 6p
MON. SEPT 3 Felix’s— Lefty Collins Flora-Bama— J Hawkins Duo, 11a / Al and Cathy, 1p // Trevor Finlay, 1p /// Gove Scrivenor, 2p //// Jo Jo Pres, 2p ///// Alexa Burroughs, 5p ////// Hung Jury, 5:30p /////// Mike Diamond, 6p //////// Open Mic w/ Cathy Pace, 6p ///////// Whyte Caps, 6p /////////// River Dan Band, 10p /////////// Petty and Pace, 10:15p
TUES. SEPT 4 Bluegill— Quintin Berry Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Matt Neese, 6p Butch Cassidy’s— Andy MacDonald Felix’s— Lee Yankie Flora-Bama— T-Bone Montgomery, 2p / Perdido Brothers, 6p // Tim Roberts, 8p /// Trevor Finlay, 10:15 LuLu’s— Light Travelers, 5p Original Oyster House — Phil Proctor
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FILMTHE REEL WORLD
A Young Adult film all can enjoy 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
A
good month for Asian representation continues with the frothy but satisfying romantic comedy “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” which follows a fairly typical formula but does so with charm and warmth. Lana Condor brings dimension to the trope of a shy, lovestruck girl as Lara Jean, and the supporting cast, particularly her family, fill out the film well. Internet obsession with every aspect of this flick is growing by the moment, and you can hop on the bandwagon for a nice time, no matter your age. From the bestselling Young Adult novel by Jenny Han, the story concerns an intelligent and sensitive middle daughter in a family with a white dad (John Corbett) and a Korean mom, who has passed away. The three sisters are close, different and realistic, and the vitality of their relationships with one another is the first thing the film sets up. From the minute they coach their youngest sister to compliment their dad’s attempt to recreate his late wife’s Korean dishes for dinner, family dynamics are clear, and these details are so important to the character of Lara Jean. Lara Jean is the classic middle child, leaning on her older sister as a best friend
and mother figure, and even nursing a big crush on her sister’s boyfriend Josh, the literal boy next door and her former best friend. The night before the oldest sister leaves for college, she cuts Josh loose, leaving things up in the air for the platonic pair of Josh and Lara Jean. Quiet, bookish Lara Jean has never had a real boyfriend, and her method of working through uncontrollable crushes involves writing (and, importantly, addressing) tell-all letters to the boys which are never meant to be read. Of course, a mishap leads to the letters being mailed to their recipients, who range from her sister’s ex, Josh, a boy from Model United Nations (I’ll always be a sucker for any plot point involving the Model UN) and her first spin-the-bottle kiss, who is now the most popular boy in school, Peter Kavinsky. Lara Jean is a well-written character who subverts expectations for a young leading lady, and Kavinsky is also an unusually well-developed dream guy. The boyfriend of a mean girl, he ends up being far from mean himself. I experienced palpable relief when he talked to Lara Jean about the letter he received, and the pair soon concoct a plan that has been used in
many such films before — to pretend to date each other. I won’t spoil the extremely obvious turn of events for you, but the pleasure of the film does not come from being surprised, it comes from experiencing these characters. Perhaps because the source material is a novel, the people in the story blossom beyond their boilerplate romantic comedy slots. Perhaps because Noah Centineo, the actor who plays Peter Kavinsky, looks just like a young Mark Ruffalo, I was utterly charmed by it. And the two young stars might be going through the motions of a teen romance that we have seen before, but knowing nods to John Hughes and other classic teen material references let us know they’re in on the joke. So don’t feel guilty about the pleasures of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” Worthwhile role models, cultural details and a roster of believable performances make this flick worth finding out what all the fuss is about. You might appreciate the romance, or you might appreciate the family story, but you will most likely be won over. “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is currently streaming on Netflix.
NEXUS CINEMA DINING 7070 Bruns Dr. Mobile, AL (251) 776-6570 AMC CLASSIC WHARF 23151 Wharf Lane Orange Beach, AL (251) 981-4444
Photos | Netflix / MGM
COBB PINNACLE 14 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores (251) 923-0785
From left: Lana Condor shines as a teenage girl whose secret love letters are exposed and wreak havoc on her love life in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” “Operation Finale” dramatizes the true story of the international manhunt for Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann after the end of WWII.
EASTERN SHORE PREMIERE CINEMA 14 30500 State Hwy 181 Spanish Fort, AL (251) 626-0352
Fifteen years after the end of World War II, Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad and security agency Shin Bet — led by the tireless and heroic agent Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) — launched a daring top-secret raid to capture the notorious Adolf Eichmann. AMC Mobile 16, AMC Classic Jubilee Square 12, Nexus Cinema Dining
Information accurate at press time; please call theaters for showtimes.
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NEW THIS WEEK
OPERATION FINALE
NOW PLAYING
THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS All listed multiplex theaters. A-X-L All listed multiplex theaters. THE LITTLE MERMAID AMC Mobile 16 BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN AMC Mobile 16 BLACKkKLANSMAN Regal Mobile 18, Cobb Pinnacle 14, AMC Mobile 16 CRAZY RICH ASIANS Nexus Cinema Dining, Crescent Theater, all listed multiplex theaters. ALPHA All listed multiplex theaters. MILE 22 Regal Mobile Stadium 18 EIGHTH GRADE AMC Mobile 16 DOG DAYS All listed multiplex theaters. VISHWAROOPAM 2 Regal Mobile Stadium 18
THE MEG All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining. SLENDER MAN All listed multiplex theaters. MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN All listed multiplex theaters. CHRISTOPHER ROBIN All listed multiplex theaters. THE DARKEST MINDS All listed multiplex theaters. THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME All listed multiplex theaters. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION All listed multiplex theaters. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP All listed multiplex theaters. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM All listed multiplex theaters. INCREDIBLES 2 All listed multiplex theaters.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 4
GENERAL INTEREST
DISC groundbreaking The Daphne Industrial Development Board and the city of Daphne will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the Daphne Innovation + Science Complex (DISC) on Thursday, Aug. 30, at 9:30 a.m. at the southwest corner of Alabama State Highway 181 and Champions Way. Call 251-620-1000 or email at mayorsoffice@ daphneal.com. Friday at the Firehouse Come visit Station 20/DIP this Friday, Aug. 31, 5:30-7 p.m. to tour the fire station, trucks and equipment and meet firefighters. Free and open to the public on Fridays throughout summer. For more information and locations, follow Mobile Fire-Rescue on Facebook. We Are Messengers concert Mission of Hope Ministries invites you to a free concert by We Are Messengers at Cottage Hill Baptist Church on Friday, Aug. 31. Doors open at 6 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m. For more information or free tickets, contact Susan Floyd at 251-5330246 or Mission of Hope at 251-649-0830. Music in the Park Enjoy the last free summer concert in the Pavilion at Town Center Park in Spanish Fort Friday evening, Aug. 31, with Trilogy, a Motown variety trio. Visit spanishforttowncenter.com for latest updates. Dauphin Island family movie series The final free family movie night this summer will be “Cars 2” at Dauphin Island’s West End Beach on Friday, Aug. 31. Visit dauphinislandtourism.com. Indoor Market at Central Every Saturday morning during September from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. an indoor market will be held at Central Presbyterian Church (corner of Dauphin and Ann streets). Come shop indoors in air conditioning and #supportlocal artisans, bakers and craftsmen. Email
Fish Swap Day Bring any healthy fresh or saltwater fish (up to five) to B&B Pet Stop on Tuesday, Sept. 4, beginning at 9 a.m. For more details visit www.bbpetstop.com or call 251-661-3474. Mobile Deanery ACCW fall meeting Mobile Deanery ACCW fall quarterly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1621 Boykin Blvd. in Mobile. Registration at 9:15 a.m., meeting at 9:45 a.m., Mass celebrated at 11:15 a.m. Lunch served immediately following Mass. Price is $13 per person. Reservations can be made at 251-533-4771, Carlee.russell@icloud. com, or 251-661-6537, shirley.alexander1@ gmail.com. Reserve by Friday, Aug. 31. August admissions discount During August, Bellingrath Gardens and Home offers a reduced rate on combination Gardens and Home tickets: adults $17 (regularly $21), ages 5-12 $12 (regularly $13). Fee for commercial and professional photography also discounted by 50 percent during August; fee includes entrance to gardens for photographer and up to four participants. To book a photography session, call 251-459-8986. For details, visit bellingrath.org. Compassionate Friends Mobile/Baldwin Compassionate Friends offers friendship and support for families (parents, grandparents and siblings) who have lost children of any age. Meeting at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church. Call 251-721-2209 or visit compassionatefriendsmobile.org; find us on Facebook, @The Compassionate Friends Mobile/Baldwin.
FUNDRAISERS “Fill the Boot” The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department is gearing up for its annual Boot Drive fundraising event to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. MFRD personnel will be staged at Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie locations around Mobile on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Support #TeamAnthony A $10 plated lunch will be available for pickup on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Government Plaza Atrium. Proceeds will benefit Anthony LaFrenier, son of Mobile County employee Beth
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Photo | Courtesy of Max Shores
Rose Center Gala The Rose Center opened in Mobile in March 2018 as an aftercare program for survivors of human sex trafficking. On Thursday, Aug. 30, a formal gala, “In Her Shoes,” will be held at the Mobile Convention Center with the goal of increasing awareness and helping to fund The Rose Center’s mission. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased online. Visit eyeheartworld.org/inhershoes.
eventsatcentral@gmail.com for more information.
Special sunset cruise
Take a cruise down the waterways of the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta. The two-hour tour departs from the Blakeley dock Friday, Aug. 31, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29 for adults, $19 for children 6-12. To reserve, call 251-626-0798. Visit the events page at www.blakeleypark.com.
LaFrenier Jones, who was involved in a motor vehicle accident in May. Tickets can be purchased in the Government Plaza Atrium Info Booth or the Mobile County receptionist desk on the 10th floor. Salvation Army annual luncheon Please join us Wednesday, Aug. 29, noon to 1 p.m. (doors at 11:30 a.m.) at The Battle House Hotel. The annual luncheon is the Salvation Army’s primary fundraising event, serving as the official kickoff for its “Our Family” campaign. Featured guest is Deion Sanders of CBS Sports and the NFL Network. For tickets visit www.sacoastal. org. Home of Grace fundraiser luncheon Home of Grace will hold its annual fundraiser luncheon Thursday, Aug. 30, 11:30 a.m. at Mt. Hebron Church Ministries (2531 Berkley Ave.). The featured speaker will be Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, with music provided by University of Mobile Singers. Tickets cost $50 per person. Visit homeofgraceforwomen.com or call 251456-7807.
ARTS MAC closing reception Mobile Arts Council will host a special closing reception for its annual MAC Members’ Exhibition on Thursday, Aug. 30, 5:30-7 p.m. Libations and light refreshments provided. Contact Lucy Gafford at lgafford@mobilearts.org if planning to attend. Interactive art mural The Shoppes at Bel Air will debut a new
mural from international street artist Kelsey Montague Saturday, Sept. 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A monthly $50 mall gift card will be given away to those who have entered. For details on how to enter, find us on Facebook @TheShoppesAtBelAir. Auditions for “5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche” Come one, come all to Company 11’s auditions on Tuesday, Sept. 4, and Wednesday, Sept 5., 6-8 p.m. for “5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche.” New location is 1260 Dauphin St. (Bellingrath Hall at Central Presbyterian). Download the audition packet at company11.org/ auditions. “The Faces of India” University of South Alabama Libraries announce the opening of a new exhibit, “The Faces of India” by Jelena Kryschun, in the Mary Elizabeth and Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery of Art on the third floor of the Marx Library. Through Sept. 30. Contact Paula Webb, 251-461-1993. Garden sketch club Visit Mobile Botanical Gardens every Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a relaxing time sketching in the gardens. All levels of experience are welcome. General admission is $5 for nonmembers.
MUSEUMS “Water’s Extreme Journey” Experience an exciting quest that transforms you into a drop of water entering a watershed and traveling to oceans, while learning how clean choices
“Murders in Mobile” History Museum of Mobile is showcasing an exhibit honoring six Mobile citizens killed in the 1940s, “Murders in Mobile,” through Aug. 30. Visit historymuseumofmobile.com or call 251-301-0266. “National Parks Adventure” A trio of adventurers’ quest to experience America’s wildest, most historic and most naturally beautiful places becomes the ultimate off-trail adventure in MacGillivray Freeman Films’ “National Parks Adventure” narrated by Robert Redford. Visit www. exploreum.com. Thursdays at MMoA Every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the Mobile Museum of Art offers free admission to all Mobile County residents. No reservations are necessary. MMoA is at 4850 Museum Drive. Call 251-208-5200.
SPORTING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES Run-ish at FIVE Run-ish, walk-ish, bike-ish, drink-ish. Choose your -ish and join us every Wednesday evening at 6-ish at FIVE, 609 Dauphin St., Mobile, followed by drink and food specials. Call 251-308-3105 for more information. Mobile BayBears vs. Montgomery Biscuits Five-game series between the BayBears and the Montgomery Biscuits begins
Thursday, Aug. 30, through Monday, Sept. 3, at Hank Aaron Stadium. Visit baybears. com for game times and tickets. “Jag Night” on Dauphin Join us for “Jag Night” Friday, Aug. 31, 7-10 p.m. South Alabama Marching Band will proceed down Dauphin to Moe’s Bar-B-Que for a pep rally/block party the night before Jags’ opening game against Louisiana Tech. Visit usajaguars.com for more information. NOLA Gold rugby tryouts NOLA Gold will hold an open tryout on the campus of Spring Hill College on Sunday, Sept. 2, at 2 p.m. Cost is $50-$75. All men ages 18 and up are invited. Keep your brain sharp Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 5, the Mobile Bridge Center (1510 University Blvd. S.) will offer free bridge lessons weekly, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Contact mobilebridgeclub@comcast. net or Mickey Groggel at 251-377-0322. Irish dancing Beginner classes for ages 3 through teens are held Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. at the Azalea City Center for the Arts, 63 Midtown Park E., and feature traditional jigs, reels, hornpipes and ceili dances. Learn the beautiful art form that is Irish dancing, which develops confidence, poise and stamina. Fun performances during the year, competition also available. Call 228239-2422 or email maccrossanirishdance@ yahoo.com. Bingo at Via! Every Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m., at Via! Health, Fitness & Enrichment
Center, 1717 Dauphin St., 251-478-3311. Open to the public.
Workshop meeting on the second Tuesday. townofelberta.com.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Fairhope City Council: Second and fourth Monday at 6 p.m., 161 N. Section St. Work sessions are held before each council meeting at 4:30 p.m., www.cofairhope.com.
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. www.baldwincountyal.gov. Baldwin County Planning Commission: First Thursday at 6 p.m., 22251 Palmer St., Robertsdale, www.baldwincountyal.gov. Bayou La Batre City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 13785 S. Wintzell Ave., www.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 are the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., www.daphneal.com. Dauphin Island Town Council: First and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., 1011 Bienville Blvd., www.townofdauphinisland.org.
Fairhope Planning Commission: First Monday at 5 p.m., 161 N. Section St. For more information visit www.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., www.cityoffoley. org Gulf Shores City Council: Second and fourth Mondays at 4 p.m., 1905 W. First St., www.gulfshoresal.gov. Mobile City Council: Tuesdays at Government Plaza, 205 Government St. Pre-council meeting begins at 9 a.m.; council meeting begins at 10:30 a.m., www. cityofmobile.org. Mobile Planning Commission: First and third Thursdays at 2 p.m., 205 Government St., www.urban.cityofmobile.org. Orange Beach City Council: First and third Tuesdays at 5 p.m., 4099 Orange Beach Blvd., www.cityoforangebeach.com. Prichard City Council: Every Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 216 E. Prichard Ave., www. thecityofprichard.org. Satsuma City Council: First and third Tuesdays at 6 p.m. City Hall, 5464 Old Highway 43, 251-675-1440.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST 29, 2016 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
keep our drops healthy and moving toward a clean ocean. Daily through Sept. 3 at Gulf Coast Exploreum. Visit exploreum.com for details.
Elberta Town Council: Third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the town hall.
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TO THE POINT
BY OLIVIA MITRA FRAMKE / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ ACROSS 1 Lightheaded 6 Underwater workplaces 13 One of four on the annual tennis calendar 18 Navel formation? 19 Not renewed 21 1836 siege setting 22 First name on the high bench 23 Follower of deuce 24 Wordsmith Peter Mark ____ 25 Lot of back and forth? 27 Alternative to grass 29 Place for a prize ceremony 30 Nellie who wrote “Ten Days in a Mad-House” 31 Point of no return? 34 Certain corp. takeover 35 It’s meant to be 36 NBC hit since ’75 37 Ingredient in a Dark ’n’ Stormy 38 Muslim holy men 40 Designer inits. 42 “Awesome!” 43 Lead-in to line 44 Rod who was the 1977 A.L. M.V.P. 45 “Bridesmaids” co-star 47 Food with an unfortunatesounding last two syllables 50 Really fancy 51 Dreams up 55 Sophocles tragedy 56 Get further mileage from 57 Vegetable or pasta, e.g. 58 Drip, drip, drip 59 Annual sporting event that is this puzzle’s theme 62 Outside: Prefix 63 Really green 64 Stingy sort? 65 Many a presidential hopeful: Abbr. 66 Treasure-map markers 68 Ostracize 69 Lead-in to boy or girl 70 Standard info on stationery nowadays 72 U. of Md. player 73 Spot 74 Conjunction in the Postal Service creed 76 The Eagles, on scoreboards 78 Pérignon, for one 79 “Nature is the ____ of God”: Dante 81 Something to live for 83 Chaney of silents 84 One at home, informally 85 Ape 88 “Zip it!” 89 Things found in clogs 90 Bourbon Street’s locale, informally
92 Frenzy 94 Stadium name near Citi Field 96 Spectators’ area 98 “Harlequin’s Carnival” painter 99 James ____, Belgian painter in the movement Les XX 100 Flowchart symbol 101 Saskatchewan native 102 It represents you 104 Old-timey 106 First and last black key on a standard piano 108 Gas type: Abbr. 109 Location of 59-Across 114 Fly-by-night? 115 Canapé topper 116 Computer command 117 Time to vote: Abbr. 118 Italian car, informally 119 Lead-in to “Man,” “Woman” or “Fool” in Top 40 hits 120 Further 121 Part of U.S.T.A.: Abbr. 122 City grid: Abbr. 123 Enthusiasm 124 Lion or tiger DOWN 1 Employs 2 Not for keeps 3 Low soccer score 4 Wittily insults 5 Number on a trophy 6 “Alas …”
7 One of a well-known septet 8 Inits. in 2010 news 9 Broadway’s Cariou 10 Computer key 11 Utterly uninspiring 12 Oscar-nominated George of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” 13 Designer Jacobs 14 Emotionally detached 15 Jungle predator 16 Code you don’t want to break 17 Returned to earth? 19 “I can’t talk now” 20 Louisville standout 26 Candidate for rehab 28 Square dance maneuver 31 Oscar-winning film of 1984 32 Revel 33 College in Boston 37 Whole host 38 “Why should ____?” 39 Win every game 41 Security agreement 43 One way to answer a server? 46 Winning words 47 Guy 48 Dweller along the Bering Sea 49 The “L” of L.C.D. 52 Genius Bar employees 53 Relish 54 Rugged, as a landscape 60 Impotent 61 Paradigm
64 Submerge 67 Cybertrash 71 Force (into) 72 When the diet starts, perhaps 75 Locale for Charlie Chan 77 Dating-profile section 78 Denims 80 Purchases at tire shops 81 Do well with 82 Fit to be tied 86 How the Quran is written 87 Film-related anagram of AMERICAN 88 City in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle 89 Clear the air? 91 “I’ll take that as ____” 93 Proficient in 95 Much TV fare during the wee hours 97 Towers over 103 Blue hue 105 Metal fastener 107 Three-person card game 110 Vox V.I.P.s 111 Forever and a day 112 Red Sox Hall-of-Famer, to fans 113 “Bravo!”
ANSWERS ON PAGE 45
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SPORTS UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Jaguars kick off season Saturday against Louisiana Tech
T
BY J. MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER/SPORTS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM/TWITTER @GOULAGUY
fense, 22 on defense and four with special teams. Of those players, seven starters are back on offense (position, height and weight in parentheses): seniors Noah Fisher (OL, 6-5, 315), Cole Garvin (QB, 6-1, 205), Tyler Grimsley (OL, 6-3, 295), Sam Harris (WR, 5-7, 180), Malik Stanley (WR, 6-3, 220) and Jamarius Way (WR, 6-4, 215); and junior Ryan Alexander (OL, 6-3, 305). On defense, the Jaguars have another seven returning starters: seniors Malcolm Buggs (S, 5-9, 205), Sean Grayer (DE, 6-2, 255), Nigel Lawrence (S, 5-11, 190) and Darian Mills (CB, 5-11, 185); juniors Tobias Moss (CB, 5-9, 180) and Tyree Turner (DL, 6-1, 290); and sophomore Riley Cole (LB, 6-3, 240). Veterans on special teams include seniors Gavin Patterson (PK, 5-7, 195) and Corliss Waitman (P, 6-2, 205).
Early recognition
The preseason honors are piling up for Waitman, who was selected second-team All-America by Sports Campbell has been a winner as a player and a coach. Illustrated after averaging a school-record 45.24 yards In his 19 years as a head coach, his clubs are a comper punt (first in Sun Belt Conference and eighth in bined 159-53. He has never had a team with a losing the country). The honor is the second All-America record. and eighth preseason accolade for He recently completed a fourWaitman, who was also named year run at Central Arkansas, where preseason third-team All-America the Bears went 33-15. This includes by Athlon Sports and is preseason a 10-2 record last year that earned first-team all-SBC. He was named a berth in the NCAA playoffs. He FOR THE FIRST SEASON to the watch list for the Ray Guy was the Southland Conference’s Award, which honors the nation’s SINCE THE USA GRIDIRON Coach of the Year. top collegiate punter. He first gained notice at MissisJoining Waitman on the firstSQUAD WAS FORMED IN sippi Gulf Coast Community Colteam SBC squad is Patterson. lege. Over 10 seasons, the Bulldogs On the second-team list are Way, 2009, JOEY JONES WILL went 87-22 and won the national Turner and senior linebacker Bull NOT BE ROAMING THE junior college title in 2007. He Barge (LB, 5-10, 225). was twice named the national JuCo Patterson, who has also received SIDELINE AS HEAD COACH. coach of the year. first-team all-league recognition The winning continued when he from Athlon Sports, Lindy’s and traveled to northern Mississippi to Phil Steele Publications, converted take over at Delta State University. 16 of 19 field goal attempts and In 2000, DSU won the NCAA Divihit 26 of 27 extra points to lead sion II national title and he again the team in scoring with 74 points earned national coach of the year honors. during 2017. He earned a bachelor’s degree while playing at Troy Way, the lone offensive player from South to earn University. In 1987, he was part of the Trojan team that preseason accolades from the Sun Belt coaches and won the NCAA Division II championship. Campbell media, started all but one outing for the Jaguars in 2017 also earned a master’s degree while serving as an aswhile leading the team with 47 catches for 762 yards, sistant coach at Auburn. three touchdown receptions and 799 all-purpose yards. He is on the Biletnikoff Award preseason watchlist that Veteran squad recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football. The new USA coaching staff has a lot of talent to Barge started to see more action at the end of last work with. The Jaguars have 55 returning players who season, finishing third on the squad with a career-best have earned varsity letters — this includes 29 on of77 tackles and two forced fumbles. He was credited
Successful career
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JUNIOR PUNTER CORLISS WAITMAN PUNTED 17 TIMES FOR AN AVERAGE OF 36.5 YARDS IN 2017, AVERAGING 51.9 YARDS ON 10 KICKOFFS. with three stops behind the line of scrimmage, including a sack, and had four quarterback hurries. As a sophomore, Turner led all Jaguar defensive linemen with 28 total stops and four tackles for loss, while sharing the team lead with three sacks. He was also credited with two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Senior Sean Grayer (DE, 6-2, 250) is also receiving preseason honors. He is a candidate for the Wuerffel Trophy (college football’s premier award for community service) and the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. A twoyear starter for the Jags, his community service efforts include volunteering at the Wilmer Hall Children’s Home pancake breakfast fundraiser as well as the local Special Olympics meets and USA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Dodgeball Tournament.
Following the games
Jaguar Sports Properties has released broadcast information for the upcoming season. With the exception of the “Battle for the Belt” rivalry game against Troy set to be televised live on ESPN2 on Oct. 23, Jag football home contests will be available on the ESPN+ streaming service — which requires a $4.99 monthly subscription — with J.D. Byars (play-by-play), Pat Greenwood (analysis) and Lauren Velez (sidelines) on the call. The quartet of JT Crabtree (play-by-play), Chris May (analysis), Tommy Hicks (sidelines) and Joe McNulty (engineer/host) will handle duties for the Jags Radio Network. Byars, Greenwood, Hicks and Crabtree (engineer/host) will call the action on the road. The flagship radio station is WRKH 96.1 FM, which covers Mobile, Pensacola and the Mississippi Coast. Other affiliates include 99.5 The Jag FM (Mobile and Baldwin counties), WFMH 95.5 FM (Hamilton, Jasper, Russellville, Muscle Shoals), WOAB 104.9 FM (Dothan, Enterprise, Ozark), WVRV 101.5 FM (Montgomery, Prattville), WVRV 97.5 FM (Troy) and WZZN 97.7 FM (Huntsville/Athens/Decatur).
Photo | University of South Alabama Athletics
he University of South Alabama’s football team enters a new era this Saturday, when the Jaguars kick off the 2018 campaign at 6 p.m. versus Louisiana Tech at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. For the first season since the USA gridiron squad was formed in 2009, Joey Jones will not be roaming the sideline as head coach. Following a disappointing 4-8 record, a change was made in the program and Steve Campbell was handed the reins. Campbell grew up just down the road in Cantonment, Florida — a paper mill town outside Pensacola. At his first media conference, he said USA has always been a part of his life. “I always said that if [South Alabama] were to ever start football, it’d be a gold mine and with as well as their other programs had done, once they started football, South Alabama could take off and there’s no telling how far they could go,” he said back on Dec. 7.
SPORTS FROM BEHIND THE MIC
Media aren’t ‘the enemy,’ but even in sports we can be wrong BY RANDY KENNEDY/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The news media aren’t the “enemy of the people.” Don’t believe it, whether you hear it from Washington, D.C., or the Washington Huskies. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about investigative reporters from New York or beat writers covering Tennessee football, most reporters — like most electricians and insurance agents and people who mow lawns for a living — are honorable people trying to do an honest day’s work. It was heartening members of the Senate voted 100-0 to pass a resolution confirming that the media are not the enemy of the people, but disappointing such a vote of confidence was needed. Still, there’s no question mistakes are made by members of the media, and those deserve to be pointed out for what they are. A perfect example occurred last week, when CBSSports.com published its latest installment of its “Candid Coaches” series. When coaches are granted anonymity, the answers can be both entertaining and unfair. Which coach does the most with the least? What do coaches think is the most desirable job in the country? Which opposing quarterback scares them the most? These are all questions that may produce more interesting answers if coaches know they won’t be identified. But having a cute title for a series like “Candid Coaches” does not equate to a license to abandon principles of journalism. That’s what CBSSports.com did when it published the following quote from an anonymous coach, who was
explaining why he believes Alabama’s Nick Saban is the most overrated coach in college football. “If you had the No. 1 recruiting class in the country every year [you’d win like Nick Saban]. He shows up at every single game with a better roster than the teams he’s playing … If you count cheating and getting the best players in the country as part of running a program, he’s the best in the country. It’s like saying an NFL coach is the best coach in the league if he gets 25 first-round picks every year.” In a normal interview setting, if a source said off the record that Saban was overrated, that would be great for background but not necessarily something that deserved to be published. If the same source anonymously called Saban a cheater, the quote wouldn’t see the light of day until the reporter followed up and tried to confirm the accusations. But the folks at CBSSports.com couldn’t help themselves, and the result was an unfair and lazy criticism devoid of the kind of standards that separate real journalists from random people on a message board. That kind of reporting makes it harder to fight back when public figures — coaches included — unfairly mischaracterize the media. That was the case last week at the University of Georgia, where Kirby Smart is doing everything in his power to be the next Nick Saban. Potential star running back Zamir White seriously injured his knee in a practice that was closed to the media but open to big-money boosters and former players.
Almost immediately after the injury occurred, social media was abuzz with the news. In his post-practice news conference, Smart ripped the media for reporting the news before White’s family could be properly notified. The problem with Smart’s rant is that not one single reporter wrote a story or even posted to social media about White’s injury until after Smart confirmed it. Those journalists were following professional guidelines in not reporting something until they had the story confirmed. Smart later apologized in private to the reporter who asked the question about White and was on the receiving end of the coach’s blistering. But the damage was done. Smart’s behavior was just another example of powerful people believing that blaming the media is the solution for avoiding any difficult situation or question. That’s certainly what happened with Urban Meyer at Big 10 Media Days, when he told reporter Brett McMurphy he didn’t know why McMurphy was asking about a made-up story about the actions of one of his coaches. Of course, we have since learned that McMurphy was asking legitimate questions, and Meyer is now serving a three-game suspension as a result of his handling of the situation over the years and his lying about it. Many Ohio State fans got great joy from their hero sticking it to McMurphy, who they were conditioned to view as the enemy of the Buckeyes. Of course, McMurphy wasn’t the problem. His work has resulted in suspensions for Meyer and Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith, and the firing of Zach Smith. The punishment may not be severe enough, but there’s no denying that McMurphy’s work benefited the public. That’s one of the major goals of journalism. Every time an outlet such as CBSSports.com forgets the standards journalists must live by, it makes it easier for powerful people to discredit the important work most journalists are doing, even if it only concerns the world of sports. 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.
A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 41
STYLE GARDENING
Mobile Master Gardeners present DREAM Garden BY GLENDA EADY, MOBILE MASTER GARDENER | COASTALALABAMAGARDENING@GMAIL.COM
Photos/Courtesy of Marian Watts
including roses, which have been considered a medicinal herbal remedy throughout history. The Native Garden features more than 30 plants and shrubs indigenous to this area. The specimens in this “room” were selected to take advantage of the garden’s light conditions with additional considerations of growth habit, mature size, bloom times and color. The garden provides examples of the many beautiful native plants that can be grown easily by local gardeners. Some examples in our garden are yellow forsythia sage, coral honeysuckle and phlox. Much of the Mobile area is shaded by plentiful large oaks and other trees. Thankfully, there are many wonderful plants that thrive in shade and full to part shade. The Shade Garden offers a variety of such plants. Favorites in our garden are the Brazilian plume, Phillipine violet and farfugium. Despite tales that blooming plants need sun, there are many shade plants that yield beautiful blooms happily without direct sun. The Vegetable Garden includes edibles, fruit trees and vegetables. Throughout the various seasons we grow figs, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, persimmons, kumquats, satsumas, loquats, watermelon, cantaloupe, and scuppernongs. Eggplant, okra, peppers, corn, cucumbers, squash, carrots, radishes, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, pole and bush beans, collards, mustard greens, turnips, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, chard and winter squash are planted at different times. There is almost always something great to eat in this garden. Once harvested, the produce is donated to the Haven of Hope. We hope you will be our guest at the DREAM Garden on Sept. 10! We look forward to seeing you.
T
Mobile Master Gardeners’ Dream Garden will be open to visitors on Monday, Sept. 10, featuring seven distinctive garden rooms.
he Mobile Master Gardeners have given you much advice in this column these past three years. We hope you will now come walk through seven garden “rooms” we have planted and maintain. It is a demonstration garden and we invite you to be our guest on Monday, Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon to observe and gather ideas for your own garden. Our Dream Garden leaders will be there to answer your questions. There are seven different garden rooms: Building, Cottage, Grandma’s Pass-Along, Herb, Native, Shade and Vegetable. We’re located at the Alabama Cooperative Extension Office, 1070 Schillinger Road N., in Mobile. One of our rooms is located around the outside of the building, and the rest are in the rear and on the north side of the office. The Dream Garden is maintained by a number of our Mobile County Master Gardeners, who volunteer their time and work diligently to keep their garden rooms looking great. Their goal is to demonstrate for the public what grows well in our area and the optimal growing conditions. Think of it as an educational opportunity as you visit the different rooms. Here’s what you can expect to see on your visit. Some of the plants in the Building Garden are oakleaf hydrangea, buckeye tree, sky vine, bee balm, salvia, weeping yaupon,
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yucca and other arid plants. Blooming in the Cottage Garden are abelia, Bolivian hummingbird sage, dragon wing begonia, coral honeysuckle, giant cigar plant, rose mallow hibiscus, summer phlox, porterweed and whiteleaf mountain mint. This garden is mostly filled with plants that support and encourage pollinating insects and birds. If you don’t yet have any pollinator plants, they are a must-have. All of our garden rooms have pollinator plants that will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Grandma’s Pass-Along Garden is a place that brings you back to the days when you freely picked flowers from your favorite grandma’s garden. These plants were pass-alongs brought by Master Gardeners from their own gardens. Old favorites and some newer varieties are thriving in a glorious display of blooms, fruits and vegetables commingling, just like grandma had. Welcome to the Herb Garden. Herbs are grown for many different uses. Among these are culinary herbs used for cooking, medicinal herbs, aromatic herbs, ornamental herbs, dyeing herbs and cosmetic herbs. Herbs are also used as companion plants to repel insect pests and to attract pollinators to your garden. You will find a few of each type of herb in our garden. It’s fun to experiment with types of herbs. Many plants fall into the herb family,
Gardeners, Check Out These FREE Events: What: Mobile Master Gardeners Monthly Meeting When: Thursday, Sept. 6, 10-11:30 a.m. Where: Jon Archer Ag Center, 1070 Schillinger Road N., Mobile Topic: Floral Design for Sacred Spaces Speakers: Judy Campbell and Carol Murphy What: Open House, Mobile Master Gardeners’ DREAM Garden Come tour our Native Garden, Cottage Garden, Pass-Along Garden, Vegetable Garden, Shade Garden, Herb Garden and more. When: Monday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. to noon Where: Jon Archer Ag Center, 1070 Schillinger Road N., Mobile What: Lunch & Learn with Mobile Master Gardeners When: Monday, Sept. 17, noon to 1 p.m. Where: Jon Archer Ag Center, 1070 Schillinger Road N., Mobile Topic: Sustainable Hydroponic Farming Speaker: Dale Speetjans
STYLE HOROSCOPES GET OUT AND PROTEST SOMETHING VIRGO (8/24-9/22) — You will don your
ANSWERS FROM PAGE 38
mask and cape and venture beyond the city limits. As superhero “Zoning Man,” you will ensure all setbacks and easements are respected in times of municipal turmoil. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will be to get Hillary to switch to America Online. LIBRA (9/23-10/22) — Trying to take advantage of local government budget deliberations, you propose the “Bridge to Nowear,” a one-mile footpath over coastal wetlands to Baldwin County’s first nude beach on Bon Secour Bay. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will focus on gun control. SCORPIO (10/23-11/21) — Still bothered by the University of South Alabama’s request for taxpayer money for a football stadium, you attend the first Jaguars game this weekend and chant “SOUTH IN YOUR MOUTH, AND IN YOUR WALLET.” Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will call for rental scooters downtown. SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/22) — Confused by vague language on Fairhope’s election ballot, you’ll complain to the Secretary of State about rampant ballot fraud. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will seek to ban plastic Mardi Gras throws. CAPRICORN (12/23-1/19) — You’ve heard some bad ideas in your day, but giving Fred Richardson a $105 million loan for capital improvement projects may take the cake, or MoonPie, as it were. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest is to (re)BUILD THE WALL that collapsed at the Government Street McDonalds. AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18) — In an effort to increase its rental value on Airbnb, you purchase new bathroom towels and an area rug for your house, which you rebrand as “Your House, Autograph Collection.” Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest aims to legalize the aliens on “The X-Files.” PISCES (2/19-3/20) — Noticing something is missing from the Master Gardener’s DREAM Garden, you plant some OG Kush and White Widow among the herbs. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest is to fly the American flag at half-mast upside down. ARIES (3/21-4/19) — You’ll attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Daphne Innovation + Science Complex (DISC) to witness the birth of Baldwin County’s latest vacant commercial property. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest is to put the cocaine back in Coca-Cola. TAURUS (4/20-5/20) — Trying to save Catholicism from its rampant child abuse problem, you invite Pope Francis and your local priest over for cheap wine and unleavened bread. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest invites Evangelicals to read any other books. GEMINI (5/21-6/21) — You’ll commemorate the Queen of Soul by requesting to sing only Aretha Franklin songs at karaoke events this week. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will have you dress up like Madonna and talk about yourself. CANCER (6/22-7/22) — Inspired by a group of local mothers, you’ll circulate a petition to enforce 30 minutes of free-play recess at work daily. You’ll settle for leaving a little early, though. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will be to add new flavors to the Juul vape lineup. LEO (7/23-8/23) — Pledging to adopt the mantra “One Mobile,” you’ll root for both Alabama and Auburn this football season. Your Drag Queen Story Hour counterprotest will be for NCAA flag football to reduce concussion risks. A u g u s t 2 9 - S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 43
STYLE FEATURE
Grand Hotel unveils latest amenities BY GABI GARRETT/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Photo | Gabi Garrett
New amenities at The Grand Hotel include the Bayside Grill and The Grand Hall, which is open for breakfast daily and Sunday brunch. The Oak & Azalea Resort Shop opened last week and the farm-to-table restaurant Southern Roots and 1847 Bar will open in mid-September. “We’ve been farm to table since 1847,” Grand Hotel Marketing Director Kevin Hellmich said with a smile as he walked me around The Grand’s picturequese courtyards. People often ask about farm-to-table food as a trend, but while most things come in and out of fashion, The Grand Hotel stays true to its classic and historic roots. In the beginning, The Grand Hotel opened its doors many times to “launch,” though most attempts in the late 1800s and early 1900s were halted, namely due to the nation needing its location. In 1864, a portion of the hotel became a Confederate hospital during the Civil War. A cemetery was built for about 300 Confederate soldiers near the 18th tee of The Grand’s Azalea course. The hotel was also home to a top-secret mission, “Project Ivory Soap,” in 1944. This project was named for the training the Army and Air Force completed at The Grand Hotel because of its waterfront location and the need for floating repair facilities. The men were trained to live and operate at sea at the historic hotel in Point Clear. “Ivory Soap” became the nickname of this training operation, due to the fact that Ivory Soap floats. (You can try it at home, folks.) Earlier this month, The Grand Hotel opened its doors to Lagniappe to allow a first look at the renovations being completed, including its restaurants and spa. Its unveiling as The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection, is
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Wednesday, Aug. 29. New amenities include the Bayside Grill and The Grand Hall, which is open for breakfast daily and Sunday brunch. The Oak & Azalea Resort Shop opened last week and the farmto-table restaurant Southern Roots and 1847 Bar will open in mid-September. The spa looks like something out of a European magazine or a dream, including a grotto-style pool and complimentary mimosas. It’s an all-around treat. “What most guests don’t know is you can enjoy the spa services without staying at our hotel. In fact, most services will give you access to the property all day long,” said new Spa Director Tiffany Cameron. What began as a trip to explore the upgraded aspects of The Grand Hotel turned into multiple hours enjoying the property and even sitting down with the hotel’s resident historian, Kevin Hellmich. A resident historian seems necessary for a property with not one historical marker but five. The hotel offers history lessons and cannon firings to honor the military each day, and to salute those who have passed through the historic resort. As we continued our tour, I learned many people tend to stick around The Grand Hotel. In fact, legendary bartender Bucky Miller was such an influence on the resort that they named the bar after him. Bucky’s Lounge still serves his signa-
ture drink, which Bucky loved to complete with mint from The Grand’s garden. “If you listen to the guests, they will tell you what they want [on renovations], they will also tell you how long they’ve been coming,” Hellmich said, noting most guests return every year and love to share, whether it’s their second or 30th year returning. Hellmich shared a sweet story that stuck with me, about a woman in her mid-90s who called his hotel landline to let him know she wouldn’t be there for Easter this year. “She wanted me to know she wouldn’t be able to make it, and then proceeded to name several longtime employees to say hello to for her. Her granddaughter had put the ax on her traveling because she’d just completed a book on positive thinking and needed to rest after her book tour,” Hellmich explained. This may seem unique, especially compared to an “average” hotel, but Hellmich delved further on the phone call and learned this woman had been attending The Grand Hotel since she was a little girl. This would have been close to her 90th visit on Easter! The historic, elegant hotel is more than just a “nice” place to visit, it’s full of history, activities and rich with nature, including monarch butterflies, pelicans, grand oaks and more. The Grand Hotel is open to Lakewood Country Club members, property guests and those who enjoy spa services. If you’re ready to explore your backyard, visit grand1847.com or call 251-928-9201.
LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com FORECLOSURES FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain Vendor’s Lien deed executed by Clark Lunt as managing member of Emerald Coast Real Estate Investors, LLC {“Grantor”) on the 25th day of October, 2017, said Vendor’s Lien deed recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama at Book LR7578, Page 1568; Grantor, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien deed, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the courthouse in Mobile County, Alabama on September 19, 2018, at 12 PM, all of its right, title and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 105 of Tonsmeire’s addition to Whistler according to plat thereof recorded in Deed Book 122 N.S page 601 of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Property address is 3421 Stovall Street, Whistler, AL 36612. This property will be sold on an “as is, where is” basis subject to any easements, encumbrances and exceptions reflected in the Vendor’s Lien deed and those contained in the records in the office of the Judge of Probate of the county where the above-described property is situated. This property will be sold without warranty or recourse, expressed or implied, as to title, use and/or enjoyment and will be sold subject to the right of redemption of all parties entitled thereto. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said Vendor’s Lien deed as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The Grantor reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale in the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject postponement or cancellation. John R. Parker, Esq. 182 St. Francis Street Suite 101 Mobile, Alabama 36602 (251) 621-2216 (251) 281-2580 (Fax) John@jparkerlaw.net Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 12, 2018
CIRCUIT IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION NOTICE OF DIVORCE ACTION CASE NO. 02-DR-2018-900376.00S SHANTAE SHERNITA WATTS, PLAINTIFF VS. ALI JOVONN ANDERSON, DEFENDANT ALI JOVONN ANDERSON (Defendant), whose whereabouts is unknown, must answer the plaintiff’s Petition for Divorce and other relief by OCTOBER 1, 2018 or, thereafter, a Judgment by Default may be rendered against him/her in the above styled case. The defendant’s written answer must filed with the Court and a copy mailed to the plaintiff’s attorney of record at the address provided below. Done this 20th day of July, 2018. JoJo Schwarzauer, Circuit Clerk Attorney: Caitlin Smitherman P.O. Box 1986 Mobile, AL 36633 Telephone: (251) 433-6560 ext. 3414 Attorney for the plaintiff Lagniappe HD August 8, 15, 22, 29, 2018
PROBATE NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: EDWIN LEWIS LAMBERTH, JR., Deceased Case No. 2018-1604 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 13th day of August, 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. CAROLINE SPENCER LAMBERTH as Executrix under the last will and testament of EDWIN LEWIS LAMBERTH, JR., Deceased. Attorney of Record: STEPHEN G. CRAWFORD, ESQ. P.O. BOX 123 MOBILE, AL 36601 Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, September 5, 2018.
NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING August 01, 2018 Case No. 2016-0070-1 In the Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama Estate of CHARMAINE MARCIA BELL, Deceased On to-wit the 17th day of September, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in COURTROOM 1, THIRD FLOOR, Mobile County Government Center Annex, 151 Government Street the court will
proceed to consider the FINAL SETTLEMENT as filed by VONCILLE BELL PERKINS. NOTICE is hereby given to all parties in interest who may appear and contest same or file a proper responsive pleading thereto if they then think proper. Don Davis, Judge of Probate Attorney Name and Address: SANDRA RANDER 107 N. JACKSON ST. MOBILE, AL 36602 Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, Sept. 5, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JOHNNY DAVID HILL SR., Deceased Case No. 2018-1506 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named parties on the 9th day of August, 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. JOHNNY D. HILL, JR. and ANGELA H. BUTLER as Co-Executors under the last will and testament of JOHNNY DAVID HILL, SR., Deceased. Attorney of Record: JOHNNY D. HILL, JR., ESQ. P.O. BOX 572 FAYETTEVILLE, TN 37334 Lagniappe HD August 15, 22, 29, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: WILLIAM HERBERT RILEY Case No. 2018-1432 Take notice that Letters of Administration on the Annexed Will have been granted to the below named party on the 6th day of August, 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. MARSHA HATTENSTEIN, as Administrator CTA under the last will and testament of WILLIAM HERBERT RILEY, Deceased. Attorney of Record: R. MARK KIRKPATRICK Lagniappe HD August 15, 22, 29, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: CHARLES VERNON WATERS, Deceased Case No. 2018-0362 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 23rd day of August, 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. MARTHA BROWN WATERS as Executrix under the last will and testament of CHARLES VERNON WATERS, Deceased. Attorney of Record: NANCY J. BUSEY Lagniappe HD August 29, September 5, 12, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: BARBARA H. DORGAN, Deceased Case No. 2018-1654 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 23rd day of August, 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. DEENA R. TYLER as Executrix under the last will and testament of BARBARA H. DORGAN, Deceased. Attorney of Record: DEENA R. TYLER Lagniappe HD August 29, September 5, 12, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JOYCE ANN TAYLOR Case No. 2018-1327 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 20th day of August, 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. PATRICIA JARVIS as Administratrix of the estate of JOYCE ANN TAYLOR, deceased. Attorney of Record: HENDRIK S. SNOW, Esq.
Lagniappe HD August 29, September 5, 12, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JAMES ALLEN HAVENS, Deceased Case No. 2018-1648 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 17th day of August, 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. BRIAN HAVENS as Executor under the last will and testament of JAMES ALLEN HAVENS, Deceased. Attorney of Record: R. MARK KIRKPATRICK Lagniappe HD August 29, September 5, 12, 2018
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF COMPLETION STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Robert J. Baggett, Inc., has completed the contract for Cooper Riverside Park – Floating Dock, PR-004-18, 1 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602. All persons having any claims for labor, material or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify the Architectural Engineering Department, City of Mobile, PO Box 1827, Mobile, Alabama 36633-1827. Robert J. Baggett, Inc. 759 Holcombe Avenue Mobile, AL 36606 Lagniappe HD August 29, September 5, 12, 19, 2018
NOTICE OF COMPLETION STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that J. Hunt Enterprises, General Contractors, LLC, has completed the contract: Taylor Park – Site Drainage Repairs & Walking Trail, PR-090-16, 1050 Baltimore Street, Mobile, Alabama 36605. All persons having any claim for labor, material or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify the Architectural Engineering Department, City of Mobile, PO Box 1827, Mobile, Alabama 36633-1827. J. Hunt Enterprises, General Contractors, LLC 4657 Gold Mine Rd. East, Mobile, AL 36619. Lagniappe HD August 15, 22, 29, September 5, 2018
NOTICE OF COMPLETION STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Marathon Electrical Contractors, Inc., has completed the contract for: Covered Outdoor Football Pavilion at the University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Godwin Mills and Cawood, Inc. 11 North Water St. Mobile, AL 36602 Marathon Electrical Contractors, Inc. 2830 Commerce Blvd. Irondale, AL 35210 Lagniappe HD August 15, 22, 29, September 5, 2018
NOTICE OF COMPLETION STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Double AA Construction Company, LLC has completed the contract for: Alabama Department of Corrections, Re-Roofing Mobile Work Release, 2423 East I-65 Service Road North, Prichard, Alabama 36610. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Godwin Mills and Cawood, Inc., 2660 EastChase Lane, Suite 200, Montgomery, AL 36117. Double AA Construction Company, LLC 8735 Lott Road Wilmer, AL 36587 Lagniappe HD August 15, 22, 29, September 5, 2018
NOTICE OF COMPLETION STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Double AA Construction Company, LLC has completed the contract for: Alabama Industrial Development Training, Maritime Training Center Water Intrusion Repair, 360 Addsco Road, Mobile, Alabama 36602. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should
immediately notify Godwin Mills and Cawood, Inc., 2701 1st Street South, Suite 100, Birmingham, Alabama 35233. Double AA Construction Company, LLC 8735 Lott Road Wilmer, AL 36587 Lagniappe HD August 15, 22, 29, September 5, 2018
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Mobile City Planning Commission proposes to consider an amendment to the Subdivision Regulations to amend the Subdivision Jurisdiction to the City of Mobile corporate limits. The adoption of said amendment will be considered by the Mobile City Planning commission in the Auditorium of the Mobile Government Plaza, Located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama, on the 6th day of September 2018, at 2:00 PM. Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 111 Levert Avenue (West side of Levert Avenue, 40’± South of Deleon Avenue) for a Swimming Pool Setback Variance to allow a 6’-deep swimming pool to be constructed 5.5’ from a rear property line in an R-1, Single-Family Residential District; the Zoning Ordinance requires swimming pools be constructed a distance equal to at least one (1) foot greater than the maximum depth of the swimming pool from any side or rear property line in an R-1, Single-Family Residential 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 820 Ingleside Drive West (East side of Ingleside Drive West, 125’± South of Parkwood Drive West) for a Side Yard Setback Variance to allow the construction of a shed and a garage within 6.8’ and 7.7’, respectively, of a side property line in an R-1, Single-Family Residential District; the Zoning Ordinance requires all structures over 3’ tall to be constructed a minimum of 8’ from a side property line in an R-1, Single-Family Residential 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 205 Congress Street (South side of Congress Street, 100’± West of North Conception Street) for a Use Variance to allow a bar/café with an occupancy load over 100 people in a T-4 Sub-District of the Downtown Development District; the Zoning Ordinance does not allow bars/cafes 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 901 East I-65 Service Road South (East side of I-65 Service Road South, 900’± South of Airport Boulevard) for a Sign Variance to amend a previouslyapproved Sign Variance to allow three (3) wall signs, for a total of five (5) signs, on a single tenant site in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance allows
a total of three (3) signs for a single business 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 2500 Burden Lane (West terminus of Burden Lane) for a Surfacing Variance to allow aggregate surfacing for an access road and parking lot for a proposed telecommunications tower in an I-1, Light Industry District; the Zoning Ordinance requires all roads and parking areas to be surfaced in asphalt, concrete, or an approved alternative paving surface in an I-1, Light Industry 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 363 Rapier Avenue (Northeast corner of Rapier Avenue and Texas Street) for a Use Variance to allow a duplex in an R-1, Single-Family Residential District; the Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum R-2, Two-Family Residence District, for duplexes. 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 911 Government Street (South side of Government Street, 150’± East of Marine Street) for a Tree Planting, Landscape Area, and Access and Maneuvering Variances to allow no tree plantings, reduced landscape area, and substandard access and maneuvering for a proposed mixed-use occupancy in an R-B, Residence-Business District; the Zoning Ordinance requires full compliance with tree planting and landscape area requirements, and 24’-wide driveways and access aisles for two-way traffic in an R-B, Residence-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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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 September 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 221 South Dearborn Street (Northeast corner of South Dearborn Street and Canal Street Service Road) for a Site and Setback Variances to allow a third building within the required secondary frontage setback on a residential lot in a T-3 Sub-District of the Downtown Development District; the Zoning Ordinance allows a maximum of two (2) buildings per lot with outbuildings no closer to the secondary frontage than the rear of the façade of the primary building in a T-3 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 17th day of August, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
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LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com ABANDONED VEHICLES NOTICE OF SALE The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1732 Colonial Lane E., Mobile, AL 36618. 1995 Ford Crown Vic 2FALP73W6SX134202
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 6502 Barker Dr N., Mobile, AL 36608.
not claimed - at 9500 Oak Farms Lane S, Lot D.,Irvington, AL 36544. 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada 1GHDT13W5Y2220078
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 620 Bay Bridge Rd., Prichard, AL 36610. 2007 Honda VTX1300 1HFSC52697A405380
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
2008 Chevrolet Avalanche 3GNEC12078G268557
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 7960 Two Mile Rd., Irvington, AL 36544.
2012 Honda Accord 1HGCP2E73CA140098
2001 Honda Civic 1HGES26731L071176
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 534 South Richie St., Axis, AL 36505. 2012 Honda Accord 1HGCP2F85CA118224
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 201 Spring Run Dr., Apt 6, Fairhope, AL 36532. 2000 Ford Mustang 1FAFP4040YF284275
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 15510 Dogwood Rd., Bay Minette, AL 36507. 2006 Gulf Stream Fema Trailer 1NL1GTR2861037607
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 28, 2018 - Time -12pm, if
2011 Ford Fusion 3FAHP0HA3BR117835
Lagniappe HD August 22, 29, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on September 21, 2018 – Time -8am, if not claimed – at 2495 Osage Street, Mobile, Alabama 36617. 2015 Chevrolet Malibu 1G11D5SL6FF209755 Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 05, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 2852 Frederick St., Mobile, AL 36607. 1996 Honda Accord 1HGCD5657TA152407
Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 05, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 7311 Airport Blvd., Mobile, AL 36608. 2006 Ford F250 1FTSW20P36ED55031 Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
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The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 05, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 5052 Druid Dr S., Mobile, AL 36618. 2001 Honda Accord 1HGCG22531A034914
Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 05, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 7960 Two Mile Rd., Irvington, AL 36544. 2012 Chevrolet Cruze 1G1PC5SHXC7226749 2016 Toyota Tundra 5TFHW5F10GX570953
Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 05, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 1404 West Forest Ridge Rd., Mobile, AL 36618. 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1GCFC29U0YE329850
Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 05, 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 3351 Dauphin Island Parkway, Mobile, AL 36605. 2005 Nissan Murano JN8AZ08T25W303010 2004 Toyota Tundra 5TBET34184S461864
Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
These abandoned vehicles will be sold on 10/04/2018 at 5781 Three Notch Rd. Mobile, AL 36619 at 9am if not redeemed before then. FORD 1FTPW14545FB03726 CHEV KL8CD6S97DC502761 HYUN 5NPET46C97H194837
Lagniappe HD August 29, Sept. 5, 2018
F U T U R E S H O C K
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