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LAGNIAPPE
SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 - SEPTEMBER 25, 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
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BAY BRIEFS
As revelations about a hacking incident are uncovered at the Mobile Housing Board, commissioners sent its new executive director to a predisciplinary hearing.
COMMENTARY
The Catholic church needs to head to its own confessional before faith can be restored.
BUSINESS
Shoe Station will expand its location at the Eastern Shore Centre in Spanish Fort to become the largest shoe retailer in Baldwin County.
CUISINE
IIf you have problems with self-control, stay away from the the Ruby Slipper Café.
COVER
25 years after Amtrak’s most deadly accident, survivors and first responders reflect on the Sunset Limited.
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 DAVID GRAYSON Advertising Sales Executive david@lagniappemobile.com STAN ANDERSON Distribution Manager delivery@lagniappemobile.com JACKIE CRUTHIRDS Office Manager legals@lagniappemobile.com CONTRIBUTORS: J. Mark Bryant, Asia Frey, Brian Holbert, Randy Kennedy, Hannah Legg, John Mullen, Jeff Poor, Marguerite Powers, Ken Robinson, Ron Sivak ON THE COVER: SUNSET LIMITED COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 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.
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ARTS
A Notre Dame art history scholar conducts a Rembrandt survey at Spring Hill College.
MUSIC
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New Orleans singer-songwriter Mia Borders talks about taking control of the production of her new album, “Fever Dreams.”
FILM
“Juliet, Naked” is an utterly delightful film, nicely tempered with the realities of growing older.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The Baldwin County Fair, Kids Fishing Day at Weeks Bay, Mobile Fashion Week, Jubilee Festival of the Arts, The Throwdown and more in this week’s Calendar of Events!
MEDIA
Tariff continues to inflate print prices for newspapers, despite being rescinded.
SPORTS
Festivities related to the inaugural Gulf Coast Challenge, a game between Alabama A&M and Southern University, begin Wednesday and conclude with the matchup at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Saturday.
BOOZIE
Caskets for sale and a new addition to the Lagniappe family.
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GOING POSTAL Pick-and-choose preacher Editor: In regard to last week’s Drag Queen Story Hour at the Mobile Public Library, the issue was what was appropriate for children. The issue is not intolerance or exclusion. Some things are just not appropriate for young children. In regard to teachings of Jesus that Rev. Sara Sills says they teach at her church, Jesus himself was narrow-minded. Jesus makes it clear that salvation is available to all persons and he died for all persons to have a relationship with God. However, Jesus is holy, and he himself said only those that believe in him and come through him can have eternal life. His teachings make it clear that not all will believe nor choose him. Therefore some are left out. He makes it available to all but not all choose his way. He even describes the way to heaven as a narrow way. While yes, God is love, but he is also holy and just. Jesus’ teachings support this. Just like the gays, lesbians, LGBTQ community want to be accepted for who they are, they should in turn accept God for who he is, much more than only love. He is holy, holy, holy, the lord God almighty. Rev. Sills claims Christians pick and choose where they welcome another. I think Rev. Sills is picking and choosing which parts of God she likes and which teachings of Jesus appeal to her. She is missing out. S. Byrd, Mobile
Catholic Church needs to restructure Editor: Regarding your story about the Mobile Archdiocese (“Details of local abuse in Catholic Church remain guarded,” Sept. 12), it is sad and hard to deny the clergy and bishops of the Catholic Church has a systemic problem. The sexual deviance and cover-up has reached the Vatican, which may result in the resignation of the Pope. This is not the church I was raised to love. The cover-up by the bishops and maybe the Pope is an obstruction of justice that I thought I would never see. The church’s form of government is a Middle Age system, effective in its time in bringing stability to Europe. It is now archaic. The best system in the 21st century is a representative democracy. The church must move to it if it wants to regain the trust of its laity.
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How will it work? The apostles turned the temporal governing over to the community. I have more than small confidence that spirit-filled laymen and women can govern and bring back the trust of the people of the church. The governing board will be selected from elected men and women of each parish. There needs to be gender proportion — at least four women on a nine-member board. The board would have authority over all temporal issues including personnel. That would include the assigning, promotion, discipline and retirement of priests. The church that I love is dying. We do not trust the bishops. A lay board of spirit filled men and women, they I would trust if elected by the people of the church. John Daigle, Mobile
Speaking the truth Ashley: I just read the Aug. 22 Hidden Agenda (“Inside Mobile’s mind’s eye”). I loved it and laughed so hard! So much truth in that piece. My compliments on it and gratitude for it. Thanks from a Mobilian in exile for most of the last 19 years for a great paper to read about Mobile. Frank Biggs
Get off the fence
Ashley: After reading your editorial (Hidden Agenda, Aug. 29, “What a drag”) concerning this topic, my one-word comment is ... “Really?” My four-word comment is … “That’s all you’ve got?” My six-word comment is ... “You should have saved your ‘breath.” My eight-word comment is … “I shouldn’t have wasted my time reading it!” My 10-word comment is … “Stop being wishy-washy; take one side or the other!” Either this is good for children, or it isn’t. You rode the fence so tightly, you MUST have spiky chain-link fence holes all over the back of the legs and buttocks of your jeans! I expected more from you. Joy Burge, Mobile
BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
Honeymoon’s over
MHB PLACES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE
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BY DALE LIESCH
Photo | Submitted
he Mobile Housing Board of Commissioners (MHB) voted Tuesday, Sept. 11, to send Executive Director Akinola Popoola to a predisciplinary hearing for an unknown reason. The hearing has not yet been scheduled. The vote came after a short executive session. The board did not elaborate on its action during the meeting and Popoola had no comment about the matter. Board Chairwoman Kimberly Pettway confirmed Popoola had been placed on paid administrative leave. Popoola was hired last October to replace Dwayne Vaughn, who resigned on Feb. 28, 2017. The board has also asked the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to come to Mobile to perform a technical review. Sources have said the request was in the works before the issue with Popoola emerged. According to a memorandum obtained by Lagniappe, HUD has authorized Econometrica to provide “direct technical assistance” to the board and its employees. The memo lists a number of dates for assessments and other “on-site” visits. The dates are Sept. 24 to Oct. 3, Oct. 29 to Nov. 16, Nov. 26 to Dec. 14, 2018, and Jan. 7 to Jan. 25, 2019, according to the memo. Popoola, who came to Mobile from the Opelika Housing Authority, is currently involved in a lawsuit with his former employer over 1,706 hours of unused sick time he claims he’s owed after signing a contract extension in late 2016. Popoola believes he is owed $108,208.53, according to the complaint filed in Lee County on Aug. 23. Blake Oliver, an attorney representing Popoola in the suit, argues the contract stipulates Popoola is owed any unused sick time. Oliver said the suit speaks for itself.
According to sources, Mobile Housing Board Executive Director Akinola Popoola will face a pre-disciplinary hearing for undisclosed reasons.
Popoola claims breach of contract and asks the court to award the defendant “an amount to be determined by this court, including compensatory damages, together with interest, costs of this action and attorney’s fees.” In a letter to Popoola addressing the unused sick time, Jennifer Chambliss, an attorney for the Opelika Housing Authority (OHA) board, wrote that the unpaid sick-time clause in the contract applies to termination and not if Popoola resigns or simply quits. “Since your contract does not address unused sick leave at your resignation, I turn to and rely upon the employee handbook … ,” she wrote. “Because you have not been an employee with 25 years of service to OHA and [the Retirement Services of Alabama], you are not eligible to receive monetary compensation for your unused sick time.”
BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
Gone phishing
FORMER MHB STAFFER TARGET OF $485,000 EMAIL SCAM
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BY DALE LIESCH
he Mobile Housing Board of Commissioners (MHB) dealt with a cybersecurity breach earlier this year, a city spokesman has confirmed. The breach involved a “senior staff member” and a “significant financial transaction,” George Talbot said in a phone interview Monday, Sept. 17. “The mayor was made aware of the breach,” Talbot said. “He engaged with the leadership of the organization, but determined it was a matter for the board to resolve.” Sources with knowledge of the situation said the email of former MHB Chief Financial Officer Lori Shackelford was hacked in early spring. Hackers apparently intercepted emails between Shackelford and a contractor tasked with the demolition of Roger Williams Homes, the sources said. The hackers then used that information to send Shackelford an email requesting payment of $485,000. Sources confirmed the amount was mistakenly paid to the hackers. Shackelford, who retired earlier this summer, could not be reached for comment for this story. Calls to a phone number believed to be hers were not returned by press time. Shack-
elford did not respond to a Facebook message seeking comment. Shackelford, a longtime employee of the board, took over as interim executive director in early 2017 when former Executive Director Dwayne Vaughn resigned. She stayed in the position until Akinola Popoola was hired to replace Vaughn late last year. Although sources have told Lagniappe the FBI is working the case, it’s unclear if an investigation is ongoing. A spokesman for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development declined to comment on the issue. Such attacks are not unique to MHB. In February 2017, a number of employees at the Alabama State Port Authority had their tax information compromised due to a spearphishing attack. The attack targeted an ASPA employee who had access to employees’ W-2 information, according to a previous Lagniappe report. The FBI defines spear phishing as a method of cyberattack using doctored emails that appear to be from a trusted source in an attempt to obtain otherwise protected or personal information. S e p t e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 - S e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 5
BAYBRIEF | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Expanding concerns
BAYKEEPER: CHANNEL ASSESSMENT ‘INCOMPLETE,’ ‘INADEQUATE’ BY JASON JOHNSON
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he idea of expanding the Mobile shipping channel is gaining support among elected officials despite a number of concerns raised by coastal residents and local environmental groups. This week the Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District stopped taking public comments on the draft version of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that is part of an ongoing larger re-evaluation of the Mobile Harbor. That study is being conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility and environmental impact of deepening and widening Mobile’s shipping channel. The tentatively selected plan would deepen the 36-mile channel to an overall depth of 50 feet and widen a three-mile stretch in the lower part of the bay, among other expansions. As forecast today, the price tag of more than $387 million would be split between the state and federal governments, but the Corps projects the expanded channel to generate annual net benefits of $34 million over a 50-year point after its completion. When the report is finalized in late 2019, it will go before Congress for funding consideration, though Alabama’s congressional delegation has already submitted a joint letter of support for the project. Local and state leaders are already getting behind the project as well. The Mobile Harbor is estimated to have a “$22.4 billion per year” statewide economic impact, and the Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into its infrastructure in recent years. However, a number of coastal homeowners and environmental groups aren’t quite sold. While many support the idea of some kind of harbor
expansion, a number of concerns have been raised about the study, which concludes the proposed expansion would cause “no major impacts” or “loss of resources.” Casi Callaway, executive director of Mobile Baykeeper, says she doesn’t see how that’s possible for such an expansive and invasive project in the middle of a sensitive ecosystem. “You’re not just deepening, you’re going into virgin territory that’s never been trenched before,” Callaway said. “It’s the very first time sunlight will ever see this bottom area, and then you’re widening it for three miles. There just isn’t any possibility of this having zero impacts.” In its written comments to the Corps, Baykeeper noted the tentative proposal would make this “the only channel expansion project of similar size in the country that has not identified any impacts or mitigation through its environmental impact statement.” Callaway also pointed out that finding no impacts means neither the Corps nor the ASPA would have to include mitigation efforts to offset those impacts in the final project — setting it apart from other recent harbor projects in the Southeast. For example, an expansion of the Charleston, South Carolina, harbor overseen by the Corps in 2017 was initially projected to affect 324 acres of wetlands. As a result, the the South Carolina Ports Authority pledged $25 million toward preserving 665 acres of wetlands and other mitigation efforts. Asked about impacts in other harbors, an email from the Corps said “every system is different” and went on to reiterate that the modeling used in the SEIS indicates
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“minimal changes” to water quality and aquatic resources would occur from the proposed channel expansion. “This is likely because Mobile Bay is a dynamic environment that naturally experiences significant natural [shifts] in things like salinity and dissolved oxygen,” it reads. “As a result, the aquatic resources are already acclimated to large shifts in water quality due to natural factors.” However, it’s not just the rosy outlook that has the local environmental community worried. Laura Jackson, a program and grant coordinator for Baykeeper, has been reviewing the draft SEIS since it was published in July, and she believes many parts of it are “inadequate.” “Even though it’s 4,000 pages, a lot of that is background. It sounds like a lot, but that doesn’t mean it is,” she added. “There’s a lot of data gaps, missing information and other issues.” One specifically was the draft SEIS using a single year (2010) as the “basis of a number of environmental impact analyses” to determine how the project might affect water quality and sediment transport during the dredging of the channel. The SEIS indicates 2010 is an average year for those areas, but Baykeeper has suggested it would be more beneficial and accurate to use “a three-year simulation” for that type of modeling to ensure varied conditions such as prolonged drought are accounted for. Callaway said a prolonged drought after the channel is deepened could likely mean greater saltwater intrusion into the bay — impacting seagrasses, fish communities and an oyster population that has been in a historic slump for the past decade. In its official public comments to the Corps, Baykeeper also warns if its concerns with the current evaluation of the proposed project aren’t addressed, “there will be legal ramifications.” “Our goal is not to stop this project, it’s to ensure that every project we do in coastal Alabama must incorporate the true impacts on the environment, the community and our economy — not one versus the other,” Callaway said. “This study falls short of ensuring those are all protected.” Despite the concerns, the Corps is standing by the evaluation procedures it used over the past two years as part of the ongoing harbor evaluation. It noted that once completed, the evaluation will have been reviewed by the the public, Corps reviewers outside of the Mobile District and independent peers in the applicable scientific communities. The harbor evaluation will also be subjected to a legal and policy review on the federal level and, according to the Corps, all models used in the SEIS had to be pre-approved by the National Ecosystem Restoration Planning Center of Expertise.
BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY
Tax talk
PUBLIC MEETINGS CONCLUDE ON SPANISH FORT SCHOOL TAX DISTRICT BY JOHN MULLEN
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ayor Mike McMillan’s not sure how everything will shake out in the effort to create a special tax district for schools in the Spanish Fort feeder pattern, but with all three public meetings behind them, it’s time to make some decisions. “We had a third one [Sept. 17] and after that the council [will] weigh all the comments, suggestions, all those things, and make a determination on how we want to proceed from there,” McMillan said. “Nothing’s been done at this point other than we’re listening to the public trying to get input from them. We’ve discussed as a council how would we go and what we would request. We talked about potential school board, how you’d set up a board to oversee the spending, but nothing’s set in concrete at this point.” The meetings were to discuss the effort to have a vote on a 3 mill property tax in the feeder pattern that would be spent only on enhancements for those four schools. The four schools are Spanish Fort High School, Spanish Fort Middle, Spanish Fort Elementary and Rockwell Elementary. Included in the district are Spanish Fort as well as parts of the cities of Daphne and Loxley and some neighborhoods in unincorporated areas of the county. McMillan said the three meetings were necessary to make sure everyone from across the district can express their concerns and ideas. “That’s above and beyond what’s normally done with our third public hearing and go from there with the plan,” McMillan said, adding the
council will work to formulate a clear plan of action before asking for the referendum. “You cannot ask for a referendum unless you have a complete program and your hands around the program about how it’s going to be. For example, how and who would be on this appointed school board? Who would make the appointments? “You have to answer all those questions because you don’t want gray area in any kind of referendum. It needs to be spelled out in black and white 100 percent.” McMillan said the earliest the City Council could be ready to present any plan would be at its Oct. 1 meeting, with the vote possibly in spring 2019. If passed, the 3 mills would raise $750,000 annually to be spent in the school district. A local board would be formed to make recommendations on where the money would be spent, McMillan said. “The council is very emphatic that it would be strictly for academic and arts enhancement, nonathletic,” McMillan said. “Strictly going to all four schools within our feeder pattern.” No district in Baldwin County has yet voted on a similar tax but both Daphne and Fairhope have explored the idea. Gulf Shores came the closest to getting a vote but that effort eventually stalled when the local group and county officials couldn’t agree on control of how the money would be used. Gulf Shores eventually decided to start its own school system.
BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY
Financial boom
FOLEY RETAIL TO GET FURTHER BOOST WITH PUBLIX, OTHER NEW STORES
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BY JOHN MULLEN
aldwin County is growing by leaps and bounds, with new subdivisions sprouting around Fairhope and Daphne, apartment complexes in Foley and new condo high rises and townhome developments on the drawing board at the beach. In Foley, it goes hand in hand with a retail market that has exploded in the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down. A new Publix is underway now on State Route 59 next to a new shopping center with a Ross Dress for Less and an Academy Sports. “The Publix is big for us, then Marshall’s is coming, Five Below discount store, Buffalo Wild Wings is coming,” Mayor John Conyers said. “Any number of retail is coming in that development next to Academy Sports. [Phillip] Burton is the developer and he’s been very successful in getting that area filled out.” Other new retail heading to Foley includes Ulta Cosmetics, TJ Maxx Home Goods and Trattoria Pizza & Italian, just opened at OWA. In recent years, besides Ross and Academy, Shoe Station, Hobby Lobby, Panda Express and Whataburger have been added, among others. “Whataburger, I think we were the secondor third-biggest opening they’ve had in their 700-store chain,” Conyers said. “I remember Whataburger — the lines were so long. A deputy sheriff got off at 2 o’clock in the morning went by there and there was still a line. Whataburger’s been a big hit. Panda Express, on the opening day they ran out of food.” The growth, Conyers said, is a double-edged sword.
“I was speaking to the Foley Women’s Club and told them I had good news and bad news,” Conyers said. “The good news is we’re growing. The bad news is we’re growing. It’s puts a lot of pressure on infrastructure and so on. There are pluses and minuses to that. It’s a better problem to have than the latter, or to not have anything going on.” A big plus is the financial side, with sales tax collection up 30 percent in the city in the past few years and increasing every year, Conyers said. “It’s been very good for us and we’re generating $25 million or $26 million in sales taxes annually now,” Conyers said. “Our budget is about $41 million or $42 million, so you can see it’s a pretty big contributor to the overall budget.” A downside is not having enough housing, but that is expanding as well. At least three apartment complexes currently are under construction in Foley. In fiscal year 2016-17, 267 homes, duplexes or multifamily housing units were permitted in Foley. The city has permitted 683 topped by 410 new apartment units in fiscal year 2017-18. Conyers said he expects the growth to continue and that all the activity is the culmination of years of work cultivating relationships with new retailers at trade shows. Three big factors have come together to spawn the retail boom. “It’s been a one-two-three punch: OWA, Tanger and sports tourism,” he said. “ … that puts heads in beds with the lodging tax. It also generates restaurant business with sales tax. Tanger benefits from it also because the ballfields are literally almost across the street from Tanger.” S e p t e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 - S e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 7
BAYBRIEF | GULF COAST
Oil royalties
HOUSE BILL WOULD INCREASE GOMESA FUNDING, EASE RESTRICTIONS BY JASON JOHNSON
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ongressman Bradley Byrne has thrown support behind a bill that would bring more offshore oil royalties to coastal Alabama and expand the types of projects those funds can pay for. The Domestic Offshore Energy Reinvestment Act of 2018 was previously introduced by Rep. Garret Graves (RLouisiana) and approved by the House Natural Resources Committee during a markup session on several pending bills last week. In short, Graves’ bill would amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) to increase the percentage of federal oil and gas revenues made available to the Gulf states and the political subdivisions along their respective shorelines. After a moratorium on new oil exploration was lifted in 2006, GOMESA was passed to prevent overharvesting and create the revenue-sharing program that has generated millions of dollars for coastal communities every year and is expected to keep growing. Alabama collected $21 million through GOMESA in 2018 alone, while Baldwin County saw $2.4 million and Mobile County received $2.8 million. The original legislation dictates the lion’s share of the local funding — around 80 percent — goes directly to the state government. Though nothing has come of it, President Donald Trump entertained the idea of ending GOMESA last year, but Byrne and other coastal lawmakers defended the program because of its benefits to coastal communities most imperiled by nearshore oil production. Money from the program helps to mitigate the risk to Gulf states due to the possibility of oil spills. “Money from the GOMESA program is critical to coastal Alabama and allows for important infrastructure, coastal restoration, flood mitigation and other projects,” Byrne said
in a written statement. “I am committed to working with my Gulf Coast colleagues to get this bill across the finish line and support our coastal communities.” The increase in local GOMESA funding at the heart of Graves’ bill is based on a simple change in percentages. Currently, 50 percent of GOMESA revenues go to the federal government and 37.5 percent is shared among Gulf states. Graves’ proposal would simply swap those numbers, while continuing to set aside the remaining 12.5 percent for a Land and Water Conservation Fund. Byrne said the change would bring Gulf states in line with revenues landlocked states receive for their energy production. The bill would also remove the $500 million revenue-sharing cap the original GOMESA legislation self-imposed through the year 2055. As Lagniappe previously reported, Mobile and Baldwin counties have seen increased revenues in recent years. Eddie Kerr, who works with the Mobile County Environmental Department, said revenues have more than doubled since the second phase of GOMESA began in 2017. Those annual revenues are expected to stay at around $3 million through at least 2020, but Kerr told Lagniappe this week that could be closer to $4 million if Graves’ bill were to become law and $6 million if revenues were to actually hit the $500 million cap set back in 2006. “It’s not outside reasonable thought to think we could reach the cap one day, it’s just the current market isn’t there yet,” he added. “If the cap were lifted, we could go up to almost $8 million.” Asked specifically about the proposals in the bill, Kerr said “anything that increases the amount of funding for Mobile County is interesting,” adding the county “needs to understand this process and the motivation behind this bill to see how we can take advantage of it.”
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While the county gets to decide how its GOMESA dollars are spent, the original legislation limits their authorized uses to environmentally focused efforts including land conservation, hurricane preparedness projects and coastal protection, among others. However, one provision in Graves’ bill could broaden the scope of those limitations by allowing GOMESA funds to be used for “planning, engineering, design, construction, operations and maintenance of one or more projects that are specifically authorized by any other Act for ecosystem restoration, hurricane protection or flood damage prevention.” One existing act specifically authorizing “ecosystem restoration” projects is the RESTORE Act. While it was passed to help the Gulf recover from BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the RESTORE Act includes funding streams that allow for economic development, infrastructure and tourism projects. As written, Graves’ amendment seems to allow GOMESA funds to go toward projects submitted through the RESTORE Act, including those that might be outside its original authorized uses. Byrne’s office did not immediately respond to emails seeking clarification on this specific provision, but he has previously floated the idea of using GOMESA funds for larger infrastructure projects. In a 2015 speech before the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, he suggested state oil revenues could help pay for the $2 billion Interstate 10 Mobile River bridge project. While it’s unclear what the state of Alabama might do with its GOMESA dollars, the Mobile County Commission asked its staff to put together a structured plan. Kerr said that’s nearly completed and could be presented to commissioners for approval as early as next week. “The plan details what projects we’ll be going after using the next three years of funding,” he said. “We’ve used these plans with previous programs, so we seen the benefit of having a plan to keep the process moving forward and to define what the process actually is.” Tina Sanchez, who also works in the county’s environmental department, declined to discuss the specific priorities of the plan because it isn’t yet finalized. However, she did say some could be similar to initiatives the county funded through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP). Through CIAP, which also utilizes funding generated from oil royalties, the county was able to purchase and preserve more than 600 acres of wetlands and floodplains throughout the area and construct the Mobile County Recycling Center off Hitt Road in West Mobile. “The county had a robust program, and we’re building on that experience from CIAP,” Sanchez said. “We’re also looking at the types of projects that are included in the RESTORE Act plan to see how we might can complement those.”
BAYBRIEF | FAIRHOPE
Old school
FAIRHOPE ENTERS INTO PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR FORMER K-1 CENTER BY GABRIEL TYNES repairs to the aging and stressed sewer infrastructure. “When the K-1 Center shut down, it was almost like the downtown economy shut down,” she said of the effects of the school board shuttering the school in 2011. Wilson owns Page & Palette bookstore two blocks away. “I’m a proponent of [the Fairhope Educational Enrichment Foundation, or FEEF] and as an entrepreneur I support Hatch and similar efforts, but I also support an economic impact that will not drain our coffers,” she said. According to council and public comments, FEEF has expressed interest in using the property’s four outbuildings to create a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) center. Kacie Hardman, director of the Pelican’s Nest science lab that is also on the property, said STEAM “is the gap that has been missing in our education system” and a STEAM center “will give [students] ownership to how they fit into this world.” Rebecca Dunn Bryant, an architect who has served on the FEEF advisory board, suggested the project not “focus on the max return” and instead consider it an investment in quality of life. “This is a shared community space that reflects community values,” Bryant said. Councilman Jay Robinson conceded “there has been no plan established for what this use will be,” but said he was committed to the educational element. Burrell admitted the grant would likely not be enough to create a performing arts center, but he also envisioned bringing Coastal Alabama Community College to the campus, as well as FEEF and a solar farm to partially power the property. “The Hatch grant will cover the purchase and renovation,” he said, but if the city has to contribute more than
Photo | Lagniappe
The Fairhope City Council voted Sept. 5 to enter into a purchase agreement with the Baldwin County Board of Education for three parcels of property — including the landmark former K-1 Center in downtown — for a price of $4 million. Other parcels include the K-1 Center’s playground and the property encompassing the Nix Center on Bayou Drive, land the city currently leases from the school board. According to the agreement, $2.5 million is due at closing before Dec. 31 and the balance will be paid in five $300,000 annual installments. Neither funding nor uses for the proposed purchase have been finalized, but last month the city applied for a $6.1 million grant from the Economic Development Administration which, if approved, would require a $1.22 million local match. The grant would be used for the purchase and renovation of the property, but would require that a nonprofit job creator — in this case Hatch Fairhope, a business incubator initiative of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (EDA) — be the primary tenant of the building. The City Council heard from several people who are in favor of the plan provided portions of the property also maintain a “public use,” such as an education center or performing arts venue. The land purchase contract approved does include a reversion clause that the property be used for a “public purpose” for a period of 15 years. Mayor Karin Wilson, who did not have a vote in the matter, urged the council to delay the vote and explore the “endless possibilities” with purchasing and leasing the property. If the grant is not approved, she cautioned, money will likely have to be transferred from utilities revenue, preventing the city from making much-needed
The Fairhope K-1 Center has been vacant since 2011. The city of Fairhope has entered into a $4 million purchase agreement with the Baldwin County Board of Education for the building and three parcels of property. the $1.22 million, “we’re doing pretty well financially right now.” The council initially authorized Burrell to negotiate the purchase in February. He said discussions were slow because all parcels were encumbered by vague titles and deeds. When the council recently learned there was a competing, private purchase offer for the property, they scheduled a special meeting to enter into the purchase agreement. Fairhope resident Dean Mosher said he drafted a counteroffer with Michael Mauron of Birmingham-based Capstone Development Partners. Mosher said Mauron offered to purchase the property outright and lease it back to the city, as well as build a boutique hotel and paid-parking lot, both of which could be a boon for the city’s budget. But Lee Lawson, president and CEO of the EDA, provided an economic impact analysis from The University of Alabama suggesting in the next five years, Hatch would provide “266 new and indirect jobs with an estimated payroll of $16.8 million and total sales/output revenue for Fairhope of $33.65 million.” The city must also pay $50,000 for environmental remediation of a former fuel farm on the property. Gasoline tanks once used to fuel buses are still buried underground and must be removed. The Baldwin County Board of Education has yet to approve or sign the agreement.
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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
A new vision
CHANGES SUGGESTED FOR CITY’S CENTER BY DALE LIESCH
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hether it’s enjoying daily live music in a bay-cooled breeze or with a glass of wine overlooking the city’s working waterfront, Visit Mobile President and CEO David Clark sees potential in downtown’s Cooper Riverside Park. Clark’s vision for the “underutilized” park was buoyed earlier this month by the opening of the city’s new floating dock on the Mobile River. The dock will allow commercially licensed boats to pick up passengers for tours and other trips. One beneficiary is WildNative Tours, which will offer passengers one- and two-hour tours of the port and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta on weekends starting Friday, Oct. 12, Capt. Michael Dorie said. WildNative will continue to load passengers at Five Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort during the week, but Dorie said the weekend tours would highlight the history of the port, the harbor and the delta. Clark said the opening of the floating dock fits perfectly with his vision of downtown Mobile. WildNative would be the first of many experience options for the area, he said, that could help bring it more in line with such destinations as San Francisco or Savannah. “This is exciting for downtown,” he said. “My vision is for a really, really active waterfront.” This could be the first of many additions to help improve waterfront access and visitor experiences at the park, Clark said, with the goal of increasing leisure travel to the Port City. “We’ve been in collaboration with the city for about a year,” he said. “Ever since I’ve been here, we’ve been try-
ing to improve on our image for leisure travel. If you look at cities in the United States, most use rivers or waterfronts for leisure.” Cooper Riverside Park, he said, is the perfect location for tourism growth. Clark said 100,000 vehicles pass by every day on Interstate 10 and Water Street, and 190,000 cruise passengers per year flock to the area to board the Carnival Fantasy. Clark sees a positive move in the direction of leisure travel for Mobile and growth in that area with a few more additions. He said food and beverage options could be expanded outside of GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, with high tables overlooking port traffic. “Why not have a food and beverage opportunity on the patio at the park? Clark asked. “How cool would it be to have water or a glass of wine, and watch the freighters in the harbor?” Clark also imagines the possibility for daily live music from local artists, or vendor markets on the weekends. “The opportunities are endless,” he said. To help aid Clark’s vision, the city still has designs on reducing the number of lanes along Water Street and adding a larger median to help make it safer for pedestrians. Striping has already begun.
Walkability
The city has some work to do if it wants to become a more pedestrian-friendly city, Downtown Mobile Alliance President and CEO Elizabeth Stevens told attendees at the organization’s annual luncheon Friday, Sept. 15.
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Stevens said city planners in the 1970s focused on making the downtown area more car friendly, sending the area on a “downward spiral.” “What we forgot in our rush to accommodate cars is that a well-designed city increases the opportunity for human interaction,” she said. “It leads to more meaningful human interactions.” She said studies have shown that gross domestic product increases as a city’s density increases. While recent efforts by the city and the organization have had a positive impact in the form of 4 percent growth in downtown population from 2000 to 2010, Stevens hopes the upward trajectory can continue with ongoing changes. “We expect to see growth of 70 percent between the 2010 and 2020 censuses,” she said. Some areas of improvement include more walkable streetscapes, encouraging pedestrian uses over vehicle use. There should be an increase in residential housing options as well as more access to the waterfront. Urban planner Jeff Speck agrees the city could make changes to attract more visitors and residents downtown. “There are things that are about to be built wrong,” he said. “They’ll just encourage more driving.” One of the changes Speck suggests is be to reduce the number of lanes on some of the streets. More lanes and wider streets encourage drivers to speed, he said. On average, a two-lane road can handle 10,000 vehicles per day. The only streets downtown with more than 4,000 vehicles per day are Government and Broad streets, Speck said. Yet, he added, a number of streets have more than two lanes. Springhill Avenue, Speck said, could “easily be two lanes.” Canal Street, Speck said, would benefit from a reduction of lanes. If funding is an issue, simply restriping the street could benefit pedestrians. The addition of parallel parking encourages drivers to slow down and more pedestrians to use the sidewalks, Speck said. Narrower streets could also give opportunities for bike lanes or more parallel parking. Speck also suggested the planting of “street trees” as a way to make downtown more pedestrian friendly. He encouraged the city to look at planting more live oaks. “I love your trees,” he said. “Plant big trees. Streets with trees are safer.” Editor’s note: According to ALDOT, the average daily traffic on I-10 was around 76,000 vehicles in 2017, not 100,000. Traffic counts for Springhill Avenue west of Broad Street were similar to those of Government Street. Traffic counts downtown were not immediately available and the cruise passenger numbers could not be confirmed by press time.
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COMMENTARY | DAMN THE TORPEDOES
Confession is good for the Church ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
to acknowledging the failings of its priests and blaming of victims. “If I were investigating this from scratch, I would want to know something of what the 14-year-old brought to the situation prior to that,” Lipscomb said. “Is he totally innocent, unspoiled and pure, or is he somebody who in his own way may have invited or even initiated these kind of … I would not know those things until I knew more of the characteristics.” Mobile’s current Archbishop Thomas Rodi offered assurances the diocese is adhering to measures introduced in 2002, but offered little indication there would be any look back at what happened locally over the past 50 years. And in an interview with Lagniappe last week, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall firmly passed the buck on any possible efforts to join the states seeking answers, throwing investigative responsibility off on District Attorney Ashley Rich. One of the Catholic rites I never fell in love with was confession. It never made sense why I needed to tell the priest my sins before I asked God for forgiveness. So I understand the uncomfortable nature of confession. But it’s hard not to see the irony of a Church that places so much emphasis on confession for its adherents not being willing to confess its own sins. The Catholic Church is engulfed in a crisis of conscience, and its followers in a crisis of faith. Personally, it’s very hard to believe in a Church that would put the perversions of its priests and its money ahead of the wellbeing of its youngest followers. It’s doubtful I, and many others, will ever feel differently until the Catholic Church makes that tough walk into the confessional.
THEGADFLY
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The Knights of Columbus have called for “a full and complete investigation of sexual abuse led by an independent commission that includes laity; complete transparency by the Catholic hierarchy into all matters of criminal sexual misconduct, past or future.” It’s a good start. But it’s hard to believe the Church is likely to throw open its records so easily. In researching last week’s cover story, it was horrifying to read about how known abusers were moved around not only the Archdiocese of Mobile, but around the country. One particular case that stood out was then-Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb traveling to St. Peter’s Parish in Montgomery in 2003 to tell them Fr. J. Alexander Sherlock was being placed on leave because a more recent accusation of sexual abuse had come up. Lipscomb had moved Sherlock to St. Peter’s after the priest admitted to three instances of sexual molestation of boys years earlier. The Archdiocese of Mobile released a report in 2004 listing 13 priests accused of sexual misconduct, and 18 victims. They also claimed to have paid out $700,000 in settlements, victims’ assistance and other related fees. But only Brother Nicholas Paul “Brother Vic” Bendillo was ever prosecuted, after several accusations arose stemming from the molesting of boys at McGill-Toolen High School. The diocese’s history of openness when it comes to these matters is pretty shoddy. The Church vigorously fought lawsuits and successfully claimed protection in some cases due to statutes of limitation running out on the victims. Hardly a penitent approach. An excerpt from a 1995 deposition of Lipscomb coldly sums up the attitude the Church has often presented when it comes
Cartoon/Marguerite Powers
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rowing up Catholic along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in St. Mary’s Parish in Gautier, there were things I came to believe. I believed the rote nature and mysticism of the Catholic mass were sort of a way of “signing on” to talk to God. I believed few things went together better than a communion wafer and a sip of red wine. I believed some of the Bob Dylan songs my elementary school P.E. teacher played on his acoustic guitar each Sunday were actually hymns. For a while I also believed all priests were taciturn older gentlemen from Ireland. We had Father Cleary, followed by Monsignor Eamon Mullen and then Father Mike Kelleher — all kind, thoughtful men who seemed just a little sad to me at times. But they were our friends. A couple of homegrown priests came along and shattered my misconceptions about all Catholic men of the cloth coming from the Emerald Isle. They were nice fellows as well, although I still preferred to hear a homily that sounded like it was being delivered by the Lucky Charms leprechaun. Later, Spring Hill College introduced me to the Jesuits, who were quite different indeed from the quiet Irish priests of my childhood. These guys were highly educated, smart and opinionated. Some of them were masters of philosophy and religion, but others were science and math instructors. My fraternity had Father Gerald Regan as our faculty sponsor, and in his spare time he was one of the area’s experts on bottlenose dolphins. On one occasion President Paul Tipton came out of his fancy Southern home, Stewartfield, to drink keg beer with a few of us. So they were different. I learned a lot from the Jesuits, especially about not blindly believing in anything — including religion. They were sticklers for looking beneath the surface and urged us all to examine the underpinnings of our most strongly held beliefs. Even to challenge the doctrines of the Church itself. My lifelong experiences with the Church in general and priests in particular have been overwhelmingly positive, so it’s been hard watching over the years as wave after wave of revelations about priests sexually abusing young people has washed over the Church. Almost daily we are faced with new revelations of horrific behavior by priests, bishops and even cardinals. And while nothing could be worse than the sexual assaults perpetrated by these sick men, it is the institutional effort to hide or justify their actions that chisels away hardest at the foundations of what most of us believed growing up Catholic. Following a grand jury report in August from Pennsylvania that Church leaders covered up the sexual abuse of at least 1,000 people by more than 300 priests over the past 70 years, the Catholic Church has been rocked. The report also said there were likely thousands of victims who never came forward or were never identified. Attorneys general have launched similar investigations in at least five other states, meaning it’s likely five more big shoes are going to drop sometime not too far in the future. Meanwhile, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, resigned following revelations he allegedly sexually abused seminarians and a young boy. Even Pope Francis has been accused of helping to cover up McCarrick’s misdeeds. At the very minimum, it appears almost certain that the last time the College of Cardinals met in Rome to select a new pope, among its 224 members were not only men who helped cover up sexual abuse by priests, but also actual abusers. When that puff of white smoke poured out of the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, it may well have been symbolic of the torching of the Catholic Church’s sacred bond with more than one billion followers.
AND THE SURVEY SAYS: IT’S “FAMILY FEUD” MOBILE EDITION!
COMMENTARY | THE HIDDEN AGENDA
A very blue, blue weekend ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR/ASHLEYTOLAND@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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ast Wednesday or Thursday, my husband, as he usually does if he knows we are going to be spending the weekend at home, started talking about all of the things he was going to do around the house. Which means outside, in the yard, as that is his domain. Mowing the grass, raking, weed eating, cleaning out the gutters or garage — you know, “man work.” The interior is, of course, my area, and I always list off things I want to get done too — cleaning out various drawers/closets/the fridge or pantry and always laundry, the never-ending mountain of laundry. Sigh. It’s relentless. I actually kind of get jealous of his outside projects. He usually listens to music on his headphones and it kind of looks more fun than folding underwear. It’s probably just one of those grass is greener on the other side of the window-type things. I mean, at least I get AC, right? But much like him, I am always overly ambitious about what I can actually get done on the weekend. It’s never the complete list. Especially during college football season, as game times have to be factored in, as well as how long it takes to watch, cry and get over whatever heartbreaking story Tom Rinaldi is telling on “College GameDay.” Damn you, Rinaldi! On Frank’s own “pre-game” show last week, he said he was going to pull ivy off of the garage and then casually mentioned something about maybe repainting our front door and porch trim. Wait … what? Usually, I don’t care to have any input on what he does outside, but he had plans to paint the exterior of our “home sweet home”! Well then, he would certainly need my help, as we obviously need to change up the color scheme. I mean, if he is going to go to all of that trouble, why paint it back the same old boring color, right? So I went down the Pinterest rabbit hole. Pinterest, a word every husband and contractor has come to hate. But, you know, it had to be done. And I found exactly what I wanted. One photo from some really obscure website from Lichtenstein or somewhere like that — which had absolutely no information and, more importantly, no paint colors listed. So began the task of trying to color match it. I spent a lot of quality time with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams. And I mean, A LOT. People were starting to talk. But I finally narrowed it down to seven colors I needed little samples of to “test out.” Seven colors that were almost identical, I might add. But on Friday night — or, as I like to call it, “New Look for Old House” Eve — the colors were picked! After staring at them for seemingly hours, in morning light, midday light, evening light, artificial porch light, it was such a relief. I was so excited. And I was so happy my husband decided to do this project for me! What a great guy! I am so lucky! But for some reason, he didn’t get up on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn eager to put the most thoroughly studied shades of blue in the history of time on our front door. What was wrong with him? He started pulling the stupid ivy off of the stupid garage, as if that was more important. I was like, “Um, when are you going to start painting?” He was like, “I don’t know. I said I wanted to get the garage done too. And it’s really hot.”
I quickly calculated the amount of time left before the Auburn and Alabama kickoff times. If he did the garage project first, there would be very little — if any — time to get the doors and porch done on Saturday and only half a day of labor available on Sunday. Grrrrrrrr. The realization hit hard. I may have to wait until next weekend (gasp!) to see this project come to fruition. Nooooooooooo! I want it now! Today! Whaaaaaaa! Bitchy wife things like, “Well just forget about it. Clearly you don’t really want to do it,” were said. And the relative huffiness in the air was as high as the humidity. Did he not know how much time I had spent on the internet, for heaven’s sake? My work would not be in vain! No sir! You might be asking, well, why didn’t you just paint it yourself? I would have, but Frank does not let me paint. He likes to say that I paint like I cook. I cook the hell out of something (I don’t burn it, I’m just messy in the creation) and I paint the hell out of something. This is true, but the end result does not turn out the same when I paint. I am a good cook and can clean sauce off the stove. Paint off the floor, trim, clothing, shoes, forearms, eyebrows isn’t quite as easy. But desperate times called for desperate measures. I would show him. Maybe I’ve gotten better! As he kept working on the dumb garage, I decided to start priming the soon-to-be smartly painted door. Somehow he got wind of my evil plan, and quietly came around front and put a very large tarp on the steps without saying a word. (That was a good move on his part.) I carried on. Lots of thoughts went through my head. Like: God, it’s hot. Ugh, this priming is going to take forever. And I’m going to have to paint this stupid door again with the color, not to mention the column and the railing. God, it’s hot. This is going to take forever. Auburn is playing LSU in a few hours. That is supposed to be a good game. This is going to take forever. Ugh. I just want to go fold underwear inside. Whose idea was this? I wanted to give up, but like any good passive-aggressive wife trying to make a point, I persisted. I finished priming and started painting the trim, somehow still getting paint all over myself and the porch (even with the tarp). I really do suck at this. About that time, Frank had gotten all of the ridiculous ivy off of the moronic garage and came around to “assist.” I relinquished my paintbrush and said I was sorry. “I don’t care if this gets done today. I was just really, really excited to see what it was going to look like.” “I know,” he said, giving me a look that would have sent me into a rage an hour earlier. But at that point it was one I knew I deserved. I’m pretty sure Frank will never, ever verbalize his plans for the exterior of our house again, but I will say by the end of the weekend, the front porch and door looked fabulous. And even the stupid garage looked a little less stupid.
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COMMENTARY | THE GRIOT’S CORNER
Taking our present and future seriously
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BY KEN ROBINSON/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ext year Alabama will be 200 years old. To mark the milestone, a variety of events and activities have been planned around the state. Groups and organizations from the Alabama Tourism Department and Alabama Humanities Foundation to the Alabama State Department of Education and Alabama Public Television are involved in Alabama’s bicentennial celebration. Telling one’s story is important. Rightly, much energy and effort is being put into illuminating and telling Alabama’s 200-year history. But just as it’s important Alabamians take the time to look back and reflect on what was, it’s also important we do the same about what is and what can be. Telling the state’s story is important, but the blank pages, the story yet to be written is of equal, if not greater, importance. Auburn University’s Government and Economic Development Institute (GEDI) has recently focused on four critical issues that currently, and will in the future, impact the “quality of life and economic prosperity of the state of Alabama, its communities and its citizens.” Through a collection of research-based articles from experts and scholars in various fields, GEDI has published “Alabama Issues 2018” with the goal of impacting Alabama’s present and its future. As the introduction notes: “The 2019 bicentennial of Alabama serves as an unprecedented occasion to celebrate our state — to reflect upon our past, evaluate our present and collectively envision the future we desire for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. [The publication] will serve as a tool in that process by examining statewide issues to address the nature, costs and implications of our current and alternative policy choices.” This is important. “Public policy” is a term that may cause one’s eyes to glaze over or trigger an automatic yawn. But the degree, or
lack thereof, of a nation’s, state’s or community’s progress is directly related to the public policy it implements. Public policy is more than one-word slogans or folksy sayings — or at least it should be. Shallowness in policymaking produces dysfunction and hinders advancement. Conversely, depth and successful implementation generates progress and prosperity. Alabama’s future story will be written by our children and grandchildren. Rightly, the first issue examined is education. According to “Alabama Issues 2018,” success, or the lack thereof, begins at education’s earliest level — pre-K. One article notes, “In a study specific to Alabama, economist Keivan Deravi found the rate of return for pre-K to be ‘comparable to the state’s recent economic development investment in the automobile industry and its mega projects.’” Pre-K’s importance can’t be understated. For every $1 spent by a community on high-quality pre-K programs, research has shown a return of more than $7. A bevy of studies have shown the correlation between a high-quality pre-K program and numerous positive outcomes, for children and the community. The research is irrefutable. However, although Alabama has one of the “highest-ranked public preschool programs in America,” 70 percent of Alabama’s 4-year-olds don’t have access to the state’s “First Class Pre-K” program. A strong argument is presented for why the state’s public pre-K program should be for all kids, not just the disadvantaged. Dr. Steven Barnett notes, “We cannot solve the school readiness and failure problems without including the middle class. Alabama cannot build a world-class workforce that will attract high-paying employers if every child is not well educated. Many middle-income families cannot find or afford high-quality pre-K.” Another series of articles delves into education funding,
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examining trends and disparities and proposing viable solutions. For our leaders and those concerned about quality and appropriately funded education in Alabama, these are invaluable. The story of health care access and outcomes has not been an uplifting or positive one for many Alabama citizens. In the first article focusing on health care access, Danne Howard, executive vice president of the Alabama Hospital Association, is quoted as saying, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this hopeless and this concerned for the health care delivery system in our state. … What’s going on now is not one thing in particular. It’s the convergence of a number of things that have been going on for years as well as new things that have just started happening.” This “perfect storm” for health care access in Alabama is creating a nightmare for many Alabamians. In 62 of Alabama’s 67 counties there are not enough physicians to meet local needs. Three counties don’t have a full-time dentist. One county doesn’t have a doctor at all. Seven counties don’t have a hospital and 13 lack a single lifesustaining dialysis clinic. Alabama’s Black Belt is experiencing an outbreak of tuberculosis with a rate of infection that’s “almost a hundred times the national average, and higher than the rates in India, Kenya and Haiti.” Infamously, Alabama is first nationally in infant mortality, second in obesity and third in the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, preterm births and lowbirthweight babies. The state’s future can’t be a positive one if health care access and health care outcomes aren’t seriously, aggressively and effectively addressed. Slogans and shallow talk won’t do it. Alabama needs sound public policy. This is definitely a “leadership opportunity for the taking.” So it is with the last two areas examined, criminal justice, and budgets and taxes. With piercing analysis and thoughtful prescriptions, experts address these issues, which are of great importance. The latter, budgets and taxes, greatly impacts the other three issues. Budgets reflect our priorities. Taxes are how we fund them. Our priorities and funding need attention. GEDI Executive Director Dr. Joe Sumners states it quite correctly: “The state of Alabama, sadly, tends not to follow the example of its two successful major college football programs. We consistently set our sights too low. … We have become accustomed to mediocrity, or worse; indeed, it is all we have ever known.” Breaking the chains of mediocrity that have hampered us as a state begins with expecting more from ourselves, and definitely more from those that lead us. It begins with us thinking deeply and seriously about the issues we face — and addressing them. Hopefully, the story told in some future celebration of Alabama’s history will be of how we — in this time — decided to choose public policy excellence, not mediocrity.
COMMENTARY | THE BELTWAY BEAT
Dear Walt: Try something different BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST/JEFFREYPOOR@GMAIL.COM
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he definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Some running in 2018 under the banner of the Democratic Party of Alabama are certifiably insane. Aside from Walt Maddox calling on Gov. Kay Ivey to participate in a debate — a tactic attempted by Ivey’s three Republican challengers in the GOP gubernatorial primary earlier this year, which failed miserably — Maddox is replicating the mistakes of recent past Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls. Not only has Maddox surrounded himself with characters from the failed gubernatorial campaigns of Don Siegelman, Ron Sparks and Parker Griffith, but he’s also running on the same old ideas. The lottery is the one idea of which the modern Alabama Democratic Party can’t let go. Every election, there is at least one Democratic candidate singing the virtues of legalizing this version of state-run gambling. “Oh, if we only had a lottery. Just think, it might be the cure-all for Alabama’s financial woes.” While it is true the finances of state government are fragile, if people don’t see and feel tangible effects of a budget shortfall, the lottery argument gets missed by most voters. The suggestion of a lottery being good solely because it gives the government more money is folly. Most people don’t like the state government, which is known for its philandering governors, corrupt legislators and mentally questionable judiciary. Why give it more money if it is going to wind up being directed by these clowns? The lottery thing is tired, stale and reminds us of 1998. It would likely pass now if put to a vote of the people, but it won’t be what gets you elected governor. A modest proposal for a Democratic Party nominee for statewide office: Run against the status quo. Try to forget the rules of ideology for one election. Quit trying to do the stuff everyone has tried already: Debates, lottery, expansion of Medicaid. That alone won’t get enough people to vote for you to win an election. If you’re Walt Maddox or any other future Democratic Party hopeful, tell us you’re going to make things even better than they are right now, but do it in a way that appeals to a state that is overwhelmingly conservative. It’s not about the ideological. It’s about running a state government that lives up to expectations — transportation, public safety, education. You can’t say Ivey has done a lousy job. Perhaps you could tell voters where she can improve. If you want to beat the incumbent governor, be you Republican or Democrat, run as a change agent. That’s how Donald Trump did it. He didn’t just beat a flawed Democratic presidential nominee in Hillary Clinton, he also defeated 16 other Republicans in a primary by being something different from Republicans of past
presidential politics Initially, Maddox was something different. He was a fresh face, not from the same old tired has-been faction in Alabama Democratic Party politics. He wasn’t one of these figures like Lucy Baxley, who missed the window for old-time Southern conservative Democrats to switch parties, as was the case with Richard Shelby and Sonny Callahan. Maddox was an actual mayor whose progressive leadership transformed Tuscaloosa for the better. Yet for some reason the Maddox candidacy has evolved and reverted to the same losing Democratic Party playbook. It’s Don Siegelman 2.0. If I were Walt Maddox and looking at a minimum 10-point deficit in the polls, I would first acknowledge I have to convince at least some percentage of Republicans to vote for me. To #Believe a Democrat get-out-the-vote push will be enough to win defies the laws of mathematics. Doug Jones was helped by Democratic turnout last December. However, if not for GOP crossover votes in the state’s suburbs, we’d be looking at a Sen. Roy Moore today. Who are those Republicans? Maybe they are Republicans tired of a government that is woefully unprepared for urban and suburban sprawl created out of all of this fantastic growth spurred by economic incentives. Perhaps they are Republicans that want to play the Powerball the next time the jackpot eclipses $500 million and don’t want to drive to Georgia, Florida or Tennessee. I can see it now — a billboard somewhere along that stretch of Interstate 10 in Baldwin County between the Wilcox Road exit and the Alabama-Florida state line: “Tired of driving to Florida for lottery tickets? Vote Walt Maddox.” If the Democratic Party wants to chip away at a GOP stranglehold on the state and build on something that goes beyond the trick-play gimmickry of the 2017 election, Democrats must rethink what they are. They can’t be the national Democratic Party, with a laser focus on demographics and social issues. They can’t be the current iteration of the Alabama Democratic Party, with a goal of surviving and existing for the sake of existing. Things have gotten to the point where it would be deemed a small moral victory if the Worleyled operation could find enough competence to operate a Twitter account. It’s probably too late for a significant course correction that will have a substantial impact on the outcome for Election Day, especially given we’re already Monday morning quarterbacking what’s about to go wrong.
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BUSINESS | THE REAL DEAL
Shoe Station expands at Eastern Shore Center BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST/BUSINESS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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ccording to a news release, later this month Shoe Station will expand its location in the Eastern Shore Centre to encompass a 6,500-square-foot unit previously rented by Hollister Co. The resulting shoe store will be more than 29,000 square feet — reportedly the largest footwear retailer in Baldwin County. “Shoe Station’s Eastern Shore Centre location will be a destination for the entire family, with enlarged sections for children’s shoes, apparel and Skechers,” President and CEO Brent Barkin said. “Baldwin County’s growth and consumer demand drove the chain’s decision to make the space a retail landmark.” The anchor tenant space features high ceilings, bright natural and LED lighting, and entrances facing the exterior and interior of the lifestyle shopping center. “Over the past few years, Shoe Station has steadily been moving toward premium spaces that better feature our selection of famous brands at value price points,” Shoe Station marketing director Rachael Deininger said. The locally owned chain employs more than 500 workers at 21 stores located across Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Georgia. The company will be hiring additional staff for the expanded Eastern Shore location. “Eastern Shore Centre is proud to have Shoe Station as an anchor tenant and we welcome the increased traffic,” Eastern Shore Centre leasing representative David Mott said. For more information about the company and/or applicants interested in applying for job openings, visit shoestation.com.
Commercial real estate moves
• Swift Lumber Co. recently leased a 63,000-squarefoot warehouse located at 18815 Fairground Road in Rob-
ertsdale. Joe Steen Real Estate & Development represented the landlord. Jeff Barnes with Stirling Properties LLC worked for the tenant. • A new Dunkin Donuts eatery and an AT&T cellular phone retailer recently opened directly across from Infirmary Health Center at 1700 Springhill Ave., according to Pratt Thomas with The Merrill P. Thomas Co. An additional 1,500-square-foot space is still available for lease, suitable for retail or medical office usage. • A new Verizon store, located at 5821 Old Shell Road in University Square Shopping Center, recently held its grand opening. Pratt Thomas with The Merrill P. Thomas Co. Inc. managed the transaction.
Branch retiring at Coastal Alabama Community College
Dr. Gary L. Branch, soon to turn 76, recently announced in a ceremony he is stepping down as president of Coastal Alabama Community College after 37 years of leadership. The community college currently includes 10 campuses and 16 instructional sites overall. Branch came aboard when the school was known as Faulkner State Junior College and consisted of only the Bay Minette campus. Sept. 29 will be his final day as president. His retirement will conclude a career of more than 50 years in higher education. When Branch was first hired, Faulkner State had 1,100 students, all reporting to the Bay Minette campus. After sites in Fairhope and Gulf Shores were established, Baldwin County enrollment increased by several thousand. Currently Coastal Alabama Community College’s total enrollment in South Alabama is nearly 8,000 students. The three most significant initiatives Branch has been involved in for the last few decades are his appointment as
16 | L AG N I A P P E | S e p t e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 - S e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 8
chair of the committee that created STARS (Statewide Transfer Articulation and Reporting System), which allows two-year college students to transfer to universities across the state; Coastal Alabama’s inclusion as a beneficiary of state sales tax revenue in Baldwin County; and the merger of three independently accredited institutions into Coastal Alabama Community College. “It has been a privilege and honor to have been a part of thousands of students’ lives for all these years,” Branch read from a prepared statement. “To whoever it is who follows me, I can just say that I’m leaving this college in a whole lot better shape than it was in when I arrived. This is considered to be one of the crown jewels in our system because of the things we do together.”
Palmer’s Toyota, Airport Hyundai donate to CAC
According to a news release, The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) recently recognized Keith Palmer, vice president of the CAC Board of Directors, and his staff at Palmer’s Toyota Superstore and Scion, as well as Jacob Palmer and staff of Airport Hyundai, for raising $26,600 during their 24th annual Sal-A-Thon for the CAC. Each vehicle sold during the designated 21-day period in July earmarked $100 for the local nonprofit as a contribution. According to reports, this equated to roughly 13 cars being sold per day at each dealership over a three-week period to achieve these results. Over the past 24 years, Keith Palmer and staff have reportedly raised more than $392,100 to help fund services at the CAC. “We appreciate the generosity of Keith and Jacob Palmer and all their staff. Palmer’s Toyota Superstore was the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award for the 24th consecutive year,” Elaine Henderson, CAC director of development and public relations, said.
Lister named Mobile Area Association 2018 Realtor of Year
The Mobile Area Association of Realtors (MAAR) recently selected Lorrie Smith Lister as 2018 Realtor of the Year. She has worked in the industry more than 16 years and is currently employed as a broker and office manager for Port City Realty North in Mobile. Lister is also a member of the MLS Board of Directors and has served on the MAAR Board of Directors. She also serves on a local zoning board and a cemetery board. “The 2018 Realtor of the Year is someone who is an example to us all. For over 16 years Lorrie has not only practiced real estate as a true professional, ethically and with genuine kindness, but she has shown others how to do the same,” Port City Realty North owner Julie Martin said. “As a broker at Port City Realty North, she has trained and assisted agents. In addition, she has always gone the extra mile to help any other broker, agent, customer, client, affiliate or staff member who needs help.”
S e p t e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 - S e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 17
EUGENE’S MONKEY BAR ($)
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 ($)
SALADS, SANDWICHES & POTATO SALAD 219 Conti St. • 438-5234
CAMELLIA CAFÉ ($-$$$)
CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FARE 61 Section St. • Fairhope • 928-4321
CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH ($) MOBILE’S CLASSIC ICE CREAM SPOT 2511 Old Shell Rd. • 471-1710
HOT SUBS, COLD SALADS & CATERING 3694 Airport Blvd • 342-2352 5300-C Halls Mill Rd • 660-0995 3075 Government Blvd B105 • 461-6080 6300 Grelot Rd. • 631-3730 6890 US-90 #6 • Daphne • 625-8723 9912 Dimitrios Blvd • Daphne • 626-7827 113 S Greeno Rd • Fairhope • 990-3970
FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES ($) BURGERS, MILKSHAKES & FRIES 4401 Old Shell Rd. • 447-2394 4663 Airport Blvd. • 300-8425 5319 Hwy 90 • 661-0071 1225 Satchel Page Dr.• 378-8768 6860 US-90 • Daphne • 626-4278
FOOSACKLY’S ($)
FAMOUS CHICKEN FINGERS 29181 US Hwy 98 • Daphne • 375-1104 7843 Moffett Rd. • 607-6196 1109 Shelton Beach Rd. • 287-1423 310 S. University Blvd. • 343-0047 2250 Airport Blvd. • 479-2922 7641 Airport Blvd. • 607-7667 2558 Schillinger Rd. • 219-7761 3249 Dauphin St. • 479-2000
FOY SUPERFOODS ($) 119 Dauphin St.• 307-8997
GULF COAST EXPLOREUM CAFE ($) HOMEMADE SOUPS & SANDWICHES 65 Government St. • 208-6815
HOOTERS ($)
CARPE DIEM ($)
3869 Airport Blvd. • 345-9544 5470 Inn Rd. • 661-9117 28975 US 98 • Daphne • 625-3910
CLARK’S KITCHEN ($-$$)
MIND-BLOWING ISLAND FOOD 3700 Gov’t Blvd. • 602-1973
DELI FOODS, PASTRIES & SPECIALTY DRINKS 4072 Old Shell Rd. • 304-0448 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 ($)
JAMAICAN VIBE ($) 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
NEXUS CINEMA DINING ($$) 7070 Bruns Drive• 776-6570
NOURISH CAFE ($)
HEALTHY WHOLE FOODS & MORE 101 N Water St. (Moorer YMCA)• 458-8572
O’DALYS HOLE IN THE WALL ($) 562 Dauphin St.• 725-6429
PANINI PETE’S ($)
ORIGINAL SANDWICH AND BAKE SHOP 42 ½ Section St. • Fairhope • 929-0122 102 Dauphin St. • 405-0031
PAT’S DOWNTOWN GRILL ($) BAR FOOD 271 Dauphin St • 438-9585
POLLMAN’S BAKERY ($)
BAKERY, SANDWICHES & MORE 750 S. Broad St. • 438-1511 4464 Old Shell Rd. • 342-8546 107 St. Francis St. Suite 102 • 438-2261
PUNTA CLARA KITCHEN ($)
GREAT SANDWICHES, COFFEE & MORE 1087 Downtowner Blvd. • 643-1611 3011 Springhill Ave. • 476-2232
MICHELI’S CAFE ($)
6358 Cottage Hill Rd. • 725-6917
MCSHARRY’S ($-$$)
AUTHENTIC IRISH PUB 101 N. Bancroft St.• 990-5100
MOMMA GOLDBERG’S DELI ($) SANDWICHES & MOMMA’S LOVE 3696 Airport Blvd. • 344-9500
THE PIGEON HOLE ($)
SEAFOOD AND SUSHI 551 Dauphin St.• 219-7051
THE SUNFLOWER CAFE ($)
HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St • 432-8000
THYME BY THE BAY ($-$$)
HIGH QUALITY FOOD WITH A VIEW 107 St. Francis St/RSA Building • 444-0200
JERUSALEM CAFE ($-$$)
MOBILE’S OLDEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE 4715 Airport Blvd/Regency Square • 304-1155
MEDITERRANEAN SANDWICH COMPANY ($)
THREE GEORGES CANDY SHOP ($)
GREAT MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 5951 Old Shell Rd. • 460-9191
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE ($)
LAUNCH ($-$$)
TP CROCKMIERS ($)
AMERICAN RESTAURANT & BAR 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890
DUMBWAITER ($$-$$$) 9 Du Rhu Dr. Suite 201 167 Dauphin St. • 445-3802
GREAT FOOD AND COCKTAILS 609 Dauphin St. • 308-3105
LIGHT LUNCH WITH SOUTHERN FLAIR. 226 Dauphin St. • 433-1689
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN FOOD 351A George & Savannah St. • 436-8890
GREAT SMOOTHIES, WRAPS & SANDWICHES. 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 378-5648 7450 Airport Blvd. A • 634-3454 570 Schillinger Rd. • 634-3454 29740 Urgent Care Dr.• 626-1160
HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St. • 432-8000
WAREHOUSE BAKERY & DONUTS ($) COFFEE AND DONUTS 759 Nichols Avenue, Fairhope • 928-7223
WILD WING STATION ($)
1500 Government St. • 287-1526
THE WINDMILL MARKET ($)
85 N. Bancroft St. • Fairhope • 990.8883
YAK THE KATHMANDU KITCHEN ($-$$)
‘CUE
SANDWICHES, SUBS & SOUPS 2056 Gov’t St. • 476-2777
4861 Bit & Spur Rd. • 340-6464
KITCHEN ON GEORGE ($-$$)
DOWN-HOME COUNTRY COOKIN 7351 Theodore Dawes Rd. • 654-0228
334 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope • 928-2399
REGINA’S KITCHEN ($-$$)
ABBA’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE ($-$$)
FIVE ($$)
TIME TO EAT CAFE ($)
FUDGE, PRALINES & MORE 17111 Scenic Hwy 98 • Fairhope • 928-8477
R BISTRO ($-$$)
7 SPICE ($-$$)
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
AUTHENTIC FOODS FROM HIMALAYAN REGION 3210 Dauphin St. • 287-0115 400 Eastern Shore Center • Fairhope •990-6192
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 ($-$$)
MAMA’S ($)
113 Dauphin St.• 436-0989
DAUPHIN’S ($$-$$$)
SATORI COFFEEHOUSE ($)
PUB FOOD AND DRAFT BEERS 251 Dauphin St. • 287-6871
HEALTHY, DELICIOUS MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 3762 Airport Blvd. • 725-1177
320 Eastern Shore Shopping Center •Fairhope • 929-0055 3055 A Dauphin St. • 479-3200
A VARIETY COMFORT F00D. BREAKFAST ALL DAY. 6882 US-90 • Daphne • (251) 621-3749
LODA BIER GARTEN ($)
CHUCK’S FISH ($$)
MUFFINS, COFFEE & WRAPS 105 Dauphin St. • 433-9855
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
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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 ($$$)
CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN CUISINE Battle House Hotel, Royal St. • 338-5493
3966 Airport Blvd.• 343-5530
CHEF 181 ($)
MEAT BOSS ($)
THAI FARE AND SUSHI 2000 Airport Blvd. • 478-9888
MOE’S ORIGINAL BAR B QUE ($)
WINE, BEER, GOURMET FOODS, & MORE. 720 Schillinger Rd. S. Unit 8 • 287-1851
5401 Cottage Hill Rd. • 591-4842
BARBEQUE & MUSIC 4672 Airport Blvd. • 410-6377 701 Springhill Ave. • 410-7427 3385 Schillinger Rd N #1 • 410-7428 6423 Bayfront Park Dr. • Daphne • 625-7427
SAUCY Q BARBQUE ($)
TRADITIONAL TEXAS BARBEQUE 212.5 Fairhope Ave. • 270-7250
SPECIALTY GROCER/DELI 650 St. Louis St. • 251-308-8488
THAI & SUSHI 5369 US-90 • 661-5100
A LITTLE VINO
RIBS, SANDWICHES & GREAT SIDES 3314 Old Shell Rd. • 479-9898
SUNSET POINTE ($-$$)
THE CHEESE COTTAGE ($$)
VON’S BISTRO ($-$$)
ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT 10179 Eastern Shore D • Spanish Fort • 621-2104
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 ($)
LUCKY IRISH PUB ($)
AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DISHES 312 Fairhope Ave. • Fairhope • 990-5535
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 ($)
WINGS, TENDERS, HOTDOGS & SANDWICHES 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-5877
FRESH SEAFOOD FOR OVER 75 YEARS 805 S Mobile St • Fairhope • 929-2322 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 1208 Shelton Beach Rd. • Saraland • 442-3335
IS THE GAME ON?
ASHLAND MIDTOWN PUB ($-$$)
WEMOS ($)
MAMA MIA!
BUCK’S PIZZA ($$)
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 ($)
ITALIAN, STEAKS & SEAFOOD 18 Laurel Ave. • Fairhope • 990-0995 FRESH CUISINE NIGHTLY ON MENU 1709 Main St. • Daphne • 626-6082
SEMMES HOUSE OF PIZZA ($) 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 ($$)
PASTA & MORE 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-6611
QUAINT MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5556 Old Shell Rd. • 345-7484
MARIA BONITA AGAVE BAR & GRILL ($-$$) MEXICAN CUISINE 3977 Gov’t Blvd. • 660-4970
ROMA CAFE ($-$$)
TRATTORIA PIZZA & ITALIAN ($$)
ITALIAN FOOD & PIZZAS 11311 US HIghway 31 • Spanish Fort• 375-0076
VIA EMILIA ($$)
850 Bayview Ave. Bilox • 888-946-2847
THIRTY-TWO ($$$) SEAFOOD, STEAKS, WINE
TIEN ($-$$)
INTERACTIVE ASIAN DINING
HIGH TIDE CAFÉ ($)
CASUAL & RELAXING, EXTENSIVE MENU
ISLAND VIEW:
POOR MEXICAN ($)
BEACH BLVD STEAMER ($) CARTER GREEN STEAKHOUSE ($$-$$$)
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RESTAURANT 4523 St. Stephens Rd. • 725-0627 30500 AL-181 • Spanish Fort • 621-7433
ROOSTER’S ($)
LATIN AMERICAN FOOD 211 Dauphin St. • 375-1076
TAQUERIA CANCUN ($)
3172 International Dr. • 476-9967
TAQUERIA MEXICO ($-$$)
NO GAMBLING CASINO FARE
PASTA, SALAD AND SANDWICHES 7143 Airport Blvd. • 341-7217
IP CASINO:
MAYA LUNA ($-$$)
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FLAVOR 3733 Airport Blvd. • 414-4496
PIZZA & PASTA 107 Dauphin St. • 375-1644
BEAU RIVAGE:
875 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 888-952-2582
BR PRIME ($$-$$$)
3300 W. Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 877-774-8439
RICH TRADITIONS, STEAK, SEAFOOD
C&G GRILLE ($)
LARGE BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER MENU
PALACE CASINO:
158 Howard Ave. Biloxi • 800-725-2239
MIGNON’S ($$$)
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 ($$)
1715 Main St. (Next to Manci’s) Daphne. • 264-2520
PIZZAS, PASTAS, & CALZONES 2453 Old Shell Rd • 479-3278
BAUMHOWER’S ($)
PAPA MURPHY’S
A TASTE OF ITALY. BYOB. 28691 U.S. Highway 98 • 626-1999
MCSHARRY’S IRISH PUB ($)
TIN TOP RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR ($$) WINTZELL’S OYSTER HOUSE ($-$$)
LOS ARCOS ($)
MUG SHOTS ($$)
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
830 W I65 Service Rd. S • 378-5837 4663 Airport Blvd. • 342-5553
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 ($-$$)
COAST SEAFOOD & BREW ($-$$) JIA ($-$$)
CAFÉ DEL RIO ($-$$)
ITALIAN COOKING
BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER, LATE NIGHT
DAUPHIN ST. TAQUERIA ($)
DON CARLOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT ($) EL MARIACHI ($)
777 Beach Blvd.Biloxi • 877-877-6256
AMERICAN FARE & ROCKIN’ MEMORABILIA
EL PAPI ($-$$)
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE & TASTE
615 Dauphin St • 308-2655
FUEGO ($-$$)
SOUTHERN FAVORITES BUFFET
OUTSTANDING MEXICAN CUISINE 2066 Old Shell Rd. • 378-8619
HARRAH’S GULF COAST:
FUZZY’S TACO SHOP ($)
280 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 288-436-2946
5713 Old Shell Rd.• 338-9697
HACIENDA SAN MIGUEL ($-$$) TASTE OF MEXICO 880 Schillinger Rd. S. • 633-6122 5805 US 90 • 653-9163
LA COCINA ($)
THE BUFFET ($-$$)
MAGNOLIA HOUSE ($$-$$$) FINE DINING, SEAFOOD AND STEAKS
FLAVORS BUFFET ($-$$) ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE 800 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-0783
THE BLIND TIGER ($-$$)
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
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CUISINE THE DISH
Ruby Slipper Café brings NOLA goodness to downtown Mobile
RUBY SLIPPER CAFÉ 100 N. ROYAL ST. MOBILE 36602 251-355-0448
BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET
Photo |Dan Anderson
S
o shoot me if I use the line “We aren’t in Kansas anymore,” but I finally got around to stopping by The Ruby Slipper Café. Never been? It’s a breakfast, brunch and lunch place that started in New Orleans a decade ago. They are now up to a total of 10 restaurants from Baton Rouge to the Gulf Coast, but the Big Easy is ever-present
in each dish. The Mobile location is still riding a wave of popularity and I don’t see it losing steam anytime soon. Unfortunately I missed out on all the pre-opening events earlier this summer due to a hectic schedule at the shop, but I’ve heard nothing but good things. The missus and I went for a last-chance meal as a couple enjoying peace and quiet before our little one gets here. It was a quick decision on a day between maternity leave and actual delivery. I had skipped breakfast, taught a student or two and got in a couple miles before 11 a.m. I’m no exercise junkie, but if you intend to eat here I suggest you find a way to work up an appetite. New Orleans is a city of excess, and this restaurant, with its attachments to the Crescent City, preys on those of us who cannot get enough of its overindulging ways. It was a weekday and I started with a glass of Natalie’s Grapefruit Juice ($4) but soon found myself admiring the cocktail menu. I don’t make a habit out of day drinking without football on the tube, but surely one wouldn’t hurt, would it? Brandy milk punch, morning margaritas, Irish cream coffee and bloody marys with bacon-infused vodka sound splendid, but I couldn’t shake the idea of the Ruby Slipper Mimosa ($10). This concoction was near perfect, with a strong dose of champagne splashed with orange juice. A bottom layer of pomegranate added color as well as a spectacular finish. If these were “bottomless” I’d be in trouble. Katie stayed tame with a NOLA-style iced coffee ($4) made from French Truck cold brew with milk and cream. With The Ruby Slipper being a breakfast/brunch/lunch place, you don’t really get the appetizer experience. There was, however, an “on the side” menu that could serve us well in that respect. Pig Candy bacon ($3.50) was a nobrainer. Two slices of bacon were glazed in maple syrup and otherwise served naked. Definitely oven-baked, as they should be. Corn beef hash ($3.50) is rarely ignored by any-
One of downtown’s newest spots, The Ruby Slipper Café, serves up an almost ridiculous amount of tasty fare, making sure you get plenty of bang for your buck.
with a Tasso cream sauce. It was the surprise of the meal. one in my family. This was no doubt made from the corned Tempt me with pork debris or Gulf shrimp — it would be hard beef served on their Creole Reuben. Potatoes and onions for me to say no. But after having this fried chunk of white cooked to death (in a good way) begged for a dash or two of meat it will be even harder to not order it on my next visit. hot sauce. We were off to a good start. If you think I polished this off, then you’re crazy. Even with For my lady, the Croque Madame ($12) was in order. If the three half-orders on one plate, I could stand no more than a you take this one on, I might suggest you go ahead and unbutfourth of each. Nor could Katie take down ton your pants before it gets there. This more than a quarter of her sandwich. It was glorified coffee-glazed ham and Swiss is all going home with us, but not before each served on brioche bread sliced thick enough of the sauces was tested with the french to stack the sandwich four inches high. fries. Heaven. Topped with a fried egg (she rightfully If I was the kind of person who wanordered over-easy) and Mornay sauce, this SO SHOOT ME IF I USE dered in off the streets and custom-ordered lady sandwich was fit for a king. a breakfast, it would be to smother a batch With a choice of Creole slaw, fresh fruit THE LINE “WE AREN’T IN of fries with either of these three Benedict or fries, you have to try the fries. What I’m KANSAS ANYMORE,” BUT dishes. Is that a slight against the biscuit? going to say may surprise you. They were Certainly not. Lovers of bread will be so close to McDonald’s fries, which are I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO happy to know the biscuits here are some some of the best ever. of the best in the city. My tastes may have Personally I needed some Benedict in STOPPING BY THE RUBY been influenced by three fantastic sauces my life, but couldn’t decide which. Imagine SLIPPER CAFÉ. permeating the dough, but from where I my delight when I noticed the Trifecta was sitting I cannot remember a biscuit ($20), a single serving of the three famous more noteworthy than these. Benedicts: Eggs Cochon, Shrimp Boogaloo What’s the negative in all of this? The and Chicken St. Charles. You probably place can get crowded and they don’t want me to tell you which was my favorite. take reservations. They also don’t seat parties that are incomI’m not sure I can. plete. But the main complaint from me is the sheer terror of Eggs Cochon begins with apple-braised pork debris, which how much food they give you. It’s an uncomfortable amount. accounts for its juiciness. Nothing dry about it, this pork They’re making sure you leave with enough bang for your could raise the dead. Served over half of a buttermilk biscuit buck. If you can’t control yourself, then stay away. and topped with a poached egg and hollandaise, this one is a If you can immerse yourself in NOLA goodness and climb winner. back out unscathed, head there now. Normally I’d project the Shrimp Boogaloo to be the victor, with its Creole tomato sauce and my beloved Tasso on a fried green tomato. Another half biscuit and poached egg soaked up the flavor. I was in love. The surprise was the Chicken St. Charles. This biscuit and egg had the honor of supporting piping-hot fried chicken breast
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Seafood Gala celebrates Isle Dauphine Club’s 60th
WORD OF MOUTH
There is no better way to celebrate than with seafood, so why not celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Isle Dauphine Club on Saturday, Oct. 6, 6-9 p.m. at 100 Orleans Drive. Locally sourced seafood is the name of the game, along with craft beer and wine, in a walkabout setting as the Dauphin Island Heritage and Arts Council joins forces with the Dauphin Island Property Owners Association to present the island’s second annual Gulf Seafood Gala. A silent auction of original art will be augmented by live music and displays of vintage photographs from the club’s heyday. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Isle Dauphine Club is a beautiful example of rare midcentury modern style of architecture here in South Alabama. Tickets cost $75 per person and are available at dauphinislandarts.org or by calling 251-978-5566. Proceeds will benefit the Dauphin Island Arts Council, furthering its mission to promote, provide and preserve the arts and foster cultural enrichment among coastal communities in South Mobile County.
Serda Brewing Co. holds sushi class First they brought us coffee and gelato. Then came the Screaming Moon Pie shot. Then Serda opened a brewery. Now they are teaching us to make sushi! On Monday, Sept. 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Serda Brewing Co. will transform into a continuing education center where attendees will learn the secrets behind perfect sticky
sushi rice and all of the sauces you love. The two-hour course is the easiest way to learn so you can stop paying a small fortune at the sushi bar and do it all at home. Entertain guests and amaze your friends. Better yet, hone your skills so you can talk smack about restaurants that serve poor quality sushi. Tuition for the class is $40 and includes two rolls per person, one of which is made by the staff, the other your own handiwork. Tickets are available by contacting Serda Brewing Co. at 251-929-9349.
Fall squash now in stores We can get just about any kind of produce most days of the year thanks to a global system of transportation and trade, but it’s more fun to eat seasonally. Market shelves are gaining weight with pumpkins and like-minded gourds, gearing up for the impending fall. Acorn squash is really good right now. I usually halve them, scoop them and roast them with butter, but today I took a different approach. Once halving and scooping was complete, I cut the squash into slices crossways. After painting them with melted butter, I seasoned them with coarse salt, a little black pepper and fresh thyme (don’t bother with the dried for this recipe) and topped the slices with a small amount of Parmesan cheese. Half an hour in a 400 F. oven was all it took. With fork-tender meat, the tough skin peeled off easily and we paired it with a floral Bordeaux from Mouton Cadet. Good living on the cheap! Recycle!
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COVER STORY
Survivors, first responders reflect on Sunset Limited disaster
O
BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
n the Gulf Coast, life begins and ends at the water. It ribbons the land and saturates the air, providing livelihood, comfort and reflection. “You can’t go anywhere here without hitting water,” John Richardson said. More than half of the U.S. Navy veteran’s 84 years have been spent in the Mobile County Sheriff’s Flotilla. The water is personal for him. In hours spent fishing with his son, and in time with his own father. “I used to work on a tug with my dad,” Richardson said. “Coming out of New Orleans, you could see the trains on the coast, just a black streak going by, they were so fast.” In June 1993, Richardson had been in the flotilla for 21 years, the last four as its captain. He led it through a first responders’ disaster drill where a barge simulated a downed plane in Mobile Bay. “We brought in pilots from Delta, three stewardesses and put 150 people from the Navy base in the water,” flotilla member Rick Drews said. Months later, the exercise proved vital. Retired in January 2018, Steve Huffman was “relatively new” to his Mobile Fire-Rescue spokesman role then. Near Labor Day 1993, he and the Mobile Police Department spokesman traveled to a conference where a speaker briefed public information officers about disasters, major casualties and dealing with media. “Coming back we made the mistake of saying, ‘We don’t have to worry about stuff like that. That’s never going to happen to us,’” Huffman said. Despite lingering summer heat, Mobile was abuzz with anticipation. Its brand-new convention center would premiere with a Sept. 23 gala celebration. A special section in the Sunday, Sept. 19, Press-Register highlighted the waterfront showplace. Carole and George Simpson finished their summer in style. They left Gulf Breeze, Florida, on Amtrak to see the nation. The train took them through Chicago, then they dropped off their grandson near Seattle and headed south to Los Angeles, where they climbed aboard the luxurious Sunset Limited and rode to San Antonio. When they rolled into New Orleans, the Simpsons declined a sleeping berth, since they planned to disembark in Pensacola before sunrise. Mid-September was hot, with temperatures on Sept. 20 and 21 nearly 10 degrees above normal. Then a cold front brought dry air. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta’s warm water evaporated, then quickly condensed in the cooler night air. “It was so foggy you couldn’t see you and I sitting here,” Sheriff’s Flotilla member Mike Nichols said as he motioned across a small table. “Terrible fog.” In the late afternoon of Sept. 21, Captain Andrew Stabler’s towboat MV Mauvilla launched to collect six barges of coal, metal, wood and cement. They would push the 1,400 tons northward, 225 miles to Tuscaloosa like many previous loads. “It was a normal day, routine,” Stabler later told media. A friend drove 38-year-old Melanie Procaccini from Fort Lauderdale to coastal Mississippi. The cosmetologist assumed custody of her troubled sister’s 3-year-old son, Robert. Once there, a disagreement with her driver left Procaccini stranded with just $47. Another girlfriend volunteered a loan for Procaccini’s return. Flights were expensive, a bus ride too lengthy with a child in tow. Amtrak would work if they could hustle. “The train was running late, like it was waiting for me. I was the last one to board,” Procaccini said. The Sunset Limited arrived in New Orleans at 10 p.m. and refilled its three locomotives with 5,800 gallons of diesel fuel. It was delayed while a toilet and air conditioner were repaired. The conductor found seats for Procaccini and Robert on the upper level of a double-decker car. An older couple across the aisle, Bob and Elizabeth Watts, warmed to Procaccini’s nephew. When the child needed to visit the bathroom, Bob set down his paperback and took Robert’s little hand to escort him. Watts’ book title caught the dim light: “A Clear and Present Danger.” Towboat crews work “six on/six off” to prevent fatigue. At 11:30 p.m., Stabler left the Mauvilla’s wheelhouse and retired to his cabin. He watched television, then turned off his light. Pilot Willie Odom manned the helm. From previous experience, Stabler described Odom as “a good pilot.” Visibility was terrible — a “shutout fog,” they called it on the river. Simultaneously, the Sunset Limited finally left New Orleans,
more than a half-hour behind schedule. At 2:15 a.m., Odom radioed another pilot, who said the fog was thickening. Protocol meant tying off to a sturdy tree on the riverside to wait out the fog. Odom slowed his towboat to a crawl and scoured the banks for a suitable spot. At 2:30 a.m., the Sunset Limited arrived in Mobile. It paused to await an oncoming freight train as it crossed the lonesome rail line and bridges in the delta. The Simpsons slept in their seats. “We rode 7,000 miles and we were less than 100 miles from home,” Carole Simpson said. Odom was lost. Unable to see even the end of his barges, he passed Twelve Mile Island and mistakenly slipped into Big Bayou Canot, an unnavigable side channel. Glancing at the radar — a technology he was never properly trained to navigate by — Odom thought he saw another barge ahead. “In the fog, if you got radar it doesn’t tell you if you’re in the right part of the water. When he realized it, it was too late,” Richardson said. The Sunset Limited left Mobile bound for the delta, determined to make up lost time. The train quickly approached 70 mph. Procaccini said a premonition of imminent danger woke her on the rocking train. She gathered little Robert and adjusted their blankets and pillows for protection. At 2:45 a.m., a jolt woke Stabler. He darted to the wheelhouse and found Odom confused. Two barges were loose, so the captain radioed the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). In the fog, the Mauvilla’s barges struck an older train bridge over the bayou, a trestle with no navigation lights. Originally designed as a swing bridge, it wasn’t converted to one but the swinging portion was never properly secured, held in place only by friction. When the barges bumped the bridge piling, the tracks moved more than three feet out of alignment. The rails bent but never broke, never cut the circuit running to the sensors and signal lights down the line. At 2:51 a.m., the Sunset Limited was traveling 72 mph and passed a green light signaling “all clear.” It was a mile and a half from Bayou Canot. The Mauvilla gathered its loose barges. Odom said he heard “a whoosh” at the bridge. At 2:53 a.m., the lead locomotive launched from the tracks. Its three-person crew died immediately as the force buried the locomotive more than halfway into Bayou Canot’s muddy bank. Two other locomotives, a baggage car, the crew car and two passenger cars followed as the far half of the bridge came apart. The nearly full fuel tanks ruptured and exploded on impact. The Simpsons flew from their seats. George landed awkwardly and injured his shoulder. “The first thing I felt was a lot of shuddering and then falling,” Carole said. As they came to, they became aware of fire. The cars in front and even the river looked ablaze. “My grandson kept reading how to take the window out — he was starting to read — so my husband knew how to do it. There was a young man on our car named Mike [Dopheide], he came and helped take the window out and helped people get out into the water,” Carole said. The lower compartment flooded. The adopted parents of an 11year old with cerebral palsy pushed her to safety as they drowned. “She just swam up from downstairs. The sad thing is the lower level is the handicapped level, so those people were underwater and didn’t survive,” Carole said. “I just remember she couldn’t walk. She was the very first person that went out the window.” Badly injured, George Simpson exited early. They paddled through the swampy terror, then struggled to hold on to a nearby car as eyes and throats stung with fumes and smoke. Atop the remaining bridge, employees calmed passengers and moved them rearward. Supervisor John Turk called an emergency operator and mistakenly said they were on the Mobile River. “We got cars burning; they’re over the bridges. There are people in the water. We’re trying to help them. We need all kind of help. Ma’am, I have to go and assist these people,” Turk’s voice shook with adrenaline and urgency. Assistant Conductor Gary Farmer ran forward, but at the front end of the car there was nowhere to go. Beyond the doorway, he saw out over the river and the night’s horror. “It looked like a scene out of ‘Dante’s Inferno,’” Farmer said.
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The passenger car directly below him was sinking. High tide was near in the 25-foot-deep bayou. Farmer jumped. “The closer I got, the quicker it sank,” he sighed. “About the time I was maybe 20 feet from it, it went totally underwater.” Farmer paused and looked down in bitter resignation. Nearly 700 feet away, the Mauvilla radioed the Coast Guard. “There’s a hell of fire up here in the middle of the river,” Stabler barked. “There ain’t supposed to be no fire up here and like I say, I don’t know exactly where we at, it’s so foggy I can’t tell. Can’t tell by looking on the radar, so there’s something bad wrong up here.” Like the Simpsons, Procaccini smashed into the seat across from her. But while the Simpsons’ car rested partially submerged on a bridge piling, Procaccini’s car went into the bayou and filled with water. “I wound up kicking the window out, saving Mr. and Mrs. Watts, a Mexican man who couldn’t swim, two girls from England, me and Robert. He’s the only kid on the train who survived,” Procaccini said. The child and Elizabeth Watts left first. The Brits were “hysterical.” The Mexican man repeated, “Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.” Bob Watts was overwhelmed and froze. “All of the grass, the water, the pressure, everything’s coming in now, full speed. He had the scaredest look on his face, I’ll never forget,” Procaccini said. Adrenaline surged as Procaccini pushed him through the window. She was last. “I got my one last, deep breath and had to pull myself through the window with all the grass, water, muck, mud and all,” Procaccini said. Outside, she looked around in disbelief. “I’m going, ‘this only happens in the movies; am I really here?’” she recalled. They grabbed floating railroad ties, then saw a light shining atop the bridge. A conductor guided them to a bank more than 200 feet away where a human chain pulled them up. On dry land, Procaccini pocketed rocks from the train tracks as souvenirs. “I didn’t even break a nail,” she quipped to those around her. In the cars behind them, passengers Dopheide and Ken Ivory led evacuations. Not all made it. “You could hear screaming, the gurgling of people drowning. It was just chaos,” Ivory told a camera crew. “Train employees were running up and down on top of the crew car yelling for one crew member who had been asleep,” Carole Simpson said. “They kept calling, yelling ‘Q! Q!’” The man they sought was 44-year-old Ronald Quaintance of Jackson, Mississippi. Ivory was unable to free him. Finally, Quaintance told Ivory to tell his wife and kids he loved them and succumbed. With the Mauvilla’s loose barges secured against a bank, it headed toward the fire. One deckhand took an aluminum skiff into the wreck scene, grabbing four or five people at a time. They would rescue 17. After Stabler’s call, the Coast Guard at Dauphin Island launched a three-man crew in an inflatable reconnaissance boat at 3:20 a.m. The emergency operator contacted authorities but the precise location was hard to determine. The uptick in radio traffic alerted a pair of Scott Paper tugboat employees, who grabbed a small boat, went to the scene and pulled 20 from the water. “The dispatcher didn’t know where they were, didn’t know who to dispatch, didn’t know whether to call Chickasaw, Prichard, Saraland, Mobile. They spent a lot of time trying to figure out who to send where. It didn’t matter whose it was, it was going to take all of us to handle it,” Drews said. Flotilla member John Lamb lived in Chickasaw, so he was close. After a phone call, he raced to the Saraland Police Department. He and another volunteer climbed into a Saraland police officer’s boat. “You could see the glow in the fog, then flames above the trees,” Lamb said. He said they retrieved a few people from the water before being ordered to scramble up the bank’s riprap and clear passengers from the cars on top. “I remember one lady, she couldn’t get up the angle into the next car, so Terrell [Washington] and I got on both sides and she put her arms around our shoulders and we walked her out of the rocks between the rails,” Lamb said.
COVER STORY “She thought I was dead,” Procaccini said. “She was so happy she cried.” Procaccini’s boyfriend drove up from Fort Lauderdale. The Red Cross gave her clothes and $100 to get home. “The volunteers were terrific. There were so many waiting for us when we got off that train,” Procaccini said. “They took care of us like we were their own.” That’s the lasting memory for Richardson. “The people from the community and surrounding states that showed up, providing clothes and food, places to stay downtown. Thousands were involved that showed up to work. You never saw, but heard about it,” Richardson said. Mobile’s convention center opened as planned on Sept. 23 as international eyes were trained on the wetlands nine miles north of the swanky party. Adams Mark management eventually hired security for the inside of the hotel, an answer to complaints about television crews. Cameras aggressively hounded survivors as they left an area reserved for clothing, food, comfort and communication, then attempted to follow them to their rooms. “Hordes of journalists would surround them like vultures,” a manager told the Press-Register. “It was awful … I really feel for them.”
Photo | NTSB
Drews’ wee-hours phone call sent him to Fowl River Marina to pilot the 42-foot MV Frederic to the site. Alone on board, a mishap would have been costly. “The fog was so bad you couldn’t see the bow of the boat. How I got from Fowl River to Bayou Canot without hitting a crab trap or a log or something else I’ll never know. It was God’s gift and guidance,” Drews said of the hour-plus journey. He said the Ramona Doyle, a World War II minesweeper converted to a fireboat, was trying to smother flames with what kept her afloat. There was no road access, only water, rail and boat. The Simpsons were in the water a half-hour before a skiff retrieved them. They transferred to a larger vessel. “On the larger boat, [George] started having chest pains. Another passenger had nitroglycerin and she gave it to him,” Carole Simpson said. “That boat took us to a barge. From that barge, we walked across to a second barge and that’s where the helicopter landed.” Limited accessibility meant emergency forces were improvised. “We went to Kimberly Clark and set up triage there. The railroad brought in a train car and took first responders down to the site,” Huffman said. The helicopter took the Simpsons to the makeshift triage. At a hospital, it was revealed George had had a minor heart attack. Carole had plentiful bruises and a broken toe. “Either you survived or you didn’t. There was little in between,” Huffman said. When the rescue train reached the site, Procaccini was leery of climbing aboard. She made a fireman promise to ride beside her. Once the shock and adrenaline subsided, she realized her shoulder was severely injured and her arms were burned from fuel. John Richardson’s beeper told him about the emergency. He was still doing shift work at National Gypsum, which delayed his arrival. A larger obstacle wreaked havoc when the communications system was its own disaster. “There was so much turmoil on the radio, the city radio, the county radio, you couldn’t get through for nothing,” Richardson said. Salvage operations began with daylight. It would take more manpower. “We had about six divers on the scene, but there were divers from Louisiana and all kind of places,” Richardson said. Nichols thought there were roughly 20 divers. “There were divers from the Marine Corps, the Alabama Department of Transportation and some search and rescue teams that came in to dive cars,” Huffman said. Drews said Coast Guard Chief McClain was onsite commander; Drews was appointed onsite dive commander. The current was so powerful and exhausting, divers were tethered then relieved after 30 minutes. Delta water is notably silt filled and muddy. “You couldn’t see the light right in front of your face,” Nichols recalled. Richardson recalled divers using fluorescent gloves. Corpse discovery was manual and painstaking. “You’d get down there and feel until you bumped into something,” Drews said. “It was a tough thing for everybody to have to go through. It’s nothing we’ve ever seen before,” Huffman said. Those on air hoses would explore, then pass bodies from rail cars to flotilla divers on tanks. The remains were put on boats and covered — authorities resorted to sheets when they ran out of body bags — then transferred to a barge. Once identified, the barge took them to the Port of Chickasaw before transporting them to a specially established morgue. Amtrak’s ticketing policies made for lack of a complete manifest. Employees rode for free and weren’t ticketed. Small children and babies weren’t ticketed either. At one point, the body of 3-year-old Jennifer Camarena bobbed to the surface. It shook some personnel, including the flotilla chaplain. “He wouldn’t retrieve her,” Richardson said. “Cecil Byrd had to go do it.” The youngest victim was 3-month-old Sean Scott Galvan, who died with his 21-year-old mother, Sheila. “Some were recovered in their seats, some in restrooms, some on floors,” Nichols said. The helicopters used the night of the wreck were hampered when media-rented helicopters filled the daytime sky. Air traffic was shut down. The Coast Guard helped secure the site from onlookers. “USCG put a safety ring around both ends, worked both ends of Bayou Canot to keep sightseers out,” Drews recalled. “There were 75 satellite trucks set up, over 300 reporters, photographers, support and what have you. It was an international story. We had a news crew from Japan. We were getting calls from Canada, England, South America, all over the world,” Huffman said. Media were staged at the Port of Chickasaw. Communication among official workers disintegrated. Their new, ballyhooed 800 MHz radio system failed. Improperly programmed, the dispatcher constantly interrupted or halted all communication. Cellphones, still uncommon, saved the day.
PHOTOS FROM THE NTSB SHOW DEVASTATION FROM DEADLIEST ACCIDENT IN AMTRAK HISTORY. “Several companies were handing out boxes of 10 [phones] at a time. On the Frederic, I had my bag phone, an old cellphone sitting on the dash of the boat,” Drews said. Four lawyers in business attire appeared at the Chickasaw facility. They claimed the Alabama Bar Association sent to them “to protect victims’ rights.” It soured an already dour mood. Massive cranes arrived from New Orleans, lifted the cars and 130-plus-ton locomotives, then placed them on barges. “When I went through them to check them and make sure there wasn’t nothing we missed, there were purses and magazines still laying on those seats,” Nichols said. “How they stayed there through the impact and current, I’ll never know.” The cars were moved to the west bank of the river, under the Cochrane-Africatown Bridge. They remained there for weeks. Nichols said CSX had the bridge repaired and ready in less than 48 hours. All told, 47 of the 220 aboard died. Two died from fire, 42 drowned. Three in the locomotive were listed as asphyxiated their lungs filled with mud. A quarter-century later, it remains Amtrak’s deadliest accident. On Capitol Hill, then President Bill Clinton asked an assembly to offer silent prayers for the victims. Like the other survivors, Carole Simpson was put up at the Adams Mark Riverview Hotel while George spent several nights in a hospital. Pensacola friends came to visit before the Simpsons returned home. “In about two weeks, UPS delivered our luggage. It was absolutely soaking wet, water pouring out of it. Nothing could be salvaged,” Carole said. George’s prized possession disappeared. “My husband had his original Social Security card. It is in the bottom of the bayou still.” Simpson heard six in her car died. Everyone in Procaccini’s car died except the nine she said left with her. At the Adams Mark, she called her sister.
National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) investigators arrived quickly and zeroed in on the Mauvilla’s barges. The event recorder on the lead engine was destroyed, but one from another locomotive was salvaged. Warrior & Gulf Navigation Co. owned the Mauvilla. Their officials were taciturn with NTSB. They moved the Mauvilla crew out of town, out of reach. Finally, Warrior & Gulf agreed to allow NTSB to examine the Mauvilla in drydock. The final NTSB report was listed in September 1994. They determined Odom was properly licensed but insufficiently trained for the situation. The natural conditions, the unlit and unsecured swing bridge and the unbroken safety circuit all added to tragic convergence. He wasn’t found criminally liable, but was a named defendant in more than 90 civil suits. Odom never recovered emotionally. Family members described him as a shattered man in the decades that followed. Andrew Stabler remained in maritime trade, but was haunted by the accident until his death in 2013. The Coast Guard awarded Michael Dopheide and Ken Ivory a Gold Lifesaving Medal. Tugboat pilot licensing changed and training now has more steps. Amtrak added glow-in-the-dark handles to emergency exits. Emergency packets for every seat contain unusually powerful luminescent glow sticks. Flotilla members said communication issues were solved afterward. Dive procedures were tweaked. “We got more equipment. If something needs repairing then we get it new. Our training is better,” Richardson said. Still active, he no longer captains the flotilla. Huffman said lessons learned on the bayou helped with an enormous fog-related traffic pileup on the interstate highway over Mobile Bay the next year. He’s spent time addressing PIOs in other jurisdictions and states. “We stayed in touch with a lot of people from the train for a few years. We went to the NTSB hearing in Mobile as well,” Carole Simpson said. “We weren’t really bitter at Willie Odom. It was an accident.” When a monument was erected at the site, the Coast Guard returned survivors for the ceremony. “There were quite a few of us; I don’t know how many. It was very unnerving to see how wooded and desolate the place we had the accident was,” Simpson said. Though she overcame the psychological trauma, her husband didn’t. “George became very reclusive. Maybe because I was younger — it was a second marriage for us, so my grandchildren were young. I was more involved with family and I handled it much better than he did. He pretty much didn’t go out after that,” she said. George passed away in 2001. Carole still lives in Gulf Breeze. Procaccini couldn’t sleep in the dark. For two years, she had nightmares. “When I sit at a railroad track and a train comes, there’s some flashbacks,” Procaccini said. “What bothered me most was I couldn’t save enough people. Why only nine?” What does her nephew, Robert, recall? “He remembers the swimming. That’s all.” Periodically, the fortunate return. Huffman rode along when a survivor from England took a boat to the bayou recently. “She laid a wreath on the concrete footing of the bridge, and ironically a train came through while we were there,” Huffman said. “It was very emotional for her, needless to say.”
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ART ARTIFICE
Art scholar surveys Rembrandt at Spring Hill College BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
A
n artist needs to use more than singular vision or learned skill to make a living. Though not as highminded, it helps to know your market. That goes for the Old Masters as well. “Obviously, Rembrandt was very conscious of who his audience was. There’s no indication he was particularly devout but he understood who his audience was, and it was highly ecumenical,” Dr. Charles Rosenberg explained. Rosenberg should know. He’s Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Notre Dame, an author and internationally respected authority on Italian Renaissance and Baroque art. He’s held numerous fellowships, including with the Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence and the American Academy in Rome. Notre Dame has a collection of around 70 Rembrandt van Rijn etchings, all but a couple of religious subjects. Rosenberg just completed a catalog of them and that’s what brings him to Mobile as the initial speaker in Spring Hill College’s 2018-19 Christus Lecture Series. The remaining lectures stretch through the autumn and into next spring. An Oct. 18 presentation covers the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. A Nov. 15 assembly will look at Mobile’s sacred architecture. In the Sept. 27, 7 p.m., launch at Byrne Hall, Rosenberg will take the audience through an analysis of Notre Dame’s collection and how they sketch Rembrandt’s vision of the nature of spirituality and the nature of the family. Examples from the Snite Museum’s Fedderson Collection of Rembrandt prints will be utilized.
Jazz anniversary features crooner
‘Memory Palace’ in place at MAC
Printmaker and installation artist Grant Benoit instills the mundane with emotion and reminiscence in his new Mobile Arts Council (318 Dauphin St.) exhibit “Memory Palace,” on display through the end of September. “Everyday paths and rituals become evident as carpets thin and edges darken with touch. Shelves overflow ... closets fill — first systematically, then later with forceful containment,” Benoit said in his artist’s statement. Benoit prints wallpapers and layers them in concert with household ephemera and sculpted objects to “explore notions of memory in a way science cannot convey.” Also in place at the MAC gallery is “Draped,” a sneak peek at Mobile Fashion Week’s Sept. 22 show. There are also works from Arts Throwdown contestants. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entrance is free. For more information, call 251-432-9796 or go to mobilearts.org.
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African-American stories at Medical Museum
For Mobilians of color, health care was another in the endless struggles of life during Reconstruction and under Jim Crow. The Mobile Medical Museum (1664 Springhill Ave.) brings it into focus with a new exhibit. “Mobile’s first formally trained African-American doctors, nurses, pharmacists and dentists faced enormous legal, financial and social barriers,” museum Director Daryn Glassbrook said. “Progress was slow, but it was made possible by the courage, toil and sacrifices of these extraordinary men and women.” The exhibit uses pieces from its own collection, rarely seen photos and artifacts on loan and April Livingston’s new cast-iron sculpture of Dr. James A. Franklin Sr. Two other Livingston works destined for the sculpture garden will be placed in September. Two guest lectures — “Medical Bondage and the Birth of American Gynecology” on Oct. 17 and “The Tuskegee Nurse Project” Nov. 8 — will be presented in conjunction with the exhibit. For more information, call 251-415-1109 or visit mobilemedicalmuseum.org.
ARTSGALLERY
It’s been 17 years since the Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed (MOJO) first coalesced in a midtown restaurant. The support group for “America’s original art form” celebrates in appropriate fashion. MOJO presents the Doug Breau Revue performing “American Classics” at Gulf City Lodge (601 State St.) on Sept. 24, 6:30 p.m. Breau is known for dazzling audiences with an evocative vocal style and will be backed by Buddy Dubourg, David White, Danny Infante, Ben Harper, Shawn Wright and Mike Lyle. The customary light jambalaya dinner will be served and Cammie’s Old Dutch will have ice cream sundaes on hand. MOJO members and guests are encouraged to bring a dish to share. Entrance is $15, $12 for students/military and $10 for MOJO members. A cash bar will be available. For more information, call 251-459-2298 or go to mojojazz.org.
buying imagery for personal use. Their size — “some as small as three and a half by four inches” — and a little larger meant they were accessible for average people. “You could buy one of these small prints for the price of a loaf of bread,” Rosenberg said. Amsterdam was a busy international port. That fact cultivated a “They not only were aesthetically extraordinary but they diverse population with varied beliefs, although non-Calvinists like delve into issues not only about spirituality, represented by the Jews and Catholics weren’t welcome to use public venues. They found Holy Family, but also about human relations as well, in particu- private worship. lar the relationships within a family, because it is basically the But all of them shared religious traditions. And all could buy Remstory of Christ reaching maturity and going out on his own,” brandt’s small pieces. Rosenberg said. “They could paste them into Bibles, as illustrations in the back. One of Western Civilization’s most heralded artists, the They made albums,” Rosenberg said. Amsterdam also had a lively art market, one of the best in Europe, where auctions were a regular event. Although Rembrandt never traveled beyond his home nation, his reputation spread across the contiTHEIR SIZE … MEANT THEY WERE nent. “There is a letter written by a famous artist who is asked to do an ACCESSIBLE FOR AVERAGE PEOPLE. image for a collector in Sicily and the collector had also solicited two ‘YOU COULD BUY ONE OF THESE SMALL PRINTS paintings from Rembrandt. The artist said he knew Rembrandt’s work, he hadn’t seen any paintings but he knew his prints,” Rosenberg said. FOR THE PRICE OF A LOAF OF BREAD,’ An inexpensive Rembrandt etching would have been tempting, especially if its subject appealed to religious sensibilities. It’s surprising ROSENBERG SAID. ” more haven’t turned up in the centuries since. The artist’s chosen compositions reflected his own journey as he aged. His concerns over his sole child — three others died in infancy 17th century genius was firmly a product of his place and time. — bubbled up. That lone son’s mother died shortly after childbirth. Rembrandt studied under a pair of mentors who specialized “His son, Titus, was about the age of Christ at the time of the disin narrative or history painting and worked on commissions pute in the temple, when Christ announces he’s about his father’s work. toward that end. So it’s a moment in the gospel narrative when the young man is about Commissioned projects weren’t as numerous as hoped. to embark upon his mission, and his son, Titus, is the same age, 12 at While painters and sculptors in Catholic nations could work this point, and he along with Rembrandt’s common-law wife are going for the church, the Netherlands were a Calvinist nation. Their to have to take over responsibility. He’s going to have to become, in reformed church frowned upon certain figurative imagery in essence, an adult, as it were,” Rosenberg said. places of worship, yet individual Calvinists weren’t averse to For more information on the entire lecture series, go to shc.edu.
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MUSIC
BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
FEATURE
Crescent City’s Mia Borders visits The Listening Room BAND: AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH MIA BORDERS DATE: FRIDAY, SEPT. 21, 8 P.M. VENUE: THE LISTENING ROOM OF MOBILE, 78 ST. FRANCIS ST., WWW.THELISTENINGROOMMOBILE.COM TICKETS: $20 ARTIST DONATION (FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 251-367-4599)
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So, I was about to graduate college and working as a paralegal. It was that thing of, “Do I want to go to law school and continue down this professional track where I’m not really happy and doing the 8:30-5:30 thing and drinking super hard after work, or do I want to try to make it in music?” So, that was when I made that decision. Centanni: What was it like getting started in the New Orleans scene and making your way through it? Borders: It can definitely be cutthroat. After the storm, there weren’t a whole lot of bars open, nor were there a whole lot of musicians back in town just yet. When we first started playing, we had a regular gig at a bar uptown. We got really comfortable there. Then, we all felt the need to branch out a little bit, and we started playing other clubs. It just continued to develop, and we got a manager a couple of years later. Then, we started to tour a little bit. So, it was just another one of those things where there was momentum building up. We definitely hit a few walls, and we still hit a few walls. It’s where I’m trying to play new markets, and everybody wants to know what your numbers are in that market, and I’m trying to break in. It’s tough. I try not to see this competition. I think that venues like to pit musicians against each other to cover their own overhead. I’m trying to get out of that headspace and focus on what I’m doing and playing to different crowds and just try to be happy and not be too stressed out playing music. It’s not supposed to be a stressful job, but sometimes it is. Centanni: I was in New Orleans a few weekends ago, and it’s been more packed than I’ve seen it in a while. To me, it’s like it’s back to normal, with big pre-Katrina crowds. As far as the music scene now, do you think things are back to normal? Borders: That’s tough to say. Unfortunately, I think we’re moving away from original music. That’s something I’m hearing more and more from original musicians. We’re losing gigs to cover bands and the niche bands like brass bands. It’s easier for tourists to get on board with that. If you ask somebody from out of town to come see original music, then they’re really making an investment. It’s becoming more difficult to encourage that. That’s why
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Photo | Katie Sikora
ith all the funky brass sounds reverberating from New Orleans, Big Easy musicians such as Mia Borders are refreshing. Since childhood, Borders has embraced the magic of a guitar. After returning to a post-Katrina New Orleans, she began dedicating her life to becoming a musician, and her career path since then has taken her from such Crescent City festivals as Essence Fest and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to venues across the nation. With its mix of rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz, blues and Latin combined with her impressive guitar work, her most recent album, “Fever Dreams,” is her most diverse to date. Lagniappe caught up with Borders to talk about her career and the life of an original musician in the current New Orleans scene. Stephen Centanni: You got your first guitar when you were pretty young. What was it about the guitar that fascinated you at such an early age? Mia Borders: That’s a good question. I don’t really remember. It was just always the instrument that I was draw to the most. I was really into Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith and Bill Withers, and they all had guitars. It always seemed like a guy’s instrument. It intrigued me in a “buck the system” sort of way. Centanni: What was your first experience with writing songs? Borders: I was writing songs when I was a toddler and in preschool, and they didn’t make sense, obviously. It was just another way to express myself. Then, I started to get serious about it when I started taking lessons in sixth grade. Centanni: After you moved back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, you decided to take that next step to performing onstage. What made you want to take that leap? Borders: It was not easy. I finished high school and went to boarding school in Connecticut. I was going to come back to New Orleans and go to film school, either in New Orleans or Savannah. I was going to take a year off anyway, then Katrina happened. I started up a band with my brother’s friends. They agreed to back me when I sang a couple of songs as an opening act for their band. Then, it just snowballed from there. It wasn’t really a conscious decision.
New Orleans singer-songwriter Mia Borders abandoned academic pursuits after Hurricane Katrina to focus on her music career. Today, she is one of the Big Easy’s most original acts. a lot of us are trying to tour as much as possible and not saturate the local market. There’s always going to be music in New Orleans. It’s one of the bedrocks of our city. I’m happy that it’s a big part of it, and I’m happy to be a part of that community, but it’s tougher to be an original musician than it was before. Centanni: For someone like me who’s familiar with the “niche music” you’re talking about, listening to your latest album “Fever Dreams” is refreshing. I tend to really like the stuff coming out of New Orleans that doesn’t fall into the whole brass/funk scene. That album is such a great, diverse collection of music. You’ve got everything from Latin to swamp pop, with your guitar leading the way. What was it like choosing songs from your repertoire to go on this album? Borders: I really just wanted to make an album that I would like to listen to. That hasn’t always been the case with my records. Some were for emotional reasons. I’m not in that headspace anymore. So, I don’t want to listen to an angry breakup record. Others were for technical reasons. I didn’t like the mix, so I don’t want to listen to that record anymore. This was one that I took control of from start to finish. I did all the pre-production and demo recording. I’m pretty particular in the studio because studio time isn’t cheap. Fortunately, I have some world-class musicians who just play the crap out of the stuff I write and make me look really good. I mixed and mastered it myself. I wanted to have that cohesive thread of urban contemporary mixed with other stuff that I listen to. I listen to a lot of R&B and the Bill Withers stuff with the acoustic guitar in everything he does. For some reason, I’ve never really recorded with my acoustic unless it was a ballad. I was mostly experimenting with sounds and finding a cohesive sound with mood. Centanni: When can we expect the next album? Borders: I think I’m going to put out an EP at the first of next year.
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MUSIC BRIEFS
Humpday Holt
BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
Band: Adam Holt Date: Wednesday, Sept. 26, 5 p.m. Venue: Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s, 200 E. 25th Ave. (Gulf Shores), www.lulubuffett.com Cover: Free
Photo | adamholtmusic.com
LuLu’s invites the Gulf Coast to get over the midweek slump with a sunset performance by singer-songwriter Adam Holt, whose versatile sound has allowed him to share the stage with such notables as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. This singer-songwriter’s eclectic style reaches an apex with his latest effort, “The Sunday Troubadour.” The tracks on this album are a skillful aural cocktail comprising modern Southern rock and ‘90s-era arena country. Holt’s set should give his crowd enough energy to get through the workweek. In recent months, Holt began exploring the production side of music, opening his Studio ‘78 in Daphne. This recording studio offers not only digital recording methods but also analog, which is unique to the Mobile Bay area. The Red Clay Strays have already taken advantage of Holt’s analog offerings. Could their time with Holt signal the band’s full-length debut is coming soon?
Early bird special Band: Rock ‘n’ Roll Matinee Date: Friday, Sept. 21, with doors at 7 p.m. Venue: Alchemy Tavern, 7 S. Joachim St., 251-441-7741 Cover: Call for more info For years, Mobile’s local music venues have opted to begin live performances at 10 p.m. or later, especially in downtown. Even though the late-night start times haven’t hindered attendance, many locals would love to experience live music at a relatively early hour, and Alchemy Tavern is taking steps to oblige. Every third Friday of the month, Alchemy Tavern will hold a Rock ‘n’ Roll Matinee specializing in opening the doors a few hours earlier than usual. This first installment will feature the indie power-pop sounds of Mobile’s South Carlen. Nashville’s Pretty Ravens will add a dose of indie rock inspired by the early days of the Southeastern alt. rock movement of the ‘90s. Pensacola’s Hello Crescendo returns to Mobile with a set filled with rhythmically intricate, offbeat indie rock.
The Baddest Band: Froggy Fresh Date: Tuesday, Sept. 26, with doors at 7 p.m. Venue: The Merry Widow, 51 S. Conception St., www.themerrywidow.net Tickets: $15 in advance/$20 day of show/$50 VIP available through venue website
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Froggy Fresh will be performing his first and last show in the Azalea City. In 2012, he began to gather a following with the YouTube release of “The Baddest.” With his Southern-tinged simpleton lyrics, runny nose and low-budget companion video, Froggy Fresh left new listeners scratching their heads as to whether this track was serious or a viral internet novelty. Either way, Froggy Fresh continued releasing his humorous songs, such as “Christmas” and “The Fight,” while adding to his fanbase and his critics along the way. His offbeat hip-hop style even scored him an appearance on Comedy Central’s “Tosh.0.” As far as why he chose hip-hop, Froggy Fresh says his love of the genre and the relatively simple methods of producing tracks made it easy to enter the music world. “I grew up listening to hip-hop,” Froggy Fresh said. “It’s just cool, especially when you’re a kid. It’s just fun music, and it’s also simple. It was just a good place to start, and it’s easy to make. You don’t need musicians and a studio to make hip-hop.” Even though this will be his last tour, Froggy Fresh says his musical career is far from over. His new music will be released under his real name, Tyler Cassidy. He also plans to release songs that are worlds away from his current repertoire. Fans are already getting their first taste of what he calls “pop with soul undertones” through internet releases featuring Cassidy armed with just a piano and his voice. “I’m writing nonstop and just listening and studying music as much as I can and pushing myself in every aspect that I can to learn more musically,” Froggy Fresh said.
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AREAMUSIC LISTINGS | September 19 - 25, 2018 Please send upcoming music to listings@ lagniappemobile.com by MONDAY before Wednesday’s paper.
Bluegill— Lee Yankie, 12p / Jeri, 6p Blues Tavern— Big Red & the Soul Benders Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Zydeco, 6p Brickyard— Tyler Mac WED. SEPT 19 Band Dauphins— Mark Pipas, Bluegill— Matt Neese 5p Boudreaux’s Cajun Felix’s— Blind Dog Mike Grill— Ryan Balthrop, 6p Flora-Bama— Smokey Brickyard— Chad Otis, 1p / J Hawkins Duo, Davidson Band 2p / Dustin Bogue, 5p / Callaghan’s— Phil & The Jack Robertson Show, Foster, 7p 5:30p / Justin Jeansonne Cortlandt’s Pizza Duo, 6p / Lauren Murphy Pub— Marcus Elizondo, and the Psychedelics, 7:30p Felix’s— Jimmy Lumpkin 6p / Mel Knapp, 6p / Albert Simpson and the Duo Contingent, 10p / Spencer Flora-Bama— Neil Maige Trio, 10:15p / Kirk Jay Dover, 2p / Rhonda Hart Duo, 6p / Shea White, 8p / and Kountry Funk, 10:30p Hard Rock (Live) — Spencer Maige, 10:15p Melissa Etheridge, 8p LuLu’s— Adam Holt, 5p Listening Room— Mia Borders, 8p THURS. SEPT 20 LuLu’s— Ronnie Presley, 5p Blind Mule— Jazz Club Manci’s— Red Clay Bluegill— Shelby Brown Strays Duo, 6p Moe’s BBQ (Daphne) Blues Tavern— — The Twang Gang, 8p Doobious Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) Boudreaux’s Cajun — Stephen Sylvester, 6:30p Grill— David Chastang, 6p Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) Brickyard— — John and Stan, 6:30p Yellowhammer w/special guests SAT. SEPT 22 Cortlandt’s Pizza Pub— Bryant Gilly, 8p Dauphins— Mark Pipas, Bluegill— Brent Loper, 12p / Bust 6p 5p Blues Tavern— John Felix’s— Grits n Pieces Hall Band Flora-Bama— Justin Bogue, 2p / Spencer Maige, Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— David Chastang, 6p 5p / Dueling Pianos, 5:30 Brickyard— Albert / Kyle Brady, 6p / Mark Simpson and the Sherrill, 6p / River Dan Band, 10p / Albert Simpson Contingent Dauphins— Mark Pipas, and John Kulinich, 10:15p Listening Room— Chip 5p Fairhope Brewing— Herrington Jazz5, 8p The Marlow Boys LuLu’s— Justin Yawn, 5p Felix’s— Jamie Adamson Manci’s— Camm Lewis Duo Veets— Brooke Brown, Flora-Bama— Jimmy 8p Lumpkin and the Revival, 1p / Spencer Maige, 1p / FRI. SEPT 21 Lea Anne Creswell Duo, 2p / Smokey Otis Trio, 2p Alchemy— South Carlen / Mel Knapp, 5p / The Jack / Pretty Ravens / Hello Robertson Show, 5:30p Crescendo, 7p / Jamell Richardson, The Beau Rivage— Michael Gulf Coast Blues Boy, 6p / Bolton Justin Jeansonne Duo, 6p Big Beach Brewing— / Spencer Maige and the The Rex, 6:30 32 | L AG N I A P P E | S e p t e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 - S e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 8
Reckless, 10p / Smokey Otis Trio, 10:15p / Red Clay Strays, 10:30p Listening Room— Whiskey Jack Untz and Friends
SUN. SEPT 23 Big Beach Brewing— Sugarcane Jane, 4p Bluegill— Matt Bush, 12p / Yeah Probably, 6p Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Matt Neese, 6p Brickyard— Jake Burford Dauphins— Roland Cobbs, 11am Felix’s— Bobby Butchka Flora-Bama— Smokey Otis Duo, 12p / Songs of Rusty, 1:30p / Mike Diamond, 2p / Spencer Maige, 5p / Perdido Brothers, 6p / Bruce Smelley, 9p / Al and Cathy, 10:15p LuLu’s— Lee Yankie, 5p Manci’s— Eric Erdman Veets— Honeyboy & Boots, 8p
MON. SEPT 24 Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— David Chastang, 6p Felix’s— Lee Yankie Flora-Bama— Gove Scrivenor, 2p / Open Mic w/ Cathy Pace, 6p / Shea White, 8p / Petty and Pace, 10:15p Listening Room— Catherine Britt with Melody Moko LuLu’s— Brent Burns, 5p
TUES. SEPT 25 Bluegill— Jimmy Lumpkin Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Ryan Balthrop, 6p Butch Cassidy’s— Phil & Foster Felix’s— Bryant Gilley Flora-Bama— T-Bone Montgomery, 2p / Mason Henderson, 5:30p / Big Earl “Old School”, 6p / Mario Mena Duo, 10:15p Listening Room— Catherine Britt LuLu’s— Lefty Collins, 5p
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‘Juliet, Naked’ a novel meeting
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
E
BY ASIA FREY/FILM CRITIC/AFREY@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM than Hawke and Rose Byrne are When a new, unplugged version, “Juliet, here to rescue date night with the Naked,” comes to light, Annie writes a bittersweet romantic comedy “Jublistering review for the blog and Tucker liet, Naked,” an utterly delightful Crowe himself (Hawke) responds to the film, nicely tempered with the realities of review, in agreement. growing older. That’s the unusual meet-cute for the Byrne plays Annie, a demure English appealing pair of Rose Byrne and Ethan intellectual working as a museum curator, Hawke, and the progress of their relationwho is increasingly unsatisfied with her ship remains refreshingly unexpected. fellow intellectual boyfriend Duncan, While Annie longs to become a mother, played by Chris O’Dowd, who steals Tucker is already a disappointing father every scene with his flawlessly clear-eyed several times over, with many kids and depiction of the adult male fan boy. their mothers scattered everywhere, all Their lives are extremely well-written; of whom are furious with him for his every detail, such as Duncan’s controlling various shortcomings. Even as Annie and and precise cooking skills, their time-fill- Tucker go from long distance to closer ing activities and pursuits, and the college proximity, a rapidly accumulating lifecourses Duncan teaches, is hilariously time of baggage holds them apart. spot on. When we gradually learn how “Juliet, Naked” is from a novel by empty Annie finds these pursuits, and Nick Hornby, who is second only to Jane how she longs to start a family, these osAusten in the novel-that-makes-a-greattensibly high-minded hobbies ring false. romantic-comedy department, and this The most all-consuming hobby of film has two movie-great entries in the all, naturally, belongs to Duncan, who Hornby canon of man-children in the is obsessed with the life and music of characters of Tucker and his erudite acomysterious American rock star Tucker lyte, Duncan. But it is Annie, the woman Crowe, and writes a blog concerning the they both want, who is a nice surprise, few albums Crowe produced before disand for once Hornby gives us a fully appearing suddenly from the music scene formed female character. — particularly an album called “Juliet.” This is a wistful, well-written film
FILMTHE REEL WORLD
about the complexities of romance as an adult, and it contains some harsh realities while also being hopeful and romantic. The characters are well-written and fully realized; even Ethan Hawke’s cardigan and cargo shorts wardrobe is magnificent, and they somehow manage to make gorgeous Rose Byrne look mildly dowdy at times. Duncan is a funny character, and plenty of long-suffering women will appreciate his painfully realistic depiction of male music obsession. But he is not played just for laughs; his passion for Tucker Crowe’s music gives the film an added dimension of pathos beyond just the irony of his hero suddenly appearing in person to date his ex girlfriend. “Juliet, Naked” hits the perfect notes of comedy, romance and bittersweet reality, and Ethan Hawke is moving into the next phase of his heartthrob status nicely. Any time Rose Byrne gets a role as good as she is, is a cause for tuning in, so don’t miss this rare treat with a perfect cast, great material and hilariously detailed script. “Juliet, Naked” is coming soon to the Crescent Theater.
NEXUS CINEMA DINING 7070 Bruns Dr. Mobile, AL (251) 776-6570 AMC CLASSIC WHARF 23151 Wharf Lane Orange Beach, AL (251) 981-4444 COBB PINNACLE 14 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores (251) 923-0785 EASTERN SHORE PREMIERE CINEMA 14 30500 State Hwy 181 Spanish Fort, AL (251) 626-0352 Information accurate at press time; please call theaters for showtimes.
Photos | Alex Bailey / Amazon Studios
From left: In “Juliet, Naked,” long suffering girlfriend Annie (Rose Byrne) strikes up a romance with the object of her boyfriend’s obsession. “Life Itself,” from director and writer Dan Fogelman, examines the perils and rewards of everyday life in a multi-generational saga. NEW THIS WEEK LIFE ITSELF
As a young New York couple go from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes. An ensemble tear-jerker from the creator of TV’s beloved melodrama “This Is Us.” All listed multiplex theaters.
THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS
Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his uncle (Jack Black) in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious tick-tock noise. When Lewis accidentally awakens the dead, the town’s sleepy façade magically springs to life with a secret world of witches and warlocks. All listed multiplex theaters.
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NOW PLAYING A SIMPLE FAVOR Regal Mobile Stadium 18, AMC Mobile 16, Crescent Theater THE PREDATOR All listed multiplex theaters. WHITE BOY RICK AMC Mobile 16 SEARCHING AMC Mobile 16 KIN AMC Mobile 16 GOD BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD AMC Mobile 16 THE NUN All listed multiplex theaters. PEPPERMINT Regal Mobile Stadium 18, Nexus Cinema Dining OPERATION FINALE AMC Mobile 16, AMC Classic Jubilee Square 12, Nexus Cinema Dining THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS All listed multiplex theaters. A-X-L All listed multiplex theaters. BLACKKKLANSMAN Regal Mobile 18, Cobb Pinnacle 14, AMC Mobile 16
CRAZY RICH ASIANS All listed multiplex theaters. ALPHA All listed multiplex theaters. MILE 22 Regal Mobile Stadium 18 THE MEG All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining. SLENDER MAN All listed multiplex theaters. CHRISTOPHER ROBIN All listed multiplex theaters. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT All listed multiplex theaters. 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 - S E P T E M B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 - S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 8
68TH ANNUAL BALDWIN COUNTY CATTLE & FAIR THE FAIR BEGINS TUESDAY, SEPT. 18, AND RUNS THROUGH SEPT. 23, OPENING DAILY AT 4 P.M. AT THE BALDWIN COUNTY COLISEUM (19477 FAIRGROUND ROAD, ROBERTSDALE). PAY ONCE ($12) FOR ADMISSION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, AND $7 PER DAY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY (INCLUDES FREE PARKING). VISIT BALDWINCOFAIR. COM OR CALL 251-947-3247. Photo | Weeks Bay Foundation
GENERAL INTEREST Fall concert The Mobile Pops opens its fall season Thursday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. at The Mobile County Bicentennial Pavilion in Medal of Honor Park. Join us as we play classic compositions sure to excite all music fans. Mobile Pops concerts are free to the public. Visit themobilepops.com. Lecture for “A Poisoned Life” The Historic Mobile Preservation Society will host a 6 p.m. presentation on Thursday, Sept. 20, at the historic CoxDeasy House at 1115 Palmetto St. Author Rick Hutto will be the featured speaker and his book “A Poisoned Life” will be available for purchase and signing. Visit historicmobile.org/events. History Museum Educator Preview Day Teachers, media specialists, administrators, counselors and school support staff are invited to a free preview of the History Museum of Mobile’s fall/ winter 2018 exhibition, “Mystery of the Mayan Medallion,” on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 4:30 p.m. Free refreshments. Professional development credit. Make a reservation at 251-301-0270. Fall book sale The Friends of Daphne Public Library will host a fall book sale on Friday, Sept. 21
(9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Saturday, Sept. 22 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Buy one, get one free (of equal or lesser value). There will be a silent auction in the book shop (closes Saturday, 1 p.m.). Visit daphnelibrary.org. Kids fishing day The annual event takes place Saturday, Sept. 22 from 8 a.m. to noon at Safe Harbor Pond/Weeks Bay Foundation, on U.S. Highway 98 across from the Weeks Bay Reserve. This is a free opportunity for children 15 and younger to cast a line in a safe and fun stocked pond. Fishing gear and bait provided for children who do not have their own. Call 251-990-5004 or visit weeksbay.org.
free. Visit serdabrewing.com for more information. Mobile Fashion Week 2018 The Fort of Colonial Mobile will host the seventh year of fashion week Saturday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. From models to designers, makeup artists to hairstylists, bringing them all together to support Camp Rap-A-Hope. Online tickets $30 or $40 at the door. Library Card Sign-Up Month This month, Daphne Public Library is joining with the American Library Association and libraries nationwide in Library Card Sign-Up Month, to encourage parents, caregivers and students to obtain a free library card that will save them money while reaping rewards in academic achievement and lifelong learning. For more information about how to sign up for a library card, visit the Daphne Public Library in person or online at daphnelibrary.org.
Family Day at USA Archaeology Please join us on Saturday, Sept. 22, noon to 3 p.m., at USA Archaeology Museum for “A JUBILEE!” Family Day. This event will feature a read-aloud and book signing by author Karyn Tunks at 1 p.m. Families can join us before or after the read-aloud for fun craft activities. Free Indoor Market at Central and open to everyone. Visit southalabama. Every Saturday morning during September from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., an edu/org/archaeology/museum. indoor market will be held at Central Presbyterian Church (corner of Dauphin 2018 Oktoberfest and Ann streets). Come shop indoors Serda Brewing Oktoberfest will be in air conditioning and #supportlocal Saturday, Sept. 22, 4-11 p.m. Keg tapping artisans, bakers and craftsmen. Email ceremony, beer mile, contests and live eventsatcentral@gmail.com. music with Blue Eyed Bandit. Entry is
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FUNDRAISERS Project Steinway Gala The Project Steinway Gala, set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23, in the newly renovated Lois Jean Delaney Auditorium on the Murphy High School campus, will help fund the purchase of a ninefoot grand piano and a choral room piano. Tickets will be sold at the door for $25 each. Call 251-930-1082 or visit steinwayes.com. “The White Party” Fairhope Brewing Co. and the Junior Auxiliary of the Eastern Shore will host “The White Party” Friday, Sept. 21, 6-10 p.m. All ticket sales and silent auction items go directly back to children and families in the Eastern Shore community. Tickets are $25 and include admission and food truck. Find us on Facebook @ JuniorAuxiliaryoftheEasternShore.
ARTS “The Throwdown” Join us Thursday, Sept. 20, 5:30-9 p.m. for “The Throwdown,” where five local artists will compete to create works of art in just 90 minutes. Hosted by Mobile Arts Council at 23 East (1886 5th St. in the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley), all pieces
“Madagascar: Island of Lemurs,” the incredible true story of nature’s greatest explorers — lemurs. Visit exploreum.com.
Jubilee Festival of the Arts Olde Towne Daphne comes alive with art, food and entertainment for the 30th annual Jubilee Festival of Arts Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29-30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce. Admission is free. Visit thejubileefestival.com.
“National Parks Adventure” at Exploreum 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 exploreum.com.
“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, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a relaxing time sketching in the gardens. All levels of experience welcome. General admission is $5 for nonmembers.
MUSEUMS Museum Day at Condé-Charlotte The Condé-Charlotte Museum will open its doors free of charge to all Museum Day ticket holders on Saturday, Sept. 22, as part of Smithsonian Magazine’s 14th annual Museum Day. Visit condecharlotte. com. USS Alabama Museum Day Smithsonian Magazine is offering free museum admission during its annual Museum Day Saturday, Sept. 22. To obtain free tickets to Battleship Memorial Park, visit ussalabama.com to register. Two tickets will be issued per registered adult. Tickets are valid on Saturday, Sept. 22, only. “Mystery of the Mayan Medallion” The secrets of an ancient world await at the History Museum of Mobile, through Dec. 30. Visit historymuseumofmobile. com. “Madagascar: Island of Lemurs” at Exploreum Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman narrates the IMAX® 3D documentary
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 251-2085200.
SPORTING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES Gulf Coast Challenge The inaugural “Gulf Coast Challenge Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority” football game will take place Saturday, Sept. 22, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game is preceded by events throughout the week including a college and career fair, free concert featuring Doug E. Fresh, second line procession, parade and more. For more information, read “Upon Further Review” by J. Mark Bryant in this issue of Lagniappe. Bingo at Via! Bingo every Tuesday and Thursday, 1-3 p.m. Open to the public. VIA! Health, Fitness, Enrichment Center, 1717 Dauphin St., Mobile, 251-478-3311.
WORKSHOPS Marion Deane Drummond Lecture Series Saturday, Sept. 22, will launch this series at the Mobile Botanical Gardens from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dr. Brian Axsmith will speak in the morning and Dr. Dave Creech in the afternoon. Food by Georgia Rouses Catering. Members $30, nonmembers $35. Visit mobilebotanicalgardens.org. Marriages end, families don’t Lifelines Counseling Services will host “Helping Children Cope with Divorce,”
an educational program that focuses on how effective parenting can lessen the negative impact of divorce and parental separation on children. Saturday, Sept. 22, 8 a.m. to noon and Tuesday, Sept. 25, 6-10 p.m. at 705 Oak Circle Drive East. Sign up online at lifelinesmobile.org.
Thursday at 6 p.m., 190 Dead Lake Road, #A, 251-675-8142.
Money management Develop spending plans, money management skills and other goal-setting techniques. Monday, Sept. 24, 6-7 p.m. at Lifelines (705 Oak Circle Drive E.). Due to limited space, call 251-602-0011 to register.
Dauphin Island Town Council: First and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., 1011 Bienville Blvd., townofdauphinisland.org.
“The She Economy” The Mobile Chamber of Commerce will host a free workshop for small business owners focusing on women-owned businesses Wednesday, Sept. 25, through Friday, Sept. 27, 6-9 p.m. at Bishop State Community College Main Campus. Call 251-721-0458 for more information. Free Real Estate Career Seminar Tuesday, Sept. 25, 5:30-7 p.m. at Keller Williams Daphne and Orange Beach. Call Donna Taylor, 251-607-8800.
PUBLIC MEETINGS Baldwin County Commission: First and third Tuesday at 8:30 a.m., 322 Courthouse Square, Bay Minette. Work sessions are second and fourth Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. rotating between Bay Minette, the Foley Satellite Courthouse, the Fairhope Satellite Courthouse and the Baldwin County Central Annex Building in Robertsdale, baldwincountyal.gov. Baldwin County Planning Commission: First Thursday at 6 p.m., 22251 Palmer St., Robertsdale, baldwincountyal.gov. Bayou La Batre City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 13785 S. Wintzell Ave., cityofbayoulabatre.com. Chickasaw City Council: Second and fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., 224 N. Craft Highway, 251-452-6450. Citronelle City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6:30 p.m., 19135 Main St., 251-866-7973.
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., daphneal.com.
Elberta Town Council: Third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the town hall. Workshop meeting on the second Tuesday, townofelberta.com. Fairhope City Council: Second and fourth Monday at 6 p.m., 161 N. Section St. Work sessions are held before each council meeting at 4:30 p.m., cofairhope. com. Fairhope Planning Commission: First Monday at 5 p.m., 161 N. Section St. For more information visit cofairhope.com. Foley City Council: First and third Monday at 5:30 p.m., 407 E. Laurel Ave. Work sessions begin at 4 p.m., cityoffoley. org Gulf Shores City Council: Second and fourth Mondays at 4 p.m., 1905 W. First St., gulfshoresal.gov. Mobile City Council: Tuesdays at Government Plaza, 205 Government St. Pre-council meeting begins at 9 a.m.; council meeting begins at 10:30 a.m., cityofmobile.org.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS - SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 - SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
are auctioned off and the piece with the highest bid is declared the winner. Purchase tickets online at mobilearts.org.
Mobile Planning Commission: First and third Thursdays at 2 p.m., 205 Government St., urban.cityofmobile.org. Orange Beach City Council: First and third Tuesdays at 5 p.m., 4099 Orange Beach Blvd., cityoforangebeach.com. Prichard City Council: Every Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 216 E. Prichard Ave., thecityofprichard.org. Satsuma City Council: First and third Tuesdays at 6 p.m. City Hall, 5464 Old Highway 43, 251-675-1440.
Creola City Council: Second and fourth
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MEDIA MEDIA FRENZY
Newsprint tariff gone; high prices remain
A
BY ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
MIXED FEELINGS
BY Hal Moore / Edited by Will Shortz ACROSS 1 No-goodnik 4 “So long, dear boy” 8 Soap scent 13 Test for purity 18 Bullet ____ (1950s fashion fad) 19 Hiding, with “up” 20 TD Garden, for one 21 Jordan who directed “Get Out” 22 Overwhelm 24 Result of a photographic memory 26 Neighbor of Hungary 27 Harbinger 29 Whopper inventor 30 Tierra ____ Fuego 31 Minor’s opposite 33 Where the U.S. won its 1,000th Summer Olympic gold 34 Chooses 35 Id restrainer 36 Sangfroid 37 Pair of diamonds? 41 Swear 42 Robin Williams role in a 1991 blockbuster 44 Reasons to hold one’s nose 45 Fan sounds 46 Horror assistant 47 Big name in water filters 48 “I wish!” 50 Black brew 53 Item at the end of a wizard’s staff 54 Man just after kneeling? 55 Uncompromisingly direct 56 Classic Chevy 58 Bunker 63 They involve mixed feelings … or a hint to four squares in this completed puzzle 67 2008 campaign slogan 68 Major fashion capital 69 Actress Thompson of “Thor: Ragnarok” 70 ____ league (amateur sports group) 71 Efficiency stat 72 Payment to a building board 75 Dance in 3/4 time 78 Set of values 80 “____ bien” 81 One smoothing the way? 82 Leaves in 83 Option for moving an investment 87 Neighborhood 88 Parts of many law firm names 91 Camera setting 92 “____ out!” (ump’s cry) 93 Hello or goodbye 94 ____ long way 95 Dukes
96 O’er and o’er 97 Folkie Guthrie 98 Chocolate-chip- cookie starters? 100 One of the Corleones in “The Godfather” 102 Symbol of luck 105 Public nudity or foul language 109 Place to chat 110 “Princess ____ Theme” (John Williams composition) 111 Chocolatier since 1845 112 Stooge with a bowl cut 113 Checks 114 Certain break point 115 Cries of approval 116 Division in geology
name 16 “The Crucible,” for McCarthyism 17 Mustard and saffron 19 One living off the land 23 “Why am I not surprised?” 25 “Darn!” 28 Drive 31 ____ Store 32 Mate for Bambi 33 Supervised 37 Milhouse’s toon friend 38 Dashboard warnings, informally 39 Imaginary 40 Partner of smash 41 “Kung Fu” actor Philip 43 Fruit-juice brand 45 Basically what was said DOWN 47 Boxer upset in the biopic 1 Small balls “Cinderella Man” 2 Graveside container 48 Golfer Aoki 3 Attire for the 49 Nordic native Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld 50 Soothing succulent 4 Author Morrison 51 Explorers and Expeditions 5 Director of the “M*A*S*H” 52 Fair finale 55 Journalist Nellie 6 Simple top 57 The Great ____ (Satan) 7 Skillful 58 ____-Soviet 8 Delayed 59 Cartoon in which one cow 9 Weights, informally says to another: “Hey, wait a 10 Court do-over minute! This is grass! We’ve 11 Parallels been eating grass!” 12 Islamic state 60 Climb 13 Copycats 61 View from a pew 14 Short time, for short 62 Free TV spot, for short 15 Manta ray, by another 64 Taiwanese computer giant
65 It might be topped with guacamole 66 Tic ____ (mints) 71 Give (out) 73 Modernists, for short 74 Internet connection inits. 75 Sandal-less, say 76 Score starter 77 Shepherd’s scene 79 Great Plains tribe 81 Bribes 82 Sent up 83 Nutrition fig. 84 “I’ll cover this” 85 Nonsense 86 H.S. courses for college credit 88 Suffix with large numbers 89 17-year-old Peace Nobelist Yousafzai 90 In too curious a manner 93 Composes 98 Fancy French home 99 Once, once 100 The Bravest in the Big Apple, for short 101 N.L. Central squad 103 Ingredient in a Bali Hai cocktail 104 Certain tech exec 106 Actress Long 107 Tender sound 108 Currency with denominations of 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000
ANSWERS ON PAGE 44
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tariff that sent the costs of newsprint skyrocketing and even led to the closure of some newspapers across the United States was officially ended in late August, but don’t expect to see prices go down anytime soon. In August the International Trade Commission slapped down a tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Canadian newsprint, saying there was no material harm to U.S. paper mills caused by any breaks Canadian mills receive from their government. One U.S. mill, NORPAC in Washington state, had requested the tariff, which was imposed over the opposition of other U.S. mills, newspaper publishers and printers. A preliminary tariff of 22 percent was imposed in March, which quickly sent newsprint prices skyrocketing because there wasn’t enough U.S. capacity to handle need. Those increases hit newspapers and printers hard, and those who could passed much of the increase on to clients. This newspaper, for instance, has seen three price increases in the past five months. A bipartisan effort on Capitol Hill, which included Sen. Doug Jones and Rep. Bradley Byrne, urged the administration not to make the tariff permanent, and in early August the Commerce Department reduced the preliminary tariff to less than 10 percent. The ITC then ended the entire matter later in the month by declaring the tariff useless. But the damage was done. Through a total absence of actually investigating the newsprint market, the administration artificially raised the prices of newsprint tremendously, not only making the Canadian mills they were supposedly punishing more money, but jacking the
U.S.-produced newsprint prices and financially damaging newspapers across the fruited plain. Now the market will have to slowly bring those prices back down, and they may never be as low as they were. In speaking with a printer two weeks ago, he explained the mills have been making lots of money over the past months and will be loath to reduce prices quickly. On top of that, printers who lost money will likely try to recoup those losses on the backs of their clients before they bring prices back down. Newspapers are left holding the bag. They can eat the increases or try to pass them along to advertisers and subscribers, neither of which are very appealing fixes at a time when we struggle to keep print advertisers from deserting for the oasis of digital. The whole saga might serve as a bit of a cautionary tale for those who cheer on kneejerk tariffs affecting other areas of Alabama’s economy. Soybean farmers have already seen this. Unfortunately for publishers, there’s no multibillion-dollar government subsidy to offset our losses. Just to give readers an idea of how this matters at the local level, Lagniappe will probably see a more than $30,000 increase in print costs this year alone. And if prices don’t come down next year, that could be much higher. The only options for handling that are reducing the paper size or eating the cost and hoping for more revenue. (It’s probably worth mentioning here once again how spending $1 a week on a subscription can help your hometown maintain a vibrant local newspaper. As does advertising.) All we can hope now is that newsprint price reductions come sooner rather than later.
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SPORTS UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Alabama A&M, Southern ready for football extravaganza BY J. MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER/SPORTS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM/TWITTER @GOULAGUY
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Photo | Mobile Sports Authority
T
he inaugural Gulf Coast Challenge (GCC) at fans will take place at the hotel 3-6 p.m. first may appear to be just another football game. The action starts heating up at 6 p.m. with the HBCU But a look at the list of events planned reveals Greek Fest/Step Shot/Battle of the Bands inside the Mobile Saturday’s athletic contest is just one slice of the Civic Center at 6 p.m. Two events wrap up the agenda at festivities. 9 p.m., with an alumni bash at Azalea Manor, while Club The Alabama A&M Bulldogs will serve as host SaturRain will host an after-party. day when the Southern University Jaguars come to LaddThe celebrated marching bands from both schools will Peebles Stadium in the Southwest Athletic Conference be on display during the parade presented by Bishop State showdown. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Community College on Saturday The game, which is being produced morning at 9 a.m. Tailgating at jointly by the Mobile Sports Authority Ladd-Peebles Stadium will begin and the Gulf Coast Challenge Comat noon. A second line procession mittee, will cap several days of enterinto the stadium will begin at 3 p.m. tainment, fun, food and tailgating. Two additional gather‘AS WE HAVE FOR THE “College football is a huge event ings at 9 p.m. will wrap FESTIVITIES RELATED TO THE INAUGURAL GULF COAST PAST TWO YEARS, WE ARE and having the opportunity to host up the celebrations CHALLENGE, A GAME BETWEEN ALABAMA A&M AND SOUTHtwo of the largest HBCU [Historically at the Contemporary VERY EXCITED TO BE HOST- Museum of Art and Black College and University] football ERN UNIVERSITY, BEGIN WITH A COLLEGE AND CAREER FAIR teams in the South speaks volumes Club Rain. WEDNESDAY AND A CONCERT IN CATHEDRAL SQUARE FEATURING DOUG E. FRESH. ING ANOTHER HBCU FOOTfor our city,” said Tim Hale, GCC Tickets for all events BALL WEEKEND IN MOBILE executive director. “The Gulf Coast are available by visiting Challenge will add to the many attracthegulfcoastchallenge. THIS FALL.’ man Vernon Moland (35 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 10 sacks in 2017) and defensive tions that Mobile already has to boast com or calling 251-281-8202. back Dylan Hamilton (67 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions in 2017). Yurik about as football fans flock to the city • Although Alabama A&M is Bethune returns as a pass rusher (46 tackles, 12.0 TFL, 5 sacks). to partake in the events for that week.” designated as the host, don’t be Quarterback Aqeel Glass is back after tossing for 1,192 yards and five scores The Mobile Sports Authority has surprised to see a large contingent supported the return of HBCU teams of Southern fans making the trip via as a sophomore. Senior Isaiah Bailey hauled in 34 grabs for 514 yards and six to Mobile for several seasons. The GCC replaces the 5th Interstate 10. Baton Rouge is only 200 miles from Mobile, scores while placing fourth in the league in receiving yards per game despite missing a pair of contests. Running back Jordan Bentley carried the ball 107 Quarter Classic, which had attracted tens of thousands while Huntsville is 355 miles to the north. of fans and generated millions of dollars in estimated The two squads first met in 1939, with Southern captur- times for 427 yards and five touchdowns during an injury-plagued sophomore season after gaining 851 yards as a freshman. economic impact. ing last year’s game 35-14. It helped head coach Dawson “As we have for the past two years, we are very excited Odums record his fifth-straight winning season. to be hosting another HBCU football weekend in Mobile Offensive lineman Jeremiah Abby and safety Andrea BayBears’ GM receives honor this fall,” said Danny Corte, executive director of the Augustine earned first-team honors on the preseason allIt would be an understatement to say it was a tumultuous year for the Mobile Mobile Sports Authority. “With the excitement that both SWAC roster. Both were on the first-team squad in 2017. BayBears. After learning the franchise had been sold and would be moving Southern University and Alabama A&M will bring, we John Lampley is the most experienced signal caller, to Huntsville in 2020, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels hung expect this event to be one ... fans of both schools will not having completed 14 of 26 passes for 114 yards. Devon together and remained competitive for a playoff berth until the final week of the want to miss as we’re putting together a fun-filled weekBenn averaged 5.1 yards per carry as he ran for 442 yards season. end of events for all to enjoy.” and four touchdowns. Jamar Washington made a splash as For keeping the ship afloat, the Southern League announced BayBears Gen• Activities get underway Wednesday morning with a a freshman last year, ranking tied for ninth in the confereral Manager Chris Morgan has been named the 2018 Jimmy Bragan Executive college and career fair at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza ence in receptions with 38. of the Year. Hotel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A kickoff concert is set for 5 The defense is led by Augustine (who had 53 tackles) “I am incredibly flattered and appreciative that my peers throughout the p.m. at Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile with Doug and senior defensive back Demario Houston (who was league selected me for this award,” Morgan said. “This award is an acknowlE. Fresh scheduled to perform. named on the Black College Hall of Fame Player of the edgement of the effort put forth by our front office staff throughout this past On Thursday, the Gulf Coast Challenge HBCU golf Year Watch List). Houston doubles as a return specialist. season, despite working under unique circumstances.” tournament will begin at 8 a.m. at Heron Lakes Country • A large group of A&M alumni attended the news Morgan began his current position with the BayBears in August 2014, after Club. The alumni luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m. back at conference at Ladd-Peebles Stadium that announced the serving as the director of game operations at the Senior Bowl from 1998 to the Riverview, as will a pep rally at 6 p.m. and an alumni creation of the GCC. They are ready to make their pres2014. According to the official announcement, “His leadership and efforts networking mixer at 7 p.m. ence felt for new head coach Connell Mayor. throughout this period made him stand out among other Southern League exThe golf tournament continues Friday at Heron Lakes The Bulldogs have 13 returning starters, including six ecutives, who voted for the award. The BayBears front office staff, under Morat 8 a.m. The college teams will have a luncheon at the from the No. 2-ranked defense in the league last season. gan’s guidance, is committed to delivering the best possible product throughout Riverview at 11:30 a.m. A bid whist/spades tournament for On the SWAC preseason first-team are defensive linethe team’s remaining time in Mobile.”
SPORTS FROM BEHIND THE MIC
Alabama’s dominance of college football is becoming ridiculous BY RANDY KENNEDY/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
N
o, Alabama football is not on the same level as even the worst NFL team. Even the Cleveland Browns would be a 28-point favorite over the Crimson Tide. But through three weeks of the season, it’s also obvious Alabama is not playing on the same level as the rest of college football. The most incredible statistic for Alabama this season is this: Through three games, the Tide defense has allowed one touchdown while scoring three of its own. That means that even without the highest-scoring offense in the country or the country’s best kickoff return team (which features a Josh Jacobs return for a touchdown) the Tide would still be outscoring its opponents by a 3-1 margin. This weekend in Tuscaloosa, after Alabama scores more than 50 points against Texas A&M, it’s probably going to be time to start thinking about a new standard for measuring the dominance of this team. Texas A&M came within one play of tying Clemson in the closing seconds of its game two weeks ago. Is there anybody who think there’s any chance that’s how the Aggies are going to fare against the Crimson Tide? A betting line that is almost four touchdowns would certainly suggest otherwise. So would everything we’ve witnessed from the Tide so far. Alabama is almost certainly going to treat Texas A&M the way it treated Louisville, Arkansas State and Ole Miss. In case you haven’t taken time to examine the astounding numbers from Alabama’s most recent blowout, here are some of the more impressive ones.
No SEC team has ever scored more than 50 points in its first three games before this Alabama team. The Tide has done it while playing superstar quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in less than half of each game. When he has been a big part of the attack, Alabama is outscoring its first three opponents by a combined score of 117-0. That’s 61-7 in the first quarter and 56-0 in the second. The third and fourth quarters would be just as dominant if Nick Saban wasn’t making a concerted effort to keep from embarrassing the opposition any worse. Ole Miss came into its game against Alabama last week with a reputation for having a terrible defense and great offense. Despite a 62-7 drubbing, I still believe both are true. Nobody is going to dispute the part about the defense. It’s shocking how bad the Rebels are at even slowing down any attack. But quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and the best group of wide receivers in the country are going to make a lot of defenses look bad the rest of the season. Against Alabama, after completing a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game, Ta’amu completed only 6 of 21 passes for 58 yards. He was sacked four times and threw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown. Xavier McKinney and Deionte Thompson had more than 58 yards on their two interception returns, with McKinney reaching the end zone on a 30-yard return, and Thompson bringing back his interception 40 yards. No matter what was happening when Alabama’s offense was on the field, we were supposed to see an entertaining
battle when Alabama’s rebuilt secondary was trying to keep up with all those great receivers. It didn’t happen. That revelation leads us to the question of who will challenge the Tide this season. It’s possible Tagovailoa could be sidelined at some point in the season. He doesn’t run the ball like a player who knows that if he got hurt it would change the entire landscape of college football. But with Tagovailoa on the field, some team is going to have to score at least 45 to beat this team. If Ole Miss could score only 7, which teams have a chance to score 45? Before Saturday I thought Auburn could be one of those teams. Not anymore. LSU was impressive against Auburn, but quarterback Joe Burrow is still completing less than 50 percent of his passes. Mississippi State is a good team, but doesn’t have a chance to slow down this juggernaut of an Alabama offense. Maybe a team in the postseason can challenge the Tide. Georgia certainly doesn’t appear to have taken a step back from last year’s near miss in the national championship game. Clemson has a chance to continue to get better. And Ohio State is the one team that best matches up with Alabama from a talent and depth perspective. But until we reach the postseason, it seems the only thing for Alabama fans to do is sit back and marvel at a team — particularly an offense — that is off to the best start of any during Saban’s decade-long dynasty. Randy Kennedy writes a weekly column for Lagniappe and is co-host of “Sports Drive” every weekday from 3-6 p.m. on WNSP 105.5 FM, the country’s first all-sports FM station.
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STYLE HOROSCOPES MEET ME ON THE MIDWAY
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VIRGO (8/24-9/22) — Always down for a Mardi Gras procession, especially in the summer, you’ll don your mask and beads and march in the Gulf Coast Challenge second line parade. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the sweet potato contest. LIBRA (9/23-10/22) — This weekend’s Jubilee Festival of Art in Daphne provides yet another opportunity to add to the gallery of crab art adorning your mudroom. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the Tilt-A-Whirl. SCORPIO (10/23-11/21) — Committed to environmentalism, rather than expand the shipping channel, you offer to carry excess shipping containers on your back from Dauphin Island to the the Port of Mobile. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the Pyskany egg exhibit. SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/22) — In the latest scheme to pay off your student loan debt immediately, you email the Mobile Housing Board an invoice using the address “totallyNOTahacker@aol.com.” Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the calf scramble. CAPRICORN (12/23-1/19) — With heat indices reaching the triple digits, you’ll bring a new definition to the phrase “casual Friday” by dressing down in the office with a pair of jorts and tank top. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the Ferris Wheel. AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18) — Rather than make downtown more walkable, you suggest replacing the roads with canals for stand up paddleboarding. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is Reggie Purvis, the “Raging Cajun” rodeo clown. PISCES (2/19-3/20) — Saddened and discouraged by the Catholic Church’s refusal to shed light on its extensive child sex abuse problem, you’d do better offering tithes to any of the area’s more reputable nonprofit organizations. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is The Zipper ride. ARIES (3/21-4/19) — Eager to witness the latest fallout from the #metoo era, you take a vacation day Monday to watch Brett Kavanaugh lie to a Senate panel. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the South Alabama Antique Tractor & Engine Club. TAURUS (4/20-5/20) — Reading about explosive growth in the city of Foley, you invest your life savings into Lambert’s throwed rolls. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the Pee Wee Goat Show. GEMINI (5/21-6/21) — Finally getting confirmation from “Sesame Street” writers that Bert and Ernie are indeed gay, you carry on with your life and don’t intrude in theirs. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the duck pond and baby chicks. CANCER (6/22-7/22) — Few things are as difficult as writing as personalized horoscope for your loved one. Try it sometime, you’ll see. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is the cotton candy booth. LEO (7/23-8/23) — You finally convince Gov. Kay Ivey to participate in a debate with Walt Maddox when you require both candidates to answer questions in the form of a prayer to Jesus. Your lucky attraction at the Baldwin County Fair is Victoria Ann Wood, the “Alabama Cowgirl.”
LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com FORECLOSURES FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness described in and secured by that certain Vendor’s Lien retained in Deed from David F. Pruitt and Linda M. Pruitt, husband and wife to Michael Sharpe and Meridith Sharpe dated July 30, 2015, and Recorded in Book LR7289, Page 1459 of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that the undersigned as holder of said Vendor’s Lien will under power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, sell at public outcry for cash to the highest bidder, during legal hours of sale on the October 3, 2018 at the front door of the Courthouse of Mobile County, Alabama, 205 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36602, the following described real property in the County of Mobile, State of Alabama, being the same property described in the above referred to mortgage: LOT 2, UNIT ONE OF DEER RUN ESTATES SUBDIVISION, AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 44, PAGE 30, OF THE RECORDS IN THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE, MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA. TOGETHER WITH A 30 FOOT NON EXCLUSIVE EASEMENT FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS OVER, ACROSS AND UPON A 30 FOOT WIDE STRIP OF LAND LYING IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI STATE LINE AND RUNNING FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF LOT 2, TOWNSHIP 5 SOUTH, RANGE 4 WEST, SOUTWARDLY ALONG THE ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI STATE LINE TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PARCEL OF LAND CONVEYED HEREBY. ALABAMA LAW GIVES SOME PERSONS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PROPERTY THE RIGHT TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. PROGRAMS MAY ALSO EXIST THAT HELP PERSONS AVOID OR DELAY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. AN ATTORNEY SHOULD BE CONSULTED TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THESE RIGHTS AND PROGRAMS AS A PART OF THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF THE PROBATE 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. Said sale is made for the purpose of paying the said indebtedness and the expenses incident to this sale, including a reasonable attorney’s fee. The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and (2) to final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the mortgagee. David F. Pruitt and Linda M. Pruitt Mortgagee John T. Bender, Attorney McFadden, Lyon & Rouse, L.L.C. 718 Downtowner Blvd. Mobile, AL 36609 Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 26, 2018
FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on August 15, 2016 by Judy A. Motes, as Grantee to Roberts Road Estates, Inc. an Alabama Corporation, as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7457, Page 1071, and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to Chunchula Sixty, LLC, which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7465, Page 1050, and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on October 24, 2018. Lot 2 as per plat of ROBERTS ROAD ESTATES, UNIT I as recorded in Map Book 123, Page 39, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama, Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. Chunchula Sixty, LLC Holder of said Vendor’s Lien WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400
executed on August 15, 2016 by Judy A. Motes, as Grantee to Roberts Road Estates, Inc. an Alabama Corporation, as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7457, Page 1078, and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to Chunchula Sixty, LLC, which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7465, Page 1053, and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on October 24, 2018. Lot 1 as per plat of ROBERTS ROAD ESTATES, UNIT I as recorded in Map Book 123, Page 39, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama, Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. Chunchula Sixty, LLC Holder of said Vendor’s Lien WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400 Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, October 3, 2018
FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness described in and secured by that certain mortgage executed by Cedric Morris, a married man to Century Bank dated October 6, 2015, and recorded in LR Book 7315, Page 690 of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that the undersigned as mortgagee will under power of sale contained in said mortgage, sell at public outcry for cash to the highest bidder, during legal hours of sale on the October 17, 2018, at the front door of the Courthouse of Mobile County, Alabama, 205 Government Blvd Mobile, AL 36602, the following described real property in the County of Mobile, State of Alabama, being the same property described in the above referred to mortgage: LOT 105, GULF MANOR, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 6, PAGE 451-452 OF THE RECORDS IN THE OFFIC EOF THE JDUGE OF PROBATE, MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA. ALABAMA LAW GIVES SOME PERSONS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PROPERTY THE RIGHT TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. PROGRAMS MAY ALSO EXIST THAT HELP PERSONS AVOID OR DELAY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. AN ATTORNEY SHOULD BE CONSULTED TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THESE RIGHTS AND PROGRAMS AS A PART OF THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. This property will be sold on an “as is, where is” basis, subject to any easements, encumbrances and exceptions reflected in the mortgage and those contained in the records of the office of the judge of the probate 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. Said sale is made for the purpose of paying the said indebtedness and the expenses incident to this sale, including a reasonable attorney’s fee. The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and (2) to final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the mortgagee. Century Bank Mortgagee Beth McFadden Rouse McFadden, Rouse & Bender, LLC 718 Downtowner Blvd. Mobile, AL 36609 Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, October 3, 2018
PROBATE NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING Case No. 2018-0601-1 In the Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama Notice of the filing of petition for Summary Distribution in the estate of Larry Harold Owen. Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed by Eleanor Hastings Owen on August 21, 2018, and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an order directing summary distribution of the estate of said decedent. Don Davis, Judge of Probate Attorneys: Joshua Boone Claude Boone P.O. Box 2301 Mobile, AL 36652 Lagniappe HD September 19, 2018
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, October 3, 2018
FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: MARY VERN NELSON, Deceased Case No. 2018-1058
Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 4th day of September, 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. CHRISTINE TAYLOR GROVE as Executrix under the last will and testament of MARY VERN NELSON, Deceased. Attorney of Record: MELISSA WETZEL
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
NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING
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 October 1, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 5440 U.S. Highway 90 West (West side of U.S. Highway 90 W, 600’± South of Three Notch Road, extending to the East side of Old Pascagoula Road) for a Sign Variance to allow a two (2) informational signs greater than 20 square feet in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance limits informational signs to 20 square feet 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 10th day of September, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 26, 2018
August 30, 2018 Case No. 2016-2151-2 In the Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama Estate of BETTY O. BIGHAM, Deceased On to-wit the 8th day of October, 2018 at 2:00 PM in COURTROOM 1, THIRD FLOOR, Mobile County Government Center Annex, 151 Government Street the court will proceed to consider the FINAL SETTLEMENT AND REPORT OF INSOLVENCY as filed by JAMES K WELBORN. NOTICE is hereby given to all parties in interest, specifically LAUREN SCHULTZ, ZACK SCHULTZ, 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: JON A. GREEN 711 DAUPHIN ST. MOBILE, AL 36602 Lagniappe HD September 5, 12, 19, 26, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: MARIE THERESA PORTER AKA MARIE D. PORTER, Deceased Case No. 2018-1372 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named parties on the 4th day of September, 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. REGIONS BANK and GRACE REID as Co-Executors under the last will and testament of MARIE THERESA PORTER AKA MARIE D. PORTER, Deceased. Attorney of Record: LESLIE G. WEEKS Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 26, 2018
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: THOMAS ALLEN HOFFMAN, Deceased Case No. 2018-1435 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 6th day of September, 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. ANGELA FERGUSON AKA ANGELA SAVELL as Executrix under the last will and testament of THOMAS ALLEN HOFFMAN, Deceased. Attorney of Record: PRO SE Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 26, 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 Net Connections, LLC, has completed the contract for: Hillsdale Park- Netting Replacement, 558 Felhorn Road East, Mobile, Alabama 36608, PR-041-041-18, Mobile, Alabama 36608. 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 P.O. Box 1827, Mobile, Alabama 36633-1827. Lagniappe HD September 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 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
Lagniappe HD August 29, September 5, 12, 19, 2018
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 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 October 1, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 1485 Satchel Paige Drive (Northwest corner of Satchel Paige Drive and Bolling Brothers Boulevard) for a Sign Variance to allow three (3) wall signs and a monument sign at a single tenant site in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance allows a total of three (3) signs for a single tenant site in a B-3, Community Business District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request.Dated this 10th day of September, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 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 October 1, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 453 Williams Street (East side of Williams Street, 100’± South of Granger Street) for a Use Variance to allow a secondary structure on a residential lot to be used for a garage apartment in an R-1, Single Family Residential District; the Zoning Ordinance allows one (1) dwelling per lot 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 10th day of September, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 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 October 1, 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 2.0’ 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 10th day of September, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
ABANDONED VEHICLES NOTICE OF SALE The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 4669 Kirkwell Dr., Mobile, AL 36619. 2002 Suzuki VS800GLP JS1VS52A922101557
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2821 Government Blvd., Mobile, AL 36606. 2006 Chevrolet Colorado 1GCCS148968242146
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2808 Barefork Rd., Eight Mile, AL 36613. 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 3B7HC13Z2TG116763
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2301 Wagner St., Mobile, AL 36605. 2014 Chrysler 200 1C3CCBBB1EN190971
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 8050 Earle Dr., Citronelle, AL 36522. 1999 Toyota Tacoma 4TANL42N4XZ414090
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 23391 County Rd 38, Summerdale, AL 36580. 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 5NMSG3AB4AH383125 2007 Nissan Frontier 1N6AD07UX7C437267 Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7960 Two Mile Rd., Irvington, AL 36544. 2006 Pontiac G6 1G2ZF55BX64226775 1993 Chevrolet Camaro 2G1FP22SXP2123581
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 19, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 164 Eleventh Ave., Chickasaw, AL 36611. 2004 Dodge Ram 1D7HA18D54J198271
Lagniappe HD September 12, 19, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 351 Palmetto St., Mobile, AL 36603. 2000 Honda Accord 1HGCG2257YA033274
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 10550 Fox Ridge Rd., Semmes, AL 36575. 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse 4A3AE45G35E020107
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7590 Meadows Dr. S., Mobile, AL 36619.
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1977 Ford F150 F15GRY69003
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 6445 Todd Acres Dr., Theodore, AL 36582. 1999 Chevrolet Corvette 1G1YY22G6X5101972 2015 Kia Soul KNDJP3A55F7154277 2003 Cadillac CTS 1GF6DM57N130153725
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 305 Williams St., Bay Minette, AL 36507. 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2GCEC19T011310977
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7960 Two Mile Rd., Irvington, AL 36544. 2001 Acura TL 19UUA56661A008785 2006 Land/Range Rover SALME15496A228028
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1834 Couch Plant Rd., Summerdale, AL 36580. 2000 Dodge Durango 1B4HR28Y7YF276017 2008 Toyota Scion JTLKE50E281059421
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2024 Halls Mills Rd., Mobile, AL 36606. 2004 Ford Expedition 1FMPU17L74LB22055 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass 3R47FAD455724
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 15926 Celeste Rd., Chunchula, AL 36521. 2002 Honda Civic 1HGES26732L063595
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 106 Martin Luther King Dr., Prichard, AL 36610. 1999 Honda Accord 1HGCG1657XA003209 1996 Honda Civic 2HGEJ6340TH123061
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 10025 Waxton Rd., Grand Bay, AL 36541. 2003 HD FLSTI 1HD1BYB183Y088500
Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on October 26, 2018 Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 46701 Phillips Hill Rd., Bay Minette, AL 36507. 1997 Ford Ranger 1FTCR10A5VPA84090 Lagniappe HD September 19, 26, 2018
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F U T U R E S H O C K
STYLE BOOZIE
Family Feuding, and your final resting place BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
U
m, I thought it was supposed to be fall, y’all. It’s not. It’s hot. I guess Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. But considering what our friends in the Carolinas are dealing with, I will not complain about weather. I’ll just spread the good word and that word is gossip. And I’ve got some really weird stuff for you this week, so let’s get to it.
Underground real estate market?
Photo | Facebook Marketplace
You can get some really good deals on Facebook Marketplace. The Boozester has snagged some great deals on furniture and appliances and such over the years, and I’m always looking out for a good bargain. But while I think one Eight Mile man may be offering just that, I’m not sure this is the kind of product I want to buy off the back of a pickup truck. It seems this man was peddling caskets off the back of his Chevy truck for $1,000. I will say they looked nice, and that is a good price for your eternal resting place, but he did not mention if they were new, used or gently used. Yikes!
And now this…
WKRG’s Mel Showers and Rose Ann Haven led off comedian John Oliver’s “And Now This” segment on his HBO show, “Last Week Tonight” on Sunday, Sept. 9. The segment often shows clips of local news reporters doing various things during their live shots (usually something silly), and Mobile news stations have made it several times before. This segment was dedicated to the coverage of various strange festivals held around the country. No surprise, the Flora-Bama’s Mullet Toss was what Mel and Rose Ann were talking about. Mel says something about throwing a dead fish across the state line. This sounds normal to us, but I am sure it sounds really weird to outsiders (because it is).
Girls, they wanna …
Last Thursday night, Ronald McDonald House held its annual Girls Just Want to Have Fun event at Government Plaza in Mobile. My spies said the turnout was great — probably due in part to the “McTinis” they were serving. There was live music and tons of vendors. The ladies were really having fun! My spies said one of the highlights of the night was getting ‘50s updos by the Hair Do! Salon stylists. I mean, beehives are fun! And, of course, all of this “fun” raised money for a very wonderful charity.
It gives you wiiings
Despite the fact that summer is “technically” over there were tons of boats out all over the place on Saturday. The Flora-Bama Yacht club had its beach and waterway in front “closed” for a wakeboarding contest sponsored by Red Bull. This led to an impromptu boat anchor party close to the Ono Island bridge where it was shallow. Everyone swam and hung out there while watching the wakeboarders do their thing, which my spies said was quite impressive.
Someone in Eight Mile is selling caskets for $1000 a piece. Sounds like a deal on your home for eternity! Survey says …
Wind Creek Casino was packed on Sunday with people for “Family Feud” auditions. But despite the large crowds, my spies said it was well organized and all of the hopeful families were quickly sent to their assigned rooms. The family to beat was a group that included: a lady in a large crown with a sash; a lady with a parasol and Azalea Trail Maid hat; a guy in a red, shiny Mardi Gras costume; a girl dressed as Ginger from “Gilligan’s Island”; and a guy who looked like he had accidentally wandered into their group because he was dressed normally. It sounds like we may see this group again! You know how they love “colorful characters” on “the Feud” — and we’ve got plenty of them in these parts!
Stork report
We are happy to announce there is a new addition to the Lagniappe family. Our cuisine editor Andy MacDonald and his better half, Katie, welcomed their son, Henry James, to the world on Sept. 17. We hear mom did great and all are well! Congrats to the MacDonalds! Well kids, that’s all I got this week. Just remember, whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous, or some plain ol’ bargain basement casket shoppin’, I will be there. Ciao!
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