LEEDS TRIBUNE YOUR ONLY SOURCE FOR LEEDS AREA NEWS www.LeedsTribune.com

June 20, 2019 | Volume 4, Issue 21

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Leeds city officials sweeten the deal with a higher incentive package to land Buc-ee’s BY CINDY FISHER Leeds Tribune Staff Leeds City Council approved a sweetened tax incentive deal to hook Buc-ee’s into coming for good. At their meeting Monday night, the council approved a tax incentive package with a higher sales tax rebate than originally offered. The package gives a 2.5 percent sales tax cut a year, up from 1.5 percent, among other items. The deal sunsets in 30 years. The measure worked. Groundbreaking is set for 11 a.m. June 26. City Councilman Eric Turner said the city had to do it to ensure the giant gas station chain chose Leeds over stiff competition being made by other markets, including elsewhere in Alabama. Buc-ee’s bought land off Exit 140 in Leeds for $9 million last year, then they went silent as they built other superstores in Florida and south Alabama. In April, Buc-ee’s officials told the Leeds Tribune they were considering pulling out of the deal to build their $30 million giant convenience store in Leeds, citing interest in other markets.

But Leeds officials were not going to let them leave without a fight. Three weeks ago, they invited Buc-ee’s officials from Texas to

visit Leeds and show off the benefits of building on the prime $9 million property the chain already owns located next to the busy intersection of Exit 140 off Interstate 20.

Leeds Board of Education raises pay for substitute teachers, hoping to fill a shortage BY NATHAN PREWETT Leeds Tribune Staff The pay for substitute teachers throughout the Leeds school system has been increased after Superintendent John J. Moore raised concerns of a shortage. The raise was approved by the Leeds Board of Education last week. Moore said that the state will allocate $80 per year for seven days of work for high school and college graduates and $90 per day for certified teachers. “We really appreciate our substitutes,” Moore said. “They fill a critical need in the school district. And to be honest, they’ve been underpaid for several years. We have a very reliable group of dedicated people that help us, so going from $55 to $80 per day for most of our subs is I think a pretty big step forward.” In addition to supplementing the current substitutes’ pay, he hopes the raise will encour-

age others to join. Potential substitute teachers will have to go through a process of background checks and licensing. “We’re hoping to increase the pool before August and get folks ready,” Moore commented, saying it takes around 30 days for the background check and license process. Currently there are around 30 substitute teachers on list in the school system, with 15 that regularly sub along with 15 that work periodically. Moore said the board hopes to double that amount to about 60 substitute teachers. On the cause of the shortage, Moore said the economy is directing people to pursue other kinds of work. “I think we’re in a good economy right now, and I think that people who want to do seasonal work or part-time work have been able to make more money doing shift work or doing parttime work,” he said. “So we

want to be competitive and encourage people to sign up.” Moore also believes that all of the schools in the Leeds system are in need of substitutes. “A lot of times people think it’s going to be the high school, but it’s not,” he said. “We have some subs that only want to work at the high school, and we have some that only want to work at the elementary or primary level.” “But what happens is our primary and elementary teachers sometimes they do embedded professional development on campus, so for example: if all of second grade is participating in professional development we need eight substitutes to support that for the day and it shrinks the pool.” Moore said that anyone interested in becoming substitute teachers can call Mary West at the Board of Education at 205-6995437 or email at Mwest@leedsk12. org for more information.

After seeing the Leeds property again, Buc-ee’s officials in May asked for a better incentive package, which was approved Monday night.

As part of the incentive package, Buc-ee’s agrees to invest $30 million to build a 50,000-square-foot gas station superstore on the 15-acre prop-

erty they own off Interstate 20 at the 140 exit. They also agreed to start construction by Dec. 1 this year and to change the name of the road by the property from Bankhead Highway to Buc-ee’s Highway. In an April interview, Bucee’s spokesman Jeff Nadalo told the Leeds Tribune they have “a lot of plans across the country that we’re looking at doing” and that “we haven’t officially made a decision yet (on Leeds).” The Texas company buys land on speculation often, like in Leeds, but they also signed a development agreement with the city of Leeds that Mayor David Miller previously said was validated by order of the Circuit Court. The first Buc-ee’s in Alabama opened in Baldwin County in January with 50,000 square feet of shopping space, 120 fuel pumps and employment of 250 workers. Leeds officials estimate making $400,000 in sales tax revenue a year from Buc-ee’s and say most stores bring several hotels and other development with it, which would also grow the city’s tax base.

Miss Leeds Area makes top 12 at Miss Alabama Braidyn Lazenby’s reign as Miss Leeds Area will come to its conclusion this weekend, as she passes off her crown to a new Miss Leeds Area during the Miss Leeds Area and Miss Leeds Outstanding Teen Pageant at 7 p.m. June 22 at Leeds High School Auditorium. Her term ends on a high note, as Lazenby was one of 12 finalists for Miss Alabama in the competition held last weekend at Samford University’s Wright Center.

READ MORE ABOUT BRAIDYN LAZENBY ON PAGE 7

Miss Leeds Area Braidyn Lazenby celebrates making the top 12 at the Miss Alabama competition last week at Samford University’s Wright Center.

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June 20, 2019

THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

Community LOCAL HERO OF THE MONTH Each month, the Leeds Tribune honors a first responder from Leeds Police Department and Leeds Fire & Rescue. For June, we honor Jon Ford.

From manufacturing to firefighting, Jon Ford found his calling organizing chaos and saving lives BY CINDY FISHER Leeds Tribune Staff At Station 1, Jon Ford wears many hats, from apparatus operator for the fire department to paramedic and firefighter. But he’s also known as the team chef. He loves to cook

a healthy variety for the two meals he prepares on each shift, but most importantly he considers those meals “family time” for the firefighters to spend time together and build camaraderie. It’s a no-cellphone zone during meals, so they can connect and converse

without technology getting in the way. “Our job is to see chaos and death and more, so we need that down time together,” Ford said. In his first position as a leader at the fire department, Ford likes to encourage his fellow firefighters to focus on “not ruining the reputation so many firefighters set before them” as being the ones who run toward a fire instead of run away from it. And to be worthy when residents say “thank you for your service” as the firefighters proudly wear the Leeds Fire & Rescue shirts around town. At 40, Ford has been a firefighter and paramedic in Leeds for seven years. He went into the academy at 30 after being laid off from a manufacturing job and offered a scholarship to pay for a new career. And he chose to be a first responder.

“I was in manufacturing at a plant and worked 9-5 every day, and I wanted something different,” Ford said. “Here, I walk into something different every day. It’s chaos that we organize the best we can and hope for the best (outcome).” He said he wanted to find a job where he didn’t dread going to work. “I am absolutely thrilled to come here every day.” His favorite part of the job is the excitement, adventure and chaos that each day may bring. An Army brat from all over growing up, Ford now lives in Hartselle in Morgan County and commutes to Leeds for his shifts, as he’s done for seven years. He could’ve changed departments over the years, but he said Leeds has been good to him, and for that, he is loyal. A father of three – a 20-yearold son in the Air Force, a 12-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl – Ford also runs a budding homemade soap business called Shea Garden

Handmade. It started when he purchased some handmade soap and saw how expensive it was, so he decided to make it himself. Soon, his friends were buying bars from him, so he set up shop online at sheagarden. com. “It’s the opposite of what I do for a living,” he said. “The men here like it.” On his website, he says, “As a Firefighter/Paramedic, I spend a lot of my day repairing skin damage of my patients. Many of them have accidents or surgeries but some just plain neglect their bodies and health and reap the consequences. I have learned so much in my field about the benefits of dayby-day care of my health and body. Using organic and natural products have changed

my life in many ways. I have passed on much of what I've learned to my friends and family. Now I want to pass my secrets to healthy skin to you.” His favorite is the tea tree soap because it has the most skin benefits. A favorite among the firefighters is the Man Bar, which is made with ingredients to scrub hands that are well used. Ford says he’s learned a lot about life over the years of being a first responder. He’s worked traffic accidents where the driver doesn’t survive, yet their personal items are still next to them – coffee still steaming, a cell phone with messages still lighting up the screen. “Every moment counts,” he said. “You don’t know when it could be over. I feel blessed to have had 40 years.”

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THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

June 20, 2019

News

City Council OKs agreement with New housing consultant to help bring retail to development coming to Leeds Exit 140 area BY CINDY FISHER Leeds Tribune Staff As Leeds makes progress attracting retailers to the Exit 140 corridor, the City Council took a step Monday night to make a relationship with a consultant that is helping bring retailers more official. The City Council approved a memorandum of under-

standing during their meeting Monday night with a retail development consultant that has been assisting with finding ideal retailers to the property around Exit 140 off Interstate 20 for 16 months. The city has been working with retail development consultants GBJ LLC to encourage retailers to locate to the

100 acres the city owns at the Exit 140 area. The memorandum of understanding approved Monday night makes the relationship more official with a goal of showing confidence to those they are negotiating with through the agency, according to a city document. The cost and signing of a contract will come back to the

City Council at a later meeting for approval. The city wants to prep the land to be ready for development that will increase the tax base and provide additional retail shopping, dining and hospitality options that are currently not available in the city. It would also add jobs to the market.

The Leeds Planning & Zoning Board approved the preliminary plans for a new neighborhood called The Cottages on Weaver. The subdivision will have 11 houses in a garden home district within the St. Clair County portion of Leeds at 9001 Weaver Ave. The developer is Bart Carr of Grants Mill LLC. Homes will range in size from 1,200 to 2,500 square feet

and cost up to $360,000. Planning and Zoning member Sam Pezzillo said the company plans to buy additional adjacent land and expand the development in the future. The P&Z approved the preliminary plat at their June 12 meeting and still have to give final approval. - Cindy Fisher

Man from Moody wanted by St. Clair Sheriff's Office for SORNA violation BY NATHAN PREWETT Leeds Tribune Staff A man from Moody is wanted by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office on a warrant charging him with violation of the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act. James C. Richmond Jr., 27, is described as a black male standing at 6'0" and

weighing 163 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. His last known address is listed as Kelly Creek Road South in Moody. Anyone who has information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777, Ashville Sheriff's Office at 205-594-3333 or Pell City Sheriff's Office at 205-884-3333.

James C. Richmond Jr.

1 OUT OF 10

POLICE BLOTTER This week, the Leeds Tribune begins running a list of arrests made by agencies including the Leeds Police Department, Moody Police Department and the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office. This week’s arrests are from June 11 through June 18. Information comes from the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office website at www.stclairsheriff.org. Cameron Miller Booking #: 4537 Age: 21 Gender: M Race: W Address: LEEDS, AL Arresting Agency: MARGARET POLICE DEPT Facility: North Booking Date: 06-12-2019 - 10:38 pm Charges: Auto Theft Bond: $30,000.00 Bernice Minnifield Booking #: 11301 Age: 37 Gender: F Race: B Address: BIRMINGHAM, AL Arresting Agency: LEEDS POLICE DEPT Facility: South Booking Date: 06-16-2019 - 11:59 pm Charges: Shoplifting

Bond: $1,000.00 Terry Teague Booking #: 11302 Age: 55 Gender: M Race: B Address: BIRMINGHAM, AL Arresting Agency: LEEDS POLICE DEPT Facility: South Booking Date: 06-16-2019 - 9:00 pm Charges: Shoplifting Bond: $1,000.00 Damien Pearson Booking #: 11294 Age: 24 Gender: M Race: B Address: Leeds, AL Arresting Agency: LEEDS POLICE DEPT Facility: South Booking Date: 06-15-2019 - 6:50 pm Charges: CRIMINAL TRESPASS 3RD Bond: $1,000.00 Jason Talley Booking #: 10287 Age: 35 Gender: M Race: W Address: Leeds, AL Arresting Agency: MOODY POLICE DEPT

Publisher: Cindy Fisher publisher@leedstribune.com Contributing Writers: Blake Ells • Nathan Prewett • Brad Fisher Sales Representative sales@leedstribune.com

Facility: South Booking Date: 06-14-2019 - 10:29 pm Charges: Failure to Appear Criminal Trespass Bond: $1,000.00 Zachary Duncan Booking #: 11295 Age: 28 Gender: M Race: W Address: LEEDS, AL Arresting Agency: ST CLAIR CTY SHERIFF Booking Date: 06-18-2019 - 9:10 am Charges: Possession of Dangerous Drugs (3 counts), Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Bond: $8,000.00 Tony Campbell Booking #: 84 Age: 44 Gender: M Race: W Address: LEEDS, AL Arresting Agency: ST CLAIR CTY SHERIFF Facility: South Booking Date: 06-14-2019 - 3:51 pm Charges: Possession of Forged Instrument (3 counts), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Bond: $8,000.00

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Copyright 2019 All rights reserved. Any P.O. Box 340, Leeds, AL 35094. reproduction in whole or part other than for personal use is prohibited withStay up-to-date on Leeds News at our out the express written consent of the website publisher Kingfisher Media LLC The Leeds Tribune is a news source for the community of Leeds, Alabama. Information gathered for coverage of Leeds is from sources that are considered reliable, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Issues with accuracy or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at publisher@leedstribune.com.

The City of Moody participated in the St. Clair Children’s Advocacy Center fundraiser for The Children’s Place called Pins for Kids last week.

LeedsTribune.com

ELDERLY PERSONS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE BEING:

Abused, Neglected or Exploited If you suspect this is happening to someone you know, please report it to Adult Protective Services by contacting your local DHR office or calling the

ADULT ABUSE HOTLINE at 1-800-458-7214

HELP STOP THE ABUSE IF YOU SEE IT, REPORT IT

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ELDER ABUSE “This project was supported by Subgrant #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.” The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice or grant-making component.”

June 20, 2019

THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

Education Distracted driver courses planned for Moody High School BY NATHAN PREWETT Leeds Tribune Staff The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office will be offering a distracted drivers course at Moody High School as well as at several others in the county throughout July. The course is aimed at youths of ages 14 to 18. The course at Moody High School will be held on July 19 at 10 a.m. Distracted driving is often dangerous and can be fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,116 people

were killed in 2017 as a result of distracted driving. Information on how to email forms for the course to Sgt. Matt Morris are available on the St. Clair County Sheriff's website. Dates and times for other courses are: July 9 - Odenville High School at 10:00 am July 10 - Ashville High School at 10:30 am July 12 - Springville High School at 10:00 am July 16 - Ragland High School at 12:00 pm

Leeds Board of Education moves forward on plans for $1M new central office BY NATHAN PREWETT Leeds Tribune Staff Plans are moving forward for construction of a new $1 million Leeds Board of Education central office behind Leeds Middle School. At the June 11 Leeds Board of Education meeting, members heard from Bradley Logan, an interior designer from contractor Lathan and Associates, about carpets, flooring and other decorations for the new Board of Education building to be constructed behind Leeds Middle School. The board changed the date of the next meeting from July 9 to July 16 so that opening bids for the board of education central office can be considered on July 11. Leeds School Board first approved plans for the new building in March. It will be located on vacant property already owned by the board on Hurst Avenue. Leeds administrators have been working out of leased offices since 2001. Leeds educators’ original plan for a new office was to be part of the proposed municipal complex, but residents turned down a tax increase to pay for it in a referendum in January. To pay for building a new office, Leeds school district are getting an advance in funding from the Public School & College Authority instead of the annual appropriation. PSCA funds are meant for facil-

ity maintenance, upgrades, expansion and more. The new facility will have approximately 5,000 square feet and include a board meeting room, storage space and office space for central office staff, as well as 50 parking spaces. Movein is scheduled for May 2020. In other business, the board heard from Chief Financial Officer Ryan Miller, who gave the financial report based on reconciled bank statements from April. He reported that 66 percent of the general fund revenues were received along with “other financing services” through the seventh month of the fiscal year. According to the report, 92 percent of local revenues were received, up from 11.5 percent in 2018. Expenditures in the general fund were 56 percent of the budget through the fiscal year, which Miller said was “right on target.” For the month of April, accounts payable were $256,798, gross payroll expenditures were $903,890 and the month ended with an excess of revenues in general fund were $1,571,274. The unreserved fund balance was $3,556, 560. The board then approved a pay raise for substitute teachers in the Leeds school system. Moore said that the state will allocate $80 per day for seven days that a substitute teacher works. High school and college graduates will be paid the $80 per day while certified teachers will receive $90.

Rendering of the new central office for the Leeds Board of Education. Moore cited a shortage in substitute teachers as the reason for the pay raise, saying that he hopes to draw more to the school system. Changes to the StudentParent Handbook and Code of Student Conduct were discussed, with superintendent staff member Jason Baker reporting. Among the items he discussed were updating the language in regards to audio/ visual devices, as well as adding cyberbullying. He said that “required in-school parent conference” was shortened to “parent conference,” which specifies that conferences can be carried out not just in the school but on the phone as well as email. The board discussed the construction for a press box in the softball fields at Leeds Middle School. Moore said he would ask Latham and Associates for a stock drawing of a regular press box and add it to the bid. He said that previous bids, including one for $750,000, were not acceptable

and couldn’t recommend them. The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the library of Leeds Middle School located at 1771 Whitmire Street. In other business, the board: • Approved a recommendation for a contract with Interpreting Services • Approved a recommendation for a contract with Speech Language Pathology Services • Approved a recommendation for a contract with Pediatric Therapy Associates • Approved a recommendation for a contract with Milestones Music Therapy Associates • Approved a recommendation for an amendment for the probationary principal contract • Approved a recommendation for the superintendent’s contract to incorporate the state legislature’s recent teacher pay raise • Approved the renewal of the Leeds Elementary School HVAC system

LHS football part of St. Clair Co. Media Days Leeds High School is participating in St. Clair County High School Football Media Day at Buffalo Wild Wings in Pell City today. Eight schools will be in attendance at the event on June 20. Similar to the SEC’s Football Media Days, the head coaches and select players from each school will be present for a question and answer session. Leeds High School Greenwave will be among the teams to be represented there. Schools include Leeds High School, Moody High School, Pell City High School, Ragland High School, St. Clair County High School, Springville High School, Victory Christian and Ashville High School. - Nathan Prewett

Leeds Jane Culbreth Library has field trips visit during the week from area summer A summer camp of students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade visits the library. camps.

Leeds High School Quarterback Club prepares to host second Meanie Greenie Golf Tournament BY BLAKE ELLS Leeds Tribune Staff The Leeds High School Quarterback Club will host its second annual Meanie Greenie Golf Tournament on Aug. 17 and the event already has 20 teams signed up. “Some people don’t play golf, but they want to support the team,” said organizer Steve Lewis. “That works out good for people.” Lewis brought the tournament back last year and helped

lead it to its current form. A similar event had been held to benefit Leeds superfan Toby Banks years ago. Lewis was shocked at the response he received. “I was overwhelmed,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. I got invited to play in another golf tournament to support another local football team, and everybody had so much fun there, I decided, ‘We should do this for our kids.’ It just kind of came together. It was awesome.” Last year’s event was so successful, the Quarterback Club

decided to make it an annual one. Twenty-two teams participated, many of whom were ardent supporters of the program, whether parents of current players or alumni of the program themselves. That turnout happened with just a month’s notice; they’re happy to have more time for advance preparations in 2019. “Last year, we put this together in four weeks,” Lewis said. “We put it out there and we thought we may have nine or 10 teams. But it snowballed,

and before we knew it, we had 20 teams. We actually had to turn away a few teams at the end because we didn’t have the capacity to support more.” It’s a casual event, aimed at raising money for Leeds Varsity Football players to have the best resources possible. Lewis says funds raised are for use at Coach Jerry Hood’s discretion. Last year, Coach Lee Gibson used money raised to buy much-needed equipment like practice sleds. Hood has similar equipment upgrades in mind.

Several local businesses have also donated goods and services for giveaways, like The Pants Store and Rails and Ales. If you’d like to support the Leeds Varsity Football program through this event, you can sign up your team or inquire about hole sponsorships by contacting Lewis at swlewis8@ gmail.com or at 205.790.0508. If your business would like to donate goods or services as door prizes, Lewis can also help with that.

Cost per team is $325, and the four-man scramble will have a shotgun start at 8 a.m. at the Trussville Country Club. Cost includes green fees, cart, range balls, a low country boil for lunch and door prizes. Additional prizes will be awarded for the longest drive and closest to the pin on par threes. Mulligans can be purchased for $5 each, with a maximum of eight per team. Hole sponsorships are also available for businesses to purchase for $50.

THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

June 20, 2019

Community Community Calendar LHS’s Tina Miller serves as Leeds June 20 Arts Council’s featured artist for July

Join the Leeds Jane Culbreth Library on June 20 at 6 p.m. to meet local professional fitness trainer, Julie Watters. She will demonstrate how to have fun while improving your physical, emotional, and mental health. A light meal will be provided for the young attendees, while supplies last. No registration required. For more information, call at 205-699-5962. Leeds Chamber of Commerce meeting is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Leeds First United Church Family Life Center. Guest speaker is Dr. Brian Barsanti, Executive Director of the Southern Museum of Flight. Luncheon will be catered by Rusty’s BBQ.

Ashville Courthouse from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

June 29

July 1 St. Clair County Economic Development Council Board meets from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Moody Commercial Development Authority meets from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Mood Sewer Department.

July 2 Moody Kiwanis meeting from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Moody City Hall.

June 22

July 8

Cottonmouth Creek Performs at the Leeds Theater and Arts Center from 7-8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Storytime at Green Up Garden Shop - Ms. Ginny from the Leeds Jane Culbreth Library will host a special storytime with Green up Garden Shop. For more information, call 205-699-5962. Miss Leeds Area and Outstanding Teen Pageant Miss Leeds Area is celebrating 40 years of Fabulous and Counting this year. The Miss Leeds Area and Outstanding Teen Pageant is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Leeds High School Auditorium.

AL 200: Freedom Riders at Leeds Jane Culbreth Library. Using images of the burning of the Freedom Riders’ bus outside Anniston on Mother’s Day 1961—images from a collection housed in the Archives of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI)— along with oral history interviews with persons involved in the Freedom Rides, this presentation offers a look at the participants and supporters who risked their lives in an effort to bring about Alabama’s compliance with federal law. In addition, the presentation will consider the roles of violence, the media and law enforcement in the civil rights movement. Presented by Laura Anderson, M.A., C.A., archivist at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Light lunch will be provided.

June 24 Moody City Council meeting at Moody City Hall from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. In celebration of the bicentennial, the Leeds Jane Culbreth Library is hosting a film series of movies that are set in Alabama. This showing will be the film, “Sweet Home Alabama”.

June 25 St. Clair County Commission meeting at

SPECIAL TO THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

Three on a String performs at Leeds Arts Center. $20 for admission.

July 11 Leeds Alzheimer's Dementia Support Group - Free support group offered to the community. Hosted by Lakeside Hospice at the Episcopal of the Epiphany on 1338 Montevallo Road in Leeds.

Tina Miller is the featured artist for July.

Tina Miller is the Leeds Arts Council’s featured artist in July. The public is invited to the opening reception on July 7 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. to view her delightful creations. Admission is free. Originally from Nashville, Miller has lived in Leeds for the past eight years. Her educational background includes the distinction of Class Salutatorian while receiving a BFA in fibers from Savannah College of Art & Design, an Apprenticeship in Sculpture from La Accademia di Belle Arti in Bologna, Italy, and a master’s in education, Art PK-12, from the University of Montevallo.

During the past five years, Miller built a Visual Arts program for grades PK-5 for Leeds City Schools. This past school year she was asked to take on the theatre department and is currently building a comprehensive Theatre Arts program for grades 6-12, which also includes serving as the Theatre Director for Oak & Ivy Theatre at LHS. The 2018-19 productions included Seussical the Musical and Shakespeare’s The Tempest. A few of Miller’s artistic adventures include carving marble in Italy and wood in the West Indies; weaving large public art paper weavings through the treetops in Savannah; singing in small venues across the

US and Europe; painting public murals from California to Alabama; assisting with costuming for The San Francisco Opera Company; acting in numerous community theatre productions; making ceramics with 9-year-olds here in Leeds; and creating set, sound and lights for theatrical high school productions. This solo show reveals her crochet creations, Belly Button Buddies. Belly Button Buddies will be on exhibit through Aug. 2. The Arts Center is located at 8140 Parkway Drive, in downtown Leeds. The gallery is open during events. In case of inclement weather, call the center at 205-699-1892 to confirm opening hours.

CHURCH DIRECTORY Here is a list of churches to attend in Leeds. If you know of a church in Leeds to include, email us the church at news@leedstribune.com. Wellspring Worship Center 1433 Vivian St. 205-699-7247 Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 1338 Montevallo Rd. 205-699-2404 First Baptist Church Leeds 7481 Parkway Dr. 205-699-6141 Gathering Place 635 Park Ave. 205-699-4442 Mt. Calvary Baptist Church 1118 Henry Ellen Rd NW 205-699-4414

Valley View Baptist Church 7254 President St. 205-699-8398 Little Rock Missionary Church 7334 Ruth Ave. 205-699-2946 First United Methodist Church 7833 Parkway Dr. 205-699-8575 Fairview Freewill Baptist Church 1804 Park Ave. 205-640-5003 Leeds Presbyterian Church 8317 1st Ave. 205-699-8463 Ashville Road Church of Christ 1401 Ashville Rd. 205-699-2447

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 8546 Rockhampton St. 205-699-3183

Mt. Hebron Baptist Church 2617 Eastern Valley Rd 205-699-7803

Cedar Grove Baptist Church 2001 Cedar Grove Rd 205-699-8446

Little Rock Missionary Church 7338 Ruth Ave. 205-699-2946

Tower of Prayer 8429 1st Ave. SE 205-699-8629

Macedonia Baptist Church 7944 Charles Barkley Ave.

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church 8101 3rd Ave. 205-352-3741 Leeds Worship Center 7315 Parkway Dr. 205-699-8636 Happy Home Baptist Church 1515 US 78 205-699-6756

Beulah Primitive Baptist Church 1424 Ashville Rd. 205-995-8503 Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church 7036 Coosa Ave. 205-702-7099 Eden Westside Baptist Church River Campus 1441 W. Riverview Rd. 205-338-7711

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June 20, 2019

THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

Lifestyle Recipes from across Alabama BY LAURA MCCOY

Share your recipes with the Leeds Tribune family! Email your favorites to news@leedstribune.com.

Live Well Alabama The Live Well Alabama Kitchen provides recipes every Friday. It is part of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University and Alabama A&M. Live Well Alabama is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program â€“ Education (SNAP-Ed) initiative that reaches residents across the state with researchbased education. â€œOur goal is to raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices,â€? said Sondra Parmer, Alabama Extension specialist with SNAP-Ed. â€œThrough this initiative, we hope individuals with limited budgets will make healthy food choices and choose physically active lifestyles.â€? Eating healthy doesnâ€™t have to be difficult or expensive. Live Well Alabama provides numerous recipes that are simple and budget-friendly. 1

Here are some recipes from Live Well. SKILLET SPAGHETTI This recipe is sure to please the whole family. One pot meals are a great way to use lots of healthy vegetables, and cleanup is a breeze. Ingredients â€˘ 1 jar pasta sauce, 28 ounces â€˘ 2 1/2 cups water â€˘ 1 12-ounce package spaghetti, broken in half â€˘ 2 medium zucchini, peeled and diced very small â€˘ 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded â€˘ Add cooked hamburger for a meal with meat. Directions

21 27

35 36

ACROSS 1 Breathalyzer attachment 4 Gave the cash for 8 Provide employees for 11 Handling 12 "___ the lonely" 13 Aforetime 14 Plastered 15 Stagnant 16 Unfamiliar 17 Diamond corners 19 Slow-witted 21 Organize 24 Temporary stay 27 Associate 30 Item in a writer's notebook 31 Specialty 32 A downward slope 34 Tidy 35 Shut up 36 Watery film 38 Cheesy sandwiches 42 Noshed 44 Hula go-with 47 Victorian ___ 48 ___'wester 49 Type of evidence 50 Bottom-line amount 51 Agreement word 52 Only 53 Spot

DOWN 1 Onion, for one 2 Marco Polo crossed it 3 Comprehends 4 Corrupt 5 Rain cats ____ dogs 6 Suffering 7 Turned blue, maybe 8 Not natural 9 Get better as a Pinot 10 "On the double!" 18 Kind of tax 20 Roof hanger 22 Bright colours 23 Evergreen 25 Fraternity members 26 Overly rehearsed 27 Cooking equipment 28 "We ___ Family" 29 Circulation, essentially 33 Taste 37 Pronoun in a Hemingway title 39 Smaller quantity 40 Align 41 Bar order, with "the" 42 Even one 43 Pedicurist's concern 45 Natural resource 46 Dinghy propeller

In a large skillet, mix pasta sauce and water. Bring to a boil. Add spaghetti and zucchini. Stir well. Make sure spaghetti is covered by the sauce. Add water if needed. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir often. Add water if needed. Top with cheese. SNEAKY MASHED POTATOES This Food Friday, Live Well Alabama is cooking Sneaky Mashed Potatoes. Can you keep a secret? Try Sneaky Mashed Potatoes with hidden cauliflower. Hiding vegetables in foods is a good way to get kids to eat healthy. Ingredients â€˘ 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced â€˘ 1 10-ounce package or 1 head of cauliflower, fresh and chopped â€˘ 1 tablespoon salt â€˘ 3 tablespoons butter â€˘ 3 slices cheese â€˘ 1/3 cup milk Directions Place potatoes, cauliflower, and salt in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes on medium or until potatoes are soft. Drain and return to the pan. Add butter and cheese. Mash thoroughly. Add milk and mix until creamy. TASTY TACO DIP This veggie-filled salsa recipe is simple and ready in minutes. Ingredients â€˘ black beans, one 14-ounce can, drained and rinsed â€˘ corn, one 14-ounce can, drained â€˘ one can diced tomatoes and green chilies, 14 ounces, drained â€˘ one packaged taco seasoning â€˘ For more veggies, add diced onion and bell pepper Directions Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Serve with chips or crackers. This recipe is an excerpt from Fresh from the Farm Alabama Recipes.

This is a collection of recipes from farmers across the state of Alabama. The recipes include produce the farmers themselves have grown on their farms. The most important thing to remember when trying one of these recipes is to Buy Fresh & Buy Local. Support our farmers and support our communities. SQUASH CASSEROLE Lee Ethel Childs, Greene County Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Ingredients 6 cups raw summer squash, sliced 2 medium onions, chopped 2 tablespoons butter 1cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup mayonnaise 3 eggs, beaten 12 saltine crackers, crushed 1-ounce package of dry ranch style dressing mix 2 cups dry bread stuffing mix 1â „2 cup melted butter Preparation Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook squash and onion until tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, mayonnaise, eggs, and crackers. Season with ranch mix. Spread squash mixture into a medium baking dish. Mix stuffing and melted butter, and sprinkle over the squash mixture. Bake 20 to 30 minutes

until rm and lightly browned. Makes about 12 servings. Find these and other fresh ingredients at your local farmers market. FAMILY GAME NIGHT RECIPES Having a family game night can be a great way to spend quality time with one another. Of course, a game night is not a true game night without food. The next time you and your family get together for some family fun, try these two recipes that the whole family can help prepare. You will have a delicious meal and have fun preparing it. VEGETABLE PIZZA Ingredients 2 8 ounce packages crescent rolls 2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese Â˝ cup mayonnaise Â˝ cup nonfat plain yogurt 4 Â˝ teaspoons dry ranch salad dressing mix Cauliflower â€“ 1 cup, chopped Broccoli -1 cup, chopped Carrots â€“ 1 cup, chopped Tomatoes -1 cup, chopped Â˝ cup chopped green onions Directions Unroll crescent rolls and press to almost cover a 12Ă—14 inch non-greased backing sheet. Seal the broken lines made for separating rolls by pressing them together with your fingers. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Take off the sheet pan and set

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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Ingredients 1 cup corn-oil margarine 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed Â˝ cup sugar 1 egg 1 egg white 2 Âź cups all-purpose flour Â˝ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Butter-flavor vegetable cooking spray. Directions Cream the margarine and both sugars by beating margarine until smooth and fluffy and then gradually adding sugars, beating well after each addition. Continue until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Beat whole egg; then add egg white and beat together. Add to creamed mixture and beat until well blended. Mix together flour, salt and soda. Gradually add this to the creamed mixture. Add the vanilla and stir. Add pecans and the chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed. Cover and chill the dough for two hours. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Drop dough by teaspoons onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from pan at once and cool on a wire rack covered with absorbent paper. Makes 6 dozen cookies These recipes and many others can be found in the Auburn Cookbook, a publication of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

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aside to cool completely. While it cools, combine the cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt and salad dressing mix. Combine, beat until well blended and smooth. Cover and chill. Combine chopped vegetables. Spread chilled cheese mixture on cool crust. Sprinkle vegetables over cheese. Chill pizza at least two hours. Cut into 2Ă—1 inch strips and serve. You may substitute any vegetable for your favorite raw vegetable.

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THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

June 20, 2019

Community Braidyn Lazenby ends her reign as Miss Leeds Area BY BLAKE ELLS Leeds Tribune Staff Braidyn Lazenbyâ€™s reign as Miss Leeds Area will come to its conclusion this weekend, as she passes off her crown to a new qualifier for Miss Alabama. Lazenby ends her time as a seasoned veteran of the Miss Alabama competition, representing several parts of the area, including time as Miss Birmingham and Miss St. Clair County. â€œItâ€™s really sad,â€? Lazenby said of her time as Miss Leeds Area coming to an end. â€œIâ€™ve really enjoyed my time. But Iâ€™m also really excited to see who wins.â€? It ended with a bit of a bang, as Lazenby was one of 12 finalists for Miss Alabama in the competition held last weekend at Samford Universityâ€™s Wright Center. She had also been among the top 12 after winning her previous two preliminaries. â€œThere have been a lot of changes in the Miss American competition recently, including a complete overhaul in the scoring system,â€? she said. â€œI didnâ€™t really know what to expect, so I was really excited to hear my name called.â€? Ultimately, she believes the changes to the competition were beneficial. A difference that spectators may have most noticed was the discontinuation of the swimsuit competition. Lazenby says that decision allows competitors to be more comfortable in their own skin. â€œThat was probably the most drastic of the changes,â€? she said. â€œI think it ups the morale of the group and allowed women to figure out

where they need to improve elsewhere, like talent or the interviews, rather than nitpicking their own bodies. I think that can be really disheartening to a lot of women, when theyâ€™re being scored on something like their bodies. Iâ€™m really optimistic about the changes. It wasnâ€™t always easy at first, but I think itâ€™s going in the right direction.â€? Her talent was a classical ballet performance en pointe to a West Side Story medley. The 22-year-old completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama in May, and sheâ€™ll return this fall to begin work on her masterâ€™s in Interpersonal Health Communications. She spent her internship with the American Heart Association in Birmingham, a time during which she first spent a lot of time in Leeds. â€œI love that Leeds is such a small community because you feel like everyone knows each other,â€? she said. â€œYou feel like everybody is super welcoming. And most importantly â€“ for me â€“ I found out that people in Leeds love cars.â€? Three years ago, Lazenby began the Brooks Lazenby Memorial Car Show in her native Prattville, an event benefitting the American Heart Association in memory of her father. She lost her father to a heart attack at the age of 44, and she fondly recalls the time that she spent with him fixing up vintage cars. The event has been incredibly successful in furthering her social impact initiative. She has raised more than $10,000, and she always wanted to create similar events outside of Prattville.

Miss Leeds Area Braidyn Lazenby made the top 12 at the Miss Alabama competition last week at Samford Universityâ€™s Wright Center.

MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION FREE MEDICATION PACKAGING Braidyn Lazenby is a resident of Prattville and graduated from the University of Alabama in May. â€œRight after I won Miss Leeds Area, I spoke to my director about hosting a car show in Leeds,â€? she said. â€œAnd Leeds made it so easy. People love vintage cars in Leeds. They love to support Miss Leeds Area. We ended up having over 200 cars registered; we had to turn people away. Thatâ€™s the kind of support Iâ€™ve seen from this community this entire year.â€? This yearâ€™s Miss Leeds Area Car Show was the first of its kind, held at the Outlet Shops of Grand River, but its success will likely lead to more events. Interest from Lazenby and the hosts is mutually shared and planning the next would will likely begin soon. â€œThey canâ€™t get rid of me that easy,â€? Lazenby joked. Her future in the Miss Alabama competition is to be determined. School is the priority for now, with a Ph.D. set to follow the completion of her masterâ€™s. â€œIf Iâ€™m going to compete, I want to be able to put 100% of myself into it,â€? she said. â€œSo Iâ€™m going to make sure I can make that kind of commitment before making that decision.â€?

Lazenbyâ€™s talent was a classical ballet performance en pointe to a West Lazenby in evening wear at the Miss Alabama pageant. Side Story medley

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June 20, 2019

THE LEEDS TRIBUNE

Sports Moody Civic Center had a huge crowd for their Summer Camp

programs last week. Moody facilities also welcomed field trips of

summer camp groups and the summer reading program.

Group photo of the basketball summer camp kids.

Counselors work with the students.

The 5-6 year-old class at basketball camp.

The Leeds Green Machine 12-year-old All Stars won the district championship.