Opelika Observer 4-15-2021 E-edition

Vol. 13, No. 26

Thursday, April 15, 2021

pelika Observer O

Opelika, Alabama

“An award-winning publication for local people, by local people.”

returns

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

PHOTO BY HANNAH LESTER / OPELIKA OBSERVER

Will Businesses Keep Masks? Opelika’s Fair

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com

By Hannah Lester hlester@ opelikaobserver.com

Gov. Kay Ivey’s

statewide mask mandate expired Friday. However, businesses are taking different paths when it comes to requiring

masks individually.

No one in the state is required to wear a mask anymore, but businesses are allowed to require

By Lofton Wheeles For the Opelika Observer

Looking to have a lovely night? Have a ball with Opelika High Theatre Society (OHTS) as they perform Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” this weekend.

The musical revolves around the classic tale of ‘Cinderella’; however, it’s a bit different from the Disney adaptation, or as Opelika High Theatre Society Director Revel Gholston puts it, “not your mom’s ‘Cinderella.’” The version that OHTS is performing is the 2013 adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein

musical from the late 1950s.

“This is actually an even more modern version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ than the original so there’s quite a few different things,” Gholston said. “There’s even a few little tricks in the show that I’m not going to reveal because it kind of makes the audience scratch their heads some, but that makes it a fun experience.

“There’s some characters that you may not know from original stories. Then, there’s the way that the fairy godmother is brought into the story – that’s a lit-

tle different. Then, there’s a lot of different discussions about how countries are run and I guess a little politics are thrown in. So, it’s got a lot of different things. So, if you haven’t seen the Rodgers and Hammerstein version from 2013, you’re in for a surprise and a treat I believe.”

While the spring musical is happening this time around, last year, OHTS was not able to perform its spring musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ due to the shutdown that happened across the country as the pandemic was taking reign. Anna Seymore, See CINDERELLA, page A5

See MASKS, page A3

See FAIR, page A5

Auburn CityFest celebrating 20 years

By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver. com Auburn CityFest is celebrating its 20th year — and returning to its roots — an arts and crafts festival.

Ann Bergman, coordinator for CityFest, said that the goal is to keep CityFest this year true to what it was created to be.

This means there will be over 50 arts and crafts vendors in Kissel Park on April 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m for the “Loveliest Arts Village On The Plains”.

“To be an Auburn CityFest vendor, you have to have handcrafted items, no by sale items,” Bergman said. “So, all of our artists, they vary from, oh some beautiful hand-made jewelry.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY CITY OF AUBURN

Opelika High Theatre Society to open ‘Cinderella’

masks inside shops and restaurants.

Additionally, Ivey urged personal respon-

If you like games, rides and eating your fill of various fried foods, you’re in luck … the fair has returned to Opelika.

Open until April 25, the fair is located in the center lawn of the USA Town Center (1220 Fox

Run Ave). Opening night was Thursday.

Admission is $3 and individual tickets or armbands can be purchased for rides at the ticket booth. Gates open at 5 p.m. on weekdays and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.

Rides that go up, rides

We’ll have more than a few ceramics people there. We’ll have people that have created their own t-shirts ... We’ll have people that have paintings. We have people there that have their own books that they’ve published.

We will have metal; we also have a man that handcrafts cutting boards. We also have a man there that just handcrafts wooden toys for children.”

One local potter,

Amy Kaiser of Bird in Hand Pottery, has been a part of CityFest for 10 years.

“Initially encouraged by a fellow potter to join her at her booth, I've been delighted every year with the comments about my work from CityFest attendees, as well as the purchases they make,” she said.

CityFest started as a small city event, just a few vendors.

See CITY FEST, page A3

Contents OPINION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4

SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7

POLITICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B9

RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A13

PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . . . . . B11

COMICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A16

CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B13

FOR MORE PHOTOS TURN TO A10

A2 April 15, 2021

‘This is just the beginning’: Heavenly Designss Earrings

COPS ON TOP SUPPORT SPECIAL OLYMPICS

The event raised more than $12,000 for Lee Co. Special Olympics.

Most people love a good DIY (do it yourself). Laura Pegueros decided to take her passion for crafts and turn it into a viable business making jewelry — Heavenly Designs.

Now, she sells them inside The Well. The Well is Opelika’s newest venture — incorporating womenrun businesses and products into one inclusive experience on Avenue A. “It started as a hobby but something in me felt like I needed to do something more with a purpose,” Pegueros said.

Everything about the business is purposeful.

Even the name — Heavenly Designs — is a tie to something meaningful for Pegueros, she said.

The hope is that women can identify themselves in the jewelry, she said.

“I want women to wear them and think about it, not just to wear something to make them feel pretty, but also to have something meaningful for them,” Pegueros said.

She has a jewelry

series based on the fruit of the spirit, for example.

“Let’s say ‘love’ … so when they wear that, they can feel the love,” she said.

The jewelry is made from polymer clay using different cutters and tools, Pegueros said.

“There’s so many things you can do with polymer clay,” she said.

“It’s so exciting to make them and have them in different designs.”

Pegueros hopes to have an online presence for her jewelry soon, but for anyone hoping to purchase — her work is sold inside The Well. “[The owner] said that a lot of people have been commentating about my earrings and for me, this is the first place where I’ve sold them,” she said.

“So this is just the beginning.”

The Well is more than a collection of businesses — but an experience.

“There’s something else in this place that [makes] you want to be here,” Pegueros said. “… and it kind of fills you.”

The Well is located at 824 Ave. A, Opelika and is open: Monday: 2 p.m. - 7

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

By Hannah Lester hlester@ opelikaobserver.com

p.m.

Tuesdays - Thursday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Friday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. - 2

p.m.

This is the fourth in a series of articles on the different businesses that are located inside The Well.

'1/a.ssle hee Va.cat:on..Whj Not Ca.II Us. www.mytravelatmidtown.com

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Publisher: Michelle Key Associate Sports Editor: Wil Crews Associate Editor: Hannah Lester Marketing: Woody Ross Photojournalist: Robert Noles Sports Writers: Rick Lanier, D. Mark Mitchell

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A3 April 15, 2021

April is National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month Contributed by Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, children and families have been isolated and under more financial and emotional stress, which historically, can fuel a rise in cases of child abuse and neglect.

During the pandemic, the reports of child abuse and neglect have been declining in both Georgia and Alabama, yet nationally, it is projected to be an increase in child abuse and neglect when our communities return to some semblance of normal. We don’t know exactly how the world will look for children and families in the months ahead.

What we do know is that communities have a mandate to support children and families and work to prevent abuse and neglect

MASKS >>

FROM A1

sibility during a press conference on Wednesday, and said she would continue to wear her mask when out and about.

“But at that time, it will become a matter of personal responsibility and not government mandate,” Ivey said.

Some businesses are not ready to see maskless faces just yet. Side Track Coffee in Opelika will continue to require masks for both patrons and employees.

“We don’t know all the facts, don’t know what’s going to happen after the mandate,” said Owner David Bizilia. “… It might spike back up, no telling really. So we’re going to use our noggins just a little bit.

I think that seems most appropriate to keep it for a while until we

CITY FEST >>

FROM A1

But now, there will be over 50, Bergman said. There will be a lot of food options too — 15 vendors — including Reggie’s Famous Polish Sausage, Butcher Paper Barbecue, Greek food, Mexican food, funnel cakes and more.

Vendors will spaced 6 feet apart, with some spaced 12 feet apart, Bergman said, to ensure social distancing.

“That’s just going to give everybody the room they need to shop and just make sure everyone can distance from each other,” she said.

during these difficult times.

During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services and their Child Advocacy Centers (Children’s Tree House CAC in Columbus, Georgia and the Twin Cedars CAC in Opelika and our Court Appointed Special Advocate or CASA programs; Chattahoochee CASA in Columbus and Lee County CASA in Opelika) reminds everyone to keep eyes on children and support families during these challenging times.

Since the pandemic, our CACs and CASAs staff and volunteers have remained committed to providing forensic services and bestinterest advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

In state fiscal year

2020 (October – September), Columbus received 2,995 reports of suspected abuse and investigate 980 reports and 510 children were in/out of foster care with an average daily census of 391. In Lee County, Alabama, there were 745 reports of suspected abuse involving 1,205 children and 143 children were in/out of foster care with an average daily census of 96. Our Columbus CAC conducted 374 Forensic Interviews, 62 Forensic Medical Exams and 650 therapy sessions.

Our Opelika CAC conducted 231 Forensic Interviews, 18 Forensic Medical Exams and 284 therapy sessions.

Our Columbus CASA program supervises 95 community volunteers who provided individual courtroom advocacy to 225 children and provided 4,796 hours of advocacy. Our

Lee County CASA program supervises 25 community volunteers who provided individual courtroom advocacy to 75 children and provided 843 hours of advocacy.

CASA advocacy is centered on children currently in foster care. A child in foster care may have faced physical, psychological, emotional or all of the above, only to endure long periods of uncertainty in the system as they wait to go home, be adopted or simply wait to see what happens next.

On average, a child in foster care will move into multiple homes and attend multiple schools.

All this uncertainty and inconsistency has longterm effects. But having a caring, consistent adult — someone who listens, checks in and puts the child’s best interests before all others’, can make all the difference.

As COVID continues to disrupt the economics of both communities and around the state, rates of child abuse and neglect are five times higher for children in families with low socio-economic status compared to children in families with higher socio-economic status.

Children and youth who have spent time in the system are more likely to be at risk for dropping out of high school, incarceration, homelessness and unemployment.

You have the power to make a difference in the life of an abused or neglected child. Get educated to recognize the sign and symptoms of child abuse and report suspected child abuse or neglect – ask us how! Other ways to help; consider becoming a CASA Volunteer Advocate or Friend of CASA. Donate to our programs or become a monthly supporter in

your community. Be a community partner against child abuse and like/share on our social media accounts; Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc., Children’s Tree House Child Advocacy Center, Twin Cedars Child Advocacy Center, Chattahoochee CASA, Lee County CASA on Facebook and Instagram.

Contacts: Children’s Tree House, Samantha DeFranks at sdefranks@twincedarsr. org or 706.327.9612 ext. 1502 Twin Cedars CAC, Katherine Cochrane at kcochrane@twincedars. org or 334.705.0770 ext. 4003 Chattahoochee CASA, Keagan Clark at kclark@twincedars.org or 706.327.9612 ext.

1510 Lee County CASA, Latasha Durr at ldurr@ twincedars.org or 334.703.4066.

see things clearly.”

In the past, there has been mixed reactions to a mask requirement in Side Track, Bizilia said.

“Everyone has so many different opinions and how they landed on their opinions are so different too, like the journey to those opinions are different, and that’s everywhere,” he said. “If I believe that’s true, then I can’t please everyone, and no one can please everyone. But for us, I know my goal is to make people feel comfortable as best as I can.”

Many businesses are choosing to keep masks in place for employees, but not customers.

Owner of Rock N’ Roll Pinball in Opelika, Ernie Rains, said that the policy his business is enacting is different for patrons vs. employees.

Employees at Rock

N’ Roll Pinball in Opelika will be required to wear masks until they are fully vaccinated and have waited two weeks since receiving the shot, Rains said.

“The customers are not expected to wear masks,” he said. “It’s up to them.”

Though customers will not be required to mask up, the pinball machines will be six feet apart, Rains said. There are more machines than can be spaced, so some machines are turned off to keep separation.

Wrapsody in Auburn is following a similar protocol.

“We are really letting our customers decide on their own preference, if they’re comfortable wearing one, without wearing one, it’s totally up to them,” said Assistant Manager Maggie Rae Williams.

Staff, however, will

still be required to wear masks.

“We just think that that’s going to be the easiest transition into eventually not wearing them at all,” she said.

Other businesses are letting go of masks altogether.

The owner of J&M Bookstore in Auburn, Trey Johnston, said the business has taken down signs that said masks are required.

Employees can wear masks if they want, but are not required to, he said.

Neither the city of Auburn, nor the city of Opelika are planning to enact city mask ordinances at this point in time, unlike the city of Birmingham.

“For the last year, Auburn residents have done a commendable job following the Alabama Department of Public Health’s guidance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19

in our community,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. “As the mask mandate comes to an end this Friday at 5:00 p.m., we’re encouraging everyone to continue following the state’s recommendations to wear a mask in public and maintain a six feet distance from those not in your household. COVID-19 remains a real concern, but we are hopeful that the end is in sight as we see a cases declining and vaccinations increasing in our area.”

Anders said that the city will support individual business owners’ right to choose what is best for their business.

“We ask community members to please be observant so you may comply with businesses’ practices, and be considerate of your neighbors as we all navigate this next phase of returning to

normal,” he said.

Masks will be required in city buildings and at city events, however, Anders said.

“We’ll also continue to monitor local numbers and respond appropriately,” he said. “I am confident that in the near future our community will be able to resume everyday activities without restrictions.”

Opelika, on the other hand, will not be requiring masks in city buildings, said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller.

“We’ve encouraged businesses to do what they think is in their best interest,” Fuller said. “And if they want to require a mask before you come into their business, that’s their prerogative.”

Fuller, like Ivey, stressed the importance of personal responsibility.

“This thing is not over, in my opinion,” he said.

Last year’s CityFest was canceled because of COVID-19.

“Although scaled down a bit, CityFest will still be a warm and welcoming event with food, art, crafts, family entertainment and music,” Kaiser said.

“I'm looking forward to seeing folks come out for a joyful outdoor visit to Kiesel Park to celebrate spring, family fun and community.”

Live music will be presented throughout the day, including the Plainsman Percussion group and the Auburn Community Orchestra, among others.

“I just love it that there’s so many people there, and they normally wouldn’t

see a full orchestra perform,” Bergman said.

This is an event for both adults and children. Normally, in a non-COVID year, children would get to make their own crafts. However, to ensure safety, children will instead be given craft kits inside the children’s art fest tent, Bergman said.

“The Kreher Preserve will be there, they always bring some lovely little critters,” she said. “... like snakes and lizards.”

The SouthEastern Raptor Center will also bring birds, since scaly animals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.

But most people love

dogs, and the headliner for the event is the Alabama Air Dogs.

The event runs all day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so don’t worry about missing out.

“The number of people who come to CityFest is always impressive,” Kaiser said. “The event has the feel of an enormous family gathering or homecoming with a vibrant, festive, relaxed atmosphere.

In past years CityFest has included nonprofits, inflatables for children, pony rides and a rock climbing wall.

“We really are going old school, we’re going back to just a lovely arts

and crafts festival,” Bergman said. “Just like CityFest started, as

just an arts and crafts festival in one of our parks.”

BE MORE. GO BUILD. Learn more at GoBuildAl.com

A4 April 15, 2021

T

An Average American Love Story

hey were good together. That’s what everyone said about them. Their schoolmates said it.

Their friends said it.

Their parents even said it: “Those two are so good together.”

And they were. It was the 1940s, a different world. Girls wore ringlets. Boys pulled their slacks up to their sternums. Teenagers went to dark dancehalls, traveling in packs, necking in the backseats of Buicks, Plymouths and Packards.

Our two lovers began as dance partners and friends. Then Uncle Sam shipped him to France to fight a War. She wrote him every day. Sometimes three times a day. She prayed for him every night, every morning and moments between.

Then the War was over. Young men were coming home, but everything was so bizarre.

Many men seemed

haunted; others had crippling shellshock.

He was one of the latter.

From the moment she greeted him at the train station he was quiet.

Withdrawn. He was no longer interested in dancing. He never spoke of what happened, but it was spelled on his face.

It was beneath every word he said.

Oh, but they were still good together. And more importantly, he truly needed her. She was balm to him.

Often in the mornings he would simply appear on her porch, dressed in tan pants, crisp white shirt, hands thrust in his pockets. He was a tall glass of water with a forlorn face.

Most times he wouldn’t knock on the door, but just stand in her yard for hours, his back facing her house, gazing at the street, counting cars, waiting for his gal to awake.

She’d awake, peek

By Sean Dietrich out her window and find him silent on her steps.

She would trot outside wearing her robe.

“What on earth are you doing here so early?” she’d say. “Are you alright?”

He’d look at her with heavy eyes. He’d simply say, “I went for a walk and ended up here.”

So her mother gave him busywork to keep him perpetually nearby.

He enjoyed her happy home. The cheerful, clucking females in her house were good

Dark Dream “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…”Ephesians 6:12-13 t is my joy to write stories of beauty and goodness in our world. I believe that the lovely normal of everyday gets forgotten, and so I write it into existence, so that maybe we won’t forget how truly great this one life on Earth is.

By Bradley Robertson

I

H

Today, and today alone for 2021, I’m writing a different and necessary story. A real one, that still depicts the lovely normal, yet from another view.

We often need to change up our vantage point, sometimes it even being changed for us. I think it is so

we will not forget, a reminder of what we know to be true.

Sometimes truth hurts, but when we know what is real, then we can begin to do what is right.

I awoke in the middle of the night last week after having wrestled with darkness. It was not a dream, for it was felt deep in my bones. My heart was leaping and my faith was still. I laid in my son’s little bed alone, thinking in silence, trying to make sense of what took place.

I was in a darkness so deep and black that nothing in all the Earth would be visible.

There was a swaying See ROBERTSON, page A5

medicine. Her aunts and her mother were always laughing in the kitchen, lots of gleeful chattering, shiploads of gossip.

So he hung around.

You would have found him peeling potatoes, shelling peas, fixing shutters, repairing roller skates or sitting beside his best gal, knees drawn to his chest, staring at clouds.

She thought he’d never ask her to marry him. She waited, but he wouldn’t open his mouth and physically say the words. He was

so tight lipped.

She never rushed him.

For she did not only love this man, she was falling in love with his spirit, and the nearness of him. His haystack-yellow hair. His unique gait. She loved to sit beside him in the pink evenings, watching him peel carrots, or shucking corn beside her. She loved his profile. His strong chin.

“I always wanted to reach out and hold him,” she told me.

Well, she finally got her chance. When he asked her to marry him it was a soft, almost inaudible proposal.

He said quietly, “Do you think you’d … Do you think you could ever be happy with …

With a guy like … Like me?”

It wasn’t exactly Whitman, but it would do.

Her response was to hold him. “There’s no one else for me,” she replied.

And that was how their proposal went. No kissing. No Hollywood string section. Only the sounds of a quiet residential street. A Chevy engine driving past the house. Kids shouting in the distance, “Tag! You’re it!” Cicadas howling.

It was a courthouse wedding, few attended.

The following years were difficult for a lot of soldiers like him.

Many sought relief in flat brown bottles. Some made messes of their lives. But he never did.

Because he had her.

She gave him three kids. She gave him herself. And over the decades, they lived in a joyful home.

Then came the evening when their youngest daughter graduated from high school, something in him shifted when their last child left home. Emotions ran thickly that evening.

See DIETRICH, page A6

The Lifeblood of Relationships

By Walt Albritton Since my wife died, caring friends often ask me, “How are you doing?” It is a gracious way of asking if I am handling my sorrow well. They know that Dean’s death after 68 anniversaries left me with a heavy burden.

But I sense as friends tenderly pose the question that they believe I am managing well my journey through grief.

Their affection, bathed in hope, strengthens my spirit!

While I am confident that Dean is with Jesus, enjoying the reward of her faith, I still miss her presence in my life. Since

I know where she is, I have not “lost” her, but I miss all the ways she blessed me daily.

Most of all, I miss her constant affection.

“Affection” is a sweet, untainted and beautiful word. I love the sound of the word.

But more than that, I love what the word means. It is, of course, another word for love but our culture has corrupted the word love. So affection is the best word to explain what I am talking about.

Animals are blessed by affection. My dog Buddy loves for me to touch him. But human beings cannot live well without affection; it is

the lifeblood of human relationships. Affection is as important as the air we breathe.

We shrivel up and die without it. If those dearest to me withhold affection, I am miserable. Receiving affection, I feel alive, for affection produces joy in my soul.

I loved the touch of my wife’s hand. I miss that. It meant the world to me when she expressed her affection by rubbing my brow, or my back, or simply taking my hand in hers. No words were necessary; her touch was enough.

I learned as a pastor See ALBRITTON, page A6

Squeaky Shoes - Part One

ave you ever spent any time in the emergency room in a small Southern town … on a weekend … during the COVID pandemic … with your head feeling like there are a few dozen nails rolling around between your scalp and your skull… and the nails are on fire? That’s exactly how I spent the better part of a day just a couple of weeks ago.

I woke up around 2 a.m. that morning, and before I even opened my eyes, I felt that familiar piercing pain at the base of my skull.

Another migraine.

The torture that is migraine headaches is a genetic plague passed along through the women in my family

(and the occasional male as well, although they seem to have escaped this particular family trait for the most part). I sometimes go for months without a true migraine, but then there are weeks where I lose an entire day or two to a bottomless pit of eye-crushing agony where only a dark, cold, quiet room offers any solace. Mostly I just have to wait it out and let it run its course; but there are occasions where the pain gets beyond what I can cope with without medical intervention. And that’s where I found myself that muggy morning.

Everyone was working, so once the sun came up I drove myself to the ER. After passing through the COVID

screening tent set up outside, I went through all the required steps.

First is triage, where my vitals were taken, and I was asked to assess my pain.

“On a scale of one to 10, what would you rate your pain today, Ms. Wendy?”

“Well,” I answer.

“I’ve had children, and that was a 10. Kidney stones hovered somewhere between 50 and 100. This is slightly better than the stones, so I’m going to rate it a 37.” “Hmmm …” was the only answer I got. The nurse was not amused.

Once my blood pressure had been taken and I’d been weighed (which just adds insult to injury), I was asked to step

WENDY HODGE over to the registration desk. This step is particularly frustrating unless repeating your social security number, address, birthdate and mother’s uncle’s next door neighbor’s maiden name over and over is your idea of a good time. Finally, I am given an arm band and led to the next step – the waiting room.

If you’re not familiar with this black hole in

the universe, then God bless you. Keep up the good work! If, however, you have spent time there, all I can say is bless your heart.

Time stops here, which makes the presence of the massive clock on the wall even more of a burr under the saddle.

You can hear the seconds tick off, but time is stuck. If you look away, I’m convinced the hands actually move backwards. No one has been lucky enough to actually document this, but I know it happens. A TV hangs on the wall. It’s always tuned in to game shows or the weather channel.

The canned laughter and the shrill voices on The Dating Game make you want to slap someone. And the

weather channel … I’d rather eat dirt on a plate than actually watch a meteorologist repeatedly discuss the weather in Rhode Island. In the dark corner, where the flickering fluorescent lights have completely given up, a vending machine crouches … waiting for you to drop coins into its belly. It has absolutely no intention of ever giving up the year-old snacks that live inside it, though.

Luckily, food is the last thing on my mind at this point. I just need IV drugs … or a bullet to end it all.

After what is almost certainly 97.5 hours, I hear my name being called. A jolly little lady wearing a pink volunteer scrub See HODGE, page A6

A5 April 15, 2021

Community Foundation of East Alabama Awards Mini-Grants Contributed by CFEA The Community Foundation of East Alabama awarded three nonprofits in the East Alabama Region for its 2021 Mini-Grant Program. The organizations that were selected are Redeeming Grace Ministries in Lanett, The Exodus Ranch in Opelika and Twin Cedars Child Advocacy Center in Opelika. Each organization received a check in the amount of $500, to go towards general operating support. Todd Rauch, the vice president of the Community Foundation of East Alabama said, “this type of grant is designed to be flexible and gives the grantee’s the ability to use the funds where they best see fit.”

FAIR

>>

FROM A1

that go down, rides that make you forget which way is which – there’s something for all levels of thrill seeker. Ten various game stands should afford any man a good chance to win his lady a prize, and three food wagons provide all the traditionally adored fair food.

All precautions for COVID-19, including employees wearing mask

ROBERTSON >>

FROM A4

and swooshing of chaos in noises that I had never heard before. It was pounding in my ears like the percussion of a gong, unclear and moving fast.

There was a powerful force over me, holding me down, yet not holding me at all.

Pressing on my chest, pressing on my hands and feet, setting fear on me like a giant, and deep inside I felt a complete knowing.

There was one and only one spirit hovering in front of me, I

This is the second year in a row that the Community Foundation received a record number of applications from non-profits across the East Alabama region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Nonprofits have been heavily affected since many rely on donations and volunteer support from the public,” Rauch said.

"We want to take every opportunity to make sure nonprofits in the East Alabama Region have the tools they need to succeed.”

The goal of the Community Foundation is to encourage generous donors within East Alabama to establish donor-advised funds to help create a grant review and regular sanitation, are being performed. Fair manager Shane Terry said visitors will not be required to wear masks and he’s looking forward to seeing the people of Opelika come out over the next two weeks.

"So far it’s been very nice everyone’s been super,” he said. “If people just need something to do … if they need to get out of their houses and come walk around a little bit, come on, we’ve got all the staples.”

could not see him, yet I knew he was there.

All of dread and all of evil. I saw him, I felt him.

I began to cry out the name of the Lord, in silence, speaking my faith and my God into whatever was happening. I did not waiver and I did not move, and within a moments time, I was awakened. Lying still, underneath covers, bewildered and believing.

After a few moments, I arose and went to my bed where my littlest boy and husband were fast

process that distributes grants several times a year. "We want to build our grant making program to create a seamless process between establishing a fund for any need you want to support in the community and connecting those donors to non-profits that help support or service that need," said Dr. Fred

Kam, chairman of the Board of the Community Foundation of East Alabama.

If you are interested in creating a donor advised fund through the Community Foundation to help provide support and grants to local nonprofits, please visit www. cfeastalabama.org, or email at info@cfeastalabama.org.

The Exodus Ranch – (pictured left to right) Rauch, Shelley Tufts, Kathlene Trotter and Patton

CINDERELLA

one that’s not really >> as known,” GagliaFROM A1 no said. “It’s called ‘Loneliness of Evewho portrays Madame ning’ and it’s just [my in the musical, is excharacter] singing cited to be able to do about Cinderella and ‘Cinderella’ this year how I can’t find her – for an audience that is I really want her, you ready to see the magic know. It’s just really that OHTS is ready to beautiful like some provide. of the notes I sing “It’s a great feeling and some of the notes to get to actually fol[Cinderella] sings in low through with it,” the song. It’s all just she said. “I feel very wonderful, my favorblessed that we’ve actually gotten to have ite for sure.”

Those who have a theatre season this participated in a theyear. We’ve done all atre production before of the shows that we always have a favorite were supposed to do moment about workand they’ve all been ing on the specific wonderful so far and show. For Seymore, I expect the same out of ‘Cinderella’ … It is her favorite part was developing her characreally great to follow ter for the show. through with it and “Madame is a very end the season this eccentric, very loud, year and even though very sassy characit’s been a hard year, ter and she’s evil as we’re ending it on well,” she said.

“So such a great note." that took a little bit of The musical conwork to, I guess, work tains several numbers on my mean side and that are loved by to yell at the other casual and die-hard actors who I actually Broadway fans alike.

Charles Gagliano, who really like and really portrays Prince Topher don’t feel like yelling at all the time. It’s just in the musical, shared so fun to play such an with the Observer his over-the-top fairytale favorite number from villain because there’s the show. a lot of expectations “My favorite numabout what that’s supber I’d say would be asleep. I snuggled in with them and with the light from my phone, began to write of my encounter, every detail in jaded motion, not wanting to forget.

I began reading the Armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-18 on the regular a few months ago. Trying to allow the words to seep into my mind and soul. Knowing of their reality yet in my own humanness, not knowing them at all. I have been asking God often to help me put on my armor, because as I know the truth of

Heaven, so must exist the truth of evil.

My family will tell you that I am quick to respond to all of life in light. Light is who we are as people of faith. We hold it and shine it as a beacon of hope for all the world.

It is who we are.

However, for us to carry that light, God goes through great measures with intention and precision so that we can. For it is not of ourselves that we light the world, it is God in us.

So then, why all the attacking of people today? Why are we

Redeeming Grace Ministries – (pictured left to right) Rauch, Lara Potts, Barbara Patton

Twin Cedars Child Advocacy Center - (pictured left to right) Rauch, Katherine Cochrane and Patton posed to look like and so I think it was a little bit of a challenge, but it was also fun to build her up and create her whole personality.”

The production is different from shows that OHTS has done in the past. For the first time, OHTS is doing a double cast for this show due to the pandemic. Gholston called this concept interesting, but he has expectations that this show will be excellent.

“I obviously expect greatness and I expect it to be as good as anything that we’ve ever done and to carry the Opelika High Theatre Society moniker that ‘we never disappoint’,” Gholston said. “[The double cast] leaves me with a lot of questions about what’s going to happen and so I guess it’s kind of exciting and also kind of nerve wracking to have to deal with some of that, but it’s made it a little different. This past year and a half have been different for everyone so why not have one more different event here before we close this school year down.”

Despite a strange year for Opelika High and its student body, OHTS is excited to return to the classics and perform a show that the audience will never forget.

“I think people should come see the show because, one, it’s ‘Cinderella’, obviously,” Gagliano said. “I mean, you’ve got to love ‘Cinderella’ [because] it’s a beautiful story. Two, I think it will be a good show and a fun time. Like [Madame] and my character and some of the others, they say some funny stuff and it’s a funny little show. I just think we’ve all put in so much work and effort and that everyone should see it.”

The show opens this Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Opelika Center for Performing Arts. The show will run on April 17, 23 and 24 at 7:00 p.m. and on April 18 and 25 at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets for ‘Cinderella’ are available online at GoFan.co www.gofan.co/app/ school/AL11750.

For more information, email OHTS@ opelikaschools.org.

so against the other?

Why brutal unkindness? Why strong statements that hurt even our neighbor?

Why the fighting of people? Humiliation, trembling, fear, anger, disgust.

Is this the light of the world?

You see, our strength is not to be against people, we are daily fighting something much more real, “the rulers … the authorities … the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil…”

We are the light, a beautiful one, a holy

one, a strong and fierce one, glowing and bright.

Our fight isn’t against humanness, our fight is to protect the light at all costs with genuine love and kindness.

More love, less attack.

I pray we shine as the day is long. I pray we ‘Armor Up’ every day and walk in the Good News of peace.

I pray that when we stumble, we look inward, not outward.

May God be seen clearly through us for all the world to see him too.

A6 April 15, 2021

‘An ever-moving reality in history’: Becoming the Beloved Community

By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver. com Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated 53 years ago.

And Auburn University’s Becoming the Beloved Community is still working to carry on his legacy.

“Fifty-three years ago tonight, the United States and the world mourned the loss of the drum major for justice, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,” said Dr. Joan Harrell, founder of the Becoming the Beloved Community movement.

Becoming the Beloved Community met last Tuesday to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of King’s death and discuss the importance of Black Sacred Music.

The virtual event, “Becoming the Beloved Community: Black Sacred Music, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Church” began with a cinematic interpretation by Dr. Reverend Otis Moss Jr., Dr. Reverend Otis Moss III and Elijah Moss, telling the story of Otis Moss Sr.’s attempt to vote in the rural South in the 1940s.

Reverend Dr. Otis Moss Jr, served as a co-Civil Rights leader with King. His son, Reverend Dr. Otis Moss III has spent

DIETRICH >>

FROM A4

It was the first time he told his wife about the War. It was the first time she saw him cry.

They sat at a kitchen table, slugging endless cups of joe, lighting fistfuls of cigarettes and he told her everything.

Start to finish. All the things he’d done. All things done to him.

HODGE >>

FROM A4

top leads me through the double doors into what I refer to as the Outer Ring of Hell.

As we walk, she asks me, “Are you having a good day?” I blink at her a few times and answer, “Why, yes.

It’s been lovely so far.

Can’t wait to see what happens when the sun goes down.” Of course, I don’t say this out loud because it’s the South and I’m a nice person and I’m too close to passing out to actually speak. I nod instead, and she smiles an even bigger smile.

We reach a long narrow room with about a dozen beds lined up separated by curtains.

decades building black theology that calls out problems with mass incarceration, inequality and environmental injustice, Harrell said.

“My father was a farmer, a sharecropper in the rural South,” Otis Moss Jr. said. “He served in the military during the first World War. Always a man of dignity, quiet courage and determination.”

Upon arriving at his polling location in 1946, Otis Moss Sr. was told he had arrived at the wrong place, despite a county letter telling him where his polling location was.

Nonetheless, he was turned away.

“I imagine as my grandfather walked, the sounds of the world crept into his ear, ‘You are a second-class citizen, you are 3/5ths of a person, you are nothing but a negro,’” Otis Moss III said. “But in his spirit, he heard his faith and his songs say, ‘Ain’t going to let nobody turn me around.’ Not just walking, but marching, to the next polling place.”

Once again, Otis Moss Sr. was turned away, sent to another location, where he was told the polling location was closed.

“Wounded, but never given up,” Otis Moss Jr said. “Denied, but never accepting that denial. Insulted, but refusing to accept the insult inwardly.

And thereby setting an example and a memory for generations unborn.”

Otis Moss Sr. was killed in a car crash, Otis Moss Jr. said. He said that soon after his father’s death, he joined the Civil Rights Movement and was present when the voting rights deal was signed in 1965.

“That was a great moment, it was a great victory in the civil rights struggle, it was a great accomplishment,” Otis Moss Jr said of the voting rights deal. “However, no one could dig up our father’s bones and put a ballot in his hand.”

Otis Moss Jr. and Otis Moss III spoke directly to Becoming the Beloved Community participants via Zoom.

“The Civil Rights Movement is an ever-moving reality in history,” Otis Moss Jr. said.

Otis Moss Sr.’s reality was not unique.

The Becoming the Beloved Community discussion was based around the importance of music to the Civil Rights Movement, and to enslaved African-Americans.

“The music gave inspiration, aspiration and it also created a special kind of unity for we could hear each other, share with each other, speak to each other in the music of the Black experience,

the African American experience,” Otis Moss Jr. said.

There are three types of sacred music, African American spiritual, gospel hymns and gospel music, said Dr. William Powell, a Charles Barkley endowed professor of music.

“They were commonly categorized as freedom songs due to their function in the civil rights movement,” William said.

“So, freedom songs, such as ‘We shall overcome’ were vital to the success and perseverance of the civil rights movement.”

Before the Civil Rights Movement, songs were used by enslaved people to communicate. And although music was a form of self-expression for enslaved people, the messages were often hidden, said Rosephanye Powell, professor of voice.

“Whether they were [messages] for freedom, for revolt, whether they were expressing our aches, our heartaches and our pains, all the master heard was that we were happy slaves singing these religious songs,” she said. “And this carries over to the civil rights movement, that these songs were bonding those who knew them together.”

But, the power of music was visible.

In fact, drums were

She held his hand.

She never flinched.

Never winced.

After that night it was like a switch had been flipped. He was no longer a silent man. He was animated. He laughed some.

Their life became the retired-person’s dream.

They bought an RV, they traveled. He even took her dancing.

They saw wonderful

things. They had their pictures taken in majestic places. And all the way through his beautiful life everyone always said the same thing whenever they were in each other’s arms. Even now that he’s been gone for years, they still say it. And they will say it forever. Because it’s true.

They really were so good together.

ALBRITTON

I use the word ‘bed’ loosely because no one wants to say, “Here’s a wafer-thin, vinyl-covered yoga mat thrown on top of a slab of concrete for you to get comfortable on. And, oh yeah, there’s no pillow. It’s against the law to have a pillow in the hospital. Have fun trying to adjust the side rail while also trying not to touch the dark stains dating from the early '90s that even industrial-strength cleaner won’t get rid of.”

I am given a gown and the volunteer tells me the doctor will be in shortly. Well … that’s a lie. I know it, and she knows it. But we smile at each other and I say, “Thanks.” And I settle in, freezing, my gown not quite covering all

the important bits, goose bumps running up and down my arms and legs, with one fist pressed into my eyes to block out the harsh lights and the other hand over one ear to drown out the beeps and the moans and the general chaos, curled into the fetal position not sure if I’m praying for an IV or for that bullet.

And then I hear the squeaky shoes…. To Be Continued Publisher’s Note: This column ran in 2020 but due to unforeseen circumstances, we were unable to run Part Two. We are republishing the column this week and will publish Part Two on April 22.

>>

FROM A4

the desperate need people have for affection while visiting a dying woman in the hospital. She had lost the capacity to speak but could still understand what I was saying. I spoke kind words to her, reminding her that God loved her and I loved her.

She seldom smiled and the constant frown on her face was disconcerting.

One day the nurse attending her calmly suggested that I put my hand on her brow as I prayed. Gently, I did so. Immediately she broke into a beautiful smile. Embarrassed, I realized the dear woman needed more than a prayer; she needed the affection of a kind hand on her forehead.

When I greet family members or dear friends, I desire more than a handshake. I need a hug. I admit I am a hugger. The coronavirus pandemic has robbed us of the privilege of expressing affection with a hug or even a handshake. I will be glad when we

outlawed when Africans were originally enslaved, Otis Moss Jr. said.

“And only those in spiritual unity could understand what the drum was saying in our songs, our music, our prayers, our sermons, our plans and our protest,” he said.

“That is tremendously significant.”

Fast forward to the crux of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1900s and the songs were used to unify participants and to boost morale.

“It is not difficult to imagine how easy it would be, having been beaten or hosed or observing the girls in Birmingham being killed in bombings, being threatened, just as Dr. Moss’ father, being turned away to vote repeatedly, having to walk for miles during the bus boycotts. It would be easy for morale to be low and people to be tempted to turn back,” Rosephanye said.

The songs, too, were used to comfort those who lost loved ones to the movement, she said.

“There’s something unique and powerful that is hidden within the sonic resonance of black musicality,” Otis Moss III said. “And what is unique, especially within the Black church tradition, is that within the music, the music, not only the

regain the privilege of respectful hugging.

I love it when my sons and family members hug me. I need their affection.

I need for them to graciously receive my affection. Healthy relationships require reciprocal affection.

When a little grandchild rushes into my arms to give me a hug, I experience a wonderful adrenaline rush of the best kind.

Affection can be a smile, a tender touch, caring words or just a gentle pat on the shoulder. The heart is touched by words which convey warmth.

People who are lonely crave affection; they come alive when a friendly person offers tender loving care.

I love Jesus’ story about the prodigal son. He had grown weary of his father’s affection and wished his father dead. He demanded his inheritance and ran away from home. Having lost everything, and reduced to eating pig slop, he came home, fearing the worst from his father. Seeing the prodigal returning home, the father runs to meet his son and

words, but the sonic power, carries a theological message that speaks of liberation …

“The Civil Rights Movement understood that in order for us to understand voting rights, we can’t just say it, we’ve also got to sing it.”

The Voting Rights Movement is still an ongoing fight, Otis Moss Jr. said.

“It’s well known, or it should be, that legislative bodies all over the nation are passing foolish, yet demeaning and disenfranchising laws,” he said. “Look at Georgia and look at other places, for one specific purpose.

To keep us, people of color, from voting. Gerrymandering districts to guarantee a white majority.”

Becoming The Beloved Community is an ongoing movement in the Auburn area, led

by Harrell. The next virtual meeting for the community will be held on April 20 at 6 p.m. and will discuss Becoming the Beloved Community amid Hatred Crimes against Asians and Asian Americans.

“The struggle continues,” Otis Moss III said. “Just because we win a battle, doesn’t mean we sit on our laurels. We have to continue to fight to make sure that the next generation will have opportunities in the future.”

embraces him with tender, forgiving affection. It is one of the most beautiful pictures of authentic affection in all literature.

The Gospel writers tell us that when sick people came to Jesus, he “laid his hands on them” as he prayed for them. Imagine how people must have felt when the Savior of the world touched them affectionately!

And the touch of the Master’s hand usually resulted in healing!

My, what a Savior!

And when the Savior said, “Love one another as I have loved you,” he was instructing his servants to use their affection to bless others.

Yes, I love affection.

I need it every day. I love to share affection with others, especially those whose smiles tell me they are blessed by my caring.

There are many good things we may enjoy on this journey called life. Some we can do without.

Some have fleeting value. But we must have affection! Its transforming power is indispensable. Lose it and we lose the joy of being alive.

Opelika E vents, Society & Food

April 16, 17, 18 - Cinderella at OPAC April 17 - OTC Spring Showcase at SportsPlex Amphitheater at 3 p.m.

April 16,17, 18 - Old 280 Boogie

State honoree Jay Lamar shares culinary heritage, favorite recipes PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER

Ann Cipperly

Southern

Hospitality

R

ecently named one of the “Women Who Shape the State,” Jay Lamar served as the executive director of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission to plan the 200th anniversary of Alabama’s statehood. Telling Alabama’s history involved many projects and initiatives.

For one special project, Jay worked with the Legislature Spouses Club for a cookbook about the state’s culinary heritage.

Good food has always been a part of Jay’s family history as well.

Both of Jay’s grandmothers were good cooks. Her father’s mother, who lived in Tuskegee, was a wonderful Southern cook who had a big garden every year. At her home, they enjoyed fresh peas, tomatoes,

corn, watermelon and a delicious pound cake as favorites.

Her other grandmother lived in Andalusia and enjoyed pickling and preserving fresh fruits and vegetables. She would give these homemade items as gifts to her family.

Jay’s father was in the military, and they lived in several places after she was born in Tuskegee.

By the time she was in kindergarten, her father had completed his military service, and the family had settled in Auburn where she grew up.

After graduating from Auburn University, she moved to Knoxville, Tennessee and did graduate work in English at the University of Tennessee.

She worked for a publishing company and met

her husband, Bill Turner.

“When I graduated from Auburn, I couldn’t wait to leave Auburn,” Jay remembers. “Then I could hardly wait to get back.”

When her great aunt died in Tuskegee, her lovely home was available. Jay felt a strong family connection and nostalgia for the place, with memories of visiting her grandparents. She purchased the house and moved back to Auburn.

She began working for Leah Atkins at Pebble Hill, the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center of the Arts and Humanities.

“There was a vegetable garden, and we would pick tomatoes and cucumbers for making sandwiches for lunch,” Jay said. “Working at a historic house with

Rob’s Ribs set opening date PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MARK COXELL / ROB'S RIBS

By Kayla Evans For the Opelika Observer

Rob’s Ribs, a faction of Butcher Paper BBQ of Opelika, has

announced its grand opening date for April 19 and is planning to have a soft opening.

“That is when we are planning to open the dining room,” said owner Mark Coxwell. “We will be open for lunch and dinner.”

Once open, Rob’s Ribs will be serving a lot of things that they do not at Butcher See RIBS, page A12

Jay Lamar, named one of the “Women Who Shape the State” was the executive director of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission. She is sharing her family’s love of cooking and favorite recipes over the years.

tomatoes growing in the yard and talking about southern literature and history, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.” She worked there for 23 years.

Jay then worked as director of special programs for the provost office for undergraduate studies and was the managing editor of Auburn Speaks, an annual publication of the office

of the vice president for research.

In 2014, she was appointed the executive director of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission to plan and coordinate events and activities for celebrating the 200th anniversary of Alabama’s statehood. It was the longest state bicentennial celebration in the nation, beginning in the spring of 2017 and ending in

December 2020.

There was a great deal of teacher training, projects and committees in every one of the state’s 67 counties. Many committees had 40 or 50 people on each one.

“We had almost three years to celebrate around the state,” Jay said. “It was a wonderful example of collaboration and people coming together See CIPPERLY, page A11

Nourish, AL hosting virtual 5k

By Kayla Evans For the Opelika Observer

Nourish, AL is having its inaugural 5k on April 22-25 to honor Earth Day and raise money for its nonprofit.

Registration is $30 and participants will run or walk the race on their own at any location they choose and submit their time to the web page.

“Obviously, we would’ve loved to See NOURISH, page A7

A8 April 15, 2021

By Stacey Patton Wallace We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that it should be the largest one.

There’s even an old adage: “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and sup like a pauper.”

However, I’m afraid that my meal habits don’t follow that schedule. I’m not as hungry at breakfast, so I generally eat a much smaller meal in the morning and have a much larger supper.

This was especially true when Mike and I commuted to LaGrange, Georgia, to teach. We had to eat breakfast at about 4:45 a.m. I wasn’t very hungry that early in the morning. In fact, I was barely conscious.

However, when we got home at around 3:30 p.m., I was ravenous, ready to eat everything in sight. This may be one of the main reasons I’m “Pooh-sized” because eating later in the day leads to weight gain.

Back in the old days, Daddy often cooked breakfast at our house because Mama took longer to get ready for

the day. On one such morning, my cousin Steve came over to join us. Steve said that as everyone was digging into the sausage, eggs and biscuits, Daddy said, “All right, y’all. Don’t eat it all. Remember, the dog has to eat, too.”

Our dog was Lobo, a beautiful black and tan German Shepherd.

(Since he was a thoroughbred, he had three names on his papers: War Eagle Lobo; obviously, we are an Auburn family.) Daddy put table scraps on top of Lobo’s dry dog food. This was several decades before we knew that people food wasn’t good for dogs.

However, if Lobo were still with us, he wouldn’t be getting any leftovers from my favorite breakfast/brunch restaurant because everything is gobbled up immediately. In fact, my husband and I would lick our plates at this place if our parents hadn’t taught us better.

Another Broken Egg Café is simply amazing.

The restaurant is located on Bent Creek Road in Auburn.

I have dined at Another Broken Egg many

times with my friends.

It’s the perfect place to gather for breakfast, brunch or lunch and is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Every time I dine at Another Broken Egg, the serving staff is exceptional: friendly, helpful and attentive.

Also, the restaurant follows COVID-19 safety protocols. All employees wear masks, and tables are six feet apart.

The restaurant’s menu includes French toast, waffles, pancakes, omelets, scramblers, traditional classics, biscuit beignets, sandwiches and salads. My very favorite dish, unfortunately, is their delectable cinnamon roll French toast. It is too wonderful to describe adequately.

Besides syrup, the toast is covered with berries and homemade whipped cream. Being a diabetic, I can’t order this often, and when I do, I ask the waiter or waitress to please stand by in case a 911 call is needed. Two sides come with entrees, so I choose scrambled eggs with melted cheese (They will fix two eggs, any style.) and baked See CAFE, page A12

Piedmont Fertilizer Co. Inc. 201 2nd Ave. • Opelika, AL SINCE 1910

Nothing better for your lawn exists

APRIL 17, 2021

http://give.childrensal.org/Piedmontskeet

PHOTO BY MIKE WALLACE

MAKING THE GRADE: ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFÉ

A9 April 15, 2021

Old 280 Boogie celebrates 20 years Old 280 Boogie is celebrating their 20year anniversary with a three-night concert.

Located at the Standard Deluxe in Waverly, Alabama, the event will take place April 16-18.

Old 280 Boogie was started 20 years ago on the one-year anniversary of state Highway 280 opening up and routing around the town.

“They were building in the late ‘90s, and it opened up in the year 2000,” owner Scott Peek said. “In the year 2001, we had a street party in downtown Waverly where Standard Deluxe used to be, where our little store was. It was free for 10

years and running off of donations then we moved it to my current location, and 10 years later here it is.”

The three-night concert kicks off on Friday with Boogie Pre-Night.

The gates open at 5:30 p.m. with the music starting at 6:30 p.m.

Jimbo Mathus and The Pine Hill Haints will be performing with Kidd Black Disco Show.

Saturday is the main event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Lillie Mae, Jimbo Mathus, Cedric Burnside and the Pine Hill Haints will be performing. Sunday will be the first ever Boogie Brunch. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Christopher Paul Stelling and Cedric Burnside will be performing with Kidd Black Disco Show.

“We’ve done a pre-

night several times,” Peek said. “A concert the night before.

We’ve never done a brunch… I’m really looking forward to that. We’re planning a lot more events … things coming up this year that we are going to be hosting.”

There will also be a number of vendors throughout the venue.

All tickets are general admission, and tickets are free for children under the age of 14. Each person can choose individual day tickets or the three-day pass. Tickets purchased from the previous year are transferred to the new date due to COVID-19.

There will be no physical tickets after purchase, but wristbands will be given at

PHOTO BY HIGH 5 PRODUCTIONS AND CONTRIBUTED BY SCOTT PEEK

By Kayla Evans For the Opelika Observer

Will Call on the day of.

Everyone is asked to wear a mask upon entry and when moving throughout the venue.

All social distancing rules must be followed.

“We are going to be

at probably a third of capacity even if that,” Peek said. “Total between 400 and 500 people on Saturday, and I would imagine the pre-night and the brunch would be maybe 100 to 200 at most.

We are an open-air

venue. We have a super great, big, huge, grassy lawn. A few hundred folks is plenty of room for people to move around.”

For more information, visit http://standarddeluxe.com/shop/ boogie20.

Jim Bob’s at Tiger Town introduces new breakfast menu One of Opelika’s most beloved chicken restaurants announced a big change to its menu recently.

Jim Bob’s Chicken Fingers, located in Tiger Town, added breakfast to its menu. Served from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Monday through Saturday, the added hours of operation mean Opelika residents can get Jim Bob’s practically all day.

“I always had the idea of maybe doing breakfast because I feel like in Tiger Town, with the exception of drive-thru Chick-Fil-A and McDonald’s, there’s really not a big home-cooked type breakfast out here,” said Owner Steven Ferrell.

Jim Bob’s is offering a variety of different foods with its new menu. Along with bacon, doughbillies and hash browns, the restau-

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY STEVEN FERRELL

By Kayla Evans For the Opelika Observer

rant loves to fry many things for breakfast, Ferrell said. There are five different deep-fried biscuits: the plain butter biscuit, the bacon biscuit, the egg and cheese biscuit, sausage biscuit and the signature fried biscuit.

“What our signature

biscuit is, is the fried biscuit,” Ferrell said.

“Deep-fried whole biscuit, comes out perfectly hot and crunchy, not greasy. We put our chicken fingers on it with sweet honey mustard … It’s a product that not everyone has.

I label it with the slo-

gan ‘the best biscuit you’ll ever have’ because I really think it is. I don’t know why everyone is not frying biscuits.’”

They also have an item that they call the Cinnabob. It is a fried cinnamon roll with powdered sugar and

maple syrup.

“It’s all unique,” Ferrell said. “It’s just something not everybody has, and it’s really good.”

The breakfast menu has grown and become popular so quickly that Ferrell said they are about to expand the

menu even more to a full breakfast menu.

“Within the next week or so, we will have a full breakfast where you can get a plate inside and sit down if you want with eggs, grits, bacon and all that good stuff,” he said. “We started off with the fried biscuits and the fried cinnamon rolls, and it’s growing into a full service and breakfast.”

Jim Bob’s Chicken Fingers wanted to bring home-cooked meals to Tiger Town, and the breakfast menu is just another way they are doing so. The restaurant offers many items that you can’t get anywhere else here.

“My idea out here was to bring a breakfast that is like a home-cooked breakfast,” Ferrell said.

“For Opelika to come, sit down and enjoy. It’s going to be like you cooked it at home, but it’s here.”

To find out more, visit https://jimbobschickenfingers.com/.

Phone 334-476-1595 AL#18086 AL#53314

• Licensed, Bonded, and Insured • 30% OFF First responders and military active and retired.

• No weekend service or after hours markups.

Regular weekly rates any day.

A10 April 15, 2021

Wheeeeee! The fair is back in town

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

A11 April 15, 2021

CIPPERLY

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to do things that were fun and entertaining, but also significant projects that would last beyond the Bicentennial celebration.”

One of the projects Jay worked on was with the Legislative Spouses Club for a commemorative cookbook, “Around the Spiral Staircase, Vol. 2.”

The book is a collection

RECIPES

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MAMA’S LEMON CURD 4 eggs Pinch of salt 2 cups sugar ¼ cup butter, room temperature ½ cup lemon juice 1 to 2 Tbsp. lemon zest Beat eggs; add salt, sugar, lemon juice, butter, and zest. Cook in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water for about 30 minutes until thick and smooth. Let cool.

Pour into jars and refrigerate. Good over pound cake, in small crusts with whipped cream, and with fresh berries.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE Recipe from Grandmother Elma Jane Roberts Lamar. ¼ cup cornstarch 2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup sugar ¼ tsp. salt 2 cups boiling water 3 egg yolks, beaten 2 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind 6 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 baked and cooled 9-inch pastry shell 3 egg whites 6 Tbsp. sugar Combine cornstarch, flour, cup of sugar and salt in top of double boiler. Gradually add boiling water, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in beaten egg yolks.

Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Remove from boiling water.

Stir in butter, lemon rind, and lemon juice.

Cover and cook. Pour into shell.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Whip egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

Add 6 Tbsp. of sugar,

NOURISH >>

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have this in person, but with the COVID situation, we did a little bit of research and found out that we could do it online,” said Kirra Hawke, intern for Nourish, AL. The deadline to receive the virtual bib and T-shirt by race day has passed, but registration for the

of recipes contributed by members of the club, but it also includes recipes from “Around the Spiral Staircase, Vol. 1,” which was created in 1975 for America’s bicentennial.

Jay has had a love of cookbooks since she was a child. She remembers that her mother had a lot of cookbooks and that she enjoyed reading them. “I think I have read more recipes lately than

prepared them,” she said.

“We have been fortunate to have our youngest daughter, Elizabeth, here this last year to do all the cooking.”

Elizabeth has been cooking professionally for almost 10 years, including in Miami, New York and Nashville.

She recently moved to Birmingham to work in recipe development as a test kitchen chef for

Hoffman Media.

Jay and Bill’s other daughter, Anne Herbert, is married with a daughter, Clara, and teaches at the School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. Their son, Will, is married and lives in Maryland. They are planning to move back to this area.

Bill is an archaeologist for the state highway department, while Jay is currently a consultant

for Alabama Public Television working on virtual field trips for fourth graders. She is also working on a grant project for the Alabama Historical Commission.

Recently, she was named one of 25 “Women Who Shape the State” presented by This is Alabama. The 2020 honorees include women in various fields who have an impact on the state.

“I love this state,” Jay said. “For the bicentennial, we looked back on our history, but our sights were set on the future. We wanted people, especially young people, to feel that the sky is the limit for them and for Alabama. I feel that way!

Bill and I love the state and this community. It has been gift to raise our family here.”

1 Tbsp. at a time, whipping well after each addition. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

Spoon meringue onto the filling.

Spread evenly to the edges, making sure meringue touches the crust. Make deep swirls on top with a spatula. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Cool away from drafts.

oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Toss in thyme and rosemary and spread potatoes out to a thin layer and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until potatoes are golden and begin to crisp.

Remove pan from oven and drain any excess fat that has collected.

Slice steak and return to pan, sprinkle with parsley and chives.

2 cloves garlic, minced Four 5 to 6 oz. salmon filets Whisk vinegar with tarragon, mustard, honey and ¼ cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan, and add Swiss chard stems, shallot and garlic.

Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chard leaves in large handfuls and cook until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in half the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.

Season salmon with salt and pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add salmon, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat, pressing gently with spatula to flatten, until the skin is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip the filets and cook until medium within, about 3 more minutes.

Transfer salmon and chard to plates, and garnish with tarragon leaves.

Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

2 ½ tsp. cinnamon Cake: 4 ½ cups cake flour 2 Tbsp. baking powder 3 tsp. kosher Salt 3 cups sugar 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature 6 eggs, room temperature 3 cups sour cream, room temperature 1 ½ Tbsp. vanilla ½ tsp. allspice ½ tsp. clove ½ tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. ginger powder 1 ½ tsp. turmeric powder 1 ½ Tbsp. cinnamon Apple Honey: Combine all ingredients in small saucepan on medium well heat and bring to a simmer.

Cook until apples are translucent and liquid coats the spoon.

Cool down.

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients.

Add butter to a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed; beat until creamy and smooth.

Add sugar and cream.

Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next one.

Decrease speed and add vanilla and sour cream.

Add dry ingredients half a cup at a time until fully incorporated.

Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment.

Distribute batter evenly between pans.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating midway through.

Cool on baking rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Add cream cheese and butter to a stand

mixer with paddle attachment.

Cream on medium speed until combined and smooth.

Add powdered sugar half a cup at a time until fully combined.

Add vanilla, salt, and cinnamon; mix until combined.

Set aside while preparing cake for frosting.

Assemble: Trim cake of all crust.

Place one cake on cake stand or platter.

Top with a layer of icing and half the apple honey.

Add next layer and repeat.

Add final layer and frost with remaining icing.

Dust with cinnamon.

Farms.

“As of right now, we have about nine families, and we’re just really hoping that we are able to do this for a lot more,” Hawke said. “That’s really where the idea of the 5k came in.”

They are hoping to be able to help more families through this virtual 5k, Hawke said.

“It’s been a great

way to be able to raise money for this company and potentially get another family that we could sponsor,” Hawke said.

To register for the race, go to www. runsignup.com/ Race/AL/Auburn/ NourishAL2021Virtual5 K or and for more information, go to www. nourishal.com/.

NY STRIP STEAK WITH ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES AND BACON ½ lb. thick-cut bacon, sliced in ¼ inch. pieces 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 1 NY strip steak (at least 1 ¾ inch thick) Salt and pepper 1 lb. fingerling potatoes, cut in quarters lengthwise 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ Tbsp. fresh thyme, picked ½ Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped 1 Tbsp. chives, thinly sliced 1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped Preheat oven to 425 degrees Heat cast iron skillet on medium heat.

Add sliced bacon and ½ Tbsp. olive oil to cast iron, keep to one half of pan.

Coat steak with ½ Tbsp. of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

When bacon begins to crisp, add steak to the opposite side of pan.

Increase pan heat to medium high and add potatoes and garlic, tossing them with the bacon.

Flip steak and sear second side for 1 minute.

Toss potatoes again and move to oven for 10 minutes or until desired steak temperature is reached.

Take steak out to rest and increase event is still open.

“With virtual, we have to send out the T-shirts, and we would love to have the T-shirts to participants by race day so that it is a little more personal and for them to be able to have it, run in it and take pictures in their shirts,” Hawke said.

After the race, age group winners will receive a $15 gift card to The Coffee

OATMEAL TOFFEE COOKIES 1 cup butter, softened 2 eggs 2 cups brown sugar, packed 2 tsp. vanilla 1 ¾ cup flour 1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 3 cups oats 10 oz. pkg. Heath Toffee Bits Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Add dry ingredients. Stir in toffee bits. Chill dough for at least 20 minutes.

Place teaspoonful sized scoops on a lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

CRISPY SALMON AND WILTED CHARD 2 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar 2 Tbsp. finely chopped tarragon, plus leaves for garnish 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. honey ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper 1 lb. rainbow Swiss chard, stems cut into 2-inch pieces and leaves coarsely torn 1 large shallot, minced Cat courtesy of their sponsor. Nourish, AL also created a community Spotify playlist where participants can add songs that they like to listen to while running.

Nourish, AL is a nonprofit aimed at providing fresh produce to insecure families in the Auburn and Opelika areas.

“Our mission

SPICE CAKE WITH APPLE HONEY Apple Honey: 1 cup apples, peeled, cored and small diced 1 cup honey ¼ tsp. kosher salt 1/8 tsp. cinnamon Cream Cheese Butter Cream: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 4 tsp. vanilla extract 8 cups powdered sugar ½ tsp. kosher salt is to feed our village, providing nourishment, fostering relationships and building hope,” Hawke said.

Each week, the organization provides fruits, vegetables, grains, pantry staples and more to families.

Nourish, AL was created through a partnership between Pediatrician Katie Wolter and Hornsby

PICKLED OKRA 2 lbs. small, fresh okra, washed 5 hot red or green peppers 5 cloves garlic, peeled 1-quart white vinegar 6 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. celery or mustard seed Pack okra upright into five hot, sterilized pint jars. Add a pepper and a garlic clove to each. Set aside.

Combine vinegar, ½ cup water, salt and celery or mustard seed in a stainless plan. Bring to a boil.

Remove pan from heat and pour liquid over okra, filling jars to within ½ inch of the rim. Seal with lids and rings.

Process in a bath of boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove and cool before storing.

MIMI'S CRANBERRY SAUCE Recipe from Grandmother Mary Turk Walters Renfroe Scherf.

Pick over 4 cups of fresh berries. Wash.

Pour into a shallow See RECIPES page A12

A12 April 15, 2021

Do the hustle! BigHouse Foundation opens opportunities to help local families

By Lofton Wheeles For the Opelika Observer BigHouse Foundation currently has two opportunities open for the community to help local families — the BigHouse Hustle and the swimsuit and towel drive.

The BigHouse Hustle fundraiser was started last year and is the brainchild of BigHouse Foundation Executive Director Micah Melnick and a friend.

Due to the shutdown period of the pandemic, Melnick was searching for a way to stay motivated.

She then posted on social media about an idea she had during that period — walking 100 miles in one month. A friend, who is also on the board of directors for BigHouse, decided to join her and at the end of the month, they were inspired to start the BigHouse Hustle.

The Hustle challenges people in the community

RIBS >>

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Paper, Coxwell said.

They will have baby back ribs, beef ribs and chicken-fried ribs. Specialty sandwiches will be added to the menu not long after. They will also have a variety of appetizers and sides including fried pickles, hush puppies, cole slaw and onion rings.

Breakfast foods and salads will also be on the menu.

“The fried ribs are excellent,” Coxwell said. “The fried pickles are my recipe.

They’re the best in town in my opinion.

I’m really excited about the beef ribs.

RECIPES

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baking pan so they lie in one layer. Sprinkle with 2 cups of sugar and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake at 325 degrees for an hour. Cool. Toss with 4 Tbsp. of brandy or cognac and sprinkle with sugar to sparkle.

SALLY LUNN BREAD From my mother-inlaw, Nancy Langhorne Turner, Virginia born and raised.

4 cups all-purpose flour, not sifted 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 pkg. dry yeast 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup softened butter 3 eggs, room temperature Mix 1 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, salt, and undissolved yeast in a large bowl. Combine milk, water, and butter in a saucepan. Heat on low until liquids are

to run or walk either 31, 65 or 100 miles in one month.

Registration is currently open, and it costs $35 to register and includes a T-shirt.

The idea “blew up overnight,” Melnick said.

The initial goal for the first Hustle was 30 friends raising $500; however, 550 people signed up for the fundraiser and it raised $23,000 for the organization for that month alone.

“We’ve done [the Hustle] twice now, so it’ll be our third time,” she said. “So, it’s been one of those things that just hit at the right time and it was something people needed to do. So, people got really excited about it and we feel like [we] can continue to make it grow and a lot of people who’ve done it in the past are going to do it again and hopefully will recruit new people too. So, we’re excited to try to get more people pulled in

We’ve had a lot of people ask us to cook beef ribs, and now we have the capacity to do it. I’m really excited to get those going. Our baby back ribs are just out of this world good.”

Coxwell and his wife, Anna, also added a specialized mixed drink menu and installed a 10-tap beer tower. There are also personalized branded tables and a large outdoor patio, something that beefs up (no pun intended) the atmosphere.

“We are going to have a specialized mixed drink menu curated by John Emerald Distillery,” Coxwell said. “We warm. Add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes (medium speed) with electric mixer or stand mixer.

Add eggs and 1 cup flour to make a thick batter. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, then stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and allow to proof for one hour. Punch down the batter and beat well again for 2 minutes. Place batter in a greased 9-inch tube pan or large Bundt pan. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to proof again for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake bread for 45 to 50 minutes.

Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve big slices with lots of butter and damson plum preserves.

Good toasted too.

LEBANESE SALAD

The BigHouse Hustle has given the nonprofit organization a new opportunity to spread awareness about BigHouse and its mission.

“We’re grateful to have the Hustle, and we hope that we’re able to raise a good bit of money for BigHouse,” Melnick said. “In addition to that, I think it gets people talking about BigHouse, which is always a good thing for a nonprofit. For

have a large outdoor patio area that is going to have 10 picnic tables and two ADA accessible tables. We do have the bar, the handcrafted bar.”

Furthremore, Rob’s Ribs is offering different levels of catering from small lunches to large events and weddings. The business announced their move into the what was Mike and Ed’s Bar-B-Que at 307. N. College St. in early March.

For more information, go to their website at www. robsribsauburn.com/ or check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ robsribsauburn/.

Vegetables and Herbs: Romaine Cucumbers, thinly sliced Onions, thinly sliced Tomatoes, quartered or cut into small wedges Parsley Mint Dressing: ½ cup fresh lemon juice ½ cup oil (extra-virgin olive, canola, or mixture of both) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh mint Salt and pepper to taste Crush garlic and salt. Bruise mint leaves. Blend together lemon juice and oil, salt, and pepper.

Add garlic and mint.

Shake well and drizzle over vegetables and herbs.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS WITH

other people to hear your mission, to learn more about you, to be more of a household name and just to get our mission out there to people who otherwise may not be in our circle is really great.

“We’re just excited and it’s a really great opportunity for us to get our ministry and what we do out there to new groups of people and pull them in.”

BigHouse hopes the fundraiser gives members of the community an opportunity to get out, be active and be healthy. The community aspect is also a vital aspect to BigHouse and it is something that Melnick loves about organizing this fundraiser.

“I think my favorite part is seeing who signs up,” she said. “Just seeing the different kinds of people that sign up and people in our life who are excited

about it, talking to people who have participated, seeing who’s doing it and then hearing their feedback saying they loved it and it was so encouraging to them. That’s really fun to see even if I didn’t have any idea that they knew about it.”

BigHouse not only wants people to get out and do the hustle to raise money for the nonprofit, but the organization also wants people to donate swimsuits and towels so kids can soak up the sun this summer.

BigHouse currently runs a clothes closet where families can shop for free each month for any child in their home whether it be for a foster child, adopted child or birth child. For the swimsuit and towel drive, families can donate new children’s swimsuits and beach or bath towels.

This drive in particular

has helped as many 2000 children in a year.

“With our swimsuit and towel drive, it is actually through social workers all across the state,” Melnick said. “So, they send us a list of the kids on their case load and it’ll be newborn to 18 year olds so we take all towels and every kid gets a towel and our kids that are in children-sized swimsuits get a swimsuit.

“All the towels are embroidered with their name. So for that drive, we collect new beach towels or fun-colored bath towels and new children’s swimsuits sizes newborn, child or XL. So, that’s going on through the end of April and into May. We will continue to take donations so if people don’t get them in by the end of April, we just put a deadline for promotional purposes.”

The deadline for both fundraisers is May 1. To register for the BigHouse Hustle, go to ourbighouse. org/bighouse-hustle.

For more ways to get involved with the BigHouse Foundation or for more information on the Hustle or the swimsuit and towel drive, head over to their Facebook page, www.facebook. com/bighousefoundation or send them an email bighouse@ourbighouse. org.

CAFE >>

bacon so that I at least have some much-needed protein. When I dine with my friend Leigh Ann, she orders the biscuit beignets with our meal; they are very tasty as well.

When I’m trying to

be “good,” and that’s not often, I order one of their omelets. I particularly enjoy the lobster and brie.

Another Broken Egg Café makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher.

Remember, “Poohsized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner.

Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in the Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@ gmail.com

HONEY BUTTER Rolls: 2 ¼ tsp. active yeast ½ cup water, 100 to 110 degrees ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 Tbsp. sugar ¼ cup honey 2 1/2 tsp. salt 1.5 cup whole milk 3 eggs, large 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. flaky sea salt 1 can non-stick spray Honey Butter: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup honey ¼ tsp. kosher salt Honey Butter: Add butter to stand mixer with whisk attachment; whisk until fluffy.

Add honey and salt and whisk until combined.

Rolls: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine yeast and water and let sit until frothy.

In a small saucepan heat milk to a simmer; remove pan from the heat and stir in butter, sugar, and honey to dissolve.

Add eggs, salt, yeast mixture and milk mixture to a stand mixer with hook attachment.

Turn mixer to medium speed and add flour ½ cup at a time until completely combined.

Increase mixer speed to high and mix until your dough begins to pull away from the bowl and becomes smooth and shiny (about 8 to 10 minutes).

With wet or oiled hands grab a handful of dough and stretch; if the dough begins to tear, continue mixing and try again; when the dough stretches thin enough to see through it and does not tear, stop mixing.

Transfer dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plas-

FROM A8

tic wrap; let rise until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 to 1 ½ hours).

Oil or spray two 9-inch round pans or one 10 x 15 rectangle pan with canola oil or cooking spray.

When dough has doubled in size, use scissors to cut the dough into 2-oz. pieces.

Roll the dough pieces into little balls and place them into greased pan(s) touching.

Cover with plastic and let rise again but not quite double in size (about 30 to 45 minutes).

Bake rolls for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Melt 2 Tbsp. of the honey butter and brush the tops of the rolls.

Bake the rolls another 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve with remaining honey butter.

A13 April 15, 2021

The Subversive Gospel SUB-VER-SIVE – adj. Intending or intended to subvert an established order, especially to undermine or overthrow an established government.

(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) e don’t normally think of the message about Jesus as being subversive. That’s to our poverty because it absolutely is. After all, becoming a follower is spoken of as being born again and becoming a new creation— can you get more radical than that? Paul speaks of being “united with Him in a death like His” (Romans 6:5) and being “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20).

No, if we understand the teachings of Scripture, becoming a disciple of

W

Church Calendar • Church of Christ at Cunningham - meeting at their building at 9:30 a.m. for Bible class, 10:30 a.m. for worship, 5 p.m. for evening worship and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

• St. Marys Catholic Church/ St. Michael’s Church SMCC is having Daily Mass on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. and on weekends they are distributing holy Communion on Sundays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A Mass is also held on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. at St. Michael's Church over in Auburn. For more information people can call the office at 334-749-8359 or go to the parish website: stmarysopelika.org.

• Union Grove Baptist Church In-person gathering with social distancing. Masks are available.

Sunday worship is at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Wednesday worship is at 6:30 p.m.

Services are streamed live on Facebook — the page is UGBChurch • First Baptist Church Opelika The following are held in-per­son and online on Sundays.

8:30 a.m. Tra­ditional Worship and Message at The Worship Center 9:45 a.m. Sunday School Hour 11 a.m. Contemporary Service at The 3:16 Center 6 p.m. Evening Worship and Message at The Worship Center 6:30 p.m. Church on Chadwick at Chadwick Lane in Auburn To watch services online, go to fb­copelika.­com/­media

Christ is the most radical, subversive thing we can ever do. The fact that so many fail to see it that way is the problem. Not understanding the gospel is subversive is what leads to lukewarm discipleship.

By Bruce Green Jesus doesn’t round out Teaching Minister at 10th our life—He is our life Street Church of Christ (Colossians 3:4)! in Opelika When Paul, Silas and Timothy brought the good news of Jesus to ThessaNews about him was cast lonica you can believe the people who heard it under- as gospel—a salvation stood its subversive nature. bringing message.

Thessalonica was a A century before, Julius Roman city through and Caesar had been assassinatthrough.

It was capital of ed and the Roman Senate the province of Macedonia. declared him a god. This It was located on the Via became the driving force Egnatia (a major thorbehind the establishment oughfare that linked with of the Imperial Cult—the the Via Appia to connect worship of Rome and its Rome to Byzantium). The emperors. The vocabuImperial Cult had a temple lary of the Imperial Cult there. When Paul, Silas referred to the emperor as Lord and Savior. He was and Timothy showed up over the kingdom of Rome. and began talking about

the gospel of Jesus, His kingdom, and how He was Lord and Savior—how do you think the Thessalonians would have received that?

We don’t have to wonder. In 1:5-6 Paul tells us, “Our gospel” (as opposed to Rome’s), “came to you not simply with words but with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction . . . You welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” They “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (v. 9). Their lives were completely transformed by the good news because they didn’t view it in a shallow, peripheral way—they understood its life-changing dimensions.

Because of that he goes on to say, “You became a model to all believers in

Macedonia and Achaia— your faith in God has become known everywhere” (v. 7). They weren’t perfect (Paul will deal with some of their problems in his second letter to them), but they were pursuing God in such a way that he speaks of their “work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:3). They weren’t super-disciples, but they were all in for Jesus.

The message here isn’t the transformed lives of disciples—it’s the Christ who transforms lives and understanding the subversive nature of His call. Jesus isn’t interested in setting up a political kingdom (John 18:36), but He does want reign completely in our lives.

He would be Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all.

ABOUT BRUCE GREEN You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: atasteofgracewithbrucegreen.com.

Hunley Group Lambert Transfer & Storage An Interstate Agent for North American Van Lines 1102 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36803 745-5706

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:19 APOSTOLIC HOLINESS God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 True Deliverance Holiness Church 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 BAPTIST Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506

ANGLICAN Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd 2312 Center Drive Unit D 334-758-6749 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Bridge Church 1000 Lee Road 263, Cusseta 334-742-0144 AME Mount Zion AME Church West Point Hwy 334-749-3916 St. Luke AME Church 1308 Auburn St. 334-749-1690 St. Paul AME Church 713 Powledge Ave. 334-745-6279 Thompson Chapel AME Zion 187 Columbus Pkwy 334-749-8676 BAPTIST Abundant Life Baptist Church 1220 Fox Run Ave. Suite B 706-4421464 Airview Baptist Church 2301 Airport Rd. 334-444-5148 Antioch Baptist Church 605 W. East Morton Ave 334-742-0696 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St. 334-745-7528 Bethel Baptist Church Hwy. 29 Sasser Rd 334-745-4865 Central Baptist Church 1611 2nd Ave. 334-745-2482 Community Baptist Church 154 N. 16th St. 334-745-6552 Cornerstone Missionary Baptist 500 N. Railroad Ave. 334-742-2008 Eastview Baptist Church 1208 Spring Dr 334-749-9595 Farmville Baptist Church 3607 Alabama Hwy N. 334-887-7361 First Baptist Church of Opelika 314 S. 9th St. 334-745-6143

Church Directory

Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184 Lakeview Baptist Church 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-7094 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608 Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ at

First Baptist Church 301 S. 8th St. 334-745-5715 First Baptist Church Impact 709 Avenue E 334-741-0624 First Freewill Baptist Church 103 19th St. 334-703-3333 Friendship Missionary Baptist 432 Maple Avenue 334-742-0105 Greater Peace Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave. 334-749-9487 Heritage Baptist Church 1103 Glenn St. 334-363-8943 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 Love Freewill Baptist Church 1113 Frederick Ave. 334-745-2905 Ridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church 1098 Lee Road 155 - 334-745-3600 Northside Baptist Church 3001 Lafayette Hwy 334-745-5340 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Uniroyal Rd 334-749-2773 Purpose Baptist Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #704-0302 St. James Baptist Church 1335 Auburn St. 334-745-3224 Union Grove Missionary Baptist 908 Huguley Rd 334-741-7770 BUDDHIST Buddha Heart Village 3170 Sandhill Rd. 334-821-7238 CATHOLIC St. Mary’s Catholic Church 1000 4th Ave. 334-749-8359 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy 334-742-9721 Southside Church of Christ 405 Carver Ave. 334-745-6015 CHURCH OF GOD

Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Changing Hearts of Destiny Ministry 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 METHODIST Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist

Airview Church of God 3015 Old Opelika Rd 334-749-9112 Church of God 114 17th Place 334-749-6432 Tabernacle Church of God 3 Oak Court 334-745-7979 CHURCH OF NAZARENE Opelika Church of Nazarene 1500 Bruce Ave. 334-749-1302 EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave. 334-745-2054 HOLINESS Eastside Emmanuel Holiness Church 86 Lee Road 186 JEWISH Beth Shalom Congregation 134 S. Cary Dr. 334-826-1050 LATTERDAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints 510 Groce St. 334-742-9981 METHODIST First United Methodist Church of Opelika 702 Avenue A 334-745-7604 Hopewell United Methodist 1993 Lee Rd 136 334-745-0460 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 8685 AL Hwy. 51 334-749-4469 Pepperell United Methodist 200 26th St. 334-745-9334 Trinity United Methodist Church 800 Second Ave. 334-745-2632 Wesley Memorial United Methodist 2506 Marvyn Pkwy 334-745-2841 PENTECOSTAL Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Hwy. 29, PO Box 1691 334-7418675 Gateway Community Church 2715 Frederick Rd 334-745-6926 PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church of Opelika 900 2nd Ave. 334-745-3421

Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319 PRESBYTERIAN Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Outreach Seventh-Day Adventist 1808 S. Long St. 334-749-3151 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Apostolic Holiness Church 610 Canton St. 334-749-6759 Auburn Opelika Korean Church 1800 Rocky Brook Rd 334-7495386 Beauregard Full Gospel Revival 2089 Lee Road 42 334-745-0455 Christ Church International 1311 2nd Ave. 334-745-0832 Fellowship Bible Church 2202 Hamilton Rd 334-749-1445 Ferguson Chapel Church 310 S. 4th St. 334-745-2913 First Assembly of God Church 510 Simmons St. 334- 749-3722 Garden of Gethsemane Fellowship 915 Old Columbus Rd #745-2686 Grace Heritage Church Opelika #559-0846 Holy Deliverance Church 831 S. Railroad 334-749-5682 Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. 334-737-1488 Living Way Ministries 1100 Old Columbus Rd 334-749-6241 Move of God Fellowship Church 1119 Old Columbus Rd 334-7411006 Connect Church 2900 Waverly Pkwy 334-749-3916 New Life Christian Center 2051 West Point Pkwy 334-741-7373 New Life Independent Church 10 Meadowview Estates Trailer 334-741-9001 Opelika’s First Seventh Day 2011 Columbus Pkwy 334-737-3222 Power of Praise, Inc. Church 3811 Marvyn Pkwy 334-745-6136 Shady Grove Christian Church West Point Hwy 334-745-7770

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A14 April 15, 2021

OBITUARIES Mavalene LaGrone A memorial service for Mavalene LaGrone will be held on April 17, 2021, at 2 p.m.

Pastor R. Keith Elliott will officiate the service at the First Free Will Baptist Church located in Opelika, Alabama.

Mrs. LaGrone, who died on April 4 at East Alabama Medical Center, was born on July 29, 1940 in Marion County, Alabama. Mrs. LaGrone was the last original member of the First Free Will Baptist Church of Opelika, which both of her parents cofounded. Mrs. LaGrone dedicated her life to Christ and was a devoted wife and mother of three.

She was a loving and caring woman who touched many people’s hearts. However, she has been called home to join our Lord in his heavenly home.

Mrs. LaGrone was the widow of James Rudolph LaGrone of Opelika. She is survived by her three children, Angela (Rick) Love of Dadeville, Alabama, Ron LaGrone of Opelika and Judy (Ricky) Lynn of Navarre, Florida, her sister, Julie (Ronald) Hugley of Opelika, her grandchildren, Daniel Love, Nash Love, Jeremiah (Patrick) Lynn, Jamison (Bambi) Lynn, Kelly (Steven) Molina, her great grandchildren, Ashton Love, Chad Lynn, Parker Lynn as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Dawn C. Yates Dawn C. Yates of Valley, Alabama was born in Langdale, Alabama on Oct. 22, 1953 and passed away at East Alabama Medical Center on April 4, 2021. She was 67 years old.

Dawn loved to bowl and was in two bowling leagues.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Clara Crutchfield; grandson, Alex Yates.

Dawn is survived by her husband of 50 years, Richard C. Yates, children, Brandy Yates McCulloch (Patrick), Wendy Gray (Walter), Clay Yates (Niki), grandchildren, Kacie Thomas (Landon), Sara Scott, Brodie Yates, Anna Gray, Grant Yates, Ethan McCulloch, Paeton Jones (Daniel) and Corey Gray (Shanecia), great grandchildren, Avereigh Jones, Owen Jones, Isaian Gray and Aiden Gray.

Visitation was held April 7, 2021

at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers the family would encourage anyone who is interested to please consider giving blood at your local blood bank. _______________ Peggy Sue Tillery Peggy Sue Tillery of Beulah, Alabama passed away at her residence on April 4, 2021.

She was born in LaGrange, Georgia on Feb. 11, 1957. She spent her life being a caregiver and loved taking care of others.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Billy and Leila McCormick, sisters, Sherry Shaddix, Glenda Rudd, Toni Mayo, a brother, Roger McCormick and a grandson, Chris Ware.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years, William Dewey Tillery, children, Donna (Mike) Scott, Christy Roberts (Bobbie), Stephanie (Jeffery) Stewart, Dewayne Tillery (Kelley), Tammy (Dustin) Brown, 17 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, her sister, Nancy (Don) Heldreth, her brother, Rusty McCormick, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members.

Visitation was held in the Parlor at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home on April 6.

A funeral service was held on April 7 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home with Reverend Darrell Shelton officiating.

Interment followed at Hephzibah Cemetery. _________________ Judy A. Letlow Judy A. Letlow was born in Opelika to the late Milford and Mary Lee Allen on Feb. 4, 1944 and passed away at Bethany House on April 4, 2021. She was 77 years old.

Judy was a member of Union Grove Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her sisters, Peggy Allen, Gail Martin and brother, Leroy Allen.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, William T. Letlow; sons, Michael T. Letlow (Vicki) and Stephen L. Letlow, her granddaughter, Rebekah Letlow Cain (Chris), sisters, Patsy Tate, Janice Ries (Mike) and Yvonne Smith (Tim), sisterin-law, Dot Corbett, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held on April 8 in the Parlor at FrederickDean Funeral Home

and a funeral service was held at Union Grove Baptist Church on April 9 at 11 a.m. with Brother Robert Rhodes and Brother Russell DeLee officiating. Interment followed at Garden Hills Cemetery. _______________ Charles Luther Roberts Charles Luther Roberts formerly of Opelika passed away Monday, April 12, 2021 at East Alabama Medical Center. He was born December 20, 1948 in Lee County.

He is survived by his lifelong sweetheart and wife of 42 years Judy Ann Roberts; children: Virgil Roberts (Robin), Kimberly Dykes (Roy) Darlene Jernigan (Gary); grandchildren: Ayla, Tabitha, Joshua, Marrisa, Abby, Jessica, Matthew; Great Grandchildren: Gaige, Joani Mai, Kynliegh, Bryce, Braylen, & Kylie Jane; as well as several nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation was at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14 and a funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on April 15 at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home with burial following in Rosemere Cemetery.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed. _______________ John Thomas 'Tom' Ingram John Thomas 'Tom' Ingram, 95 of Marvyn, passed away April 8. A graveside service was held at Garden Hills Cemetery, 2 p.m., Sunday, April 11 with Dr. Rusty Sowell officiating.

Tom served his country in WWII, was a school teacher and a farmer. He was a member of Providence Baptist Church.

Mr. Ingram is preceded in death by his parents, Llewellyn and Helen Ingram, his wife Janette Myrtle Ingram; brothers, Lou, Newt and Oliver Ingram; daughterin-law Janice Torbert Ingram and granddaughter Amy Ingram.

Mr. Ingram is survived by his children, David (Ada) Ingram, John Ingram, Mike Ingram, Linda (Drew) Logan and Robert (Kim) Ingram, his sister Jeanette Torbert, a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews and close friends.

Flowers are appreciated or donations may be made to the

Providence Baptist Church Building Fund 2807 Lee County Road 166 Opelika, Alabama 36804. _______________

until 7 p.m., Sunday, April 18 at The Farm at Rocky Top located at 2910 County Road 145 in Salem. _______________

Walter Matthew Arnold

Eugene Faucett, 76 of Opelika, passed away April 5, 2021 at his residence. A graveside service was held at 2 p.m. on April 12 at Garden Hills Cemetery with Rev. Jodie Robinson, Sr. officiating.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed. _______________

Eugene Faucett

Walter Matthew Arnold passed away peacefully on April 8, 2021 surrounded by family and friends.

He was born Sept.

20, 1970 in Opelika to Walter and Jane Arnold. He graduated Opelika High School in 1989. After graduation he moved to California where he was a model for Faces International before returning to Opelika.

He was a beloved hairdresser and salon owner in the area for more than twenty years.

He is survived by his fiancé Jade Dawson, sons Doss Arnold, James Dawson and his father Walter Arnold.

Matthew loved spending time with his friends and family.

He had a passion for watching Doss play baseball and James play football. He and Jade would often travel great distances to cheer for them.

He coached youth baseball for many years and had a true love for the game. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed the outdoors. Gifted with a bright and energetic personality, he was known for his ability to sense when people just needed someone to listen. Matthew Arnold will forever be remembered for his kindness.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate his life 5

Lettie Mae Lee Strickland Lettie Mae Lee Strickland of Opelika was born in Gholson, Mississippi to the late James Tilton and Nancy Beatrice Daniels Lee on February 5, 1940 and passed away at her home on April 10, 2021. She was 81 years old.

Lettie was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Huey L. Strickland, a grandson, great granddaughter, two brothers and two sisters.

She is survived by: a son, Michael Strickland, daughter, Deborah A. Hollingsworth (Mark), grandchildren, Diana Atkins (Stephen), John Strickland, Nathan Hollingsworth (Kara) and Daniel Hollingsworth, nine great grandchildren, and sisters, Willie Carney and Carolyn Rigdon.

Visitation was held on Wednesday, April 14, in the Parlor at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home.

A graveside service was held at Garden Hills Cemetery on Wednesday, April 14, at 2 p.m. with Dr. Rusty Sowell officiating. _______________ Glenndon Earl Page Earl went home to be with the Lord on the morning of Thursday, April 8, 2021. He was surrounded by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra, sons, Glenn Page, Richie Burnette and Keith Burnette, grandchildren, Chris and Emily Page, Brandi Burnette Rogers, Trent Burnette and Tyler Burnette, great grandchildren, Raelynn and Kinsley Rogers, sister LouGene Brown (Jerry), brother, Andy Page (Andrea), many precious nieces and nephews.

He loved the Lord and was a devout follower. His prayer and desire was for all of his loved ones to know the amazing God that he served.

After a tough struggle with cancer, he is at peace and in the comfort of his Lord and Savior.

Our family would like to extend a special appreciation to our family friend, Sherry Cooley, Dr. Rekah Lall, Dr. Rajan, the sixth floor staff at EAMC, Compassus Hospice and their wonderful nurses.

Visitation was held in the parlor at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home on Sunday, April 11.

Frederick - Dean Funeral Home directed.

LORD POUR OUT YOUR LOVE, LIFE AND LIBERTY “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

2 Corinthians 3:17

70TH NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Thursday, May 6, 2021 12 noon Lee County Courthouse Square Rain site- 1st Baptist Church 3:16 Center- Ave. C Broadcast live on Halleluiah 1520 am NON DENOMINATIONAL PRAYER & PRAISE GATHERING

ALL INVITED

A15 April 15, 2021

A16 April 15, 2021

COMICS

“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.” ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

S

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School Board Meetings INSIDE • OPELIKA SCHOOLS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • COMMUNITY SPORTS

Prattville DC named as head coach for Beauregard High School PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY JUSTIN JONES

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com

On the Mark

By D. Mark Mitchell

OHS Boys’, Girls’ soccer win area

T

The Bulldogs rolled through the area with a perfect 6-0 record, scoring 31 goals while allowing only five.

OHS SOFTBALL WINS AREA GAMES The OHS Lady Bulldog softball team won two area games last week, earning themselves a chance to host the area tournament with a win over Eufaula. Opelika (4-1 in the area) mercy ruled Russell County, 15-0, in four innings on senior night. McKay Yountz earned the win in the circle, pitching all four innings without allowing a hit or run, striking out six of the 12 outs. The following five players recorded hits for the Dogs: Nylen Thomas, Sanai Stringer, Raelee Fenn, Libby Gaberlavage and K.D. Lee. Last Thursday, Opelika traveled to Fairfax for an important area game against Valley, at the Sportsplex. Yountz won her second consecutive area game, pitching seven innings, allowing no earned runs and two hits, striking out 17 batters. Despite only recording four hits, OHS managed to secure the See SPORTS , page B4

Prattville High School Defensive Coordinator Justin Jones has been hired as the new head football coach at Beauregard High School.

Jones was a guest on the “On the Mark” radio show Wednesday morning and discussed his new job with the Hornets.

“My family and I are thrilled to become apart the Beauregard Community," Jones said. "I look forward

to starting Thursday, after our press conference today.”

Jones replaces former Beauregard Athletic Director and head football coach Rob Carter, who

spent seven seasons with Beauregard, posting a 51-27 record (29-13 in region, 9-3 in playoffs) before accepting the head coaching job at Sylacauga High

School last month.

Jones comes to Beauregard having spent just one season as the defensive coordinator at 7A Prattville. Helmed by Jones, the Lions defense held opponents to 18.5 points per game in 2020 – limiting teams to 14 or fewer points on six occasions.

Before Prattville, Jones spent the 2019 season as the head coach at Cordova High School. He took over a one-win team from 2018 and led them to a 5-6 record See JONES, page B3

ASMS Computer Science Instructor Named Cyber Security Teacher of the Year Contributed by Alabama School of Mathematics and Science

Deborah Gray, computer science instructor at the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS) was recognized as Teach Cyber’s 2020 Cyber Security Teacher of the Year with the “Pathways to Cybersecurity” Award.

This award highlights her dedication to teaching cybersecurity, facilitating outside the classroom opportunities and coaching competitions. According to Teach Cyber, “This award recognizes teachers who (in addition to teaching a cybersecurity class) developed cybersecurity programs, host clubs and/or coach

competitions. Their efforts have given students multiple means to enter or advance along a cybersecurity path.”

Gray received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Southern California and an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University while working for a high-tech company, Hewlett Packard, in the San Francisco Bay area. Before ASMS, she taught at different international schools and in Baldwin County. Her professional interests include cybersecurity, underwater robotics and data science. As a computer science instructor, she promotes student engagement See ASMS , page B4

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ASMS

he OHS girls’ and boys’ soccer teams won the area championships last week with wins over Eufaula at the W. James Samford Soccer Complex in Opelika.

Lady Bulldog head coach Jaclyn Button guided her team to their seventh straight area championship, making history in the process.

OHS had never won more than one area title until the current streak.

In the game, OHS dominated Eufaula, 10-0, behind Amiya Brown’s four goals and Erica Mathews’s three goals. Ashley Hilyer, Abby Noon and Karly Phatsadavong scored one goal apiece. In the assist department, Hilyer, Mathews, Noon and Scarlet Posadas recorded two assists apiece. Juanita Nix and Fatima Santamaria added an assist apiece.

Opelika’s boys soccer team defeated Eufaula 2-0 behind two goals from George Meyers.

The win over the Tigers means OHS won the area championship and will host a first round playoff game. Jonathan Blanco and Dexter Graham recorded assists while goalkeeper Miller Isaacson earned the shutout.

Opelika: April 27 at 4 p.m. at 300 Simmons Street in Opelika

Gray with the first and second place trophies her students received at a computer science competition. *Photo taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

B2 April 15, 2021

B3 April 15, 2021

Walking, play benefits young children

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1.

T

he month of April is recognized as Physical Wellness Month. April is also recognized as Stress Awareness Month. I would like to share two free activities that we can do with our children as families to take care of ourselves, our children and our families. During this beautiful spring season, children can benefit and enjoy walking and playing.

Walking is a family activity that can

include the youngest of children. Infants love a stroller walk.

All ages truly enjoy family walking. In the preschool classroom on beautiful weather days, children love to go walk around the school. Walking promotes daily exercise and healthy growth.

As a teacher, I have noticed after a good brisk walk around the playground, children seem to be in a better mood and more focused for learning and doing classroom

activities.

Walking together provides shared good times between parents and child. It can be a relaxing time during your day where you and your child have freedom to talk and listen to each other about what is on their minds.

Our community is so vibrant and beautiful with spring foliage and new animal life bursting out all over. Family walking field trips are wonderful learning experiences in learning about nature. Children love to discover and learn.

Include your children in making decisions of where you and your family will walk. This will encourage young children to feel special, responsible and a participant in the daily family walking time.

Being out in the sunshine, fresh air and just being outside clears the mind and increases energy. Walking helps the cardiac and respiratory systems. Too, muscles are strengthened in the legs, feet, arms and the whole body from daily walking.

Free play is a young

child’s work. As early childhood teachers and parents, we can directly observe our young children playing and how much it contributes to their physical wellbeing in growth and development.

So many processes, social interactions and creative expressions, not to mention physical benefits, are learned by your child by freely playing under the supervision of an adult. Stand back in the shadows as parents, listen and observe closely how your children learn and interact during their free play.

Structured activities are good for your child up to a reasonable point but supervised free play is important to a child’s physical, mental and emotional development which points them to a successful future.

Physical play involves childrens’ large actions such as running, jumping or riding a tricycle or bicycle. The goals of these activities are to help children increase their physical skills or learn to use them in new situations.

Lee County School Board receives optimistic financial reports The Lee County School Board met for its regularly scheduled April meeting on Tuesday and revealed how pandemic-related financial numbers affected Lee County.

Chief Finance Office for Lee County Schools, Ken Roberts, presented the findings during the “Superintendent’s Report” by way of the Monthly Financial Report and Cash Reconciliation

for the Month of February.

“We’re right on target,” Roberts said.

“In terms of the challenge of spending money now, in terms of knowing where you’re headed, what’s going on, some of the unknowns, to stay on budget is certainly something I’m proud of.”

Roberts said that through five months, the fiscal year budgeted revenue is at 50%, while the budgeted expenditures are at 42%. Tat is an See SCHOOLS , page B5

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JONES >> FROM B1

PHOTO BY JOSH FISHER / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com

Dramatic play requires that the child assume and act out a role. It’s often in relationships to other children playing their roles in informal dramatic situations that may represent true life experiences. It’s neat as a parent to hear your child imitate you possibly. It's rewarding for a teacher to hear students role-playing as teachers to their teddy bears and dolls.

Games are another form of play activity, but a different kind than physical play or dramatic play. Usually these require specific rules.

Many times, with very young children ages infants to three-yearsold, structured games are not appropriate for this age level. Actually, children at four and five years old are beginning to move into a stage where game playing is possible. Elements of game playing for children must be kept simple. As children engage in playing games, strategies need to be taught.

Parents can enjoy playing the games with their child as they teach them

and a first-round appearance in the 5A state playoffs.

Cordova started the season 0-5 before ripping off five straight wins to clinch a playoff berth.

Prior to that, Jones spent 2014-18 as the head coach at 3A New Brockton High School. His time with the Gamecocks was successful, leading them to a 3422 overall record, making the playoffs in each of his five seasons. Jones’ teams averaged scoring just over 33 points per game while allowing just under 20. In 2016, he helped lead New

the strategies. Many of our own well remembered childhood games are enjoyed by your own children today like London Bridge; duck, duck, goose; over, under relays; red light.

Too, parents can offer their child manipulative play with natural inexpensive materials such as sand, water, empty milk jugs, spoons, pots and shovels. Wet sand can be molded in many shapes, dry sand can be sieved and run through funnels. Clothe your child in play clothes and let them have fun! They only go through childhood once.

When it’s raining or cold outside families can gather around and do indoor play like I spy, charades, Simon says or inexpensive board games such as checkers, card games, puzzles, etc. Let the children gather your old bed sheets to put on a circus or talent show.

If the weather is pretty young children love to walk and run outside!

Make these times a memory for your child.

Beth Pinyerd Classroom Observer Brockton to its first playoff game win since 1999.

Before taking over at New Brockton, Jones was an assistant coach at Enterprise in 2013.

An Enterprise High School graduate, Jones played college football at West Alabama. His first coaching job was as assistant coach at New Brockton from 2003-05. In 2005, he accepted a position as assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach at Enterprise. Jones remained there until 2011 when he accepted his first head coaching job at 1A Florala High School, posting an 8-12 record in his two seasons there.

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B4 April 15, 2021

Glenwood Baseball looks for consistency in busy stretch

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com

The Glenwood Gators varsity baseball team is in the midst of a 12-game stretch spanning over 14 days.

Head coach Tim Fanning believes there’s no better time than now to find some consistency.

“People just got to step up and have it matter every day, not just in the big games,” he said.

“That’s what is hard to learn as a young person – that consistency. You just can work when you want to work. So, that’s just kind of what we are looking for now, just

SPORTS >> FROM B1 win, 3-0. Lee recorded two hits, Stringer and Gaberlavage singled.

The Lady Bulldog softball team improved to 4-1 in the area after the winning the two games.

Opelika High softball team won the area championship after beating Eufaula on the road, 3-1.

McKay Yountz earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game and striking out 14-Tiger batters.

BASEBALL The Opelika Varsity baseball team (11-14) lost two out of three games to Eufaula last week. OHS won the second game of the series, 7-4, after dropping game one, 5-3, and the third game 12-6.

ASMS >> FROM B1 and project-based learning. Her approach encourages students to participate in computer science competitions and clubs that she sponsors.

When asked why cybersecurity is important to her, Gray describes, “Cybersecurity is a critical, timely topic that crosscuts all aspects of our lives. It sparks student interest and deep dives into a wide range of CS topics from Linux to

similar story. Putting up 15 runs in the first inning, starting pitcher, sophomore Landon Lancour, helped Glenwood cruise to a win.

“We scored early and often,” Fanning said.

Senior Trent Edwards went 2-for-2 with two runs and three RBI;

senior Kody Bence went 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI; and Wadkins was also perfect, going 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI. The next game for Glenwood was against Chattahooche County High School. The Gator bats saw a slight dip in form, and a few Sports Center top-10-worthy plays courtesy of the Cougar outfield kept the game close.

Sophomore Jackson Kennon got the start for Glenwood and went four strong innings, with only two Cougar baserunners scoring while he was on the mound. Fellow sophomore Jacob Page

replaced Kennon and threw a scoreless final three innings to earn the save and secure the 4-2 victory for the Gators.

“Page was lights out the last three innings,” Fanning said. “Probably less than 40 pitches in 3 innings, no hits, it was very good.”

Junior Ty Smith was the standout for Glenwood in the batter’s box, going 2-for-3 with a double. Edwards matched Smith’s box score and Carpenter also went 2-for-3, scoring two runs himself.

“It wasn’t like the [Cougar’s] pitching was

13-6, capturing the series from the Dogs. Despite the loss, OHS scattered 10 hits during the game.

Xander Grilliott led with three hits, Harrison Long and Jonathan Chase added two hits apiece, Brooks Bryan and Bryce Speakman added singles.

Opelika used three pitchers, Murray, Paul Goodman and Ligon, but only allowed three earned runs. The Tigers scored six unearned runs on three Opelika errors.

The OHS baseball team took a step closer to making the playoffs, after beating Valley 10-0 Tuesday night at Bulldog Park.

Brantley Davis earned the win, pitching a complete game while striking out 14.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the Area with a

5-1 record, earning the right to host the Area Tournament.

More information in next weeks column.

TRACK AND FIELD Several members of the OHS track and field team were invited to participate in the “Mobile Challenge of Champions.” The meet is for individuals instead of teams and you must be invited.

The following OHS runners placed in the meet: Jarell Stinson, second in 200 meter and 400 meter dash; Eric Watts, third in long jump; and LeDamien Rowell, fourth in long jump and third in triple jump.

Dalen Torbert finished sixth in the 200 meter dash.

The team also

competed in the Mike Spain Invitational on Monday. Results and photos from the meet can be found on page B8.

BEAUREGARD HIRES JUSTIN JONES, NEW FOOTBALL COACH Beauregard Principal Richard Brown Jr. has hired Justin Jones as the new football head coach at BHS. Jones comes to Beauregard after spending the 2020 season as defensive coordinator at Prattville. Prior to 2020, Jones was head coach at Florala (2011-12), New Brocton (2014-18) and Cordova (2019).

Jones is 47-40 overall as a head coach and coached at three high schools that had losing programs and did not make the playoffs prior to him taking over. Jones

led two of the three schools to their first playoff games in many years.

Brown conducted the search for the new coach after Rob Carter left for Sylacauga. Brown searched through 50 plus applicants, interviewing five or six before choosing Jones.

Congratulations to coach Jones, his wife Joni and their four kids, Anna (18), Abby (13), Jacub (aka Cub, 12) and Kaleb (10).

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” on Fox Sports the Game 9101310, Co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Youth Baseball state coordinator.

together. For example, in CyberPatriots competitions, students fix vulnerabilities in operating systems and secure a network. In Capture the Flag (CTF) events, students solve challenges of various skill levels and points by finding concealed messages, decrypting communications, reverse engineering code, programming and more. Gray says there is something of interest for everyone, and many of these activities help students explore a variety of

skills and introduces them to situations they may encounter in a CS field.

“Cyber security has quickly become one of the most prominent fields in our world today, and Gray is equipping our students with the experiences they need to be at the forefront. In addition to computer science skills, Gray’s approach to teaching and learning fosters curiosity, confidence and collaboration among our students. She is both an asset to the Alabama

School of Mathematics and Science and the field of computer science education,” said ASMS School President Dr. John Hoyle.

Know a high school student interested in computer science and cybersecurity? Current 9th and 10th graders in Alabama can apply now to ASMS for the 2021-2022 school year.

Learn more at asms. net/admissions.

About ASMS The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science is the state's

only fully public and residential high school for sophomores, juniors and seniors seeking advanced studies in math, science, computer science and the humanities. ASMS is a research-focused learning community committed to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and diversity with an aim to empower motivated Alabama students to improve their community, state and nation.

Tuition, room and board are free. Learn more at asms.net.

some consistency and intensity on a more consistent basis.”

The Gators began their whirlwind of games on April 6 with a double header against Springwood. Glenwood was consentient on that night, run-ruling the Wildcats in three innings in both games.

Sophomore Tyler Wadkins got the start and win on the mound in game one. Allowing just two hits, Wadkins was given plenty of cushion as the Gators thrashed the Wildcats from the first pitch, winning 14-0.

Leading the way at the plate was senior Cam Carpernter, who went

3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI. Senior Trevor Horne followed suit and went 2-for-2 with two home runs and five RBI. “Horne hit two home runs in his first two at-bats and then didn’t see a strike after that,” Fanning said.

Game two was a

In the game one loss, the Tigers scored two runs in the first, one in the fourth and two in the bottom of sixth.

EHS pitcher Hess Horn pitched a complete game, seven-inning three hitter, allowing three runs while striking out three.

Game two ended with OHS winning 7-4 behind the pitching of Brantley Davis. The junior allowed three earned runs while striking out five Tiger batters over six innings. Luke Murray earned the save in relief, pitching a scoreless inning, allowing no hits.

Although game three did not count in terms of the area record, it determined the winner of the series, which is a tiebreaker for final standings.

Eufaula beat Opelika networking to cryptography to cyber ethics.

Students have fun solving problems and collaborating in competitions. It opens opportunities for them at universities and in their careers.”

At ASMS, Gray has developed new courses for the school including Computer Security Fundamentals and Cyber Ethics. She sponsors the ASMS Cyber Security Club and coaches students in competitions which combine their individual strengths to work

See GLENWOOD , page B5

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY ASMS

Gray with her students who won 1st and 2nd place in The University of Alabama Capture the Flag competition. *Photo taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gray with her students who received national and regional recognition from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). ASMS had four winners in 2019 and seven winners in 2020.

B5 April 15, 2021

‘I want to beat Auburn’: Smith Station ready for rematch with Tigers The first time Auburn and Smiths Station met, the Tigers came out on top. But the Panthers will have a chance for revenge and an area title on Thursday.

“You know, to be the man you have to beat the man and Auburn right now is the man,” said Smiths Station head coach Jeff Carrero.

“I want to beat Auburn, that’s our goal, to beat Auburn and win the area.”

The last time the Panthers faced Auburn they were coming off a shutout loss to Trinity Presbyterian. This time they are coming off a 5-0 win over CentralPhenix City that saw them improve to 8-4-2 and 2-1 in the area.

“I thought it was our best overall effort on the season,” Carrero said.

“I wish we could have

gotten better results on the offense, but I know sometimes on offense sometimes it doesn’t happen. But, it’s like, if they’re not scoring, we’re not losing.”

The Panthers had several scoring opportunities to start the game but were unable to convert until freshman David Ramirez scored in the 30th minute. Carrero said he is very excited about his freshman who he said has gotten better every game.

Despite being unable to score any more first half goals, the Panthers controlled the pace of the game and Carrero said he was confident more goals were coming in the second half and that his defense was going to continue to limit Central’s offense.

He didn’t have to wait long as senior Tyler Suggs came out of the break red-hot and scored three goals in the second half to propel

the team to the 5-0 win.

Braedon Downey also scored a goal and had an assist and Ayden Green had two assists.

While several players shined for the offense, Carrero was unable to single out a defender who stood out above the rest.

“I’m not gonna’ lie, it was just a great defensive effort, a total team effort. All of them did exactly what they needed to do,” Carrero said.

“I thought we played them a lot better than we did the first time, which is big.”

With the win, the Panthers can now turn their full focus onto Auburn and ironing out any remaining details.

“It’s so important to have that complete game as we go into Auburn because that’s what we are building to,” Carreo said.

In their first game against Auburn, a 5-2

PHOTO BY JOSH FISHER / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

By JD McCarthy For the Opelika Observer

defeat, it became apparent the Panthers were going to have to make schematic changes to their defense and Carrero is pleased with how his team is adjusting to the changes.

“We want to get the defense right, I think we are working toward it and getting it,” he said.

“It’s imperative that we give ourselves an opportunity to win, and if we

are giving up goals, we are not giving ourselves an opportunity.”

A win over Auburn would give both teams a 3-1 record in their area, with each having beaten the other. The area winner would then be decided by margin of victory, something Carrero is aware of but has not limited his desire to take down Auburn.

“Even if we beat Auburn and don’t win the area because of tie breakers and stuff, I still want to beat Auburn.

That is a big step for our program. Competing with them on an even keel basis is great but to beat them, that is even more important, that’s what we want to do, we want to beat Auburn and that is our focal point.”

Beulah clinches perfect region record

By JD McCarthy For the Opelika Observer

Beulah wrapped up a perfect region record with a 9-5 win over Reeltown last Wednesday. With the win, the Lady Bobcats clinched the top seed in the area tournament and will host the tournament.

“It was great, we can focus on getting ourselves better,” Beulah head coach Stan Pepper said of the win. “We know where we are playing the area tournament, we’ve already got it set up. We don’t have to worry about a coin toss. We are ready for the area tournament

SCHOOLS >> FROM B3 encouraging sight given the majority of the fiscal year was spent in a pandemic.

Furthermore, Roberts said revenue overall is 2% ahead of where it was last year, while total expenditures are up 1%.

“You would expect that that in terms of just your normal, standard cost of living increase … in terms of how much things cost so to speak,” Roberts said of the spike in expenditures.

Local revenue is up 7%, however, according to Roberts.

“As you know we receive a bulk of our local annual revenue in the first four or five months of the fiscal year, so we typically run ahead in terms of revenue collections versus the point in the fiscal year,” he

and to just play some games.”

The Lady Bobcats set the tone in the first inning of the game, exploding for eight runs to take a commanding 8-1 lead. Scoring early, and in bunches, has been something Pepper has prioritized the whole season.

“It’s critical, like most teams we play better once we know we got a run,” he said.

“The longer you go in a game and it's 0-0 the more pressure builds.

If we can just get that one run on the board in that first inning, we feel pretty confident in the outcome.

That confidence is well earned as 14 of

their wins have come in games where they scored in either the first or second inning of the game The offensive surge on Wednesday was led

by Abrianna Green who went 3-for-4, with two doubles, two RBI, scored two runs and stole a base. Savanna Clements also went 2-for-4, with a double, three RBI and scored a run. Clements may be just an eighth grader but has emerged as one of the most consistent players on the team and someone Pepper can count on no matter the situation.

“She’s been a consistent little player for a long time for

us,” Pepper said of Clements. “She just works every day and does whatever I need her to do. Whatever position I need her to play. She’s that person where if somebody is out, I can put her in and I know that position is taken care of. She’s just been consistent the whole time. She’s that utility player that a lot of people don’t realize how important and valuable they are to the team.”

Katie Morris got the win for the Lady Bobcats, allowing five runs over seven innings of work and striking out 13 batters.

After inclement weather prevented them

from playing over the weekend, the Lady Bobcats returned to action Monday against Wadley. The Lady Bobcats proved too much for the Bulldogs, winning 9-0.

“One hundred percent a team effort, everybody played well together so I was really proud of them and at the same time we still got a long way to go to get where we want to be though,” Pepper said of the win.

Beulah’s record now sits at 17-11 on the season and Pepper believes a major reason for their success has been the hard work of his staff.

Jamie Carden, Jeff Lamb, Allison Akiens, Chris Stanley and Ken

Phillips make up the staff and do all of the hard work according to Pepper.

With the top seed in the area tournament locked up the Lady Bobcats are now focused on getting ready for the postseason, which is just over two weeks away. The next step for the Lady Bobcats to Pepper is them becoming more consistent.

“Consistency. Just bottom line, being consistent at the plate, being consistent in the field, in the pitching circle, being consistent.

I want to know what’s going to happen before it happens because we are that consistent.”

said. “Simply put, its increasing more than expected.”

Finally, Roberts said that, most importantly, the surplus in the budget is near where it was last year at this time.

“We were pretty optimistic,” he said regarding the finances during a pandemic.

“We felt like Lee County was somewhat insulated in terms of just the specific nature of our local economy, but it’s even exceeded my expectations and I hope it continues to do that.”

During the portion of meeting dedicated to community speakers, James Sprayberry, an attorney based in Auburn, spoke on behalf of Eddie Daniel, a Smiths Station faculty member who is currently involved in a lawsuit with a Smiths Station high school student.

The board heard

an explanation of the situation from Sprayberry and then explained that Daniel’s official letters regarding the situation had been received and would be subject to review.

The lawsuit stems from an incident that revolves around Daniel allegedly apprehending the student’s phone during his class. His reasoning, according to Sprayberry: the student was being “disruptive” and “wasn’t doing her schoolwork.” The student reported Daniel “having physical contact” with her and claimed it as assault.

Daniel was suspended following his actions. Up until now, Daniel has been a teacher in the county for 30 years and never had a formal complaint. “There was no confrontation, there was no discussion, no

argument … our position is that since he is a 30-year teacher that has never had a complaint and he should not be terminated for confiscating a girl’s phone from the classroom,” Sprayberry said.

At the end of the meeting, District 6 board member Larry Patterson brought up an off-agenda item.

Patterson implored the board to consider the need for Black history and male leadership – especially Black male leadership – in the school system, something that has been brought to his attention by community members on numerous occasions. The current status of the country is all the more reason to take this call for action seriously, Patterson said.

“We live in a society where people don’t know each other,” he said. “People need

to know each other.

They need to know their history and how you go about working these things out.”

In Other Business: - The board approved minutes for the regular called meeting on March 9, 2021.

- The board approved Kelly Services, one of the largest staffing companies in the country, to handle the employment of Lee County Schools’ custodians and aids. Kelly Services already works with a number of school systems including Opelika and Auburn.

- The board heard a presentation from Andrew Click explaining the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and how Lee County Schools employ strategies to remain compliant with its guidelines.

- The board

approved the local adoption of textbooks from Out of State and In-State Adopted List on Mathematics.

- The board approved a revision to the 2021-22 School Calendar for 187 and 189 day employees.

- The board approved the 2020-21 Budget Amendment 1.

- The board approved out of state, overnight field trips for the Smiths Station High School basketball team to attend a basketball camp on June 4, and for the Beauregard High School Track and Field team to attend the Track and Field State Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama, from April 28 to May 1.

- The board called an executive session to approve human resource recommendations.

The next meeting will be on May 11.

B6 April 15, 2021

AHSAA to offer girls’ flag football in 2021

By Wil Crews sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com

Through the support of the Atlanta Falcons, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and NFL FLAG, a monumental step toward gender-inclusivity in Alabama high school sports was announced last week.

“In partnership with the Atlanta Falcons and NFL FLAG, the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) announced Tuesday at its 13th Annual Principals’ and Athletic

Directors’ Conference that girls flag football will be a sanctioned sport in 2021,” read an AHSAA press release from April 6. “The new sport will be available for member schools beginning in the fall.”

There’s no word on how the decision will affect local schools yet.

The Observer reached out to many for comment. Opelika Athletic Director Mike Pugh said “we have not had time to discuss and determine the amount of interest yet.”

According to the release, the AHSAA Central Board of

Control approved sanctioning the sport at its January 2021 meeting, giving AHSAA the nod to pursue the partnership.

Furthermore, the release said the inaugural season will culminate in December with a championship game at the 2021 Super 7 State High School Football Championships in Birmingham.

“After discussions with the Atlanta Falcons for several months, we are excited to be adding this girls’ sport for our membership. We think it will grow rapidly,” said

Associate Executive Director Alvin Briggs, who oversees the sport of football for the AHSAA. “The AHSAA appreciates the support, commitment and funding being provided by the Atlanta Falcons, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and NFL FLAG.” The release went on to say that Nike will be assisting AHSAA in the initial rollout of the sport.

“In addition to the Atlanta Falcons and the Blank Family Foundation monetary support, NIKE

will provide girls flag apparel to assist the AHSAA with launching girls’ flag football throughout the state.”

Additionally, the release said that NFL FLAG will be working with the Falcons, AHSAA and Nike to “lead coaching clinics, develop competition guidelines and establish a framework for high schools interested

in instituting girls’ flag football in Alabama.”

Last fall, with the help of Blank and the Falcons, Georgia became one of the only four states (Alaska, Nevada and Florida) to make girls’ high school flag football an official sanctioned sport.

Now, Alabama high school girls will have that option.

Smiths Station putting ‘embarrassing’ loss behind them The Smiths Station Girls’ soccer team was on a four-game win streak and had not lost since February before Enterprise beat them 8-3 last Tuesday.

Head coach Dennis Jones describes Enterprise as a “very good, very fast team and they pretty much put it on us.”

The game was tied 1-1 at half before Enterprise pulled away in the second half. Despite the loss Jones was able to find some positives in the outcome.

“I’m really happy that this game happened, because it really showed the girls that if they don’t come prepared and ready to play on any given day against

GLENWOOD >> FROM B4 that much different or anything, like it’s just inconsistency of our hitting really,” Fanning said of his team’s performance.

“It’s just so up and down, but we pitched well.”

Americus Sumter High School out of Georgia was the next matchup for Glenwood. Like the tide leaves and returns to the shore, the pop in the Gators’ bats arrived again. Spawned into action by their leader, Horne, the Gators erupted for the 20-9 win.

Horne went 3-for-3 with

any given team then they can put it on you,” he said. "We were embarrassed that day no doubt, but I’m fortunate that we got this game under our belts just so my girls can see that it is a possibility that we can get beaten pretty badly if we don’t bring our A game every day.”

The loss was just their second of the season and the Panthers wasted no time getting back to form, beating Central-Phenix City 100 on April 8.

“It was good for them to get out there, they had just had that embarrassing loss, they were able to get back on the field and really dominate that game,” Jones said. “That was really good to get their confidence back up and get things rolling back on track.”

The 10 goals were spread throughout the offense and all came before the half. Jones thought his girls were more prepared to play after the loss to Enterprise.

The Panthers next game was Senior Night on Monday against Opelika. In their second matchup of the season the Panthers were victorious, winning 1-0

three runs, five RBI and a triple.

“He’s been really hot,” Fanning said of Horne.

“He’s got double digit home runs and doubles and around 45 RBI. He’s having a really good year.”

Following suit for the Gators was junior Colton Dempsey, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, a double and a triple.

Bence went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs, and sophomore Trent House went 2-for-2 with two runs.

The Gators were supposed to play two games last weekend against Mt. Pigsah and Troup county,

but the games were rained out.

The re-scheduled matchup against Troup was played Monday night. Fanning was expecting a tough game against the 20-2 Tigers.

“They’re good,” he said. “It’s a big game.”

The two teams met earlier in the year with Glenwood emerging victorious 9-2. Going into the rematch, Fanning is hoping to get all of his team on the same page.

“It’s just about mindset at the plate,” he said.

“Just got to get them to buy into the fact that every game is big.”

Dempsey got the start

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“This project was supported by Subgrant #18-VA-VS-050 #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.”

win against Auburn that would put us at winning the area.”

Since the Panthers won their first game, they are in the driver’s seat to win the area, something they have only done twice in program history according to Jones. However, they have a busy two weeks before they start.

“The girls know that they got a tough road ahead,” Jones said.

“We’ve got five games to play in these last two weeks so it’s going to be two weeks filled of games, getting a little but more experience, letting the girls play new positions get used to their positions and just getting ready for the playoffs. I think we’re ready. I think we are going to do good things in the playoffs, but you never know.”

for Glenwood and went seven innings, allowing two earned runs on just four hits with eight strikeouts a no walks.

Leading 1-0 going into the sixth inning, the Gators allowed the first Troup hitter to reach first base on an error.

The next batter reached on an infield single; the next hit a three run home run to give Troup a 3-1.

Glenwood failed to rally in the final two innings, taking their eighth loss of the season to a solid Troup team. Horne was responsible for the lone Gator run, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run.

The Gators played

Calvary High School on Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.

Glenwood played Springwood at home on senior night Wednesday, a perfect area record in reach with a win. The results were also not available at press time.

The rest of the week for Glenwood features a Thursday game against Americus Sumpter, a Friday game against Callaway High School, a Saturday game against Hardaway High School, a Monday game against Heritage High School and a game on Tuesday against Newnan High

School.

Glenwood’s record now sits at 27-8, with just over a week until area playoffs begin.

What will it take to consider the upcoming run of games a success?

“Just being ready to play,” Fanning said.

“With Troup coming in here and Calvary, two really good teams, I think that’s going to be a barometer for the week.

Are ready to play? That’s my biggest thing. It’s not about wins and losses, it’s about the intensity and mindset of being ready to play when really good teams are coming in here to play.”

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on a goal from senior Emma Tapia.

Despite having a record of 10-2-2 and having already guaranteed spot in the playoffs the Panthers are still trying to figure out their best possible lineup.

“We are moving some girls around now, kind of seeing where they fit for this playoff push,” Jones said.

The changes will be

put to the test Thursday when the Panthers play Auburn in a rematch of their earlier matchup.

The Panthers won the first game 2-1 on penalty kicks and Jones expects another tough game.

“I think I’ve got everything in place.

I’m hoping that we will be able to contain Auburn’s offence.

Auburn is very good, they are a very good possession team, so we just have to kind of hold them back from scoring and just hopefully we can get a lucky bounce and get somebody a few opportunities to score.

“It’s very important, it’s not the end of the world if we don’t win this game but it is important. We’ve already at least solidified second place so if we can

PHOTO BY TESSA DUNN / SMITHS STATION HIGH SCHOOL

By JD McCarthy For the Opelika Observer

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B7 April 15, 2021

Opelika Softball honors seniors; dominates Russell County 15-0

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

OHS Track and Field teams wins Mike Spain Invitational PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

Opelika High School hosted the Mike Spain outdoor Track & Field Invitational on Monday. The meet featured 14 schools from across the state competing in 40 events. OHS finished first overall at the meet. In team relays, the Bulldogs finished first in the girls 4x100 meter, boys 4x100 meter, boys 4x400 meter and boys 4x800 meter.

The Bulldogs also had individual competitors finish first overall in 12 respective events.

Jarell Stinson won the boys 100 meter; Niya Walton won the girls 100 meter hurdles and girls triple jump; Haley Sanders won the girls 200 meter; Caleb Phillips won the boys 400 meter and tied for first inn boys high jump; Kyrian Moss won the boys 800 meter; Brekin Gould won the girls 1600 meter; Trinity Love won girls discus; LeDamian Rowell tied for first in the boys high jump; LaJadan Tolbert won boys javelin; and Trevon Moore won boys shot put.

B8 April 15, 2021

Dawgs drop series versus Eufala

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics

B9

April 15, 2021

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Inside the Statehouse Reapportionment and Gerrymandering

H

opefully, you participated in the census last year. It is vitally important for each state that every person is counted.

One of the first premises set out by our nation’s founding fathers is that there be a census taken every 10 years. The reason for the United States census is to determine how many seats each state is appropriated in the U.S. House of Representatives.

It is based on the Democratic principle of one man, one vote. Each state shall be equally represented based on the number of people they have within their state borders.

The power to draw the congressional lines rests with the State Legislature. For that reason, there was a lot of time and money spent by the national political parties to capture the majority of seats in the swing state legislative bodies. The pen to draw the lines is in the hands of the majority party. In Alabama, that is overwhelmingly Republican. Therefore, you can rest assured that Congressional lines in the Heart of Dixie will be favorable toward the GOP’s six-to-one control.

Indeed, this reapportionment pencil has the same application for the legislators’ own districts. This preferential partisan parameters of districts is generally referred to as gerryman-

Beauregard residents bring noise complaints to officials

By Hannah Lester hlester @opelikaobserver.com

STEVE FLOWERS dering. Dictionaries define the word “gerrymander” as “to divide a state, country or city limits into voting districts to give unfair advantage to one party in elections.”

This is a pretty apt and succinct description of gerrymandering. The word was derived from an 1812 journalist’s evaluation of a Massachusetts reapportionment map and lines that looked like a salamander. The governor of Massachusetts, who developed the salamander district, was named Gerry. Thus, the term gerrymander .

In bygone days, gerrymandering was bold, overt and racist. The See FLOWERS, page B11

Beauregard citizens are begging for help.

A group of Beauregard residents attended Monday night’s Lee County Commission meeting with complaints of noise in their community.

“Let me just paint a picture for you,” said Sean Owsley, one of the residents in the area. “You survived a tornado, your family, loved ones, father, son was killed in it. You get woken wide awake at 4 a.m. on a day that there are severe storm threats in the area to somebody playing tornado sirens, air raid sirens.”

The noise complaints include the tornado and air raid sirens, but also the sounds of coyote mating calls, other animal noises, church bells and more.

“This [neighbor] basically made the comment, if you can hear this you must live in a trailer and that’s your

own fault,” Owsley said. “Regardless of what anybody lives in, if I live in a cardboard box, I should be able to go outside, on my porch, and enjoy the outside air, enjoy the summers, enjoy the nice fall nights and we can’t do that. I’m a half a mile away.”

Noises begin sometimes by 10 p.m. and continue through the early morning hours, as late as 5 a.m, Owsley said.

“We’re just asking for something to be done so we can enjoy the county,” he said.

One resident in Beauregard, Tim Cummings, said he is a combat veteran with PTSD, directly affected by the noises in Beauregard.

However, it is not only veterans affected, Cummings said, but the community at large.

“This is also posing a risk to our entire community because now we don’t know if there’s going to be a tornado or something else that’s going to hit,”

he said.

Many of those in this community lost their homes, possessions and even their family to the 2019 tornadoes.

“You’ll have to forgive me, but my grandson is the one that’s affected by this,” said resident Leanne Kidd. “And [District 4 Commissioner] Ham, you came down to my son’s property after the tornadoes and you shook my hand and you told me if there was anything you could ever do for us that you would do it.

“We lost our sixyear-old grandson in this storm. My son built his house and built a life for himself and now they’re being woken up at 5 o’clock in the morning, panicking, running to a storm shelter, because my 12-year-old grandson, in Margaret Brown’s eyes, is to blame for his own PTSD because he should have gotten out of his house when he had the chance when See NOISE page B10

Rogers on gun control executive action Contributed by the Office of Congressman Mike Rogers

Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement last week after President Biden announced his executive actions on gun control.

“Today President Biden made official what we’ve known for a while: Democrats are set on dismantling the Second Amendment.

“Biden’s use of Executive overreach

started when he was Vice President, and it’s continuing today. From appointing anti-gun enthusiasts to ATF, to trying to strip elderly Americans of their gun rights, the undermining of our Constitution

by Democrats seems to have no end.

Democrats love to use administrative proposals to reinterpret our law, which is what they’re planning to do now.

“As a proud gun owner, I will stand

strong against universal gun registrations, universal background checks and any other anti-gun legislation liberal Democrats are trying to pass,” Rogers said.

Rogers serves as Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Committee.

As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, Rogers is the only member of the Alabama House Delegation with an A+ rating with the NRA.

B10 April 15, 2021

Bob Dole, 97, fighting cancer; a man of patriotism who uses “the third person”

L

ast weekend, in a move not on the president’s public schedule, President Biden visited former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole. It was just days after the former Kansas senator received a diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer. Dole, the 1996 Republican presidential nominee, served in the Senate more than 27 years. Dole said Biden could be a successful president because “he knows how the government works and the Congress works and this will be a benefit to Joe.” Dole is known as perhaps the most famous illeist. That is, “a person who refers to himself in the third person.” After losing a key primary to Pat Buchanan in the 1996 presidential election campaign, Dole announced, “You’re going to see the real Bob Dole out there from now on.”

“The real Bob Dole regularly refers to himself in the third person, a habit which made him the target

of ridicule in a series of skits on Saturday Night Live,” according to MentalFloss, an online magazine for Millennials. After being laughed at for odd remarks such as ‘If you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, you’d probably leave them with Bob Dole,’ Dole hired a speech coach to cut down on using illeist ways.

I met Dole at two important times for my career. First, in 1976 I was beginning my second year on the staff of my college newspaper. I met Dole at a fundraiser in the fall, after he was selected as vice presidential nominee with President Ford. I did ask him two quick questions but I ran out of ink.

I saw Dole himself with a pen in his right hand, and I knew he uses that to compensate for mobility lost by being wounded in World War II. In short order, I got another pen but I didn’t

get in further questions.

(I believe the Secret Service were getting nervous about this 20-yearold wannabe journalist.)

In 1996, I met Senator Dole again at another pivotal time. He was running for president this time, with Jack Kemp seeking to be veep. I had just retired from the Army and started my second career as a civilian newsman. When Dole was told President Clinton was doing well in polls in deep red Alabama, he came to Montgomery to protect the nine electoral votes.

It was so sudden that Dole was coming that his press operation was haphazard and amateurish. As for basic information at the Alabama State Capital, we got a few pages of location/ times and a short biography of Dole. Dole won Alabama’s 9 Electoral Votes and the popular vote by 7%. Rounded, it was Dole, 50%; Clinton, 43%; 6% for Ross Perot;

and scattered votes for write-ins.

Another manner of speech that Dole invariably uses is people’s title, or honorifics, even when he is not particularly enamored of someone, such as President Clinton. A war hero such as Dole almost always refers to people by their titles. That is because Dole, unlike most people, recognizes that he is saluting the role, not necessary the person holding the title.

This country has devolved into such partisanship and loss of politeness. That is why

NOISE >>

it. He was sucked out of his house and thrown into a field. He lost his brother that day, and he almost lost his life.

And the only thing he remembers is the noise.

The noise.”

The noises are not a once-a-week deal, Cummings said, but every single night.

“We should have some rights too,” said another resident, Larry Bell.

Resident Bonnie Williams said she lives across the street from

the neighbor in question, Margaret Brown.

“Everybody wants to live in the country, to listen to their music and enjoy and peace and quiet and you can’t even do that because of this person,” Williams said. “It’s ridiculous. And because of who he lives with, there’s nothing being done. And as far as I’m concerned, she’s just as guilty as he is because she owns the property, she’s there at the time this is being done.”

There is no noise ordinance currently in place for the county, which means that the Sheriff’s Department can’t take action against the neighbor in question.

Lee County Governmental Relations Coordinator Wendy Swann provided information to the commission about the Alabama Limited SelfGovernance Act that "allowed counties through referendum approval to enact ordinances

FROM B9 the tornado hit? That’s exactly what she told me. And I’m not afraid to say her name. I’ll say her name. I’ll shout it from the rooftops …

“Why would you play sirens like that in 4 a.m. in an area that lost 23 lives?” Kidd said. “Twenty-three. My 12-year-old grandson doesn’t remember that storm, he doesn’t remember anything about

By Greg Markley

presidents, governors, county commissioners, etc., are just referred to as Joe, Kay or whatever.

The old journalism of first reference, full name described, is forgotten.

That is why, as I heard once or twice, NPR started a story about how “Trump wants to pardon Joe Arpaio” or “de blasio is not known for his diligence.”

Again, after the person is properly identified, last names are accepted or even de rigueur. Talk radio hosts have used the term “Barack Hussein Obama” to push the idea that a man who was named Hussein at birth somehow is unworthy of being president as an adult. That’s silly and racist. Bob Dole and his ilk would not spout such nonsense.

It was great for President Biden to find the time to see his friend, soon after the cancer news. The visit was based on decades of friendship for Senate

colleagues Biden and Dole. And Dole must be pleased to have Biden bring greetings as commander-in-chief.

In 1978, as death was getting close, former vice president Hubert Humphrey spent his days phoning old friends.

Humphrey even invited his 1968 presidential opponent, Richard Nixon, to his funeral; Nixon accepted.

Sometimes Nixon himself spoke in the third person: “You won’t have Richard Nixon to kick around anymore,” he told the media after a defeat in the 1962 California gubernatorial contest.

Greg Markley first moved to Lee County in 1996. He has Masters' in education and history.

He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to the Observer for nine years. gm.markley@ charter.net

that address 'health and safety issues' such as noise, weeds, junkyards, animal control, littler, unsanitary sewage and pollution."

However, the counties that have enacted noise ordinances have had little success, she said. Lee County has passed the act but has done nothing with it, Swann said.

Ham said that he would like to be the first county to find a solution and have it stick.

“We are [doing all that we can do], it’s just that we’re not in a position with the law as it’s currently written under public nuisance in the state of Alabama, we’ve been looking into it, we can’t take action as the law is currently written,” said Sheriff Jay Jones.

“That’s our problem.”

Jones said that the Sheriff’s Department will cooperate and do what it can do provide relief in Beauregard.

The commissioners discussed options for how to deal with the noise complaints, and decided to set a work session to discuss potential options.

“Rather than just listen to what they’ve had to say and just move on to another item, I’d like us to start putting something in place to take some action on this,” said District 4 Commissioner Robert Ham. Ham said that he has also invited state legislatures to the meeting so that if state laws need to be changed in order to deal with creating a noise ordinance that can be done.

“My concern, now, is for the people who live out there who can’t live in peace and quiet, whether it’s coming

from Margaret’s property, or it’s a rock quarry, or it’s industry, or somebody is disturbing these people,” Ham said in an interview with the Observer. “It’s part of what I do, my job is to listen to them and act on it. So I felt like that’s what we did last night.

Very heartfelt stories from veterans, and from people who have been through the tornado.”

Ham said that if Brown wants to address her concerns with the commission and citizens at the work session, she is also welcome to attend and discuss the problems.

“My preference right now is to get the noise stopped and then we’ll work on these other issues,” Ham said. “And that would be the first thing with the negotiations with her.”

The work session will be held on April 19 at 5 p.m. in the Lee County Courthouse Commission chambers.

On Wednesday morning, Brown made an official statement stating that, "I do not play music at all."

Other Business: - The county approved a request for an expense allocation increase for Coroner Bill Harris - The county approved amid for air purifiers for the Lee County Sheriff’s Department - The county approved a lounge retail liquor license application for Happy Hour - The county approved an adopt-a-mile application for Lee Road 263 - The county approved an educational reimbursement request for a deputy sheriff for courses at Auburn University at Montgomery.

B11 April 15, 2021

Lee Co. starts distracted driving program

By Lofton Wheeles For the Opelika Observer

Just in time for the summer: The Lee County District Attorney’s Office has started a new program to prevent distracted driving amongst teenagers.

The SIDNE (Simulated Impaired Driving Experience) cart is a new resource that is identical to a go-kart and adds on to existing resources such as distorted vision goggles that are meant to simulate driving under the influence. The cart also has a remote-control ability that mimics delayed response to imitate distracted driving and impaired driving.

The district attorney’s office has partnered with local law enforcement agencies and high schools across the county to ensure that the SIDNE cart has a place in driver’s education courses.

“The district attorney’s office purchased the SIDNE cart some time ago and it’s not been put into the schools until this year,” said District Attorney Pro Tem Jessica Ventiere.. “When I came on in November,

FLOWERS >> FROM B9 courts have curtailed racist and ethical boundaries. So gerrymandering is not nearly as blatantly, overtly partisan as in past times.

Alabama’s 1901 constitution is as archaic as any in the nation. It has contributed to the poor image that persists today regarding our racist past. However, much of the damage was done during the 1960’s. I had the opportunity to serve as a page in the state legislature when I was a boy. It was quite a learning experience.

The older men, who were Senators and House members, would visit with the pages and tutor us on the rules

I met with all of our law enforcement department heads at the very beginning of 2021 and set out that one of our goals for the office is to make sure that the SIDNE cart was getting used and that it would go out to all of the schools. All our law enforcement was very supportive.”

Ventiere also gives credit to Sgt. Pam Revels with the Lee County Sherriff’s Office, who is also a school resource officer, for getting the program into fruition. She is also excited that the resource is getting out there and is hopeful that SIDNE can be used during summer events like DARE camps and the young deputy program.

“She had spent the time from the first of the year until March getting the cart ready, getting the cart cleaned up and ready to go, meeting with all of the schools to set specific days where they would come and bring SIDNE out there for the students to use. Once we had it all ready to go and all lined up with all schools, we were ready to make our announcement and that’s what we did,” Ventiere

said. “Depending on what COVID will allow, we’re hoping to continue its use for the summer and then just move forward on and have it used even more throughout next school year.”

The children will do a course with the SIDNE cart. The course involves the setting up of traffic cones, the use of vision impairment goggles and the use of simulated field sobriety tests through the goggles. This is meant to demonstrate not only how the body is affected by being under the influence or being distracted, but also makes the students question whether it’s a good idea to get in the car with someone making poor decisions.

“I’m hoping that [the program] makes them think twice not only about themselves driving but getting in vehicles with other people who are impaired.

So the SIDNE course really gives them that unique opportunity to see it with a hands-on demonstration in addition to the resources that were already in place,” Ventiere said. “I’m also hoping that [the program]

encourages [students] to make better choices about their health, their safety and their wellbeing for themselves and their friends.”

The cart will work hand-in-hand with the vision impairment goggles to further imitate a dangerous driving experience with the students. The goggles demonstrate different levels of intoxication and the cart includes a radio receiver which allows the trained officer to change the amount of control the student has over the cart via a handheld device. This is to simulate delayed reaction time while drowsy, distracted or impaired.

The cart itself did not have technical difficulties; however, getting the program into fruition did require much consideration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The schools were under such stress already to continue educating through COVID,” Ventiere said.

“So, introducing something else to put on their plate, we wanted to be very thoughtful and considerate of that when we went and talked to the schools to make sure this wasn’t something that was

going to interfere with what they were already having struggles to deal with in a school year of COVID.” Ventiere also had the goal of putting the SIDNE cart in all schools in Lee County, something that she said was “extremely important” to her.

“I wanted it everywhere,” she said. “I didn’t want one area to benefit and not all the others, and that just takes a lot of scheduling and it came out in the spring. So, we were dealing with everybody’s different spring breaks.”

Revels, Lee Co. Sheriff Jay Jones and Lee County’s police chiefs have played a large role in getting SIDNE into the schools by making introductions into the schools and answering questions about the SIDNE cart, according to Ventiere. She also mentioned that this “really kind of helped open up the doors to all of these schools so that SIDNE was going to get the full extent of use that it could get.”

SIDNE is a new tool that will help prevent distracted driving among teenagers.

However, Ventiere said

she believes that this program will help the community at large.

“Generally, the time from Memorial Day to Labor Day is the deadliest for student drivers because that is during the time of getting out for school and the summertime and it’s been kind of dubbed the ‘100 Deadly Days,’” Ventiere said.

“So, I think the timing of this is perfect because there’s prom and summer break and I’m really hoping that the service that SIDNE will provide to the community are safer drivers.”

Ventiere expressed that many adults are interested in participating in a SIDNE course, an idea that the District Attorney’s office is open to.

“Certainly, impaired and distracted driving is not just a student problem, it’s an everybody problem,” she said. “Everybody has to be considerate about these things and be safe and so opening up to adults is probably going to be the next step if we can figure out a way to do it.”

For more information about the SIDNE program, email Jessica Ventiere at jventiere@ leecountyda.org.

and nuances of parliamentary procedures.

One day, I was looking around the House and it occurred to me that the urban areas and especially north Alabama were vastly underrepresented. As a boy, I knew that the Birmingham area was home to about 20% of the state’s population, but they certainly did not have a fifth of the House members.

The same was true of Huntsville and other larger cities in North Alabama.

The rural and black belt counties were enjoying the power that had been granted them by the 1901 constitution. The state legislature was very malapportioned as late as the 1960’s. It was so severely imbalanced

that it was almost comical. The legislature had simply ignored the constitutional mandate to reapportion itself every 10 years. It was not until 1974 that the courts finally intervened and made the legislature reapportion itself. The federal courts not only mandated the reapportionment, but also eventually had to draw the lines and districts. This federal court intervention gave African Americans representation in the legislature for the first time. Today, about 25% of the seats are held by African Americans. The reapportionment also gave fair and equitable representation to the urban areas of North Alabama.

A cursory look at the legislative chambers to-

day reveals that the majority of legislators are from Birmingham because that is where the people live. You will see that trend become more accentuated when the lines are drawn this year. The population figures will reveal that north Alabama is where the growth is in the state.

It will be interesting to see how the lines are drawn for the next decade. There will be a little political gerrymandering, but not like in the past years.

It was thought that the 2020 census figures would be available for legislators by January.

However, it may now be June, which could delay this year’s reapportionment session and in turn delay the 2022 election prima-

ries.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears

in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www. steveflowers.us.

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Indoor shooting range is open to the public

2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA

B12 April 15, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF GEORGE M. JOHNS, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 24thday of March, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness our hands, and dated this the 24th day of March, 2021.

RANDALL ALLAN JOHNS Legal Run 3/31/21, 4/8/21 and 4/15/21 ––––––– IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA SHARON LEE BLACK, Plaintiff, v.

A Parcel of Real Property described as: Lot 5, John Osborn Theney Estate, according to and as shown on map or plat of said subdivision of record in Plat Book 6, at Page 75, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, And Gordon Theney, and/or the unknown heirs Of Gordon Theney, And Fictitious Defendants A, B, C, D, E, F & G, Being Persons, Individuals, Firms, Associations, Partnerships, Corporations or other Entities, Whose names are otherwise unknown to the Plaintiff, but who claim interest in and to the above-captioned parcel of land, and whose correct names and legal identities will be added

by Amendment when ascertained, Defendants.

Case No.: CV-2020900030 NOTICE OF ACTION To: All Defendants herein, whose whereabouts are unknown and which cannot be ascertained after the exercise of reasonable diligence.

You are hereby notified that on the 25th day of January, 2021, a Complaint to Quiet Title was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, and the following are the names of all parties to the action: Sharon Lee Black, as Plaintiff; A Parcel of Real Property, described below, as Defendant; and unknown persons or entities who cannot be ascertained after the exercise of due diligence, and which are believed to have claimed some right, title, interest or claim in and to the property described as follows: Lot 5, John Osborn Theney Estate, according to and as shown on map or plat of said subdivision of record in Plat Book 6, at Page 75, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

All persons having an interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or any encumbrance or lien thereon, are hereby directed to plead, answer, or otherwise respond to the Complaint on or before the expiration of 30 days after the last publication of this notice, or thereafter suffer judgment by default to be rendered against them, it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

Done this the 18th day of March, 2021. /s/ Mary Roberson Mary Roberson Circuit Court Clerk, Lee County J. Brandon Rice Of Counsel, Davis, Bingham, Hudson & Buckner, P.C. 324 East Magnolia Avenue Auburn, AL 36830 Legal Run 3/31/21 4/8/21, 4/15/21 & 4/22/21 ––––––– NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JAMES ALVIN GILCHRIST, JR. DECEASED PROBATE COURT,

LEE COUNTY NOITCE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Jeffrey D. Gilchrist on the 24th day of March, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Jeffrey D. Gilchrist Legal Run 03/31/21, 04/08/21 & 04/15/201 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF MICHAEL VANCAMPEN, AN ALLEGED INCAPACITATED PERSON TO: Any relative or interested parties: Lee County DHR has filed a Petition to appoint a Legal Guardian for the person of Michael Vancampen. It is ordered that the 29th day of April, 2021, at 9 a.m. be appointed the day on which to hear such petition, at the Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th St. Opelika, AL at which time all persons interested may file their notice of appearance and contest the said petition if they deem it proper.

Done this the 26th day of MARCH, 2021.

BILL ENGLISH PROBATE JUDGE Margaret A. Mayfied Attorney for Lee County DHR Post Office Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 3/31/21, 4/8/21 & 4/15/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD JERRY BROWN, JR. Deceased Case no.: 2021-171 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to Benjamin H. Parr, Personal Representative on the 26th day of March , 2021, by Honorable Bill Engli sh, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Benjamin Parr Legal Run 3/31/21, 4/8/21 & 4/15/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA In the Matter of: Dorothy Krejci, an alleged incapacitated person TO: Any relatives or interested parties: Lee County DHR has filed a Petition to appoint a Legal Guardian for the person of Dorothy Krejci. It is ordered that the 3rd day of May, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. be appointed the day on which to hear such petition, at the Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th St. Opelika, AL at which time all persons interested may tile their notice of appearance and contest the said petition if they deem it proper. Done this the 2nd day of April, 2021.

Bill English Probate Judge Margaret A. Mayfield Attorney for Lee County DHR Post Office Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 04/08/21, 04/15/21 & 04/22/212 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF PENNY P HUNDLEY, DECEASED CASE NO.: 2021-182 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Joey R. Hundley

on the 31st day of March, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given to all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

J TUTT BARRETT P.O. Box 231 Opelika, AL 36803-0231 Legal Run 04/8/21, 4/15/21 & 4/22/21 ––––––– INVITATION TO BID 21012 Sealed bids for the construction of the Eastside WWTP Upgrades shall be received at the Purchasing Department, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama until 2:00 pm local time on April 26, 2021. Bids then will be publicly opened and read aloud in Mayor’s Conference Room located on the second floor of City Hall. All interested parties are invited to attend.

Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

Work to be done: The work to be completed for the Eastside WWTP Upgrades is described generally as follows: UV Disinfection System A UV system consisting of two lamp banks, control systems, and electrical modifications will be furnished and installed in an existing channel following demolition of existing UV equipment.

Micro Bar Screen A micro bar screen will be furnished and installed in an existing concrete well upstream of existing influent pumps. Site grading and concrete pavement will be required Influent Wet Well Cleaning Settled residuals will be removed from the influent wastewater lift station wet well and hauled to a Cityowned disposal site.

Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License with a specialty of “Highways and Streets, Clearing and Grubbing, Earthwork, Erosion, Site Work, Grading or Municipal and Utility”. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license.

State law Ala. Code §348-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number.

Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid.

All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work.

Copies of Bidding Documents may be downloaded from the City of Opelika website at https:// www.opelika-al.gov/Bids. aspx or obtained from ESG Engineering - contact Margaret Hildebrand at mhildebrand@ esgengineering.com. Digital documents will be provided at no charge and hard copies will be provided upon nonreimbursable payment of $200.

The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika. All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

Please note on the proposal form that any addendum issued has been received.

Not noting the bid addendum was received may

cause you to be disqualified.

It is the contractor’s responsibility to check the Owners website regularly to determine if an addendum has been issued.

A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid.

Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities.

Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: Eastside WWTP Upgrades LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 04/08/2021, 04/15/2021 & 04/22/2021 ––––––– IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JANICE ELLEN STANSON, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2021-175 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 26th day of March, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

LINDA ANNE STANSON SMITH Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 4/8/21, 4/15/21 & 4/22/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA In the Matter of the Estate of Gloria Jean Finley, Deceased Case No. 2021-102 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ADMINSTRATOR AND NOTICE TO FILE CLAIMS Letters of Administration of the Estate of Gloria Jean Finley deceased, having been granted to the undersigned, Cody W. Foote, on the 2nd day of April, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of said County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate, are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law, or the same will be barred.

Cody W. Foote, Administrator, Estate of Gloria Jean Finley, Deceased Legal Run 04/08/21, 04/15/21 & 04/22/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JOYCE S. VANBENTHUYSEN, DECEASED CASE NO.: 2021- 187 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Melisa V Love and Kristina J Bartsch on the 2nd day of April, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given to all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

J. TUTT BARRETT P.O. Box 231

Opelika, AL 36803-0231 Legal Run 04/8/21, 04/15/21 & 04/22/21 ––––––– NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF ANNIE LEE UNDERWOOD, DECEASED PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Charlene Heard of said deceased having been granted to Charlene Heard on the 8th day of March 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Charlene Heard Legal Run 04/08/21, 04/15/21 & 04/22/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA In the Matter of: Florence Smith, an alleged incapacitated person TO: Any relatives or interested parties: Lee County OHR has filed a Petition to appoint a Legal Guardian for the person of Florence Smith. It is ordered that the 3rd day of May, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. be appointed the day on which to hear such petition, at the Loo County Courthouse, 215 South 9th St. Opelika, AL at which time all persons interested may file their notice of appearance and contest the said petition if they deem it proper. Done this the 2nd day of April, 2021.

Bill English Probate Judge Margaret A. Mayfield Attorney for Lee County DHR Post Office Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 04/08/21, 04/15/21 & 04/22/212 ––––––– NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF WALLACE HENRY GILMORE, DECEASED PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2021-194 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Christopher Wallace Gilmore on the 2nd day of April, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Christopher Wallace Gilmore Margaret Mayfield Attorney for Administrator Post Office Box 809 Opekika, AL 36830 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 4/8/21, 4/15/21 & 4/22/21 ––––––– NOTICE TO CREDITORS PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2021-135 ESTATE OF SUGUNA KUMAR! CHIVUKULA, Deceased NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of SUGUNA KUMAR! CHIVUKULA are hereby granted to Krishna Kishore Chivukula on the 9th day of March, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

KRISNHA KISHORE CHIVUKULA Legal Run 4/15/21, 4/22/21 & 4/29/21

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1242 N. Dean Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, May 6th, 2021 at 10:00AM Caleb Daniel Schofield 1322 N Dean Rd 225 Auburn, AL 36830 Hunting equipment, household items The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

LEGAL RUN 4/15/21 & 4/22/21 ––––––– STATE OF ALABAMA CASE NO. 2021-184 LEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT ESTATE OF JOEL A. KLEIN, DECEASED NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Letters Testamentary of said Joel A. Klein, deceased, having been granted to Marianne Klein, this 2nd day of April 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by the law or the same will be barred.

Marianne Klein, Personal Representative Jeffery A. Hilyer 334-745-2564 Attorney at Law P.O. Box 30 Opelika, Alabama 36803-0030.

Legal run 4/15/21, 4/22/21 & 4/29/21 ––––––– “NOTICE OF LEGAL SERVICE: Michael W. Slocumb & Slocumb Law Firm, LLC. Slocumb Law Firm, LLC. Has been sued in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court by Raya Greenberger, Case No. 63-CV2016-900531. Ms. Greenberger seeks money damages for legal malpractice from Slocumb Law Firm’s representation of her from 2012-2014. Slocumb Law Firm must file an answer on or before June 5, 2021 or default judgment will be sought. Yuri Linetsky, Plaintiff’s Counsel, Civil Law Clinic, (205)3484960, Box 870392, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487.”

Legal Run 04/15/21, 4/22/21, 4/29/21 & 05/06/21 ––––––– STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION ONE FACILITY – MULTIPLE UNITS Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 10:00AM Leslie Marable-Hawthorne Unit A13 209 Freddie Dr Tuskegee, AL 36083 Queen Bedroom Set Sofa/ coffee table Kitchen table/ chairs Other household items Clothes Clara Kirby - Unit 269 601 Ogletree Rd Auburn, AL 36830 Household furniture and boxes Roderick Dumas - Unit 276 889 Lunsford Dr. Apt 202 Auburn, AL 36830 Unknown Cory Adams - Unit Q291 521 S Antioch Cir B Opelika, AL 36801 10 Boxes and a bed frame and mattress The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Legal Ru 4/15/21 & 4/22/21

–––––––

See PUBLIC NOTICE, page B13

B13 April 15, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE >> FROM B12 ––––––– NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Opelika Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama.

PURPOSE The purpose of said Public Hearing will be to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 124-91 (entitled “Zoning Ordinance of the City of Opelika”) adopted on September 17, 1991. At said Public Hearing all who desire to be heard shall have the opportunity to speak for or in opposition to the adoption of the following ordinance: ORDINANCE NO. ________ AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows: Section 1. That Ordinance 124-91 entitled “Zoning Ordinance City of Opelika, Alabama”, adopted on September 17, 1991, and the Zoning Map of the City of Opelika provided for and referred to therein, as previously amended and/ or modified, be and the same is hereby amended by rezoning or redistricting the parcels of land hereinafter in this section described, so as to change such parcels from one class of district to another class of district as follows, to-wit: From a R-1, GC-P District (Rural, Gateway CorridorPrimary Overlay District) to a R-3, GC-P District (Low-Density Residential, Gateway Corridor-Primary Overlay District), the parcels of land hereinafter described: Parcel A Commence at the Northwest comer of Section 9,

Township 19 North, Range 26 East, Lee County, Alabama; and run thence South 0 degrees 08 minutes West for 521.3 feet to an iron pin on the Southwest margin of U.S. Highway 280; thence run South 67 degrees 1 minutes 31 seconds East for 3272 feet to an iron pin which point is the TRUE Point OF Beginning of the following described parcel. From said point of beginning continue to run along said Highway margin South 67 degrees 18 minutes 31 seconds East for 348.54 feet to an iron pin; thence leaving said highway margin run. South O degrees 48 minutes East for feet along a fence to an iron pin; thence ren North 88 degrees Oi minutes 11 seconds West for 228.89 feet to an iron pin; thence run North C degrees 08 minutes 03 seconds East for 1,603.61 feet to an iron pin; thence run North 88 degrees 01 minutes 04 seconds West for 115.61 feet to an iron pin; thence run North 1 degree 0 minute 15 seconds West for 500.00 feet to the aforesaid Highway margin end True Point of Beginning.

Parcel B Commence at the Northwest comer of Section 9, Township 19 North, Range 26 East, Lee County, Alabama; and run thence South 0 degrees 08 minutes West 521.3 feet to an iron pin on the Southwest margin of U.S. Highway 280, which point is the point of beginning of the following described tot. From said point of beginning, run South 67 degrees 13 minutes 31 seconds East 32.72 feet along said highway margin to an iron pin; thence South 1 degree 00 minutes 15 seconds East 500.00 feet to an iron pin; thence South 88 degrees 01 minutes 04 seconds East 115.61 feet to an iron pin: thence South O degrees 08 minutes 03 seconds West 1608.61 feet along a power line to an iron pin; thence North 88 degrees 01 minutes 11 seconds West 113.61 feet along an old road bed to an iron pin; thence North 1 degree 00 minutes 15 seconds West 2,121.55 feet along a fence to the point of

beginning.

The above-described property contains 17.8 acres, more or less, and is located at 5067 Birmingham Highway, Opelika, Alabama.

Section 2. Any ordinance or part thereof in conflict with provisions of this Ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed.

Section 3. This Ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama.

All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing and be heard. Written comments concerning the above matter may be mailed to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 390, Opelika, AL 36803 at any time prior to the public hearing and may be further submitted to the City Council at the meeting and the public hearing.

Please contact Kevin Rice, the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-7052083 two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to any disability.

WITNESS my hand this the 15th day of April, 2021. /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 04/15/2021 ––––––– CITY OF OPELIKA NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARINGS TO: RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED CITIZENS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Opelika, Alabama will hold a regular meeting and will be conducting public hearings on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. in the Meeting Chamber at Opelika Municipal Court located at 300 MLK Boulevard, Opelika, Alabama. A Planning Commission work session will be held at 2:45 pm before the regular meeting.

The purpose of the public hearings is to receive public comment on the following: 1. A public hearing on a

request by James McCrory, authorized representative for Bernice Gunn, Marcus Calloway, Belinda Ligon, Dorothy Stringer, Mae Presley, Hattie Parker, and James Hughley property owners, for preliminary and final plat approval of the Ella Mae Family Calloway subdivision consisting of 5 lots accessed from 3716 Calloway Avenue or 4117 Grand National Parkway.

2. A request by BarrettSimpson, Inc., authorized representative for 280 Land Company, LLC, property owner, for final plat approval of the Hidden Lakes Redivision of Lots 60-63 subdivision consisting of 8 lots accessed from Hidden Lakes Drive.

3. A request by Blake Rice, authorized representative for BC Stone Contracting, LLC, property owner, for final plat approval of the Camelot Townhomes Phase 1 subdivision plat consisting of 9 lots accessed from Merlin Street.

4. A request by Mark Strozier, authorized representative for Wyndham Gate, LLC, property owner, for final plat approval of the Wyndham Village, Phase 1, Section 2 subdivision plat consisting of 19 lots accessed from Gateway Drive.

5. A request by Mark Strozier, authorized representative for Wyndham Gate, LLC, property owner, for final plat approval of the Wyndham Village, Phase 1, Section 3 subdivision plat consisting of 53 lots accessed from Gateway Drive.

6. A request by T.J. Thomas & Mike Maher, authorized representative for Holland Homes, LLC, property owner, for final plat approval of the Fox Run, Phase 1B subdivision plat consisting of 26 lots accessed from the 1300 block of Fox Run Parkway.

7. A public hearing on a request by Richard Hayley, authorized representative for Hayley Investments, LLC, property owner, for conditional use approval for commercial and residential in the C-1 zoning district at 201 South 9th Street.

All interested persons are invited to attend the meeting/public hearings

and be heard. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Planning Director at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama 36801 at any time prior to the meeting/public hearings and may be further submitted to the Planning Commission at the meeting/public hearings.

The Planning Commission reserves the right to modify or alter any of the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and to make its recommendations accordingly to the City Council.

Please contact Kevin Rice, the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-7055132 at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to a disability.

PLANNING DIRECTOR Legal April 15, 2021 ––––––– IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CARL HOPSON, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2021-101 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 8th day of April, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

TRENTON GARRETT HOPSON Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 4/15/21, 4/22/21 & 4/29/21 ––––––– IN RE: THE ESTATE OF PATRICIA S. LAWLER, Deceased IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO. 2021-200 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 8th day of April, 2021, by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

HUGH W. SMITH, CoExecutor TED A. LAWLER, CoExecutor Legal Run 4/15/21, 4/22/21 & 4/29/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF GLADYS M. GREGORY, DECEASED NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION TO: Any unknown heirs of Gladys M. Gregory, deceased, Josh Hensley, address unknown (adult grandson of Gladys M. Gregory, deceased), and John Hensley, address unknown (adult grandson of Gladys M. Gregory, deceased).

Please take notice that a Petition to Probate the Will of Gladys M. Gregory, in the above styled matter has been filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Petitioner Sharon Gregory Hinz, a/k/a Sharon Gregory Hines and that the 3rd day of June, 202 l, at 10:00 A.M. (Central time) has been set for a hearing on the same in said Court located at 215 South 9111 Street, Opelika, Alabama. Please be advised that if you intend to contest this Petition to Probate the Will of Gladys M. Gregory that you must file a written response within thirty (30) days hereof with the clerk of said Probate Court and with counsel for said Petitioner, and/or you must appear the hearing scheduled in this manner.

Done this the 12th day of April, 2021 Hon. Bill English Judge of Probate Lee County, Alabama This instrument prepared by: Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Legal Run 4/15/21, 4/22/21 & 04/29/21

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LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED Opelika Housing Development, Inc. is currently seeking highly motivated, experienced, and trustworthy candidates to fill the Full-time position of Maintenance Technician for properties in the Opelika, AL. . area.

Duties will include, but not be limited to: Promptly handle unit and facility work orders Complete repairs in a consistent and correct manner Provide excellent customer service Work well with other team members

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skills). Candidates should have an understanding of and repair capabilities in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, painting, appliance repair, and/or other tasks related to maintaining the communities in excellent condition. HVAC Certification not required, but preferred. This

position will offer competitive pay and benefit package.

Education: High school or equivalent (Required) License or certification: Driver’s License (Required) HVAC Certification (Not required, but

preferred) To apply please visit our office, located at 1706 Toomer Street, Opelika, AL 36801 or complete an application on-line at http://www.opelikaha.org/ Default.asp?ID=123&pg=Employment+Opportunities

B14 April 15, 2021

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B15 April 15, 2021

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B16 April 15, 2021

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JOIN US FOR SLAM DUNK THE JUNK

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A community wide clean up TRASH PICK-UP, FOLLOWED BY: FREE THROW COMPETITION SLAM DUNK CONTEST

COVINGTON CENTER

APRIL 24, 2021 9 am.

9- 11 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

12- 2 p.m.

Pick up your supplies Litter/Trash pick-up Return to Covington with trash and unused supplies Free Throw & Slam Dunk competitions

Prizes include an autographed basketball from AU Coach Bruce Pearl and various gift cards.

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Hotdog, Chips & Drink : $5 Proceeds go to Keep Opelika Beautiful.

3 Ways to Register: • Online at www.opelika-al.gov • Fill out form on back of flier and return to lkrehling@opelika-al.gov • Show up day of event

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SEE WEBSITE FOR RULES.

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This week’s puzzle answers: