The Observer 11-24-2021 E-edition by OpelikaObserver

Wednesday Nov. 24, 2021

Vol. 14, No. 7

pelika Observer O

Opelika, Alabama

'An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'

LET'S GIVE THANKS

Forecast Calls For "Snow" in Downtown Opelika There is a chance for snow in Opelika next week, but not the cold, frozen kind that can disrupt travel and leave a mess on the roadways. Rather, next week’s snowfall is expected to bring nothing but laughter to the downtown area. On Tuesday, Nov. 30 the Opelika Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its annual community Christmas event Snopelika at Courthouse Square. Snopelika will be a winter wonderland festival from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Artificial

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

BY MICHELLE KEY PUBLISHER

Community members enjoy the "snowfall" during last year's Snopelika event.

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller announced last week that an existing Opelika manufacturing company will be expanding. Cumberland Plastic Systems will be expanding its existing facility and investing more capital to build and expand its current facility. “Our continued growth has come from both new customers and existing customers,” said Cumberland Chief Financial Officer Tim Kling. “Currently Cumberland employs 170 employees and this expansion will create 25 new team member positions which will fill

warehousing, production and technical positions within the company.” Cumberland Plastic Systems is located in Opelika’s Northeast Industrial Park along the I-85 corridor. The current facility has 155,000 square feet for injection molding and value-add assembly, housing 33 injection machines from 40 tons to 1,500 tons, as well as many assembly operations for varied customer applications. The planned $5.7 million expansion is for an additional 60,000 square feet of warehouse space and additional manufacturing equipment. “We are delighted at the commitment Cumberland Plas-

tic is making in our community,” Fuller said. “The success that warrants additional investment and the creation of additional jobs is proof that the company has outstanding leaders and staff in place.” For more information, please contact John Sweatman, Economic Development Project Manager for the City of Opelika, at 334-7055115. “Cumberland Plastic Systems is a great community partner,” said city of Opelika Economic Development Director Lori Huguley. “It is a great testament to their workforce and the business climate in Opelika that they continue to invest and grow here.”

Shinhwa Auto USA Corporation to Create 48 Jobs in Two Years PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

City of Opelika Announces Cumberland Plastics Systems Expansion

snow will be falling throughout the square for old and young alike to enjoy during the event. There will be vendors set up throughout the square for patrons to enjoy. At 6:30 p.m., the Opelika High School marching band will lead the community from Courthouse Square to the Opelika Christmas Tree located on Railroad Ave and Mayor Gary Fuller and city council will share a Christmas story before the official tree lighting. The presenting sponsor for Snopelika is Railroad Investment Group.

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN / BY DAVID D. DORTON

The Shinhwa Auto USA Corporation announced last week that it will grow its manufacturing operation in Auburn, Alabama, through the addition of high-pressure aluminum die casting and associated post-processing. This substantial invest-

ment will enhance Shinhwa’s capabilities in Auburn while maintaining its commitment to highly automated, technology-driven manufacturing. “Shinhwa has been a great addition to Auburn’s high-tech manufacturing base since they chose Auburn for their first U.S. operation in 2019,” said Auburn

Mayor Ron Anders. “We are excited they have decided to invest an additional $70 million and create some 48 jobs over the next two years. This is just another example of the impact a strong, diversified industrial base has on our local economy now and for years to come.” See SHINHWA, page A2

CONTENTS OPINION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 OPINION

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

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7

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

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

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

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

PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . . B13-14

Elect Sherri Reese on Jan. 11 City Council Ward 3

Paid for by the committee to elect Sherri Reese, Opelika, AL 36801

A2 Nov. 24, 2021

Keep Opelika Beautiful Announces Yard of the Year Winners

Ward 2 - Mr. Randall Donnelly

Ward 1 - Mr. and Mrs. Keith Philpott

Ward 3 - Ms. Loretta Lowery PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Ward 5 - Dr. and Mrs. Seldon Daniels

Ward 4 - Mr. and Mrs. Phil Sport

Opelika Public Library Dedicates New StoryWalk CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA ROTARY CLUB

As Dixie Broadwater, past president of the Opelika Rotary Club, was nearing the end of her term (2020-21) she wanted to do something

special on behalf of her fellow rotarians for the new Opelika Public Library. Something that would have a lasting impact on young children whenever they visited the new library. In May 2021 with the

unanimous consent of the board of directors, the Opelika Rotary Club made a gift to the new Opelika Public Library in the amount of $6,000 for the creation of the Opelika Rotary StoryWalk. The mission of Rotary

Pictured left to right: Rotary Club President, Larry Williams, Rosanna McGinnis, Library Director and Dixie Broadwater, Rotarian

SHINHWA

FROM A1

Shinhwa was founded in 1995 in Changwon, South Korea. The compa-

ny’s focus on a high level of automation and improvements in areas with a high degree of technological challenges provides important value to its customers in the auto-

pelika Observer

Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Michelle@opelikaobserver.com

is to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. The StoryWalk Project

was originally created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk is a registered service mark owned by Ferguson.

The new StoryWalk at Opelika Library follows a nature trail and has 21 different posts with a podium-style top to display pages of the story along the way. The new Rotary StoryWalk was dedicated on Nov. 16, 2021.

Some of the members of the Opelika Rotary Club who attended the Dedication on Nov. 16, 2021.

motive industry. “The addition of high-pressure die casting capabilities will allow us to provide additional Made in Alabama components to our client base,” said

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

www.opelikaobserver.com 223-A S. 8th St., Opelika, AL 36801 Copyright 2009. All right reserved. Opelika Observer is published weekly by Key Media LLC, 223-A S. 8th St., Opelika, AL 36801. Periodicals postage is paid at Opelika, AL. USPS #025104 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Opelika Observer, 223-A S. 8th St.,, Opelika, AL 36801

CORRECTIONS The Opelika Observer will correct any errors, omissions or inaccuracies deemed to be substantive. Corrections may be requested by contacting the editor at (334) 749-8003.

with confidence.” To learn more about the job opportunities available at Shinhwa Auto USA Corporation, please visit auburnalabama.org/ workforce/jobs/#Shin-

Daejin Park, president of Shinhwa US Auto Corp. “Thanks to the supportive environment we have experienced here in Auburn, we are able to continue to grow and invest

hwa%20Auto. For more information, contact the city of Auburn’s Economic Development Department at (334) 5017270 or webecondev@ auburnalabama.org.

Subscribe to the Opelika Observer today! Name: Address: City:

State:

ZIP:

Phone number: Email address: Payment Type (circle one): Check / Credit Card Visa or Master Card # Exp. Date:

Security Code:

Amount Paid:

• $34 for 1 year (inside Lee County) $45 for 1 year (outside of Lee County) •

Return to:

Opelika Observer 223-A S. 8th St./ Opelika, AL 36801

Please do not send cash through the mail.

A3 Nov. 24, 2021

SiO2 Plans $123M Expansion in Auburn SiO2 Materials Science has announced plans to invest $123 million in an expansion of its Auburn facility. This expansion will allow SiO2 to increase the production capacity of its innovative vials and syringes that are critically needed in the fight against COVID-19, helping bring critical pharmaceutical component manufacturing back to the United States. In July 2020, SiO2 announced a $163 million expansion that in-

cluded a 70,000-squarefoot injection molding facility expansion. This newest investment will expand its facility at 2425 Innovation Dr. to a total of 185,000 square feet. Over the last 10 years, SiO2 has developed its patented vial platform, which combines a plastic container with a microscopic, pure glass coating on the inside that is ideal for biological drugs and vaccines. The product, developed in Auburn with help of the leading professors from four of the top major U.S. research institutions, combines the benefits

of both glass and plastic without the drawbacks. “The partnership with the city of Auburn has been an important component of SiO2’s ability to quickly deploy our innovative technology when it is needed most,” said Ken Kelly, chief technology officer at SiO2. “This expansion will provide us with the capacity we need to fulfill the growing demand of our customers.” SiO2 products are being used worldwide. The company has become a world leader in packaging for the pharmaceutical industry, specifically for biological drugs and

DNA and mRNA vaccines, helping save lives around the world with its innovative technology. “SiO2 is a great success story of what is possible when private industry, a major university, the local community and the state all work together,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. “The city of Auburn is one of the places across the country where that can happen. We are proud to have SiO2 in Auburn. I can say with confidence that we will see the powerful economic impact of such an innovative organization for our community in the years to come.”

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN/ BY DAVID D. DORTON

SiO2 employs over 450 people in excellent, well-paying jobs. Its success in Auburn has been supported through strong partnerships with the city of Auburn, the

state of Alabama, Auburn University as well as strong financial support provided through the Retirement Systems of the State of Alabama.

Supply Chain Expert Explains Consumer Issues Ahead of Holidays, Shopping Season CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Businesses survive and thrive on supply and demand. They rely on the supply chain to get products from production to consumers, but when a global pandemic disrupts that chain of events, consumers are left without and demanding more. Product shortages likely will worsen into this holiday season as supplies dwindle and demand increases. In the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, paper products like toilet paper and paper towels were available in limited quantities or not at all. Eighteen months later, consumers are finding stores lacking in such products as half-and-half, yogurt and meat. And now experts say toys will be scarce for even Santa Claus to produce this holiday season. Glenn Richey, the Raymond J. Harbert Eminent Scholar and chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management in Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business, discusses the current crises and what consumers can expect as the holidays and the associated shopping season approach. IS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC COMPLETELY TO BLAME FOR DISRUPTIONS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN? The pandemic created a cascading disruption that impacted supply chains at their most vulnerable points. Workers at plants that normally operated 24/7 were completely closed. Their suppliers were also closed. Driven by a focus on [cost] efficiency, many of these manufacturers and their suppliers could not ramp up quickly enough to meet the post-pandemic demand because the focus on cost above responsiveness provided no safety net. Raw materials and parts suppliers paused and held limited inventory. Being so lean caused inventory to dry up. Don’t forget, the 201819 tariff “warnings” had a significant impact on trade in the short-term, but many businesses did not adjust. Similarly, the issue with the pandemic is a global disruption that we normally see once in a lifetime. World wars caused similar issues, but the supply chain wasn’t nearly as global. This is not new to the Greatest Generation, but I expect the politics

are new to them. Shortfalls in human resources in manufacturing and trucking, poor labor relations and productivity at our ports, aging U.S. rail infrastructure, outdated justin-time manufacturing focus, misplaced emphasis on lean inventory management, spiked growth of e-commerce and panic forward buying (i.e., customers stocking up on toilet paper) all have had a major impact. You can blame management, unions, government, experts and customers. All of us are involved in supply chains, and we all have contributed to this problem. WHAT CAUSED OVERSEAS PRODUCTION FACTORIES TO CLOSE? Manufacturers were closed globally for numerous reasons. In China and the U.S., an entire plant or port might be closed if one employee tested positive. Other countries closed plants depending on non-business specific issues, but plants also shut down when parts and raw materials aren’t available or when labor has the means to not return to their jobs. Scarce inputs, matched with increased spending, makes balancing supply and demand difficult. Consider a situation where your neighbors once kept large bags of sugar in their homes. Health issues convinced people to stop using so much sugar in the 1980s. So, that money went to — maybe — leaner living? But surprise! Your child’s elementary school decides to have a bake sale and asks all the parents to make two items. Your child tells you at 7 p.m. the night before. Irritated, yet resilient, you decide to bake two cakes with your child, but you are out of sugar. You ask your neighbor for a cup of sugar, but he has already been asked by another neighbor who is making brownies. You go down to your grandmother’s home—her sweet tea had tons of sugar—but your competitive cousin already cleaned her out. Next, everyone rushes to the grocery store and only the first five people buy all the sugar. Some industries are mired in this situation. Eighty percent of our sugar today is manufactured outside the U.S., so this hypothetical problem could be a global issue. Scarcity caused by a focus on typical demand limits cannot be

fixed in 24 hours. Globally, who knows the timeline. But let’s hope you and your child don’t test positive for coronavirus during the production process when you finally get some sugar. At the very least, that might cut your cake count in half. That’s our current global economy. WHY ARE CARGO SHIPS UNABLE TO DOCK AND UNLOAD CARGO? There are many reasons as port operations are complex, but I think the current critical issues are pandemic recovery demand, e-commerce demand growth and an unwillingness to do the work that needs to be done at choke points, including some western U.S. ports. When most supply chain functions create bottlenecks, employees and management step up and do whatever it takes to not be the weakest link in the chain. That was not happening at our U.S. West Coast ports until recently. They finally started working nights and weekends in southern California and now say they will move to 24 hours. That’s great news, but the situation is more than an infrastructure issue that is popular with the local politicians. It is a labor relations and productivity issue that is now adding pressure to other ports like Savannah. D.C. politicians and some national media were talking for weeks about buying Christmas gifts early rather than encouraging allhands-on-deck at our ports. Those of us who have worked in the supply chain understand dealing with peak demand. It looks like we are dealing with multiple peaks this year because of choppy supply and surging demand. Holiday peak will be massive this year and will be hard to manage. Normally, employees and management embrace the growth, as it results in major business and personal income, but it is a painful time. If employees and management want a higher wage, this is the time to flourish. Of course, some of this is customer panic buying— which is causing retail panic buying—which will be causing manufacturers to overproduce. Our local Walmart has so many bikes, they don’t know where to stash them. Other products are not in stock. My suggestion to our federal government is to encourage customers to

RICHEY not stockpile or rush to buy products. Stop saying things like, “Buy your Christmas presents now.” That behavior is inflaming the situation. If you hear politicians saying, “buy now,” don’t trust their understanding of supply chain management or the economy. EVIDENTLY THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF TRUCK DRIVERS, WHO TAKE THE GOODS FROM THE PORTS TO WAREHOUSES, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. WHY AND HAS THE PANDEMIC EXASPERATED THIS LABOR SHORTAGE? We have been trying to grow the truck driver ranks for 20 years. It is an ongoing issue. A recent report noted that we will need an additional half a million truckers by 2035, despite automation. Truck driving is a solid career. Over-the-road drivers can make a six-figure salary, receive superior health care and retire after 20 years. Some days, I wonder why I didn’t pick that career! We need to do more outreach in high schools and trade schools about the benefits of joining this career path. IS AUTOMATION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN A POSSIBLE LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS? Automation can help us toward a long-term solution, but there is no magic bullet. Automation assists supply chain processes. If the company focus is efficiency, it works to speed the process while also reducing human error. That’s a big plus, but not something that fixes a major bottleneck like we are experiencing today. If the focus is adjusting to market issues, automation can become a massively costly investment that might even become irrelevant. Automation saves cost and human error, but can limit a company’s ability to respond to the needs of the market and target customers. Innovative management and employees remain our most

important asset in the U.S. Combining those people with automated material-handling equipment and automated trucks should help us to return to normalcy in time. There is a shortage of computer chips, so auto manufacturers can’t make new vehicles. Why? Raw materials are in high demand and low supply while manufacturers are ramping up production. It is also easier for computer chip companies to send a million chips to a cell phone company. They could send the same to GM, but why deal with interventionism when you can distribute at home in massive quantities? Why deal with the relationship and political risk in the U.S.? Some reports indicate there could be a shortage of anything packaged in aluminum, such as canned food products, sodas and other beverages. How can that be? What would you suggest to people who use canned yams or canned cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner? Recycled aluminum has been a problem for a while, and packaging is experiencing the same disruptions. I don’t think this will be a big problem unless the customer is buying a non-traditional size. Many local manufacturers have eliminated larger and smaller sizes, as packaging is not available. Then again, Coke has eliminated some brands due to shortages, including Tab. That is one of my true positives of the pandemic. FAMILIES CANCELED HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS LAST YEAR TO KEEP COVID-19 FROM SPREADING. THE CONCERN THIS YEAR INVOLVES TOYS AND SANTA’S ABILITY TO MEET THE ALL-TIME HIGH DEMAND. ARE TOY COMPANIES AND RETAILERS DOING ANYTHING TO BYPASS THE GLOBAL GRIDLOCK CAUSED BY PLANT CLOSURES AND SHIPPING CONTAINER WOES? Major retailers are reserving ships, trucking, space — everything they can. We are seeing both out-of-stock and overstock situations. Some items won’t be available. The Christmas and holiday traditions are about celebrations, family traditions and surprise gifts. Some companies will not be able to meet demand this year. If you can’t find what you want, I recommend customers put down the phone, turn off the computer and go to their local retailers. They may discover amazing

products, some made locally. It also might not be a bad thing to wait until the discounts arrive in February. The only silver lining in all of this may be that consumers now have a better understanding, and even respect, for all facets of the supply chain. And what a teachable moment for the Auburn students studying supply chain. Agree? Community: Customers now know what a supply chain is, but they don’t understand supply chains. They don’t know the complexity, distance, cost and speed issues, and why should they? Consumers just want the product now. Understanding that supply chains have limited capacity, maybe customers will come to realize that they don’t need everything in two days, nor do they need massive 48-roll packs of toilet paper. Government: Our politicians need to know there is no “the” supply chain. Supply chains are many and beyond direct control of our government, outside of blocking/delaying distribution to our citizens. Supply chains make up massive networks of global companies connecting to support world commerce. Politicians should not criticize private industry when many supply chains involve public entities, including the Chinese and other governments. Maybe our public servants will spend some time learning about and understanding the importance of the supply chain. Universities: Our Supply Chain Management program at Auburn has seen massive interest and related growth, but many universities pay almost no attention to supply chain management education. That needs to change if we want to respond effectively to future disruptions. Perhaps all this attention to supply chain management will encourage the growth of new programs, helping us increase the very much-needed talent pool. Until then, I encourage every interested undergraduate and graduate student to consider Auburn. We want you here. The Expert Answers Q&As and columns reflect the expertise and opinions of individual faculty members and do not necessarily represent an official policy or position of the university.

A4 Nov. 24, 2021

The Holiday Spirit

SEAN DIETRICH

i. This is your late loved one speaking. I don’t have long, so listen up because I have a lot I want to tell you. First off, I get it. Ever since I left this world you have missed me, and I know you’re bracing for the holidays without me. No matter what anyone says, this year’s festivities are going to be really tough. In fact, let’s be honest, this festive season will probably suck pond water. But then, Thanksgiving and Christmas are tough holidays for a lot of people. You’re not alone. See, the misconception about the holidays is that they are one big party.

That’s what every song on the radio claims. Each television commercial you see shows happy families clad in gaudy Old Navy sweaters, carving up poultry, smiling their perfect Hollywood teeth at the camera. But that’s not exactly reality. In reality, 58% of Americans admit to feeling severely depressed and anxious during November and December. In reality, many folks will cry throughout the “most wonderful time of the year.” Well, guess what? Nobody is crying up here in heaven. This place is unreal. There is, literally, too much beauty to take in. Way too much.

For starters — get this — time doesn’t even exist anymore. Which I’m still getting used to. Right now, for all I know, the calendar year down on Earth could be 1728, 4045, 1991 or 12 BC. It really wouldn’t matter up here. This is a realm where there is no ticking clock, no schedule. Up here, there is only this present moment. This. Here. Now. That’s all there has ever been. And there is real comfort in this. I know this all seems hard to grasp, but if you were here you’d get it. Also, for the first time, I’m pain-free. I feel like a teenager again in my body. You probably don’t realize how long I’ve lived with pain because I never talked about it. I kept my problems to myself because I was your loved one, and you needed me to be brave. But pain is a devious thing. It creeps up on even the strongest person, little by little, bit by bit. Until pretty soon, pain becomes a central feature of life. Sometimes my pain would get so bad, it was

all I thought about. No, I’m not saying that my life was miserable — far from it. I loved being on earth. It’s just that simply waking up each morning was getting exhausting. But, you know what? Not anymore. In this new place, I am wholly and thoroughly happy. But enough about me. I don’t have room to describe all the terrific things I’m experiencing, and you don’t need to hear them. Right now, you’re grieving, and what you need is a hug. Which is why I’m writing to you. This is my hug to you. Because you’ve lost sight of me. And in fact, you’ve lost sight of several important things lately. Death has a way of blinding us. It reorganizes the way you think, it changes you. You will never be the same after you lose someone. It messes with your inner physiology. It reorganizes your neurons. But then, there’s one teensy little thing you’re forgetting: I’m still around. Yes, you read that correctly. I’m right

WENDY HODGE

verybody loves Mr. Rogers. If I’m honest, I love him more now as an adult than I did as a child. I preferred the higher-volumed shows like Zoom! and Electric Company! Mr. Rogers’ low tones and slow mannerisms made me drowsy. Let’s face it, a couple of those hand puppets were a bit creepy looking. But, oh, what I wouldn’t give for an afternoon with Mr. Rogers these days. The whole entire world needs his calming presence and his rock-steady sweet nature. One line that has been quoted so many times rings truer than ever — “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. ‚” My sister was a helper. All the days I knew her, she had a helper’s spirit. Her chosen profession was social work. I was still a little girl when she graduated from college and began to work for the state of Alabama in the Department of Human Resources. Her job was emotionally exhausting. She would come home in the evenings with stories of children who had none of the good things in their life that I took for granted and also an abundance of the things nightmares are made

You know how, just yesterday, you had a beautiful memory when you were driving and it made you cry so hard that it actually felt good and you began to laugh through tears? Also me. You know how sometimes when you’re all alone, preoccupied with something else, suddenly you get this faint feeling that someone is standing in the room with you? Hello? Me. You’re not alone on this earth. You never were. You never will be. So during this holiday season, when cheerful families are getting together and making merry, and taking shots of eggnog, I’m going to be clinging to your shoulder, helping you muddle through somehow. I’ll be making your spinal column tingle a lot, and I’ll be sending plenty of signs. Each of these signs — every single one — is code for “I love you.” So start paying attention to these hints. Because this was one.

Win at Home

HELPER of. She was never specific with me, at least not until I was also an adult, because she wanted to spare me. “It’s better,” she said, “that you don’t even know these kinds of stories exist.” But they do exist. And they take a toll on the helpers. My sister’s profession wasn’t her only avenue of service. She was always ready with a meal for a sick family or extra gifts at Christmas for children whose parents were struggling. She gave so much more than she received, and she was happy doing it. She and her husband decided to help by being foster parents. Two sets of siblings, in quick succession, became a part of our family. We celebrated birthdays with them, attended church and Sunday dinners together, watched movies and picked out school clothes. We welcomed them into our homes. And when the time came, we said goodbye, not knowing if we would ever see their faces again. My sister took care of a dying father-in-law and then, a few years later, a dying mother-in-law. And then she had her own babies, and she became the kind of mom children deserve … the most unselfish mom I have ever known. After she died, people wrote cards and made phone calls just to tell us of the many ways my sister helped them or helped their friends or helped their neighbors … all stories we would never have heard because my sister was the kind of helper who helped whether someone was watching or not. Out there in the world are people I’ll never know who were touched by my sister’s help. I love that.

here with you. No, you can’t see me. No, you can’t reach out and hold me. But did you know that one of the things I’m allowed to do as a heavenly being is hang out with you? It’s true. I’m never far away. I’m in the room with you now, along with a big cloud of ancestors, saints and witnesses. I’m shooting the breeze alongside you, watching you live your life, watching you raise your kids, watching your private moments of sorrow. Here, in this new realm, I am in the perfect position to help you learn things. Which is what I vow to spend the rest of your earthly life doing, teaching you little lessons, lending you a hand when you least expect it and desperately trying to make you smile. Actually, I’ve already been doing this stuff, you just don’t realize it. What, you don’t believe me? Well, wake up, pal. You know that tingle you get in your spine whenever you think of me? That’s me.

But today, driving through our small city, I passed the Monkey Park, and a very personal memory hit me like a physical tremor. This park has seen so much history: birthday parties, Summer Swing concerts on hot Tuesday nights, snakes in the creek, train rides and Christmas festivities. The monkey park has also been the epicenter of some strange animal activity. Mr. Moore’s bull ran loose through the park long before I was born; a bear was spotted in 2016 leaving broken branches and an odorous trail right through the creek before he ventured out onto the main highway; and I won’t even mention the sordid details of my own encounter with the evil spider monkeys that used to be kept caged in the center of the park. Those monkeys broke free more than once, thanks to freak storms and hurricanes before they were banished forever in what my family still refers to as “the ponytail incident.” (If you are not familiar with this story, please refer to my previously published article titled ‘I Think I Broke the Monkey Park.’ My apologies in advance if you are an avid lover of spider monkeys and think they would be adorable wearing a dress and makeup and sitting next to you at the dinner table — we simply will never see eye to eye on this subject.) Suffice it to say, the Monkey Park has an air of “Jumanji” wildness about it. It is a location not to be missed. But the memory that hit me this day is a memory of my sister. She helped someone on a summer day, more than 40 years ago, and it’s time I told that story. TO BE CONTINUED….

WILLIE SPEARS

he opposite of winning is losing. Professional development is mandatory for professionals, but professional development for families does not exist. I facilitate professional development for several organizations, including The Southern Company, State Farm, Alan and Jean Millar Center in Alberta, Canada and dozens of universities, schools, teams, organizations and businesses. If top businesses have a plan for improvement, expectations and evaluations, why do we not plan to grow as parents and as a spouse? Society emphasizes winning at work but not winning at home. We award those who win in art, sports, engineering, politics and more. MotorTrend recognizes the car of the year, Time and People magazine recognizes the people of the year, while the Grammys, Oscars and Golden Globes recognize the year’s best performances. There are several awards in athletics given to the

most valuable player, statistical leaders and there are always awards given to the winners. However, no one recognizes the best grandparent, parent, uncle, aunt or child of the year. Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize but did not win at home. Billy Graham received several awards and was considered one of the most admired people globally, but his wife said he often neglected his family for his ministry. Even the most respected clergymen can forget their first ministry is their family. If people who dedicate their lives to serving others fail at winning at home, do mere mortals like you and I stand a chance? Like Mother Teresa or Eleanor Roosevelt, these men dedicated their lives to helping others. In a Garth Brooks song, “life is not tried; it’s just merely survived when we’re standing outside the fire”, four individuals didn’t stand outside the fire; they threw themselves into the flames. Garth is the number one solo artist of all time. He has 22 Academy of Country Music Awards, 12 Grammy Awards and is in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Another Hall of Famer is former head football coach Jimmy Johnson. He has won two Super Bowl Championships, a National Championship, Coach of the Year and was inducted into

the National Football League Hall of Fame. Mike Tyson is another Hall of Famer with an incredible resume. He was the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world and won several other awards. In a documentary about his life, Brooks said he had forsaken his family, which cost him his marriage, and gave someone else his job of being a father to his three girls. During his Hall of Fame Induction speech, Johnson said he never made it to one of his son’s football games. Then he said, that’s a shame. Tyson told three University of Alabama football players that his self-centered attitude caused him to have multiple divorces, ruining his relationship with his children. We celebrate and idolize talented individuals who often neglect their families for the sake of their occupation. This is true of all professions. I know I am guilty. Families spell love t.i.m.e. Would you rather be the mother of the year or teacher of the year. Would you rather be a salesman of the year or husband of the year? I don’t know about you, but I want to win at home. THREE WAYS TO WIN AT HOME: 1. Spend as much time as possible with your family. 2. Live in such a way to earn a nomination for winning at home. 3. Idolize your family, not celebrities.

A5 Nov. 24, 2021

Gunners of Auburn Provides Bikes for Local Children PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE BIGHOUSE FOUNDATION

Gunners Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club of Auburn delivered nearly 200 bicycles to children in east Alabama on Sunday in honor of William Buechner, a police officer killed in the line of duty in May of 2019.

Auburn Speaks — Students Use Their Voice Fall Public Speaking Competition Semifinals and Finals Complete CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Recently, Auburn Speaks presented its fall competition award to Isabel Zecher. In second place, was Gracie Barranco, third was Juliet Cannizzo and the remaining three finalists were Sam Boyd, Quinn Johnson and Riley Pope. After hosting a semifinal round all day on Oct. 27, six finalists were chosen from a group of roughly 80 semifinalists. These six finalists presented their self-composed speeches at the Jay and Susie Gouge Per-

forming Arts Center on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. A panel of judges selected the six finalists after the conclusion of the semifinal round. Once the finalists were chosen, they had five days to prepare to present their speeches in front of an audience bigger than the classroom size they are accustomed to. On Monday night, Nov. 1, the six spoke in front of a live audience of roughly 600 people. “This was the first time in two years that we were able to have the finals with a full crowd,” said Jennifer Johnson, director of Public Speaking at Auburn University.

“A good crowd adds energy and excitement, and it was nice to have that type of atmosphere again.” With speeches ranging as far as how a bill is passed through Congress, to a Septoplasty procedure, to Naked Mole Rats, the judges were tasked with awarding the student who exuded the most confidence, precision, poise and expressiveness. Zecher’s speech was entitled, “Things You See on an Auburn Jumbotron.” “I think the toughest job the night of the finals belongs to the judges because once we get to the final round, all the

speeches are good,” Johnson said. “And I mean really good.” Zecher spoke about the wide variety Auburn fans on the Jumbotron in Jordan Hare Stadium during home football games. From shirtless basketball players, to Homecoming candidates, to excited fans, to outstanding alumni, there is no telling what fans may see. “It was definitely nerve-wracking to have so much pressure and attention put on yourself like that, but it was ultimately a really cool thing to get to participate in and it brought a lot of benefits from the scholarship to pushing myself to go on

stage and do something I’ve never done before,” Zecher said. Zecher was awarded a $4,300 prize to go toward her education. This award was given by Mike Lutzenkirchen on behalf of the Lutzie 43 Foundation in honor of his son and former Auburn football player, Philip Lutzekirchen. Philip’s football number was #43, hence the $4,300 donation. This Award is one of the many ways the University acts to keep Philip’s legacy alive on campus. Philip was a bright young man who exuded confidence with every step he took. He tragically

died in a car accident on June 29, 2014. His legacy is still felt across all parts of Auburn’s campus. This Award honors his great character and achievement as a Communication and Journalism student and student-athlete during his time at Auburn. After the six finalists presented their speeches, Mike spoke to the audience as well. He gave a powerful testimony to his son’s character, gave his vision for the Lutzie 43 foundation and challenged the audience to be safe, aware drivers so that what happened to his son would not happen to anyone else.

A6 Nov. 24, 2021

Breast Health Center Opens in Auburn Another much-needed service for East Alabama opened Monday at the new Auburn Medical Pavilion as East Alabama Health officials introduced specialized breast health care at the new Breast Health Center during a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. Located on the third floor of the Auburn Medical Pavilion in the Auburn Research Park, the Breast Health Center is equipped with the latest in breast health imaging, including three 3D mammography machines and two ultrasound machines. The facility also has 12 private dressing rooms and same-day results for most breast screenings will be offered. Cynthia Lorino, M.D., who joined the East Alabama Health medical staff this summer, will serve as the imaging medical director of the Breast Health Center. “What we’re offering here is truly exciting because this area has needed it for a long time,” Lorino said at the ceremony. “It’s a comprehensive breast center which means all of the imaging you need you can have at our facility,” Lorino said. “That includes everything from screening mammograms and ultrasounds to biopsies. Plus, we’re putting into place ways to follow-up

with patients who have a positive diagnosis so that we make sure you’re taken care of the best way possible.” East Alabama Health President Laura Grill said, “When we first spoke with Dr. Lorino, she had a vision, and we had a vision as well and she said ‘if you build it, I will come’ — and so we did. It’s really a beautiful facility and we’re excited to offer it to the community.” After thanking East Alabama Health for its work with the pandemic the past 24 months — and noting the hospital’s continued growth to meet the needs of the region — Auburn Mayor Ron Anders said, “I’m not surprised that this is opening today. It’s what we have come to expect from this great group of people.” HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BREAST HEALTH CENTER: Patients who receive a diagnosis of breast cancer have nurse navigators available at the Breast Health Center to provide personal guidance every step of the way. This includes scheduling follow-up appointments and treatment, helping navigate medications and insurance and keeping patients informed throughout their journey. 3D mammography combines multiple breast x-rays to create a threedimensional image of the breast, allowing for clearer observation to

help determine if anything suspicious has been found. 3D mammograms can help provide patients and their health care team with more information related to issues such as a breast mass or breast pain and can also help detect breast cancer in people who do not have any other signs and symptoms. The more precise imaging of a 3D mammogram also helps reduce the need for follow-up imaging when compared to a standard mammogram. Breast ultrasound is used to determine if a mass found during a mammogram is made of solid tissue or is filled with fluid. Ultrasound is a non-invasive way to find out more information about a mass or lump found in the breast, and to help determine next steps in care. Not every patient requires an ultrasound — physicians will make the determination based on any abnormal findings from a breast screening. ABOUT THE AUBURN MEDICAL PAVILION: Located at 900 Camp Auburn Road in Auburn, the Auburn Medical Pavilion is home to the East Alabama Medical Center Freestanding Emergency Department (1st floor, opened June 2021), the East Alabama Ambulatory Surgery Center (2nd floor, opening December 2021) and the Breast Health Center (3rd floor, opened Nov. 22). The Freestanding Emergency Department

Artisan Coﬀee Beverages made to order.

(FED) is accompanied on the first floor by diagnostic radiology services, a laboratory and a pharmacy. A retail pharmacy called East Alabama Apothecary is also located on the first floor and will be open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the services provided to the FED, outpatient services for

both laboratory and radiology are provided at this location Monday Friday. Patients needing lab work collected related to a physician office visit can walk in from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., while patients needing radiology services are scheduled between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ABOUT EAST ALABAMA HEALTH: East Alabama Health

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY EAH

encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinic and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 340-bed regional referral hospital, while

EAMC-Lanier provides inpatient services as well as a nursing home, an acute rehab unit and an ambulatory surgery center that opened in spring 2021. East Alabama Health employs about 3,500 employees and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eamc.org.

Auburn United Methodist Church United Methodist Women

2021 Christmas Market

Beginning Monday Sept.13, we will open each weekday at 7 a.m.

Saturday, December 4, 2021 8:30 am – 1:00 pm 137 South Gay Street, Auburn, AL 36830

116 S. 8th Street, Opelika

334-363-0390

www.booniehatcoffee.com

Free admission, community-wide Christmas Market Shop for Arts, Crafts, Foods, Decorations & More For more information contact Mary Richburg email aumcwomenchristmas@outlook.com

Proceeds from Christmas Market will support local missions through the Auburn United Methodist Women

TEXTILE MILLS ASBESTOS CLAIMS If you began working in a Textile Mill, Tire Plant, Paper Mill, Steel Mill or any other industrial setting before 1980: You may have a claim against the asbestos manufacturers.

Call now for your free evaluation. 1-(888)432-6020 Asbestos Claims, LLC, Jubal L. Hamil Attorney at Law ARPC 7.2.(e) “No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.”

Opelika E vents, Society & Food

UPCOMING EVENTS Nov 25: Moore's Mill Turkey Trot Nov 25: Blue Friday in Downtown Auburn Nov 28: Downtown Auburn Holiday Open House Nov 30: Snopelika Christmas Festival

UMW’s Christmas Market To Benefit Local Missions PHOTO BY ANN CIPPERLY

Ann Cipperly

Southern

Hospitality

or over 50 years, the United Methodist Women (UMW) at Auburn United Methodist Church has been baking and cooking for the Christmas Market, originally called a bazaar, with all proceeds going to local missions. Along with baked goods, frozen casseroles and soups, other items include candies, fresh flowers, canned pickles, jellies and jams, arts, crafts and decorations. Over 30 other vendors will also offer baked goods and assorted items. This year, a food truck will be selling biscuits and sausage, coffee and barbecue. The food truck will be located outside the Epworth Center on South Gay Street. Proceeds from the Christmas Market go to local missions, including children’s after school programs, the women’s shelter, Methodist Children’s Home, Wesley Foundation, families and

many others. They have also helped local families who lost their home in a fire. Baked goods include layer and pound cakes, cookies, as a well as savory snacks and nuts. Frozen meat and vegetable casseroles and soups are available. The cakes are freshly baked and can be frozen. They also take orders for cakes. Assorted cakes and frozen chicken casseroles have been the most popular. Among the cakes this year are Mamae’s Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing, Sour Cream Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, 12 Minutes Pound Cake, Chocolate Pound Cake and others. Cookies include Alabama Pecan Bread that tastes like pecan pie bars, Cinnamon Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Crunches, Old Fashioned Gingersnaps, Sand Tarts, among others. Favorite frozen casseroles and soups include

American Lasagna, Ground Beef Stroganoff, Chicken and Rice Casserole, Mexican Chicken Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Squash Casserole, Charlotte’s Hamburger Casserole, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Grammie’s Minestrone and others. Additional food items include Divinity, Peanut Butter Pie, Bishop Bread, Beer Bread, Toasted Pecans, Firecrackers and other candies, pickles, jellies and jams. During the busy Christmas season, a casserole or soup in the freezer is great to have on hand on a hectic day to simply place in the oven and reheat. Cakes and baked goods are also wonderful to have tucked away in the freezer. Margaret Stephens is president of the UMW, and Mary Richburg is chairman of the Christmas Market. “The Market is an event showcasing visual arts, baked goodies,

Sundilla Presents Ellis Paul CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA

ceramics, woodwork, prints, sewing and multimedia crafts,” Mary said. “The UMW has hosted the community event for over 50 years using proceeds to support community areas of need. Come shop, eat breakfast or lunch, and enjoy visiting with friends and talented vendors.” At one time the UMW at Auburn Methodist included nine circles that met at different times. They currently have two circles. These two groups are active and carry on projects, which includes organizing the annual Christmas Market with over 30 vendors. The UMW ‘s history goes back 150 years to the Women’s Foreign

have also been heard in movies, such as “Me, Myself and Irene” (starring Jim Carrey), “Shallow Hal (starring Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow) and “Hall Pass” (starring Owen Wilson.) Advance tickets are just $20 and are available at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at www.sundillamusic.com; admission at the door will be $25. For more information, visit www.sundillamusic.com. Sundilla is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with an all-volunteer staff. Started in 1993 with an outdoor concert on the lawn at Pebble Hill, Sundilla started holding most of their concerts in the AUUF Fellowship Hall in 1996, thanks to the generosity of the AUUF. In 2017 Sundilla became the first, and so far only, venue to be presented See SUNDILLA, page A8

local missions as well as foreign missions. The Christmas Market will be held at the Epworth Center in back of the Auburn United Methodist Church at 137 S. Gay St. Booths will have extra space between them to provide a safer health environment. Parking will be free. Cash, checks or credit cards are accepted. For additional information, contact Mary Richburg at aumcwomenchristmas@outlook. com. Members of the UMW are sharing a sampling of desserts, casseroles, soup and snacks that will be offered at the bake sale. See CIPPERLY RECIPES, page A10

Black Belt Big Buck Photo Contest Celebrates 10th Year CONTRIBUTED BY THE ALABAMA BLACK BELT ADVENTURES ASSOCIATION

most-talented voyeur. Based in Massachusetts, Paul has been called the quintessential Boston songwriter more than a few times and has garnered the recognition and awards to back up that claim, including a shelf full of Boston Music Awards. Since coming onto the scene in 1993 with his independent debut, “Say Something,” Paul hasn’t slowed or weakened as a performer or a writer. Spending two-thirds of most years on the road has helped him perfect both crafts, with a lot of practice on-stage and a lot of people whose stories he retells in song. In fact, his 1994 album “Stories” proved enchanting enough to secure him a deal with Rounder Records and a national following of dedicated fans. Many albums have followed; his latest, “The Storyteller’s Suitcase” is number 20. His songs

Missionary Society in Boston. Wives of missionaries in India, Mrs. William Butler and Mrs. Edwin Parker, were home on furlough when they spoke to a group of eight women and told them about the desperate spiritual and physical needs of women in India. At that time, a male doctor would not treat women, and schooling for girls was almost nonexistent. The group founded the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society, raised funds and sent a female educator and doctor to India. The group later became United Methodist Women. They support

hunters must upload a photo of a buck harvested from within the 23-county Black Belt region to AlabamaBlackBeltAdventures. org/bigbuckphotocontest. The buck must be harvested during 20212022 whitetail deer

season. Photo contest winners from the previous two years are not eligible for entry. The contestant who receives the most online votes before the season closes in February will receive a $500 gift card donated by Jonathan

The 10th annual Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) Big Buck Photo Contest officially begins today, Wednesday, Nov. 17. The contest, which takes place online, will run through Feb. 10, 2022, and is sponsored by Jonathan Goode and Southeastern Land Group. “Over the past decade, we’ve held this friendly contest to highlight the long seasons, healthy populations and big bucks that the bountiful Black Belt region is known for,” said Pam Swanner, director of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association. “We encourage experienced hunters and those new to the sport to scout our woods for an unforgettable adventure and enter the contest.” Roberts Griffin, a 7-year-old from Montgomery, The winner of the harvested a buck that won last year’s Alabama contest is selected Black Belt Adventures Big Buck Photo Contest. through online voting. To enter the contest, See PHOTO, page A8 PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

For the perfect way to relax at the end of a long holiday/Iron Bowl weekend, look no further than Sundilla. Sundilla will present Ellis Paul in concert on Sunday, Nov. 28, at Pebble Hill. Showtime will be 7:30 p.m., and admission at the door is $25. A limited number of $20 advance tickets are available at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at www. sundillamusic.com. A troubadour, a singer/ songwriter, a folky and a storyteller — all are fair labels for this artist, but they do not quite suffice. However, the tattoo of Woody Guthrie worn proudly on his arm is a good starting place from which to grasp Ellis Paul, for it is from the Woody Guthrie tradition that he hails, and Maine as well. Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and James Taylor are also listed among his influences, and their spirits seem to occasionally grace his work. With an acoustic guitar in hand, he weaves intimate, provocative and romantic tales of lives that were obviously witnessed by a

The United Methodist women at Auburn United Methodist Church will hold the annual bake goods and casserole sale at their Christmas Market on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. They will also sell jellies and jams, arts and crafts. Over 30 other vendors will be selling items, and a food truck will be selling biscuits and barbecue. UMW members pictured are, from left, Judy Melville, Margaret Stephens, Jeanette Parker, Lyn Woodham, Ann Whatley, Carole Icenogle, Debra-Lyn Rollins and Julia Norton.

A8 Nov. 24, 2021

Making the Grade: Veggies To Go

hanksgiving 1963 to Thanksgiving 1984 were the best ones of my life. Why? Because from the ages of almost one to almost 22, I didn’t have to cook ANYTHING for the holiday. All I had to do was show up at the table with a fork in my hand. My sweet Mama, Barbara Patton (again, not the former mayor of Opelika), cooked every marvelous bite; well, my grandmothers helped, too. My Daddy was the head dishwasher. The youngest child in the family is, of course, the most important one and is usually spoiled; I enjoyed every minute of it. However, all good things must come to an end. As I grew older, I helped Mama and Daddy with simple tasks such as drying dishes, getting in-

As I’ve previously mentioned, I don’t like to cook; I only like to eat. And although I can cook, mishaps often occur when I do. For example, the first year we hosted Thanksgiving, I made the cornbread the day before because Mama told me that dayold cornbread is better for dressing. As Southerners, we make our dressing in a pan OUTSIDE the turkey, and I’m very grateful. Our

Northern brothers and sisters make stuffing, and I’m sure you know where that goes. No, thank you. Since I only had Mama’s medium, cast iron skillet, I had to make two pones of cornbread. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that iron keeps its heat for a VERY LONG TIME. When I grabbed the skillet with my bare

Winter Nature Walk at Wood Duck Nature Park of Opelika Bring family and friends to a relaxing walk through the woods to the viewing blinds on the lagoon on Dec. 4. The hike will be roughly two miles on wooded trails. Leaders from the FRIENDS of

Wood Duck Nature Park will have loaner binoculars on hand and viewing scopes for the waterfowl. The leaders will also discuss plant and wildlife ecosystems of the preserve. Wintering ducks of several species have arrived. Eagles are often observed this time of year. Refreshments will be served at 7:30

a.m. with the walk beginning at 8 a.m. Wood Duck Nature Park is site #10 on the Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail. We will meet at the pavilion located at 3601 Waverly Parkway in Opelika, one-half mile from the Birmingham Highway/US 280. GPS: N 32*39,193’ W 085* PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

SUNDILLA >>

PHOTO >>

FROM A7

with a SERFA Award for Contributions to Folk Music by the SouthEast Regional Folk Alliance. In 2013 the first episode of The Sundilla Radio Hour was aired on WTSU in Troy. Since that time, the Sundilla Radio Hour has grown into a weekly show that is aired in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, New York, Colorado and Alaska.

Goode and Southeastern Land Group. ALBBAA reminds all sportsmen and women to purchase a hunting license online through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources before heading afield. Additionally, successful hunters are also reminded to

report their harvested deer through Game Check. The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.

hand to make the second pone, I yelped and quickly let go of it. Those blisters taught me from then on to use those oven mitts. A second mishap occurred on that first Thanksgiving we hosted; it involved a chicken or “fryer,” as Mama called it. Mama told me to get a 2 and-a-half to 3-pound chicken. Mama used to cook a chicken

in a pressure cooker; the broth went in her amazing dressing, the best I’ve ever tasted in my life. Well, Mike and I made the mistake of waiting too late to get said chicken. The only ones available in our grocery store were 5 to 6 lbs. We purchased one, and it was too big for my biggest boiler, so water kept boiling over onto my stove. You see, I refuse to use a pressure cooker like my Mama and my grandmothers did; the jiggling contraptions scare me because I’m afraid they’ll explode. In fact, once, many years ago, when I came home to Alexander City (“Eleck” City to the locals), for Thanksgiving, Mama was wiping off the

hood of the stove. A ring from her pressure cooker had cracked, sending chicken broth everywhere. I rest my case. Back to the oversized chicken. While Mike kept an eye on our big bird, I went to pick up Mama for Thanksgiving. I told her about our bird. When we came into my kitchen, I asked her if we had cooked it long enough; it had been boiling for 3 to 4 hours. Mama took one look and matter of factly said, “Turn off the stove.” Apparently, it doesn’t take that long to cook a large chicken. Although Mama’s dressing is my favorite Thanksgiving dish, it has See WALLACE, page A11

Sticky But Sweet Designs PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY THE WOOD DUCK NATURE PRESERVE

PHOTO BY MIKE WALLACE

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

gredients out of the cabinet or refrigerator, etc. Later I began helping Mama with simple food preparations. Then I graduated to cooking a dish under Mama’s supervision. One of the first things I cooked was a pecan pie. In the Patton family, pecan pies are for Thanksgiving, and blueberry pie and red velvet cake are for Christmas. When we lost my Daddy to Alzheimer’s in April 2018, Mike and I began to host Thanksgiving at our home in Auburn. I was glad to host Thanksgiving instead of Christmas, which my much older brother Jim and my sisterin-law Rita have at their home in Sylacauga. Now, Christmas is my favorite holiday and to me, the most important because we celebrate Jesus’s birth. However, Thanksgiving is a laid-back holiday. Mike and I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, prepare a delicious supper for a maximum of nine people and enjoy chatting with them. Christmas, however, is a much bigger holiday with more people, pressure and higher expectations. This is not what God intended Christmas to be; people just managed to make it this way.

BY MEGAN MANN FOR THE OBSERVER

Sticky but Sweet Designs is a creative brand in Auburn which produces digital art. Georgia native Sarah Morris moved to Auburn in 2010 for school and has been here ever since. She founded the company two years ago. “I’ve always been really into crafts and stuff so several years ago I started dabbling in certain things making gifts for family and friends and then people started saying hey this is really good, and people started asking me to buy it,” Morris said. “So, in 2019 I got my LLC and became official and that’s how Sticky but Sweet Designs was created.” Sticky but Sweet

Designs offers a large variety of merchandise including shirts, bags, keychains, digital art prints, car and wall decals and cups. While Morris said she offers a variety of different items to order, her biggest sellers and favorite things to make are her stickers. “I just started drawing all of these cute little things and turning them into stickers and then I made an Etsy page and now I’m selling them,” Morris said. Morris started this business with an IPAD, a Cricket vinyl machine and a goal to clear her head of things she had been facing in her own life. However, the company is more than just a sticker and t-shirt making business, she said. There is a much

larger picture behind the brand that promotes a conversation about mental health and the stigma behind talking about it. Morris said her best-selling sticker “by a long shot” is one that reads “hello, I’m anxious”. It is one of her simpler designs and is made to look like a nametag. “It is really funny to me that this sticker is the most popular because as far as design sophistication it is very simple,” Morris said. “But that one has caught a lot of attraction and it just made me realize people buying things like that and having that sticker out could make mental health easier to talk about.” Morris said she is See STICKY, page A12

A9 Nov. 24, 2021

Opelika

CHAMBER

BRINGS YOU

SN PELIKA

Christmas Festival

P E LIK A

AND TREE LIGHTING S N P E LIK A

S N P E LIK A

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 30TH Snowfall from 4:30SPM-6:30 PM NSNPELIKA A IK L P E Tree Lighting at 6:30 PM Opelika Courthouse Square Enjoy food & shopping from our 40 vendors & downtown merchants! Presented by

Piedmont Fertilizer Company

Learn More at www.opelikachamber.com.

A10 Nov. 24, 2021

CIPPERLY RECIPES >> ALABAMA PECAN BREAD Tastes like pecan pie in a bar cookie! A favorite from Louisiana UMW. Debra-Lyn Rollins 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 4 eggs, beaten 1 cup oil 1 ½ cup self-rising flour 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups pecans, finely chopped Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Using a wooden spoon stir together sugar, brown sugar, eggs and oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in flour and vanilla. Add pecans, then stir until evenly mixed. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

CINNAMON PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Flavin Glover ½ cup shortening ½ cup peanut butter ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar (packed) 1 egg 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp. soda ½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix thoroughly shortening, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and egg. Combine flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. With fork, flatten dough in crisscross pattern. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Makes about three dozen cookies Recipe can be doubled with ease.

OATMEAL CRUNCHIES MARGARET STEPHENS

1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 egg 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup regular rolled oats 1 cup crushed cornflakes ½ cup shredded coconut ½ cup ground walnuts or pecans 3 3/4 cups flour, sifted 1 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. salt Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing well. Add oil and vanilla extract; mix. Add oats, cornflakes, coconut, and nuts. Stir well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and form into balls the size of small walnuts. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten with fork dipped in water. Must be flattened for proper texture. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven about 12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing. Makes about eight dozen.

FIRECRACKERS

Ann Whatley 1 box saltine crackers 1 ½ cup canola oil 2 packages ranch dressing 4 tsp. red pepper flakes or less Put crackers in a brown paper bag or in an appropriate size container with a top. I prefer a square plastic box that holds one box of crackers securely. Place crackers on edge in container standing up. Mix remaining ingredients. (I use about a ½ tsp. of red pepper flakes or no pepper flakes as I do not like the spicey taste.) Pour this mixture evenly over the crackers. Put cover on container. Shake crackers periodically for 1 hour so the mixture is distributed over the crackers. Pack in a container for storage. Serve with cheese or serve alone.

MAMAE’S CHOCOLATE ICING FOR LAYER CAKE

Lyn Woodham Mamae was my mother-in-law, Mabel Woodham, from Hartford, Alabama. This is a multi-generation all-time family favorite recipe! It’s simple and easy to make as long as the humidity is low. 3 ½ cups sugar Pinch of salt 4 heaping Tbsp. cocoa 1 cup evaporated milk Combine the four ingredients in a heavy saucepan with a handle. Mix and stir constantly over medium heat until temperature reaches soft ball.. Remove from heat. Add the following three ingredients: 1 stick real butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract (premium Madagascar or Mexican vanilla) 1 cup miniature marshmallows Stir with wooden spoon until blended. Set the pan in sink that is filled with 1 to 2 inches cold water for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir until good spreading consistency. Spread on cake layers, adding evaporated milk as needed to the pan to keep the icing spreadable. If any icing is left over, make candy and add pecan half to each top.

JUST FINE CAKE LAYERS FOR MAMAE’S ICING

Lyn Woodham 1 box Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix 4 eggs 1 stick butter 2/3 cup milk Follow package instructions for mixing and baking cake in 3 round layer pans. Allow to cool before icing.

SAND TARTS

Mary Richburg Christmas goodies always include Sand Tarts in my family. The recipe is shared from generation to generation with loving memories. 1 cup butter, room temperature 5 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar 2 cups flour

1½ cups pecans, chopped 2 tsp. vanilla Cream butter and sugar. Add other ingredients. Mix well and roll into small balls. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour (check to see if done before as ovens vary as well as size of cookies). Roll in confectioners’ sugar while warm. For variation, form the ball around a chocolate kiss or chip.

AMERICAN LASAGNA

Margaret Stephens 1 Tbsp. fat (oil or butter) 1 lb. ground beef 2 cloves garlic, chopped 6 oz. can tomato paste Number 2 can diced tomatoes (2 ½ cups), not drained 1 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. pepper ½ tsp. ground oregano 8 oz. pkg. wide egg noodles (not lasagna noodles) 8 oz. Swiss cheese slices plus 2 additional slices to top the lasagna, if desired. If you wish, you can use a mix of regular and aged Swiss cheese slices. 12-oz. carton regular cottage cheese Grated Parmesan cheese, optional Brown ground beef and chopped garlic in fat. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Cook noodles according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain noodles. In an 11 x 7-inch baking dish, alternate layers of cooked noodles, Swiss cheese slices, cottage cheese and meat sauce. Top lasagna with two additional slices of Swiss cheese for decoration, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

Lorna Wiggins’ recipe by Julia Norton 1 cup butter, softened 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. baking soda 1 cup sour cream Grease and flour a 12cup Bundt pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Place in cold oven, and set temperature at 300 degrees. Bake for at least 1 hour and 25 minutes or until the knife comes out clean.

OLD FASHIONED GINGERSNAPS

Debra-Lyn Rollins ¾ cup shortening 1 cup sugar, plus additional sugar for rolling 1 large egg ¼ cup molasses 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. salt Coarse sugar, if desired. Preheat oven to 350. Cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. In a separate bowl mix flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls. Roll in sugar and press coarse sugar into top, if desired. Place 2 inches apart on silicon pad or greased parchment paper on baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and crinkly about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

Judy Melville from Edith Jones 2 cups uncooked rice (cook until just tender) Success and Uncle Ben’s rice have been used to make this dish. Gently warm 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. Remove from heat and add: 1 ½ cups mayonnaise ½ cup onions, finely chopped 2 cups celery, chopped fine 5 ounce can water chestnuts drained and thinly sliced. I cut the water chestnuts in half. 5 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. salt 2 oz. jar chopped pimento, drained 2 7 oz. cans sliced mushrooms Add rice to all this and gently, stir. Fold in about 5 cups chicken, cooked, cut into bite size pieces (I use breasts and boil for a good while so that it is tender) Also you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked in chicken broth in a crock pot. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 (I use Pam). Topping: Mix 1 cup good cracker crumbs (like Ritz or Waverly wafers) with ¼ cup melted butter or margarine. I crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers. (One sleeve has 35 crackers. I use 1 sleeve and a few more crackers) Spoon over the top. Refrigerate until ready to use. Bake 45 minutes at 350 until hot and bubbly. Serves 12+ This makes a lot (makes 3 8 X 8 pans) It freezes well. If you split it up and make several smaller casseroles, you may need more crumbs for on top.

TOASTED PECANS

Ann Whatley ½ cup salt (will be used in water) Pecan halves Water Fill 1 quart jar with pecan halves. Pour ½ cup salt over pecans. Cover pecans and salt with warm water. Soak pecan mixture for 30 minutes shaking periodically to distribute salt. After 30 minutes, drain water from jar.

Place pecans on paper towels and let dry for at least 30 minutes. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or less depending on your taste and your oven. Note: I do not cook for 30 minutes as my oven tends to cook faster. My suggestion would be to check periodically for doneness.

GRAMMIE’S MINESTRONE IN MINUTES

Judy Melville 3 links sweet or hot Italian sausage, sliced 3 links to equal 10.8 oz. 1 cup chopped onion 1 can (16 oz.) tomatoes with liquid, chopped 3 small zucchinis, cubed 3 beef bouillon cubes (see note) 3 cups water 2 cups finely chopped cabbage 2 cans 15.8 oz. Great Northern Beans, drained 1 tsp. dried basil 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Grated Parmesan cheese In Dutch oven brown sausage and onion until tender. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese. Simmer one hour. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes two quarts. I remove sausage from casing and fry it “loose”. Sometimes you can find it bulk at the store, rather than links. Note: Instead of three beef bouillon cubes and three cups of water, you can use three cups beef broth.

SQUASH CASSEROLE

Jeanette Parker 3 cups cooked squash 2 medium onions, chopped (cook with squash) Salt and pepper to taste 16 oz. sour cream or 1 cup mayonnaise 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 eggs ½ stick margarine 16 oz. cheese, shredded Cracker crumbs Combine all ingredients except cracker crumbs with cooked and mashed squash and onions. Pour into baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Bake 1 hour covered in 350-degree oven. Remove foil. Add cracker crumbs and some shredded cheese. Heat. Serves 8.

PEANUT BUTTER ICE BOX PIE

Mary Richburg 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 9 oz. carton frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 graham cracker crust Blend softened cream cheese with peanut butter. Add sugar and mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into graham cracker crust. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired. Chill for several hours. Suitable for freezing.

BISHOP BREAD

Nita Ward’s recipe from Shan Rumph 1 cup sugar 1 ½ cup sifted flour 2 cups chopped pecans 3 eggs 6 oz. pkg semi-sweet choc chips 1 cup candied cherries 1 ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla Cream softened butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beat well. Mix dry ingredients, then add along with vanilla. Don’t overmix. Chop cherries and mix with some of the dry ingredients to coat. Add along with nuts. Bake in a greased and lined loaf pan. 1 ½ hours at 325 degrees or until done. Let cool completely before removing from pan. Slice cold. Make almost every year for a special friend. She freezes and slices off a bit as a special treat.

12 MINUTE POUND CAKE

Deana Prather’s recipe from Shan Rumph 2 sticks soft butter 5 eggs 2 cups flour 1 3/4 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla Measure all ingredients into bowl in any order. Beat 12 minutes on medium speed. Pour into tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Freezes well.

BEER BREAD

Betty Worthington’s recipe by Julia Norton 3 cups self-rising flour 1 can beer ½ cup sugar Combine all ingredients and mix. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 1 stick butter, melted Pour butter over bread and continue to bake for 15 minutes.

GROUND BEEF STROGANOFF

Suzelle Hare McGehee’s recipe from Mary Richburg 1 lb. ground chuck, round steak or hamburger 1 can sliced water chestnuts ½ cup onions, chopped 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. paprika 1 small can sliced mushrooms 1 can cream of chicken soup ½ stick oleo or butter 1 tsp. black pepper Chow Mein noodles ¼ cup red wine, optional (Suzelle used sherry) 1 cup sour cream Sauté the onions in oleo or butter. Mix beef, salt, pepper, paprika well and add to onions. Cook until meat is good grayish color, but not browned. Drain the meat. Add mushrooms, chestnuts, and soup. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add sour cream and red wine or sherry, if using, and burn off heat or keep on very low. Serve on rice with chow mien noodles on top. Serves 4-6. Serve with French bread and tart salad. Good dish to freeze. To reheat, place in preheated oven at 300 to 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. See CIPPERLY RECIPES, page A11

A11 Nov. 24, 2021

WALLACE

FROM A8

about 100 steps involved, so I don’t relish making it. Mama supervises me and even insists on stringing the celery before she chops it; I gladly let her. I once told Mama, “I sure miss the days when you cooked everything.” Mama smiled sweetly and said, “I don’t.” However, my sister-in-law Rita brings dishes, too, so that really makes it easier. Now, if you find making dressing as tedious as I do, you should try Veggies To Go at 815 E. Glenn Avenue in Auburn. Mike and I recently ordered curbside at Veggies. Mike chose the chicken and dressing, sweet potato soufflé and fried green tomatoes. I ordered the chicken and dressing, squash casserole and okra and tomatoes. Everything was delicious,

CIPPERLY RECIPES >> CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

Tom Tippet’s recipe from Ann Whatley 3 cups all-purpose flour (preferably White Lily) 3 cups sugar 6 large eggs (brown) 8 oz. block of cream cheese 3 sticks butter ¼ tsp. salt ½ tsp. vanilla flavoring ½ tsp. almond flavoring

especially the chicken and dressing. Also, you can order pans of dressing for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Veggies To Go has daily specials, which include: Monday: chicken fajitas and peach cobbler; Tuesday: hamburger steak and peach cobbler; Wednesday: chicken and dressing and strawberry cobbler; Thursday: fried chicken breast and strawberry cobbler; Friday: pot roast and blackberry cobbler; Saturday: chicken quesadilla and blackberry cobbler. Besides its daily specials, Veggies To Go offers diners: fried or grilled pork chops, fried or grilled chicken fingers, meatloaf, country fried steak, fried catfish, baked chicken breast, grilled tilapia and a huge selection of vegetables. Also, people who are 55 and up get a free sweet tea; I certainly appreciate Remove eggs, cream cheese, and butter from the refrigerator and sit at room temperature for a while. Cream the cream cheese and sugar. Gradually add the sugar and mix well until there is a creamy blend. Add one egg at a time and mix thoroughly after each egg is added. Add the flavorings and continue to mix at a moderate speed. Sift the flour twice, adding during the last sifting. Gradually add flour at a slower mixing speed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake for 1

that. If you love Southern cooking, as I do, run and do not walk to Veggies To Go on Glenn Avenue in Auburn. Veggies To Go is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. I hope all of you have a safe, Happy Thanksgiving. Mama, this one was for you. As my friend Dottie says, I love you to the moon and back! Veggies To Go 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 hour and 25 minutes. Check cake with a probe toward the end to see if it is cooking thoroughly. If the probe indicates no batter on it, the cake is done. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Note: This recipe was shared by Tom Tippett, a minister from Opelika. He would bring this to the annual Whatley stew cooking. He would time it so that he always brought a warm pound cake. It is a delicious cake. A very good friend of mine, Jo Ann Laney, a member of the Crawford United Methodist Women, also shared this recipe with me.

DOWNTOWN EVENTS Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. — Pints and Pies at Whistle Stop Bottle and Brew Nov. 26 — Live Music by Kasey Kaschak at Resting Pulse Brewing Company Nov. 27 — Small Business Saturday Nov. 27 — Live music by Cameron Dubois at Resting Pulse Brewing Company

A12 Nov. 24, 2021

FROM A8

familiar with the topic of mental health as she has faced her own challenges and helped those closest to her fight their battles with it. “I’ve realized through experiencing and working through all of that stuff that a lot of people don’t like to talk about it,” Morris said. “There is a huge stigma surrounding mental health so I figured that making these cute stickers that people can put on their water bottle or laptop bringing

attention to the subject, it just makes it easier to talk about when someone can be like 'oh I like your sticker,' and then a conversation stems from there.” While Morris has many premade designs, customers can also place custom orders. She has done everything from design a business logo to make bridal invitations for a wedding party. “If I can draw it and it’s something that can be used digitally or converted into print, then I can make it,” she said.

Morris sells her stickers through her Etsy page that is linked here www.etsy.com/shop/ stickybutsweetdesign. Orders can also be placed through her Facebook page, or follow the Instagram at Sticky but Sweet Designs and stay up to date with where she will be expanding too next. Morris’s products and mental health-promoting stickers are the perfect gift to give someone this year. Don’t forget to reach out to those you love and support local businesses this holiday season.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

STICKY >>

A13 Nov. 24, 2021

Reflections on the Risen Life power than we naturally have. Just stop right now and do your best vertical jump and you’ll see exactly what I mean. So, for almost the entire history of mankind, space travel was the stuff of BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th science fiction. Then along came a Street Church of Christ man named Werner in Opelika Von Braun. He was the person responsible for developing the Saturn et me begin by wishing you a joy- V rocket. It took nine ous Thanksgiving Apollo missions involvthat is rich with love and ing 24 astronauts to the loved ones. moon between 1968 and And now a question: 1972. Twelve of those Did you ever see the astronauts walked on moon at night and wish the lunar surface. It also to go there? Did you ever launched the first space wonder what it might station, Skylab, in 1973. be like to set foot on it? The Saturn V rocket You wouldn’t be the first was taller than a 36-stoperson. The problem is, ry building, weighed in there’s this force called at 6.5 million pounds gravity that keeps us and generated 7.8 milearthbound and to overlion pounds of thrust. When I was growing come it takes way more

up, we lived about five miles from the place where they tested the Saturn V engines. When they fired them up, the ground shook and the dishes in our hutch rattled. The Saturn V was (and still is) the biggest, baddest, most powerful rocket ever built. With it, man no longer had to be earthbound. In his own way, Paul is doing the same kind of thing in his letter to the disciples at Colossae. In chapter 1, he writes about the supremacy of Christ (v. 15-20). In chapter 2, he follows with what God has accomplished through Christ at the cross (v. 1015). Because of this, he tells them that when by faith they were baptized, God raised them up with Jesus who is seated at the right hand of God (2:12,

3:1). They no longer had to be earth-bound. That is the power of what God accomplished through Jesus at the cross. And here’s the enigma — people embrace this power, get baptized and are raised with Christ. They enjoy several weeks or months of living out of this world but then slowly drift back down to earth as if the power suddenly gave out. Of course, it didn’t. The power hasn’t gone anywhere — what they lost was the perspective that enabled them to experience the power to begin with. That’s why Paul’s instruction in 3:1 to “set your hearts on things above” is so critical. We fall into the trap of thinking that life in Christ is a

maintenance-free adventure. It is an adventure to be sure, but it’s not maintenance-free. We have a responsibility, a choice to make. We can set our minds and hearts on things above or on the things of this earth. If we set them on the things of this earth, we won’t be able to live a risen life. You can’t live a risen life with a fallen mind and heart. It’s a square peg, round hole situation. You won’t get off the earth. But when we focus on Jesus, His word, His people and His will for our lives — there is no force in the world that can hold us down. The power to live the risen life is always there in Jesus, we just need to maintain the perspective that embraces and reflects this.

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

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What Is The Best Gift Anyone Can Receive? Come and Find Out.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT CUNNINGHAM DRIVE 2660 CUNNINGHAM DR., OPELIKA SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30 A.M. SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 A.M. / 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 6:30 P.M.

DIRECTORY APOSTOLIC HOLINESS Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance Inc. 28 Sanford Ave., Opelika 334-745-0210 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 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528 Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117 Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487 Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750 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

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF OPELIKA ON DEC. 19 AT 7 P.M.

Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721 Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015

COMMUNITY OUTREACH Good Sheperd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054 METHODIST Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949 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 Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151

Place your ad here! Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More!

Catch ‘On the Mark’ with D. Mark Mitchell and Jeff Sasser weekday mornings from 7-9 a.m.

603 Pleasant Pleasant Drive 603 Drive Opelika, Opelika, ALAL 36801 749-1333 749-1333 Mon-Sat - 8pm Mon- Sat7am 7am-8pm Sun12pm 12pm-6pm Sun - 6pm

Email: editor@opelika observer.com Call: 334-749-8003

A14 Nov. 24, 2021

Be Strong and Courageous

WALTER ALBRITTON

ind my wife’s grave in the old cemetery in Wetumpka and beside her grave you will see a stone bench. It was placed there by a group of women who loved Dean, women Dean loved, women who have suffered the loss of a child. On the bench are carved the words “Be strong and courageous.” The women, whose fellowship is aptly named “Mourning to Morning,” chose those four words because they

were the title of Dean’s final message to her friends. At the time, no one had any idea that she would die later that year at age 88. Students of the Bible will know that Dean found the familiar phrase in the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. It comes out of the story of Moses handing the leadership baton off to Joshua. Having led the Israelites through the wilderness, Moses understands that it will be his assistant Joshua, not he, who will lead God’s people into the Promised Land. So, in his farewell address, Moses includes this dramatic phrase to the Israelites, and to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” When Joshua gives his account of this historic transition of

leadership, he credits the Lord with having said those words to him. He even provides us with the profound reason why he could become “strong and courageous.” He heard the Lord say to him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” No greater confidence builder was ever given to a man. In her message encouraging her friends to “be strong and courageous,” Dean was sharing the great testimony of her life. For decades, I had heard her inspire audiences with that message. She did not speak much of Moses and Joshua. She spoke with passion of the time Jesus came to her and said, “In your great sorrow over the loss of

your son, be strong and courageous. As I have been with Moses and Joshua and many others, I will be with you and I will never leave you nor forsake you.” After wallowing in an initial self-pity party, overwhelmed by the suffering, death and burial of her firstborn, Dean found a way out of that dismal darkness. “Jesus came to me,” she would say. “He told me He loved me and He took me by the hand and said, ‘Enough of this grieving! It is time for you to be strong and courageous so you can help others who are struggling with sorrow find the joy I have given you.’” And she spent the rest of her life doing that, I was privileged to witness the many ways the Lord used her

strength and courage to encourage others to trust Jesus, as she had trusted Him, to move beyond grief into a life of joy, fulfillment and service to Christ. In the Bible Moses and Joshua are described as “servants of the Lord.” That’s what Dean was too — a servant of the Lord Jesus. She refused to allow grief to color the rest of her life after David’s death. All because, when He came to her and said, ‘Be strong and courageous,’ she said, “Yes Lord, I will!” These days, often when the sun is setting in the west, I get quiet and I can hear Dean saying to me, “I know sometimes you feel like giving up, my dear; but don’t do it! The Lord wants you to be strong

and courageous, so get out of that recliner and get going! There are hurting people who need to hear your testimony. You can encourage them because the Lord is not done with you! And He will be with you just like He was with me. Use your remaining days to help people trust Jesus to help them move through their sorrow. And when He decides to move you up here with me, I’ll meet you at the gate.” Some afternoon, when you can spare an hour or so, drive up to that cemetery in Wetumpka. Find Dean’s resting place. Sit on that stone bench. Close your eyes and pray awhile. You may hear God saying to you, “Be strong and courageous.” Your reply could change your life.

Mayor Suspends Rules at Opelika Cemeteries for the Holidays CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller has conferred with Public Works Director Mike Hilyer and has issued an order to “suspend” the rules at city of Ope-

lika cemeteries starting on Dec. 1, through Jan. 2, 2022, governing the placement of floral arrangements, wreaths and trinkets on graves, allowing loved ones to place extra holiday wreaths, flower arrangements

(in a separate container) and trinkets on the graves. The city rules require that there can only be one flower arrangement per grave lot, unless the monument provides its own flower receptacle.

Flower receptacles of any kind (glass, wood, plastic, tin, cement) are prohibited and no flowerpots are (normally) allowed to remain on the lawn area beside gravesites. The only exception to this rule is the flowers

placed on gravesites from funerals which have occurred within the past week. Also, two trinkets or whatnots per lot are permitted if placed on the base of the monument. The rules will go

back into effect — and be enforced once again — on Monday, Jan. 3, 2021. Any wreaths or separate floral arrangements or extra trinkets left out at that time will be removed from the gravesites on Jan. 3.

friends. Memorial Service to follow at a later date.

Bearden; sister, Mary Adams. Pat is survived by her children, Benjamin (Anita) Cole Jr., Acton Cole, Melvin (Mel) Cole, Cassandra (Jason) Guthrie; 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren; sister, Velena Steber, former daughter-inlaw, Tammy Cole and her fur babies, Molly and Minni. Visitation was held Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 in the Parlor at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. Funeral service was held in the Chapel at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 at 3 p.m. with Pastor Tommy Wilson officiating. Interment followed at Garden Hills Cemetery.

OBITUARIES JULIA V. HULING A funeral service for Julia V. Huling of Opelika, was held on Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Opelika. The Reverend Tim Thompson is officiated. Visitation was held at the church prior to the funeral service. A private burial will be held at Rosemere Cemetery. Mrs. Huling was born on July 23, 1934 in Montgomery, Alabama, and went to be with the Lord on Nov. 19. She was a music teacher for Opelika City Schools for 27 years and a devoted member of First Methodist Church where she sang in the choir and played the piano. She also taught piano lessons to

many children in the Auburn - Opelika area, who became like her children. She was proceeded in death by her brother Frank C. Varner, Jr., her son Fletcher Huling, and her granddaughter Laura Leigh Tye. She is survived by her husband Bobby Huling, her brothers Charlie and Robert Varner ( Arlene), daughter Libby Tye, sons Rob Huling (Leah) and John Huling (Brigitte) Grandchildren, Davis ( Michelle) Keith (Meredith) Tye, Anne Marie, Andy, Hannah, Sadie Anne, Seth and Rachel Huling, great granddaughter Marjie Tye. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made the

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

334 749 0877 3051 Frederick Road, Suite 7, Opelika -

� Circle of Excellence 2008-2011

MilhonA1r 2010 & 2011 & 2012 --------(between Sam:� Club and Tiger Town)

First United Methodist Church Building Fund. ––––––– CAROL THOMPSON PRICE Carol Thompson Price of Opelika, Alabama, was born to the late Sidney Lee and Martha Virginia Thompson on Aug. 26, 1939. God called her home Nov. 17, 2021. She was 82 years old. Carol had a long career in education. She taught high school English at Stone Mountain, Georgia, Elementary and Kindergarten at Auburn, Alabama; Cherry Creek, Colorado; and Westminster, California. She was a talented artist and loved to travel. Carol

loved attending services at Sardis United Methodist Church and Saint Ellis. She was preceded in death by her husband David K. Price. Carol is survived by her four children, Carolyn (William) Price; Rebecca (Robert) Barrett, Dexter (Melissa) Morris and Edwin O. (Tonya) Price II, special friends Odell Williams (Johnny) and Ella Roberts, her goddaughter Olivia Ambriz and her parents Tiffany and Fred Ambriz, six grandchildren, William David Lee Price, Virginia Barrett Clements, David K. Price, Marilyn Ann Price, Mia Marie Morris, Max Houston Morris and numerous cousins, family and

––––––– PATRICIA NIX BEARDEN Patricia Nix Bearden of Opelika was born in the Lee County Hospital to the late Acton and Mildred Nix on June 5, 1944, and passed away at East Alabama Medical Center on Nov. 16, 2021. She was 77 years old. Pat worked for Opelika City Schools in the cafeteria at Opelika Middle School for 29 years. Pat was a proud Member at Liberty Baptist Church of Opelika. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby Eugene

A15 Nov. 24, 2021

05 OCT 2021

14 NOV 2021

DEC 2021

JAN 2022

PiloboluS: The biG five-oh!

The Simon & G a r f u n k e l S T o ry

million Dollar QuarTeT: ChriSTmaS

The kniGhTS wiTh aaron Diehl

Pilobolus at 50 is still wowing audiences with its irresistible mix of wit, sensuality, and stunning physical acumen, bringing its greatest-hits mix of dances, plus the dynamically reimagined and never-beforeseen, using new projection technology and hand-held cameras operated by the dancers themselves.

The timeless music of folk-rock legends, Simon and Garfunkel, comes alive in a staged tribute to the record-breaking reunion concert in Central Park, September 19, 1981.

Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis are all back in Memphis, reunited in Sam Phillip’s legendary Sun Records studio for a jam session of their favorite Holiday songs.

The Knights, New York City’s eclectic and internationally sought-after orchestral collective, returns to Opelika with an electrifying program including Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue”, featuring acclaimed jazz pianist, Aaron Diehl.

Scan each QR code with the camera app on a smart phone or tablet to watch a preview!

07 FEB 2022

28 FEB 2022

MAR 2022

APR 2022

a TribuTe To areTha franklin: The Queen of Soul

S y n C o PaT e D laDieS

mnoZil braSS

an ameriCan i n Pa r i S

Damien Sneed’s new multimedia production celebrates the life and career of the most successful female recording artist in history, featuring fourtime Grammy Award-winning gospel legend, Karen Clark Sheard

Take Chloe Arnold’s cross section of today’s most popular music, mix in the swing of syncopation, the thrill of improvisation, and the energy of tap, and you have a recipe for the empowerment of young women ready to take on the world.

Mnozil Brass, the Austrian band known as the Monty Python of the music world, seamlessly combines slapstick comedy with extraordinary musical ability for an over-the-top fun, virtuosic, and laugh-out-loud experience.

With gravity-defying dance, this four Tony Award-winning Broadway production, based on the Academy Award-winning film, soars with youthful optimism and the power of love. Featuring the songs of musical geniuses George and Ira Gershwin - I Got Rhythm, Liza, ‘S Wonderful, But Not for Me, and Stairway to Paradise - who could ask for anything more!

for TiCkeT informaTion Call 334-749-8105 or viSiT www.eaSTalabamaarTS.orG

A16 Nov. 24, 2021

COMICS

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

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS OPELIKA: NOV. 30 AT 4:30 P.M. INSIDE • OPELIKA/AUBURN SCHOOLS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • COMMUNITY SPORTS

AUBURN: DEC. 7 AT 6 P.M. LEE COUNTY: DEC. 7 AT 6 P.M.

Trailblazers!

Smiths Station Advance to First Ever Flag Football Championship

ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL

made the playoffs 11 straight years including, 22 out of the last 23 football seasons. The following are semi-final games in class 1A-6A: 1A South — Sweet Water (12-0) at Brantley (12-0) 1A North-Wadley (12-1) at Pickens County 2A South — Highland Homes (8-5) at Clarke County (11-2) 2A North — Mars Hill Bible (10-3) at Cleveland (11-2) 3A-South — Montgomery Academy (10-3) at Montgomery Catholic (13-0) 3A North — Piedmont (11-2) at Saks (12-1) 4A South — Jackson (11-2) at Vigor (12-1) 4A-North — Oneonta (12-1) at Madison Academy (12-1) 5A South — Andalusia (9-4) at Pike Road (12-0) 5A-North — Fairview (12-1) at Pleasent Grove (12-1) 6A South — Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (11-2) at Hueytown ( 12-1) 6A North — ClayChalkville (13-0) at Mountain Brook (12-1) See SPORTS, page B2

their win with a touchdown pass and extra point from junior quarterback Brynn Repicky. After the game, Larsen spoke on how Repicky

See TRAILBLAZERS, page B2

Area Football Roundup Red Devils Last Team Standing

PHOTO BY JERRY BALLAS / FOR THE OBSERVER

ueytown (12-1) ended Opelika’s (9-4) football season with a 46-10 blow-out in Birmingham last Friday. The Golden Golphers were prepared for OHS, holding the Bulldog’s offense to 184 total yards while rushing for 289 yards and passing for 246 yards for a total of 535 yards offense themselves. Hueytown jumped out to an early 6-0 lead thanks to a long touchdown run and failed two-point conversion. Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Opelika's Jamori Thomas took a squib kick all the way to the end zone for the Bulldog's only touchdown of the game. Opelika quarterback Roman Gagliano (Soph) finished the game 10-for-16 for 95 yards and Charles Gagliano made a 32-yard field goal. Hueytown advances to play Hillcrest (Tuscaloosa) Friday in the semi-finals of the 6A AHSAA playoffs. Opelika season ends with a 9-4 record, Region Champions and winning two playoff games. The Dogs have

The Smiths Station girls’ f lag football team secured its spot in the inaugural AHSAA Flag Football State Championship game with a 14-7 road victory over Carroll High School last Tuesday night. “[It] was a really hard-fought battle,” said head coach Megan Larsen. “When that clock hit double zero, it just kind of reassured all the hard work that we had put in this year. I knew these girls deserved it; I know they worked their butts off. For them in that

moment — to see their reactions, how excited they were — it’s a moment I won’t ever forget for as long as I live.” The Panthers capped off

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

HUEYTOWN STOPS OPELIKA IN QUARTERFINALS

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The twilight of high school football season in Alabama is here and last Friday’s games resulted in the end the journey for a few area teams. The Lanett Panthers fell to the Highland Home Flying Squadron, Opelika was eliminated by Hueytown and the Central Phenix City Red Devils ousted the The Central Phenix City Red Devils celebrate their 28-17 victory over Auburn High Auburn High Tigers. on Friday in the AHSAA Class 7A quarterfinals. The Red Devils now advance to the Auburn bowed out in AHSAA Class 7A Warriors. end in the quarterfistate championship Lanett and Opelika’s nals of the 2A and 6A playoffs, respectively; to face the Thompson seasons came to an See AREA, page B5

Excellence. Innovation. Compassion. East Alabama's "Go-To" Center For Orthopaedic Care Auburn 1800 Lakeside Circle, Auburn Opelika 18 Medical Arts Center 121 North 20th Street, Opelika

www.theorthoclinic.com

334-749-8303 1-800-327-6519

B2 Nov.24, 2021

Auburn High School

JUNIOR QUARTERBACK CLYDE PITTMAN 17-for-23 passing, 149 yards & 1 TD

SPORTS >>

behind Haley Sanders’s 20 points and Ashanti Thomas’s added 18-points. OHS then blew-out Smiths Station 65-23 on the road. Sanders scored 21 points; Erica Mathews scored 20 points and Naomi Whack added 10 points. Opelika’s boys’ team lost at Smiths Station 70-67. Offensively, Isiah Knight scored a game high 19 points; Farrtavious Hardnett scored 17 points, Jaxon Freeman scored 13 points and Landon Lee added 12 points. The ‘Dogs played

Shaw prior to Thursday, but results were not available at press-time. Both teams play Hewitt-Trussville in the Mainstreet gym, Friday Dec. 3. (Tipoff for Girls is at 5:30 p.m.; Boys 7 p.m.). I hope each of you have a Happy Thanksgiving! D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of "On the Mark" Fox Sports the Game 9101310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

at least tell you TRAILBLAZERS >> would that they have the buy-

from them, [I don’t know] ton,” Larsen said of the Panthers’ opponent. “I tell you this though, I’d pick my panthers over anybody else. I like my team; I like what we got going. I like our heart and our grit and our class. Whatever any team brings us, we are going to rise to the occasion.” No matter the result, Larsen is proud of what her team has accomplished this season and looks forward to competing for many more championships in the years to come, she said. “This is a stepping stone; this is a building process,” Larsen said. “This is year one. I’m in the business of building a program — not just something is successful this year, but something that is successful for the next 10 years. To cap this off with a victory it would be something that I would never forget. I’m young in my teaching and coaching career and so all of these first are just incredibly special and fun to be a part of for sure.”

FROM B1 Class 7A finals — Wednesday Dec. 1, Central — Phenix City (13-0) vs. Thompson (12-1) (7 p.m. at Protective Stadium) Girl’s Flag Football Championship game — Hewitt-Trussville vs. Smiths Station (3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Protective Stadium) BASKETBALL The OHS Lady Bulldog basketball team (2-1) beat Columbus (Ga) and Smiths Station last week. The girls beat Columbus 54-44

FROM B1

of the

Week Congratulations from

Lee Co. Revenue Commissioner Oline Price Opelika 215 S. 9th St. Opelika 334-737-3655

Smiths Station 2366 LR 430 Ste. 140 Smiths Station 334-664-0296

Auburn 1266 Mall Pkwy Auburn 334-737-7298

PLAYER OF THE WEEK The City of Opelika is proud to sponsor the Opelika High School Player of the Week. We applaud you for your HARD WORK and DEDICATION on and off the football field.

SENIOR RB/WR JAMORI THOMAS Registered Opelika's lone TD with an 84-yard kickoff return in the 1st quarter

IT’S THE OPELIKA WAY.

GO DAWGS! #myOpelika • #beOpelika www.opelika-al.gov 2018 observer

was banged up early in the game, and how gutsy her play was on the night. “I can’t say enough about my quarterback,” Larsen said. “She got banged up quick, and she honestly probably should have been out for the game with just how banged up she was. But she stayed in there and fought hard.” Another key cog in the Panthers’ victory was the dominant, four-interception performance from the secondary. Larsen said the defense’s performance has helped to set her team apart all season, and Tuesday night was no different. “Our secondary … we knew the way they played and prepared our girls well and put them in the right spots,” she said. “But you can only prepare so much and then they have to show out and do their deal and they did last night.” If you asked Larsen in the summer if she expected this team to make it this far, she

in capable of accomplishing such a feat. “There has been a lot of hurdles along the way,” Larsen said. “But at the same time, when my girls started in the summer doing workouts and stuff, I told them that we weren’t doing this for “funsies” and if they wanted to be a part of this that we were going to go all the way. So I think they bought in this summer and that’s kind of what helped get us to this point.” Now, the Panthers turn their attention to Dec. 1, where a matchup against the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies — who defeated Oxford high school 25-0 in the semis — awaits. The game is being played in Birmingham’s Protective Stadium and winner gets to claim themselves the first-ever AHSAA f lag football champion. Larsen and company are confident they can get the job done. “Other than the film that we have watched

B3 Nov. 24, 2021

Smiths Station Girls Basketball Learning as They Go PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM The Smiths Station varsity girls’ basketball team is off to a 1-2 start and first-year head coach Kalvin Phillips is still working to implement his brand of basketball on the group. “Things have been a roller coaster,” Phillips said of the start of the season. “It’s really seeing what you have and looking at what needs to be done, and the thing we need the most is the thing we don’t have a lot of — time. We had time to work on the fundamentals then work on a strategy and plan, but the season is here now so we have to make the best of the time we have and work with what we got.” In the infancy of their 2021-22 season, a number of untimely injuries have contributed to the Panthers’ slow start and impacted the youthful team’s progress in learning its coach’s system. “After the first game, we dealt with a couple of injuries, so that has slowed us down,” Phillips said. “[We] lost our starting point guard. Once you lose guards and starters and key reserves, that kind of changes your game plan.

I can’t be as aggressive on defense because I’m missing those key people. Once the players in there have been on the court a while, they get tired and I can’t risk injuring them as well.” Despite some of the early obstacles, Phillips said he has still seen plenty of positives from his team in its first three games. “Some of the good things we have done is upping our level of aggression,” he said. “Picking up the pace. Make our name defensively. Make sure we are guarding each person on rotation.” With time, and the return of his squad’s full

depth, Phillips said he looks forward to improving on some key areas of the game that have hurt the Panthers thus far in 2021. “A couple things we need to work on, you know offensively, just getting out on the break, making the best of our opportunities to score, just getting that experience and maturity in the game,” he said. “These aren’t the little girls of junior high anymore. The varsity game is very fast paces; the players are very mature.” For the Panthers to get to where they want to be, Phillips singled out a few team leaders he thinks can help them

do so. “Cassidy Pittman (point guard/shooting guard), she has been a leader,” Phillips said. “My sophomore Khamyri Jordan (point guard), she has been a big help and has been instrumental in helping prepare and helping coach along the younger girls. Jatayah Bryant (shooting guard) has been a great help defensively and offensively. Freshman Malaya Crowell, she’s young but she’s ready to play. She’s learning the game as she’s picking up the game. She’s just biding her time but she knows she is going to be a part of the future of this

Panthers Pushing for Strong Start to Season

Warriors Approach 2021 With Winning Mentality PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

seven-A.” A self-described up-tempo squad, the leader of the Panthers looks forward to seeing the hustle his team brings to the court. “We’re a high-tempo, press team,” Davis said. “We try to play fast mostly, probably the entire game.” To further bolster his team’s brand of basketball, Davis expects his team to give maximum effort on a nightly basis. “I’m always going to expect them to play

hard,” Davis said. “I’m always going to expect them to leave their hearts out on the court and if they do that, I’m not really concerned about wins and losses.” According to Davis, as long as his guys give their all, the results are inevitable. “If they play to the best of their potential the wins will come with it,” Davis said. “As a coach, all that I can ask is that they play as hard as they can play See PANTHERS, page B6

HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER The 2021-22 season is off to an emphatic start for the Lee-Scott Academy girls basketball program and head coach Corye Ivatt. The Warriors opened their year with back-toback blowout victories over Wiregrass and Hooper Academy and now turn their attention to building upon what Ivatt believes to be a special group of talent. Ivatt said that, regardless of talent, LeeScott’s journey to a successful year begins with the development of a common mindset. “I have been telling the girls that if they want to win

championships, we have to have a championship mentality,” Ivatt said. “We can’t just have that mentality when we want to or when it’s convenient. We have to have a championship mentality all the time and in everything that we do.” While the coach wants her group to buy into her philosophy, she also chooses to provide them with the opportunity to develop their own identity. This year’s group has chosen to label themselves as a team who will not waver in the face of adversity. “I ask the girls to give me words or phrases that they want to See WARRIORS, page B6

PHOTO BY HARRISON TARR / FOR THE OBSERVER

In Smiths Station, Alabama, there is a true feeling of fall in the air. The leaves have actually begun to detach themselves from their respective trees, temperatures actually necessitate warm clothing and — most of all — football season has reached its conclusion. For the members of Panther nation, this is both saddening and exciting. The silver and black

will not compete on the gridiron for the remainder of 2021, giving way to the building hype surrounding head coach Stephen Davis’ boys basketball program. Following the team’s 2-0 start, Davis had the opportunity to share his optimism for his program’s 202-22 season and beyond. “Sky is the limit for us,” Davis said. “If we do what we’re supposed to do, I think we could be one of the best teams in

program.” Before coming to Smiths this summer, Phillips had all of his experience coaching boys’ basketball — something he said has forced him to continuously evaluate his coaching strategy with this team. “I’m used to coaching 16-to-17-year-old boys on a varsity level,” he said. “But now, because of the youth we have, these are 14-15-16-yearold girls and they are put into the position where they have to play at a varsity level. Everyone doesn’t respond to that kind of approach. It taught me to reevaluate my approach, and to find something more

conducive to the personnel that we have.” The youth on this Panther team — which only boast one senior and two juniors — has only added to this unique challenge for Phillips, he said. “With their youth, I had to learn that I personally cannot come at them with such an aggressive approach,” Phillips said. “I think they are learning about me, I am learning about them. Over time we are going to grow into this program together.” Still early in the season, one of the things Phillips has enjoyed the most is getting to personally know his group. “It’s been a joy just to get to know them individually,” Phillips said. “They are all little balls of energy.” With the Panthers back in action this week, Phillips main goal is to just continue to improve, he said. “Even in a loss we want to take that as an opportunity to get better, to mature and get that experience,” Phillips said. “One day this team full of sophomores and freshman will be a team of juniors and seniors. We are still going to play our upbeat game. We just have to pick our moments.”

B4 Nov.24, 2021

Runnin' With the Red Devils

For more information about the game between Central and Auburn High, see Area Football Roundup on page B1.

PHOTOS BY JERRY BALLAS / FOR THE OBSERVER

Central Advances to State Championship

B5 Nov. 24, 2021

Offense Falls Stagnant in Tigers' Loss to Gamecocks When the Auburn football program traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, to take on the Gamecocks of USC on Saturday night, first-year head coach Bryan Harsin and company were in desperate search of a victory to build upon going into the Iron Bowl and bowl season in general. Despite jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter of play, the Tigers found themselves on the losing end of a 21-17 battle, sending the orange and blue to the loss column for the fifth time this season. Backup quarterback TJ Finley posted a lack-luster stat line in his debut as starter following the injury to junior Bo Nix, sophomore kicker Ben Patton missed a chip-shot field goal to bring the Tigers within one and the Auburn offense fell silent in the second half yet again. Auburn needed a flame of hope; sophomore running back Tank Bigsby stepped into that role. Throughout the course of the 2021 season, the Tigers have struggled developing — and committing to — their rushing attack; the lack of a run game was created, in large, by sophomore Bigsby’s inability to

PHOTOS BY TODD VAN EMST / AU ATHLETICS

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

Finley throws under pressure in the Auburn versus South Carolina game on Saturday.

return to the freshman form of himself that fans of the orange and blue had grown accustomed to seeing. Bigsby was determined Saturday night to change the narrative surrounding his 2021 campaign, posting 164 yards on 22 touches, finding paydirt once on the ground and recording a performance which was reminiscent to that of his freshman year. Harsin was impressed by the play of his standout back as well as the work provided by the Auburn offensive front. “(Bigsby) had a great night,” Harsin said in his post-game press conference. “He ran hard. Thought he did some great things. Thought the o-line did some great things.” Senior wideout — and Auburn’s leader in

receiving yards against the Gamecocks — Shedrick Jackson added that he is continually impressed with the production of Bigsby. “Tank always plays hard,” Jackson said. “I believe in him. He’s always going to give his all and run hard. He’s a good player and makes big plays.” Although Bigsby was seemingly Auburn’s go-to guy when it came to attacking the garnet and black’s defense, his absence in late-game scenarios was puzzling to many and drew a plethora of questions of the Tiger’s new head coach, most notably about a fourthand-one attempt which proved to be a designed play action and eventually failed. Harsin did not regret the play call or his

Bigsby celebrates his touchdown in Auburn's game at South Carolina on Saturday.

personnel package. “That was part of being in that situation,” Harsin said. “Maybe not in particular that yard line right there, but that play, trying to take a shot on fourth down. You know, you were on the road and you want to give yourself a chance, hopefully hitting a big play, and we felt like we needed to hit some explosive plays in this game.” In continuity to its inconsistencies thus far in 2021, Auburn was able to establish an identity on defense, holding the Gamecocks to just 21 total points; the trouble for the Tigers lied within

the reality that Bigsby was — essentially — the only offense they had. “I’m always surprised to see 17 points with what we’re trying to get done on offense,” Harsin said. “So, rushing, throwing and all that, 17 points just doesn’t cut it. You’ve got to score points. Hopefully put your team in a position where you make it challenging for the other offense. Regardless about rushing or throwing, 17 points is not what we’re trying to get done.” Auburn will need to find an offensive rhythm in a hurry as it looks ahead to its final regular season contest with

No. 2 Alabama in the 2021 installment of the Iron Bowl, an opponent that Jackson knows can redefine the Tigers’ entire season. “Obviously everybody knows this is a big game,” Jackson said. “One of the best rivalries in college football. So like I told them, we beat bama, it’ll be a whole different story. Kind of turn things around, give a different perspective.” The Tigers will play host to the Tide at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 2:30 p.m. CST. Coverage is available on CBS and the CBS Sports app.

Evaluating Auburn’s Chances Against Alabama The 2021-22 Auburn Tigers’ season has gone from good to bad to ugly in a matter of weeks. A 6-5 record, coming off a loss to a South Carolina team which was led by an FCS quarterback, the orange and blue on The Plains have only one thing left to play for — spoiling the season of

bitter rival Alabama. The Tide and the Tigers meet up this weekend on two completely different waves. Alabama has ripped off five straight wins (albeit some were closer than predicted) since losing to Texas A&M on Oct. 9, while Auburn has lost three straight. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is making up for all of the Tide’s defensive deficiencies, inching

AREA >> FROM B1 the semifinals round of head coach Keith Etheredge’s first year at the helm of the Tigers. Here is how things shook out in the third round of the playoff last weekend. CENTRAL VS. AUBURN In what was perhaps the most highly anticipated matchup of the Alabama high school football playoffs, the Central Phenix City Red Devils orchestrated a second-half comeback to defeat the Auburn High Tigers 28-17 at Garrett-Harrison Stadium on Friday. Central quarterback Caleb Nix scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half and defender Tomarrion Parker returned an Auburn fumble for a score to seal the game for the Red Devils. The two teams were locked in a defensive battle early, with both teams scoring on their second drives before

PHOTOS BY TODD VAN EMST / AU ATHLETICS

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The Auburn Tigers gather at midfield after Tiger Walk before the game against South Carolina last weekend.

falling into a field position battle until later in the first half. With the score at 7-3 in favor of the Red Devils, the Tigers capitalized on dropped passes and missed opportunities by the Central offense to take a 10-7 lead off of a 10-yard catch by tight end Cam Etheredge with 6:28 remaining in the second quarter. The Tigers extended their first half lead to 17-7 with another Etheredge touchdown, this time a 3-yard rush just before the halftime break. The second half story was much different, however, as the Tigers’ offense slowed and the Red Devils capitalized on some timely scrambles from Nix. The junior’s first half struggles (started the game 1-for-7 passing) turned into second half success as Nix completed 8-of-20 passes in the third and fourth quarters to finish with a stat line of 130 yards passing and one touchdown through the air.

Nix added a 3-yard rushing touchdown with 5:02 remaining in the third quarter to make the score 17-14, and found pay dirt on a 54-yard run with 7:10 in the fourth quarter to take a 21-17 lead. A shutout second half effort by the Central defense was capped off with the game’s final score, a scoopn-score fumble recovery with 6:49 remaining in the final quarter. Junior Auburn quarterback Clyde Pittman finished his 2021 season with a 17-for-23, 149-yard, one touchdown and one interception performance. Junior Central receiver Marquevious Terry caught the first touchdown of the game. Auburn finished the season (10-3) in Etheredge’s first season and fall one game short of where it finished in 2020, the Class 7A state championship. The Red Devils (13-0) will play Thompson (12-1) in the AHSAA Class 7A State Championship on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Protective Stadium

in Birmingham. LANETT VS. HIGHLAND HOME The Lanett Panthers (10-3) lost 15-14 to the Highland Home Flying Squadron (85) in the AHSAA Class 2A quarterfinal round of the playoffs. Following a scoreless first quarters, Highland Home struck first in the second quarter to take a 7-0 lead. The Lanett defense answered in a big way with a scoopn-score fumble recovery for touchdown with three minutes remaining in the half. The Panthers failed the two-point conversion after the score and the Flying Squadron entered the locker room with a 7-6 lead at the break. Much like the first half, the second half of the contest was dominated by defense. Lanett broke through with five minutes remaining in the third quarter via a touchdown pass. This time, the Panthers converted their two-point conversion to reestablish their lead at 14-7. Highland Home

closer to the Heisman trophy with back-toback five touchdown performances. The fate of Auburn’s season is more precipitously placed; backup quarterback T.J. Finley has been forced into action with Bo Nix sidelined for the year with an ankle injury. In terms of offensive numbers, Auburn only outranks Alabama in rushing yards per game See ALABAMA, page B6

responded with nine minutes remaining in the game with a rushing touchdown. Instead of playing it safe and attempting to make a PAT to tie the game, the Flying Squadron attempted and converted a two-point conversion which proved to be the game’s final points. From there, the Highland Home defense did what was necessary for the Flying Squadron to advance to the Class 2A semifinals with a narrow win over the Panthers. In head coach Clifford Story’s 12th season in charge, Lanett’s 2021 season ends in the same spot it did in 2020, the state quarterfinals. Highland Home advanced to face Clarke County (11-2) in the next round, needing just one more victory to clinch a berth in the state championship game. OPELIKA VS. HUEYTOWN For more on the Bulldogs’ game versus the Flying Squadron, read D. Mark Mitchell’s recap on B1.

B6 Nov.24, 2021

Auburn Alumna Appointed to Supreme Court Clerkship CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY / BY DELANY BARO Former Miss Auburn Caroline Stephens Milner has earned yet another crowning achievement — recently being appointed to a clerkship on the nation’s highest court. Milner, of Huntsville, Alabama, recently accepted a clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court, a position that will start in 2023. Currently, she works as a litigation associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Washington, D.C., and prior to that served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Pryor on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. “I am most excited about having the opportunity to learn from Justice Thomas and to play a small role in helping him do his job,” Milner said. “Justice Thomas’ opinions have had a profound impact in our time and will continue to influence

PANTHERS >> FROM B3 and be the best version of themselves that they can be.” The Panthers embark on their new season following a 19-4 campaign in the 2020-21 season and will look to returning members of last year’s squad to build upon their roles from last year. “This year, we return a good bit of that team,” Davis said. “Now we lost two key players, one being the point guard and one being a forward. But — like I said — we got a lot of pieces back from that team.” In addition to his returner’s play on the court, Davis expects to rely heavily upon veteran leadership in the development of his new members. “This year we’re just focusing on getting that leadership from

ALABAMA >> FROM B5 (The Tigers rank No. 6 in the SEC with 177 per game and the Tide rank No. 8 with roughly 157 per game.). Everything else, on paper, favors Alabama. Defensively, the Tide have more sacks, interceptions (Auburn ranks second to last in the SEC) and fumble recoveries than the Tigers. Special teams are also clearly in the favor of Alabama with Auburn kicker Anders Carlson out for the year and the Tigers’ persistent punt and kick return issues this season. In summary, things

generations to come. I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to work for Justice Thomas.” Milner, who graduated from Auburn in 2015 with degrees in political science and psychology and a minor in human sciences, earned her law degree from the University of Alabama. Most recently, she worked as a law clerk for Judge Neomi Rao on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. During her time on the Plains, Milner was a member of the Honors College, which she credits with providing her invaluable learning opportunities. Tiffany A. Sippial, director of the Honors College, said Milner always was a standout leader. “The Honors College remains so proud of Caroline’s outstanding accomplishments,” Sippial said. “It is no surprise that she has gone on to reach such momentous heights in her career. Milner continues to exemplify the spirit those guys that have been here,” Davis said. “And those guys are meeting expectations of what we’ve done and improving our expectations from last year.” Luckily for the Panther’s head coach, he has seven guys with whom he is confident in allowing to play their own game and lead by example. “Dre Weathers, TreQuan Turner, Zackoby Williams, Amari Peady, Trequan Turner and Devin Peterman,” Davis said. “I’ve got seven kids that I have no problem playing and putting the trust in the game in them.” Although the product he puts on the court is of utmost importance, Davis is also excited — and optimistic — about the establishment of a true basketball culture in Smiths Station. He has been pleased by the

are stacked heavily against the Tigers on Saturday. But there have been battles won with worse odds. Especially in the Iron Bowl. In 1949, the Tigers came into the contest (not even dubbed the Iron Bowl yet) 1-4-3, the Tide were 5-31. Auburn defeated Alabama 14-13 in one of the biggest upsets in in state history. In 1972, Auburn was facing 10-0, No. 2-ranked Alabama. The Crimson Tide led 16-0 in the fourth, and despite gaining just 80 total yards from scrimmage, the Tigers won the infamous “Punt Bama Punt” game with two

of excellence that distinguishes our graduates.” Auburn has always been a special place for Milner, as 18 members of her family have attended the university. Between her mother, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, Milner is surrounded by the Auburn Family even when she is away from the Plains. “I knew Auburn was home and where I needed to be,” Milner said. “It was the best decision. Auburn gave me so many opportunities to grow as a student and as a person. Even though many of my family members went there, I learned that everyone has the chance to make his or her own path at Auburn.” Milner was elected Miss Auburn in 2014. Her campaign, “Spark a Change with Stephens,” aimed to emphasize random acts of kindness and encourage others to abide by her chosen line of the Auburn Creed, which was “doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly.” Milner’s Auburn years community support in the Panthers’ first two contests thus far. “Smiths Station isn’t really known for basketball,” Davis said. “Even though we’re trying to build a basketball culture around here. We’ve played two home games and we’ve had very large crowds. We’ve had people come out and support us; I think they really appreciate our brand of basketball.” After starting the season a perfect 2-0 with wins over Opelika and Loachapoka, the black and silver seek to improve upon what has proven to be a solid foundation before reaching region play. Smiths Station opens region competition on Friday, Jan. 7 in a home contest with the Red Devils of Central high school. Tipoff between the two foes is set for 4 p.m. CST.

blocked punts by Bill Newton — both returned for touchdown. Jason Campbell led the 10.5-point underdog Tigers to a 17-7 win in 2002. And who can forget the Kick Six? Can Auburn manage Saturday to replicate the past magic that has occurred inside of Jordan-Hare? Regardless of the answer, the Tigers need to at least post a solid performance to boost morale going into bowl season and the offseason from there. As of now, serious questions loom about the quality and caliber of the Tigers’ coordinators — both offense and defense. Offensive

opinions, sparking her interest in his jurisprudence. Milner served as president of her sorority and was also a War Eagle Girl for Auburn. During her time as a member of the War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen, or WEGP, she acted as vice president of Alumni Relations. Milner also was elected as the Student Government Association’s senator-at-large for two terms. Additionally, she was a student recruiter, showing her love for Auburn by engaging with prospective students. As she now reflects on her time at Auburn and looks forward to her next lofty opportunity, Milner said she knows she’ll always have the Auburn Family to rely on and encourage her along the way. “The impact that Auburn connections have had on my life cannot be overstated,” Milner said. “The friends I made at Auburn have been there with me through the best and worst of times. There are many things I

am grateful for about my time at Auburn, but the friendships I made top the list.” Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.

FROM B3 identify our team with,” Ivatt said. “The most common wording this season has been resilient and to never quit. So, our goal is to be resilient all the time; whether in practice, film study or games. We are going to make sure we leave it all out there and give our best effort.” According to the Warrior’s head coach, adhering to the principles of resiliency will likely prove beneficial to the squad as it prepares to embark on one of the most challenging roads of region competition in recent memory. “This season will shape up to be one of those most competitive girls basketball seasons in our league in a while,” Ivatt said. “Obviously, we want to keep getting better every single day. I’m a firm believer that you either get better or you get worse; you can’t stay the same. So, as long

as we keep getting better every single day, I think we have a great opportunity to have an exciting season.” The challenge presented by the talent around the league combined with Ivatt’s ability to retain her entire team from 2020 has influenced the team’s strategy in terms of development and season preparation. “Our preparation this year has been a lot different since I didn’t graduate any seniors last year,” Ivatt said. “No matter what, you always have to start at the beginning when the season starts no matter how much work you’ve done in the offseason or preseason. Everybody has to get used to each other and learn how to play together. We are slowly, but surely, getting there.” After not graduating any of her athletes in 2020, Ivatt looks to her trio of seniors for leadership as the Warriors carry on in 2021. “I have three seniors,

but one is out with an injury,” Ivatt said. “Sterling Tucker and Emma Frances Zellner have potential to have unbelievable seasons. They have both worked very hard in the offseason to improve their individual game so I can’t wait to watch that unfold throughout the season.” From an off-the-court perspective, Ivatt hopes to see a strong showing from the surrounding community to help her squad achieve greatness. “We always love having, and we need, all the support that we can get,” Ivatt said. “We love our student section to be full and loud; we love our parents section to be loud and supportive. We always want people to be excited about coming to watch Lee-Scott basketball play.” The Warriors look to continue on their hot streak when they play host to Edgewood Academy on Monday, Nov. 29. Tipoff between the squads is set for 4 p.m. CST.

coordinator Mike Bobo must be in a love-hate relationship with easy offense, because he’s shown tendencies all season to go away from the run game after Tank Bigsby gets going. Just last week, Bigsby went for a season-high 164 yards; however, the sophomore only had three carries in the fourth quarter as the Tigers inexplicably entrusted the end of the game to the inexperienced Finley. Defensively, coordinator Derek Mason’s group has regressed severely as the SEC schedule has progressed. What looked like a quality

bend-don’t-break unit has turned into a discombobulated, tackle-averse circus. All of that said, blame still has to fall on head coach Bryan Harsin. Yes, he’s playing with guys who are not his recruits. Yes, it takes time to implement a new system. Harsin’s resume and the unfortunate injuries are two big factors that can keep him in the graces of the Auburn faithful for now. But for a team built on discipline — something Harsin has preached since day one on The Plains — the Tigers have looked anything but buttoned-up as they have blown leads and

collapsed in the second half of their recent games. A dud performance against the Crimson Tide, however, could plummet Harsin’s first-season approval rating. Toe meets rubber for the Tigers (6-4) and Tide (10-1) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The Tigers may not be rolling, but JordanHare will be rocking. Look, for Harsin and company to try and establish the run, dominate time of possession and pray the ball bounces their way. A little bit of that JordanHare magic may be Auburn’s best hope.

Caroline Stephens Milner recently accepted a clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court, a position that will start in 2023. proved instrumental in shaping her path and leading her to where she is today. In her classes, Milner’s professors taught her how to think for herself, encouraging her to be intellectually curious and never stop learning. One of her favorite courses — Steve Brown’s constitutional law class —pushed Milner to analyze both sides of arguments and coincidentally first exposed her to Thomas’

WARRIORS >>

B7 Nov. 24, 2021

Young Hands, Helping Hands

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

“O

ver The River and Through The Woods” by Lydia Maria Child is one of our favorite traditional songs that we love to sing on Thanksgiving. I love the stanza that says, “Over the river and through the woods, now Grandma’s cap I spy. Hurrah for fun, the pudding’s done. Hurrah for the pumpkin pie.” Why not include young hands in making the pudding and pumpkin pie? Over the years of Thanksgiving feasts in my early childhood classroom, the very best feasts the children and I have enjoyed are when they are able to take part in preparing the meal.

This involves being safety conscious and providing oversight to young children. I would like to share some simple suggestions for including young children in Thanksgiving meal preparation. Cooking with your children is a rewarding experience that they will remember. Too, small tasks can be spread out in preparing for your family Thanksgiving feast on Thanksgiving Eve as well as Thanksgiving Day. Include your young children in meal planning. Present the general meal plan and let them make suggestions of foods they would like to add. With other family

members, they can share ideas. Too, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for young children to try different foods. As we know, green beans and green bean casserole is truly a Thanksgiving tradition. Let those young hands snap the ends of green beans as well as just snapping green beans in halves. As a teacher, I tried to incorporate a math lesson with green bean snapping by counting the green beans needed. Young children normally compete with each other to see who can snap their bowl or pile of beans the fastest. Hey, this can be a fun activity between parents and children to see who can snap many beans the fastest. Children love to use a peeler to peel potatoes and other vegetables or fruits. This is done with older children after they have been taught what to do and too, adults have to closely supervise this meal task. This also applies if children are using a grater to grate cheese or other holiday foods. Potatoes are a staple at many Thanksgiving feasts. After potatoes are boiled, cooled and soft, young children can use a hand masher or big spoon to mash the potatoes. Sweet potato casserole

is a yum, yum favorite at Thanksgiving feasts. Let young children count out the marshmallows to place on top of the casserole. They can enjoy a snack of marshmallows as they embark on this meal prep. If vegetable or fruit salads are a part of your Thanksgiving menu, young children can break up rinsed lettuce in small pieces, drop other vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, etc. into the salad mix. With fruit salads, young hands can mix apple chunks, banana slices, pineapple, peaches, etc. Many congealed salads call for mashing fruits and cream cheese together. With clean hands, children can enjoy mashing fruits to be poured into a congealed mix. Children feel connected with the foods when they can be a part of the preparation process. Watching the congealed salad gel with different fruits is a wonderful delicious science lesson. With so many dessert preps of pudding, pies, cakes, cookies and candy for Holiday meals young children can easily be included in the measuring and mixing of ingredients needed for meal desserts. They will be fascinated by the creation that their stirring and mixing have done when a delicious pie or cake is

eased out of the oven for the Thanksgiving table. In preparing the turkey, this is more of an observation lesson for very young children as they watch how you prepare this traditional Thanksgiving meat. They can watch you prepare the turkey for baking. They can watch you set the baking temperature and timer. Cornbread stuffing or dressing is something they can engage in by breaking up the bread needed to mix in with the spices. Another easy task for young hands is for your younger children to butter the meal rolls. Keeping a stick or tablespoon of butter out to warm up to room temperature makes it easy for your young child to spread on rolls or bread. You can add a little bit of honey, sugar or cinnamon to the soft butter to make a delicious spread. Some families may want to make their own butter with a mason jar and heavy whipping cream where the children get to shake the jar of whipping cream till it thickens to butter. This has always been a classroom favorite. You can add little bit of your family’s favorite seasoning to add extra flavor to the butter concoction. Young children love to set the table for family

Thanksgiving meals. Adults will need to gently guide on how the table is to be set. Simple paper placemats can be drawn by each child as the Thanksgiving meal is cooking. This will give the children an activity to do as well as feel a part of the Thanksgiving meal prep. Families on this Thanksgiving Feast gently remind your children of the fruits of the spirit from Galatians 5:22, 23 — But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. With life’s recipes pour in a gallon of love, sprinkle in a dash of joy, weigh out a pound of peace, throw in a pinch of patience, pour in a cup of kindness, measure out a tablespoon of goodness, pour in a quart of faithfulness, pour in a pint of gentleness and serve up a bowl of self-control as part of your Thanksgiving family feast with young children. Reflect back on “Gratitude Altars” this past year with your children and family and truly thank God for all He has done on this Thanksgiving Day. Happy Thanksgiving from Classroom Observer! Beth Pinyerd

Alabama School of Fine Arts Accepting Applications CONTRIBUTED BY ASFA Alabama School of Fine Arts, the state of Alabama’s public college preparatory and arts conservatory-style school, has just opened applications for students in grades 6th-10th for the 2022-23 school year. Students from across the state are encouraged to apply. The school offers an advanced Alabama high school diploma with deep-dive instruction by professional faculty. Students qualify via application and audition to enroll in one of six intensive specialty programs: creative writing, dance, mathematics and science, music, theatre and visual arts. Boarding is provided on campus for students living outside the Birmingham metropolitan area. The Alabama School of Fine Arts — known commonly as ASFA — was created by the legislature in 1971 to provide tuition-free instruction for talented and gifted students from throughout the state. The graduates of the senior class of 2021 of the Alabama School of Fine Arts earned approximately $11.9 million in

scholarships and awards. Ninety-seven percent of ASFA seniors were awarded merit scholarships compared to the national average of 15%. ASFA students are set up for success after graduation with our full-time college counselor who is devoted to helping students and families evaluate schools, understand how to identify the colleges that suit them best and pursue the ones that align with their longterm goals. ASFA students have earned a host of national and state distinctions in arts and

academic competitions, in testing, and in acceptances and scholarships from leading conservatories, colleges, universities and performing companies. Graduates have achieved success in a wide range of professions throughout Alabama, the United States, and abroad. Alumni include writer Suzanne Collins (author of the Hunger Games), actor Laverne Cox (Emmy-nominated actress and advocate), actress Ajiona Alexus (Black Mafia Family, Empire, 13 Reasons Why). Faculty

include dancer Wes Chapman (Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, former Alabama Ballet director, ASFA Alum), poet Ashley M. Jones (Alabama’s Poet Laureate, author of five books, ASFA alum), musician and conductor Alex Fokkens (Artistic Director and CEO of the Free State Symphony Orchestra) and many others. Students have an extended school day with morning academic classes and three hours of specialized instruction in the afternoon. A

wide range of in-depth courses is available. Students’ specialty work and performances are on a college and pre-professional level. ASFA’s culture is equal parts challenging and nurturing. ASFA is a hub for talented people of diverse backgrounds to come together to create, to practice, to perform, to invent and to push themselves further than they ever imagined they could go on their own. ASFA can house up to 375 students in a complex that consists of studios, classrooms,

labs, practice rooms, performance spaces, a library, a cafeteria and dormitory space for up to 80 individuals. The school attracts a diverse student body that reflects Alabama’s demographic makeup. The school recruits and retains students based on preparation, motivation and focus within a chosen specialty. Applications for enrollment are being accepted until Jan. 28, 2022. For more information visit: www.asfaschool.org/ admission.

ANGEL'S ANTIQUE

& Flea Mall

Find Great Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations at Angel's Open Thanksgiving Eve from 10 to 2 CST and Friday from 10 to 6. Closed on Thanksgiving Day

334-745-3221 • www.angelsmall.info 900 Columbus Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801

Nov.24, 2021

Nov. 24, 2021

2021 • WWW.OPELIKACHRISTMAS.COM • #MYOPELIKACHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS November 26 - January 3 Please come visit, take photos and tag us.#MyOpelikaChristmas SNO*PELIKA Christmas Festival & Tree Lighting November 30 • 4:30 - 7 p.m. Courthouse Square opelikachamber.com CHRISTMAS IN CAMELOT December • 4:30 - 10 p.m. Off of Rocky Brook Road DRIVE-THRU NATIVITY STORY Month of December National Village - Spa Loop & Yards Lane Presented by National Village Joint Venture OPELIKA’S VERY MERRY STROLL December 3 • 6 p.m. Lighting of trail Christmas trail run through Dec. 31 Friends of the Opelika Public Library CHRISTMAS PARADE Downtown Opelika December 4 • 10 a.m. Rain Date: December 5 • 3 p.m. opelikachamber.com CHRISTMAS IN A RAILROAD TOWN December 10 • 6 - 9 p.m. opelikamainstreet.org VICTORIAN FRONT PORCH TOUR Driving Tour December 10 - 14 • 5 - 10 p.m. Bike Tour December 11 • 10 a.m. Walking Tour December 11 • 6 - 9 p.m. victorianfrontporchtour.com Find more info about tickets and horse drawn carriage rides at opelikalibraryfriends.com.

REINDEER EXPRESS December 10 - 12 • 5 - 8 p.m. Featuring a Christmas Market Monkey Park $2 train rides OPELIKA THEATRE COMPANY CHRISTMAS SHOWCASE December 12 • 3 p.m. Sportsplex Amphitheater opelikatheatrecompany.com OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS CHRISTMAS BAND CONCERT OMS & OHS December 13 • 6:30 p.m OPAC OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS WINTER CHORAL CONCERT OMS & OHS December 14 • 6 p.m. OPAC COLLINWOOD LUMINARIES December 17 • 5 - 9 p.m. Off of 10th Street Rain date December 18 • 5 - 9 p.m. OPELIKA THEATRE COMPANY CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL & PET PARADE December 18 • Noon - 3 p.m. Southside Center (1103 Glenn Street) Admission $25 per family Includes all Carnival activities & Santa pictures $10 Pet Parade entry opelikatheatrecompany.com

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: City of Opelika • Opelika Parks & Recreation • Opelika Public Library • Opelika Chamber of Commerce • Opelika Main Street • Victorian Front Porch Tour • Auburn-Opelika Tourism • Opelika Theatre Company

Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics

Nov. 24, 2021

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021

Inside the Statehouse 2022 Elections Six Months Away

STEVE FLOWERS

elieve it or not, we are six months away from the 2022 elections. All statewide offices will be decided in the May 24, 2022 Republican Primary. Winning the Republican Primary is tantamount to election in the Heart of Dixie. Therefore, garnering the endorsement of the most conservative group in the state is vitally important towards election. That group is the Alabama Farmers Federation or commonly known as Alfa. The Farm PAC Alfa endorsement is the gold standard for conservatism, and it is the ticket to election in Alabama. The Alabama Farmers Federation is governed by county federation leaders in each of the state’s 67 counties, and the word leaders should be emphasized. The leaders of each county federation are respected men who have been born and raised in their community. Many have owned farmland for generations, are respected agribusinessmen, deacons in their churches and board members of their local banks. In other words, they are centers of influence, and their words and recommendations extend well beyond their agricultural base. To win the Alfa endorsement statewide candidates have to go see each of the county federation members in all 67 counties. There are over 100,000 actual farmers in the state that vote the Alfa endorsed ballot right down the line. There are also affiliated agribusiness groups that toe the Alfa line. In addition, there are over 100,000 insurance policyholders throughout the state who have their car and homeowners’ insurance with Alfa and they see the Farm PAC endorsement and usually follow it because they have contributed to Farm PAC. Additionally, a good many Alabamians will see their friends and

neighbors with an Alfa ballot and ask them who Alfa has endorsed in certain races. Then they will vote that way because they know Alfa has vetted the candidates and chosen the most conservative ones. The Alfa endorsements for the May 24, 2022, elections were decided on Sept. 28, 2021. These endorsements will be decisive. Katie Britt won the endorsement for the open U.S. Senate race, which will be the marquee race next year. She got it the old fashioned way. She worked for it. She got out and visited and got to know almost every farmers federation member in the state. This endorsement will probably propel her to victory. Gov. Kay Ivey received the endorsement. She has been the darling of Alfa her entire career. The Farm PAC endorsement was critical in allowing her to win the governorship without a runoff four years ago. They have been with her from the get-go when she was state treasurer two terms and Lt. Governor two terms. Will Ainsworth received the Alfa endorsement for reelection as Lt. Governor. This endorsement is the reason he upset Twinkle Cavanaugh in their race four years ago. Alfa was the reason he won that race and has made his political career. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall has been endorsed by Alfa because he has proven to be a real conservative. Rick Pate has won the Alfa endorsement for a second term as agriculture commissioner. He had the endorsement four years ago and it helped him win. Folks are really interested in who Alfa endorses for agriculture commissioner. Incumbent PSC Commissioners, Chip Beeker and Jeremy Oden, received the coveted Alfa nod. One of the most critical endorsements Alfa made was selecting Greg Cook for the Alabama Supreme Court seat of retiring Judge Mike Bolin. This endorsement of Greg Cook is pivotal. It proves that he is the conservative probusiness candidate for the Supreme Court. It will probably assure his victory. Popular incumbent Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise got the endorsement even though she may See FLOWERS, page B10

County Commission Adopts Redistricting Plan BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The Lee County Commission adopted a resolution for the redistricting plan Monday night following a public hearing. Redistricting is the process of redrawing lines in the county for each district, of which the county has five. “We are required by the constitution to consider whether or not redistricting is needed by the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment,” said

Probate Judge Bill English at the Oct. 12 commission meeting. The commission looked at redistricting in 2011 but decided against it. In 2013, however, the commission decided redistricting was necessary, English said. The county is currently divided into 22 precincts with 15 beats. Two of those beats are urban — Auburn and Opelika. “We desperately need to increase the number of polling places in Auburn,” English said. Redistricting is completed after census data is

released. “The 2020 Census data for Lee County shows that Commission District One is overpopulated by 4.80%, and the other four commission districts are underpopulated by 0.90%, 2.77%, 0.71% and 0.41% respectively, compared to the ideal Commission district,” said the resolution. “… The 2020 Census data, while showing that the current districts fall within the plus or minus five percent requirement of equal representation, also show that a more fair and equal See COMMISSION, page B10

Auburn, Tuscaloosa Mayors Make Annual Iron Bowl Wager CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN / DAVID D. DORTON

As the Iron Bowl approaches, the mayors of Auburn and Tuscaloosa are set for their annual wager in support of a local charity. For the fourth year, Auburn Mayor Ron Anders and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox have agreed that the losing team’s mayor will donate to a charity of the other city’s choice. This year, Anders has selected the Boys &

NOW OPEN

Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County as his charity. If the Auburn Tigers win, Maddox will donate $100 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County. But if the Alabama Crimson Tide wins, Anders will donate $100 to Maddox’s chosen charity, the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative. “Each year, this friendly competition is a great reminder of the importance of taking care of those in need all

across our great state,” Anders said. “I look forward to cheering on the Tigers and hope that this year’s outcome does some good for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County. War Eagle!” Dating back to 2005, the wager first began between former Auburn Mayor Bill Ham and Maddox. The Tigers and the Crimson Tide will face off at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Indoor shooting range is open to the public

2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA

B10 Nov.24, 2021

Dick Cheney, Heart Attacks, Stubborn People and Me

GREG MARKLEY With the death of former Chair of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Colin Powell in October, I was reminded of the amazing durability of Dick Cheney, the secretary of defense working alongside Powell in the 1991 Gulf War. Cheney had heart attacks in 1978 (at age 37), 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2010. Beyond that, the former U.S. vice president has been in the hospital on and off for coronary heart disease procedures and surgery. In March 2012, he received a heart transplant after a seven-hour surgery. His cardiologist of 35 years was asked how

long an elderly man could survive after heart work such as Cheney’s. “I told him it would not be unreasonable for an otherwise healthy 71-year old man to expect to live another 10 years”, Cheney’s lead cardiologist, Dr. Jonathan Reiner told New York Times. Reiner’s estimate means Cheney probably would face a serious decline at or within five months (in March 2022). Because of his cheerleading for the fraught Iraq War and enhanced interrogations (i.e. torture), Cheney is not a sympathetic figure to many Americans. But he often told people as vice president and beyond that if you feel like you have pains matching symptoms of a heart attack, “As fast as you can” get medical treatment. That is a big factor for his long survival, Cheney and Reiner note in their book, Heart (2013). “(Not reacting to pains) happens because some may think that their symptoms aren’t bad enough; that having a

friend drive you is faster than going by ambulance; that Emergency personnel won’t respond fast enough; that having an ambulance show up at home or work is embarrassing, especially if it’s a false alarm; An ambulance and medical care are too expensive,” according to a National Institutes of Health manual. Simply, your life depends on quick action. Perhaps only a politics wonk like me would remember Cheney’s advice when apparently having a heart attack. But, as I was having increasingly strong chest pains last February at an Opelika restaurant, I kept thinking of Cheney and my wife and a bunch of people who always say that getting quality treatment quick is preeminent. It is not recommended that you, especially, or anyone drive you there except an ambulance or EMT rescuers. But we were less than a mile from EAMC (now East Alabama Health) so we went there by car. It

turned out I didn’t have a heart attack until later that day. It sure is great if you are going to have a heart attack, to do so in a hospital with its highly trained medics, nurses and doctors. Add in the latest technology and your chances of recovery are great. I ended up having triple bypass surgery, which was successful and I was back to “normal” in four months. I plan to write about my surgery and recovery next February, on the first anniversary of my big operation. By then I can report on how the year has made my life better. The authoritative Mayo Clinic lists heart attack signs and symptoms as including: pressure, tightness, pain or a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to your neck, jaw or back; nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain; shortness of breath; cold sweat; fatigue; lightheadedness or sudden dizziness. “In 1978, when Cheney

Iron Ruck Raises Awareness of Veteran Suicides CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY NEWS / BY MIRANDA NOBLES

As the attention of the state’s football fans turns to the Iron Bowl this week, a group of 50 student veterans will be putting the rivalry aside as part of Operation Iron Ruck. Held annually since 2018, Operation Iron Ruck is a 151-mile march from Bryant-Denny Stadium to Jordan-Hare Stadium. This year’s event will take place Nov. 24-27, and members of the Auburn Student Veterans Association, or ASVA, will walk alongside members of the University of Alabama’s Campus Veterans Association, or ACVA, to raise awareness about suicide rates among veterans. “We currently lose 22 veterans a day in the United States to suicide,” said Andy Cole, media director for ASVA. “These two groups will walk 151 miles, with each person carrying a 22-pound ruck

sack. Our goal through this event is to bring awareness to veteran suicide and to support causes that directly contribute to reducing that number.” The weight the veterans will be carrying is as symbolic as the march itself. “The weight that we carry in our packs is made up of items that we will be donating to the Tuskegee Homeless Veterans Shelter,” Cole said. “This consists of things like toiletries, towels, socks and other necessities that can make their lives a little easier. Any monetary donations received will go to Mission 22 and Three Hots and a Cot, both of which are organizations that help veterans by means of donations. On the ruck, we will be carrying the game ball, along with 22 sets of dog tags in remembrance of the ones that we have lost.” The event has grown since it began four years ago. At that time, organizers were seeking a way to address the veteran suicide epidemic in the United States.

Veterans from each school got together and did the march. Now, the event has grown to be much larger. “We are now partnered with Alabama's Challenge, an official initiative of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs,” Cole said. “Through this we are officially recognized by the state for our efforts to help lower the current rates of veteran suicide.” The veterans participating from Auburn University have been preparing for the event by training with the School of Kinesiology’s Warrior Research Center. “We have worked with the Student Veterans Association for 12 weeks in preparation for Operation Iron Ruck as their performance optimization team,” said doctoral student Monaye Merritt. “We resistance train twice a week, held yoga once a week and have held four workshops.” Merritt, along with doctoral students Philip Agostinelli and Morgan Smith, developed the training programs to ensure

the student veterans would be prepared for Operation Iron Ruck. “Workshops have covered a range of components: wellness, nutrition, hydration, sleep, etc., longevity — participating in movement for leisure — and mindset,” Merritt said. “We have built a great relationship with the Student Veterans Association, not just through training, but also tailgating together and joining each other during football games. We intend to continue to make the performance optimization program available to them in the spring.” In addition to helping the veterans train, Merritt, Agostinelli and Smith will be participating in the last portion of the ruck. “Not only do we implement training to help them perform and succeed, but we want to be there with them supporting them along the way,” Smith said. To follow the progress of Operation Iron Ruck, go to its Facebook page.

suffered his first heart attack, he received essentially the same treatment President Eisenhower had had in 1955,” says a note from publisher Scribner. “Since then, cardiac medicine has been revolutionized, and Cheney has benefitted from nearly every medical breakthrough. At each juncture, when Cheney faced a new health challenge, the technology was one step ahead of his disease. Cheney’s story is in many ways the story of the evolution of modern cardiac care.” In 2008, ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz said to the Veep: “Two thirds of Americans say it’s not worth fighting, and they’re thinking about the cost to American lives and (what is) the gain, and the Iraqi lives.” Cheney said “So,” which seemed callous to many viewers, Raddatz responded: “So you don’t care what the American people think!” He replied, “We cannot be blown off course by the fluctuations of public opinion polls.”

A Gallup poll in March 2009 reported that Cheney, two months after leaving office, had a dismal 63% disapproval rating. He is widely regarded as the most powerful vice president ever. Yet history should not forget he was admired for his work stamina with heart problems that would sideline most people. He counseled to don’t just say “So” as he had on TV about the unpopularity of the Iraq War. Instead, seek medical help when you are having a health crisis. I recalled him empathizing that when I had chest pains myself. (Cheney is still with us, with his heart circa 2012.) 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 12 years. gm.markley@charter.net

COMMISSION >> FROM B9 distribution of the population would more equitably comply with the “one person-one vote” concept found in the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.” Since English first presented redistricting information on Oct. 12, there has been public comment regarding the redistricting process, including at a public hearing on Nov. 8. Billy Allen, president of the NAACP, requested copies of the redistricting map. He attended the public hearing, along with eight members of the NAACP. “Our branch, 5038, plans to monitor, we plan to assist and we plan to support the redistricting efforts here in Lee County,” Allen said. “We plan to ensure that these lines are drawn fairly and justly.”

Another citizen, Joshua Lewis, said that the NAACP is seeking equitable redistricting with public help. During the second public hearing on Nov. 22. NAACP members spoke again, affirming that they approved of the county’s plan and additionally plan to continue working with the commission in the future. OTHER BUSINESS: - The commission voted to approve an intelligence analyst and media/ community relations specialist for the sheriff’s office. - The commission voted to approve a lounge retail liquor license application for Beauregard Package Store. - The commission voted to approve the 2022 holiday schedule and added dates for Jan. 3, June 20 and Dec. 23. - The commission voted to approve a funding request for the Benefits Fair.

B11 Nov. 24, 2021

Inaugural Prayer Warrior Outreach Day Held in Opelika CONTRIBUTED BY CHRISTIAN CARE MINISTRIES

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Pastor Carolyn Morton and the Samford Group hosted the inaugural Peacemakers and Prayer Warrior Outreach Day on Nov. 20 at Christian Care Ministries in Opelika. The group received a proclamation from Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller, honoring and recognizing International Peacemakers and Prayer Warriors Outreach Day on the third Saturday of November. The speaker for the event was Opelika Ward 2 Council Member Erica BakerNorris. And the theme

was “ Put on the Full Armor of God” based on Ephesians 6:10-20. A special thanks to Annie Baker-Mabury, the Gray family, Capt. Tony Amerson, the Opelika Police Department, Chief Roy Collier, Opelika Fire Department, Opelika and Auburn Moms Demand Action Group and former Lee County Commissioner John Andrew Harris. Baker Norris, Rev. Ronnie Lowe and Evangelist Debra Lowe were honored during the event. The group appreciates the help, support and love from its supporters and the community.

Park and Pray Encourages Hospital Workers Jani Price is the name behind the explosive, local movement, Park and Pray. But, she wants no credit to her name. “For months, I had had the intensity of, ‘This community needs praying over,’” Price said. “This was way before COVID and this was really in 2019, there were horrific things, surprising, horrific and evil. “… I knew I was supposed to pray over the community and there were gracious people that answered that call as well, and we did pray over the community. And then COVID hit.” Park and Pray began in spring 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as cases began to rise and more and more patients flooded into East Alabama Medical Center. Price said she felt a strong calling from The Lord to pray over patients, staff, nurses, doctors at EAMC as everything began to take a turn for the worst. She called up chaplain Laura Eason and asked if she could bring a group to the parking deck to pray every morning at 7 a.m. and every evening at 7 p.m. and flash car lights at the hospital so those inside would know

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

they were being covered in prayer. Price was already a part of a group that would gather every Tuesday to pray over the hospital. And after receiving the go-ahead from Eason, Price put out a call to her community asking that they join her on the top deck of the EAMC parking deck. “This was not me,” Price said. “It was not me. It was God a 100% and it was the special community … It was just the Lord calling His people. There is no question. I just opened my mouth and went a little bit and

He exploded it. “… By Saturday, it had exploded. I didn’t do that. I didn’t do that at all. And without these other women who answered the call as well, one little car on top of the parking deck would not have been much of an impact.” EAMC was not the only hospital to participate in Park and Pray, Price said, following the start in Lee County. Other hospitals around Alabama, and some in Georgia, picked it up too. “The community came,” she said. “And honestly, there are just

countless stories of the Holy Spirit just moving. And from Laura Eason’s point of view, she just said it was so uplifting. And some of that, you also don’t want to focus on the event, but just think about all those prayers. All that time. “… That is the specialness and the intensity of this community and the prayer-minded people of this community. They could have stayed at home and prayed but they did make the effort to let it be known.” Every year Auburn Mayor Ron Anders

Call me for all your real estate needs! 1810 E. Glenn Ave. Suite 130 Auburn, AL 36830 Cell 334.444.8041 duffystewartrealtor@gmail.com www.BHHSPreferredAuburn.com A member of the franchise system of BHH Affliates, LLC

presents six lamplighter awards to local members of the community who spark change and make a difference. This year, in October, Price was one of those six award winners. “Our next lamplighter led an extraordinary effort to pray for the patients, the doctors, the nurses and the staff at East Alabama (at that time) Medical Center,” Anders said. “By following a directive from her God, she inquired about praying for the worn-out staff as the pandemic raged on. Told that the initiative must remain

FLOWERS >> FROM B9 be unopposed. Three candidates for secondary constitutional offices received the endorsement of Alfa and will be instrumental towards their elections are Wes Allen for secretary of state, Young Boozer for state treasurer, and Rusty Glover for state auditor. Glover’s getting the endorsement is that race is pivotal as is Wes Allen’s in the Secretary of State. Alfa has endorsed all of the incumbent Republican Congressmen including Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt and Gary Palmer. They have endorsed Dale Strong in

outside, she [brought] in what can only be called ‘a movement.’ “Park and Pray started as a question and became a point of encouragement to those on the frontlines. One person prayed, felt led by God to do more, worked with Chaplain Laura, put out a call to the community and sustained an effort.” Price had no idea the lamplighter award was coming. “It was really fun to receive the award and I was totally surprised,” she said. “… Even when Ron Anders started to speak about the Park and Pray, it still … I would never let Laura Eason say who started this. Because I cannot claim it.” Price said that she feels like the lamplighter award belongs to the community. “This is what our community did at a very difficult time,” she said. “… It really ought to be somewhere for fifteen years from now for somebody to look at it, without my name, and it be, ‘look at this community that we live in, it’s a pretty neat place.’” This is the first in a series of six pieces on the lamplighter winners from Auburn Mayor Ron Anders’ State of the City Address.

the open 5th district congressional race. He appears to be the favorite. All of Alfa’s statewide endorsements are Republicans. Taht makes sense because every statewide officeholder in the state is a Republican. If you made me bet, I would wager that all of the above mentioned Alfa endorsed candidates will win next year. We will see in about six months. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers. us.

B12 Nov.24, 2021

Terry Hanners to Run for Ward 3 Council Seat

am announcing my run for Ward 3 Opelika City Council. What I bring to the plate is my life experiences as an owner of a small business for 28 years. I own Air Comfort Services, a local air conditioning business. After graduating high school, I attended Troup area vocational-technical school where I received my degree in HVAC. I had always had an interest in the Navy so after my graduation, I went from my school straight to the Navy recruiting station. I served aboard the USS Oriskany and the USS Nashville. I was assigned to the flight deck. My last job in the Navy was with the Naval investigative service where I was assigned to find and get evidence against people on board ships that were in the drug trade and those guilty of theft. After my military service, I began doing HVAC work in my trade. I worked for a few companies and in

1993 I started my own business. Working with my own hands making a living has been a wonderful experience. When you own a small business, you not only sharpen your business skills, but you also learn life skills. I never felt like I had customers, they have always been considered by me as friends. Getting to know people and learn about their lives and family has been a blessing. My wife, Denise Perry, and I have seven grown children. She is a retired nurse and my most loyal advocate. We are both members of the Church of Highlands. In my business beliefs, besides being honest and working hard to provide a service to the public, I’ve always felt it important to give a little back. In my business, we have served the community by helping provide homes for people who may never have had the opportunity to own their own homes. We provided free or at-cost heating and air conditioning units for

six homes. We also provide free window units for people that have no air conditioning and are assigned hospice care. For people that needed a place to worship, I have served on a mission trip and provided financial assistance to ministry in Medellin Columbia, South America. I have served as a certified lay speaker, Sunday school teacher and trustee in the Methodist Church. I have served as a volunteer instructor for teenagers seeking to get their first hunting license. And have spoken in several schools about my underwater diving adventures where a couple of friends and I discovered a sunken paddle wheeler that use to deliver cotton up and down the Chattahoochee River. I want for our town a solid, common-sense government. I want a government where the citizens have their opinions known and their voices heard. A lot of changes have happened

and more will come. Bigger government does make a city great but a smart, government for the people does. I want schools to teach classes that are important for kids to build on their future. I’m against CRT and Common Core. I want zero tolerance for bullying and assaults and to encourage and appreciate parental involvement. I believe anyone coming to read to children in elementary school should be a parent and have a child in the school. I want a strong police department; crime is on the rise and I want them to have everything they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. I want to assure our police that I will never be a part of throwing them under the bus for doing their jobs. A new up-and-coming ordinance of registering rental properties and mandatory inspections are coming. Since I’m quite knowledgeable of building and construction, I feel I could be the

better to guide the city through this process. While I do believe that some things should be a requirement for the safety of tenants and appearance of rentals, I also don’t support government overreach and I do believe there is government overreach in the new ordinance. We can work together on the council to make it good for tenants. If any tenant or landlord believes they are not appreciated and are being done wrong, I encourage them to call. I have had the COVID vaccine and support the use of masks but can’t support mandatory vaccines. I feel that would be against the constitutional right of citizens. There are many issues to discuss and I will be glad to meet with any groups or individuals to discuss things we want, and feel are important for our town. I want to make sure citizens have the best service in regard to trash pickup, leaves and debris disposal. I want our water cleaner and

HANNERS safer without increased cost. It’s difficult, for example, for the many seniors and disabled in the area to bag leaves and grass clippings. I certainly believe that the city could buy a truck vacuum to get these items. Our water has for a long time smelled bad and is unsafe for people that are immune-compromised. Let’s fix that problem and quit making excuses. I’m about the government serving its citizens. I look forward to serving on the council and ask that you come out and vote for me on Jan. 11. Terry Hanners

Opelika Attorney Elijah T. Beaver Announces Campaign For Circuit Judge PHOTO BY WYNNE BRIGGS / USED WITH PERMISSION

CONTRIBUTED BY ELIJAH T. BEAVER

BEAVER

Local attorney Elijah T. Beaver has announced his campaign to run for Circuit Judge of Alabama’s 37th Judicial Circuit (Lee County). He has been an attorney in Lee County for 13 years, and has also served 11 years in the Alabama Army National Guard as a judge advocate, deploying twice to the Middle East as a

When you need to choose a Medicare plan, Humana can help Find a plan that fits your goals and your life

It’s time to choose a 2022 Medicare plan, and I’m here to help you understand your options. A Humana Medicare Advantage plan gives you everything you get with Original Medicare, and may include additional benefits and services to meet your needs. Humana offers plans with the coverage you might want at a cost that may work for your budget.

Call a licensed Humana sales agent Joyce Johnson 334-707-5958 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. jjohnson270@humana.com

A more human way to healthcare™ Y0040_GHHHXDDEN_22_AD_M

military prosecutor. “I think it’s important for folks to have someone they can absolutely trust on the bench,” Beaver said. “Our judges here in Lee County are without a doubt some of the best in the state, and after prayerful consideration I believe I can continue that tradition. “I’m a firm believer in the basic conservative Christian values. I think the Constitution and the laws of this country

and this state are part of what make this the best place on Earth to be a citizen. That’s true for individuals, for small businesses and for the large entities like Auburn University and East Alabama Medical Center that we have in our circuit. Fair treatment is a fundamental part of our judiciary, and I will work hard to make sure everyone gets treated fairly.” Beaver, 41, is an Alabama native.

He attended Baylor University in Texas before graduating from the University of Alabama School of Law. In addition to practicing law and serving in the National Guard, Beaver volunteers as a scout leader and soccer coach. He, his wife Erin and their four children are members of First Presbyterian Church in Opelika.

Solutions for Financial Problems Gary A. Hudgins Attorney at Law For your FREE REPORT on Stopping Garnishments, Foreclosures, Lawsuits Creditor Calls and Evictions, email Hudginslaw @gmail.com or call for an appointment.

334-714-0806 Opelika, Alabama

Are you stressed out because of creditor calls, late payments, threats of garnishment or lawuits? Maybe we can help.

We are a debt relief agency helping good people recover from financial distress with Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief for more than 40 years. No representtation is made that the quality of legal services to be provided is greater than the quality legal services provided by other lawyers. We are a Debt Relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.

B13 Nov. 24, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA JUVENILE DIVISION T.P. a. minor child (DOB: 08/08/2011), Case No. JU 2020-220.02 K.P. a minor child (DOB: 08/16/2012), Case No. JU 2020-221.02 NOTICE OF PETITION & SERVICE BY PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: De’Rebia Pugh and any unknown father of T.P. a minor child, born at Baptist Medical Center East in Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama on 08//08/2011 to De’Rebia Pugh and K.P. a minor child, born at the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama on 08/16/2012 to De’Rebia Pugh. The legal Cm,1ody of T.P. and K. P. was. vested in the Lee County Department of Human Resources on September 9, 2020. De’Rebia Pugh and any unknown father must answer the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights and the Amended Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of De’Rebia Pugh and any unknown father filed in each of these cases in the Juvenile Court of Lee County, Alabama within fourteen (14) days from the last date of Publication of this notice with the Clerk of Court located at the Lee County Justice Center, 2311 Gateway Drive, Opelika, AL 36801, or thereafter, a final judgment may be entered in Case JU 2020-

220.02 and JU 2020-221.02 terminating their respective parental rights and placing the children for adoption. Mary Roberson, CIRCUIT CLERK Hon. Harold S. Patrick Attorney for Lee County DHR 2108-D Gateway Drive Opelika, AL 36801 (334) 741-0809 Legal Run 11/4/21, 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids, subject to the conditions contained herein, will be received by the City of Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time, on November 30, 2021, and then publicly opened and read aloud at Opelika City Hall, 2nd floor conference room, 204 S. 7th Street, Opelika, Alabama. The contractor will be furnishing all labor and materials and performing all work for the construction of: Pickleball Courts Facility II within the City of Opelika, Alabama. This project consists principally of the follow¬ing the construction of 12 pickleball courts. The overall asphalt area:138’ X 223’. Turnkey pricing on delivery and installation meeting all specifications on base, asphalt, fencing, nets, posts, resurfacer, colored play surfacing, and lines. All bidders on construc-

ALASCAN CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES ADVERTISE STATEWIDE or by Region in over 100 Newspapers, reaching over 1 million readers each week! Run your ad in our Classified Network for just $210 per week! Make one call to this newspaper (participating Ala-SCAN newspaper) or call 1-800-264-7043 to find out how easy it is to advertise statewide! BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 833-449-1307. BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 888-283-4780

ATTENTION: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - $99 + FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 866-505-0828. FOR SALE Directv Satellite Service starting at $59.99/month! 1 Year Price Lock! 155+ Channels available. Call Now to get the Most Sports on TV! 888-404-2087. NEED NEW Flooring? Call Empire Today to schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting and Flooring. Call Today! 1-888-381-0916. UPDATE YOUR HOME with Beautiful New Blinds & Shades. FREE in-home estimates make it convenient to shop from home. Professional installation. Top quality Made in the USA. Call for free consultation: 844-8099165. Ask about our specials!

LONG DISTANCE MOVING: Call today for a FREE QUOTE from America’s Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Speak to a Relocation Specialist, call 844-925-3534

ELIMINATE ROACHES GUARANTEED! Buy Harris Roach Tablets. Odorless, Long Lasting. Available: Publix, Hardware Stores, Home Centers.

EDUCATION

AUTOMOTIVE

ATTENTION ACTIVE Duty & Military Veterans! Begin a new career and earn your Degree at CTI! Online Computer & Medical training available for Veterans & Families! To learn more, call 866-475-1014 (M-F 8am6pm ET).

SUPPORT THE BLIND! Donate a car to the American Council of the Blind. FAST FREE PICKUP. 24 hour response. Running or not. maximum tax deduction and no emission test required! Call 24/7: 844-601-1342.

HEALTH/BEAUTY ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit. Call 844-322-9935.

VEHICLE TITLE Problems? We have a solution! Call Jason Steward Enterprises, We’re Alabama’s #1 Vehicle Title Problem Experts! Free telephone consultation. North AL 1-256-850-0527, Central AL 1-205-267-5735, South AL 1-251-342-8538.

tion projects in excess of $10,000.00 shall file with his bid either a certified check payable to the City of Opelika for an amount not less than five (5) percent of the estimated cost or of the contractor’s bid but in no event more than $10,000.00; or a bid bond payable to the City of Opelika in an amount of not less than five (5) percent of the estimated cost or of the contractor’s bid, but in no event more than $10,000.00. All Bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, and must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by the City official; the Bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying the license number on the outside of the envelope in which the bid is delivered. Also, the contractor shall also be a Certified Tennis Court Builder as designated by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA). The Certified Tennis Court Builder shall be an employee of the Tennis Court Contractor and shall oversee all phases of the new court construction process. No bidder may withdraw their bid within 90 days after the opening thereof. All bids must be submitted in an envelope bearing on the outside the name of the Bidder, Bidder’s license number, and name of the project. Envelopes containing bids must be addressed as follows, and delivered to Lillie Finley, Purchasing Dept., City of Opelika, 204 S. 7th Street, Opelika, AL 36801 or P. O. Box 390, Opelika, AL 36803: “Pickleball Courts Facility II” Legal Run 11/4/21, 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CARRIE W. WILLIAMS, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2021-617 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of November, 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. TERRY L. COOPER SHIRLEY ANN WILLIAMS HOLMES CoPersonal Representatives Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------STATE OF ALABAMA LEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT CASE NO. 2021-620 ESTATE OF JOE FRANK HUGHES, DECEASED NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Letters Testamentary of said Joe Frank Hughes, deceased, having been granted to Timothy Neil Hughes this 3rd day of November 2021, by the Honorable 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 the law or the same will be barred. Timothy Neil Hughes, Personal Representative Legal Run 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE:THE ESTATE OF ROBERT WINSHIP HEATH, DECEASED. TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Jo Wharton Heath, as Executrix of the Estate of Robert Winship Heath, deceased, on the 1st day of November, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred. Jo Wharton Heath, Executrix Of the Estate of Robert Winship Heath, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Legal Run 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE:THE ESTATE OF SAMUEL AARON MASSINGILL, DECEASED. NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION TO: Any unknown heirs of Samuel Aaron Massingill., deceased, Madonna Massingill, address unknown (adult sisterin-law of Samuel Aaron Massingill., deceased), Daniel Massingill, address uncertain (adult nephew of Samuel Aaron Massingill., deceased). Please take notice that a Petition to Probate the Will of Samuel Aaron Massingill, in the above styled matter has been filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Petitioner Delilah Marshall and that on the 6th day of January, 2022, at 10:00 A.M. (Central time) has been set for a hearing on the same in said Court located at 215 South 9th Street, Opelika, Alabama. Please be advised that if you intend to contest this Petition to Probate the Will of Samuel Aaron Massingill 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 2nd day of November, 2021. Hon. Bill English Judge of Probate Lee County, Alabama Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-7033 Legal Run 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The Estate of Ivy M. Grantham, Deceased NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION TO

BE PUBLISHED Letters of Administration on said deceased having been granted to Linda Grantham Manis, Administrator on this the 16th day of March, 2021, by the 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 time allowed by law or the same will be barred. BY: James E. Hall, Attorney for Administrator. Legal Run 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF RALPH EUGENE HOUSER, DECEASED CASE NO. 2021-632 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT TO BE PUBLISHED BY EXECUTRIX Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to RUBY A. PRICE, on the 5th day of November, 2021, by the Hon. BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate 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. BY: James E. Hall, Attorney for Executrix. Legal Run 11/11/21, 11/18/21 & 11/24/21 ------------LEE COUNTY COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Lee County Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, December 13, 2021, at 5:00 p.m., in the Lee County Commission Chambers at the Lee County Courthouse located at 215 South Ninth Street, Opelika, Alabama, 36801, concerning the proposed Noise Ordinance of the Lee County Commission. A copy of the proposed ordinance will be available online at www.leeco. us under Government / County Commission / Proposed Noise Ordinance and can also be reviewed in person in the Lee County Commission Office. The purpose of the public hearings will be for interested parties to make oral and/or written comments into the public hearing record. Those wishing to make oral comments at the public hearings are also encouraged to submit those comments in writing. All comments must address the subject of the public hearing or issues that have an impact on the County Commission’s ability to meet applicable laws, rules, and regulations affecting the final decision. Any person wishing to participate in this hearing who needs special accommodations should contact the Lee County Commission Office at (334) 737-3660 at least five working days prior to the hearing. Attendance at the public hearing is not necessary to have comments included in the public hearing record. Persons wishing to comment on the proposed noise ordinance in writing may do so by submitting their comments by mail no later than 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 to:

LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS - HELP WANTED Environmental Services Truck Driver Closing Date: November 30, 2021 Department: Environmental Services Status: Full-Time/PartTime Starting Hourly Salary Range: $35,070.00 $40,335.50 Required Hours of Availability: MondaySunday; 12 hour shifts with rotating weekends Scope: This position operates a solid waste

truck in the collection of solid waste and recyclables. Applicants should apply at the Alabama State Employment Office or the Lee County Commission Office 215 S. 9th Street, Opelika, AL, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. Great Benefits: NO COST to employee Option for BCBS health and dental insurance. Employer

paid Life Insurance policy. State Retirement Benefits. Thirteen Paid Holidays. Educational Reimbursement. Interested applicants may also fax a completed application to (334) 737-3609 or emailed to humanresources@leeco. us by the closing date. Previous applicants should reapply. For more information visit: www.leeco.us Lee County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Bill English, Chairman Mailing address: PO Box 666 Opelika, AL 36803-0666 (334) 737-3660 LEGAL RUN 11/18/2021 & 12/02/2021 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF LOIS JEAN HOTTINGER A/K/A LOIS J. HOTTINGER DECEASED. CASE NO. 2021-630 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT TO BE PUBLISHED BY PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to RICHARD HARRY HOTTINGER, on the 5th day of November 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of Probate 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. BY: James E. Hall, Attorney for Personal Representative. Legal Run 11/18/21, 11/24/21 & 12/02/21 ------------FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain Real Estate Mortgage executed by Jeremy Spradley, an unmarried man, and Brittany Graham, an unmarried woman, to Sorenson & Lopez, LLC; said Real Estate Mortgage being recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, in Mortgages Book 4513, Page 213; said Real Estate Mortgage being last transferred, sold and assigned to First National Bank of America; said Assignment being recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama in Mortgages Book 4727, Page 310; the undersigned First National Bank of America as Real Estate Mortgage holder, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said Real Estate Mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the Lee County Courthouse, Opelika, on December 14, 2021, during the legal hours of sale, the following described real estate, situated in Lee County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot No. 35, SMITHVILLE SUBDIVISION, Lee County, Alabama, according to a map and plat thereof of record, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, in Plat Book 8, Pages 106-107 thereof. SUBJECT to covenants, restrictions, reservations, easements and rights-ofway, if any, heretofore imposed of record affecting title to said property, municipal zoning ordinances now or hereafter becoming applicable and taxes and/ or assessments hereafter becoming due against said property. AND ALSO: One 2019 Mobile Home bearing Vin #SRB032856AL being of the Make: Southern, Model No: 47TRS14663AH19. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said Real Estate Mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. Foster D. Key Attorney for First National Bank of America P.O. Box 360345 Birmingham, AL 35236 205/987-2211 LIEN HOLDER First National Bank of America Post Office Box 980 East Lansing, MI 48826 11/18/2021, 11/24/2021, 12/2/2021 -------------

B14 Nov.24, 2021

MELANIN CAFE HOSTS BLACK MALE SUMMIT PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Melanin Cafe was filled with young Black males on Saturday for the Dream Day Foundation’s Black Male Summit Intercepted. A special thank you goes out to presenters Tamarcus Milner, Rev. Jerel Fryer, Thomas Sherfield and Jamaal Sankey for pouring into these young men. A special thanks to Janataka H-Holmes, Denise and Andrea Fields, Catrice and Jay Hixon of Melanin Café, Belinda Smith and Elsie Lott for their awesome support. Thank you to the parents for believing in The Dream Day Foundation and their continuous support.

PUBLIC NOTICES ORDINANCE NO. 026-21 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA (BLACKBERRY RESERVE) BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows: Section 1. FINDINGS. The Council has determined and hereby finds and declares that the following facts are true and correct: (a) William B Lowe, Jr., (“Lowe”) is the owner of record of that certain real property consisting of approximately 166 acres located along U.S. Highway 431 and Cusseta Road. (b) Lowe heretofore submitted to the City a development plan for a planned unit development (“PUD”), entitled “Blackberry Reserve”, consisting of approximately 166 acres. (c) The proposed development consists of approximately two hundred forty-two (242) single-family lots open space areas, and on-site stormwater detention. The proposed density is 1.45 dwelling units per acre. (d) The Planning Commission heretofore conducted a public hearing on the proposed

development and referred to the City Council its recommendation to approve the proposed development. (e) It is advisable and in the interest of the City and the public interest that the property described in Section 3 below should be developed as a residential planned unit development. Section 2. APPROVAL OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. The Development Plan as submitted for review is hereby approved and affirmed as required by Section 8.18N of the Zoning Ordinance of the City. Section 3. DESIGNATION OF A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT. The official Zoning Map is hereby amended and the zoning classification for the following parcel of land shall be changed from a R-1 District (Low Density Residential District) to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) on the official zoning map of the City. Commence at the Southwest corner of Section 29, Township 20, Range 27 East, in Lee County, Alabama and thence run North degrees 30 minutes West for a distance of 4009.0 feet; thence run North 87 degrees 25 minutes East for 195.7 feet to a point on the easterly margin of the right of way of Central of

Georgia Railway and which is the point of beginning of the tract of land here to be described. From said point of beginning run thence North 87 degrees 25 minutes East for 2484.3 feet; thence run North I degree 40 minutes West 3821 feet more or less to the southern margin of Lee Road 389; thence run Southwesterly along the Southern margin of said road for 2875 feet more or less to the easterly margin of the right of way of Central of Georgia Railway; thence run Southerly along the East margin of said right of way 2792 more or less to the point of beginning. Less and except certain oneacre of real estate, more or less, which has been used as a cemetery as described in Deed Book 2225 at Page 398, Probate Office, Lee County, Alabama. Section 4. RETENTION OF COPIES OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN. Copies of the Development Plan shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, City Planner, City Engineer and Building Official and shall be open for public inspection. Section 5. REPEALER. Any ordinance or part thereof in conflict with provisions of this Ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed. Section 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance

shall become effective upon its adoption, approval and publication as required by law. Section 7. PUBLICATION. This Ordinance shall be published one (1) time in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 16th day of November, 2021. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 17th day of November, 2021. /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 17th day of November, 2021. /s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK Legal Run 11/24/2021 ------------NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF BRENDA LONG, Deceased PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY

CASE NO.: 2021-148 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Tia Trenise Minger on the 28th day of April, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice id 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. Tia Trenise Minger Legal Run 11/24/21, 12/02/21 and 12/09/2021

B15 Nov. 24, 2021

Like Crossword Puzzles? Sudoku? Play Online at www.opelikaobserver.com/puzzles/

B16 Nov.24, 2021

Hunley Group Lambert Transfer and Storage An Interstate Agent for North American Van Lines 1102 Fox Trail Opelika, Alabama 36801 334-745-5706

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR Plumbing & Heating Supplies Pipes - Valves - Fittings 334.625.3384 800.625.3384 1975 MALL BLVD. STE. 106, AUBURN, ALABAMA

Located in Historic Downtown Opelika

334-745-4618

“Our Mission is Your Health”

BEAUREGARD DRUGS

WE DELIVER!

• Drive Thru Only • Regular Operating Hours • Please Call Ahead on Refills to Avoid Wait

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

Nothing better for your lawn exists

334-364-9993 | 334-364-9997 7667 Alabama Hwy 51, Suite A, Opelika www.beauregarddrugs.com Mon-Fri 8am–6pm | Sat 9am–12pm | Sunday Closed

THIS WEEK’S PUZZLE ANSWERS: