Vol. 14, No. 34
Thursday June 9, 2022
Opelika, Alabama
Covering Lee County, Alabama
An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'
vs.
Hovey
BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
ALABAMA — There were congratulations all around — Jay Hovey looked to be beating incumbent Tom Whatley for State Senate District 27 by one vote. But now, the election results have been contested. Hovey and Whatley were four votes apart following the primary vote on May 24. However, after provisional ballots were counted on May 31, Hovey had unofficially beaten Whatley by one.
The State Senate District 27 seat is one of four being contest with the ALGOP, including Alabama house District 2, Alabama House District 28 and Alabama House District 29. According to the secretary of state website and official election laws, the contest must be made within one day of the results being declared. “Such contest shall be heard and tried by the county executive committee as to candidates for county offices and by the state committee as to candidates for all other offices,” the law said.
The grounds for contesting the results can include corruption on “ the part of any inspector, clerk, returning officer, canvassing board, or other person,” on the idea that Whatley or Hovey is not eligible to run, on the basis of illegal votes, of legal votes not being counted, in the case of bribes or intimidation or a mistake in counting. The state committee will have the authority to ask for witnesses and materials used in the election. A hearing will be held June 25 and both Hovey and Whatley will present their case and any sup-
‘Inclusive’ Playground at Town Creek Now Open PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN PARKS & REC
BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
AUBURN— Play time just got a lot more fun for everyone.
Auburn officially opened its new inclusive playground at Town Creek Park June 1, and according to Parks and Recreation Director Becky Richardson, the
community response has been positive. “We’ve had a lot of visitors since it opened last Wednesday,” she See PARK, page A6
4 1 e n u J . m . p 7 at
e u l B d d i K
porting documentation. The state executive committee is required by law to meet within five days of the filing of the contest. They have until 83 days before the general election to provide the determination of the contest, however, which would be Aug. 17. If a judgement is not provided, it will be equivalent to a dismissal of a contest. If the committee can’t determine a winner, a new primary can be held. Therefore, it may be some time before there is a clear winner for the Hovey vs. Whatley State Senate seat.
Dozier Smith T Receives Spirit of Opelika Award PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE OPELIKA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Contested State Senate Race Whatley
BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA — Last week the Opelika Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting and presented awards to local businesses and influential members of the community. The Spirit of Opelika
award was presented to Dozier Smith T by Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. Smith T graduated from Opelika High School, then went on to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University. Although he moved to Birmingham for as short period of time, Opelika called him home, See AWARDS page A5
Cleanup to Take Place at Giddens Cemetery BY JUSTIN TRAUSCH FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — This Saturday, June 11, the public is invited to come out to 2500 Frederick Road in Opelika to help restore and prepare the historic George and Addie Giddens Cemetery for Auburn University’s Research to Preserve African American Stories and Traditions (rPAAST). The cleanup will be held between 9 a.m. and noon with the help of the Lee County Cemetery Preservation Commission. Anyone is welcome to volunteer. Dr. Robert Bubb, a lecturer and the coordina-
tor of rPAAST at Auburn University, has been organizing and participating in cemetery cleanups in the Auburn/Opelika area for about five years now. He and his research team have helped restore half a dozen cemeteries for the purpose of conducting GPR, or ground-penetrating radar, to better understand the lost history at these historic African American burial sites. “The history of the cemetery is what I really want to highlight,” he said. “It is the reason we do this work.” Bubb said he has his own personal connection to this line of work that stays close to his heart. His twice-
BUBB
great grandmother was a pillar of her community in Brenham, Texas, after the emancipation of slavery, but her story and burial site were lost over time. See CEMETERY, page A3
CONTENTS
OPINION ..................... A4 ENTERTAINMENT ........... A7 OBITUARIES ............... A12 RELIGION ................... A13 COMICS ....................... A16 SPORTS ........................ B1 POLITICS ...................... B9 CLASSIFIEDS ................ B14 PUBLIC NOTICES ........... B14 PUZZLES ..................... B15