Vol. 14, No. 43
Thursday Aug. 4, 2022
Opelika, Alabama
FRED ERi CK-DEAN FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY
Covering Lee County, Alabama
Compassion • Integrity • Tradition
An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'
334-745-4667 On-site Crematory Coming Soon
Music Production on Life of Henry Stern Set for Aug. 30 BY ANN CIPPERLY FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA –– A heart-warming story inspired by the life of Opelikan Henry Stern and his family is being portrayed in a new musical production, “We’ll Meet Again,” by playwright Jim Harris, on Aug. 30 at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. Presented by the Arts Association of East Alabama, the play features World War II-era songs arranged by renowned composer Mark Hayes. Prior to the performance, a reception will be held at the Museum of East Alabama. The musical is the second production by Harris
showcasing a family in Opelika. Harris, an attorney in Lincoln, Nebraska, spent summers and holidays in Opelika at his family’s farm in Cusseta. His parents, the late Eleanor and John T. Harris, were founders of the Museum of East Alabama. Harris developed a love of musicals when he was growing up. His mother, who was musically talented, took him to see all the great musicals. He has also performed in productions over the years, including playing one of the dads in “Mamma Mia!”. Harris remembers visiting his parents several years ago when his father introduced him to Henry Stern at the Elks Club at lunch after church. When
HENRY STERN
Southeastern Grocers Launches Low-Cost Meal Program Grocer to donate one million meals to Feeding America while helping to provide access to healthy meals to children in need
ALABAMA — Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, has launched a new “Break from Hunger” program to provide accessible, healthy meal options to ensure no child goes hungry. Now through Labor Day, customers and associates ages 17 and younger can purchase a specially prepared “Student Summer Lunch Pack” meal box at any Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie deli department for only $2. According to Feeding
PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION
CONTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEASTERN GROCERS
America, one in six children across the United States may experience food insecurity. As the back-to-school season approaches, it is crucial to help alleviate this issue, as insufficient nutrition can damage a child’s growth and development and can negatively impact their ability to thrive in academic and social
situations. Offering the “Student Summer Lunch Packs” at a low cost through its “Break from Hunger” program allows SEG to expand its support for combating hunger in the Southeast and provide relief to customers at a time most needed. The nourSee HUNGER, page A2
his father told him about Henry coming to Opelika with his family to escape Nazi Germany, he was surprised and interested in the story. It was on a fateful day in June 1937, as Adolf Hitler was gaining power in Germany, that 6-year-old Heinz Stern and his family, possessing ten dollars and few material goods, boarded the SS Washington in Hamburg. They narrowly escaped the horror of the Holocaust, as it was the last ship providing passage to Jews. Heinz and his family traveled to a relative’s home in Opelika. Heinz became Henry Stern, a beloved community leader with his wife Roslyn. After the success of Harris’ first play “Civil War Voices” about his great-
See STERN, page A2
Auburn Wins Prestigious Award CONTRIBUTED BY CITY OF AUBURN
AUBURN — The city of Auburn has been named one of the winners of the ETC Institute’s Leading the Way Award, which recognizes local governments for delivering outstanding services to their communities. Since 2004, the ETC Institute has conducted the city’s Citizen Survey that provides an assessment of resident satisfaction with city services. The city of Auburn has used these results as a tool for strategic planning and benchmarking over the years. As a recipient of the Leading the Way Award, the city of Auburn has ranked in the top 10% of all cities and counties surveyed
in the United States in three core areas: • Satisfaction with the overall quality of services • Satisfaction with customer service provided by employees • Satisfaction with the value residents think they receive for local taxes and fees. In addition to ranking in the top 10% overall, Auburn also rated in the top 10% of all cities in several specific areas, including: • Wastewater/Sanitary sewer services • Quality of public schools • Visibility of police in commercial and retail areas • Enforcement of local traffic laws • Enforcement of trash and debris cleanup on private property
Opelika Theatre Company is proud to present
y
NEWSIES
Disne
August 5th, 6th & 7th
great-uncle, he was looking for a uniquely American story for his second production. He remembered his father telling him about Henry Stern and returned to Opelika to interview him. Harris was intrigued with his amazing story and felt it had to be told. Five years ago, Harris hired an interpreter and traveled to Henry’s hometown in Westheim, Germany. With the help of city officials, he found a man who knew Henry and his family. The man, who had been a child himself at the time, remembered that Henry was good at stickball and that his father would stand in the doorway of his shop. “It was remarkable that
August 12th, 13th & 14th
at the Southside Center for the Arts 1103 Glenn Street, Opelika, AL, 36801
tickets available at - www.opelikatheatrecompany.com
• Recycling services/ drop-off centers •Overall value of services received for the taxes and fees. “City of Auburn employees come to work each day aiming to serve our community well and excel in everything they do,” said City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch. “We’re honored that, yet again, Auburn citizens recognize these efforts and have let us know through the Citizen Survey. “Our high scores are a testament of not only the hard work of city staff but the entire Auburn family.” Find more information about the ETC Institute and the Leading the Way Award at www.etcinstitute. com/ltwa.
CONTENTS
OPINION ..................... A4 ENTERTAINMENT ........... A7 RELIGION ................... A12 OBITUARIES ............... A13 COMICS ....................... A16 SPORTS ........................ B1 POLITICS ...................... B9 PUBLIC NOTICES ........... B12 CLASSIFIEDS ................ B14 PUZZLES ..................... B15