GRISWOLDKELLY2 WARD 3 WITTENBETH WARD ADAMSTYLER4 WARD MOREMANSONNY5 WARD 6 PARSONSBOB WARD 7 COBLENTZMAX WARD DAWSONTOMMY8
MAYOR OF AUBURN Auburn's Mayor, Ron Anders was declared the winner of his race earlier this year when no one qualified or registered to run against him. These results are unoffical untl the votes are canvassed at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 30.
Opelika Main Street Director Ken Ward (middle) and board members were given six awards at the Main Street Alabama Awards.
The Gallery on Railroad will be relocating to the building that formerly housed Eighth & Rail while repairs are made following the fire that destroyed Maffia's in July.
RON ANDERS
The Ward 1 seat will remain with incumbent Connie Fitch Taylor. Taylor received 214 votes which equaled 70.39% of the vote, while her opponent Arthur Dowdell Sr. received 90 votes (29.61%) . Ward 2 incumbent Kelly Griswold received 382 (61.32%) votes, with opponent Paul West tak ing 241 (38.68%) votes.
CITY COUNCIL SEATS
Gallery To Reopen in 8th & Rail /OOOOHPTBYRBERTNLESTHEOBSERVER
Ward 3 was uncontest ed and Council Member Beth Witten will serve another term. Tyler Adams was declared the uncontested winner of Ward 4 when his opponent Chad Lev erette dropped out of the race earlier this summer. Ward 5 had three individuals that quali fied for the race. Sonny Moreman won the seat earning 412 (56.36%) votes. Sarah Jane Levine took 257 (35.16%) and Leah Billye Welburn V received 62 (8.48%) votes.Ward 6 incumbent Bob Parsons won 347 (85.26%) votes, and his opponent Phillip Pollard received 60 (14.74%) votes.The Ward 7 seat goes to Max Coblentz, with 885 (60.95%) votes, and his opponent Gray Lane received 567 (39.05%) votes.Ward 8 incumbant Tommy Dawson was un contested and will serve another term.
OPELIKA — The Gallery at Railroad is recovering. As Maffia’s next door neighbor, The Gallery, has had over a month now to deal with the damage from the downtown Opelika fire. Maffia’s burned down on July 21, leaving no remains to the business that only reopened earlier this year. Southern Crossing, Maffia’s other next door neighbor, also had to close due to severe water and smoke damage. The Gallery experienced less damage than Southern Crossing but has still been closed the last month. “I’ve said all along, it WARD
Opelika, AlabamaThursday Aug. 25, 2022Vol. 14, No. 46 CONTENTS An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.' Covering Lee County, Alabama FRED ERi CK-DEAN FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY Compassion • Integrity • Tradition 334-745-4667 On-site Crematory Coming Soon OPINION ..................... A4 ENTERTAINMENT ........... A7 RELIGION ................... A12 OBITUARIES ............... A13 COMICS ....................... A16 SPORTS ........................ B1 POLITICS ...................... B9 PUBLIC NOTICES ........... B12 CLASSIFIEDS ................ B14 PUZZLES ..................... B15 See GALLERY, page A3 WARD 1 CONNIETAYLORFITCH See MAIN STREET, page A3 The Excellence of Opelika Main Street CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER OPELIKA — Opelika was awarded six prestigious Main Street Alabama Awards of Excellence during the 2022 Main Street Ala bama LAB Conference. During the Awards of Excellence program, Main Street Alabama’s President and State Co ordinator, Mary Helmer Wirth, and Assistant State tiveimpactsthatprojectsTrishaCoordinator,Black,honoredandindividualsmadetremendousintheirrespeccommunities.Ala OOUOOOHPTCNTRBTEDTTHEBSERVER Auburn City Council Election Results Pre-Need Services Available Call 334-749-8700 for an appointment Your Full-Service Funeral Home
The
BY HANNAH LESTER OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMHLESTER@
BY MICHELLE KEY OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMMICHELLE@ AUBURN — The unofficial results of the city of Auburn's Municipal Election were released Tuesday night. Out of eight city coun cil seats, only five went to the ballot boxes, with the other three uncon tested.
Obiekwe, who serves as the Robotics Commit tee medical director at EAMC, performed her record-setting operation 3,913 days after she completed her first such procedure on Nov. 30, 2011. EAMC’s first over all robotic surgery was on March 29, 2010. Just minutes after the 1,000th case, Obiekwe took a moment to reflect. “Words cannot even express how I feel right now,” she said. “Incred ible. Excited. Just unbe lievable.” Obiekwe went on to express her thanks. “Of course, I owe ev erything to God, who gave me the strength and the guidance to continue to do what I do every day,” she said. “And to my fabulous patients who entrust me to care for them. And then to my amazing (robotics) team … they work tire lessly every day.” “This is a great day for Dr. Obiekwe and our entire robotics team,” said Laura Grill, pres ident and CEO of East Alabama Health. “She has enthusiastically embraced robotics over the years and we’re proud of her for reaching this milestone.” A total of 18 physicians covering such specialties as OB/GYN, urology, cardiac and thoracic surgery, general surgery and gynecologic oncology operate at EAMC using the hospital’s da Vinci Xi robotic system. Combined, they have more than 140 years of robotic experi ence and have completed more than 6,100 robotic procedures.StitesWhatley, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery at EAMC, expressed his appreciation of Obiekwe’s accomplish ment.“Deka is a strong pro ponent of robotic surgery for her patients, and her patients’ outcomes prove she is very skilled at per forming such procedures,” he said. “Our surgical di vision teams congratulate her on being the first here to reach 1,000.”
About East Alabama Health: East Alabama Health encompasses East Ala bama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavil ion 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 314-bed regional refer ral hospital with a 26-bed Skilled Nursing Facility, while eastalabamahealth.org.information,burnregion,largestployeesemploysEastambulatoryanasprovidesEAMC-Lanierinpatientserviceswellasanursinghome,acuterehabunitandansurgerycenter.AlabamaHealthabout3,500emandisthesecondemployerinthetrailingonlyAuUniversity.Formorevisitwww.
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CONTRIBUTED BY CIRCLES OPELIKA — Circles Opelika is hosting its TheCenterBusinessRoom,nityernnoonslatedfundraisinginauguralluncheon,forSept.16fromto1p.m.atSouthUnionStateCommuCollege’sSouthernlocatedintheTechnology(BTC)ofSUSCC.luncheonwillbe filled with testimonials from those that have par ticipated in the program and information on how to support this program. Tickets are now on sale for $25. The financial support from this fundraiser will allow Circles to further its programming for the families it serves. Resources to and for its families are raised by ef forts such as this. Circles Opelika is truly a com munity-driven program. Apart from one paid staff person, all other support comes from volunteers.
Circles Opelika To Host First Fundraising Luncheon
Circles is seeking sponsors to offset the cost of hosting this luncheon. Sponsorship costs are as follows: Presenting Spon sorship ($2,500), Premier Sponsorships ($1,000), Supporting Sponsorship ($500), SponsorshipCommunity($250) and a Table Sponsorship ($100).Sponsorships can be made beopelika.org),websiteOpelikathroughelectronicallytheEnvisionFoundation’s(www.envisionortheycanmailedordropped off to 2133 Executive Park Dr. in Opelika. Tickets are currently on sale at contributingdressesfamilies,theonlyofisprogram,Alabama.onlyets-399112966627.raisingluncheon-tickinaugural-circles-fundwww.eventbrite.com/e/Eventbrite:CirclesOpelikaistheCirclesprograminThenationalCirclesUSA,basedon20-plusyearsresearch,anditnotdealswithmeetingneedsofindividualtheprogramadsystemiccausestopovertyin our community. Poverty is a concern of the entire community, and it will take the entire communi ty to resolve the problem. Together, we can have a long-lasting impact on the families we serve as well as the communi ty. To date, Circles has trained 30 families and 26 of those have gradu ated; four have reached their financial goal of having a household that now has at least 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline as its income; and another three have committed to serving in an Advisory Role for the program — two allies and one Circlesfacilitator.Opelika is a Poverty Reduction Program whose mission is “to inspire and equip families and communities to resolve poverty and thrive”.“Our goal is to employ long-term solutions ver sus short-term fixes that leads to economic sta bility in the lives of our Circle Leader Families.” For more information about Circles Opelika, please contact Regina Meadows a_t 334-2031860 (office) / 334-7824490 (cell) or via email at sopelika.org.rmeadows@circle
CONTRIBUTED BY EAST ALABAMA HEALTH OPELIKA Last week, Njideka Obiekwe, M.D. marked a milestone in healthcare history for East Alabama Health as she performed her 1,000th robot-as sisted surgery at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika. In doing so, Obiekwe became the first physician at EAMC, and only the third obstetrician/ gynecologist (OB/GYN) in Alabama, to complete 1,000 robotic procedures.
A2 Aug. 25, 2022 The Observer will correct any errors, omissions or inaccuracies deemed to be substantive. Corrections may be requested by contacting the editor at CORRECTIONS334-749-8003. LIVE LEE EDITOR: Hannah Lester MARKETING: Woody Ross PHOTOJOURNALIST: Robert Noles SPORTS EDITOR: Wil Crews SPORTS WRITERS: Rick Lanier, D. Mark Mitchell STAFF REPORTER: Kendyl Hollingsworth 223-A S. 8th St., Opelika, AL 36801 Copyright 2009. All right reserved. The 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 The Observer, 223-A S. 8th St.,, Opelika, AL 36801 www.opelikaobserver.com PHONE: PUBLISHER:Michelle@opelikaobserver.comeditor@opelikaobserver.com334.749.8003MichelleKey Exp. Date: • $34 for 1 year (inside Lee County) $45 for 1 year (outside of Lee County) City:Address:Name: State: ZIP: Phone number: Email address:TheObserver 223-A S. 8th St., Opelika, AL 36801 Please do not send cash through the mail. Payment Type (circle one): Check / Credit Card Visa or Master Card # Amount Paid:Security Code:/ Return to: Subscribe to the Observer today! Dr. Obiekwe Performs 1,000th Robot-Assisted Surgery One of Only Three OB/GYNs in Alabama Reaches Milestone
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Space. Local Main Street programs also selected a Main Street Hero that honored an individual, business or organization that made an outstand ing contribution to their program.Opelika was awarded the following honors: Main Street Hero — Keep Opelika Beautiful Excellence in Place making — Opelika Main Street’s Industry On Track Sculpture Art Exhibit Excellence in Adap tive Reuse — CoLab Excellence in Historic Preservation — Historic Opelika Brochure/Digital Map•Excellence in Fund raising — Opelika Main Street’s Grant Writing Efforts and • Excellence in Public Relations — Opelika Main Street’s Downtown Housing Advocacy/Mar keting.“The Main Street approach works and downtown Opelika’s success is proof of that,” said Opelika Main Street Executive Director Ken Ward. “These prestigious awards show the strength of Opelika’s Main Street program and the success of downtown Opelika.”
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CONTRIBUTED BY WALTON LAW OPELIKA — Walton Law Firm, P.C. is pleased to an nounce that Trip Walton has been included in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. “Best Lawyers was founded more than 40 years ago to recognize the exceptional accom plishments of top legal professionals,” said Best Lawyers CEO Phil Greer. “We are proud to con tinue to present the most respected, unbiased legal awards worldwide.”
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“We’ll be putting it on so cial media when we start to, when we figure out a date for opening,” she said. The 8th and Rail owners are not the only support ive community members; Opelika has rallied around The“WeGallery.livein the most wonderful community on this earth,” she said. “It's easy to take it for granted when in those wonderful times when you don’t have anything going on that is a shocker in your life, but when that does happen, you’re just thankful.”
bama Municipal Electric Authority sponsored the event.The Awards of Excel lence recognized winners in the categories of Preser vation, Historic Rehabili tation, Fundraising, Public Relations, andtoricPlacemaking,Promotion,Promotion,Impact,Development,Partnerships,Public/PrivateBusinessEconomicAdaptiveReuse,BusinessMarketing,Non-HisBuildingDesignPlanning&Public
Lee County Sheriff’s Office Announces Promotion of Deputies
“These programs rep resent small rural cities as well as larger, more urban communities,” Wirth said. “The diversity of these communities makes each one unique; each are working within their own capacity to improve, reinvigorate and revital ize their downtown or neighborhood commercial districts. We were inspired by local success stories and by the lencethemakingualsorganizationsbusinesses,andindividwhoarededicatedtotheircommunitiesbesttheycanbe.”TheAwardsofExcelBanquetisahigh light of LAB, a three-day conference that bolsters the efforts of communi ties participating in the nationally acclaimed Main Street program or those communities interested in district revitalization. The ninth annual event drew more than 150 community leaders from Alabama. The 2022 awards banquet was held at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort Hotel & Spa at Grand National.
BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMKENDYLH@ AUBURN — Mothers Against Drunk (MADD)DrivingAlabama is inviting the commu nity to join in a walk Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. According to the event page, “Walk Like MADD” is MADD’s DeniseinfirstisAuburn.beSaturday’sdruggedtoawarenesswalkfundraisingsignatureevent.Theaimstoraiseandfundsenddrunkenanddriving.Thiswalkwillthefirstheldin“MADDAlabamathrilledtohostourWalkLikeMADDAuburn,”saidBlake,direc tor of field operations for MADD. “With the release [last week] of the report of increased traffic fatalities and injuries so far this year, it is even more timely that we’re com ing to share MADD’s life-saving mission.” MADD National President Alex Otte released a statement in response to the recent statistics from the Na tional Highway Traffic Safety Administra tion (NHTSA), which showed an uptick in car crash on“Peoplefatalities.aredyingAmerica’sroads at levels not seen since 2002, with no apparent plan to address this immediate crisis,” the statement reads. “… The latest estimates that 9,560 people were killed in traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2022 — a 7% increase over first quarter 2021 — indicate that lives taken by someone’s choice to drive im paired will reach the highest levels in over a decade at a time when traffic safety enforce ment is down.” More than six teams and 80 individuals are registered for the Auburn walk. One of those is Georgia resi dent Cynthia Hagain, whose mother, sister and sister’s fiancé were killed by an un derage drunken driver. This experience led Hagain to join MADD two decades ago.
Aug. 27 could be so much worse,” said Debbie Purves, owner of The Gallery. “It’s going to be a long process but in the end, I'll have a beautiful building to go back to.” Purves commended the Opelika and Auburn fire de partments for the work they did — no other structures burned on June 21. Purves said that she only lives about six blocks from the shop. The morning after the fire, she was given a heads-up to go check on her business, having been told that Maffia’s suffered a fire. “This is like about 6:30, 6:15,” she said. “I went down thinking it was just going to be like a kitchen fire and going to make sure that the back door was locked and ... I was just like ‘oh my Purvesgosh.’”saidthat The Gal
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ABOUT OPELIKA MAIN STREET: Founded in 1987, Ope lika Main Street assists in the growth of histor ic downtown Opelika through facade grants, beautification projects, small business assistance efforts and various com munity events. Learn more about Opelika Main Street by going to opelikamain street.org. ABOUT MAIN STREET ALABAMA: Main Street Alabama focuses on bringing jobs, dollars and people back to Alabama’s developmentcommunities.historicEconomicisatthe heart of our efforts to re vitalize downtowns and neighborhood commer cial districts.
CONTRIBUTED BY LCSO LEE COUNTY — The Lee Coun ty Sheriff’s Office recently announced the promotion of four deputies.Cpls.Mitchell Allen and David Gamper have been promoted to sergeant. Deputies Clayton Feagins and Gregory Sumner have been promoted to the rank of corporal. Sgt. Mitchell Allen began his career at Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2013. After two years within the Patrol Division, Allen was transferred into the Investigations Divi sion. In 2020, he was promoted to corporal within the Investiga tionsAllenDivision.hasobtained certifications in basic and traffic homicide investigation, drug investigation, ad vanced kinesics and interviewing, PPCT defensive investigativetactics,techniquesinvolvingsocialmedia,sexualassaultinvestigationtraining,childsex trafficking investi gation, gangs and fraud
MADD Alabama to Host First Auburn Walk
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lery suffered no structural damage and only minor water damage. Smoke dam age was the main culprit, sheFollowingsaid. renovations, Purves has high hopes to be open again by Christ mas. However, until then, The Gallery will hopefully operate out of 8th and Rail starting in September.
“[The people from 8th and Rail] have been wonderful for me,” she said. “[They] have just gone overboard being nice and helpful.”TheGallery will reopen soon and in the meantime, Purves is just waiting on the cleaning crew and is ready to organize the racks. She will prepare displays, etc.
Purves said that after 42 years in business, she will take the opportunity to update a bit while doing the renovations.“I’llusethis as an oppor tunity for a refreshing of the store,” she said. “ ... We’ll be back brighter and better than ever … Don’t let our temporary absence let you forget about us. Southern Crossing and The Gallery are working as hard as we can to get back and get open to have our presence back downtown.”
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Best Lawyers has earned the respect of the profession, the media and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was pub lished in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries. For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 12.2 million votes were ana lyzed to identify the top legal talent, as identified by their Lawyerspeers.on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on profession al expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in goodWaltonstanding.Law Firm, P.C. would like to congratulate Walton on being named to 2023 The Best Lawyers in America list.
A3 Aug. 25, 2022 WALTON GALLERY >> FROM A1 Left to right: Sgt. David Gamper, Sgt. Mitchell Allen, Cpl. Greg Sumner, Cpl. Clayton Feagins MAIN STREET >> FROM A1 Walton Law Firm, P.C. Lawyer Named to 2023 Best Lawyers List
ALERRTcombativeFirethroughHAZMATinvestigations,operationstheAlabamaCollege,lowlighttransition,basicone
A4 Aug. 25, 2022
Ihope you have a good day. The entire day. Start to finish. Not the Best Day Ever. No, that’s too much excitement crammed into 24 hours. I’m talking about a plainold, ordinary, run-of-themill good day. I hope you wake up to smells you love. Like donuts, bacon, coffee or halitosis from a kitty-lit ter-eating bloodhound. I hope you have nothing pressing to do. No schedule. No appoint ments.Wedo too much, you know. Long ago, our an cestors practiced the no ble art of being worthless. A lot of folks won’t do that anymore. I’m doing my best to bring it back. So today, I hope you’re as worthless as a water proof dishrag. I hope you remember your ancestors. Your grandparents, and their grandparents — even if you’ve never met them. I hope you think about the simple things they passed down to us. A hamburger with pickles. Whittling. Hydrangeas. Will Rogers. Baseball games. Pajamas. Smack ing ketchup bottles with the butt of your hand. Hank Williams music playing on kitchen radios. Childhood porches. The smell of peach cobbler in the oven. The faded family photo album. The ancient Betty Crocker cookbook that once belonged to your mother.Ihope you close your eyes and recall the best pieces of childhood. The days when you played hard, and the best games only happened in back yards.Ihope your smartphone quits working just for a few hours. I hope the ab sence of a digital screen takes you outdoors. I hope you hear the sounds of the earth all at once. I hope you see lots of trees. I hope you sit for hours with nothing but a cold drink and your best ideas. I hope you meet someone who inspires you. A kid who’s had kidney cancer. A girl who got pregnant too young, who just finished nursing school. The single father who lost his wife to sui cide, but is still raising his four kids. A woman who lost her husband to an overdose. A child whose daddy is in prison. A hillbilly who put himself through the GED course. A homeless woman, selling pencils on the side of the highway. An EMT who saves lives every afternoon before supper. A school custodian who brightens the days of children. A lonesome grandmother, who is grandmother to an entire neighborhood. Anyone who’s adopted a child.Ihope you look at these human beings and feel proud to be one. After all, they are the only ones worth being proud about. People like them. People likeHeroesyou. aren’t on televi sion. They aren’t celeb rities who have designer clothes, lots of TikTok followers and silicone thighs. Neither are they the sorts of fools who use teleprompters and urge for your support.
Heroes aren’t athletes, news anchors, televange lists, pop stars or reali ty-TV contestants with pinkAndhair.heroes sure as hailfire aren’t the folks you see performing acts of charity for the benefit of Hollywood film crews. No. You are the hero. You, the single mother in a single-wide trailer with the single income. You, the school teacher in No-Name-Town, Geor gia, who inspires at-risk kids to become poets and artists.You, the professors building schools in Afri ca. You, the 69-year-old woman delivering pizza to the cancer ward every Tuesday night. You, the man buying KFC for the homeless veteran in Baton Rouge, just because. You, the volunteer greeter at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. You. You are the real thing. I know it might be hard to believe, but it’s true whether you believe it or not. You make the world spin. You are the heart beat of our earth. The things you’ve gone through, the things you’re about to go through, the things you’re going through now; there’s meaning to them all. Your life means something. Today means something. This millisecond means something.Idon’tknow you, but if you’re reading this right now, we’re here togeth er. In this little moment within space and time, I’d like to give you a gift. Sadly, I don’t have much to give. I’m not a particularly smart guy. And I don’t have a lick of credibility to go along with my hillbilly name. I have crooked teeth. A big nose. I have a list of life failures longer than a roll of Charmin. So this will have to do: Have a good day, today. And if you can’t. Well, then help someone else haveBecauseone. that’s the same thing.
My Mother’s Hands
he very first mem ory I have is of my mother’s hands on my forehead. Her cool fingers, long and thin, were pressed to my skin to gauge how much fever I had. I was 4 years old, and we were packing up to move into a new house. That’s really all I remem ber of that day — the box es stacked against the wall and the touch of her hand — just single images, like snapshots.Howmany more times over my life, I wonder, did my mother press her hands to my face? She used her fingers to smooth my brow when I was worried, to wipe the tears from my cheeks, to cup my face in her hands when she looked at me with pride and to pull me close to hug me. She also used those hands to work hard. A constant refrain of mem ory, like a song that loops endlessly, is the sight of my mother standing in our kitchen. She cooked there, stirring food boiling in pots and cutting vege tables, seasoning meat and filling glasses before dinner. She set the table and cleared the table. She filled the dishes and washed the dishes clean. Food was one of her love languages, and she was exceptional at feeding us well.Every Saturday, she drove us to Kroger, just me and her. I remem ber watching her as she gripped the steering wheel. She was not trust ing of other drivers.
“It’s amazing how so many perfectly normal folks lose all common sense when they drive,” she said more than once. In the store, she would select our groceries carefully because that’s what you do when there’s not enough money to go around. The meat had to be just right, the cans undented, the vegetables perfectly ripe. She would buy just enough Cokes for every one of us to have a can with our Saturday evening dinner. That was our weekly splurge. Every once in a while, there would be enough extra money to treat me to a magazine or a candy bar. I didn’t know it then, but that extra money came from my mother going without a Coca-Cola that same Saturday night. In her later years, when money was not scarce, she always had plenty of Cokes in the house. I can’t open a can of Coca-Cola and hear that splash and fizz as it gushes over a cup of ice without thinking of her, raising a glass to her lips and saying, “Ah. Now THAT’S good.” She loved chocolate, too. Chocolate covered cherries, Hershey’s kisses, Dove chocolate bars and chocolate pie were her favorites. The pie was her own creation, and it was a little bit of heaven right here on earth. She slaved over each pie, with instructions so compli cated that I gave up on ever learning how to do it properly.We’dsit around the kitchen table, my brother and sister, my dad and my mother, and myself, with a slice of homemade choc olate pie on our plates. The only sound would be the scrape of forks and the sighs of contentment. I can still taste the rich chocolate and the light crust. I wish I’d known to savor not just the choc olate but the time itself, spent together around that table.My mother was not good at card games or board games. Some evenings after dinner, we’d play rummy or Clue, and she would lose every single time. It didn’t bother her, though. She always smiled, a good sport no matter what. I asked her once why she never won. She said she just couldn’t keep up with us all. “But I don’t mind,” she said. “Winning is not what I’m counting on.” It certainly wasn’t because she was not intelligent. She was a very smart woman. I think, looking back, it was just that she was so focused on the rest of us, so involved in our happiness and cherishing all those moments, that the game itself was of no consequence.I’dgiveanything to have another night like that, just one more time. But time and life don’t work that way. Over the years, my mother’s hands became twisted and pained with arthritis. It became harder and harder for her to cook, until finally she’d cooked her last meal. She was resigned to others cooking for her. I can only imagine how much that must have hurt her heart, not being able to do the things she’d done so well for so long. I think she was relieved a bit, but mostly she felt lost.The day she died, I held her hand for a while. Her fingers were cool. Her hand was limp. I said things I needed to say. “You were a wonderful mother, and you did everything just right. It’s time to rest.” At her funeral, lovely words were said. Hugs were given. Many tears were cried. As I sat next to my daughter and the rest of our family, I watched my own hands in my lap and pictured my mother’s fingers resting on mine. And just when I thought I couldn’t stand it another moment, my sweet Abbey reached over and touched my hand. Her fingers were long and cool, just like my mother’s. Abbey has learned to make chocolate pie, just like my mother used to. She also held my mother’s hand the day she died ... and many other days over the years. And so, because of my daughter, my mother is still here. Her hands are still reaching out to touch us all. And that makes all the difference.
crashes, and also share with the community the prevention and victim services offered by MADD,” Blake added. For those who want to support the mission but can’t make it to the walk, there is a donate button on the event page: event&eventID=1278.fuseaction=donorDrive.madd.org/index.cfm?www.walklike
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SEAN DIETRICH WENDY HODGE MADD >> FROM A3
As of Aug. 22, MADD had exceeded its $4,000 fundraising goal, but there is no cap on donations. People may also donate to MADD through participants who have set their own fundraising goals. For more informa tion, to register for the walk or to donate, visit the Walk Like MADD event page.
“I will be walking not just in memory of my own family, but for all those killed and injured ... especially those that I have been blessed to meet while working at MADD,” Hagain wrote on her participant page. “I have met so many wonderful people who have had this crime committed against them or their loved ones. It needs to stop now.”Participants will meet at the Auburn Public Safety Complex, located at 141 N. Ross St. The event will last about two hours and in clude a program before an approximately milelong walk, according to Blake.“We’re coming togeth er to honor loved ones of those lost and injured to impaired driving
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115 years ago AuburnBank was founded on the principles of sound money management and putting the customer first. As we’ve opened our new home in downtown Auburn, those principles still drive everything we do. Come by and help us celebrate our most recent success, and let’s talk about helping you achieve yours. Our New Home Is Built on a JustFoundation...SolidLikeOurBank.
SupportOrganizedtheInQuarterOfficereceivedandlifeR.A.DTaserSumnerDivision.isacertifiedmasterinstructor,instructor,basicsupportinstructorOCinstructor.HetheSheriff’sEmployeeoftheawardin2014.2019,hereceivedConcernedCitizensforPoliceAward.
Aug.
CONTRIBUTED BY UROLOGY HEALTH FOUNDATION CAMP HILL — On Saturday, Aug. 27, the Urology Health Foundation will hold a free prostate cancer screening for men 40 years of age and older from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Mt. Lovely Mis sionary Church located at 21900 Sen. Claude Pepper Drive in Camp Hill, Alabama. Face masks will be required. Only a PSA blood test will be performed. No appointments are needed. The Live HealthSmart Alabama Mobile Well ness team will also be at this health event, offering other important health screenings for men and women — also at no cost — including screenings for height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. After these 15-minute Live HealthSmart Alabama screenings, participants will learn their results and will be able to speak with a health care profes sional about other health risks they may experi ence.Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Ameri can men. Age and race are the strongest risk fac tors for prostate cancer. African American men are at special risk for the disease, with the highest risk of prostate cancer of any ethnic group in the world. A man’s risk of prostate cancer also in creases if he has a close relative with the disease. It is now more important than ever for those at highest risk of develop ing prostate cancer to be screened if they have delayed being screened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.According to Dr. Thomas Moody, pres ident of the Urology Health Foundation, there are no noticeable symp toms of prostate cancer while it is still in the ear ly stages. If, however, a man with prostate cancer waits to act until he has symptoms, the cancer may already have grown outside the prostate and progressed to the point where it is rarely cur able. Moody stresses that regular screening offers the best way to maxi mize a man’s chances of discovering the cancer while it is still in its ear ly — and most curable —Screeningstages. for prostate cancer involves a simple blood test called a PSA that measures the level of protein called pros tate-specific antigen in the blood. Normally PSA is found in the blood at very low levels. Elevated PSA readings can be a sign of prostate cancer. Early detection and treatment are key factors in addressing any health concerns. That is why on Saturday, Aug. 27, ev eryone is encouraged to come to the Mt. Lovely Missionary Church to be screened.Formore information about these free screen ings, please contact Sherry Wilson at 205960-8438.
Free Cancer, Comprehensive Health Screenings Coming to Camp Hill 27
Prostate
LCSO >> FROM A3 rapid response to active shooter, assault mission planning for high risk warrants and clandes tine lab HAZMAT with OSHA. Allen also has teaching certifications in OC aerosol, less le thal impact munitions, chemical munitions, aerosol chemical weap ons, identifying and disposing of hazardous materials, in SSGT defensive tactics, pa trol rifle, handgun and shotgun.Sgt.David Gamper started working with Lee County Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy in 2013. Since then, Gamper has enjoyed being able to interact with citizens of Lee County and protect his community as part of the Patrol Division.Gamper was promot ed to corporal within the Patrol Division in 2018. In 2019, he also joined the K-9 Division, where he began working with his partner, Wesson, a du al-purpose explosives K-9Cpl.officer.Clayton Feagins joined the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Sep tember 2016 as a com munications officer. In 2018, he transferred to the Patrol Division as a patrol deputy. Cpl. Feagins is a certified field train ing officer, R.A.D. instructor and Taser instructor. He is also a trained member of the Alabama Law Enforce ment Alliance for Peer Support, an organiza tion that helps to sup port law enforcement agencies and officers dealing with critical incidents, as well as a 24/7/365 peer support dispatch program. Cpl. Greg Sumner has been a part of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office since October 2013. He started as a corrections deputy before moving to the Patrol Division in 2014. From 2019 to January 2022, Sumner served as part of the Investigations Division before becoming a school resource officer in 2022. His promotion to corporal will lead him back to the Inves tigations
A5 Aug. 25, 2022
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A6 Aug. 25, 2022 CONTRIBUTED BY ASMS MOBILE —
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some“We’veishing,”animal“TheAmerica.sizeoftheisreallyastonGentrysaid.knownforquitetimethatseatur tles reached immense proportions during the Cretaceous, but gener ally freshwater turtles were, and still are, much wouldthatsaursdinosaurscrocodiles,GentryduringpredatorsnoavoidingtimeinofduesizeAppalachemys’Researcherssmaller.”thinkmassivemayhaveevolvedtoacombinationthetropicalclimateAlabamaduringthatandasameansofpredation.“TherewascertainlyshortageoflargeinAlabamatheCretaceous,”said.“GiantcarnivorousandmosawereallpredatorsAppalachemyshavehadtocon tend with. Having a thick shell and being as big as possible would have been helpful, but it’s impossible to say if predation was the rea son Appalachemys got soAppalachemysbig.” is the latest in a growing list of new species identi fied from Alabama mu seum collections in the past“Thedecade.discovery of Appalachemys under scores the importance of museum collections and demonstrates how historically collected fossils can still lead to important said.advancements,”scientificGentry“Thankstoour temperate climate and ample rainfall, Alabama has always been a bio diversity hotspot. We have a pretty good idea of the species living here today, but when it comes to the ancient life of Alabama, we’ve barely scratched the surface.”Thestudy, titled “A large non-marine turtle from from the Upper Cretaceous of Alabama and a review of North American Macrobae nids”, was published last week in the journal Anatomical Record and can be viewed online at: The Anatomical Record - Wiley Online Library.
New Species of Giant Fossil Turtle Discovered in Alabama
Appalachemys ebersolei resting on an estuarine shoreline next to the theropod dinosaur Saurornitholestes. Artwork by Gabriel Ugueto.
The fossil of Appalachemys ebersolei. Scale bar = 10 cm.
Last week, a team of scientists announced the discovery of a new spe cies of freshwater turtle that lived alongside the dinosaurs, 83 million years ago. The scien tists who made this dis covery are Dr. Andrew D. Gentry of the Ala bama School of Math ematics and Science in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. James F. Parham of the University of California Fullerton and Caitlin Kiernan of McWane Science Center in Bir mingham, Alabama. The official name of the new turtle is Appa lachemys ebersolei in honor of Alabama pale ontologist Jun Ebersole. The fossilized remains were originally found in southern Alabama during the mid-1980s and held in the collec tion at the Alabama Museum of Natural History in Tuscaloo sa, Alabama, for more than 30 years before being recognized as significant by Parham, the museum’s former curator.“Iwas aware of the specimen for more than a year after becoming curator but never exam ined it closely because it was mislabeled as a common species,” Parham said. “When I finally opened the cabi net where it was stored, I knew immediately that it was important. I’ll never forget that moment.”Thestudy revealed that Appalachemys was a member of a poorly known group of fossil turtles known as mac robaenids, which inhab ited the rivers and estu aries of North America and Asia roughly 55 to 95 million years ago. At nearly a meter long, Appalachemys was one of the largest freshwater turtles to ever live in North
CONTRIBUTED BY THE EAST ALABAMA CIVIC CHORALE LEE COUNTY — The East Alabama Civic Chorale will have its first rehearsal of the 202223 season on Tuesday evening, Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. The chorale is spon sored by The East Ala bama Arts Association and rehearses in the Southside Center for the Arts, 1103 Glenn St. in Opelika. “We are so glad to be resuming rehearsals,” said Dale Peterson, conductor of the chorale. “Covid restrictions curtailed our meetings. Every member that I have spoken with is very excited to be singing again.”Thechorale will imme diately begin rehearsing music for its Christmas concert. Selections will include choruses from MESSIAH, carol arrange ments by outstanding cho ral composers Dan Forrest and John Rutter and a new commissioned work by Charles McCartha. The pianist for the chorale is Liza Weisbrod. The chorale is open to ev eryone who enjoys singing and has previously sung in school, church or commu nity choirs.
COFFEE, page A11
East Alabama Civic Chorale to Begin Rehearsals
BY HANNAH LESTER FOR LIVE LEE MAGAZINE AUBURN — In the last six years, Bitty and Beau’s has grown from a singular coffee shop to a chain across the United States. And now, it is coming to Auburn.“[Bitty and Beau’s] employs people with intellectual and devel opmental disabilities,” said Amy Wright, who started the coffee shop chain with her husband, Ben Wright. “The inspi ration behind the coffee shops came from our two youngest children, Bitty & Beau, who have Down syndrome. “As we started think ing forward about our children’s futures, we were just astonished to learn that 80% of people with disabilities are un employed in our country. And so, we wanted to be part of the solution.”
in
family cookbook filled with photographs and many recipes served at gatherings over the years. Carol
Bitty and Beau’s first shop opened in 2016 in Wilmington, North Car olina. “When we opened our first shop, we started welcoming people from all over the country to see what was going on in this little coffee shop in Wilmington and realized very quickly that we had captured people’s attention and people started saying to us, ‘we need this in our town,’” Amy said. “‘Please bring this to our community.’” Over the next five years, they opened two more in Wilmington and opened shops in Charleston, South Carolina; Savan nah, Georgia; Annapolis, Maryland.In2021, Ben and Amy began franchising the business; Auburn is the seventh franchise and the 13th shop in total. Part of the benefit of franchising is teaching others how to bring this to their own communi ties, Amy “Franchisingsaid. is a whole new world,” she said. “It’s a very high ly-regulated industry. So just learning how to teach, and operate
Carol Duncan
Everyone Is Included
After her mother passed away 2019, Carol Duncan began assembling a is pictured ing a cookbook that wouldn’t have just Ma ma’s recipes but would have recipes from both sides of her family. It was a good way to deal with my grief.” While Carol grew up in Auburn and learned how to cook from her mother, she also learned a great deal about cooking from both of her grand mothers who lived in south Alabama. She would visit one set of grandparents on their farm, where she sat on the front porch shelling peas with them during summer. There would be southern favorites for Sunday dinners with two meats and vegetables fresh from theAlthoughgarden. her pa ternal cooking“Mimi”grandmotherdidn’tenjoyasmuch,she enjoyed making gour met food creations using marzipan for fun projects. At Mimi’s an tebellum home, Carol would sit in the kitchen
S ocietyFood,& News SHouthernospitality Ann Cipperly OOUOOOHPTCNTRIBTEDTTHEBSERVER vents,E See CIPPERLY, page A10
with her family cookbook and one of her two dogs, Samford. UPCOMING EVENTS AUG. 27: ARM'S BBQ BLOCK PARTY IN OPELIKA, 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AUG. 27: WALK LIKE MADD IN AUBURN, 9 A.M. AUG. 27: AUBURN FAMILY FOOTBALL PRESEASON KICKOFF AUG. 30: EAST ALABAMA ARTS PRESENTS "WE'LL MEET AGAIN" “Our Mission is Yo ur He alth” 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 BEAU REGARD DRUGS •DriveThru Only •Regular Operating Hours •Please Call Ahead on Refills to Avoid Wait WE DELIVER! Piedmont Fertilizer Co. Inc. 201 2nd Ave. • Opelika, AL SINCE 1910 Nothing better for your lawn exists OBSERVERTHETOCONTRIBUTEDPHOTO A fter years of gatheringsfulwonderfamily with tables covered in delicious dishes, Car ol Duncan decided to preserve the cherished memories in a cook book with photographs and recipes. While it took her two years to collect pictures and recipes, the result is a book that everyone in the family treasures and will be passed down for IICarollosstergustaway“Pete”Carol’sbookInspirationgenerations.fortheoccurredwhenmother,SaraHiggs,passedsuddenlyinAu2019.“Mamawasthecenofourlivesandherwasdevestating,”said.“Ithoughthadtodosomething.thoughtaboutwrit
Assembles Family Cookbook With Memories, Recipes
See
Making the Grade: Fuzzy’s
What’soffavoriteyourtypefood?As a “Pooh-sized” woman, I’ve rarely met a food I didn’t like, to paraphrase Will Rogers. Howev er, I’d have to say that my favorite food of all time would be Southern cooking. Barbara Patton, my sweet Mama, and Pearl Coker Patton and Vivian Brooks McEach ern Adamson, my sweet grandmothers, were all amazing Southern cooks. Therefore, I grew up loving fried chicken, fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, fried apple pies (are you sensing a theme here?), cornbread, collard and turnip greens, chicken and dressing (in a pan; Southerners don’t stuff anything up a bird’s behind), cobblers and every other Southern dish which came out of their kitchens. I told my husband Mike that I plan to cook fried green tomatoes at least once before sum mer’s end. I made them the first time about 25 or 26 years ago. I wasn’t too sure what I was doing, even though I’m sure I called Mama in Alexander City (“Eleck” City to the locals) for instructions. Being nervous about cooking fried green tomatoes for the first time, I asked my friend Shelly, a new teacher who lived in the apartment below me, for someWhenhelp.Iasked Shelly how hot I should turn up the oil in the black iron skillet Mama let me have, Shelly said, “Popping hot!” So I did. Big mistake. My fried green tomatoes turned black on the outside, and they were mushy on the inside. This wasn’t Shelly’s fault at all. Shelly was, and still is, a great cook. However, she’s from Indiana and had never even eaten a fried green tomato, much less cooked one. What was I thinking? That was all on Shellyme.is a friend who is really family, and she is a hero. Once, I set fire to my stove when I was frying French fries in a boiler, which was too small. It was Shelly to the rescue. When I called her in a panic, Shelly ran upstairs to my kitchen, quickly dous ing the flames with her trusty fire extinguisher before the LaGrange Fire Department arrived. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I don’t like to cook, and now you know that I have a valid reason.I’ve since tried cook ing fried green tomatoes a time or two here at our home in Auburn. Last summer, my sweet Mama supervised me closely when I tried to cook that Southern deli cacy. I have to say, they were really Unfortunately,good. Mama can’t help me with frying tomatoes now, so I’ll ask
PATTONSTACEYWALLACE Taco P.M.
EVERY DAY EXCEPT WEDNESDAY NO RESERVATION NEEDED ADDITIONALAVAILABLEHOURSBYRESERVATION Come Throw With Us! 223 S. 8th St., Opelika Call 912-322-1699 For Reservations
A8 Aug. 25, 2022
Mike to stand by with the fire extinguisher. I’ll keep you posted. But I digress.After Southern cook ing, my second favorite type of cuisine (which is just a fancy word for food), would be Italian. That figures, since bread and pasta are loaded with carbohydrates, a diabet ic’s kryptonite. Mexican food would closely follow Italian as my third favorite type of food. That being the case, recently I met Leigh Ann for lunch at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop at 1678 S. College St. in Auburn. The interior of Fuzzy’s was light and welcom ing. I laughed when I read the sign, “Feed me tacos and tell me I’m pretty.” Works for me. Aaron, our cashier, was wonderful, being sweet, patient and help ful. Leigh Ann chose the fajita beef taco and beef taco. I ordered the combo plate with a beef taco, chicken enchilada, Latin-fried potatoes and refried beans. I also or dered chips and queso to share with Leigh Ann. Our food was great. Also, I really loved our cheese dip, it was very different from the white cheese dip which I often enjoy when I dine at other Mexican restau rants. This cheese dip was orange in color and had tomatoes and onions in it; I will DEFINITE LY order that again next time. And the Good Lord willing, there will be a nextAftertime.we finished our meal, Emma, a sweet, young lady, took our trays for us. I was really impressed by the staff at Fuzzy’s. They were all smiling, eager to serve us and acted like they enjoyed being there. That’s rare in 2022, and I appreciated it. Besides our delec table dishes, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop also serves a large selection of salads, nachos, tacos, Mexican plates, burritos and quesadillas. The restaurant also serves “Breakfast Whenever” and breakfast favorites such as huevos ranche ros, migas and chilaq uiles. Desserts include sopapilla bites and Oreo churros.Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight.Fuzzy’s Taco Shop makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remem ber, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy! Stacey Patton Wal lace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will ap pear each week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at gmail.comlangartsteacher2020@retired
Shop OBSERVERTHEFOR/WALLACEMIKEBYPHOTOS NEW HOURS AT AXE MARKS THE SPOT 5 TO 9
/OOOHPTSBYEDSIKRAFORTHEOBSERVER
The city of Opelika and United Way of Lee County hosted the annual Summer in the Park fundraising event Aug. 20 at Opelika's Municipal Park. The family-friendly event included train rides, a duck race and the Burgers and Badges cookoff between Opelika's police and fire departments. OFD won the competition, but United Way was the big winner as the event raised $11,353.
A Lip-Smacking,'Quacking' Good Time
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the recipes with a list of ingredients that is helpful while grocery shopping.“Theday I finished the book I was so pleased that I also finished a needlepoint Christmas stocking for a grandson,” Carol said. “I finished both in the same day. When I decided to do this, it seemed it went on for ever.“Ican’t describe the feeling. I wanted to ac complish something. It was significant to fin ish the cookbook and stocking in the same day. Then, I was so excited to get the book in my hands and give it to my children. I am so proud that I finished it.”If you are interest ed in getting a copy or creating one with your family filled with photos and recipes, go to the cookbook web site, book.Carol’sare_1590164369.how/cookbook.com/www.createmystore/328406_343913Thefeaturedrecipesasamplingfromfamilycook
Our friends Lolly and Bob Steiner visited the Chicago Ritz Carlton years ago and returned home with this fabulous appetizer. It’s almost as pretty to look at as it is delicious. 3/4 lb. smoked salm on,3/4choppedlb.raw Wild Salmon, chopped 2 Tbsp. capers, drained and chopped 2 Tbsp. shallots, minced2Tbsp. Italian pars ley,Freshmincedlemon juice to tasteSea salt and pepper to Smalltaste amount of ketchup to bind 1/2 cup sour cream 2 boiled eggs, finely chopped2Tbsp. fresh chives, finelyWatermincedcrackers to serveMix both salmons capers, shallots, parsley with a little ketchup and lemon juice adding salt and pepper to taste. You don’t want a lot of ketchup just enough to bind the Moundingredients.ontopof a platter and then top with sour cream, chopped boiled egg and chives.
A10 Aug. 25, 2022 CIPPERLY >> FROM RECIPESCIPPERLYA7>>
1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated1/4cup sun dried tomatoes, minced 1 garlic clove, minced1tsp. Italian dress ingMix all ingredients and store in fridge. Toss with salad greens. Yield: about 1 1/2 cups CREOLE SHRIMP AND GRITS I have been serving this for our Christmas Eve dinner for as long and I can remember. I use five minute grits, never instant. My favorite Andouille is Jacobs from La Place, Louisiana. I order it and sometimes gift it to friends, It’s very smoky but not very spicy. If you prefer a spicy Andouille get Conecuh, Savoie’s or Ragin Cajun.
I use sun dried tomatoes in oil and drain. I prefer Duke’s Mayonnaise. This was Lynn wedgeisdipThisandgrandmother’sThillman’srecipe,it’sourfavorite.wouldbeagoodforveggies.Thisfabulousoverasalad.
for hours watching the cook, Rachel, prepare fried chicken and blackberry cobbler. Carol has many won derful memories sur rounding food with her grandparents and her mother, who cooked a lot of dishes from south Alabama, such as fried cornbread.WhenCarol was 5 years old, her grand mother gave her a book called “Mudpies”. The “recipes” were how to make mudpies and mix in materials from the yard, such as leaves. Later, she had an Easy Bake Oven and baked cookies and made can dy.While in grammar school, she would find a recipe for something her father liked. She enjoyed cooking for her“Itparents.wasaway to show love,” Carol said. Carol still shares her delectable dishes with others.After high school, Carol graduated from Auburn University with a degree in education and received a mas ter’s degree in public administration from the University of South Alabama.WhenCarol met her husband, Bobby, she was introduced to a more formal style of entertaining. Bobby’s parents, the late Molly and Billy Duncan, en joyed entertaining and hosting lavish cocktail parties.After Carol and Bob by married, they lived in several places before returning to the area. When they lived in Mobile, Carol learned how to prepare sea food and Cajun/Creole dishes, which have re mained favorites. Carol taught school in Auburn for a few years, then she heard about the United States Personal Chef Asso ciation in 2002. She attended a seminar in Atlanta to learn how to organize her business. She was a personal chef for 13 years. After she retired as a chef, she taught culinary arts at Auburn High School for three years. Carol then taught restaurant workers kitchen safety and san itation for ServSafe for several years. She retired a few years ago. Bobby works in con struction for MIHADA. Being retired gave her more time with their three sons and families. Jay and his wife Amy have two sons, Jack, 7 and Gaines, 5; Will, who is single; and Miles and his wife Caroline have a 2-month-old daugh ter, Alice. They all live in Birmingham. Grow ing up, the sons didn’t have much interest in food, but now they en joyCarolcooking.enjoys cook ing for her children and her grandchildren. The makegrandchildrenpopsiclesand fun foods.When the family gets together, they all cook together and share recipes. When they go to the beach, each one takes a night to cook. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, they all bring a dish. On Christ mas Eve, Carol will host a cocktail buffet and make shrimp and grits, and everyone will bring one or two dishes.With everyone in the family having a love of cooking, Carol was determined to finish the cookbook featuring their recipes. While there are several online companies that help assemble a cookbook, Carol went with Create Your Own Cookbook. She sent text messag es to everyone in the family saying that she needed their recipes. Her sister, Cindy Pugh, is also a good cook and shared 10 of her reci pes. Most of the reci pes in the book are her mother’s, and some are amusing, such as “The Pete”, which is chilled boxed wine and ice poured into an Auburn stadium cup. Carol went through pictures and scanned them on her phone and then uploaded them to the cookbook website. “The fun part was find ing the photos of fami ly,” Carol said. “There is a photo of my fam ily on vacation on the cover, and every page has a photo of a family member or members. The ones of Mama are funny.”Oneof Carol’s favor ite photos is of her with her mom, and sister and one grandmother’s cook, Rachel. Having so many photos made the cookbook more expensive, but it was important to her to have those. With this expense, Carol doesn’t make any money on the cookbook sales. She typed the recipes and added notes, in cluding when her moth er made the recipes. Most of the recipes are her mother’s, and she tried to include funny stories with each one. She said she believes the stories behind the recipes are important. Bobby’s mother’s Whiskey Cake that she made every Christmas is also in the ispickedbookhardbound,wanted,toordered,gether.doingaboutNow,alsoencouragedtalkedchefthreeProofreaderscookbook.wereofCarol’sclosefriends.Theyeverydayandher.Theysharedarecipe.theyaretalkingthefourofthemacookbooktoOncethebookwasCarolwasablepickthetypeshewhichincludedspiralcookanddigital.Sheallthree.Therealsoanappthathas
SOUTH ALABAMA FRIED CORNBREAD
This is the corn bread that Gaga, Aunt Ethel and Mama made. Mama always used Adams Extra Fine Cornmeal or Adams Extra Fine Cornmeal. 1 cup cornmeal 3/4 cup hot water 1 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. canola oil Preheat oil in black skillet on stove top till hot. Mix cornmeal, salt and hot water and use a tablespoon to drop into hot oil Cook until golden brown then flip and finish cooking on other side. Drain on a pa perYield:towel.serves about 4 PETE’S CHICKEN SALAD
This is Pete’s fa mous chicken salad. I shred the chicken if I’m making sand wiches, and I dice it a little larger if serving it on a tomato slice. I always make it the day before we will eat it so the flavors have time to blend.
SALMON TORTE
SUN DRESSINGTOMATODRIEDSALAD
1-2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled 1 ½ cup grits 1 lb. 6onions.mixture.andwithuntiladdwaterpanminutes.ings.tomatoesislastaddceleryleftaside.SautéivetasteSeasoning,sausageslicedminceddicedslicedatomatoes,sizesausage,Andouillecutintobitepieces28oz.canwholecutupwithknife1stalkcelery,1/2largeonion,4largegarlic,5greenonions,OliveoiltosautéandshrimpOnionsalt,totasteSlapYoMamatotasteSaltandpepper,toSautéshrimpinoloilandsetaside.sausageandsetInthefatthat’sinthepan,sautéandonionandgarlicduringtheminute.Whentheoniontranslucent,addandseasonSimmerfor20Inamediumsaucebring6cupsoftoaboilthengritsandcookdone.Seasonsaltandpepper.Addgrits,sausageshrimptotomatoGarnishwithgreenYield:serves
KATY’S BBQ SAUCE Bobby’s sister, Katy Melton, and a friend, Claire, creat ed this recipe while their husbands were in law school. It’s ev eryone’s favorite and it great with chicken or pork. Katy rec ommends using Lea and Perrins. Fresh lemon juice is always best but when making large batches of this we use bottled. 1/2 cup brown sugar3tsp. kosher salt 1/4 cup ketchup 1/2 tsp. black pepper1/2cup white vinegar2tsp. chili powder 1/2 cup Worcester shire Sauce 2 tsp. celery seed 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup yellow mustard6Tbsp. lemon juice Tabasco to taste Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and whisk until blended. Simmer for just a few minutes. Yield: about 3 cups
SPAGHETTICHICKEN Molly, Bobby’s mother, made this and loved it. I had never even heard of it, but now make it all the time. 3 lbs. whole chick enOlive oil 2 - 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes 2 celery stalks, diced2bell peppers, diced (I use red) 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced3cloves garlic, mincedItalian seasoning Garlic powder Salt and pepper Bay leaf Red Parmesan,Spaghettiwine grated Simmer whole chicken in water with salt and pepper until it’s done. Debone chicken and reserve. Sauté bell peppers, onions, and mushroom in olive oil until tender crisp.Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add crushed toma toes and a little stock along with the remain ing seasonings and red wine.Simmer for 1 hour. Add shredded chicken. To serve, toss with cooked spaghetti and top with grated Parme san. Yield: serves 4 to 6
This is one of my fa vorite side dishes in the summer when zucchini, tomatoes and corn are at their peak. I often make a half of a recipe for just the two of us 3 cups fresh or frozen corn5small Panko.combinesaltsprinklewithtables.butter.pepper,1bineproofdegrees.crumbscheese,matoes,ter,mincedpeppermatchstickzucchini,pieces2tsp.salt1tsp.groundblack2Tbsp.freshdill,2Tbsp.meltedbutunsalted3-4vine-ripenedto1/2inchslices1/2cupParmesanfinelygrated1/4cupPankobread2Tbsp.oliveoilHeatovento375Ina13X9ovenbakingdishcomthecorn,zucchini,tsp.salt,1/2tsp.dillandmeltedTosstocoatthevegeCovervegetablestomatoesandwithremainingandpepper.Inasmallbowl,ParmesanandSprinklethemixture
2 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on 6-7 green onions, finely minced 1 Tbsp. yellow mustardDuke’s mayo, enough to bind Salt and pepper to tasteRoast chicken breast with salt, pep per and olive oil. Allow chicken to cool, then shred or dice.Mix with remaining ingredients and let sit in refrigerator over night.
CORN, ZUCCHINI AND CASSEROLETOMATO
SALSA My sister Cindy Pugh makes this for all family gatherings, It’s a favorite. 28 oz. can whole tomatoes2-3jalapenos, seeded ¼ cup pickled jala penos¼cup pickled jalape no1/3juicecup fresh cilantro ½ cup chopped onion 1 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic 1 lime 1 Tbsp. canola oil Put all in a blender or food processor. Once it’s processed, add the juice of a half of a lime and 1 Tbsp. canola oil. Process for another 10Letseconds.sitinfridge at least eight hours. Jalapenos are tricky — if you have hot ones, two is enough. If not, you may want to leave the seeds and membranes in them. Enjoy!
RECIPESCIPPERLY>>
A11 Aug. 25, 2022 COFFEE >> FROM A7 over the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 min utes or until cheese is bubbling.Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: serves about 6 WHISKEY CAKE Bobby’s mom Molly Duncan made this fabulous cake every Christmas. This cake is amazing and is Molly’s legacy! 2 envelopes of gel atin1/2 cup cold water 1/2 cup boiling water 1/2 cup whiskey 1 cup sugar 6 eggs, separated 1 tsp. lemon juice 2 cups whipping cream3packages of lady fingers, split Soak gelatin in cold water then add hot wa ter to dissolve. Add whiskey.Beategg yolks until thick then add sugarAddslowly.lemon juice and stir in gelatin and chill for a short time. Whip the cream and fold it into the egg cakeovernight.fingers.anotherbatterfilling.Fingersanotherit’spanpantomandBeatmixture.eggwhitesfoldthemin.Linesidesandbotofaspringformwithladyfingers.Pourmixtureintoslowlyandwhenhalffull,putlayerofLadyontopofFinishfillingcakethentopwithlayerofladyChillinrefrigeratorYield:onetoserve10
While they don’t work at the shop yet, “They feel very proud of it and I think it’s very much a part of their identity,” sheForsaid.the employees that they do have, Amy said that she and Ben are mindful of other needs, outside of just employ ment, such as transpor tation, furthering their education and becoming independent.“Itjustkind of comes with the territory,” Amy said. “We care deeply about our employees and it’s definitely more than a job. It’s a lot of support in the shop and in Thelife.”Auburn franchise owners contacted Amy and Ben, Amy said, and expressed they wanted a Bitty and Beau’s in The Loveliest Village on the Plains.“We have worked with them from day one to help find a perfect spot, and find the perfect employees, and upfit the shop and be ready for this opening day that’s coming here soon,” she said.The shop's Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting was held last weekend on Aug. 20. “It is so much more than a cup of coffee,” she said. “You will be warmly greeted when you walk in, we always say ‘welcome to Bitty and Beau’s.’ There are lots of high fives. We have spontaneous dance parties and conga lines. There’s an interactive map feature in the shop where people can place a pin on the map and say where they come from. We’ve got delicious drinks and baked goods. But, I think, above all else, it’s the customer service, it’s our employ ees that will just make everybody’s day brighter. “It’s a very positive, welcoming atmosphere. People love the customer experience. So, we’re looking forward to meet ing everyone in Auburn and sharing that with them.”
Our friends Lynn and Mark were visit ing weekend from St. Louis, and she made this fabulous dish for us. Lynn and I met at a United States Per sonal Chef Confer ence in Philadelphia in 2007 and have been close friends ever since. 2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil (divided use) 8 oz. spicy tur key Italian sausage, casings1/2onion, small dice1lb. mushrooms, sliced2-3 large cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter21/2 cup low sodi um chicken stock 14 oz. whole toma toes, diced or cut up with removed scissors 1 1/2 cup water (for grits)1cup old-fashioned grits4oz. cream cheese, softenedAdd1/2-1 Tbsp. oil to a skillet and when it’s hot. Add the crumbled sausage. Sauté till brown then remove and reserve. Add remaining oil to pan and sauté onion until it’s translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cover and let simmer for 15 4grits.sausagebuttercreamAdduntilforReduceandandbringminutes.Inasaucepanchickenstockwatertoaboilwhiskingrits.andsimmer20minutesorgritsaredone.saltandpepper,cheeseandtogrits.ServemixtureoverYield:servesto6
SAUSAGE OVERMUSHROOMANDRAGUGRITS
TOMATOROASTEDSOUP Heida Olin, a friend, shared this recipe with me a few years ago. I use an immersion blender to puree it. You can also serve the sauce with pasta. Roasted Tomato Sauce: 3 lb. Roma to matoes, cored and halved1medium onion, halved and sliced 2 medium carrots, sliced into chunks 4 large garlic, peeled, left whole 1 1/2 tsp. thyme, dried2Tbsp. olive oil Salt and pepper
within the parameters of a franchise agreement is a little bit different. Ben and I have personally vetted every family that we have selected to be franchisees and feel that it’s really important to identify people who get our mission and who are excited about that and align with us on many different levels.” Bitty and Beau’s Coffee employs over 350 people with disabil ities including Down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy across all of their shops as well as a “typically-developing support staff”. “We can’t open enough coffee shops to absorb this unem ployment epidemic that exists in our country but what we hope we do every time we open a new shop is create a portal for every guest to come into and see what’s possible so that they go back to their place of business and consider hiring someone with a disability,” Amy said. “The most reward ing part is just those ‘a-ha!’ moments when guests come in and see someone with Down syndrome or autism be ing really successful at their job and maybe they go back to their place of work and hire some one with a disability as well.”
When franchise owners are learning the process of opening a Bitty and Beau’s, Amy said that she and Ben are very involved with support.“Ourkids’ names are on the sign,” she said. “So protecting the brand’s reputation and making sure that every thing is done correctly, and with great success is our number one prior ity.”Speaking of their chil dren, Beau just turned 18 and Bitty will be 13 soon.“[When] we started the shop, it wasn’t so they could plug in and have a job right away,” she said. “It was to help create a commu nity that valued people with disabilities so that someday, in the future, the opportunities would be there for them.”
Roasted Tomato Soup: Roasted tomato sauce, recipe above 2 cups chicken stock1tsp. basil, dried or Italian seasoning 1 tsp. sugar 1/4 cup half and halfBalsamic vinegar to taste, or sherry vinegarPreheat oven to 425 tomatoFordegrees.roastedsauce, toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread the mixture in a single layer on large rimmed baking sheet; make sure to place the tomatoes cut side down. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the carrots are tender. The top of the tomato skins will get veryUsingbrown.tongs, peel the tomato skins. Let this mixture cool slightly on the baking sheet. Transfer all, including the juice, to a blender and pulse until it is the consistency you like it. Roasted Tomato Soup Heat the sauce and chicken in a medium saucepan. Rub the dried basil between your palms and into the sauce. Add sugar.Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low before adding the half-and-half. Serve with a dollop of pesto, if desired.Yield: about 3-plus quarts
OOOOHPTSBYSAMDCHIARAFRTHEBSERVER
Email The Observer at Editor@OpelikaObserver.com to get your community announcement this page. EVENTS:
Located in beautiful downtown Opelika 223 S. 8th St. |
A12 Aug. 25, 2022
Camp Hill Marketplace
AUG. 30: EAST ALABAMA ARTS PRESENTS "WE'LL MEET AGAIN"
Come out and buy your fresh produce, honey, jams and hand-crafted items at the Camp Hill Marketplace, a state-certified farmers market Every Thursday, 8 to 11 a.m., June 2 through Oct. 20, rain or shine, at Mount Lovely Baptist Church at 21900 Senator Claude Pepper Drive Camp Hill, (AL Hwy 50). Potential vendors contact Sharon at 256749-5100 to apply to join.
The Thunder from Down Under 2nd Annual Boots & Stilettos event is scheduled for Sept. 2 and 3. Boots & Stilettos is hosted by The Bledsoe Family Com munity Center, Knight Riders (The Rebirth) from Sanford, Florida and Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club of Central Al abama. Activities will begin Friday, Sept. 2 at 5 p.m. at The Bledsoe Family Community Center, 1854 Lashley Road, in New Site. Friday evening activities include a Meet & Greet, Seafood Boil and a Disco featuring DJ Short Dog. Entry fee is $15 for Friday or Saturday or $20 for both days. Saturday activities will begin at 11 a.m. with a Charity Ride for MS hosted by The Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club of Central Alabama. The cost of the ride is $15 and includes admission to the Saturday Boots & Stilettos events. Be ginning at 1 p.m. there will be a raffle, games, food, drinks and other fun. The Show & Shine Bikes and Antique Cars contest begins at 3 p.m. with prizes for best sport bike, sound system, saddle bag, 3-wheeler and antique car.
What's Happening in Lee County
Every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. outside the Southside Center for the Arts located at 1103 Glenn St. in Opelika.
MOTORCYCLE EVENT COMING TO ALEXANDER CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
NAMI MEETING NAMI East Alabama, the local affili ate of the National Alliance on Men tal Illness (NAMI), will meet on Aug. 23, 2022. NAMI supports families dealing with mental illness through mutual sup port, education and advocacy. There will be a time for sharing. The public is invited. Meetings are held at 714 E. Glenn Ave. in Auburn.
UPCOMING
THE MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK Every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at AG Heritage Park located at 620-A S. Donahue Drive in Auburn
HAVE A COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT?
LEE/RUSSELL COUNTY LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP will meet every month on the third Wednesday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The meeting will be held at the AIDB-Alabama Insti tute for the Deaf and Blind Opelika Regional center on 355 Dunlop Drive in Opelika. Every month there will be different topics discussed to make life more manageable living with low vision. “Alone we can do so little: together we can do so much.” –Helen Keller Contact: Shiquita Fulton, M. ED/Vision Rehab Therapist for additional details at 334-705-2024, Melody Wilson, Case manager for the blind at 256-368-3258
O GROWS FARMERS MARKET
SEPT. 2: COME HOME TO THE CORNER, 6 TO 9 P.M. IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
com/subscribe-today/www.opelikaobserver.$34SUBSCRIBEwww.opelikaobserver.com334-749-8003TODAYFORLEECOUNTY
COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH VFW POST 5404 VFW Post 5404, 131 E. Veterans Blvd., Auburn, next to Ray's Collision off of South College Street, will be open on Wednesdays 8 to 11 a.m. with coffee, donuts, cake and conversation about service and benefits for all vet erans and spouses to stop by.
AUG. 27: ARM'S BBQ BLOCK PARTY IN OPELIKA, 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AUG. 27: WALK LIKE MADD IN AUBURN, AT 9 A.M. AUG. 27: AUBURN FAMILY FOOTBALL PRESEASON KICKOFF
R.A.D WOMEN'S SELF DEFENSE CLASS The Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) System is a program of realistic self-de fense tactics and techniques for women. The R.A.D. System is a com prehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of handson defense training. It is available for women 13 and up. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a free R.A.D. class Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25 at the Lee County Meeting Center. For more information or to register, visit bit.ly/RADoctober
on
A13 Aug. 25, 2022 www.UrologyHealthFoundation.org PSA BLOOD TEST ONLY FACE MASKS REQUIRED Additional free screenings for men & women: MT. LOVELY MISSIONARY CHURCH 21900 Sen Claude Pepper Drive Camp Hill, AL 36850 205 601 5548 • Height • Weight • Body Mass Index (BMI) • Cholesterol • Blood sugar • Blood SponsoredpressurebyLive HealthSmart Alabama /OOOHPTSBYEDSKRAFORTHEOBSERVERPHOTOSBYEMILYKEY/FORTHEOBSERVER
Mu Sigma Omega Chapter Celebrates with 'Fest in the Park'
The Mu Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha celebrated its 43rd anniversary last week and donated a bench to the Covington Recreation Center. The bench was placed in the park for children and adults to use at their leisure.
Sorority Donates Bench to Covington Park
The Mu Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha celebrated its 43rd anniversary last week and hosted a Fest in the Park on Saturday, Aug. 20. The event was held at the Opelika Sportsplex.
JOHN HENRY ASKEW JR. John Henry Askew Jr. died at his home at the age of 92 surrounded by loving family and friends. Mr. Askew was born in LaGrange, Georgia, and moved to Opelika in 1936. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Henry Askew Sr. and Maude Far rar Askew; sister, Margaret Askew and brother, Jim Askew.Heis survived by his lov ing and compassionate wife of 43 years, Carol; daugh ters: Phyllis (Al) Boswell, Kathie Wallace; grand children: Emily (Andy) Fuller, Will Wallace, Tucker Boswell, Kate (Nick) Bishop; great grandchildren: Prudence Fuller, Hudson Boswell, Davis Boswell, Luke Bishop, Erik Bishop; sister, Maxine Mann; broth er, Jerrell Askew; sister-inlaw, Drucilla White; many nieces, and nephews. After graduating from Clift High School in Ope lika, Mr. Askew enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Las Cruces, New Mexico, for two years. Upon discharge from the Army, he was employed by Standard Coffee Company beginning his career in sales. He then went to work for Independent Life and Ac cident Insurance Company rising to the position of Vice President before he retired in 1994 after 43 years with the company. He also served as president of the Alabama Insurance
The Lesson of the Sunflowers
RELIGION — Since the heinous Russian invasion of Ukraine, much has been written about sunflowers. That’s because the “soniashnyk” is the beloved flower of the Ukrainian people. It is the national flower of the country. And the beautiful flag of Ukraine contains yellow for the sunflower and blue for the sky. The sunflower is the proud symbol of Ukraine’s national saying,Russiansunflowerwomanthat(Feb.firstmovement”andsymbolhaveobservedUkraine.RussiantheyliftedacrossThat’sidentity.whydemonstratorstheworldhaveupsunflowersasdenouncedthewickedefforttodestroyOnereporterthatsunflowersbecome“aglobalofresistance,unityhope.”This“sunflowerbeganonthedayoftheinvasion24),withavideoshowsaUkrainianinHenycheskgivingseedstoarmedsoldierswhile“Taketheseseedsso sunflowers may grow here when you die.” My interest in sunflowers emerged when my longtime friend in Pensacola, Warren Thompson, sent me a gorgeous photograph of sunflowers he has grown this summer. I learned from Warren that sunflowers are native to America, having been cultivated here for thousands of years, being used for food, medicine, dye andMyoil.friend made me aware of the profound significance of sunflowers for the Ukrainian people. Having been brought back from America to Europe by Spanish explorers, sunflowers were introduced to Ukrainian soil in the 17th century. The people ate the seeds as snacks or crushed them into oil used in cooking. By 2017, Ukraine had become the top global producer of sunflower seeds. Today the export of sunflower oil is a major component of Ukraine’s characteristiceconomy.Aremarkableof the sunflower is that the head tracks the sun across the sky. Because it follows the sun, it has been called “a satellite dish for sunshine.” Scientists explain that the flower’s sun-tracking (called heliotropism) is caused by circadian rhythms, behavioral changes linked to an internal clock that people also have, which follow a 24-hour cycle. Facing east at dawn, the young flower greets the sun, then turns slowly west as the sun moves. During the night, the flower slowly turns back east to begin the cycle again. After reaching maturity, sunflowers stop following the sun and only face east. Interestingly, the light of the moon, as well as the sun, provides fuel for the growth of the flower. My friend Warren and his wife, Patti, are enjoying a sunflower prayer garden in their backyard. As they walk in the garden, they pray by name for family and friends, and especially homebound persons. They also send them frequent pictures of flowers with a cheerful greeting “as a source of inspiration, motivation and thanksgiving.” The beautiful picture they sent me was indeed a blessing. So what is the lesson of the sunflowers? Sunflowers receive life-giving energy by following the sun. By doing so they become beautiful and useful. The Son of God, who created all things, created sunflowers that we might enjoy their beauty but even more to remind us that when we follow the Son, He provides us the spiritual fuel needed to make us beautiful and useful in a world of violence and hatred. Dare I say it? Yes, I will. Following the Son enables us to bloom where we are planted — for the glory of God!
A14 Aug. 25, 2022
CONTRIBUTED BY MORGAN BRYCE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE RESTOR ING UCHEE CHAPEL PROJECT RUSSELL COUNTY — The Russell County Historical Commission is asking for the surrounding community’s help in its endeavor to restore the historic Uchee Chapel Methodist Church.Located directly on the historic Old Federal Road (now known as Russell County Road 22), the earliest record of the church’s congregation was in 1833 when the Chattahoochee Mission of the Alabama Methodist Conference was established in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1832. The current structure was erected in 1859, and services were actively held there for 130 years until 1989. In 1997, commissiontheadded it to the National Register of Historic Places. The church has been inactive for more than 30 years, except for the occasional holiday service. Major repairs to the building include windows, electrical problems, bathroom facilities and interior plaster.Once restored, plans for the church are for it to be used by the community for events such as funerals,weddings,revivals, nondenominational church services and historic education. These events will help generate the necessary funding to preserve the PhenixChurch,ChapelearmarkCommissions.CountytomakeorganizationsIndividualschurch.andmaydonationsRussellHistoricalPleaseforUcheeMethodistP.O.Box3411,City,AL36868.
TAMMYBISHOP-CLARKDARLENE Tammy Darlene Bish op-Clark of Centre, Ala bama, passed away at her home on Aug. 18, 2022. Tammy is survived by her parents Ronald and Marlene Bishop of Centre, husband James Clark of Opelika, fur baby Joe; brother Kandy Bishop (Kristi) of Trussville, Alabama; children Elizabeth McDaniel (Jay) of Centre, Colton Kilpatrick of Centre, Jacob Couch (Jessica) of Huntsville, Alabama, Bre anna Couch of Huntsville, Alabama, Natalie Holden (Joey) of Opelika, Jamie Bonner (Brian) of Valley, Alabama and Jordon Moore of Opelika; grandchildren Chloe, Blake, Cam, Reyna, Kynlee, Dawson, Zoey, Joseph, Jacob, MJ, Skylar, Jayce, Addie, Judson, Will, Raelynn, Bryant and Collyn, including a host of nieces. A viewing was held Sunday, Aug. 21 at Jeff coat-Trant Funeral Home and a graveside service followed at Garden Hills Cemetery. Pastor Eric Hilly er officiated. The family ask that in lieu of flowers that you donate to American Cancer Society.
WALTER ALBRITTON
OBITUARIES
OOUOOOHPTSCNTRIBTEDTTHEBSERVER
Russell County Seeking Help to Restore Historic Church
foredmembertalentedAssociation.UnderwritingMr.AskewwasaverysingerandwasaoftheTrinityUnitMethodistChurchchoirmanyyears.Healso loved singing karaoke on Friday nights and sang every day at his home as well as the Elks Lodge until his health kept him from doing so. He was a member of the BPOE Lodge 1834 for 56 years and served as Secre tary and was later elected Exalted Ruler (president). He was also a member of the Opelika Kiwanis Club for many years. He loved and was an avid fan of all Auburn University sports and enjoyed cooking on his Big Green Egg for tailgating and entertaining in his home. He was well known for his fabulous, festive Christmas parties. His absolute favorite thing was being with his chil dren, grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings and his many extended family members.Atthetime of his death, he was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Poe-Cumbie Sunday School class. The family heldandEnhabitSwiney,Wilson,LindaMr.acknowledgesgratefullyandthanksAskew’scaregivers,Newsome,CarolynAngelAllen,WendyCindyDarbyandfortheirassistancecare.Mr.Askew’sservicewasonSaturday,Aug.20, 2022, at Jeffcoat-Trant Fu neral Home with visitation one hour before the service. Burial followed at Garden Hills Cemetery. Dona tions can be made to First United Methodist Church of Opelika, John Clarke Perry Foundation, or the charity of your choice.
JANE MILLS ENNIS Mrs. Jane Mills Ennis, 71 of Montgomery, passed away Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, at Baptist East Medical Center. A memorial service was held on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, at Jeffcoat- Trant Funeral Home Chapel. Mrs. Ennis was a very supportive and loving wife as well as mother. She loved to travel, to work in her yard, and her cats. Mrs. Ennis is preceded in death by her parents Byron and Virginia Mills; sisters: Judy Corinne Mills, Patricia Florence Mills, and Ginger Mills.Mrs. Ennis is survived by her husband Marvin Ennis, and her daughter Heather Ennis (Josue Alvarez-Cruz), along with several cousins and other family members.
ELIZABETH WHITAKER“BETTY”HOGAN
JAMES ALBERT FOSHEE James Albert Foshee, 92 of Opelika, passed away Aug. 21, 2022, at Bethany House. Mr. Foshee was born Oct. 28, 1929, to Prentis and Alice Foshee in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. As a longtime member of Pepperell United Method ist Church, he served on several board committees. He was very involved in the building of the fellowship hall.He was a loyal employ ee to Northfolk Southern Railway for 39 years and 8 months.Heis preceded in death by his parents; and grandson, Jason Barrett King. James is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Maddline White Foshee of Opelika; children: Charlotte Hughes (Paul) of Waverly, Sue Turner (Ronnie) of Opelika, Faye Kirk of Opelika, Sherry Pair (Ray) of heldHudson,J.J.,ny,great-grandchildren:JonathanChristy(James),Cleveer,grandchildren:Trussville;ScottyTurnJamesHughes(Casey),Kirk,AprilWaldropJenniferHughes,Taylor(Ryan),Pair(Kalee);DestiKaitlynDale,Maddline,Carter,Emily,Jude,andMila.FuneralserviceswereonAug.24,2022, at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home with Reverend Scott Grantland officiating and burial followed in Garden Hills Cemetery. Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.
Elizabeth “Betty” Whitaker Hogan, formerly of Dothan, Alabama, passed away peacefully at the age of 95 on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, surrounded by her loved ones at Bethany House in Auburn. She was born in Sarasota, Florida, on Aug. 20, 1926, and grew up in Dundee, Alabama, on a familyBettyfarm.was employed at Fort Rucker in Dale County, Alabama as a helicopter parts specialist for over 55 years. She loved her career and was fondly remem bered. Betty was usually “going” somewhere and never stayed idle very long. Betty also loved her pets Hogan, Penny, Princess and Zoey and had the magic touch with all animals that she came in contact with, especially ones she adopted. She was a devoted daugh ter, mother and grandmother and retired at the end of her life to live with her daughter and son-in-law in Salem, Alabama. She enjoyed fam ily gatherings and sharing special facts about Archae ology, Speleology and Aero nautics. Crossword puzzles, reading and absorbing new facts were also her favorite pastimes.Bettyis survived by her daughter, Vicki Hogan Hayes (John) of Salem, Alabama, and her grandchil dren Susan Hayes Mabry (Luke) of Aiken, South Carolina, Jenny Hogan Watson (Charles) of Mobile, Alabama, and William Daks Hogan (Suzie) of Dothan, Alabama. Betty is also survived by her grandchil dren, Taylor Mabry of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, Luke Mabry Jr. of Clemson, South Carolina, and Marley, Sophie, Jillian and Will Hogan Jr. of Dothan. Betty is preceded in death by her grandmother Myrtis Jones Peacock, and her mother, Mabel Peacock Whitaker, and her son, William “Bill” KermitOnlineHogan.expressions of sympathy for the family may be left by visiting www.jeffcoattrant.com. And a special thanks to the won derful caretakers at Bethany House, especially Dawne, Dina, Breanna, and Martha. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or East Alabama Humane Society, Inc.
anxiety
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, 334-749-3151Opelika O me. When was Psalm 94:18-19 The word “love” occurs 31 times in Proverbs — that’s once for every chapter. And why not? Love is a basic human need. You can own the world but if you don’t have love — it's all kind of meaningless, isn’t it? On the other hand, if you have love, it changes everything. It was Victor Hugo who wrote, “The greatest happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.”Loveisan innate need. Being created in our Father’s image means we are made to give and receive love and are most fulfilled when we are doing that. When the writer of Proverbs said, “What a person desires is unfailing love” (19:22), he knew what he was talking about! That’s why the love of a spouse, family and friends is of surpassing value and the person who has them is blessed. Again, from Proverbs, “Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fatted calf with hatred” (15:17). A veggie burger with love is better than a ribeye with resentment!Socialmedia has seen to it that we all have boatloads of “friends” and “followers,” but very few, if any, in the words of Proverbs, will love us “at all times” (17:17). Think of the great friendships in the scripture: David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, Paul and Timothy. They were great precisely because they were born of adversity and characterized by constant love and Proverbsconcern.gives attention to this loving faithfulness/ faithful love as the crowning aspect of our character and conduct toward God and others."Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. "Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man". (3:3-4). Something that is bound around your neck goes wherever you do. If it is written on your heart, it has been iinternalized; it is now a part of you. In these ways the writer argues for love to have permanency in our lives as opposed to being something that appears and disappears. Love can and is characterized by powerful emotions that can come and go, but it is ultimately an expression of our continued good will toward others. It’s not surprising that when you live out faithful love, you experience it from others. “Do not those who are evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness (14:22). We’re even told that “Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure” (20:28). The writer touches the eternal when he informs us that, “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through fear of the Lord evil is avoided” (16:6). We needn’t understand him to be undercutting the grace of God by saying this; he is probably emphasizing God’s desire for mercy above sacrifice (Hosea 6:6) — righteous conduct above external offerings. In 10:12 we’re told, “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.” In 17:9 it says, “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” These verses remind us of the more familiar “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). This is redemptive living at its finest. Sins aren’t being ignored — they’re being called for what they are and forgiven. We learn that from God and the love He has shown us through Christ.Asyou can see, the book of Proverbs has a lot to say about love!
Got Questions? Come Study With Us THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT SUNDAY2660CUNNINGHAMDRIVECUNNINGHAMDR.,OPELIKABIBLESTUDY9:30A.M.SUNDAYWORSHIP10:30A.M./5P.M.WEDNESDAYBIBLESTUDY6:30P.M. Catch ‘On the Mark’ with D. Mark Mitchell and Jeff Sasser weekday mornings from 7-9 a.m. tumcopelika.org (334) 745-2632 800 2nd Ave Opelika, Alabama 36801 8:30 SundayTraditionalAMService9:30AMSchoolGathering10:30AMContemporaryService10:30AMChapelServiceWorship with us on Sunday! Proverbs and Love RELIGION —
CHURCH DIRECTORY
AnglicanTheANGLICANGoodShepherdChurch 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika APOSTOLIC HOLINESS God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., 334-749-9672Opelika BAPTISTBethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., 334-745-7528Opelika Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, 334-705-0538Valley AFBBaptistCooperativeFellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., 334-887-8506Auburn
CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., 334-745-5181Opelika Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., 334-742-9721Opelika Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., 334-745-6015Opelika EmmanuelEPISCOPAL Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., 334-745-2054Opelika MethodistAuburnMETHODISTUnitedChurch 137 South Gay St., 334-826-8800Auburn Beulah MethodistUnitedChurch 5165 Lee Road 270, 334-745-4755Valley ChurchNON-DENOMINATIONALAtOpelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., 334-524-9148Opelika Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., 334-707-3949Opelika St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, 334-298-4319Opelika ChurchTrinityPRESBYTERIANPresbyterian 1010 India Road, 334-745-4889Opelika
BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love,
Lord, supported
A15 Aug. 25, 2022 Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More! Hunley Group Lambert Transfer & Storage An Interstate Agent for North American Van Lines 1102 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 745-570636803 BRUCEABOUTGREEN You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his with-bruce-green.coma-taste-of-grace-website:www. BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika
High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., 334-745-3108Opelika Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608 Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, 334-749-0461Opelika
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., 334-710-2117Valley Greater ChurchMissionaryPeaceBaptist 650 Jeter Ave., 334-749-9487Opelika Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, (334)Auburn749-4184
great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. —
A16 Aug. 25, 2022 COMICS “Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.” ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
- SMITHS STATION 20 | LAGRANGE 49 The varsity Smiths Station football team was outscored 42-7 in the final three quarters of its Friday night contest against non-re gion opponent LaGrange. The Panthers held a 13-7 lead entering the second quarter but ultimately fell to the Grangers, 49-20. In total, Smiths Station out snapped Lagrange, 61-42, but managed to earn six fewer first downs throughout the game’s entirety. Senior Smiths Station QB Jackson Greer opened the scoring with a 1-yard rushing touch down before LaGrange took the lead, 7-6. Greer responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Robert Sandborn to give the Panthers the 13-7 lead. LaGrange scored 32 unanswered points to take control of the game. AJ Herring took in the final score for the Panthers with a 10-yard run late in the fourth quarter. The Panthers face a tall task if they want to bounce back in week two, as they welcome 2021 7A state runner-up and region foe, the Central Phenix City Red Devils (1-0, 7A, Region 2), to Excellence. Innovation. Compassion. Alabama's North 20th Street,
Snatch Victory See OPELIKA, page B5
High school football sea son began last week as local teams started their journey through the 2022 schedule. Some games marked the start of new beginnings; some continued the standard set from years prior; all signaled ambitions for the ultimate glory that is a state championship.Thefollowing is a break down of how some area teams fared in week one of the 2022 fall high school football schedule. All stats were compiled first hand, by school sources or Maxpreps. com.
Bulldogs Move to 1 -0 See SPORTS, page B2 Area Football Roundup: Week 1
Callaway moved the ball down the field on the ensuing drive, but starting attempt.failedoverturningsackedDesShunquarterbackColemanwastwicebeforetheballbacktoOpelikaonafourth-and-17pass“Whenwecame back out on defense, we
The matchup between the Opelika Bulldogs and Callaway Cavaliers delivered once again Friday night. In their fourth meet ing in five years, the Bulldogs stunned their week one opponent on the road, converting a two-point conversion to take their first lead of the night, 29-28, with 3:05 remaining in the ball game. “We finally just settled down and starting mak ing plays,” Opelika head coach Erik Speakman said in his post-game interview. “The defense settled down, and we finally got them once we got the lead.”
Bulldogs
The powerhouse sea son-opening matchup between the Auburn (7A, Region 2) and Hoover (7A, Region 3) varsity high school football teams ended with the Tigers prevailing, 17-14, over the Buccaneers. Auburn High kicker Towns McGough kicked a 36-yard field goal with 2:31 remain ing in the game, lifting the Tigers to the win at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl. The Tigers spoiled a debut for Hoover first-year head coach Wade Waldrop. The Buccaneers rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit to tie the game early in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers capitalized on two Hoover fumbles in the final period to secure the win. The Tigers accumulated 157 passing yards (73 on one play) and 113 rushing yards (240 to tal) on 53 plays, compared to Hoover’s 240 yards (158 rushing, 82 passing) on 60 snaps. The Tigers recorded four sacks, and running back DV Williams rushed 17 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Two quar terbacks played for Auburn. Senior Clyde Pittman started and finished 11-of-18 for 140 yards; Davis Harsin — son of Auburn University coach Bryan Harsin — was 2-of-5 for 17 yards. Auburn travels to face region opponent Enterprise High School (1-0, defeated Bay High School, 41-7, in Florida last week) this Friday, Aug. 26. Auburn defeated Enterprise, 42-28, in week 10 of the 2021 sea son, and 56-21, in the second round of the playoffs.
East
"Go-To" Center For Orthopaedic Care Auburn 1800 Lakeside Circle, Auburn Opelika 18 Medical Arts Center 121
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After battling back from a 14-point deficit twice on the night, ju nior quarterback Roman Gagliano converted a fourth down late in the game with a pass to junior receiver Jordan Tolbert, which took the Bulldogs to the Cavalier four-yard line, in posi tion to achieve a poten tial game-tying score. Two plays later, junior running back Calvin Hughley ran it two yards for the score to make it 28-27 in favor of Callaway with 3:05 re maining in the contest. With last year’s contest between the two schools ending in a game-win ning field goal from Callaway, Speakman had no intention of playing for a tie. “We had five minutes and we went ahead and made the decision if we can score, we are going to go for two,” Speakman said. “We are going to try and win it here so we didn’t have to play overtime.” Gagliano took the snap on the two-point try and promptly found senior Tae Gay in the end zone to give the Bulldogs a 29-28 lead. “We worked [that play] all week, in fact,” Speakman said. “We were going to throw it to another person, but then Tae was open immediately.”
OPELIKA — Opelika's varsity foot ball opened the 2022 season with a 29-28 win over Callaway (Georgia) in Troup County last Friday night. Trailing 28-21 with four-minutesunderleft in the game, Bulldog QB Roman Gagliano drove his team down the field before Calvin Hughley scored a TD. OHS head coach Erik Speakman decided to go for the two-point conversion to win the game. Gagliano thew a perfect pass to Tae Gay for the twopoint conversion and a one-point victory (2928) over 232OpelikaCHS.recordedpassingyardsand 93 rushing yards for a total of 325 total yards. The Cavaliers rolled up 409 total yards behind a committed run game. Of Callaway’s 409 total yards, 169 were in the air and 240 were rush ingLeadingyards. the Dogs in stats was Gagliano, who ended the game 13-of-18 for 232 yards and a touchdown. Caden Cooper had 76 receiving yards on four catches and scored a TD, and Hughley caught two passes for 84 yards. Opelika (1-0) host Jeff Davis (0-1) Friday night, at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. The Volunteers lost, 10-27, at Wetumpka last Friday. OHS will make history Friday night, playing in their first 7A Region game since moving to the top class prior to the season. Jeff Davis and Opelika have played 26 times, with JD holding a 14-12 record. The two teams have not played since 2013 and OHS holds a three-game win streak. The first schedule re leased has Opelika go ing to Cramton Bowl in Montgomery to play JD, however this was an er ror. The Dogs will host Jeff Davis and travel to Montgomery next week to play RE Lee. Tickets can be pur chased at Bubba's Medicine Shop and Victory Design un til noon Friday. The Bulldog ticket office opens at 5:30 p.m. Friday. You can pur chase online tickets at gofan.co Fans can listen to the Opelika/Jeff Davis foot ball game on WKKR 97.7 Kicker FM starting with the Pre-Game show at 6:30 p.m. FLORAL PARK The city of Opelika started renovating Floral Park last week. Opelika
Opelika www.theorthoclinic.com334-749-83031-800-327-6519 ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL S S INSIDE B1 - B8: • AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS • AUBURN UNIVERSITY • COMMUNITY SPORTS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS • SUSCC SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS LEE COUNTY: SEPT. 13 AT 6:30 P.M. AUBURN: SEPT. 13 AT 6:30 P.M. OPELIKA: SEPT. 27 AT 4:30 P.M. OBSERVERTHEFORNOLESROBERTBYPHOTO See ROUND-UP page B4 BY WIL OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMSPORTSCREWS@CREWS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mayor Gary Fuller appeared on "On the Mark" last week, and talked about the up grades after the city council voted to spend several millions of dollars on the outdat ed"Wepark.are going to completely renovate and upgrade Floral Park,” Fuller said. “New synthetic turf will be installed in place of the two soft ball fields. This will allow more youth to have a place to prac tice football, base ball, T-ball and other sports. New pavilions and restrooms, along with a walking trail, among other things.” Crews have already taken down the fenc es on the lower two fields, cut the trees and begun grading the land. No time was given on how long the project would take to be completed.
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. • www.opelika-al.gov
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Pictured left to right: Rex Barr, James Boyette, Shae Ward, Wayne Morrow and Justin Wimberly (not pictured) were recognized and inducted into the Smiths Station Football Hall of Fame, Friday, Aug. 26, at the Panther's home 2022 opener against LaGrange. RB GEORGE
Lee-Scott head coach Buster Daniel spoke in the offseason about setting a new standard. In the first game of his third year in charge of the Warriors, the varsity Lee-Scott football team defeated Chambers Academy — a team they had lost to by a score of 166-17 over the past four seasons — 33-0. For more infomation about the game, turn to B1's Area Football Roundup.
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SPORTS
MEYERS 5 81receptions,yards,2TD JR. QB ROMAN GAGLIANO 13-of-18 for 232 yards, 1 TD
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chair of the director.BoysSuperchairmanSportsAuburn-OpelikaCouncil,ofthe7andDixieBaseballstate >> FROM B1
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Panthers Add to Hall of Fame
Lee-Scott Makes A Statement
Lanett's Breaks Impress in Kickoff Classic
Aug. 25, 2022 B3 STAY &SUBMITINFORMEDAREPORT,SOMUCHMORE SCAN THE QR CODE AND DOWNLOAD THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE APP Lee County Sheriff’s Office 1900 Frederick Road, Opelika, AL 36803 334-749-5651 | LeeCountySheriff.org @LeeCoSheriffAL Lee County Sheriff’sOffice is proud to supportour local athletes! PLAYERWEEKofthe Hornetseauregard
The Lanett, LaFayette, Loachapoka and Notasulga high school varsity football teams participated in the Kickoff Classic on the opening weekend of the high school football schedule, Aug. 20. Due to field concerns, the event had to move from its scheduled location, Lanett's Morgan-Washburn stadium, to Handley High School's stadium in Handley, Alabama. The teams and communi ties were not fazed as Lanett defeated Notasulga, 27-0, and Loachapoka defeated LaFayette, 38-6. For more information about both games, turn to B1's Area Football Roundup.
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OBSERVERTHEFOR/JOHNSONRJBYPHOTOS SO. WR/CB DREW DUVAL 1 INT, 3 assisted tackles and 16 kick return yards SR. DB KYAN MALLOY One 92-yard kickoff return TD, 4 rush yards
Alabama won last year’s game 20-0 at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, upping its lead in the se ries to 24-11. The annual All-Star Football Classic, pitting the top high school senior players in each state, is returning to Mobile for the first time in more than a decade. It was played at Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium from 1988-2010, and at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl from 20112014 and rotated between Cramton Bowl and M.M. Roberts Stadium each year since.Anew agreement reached last April will send the ClassicAlabama-MississippitoHancock Whitney Stadium in 2022, 2024 and 2026. The 2022 game will kick off at 11 a.m. and will be televised live by the AHSAA TV Network and livestreamed over the NFHS Network with WOTM TV produc ing the broadcast. Vince Earley will serve as execu tive producer. “I am so excited to be named the head coach for team Alabama in Alabama-MississippitheAllStar Game,” Etheredge said. “It is such an honor to represent the AHSAA, and the sport of football for our great state. I am looking forward to working with some of the most tal ented football players and coaches in our great state. I have coached in this game four times as an assistant coach and learned so much from the other coaches and players by just being a part of the game. This game has been one of the premier All-Star games in the coun try for many years, and I feel truly blessed to be giv en this opportunity.”
The Beauregard Hornets (5A, Region 2) completed a comeback over Selma (5A, Region 3) in a home game Friday, defeating the Saints 21-6 at Hornet Stadium. Senior standout Kyan Maloy returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown, and senior running back Jaqualen Barnes rushed in a 35-yard touchdown to give Beauregard the lead for good with 3:22 remaining in the contest. The Hornets overcame a first-half fumble from senior quarterback AJ Wallace — which resulted in a score on the ensuing drive for the Saints — to shutout Selma in the second half and secure a 1-0 start to the season. Wallace was responsible for the first Beauregard touchdown via a 31-yard touchdown scramble. Second-year head coach Justin Jones will look for his team to improve to 2-0 as the Hornets welcome Central Hayneville (0-0, 1A, Region 4) to Hornet Stadium in a non-region matchup Friday, Aug. 26. The two teams last met in 2001, with Beauregard emerging victorious, 40-14. - BEULAH 0 | ABBEVILLE 26
LOACHAPOKA 38 | LAFAYETTE 6 Loachapoka (1A, Region 4) scored on its first drive Friday and never trailed after that, defeating LaFayette (2A, Region 4), 38-6, in the second game of the first-ever KickoffLaFayette’sClassic.only score came at the end of the first quarter via a strip-score touchdown from defensive back Joshua Combs. After forcing a third-and-49, the Loachapoka defense forced a fumble out of LaFayette quarterback AJ Patrick to set up ‘Poka running back Jamaroun Satterwhite for his second touchdown of the day. Loachapoka then scored three touchdowns on its four drives in the second half, buoyed by a 24-yard touchdown grab from Auburn commit J.C. Hart. Loachapoka hosts Beulah (3A, Region 4) Friday, Aug. 26, in an attempt to move to 2-0. LaFayette looks to bounce back Aug. 26 in a road matchup against Bullock County (1-0, 4A, Region 2).
OBSERVERTHE/NOLESROBERTBYPHOTO Smiths Station. - BEAUREGARD 21 | SELMA 14
ROUND-UP >> FROM B1
CONTRIBTUED BY AHSAA AUBURN — Auburn High School head football coach Keith Etheredge has been se lected to serve as head coach for the Alabama All-Star football squad for the 36th annual AlabamaMississippi All-Star Classic to be played Saturday, Dec. 10 in Mobile at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Brandon Dean, direc tor of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches announcement(AHSADCA)Associationmadetheinlate July. The AHSAA and AHSADCA, in conjunc tion with the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC), administer the allstar game each year. “Coach Etheredge is one of our state’s finest football coaches,” Dean said. “We are excited to have him lead this year’s talented group of players. His leadership and personality will make this a wonderful experience for our student-athletes. We are looking forward to see ing this team compete in Mobile this December.”
Lanett’s Jarrious Goodman accounted for four touchdowns as the Panthers (2A, Region 3) defeated Notasulga (1A, Region 4), 27-0, Saturday. The game was part of the first-ever Kickoff Classic held be tween Lanett, Notasulga, Loachapoka and LaFayette, but was moved from Lanett to Handley due to field con ditions from weather. That didn’t stop the Panthers who, with the win, moved head coach Clifford Story into first place on the program’s all-time win list. Lanett had the stronger and older roster going into the contest, and flexed its advantages by way of two blocked punts. Nakia Bynum and Elijah Whitfield caught the two touchdown passes from Goodman. Lanett looks to move to 2-0 on the young season at home Friday, Aug. 26, against Valley (0-1, 5A, Region 4). Notasulga will look to bounce back at home Aug. 26 when it plays host to Autaugaville (1-0, 1A, Region 4).
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Auburn’s Etheredge Named AL-MS All-Star Football Game Head Coach
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The varsity Beulah Bobcat football team (3A, Region 4) dropped its season open er, 26-0, to Abbeville (2A, Region 2), Friday, Aug. 19. The Bobcats totaled 84 rushing yards and 95 passing yards on 6-of-8 passing at tempts. Starting quarterback Noah Higdon threw one interception, but finished second on the team in total tackles with five. Sophomore Demarion Foreman fumbled once, but led Beulah with 45 rushing yards and two receptions. Drew Duval registered one interception on defense to accompany Bronson Dubose’s team-high five tackles (one for loss). Beulah returns to the field in an away, non-region game versus Loachapoka (1-0, 1A, Region 4) Friday, Aug. 26. - LANETT 27 | NOTASULGA 0
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Etheredge will be mak ing his fifth appearance in the Alabama-Mississippi Classic and proudly points out that in the four previous appearances Alabama’s All-Stars have gone 4-0. He served as defensive coordinator in 2020 when Alabama won 19-7 with Steve Mask as head coach. He also was an assistant coach in 2016, a 25-14 Alabama win with Terry Curtis of UMS-Wright as head coach; in 2014 when Alabama won 36-30 with Jamey DuBose as head coach; and in 2009 when Alabama captured a 21-13 victory with Josh Niblett as headEtheredgecoach. led Auburn High School to a 10-3 record in 2021 — his first season at the Class 7A school. He has compiled an impressive 160-55 record in 17 years as a head coach — capturing five state titles and one state runner-up in the process. He led Leeds High School, his alma mater, to a 107-34 record over a 10-year period from 2006-2015, winning the Class 3A state champi onship in 2008 and 2010 and the Class 4A crown in 2014 and 2015. His 2013 team was state runner up in 2013.Hewas head coach at Class 6A Pell City for two seasons (2016 and 2017), led Class 3A T.R. Miller for one year in 2018 — go ing 6-5 each season. He then took over Class 6A Oxford’s program in 2019 and immediately led the Jackets to a 14-1 record and the Class 6A state title. He guided Oxford to an 11-2 record in 2020 and moved to Auburn last season. His teams have compiled a 42-13 record and have reached the playoffs all 17 seasons he has served as a headThecoach.complete Alabama All-Star staff and players for the 2022 Classic will be announced when com pleted.The annual AHSAA North-South All-Star Football Classic was moved to Hancock Whitney Stadium in 2020 and will be played one week later next December.
Auburn head coach Keith Etheredge talks to his team after the Auburn-Opelika game in 2021.
ACADEMY 0 The Lee-Scott Academy Warriors (3A) totaled 308 yards while allowing just 122 Friday night as they defeated Chambers Academy (3A) on the road, 33-0. It was a landmark win for third-year head coach Buster Daniel, as the Warriors had failed to beat Chambers the past four seasons — includ ing a 41-3 defeat in 2021. Quarterback Ryan Dearing completed 9-of-15 passes to three receivers for 74 yards, adding 26 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Andrew Hahn amassed 91 yards and a touchdown on four carries; George Meyers carried the ball five times for 81 yards and two touch downs. Jake White led the team in receiving with 44 yards. Defensively, Miles Zachary led the team with six tackles; Sam Jackson had three tackles for loss; and the Warriors got in the back field for six tackles for loss in total. Lee-Scott travels to face Monroe Academy (0-1, 3A) Friday, Aug. 26. - GLENWOOD 13 | ST. ANNEPACELLI 28 Glenwood (3A) trailed 1413 at halftime Friday night against Georgia opponent St. Anne-Pacelli (GIAA, 4A) but failed to register points in the second half, falling to the Vikings, 28-13. It was a tough opening test for first-year head coach Ryan Nelson, as this was Pacelli’s first game since moving from the Georgia High School Association to the Georgia Independent School Association. The Vikings ran just three pass plays across all of regulation as four different rushers scored touchdowns. Running backs JT Banks and Aaron Burton accounted for the scores on Glenwood’s behalf. The Gators lost the turnover battle, 2-0. Nelson will look to earn his first win Friday, Aug. 26, in a non-region road game versus Brookstone (00, GIAA, 3A) High School in Columbus, Georgia.
Aug. 25, 2022 B5 finally got Callaway into what they don’t want to do — and that’s pass protect and throw the football,” Speakman said. “You saw them all night running the ball right at us. You always try to get these teams into things they don’t want to do, and we finally were able to do that with the lead.”
The Bulldogs then ran out the clock, concluding the fourth game of a new budding and flourishing rivalry. For most of the contest, Opelika was playing catch-up. On the second play of Callaway’s first offensive drive, Coleman hit Bryceton Sanders on a 75-yard gashing touch down pass to make 7-0. The Cavaliers’ second drive established their run-first theme on the night, and was capped by a five-yard touch down scamper from Jordan King to make it 14-0 with seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. Opelika finally got going when a screen pass from Gagliano to a Bulldog receiver moved the ball to the Cavalier five-yard line. It took a fourth-and-goal, but Gagliano was able to exe cute a QB sneak to make the score 14-7 near the end of the first quarter. The two teams trad ed scores in the second quarter — Opelika’s coming from a 50-yard touchdown pass connec tion between Gagliano and senior running back Caden Cooper — and the score sat at 21-14 at half. The third quarter was completely devoid of scoring, but the Bulldogs began to turn momentum by intercepting Coleman on a deep pass which set the Opelika offense up near the goal line of its own territory. A contro versial safety call initial ly made it 23-14 in favor of the Cavaliers, but the officials wiped away the play after the whistle. Opelika then tied the game for the first time all night via a 40-yard pass from Gagliano to John Schwenk — plus the ensuing point-after-at tempt — with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. From there, an epic finish played out in favor of the Dawgs and set Opelika’s season off to an electric 1-0 start to its season. The Bulldogs return to action this week as they host Montgomery’s J.D. High School for the home opener of the season, Friday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m. CST, at Bulldog Stadium.
The varsity Smiths Station Panthers dropped their week one opening game, 49-20, against the non-region opponent LaGrange Grangers. Next week, the Central Phenix City Red Devils come to TC Britton Field as the Panthers play host for the second week in a row. Central (1-0) defeated 7A Region 3 Hewitt-Trussville, 37-21, at Montgomery's Cramton Bowl Friday, Aug. 19. The Panthers lost 56-0 at Central Phenix City last season, and have not beaten the Red Devils — having played every year — since 2008.
Grangers Gut the Panthers
OPELIKA >> FROM B1
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Tiger Takeoff also clarifies the admissions process as part of the intentional investment to increase awareness of the early deadlines for admissions and scholar ships among underrep resented applicants.
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Regardless of what is announced about the starting QB, the competition will likely run through the early portion of the Tigers’ season, as Auburn plays two “cupcake” teams — Mercer and San Jose State — be fore welcoming Penn State to Jordan-Hare Stadium for week three, Sept. 17. “Really, all the quar terbacks, it’s a work in progress,” Kiesau said. “That’s why, like, right now, we don’t know who the guy is.” Other notable devel opments from the last week of practice have included: freshman re ceiver Camden Brown running with the firstteam; Tate Johnson — a backup guard last season — taking reps at center instead of super-senior and four-year starter Nick Brahms (whose football future has been in question recently); and defensive players Jaiden Ausberry (cor nerback), Eku Leota (edge), Cam Riley (linebacker) and Craig McDonald and Cayden Bridges (safeties) per forming well according to defensive coordina tor Jeff Schmedding. Attempting to re place lost production from 2021 at both the safety positions, line backer, quarterback and wide receiver, Auburn’s two-deep ros ter finally appears to be taking shape. The true answers to who Harsin and company believe have the best ability to step up, should come soon.
BY WIL OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMSPORTSCREWS@CREWS
UNIVERSITYAUBURNEMSTVANTODDBYPHOTO
members were invited to learn more about Auburn and en hance their understand ing of Auburn’s aca demic and professional offerings.
Rising high school seniors from across the state of Alabama visited Auburn University July 14 to 16 for the second annual Tiger Takeoff recruitment weekend.
Auburn’s Tiger Takeoff Program Showcases Leadership, Academic Offerings to Underrepresented High School Seniors
AUBURN — The Auburn Tigers are in the final stages of preparation for their 2022 season-open ing matchup at home against Mercer on Sept.Much2. progress has been made on The Plains this month, and the true colors of the orange-and-blue this season are beginning to show through. There is still time for delibera tion, however. By the time this hits print, Auburn may have named a starting quarterback. Following the Tigers’ second fall scrimmage last Friday, where all three quar terbacks — returner T.J. Finley, Texas A&M transfer Zac Calzada and Oregon transfer Robby Ashford — split first-team reps, the picture surrounding the quarterback became a little bit clearer. Head coach Bryan Harsin awarded the most nota ble praise to returning QB T.J. Finley.
“For the upcoming fall semester, students applying to Auburn from the state of Alabama increased by 56% and dou bled among students from diverse back grounds,” said Joffery Gaymon, vice presi dent for Auburn.eachverseenrollexpandate“WeManagementEnrollmentatAuburn.areproudtocreopportunitiestoaccessandarobustanddifreshmanclassyeartoapplytoProgramslike Tiger Takeoff help a wider range of students feel like they truly have a home at Auburn University.”
Fall Camp Crunch Time Tigers Establishing QB Starter, Two-Deep Roster
Coach Bryan Harsin talks to his team after practice last Friday, Aug. 19.
“My feel, my gut — just without watching it, just from calling the game — was just T.J. had a really good com mand,” Kiesau said. “He had a lot of preci sion. He checked some plays for us and got us in the right play, which is Asgood.”for Finley’s com petition, Ashford has posed problems for the Auburn defense all fall due to his dual-threat capabilities. Kiesau noted Ashford’s biggest improvement to be his accuracy. A two-sport athlete at Oregon, where he also played baseball, Ashford de veloped a reputation as a gunslinger; according to Auburn’s staff, the redshirt freshman is learning to control his ambitions. “Robby is flashy,” Kiesau said. “He can run around. He is real ly — and I’m speaking for all of camp, but obviously today, it materialized a little bit — he’s doing a better job of maturing in the position. He’s really athletic. He can really run, but he’s starting to play the quarter back position, which is important. “You’ve got to throw a catchable ball,” Kiesau said. “You’ve got to make sure it’s easy for them, and I think he’s gotten a lot better over the last two or three weeks through camp, and he’s really understanding that. I think it’s going to help him with his accuracy, asForwell.”Calzada, the reactions to last week end’s practices was not as positive. “We’ve got to keep bringing him along,” Kiesau said. “He’s kind of been, like I said, intertwined with all these groups — first, second and third groups, and first, second and third teams. He has good days and bad days. We’ve got to kind of keep him consistent as we go through.”
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UNIVERSITYBYCONTRIBUTEDAUBURN AUBURN — Auburn University and the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, (OID), in collaboration with the Division of Enrollment Management, conclud ed another successful Tiger Takeoff, where underrepresented ris ing seniors from across the state visited cam pus to learn more about the university and meet their potential future classmates.Auburnstrives to create a diverse cam pus community, and while Tiger Takeoff is open to all students, it is especially designed for students from un derrepresented back grounds. This year’s event took place July 14 to 16 and welcomed students from across theAsstate.aland-grant in stitution, Auburn is committed to investing in Alabama’s students and creating a pipeline of future leaders. Tiger Takeoff, an integral step in that process, shows students how Auburn can assist in their jour ney and help them reach their personal and pro fessional goals. This year, rising high school seniors explored Auburn’s academic offerings and campus resources, participated in leadership activi ties, spent the night in residence halls and networked with faculty, staff and student lead ers. Over the extended weekend, students were paired with cur rent Auburn students who served as group leaders to help guide them through their experience.
“We are always work ing to deliver on our mission of empowering diversity, increasing access and enriching the learning, living and working environment for all,” said Taffye Benson Clayton, asso ciate provost and vice president for Inclusion and Diversity. “Tiger Takeoff allows prospec tive students to build meaningful connections with current student leaders within the Cross Cultural Center for Excellence, a subunit of the Office of Inclusion and Diversity. Group leaders will stay in communication with students throughout their senior year, pro viding an opportunity to share all the won derful resources and support across our institution.”Formoreinformation about Auburn’s com mitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit burn.edu/inclusion.www.au Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its com mitment to Carnegiewithciplinaryscholarship,world-classinterdisresearchanelite,top-tierR1classi fication, life-chang ing outreach with Carnegie’s societaleconomic,sionforavatesuccessgagement,toAuburn’stionalpressingadvancementsandscholarship,andcollaborateandstudents,tonone.experiencegraduatenationEngagementCommunitydesigandanundereducationsecondtoAuburnishomemorethan30,000anditsfacultyresearchpartnerstodevelopdelivermeaningfulsciencetechnology-basedthatmeetregional,naandglobalneeds.commitmentactivestudentenprofessionalandpublic/pripartnershipdrivesgrowingreputationoutreachandextenthatdeliversbroadhealthandimpact.
Students said this ex perience was rewarding and allowed them to see themselves as possible students at Auburn. One Tiger Takeoff participant shared, “It was the perfect college visit. Not only did we get to see what being a student at Auburn was like, but everyone we met made sure we knew we were wanted here. Y’all [Auburn] have definitely moved up on myFamilylist.”
“I’ll say this — T.J. has got a coach's men tality,” Harsin said. “He sees things out there, and that’s just — not everybody conceptually picks things up very quickly. It takes a little bit of time and he’s got that“Amentality.coupleof ex amples in the scrim mage — he sees that we get to play in late. The clock is winding down. It’s going to be a timeout situation. Well, he’s getting ev erybody to the line and getting the snap count to what it needs to be so we can get the play off and then execute the play. So it’s not a panic, he’s just doing it with urgency. And he gets everybody to the line and then — bang — we convert a down-and-nine.“thirdTheexperiencethat the 6-foot-7-inch Finley possesses returning for his second season in the system has seem ingly given him the up per hand in the position battle, and Harsin isn’t the only one to notice. Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau gave his “gut” reaction to the scrimmage perfor mance to reporters on Saturday.
Aug. 25, 2022 B7
Auburn Honors College Students Kick Off School Year With Week of Service
2. Volunteering is good for you mentally. When you are helping and doing good for others, you just cannot help but have a good sense of accomplishment. The role you have as a volunteer gives you a sense of purpose in your Baby Boomer years. Also, freely sharing time and helpful service for oth ers provides life satisfaction, which can boost self-con fidence. Volunteering also helps fight depression as it connects us with other people.3.Volunteering is good for your physical health. Many volunteer activities may require physical ac tivity, such as helping the elderly move into activities, meeting the needs of young er children, packing up box es in service organizations and, on pet therapy, working with pets and animals has shown that stress and anxi ety decrease and that moods improve, which leads to overall better health.
UNIVERSITYAUBURNOFCOURTESYPHOTOS
A recent survey of students who have par ticipated in the program found 77% stated that participation in the Week of Service influ enced their continued involvement in com munity service while at Auburn. Each year, students discover that the Week of Service is both enlightening and chal lenging, as they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help them grow into servant leaders.
As I have been blessed to serve both the young and old, intergenerational rela tionships are something that goes beyond anything that money can buy. What is ex changed mentally, physical ly, socially and emotionally is so rich in benefits for the young and elderly. Lee Ann Scroggins, preschool director at Trinity United Methodist Church, has invited senior adults in the church and community to volunteer in teaching young children music, library, chapel and in other ways as needed. As a Baby Boomer myself, I deeply appreciate this kind of outreach from Trinity United Methodist Church to continue to use my teach ing skills in serving young children by reading books from the library. I call my volunteer day on Tuesday “Terrific Tuesdays” with the children because I am bless ed to be with my young friends. Young children pro vide such a spark of energy and enthusiasm to older adults. Children are truly blind to age differences. They unconditionally love us seniors for who we are. What a rainbow booster! Embarking on volunteer opportunities provides time for you to explore your interests and the “when, where and why” you want to volunteer in certain areas. Here are a few questions to ask
1.yourself:DoIwant to do some thing I am good at like music, reading, crafts, men toring, tutoring, etc.?
1. How much time can you commit to volunteer activities?
2. How do you want to serve? Do you want to serve behind the scenes, or do you want to be a leader? 3. How much responsi bility will be expected from you in a particular volunteer role?4.As a Baby Boomer, what skills and talents can be tapped into for the volun teer job you are considering taking on? 5. Do you want to vol unteer in serving adults, children, families, animals, environmental upkeep or something else?
Aug. 25, 2022 B8
BETH PINYERD Baby Boomers and Seniors Parachute Into Volunteering
AUBURN — Eighty inwardcommunitythisonCollegeUniversityAuburnHonorsstudentsarrivedcampusaweekearlysemestertoservetheandworktoeliminatingpovertyAlabama.
1. Volunteering is good for you socially. In my growing up years in Opelika, Alabama, I always noticed and was impressed that unpaid volunteers were the glue that held our community together. Those Scout leaders, Sunday School teachers, volunteer workers at our health care facilities and volunteers in service organizations were names that I remember to this day. When you volunteer, you make new friends. No task is too small in helping to en rich the lives of people, ani mals, service organizations and places of need. As a volunteer, you meet present needs and provide a lasting memory of gratitude.
4. Do I want to meet people who are different from me?
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4. Volunteering promotes good emotional health. Through volunteering in the community myself, I have noted that many of the good, committed volunteers are those who have limited mo bility. People with disabili ties or health conditions are so determined to help oth ers. When we help others, we gain life benefits and feel good about ourselves. This can be good for our health at any age. It is my hope for us Baby Boomers and seniors to real ize that when we are helping others, we are helping our selves. It is a two-way rela tionship where all benefit. Beth Pinyerd Classroom Observer
5. What can I do with my spare time to help others? These are a few more helpful questions you can ask yourself:
6. Where do you want to volunteer? A few options: A. Educational settings B. Senior centers or re tirement homes C. Libraries D. Animal shelters E. Museums F. Places of worship G. Local food banks H. Service organizations I. Youth and children’s organizations and J. Local community vol unteer opportunities in the Auburn-Opelika area.
Benefits of volunteering:
The Week of Service started in 2014 when the Honors College adopted the theme of poverty to raise students’ aware ness for its causes and effects across the state of Alabama, the nation and the world.
BYBYCONTRIBUTEDAUBURNUNIVERSITYWADEBERRY
The Week of Service, in its ninth year, inspires students to bring aware ness to poverty and is a call to action to better the community through understanding, advocacy and helping others who need it most. “The Week of Service program has definitely been my favorite part of my Honors College experience,” said Avery Bates, a junior majoring in pre-vet animal scienc es. “I’ve participated as an incoming student, a counselor and now head counselor, and in doing so developed a purpose of giving back to the Auburn community, which is so important to the Honors College mission.” Students spanned out across Lee and Tallapoosa counties to volunteer with Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), Storybook Farms, Food Bank of East Alabama and Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch. They also par ticipated in poverty and grocery andlectures,simulations,readings,filmsgroupdiscussions, all focused on examin ing how mycompletelyples’disparitiessocioeconomicshapepeolives.“TheWeekofServicechangedoutlookonpov erty,” said first-year student Jason Adkins, who is majoring in pro fessional flight. “From volunteering at service sites to learning the myriad of factors that can affect substantiallyIsocioeconomicsomeone’sstatus,feelthatmyempathygrew,as well as my motivation to make a difference in my community.”
A s the school bell has rung, we seniors and Baby Boomers can truly find a “niche” or place in the pre schools and exceptothersVolunteeringschools.tohelpdoesn’tcostathingyourtime.Manyof us Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) are entering into our retirement years. For some of us, it might mean that a regular work schedule slows down. Because of the change of economic needs, many Baby Boomers will continue to work full time and part time. One model that the greater generation has pro vided for us is to freely give back to the community as volunteers, no matter how busy our lives are. We as Baby Boomers have talents, gifts, skills and wisdom that we can share with others. The benefits of a sense of purpose and relationships are so gratifying. There are things that money cannot buy. Helping others is one of those commodities. Also, as Baby Boomers, we are searching for ways to help us stay healthy. Volunteering can benefit us socially, mentally, physi cally and emotionally. The National Council on Aging defines intergenerational programs “as activities that increase cooperation and exchange between any two generations … It has been shown that a relationship between young and old en lightens both generations.”
2. Do I want to make the community and world I live in a better place? 3. Do I want to try some thing new?
See
CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER OPELIKA —
About seven years ago, she hosted book signings for me at Auburn University and in Opelika that attracted several hundred folks at each, not because of me but be cause of Speakingher.of memorable book signing events, the people of Jasper and Walker County hosted a large event at which Congressman Robert Aderholt was gracious enough to travel down from Washington to in troduce me. Over the years, I have enjoyed a special closeness and connection to the folks in Jasper and Walker County, who read my column in The Daily Mountain Eagle. They have a rich political heritage with the Bankheads, Carl Elliott, Tom Bevill and others. To show how old I am getting and how long I have been writing this column, it seems that every state senator I know says, “Please do not write something bad about me be cause my mama reads your column religiously every week and has for decades.”Speaking of books, I had the opportunity to meet and visit with the legendary author of “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Nelle Harper Lee. Folks in Monroeville, who knew her well from their generation, called her “Nelle.” Even though she had an apartment in New York that she purchased when her book came out in the 1960s, Lee lived her entire life in Monroeville. She lived with her sister, Alice, who was a good bit older. I am told that Alice was the first female lawyer in Alabama. She was one of the most prominent lawyers in Monroeville and lived to be over 100. Neither Alice nor Lee were married. Lee’s novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird”, is one of the five most read and purchased books in history. I am told by Monroeville old timers that it is a total allegory. It is simply a story of Lee growing up in Monroeville. All the charac ters are real, even Boo Radley. One day a few years ago, Lee sent word to me that she enjoyed and read my column, weekly, in the Monroe Journal and would like to meet me. I journeyed to Monroeville, and we exchanged greetings and she gave me a signed copy of her book. I thanked her
BY MICHELLE KEY OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMMICHELLE@
OBSERVERTHEFOR/SIKORAEDBYPHOTO
The EconomicSouthernDevelopment Council (SEDC), the largest regional econom ic development associa tion in North America, has recognized Opelika, Alabama, for economic development excellence in the American South. The SEDC annually reviews economic devel opment projects submit ted from 17-statethroughoutorganizationsthecouncil’sfootprintto evaluate innovation, col laboration and impact, among other attributes. This year, during a cere mony at the 2022 SEDC Annual Conference in San Antonio, Opelika Economic Development took home the top hon or for community size 15,001 –“Every40,000.year,SEDC recognizes those south ern communities that move the needle for economic develop ment excellence," said SEDC chairman Frank McCrady. "In 2022, we proudly recognized those communities by selecting them as CEDA Award
Opelika
OPD, Community Celebrates 'Together Opelika'
OPELIKA — The Opelika Police Academy hostedAssociationAlumni(OPAAA)theinaugural Chief's Banquet last week to raise money for the commission of a mu ral to be painted and in stalled inside the police department. Twenty-one officers were nominated for OPD Community Officers of the Year, and eight officers were nominated for the designation of Officer of the Year. Officer Kevin Quintana was named the OPD Officer of the Year during the event. The four officers who
page B11
tiontheSouthment.fortimatelywhoCongratulationsWinners.toallparticipatedandulwererecognizedthisnotableachieveTheAmericanremainsstronginattractionandretenofjobsasaresultof your diligence.” In 2019, Opelika Economic Development began exploring ways to share Opelika career opportunities with the 2,000-plus Fort Benning soldiers transitioning each year from active duty to civilian life. It was quickly determined that the Army’s Career Skills Program (CSP) would be the perfect vehicle to reach this untapped talent pool. Traditionally, CSPs are approved by the Department of Defense with individual compa nies through developing a M.O.U. for operating a non-paid internship pro gram to provide training and job placement for transitioning soldiers. While still on active du ty, these soldiers spend four months working full-time for an approved company learning new skills and embracing the See EXCELLENCE, page B12 Recognized for Excellence
OFFICER KEVIN QUINTANA OPD,
L labama Politics ee County & A STEVE FLOWERS Inside the Statehouse Special Alabamians 2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA See FLOWERS, page B10
OPINION — U nder the title “Alabama is a Big Front Porch,” made famous by the legend ary Alabama storyteller Kathryn Tucker Wyndham, I will continue to share some personal political stories with you this week. As many of you know, I have been friends with our iconic senior U.S. senator, Richard Shelby, for close to four decades. History will reveal Shelby as Alabama’s great est U.S. senator, and folks, that is saying a mouthful because we have had some great ones. We have had a cadre of great senators, includ ing Lister Hill, John Sparkman, John Bankhead and Howell Heflin, along with Shelby. As chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Shelby has brought un told hundreds of millions of dollars home to Alabama. It would take a book or volumes of books to tell the story of Shelby’s prowess at bring ing home the bacon to his beloved state. He is completing 36 years in the Senate this year. Two of my favorite Alabamians and loyal friends are former Congressman and now University of South Alabama President Jo Bonner and one of the finest la dies in the state, Dora James, of Opelika. I visit with each of these two friends almost weekly. They graciously read the column and give me feedback. Bonner epitomizes the adage of being a true southern gentleman. He is admired and beloved all over the state, more than he can imagine. James epitomizes a true south ern lady. She is admired and revered in Lee County. She is a true philanthropist and a modest, kind and genuinely sweet person.
FLOWERS >> FROM B9 and told her that it was bought and read by quite a few more peo ple than mine. She was a person of very few words and renowned for her privacy and re clusiveness. The only thing she said to me, substantively, was, “You are taller than you look like in your picture.”Ithanked her for her time, the visit and book. When I got back into my car, I called my older daughter, who is a lawyer in Birmingham, and said, “I know when I die you are going to just pile up my books and throw them away, but there is one you might want to save.” We will continue with more stories next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www. steveflow ers.us.
Camp Lejeune
UNIVERSITYAUBURNOFCOURTESYPHOTOS
Christopher Hitchens, him self a renegade, said of his friend Rushdie: “To take a side against Rushdie, or to be neutral and evasive about him in the name of some vaguely sensitive ecumen ical conscience, is to stand against those who try to incubate a Reformation in the Muslim world.” Still, Rushdie should take his personal security seriously, no matter how far we get from the 1989 fat wa, or the 2022 attempted murder-by-stabbing. Greg Markley moved to Lee County in 1996. He has master's degrees 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 since 2011. He is a member of the na tional Education Writers Association (focus-Higher Education). gm.markley@ charter.net.
Aug. 25, 2022 B10
Hold Meetings
Steve Morris Attorney at Law: “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.”
Contaminated water caused cancer and other serious health issues. Did you serve, live, work at Camp Lejeune, NC between 1953 and 1987? You may have a claim for damages. Call (256) 357-9211
Opelika High School’s new band director was a recent guest of the Opelika Lions Club. Will Waggoner, left, gave an update on the band’s status and expectations for the next year. The OHS band and all local bands will present their halftime show Aug. 25, at Auburn High School’s Duck Samford stadium. Waggoner was introduced by Lion James Morgan, right. Clubs
In 2008, I Heard Salman Rushdie Talk, Despite a Fatwa Bounty of $3 Million
Kiwanis, Lions
Toxic Water Claims
GREG MARKLEY
OPINION — Born in 1947, by 1988 Salman Rushdie had been honored with the Booker Prize, the highest literary award in Britain. Born in a Kashmiri Muslim family, he is now an atheist. He was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. He became a hero for free speech lovers when Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran ordered him killed for in sulting Islam in a book, The Satanic Verses. Rushdie went into hiding, relo cating every two or three days under Scotland Yard protection. A wise choice! By 1991, his translator for Japanese was stabbed to death. Just 10 days before, his transla tor for Italian was stabbed repeatedly and had seri ous injuries but survived. Rushdie kept out of public view and the British secu rity network protected him well. He gradually shed his security team, deeming it unnecessary 10 years after the legal ruling (fatwa). An unwise choice! A man linked to Islamic ex tremism stabbed Rushdie about 10 minutes before he was to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. Rushdie, age 75, was stabbed eight or nine times. He suffered three stab wounds to his neck, four stab wounds to his stomach, puncture wounds to his right eye and chest and a laceration on his right thigh, the district attorney said. Rushdie may lose sight in his right eye. In 2008 I received an internship at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta. It was part of obtaining an ConcentrationArchivesonmymas ter’s in history. While there, I often attended free lec tures from political figures and writers. Rushdie’s work often combines magical re alism with historical fiction. Most of his novels are set on the Indian subcontinent. In spring 2008, Rushdie discussed his ninth nov el, "The Enchantress of Florence". He called this his “most researched book” requiring many years of reading. It centered on a woman attempting to control her own destiny in a man’s world. His most praised novel is "Midnight's Children", about a mid-30s man recalling his life. It was his second novel, and it won the Booker Prize. There was good security when I arrived, although I did not notice personal guards for Rushdie. He spoke for 45 minutes to an hour, reading from his new book. I was ready for the Q-and-A session, and he chose me for the first question. As this book was highly researched, I asked academic questions. First, a question about the depth of his research and the second about his writing process. The next development was weird: A photographer from the Jimmy Carter Museum jumped to the microphone I had and said: “Mr. Rushdie, how was the fatwa?” He probably thought most came just to find out about Rushdie hid ing from assassins. Many attended for the book read ing, to preview the book. “It was horrible. Next question.” Rushdie is known for his arrogance as well as eloquence. Here was a curt response to someone who wanted to delve into those difficult years, instead of talk intelligently about the author’s new work. It was reported once that Rushdie sent a letter to Booker judg es asking why he did not win the Booker award of the 20th century. In polite soci ety, one does not do that. After audience ques tions were fielded, Rushdie abruptly went out a side door, with no personal guide tailing him. It was disquiet ing as I felt the threats were diminishing of Rushdie dy ing in a fatwa-killing, due to decades of people forgetting the whole saga. But I also believed that attacks on Rushdie could still hap pen, so long as he remains controversial. Unfortunately, on Aug. 12, 2022, the stabbing occurred, one of the worst things to happen at the renowned institution. Hadi Matar, 24, was arrested and has been charged with as sault and attempted murder. Matar’s social media ac counts showed support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and for "Shia extremism.” He recently visited the Middle East, but he lives in Fairfield, New Jersey. Even though Matar has social media links to known terrorists, we should not say “I told you so” when a Muslim attacked Rushdie under influence of the fatwa. There are good and bad people everywhere. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, four Muslim men (aged 26 to 41) were killed in recent months, execution-style. They are victims, just as Rushdie was. A suspect is in Matarcustody.carried a fake driv er’s license using the name of a killed Hezbollah mili tant, noted The Independent (UK). He obtained an advance pass for the event: Chautauqua officials said guests would now have to show photo IDs to buy gate passes thatwasRushdie’sAanonymouslypurchasedbeforeevents.lawyerwhoattendedeventsaidtherenoweaponscheckday.Thelateessayist
The speaker at the Opelika Kiwanis Club meeting last week was Dr. Jimmy Blake (pictured third from the left). He is a Libertarian party candidate for governor. The speaker for the Sept. 1 meeting is Leroy Burrell. He is the new Auburn University Track and Field coach.
"This has been a beau tiful, beautiful evening to celebrate our police chief and to honor those officers who put their lives on the line every day for us," Cook said. "So will you please join us as we join them to support what they are doing in the community to build relationships ... and when we work to gether we can strength en our community, and we can really stand for what he said ‘Together Opelika ” .
OPD >> FROM B9 OPAAA Honors, Recognizes OPD Chief, Officers OBSERVERTHEFOR/SIKORAEDBYPHOTOS
were recognized as Community Officers of the Year are: • Sgt. James Daniel • Officer Wade Foster • Officer Montrez Hunter and • Officer Brandon Phillips. During the event, Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey was "roasted" by Daniels and Ward 5 Council Member Todd Rauch. After the laughter died down, Rauch turned serious and praised Healey. "He is one of a kind," Rauch said. "When you have a police chief, you want that person to be the 'Atticus' in your community. You want them to be fighting for everything else that peo ple aren't brave enough to fight for. They have to stand up for what's right, and they have to stand up for justice. And he imbibes that. He is so good with his leadership that he shares that with his officers." Healey spoke to the audience and thanked the community for its support."Wecould not do what we do without those of y'all in this room and your support, your kind words, the moments that you take to support us, to show up, to be there," Healey said. "No matter where it is that you plug in to this community, it is each and every one of y'all that has allowed us to stand beside you and participate in some of the things you do to make this community stronger."Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller presented a proclamation issued by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to Healey honor ing him for his service and dedication to the Opelika community, especially for his work in the Together Opelika campaign. Healey was presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Opelika Police Academy Alumni
LeadershipasallywillawardannouncedPresidentAssociation.AlumiAssociationSherryCookthatthegiventoHealeybegivenoutannuandwillberenamedtheShaneHealeyAward.Theeventraised $25,000 and a check was presented to Opelika native and artist Carol Bandy Carson in the amount of $15,000 for the mural that she has been commissioned to create for the police department.
Aug. 25, 2022 B11 YOUR HEALTH YOURYOURSTATUSBEST LIFE For more information on HIV/AIDS such as testing, treatment, and services, visit alabamapublichealth.gov/hiv/testing.html For information on PrEP, visit alabamapublichealth.gov/hiv/prep.html Integrated HIV Programs for Health Departments to Support Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States 6 NU62PS924613-01-0 CFDA-93.940 Notice of Funding Opportunity - PS20 2010
gauge shells available for purchase.
Conventionally, CSPs have always been ap proved at the individ ual company level, but Opelika decided to try an atypical approach and apply as the nation’s first Citywide CSP, which would allow internships with all companies within the city. After a lengthy process, Opelika was approved in August 2021 and became the na tion’s first citywide CSP. The two primary benefits of this new approach were: (1) individual com panies did not have to go through the lengthy ap proval process and would not be responsible for all the reporting require ments; and (2) soldiers could participate in more than one CSP internship and increase their skills training and chances for a successful outcome. Numerous Opelika companies are now participating in this pro gram to help fill their workforce shortages and skills gaps by engaging a talent pool of welltrained and disciplined veterans. Since launch ing the CSP, Opelika has expanded its efforts to include assisting other veterans and military spouses with direct hire opportunities and initi ated their “Vets Choose Opelika” incentive pro gram offering assistance with down payments on homes, reimbursement of utility activation fees and one-year family mem berships to the Opelika Sportsplex & Aquatic Center.“The EconomicOpelikaDevelopment team, led by Director Lori Huguley, CEcD, sets Opelika apart from any other city in the nation," said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. "I am extremely proud of their unconventional thinking and extraordinary effort in developing the Career Skills Program. I can’t wait to see how the pro gram positively impacts veterans and businesses in our community.”
EXCELLENCE >> FROM B9
NOTICE ESTATECREDITORSTOOFLIJUN XUAN, CASEDeceasedNO.: 2022-303 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Joseph Majdalani on the 3rd day of August, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Joseph Majdalani Legal Run 08/11/22, 08/18/22 & 08/25/22 IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE INALABAMACOUNTY,THEMATTEROF THE ESTATE OF KENNETH E. LEETH, DECEASED CASE NO.: 2022-459
The Shoot Sporting Clays Tournament to Benefit Local Children’s Needs Kiwanis Club of Opelika Sponsor Auburn Oaks 230 County Road 57. Notasulga, AL September 30, 2022
scan for access
oaks 230
ResidentialLaborerConstruction Prepare residential con struction sites in Opelika, AL, unload and distribute building materials and assist craftworkers during the building process. Must be able to work in extreme temperatures, have manual dexterity, good physical fitness, be able to lift 50 pounds, push, pull and bend, and be able to walk on stairs and ladders. Must be able to operate equipment including weed eaters, mowers, shov els, hammers, and drills. Must follow safety require ments and wear appropriate clothing including boots. Must pass a drug test. Please email resume to carol@con nerbros.com. Conner Bros. Construction Co., Inc. 739 Opelika Road Auburn, AL 334-821-147036830–FAX 334-821-8534 EquipmentConstructionOperator Clean and prepare residential construction sites in Opelika, AL, including hand grading around new homes. Must be able to work in extreme temperatures. Must be able to operate a mini excavator, skid steer and dump truck. Must follow safety require ments and wear appropriate clothing including boots. Must pass a drug test. Please email resume to carol@con nerbros.com. Conner Bros. Construction Co., Inc. 739 Opelika Road Auburn, AL 36830 (334) 821-1470 - FAX (334) Docarol@connerbros.com821-8534youhaveapassionfor
Bring your
register
Residential
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NOTICE TO FILE TAKECLAIMSNOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Frances Wall Davidson, as Personal Representative of the Estate of William Max Davidson, Jr., Ondeceased,the2nd day of August, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.
FRANCES DAVIDSONWALL Personal Representative PREPARED BY: Phillip E. Adams, Jr. 205 S. 9th Street, P. 0. Box Opelika,2069AL 36803-2069 334-745-6466 Legal Run 08/11/2022, 08/18/2022 & 08/25/2022
Tournament to Benefit
Friday
your
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law, or the same will be barred.
Lunch
THE Clays Local Children’s Needs Kiwanis Club of Opelikaauburn county 57 -- notasulga, SEPT. am registration 12:00 pm flight starts 8:45 am flight starts 1:45 pm lunch provided starting at 11:30 am $1,000 PER 4 PERSON TEAM bring shotgun, shells, eye and ear protection. auburn oaks will have 12 and 20 gauge shells available for purchase. September 30, 2022 teams 7:30 am shoot 8:45 am lunch 11:30 am Afternoon teams register noon lunch 12:30 shoot 1:45 pm 230 County Road 57, Notasulga AL 36866 to
NOTICE OF ACTION To: All Defendants herein, whose whereabouts are un known and which cannot be ascertained after the exercise of reasonable diligence. You are hereby notified that on the 2nd day of March 2022, a Bill to Quiet Title was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, regarding the following described real Parcelproperty:One: Lot 5 in Block 6, as shown by Plat of a Survey of "Subdivision for Palmer Property" made by T.B. Chambers, Surveyor, said Plat being recoded at Page 11 of Plat Book 2 in the Office of the Probate Judge of Lee County, Alabama. Also known as Lee County Tax 43-10-03-08-2-001-parcel101.000 Parcel Two: Lot E Block 7 of Totten's Map, as shown by that certain plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 2 at Page 9, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama. Also known as Lee County Tu parcel 43-10-03-07- 1-001-063.000 Parcel Three: COM NW CORNE 4 SW 4 TH S 120'S E 1355'S TO ELY R/W UNNAMED RD SLY 315 ALG SD R/W ELY 420'8 to POB; S 210'8 E 65'S TO BRANCH NELY 240' ALG BRANCH W 1S7'S TO POB IN SEC 22 T18N R27E. Also known as Lee County Tax inAll43-lS-05-22-0-000-064.000.parcelpersonshavinganinterestsaidlandsoranyportion thereof, claiming any title thereto or any encumbrance or lien thereon, are hereby direct ed to plead, answer, or other wise respond to the Complaint on or before the expiration of 30 days after the last publica tion of this notice, or thereafter suffer judgment by default to be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint. Done this the 29th Day of July, 2022 Mary Roberson Circuit Court Clerk, Lee County Benjamin H. Parr 830 Avenue A, Suite A Opelika, Alabama 36801 Telephone Number: 334-7496999 Fax:334-203-1875 ben@benparrlaw.com Legal Run 08/04/22, 08/11/22, 08/18/22 & 08/25/22
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE ESSIEALABAMACOUNTY,LEETORBERT, Plaintiff, v. CV-2022-900081 A Parcel of Land Lying in Lee County, Alabama, Willie B. Thomas, J.J. UnknownArthurPowledge,Ware,andHeinof Willie B. Thomas, J.J. Powledge and/or Arthur Ware, Defendants.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Edna Joyce Leeth, Personal Representative on the 5th day of August, 2022, by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Edna Joyce Leeth Legal Run 08/18/22, 08/25/22 & 09/01/22
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STATE OF ALABAMA CASE NO. 2022-40 LEE COUNTY PROBATE ESTATECOURT OF CORINNE BEATRICE DECEASEDSFORZINI, NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVEPERSONAL Letters Testamentary of said Corinne Beatrice Sforzini, deceased, having been granted to Suzanne Jean Simonelli this 3rd day of Augsut 2022, 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. Suzanne Jean Simonelli, Personal Representative Legal Run 08/11/2022, 08/18/2022 & 08/25/2022
al 36866 FRIDAY,
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Morning
the silent auction See PUBLIC NOTICES, page B14
Morning Flight Afternoon Flight Registration 7:30AM Registration 12:00PM Flight Starts 8:45AM Flight Starts 1:45PM provided starting at 11:30AM $1000.00 per 4 person team. shotgun, protection. Auburn Oaks will have 12 and 20
Aug. 25, 2022 B12 334-745-4618 LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS
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animals? Want to make a difference in the commu nity? We are looking for individuals to join our animal care team! We have multiple part time positions* available: Morning Shifts (7am-1pm)*: 1 position available for 1Sunday-Wednesdaypositionavailable for Afternoonprefer.*days*TheseThursday-SaturdaycanbealternatingorasetscheduleifyouShifts(12pm6pm)*: 2 positions available for 2Sunday-Wednesdaypositionsavailable for prefer.*days*TheseThursday-Saturdaycanbealternatingorasetscheduleifyou Starting pay is $10.50 per hour and we do have full time positions as well! (Full time positions do come with health benefits.) If interested, please send your resumes to Nosume@leecountyhumane.org.rephonecallsplease!
IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM MAX DAVIDSON, JR., ALABAMACOURTINDECEASEDTHEPROBATEOFLEECOUNTY,
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Aug. 25, 2022 B13 Tickets available now! the jay and susie gogue performing arts center at auburn university presents AMPHITHEATRE AT THE CITY OF AUBURN LAWN AND PORCH
Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Guardian/ Conservator of Joe Louis Thomas, Sr. has been filed. A hearing has beset for the 19th day of September 2022 at 1:00 p.m. central time, electronically via “ZOOM”. Please contact the Lee County Probate Court at 334-737-3670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the hearing of the Petition for Guardian/Conservator of Joe Louis Thomas, Sr. Legal Run 08/25/202208/18/2022,&09/01/2022
MargaretJudge
Owner: Smith Water & Sewer Authority By: Mr. Joe Walden Title: Chairman Legal Run 08/25/22, 09/01/22 & 09/08/22
NOTICE APPOINTMENTOF OF EXECUTOR Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned Shirley Marie Maddox on the 20th day of July, 2022, 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 the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Shirley Marie Maddox, DonaldExecutorR. Cleveland Attorney at Law P. O. Box 527 West Point, Georgia 31833 Legal Run 08/25/2022,08/18/2022,09/01/2022 THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RUTH M. HINKLEY, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY,
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Opelika Self Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property de scribed below belonging to those individuals listed be low at the location and time indicated: 710 Columbus Pkwy,
Sealed bids for the Hwy. 280 Sanitary Sewer Imp. to Serve the Summerville Road Area CMGM220020 will be received by the Smiths Water & Sewer Authority, Attn: Mr. Andy Morris, GM, lo cated at 2848 Lee Road 243, Smiths Station, AL 36877, until Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 11:00 EDT local time at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. The Project includes the fol lowing Work: Approx. 1,000 LF of 8" Gravity Sanitary Sewer, 3,500 LF of 6" Sewer Force Main, Sanitary Sewer Lift Station and related appurtenances. Information for the Project can be found at the following designated website: www. gmcnetwork.com The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is Goodwyn Mills Cawood LLC, 11 N. Water St., Suite 15250, Mobile, AL 36602, Ashley.Morris@gmcnetwork. com. Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office on Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office as described below. Copies of the Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Issuing Office, during the hours indicated above, upon payment of a de posit of $20.00 for a one time administrative fee for digital access/file sharing and/or $125.00 for each printed set. Said cost represents the cost of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution, therefore no refund will be granted. Checks for Bidding Documents shall be payable to “GMC.” Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing Office.
Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsi ble for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, includ ing Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office. Bid security shall be fur nished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. The Owner reserves the right to waive any informalities, or to reject any or all bids, and to award the contract to the best and most responsible bidder. All bidders shall submit, upon request, a list of projects "successfully com pleted" in the last 2 years, having the same scope of work and approximate con struction cost as specified in this project. All bidders must comply with requirements of the Contractor's Licensing Law of the State of Alabama and be certified for the type of work on which the propos al is submitted. Each bidder must deposit with his bid, security in the amount, form and subject to the conditions provided in the Instructions to AllBidders.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 Engineer; the Bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying the license number on the outside of the envelope in which the Proposal is delivered. No bidder may withdraw his bid within 60 days after the opening thereof.
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IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, AL Adoption of: L.J.R.M.M. TO:(03/18/2020)TheUnknown father of L.J.R.M.M. Unknown father- Take notice, that a Petition for the Adoption of the child, L.J.R.M.M. minor male child, born 03/18/20 to Carnesia Mitchell in Montgomery, AL, at Jackson Hospital has been filed in this Court by Paul and Nila Brumett. Your failure to file an answer to this petition could result in said Petition being granted. You must respond in writing within (30) days of the last publication of this notice with counsel for said Petitioners, whose name and address are shown below, and with the Probate Court of the said Lee County, AL in order to con test said petition. Probate Ann Mayfield &
Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 10th day of August, 2022, 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.
NOTICE ESTATECREDITORSTOOFPEGGY L. ADAMS, DECEASED PRBATE COURT LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2022-278 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of PEGGY L. ADAMS are hereby granted to Paul D. Esco on the 18th day of August , 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are here by required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be Paulbarred.D. Esco Legal Run 08/25/2022, 09/01/2022 & 09/08/2022
BILL ENGLISH,
TEXTILE MILLS ASBESTOS CLAIMS
NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the under signed intends to sell the personal property de scribed below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under The Self Service Storage Act. The undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on Thursday the 29th day of September, 2022 at 10:00 AM on Lockerfox.com. Said property is iStorage, 501 North 26th St, Opelika, AL, 36801 Donald Fuller III 1064 Household Goods. Cordell Samuel 2055 Totes ,Boxes. Katherine Pritchard 2117 Misc Furniture. Harris, Joanna 3057 Sofa. Williams, Latasha 3003 Totes, suitcases ,box, bed frame. Daniel Cambell 3010 JoshuaGood,MountainBoxes,Totes,HouseBike.Fife,3051Smokerand Griddle. Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase by cash only. All purchased items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of the sale. Sale is subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Legal Run ---------------08/25/2022
NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the under signed intends to sell the personal property de scribed below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under The Self Service Storage Act. The undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on Thursday the 29th day of September, 2022 at 10:00 AM on Lockerfox. com. Said property is iStorage, 3806 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika, AL, 36801 Villanueva , Yoni 211 Washer and Dryer, Tote, tables, . Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase by cash only. All purchased items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of the sale. Sale is subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Legal Run 08/25/22
NOTICESPUBLIC >> FROM B12
DIANE L. BUETTNER and CAROLE SWENDROWSKIJ. D.Co-ExecutrixesCarterWeeks Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 08/18/22, 08/25/22 & 09/01/22
Opelika AL 36801 Monday, September 12, 2022 at 1:00PM CST Jakacia Smith - Unit 1222 3300 Boromville Rd, Hurtsboro, AL 36860 couches, beds, bed frames, dressers, misc furniture Renee Johnon – Unit 1209 552 N Antioc Cir Apt A, Opelika, AL 36801 Misc furniture and items Felecia Pate – Unit 1307 499 Mill Pond Dr, Phenix City, AL 36870 Tires and Rims, boxes, misc Laprincess Williams –Unit 1252 2015 County Rd 94, Auburn, AL Furniture,36879 boxes, misc The auction will be listed and advertised on www.lock erfox.com. Purchases must be made with a credit card only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Opelika Self Storage may re fuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes posses sion of the personal property. Legal Run 08/25/2022
CaseALABAMANo:2022-466
Attorney for Petitioners P.O. Box 809 Opelika, Alabama 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 08/18/22, 08/25/22, 09/01/22
09/08/22 ---------------
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ROADTHESEWERHWY.ALABAMASMITHSSEWERSMITHSFORADVERTISEMENTBIDSWATER&AUTHORITYSTATION,280SANITARYIMP.TOSERVESUMMERVILLEAREA
IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, STATE OF INALABAMATHEMATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD WAYNE CASEDeceasedMADDOX,NO.2022-429
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