Opelika, AlabamaThursday Sept. 8, 2022Vol. 14, No. 48 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 ................... A14 OBITUARIES ............... A15 COMICS ....................... A16 SPORTS ........................ B1 CLASSIFIEDS .......... B10 /14 PUBLIC NOTICES ........... B10 POLITICS ..................... B11 PUZZLES ..................... B15 See AWARDS, page A3 See MARKET, page A3 See RUN, page A3 BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMKENDYLH@ SMITHS STATION — After two years of virtual “shadow” events, Smiths Station will remember those lost in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, with its first 9/11 Heroes Run. The event will begin Saturday, Sept. 10 at 8 a.m. at Smiths Station City Hall. Hey! The Hey Day Market is Open Pre-Need Services Available Call 334-749-8700 for an appointment Your Full-Service Funeral Home Local Women Selected for 'Focus Empowered' 40 Over 40 Awards PHOTOCONTRIBUTEDTOTHEOBSERVEROOUOOOHPTSCNTRBTEDTTHEBSERVER CONTRIBUTED BY LILLIAN BRAND
OPELIKA — Robyn Bridges, from Auburn-Opelika
/OOHPTBYHANNAHLESTERTHEOBSERVER BRIDGES GIBSON Smiths Station to Host 9/11 Heroes Run
AUBURN — The Hey Day Market is open.Auburn University stu dents and the local commu nity now have access to the nine food options, seven days a Whetherweek.you’re craving noodles, pizza, a burger or maybe a salad — the Hey Day Market has you cov ered. There’s dessert, too, with gelato made in-house. Students line up out side every day ready to try something new or hit up what they’ve already dubbed their favorite. The “most popular” restaurant changes each day, said Hans van der Reijden, founder and CEO of Ithaka Hospitality Partners. Van der Reijden was a part of the formation of the Hey Day“MyMarket.protip for ev erybody is just pick the shortest line — everything’s incredible, so go get in a short line,” said Marc Osier, culinary director, restau rants and food halls for Ithaka Hospitality Partners.
BY HANNAH LESTER OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMHLESTER@
Focus Empowers, a non-partisan women’s organization based in Mobile, Alabama, has selected the 40 honor ees last month. These awards honor and celebrate 40 Alabama women over the age of 40 who have made a mark professionally and impacted their commu nities in a positive way.
There’s Khoodles, Ma laysian street noodles, from Los Angeles. Chef Roy Khoo, original ly from Malaysia, played with his own last name to come up with the business name,“[KhoodlesKhoodles.is] really au thentic, beautiful Malaysian street fare, basically,” van der Reijden said. The Khoodles recipe is a family recipe. “It’s his actual grandma’s recipe,” Osier said. La Cubanita offers Cuban sandwiches in its stall. In a year, La Cubanita will rotate out to allow for a student startup restaurant. “This is a Cuban restau rant, so we have Cuban sandwiches and mediano che sandwiches,” Osier said. “… The tradition is, in the middle of the night — medianoche — to have a small sandwich, to take a break while you’re clubbing and discoing in Cuba. Step outside and have a sweet sandwich, and then go inside and keep going.” Osier said these sand wiches feature a sweeter
Tourism and Auburn Univeristy, and Ope likian Tiffany Gibson were recently named as honorees of the Focus Empowers second an nual 40/40 Awards.
Botanic Opens
OPELIKA — Tenth St. Nutrition is the second location for owner of Opelika Nutrition. Tenth St. Nutrition offers delicious and healthy loaded teas and shakes, pre- and post-workout drinks, as well as beauty and specialty drinks. It is located at 309 S. 10th St. in Opelika. For more informa tion call 334-610-9979. The hours are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
OOOUOOOHPTSCNTRBTEDBYTHEPELKACHAMBERFCMMERCE
For Business OOOOOHPTSBYRBERTNLESTHEBSERVER
OPELIKA — Opelika Dental Associates held a ribbon cutting last month to celebrate its opening. The new location, 1929 1st Ave. in Opelika, offers routine cleanings, cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. The expert team combines an individualized approach with the most advanced dental technology and procedures to provide patients with the utmost quality of dental care. It offers a variety of cosmetic, general/preventative and restorative dental services. To make an appoint ment with Opelika Dental Associates call 334-745-4663. Dr. Cochran and Dr. Johnson, along with their amazing team, will be sure to take great care of you.
A2 Sept. 8, 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: 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: The Observer 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! Opelika Chamber Welcomes New Businesses
Lee County's newest business, Botanic, opened on Tuesday. Botanic gave its first few guests free hats Tuesday morning and is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Area Youth For Christ joins a growing number of Christ-centered church es and ministries across America, supported by over 14.6 million donors that have earned the right to display the ECFA seal. When an organization is accredited by ECFA, it demonstrates its willingness to follow the model of youngcommittedaccreditaccountability.biblical“Wearepleasedtoaministrytoreachpeopleeverywherewiththehope of Christ,” said Michael Martin, president of ECFA. Founded in 1982, East Alabama Area Youth For Christ (https://eastalabamay fc.org) works with the local church and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ and commitment to social involvement. To learn more about East Alabama Area Youth For Christ and its stewardship oppor tunities, visit Giver Connect, ECFA’s new est online program, that connects givers’ hearts with trusted members. ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accredi tation to leading Chris tian nonprofit organi zations that StandardsancedemonstratefaithfullycompliwiththeECFApertaining to financial account ability, fundraising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including infor mation about accredi tation and a listing of callwww.ECFA.orgmembers,ECFA-accreditedvisitor1-800-323-9473.
AWARDS >> FROM A1 Honorees will be celebrated at the 40/40 Awards event on Sept. 28 at Crown Hall in Mobile. Starting at 5:30 p.m., the event will start with dinner, andawardshonoreeshighlightwiththeprogramconcludewith a cocktail reception to celebrate.Allareinvited to attend the 40/40 Awards, and tick ets are available at tickets/.focuswc.com/Addition ally, honorees will be featured in a story on the Focus Empowers web site and appear in the 40/40pho tography book to be released at next year’s awards. “We were blown away by the qual ity and quantity of nominations for this year’s 40/40 class and are thrilled to highlight the se lected honorees and their accomplish ments at the 40/40 Awards event later this month,” said Devin Ford, founder of Focus Empowers. “This event will be a night of state.”ourforinspirationcelebration,andhopethefutureofcommunityand
“As a Spartan leader with the Travis Manion Foundation, I just felt like this year was basically a special year for us to ac tually have a full-blown event here in Smiths Sta tion,” said A. Lee Rollins, race director for Smiths Station. Rollins said his back ground in the military inspired him to get in volved with TMF and the 9/11 Heroes Run. “Being a retired service member, it’s always been a huge thing of mine to kind of be a part of some thing that’s bigger than just myself when it comes to Sept. 11,” he said. “I just remember having that helpless feeling, getting ready to deploy to the Balkans, when we heard the news of the attacks. I firmly believe that it’s something that we should never forget, because it’s one of the most horrific things in our nation’s history.”TheTravis Manion Foundation (TMF) is a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that seeks to empower veterans, fam ilies of “fallen heroes” and rising generations to develop character based on the motto, “If not me, then who?” According to Rollins, more than 75 communi ties across the globe will host their own 9/11 He roes Runs through TMF, and another 110-plus will host virtual events. “For Smiths Station to have the opportunity to host this run is really … something special be cause we’re actually one of the smallest locations across the country, but in the last few years we’ve averaged over 100 partic ipants,” he said. “It's an amazing event, and it’s open to everybody.” All who participate will be able to dedicate their race to a fallen hero. Participants will be able to run, walk or ruck in the 9/11 Heroes Run. Events include a mile run, a 5K and a “GORUCK” 5K. The top three finishers in each age group will be awarded medals, and those in the GORUCK division — us ing a weighted backpack — who complete the 5K will also earn a TMF 9/11 GORUCK patch. “This year it’s going to be a hybrid race,” Rollins said. “We’re going to be running on a portion of a running trail and the high school cross country course.”Prices vary for each event, ranging from $25 to $40, but those who are active-duty military, veterans, first respond ers or law enforcement will receive discounts. Registrants may also use the codes “GORUCK15” to receive 15% off in the GORUCK division and “BTS15” for a 15% dis count in other events. Online registration will close Sept. 9, but day-of registration will be open onsite Sept. 10. The 9/11 Heroes Run is rain or shine, but it will not happen in the event of lightning.Formore informa tion, or to register, visit 911heroesrun.org/ smithsstation.
A3 Sept. 8, 2022 RUN >> FROM CONTRIIBUTEDA1
East Alabama Area Youth For Christ AccreditationReceives
— The ECFA (Evangeli cal Council for Finan cial announcedAccountability)Aug.24 the accreditation of East Alabama Area Youth For Christ of Auburn, isAlabama.ECFAaccreditationbasedontheECFA Seven Standards of Re sponsible Stewardship, including financial accountability, trans parency, sound board governance and ethical fundraising.EastAlabama
bread.Little Darling is the classic American food of hamburgers, cheeseburgers and milkshakes. However, they also offer some alternative options in black bean burgers and tunaTheburgers.owner of Lucy’s here in Auburn also owns Little“[InDarling.HeyDay], there’s some local [owners] and some out-of-towners,” van der Reijden said. If you’re looking for a slightly healthier option, Loud Roots is the place to “Thinkgo. So-Cal, think Miami Beach,” Osier said. “This is healthy, wellness, craft your own bowls based on your desired nutrition.” Loud Roots also offers smoothies. “[They] are not just like a dessert smoothie; although they taste incredi ble, they’re really well ness-focused,” Osier said. The owner of Loud Roots is one of those “outof-towners.” He’s original ly from Puerto Rico, and then from Miami, van der Reijden said.
He did, however, pre viously work in Auburn, so this is a return to The Plains, Osier said. There’s also the Pizzeria — a sister restaurant of Ariccia in the Auburn UniversityPokemenHotel.opened its second location in the Hey Day Market, but you can find the first one on Ope lika Road. “[The owner] was super excited when I talked to him and ready to jump on board the first time I talked to him,” Osier said. Wild Child is the second restaurant by the owner of Lucy’s located in the market.Ifyou’re craving a taco, Wild Child is the place to be with daily fresh ingre dients.“ASouthern Califor nia-inspired taco shop fea turing birria and spit-roast ed al pastor tacos, a mix of traditional street-style sides like elotes and guac, plus desserts and bebidas,” its online description said. Cherry Moon had a slightly delayed open ing, so it was not up and running when the market opened. However, it offers Vietnamese and Cantonese food. Bahn Mi Sandwich es, dim sum and boba teas are all on the menu. St. Bernardo Gelateria offers not ice cream, but gelato. And for many, this will be their first time trying gelato. St. Bernardo will be mobile in the fu ture, with a gelato cart that can be taken around town. There is a 10th stall — The Bar. “The bar is going to have everything from beer and wine to frozen cock tails, and then cocktails on draft,” Osier said. All the chefs and restau rant owners were recruited to the Hey Day Market. “Our business is all about relationships,” van der Reijden said. “So, the first thing we did was re cruited locally. We sent out to all the chefs of all the restaurants here in town and said, ‘Hey, we have this vision for building a food hall, and we would love you to be part of it.’” However, at the time, in the middle of a pandemic, many restaurant owners were hesitant, van der Reijden said. After looking local, the team looked a bit further out.“We went from local to regional, state, to nation al,” van der Reijden said. “And that’s when we really started to get the traction from places and chefs outside of Auburn, outside of StudentsAlabama.”have the option to use their Tiger Cards at the restaurants, but it is also open to the commu nity. There are other benefits to the space. There is a podcast room set near the doors and in the center of the action. van der Reijden said the goal was to have the character of the Hey Day Market available to leak into the flavor and vibe of podcasts being recorded. There’s also a green, outdoor space that will be used for eating space and for lawn games. “We built this intention ally; well, Auburn Univer sity built this, and it was very intentional,” van der Reijden said. “The location — this used to be a parking lot, but we feel this is truly the intersection between campus and community. And to have a place here that’s open to the student body, to the community — you have food options, you have a bar, you have an outdoor function space, soon a brewery, that makes it accessible to everybody.
“We do think that this green space over here will be such a gathering place for everybody. And ... during the week, we see about 70% students, right now, 30% local commu nity. On the weekends, it flips. It’s so great. I saw so many strollers in here over the weekend.” This is the first in a series of 10 featuring the new Hey Day Market.
BY ECFA LEE COUNTY
MARKET >> FROM A1
OBSERVERTHE/LESTERHANNAHBYPHOTO
in the 1950s, must have had some good ol’ coun try smarts, too. Back then, an elemen tary school-age Pawpaw Jim frequently got into fistfights with bullies older and bigger than him. Without fail, Paw paw Jim’s nose always got busted and sprung a leak. And, without fail, the little kid, who was a year or so younger than Pawpaw Jim, always handed a fresh hand kerchief or rag over to Pawpaw Jim once the fists stopped flying. I reckon the kid figured Pawpaw Jim just might make a good bodyguard, stancesunfavorableshouldcircumeverariseon the schoolyard. Meanwhile, as the years went by, Pawpaw Jim got lots of practice in the fighting realm, ranging from high school wrestling and teenage rumbles to barroom brawls. Of course, when it came to fighting in some really rough bars, Paw paw Jim always deemed it smart thinking to take along his wiry cousin, Charles, whose brute strength easily rivaled any tough mule in its prime. “Boy, when Charles hit somebody, you could always hear it, real loud — POW! — just like in the movies,” Pawpaw Jim used to say about his kin. “One time, he punched straight through a car window to hit someone. That man was somethin’ else. But, yeah, he was the kind of person you’d want in your corner if a big fight ever broke out.” No doubt, good preparation is a sure sign of some good ol’ country smarts. Even my father, Mike “Doe Doe” Huffman, has shown potential of this sort — like the time, many years ago, when he’d gotten a little spot of land and had to deal with someone whose bitterness drove them to drive donuts on the property when my father wasApparently,away. the donut maker had had their eye on the property before my father got hold of it. But ol’ Doe Doe came up with a remedy for dis couraging the makings of future donuts. Stra tegically planting long nails, pointy-end up, in various areas on the land, my father warned us to be extra careful where we stepped. “This oughta do it,” my father said, grinning. “Our good buddy will come one last time. Hell, I’m lookin’ forward to it.”Come they did. One lastMytime.father undoubtedly inherited his prepared ness from both his mom ma's and daddy’s sides of the family. A note worthy example of proof from his momma’s side emerged several years ago, shortly after my fa ther got divorced again, when he went cruising through a few bars with his mother’s sister, Aunt Nean Nean, to help fill some lonely hours. At one juke joint, as Aunt Nean Nean passed time shooting pool by herself, my father noticed she put her empty bottles down on the pool table, having placed a single bottle at each corner. Offering to throw them away for her, my father’s amusement surged when Aunt Nean Nean abruptly paused her game to give him a grim“Ohlook.no, son,” she said. “We might need ’em before we leave this place.”Now, that’s some expert preparation. Of course, my father’s daddy, Pawpaw Buck Huffman, possessed this caliber of country smarts, too. Years ago, shortly after Pawpaw Buck passed and was buried, Ol’ Country Smarts
SEAN DIETRICH
The man removes a $5 bill from his pocket. “See this?” he says. The kids nod. The redhead writer nods. Age has slowed his speech down. But not his mind.“Why, I remember when $5 was like a 100 bucks,” he goes on. “Back when times were hard.” The Depression. A time when America was on the brink. He tells a story about the lean years. He was 6. A rural towhead. He wore ragged clothes. His shoes had given up the ghost and went barefoot most of the time — even to preaching. “That’s what poor folks did,” he explains. “Our feet were always bare.” He found a $5 bill on the ground. And during his era, he might as well have won the Florida Powerball. He ran home to give the money to his “LOOKfather.WHAT I FOUND, DADDY!” he shouted. But his father didn’t want the“Son,”money.his father told him. “It would be wrong for me to keep that money. Lotta folks need it worse than we do.” But how could that be? They ate beans for supper. His brother worked labor jobs for chicken feed. His mother took in wash. The kid’s feet were blistered. “What should I do with it?” the boy asked. “You’re the one who found it,” said his father. “You gotta figure it out for yourTheownself.”boyheld onto the money for a week. He had wild-eyed boyish ideas. With $5 he could’ve been king of the county. He could’ve bought a collec tion of shoes and still had enough left over for a trip to “IMaui.went to our minister,” the old man says. “I asked him, ‘What should I do with the money?’” The reverend said, “$5? My goodness, that’s a lot. You could give it to us. But it wouldn’t be right, me telling you what to do with it. That’s something you gotta figure out for your ownself.”Sothekid thought long and hard about it. The old man pauses his story. He inspects his carving. He is silent for a few seconds. A girl at his feet says, “HEY, WHAT HAP PENED?”“YEAH!” shouts another. “DID YOU GET THE SHOES?!”“TELLUS!” shouts the redhead.Theold man starts carving again. “Well, I got to studying about it,” he says. “And I thought of all the kids in my school. They didn’t have shoes neither. What about them?” So, he came up with an idea, which he posed to his teacher in private. She listened. She liked his idea. She agreed to help him. They shook on it. He made his teacher spit in her hand before the official handshake because this is what all respectable boys do.A few days later, his classmates arrived at the rural school like any other day, but it was not business as Theusual.classroom was deco rated with colorful garland and banners. And there was Virginia ham, casseroles, pies, the works. There were layer cakes, lemonade, can dy, chocolate and cookies. “Today is a national Fun Day!” the teacher an nounced.FunDay.Noschool work, no math problems, no more teachers’ dirty looks. It was a day set aside for eating, singing and laughter. There were three-legged races, hide-and-seek, hopscotch, marbles, baseball and singing.Children without shoes ate freely, without want. They played. They forgot about the sadness that lingered above their pover ty-stricken families. The day was supposed to be a $5 day, but other par ents had gotten involved. Mothers, fathers, ministers, shopkeepers and church deacons. It became a mil lion-dollar day. And in the memories of many shoeless kids, it was one of the best parties in world history. He finishes his carving. The children are silent. And I am silent, thinking about how much this world has changed. How much I have changed. One child finally asks, “But did you ever get a pair of “Yeah,”shoes?” says one kid. “Ditto,” says the redhead. The old man smiles. He flexes a bare foot for us all. His sole is blackened with dirt.“Shoes are highly over rated,” he says.
A bittersweet emotion, nostalgia can inspire a wealth of positive feel ings and social connec tions, as evidenced by research in psychology. Keith Huffman, who has written newspaper columns about Southern nostalgia since 2008, shares some fond reflec tions about family he cherishes, all of whom are prime examples of good ol’ country smarts. K ason, single-handedly.andouslyinJustestmunchkin,curly-haired2-year-old,myisthegreatmulti-taskerIknow.recently,Iwatchedaweashesimultanesuckedhisthumbpickedhisnose,Itwasanamazing sight, one offering more evidence to my assump tion that my little boy is destined for things requiring lots of brains. He’s already obsessed with toy rockets, cars and trains, especially if they happen to be in the hands of his 7-year-old brother, Kaleb, who’s long since shown signs of possessing mad sci entist-caliber smarts as well.Hand Kaleb some cardboard, string and glue, and that young’un can invent practically anything, ranging from impenetrable bug pens and money vaults to nifty booby traps for his ornery little brother. A genius armed with a massive JimeachhandkerchiefwhoIahead.knacksmartstheirizers,likenaturally,imagination,candothingsthat.Expertvisualtheysimplyfunnelgoodol’countryintoaspecialforplanningIfthat’sthecase,thenreckonthelittlekidusedtobringatoschooldayforPawpawSanders,wayback
Good
A4 Sept. 8, 2022
334-745-4618
See HUFFMAN, page A5 This is not my story. I am hearing it for the first time, just likeHeyou.isthe one who tells it. He is old. He is in a wheel chair. He is carving a piece of basswood with a pocket knife. He speaks in a drawl so thick it’s poetry. There are children around his feet. A few third-graders, a fifth-grad er, a 15-year-old and one redhead writer who still watches Saturday morning cartoons. Occasionally. The old man is telling stories. That’s what old men do. They are inherent ly good at this.
BY KEITH HUFFMAN GUEST COLUMNIST
Five Bucks
Prevatt is a two-time grad uate of Auburn University (AU). He received a Bach elor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Agricultural Business and Economics, in 2011 and 2013, respectively. He comes to the federa tion after eight years with the University of Florida (UF), where he was a specialist with the UF/IFAS Extension focused on beef cattle and forage economics to help farmers develop more sustainable, profitable operations.Inhisrole with UF, Pre vatt evaluated the marketing of feeder calves, conduct ed economic analysis of agricultural inputs and developed management strategies for livestock and forage producers. He also trained county Extension faculty across Florida in beef management. Prevatt co-owns and oper ates Prevatt Farms, a stocker cattle and cow-calf operation in Furman, Alabama, and Starke, Florida, with his fa ther Walt and mother Peggy. The elder Prevatt is a wellknown, retired AU agricul ture economist who passed on to his son a penchant for wrangling cattle profits.
HUFFMAN >> FROM
AUBURN — On Sept. 3, 2022, members of Auburn Unitarian wasandmationsigndiscoveredUniversalistthatitschurchthatdisplaysinforaboutfellowshipupcomingservicesvandalizedwithan anti-LGBTQIA+ mes sage. The sign was spray painted to read, “---- the LGBT.” This latest example of vandalism comes after a number its social justice banners and yard signs were vandalized since 2021.“This is unequivocally an act of hate,” said the Rev. Chris Rothbauer, the congregation’s minister.
Private Furnished Offices Co Working & Mail Services
A5 Sept. 8, 2022
Lab offers fully furnished private offices, co working spaces, mail services, and more, all within the heart of Downtown Opelika Our all inclusive and contract free prices allow you to focus on the important things, without worrying about any overhead costs CoLab is perfect for graphic designers, software developers, real estate agents work from home individuals and small teams Learn more about us and book a tour to find your best fit by visiting us on the web, or social media pages
UUUUUOOOHPTCNTRBTEDBYABRNNITARANNIVERSALST
ABOUT AUBURN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP: Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was founded in 1961 as a liberal UnitarianCounty,congregationreligiousinLeeAlabama.ThoughUniversalismis an offshoot of Protestant Christianity, our members come from a variety of different religious back grounds, identities and life experiences, united by our desire to build a world where all people are valued for who they are. The fellowship and its minister and mem bers have been leaders in local social justice issues, organizing climate change actions, in racial justice protests and ini tiatives and for the local LGBTQIA+ community. Auburn Unitarian Univer salist Fellowship is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, a liber al religious organization based in Boston, Mas sachusetts, representing over a thousand Unitari an Universalist congrega tions in all 50 states.
Our New Home Is Built on a JustFoundation...SolidLikeOurBank.
CONTRIBUTEDA4
Alabama Farmers Federation Governmental & Agricultural Programs Department Director Mitt Walker praised Prevatt’s past experiences with the cattle industry.Walker said Prevatt’s knowledge and strong ties to Alabama agriculture will make him an asset to the organization’s commodity team.“Chris understands our farmers and their needs, concerns and opportunities for growth,” Walker said. “We’re excited for him to put boots on the ground and become an active part of the Prevattfederation.”andwife Trisha, a veterinarian, live in Montgomery and are expecting their first child in February.
PREVATT Lee County Native, AU Alumnus Joins Alabama Farmers Federation
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 fellowship is a spiri tual home to many people who don’t find communi ty any other place in our area. This message targets our members and makes clear why a witness such as ours is so direly needed.”Theperson waited until night and spray-painted the sign. The congre gation has checked its security camera, and the matter has been forward ed to the Auburn Police Department for further investigation.“Thecurrent political climate is so full of hate,” Rothbauer said. “This message demeans the many LGBTQIA+ people and reflects poorly on our entire community. If Auburn wants to be a welcoming community, we should be willing to embrace difference rather than stigmatizing it.” A member of the AUUF community was in the process of repairing and replacing the vandalized sign at the time of this news“It’srelease.sadto me that someone finds a message of love, inclusion and acceptance so offensive that they feel the need to target us,” Rothbauer said. “If someone hates us so much because we are welcoming to those who are often on the margins, maybe they are part of the problem. We welcome them to get to know us rather than holding onto their bigotry.”
Church’s Sign Vandalized with Anti-LGBTQIA+ Message
COLABOPELIKA COM | (334)748 9700 |@COLABOPELIKA BY AUBURN UNIVERSALISTUNITARIANFELLOWSHIP
Keith Huffman is the author of “The Portable Creek: Southern Nos talgia and Other She nanigans.” He lives in Opelika.
family offered to help my father clean out Buck’s apartment. One helping hand was my father’s father-in-law at that time, “Pop,” a firmly devout Christian who volun teered to pack things up from Buck’s bedroom. The cleanout had bare ly begun, however, when everyone was alerted to a sudden burst of laugh ter. It came from Pop, who stood over an open dresser drawer filled with packs of condoms. I reckon Pop figured the Good Lord did command His children to “be fruit ful and multiply.” In his own way, Paw paw Buck was simply complying with the Lord. And when it came to managing a variety of courtships, he was known to be a brilliant multi-tasker.Itsurewouldn’t sur prise me if Pawpaw Buck single-handedly picked his nose and sucked a thumb back when he was a munchkin, too.
BY ALFA WRITTEN BY MAGGIE EDWARDS AUBURN — The Alabama Farmers Federation welcomed Chris topher Prevatt as commodity director for Beef, Equine, Hay & Forage and Sheep & Goat divisions on Sept. 6. Prevatt, who grew up in Auburn, said he is excited to be back on familiar turf in his home state. He thanked the Alabama Farmers Federation for providing the opportunity to learn from and work with Alabama farmers and ranchers. “When I wake up each morning, this is the job I want to do,” Prevatt said. “Working in grazing animal production and with differ ent forages in Alabama is a great passion of mine. I know the Alabama Farmers Federation is the place for me.”
CONTRIBUTED
A6 Sept. 8, 2022 S E P T E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 2 S2 E P T E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 2 2 D O W N T O W N O P E L I K DA O W N T O W N O P E L I K A P R E S E N T E D B PY R E S E N T E D B PY R E S E N T E D B PY R E S E N T E D B Y P U R C H A S E T I C K E T S A T O P E L I K A C H A M B E R . C O PM U R C H A S E T I C K E T S A T O P E L I K A C H A M B E R . C O M THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
OSF Returns Oct. 14-16
AUBURN — Singer-songwrit er extraordinaire Jeff Black returns to Sundilla to give area music fans another evening filled with the very best jewels in theregenre,singer-songwritersobesuretobeonFriday,Sept.
for
AJ’s Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Sausage is a scrumptious dish to serve with a salad and crusty bread. Prepare the sauce with a good quality Italian, chicken or turkey sausage, or try ground beef, turkey or meatballs. Top with a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese an early fall supper everyone in the family will enjoy.
OBSERVERTHEFORHILLSMANJOHNBYPHOTO
OPELIKA — The sound of mu sic will fill the air in downtown Opelika this October for the third Opelika Songwriters Festival.Thefestival will kick off Thursday, Oct. 13, with a cocktail dinner at 7 p.m. The music will take place over three days — Oct. 14 through 17 — at vari ous venues downtown, giving attendees a chance to explore what the area has to offer. Weekend and sin gle-day passes are on sale now ence.onperrangefreshtix.com.throughPricesfrom$55to$275ticket,dependingthedayandexperi
9 for a special evening of music. Showtime at Pebble Hill (101 S. Debardeleben St. in Auburn) is 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 and can be found at Spicer's Music, Ross House Coffee and on line at sundillamusic. com; admission at the door will be $20. The Chill Spot will be on hand selling tacos, sau sage dogs, soft drinks and frozen treats, and attendees are invited to bring their own favor ite beverage or food. If the weather cooper ates, the concert will take place outdoors. For Black, it is his life's work that has driven him to build a career like few singer-songwritersotherin the business. Boston's WUMB listeners voted Black as one of the top 100 most import See SUNDILLA, page A11
“We are happy to join together with venue partners downtownthroughoutOpelika in 2022, including John Emerald Distillery, the Heritage House, the Irish Bred Pub, Jail house at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball and our studio, the Sound Wall,” said The Sound Wall Owner and festival Co-produc er Rob Slocumb on the festival website. The venues will be “listening rooms,” meaning guests are urged to keep con versation and other distracting sounds to a minimum.
CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA
S ocietyFood,& News SHouthernospitality Ann Cipperly OOOOHPTBYANNCPPERLYFRTHEBSERVER vents,E See CIPPERLY, page A10 Serve Easy, Tasty Pasta Dishes for Early Fall Suppers
See FESTIVAL, page A8 Sundilla To Present Jeff Black BY
UPCOMING EVENTS SEPT. 9: JEFF BLACK AT SUNDILLA SEPT. 10: SMITHS STATION 9/11 HEROES RUN SEPT. 15: DREW HOLCOMB CONCERT SEPT. 15: JASON ISBELL CONCERT AT THE GOGUE SEPT. 16: FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN OPELIKA “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
After such a long hot sum mer, it was nice to turn the calen dar over to September. I have noticed a few leaves with a golden hint in the yard the past few days. Soon it will be time to bring out the autumn décor and gather pumpkins. Fall is my favorite season of the year, and I am already looking over recipes for cooler weather. Pasta dishes are a good way to get started and only need a salad and crusty bread to complete the menu. With rising food costs, pasta dishes are an eco nomical way to stretch meals. Most pasta dishes can be prepared ahead and make enough for a couple of meals, de pending on the size of your family. Pasta is also popular with children. With busy after-school activities, children will be ready for a good, hearty supper. We recently enjoyed a delicious Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Sausage that our daughter-in-law AJ served with a green sal ad, garlic French bread and fresh peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. We are so thankful that our son Robert and AJ moved last year from West Palm Beach to Smith Lake in North Alabama. It was such a long way to West Palm Beach that we didn’t get to see them much. AJ still travels around the country for her work, but when she is home, she enjoys cooking. She has started baking most of the bread they eat in her large, new kitchen with a chef’s stove. The top burners are gas, while the oven is electric. They also have a small kitchen on KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMKENDYLH@
"I was thrilled to meet in downtown Opelika and experience firsthand the preservation, renewal and innovations that had tak en place in recent years,” he said. “The restaurants, bars, distillery, pubs, galleries, boutiques, inn and record shop create a custom-made setting for a unique small town multi-day music festi val.” For those coming from out of town, the festival lists the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort Hotel and Spa at Grand National as this year’s official hotel. Special room rates are available there and at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn/Opelika. To view the full artist lineup, enter the student competition or purchase tickets, visit likasongwritersfestival.www.ope com/.
Recently, Mike and I met William and Jack at Auburn’s newest Mexican Restaurant, El Mariachi Mexican Bar & Grill at 2487 E. Glenn Ave. El Mariachi is locally owned by Jose Barragan.
A8 Sept. 8, 2022 PATTONSTACEYWALLACE Making the Grade: El Mariachi Mexican Bar & Grill OBSERVERTHEFOR/WALLACEMIKEBYPHOTOS FESTIVAL >> FROM A7 NEW HOURS AT AXE MARKS THE SPOT 5 TO 9 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
This year’s headliners include Rickie Lee Jones and Indigo Girls. “Amy and I look for ward to getting back to the Opelika-Auburn area, where we have played many fun shows through the years,” said Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. “We are especially excit ed to share the stage with Rickie Lee Jones, whom we admire so much as a singer and songwriter.”
The restaurant is attractive and spacious. Also, I love the three statues in the front of the building. From the road, they look like real people.Angie, our server, was wonderful, patient and helpful. As always, for our appetizer, Mike and I chose the cheese dip and chips; we just love that wonderful drippiness. If that’s not a word, it should be. Jack chose the Mexican guacamole as his appetizer. He kindly let me try a bite. Oh, my three times. That was the BEST guaca mole I’ve ever eaten. No offense, Mama. Instead of being mainly a mixture like the guacamole I’ve eaten, it had chunks of avocado with pico de gallo. It was really fresh and delectable; I will definitely order it next time. And the Good Lord willing, there will be a next time. For his entrée, Mike chose the beef burrito, which came with rice and beans. It was a lunch special, but for just a dollar, Mike enjoyed it for dinner (supper). I ordered the chicken fajitas, which were cooked with peppers, onions and tomatoes. They were served with rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, tomato and tortillas. Jack selected the steak burrito verde, which was cooked in green sauce and came with rice and beans, guacamole salad and pico de gallo. Jack REALLY loves El Mariachi because he had already eaten at the restaurant on Tuesday and was back again with us on Thursday; this was his third time, and he said everything had been great. This was William’s second time at El Mariachi. This time, he chose pollo loco, which is Spanish for “crazy chicken.” His dish was grilled chicken with onions and cheese sauce served on a bed of rice. Everything was “muy delicioso,” which means “very delicious.” I have to show off those two whole years of Spanish I studied in school. Believe me, run and do not walk to chi.MariaEl Besides our amazing entrees, El Mariachi offers diners an exten sive selection of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, grilled dishes, seafood dishes and specials. The restaurant also has a great selection of tasty dishes for lunch. El Mariachi Mexican Bar & Grill is open on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11Elp.m.Mariachi Mexican Bar & Grill makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy! Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at ert2020@gmail.comretiredlangartsteach
B ack when I was a young girl living with my parents in Alexander City (“Eleck” City to the locals), my Mama would make us a special treat. (My two much older brothers Jim and Mike were students at Auburn Universi ty, and I was thrilled to have a bathroom to myself.) Mama would chop up an avocado and mix it with mayonnaise and a diced onion. We ate this delicious mixture on soda crackers.Ihadno idea until I was an adult that Mama’s treat was called himnon-preferences,hisle.doesn’tmymylovedHowever,guacamole.Ihavethisdishsincechildhood.Now,sweethusbandMikecareforguacamoIoftendon’tunderstandfoodpreferencesorbutIlovedearlyanyway.
John Paul White, formerly of The Civil Wars, and Shawn Mullins will perform two evening shows. Nearly 30 other songwriters are also set to perform over the week end.Songwriters under 18 may also enter the Student CompetitionSongwritingbySept. 15 for a chance to perform in the festival.
In addition to live mu sic performances, there will be a Workshop,SongwritersModernTone (FRACTAL) Workshop with Larry Mitchell and Cooper Carter and a How To Live Stream Work shop. Tickets are $25 for eachTheworkshop.festivalbegan in 2019 to showcase the musical talent of song writers near and far in a charming, small-town setting. The second festival, scheduled for 2020, was postponed to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Music fans are very eager now to enjoy public music performances up close and personal,” said Jen Slocumb, festival co-producer and co-own er of The Sound Wall in Opelika. Co-Producer Russell Carter said he was first attracted to the Slocumbs’ idea of a local festival because his grandfather had roots in Opelika.
From left are brothers James R. Harris, Bob Harris and Bert Harris, whose parents founded the Museum of East
Local Legend
A9 Sept. 8, 2022 2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA
Theproduction.Museum of East Alabama hosted a wine and cheese reception prior to the play “We’ll Meet Again” by playwright James R. Harris, with orchestral and vocal arrangements by Mark Hayes. The play portrayed the life of Henry Stern, who grew up in Opelika, and his family. Pictured at the reception are, from left, Ginger Stern, daughter of Roslyn and Henry Stern; J. Stern, son of Roslyn and Henry Stern; Debra Freisleben and Paula Freisleben Edwards, whose relatives were also portrayed in the production. After viewing the play, Ginger said, “It was just overwhelming. It was like meet ing relatives who had passed before I was born. Dad's love for Opelika and Tuesday night felt Opelika's love for Dad.” J. commented, “Seeing the full house and feeling all of the love and support, we understood what Dad and his family felt like when they arrived in 1937. Opelika people are the best.” of
Jamesplay.R. Harris, left, who created and wrote “We’ll Meet Again”, and Mark Hayes, music producer of the orchestral and vocal arrangements for the play, attended the wine and cheese reception at the Museum of East Alabama prior to the
OOOOHPTSBYANNCIPPERLYFRTHEBSERVEROOOOOHPTSBYRBERTNLESTHEBSERVER New American Musical Honors Life
the reception were, from left, Connie Preston and Phillip Preston, executive director of the Performance Series; Amanda Aldridge, costume designer and choreographer for the play; and her husband, Richard Rose, director of the
AttendingAlabama.
CHICKEN SUPREME AND PASTA Betty Traylor
Bake until top is brown and sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. ITALIAN MACARONI AND CHEESE Sandy Marino 1 lb. box ziti pasta 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 lb. block sharp cheddar cheese, grated10slices Velveeta cheese1cup milk 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs1largecan diced tomatoes1tsp.salt1tsp.pepperPreheatoven to 350 degrees.Cookziti until almost done. Drain. Add cheddar cheese, milk, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Break up Velveeta cheese into small pieces; add to mixture. Stir. Pour into buttered 9x13 baking dish. Bake covered with tin foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 1015 minutes longer or until bubbles.
Freshly ground black pepper ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil Pasta salad: 1 lb. bowtie pasta ¾ cup pesto (from recipe above) ½ pint cherry toma toes, halved 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled Pesto directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend until pesto is thick and smooth. Pasta directions: Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in pasta and cook, stirring oc casionally, until al dente. Drain pasta. Run under cold water just until it stops steaming. Drain wa ter. Dump pasta into serving bowl. Stir in pesto until pasta is coated. Add tomatoes and feta. Season with salt and pepper BAKED ZUCCHINI ZITI Melinda Jackson 8 oz. ziti, uncooked 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes, low sodium 1 ½ tsp. Italian zucchiniseasoning1cupgrated(about 1 medium)1cuppart skim ricotta cheese 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella, divided½cup, plus 1 Tbsp. grated san.andingSprinkleandziti,onhalfingseroleandegg.½½mixInandcombinedegrees.andinstructions;cordingbeatencheese,Parmesandivided1egg,lightlySaltandpepperCookingsprayCookpastaactopackagedrainsetaside.Preheatovento400Inamediumbowl,tomatoesItalianseasoning.aseparatebowl,zucchini,ricotta,cupmozzarella,cupParmesanandSeasonwithsaltpepper.Coata2-quartcasdishwithcookspray.Spreadoftomatosaucebottom.Topwithricottamixtureremainingsauce.withremain½cupmozzarella1Tbsp.Parme
Bobby Samford 3 cooked chicken breasts (can use 3 cans cooked chicken) 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. minced garlic 1 medium yellow onion (diced) 1 pkg. spaghetti noodles (or angel hair) 1 can Rotel 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 cups sour cream 16 oz. shredded cheddar (or Colby jack) ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (experiment with your favorite cheeses)1tsp.garlic salt Pinch of pepper Panko breadcrumbs for topping, optional Prepare pasta per instructions on pack age. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in pan and add onion and garlic. Cook approx imately 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.Inlargebowl, com bine all ingredients (except topping), in cluding onion mixture and cooked spaghetti (drained); fold in chicken.Putentire mixture in lasagna pan or any 11 x 14-inch dish. We use panko bread crumbs on top and cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until breadcrumbs are browned on top. This recipe makes a lot of spaghetti and should easily feed 8 to 10.
Claire Watts Pesto: 5 big handfuls of basil leaves ¾ cup walnuts Juice of 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic, peeledKosher salt
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped4garlic cloves, minced1or1 ½ lbs. Italian sausage (can use chick en or turkey sausage or ground beef, turkey or meatballs)Two28-oz. cans crushed or whole tomatoes, blended until smooth1Tbsp. dried basil or about 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 1 Tbsp. dried oregano or about 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped 1 tsp. red chili flakes, optional2tsp.salt1tsp.pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream1cup grated Parme san cheese and more for serving1lb.rigatoni pasta or pasta of choice, cooked according to instruc tions on package Add olive oil to a large pot and sauté onions over medium heat until tender, then add garlic and sausage. Cook until sausage begins to brown. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes if using, salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat .Stir in heavy cream and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer.Adddrained pasta to the sauce and simmer a few minutes longer, if desired. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
QUICK AND EASY BAKED SPAGHETTI WITH CHEESE TOPPING
Look over recipes and prepare a couple of pasta dishes for your family this coming week. Add a green or fruit salad and crusty bread. If you only have sandwich bread, remove crust and cut into slices. Brush olive oil or melted butter on slices and sprinkle Par mesan cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees for a few minutes until golden brown. If you are in a hurry, place bread under the broiler until lightly brown. Children especially enjoy this cheesy toast with pasta.
CREAMY SPAGHETTICHICKEN
SPICY PASTA WITH GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND TOMATOES
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic 2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes3cans crushed or diced tomatoes 1 can tomato paste 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley2tsp. basil 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. Freshlysaltgrated Parme san cheese.andutes.dients;StirgarlicInCookedcheesepastaoliveoil,cookandpepperflakes.inremainingingresimmer30minServeoverpastatopwithParmesan
Crushed potato chips Spread Pam to coat 10-by-15 by 2-inch, 4-quart glass baking pan (or use two small pans). Cook chicken in broth. Remove chicken and reserve broth for cooking pasta. Place cooked pasta in greased pan.Mix chicken chunks with soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and onion. Pour over pasta. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until bub bly. Mix potato chips and almonds; spread on top to cover. Bake 10 minutes longer. Freezes well.
GRANDMOTHER’S MACN-CHEESE Kammi Waggoner 1 pkg. macaroni,elbowcooked as instructed on pkg. 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. flour 2 cups milk ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper 8 oz. (2 cups) shredded block sharp cheddar cheese, dividedPrepare pasta. Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking con stantly, 5 minutes, or unto thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper, and 1 cup shredded cheese and cooked pasta. Spoon mixture into greased 2-qt. baking dish and top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 350 de grees for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
PASTA WITH PESTO AND CHERRY TOMATOES
See CIPPERLY RECIPES, page A11
A10 Sept. 8, 2022 CIPPERLY >> FROM RECIPESCIPPERLYA7>>
AJ’S PASTA WITH CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE AND SAUSAGE
Among the other pas ta dishes is Carol Prid gen’s Quick and Easy Baked Spaghetti with Cheese Topping. This will go together quickly after work or children’s after-school activities. It freezes well, so plan to bake an extra one for the freezer to serve on a hectic Chickenday.and pasta are good paired together in a creamy sauce. Look over those recipes to see which one appeals to your family. They are all good, so clip and save them all. When making pas ta dishes, I often use whole wheat pasta and sometimes brown rice pasta. The brown rice version is available at local markets with organic foods instead of the pasta aisle. My family can’t tell the difference between whole wheat and brown rice pasta from regular pastas, and they are healthier.Avariety of fresh pastas are also offered at local grocery stores. They cook faster than the dried pastas. It doesn’t take long to make fresh pasta, which would be a good weekend project to let the children help with. Before I had a pasta machine, I rolled the pasta dough out and cut it in strips. Be sure to salt the cooking water well. The jarred pasta sauces have improved over the years, and there are some good ones for iveonionshomemadeandTowithoutbrandsaspaghettiassemblingquicklyonbusynight.Someofferavarietyaddedsugar.enhancetheflavorgivemoreofataste,sautéandgarlicinoloilandpourinthe jarred sauce.
the lower level, which is nice for entertaining on the patio overlook ing the lake in a restful setting.When they had com pany visit from Florida that didn’t eat beef or pork, AJ made the pasta dish with chicken sausage from Whole Foods. While she generally uses a good quality Italian sausage, the dish was delecta ble with the chicken sausage as well. Some times AJ adds red pepper flakes to the sauce to give it a kick ofThespice.sausage gives the sauce a tantalizing flavor, but I am going to try it with ground beef and ground turkey since I think it will also be good in the creamy tomato sauce. Meat balls would also be tasty. You can make it with a mild Italian sau sage, but if you think that is too spicy for your children, then try it with ground beef or meatballs. The sauce is also good by itself with a hearty sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
This is great for Sunday dinner. Prepare ahead and bake after church. 6 cups chickens, cut in Twochunks8-oz. cans chick en8brothoz.angel hair pasta 4 cans cream of chicken soup 2 cups mayonnaise ½ cup lemon juice Medium onion, grated 3 oz. slivered al monds, sautéed in butter
Margaret Whittelsey 6 oz. spinach pasta 2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined ¾ cup butter or margarine10¾oz. can cream of mushroom soup 1 cup sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise ½ tsp. Dijon mus tard4 Tbsp. dry sherry ¾ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese Cook pasta ac cording to package directions. Place pasta in a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. In a large pan, sauté shrimp in butter until pink; place shrimp overCombinepasta. soup, sour cream, servings.well.paredshrimp.bakedforeduncoveredCheddarshrimp.ry.mustardmayonnaise,andsherPoursauceoverSprinklewithcheese;bakeinpreheat350-degreeoven30minutes.CansubstitutechickenforCanbepreahead;freezesMakes6-8
SHRIMP WITH SPINACH PASTA
GIANFRANCO FROJO’S PASTA WITH BROCCOLI Bob Fucci 6 oz. pasta, fusil li, penne rigate or rigatoni1½lb. broccoli florets4Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp. crushed red pepper4oz. grated Parme san cheese 4 oz. grated pecori no Romano cheese In a large skillet sauté garlic in olive oil on low heat for about 5 minutes; remove garlic. Add crushed red pepper; set the skillet aside. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water stirring occasionally for 3 minutes and then add the broccoli. Drain pasta and cheesesnationklelooksofstirhighskilletandwater.keepingedcooking2combinationbroccoliaboutminutesshyofthetimeprintonthepastabox,someoftheTransferpastabroccolitotheonmediumheatandfliporgently.Addsomethepastawaterifittoodry.Sprinwiththecombiofthetwoandserve.
SPAGHETTI WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND PECORINO Gianfranco Frojo 1 pkg. cherry toma toes4Tbsp. olive oil 2 garlic cloves Good Italian Pecorino cheeseFresh basil
Carol Pridgen 1½ lb. ground beef. 1 small onion, diced 1 jar (any kind) spa ghetti8-oz.saucebox angel hair pasta3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 8-oz. container sour cream1½cups sharp ched darCookcheeseground beef with onion until done. Mix with spaghetti sauce. Prepare angel hair pasta as direct ed on box; drain. Place pasta in a 9 by 13-inch dish. Spread meat sauce over noodles.Mixcream cheese and sour cream together. Spread over meat sauce. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until bubbly. Freezes well.
Located S. 8th St.
in beautiful downtown Opelika 223
CONTRIBUTED BY HI-WIRE BREWING
ABOUT HI-WIRE BREWING Hi-Wire Brewing is known for producing ap proachable and balanced lagers and ales, most notably Hi-Pitch Mosa ic IPA, Lo-Pitch Hazy IPA and Pink Lemonade Session Sour Ale, and it boasts an award-winning sour and wild ale program. Founded in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2013, Hi-Wire has three locations in Asheville — the Biltmore Village Production Facility, Taproom & Event Space, the South Slope Special ty Brewery & Taproom located downtown and the RAD Beer Garden & Distribution Center in the River Arts District — along with taprooms in Durham, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Wilmington, North Carolina; and Charlotte, North Carolina. Additional locations in Birmingham, Alabama, and Cincinnati, Ohio, are set to open in the next 12 months. Hi-Wire Brewing’s Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup award-winning beers can be found on draft and in cans across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Virgin ia and Indiana. To learn more about the company, visit hiwirebrewing.com.
ABOUT WICKLES PICKLES In 1998, a 90-year-old secret family pickle recipe once reserved for family and friends was unleashed to the public as Wickles. Today, Wickles Pickles is known as the South’s best pickles. Its custom blend of spices and fresh ingredi ents produce sweet, tangy and spicy pickles, relishes and spreads — a wickedly delicious experience unlike anything else. An iconic fixture at any gathering, tailgate or meal; no other pickle has this much per sonality, earning Wickles a fanbase across the U.S. Learn more about our delicious products and grab some for yourself at wicklespickles.com/.
Wickles Pickles Announces Pickle Beer Collaboration
DADEVILLE — An unusual yet oddly beloved pair unite in this collaboration between two acclaimed innovators with in each field — Dadeville, Alabama-based Wickles Pickles and Asheville, North Carolina’s Hi-Wire Brewing. “Here in the South, we love our pickles and a nice, cold craft beer, and now we love Hi-Wire Brewing’s Wickles Pickles Beer,” said Will Sims, co-founder of Wickles Pickles alongside his brother, Trey, and their buddy Andy Anderson. “We can’t think of a better combination than our 90-year-old custom blend of spices at work with an award-winning brewery known for fun and ap proachability.” Hi-Wire Brewing’s Wickles Pickle Beer (5% ABV) is an easy-drinking sour ale brewed with all the pickle-making ingre dients you would expect including cucumbers, dill, coriander, Himalayan salt and black pepper. Cracking open a can conjures the same tangy aromas that come with twisting the lid off of a pickle jar, while the beer is refreshingly tart with notes of fresh dill and subtle spice reminiscent of Wickles Pickles’ famous ly sweet, sour and spicy brine.“Itwas a fun challenge bringing Wickles’ unique flavors into a beer,” said Hi-Wire Head Brewer Luke Holgate. “While many flavors in pickles clash with beer, we were able to take advantage of Wickles’ bright dill flavor and peppercorn spice to build on a tart ale that's refreshing and crushable.” This limited release is rolling out now in fourpacks of 16-ounce cans across Hi-Wire’s nine-state distribution footprint as well as the brewery’s eight taproom locations. A lim ited number of cases were also available for shipping directly to consumers in 34 states at shop.hiwirebrew ing.com but sold out the day of their release. “We’re truly excited (and thirsty) for this part nership and particularly happy that this ‘Wickedly Delicious’ brew is going to be available just in time for SEC football across HiWire’s growing taproom footprint — cheers to that,” Sims said.
| com/subscribe-today/www.opelikaobserver.$34SUBSCRIBEwww.opelikaobserver.com334-749-8003TODAYFORLEECOUNTY
PENNE WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE Laurel Dudley 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 medium yellow on ion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chicken stock 15-oz. can pump kin puree (be sure it is pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling) ½ cup cream 2 pinches ground cinnamon½tsp.hot sauce Salt and pepper to taste8leaves fresh sage, thinly sauce,pumpkinStirandionmediumHeatonaccordingta;pennecheeseGratedslicedParmesan1lb.wholewheatpastaHeatwaterforpasaddsaltandcooktodirectionspackage;drain.oilinskilletoverheat.Addonandgarlictopansauté3minutes.inchickenstock,andcream.Addcinnamon,hotsaltandpepper. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 6 minutes more to thicken. Stir in Tosssage.sauce with pas ta and top with
SUNDILLA >> FROM A7 ant folk artists of the last 25 years. Black's songs have earned Grammy recognition, radio chart-topping stats and numerous BMI awards. Although flying below the radar as a performer himself, he has been recognized by NPR as a musical pioneer in the digital age, and his catalog of critical ly acclaimed albums continues to grow. Composing music for film and television, his credits include numerous indie-film soundtracks and a repertoire of songs cut by artists as diverse as Alison Krauss & Union Station, Waylon Jennings, Sam Bush, BlackHawk, Dierks Bentley, Jon Randall, John Oates and Jerry Douglas. Black has forged a reputation as a true folk peoplearefromperformancesate,tellers,offormersongwriterdecades.globallyentertainingtroubadouraudiencesforoverthreeAmasterandperinthetraditionthegreatstoryhispassionsoul-drivenliveofsongshisvastcatalognottobemissed.Thewordsotherhavewritten about Black also speak to his talent and influence: "Say on your venue wish list is: Waylon Jennings, Tom Waits, Randy Newman and Sam Bush. Say you could book the lot of them for one night, in one entertainer. Jeff Black. Book Jeff with his guitar, banjo and harmonica, rent him a keyboard, then sit back and smile." - Miner Seymour, Old Settler's Inn "Jeff Black has the troubadour quality of a Steve Goodman, the po etic dignity of a Bruce Springsteen, and the outer-fringe edge of a Townes Van Zandt. We kid you not." - The Boston Globe "Some would call it heresy, but there are those who say that Steve Earle learned a lot from Jeff Black. His words and voice hold down center stage with a craft so deeply in the artistic pocket that it obscures anything out side." - No Depression "The tradition of an artist delivering songs that are damn near per fectly crafted and filled with the wisdom of the ages." - Jedd Beaudoin | PopMatters"Hisvoice has great dramatic range. When he's hitting it hard, it's a little like Springsteen, but a lot more like one of my favorites, Kevin Gordon. On the ballads, he may remind you more of Harry Chapin, Marc Cohn, early Elton John. But that's just his vocal sound, not his songs. His songs are deep and wide, they're all his own, and he's unto himself in this realm. Although he is a sky high craftsman, these are heart and soul understand.somewhatsion,compositions.""AsapureprofessongwritingishardtoEven
Cut cherry tomatoes in half and place in a skillet with 4 Tbsp. olive oil and garlic, which you will remove before it gets brown. Cook on medium heat and help squish some of the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. This will help to reach a sauce consisten cyAddfaster.spaghetti when sauce looks ready (about 15 minutes max). Add shredded (not grated) pecorino and basil; coat pasta with cheese and sauce mixture. Add a little more shredded Pecorino to each plate and serve.
A11 Sept. 8, 2022
though Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Steve Earle, et al are surely masters of the craft of marrying melody and verse, we probably view their art through the prism of what we know of their personas, making the songs resonate all the more if we identify with what they project. Harder to comprehend is the songwriter who is perennially behind the scenes, writing songs for other artists and ap parently never seeking to break through or have people hail them as undeniable genius. Jeff Black is one them." If you're keeping track, you know that Black has been fa vorably compared to Waylon Jennings, Tom Waits, Randy Newman, Sam Bush, Steve Good man, Bruce Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Harry Chapin, Marc Cohn, El ton John, Kevin Gordon and Bob Dylan. That's quite a list, but those who are already familiar with Jeff and his music know that he doesn't need those comparisons; just being "Jeff Black" is plenty, all by itself. See why people are head-over-heels excit ed about the return of Black to Sundilla. Join them at Pebble Hill on Friday, Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m. Admission at the door is $20, but you can get advance tickets for the lower price of $15 at Spicer's Music, Ross House Coffee and online at sic.com.gomusic.com.www.sundillaFormoreinformation,towww.sundillamu
grated cheese. fromRECIPESCIPPERLY>>A10
What's Happening in Lee County
The Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) System is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. The R.A.D. System is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on 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
UPCOMING EVENTS: Sept. 10: Smiths Station 9/11 Heroes Run Sept. 16: Food Truck Friday in downtown Opelika Oct. 4 through 8: Lee County Fair Oct. 14 through 16: Opelika Songwriters Festival in downtown Opelika AGE DIVISION MISS LEE COUNTY FAIR AND OUTSTANDING TEEN 2022 COMPETITION ALL AGE DIVISIONS 770-364-7883
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 Institute for the Deaf and Blind Opelika Regional center on 355 Dunlop Dr. in Opelika. Every month there will be different topics discussed to make life more manageable living with low vision.
atjones6854@msn.com or Amanda McCollough, Simpkins.amanda@gmail.com for additional information or questions. APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2022. DOOR ENTRIES ACCEPTED FOR LCF DIVISIONS ONLY THROUGH 6:30 P.M. TUES & WED, OCT. 4 & OCT. 5, 2022, $10 LATE FEE – NO EXCEPTIONS PLEASE - PRINT CLEARLY NAME: ____________________________________________ ___PHONE:_______________________ PARENT’S NAME: ______________________________________________SCHOOL:___________________________________________________GRADE:_______________________ ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________ _CITY:________________________________________STATE:______ZIP:_____________ HAIR: SPONSORS:_________________________EYES:__________________________HEIGHT:________________________________INTERESTINGFACTS:AMBITIONS:____________________________________________________________HOBBIESORSCHOOLACTIVITIES&AWARDS:I/Wewillnotholdtheprogram,Directororstaffresponsibleforaccidents,damagesorlossesincurredatorduringthepageantorduringtransportation to and from the pageant. A CONTESTANT MUST PARTICIPATE IN ALL AREAS OF COMPETITION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARDS. THE PAGEANT COMMITTEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO COMBINE AGE GROUPS FOR STAGE PRESENTATION ONLY. NO MARRIED CONTESTANTS. ALL JUDGES DECISIONS ARE FINAL. SIGNATURE OF PAREN T OR GUARDIAN REQUIRED:________________________________________________________ SPECIAL NOTE – PIANO REQUIRES PRIO R ARRANGEMENTS FOR TALENT PRESENT ATION ALL AGE GROUPS I NCLUDE BEAUTY AND SPORTSWEAR. ENTRY FEE $50: OPTIONAL TALENT FOR ALL AGE GROUPS $25; OPTIONAL PHOTOGENIC FOR ALL AGE GROUPS $10 PER PHOTOGRAPH (BRING PHOTOS TO REGIS-TRATION DO NOT MAIL) EXCEPTION LCF OT SEE DETAILS BELOW* TUESDAY, OCT. 4, 2022 - PLEASE CH ECK PROPER AGE COMPETITION (BEAUTY & SPORTSWEAR) 0-1 WEE LCF ___________ 2-4 TINY LCF __________ 5-6 PETITE LCF __________ 13-16 TEEN LCF ___________ 17 & UP MISS LCF TALENT (AGE DETERMINED BY GROUP SELECTED ABOVE) SPECIAL AWARDS YES __________ NO________ TALENT (TYPE & MUSIC) _____________________________________ PHOTOGENIC (AGE DETERMINED BY GROUP SELECTED ABOVE) YES ________ NO __________ # OF PHOTOS SUBMITTED ________________ WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5, 2022- PLEASE CHECK PROPER AGE COMPETITION (BEAUTY & SPORTSWEAR) 7-9 LITTLE LCF __________ 10-12 JR TEEN LCF __________ 13-17 LCF OT (SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS) * ___________ TALENT (AGE DETERMINED BY GROUP SELECTED ABOVE) SPECIAL AWARDS YES __________ NO________ TALENT (TYPE & MUSIC) _______________________________________ PHOTOGENIC (AGE DETERMINED BY GROUP SELECTED ABOVE) YES ________ NO __________ # OF PHOTOS SUBMITTED ________________ *WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5, 2022, MISS LEE COUNTY FAIR OUTSTANDING TEEN, AGES 13-17, ALABAMA RESIDENT REQUIREMENT. APPLICATION DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 26,2022 (NO EXCEPTIONS). ALL PHASES OF COMPETITION REQUIRED-PRIVATE INTERVIEW 25%; EVENING WEAR & ON-STAGE QUESTIONS 25%; LIFESTYLE & FITNESS 15%; AND TALENT 35%. PLEASE VISIT WWW.MISSAUBURNOPELIKAAREA.COM FOR ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK AND INFORMATION. $100 ENTRY OPTIONAL PHOTOGENIC $20 YES NO____ PHOTOS SUBMITTED TALENT (TYPE & MUSIC) (LIMITED TO 90 SECONDS) ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED AND SENT UPON YOUR RETURN OF THIS APPLICATION. NO DOOR ENTRIES ACCEPTED FOR THIS COMPETITION. MISS LEE COUNTY FAIR’S OUTSTANDING TEEN IS A SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION AND REGISTERED PRELIMINARY TO MISS ALABAMA/MISS AMERICA’S OUTST ANDING TEEN PAGEANT. OUR WINNER WILL RECEIVE STATE PAG EANT FEES PAID AS LEE COUNTY FAIR OUTSTANDING TEEN FOR THE STATE COMPETITION IN ALABASTER IN MARCH 2023 AND OTHER PRIZES. INTERVIEW IS HELD THE DAY OF THE PAGEANT AT A SCHEDULED TIME PRIOR TO THE NIGHT’S COMPETITION. MISS ALABAMA’S OUTSTANDING TEEN RECEIVES SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED AT STATE PAGEANT. TOTAL ENTRY FEES: CASH: ________ ______ CHECK: __________________ MONEY ORDER: ______________ PARENT/GUARDIAN CONTACT INFORMATION: NAME: EMAIL: __________________________________________________________PHONE:
______
CAMP HILL MARKETPLACE
A12 Sept. 8, 2022
COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH VFW POST 5404 VFW Post 5404, 131 E. Veterans Blvd., Auburn, next to Ray's Col lision 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 veterans and spouses to stop by.
R.A.D WOMEN'S SELF DEFENSE CLASS
CONTESTANT #_______
Every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. outside the Southside Center for the Arts located at 1103 Glenn St. in Opelika. THE MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK Every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at AG Heritage Park located at 620-A S. Donahue Dr. in Auburn
NAMI MEETING
– OCT. 4 & 5 AT 7 P.M. LEE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, OPELIKA, AL Complete this application and return with the appropriate entry fe es Miss Lee County Fair, 200 Lee Road 845, Valley, AL 36854. Please contact Tina Jones, Director,
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 256-749-5100 to apply to join.
O GROWS FARMERS MARKET
NAMI East Alabama, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will meet on Sept. 20. NAMI supports families dealing with mental illness through mutual support, education and advocacy. There will be a time for sharing. The public is invited. Meetings are held at 714 E. Glenn Ave. in Auburn.
Contact: Shiquita Fulton, M. ED/Vision Rehab Therapist for addi tional details at 334-705-2024, Melody Wilson, Case manager for the blind at 256-368-3258
A13 Sept. 8, 2022
On Aug. 25, 2022, my Jen went to be with her sister, mother and father. Here is where I am sup posed to tell you why she died, but I would rather tell you how she lived. Jen was born in Virginia on Sept. 2, 1969. Her formative years were spent in Brunswick, Georgia, where she learned to love the low-country, fishing and shrimping with her father, and along with Kelly and Randy, she terrorized the neighbor hood on her Big Wheel and Hoppity Hop. She never lost that zeal for life, even after she got sick.
Jen was a very proud person. Not that pride de rived from hubris, but the pride that comes from love; and she loved everyone. Jen was proud to be a descendant of Captain James Missroon, who immigrated from Ireland in 1792, and of the line of sea captains that continues to thisSheday.was proud to be the daughter of Sandra Missroon, who touched the world through the hun dreds of nursing students sheShetaught.was proud of her father, a Georgia Tech engineer, which is why she chose Georgia Tech for her industrial engineering degree.Jenwas so very proud of her family. When we were married, she became my parents' daughter and my sister’s sister. If you were with her for any length of time, she would tell you of her brilliant niece and nephews. From her 101-year-old grandmother, to her extended family in Georgia and all the “fam ily” she acquired through out her life, she found a trait in every single person to love and be proud of. But mostly, she was proud of her Conor and me. We were so happy when Conor was born, and I don’t know how she did it, but she seemed to love him more every day. Conor and I loved her too; fiercely. I think Conor and I will be ok, just because Jen loved us enough for two lifetimes. But she will be missed. Everyday. She was preceded by her sister, Kelly Ann Missroon, her mother, Sandra Hellen Missroon, and her father, James Frampton Missroon. She is survived by her husband, Kevin Miller, and her heart, Conor Miller. She is also survived by her brother, Randy Miss roon and myriad aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom she loved very much.May the road rise to meetMayyouthe wind blow at yourMaybackthe sun shine warmly on your face May the rains fall softly on your fields And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Reflecting on the Lord’s mercy, Spurgeon invites his readers to meditate on these aspects of God’s mercy: His mercy is tender. With gentleness, God heals our broken hearts and binds up ourHiswounds.mercy is great. There is nothing small about God; his mercy is infinite and immeasurable.Hismercyis undeserved. We cannot earn God’s mercy; we have done nothing to deserve it. That’s why grace is called amazing!Hismercy is rich. It meets all our deepest needs. His mercy is manifold. There is no single mercy, but a cluster of mercies. Jeremiah affirmed this when he said God’s “mercies” are “new every morning.” His mercy is abounding. Though millions have received the Lord’s mercy, it has not been exhausted; it is still fresh and plentiful. His mercy is unfailing. It will be there when you need it, during your life, and when you are dying, it will be “the joy of your soul.” Considering the greatness of God’s mercy, and our great need of it, we can rejoice that His tender mercy is as available to us as it was to King David when we cry with a contrite heart, “Lord, have mercy on me.”
RELIGION — Anyone familiar with the life of King David will recall that his usefulness to God sprang from the moment that he pled for God’s mercy. The prophet Nathan had called David out for his adultery with Bathsheba. David’s cry for mercy is immortalized in the heartrending words of Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my cleansedprayer,transgressions.”GodheardDavid’sforgavehim,himofhissins and restored to him the joy of his salvation. From that moment on, having received God’s mercy, David would share with others that the gateway to God’s forgiveness is “a broken and contrite heart.” That had not been David’s attitude when his lust for Bathsheba led him to commit adultery and arrange for Bathsheba’s husband to be killed in battle. With an arrogant spirit, he decided he could have what he wanted when he wanted it. In any age, and in anyone, arrogance is an ugly attitude. To be arrogant is to exaggerate one’s importance with an attitude of superiority. Haughty people praise themselves. Humble people praise others. People humbled by their sins, as David was, find joy in praising God. In his Psalm begging God for mercy, David implores God to “open my lips” so he can praise God. The only cure for arrogance is the mercy of God. In the gospels there are many accounts of people who, when encountering Jesus, cried for mercy. Those stories are there to remind us that true life begins when we turn to Jesus for mercy. The doorway to salvation is true repentance that results in the forgiveness of our sins. That’s when life “in Christ” begins.Over many years I have been blessed by reading Morning By Morning, a devotional classic by Charles Spurgeon.
Lord, Have Mercy On Me
Cynthia Jane Winslett Page, 60, of Salem, Ala bama, passed away while at her home on Thursday, Sept. 1, Funeral2022.services were held Sept. 4, 2022, in the Vance Brooks Funeral Home, Chapel with the Rev. Curt Mize officiating. Interment followed in Con cord Baptist Church Ceme tery. The family received friends one hour prior to the service on Sunday. Mrs. Page was born Jan. 14, 1962, in Alexander City, Alabama, daughter of late Clark Winslett and Patricia Ann Lee Winslett. She was a homemaker who enjoyed caring for her family and their needs. Cynthia had a heart of gold that nothing could tarnish. She went out of her way to care for others to include the homeless. Cynthia always enjoyed Alabama football days, having fun with family and friends. We will miss her caring and loving ways more than we can express, but her love will continue to care forMrs.us. Page was preceded in death by her parents Clark and Patricia Winslett and husband, Bruce Page. Survivors include her sons, Scottie Page (Lasha) and Matthew Page; three sisters, Wanda Page, Bar bara Stephens and Donna Fountain (Jason); compan ion, Scott “Popeye” Bragg; mother-in-law, Carrie Page and brother-in-law, Dwayne Page; seven pre cious grandchildren, Dru, Nathan, Sabrina, Cameron, Ava, Eden and Ryker; several nieces, nephews andTofriends.signthe online guest register, visit utebrooksfuneralhome.net.www.vanceToviewthetribvideo,visit,www. utes/show/C9NZPDtributeslides.com/trib JM2YK3S3MS.
DR. BRYAN LEE DUNCAN Funeral services for Dr. Bryan Lee Duncan, 80, of Opelika, were held Sept. 3, 2022, at Trinity Presby terian Church of Opelika. Burial was in Garden Hills Cemetery. The Reverend Chris Duncan officiated. Dr. Duncan, born July 23, 1942, in Pittsburg, Kansas, died Sept. 1, 2022, at East Alabama Medical Center after a lengthy battle with Parkinsons. Dr. Duncan had lived in the Opelika-Auburn area more than 40 years. He was an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church and served in many capacities over the years as a deacon, elder and Sunday school teacher. His faith in Christ was essential in his life. He was a professor emeritus of the Fisheries Department at Auburn University where he served as director of the International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments until his re tirement. During his career he traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America teaching aquacul ture through government programs, universities, and nonprofit organizations. He also served for many years as chair of the board at FARMS, a non-profit Christian organization ded icated to helping the poor around the world. His greatest life accom plishments were his family, including six children and 11 grandchildren, whom he cherished and adored. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Judith Duncan and survived by his wife, Olga Duncan and their children Anita and Lucas (Opelika), and Isadora (Evan, granddaughter El lie) Chodora of Tracy, Cal ifornia; his children with Judith, Derek (Geertje, grandchildren Benjamin, Naomi, Abigail, and Joel la) Duncan of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Jennifer (Glennbruce, grandsons Ari and Iain) Campbell of Memphis, Tennessee, Ryan (Amy, grandchildren Reuben, Judith, Solomon, and Evie) Duncan of Brentwood, Tennessee; and sisters Lynn Bivens of Cleveland, Tennessee, and Joyce Love of Huntsville, Alabama.Hiskindness, gentleness and compassion in how he treated everyone around him will be remembered. The family respectfully asks that in lieu of gifts and flowers, memorial donations be directed to FARMS International. Donations can be sent in memory of Bryan Duncan FARMSto: International Inc. P.O. Box 270 Knife River, MN 55609 or through national.com.www.farmsinter
CYNTHIA JANE WINSLETT PAGE
CAROLEE SOMMERS
A14 Sept. 8, 2022 WALTER ALBRITTON
Carolee Sommers, of Opelika, was born in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County on July 13, 1954, and passed away peace fully at East Alabama Medical Center on Sept. 2, 2022, at the age of 68. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also served her country in the United States Army. Carolee enjoyed genealogy research and working on her family history. She was preceded in death by her father, Hiley Hiram Ward. She is sur vived by her husband of 33 years, Robert W. Sommers; sisters Dianne, Marci, and Laurel; and her mother CharlotteVisitationWard.was held in the parlor at Freder ick-Dean Funeral Home Sept. 6, and the funeral service was held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sept. 7, 2022. Burial followed at Fort Mitchell Cemetery with Bishop Curtis Hansen officiating.
OBITUARIES
JENNIFER MISSROON MILLER
Mr. Renick Leon Abbott, 77, of Beauregard, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, at St. Vincent’s hospital in Birmingham. A graveside service was held Sept. 4, 2022, at Town Creek Cemetery in Au burn. A memorial service and visitation will be held Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. at Auburn First Baptist Church. Mr. Abbott was a de voted and loving husband as well as father and grandfather. He never met a stranger and had varied interests including music, animals, motorcycles, reading, travelling, and any type of good conver sation.Mr.Abbott is preceded in death by his parents Margaret and Harold Abbott; brother: David Ab bott; niece: Ronda Lyon. Mr. Abbott is survived by his wife Joan Abbott, his daughter Kelly Meeks (Tim Meeks), granddaugh ter Addison Meeks, as well as his sister Pam Lyon (Ron Lyon), brother-in-law Dannie Frachiseur (Ann Frachiseur), as well as four nephews and a niece. In lieu of flowers you may make a donation to any of the following in memory of Renick Abbott. 1. Masonic Children's Home Endowment Fund located in Macon, Georgia 2. Salvation Army locat ed in Opelika or 3. East Alabama Food Bank located in Auburn.
KAY PHURROUGH ATCHINSON Kay was born to James Monroe and Alice Johnson Phurrough on Feb. 22, 1942, and passed away on Aug. 28, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Bill “Sarge” Atchinson. She is survived by her brother, Rex E. Phurrough of Sylacauga, Alabama; two sons: Toby W. Hanna (Cricket) of Auburn, Jeffrey S Hanna (Laura) of Rockspring, Georgia; two granddaugh ters: Gretchen and Alison Hanna (Jeff); and many deeply loved friends that she lovingly called her degree“young-un’s”.Kayheldamaster'sineducation.She spent 29 years teaching and continued to touch many lives after retire ment. Her love of God, people, art, reading and animals never faltered. She was a member of Prov idence Baptist Church. Her passion was her work with The Four Children's Library at Providence. She loved her “live reads” on the FCL site and touched many through them. Kay loved more deeply than anyone. She judged no one. Her love softened the hardest of hearts. We will never have the words to describe her fully. A memorial will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at Providence Bap tist Church, West Campus. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to: The Four Children's Library c/o Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 188 Opelika, AL 36804.
RENICK LEON ABBOTT
COURTNEY MCCALL DANIEL Memorial services for Courtney McCall Daniel, of Opelika, were held Sept. 3, 2022. The service was held at Church of the Highlands - East Campus, with Pastor Kevin Haefner officiating. Mrs. Courtney McCall Daniel, who died Monday, Aug. 29, 2022, in Auburn, was born May 27, 1985, in Opelika.Courtney was a kind soul who was loved by everyone who met her. She was a loving wife and a wonderful mother to her two children. She fought a long battle with cancer and never complained. Her resilience and perseverance through adversity was a shining example to us all. Courtney was preceded in death by her mother Terri McCall, father-inlaw Jim Daniel, maternal grandparents Charles and Carolyn Worley and fra ternal grandparents Sherry and Marie CourtneyMcCall.issurvived by her husband, James Daniel, her children MacKayla and Preston Daniel, her father Thomas McCall, her sister Heather Worley, mother-inlaw Lynn Daniel, sister-inlaw Amanda Knight (Eric), nephew Kip, niece Holly and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins whom she loved SpencernameDonationsdearly.inCourtney’scanbemadetotheCancerCenter, Bethany House, or colon cancer research.
RELIGION — Last week we touched on prideful distortion and how it affected people like NebuchadnezzarPharaoh,and Herod. But the truth is, most who are reading this don’t suffer from pride anywhere near that degree.
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. —
•
A15 Sept. 8, 2022 BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika CHURCH DIRECTORY AnglicanTheANGLICANGoodShepherdChurch 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika APOSTOLIC HOLINESS God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 BethesdaBAPTIST Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528 Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, 334-705-0538Valley AFBBaptistCooperativeFellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., 334-887-8506Auburn Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117 Greater ChurchMissionaryPeaceBaptist 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487 Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., 334-745-3108Opelika Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, 334-745-4608Opelika Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461 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., Opelika 334-742-9721 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., Opelika 334-524-9148 Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319 ChurchTrinityPRESBYTERIANPresbyterian 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151 BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK Got Questions? Come Study With Us THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT SUNDAY2660CUNNINGHAMDRIVECUNNINGHAMDR.,OPELIKABIBLESTUDY9:30A.M.SUNDAYWORSHIP10:30A.M./5P.M.WEDNESDAYBIBLESTUDY6:30P.M. tumcopelika.org (334) 745-2632 800 2nd Ave Opelika, Alabama 36801 8:30 SundayTraditionalAMService9:30AMSchoolGathering10:30AMContemporaryService10:30AMChapelServiceWorship with us on Sunday! Pride and Humility: Part Two
Our problem isn’t that we’re head over heels in pursuit of an arrogant and prideful lifestyle — God is present in our lives too much for that. No, our problem is that from time to time we develop little pockets of pride — tendencies that can get the best of us under the wrong circumstances. Someone else acts arrogantly toward us and we're tempted to do the same toward them. Perhaps it’s success in a certain area that has swelled our head a little. Or maybe it’s simply a stubborn refusal to see something from any other point of view than our own. The point is, no one is immune to prideful flareups like these. As someone noted, “There are only two kinds of people: those who will admit to struggling with pride, and those who are liars.”We need some help to maintain humility. God understands that and has built some safeguards into life if we will just pay attention and allow ourselves to be shaped by them. One safeguard is the Lord’s Supper. On the first day of the week, disciples come together and participate in communion. In eating the bread and drinking the juice together, “we proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 Corinthians 11:26). We start each week confessing our dependency and our gratefulness for the redemption we have through Christ. It is difficult for pride to exist in an environment of dependency and gratitude. Another safeguard is Jesus’ teaching that we are to pray for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). He didn’t say we are to pray for tomorrow’s bread or next week’s — just today’s bread. Jesus is quite clear on the matter. This means the prayer has an expiration date of 24 hours. If we want God’s provisions for tomorrow, we have to take it up with Him then, not today. Again, it’s difficult to be proud or self-sufficient when we are asking God daily for our safeguards,Theresustenance.areotherbutthe last I want to mention is the practice of fasting. Jesus didn’t talk about “if” His disciples would fast, but “when” they would (Matthew 6:16-17). Fasting is connected with humility throughout the Scripture (Ezra 8:21; Psalm 35:13; Isaiah 58:3, 5). The practice of sincere fasting (as opposed to what so many of the Pharisees did), is like prayer — it naturally draws us closer to God and further away from arrogance and delusions of grandeur. In praying for our daily bread, communion and fasting, we have daily, weekly and “as needed” safeguards to help us to remain in God’s orbit and not shoot off on our own. These can help us maintain our spiritual balance and humility before God and others. Bruce has written a book on the model pray called Praying in the Reign. It is available through 21st Century Christian. Psalm 119:165
― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
A16 Sept. 8, 2022
COMICS is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.”
“Life
B8: • AUBURN
• AUBURN UNIVERSITY • COMMUNITY SPORTS • LEE
BY WIL OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMSPORTSCREWS@CREWS chairTheAUBURN—Auburnwheelbasketballteam is venturing into foreign territory.Withhead coach Robb Taylor also serving as Team USA’s mens’ wheelchair basketball team head coach, the Auburn program — which is run through a partnership with the university’s Office of Accessibility and the School of Kinesiology — has been making “waves” in the international game. “It’s important to me as the coach here at Auburn — all the guys on the squad, I’m teaching them what it takes to play international basketball,” Taylor said. “So that way, if they do have an opportu nity, they are putting their best foot forward and are prepared.”ThreeAuburn wheel chair basketball team members were recently se lected to travel to Thailand this month to compete with Team USA in the U23 World Championships. The three players trav eling are Sam Armas, Jake Eastwood and Luke Robinson.“[Iam]really excited about what we have got going on with the Auburn program here, and the student-athletes who are representing the U.S. from an under-23 standpoint,” Taylor said. “They are playing really well, and
S S INSIDE
The “MIGHTY”
OPELIKA: PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS: SEPT. 13 FROM 4 TO 6 P.M. AND SEPT. 15 FROM 2 TO 4 P.M. AUBURN: SEPT. 13 AT 6:30 P.M. OPELIKA: SEPT. 15 AT 4:30 P.M.
OBSERVERTHE/NOLESROBERTBYPHOTO
LEE COUNTY: SPECIAL CALLED MEETING SEPT. 12 AT 10 A.M. LEE COUNTY: SEPT. 13 AT 6 P.M.
OPELIKA — The varsity Opelika High School football team moved to 3-0 on the season, beat ing region opponent Lee, 31-7, Friday night at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.TheBulldogs domi nated the game despite a slow start that saw them enter halftime with a narrow, 10-0 lead. Opelika soph omore running back Calvin Hughley opened the scoring with a 9-yard rush, and kicker Johnny Cescena convert ed a 20-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs the advantage at the break. “Offensively tonight, we missed a few throws and the running backs missed a few run lanes on the first three drives,” Speakman twotheFollowingsaid.halftime,‘Dawgsscoredthirdquarter touchdowns. A 5-yard TD from senior Tae Gay, and a 2-yard rush ing TD from senior Ja’Kori Thornton pushed Opelika’s lead to 24-0. The Bulldogs wrapped up their scoring with a 29-yard TD connection from junior quarter back Roman Gagliano to senior receiver Tirus
See OPELIKA, page B2
• OPELIKA
ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL B1CITY SCHOOLS COUNTY SCHOOLS CITY SCHOOLS SUSCC SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
See
Excellence. Innovation. Compassion.
OBSERVERTHETOCONTRIBUTED
Life and Legacy of Pat Dye
OPELIKA — L ast Friday, I had the hon or of being the guest of Jimmy Rane and James Riley (Great Southern Wood) for the pre mier of “Mighty: The Life and Legacy of Pat Dye” and all the festivities prior to the showing.Almost 15 years ago, my close friend Bub Langford asked Dye if he would be willing to talk with me about a health issue we had in common.Dyeagreed and called me on the phone to discuss one after noon. The two of us talked on the phone for almost an hour. Dye was diagnosed with a particular health issue many years before I was diagnosed.Thatphone call led to a friendship that lasted until Dye passed away. A few months after our first conversation, Dye agreed to be a weekly guest on my radio show, Mondays at 7 a.m. Six months later, Dye asked if I would like to have former Alabama coach Gene Stallings on the show once a week. The next thing I know, Great Southern Wood agrees to spon sor both segments. Over time, I devel oped a friendship with the folks at Great Southern Wood, in cluding James Riley (vice president/ chief communication officer).
BY WIL OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMSPORTSCREWS@CREWS
See SPORTS, page B7
Bulldogs Down Generals’ Forces
Auburn Wheelchair Basketball Goes International BASKETBALL, page B5
•
Auburn and Team USA Men's Wheelchair Basketball head coach Robb Taylor (left) and Auburn wheelchair basketball team mem ber Joe Rafter (right), won gold in July at the America's Cup — a qualifying tournament for the World Championships in Dubai this November.
Several weeks ago, Riley invited me and Stallings to be their guest at the premier of Dye’s documentary. The schedule start ed with me meeting Kevin, a member of Great Southern Wood’s security team, at the AU Hotel and Dixon Conference Center at 1:30 p.m. We drove to the AO Airport to pick up coach Stallings, who flew in on Rane’s jet. Great Southern Wood treated us to lunch, a tour of the new Laurel Hotel and a visit to Rane’s li brary in his top floor apartment.Aftervisiting with other guests for an hour, the security team
East Alabama's "Go-To" Center For Orthopaedic Care Auburn 1800 Lakeside Circle, Auburn Opelika 18 Medical Arts Center 121 North 20th Street, Opelika www.theorthoclinic.com334-749-83031-800-327-6519
-AISALEE-SCOTT 45 | MONROE ACADEMY 0 Following last week’s bye, the Lee-Scott varsity football team recorded its second shutout in as many games in the 2022 season, defeating Monroe Academy (1-2, R 0-1), 45-0. Senior quarterback Ryan Dearing went 5-for10 passing with 132 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Jake White led the team in receiving, catching five passes for 108 yards and two TD’s — along with 45 rushing yards on four carries. George Meyers carried the ball six times for 39 yards and two touchdowns, and seven players carried the ball for the Warriors in total. Lee-Scott outgained Monroe Academy 483 to 152 in the win. The Warriors take the field again Friday, Sept. 9 in an away matchup against Morgan Academy (1-1).
- GLENWOOD 40 | FORT DALE ACADEMY 21 First year Glenwood head coach Ryan Nelson recording his first win Friday as his Gators (1-2, R) defeated Fort Dale Academy, 40-21. Glenwood outgained the Eagles, 442 yards to 374, and both teams finished with one turnover. The Gators next play host to Bessemer Academy (0-2) on Friday, Sept. 9, in an AISA Class 3A battle.
The varsity Hornets (30, R 1-0) remained perfect Friday night, earning their first region win of the sea son with a 31-14 victory over Valley (1-2, R 0-1). Beauregard quarterback AJ Wallace accounted for 270 total yards and two touchdowns to lead the offense. The Hornets jumped out to a 17-0 lead before the teams traded touchdown scores. In his second season in charge at Beauregard, head coach Jason Jones will look for his Hornets to move to 4-0 on the season when they play Tallassee (2-1, R 0-1) at home, Friday, Sept. 9. - BEULAH 6 | SAKS 48 The varsity Beulah Bobcats (0-3, R 0-1) fell to Saks Academy (2-1), 48-6, Friday in a non-re gion road test. Sophomore receiver Drew Duval was responsible for the lone Beulah touchdown. The Bobcats will continue their search for win No. 1 on the season this Friday, Sept. 9, in a home region game versus Wellborn (1-1). - LOACHAPOKA 14 | VERBENA 0 Loachapoka (3-0, R 1-0) remained perfect to begin its season by beating the Verbena Red Devils (2-1, R 0-1) 14-0. Buoyed by a 90-yard theAuburnturned-for-touchdowninterception-reviacommitJCHart,Loachapokadefense kept Verbena’s offense at bay for most of the con test. Loachapoka has a home region game versus Central of Hayneville (0-2, R 0-1) Friday, Sept. 9.
|
The varsity Auburn High School (2-0, R 1-0) football team defeated region opponent Dothan (2-1) Friday night to move to 1-0 in the region. Auburn quarterbacks Clyde Pittman and Davis Harsin combined to toss four touchdowns in the first half as the Tigers opened a gaping lead. In their next game, the Tigers face the Jefferson Davis Volunteers (1-3) at home in a 7A Region 2 bout this Friday, Sept. 9. - SMITHS STATION 31 | PRATTVILLE 20
#myOpelika • www.opelika-al.gov PLAYER OF THE WEEK Sr. RB/DB ThorntonJa'Kori 6 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD OPELIKA >> FROM B1
Opelika is proud to sponsor the Opelika
The City of High School HARD WORK field.
BY WIL OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMSPORTSCREWS@CREWS
Area Football Roundup: Week 3 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 Sr. QB AJ Wallace 270 total yards, 180 rushing, 75 passing, 2 TD
Player of the Week. We applaud you for your
The varsity Smiths Station Panthers (1-2, R 1-1) upset 7A Region 2 foe Prattville (1-1, R 0-1) at home Friday to earn their first win of the sea son. Amassing 329 total yards — 208 passing, 121 rushing — Smiths Station outperformed Prattville in third down conversion rate (The Panthers were 5-for-13; Prattville went 3-18.) and in the turnover battle (The Panthers did not turn the ball over, Prattville threw one inter ception.). It was a massive upset for the Panthers as Smiths Station had fallen to Prattville in their previ ous eight meetings. Smiths Station returns to action Friday, Sept. 9 on the road against region opponent Enterprise (1-2, R 0-2). - BEAUREGARD 31 | VALLEY 14
DOTHAN 14
Sept. 8, 2022 B2 Patton, extending the lead to 31-0 after a suc cessful point-after-at tempt“We(PAT).havegot some guys who can really run,” Speakman said. “With their speed, we are trying to run a little more out side zone than we have in the past and try to get those guys on the edge. We have got some good kids who can really help us in the backfield, but we just got to figure out the mix as we go through these next couple games.” In total, Opelika amassed 376 total yards compared to Lee’s 108. Opelika’s defense con trolled the game, allow ing just 67 rushing yards and preventing Lee from reaching the end zone un til the game was wrapped up in the fourth quarter. “I’ve said it before and I’ve said it forever … so many teams give us something new right off the bat so our kids and coaches have to adjust,” Speakman said. “Usually they will have a little suc cess with it, but once we settle in, we don’t give up many points in the sec ond half.” Gagliano finished 12of-20 for 161 yards and one two touchdowns; senior Caden Cooper caught three passes for 61 yards; and senior Jhavian Williams rushed 11 times for 100 yards. “I thought Roman did a great job,” Speakman said. “He did a decent job in the first half, but [in the second half] did a good job of taking exact ly what the defense was givingDefensively,him.”
senior defensive end Jake Smith led the Bulldogs with seven tackles; Gay and senior safety Andre Smiley added five tackles apiece.Opelika now prepares for its Friday matchup against powerhouse Central Phenix City (3-0, R 2-0). The Bulldogs lost to the Red Devils, 38-7, last season and have not beaten Central since 2015 (having played every year). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CST at Bulldog Stadium.“Wetalked about it when we got into this region in referAsgetsSpeakmanDecember,”said.“ItreallytoughwithCentral.coachDyeusedtoto“AmenCorner”, when [Auburn] would play Alabama, Georgia and Florida in a row, that’s kind of what [the next piece of the sched ule] is going to be for us. We will look forward to watching the film on this one and enjoying the win, but we need all the help we can get from all the Bulldog fans in Opelika, so hopefully there won’t be a seat available on our side.” 2022 observer
LEE COUNTY — The varsity area high school football teams from Auburn, Opelika, Beauregard, Loachapoka and Lee-Scott maintained their perfect starts to the season. Smiths Station broke an eight-game losing streak to region opponent Prattville and Glenwood got its first victory under a new regime in week three of the Alabama high school football season. The following is a breakdown of how each team fared. All stats were compiled first-hand, by school sources or Maxpreps.com.
-AHSAAAUBURN 42
and DEDICATION on and off the football
Sept. 8, 2022 B3 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FuncartsOpelikaof 618 Lee Road 334-745-0660113 CONGRATULATIONSfuncarts.opelika@gmail.com is a proud sponsor of local sports and will be drawing for a free photo shoot (one per school) at the end of the season. Jr. TE Griffin McClean 3 catches, 93 yards, 1 TD So. WR/DB Drew Duval 15 rushing yards, 1 TD, 68 kick return yards Sr. QB Ryan Dearing 7-for-11 passing for 165 passing yards, 126 rushing, 2 TD Jr. DB/WR JC Hart 30-yard reception TD, 92-yard pick-six TD Thank you to the many sponsors Sr. WR Devyn Pearman 99-yard kick return TD, 69-yard reception TD
Sept. 8, 2022 B4
Auburn Dominates Dothan in Region Matchup Get Rolling
OBSERVERTHE/NOLESROBERTBYPHOTOS The varsity Auburn High School football team improved to 2-0 on the young season, defeating Dothan, 42-14, Friday, Sept. 9. For more information about the game, turn to "Area Football Roundup: Week 3" on page First-yearB2. Glenwood head coach Ryan Nelson earned his first win Friday, Sept. 9, when the Gators defeated Fort Dale Academy, 40-21.
OBSERVERTHEFOR/BALLASJERRYBYPHOTOS Gators
Another team mem ber, Robinson, added to Auburn’s international ped igree when he was recently selected as an alternate for Team USA’s trip the World Championships.“Wehaveanother train ing camp coming up in October, and we will try to piece things together and tighten things up before we head to Dubai,” Taylor said.
OBSERVERTHEFOR/NOLESROBERTBYPHOTOS
The varsity Opelika High School volleyball team lost to the Central Red Devils, 3-0, in area play. The sets went as followed: 25-20, 25-16, 26-14.
Sept. 8, 2022 B5 they all kind of have a different style to their play, which will work well on the international stage. It’s almost like a proud papa moment for me. It’s nice to finally see some of our Auburn guys make it to that stage.”Additionally, Taylor and Auburn wheelchair bas ketball team member Joe Rafter competed — and won gold — in July at the 2022 Americas Cup, a qualifying competition for the World Championships in Dubai this November.
“The top three teams from the Americas quali fied,” Taylor said. “We went down with a really young and new team, and it went a whole lot better than what I expected, not really know ing what we had going down there. Our goal was to qualify for world cham pionships, win a medal and then — if everything worked out — to win a gold medal. And we were able to hit all three of those.”
The great part is I have great relationships with my guys and they understand that when it comes to U.S. ball, it’s not personal, it’s all business.”Theexposure and oppor tunity that Taylor’s status as Team USA coach — and these international trips — are generating, is increas ing excitement within the Auburn program and on campus.“From an Auburn standpoint, [the national presence] helps us out,” Taylor said. “We are kind of seen in a different light across the university. But our student athletes are get ting recognition by differ ent folks from the athletic department that understand the hard work they are put ting in. For us, it’s kind of helping with our imprint on campus.”Taylorand his players will have to navigate a busy fall schedule to accom plish all their goals for the season. Regardless, Taylor believes the program’s fu ture is heading in the right direction. “I’ve got a great staff here; we are putting in the work,” Taylor said. “Anything that I can do or we can do to help push the narrative of the [players] being student-athletes, and being viewed in the same light as student-athletes, is something we have been about since I’ve first been at Auburn. One day we will get there.”
Opelika Volleyball Falls to Area Foe Central
BASKETBALL >> FROM B1
Auburn’s wheelchair bas ketball schedule aligns with the university’s men’s and women’s basketball sched ules — running from fall through the spring. Taylor said it has been a fun chal lenge balancing his role as Auburn’s and Team USA’s head coach (Taylor took over the job in January.). “From a recruiting stand point it helps … Auburn is near the top of their list because of the success our guys have had in the short amount of time we have had a team,” Taylor said. “It also helps I’m the coach of the U.S. team. If they come here, they are going to be able to learn the U.S. sys tem, because that is what we play here at Auburn. It definitely does help, but I tell every recruit it doesn’t mean just because you come to Auburn, it doesn’t mean you are going to get an automatic tryout or free pass to make the U.S. team.
Sept. 8, 2022 B6
Panthers Prey on Prattville
The Smiths Station girls' flag football team has started its 2022 campaign with a 3-0 start to the season. The Panthers are the reigning 7A runner-ups for flag football, and have defeated Eufaula (twice) and Dothan to begin the season.
State Runner-Ups Start Strong
The varsity Smiths Station football team earned its first win of the season with a 30-21 win over Prattville last Friday night. For more information about the game, turn to "Area Football Roundup: Week 3" on page B2.
OBSERVERTHEFOR/AUSTINMATTBYPHOTOSPHOTOSBYMATTAUSTIN/FORTHEOBSERVER
workingGrowing(JohnfanaclassicdocumentaryNeedlesspayingStallingswhatfamily.thankedaboutspoketributecommentseveryoneandatintoattendance.Wewereescortedthepackedtheatre7p.m.Jackson,RanePatJr.welcomedandmadeaboutthetoDye.PatJr.totheaudiencehisfatherandtheAuburnHetalkedaboutitmeanttoseeinAuburn,respectstoDye.tosay,thewasaandissuretobefanfavorite.IgrewupanAlabamabecausemyfatherL.)wasafan.upinOpelika,insportsmediaandbeingco-chairoftheAHSAASuper7hasallowedmetomeetandgettoknowAuburncoaches,administrators,staff,membersoftheboardoftrusteesandmembersoftheathleticdepartment.It’shardnottopullfor
Chemicals found in the water supply at the base have been linked to many cancers, ALS, birth defects and other illnesses. Call now for a free case review.
gldavis@gregdavislaw.com No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
SPORTS >> FROM B1 Camp Lejeune
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 9101310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.
If you or a loved one lived or worked at Camp LeJuene between 1953 - 1987 and suffered a serious health problem or death, you may be entitled to compensation.
TEXTILE MILLS ASBESTOS CLAIMS
If you began working in a Textile Mill, Tire Plant, Paper Mill, Steel Mill or any other industrial setting before 1980: You may have a claim against the asbestos manufacturers. Call now for your free 1-(888)432-6020evaluation.
Asbestos Claims, LLC, Jubal L. Hamil Attorney at Law ARPC 7.2.(e) “No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.”
Toxic Water Claims
Sept. 8, 2022 B7
OPELIKA — Alabama student Alexandria Torbert from Opelika High School was one of nine national officers who were newly elect ed to serve on this year’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National OfficerAlexandria,team. daugh ter of Keith and Marlene Torbert, was elected FBLA’s National Secretary for 2022-23.FBLA is a premier student and career technical organization, dedicated to bringing business and education together in a positive working relationship through collegeStudentsedgeprofessionalstrengtheningershipsonaleachstrivesprograms.reerleadershipinnovativeandcadevelopmentThisorganizationtodevelopstudent’sperbusinessleadandfocusesontheirknowlandconfidence.expandtheirandcareer readiness, financial literacy and business etiquette.With253,365 mem bers, FBLA is the largest career student organization in the world, and it has in ternational chapters in countries such as China.This year’s na tional officer elec tion at the FBLA National nization’sbasedaprepareofficerwhereinnationalofficers,eightcompaniedTorberttionalglobally.outreachfurtherandtheircandidatewhereandspecializedsoChicago,ConferenceLeadershipinIllinois,alincludedahighlyquestionanswersession,everystudentdiscussedpersonalideasbestpracticestotheoverallofFBLAAstheFBLAnasecretary,recentlyacateamofothernationaltotheFBLAheadquartersReston,Virginia,theyattendedtrainingtoanddevelopProgramofWorkontheirorgastrategic
goals. Additionally, these officers are cur rently working toward developing future or ganization workshops, and several key initia tives on the local, state and national levels. During this year, Torbert will assist in planning the content of FBLA’s upcoming Fall ConferencesLeadershipand 2023 National TorbertanaltoLordgratefulginConferenceLeadershipinAtlanta.“Wordscan’tbetodescribehowIamtotheforallowingmeserveaphenomeorganizationasnationalofficer,”said.“FBLA
my journey. "Being able to attain valuable knowledge and skills that I can use not only in the business world, but in whichever profession I desire, is just one of the numerous reasons why FBLA will always carry a special place in my andmissionreersbers230,000helpsEachheart.”year,FBLAmorethanstudentmemprepareforcainbusiness.Itsistoinspirepreparestudents
Opelika Student Alexandria Torbert Elected National Secretary of Future Business Leaders of America
to become communi ty-minded business leaders in a global society through rele vant career prepara tion and de.edu.WeeksFBLAcontacttionthisAdvisertheers)localinformingoverallforFundraisingTopforspecialcompetitions.TopstudentsChicago:ConferenceNationalExcellencethetoptionstudentsexperiences.leadershipAlabama’sFBLAandorganizaalsoearnedtheseaccoladesduringrecentAwardsofeventattheLeadership(NLC)in•Alabamahad12toplaceinthe10nationalFBLA•AlabamareceivedrecognitionbeingnamedtheMarchofDimesState,andhavingsomeofthehighestperlocalchaptersthenation.•SixofAlabama’sadvisers(teachwereinductedtoNationalFBLAWallofFameyear.FormoreinformaonFBLA,pleaseALSDEStateAdviserLisaatlweeks@als
g athered the guests into several SUVs for the trip to the Gouge Performing Arts Center.Theentourage pulled up to the back, where our group entered through the staff en trance. Stallings and I followed the group to the “green” room. Several guests in attendance includ ed Vince Dooley, Bo Jackson, David Housel, AU President Chris Roberts, Tigers Unlimited’s Tim Jackson and many others.PatDye Jr. walked in and made his way around the room to speak to everyone. When he saw Stallings, Pat Jr. burst into tears while ex plaining how much his father loved Stallings and that he was so proud the coach was in
MITCHELLMARKD.BYCONTRIBUTEDPHOTO
people you know and like.Having said that, I wanted to express my appreciation to Auburn University and the AU people for treating Stallings with respect and class. No matter where we were, folks spoke to Stallings and asked for photos. Sen. Tommy manyRoberts,Tuberville,Houselandpeoplestopped us to Ispeak.amproud of how Auburn people treated a former Crimson Tide coach behind enemy lines. There were no enemies Friday; every one was there to pay tribute to Dye — the ol’ ball coach. OHS FOOTBALL Opelika High’s var sity football team (3-0, R 2-0) defeated Lee, 29-7, at CentralwelcomeFridaytheirFridayCramptonMontgomery’sbowllastnight.TheBulldogsfacebiggesttestthiswhentheyundefeatedHighSchool (3-0, R 2-0). The Red Devils will invade the friendly confines of Bulldog Stadium for a huge 7A Region 2 matchup.Aftertwo weeks of region games, Central, Auburn and Opelika are the only unbeaten teams with records of at least 2-0. The Red Devils beat HewittTrussville, 37-21, in the home opener, shut out Smiths Station, 38-0, the next week and beat Enterprise, 27-7, last Friday.CHS leads the all-time series, 47-32, including winning six in a row and seven out of the last eight games against OHS. This is the first time the two schools have played each other in the same region since 2013.The winner of this game will join AHS as the front runners to win theFansregion.can purchase tickets online at go fan.co or at Bubba’s Medicine Shop and Victory Design. The OHS ticket office opens at 5:30 p.m. Fans can also listen to the Central vs. Opelika football game on WKKR 97.7 Kicker FM, on the iHeartRadio App and online at kickerfm. com. Van Riggs starts the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. FRESHMAN FOOTBALL The Opelika fresh man football team lost the season opener in LaGrange, 20-8, last week. WashingtonJa’Lynncaught a TD pass from Louis Merly for 70 Sept.willmangeBulldogsUnfortunately,yards.thecouldnotanymorepoints.ThefreshmanteamplayatPrattville,12.
CONTRIBUTED BY OCS
has completely trans formed, and helped me to grow, in un imaginable ways. Over the past three years, this organization has allowed me to create lifelong friendships, make shownandbecauseasastoundingconsidertheticsdeeperenablingedgepandedmemoriesunforgettableandexmyknowltenfoldthroughmetodelveintothetacandproceduresofbusinessworld.IFBLAanditsmembersmyforeverfamily,ofallthelovesupporttheyhavemethroughout
1 (334)315-2859
TORBERT
September Rolls Out Special Days
This ingredient is one we need so much of. In fifth grade, I can clearly remember our teach er had us memorize 1 Corinthians 13:13. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Young children love to sing songs about love. Those of us who teach young children are bless ed with hugs and hearing the words “I love you.” 2. Sprinkle in a dash of joy. Children seem to un derstand the path of jour neying to joy. Possibly “fresh from heaven,” an infant’s smile seems to indicate that God delights in His creation. Children recognize God as joyful. Children love to clap and sing. Happiness is conditioned by, and often dependent on, what is “happening to me,” but joy is truly a divine di mension not shackled by circumstances.3.Weighout a pound of peace. When teaching young children about peace, we can promote peace in a child’s rela tionship with others. Sharing and getting along with family, siblings and friends promotes peace in a child’s life. Also, offer ing forgiveness to others when they have done wrong or hurt other peo ple’s feelings helps chil dren practice peace. Even infants can discern peace in a caregiver as they are being rocked and cared for. Peace is achieved as we submit every situation to the Lord. Philippians 4:7 reads, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”4.Throwing in a pinch of patience is such an asset in this fast-paced world. Classroom teach ers begin the school year by teaching children to wait their turn and not interrupt others. I instruct my young students to put their fingers over their lips if they are having a hard time being patient. This gently reminds them to be patient and courteous to others. I also ask them to hold that thought until it is their turn. Teaching patience early in a child’s life is very important and will lead to happiness and contentment.5.Pourina cup of kindness. Have you ever noticed how raspberries spread everywhere? This is what we hope kindness will do. “Love talked about is easily ignored. But love demonstrated is irresistible.” Children are taught not only by our words but our actions, as parents and teachers model kindness. 6. Measure out a ta blespoon of goodness. Goodness is doing what is right in the sight of the Lord and man. It is doing the right thing for the right reason. We can guide our children during these uncertain times to hang on to a rope of good when they are dis appointed or discouraged. Outreaching in good ness to others overrides bitterness and leads to deep-hearted joy. 7. Pouring in a quart of faithfulness is love hanging on. Young chil dren love to pray. With their young hearts, they believe in prayer. They trust and know that God will keep His promises. What a blessing for a child to establish faith early in their life. Faith prepares them to face possible children,explainingprideofoftleness.belongsthedochildrenJesuslife.”“bumpsdiscouragementdisappointments,andlittleintheroadofInMatthew19:14,said,“Letthelittlecometome,andnothinderthem,forkingdomofheaventosuchasthese.”8.PourinapintofgenWhenwethinkgentleness,wethinkhumility—alackof—andmercy.InthistoyoungIgobacktothe
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM WEEK ONE 1. T.J. Finley can operate this offense. Robby Ashford can ELEVATE it. Finley had an okay game against the Bears, going 9-for-14 on his pass attempts for 112 yards, two interceptions and one touchdown. His two turnovers were border line terrible, however, as he stared down a receiver on both instances before throwing into a crowded window. Ashford on the other hand was the most welcome surprise of the contest. Spelling Finley at times, the redshirt fresh man transfer completed 4-of-7 passes for 100 yards — including six carries for 68 yards on the ground. Whether he supplants Finley completely or just shares a two-quarterback system with the LSU trans fer for most of the season, the Tigers — and the nation — may have discovered their “x-factor” in week one.2. Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter are 1A and 1B at the running back
position. This might look like a stretch judging by the carry totals — Bigsby had 16 and Hunter had eight. However, Hunter was trusted near the goal line which resulted in three rushing touchdowns com pared to Bigsby’s two. The explosiveness, power and speed of both backs are similar and Harsin and his staff showed the fan base Saturday that the Tigers have a backfield with two trusty and effective runners.3.The performance of the offensive line as a whole cannot be judged too closely, but Tate Johnson looked promising as start ing center. Although his
snaps to quarterbacks T.J. Finley or Robby Ashford were slightly inaccurate at times, Johnson performed well in his first major action at the position, grading out as PFF’s No. 1 center in the SEC for week 1. 4. Javarious Johnson, Shedrick Jackson and John Samuel Shenker are Auburn’s top-three pass catching options. Aside from Ashford, the biggest surprise contributor to Auburn’s win was from junior receiver Javarrious Johnson. The 5-foot-10inch, 160-pound slot re ceiver caught four passes for 117 yards — including a 56-yard from Ashford in the third quarter. Jackson tied Johnson for a teamhigh in receptions with four, and caught all of them for 47 yards. Shenker was on the reception end of Finley’s only touchdown pass in the second quarter. One of Auburn’s biggest offseason questions, the receiver group definitively exceeded expectations in week one. 5. Cam Riley looks to have emerged as the partner to Owen Pappoe at linebacker in Auburn’s defense. Following 15 tack les for the whole of 2021, the 6-foot-6-inch Riley led the Tigers with 15 tack les in Saturday’s contest.
WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN WEEK TWO 1. More snaps for Ashford. Before Finley’s two interceptions, the ju nior commanded Auburn’s offense well, going 8-for-9 with 100 yards and one touchdown as the Tigers paced Mercer 28-0. However, the dynamism Ashford showcased will make it hard to keep him off the field. Can a two-quarterback system work? Well, Finley and Ashford both played well enough to earn snaps in next week’s matchup. Although it’s another subpar opponent which war rants caution when reading into things too much, at the least, the contest should provide more clarity on the long-term viability of the current situation. 2. More dominance from Auburn’s front seven. Preseason All-American edge rusher Derrick Hall regis tered Auburn’s only sack on Saturday. Throughout the offseason, Auburn’s defensive line was talked about as the strength of the team. One sack and just three tackles-for-loss doesn’t mirror that fact. 3. Generating turnovers.
Five Things We Learned From Auburn’s SeasonOpening Win Over Mercer Five Things to Look Forward to This Saturday OBSERVERTHEFOR/NOLESROBERTBYPHOTOS See AUBURN, page B9
Greek definition that gen tleness is “power under control.” I use examples of a wild horse that has been tamed, or water under control rushing through the turbines of a dam, versus water out of control — a flood. Children seem to under stand this when given examples of thinking of other people first. For children to look for the good in other children is a wonderful activity of gentleness. It can be a simple game of children telling each other that they like or love another child because, for exam ple, they share. 9. A bowl of self-con trol rounds out the flavor of these life recipes. Self-control for children means that they obey and submit to their parents, grandparents, teachers and rules. Teaching chil dren to come in when they are called from outside play, or come to a family meal when they are called, reflects self-control. Being on a schedule contributes to good grandchildren.withhelpsimpleents,Grandparentshaveuntothetoofgredientsself-control.pline,childrenthetheirpickingyourAssigningself-control.chorestochildrensuchasuptoys,cleaningroomsanddoingschoolworkhelpsdevelopdisciresponsibilityandAswemixalltheinoftheFruitstheSpirit,rememberadd,blendandmixgoldenruleof“Doothersasyouwouldthemdountoyou.”andparIhopethesefewsuggestionswillyouloveandinteractyourchildrenand Beth Pinyerd, Classroom Observer
BETH PINYERD BY WIL OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMSPORTSCREWS@CREWS
eyes light up when grand parents are there to pick them up. Grandparents bring so much history and experience into a relationship with a grand child. Because of life’s experiences, its ups and downs, grandparents can provide strong physical, emotional and loving support.Galatians 5:22-23 reads: “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-con trol.” Grandparents can truly take the time to share “Recipes for Life” for their grandchildren in sharing the fruits of the spirit. I hope these suggestions help you enjoy this upcoming Grandparents’ Day. 1.Take a gallon of love.
The Bears totaled just 80 rushing yards, and Riley’s down-hill style aggressive tackling contributed to the suffocating effort by the defense.
Sept. 8, 2022 B8
Jimmygrandparents.aaMcQuadechildren.nityaent,aacommunity.ourGrandparents’Sept.thisNationalGrandparents’DayiscomingSunday,11,2022.HappyDaytoallgrandparentsintheWemightbebiologicalgrandparent,fosterchildgrandparagodgrandparentorpersoninthecommuwhoreachesouttoWecanthankMarianforbeginningcampaigntoestablishnationaldaytohonorPresidentCarterdeclared the first day after Labor Day to be
Grandparents’“NationalDay.”Tobeinagrandparentingroleinanycapacityissuchablessing.WhenIamintheclassroom,Ilovetoseechildren’s
AUBURN — The Auburn Tigers (10) won their season-open ing matchup at home ver sus the Mercer Bears (1-1) Saturday, 42-16. The beginning of head coach Bryan Harsin’s second year on the Plains resulted in a convincing victory that starts the Tigers down the right path in 2022. Auburn rushed for nearly 300 yards with a committed ground attack, utilizing its two best backs and backup quarterback Robby Ashford to maintain control of the contest and the game clock. A lengthy rain delay couldn’t stop the orangeand-blue, and neither could the Bears. Here is what we learned about Auburn in week one, and five things we can look forward to in week two.
Beulah Falls in Region Opener
OBSERVERTHEFORNOLESROBERTBYPHOTOS
AUBURN >> FROM B8
OBSERVERTHEFOR/POLLARDWRANGLERBYPHOTOS
Sept. 8, 2022 B9
Although Auburn limited Mercer’s offense to just 12 points and 271 total yards, the Tigers failed to force a turnover in the game. Losing the turnover margin 2-0 might work against an FCS opponent like Mercer, but the Tigers cannot afford similar results against the likes of Penn State and the rest of the SEC opponents on their schedule. 4. Improvement/conti nuity of the offensive line. Auburn had two new start ers on the offensive line against Mercer, Johnson and right guard Kam Stutts. The former was listed as a co-starter with Keiondre Jones entering the game, but has since been listed as the lone starter in Auburn’s updated week-two depth chart. A week two per formance from the boys up front that is similar to that against Mercer should do well to have Auburn’s confidence near peak as it welcomes Penn State to Jordan-Hare Stadium in week three’s highly-antici pated matchup. 5. Playing a clean game. Auburn committed just three penalties for 20 yards against the Bears. Tigers fans should look for an other (mostly) penalty-free performance from their team in week two as a second inferior opponent is welcomed into JordanHare Stadium to begin the season.
The varsity Beulah Bobcat football team fell to Saks Academy, 48-6, last Friday night. For more information about the game, turn to "Area Football Roundup: Week 3" on page B2.
Sept. 8, 2022 B10 Plumbing & Heating S upplies Pipes - Valves - Fittings 334.625.3384 800.625.3384 1975 MALL BLVD. STE. 106, AUBURN, ALABAMA Opelika, Alabama 36801 334 745 5706
Opelika City Council Approves Redistricting Map
AUBURN — The Auburn City Council approved a restaurant retail liquor ABC license for a new restaurant in town Tuesday night. The Vintage 2298 Restaurant, LLC d/b/a Vintage 2298 will be located at 2298 E University Drive, Auburn.TheVintage 2298 is a new development, set to contain both retail and of fice space, along with the retaurant, Vintage 2298. “I would just like to welcome The Vintage to Auburn,” said Ward 3 Council Member Beth Witten.TheVintage 2298 Chef Randall Baldwin was in attendance Tuesday night.“Thank you Randall, we’re proud to have you,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders.TheVintage 2298 held its ground breaking in May 2021. For more in formation on the restau rant, visit its Facebook page: book.com/Vintage2298/.https://www.face
STEVE FLOWERS Inside the Statehouse
See AUBURN COUNCIL, page B12
See FLOWERS, page B12
See OPELIKA COUNCIL, page B13
OTHER BUSINESS: - The council approved a business license penalty request for EatHere, Inc d/b/a Niffer’s Place. - The council approved retail beer and table wine licenses for PR Mig Auburn Poco, LLC d/b/a Towneplace Suites by Marriot Auburn. - The council approved retail beer and retail table wine licenses for Sunny Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Good Karma. - The council approved a contract with American Pride Septic Services for septic system replace ment at the Kiesel Park restrooms for $39,750. - The council ap proved a contract with a$25,700.DepartmentforradiosXL-185PeightInternational,CommunicationsIncforHarrisPortable700/800MHZandaccessoriestheAuburnPoliceforover-ThecouncilapprovedcontractwithcSpire
L labama Politics ee County & A
Alabama: A Big Front Porch
Approves FY 2023 Budget
BY MICHELLE KEY OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMMICHELLE@
clarified is that once you are sent to Buck’s Pocket, you eat poke salad for every meal. It is not certain whether Folsom or Groom began the poke salad myth. Once you are sent to Buck’s Pocket, Groom suggested you were relegated to the rural resting place forever. However, history has proven that a good many defeated Alabama poli ticians have risen from the grave and left Buck’s Pocket to live anoth er Mostday. folks do not know that there really is a Buck’s Pocket. Folsom was the first guberna torial aspirant to hail from North Alabama in the 20th century. He was the first one to campaign extensively in rural North Alabama, often one-on-one on county roads. One day while stumping in the remote Sand Mountain area of DeKalb County, he wound up in an area he referred to as Buck’s Pocket. It was a beauti ful and pristine area, but it was sure enough back in the woods. Folsom, who loved the country and loved country folks, was said to say, “I love the country, but I sure wouldn’t want to be sent to Buck’s Pocket to live.”Buck’s Pocket is no longer a mythical place. If you are traveling up the interstate past Gadsden, on the way to Chattanooga, you will see it. There is a Buck’s Pocket State Park in DeKalb County, thanks to Folsom. So next time you hear an old-timer refer to a defeated candi date as going to Buck’s Pocket, you will know what they are talking about.After the primary runoffs, Auburn City Council Member Jay Hovey was declared the winner of the State Senate District 27 race. He won the senate seat by one vote. Folks, the old saying that one vote makes a difference is not just an adage. It is nearly impossible to defeat an incumbent state senator, especially one who has served two terms and amassed an enormous war chest. Hovey was outspent by the incumbent Tom Whatley $1.2 million to $96,000 — an un believable more than 12-1 advantage. The district includes Lee, Tallapoosa and Russell counties. However, most of the votes are in Lee County. Hovey ran like a scalded dog through Auburn and Lee County. Obviously, he and his wife, Anna, are well thought of in Auburn, Opelika and Lee County. Home folks know you best. He will make a good senator for that import ant part of the state. Elmore County Circuit Judge Bill Lewis is a bright star on the judicial political horizon. Lewis has been on the bench six years and his circuit in cludes Elmore, Autauga and Chilton counties. Lewis could wind up on the State Supreme Court one day if he is not plucked earlier for a federal district judge spot by a werevice-chairman.politicalIsner,chairman,HuntsvilleedPartysharp.president.RepublicanHeis43andThestateDemocratichaselectRandyKelley,aminister,asandTabithaaMontgomeryactivist,asTheythechoicesofthe five-decade king of Democratic politics, Joe hasright-wingRepublicanTheReed.AlabamaPartyhierarchypassedaresolution
$162.6 Million
OPELIKA — After months of deliber ation, meetings and public comments from the citizens of Opelika, the Opelika City Council voted 4 to 1 to ap proved the redistricting map that has been dubbed "The Mayor's Map." As part of the discussion, Ward 3 Council Member Tim Aja read a statement in support of the final version of the amended map that the local NAACP Chapter submitted."Theend result was a proposed amendment to the City Redistricting Plan that I believed was clearly in the best interest of not only ma ny Ward 3 residents, but ma ny other Opelika residents as well," Aja said. "In my view, the optimal redistrict ing plan would meet all legal and moral resdistricting re quirement, while at the same time minimizing impacts on the citizens of Opelika. I believe the final amendment presented by Elizabeth Hill from the NAACP accom plishes that well, not perfect ly, but it is an improvement on the already great plan presented by Matt Moseley and the city in March ... I do strongly believe that it takes the city's proposal on the table from good to great." Ward 2 Council Member Erica Baker-Norris said she appreciated the process, but had a different opinion. "I think this has been a very long process but I think it has been a great one," Baker-Norris said. "I want to thank all the citizens that participated in the ward meetings."Norrisexpressed disap pointment that the NAACP had made changes to the Ward 2 map after having its initial submission. The changes reverted Ward 2 redistricting back to the Mayor's Map. "So they [the NAACP] listened to our citizens, they changed the map the reflect that and then they went back and changed it back again," Norris-Baker explained. "They did not at that time bring it forward ... to let us know of those changes. This is the first time they have presented it since they pre sented the original." Aja then made a motion to amend the Mayor's Map. During the vote, Ward One Council Member George Allen voted aye, Baker-Norris voted nay, Aja voted aye, Ward Four Council Member and Council President Eddie Smith voted nay and Ward Five Council Member Todd Rauch voted nay. With three nays the motion to amend the map failed to pass. The council then voted to approved the Mayor's Map with a four to one vote. Allen offered up the lone
OPINION — F or Alabamacandidateslosingdecades,politicalinhavebeenexiledto“Buck’sPocket.”Itisuncertainwhenorhowthecolloquialismbegan,butpoliticalinsidershaveusedthisterminologyforatleast60years.Alabamaauthor,thelateWinstonGroom,wroteacolorfulallegoricalnovelaboutAlabamapoliticsinthe1960sandreferredtoadefeatedgubernatorialcandidatehavingtogotoBuck’sPocket.Mostobserverscredit"BigJim"Folsomwithcreatingtheterm.Hewouldrefertothepilgrimageandultimatearrivalofhisopponentstothepoliticalpurgatoryreservedforlosinggubernatorialcandidates.WhichbringsmetoanothercontentionsurroundingBuck’sPocket.ManyarguethatBuck’sPocketisreservedforlosingcandidatesinthegovernor’srace.OtherssayBuck’sPocketistheproverbialgraveyardforalllosingcandidatesinAlabama.OnethingthatGroom
New Restaurant Coming Soon
BY HANNAH LESTER OPELIKAOBSERVER.COMHLESTER@
OBSERVERTHETOCONTRIBUTEDPHOTO COUNCILAUBURN >> FROM B11
OPINION — I n the novel “The Russia House”, a mysterious char acter named Dante is asked a few questions by a curious British bookseller. “Who are you, Dante? What do you do for a living?” He replies: “I am a moral outcast.” Says the Briton, Barley Scott Blair, “Oh, it’s always nice to meet a writer.” Students embarking on their first year at Auburn intoschoolrelativestimesinstitutionsotherSouthernUniversity,Unionandpost-secondaryaresomeencouragedbyandhighcounselorstogo“morepractical” majors. This is partly why science and med icine-related majors are among the most popular, not only at AU but at the University of Alabama.Thisisnot to discred it students who take the majors that promise the most money, or that delight those who love math, chemistry, etc. They are self-motivat ed, and their technical and butnotportant,creativestudystudentsareabilitiesscience-relatedandpotentialadmirable.Yet,whowanttotheliberalandartsareimtoo;theyare“moraloutcasts”culturalrisk-takers.
- The council ap proved drainage and utility easements for The Parmer Group, LLC for property at 386 Sanders St. - The council ap proved a gas line easement for Spire Alabama Inc. for the new Directors.CenterYouthmentprovedRecreationmentprovedWorksServicesEnvironmentalandPublicFacility.-ThecouncilapaboardappointtotheIndianPinesAuthority.-ThecouncilapaboardappointtotheLeeCountyDevelopmentBoardof
do a wonderful job leading the way in rapid workforce de velopment. My office proudly supported their efforts to obtain grants that enable them to pro vide more opportuni ties for their students.” As for blue-collar work, a young waiter at a fast-food restaurant in downtown Auburn impressed me with the story of how he was accepted to a training class for a local com pany. “This man came into my store with a shirt that said where he worked, and so I asked him a bunch of ques tions about how I could get into training at his company.” This ambi tious young man will shine in a critical job where a college degree is not required. The National Center for Education Statistics found that 80% of col lege students change their majors at some time. They are moved to change by factors such as loss of inter est in what they were learning, unhappiness with their learning en vironment in the old major and force from classmates and advisors to arrive at a decision to Threeswitch.aspects can assist you in choosing a major. First, choose one that will prepare you for a specific ca reer. Sign up for a class or two in that area; after a class or two you will better understand the jobs connected to that major. Second, determine if you want to put in the long hours and challenges a well-paying job de mands. Third, select a major because you love the subject matter and find a career in it yearmovefascinating.Whenundergraduatesintoyearthreeorfour,theygetmore into their listed major. It becomes more excit ing as the student sees the various subcatego ries in his or her major. In political science, a student may learn about polling and meth odology in campaigns and be riveted enough to specialize in that. Or, a student might find ably“BS”somehowworryofplegradothers,BachelorainternationalstudyLater,ofknowsliticaliseachotherexcitementpoliticscomparativekindlesmorethananypoli-sciclass.Incase,thestudentlikelytostayinposcience,butnowwhichelementsthatshemostlikes.theymayevenforamaster’sinpolitics.ManycollegesawardpoliticsdegreeasaofArts,whilelikemyunderschool,awardpeolikemeABachelorScience.Butitdidn’tmebecausethetermfitsme.Youprobwonderwhatthe
Business for Cisco Flex voice licensing and software support re newal for over $28,700 and Cisco Router Licensing upgrade for over $20,900. - The council ap proved a contract with Davis Direct for open line printing for a little over $2,400 a month. - The council ap proved a contract with Empire Pipe and Supply for the purchase of 5,580 linear feet of 8-inch ductile iron wa ter main pipe for over $163,800.-Thecouncil ap proved a contract with Inline Electric Supply Co. for the purchase of traffic signal poles and mast arms as part of the Annalue Drive and East University Drive Intersection Improvement proj ect for more than $101,100.-Thecouncil ap proved a contract with Melton Construction and Masonry LLC for the CompactorDowntownEnclosure project for $43,000. - The council ap proved a contract with ProLogic ITS LLC for the purchase of 10 marked and three un marked police vehicles for more than $128,600. - The council ap proved a contract with Southern Software, Inc for the annual renewal of the customer support fee for the Mobile Data Information Systems for the Auburn Police Department for more than $20,000. - The council ap proved a contract with Temple, Inc for the pur chase of traffic mainte nance supplies for more than $104,500.
Opelika Kiwanis Meets Every Week
top five majors were at the University of Alabama in 2018. The results closely match AU’s. Accounting is No. 1, mostInformation5Law2,ManagementAdministration/BusinessisNo.FinanceisNo.3,isNo.4andNo.isManagementSystems.Researcherssaythatstudentsdonot pick a major until they are sophomores or ju niors. So don’t worry about not having one yet — half your class mates may have one, yet will switch to an other major. Just take the compulsory courses and have fun in what ever class you are in. You are not a “moral outcast” if you like to write, either. Leave that to John le Carre’s imagination, and to Dante’s mind. Greg Markley moved to Lee County in 1996. He has master's de grees in education and history. He taught pol itics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An ley@charter.net.Education).(focus-HigherWritersnationalHeObserverhasandwriteraward-winningintheArmycivilianlife,hecontributedtothesince2011.isamemberoftheEducationAssociationgm.mark
GREG MARKLEY
The speaker at the Opelika Kiwanis Club meeting last week was Mark Grantham (pictured second from left). He is with the Auburn-Opelika Habitat For Humanity. The speaker for Sept. 8 is Mark Murphy. He is the editor of Inside the Auburn Tigers. Yarbi Cound from Lee County Department of Human Resources will share information on adult protection services during the Sept. 15 meeting.
FLOWERS >> FROM B11 asking the legislature to have a closed private pri mary. It is doubtful that the legislature will give credence to the group’s wishes. It would disen franchise over half of the Republican-leaning vot ers in the state and shoot the Republican Party in the foot. It would also dis criminate against black voters in the state and, if passed, would never with stand Justice Department approval under the Voting Rights Act. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading politi cal columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
The top five majors at AU for 2020
Sept. 8, 2022 B12
andCommunicationBiomedicalBiologicalEngineering;Business/Management;wereandSciences;Journalism;andAgricultural/VeterinaryScience.It’sgoodtoseeourland-grantschoolstillhasstudentsinterestedinworkingtofeedus,careforanimalsandvalueflora.Yetnoteveryonehastograduatefromaschoolofhighereducation,sosaysU.S.Sen.TommyTuberville(R.-AL).“It’simportantforstudentstohaveaccesstonontraditionalcareerpathwaysthatprovidethemwithopportunitiestolearnatradeoraskillandcontributetoAmerica’sworkforce,”Tubervillesaid.“OurcommunitycollegesandHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities(HBCUs)
Undecided on Your College Major? Join the Club!
IN OTHER BUSINESS - The council approved a request from the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for the First Avenue Concert on Sept. 15. - The council approved a request for the annual Life Chain Event on Oct. 9. - The council approved a request for a temporary street closure for an event at Heritage House on Oct. 29. - The council approved a request from the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for the annual Christmas Parade, Snopelika and tree lighting event on Dec. 2. - The council approved a request for the 2022 Collinwood Christmas Luminaries display on Dec. 9. - The council approved nd requests for alcohol licenses from Allstate Beverage Company LLC d/b/a Allstate Beverage Company, Botanic LLC d/b/a Botanic, Gallegos Hernandez LLC d/b/a Viva La Vida Mexican Cuisine and YKY Southern Restaurant Group Auburn LLC d/b/a The Flying Biscuit Café. - The council held public hearings for five weed abatements and later approved the assessments for the five properties lo cated at • 815 1st Ave. • 411 S. 4th St. • 308 Brannon Ave. • 302 Hall Ave. and • 1109 Magnolia St. - The council held a public hearing on an ordi nance to amend the Zoning Ordinance and Map to rezone 2.6 acres of prop erty located on the Robert Trent Jones Trail. The council also introduced the ordinance for first reading. - The council held a public hearing on an ordi nance to amend the Zoning Ordinance and Map to rezone 154 acres locat ed along the Sportsplex Parkway. The council also introduced the ordinance for first reading. - The council approved a bid in the amount of $5,155,800 from Whatley Construction for Opelika Fire Station No. 5. - The council approved expense reports from various departments and also approved a resolution to designate city personal property as surplus and authorize its disposal. - The council approved the purchase of sports lighting for the Covington baseball field. - The council approved the purchase of AstroTurf for Floral Park in the amount of $721,587. - The council approved the city budget for fiscal year 2023. - The council approved an extension of tax abate ment of sales and use tax for Golden State Foods. - The council approved a services agreement with
Sept. 8, 2022 B13
CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF GOV. KAY IVEY AUBURN — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey spoke to members of Alabama’s tourism and hospitality industry Aug. 30 at the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Auburn. During her speech, the governor recapped the remarkable year Alabama’s tourism in dustry experienced and shared her expectations for even more success in the near future and beyond.Hereare some high lights from the gover nor’s“Justspeech:afew short months ago in May, Director Sentell and I visited aboutnumbers.record-breakingannounceIloadchase“Now,Sausage,”ConecuhIveysaid.whileIdidpursomesausagetoupinmycooler,wasreallytheretoAlabama’stourismItalkedabitthemomentumwe were — and still are — experiencing as a state, despite the curveballs of the current economic cli mate and the last couple of years. Our economic development numbers for last year made 2021 the second-best year in our state’s history. Without a doubt, our tourism industry has been and continues to be a major contributor to that fact. While the national indus try lost 42% of its reve nue, Alabama ranked in the top five states for the least amount of revenue lost. To recap some of those numbers I shared back in May ... Our tour ists spent a record almost $20 billion. Alabama was the fourth most searched state, according to the U.S. Travel Association. As I said in May: We’re just getting started. Folks, today while I am among some of the best in the tourism industry, I want to share something I think all of you will be excited about, but you certainly won’t be surprised. Barring any unexpected downturns, director Sentell informs me that Alabama is on trajectory to exceed expectations. Based on the adjusted numbers, it looks like your industry is going to exceed 24 billion this calendar year. Twenty-four.“Iamproud to say that in the past 10 years, our industry has more than doubled. We have grown from $11 billion in 2013 to more than $24 billion this year. And since I have been governor, I am extremely proud that our tourism indus try has grown by $10 billion. These are the kind of results that are taking Alabama flying at full speed ahead. I’ll leave you with this: As we head into the next four years, I assure you that you have a gover nor who is committed 1,000% to supporting the tourism industry and to the work that each and every one of you do.” nay vote.
Ivey Attends Tourism Conference in Auburn HEALTH Opelika SportsPlex W e w o u l d l o v e f o r y o u t o m e e t t h e l e a d e r s i n s e n i o r s e r v i c e s a t o u r a n n u a l h e a l t h & r e s o u r c e f a i r ! FAIR T u e s d a y , O c t o b e r 4 , 2 0 2 2 O p e l i k a S p o r t s P l e x G y m 8 : 0 0 a . m . N o o n Get Free Screenings & Information C h o l e s t e r o l B l o o d P r e s s u r e V i s i o n S c r e e n i n g H e a r i n g T e s t s B o d y C o m p o s i t i o n F l u S h o t sFor more information: 334 705 2493 or VWhite@opelika al gov OBSERVERTHETOCONTRIBUTEDPHOTOS
"The Shoot" fundraiser for local children to be held Sept. 30. - The council approved a special appropriation to Parks and Recreation for the Annual Health Fair to be held on Oct. 4. - The council approved an ordinance to amend the city Code of Ordinances: Sections 10-35 and 10-58, Solid Waste Disposal. - The council approved an ordinance to amend the city of Opelika Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.-Thecouncil ap proved a lease agreement with Envision Opelika Foundation, Inc. - The council intro duced an ordinance to amend the city Code of Ordinances: Section 14302(3) Business License Issuance Fee for its first reading.
COUNCILOPELIKA >> FROM B11
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller issued a procla mation during Tuesday night's city council meet ing, declaring the month of September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Motorola Solutions Inc. - The council approved a resolution to autho rize the annual excess loss insurance contract with Granular Insurance Company.-Thecouncil approved a resolution to authorize a group health insurance contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. - The council approved a request for a special use permit with AT&T for equipment located at 1051 Douglas St. - The council approved a request for a special use permit with T-Mobile for equipment located at 1981 Airport Road. - The council approved a special appropriation to Circles of Opelika for the 2022 Luncheon on Sept. 16. - The council approved a special appropriation to Opelika Kiwanis Club for
PROCLAMATIONS
BUDGET Opelika Controller/ Treasurer Cindy Boyd presented the fiscal year 2023 budget to the council during the work session on Tuesday night. The city's general fund budget will be $84.6 mil lion and the special reve nue funds, capital project funds and proprietary funds make up the rest of the total $162.6 million budget.Abreakdown of the bud get shows that 56% of the general budget comes from sales and use taxes collect ed. Occupational license fees account for 18%, property taxes are 6% and business licenses make up 5% of the general fund revenues. The remaining 17% comes from transfers from other funds, gasoline taxes and other non-speci fied income.
B. HEARD, DECEASED Letters of Administration with Will Annexed of said deceased having been grant ed to the undersigned on the 1st day of September, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be Witnessbarred.ourhands, and dated this the 1st day of September, 2022. ELAINE HEARD Legal Run 09/08/2022, 09/15/22 & 09/22/2022
NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF SUSAN JORDAN CASECOUNTYPROBATEDECEASEDPILGREEN,COURTLEENO.2022-489
RESIDENTIALEQUIPMENTCONSTRUCTIONOPERATOR
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE. The following occupants at Bent Creek Storage, 2357 E Glenn Ave, Auburn AL 36830, are in default of rent. CONTENTS WILL BE SOLD AT AUCTION on StorageAuctions.com on Jada09/20/2022.Boyd,Unit 3118 ap pears to contain mirror, laundry hamper, 2 suitcases, 5 plastic containers, plastic bag, ironing board, iron, 2 cloth totes, hangers, over the door hanger, TV, step stool, bedding, toiletries, 3 pieces of art, bed frame, pillow, curtain rod Legal Run 09/01/2022 & 09/08/2022
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPORT THE BLIND! Donate a car to the American Council of the Blind. FAST FREE PICKUP. 24-hour response. Running or not. maximum tax deduction and no emission test required! Call 24/7: 844-601-1342. AUTO INSURANCE from $29 month Free 2-minute Quote! We Compare all Insurance providers offers for you! Lowest Rates! Call Now 866-450-0943866-450-0943
Prepare residential construc tion sites in Opelika, AL, unload and distribute build ing materials and assist craft workers during the building process. Must be able to work in extreme tempera tures, 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, mow ers, shovels, hammers, and drills. Must follow safety requirements and wear ap propriate clothing including boots. Must pass a drug test. Please email resume to car 334-821-8534334-821-1470Auburn,739Co.,Connerol@connerbros.com.Bros.ConstructionInc.OpelikaRoadAL36830–FAX
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that 09/15/22LegalNormanthewithrequiredagainstallNoticeofJudgethedayT.herebyPILGREEN,EstateTESTAMENTARYLETTERSoftheofSUSANJORDANdeceased,aregrantedtoNormanPilgreenJr.onthe22ndofAugust,2022,byHonorableBillEnglish,oftheProbateCourtLeeCountyAlabama.isherebygiventhatpersonshavingclaimssaidestateareherebytopresentthesametimeallowedbylaworsamewillbebarred.T.PilgreenJr.Run09/08/22,&09/22/22
Sept. 8, 2022 B14 ALASCAN CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES SELLING a RV, Tractor or Golf Cart?
ATTENTION ACTIVE Duty & Military Veterans! Begin a new career and earn your Degree at CTI! Online Computer & Medical train ing available for Veterans & Families! To learn more, call 866-475-1014 (M-F 8am6pm ET).
MOVING: Call today for a FREE QUOTE from America's Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Speak to a Relocation Specialist, call 844-925-3534 EDUCATION
NOW HIRING have looking individ uals to join animal care team! We have multiple part time positions* available: Morning Shifts (7am-1pm)*: 1 position available for Sunday-Wednesday 1 position available for hourStartingprefer.*days*TheseThursday-Saturday2Sunday-Wednesday26pm)*:Afternoonprefer.*days*TheseThursday-SaturdaycanbealternatingorasetscheduleifyouShifts(12pm-positionsavailableforpositionsavailableforcanbealternatingorasetscheduleifyoupayis$10.50perandwedohavefulltime positions as well! (Full time positions do come with health benefits.) If interested, please send your resumes to sume@leecountyhumane.org.re
Do you
Owner: Smith Water & Sewer Authority By: Mr. Joe Walden Title: Chairman Legal Run 08/25/22, 09/01/22 & ---------------09/08/22
“No
STATEWIDEADVERTISEorbyregion in over 100 Newspapers, reach ing over 1 million readers each week! Run your ad in our Classified Network for just $210 per week! Make one call to this newspaper (participat ing Ala-SCAN newspaper) or call 1-800-264-7043 to find out how easy it is to advertise statewide!
300 Martin Luther King September 13, 2022 TIME: 9:00 spaceparking8thConstruction,1.B.VARIANCEMINUTESA.APPROVALAMOFJeremyClark,Compass512SouthStreet,Requestinga6variancefromthe15
PUBLIC
HEALTH/BEAUTY AATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit. Call ATTENTION:844-322-9935.VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - $99 + FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: VEHICLE866-505-0828.TITLE Problems? We have a solution! Call Jason Steward Enterprises, We’re Alabama’s #1 Vehicle Title Problem Experts! Free telephone consultation. North AL 1-256-850-0527, Central AL 1-205-267-5735, South AL 1-251-342-8538. FOR SALE DirecTV Satellite TV Service Starting at $59.99/month! Free Installation! 160+ channels available. Call Now to Get the Most Sports & Entertainment on TV! 844-594-7108 NEED NEW Flooring? Call Empire Today to schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting and Flooring. Call Today! 1-888-381-0916.
Camp
STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd. Auburn, Al 36830 Thursday, September 15 at 10:00 am Unit N162 Unit S345 The auction will be listed and advertised on www.stor agetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may re scind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal Legalproperty.Run ---------------09/08/2022
IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LAURA AMANDA NOLEN, CasedeceasedNo.: 2022-421
Clean and prepare residential construction sites in Opelika, AL, including hand grading around new homes. Must be able to work in extreme tem peratures. Must be able to operate a mini excavator, skid steer and dump truck. Must follow safety requirements and wear appropriate clothing including boots. Must pass a drug test. Please email resume to carol@connerbros. com.Conner Bros. Construction Co., Inc. 739 Opelika Road Auburn, AL 36830 (334) 821-1470 - FAX (334) carol@connerbros.com821-8534
NOTICE ESTATEAPPOINTMENTOFOFANNIE
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 work.com.Ashley.Morris@gmcnet36602,Prospective
NOTICE OF COUTNY,COURTINAPPOINTMENTCOURTTHEPROBATEOFLEEALABAMA
BATH & UPDATESSHOWERinaslittle as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & pro fessional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: BECOME833-449-1307.APUBLISHED
AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work interna tionally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: LONG888-283-4780DISTANCE
Steve Morris Attorney at Law: representation is be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.” Lejeune Toxic Water Claims YOUR HEALTH YOURYOURSTATUSBEST
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 NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF PEGGY L. ADAMS, DECEASED PRBATE COURT LEE CASECOUNTYNO. 2022-278 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that 09/01/2022LegalPaulorwithinrequiredagainstallNoticeofJudgethedaytoADAMStheTESTAMENTARYLETTERSofEstateofPEGGYL.areherebygrantedPaulD.Escoonthe18thofAugust,2022,byHonorableBillEnglish,oftheProbateCourtLeeCounty,Alabama.isherebygiventhatpersonshavingclaimssaidestateareherebytopresentthesametimeallowedbylawthesamewillbebarred.D.EscoRun08/25/2022,&09/08/2022
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 respon sible bidder. All bidders shall submit, upon request, a list of projects "success fully completed" in the last 2 years, having the same scope of work and approx imate construction 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 proposal 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.
made that the quality of the legal services to
No phone calls please! MOVING SALE Multi- Family Moving Sale 205 Twin Lakes Ave. Sept.9 and 10 From 8 a.m to noon Items include: treadmill, golf clubs, antique baby bed, rocking chair, sofa, end ta bles and more.
LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS RESIDENTIALLABORERCONSTRUCTION
"In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, the City of Opelika will make reasonable arrange ments to ensure accessibil ity to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the ADA Coordinator 72 hours prior to the meeting at (334) 705-2083. " Legal Run ---------------09/08/2022
UPDATE YOUR HOME with Beautiful New Blinds & Shades. FREE in-home esti mates make it convenient to shop from home. Professional installation. Top qualityMade in the USA. Call for free consultation: 844-8099165. Ask about our specials!
ELIMINATE ROACHES
NOTICES 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
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
for
GUARANTEED! Buy Harris Roach Odorless,Tablets.Long Lasting. Available: Publix, Hardware Stores, extendedable.familyoutages,powerGeneratorsGENERACCenters.HomeStandbyprovidebackupduringutilitypowersoyourhomeandstaysafeandcomfortPreparenow.Free7-yearwarranty($695val ue!). Request a free quote to day! Call for additional terms and conditions. 1-877-323-5516
our
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 publi cation 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 contest said petition. BILL ENGLISH, Probate Judge Margaret Ann Mayfield 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
ROADTHESEWERHWY.ALABAMASMITHSSEWERSMITHSFORADVERTISEMENTBIDSWATER&AUTHORITYSTATION,280SANITARYIMP.TOSERVESUMMERVILLEAREA
a passion for animals? Want to make a difference in the community? We are
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been grant ed to Christi Nolen Ingrum, Personal Representative on the 29th day of August, 2022 by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is here by 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. Christi Nolen Ingrum Legal run 09/01/22, 09/08/22 & ---------------09/15/22
CITY OF OPELIKA ZONING BOARD OF AGENDAREGULARADJUSTMENTMEETING
parking space requirement for a two-story mixed-use commercial & residential structure in a C-2 zoning district. (Tabled at August 9th ZBA meeting.)
Notice of the filing of Petition for deceasedBERNICEInDistributionSummarytheestateofALICEBONNER,
Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by LISA C. HAMER SCOTT on August 31, 2022, pursuant to Section 43-3690, Code of Alabama, and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said BILLdecedent.ENGLISH, PROBATE LegalJUDGERun 09/08/22
Sept. 8, 2022 B15 Like Crossword Puzzles? Sudoku? Play Online at www.opelikaobserver.com/puzzles/
Sept. 8, 2022 B16 THIS WEEK’S PUZZLE ANSWERS: '1/a.ssle hee Va.cat:on Whj Not Ca.II Us. � 334 749 0877 Circle of Excellence 2008-2011 MilhonA1r 2010 & 2011 & 2012 3051 Frederick Road, Suite 7, Opelika (between Sam:� Club and Tiger Town) www.mytravelatmidtown.com
