The Observer 10-13-2022

Creekline Trails of Opelika, City of Opelika Receive Grant From ADECA

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

OPELIKA —

The Opelika City Coun cil approved a Subaward Agreement with Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for Pepperell Creekline Trail improve ments.

Gov. Kay Ivey award ed the city $210,000 to construct a multi-use trail along the banks of Pepperell Branch off Wa verly Parkway and U.S. Highway 280. The city is responsible for payment of the local match in the sum of $61,832.

“We are excited to help improve and expand the

Creekline Trail,” said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. “The trails will bring additional outdoor recreation, alternate trans portation and watershed

protection to our commu nity.”

The state funds, which come from the feder al Recreational Trails Program, will be used to

Girl Scout Troop 7283 Earns Bronze Award

restore and improve trails in eight communities across the state.

OPELIKA —

The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Junior can earn, and one Opelika troop has done just that.

Girl Scouts who earn this award demonstrate achievements in leader ship development, proj ect planning and taking action to make a posi

tive, sustainable impact in their communities. Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) mem bers Libby C., Maddy A. and Addison C. of 7283 exhibited these achievements, earning their Bronze Award.

By earning the Girl Scout Bronze Award, these Girl Scouts have become community leaders. Their accom plishments reflect leadership and citizen ship skills that set them

apart.

The Bronze Award project was centered on creating art from recycled plastic bottle caps. The project was displayed at the Lee County Fair in Opelika. The girls said they hope to communicate the importance of recy cling and the effects on our environment if we “choose” not to “Re duce. Reuse. Recycle.”

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The Fall Boogie is entering its 10th year, and the Standard Deluxe

Fall Boogie to Celebrate Music, Art, Community Oct. 15 Survey Says!

Opelika Business Owner, Family to Appear on Family Feud

Molly Anderson Howard, owner of Studio 3:19 in Opelika, recently appeared alongside her family on the popular game show “Fami ly Feud.”

How the Anderson family came to appear on the show is a story about

making the best out of every situation. Before that, however, it all began in Molly’s childhood, when she and her family first discovered a love for the classic game show.

“My youngest cousin and I grew up watching [Family Feud],” Molly said. “It’s always been her dream to go on the show.”

In October 2021, much of Molly’s family was re

united for the funeral of her aunt. In an effort to cheer up the youngest cousin — who had a close relation ship with the deceased — the idea to record an audition video for Family Feud was hatched then and there.

“It was one like a let’s turn a bad situation and put our mind on something

Photo from last year's Fall Boogie

Resting Pulse to Host Adult Pinewood Derby Fundraiser

BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

The Resting Pulse Brewing Company will host the first-ever Adult Pinewood Derby on Fri day, Nov. 4, 2022, starting at 5 p.m.

This event is in part nership with the Opelika

Chamber of Commerce, Food Truck Friday, Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Smith T Building Supply. The der by is open to individuals, teams of up to five people and corporations.

Individual participants can choose to build their own racer from an official pinewood derby kit, included with the registra

tion fee, or rent a limited number of premade rac ers. A limited number of corporate sponsorships are also available on a first-

come, first-served basis.

The derby will have two leagues: the Standard League and the Outlaw League. All racers in the Standard League must conform to the official Pinewood Derby rules. All racers will be checked to verify they meet all re quirements upon checking in at the event. Any racers that do not conform to the

official Pinewood Derby rules will be entered into the Outlaw League.

Need help building your racer? Helpers will be outside Smith T (812 N. Railroad Ave.) on Friday, Oct. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. and University Ace on Sunday, Oct. 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. with the tools and expertise to help you build your racer from the kit.

Want to get some brand awareness and community recognition for your com pany? Sponsorships are available, starting at $500, that include an increasing number of marketing opportunities and at least one free team registration.

Just click on the link be low, scan the QR code or reach out to get set up.

Opelika SportsPlex Helps Adults Get Care They Need

The Opelika SportsPlex

Aquatics

Resource

East Alabama Health Joins Apprentice Partnership

activity, but also the voices of our employers, the board of nursing, the nursing home association and the hospital association. Basically, all of those people got in a room and said, ‘Look, what we are doing is not cutting it. We still have a 35% shortage of nurses. Nobody is fully staffed. We are just absolutely drowning, and we’ve got to do something different.’”

NINE SOUTHERN UNION NURSING STUDENTS BECOME APPRENTICES

Union, and with our friends at the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship who have been holding our hands all the way through.”

Addressing the students, Johnston said, “An appren ticeship gives you more time; it gives you more on-campus learning. We are incredibly excited to have all of you at East Alabama Health, and we’re excited about your careers.”

CONTRIBUTED BY EAH OPELIKA —

During separate ceremo nies in September, nursing students from Southern Union State Community College and Auburn Uni versity signed apprentice ship agreements with East Alabama Health.

The apprenticeship agree ments followed each school — and EAH — signing a partnership agreement with the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship program will see students in the second semester of nursing school begin to work as employees of East Alabama Health and be assured of continued em ployment after graduation.

The students will each be paired with an experienced nurse, who will act as a mentor to their assigned apprentice. The apprentices

SCOUTS

All girls shared that they were inspired by the “Get Moving” journey when they learned it takes a plastic bottle 450 years or more to decom pose. The girls said they hoped the mural they

will rotate working in the following units: Emergency Department, ICU, Med/ Surg, Maternal/Infant and Psychiatry. The Southern Union apprentices will also gain experience in long-term care facilities.

The apprentices are work ing approximately 24 hours a week; this can be paid work hours, paid clinical hours or a combination of both. Those work hours are in addition to a regular caseload of classes at their respective schools. Ap prentices will earn money through a progressive-wage model, with pay based on their classes completed and their competency levels.

Josh Laney, who is the di rector at the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship, attended both ceremonies and said the registered apprenticeship program for RNs and LPNs is now available across the state.

created from reused bot tle caps would help in fluence others to recycle. The troop members said they enjoyed this creative outlet to influence others to recycle for the sake of our planet, and they especially enjoyed work ing together to make the world a better place.

Through Girl Scouting,

“This is the only state in the country that is doing this,” Laney said.

He also explained the state legislature had to pass a law to allow the board of nursing to create the license that the student nurses will achieve through the program.

“There are a lot of eyes on this program,” Laney added. “A lot of people across the country are looking to see how we pulled this off and how it’s going to work. We already had one cohort that started this summer that is going very well at a couple of other schools, and now the flood gates are opening. Everyone is joining this pro gram because they’re seeing the benefit of it. We could not be more proud of how this program is shaping up.”

Both Southern Union State Community College and Auburn University will serve as sponsors.

girls learn to face chal lenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning op portunity and find solu tions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Bronze Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

“They’re entering into an agreement with us,” Laney explained. “What they’re committing to do is oversee this entire process. They’re committing to supervise the training, coordinate the placements and to make sure that everyone is getting the on-the-job learning that they are supposed to get, and the related instruction they’re supposed to get. East Alabama has joined under that sponsorship as a partici pating employer.”

Laney said the undertak ing of a registered appren ticeship program in nursing pre-licensure and pre-degree is something that “we have been working on in Ala bama for over two years. It has taken a lot of work and a lot of time to develop, and it has taken a partnership from a lot of different organiza tions. The community col lege system office has been a major supporter of this

To join Girl Scouts or learn more about vol unteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

About Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs in 30 counties in southern Alabama,

The ceremony for the nine Southern Union nursing stu dents took place on Sept. 19. Todd Shackett, president of Southern Union, welcomed the students and other guests, and spoke highly of the merits of an apprentice ship program.

“I have found throughout my career that work-based learning is one of the best ways to enhance your aca demic education,” Shackett said. “You can only simulate so many conditions here at the school. Your precep torships and your clinicals are all geared to give you real-world experience, but they’re nothing like being in the career as a student.”

“We are very excited about this program,” said East Alabama Health Vice President of Human Re sources Susan Johnston. “I just learned today that we’re one of 10 organizations and apprenticeship programs that have been established since the first cohort started last spring. We would not be able to do this without our partnership with Southern

Girl Scouts of all back grounds and abilities can be unapologetical ly themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges — whether they want to climb to the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or make their first best friends. Backed by

In closing, Johnston was encouraging to the stu dents as they start this new program, stressing, “You’re not guinea pigs; you’re trailblazers.”

After the students signed, SUSCC Dean of Health Sciences Rhonda Davis had some closing remarks.

“We appreciate our part nership with East Alabama Medical Center,” she said. “We would not have the pro grams we have if we did not have their support. That’s our No. 1 place for clinicals for all of our programs. One of the hardest things for our faculty to do is to trust people to teach clinicals the way we teach our students at school. It is because of our trust in East Alabama that we feel like we can do this and it will be successful.”

Laney, who oversees the Alabama Office of Ap prenticeship, praised both Southern Union and East Alabama.

“We couldn’t be more proud that schools like Southern Union are willing to try something different and that there are students who are willing to try some

page A5

trusted adult volunteers, mentors and millions of alumni, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make chang es that affect the issues most important to them.

To volunteer, reconnect, donate or join, call 800239-6636 or visit www. girlscoutssa.org

CREEKLINE

FROM

Opelika,” said Mike Akins, acting coordinator of Creekline Trails of Opelika. “This is a big win. Our beautiful community is about to become even more beautiful. This milestone means we can now start to build one of the recreational trails we've been dreaming of and planning for years. Many thanks to ADECA, Mayor Fuller and the city staff, especially city engineer ing, those serving on the Creekline Trails of Opelika Advisory Board, Envision Opelika and all the supporters and volunteers who are making this possible.”

For more information, contact Scott Parker, city of Opelika engi neer, at 334-705-5450.

DERBY

Once registered, participants needing a kit can pick one up at Resting Pulse Brewing Company with the confirmation email. Participants are asked to make sure they pick up their kit in enough time to build their racer before the derby. Those needing assistance in building their derby racer may come to one of the two build-out days, details to be announced soon.

For more information or to register, visit

www.91bsa.org/ derby or scan the QR code. Proceeds benefit the Chatta hoochee Council, BSA.

The Chattahooch ee Council, BSA, chartered in 1922, has helped youth devel op academic skills, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills and citizenship skills for more than 100 years. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of

the Scout Oath and Scout Law. In 2021, 661 adult volunteers helped carry out the BSA’s mission in the Chattahoochee Valley.

The Chattahoochee Council BSA serves youth in Chattahooch ee, Harris, Heard, Marion, Meriwether, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Talbot, Troup and Webster counties in west central Georgia, and Chambers, Lee and Russell counties in east central Alabama.

Available programs include Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing and ScoutREACH.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Auburn University student nurse apprentices with reresentatives from East Alabama Health and Alabama Office of Apprenticeship, sponsors of the program.

Morning

own plate, but sometimes an act of service isn’t about the servee.

“OK,” says the old man.

The boy points to the sausage. “Would you like some of this stuff?”

“Yes, please.”

“How much would you like?”

“I’ll say ‘when.’”

The boy wrinkles his face. “When?”

toasted.”

The boy fetches a bagel from the acrylic breadbox. Then he carefully splits the bagel, using his bare hands. He manhandles the bagel like a kid playing with Play Dough.

“Don’t worry,” says the kid. “I washed my hands.”

“How reassuring.”

“Did you fight?”

“Yes.”

The boy says nothing.

“But people don’t under stand,” the old man says. “Most folks thinks we all carried rifles and patrolled the jungles, and got shot at. But it wasn’t like that for everyone. Some of us saw combat. Some didn’t.”

brought food and beer kept us alive.”

“You had beer over there?”

“Oh yes.”

“I bet you were glad to come back home.”

The old man nods. “Yes.”

“Did you get hurt over there?”

“I did.”

SEAN DIETRICH

The lobby of my hotel is crowd ed. It’s breakfast time.

Morning.

This is the moment of day when guests emerge from rooms with messedup hair, bedroom slippers and wrinkled clothes. They shuffle through corridors toward Bunn coffee ma chines like the living dead.

I’m eating processed “scrambled-egg-like” matter, and sausage that has been labeled “100% real meat.”

There is an elderly man in line who uses a mechan ical wheelchair. He wears a green ballcap with “Viet nam” printed on the front.

He cannot reach the buf

BOOGIE

will host four musical acts and multiple vendors on Oct. 15. Gates will open at noon, with the music starting at 2 p.m.

Sarah Lee Langford & Will Stewart, of Bir mingham, will kick off the music at 2 p.m. The Vandoliers, a Texas-based band, will make its Stan dard Deluxe debut at 3:30 p.m. before Mike and the Moonpies take the stage at 5 p.m. The Boogie will conclude with headlining act American Aquarium, whose set will begin at 6:45 p.m.

All acts except for The Vandoliers have ties to the venue, having played be fore at Standard Deluxe or its “Little House” on site as solo artists or with bands.

“I feel like we have a really strong lineup, and we’re going to let the four bands play good, long sets,” said Standard Deluxe Owner Scott Peek.

Food and beverages will be provided by Bir

fet-serving spoon because his wheelchair is too low.

Behind him in line is a boy. The kid has reddish hair and freckles. He is full-faced and friendly.

“Here,” says the boy, “allow me.”

The kid uses the serving spoon to dish the “eggish” aberration onto the old man’s plate. The old man thanks him.

“What else do you want on your plate?” Junior asks.

The old man says, “Oh, don’t worry about me, I can help myself.”

“I don’t mind. I’ll help you.”

The old man just smiles at the kid. This man is per fectly capable of fixing his

mingham-based Hotbox, Montgomery-based Chris’ Hot Dogs and local vendors Taqueria Durango and Mama Mochas Coffee. Other vendors slated for the event include Norae Hand made, Mighty Fine Art, Buffalo Barnes, Against All Odds Tattoo, Charlies, A Lotus Connection, Keen Zero and Standard Deluxe.

Tickets are $50 on line and at the door, but children up to age 12 will receive free admission. Veterans and students will also receive a 20% discount on tickets.

As a sister event of the long-running Old 280 Boogie, which is held in the spring, the Fall Boogie also draws crowds from near and far to enjoy live music and celebrate what the community and region have to offer.

According to Peek, one of the best things about the event is “just getting people together to enjoy a day of music and art, and food and community.” In fact, many people regularly reunite at the Boogie, he said.

“There’s a lot of people

“It’s what people say whenever they’ve had enough of a good thing.”

The boy still doesn’t understand. “They say ‘when’?”

“That’s right.”

The boy starts dishing up the faux-meat patties until the old man says, “When.”

“Would you like an apple or banana?” the boy says.

The old man shakes his head. “Only fruit I eat comes in a wine glass. But I’ll take some orange juice.”

The boy removes a plas tic cup from a stack. He fills it from the Star-Treklike juice dispenser.

“How about some bread?” asks the kid.

“A bagel. And I want it

that come and make it sort of a place to meet,” Peek said. “Like, they went to Auburn, and for the past 20 years they came to some of our music events or came to the Old 280 Boogie, so they meet their friends up, like in groups and stuff. We see a lot of that. … It’s just a fun day.”

The event is rain or shine, and attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to sit on. No dogs or outside alcoholic beverages are allowed.

The Fall Boogie is family-friendly, according to Peek.

“We have a big yard,” he said. “It’s all fenced in. All the vendors are inside the fence. It’s a safe environ ment. Everybody’s in a good mood, and it’s usually just a beautiful day out here in the country.”

Standard Deluxe is located at 1015 Mayber ry Ave. in Waverly, less than 15 miles northwest of Auburn and Opelika via U.S. Highway 280. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit standarddeluxe.com.

The boy places the mangled bagel halves into the conveyor toaster oven. A marvelous machine. As they are waiting for the toast, the kid speaks. “Were you in a war?”

“Yes.”

“The Vietnam War?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Was it hard?”

“Well, it certainly wasn’t soft.”

The boy smiles politely. He realizes he’s asked too much. His parents have raised him not to probe. So he falls quiet.

The old man breaks the awkward silence. “Tell me, how old are you?”

“Thirteen.”

The old man nods. “I was six years older than you when I went over.”

“To Vietnam?”

“Cambodia.”

“Did you see combat?”

“I did.”

“What did all the other people do?”

“Six out of seven guys during Vietnam served on bases, or worked intelligence. Some were stationed in Germany, or Japan, or here in America. They were cooks, typists, drivers, paper runners and REMFs.”

“What’s a REMF?”

“Never mind.”

The man’s bagel is ready. His slices fall from the chute of the convey or toaster. A marvelous machine.

“What I mean is,” the old man says, “everyone was important in Vietnam. The soldiers who carried the gear in the rear made it possible for us to take hot showers. The guys who

The boy goes silent. Then he says, “I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault.”

The kid uses the compli mentary tongs to place the bagel onto the man’s plate. He carries the old man’s plate and orange juice to a table in the dining room.

The old man follows, whirring his wheelchair forward. The kid asks if the old man needs anything else. The old man tells him he’s okay from here.

The kid smiles. He pres ents his young hand like a grown up. Good manners.

The old man pumps the boy’s hand and says, “Thanks for your help today, son.”

“No, sir,” says the kid sincerely. “Thank you for your service.”

When.

P H O T O S B Y J O H N H I L L S M A N / F O R T H E O B S E R V E R

AUBURN

Leadership Lee County is excited to host its second annual “Leadercast,” a lead ership development event, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Tim Elmore.

The ticketed event will take place Thursday, Oct. 20, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Auburn University Student Activities Center. Tickets are $175.

Leadercast is the world’s largest one-day leadership event, and will include a mix of live content and pre-re corded content from four of the biggest thought leaders today. Participants will also enjoy team and individual events throughout the day.

Keynote speaker Dr. Tim Elmore is founder and CEO of Growing Leaders, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization created to de velop emerging leaders. His work grew out of 20 years serving alongside Dr. John C. Maxwell.

Elmore has appeared in

The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today and Psychology Today. He has also been featured on CNN’s Headline News and Fox and Friends to talk about leading multiple generations in the marketplace. Elmore has written over 35 books, including "Habitudes: Images That Form Leadership Habits and Attitudes", and his latest, "Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership."

Additional pre-recorded speakers include:

• Andy Stanley, best-selling author, pastor and founder or North Point Ministries,

• Catherine Price, science journalist, teacher, consultant and best-selling author,

• Angela Duckworth, au thor and founder of Character Lab and • David Horsager, CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute.

“As leaders, we recognize the importance in taking time to develop our own leader ship skills so we can continue to add value to those around us,” said Kristen Reeder, Leadercast chair. “We are so

Tim Elmore

excited to bring a leadership development opportunity of this caliber to our local lead ers for the second year.”

The 2022 Leadercast event is sponsored by Leadership Lee County, in partnership with Emerge and Here Molly Girl. Tickets are available at leadershipleecounty.org.

“We are thrilled that this event is back for 2022,” said Vicki Hudson, Leadercast cochair. “Our inaugural event hosted more than 200 leaders from across Lee County, so we’re excited to see how it grows in its second year.”

Leadership Lee County is a program sponsored by the Auburn and Opelika Cham bers of Commerce. It seeks out, honors, educates, chal lenges and develops a select group of Lee County citizens who have the potential to pro vide the leadership needed to solve problems of community and statewide significance. Our mission is to identify, develop and inspire future leaders through professional development, educational opportunities and community involvement.

else,” Molly said. “So, we did our quick little audition video all wearing black in the basement of First Baptist Church in Camden, Alabama.”

According to Molly, the show responded almost “right away” after the Anderson family submitted their video.

“[They] were like, ‘We have never had anyone send in an audition video from a funeral,’” Molly said.

The family was then interviewed on a video conference, and after that, it was the waiting game. Eventually, the Anderson family received the good news.

In May 2022, just three weeks after being told they had been selected to be on the show, the Anderson family traveled to Atlanta for filming.

The actual process of filming the show was different from what one would expect, Molly

explained. “You have all these lights on you, hair and makeup … and there is a reason that show is so popular,” she said. “They are so high energy, they vibe, they get you hype.

But you’re so focused on just like standing straight, not tapping anything, all that stuff. So, now, I feel so bad about the many times I’ve been yelling at the TV, because I have been there. When Steve Harvey is right in front of you, you have all these lights on you, an audience, it’s such a different experience, but so much fun.”

Molly said her favorite part of the entire process was the time she got to spend with her family.

“Honestly, my favorite part of everything was just being with my family,” she said. “They are just so funny and loud, and it was just like such a fun, bond ing things. Our parents are getting excited. So, just the family aspect and being able to travel together was definitely my favorite part.”

work in their facility after graduation. For AUCON, having students in the ap prenticeship program means those students don’t have to be placed in a clinical group which, if the program is successful, may allow us to admit more students to the nursing program.”

Her second favorite part, which she felt compelled to mention, was meeting and being around charis matic host Steve Harvey.

“He’s amazing,” she said. “He’s even better in person than I would have ever thought. He comes out … we were in the audience for several of the shows, so we got to watch him in action before we actually went on … and in between episodes he will pull out a stool and just talk and hang out. He gives really good advice. I’m pretty sure I teared up at one point. He’s motivational, but also hilarious. So, that was my second highlight … He’s just so larger than life and so funny. He’s exactly what you would expect, but even more.”

The Anderson family, comprised of Molly — her oldest brother Brent and their three first cousins Ale, Ame and Anna — appear in three episodes, with the first premiering Tuesday, Oct. 11. The Anderson family’s final two episodes will air Oct. 20 and 24 at 6 p.m. CST.

known school like Auburn in our backyard. Together with them and Southern Union, we feel like we’re blazing a trail that will help us over come the nursing shortages in this part of the state.”

ABOUT EAST ALABAMA HEALTH

thing different,” he said. “But it also comes down to the employer’s invest ment. None of this would be possible if we didn’t have employers like East Alabama that were willing to say, ‘OK, we’re willing to try something different. We want to invest in our people. We want to bring them on early. We want to give them the opportunity to learn, give them an opportunity to feel supported and to give them an opportunity to really engage with us on the front end of their education.”

AUBURN BECOMES THE FIRST FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL IN ALABAMA

TO BE INVOLVED

Last Thursday, the apprenticeship signing for Auburn University students took place in the College of Nursing building. Like Southern Union, this nursing apprenticeship program is new for Auburn University. But not only does Auburn join Southern Union in being frontrunners in the U.S. in establishing a nursing apprenticeship, Auburn also holds the distinction of being the first four-year program in Alabama.

That’s a nice feather in the cap for Auburn, but Dr. Caralise Hunt, associate dean for academic affairs in the Auburn University College of Nursing (AU CON), said this program

benefits students more than a traditional internship.

“For students who must work in addition to classes and required clinical hours in order to support some or all of their education, the apprenticeship program provides them compensation for completing clinical hours required as part of their aca demic degree program,” she said. “This could have two benefits since the compensa tion may allow them to stop working at other places of employment and focus on their education. They also complete clinical hours with a mentor, which gives them one-on-one instruction in the clinical setting.”

Hunt noted that the program also has signifi

cant benefits for healthcare facilities like East Alabama Health.

“Apprenticeship students are completing clinical hours and working as patient care technicians in their facility for four semesters before graduation so they become familiar with the policies and procedures, and that may decrease the time needed in orientation. They also have a commitment from the apprenticeship students to

“This first cohort of apprentices with Auburn University and East Alabama Health is a perfect picture of the people these programs are being designed to help,” Laney added. “Expanding access for all Alabamians to high-skill training is a hall mark of apprenticeship.”

For East Alabama Health, Johnston said this appren ticeship program is much needed, and she is excited to join with Auburn as they become the first four-year school involved in the program.

“This is a huge initiative, and we’re excited to have Auburn on board with us,” she said. “We’re really in an enviable position here in Lee County with a nationally

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Med ical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinic and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed re gional referral hospital with a 26-bed Skilled Nursing Facility, while EAMC-Lanier provides inpatient services as well as a nursing home, an acute rehab unit and an am bulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,500 employees and is the second largest em ployer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www. eastalabamahealth.org.

Pictured left are UAB School of Nursing Dean Dr. Maria Shirey and UAB Alumni Board President Dr. Bryan Combs presenting the award to Laura Grill. Pictured right are students from SUSCC along with agreement partners.

S

ociety& News

Ann Cipperly

SHouthernospitality

After interesting careers in Wash ington, D.C., and working on a presidential campaign for Sen. Ted Cruz, Rachel and Drew White, who grew up in Opelika, moved to Auburn last year to be near family. With two small children and a third on the way, Ra chel is creating family ex periences that she enjoyed growing up, as they gather around the dinner table for

good, homemade food.

Rachel was raised in Or lando, Florida, and attended the University of Florida after high school. For her last semester of college, she was required to work a full internship. This led her to Washington, D.C., for six months working for an event company that focused mostly on corporate parties.

Afterwards, she moved back home in 2008 with plans to find a job in Orlan

do, but with the recession there weren’t many jobs available. While looking for work, a family friend in Texas called to tell her that Rick Perry was looking for interns for his campaign for governor and asked if she was interested. Seven days later Rachel packed her car and moved to Texas, which was the beginning of her career in politics.

Rachel worked on Per ry’s reelection campaign

Songwriters Festival Releases Schedule

in 2010. After that, he became chairman of the Republication Governors’ Association. When he became chairman, Perry sent her to Washington to represent him with the RGA. She moved from Texas to Washington for about a year to work as his representative with the as sociation.

In 2011, Rachel received a call from a friend to see if she would be interested in working on a campaign for the former solicitor gen eral of Texas. She had no idea who that was, so she looked it up. The person was Ted Cruz.

She received the position and moved to Austin a week later. She worked for Cruz for five years, starting as deputy financial director and becoming financial director on his senate cam paign. After he won the election, she worked on his leadership pac before he

PHOTO

BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA

Songwriters Festival will be back

Opelika

weekend. The full schedule is listed below.

THURSDAY, OCT. 13

7 p.m. — Cocktail Dinner With Chef Chris Wilton & John Emerald Distillery

*Secret Show — John

Emerald Distilling Company

FRIDAY, OCT. 14 5 p.m.

Bb Palmer | Wyatt Espalin — Heritage House Webster’s Wheel | The Bard Of Baldwin County — Market St Paint Shop

5:30 p.m.

Katie Martin | Dave Potts — Resting Pulse Brewery Wyatt Edmondson | Stephanie Jeck | Mutt Cooper — The Jailhouse

6 p.m.

Bradley Cole Smith — John Emerald Distillery Mark True | Jennifer Lynn Simpson — Irish Bred Pub

6:30 p.m.

Haraway Brothers | Murph Murphy — Heritage House

Abe Partridge — Market St Paint Shop

7 p.m.

Dan Navarro | Jeff Black

See SCHEDULE,

announced he was running for president.

Sundilla To Present The Black Feathers Oct. 21

CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA

AUBURN—

The Black Feathers, an award-winning duo from Gloucestershire, England, will come a long way to make their Sundilla debut on Fri day, Oct. 21. Showtime at the AUUF is 7:30 p.m.; advance tickets are just $15 and can be found at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at sundillamu sic.com. Admission at the door will be $20.

Free coffee, tea, water and food will be avail able, and attendees are welcome to bring their own favorite food or beverage. If the weather cooperates, this will be an outdoor concert.

The ability to write songs that are both mod

Rachel

Cruz’s wife Heidi wanted to be involved in

the campaign, so Rachel switched her job to become her point person for a year

PHOTO

THE OBSERVER

The Black Feathers is an English duo consisting of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler.

Making the Grade: The Sound Kitchen

fingers to the bone seven days a week barbecuing ribs. After all, hungry people can get nasty, and some are really bad tippers.

and Boston butts for customers and offers tailgate packages. Also,

know, I love to eat but don’t like to cook. Also,

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

AsI’ve men tioned before in this column, my nephew Luke smokes the best pork ribs that Mike and I have ever tasted. Because as I’ve also stated, ribs should come from a pig and not a cow, as all Alabami ans know. In addition, I reported that Lindsay, Luke’s wife and our niece, nixed my terrific suggestion that Luke should open a rib joint. Unfortunately, Luke agreed with her. Again, he is a very successful mechanical engineer in Birmingham, and Lindsay is an outstand ing office manager for a group of doctors, so I can understand why they don’t want to work their

However, recently I found a place in Auburn which gave Luke a run for his money (Sorry, Luke) — The Sound Kitchen at 2459 E. Glenn Ave., Suite B. Our friend and next door neighbor Michael posted about how good The Sound Kitchen’s ribs were on Facebook, so Mike and I decided to give them a try. This was a GREAT decision on our part.

A few weeks ago, Mike and I ordered a rack of ribs from The Sound Kitchen, which opened on Aug. 27. When we entered the establishment to pick up our order, the aroma was AMAZING.

I talked to Mike Waites, the owner, and he was so welcoming and helpful.

We try to support every local vendor we can," Waites said. "We sell Conecuh sausage, Uncle Keith’s Red Sauce and The Bearded Pickle Co. from China Grove, Alabama.”

Besides fall-off-thebone ribs, The Sound Kitchen cooks chicken

Waites said that they have specials during the week. On Wednesday, it’s hamburger, and on Thurs day, it’s ham burger steak.

“Our ham burger is real beef cut from filet mignon and ribeyes,” Waites said.

In addi tion, The Sound Kitchen has a large selection of the finest cuts of steak, wines, dips, seasonings, luscious desserts and frozen casseroles. Some of the delicious-sounding casseroles include: broc coli and rice, pineapple, poppy seed chicken, loaded mash potato, meat and veggie, cheeseburg er, beef enchilada, chick en and spaghetti, green bean and hashbrown. I was too excited to find these wonderful casse roles because, as you

besides delicious food, The Sound Kitchen has gift items such as soaps, candles, kitchen items and more.

When we arrived home with our ribs, Mike began to cut them apart in the kitchen. The mouth-watering scent wafted into our great room where I was sitting. Oh, my three times. Mike and I attacked those suc culent ribs (Again, I love that word.) with relish. They were too. great. for. words. We also bought

a pepper jelly cheese dip, which was really tasty the next day while we watched the Auburn game. Trust me, run and do not walk to The Sound Kitchen, or call them at 334-209-0687 to place your order, as we did.

The Sound Kitchen is open on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; on Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Sound Kitchen is closed on Sunday and Monday.

The Sound Kitchen makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remem ber, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!

PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE FOR THE OBSERVER

Stacey Patton Wal lace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a pro fessional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteach er2020@gmail.com

Life's A Peach

'Fair' Play

The Auburn Area Community Theatre (AACT) recently put on a production of "James and the Giant Peach Jr." at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center Performance Room. Performances began Oct. 6, and the actors will take the stage three more times this week on Oct. 13, 14 and 15. For more information, visit auburnact.org/james-and-the-giant-peach/.

CIPPERLY

and a half. “We traveled around the country togeth er nonstop,” Rachel said.

“One month I was only in my apartment in Houston for 12 hours. We were on the road working a hundred hours a week, flying from here to there. One day we were campaigning in five different states.”

Rachel and Drew met while working on the cam paign at a staff retreat in Houston where she was living at the time. She was working for Cruz on his presidential campaign, and Drew was working in his senate office. They dated long distance as she was traveling. He would fly to cities where she was work ing on the campaign.

Drew grew up in Ope lika. His parents are Jim and Vicki White. His father was a coach and teacher at Lee-Scott for many years.

After Drew graduated from Auburn University, he

CIPPERLY RECIPES

MOM’S FLORIDIAN FISH TACOS

Sauce:

⅓ cup low-fat mayon naise

⅔ cup low-fat yogurt, plain

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Slaw:

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ tsp. salt

Fish:

1 lb. tilapia filets (or any white fish)

Vegetable oil 1 cup beer

1¼ cup all-purpose flour, divided ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cayenne

1 Tbsp. cumin

¼ cup all-purpose flour

8 flour tortillas

1 avocado, thinly sliced

Optional: salsa, jalapenos

Remove and chop 2 chipotle peppers from the can. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice, chipotles and 1 Tbsp. of adobo sauce in a bowl and refrigerate, covered, until ready to as semble the tacos. Combine cabbage, rice vinegar and ¼ tsp. of salt in a bowl and refrigerate, covered, until ready to assemble the tacos.

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in the oven.

For the batter, heat oil in a deep pan on medium-high. While oil is heating, whisk together beer, 1 cup of flour, salt, cayenne and cumin. In a shallow dish, combine ¼ cup flour, salt and pepper.

Dredge fish in flour mixture, then in batter, and cook in oil.

Remove tortillas from oven. To serve, spoon chi potle sauce on the tortilla, add fish, and top with avo cado and slaw.

Note: For a healthier op tion, grill the fish seasoned with cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.

lived in Tel Aviv, Israel, for a year and a half while working on his master’s degree in Middle Eastern History and International Politics.

While flying to Israel, Drew met someone who was involved in politics with the Heritage Founda tion in Washington, D.C. They became good friends, and after Drew received his master’s degree, he worked for the Heritage Foundation a few years.

Then, he moved to Cruz’s office where he was the domestic policy advi sor. Although his degree was in international poli tics and foreign policy, he worked mostly in domestic policy over the years.

After Rachel and Drew married and started their family, they moved to this area in March 2021 to be near his family. “We were trying to decide between here and Orlando where my family is located,” said Ra chel. “We picked here since we think this community is amazing. His parents are

¼ tsp. pepper

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips for stir-frying

1 Tbsp. cooking oil

12 oz. bag broccoli slaw mix

1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

Peanut Sauce: ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 3 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

Heat oven to 350F. Wrap tortillas in alumi num foil and warm in the oven. In a small bowl, combine garlic salt and pepper. Add to chicken and toss to coat evenly. In a large skillet, cook and stir seasoned chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

Add broccoli slaw, onion and ginger to skil let. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until vegeta bles are crisp-tender.

To assemble, spread each tortilla with about 1 Tbsp. Peanut Sauce. Top with chicken strips and vegetable mixture. Roll up each tortilla, securing with a toothpick. Serve immediately with remain ing sauce.

For the peanut sauce, in a small saucepan com bine sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, water, oil and garlic. Heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring fre quently.

MOM’S SAUTEED TILAPIA WITH LEMON CAPER SAUCE

5.9 oz box couscous

1 ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup lemon juice

3 tsp. capers, drained and lightly crushed

6 tsp. butter, divided 2 tsp. olive oil

4 tilapia filets

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

Baby spinach Lemon wedge (op

retired and enjoying spend ing time with the kids. It has been a blessing to be here.”

Rachel and Drew attend First Presbyterian in Ope lika. Living here has been a good transition and fit for their family.

Drew has his own busi ness as a public policy analyst. Rachel works part time for the Owen Center, a Biblical counseling center. She helps with fundraising in their development pro gram.

“Since some who need counseling can’t always afford it,” she said, “we rely on generous donations from the community to help supplement the cost.”

The Whites have two children; Jack is 3 years old, and Madeline is 2. Another baby will be join ing the family next March. Rachel enjoys cooking and baking for her family. “My mom and stepdad are both great cooks. They can cook everything, and what one can’t do the other one can.

“Growing up we never

tional)

Prepare couscous ac cording to the directions. Combine broth, lemon juice and capers in a bowl. Set aside.

Melt 2 tsp. of butter in a non-stick pan over low heat. Sprinkle fish filets with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish, dredge filets in flour, and shake off excess.

Increase heat to medium high, heat for two minutes or until butter turns golden brown. Add filets to pan and sauté for 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove filets from pan.

Add broth mixture to the pan, scraping bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Bring to a boil, cook until reduced to about ¾ -1 cup, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in 4 tsp. of butter. To serve: scoop a generous portion of cous cous on a plate, place fresh baby spinach on top of couscous, place a filet on top of spinach, and spoon broth mixture on top of fish. Serve with a lemon wedge.

RACHEL’S CREAMY WHITE CHILI

1 lb. ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cans (15 ½ oz. each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 ½ oz.) chick en broth

2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chiles

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. pepper

⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Optional: tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, cornbread

In a large saucepan, sauté ground turkey, onion and garlic in oil. Cook un til turkey is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chiles and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

ate at restaurants be cause my parents always cooked,” she added. “My sister and I would help in the kitchen. My mom taught us at a young age. Food was always a big part of the time in our household. We had dinner together every night with out any outside calls or television. I am raising my family that way. When it is dinner time, we are all at the table together.”

Rachel doesn’t have a memory of her family going to a restaurant aside from a family member’s birthday when she was growing up. They always cooked.

Her aunts and grandpar ents also have a love for cooking. There are a lot of fishermen in her family. If someone has a great catch from a deep sea fishing trip or taking the boat out, they would all get a call to come for dinner. Her parents would go rock lob ster diving in Key West, scalloping or looking for clams. Rachel’s favorite

Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and heavy cream. Serve immedi ately. If desired, top with tortilla chips, cheese and avocados. I prefer to serve over cornbread.

BLACK BEAN SALSA

2 cans white shoepeg corn, drained

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

¾ cup chopped onion ¾ cup chopped red pepper

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

½ cup balsamic vin egar

⅓ cup olive oil

1½ Tbsp. Dijon mus tard

¼ cup chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the next 5 ingredients. Pour over the salsa, mix well and chill for at least an hour. Salsa is best the next day.

COWBOY COOKIES

Laura Bush 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. ground cinna mon

1 tsp. salt

1½ cups (3 sticks) but ter, room temperature

1½ cups granulated sugar

1½ cups packed lightbrown sugar

3 large eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups milk choco late chips

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup sweetened coco nut flakes

2 cups chopped pecans (8 ounces)

Heat oven to 350 de grees. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. In a very large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer at medi um speed until smooth.

Gradually beat in sugars and combine thoroughly.

was when her uncle would catch redfish.

“We always ate a lot of seafood,” she said. “I cook a lot of fish now.

Rachel wants to teach her children to cook. Jack has his own apron and enjoys helping to stir when she is baking. He is learning num bers as they are mixing the batter. She plans to have Jack help her bake every few weeks.

Rachel is sharing several of her favorite recipes. Two of the recipes are from her mom, the Floridian Fish Tacos and Sautéed Tilapia with Lemon Caper Sauce that she has been making for over 20 years.

Aunt Dee’s Quiche is her maternal aunt’s recipe. “It’s always a big hit,” Rachel said. “She is a fantastic cook. The Black Bean Sal sa recipe is from a college friend’s mom. She writes a blog about SEC tailgating.

“The Smoked Salmon Cracker is my stepdad’s recipe. He is the king of the smoker as well as the grill.”

Rachel created the

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mix ture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

For each cookie, drop ¼ cup dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until edges are lightly browned; rotating sheets halfway through. Place cookies on a rack to cool. Note: this recipe makes 3 dozen. I usually freeze half of the dough for later.

MY SISTER’S BAKED STUFFED APPLES

Serve with vanilla ice cream 4 medium apples, washed

⅓ cup packed lightbrown sugar

½ cup quick-cooking oats

3 Tbsp. softened butter

⅓ cup chopped walnuts

½ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. nutmeg

Juice from ½ a lemon

½ cup apple juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples just around the tops and remove cores, taking care not to pierce through the bottom of the apple. Be sure to make a nice wide core, so there is plenty of room for the filling.

In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, oats, butter, walnuts, spic es and lemon juice until crumbly. Divide mixture equally between the ap ples, stuffing it in their cores, and mounding it a bit at the top.

Place apples in an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and pour the apple juice all around the bottom. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender. Serve warm with ice cream spooned over the top.

SMOKE SALMON CRACKERS

This is my stepdad’s recipe 1 lb. filet of salmon

½ Tbsp. soy sauce

Montreal steak sea soning

Creamy White Chili by combining a few online recipes, and she made a few slight modifications on the Cowboy Cookies from Former First Lady Laura Bush. The Baked Apples is a fall favorite from Ra chel’s sister.

Another favorite is Thai Chicken Wraps, a recipe from Rachel’s first cook book. She has a sweet memory of going to a bookstore with her mom to find the cookbook before she left for college.

The Whites are glad they settled in this area to raise their family. “Drew and I love living here for reasons that are widely shared among residents,” said Ra chel. “People are genuine, families are central, values remain strong and the com munity is both intact and thriving. A lot of places in our country can’t say that about their towns or cities anymore.

“Auburn-Opelika is very blessed, and I hope people understand that and work to keep it that way.”

Chive and onion cream cheese

Triscuit crackers

Prepare smoker (if you don’t have a smoker, you can cook over indirect heat on a gas grill). Pour soy sauce over the salmon, then cover the salmon with a light layer of Montreal steak seasoning. Place fish directly on the top rack of your smoker. Smoke for 30-45mins depending on the thickness of the filet. Remove from the smoker and serve on top of crack ers with cream cheese. If you wish to serve your fish chilled on top of your crack ers, you may smoke the day before.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE BARS

3 cups pecan halves and pieces

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup powdered sugar

¾ cup cold butter, cubed ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

1½ cups semisweet choc olate chips

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup butter, melted 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stir ring halfway through. Line bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides. Lightly grease foil.

Pulse flour and next 3 ingredients in a food pro cessor 5 to 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture on bot tom and 3/4 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 15 min utes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle chocolate over warm crust. Cool complete ly on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).

Whisk together brown sugar and next 3 ingredients until smooth. Stir in coconut and toasted pecans, and spoon into prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25

— Resting Pulse Brewery

Cat Ridgeway | Cat

Carter — The Jailhouse

7:30 p.m.

Martha’s Trouble |

Goldpine — John Emerald Distillery

Peter Bradley Adams — Irish Bred Pub

8 p.m.

Grayson Capps — Heritage House

Kim Richey | Meaghan

Farrell — Market St Paint Shop

8:30 p.m.

Kristian Bush — Resting Pulse Brewery

Paul Mcdonald — The Jailhouse 9 p.m.

Shawn Mullins | Glenn

Phillips — John Emerald Distillery

John Paul White — Irish Bred Pub

10:30 p.m.

Larry Mitchell Band + Guest — John Emerald Distillery

SATURDAY, OCT. 15

10 a.m.

Songwriters Workshop

With Jeff Black & Kim Richey — The Sound Wall

Larry Mitchell — Heritage House 10:30 a.m.

Wyatt Espalin | Cat Carter — Market Street Paint Shop 11 a.m.

Student Songwriter Showcase — Mia Rogers | Brody Collins | Mae Mckoy — John Emerald Distillery

Guitar Tone Workshop

With Larry Mitchell & Cooper Carter — Heritage House

Noon

Jeff Black, Grayson Capps, Abe Partridge — Irish Bred Pub

12:30 p.m.

Nashville Round Hosted By Larry Mitchell — Randi Driscoll | Jeff Coplan | Kim Mclean — John Emerald Distillery

12:30 p.m. Gates Open To Main Stage 1:15 p.m.

Goldpine — Main Stage 2 p.m.

Rickie Lee Jones — Main Stage 3:30 p.m.

Indigo Girls — Main Stage 5 p.m. Whiskey Tasting

For VIP Ticket Holders — John Emerald Distillery

Swine & Wine — Heritage House

Haraway Brothers — Resting Pulse Brewery 5:30 p.m.

Jennifer Lynn Simpson | Dave Potts — Market St Paint Shop

6 p.m.

Webster’s Wheel | Murph Murphy — The Jailhouse

Cat Carter | Stephanie Jeck — Heritage House 6:30 p.m.

Wyatt Edmondson | Cat Ridgeway — John Emerald Distillery

Katie Martin | The Bard Of Baldwin County — Irish Bred Pub 7 p.m.

Abe Partridge — Resting Pulse Brewery

Bb Palmer | Mutt Cooper — Market St Paint Shop

7:30 p.m.

Meaghan Farrell | Mark True —Heritage House

Goldpine | Wyatt Espalin — The Jailhouse 8 p.m.

Kim Richey | Jeff Black — John Emerald Distillery

Michelle Malone — Irish Bred Pub

8:30 p.m.

Glenn Phillips — Resting Pulse Brewery

Bradley Cole Smith — Market St Paint Shop

John Paul White — Heritage House

9 p.m.

Dan Navaro — The Jailhouse

9:30 p.m.

Grayson Capps | Paul Mcdonald — John Emerald Distillery

Shawn Mullins — Irish Bred Pub

11 p.m.

Larry Mitchell Band + Guest — John Emerald Distillery

SUNDAY, OCT. 16

10:30 a.m. VIP Brunch

By Chef Chris Wilton +

In The Round Concert

— Shawn Mullins | Kim Richey | Paul Mcdonald | Glen Phillips | Abe Partridge — Resting Pulse

11 a.m.

How To Livestream - Workshop With Larry Mitchell — The Sound Wall

1 p.m.

Cousin Curtiss — Resting Pulse Brewery

2 p.m.

Canyonland — Resting Pulse Brewery.

Every Wednesday in October at Courthouse Square.

Our New

to 30 minutes or until golden and set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).

Chill 1 hour. Lift baked bars from pan, using foil sides as handles. Transfer to a cutting board; cut into bars.

AUNT DEE’S QUICHE

Crust:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

⅔ cup shortening

4 Tbsp. water, cold

Filling:

6 slices bacon

⅓ cup chopped onions

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

6 large eggs

1½ cups half & half

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

⅛ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

For the dough, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add shortening and gradually work it into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter. The mixture should be crumbly.

Add cold water and stir until combined. Roll in a flat discshape, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate about an hour or until firm. Generously flour your surface. Roll out dough in a 13-14 inch diameter to fit a 9 ich deep dish pie plate. Carefully place rolled dough in pie plate. Try not to stretch or tear. Fold the excess dough under to create a border.

For the quiche, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pan, cook bacon over medium heat. Remove and crumble.

Drain all but 1-2 tablespoons

of the bacon grease from the pan. Add on ions and mushrooms, and cook for about 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender. Set aside.

Defrost and drain spinach. Shred Swiss cheese. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and the next 4 ingredients.

Spread crumbled bacon evenly over the bottom of the pie crust, repeat with on ions and mushrooms, spinach, then cheese.

Pour egg mixture into the pie crust.

Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and cook uncovered for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.

Can serve immediately or reheat the next day.

FRENCH TOAST MUFFINS

Muffins:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. baking powder ½ cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg ½ cup milk ⅓ cup butter, melted

1 large egg

Non-stick cooking spray

Topping:

½ cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon ½ cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add milk, butter, and egg. Stir until combined. Be sure not to overmix; the batter should be a bit lumpy. Scoop batter into a muffin tin that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they just start to turn golden at the edges.

For the topping, mix sug ar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another small bowl. Dip the warm muffins in melted but ter, then dip/roll the muffin in cinnamon sugar mixture.

What's Happening in Lee County

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Oct. 14 through 16: Opelika Songwriters Festival in downtown Opelika

Oct. 15: Changing Hearts and Destiny and True Deliverance Health and Resource Fair and Fall Festival

Oct. 15: Fall Boogie at Standard Deluxe

NAMI MEETING

NAMI East Alabama, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will meet on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

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.

TRUNK-OR-TREAT

Monday, Oct. 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Lee County Justice Center

Join the Lee County Sheriff's Office for a festive and fun Trunk-or-Treat! Trunk-or-Treat with our deputies and enjoy getting up close to your favor ite law enforcement vehicles. All while showing off your family's awesome Halloween costumes! Toys will be available for children with food sensitivi ties. There is no cost for this event.

O GROWS — SATURDAYS AT THE GARDEN

Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon outside the Southside Center for the Arts, located at 1103 Glenn St. in Opelika. Activities will include planting, storytime, crafts or art projects for children and hanging out with the goats.

MOPS International encourages and equips moms of young children to realize their potential as mothers, women and leaders in relationship with Jesus, and in partnership with the local church. Preschool mothers learn to take time out for motherhood during MOPS meetings around a theme and discussion. MOPS helps moms share their experiences and learn more about children’s unique needs from infants to kindergarten.

During MOPS’ meetings, a Moppets program is available for children. This program is taught and facilitated by volunteer childcare teach ers. This program allows little ones to work on lessons, activities, arts, crafts, and play. While the mothers are making friends, their children are too.

Auburn/Opelika MOPS meets twice a month on the first and third Thursday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at Pepperell Baptist Church at 2702 2nd Ave. in Opelika. MOPS’ autumn schedule is Sept. 15; Oct. 6, 20; Nov. 3, 17 and Dec. 1 and 15.

The MOPS theme this year is "coming together as friends." You can contact Coordinators Rachel Elrod at 706-244-5620 and Kaela Sexton at 719-351-8093, or you can email auburnopelikamops@gmail.com.

LEE/RUSSELL COUNTY LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP

The 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 Drive in Opelika. Every month there will be different topics discussed to make life more manageable living with low vision. Contact Shiquita Fulton, M. ED/Vision Rehab Therapist for additional details at 334-705-2024, or Melody Wilson, case manager for the blind, at 256-368-3258.

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.

A Y

S

CHRISTMAS MARKET 2022

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022

Auburn United Methodist Church

137 S. Gay St. in Auburn from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There is no admission to attend. Park ing is available in the church lots on Magnolia and on Gay streets.

Shop local arts, crafts, food, traditional baked goods, frozen soups and casseroles.

For more than 50 years the United Women of Faith at Auburn United Meth odist Church have used all proceeds from their annual Christmas Market to support local area missions.

FISH FRY & BAKE SALE

The Standing Rock, Alabama Fish Fry & Bake Sale is set for Oct. 22, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central Time at the old Standing Rock Community Center on Chambers County Road 278 in downtown Standing Rock, Alabama. Tickets are $15, and plates consist of fried catfish fillets, french fries, hush puppies, coleslaw, lemons, pickles and onions. Plates are available for dine-in or carryout, rain or shine. For tickets, call 706-333-8559 or 706-586-0252.

Proceeds benefit the Standing Rock, Alabama Community Center Building Project.

AUBURN/OPELIKA MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS (MOPS) UNITE

ohn assures the disciples he is writing in 1:1-4 of his first letter that the message they had shared with them about Christ was rooted in historical reality. There were Gnostic influencers who were spreading the heresy that Christ had not come in the flesh (see this in 2 John v. 7). John wants them to

Living In The Light

k-n-o-w that this is not the case.

He continues throughout the letter to assure them in regard to how different aspects of discipleship — keeping God’s commands (2:3ff), doing what is right (3:10), loving each other (3:14) — all help them to “know” they belong to God. This reaches a pinnacle in 5:13 when he tells them he has written to them that they might know that they have eternal life.

This is all good news for the disciple because we need all the assurance we can get. When we’re with other believers, few of us struggle with security. But when we’re alone, struggling, going through a dark time with our back up against the wall — it’s a

different story. We need to know God is with us. The assurance that John writes about is water to a thirsty person.

But it doesn’t stop there.

God’s purpose for us isn’t to bask in our blessed assurance holy huddles while the world remains in darkness. We’ve been liberated to live in the light, so that’s where John quickly moves the discussion in 1:5ff. The Gnostics claimed that since the body was evil, they weren’t responsible for what it did (That was convenient, wasn’t it?). All that mattered was enlightenment or knowing (gnosis), hence the label Gnostic.

John blows that out of the water when he writes, “If we claim to have fellowship

BIBLE

with Him but walk in darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth,” (v. 6).

Straightforward speech that leaves no room for misunderstanding. Anyone professing to be a disciple of Jesus who l-i-v-e-d in darkness was lying to others and themselves — no matter how many likes or followers they might have received.

John wants us to understand that the deliverance that begins when we come into Christ continues as we walk in the light. A lot of important things are in the light. God is the light (v. 5), and therefore in the light (v. 7). Fellowship with one another takes place in the light, as does our continued purification from sin (v. 7).

Living in the light is where life is! Because the Gnostics didn’t take responsibility for the sins committed by the body, they held themselves to be sinless (v. 8, 10). Can you imagine anything sadder than a person in denial about what is obvious to the world? It was Pascal who made the observation that there are only two kinds of people: the righteous who think they are sinners and sinners who think they are righteous. No one who thinks they are without sin is in the light.

Disciples know they’re not perfect, they’re just forgiven and living in the light.

You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: a-taste-ofgrace-with-bruce-green.

OF THE WEEK

CHURCH DIRECTORY

ANGLICAN

The Good Shepherd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika

APOSTOLIC HOLINESS

God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672

BAPTIST

Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528

Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270,

The public is invited to Hallelujah Night!

First Freewill Baptist Church and The Living Way Ministries’ fall festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 3000 Columbus Parkway in Opelika. Wear you costumes and join us for pony rides, hayrides, a petting zoo, games, candy and a cake/ cupcake walk. A hotdog, chips and a drink will be provided, all free of charge. (No gory costumes please.)

Valley 334-705-0538

AFB - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117

Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487

Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184

High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750

Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108

Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166,

Opelika 334-745-4608

Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461

CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika

10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181

Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721

Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015

EPISCOPAL

Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054

METHODIST Auburn United

Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800

Beulah United Methodist Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755

NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148

Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949

St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319

PRESBYTERIAN Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151

BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika

WALTER ALBRITTON

RELIGION —

October is an exciting month for major league baseball fans. Playoffs decide which teams will compete for the title of World Series Champions for 2022. As always in competitive sports, a key factor will be self-confidence.

Winners play with confidence in their

LINDA LEE DRUMMOND

Linda Lee Drummond, 60, of Opelika, Alabama, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, at 6:30 a.m. at her home with her family by her side. She was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and aunt.

She was born on Oct. 24, 1961, at Lanier Hospital in Chambers County to Benny R. Lee and Eleanor Faye Lee (Thompson). Linda is survived by her husband David Drummond of Valley, Alabama of whom she was married to for 33 years, daughters Jordan Drummond of Atlanta and Mallory Drummond of Opelika, her mother Eleanor Faye Lee (Thompson) of Lanett, Alabama, sisters Abbey Lee and Benita Owens (David) both of Opelika, and niece Maggie Monroe and nephew Benjamin Owens also of Opelika.

A native of Opelika, Linda graduated from Opelika High School in 1980. Linda then attended Auburn University and graduated with a bachelors degree in accounting in 1984. She joined the staff of Georgia Federal Bank in Atlanta, Georgia in early 1985, progressing from Audit Assistant to Bank Officer and Audit Manager. Linda earned

Who Do You Think You Are?

ability to win. This was never demonstrated more clearly than in the life of baseball pitcher Orel Hershiser. Orel lacked confidence in himself until he put on a Dodgers uniform and began playing for Manager Tommy Lasorda. In his book, “Out of the Blue”, Hershiser recalls the day Lasorda called him aside and began shouting at him: “You don’t believe in yourself. You’re scared to pitch in the big leagues. You’ve got good stuff. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t have hired you. I’ve seen guys come and go, son, and you’ve got it. Be

her CPA (Certified Public Accountant) designation in May 1987, passing all four parts the first time.

In October 1990, Linda relocated back to her hometown and joined the staff of CharterBank.

Linda created the bank's first Internal Audit function and was instrumental in the early growth and development of CharterBank. In 2003, she transitioned into sales and commercial banking and was named Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for the Valley, Alabama and West Point, Georgia Markets. In November 2004, Linda accepted the position of Regional Manager for Lee County.

Linda completed her career in 2016, after serving CharterBank for 26 years and as Lee County banking president for 14 years.

During Linda's service with the bank, she was instrumental in helping customers and friends borrow, save, and meet various financial needs.

As a commercial lender, Linda provided financial advice for numerous businesses throughout Lee County, helping many from start-up through growth and expansion. She was also a community leader, serving in various roles with local charities and civic organizations such

aggressive. Be a bulldog out there. That’s going to be your new name: Bulldog. With that name, you’ll scare the batters to death. Starting today, I want you to believe you are the best pitcher in baseball.

Look at that hitter and say, ‘There is no way you can ever hit me.’”

Orel began to believe in himself and became a great pitcher, winning 204 games in his career, earning the Cy Young award in 1988 and being named the MVP of the World Series that year. He excelled not only because of his skills but because Lasorda inspired him to believe in himself.

What you believe

about yourself makes a powerful difference.

If you think you are a poor sinner struggling to be a Christian, you will live like a poor sinner harassed by Satan. You will experience defeat after defeat instead of victory after victory.

Victory in Christian living is linked to what you think about yourself. The first step in right thinking is to understand what God thinks of you. Look at what the Bible says about you once you receive Jesus as your Savior. You are a child of God. No longer dead in sin, you are in Christ and alive to God. You are a new person, redeemed by the grace

OBITUARIES

as: Storybook Farms, Miracle League of East Alabama, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Opelika Chamber of Commerce.

Linda also worked to create and lead the first Parkinson’s group of Lee County and helped members receive aid and knowledge on how to live with Parkinson’s.

To know her was undoubtedly to LOVE her. She was often referred to as an “Angel on Earth”. Her heart, love for others, kindness, compassion, tenderness, selflessness and friendship was completely unmatched. She never missed the chance to help someone in need be it her family, friends or a stranger on the street. Linda was always the first to rally the troops to give aid and support to whoever needed it, be it money, clothes, Christmas toys, food or in several cases a fur baby to help someone who was struggling.

Linda was also known as a bit of a “matchmaker”. Through the years she made several successful matches of couples. She had a way of understanding a person’s feelings and needs and finding a perfect match for them. Linda was the best girlfriend a girlfriend

could have and most of her relationships have lasted for more than 40 years. She was loyal and true and could always be counted on for anything.

Over the years, Linda truly loved traveling and spending time with family and friends. She enjoyed family vacations and girlfriend trips to numerous locations: countless beach vacations, mountain getaways, lake weekends, Disney World, New York City, St. John, USVI, Italy, Mexico and cruising the Caribbean or just gathering on someone’s porch. She loved the holidays especially the annual Christmas Porch Tour party and the girlfriend Dirty Santa exchange. The most memorable thing about Linda was her smile and the way her eyes would light up and crinkle. She had an infectious laugh and if she was laughing, you couldn’t help but laugh with her.

Linda lived a full and joyous life and always had a good time no matter what she was doing. She did not want her family to mourn her death but to celebrate her life. So, at a later time, the family will do just that and remember the wonderful soul that was Linda…wife, mama, daughter, sister, aunt and friend and loved so very much but so many and

of God. Your name is recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. You have peace with God because

He has forgiven your sins. You free from your past. Now connected to Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit within you, ready to provide all you need to fufill your destiny as a servant of Jesus.

If that is not enough to light your fire, think on this: Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest of God, is constantly praying for you. Jesus knows everything about you and loves you in spite of your sins, and he is constantly interceding for you. What an encouragement. To know that no matter

what is going on in your life, Jesus is always there for you. He hears your cries for help and presents them to the Father. Hallelujah. What a Savior. His prayers for you are not wasted. God is continually renewing your hope and replenishing your strength so you can finish the work he created you to do. So be done with negative thinking. Come boldly to the throne of grace. Jesus understands your weaknesses. Receive the mercy he is ready to give you.

Embrace the grace he offers you in every time of need. Live and love boldly for Jesus because of who you are.

will be greatly missed.

The family respectfully request, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation.

BILLY JOE BERRY

Billy Joe Berry, 46, of Opelika, Alabama, passed away at his residence on Oct. 4, 2022. A funeral service was held at Frederick Dean Funeral Home Oct. 8, at 11 a.m. and burial followed at Tallapoosa County Memorial Gardens. Sylvia Howze officiated.

He was preceded in death by his father, Willie Boy Berry Jr. and his sister, Nicee Wells.

He is survived by his mother, Nancy Heldreth (Don), his beloved sons, Landon andWill Berry; his brothers, Wade Berry, and Billy Wayne Berry, his sisters, Lynne (Dan) Harper, Donna (Kurt) Koehler, and Kelly Hedden. Many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members.

Billy Joe was an avid Auburn fan (but we loved him anyway). He loved fishing, cooking and making people laugh. His infectious smile lit up any room he walked into. He will be greatly missed and forever in our hearts. War Eagle!

BUCK SANDERS

Buck Sanders, age 56, of Ridge Grove, Alabama, died Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Buck was born Jan. 11, 1966, to Vinson and the late Martha Sanders. He was the owner of Sanders Logging.

A graveside service was held at Center Baptist Church Saturday, Oct. 8, with the Rev. Jimmy Allen officiating.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Tina Belcher Sanders; son Jake (Brittany) Sanders; he was known as Big Papa to his grandchildren: Jana, Presley, Wilder, and Brayden; brother and his family: Robert (Aleida) Sanders, Britten and Sawyer; sister and her family: Stephanie (Keith) Meigs, Lance (Erica) Meigs, Hunter, Tiffany (Jonathon) Pitchford, Jadon and Clara Ann; sister and her family: Stacie Popwell, Tyler and Samantha; and also, many friends that he considered family.

He is preceded in death by his son Austin Sanders and his mother Martha Sanders.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be sent to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Alabama Chapter, Log-A-Log for Kids, or Peyton’s Pals.

OBITUARIES

EDGAR LAVELLE WALKER

Edgar Lavelle Walker Sr., 81, passed away peacefully at his home Thursday Oct. 6. A celebration of his life will be at First Baptist Church of Opelika in the Chapel on Oct. 15, with visitation at 10 a.m. and memorial at 11 a.m.

Ed, as he was known to family and friends, was born Aug. 22, 1941, in Jacksonville, Florida, to the late Clyde and Annie Walker. He was an Opelika High School graduate and called Opelika his home for most of his life. Ed served in the United States Air Force where he received multiple certifications in electronics. Following his time in service he entered Auburn University where he earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from the School of Business. His degree allowed him to work and manage multiple businesses throughout his adult career. He later owned and operated a cabinetry shop and a small construction company.

Ed had a love for family and friends. His passion for cooking reflected that. He could

SUNDILLA >>

FROM A7

ern and ancient is a rare thing — the product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations.

The Black Feathers, made up of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, are two such talents. They first became aware of the magic between them while collaborating on several musical projects, becoming The Black Feathers and life partners in 2012.

Americana, folk and acoustic indie rock sen sibilities coexist com fortably in their musical world, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of harmonies often only heard in fam ily bands. Their music

always be found making meals for those he loved.

In addition to his parents, his brother Clyde Eustis Walker of Huntsville, Alabama, and sister Anna Rhoden of Nahunta, Georgia, preceded him in death.

Survivors include three sons, Edgar “Kip” Lavelle Walker Jr, Christopher “Kris” Scott Walker (Tori), Curtis “Kurt” Clyde Walker (Heather); nine grandchildren Corbett, Jaeden, Rylee, Brena, Maggie, Mary, Samuel, Thomas and Joseph Walker; two sisters Tricia Walker Dudley of WinstonSalem, North Carolina and Gina Walker Janney (Wayne) of Winter Haven, Florida; brother Dr. Thomas Lamar Walker (Patricia) of Miramar Beach, Florida; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and a special aunt Lovie Crews of Nahunta, Georgia.

A loving thank you to Jeanette Smith and Lillie Freeman for the care given these past months.

Flowers will be accepted or in lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to First Baptist Church Opelika Youth Ministry or Fellowship Fund.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home/ Crematory will be handling final arrangements.

quickly draws the inter est of listeners, but it is the stage chemistry that will keep them riveted.

Having already built up a loyal following in the U.K., The Black Feathers have been spreading their wings across the U.S. They have performed at Phila delphia Folk Festival and AmericanaFest, and have also been awarded offi cial showcases at Folk Alliance International, as well as the North East Regional and Far-West Folk Alliance confer ences.

Everywhere they go, they leave a string of accolades trailing behind. That may also be the case when The Black Feathers play at Sundilla on Oct. 21.

For more information, including videos, go to sundillamusic.com.

COMICS

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

A Happy

OPELIKA —

The Opelika High varsity football team

(5-3, R4-2) beat region foe Smiths Station (1-7, R1-5) 31-17 last Friday at Bulldog Stadium. The win ended Opelika’s threegame losing streak, and allowed for a happy homecoming on the OHS campus.

The scoring sum mary is as follows: Smiths Station struck first, scoring the first touchdown of the game on a 10-yard pass. The Bulldogs answered by scoring the next 31 points. JC Perry intercepted a pass and returned it 51 yards for the first TD. Junior quarterback Roman Gagliano ran 2 yards for the second score to give OHS its first lead. Johnni Cesena made a field goal from 22 yards out late in the second quarter. Calvin Hughley caught a 17-yard TD pass from Gagliano in the third quarter, and the final score of the game was a 5-yard TD run by Ja'Kori Thorntan. Kicker Will Carroll made his fourth PAT.

The Dogs outgained Smiths Station on the night, 310 yards to 205. OHS rushed for 223

yards and threw for 87 yards. Gagliano was 8-of-14 for 84 passing yards, Calvin Hughley recorded 20 rushes for 210 yards and Kaden Cooper added 28 re ceiving yards.

Defensively, Benton Williams recorded eight tackles, while Smiley, Drake, Ingram, Heard, Brazier, Garner and Autry added four tack les apiece.

Opelika will host Enterprise (4-3, R2-3) Friday night at Bulldog Stadium in a region game for the first time since 2015. Enterprise is led by Ben Blackmon in his first season as head coach, after leading Spanish Fort to 77 wins and a state champion ship in 2015.

The Wildcats’ four wins were over Bay Panama City FL (41-7), Smiths Station (27-7), Rehobeth (50-6) and Dothan (51-28). The losses were to Auburn (31-21), Central (27-7) and Prattville (42-26).

EHS has scored 254 points while allowing 155 points this season compared to 237 points by Opelika, while al lowing 187 points.

Opelika is 4-2 in the region while Enterprise is 2-3. An Opelika win, combined with

Lee County Board of Education Appoints Member to District 7 Seat

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

The Lee County Board of Education appointed Napoleon “Sonny” Stringer to the District 7 seat Thursday, Oct. 6,

by a majority 4-to-2 vote from the board members.

The seat was left vacant due to the death of previous District 7 seat holder, Brian Roberson, on Sept. 7, 2022.

According to state guidelines, when a

board seat becomes vacant, the board has 30 days — until Friday, Oct. 7, in this case — to fill the seat.

“If that vacancy’s not filled within 30 days of becoming vacant, then the state school superintendent, which would be Eric

Mackey, would make an appointment of the board member,” said Lee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mac McCoy.

The board held an earlier meeting Tuesday, Oct. 4, inter viewing Stringer and

Area Football Roundup: Week 8

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

Most area high school football teams were in action this past week end. Opelika defeated Smiths Station in its homecoming game to get back to its winning ways; Beauregard and Loachapoka narrowly escaped with their perfect records; LeeScott barely broke a sweat to remain lossless, Beulah got its first win of the season and Glenwood clinched a playoff berth.

The following is a breakdown of how area teams fared in week eight of the 2022 high school football season. All stats

were compiled firsthand, by school sources or by Maxpreps.com.

AHSAA SMITHS STATION 14 |

PHOTO

OBSERVER

Napoleon "Sonny" Stringer takes a question from the Lee County school board in an interview for the vacant District 7 board seat on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

OPELIKA 31 The varsity Smiths Station High School

Offensive Outburst Leads Southern Christian to Trademark Win

LEE COUNTY —

The Southern Christian Patriots were galvanized last Friday night as the feeling of two straight losses had left a sour taste in their mouths.

“Defeat has a way of motivating,” said Jason Scott, head coach of the Southern Christian Patriots.

Facing the Evangel Christian Academy Lions (Montgomery), the Patriots used all of the weapons in their repertoire to defeat the Lions, 48-14.

The Patriots jumped on their opponent from the game’s start, outscoring the Lions 27-8 in the first half. A 14-0 third quarter in

favor of SCA practi cally put the game out of reach, and the two teams traded scores in the final period to conclude the contest.

In total, Southern Christian ran 65 plays on its way to 24 first downs, holding its opponent to 50 plays and just 18 first downs. The Patriots also played a clean game, amassing just six penalties for 22

yards, compared to Evangel’s 11 penal ties for 49 yards.

Junior do-it-all player Josiah Frick once again led the Patriots on of fense. Completing four of his eight passing attempts, Frick threw for 108 yards, two touch downs. Freshman Jackson Dooley was the hottest Patriot

OHS Volleyball Celebrates Seniors

The Opelika varsity volleyball team recently honored its seniors in the team's last regular-season home match. Pictured L-R: Zoe Warren, Ava Parker, Nylen Thomas, Rylee Long and Dasia Keith.

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.

OHS Pushes Past Panthers on Homecoming

Bulldogs, Panthers, Wolves Battle — Ohh My!

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The Opelika High School varsity football team won its homecoming matchup against Smiths Station, 31-14, last Friday at Bulldog Stadium in Opelika. For more information about the game, read "Happy Homecoming" page B1

The Opelika, Smiths Station and Dothan girls' flag football teams met last week in a tri-match. Smiths Station emerged on top, sweeping the double header and winning both games

PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

Senior Italy Slaughter was crowned Homecoming Queen at halftime of the game.

another candidate for the opening. With one board member absent from the meeting, the board failed to reach a majority vote on that day and scheduled to reconvene Thursday for a re-vote with all board members present.

Stringer is a lifelong resident of Smiths Station. He, his wife of 48 years, Sylvia, and both of their children are Smiths Station High School graduates. Stringer also serves as a church clerk and deacon at Mount Olive Baptist Church.

“I have been around

Gators Gathering Momentum

this community all my life,” Stringer said to open the interview.

“I’ve been in the public schools. I know a lot of people from public school, and I just know that the schools in Lee County — it’s a very good school system. I know that from previ ous experience.”

Stringer noted his training with the Alabama Association of School Boards as further support for his candidacy.

“That training helped me a lot to learn what the state laws are and how the school board should operate, so it means a lot,” he said.

Stringer said he believes the primary

work of the school board is working to gether to improve the school system as a whole.

“We have to work together as a board — not only with the board, with the commissioner … to come together and get things done,” he said. “Different school systems need differ ent things, and so we try to do the best that we can to try to make that happen and make a great school system even better.”

Stringer made clear he believes the role of the board is to work with the superintendent or administration, not supersede it.

“The school board makes the decision … the superintendent makes the recommen dation,” he said. “The board is not in the dayto-day operations of the school system. The superintendent is, and his staff, so we work with him.”

If posed with a dif ference of opinions be tween board members, or between the board and administration, Stringer said it would be his job to find com mon ground, not to sway opinions one way or another.

“I’d like to talk to the board member about what we’re dis agreeing on and why and hope we can get

that resolved,” he said. “If we can’t, then we would have to get the superintendent in volved and try to find out what it is we’re dis agreeing on and see if we can work that out.”

Stringer explained that he would be a team-first board mem ber, supporting the decisions of the group over that of his own.

“It may not be what I think it ought to be, but if the board makes that decision, I will support it,” he said. “We are a board; we should be together, and not sep arate. When you start going separate ways, that causes problems down the line. We all may not agree on

everything; I under stand that, but that’s OK. That’s part of it.”

Lastly, even though Stringer will be repre senting District 7, he stressed that it will be his job — along with the rest of the board members — to repre sent the best interests of the county as a whole.

“Even though we have a different school system — I know you have different areas, constituencies, but I’m a constituent for the entire school system,” he said. “I would be a board member that would for the whole Lee County Schools — not just where I live, everywhere.”

PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

The varsity Glenwood Gator football team clinched

playoff

Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Positions: EvaluatingAuburnvs.OleMiss

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@

AUBURN — Jordan-Hare Stadium was in its purest form on Oct. 30, 2021. Bleachers were chalk-full, excite ment filled the air and the new-look Auburn Tigers handed the No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels their second loss of the year. In moments like those, the environment in and around the Auburn football program is unmatched.

Unfortunately for fans of the orange and blue, this year’s matchup with a top-25 Ole Miss team appears to be signifi cantly different for rea sons beyond the contest being played in Oxford. Since defeating the Rebels last October, Auburn is a mere 3-8 with just one victory coming against pow er-five competition. The

lone victory? An over time gift from Missouri, a team widely consid ered to have slipped below Vanderbilt in SEC bottom-feeding.

As for the Lane Kiffinled rebels, last year’s mid-season defeat was seemingly the perfect wakeup call. Since the showdown on the Plains, the Rebs are a remark able 10-1, losing only to No. 7 Baylor in the Sugar Bowl with star quarterback Matt Corral on the sidelines.

The trajectory of the two familiar foes has never been more appar ently adverse than it is this weekend. There is no hiding that Auburn has its work cut out for it; the running Rebs have a clear-cut advan tage in nearly every phase of the game.

Auburn’s success — or lack thereof –— begins in the trenches. Throughout the year,

Tiger fans have watched the offensive line strug gle to provide any form of protection to their various quarterbacks and are seemingly in capable of carrying out anything that remotely resembles run blocking. The group has earned the honors of being Auburn’s worst line since 2012, statistically.

The woes of the of fensive front have had a direct impact on AllSEC running back Tank Bigsby. The junior is averaging just 57.5 yards per game on 4.4 yards

per attempt. In Auburn’s contest against Missouri, the highly touted back tallied 44 total yards and 62 yards after con tact. Yes, you read that correctly.

To Bigsby’s credit, the Tigers’ quarterback play has leant him no aid. After winning the starting job, redshirt sophomore TJ Finley lasted just three games before ultimately suf fering a grade two AC sprain and leaving head coach Bryan Harsin and company with red shirt freshman Robby

Ashford as the only option, barring a break from four-star Holden Geriner’s redshirt.

Ashford has shown glimpses of promise at times. He has also fum bled the ball seven times through six games and just two starts.

The turnovers haven’t all fallen on Ashford, though. Auburn’s offen sive unit has found new, absurd ways to give the ball away on a weekly basis and have succeed ed in generating a -9 margain, good for 128th in the FBS.

As many expected ahead of their 2022 campaign, the Tiger de fense has certainly been the premier side of the ball for Harsin’s squad; the group has not been exactly what most an ticipated, either. Despite allowing just two pass ing touchdowns to this point in the season, the orange and blue have

forced just one intercep tion, allowed 359.8 yards per contest and currently sit at an underwhelm ing No. 56 in FBS total defense.

On the Ole Miss side of the field, the narrative could not be any more dissimilar.

Coming into the 2022 season, many believed that Kiffin and company were returning one of –if not the – most talented offensive fronts in all of college football. The group has been flat-out bullying in the trenches, giving way for the tal ented duo of Quinshon Judkins and Zach Evans and earning the title of No. 7 rushing offense in college football.

To complement its premier rushing offense, Ole Miss has found yet another source of consis tently high-level quarter back play in sophomore USC transfer Jaxson

PHOTOS BY TODD VAN EMST AU ATHLETICS

Opelika Welcomes Pickleballers

Opelika Swim Rises to the Top

an Auburn win over Central, would keep the Dogs in second place in the region. An Enterprise win moves the Wildcats one step closer to a playoff berth.

OHS leads the series all-time with 15 wins and six losses, dating back to the first game in 1968. The Wildcats’ last win came when Spence McCracken was head coach in 2004.

Fans can listen to the OHS vs. Enterprise game on WKKR 97.7 KICKER FM, starting with pre-game show at 6:30 p.m., online at kickerfm.com or

on the iHeartRadio app. Tickets can be purchased at Bubba’s Medicine Shop and Victory Design until noon on Friday. The Bulldog Stadium ticket office opens at 5:30 p.m.

FLAG FOOTBALL

The OHS Flag foot ball team (10-4) beat Loachapoka 21-8 last week. OHS scored from QB Cheridi Daniels’ touchdown run, an Amiya Brown rushing TD and a connection from Daniels to KK Dowell for a passing TD. ‘Poka added one score, but OHS won 218 and improved to 10-4.

FRESHMAN FOOTBALL

The Opelika fresh man football team lost

to rival Auburn, 20-6, last week. The Tigers scored the first points on the opening pos session, making it 6-0. OHS answered by scor ing a TD on the ensuing possession, but the PAT was missed leaving the score at 6-6. Auburn scored two TD’s in the second half to pull away.

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.

quarterback on the night, however, com pleting seven of his eight passes for 56 yards and two touch downs. When Dooley was in the game as quarterback, it was often Frick who lined up next to him in the backfield. Frick finished the night with 12 carries for an additional 48 yards.

Freshman Jagger Scott scored the Patriots’ lone rushing touch down of the night, and led the team on de fense with 13 tackles.

The Patriots pass catcher saw much

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success on the night.

In total, six different players caught a pass. No one was more involved than fresh man Elijah Bailey, however. The wide out caught 11 passes for 46 yards and one touchdown; he also finished second on the team with 11 tackles.

The second leading receiver was Jagger, who hauled in three passes for 70 yards and one touchdown.

Frick and sophomore Auron Tanguma caught the other two passing TD’s.

The Patriots racked up 278 all-purpose yards on the night in what was definitively

one of their best of fensive performances of the season. The defense was not to be outdone, however, as the Patriots’ defensive line wreaked havoc on the Lions, forcing and recovering four fumbles.

With the program now in its third year, the win means more than usual for SCA, as it set a program-high record for total wins in a season. The Patriots are 2-3 and turn their focus to the next matchup, an away, region game against the undefeat ed Evangel Christian Lightning (Alabaster) on Friday, Oct. 14.

The

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES

THE OBSERVER

The

of Opelika and the Opelika SportsPlex hosted the APP 35k Alabama Open Oct. 6-9. The USA Pickleball sanctioned event featured 453 registered players.

Lee County School Board Focuses on Growth and Upgrades

BY KENDYL HOLLINSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

The Lee County Board of Education reviewed a positive financial report and ap proved several items on the agenda at its Oct. 11 regular meeting.

This was Napoleon “Sonny” Stringer’s first meeting back on the Lee Count Board of Education. On Oct. 6, the board appointed Stringer to fill the District 7 seat, which covers Smiths Station, following the Sept. 7 death of previous District 7

Board Member Brian Roberson.

“Welcome back, Mr. Stringer,” said Board President Larry Boswell at the begin ning of the meeting.

Lee County Chief School Financial Officer Ken Roberts presented the monthly financial report and cash reconciliation for August 2022 as part of the superintendent’s report.

Roberts said the school board is spend ing within the budget. The spending came out to just under 90%, according to his presentation.

“We’re staying under

budget, but very close to budget, so I think that speaks to restraint in terms of spending, but also that you have a good budget to ap prove,” he said.

Growth in local revenue has also been “solid,” according to Roberts. It is running 7% ahead of where it was last year, spurred on by property and sales taxes.

Projected growth in local revenue is a little more than $2 million, or about 13%, according to the presentation.

“That continues to be critical,” he said. “That 7% funds locally funded teacher units.

It funds a lot of the ex penditures that the state doesn’t pay for that run our schools. It allows us to go above and be yond in impact instruc tion in the classroom, which you have in terms of local units and materials, and things of that nature, and that’s what that money goes toward.”

Roberts said the school system’s in vestment strategy has not changed in recent years.

In other business, the board approved the following items on the agenda:

• a request to push the date of the next

regular board meeting to Tuesday, Nov. 15 be cause of Election Day on Nov. 8;

• the award of a roofing bid to Bond Construction, LLC for just over $2.5 million to install roofing at Smiths Station Junior High School;

• the purchase of property in Smiths Station appraised for $170,000;

• a revision to Policy 5.61, the Student Health Services Mental Health Policy Opt-in Form, which was amend ed by the Alabama State Department of Education; and

• various out-of-state/

overnight field trips for several different schools in the county.

In addition, the school board had a first reading of Policy 5.40, “Student Attendance, Absences and Truancy.”

The board has not vot ed on the policy yet.

Of the roofing work set for Smiths Station Junior High School, Lee County Schools Assistant Superintendent of Operations Marcus Fuller said the project is part of the school system’s efforts to make sure all the schools’ roofs are up to

football team (1-6, R1-4) lost, 31-14, in Bulldog Stadium in Opelika last Friday. The Panthers got on the board first, but gave up 31 unanswered points to the Bulldogs before scoring the game’s final points. The Panthers will now prepare for a bout against Jefferson Davis (2-5, R1-4) in a region bout on Oct. 14. Smiths Station could avoid the potential of finishing last in the re gion with wins over the Volunteers and last place Lee in the coming weeks.

BEAUREGARD 31 | ELMORE COUNTY 20

The varsity Beauregard High School football

team defeated the Elmore County Panthers (4-3), 31-20, Friday Oct. 7. The win moved the Hornets to a perfect 7-0 on the 2022 season. The Hornets totaled 409 all-purpose yards en route to the vic tory. Junior running back Jacori Tarver continued his good work for the sea son, rushing for 185 yards on 14 carries. Senior Quarterback AJ Wallace accounted for 216 total yards and four touch downs. Receiver Javonn Holman led the Hornets in receiving, pulling down three passes for 107 yards and two touch downs. Beauregard sits in first place in 5A Region 4 with three weeks remain ing in its regular season, and can clinch the No. 1

It’s never too early to plan for retirement

spot with a road victory over region foe Central of Clay County on Friday, Oct. 14.

BEULAH 29 | CHILDERSBURG 26

The varsity Beulah High School football team (1-6, R1-3) earned its first win of the season last Friday, defeating region opponent Childersburg (1-7, R1-4), 29-26. The Bobcats were spurred to victory by an all-around performance from sopho more Demarion Foreman. The do-it-all athlete racked up 117 rushing yards on 19 carries, passed for 23 yards and one TD and caught one pass for 22 yards and one TD. Quarterback Noah Higdon finished 7-of-8 passing for 103 yards and one TD. The Bobcats reg istered 12 penalties for 90 yards, but committed zero turnovers to limit self-in flicted wounds. Beulah will look for its second

straight win Friday, Oct. 14, as it faces undefeated Randolph County (7-0) in a road, region game.

LOACHAPOKA 24 | AUTAUGAVILLE 18

The varsity Loachapoka High School football team (7-0, R5-0) employed a balance offensive ap proach to defeat region foe Autaugaville (4-3, R3-2), 24-18. Loachapoka racked up 325 total yards in the contest, with 158 coming through the air and the other 167 com ing on the ground. The ‘Poka defense limited Autaugaville to 252 total yards. The two teams were near even for most of the night, trading the lead three times.

Senior Ga’kuan “Kuan” Palmer led Loachapoka with a 41-yard rushing touchdown to take a 14-6 lead into halftime, and a 3-yard rushing touchdown to take the lead with two minutes

remaining in the fourth quarter. Loachapoka next faces Maplesville (5-2, R5-0) Friday, Oct. 14, on the road with the 1A Region 4 regular-season title on the line.

AISA

LEE-SCOTT 49 | BESSEMER 0

The varsity Lee-Scott football team recorded its fourth shutout of the sea son, allowing just 11 total yards to its opposition, as it defeated Bessemer Academy (1-6, R1-4), 49-0, last Friday. The dominant performance was led by senior running back George Meyers, who finished with 104 rush ing yards on 11 carries with three touchdowns. Backup running backs Jonathan Meyers and Andrew Hahn got in on the scoring action as well, rushing in one and two touchdowns, respective ly. Meyers also caught a touchdown, and Parker Wright was responsible

for the final Lee-Scott score. The Warriors can secure the regular season AISA 3A title with a home game win against Valiant Cross (2-4) Friday, Oct. 14.

GLENWOOD 36 | MONROE ACADEMY 0

The varsity Glenwood Gator football team (4-3, R4-1) recorded its first shutout of the season last Friday, defeating Monroe Academy (2-6, R1-4), 36-0. In head coach Ryan Nelson’s first season, the Gators clinched a playoff berth with the win. Junior quarterback Dallas Crow threw for three touch downs — two to running back Aaron Burton — and rushed two yards for a score. Burton finished with five receptions for 119 yards and two TD’s. The Gators will return to the field Friday, Oct. 14, for a road match up against region foe Autauga Academy (3-3).

Class of 98 Honors

AUBURN >>

FROM B6

Dart. The former fivestar has shown his abil ities as a dual-threat, averaging 6.6 yards per rush and keeping de fenses honest with his talents in the passing game.

Most importantly, the Rebs have a clear QB1

and are seeing continu al growth on a weekly basis.

Although historically known for his offensive mind, Kiffin’s defense is arguably the most impressive aspect of this year’s squad. After being heavily criticized in 2019 and 2020, the red and blue have constructed the No.

31 defense in the land, limiting opponents to just north of 4.5 yards per play, generating four interceptions and pitching a shutout against power-five Georgia Tech.

When Auburn rides into Oxford this week end to try and extend its six-game winning streak over the Rebs,

the group will be met with a form of adversity that it has not seen in this matchup in quite some time. These pro grams could not be headed in any more different directions.

Saturday will be one of Auburn and Harsin’s last chances to narrow that gap.

date.

“All the areas that need to be addressed at the junior high school will be addressed,” Fuller said. “All the ar eas at the high school will be addressed. I’ve actually compiled a list of all the areas that we’ve gone through in Lee County since I’ve been here to make sure that we have no roofing leaks at any of the sites once we do our install or repairs.”

As for the piece of land in Smiths Station the school board plans to purchase, Lee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mac McCoy said it will hopefully pro vide an upgrade to the transportation in that area.

“Bottom line is, it’s the office building across from the junior high that is adjacent to the parking lot so that we can move even tually … the Smiths Station transportation unit to that house and

possibly build a ga rage on that side of the county,” McCoy explained.

The board was al so informed of the Lee County Schools Seclusion and Restraint Monthly Report, as well as the annual inspection of Lee County’s school buses.

“Of the 188 buses inspected, no buses were found to have any major deficiencies,” according to the meet ing agenda.

During the executive

session, the board dis cussed a couple of stu dent expulsion cases in addition to topics like job performance, phys ical condition, profes sional confidence and more. Boswell said the board does not vote on anything during an ex ecutive session.

After the session, the board approved vari ous Human Resources recommendations — such as employment, transfers, leaves of ab sence and more — and the expulsion of the two students.

The passing of Hurricane Ian, which left so much devas tation in the path it hit, brought back so many reflections of the hurricanes my family went through over the 30 years we lived in Baldwin County, Alabama. I can still remember the reactions from the young students whom I was teaching when the hurricanes hit our Alabama/Florida coast. As natural disasters come and go, how is your child being af fected deep down? We are all affected in some way. Young

children try to assess, at their own mental and emotional stages of development, the magnitude of what has really happened. How can we parents offer young children a sense of security in the midst of the storm when their circumstances are defi nitely not normal?

For parents with chil dren under 2 years old, keeping the home envi ronment as normal as possible is a high pri ority. Young children can easily sense emo tional upset through our facial expressions as well as our reac tions. To keep children well physically and

Love and Hugs With The Young and Elderly

emotionally, keep them on a regular schedule for meals and rest.

Children between the ages of 3 and 5 will verbalize what they see and feel. Parents, be ready to spend time looking into your chil dren’s eyes and fully listening to what they are expressing. This is a time when you cannot half-listen, but rather you must fully interact with their comments and questions. Be sure to sift through televi sion programs to elim inate ones that may be too graphic for a young mind. As parents and teachers, we have to be very sensitive to what is appropriate for our children’s emotions and well-being. Also, hug ging your child during uncertain times and natural disasters reduc es fear and anxiety, and provides security and a strong bond with their parents or caregivers.

I love the poem "Here Comes a Hug" by an unknown author. It has a lot of good advice for young children. "A hug can soothe a small child’s pain, and bring a rainbow after the rain. So stretch those arms without delay and

give your child a hug today.” What a simple gesture of celebrating your child.

When disaster does hit families and neigh bors with children don’t try to hide your reactions, but channel your reactions into a positive response. One way as families you can do this is through outreach in helping others who have been hurt by the disaster. Lee County is such a giving and helpful community. Engage your family in the ma ny volunteer activities in the community, such as disaster relief projects. Young chil dren can participate in folding, sorting and packaging items for victims. Young and older children can draw and write notes of encouragement to victims as well as help you to gather needed items from your home to share with victims. Through outreach, your children will learn a lifelong lesson of how to help others in need.

After what we have been through with COVID, in spending time with my elder ly friends, they have

shared with me that touch is the most im portant sense for them.

Touch is an under standing and communi cation that transcends age and time. We see this in the intergener ational environment between young and old. Touch to the el derly says "You are important to me. You are not alone." In serv ing the elderly, health care professionals have shared some important guidelines with me in respecting the elderly.

To give an elderly fam ily member or friend their personal space, simply ask permission if you can give a hug, hand massage or a back rub. Assess and deter mine if they feel well. Discern if they really want a hug or touch. Keep touch very simple by extending your hand to your elderly friend.

A pat on the hand or giving a hand massage with lotion are simple gestures of showing care. I would like to share benefits of touch that have been shared with me by health care professionals, elderly friends and through ac tivity experiences.

1. Touch increases

reality of the surround ing environment and increases interaction orientation. As we grow older the basic need for touch may fade, but the feelings that touch present and invoke do not fade.

2. In one-on-one interaction with the elderly, touch increases sensory stimulation and increases a sense of companionship.

3. Touch takes an elderly person out of a sense of isolation. When one feels secure and not alone, hope, trust and reassurance are expressed and con veyed to the elderly person. This contrib utes to the emotional stability of the elderly person. Emotional stability contributes to overall good health.

4. Medical profes sionals have reported that touch enhances the feelings of well-being which can decrease blood pressure and help to promote rest, sleep and general feelings of well-being.

A hug and smile can truly encourage young children as well as the elderly.

Classroom Observer, Beth Pinyerd

BETH

L labama Politics ee County & A

Inside the Statehouse

National Trends Do Not Affect Alabama

congressmen and one Democratic member of Congress.

We do not fit into na tional politics. We are automatically placed in the Republican col umn for presidential elections, regardless of the Democratic or Republican nominees.

STEVE FLOWERS

OPINION —

As mentioned last week, all polling points to a significant Republican pickup of congressional seats in the upcoming November general election. It is a historical fact that the party that loses the White House in a pres idential year picks up congressional seats in the following midterm elections. Furthermore, Democrats are in dis favor because of run away inflation. Voters blame Biden and the Democratic Congress for the inflated price of gas, groceries and everything else. Americans vote their pocketbook. It’s the economy that counts, is what they say.

We, however, in Alabama, will vote party no matter what is going on in the econo my. More than 60% of Alabamians will vote Republican. Although, the Libertarian Party fielding a slate of state candidates may skew these numbers.

We have six Republican congressio nal seats, all white men, and one Democratic congressional seat held by an African American woman. It would not matter if the inflation rate was 30% and a Republican was in the White House; we would still elect six Republican

We are colored red way before the elec tion night numbers are counted. Both of our U.S. Senate seats are held by Republicans.

When Katie Britt won the Republican Primary in June, the race was over. This race will be on the ballot next month. However, Britt will win. Winning the Republican Primary in the Heart of Dixie is tantamount to election.

The same was true for the Democratic Party in Alabama six decades ago. Folks, when we change, we change.

We do not do things halfway. Sixty years ago, every statewide official was a Democrat.

Every state judge was a Democrat. Our entire congressional delega tion was Democratic.

Today, not only is our congressional delega tion 6-to-1 Republican, our legislature, both Senate and House, is 75% Republican.

Every statewide elect ed official in Alabama is a Republican. The Republican control of Alabama politics today is so dominating that we could safely be called a one-party state, again, when it comes to state wide politics.

A prevailing theme has continued in Alabama for over a century, and it is still pronounced to day. Our state is divided politically based on race.

Over 90% of whites vote Republican and almost all, (96%) of Black voters

vote Democratic. It is that simple, most parts of the country vote based on pocketbook issues, but Alabama and the Deep South vote on race and religion. Therefore, the national congressional numbers in the U.S. House may change to Republican, but we are Republican regardless.

Our legislature will not change our con gressional makeup of Alabama’s delegation from 6-to-1 Republican. However, that does not mean that the federal courts will not.

African American Democratic lawmak ers filed suit in federal court in the Northern District of Alabama late last year asking the court to change the lines to create a second Black majority congres sional district. They ar gued that the current six Republican seats to one Democratic seat ma jority, which has been in effect since 1992, blatantly violates their Constitutional rights under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. If you put a percentage of the Black citizens, who as we have said vote straight Democratic, into having one African American Democratic congress man, that gives Black voters 13% of the rep resentation. The Black population of Alabama is 27%. The argument that there should be two majority minority dis tricts has some merit.

A three-judge fed eral panel made up of two Republicans ap pointed jurists and one Democratic appointee agreed with the plain tiffs and ruled in their favor. They ordered the state legislature to go

Lee County Commission Holds Meeting, Work Session

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

The Lee County Commission meeting held on Tuesday night had just seven items on its agenda.

AGENDA ITEMS

- The commission approved the minutes from the Sept. 26, 2022 meeting.

- The commission approved a Medical Bill Services Agreement for the detention center.

- The commission voted to approve guidelines for the Environmental Services Department for the billing responsibilities for the garbage fees.

- The commission approved a resolution in support of Amendments 2 and 7 in the Alabama Constitution related to broadband expansion.

- The commission approved a lease agreement renewal for office space with the

city of Smiths Station.

- The commission approved a funding request for the annual Lee County Employee Health and Benefits Fair on Nov. 8.

- The commission approved an offpremise retail beer/ table wine license for the Springvilla Grocery.

Following the meeting, the commission went into a work session on outside appropriations for the new fiscal year.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Lee County’s Relay For Life

Meet

20

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER BY JANET MCCOY

LEE COUNTY — Relay For Life of Lee County, a local volun teer-run event, will meet Thursday, Oct. 20, to start planning the 2023 event.

Those interested in vol unteering in leadership roles, forming fundrais ing teams or learning more are invited to attend the meeting, set for 5 p.m. at the Opelika Public

Library, 1100 Glenn St.

“So many in our com munity are affected by cancer, and we’re inviting survivors, family mem bers and those who want to help us fight back to attend our first planning meeting,” said Randy Causey, co-chair of Relay For Life Lee County, along with his wife, Debra, a cancer survivor.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness and Liver Cancer Awareness month, and every month recognizes a form of

cancer.

“Cancer doesn’t take a break, and we don’t ei ther,” Causey said.

Lee County’s Relay For Life raises money for the American Cancer Society’s national can cer research initiatives as well as support at the local level, including pro grams at East Alabama Health’s Spencer Cancer Center.

For more information, visit www.relayforlife. org/leeal or Facebook: Facebook/leecountyrelay.

The city of Opelika dyed the waters in the fountain at Courthouse Square bright pink in tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Why U.S. Senators Often Lack Charisma

(D - NY), who was ad vanced to the majority when former President Trump’s actions in the 2020 Georgia Senate race were counter-productive. The majority leader has more power over the mi nority party’s leader; in the assignment of senators to committees, setting vot ing schedules, holding a full-house media briefing most days and other tasks. (Note: Readers may think a “minority leader” rep resents racial or ethnic mi nority voters. No, it means he leads the party that has the fewest senators.)

staffer drowned in his car, Kennedy was unlikely to be the “face” of his party. The reverse is former Sen. Jeff Sessions (R - AL). I doubt he wanted to be in the Senate leadership, but even if he did, Sessions would probably get voted down. Why? Because he was to the right of even his GOP friends in the Senate.

OPINION —

President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s main goals in office were to contain the spread of communism, reduce federal deficits and gradually promote inte gration. In 1962, a year or so into his retirement, a reporter asked the former president, “What is differ ent now that you are out of office?” Eisenhower replied: “Well, a lot more people are beating me at golf.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell

(R - KY) was born in Sheffield, Alabama, and lived six years in Athens, Alabama. He is truly a success story to reach such political heights. But he is now much less powerful as a minority leader than he was as a majority leader. Perhaps more people are beating him in competitions, as they did in golfing against Eisenhower, since he, Mc Connell, fell in the Senate firmament.

The reverse is true of Sen. Chuck Schumer

I noticed something interesting while study ing present and former U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders. That is, holders of those positions are usually less colorful and exciting than the other senators. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D - MA) was never a majority leader or deputy leader, minority leader or deputy leader. That is because he could not get enough Senate Democrats to vote for him — because he was more liberal than they were.

After Chappaquiddick, where a young female

City Prosecutor Speaks at Opelika Kiwanis Club Meeting

Don’t cry for the late Massachusetts senator or the Yellowhammer State’s senator of 20 years. Ken nedy died in 2009, but he is remembered as “The Lion of the Senate” as he always fought hard for his liberal fans. And Sessions spent more than a year as a Presidential Cabinet member — he was attor ney general in the first part of the Trump admin istration.

“He holds his feelings, thoughts and emotions in a lockbox closed so tightly that whenever one of them seeps out, bystanders are struck silent,” wrote John Boeh ner, speaker of the house (2011-2015) in his mem oir. Boehner was referring to a fellow Republican, McConnell.

My thesis on leaders is that McConnell and Sen. Harry Reid (D - NV) are microcosms not known for their charm or humor. Both did sustain support over many years as they kept their senators pleased with most of their deci sions. When McConnell held SCOTUS Justice An tonin Scalia’s seat open in 2016 instead of allowing a Democratic nominee to advance, it wasn’t unpop ular but just the opposite — largely approved — by GOP senators.

As Senate majority leader (2007-2015), Reid came across as soft-spo ken yet behind the scenes he was a battler and strong partisan. Now de ceased, he was not a good manipulator of TV, but he accomplished much of what his Democratic caucus wanted. The ulti mate Senate leader was Sen. Lyndon Johnson (DTX), serving during most of the 1950s.

Many historians con sider Johnson the most effective Senate majority leader in history, devel oping leadership skills that proved valuable later as president. One biog

rapher claimed he was "the greatest intelligence gatherer Washington has ever known." He knew where a senator stood on issues, his philosophy and prejudices, an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, etc.

For McConnell, there may be mixed blessings with the Midterm elec tions. The Democrats could retain their majority something not anticipated until the last four months. That would delight Schumer, getting more time as minority leader after only two years on the precipice. Amazingly, McConnell’s Republicans could get the majority, but drop McConnell in favor of a more conservative, more Trump-supporting and younger member of the GOP.

Schumer is 71 years old and entering his 25th year in the Senate. He could hang on if forced into the minority; he could return to the majority now or in a few years. Yet McConnell is 80 and already has 37 years as a senator. Maybe when he does leave the

Opelika Mayor Declares October Alpha Delta Kappa Month

Authority; GMC Project No. CMGM190165(2). Any per son(s) having a claim against the project should notify Wheeler Crook, P.E., Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC, 2660 EastChase Lane, Suite 200, Montgomery, AL 36117. All claims should be filed within 30 days of the first publication of this notice. L&K Contracting Co., Inc., 4506 Hartford Hwy., Taylor, AL 36305, AL License# 21631. Legal Run 09/29/2022, 10/06/22, 10/13/2022 & 10/20/2022

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY CIVIL ACTION NO: CV-2022-900189.00

VIOLA REID, Plaintiff, vs.

From the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 33, Township 19, Range 25, Lee County, Alabama, run north along the west line of saidSection 33 for 571.5 feet to the point of beginning of the property to be here described and conveyed; from said point of beginning run north along said western section line 295 feet; thence east 295 feet; thence south 295 feet; thence west 295 feet to the point

of beginning containing 2 acres, more or less, and being a part of the property conveyed to the said Josh Mathews, Jr., deceased, by warranty deed from William Baggett and wife, Miriah Baggett, dated December 4, 1913, recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, in Deed Book 108 at Page 45. AND MARGARET PRUITTE, KELVIN MATHEWS AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES, including any persons claiming any present interest therein and including any persons claiming any future, contingent, reversionary, remainder, or other interest therein, who may claim any interest in the above de scribed property, Defendants.

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

TO: Publisher, The Opelika Observer - Upon consideration of the Request for Service by Publication hereto filed by the Plaintiff in the above-styled cause of action, it is therefore ORDERED that service of process upon the follow ing Defendants: KELVIN MATHEWS AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES, including any persons claiming any present interest therein and including any persons claiming any future, contingent, reversion ary, remainder, or other interest therein, who may claim any interest in the above described property, shall be affected by publication.

Therefore, you are hereby com manded to publish the following Notice of Action in accordance with Rule 4.3(d) of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure for four (4) successive weeks in The Opelika Observer. DONE this the 26th day of September, 2022.

/s/MARY B. ROBERSON CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Legal Run 09/29/2022, 10/06/2022, 10/13/2022 & 10/20/2022

--------------INVITATION FOR BIDS 22047

Sealed bids will be received, opened, and read aloud in public session for furnishing all labor and materials and performing all work required by the City of Opelika for DISASTER DEBRIS REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL, for the City of Opelika until 2:00 p.m., Local Time, Monday, October 24, 2022, at Opelika City Hall Conference Room 1st floor at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika, Alabama. Qualified contractors are invited to bid.

The bidder expressly acknowl edges, to and for the benefit of the CITY, that this Agreement may be funded with federal monies and, therefore bidder expressly warrants and agrees that it shall at times comply with all appli cable federal, state, local and municipal laws and regulations.

For more information about the Federal regulations visit the website http://gpoaccess.gov/

index.htm

Emergency Debris Removal

The City of Opelika is soliciting bids to provide Disaster Debris Removal and Disposal Services following an event within the city limits and some rights-of-way that may be outside the corporate limits of Opelika, Alabama. Plans, Specifications, Invitation to Bid, addenda, and other related documents may be obtained from the City of Purchasing Department located at 204 S 7th St., Opelika, Alabama, Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 4:30 P.M., or downloaded from the City’s website at www. opelika-al.gov/292/Purchasing. Questions or comments pertain ing to this proposal must be sent to the Public Works Director, Mike Hilyer before October 10th at 4:00 p.m. Guarantee will be required with each bid as follows: At least five (5) percent of the amount of bid in the form of a certified check or Bid Bond payable to the City of Opelika, Alabama. Contractor may be required to provide the following bonds: Payment and Performance, Labor and Material Bond.

The right is reserved, as the in terest of the Owner may require, to reject any and all bids and to waive any informality in bids received.

Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390,

Ope¬li¬ka, Alabama, 36803.

Attn.: Emergency Debris Removal

The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are sub mitted. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code §34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license num ber. Evidence of this license must be documented on the outside of the envelope of the sealed bid.

LILLIE FINLEY PURCHASING-REVENUE MANAGER

CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA

Legal Run 09/29/22, 10/06/22 & 10/13/22

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF MARCUS DUNCAN MOREMAN, JR., DECEASED

COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 23rd 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 barred. Witness our hands, and dated this the 23rd day of September, 2022.

MARCUS DUNCAN MOREMAN, III MELISSA A. KING

Legal Run 10/6/22, 10/13/22 & 10/20/22

NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE

WHEREAS, default has been made in the terms of the Mortgage executed on the 9th day of April, 2020, by Sylvia Tatum, as Mortgagor in favor of Sanport Housing, LLC, as Mortgagee, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, in Real Property Book 4561, at Page 914, and said default continuing, the mortgagee, under power of sale contained in said mortgage will sell at auction for cash to the highest bidder on the steps of the Lee County Courthouse in Lee County, Alabama on Thursday, November 10, 2022, during the legal hours of sale, the following described real estate embraced in said Mortgage and Mortgage Modification, situated in Lee, Alabama, to-wit: “Lot 12, Block 7, MEADOWVIEW ACRES SUBDIVISION, according to and as shown by that certain map or plat thereof record in Town Plat Book 13, at Page 173, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.”

GREG MARKLEY

The Opelika Kiwanis Club speaker this past Thursday, Oct. 6, was Kisha Abercrombie. She is the city of Opelika prosecutor. She came and spoke on her day-to-day responsibilities and gave an inside look at the court system. The speaker for Oct. 20 will be Adam Foutz. He is the assistant airport director at the AU Regional Airport.

The Beta Xi Chapter of Alabama Alpha Delta Kappa is pictured with Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller for a proclamation declaring October as Alpha Delta Kappa Month. The International Chapter is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. Alabama Beta Xi celebrated its 50th anniversary in April.

Alpha Delta Kappa is an international organization of women educators which builds education al excellence, altruism and world understanding. Pictured left to right: Claire Plott; Kay Spriggs; Ann Radavsky; Mayor Fuller; Jerry Barber, Beta Xi President and Karen Stillwell.

Letters to the Editor

OPINION —

On

Nov. 8, the citizens of Ala bama will have the opportunity to ratify a new Constitution for Alabama — the Alabama Constitution of 2022.

Our current consti tution of 1901 is an abhorrent, dysfunctional and unusable document. It is the world’s longest constitutional document, riddled with redundant amendments that befuddle even constitutional schol ars. More abhorrent, the document contains racial language and provisions, long since declared uncon stitutional, based on the

idea that some segment of our society are less than human, unable to assume the rights and responsibili ties of citizenship.

The proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022 is a recompilation of the 1901 Constitution into an or derly and comprehendible document. In addition, it eliminates all now illegal racist language and provi sions.

The proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022 was unanimously approved, Republicans and Demo crats, by the legislature and endorsed by the gov ernor.

While in some ways a

modest step for Alabama, it is, nevertheless, a gi ant step in providing a useable Constitution, the governing document for a civil society and removing the last Constitutional vestiges of racial discrim ination.

On Nov. 8, vote “Yes” on the ratification of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.

The proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022 can be found on the website of the Secretary of State at www.sos.state.al.us.

Gerald W. Johnson Auburn University Emeritus Professor of Political Science

Fentanyl Overdose Risk is Significant

OPINION —

Experts participating in a Facebook Live web cast sponsored by the Medical Association of the state of Alabama are alerting the public to the grave risk the synthetic opioid fentanyl poses to millions of Americans.

While physicians sometimes medically prescribe fentanyl to treat severe pain, taking medication not pre scribed by a physician and dispensed by some one other than a health care professional is a danger.

“Anyone from any where of any age who purchases or obtains a substance that is not from a pharmacy or a health care provider’s office is at risk for fen tanyl overdose,” said Dr. Darlene Traffanstedt of the Jefferson County Department of Public Health.

Physicians and addic tion experts who took part in the discussion attributed the nation’s recent surge in overdose deaths to the growing

availability of the power ful drug.

“100,000 died last year," said Richard Tucker, a former special agent with the Drug En forcement Administra tion who now consults with law enforcement and physicians on drug education efforts. "There's going to be more this year."

In Jefferson County alone, Traffanstedt said there has been a 233% increase in fentanyl-re lated overdose deaths over the past two years.

Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than mor phine, so even as little as two milligrams can be le thal. It was developed to treat severe pain and for advanced-stage cancer.

Because fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs such as heroin, cocaine and marijuana, many users don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl and overdose deaths can result.

“Fentanyl is the most dangerous drug on our streets and it is every where," said Dr. Julia

Boothe, who serves as president of the Medical Association and moder ated the discussion on Facebook. "Just one pill can kill."

Others participating in the webcast were Ian Henyon, executive director of the Birming ham Recovery Center, and Carie Wimberly, executive director of the Addiction Prevention Coalition.

For more information and resources about fen tanyl and substance use disorder, visit www.bir minghamrecoverycenter. com and apcbham.org.

To watch the discus sion, visit the Medical Association’s Facebook page: www.facebook. com/MedicalAssnAla bama.

Medical Association of the State of Alabama

Jeff Emerson

The news ther apist will see you now ….

Given my back ground in journalism, it may seem blasphemous for me, of all people, to advise folks to limit their news intake for mental health’s sake. Yet, as a profession al news junkie, I am alarmed by the rampant incidence of news OD and its harmful effects on public health, not to mention relationships.

Over the past decade or so, the glut of what passes for “news” has turned too many edu cated and concerned people into habitually cynical, angry, some times despairing citi zens.

The chief pusher is 24-hour cable news. That repetitive, incre mentally changing loop gets internalized, and a mindset develops. The drumbeat of bad news and adversarial bicker ing can create in you a pernicious obsession.

Remember, TV is lit erally a subjective me dium — and gorgeous babes and movie-idol dudes make it magnet ic. (Would you watch Ma Kettle or Slim Pickens deliver the dire news?) Ever criticize newscasters’ faces and outfits? Comment on those past-the-shoulder hair extensions and toupees?

The flipside of this addiction is apathy, which is the most seri ous threat to democracy and is to be avoided.

But you can stay in formed and engaged

just fine by taking control of your news intake.

Here’s a suggested regimen:

- Select one cable news program to watch, once a day, and realize it’s at best half-news, the rest comment or mere entertainment.

Much of it is good, but as T.S. Eliot said, “Hu mankind cannot stand too much reality.” Said another way, there’s just too much to pro cess.

- Watch PBS or na tional network news at least once a week.

- Value print news. That medium is de facto objective, which is not to say unbiased.

Newspapers are objects, empowering a literate person to scan, select, digest and perhaps discern. Headlines and first few graphs are of ten sufficient.

For national daily news, the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal news teams usually separate the wheat from the chaff.

Notice I'm not recom mending their opinion pages as sources of fac tual information.

Magazines are still best for background, analysis and long-form reporting, and their tributary online news sites are getting better.

(However, looking at screens too much is also unhealthy. But I digress. Find a healthy balance.)

- Try radio — NPR or your local station, if it still does news and not just argument for

CLAIMS

Senate, the Kentuckian will be asked the same question ex-President Ei senhower was. “What is different now that you are out of office?” Mitch may reply, “Well, many more people are beating me at polo.”

Greg Markley moved to Lee County in 1996.

FLOWERS >>

FROM B11

back to the drawing board and map out a sec ond African American Democratic district.

The Supreme Court in tervened on Jan. 24 and stayed the lower court’s decision. However, the stay was granted not on the merits of the case, but because it was too close to Alabama’s election, which had al ready begun. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the high courts have set precedents that federal

He has a masters in edu cation from AUM and a masters in history from Auburn University. He taught politics as an ad junct in Georgia and Ala bama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has con tributed to the Observer since 2011. He writes on politics, education, and books. gm.markley@char ter.net

courts should not disrupt state election procedures close to the time of an election.

We have not seen the last of this issue. We could see our congres sional lineup change to five Republicans and two Democrats in the 2024 election.

We will see.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading po litical columnist. His weekly column is in over 60 Alabama newspapers.

He served 16 years in the state legislature.

Flowers may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

argument's sake. The human voice itself can be calming.

- Get into local area news. It's at least as relevant to your life as what's happening in Washington or Mos cow. You may not care to read about a church supper in Cathey’s Creek or watch local TV feature a hometown hen that walks back ward? OK, fine. But appreciate the spirit of community, and notice how the local weath er forecasts beat the Weather Channel’s.

Hyper-partisans will, of course, keep them selves juiced on propa ganda, no help there. But common-sense folks usually shun ex tremes.

So, give moderation a chance. Manage your intake to suit your inter ests and needs. I predict you’ll become engaged despite yourself.

You’ll be wellenough informed. And you'll have the spare en ergy to zoom-in when a situation merits it. Moreover, your resolve to keep putting one foot in front of the other may well be strength ened, your perspective on humanity changed for the better and your attitude made merrier.

Follow this regimen and you’ll feel better about yourself and the world around you.

Jerry Elijah Brown was a reporter and ed itor before becoming a journalism professor at Auburn University and retiring as dean of the University of Montana School of Journalism.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN "AS IS, WHERE IS" BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVEDESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO.

Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and pro grams as a part of the foreclosure process.

Said sale is made for the purpose of foreclosing of said mortgage, paying the mortgage debt, the costs and expenses of foreclo sure, including a reasonable at torney's fee. Mortgagee reserves the right to bid on the subject property. Said mortgage is a first mortgage and is not junior to another mortgage of record.

Said sale is also subject to unpaid taxes or assessments whether of record or not. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation.

Sanport Housing, LLC, Mortgagee

Brandon F. Poticny Davis, Bingham, Hudson & Buckner, P.C. Attorney for Mortgagee

724 N. Dean Road, Suite 100, Auburn, AL 36830 10/6/22, 10/13/22 & 10/20/22

---------------

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT

FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA ELIJAH POPE, Plaintiff, v. JACALVIOUS MARQUEZ RICKS, WINGS ETC., DAVID DELANEY, KEENAN DAUGHTRY, et al., Defendants.

Case No.: 2021-9004400

NOTICE BY PUBICATION

Attention Jacalvious Marquez Ricks, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. On December 23, 2021, a lawsuit was filed against you in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Case No. CV- 2021– 9004400. Said case is related to an inci dent between yourself and the plaintiff, resulting on or about the date of January 17, 2021.

The plaintiff has filed a lawsuit against you alleging damages for the personal injuries they sustained during the incident. Per Rule 4.3 of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure, as the Circuit Court of Lee County, has granted

service by publication, this pub lication serves as proper notice to Jacalvious Marquez Ricks of the aforementioned legal claim.

Therefore, Jacalvious Marquez Ricks has thirty (30) days on or before Oct. 27, 2022, (the last date of publication) to file an answer in response to this lawsuit in the Lee County, Circuit Clerk’s Office.

Legal Notice 10/06/2022, 10/13/2022, 10/20/2022 & 10/27/2022

---------------

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The Estate of CHARLES EUGENE PARKER SR. Deceased Case No. 2022-467 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration having been granted to AMBER MCCOY, as Administrator of the Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY, deceased, on the 28TH day of September 2022, by the Honorable BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA /S/ AMBER MCCOY AMBER MCCOY Administrator of the Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY. Deceased Legal Notice 10/06/2022, 10/13/2022 & 10/20/2022

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF FLOY DEAN GUANTT, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE, LEE COUNTY

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 30th 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 barred.

Witness our hands, and dated this the 30th day of September, 2022.

W. KAROL MORGAN ANDREW ALLEN PATTILLO Legal Run 10/6/2022, 10/13/2022 & 10/20/2022

IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

IN RE:The estate of Jeffrey Dean Gilchrist, Deceased.

Case No. 2022-569

TAKE NOTICE that Letters Administration having been granted to Pamela G. Kenney as Administratrix of the Estate of JEFFREY DEAN GILCHRIST, deceased, on the3rd day of October, 2022.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred.

Pamela G. Kenney, Administratrix of the Estate of Jeffrey Dean Gilchrist, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033

Legal Run 10/6/22, 10/13/22 & 10/20/22

---------------

IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF BERRY CARL DUDLEY, DECEASED Case No. 2022-565 NOTICE TO FILE CLAIMS

In the Matter of the Estate of Berry Carl Dudley Letters of Testamentary on the Estate of Berry Carl Dudley, Deceased, having been granted to the undersigned on the2 9 th day of September, 2022, by Bill English, Judge of Probate of said County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate, are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law, or the same will be barred.

Carolyn Prince Dudley 1604 Oakbowery Road Opelika, Alabama 36801 Legal Run 10/13/22, 10/20/22 & 10/27/22

Notice of auction of an aban doned vehicle. The Only One, Inc will be auctioning off the below mentioned vehicle on NOVEMBER 9, 2022. This auction will be held at 3601 PEPPERELL PARKWAY, OPELIKA, ALABAMA, 36801 at 10:00 a.m. If you have any questions regarding this vehicle, call 334-745-2166.

VIN# JH2AF60022K000957–2002 Honda CHF50 Legal Run 10/13/22 & 10/27/22

---------------

CITY OF OPELIKA NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARINGS TO: RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED CITIZENS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Opelika, Alabama will hold a regular meeting and will be conducting public hear ings on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. in the Meeting Chamber at Opelika Municipal Court located at 300 MLK Boulevard, Opelika, Alabama. A Planning Commission work session will be held at 2:45 pm before the regular meeting. The purpose of the public hearings is to receive public comment on the following:

I.Some items at this meeting will

have a designated public hearing (noted below). Individuals are limited to one 5-minute comment period per public hearing.

II.Approval of Minutes

III.Update on Previous Planning Commission Cases

IV. New Business A. Preliminary and Final Plat –Public Hearing

1.A public hearing on a request by Anthony Crowder, autho rized representative for Crowder Properties LLC, property own ers, for preliminary and final plat approval of the Whippoorwill Lakes subdivision consisting of 18 lots accessed from 6200 block of Lafayette Parkway.

B. Final Approval 2.A request by Steve Timms and Mike Maher, authorized repre sentative for Retirement Systems of Alabama, property owners, for final plat approval of the National Village Phase 8A subdivision consisting of 55 lots accessed at 4209 Robert Trent Jones Trail.

3.A request by Brian Lee, au thorized representative for SP Opelika Ventures, LLC, property owners, for final approval of The Villages of Opelika Phase 1 subdivision consisting of 50 lots accessed from 3000 Hi Pack Drive.

C. Conditional Use – Public Hearing

4.A public hearing on a request by Emily Key, property owner, for conditional use approval for a paintball field (outside recreation) in the C-3, GC-P zoning district accessed at 80 North Uniroyal Road.

5.A public hearing on a request by Candy Lanier, property own er, for conditional use approval for a roofing contractor office and warehouse in a C-2, GC-P zoning district at 2200 Frederick Road.

6.A public hearing on a request by Blake Rice, Barrett-Simpson, Inc., authorized representative for Staley Fincher, property owner, for a veterinarian clinic (Fur Buds) in a C-3, GC-P zoning dis trict accessed at 3650 Pepperell Parkway.

7.A public hearing on a request by Blake Rice, Barrett-Simpson, Inc., authorized representative for William C. Starr, property own er, for conditional use approval for an office warehouse and retail development in a C-2 zoning district accessed at 2521 Loyalty Loop Road.

8.A public hearing on a request by Blake Rice, Barrett-Simpson, Inc., authorized representative for TNT Properties, Inc., property owner, for a building supply store and garden center in a C-3, GC-P zoning district at 1450 Columbus Parkway.

D. Text Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance – Public Hearing 9.A public hearing to consider a recommendation to the City Council on proposed text amend ments to the Zoning Ordinance: Section 2.2 Definition; Section 7.3 C. Use Categories (matrix table); Section 7.8 Village

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Commercial District; Add new section: Section 8.28.3 Medical Cannabis Dispensaries

V. Old Business

E.Rezoning – Public Hearing

10a. An agenda item related to a rezoning request concerns an amendment to the Future Land Use Map for 229.2 acres accessed from Anderson Road from a low-density residential land use category to a mixed-use category.

If the Planning Commission votes to send a positive recom mendation to the City Council to rezone the 229.2 acres and Council approves the rezoning, then approval of said amend ments to the Future Land Use map will be approved. Tabled at September 27th PC meeting.

10b. A public hearing to con sider a recommendation to the City Council on a request by Brett C. Basquin, Foresite Group, LLC, authorized representative of Keith B. Norman, Electra Estates, property owners, to rezone 229.2 acres accessed from Anderson Road from R-1 to PUD. Tabled at September 27th PC meeting.

11. A public hearing to consider a recommendation to the City Council on a request by Michael T. Johnson (Holland Homes, Inc), authorized rep resentative for Rodney C and Laurie S Jones, property owners, to zone 204.3 acres annexed into the City limits accessed at 3200 block Columbus Road to a PUD (Planned Unit development) zon ing district. Tabled at September 27th PC meeting. VI. Other Business 12. Approve dates for November and December PC meetings.

All interested persons are invited to attend the meeting/public hearings and be heard. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Planning Director at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama 36801 at any time prior to the meeting/public hearings and may be further submitted to the Planning Commission at the meeting/public hearings.

The Planning Commission re serves the right to modify or alter any of the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and to make its recommendations ac cordingly to the City Council.

Please contact the Planning department at 334-705-5156 at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to a disability.

PLANNING DIRECTOR Legal Run 10/13/2022

--------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT H. WALKUP, JR., DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-582 Letters Testamentary on the

estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 7th day of October, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

JOHN KNOX WALKUP

Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey

Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 10/13/2022, 10/20/2022 & 10/27/2022

--------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ALICE T. WALKUP, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-583 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 7th day of October, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

JOHN KNOX WALKUP

Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 10/13/2022, 10/20/2022 & 10/27/2022

PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The Estate of WILLIE TAYLOR, Deceased. Case No. 2022-576

NOTICE OF HEARING

TO: WILLIE R. TAYLOR (RODRIGUEZ) Address

Unknown AND ANY UNKNOWN heirs of WILLIE TAYLOR,. deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition To Probate the Last Will and Testament of the Estate of WILLIE TAYLOR, deceased has been filed in the Lee County Probate Office. A hearing has been set for the 15'h day of December, 2022 at l0:00 a.m. central time, electronically via "ZOOM". Please contact the Lee County Probate Court at 334-7373670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the hearing of the Petition to Probate the Last Will and Testament of the Estate of WILLIE TAYLOR, deceased.

Bill English Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama Legal Run 10/13/2022 & 10/20/2022 & 10/27/2022