The Observer 11-23-2022

Anders Celebrates Positive Growth, Change in State of City Address

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

There are many mile stones to celebrate and upgrades to anticipate in coming years, according to Auburn Mayor Ron Anders.

In his fourth annual State of the City address, held Nov. 16 at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, Anders discussed Auburn’s growth and how the city is working to keep up with progress, while re maining true to its traditional roots.

“As we grow, I believe the things that are essential to Auburn will not be lost,”

East Alabama Boys & Girls Clubs Names New Director of Operations

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

OPELIKA —

The Boys and Girls Clubs of East Alabama announced last week that A.J. Harris will be the organization’s new direc tor of operations. Harris most recently served as the director of Public Affairs & Compliance with his previous em ployer and is no stranger to the Boys & Girls Club movement, once serving as a teen director and athletic director early in his professional journey.

As director of op erations, Harris will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, as well as ensuring that the club experience for members and families produces high-quality, data-driven

results.

“A.J.’s experience in scaling organizations and developing highly functional operations departments is critical for our next phase of

growth,” said Boys and Girls Clubs of East Alabama CEO Richard Curry. “I am excited about his leadership and the future of our organi zation.”

ENGAGEMENT

It’s no secret that Auburn is growing. According to Anders, the city is growing by an average of 6.6 people every day. The latest census estimate showed a population of a little over 78,500 people, but today, Anders said that number is closer to 80,000.

“It is easy to think of these newcomers as just numbers, and to maybe feel a little anxious about how quickly our population is increasing,” he said during his address. “I assure you, there is enough Auburn to go around. But I understand the concerns about growth. I drive our

Opelika Main Street Names New Interim Director

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA — Melissa Munford-Mc Curdy has been named the new interim executive director of Opelika Main Street, the organization announced Thursday, Nov. 17.

“I’m really excited to be headed with Main Street into its future, growing our program and keep ing everything positive,” Munford-McCurdy said.

Munford-McCurdy will take over for cur rent director Ken Ward, who accepted a position as manager of public affairs for Montgomery County. Ward has served as executive director of Opelika Main Street since 2019. During his time the organization opened up the new Downtown Resource Center, installed the In dustry On Track sculpture

art exhibit, hosted the Main Street Alabama LAB conference, completed nu merous placemaking/beau tification projects and won 16 Main Street Alabama Awards of Excellence.

“I have truly enjoyed my time serving Historic Downtown Opelika as the executive director of Ope lika Main Street,” Ward said. “We have accom plished many great things

for this community and I look forward to seeing downtown Opelika contin ue to grow and thrive for years to come.”

Munford-McCurdy has worked on the Opelika Main Street board for three-and-a-half years and was involved in the initial hiring of Ward as execu tive director.

he said. “Auburn is not a community of buildings or roads, but a community of

people.” Between excellent bond ratings and a new $140

million budget adopted for fiscal years 2023 and 2024, Anders said the city contin

ues to consult citizens as it plans carefully to improve the quality of life for Auburn

residents moving forward. POPULATION AND COMMUNITY

MELISSA MUNFORD-MCCURDY

Auburn Mayor Ron Anders delivered his fourth State of the City address on Nov. 16 at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center.

A.

J. HARRIS

H O T O C O N T R B U T E D T O T H E O B S E R V E R

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

multiple digital platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon and Pandora.

Dorsey said “The Thanksgiving Song” has been a long time coming, getting its start during his childhood with the help of his sister Anna Laura.

why.”

According to Dorsey, it was during one of these singing bouts that Anna Laura gave life to the song’s opening lyric, “It’s time to eat the turkey and the green bean casserole.”

is available on

“When we hired Ken, we had a pretty specific direction we wanted to go in,” Munford-McCurdy said. “And Ken has exe cuted that well for us. I’m pretty much going to keep with the same tenacity in doing the things we have already laid out.”

Munford-McCurdy currently works as a real estate agent with eXP Realty, and as a life insurance advisor with Allstate, but will transi tion to a full-time role as interim executive director over the coming weeks. With her prior experience with Opelika Main Street, she said she is expecting a smooth transition.

“We will just segue [me] into the role so we can keep what we have going,” Munford-Mc Curdy said. “I offered myself to do the position because I work so close

“When we were still young children, she was maybe 7 or 8 years old and used to just sing,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know

with Ken and all the events we do. As a board, we decided it ould be a great opportunity or me to go into the lane. We will be going into it slowly, transitioning throughout the remainder of the year.

"The day-to-day will essentially change. Checking in with mer chants and making sure everyone is happy and if there is anything we can do, trying to meet the needs of people in the ways that we can — that will be my day-to-day. Any services we can provide, we want to offer them up.”

The main purpose of Opelika Main Street is to grow and enhance downtown Opelika. “Myself, and the entire board are looking forward to working with Melis sa in the interim as we partner with the city, to serve the businesses that make downtown Opelika such a great place to be,” said Opelika Main Street

“It just kind of stuck, so … I kind of built on that over the years and wrote some verses, kind of in cluded some family stories in it, and kind of went with it from there,” he said.

Board President Jonathan Savage. McCurdy said she is excited to have the opportunity to put her stamp on the organiza tion’s efforts.

“I will bring hopefully new ideas, new things to further grow the down town, strengthening our relationship between the merchants and everyone

downtown from the city to keep everything cohesive as it's set up now,” Mun ford-McCurdy said. “We got new things coming and we just want to keep the momentum going and keep the downtown area going strong.”

While nothing is set in stone, McCurdy said there is a possibility she drops

the “interim” in her title next spring.

“We did make plans to make it a permanent thing,” Munford-Mc Curdy said. “Sometime by March we will be making a decision on whether it will be permanent or if we would search for some thing else. That’s what we have planned on doing

as a board.”

In her new role there, Munford-McCurdy looks forward to engaging with the community and con tinuing to make a positive impact with Opelika Main Street.

“It’s been a labor of love, and we want to continue that growth,” Munford-McCurdy said.

The new Opelika Main Street office is located at 108 S. 8th St. in downtown Opelika.

Lee County Seeks Residents’ Input On Broadband Availability

CONTRIBUTED BY THE IAC

OPELIKA —

The Lee County Com mission is asking residents to complete a short survey about their experience with the coverage and quality of broadband services in the county. Businesses and residents who complete the survey will provide valuable information about broadband access and needs

in all areas of Lee County. The survey can be accessed at https://arcg.is/1y9D1H2 or on the Lee County Com mission’s website.

The survey informa tion will help the county evaluate the availability of broadband service and determine ways to im prove access, including cross-checking FCC and broadband service provider data to determine where gaps in broadband service

teachers and high rates of graduation and scholarship awards.

exist and how the county can improve its broadband infrastructure. The survey is hosted by GIS consultants Sain Associates and is pro vided as a service through Lee County’s participation in the Investing in Alabama Counties program.

“Firsthand information from our residents is vital to creating an accurate picture of broadband needs in all areas of Lee County,” said Lee County Commis

sioner Doug Cannon. “Your participation in this survey will help the Lee County Commission to identify areas in need of broadband infrastructure and expan sion. Broadband today is as important as electricity was 60 years ago.”

The Lee County Com mission is a member of the Investing in Alabama Counties (IAC) program es tablished by the Association of County Commissions

of Alabama. IAC provides customized assistance, expertise, guidance and im plementation resources to ensure the county’s federal ly restricted funds allocated under the American Rescue Plan Act are utilized within the requirements provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Enacted in March of 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act provides fiscal recovery funds to address

offerings.

the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local governments, the economy and public health. Each county has until Dec. 31, 2024, to obligate its ARPA funding for eligible projects. For more information about Lee County’s broad band efforts, please contact County Administrator Holly Leverette at 334-7459767 or hleverette@leeco. us.

streets every day, just like you do. I know it takes more time to get to where you’re going than it used to. While we are continuously thinking about how we can improve traffic flow on our roads and intersections, we also have to recognize the simple math that more people bring more traffic.”

As the population contin ues to rise, Anders assured residents that the city is working and planning daily to manage that growth well.

Some of the tools in Auburn’s toolbox include a program that helps predict where growth will occur, as well as a master street plan and optimal growth boundary to help guide the city’s decisions on infrastructure and annexation.

Citizens are also becoming more involved. Nearly 20 graduated this year from Au burn’s first Citizens’ Academy class, which aimed to give participants a behind-thescenes look at how the city’s 19 departments operate.

“These programs are among the many steps the city has made to demonstrate transparency and to engage the public in what we do and how we do it,” Anders said, noting that citizen input and participation is “crucial to Auburn’s continued success.”

The city also launched its first Neighborhood Confer ence this year. Similar to the Citizens’ Academy, the goal of the conference was to bring city staff, residents and neighborhood groups together to learn how they can work in tandem.

The city of Auburn is also working to increase efforts to keep residents informed, Anders said. Some of those efforts include new, dedicated social medial channels for Public Safety, Parks and Rec reation and the Auburn Public Library. The Auburn Public Safety and FixIt apps also seek to streamline communi cation between Auburn resi dents and city departments.

Anders also encouraged residents to stay informed by watching city council meet ings, subscribing to the city’s e Notifier, reading the Open Mind newsletter and listening to the Open Mind podcast. He said the city is also working on an upgraded online news page.

“It’s important to us to make information available to you, where you are,” Anders said. “If there’s a way you’d prefer to hear from us that we’re not already providing, I know our staff would love to hear from you.”

SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES

Anders spotlighted the city’s “outstanding public and private schools,” noting its high rankings on state and national lists, award-winning

In addition, Anders said J.F. Drake Middle School has undergone “significant improvements,” including a new cafeteria, fine arts build ing and academic building, with more improvements set for existing buildings. A new gymnasium is almost com plete at East Samford School, and nearly 170 new parking spaces were recently added at Auburn High School.

Next year, the city will also welcome Woodland Pines Elementary School on Farm ville Road, serving students from kindergarten through second grade. It will be the city’s 10th elementary school.

The city is also in the design stage of a second high school to be added off of North Donahue Drive.

“I know immense thought is being put into every detail,” Anders said.

Auburn University is also a major partner of the city’s, Anders added. With its students making up nearly 40% of the city’s population, he said it’s a priority to reach the student body and maintain a connection with them. SGA has plans to launch a video series on Instagram and Tik Tok to keep students informed on what’s happening in the city — whether at council meetings or around town.

“I am hopeful to see more students civically engaged, and I am committed to the ongoing dialogue we have with the Student Government Association,” Anders said.

The university is also a partner through Auburn Research Park, East Alabama Health, the Gogue Performing Arts Center and collabora tions with the city’s Public Safety entities.

The business scene is also flourishing, according to An ders. A few major businesses added to the city include AUBix datacenter, Buc-ee’s, HomeGoods and Publix in downtown Auburn (a $20 million investment), with the downtown Target and a cou ple of hotels on the way.

The Auburn Chamber of Commerce also celebrated 57 new local businesses with ribbon cuttings, and Anders said the local restaurant scene is also booming with the ad dition of the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center and several restaurants. But perhaps it was the construc tion of Exit 50 that gave Auburn its most significant boost as of late.

“Thanks in large part to the investment of our federal delegation over the years, we can trace nearly 4,000 jobs, $1.7 billion in investment and $200 million in annual wages back to the construction of Exit 50,” Anders said.

Several other infrastructure projects have also played a major role in turning Auburn

into a destination location.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure has seen some key improvements in the last few years, with more improvements on the way, according to Anders. Some of the most significant changes have been made to Opelika Road.

“It was a big project on a roadway we inherited from the state, and some things just did not go as planned,” Anders said, noting compli cations that stemmed from weather, the pandemic and supply issues, as well as surprises like a hidden layer of concrete.

The road has come a long way since 2011, when the city identified it as a key commer cial corridor that needed to be redeveloped. The Renew Opelika Road plan came a little later and entailed new zoning regulations and an incentive plan for sales tax-generated businesses that committed to Opelika Road, as well as funding for major intersection and infrastructure improvements.

“Since the plan’s inception, we’ve seen upgrades to major intersections along the corri dor,” Anders noted. “We’ve seen cosmetic changes, from adding landscape medians to getting rid of those old ditches that used to surround Auburn Mall. Changes in zoning regulations have helped trans form the road from a state highway into an urbanized pedestrian-, bicycle- and business-friendly destination where people live, shop and eat.”

According to Anders, the city has spent about $7.6 million so far on infrastruc ture, and more is budgeted for further improvements.

Businesses have also invested more than $97 million into the Opelika Road corridor since 2011, and sales tax and related revenues for the area are expected to increase by $9.7 million this fiscal year, Anders said.

Other infrastructure projects include the intersec tion of Cox and Wire roads, which saw the installation of a roundabout to combat traffic congestion and serious

wrecks, and the construction of a new road that will con nect Richland Road to Martin Luther King Drive.

“The council was proud to dedicate this road earlier this year to Auburn Police Officer William Buechner, whose life was taken in the line of duty,” Anders said. “We ought to never forget this great man or his name, and with the Will Buechner Parkway, we never will.”

AMENITIES

Both citizens and city staff are enjoying new and upgrad ed amenities, with more to look forward to soon.

“We are at a milestone in implementation of our Parks, Recreation and Cultural Mas ter Plan as we complete the first five-year phase of proj ects and begin budgeting for the next round,” Anders said. The plan, adopted in 2018, spells out a 20-year plan to improve these facilities and related programming.

One of the most notable projects that came out of the master plan, Anders said, was the Town Creek Inclusive Playground, which opened earlier this year. The park is 90% accessible, much higher than the 15% required by ADA guidelines.

“This bright and beautiful amenity sets us apart from other communities because its playful, inviting envi ronment has something for every ability and age,” Anders explained. “… We’re proud to see people enjoy this amazing amenity for people of all abilities to play together.”

The Auburn Soccer Complex is also seeing an $8.6 million expansion. Upon completion, Anders said hundreds of young players and their families will enjoy three additional synthetic-turf, outdoor, multisport fields and a multipurpose building with indoor courts, as well as more restrooms and parking. The entrance will also be enhanced, and a roundabout will be installed.

Anders also touched on the Lake Wilmore Project, a recreation complex that will be constructed in two phases to include a community center and expanded outdoor

“These additions will give us more space to hold practice and games for our surging athletic programs, like our youth basketball league with more than 1,000 players,” Anders said.

Before the end of the year, work will begin on the expansion of the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, which will include a new gallery, a dance studio, new programming space, relocation of the ceramics studio and more. Anders said the improvements will also free up space at the Dean Road Recreation Center for its therapeutic programs.

“These programs, specifi cally designed for Auburn’s residents with special needs, are a valuable asset to our community and have needed room to grow for years,” he said.

For city staff, forthcoming changes include a Public Safety training center, located on the former rest area site on Highway 280 across from North College Street, and a new Environmental Services and Public Works facility.

The training center will include a 12,000-square-foot classroom building and drill tower, as well as a search-andrescue maze, burn building and drafting pit.

Anders said the new Environmental Services and Public Works facility will feature more room to store materials and be better prepared to respond during storms, and it will eventually house a nursery onsite to grow trees and plants that will be used in the city’s right-ofways. The Auburn Recycling Center, currently located off North Donahue, will also move across the street to take the place currently used by the city’s fleet services.

NORTH AUBURN

As the aforementioned facilities relocate, Anders said their old facilities will be demolished to make way for major improvements and additions to the Boykin Com munity Center campus. Some of these will include a branch library, cultural resource center and a recreation center featuring a splash pad.

MLK Drive will also see a major streetscape project, set to begin next year.

“Much like Opelika Road, this corridor was identified as a gateway to our community and prioritized in the North west Auburn Neighborhood Plan,” Anders said. “Resident input included a consensus that the corridor could benefit from infrastructure improve ments that not only make the street more attractive, but help with traffic flow.”

In addition to enhanc ing the streetscape along MLK between Shug Jordan Parkway and Donahue Drive, plans include adding a 10-foot sidewalk, pedestrian

lighting, landscaping and me dians, a new water vane and storm and sanitary extensions.

Fire Station No. 6, located in north Auburn, is also in full operation now, Anders said.

Anders recounted the city’s history of investments and improvements made to the northwest Auburn area dating back to the 1980s. Since 2004, Auburn has invested more than $22 million in northwest Auburn enhance ments; with the MLK Drive project and Boykin expan sion, that total investment is set to reach about $55 million.

“There are a lot of good things going on here in your hometown,” he said. “Even as it evolves, Auburn will always be the Loveliest Village, orange-and-blue, an educational beacon and so much more. Auburn is innovation and progress and forward thinking, and yet, it is still tradition and cherished memories.

“We can veer off the path by believing these ideas are mutually exclusive. We can be innovation and tradition. … I have confidence that we will continue moving into a bright future.”

LAMPLIGHTER AWARDS

In his address, Anders attributed much of Auburn’s growth and successes to the contributions of community members and departments. He capped off the event by honoring six of these citizens with Lamplighter Awards.

This year’s honorees include Mark Armstrong, executive director of aca demic partnerships at Auburn University; Keely Beaseck er, founder and owner of Niffer’s; Shannon Brandt, longtime educator for Auburn City Schools; Michael Floyd, Auburn University student, vice president of The Jungle and writer for The Plainsman; Capt. John Lockhart, retired from the Auburn Police Department; and Stanley Sistrunk, owner of The Flow er Store.

None of the honorees knew they would receive the award, leading to genuine surprise from each as their names were called.

Anders said the Lamp lighter Awards were named for a story from Robert Louis Stevenson’s childhood in which he saw a lamplight er “punching holes in the darkness” in his neighbor hood. The recipients of these awards, Anders said, were responsible for the same — illuminating Auburn through their hearts and service to the community.

“As I tell people, Auburn’s not a perfect community, but it’s a really great communi ty,” Anders said in closing. “ I hope you’ll find your way to get involved here in the future and help us contin ue to make Auburn a very special place.”

P H O T O S B Y K E N D Y L H O L L I N G S W O R T H / T H E O B S E R V E R

SEAN DIETRICH

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Yeah, I know most folks would choose Christmas as their favorite, but not me. Namely, because I was a chubby kid, and we chubby kids preferred our holidays to center around cholesterol.

In my family, the ladies would get started prepar ing many days in advance for the big calorie party.

You’d see females dusting countertops with flour, working tirelessly on butcher blocks, wielding surgically sharp cutlery and threatening to neuter

any male who came with in 14 feet of her range oven.

The house would be a symphony of chop ping sounds, cabinets slamming and the roar of Briggs & Stratton 12-horsepower hand mixers. Christmas simply could not compare.

At Thanksgiving, the food spread was sinful enough to qualify for an R rating. We had heaps of refined carbohydrates, wads of saturated fat, vol canoes of gluten and fruit pies that were completely obscured by Reddi Whip.

Whereas, at Christmas,

all I got was khakis. Our childhood home would also be inundated with loud family mem bers. Sometimes there were people loitering in our house who I’d never even met.

“Come say hello to your cousin Hilda,” my mother would say, matting my hair with her own spit.

Cousin Hilda was 94 years old, a complete stranger to me, and she talked at length about the disruptive nature of kidney stones to anyone within earshot.

All day the walls of our little house would throb with the sounds of human voices. And even though our family was decided ly dysfunctional, it was pretty fun.

My uncle would sit on a sofa, reading the newspaper, sipping Pabst, yelling at his kids. He did this even though his kids were, for example, in

Thanksgiving

their late 40s.

Other uncles and male cousins would hang out in the driveway, trying to look masculine. This is a typical male activity at Thanksgiving — drive way standing.

Driveway standing is not a difficult sport to engage in. It goes like this: While one guy does something important, such as staring beneath the hood of his ‘77 Ford Pinto, other men stand at a distance with hands on hips, offering manly suggestions and occasion ally spitting. This is 97% of being a man.

Unless you’re a teenage man. In which case, Thanksgiving Day is all about bottle rockets.

One year, my cousin Ed Lee brought a gym bag full of barely legal fireworks to our family celebration. I will never forget when he attempted to launch a bottle rocket from the waistband of

his pants. My cousin had to eat dinner standing up that year.

The young female cousins were different animals altogether. They would clump together, apparently discussing matters of national securi ty among themselves.

Girls were always so private. Which made us boys wonder: What the heck were they being so secretive about? Did they actually think we boys cared what they were discussing? Give me a break. We didn’t care. We had way more important things to worry about. So we eavesdropped.

Then it was time to eat.

We’d all gather around the table, and in that mo ment, you’d realize how messed up your family was. Sometimes you’d look at your kinfolk, all gathered in one place, and you’d marvel at how you — the only normal person at the table — managed to

spring from this malfunc tioning group of walnuts.

“Look at these people,” you’d think to yourself. “They’re crazy.”

One of your uncles de fined himself as a “serial monogamist.” One of your aunts kept adjusting the household thermostat to “meat locker” until everyone could see their breath vapor. One cousin had spent half the day on the phone with her boyfriend having a heated tele-argument. But before food came the big prayer. The great equalizer. We all bowed our heads while the elder of our family folded his hands and tucked his knuckles beneath his nose.

First, we would engage in that incredibly corny family tradition where in everyone takes turns naming things they’re thankful for. Nobody

Oh Christmas Tree!

Forget the mid term elections and the political campaigns. The real question, the one that is truly on everyone’s mind (whether they admit it or not), is this: “When is it too early/ late enough to put up my Christmas tree?”

Typically, the people asking this question are divided into two categories: You have your hol iday-Hallmark-mov ie-watching crowd, all hyped up on hot cocoa and online savings who are chomping at the bit to dig into the dozens of color-coordinated storage bins labeled “Nativity Scenes” and

“Dancing Santas.” They are the folks who have begun sneaking boxes up from the basement and down from the attic, stashing them in corners and under beds, just waiting for the chance to crack them open and festoon every bare surface in the house with holiday swag. They’ve been listening to Christmas music on their car stereos and in secret on their phones during their lunch breaks. They have been shopping for weeks, packages arriv ing in brown Amazon boxes and orange Shut terfly envelopes and stashed in the closet so no one will peek. Their

Song.”

Christmas sweaters are hanging ready in the closet, all tinsel and cotton puffs. When they dream at night, it is of the looks on everyone’s faces when they see how perfectly the tree will shine, how deli cious the buffet spread will taste and how spoton the gifts will be. And in the other camp, you have the die-hard Thanksgiving traditionalists. They want to “just enjoy Turkey Day before you bring out all that Christ mas stuff, for crying out loud!” They ignore the decoration crates in the corner and pretend they don’t hear Bing Crosby drifting from down the hall. They are content to wear shorts and T-shirts because November in Alabama is only cold in a bipolar kind of way. They plan to watch “Die Hard” on Christmas Eve because everyone in their right mind knows that’s the perfect Christmas movie — but only when Christmas Day is clearly on the horizon. Shopping hasn’t even entered the periphery of their mind. There are

still more than 30 days to go before the gift deadline. Besides, what fun is Christmas if you aren’t racing around at the very last minute with no idea of what to buy and limited funds with which to buy it? When they dream at night, it is of turkey and dressing, of a quiet house at last and of the Iron Bowl (War Eagle! or Roll Tide! whatever the case may be).

I find myself strad dling the two camps, one foot firmly in the “Let’s wait and enjoy Thanksgiving” arena but feeling a definite tug from the “We Wish You a Merry Christ mas” crowd. I’ve been shopping for weeks, that’s true. Gifts are organized and ready to be wrapped. Wrap ping paper and bows are lined up, waiting to be cut and taped. I have thus far avoided Christmas movies, but Mariah Carey and the Vienna Boys’ Choir have mysteriously popped up on the Pan dora station at work. (I may or may not be responsible for that.) Last week, I secretly

bought a half-gallon of eggnog and drank it on the down low. I do hear the siren song of the Christmas tree and the ornaments and trim that are waiting patiently for the day after Thanks giving to arrive, but so far I’ve managed to ignore it.

That’s the day we’ve settled on, Tim and I — the day after Thanks giving. We’ll both be off work, the fridge will be stocked with left overs from our turkey feast the day before and the Iron Bowl will be the focus of Saturday. We most definitely will not be out shopping the sales, so Black Friday it is!

Meanwhile my friends on social media are engaged in a healthy debate about when it is actually appropriate to decorate fully for Christmas. One friend cited an article in Good Housekeeping, which recommends waiting until the fourth Sunday of November, other wise known as Advent. Another said the first day of December because of the rotation of the earth. (This is

the same “friend” who very publicly believes the earth is flat.) More folks seem to agree with the weekend of Thanksgiving idea, sim ply because it’s a long weekend. One poor soul suggested Christ mas morning ... I can’t picture that, honestly. Where’s the fun in that?

But, in the end, it all comes down to this — as long as you don’t hurt anybody, do what makes your Christmas happy for you. Don’t worry about what Good Housekeeping’s edi tor thinks or what the ancient Roman calendar says about the cycle of the seasons. Hang a holly wreath on the door in August if you want to. Put an inflat able Rudolph on the lawn in April. Wrap presents in September and deck the halls in mid-July. If it makes you merry (like Mi chael Bublé singing White Christmas makes me jolly), then go for it!

And if you need a secret eggnog drinking partner, holler at me!

May we all enjoy the season!

Anyone who has attend ed one of Dorsey’s live gigs around town may have heard the song before, but now the song is available for anyone to hear, anytime.

“I play it live around the holidays, and I’d always wanted to record it, and finally we bit the bullet … and got it done,” Dorsey said. “… It’s something to be proud of [and] kind of have a record of it.”

While Dorsey has re corded at professional studios in Nashville and Birmingham, he decided to go a different route to record “The Thanksgiving

He enlisted his friend Daniel Brooks to engineer and record the song from Brooks’ home in Valley, Alabama. Brooks also played bass on the track, and Hunter Jackson added drums. The song was re corded live in the home.

While Dorsey still had access to the same software used in the bigger studios, he said he was able to enjoy the process more surround ed by friends in a comfort able environment.

“There’s an element of stress in those bigger stu dios,” Dorsey said, which is why he enjoyed the in timacy of the home studio experience. “I was with my

buddies — with my friends — and I’ve played with them for a long time and felt a lot more comfortable.”

Dorsey said the love of music runs deep in his family, which has its roots in Opelika. He grew up exposed to a wide variety of musical influences, and it was his grandfather who first inspired him to play guitar. That first lesson re sulted in Dorsey, then about 8 years old, “butchering the chords” of the country classic “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” according to his website.

“I kind of had country on one side of the family, and then had, like, big

band swing on the other side of the family,” Dorsey recalled. “… I really fell in love with the guitar and stuff listening to what my dad was into, like Eric Clapton and rock ‘n’ roll stuff. I’ve kind of come back around to country mu sic and appreciating all that as well.”

Further honing his skills in the guitar ensemble at Opelika High School, Dorsey has been playing music ever since. He has also played guitar and bass for his longtime friend and fellow Opelikian, Adam Hood, “for probably a de cade or more,” he said.

No matter where life or his music takes him,

Dorsey said Opelika will always be his home. The city’s community mindset and strong support of the arts have always been two things he’s admired about Opelika.

“I think our community has always embraced the arts and tried to develop that, you know?” he said. “It’s not just, like, an old mill town or an old railroad town. It’s more than that. They’ve kind of pushed a little bit more of the arts and that community as well, so it’s really cool.

“It’s kind of changing and evolving, and more people are coming in, but it’s always had a lot really good people that cared

about the community and cared about other people.”

For now, Dorsey is con tinuing to promote “The Thanksgiving Song” near and far. Overall, he said he’s eager to keep doing what he loves.

“Lord willing, I want to just keep writing and keep trying to get some music out there,” he said. “… I’m just trying to get [the song] heard and trying to keep making more art.”

Listen to “The Thanksgiving Song” on line, or catch it on Kicker 97.7 FM around the holiday. To learn more about Dorsey or to check out his other music, visit dallasdors ey.com.

HODGE

Business is Booming in Opelika

East Alabama Youth for Christ Presents Annual Comedy Café

CONTRIBUTED BY EAST ALABAMA YFC

AUBURN — East Alabama Youth for Christ held its eighth annual Comedy Café on Monday, Nov. 14 and Tuesday, Nov. 15 at First Baptist Church of Opelika. More than 400 guests at tended to see the show and to learn about the mission and ministry of EAYFC. Staff, volunteers and youth members shared testimo nies before comedian Joby Saad performed for the crowd.

Sponsors for the event included the Hudson Foun dation, J Roarke Plumbing Co., Oasis Heating & Air, Purpose Baptist Church

and Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Desserts and drinks were contributed by Gigi’s Cup cakes, Ross House Coffee and McAlister’s Deli.

The event raised more than expected in funding, helped secure monthly donors and attracted volun

teers for the ministry.

YFC Executive Director Tabitha Vasilas appreciated the community engage ment and partnership for this event in enabling the ministry to urgently reach youth for Christ.

“I would like to thank all of our sponsors, donors,

Foods For Eye Health

BY BETH PINYERD FOR THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA —

Lee County Low Vision Support Group met on Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. Lau

ren Thigpen, registered dietitian nutritionist at East Alabama Diabetes and Nutrition Center, present ed an informative program on foods and nutrients that can improve eye health.

Food sources of vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and more, while vitamin C can be sourced from lemons, oranges, kiwi and other fruits.

Sources of Omega-3

fatty acids include salm on, sardines, herring and other fatty fish. The nu trient lutein can be found in eggs. Red meat, milk, cheese and other dairy products are sources of zinc.

Thigpen answered questions, guided the group to helpful resourc es and encouraged every one to eat the right foods to improve their vision.

During this time of Thanksgiving, Lee Coun ty Low Vision Support Group is grateful to the agencies the Alabama Rehabilitative Services; the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind; the Opelika Regional Center, which provides a home for its meetings; the Lee Rus

sell Council of Govern ments' Agency on Aging, for presenting helpful programs and providing transportation for mem bers; the East Alabama Diabetes and Nutrition Center; and The Observer, for informing the commu nity when meetings take

guests and volunteers for helping this event continue to be such a fun and suc cessful fundraiser,” Vasilas said. “We are making an eternal impact together. As the executive director, I make the commitment to boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and unashamedly invite others to join us in our efforts to do so. This good news is the very power to save souls and to set captives free. God is faithful.”

To partner with Youth for Christ in reaching the youth in the community by getting involved or becoming a giving partner, visit eastalabamayfc.org or email yfc@eastalabamay fc.org.

FROM A4

was very original during this little Joyce Brothers exercise.

Usually, everyone thanked God for the usual. Things like “good food,” and “family.” But then some people actually surprised you and offered heartfelt thanks. “I’m thankful for my mom,” said one. “I’m grateful my daughter is out of ICU,” said another.

room would change.

Aunts would sniffle, un cles cleared throats, moth ers blew noses loudly and some of us dabbed our eyes. Because at this mo ment you somehow felt connected to something bigger than yourself.

place.

Then, the patriarch would pray aloud. And it would move you. Because until today you had never seen your cuckoo family as real people before.

So while the head of the family would utter prayers for all, including the souls who left us, and those who were sick among us, the air in the

Today was more than just a holiday. This was about something much deeper than food. Today was about understanding that even though you be longed to this messed-up group of humans, these were YOUR messed-up humans. And when every thing goes wrong in life, sometimes these humans are the only ones you will have left.

By the time everyone said amen, you knew without a doubt that Christmas had nothing on Thanksgiving.

The group would like to thank its rehab therapist Shiquita Fulton, and Mel ody Wilson, case manager for the blind. Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light — Helen Keller

Opelika Community Archery Range at Spring Villa Park opened recently. The Opelika Community Archery Park includes a shooting house with 12 covered bays, with targets from 20 to 60 yards. The range also has a raised platform that provides bowhunters an opportunity to simulate tree stand hunting conditions. The Archery Park is located at 1474 Lee Road 148 in Opelika. The park is free and open to the public year-round from 7 a.m. until dark.

The Opelika Chamber of Commerce celebrated Adams Mattress Outlet with a ribbon cutting recently. Adams Mattress Outlet is a local family-owned business offering mattresses of every kind. It also has a great selection of bedroom furniture, sofas, love seats and bedding. In need of a new mattress? The team at Adams Mattress Outlet is ready to assist. Adams Mattress Outlet is located at 30 Samford Ave. in Opelika. Hours are Monday 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday by appointment, Wednesday by appointment, Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The chamber celebrated Byars Cooper Insurance Group with a ribbon cutting . When it comes to something as important as insurance, it’s imperative to work with an agency who has an in-depth knowledge of multiple insurance products, companies and guidelines — not just one. Byars Cooper offers personal and commercial insurance, including homeowners insurance, auto insurance, contractors insurance, business owners and more. Partners of Byars Cooper, Patrick Cooper and Andy Byars, are ready to work. They have built their team with high standards for excellent client communication and service. Byars Cooper Insurance is located at 1995 Pepperell Parkway, Suite 1 in Opelika. Its hours are Monday through Thursday

Stiles Dental Group recently held a ribbon cutting at its new office. Patients can count on Dr. Austin Stiles and Dr. Michael O'Brien to provide the best dental care using state-of-the-art technology while making them feel at home. They offer a wide range of services, including digital first treatment, preventative and restorative care, clear aligners, 20-minute teeth whitening and more. Patients are sometimes nervous about going to the dentist, but at Stiles Dental Group, there is nothing to worry about. Patients can watch their favorite TV show, wear noisecanceling headphones or be warm under a blanket — all while treatment is being completed. Stiles Dental Group is located at 2542 Enterprise Drive in Opelika.

MERRY & bright

OPELIKA EVENTS 2022

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Nov. 26 – Jan. 4

Please come visit, take photos and tag with #MyOpelikaChristmas

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

Nov. 13 • Noon – 5 p.m.

Opelika Main Street

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Nov. 26 – Normal Shopping Hours

Opelika Main Street

OPELIKA’S VERY MERRY STROLL

Dec. 1 • 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Lighting at 6:30

Runs thru Dec. 31

Friends of the Opelika Library

SNO*PELIKA, PARADE & TREE LIGHTING

Dec. 2

Parade begins at 5 p.m.

Opelika Chamber of Commerce

Rain Date Dec. 3, 5 p.m.

FAMILY MOVIE & CRAFTERNOON Dec. 3 • 2 p.m.

Movie: Elf Opelika Public Library

OHS/OMS HOLIDAY CHORAL CONCERT Dec. 6 • 6 p.m.

Opelika Center for Performing Arts

REINDEER EXPRESS & CHRISTMAS MARKET Dec. 8-10 • 5 - 8 p.m.

Opelika Parks & Recreation

COLLINWOOD LUMINARIES Dec. 9 • 5-9 pm

RAIN DATE: Dec.10 • 5-9 pm.

CHRISTMAS IN A RAILROAD TOWN Dec. 9 • 6 – 9 p.m.

Opelika Main Street

VICTORIAN FRONT PORCH TOUR Dec. 9-13

Walking Tour – Dec. 10 • 6-9 p.m.

Driving Tour – Dec. 9, 11, 12, 13

Bike Tour – Dec. 10. • 10 a.m.

Carriage Rides – Dec. 11-13

OHS/OMS CHRISTMAS BAND CONCERT Dec. 13 • 7 p.m.

Opelika Center for Performing Arts

CHRISTMAS MOVIE AT THE PLEX Dec. 16 • 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Opelika Parks & Recreation Sportsplex

Movie: The Grinch

FA LA LA FEST

Dec. 17 • 10 a.m. – Noon

Opelika Public Library

CHRISTMAS MOVIE MARATHON Dec. 23 • Starts at 10 a.m.

Opelika Public Library

After savoring a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends, this weekend will include numerous events, including watch ing the Auburn-Alabama football game on tele vision, if you are not making the trip to Tus caloosa. Be sure to plan plenty of good food for the entire weekend.

ociety

Ann Cipperly

SHouthernospitality

Jennifer Jones is a gracious lady who en joys cooking for her four children and six grand children in her lovely re stored antebellum home that was originally locat ed on Railroad Avenue in Opelika. The house and adjoining cottage were moved in 1971 to Blackhawk and restored as one house. Leaded glass and mantels in the

living and dining rooms are from the J.M. Burt home, which was once the popular Townhouse Restaurant.

Jennifer learned a great deal about cook ing from her mother, who was an excellent cook. Fancy pimento cheese, baked brie with cranberries and apricots, as well as green salad with pears, cranberries

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

For a hearty seasonal soup this weekend, try Chef Miguel Figueroa’s pumpkin or butternut squash soup with mush rooms. Figueroa, who is a former chef at Am

sterdam

Pumpkin Pecan Pan cakes by Chef Christian

ly Local are a special breakfast treat. They can be served with your fa vorite syrup or the chef’s cinnamon maple syrup. At our home, we al ways have plenty of tur key and ham leftovers.

What A Sweet Surprise! Let’s Talk Turkey: A Food Safety Guide to Thanksgiving

OPELIKA —

Rob Beddingfield isn’t a farmer. He is, however, an amateur gardener who pulled something extra “sweet” from his most recent harvest.

Beddingfield was pleasantly surprised this October when he pulled a 30.4-pound sweet po tato from his personal garden. The monstrous, disfigured-looking root vegetable is thought be one of the state’s largest ever, although there is no real telling because the Alabama Exten sion Office does not keep records for sweet potatoes.

While it doesn’t quite measure up to the

LEE COUNTY —

The turkey is the star of Thanksgiving, but it does no good if it is frozen, burned to a crisp or makes the family sick. Safely cooking the perfect turkey takes time and planning. An Alabama

Cooperative

tem food safety and quality expert provides a food safety guide to your Thanksgiving.

COOK SAFELY NO MATTER THE METHOD

Roasting a turkey is an es tablished method for cooking a turkey. However, in recent

Plan to

on hand for Thanksgiving weekend, including tasty dishes for watching the Auburn- Alabama football game on Saturday. Fancy Pimento Cheese and Green Salad with Pears, Cranberries and Walnuts are among the dishes Jennifer Jones enjoys preparing for her family.

and walnuts are three of Jennifer’s scrumptious recipes.

Café, prepares the soup with chunks of pumpkin or butternut squash cooked in stock and embellished with sour cream and mush rooms.

Watson of The Waver

ACES offers tips for cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving.

CONTRIBUTED BY ACES BY JUSTIN MILLER

Extension Sys

Beauregard's Rob Beddingfield with his 30.4-pound sweet potato harvested earlier this month.

Making the Grade: On the Road to Montgomery

Hill Road in Montgomery.

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

In last week’s col umn, I mentioned that my husband Mike and I celebrated our 17th wedding anni versary on Nov. 5. Well, we decided to extend our celebration by visiting our great state’s capital city on Nov. 6.

At 4:30 p.m., we took a two-hour cruise down the Alabama River. It was lovely; however, the loud music being played didn’t appeal to us very much.

We liked loud music better in our teens, 20s and 30s, when we weren’t as con cerned about hearing loss.

Also, the music genre was the blues, and Mike and I prefer upbeat songs. However, after hearing some of the songs two or three times, a few of them began to grow on me. In addition, an employee sta tioned on the third level of the boat was dancing to the music, which entertained us.

The next morning, we ate a hearty breakfast at the Hampton Inn and then set out for the Shoppes at East Chase. Being the happy nerds we are, we really enjoyed the huge Booksa-Million, buying books we didn’t need but wanted. Mike and I both love to read, and the bookshelves we had made for our bonus room are already overflow ing.

Next, we went to the restaurant whose fried chicken had been voted the best in our great state of Alabama. Mike and I had heard about Martin’s Restaurant on WSFA Chan nel 12 News. Since I am a fried chicken freak, I knew that I had to go to Martin’s Restaurant at 1796 Carter

When we entered the restaurant, I felt right at home. Southern cooking is my favorite, and I especially love family-owned and -op erated establishments. Mike and I met Miss Mary Anne Merritt, the owner, who was so sweet and helpful. She said that her family had owned Martin’s Restaurant since 1939. I admired the multiple Readers’ Choice Awards adorning the wall

behind the cash register.

Jennifer, our server, was so kind, helpful and patient. After she left to get our drink orders, I noticed three ladies sitting behind us. Being the shy creature I am (My eyes are rolling back in my head.), I asked them if they were locals.

Mona and Mickie were born in Montgomery, and Zara, Mona’s daughter, was visiting from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mona said, “I married a Yankee who was in the military, so we lived all over. Zara was born in California.”

Mona remarked on my Auburn T-shirt. All three ladies were Bama fans, but they were really sweet and didn’t give me a hard time since both our teams had lost on Saturday; misery loves company. A cliché, but quite true.

Mike and I really enjoyed talking to these ladies. Again, one of my favorite things about traveling is meeting new people.

Zara said that her 105-year-old grandmother, who, unfortunately, had re cently passed, loved eating at Martin’s and had been going there since it opened.

Also, Zara said, “This is the only place I want to eat when I come home.” Mona said that she loved the wish bone, or the pulley bone, as we Southerners call it.

When our server Jennifer brought us a basket of corn bread muffins, Mickie said, “Their cornbread muffins are to die for.” Oh, my two times. Mickie didn’t ex aggerate. Those cornbread muffins were AMAZING. Even Mike loved them, and he isn’t a cornbread fan. Again, I don’t understand his culinary preferences, but I love him dearly anyway.

For his entrée, Mike chose Martin’s Famous Fried Chicken (Chicken which is voted the best in Alabama must be capital ized.), dressing with gravy and mashed potatoes.

I was hungrier than Mike, who doesn’t often eat lunch

(dinner), so I chose Martin’s meat and three. I ordered Martin’s Famous Fried Chicken (That’s why we came there.), dressing with gravy, mac and cheese and steamed cabbage.

Martin’s Famous Fried Chicken did not disappoint. It was “slap your grandma three times” good. Remem ber, I’m just kidding; that’s just an old saying.

The chicken’s crust was perfection. It was just the right amount of crispy; I didn’t have to chew it for ever to get to the delicious, tender white meat. Every thing else was delectable as well. The cabbage was un usual, having both pale and dark green leaves, which were really tasty. Of course, I added hot pepper sauce to them because no self-re specting Southerner eats naked greens or cabbage.

Besides their award-win ning fried chicken, Martin’s

Restaurant has other entrees each day that they’re open.

Sunday’s other entrees include roast beef with gravy and baked turkey with dressing; Monday: baked turkey with dressing, baked meatloaf with tomato sauce, fried catfish filet and fried chicken chef salad; Tuesday: roast beef with gravy, baked barbecue pork ribs, fried chicken livers and fried chicken chef salad; Wednesday: beef tips on rice, fried flounder filet, Martin’s baked chicken and fried chicken chef salad; Thursday: chopped steak with gravy, baked pork chop with dressing; salmon croquettes (two patties) and fried chicken chef salad; Friday: country fried steak with brown gravy, smoth ered fried chicken, fried catfish filet and fried chick en chef salad. Trust me, run and do not walk to Martin’s Restaurant; it is definitely

worth the trip traveling down I-85.

Mona, Zara and Mickie, this review was for you. You Bama gals were a com plete delight and were so kind to Mike and me. Thank you and War Eagle!

Martin’s Restaurant is open on Sunday from 10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Saturday.

Martin’s Restaurant makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Poohsized” people never lie about food. Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in The Observer. Sta cey may be reached at re tiredlangartsteacher2020@ gmail.com

PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE FOR THE OBSERVER

81.9-pound sweet pota to that set the Guinness World Record in 2008, Beddingfield’s sweet starch was big enough to win first place at the Lee County Fair, and is a sight to behold.

“I figured that I would get some big ones but I wasn’t expecting it,” he said. “It’s a little bit un wieldy to do much with.”

Beddingfield said he grew his sweet potato crop from May to Octo ber. Altogether, it pro duced over 50 pounds of sweet potato.

“It pretty much went the whole growing sea son through the sum mer,” he explained.

Beddingfield said he had no intentions of growing a sweet potato of such grand propor tions, and that he did not do anything special during the maturation process. It’s his belief that the nature of his no-till, mulch garden may have contributed to the crop’s exponential growth.

“It’s kind of a dif ferent kind of garden,”

he said. “It had made some really big sweet potatoes in the past, but this one was the biggest so far. It’s possible this one came from a sweet potato that was already in the ground from last year. That may have had something to do with why it was so thick, be cause it had a long time to grow and just came up naturally. It was just the pretty much basic way that you would grow sweet potato. I think it was just kind of the soil, and condi tions just happened to be just right in this one location, so it’s kind of more a matter of luck, I guess.”

Beddingfield said he modeled his garden after the book “The Weedless Garden” by Lee Reich. And he said he’s found the key to growing a successful sweet potato is keeping the critters away.

“One thing I have learned from growing these sweet potatoes is … is keeping the deer and rabbits from eating them,” he said. “If you can keep them from eat ing the leaves, then that is about the only way to get some decent sweet potatoes.”

With more sweet po tato than he knows what to do with, Bedding field is now looking forward to finding creative ways to eat his yield.

“People ask me, ‘Is it going to be edible?’ and yeah, they turn out pret ty well even when they get that big,” he said.

Beddingfield’s cur rent favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes is by frying them in the skillet. His favorite way to eat them is in his breakfast burritos.

“It goes really well with sausage for sure,” he said. “But I imagine we have so many we are going to have to do some sweet potato casserole this Thanks giving season.”

In the spirit of Bed dingfield’s agricultural accomplishment, The Observer has includ ed below a few sweet potato recipes from Ann Cipperly to try this holiday season.

SOUTHERN CANDIED YAMS

4 medium cooked sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup butter

Grease 2 qt. pan. Put sliced potatoes in pan. Mix sugars well. Put pat of butter on sweet pota toes. Sprinkle sugars on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. After 15 minutes, spoon syrup sauce over yams.

SWEET POTATO PIE

3 to 4 large sweet potatoes (3 ½ cups) 4 eggs ½ cup butter, softened ½ tsp. nutmeg 2 cups sugar ½ tsp. salt

1 tall can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

3 regular 9-inch or 2 deep-dish unbaked pie shells.

Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until they are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from water, cool slight ly. Remove skins; place hot cooked and peeled potatoes in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.

Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into unbaked piecrusts. Place pans on cookie sheet. Bake in 425-de gree oven for 20 min utes; lower heat to 325

degrees and bake 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted comes out clean.

ORANGE GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

8 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. grated orange rind

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/4 tsp. salt

Place sweet potato slices in large pan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Let cool.

Arrange slices in a greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Boil one minute. Pour mixture over potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Can be prepared ahead but do not bake. Refrigerate until ready to bake. Let stand for 30 minutes. Bake as directed. Serves 8.

These leftovers can be used to create a variety of delicious dishes over the weekend, including sliders, pot pies, pasta dishes, salad and many others.

We save the bones to boil with onions and cel ery for a rich stock. This can be frozen for mak ing delicious cornbread dressing at Christmas or used to make soup. Brown or white rice cooked in the stock with chunks of leftover turkey

CIPPERLY RECIPES

CROCK-POT APPLE CIDER

1 gallon apple cider

1 cup brown sugar (more or less to taste)

1 tsp. whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, sliced

Pour apple cider in a crock-pot. Add sugar and stir. Put whole cloves and cinnamon in a tea ball or cheesecloth and place in pot. Add orange slices. Simmer covered on high until hot, stirring occasionally. Once hot, lower heat to low to keep warm.

FANCY PIMENTO CHEESE

Jennifer Jones

4 oz. cream cheese, soften ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbsp. grated onion 4 oz. jar chopped pimento, drained

makes a hearty, comfort ing soup.

While Thanksgiving weekend and the Christ mas season are joyous times for many, it can be a difficult season for many with empty chairs at the table where loved ones once sat, a sickness in the family, financial problems or feeling sad when family members are not able to visit.

This year, become more aware of those in the community who are lonely or unable to prepare a meal for them selves. Just as at the first Thanksgiving, we can

Two 8 oz. blocks sharp cheddar cheese, grated ½ can mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained (May add entire can of Rotel if desired.)

Mix all ingredients together. It is better to use blocks of cheese and grate your own rather than using bags of grated cheese. Chill overnight before serving. Serve with assorted crackers or small bread slices.

BAKED BRIE WITH CRANBERRIES, APRICOTS AND WALNUTS

Jennifer Jones 6-8 inch Brie wheel

¼ cup brown sugar ½ cup dried apricots ½ cup dried cranber ries or cherries

½ cup apricot jam ¾ cup toasted wal nuts, chopped Mix ingredients and place on top of Brie.

prepare what we have, share it with others and be thankful to God for what we have survived and for things we take for granted every day.

A few years ago, we visited Plymouth Rock and saw a full-scale replica of the May flower. We listened to stories of how difficult the voyage was for the families. They struggled to survive and to find a land where they could be free.

With high ideals of purifying the church and society, the Pilgrims sailed from Plymouth,

Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

May take a round loaf of bread and take a thin top off. Remove inside of bread and cube. Press brie with mixture on top down into round bread. Bake about 30 minutes, Serve with crackers and bread cubes.

GREEN SALAD WITH PEARS, CRANBERRIES AND WALNUTS

Jennifer Jones 2 pkgs. spring mix ¼ cup red onion, chopped 1 cup dried cranber ries

½ cup toasted wal nuts, crumbled 1 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled 4 pears, thinly sliced with peel

Combine ingredients except pears. May drizzle a small amount of dressing over sliced pears. Do not add pears to salad until ready to

England, in early Sep tember. After a weary voyage on the May flower, the Pilgrims' sacrifices and hardships were only beginning.

The Pilgrims stepped ashore in the New World in the middle of No vember. Being mostly townsfolk, they knew little of coping with the hazards of pioneer life. The first blustery win ter was brutal. Half of the colonists starved or died from the cold and pneumonia. Only five of the original 17 women survived.

The following spring,

serve. Add pears and dressing just before serving.

Dressing 1 cup olive oil ½ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup sugar Combine ingredi ents.

PUMPKIN OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH MUSHROOMS

Chef Miguel Figueroa

5 lbs. pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

3 quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock

Salt and white pep per to taste 3 cups sour cream 2 oz. butter

Sautéed mushrooms Fresh chives

In a pot, combine pumpkin or butternut squash, stock, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is very ten der. Turn off heat and add sour cream. Bring to simmer. Take off heat and blend until smooth. Finish with sautéed mushrooms and fresh chives.

PUMPKIN PECAN PANCAKES WITH HOUSE-MADE CINNAMON MAPLE SYRUP

Chef Christian Watson

The Waverly Local House-made Cinna mon Maple Syrup: 4 cups maple syrup

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

¼ cup light brown sugar

2 sticks cinnamon

2 Tbsp. water

Place all ingredients in medium pan and reduce by half on low to medium heat.

Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

Pancakes: 1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup muesli with pecans

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

1½ cups milk

2 Tbsp. melted butter plus more for cooking

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, muesli, baking powder and salt in a large

survivors discovered several bushels of seed corn left by a Native American tribe. A friendly Native Amer ican named Squanto taught them farming and how to plant corn. During spring and sum mer, they built warmer cabins. Their first crops were bountiful.

Those who gave so much to seek freedom set aside a time to give thanks to God. Gov. William Bradford de clared Dec. 13, 1621, as a day of feasting and prayer. About 90 Native Americans ar

bowl.

Mix in eggs, milk, butter and vanilla. Stir until combined. Allow batter to rest for 10 minutes.

While batter rests, preheat frying pan or griddle to medium heat.

Add a small amount of butter to pan, then ladle 1/3 cup portions for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form around the edges, then flip and cook until golden brown.

Serve with cinnamon maple syrup.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SLIDERS

Rhonda Hughes, Jefferson County State 1st Place

Winner in Heritage Cooking Contest

While the sliders call for deli ham and turkey, you can make these with leftover ham and/or turkey.

1 lb. deli ham

1 lb. deli turkey Bacon

8 slices Swiss cheese 8 slices sharp ched dar cheese

1/4 cup cranberry sauce

¼ cup orange mar malade

Lettuce Mayonnaise 8 slider buns

Fry bacon, set aside. Slice open slider buns and begin to build with mayonnaise, orange marmalade, Swiss cheese, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, turkey and lettuce. Spread cranberry sauce on the top piece of bun before closing. Enjoy!

TURKEY AND RICE SOUP

Turkey bones

2 to 3 onions, halved 1 bunch celery, coarsely chopped Salt and pepper

1 cup brown rice or more (can use white rice)

Sliced mushrooms, optional

Place turkey bones in Dutch oven; cover with water; add onions, celery and salt. Bring to a boil; lower heat to simmer for about four hours. Remove bones, saving some pieces of turkey, and strain broth.

Bring broth to boil. Add pieces of tur key, brown rice and mushrooms, if desired, and simmer until rice is cooked, about 40 minutes. Adjust salt

rived with wild turkeys and venison. Corn was prepared, and pumpkin was cooked in maple sap. The first Thanks giving was celebrated in prayers with grateful hearts.

While we enjoy this weekend with family and friends, let’s not forget the true reason for Thanksgiving. Our American holiday is a time for giving thanks for our blessings and re membering our heritage.

Check the recipes for last-minute ideas for en joying your Thanksgiv ing weekend.

and pepper to taste.

CREAMY WHITE TURKEY CHILI

1 Tbsp. oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tsp. garlic powder

2 cans (15 1/2 oz. each) Great North ern Beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups cooked, chopped turkey 2 cups turkey or chick en broth

2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies 1 tsp. ground cumin or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. flour 1/2 cup whipping cream, half and half or milk

1 cup sour cream Toppings: shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped avocado, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, optional

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil; add onion and sauté until tender. Add garlic and sauté for a minute or two, being careful not to burn.

Add beans, turkey, broth, chilies, cumin and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. flour to the cream, half and half or milk; stir until blended. Add to chili and cook five min utes more until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.

Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.

SWEET POTATO POUND CAKE

Good way to use left over sweet potatoes.

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup cooked pureed sweet potatoes

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ cup chopped toasted pecans, optional

¼ cup flaked coconut, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shorten ing and butter; add sugar, beating well. Beat in eggs one at a time. Com bine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add to creamed mix

Tickets On Sale For Third Annual Holiday Walk in the Woods

CONTRIBUTED BY AACT

AUBURN —

Come out and cele brate this festive season with Auburn Area Com munity Theatre (AACT) and the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center at the third annual “Holiday Walk in the Woods” on Dec. 16 and 17.

This event has be come a popular way to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends. In the spirit of community, AACT and the Kreher Preserve are hosting a special presen tation of music and tradi tions from our communi ty — “Holiday Walk in the Woods.” Performers, such as Auburn High Vocal Jazz, AU Cham ber Choir and other local talent, will be stationed along a decorated and lit path in the piney win ter woods while small groups walk with a guide at staggered entry times. Performers at six to eight stations along the path will share a song, spoken word or other perfor mance representative of

TURKEY

years, other methods — such as deep frying or pressure cooking — have gained pop ularity. Hall said no matter which method you choose, you must cook a bird to the correct internal temperature.

“Turkeys must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees,” Hall said. “To check the temperature, you need to have a food thermometer. Insert the ther mometer into the thickest part of the turkey, either the breast or the thigh.”

DEEP FRYING

Deep frying a turkey is a great way to get a juicy, delicious bird. However, this method comes with its own set of safety precautions.

Jackson Cook, a fire fighter with the Auburn Fire Department, said when setting up a deep fryer, it is important to choose a safe outdoor location.

“Don’t fry your turkey on a surface that is flammable, such as a deck,” Cook said. “We recommend getting out on concrete or anywhere away from your structure.

their holiday traditions with the groups. The tour is roughly one hour long.

At the end of the path, treats from local bakers and a craft station await as groups return to the parking area.

All performances will be family-friendly, and rumor has it there will even be snow. Perfor mance blocks are sched uled with start times for Dec. 16 and 17 from 5 to 6:50 p.m., and Dec. 17 from 10 to 11:50 a.m.

Each small group will have a maximum of 15 people unless an entire time slot is purchased. If the entire slot is purchased for your family and friends, the group can have up to 20 people. Tickets are on sale now and should be purchased in advance. Tickets are $7 each or $75 for an entire slot. For more information about this event or to purchase tickets, please visit www.auburnact. org.

Enchanting decora tions, lighting and crafts are made possible for the

Also, it is always important to wear the right clothing. We recommend wearing long sleeves, pants, closedtoe shoes and gloves.”

One of leading causes of deep-fryer-related fires is overfilling the pot with oil. Hall said the cooking pot needs to be large enough to completely submerge the turkey without it spilling over the top.

“To determine the amount of oil you need, put the tur key in the pot and fill it with water until it is 1 to 2 inches over the turkey,” Hall said. “Remove the turkey and either measure the amount of water in the pot or mark a fill line on the outside of the frying container.”

According to Hall, the pot needs to be clean and dry before using. Once you are ready to fry, add the oil to the fill line you determined and heat to 350 degrees. Make sure your turkey is completely thawed. Frying a partially frozen bird will cause the hot oil to splatter. When the oil reaches the correct temperature, care fully lower the turkey into the hot oil and cook 3 to 5

event by local sponsors. Contact AACT if you are interested in being a sponsor, performer or volunteer at info@aubur nact.org.

ABOUT AACT Auburn Area Com munity Theatre is a nonprofit organization that exists to serve the Auburn/Opelika Com munity. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for education and par ticipation in the world of theatre and present a quality, entertaining and thought-provoking the atre experience. AACT is a volunteer organiza tion that depends on the time and energy of many wonderful people from within the community. There’s something for everyone. Please visit www.auburnact.org to find the volunteer inter est form or email info@ auburnact.org to get involved. Follow Aubur nACT on Facebook or keep up at www.Auburn ACT.org for the latest in formation on auditions, volunteer opportunities, tickets and more.

minutes per pound.

PRESSURE COOKING

Need a quicker way to cook your turkey this year? Hall said the best way to cook one when you are in a pinch is by pressure cooking.

“One Thanksgiving, I realized that I didn’t have room in the oven to cook two turkeys and a ham, so I thought to use my electric pressure cooker,” Hall said.

When using this method, Hall starts by cutting the turkey in half and submerges it in chicken broth. She then adds celery, bell pepper, onion, poultry seasoning, garlic cloves, salt and pepper and sets the cooker on high for 50 minutes.

“Oh, my goodness. It was absolutely amazing,” Hall said. “It was so tender, flavored all the way through and far better than the one I cooked in the oven. Every one raved over it.”

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on food safety, visit the Food Safety section of www.aces. edu or contact the food safe ty and quality agent serving your area.

RECIPES

ture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in sweet potatoes and vanilla.

Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts and coconut (op tional topping). Pour batter into pan. Bake the cake for about one hour and 10 minutes, testing for doneness.

TURKEY POT PIE

6 Tbsp. butter 6 Tbsp. flour 2 cups turkey or chicken broth 1 cup whipping cream, half and half or milk

Salt and pepper to taste

2 to 4 cups cooked turkey, chopped 1 cup peas, cooked 1 cup sliced carrots, cooked 1 Pillsbury rolled piecrust

Preheat oven to 425. Put chicken in a deep casserole; cover with vegetables.

Melt butter in saucepan; stir in flour and cook stirring for 2 minutes. Slowly add broth, cream, salt and pepper; cook 5 minutes until thickened and smooth. Pour over turkey and vegetables. Stir carefully. Place piecrust over pie and crimp edges. Cut vents. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Can prepare ahead and bake the next day.

FRESH CRANBERRY RELISH

Jenny Clary

This is not only good with turkey or ham, but also with turkey cas seroles after Thanks giving.

1 large orange, quar tered with peel 1 lb. cranberries

1 ½ cups white sugar ½ cup apricot preserves 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Finely chop orange in a food processor. Combine cranberries and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until cranberries begin to pop, about 10 minutes.

Transfer cranber ries to a bowl; add apricot preserves and mix until melted. Stir in pineapple, lemon juice and chopped orange. Chill until ready to serve.

TURKEY OR HAM

TETRAZZINI

6 Tbsp. butter, divided

1 onion, chopped ½ lb. fresh mush rooms, sliced 3 Tbsp. flour

1 cup cream, half and half or milk

2 cups turkey or chicken broth

2 Tbsp. sherry, optional 1 lb. angel hair pas ta, cooked according to pkg. instructions 3 to 4 cups cooked, chopped turkey or ham or a combination of both ½ cup or more Par mesan cheese, grated Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in skillet. Add onion and mushrooms; sauté until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in the same skillet and add flour over low heat. Stir until well blend ed. Slowly add cream. When thickened, add broth; stirring until well blended. Add sherry, if using, and onions and mush rooms. Cook until thickened slightly, stirring frequently.

Spread pasta in

bottom of greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Top with turkey and pour sauce on top, covering chicken and pasta. Sprinkle Par mesan cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool slight ly before serving. Can prepare ahead.

TURKEY, GRAPE AND PECAN SALAD

4 cups cooked turkey, chopped 1 ½ cups red grapes, halved 1 cup chopped pecans ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream

2 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. poppy seeds, optional Salt and pepper to taste

Combine chicken, grapes and pecans. In bowl, combine remain ing ingredients. Fold into chicken mixture. Chill until ready to serve on lettuce or in sand wiches.

CREAMY TURKEY ENCHILADAS

8 to 10 flour tortillas

3 cups cooked turkey, chopped 3 cups shredded Mon terey Jack cheese ¼ cup butter ¼ cup flour

1 tsp. salt or to taste 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup sour cream 4 oz. can green chilies Layer each torti lla with chicken and Monterey Jack cheese. Fold sides over and place seam side down in greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring con stantly. Mix in chicken broth to make thick sauce. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and green chilies, stirring until smooth. Pour over tortillas. Store in refrigerator. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot.

Located in beautiful downtown Opelika 223 S. 8th St. | 334-749-8003 www.opelikaobserver.com

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A scene at last year's Holliday Walk in the Woods.

What's Happening in Lee County

2023 CITY MARKET VENDOR APPLICATIONS OPEN

Are you a local grower or artisan wanting to share your products with those in the community? Apply to be a vendor at Auburn Parks and Recreation's 2023 City Market. City Market vendor applications opened Nov. 14. City Market will be held Saturdays from May 20 through Aug. 26 at Town Creek Park from 8 to 11 a.m., with vendor setup beginning at 7 a.m.

Farmers, growers and artists who are interested in participating in the City Market must fill out an online application or apply in person at the Harris Center (425 Perry St.).

For more information, including a link to vendor applications and the City Market handbook, please visit www.auburnalabama.org/city market or contact Sarah Cook, market coordinator, at scook@aubur nalabama.org.

NAMI MEETING

NAMI East Alabama, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will not meet in December. The next meeting will be in January 2023.

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.

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.

AUBURN/OPELIKA MOTHERS

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.

CAMP HILL MARKETPLACE NOV. 19 THROUGH DEC. 10

We’ve moved to Saturdays!

a state certified Farmers Market.

Every Saturday 8 to 11 a.m. Nov. 19 through Dec. 10, rain or shine, at Mount Lovely Baptist Church located at 21900 Senator Claude Pepper Drive in Camp Hill (AL Hwy 50).

Potential vendors contact Sharon at 256-749-5100 to apply to join.

We plan for the Dec. 17 market to be another downtown Harvest event.

OF PRESCHOOLERS (MOPS) UNITE FOR A NEW YEAR!

Anxiety and Faith: Part Three

recognizing that anxiety has a spiritual component.

Human beings possess a mind, a body and a spirit. That’s who we are.

It is how God made us.

Consequently, to think about anxiety only in terms of the mind and body is a failure to treat it fully and completely.

can cause.) However, I am suggesting that even in such cases there is usually a spiritual element that can be a contributing factor.

RELIGION —

(Anxiety is a serious issue in our world today. In this five-part series we’re exploring this problem, as well as the difference faith in God can make.)

In the previous two articles, we looked at the increase in anxiety in our culture. Now it’s time to look at the difference faith in God can make. Where do we start?

1. We begin by

It overlooks a significant aspect of our being. There is almost always a spiritual component in anxiety, which I’ll refer to as “spiritual anxiety.”

Having said that, we need to keep in mind the difference between a component and a cause. I am not suggesting that all anxiety has a spiritual cause. We know it can be triggered by hormonal or chemical imbalances, traumatic episodes, drug abuse, etc. (The CDC has been straightforward about both the short and longterm anxiety marijuana

When you begin to look at the prevalence of anxiety in our culture, it’s difficult not to think there is a correlation between the diminishment of faith and the surge in anxiety among those in their 30s and below.

The Pew Research Center reports that 37% of older millennials (those born during the ‘80s), identified as “nones” (no religious affiliation). Meanwhile, 63% of younger millennials (those born during the ‘90s), identified as “nones.”

That’s a sharp increase and means that roughly 50% of millennials aren’t part of a church family. At least half of that number don’t believe in God. If someone detaches themselves from trusting in the transcendent God and

the comforts of His people, what does it leave them with? Should we really be surprised if they experience spiritual anxiety issues? I think we would be more surprised if they didn’t.

2. Spiritual anxiety is fed by the attempt to live by bread alone.

When Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,” (Matthew 4:4), He knew what He was talking about! Just as we need bread and other food to nourish us physically, we need a relationship with God through His word to nourish us spiritually. We can choose to neglect this truth, but there will be consequences and eventually they will bubble up in our lives. Spiritual anxiety can be life’s way of telling us that something important is missing.

BIBLE VERSE 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, 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

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. Parking is available in the church lots on Magnolia and on Gay streets.

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

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

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

God created us for life with Him. We can walk through this world without Him, but it’s like driving at night without our lights on — we’re limiting ourselves and making things much more difficult than they need to be. More to the point, turning up the volume on the radio will not help us to see better! In the same way, eating more bread is not going to resolve our spiritual issues. Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).

We’ll look at some more ways faith can make a difference next week in Part Four of this series.

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

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 —

It was more than an “Aha” moment. More like a gripping moment of conviction. I was reading these words in the 16th chapter of John’s Gospel: “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me” (16:32).

Jesus was explaining to his disciples that the time of his crucifixion was near and that they would all flee in fear, leaving him alone. Yet

Stop Talking About Feeling Lonely

he quickly added that he would not be alone, for his Father was with him.

As I read those words, I heard the Inner Voice say to me, not sternly but firmly, “You need to stop talking about feeling lonely, for you are never alone; I am always with you.”

I knew immediately this was a message from God, and I knew why it had come. Since the death of my wife, I had often found myself sharing with my family and friends how lonely I was now. I made light of it by saying I had no one to talk with but my dog Buddy.

Honesty compels me to admit the truth: I wanted sympathy for my loneliness.

Remorse settled upon me like a fog as I reflected on the difference between my loneliness and that of Jesus. I had a large family surrounding

me with love and encouragement. I had friends who were constantly interrupting my loneliness with visits, calls and meals. He was being beaten and nailed to a cross while his friends cowered in terror, hiding in their homes.

That same day my friend Roy Jordan, from Demopolis, Alabama, called and asked me a strange question: “Do you know where I can get the choral music for our church choir to sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone?’”

Why ask me? There must have been a dozen people in his hometown he could have called. I knew the answer. God wanted Roy to put that song in my mind. I told him where to find the music and then began pondering the words of that song:

When you walk through a storm

OUIDA KELLEY INGRAM

Ouida Kelley Ingram, of Opelika, passed away peacefully at Dadeville Healthcare Center on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. She was born March 3, 1938, in Alabama, to the late Amos and Ruth Kelley.

A graveside service was held on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at 2 p.m. at Garden Hills Cemetery in Opelika.

Frederick-Dean Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Medical Center. Mrs. Bruce was preceded in death by her parents, Judith and James Bondurant and a son, Christopher Michael Griggs. Mrs. Bruce is survived by her husband, Dave Bruce, daughter, Heather Heptinstall (Allen), sons, Kevin Griggs,

ROBIN LYNNE BRUCE

A memorial service for Mrs. Robin Lynne Bruce will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home in the Chapel. Mrs. Bruce was born Feb. 12, 1966, in Murray, Utah, and passed away Nov. 14, 2022, at East Alabama

Hold your head up high

And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm

There's a golden sky And the sweet silver song of a lark Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain

Tho’ your dreams be tossed and blown Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone You'll never walk alone

Written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers, this is one of the most popular songs ever written, but there is no Jesus in it. I wondered why. How can you walk on through the storms of life, with hope in your heart, and never feel alone without the assurance that the

OBITUARIES

Stephan Williams, John Williams and sister Penny Robinson. She is also survived by her bonus children, Heather Van Keuren (Melissa), Robert Bruce, Connie Taff (Peter), Shawn Crews (Claudi), Tony O'Neal, Brandy Forehand. She is additionally survived

by her grandchildren Bryce, Aubryn, Ellie, Jordan, Madison, Kayleigh, Jayce, Trent, Chase, Anna and her bonus grandchildren

Lord is with you? I checked and found that Hammerstein, though a Jew, had been raised an Episcopalian but never took his faith seriously. Rodgers, also a Jew, became an atheist. His wife said Richard felt that religion was based on fear. I would like to think that Hammerstein wanted to add Jesus to the song, but Rodgers rejected the idea.

If I were to sing that song, I would have to compose a final verse that might read something like this:

Yes, praise God, I’ll walk on With hope in my heart

For Jesus is with me

And He has promised I’ll never walk alone No, praise the Lord, I’ll never walk alone

As though it was orchestrated by God, Roy Jordan called me a second time to remind me

of the story of Bill Tucker, the Auburn quarterback who was stricken by polio in 1951 while Roy and I were students at Auburn. Bill was Roy’s “Big Brother” in their fraternity.

Roy remembered pushing Bill around in his wheelchair and sometimes taking him to share his testimony with youth groups. Bill usually concluded by singing, of all things, the song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

And because Bill loved Jesus, I’m sure he must have added Jesus to the song!

My friend Roy never dreamed he was teaming up with God to help me stop talking about feeling lonely. When he reads this, he will know I have stopped, with his help and the Lord’s.

And I am walking on, with hope in my heart, because Jesus is with me, and I’m not alone.

Reese, Trenton, Hunter and RJ. Also her fur babies Minnie and Roxy. In lieu of flowers, donations to your favorite

cancer foundation are appreciated.

Frederick-Dean Funeral Home is handling all arrangements.

the jay and susie gogue performing arts center at auburn university presents

LEE COUNTY: NOV. 29 AT 6

Area Roundup: Auburn Advances to Super 7

UNDEFEATED! Lee-Scott Crowned Champs

PHTOO BY JERRY BALLAS FOR THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA —

Seven OHS swimmers qualified for the AHSAA State Swimming and Diving Meet, Dec. 2 and 3 at Martin Aquatics Center on the AU campus. The following is list of those qualified and where they placed in the sectional meet:

Bryan McEntire - 2nd – 100m Freestyle - 2nd – 100m

Backstroke Sarah Bush, Mylee Bordeaux, Presley Mullins and Grace Nelson - 1st – Freestyle relay - 4th – Medley relay Aniston McGhee - 10th – 100m

breaststroke Sarah Bush - 1st – 50m Freestyle - 1st – 100m Freestyle

OHS BASKETBALL

Opelika High School boys opened the 2022-23 sea son with a 68-61 loss at Enterprise, the defending 7A champions. This is a difficult opener for the Bulldogs, and I applaud OHS head coach Wesley Button for adding Enterprise

to his schedule.

Offensively, the Bulldogs were led by DJ Harris's game high 14 points.

Isaiah Knight scored 10 points; Roman Gagliano and Knox Chase added nine points each.

"We didn't play bad but could have played better,” Button said. “This was a good first game, and I am proud of my guys for playing the entire game and not quitting. We cut it to three with two min utes left ... but could not finish."

The OHS Lady Bulldog basket ball team defeated Enterprise, 57-51, last Friday at the EHS gym. Opelika led the entire game, including several double-digit leads, before winning by six points. Head coach Blake Smalley played with one senior due to some unfortunate personal matters with the other three seniors.

"I am so proud of this team,” Smalley said. “We played with one senior because of a family death and in juries. I hate that for the girls involved but

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY — The lights are dimming on another high school football season. Most teams’ journeys have ended, but

one school — Auburn High — still has something to play for. The Tigers de feated region foe Central Phenix City 14-13 on the road Friday, Nov. 18, to advance to the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Class

7A state championship. The Tigers will face defending champions, the Thompson Warriors, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn on Nov. 30 to crown a champion. In the Alabama Independent School Association, Lee-Scott defeated rival

1952 Opelika Graduate Honored for Coaching Career

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA — Charles Leverette graduated from Clift High School in Opelika in 1952 and now has been honored in Montgomery.

“I love Opelika,” Leverette said.

During his time at Clift, Leverette played football and baseball.

See LEVERETTE, page B7

The Auburn High School football team celebrates after defeating Central Phenix City 14-13 on Friday, Nov. 18, to advance to the AHSAA 7A State Championship.

Glenwood 35-21 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery to complete an undefeated, 13-0, season and capture the Class 3A state title. The following is a break down of how area teams

Charles Leverette, a 1952 graduate of Clift High School in Opelika, was recently honored by Mary G. Montgomery High School when it renames its football field on Sept. 30.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY HELEN JOYCE / CALL NEWS NEWSPAPER

Lee-Scott head coach Buster Daniel and his team celebrate after winning the AISA 3A State Championship at Montgomery's Cramton Bowl on Thursday, Nov. 17.

PHTOO BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

OHS Senior Commits to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College

ROUNDUP

fared in this round of the playoffs. All stats were compiled firsthand, by school sources or by www.Maxpreps.com.

AHSAA

AUBURN 14 | CENTRAL 13

The varsity Auburn High School football team (12-1) defeated re gion foe Central Phenix City 14-13 on Friday, Nov. 18, to advance to the AHSAA Class 7A state championship game. The game was a rematch in two senses. First, the Tigers fell to Central 28-17 in the same semi-fi nal round of the 2021 playoffs, and secondly, the Tigers' only loss this season came at the hands of the Red Devils (10-3) on Oct. 14, when Auburn fell to Central by a score of 38-17. The Tigers avenged both losses last Friday night, as they were spurred to a

win by a game-winning touchdown in the final minutes of the contest by senior quarterback Clyde Pittman. Auburn High trailed 13-7 late in the rivalry game, but Pittman scampered in from 9 yards out with 1:49 remaining after find ing receiver Jack Hudson on a pass that set the Tigers up with a first-andgoal. Pittman finished 15-of-25 passing for 136 yards, while adding 55 yards on the ground. Senior running back DV Williams carried the ball 19 times for 69 yards and a touchdown to comple ment his quarterback.

The Auburn defense held Central to 253 total yards, limiting the Red Devil run game to just 40. Auburn advances to the state championship game where the Tigers will face defending state champion Thompson High School, which beat Hoover 40-10 in the other semifinal matchup. The two teams

will play for the Class 7A trophy Nov. 30 in JordanHare Stadium.

AISA LEE-SCOTT 35 | GLENWOOD 21

The varsity Lee-Scott Academy (12-0) football team completed the dou ble over rival Glenwood (8-4) on Thursday, Nov. 17, emerging victorious against the Gators for the second time this season, completing an undefeated season and capturing the AISA Class 3A State Championship in the process. The two teams faced off at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl as the Warriors jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Much like it had done all season, Lee-Scott leaned on its potent rush ing attack last Thursday. All of the Warriors' touchdowns came on the ground as Lee-Scott racked up 215 total rush ing yards. Senior running back George Meyers led the way, carrying the ball 12 times for 54 yards and

two touchdowns. Junior running back Andrew Hahn, junior receiver Jake White and sophomore quarterback Pelzer Reeves scored the other rushing touchdowns. White led the defense with three tackles and an intercep tion off of Glenwood quarterback Dallas Crow. The Warriors generated 319 total yards of offense to Glenwood’s 139, as the Gators never got within close than 14 points after Lee-Scott opened up a lead. The win marked Lee-Scott’s fourth-ever state championship — its first since 1994. Thirdyear head coach Buster Daniel’s team paced the pack from week one of the regular season, shutting out five teams with an av erage margin of victory of 42.8 to 5.92. Glenwood can hold its head high after reaching the state championship game in head coach Jason Gibson’s first season in charge.

Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Announces 20 Semifinalists Auburn’s Derick Hall up for 6th annual award

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

The semifinalists for the sixth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year were recently announced, a group that includes 20 of the nation's top leaders in college football.

Compiled by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selec tion Committee, the semifinalists have all demonstrated a re cord of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

Sixteen seniors and four juniors make up the list. Among confer ences, the Big Ten led the way with six selec tions, while the ACC had five. The SEC and Pac-12 had three each. The American Athletic had two semifinalists, and the Big 12 had one selection.

The full list of semifinalists includes: Derick Hall (Auburn), Matthew Cindric (California), DeWayne Carter (Duke), Holton Ahlers (East Caroli na), Dillon Gibbons (Florida State), Tailon Leitzsey (Illinois), Kaevon Merriweather (Iowa), Blake Corum (Michigan), Tanner

Morgan (Minneso ta), Austin Williams (Mississippi State), Xavier McDonald (Navy), Isaiah Moore (North Carolina State), Kamryn Babb (Ohio State), Brendon Evers (Oklahoma State), Alex Forsyth (Oregon), Sean Clifford (Penn State), Deslin Alexandre (Pittsburgh), Hendon Hooker (Tennessee), Sam Hartman (Wake Forest) and Edefuan Ulofoshio (Washing ton).

Three finalists will be named for the award on Wednesday, Dec. 14. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony in Frisco, Texas, on Feb.

23, 2023.

Last year, Joshua Paschal of Kentucky won the fifth annual award. The first four Jason Witten Colle giate Man of the Year awards were presented to Shaquem Griffin of UCF in 2017, D'Cota Dixon of Wisconsin in 2018, Trey Smith of Tennessee in 2019 and Sam Ehlinger of Texas in 2020.

The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football's most prominent role mod els during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Wal ter Payton NFL Man

of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitari an of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recog nized his work in the community, achieve ments on the field and dedication to his team mates and family.

“It's always an honor to announce the semifinalists for the Collegiate Man of the Year,” Witten said. “But this year's group is especially impressive. These 20 young men are fan tastic student-athletes and perfect examples of what makes college football so great. They have demonstrated ex ceptional character and leadership, often while facing large challeng es. They are great

representatives for the game of football, and I commend all nomi nees for getting to this point.”

The winner of the Ja son Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund. The contribu tion will be made by Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle.

The SCORE Founda tion, founded in 2007, has positively impact ed tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennes see over the last 15 years. The foundation operates its nationally recognized SCORE keepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shel ters, at nine shelters in the two states.

tonight is a very very good win."

Naomi Whack led OHS with 15 points, followed by Cherdi Daniels’ 11 points and Jas McCloud’s added nine.

Opelika's first home game will be Dec. 2, against Loachapoka. The varsity girls' game starts at 6 p.m., fol lowed by the varsity boys at 7 p.m.

AISA CHAMPIONSHIP/ AHSAA SUPER 7 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

The high school football season is over for the AISA, but the AHSAA still has the Super 7 football cham pionship at JordanHare Stadium (Nov. 30, Dec. 1-2).

The Lee-Scott

Academy Warriors, led by head coach Buster Daniel, captured the 3A Alabama Independent School Association Championship last Thursday at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.

Lee-Scott finished with a perfect 12-0 record, beating ri val Glenwood 35-21 to earn the State Championship for the first time since coach Joe Wilson led LSA to a title in 1994.

The Alabama High School Athletic Association Super 7 football championship will be held Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and 2 at JordanHare Stadium.

Auburn High girls and boys'' football teams will both play Wednesday, Nov. 30. The AHS girls will play Oxford at 2 p.m.

in the Flag Football Championship game. Auburn will play Thompson in the 7A Championship game at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.gofan.co.

Classes 1A through 6A will play two games in each class (semifinal games) Friday night to decide the remaining six pairings.

The cities of Auburn and Opelika, along with AO Tourism and Auburn University, host the Super 7 Championship.

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.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS

Opelika High School Senior Sanai Stringer signed a softball scholarship with Lurleen B. Wallace Community College on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in the OHS Sports Arena lobby. She was joined by family, Opelika head softball coach Jessica Thornton, OHS Principal Kelli Fischer, Opelika City Schools Superintendent Dr. Farrell Seymore and others.

Breaking the Devil's Curse

Lady Tigers Advance to State Finals

PHOTOS BY JERRY BALLAS / FOR THE OBSERVER

The varsity Auburn High School flag football team defeated the visiting Hoover Buccaneers, 13-0, at Duck Samford Stadium on Nov. 15. The win means Auburn advances to the Super 7 state championship Nov. 30 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. The Tigers will play Oxford High School in the second-ever girls' flag football championship.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The varsity Auburn High School football team Friday, Nov. 18, defeated region foe Central Phenix City, 14-13, to advance to the AHSAA 7A State Championship. For more information on the game, read "Area Roundup" on page B1.

HI STORY M AKERS!

The varsity Lee-Scott Academy football team Thursday, Nov. 17, defeated rival Glenwood in the AISA 3A State Championship by a score of 35-21. For more infor mation on the game, read "Area Roundup" on page B1.

PHOTOS BY JERRY BALLAS FOR THE OBSERVER

A Cadillac Classic? Evaluating the 2022 Iron Bowl

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

The 87th edition of the Iron Bowl pins bit ter rivals Auburn and Alabama against one another as each pro gram tries to salvage a disappointing 2022 season.

The Tigers enter 5-6,

fresh off back-to-back wins under interim head coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and aiming to secure bowl eligibility. The Crimson Tide enter 9-2, playing for a possible “New Year’s Six” bowl game instead of the typ ically expected College Football Playoff berth. This Alabama team is less intimidating

than the juggernauts of years past. Play-calling concerns, a lack of bite from the defense and an absence of general optimism has plagued much of the Tide’s 2022 campaign. A shocking loss at Tennessee and an even more shocking loss at LSU has damp ened the mood inside Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

Contrastingly, the morale of Auburn is as high as it has been in years. Cadillac has cap tured what it means to be a part of the “Auburn Family” and radiated that feeling through out the players and the fanbase.

At this point, the wins and losses for Auburn don’t matter as much as the vibes. But in order

to emerge victorious Saturday, the Tigers will need to “muck it up,” making the contest a cagey and defensive affair. The likelihood of Auburn winning a shootout similar to the 52-49 game between ‘Bama and the Vols is, let’s just say, slim. Encouragingly, how ever, Auburn’s defense has posted three of its

best performances to date this season over the last three weeks, generating 10 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and four turnovers, all while allowing 22 points per game. Look for the leaders among the Auburn defense — Derick Hall, Colby Wooden and company

ADVA Donates Items to Operation Iron Ruck Ahead of Student Veteran-Led Ruck March

CONTRIBUTED BY ADVA

AUBURN —

The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) welcomed student veterans from the University of Alabama and Auburn University involved in Operation Iron Ruck on Nov. 16, to donate items needed for the annu al ruck march.

Operation Iron Ruck is a four-day, 151-mile ruck march from Auburn to Tuscaloosa that will take place Nov. 23 to 26. Participants from the stu dent veteran associations carry 22-pound rucksacks that contain donated items that the students will

deliver to charities that assist Alabama’s Veteran population.

Casey Rogers, exter nal affairs director for Gov. Kay Ivey, presented Alabama’s Tiffany Laurie and Auburn’s Clayton Buchanan with a proc lamation proclaiming Nov. 23 as Operation Iron Ruck Day.

Representatives of Operation Iron Ruck, which raises awareness for veteran suicide preven tion, became partners of Alabama’s Challenge for Preventing Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and their Families in 2021.

Alabama’s Challenge is comprised of numerous

state of Alabama.

"It speaks volumes that the Alabama and Auburn student veterans associa tions set aside their rivalry during the week of the Iron Bowl to work together in raising awareness about veteran suicide," said Kent Davis, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and co-chair of Alabama's Challenge. "This march es tablishes a connectedness and level of support that has a lasting impact within the veteran community. I'm proud of both universities and all participants for the work they are doing to help raise awareness for veteran suicide."

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

Photos are from Auburn's 41-17 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 19.

state departments, includ ing ADVA, the governor’s office, the Alabama Legislature, the Alabama

National Guard and numer ous nonprofits around the

Members of Alabama’s Challenge and Operation Iron Ruck pose with a proclamation from Gov. Kay Ivey.

CHARACTER IN ACTION: Lee County Family Court Judge Mike Fellows Honors Three Auburn City Schools Students

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

AUBURN —

Lee County Family Court Judge Mike Fellows last week honored three Auburn City Schools students with Character in Action awards.

Hunter Martin (pictured middle), a seventh-grader at East Samford School, was recognized as a leader among his peers.

“Since the first day I met Hunter, he has been an outstanding student, friend and gentleman,” said Logan Cook, science teacher at East Samford School. “He always does whatever it takes to be respectful and kind to others, both in the classroom and out. He is dedicated to academics

while also balancing athletics and other extracurricular activities. Hunter is a friend to everyone that he meets.

“He recognizes the power of friendship and positive leadership and is always sure to 'lead in the right direction. Hunter also goes far above what is asked of him. He is always the first to volunteer and never complains about hard work. He is a true plea sure to have in class.”

Arush Patel (pictured right), a sixth-grader at J.F. Drake Middle School, was recognized for his honesty.

“A student lost a $20 bill given to them by their par ents to purchase items in our book fair,” said Angela Babb, resource teacher at Drake Middle School. “Arush found

CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC

OPELIKA —

The Southern Union State Community College Foundation’s $1 million fundraising goal is with in reach, according to Foundation Board Chair Oline Price.

In September of last year, to coincide with the college’s 100th anni versary, the foundation

LEVERETTE

FROM B1

>>

Under then-coach Sam Mason, the football team went undefeated — 100 — in Leverette’s senior season.

“We had a good foot ball and baseball team,” Leverette said. “I idolized coach Mason. If coach Mason got a new pair of shoes, I’d have me a new pair of shoes. I loved it there.”

Upon graduation, Leverette was awarded a scholarship to Livingston State Teacher’s College upon graduation. In col lege, Leverette earned his bachelor’s and master’s

the money and turned it in to the front office. When the student asked me if I had

to retrieve it. The student was so grateful to Arush for being a good citizen and helping in

SUSCC Foundation Nears $1 Million Goal

began a quest to raise $1 million toward scholar ships. As of the October meeting, the foundation is just shy of $100,000 to reach that goal. More than $900,000 in dona tions has been contributed by employees, alumni, friends, companies and private organizations.

This campaign is the first time that the Southern Union Foundation has

degrees, and lettered in football during the 1952-53 season, and the 1955-57 seasons, according to Alabama High School Football History.

Leverette was drafted into the military (when) and stationed at Ft. Carson in Colorado, where he continued his athletics journey.

Leverette was then transferred to Germany as part of his service in the Army, and while stationed there, he was assigned to Special Services, all the while participating in football. His football team would go on to win the European Championship.

Leverette took on many titles in his life, including

undertaken a comprehen sive fundraising effort.

“From its inception in 1922, community support has been instrumental in sustaining SUSCC, and this campaign has been no different,” Price said. “We have had overwhelming support of our objective to offer help to those who may need it to finish their degree. A prepared workforce and educated

college graduate, Army veteran and teacher. He even earned the title of Mobile County’s Young Educator of the Year early in his career, something Leverette is hugely proud of, he said.

But maybe the most notable title Leverette held in his adult life was head coach of the Mary G. Montgomery High School football team (back then it was called Semes.).

Mary G. Montgomery High School renamed its football field on Sept. 30 for Leverette, who led the Vikings to their only un defeated season (10-0) in 1965.

“It’s the highlight of my life as far as something

population are vital to the state’s future. The success of this campaign proves that our communities see the importance of this as well.”

The Southern Union Foundation currently awards approximately 35 scholarships and 60 dual enrollment scholarships each year, totaling more than $100,000 in funds awarded annually. Four

like that,” Leverette said. “I really appreciated it and it really brought back some old memories, because we had some good ones … I thought they forgot about me after all these years, but they remembered.”

Family, friends and col leagues gathered to honor Leverette, 87, who was the school’s first head football coach to lead the team to an undefeated season. He held the position for 10 years, amassing a 67-293 record. Where MGM plays on Friday nights will forthwith be referred to as Charles Leverette Field.

Leverette’s 1965 team (his third season) has stood the test of time and remains one of the

new scholarships have been created as a result of this fundraising effort.

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN UNION FOUNDATION

The Southern Union Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that was established to support and foster the educational and service programs and activities of SUSCC. The foundation increases

best in school history. The Vikings that year averaged 34.2 points and allowed just 9.8 points per game. The quarterback of the 1965 team, Tommy Davis, went on to receive all-state honors and be named to the Alabama All-Star game alongside guard Maurice Goodman. Leverette would coach the South squad of the Alabama All-Star game in 1966.

“They were the smallest team I ever had,” Leverette said of his 1965 squad. “But they were deter mined to win and refused to lose. [We] had some great ones.”

Leverette’s first high school head coaching

a time of need.”

Ellie Schmitz (pic tured left), a Dean Road Elementary School kinder gartener, was recognized for her philanthropic efforts.

“September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and to honor the memory of a family friend that recently lost their battle with cancer, Ellie Schmitz had a lemon ade stand to raise money for Childhood Cancer and is donating the proceeds to www.thepowerofwill. org for Childhood Cancer Awareness,” said Jackie Greenwood, Dean Road Elementary School principal. “The family experiencing the loss shared that Ellie is such a thoughtful and self less child.”

educational access for students through finan cial support and enables the college to initiate innovative projects to enhance the quality of education.

For more information on the Southern Union Foundation, or to make a donation, please contact Shondae Brown at 256395-2211, ext. 5145 or sbrown@suscc.edu.

job was at Washington County, where he coached for over four seasons before moving to MGM. After leaving MGM after the 1972 season, Leverette waited three years before tak ing a job as head coach of the Shaw Raiders (Columbus, Georgia), where he helmed the pro gram from 1975 to 1980.

Leverette officially retired from coaching in the 80s, with a career re cord of 108-82-7. Today, he lives in Sumpter County, Alabama. His work, however, will continue to reverberate across the state now that he is immortalized with Charles Leverette Field.

— to be encouraged from recent results and do their best to cor ral Heisman-winning Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

Offensively, the makeshift Auburn staff has done a good job at keeping things simple. The Tigers are getting the ball into the hands of their best players — namely running backs Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter — early and often. Since Cadillac took over, Auburn has rushed for 779 yards and had five 100-yard rushers in three games.

The Tigers’ subpar passing attack will need to test a fragile Alabama secondary which has only had five interceptions all sea son. But trying to con trol the field position

and time of possession through the running game is Auburn’s easi est path to victory.

Moreover, Auburn will need to continue its trend of playing better in second halves under Cadillac. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 57-19 in the second halves of the last three games. Prior to his takeover, second-half collapses had become an unwel come custom under former Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin.

Make no mistake, Auburn is playing for much more than Alabama is this week end. To beat the Tide, the Tigers will have to play at their nearbest — and hope for a little Iron Bowl voodoo-magic along the way. The 2022 Iron Bowl kicks off Saturday, Nov. 26, at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

seen the money in the hall way, I directed them to the office, where they were able

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Parents Pride Christmas Store started with one simple belief: Families would prefer to provide for

Pictured left to right: Fellows, Schmitz, Martin and Patel.

IRON

Happy Thanksgiving week to our beautiful and loving community. The hol idays bring families together in a wonder ful way.

The holidays give par ents and grandparents close time and down time to be with chil dren and grandchildren. The holidays bring so much intergenerational

interaction and relation ships. The young and the elderly can learn so much from each other. A wonderful gift we and our young children can learn from the older generation is the true meaning and joy of being thankful and grateful.

As a Baby Boomer, I love to sit down with my friends from the "Silent Generation".

A Heart of Thankfulness Fulfills Life

During the holiday, they express their insights and thoughts and I can accept their wisdom, contentedness, happi ness and adversities that are a part of life. We learn and grow from our experiences. With this contentment, we under stand that gratitude is an emotion which interacts and relates to positive feelings of happiness, joy and wellness, which improve the quality of lives.

Readers, think of times in your lives when you had a need, assistance was provided with no strings attached and only pure gratitude could be expressed.

It has been found from research studies that truly being grateful and embracing these feelings provide "a spoonful of sugar" health benefits when it comes to our lives and to the lives of our senior adults.

1. Seniors who are grateful are happier and more content. They

seem to have less phys ical symptoms and are not prone to depression, which can affect overall health. They are thank ful and happy with their lives.

2. Seniors who are grateful have healthy and positive ways of coping with stresses in their lives — like having better nutrition, exercis ing more, sleeping better and focusing on the positive rather than the negative — and enjoy a better outlook on life.

3. Grateful senior adults are more connect ed with other people, more social in reaching out to people, joining activities and being able to communicate their needs more clearly.

One of my favorite hymns as we enter Thanksgiving this week is “Count Your Blessings” composed by Johnson Oatman Jr. with the tune written by Edwin O. Excell.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

count your blessings, see what God has done.

My older friends mentor me to accept the reality that “as you grow older, you grow to be more thankful for the simple things of life.”

Their gratitude list in cludes friends, learning something new from life experiences, apprecia tion of the beauty of the world around them and, too, realizing that each day is a gift from God.

My senior friends have modeled for me that even though they may not feel well, practicing gratitude helps them to extract the most out of life, as well as caring for others.

Our senior friends can cope with tough times. Many of them have been through the de pression, wars, financial lean times, sad times and cultural changes.

I have asked many of my senior friends, “Are you grateful when cir cumstances seem to be uncertain and dire?”

West Ridge Softball Fields Renovated

Their response to me is that a grateful attitude is necessary.

Our national holiday of Thanksgiving was born from hard times.

Thanksgiving took place after nearly half the Pilgrims had died from a rough winter and year.

Children observe us parents and grandpar ents as we manage our emotions when we are disappointed, frustrated or sad. Gratitude brings us hope to cope with the hard times, as well as the good times.

As we set up our “Cornucopia of the Fruits of the Spirit” this Thanksgiving season by modeling love, joy, peace, patience, kind ness, goodness, faith fulness, gentleness and self-control as we gather together as families and friends and celebrate God’s blessings for us, let’s remember that gratitude gives us hope.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Beth Pinyerd, Classroom Observer

Ribbon cutting, grand opening planned for Nov. 30

Opelika Parks and Recreation is hosting a

grand opening and rib bon cutting ceremony for the newly renovat ed softball fields locat ed at West Ridge Park on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will be fol lowed by a ceremonial first pitch by Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and an OHS softball scrim mage game.

The two girls' soft ball fields were com pletely renovated over the past year by the

city of Opelika. Both fields are now turf, and they received new fencing, new backstops

and new dugouts pro vided by Stone Martin Builders.

BETH PINYERD

CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA PARKS AND RECREATION

L

labama Politics ee County & A

Inside the Statehouse

All Politics Is No Longer Local

today. Democrats and Republicans now not only do not work to gether, they do not even talk to each other. They despise and denounce each other more than Reagan and O’Neill hat ed and denounced the Russians.

STEVE FLOWERS

OPINION —

The legendary speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tip O’Neill, is credited with coining the slogan, “all politics is local.” He quoted it often and lived it.

The old Boston ma chine Democratic poli tician went home to his Irish neighborhood ev ery week. He knew ev eryone in his blue collar district. He knew who was kin to whom. He knew their names, birth days, parents, grandpar ents and children. He did favors, made sure their mail was delivered, lost Social Security checks were found and even made sure that potholes were fixed and streetlights replaced. He lived the saying, “all politics is local.”

He also worked in Washington in an era of bipartisanship. They worked and socialized with each other regard less of party affiliation to get things done. It was well known that O’Neill and Ronald Reagan were best friends and drinking buddies when Reagan was the Republican president and O’Neill was speaker. That is why Reagan was so suc cessful as president. He had O’Neill as a friend. It was certain ly a different day in Washington than

For years, in my column, as well as in college classrooms, lectures and speeches around the state, I have declared the cornerstone of political theory, “all politics is local,” as a truism. However, as we end this 2022 election year and begin the 2024 presidential election campaign, I am chang ing my song and dance.

My theory now is that all politics is no longer local. All politics to day is national. It is all partisan-based and de rived from national and Washington politics. Folks are either in the Republican tribe or the Democratic tribe and it applies nationally, and especially in Alabama.

Seventy-five years ago, Alabama was a rural state. Alabama voters were much more interested in the sher iff’s race than presi dential races. In fact, Alabamians very sel dom even voted in pres idential contests. There were more votes cast in an off-year Democratic primary for sheriff and governor than in presi dential years. That has changed dramatically. Alabama is a more urban state than rural. Today, Alabamians fol low national congressio nal and presidential pol itics and could not care less who is the sheriff of their urban county.

In the just complet ed Jefferson County sheriff’s race, it was a Democrat versus Republican contest.

Personalities were irrelevant. The Democrat, Pettway, won because he was Democrat. Hudson lost because he was a Republican. They could have been named Jones and Smith rath er than Pettway and Hudson and neither campaigned, and the results would have been the same.

This 2022 election confirmed and so lidified the fact that Alabama is a Ruby Red hardcore Republican state in statewide elec tions. Twenty-three out of 23 statewide elected offices are held by Republicans.

The three candidates, Kay Ivey, Katie Britt and Wes Allen, who each had a Democrat opponent, got 66% of the vote. The Republicans, who had only Libertarian oppo sition, like Rick Pate, Young Boozer and Will Ainsworth, got 84%. Ainsworth got the most votes, about 960,000. He also got the most votes of any contested candidate in 2018. This will hold him in good stead as he eyes the 2026 governor’s race.

The Democratic Party is dead and ir relevant on the state level in the Heart of Dixie. Everybody with walking-around sense knows this. That is why no serious can didate will run as a Democrat. Some ide alistic Democrats will write me and lament that the Alabama Democratic Party leadership is inept. My reply is that it is irrele vant whether you have a Democratic Party of fice in Alabama or not, the result of Alabama races is going to be the

Advance Auto Parts, OPD Launch Vehicle Safety Initiative

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

CONTRIBUTED BY THE OPELIKA POLICE DEPARTMENT

OPELIKA —

Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider, and the Opelika Police

Department have teamed up to launch a unique program designed to increase

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA POLICE

formerly held by Robert Ham, while John Andrew Harris

Opelika Police Department and Advance Auto Parts announced a safety initiative Monday morning.

Pictured left, Lee County District 4 Commissioner Tony Langley is sworn in during the Nov. 16 commission meeting. Pictured right, District 5 Commissioner John Andrew Harris takes his oath.

PHOTO BY HANNAH LESTER THE OBSERVER

on Biden Administration to Repeal Health Care Worker Vaccine Mandate

CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL

ALABAMA — Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined 21 other attorneys general in calling on President Joe Biden to withdraw his unjustified COVID-19 vaccine mandate for America’s health care workers.

“The Biden administration’s mandate to impose mass COVID-19 vaccinations on America’s health care workers was neither lawful nor medically justified,” Marshall said. “Even as COVID-19 vaccines have been largely disproven as effective in preventing COVID transmission, studies have also shown increased health risks associated with these vaccines.

“Yet, the Biden administration continues to double

down on health care workers across the country who refuse to submit to vaccines that might be harmful to their health. The Biden mandate has caused many medical professionals to quit their jobs rather than be subjected to the medical risks of the vaccines, creating health care worker shortages.

“My fellow attorneys general and I have for more than a year been strongly opposed to the federal health care worker vaccine mandate, filing lawsuits and speaking out publicly against this illegal and harmful mandate, and we will not stop our efforts until we put it to an end."

Marshall and the coalition of attorneys general filed a petition Thursday under the Administrative Procedures Act requesting the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) take immediate action to repeal its Interim Final Rule (IFR) and State Surveyor Guidance, which require participating health care facilities to “develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that all staff are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.” The mandate has violated the rights of health care workers and worsened staffing shortages in that sector, especially in rural and frontier states like Alabama.

The IFR regulates over 10 million health care workers and suppliers in the United States. Of those, CMS estimated that 2.4 million were unvaccinated when it issued the IFR.

“CMS’s objective is to coerce the unvaccinated workforce into

submission or cause them to lose their livelihoods,” the petition states. “If CMS succeeds in coercing states to enforce the IFR against their own citizens, these health care workers will lose their jobs (or not return if they already have), states will lose frontline health care workers, providers, suppliers and services, and America’s most vulnerable populations will lose access to necessary medical care.”

As a result, states will further lose frontline health care workers, providers and suppliers and ultimately, America’s most vulnerable populations will lose access to necessary medical care. CMS itself has already admitted there are “endemic staff shortages for all categories of employees at almost all kinds of health

care providers and suppliers.”

“As a result of the IFR, significant numbers of their citizens who are health care employees have been forced to submit to bodily invasion, navigate exemption processes or lose their jobs and their livelihoods,” the petition states. “All their citizens will suffer as a result of the predictable and conceded exacerbation of labor shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities.”

The vaccine mandate violates the states’ sovereign right to enact and enforce their laws and exercise their police power on matters such as compulsory vaccination, and it fundamentally changes the deal under which they agreed to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Additionally, the

IFR is arbitrary and capricious, structurally defective and exceeds CMS’s statutory authority. Constitutionally speaking, it violates the Tenth Amendment; Nondelegation, Major Questions and AntiCommandeering doctrines; and the Spending Clause.

Joining Marshall in signing the petition to CMS are attorneys general from Arizona, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

The petition to repeal the vaccine mandate can be read at www.alabamaag. gov/Documents/ news/CMS%20 Petition%20for%20 Rulemaking%20 (final).pdf.

OPINION —

To the Editor:

In September 1967, Eddie Seibold deliber ately murdered three children asleep in their beds in Auburn, Ala bama — Lynn Sinclair (age 9), Libba Sinclair (age 18) and Mary Durant (age 9). He also wounded the mother of

Letter to the Editor: Keep a Killer in Prison

two of the victims, Juan ita Sinclair (a widow). Two other children of the Sinclair family were also targeted but man aged to escape.

Seibold was arrested in Florida a few weeks later. Although he ulti mately received three life sentences, Seibold is scheduled for a parole

COMMISSION

The commission approved a resolution last Wednesday to al locate funds from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs money the county received.

Lee County was awarded $500,000 and originally decided to split this amount be tween mortgage/rental assistance and food distribution.

Now, the county has decided, however, to also allocate funds toward equipment “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the spread of infec tious diseases such as COVID-19,” according to county documents.

Therefore, $285,000 will be allocated to ward equipment, which will be given to the volunteer fire depart ments, and $75,000 to ward food distribution.

“We did $75,000 for food distribution to the [Food Bank of East Alabama], all of which has been expended,” said Wendy Swann, governmental relations coordinator. “We al located $50,000 for grand administration,

all of which has been expended. We allocat ed $180,000 for utility assistance, of which only $1,748.87 has been expended. We also allocated $195,000 for rental and mortgage assistance of which $7,669.51 has been expended.”

OTHER BUSINESS:

- The commission approved that the meet ings will continue to be held on the first and third Wednesdays.

- The commission amended the rules of procedure to allow commissioners to par ticipate in county meet ings electronically.

- The commission voted to approve mov ing the Marvin porta ble voting classroom to a permanent location half a mile up Alabama State Route 51.

- The commission voted to approve the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds of over $98,000 for lighting in the parking lot areas of Beauregard and Beulah parks.

- The commission approved the FY 2023 Holiday Schedule.

T he next county com mission meeting will be Monday, Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. Meetinsgs are held in the commission chamber in the Courthouse Annex.

hearing on Jan. 11, 2023.

This heinous crime shocked the Auburn community. It remains vivid in the memories of many Auburn residents who would be terrified if he were released.

Please write a letter to the Parole Board opposing this triple-mur

derer’s parole. Your one-page letter should state the inmate’s name and number — Ed ward Albert Seibold, # 105403, and the date of the hearing — Jan. 11, 2023.

Letters should be mailed to: Attention: Victim Ser vices — Alabama Board

of Pardons and Paroles 100 Capitol Commerce Blvd., Suite 310 Montgomery, AL 36117.

Mailed letters should be received at least two weeks prior to the hearing.

You may also email victim.services@ paroles.alabama.gov. If you send an e-mail in

stead of a hard copy let ter, consider requesting a “Read” or “Received” confirmation to ensure that it is received. Please get your letters sent now, so that this task is done before the holiday season. Thank you.

Linda Dean

Richard LaGrand Sr. ADECA GRANT:

Georgia’s Two “Political Pariahs” Now Seen as Tenacious Wise Men

joint economic develop ment and “water wars” issues. He said that over his four years as governor, he and Ivey have had a “tremendous relationship” in finding solutions to issues.

not true. When an act is morally or legally wrong, loyalty should not drive you to defend indefensible actions. The two Georgia conservatives took on the most powerful in today’s Republican Party.

“Trump, on tape, pressures Ga. official to ‘find’ him votes.”

OPINION —

Two state consti tutional officers in Georgia had the gumption to challenge President Donald Trump over the electoral fraud he was claiming in late 2020. These men faced political oblivion after rejecting Trump’s corrupt overtures. So said political writers the nation over. One of these men was even de scribed as having “not even a prayer” of being reelected.

Look at them now, after the 2022 midterm elec tions. They were not only reelected but redeemed.

Brad Raffensperger kept his job as Georgia secre tary of state, and Brian Kemp received four more years as governor. Other Republicans, such as for mer Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin have faced Trump’s ire, too. But Raffsenperger and Kemp even faced death threats from Trump supporters.

At a Nov. 7 press con ference in Columbus, Georgia, I asked Kemp how much state-to-state cooperation he had with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. He praised our governor for her leadership with

I mention this because Kemp and Trump had a strained relationship while Ivey and Trump tended to agree on most issues. It is commendable for Ivey to put aside the rancor most Republicans had for Kemp (in 2020). Instead, she worked with Kemp as she had before the rup ture between Trump and Georgia’s governor. That means Ivey and Kemp work well with someone even though they disagree on other topics. That’s a talent all of us should learn.

“We should be consis tent with the things we do, so that others will know they can count on us,” said Sterling W. Sill (1903-1994), a leading figure in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “More important, we want to able to count on ourselves. The greatest pain is to have to disap point one’s self.”

Many politicians think loyalty is meant to be in fallible or forever. That’s

Amazingly, the governor and secretary of state not only survived, but thrived. Keeping faithful to the laws and the country is unappreciated in these po litically “tribal” times. We can only hope that 2020 election deniers who were sent packing on Nov. 8 will understand that keep ing such beliefs are count er-productive. Several can didates did renounce those lies, such as Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania and Don Bolduc in New Hampshire.

Post-election, Raffensperger's fellow Republicans, U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, issued a state ment accusing him of unknown "failures" and calling for his resignation. The senators offered no evidence in support of their claims, which they made after pressure from Trump, who promoted conspiracy theories and falsely said the election had been rigged. An AP story was shocking, with

PUBLIC NOTICES

Form of ADVERTISEMENT

OF COMPLETION

Legal Notice

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Crimson Contractors, Inc., Contractor, has completed the Contract for Roof Replacement at Jeter Primary School for the Opelika City Schools, Owner, and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify: Stephen Ward & Associates, Inc. 128 Jet Plex Circle, Madison, Alabama 35758. Phone (256) 774-3565.

Crimson Contractors, Inc. 1808 14th Avenue Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 (205)758-8659 Legal Run 11/3/22, 11/10/22, 11/17/22 & 11/23/22

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

CV-2022-900301.00

WILLIAM A. JONES, Plaintiff, v. A Parcel of Land Lying in Lee County, Alabama, to wit: Lot 3, Block C, Oakview Subdivision, according to and as shown by that certain map or plat of record in Town Plat Book 9 at Page 179, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama; and Tavarius Ingram; and Unknown persons who may claim an interest in said property whose identities are unknown and who cannot by reasonable diligence be ascertained, Defendants.

NOTICE OF ACTION To: All Defendants herein, whose whereabouts are un known and which cannot be ascertained after the exercise of reasonable diligence.

You are hereby notified that on the 18th day of May 2021, a Bill to Quiet Title was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, regarding the follow ing described real property:\ Lot 3, Block C, Oakview Subdivision, according.to and as shown by that certain map or plat of record in Town Plat Book 9 at Page 179, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

All persons having an interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or any encumbrance or lien thereon, are hereby directed to plead, answer, or otherwise respond to the Complaint on or before the expiration of 30 days after the last publication of this notice, or thereafter suffer judgment by

default to be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

Done this the 24th day of October, 2022.

Mary Roberson Circuit Court Clerk, Lee County Benjamin H. Parr 830 Avenue A, Suite A Opelika, Alabama 36801

Telephone Number: 334-749-6999 Fax: 334-203-1875 ben@benparrlaw.com

Legal Run 11/3/2022, 11/10/2022, 11/17/2022 & 11/23/2022 ---------------

NOTICE Patrick Morlan, whose where abouts are unknown, must answer Roselaure Moran's Complaint and Summons Said Answer must be filed on or before 01/09/2023 or thereafter a judgment of default may be entered against him in Case No: DR 2022-000048.00 in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Done this 20th day of October, 2022

Mary Robertson Clerk of Circuit Court Lee County, Alabama OF COUNSEL: Ben C. Hand 114 North 8th Street Opelika, AL 36801 334-741-4077

Legal Run 11/17/2022, 11/23/2022, 12/1/2022 & 12/08/2022

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

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DALE LEROY TINDLE, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Case No: 2022-632

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

CRAIG ALAN TINDLE

Executor D. Carter Weeks Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504

Legal Run 11/17/2022, 11/23/2022 & 12/01/2022

IN THE PROBATE COURT

FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ALICE EVA HARRIS, DECEASED CASE NO 2022-484 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been grant ed to Lula H. Jones, Personal Representative on the 10th day of November, 2022, by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Lula H. Jones Legal Run 11/17/2022, 11/23/2022, 12/01/2022

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

STATE OF ALABAMA, COUNTY OF LEE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

To: Sarah Jane Ray and Cassandra Ann Ray, whose whereabouts are otherwise unknown, and any known or unknown heirs of the Estate of Mark A. Ray, deceased.

You will please take notice that on the 10th day of November, 2022 a certain paper in writing, purported to be the Last Will and Testament of Mark A. Ray was filed in my office for Probate by Wendy C. Ray and that the 20th day of December, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., CST was ap pointed the day and time for the hearing thereof, at which time you can appear and contest the same, if you see proper.

Given under my hand, this the 10th day of November, 2022.

BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate Legal Run 11/17/2022, 11/23/2022 & 12/01/2022

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JACQUELINE DOWDELL JONES, DECEASED PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY, CASE NO. 2022-538

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of JACQUELINE DOWELL JONES are hereby granted to Deborah Lynn Clay on the 2nd day of November, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

NOTICE OF

Carl Bernstein, who broke the Watergate scandal in 1972 with Bob Woodward, called the Trump–Raffensperger scandal "far worse than Watergate." He said that in any other presidency Trump’s actions would get him impeached, convict ed and facing bipartisan calls for him to resign. I note as well that by 2020, political politicization and far-right media were so powerful that the conser vative side carried much weight in arguments and investigations.

"The devil is after me today!" said attorney L. Lin Wood in an April 27, 2020, statement. “The Fulton County DA attacks me as you can see from the email below to my attor ney, demanding I testify before the 'Trump Witch Hunt' grand jury!”

He was a secondary player in the 2020 elec tion fraud investigation. He became known in the 1990s by defending 1996 Olympics security guard Richard Jewell in a defa mation case.

In March 28, almost four months after the 2020 presidential election,

political strategists in Georgia wrote that Raffensperger already had a 2022 primary challenger. Plus, the state legisla ture was severing some of his official powers as secretary of state. Both Raffensperger and Kemp were very unpopular with many Republicans.

“He’s toast,” said Jay Williams, a Georgia-based Republican strategist. “I don’t know that there’s a single elected official who would put their neck out for Brad Raffensperger right now.”

I wonder where this strategist is now, as the secretary of state and gov ernor of Georgia will be installed on Jan. 9, 2023. And, lo and behold, they will have the same name as the incumbent ones.

Greg Markley moved to Lee County in 1996. He has a master’s in education from AUM and a master’s in history from Auburn University. He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-win ning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to The Observer since 2011. He writes on politics, educa tion and books. gm.mark ley@charter.net

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

SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under The Self Service Storage Act. The undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on Thursday the 22nd day of December, 2022 at 10:00 AM on Lockerfox.com. Said property is iStorage, 501 North 26th St, Opelika, AL, 36801 Lisa Simmons 2052 Furniture, Misc Items Household Goods. Lakayla Walker 2094 Furniture, Misc Items Household Goods. Hawkins, Taylor 3060 Household items Misc Items . Burton, Felisea 3073 Misc Items boxes. Daniel Cambell 3010 Furniture, Misc Items Household Goods Sporting Goods . Combs, Larry 1004 Furniture, tools TV Yard Equipment . Combs, Cheryl 1077 Furniture, Misc Items Household Goods Boxes . Stanfield, Kelsey 3065 Furniture, Household items, Boxes. Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase by cash only. All purchased items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of the sale. Sale is subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party.

Legal Run 11/23/2022

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

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: SANDRA CLAIRE OLIVER, deceased CASE NO.2022-641

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT TO BE PUBLISHED BY EXECUTRIX

Letters Testamentary under the Last Will and Testament of said deceased having been granted to Jan Harden on the 14th day of November 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, 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. Jan Harden, Petitioner Joel Lee W1liiams Attorney At Law 75 North Court Square P.O. Box 446 Troy, Alabama 36081-0446 (334) 566-8484 Legal Run 11/23/2022, 12/01/2022 & 12/08/2022

IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: THOMAS E. HANNA DECEASED Case No.: 2022-602

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Rodney Hanna, Personal Representative on the 16th day of November 2022, by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Rodney Hanna Legal Run 11/23/22, 12/01/2022 & 12/08/2022

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

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JOAN C. DILWORTH, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO: Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 10th day of November, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

SUZANNE KING HARRIS and STEPHANIE KING HUGHES Co-Personal Representatives

Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 11/23/2022, 12/01/22 & 12/08/22

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RAYNA L. LOVETT, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-631

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

JASON LINING LOVETT and JOHN BARTEE LOVETT, JR. Co-Personal Representatives

Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 11/23/2022, 12/01/2022 & 12/08/2022

STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell person al property described below be-longing to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1242 N Dean Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 10:00AM Unit 158 Unit 159 Unit 252

The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetrea sures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Legal Run Date 11-23-22

Notice of Action by

Publication; Winston A. Felton v. Lisa Hammond et al, Case No.: 43-CV-2022900117.00, was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama on to-wit: April 1, 2022 and an amendment to complaint filed on May 20, 2022 seeking by Declaratory Judgment to Quiet Title in rem and for a Sale for Division to the property located in Lee County, Alabama and described as follows:

(Parcel I) Commence at a found iron pin at the Northwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama, said pin also being the Point of Beginning of the fol lowing described property. From said Point of Beginning, thence North 87 deg. 24’ 02” East a distance of 1930.14 feet to a found iron pin on the West Right-of-Way line of County Road 191 (80’ ROW); thence, along said West Right of Way, South 06 deg. 43’ 49” West a distance of 250.70 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said West Right of Way, along a curve to the left with a radius of 1949.93 feet, a chord bearing of South 05 deg. 15’ 06” West a chord distance

Deborah Lynn Clay Legal Run 11/17/2022, 11/24/2022 & 12/01/2022

GREG MARKLEY

Dr. Sara Smith T Speaks at Opelika Kiwanis

Marlene Navor Speaks at Auburn Rotary Club Meeting

DAR Honors Local Health Care Workers

FLOWERS >>

FROM B9

same, all politics is na tional, now. The vote is driven from Washington.

The same is true of the Alabama Republican Party. It does not matter who is the chairman of the Alabama GOP, the GOP vote in Alabama will be the same. In fact, the current GOP chair man is a butterfly farm er and his butterflies

probably know more about Alabama politics than he does.

Folks, Alabama is in the Republican tribe, make no doubt about it. Our largest metropolitan counties of Jefferson and Montgomery are in the Democratic column.

As I have said for the past 20 years, if Mickey Mouse is the Republican candidate for president, he will carry Alabama even if he does not campaign or spend

on this program while serving motorists with quality auto parts and expert advice.”

any money here, and the same applies to the governor’s race. Why? Because all politics to day is national.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading po litical columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.

roadway safety leading into the holidays for local motorists. The announcement was made Monday at Advance’s store location at 401 2nd Ave. in Opelika.

Officers may issue a $25 gift card instead of a ticket or citation to encourage motorists to safely repair vehicle headlights, taillights or other minor issues.

“Our local team is thrilled to partner with Opelika Police to promote safer vehicle operations,” said Dylan Armour, Advance district manager. “As we approach the holiday travel season, it’s important that everyone in our community keeps vehicle safety top of mind. We’re looking forward to working alongside Chief Healey and his department

Advance's store team presented Capt. Johnathan Clifton and Opelika police officers with an Advance gift card donation of $2,500 to begin the initiative.

“We truly appreciate Advance Auto for their generous donation to our community,” said Police Chief Shane Healey. “Allowing our officers to hand out gift cards rather than citations goes a long way in strengthening our relationships within the community, which is what our 'Together, Opelika' campaign is all about.”

Motorists receiving a gift card may use the card at Advance’s two Opelika locations, throughout Alabama or online at AdvanceAutoParts. com.

ABOUT ADVANCE AUTO

PARTS:

Advance Auto Parts Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers. As of Oct. 8, 2022, Advance operated 4,747 stores and 313 Worldpac branches primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company also served 1,335 independently owned Carquest-branded stores across these locations in addition to Mexico and various Caribbean islands. Additional information about Advance, including employment opportunities, customer services and online shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found at www.

AdvanceAutoParts.com.

On Nov. 16, Marlene Navor, director of communications for the AU men’s basketball team, spoke to the Auburn Rotary Club.

Dr. Sara Smith T visited the Opelika Kiwanis Club Nov.17 and spoke on this year's Beat Bama Book Drive's Reach Out and Read. Smith T is a pediatrician at East Alabama Health Center and partners with Reach Out and Read, a statewide effort by the Alabama chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics that aims to develop a foundation of success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. The club will not meet on Thanksgiving, and a speaker for the Dec. 1 has not been set.

The Martha Wayles Jefferson Chapter of the National Society of the American Revolution recently presented its 2022 Excellence in Community Service Awards, recognizing some of the leaders of the East Alabama Health COVID-19 vaccination initiative. The clinic began in February 2021 and lasted through May 2021, ultimately resulting in over 90,000 vaccines being administered in the community. Over 2,000 community volunteers participated. Gov. Kay Ivey visited the clinic in April 2021 to observe how it was effectively organized.

Presenting the awards (front row): Chapter Regent Shelby Dean Ward; Awards Co-Chair Molly Miller-Beard; Awards Chair Dora James.

Accepting the awards (second row): John Atkinson, public relations director of East Alabama Health; Steven Holden, Lee County EMA; Will Mathews, city of Auburn; Chuck Beams, East Alabama chief pharmacy officer; Rosanna McGinnis, Opelika Library director; Bruce Zartman, vice president of support operations at East Alabama Health; Rita Smith, Lee County EMA; Joe Davis, mission and outreach coordinator of Auburn United Methodist Church.

The Excellence in Community Service Award is one of the highest honors presented by a local DAR Chapter and is endorsed by both the state and national DAR.

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of 92.88 feet to a point at the intersection of said West Right of Way of County Road 191 and the North maintenance line of County Road 14; thence, along said North Maintenance line, South 88 deg. 09’ 04” West a distance of 178.38 feet to a found iron pin; thence, leaving said North maintenance line, North 01 degrees 58’ 32” West a distance of 302.56 feet to a found iron pin; thence, South 87 degrees 39’ 42” West a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin; thence, South 02 degrees 00’ 13” East a distance of 300.00 feet to a found iron pin on the said North maintenance line of County Road 14; thence, along said North Maintenance line, South 88 degrees, 09’ 04” West a distance of 125.81 feet to a point; thence along said North maintenance line, along a curve to the left having a radius of 1230.00 feet, a chord bearing of South 78 degrees 19’ 32” West a chord distance of 419.80 feet to a point; thence along said North maintenance line, North 68 degrees 30’ 00” East a distance of 871.93 feet to a point; thence leaving said North maintenance line, North 05 degrees 24’ 30” West a distance of 680,94 feet to the Point of Beginning; all lying in and be ing a part of the Southeast ¼ of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama and containing 16.60 acres, more or less. (Parcel II) Commence at a found iron pin at the Northwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama; thence South 05 degrees 24’ 30” East a distance of 743.39 feet to a found iron pin on the South maintenance line of County Road 14, said pin being the Point of Beginning of the following described property. From said Point of Beginning, along said South maintenance line, thence North 68 degrees 30’ 00” East a distance of 889.24 feet to a point; thence along said South maintenance line, along a curve to the right with a radius of 1170.00 feet, a chord bearing of North 78 degrees 19’ 32” East a chord distance of 399.32 feet to a point; thence along said South maintenance line, North 88 degrees 09’ 04” East a dis tance of 124.67 feet to a set iron pin; thence leaving said South maintenance line, South 01

degrees 50’ 56” East a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin; thence North 88 degrees 09’ 04” East a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin; thence North 01 degrees 50’ 56” West a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin on the South maintenance line of said County Road 14; thence along said South maintenance line, North 88 degrees 09’ 04” East a distance of 174.27 feet to a point at the intersection of said South maintenance line and the West Right of Way line of County Road 191 (80’ ROW); thence along said West Right of Way along a curve to the left with a radius of 1949.93 feet, a chord bearing of South 09 de grees 12’ 19” East a chord dis tance of 765.70 feet to a point; thence along said West Right of Way, South 20 degrees 31’ 00” East a distance of 697.28 feet to a point; thence along said West Right of Way along a curve to the left with a radius of 1472.41 feet, a chord bearing of South 36 degrees 40’ 29” East a distance of 817.86 feet to a found con crete monument; thence along said West Right of Way, South 52 degrees 44’ 18” East a dis tance of 154.57 feet to a point; thence leaving said West Right of Way, South 04 degrees 47’ 28” East a distance of 38.27 feet to a found iron pin; thence South 87 degrees 24’ 21” West a distance of 2641.50 feet to a set iron pin; thence North 04 degrees 52’ 03” West a distance of 669.06 feet to a found iron pin; thence North 04 degrees 52’ 03” West a dis tance of 397.73 feet to a found iron pin; thence North 04 de grees 47’ 25” West a distance of 830.06 feet to the Point of Beginning, all lying and being a part of the Southeast ¼ of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama, and containing 100.19 acres, more or less. (Parcel III) Commence at a found iron pin at the Northwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama; thence North 87 degrees 24’ 02” East a distance of 1930.14 feet to a found pin on the West Right of Way of County Road 191 (80’ ROW); thence North 87 degrees 26’ 22” East a dis tance of 80.56 feet to a found iron pin on the East Right of Way of said County Road 191; said pin being the Point of Beginning of the following described property. From said Point of Beginning, leaving said Eight Right of Way, North 87 de grees 25’ 00” East a distance of 496.63 feet to a found iron

pin; thence North 87 degrees 25’ 16” East a distance of 143.59 feet to a found iron pin; thence South 04 degrees 47’ 28” East a distance of 2494.36 feet to a point on the East Right of Way of said County Road 191; thence along said East Right of Way, North 52 degrees 44’ 40” West a distance of 83.32 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way along a curve to the right with a radius of 1397.72 feet a chord bearing of North 36 degrees 38’ 11” West a chord distance of 773.05 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way, North 20 degrees 31’ 00” West a distance of 697.28 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way, along a curve to the right with a radius of 1880.88 feet a chord bearing of North 06 degrees 59’ 05” West a chord a distance of 878.44 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way, North 06 degrees 45’ 14” East a distance of 262.89 feet to the Point of Beginning; all lying in and being a part of the Southeast ¼ of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama, and containing 31.46 acres, more or less.

TO: ALL PERSONS claiming present, future, contingent, remainder, reversion or other interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or the lien thereon:

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because this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be person ally served with a copy of the complaint. Your response must be filed with Mary B. Roberson, Clerk, Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, Lee County Justice Center, 2311 Gateway Drive, Suite 104, Opelika, Alabama 36801,

& Jackson, LLC, 1785 Taliaferro Trail, Montgomery, Alabama 36117.

Plaintiff’s Attorney’s phone number is (334) 260-9998. Done this the 14th day of November, 2022.

/s/ Mary B. Roberson, Clerk of the Lee County, Alabama, Circuit Court Legal Run 11/23,2022, 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 &

You are hereby notified that the above-styled action was filed against you on April 1, 2022, and an amendment to complaint on May 20, 2022 and that by Order entered by the Court, you are hereby commanded to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the complaint within 30 days from last publication, the 15 day of DECEMBER , 2022, or thereafter suffer judgment in rem to be rendered against you

and served upon attor