The Observer 12-01-2022

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

Opelika Theatre Com pany (OTC) has some new and exciting things in store.

THE PENGUIN PROJECT

The Penguin Project is coming to Opelika. But what is The Penguin Project?

“Once a year, a magical and touching celebration of the human spirit unfolds at numerous theaters across the country,” according to The Penguin Project web site. “A group of children in a program called The Penguin Project take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical. These productions are unique, however, because all the roles are filled by young artists with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabil ities, learning disabilities,

visual impairment, hearing impairment and other neu rological disorders.

“They are joined on stage by a dedicated group of 'peer mentors’ — chil dren the same age without disabilities who have volunteered to work sideby-side with them through four months of rehears als and through the final performance. By providing access to community the ater, The Penguin Project demonstrates that the spe cial challenges of a disabil ity should not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life’s experiences.”

“I’d been thinking about The Penguin Project for a long time — for over two years, actually more than that,” said the Director of OTC Marty Moore.

Moore said she learned about The Penguin Project at an annual Alabama Conference of Theatre. She then reached out to the person in charge of The Penguin Project and re

ceived permission for OTC to participate.

“He said, ‘I think your program will be a great fit,’” Moore recalled. “And I said, ‘I do too.’ … It’s an awesome opportunity.”

Opelika will become one

of 23 projects in the nation and only one of two in Alabama.

Now, the project won’t be ready for about six months, Moore said, but she hopes OTC can per form “Annie” and rehears

als could begin in June.

“I have got to get the word out,” she said. “I’ve got to find people that want to be a part of this, volun teers.”

The recommended age group for The Penguin

Project is 10 to 23, but Moore is able to make exceptions as she sees fit. The program is intense — requiring likely four rehearsals a week, at about an hour-and-a-half each.

PROJECTS, page A3

OPELIKA —

The congregation at First United Methodist Church of Opelika had a little extra to be thankful for during this

Thanksgiving season.

After about four years of planning, designing, COVID delays and construction work, renovations were completed for the 143-year-old building that stands at the corner of Avenue A and South 7th

Street in downtown Opelika.

“It’s finally nice to see the finished product,” said Jon Tate, chair of the church’s Building Committee. “… It was a dramatic improvement.

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

The Mobile Wellness Clinic will allow patients the ability to access routine and chronic illness screenings, learn about disease prevention and receive referrals to community resources.

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

Joseph Haynes be lieves he suffered an injustice over 40 years ago that has now been righted.

Haynes said he was left off his school’s honor society list without cause or reason.

“My mother was very stern, very very stern … and she didn’t play about

education,” he said. Haynes said he knew not to bring home bad grades but also didn’t care about perfect grades or perfect attendance.

He said that all changed in the sixth grade. He watched as classmates all received honors for different things, and he was left out.

“That kind of struck me kind of hard because I realized I had the same ability that they did

and I didn’t apply my self,” Haynes said. “…

I made a vow to myself that from the seventh grade on, by six years later, I would graduate with more than just my diploma, and I was go ing to be an honor roll student.”

Haynes was deter mined; he rarely missed school, he had a 3.58 GPA and was hoping to be inducted into the hon or society.

And in his ninth grade

Opelika Mayor Suspends Rules at Opelika Cemeteries for the Holidays

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

OPELIKA —

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller has conferred with Public Works Director Mike Hilyer and has issued an order to “suspend” the rules at city of Opelika cemeteries starting on Dec. 5, 2022, through Jan. 3, 2022, governing the placement of floral arrangements, wreaths and trinkets on graves, allowing loved ones to place extra holiday wreaths,

flower arrangements (in a separate contain er) and trinkets on the graves.

The city rules re quire that there can only be one flower arrangement per grave lot, unless the monu ment provides its own flower receptacle. Flower receptacles of any kind (glass, wood, plastic, tin, cement) are prohibited, and no flowerpots are normally allowed to remain on the lawn area beside gravesites. The only exception to this rule is the flowers

placed on grave sites from funerals which have occurred within the past week. Also, two trinkets or what nots per lot are per mitted if placed on the base of the monument.

The rules will go back into effect — and be enforced once again — on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

Any wreaths or separate floral ar rangements or extra trinkets left out at that time will be removed from the grave sites on Jan. 4.

year he did make the Junior National Honor Society.

In the 11th grade, Haynes knew he had the grades to make the National Honor Society, however his name was left off the list.

He approached the advisor and asked about the oversight.

“She said, ‘We decided to let you mature a lit tle bit more.’ ‘Ma’am?’ ‘Well, you weren’t voted

Alabama Health.

This travelling clinic will provide specific medical services in underserved areas of our community.

The bus was donated by Tiger Transit and funded by donations, and will allow patients the ability to access rou tine and chronic illness screenings, learn about disease prevention, and receive referrals to com munity resources.

The Clinic's De cember schedule is as follows:

KICKOFF EVENT

• Saturday, Dec. 3 (Carver - Covington Park); 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Tuesday, Dec. 6 (Jeter - Christian Care Ministries); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Friday, Dec. 9 (Carver - Covington Park); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tuesday, Dec. 13 (Jeter - Christian Care Ministries); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Friday, Dec. 16

(Carver - Covington Park); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tuesday, Dec. 20 (Jeter - Christian Care Ministries); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

• Friday, Dec. 23 (Carver - Covington Park); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tuesday, Dec. 27CLOSED for holiday

• Friday, December 30 (Carver - Covington Park); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tuesday, Jan. 3CLOSED for holiday

• Friday, Jan. 6 (Carv er - Covington Park); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

After Jan. 6, the schedule will continue with Tuesdays in the Jeter community at Christian Care Minis tries and Fridays in the Carver community at Covington Park.

For more informa tion about the traveling clinic, please visit www. eastalabamahealth. org/living-well/ope likas-neighborhood-mo bile-wellness-clinic.

Ware Jewelers Encourages Community To Give Back in a Big Way

CONTRIBUTED BY WARE JEWELERS

AUBURN —

We’ve all heard the saying “A little bit goes a long way.” In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, no truer words could be spoken. Between hanging Christmas lights, prepping all those holiday decorations, cooking a full holiday feast and wrapping what seems like an endless number of gifts, we often overlook how we shop for the holidays while focused on the speed

and efficiency of getting our holiday shopping completed.

Here’s the thing: the small businesses that make up the heart of small-town Amer ica, including your local community, depend greatly on your reconsidering of how and where you purchase your holiday gifts. Here’s something to remember: You can give back in a big way by shopping small over the holidays. After all, a little bit goes a long way.

Your dollar is more than twice as valuable when spent at a local independent

merchant rather than a large corporation. Beyond that, your money will recirculate through your community seven times over. Buying from local chain stores re-circulates your money three times over in your area. Each time that money recirculates, it is providing jobs and an economic base that supports your family, friends and neighbors in the long run.

Think of this as a smallscale grassroots economy. By shopping locally, you’ll be helping a single mother

pay for food to feed her family. You’ll be keeping money in your community that is then placed into local government, volunteering objectives and community philanthropy. You’ll be contributing to funds that support your local school district, clean up your city parks and keep the lights on at your favorite local stores. It perpetuates the cycle of local enterprises that feed off each other and grow by supporting one another. The beauty of it all is that we have the power to change

how our cities and towns look this time next year by making thoughtful decisions about where we spend our money today.

We’re thankful to have experienced growth by being beneficiaries of this grass roots economic model. We are so thankful to be part of this incredible community, and additionally, we’re hon ored to have such hardwork ing, committed and locally minded employees here to assist you at Ware Jewelers. Shopping small not only sup ports our businesses through

monetary recirculation, but it sustains and helps foster our community workforce. It provides jobs that support our families, which in turn grows our businesses and strengthens our community.

So, in conclusion, our family here at Ware Jewelers would like to remind and encourage you to think about how and where you shop this holiday season, because in the end, a little bit goes a long way.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

It’s going to really allow us to do some things.”

The nearly $4.5 million project covered a variety of the church’s needs — re placement of the HVAC system, a complete remodel of the basement, necessary attic work and the much-an ticipated remodel of the sanctuary, complete with improved lighting and new audio-visual and livestream ing capabilities.

For the Rev. Patrick Hitch man-Craig, associate pastor at First UMC, the finished product was worth the wait.

“We’ve been under con struction for 10 months, so we were out of the sanctuary for 10 months,” he said. “We worshipped in the fellowship hall during that time, and so it was a long time to be out of a space that people have grown accustomed to being in, but now that we’re back in I think everybody goes, ‘Wow, that was worth it.’”

According to Hitch man-Craig, the church’s last major building project took place around 2005 with the addition of the fellowship hall and education wing. There had been plans to renovate the sanctuary back then, but after the recession hit around 2008, the project was put on hold.

Fast forward about a decade, and Tate said it was time to take care of some needed repairs. In addition, the HVAC system was in dire need of replacement.

“The old one was at a point where it was kind of on life support, and if we had another issue with it, we would’ve been just complete ly without,” he said. “So, as we got into that, that kind of drove additional projects that were not really anticipated.”

One of those was a complete remodel of the

basement — in part because of how the team had to run the ductwork, which also led them to the attic for some behind-the-scenes repairs and upgrades that likely won’t be noticed by the average churchgoer, according to Tate.

But in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic de layed the church’s efforts by about 12 to 18 months.

“Obviously, none of us knew what was going on when COVID hit,” Tate said. “… We did make a few minor tweaks when we got back together before going under construction, but we were almost set on ‘go’ right at the onset of COVID. Had we known, that would have been a perfect time — be cause we were already out of the building — to go ahead and begin construction.”

Despite the setbacks, Hitchman-Craig said the pandemic also shed light on a silver lining. With church services going online, the congregation noticed a need for better lighting and au dio-visual upgrades to get the most out of their livestreamed services.

“Just sitting in the sanctu ary, it always felt like a welllit building on a sunny day, but if you ever tried to video or do anything in there, you quickly realized how dark it was,” Tate explained. “…

So that’s one of the things we really enhanced when we did get back together.

… People that did watch it online said just how much better it was, so streaming capability is much improved. Our ability to reach people that are traveling or sick, or even cover overflow, is really an improvement now.”

Overall, Tate said the renovations revealed that the building still had many good structural pieces still intact, which was beneficial to them during construction. Ac cording to Hitchman-Craig,

the demolition work in the basement uncovered an interesting piece of history: a thick, red brick wall that was part of the original structure built in 1879.

“You could go in, and there was still some of that original 1879 red brick that’s still there and still holding things together, which is amazing,” he said.

The finished basement includes extra classroom spaces, a bridal suite and additional bathrooms.

Other upgrades included better fireproofing and other life safety improvements, Tate said.

“Again, not the kind of thing that anybody is going to see if they’re just walking around, but we know it’s there,” he added. “We feel more comfortable that it’s there.”

Two Alabama-based com panies headed the project. Robins & Morton served as construction manager on the project, hiring subcontractors and managing the process throughout, Tate said. Seay, Seay & Litchfield served as the architect.

“We can’t say enough about the project team and just what a great job they did,” Tate said. “You really didn’t know they were there. They kept everything clean, very respectful of being on the property and understand ing that this was a place of worship and important to us.”

Tate and a few others ar rived about 45 minutes early to the church’s first Sunday service back in the sanc tuary, held Nov. 13, which Hitchman-Craig called a kind of “test run” to see how everything was functioning. Luckily, “everything went off without a hitch.”

“The organ, the piano, the choir, the lighting — everything was just really amazing,” Tate recalled.

Those involved in the project were invited to a re

ception following the service, and the church’s preschoolers made thank-you cards for the project manager. “He was really tickled to get those,” Tate said.

First UMC held its official celebratory service Nov. 20. Hitchman-Craig said some retired pastors attended, and the space was reconsecrated as a place of worship. He added that he hopes the renovated space will inspire churchgoers for years to come, and as Christmas approaches, he is looking for ward to seeing the sanctuary decked out in greenery and other decorations.

“One of things you hear people say is ‘The church is people. The church isn’t a building,’” he said. “And while that’s true, buildings still matter. Architecture communicates. The people of God have always worshipped God in physical bodies, in physical spaces … so at the end of the day, as a church, we want a space that inspires worship — that you don’t just walk in and go, ‘What a beautiful sanctuary,’ but it draws your attention elsewhere to go, ‘There’s something else here. There’s a beautiful God here that does beautiful things, and this beautiful space is a reflection of that.’”

First UMC meets for wor ship services at 9 and 10:30 a.m. every Sunday, and all are welcome to attend.

“It’s really not about coming to see the sanctuary,” Hitchman-Craig added. “It’s about coming to see a God who is good and wants to do great things in people’s lives, and encounter the love of Christ and the beauty of God in a new, renovated, beautiful space.”

To see photos of the renovation process, find this story on our website: www. opelikaobserver.com.

PROJECTS

But each actor participat ing will be paired with an able-bodied assistant.

SENIOR CREATIVE AGING

The Penguin Project is not the only thing that OTC has going on. They are also working on a project for senior citizens in the community.

“The Senior Creative Aging for Senior Citizens is going to be a program that’s designed to help se niors with cognitive recog nition skills, help improve memory, help improve motor skills,” Moore said.

There will be improvi sation instead of just plays with memorization, she said.

“It helps them combat depression; it helps them get more socially inter active in the community; it helps them to build their self-esteem back up, to know they are worth something, that they have a purpose; it gives them something to look forward to,” Moore said.

Anyone interested in par ticipating in this program can call 334-559-8597 or Moore’s cell at 334-4009660.

MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Missoula Children’s Tour is also coming to Opelika Theatre Compa ny.

“They’ve been around for about 50 years,” Moore said.

The tour will come over the summer to put on two shows with OTC actors over the course of a week, along with workshops.

“I can only take a lim ited amount of campers,” Moore said.

Only 64 OTC children can participate. Four of

those campers may be assistant directors for the show.

Sixteen of the campers are allowed to be between 5 and 8 years old. The rest will need to be over the age of 8.

Camp will take place from June 5 through 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will cost $225 for nonOTC campers.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In February, for Black History Month, OTC will put on its second Black History Month Program.

“This year, we are mak ing it a three-day event,” Moore said. “It’s going to include three shows: a Friday night, a Satur day night and a Sunday afternoon. We are going to have a vendors’ fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for black artists to set up their small businesses, that will be set up there at Southside [Center for the Arts].”

There may also be a program called Dancing with Donald that weekend.

Moore said one of her former choreographers is now the resident chore ographer for the Back Repertory in Sarasota, Florida. He may be able to host a workshop for OTC, Dancing with Donald.

“The Black History Month showcase is to educate, inspire, empower people in the community and inform people in the community about the his tory of African Americans and how they’ve contrib uted to the cultural essence of this country,” Moore said. “Without these Black artists, there would be no tap; without these Black artists, there would be no jazz; without these Black artists, there would be no music, as to what people know and listen to today.”

SEAN DIETRICH

You’re going to be OK. That’s not an opinion. It’s not a guess. This isn’t some trite little catchphrase from some crappy motiva tional book that reads like it was written by a greasy televangelist.

You’re going to be OK. It’s the plain truth. You really are going to make it through this junk you’re going through.

So relax. You don’t have to do anything to make everything OK. You don’t have to close your eyes extra tight, grit your teeth, use magic words or clap for Tinkerbell.

Deep in your soul, you know it’s coming. You know everything will be all right, eventually.

Yes, things are bad. But you have a little, infinitesi mal voice speaking to you right now. And this voice is reading these very words alongside you and saying to you, “This guy’s got a point. It really WILL be OK.”

This is not your voice. It’s a voice that comes from somewhere else. The prob lem is, you can’t always hear this faint voice talking. Namely, because you’re too busy freaking out. But believe me, the voice

It's Going to be OK

is there. And every time you take a few moments to breathe, you’ll hear the voice. It chatters softly, originating from some where near your chest area.

“You’ll be OK,” the gentle voice will say again. “It’s all going to be OK. You’ll see.”

Also, the voice says other things like: “You’re not fat. You’re not stupid. You’re a smart person. You’re good enough. You’re very fortunate. You’re a miracle.

Everyone really likes you, with the possible exception of your mother-in-law.”

Yes, you’ve been through some tight scrapes. Yes, your body bears the scars of private wars you’ve waged. But you’ve survived each cataclysm. You have proven everyone wrong. You’ve always been OK.

So I know you’re sitting there scanning this para graph, wondering why you’re still reading this drivel, when I obviously know nothing about you.

But you’re also thinking about how you’ve had a hard last few weeks. Last few months. Last few years. Last few decades.

You’re also thinking about how you pray for relief but it never comes. You’re thinking about how you have tried to put one foot in front of the other, but now it’s getting harder to move your legs.

The little voice is practi cally screaming at you. The voice says: “Don’t quit! You’re almost there! You’re going to make it!”

Someday — and I know you can’t envision this — your problems will all be over. Every last one of them.

The issues currently messing up your life will all fade. The sun will shine. Birds will sing. The sky will be perpetually blue. You will hear symphonies playing.

Your body will no longer hurt. Your heart will feel light. Your mind will find

peace. Your soul will be nourished.

On that day, you will reflect upon this godawful time you’re going through with bittersweet fondness. Because this hell-on-earth period will be what shapes you. And you’ll be think ing to yourself, “Wow, everything really did turn out OK.”

Listen, I’m nobody. And by now, you’ve figured out I’m not winning any Pulitzers, either. I don’t know how your life will play out. I don’t know how it will end.

But I know that I, too, have had some bad seasons. I have seen some terrible stuff in my life. I’m not all that different from you.

I remember certain people used to tell me pre cisely what I’m telling you.

“Everything will be OK,” they’d all say.

And it would take every thing I had not to respond by pressing my hands against my lips and making

a flatulating sound. Because I believed these people were colossal idiots. How could they know anything would be OK? What gave them the right to tell me this? They didn’t know me. They were just peddling cheap, uplifting clichés from New York Times bestselling self-help books whose only practical purposes were leveling wobbly tables and swatting flies.

Even so. These people were right. Everything DID work out. It always does. It will for you, too.

Just listen to the voice, which is softly reminding you that, if you can just hold on, if you can just get through it, if you can just keep going, all heaven is about to break loose.

You can trust this voice. This voice loves you. And if ever you start to doubt this voice, just ask the voice to tell you His name.

The Turkey Is Dead, And Santa Is Too Skinny

WENDY HODGE

My grandmother’s coffee table was a polished walnut, smooth to the touch. It was an antique even then, 50 years ago. And on it sat the inevitable coffee table book. Hers was a collec tion of Norman Rockwell paintings. From time to time, I would enter that quiet room with its plastic-covered sofa and tattered rug, and I would look at every page. The binding creaked when I opened it, and the pages slid across each other like sheets of satin. My favorite picture was the timeless Thanksgiv ing piece titled “Freedom From Want.”

To my little girl eyes, it was perfect. I certainly understood nothing of tech nique or theme or even the

HAYNES

FROM A2

in this time because four teachers and four students decided that you weren’t a fit for this year’s honor soci ety.’ I said, ‘Ma’am?’

‘Your grades are fine, but your attitude.’ I said, ‘Ma’am, can you explain that?’”

Haynes said there was never a solid ex planation for the reason he was left off the list.

“It wasn’t based on racism either, because there was a white kid who was a straight-A student, a straight-A juggernaut student,”

meaning of the title itself. All I knew was that everyone in it looked so happy, and the food looked delicious. It made me smile.

Art imitates life, I’ve been told. But when it comes to Thanksgiving, is there ever truly a last Thursday in No vember that looks just like that idyllic work of art?

My grandmother certainly worked to make Thanks giving dinner, as she did for every other meal, a feast. To this day, when I hear some one use the phrase “working their fingers to the bone,” it’s my grandmother Gussie I think of. Her hands were not beautiful. Her fingers were crippled with arthritis even that long ago, and they were never still. Always working, cooking, scrubbing, folding,

Haynes said, and they cited the same reason for that student — at titude. “… There were a lot of students that had lesser grades than I that were allowed in. So it was a huge class that they inducted for the honor society that year, but I wasn’t one of them.”

Now 41 years later, Haynes has received membership into an honor society.

“I just happened to be scrolling on the internet … and I saw something that said honorsociety.org,” he said. “I looked into it deeper, and then I saw what they had to offer

they seemed to never rest. There was nothing better when one of us grandchil dren were sick than Gussie’s cool, firm fingers on your forehead. She could gauge a temperature to within a tenth of a degree with startling accuracy. Those same fingers could snap a chicken’s neck and fry it up for dinner just as effortlessly as they sewed on a button or spread butter on a piping hot biscuit.

Somehow, without the aid of an air fryer or an electric skillet or even a microwave, Gussie Coxwell could man age to get 12 different dishes piled high with vegetables and meats and even dessert all steaming hot and on the table at the exact same mo ment. It was a miracle, that’s for sure. And it happened daily. I was too young to ap preciate it, of course. I turned my nose up at the fresh corn and collards, avoided the turkey and dressing and quietly nibbled on a single biscuit with butter. I’d love to go back in time and shake myself a bit. What on earth was I thinking?

There have been many Thanksgivings since those young days with my grand parents. My own mother cooked turkey upon turkey,

and everything. I just signed up, told them my qualifications, my credentials, my past accomplishments, and then they sent me an email and welcomed me in. Then, after I paid my membership dues, then they sent me my certificate.

“So now, after 41 years of living with that pain and that dis appointment … after 41 years, then, I finally got to be a member of the honor society. After what they denied me 41 years ago.”

Haynes visited his mother’s grave and made a tribute to her after his membership.

all perfectly moist and golden brown. She, too, had the knack for perfect timing. The table was always full of hot food, and she was (like her own mother) constantly moving, never resting and never once eating an entirely hot meal with the rest of us. That was her love language, I believe. Feeding us all and watching us enjoy the fruits of her hard work.

As memory often works, it’s not the perfect, flawless Thanksgivings I remember. It’s the ones that detoured slightly from the Norman Rockwell version of turkey day. For instance, Thanks giving of 1980 is known in our family as “the year of the crunchy peas.” My sister, who was 14 years older than I, married that year. She was so excited to have us gather in her home for Thanksgiv ing. The table was beautiful ly set. The dishes and glasses gleamed. The turkey sat on a platter in the middle, waiting to be sliced. Several dishes of vegetables surrounded it like chorus girls circling the main act.

My father blessed the food, and my sister began to pass the many dishes. Silence fell as we all dug in. It was my dad, I believe,

who made the first comment. “These peas are crunchy. Are they supposed to be crunchy?” Horrified, my sister took a bite and shook her head in dismay. “They’re still frozen,” she whispered. “They’re delicious,” my sweet mother was quick to say. “I like a little crunch,” I added.

And then my sister’s husband began to carve the turkey. He paused, reached his hand into the cavern of the turkey’s backside, and pulled out a well-baked, soggy bag. “What on earth is that??” my sister croaked. “Those are the giblets,” my dad said. “You forgot to take out the giblets?” my mother asked. I think she tried to suck the words back down her throat, but it was too late. My sister’s shoulders sagged, and she covered her face with her hands. No one moved or even breathed. And then my sister lifted her face so we could see that she was laughing. Laughing so hard, in fact, that tears began to roll down her face. Within moments, we were all howl ing and dabbing our eyes.

“I guess I’m no Julia Child,” my sister said when she could finally breathe again. “Best Thanksgiving

ever,” my mother responded. And we all agreed.

Years later, when my sister was living far away and I had children of my own, we had what is known as the “Thanksgiving of the dead turkey.” My son, Thomas, who was 4 at the time, had been hearing me speak of our turkey dinner for days. “The turkey will be beautiful,” I said. “It’s a big one this year,” I had also remarked. Thomas’s eyes lit up every time we mentioned the turkey.

The big day finally came. As he played, I cooked and prepared and worked. Dinner time rolled around. My parents were there. The table was set. Everything was ready. Thomas walked to the table and climbed up in his booster seat. Directly in front of him sat a 15-pound beauty, all brown skin and thick gravy. Thomas’s eyes grew round and wide. In his high-pitched, little boy voice, he wailed, “The turkey is dead!” And he began to cry. Huge tears spilled over his cheeks. The rest of us stifled laughter as best we could.

After much explaining and consoling, dinner proceeded.

OPELIKA THEATRE COMPANY

is gearing up for our next NEW musical show in 2023 HIGH

SCHOOL MUSICAL

Pre-Audition Workshop (not mandatory to audition) will be held Saturday, Dec. 3 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at the Southside Center for the Arts, which is located at 1103 Glenn St. across from Opelika Library. Ages 10 and up

Have fun learning "High School Musical" choreography, sounds, tricks, partnering stunts.

HSM AUDITIONS:

Dec. 10 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 17 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Visit www.opelikatheatrecompany.com to register for workshop. Call or text 334-559-8597 or 334-400-9660 for more information.

Grand Opening of Premium Truck Driving Academy To Be Celebrated with Holiday Extravaganza Event

CONTRIBUTED BY PREMIUM TRUCK DRIVING ACADEMY

—

VALLEY

Premium Truck Driving Academy will celebrate the grand opening of its new training facility in Valley, Alabama, with a holiday extravaganza on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, from noon to 5 p.m. The event includes massive giveaways, free food, an appearance by Santa and a ribbon cutting officiated by the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce.

To celebrate its open ing, Premium Truck Driving Academy is using the power of community outreach to connect with locals and ensure ev eryone has gifts to open this holiday season. The academy has partnered with several contributors to provide giveaways to children of all ages.

Delicious food will be

provided by Jazzy Pig BBQ & Catering, which serves traditional and Caribbean-style barbecue. Event attendees will eat at no cost.

“The grand opening is a fun way for locals to become acquainted with this new business and simultaneously spread holiday cheer,” said a Valley deputy sheriff.

“The academy will bring great opportunity to many in the community who are seeking new careers.”

Premium Truck Driving Academy offers four-week courses pre paring students to earn their commercial driver’s license (CDL) and ready themselves for a career in the trucking industry.

Classes start in January 2023.

The academy utilizes modern technologies that streamline traditional processes and offers sig

nificant in-person student support. CDL training is delivered through interac tive educational programs that are a hybrid of online learning, classroom and behind-the-wheel instruc tion. The multi-faceted approach helps students prepare for the written and road test and gain valuable hands-on experi ence driving a semi-trac

tor trailer. Students are guided to develop other competencies as well because principles of professional etiquette are incorporated in their learning experience.

The CDL school’s goal is to empower drivers and strengthen local commu nities through its career education programs. It has partnered with the non

profit Set Development, which assists formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as Alabama Cor rections to offer programs in conjunction with local Valley, Alabama, commu nity colleges.

Individuals interested in attending Premium Truck Driving Academy and starting a career in truck driving will have

Farm-City Banquet Held Nov. 21

the opportunity to learn how they can get 70% of tuition covered, offered for a limited time.

All are invited to the grand opening holiday ex travaganza. There will be lively music, activities for children and an exciting appearance by jolly ol’ Kris Kringle. The event will be held at Premium Truck Driving Academy, located at 605 Highway 29 North, Valley, Ala bama, 36854.

ABOUT PREMIUM TRUCK DRIV ING ACADEMY

Premium Truck Driving Academy was founded on its commitment to provide supportive learning ex periences for individuals to acquire the knowledge, abilities and profession alism that enable them to enter a successful truck driving career. For more information, visit Premi umTruckDriving.com

HODGE

FROM A4

>>

To this day, Thomas is not a fan of turkey.

A few years later, when my daughter Abbey was 5, she and I were in Walmart buying another dead turkey and all the trimmings. That morning, Santa happened to be posing for pictures with children in the parking lot of Walmart. The line snaked around the building. With promises to come back later, I managed to make my way into the store. We stood in front of the freezer full of turkeys, Abbey and I, debating which one to take home. (I had fully explained that the turkey would be dead so as to avoid any trauma at the dinner table.) As fate would have it, Santa was on his break at the same

moment. He emerged from a hallway open only to employees just as Abbey looked up. There he stood, his fake belly removed and his red velvet pants sag ging a bit. His beard was gone, and he held a Coke in one hand and a Moon Pie in the other. I held my breath, wondering what Abbey’s reaction would be. She tilted her head, and she and Santa stared at each other a moment. And then, in her sweet voice, she said, “Santa is too skinny. He’ll fall straight down the chimney.”

Santa chuckled and said, “If I eat enough of these Moon Pies, I’ll fatten right up!” And with a wave, he was off — back to the line of screaming children bak ing in the November sun.

“I know Santa’s just pretend,” Abbey said. “But

he’s funny.”

Oh, if only I could go back to that day in Walmart. I’d stand right there for hours and just take in the wonder that was my daughter. Or if I could sit at our old table and dry Thomas’s tears again, I’d relish every second of it.

And to return, just for one more Thanksgiving, to a meal my sister cooked, I would take the chair next to her and tell her how much I love her.

Or, if wishes were something we could hold in our hand, I would be sit ting in my grandmother’s den, turning the pages of Norman Rockwell’s coffee table collection, listening to the sounds of dinner being prepared, knowing my grandmother’s hands are busy as always.

If only...

P H O T O S B Y R O B E R T N O L E S / T H E O B S E R V E R

The Lee County Farm-City banquet was held on Nov. 21, at Lazenby Farms, to celebrate Farm-City Week. Farm-City Week’s main goal is to give a better understanding of the relationship between rural farmers and urban workers. Farm-City’s year-round activities are aimed at education, outreach and promotion of the relationship. Farm-City is a yearlong project that begins with National Ag Day in spring and culminates with Farm-City Week in November. Chris Harmon of Harmon Farm received the 2022 Lee County Farm of Distinction. The keynote speaker was Travis Hammonds of Bonnie Plants. Hammonds spoke about Bonnie Plants, which is headquartered in Opelika. Bonnie Plants grows vegetable and herb plants in the 72 greenhouse facilities that deliver to 49 states, now including Alaska. Lee County farmers, supporters and many state, county, city and Auburn University representatives were in attendance.

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

ociety & News

Ann Cipperly

SHouthernospitality

ummy cakes, cookies and candy, along with hearty soups and casseroles by the Unit ed Women in Faith, will be available at the Christmas Market Sat urday, Dec. 3, from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Auburn United Meth odist Church (AUMC) Mathison Building and Epworth Center. Thir

ty-six other vendors will be selling handmade jewelry, birdhouses, Christmas wreaths and ornaments, paintings, pottery, candles, quilts, handmade soaps, jellies and jams, among other items that make wonder ful Christmas gifts.

For over 50 years, the United Women in Faith at AUMC have been baking and cooking for

the Christmas Market, originally called a ba zaar. Proceeds from the bake sale have gone to local children’s af terschool programs, women’s shelter, Meth odist Children’s Home, Wesley Foundation and many others, including families in need.

During the busy Christmas season, a casserole or soup in the

freezer is great to have on hand on a hectic day to place in the oven and reheat. Cakes and baked goods are also wonderful to have tucked away in the freezer. The cakes are freshly baked and can be frozen. They also

East Alabama Community Band to Host Holiday Concert

DEC.

LIGHTING

DEC. 3: COOKIE WALK IN AUBURN

DEC. 3: AUBURN HOLIDAY MARKET

DEC. 3: HO HO HO HIKE

DEC. 3: SANTA ON THE CORNER IN AUBURN

take orders for cakes.

Jeanette Parker began baking for the bake sale after she retired in 2009 from Southern Union.

Jeanette and her husband Frazier have been mar ried for 57 years, and she cooks every day.

Frazier

The Parkers have three sons and three grand children. Their grand daughter Carly died in 2017 after a 10-year

Sundilla Presents 'A Winter's Evening with Ryanhood'

AUBURN — The Sundilla Concert Series and The Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities are teaming up to present the Arizona duo Ryanhood’s seasonal show, “A Winter’s Eve

ning with Ryanhood.” The show will take place at Pebble Hill on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m., and admission is free for all. Because space is limited, attend ees are encouraged to pick up tickets at Spicer’s

The United Women in Faith at Auburn United Methodist Church will hold their annual bake sale with casseroles and soup at the Christmas Market on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Proceeds will benefit local charities. Pictured from left, seated, are Mary Richburg and Julia Norton; standing, from left are Debbie Rollins, Jeanette Parker, Lyn Woodham and Marge Stephens.

retired from the engineering department at Auburn University.

Ryanhood will perform a holiday-themed show Dec. 15 at Pebble Hill.

CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA

The East Alabama Community Band, led by Joshua Wine, will be performing its holiday concert on Monday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. The concert will take place at Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn.

The band, founded 10 years ago by Mary Slaton, has grown from a small ensemble to a group of more than 50 members and would like to encourage others to join. The group practices on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Auburn Junior High School band room.

Admission to the concert is free, and donations are appreciated.

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

As I have men tioned in this column many times, I absolutely LOVE living in Lee County, and I feel sorry for the other 66 counties in Alabama. I’ve also stated that if you can’t be in Heaven yet, Lee County is the best place to wait.

In addition, I love Lee County because there are so many different restaurants from which to choose; that was not the case in Tallapoosa County, my home county, and Troup County in Georgia, where I worked for 30 years. This is my 94th column; I would never have been able to write that many columns in Tal lapoosa or Troup counties, even though they are still special to me. My writing “gig” would have been over long ago. Therefore, I’m grateful to Lee County for keeping me working. I really love it, and it keeps me out of trouble.

Recently, Mike and I visited O Town Ice Cream at 700 2nd Ave. in Opelika. We enjoyed the sidewalk chalk art, which children had drawn on the patio.

When Mike and I en tered O Town Ice Cream, we admired the bright, cheery colors. Also, we LOVED the beautiful paper tree, which had monkeys hanging from it in one corner (I’ll explain that later).

My husband Mike smiled when he saw a picture of the Rocky Brook Rocket on a wall. As I’ve mentioned pre viously, when Mike was in kindergarten in West

Making the Grade: O TOWN

Point, Georgia, in 1965, his class rode a real train to Opelika where the parents took their children to the Municipal Park of Opelika to ride the Rocky Brook Rocket. Mike said that it used to be called Monkey Park and that it had live spider monkeys. The older we get, the more we love nostalgia.

We began talking to Christopher George; he and his wife Angela own O Town Ice Cream, and although he was busy with other customers, he was so kind and pa tient, telling me about the history of their business.

George said that O Town Ice Cream started out in 2015 as a push-cart in downtown Opelika for two-and-ahalf to three years. Then O Town Ice Cream, named for Opelika, moved to its present location in January 2019.

George also said that his wife Angela has written a children’s book entitled “Monkey Tales: an Ad venture in O Town.” She had a signing party on Oct. 1, and the beautiful paper tree in the corner was made by Madison Brooks, the book’s illustrator.

While Mike and I were deciding what to order, a pretty, young girl named Stella, an employee, came in the door. George said that Stella worked for free, which sounded strange in this day and time when employers can’t get paid workers. As it turned out, sweet Stella is the Georges’ daughter and is a sophomore at Opelika High School.

In addition, Lisa, a teacher at Opelika High

School, and her son were customers at O Town Ice Cream that day. Lisa asked George if he would still make biscuits, which quickly got this “Poohsized” girl’s attention.

George told me that during the hard pandemic, O Town Ice Cream only had drive-thru service. At that time, Chef Chris Wilton asked George if he would like to make bis cuits and beignets for his customers; George agreed. George said, “Chef Chris gave of his own time to show me how to make the biscuits and beignets. Then I made them and sold them during the fall.” When summer returned and the pandemic had improved somewhat, George no longer sold them.

However, Lisa said that the sweet potato, pecan and sausage biscuit with apple butter was AMAZ

ING. My mouth started to water. George told Lisa that if at least 50 people requested the biscuit, he would con sider bringing it back. Therefore, anyone reading this column, please call 334-737-5700 or go visit O Town Ice Cream to request that the incredibly delicious-sounding biscuit makes a big comeback. Thank you.

In addition, George said that he was thinking about making biscuits, without the sausage or apple butter, freezing them and selling them by the half dozen or dozen. That way, cus tomers could just pop the biscuits in the oven and serve them on Christmas morning or any other morning, for that matter. I really hope Mr. George does this. I made biscuits from scratch exactly ONE

time, in 12th grade home economics. I will NEVER do that again because, as I’ve said very often, I am not the woman my amazing Mama Barbara Patton or my wonderful grandmothers, Pearl Coker Patton and Vivian Brooks McEachern Adamson, were.

After talking to George, Mike and I finally made our decisions. He ordered a single scoop of Summer swing Strawberry in a waf fle cone. He said it really tasted great. I chose the hot caramel brownie sundae with Pepperell Pralines ice cream. That sundae was “slap your grandma three times” good. When I dug into that warm brownie, it was love at first bite. Also, Mike and I loved that the ice cream flavors were named for people, places and events in Opelika. Some other examples in clude Choo Choo Choco late, Norma Rae Raspberry

and Spring Villa Vanilla. Besides our luscious ice cream choices, O Town Ice Cream also serves choco late chip, Oreo stuffed and Reese’s stuffed cookies, chicken salad, pimento cheese and coffee roasted by Mama Mo cha’s.

Next time, I want to try the pimento cheese. My dear friend Lynda, who teaches me piano, says it’s great. Run and do not walk to O Town Ice Cream.

O Town Ice Cream is open on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 8:30 p.m. The shop is closed on Monday.

O Town Ice Cream makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remem ber, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food.

Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in The Observer.

Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteach er2020@gmail.com

PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE FOR THE OBSERVER

Bama in a Box Boosts Small Businesses, Encourages Shoppers to Keep Holiday Dollars in Alabama

make it a top of mind issue for Christmas shoppers.

ALABAMA —

Bama in a Box (Ba m ainaBox.com), an online retailer based in Troy, Alabama, has launched a holiday shopping campaign to encourage Alabamians to keep their holiday shopping dollars in Alabama while simul taneously supporting small businesses across the state.

Bama in a Box was launched during the pandemic as a way to give consumers expo sure to quality-made products while giving Alabama small busi nesses, many of whom lacked marketing bud gets, exposure to new customers. Now, Bama in a Box wants to take that same “Shop Local” mentality that was their focus during the forced pandemic closures and

“The majority of al most every household’s gifting budget is spent during the Christmas season,”explained Angi Horn, owner of Bama in a Box. “By choosing to buy your Christmas presents at Alabama-owned businesses instead of spending them with large national and in ternational companies means that Alabama businesses benefit from your holiday purchases instead of companies based out of state or out of the country.”

Bama in a Box tries to make the process of holiday shopping in Alabama as easy as possible by curating a large line of specialty gift boxes which are comprised complete ly of Alabama-made products. These boxes

are designed to be able to fill nearly every need on most Christ mas shopping lists, and every included item is an Alabama-made item from an Ala bama-owned business.

“Every specialty gift box that Bama in a Box has for Christ mas represents five to seven Alabama small businesses,” Horn said. “With each gift, you are giving your money to Alabama entrepre neurs across the state and you are keeping your tax dollars in Alabama to help our schools, our hospitals and our roads instead of sending them out of state where you see no benefit from them.

“We are trying to make it easy to shop Alabama by creating a one-stop-shop, but we just want everyone to buy from Ala bama-owned busi

nesses,.” Horn said. “If they buy from us, great. If they buy from a different Ala bama-owned company, that is great too. Just buy Alabama.”

ABOUT BAMA IN A BOX Bama in a Box was born from the frus tration caused by the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020. As a small business owner, Angi

Horn understood firsthand how hard the pandemic regulations were on small busi nesses. As a consum er, she realized how difficult it was to find products that were made in America and even harder to find those that were made in Alabama.

After some research, she found that more than 500 high-quali ty products that most people use regularly are produced right here in Alabama. After a conversation with her associate, Laney Kel ley, she realized that Alabama small busi nesses needed a more convenient way to get their products in front of potential customers and that people needed more convenient access to products made in Alabama.

Thus, Bama in a Box was born.

battle with cancer. Their son Marcus and his wife Paige live in Birming ham. Marcus is currently working at Ft. Benning. Scott and his daughter Ava live in Opelika.

Scott is engaged to Lisa Ditchkoff. Brett and his wife Sarah live in Nash ville, Tennessee, and they have two children.

All three of the sons enjoy cooking. Jeanette has a large kitchen, and all her sons and other family members helped prepare Thanksgiving dinner this year.

While Jeanette didn’t know how to cook when she got married, her mother and mother-inlaw helped her learn.

“When I married Frazier in 1965,” said Jeanette, “his mother

CIPPERLY RECIPES

GRANDMOTHER HAGGARD'S BOILED CUSTARD

Julia Norton

Boiled Custard has been a Christmas tradi tion in our family since the late 1800s. Grand mother's recipe was giv en to her granddaughter Nancy on the occasion of her 100th birthday. We thought she would never share, but I can now share this with you.

Her great-great-grand son Daniel still serves this for our Christmas celebrations.

1 quart plus ½ cup whole milk 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 3 tsp. vanilla

Heat one quart milk and sugar in a double boiler until bubbles form on top. Beat 4 eggs and 1/2 cup milk until foamy. Add slowly to heated mixture. Stir over boiling water for one minute or until mix ture coats spoon. Pour through a strainer into a pitcher. Cover and let stand until partially cooled. Then add vanil la. Chill well and serve in punch cups.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

Julia Norton

This recipe was giv en to me by a friend in North Alabama and says this cake is always requested when her church has a dinner. She is a really good cook but does not mind short cuts, like using a purchased mix. Hope you enjoy!

1 box German choco late cake mix

4 eggs

1 cup water

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 can coconut-pecan frosting

Extra pecans, chopped fine 1/4 can chocolate frosting

Mix cake mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil in large bowl. Then add in coconut- pecan frosting, stirring well to combine. then add in extra pecans if you

(Bom Bom) taught me to make Peanut Brittle. My husband says he cannot remember his mother not making this delicious brittle every Christmas. She did not follow a reci pe, but I watched her and estimated the amount of each ingredient.

“If she did not have enough raw peanuts, she would substitute raw pecans from the farm, and that made delicious candy as well. Bom Bom told me that she could tell when the candy was ready for the baking soda because of the way it looked and the smell of the peanuts being parched. After a while, I bought a candy ther mometer for myself and for her. I am not sure she used hers, but she kept making peanut brittle un til she died in 1989. I still make this candy for the bake sale and give it as

gifts at Christmas.”

Jeanette also makes her mother’s recipe for Divinity Fudge for the bake sale. When she was growing up, her mother made the candy every year at Christmas, and Jeanette would help her mother by dropping spoonfuls onto wax pa per.

Julia Norton has been cooking for the bake sale since she moved to Auburn in 1976. One of Julia’s recipes is for her Grandmother Haggard’s Boiled Custard, which has been a Christmas tradition in her family since the late 1800s.

For her 100th birthday, her grandmother shared the recipe with a grand daughter. She had never shared the recipe before then.

“She was a wonderful cook,” said Julia, “and famous for her custard.

My grandmother grew up on a farm and had a plentiful supply of eggs and milk for making the custard, which she always served at family get-togethers and catered at weddings and other events in her community.

“The custard was so good because of the love she put into it,” she add ed. “Other people could make it, and it didn’t taste the same, but my son Daniel has figured out his great-grand mother’s recipe. He now makes the recipe every Christmas.”

Julia grew up in a small town near Gads den. She didn’t cook much as a teenager. About once a month her mother, who was a mas ter cook like her grand mother, would tell Julia how to prepare a dish.

After Julia and her hus band Earl were married,

nilla, dark chocolate.)

1 heaping cup sour cream

4 eggs ½ cup water (I substitute this with French vanilla coffee creamer or whatever flavor I am going to ward.)

½ cup oil (canola or vegetable)

they lived in different places in Alabama. “I had access to lots of good recipes from many friends,” she said. Earl’s company transferred him to Auburn in 1976, where he had graduated at API, now Auburn University.

The Nortons have two sons and four grandchil dren. Daniel, who is the athletic director at East Alabama Health, and his wife Susan have two children. Tony, who is an EMT, and his wife Lisa, a nurse at East Alabama Health, have two chil dren.

For the bake sale, Julia generally makes vege table soup. She creates her own soup mix in the summer when vegetables are fresh and freezes the mix with tomatoes, okra and corn.

“Being part of a UMW group has helped me move from place to

been greased well, until it tests done (about 30 minutes) in 350 degree oven.

Make a topping: 6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted ¼ cup evaporated milk

place,” said Julia, “as I always knew I would have a group of women who would take care of me every place I have been.”

The Christmas Mar ket will be held at the Epworth Center in back of the Auburn United Methodist Church at 137 S. Gay St. in Auburn. Checks or credit cards are accepted. Parking is available on Gay Street and East Magnolia Av enue. For additional in formation, contact Mary Richburg, chairman of the market, at aumcwo menchristmas@outlook. com.

Members of the United Women in Faith are shar ing a sampling of recipes for desserts, casseroles and soups that will be offered, as well as favor ites over the years, at the bake sale.

PEANUT BRITTLE CANDY

Jeanette Parker

My mother-in-law’s special recipe that she taught me how to make.

1½ cups sugar

wish.

Pour into a pre pared Bundt pan or a 9-by-12-inch dish and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cake cool 15 minutes in pan. Heat the chocolate frosting until slightly melted and pour over cake.

GLUTEN FREE CAKE MIX COOKIES

Mary Richburg

1 box gluten free cake mix, flavor of your choice (Choc olate cake mix with chocolate chips is a family favorite.)

2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

½ cup butter, melt ed

¾ chocolate chips, may add more if de sired

Pecan halves Whisk together cake mix, eggs and melted butter in a large bowl. Stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Re frigerate dough for 1 hour. This lets the dough rest and allows the butter to solidify and cookies to hold their shape better.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cooled cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Use cookie scoop to equally scoop cookies onto baking sheet.

Press a pecan half into top of each cook ie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook.

Note: Cookies may be stored for 1-3 days in an airtight contain er. Do not store in the refrigerator.

If you are in a

hurry, refrigerate the scooped cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes instead of the hour in refrigerator.

FRESH APPLE CAKE

Lisa Steele

This is an old South ern Living recipe that was given to me by a former roommate in Atlanta. She and I were fans of Southern Living, and this rec ipe has been passed down forever and is very well known in my hometown of Moulton.

1 ¼ cups corn oil

2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups chopped apples

1 cup chopped nuts

1 can (3 ½ oz.) co conut, optional Mix corn oil and sugar together with spoon until sugar is dissolved. Combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture, alternating with eggs, and beating after each.

Add vanilla, apples, and coconut. Batter will be thick! Pour into greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes. Cool in pan.

CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE

Lisa Steele

This will be at the market!

1 box yellow cake mix with pudding or extra moist (You can use white, devils’ food, or any flavor that you wish.)

1 box (3.9 oz.) in stant vanilla pudding (I also use French va

8-16 oz. chocolate chips (or any flavor you wish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour Bundt cake pan.

Mix all ingredients together, and choco late chips are stirred in last.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened ¼ cup butter, soft ened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

A chocolate glaze is also delicious to add or just the pound cake itself is amazing. Kids love it too!

This is also good to put into small loaf pans and give as gifts throughout the year. This cake freezes well.

OATMEAL CAKE

Carol Icenogle

At least three gen erations of my family have enjoyed this cake.

Mix and set aside:

1 ½ cups boiling water

1 cup oatmeal

Cream together: ½ cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

Add:

2 eggs 1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ cups all-pur pose flour

1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg ½ tsp. salt

Add:

The oatmeal and mix well

Bake:

Bake in 8-by-12inch pan, which has

1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup brown sugar 1 cup coconut ½ cup chopped nuts Spread this over the cake while it is still hot and return to oven to brown.

DIVINITY FUDGE

Jeanette Parker

As long as I can remember, my mother made divinity fudge to give as gifts around Christmas and al ways brought it to my school parties. When I was old enough, I helped her drop spoonfuls of candy and always got to eat the small amount left over in the bowl. When I was young, my mother did not have a candy thermometer but dropped some of the syrup in a cup of cold water to test for the soft or hard ball.

2 ½ cups sugar ½ cup corn syrup

2/3 cup water 2 egg whites

1 Tbsp. vanilla 2 cups toasted pe cans

Beat egg whites un til stiff. Leave in small mixer bowl. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan and cook to the tem perature of a soft ball. Take out ½ cup and pour over egg whites mixing as you pour. Move egg white mix ture to a larger mix ing bowl. Continue cooking syrup mixture until the temperature reaches that of a hard ball.

Remove from heat and pour over egg white mixture beat ing as you pour. Add vanilla and pecans and mix by hand un til mixture changes to a dull white, and it does not taste like syrup. Drop using two spoons on to waxed paper or buttered a buttered foil sheet.

½ cup Karo corn syrup

½ cup sugar

2 cups raw shelled peanuts

Combine all ingredi ents and cook on top of the stove until the pea nuts pop and the crack setting is reached on a candy thermometer.

Stir in 2 tsp. of back ing soda and pour onto a sheet of foil paper previously greased with butter. Spread as thin as possible. Once the can dy cools, remove from the foil paper and break into small pieces.

CHICKEN PIE

Lyn Woodham

Meat from one whole boiled or plain rotisserie chicken, rough chopped to bite-size chunks of chicken (using just white meat works well, also)

1 can cream of chick en soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 ½ soup cans chick en broth

1 ½ cups self-rising flour

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 stick melted butter

Grease a large Pyrex dish and add chicken.

Mix soups and chicken broth; pour over chick en. (Optional: slice 3 hard-boiled eggs over top of chicken mixture at this point).

Mix self-rising flour, buttermilk, and melted butter. Pour over the chicken, spreading to edge of Pyrex dish. Bake 40 minutes at 400 degrees or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve hot with white rice.

Peas and carrots are good side dishes, but the chicken pie is better cooked without them.

APPLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Debra Rollins

CREAMY

Daddy Daughter Date Night Tickets on Sale Dec. 5

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN

AUBURN —

The 33rd annual Daddy Daughter Date Night is quickly ap proaching, and tickets will go on sale Dec. 5. This year's event will be held at the Auburn Junior High School Fieldhouse Gym (new gym).

Daddy Daughter Date Night will be held Friday, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 11, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. each night.

This year’s theme is “Magic In The Air” and

will feature a teal-andgold color scheme with peacock feather and glitter accents — think Cirque du Soleil-esque. Enjoy food, music and dancing, have your photo taken and visit with special guests.

Tickets will go on sale online on Mon day, Dec. 5, at 8 a.m. Please note, because of the swap to the MyRec online registration sys tem, attendees must purchase a “father” ticket for each father figure attending and a separate “daughter” ticket for each daughter attending.

Customers will re ceive scannable codes in their email and must present these on their purchased night to en ter the dance. Tickets are only valid for the night they were pur chased for. Tickets are non-transferable and cannot be resold or giv en to another family. All ticket sales for the event are final.

Visit auburnal.myrec. com to purchase tick ets.

For more informa tion, contact Elizabeth Kaufman, therapeutic programs coordinator, at 334-501-2939.

RECIPES >>

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup diced sweet onion

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

4 cups cubed butter nut squash

2 Granny Smith ap ples, peeled, cored and chopped 4 cups chicken stock

1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg ½ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. ground black pepper ¼ cup half and half Heat olive oil in a heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat. Add onion to the pot and cook until soft ened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the butternut squash and chopped apple to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stir ring occasionally. Stir the stock into the squash mixture and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the butternut squash is fork tender.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and cover with a lid. (Hold the lid with a towel to pre vent burns.) Puree the mixture until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot and return to a simmer.

HUMDINGERS

Ann Woodall’s recipe provided by Mary Richburg

Ann’s family Christmas Open House was not com plete without these favorite treats.

½ cup butter 1 pkg. dates 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 ½ cup Rice Krispies

Powdered sugar for rolling Mix first 4 in gredients and cook for about 8 minutes (until mixture is all melted down and mushy) over medium heat.

Remove from heat; add vanilla and Rice Krispies.

Let mixture cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Shape into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Make sure hands are coated with powdered sug ar.

The size of balls is a personal prefer ence, such as 1 Tbsp. or slightly smaller. Small size balls usu ally make 98 balls.

BEEF NOODLE BAKE

Katie Richburg Coale

½ cup grated cheese

Brown chopped on ion and ground beef, breaking into small pieces. Drain.

Add salt, pepper, sugar, and tomato sauce to the beef and onion mixture. Cover and cook slowly for 5-8 minutes.

In a medium bowl mix together cream cheese and sour cream.

Layer the ingredients in a 3-quart casserole dish in the following order: about half of the noodles, half of the cream cheese and sour cream mixture, and half of the meat.

Repeat layers, top ping with a layer of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

PEPPERKAKA (SWEDISH GINGER COOKIE)

Judy Melville

1/2 lb. butter, soft ened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten 2 Tbsp. light Karo syrup

Cream above ingredi ents together in order.

3 1/3 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour Start with smaller amount of flour. Then, add flour as you roll and reroll the dough. If it is too sticky, you may need to sprinkle a little flour on it as you start.

Music, Ross House Cof fee and online at www. sundillamusic.com.

Free coffee, tea, water and food will be avail able, and Ross House Coffee will be serving free hot chocolate and other treats. The audience is also welcome to bring their own favorite food or beverage.

An evening of songs and storytelling, heart strings and laughter, “A Winter’s Evening with Ryanhood” is a live hol iday touring show based on the duo’s record, “On Christmas,” that show cases the high-energy, big-harmony, dueling acoustic guitar approach that Ryanhood fans across the country have come to expect.

Featuring a blend of original holiday compo

sitions, wintry covers and reworked classics woven together with holiday stories and memories, Ryan David Green and Cameron Hood invite au diences to experience the joy, depth, intimacy and excitement of the holiday season by sharing “A Winter’s Evening with Ryanhood.”

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

Stir cinnamon, nut meg, ginger, salt and pepper into the puree. Simmer for an addi tional 5 minutes. Add the half and half to the soup. Stir to combine.

Serve immediately with fresh grated nut meg, diced apples and sour cream, if desired. Soup can be made up to 48 hours in ad vance and refrigerated in an airtight contain er.

Recipe by Kellie by the suburbansoapbox. com

Katie placed in the 1990 Lee County Junior Cattlemen Beef cook-off with this family favorite.

1 ½ lbs. ground beef 1 tsp. salt Dash pepper 1 tsp. sugar 16 oz. tomato sauce 8 oz. medium noodles of choice, cooked 1 medium onion, chopped 8 oz. cream cheese, room tem perature 1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. ginger

Sift all together and add to butter mixture. It is not necessary to chill dough. Roll as thin as possible; cut into shapes. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes.

Note: Use a small (2-inch) gingerbread cookie cutter to make these. The gingerbread men taste crispy and good, but take a long time to cut out.

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

Photo from last year's dance.

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.

Smiths Station to Host Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Dec. 2

The community is invited to attend the City of Smiths Station’s An nual Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will be held at the Smiths Station Government Center this Friday, Dec. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. Eastern.

As always, there will be live music provided by the Smiths Stat ion High School Jazz Band, Christmas-themed activities for the whol e family including train rides, Selfie Station and photo opportun ities with Santa, tours of the Historic Jones Store Museum, fireworks show, and for the first time ever at this event – snow!

“Since the City started this event more than 12 years ago, it h as become our most signature tradition, and is something that we as an administration look forward to every year,” said Mayor F. L. “Bubba” Copeland. “We are excited to invite our citizens and neighbors to come be a part of this year’s ceremony.”

Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive at 6:30 p.m. and stay until ap prox imately 7:30 p.m. The tree lighting and fireworks show will begin promptly at 8 p.m. to conclude the evening’s festivities.

For more information, please visit the City of Smiths Station’s Facebook page and look under the events tab. The Government Center is located at 2336 Panther Parkway in the heart of downtown Smi ths Station.

AUBURN/OPELIKA MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS (MOPS) UNITE

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 Collision off of South College Street, will be open on Wednesdays 8 to 11 a.m. with coffee, donuts, cake and conversation about service and benefits for all veterans and spouses to stop by.

Come out and buy your fresh produce, honey, jams and hand-crafted items at the Camp Hill Marketplace, 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.

event.

APD Announces Upcoming Lunch and Learn Seminar

Auburn Police Department (APD) announced this week that it will host its first Lunch and Learn seminar for daycare and after-school programs.

Lunch and Learn will be held at 141 N. Ross St. on Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This seminar, shared over a meal, will offer an opportunity for open discussion and professional guidance for daycare and after-school program representatives on the topic of protection in the event of active threats.

The Lunch and Learn seminar will be conducted by Auburn police officers who are certified instructors in Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE). The training material will discuss civilian response options, considerations for conducting drills, how to assist law enforcement and more for emergency situations specifically tailored to daycare and after-school programs.

Prior registration is required and free to the public. Please c all 334-501-3113 or email shancock@auburnalabama.org for more information if you are interested in attending.

Registrants should plan to bring their meal of choice; refreshm ents will be provided by Auburn Police Department. For additional details about CRASE or other upcoming training sessions, please visit auburnalabama.org/police/Community-Training

FOR

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

Anxiety and Faith: Part Four

connection with others.

—

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 this article, we’ll continue to look at some of the ways faith can make a difference in dealing with anxiety.

3. Spiritual anxiety is fed by the lack of a real

When the internet got going in the 90’s, there was a lot of excitement. There was talk about how the whole world being wired would result in a global village — one huge family. Well, it didn’t quite work out that way, and it wasn’t the internet’s fault. We found out that no matter how nice virtual relationships might be, they are simply no substitute for the face-toface kind. And of course, the pandemic taught a new generation the same lesson.

If anxiety is getting trapped in our own heads, then people can help us to get out of our heads. But it has to be the right people — people who really know us and care about us, people we have a faceto-face connection with.

We can’t get the kind of help we need virtually; there is a power that only comes from being in the presence of people.

God knows this, and over and over in His word He talks about us taking care of each other. The scripture speaks about bearing each other’s burdens, encouraging and building each other up, praying for each another, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. These are some of the things involved in loving one another, and having relationships of this kind is a great blessing.

4. Spiritual anxiety is fed by an emphasis on wealth and status.

The message should be clear: Material wealth, the latest technology has to offer, creature comforts — none of

them can satisfy the spiritual needs we were created with. And an over-reliance on them can actually hurt us. You can have everything in the world to live with, but if you have nothing to live for, what does it really mean?

Parents, this really gives us something to think about. Our consumer culture is telling our children 24/7 that they are what they own. Are they hearing a different message from us? More important, are they seeing a different message in the way we live? Jesus said, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions” (Luke 12:15 NAS 1995). On another occasion he asked the

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

penetrating question, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, and forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

5. Spiritual anxiety is fed by unhealthy expectations.

Too often the message of social media is, “This is what the perfect face and body look like,” or “This is what the perfect life looks like.” (And, if you don’t measure up, then too bad for you!)

Not surprisingly, an increasing number of our young people are struggling with anxiety in regard to body image and status issues.

We are also seeing too many young adults unprepared for the realities of the real world.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. — Psalm 136:1 and 26

WALTER ALBRITTON

RELIGION —

Every 17 seconds an older adult is treated in a hospital emergency room for injuries related to a fall. Every 30 minutes an older adult dies from injuries caused by a fall. You guessed it: Falls are the leading cause of injuries for adults age 65 and older in our nation.

In the year 2020, the cost of fall injuries in the United States reached $55 billion. That explains why

Samuel D. James says: “Many modern parenting styles simply

The Problem With Falling

the good doctor who cares for me always cautions me to be careful not to fall. He knows that my wife, at age 88, fell, broke her hip and was dead six weeks later.

Because older adults are aware that falls can result in serious injuries, fear of falling can add to the challenging problems of old age. This fear leads some people to restrict their social life, thereby affecting their quality of life. “People need people,” so yielding to fear and “staying home” can compound the problems of the aging.

As I have grown older, my balance has eroded gradually. Evidently this is a natural result of aging. So now, age 90, my equilibrium reminds me constantly that I am a high risk for falling.

have not prepared human beings for the world. … The number of young adults unable to hold a meaningful conversation, persevere at a challenging job, or take on the

Whether my loss of balance is a precursor to a more serious health problem remains to be seen. In the meantime, I will diligently try to avoid falling and injuring myself.

When it comes to falling, as a preacher I have over the years warned others to guard against falling from grace and falling into sin. All of us who have chosen to follow Christ face the risk of backsliding. We keep our guard up best by studying God’s word and diligently seeking to obey our Lord’s teachings. When Jesus instructed his disciples to “go and make disciples,” he also admonished them to teach new disciples to “obey everything he had commanded them.” So the way to avoid

responsibilities of marriage and parenting reflects a dissonance between this generation and life beyond school or home. In this case, extreme anxiety seems to be the result of a

falling from grace is to continually obey our Lord Jesus.

In his little letter of only 25 verses, Jude pleads with believers to guard carefully the faith and not allow false teachers to lead them astray. He urges them to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” His words are a timely warning for our own generation. Prominent leaders in our nation, and in the church as well, are insisting that the fundamental moral laws of the Bible need to be “updated” to make sexual perversion acceptable. We should all pray for God to give us the wisdom not to “fall” for this rebellion against biblical truth.

The final two verses of Jude’s letter have become

genuine surprise that life is difficult.”

Is it possible that too many parents, in an attempt to protect their children, have failed to prepare them? We must

OBITUARIES

FRANKLIN F. BLACKMON

Franklin F. Blackmon departed from his earthly life to his heavenly home on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, at Baptist South Hospital, Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 85.

Franklin was the youngest of nine children. Born March 31, 1937, to James Farley Blackmon and Sarah Alice Dickson Blackmon in Fredonia, Alabama. He had an amazing life growing up in a fine Christian home.

Franklin became a Christian at a young age. He made a profession of faith and was baptized at New Hope Baptist Church in Fredonia. His life was always Christcentered.

He graduated from Five Points High School, Five Points,

Alabama, where he loved playing basketball. Franklin married the love of his life, Carolyn Cole, on July 27, 1957. They made their home in LaFayette and were blessed with a daughter, Carla and a son, Cole.

He was an active member of LaFayette Heights Baptist Church. He has served as a deacon in several churches since 1964. After retiring from Michelin Tire Co. after 31 years he became involved in volunteer work, including the Chambers County Museum, LaFayette Cemetery Committee and LaFayette City Improvement Committee. He was also dedicated to helping others in need.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Carolyn C. Blackmon; son, Alan

Cole; brother, Bobby Blackmon (Gail); sister, Betty Story; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Carla Leigh; parents: James and Alice; brother, Sanford; sisters: Francis Griffin, Helen Smith, Ruby Moseley, Edna Thompson and Dorothy Mason.

Funeral services were held at LaFayette Heights Baptist Church on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022. A family graveside service followed at LaFayette City Cemetery. The Revs. Paul Howard and Taylor Kendrick presided.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to:

LaFayette Heights Youth Ministry 1200 HWY 77 N. LaFayette, Alabama

36862 or The LaFayette Cemetery Fund, c/o Carolyn Wheeler, P.O. Box 35, 36862.

one of my favorite benedictions. No modern translation has improved the way I learned it in the King James Version: 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Except for the grace of God, all of us would be beguiled by the devil into “falling” away from the truth. But Jude reminds us that our God is able to keep us from falling — if we persevere in the faith and refuse to let it be watered down by public opinion. And Jude gives us the beautiful idea that despite our sins, God will one day allow us to

recognize that the way we protect them is by preparing them for the challenges of life beyond our home.

Next week, in Part Five, we’ll conclude this series

appear in his presence “faultless,” and with great joy!

Until then, we shall be wise to vigorously keep the faith, grow in our understanding of it and endeavor to “keep ourselves in the love of God” by every means of grace available to us. God’s moral laws have not been given to us so we might amend them, but keep them, for our good and so that those who are lost may have an example of how God wants people to live until Christ returns to judge the world.

Pause for a moment and thankfully celebrate the wonderful truth that God can keep you from falling! Trust Him to do it until at last you fall into His arms.

as we think about how faith in God can get us through the storms of life. You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: a-taste-of-gracewith-bruce-green.com

He will be missed.

JAMES C. PRESSLEY SR.

PHILLIP JEROME SMITH

Phillip Jerome Smith of Andalusia, Alabama, passed away Nov. 13, 2022, at Arbor Springs in Opelika, Alabama.

Phillip was the son of Bascom and Ophelia Smith. He is survived by his brother, John (Nancy) Smith and two stepdaughters, Kathryn (Pudden) Watkins and Laurie (Ronnie) Stapp. Phillip served in active duty during the Vietnam War for four years in the Air Force from 1967-1971. There will be a private interment beside his beloved wife, Kathryn (Kiki) McCall Smith.

James C. Pressley Sr. was born on July 13, 1945, and passed away at his home on Nov. 21, 2022. He was 77 years old.

Mr. Pressley was preceded in death by his son Randall Akins and his daughter Vickie Kalla as well as brothers Jackie Fuller, Frank Fuller; sisters Mary Ann Williams and Brenda Rodriguez.

Mr. Pressley is survived by James Lee Pressley (Patricia), Penny Hooks (Douglas), Jamie Pressley Jr. (Stephanie), Charlotte Denise Deas (Timmy), Doris Leaner, Dean Franklin (Cindy), daughter-in-law Barbara Sue Akins and his special friend

Tammy Fuller; his sisters Annie Boone (Jerome), Julia Vaughn, Jan Cherry; his brothers Johnny Fuller, Gene Fuller and Harold Fuller. He also is survived by a host of grandchildren and a multitude of great-grandchildren.

There was a visitation for the family to receive friends on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at the Parlor of FrederickDean Funeral Home.

The service for Mr. Pressley took place on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Jackson's Gap, Alabama.

Burial followed the service in the church cemetery. Timmy Deas officiated.

Frederick-Dean Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

BY D. MARK MITCHELL

OPELIKA —

Opelika High ath letics had no sched uled games during Thanksgiving break.

The OHS basketball teams return to the court this week. The OHS girls’ and boys’ basketball schedule for the upcoming week is listed below:

- Dec. 1: OHS boys’ junior varsity bas ketball at Benjamin Russell High School, starting at 4:30 p.m. The OHS varsity girls play at 6 p.m., fol lowed by the varsity boys at 7 p.m.

- Dec. 2: OHS hosts its first home games of the season against Loachapoka. Varsity girls start at 5 p.m., and varsity boys fol low at 6 p.m.

The OHS girls lost to Shaw, 44-40, pri or to Thanksgiving break. Naomi Whack scored nine points, Makayla Jones and Mya Pearson add ed eight and seven points, respectively.

WEST RIDGE SOFTBALL COMPLEX

The city of Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller is pleased to open the newly remod eled softball fields at West Ridge Park in Opelika. The city maintains two,

regulation-size soft ball fields year round.

OHS also uses the softball fields at West Ridge as its home fields.

Fuller and the Opelika City Council agreed to spend al most $2 million on turfing both fields and renovating the surroundings, includ ing new brick back stops and dugouts.

Stone Martin Buidlers donated the materials for the four dugouts.

Opelika is in the middle of spending over $10 million to upgrade recreation facilities, including Denson Drive Rec and Calhoun Tennis Center, Covington Pool, new pool in and competition pool on the outside at the Sportsplex, renovation of Floral Park and turfing the remaining baseball fields at West Ridge.

The city is in the middle of replac ing new playground equipment at West Ridge.

SUPER 7

The AHSAA Super 7 has arrived. The girls’ Flag Football Championship kick off event, featuring Auburn High School

LEE COUNTY: NOV. 29 AT 6 P.M.

OPELIKA: DEC. 8 AT 4:30 P.M.

AUBURN: DEC. 13 AT 6 P.M.

Hugh Freeze Named Head Football Coach at Auburn

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

Hugh Freeze has been named the 31st head football coach in Auburn's 129-year his tory, Athletics Director John Cohen announced Monday. An experi enced head coach at the collegiate level for 12 years, Freeze has quickly elevated each program he’s led, in cluding Ole Miss and most recently, Liberty.

The head coach at Liberty from 2019-22, Freeze led the Flames to

Bittersweet Iron Bowl Loss Wraps Auburn’s Season

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

The book on the 2022 Auburn football season came to a bittersweet con clusion Saturday as the Tigers suffered a 49-27 road loss to Alabama in the 87th

edition of the Iron Bowl.

“At the end of the day, I had a group of men in them kids, and this staff, we did not do a good enough job of getting these guys prepared and locked in,” said interim Auburn head coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams.

The Tigers took a 7-0 lead early in the contest,

but mistakes — including five false starts and two turnovers — began to pile up, and the scoreline swiftly slipped into a 21-7 advan tage for Alabama.

“We got to be better men tally, and prepared more,” Williams said. “A lot of times, we’re not as focused, as sharp as we ought to be

playing this game. So, if they can take anything from this, not pointing fingers at them, just with their life, their next job, whatever they do — they got to be inten tional with everything that they do.”

The Tigers never stood

PHOTO BY TODD VAN EMST AU ATHLETICS

Interim Auburn head coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams addresses his team following a 49-27 loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

four bowl games and a See FREEZE, page

PHOTO BY TODD VAN EMST AU ATHLETICS

Newly hired Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze (left) at his introductory press conference with associate head coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (right).

and Oxford, took place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at JordanHare Stadium. The 7A Championship game between Thompson and Auburn kicked off at 7 p.m. Wednesday. We were not able to get in results prior to press time.

The Thursday schedule is as follows: - 11 a.m.: 3A

Veterans Complete Iron Ruck

Auburn Falls Short in Iron Bowl

championship game between Piedmont (12-2) and St. James (12-2); - 3 p.m: 1A championship game between Pickens County (11-3) and Leroy (12-1); - 7 p.m.: Class 5A champion ship game between Ramsay (12-2) and Charles Henderson (12-1).

Friday's Schedule: - 11 a.m.: 4A championship game between Cherokee

County (12-2) and Andalusia (13-1); - 3 p.m.: 2A champi onship game between Fyffe (14-0) and BB Comer (12-2); and - 7 p.m.: 6A champi onship game between Mountain Brook (122) and Saraland (13-1).

This is the seventh time the AO Sports Council hosted Super 6/7 sponsored by the city of Opelika and the city of Auburn, along with Auburn

University.

Special Thanks to Mayor Fuller for sup porting the AHSAA and Super 7.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

PHOTOS BY TODD VAN EMST AU ATHLETICS

Auburn interim head coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams stopped by to visit with a group of veterans before their trek from Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium to Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The 150-mile, four-day march is dubbed "The Iron Ruck", and is done in an effort to raise awareness for veteran suicide.

PHOTOS BY TODD VAN EMST / AU ATHLETICS

Auburn fell to Alabama, 49-27, in the 87th edition of the Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Nov. 26.

OHS's Williams Commits to AU

PHOTO BY JOHN HILLSMAN / FOR THE OBSERVER

much of a chance after falling behind, with a limited passing attack hindering their ability to quickly score points and get back in the game. Alabama would stretch its lead to 35-14 by halftime as junior Heismanwinning quarterback Bryce Young made a habit of torment ing the Auburn defense.

Young would finish the 20for-30 on his throws, passing for 343 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Young, combined with the untimely self-inflicted mistakes from the Tigers, prevented Auburn from ever getting a foothold back into the contest.

Still, ignoring the negative result, Auburn accomplished many things in the game within a game.

to give you everything he has. The guy’s incredible. One of the better athletes I’ve been around. Ever. And man, he was trying to will us to that win.”

Auburn finishes its campaign 5-7 overall, its worst showing since the 2012 season when the Tigers finished 3-9. But it’s not all negatives around The Plains. Showings from the likes of Ashford and Hunter on Saturday — and largely throughout the final stretch of the schedule — lay out a mold with which Auburn can build for the future. And although Auburn went 2-2 in its final four games under Williams, the program enjoyed an earnest restructuring, as morale, effort and accountability all improved under his leadership.

Lee County Board of Education Reorganizes

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

Probate Judge Bill English swore in the two newest members of the Lee County Board of Education at its regular meeting Nov. 29.

Both board members, elected to their positions on May 24, have extensive experience teaching in Lee County schools.

District 2 Board Member Rusty Courson fills the slot which Larry Boswell previously held. Courson taught at Smiths Station High School for more than two decades, serving as the band director for most of that time.

District 3 Board Member Richard Brown Sr. was sworn into the position previously held by George Spence. Brown taught and served as principal of Beauregard High School for a total of nearly 50 years.

“We welcome these two gentlemen and look forward to working well with each of them for the betterment of the Lee County Board of Education,” said District

5 Board Member Ralph Henderson following the ceremonies. “We’re just glad to have you guys here.”

Later, Superintendent Mac McCoy honored Spence with a commemo rative plaque for his service on the school board. Boswell was unable to attend the meeting.

The board members nom inated Henderson for pres ident and District 6 Board Member Larry Patterson for vice president. Henderson was vice president before this meeting, with Boswell as president.

Following the reorganiza tion, the board approved the following:

• Policy 5.40 concerning student attendance, absences and truancy;

• the award of a petroleum bid to W.H. Thomas Oil Inc. for a 13.5-cent profit margin per gallon on gasoline and diesel;

• the award of a roof ing bid to Mid-American Roofing for Loachapoka Elementary School and Loachapoka High School totaling a little over $1.7 million;

• various out-of-state and

overnight field trips for several schools; and

• various Human Resources recommendations.

“Pretty much, Lee County has gotten out of the fuel business, except for a small tank that we have at the main transpor tation office,” McCoy said of the petroleum bid. “It’s more difficult to get bids on such a small tank, but we are fortunate that W.H. Thomas Oil has … a service out of Auburn and they’re able to maintain a reasonable price for us per gallon of gas.”

First readings were also held for the 2023-24 school year calendar and the revised Lee County Schools Special Education Plan for Children with Disabilities. The board will vote on these items at a later meeting.

McCoy said three options for the calendar were sent out in a survey, and 550 votes have been counted so far.

As part of the Superintendent’s Report,

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

For starters, the Tigers amassed 318 total rushing yards, the most by any team against Alabama in the Nick Saban era. Moreover, the of fensive performances from quarterback Robby Ashford and running back Jarquez Hunter provided special moments in a not-so-storybook script.

Hunter, despite coughing up a costly fumble in the sec ond quarter, was statistically Auburn’s best rusher on the day. The sophomore tallied a team-high 134 yards on just 11 carries, good for an average of over 12 yards per touch.

“I pray to God that Cole and Cuinn, my two boys, got his type of attitude, his work ethic,” Williams said of Hunter. “That young man is special. Not just talking about on the field, but the way he treats people, the way he goes about his business, the kindness he has to people, the great teammate he is. Man, he definitely exemplifies what an Auburn man should be like, to be honest with you.”

Ashford, who admitted after the game to playing through multiple injuries these past few weeks, finished with 121 rush yards and two touch downs through the ground. Additionally, the redshirt soph omore delivered inarguably his best pass of the season on a 20-yard corner-of-the-end-zone touchdown strike to Ja’Varrius Johnson.

“That guy’s a fighter,” Williams said of Ashford. “He’s going to compete. He’s going

“So, that’s the thing I am most happy for when I had this opportunity, that is what I told players, and staff — was I don’t know how many games we were going to win, and honestly, quite frankly, it was harsh to say it didn’t matter, but it didn’t,” Williams said. “I saw kids that were broken. I noticed kids that needed help … An opportunity to get to serve them and see how they have opened their hearts, how they did a (180) and how they’re back believing.”

Speculation entering the Iron Bowl was that a win over Alabama would go a long way toward the prospect of Williams taking over head coaching du ties next season. But even with the loss, the Auburn Family, the players and Williams and his staff can fondly reflect on the end of the 2022 season. It did not appear that would be case earlier this season.

With the news of Auburn hiring Hugh Freeze made official, and with Williams of ficially staying on as associate head coach, those with a vested interest in Auburn football can optimistically look forward to the future.

“I mean, from the Auburn family, just the people — there’s a reason two decades ago that I chose Auburn,” Williams said. “And it was one of the best decisions I ever made, and these past four weeks have been special. I’m talking about abso lutely special the way they done poured into my life, the support, the way they got behind this team. Whew. Auburn is in a better place because of these seniors and the Auburn family. Future is bright, very bright.”

Beauregard High School senior softball player Bailey Abernathy signed an athletics scholarship with Shorter University on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Pictured front row: Stacy Abernathy, Bailey Abernathy, David Abernathy, Isabella Abernathy. Pictured second row: Mike Smith, Sue Smith, Donna Abernathy. Pictured third row: coach Kathy Brown, coach Wade Thorn, head coach Scott Meadows, coach Kathy McDonald and Sabrina Milligan.

Opelika senior defensive end Brenton Williams announced Monday his commitment to continue his athletics journey at Auburn University. Williams is a 6-foot-4-inch, 245-pound 3-star prospect, and received an offer from the Tigers earlier this month. Williams is ranked as the No. 1,260 recruit in his class according to 247Sports, and is the 13th commitment to the Tigers' class of 2023. "Committed to HOME," Williams said on Twitter when he made the announcement. The early signing period for high school athletes, when the commitments can put pen to paper, begins Dec. 21.

Auburn Volleyball Selected to NCAA Tournament for Second Time in Program History

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

Auburn Volleyball’s season is not done yet.

The Tigers were selected on Sunday to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history and the first time since 2010.

“The selection means we’re on track,” said head coach Brent Crouch. “This is my third year here, and this is what we were aiming for this year or next year. And to get it on the front end in year three with this freshman class that I recruited three months after getting hired is special. It means we’re on track, and it means there are good things in

store for us this year and for years to come.”

Auburn will travel to Omaha, Nebraska, to face the Creighton Bluejays on Friday, Dec. 2. First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.

“They’re an excellent team, extremely well coached,” Crouch said. “They’ve been in the tournament for years as an established program. They’re going to be con fident, and they’re going to be calm. … They’re going to have a great crowd, just one of the great environments to play in, and I know it’ll be a packed house. I like our chances to compete at a high level.”

In 2010, Auburn beat Missouri State in the first

round, 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 27-25), before falling to No. 3 Nebraska in Lincoln.

Ticket and broadcast info will be provided as soon as it is made available.

ON THE SELECTION

“I remember thinking about it two years ago before I committed and

being like, ‘that’s so far away’ this is crazy," said Akasha Anderson, fresh man outside hitter, about the selection.

"It’s all going into ac tion, especially it’s hap pening in our freshman year. It’s been a historic season already but to also make the tournament, I’m going to be able to look back on my freshman year and it’s gonna be really cool.”

“It just means the world," added freshman middle blocker Kendal Kemp. "To go out there with my best friends, playing the game we love, we’ve got one more shot to end on a high note for our freshman season and I’m really excited.”

Auburn Basketball Undefeated, But Far from a Finished Product

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN — Auburn basketball is enjoying life to start the 2022-23 season. Ranked No. 15 in the most recent AP Poll with a record of 7-0, the Tigers have earned an average margin of victory of 13 points, while scoring 70.14 points per game and allowing just 57.

Those numbers place the Tigers right outside the top 50 in scoring margin, well outside the top 50 in scoring offense and at No. 17 in scoring defense. It’s

obvious at this point in the season what the team’s strength is: de fense. And to be hon est, Auburn’s perfect 7-0 record is rather beguiling.

As the stats reflect, the results this sea son haven’t always been pretty. The de fensive battle against Northwestern that fin ished 43-42 in favor of Auburn in Cancun was particularly madden ing. Nonetheless, the Tigers, record-wise, are where they want to be with five more games to play before SEC competition begins.

Overall, head coach Bruce Pearl and his

staff have done a solid job at reloading the talent on Auburn’s roster. With the de partures of last year’s standouts Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler via the NBA draft, this rendition of Auburn’s basketball team lacks the top-end talent of last year’s record-set ting squad. One thing it does have, however, is depth.

So far, Pearl has deployed an 11-man rotation this season. The starters have been Wendell Green Jr., Zep Jasper, Chris Moore, Jaylin Williams and Johni Broome. The guys coming

off the bench have been K.D. Johnson, Allen Flanigan, Dylan Cardwell, Yohan Traore, Chance Westry and Tre Donaldson.

The group is com posed of one graduate student, two seniors, four juniors, one soph omore and three fresh men. Therefore, there’s plenty of youthful exuberance to match the experience on this year’s Tigers.

But questions still loom; the biggest of which is where the Tigers will find con sistent offense. Just about the only player providing that so far has been Green, and

to an extent, maybe Broome — they both are the only two Tigers averaging double-digit points scored. But as a big man with limited range, Broome cannot be relied on to post 15-plus points every night. Moreover, his work on the defensive end should be his big gest priority.

Look for help to come from Johnson, who hasn’t quite lived up to his Pre-season All-SEC 2nd Team honor. The rest of the squad, namely the ex perienced Flanigan, Williams, Jasper, Moore and Cardwell, will be asked to do

between 5.5 and 5.8%. “That is pretty much by design,” he said.

more on the offensive end as well.

The top-end potential of the team is probably tied to the freshmen on this team, howev er. The highly rated Traore and Westry and Donaldson have yet to “click” with the return ing Tigers. If Pearl and company can harness their raw talent, and turn it into impact ful minutes, Auburn will be in the thick of things at the top of the SEC. If not, the Tigers may look more like the 2020-21 team (that fin ished 13-14) than the Final Four and No.1ranked Tigers of 2018 and 2021-22.

Lee County CSFO Ken Roberts broke down the monthly financial report for September 2022, which entails a look at the school system’s budget over the last fiscal year, with a focus on the general and capital proj ects funds.

According to Roberts, Lee County Schools’ numbers are looking even better than last year’s, something that was already projected in cer tain aspects. The board spent 100.4% of the $90 million budget set for the previous fiscal year.

There was also a larger surplus this year — over $4 million compared to about $2.5 million last year, Roberts said. Both revenues and expenditures were up

Projected growth of local revenues, which account for about 32% of the school system’s total revenues, came out to just over $2 million. Most of the increases come from property and sales tax. Total growth is just un der 8%.

“Local revenues are very critical,” Roberts said. “… We budget conservatively. Certainly, growth has been good, and that is critical — especially in terms of mak ing those investments in the classroom.”

Those investments include hiring more teachers and certified employees, as well as maintaining the schools. Over 60% of Lee County Schools’ expenses went to di rect and indirect instruction.

Roberts said debt is also

trending downward, and the school system hasn’t entered into any significant debt in the last three years.

McCoy later took time to congratulate the Smiths Station High School “Panther Spirit” Marching Band for a successful competition season. The band also au ditioned and was accepted to perform for the Alabama Music Educators Association conference this year — a “huge deal,” Courson said. The band will perform in Birmingham Jan. 19, but they will also perform a free show in Columbus, Georgia, prior to that.

In public comments, the wife of previous District 7 Board Member Brian Roberson urged the board members to immerse them selves in the schools within their stewardship as her hus band did.

“He was passionate,” she said. “He cared about our schools, teachers, students and parents. He cared so much that even from his hos pital bed, he answered phone calls from upset parents and teachers.

“… The school where I teach is more like a family than a job. My husband knew that, and he wanted that kind of morale countywide. On more than one occasion, he said to me, ‘I’m only one voice. Unless I can get the others on board, there is nothing I can do.’”

PHOTO BY TODD VAN EMST / AU ATHLETICS

Members of the Auburn volleyball team react to hearing they were selected for the NCAA Tournament.

34-15 record. During his tenure at Liberty, he took former Auburn quarter back Malik Willis and developed him into one of the nation’s top quarter backs in 2021.

“After a thoughtful, thorough and well-vetted search, we ended where we started, with Hugh Freeze,” Cohen said. “Of all the candidates we considered, Hugh was the best fit. Fit has several meanings, but the most important factors were student-athlete develop ment, football strategy, recruiting and SEC experience.”

Freeze has experienced similar success at each of his head coaching stops prior to Liberty that include Lambuth University (2008-09), Arkansas State (2011) and Ole Miss (2012-16). The Oxford, Mississippi, native led each school to double-digit win seasons, while helping Ole Miss to a top 10 national finish in 2015. His on-field coach ing record in 12 years is 103-47.

Freeze has nearly three decades of continued coaching success, includ ing head coaching expe rience that has led to con ference titles, nationally ranked recruiting classes and bowl appearances at multiple stops during his highly decorated career.

“First, I want to ac knowledge Cadillac Williams for the incredi ble job he did as interim head coach,” Freeze said. “The impact he made is immeasurable and cannot be overstated.”

“Secondly, Auburn is one of the preeminent programs in college football, and I’m very appreciative of President Roberts and John Cohen for this opportunity at Auburn. I’ve been fortu nate to witness firsthand how special Auburn is during my time as a head coach in the SEC and while visiting my daugh ter Jordan, who attended Auburn and currently lives in the community. I can’t wait to work with our student-athletes and the Auburn family to bring championships back to the Plains.”

This season, Liberty finished the regular sea son 8-4 with a win at Arkansas and home ver sus BYU, while three of their four losses came by a combined five points.

Liberty was just one of five FBS teams in the country to win a bowl game each of the last three seasons, join ing Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana. It also is the second team in NCAA history to win a bowl game during its first three full seasons at the FBS level, all coming un der Freeze’s leadership.

“I’m pleased that our athletic director, John Cohen conducted a detailed and thorough national search process, and I look forward to welcoming Hugh and Jill Freeze to the Plains,” said President Christopher B. Roberts. “I am impressed with coach Freeze’s focus on player development

and his on-the-field success at multiple uni versities and at multiple levels.”

Freeze guided Liberty to a 10-1 overall record in 2020 and the team’s first-ever national ranking as it finished No. 17 in the country. That season Liberty had the best start in program history (8-0), tied the program record for wins (10) and defeated two Power 5 programs in Syracuse and Virginia Tech. For his efforts, Freeze was a finalist for the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award that season.

Known for his fastpaced offensive style, Freeze’s 2020 Liberty team set a school record for rushing yards in a season in 2020 (2,776) and ranked No. 9 in the country in rushing of fense. Liberty also ranked No. 15 in the country in total offense (482.7 yards per game) and No. 11 in total defense (317.7 yards per game). The Flames were one of three teams in the country to rank in the top 20 in both total offense and total defense in 2020, joining Clemson and BYU.

Spearheading Liberty’s outstanding offense in 2020 was Willis, who burst onto the national season leading the nation in rushing yards (944) and touchdowns (14) by a FBS quarterback. Willis earned All-America hon ors and was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Quarterback Class of 2020 listing was on the 2020 Maxwell Award watch list.

The Flames posted an eight-win in the 2021 season after facing eight bowl-eligible teams during the 2021 season. Liberty’s defense finished the 2021 season ranked No. 7 nationally in pass ing yards allowed, No. 11 in total defense and No. 24 in scoring defense. Offensively, Liberty fin ished 2021 ranked No. 25 in the country in scoring offense and No. 8 in pass ing yards per completion.

Leading the charge for the Flames in 2021 once again was Willis, who had an award-winning season. The quarterback was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and the Maxwell Award and a top 10 candidate for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

While the head coach at Ole Miss, Freeze led it back to championship form during his five sea sons, guiding it to bowl games during three of his five years, including wins in the 2013 Music City Bowl and the 2016 Sugar Bowl.

Freeze’s time in Oxford was highlighted by a 103 campaign in 2015, the program’s first 10-win season since 2003. The Rebels won their first four games of the 2015 season, including a 4337 road victory over No. 2 Alabama, Ole Miss’ first win in Tuscaloosa, since 1988

The Rebels were ranked as high as No. 3 in the national polls in both 2014 and 2015 and finished top 10 in the

country for the first time since 1969 after the Sugar Bowl win. Ole Miss was ranked in the top 25 for 45 weeks over his fiveyear tenure, including a string of 27 straight weeks in the polls for the first time since 1957-62.

In 2013, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) awarded Freeze the Grant Teaff Coach of the Year award. Freeze has been heavily involved with FCA during his entire coaching career and has been featured in the FCA Magazine and spoken at FCA functions. Freeze was also a finalist for the 2014 Bear Bryant Award and the 2014 Dobb Trophy.

Freeze has an eye for the nation’s most talent ed high school players, collecting four nationally ranked recruiting class es at Ole Miss. In 2013 and 2016, his recruiting classes ranked in the top five nationally, making them the best in program history.

Freeze and his staff developed 20 players who earned All-SEC honors, including AllAmericans Cody Prewitt, Senquez Golson, Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil, Evan Engram, Laquon Treadwell and Trae Elston.

Treadwell was named Ole Miss’ first ever SEC Freshman of the Year in 2013 and became the school’s first Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2015. Nkemdiche was the first defensive lineman to be named a Hornung Award finalist. Engram won the Ozzie Newsome Award and Pop Warner College Football Award following the 2016 season.

Eleven Ole Miss players were select ed in the NFL Draft during Freeze’s time as head coach, including first-rounder Engram, as well as D.J. Jones, Derrick Jones and Chad Kelly hearing their names called in the latest draft. In 2016, the Rebels had three first-round draft picks in Tunsil, Treadwell and Nkemdiche.

As head coach at Arkansas State in 2011, the Red Wolves captured the Sun Belt Conference championship with a 10-2 overall record. It marked the program’s first 10-win season since 1986 and the best debut season ever by an A-State head coach. Freeze was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year, while 13 of his pupils earned all-conference honors. Freeze’s first sea son in Jonesboro saw him serve as Arkansas State’s offensive coordinator, guiding the Red Wolves’ offense to a record-break ing year in 2010.

Prior to his arrival at Arkansas State, Freeze compiled a 20-5 record over the 2008 and 2009 seasons at the helm of the Lambuth University foot ball program in Jackson, Tennessee. Freeze was named the American Football Coaches Association’s Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 2009 after leading the Eagles to their best regu lar season in school histo ry with an 11-0 record. Under Freeze’s

direction, Lambuth won the Mid-South Conference West Division, advanced to the second round of the NAIA playoffs for the first time since 1999, fin ished the year with a 12-1 mark and ascended to the No. 6 ranking in NAIA.

Prior to taking over as head coach at Lambuth, Freeze served on the Ole Miss staff from 2005-07, including the final two seasons as an assistant coach.

Freeze served 13 years at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was the Saints’ head football coach from 1995 to 2004, running the no-huddle “spread system” for six years that led to six straight state champion ship games.

Freeze compiled a 99-23 record while at Briarcrest, which in cluded an undefeated season in 1996 and state championship titles in 2002 and 2004. He won six regional titles and was the Region 8-AA Coach of the Year five times and Associated Press Coach of the Year four times. Among his talented play ers during that period were eventual Rebels and former NFL starters Michael Oher and Greg Hardy.

Before assuming the role of head coach at Briarcrest, Freeze served as the teams’ offensive

coordinator and defensive backs coach from 199294, as the Saints reached the TSSAA state semifi nals twice.

A 1988 graduate of Senatobia High School, Freeze received an as sociates degree from Northwest Mississippi Community College in 1990 and was a twoyear letterwinner on the Ranger baseball team. He earned his bachelors degree in mathematics with a minor in coaching and sports administration from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1992.

It was while attending USM that he became ac tive in mission projects, serving as a missionary in Houston, Salt Lake City, St. Petersburg, Russia, and Australia. Freeze also served as the state pres ident for the Mississippi Baptist Student Union.

Born in Oxford and raised in Independence, Mississippi, Hugh and his wife Jill are the parents of three daughters: Ragan, Jordan and Madison. His daughter Jordan attend ed Auburn University and currently resides in Auburn.

FREEZE AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience: 2019-22 – Liberty (Head Coach)

2018 – Arizona Hotshots (Offensive Coordinator/Oct. 2018 –Dec. 2018) 2012-16 – Ole Miss (Head Coach)

2011 – Arkansas State (Head Coach)

2010 – Arkansas State (Offensive Coordinator) 2010 – San Jose State (Offensive Coordinator/ Dec. 2009 – Feb. 2010) 2008-09 – Lambuth (Head Coach) 2006-07 – Ole Miss (Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator)

2005 – Ole Miss (Assistant AD for Football External Affairs) 1995-04 – Briarcrest High School/Tennessee (High Coach) 1992-94 – Briarcrest High School/Tennessee (Offensive Coordinator/ Defensive Backs)

Personal: Education: B.S., Mathematics (Southern Miss, 1992)

Hometown: Oxford, Miss.

Wife: Jill

Children: Ragan, Jordan and Madison Career Coaching Honors: 2020 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year finalist

2013 Grant Teaff FCA Coach of the Year

2011 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year

2009 AFCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year 2009 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year

five-Time Region 8-AA Coach of the Year four-Time Associated Press High School Coach of the Year

115 years ago AuburnBank was founded on the principles of sound money management and putting the customer first. As we’ve opened our new home in downtown Auburn, those principles still drive everything we do. Come by and help us celebrate our most recent success, and let’s talk about helping you achieve yours.

Our New Home Is Built on a Solid Foundation... Just Like Our Bank.

love being with children as we head into the holidays. Children help us relive our own childhood. Just be ing around children brings gifts of wonder, laughter and looking forward to each day. Their joy of living life is definitely conta gious to adults.

All grown-ups were children at one time, no matter how big we are now, whether we work, no matter what profession or lifestyle we lead. Children are truly a gift who come into a family’s life. Whether it be imme diate family, extended family or friends, chil dren are gifts.

Our community does such a wonderful job of celebrating the joys of childhood with the many activities it of fers children, families and our citizens. As the holiday season is

upon us, let’s stop, turn back the clock, reflect on our own childhood years and remember what chil dren really mean to us.

1. The Gift of Wonder and Fun. Children’s wonder of observing things we may not even notice, such as birds, planes, cloud shapes and even ants working busily, is keenly observed and pondered. As we grow up, we sort of forget those things that made us happy.

Children love to sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” because they can do the animal sounds. They love to do the cow's moo, the cat’s meow, the dog’s bark.

The wonder of swinging in a swing up to the sky or playing house with your friends — real or imaginary — are passing wonders that

Children Are Lights of Joy

children treasure.

It’s neat to recapture the joy of those years as you spend time with children. Children live their lives to the fullest. Children give grown-ups the gift to “take time to smell the roses” as the old say ing goes.

2. The Gift of Excitement. Go back to It’s A Small World (After All), written by Robert B. Sherman. We all remember that song. Looking at the world through the eyes of a child brings joy into our lives. With the little ones being so close to the ground, they can see the yard and ground up close and notice animal and plant life that you might not notice. Children are fascinat ed by the moon and stars, noticing a fallen bird that needs to be fed with drops of wa ter, running through the rain and screaming with delight as they see a rainbow, jump ing in a pile of leaves, rolling down a hill, etc. Let us reclaim our childhood excitement through these and hol iday activities. All this and more give us the opportunity and time to be surprised again as we reflect back on our childhood by enjoying those things through the lives of children. What a won derful gift children bring to us of being

excited about times gone by, or being able to do-over things that we may not have done.

3. The Gift of Being Needed. Babies come into the world depen dent on us. By a cry, squirm or facial ex pression, they let us know their needs.

For some reason as we grow up, we get this notion that we have to be self-suffi cient and independent. When having children, teaching children or working with children, you realize real fast you need help.

One of those needs, as moms and dads quickly realize, is the need for patience. Also, you have to have the need for wisdom in asking other folks how they may have han dled a particular sit uation. You also need kindness, and mostly, forgiveness.

I have learned over the many years of teaching that chil dren are the most forgiving in almost all situations. When this teacher is tired and has sort of lost it for the day, a class of young children are the first to give me a hug when I feel like I have been quite impatient with them on a certain day. What melts my heart is when I have had to discipline a little one by putting them in “time-out,” and the child, after

Gridiron Gladiators

serving punishment, looks up and says, “Miss Beth, I love you.”

Love means time spent, whether it is in teaching, having fun or even disciplining a child. Children need us very much, and they gently remind us that we are needy too.

4. The Gift of Hope. Early Childhood teachers witness ex citement after they tell their preschool classes if they finish all their work, follow class room rules, clean the room, that as a class we are going outside for recess. Their little faces get so excited and, as their teach er, I just cannot help but get excited with them. Field trips are something that young children really look forward to after a unit of study. It gives them hope of applying something they have learned. An example of this is after learn ing a unit on animals, they get to go to the zoo. Or perhaps after studying community

helpers, they get to go visit the fire depart ment or post office. I see hope in the eyes of young children when they are drawing something they truly like. I see hope in the eyes of a young child when they are build ing something with blocks or Legos, and they know they will be proud of the completed project.

5.

The Gift of Being a Better Person

Children keep you well grounded in what is important and what is not. Children help us to live and enjoy the moment if we step back and allow ourselves to see their world through their eyes. Each day is such a gift and one in which we don’t need to let a minute go by. As we enter this holiday sea son, we can truly be encouraged that chil dren are truly a gift from God.

Beth Pinyerd, Classroom Observer

AHSAA SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES NOVEMBER 30TH- DECEMBER 2ND

SPONSORED BY ALDOT H Alabama Votes H Google H Children’s Hospital Alabama Department of Human Resources

Fall Foliage Decorates Lee County

PHOTOS BY JOHN BRASWELL FOR THE OBSERVER

Lee County's fall foliage is showing out around town this year.

L

labama Politics ee County & A

Inside the Statehouse

Alabama's Big 10 Mayors Are Influential

this emerging new group, the mayors of Alabama’s 10 biggest cities joined together to use their collective influence to advocate for public policy posi tions that they believe will make Alabama a safer, more prosperous state.

the state lives in one of their metro areas.

Commission Allocates ARPA Funds

STEVE FLOWERS

—

OPINION

Students of Alabama po litical history will rightly remember the 2022 midterm election. This election saw the majority of Alabama voters cast their ballots for Katie Britt, who will be the first woman elected to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate. Gov. Kay Ivey easily coast ed to victory to gain her second full term in office, continuing her reign as the first Republican woman to serve as governor. Republicans from the top of the ballot on down cemented their control of the state government by huge margins.

On top of all this, I suspect that students of Alabama politics will also note 2022 as the year that a new political force emerged on the scene. For the first time this cycle, the Alabama Big 10 Mayors — as the name suggests, the mayors of the state’s 10 biggest cities — flexed their political muscle and put their support be hind the Aniah’s Law constitutional amend ment, which received a staggering 1,018,004 “yes” votes, more than any other item on the ballot.

For those who are not aware of

If you happen to live in the metro ar eas of Birmingham, Huntsville, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Dothan, Hoover or Decatur — you live in the orbit of this group’s sphere of influence.

While these mayors have been meeting reg ularly for several years to discuss issues like crime, infrastructure and economic develop ment, this election cy cle marks the first time they have weighed in on electoral politics. Through a focus on lo cal media, these may ors were able to ensure that this popular pro posal stayed top-ofmind for Alabama voters. In fact, the late push against the refer endum from both the far left and far right of the political spectrum was likely a reaction to the media coverage and public support that these mayors generated.

Their advantage is not just in the media. They are a bipartisan group, with credibil ity on both the right and left sides of the aisle. They are pop ular, and many are serving their third or even fourth terms. They are geograph ically diverse, with representation from Huntsville to Mobile to the Wiregrass. Finally, they represent a whole lot of Alabamians — approximately 75% of

As our state works to attract new res idents and grapple with brain drain, pol icymakers would do well to listen to what these mayors have to say. It is clear that the future of Alabama depends on successful cities that can attract and retain the types of people who work in our booming space, medical research and advanced manufac turing industries. Ignoring our cities is a recipe for decreas ing competitiveness across the state.

If you think we are a rural, small town state, you are mis taken. In case you missed my earlier statement, a clear three-fourths of all Alabamians now live in one of our 10 major cities in the state.

Most of the real governing in the state is done by mayors. Being mayor of a city is where the rubber meets the road. It is the governmental constant where ev eryday problems are resolved.

The gentlemen who comprise the group of the Big 10 mayors are hardworking, true public servants. They are doing their job day-in and-day-out without fanfare and without an eye toward moving up statewide or to Washington. They love their cities and are governing them well.

Representing the largest cit ies in Alabama, the Big 10 mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER

LEE COUNTY —

The Lee County Commission approved two projects related to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that Lee County received.

The commission approved an addendum and implementation policies and procedures from the Investing in

Alabama Counties for the Beulah Utilities District water projects.

The commissioners also allocated the funds for the projects.

The commission also allocated the funds for the Emergency Management Agency Communications Room and for equipment and installation.

OTHER BUSINESS:

- The commission approved an ABC License Transfer for Delta

Food and Delta Food Package.

- The commission approved educational reimbursement requests for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

- The commission approved the Local Roads Safety Initiative Funding Agreement for the Highway Department to install 2-foot paved shoulders, rumble strips and striping on Road 379.

Jury Punishes AU Over Free Speech Violation

CONTRIBUTED BY JOHN BANZHAF

OPINION —

A jury has just im posed a whopping $500,000 verdict in punitive damages, in addition to a verdict of $145,000 for compensa tory damages for harm actually suffered, against Auburn University in Lee County, Alabama, for retaliating against a tenured professor for voicing concerns about its dumbing down of

certain courses.

In essence, Michael Stern, a tenured eco nomics professor, was removed as chair of the Department of Economics, a position he had held since 2010, be cause he spoke out about what appeared to be a program of using an ac ademic major of limited value and easy courses — which had in fact been recommended for closure — which enabled its student athletes, espe cially football players, to

remain eligible to play.

This decision is im portant because it em phasizes not only that university professors have a right to speak out in public about perceived wrongdoing on their own campus, but that viola tions of that right can result in significant fi nancial penalties for their institution, said John Banzhaf, a public interest law professor.

It's also important because the possibility

The Lee County Commission inducted two new members recently. (L to R) Doug Cannon, Ross Morris, Gary Long, Tony Langley, John Andrew Harris.

Big Tech Uses Journalism; Big Tech Should Pay For It

CONTRIBUTED BY JOHN GALER, PUBLISHER OF THE JOURNAL-NEWS, HILLSBORO, ILLINOIS CHAIR, NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION

OPINION—

The powers that Google and Facebook have over economic and political power in society — especially over the news industry — has caught the attention of lawmakers in Washington, D.C. After a close election and many worries over the quality of public debate, many ask if social media have played a role in the misinformation that

erodes our free press and plagues our democracy.

Nowhere is this power more daunting than in the social media giants’ use of news organizations’ reporting, which the platforms use without compensation to journalists. Google and Facebook have a duopoly of the distribution of digital news content, which drives people to the social media platforms where the owners make money. The platforms hoard critical data and use clever tactics, like reframing stories in rich previews, to keep users on their sites — siphoning off

the advertising revenue that small and local publishers need.

Every hour that goes by, Google and Facebook generate millions of dollars in U.S. advertising revenue. That amount could fund dozens of local journalists. But local newspapers in many communities that are funding the people who report on fair and free elections are struggling to meet payroll.

It is time for a change, before we head into another brutal and divisive election season leading up to the 2024 elections. America needs real, factual

and independent news reporting more than ever. While national media may be treated with skepticism, research shows that local news media are generally trusted. But will they have the revenue to do the job?

Congress must take action to curb undue influence of Big Tech on the news media industry and make sure the work of local news-gatherers is fairly compensated.

The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) aims to do just that.

The JCPA is specifically designed to make sure Google

Elected Officials Discuss Lee County

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

The Opelika Chamber of Commerce held a Legislative Reception with five of the newly elected and reappointed officials for Lee County, including Debbie Wood, Alabama House representative for the 38th District; Bob Fincher, Alabama House representative for the 37th District; Jay Hovey, Alabama state senator for District 27; Randy Price, Alabama state senator for District 13; and Joe Lovvorn, Alabama House representative for the 79th District.

Wood will serve as the vice chair of the House County and Municipal Government Committee, in addition to serving on the Education Ways and Means Committee.

Fincher is the chair of the Constitution, Campaigns and Elections committee, along with serving on the Agriculture and Forestry Committee,

and the Education Policy Committee.

Hovey, while a newcomer, requested to serve on the Education Budget Committee and Education Policy Committee. He will also serve on the Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee, the Transportation and Safety Committee and the Local Governmental Affairs Committee.

Price is the chair of the Tourism Committee, serves on the General Fund Budget Committee, the Banking and Insurance Committee, the Agriculture and Forestry Committee and the Education Policy Committee. He also serves on the Joint Transportation Committee that has both House representatives and senators.

Lovvorn is the vice chair of the Education Budget Committee, chairman of the Technology and Research Committee, serves on the Ways and Means Committee, the

Health Committee and is on a Joint Task Force for Obesity between the House and Senate.

Wood explained the role of state representatives.

“People confuse your state representative, your local officials and your congressional delegation … but what we do is we pass bills that affect the state only, or laws, that change the constitution,” Wood said, who was just elected to her second term. “But if we do that, you have to vote on it, just like you did in this past election. There were several amendments that you voted on. The first one was Aniah’s Law.”

While state senators have larger district areas, Price reminded everyone how important it is for house representatives and state senators to work together. He said in many parts of the state, representatives and senators don’t work well together.

“We’ve got a good group and we work together, and looking forward to the next four

years,” Price said.

More than one of the elected officials stressed that education is their priority over the next term.

One way in which Fincher said he supports education is through the potential institution of a lottery in Alabama.

“I’d like to see that money shared between education and that general fund,” he said. “I honestly think living where we do, we can see our money flowing over into Georgia … and we are not a rich state that can afford to support education in Georgia.”

Wood said one of her priorities is changing hospital regulations so that if anything like COVID-19 were to happen again, families can be together as their loved ones die.

“I understand that our hospitals had to close to protect their employees, I get that … but we have to figure out a way to make sure that our loved ones don’t die alone,” she said. “That should

and Facebook pay for what they use. The proposed legislation would provide a temporary, limited antitrust safe harbor for small and local news publishers to collectively negotiate with Facebook and Google for fair compensation for the use of journalists’ content. The policy also incentivizes and rewards publishers who invest in their journalists and newsroom personnel, awarding outlets with demonstrated investments in their staff a larger portion of the funds that result from the negotiations.

By addressing

Google’s and Facebook’s monopoly power and ensuring more subscription and advertising dollars flow back to publishers, the JCPA not only protects and promotes quality news, but also encourages competition. Congress has made progress on this legislation. It should finish the job before the end of the year.

John Galer is the chair of National Newspaper Association, a 137-yearold organization representing community newspapers. Galer publishes newspapers in central Illinois.

that his class was just too tough for them.

of such a whopping verdict may encour age other professors to "Sue The [...]," when they are sim ilarly punished for expressing their views, even if they aren't fired as a result.

It will also make attorneys more willing to take on such cases. If they do, they can use the Auburn verdict as a powerful argument and strong nego tiation tool, said Banzhaf, This new decision comes a half-centu ry after the similar Pickering case went all the way to the Supreme Court, and won a public high school teacher and all public employees First Amendment speech rights.

It also comes just about a month after a major controversy erupted with a re port that New York University had fired a distinguished professor when stu dents complained

So, argues Banzhaf, it looks like universities are adopting several different tactics to retain post-COVID Gen. Z students who are threatening to drop out, and thereby slash their university's tuition income, because they are finding at least some courses too tough: ■ set up gut ("em barrassingly easy") courses, or even dumbed-down pro grams and majors for weak students, especially athletes, ■ pressure or even fire professors who refuse to dumb down their own courses and ■ also pressure or even fire professors who complain about such tactics.

Lawsuits can help fight this ten dency of "defining mediocrity down," similar to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan's proph ecy about "defining deviancy down," Banzhaf said.

Gov. Ivey Orders Top-to-Bottom Review of Execution Protocol for Victims' Sake

CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF GOV. KAY IVEY

ALABAMA — Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday asked Attorney General Steve Marshall to withdraw the state’s two pending motions to set execution dates in the cases of Alan Eugene Miller and James Edward Barber, the only two death row inmates with such motions currently pending before the Alabama Supreme Court.

Working in conjunction with Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm, Ivey is asking that the Department of Corrections undertake a top-to-bottom review of the state’s execution process, and how to ensure the state can successfully deliver justice going forward.

Ivey issued the following statement: “For the sake of the victims and their

families, we’ve got to get this right. I don’t buy for a second the narrative being pushed by activists that these issues are the fault of the folks at Corrections or anyone in law enforcement, for that matter. I believe that legal tactics and criminals hijacking the system are at play here.

“I will commit all necessary support and resources to the Department to ensure those guilty

of perpetrating the most heinous crimes in our society receive their just punishment. I simply cannot, in good conscience, bring another victim’s family to Holman looking for justice and closure, until I am confident that we can carry out the legal sentence.” – Governor Kay Ivey

The governor also requests that the attorney general not seek additional execution dates for any other death

row inmates until the top-to-bottom review is complete. Ivey said she appreciates the hard work of the attorney general and his team to pursue justice in these cases and looks forward to receiving the input of his office, as appropriate, as the review moves forward.

Hamm added the following comment:

“I agree with Governor Ivey that we have to get this right for the victims’ sake.

Everything is on the table — from our legal strategy in dealing with last minute appeals, to how we train and prepare, to the order and timing of events on execution day, to the personnel and equipment involved. The Alabama Department of Corrections is fully committed to this effort and confident that we can get this done right.” – Commissioner John Hamm

Death Penalty Moratorium is a Chance to End Injustices in Alabama’s Capital Punishment System

CONTRIBUTED BY ALABAMA ARISE

Alabama Arise

Director

Executive

Robyn Hyden released the following statement Monday in response to Gov. Kay Ivey’s request for a pause on executions in Alabama:

OPINION — “All Alabamians deserve equal justice under the law. Gov. Kay Ivey’s call for a temporary halt to executions is a welcome and necessary move toward ending many of the injustices plaguing Alabama’s capital

punishment system.

“The attorney general should agree to the governor’s request.

The Department of Corrections should complete the thorough review of the state’s death penalty procedures that Ivey demanded. And the department should pull

back the curtains and provide greater public transparency on those procedures.

“Legislators must do their part to reduce the unfairness of Alabama’s death penalty system, too. They should retroactively apply the state’s 2017 ban on judicial override, a

practice that allowed judges to impose death sentences despite a jury’s recommendation otherwise. Lawmakers also should require unanimous agreement from jurors to sentence someone to death. And they should provide state funding for appeals of death sentences, as

other states with capital punishment do.

“Our state’s death penalty is broken and should be abolished.

Short of that, these policy changes would be important steps to reduce the inequities that pervade capital punishment in Alabama.”

Local Organizations Help Provide Christmas Gifts to Seniors in the Opelika Community

FLOWERS

FROM B9

It is interesting and noteworthy that two of

suburban enclaves of two of our large metro politan areas. Hoover is one of the largest cities in the state and is an outgrowth of Birmingham. If census trends continue the next 10 years the same as the last, Hoover may

be a larger city than Birmingham. It more than likely will be in 20 years.

However, if those same trends stay in place, Huntsville will continue to be Alabama’s largest city. One of the most

revealing things to note is that Madison, a suburb of Huntsville, is one of the 10 largest cities in Alabama.

The Big 10 Mayors should have a big sto ry for a long time to come.

See you next week.

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

Pictured left, the Opelika Pilot Club donated items to the Be a Santa to a Senior project. Pictured right, Auburn Opelika Elks Lodge #1834 also donated to the project. The group said it enjoyed shopping and helping with the wrapping of the gifts for the seniors. Elks care and share.

Pastor Carolyn Morton & the Samford Group presented the second annual Peacemakers Prayer Warriors Outreach Day Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. at Christian Care Ministries in Opelika. The speaker was Apostle Mary Johnson, and guests included Opelika & Auburn Moms Demand Action Local Chapter Group along with Capt. Tony Amerson and the Opelika Police Department. Attendees had a wonderful time, and the presenters would like to thank the Samford community and the city of Opelika for its support.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle,

Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.

the Big 10 cities are

To My Favorite Member of the Greatest Generation

in heaven, purgatory or hell. Also, as I have not lived in the city where you are buried for many years, I don’t get many chances to visit your final home. I regret that.

OPINION —

Dear Dad, You left us at age 53, suddenly and too young. Now, 50 years after that day (Nov. 28, 1972) there is a special title for those born between 1901 and 1927. You are part of the Greatest Generation. Most of the people of that period are long gone; but kin at least know their late relatives were part of a dynamic demographic.

Faced with the Great Depression, World War II and other challenges, members of this large cohort met these crises

but did not lose their grit, perspective or op timism. The term was popularized in a 1998 book by Tom Brokaw, the TV newscaster. Your generation is described as “driven, patriotic, team-players.” Dad, you died before most of your generation, but now there are fewer than 100,000 still alive.

Like many people of my own generation, I don’t usually visit rela tives and friends’ graves, maybe once or twice after they are interred. The de ceased quickly move on to their afterlife, whether

In the abbreviated life you had before leaving us, you had a successful life as an Army airplane mechanic, a civilian elec trician, active in local politics, married and the father of four. Yet your tragic death devasted us. It took me not months, but a full year to recover. That was partly because both of my grandfathers died before I was born; your death was made worse by their absence. I spent a lot of time alone, grieving.

What did you miss, Dad? In the 1970s, the near catastrophe of the Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown. In the 1980s, creation of the first per sonal computer. In the 1990s, the Oklahoma City Bombing, killing 168. In the 2000s, the 9/11 tragedy. Yet, our lives are better because of innovations, such as safer cars and better medical resources.

You missed two wed dings and the deaths of Mom, son Larry,

daughter Ann and all four of your own siblings. You were not around to see, after 86 years, the Boston Red Sox become the World Series Champions, in 2004. You were not in the audience either when I graduated from a college and two uni versities. But I know you were proud and with me in spirit.

Dad, you made us proud when you ran for Model Cities representa tive in 1967. I recall going door-to-door on a Sunday in the snow and freezing rain! That introduced me to face-to-face politics, and you won (five out of eight candidates — only the top six advanced). That showed me the importance of regular citizens having a role in politics and society.

“After 1964, numerous individuals have attempt ed to examine to what extent the United States has been successful in the War on Poverty,” said a Borgen Project publi cation on human rights (2014). “Many, including President Reagan, took a negative approach declar ing that America has lost, and poverty has won. But average incomes among the poorest fifth of

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE Patrick Morlan, whose whereabouts are un known, 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 per sons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired 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 granted 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 per sons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired 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, purport ed 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 appointed 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 here by required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

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

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 per sons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired 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 per sons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired 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 here by 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 per sons having claims against said estate are hereby re quired to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

JASON LINING LOVETT and JOHN BARTEE

Americans rose by more than 75 percent, including adjustments for inflation and the drop in household size.”

It's true — evaluations have identifiable failures and successes in Model Cities, but new sidewalks and housing programs did arise because of your participation. At age 11 or 12, I was happy for you. You helped improve our neighborhood, and we appreciate that. But your use of a new favorite word — “iota” — was grating sometimes. (Iota: an extremely small amount.)

Dad, the respectful and bipartisan politics you experienced after the war is rare now. Democrats and Republicans not only go at loggerheads during campaigns, which continues while legislat ing. There is too much “outside” money in cam paigns, producing false and unflattering views. Television, radio and social media (a new type of communication since 1972) have too much influence. They focus on sensationalism and not on important issues.

Holden Caulfield, the 16-year-old lead of “The Catcher in the Rye,” ends

the book in an optimistic tone. He says, “About all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I talked about. I think I even miss that darn Maurice (a dastard ly doorman). It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”

As a 16-year-old when my father died, I agree in bringing forgotten peo ple back from memory.

Members of the Greatest Generation still alive are 25,000 less than Lee County’s population. I am a Baby Boomer (born in 1956), part of a somewhat rowdy but public-spirited bunch. My link to your generation, Dad, is gone 50 years. But my love for you has not diminished “one iota.”

— Greg 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.

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

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 towit: 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 following 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 dis tance 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 bear ing of South 05 deg. 15’ 06” West a chord distance 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 being 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 mainte nance 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 distance of 124.67 feet to a set iron pin; thence leaving said South maintenance

GREG MARKLEY

Forum Gives Political Canidates Opportunity to Answer Questions

never happen.”

Additionally, rural healthcare was a priority for more than one of the elected officials.

Lovvorn encouraged residents to reach out and express their needs and concerns.

“We have a lot of divide on national politics but we don’t on state politics,” Lovvorn said. “You’ve

got a mix in Lee County of Republicans and Democrats but our Democrat friends understand just as much. So just communicate with us.”

Price also reiterated that Alabama has lots going for the state of Alabama, but there are necessary improvements to keep it that way.

“We have been so blessed in the state of Alabama that we have brought job after job of opportunities,” he said.

“We have increased

the things that we need for education but if we don’t continue to take care of infrastructure, some of that will go away … If we’re not willing to grow, we will come to a standstill.”

Lovvorn said he feels Alabama has a lot of blessings too.

“How can we continue this path we’re on, how can we spread the successes we’ve had to other parts of the state and that’s my goal for the next four years,” he said.

PHOTO BY HANNAH LESTER / THE OBSERVER

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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 degrees 12’ 19” East a chord distance 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 ra dius 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 distance 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 distance of 397.73 feet to a found iron pin; thence North 04 degrees 47’ 25” West a dis tance of 830.06 feet to the Point of Beginning, all ly ing 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 prop erty. From said Point of Beginning, leaving said Eight Right of Way, North 87 degrees 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 mon ument; thence along said East Right of Way, along a curve to the right with a ra dius of 1880.88 feet a chord bearing of North 06 de grees 59’ 05” West a chord a distance of 878.44 feet to a found concrete mon ument; 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.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

reversion or other interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or the lien thereon: 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 because this notice shall be used to perfect ser vice against all parties who cannot be personally 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, and served upon attorneys for the Plaintiff, Wilson & 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 & 12/15/2022 ---------------

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF IRENE PHILLIPS EDWARDS, DECEASED PROBATE COURT, LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2022-639

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of IRENE PHILLIPS EDWARDS are hereby granted to Joe Edwards on the 14th 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 here by required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Joe Edwards Legal Run 12/1/2022, 12/8/2022 & 12/15/2022

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF WILMA DEAN SPANN, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE, LEE COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS LETTERS

TESTAMENTARY of said deceased are hereby grant ed to the undersigned on the 18th day of November, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Notice is here by given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

JOHN LOUIS SPANN BOBBY SPANN Legal Run 12/1/2022, 12/8/2022 & 12/15/2022

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE MATTER OF B.L.F., A MINOR NOTICE OF HEARING Notice is hereby giv en that a Petition for Partial Settlement of Conservatorship of B.L.F., a minor, was filed by Conservator, Kenneth R. Ferguson requesting ap proval of a partial account ing for the period 10/2018 through 12/31/2021. A hear ing has been set for the 18th day of January 2023 at 1:00 p.m. central time, electron ically via “ZOOM”. Please contact the Lee County Probate Court at 334-7373670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the hearing of the Petition for Partial Settlement of the Conservatorship of B.L.F. Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama LEGAL RUN 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

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IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

IN RE: The Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY. Deceased Case No. 2022-467

NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration having been granted to AMBER MCCOY, as Administrator of the Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY, deceased, on the 28TH day of September 2022, by the Honorable BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate.

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

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA /S/ AMBER MCCOY AMBER MCCOY Administrator of the Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY. Deceased Legal Notice 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

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IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF C. NEAL POPE, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-599 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 18th day of November, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all per sonshaving claims against said estate are hereby re quired to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

VIRGINIA PITTS

POPE

Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504

Legal Run 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

Opelika Self Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property de scribed below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location and time indicated: 710 Columbus Pkwy, Opelika AL 36801 Friday, December 16, 2022 at 1:00PM CST Jakacia Smith - Unit 1222 3300 Boromville Rd Hurtsboro, AL 36860 couches, beds, bed frames, dressers, misc furniture Cecil Carlton – Unit 1134 1001 Ward Pl Lot 17 Opelika, AL 36801 Bags, boxes, misc The auction will be listed and advertised on www. lockerfox.com. Purchases must be made with credit card only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Opelika Self Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any pur chase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Legal Run 12/01/2022

STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property de scribed below belonging to those individuals list ed below at the location indicated: 1242 N Dean Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, December 15 , 2022 at 10:00AM Unit 308 The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facil ity in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any pur chase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Run Date 12/01/22