280 Living
November 2016 | Volume 10 | Issue 3
neighborly news & entertainment
Picklesimer takes the baton On new mayor’s to-do list: Address traffic, safety, business growth
Matt and Robyn Lyons, owners of Catn-Bird Winery, are opening their tasting room in the basement of their home. Photo by Erica Techo.
Chelsea couple to open winery on Old Highway 280 By ERICA TECHO
By ERICA TECHO
O
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Tupelo, MS Permit #54
pening the mail every day. It sounds like a simple, sometimes irritating task, but Tony Picklesimer said it is the way he will start to acquaint himself with the day-today operations of Chelsea. “Really, all I’ve had to this point is pomp and circumstance,” Picklesimer said about the week following the runoff mayoral election in Chelsea. “That’s really not what this job is about at all. I need to learn the
day-to-day operation.” Picklesimer has been on the Chelsea City Council for 10 years, but he also maintained a full-time job during that time. The period between being elected and taking his oath of office Nov. 7 is a time to learn as much as he can from Mayor Earl Niven, he said. “I’ve been assigned to be chief steward of the citizens’ money, so I need to learn where it comes from, and I need to learn where it’s going,” Picklesimer said.
INSIDE
INSIDE ► Growth on the horizon: Chelsea City Council, Planning Commission consider two new neighborhoods, A6 and A11
Walking onto a winery property typically means seeing acres of grapevines. Walking into an Alabama winery typically means sweeter wines. At Cat-n-Bird Winery in Chelsea, however, guests won’t find either of these things. Owners Matt and Robyn Lyons said they plan to steer away from the muscadine wines Alabama wineries are known for, opting to order their grapes and juice from other areas of the country. “There’s a lot of risk with the Alabama weather,” Robyn Lyons said, noting that is why wineries are limited in the type of grapes they can grow. Taking this approach, however, allows the chance for a wider variety of wines — and more of the wines they enjoy most.
See WINERY | page A29
See PICKLESIMER | page A30 Sponsors .............. A4 280 News ............. A6
Business .............. A13 Chamber............. A22
Faith ....................A25 Opinion ...............A28
Events ....................B7 School House ..... B15
Sports ................... C4 Calendar .............. C13 facebook.com/280Living
Pursuing a Dream
Bright Future
Distinguished Young Women program pushes Oak Mountain alumna to shoot for Switzerland.
Present and future on the hardwood looking good for Spain Park senior and Memphiscommit Jamal Johnson.
See page B22
See page C1