38 minute read
Spotlight
Find the hidden dingbat!
Nearly 700 of you caught the March Madness spirit and found the hidden basketball on Page 28 of the March magazine, catching a ride on the first aid backpack of the firefighter at the site of a controlled burn. Vivian Walker of Union Springs, a member of Dixie EC, wrote us that she is thankful for all our firefighters: “It’s much better to be able to control the fires being set. So hopefully the worker standing by will be able to dribble his basketball as he keeps watch.” Susan J. Nelson of Cullman said she’s found “a lot of things in first aid kits over the years, but this is the first time to find a basketball.”
Congratulations to Elizabeth Pyron of Stevenson, our randomly drawn winner of a prize package from Alabama One Credit Union. This month, we’ve hidden a pretzel in honor of National Soft Pretzel Month in April. So grab the pretzel of your choice (we like them with mustard here at Alabama Living), and start looking!
By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124
By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.com
Sponsored by
Letters to the editor
E-mail us at: letters@alabamaliving.coop or write us at: Letters to the editor P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124
Another Alabama tribe
I enjoyed the story of Stephanie Bryan (February 2022); however, I would like to see equal recognition to the other tribe that resides in Alabama. The MOWA Choctaw tribe has its tribal office in Mt. Vernon, Alabama, and I’m sure you can contact Chief Byrd for information about his tribe and the impact they have made on the great state of Alabama.
Suzanne Ray, Guntersville
Sources to power EVs
If I were an automaker’s design engineer, I would have to use some of my own smarts or knowledge to put together the components that will be needed to power electric vehicles down the road without the need for having to charge up again. There would be only two sources of energy products producing this energy and the best part about it all, it’s free. These sources are nothing more/ less than that of the wind turbines and the sun (or at least daylight hours that would be needed for charging the solar panels).
There is indeed a great potential in the EVs and maybe some of this will rub off on the aforementioned engineers.
Jack D. Pollard, Luverne
Whereville, AL
Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative. The winner and answer will be announced in the next month’s issue. Submit by email: whereville@ alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Do you like finding interesting or unusual landmarks? Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Remember, all readers whose photos are chosen also win $25!
March’s answer: The Wetumpka Alleyway, which links Company and Hill streets, is a public art space for people to gather and enjoy the revitalized downtown area. Created by Main Street Wetumpka, the space features landscaping, a large mural that tells the stories of the original people of Wetumpka, and an interpretive panel that gives a timeline of the town’s development. (Photo by Allison Law of Alabama Living) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Beth Owen of Central Alabama EC.
Annual photo contest coming up!
Our readers impressed us last year with the quality of their entries in Alabama Living’s annual photo contest, which runs in the August issue. Start thinking now about the 2022 contest, because we want to see more of your awesome photos! First-place winners receive $100, and those photos plus other honorable mentions will be profiled in the magazine.
Photos must be uploaded to our website, alabamaliving.coop (no hard copies accepted) beginning May 1. The categories this year are People, Animals, Alabama Travels and Seasons. Complete rules will be posted on the website. In the meantime, start planning which photos you want to enter!
Cool kids
Young brothers find big dreams in ice cream
Ethan, left, and Tyler Whatley in their 2 Brothers Frozen Treats truck. The brothers have made a name for themselves in Pike County and the surrounding areas as young entrepreneurs.
With their ice cream truck, and some help from their parents and the community, a pair of Pike County siblings are on a clear path — not a rocky road — to success.
Tyler Whatley, 14, and younger brother Ethan Whatley, 8, are the owners and operators of 2 Brothers Frozen Treats, an ice cream truck business. Since 2019, the boys have traveled all over Pike County and surrounding counties selling about 60 different flavors of frozen treats and bringing smiles to young and old alike. Upon request, they attend and host different parties, such as birthdays, family gatherings, baby showers, and even funerals.
The idea of the two brothers operating an ice cream truck came from the boys’ entrepreneur father, Byron Whatley, owner of Byron’s Upholstery Paint and Body.
According to Ethan’s mother and Tyler’s stepmother, Tanesha Whatley, “One day on a trip to Atlanta, we made a stop in Auburn, purchased ice cream from a truck, and it sparked the idea.” From
there, Byron acquired and fixed a truck, and Tanesha handled the business’s scheduling, marketing, and logistics; she’s also the secondary driver of the truck. Maurice Baldwin, the primary driver, runs it when the boys are at school.
It took about two months of continuous repair work on the truck and drafting business plans to start the business officially. Ethan and Tyler were especially effective at designing the aesthetics of the ice cream truck. “We added their faces to the final design of the truck as a surprise to the boys, and they were so happy about it,” says Tanesha.
The Whatleys made sure that the boys voluntarily wanted to become part of the business. “We thought it can be great to help the boys understand the benefits of hard work, punctuality, cooperation, entrepreneurship, and building connections,” says Tanesha. But, more notably, it created the space and opportunity for the boys to spend time together and learn professional and business A youngster receives a prepackaged cool treat from 2 Brothers Frozen Treats. The brothers sell skills. 32 different ice creams and everything from flavored bomb pops to ice cream sandwiches.
Tyler and Ethan, thrilled by the idea of owning and operating an ice cream truck business, started immediately learning, Tanesha says, by hands-on training and by trial and error. “At first, it was easy,” Ethan says. But Tyler says they didn’t realize the amount of work it would take to handle the money and customers.
In the beginning, Byron and Tanesha or a family member would drive the truck for them, and Tyler and Ethan would alternate between different tasks. Initially, “I would handle the money, and Ethan would help the customer, and we would switch,” Tyler says. But Tanesha says they eventually learned to handle other tasks, including taking inventory of the products and pricing of events.
Tyler and Ethan wanted to make their business affordable for kids. At the business’s start, the boys would experiment by buying cheaper alternatives to popular flavors. “The price would be lower, but the taste was bad, so we decided to get the better tasting ice cream to satisfy the customers,” Tyler says.
Even though the creation of the ice cream truck came from Byron, the boys cherish the business and are proud of the joy and optimism they bring to the community. Tyler and Ethan proudly say that their favorite part of operating an ice cream truck is “making kids smile and meeting different people.”
The boys mainly run the truck after school, on weekends and at special parties and events if they’re not already busy with homework or after-school activities. Ethan says, “We are lucky to own a business that we can learn from and have fun at the same time.”
It is not unusual to find the boys publicly speaking at a local event in the Pike County area or accepting accolades from prominent figures in the community. From appearing on WSFA’s County Road 12 segment to receiving the 2021 Pike County Top Minority Business Enterprise award, people recognize and appreciate the brothers’ work ethic. On any day, you can see the boys taking care of a group of youngsters hungry for a frozen treat. Ethan entertains the customers, and Tyler handles the money and keeps an eye on the stock running a seamless operation. The Original Bomb Pop is one of their top sellers, but the Cookies n’ Cream Bar – Ethan’s favorite – comes in a close second. Ethan says, “I prefer working at the window because I like talking to people and getting them to try new flavors.” Tyler says, “I love doing everything, and if I could drive, I would do that too.” Apart from selling ice cream and hosting parties, the brothers attend school, church and actively participate in extracurricular activities. Tyler plays a variety of sports at Goshen High School; he is fond of baseball and aspires to become a Major League Baseball player and a welder and continue to run 2 Brothers Frozen Treats. Ethan attends Troy Elementary and plans to expand his entrepreneurial endeavors, and his dream is to become a computer science engineer. After Ethan accomplishes his personal goals, he will continue to work on the ice cream truck along with Tyler. A short-term goal of 2 Brothers Frozen treats is to become more prominent in Pike County and expand its influence to other parts of Alabama. As far as long-term goals are concerned, Tanesha foresees the boys operating the ice cream truck entirely on their own, buying a warehouse and a high-top van and ultimately expanding the business into other states. To access 2 Brothers Frozen Treats’ menu, neighborhood routes, contact information, or book them for an event, find them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter
@2brothers-
frozentreats.
Named for a former NASA administrator, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is something to behold – but you can’t. It’s almost one million miles from earth. Though far away, the world’s most ambitious $10 billion space observatory, soon to map the deepest voids of space, has a home connection – Cullman, Alabama.
In September 2003, after head-to-head competition with Kodak (the division is now known as ITT), Cullman’s General Dynamics was chosen by NASA for JWST’s mirror project. The company would work with other space-age entities, including Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies in making science fiction, science reality.
Thousands of scientists, engineers, and technicians from 14 countries and 29 U.S. states – and Cullman – participated in the wonders of Webb. Indeed, a wonder it is. Like the telescope, its mirrors are something to behold as well.
The space venture’s primary mirror, with an approximate 20 feet spread, is composed of 18 hexagon mirror segments. Each hexagon is about 4.3 feet in diameter. General Dynamics milled all 18 with three spares.
“We are proud to be part of that program,” says Jeff Calvert, General Dynamics’ Manufacturing Engineering manager. “To deliver a product the way our team did was just amazing. I cannot speak enough on how well they performed and the hours these guys spent day after day, making sure they were hitting the numbers.”
Hitting the numbers included precise milling to surgical specifications. Some sections of the hexagonal components required machine/ computer measurements of what Calvert describes in layman’s terms as “the thickness of eight human hairs laid on top of each other.”
The mirrors are made of 99% pure beryllium, a steel-gray metal often found in emerald mines. As noted by Calvert, beryllium is commonly used in phones, wall plugs, computers, and electronics. Among its attractive properties, such as the ability to receive high polishing for mirror use, beryllium can withstand extreme temperatures of space, which is a good thing. The space telescope’s side facing the sun will be around 230 degrees F. The cold side will be about -370 degrees F.
“We did all the machining,” adds Calvert. “We received the hexagons weighing 475 pounds. The finished product left weighing under 46 pounds.” Team Cullman also worked on other mirrors for the telescope – secondary, steering, and support structures.
“We completed our product in a 2007 timeframe,” he says. “Other supporting structures and optics work shipped out in 2009. Once the mirrors were shipped, our contract was
From Alabama to a million miles away
James Webb Space Telescope has a Cullman connection
General Dynamics workers inspect hexagon mirrors before shipping out for final assembly on the James Webb Space Telescope.
PHOTO COURTESY GENERAL DYNAMICS complete.” From Cullman, the hexagons were delivered to Ball Avionics and then to Northrop Grumman for polishing, before final delivery to NASA. General Dynamics personnel told colleagues down the line, “Take care of our parts.” Calvert smiled, “They did.”
Truly rocket science
After milling the beryllium, a thin coating of pure gold was applied to each hexagon. According to NASA, gold is very reflective, perfect for bouncing every available proton of light from distant worlds.
But as a byproduct, it is beautiful. The finished product is a glistening 21-foot diameter gold honeycomb of 18 pieces working as one. Miniature replicas in jewelry form can be purchased online.
As for explaining how the James Webb Space Telescope works, it is not rocket science – actually, yes, it is. Very much so. Do not try this at home.
“This thing had so many moving parts,” recalls Calvert, about the largest project he has been involved with during 30-plus years with General Dynamics. At 21.5 feet diameter, the primary is the largest mirror ever sent into space.
He adds, “You only have one chance to get it right. It is not serviceable. There is no coming back. It is a one-time shot.”
Like the mirrors, the observatory is also folded, encapsulated in the rocket taking it into space. Once in position, the tightly packed observatory/ mirror assembly jettisons and unfolds gradually, taking weeks. When unfurled it is the approximate mass of a full size school bus.
But the other “unfolding” explained in a NASA press release is even more mind-boggling: “It (JWST) will unfold the universe, transforming how we think about the night sky and our place in the cosmos. The telescope lets us look back to see a period of cosmic history never observed. Webb can peer into the past because telescopes show us how things were – not how they are right now. It can also explore distant galaxies, farther away than any we’ve seen before.”
The light is collected in the primary lens, then bounced to the other mirrors and finally, transmitted to earth. The observatory’s telescope sees with infrared light at much greater clarity and much greater dis-
tance. According to NASA, it could discover if we are alone in the universe. Fast-forward to Dec. 25, 2021. Christmas morning is breaking in Cullman, Alabama. But at General Dynamics all eyes are on events 2,000 miles away. “Lift off! We have a lift off!,” an exuberant NASA announcer proclaims at about 6:15 a.m. Cullman time. His loudspeaker words blare at the Kourou, French Guiana launch pad. The Ariane 5 rocket ignites and flies into space, with a neatly packed payload folded like a robot from a “Transformer” movie. The James Webb Space Telescope departs earth forever. The speaker continues, “From a tropical rain forest to the edge of time itself, James Webb begins a voyage back to the birth of the universe!” And with those words, the most expensive, most powerful, and most ambitious instrument ever made begins its stellar mission, thanks in large part to workers in Cullman. Gazing at a starry night, General Dynamics’ program finance manager Robert Tidwell ponders the project his team put into space. “Being part of the program gives us a sense of pride for this area and to see A NASA artist’s rendition of the James West Space Telescope with mirrors deployed. this program come to pass,” he notes PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA about the contributions of an Alabama-based workforce. Calvert agrees. “I was a small part of this team,” he says, referencing General Dynamics’ Cullman group which also provides milling work for nuclear reactors, strategic missiles, satellite components and more. “But to be part of this one (JWST), the little part I had with it, is a lot of pride.” Meanwhile back in space, on this late January morning, “the mirrors are all folded out now,” Calvert says, monitoring the observatory from Cullman. “Each of those 18 mirrors are being articulated and phased in to represent one reflective object.” The phase in process takes a few months and then it happens: James Webb will transmit images to earth during its five- to 10year mission. In a few months, humankind may discover new galaxies, track unknown planets, and speculate on inhabitants of other worlds as they speculate on us.
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is nestled in the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park, a pastoral setting with several walking trails and ponds. More than just a stagePHOTO COURTESY OF ASF
A behind the scenes look at the magic as ASF brings plays to life
By Emmett Burnett
Lights dim, curtains rise, on with the show. “Macbeth” is underway at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. The play, performed in February, is popular at Montgomery’s 250-acre campus. But another show is also in progress: the quest to bring “Macbeth” to stage, or as Shakespeare ponders, “to be or not to be.”
Actually, “to be or not to be” is from “Hamlet,” not “Macbeth”, but you get the idea. What you may not get is the work involved before the event. Most outside the theater industry rarely see the preparation required for a Broadway-like experience, until now.
ASF’s skilled professionals granted backstage permission to behold the magic in a $21.6 million theater complex referred to as “The Crown Jewel of Alabama.”
“The facility opened in 1985 specifically for the theater,” says Layne Holley, director of marketing and communications, as we navigate corridors leading through workshops, costume departments, and prop rooms. “Our workers are from all over the country and very skilled in what they do.” The sounds of power tools underscore her comments.
As we pace through interwoven rooms, electric saws scream. Wooden structures are hammered in place. Assembling, drilling, painting, and more punctuate every corner. A construction site rises from organized chaos.
Throughout the building, artisans practice their crafts, producing costumes, props, and scenery. Paul Haesemeyer is one such person, assembling Lady Macbeth and company’s wardrobes.
Haesemeyer and others dress everyone in the show from royalty to witches. “An audience’s first impression of a character is the costume being worn,” Haesemeyer notes. “As soon as these garments go on the
actors, they become the characters.”
While inspecting Lady Macbeth’s banquet gown, Haesemeyer adds, “The designer tells us what the character is doing while wearing a certain costume. Is the character turning cartwheels? Running? Standing? Killing somebody? We make the costume accordingly.”
Working in the costume department, Paul Haesemeyer inspects Lady Macbeth’s banquet dress. PHOTO BY EMMETT BURNETT
Displaying Lady Macbeth’s gown, he adds, “She’s only going to wear this for a short banquet scene. But it’s a glorious scene!”
Haesemeyer and company take input from both the clothing designers and actors wearing the garment. “That gown is stunning,” says actress Meghan Andrews, referring to the banquet dress. “It just lights up the stage.”
Andrews, who portrays Lady Macbeth, credits the costumers and other ASF workers. “They are at the top of their game.”
Building sets from the ground up
Taylor Broyles is the technical director. “I oversee everything in the scene and everything put on stage to make sure it works and does what the designers want,” he explains. “Our crews build everything for the stage – houses, cars, boats, trees, everything.”
They are experts in carpentry, metal fabrication, construction, and more. “You name it; we build it,” Broyles says.
When asked for an example of a difficult set his crews assembled, without hesitation, Broyles replies, “‘Sherlock Holmes.’ It had a turntable with five fully massive sets to hook on and spin to the audience. It was a nightmare to build, but a hit show, so worth it.”
As construction pieces are assembled, experts add color. “We do the painting and sculpting,” says scenic charge Julie Barnhardt. “We mix and formulate paint for just
Tim Snider polishes axes and swords.
PHOTO BY EMMETT BURNETT
the right color on stage.” Her crew gives the set detail, texture, and realism.
She is a master of method and colors, blended to make surfaces appear aged, worn, pretty, or pretty sinister. Barnhardt starts by interpreting the scenic designer’s technical drawings and paints, and/or sculpts, accordingly. “I present ideas back to the designers and hope they love it,” she laughs. “And we go from there.”
Some crafts hand their product off to the next department but most work simultaneously with other teams. One such team is overseen by Philip Hahn, master electrician.
“I work with lighting designers and make sure it ‘gets in the air,’ ” he says, from a manlift high above the stage, adjusting “instruments” (each light is an instrument). “A show can have 350 instruments, each has to be coordinated,” he says.
He also is responsible for “practicals” (any on-stage light source) and “atmospherics” – such as fog and haze.
“People don’t realize when an actor turns on a lamp or rings a doorbell, the actor is not really doing it,” notes Holley. “Someone else is. Philip wires the lamp to turn on or off from a switch off stage.”
Which brings us to another really cool part of Alabama’s theater – the prop shop. “We are the stuff people,” says prop master Shanley Aumiller, with a smile. “If it’s not a wall, floor, or costume, it is our stuff.” Their stuff requires much research.
If your play setting is 1947, everything on stage must be 1947 – including telephones, toasters, vehicles, weapons, and all. Props are obtained or built.
On this visit, prop assistant Tim Snider is polishing Macbeth’s axes and swords. Surprisingly the ancient weaponry – though make-believe – is metal and quite heavy, probably for the clanging effect in clashing sword fights.
“Sure the axes are metal! Plastic’s no fun!” laughs “Macbeth” actor Cordell Cole, who plays the character, Banquo. He explained fight scenes as “a brutal dance. Each move is choreographed and practiced.”
Actors impressed
Typically, ASF role auditions are held in New York City, Los Angeles, or Atlanta. Actors’ contracts span 6 to 7 weeks and include lodging in Montgomery.
“When they (actors) first see this beautiful facility, their jaws drop,” says actress, Birmingham native, and former New Yorker Greta Lambert. She plays a witch in “Macbeth.” The actress notes, “new actors often tell me, ‘I did not expect this in Alabama.’”
Most of the actors, including Lambert, who now lives in the Montgomery area, have worked all over the country in film and theater. They speak favorably about ASF. “The artisans’ shop, sound, and lighting, and all the crews are just top notch here,” Lambert says. “We are so lucky to have such professional artisans.”
On this January day, “Macbeth’s” sets, rehearsals, wiring, costuming, stage and more receive finishing touches. “Tech rehearsal” – when actors, orchestra, props, costumes, electrical, and other departments come together – is days away. Costumed actors rehearse lines and mark positions, as lighting, sound, and other effects are timed, marked, and practiced.
ASF’s crews are always looking ahead; this year’s offerings include “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Freedom Rider,” “Until the Flood,” “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” and “American Mariachi.” Actors are auditioned, designs set to paper, and plans ready to proceed as the show must go on – some assembly required.
To learn more about ASF, visit asf.net.
Megan Cudd applies “blood” to a shirt worn by a character in “Macbeth.”
Huntsville lights up when the sun goes down
U S A
Bars, restaurants, and retail shops liven up historic downtown
“I didn’t know what to expect, but it sure wasn’t what I anticipated when I arrived in Huntsville,” observes Ryan Murphy, President and General Manager of the city’s new ORION Amphitheater. “My wife and I had made a pact that we wouldn’t move south of the Tennessee border. Yet here we were, feeling more at home by the minute as we drove past rolling farmland into downtown Huntsville. It was more than the natural beauty though; it was a feeling I couldn’t put a finger on.”
The Murphys were not alone in sensing this undefined quality. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, Huntsville moved up to the number one spot as Alabama’s largest city, having overtaken Birmingham, which held onto that claim for decades. Sure, some visitors still arrive with preconceived notions about state history, but once here, they discover a vibrant, prosperous city with so much to offer.
At the crossroads of Alabama’s past and future, Huntsville is more focused on creating a “high quality of life” than looking back to yesterday. “Quality of life” for everyone isn’t just a slogan. City leaders have made it the city’s mantra and filter through which decisions have been made for years.
I sat down with Mayor Tommy Battle to learn more about Huntsville’s popularity and explosive growth. Our conversation revealed a great deal about Huntsville’s long-term mayor as well as the city. Between shouts of “Hey Tommy” by passersby and occasional interruptions from well-wishing constituents, it became obvious that
Lobby at 106 Jefferson, Huntsville’s newest luxury boutique hotel
Huntsville, The Rocket City, mural welcomes visitors in downtown
he is quite popular and one of the guiding forces behind Huntsville’s growth. However, he is quick to give credit to others. “We have a large team of committed business and civic leaders who have been working together a long time to transform Huntsville into one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities,” he says. “Our leaders don’t always agree on what and how things should be done. But we all agree on finding solutions and moving forward rather than allowing problems to go unsolved,” Mayor Battle adds.
While some cities may have chosen to demolish the old to make room for the new—not Huntsville. Old buildings have been repurposed to appeal to the area’s growing young adult population. An outof-date high school was converted into a library and recreation center. A former elementary school was transformed into Campus No. 805, an indoor-outdoor events center featuring restaurants, retail, and award-winning microbreweries. Dilapidated downtown buildings have been restored, and a vibrant retail, dining and entertainment scene has revitalized the historic city center. A boutique luxury hotel, 106 Jefferson, opened last year, replacing an old furniture store.
Known as “The Rocket City” for its unique role in the nation’s Space Race, Huntsville is home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, a Smithsonian Institute affiliate and the largest space museum in the world, attracting more than a million visitors a year. The Rocket City Trash Pandas tips a cap to that historic legacy as the Minor League Baseball team draws crowds to home games. Along with the Von Braun Center, a performing arts and cultural venue, and the Huntsville Museum of Art, featuring rotating exhibits and a permanent collection of art of the Southeast USA from the 19th and 20th centuries, Huntsville is a well-rounded intersection of science, sports, culture and the arts.
The ORION Amphitheater, slated to open in mid-May, is the latest example of the city’s arts and cultural transformation. This 8,000seat, state-of-the-art outdoor music venue ushers in a new phase of Huntsville’s evolution. The theater and festival grounds will become a multi-use destination featuring acres of green space for picnicking, hiking trails, a food truck court and entertainment center designed to host local community events year-round.
“Everything about the ORION is top-notch, even down to the acoustic-improving IPE wood benches used for seats,” Ryan Murphy notes. “The backstage area will be a paradise for performers. Displays will highlight north Alabama’s rich music history, and décor will feature real artifacts from Huntsville’s space history. Entertainers who may have once overlooked Alabama will want to play here now,” says Ryan. “There’s really nothing like this anywhere.”
As Ryan explains, he has a better sense about that feeling he couldn’t identify. “High quality of life is not just talk; it’s real. You feel it everywhere you go. Everyone is proud of Huntsville and is eager to share our city with others,” Ryan says. He’s proud, too, that the ORION will be a perfect showcase for a city that is truly a star of Alabama. www.northalabama.org
Scott Baker is an internationally published photojournalist based in Alexander City, Alabama. He is a contributing photographer to The New York Times and his work has been published in The London Sunday Times Magazine, Drift Magazine and many other regional publications. You can follow his work on Instagram: @scottbakerphotos.
Yellowhammer Brewery at Campus No. 805
Architectural rendering of the new ORION Amphitheater opening in May 2022
Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, AA-affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels The Apollo 16 capsule, the Casper, is a key exhibit in the Saturn V Hall at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Living in history
John Gurner, the cultural resources specialist at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, is originally from the Mississippi Delta, but has lived most of his life in Alabama. After graduating from Jacksonville State University with a master’s degree in early American colonial and cultural history, he taught history before moving on to postgraduate studies at the University of Edinburgh.
After returning to Alabama, he taught at several community colleges, and in 2011 he became a living history interpreter at Fort Morgan State Historic Site. He later joined the staff at the U.S. Army Center of Military History at the Anniston Army Depot as a curator for the long-term collections storage facility.
Now, he’s been on the job about eight months at Fort Toulouse, which is a significant archeological and historical site in Elmore County that was inhabited for thousands of years by prehistoric and American Indians, Spanish explorers, French marines, English and Scottish traders and American settlers. – Allison Law
What are your primary responsibilities at Fort ToulouseFort Jackson?
I am responsible for coordinating living history events, historical research, and developing outreach programs. Some of my time is devoted to using social media for posting short articles regarding the site’s history, which tie into larger research projects I am currently working on.
What attracted you to Fort Toulouse before you took the job? Were you familiar with its history and its activities?
I became familiar with Fort Toulouse while working at another historical site. In 2014, I was part of a crew that volunteered to work the annual Frontier Days event and was taken with both the site’s history and its serene beauty. A few years later I read the definitive work on site, Fort Toulouse: The French Outpost at the Alabamas on the Coosa by Dr. Daniel Thomas, which gave me a deep desire to know more about this formative period in Alabama’s often forgotten colonial history.
What parts of your job do you enjoy the most?
The living history side of my job is the most enjoyable. Having living history interpreters in period attire and watching the interactions with visitors take place is a great experience. This is especially true when children stop for a moment and ask questions of a woman while she is spinning yarn or of a soldier who his cleaning his musket.
The other aspect I enjoy is researching the site’s history. The earlier French period, 1717-1763, has so many areas open for research. One of my tasks is to expand our understanding of how Fort Toulouse and similar outposts worked for the long-range French strategy for dominating the fur trade.
For someone who’s never been to the Fort, what do you suggest as a good first-timer itinerary?
A first-time visitor should come by our Visitor
Center before walking the grounds. We have site maps that provide a timeline of the site that help orient the visitor to what we interpret. The park has archaeological areas from various periods, some older than thousand years, so it is helpful to know where to start before moving about the site. After visiting the interpretive areas, venture down the William Bartram Trail to see more of the flora and fauna we have tucked away. When the weather permits, a walk down to the edge of the western end of the property is good for seeing where the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers meet. That junction is where untold numbers of people navigated the rivers to head down the Alabama River and towards Mobile, so there is a special significance in seeing this important confluence.
Are you currently a re-enactor, either as part of your job or as a hobby at other historical sites?
I am currently focused on doing living history at our site. I have done some re-enacting at other places, but I want to focus on the periods that cover the site’s history. The challenge is being able to accurately portray the French and
Indian War period that is in accordance with our later French fort and for the War of 1812 period as well. Both aspects present challenges in acquiring the clothing for two vastly different periods. Part of the hobby is making as much of the clothing as possible myself to ensure the proper fit and using accurate fabrics for each historical period.
Learn more at fttoulousejackson.org.
The next public event at the fort is the French and Indian War Encampment, which is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 23-24. Admission is $4 adults and $2 per child. There will be living history interpreters demonstrating the life of French Marines from the 1750s, fur traders, merchants, British soldiers, Native Americans, and ordinary settlers. Demos will be throughout the day.
Going online with Social Security saves you time
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Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by email at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.
April crossword by Myles Mellor
Across 1 Alabama forest 5 Islet 7 Grand Bay is one 10 Gulf Shores first line of defense 11 Intersected 12 _____ Rock, a feature of the Rainbow Mountain
Nature Preserve in Madison 14 Mobile Harbor sights 17 Dove’s sound 18 Angler’s equipment 20 Brownish gray 21 Anger 22 Provide 23 The Eastern Wild Turkey is Alabama’s ___ ___, 2 words 26 Ferocious sea predators found in the north of the Gulf of Mexico 28 Blood type 30 Raise 31 Place for pampering 32 Rain a little 33 Playful water creature Down 1 Shaking like aspen leaves 2 ____ ____ Canyon: spectacular hike with waterfalls, canyon rims and sandstone cliffs, 2 words 3 Cry of discovery 4 Do some basic math 5 Great view in Oak Mountain State Park, 2 words 6 Sure! 8 The Caribbean, for one 9 Produce 13 Lymph _____. 14 Mountain where you can walk the Stone Cuts
Trail, 2 words 15 In the direction of 16 Body of water extending along the coast from
Dauphin Island to Waveland, known as the
Mississippi _____ 19 Raw mineral 24 Sky color 25 Satchmo’s music 26 Flower to be 27 Spring month, abbr. 28 Copy 29 Sand ____ (shipping danger) 31 Street, for short
Business & ag equipment loans save you time & money
Whether it’s laptops, a new tractor, or a fleet of commercial vehicles, every business or farm needs equipment to function. But what if you can’t pay for it all? Equipment loans are used for buying or leasing qualifying commercial and ag equipment and work similarly to auto loans.
Here are the key benefits of business and ag equipment loans: • Make necessary purchases faster, so you can be more productive and profitable. • Flexible terms give you more freedom to settle on a payment plan that works for you. • Preserve capital and overcome budget limitations to get the equipment when you need it.
It’s not all about price
It’s easy to get wrapped up in price negotiation, but then realize a few months later you really should have negotiated your loan terms. For example, if you finance $35,000 with a loan at 5% APR for 36 months, you will pay a monthly payment of $1,048.98. You’ll pay $2,763.33 in interest over those three years. However, with a 1.99% APR for 36 months, you will have a monthly payment of $1,002.34. You’ll pay only $1,084.15 in interest. That “little” change in interest rate just saved you $1,679.18.
Rates as low as 1.99%*
Enjoy significant benefits when you obtain a business or ag equipment loan through Alabama ONE. With rates as low as 1.99% APR, you can get the same rates on equipment loans as you can on auto loans.
Alabama ONE offers you an expert lending team. We’re here to help you build your future with local servicing and personal service.
Contact our Business & Ag Team at (205) 562-2342, or email them at business@alabamaone.org or ag@alabamaone.org. *This rate is only available for loans under $200,000.
Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Alabama One Credit Union (AOCU), Alabama Rural Electric Credit Union (ARECU), Alabama One Wealth Advisory and Alabama Rural Electric Wealth Advisory are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Alabama One Wealth Advisory and Alabama Rural Electric Wealth Advisory, and may also be employees of AOCU or ARECU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of AOCU or ARECU or Alabama One Wealth Advisory and Alabama Rural Electric Wealth Advisory. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are: Not Insured by NCUA or Not Credit Union Not Credit Union May Lose
Any Other Government Agency Guaranteed Deposits or Obligations Value
Five questions to ask your home inspector
By Miranda Boutelle
Q:I’m planning to buy a new home this year, and I want to know how efficient it is. What questions should I ask my home inspector?
A:Many factors go into buying a home. For most people, energy efficiency does not top the list, and unfortunately, houses don’t typically come with energy efficiency ratings.
It can be difficult for a buyer to know how efficient a home is when viewing the listing online or taking a tour. But your home inspector can help you identify potential energy costs and energy-efficiency upgrades.
Some homes may already be efficient, while other homes may need improvements. There’s nothing wrong with buying an inefficient home, but you will want to know what you’re getting into and that you can afford the energy costs once you get the keys.
How old is the water heater?
The lifespan of a storage water heater is about 10 years. The cost to replace a water heater ranges from $400 to $3,600, depending on the unit type and installation costs. If an older water heater is in a finished space or on a second floor, replace it before it fails and potentially causes water damage.
What are the levels and conditions of insulation in the attic, walls and floor?
What is the condition of the electrical panel and wiring throughout the home?
A panel upgrade or rewiring can be a costly endeavor. An older panel and wiring aren’t inefficient, but it can delay or make some energy-efficiency projects more expensive. In several homes I have worked on, older wiring had to be replaced before insulation could be added.
Make sure the panel can accommodate any new appliances you might want to add, such as air conditioning or an electric vehicle charger.
Insulation is one of the easiest and most beneficial energy-efficiency upgrades you can make. It isn’t as pretty as new countertops, but it can make a home more comfortable, waste less energy and reduce outdoor noise.
To cut down on drafts and make insulation more effective, air seal before insulating. Seal cracks, gaps or holes in the walls, floors, ceiling and framing between heated and unheated spaces.
If your new home needs insulation and air sealing, make this your efficiency priority. The sooner you do it, the more energy you will save over time. Recommended insulation levels vary by location. You can find information about insulation and air sealing at energy.gov.
How old is the HVAC system, and how efficient is it? Has it been maintained?
The typical lifespan of an HVAC system is 15 to 25 years. As the largest energy user and often the most expensive equipment in the home, you will want to know the energy, maintenance and replacement costs. If the HVAC system is old, consider the cost for a replacement.
Are there any extras in this home that will increase my utility bills?
Any motors in the home or on Ask your home inspector if the electrical panel can the property should be assessed, inaccommodate new appliances you might want to add, such as cluding pumps for wells and septic air conditioning or an electric vehicle charger. systems. When it comes to extras, PHOTO COURTESY MARK GILLILAND, PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES remember life’s luxuries aren’t free. You will want to be able to afford the cost of operating amenities, such as pools, hot tubs and saunas.
Additional considerations
You can request the home’s utility bills for the previous two years from the seller or realtor. Your bill will not be the same due to your personal energy habits, but this information will give you an estimate of the home’s energy costs. Electric rates vary across the country. If you are moving to a Miranda Boutelle is the director of operations and customer new city, be sure to check the rates at the local electric utility. engagement at Efficiency Services Group, which partners with electric utilities to provide energy efficiency services to members. She writes on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric When buying a home that checks all your boxes, ask your home inspector the right efficiency questions. Understanding the Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing condition of appliances, features and building materials can save more than 900 local electric cooperatives. For more information, visit collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips. you from hidden surprises in your home and on your first utility bills.
