is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 24,000 accounts in Houston and Geneva counties in Alabama and parts of Dale, Coffee and Covington counties in southeast Alabama.
ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $12 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.
POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.
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NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:
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FEATURES
5 Register and Win!
Check your mailbox for your annual meeting packet.
24
‘Like grandma’s house’
Whether it’s freshly baked muffins or cinnamon rolls, something tasty’s always cooking at Main Street Bakery in Hartselle.
34
Spooky treats
This month get the kids and grandkids involved in making fun “spooky” treats like Mummy Dogs and Spider Cookies!
Tyler Driskell, a WEC lineman, plays a key role in maintaining efficient operations to help control costs. Read more about how demand affects power costs on Page 6.
Board of Trustees
David Winstead District 9 President
Randy Odom District 2 Vice President
Debra E. Baxley District 1 Secretary
John Clark Jr. District 3
Danny McNeil District 4
Tracy Reeder District 5
Kip Justice District 6
Donald Ray Wilks District 7
Greg McCullough District 8
In sync and on the right track
BRAD KIMBRO CEO Wiregrass Electric Cooperative
At Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, we’re focused on running smoothly and efficiently, making sure that your electricity is safe, reliable and as affordable as possible. Thanks to great leadership at the board level, a committed senior staff and dedicated employees, we’re taking care of business every day. But there’s one thing we must always watch closely — the dominant role energy demand plays in power costs.
Peak demand, which refers to the time frame when members’ electrical usage is at its highest, drives the price WEC and other utilities must pay for power. Even if we only hit that peak once a year, we must secure enough power to cover those high-demand moments. Those few hours of peak demand have a lasting impact, influencing a large part of your bill.
In the winter of 2022, we experienced the highest peak demand in WEC’s history. But last winter, thanks to careful planning, communication, and your participation, we saw a lower peak. In fact, we estimate that our members helped shave off about 6 megawatts from our peak demand, resulting in nearly $700,000 in wholesale power cost savings. This just shows just how important your role is when it comes to managing demand and lowering costs for everyone.
To keep managing these costs, we’ve made some changes. We’ve simplified your bill by moving the fixed demand charge into the distribution expense. The cost remains the same, but now it’s shown on a single line. But the biggest change is how we’ll calculate coincidental peak demand going forward. In an effort to have the fairest rate possible and help control costs, we’ll begin charging $2.50 per kilowatt (kW) for demand during peak periods. This applies to our coincidental peak, day, which always occurs in the winter during the 6-9 a.m. window. Our goal is to send a pricing signal to help you manage your usage during these high-demand times when our co-op’s power expenses are the highest. If you can reduce your usage during those peak hours, starting Nov. 1 and continuing through Feb. 28, it is possible you could lower overall costs.
We aren’t having any capacity issues, but power costs are climbing due to national policies and regulations. Nationally, power plants are being pushed to transition away from reliable and affordable sources like coal and natural gas, which means utilities are paying more to generate electricity. When you combine that with the increasing demand from industries like data centers, which require massive amounts of power, the result is higher capacity costs.
What can we do? At WEC, we’re focused on giving you more control over your costs. By adjusting how we charge for demand and offering tools to help you manage your usage, we’re working to keep rates as low and as fair as possible. We’ll soon reduce our kilowatt-hour energy rate from $0.1113 per kWh to $0.0996 per kWh— a 10.5% reduction — to reflect our commitment to affordability.
We’re going to continue researching and finding ways to help you save money while ensuring that you have reliable power. We’ve embraced technology to keep our operations efficient, and we’re constantly seeking out new ways to reduce costs without sacrificing service.
As we move forward, we invite you to tune in to our annual meeting on Friday, Oct. 18, at noon for more information on how we’re adapting to these changing circumstances and keeping your rates competitive. Our board and leadership team will provide more detailed updates on the steps we’re taking to stay ahead of rising costs and evolving regulations.
We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, and we’re optimistic about the future. Even with rising costs and regulatory hurdles, Wiregrass Electric is committed to being a reliable, affordable and trustworthy provider for all of our members. Thanks to your support, and the hard work of our dedicated team, we’re on the right track.
So remember, reducing your demand, especially during peak times, isn’t just about saving money, though it will. It’s also about helping us continue to provide the excellent service you expect and deserve.
As always, thank you for being a valued member of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative.
Daylight saving time ends
Sunday, Nov. 3
for the 2024 Annual Meeting packet
By now, the 2024 Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting packet should have arrived in your mailbox ahead of the meeting on Friday, Oct. 18.
Inside your packet
Your packet contains several key items:
§ 2024 Annual Report — This report covers WEC’s efforts in powering our community, focusing on reliability, economic growth, excellent service, engagement, community and financial strength. It aims to keep you, our member-owners, updated on the co-op’s strategic actions over the past year.
§ Voting materials — Learn more about the candidates running for the board of trustees in Districts 2, 5 and 8. You’ll also find a ballot to cast your vote for the District 8 trustee.
§ Registration card — This signifies your ticket to the annual meeting. It includes mail-in instructions, and returning it automatically enters you to win various prizes
Your meeting. Your way.
The 2024 Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting will be livestreamed. Here’s what to know:
§ The business meeting will be held at our Hartford office.
§ A livestream will begin on Facebook at noon.
§ A recording will be accessible for later viewing.
§ On-site registration is available on Oct. 18, but we highly recommend using the mail-in registration option provided in your packet.
MAIL IN YOUR REGISTRATION CARD USING THE PROVIDED ENVELOPE BY OCT. 16 TO RECEIVE A $5 BILL CREDIT. PLUS, ALL REGISTERED MEMBERS WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR MULTIPLE LARGE BILL CREDITS, INCLUDING TWO TOP PRIZES OF $500.
It’s that time of the year for members to weigh in and participate in our democratic process,” WEC CEO Brad Kimbro says. “Annual meetings are all about transparency, and it’s easier than ever to participate. A lot is happening both within our co-op and across the energy industry, so we encourage everyone to vote and take advantage of the convenient ways to participate this year.”
Contact Information
Mailing address
509 N. State Hwy 167 P.O. Box 158, Hartford, AL 36344
Find Wiregrass Electric Co-op on Twitter (@WEC2), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Payment Options
BY MAIL
WIREGRASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE PO BOX 70878
CHARLOTTE NC 28272-0878
WEBSITE
Payments may be made 24 hrs/day by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and E-Check on our website at www.wiregrass.coop.
PHONE PAYMENTS
Payments may be made any time by dialing 1-800-239-4602.
NIGHT DEPOSITORY AND KIOSKS Available at each office location.
IN PERSON
Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Payment kiosks are also available 24/7 in all offices.
Locations:
• 509 N. State Hwy. 167 • Hartford, AL 36344
• 13148 W. State Hwy. 52 • Samson, AL 36477
• 1066 Ashford Highway • Ashford, AL 36312
• 6167 Fortner St. • Dothan, AL 36305
For questions regarding sanitation service, call Houston County Sanitation Department at 334-677-4781 or Dothan City Sanitation at 334-615-3820.
WHEN DEMAND PEAKS
How energy use patterns impact your bill
Power costs are still trending upward, both here at Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and around the country. In fact, our wholesale power costs climbed from $29.9 million in 2021 to a record $37.5 million in 2024. This trend is driven by variables including inflation, supply chain delays, evolving national policies and increased electricity demand.
One of the critical drivers of these rising costs is peak electricity demand, which occurs during specific times of the day when simultaneous usage spikes. This system is akin to a
WINTER PEAK DEMAND
highway during rush hour. Just as more lanes are needed when traffic is heaviest to prevent congestion, more energy resources are necessary during peak demand times to ensure a steady flow of power.
Peak demand is the specific time when the collective electrical use of our members reaches its highest point. For WEC, peak demand typically occurs from 6-9 a.m. during the winter months. The highest coincidental peak during this period determines the cost WEC and other utilities pay for power.
WHOLESALE POWER COSTS
$40M
$35M
$30M
$25M
$20M
$15M
$10M
$37,511,873 $36,951,549 $31,300,036
$5M 0 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Continued price increases for essential grid components — like transformers, which have surged 400% since 2020 — are largely due to extended supply chain delays and the demand from renewable energy integration and grid modernization.
PEAK EFFICIENCY AND MANAGING COSTS
To address these challenges, WEC is adjusting our rates to encourage behaviors that reduce peak demand. Peak times are our costliest periods, and by promoting efficient energy use during these hours, we can directly cut our most significant expense.
As part of this effort, we are implementing an increased demand charge, while simultaneously reducing the regular kilowatt-hour energy rate. This means that members who effectively manage their energy use during peak hours could potentially see lower overall bills. The reduction in residential energy rates will take effect concurrently with the revised demand charge.
RESIDENTIAL DEMAND CHARGE
Each residential account incurs a $2.50 charge per kilowatt that the household contributes to the peak demand. This charge helps cover the costs of maintaining enough capacity to supply electricity reliably during high-demand periods. It also ensures fees are fairly assessed based on individual contributions to peak demand. Essentially, those who use more power during peak times pay more, reflecting their greater impact on our collective energy costs.
WINTER PEAK HOURS: Nov. 1 to Feb. 28 from 6-9 a.m.
ADVANCED SMART METERS allow us to accurately measure and bill for residential demand.
QUICK TIPS
INSTALL A WATER HEATER TIMER to avoid heating water during peak hours.
USE A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT to lower temperatures during peak periods.
SHIFT HIGH-ENERGY TASKS like laundry or running the dishwasher to off-peak hours.
For more details about residential demand, how it affects our costs and how you can lower demand, visit our FAQ page at wiregrass.coop.
Important member update
Capital credits are being returned to you
As a member of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, you’re also an owner. This means that you have a stake in the co-op, based on the portion of services you purchase.
Capital credits represent your share of the cooperative’s margins — the revenue left over after all operational costs are covered. These credits are a tangible reflection of your ownership and investment in the co-op. Each year, a portion of these capital credits are “retired” in a board-approved action and returned to members like you, past and present. This year’s distribution:
• This year, we retired the remaining 50% of capital credits from 2004 and 100% of the credits from 2005.
• Approximately $2,592,956 is being returned to members.
• If you are an active member, you should have seen a credit on your primary account between Aug. 27 and Sept. 17.
• If you are no longer an active member, checks were mailed to your last known address around Sept. 6. The checks are issued in the member’s name on record.
What this means
The retirement of these credits is an example of Members’ Economic Participation, one of our guiding Seven Cooperative Principles. This action will benefit roughly 6,441 active accounts and result in about 4,361 checks for inactive members.
Questions?
For any inquiries or clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.
Our team is committed to accurately managing and distributing capital credits, a fundamental part of our cooperative structure. Returning these funds is an obligation we fulfill to ensure that our members receive their rightful share of the cooperative’s margins. This distribution is integral to how we operate and serve our member-owners.
—Misti Dixon, vice president of finance and accounting
As we celebrate National Co-op Month, it’s important to remember why “keeping it cooperative” keeps our community strong and independent. Co-ops like Wiregrass Electric are owned by the people they serve — hardworking folks like you. With your voice and input, we make decisions that benefit us all, not distant shareholders. Beyond providing electricity, we support local jobs, scholarships and community programs that strengthen the Wiregrass.
Join us in keeping it cooperative throughout October as we protect what truly matters — our families, our values and our way of life.
Misti Dixon, vice president of finance and acounting
Halloween costumes
Naomi’s dad, a CH-47 Chinook pilot, helped her transform into a helicopter! SUBMITTED by Christina Gingrich, Enterprise.
Maddox’s coop and costume were created by his grandmother, Karlene Tharpe (K-Nan). SUBMITTED by Karlene Tharpe, Skipperville.
Kairo was the Man with the Yellow Hat from the Curious George books. SUBMITTED by German Ramirez, Evergreen.
Cataleya dressed as Wednesday Addams. She even had Thing and Cousin It. SUBMITTED by Amanda Salter, Evergreen.
joining in on the
The 1980s movie, “9-5” featuring Dolly Parton (Martha Brown), Lily Tomlin (Donna Commers), Jane Fonda (Laura Wildman) and Dabney Coleman (Josh Collins). SUBMITTED by Martha Brown, Fort Payne.
and
Lane and his Pop (Bruce Bryan) as train conductors. SUBMITTED by Anna Feemster, Fyffe.
Big brother (Jaxox)
sister (Ema Rayne)
Halloween fun with their little brother (Turner Ivey). SUBMITTED by SheRee Haney, Union Grove.
Hunter education course helps those new to hunting
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Enforcement Officer Katie Burks is one of ADCNR’s most active hunter education instructors.
Whereville, AL
Since 1973, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has offered hunter education to anyone getting started on their hunting journey. Hunter education became mandatory in Alabama in 1993 for anyone born on or after Aug. 1, 1977. The hunter education courses offered by ADCNR are designed for those with little to no hunting experience and emphasize hunter safety, hunting ethics and the important link between hunting and wildlife conservation.
Alabama offers a variety of convenient online options for completing the hunter education requirement, but attending a traditional in-person class taught by an experienced hunter education instructor is a great option for anyone looking for a more handson learning experience. Registration is currently open for this fall’s in-person hunter education classes.
Traditional in-person hunter education courses are taught year-round throughout the state. Registering for a class is recommended but not required. Anyone aged 10 and up can attend. Classes usually run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. with a one hour break for lunch. The day concludes with a written exam. The classes are free to attend. To register for one of this fall’s classes, visit outdooralabama.com/hunting/HunterEd.
Society of St. Andrew celebrates one billion pounds of food shared
The Society of St. Andrew, the largest gleaning organization in the U.S., announces the billionth pound of food shared with people in need. This historic milestone exemplifies a commitment to reducing food waste and ending hunger in the United States. Since its founding in 1983, the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) has dedicated itself to reducing food waste by gleaning excess produce from farms. SoSA partners with farmers across the nation to rescue food that is good to eat but unable to be sold for various reasons.
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, if applicable. The winner and answer will be announced in the November 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!
September’s answer: This peanut statue in Headland is in memory of Dave Whatley, better known as “Dancin’ Dave,” who was a street performer and local celebrity in the Wiregrass. He was often seen wearing a white sailor suit with a Navy-style hat walking along local roads or showing up at festivals and events. Beloved by locals, he always smiled and would dance a few steps for passers-by. Friends commissioned the statue of him in the style of the Wiregrass peanut statues, which he was able to appreciate before he died in 2015. (Photo contributed by Lisa Schrader) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Fay Culp of Pea River EC.
Since the Alabama Gleaning Network began in 2005, more than 17,700 volunteers have rescued and distributed more than 25 million pounds of food, providing over 101 million servings of nutritious food to food-insecure Alabamians. To learn more, visit endhunger.org/alabama
A volunteer helps sort vegetables gleaned from farms, which is then distributed to foodinsecure families. PHOTO
Take us along!
Cullman EC members Sherry Boatright, Dona Adams, Fran Scott, Lin Davis, Robin Sandlin and Nancy Thompson made a road trip to Dance Shoes of Tennessee in Franklin. The group stopped at Franklin Mercantile Deli for lunch and Triple Crown Bakery for their photo. They line dance at the Active Adult Center in Cullman.
We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@ alabamaliving.coop. Be sure to include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo.We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.
Shane and Jennifer Brown and Kevin and Alanna Twilley, members of Cullman EC, have been friends since elementary school and love cruising together. They recently took an eastern Caribbean cruise and brought their Alabama Living out while in Freeport, Bahamas.
Earl and Margaret Jacobs of Hartselle went on a cruise that stopped in Roatan, Honduras. They are members of Joe Wheeler EMC.
Ransom and Janice Burt of Lacey’s Spring and members of Joe Wheeler EMC traveled to Pike’s Peak in Colorado.
More photos on Page 41!
Find the hidden dingbat!
We must have made the September dingbat, a football helmet, too hard for many of you because we got several incorrect guesses. Nevertheless, many of you did correctly locate it on Page 26 in the photo of the rocks under the lighthouse. Deidre Walley of Silas, a member of Black Warrior EMC, wrote us, “I almost missed it because couldn’t take my eyes of that delicious looking flounder pictured in the middle.” Cindy Wilson of Cullman was excited to find it on her first try: “That doesn’t happen very often!”
Congratulations to our randomly drawn winner, Michael LaPointe of Auburn, a member of Tallapoosa River EC, who told us it “took me at least 3 passes through the magazine to find it.” We hope it was worth it, Michael!
Kami Aldrovandi , a member of South Alabama EC from Jack, took her copy of Alabama Living with her friend Douglas Green on the cover when she went snowmobiling in Big Sky, Montana.
This month we’ve hidden an acorn, which many of you can easily find in your yard or while walking in the park or other outside area. Our randomly drawn winner will receive a gift card from our sponsor, Alabama One Credit Union. Good luck!
By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.coop
By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124
by
Sponsored
Steve and Carole McQueen and Cliff and Debra Balzli from Scottsboro traveled to a park in The Hague, Netherlands.
Daniel Moore
Painter of legends
By Lenore Vickrey
The final seconds were ticking down in the 2023 Iron Bowl, and Auburn fans could smell a victory inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Their team was leading 24-20, and Alabama was facing a 4th and goal on Auburn’s 31-yard line. Daniel Moore was watching the game at home in Birmingham, and he was not liking the way things were going.
“I was sunk down in my couch so bad you’d had to dig me up,” he remembers. Bama fans were seen praying in the stands. So were Auburn fans. After all, this was the Iron Bowl.
Alabama had gotten the ball following an Auburn fumbled kickoff reception, but the next series of downs were nerve-wracking. Quarterback Jalen Milroe was sacked. On the next play he scampered down to the 11-yard line, only to get a bad snap on
the next play, losing 18 yards. On top of that, he was penalized for crossing the line of scrimmage.
That series of mistakes were weighing heavy on the Crimson Tide when Milroe stepped up, took his time, and hit Isaiah Bond
Daniel Moore used a “diptych,” or an artwork consisting of two parts, to depict both the pass from Jalen Milroe on the left, and the catch by Isaiah Bond on the right for his “Fourth and ThirtyOne: Gravedigger” painting from the 2023 Iron Bowl.
in the corner of the end zone with a perfectly thrown touchdown pass. The final score, 27-24.
Of such plays are sports rivalry legends made. And Daniel Moore knew he had the next gameday moment he would capture on canvas.
“I had no idea,” he recalls, remembering the improbable leaping catch that sealed Alabama’s victory.
“That one…it was one in a million.” That moment became “Fourth & Thirty-One: Gravedigger,” his latest in a career of game-changing moments the renowned painter has created over the past 46 years.
Moore in his gallery overlooking a print of “The Sack,” showing Alabama’s Cornelius Bennett sacking Notre Dame’s Steve Beuerlain in 1986. The original, Moore’s largest painting, hangs in the Bear Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa.
PHOTO BY LENORE VICKREY
mind. “The first stage happens in your head,” he says. From there, he begins his research, locating photos of a key play either online, from a TV freeze-frame, or from freelance photographers, to create a preliminary sketch in about three weeks.
Every painting project starts with a visualization in Moore’s
Once that’s done, his New Life Art Gallery in suburban Birmingham can start promoting the coming painting and taking pre-orders. Most paintings take him about four months to create, before the finished work is ready for reproduction as a lithograph print, giclee print, canvas edition, or small collegiate classic print. He does all painting at his home studio.
Auburn’s Bo Jackson jumps over the defensive line of Alabama during the 1982 Iron Bowl in “The Goal Line Dive.” IMAGE COURTESY OF NEW LIFE ART INC
Some paintings, like 1993’s “The Tradition Continues,” commemorating Alabama’s 12th national championship in its Sugar Bowl victory over Miami, take longer than others. He estimates that work took more than 1,200 easel hours. Another, “Unrivaled,” celebrating Alabama’s 18th national championship win in 2021, took him five months to complete.
Since 1979, Moore has created more than 300 different images celebrating key plays in college and pro football games, golf, basketball and even soccer games, as well as portraits of legendary coaches. Known primarily for his depictions of his alma mater, the University of Alabama, he has also painted game-winning plays by Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and others. He’s also published two books of his work, Crimson & White and Other Colors and Iron Bowl Gold, which features watercolors of 41 years of the Auburn-Alabama games at Legion Field with commentary by sportscaster Keith Jackson.
Fans like Bama Clines of Rogersville look forward every year to Moore’s latest work. He owns 45 of Moore’s large format prints which he displays at his
home and his tax preparation office in Rogersville. But he’s fast running out of room.
“Every painting he (Moore) does is a pivotal moment in history,” Clines says. “Having one of his prints is like looking at a photo. I just enjoy walking around and looking at them.” His favorite is 1979’s “The Goal Line Stand” (“I hunted it for several years”) but adds, “I really love the portraits of Bear, Gene and Nick. I don’t know where I’ll put DeBoer when he paints him. I may have to buy a bigger house or a bigger office.”
‘The Goal Line Stand’
The artist came by his talent for art and his love for sports honestly. Moore’s mother, herself an artist, encouraged her son’s artistic talent in childhood. When he was assigned a fifth grade history project on George Washington, she pulled out her tubes of oil paints and brushes so he could create his first portrait. He still has that original painting from 1965. His father, a
1993’s “Crimson Legacy” used Moore’s ”hybrid” technique blending photography and painting to reimagine Coach Bear Bryant’s office to illustrate 100 years of Alabama football. IMAGE COURTESY OF NEW LIFE ART INC.
The sports painting that started it all, “The Goal Line Stand,” from 1979’s Sugar Bowl. IMAGE COURTESY OF NEW LIFE ART INC.
devoted University of Kentucky fan, passed on to Daniel and his other three sons his passion for sports.
One of Moore’s fondest memories is watching the 1985 Iron Bowl from the Legion Field end zone with his dad, as Van Tiffin kicked the winning 52-yard field goal to give Alabama the win. “We were sitting behind the goal posts, jumping up and down with everyone,” he recalls. It went without saying that he would create his next painting, “The Kick,” from that play.
In art classes at Berry High School in Birmingham, he dabbled in painting, but like most teenage boys, his attention was drawn to more social activities. At the University of Alabama, he became a fan of the “photorealism” style, although his art professors were not. Graduating in commercial art and painting, he worked for a Birmingham ad agency and then for Alabama Power Company, where his talents were noticed and he was asked to produce a cover for the company magazine of an employee who was running in the Boston Marathon. The result was the “Wings of Eagles” poster which he self-marketed with ads in Runner’s World magazine. The addition of the Isaiah 40:31 verse (“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”) at the bottom reflected his strong Christian faith.
“I had been selling my own paintings as a sideline up to that point,” he writes in his Crimson & White book, “but now my entrepreneurial spirit kicked into full gear.” Little did he know that the very next year, that spirit would go into overdrive and his life would be forever changed.
On Jan. 1, 1979, Alabama, led by Barry Krauss, had dramatically held off Penn State from scoring a touchdown and winning a presumed national championship in the Sugar Bowl. That famous play at the goal line was the talk of the office, where a fellow Bama fan suggested to Moore that he paint the play. The result was his first sports painting, “The Goal Line Stand,” which sold in 1979 for the unbelievable sum (to him at the time) of $10,000. He was on his way to becoming a sports legend in his own right.
“Technically, it’s not my best work, but because it was my first, it’s my favorite,” he says, while sitting in his gallery, surrounded by dozens of prints and original oil paintings that now sell for as high as $85,000.
Over the years he has painted all of the big Alabama wins, several of arch-rival Auburn and many SEC schools that have won championships. Even Iron Bowls like the infamous “Kick Six” Auburn victory from 2013 was captured as “The Rundown” on canvas by Moore. With those, “I might not have the adrenaline flowing as I might with MY team, or doing paintings of my daughters, where you have a part of you in it, but you still approach it like a work of art and try to make it the best work of art you can.
“Art doesn’t lie within the subject matter,” he adds thoughtfully, “but the subject matter can certainly get some juices flowing that might not be
there for something else.”
The past four decades brought changes in the technology of art reproduction, allowing prints to be made more quickly and precisely with the help of high-end scanners and computer programs like Photoshop and InDesign. In the end, however, “brush always has to meet canvas,” Moore notes.
He’s used what he calls a “hybrid” technique which blends photography with painting as in 1993’s “Crimson Legacy,” a reimagining of Coach Bryant’s office to illustrate 100 years of Alabama football. He spent hours building a set in his home studio, simulating Bryant’s desk, taking individual photos of old pictures in the proper perspective of the viewer. The painting includes several symbolic items including a clock above Bryant’s photo showing “3:23,” representing his career victories, and a helmet and jersey numbered 92, for the inaugural football year of 1892 and the centennial year of 1992. The prints were a sellout.
He used the same technique in similar paintings celebrating the heritage of Ole Miss, Arkansas and Kentucky. In 2022, he recreated Coach Nick Saban’s office as a sequel to “Crimson Legacy.” For “ The Legacy Continues,” he used digitized images of his previous artwork to include in the finished oil painting. Once again, he included symbolic images such as Saban’s straw hat, curtains made from game jersey material and even his own Crimson & White and
New Life Art Gallery Marketing Director Jeff Padgett, left, and General Manager Rusty Meadows watch as Moore prepares to autograph a print of his portrait of Coach Nick Saban.
PHOTO BY LENORE VICKREY
Other Colors book (yes, Saban did have one in his office).
“My challenge is to paint all of my painted elements to match the same degree of photorealism that a photo has,” he says. “There’s a happy marriage.”
The good and the bad
The past four decades have not been without controversy. In 2005, Moore was hit with a 60-page lawsuit by his own alma mater, challenging Moore’s use of Alabama trademarked images. For someone who’d worked closely with the university for 20 years, it was especially hurtful and costly to fight the suit. Legal wranglings dragged on for eight years, but he ultimately won in federal district court, and on appeal to the 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta on first amendment grounds.
For the unveiling of the Bryant postage stamp at Legion Field in 1997, Moore was joined by his two eldest daughters Julie and April, and his wife Brenda. He took inspiration from his previous painting, “The Coach and 315,” depicting him as he led his team to his 315th victory over Auburn in the 1981 Iron Bowl. “Bryant’s penetrating eyes, set jaw, old houndstooth hat, and familiar rolled up depth chart were essential elements to the painting,” Moore writes in his book, Crimson & White and Other Colors “Not only did I want to paint them correctly. I wanted to paint them from my heart. In a sense, it was like the repayment of a debt, the return of favor. But it was much more than that. I wanted this painting to mirror not only my love and respect for the man, but the love and respect of millions of people who felt the same way.” The stamp artwork originals are on display at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.
“Had I lost, it would have put me out of business,” Moore says. “They wanted the money from the licensing. It was all about money. They made us go back 20 years digging up everything, receipts, it was a mess. But praise God, we’re (still) here.”
A proud moment came in 1996 when the U.S. Postal Commission selected Moore to create all four of the “Legendary Football Coaches” commemorative stamp collection, which featured Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, Vince Lombardi, George Halas and Pop Warner. Moore had initially sought to be considered for just the Bryant stamp because he had painted the coach on several occasions, but was doubly excited to be chosen to paint all four coaches.
For a painter turning 71 in February, what can possibly still inspire him after nearly 50 years? The same thing that always has. “Games, plays, careers like Coach Saban’s,” he says. His most recent work is a digital montage of his previous paintings of Saban, a tribute called “The Legend.” He’s working with Terry Saban and their Nick’s Kids foundation to provide 100 signed prints for donors.
He also still enjoys attending games, although he gets around a bit slower these days due to issues resulting from four failed back surgeries. In the old days, he’d take his own gameday photos, but now he just soaks in the gameday atmosphere like a regular fan, always mindful of the next painting possibility. With a new coach at Alabama, and challenges in an expanded SEC, there’s bound to be opportunities to recreate more magical moments with his brush.
“There’s always so much going on in sports,” he says. “There’s always something out there to motivate me and excite me.”
For more information:
New Life Art 3600 Lorna Ridge Drive Birmingham, AL 35216 800-735-2787
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. newlifeart.com
Left, “The Legend,” a montage tribute to Coach Nick Saban, is a combination of Moore’s previous paintings of Saban during his 17-year career with the Crimson Tide. Prints will be available later this year; center, Moore adds detail to the chin strap of DeVonta Smith as he catches the winning pass from Tua Tagovailoa in a section of “Second and Twenty-Six,” a montage of the 2017 National Championship Game; right, “The
1993 took more than 1,200 easel hours to complete.
Got questions? The
Encyclopedia of Alabama has answers
What famous Bohemian violinist lived in Alabama?
Which beloved pachyderm and Alabama college mascot is immortalized in both literature and art?
Who led the “Petticoat Insurrection” in Mobile County?
What Talladega County farmer bought his farm with a meteorite?
Whose headstone is shaped like a whiskey bottle?
Encyclopedia of Alabama employees from left, Laura Hill, Claire Wilson and Chris Maloney near their office in the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University.
PHOTO BY JULIE BENNETT
By Katie Jackson
If you know the answers to the questions on the opposite page, you just might be an Alabama history expert—or at least an Alabama trivia nerd. If you don’t know the answers but can’t rest until you find them, visit encyclopediaofalabama.org, the go-to source for factual, authoritative and often intriguing information about our state.
The Encyclopedia of Alabama is an award-winning, free digital compendium of articles and images providing revealing glimpses into the people, places, environments, events and other factors that helped form our state’s history, culture and landscape. Like any encyclopedia, EOA is full of valuable information, but because it is an online reference tool, its information stays fresh and is available to practically anyone, anywhere, all the time.
“The most important thing about an online encyclopedia is that it’s never going to be obsolete, like all the dusty volumes of print encyclopedias sitting on shelves around the world,” says Claire Wilson, editor and production manager. In fact, it was an outdated history book that
vance prompted the creation of 100 new EOA entries, and two upcoming events— the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s visit to the United States and Alabama in 2025 and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026—are expected to add another 40.
COURTESY OF THE W.S.
prompted EOA’s creation.
“Back in the late 1990s, there was increasing concern among those who studied Alabama history that the most widely used comprehensive reference resource on Alabama (the book History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography by Thomas M. Owen published in 1921) was outdated,” says Wilson. “Much had occurred in Alabama since those volumes were originally published and an updated reference resource was sorely needed.”
At the time, the National Endowment for the Humanities was encouraging states
PHOTOGRAPH BY GINGER ANN BROOK
to create their own online encyclopedias, an idea that that was embraced by leaders in the Alabama Humanities Foundation (now known as the Alabama Humanities Alliance) and in other state historical and archival organizations.
In 2001, AHA joined forces with Auburn University to create the EOA, which officially launched in September 2008 with 525 initial entries. Today, the site is home to some 2,430 articles and 6,000 images and its content continues to grow at a rate of about 45 articles per year under the direction of EOA’s editorial team—Wilson, Communications/Outreach Manager Laura Hill and Content Editor Christopher Maloney.
The three, working under the auspices of AU’s Office of University Outreach in partnership with its University Libraries system, direct EOA’s day-to-day operations which includes keeping the content up to date in a constantly changing world. It’s no small task, especially considering the list of potential topics is immense, perhaps even infinite.
Constantly adding new entries
“From the outset, EOA has been guided by the principle of choosing entries that are of international, national and statewide importance, and our founding editorial advisory board came up with a huge list of potential entries,” Wilson says.
As the team has tirelessly worked its way through that list, new ideas for content are constantly added to their list, some inspired by current events, others by topics presented at lectures and other professional meetings across the state and region and still others springing from historic state-related celebrations. For example, the 2019 Alabama Bicentennial obser-
All entries are written and reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure the information is both accurate and authoritative but also accessible to an array of audiences. While they are written for ninth grade-level readers, the articles are user-friendly for users ranging from K-12 up to university-level students and teachers as well as casual web surfers randomly googling an Alabama topic.
The site’s thousands of photos, which depict everything from Alabama’s flora and fauna to its most famous and infamous characters, further enrich the experience for all ages. Some articles also feature engaging multimedia content, which Wilson says they hope to expand, and the team wants to create a collection of articles on Alabama history aimed specifically for grade school-age students.
EOA is a huge asset to Alabama, and its impact has been recognized both here in the state and beyond. (EOA has been named one of the nation’s best reference sites by the Library Journal and Family Tree Magazine and it received AHA’s inaugural Digital History Award for excellence
Pushmataha (ca. 1764-1824) was a Choctaw chief who fought for the United States in the War of 1812 and alongside those of Andrew Jackson against the Red Stick Creeks in the Battle of Econochaca (Holy Ground) and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The town of Pushmataha in Choctaw County is named for him.
PRINT BY MCKENNEY AND HALL FROM THE BIRMINGHAM
Ottokar Cadek (1897-1956) was a classical violinist and conductor who led Birmingham’s Civic Symphony Orchestra (present-day Alabama Symphony Orchestra) and taught at the University of Alabama.
HOOLE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA LIBRARIES
The Whiskey Bottle Gravestone of William T. Mullen is located in the town cemetery in Clayton, Barbour County. Mullen’s wife marked his resting place in this manner after he refused to stop drinking himself to death.
in online Alabama history resources.)
But it’s also a fun way to discover interesting Alabama facts and stories. In fact, as they’ve worked on the site, the EOA editorial staff have each discovered some intriguing information. For example, Wilson’s favorite find was learning that the nation’s very first 911 system was created in Haleyville, Ala., in 1968. “They have a 911 festival every year,” she says.
“I like the ‘Wetumpka Crater’ and ‘Biodiversity in Alabama’ articles for helping to explain the physical history of the state,” Maloney says.
The ‘rabbit hole’ effect
For Hill, the list includes several favorites.
“The article on mules is an unexpected topic and I love the photos with it,” she says. She was also intrigued by an entry about Charles Hays, a Reconstruction-era congressman from Greene County, which, she says, “illustrates just how complicated our history is. And Jo Ann Robinson, a founder of the Montgomery Improvement Association, became one of my heroes after I learned about her from reading the EOA article.”
Birmingham native Vonetta Jeffery Flowers (1973- ) is the first African American to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. The former University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) college track and field star competed in two-woman bobsled in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, winning gold in the very first women’s Olympic competition in the sport.
bama, you’ll come away smarter—or at least the most entertaining person at the next block party.
Need a reason to dive in? Search for answers to the five fascinating questions that first drew you into this article. Here are some searchable keywords in case you need them: Ottokar Cadek, Miss Fancy, the “Pelican Girls,” Julius McKinney and William T. Mullen.
P.S. If you want to show EOA a little love, follow it on Facebook or click the “Donate” button at encyclopediaofalabama.org.
Fair warning: the EOA can create a “rabbit hole effect.” A quick search can quickly turn into hours spent on the site, but it’s not time wasted because even if you don’t become an expert on Ala-
Lewis Clyde May (19221990) is the namesake for Clyde May’s Alabama Whiskey, the official state spirit of Alabama, as designated by the Alabama Legislature in 2004.
Encyclopedia of Alabama employees from left, Laura Hill, Chris Maloney and Claire Wilson look through the stacks near their office in the Ralph Brown Draughon Library.
PHOTO BY JULIE BENNETT
Members of the Alabama Gang, from left: Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison, and Donnie Allison. Along with Charles “Red” Farmer, the men formed the core of the successful team of NASCAR drivers based out of Hueytown, in Jefferson County.
Main
Street
‘like going to grandma’s house’
Bakery
Main Street Bakery
‘like going to grandma’s house’
Story and photos by Todd Thompson
Whether it’s the delicious scent of freshly baked muffins or cinnamon rolls, or the sweet aroma of assorted fudges and truffles, it’s easy to tell that there is something tasty cooking up on Main Street in Hartselle.
It’s hard to miss the sweet smells of Main Street Bakery, located in the city’s historic downtown district just west of the train tracks.
The Main Street Bakery is loaded with old-town charm and history. The owners have even found bullet holes from the 1920s, remnants from an infamous robbery that still captivates local historians.
Main Street Bakery is the combination of a great location and a husband and wife team who saw the prime corner building as the perfect location for an upscale bakery. Christy and Darren Urban also own a dress alteration shop on Main Street, a district that attracts people from all over north Alabama and beyond.
Since that opening night, the menu list has continued to grow and now includes lunchtime items like croissants, wraps and paninis, along with a wide variety of gourmet salads.
“This is like going to grandma’s house,” she says. “We want to make people at home in downtown Hartselle. We want to be hospitable to everyone who comes to our city. We want to treat them like family. We hope when they come to our bakery, they feel right at home.”
The corner building started as the location for Puckett’s Drug Store and has gone through plenty of changes. Over the years, the location has been offices, restaurants and other assorted businesses.
And now it serves up a wide variety of treats, sweets and sandwiches.
The Urbans opened the bakery almost two years ago to a hungry crowd and they’ve been serving up delicacies ever since.
“Our first night was the night of the Christmas parade on Main Street,” Christy says. “We just offered cookies that night and we ran out of those before the night was over.”
Hartselle has become a destination for future brides looking for that special wedding dress at nearby Something Blue. What they find is a conglomeration of shops that make the downtown a place to spend an afternoon or a whole day.
And Main Street Bakery is always available for social gatherings with a cozy dining room upstairs that features a prosecco bar that serves mimosas, champagnes and lattes. The second level of the bakery’s historic building is perfect for bridal luncheons, teas and baby showers.
Tea time, guitar music and takeout
Recently, Main Street Bakery has started offering English afternoon teas.
“We host the teas on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons, and it has been a big hit,” Christy says.
Fridays bring the added sounds of classical guitarist Giovanni De Chairo, who first came to the bakery as a customer passing through Hartselle on his way to Nashville from his home in Loui-
A specialty salad from the bakery with a sweet tea is the perfect way to end a day of shopping in Hartselle.
Main Street Bakery’s corner location welcomes visitors in for a quiet setting for a break in shopping in historic downtown Hartselle.
siana. De Chairo has performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall and at the Vatican in Rome for Pope John Paul II.
The Urbans know that sometimes customers don’t always have the opportunity to take time to enjoy the bakery’s food and social offerings. For those customers on the run, Main Street Bakery has a full lineup of take-home tubs, including honey chicken salad and a Southern chicken salad, pimento cheese, pasta salad, cucumber salad, grape salad and house pickles. There is also a wide variety of specialty items, including jams, books, gifts, coffees and teas, and other assorted items.
“Visitors can come here and enjoy our bakery goods or sandwiches, but they can also purchase unique items to take home,” she says. “We have lots of unique goodies for purchase.”
The hometown feel of Main Street Bakery isn’t just a marketing gimmick. For Christy Urban, it is her home. A native of Hartselle, she lived in the north Alabama city until she was in the seventh grade and her family moved away. But the draw to return to the city was always in her mind.
“I know how to hire great cooks,” she says. “Our staff is just incredible.”
Darren Urban handles a wide range of jobs at the bakery as bookkeeper and maintenance guy and he is always ready to step up to lend a hand with the dish washing.
Main Street Bakery isn’t a fast-food establishment, but rather a social gathering place for customers to linger and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere to chat and visit with friends. Many visitors are making their first trip to Hartselle and the Urbans want them to find a hospitable home away from home.
Kari Erickson, a student at Hartselle High School, prepares an order of cookies for a customer. Erickson appeared on the reality show “American Idol” in 2021.
“This is where home is. This is where family is,” she says. “We just love Hartselle. It really brings all the aspects of home and family for us.”
Christy spends most of her afternoons running the couple’s original Main Street business – Urban Altered – the dress alteration shop located just a few doors down from the bakery location. But in the mornings, she can be found at the bakery working with a staff of talented bakers and cooks.
“We get so many people stopping by that are coming off the interstate,” Urban says. “It is a very social atmosphere, and we get to see lots of people from different areas. Our customers come from all over the South, and they become like our family. We’ve had people come in from north of Hartselle on their way to the beach and they come back every time they head back to the beach.”
Hartselle
Christy Urban, along with her husband Darren, has transformed Main Street Bakery into a showcase shop in the quaint city.
Alabama Bookshelf
In this periodic feature, we highlight books either about Alabama people or events, or written by Alabama authors. Summaries are not reviews or endorsements. We also occasionally highlight book-related events. Email submissions to bookshelf@alabamaliving. coop. Due to the volume of submissions, we are unable to feature all the books we receive.
Alabama Short Stories, Vol. 2, by Shawn Wright, $16.95 paperback (Alabama history) This collection builds on the narratives from the author’s podcast, bringing to life the rich heritage and diverse experiences of Alabama through 30 new nonfiction stories. The author, who lives in Birmingham, says it is a celebration of our state’s culture, history, and the people who shape it.
Old Enough: Southern Women
Artists and Writers on Creativity and Aging, edited by Jay Lamar and Jennifer Horne, with Katie Lamar Jackson and Wendy Reed, NewSouth Books, $34.95 hardcover (literary collections) Twenty-one women artists and writers write about the experience of aging; these women are not squeamish about the challenges of growing older, including ageism, health concerns, and loss. But in lyrical, sometimes wry, often inspiring essays they explore what growing older can offer: self-knowledge, insight, and acceptance.
Midnight Cry: A Shooting on Sand Mountain, by Lesa Carnes Shaul, NewSouth Books, $27.95 hardcover (true crime) Close to midnight on May 17, 1951,
four north Alabama lawmen drove to a bootlegger’s home to serve an arrest warrant. Before the clock struck 12, the bootlegger lay dead, and three of the four officers were also dead. Afterward, a 16-year-old boy would face a series of trials that would divide a county and thrust the state of Alabama into the national spotlight.
The Survivors of the Clotilda: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the American Slave Trade, by Hannah Durkin, Amistad Publishing, $20.30 hardcover (Black and African-American history)
The Clotilda was the last slave ship to land on U.S. soil, docked in Mobile Bay in July 1860. The last of its survivors lived well into the 20th century; the author tells the stories of the Clotilda’s 110 captives, tracing their terrifying 45-day journey across the Middle Passage and the subsequent sale of the 103 survivors into slavery.
Some Nightmares are Real: The Haunting Truth Behind Alabama’s Supernatural Tales, by Kelly Kazek, University of Alabama Press, $22.95 hardcover (folklore) Dark secrets lurk beneath the sleepy surface of Alabama. Ghosts and grisly creatures haunt the towns and forests. In the great Southern ghost-story tradition, storyteller Kazek weaves a gothic tapestry of ten stories drawn from real people and legendary creatures, cursed places, and harrowing events.
Montevallo (Past and Present), by Carey W. Heatherly and Clark Hultquist, Arcadia Publishing, $24.99 paperback (photography history)
Montevallo, located near the geographic center of Alabama, has a rich historic legacy spanning 200 years.
The city has been home to the University of Montevallo, Alabama’s public liberal arts college, and its predecessors since 1896. For this volume, the authors selected images from the university’s Anna Crawford Milner Archives and Special Collections.
Why it’s important to tell us about changes when you get Social Security benefits
f you receive Social Security, you can help to make sure we pay you the right benefit each month. You can do that by telling us about relationship or other life changes that could affect your eligibility for retirement, survivors, or disability benefits – or the benefit amount. You and your family may miss out on additional payments you may be due if you don’t report changes to us in a timely manner. Or you may be overpaid benefits and have to pay us back.
What
you need to tell us
To make sure you are paid correctly and receive the payments for which you are eligible, let us know right away if:
• You get married or divorced.
• Your spouse or former spouse dies.
• You become the parent of a child (including an adopted child).
• The child (or stepchild) who gets benefits on your record gets married.
• The child (or stepchild) who gets benefits on your record no longer lives with you. Note: We will need the name and address of the person with whom the child is living.
How to report changes
We offer several ways to report changes:
• Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-
325-0778), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Call your local Social Security office.
• Fax, mail, or deliver your updates to your local office.
You can use our office locator at ssa. gov/locator to find your local office.
If you get retirement, survivors, or disability benefits and need to update your address, phone number, or direct deposit, it’s easy to make those changes using your personal my Social Security account ssa. gov/myaccount. Or you can use our automated telephone services at ssa.gov/ agency/contact/phone
Get the right check, in the right amount, at the right time, by reporting changes right away! Please share this information with those who need it.
by Myles Mellor
Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by email at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.
OCTOBER
2-31
Tuscumbia Belle Mont Mansion quilt show, 1 p.m. every Friday in October. Featuring programs by Glenn Rikard. Belle Mont Mansion is one of a few Palladianstyle houses in the deep South; it is owned by the Alabama Historical Commission. 256-3815052.
10-13
Gulf Shores 51st annual National Shrimp Festival, 101 Gulf Shores Parkway. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. This volunteer-driven event features food, music, art and much more with crowds that have in the past topped 250,000. Shrimp are the stars, but a variety of seafood and non-seafood favorites will be served. Country, classic rock, jazz and more music featured on two stages. MyShrimpFest. com
11-12
Troy Pioneer Days at the Pioneer Museum of Alabama, 248 U.S. Highway 231 N. The event features two days of living history with demonstrations of traditional folk arts and crafts. Skilled artisans and craftsmen in period clothing demonstrate blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, woodworking, rope making, candle dipping, and more with the historic structures of the Pioneer Museum of Alabama as a backdrop. Living history activities will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission $12 with children 5 and under and members free. 334-566-3597; find the event’s page on Facebook, or visit pioneer-museum.org
12 Troy Southeastern Mvskoke Nation Creek Friends Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 242 County Road 2254. Admission $5; children under 12 free. Featuring stomp dancing, native dancers, axe throwing, nature trail walk with arrowhead dig, storytelling, food vendors, artisans and more. SoutheasternMvskokeNation.org
12
Gee’s Bend (Boykin) Airing of the Quilts Festival, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Annual celebration of generations-old quiltmaking traditions, featuring quilt displays and sales, workshops, guided tours, food, music and more. Two new exhibitions at the River Gallery will open on this day. Hands-on adult and youth beginner quilting workshops will be led by local quiltmakers; a drop-in Kids’ Creative Corner allows children to explore artistic activities. Readings by children’s book author Tangular Irby and acclaimed quilter and author Tinnie Pettway. AiringOfTheQuilts.Org
12
Clio third annual Sweet Potato Fest, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Open Door Community Center, 4016 Alabama Highway 51. Pie contests, live music, kids’ zone with arts and crafts, door prizes, food trucks and more. Search for the Open Door Community Center page on Facebook.
19 Greenville Butler County Historical and Genealogical Society’s Fall Tour of Homes, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $30 admission fee includes six houses, historic churches, Pioneer Cemetery and other landmarks. The event is celebrating the society’s 60th anniversary. Tour headquarters is at the First Baptist Church. Follow BCHGS on Facebook.
19
Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 301 Hill St. Art appreciators and outdoor enthusiasts alike gather for educational presentations, art exhibits and classes, vendors, food, children’s activities and expert demonstrations at this free event. Live music on the Kelly Porch, the Coosa River Craft House and in Merchant’s Alley. Ticketed events include a floral design workshop and oyster roast and bourbon toast. TheKelly.org/wewa
Around Alabama
Ag Heritage Park at Auburn University, 3 to 7 p.m. Live music and more than 70 breweries and wineries will be represented, as well as homebrewers, educational tents from the school’s AU BREW and a HOP presentation by the horticulture department. Mr. and Mrs. Oktoberfest, stein hoisting, weiner dog racing, barrel racing, chicken dance competition and more. Tickets $25-$75. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.
19
Mentone Mentone Fall Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Moon Lake campus, 5866 E. River Road. Featuring arts and crafts, food vendors and a variety of live music all day. Funds raised will benefit the town’s efforts to restore and maintain the historic Moon Lake Elementary School. Beyond the festival site, the entire town will be open for business, and the fall season will bring Lookout Mountain alive with color. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.
25-31
Braggs The Ghost of Cornwallis, 5 to 9 p.m. at the Cornwallis 1828 Homestead, 17204 State Hwy 21. See the ghosts of historical figures as they walk the woods of the Alabama Black Belt region. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the event each night. Hot chocolate and refreshments sold on site. Proceeds will go toward school field trips, plant walks, birding tours and nature trails at the homestead, which has hunting and fishing as well other outdoor activities. HistoricalCornwallis.com
26
Gilbertown sixth annual Gilbertown Fall Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lots of arts and crafts, a petting zoo, mini train ride, pony rides and food. Call 251-843-2766. The Choctaw County Historical Museum will be open and will present “Winter Quarters in Gilbertown,” featuring re-enactors who will reconstruct a day in the life of a soldier. There will be battle re-enactments and a cannon fire. 251-843-2501.
26 Opp The Opp Quilters will hold their second quilt expo in the Opp Depot. Quilts and wall hangings will be on display. There will also be handmade treasures made by guild members for sale, an opportunity to buy a ticket to win a handmade, king size quilt, and paint your own barn/porch quilt lessons (participants must register and pay in advance). Expo is free. Visit the Opp Quilters page on Facebook for more information.
19
Auburn Auburn’s Oktoberfest 2024: The South’s Favorite Craft Beer Festival,
To place an event, e-mail events@alabamaliving. coop. or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. You can also mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations. Alabama Living on FB instagram.com/alabamaliving
The Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival Oct. 12 celebrates the generations-old quiltmaking tradition.
Going to bat for the bats
Toward the end of October, Halloween-themed bats of all shapes, sizes and personas will begin to appear on our sidewalks and front door stoops. Their real-life counterparts, however, have been whirling over our heads for months.
According to Wes Stone, associate professor of wildlife ecology at Alabama A&M University, 16 confirmed bat species call Alabama home for at least part of each year. While they are present from spring through fall, we often notice bats more this time of year because they are quite busy gorging on beetles, moths, mosquitoes and other night-flying insects in preparation for winter hibernation or migration.
When these winged mammals, the only mammals that truly fly rather than glide, take to the skies at dusk, they may strike fear in the hearts of people who view bats as spooky, hideous creatures of the night. But for Stone and other chiropterologists (bat biologists) they are to be admired — cute, fuzzy (some say cuddly) creatures that nurture their young and other members of their colonies while also supporting humankind.
As bats consume huge numbers of insects each night (up to 100 percent of their bodyweight in insects at times) they provide an estimated $3 million in pest control services across the U.S. Bats also help pollinate or spread the seed of more than 500 flowering plants worldwide — without them we might not be able to enjoy such delicacies as chocolate, tequila, figs or mangos.
And while bats can harbor rabies, Stone said they rarely transmit it, nor do they attack or suck the blood of humans so there is little to fear from these fascinating creatures. Yes, errant bats can wander into our homes and colonies of bats will set up housekeep-
ing inside homes and offices, which can be problematic for people and bats. But if this happens, Stone said there’s no need to panic because bats can be safely removed and excluded without harming people or bats.
Bats may pose little threat to us, but they are under threat from a variety of factors. Things like habitat loss, destruction of roosting sites, overuse of pesticides, water pollution and the spread of a fungal disease (white-nose syndrome) are imperiling bat populations worldwide, including here in Alabama, where three species (Indiana, gray and northern long-eared bats) are listed as Threatened or Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Others are categorized as high conservation concerns.
“They play a key role in nature, and we won’t appreciate it until they are gone,” Stone says of the bats he studies in his job at AAMU and as a member of the Alabama Bat Working Group. The ABWG is a coalition of people and organizations from across the state and region that work together on bat research, monitoring and educational programs such as the annual Bat Blitz. This annual summer event, held in a different area of the state from one year to the next, brings bat researchers together to assess local bat populations, information that helps guide conservation strategies.
Everyday folks (citizen scientists) can go to bat for bats play by reporting bat ac-
tivity in their neighborhoods, volunteering to help with research and education efforts and by making their yards and neighborhoods more bat friendly. (See options at batcon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Guide-to-Gardening-forBats.pdf.) Larger landowners can also help by preserving caves, rocky outcroppings, trees (living and dead) and other roosting or hibernation sites on their properties.
Of course, we can all appreciate them from afar by standing outside in our yards as they swoop and dart in the sky at dusk or watching a bat cauldron (the term used for a large group of bats concentrated in a specific area) emerge, 60,000 to 250,000 at a time, from caves and other roosting sites. This spectacular event can be witnessed at several locations in Alabama each summer: Go to outdooralabama.com/nongame-wildlife-program/bat-watching-alabama to learn more.
Information about Alabama’s bats, including links to bat removal resources, is available at the ABWG site (alabamabatwg. wordpress.com), through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (outdooralabama.com) and at Bat Conservation International (batcon. org). Contact the Alabama Department of Public Health (alabamapublichealth.gov) or your county health department office for advice on safely handling, removing and testing sick or dead bats.
OCTOBER TIPS
Plant beets, carrots, leafy greens and other cold-hardy vegetables.
Plant pansies, snapdragons, ornamental cabbages and kale and other coolseason annuals.
Plant or transplant trees, shrubs, spring bulbs and other perennials.
Prepare new and existing beds for next year’s garden.
Take a soil test and plant winter cover crops.
Br ing in houseplants before the first freeze.
Katie Jackson is a freelance writer and editor based in Opelika, Alabama. Contact her at katielamarjackson@gmail.com.
A biologist examines one of the bats retrieved during a bat survey in the Bankhead National Forest in 2016.
PHOTO BY BILLY POPE/ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
The day Teddy Rooseveltcame to Alabama
By Emmett Burnett
In the fall, a presidential politician prepared for meeting constituents to gain their support. Sound familiar? It’s not.
This visit occurred in October 1905 when a state-of-the art locomotive pulled out of Washington D.C. On board was the President of the United States, Alabama-bound.
Theodore Roosevelt was a man on a mission.
He wanted support for building the Panama Canal, post-war reconciliation between former Confederates and Federals, and navigation through thorny issues about African-American participation in Republican politics.
America’s 26th President visited Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Tuskegee. It would not be easy. In the presidential election, Alabamians voted against Roosevelt by 75 percent.
With apprehension, the train chugged south.
“This kind of train tour was long established,” Dr. Martin T. Ol-
liff, professor of history and director of the Wiregrass Archives at Troy University’s Dothan Campus, recalls. “The train tour was nothing new. What was new is that Roosevelt was the first sitting president to visit Alabama. That was a very big deal.”
Indeed it was.
Roosevelt reached Mobile on Oct. 23, 1905. To coin a cliché, “the crowd went wild.”
The Mobile Register described the setting vividly: “For at no time in this city has there been such a demonstration as greeted Mr. Roosevelt, during the two hours he spent here. Every man, woman, and child who could walk, lined the sidewalks along the parade route or assembled in Bienville Square to await the president’s coming.”
As the train entered the city limits the press noted, “every whistle from every dockside ship, factories, schools, and churches
President Roosevelt’s October 1905 trip to Alabama took him to Mobile, Montgomery (shown here), Birmingham and Tuskegee.
PHOTO FROM THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
sounded whistles and rang bells.”
During his visit, an estimated 600 school children sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “O Columbia” and other patriotic songs. Visibly moved, the President turned to Mobile Mayor Patrick Lyons and said, “What a great night.”
Bienville Square’s crowd size was estimated at 35,000. By perspective, in 1905, Mobile was a city of 40,000, meaning almost the entire population was in the park. Even more lined Roosevelt’s parade route.
During the procession’s drive on Government Street, the president tipped his hat to the Admiral Raphael Semmes Statue. The crowd roared louder.
“Roosevelt constantly noted Civil War veterans in his audiences,” adds Dr. Olliff. “Bowing to the statue was part of his reconciliation efforts between the Union and Confederates.”
The president entered Bienville Square with thunderous ovations. “It felt like the earth trembled,” one scribe penned.
Addressing a crowd that covered almost every square inch of downtown Mobile, Roosevelt said, “I cannot sufficiently express my appre ciation of the magnificent greeting that you have given me today.”
Building support for the Panama Canal
He then made his pitch, saying, “In speaking before the citizens of this great seaport of the gulf, I naturally wish to say a word about the Panama Canal. Now, I hold that as a matter of public policy, whatever helps a part of our country helps the whole, and I did my best to bring about the construction of that canal in the interest of all our people, but if there was any one section to be most benefited by it, it was the section that includes the gulf states.”
Dr. Olliff notes, “U.S. House Sen. John Ty ler Morgan of Alabama was a powerful force in those days. For years, Morgan’s passion was build ing a Nicaraguan Canal, which he felt would be of greater benefit to Alabama, especially Mobile’s seaport.”
Back to Montgomery, the President addressed thousands from the State Capitol. He made an appeal to a crowd still raw from America’s Civil War which had ended 40 years earlier.
“If you only think of it, the essential point in our lives is the likenesses in our lives, not the dissimilarities,” the president noted. “Some people lead their lives in positions of more prominence than others, but if they are decent people, if they are good people, they show just the same kind of quality, just the same kind of virtue in one place as the other.”
He continued, “The good citizen, the man who has done good to his country, is the man who, whether he is a very wealthy man or whether he has but a day’s bread by that day’s toil, whether he is an officer or private in the ranks of life, has done his duty as the Lord gives him light to see. His duty is the position he occupies.”
From Montgomery, Roosevelt’s futuristic words warned about foreign trade. “Our influence in the Orient must be kept at such a pitch as will insure our being able to guarantee fair treatment to our merchants and manufacturers in the markets of China.”
But when Panama dropped the canal project’s price from $109 million to $40 million, Roosevelt jumped on it.
Morgan was furious and so was Alabama. T.R. was here to make amends.
In addition to the proposed Panama Canal, reporters noted another marvel: incandescent lightbulbs in Bienville Square, new technology in 1905.
Leaving Mobile, the president’s train pulled into Tuskegee and the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute – literally. It clickety-clacked straight onto the school’s private railroad tracks.
Today that would be like Air Force One landing at your dorm. Waiting to greet the president was the school’s principal, Booker T. Washington. The two men boarded a horse-drawn carriage, built by Tuskegee students, for a school tour.
“Mr. Washington, I was prepared to see what would impress me and please me,” Roosevelt said, opening his speech. “But I had no idea that I would be so deeply impressed, so deeply pleased as I have been. I did not realize the extent of your work. I did not realize how much you were doing.”
The next stop was the Birmingham State Fairgrounds. Upon arrival at the fairgrounds and surrounding areas, a conservative estimate of 100,000 people waited.
During Birmingham’s parade which included bands, the military, and Roosevelt, the president noticed a woman riding horseback parallel to his carriage. He reached for Miss Sammie Harris’ hand. Referencing the parade crowd, he told her, “I would run over a man any time to shake hands with a lady.”
Greeting fairground masses, Roosevelt explained, “I have been profoundly moved by the way in which, at every place we stopped, I have been greeted by the veterans of the Civil War. And here in Birmingham not only by the veterans who wore the ray, but also by those who wore the blue.
“And, oh, my fellow countrymen, think what good fortune is ours, that we are the heritors of the one great war in history which, now that the bitterness has died away, has left the memory of men in the Confederate uniform and of men in the Union uniform as a common heritage of glory to our entire people.”
After the speech, Roosevelt boarded an electric street car for a brief tour of the fairgrounds.
From Birmingham, his train left Alabama, eventually returning to the nation’s capital.
What a difference 119 years make. In 1905 horses were a viable mode of transportation. News photography was in its infancy. Radio was a rumor.
Until his visit, most Alabamians had never heard Roosevelt’s voice and knew little of what he looked like, beyond artists’ sketches.
That changed in October 1905, when a New Yorker, elected president, came to Alabama. Roosevelt’s dream of building the Panama Canal came true.
Note: The story of Roosevelt’s visit to Alabama is based in part on the Mobile Register’s October 1905 newspaper accounts. The president’s speech excerpts are from The American Presidency Project.
An artist’s sketch of President Roosevelt appeared on the front page of The Mobile Register on October 24, 1905.
spooky
treats
School parties, fall festivals and trick-or-treating, OH MY! No matter how you're enjoying the season, get the party started with a fun and spooky treat from our own (simplified) versions of a few already famous hits.
* Substitute sliced mushrooms for a meat-free version!
Snake Calzone
* Make sure filling is not too liquidy to prevent a sagging snake after baking.
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper (optional), diced or thinly sliced
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 small jar olives with pimentos, sliced
Roll out pizza dough into a long rectangle, careful not to make the dough too thin (it can break while baking). Mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, Italian seasoning and salt. Add meat of choice, sausage or pepperoni (or substitute mushrooms for a meat-free version) and bell pepper, if using, stirring to combine. Add filling mixture evenly down the length of the dough, leaving a 1-2-inch border and saving a couple inches at one end for a thinner tail. Pull edges of dough together, pinch to seal and form a long roll. Place roll seam side down onto lined baking pan. Form snake into an "s" shape. Beat egg with one tablespoon of water and brush egg wash over dough. Place olive "eyes" onto face of snake, adding a thin slice of bell pepper into the end as the tongue. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Brooke Echols
Scratch made cookies are great, but in a pinch, store bought dough is just as good!
Easy Sheet Pan Caramel Apple Slices
5-6 apples, cored and sliced
1-2 cups water
2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
22 ounces caramel candies, 2 bags
1/4 cup Half & Half or heavy cream
Toppings of your choice. Here is what we used:
1/2 cup mini M&M’s
1/2 cup chopped mini-Reese’s cups
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup chopped pretzels
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
1 pack age ready-to-bake refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough or peanut butter cookie recipe of your choice 24 miniature Reese's cups, unwrapped 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 pack age candy eyeballs
Place unwrapped miniature Reese's cups in freezer at least an hour before baking cookies. Take the pre-portioned cookie dough and roll into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Place onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 8-12 minutes. Remove cookies when lightly browned and allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes. After the cookies have cooled slightly, but still warm, press one frozen miniature Reese's cup in the middle of each cookie. Allow to cool completely. Place 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments until chocolate is fully melted. Cool for one minute and add to a small resealable plastic bag. Snip a tiny corner of the bag and create 8 chocolate legs on each spider cookie. Use remaining melted chocolate to make a "glue" for spider eyes, pressing onto peanut butter cup. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Core and slice apples into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick slices. We left the peel on. Cover them with water and lemon juice and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from lemon juice bath and dry well. Place on a large sheet pan fitted with parchment paper in a single layer. Prep your toppings to have them ready and close by.
Unwrap caramel candies and place in a microwave safe dish. Add Half and Half and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time. Continue to heat in 30-second increments until caramel can be mixed with the Half & Half and becomes smooth. In my small microwave, this took about 3 to 3.5 minutes. Carefully drizzle caramel over prepared apples. Allow the caramel to set for about 2 minutes. Top with your prepared toppings, lightly pressing them in the caramel. Allow to set completely for about 20 to 30 minutes or refrigerate to set about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Halloween is here and we are all excited to kick off all things fall. Our recipe for these easy sheet pan caramel apple slices are perfect for all of your fall fun! They are easy to whip up to give to your special trick or treaters. They are also a great little treat to have on a dessert board for any fall-themed party. Caramel apples are a favorite this time of year and this is an easy and delicious way to get your fix. We’ve suggested a few special toppings, but the sky is the limit! For more recipes like this, give us a visit over at thebutteredhome.com.
Photo by The Buttered Home
Brooke Burks
GKids will have a ball wrapping the mummies!
Use kitchen scissors or a knife to make legs at the end of your mummy.
Mummy Dogs
1 pack age hotdogs, uncooked
1 pack age crescent roll dough, uncooked Mustard
Unroll crescent dough and pinch together perforations to seal seams. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice long thin strips of dough. Remove hotdogs from package and dry with paper towel. Place on a lined baking sheet or spray with cooking spray. Wrap strips of crescent dough around bottom two thirds of hotdog in any pattern, criss crossing to resemble a mummy. Repeat at the top of the hotdog, leaving a space to create eyes after baking. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Place in a 375 degree preheated oven. Bake about 10 minutes, watching for golden dough. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Dip a toothpick in a small amount of mustard. Dot onto open space on hotdog to create two eyes for the mummy. Plate and serve with condiments of choice for dipping.
Ghost Pretzels
1 bag mini pretzel twists
1 bag white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon light colored cooking oil of choice
1 pack age candy eyeballs
Place chocolate chips into microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil of choice and stir. Microwave 30 seconds and stir, repeating until chocolate has melted. Use a fork to dip pretzels into chocolate, let excess drip off and place on wax paper. Immediately place candy eyes onto top pretzel holes while chocolate is still melted. Allow to harden. Move to refrigerator to speed up hardening.
Hocus Pocus Popcorn
1 large bag ready-popped popcorn
2 pack ages white chocolate chips
Orange, green and purple gel food coloring
6 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, divided
Divide chocolate chips among 3 large microwave safe bowls. Roughly 1 cup per bowl. Microwave one bowl 30 seconds at a time, stirring until melted. Add 1-2 tablespoons cream or milk if chocolate begins to harden. When fully melted, add 3-4 drops of orange food coloring or more as needed until desired color is achieved. Quickly fold in 2-3 cups pre-popped popcorn until all coated with orange chocolate. Spread orange popcorn onto sheet pan, lined with wax paper, to harden. Can be placed in the refrigerator to harden faster or keep fresh longer. Repeat steps for remaining two bowls of chocolate chips with green and purple coloring. When chocolate coated popcorn is hardened, gently break apart and mix all colors together in larger bowl for serving or placing in treat bags.
Find hidden energy savings and extra storage in your attic
A:Q:Do you have any tips on finding hidden energy savings in my home?
I’ve been in a lot of homes. One common hiding spot for energy savings is the attic. It is also a common location for storing holiday decorations and infrequently used sentimental items.
Yet, using your attic for storage can be problematic when trying to maximize your home’s energy efficiency. Let’s explore how you can improve insulation levels and properly store items in your attic.
Attic insulation is one of the best low-cost ways to make your home efficient. People often associate insulation with keeping your home warmer in the winter, but it also provides benefits in the summer. Insulation reduces heat transfer from the attic to the house, which lowers energy bills for air conditioning and makes your home more comfortable.
Attic insulation is measured in R-value, which is a measurement of how well a material resists the flow of heat. For attic insulation, thicker is better. The recommended R-value is typically between R-38 and R-60, depending on your climate. Hawaii and the southernmost tips of Florida and Texas recommend R-30. Measured in inches, that ranges from around 10 to 20 inches, depending on the type of insulation you have. In most homes, the ceiling joists are buried in insulation to achieve the recommended R-value.
The problem with attic storage is it typically doesn’t offer enough space for the recommended R-value. Often, plywood or boards are placed directly on top of the ceiling joists, which isn’t enough space for the insulation. Insulation can get compacted by people moving items in or out, reducing the effective R-value.
Ideally, the attic would not be used for storage so it can be properly insulated, but that’s not feasible for everyone. Here are some strategies for maintaining attic storage and recommended insulation levels.
The best location for attic storage is over an unconditioned area of your home, such as the garage. You don’t need insulation in attic spaces over a garage or unconditioned area because you are not heating or cooling the space below. This makes it the perfect spot to tuck away items for storage.
If that isn’t an option, consider minimizing the number of stored items or the storage area’s footprint. A great way to do this is by building an attic storage platform. A raised platform allows the space underneath it to be fully insulated. These platforms are available in ready-to-install kits, or you can buy materials and build them yourself.
Allow enough space underneath the platform to achieve the proper R-value. Use lumber to build a frame perpendicular to the existing joists and cover it with plywood or oriented strand board. Once your storage area is set up, add insulation inside the platform to bring the R-value up to the proper level.
Your attic might also have trusses that allow you to build shelves and maximize space by storing items vertically.
Always wear a dust mask or respirator when working in the attic. Don’t forget to weatherstrip the attic hatch to ensure a tight seal. Take a look around your attic to see if you can find any hidden opportunities for energy savings.
Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company.
While using your attic for storage, build an attic storage platform to maintain insulation levels and lock in savings and comfort.
PHOTO COURTESY MARK GILLILAND, PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES
Building an attic storage platform offers extra storage space and helps maintain the energy-efficiency of the attic with insulation underneath it.
ILLUSTRATION COURTESY SARAH DECKER, PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES
Shrimp on the move ignite feeding frenzies
Like a scene from a classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, swarming, squawking birds began their attack, swoop ing low over the waters churning with activity beneath them.
Below the surface, speckled trout herded shrimp to the surface. Sharp-eyed birds quickly spotted the ruckus and pounced on panicked shrimp to get their share of protein.
“Nothing gets fish in a frenzy like a shrimp migration,” says Bobby Abruscato with A-Team Fishing Adven tures. “If I happen to see birds diving, I’ll go check it out to see what’s there. Birds hover right over the sur face waiting for a shrimp to jump so they can get it.”
Two shrimp species, white and brown, migrate in and out of the marshes and estuaries to and from the Gulf of Mexico each year. White shrimp run to deeper water in the Gulf after a good cold snap, usually in early to mid-October. In Mobile Bay, the white shrimp migration lasts throughout the fall. When the shrimp move, every carnivore follows to fill their bellies.
“In the fall, white shrimp usually stay in the rivers and upper estuaries until we start get ting some good cold fronts to kickstart their migration,” says Craig Newton, a biologist with the Alabama Marine Resources Division on Dauphin Island. “Then, they migrate out of the rivers and into Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. White shrimp don’t necessarily go straight offshore like brown shrimp do.”
White shrimp spawn offshore during June, July and August, generally stay ing closer to the coastline than brown shrimp. The eggs drift inshore with the winds and tides where developing ju veniles hide among the marsh grasses. White shrimp can tolerate fresher wa ter than browns and venture farther up the estuaries and coastal rivers. White shrimp generally swim a little higher in the water while brownies prefer to stay closer to the bottom and sometimes even bury themselves in the mud.
“In the fall, we see a lot of bird activity up in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta,” Abruscato says.
Brown shrimp also spawn offshore. They stay in the estuaries until they grow to about a 50- to
80-count size, or 50 to 80 shrimp per pound. Then, they start their migration to the Gulf, normally in mid-May to
“Brown shrimp go anywhere from five and 50 miles offshore to spend the remainder of their lives,” Newton says. When spring comes again, they spawn and continue the cycle. After about 20 days, larval shrimp should be inside Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound or in the marshes. Post-larval shrimp use the marsh edges and submerged aquatic vegeta-
oth species live less than two years, if nothing eats them. Because so many things eat the “bread of the sea,” shrimp must reproduce prolifically. One female shrimp can produce 500,000 to a million eggs at a time. Each species can grow to about seven inches
Since the fall white shrimp migration lasts longer, moves slower and the crustaceans don’t travel as far, this time ordinarily provides the best fishing opportunities. Many anglers use live or fresh shrimp for bait. Everything living in salt water along the Alabama coastline eats shrimp. When fishing with shrimp, the catch might include speckled trout, redfish, white trout, flounder, sheepshead, black drum, croaker
“Watching the birds is a good way to find speckled trout,” Abruscato says. “In Alabama, birds are normally diving on shrimp. We typically see more birds diving on bait in the spring and the fall, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen any time of the year. In the right spot, it gets insane. People can catch a limit of trout quickly because the fish are in
felsher@hotmail.com or through Facebook.
In the delta marshes, freshwater species like largemouth bass can tolerate some salinity. Salty species like edfish and flounder can live in fresh water. Diverse species commonly live next to each other. Often, anglers fishing the same spot will catch bass, redfish and flounder on the same baits on subsequent casts. Largemouth bass will devour live shrimp anytime they can find them. When it comes to putting fish in the boat during a crustacean migration, no other temptations can compete with a shrimp. In the absence of natural bait, anglers can use soft-plastic shrimp imitations in a variety f ways. When fish key on shrimp and get in a frenzy, they might hit anything that crosses their noses.
DOUG HANNON’S FISH & GAME FORECAST
Glen and Anne Doucet of Linden, members of Black Warrior EMC, took their copy all the way to Serengeti, Tanzania.
Melanie and Domanic Corbett, members of Baldwin EMC, traveled with their magazine to Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico.
The Moon Clock and resulting Moon Times were developed 40 years ago by Doug Hannon, one of America’s most trusted wildlife experts and a tireless inventor. The Moon Clock is produced by DataSport, Inc. of Atlanta, GA, a company specializing in wildlife activity time prediction. To order the 2023 Moon Clock, go to www.moontimes.com.
Tammy Ashburn and Angie Click, members of Arab EC, visited Cinque a Terre, Italy, last year.
Don’t get tricked by cyber scams!
This October, it’s OK to get spooked by a good ghost story — but don’t let the real-life terror of cyber scams take you by surprise.
Impersonation scams
At Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, we don’t want these tricksters to catch you off-guard, whether it’s through phone calls, emails or even text messages. Whatever the method, these bad actors design schemes to steal your information or hard-earned money. But don’t worry, we’re here to shine a light on these shadowy figures so you can stay protected.
You may receive a call or email from someone claiming to be from WEC, stating that your bill is overdue and demanding immediate payment. The scammer’s goal is to create a sense of urgency so you’ll act quickly without verifying the information.
Unusual payment requests
Scammers may request payment through nontraditional methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers. These requests are designed to make the transactions difficult to trace.
Phishing emails
You might receive an email that looks like it’s from WEC, asking you to click a link to resolve a billing issue or claim a refund. These phishing attempts aim to steal your personal information.
Suspicious text messages
Scammers may send a text claiming that your account will be disconnected unless immediate payment is made, often with a link to click. These tactics create urgency to pressure you into acting without thinking.
Phone number spoofing
Sophisticated scammers sometimes use phone number spoofing, where their call appears to come from an official number on your caller ID. This makes it harder to detect the scam.
Common schemes
Electric cooperative members are sometimes targeted by scammers, and the tactics they use are often chillingly effective. Here are a few of the most common scams you might encounter and tips for how to avoid them.
TIP: WEC never demands immediate payment without prior written notice. If you’re uncertain about the legitimacy of a call or email, hang up and call our member services representatives at 800-239-4602.
TIP: WEC only accepts payment through secure, traditional methods like credit cards, bank drafts or checks. If you’re asked to pay through anything unusual, it’s likely a scam.
TIP: Before clicking any links, verify the sender’s email address and look for red flags such as incorrect logos or strange grammar. When in doubt, go to our website, wiregrass.coop, directly instead of clicking a link in an email.
TIP: While WEC may send payment reminders, we will never request payment through links in a text message or make immediate threats. Contact us directly if you receive a suspicious message.
TIP: Even if the caller ID displays WEC’s number, be cautious of urgent payment requests. Always hang up and call WEC directly.
Ozark pastor leads church and Dale County Mobile Food Pantry
The Rev. Tim Bates, pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Ozark, never imagined he’d lead a communitywide effort to feed families in need. Yet, that’s exactly what he does as the head of the Dale County Community Church Mobile Food Pantry. Because of his dedication to combating hunger, he’s being recognized as a Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass recipient.
The mobile food pantry began as a collaboration between local churches and the Wiregrass Area Food Bank. Inspired by similar efforts in nearby counties, leaders from Geneva and New Brockton approached Bates with the idea of starting a food pantry in Dale County.
“We saw the need here, and with their help, we started the pantry,” Bates says.
Each month, volunteers gather at the Dale County Ag Plex to distribute food to families in need. Churches across denominations con tribute funds to purchase food from the Wiregrass Area Food Bank, and volunteers arrive early to help with sorting and dis tribution.
variety — meat, bread, vegetables and shelf-stable items like canned goods and pasta. We make sure every family leaves with a trunk full of groceries.”
Bates points out that the pantry is a communitywide effort with many churches involved. The Dale County Baptist Association, a coalition of 33 churches, manages the contributions.
One powerful aspect of the pantry is the way it brings together those in need with those willing to help. “We even have people who need the food but also volunteer to help distribute it,” Bates says. “It’s encouraging to see people giving back, even when they don’t have much themselves.”
The pantry serves roughly 100 families each month, though that number can vary. For Bates, running the food pantry is an extension of his ministry.
“We start setting up at 7:30 in the morning, but people begin lining up as early as 5 a.m.,” Bates says. “We don’t know exactly what’s on the truck until it comes, but we divide the food evenly based on the number of families registered. There’s always a
“As a pastor, my greater concern is making the spiritual impact,” he says. “Sometimes,
we meet that temporary need and love people where they are, and that can open the door for deeper connections.”
As part of the Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass partnership between WTVY and Wiregrass Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up Foundation, Bates received a $1,000 grant to support the pantry’s work. “It’s an honor to be recognized, but this isn’t about me,” Bates says. “This is about serving the community and helping people.”
“We are proud to honor Rev. Tim Bates as a Silent Hero,” says Stevie Sauls, WEC’s vice president of member services and communication. “His leadership and heart for service have made a tremendous difference in the lives of many in Dale County.”
The Dale County Community Church Mobile Food Pantry operates on the fourth Thursday of every month.
The Rev. Tim Bates, left, accepts a $1,000 grant from Stevie Sauls, WEC vice president of member services and communication, on behalf of the Operation Round Up Foundation.
The dog days of summer
Two months ago, my friend and fellow PowerSouth employee John Dean provided an article for this space on peanut crops, long June days and the dog days of summer. Reading John’s article brought back memories of my childhood and the endless pleasures of summertime.
No one raised peanuts in northeast Mississippi where I grew up. Soybeans and cotton, with a little corn mixed in, were the money crops of that era. I remember planting time and then the long hot days, waiting for rain that would provide water for the crops, but hopefully wouldn’t be so strong they washed the crops away. If things went well, “cotton pickin” would lead us into fall.
The summer days were long and the weeks seemed endless. Mom would run us out of the house to “go out and play” early in the morning, and we weren’t particularly welcome back into the house until dinner (dinner was the noon and heaviest meal of the day – supper was the evening meal). We would run the neighborhoods on foot and bicycles. We developed mini-towns with toy trucks and equipment on the hill at the edge of the Pittmans’ garden, built tree forts in the woods across the road, held “World Championship Horse Shoe” tournaments in our backyard, and had bike races around the long loops of roads, all before dinner.
After dinner, we would gather in my front yard and play some form of baseball game with a limited number of players. At times, we had contests around bunting talent or hitting balls into targeted areas. We also played “cork ball,” a unique game that apparently originated in north Mississippi that is played with a thermos cork wrapped in athletic tape, which was pitched underhand at high velocity and hit with cut-off broomsticks we would take out of shipping stacks at the Gateway broomstick factory in West Corinth. It only took four people to play a good game of Cork Ball, and we would have tournaments that might go on for weeks.
We would all go home by dusk and have supper, which was usually leftovers from dinner, and we would be ready to go again. After supper, we would play “Kick the Can” in our yard or go to the street behind us to the Daltons’ backyard with a large number of kids and play “Capture the Flag” with as many as 10 kids on a team.
Sunday afternoons would always mean a short trip to my grandparents’ house for watermelon iced down in a tin tub. I still remember the sweet taste with salt, and the juice running down
my arms. My grandparents would wash us off with the hose pipe on their back patio.
We would also go down to the farm and visit my great aunt and uncle (brother and sister … neither married, but they helped raise my mom, whose mother died when she was eight years old, and effectively served as our maternal grandparents). They didn’t have air conditioning. Summer visits would be on the side porch watching summer traffic on Highway 45, a major thoroughfare from the Midwest to Florida, which was most often packed on a Sunday afternoon. My Aunt Verder would also have vanilla wafers and a Coke to cool us down. My brother and I would have to share the Coke, but that might be the only one we would have for the week, and we always looked forward to even a little bit.
The constant of those summer memories was the heat. Contrary to what we read in climate literature reporting that we are now experiencing the hottest days in history, it was really hot back then. We didn’t have air conditioning until we moved to a newer house when I was six years old, and the air conditioning in that house didn’t always work well. The games in the yard were all played in oppressive heat. We would take afternoon “KoolAid” breaks at different houses in the neighborhood. We would take frequent breaks under shade trees to cool down and talk about who was winning.
I still have pleasant memories of summer evenings sitting in my grandparents’ screened-in breezeway enjoying a cool breeze, listening to the Cincinnati Reds play baseball. I was a Cardinals fan, but still enjoyed listening to the Reds play a faraway game and getting some relief from the heat.
In July and August the adults always talked about the “dog days of summer.” We always thought they meant it was so hot the dogs would just lie in the shade and wouldn’t play. We understood it must be hot if even the dogs wouldn’t move. Only later did I learn the reason it was called the “dog days” is that in late July, Sirius, the Dog Star and the brightest star in the summer sky, rises with the sun. The oppressive heat of July and August were associated with the rise of the Dog Star. We weren’t anxious for the “dog days” to end because we knew we would have to go back to school the day after Labor Day.
It is refreshing to be reminded of the times when my parents were alive and together and my grandparents were alive. They aren’t exactly dog days to me. I hope you have a good month.
Gary Smith is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.
How To Place an Ad in Marketplace
Closing Deadlines (in our office):
December 2024 Issue by October 24
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February 2025 Issue by December 24
Ads are $1.75 per word with a 10 word minimum and are on a prepaid basis; Telephone numbers, email addresses and websites are considered 1 word each. Ads will not be taken over the phone. You may email your ad to hdutton@areapower.com; or call (800)410-2737 ask for Heather for pricing.; We accept checks, money orders and all major credit cards. Mail ad submission along with a check or money order made payable to ALABAMA LIVING, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124 – Attn: Classifieds.
Miscellaneous
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Vacation Rentals
MENTONE, AL LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COTTAGE RENTALS – Best brow views, River Front –cottagesofmentone.com, Call or text (504)4818666
PANAMA CITY BEACH CONDO – Owner rental – 2BR / 2BA, wireless internet, just remodeled inside and outside – (502)7777819, larrysusemichel@reagan.com, www. theroneycondo.com
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GULF SHORES / ORANGE BEACH / FORT MORGAN – Choose from hundreds of beach houses and condos! Verified Owners. No Booking Fees. ALAVHR.com
GROW MUSCADINES AND BLACKBERRIES , half dollar size – We offer over 200 varieties of Fruit and Nut Trees plus Vines and Berry Plants. Free color catalog. 1-800-733-0324. Ison’s Nursery, P.O. Box 190, Brooks, GA 30205 Since 1934 www.isons.com
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It’s a family tradition
Somewhere not far away, there’s a 10-year-old boy who’s about to have one of the greatest days of his life. Years from now, he will undoubtedly share the same experience with his children. But today, he will experience a southern rite of passage when he attends his first college football game.
It will begin on Friday evening. His mom will make him go to bed early, reminding him that “tomorrow’s a long day.” But nervous anticipation keeps sleep from coming easily.
Saturday morning he’s up early, fully dressed in his team’s colors before he eats breakfast. His mom smiles because he never does this on a school day. Within an hour, they’re on their way. He can’t help but notice all the cars on the highway are full of people wearing the same colors.
Soon, his father gets off the main route and begins taking a series of turns and backroads. Dad says this is a time-tested shortcut that will get them to their destination in the least amount of time. Dad is spot on. Shortly, they pull into a church lot and find their parking space. Immediately, people on either side greet them. It reminds him of Thanksgiving when his relatives get together. In a way, it is, because his family has parked here for years. Mom dutifully unfolds a card table, and soon every inch of it is covered in food. It looks like an all-you-can-eat buffet: fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs, baked beans, snacks and desserts.
After a couple of hours of eating, drinking, and socializing, it’s time. They walk a few blocks, turn a corner, and the boy is awestruck at what he sees. An endless number of tents seem to be covering the entire campus. The smell of grilling food fills the autumn air. People are tossing footballs. Music is playing. There are even folks watching football on televisions. Everyone seems so happy, but it’s a bit unnerving. He’s never seen this many
people before, so he holds his father’s hand tightly.
They meander through the makeshift city and continue walking towards the stadium. Soon it’s only a block away. Another few minutes and it stands before him. He’s seen it on television before, but TV cameras can’t capture the magnitude of this edifice.
It’s made of concrete, brick, and steel, with bronze statues of past heroes flanking it’s perimeter. People buzz around it like honeybees circling a hive. This is what Roman children must have felt the first time they saw the Colosseum. For a moment, he stares in reverence.
Once his ticket is scanned, he walks through the gate into the stadium. Everyone heads up the ramp to their seats. It’s several levels high, but that doesn’t matter - the boy is almost running now. On the way up, he catches a glimpse of the playing field, and his heart races.
Finally, they reach their portal, where he walks into the sunlight, and comes face to face with thousands of people. Giant screens are playing videos from great victories. Blaring music sounds like a call to battle. The band is spread out over the field and begins playing the fight song just as they reach their seats.
Now, everyone’s standing and raising their voices in unison. It’s the loudest, most wonderful thing he’s ever heard. The stadium seems like a living thing. He joins in, but his screams are lost in the crowd’s hurrahs. In that instant, his team bursts onto the field and the noise becomes even louder. It’s like standing in front of a jet engine. He can’t hear his father speak. The game is minutes away from kickoff, and for the first time in his life, he’s there in person.
In the south, our love of college football runs deep. And like cavemen who passed down hunting skills to their young, we pass down devotion for our schools. From great grandparents, to grandparents, to parents, to their children - to quote Hank Williams Jr., “It’s a family tradition.”
That’s why I believe college football is the greatest spectacle in all of sport.
