Logan Martin Neely Henry Lakelife 24/7 Magazine July and August 2023

LakeLife 24/7

July & August 2023

Riverside

Mural

Artist adds color to lake community

A forplaceflight

Waterbirds make their home on Logan Martin

Dovetail Landing

Bringing hope and comfort to veterans In the Kitchen

Cooking on Neely Henry’s Palmetto Creek

LakeLife 24/7 LOGAN MARTIN & NEELY HENRY

A place for flight ®

Waterbirds finding the perfect home on the Coosa

July &August 2023

About the cover

It’s almost as if Logan Martin is under the watchful eye of a squadron of water birds, who now make their home on the lake. Great blue herons are among the most plentiful and popular.

INSIDE THIS EDITION

Kat Tucker

Remembering the Queen of the Kitchen

Dovetail Landing

Bringing hope and comfort to veterans

Live at Logan Martin

Back for fourth year with Saturday Night Fever

Page 16

Lakeside Live Musicfest

Music, cars, kids’ fun and much more

Page 34

Bulls on the Lake Rodeo returns to Pell City

Page 40

Take 5 - Upcoming Events

Catchin’ the Coosa

Fishing with Zeke Gossett

Page 48

Page 50

Page 52

Page 56

RIVERSIDE MURAL

Artist adds colorful touch to lake community

Page 8

Page 72

IN THE KITCHEN

Cooking in waterfront cottage with Pam Beals and Misty Thomas

Page 22

.

Photo by Mary Cason

LakeLife Creators

Carol Pappas

Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines during her career. She won dozens of writing awards and was named Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn University. She serves as president/CEO of Partners by Design, which publishes Discover and LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®.

Graham Hadley

Graham Hadley is the managing editor and designer for Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine and also manages the magazine website. Along with Carol Pappas, he left The Daily Home as managing editor to become chief operating officer and vice president of the Creative Division of Partners by Design multimedia company.

Toni Franklin is graphic arts director for Partners by Design, Discover St. Clair Magazine and LakeLife 24/7 Magazine. She has 30 years in the printing industry as print production artist, manager and art director. She is a graduate of The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale and studied at Penn State and University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Roxann Edsall

Roxann Edsall is a freelance writer and former managing editor of Convene Magazine, a convention industry publication. She has a degree in (broadcast) journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, worked as a television news reporter in Biloxi and as a reporter and assignments editor in Birmingham.

Richard (RT) Rybka

Richard is a full-time professional photographer based in the Springville area and owner of Natural Light Photography LLC. His 50+ years of experience behind the lens of a camera includes working as a photojournalist for a global technology company. His credentials include many magazine cover shots, standing as a Canon Image Connect Photographer, and member of the Little River Arts Council.

Elaine Hobson Miller is a freelance writer with a B.A. in journalism from Samford University. She was the first female to cover Birmingham City Hall for the Birmingham Post-Herald, where she worked as reporter, food editor and features writer. She is a former editor of Birmingham Home & Garden magazine and staff writer for Birmingham magazine.

Paul South, a native of Fairfield, is an Auburn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, he had a versatile career as reporter, columnist and first full-time sports information director at Samford University.

Scottie Vickery

Scottie Vickery is a writer with a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and was a reporter for The Birmingham News Her first assignment was covering St. Clair and Blount counties. She has more than 30 years of writing and editing experience and her work has appeared in a variety of publications. She also has worked in the nonprofit industry.

Jackie Romine Walburn, a Birmingham native and freelance writer, is an Auburn journalism graduate who has worked as a reporter, editor and corporate communications manager. She’s had recent writing published in the Birmingham Arts Journal and Alalit.com. Jackie is currently seeking an agent and publisher for her first novel, Mojo Jones and the Black Cat Bone.

Toni Franklin

Paul South

Elaine Hobson Miller

Jackie Romine Walburn

Paradise found ... by the water

This time of year, I think a lot about my dad. He loved coming to our lake place and this time of year, you’d find him parked squarely on a chair on the pier, fishing for bream and crappie and whatever else might come his way.

I used to joke that the fish had to be fast to keep up with his hook. He was a bit on the impatient side. But he was patient enough to teach me how to put a worm or a minnow on a hook, despite my reluctant squeals. And he taught me how to slow down and savor the tranquility of the water.

One of his greatest legacies to me was a passion for the water. A Greek immigrant who came over at age 13, he never forgot his roots – a village called Kastoria in northern Greece –built on a lake.

It seemed my fate that I, too, would wind up here on a lake myself. Paradise found … at last.

I think that’s what I love best about producing this magazine – being able to share the stories and photographs of paradise. Whether it’s Logan Martin or Neely Henry, it’s paradise just the same when you love the water.

Take the Beals, for instance. This Neely Henry couple loves their corner of paradise so much, they share it with those from near and far, opening their home as an Airbnb.

Of course, they enjoy it themselves, too, with Saturday Night Supper Clubs featuring cooking by Pam Beals and sister Misty Thomas.

Or Zeke Gossett, who’s been fishing since he could hold a rod. A national collegiate champion in fishing, he now is making a name for himself on the BASS pro circuit. In his spare time, he is a fishing guide and offers tips on where, when and with what to fish on Logan Martin and Neely Henry in each issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®.

In Riverside, they love their little paradise so much, they want all who pass by to know they’re welcome. Artist Penny Arnold has added her colorful, masterful touch to create a mural on the exterior wall of the town’s post office.

Meanwhile in Lincoln, plans are continuing for Dovetail

Landing, where they are building a paradise for veterans to help them transition from battlefield to home front. It is a transitioning and wellness community for returning veterans, giving them the resources they need to adjust to life after the military.

There’s plenty more examples of paradises found in this issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®. Turn the page and discover them all with us.

Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher

It’s not unusual to see postage stamps celebrating art and history, but the city of Riverside has taken the celebration to a new level. Even their post office building is a piece of art, one that invites visitors to picture themselves enjoying what the city has to offer.

Logan Martin and Neely Henry • July & August

Story by Roxann Edsall

Photos by Richard Rybka

As the first hints of summer weather invited visitors to the lake, local artist Penny Arnold put the finishing touches on a mural that welcomes both visitors and residents to the sleepy town on the banks of Logan Martin Lake. On Highway 57, just past the fire station and City Hall, you’ll see the 40-foot mural covering the exterior side wall of the post office.

The building, which used to be a grocery store, has served as the post office since the impounding of the lake in 1964. Originally owned by former mayor W.A. “Bill” Coleman, the largely brick structure also houses Local Sister, a home décor store operated by his great granddaughter, Maddie Cochran.

Coleman’s daughter and Maddie’s grandmother, Cynthia Coleman Cochran, now owns the building and approves of the facelift the historic building has received. “I was worried at first about the bright colors,” said Cochran. “But I really like it. I think it gives us something else interesting in Riverside. And it’s fun for people to take pictures by it.”

The distinctive railroad truss bridge is the crown jewel of the panorama adorning the building’s facade. The iconic bridge was built in 1927 and was modified to accommodate the creation of the lake. It is a central part of the history of Riverside, a community that needed the railroad to support the sawmill and logging industry that drove the town’s economy in its early days.

Celebrating that landmark and the surrounding beauty of the lake is central to the goals established by the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO), which commissioned the mural. The RBO funded the project with grant money from a local business, Charity Steel, which gives a percentage of their profits each year to a local 501(c)3 organization.

RBO President Julie Pounders says the mural is part of their mission to spruce up the city. “We’ve wanted to do a mural for

Penny shows off an osprey in the mural

The mural covers 40 feet of the Post Office building in Riverside

a long time,” she says, adding that she is already looking for a location to add another one in the future.

This one was over seven months in the making from start date to completion. Since paint doesn’t dry well in cold weather, Arnold wasn’t able to do much in the colder months. She says the cumulative time spent on the project was about four weeks.

Arnold is a former English teacher turned art teacher, who now teaches art part time at Duran Junior High School. She has worked with stained glass, mosaic, drawing and sculpture, primarily, but had not done a mural before. She had already been refining her skills in painting by taking classes by noted local artist Nettie Bean. When she was offered the chance to paint the mural, she jumped at it. Her first step was researching the kind of paint to use on the primarily brick façade.

Acrylic masonry paint was the medium she settled on. Application was by paintbrushes and bunched up plastic bags for texture. She added a paint sprayer to her tool belt to blend the sky colors. Safety tools included a stepladder for the higher

The building also houses Local Sister

reaches and an umbrella for sun protection.

“Painting is so many layers,” Arnold explained. “We wanted it to be bold, bright and colorful. When we started, it was just swaths of color and people wondered what we were doing. As it started coming together, people began stopping to tell me how much they loved it.

“Do you know how tough it is to paint straight lines on brick?,” Arnold added. “It was a challenge in painting the railroad bridge because bricks are not a flat surface.”

In addition to the railroad bridge, the landscape art includes fishermen and kayakers, a nod to the leisure activities and tournaments popular in the area. Large, white American Lotus flowers, native to the ponds in nearby Riverside Park, are also featured in the painting. Arnold included sunset colors in the sky to capture the beauty of evening on the lake. She admits to having a bit of trouble with the osprey. “At first, it didn’t look quite right,” she said. “Julie, the RBO president, knows a lot about birds and was able to give me suggestions that helped bring it around.”

Arnold had some friends help, too. When she was initially covering the building with large areas of color, she invited friends from her church, Pell City First United Methodist, whom she called the “Joy and Color Brigade,” to come and paint the base layers.

The colorful mural has certainly given Riverside residents another reason to be proud of their city. According to Riverside Post Office employee Honey Waters, people come to her window frequently to give compliments about it. “A lot of people seem to like it. In fact,” she added, “just a couple of days ago, I watched a group of people stop and take their picture by it.”

Arnold hopes she will be able to do more murals in and around the area. “It’s given me so much joy to see the happiness it brings people in the community when they drive by. Every community deserves to have something that encourages pride in their city.” The artist has certainly delivered that. l

Riverside’s iconic railroad bridge

A place for flight

WATER BIRDS MAKE THEIR HOMES ON LOGAN MARTIN

A white pelican perches on a stump in the water

What could be nicer than a leisurely stroll on a sandy beach, with water gently lapping at the shoreline and sea birds noisily going about their various life tasks? Now imagine this scene, not in Florida or Lower Alabama, but on a sandy swimming area at a manmade lake, more than 300 miles from the nearest saltwater.

Almost from the day it was fully impounded in the early 1960s, Logan Martin Lake has hosted ever-increasing numbers of birds more commonly found near oceans. Among them are many varieties of sea gulls and pelicans, along with eagles, ospreys and other fish-loving species.

They frequent every part of the lake, in harmonious company with other inland water birds such as cormorants, green herons, great blue herons, great white herons, cattle egrets and every kind of goose and duck imaginable, of both local and migratory species.

Canada geese, mallards and wood ducks all share the abundance of minnows and other aquatic life around the banks and mud flats, while ospreys and eagles dive-bomb larger fish over deep water and around the spillways at the dam.

Stealthy green herons are occasionally seen working their way along bank undercuts and riprap. They’re easy to identify because their heads and beaks seem to belong to much bigger birds.

Ospreys love to build big nests from sticks and small tree limbs atop the numerous floodlight platforms and high-tension power lines around the lake. They’re powerful predators, with large beaks and long talons. When hunting, they tend to hover about 50100 feet above the water, then dive-bomb their prey, often going completely underwater.

Ospreys can sometimes be seen flying home with a fish weighing several pounds clutched in their claws, always with the fish’s head pointed forward so that it streamlines into the air.

According to Wikipedia, they are a singular species of bird. If you’ve seen one osprey, you’ve seen them all. They mate for life, breed in early to late spring and may or may not migrate.

Bald eagles have made their home here as well. They have been seen arguing with

Story by Jerry C. Smith

Photos by Mary Cason

Osprey with nest stick

ospreys over nest sites, although the eagles merely use them for comfortable perches atop high structures, such as power line towers. Eagles build their own nests that are much larger than the osprey nests, often weighing hundreds of pounds. They usually breed in December and January in our area.

White and brown pelicans may be seen floating together in large groups on some isolated backwater, or even in the middle of the lake, sometimes accompanied by flocks of seagulls.

The many varieties of gulls seen around Logan Martin behave pretty much as their littoral counterparts. They are amazing flyers, with wings evolved for speed and agility. Our gulls sometimes leave the lake to descend on local big-box parking lots, scavenging scraps of food waste discarded by environmentally unconcerned humans.

Logan Martin is a birdwatcher’s paradise, also hosting hordes of non-aquatic varieties. Its diverse environment has become home to several species of owls, woodpeckers and songbirds, most of which have little fear of humans. Most of the heron family is well-represented here, including the yellow crowned and black crowned variety. Several sites are especially good for watching.

Local photographer Mary Cason, who frequently walks at Lakeside Park, contributed photos for this story. She says, “You never know what’s going to be around the next bend or over the next hill.” Her photo files are chockfull of her favorite subjects – aquatic fowl. She’s experienced lots of Kodak moments at the park and its environs.

Lakeside Park is a natural sanctuary because of an abundance of foodstuffs, both natural and from folks feeding the various rodents that congregate in such places. In turn,

Great egret

LakeLife 24/7 Logan Martin and Neely Henry

Birds gather at the dam tailrace

Ring-billed gull

White pelicans in flight

raptors such as owls and hawks, tend to hunt them and keep their population at a reasonable level.

The Coosa Island area is especially rich in pelicans, cormorants and other fish-eaters, but one should respect the privacy of those living there by observing wildlife far away from residences.

There is a nice little park and nature trail at the east end of Logan Martin Dam, appropriately named Logan Martin Dam Park. It’s more secluded and far less crowded than other nature sites, so it’s probably best to visit there in the company of a friend or two. There’s plenty of information online about this and other sites around the lake.

Logan Martin is an ideal, safe area for introducing youngsters to aquatic wildlife, but please don’t feed water birds around public beaches because, as they congregate for feeding, they tend to contaminate the water and make it unsuitable for swimming.

There is a short boardwalk near the Lakeside Park roadway that is perfect for observing, or simply quiet contemplation. The boat launch area has a fishing pier as well as a walking bridge that crosses the slough into the sports fields. Both are excellent birding sites, as are the spacious grounds of the park itself.

Its walking trail is about 1.2 miles long. The main part makes a big loop around the whole park, with an asphalt walkway that passes the native flower garden and mud flats boardwalk, thence uphill while skirting dense forest, backwaters and ending up near the boat launch.

There is another, lesser known woodland section of Lakeside called the Rosa Lorene Morton Nature Trail, accessed just after you enter the park from a small parking lot near the Metro Bank gazebo. It’s purely natural and mostly unimproved, so boots and a walking stick are in order. l

Canada geese

IN Kitchen the and

by the with

Lake PAM BEALS & MISTY THOMAS

Pam and Misty with their recipe book

Sisters cooking up good food, memories on Neely Henry

Story by Scottie Vickery

Photos by Richard Rybka

For the past 18 years, sisters-in-law Pam Beals and Misty Thomas have been in a weekly cooking school of sorts. They’re the teachers as well as the students, and most often they’re the only participants. As a result, though, their culinary skills have grown, their bond has deepened, and their binder of “keeper” recipes has continued to expand.

“We’ve pretty much had dinner together every Saturday night since 2005,” Pam said of the gatherings at her Neely Henry Lake home. “We call it our Saturday Night Supper Club.” Sometimes it’s just Pam and her husband, Tom, along with Misty, and her husband, Shane, who is Pam’s brother. Other times, the number grows to six, ten or even more.

The one constant, however, is that they prepare the meals together. “We have the most fun when we open a bottle of wine or bubbly, turn on the music and start cooking,” Pam said. “Sometimes I have to step in if there’s a little too much bubbly,” Tom joked.

Although Pam and Misty weren’t novices in the kitchen before they started their weekly get-togethers, they’ve both come a long way, as far as skill, confidence and mindset go. “Now I cook because I want to, not because I have to,” Pam said.

Misty and Pam have always been close, despite the 10-year age difference between them. They just haven’t always lived near each other. Pam and Shane were raised in Ashville, and Misty grew up in Steele but went to Ashville High School. By the time Misty and Shane met in the ninth grade, Pam was out of college and working.

In fact, she and Tom were living in Atlanta for the first three years of their Saturday Night Supper Club, but they all met on weekends at Pam and Shane’s mother’s cabin on Neely Henry. “In 2007, my brother and husband went to an Alabama Power auction ‘just to see how an auction works,’” Pam said with a laugh. “They both came back with property.”

Misty and Shane realized they prefer hills and farmland, so they sold their lake lot and bought a home nearby with 40 acres. They are in the process of turning it into a working farm, Moonlight Farm, where they plan to raise cattle. Pam and Tom built a 3-bedroom, 2 ½ bath cottage on their lake property lot and used it as a weekend home from 2008 until 2020 when COVID-19 hit, and they moved there permanently. “I was ready,” she said.

The cottage, which is on Neely Henry’s Palmetto Creek,

Welcoming front entrance Pam shows off part of her garden

was built from a Southern Living house plan. “I’ve always had a soft spot for Southern Living and all things Southern, really,” Pam said and grinned. “Anybody can copy out of Southern Living magazine.”

DYNAMIC DUO

The magazine had a big influence on their Saturday night dinners as well. That’s where they found almost all of the recipes they tried when they first started their weekly gathering. “Southern Living got us started on this journey,” Pam said “At first, we were intimidated by some recipes, and we didn’t even know what some of the spices were. We’d have to go buy every spice and every tool.”

It got easier, though, and they got better one dish at time. “We just got in the kitchen and started teaching ourselves,” Misty said. “Now we have all the right appliances and gadgets.”

For the most part, the meals have been successful, although there have been some bumps along the way. “We learned to read the recipe all the way through,” Pam said. “We’d get halfway through one and realize we were supposed to refrigerate it overnight. We’ve only had a catastrophe once or twice where we say, ‘I hope

The cottage on Neely Henry’s Palmetto Creek

Pam and Tom

(the restaurant) Local Joe’s is still open.’”

Through the years they’ve tried hundreds of recipes they’ve gathered from magazines, Pinterest, and cookbooks. The first time, they follow the recipe exactly, and for some dishes, they think of how to make it better. “We’ll say, ‘Next time, let’s add this,’” Misty said.

They started keeping their favorites in a binder, which is now nearly four inches thick. “That’s where all of the ‘keepers’ go,” Pam said. “And a recipe doesn’t make the book just because we made it. Everyone has to agree that it’s a keeper.”

The fact that they try to use local ingredients whenever possible has helped the binder grow. The short ribs they use in their Short Rib Lasagna recipe, which was featured on The Today Show and grabbed Pam’s attention, come from Earnest Roots Farm in Ashville. They get tomatoes grown on Chandler Mountain from Smith Tomato in Steele to make their own tomato sauce, which they sometimes substitute for the marinara listed in the recipe.

“Every time we prepare this, we get more compliments on it,” Misty said of the Short Rib Lasagna, which has become a favorite. “You would think we’d have a lot of leftovers because it makes a lot, but there’s never anything left.”

Pam and Misty have learned over the years that their cooking styles are different. “If it’s a dessert, we’re handing that to Misty because she’s very precise,” Pam said. “I’m more of a follow the directions kind of cook and she’ll get in there and do her own thing.”

Misty agreed, adding that when she cooks on her own, “I very rarely follow a recipe. Pam will ask me what I did, and I’ll say, ‘I don’t know.’ My grandmother was an amazing cook, and that’s what she used to do, too. Pam gets mad at me, and I used to get mad at my grandmother.”

Although they are most often the ones in the kitchen, Pam and Misty sometimes turn things over to the guys. They’re in charge of the grilling, as well as low country boils, which they all love. “We do those a lot,” Misty said. “We prepare everything and hand it off to them. It’s always delicious.”

The folks enjoying the meals sometimes change as well. They are often joined by Tom’s brother, Joe, and his wife, Kathy, who live nearby on the lake. Other friends have joined in the fun, but one thing never changes. They always gather at Pam and Tom’s house to enjoy the glorious view of Neely Henry.

VIEW FOR RENT

When Pam and Tom built their home, they planned for it to be a peaceful weekend retreat from their busy lives in Atlanta, where they lived at the time. They were both working in the vending industry, although Tom has since

Showing off their lasagna

Waterfront outdoor chess setup

retired, and were on the go a lot.

While they hired professionals to lay the foundation and handle the electricity, plumbing, framing and roofing, they did everything else themselves. The details that that make the house a home are all theirs. Tom put up the pine tongue and groove walls in the master bedroom and adjoining sun porch, and he and his brother, Mike, laid the oak tongue and groove floors throughout the home.

His brother, Joe, helped hang the kitchen cabinets while Pam handled the painting and decorating. She went to great lengths to get everything right. “We were in Destin, and I saw a house that was under construction and was painted the exact color I wanted,” she said. “No one was there so I climbed into the dumpster and found an old can of the paint. I took it to Sherwin Williams, and they matched it. It’s a dill green, and we just love it.”

After COVID hit, Pam and Tom moved in full-time. Although she continues to work from home, traveling a lot for her job with Flowers Baking Company, she started to think about what’s next. Tom retired and has begun dabbling in real estate, and Misty just retired after teaching 25 years at Albertville High School. Shane still works with Birmingham Pistol Wholesale, but he and Misty recently opened The Gun Exchange in Ashville. They also are busy working on the farm.

“Over the years, we all had conversations about what we’re going to do in retirement,” Pam said. “I decided I might give Airbnb a try. At the time, there were no Airbnbs in Ashville, so

Living room as seen from second floor

Four-poster bed in a comfortable, bright bedroom

I got on the website and started playing around with a listing. I accidentally posted it, though, and the next day I woke up to a booking. I had to get myself together really quickly.”

Even though the house is their full-time home, they’ve rented it out many times since. They have an RV, and “as soon as someone books the house, we book a camping trip,” she said. “We didn’t have this in mind when we built, but it’s really turned out perfectly.”

Guests love fishing off the dock, drinking coffee on the wraparound porch, playing with the giant lawn chess set and watching outdoor movies on the screen and projector she provides. “We’ve really got it set up like a model home,” Pam said. “We pretty much just use the kitchen, master bedroom and the sunporch, and we live out of three closets” that they lock when guests come. The rest of the house is ready all the time, so they only have to get three rooms ready before guests arrive, and they head for the woods.

After traveling her whole career, she had lots of ideas about what guests need and want. All of her jobs have developed her customer service skills, and her attention to detail and love for hosting makes it the perfect fit. “It’s like I’ve been training for this my whole life,” she said.

She and Tom also own a commercial building in Gadsden and Airbnb the loft above it. They bought the lot next door to their lake cottage, and Pam said she would love to one day build another home there. “I have to keep reminding myself that I ‘m trying to retire, not build an empire,” Pam said.

Although all the changes – the cottage bookings and Misty and Shane’s work at the farm – cut into their Saturday Night Supper Club schedule, they know they’ll continue to find a way to make it work. N future recipes, they’ll soon be able to use beef raised at Moonlight Farm and vegetables from the garden Misty plans to plant.

“I’ve never had a major garden before,” Misty said, and she’s dreaming big. She plans to plant tomatoes, squash, corn, okra,

beans, carrots, a variety of lettuces and strawberries. “As a child, I used to love to go out in my grandmother’s garden and pick strawberries.”

One thing is for certain, there’s still lots of cooking and Saturday night gatherings in their future. No matter what changes come, they’ll continue to do what they’ve been doing for nearly two decades. “We’ll all get in the kitchen and see how it turns out,” Pam said. l

Kitchen counter lined with culinary creations

Seating and grilling area on side porch

Visitors can sign their guest book

GREAT RECIPES from PAM & MISTY

kale, basil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Short Rib Lasagna

Recipe of Giada de Laurentiis, shared on The Today Show

Ingredients:

Ribs

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2½ pounds beef short ribs

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

• 2 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 cups red wine, such as Pinot Noir

• 2 cups beef broth

Filling Mixture

• 1½ cups milk

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1½ cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (6 ounces)

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

• 1 small bunch Tuscan kale, ribs removed and chopped

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

Additional Ingredients

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces)

• Butter for greasing the baking dish

• 1 25-ounce jar marinara sauce

• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

Cook the ribs: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Add the ribs to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes each side until brown. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and rosemary. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and soft. Increase the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the beef broth and ribs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 2½ to 3 hours until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Discard the bones and cooking liquid. Using two forks, shred the meat into 2-inch-long pieces (to yield approximately 2¼ cups shredded meat).

Make the filling: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheeses and whisk until melted, and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the

Assemble: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 3 noodles over the marinara. Spread 1/3 of the Filling Mixture evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle with a 1/3 of the shredded short ribs. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling, making three layers of filling and ending with pasta. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until the lasagna is heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Easy Skillet Apple Pie

From Southern Living

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples

• 2 pounds Braeburn apples

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup butter

• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts

• 1 egg white

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• Butter-pecan ice cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Peel apples and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust; top with remaining piecrust. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Use aluminum foil to shield for last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with butter-pecan ice cream, if desired.

Kat Tucker

A lakelife treasure

By Carol Pappas Staff and contributed photos

Katheryne Anna Tucker, known better around these parts as “Kat,” was more than a business owner serving up a tasty breakfast at her restaurant, The Kitchen. She and her Kitchen became iconic, a tradition that lasted 23 years.

She passed away in May, and The Kitchen is now dark.

Kat had nurtured it into a neighborhood gathering place where she knew your name – and your order – when you walked in the door. Walk through that door once, and you were no longer a stranger, only a friend she added to her ever-growing list.

“She made people feel like they belonged, and everyone who ate at The Kitchen was treated like family,” her memoriam stated. “She remembered everything about everyone, who their family was, what they did for a living, birthdays, anniversaries and of course, what everyone liked to eat.”

I will miss my own Sunday morning Eggs Benedict, home fries and sliced tomatoes that seemed to taste like “summer tomatoes” year-round. All I had to do was call, and she would answer the phone with “Eggs Benedict, Miss Carol?”

I, like so many others, felt special because it was important to her to remember what we liked. She always had candy for the kids and treats for the dogs and tips for stories for me. It was not unusual to see her head out from the grill for a moment, walk outside to a truck to serve a four-legged friend a side of bacon while he waited on his owner to return. She was like that. All had a special place in her heart.

Regulars even had their own personalized coffee cups hanging in a place of honor. Just like their own kitchen, they would grab ‘their’ cup and ready it for a pour of Kat’s savory coffee.

Her giving ways went well beyond the doors of the kitchen. Charities, church activities, school functions, Animal Savers, Lions

Logan Martin and Neely Henry • July & August 2023

At community steak dinner night

Regulars found a home at The Kitchen

Club, Civitans, Fishes and Loaves Ministries and Scrollworks Music School, where her daughter taught, all were on the receiving end of Kat’s generosity.

Her work ethic was unparalleled. She was the ultimate multi-tasker. One only had to observe a typical breakfast rush to see evidence of that.

A veteran, she served in the U.S. Army. Sometimes, she would display that toughness no doubt learned from that military background, but that tough exterior never could disguise the big heart that resided within.

It is with much sadness to see The Kitchen’s empty restaurant and parking lot these days. It is a reminder of the loss for our community, not just in terms of a neighborhood restaurant we’d grown to love but because in so many ways the center of it made us all feel special.

The Kitchen may have gone dark, but the memory of Kat behind the grill, carrying on multiple conversations with customers while turning out one perfect breakfast after another is a light that won’t soon be dimmed. l

Logan Martin and Neely Henry • July & August 2023

Regulars always had a place to discuss issues of the day

Darkened kitchen a sad reminder

DOVETAIL LANDING

BRINGING HOPE AND COMFORT TO VETERANS

Lance Cpl. Daniel Centilli in Helmand Province Afghanistan

Story by Paul South Submitted Photos

This is a story of war and love, heartbreak and hope.

It’s a tale of an earthly hell and two parents’ dream of an earthly heaven for broken veterans and their families and a town that answered the call of duty.

And it’s the story of Daniel Centilli, a Marine’s Marine.

All are part of the story of Dovetail Landing, Pat and Alana Centilli’s mission to honor their fallen son.

First, the Marine.

HELL IN HELMAND PROVINCE

Lance Cpl. Daniel Centilli was a typical American kid. He loved Thanksgiving and fishing and football. A defensive lineman, he was part of Pell City High School’s “Thousand Pound Club,” with membership reserved for the school’s strongest athletes.

Girls loved him. And as it always seems with kids who leave us too soon, Daniel “lit up a room,” his mother, Alana Centilli, remembered.

“He never did anything 50 percent,” she recalled. “He loved hard.”

A few years after graduation, he joined the Marines. Within months in 2011, he was a machine gunner in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

One soldier who served in the province described it to The Washington Examiner this way:

“It felt like we were on the moon. No trees. No plants. Just gravel.”

It was a hell on earth, where Daniel and his comrades were exposed, sitting ducks for Taliban fighters. An expert marksman, Centilli was in the lead vehicle in a coalition convoy.

As if that wasn’t dangerous enough, Daniel witnessed the murder of his sergeant by an Afghan interpreter.

And at Daniel’s December 2019 funeral, attended by his brothers in arms, one comrade recounted a time when the unit was under attack.

“We saw the red dust flying,” he said, “and I knew Daniel was coming.”

On May 10, 2012, Daniel’s Humvee was hit, and he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, along with PTSD, the result of the “big blast.”

In 2014, after suffering numbness in his arm, he was taken to Duke University Medical Center where doctors discovered a brain tumor they believed related to the blast.

Then came the long road – hallucinations, where he believed their were aliens coming out of his phone. Another time he was unresponsive shortly after being found walking down a road in his underwear. He told Marines he was “walking with Jesus back to Alabama.”

He was later transferred to a hospital in Portsmouth, Va., and remained there until 2016 when he returned home to Alabama.

Image of what the front gate will look like at Dovetail Landing.

Sam Grimes, Daniel Centilli, Patrick Centilli, Alana Centilli, Sarah Morgan Grimes and Jessica Centilli Santos

Groundbreaking of Dovetail Landing with Mayor Lew Watson, Alana Centilli and Alan Cook

The next three years were a journey of psychiatric wards, hallucinations and wandering as far away as Arkansas. At one point near the end, he was placed in a medically induced coma, in hopes that his body would reset.

“This became normal life for us,” his mom said. “When he came out of that coma, he was about 15 mentally. It totally changed everything.”

In December, after a three-month stay in a Florida neurological hospital, he returned home. It was two days before Christmas 2019.

That night, he died in his sleep, not on the battlefield, but in his own bed, yet another casualty in the War on Terror.

“Daniel was just the sweetest soul,” Alana said as she wept. “He loved hard. He loved his family and God, he loved the Marine Corps.”

He was 30 years old.

THE PARENTS AND THEIR DREAM

For two years after Daniel’s death, it seemed the oxygen was sucked from the earth for Pat and Alana Centilli. He was always present – in pictures, in the flag that draped his coffin, or in his crisp dress blues that hung in his closet.

But the Centillis are “fixers,” Alana said. The couple wanted to do something to free themselves from the shackles of grief and to honor their son. It was “their own personal therapy.”

“That’s the only way we could get out of it,” she said. “A part of it is selfish, never wanting anyone to forget Daniel and what he went

Daniel Centilli and Michael Ball - Helmand Province Afghanistan

through. Any of that.”

From tears that rest just under the surface and flow easily came the idea for Dovetail Landing, a place to provide food and shelter – 30 tiny homes and at least 25 family homes – mental health counseling and job training and other resources for vets, their families and caregivers.

The project – on 57 acres donated by the City of Lincoln – is a place of peace, far from the pain of war. Work began in January 2022.

Billed as “A Veteran Transitioning and Wellness Community,” Dovetail will also help residents navigate the snarl of government red tape to obtain veterans’ benefits, Social Security and other services. At an estimated cost of $40 million, Dovetail will be a “one-stop shop” for all matters affecting vets.

Private citizens and organizations – like the World Games and Lakeshore Foundation – are getting involved, Alana said.

“This is going to help so many people. This is going to help veterans like Daniel. This is going to help people not go through what he had to go through. This is going to help families not go through what we had to go through. This is our push.”

She sees Dovetail Landing as a “transformational project” that in the years and decades ahead will positively impact generations.

“I think of the veterans and their families. We’re going to change their lives. It just gives me chills,” she said, adding, “To be able to do that is so healing for me.”

LINCOLN AND A MILITARY MOM ANSWER THE CALL

Alana and Pat Centilli aren’t the kind to take “No” for an answer.

After two years of hard grief, they set about the business of making Dovetail Landing a reality. Land was the first priority.

In the hunt for land, Alana reached out to an uncle, Darrell Ingram, on the Talladega County Commission, who in turn connected her with longtime Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson and the Lincoln City Council.

Watson, a Vietnam veteran in 1966-67, served in country as the American buildup began. Duty took him from the Mekong Delta to the DMZ, two of the hot zones of the Vietnam War.

He’d seen two of his fellow servicemen take their own lives in Vietnam. And later in Lincoln, he counseled a troubled vet who also committed suicide.

After Alana’s pitch, Lincoln city leaders readily embraced the project.

“The reason why was the purpose,” Watson said. “We heard the story that Alana told us. I had seen a story on TV about veterans committing suicide, but I didn’t really get into it too deep, because it didn’t appear anything personal. But after listening to her talk, recognized hey, this is a real need. And if we’ve got the ability to do something about it, by gosh, let’s do something about it.”

The council’s decision to help Dovetail has been warmly received. Watson recounted a call he received from a veteran in Birmingham after the panel’s action.

“This is a good thing y’all are doing,” the man told Watson. “I came back (after serving), and I was totally worthless. My marriage was going to hell in a handbasket. I couldn’t stay off drugs and alcohol.”

The tormented veteran’s wife told him of a facility in Texas that might help. He went.

“I’m here to tell you,” the man told Watson.” It saved my life. It saved my marriage. It saved me.”

The man told the mayor he’s ready to volunteer at Dovetail Landing.

Patrick and Alana Centilli at wreath laying at Montevallo National Cemetery

A day at the pool with family Sarah Morgan Grimes, Jessica Centilli Santos, Mary Esther Krantz, Daniel Centilli and Sam Grimes

Cookout with family Sam Grimes, Daniel Centilli and Sarah Morgan Grimes

Closer to home, Michelle Tumlin is also on board. She lost her son Houston, a member of the Army’s iconic 101st Airborne, to suicide after his battle against PTSD and CTE related in part to his military service.

Houston Project, a store in downtown Pell City owned by the Tumlin family, donates all proceeds of its sales to help meet the needs of veterans and their families.

Houston Project funded the first tiny house at Dovetail Landing. The house fulfills her son Houston’s dream of helping veterans – a sentiment he expressed a year before his death

“Dovetail Landing is going to be a great thing,” she said. “The main reason I wanted to volunteer aside from the fact that it will help so many veterans, Houston wanted to help veterans process out of the military to give them therapy they needed, a place to live, job training. He wanted to help them be able to re-enter civilian life.”

She added, “The minute I found out about Dovetail Landing, I got chill bumps all over my body.”

EPILOGUE

While many – individuals, the City of Lincoln, corporations, churches, businesses and groups like Alabama Veteran are joining the Dovetail Landing effort, the Centillis believe something larger is at work in a national effort.

“There’s a greater good out there that’s got control of this,” Alana said.” I think Daniel’s looking out for us a little bit. And I believe we’re going to get it done. I’m not going to stop until it’s done.

“It’s going to take Moms and Dads and sisters and brothers and friends stepping up and doing things like this, because (veterans) fought for all of us.”

At its core, this story that began in the heartache of war, grief

and loss, is fueled by something higher.

“There’s so much love and sheer determination that’s going into getting this place built, Alana said. “It will help so many people. It’s a heart project for me.”

Reminders of Daniel are never far away. On Memorial Day, she received a text from one of her son’s Marine brothers.

“Dan was the best Marine I ever had the pleasure to lead … [K]now that he’s never forgotten by the guys he fought with … You gave us a warrior and a lifelong friend.” l

Editor’s Note: For more information about Dovetail Landing, check out YouTube, Facebook or by emailing info@dovetaillanding.org.

Daniel enjoying a day on the lake with his service dog, Diesel, and Diesel’s sister Sadie

Diesel at Daniel’s funeral in 2019 at National Cemetery in Montevallo

Live at Logan Martin

People gather by water and land at Lakeside Park for the entertainment

Logan Martin and Neely Henry • July & August 2023

Back for fourth year with Saturday Night Fever

The Black Jacket Symphony is again partnering with The Center for Education and Performing Arts, America’s First Federal Credit Union and the City of Pell City for the summer’s biggest lake event Sept. 2.

This year, it’s on a new night – Saturday – for the Fourth Annual Live at Logan Martin featuring a live performance of the legendary soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever.

This disco dance party will be held at the Pell City Sports Complex on Lake Logan Martin. The event site will open at 5:30 p.m., and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. A rain date is set for the following evening, Sunday, Sept. 3.

“We are thrilled to once again be the presenting sponsor of this wonderful event. AmFirst is proud to support Live at Logan Martin and help bring this event to the community,” said Phil Boozer, SVP-Chief Sales Officer, Marketing for America’s First Federal Credit Union.

VIP squares and general admission tickets are on sale now at liveatloganmartin.com or pellcitycepa.com/tickets. VIP squares accommodate up to four individuals. Fans are allowed and encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for seating. Table seating is available to sponsors only.

On-site parking will be free but limited. All attendees are encouraged to carpool. Due to the generosity of sponsors, the event is free to boats and will feature large video screens for optimum viewing.

Per regulations from the State of Alabama, bringing alcohol onto the event site is not permitted. Beverages will be available for sale at the event.

“I can’t thank the community enough for the support they’ve given this event over the past four years,” said Jeff Thompson, CEPA Executive Director. “What began as a means to bring joy to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown in an unimaginable way, and we’re so grateful to AmFirst, the City of Pell City and The Black Jacket Symphony for another incredible show.”

Proceeds benefit CEPA Management Corp. and its efforts to increase access to the performing arts in St. Clair County, including live music performances at CEPA in Pell City, and the Spotlight Drama Education and Outreach Program, which helped St. Clair students and community members produce 12 different plays in 2022.

Sponsorship packages are available at Gold, Silver, and Supporter Levels. For more information on sponsoring this one-of-a-kind event in St. Clair County, please email Jeff Thompson at director@pellcitycepa.com. l

Alabama Farm Credit understands the unique aspects of Agricultural and rural real estate financing

Proudly serving Alabama communities in Pell City, Ragland,

Branchville, Cropwell, Alpine and Vincent.

When Casey Cambron and the Five16 Foundation created a music festival three years ago, the idea was born from a desire to give back to the community.

Fast forward those three years, and Lakeside Live Music Fest has grown into a communitywide event drawing more than 6,000 people to enjoy a day of music and fun for the whole family at Pell City Lakeside Park. It’s free to the public, courtesy of the sponsors investing in the effort, and gates open at 10 a.m.

On stage are noted musical groups like the Leverton Brothers, Wingnuts, Deputy 5 and the Ryan Waters Band.

Lining one of the fields is an impressive car show. Scattered throughout the grounds are all kinds of vendors, food trucks and a host of activities for the children.

One of the main events is Battle of the Badges, a friendly but fierce competition pitting the fire department against the police department.

Nearby, you can cheer on your favorites in the corn hole tournament offering a cash prize.

Couple all those features with hourly door prizes and drawings for major prizes like a kayak, flat top grill, a youth four-wheeler and a television, and what you have is the makings of a true family event that does indeed give back to the community.

Proceeds from Lakeside Live benefits worthy causes throughout the city – police, fire, school system, children’s organizations, Museum of Pell City and Pell City Historical Society.

“Our entire goal is to support our community, to bring people into our community to see what we have to offer,” said Cambron. And he and his band of volunteers have done just that. “We couldn’t host this without our great volunteers,” he said, noting how grateful the Foundation is to have a group of people willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work to support the effort.

“Our mission is to shine a light in our community,” Cambron said. “That’s our goal.” l

A day of music, vintage cars, kids’ events and much more

Bulls on the lake Rodeo event returns to Pell City

For two nights in July, you might hear the roar of the crowd at Pell City’s lakeside Sports Complex, but it won’t be the familiar cheers as runners round the base or when a baseball heads skyward for a homerun.

On these two nights in July, the complex transforms into an arena with broncos, bulls and plenty of cowboys vying for top spots in the rodeo circuit.

It’s time for Bulls on the Lake – two nights of rodeo entertainment that attracted more than 3,000 people to its stands in 2022. And organizers predict this year’s rodeo presented by 5L Rodeo Company will be even bigger.

These are sanctioned events with the youth rodeo on Friday night and the pro rodeo on Saturday. The youth rodeo is for members of International Miniature Rodeo Association, ages 5-18. You must be a member to compete. There will be bulls, bareback and barrels.

On Saturday, pros are in the spotlight with bulls and broncs.

Gates open at 5 both nights with the Friday night event starting at 7 and the Saturday night rodeo at 8. Tickets for Friday are $10 and for Saturday, general tickets are $15, and kids under 12 cost $10.

Proceeds benefit the Pell City Future Farmers of America Alumni, which helps sponsor the Pell City FFA Chapter.

The offerings both nights are expanding with more vendors being booked, including Carpenetti’s Pizza, Taco Tuesday, Papa Queso, Southern Sno Shaved Ice, D & W Kettle Corn and Royal Slush. Four western boutiques will be offering their wares as well.

Title sponsors for the events are Tri Green Equipment, Smith & Sons Construction and AmFirst.

Tickets will be sold through the Pell City Civic Center and at the gate. l

Pell City Sports Complex is the perfect venue for a rodeo

LakeLife 24/7 Logan Martin and Neely Henry • July & August 2023

LakeLife 24/7 Logan Martin and Neely Henry

Take 5

LakeLife 24/7 events compiled by Jackie Romine Walburn

Submit events to: Events@LakeLife247Magazine.com

JULY

What: Local farmers with local produce

Who: St. Clair Farmers Market

When: Every Wednesday, 1 to 5 p.m.

Where: Avondale Walking Track

Why: Support local farmers.

What: Local farmers with local produce.

Who: Moody Farmers Market

When: Every Friday, 1 to 5 p.m.

Where: Moody City Park, 663 Park Avenue, Moody

Why: Fresh produce.

What: Gadsden 5th Street Farmer’s Market

Who: Local farmers

When: Friday mornings May-September, 7 a.m. to noon

Where: 5th Street Market, 439 Locust Street, Gadsden

Why: Fresh produce

What: Southside Farmer’s Market

Who: Local farmers

Where: Southside City Hall

When: Thursday mornings

Why: Fresh fruits and vegetables

What: Hokes Bluff Farmers Market

Who: Local farmers

Where: Hokes Bluff Library

When: Mondays beginning at 7 a.m.

Why: Fresh produce

What: Local farmers

What: Rainbow City Farmers Market

When: Mondays beginning at 7 a.m.

Where: Rainbow City Municipal complex

Why: Fresh produce

What: Attalla Farmers Market

Who: Local farmers

Where: 3rd Street and 5th, Attalla

When: Every Monday morning

Why: Fresh fruits and vegetables

What: Weekly art and farmers market in downtown Gadsden

Who: Gadsden Artisan and Farmers Market

When: Every Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Where: 5th Street Market, Downtown Gadsden

Why: Vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods and arts and crafts. Contact errinwilliams1@gmail.com.

What: Monthly support group, meeting every first Saturday

Who: Springville Library Writers’ Group

When: Saturday, July 1, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Springville Library, 6315 US 11, Springville

Why: All writers age 18+ are invited.

What: Wild About Reptiles

Who: The Petting Zoo at Noccalula Park

Where: The Petting Zoo

When: Friday, July 7, noon to 4 p.m.

Why: Learn about and meet reptiles. Park Admission $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and military and children 4-12; free for children up to 3 years.

What: Phoenix Bass Tournament

Who: Fishing League Worldwide Bama Division

Where: Coosa Landing, Gadsden at Neely Henry Lake

When: Weekends in July, July 1-3, 7-9, 11-13, 1519

Why: Bass fishing qualifying and tournament fishing through FLW, part of Major League Fishing.

What: Second Saturday

Who: Downtown Talladega

When: Saturday, July 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Talladega Bottling Works

Why: Music and more each Second Saturday.

What: Drama Camp

Who: Pell City Center for Education and Performing Arts

Where: CEPA, 25 Williamson Drive, Pell City

When: July 9-22

Why: Education in the performing arts. Contact CEPA for more information, 205-338-1974.

What: Learn, Grow, Eat and Go! For rising 3rd to 5th grade students.

Who: Alabama Cooperative Extension Service and Anniston Museum of Natural History

Where: AMNH classroom

When: Every Wednesday in July, 10 to 11 a.m.

Why: LGEG is a research and evidence-based curriculum project of the Junior Master Gardener program taught by Extension agent Tammy Hall. Hands-on, proven lessons help students understand plants and how plants provide for people’s needs. Pre-registration recommended at www. exploreamag.org.

What: Arts Camps for Kids

Who: Heritage Hall Museum

When: July 10-14, July 24-28, 8 a.m. to noon

Where: Spring Street Recreation Center at 502 South Spring Street and at Heritage Hall in Talladega.

Why: Open to children 8 to 12, Arts Camp registration information is online at heritagehallmuseum.org, by calling 256-7611364 or email heritagehallmuseum1@gmail. com. Tuition is $100 per week per child and includes all supplies. Discounts available for households with more than one child attending, and scholarship are available based on need and aptitude through Talladega City and County elementary schools. Instruction includes drawing and painting, sculpture and music/performance with presentations at the Ritz Theatre on the last day of each camp.

What: Gross Out Camp, an award-winning science camp for first through fourth grade students

Who: Fresh Air Family and Anniston Museum of Natural History

Where: AMNH

• Adults learning to read or improve reading skills

• One on one reading classes

• Classes to help with reading skills and comprehension of what you have read

• GED preparation

• ESOL Classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Every Tuesday night on second floor of Pell City Municipal Complex (above the Pell City Library)

When: July 10-14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; aftercare available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Why: Campers explore plants, trees, animals, habitats and chemistry in fun activities including Build-A-Beast and making slime. Cost is $250 for the week; scholarships available provided by EBSCO and the Alabama Association of Resource, Conservation and Development Councils.

What: Local production of The Best Little Whore House in Texas

Who: Theatre of Gadsden

Where: Gadsden Theatre

When: July 14-16 and July 21-23

Why: This happy-go-lucky view of small-town vice and statewide political side-stepping recounts the good times and the demise of the Chicken Ranch, known since the 1850s as one of the better pleasure palaces in all of Texas.

What: Little Animals, BIG WORLD

Who: The Petting Zoo at Noccalula Park

Where: Petting zoo at Noccalula Park, Gadsden

When: Friday, July 14, noon to 4 p.m.

Why: Learn about animals. Park admission applies -- $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, military and children 4-12, free for children through 3 years.

What: Seasonal artisan and vendor market

Who: Market on Main

Where: Simmons Park in Oxford

When: July 15; first and third Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through September

Why: Arts, crafts and food.

What: Shining Brighter: Advancing Women to the Top Conference

Who: Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitor Center and Etowah Chamber

Where: Jacksonville State University’s Recreation and Fitness Center

When: Wednesday, July 19, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Why: Grow professionally and personally by soaking up the sunshine and knowledge of speakers from all across Alabama and the nation. Register today for an exclusive $25

LakeLife 24/7 Logan Martin and Neely Henry • July & August 2023

Gross Out Camp

off early bird discount. Registration includes a full day of inspirational speakers, a delicious breakfast, lunch, and wine, and sessions designed especially for women aspiring to leadership by women in leadership.

What: Three days of music featuring Chris Stapleton, Zach Bryan, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Bailey Zimmerman, Travis Tritt and Jo Dee Messina.

Who: Rock the South

When: July 20, 21 and 22

Where:1872 County Road 469, Cullman, Alabama

Why: Called the biggest party in the South, buy tickets at www.rockthesouth.com

What: Third Thursdays in Downtown Pell City

Who: Pell City Chamber

When: Thursday, July 20, 11 a.m.

Where: Historic Downtown Pell City

Why: Look for specials, sales and fun.

What: Camp Camelot

Who: Berman Museum

Where: Berman Museum at Anniston Museums and Gardens

When: July 19-21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., multiple sessions

Why: Engaging medieval fun, knights and castles, armor and catapults. $135 per person. Members get a $15 discount.

What: Tomato Tasting

Who: Longleaf Botanical Gardens and Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Tuesday, July 20, 5 to 6 p.m.

Where: Longleaf Event Center

Why: Family fun tomato tasting, Try a variety of tomatoes, discover new types, sample recipes and find your favorite. Thursday programs are $5 for registrants and free for members.

What: Classic Car Cruise-In

Who: Talladega Classic Car Club

When: Saturday, July 22, 5 to 8 p.m.

Where: Classic Toys at 515 East Battle Street, Talladega

Why: Classic cars and trucks cruise in every 4th Saturday.

Tomato Tasting in Anniston

Vintage cars in Talladega

What: Saturday Alive, a live animal presentation

Who: Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Saturday, July 22, 1 p.m.

Where: Learning Lodge.

Why: Program included with daily admission and free for members. More at www. exploreamag.org

AUGUST

What: Summer Shell Dig

Who: Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Tuesday, August 2, 1 to 3 p.m.

Where: Learning Lodge

Why: Dig in the sand, discover shells you would see on Gulf Coast beaches and create beach-themed art before heading back to school. Program included with museum admission and free for members.

What: The 127 Yard Sale, The World’s Longest Yard Sale

Who: Greater Gadsden Tourism

Where: Noccalula Park, Gadsden

When: August 3-6, 7 a,m. to 5 p.m.

Why: The 690-mile long yard sale route travels through six states, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, mostly along Highway 127 and Lookout Mountain Parkway. Info and maps at www. greatergadsden.com

What: Monthly support group, meeting every first Saturday

Who: Springville Library Writers’ Group

When: Saturday, August 5, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Springville Library, 6315 US 11, Springville

Why: All writers age 18+ are invited.

What: Smoke in the Park Backyard BBQ Competition

Who: City of Glencoe

When: Friday and Saturday, August 11 and 12, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Wilson Park, 313 Nancy Carrol Avenue, Glencoe

Why: Barbecue, a Duck Race with 5K grand prize, cornhole tournament, Arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, live music and car show Friday and Kids Zone and Splash Pad on Saturday.

What: Second Saturday

Who: Downtown Talladega

When: Saturday, August 12, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Talladega Bottling Works

Why: Music and more each Second Saturday

What: Third Thursdays in Downtown Pell City

Who: Pell City Chamber

When: Thursday, August 17, 11 a.m.

Where: Historic Downtown Pell City

Why: Look for specials, sales and fun.

What: Growing Satsumas in Containers

Who: Longleaf Botanical Gardens at Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Thursday, August 17, 5 p.m.

Where: Longleaf Event Center

Why: Come learn about tasty satsumas, the varieties available and how to grow your own in a large pot. With the Alabama Extension Service. Third Thursday programs are $5 per person AM&G members are free. Preregistration encouraged.

What: Business Builders Breakfast

Who: Pell City Chamber of Commerce

When: Thursday, August 24, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Where: Pell City Municipal Complex

Why: Networking for your business, door prizes, and special guest speaker Jason Garrison with Garrison Steel. This is event is FREE but seating is limited and registration is required at www.pellcitychamber.com. Breakfast is sponsored by Valley Bank.

What: Classic Car Cruise-In

Who: Talladega Classic Car Club

When: Saturday, August 26, 5 to 8 p.m.

Where: Classic Toys at 515 East Battle Street, Talladega

Why: Classic cars and trucks cruise in every 4th Saturday

SEPTEMBER

What: The Raid on Little General Farm Civil War reenactment

Who: Civil War reenactors

Where: 5535 Old Gallant Road, Gallant

When: September 15-17, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Why: Held in memory of Maggie Sue Haessly and Miss Emma Sansom, this historic reenactment is held annually on the third weekend in September with proceeds going to historical projects and continuing the event. Admission $5, with children 5 and under free.

Taste of the Lake

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

CATCHIN’ THE COOSA

An angler’s guide to Neely Henry and Logan Martin Lakes

Zeke shows off his professional fishing skills

By Zeke Gossett

LOGAN MARTIN

Logan Martin can be a tricky lake during the months of July and August. However, these two months are still great times to fish if you know where to look.

Specifically talking about July, there are still plenty of offshore fish to be found. Fish may be in offshore brush piles or actual schools. If you find schools of fish, they tend to move around a lot this time year, so you may have to play chase with them!

You must keep an open mind and use your electronics to stay on them. The schools may move from where you previously found them, but they will usually stay within eyesight from where they were.

Once I’ve found a school, I will typically try to catch the active ones first. Usually, the biggest in the school will eat first. My first bait of choice always is a deep diving crankbait. The reason the crankbait is always a good first choice is it allows you to get back in a school more quickly if the fish choose to bite.

If the school doesn’t seem to want to bite, or maybe there’s a lack of current in the system, I will reach for either a flutter spoon or a hair jig. These two baits are a little more subtle than the crankbait and will trigger bites if the fish are not as active.

Transitioning into the month of August, for me, brush piles and docks start to play a major role in catching bass. Once the schools start to break up after being pressured all summer long from being fished on hard, these fish will usually branch off and start getting into brush more heavily.

My favorite depth to target these fish is in anywhere from 10-15 feet of water. A couple baits you might want to try are a crankbait or a finesse jig. I let the fish tell me what they want. If you have a low pressure day (during the week), usually they’ll

Got to have the right gear

be more in the mood to chase the crankbait down and eat.

On the other hand, the jig is a lot better option if it is slick calm, sunny and a lot of boat traffic. Give these tips a try during the hottest part of the year, and you might find the dog days of summer are not so bad after all.

NEELY HENRY

Neely Henry has always been a good summertime lake in years past for me. Anglers can catch fish from a foot of water all the way out to 20 feet of water.

Typically, my better than average size fish will come shallow, especially early in the morning. I will usually target the area from the Alabama Highway 77 bridge section down.

Early in the morning, I will always start with either a hollow body frog or swim jig, trying to cover as much water as possible. This allows me to pick off those active fish in the lower light. I will either look for willow grass or seawalls on the main river to start with.

If there is plentiful cloud cover, I will stay shallow – either a lot longer or all day if the fish are still showing activity. If the sun does decide to show up, that’s when I’ll move a little deeper.

In July, there still will be schools of fish to be found. These schools can either be found on road beds, long points and ledges. My first cast in these schools – just like Logan Martin – will be a crankbait. Once the school shuts down, I will play cleanup with either a jig or a drop shot.

Once August rolls around, I still will have the same morning routine as July. The only difference is that I will start mixing in a lot more dock fishing. The reason being, much like Logan Martin, the schools are separated from either pressure or maybe even lack of oxygen out deep if there hasn’t been any rain.

I usually will keep my bait selection pretty simple. I start out with either a finesse jig or Texas-rigged senko. These two baits will get bitten no matter what the conditions might be.

I will target docks anywhere from one foot to ten feet. You have to let the fish tell you what they’re doing on any particular day. Keep an open mind on the dog days of summer on Neely Henry and let the fish tell you where you need to be.

Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide.

Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.

A perfect day for fishing on the lake