Logan Martin Neely Henry Lakelife 24/7 Magazine May and June 2023

LakeLife 24/7

LakeFest

Landings

Coosa and Southside parks more than just lake access

Point Aquarius

Revisiting amazing resort club

Signature event returns to Lakeside Park

LakeLife 24/7 LOGAN MARTIN & NEELY HENRY

May & June 2023

LakeFest Returns

Pell City’s Lakeside Park set to host event

Page 40

POINT AQUARIUS

Looking back at a landmark resort

INSIDE THIS EDITION

In the Kitchen with the Ballards

A celebration of food, family and life on the lake

Recipes for lakelife

Firebirds return to CEPA Brings back memories of hometown ‘cheerleader’

Alabama Fishing Show

A whopping success at Coosa Landing in Gadsden

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Page 38

Page 36

About the cover

Page 8

Page 44

Brothers 4 Motel and Big Bull How landmark Cropwell motel and restaurant came to be

Page 46

Take 5

Page 58 Catchin’ the Coosa

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Finley Free, 8, from Steele makes a perfect Spring day on Neely Henry even better – with bubbles!

SOUTHSIDE AND COOSA LANDINGS

Much more than just access to Neely Henry

Page 18

.

Photo by Mackenzie Free

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®.

Toni Franklin

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

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.

Mackenzie Free

Mackenzie Free is an experienced and nationally published photographer with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is a Birmingham native now cultivating life on a farm in Steele with her husband & 4 daughters.

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.

Elaine

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

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

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.

Edsall

Hobson Miller

Romine Walburn

Welcoming Spring to our lakes

I have always viewed Spring as the season of new beginnings, a rebirth after cold winter weather sends me scurrying indoors for what seems an eternity.

For the past month, we have had a front row seat to the annual reawakening – a colorful palette of green hues as a stunning backdrop to a vibrant mosaic of blooms all around us.

Spring is one of my favorite times of year on the lake. Like Christmas, it’s all wrapped up in the anticipation of good times ahead and memories to be made.

Activities build toward a growing crescendo of boats darting to and fro, smoke rising from backyard barbecues and the distinct sound of laughter emanating from children on towables, splashing in the water or squealing with excitement over the catch they just reeled in.

Up and down Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes it’s as if there is one big, collective case of Spring Fever. No harm in catching it. It’s probably a fever you’ll love to feed. And around the region, there’s no shortage of places and events to do exactly that.

Check out Noccalula Falls 70th Anniversary on May 13, a huge celebration of what has become a worldwide destination point. There will be plenty of activity at and around the falls with vendors, games, giveaways and demonstrations, and admission is free throughout the day.

Head over to Pell City Lakeside Park May 12-14, and Logan Martin LakeFest is sure to spark a rise in temperature of a different sort. They call it new boat fever. You know the malady. So stop wishing for that new ride and take one at the Southeast’s largest in-water boat show.

Of course, that’s not all at LakeFest. Lake lifestyle vendors line the area, entertainment takes center stage, fireworks light up the nighttime sky, food is served to please any palate, and plenty of fun awaits at the water’s edge.

Etowah County’s Coosa Landing and Southside Landing are a bustle of activity these days, both credits to their

communities’ recreation and quality of life. If you’re in the neighborhood, drop by and see what they have to offer.

Catch the Coosa with bass fishing pro Zeke Gossett, whose tips, tricks and trends are a guide to where to fish, when and how on both our lakes.

In this issue of LakeLife 24/7®, you’ll find those stories of what’s up ahead as well as a couple of steps back in time, revisiting landmarks on Logan Martin – Point Aquarius, later known as Alpine Bay, and the Brothers Four Motel, one of the early pioneers of accommodations for visitors on the lake.

It’s all here and more in this edition. Turn the page and discover it all with us!

Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher

Before Alpine Bay, there was ...

Point

The original clubhouse

AquArius

Story by Elaine Hobson Miller

Submitted Photos

It was a golf course, a resort, a swanky place to hold weddings, class reunions and fundraising dinners that often featured famous entertainers. It was a day-trip for horseback riding or lounging by the pool. It was a destination point for a few days of rest and relaxation, tucked away in the small town of Alpine, 10 miles southwest of Talladega.

Alpine Bay Golf Club began life as Point Aquarius in 1969. First owned by International Resorts, Inc., of Vestavia Hills, it went through several more owners and a name-change through the years as it struggled to hold onto its identity and its membership. Plagued by poor management, high-pressure sales tactics and the very seclusion that made it unique, it finally withered and died in 2014, only to be revived again two years later in a smaller but more manageable form.

“We used to book acts in the ballroom like the Swinging Medallions, the Temptations, Fahrenheit and others from the 50s and 60s,” says Stuart Brasell, who, with his business partner, Jack Graves, was food and beverage manager there from 1986-1997. “We had B.B. King once as well. It was a different time.”

Former members and employees recall gourmet meals in a multi-tiered clubhouse that included a restaurant, lounge, snack bar, game room, covered outdoor patio with a ballroom above that could seat 500.

The golfing was world-class, too, with two courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. One of them lasted only a year or two, but comedian Bob Hope and blind golfer Charley Boswell played a few rounds at the other, along with several NASCAR race drivers killing time during Talladega 500 weeks.

“I loved working there,” says Jeanna Carmack, bar manager at the resort from the late 80s “off and on” until 2000. “We had a lot of fun, just the atmosphere, the people you met. A lot of the NASCAR drivers would stay there in the 80s, including Darrell Waltrip, Ernie Irvan, Mark Martin’s

team and Jack Roush’s team. They’d have a big charity golf tourney during NASCAR week, they’d come out and play golf and have a big dinner in the ballroom that night. Other people would come from all around the world that follow the NASCAR circuit.”

Purchased and re-named by Alpine Bay Resorts in 1982, the property at that time included the clubhouse, pro shop, Olympic-sized swimming pool with fountain and pool house, five clay tennis courts, a barn and equestrian club, putt-putt golf area, walking trails, marina with restaurant and dock storage, 60 motel units and three condominium developments. The latter were dubbed Dogwood, the Pines and East Pines. Only two of the individual units were privately owned, while the others were timeshares listed with RCI, which allowed you to trade your week at almost any timeshare resort in the world.

“Around 500 lots along Logan Martin Lake and on the interior of the resort property were part of the original 1,400-acre development,” says Brasell. “There was an RV campground that adjoined the property, too.”

Former member Gene Davis of Moody recalls that during the mid-1960s, Democratic governor contender Sen. Ryan DeGraffenried, who was later killed in a plane crash, played golf at the Charley Boswell Golf Course (Highland Park) in Birmingham along with Bob Hope and Charley Boswell. Then DeGraffenried went to Point Aquarius, as it was still called at that time. “I’m not sure about Hope, but Ryan and Charley and maybe (former football player) Johnny Musso played together there. The owners were really trying to promote and sell that property.”

Alpine Bay sold again in 1988 to National America Corporation (NACO), a part of Thousand Trails out of Gautier, MS, according to Stuart Brasell. In 1994 NACO sold the clubhouse and golf course to Joe Yarborough from Bessemer and his business partner, Pat Sanford of Childersburg. NACO, however, retained ownership of the condominiums, and still owned them when Brasell and Graves left in 1997.

Yarborough didn’t make it in the food and beverage business there and built a small pro shop and snack bar to replace the huge clubhouse. “It cost $5,500 in utilities alone each month to run the clubhouse,” Brasell says. “A consultant came in once and said it would be best if we let the tennis courts grow up and fill in the swimming pool and grow roses.”

At various times, Alpine Bay was a private resort or a semi-private resort used for many types of events. It played host to high school speech contests, state chili cook-offs, the Alabama Associated Press Broadcasters convention, the Alabama Sports Writers Association convention, the Jet Ski Nationals, Talladega College fundraisers and numerous golf tournaments.

The resort owned the equestrian club and the horses that were stabled there, according to Brasell. During the off-season, the horses were kept off-site. “They weren’t there when the barn burned in 1988,” Brasell says.

The barn wasn’t the only building to burn down.

In January 1988, two fires on New Year’s Eve destroyed four condos and a motel complex at the resort, according to brief articles in the Anniston Star

Ferrari in front of the clubhouse

Covered patio

Statue over the pool

and the Birmingham Post-Herald. It is unclear from the articles, however, whether it was actually the same fire both newspapers were reporting on. The Star article said a fire destroyed “apartment units 126-129 in Building Two.” The top floors were burned and the bottom floors were gutted. The PostHerald article said a 12-unit motel complex was destroyed. “The resort has 72 motel units and 56 condominium apartments, contained in six buildings near Lake Logan Martin on the Coosa River,” the Post-Herald article stated. “The motel had been undergoing renovations.”

“Actually, the building that burned was Building 2,” says Brasell, clearing up some of the confusion. “It housed 12 motel units. They were converted from four condos. Each building had four king suites, four double queen rooms and four single queen rooms.”

In 2006, the clubhouse was in such disrepair that it was razed during a controlled burn by the Renfroe, Lanier and Munford volunteer fire departments as part of a training exercise. In a June 13, 1986, Daily Home newspaper article about the controlled burn, former resort member Helen Ruth Deese, a Talladega real estate agent, said the clubhouse had been absolutely fabulous in its heyday.

“It was the most gorgeous thing you’d ever seen,” she said in the article. “There was an open circle staircase, and a huge dining room with a stacked rock fireplace in the middle. And the food was absolutely fantastic. We had some friends who came to visit once that lived in downtown Atlanta. We took them to dinner there and then visited with them around the pool, and they just couldn’t believe there was something like this in Talladega County. He was an attorney in Atlanta, so they were used to some pretty swanky places.”

She said the dining room was “always covered up, especially for Sunday dinners,” and people came from Birmingham and Atlanta to eat there. She described lots of open balconies where they sometimes had dances, along with a big ballroom upstairs. “And there was a pro-shop downstairs that you could just drive your golf cart right up to it. In its heyday, it was just unbelievable.”

The article also mentions a swimming pool with a fountain in the middle, a large play area for children and a soft-surface tennis court that was still in use when the article was written. The clubhouse was built in 1972 but had been closed for 11 years leading up to its razing, according to the article.

“It just wasn’t worth restoring,” Yarborough, who has since died, said in the controlled burn article. “It was too big, and it was built before its time. I know of several people who have gone broke trying to run things in that building. I bought the property in 1994, and I know there have been a lot of parties and weddings there over the years, but I’m not in that kind of business, and I wasn’t going to let it break me.” He said that prior to his purchase of the property, it had been owned by Linkscorp, based in Chicago.

The original maintenance barn caught on fire and

Inside the restaurant Clubhouse entrance

burned down somewhere along the way. Tony Parton, managing partner for the Alpine Group that now owns the golf course, believes some of the other buildings need to come down even now.

“The Pines condos are falling in and are dangerous,” he says. “They need to be burned. The current owners have been working on them but haven’t done anything with them in months. The ones by the water tower are falling in, too. People call me all the time wanting to rent them, but I don’t have anything to do with them.”

Poor management and lack of vision contributed to the demise of Alpine Bay. “Before the clubhouse was burned down, a small pro shop and snack bar were built,” says Brasell. “Without the large functions, the restaurant and lounge revenue, an enormous source of income was lost. Oddly, the barn for the equestrian club and the marina burned at different times under different ownerships.”

Clara Curtis of Sylacauga recalls working as a sales representative for timeshares in the early 1980s, when LA Marketing owned the resort. “The golf course was in full swing then,” she says. “Henry Ritchie was golf pro when I was there. It was a regular country club-like atmosphere, and you could buy shirts and souvenirs. It was a booming place. Lots of times I got there at 7 a.m. and wouldn’t leave until 2-3 a.m. because of the reunions and showers.”

Curtis started as a sales person, but when the man in charge of closings left, she got his job. “Then it started going downhill,” she says. “It was sold to another company, and they didn’t do anything with it. So, I went to conference sales: banquets, and so forth. We had a lucrative thing going on. That was just before Jack and Stuart took over.”

Curtis thinks it was the overhead of the clubhouse that did it in. “It got to where lots of folks didn’t support it, but just played golf and sat in the bar,” she recalls. “I think that’s when Joe Yarborough bought it. They split the timeshares away from country club.”

Curtis recalls entertainers like the Temptations, and others of the Motown sound. “We didn’t book shows, it was people having events there,” she says. “It was a lot of fun. You’d meet regular, everyday people that you get to know, people with summer houses, golfers. For people who lived that far out, it was nice to have someplace near they could come after work. The dads would play

Celebrating inside the ballroom

golf, moms would have kids at the pool. And my sister got married there!”

She says the clubhouse was a glorious facility. “You wouldn’t know you were out in the middle of nowhere. Torches were always lit at the entrance.” Those torches were enormous gas torchères at the front gate, according to Brasell. “They were beautiful but expensive,” he recalls. “It cost about $2,000 a month to keep them lit.”

Gene Davis played golf there in the 60s and had a corporate membership in the 70s. “I was a sales manager for a company out of Birmingham and when they were developing Point Aquarius, Johnny Musso was working for the people who were putting that together,” he says. “They were selling property all around the golf course. He came to our company, and I was a golfer and was interested. With my influence, our company bought into it. It cost us $5,000 for thecorporate membership. This was probably in the early 70s, probably 1973 or 1974.”

Deese did a lot of appraisal work on some of the lots in the 80s. “Often the same lot sold more than one time,” she says. “People would go look at their lot and someone would be building on it!”

Brasell claims the original Point Aquarius was built because the developers thought Alabama would get casino gambling. “That’s why the corridors of the clubhouse were so wide and the rooms so big,” he says. “It was no secret that at one time resort owners ran junkets out of Birmingham to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Ed Salem was an investor at the resort then, and Donald Trump’s wife always wanted Salem to bring Krispy Kreme donuts on those Atlantic City junkets because there weren’t any there.” He says a lot of folks got stuck on memberships, because every time ownership would change, new owners wouldn’t honor old memberships. “We made sure the resort remained public when we were there,” he says of his and Jack Graves’s managerial days.

The very location, while rural and scenic, may have contributed to the demise of the resort, too. A Golfweek article in USA Today’s sports section on Nov. 25, 2022, said, “Although a beautiful layout in a brilliant natural setting, Alpine Bay was hard to reach even from Birmingham, with a least part of the drive on winding, two-lane roads. After barely managing to stay alive for decades, it was shuttered in 2014. But the place had a loyal following.”

NACO still owned the condos when Brasell and Graves left in 1997. “They were governed by an association,” Brasell says. “Most of the amnesties were gone near the end. People finally quit paying maintenance fees, which I’m sure ended the timeshare condos.”

Current managing partner Tony Parton says all three sets of condominiums are still on the property, but they aren’t part of the 144 acres his Alpine Group owns. “Those in East Pines, they claimed they’ve restored them, but nothing has been done in months,” he says. “This was originally 1,400 acres that stretched nearly to Logan Martin Dam and included individual lots. We own just the golf course.”

Gene Davis says he has been playing golf at Alpine off and on ever since the company he worked for had a corporate membership. “I do know Tony Parton and his wife Jan, also Percy Jennings and Ray Ferguson. I’m excited they were able to do what they did by resurrecting and salvaging that old place.” l

Porch and patio at the marina

The yacht club

Putting green and golf course

Boardwalk and trail connecting the Venue at Coosa Landing with the park and boat ramps

Coosa and Southside LANDINGS

Access to Neely Henry and so much more

Story by Paul South

Photos by Graham Hadley

Submitted photos

Unless you’re the whale-obsessed Captain Ahab, a soldier in the biblical Egyptian army chasing Moses and the Israelites, or a champagne-sipping passenger aboard the RMS Titanic, this one thing is true: On the water, there’s never a bad day.

For locals and visitors to the Coosa River towns of Southside and Gadsden, two new boat landings are making life on the river even better. And city officials see the landings as yet another economic engine countywide.

FIRST STOP: COOSA LANDING

First-term Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford had just finished lunch at Harp and Clover, when he met a Mississippi family posing for pictures outside the restaurant.

“What brings y’all to Gadsden?,” he asked. Their answer surprised him.

“This is our vacation. We love mountains and the river, and you guys have got both.”

Ford’s reaction?

“Wow. And here I’ve taken it for granted all these years.”

Coosa Landing is a cornerstone of redevelopment of Gadsden’s stretch of the river. A new landing may not seem like much but consider this: The Coosa attracts 32 fishing tournaments annually.

“To have that river, Coosa Landing is one of the biggest economic drivers we’ve got,” Ford said. “The development of Coosa Landing is kind of that center point for us as we start to develop that area around Coosa Landing. We have The Venue that’s continually being developed. We still have about 15,000 square feet of working space that’s still available.”

The Venue at Coosa Landing, a massive meeting and event center, was built in 2018, the same year that Coosa Landing opened, and regularly draws thousands of visitors for its events.

Just across the way, Coosa Landing boasts a four-lane

Playground at Southside Landing

boat launch, piers, parking for 125 trucks/boat trailers, an overflow parking area, a bait shop and the nearby Riverwalk Trail, which connects the Landing to a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings and an ideal stroll by the river.

The city hopes to add gas pumps at the Landing for boaters to refuel.

The Landing has hosted and co-sponsored national fishing tournaments on the B.A.S.S., Women’s Bass Fishing Association, Crappie USA tours and local and state tournaments.

But the Landing is part of a larger vision for Gadsden.

The city hopes to relocate City Hall and is trying to attract a boutique hotel, condominiums and more retail to the Landing side of the river. The city also envisions connecting the Gadsden Convention Center and new hotel with a pedestrian bridge.

“That would attract visitors from Coosa Landing as well,” Ford predicted. “I think once we get that type of development going, we’re actually going to be looking at trying to push more down toward across from the (Gadsden) Mall to develop behind the Arby’s there with some land that we own to build a city harbor that will bring in entertainment, bars and restaurants.

He reasons that the effort will “get people like the fishermen who come into Coosa Landing and into Gadsden to make it more of a tourist-type thing. Not only are you coming in here to fish, but we’re going to give you things to do at night while you’re not fishing.”

For Ford, the effort is “sort of a growth package” that will not only drive tourism but will grow Gadsden’s population. We think it will bring more people to live in Gadsden, because people like to live where they play,” he says. “The river is a big economic driver for us,” Ford said.

He sees the landing as a cornerstone of Gadsden’s transformation. “The people elected us to create jobs, improve the (Noccalula) Falls and develop the river,” Ford said. “Those are the things they elected us to do. And that’s the focus for the next four years at least.”

And Ford’s long-term vision for Gadsden’s stretch of the Coosa?

“At the end of the day, you’re going to see a lot more greenspace. You’re going to see the banks of the Coosa be a lot more inviting, not just for boaters, but for anyone who wants to hang out by the river.”

The city is also working with the Birmingham-based Orchestra Partners to bring development that will attract downtown shoppers toward the Coosa.

The anticipated result? “You won’t recognize the city in eight to 10 years.”

ALL ABOARD FOR SOUTHSIDE

When Mayor Dana Snyder and the city council took office in 2020, one of their top priorities was further developing Southside Landing.

In May 2022, the Landing officially opened. It was the vision of Southside’s previous mayor, Wally Burns, and had been in the works since 2016.

Mayor Snyder and the City Council embraced this vision and worked to expand on his concept by including an allinclusive park and playground, which has proven to be an important asset for the community.

Southside Landing features a boardwalk, boat launches, playground, outside dining, picnic areas and some of the most stunning scenery/views anywhere. Southside Landing

Cast net fishing at Coosa Landing

Walkways around the water at Coosa Landing

has truly been a community effort, the mayor said, noting that a significant number of local businesses and clubs have contributed to this growing success story.

“Although the original plans called for a bait shack to be located at Southside Landing, the City Council and I felt like a restaurant in that building would be a better fit for our community,” she says. “In October 2022, we were fortunate to have Blackstone Bait Shack, a popular locally-owned pizza restaurant, open for business in this location. Blackstone has provided both an economic development boost and an oasis for hungry locals and visitors.”

They provide outside dining, featuring beautiful views of the Coosa River and the surrounding landscape, and they are considering outside entertainment during the summer months. “It’s no surprise how popular Southside Landing has become,” Mayor Snyder said, “and we look forward to building on and expanding this beautiful recreational area.”

Various events have already taken place at Southside Landing with many more events in the planning stages. “In December 2020, prior to the official opening of Southside Landing, the Christmas Boat Parade was brought to our end of the Coosa River. We had over 200 vehicles parked there when it was just a gravel parking lot to enjoy the boat parade. So, it was easy to surmise that once the paving, playground and boardwalk were completed, this would be a favorite location for both our community and visitors.”

“Southside Landing has already hosted numerous fishing tournaments, Sunset Suppers, Dinner and a Movie and our annual Christmas Boat Parades with great success,” she said. “These have proven to be favorites of not only our local community but of people from outside our city and county.”

And more events are expected to come. “Outdoor recreation is not only important for tourism, but it is a huge draw for both

Boardwalk and docks at Southside

The Venue at Coosa Landing

potential residents and businesses,” Snyder said.

“Recreation is one of the number one things that makes people want to move to the city because there are things outdoors that they can do,” Snyder says. “Number two, when businesses are looking to move into a city, they also look at recreational opportunities.”

Of all of Etowah County’s incorporated cities and towns, Southside boasts the most riverfront property on the Coosa –more than 31 miles, Snyder said.

“I believe we are ‘The Loveliest Village on the Coosa,’ Snyder says. “Just the Landing fitting into our long-range plan, I believe it is the gateway to our city. I believe when people come there, they see that. When we advertise for movie nights there, our Christmas Boat Parade, the fishing tournaments, just the different events that are planned there, I just believe we are drawing people from outside the city and the county.”

She adds, “They’re going to come here. They’re going to see what we’re like. They’re going to hopefully want to come back and visit.”

To make that happen, Southside has collaborated with its neighbors – Rainbow City and the Neely Henry Lake Association – for “Dinner and a Movie” nights on the riverfront. Imagine families cuddled on blankets watching classics like Jaws, while munching on Blackstone’s pizza or food truck fare.

Food trucks also come to the Landing for popular “Sunset Suppers.”

Southside Landing is seen as the “first step” in the city’s long-range plan. Those plans include items like new gateway signs for the city to long-range objectives, like a zoning overlay for the Alabama Highway 77 Corridor. Farther into the future, officials eye the development of a city center.

There also are long-range plans for new parks and sports facilities. Other riverfront possibilities include a new recreational vehicle park.

The future looks bright in terms of future development at the Landing. Restaurant/retail spaces, perhaps even an

Boat ramps at Southside Landing

amphitheater may one day call Southside’s slice of the riverbank home. The city recently purchased the “land between the two bridges” – Little Bridge and the Coosa River span – in hopes of getting a new river bridge. If the state builds a new river bridge at the site of the current span, the parcel between the bridges could be linked to Southside Landing.

“Southside Landing is not only a valuable asset to our community, it is the gateway to our city. We see how busy it is and as word spreads and improvements are made, I believe that it will be an even greater marketing tool for our city,” said Mayor Snyder. “If you have witnessed the beauty of a sunset at Southside Landing, then you have experienced the serenity, beauty and pulse of our wonderful city.”

Snyder summed up the importance of Southside Landing to the city’s future. She views it not as the culmination of a plan, but ushering in a new era. “That’s the beginning of our story there.” l

Boardwalk at Southside Landing

Kinsley Aulsbrook of Rainbow City on the swings at Southside (Photo courtesy of her mom)

Sam Lindsey of Rainbow City on the Southside playground

Ava and Robert Ballard

Story by Scottie Vickery

Photos by Graham Hadley and Robert Ballard

When Robert and Ava Ballard couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for in a house on Logan Martin Lake, they decided to go back to the drawing board. After all, the empty nesters had already changed plans once. They originally thought that, after living in the hustle and bustle of a Birmingham suburb for years, they wanted a house in the country.

Then Ava decided that the only thing better than a view of the land was a view of the water. Their excitement turned to disappointment, however, when they couldn’t find a lake house for sale that met their needs. So, Robert, who has worked in the paper and packaging industry his whole career, took pen to paper and drew one himself.

“We couldn’t find a floor plan we liked, so I just started scratching one out,” he said. Their builder brought the drawings to life and four years later, the Ballards are still counting their blessings. “I never dreamed I would have that in my backyard,” Ava said, pointing out the window to the water glistening in the sunlight.

THE HEART OF THE HOME

Most of the “must-haves” on the couple’s list centered around the kitchen area. They’d always had a galley kitchen, so this time around they wanted an open concept so no one missed out on the fun when family and friends visited. Ava wanted granite countertops, something she’d never had, and they wanted the laundry room on the main floor, which they placed just outside the master bedroom. Factor in the view of the water and they got the kitchen of their dreams.

“We cook together a lot, and during the holidays, everyone is hanging out here,” Ava said of the large island where they love to spread an assortment of dips for their young nieces and nephews. “I love trying out new international dishes and looking for creative, flavorful recipes.”

They especially love it when their daughter, Jessica, comes home from New York City, where she is a researcher. “She likes to experiment with different recipes, too,” Ava said. “We love to pour a glass of wine, put on some music and all cook together.”

The Ballards estimate they cook dinner 70 to 80 percent of the time, enjoying leftovers and a dinner out the other

The deck is the perfect place for grilling

The house near Lincoln Harbor has the perfect view of Logan Martin Lake

evenings. “Robert leans more toward seafood, and I lean more toward red meat,” Ava said. “Growing up, we didn’t have steak a lot, and I’ve developed an intense love of steak.”

Robert loves shrimp dishes and grilled salmon, and they both love a good smoked Boston Butt. They’ve also been known to make a meal from a cheese tray or charcuterie board while enjoying the view from their deck with their dogs, Niko, a 15-year-old black Lab, and Sophie, a 10-year-old Chihuahua. “We sit on the deck almost every evening and just unwind,” Robert said. “There is nothing more relaxing.”

PEACEFUL, EASY FEELING

Although they love living on the lake, it was never really on their radar when they started thinking about making a change. They knew they wanted to get closer to family – Ava grew up in Talladega, while Robert is from Sylacauga – and after fighting traffic for years, they were looking for something more peaceful. “We talked about finding 15 or so acres in the country and just getting out,” Ava said.

One of her sisters, who has a lot of land, reminded them that there’s a lot of work involved with acreage, and that’s when Ava started thinking about Plan B. “I grew up coming to this lake,” she said. “We had an aunt who brought us up here fishing all the time. The idea just popped into my head one day, and I mentioned it to Robert.”

He was intrigued, but he said he never really

Ava shows off a piece of hand-painted wood valance from her mother’s kitchen

Ava’s mother’s rolling pin sits on top of their new stove

considered that lake life could be a possibility for them. After finding a lot in the Fish Trap area of the lake, though, things fell in place fairly quickly. “Never once have I regretted it,” Ava said. “We’ve been here four years, and we still love everything about it.”

FAMILY TIES

Their view wasn’t the only thing that changed when they moved to the lake. Robert, who works in sales, travels some and works mostly at home when he’s in town. Ava, however, worked as a special education paraprofessional in a Shelby County school for 15 years. She didn’t want to commute, so she found a new job that’s close to her heart, as well as their new home.

Raised by deaf parents, Ava works at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB), the alma mater of her parents, an aunt and a cousin. She currently serves as the administrative assistance for the vice president of instructional programs. “Sign language was her first language,” Robert said of his wife of 34 years.

Although Ava’s mother passed away before they moved to the lake, the Ballards enjoyed being closer to her father during his final years. Robert’s father has passed away, as well, but his mother and brother still live in the area, and his sister is in Chattanooga. They also enjoy spending time with Ava’s sisters, Molly and Kim, who live nearby, and their families.

Traces of family can be found all over the Ballards’ home. Robert cherishes the hall tree that belonged to his grandparents, and reminders of Ava’s mom are evident all around the kitchen, especially in the old rolling pin that rests on top of the stove.

“She used it when she made chicken and dumplings, which was one of the best things she ever made,” Ava said. “I have

The back decks give Robert a great place to capture images of sunsets and mother nature

very vivid memories of watching my mother cook. Nobody can fry chicken like my mother could.”

Ava also has her mom’s old flour sifter on a nearby side table, a candy dish that sits on the kitchen island, and a special memento from her parents’ kitchen hanging on the wall. Ava’s cousin, Jana Hadley, had painted dogwood flowers on her parents’ kitchen cabinets, as well as the wooden valance that was over the kitchen sink. When they passed away, Ava and her sisters had the valance cut into thirds, and each kept a piece.

“Family is really important to both of us,” she said, adding that many of their memories and best times are centered around food. “My parents grew up in a mill town in South Carolina, and a lot of times you had nothing to offer a friend or a visitor except a meal,” Robert added.

That’s what they continue to offer friends and family, along with a beautiful view. “We love to watch the hummingbirds, and we’ve seen two litters of squirrels get raised” in a tree that was near their deck, Robert said. “Even if it’s raining, and we can see a storm moving across the lake, it’s beautiful. The view never gets old.” l

Relaxing on the back deck with a glass of wine and their two dogs Ava and Robert visit their daughter Jessica in New York

Ava shows off her father’s old ‘tractor’ they plan to fix up as a decoration

Robert’s original hand-drawn plans

GREAT RECIPES from the BALLARDS

Blackened Shrimp & Black

Bean and Corn Salad

BLACKENED SHRIMP (from amandascookin.com)

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra large grilling shrimp peeled and deveined, tails on

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons pepper

• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Combine all seasoning ingredients and whisk together. Toss shrimp in seasoning ingredients to coat well. Heat skillet over mediumhigh heat. Cook shrimp for 3 minutes per side. Be careful not to crowd shrimp in the pan. Serve over a bed of yellow rice.

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALAD (from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil

• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1½ cups frozen corn kernels

• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• 6 green onions, thinly sliced

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Place olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Close the lid tightly and shake until dressing is well combined. Combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions and cilantro in a salad bowl. Shake dressing again, pour over salad and toss to coat.

Beef Stir Fry with Vegetables

(From rachelcooks.com)

Ingredients

Sauce:

• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

• ¼ cup dark brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Stir Fry:

• 1 pound flank or flat iron steak, cut into very thin slices against the grain

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots

• 1 small red onion, sliced vertically, or about 1 cup

• 2 cups broccoli florets

• 1 ½ cups sugar snap or snow peas

• 4 cups cooked rice

• 2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

Prepare sauce and set aside.

Combine cornstarch with salt and pepper. Toss sliced beef with cornstarch mixture and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Tilt pan and swirl to coat the sides. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until desired doneness is achieved. Remove beef from pan and place on a plate. Return pan to high heat and add the onions and carrots; stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli; stir fry for 3 more minutes. Stir in sauce mixture (stir sauce mixture well before adding), beef and any accumulated juices and snow peas; cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and peas are cooked to desired doneness. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions.

Firebirds return to CEPA

Brings back memories of hometown ‘cheerleader’

Judi Denard had a knack for putting the most unlikely elements together and creating a masterpiece. She had an uncanny ability to envision what could be and set out to make it happen.

It was little more than a year ago when she put the full force of her dynamic personality, ‘can do’ spirit and a love of music together to make history at Pell City Center for Education and Performing Arts.

Taking center stage was The Firebirds, one of Europe’s top Rock ‘n Roll bands, whose appearances were usually reserved for much larger cities. But that night belonged to Pell City, bringing the audience to its feet with ovation after ovation.

Presented by friends Frank Shikle and Ed Jones, Judi convinced them to bring the show to Pell City while they were touring in Birmingham.

Her enthusiasm for an event of this magnitude coming to what she called “our little town” could not escape notice. It was infectious. Storeowners gladly handed over merchandise to give as gifts to the band from England. She planned a reception in their honor, and her attention to detail made them feel at home even across the ocean.

She wanted to show them what Southern hospitality really is to remind them of an evening Pell Citians won’t soon forget. And she did. She became the town’s and the band’s biggest cheerleader.

The Firebirds didn’t forget either. They are returning to center stage at CEPA on May 18 at 7 p.m.

While Judi won’t have her familiar seat in the audience – she passed away from Leukemia just a few months later – the legacy she helped create is expected to excite, entertain and engage the crowd once again. Just like she would have wanted.

The Firebirds are Jim Plummer, Dan Plummer, Rich Lorriman and Paul Willmott – four first-class musicians/vocalists who re-create the complete spectrum of music from the 1950s and 1960s. Their incredible set features everything from commercial music to rockabilly, harmonized doo wop to instru-

mentals, and even some incredible original hits. The band has undertaken extensive tours both at home and abroad. To date, the band has released three singles and 12 albums.

The last five albums were recorded in their own studio and on their own label, ‘Rockville Records,’ and include a Rock ‘n Roll Special with Linda Gail Lewis, the sister of ‘The Killer,’ Jerry Lee, and two Doo Wop albums. The second album features guest vocalist Den Hegarty of ‘Darts’ fame.

Sponsored by Humana, tickets are $25 available at pellcitycepa.com/tickets l

Judi with The Firebirds

Judi, Teresa Carden and Becky Jones, wife of Ed Jones, one of the presenters

LakeFest

Returns to Pell City’s Lakeside Park on Logan Martin

It’s easy to say an event is bigger and better than ever, but organizers for Logan Martin LakeFest 2023 mean it.

When LakeFest kicks off Friday, May 12, through Sunday, May 14, at Pell City Lakeside Park, be ready for the Southeast’s largest in-water boat show featuring a host of dealers and onsite financing, row upon row of vendors, a variety of entertainment and food vendors galore.

“We’re excited,” said Eric Housh, one of the organizers of what has become a Logan Martin tradition. “Overall, this is our 13th year,” and each year seems to get better than the one it follows.

This year is no different, and there’s a reason for that. “We listen,” he said. Community feedback helps them improve on the strong foundation already in place. “We are refocusing to a full family event – fun for the whole family.”

The outdoor festival features entertainment throughout the weekend, lake lifestyle vendors and the splash pad open for the kids for free all day on Saturday.

The event moved from its normal third weekend in May, which this year makes it fall on Mother’s Day weekend. So, organizers have added a special gift for mothers on Sunday – “Mimosas for Moms” – with 1,000 Mimosas given away courtesy of United Johnson Brothers, a major LakeFest sponsor. America’s First is providing free flowers for mothers, too.

“We have had fantastic sponsors over the years,” Housh said. “They make it happen. Without them, we wouldn’t have an event, and they come back year after year” to support it.

Judging by the size of the crowds, support from

The view from the lake

LakeFest

Cooling off in Logan Martin

the community grows year after year, too. An estimated 45,000 to 50,000 attended the 2022 event.

From the beginning when the late Jerry Wood and others envisioned it, it has been LakeFest’s way of “welcoming people into our community and showing them Logan Martin Lake. We are very fortunate to have it here in our backyard,” Housh said.

Because of its sponsors, they have been able to keep the event free to the public. They even offer major giveaways and hourly door prizes as well as nearly nonstop entertainment and a fireworks show in honor of veterans.

“It was important to Jerry to honor veterans,” Housh said, and it has been a tradition since LakeFest’s inception. Veterans from Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home are hosted for the spectacular display in their honor that lights up the sky after dark Saturday.

Entertainment throughout the weekend features a family friendly version of the Velcro Pigmys as the headliners, a number of bands, and children’s television character, Blippy, will appear at this year’s LakeFest on Saturday.

Everyone who enters LakeFest has a chance to enter for major giveaways. “We’re super excited about the giveaways,” Housh said. A Seadoo will be given away by Munford Motorsports. LakeFest is giving away an ATV from Tracker Offroad, and Talladega Home Center will give away a Big Green Egg. “These are going to be really popular,” he added. That’s in addition to impressive door prizes –everything from kayaks and paddleboards to Tshirts and hats to boating accessories.

“We’re looking forward to it. We learn something every year,” Housh said. “Let us know what you think.” l

Giveaways

Boat dealers will show off this year’s latest models

with free entry include ATV, SeaDoo and Big Green Egg

You can imagine an ear-to-ear smile as Shelia Bunch recounts by telephone her first ever Alabama Fishing Show & Expo.

Held in March at The Venue at Coosa Landing, the show brought in vendors from across the Southeast with wares ranging from rods and reels to lures and lines to boats and everything else perfect for the water.

Bunch is a veteran of these shows, having presented the East Tennessee Fishing Show for the past 30 years. But the Alabama one was new.

In its Gadsden debut, it drew more than 100 vendors and a crowd attendance of over 6,500. “We ran out of space” for vendors before the show even began, which required “thinking outside the box,” she said. Tents were installed outside, making room for even more products.

“Everybody really worked together,” she said, noting that the city, her team and even the vendors joined the effort to make the inaugural show a success.

When a major storm threatened one day, vendors shared or gave away space to accommodate the move inside. “It was wonderful.”

The question she got most often throughout the weekend confirmed a success story in the making: “Are you coming back next year?” Of course, her answer was a quick, “yes.”

“It ended up being a really good thing. I was about as perfect as it possibly could go this year,” she said. “It ended up being great.”

As for next year, additional features are already under discussion, including Crappie vendors, a kids’ fishing tournament and more food vendors.

“We’re going to make it an even better event for next year for everybody,” she said. Save the date – March 8-10, 2024. l

Whopper of a success story

LakeLife 24/7 Logan Martin and Neely Henry • May & June 2023

Remember When – Remember When –Brothers 4 Motel & Big Bull

Revisiting uniquely Logan Martin lodging

Entrance to Lakefront Motel

Story by Roxann Edsall

Photos by Mackenzie Free

Contributed photos

Soon after the impounding of the Coosa River in 1964, the sparkling waters of the newly formed Logan Martin Lake started drawing in visitors from around the state and beyond. Fishermen and families looking for a respite from the rigors of the work-a-day world came in droves to enjoy some form of recreation along the water’s edge.

A young entrepreneur from Pell City recognized a need in this new lake community and set a plan in action to fill that need. Charles Abbott was already entrenched in the community as part owner of the local radio station, WFHK, now known as 94.1, The River. He sold his interest in the radio station and, with the help of his uncle, J.D. Abbott, secured a bank loan to build a motel and restaurant in Cropwell on the shores of the lake.

Being a strong family man, Charles thought it only fitting to name the new venture Brothers 4 Motel after his four boys. The sign off Highway 231 featured stacked

silhouettes of the four brothers, David, Dennis, Joe Paul and Danny. The family moved into the apartment at the end of the building, and the new motel welcomed its first guest in 1965.

Danny Abbott still has his silhouette from that sign as a memento of the family business he helped operate. A graduate of Pell City High School, Danny remembers the pros and cons of working at the business while being a student.

“My brothers and I worked hard on the grounds and often cleaning the rooms. Dad set up a schedule for each of us to work in the office when we weren’t in school,” Danny recalls. “I saw my buddies having fun at times that I couldn’t. But in those days, if you had a boat, which we did, you had friends. We had a lot of fun on the lake.” And so did their guests.

“Dad felt like people would come from Birmingham (when the lake opened), and they did,” adds Danny. “We had lawyers and doctors who would come every weekend and request the same room week after week.” The Columbia University rowing team came down one winter to practice. They’d put their sculling shells in and paddle

Iconic Big Bull neon sign

Danny Abbott with his silhouette from the original sign

Four brothers and little sister, from left, David Abbott, Dennis Abbott, Joe Paul Abbott, Danny Abbott and Jennifer Abbott Martin

Parents Charles and Maxine Abbott

to the dam and back. Danny still has the broken oar they signed and gave to his dad.

Because Charles had the foresight to have the water trenched early on for deeper water access, they were able to build docks and a beach with a swimming area. Sliding glass doors in each room looked out onto the lake and allowed each guest lake access. Several guests would leave their boats docked at Brothers 4 through the summer.

“We also had the band, Question Mark and the Mysterians, as guests one time,” Danny tells. “You remember their one big hit, ‘96 Tears’? Well, Question Mark was known for never taking off his sunglasses. I remember a day at the motel when he forgot to put them on, and his band mate had to remind him.”

When the Alabama International Motor Speedway, later named Talladega Superspeedway, opened in 1969, many more guests came to stay. The motel was filled with press staying to report on the races. Danny remembers several drivers checking in for a stay, including NASCAR legend, Tiny Lund. NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker was another frequent guest. “Buddy actually completely rebuilt his engine in the parking lot of our motel once,” Danny remembers.

The Brothers 4 Motel was also a leader when it came to telecommunications. “Our motel had the first automated phone system in the county,” says Danny. “The rooms for the motel were connected to that system so that rather than having to go through a telephone operator, we could connect a call directly

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

Proudly serving Alabama communities in Pell City, Ragland, Odenville, Branchville, Cropwell, Alpine and Vincent.

from the office.”

At meal times, many of the motel guests headed next door to the Big Bull Steakhouse Restaurant. Charles never operated the restaurant he built, but leased it to Bob Mulvehill, who later bought it, along with the motel.

Locals remember the iconic neon sign featuring a charging bull, which stood outside the restaurant for just shy of 50 years. For three years, it was operated as Chilly Williy’s Sports Grill and Bar; then in 2017 it was sold and is now Courtyard Oyster Bar and Grill.

When Charles began building the motel and named it, he didn’t know he and wife, Maxine, were about to become parents again, this time to a little girl. After their daughter, Jennifer, was born, he opened a new business on the property and named it Little Sister’s Laundry.

He’d gotten tired of paying the high prices for laundry services for the motel’s linens, so he opened his own laundry facilities. Ironically, that business soon became so popular with locals and hotel guests that he didn’t have time to do the motel linens and had to send them out again.

The success of that laundry prompted him to buy three others in Eden, Pell City, and Southside.

Cleaning and servicing those laundry facilities on top of their other chores kept the four brothers busy. Jennifer, now Jennifer

Broken oar from the Columbia Crew Team

Motel lake view at sunset

Vintage post cards from the early days

Martin, remembers going with the boys and helping empty the coins. “They’d set me up on top of the machines, and I’d dump the coins out,” she recalls. “Then I’d go home to roll the coins.”

When she wasn’t rolling coins, Jennifer remembers hanging out with the families who were visiting. “I’d try to join as many picnics as I could,” she laughs. “I loved fishing, and sometimes they’d take me fishing with them. I also remember eating ice out of the ice machines and getting in trouble for that.”

Jennifer also remembers enjoying the winter when the water was drawn down. “I loved to collect those shells at the bottom of the lake. We didn’t get to go to the beach, so I thought they were wonderful.”

Charles Abbott sold the Brothers 4 Motel and Big Bull Steakhouse Restaurant in 1972 to Bob Mulvehill, who operated it as Big Bull Motel. Since then, it has changed hands several times. The

building has remained largely unchanged and is now called Lake Front Motel.

After selling the motel, Charles kept busy with his four laundry facilities and a new antique mall he’d opened near Interstate 20. The family was stunned in 1985 when he passed away from a heart attack at 58 years old.

Their mom, Maxine, continued to run her clothing store for a number of years and lived to age 87. Two of the four brothers (Danny and Joe Paul) still live on the lake. Jennifer moved away, but recently returned.

“Perseverance was one of the greatest lessons I learned from my family and the businesses,” says Danny. For him, the lessons learned were priceless. “Watching mom and dad work together was inspirational. They never got away from it, but always worked it out.”

“Dad was a very smart guy,” says Danny. “He was very giving and did a lot for the community without making it known.” Charles Abbott served his community well as a leader and an entrepreneur.

The Brothers 4 Motel served the community well as a home away from home for some of the first visitors to Logan Martin Lake. l

Lakefront Motel as it looks today

A popular stop for the fishing crowd

Logan Martin and Neely Henry

Take 5 Community Events

May through June 2023

LakeLife 24/7 events compiled by Jackie Romine Walburn

Submit events to: Events@LakeLife247Magazine.com

MAY

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: First Friday

Who: Downtown Gadsden Inc.

When: May 5, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Where: Downtown Gadsden

Why: Promote downtown, provide entertainment, car show

What: 47th Annual Sunshine Saturday

Who: Talladega Family Life Center

When: Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Talladega Family Life Center

Why: Fun for the whole family. Food, games, prizes, pony rides, laser tag, Sparkles the Clown, a rock wall, rides and an 18-foot slide. Plus vendor area with food trucks, arts and crafts, clothing and entertainment. Vendors contact Janie Curtis at 256-589-6784 or janiegablecurtis@yahoo.com

What: Ben King as Elvis

Who: The Leeds Theater and Arts Center

When: Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.

Where: Leeds Theater and Arts Center, 8140 Parkway Drive, Leeds

Why: Tickets are $20 to see Ben King, internationally award-winning Elvis tribute act.

What: I Spy! Morse Code

Who: Berman Museum at Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Saturday, May 6, 11:30 a.m. to noon

Where: Berman Museum classroom

Why: Part of the popular children’s program I Spy!, explore new topics each month through stories, scavenger hunts and crafts, the May program is Morse Code and the Telegram, what could be called the first text messaging. Program included in museum admission and is free for members. More at www.exploreamag.org

Ben King as Elvis

What: Weekly art and farmers market in downtown Gadsden, every Sunday

Who: Gadsden Artisan and Farmers Market

When: May 7, 14, 21 and 28, noon to 5 p.m.

Where: 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, May 6, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Springville Library, 6315 US 11, Springville

Why: All writers age 18+ are invited.

What: Logan Martin LakeFest and Boat Show

Who: Logan Martin Charities

When: May 12, 2 p.m.-9 p.m.; May 13, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; May 14, Noon-5 p.m.

Where: Pell City Lakeside Park

Why: Promote Logan Martin Lake and benefit local nonprofits

What: Second Saturday

Who: Downtown Talladega

When: Saturday, May 13, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Talladega Bottling Works

Why: Music and more each Second Saturday

What: Outlaws of the Old West

Who: Berman Museum at Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Saturday, May 13, 2 p.m.

Where: Berman Museum auditorium

Why: Join us at the Berman Museum to explore the outlaws that made the American West famous. Program included with daily admission and free for members. More at exploreamag.org

What: 70th Anniversary Celebration

Who: Noccalula Falls Park and Campground

When: May 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Noccalula Falls

Why: Free park admission for the day, food vendors, demonstrations, games, giveaways Food vendors, demonstrations, games, giveaways.

Noccalula Falls 70th Anniversary Celebration

WESTOVER • SMITH LAKE • HAZEL GREEN

What: The Historic Sound of Motown, a concert by The Greg White Band

Who: Pell City Center for Education and Performing Arts (CEPA)

When: Sunday, May 14, 3 p.m.

Where: CEPA Theater, 25 Williamson Drive, Pell City

Why: Acclaimed artist Greg White faithfully recreates the dynamic performances of some of the greatest hits of one of the most important eras in America’s musical history. Presented by Humana and featuring hits from The Temptations, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and more, celebrate the classics this summer at CEPA. Tickets are $20 and are available at pellcitycepa.com/tickets.

What: Grief Support/Grief Care

Who: Alabama Hospice Care of East Alabama

When: Every third Tuesday in 2023; Tuesday, May 16, and June 20, 2 to 3 p.m.

Where: Alabama Hospice Care, PNC Bank, 7th floor, Anniston.

Why: May’s topic is Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The cost of double loss. June’s topic is Cancer: Bearing the Unbearable.

What: The Firebirds, one of Europe’s top rock ‘n roll bands

Who: Pell City Center for Education and Performing Arts (CEPA)

When: Thursday, May 18 at 7 p.m.

Where: CEPA Theater, 25 Williamson Drive, Pell City

Why: Presented by Frank Shikle & Ed Jones and sponsored by Humana, The Firebirds return to The Center for Education and Performing Arts. Tickets are $25 and are available at www. pellcitycepa.com/tickets.

What: Summer Camp for upcoming 1st through 5th graders

Who: Gadsden Museum of Art

When: Five weeks in June and July, morning and afternoon sessions

Where: 515 Broad Street, Gadsden

Why: Art camp! Registration is $100 per student. More at www.gadsdenmuseum.com

What: Buggin’ Out: Bees, Wasps and Yellow Jackets

Who: Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Saturday, May 20, 1 p.m.

Where: AMNH auditorium

Why: Learn about these stingin’ insects through

an interactive presentation and activities with a museum educator. Program included with daily admission and free for members. More at www. exploreamag.org

What: Third Thursdays in Downtown Pell City

Who: Pell City Chamber

When: Thursday, May 18, 11 a.m.

Where: Historic Downtown Pell City

Why: Look for specials, sales and fun.

What: House Plant Collective

Who: Longleaf Botanical Gardens at Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Thursday, May 18, 10 a.m.

Where: Longleaf Event Center

Why: Join Jessica Watts, owner of House Plant Collective and plant enthusiast, for house plant information and shop House Plant Collective following the program. Third Thursday programs are $5 per registrant and free for AMNH members. Pre-register online or call 256-2376766.

What: Divisional Bass Fishing Tournament, sanctioned by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society).

Who: Alabama Bass Trail tournament at Logan Martin Lake

When: Saturday, May 20. Launch at safe daylight.

Where: Logan Martin Lake, Lincoln Landing, 740 Travis Drive, Lincoln, 35090

Why: South division qualifying for the statewide championship tournament at Weiss Lake in October. More than $47,000 in prizes to be awarded at each divisional event. In addition to the Logan Martin event, qualifying in the south division includes tournaments at Lake Martin, Lay Lake, Lake Eufaula and Alabama River at Cooter’s Pond. Teams must fish in all five tournaments in their division. More at www.alabamabasstrail.org

What: Jacksonville Gospel Fest

Who: Jacksonville Community Center

When: Saturday, May 20, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Jacksonville Community Center Soccer Fields

Why: Gospel music, crafts, food trucks, games and inflatables.

Caring for the children of Pell City since 1995.

We opened as Children’s of Alabama’s first stand-alone primary care practice and the first fully pediatric practice in St. Clair County. Pell City Pediatrics serves both sick and well patients ranging from newborns to 18 years of age in a welcoming, family-like environment with doctors and staff who have worked together for over 20 years.

BASS tournament Lincoln Landing

2850 DR. JOHN HAYNES DRIVE PELL CITY, AL 35125

What: Steel City Jug Slammers concert

Who: The Leeds Theater and Arts Center

When: Friday, May 26, 7 p.m.

Where: Leeds Theater and Arts Center, 8140 Parkway Drive, Leeds

Why: Tickets are $20 to see this musical performance.

What: Classic Car Cruise-In

Who: Talladega Classic Car Club

When: Saturday, May 27, 5 to 8 p.m.

Where: Classic Toys at 515 East Battle Street, Talladega

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

What: Saturday Alive, a live animal presentation

Who: Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: Saturday, May 27, 1 p.m.

Where: Learning Lodge.

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

JUNE

What: First Friday

Who: Downtown Gadsden Inc.

When: June 2, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Where: Downtown Gadsden

Why: Promote downtown, provide entertainment, car show

What: 2023 Pell City

Hometown Block Party

Who: Pell City Chamber of Commerce

When: Saturday, June 3, 3 to 5 p.m.

Where: Historic downtown Pell City, around the St. Clair Courthouse.

Why: Enjoy free music and activities at Pell City’s Hometown Block Party, with three stages featuring live music, food, vendors, fun kid’s activities, car show and more. More at info@ pellcitychamber.com

What: Monthly support group, meeting every first Saturday

Who: Springville Library Writers’ Group

When: Saturday, June 3, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Springville Library, 6315 US 11, Springville

Why: All writers age 18+ are invited.

First Fridays in Gadsden

Pell City Block Party

What: HERPFEST, a celebration of Reptiles and Amphibians

Who: Anniston Museum of Natural History

When: All day, Saturday, June 3.

Where: AMNH

Why: More about HERPFEST at www.exploreamag.org

What: Weekly art and farmers market in downtown Gadsden, every Sunday

Who: Gadsden Artisan and Farmers Market

When: June 4, 11, 18 and 25, noon to 5 p.m.

Where: Downtown Gadsden

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

What: Finding Nemo Jr. Summer Camp and performances

Who: Leeds Arts Council

When: June 5 to June 16, 8 a.m. to noon; performances June 16-18, 7 to 9 a.m.

Where: Leeds Arts Council and Leeds Theater and Arts Center, 8140 Parkway Drive, Leeds

Why: Summer Theater Camp ends with performances by participants, directed by Josh McDaniel. Registration contact Brandi McClaran, 205-789-2120.

What: Second Saturday

Who: Downtown Talladega

When: Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Talladega Bottling Works

Why: Music and more each Second Saturday

What: Arts Camps for Kids

Who: Heritage Hall Museum

When: June 12-16, 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.

Arts Camp for Kids

What: Leeds Arts Council Summer Camp Two, beginning acting techniques and workshop

Who: Leeds Arts Theater and Arts Center

When: June 19-July 1

Where: Leeds Theater and Arts Center, 8140 Parkway Druve

Why: Taught by Anna Kate Hindman. Call 205-699-1892 or visit www.leedsartscouncil.org

What: Third Thursdays in Downtown Pell City

Who: Pell City Chamber

When: Thursday, June 18, 11 a.m.

Where: Historic Downtown Pell City

Why: Look for specials, sales and fun.

What: FLW Bama Division Phoenix Bass Tournament, at Neely Henry Lake. The tournament I part of a Bass Fishing League circuit where anglers can fish close to home with opportunities to advance to the All-American, Toyota Series Championship, even REDCREST for a shot at winning top boater awards.

Who: City of Gadsden and Major League Fishing (MLF)

When: Saturday, June 24, takeoff at 6 a.m.; weighin, 2 p.m. Priority registration by June 13; late fees apply on June 20; final registration June 23, 4 to 6 p.m.

Where: Coosa Landing, 200 Lake Street, Gadsden

Why: Bass fishing! Participants must be a MLF Premium Member to register for a tournament. Anglers can join or renew with MLF and register for tournaments at majorleaguefishing.com/ join or by calling 270.252.1000.

Each qualifying tournament offers top boater awards of up to $13,000, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus and a top Strike King coangler award of $3,000.

What: Classic Car Cruise-In

Who: Talladega Classic Car Club

When: Saturday, June 24, 5 to 8 p.m.

Where: Classic Toys at 515 East Battle Street, Talladega

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

Taste of the Lake

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

CATCHIN’ THE COOSA

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

Changing water levels change the way the fish behave

By Zeke Gossett

LOGAN MARTIN

Logan Martin’s water levels will be changing during the months of May and June, and in turn, the patterns of bass will changing during these months as well.

Early in the month of May, you can still see bass on beds and also catch fish out deep. Typically, in May, bass will be very spread out and in very different phases of the spawn. However, for the majority of the time in May, your better fish are still going to be shallow.

The water on Logan Martin just started to rise and get to summer pool. Typically the fish will follow this water up and stay shallow during May.

There are a couple key baits I like to use in order to catch fish while they’re in their post spawn funk. The first bait I’m going to reach for early, especially in the morning, is a swim jig. What I like about the swim jig is that it is very versatile. This bait is great around almost any kind of shallow structure, such as docks, trees, and grass. The swim jig allows me to cover water fast and efficiently in order to capitalize on the daylight bite.

Once the sun finally starts to get up, I’ll start casting to isolated structure with a wacky rigged worm. This is a great way to just get bites and get those post spawn fish to bite. I usually target really shallow docks with this bait, along with casting to what bedding fish might be left.

Once we start getting into the month of June, the water temperatures will begin to rise, and the shallows will begin to slowly lose oxygen especially if there is lack of rain. The fish will start schooling up on the end of long points and humps anywhere from 10 to 20 feet of water.

I also like to target brush piles in this depth as well. My favorite bait to target these fish are a deep diving crankbait and drop shot rig.

Some of the biggest offshore fish I catch all year will come on the crank bait most of the time. The crankbait is an awesome way to really fire up a school of bass and get more fish to bite in the school.

The drop shot seems to excel a lot more in brush piles because it is more of a reaction type bite if you drop it right in the brush pile. I feel like the drop shot is always my best chance to get bit in the brush pile no matter what size of fish might be in the pile. These fish are typically more lethargic since they’re usually pretty beaten up from the spawn.

Give these techniques a try, and you will find success during these months on Logan Martin.

NEELY HENRY

Neely Henry is a shallow fisherman’s paradise during the months of May and June. On top of that, a few deep fish will start showing up as well.

Typically during these months, you will still catch your better fish shallow. I love to fish around shallow grass in the mid-lake region with a swim jig and frog. I typically keep my eyes peeled for bream beds as well.

Also, another great way to catch fish on Neely Henry is super shallow docks. When I say shallow docks, I’m talking any docks with five feet deep or less of water.

I let the weather tell me what I need to throw around them. If it’s in and out clouds typically I like to throw more of a moving bait like a bladed jig or squarebill crankbait. If it’s slick calm and sunny I’ll usually pick up some type of Texas rigged worm and drag it on the bottom around the docks.

Now, moving into the month of June, some fish will make their move out to deeper water. Most of the time on Neely, I’ll find fish in that mid-range depth around the 10 to 15-foot mark. You will most of the time find these fish off the end of long points or in brush piles. I will use my electronics in order to find these fish as well.

I will keep my bait selection simple if I’m wanting to figure out fast if the fish are doing this pattern. One of my favorite baits to pick up first is a football jig. The football jig is a very versatile bait for offshore angling. I like to either keep it close to the bottom or if I’m wanting to cover water fast, I’ll just swim it close to the bottom. Another great option if things are tough is a drop shot. A drop shot will produce bites when nothing else will.

Keep an open mind this time of year and don’t be afraid to try something new. It might surprise you how good the fish can really bite on Neely Henry even when the fish might be in in their post spawn funk.

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.