Falkville inaugural Christmas Parade Page A8
Priceville, Danville in new classifications Page B1
Hometown newspaper of Mitchell Hughes - since 1933
Hartselle Enquirer
50 CENTS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023
VOLUME 90, NO. 52
Moore leaves Hartselle for 7A Opelika
By Russell Frye For the Enquirer Hartselle’s head football coach Bryan Moore has been announced as the new head coach at Opelika High School. Moore resigned from Hartselle this past Tuesday. “Hartselle will always be a special place for my family and me,” Moore said. “The people and community are incredible and they were nothing short of wonderful to us. We are sad to leave such an unbelievable place but feel that we have certainly left the program in a great spot with another awesome team
coming back. We are excited about a new opportunity but will miss Hartselle.” Moore leaves Hartselle after compiling a 38-9 record. He led the Tigers to the playoffs in each of his four seasons, including a trip to the quarterfinals in 2022. He won two region championships with the Tigers. He started his coaching career at Opelika, coaching ninth-grade football in 2007. He joined the varsity staff in 2009 and served as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2011-14 before leaving to take his first head coaching position at Eufaula.
“We want to Thank Bryan Moore for his time here at Hartselle High School,” Hartselle assistant principal and athletic director Jake Miles said. “We wish him all the best at Opelika.” Hartselle has begun the search for their new head coach. The next hire will be Hartselle’s third head coach since Bob Godsey left following the 2018 season. “We feel we are in good shape moving forward,” Miles said. “We have a tremendous coaching staff currently in place that will lead our team through the transition. We have a school that will attract the very best.”
ENQUIRER PHOTO BY MARIANN PARKER
Former Hartselle football head coach Bryan Moore.
Windows Wonderland winners announced Special to the Enquirer
In a dazzling display of festive spirit, the Downtown Hartselle Business League recently treated locals and visitors alike to the enchanting “Windows Wonderland,” a holiday spectacle sponsored by Davidson Homes, River City Mom and State Farm. The competition, which saw storefronts decked out in festive finery, drew attention from all corners of the community. A panel of judges presided over the event, bringing their expertise and discerning eyes to select the
top participants. Taking home the coveted first place was Edward Jones. Mercantile on Main claimed a well-deserved second place, while the third spot went to Whinny Wisdom. Not to be overshadowed, Greco Fiore Designs (GF) and Main Street Bakery earned honorable mentions for their windowscapes. The panel of judges this year included Judge David Breland from the Morgan County Board of Tourism, Lilly Warner representing the Mountain Lakes Association and Malea Hames.
COURTESY PHOTO
The Peebles family home in Hartselle has a Mickey Mouse-themed light display.
By Wes Tomlinson For the Enquirer
• James Robert Peck • Brenda Crow • Kathie Murphy Taylor
For full obituaries, see page A-2
• Billie Irene Hembree • Linda Lee Borden • Hazel Olene Chriss • Steve Kaiser • Aclin ‘Mac’ Maxwell • Roger Del Ward • Irene Dobbs Newman • Jerry Morris Bryant
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Hugh and Melanie Greene discuss some of the features of their holiday light show on Thursday evening at their Somerville home. The display has 30,000 lights. “I remember the first year, we added a techno remix of Jingle Bells,” Hugh said. “We like to add music that has a lot going on in it to make the lights really dance.” Hugh designs the light shows on his laptop using Light-O-Rama software and incorporates the music into the software as well. “We break down the music, which takes hours,” Hugh said. “Just breaking it down is like two hours per minute of song. During that process, we set timing marks on songs to make the lights move and dance.” Melanie said they start setting up the lights and props on Nov. 1, but the planning of every light show comes way before that. “I’m at Walmart the day after Christ-
mas at 6 a.m. looking for Christmas lights on sale,” Melanie said. The Greenes add a new song to their light display every year and this year they have chosen “Feliz Navidad” and the Mariah Carey classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” “We chose Feliz Navidad because I want our music to be inclusive so everyone in the community can enjoy it,” Hugh said. “And Mariah Carey’s song, it’s one of the most iconic songs people joke about every year.” Melanie said they are using 30,000 lights this year. “I can officially say we’re using more lights than the Griswold family,” Melanie said, referring to the 1989 film See LIGHTS, page 8
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Obituaries
When Hugh Greene Jr. and his wife Melanie built their first Christmas light display at their Somerville home 10 years ago, a visitor thanked them for brightening her holiday spirit. That, Melanie said, is what their tradition is all about. “She left a note in our suggestions box saying, ‘Thank you, I was having a blue Christmas,’” Melanie said. “(Hugh) really was, too, and I realized that’s why we need to keep doing this.” The Greene family property is full of Christmas characters that light up every night and sing and dance to music, such as a dancing snowman and a quartet of classic Christmas characters singing. The lights and characters extend to Hugh’s mother’s and brother’s properties next door, the blue, red, green and gold lights visible from Alabama 67. Hugh, an electrical engineer, first developed the concept to show off his artistry and construction skills. He laughs when he remembers the first prototype snowman he built. “The snowman was held up by ropes between two big pine trees,” Hugh said. “And he was built out of hula hoops,” Melanie added. Hugh modified the snowman this year and built a steel frame out of 3-inch angle iron and crafted four different faces out of PVC pipes on the frame: a nutcracker, Santa, an elf, and the gingerbread man. “Their mouths sing along with the music,” Melanie said. From 5 p.m. to midnight, visitors can witness 30 minutes of characters dancing to the beat of eight Christmas songs. The family adds a new song every year, featuring diverse music from many different artists.