Lagniappe: January 17 - January 23, 2018 by Lagniappe

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WEEKLY

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LAGNIAPPE

J A N U A RY 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 - J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 8 | w w w. l a g n i a p p e m o b i l e . c o m ASHLEY TRICE Co-publisher/Editor atrice@lagniappemobile.com

ROB HOLBERT Co-publisher/Managing Editor rholbert@lagniappemobile.com GABRIEL TYNES Assistant Managing Editor gabe@lagniappemobile.com DALE LIESCH Reporter dale@lagniappemobile.com JASON JOHNSON Reporter jason@lagniappemobile.com KEVIN LEE Associate Editor/Arts Editor klee@lagniappemobile.com

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BAY BRIEFS

Mobile’s Solid Waste Disposal Authority is suing the city over a contract signed with Waste Management without their consultation.

COMMENTARY

Legislating away life’s little annoyances.

BUSINESS

Toomey’s Mardi Gras is celebrating its 40th year of supplying area parading organizations.

CUISINE

Fairhope Brewing Co. celebrates its fifth anniversary with special brews, bands and a Star Wars theme.

ANDY MACDONALD Cuisine Editor fatmansqueeze@comcast.net STEPHEN CENTANNI Music Editor scentanni@lagniappemobile.com

STEPHANIE POE Copy Editor copy@lagniappemobile.com DANIEL ANDERSON Chief Photographer dan@danandersonphoto.com LAURA RASMUSSEN Art Director www.laurarasmussen.com BROOKE O’DONNELL Advertising Sales Executive brooke@lagniappemobile.com

COVER

Parishioners are angry over archbishop’s decision to close St. Joseph Catholic Church.

BETH WILLIAMS Advertising Sales Executive bwilliams@lagniappemobile.com ALEEN MOMBERGER Advertising Sales Executive aleen@lagniappemobile.com DAVID GRAYSON Advertising Sales Executive david@lagniappemobile.com MELISSA EDGE Editorial Assistant events@lagniappemobile.com ROSS PRITCHARD Distribution Manager delivery@lagniappemobile.com

ARTS

The Mobile Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming performance of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” also includes pieces by Astor Piazzolla and Osvaldo Golijov.

MUSIC

Singer-songwriter Eric Erdman prepares to release his latest album, “It’s Not Like You Don’t Know Me.”

JACKIE CRUTHIRDS Office Manager jackie@lagniappemobile.com CONTRIBUTORS: Brenda Bolton, J. Mark Bryant, Asia Frey, Brian Holbert, Randy Kennedy, John Mullen, Ron Sivak , Tom Ward

ON THE COVER: ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH BY DAN ANDERSON

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Editorial, advertising and production offices are located at 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36604. Mailing address is P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: 251.450.4466 Fax 251.450.4498. Email: ashleytoland@lagniappemobile.com or rholbert@lagniappemobile.com LAGNIAPPE is printed at Walton Press. All letters sent to Lagniappe are considered to be intended for publication. Member: Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and Alternative Weeklies Network All rights reserved. Something Extra Publishing, Inc. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or in any way reproduced without the expressed permission of the publishers. Individuals may take one copy of the paper free of charge from area businesses, racks or boxes. After that, papers are $3 per issue. Removal of more than one copy from these points constitutes theft. Violators are subject to prosecution.

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A lightweight David Bowie documentary from HBO fails to engage meaningfully with rich material, but remains an adequate overview of a singularly fascinating period in the artist’s life.

SPORTS

The University of South Alabama will honor basketball alumni Jeff Hodge and Junie Lewis, known as “Peanut Butter and Jelly.”

GARDENING

A trip to the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show in London.

STYLE

Mardi Gras gets underway in Mobile and Dauphin Island.

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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

‘Operation Winter Storm’ MPD DRUG RAID RESULTS IN 11 ARRESTS, OFFICER INJURY BY JASON JOHNSON

was shot on Jan. 12, but it was only one of six locations raided as part of “Operation Winter Storm.” The execution of those search warrants was the culmination of a months-long narcotics investigation of several suspected drug dealers. “Our intent was to execute search warrants in places where we had previously made controlled purchases,” Battiste told reporters Friday. “We made 11 arrests, and of those, three individuals were targets of the investigation. The arrests represent 16 felony and 17 misdemeanor charges.” Most of the charges were related to drug possession, primarily of crack cocaine; details of those arrests can be viewed at lagniappemobile.com. However, the three individuals specifically targeted by MPD were each arrested on felony drug distribution charges. Fredrico Ramon Pierce, 24, was charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance, while Tarayll Jamal Mosley, 31, was charged with five counts and 63-yearold Larry Lorenzo Hunt with four. With the exception of Hunt, all have previous charges for drug distribution. In addition to the suspects, the setting of the operation was familiar to MPD. Divided by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and named after a Civil War military encampment, the Campground is a historically African-American neighborhood that’s been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005. In recent years, though, MPD has repeatedly targeted criminal activity in the neighborhood. In 2015, police concluded an extensive narcotics investigation by raiding eight locations in the area, including a notorious house on State Street that police described as an

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Photo | Mobile Metro Jail

Mobile Police officer sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound fending off an alleged pitbull attack that occurred during a series of drug raids last week targeting an area of Mobile that’s no stranger to narcotics investigations. Because of the undercover nature of his work, the wounded officer has not been identified, but police say he was executing a search warrant at a home near Live Oak and St. Madar streets in Mobile’s Campground community when the incident occured. According to Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste, the officer was attacked by a group of pit bulls believed to belong to the homeowner and “fired multiple rounds” at the dogs — striking and killing one with a bullet that passed through the dog before striking the officer’s lower leg. Battiste said the officer was treated at a local hospital and released the same day, adding that the other dogs at the home at the time the warrant was executed were taken by animal control. At a subsequent press conference, Battiste said the department would be investigating whether the officer involved followed proper procedure before discharging his weapon, though he did say “the officer felt like his life was threatened” by the dogs. Though the circumstances were different, another MPD officer, Kevin Kelly, was remanded to 40 hours of remedial training and “close supervision” in 2014 after he was found to have not followed proper procedure when he shot two dogs, killing one. While searching for a suspect, Kelly entered a yard the dogs were in and opened fire when they approached him, barking. No arrests were made at the residence where the dog

Fredrico Ramon Pierce, top left, Tarayll Jamal Mosley, bottom left and Larry Lorenzo Hunt, right, were each charged with distributing a controlled substance on Jan. 12 following a lengthy narcotics investigation in Mobile. “open-air drug market.” A year later, police arrested nine individuals in a prostitution sting in the same area. The Campground was also the location where MPD first tested its “Second Chance OR Else” (SCORE) program, which allowed drug offenders to avoid prosecution by opting instead to attend drug addiction and job skills counseling and programs for young fathers. Speaking to those and other initiatives, Battiste said there is still work to do in the Campground, starting with the suspected drug dealers MPD was unable to apprehend in last week’s operation. However, he said that is work the department is committed to doing. “We will continue to be diligent and try to pick up those individuals that we’ve identified as part of these drug distribution cases,” he said. “We’ll keep doing everything that we can to eliminate or eradicate the drug activity from the area of the Campground and the Bottoms.”

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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

Disposal woes TRASH AUTHORITY SUES CITY OVER DEBRIS CONTRACT BY DALE LIESCH

Photo | Lagniappe

Mobile’s Solid Waste Disposal Authority argues it wasn’t a party to the city’s agreement with Waste Management, although the authority “owns” all the waste generated in the city.

he Solid Waste Disposal Authority is suing the city of Mobile over an agreement the city made with Waste Management late last year. As part of the agreement, the city will pay Waste Management Mobile Bay Environmental Center,

the operator of the city-owned Chastang Landfill, lump sums of $250,000 and $126,000 for lost profits and reimbursements, respectively, as well as monthly payments of $2.40 per cubic yard of construction and demolition waste, or trash diverted from the landfill.

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WM won a 2016 lawsuit filed in United States District Court against the Solid Waste Disposal Authority (SWDA) on the grounds the agency breached a 1994 contract between the city and WM’s predecessor, Transamerican. Among other things, the lawsuit claimed lost profits for WM from the city’s use of Dirt, Inc. as the landfill for yard trash. In January 2017, WM had sought an injunction to get the city to stop using Dirt, Inc. and instead send yard debris to the Chastang landfill. Tipping fees from the landfill go to WM. The city continued using Dirt, Inc. to save money and on Dec. 22, 2017, entered into an agreement with WM to avoid any legal ramifications. The same day, the SWDA filed suit against the city. At issue for the SWDA, Chairman Pete Riehm said, is that neither the authority nor the City Council were included in the decision to settle. The entire waste stream, Riehm said, belongs to the SWDA. “We’re not saying we’re opposed to sending the [construction and demolition] waste to Dirt, Inc.,” he said. “We’re opposed to the arrangement and how it came about. We have to be involved.” In fact, Riehm did acknowledge that the city would actually save money using Dirt, Inc. For one, he said, Chastang is meant to take household garbage, meaning it’s designed with a different set of safeguards. Dirt, Inc., on the other hand, is designed to take yard debris and other similar waste. Riehm estimated it costs the city roughly $10 per cubic yard to dispose of the debris at Dirt, Inc. He said the tipping fees for the same amount of debris at Chastang would amount to nearly $40. Even adding the fee of $2.40 per ton, Riehm said, the city would save money. However, Riehm argues WM never really wanted the yard debris to begin with and thus questioned paying them to divert it. He said WM used the yard debris diversion as leverage after they decided to sue the SWDA. “We flat said there was no way we were going to sign up to pay them in perpetuity when they didn’t want it in the beginning,” he said. “That’s a huge amount of money going over there over a crappy 1994 contract.” Riehm called the agreement an “undue burden” on Mobile citizens. “The burden on the city and its citizens is onerous,” he said. “It’s $400,000 or $500,000 per year, potentially. That’s in addition to the 25 percent higher disposal rate the city already deals with than comparable cities,” Riehm said. In the suit, the SWDA argued an agreement of that size should have been approved by the City Council and questions how it wasn’t. City Attorney Ricardo Woods declined to comment on the lawsuit, except to say the city would fight it in the best interest of residents. He said the city would be filing an answer soon.

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY

All access MOBILE COUNTY ADA UPGRADES COULD COST MILLIONS BY JASON JOHNSON

t’s been 28 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed by Congress, and while it has helped improve access and working conditions for millions, complying with the law can be expensive, not only for businesses but for local governments as well. In the last fiscal year, the Mobile County Commission has put more than $1 million into projects and evaluations aimed at bringing its sidewalks, walkways and public buildings into compliance with the federal law. Over the next few years, those costs are expected to increase. “In July 2016, the commission committed to achieving ADA compliance in all county-owned facilities, rights of ways and the provision of services as a countywide priority,” Commissioner Connie Hudson said. “We pledged to budget $500,000 a year to accomplish necessary improvements.” As part of that commitment, the county created an ADA transition plan in 2016 that, according to Katherine Eddy, the commission’s director of public affairs, “spells out the county’s intent to achieve ADA compliance through specific projects, such as curb ramps and sidewalks and in the normal ongoing work the county performs.” In 2016, 519 curb ramps throughout the county were identified as needing replacement in order to comply with the ADA — the majority in more rural areas. The county has since awarded a $248,756 contract to Sunset Contracting Inc. to install ADA-compliant curb ramps in various locations. Today, there are still 105 curb ramps in need of replacement along county right-of-ways and subdivisions. For municipalities, the key component of the ADA is Title II. According to the county’s transition plan, it “requires state and local governments, including counties, to make their programs and activities accessible to individuals

with disabilities.” As mentioned above, the commission spent $1.032 million on ADA projects aimed at ensuring that access — mostly on compliance upgrades at the Strickland Youth Center. In FY 2018, more than $5.5 million is slated for projects with “specific ADA components” and the commission also listed compliance upgrades as one of the “major capital improvement projects” it will pay for with $24.5 million the county borrowed in 2017. Complying with the ADA is expected to increase the cost of planned renovations at the county’s Jon Archer Center as well as the construction of its new Community Corrections Center. It can be difficult to pin down the exact cost for the ADA components in those construction and renovation projects because most are priced by their total cost and don’t single out the expenses associated with ADA requirements. Eddy said ADA-compliant parking and “path of travel accommodations” will be included in drainage and paving work planned for the Eight Mile shopping complex and the Bayou La Batre Community Center next year, which are projected to cost $500,000 and $340,000, respectively. Commission President Merceria Ludgood said pushing for ADA compliance throughout Mobile County was “the right thing to do.” “There is more work to be done and we are continuing to approach it in an aggressive manner,” she added.

Effect on business

In recent years, several businesses in the Mobile area and across the country have been hit with an increasing number of ADA access lawsuits over specific violations of the 1990 law. Many times those are brought by private citizens denied

access to a business because of a disability, but civil action can also come from the federal government itself. Those complaints often cite issues that may include a lack of handrails or handicap-accessible parking, but also less obvious violations such as the height of soap dispensers and dining tables, or doorway widths that can’t accommodate some wheelchair sizes. In recent years, though, there has been concern over what some have described as “ADA lawsuit abuse” as some attorneys have made it a routine practice to file dozens of complaints on behalf of a single client. While the ADA doesn’t allow plaintiffs to seek monetary damages, the owners of businesses sued under the law can end up covering the attorney fees of both sides in addition to paying for the required upgrades at their establishment. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, the number of ADA access lawsuits in the United States saw a 63 percent increase in 2015, and of the 4,700 such lawsuits filed that year more than 1,400 originated from the same eight plaintiffs. Kellie Hope, vice president of community and governmental affairs for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, said a number of ADA complaints have been filed against businesses in the Mobile area over the past few years. As a response, she said, one of the items on the chamber’s federal and state legislative agenda this year is to push for clearer rules on identifying and correcting ADA access violations and establishing a window of time for businesses to correct small violations before a civil lawsuit moves forward. “We’re not against ADA at all, we just want there to be clear rules that allow time so our member businesses can address any issues that may exist because, being a historic city with old buildings, there’s going to be some retrofitting that’s necessary,” Hope said. “We want those business to be able to reinvest those funds in our city and not spend them defending lawsuits.” Jim Flora, an outreach specialist with the Independent Living Center of Mobile, told Lagniappe the ADA was never intended to be “a burden on businesses, but to have them make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.” Currently, Congress is considering the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017, which among other things, would prohibit access lawsuits from moving forward until the aggrieved party had filed a written complaint with the non compliant business and waited for a period of time. Flora said he’s aware some have been “scamming the system” to make money off ADA complaints, but feels that diluting the ADA shouldn’t be the way to address it. “We certainly need to deal with that, but I don’t think that backing up the ADA would be the way to do it,” he said. “The ADA has been around since 1990. That’s a long time, and lot of people in the disability community feel like people have had enough time already.”

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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

‘Money grab’ CITY COUNCIL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST PROPOSED SALES TAX LEGISLATION

BY DALE LIESCH

city’s tax collection on internet sales for retailhe Mobile City Council on Tuesday ers with a nexus in the municipality by roughly approved a resolution in opposition to 3 percent. proposed state legislation top officials In other business, the council voted unaniare calling a “money grab” that could hurt city coffers hard to the tune of $11 million. mously to affirm an appeal of a Tree CommisThe legislation, known as SB130, would pig- sion decision to deny permits to remove 27 gyback on a 2015 law establishing a Simplified trees in the right-of-way along Bit and Spur Road for a forthcoming sidewalk project. Sellers Use Tax, or SSUT. The SSUT allows Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s office brought the online retailers that do not have a nexus in the state, or brick-and-mortar locations, to opt in to appeal to council after the Tree Commission denied the permits despite the mayor’s certificapay a reduced sales tax rate. tion of the removal. By state law, if Mobile’s Assistant City Attorney Florence Kessler mayor certifies a tree’s removal for either public said retailers such as Amazon that opt into the safety reasons or for efficiencies in service, the program would voluntarily pay 8 percent sales tax. Of that, 4 percent would go to the state and Tree Commission must approve the permit. In this case, the commission did not approve the other half would be split among the city and the permit, despite Stimpson’s certification, county based upon population. It sweetens the deal for the state, Kessler said, which is what brought about the appeal, city Attorney Ricardo Woods told councilors Tuesday. as the funds from the tax go directly into the “We’re here today because someone either general fund instead of the education trust fund. did not understand the law, or refused to follow If the proposed legislation goes into effect, the law as it is written,” he said. retailers with an online presence and physical Attorney Brian Thames, secretary of the Vilretail locations would be allowed to opt in for the SSUT for all of their internet sales, Kessler said. lage of Spring Hill, said the tree removal was necessary to allow for the sidewalk installation The change would cost the city at least $11 million in tax revenue per year, based on 2016 projecTHE LEGISLATION, KNOWN AS SB130, tions, Executive Director of Finance Paul Wesch told WOULD PIGGYBACK ON A 2015 LAW councilors Tuesday during a ESTABLISHING A SIMPLIFIED SELLERS USE TAX, pre-conference meeting. “We’re already losing OR SSUT. THE SSUT ALLOWS ONLINE RETAILERS $3 million to $5 million per THAT DO NOT HAVE A NEXUS IN THE STATE, OR year from Amazon [due to the SSUT],” Wesch said. “It BRICK-AND-MORTAR LOCATIONS, TO OPT IN TO is pretty devastating when PAY A REDUCED SALES TAX RATE. you look at the numbers.” To complicate matters, Kessler said the city had already been looking along Bit and Spur Road. The city applied for into forcing Amazon to pay the full 5 percent grants on behalf of the village and the village city sales tax on items purchased online, given organization raised the money for a 20 percent that Mobile has an Amazon-owned Whole match of the grant. Foods within its jurisdiction. By allowing all “This whole deal really relates to a sidewalk online retailers to opt out of their internet sales, project,” Thames told councilors. “In order to the city obviously misses out on that too. complete the project, a number of trees have to Additionally, Wesch said the legislation be removed.” would give big stores such as Wal-Mart and A majority of the trees in question were Target a 2 percent advantage over local retailwater oaks, Bradford pears, pine trees and ers, who would be subject to the entire 10 others. Among the group are two live oaks, percent sales tax. Thames said. Of the live oaks in question, one Councilors discussed doing more than just a is diseased and one is stunted due to its proximresolution that would notify legislators of their ity to a wall. displeasure. Councilman John Williams said city Tree Commissioner Jesse McDaniel told councilors need to meet with lawmakers face to councilors that the board appointed by the council face in order to help get their point across. He would’ve probably approved the request based on warned that failure to do so could cost the city its the project’s merits if Stimpson hadn’t attempted popular capital improvement program. to circumvent them with the certification. “We need to be on the phone and meet in “It’s my belief that the law does not intend person with these folks,” WIlliams said. “We to allow the mayor to abuse his public safety need to do all we can. The CIP goes away if this authority … on a routine vote of the Tree Comhappens.” mission,” McDaniel said. Councilwoman Gina Gregory asked Wesch Commissioner William Rooks said he felt a and other city officials why they thought the breakdown in communication was to blame for state would even consider passing such a bill. the denial. He said no one from the Village of She asked if it was simply a “money grab.” Spring Hill or the mayor’s office was in atten“Yes, it is,” Wesch said. dance to explain what the plans were. In most cases, Wesch said the proposal Woods argued that planner Bert Hoffman would benefit the state because it would be and urban forester Peter Toler were both in available for the general fund and benefit coun- attendance at the meeting in question. He ties, as it would provide a tax rate of 2 percent added that supporting documentation was also instead of 1 percent or 1.5 percent. included for the commission’s review. Conversely, Kessler said it would cut the

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BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

‘Didn’t do their job’

WARDEN: SECURITY OVERSIGHT LED TO JAILHOUSE STABBING BY JASON JOHNSON

Photo | Lagniappe

A knife being sneaked into Mobile Metro Jail resulted in injuries to two inmates last week.

wo inmates housed in the Mobile County Metro jail were stabbed during an altercation Jan. 11, apparently with a knife one of them was able to hide while being taken into custody. The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department responded to the jail after receiving reports of multiple stabbings shortly after 9 a.m. No officers were involved or injured, but two inmates were wounded when one produced a knife during an altercation inside the jail. Those inmates were later identified as 40-year-old Joshua Sherman Brown, who instigated the conflict with a knife he sneaked into the jail, and 23-year-old Joshua Dickinson, who suffered multiple lacerations and stab wounds to the face, neck and shoulder area. Brown also sustained lacerations during the altercation, and, like Dickson, was transported to a local hospital for treatment; he has since been released. Adding to his burglary charges, Brown now faces charges for first-degree assault and promoting prison contraband. Warden Trey Oliver said the incident occurred in one of the jail’s “wedges,” which house up to eight inmates in segregated cells or in an open common area. He also said Brown had been disruptive when he arrived at the jail several hours before he turned a knife on Dickinson. As of Jan. 16, police were still investigating exactly how a knife got into the jail. Downplaying concerns about jail security, Oliver has already said it is believed to have been caused by an oversight on the part of one of the jail employees who processed Brown into custody that evening. “Our security procedures are fine. Apparently, a few people didn’t do their job,” he said. “When you book between 15,000 to 18,000 people a year, you’re not going to get it right 100 percent of the time, and when you don’t, something like a knife or a gun can slip through.” Oliver said proper protocol for corrections

officers is to “strip search” inmates as they’re processed into the jail, which is typically overseen by two or three officers. It’s unclear whether that occured when Brown arrived, although police have been said to be reviewing security footage. Part of the investigation will be determining what exactly went wrong during the intake, though Oliver noted there was a high volume of arrests that day. Jail records indicate 87 new inmates had been processed into the facility over the preceding 48 hours, many of whom were quickly processed out. Just under a dozen appear to have been booked around the same time as the inmate who is believed to have had the knife. “Sometimes, inmates kept here are mingled with arrestees who are just waiting on someone to come get them out of jail, and all that transpires in our docket area, which can quickly become overcrowded,” Oliver said. “It’s inadequate at the size that it is now. The [Mobile] County Commission is aware of that and plans are currently underway to expand it.” The plans Oliver mentioned include $15 million of upgrades the commission agreed to fund as part of a larger capital improvement plan it passed in early December. Oliver said expanding the docket room and prisoner intake area would free up space and allow corrections officers to separate inmates as they’re being photographed, fingerprinted and DNA tested. “If you get 9 or 10 people coming in at one time, it can create some confusion and some tight working spaces,” Oliver said. “Unfortunately, sometimes things like this happen. People don’t always do what they’re supposed to do.” While Oliver said the staff at Metro was taking the incident seriously, he noted there hasn’t been a similar incident at the jail since Mobile Police Officer Steven Green was stabbed to death in the sally port after transporting robbery suspect Lawrence Wallace Jr. there in 2012.

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BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Mega miss BALDWIN COUNTY FINISHES SECOND IN BID TO LAND TOYOTA-MAZDA PLANT BY JOHN MULLEN

“At the end of the day the proximity to the existing automotive supply chain and Toyota’s existing supply chain eliminated us,” Lawson said. “We can’t change our geography.” The 3,009-acre Baldwin site was first designated in July 2011. It is considered shovel-ready because all utilities are already in place, it is adjacent to a major interstate highway and it has mainline CSX rail service. The site is owned by the county, which purchased it in 2012 at a cost of $32 million. Lawson believes the exposure the Baldwin County site received during the competition to land the new facility will pay off in the future and, hopefully,

HUNTSVILLE AND SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PITCHED IN WITH TAX INCENTIVES OF $800 MILLION TO $900 MILLION TO LAND THE TOYOTA-MAZDA PLANT. THE SITE SELECTED WAS FIRST CONSIDERED FOR A VOLKSWAGEN PLANT ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, BUT LOST OUT TO A CHATTANOOGA-AREA SITE.” Photo | Courtesy Baldwin EDA

The South Alabama Mega Site includes more than 3,000 acres with a mile of frontage on Interstate 65, plus access to a railway and four-lane highway.

erhaps it’s not the best way to eliminate the competition, but Lee Lawson of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance says the South Alabama Mega Site is the only one left in the state. All the others have landed businesses. “We’re now the only certified mega site in the entire state of Alabama and we sit ready for the next opportunity,” Lawson said. But the process of elimination meant a Limestone County mega site near Huntsville is now off the board, taken last week by Toyota and Mazda’s $1.6 billion

manufacturing plant. Baldwin County, Lawson said, was runner up yet again in trying to land a business for its north Baldwin site. “We were in the running and we competed for it up until about a couple of months ago, when we were eliminated,” Lawson said. “It doesn’t make being eliminated any easier because those types of projects don’t come around very often and when you’re able to compete for them and be considered for them you want to win.” Elimination in this latest effort for the mega site, Lawson said, was due mainly to location.

the near future. “I felt like with the feedback we got from the company and the consultant, we got a verification that our site is a really great site,” he said. “Our community and the workforce component are there. I feel good about it and we’ve been a finalist on several big projects and feel like we’re there. And we’re ready. We’ve got some we’re currently pursuing right now and hope to have our success sooner rather than later.” Contacts made during the selection process, Lawson believes, will eventually lead to a client at Baldwin’s mega site. “Our time is coming,” he said. “You want to compete with the best and you want to be there at the end of the day against the best communities and the best sites, and we are. I feel validated and good about our position as it relates to the opportunities we’ve seen and how deep in the competitions we’ve gone.” Huntsville and several other local governments pitched in with tax incentives of $800 million to $900 million to land the Toyota-Mazda plant. The site selected was first considered for a Volkswagen plant about 10 years ago, but lost out to a Chattanooga-area site. “It’s that exact site,” Lawson said. “They’ve been working for almost 11 years on that site and we’ve only been working for about four on ours when we’ve had it totally under control and been marketing it. Hopefully, we’re not waiting 10 for our opportunity to finalize, but these are long-term plays.”

BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Let’s have a consult GULF SHORES HIRES LAST MEMBER OF SCHOOL NEGOTIATION TEAM BY JOHN MULLEN

aving no money to spend is just one of the challenges ahead for the new Gulf Shores School Board and President Kevin Corcoran. “We’ve got such a unique situation with the city because we need people to negotiate our settlement, but we have no money,” Corcoran said. “So, the city has to hire everybody but they report to us.” The latest such hire happened at a special council meeting on Jan. 8. The Gulf Shores City Council voted to pay Suzanne Freeman, Ph.D., $35,000 to serve as an education consultant for the city during negotiations for a split settlement with the Baldwin County Board of Education. “It’s strictly for the purpose of negotiating the separation,” Corcoran said. “She’s not a candidate for superintendent.” Freeman brings a wealth of experience on school separations, having worked on three teams for city systems separating from county systems. She also worked for Criterion K12 when Daphne hired the firm to do a feasibility study. Daphne’s council voted down the second half of the study, ending that city’s effort to form a system. “I helped start Trussville and I was superintendent

there,” Freeman said. “I helped Pelham get started and was involved in negotiations with that. And I was the first superintendent of Pike Road Schools. “I’ve done this a few times. They are all different but they all have some similarities. I have a little experience in this area.” Both sides say they want negotiations to start as soon as possible. Gulf Shores wants to open its doors for the 2018-19 school year. “That’s the last member of our team so our hope is we get started right away,” Corcoran said. “Superintendent Tyler has said that he wishes us the best and says it’s all about the children. We share that view so I expect it to go pretty smooth.” On Jan. 12 Baldwin schools spokesman Terry Wilhite said ad hoc committee members from the school board haven’t been named yet for the county’s team, but the county hopes meetings can start before the end of January. “The quicker the better, just so that they can both plan and move forward, both Gulf Shores and Baldwin County,” Freeman said. “I’ve allocated a day a week to come down and help them. Hopefully, in a few months, we’ll be done, maybe quicker, maybe longer. But the

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quicker the better.” Corcoran said with the negotiation team finalized he and other board members will at the same time be searching for the system’s first superintendent. “We plan to run a dual track and begin our search for a superintendent,” he said. “We’re just not going to be sitting back waiting for the finalization of the separation agreement. We’re going to run them in parallel.” Other business ahead for the board includes reviewing two audits of the

ON JAN. 12 BALDWIN SCHOOLS SPOKESMAN TERRY WILHITE SAID AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVEN’T BEEN NAMED YET FOR THE COUNTY’S TEAM, BUT THE COUNTY HOPES MEETINGS CAN START BEFORE THE END OF JANUARY.” buildings the new system will take over. Latham and Associates conducted a general facility assessment on life expectancy, compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and inadequacies and concerns for each building. Terracon Consultants searched for the presence of asbestos, studied paint samples and did a mold assessment. “I was told the earliest we would see it is the last week of January or the first few days of February,” Corcoran said. “They had asked for a month to complete their work and they were on site Jan. 2 and Jan. 3. We’re just chugging along. There’re so many things to do from website creation to central office and those types of things.”

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COMMENTARY | DAMN THE TORPEDOES

Legislating away minor irritation ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

AFTER MY FIANCÉE FORCED THE KIDS, DOGS AND ME TO WATCH ‘THE BACHELOR’ MONDAY NIGHT, MY ONCE-REASONABLY GOOD BRAIN WAS TURNED PRACTICALLY TO MUSH. ”

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to church, your kids’ grades, what kind of dogs you have and what football team you support wouldn’t hurt my feelings. Ban lame or self-aggrandizing personalized license plates while we’re at it. Truly funny bumper stickers and personal license plates can stay, if you can find some. Another irritation-based law could be making it illegal for the governor to declare a state of emergency for “unusual” weather. As I write this, Gov. Kay Ivey has declared a state of emergency and schools are closing, leaving frantic parents wondering what they’ll do with the kids on a workday. Sure, it makes sense to close schools if there are serious travel issues, but we come off looking all panicky and goofy to the rest of the nation when we do. How about a law that says when the state government wants to freak out about weather the rest of the country would laugh at, instead of declaring a state of emergency, the governor shall announce a sudden new holiday honoring any member of the country group Alabama, the Commodores, George “Goober” Lindsey, Nick Saban, Jimmy Buffett or Truman Capote? I just don’t want to year the Yankees making fun of us for being afraid of the snow. So maybe this legislative session is starting off on the right foot and in the right lane. If we can just legislate away a few things that drive me crazy each year, in a few decades Alabama will practically be heaven on Earth, or at least heaven in the left lane.

THEGADFLY

vehicles, commercial vehicles with three or more axles, interstate highways and four-lane highways, outside of municipal corporate limits, required to use right lanes under certain conditions, exception for passing.” To the untrained mind that bill might seem like a very esoteric law that will only apply to three-axle horse trailers on Sunday afternoons, but after letting “The Bachelor” rot my brain, it all made a little more sense. My guess is Rep. Hanes, like the rest of us who actually know how to drive a car, is sick and tired of heading out on the highway and getting behind a big truck or giant car going the actual speed limit in the left lane and clogging traffic. The practical interstate speed limit is now 87.5 mph. If you’re in the right lane going 70 or — Lord help us — having some kind of flashback to when the speed limit was 65, your car is like a huge arterial clog blocking what should be an orderly flow of blood/vehicles. Now if you’re driving that slowly in the LEFT LANE, you’re way more like a massive coronary. I have a family member who looks a lot like my father, and he drives just below 70 mph on the interstate. He does everyone the courtesy of staying in the right lane, but that still generally makes him the slowest vehicle on the road. This means there’s generally a steady line of cars waiting to pass him in the left lane. A couple of years ago I was in the car when he tried to get into the left lane because a cop had someone pulled over on the side of the road. Naturally the left

lane drivers immediately sped up to block him because they didn’t want a bunch of cholesterol in their lane. This very close relative who strongly resembles my father became upset. When I looked over he was shooting “the finger” at a headphonewearing 10-year-old sitting in the passenger seat. Not the intended recipient, just collateral damage. “What are you doing!?” I said. “That S.O.B. cut me off!” he replied. “Of course he did! You’re driving so slow we’re going backwards in time! They don’t want you over there!” I explained. I offer this touching story as an example of what I’m sure was at the heart of Rep. Hanes’ bill. Slower traffic should stay in the right lane where it belongs. If Hanes’ bill passes, instead of shooting slow drivers the bird or dangerously tailgating in order to intimidate them back into the right lane, perhaps we faster drivers might have the power to conduct a citizen’s arrest or even just run them off the road. Honestly, this is the kind of legislation we need more of in Alabama — laws that tackle day-to-day annoyances. We’re never going to get property tax reform or a lottery, so why not use the law to attack relatively petty irritations? For instance, I could absolutely get behind a law banning stick figure family stickers from vehicles’ bumpers and back windshields. Frankly, a law against vehicle decals that tell us anything about your politics, your family, where you go

Cartoon/Laura Rasmussen

fter my fiancée forced the kids, dogs and me to watch “The Bachelor” Monday night, my once-reasonably good brain was turned practically to mush. Somewhere around the 15th time one of the 50 women making out with “The Bachelor” described his lips as “pillowy,” the 10th time a woman described herself as a “smitten kitten” and the 20th time I tried explaining to my teenage son that making out with 30 people in one evening isn’t a dating norm, I could feel what used to be nice, firm gray matter beginning to pool at the back of my head. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as interested as the next person in seeing this poor, lonesome gentleman find “true love” while concurrently dating more than 10 women, but the emotional rollercoaster of it all left me feeling like I might need something more boring and political to dig into before hitting the hay. With the Alabama Legislature just cranking up a new session, I thought to myself, “Man, wouldn’t it be fun to read through some pre-filed bills?” Oddly enough, it wasn’t. Pretty lame stuff for the most part, I must admit. But there was one bill that caught my eye. Rep. Tommy Hanes from the bustling town of Bryant has pre-filed a bill that says, “Motor

“DEM WARS: RETURN OF THE BEATEN POLITICIANS,” JONES AND THOMAS FACE OFF FOR DISTRICT 99 SEAT.

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COMMENTARY | THE HIDDEN AGENDA

A look at the good, the bad and the ugly ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR/ASHLEYTOLAND@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

obile is on a roll, but of course there are a few minor things keeping our fair little burg from being an absolute utopia. As the theme song to the ‘80s sitcom “Facts of Life” so wisely informed us, “you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life.” There was no mention of taking the “ugly” in that song, but I have taken the liberty of looking at all three to examine the “Facts o Mobile Life.” Care to join me? The good Mobile is on fire economically. Business is booming. I don’t think there is a part of town where some major construction project isn’t underway, but nowhere is this energy more palpable than the heart of our city, our beautiful downtown. Downtown isn’t all about just one street anymore. It now sprawls far beyond Lower and Upper Dauphin Street. Olde Mobile Antiques, Fowler Lighting and the precious new Cheese Cottage have joined Rogers & Willard on St. Louis Street. Also on St. Louis, the Innovation Portal and the new federal courthouse will be opening their doors soon. The renovation of the beautiful Staples Pake building will give St. Michael an additional boost when the Ruby Slipper Café opens up there, along with additional commercial and residential tenants. Construction is in full swing on the stunning $51 million residential development on Water Street, Meridian at The Port. And efforts to make Water Street more pedestrian friendly are ongoing. Thanks to the Gulf Coast Ducks (a wonderful tour to take any of your out-of-town friends on), Fort Conde feels alive and like a vibrant tourist center again. Once the permanent open-air market opens in the new Mardi Gras Park, adjacent to Fort Conde, just imagine how cool strolling through there is going to be. Lagniappe has officially moved into our new, freshly renovated digs on Government Street across from the Mobile Public Library. We are happy to call the new Serda’s Brewing Co. our neighbor and look forward to the Mystics of Time’s renovation of the American Legion Building, also in our neck (of the Hank Aaron Loop) woods. If you don’t believe me, just try to find a parking spot downtown during lunch or dinner on any given day of the week. It ain’t easy, but it’s a “good” problem to have. The bad Mayor Sandy Stimpson boldly proclaimed during both of his campaigns he wanted to make Mobile “the safest, most business- and family-friendly city in America by 2020.” As I just discussed, we seem to be well on our way to being the most business friendly. And with new walking trails, sidewalks and park improvements being constructed throughout the city with great frequency, he seems to be making good on his pledge to be the most “family friendly” as well. But how are we doing on safety? Last year, during a press conference discussing 2016’s crime stats, Public Safety Director James Barber and Police Chief Lawrence Battiste pointed to a fall in overall crime in Mobile but a spike in homicides. In 2015, there were 23, and there were 44 in 2016. Though they have not yet released the overall crime stats for 2017, homicides were up again to a total of 54. Battiste and

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Barber attributed the rise in 2016 to an uptick in teenage gun and domestic violence incidents. It is not clear yet if overall crime numbers are still down in 2017, but either way it will be hard to argue we are the “safest city in America” while our homicide numbers continue to rise each year. So what can we do to change this? Battiste and Barber were hopeful mentoring programs could help thwart teenage gun violence. In addition, the growth the city is experiencing and the improved economy should provide more employment opportunities for these kids and, in turn, get them off the streets. It’s really a sad situation and one area where we still have a lot of work to do to become “One Mobile.” As a parent, the thought of my kids having guns or being around other teens with guns seems absolutely inconceivable. But I know there are parts of Mobile where just the opposite is true, where not having a gun is just an inconceivable notion to a 17-year-old and nothing good is ever going to come from that. I’m not out in the trenches like law enforcement and social workers are, so I won’t even pretend to say I know the answers to this. But Mayor Stimpson still has a couple of years to accomplish all three of his goals, and seeing how much progress we have made on the other two, I am hopeful we will at least be a safer city by 2020, if not the safest. And the ugly Former Mobile Mayor Sam Jones confirmed last week he will run for the Democratic nomination for the State House seat in District 99. This office opened up when Rep. James Buskey, who has held the seat for many years, announced in August he would be retiring. Former Judge Herman Thomas has also announced his plans to run for the seat, as has local attorney Greg Harris. With Thomas and Jones in the race, this one is going to be ugly, y’all. Jones ran two unsuccessful and very racially divisive campaigns against current Mayor Stimpson. And he’s not even the worst candidate in this race. Looking at you, Judge Thomas. Just in case you may have forgotten, Thomas was indicted on a number of charges related to paddling and having sexual relations with inmates who were appearing before him. The charges were ultimately thrown out by an appointed judge overseeing his case, but not before his attorneys basically admitted he had paddled young inmates in his charge. Ick! If the state Democratic party had any sense, they would try to do everything in their power to keep this man from running. This case will no doubt be re-litigated over the course of this primary campaign, which will just be an ugly mess for the party and the city. Do we really want to have to discuss how semen ended up on the floor of the not-so-good judge’s secret office again? If by some miracle, if you can call it that, he ends up winning the primary, it will be even uglier for the state and would certainly once again garner us the kind of national media attention we do not want. After U.S. Senator Doug Jones just won in an upset against a man who was merely accused of chasing teen girls, how is it going to look for the Dems to have a man as a candidate who wasn’t just accused but admitted spanking teen boys with a paddle? Ick! Ick! Ick! The powers that be need to put an end to that candidacy before it even gets started. If they can’t, then hopefully Hermie will get the spanking at the polls he so richly deserves.

COMMENTARY | THE BELTWAY BEAT

The curious case of Tuskegee’s Confederate soldier BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST/JEFFREYPOOR@GMAIL.COM

ituated on the far eastern edge of Alabama’s Black Belt is the exhausted town of Tuskegee. Despite its dwindling population, the county seat of Macon County is well known but also forgotten — like many places bypassed by the interstate system beginning in the 1970s. Unless you are actually going to Tuskegee, there is not much of a reason to pass through, unless you are taking the old U.S. Highway 80-U.S. Highway 29 route headed out of Montgomery and east to Georgia, as I did last week. Once you pass the hollowed-out, deteriorating strip malls along the main four-lane drag, you arrive downtown, arguably hallowed ground for black history in America. Thus, it might come as a surprise to visitors to see in the town square, in front of the historic Macon County Courthouse, a statue of a Confederate soldier. Right smack dab in the center of this town — boasting a 95 percent African-American population — is the Tuskegee Confederate Monument, a memorial erected in the early 1900s by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to pay homage to Confederate soldiers from Macon County. Think about that. In the epicenter of post-Civil War African-American history that features the Tuskegee Institute, Booker T. Washington and the Tuskegee Airmen is a Confederate soldier that watched over it all.

At present, there is a light coat of graffiti on the monument, the remnants of the nationwide backlash to last year’s Charlottesville, Virginia, turmoil that featured a group of white nationalist protesters clashing with counter-protesters. How does this happen? In our politically correct culture, where we are supposed to be mortified by anything to do with the Confederacy and the Stars and Bars, how does something like that survive? As it turns out, the Daughters of the Confederacy owns the land and the statue. Despite local government officials’ efforts over the years to obtain this parcel, which seemingly functions as the town square, with the statue and a gazebo, they have not been successful. In 2018, one of the last few holdouts of the Civil War remains in downtown Tuskegee, Alabama. This monument was likely part of the effort by United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group formed at the end of the 19th century, to gain a foothold in history. PostCivil War Alabama was still in dire straits. The immediate spoils of the Civil War went to the carpetbaggers and scalawags of the Reconstruction Era. As a generation passed, the loss of the Civil War — and, as a consequence, property and way of life — left a lot of deep wounds that never fully healed. The mood of the early 20th century was still decidedly very anti-Yankee, and this allowed for such a movement to thrive. Monuments were erected all over the South commem-

orating the heroic deeds of soldiers who fought on the side of the Confederacy. And why not tolerate it? These were people’s fathers and grandfathers. Most of them did not own slaves. They were just doing what they thought was the right thing and fighting for their home state. A hundred years later, the Confederate flag took on a different meaning. White supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the neo-Nazis commandeered it. It has become a banner of derision. After Dylann Roof’s massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., leaders of government in Southern states adopted the notion that, while the Confederate flag, and by extension monuments dedicated to the Confederacy and its figures, may have historical value, they no longer just represent history. Now they represent racism, because hate groups have been allowed to hijack those symbols. As they have, society’s do-gooders have accepted this premise: Now you either outright reject these symbols or you may expect to be branded as a racist. Twenty years ago, having a Confederate flag on your pickup truck was a way to proclaim you were just a good ol’ boy. Now, with a Confederate flag on your truck, you are dismissed as a dumb redneck or someone who needs to put bigotry on display. A word of advice for the Daughters of the Confederacy or any other likeminded holdouts: You are not doing your cause any favors, especially by clinging to a 112-year-old monument in the middle of downtown Tuskegee. One could say the same thing about the Montgomery lawmakers who, perhaps well-intentioned, are forcing local governments to maintain those types of monuments on their public lands. The city of Birmingham is in a dispute with the state government over the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument in one of its parks. Obviously, we do not want radical local governments in a mob-driven fury to start tearing down monuments because it’s a way to energize a voter base. However, neither do we want bureaucrats in a faraway place stripping a locality of home rule. If the people of an area do not want public funds used to maintain a divisive symbol, then they should have to pay for it. The lesson here is there is more to historical preservation than just the physical preservation of symbols. Assuming such groups as the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy are genuine, they should start with reclaiming their symbols from so-called hate groups and spend time on rehabilitation instead of legal means of forcing them down the public’s throat.

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BUSINESS | THE REAL DEAL

Toomey’s Mardi Gras celebrates 40 years BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST/BUSINESS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

ith the 2018 Mardi Gras season ramping up as a regionally unique continuation of the holiday tradition, small businesses in the Port City that service festivities are also jumping into overdrive. Sales goals for some over the next few weeks may constitute the bulk of their bottom line for the rest of the year. In Mobile, locally owned retailer Toomey’s Mardi Gras probably leads the charge in making sure various organizations — residents and visitors alike — are well stocked and elbow-deep in swirling masses of Carnival accoutrements until the finale on Fat Tuesday. Founded in 1978 by Jack and Ann Toomey, the supplier is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year under the steady stewardship of son and second-generation owner Stephen Toomey. One of seven children, Toomey’s adult siblings are spread throughout the country, with the exception of a few involved locally in real estate and medicine. Stephen was the only one to return in 1995 to work exclusively in the family business. He returned not as the prodigal son, but rather as a successor intent on elevating the family brand to another level of growth. At the start, father Jack was a member of a Mardi Gras association in the 1970s and in the habit of collecting Mardi Gras throws all over the Southeast in his job as a traveling salesman. Over the years, this amassing of trinkets outgrew the garage and invaded the family den before mother Ann insisted on starting a part-time business to sell products with the goal of turning a profit, as opposed to collecting dust. Originally opening inside a 3,000-square-foot space downtown with only a few dozen styles, fast forward to today where visitors can step inside a store that has morphed into a 70,000-square-foot tourist attraction. It offers a

walking warehouse bead tour, moonpie samples and a pictorial history on the walls showing Mardi Gras announcements dating back to the 1800s. There are even float piece design displays offering a close-up look at parade design workmanship rarely seen elsewhere. Inventory when Toomey’s first opened included just a few dozen brands, but today more than 5,000 different types of items are available for sale, including throws, medallions, consumables, costumes, masks and other assorted knick-knacks. One of the first initiatives Toomey implemented for the store upon his return was creation of a website in 1999, which a year later, in 2000, early pioneer internet provider AOL ranked as the No. 1 search site for Mardi Gras beads in the country. An overseas wholesale relationship with vendors in China helped lower costs substantially. Toomey was quick to emphasize the fact that all overseas trade is done through the Port of Mobile. Corporate sponsorships later became a significant part of his business model, with Southern Comfort coming on board in the mid-2000s, putting in a sizable order for brand logos on Mardi Gras beads and boas. This was soon up by Hardee’s, Fireball and GEICO insurance utilizing Toomey’s products to brand their Mardi Gras supplies over the ensuing years. Trade shows are another part of Stephen Toomey’s expansion plans, with Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse recently using Toomey products at trade shows in the region. Customized medallions, cups and footballs for local Mardi Gras associations have increasingly been a revenue generator for the retailer as well. The store also services seasonal events such as St. Patrick’s Day, the Fourth of July and Christmas as part of Toomey’s plan to provided products to customers throughout the year.

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The addition of a Daphne store in 2017 was another successful move for Toomey, and the retailer now employs more than 70 workers during the busy season. Staffing slows down to around 15 for the rest of the year and business remains steady post Carnival season. The retailer also partners with the downtown Mobile Carnival Museum, which, according to Toomey, enhances the experience for visitors by giving tourists a historic as well as contemporary perspective of Mardi Gras locally. For its 40th anniversary, Toomey’s is partnering with local radio station 92ZEW to offer a $500 gift card for use in the store through drawing on Feb. 2. On Facebook, shoppers can find discounts ranging from 20 percent to 30 percent for purchases on in-store items in both the Mobile and the Daphne locations. Additional information on Toomey’s anniversary deals and activities can be found on its website.

Commercial real estate moves

• Ed Jones, general manager of J&J Furniture, announced the family-owned business — with four retail stores and a 100,000-square-foot distribution center — are closing for business this year. J&J employs 70. The company was founded by the Jones family in 1967, and today its retail locations collectively encompass some 125,000 square feet and more than 50 name brands. Sites shutting down are located at Tillmans Corner, Saraland, Spring Hill and Daphne. “It’s been a great experience serving the people of the Gulf Coast for decades. We will miss fulfilling the home furnishings needs of our many loyal customers, but it’s time to retire and spend more time with family,” Jones said. Inventory is now being sold to the public in the “Great $6 Million Retirement Closing Sale.” The Lynch Sales Co. of Chattanooga is working with the Jones family in the transition. • Burton Clarke of Cummings Real Estate and Richard Weavil with The Weavil Co. recently sold a 3000-square-foot property located at 1132 Hillcrest Road in Mobile. Clark represented the seller and Weavil worked for the buyer. The site will be used for medical purposes, according to Weavil. • Hues Salon + Skin Care, an Aveda Concept brand salon, recently signed a lease for 1,198 square feet of space in the Staples Retail Center at 1802 U.S. Hwy. 98 in Daphne, across from the Target Shopping Center. The salon is slated to open for business at the beginning of February. Niki Coker of NAI Mobile brokered the transaction. • Alabama Credit Union recently purchased the former TrustMark Bank building at the corner of Schillinger Road South and Cottage Hill Road for $1.05 million. The credit union made extensive renovations to the branch for an undisclosed amount. Pratt Thomas of Merrill P. Thomas Co. Inc. represented the buyer. Marl Cummings III with Cummings and Associates worked for the seller.

CUISINE | THE DISH

Saints loss, weight loss, eating in your sleep BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET

es, football season has come to an All kidding aside, SRED is potentially end for me. My Saints nearly pulled dangerous. After researching several websites off a comeback victory over the Minincluding WebMD, sleepassociation.org and nesota Vikings, and I am certain my sleepeducation.org, I have found they all warn family up north is cheering up a storm. Though of the common dangers of SRED. People who they are very kind people I am still in no mood suffer from late-night sleep eating have the pofor anything other than a Southern accent with tential to harm themselves by handling cutlery a healthy dose of Creole seasoning. No offense or even cooking in their sleep. I’ve committed to those of you north of Interstate 20; I just both of these crimes without injury, but it’s need to hunker down South for a few and not only a matter of time before I get burned or speak to any Fran Tarkenton fans. cut. Along with this Saints loss we have a There’s also the danger associated with the friendly competitive weight loss challenge sleepwalking aspect of the illness such as runamong friends. A small group of us is more or ning into the walls or stubbing your toes, but I less trying to hold each other accountable for already do that when I’m wide awake. an exercise program that includes semi-healthy Other dangers have yet to affect me, but habits we as a group have come to ignore. For are common enough to make it to the pages example, we gain points by working out for a of these sleep studies. Apparently there is a half hour. We lose points by drinking soda pop. problem with people drinking toxic substances The hardest for me is the loss of points such as cleaning products. I may pound a Nehi for eating after 9 p.m. This isn’t because I eat peach an hour before sunrise, but the Pine-Sol dinner that late (I always have the table set and is safe from me. ready to go by at least 8:15 p.m. everyday), but Strange combinations of foods such as cofbecause I have an odd condition where I sleep fee grounds or raw bacon can be dangerous, eat. I’m like a gremlin. In the middle of the but more than one website mentioned buttered night, I rise from my bed cigarettes! I’m telling and float to the kitchen, you enough about myself never waking from my when I admit to sautéing slumber. I terrorize the an onion in butter and refrigerator, seeking covering it with a square I’M LIKE A GREMLIN. IN THE leftovers, deli meat, preor two of American sliced cheese and pickles. cheese without any recolMIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I RISE How do I know lection, but if I were to FROM MY BED AND FLOAT TO this? I leave evidence. eat a cigarette rolled in THE KITCHEN, NEVER WAKING Silverware, unwashed butter like corn on the dishes, paper towels and cob, then I’d beg to you FROM MY SLUMBER. I TERother telltale signs of send me off for some RORIZE THE REFRIGERATOR, icebox disturbance litter kind of evaluation. the kitchen. The followSo what causes SEEKING LEFTOVERS, DELI ing morning is what I SRED? Not sure, but it MEAT, PRE-SLICED CHEESE imagine a werewolf feels could be many things. like the day after a full Often SRED can develop AND PICKLES. moon, piecing together when someone already the clues at the scene of has a sleep disorder. I his very own crime in his come from a family of tattered, mustard-stained clothing covered in vampires who get five to six hours per night, breadcrumbs and Dorito powder. so maybe genetics plays a role. I’m afflicted by some kind of midnight snack Stress is considered a high candidate as lycanthropy, only I have yet to find the trigger a trigger. There isn’t a person I know who that causes it. Family studies show that while doesn’t think he or she has stress in his life, so drinking enhances it, it isn’t the cause. Sober as maybe that’s a tough one to pin it on unless the a judge, I still may wake the next morning to bouts come only when extra stress is involved. find a spoon with peanut butter residue resting Exercising to excess is thought to play a role in on the edge of the sink. Perhaps I should pay late-night dining. I’ll cut that out immediately. more attention to the lunar calendar. From my limited research I’ve concluded it It’s a little funny when you first hear of this, is best to keep a diary of what you eat and how but it’s problematic when you want to lose 15 you sleep and look for patterns of when SRED pounds. I figured it was worth looking into occurs (or, more importantly for some, when and found that my problem isn’t as rare as I it doesn’t occur) and remove whatever triggers once thought. It’s called sleep-related eating you may find. Until then you may have to keep disorder (SRED). the calories at bay by stocking only gross, It’s hilarious to me that there is an actual healthy foods. name assigned to my lust for potato chips at This has been a bit of an eye-opener for the witching hour, but I am one of the fortunate me, knowing others suffer from this and may ones that sees this dreaded disorder come and put themselves dangerously in harm’s way. go. Upon further investigation, I’ve found many I’m just thankful there’s a giant bag of pretzels do it daily, often multiple times per night. My in my pantry instead of cigarettes. As for my bouts may happen once or twice in a week friendly weight loss contest, I may have to followed by a welcomed hibernation period of resort to drastic measures and padlock the months before another episode. I can’t imagine fridge in case this demon returns. If you are having an extra meal every night. I’d be danger- one of the few who suffer worse than I, consult ously obese and, more importantly, broke. a physician, and make sure he doesn’t giggle.

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DUNKIN DONUTS ($)

DONUTS, COFFEE & SANDWICHES 1976 Michigan Ave. • 442-4846 3876 Airport Blvd. • 219-7369 505 Schillinger Rd. S. • 442-4845 29160 US Hwy 98 • 621-2228 $10/PERSON • $$ 10-25/PERSON • $$$ OVER 25/PERSON

COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE ALL SPORTS BAR & GRILL ($) 3408 Pleasant Valley Rd. • 345-9338

AL’S HOTDOGS ($)

MIKO’S ITALIAN ICE ($)

STEVIE’S KITCHEN ($)

DREAMLAND BBQ ($)

THE WASH HOUSE ($$)

MOMMA GOLDBERG’S DELI ($)

SUGAR RUSH DONUT CO. ($)

MEAT BOSS ($)

A LITTLE VINO

SUNSET POINTE ($-$$)

MOE’S ORIGINAL BAR B QUE ($)

WINE, BEER, GOURMET FOODS, & MORE. 720 Schillinger Rd. S. Unit 8 • 287-1851

HOTDOGS SANDWICHES & COOL TREATS 3371 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 300–4015

E WING HOUSE ($)

195 S University Blvd. Suite H • 662-1829

SANDWICHES & MOMMA’S LOVE 3696 Airport Blvd. • 344-9500 5602 Old Shell Rd. • 287-6556

EUGENE’S MONKEY BAR ($)

MONTEGO’S ($-$$)

15 N Conception St. • 433-2299

FATHOMS LOUNGE

SMALL PLATES AND CREATIVE COCKTAILS 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000

FRESH CARIBBEAN-STYLE FOOD & CRAFT BEER 6601 Airport Blvd. • 634-3445 225 Dauphin St. • 375-1576

MOON PIE GENERAL STORE ($)

CLASSIC HOTDOGS, GYROS & MILKSHAKES 4701 Airport Blvd. • 342-3243

FLOUR GIRLS BAKERY ($)

107 St Francis St #115 • RSA Bank Trust Building

ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY ($-$$)

FIREHOUSE SUBS ($)

MUFFINS, COFFEE & WRAPS 105 Dauphin St. • 433-9855

SANDWICHES, SALADS & MORE. 3680 Dauphin St. • 380-0444

BAKE MY DAY ($)

OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN BAKE SHOP 156 N. McGregor Ave. • 219-7261

BOB’S DINER ($)

GOOD OLD AMERICAN COOKING 263 St. Francis St. • 405-1497

BRICK & SPOON ($)

3662 Airport Blvd. Suite A • 525-9177

BUCK’S DINER ($)

CLASSIC AMERICAN DINER 58 N. Secion St. Fairhope • 928-8521

CAFE 219 ($)

SALADS, SANDWICHES & POTATO SALAD 219 Conti St. • 438-5234

CAMELLIA CAFÉ ($-$$$)

CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FARE 61 Section St. • Fairhope • 928-4321

809 Hillcrest Rd. • 634-2285

HOT SUBS, COLD SALADS & CATERING 6300 Grelot Rd. • 631-3730

FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES ($) BURGERS, MILKSHAKES & FRIES 4401 Old Shell Rd. • 447-2394 4663 Airport Blvd. • 300-8425 5319 Hwy 90 • 661-0071 1225 Satchel Page Dr.• 378-8768

FOOSACKLY’S ($)

FAMOUS CHICKEN FINGERS 29181 US Hwy 98 • Daphne • 375-1104 7843 Moffett Rd. • 607-6196 1109 Shelton Beach Rd. • 287-1423 310 S. University Blvd. • 343-0047 2250 Airport Blvd. • 479-2922 7641 Airport Blvd. • 607-7667 2558 Schillinger Rd. • 219-7761 3249 Dauphin St. • 479-2000

FOY SUPERFOODS ($) 119 Dauphin St.• 307-8997

GULF COAST EXPLOREUM CAFE ($)

MOSTLY MUFFINS ($) NEWK’S EXPRESS CAFE ($)

OVEN-BAKED SANDWICHES & MORE 1335 Satchel Page Dr. Suite C. • 287-7356 7440 Airport Blvd. • 633-0096 Eastern Shore Center • Spanish Fort • 625-6544

NOURISH CAFE ($)

HEALTHY WHOLE FOODS & MORE 101 N Water St. (Moorer YMCA)• 458-8572

O’DALYS HOLE IN THE WALL ($) 562 Dauphin St.• 725-6429

OLD SHELL GROWLERS ($) GROWLER STATION AND BITES 1801 Old Shell Rd. • 345-4767

PANINI PETE’S ($)

ORIGINAL SANDWICH AND BAKE SHOP 42 ½ Section St. • Fairhope • 929-0122 102 Dauphin St. • 405-0031

PAT’S DOWNTOWN GRILL ($)

CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH ($)

HOMEMADE SOUPS & SANDWICHES 65 Government St. • 208-6815

CARPE DIEM ($)

SEAFOOD & SANDWICHES 212 ½ Fairhope Ave •Fairhope • 928-4100

PDQ ($)

CLARK’S KITCHEN ($-$$)

3869 Airport Blvd. • 345-9544 5470 Inn Rd. • 661-9117 28975 US 98 • Daphne • 625-3910

POLLMAN’S BAKERY ($)

MOBILE’S CLASSIC ICE CREAM SPOT 2511 Old Shell Rd. • 471-1710

DELI FOODS, PASTRIES & SPECIALTY DRINKS 4072 Old Shell Rd. • 304-0448 CATERING 5817 Old Shell Rd. • 622-0869

CHAT-A-WAY CAFE ($)

QUICHES & SANDWICHES 4366 Old Shell Rd. • 343-9889

CHICK-FIL-A ($)

107 St. Francis St. • 415-1700 3244 Dauphin St. • 476-0320 3215 Bel Air Mall • 476-8361 4707 Airport Blvd. • 461-9933 435 Schillinger Rd. • 639-1163 1682 US HWY 98 • Daphne • 621-3215 30500 AL 181 • Spanish Fort • 621-3020

CHICKEN SALAD CHICK ($)

GUMBO SHACK ($-$$) HOOTERS ($)

JAMAICAN VIBE ($)

MIND-BLOWING ISLAND FOOD 3700 Gov’t Blvd. Ste A • 602-1973

JERSEY MIKE’S ($)

AUTHENTIC SUB SANDWICHES 29660 AL-181 • DAPHNE • 626-3161 3151 Daupin St• 525-9917 7449 Airport Blvd. • 375-1820

JIMMY JOHN’S ($)

SANDWICHES, CATERING & DELIVERY TOO 6920 Airport Blvd. • 414-5444 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-8694 62 B Royal St. • 432-0360

CHICKEN SALAD, SALAD & SOUP 2370 S. Hillcrest Rd. Unit R • 660-0501 5753 Old Shell Rd. • 408-3236 1802 US Hwy 98 Suite F• 625-1092

JOE CAIN CAFÉ ($)

CHI-TOWN DAWGZ ($)

1252 Govenment St.• 301-7556

CHICAGO STYLE EATERY 1222 Hillcrest Rd. • 461-6599

CONNECTION FROZEN YOGURT ($) 1880 Industrial Pkwy. • 675-2999

CREAM AND SUGAR ($)

COFFEE, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DESSERT 351 George St #B • 405-0003

DAUPHIN ST. CAFE ($)

HOT LUNCH, DAILY MENU (INSIDE VIA) 1717 Dauphin St. • 470-5231

D’ MICHAEL’S ($)

PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS, GYROS & MORE 7101-A Theodore Dawes Rd. • 653-2979

D NU SPOT ($)

22159 Halls Mill Rd. . • 648-6522

DELISH BAKERY AND EATERY ($)

PIZZAS, SANDWICHES, COCKTAILS 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000

JONELLI’S ($)

JUDY’S PLACE ($-$$)

HOME COOKING 4054 Government St. • 665-4557

LICKIN’ GOOD DONUTS ($) 3915 Gov’t Blvd. • 219-7922

LODA BIER GARTEN ($) PUB FOOD AND DRAFT BEERS 251 Dauphin St. • 287-6871

MAMA’S ($)

SLAP YOUR MAMA GOOD HOME COOKING 220 Dauphin St. • 432-6262

MARS HILL CAFE ($)

GREAT SANDWICHES, COFFEE & MORE 1087 Downtowner Blvd. • 643-1611

MARY’S SOUTHERN COOKING ($) 3011 Springhill Ave. • 476-2232

BAR FOOD 271 Dauphin St • 438-9585

CHICKEN FINGERS, SALAD & SANDWICHES. 1165 University Blvd. • 202-0959

AT FLU CREEK 831 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-7766

THE BLIND MULE ($)

DAILY SPECIALS MADE FROM SCRATCH 57 N. Claiborne St. • 694-6853

THE GALLEY ($)

OPEN FOR LUNCH, INSIDE GULFQUEST 155 S. Water St • 436-8901

THE HARBERDASHER ($) 113 Dauphin St.• 436-0989

5401 Cottage Hill Rd. • 591-4842 BARBEQUE & MUSIC Bayfront Park Dr. • Daphne • 625-RIBS 701 Springhill Ave. • 410-7427 4672 Airport Blvd. • 300-8516

SAUCY Q BARBQUE ($) AWARD-WINNING BARBQUE 1111 Gov’t Blvd. • 433-7427

SMOKEY DEMBO SMOKE HOUSE ($) 3758 Dauphin Island Pkwy. • 473-1401

THE PIGEON HOLE ($)

DROP DEAD GOURMET

THE SUNFLOWER CAFE ($)

A PREMIER CATERER & COOKING CLASSES 1880-A Airport Blvd. • 450-9051

SOUTHERN COOKING & THEN SOME 1716 Main St. Daphne • 222-4120 INSIDE VIRGINIA’S HEALTH FOOD 3055 A Dauphin St • 479-3200

THYME BY THE BAY ($-$$)

33 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-5635

TIME TO EAT CAFE ($)

DOWN-HOME COUNTRY COOKIN 7351 Theodore Dawes Rd. • 654-0228 13665 N. Wintzell Ave. • 824-1119

TIN ROOF ($-$$)

SOUTHERN CASUAL FAMILY DINING 10800 US HWY 31 • Spanish Fort• 621-4995

TP CROCKMIERS ($)

AMERICAN RESTAURANT & BAR 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890

THREE GEORGES CANDY SHOP ($) LIGHT LUNCH WITH SOUTHERN FLAIR. 226 Dauphin St. • 433-6725

17111 Scenic HWY 98 • Point Clear • 928-4838

DOMKE MARKET FOOD PAK

FOOD, WINE & MORE 5150 Old Shell Rd. • 341-1497

POUR BABY

WINE BAR, CRAFT BEERS & BISTRO 6808 Airport Blvd. • 343-3555

FIREHOUSE WINE BAR & SHOP 216 St Francis St. • 421-2022

RED OR WHITE

323A De La Mare Ave, Fairhope • 990-0003 1104 Dauphin St.. • 478-9494

BAY GOURMET ($$)

ROYAL STREET TAVERN

BRIQUETTES STEAKHOUSE ($-$$)

SOUTHERN NAPA

CHUCK’S FISH ($$)

FALAFEL? TRY SOME HUMMUS

CORNER 251 ($-$$)

HEALTHY, DELICIOUS MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 3762 Airport Blvd. • 725-1177

GRILLED STEAKS, CHICKEN & SEAFOOD 312 Schillinger Rd • 607-7200 901 Montlimar Dr • 408-3133 SEAFOOD AND SUSHI 551 Dauphin St.• 219-7051 HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St • 460-3157

DAUPHIN’S ($$-$$$)

HIGH QUALITY FOOD WITH A VIEW 107 St. Francis St • 444-0200

LIVE MUSIC, MARTINIS & DINNER MENU. 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000 BISTRO PLATES, CRAFT BEERS & PANTRY 2304 Main St. • 375-2800

7 SPICE ($-$$)

ABBA’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE ($-$$) 4861 Bit & Spur Rd. • 340-6464

ISTANBUL GRILL ($)

AUTHENTIC TURKISH & MEDITERRANEAN 3702 Airport Blvd. • 461-6901

DUMBWAITER ($$-$$$)

JERUSALEM CAFE ($-$$)

FIVE ($$)

MEDITERRANEAN SANDWICH COMPANY ($)

9 Du Rhu Dr. Suite 201 167 Dauphin St. • 445-3802

GREAT FOOD AND COCKTAILS 609 Dauphin St. • 308-3105

MOBILE’S OLDEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE 5773 Airport Blvd. • 304-1155

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE ($)

GREAT SMOOTHIES, WRAPS & SANDWICHES. Du Rhu Dr. • 378-5648 570 Schillinger Road • 634-3454

KITCHEN ON GEORGE ($-$$)

GREAT & QUICK. 3702 Airport Blvd. • 308-2131 274 Dauphin St. • 545-3161 2502 Schillinger Rd. Ste. 2 • 725-0126 6890 US-90 • DAPHNE • 621-2271

PUNTA CLARA KITCHEN ($)

UNCLE JIMMY’S DELICIOUS HOTDOGS ($)

LAUNCH ($-$$)

MINT HOOKAH BISTRO ($)

2550 Dauphin Island Pkwy S. • 307-5328

HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St. • 432-8000

WAREHOUSE BAKERY & DONUTS ($)

MAGHEE’S GRILL ON THE HILL ($-$$)

OLLIE’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL ($-$$)

WILD WING STATION ($)

NOBLE SOUTH ($$)

FUDGE, PRALINES & MORE 17111 Scenic Hwy 98 • Fairhope • 928-8477

R BISTRO ($-$$)

334 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope • 928-2399

REGINA’S KITCHEN ($-$$) SANDWICHES, SUBS & SOUPS 2056 Gov’t St. • 476-2777

ROLY POLY ($)

COFFEE AND DONUTS 759 Nichols Avenue, Fairhope • 928-7223 1500 Gov’t St. • 287-1526

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN FOOD 351A George & Savannah St. • 436-8890

GREAT LUNCH & DINNER 3607 Old Shell Rd. • 445-8700 LOCAL INGREDIENTS 203 Dauphin St. • 690-6824

WRAPS & SALADS 3220 Dauphin St. • 479-2480

THE WINDMILL MARKET ($)

85 N. Bancroft St. Fairhope • 990.8883

NOJA ($$-$$$)

ROSHELL’S CAFE ($)

YAK THE KATHMANDU KITCHEN ($-$$)

OSMAN’S RESTAURANT ($$)

2906 Springhill Ave. • 479-4614

ROSIE’S GRILL ($-$$)

SANDWICHES, SOUTHWEST FARE, 7 DAYS 1203 Hwy 98 Ste. 3D • Daphne • 626-2440

ROYAL KNIGHT ($)

LUNCH & DINNER 3004 Gov’t Blvd. • 287-1220

ROYAL STREET CAFE ($) HOMEMADE LUNCH & BREAKFAST 104 N. Royal St. • 434-0011

SALLY’S PIECE-A-CAKE ($) BAKERY 5638 Three Notch Rd.• 219-6379

SATORI COFFEEHOUSE ($)

COFFEE, SMOOTHIES, LUNCH & BEERS. 5460 Old Shell Rd. • 344-4575

SERDA’S COFFEEHOUSE ($)

MICHELI’S CAFE ($)

6358 Cottage Hill Rd. • 725-6917

COFFEE, LUNCHES, LIVE MUSIC & GELATO 3 Royal St. S. • 415-3000

DEW DROP INN ($)

MCSHARRY’S ($-$$)

SIMPLY SWEET ($)

AUTHENTIC IRISH PUB 101 N. Bancroft St.• 990-5100

4701 Airport Blvd. • 408-3379

RIBS, SANDWICHES & GREAT SIDES 3314 Old Shell Rd. • 479-9898

BAKERY, SANDWICHES & MORE 750 S. Broad St. • 438-1511 4464 Old Shell Rd. • 342-8546 107 St. Francis St. Suite 102 • 438-2261

GREAT DESSERTS & HOT LUNCH 23 Upham St. • 473-6115

CLASSIC BURGERS, HOTDOGS & SETTING 1808 Old Shell Rd. • 473-7872

SANDWICHES, SOUPS, SALADS & MORE 41 West I-65 Service Rd. N Suite 150. • 287-2793

CUPCAKE BOUTIQUE 6207 Cottage Hill Rd. Suite B • 665-3003

18 | L AG N I A P P E | J a n u a r y 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 - J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 8

AUTHENTIC FOODS FROM HIMALAYAN REGION 3210 Dauphin St. • 287-0115 400 Eastern Shore Center • 459-2862

‘CUE

BACKYARD CAFE & BBQ ($) HOME COOKIN’ LIKE MOMMA MADE. 2804 Springhill Ave. • 473-4739

BAR-B-QUING WITH MY HONEY ($$) BBQ, BURGERS, WINGS & SEAFOOD 19170 Hwy 43 Mt. Vernon. • 829-9227

BRICK PIT ($)

A FAVORITE BARBECUE SPOT 5456 Old Shell Rd. • 343-0001

COTTON STATE BBQ ($)

DOWNTOWN LUNCH 101 N. Conception St. • 545-4682

DICKEY’S BARBECUE PIT ($-$$) BBQ AND MORE Jubilee Sq.Ctr. Hwy 90, Daphne • 210-2151 McGowin Park Ctr. Satchel Paige Dr. • 471-1050 7721 Airport Blvd. • 380-8957

GREAT MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 5951 Old Shell Rd. • 450-9191

MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT & HOOKAH 1248 Hillcrest St • 634-9820

TAZIKI’S ($-$$)

MEDITERRANEAN CAFE 1539 US HWY 98• 273-3337

INVENTIVE & VERY FRESH CUISINE 6 N. Jackson St. • 433-0377

FAR EASTERN FARE

SUPREME EUROPEAN CUISINE 2579 Halls Mill Rd. • 479-0006

4513 Old Shell Rd.• 473-0007

ROYAL SCAM ($$)

GUMBO, ANGUS BEEF & BAR 72. S. Royal St. • 432-SCAM (7226)

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ($$$) EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE & TASTE 271 Glenwood St. • 476-0516

SAGE RESTAURANT ($$) INSIDE THE MOBILE MARRIOTT 3101 Airport Blvd. • 476-6400

SOUTHERN NATIONAL ($$-$$$) 360 Dauphin St • 308-2387

VON’S BISTRO ($-$$)

SEAFOOD, ASIAN & AMERICAN CUISINE 69 St. Michael St • 375-1113

TAMARA’S DOWNTOWN ($$)

ANG BAHAY KUBO ($$)

BAMBOO STEAKHOUSE ($$) SUSHI BAR 650 Cody Rd. S • 300-8383

BANGKOK THAI ($-$$)

DELICIOUS, TRADITIONAL THAI CUISINE 28600 US 98 • Daphne • 626-5286 3821 Airport Blvd. • 344-9995

BANZAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ($$) TRADITIONAL SUSHI & LUNCH. 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-9077

BENJAS ($)

THAI & SUSHI 5369 D Hwy 90 W • 661-5100

CHARM ($-$$)

THAI KITCHEN & SUSHI BAR 960 Schillinger Rd. S • 660-4470

CASUAL FINE DINING 104 N. Section St. • Fairhope • 929-2219

CHINA DOLL ($)

THE TRELLIS ROOM ($$$)

CUISINE OF INDIA ($$)

CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN CUISINE Battle House Hotel, Royal St. • 338-5493

3966 Airport Blvd.• 343-5530 LUNCH BUFFET 3674 Airport Blvd. • 341-6171

FUJI SAN ($)

THAI FARE AND SUSHI 2000 Airport Blvd. • 478-9888

FELIX’S FISH CAMP ($$) UPSCALE DINING WITH A VIEW 1420 Hwy. 98 • 626-6710

BUFFALO WILD WINGS ($) BEST WINGS & SPORTING EVENTS 6341 Airport Blvd. • 378-5955

GOLDEN BOWL ($)

FISHERMAN’S LEGACY ($)

BUTCH CASSIDY’S ($)

HIBACHI 1 ($-$$)

HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ($)

CALLAGHAN’S IRISH SOCIAL CLUB ($)

HIBACHI GRILL & ASIAN CUISINE 309 Bel Air Blvd • 470-8033 2370 Hillcrest Rd. Unit B • 380-6062

ICHIBAN SUSHI ($)

JAPANESE & CHINESE CUISINE 3959 Cottage Hill Rd • 666-6266

KAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ($-$$) QUALITY FOOD, EXCELLENT SERVICE 5045 Cottage Hill Rd. • 607-6454

LIQUID ($$)

AMAZING SUSHI & ASSORTMENT OF ROLLS. 661 Dauphin St. • 432-0109

RICE ASIAN GRILL & SUSHI BAR ($) 3964 Gov’t Blvd. • 378-8083

ROCK N ROLL SUSHI ($$)

273 S. McGregor Ave • 287-0445 6345 Airport Blvd. • 287-0555 940 Industrial Pkwy • 308-2158 6850 US HWY 98 • Daphne • 753-4367

STIX ($$)

610240 Eastern Shore Blvd. • 621-9088

TASTE OF THAI ($$)

9091 US-90 Irvington • 957-1414

TOKYO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE ($$) UPSCALE SUSHI & HIBACHI 364 Azalea Rd. • 343-6622

WASABI SUSHI ($$)

JAPANESE CUISINE 3654 Airport Blvd. S. C • 725-6078

FROM THE DEPTHS

DELI, MARKET AND CATERING. 4380 Halls Mill Rd. • 665-2266

30500 AL-181 • Spanish Fort • 206-8768 3654 Airport Blvd. • 338-9350

LUCY B. GOODE ($$)

GULF COAST CUISINE, REINVENTED 200 E. 25th Ave. • Gulf Shores • 967-5858

LULU’S ($$)

LIVE MUSIC & GREAT SEAFOOD 200 E. 25th Ave. • Gulf Shores • 967-5858

MUDBUGS AT THE LOOP ($) CAJUN KITCHEN & SEAFOOD MARKET 2005 Government St. • 478-9897

OFF THE HOOK MARINA & GRILL($) CAJUN INSPIRED/FRESH SEAFOOD & MORE 621 N Craft Hwy • Chickasaw • 422-3412

BOUDREAUX’S CAJUN GRILL ($-$$) QUALITY CAJUN & NEW ORLEANS CUISINE 29249 US Highway 98 Daphne. • 621-1991

CRAVIN CAJUN/DIP SEAFOOD ($) PO-BOYS, SALADS & SEAFOOD 1870 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 287-1168

ED’S SEAFOOD SHED ($$)

FRIED SEAFOOD SERVED IN HEFTY PORTIONS 3382 Hwy. 98 • 625-1947

HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS ($-$$) WINGS, SEAFOOD, BURGERS & BEER 7721 Airport Blvd. Suite E-180 • 639-6832

ISLAND WING CO ($)

EVERYTHING BAKED OR GRILLED 2617 Dauphin St. • 476-9464

MANCIS ($)

1715 Main St. • 375-0543

R&R SEAFOOD ($-$$) RIVER SHACK ($-$$)

OLD 27 GRILL ($)

LAID-BACK EATERY & FISH MARKET 1477 Battleship Pkwy. • 621-8366 SEAFOOD, BURGERS & STEAKS 6120 Marina Dr. • Dog River • 443-7318.

THE GRAND MARINER ($-$$) LOCAL SEAFOOD & PRODUCE 6036 Rock Point Rd. • 443-7540

THE HARBOR ROOM ($-$$) UNIQUE SEAFOOD 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000

TIN TOP RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR ($$)

ECLECTIC DINING & SPACE 6955 Airport Blvd. • 633-7196

SANDWICHES & COLD BEER 273 Dauphin St. • 433-4376 Hillcrest & Old Shell Rd. • 341-9464

MUG SHOTS ($$)

THE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 1595 Battleship Pkwy. • 626-0045

THE BLUEGILL ($-$$)

BONEFISH GRILL ($$)

HEROES SPORTS BAR & GRILLE ($)

MCSHARRY’S IRISH PUB ($)

THE SEAFOOD HOUSE ($-$$)

A HISTORIC SEAFOOD DIVE W/ LIVE MUSIC 3775 Hwy. 98 • 625-1998

BURGERS & BEER 916 Charleston St. • 433-9374

RALPH & KACOO’S ($-$$)

BAUDEAN’S ($$)

FRIED, GRILLED, STEAMED & ALWAYS FRESH 3300 River Rd. • 973-9070

FAMOUS BURGERS, SANDWICHES & WINGS 60 N. Florida St. • 450-0690

751 Azalea Rd. • 301-7964

SEAFOOD, STEAKS, & EXTENSIVE WINE LIST 6232 Bon Secour Hwy County Rd. 10. • 949-5086

WINTZELL’S OYSTER HOUSE ($-$$) FRESH SEAFOOD FOR OVER 75 YEARS 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 1208 Shelton Beach Rd. • Saraland • 442-3335 805 S. Mobile St. • 929-2322

IS THE GAME ON?

ASHLAND MIDTOWN PUB ($-$$) PIZZAS, PASTAS, & CALZONES 245-A Old Shell Rd. • 479-3278

BAUMHOWER’S ($)

WINGS, BURGERS & PUB GRUB 6880 US-90 #14 • Daphne • 625-4695

BRILLIANT REUBENS & FISH-N-CHIPS. 101 N. Brancroft St. Fairhope • 990-5100 BAR & GRILL 29740 Urgent Care Dr. • Daphne • 662-9639 6255 Airport Blvd. • 447-2514 BURGERS, DOGS & 27 BEERS & WINES. 19992 Hwy.181 Old County Rd. Fairhope • 281-2663

LUCKY’S IRISH PUB ($)

IRISH PUB FARE & MORE 1108 Shelton Beach Rd •Saraland • 473-0757 3692 Airport Blvd • 414-3000

WEMOS ($)

WINGS, TENDERS, HOTDOGS & SANDWICHES 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-5877

MAMA MIA!

BUCK’S PIZZA ($$)

DELIVERY 350 Dauphin St. • 431-9444

CORTLANDT’S PIZZA PUB ($-$$) GREAT PIZZA. LUNCH & DINNER 4356 Old Shell Rd. • 342-0024

GAMBINO’S ITALIAN GRILL ($) ITALIAN, STEAKS & SEAFOOD 18 Laurel Ave. • Fairhope • 990-0995

GRIMALDI’S ($)

Bel Air Mall • 476-2063

GUIDO’S ($$)

FRESH CUISINE NIGHTLY ON MENU 1709 Main St. • Daphne • 626-6082

HOUSE OF PIZZA ($)

3958 Snow Rd C. • Semmes • 645-3400

JONELLI’S ($)

1252 Gov’t St. • 301-7556

LA ROSSO ($$)

COMFORT FOOD 1716 Main St. Ste. C • Daphne • 281-2982

MARCOS ($)

5055 Cottage Hill Rd. • 308-4888 2394 Dawes Rr. • 639-3535 2004 US 98 • Daphne • 265-6550

MELLOW MUSHROOM ($)

PIES & AWESOME BEER SELECTION 2032 Airport Blvd. • 471-4700 5660 Old Shell Rd. • 380-1500 2409 Schillinger Rd S • 525-8431 29698 Frederick Blvd.• Daphne • 621-3911

MIRKO ($$)

PASTA & MORE 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-6611

NAVCO PIZZA ($$)

DAUPHIN ST. TAQUERIA ($)

ENCHILADAS, TACOS, & AUTHENTIC FARE Ok Bicycle Shop • 661 Dauphin St. • 432-2453

EL CAMINO TACO SHACK ($) 212 Fairhope Ave. • 928-8108

EL MARIACHI ($)

763 Holcombe Ave • 473-0413

FUEGO ($-$$)

PIZZA, PASTA, SALAD & MORE 102 N. Section St. •Fairhope• 929-2525

PIZZERIA DELFINA ($)

HACIENDA SAN MIGUEL ($-$$)

MAGNOLIA HOUSE ($$-$$$)

TASTE OF MEXICO 880 Schillinger Rd. S. • 633-6122 5805 US 90 • 653-9163

LA COCINA ($)

LOS ARCOS ($)

MARIA BONITA AGAVE BAR & GRILL ($-$$) MEXICAN CUISINE 3977 Gov’t Blvd. • 660-4970

OLÉ MI AMIGO ($-$$)

PIZZA & PASTA 107 Dauphin St. • 375-1644

ROMA CAFE ($-$$)

3050 AL 181 • Spanish Fort • 621-7433

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CUISINE | THE BEER PROFESSOR

Happy New Beer! BY TOM WARD/THE BEER PROFESSOR

WORD OF MOUTH

BY ANDY MACDONALD Panini Pete acquires Ed’s, resumes full service in Mobile The Panini Pete restaurant group is a Mobile-area favorite, with a downtown location and the original in Fairhope, plus the small plates extraordinaire spot known as Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek Marina. You’re familiar with the sandwiches and beignets of the namesake restaurants of Pete Blohme and company, as well as the beautiful view and fancier fare of Sunset Pointe. Get ready for more! Blohme, Nick Dimario and Robert Kabakoff have partnered and taken over Ed’s Seafood Shed from Ed and Barbara Bridges.

tapping and a “Beer and Chocolate” pairing event for Valentine’s Day. The granddaddy of local breweries in our area is, of course, Fairhope Brewing Co., which is set to celebrate its fifth anniversary this Saturday, Jan. 20, from 2-10 p.m. The celebration will have a Star Wars theme, with more than 40 beers on tap including Brewbacca, Jabba the Hop and JedIPA. It is rumored that Stormtroopers may even be onsite looking for droids. Admission to the party costs $5, which includes a souvenir glass. There will be music, food and a wide variety of beers, both new styles and old favorites — including some that have not been offered in a while. There will even be two special anniversary beers available — one aged with rye and another with bourbon. One of the more interesting additions to the party lineup will be a number of styles developed by local home brewers and brewed at FBC. Fairhope Brewing Co. has grown substantially since it opened in 2013 with four beers on tap and a 10-barrel brewery. Since then it has expanded its capacity 600 percent and regularly has more than a dozen beers available in its taproom (as well as its own red and white wine). Its beers can be found throughout Alabama and along the Gulf Coast from the Mississippi-Louisiana line all the way east to Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle. Five different Fairhope Brewing styles are now found in bottles, including its newest release, Cheap Sunglasses Pale Ale. While best known for its strong, hoppy beers, especially its Take the Causeway IPA, the twotime defending Nappie Award winner for best local beer, Fairhope Brewing Co.’s Fifth Anniversary Ale is a golden barleywine Cheap Sunglasses is a lighter (4.4 percent ABV), easyaged in two different types of whiskey barrels. It’s available for a going kolsch that still has a good, flavorful finish. Look limited time. for it soon in bottles and on tap throughout our area.

Lovers of what I consider the Causeway’s best should keep the smiles on their faces, as the acquisition will largely limit changes to the cosmetic. I’ve long said Ed’s fried shrimp and oysters are better than any place on that stretch of road, and it’s the only spot my children will eat coleslaw (they even turn up their noses to my recipe). A fresh coat of paint, decking and a soon-to-be-added kids’ zone are likely the only changes you’ll notice. You’ll still have access to those fantastic turnip greens and garlic cheese grits. I think the future of Ed’s is in great hands. Panini Pete’s downtown location has resumed full service. For a while now the Dauphin Street location has had counter ordering in an attempt to expedite lunches

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for Mobile’s workforce. The people have spoken and the lines are no more, as the restaurant returns with a full wait staff. Be sure to tip accordingly.

Fat Boys Diner making waves

No, it has nothing to do with the Fat Boys rap group as far as I know, but Fat Boys Diner at 1801 St. Stephens Road in Prichard is hitting the scene pretty hard right now. Known for soul food and the area’s best Kool-Aid, Fat Boys Diner is killing it with crazy additions to Rotel dip, steak and shrimp baked potatoes and, of course, fries with all kinds of ridiculous stuff covering them. I’d suggest taking a couple days off from eating before you tackle this monster. It’s

funny how with all this crazy food they still manage to plug the Kool-Aid.

Cuppa Go peddles pedaled coffee

Mobilians should be on the lookout for a coffee shop on three wheels. Cuppa Go Coffee Co. will be making its way to the Port City soon enough. This won’t be a traditional brick and mortar facility. Imagine a trike equipped with kegs and a tap serving delicious cold brew coffee and nitro. They’ve spent the last few months tinkering with flavors and blends to get their recipe nailed down and will be opening early this year. It’s best to drink cold brew when the weather warms. Maybe we will see some during Mardi Gras! Recycle!

Photo | FaceBook

ast year was an exciting one for the Lower Alabama beer scene, and 2018 promises to be even more eventful. Perhaps most significant was the opening of Serda’s Brewing Co. in downtown Mobile, giving the city its first craft brewery in almost two decades. If you haven’t stopped by the brewery, located in the old Goodyear building on Government Street, do so soon. It has both great indoor and outdoor space and will be a prime spot during Mardi Gras. There are currently four beers available in the taproom with more on the way. While we waited to finally get a craft brewery in Mobile, 2018 should provide a much wider selection of local craft brews. Haint Blue Brewing Co. seems to have finally put its legal issues behind it and hopes to open in the old ice house later this year. Its beers are already available at a wide variety of places, so when the brewery eventually opens, a large number of devoted fans will be streaming to its doors. Iron Hand Brew Pub is also scheduled to open sometime later this year in the old Waterfront Rescue Building. Iron Hand will be an English-style pub with British Isles-style beers. Unlike Serda’s and Haint Blue, Iron Hand will serve traditional pub grub as well as its distinctive craft beers, including a periodic Sunday Roast. On the other side of the bay, Big Beach Brewery took home two gold and one silver medal at last year’s Alabama Craft Beer Festival, for its Small Town Brown, Dixie’s Heart Red Ale and Rod’s Cream Ale, respectively. If you’ve not have a chance to try its fine selection of beers, resolve to do so in 2018. Its great tap room in Gulf Shores also hosts a number of events, including trivia on Mondays and board game Sundays. In February, Big Beach will have a Groundhog Day firkin

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COVER STORY

Parishioners angry over archbishop’s decision to close church DALE LIESCH/REPORTER

or many, the arches inside St. Joseph Catholic what’s best for the family. He said in that scenario the children might say it’s not fair. Rodi said the decision Church echo with the memories of some of the to close the church was done in the best interest of the most important events of their lives. From bap“faith family in Mobile.” tisms to marriages to funerals, the generations-old church has been a gathering place for dedicated parishioners for nearly 160 years. Consolidation Those parishioners fought back tears Sunday at a reThe Archdiocese of Mobile announced in March 2017 ception following an emotional farewell mass celebrated that the parish at St. Joseph would be consolidated into by the Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, archbishop of Mobile. the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, “I don’t know how far back it goes,” a choked-up Jan some nine blocks away. In an email message, Rodi exAnderson said of her family’s connection to the church. plained the decision. He wrote that the community within “It’s been my whole life. This was always a sanctuary the parish’s district had diminished such that keeping it for us.” open didn’t make sense. Anderson said they celebrated every family event at “In 1925 the parish had 1,800 parishioners and a the church on Springhill Avenue downtown. Almost a large Catholic school [which today serves as Wings of year after Rodi announced the church would close and its Life],” he wrote. “The school was closed in 1969 due to parish would be consolidated into the Cathedral-Basilica the decline in membership in the parish. Today there are of the Immaculate Conception just blocks away, it’s still only about 10 people who live within the same parish tough for people to say goodbye. boundaries.” “It’s been an emotional year,” While the number of people Anderson said. “We were very within the parish boundary is small, caught off guard. We were never inmany more guests come from cluded in any of the conversations.” other areas of Mobile and Baldwin Inside the church, heavily counties to celebrate mass at the decorated with statues and murals, 110-year-old church. FROM BAPTISMS TO Rodi delivered the building’s final While the exact number of homily Jan. 14. It was a mixture of parishioners within a given boundMARRIAGES TO FUNERdefending his decision to close the ary may be quantifiable, Rodi and church, built in 1907, and an atparishioners disagree about the ALS, THE GENERATIONStempt at soothing a parish fractured average attendance at the weekly 9 OLD CHURCH HAS BEEN over the choice. a.m. mass. In the email, Rodi wrote Rodi opened with an anecdote that between 50 and 70 people A GATHERING PLACE FOR from what he described as a few attend mass each week. Several years back. He said his family parishioners argued it’s more often DEDICATED PARISHIONERS moved out of the house they had 100 to 150. lived in for so many years. It was FOR NEARLY 160 YEARS. “It’s absolutely untrue,” a confull of “so many good memories,” cerned parishioner said of Rodi’s he said. estimation. “There were at least 100 “We knew this was for the best,” people [each week]. They may say he said during the homily. “Our family was more than that’s not enough.” just a house.” At issue for a number of parishioners is the way in As the former bishop of the Biloxi Diocese in the which the decision to consolidate was made. The parishaftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Rodi used another ioner Lagniappe spoke with on the condition of anonymanecdote to drive home his point. He said about a third ity said church members were not given any warning of of the churches in the diocese were destroyed. As he the archbishop’s thought process. saw masses celebrated in roller rinks and under tents, “From many of our perspectives, there is no dishe said it highlighted for him that a church is more than respect or questioning of the archbishop to make the a building. decision about the closure of the parish, it was in the way “A church is not a building at all … although we call it was done,” the parishioner said. “It included no input a structure made of bricks and mortar a church,” he said. from parishioners.” “A church is wherever people gather to worship.” In the email, Rodi said the Jesuit priests who staffed Rodi compared the decision to a parent’s choice to do the parish until 2009 left because they felt there was no

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need to continue staffing the church. “Serious thought was given at that time to closing the parish but it remained open in the hope that the parish might survive,” he wrote. The decision by the Jesuits to leave the parish put an extra strain on the Rev. Michael Farmer, the rector at the nearby cathedral, who decided to take over the 9 a.m. mass at St. Joseph, Rodi wrote. The additional mass meant Farmer was celebrating an 8 a.m. mass, a 9 a.m. mass and a 10:30 a.m. mass on Sundays at two different churches. “Celebrating three Masses on Sunday within a two-and-a-half-hour period has been an additional demand upon him,” Rodi wrote. “Due to the decreasing number of priests in the Archdiocese of Mobile, it is not prudent to keep open a parish having only 10 persons within the parish boundaries, especially when people who attend St. Joseph Church have the option of attending their own parish or attending the Cathedral which is only nine blocks away.” The parishioner agreed that a diminished downtown congregation led to the Jesuits wanting “out from under” the parish. However, the parishioner said after the cathedral took over masses at St. Joseph, there was a sense that the people at the church didn’t matter as much. “When the Archdiocese took over in 2009, masses were eliminated,” the parishioner said. In the email, Rodi also argued that St. Joseph lacked a parish life outside of mass. “For several years there has been no other activity in the parish except for the weekly Sunday Mass,” Rodi wrote. “Other ministries usually found in parishes, such as outreach to the poor and senior citizens, religious education for the youth, convert instruction, marriage preparation, etc., have been provided by other parishes.” The concerned parishioner argued there is a lack of parish life at the cathedral as well. Others, such as Paul David, who attended St. Joseph for five years, said previous pastors made it impossible to have a parish life. At the reception Sunday, David said he volunteered his teenage sons to be altar servers, but was told by a pastor at the church that altar servers weren’t necessary. He added that he was told he could not officially become a parishioner. “The parish could not grow,” David said. “At a time when the Catholic church is trying to grow, I didn’t understand it.” David said he believes the parish could grow given the chance. In the email, Rodi added that contributions from weekly mass attendees could not sufficiently cover the church’s expenses. “For many years, the parish has been using its savings to pay its expenses,” he wrote. “Inevitably, there will be expensive repairs needed to St. Joseph Church. It is anticipated that these repairs, plus the ongoing ordinary expenses, would deplete the parish savings in the foreseeable future.” Parishioners, including David, said members were kept in the dark about finances, especially on the status of an endowment the Jesuits left for the church. “The church has not shared any of that with us,” David said. “It’s very strange. It’s very odd.” As for the status of the endowment, Rodi wrote that it has been managed and used exclusively for the church. “The savings of the parish are invested in the Catholic Foundation where the savings have been well-managed by the Board and Investment Committee of the Foundation,” he wrote. “These savings have been used exclusively for parish expenses.” Rodi called any allegation that the endowment money has been mishandled “baseless, if not disgraceful.”

St. Ignatius

A parish in Spring Hill has designs on using what’s left of the St. Joseph parish as part of a new campus. Plans for the new St. Ignatius campus are available on the parish’s website and include the idea to use

COVER STORY items from inside St. Joseph to adorn the former Jesuit facility’s new building. “It would be proper for the sacred objects and art to continue to be used for the purpose for which they were originally donated, namely, for the worship of God, especially if they can be used in a church in Mobile where many descendants of the original members of St. Joseph Parish now live,” Rodi wrote. “St. Ignatius Parish is planning the construction of a new parish church and it would be most appropriate for the sacred objects to be used in their new church building.” However, Rodi left the door open for a different decision to be made. “In accord with Church law, all the items in St. Joseph Church are now the property of the Cathedral Parish into which St. Joseph Parish has been merged,” he wrote. “The Cathedral Parish leadership will decide the best use of all the sacred objects in St. Joseph Church.” Members of St. Joseph believe plans to add the church’s sacred objects to a new St. Ignatius building were in the works before parishioners were even notified of the closing. In a March 31, 2017, issue of The Catholic Week, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese, an excerpt taken from the St. Ignatius website confirms that plans were underway “several weeks ago.” Parishioners said they were notified of the closure on March 23, a bit more than a week before the story was published. One concerned parishioner said plans go back to at least November 2016.

At the time, according to court documents, Rodi told parishioners the new church would have two buildings, one for St. Paul and one for Our Lady of Lourdes. Parishioners of St. Paul church claim with this decree they raised more than $1 million for the repair of the church building. Rodi later decreed, according to court documents, that the new parish would have one building, to be placed on the site of the former Our Lady of Lourdes church. In the appeal, parishioners hoped the court would overturn a decision by the Chancery Court of Harrison County, which tossed it on the grounds the state lacked jurisdiction over the decision the bishop made on the consolidation of parishes. In the appeal, attorney Virgil Gillespie argued the suit, which involved property and a proper accounting of the donations for the new church building, had nothing to do with the bishop’s decision to close the church. The Mississippi Supreme Court affirmed the chancery court’s decision on subject matter jurisdiction, according to the judgment. The court reversed the dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims of breach of fiduciary duty. The issue was remanded back to the chancery court. At the time, the Associated Press reported Rodi was “deeply saddened” by the lawsuit and that it was “not in keeping with our understanding of the fundamental nature of the Catholic Church. We are a church, not independent congregations. In faith, worship and practice, we are in union.” Rodi could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit by press time.

Appeal to Rome

More reaction

Several church members told Lagniappe they appealed the decision to close the church to the Holy See at the Vatican. Their appeal, called a recourse, argued that the parish should not be merged and the church building should be preserved. Rome ruled in favor of the archbishop’s decision on the consolidation, but, according to the statement, left the door open on the preservation of the building. “There are some silver linings in Rome’s decision, the most important of which is that the historic church building itself appears to be safe, at least for the time being,” the statement read. “If the archbishop wishes to close the church entirely, he will need to initiate a separate canonical procedure in the future, and in this type of procedure, Rome is not nearly as likely to uphold the archbishop.” As for the future of the building, Rodi wrote that it has not yet been decided. “The parish leadership of the Cathedral Parish would need to address this question at the appropriate time,” he wrote. “That is a question for the future.”

Lawsuit filed in Mississippi

This is not the first time a decision from Rodi on the consolidation of parishes has angered churchgoers. Rodi, as bishop in the Biloxi Diocese, was sued by 157 parishioners of St. Paul Catholic Church in Pass Christian, Mississippi. According to a judgment from the Mississippi Supreme Court, Rodi initially told parishioners of the church affected by Hurricane Katrina that they would be consolidated into a new parish, along with Our Lady of Lourdes parish, called Holy Family parish.

Elizabeth Rossi, a parishioner and architectural historian, called St. Joseph a “gem” and a valuable piece of the city’s history, Spring Hill College history and the history of immigration. The parish was originally founded by Spring Hill College to serve an influx of German immigrants. Rossi said it’s a “puzzle” to her there isn’t more interest in preserving that history from the city or from the Catholic church itself. “There have been people who’ve shown concern,” she said. “But you haven’t seen the public reaction you’d expect in a city known for its historical preservation.” Sally Morris said she doesn’t know where she’ll attend mass in the future, but she can’t bear the thought of not being in the St. Joseph family. “I think it’s sad,” she said. “Our family was very much a part of the parish.” Haertel Pritchard said she grew up in the church. The 24-year-old said she had dreamed of one day getting married in the church, where she and her family have spent a lot of time. “It’s sickening,” she said. “We’ve celebrated, we’ve cried and said goodbye in this church.” She said Rodi’s decision to close the church has made her “blood boil” and that it has been hard to deal with. Pritchard said her entire family attends church together. The tradition was to attend church at St. Joseph and eat lunch at her grandmother’s house, and now at her aunt’s house. “My family is going to have to take a vote on where to attend mass in the future,” she said. “We’ll have to vote to get a general consensus.”

Photos| Daniel Anderson

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ART ARTIFICE

MSO spans calendar, globe in one show BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

f the midwinter blahs have you down, there’s a cure at the Saenger Theatre (6 S. Joachim St.) in late January. That’s when Mobile Symphony Orchestra will magically take attendees through a couple of calendars’ worth of music with the assistance of lauded international talent. One of the time-travel architects is Italian baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi and the vessel is his bestknown work. Known collectively as “Four Seasons,” the quartet of violin concertos have become a “go-to” piece for a wealth of modern media, from films to television ads. Written shortly after Vivaldi’s three years as maestro of the court of the governor of Mantua, Italy, “Four Seasons” was published in 1725. Added to the four operas he produced the same year, it proved a particularly fertile period for him. “Four Seasons” was also one of the earliest examples of narrative thread and went on to influence centuries of artists. Mobile-native Ward Swingle and his famous combo The Swingle Singers served up their own take on their 1969 album “The Joy of Singing.” The Vivaldi is followed by the same idea from a different perspective, less florid but spicier. Groundbreaking Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla penned “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” as part of his experimentation

A Wonder-ful month for MOJO

with fused classical, jazz and tango sounds. Though born in South America, Piazzolla actually grew up in New York City, where he initially dismissed the sounds of his parents’ homeland. Once he learned to play a traditional South American concertina called a bandoneon, he returned to those musical roots and Argentina itself, but alive with ideas for “nuevo tango.” A quarter century after Piazzolla’s calendar romp coalesced in 1970, Russian composer Leonid Desyatnikov rearranged the four pieces. He converted each into three sections and scored them for solo violin and orchestra in order to link to Vivaldi’s earlier composition. Fittingly, the third piece on the MSO program is Olsvaldo Golijov’s “Last Round,” written as a tribute to Piazzolla following his 1992 death. Solo violin buoys all of the European and South American works, especially in this strings-only version of MSO. It’s only fitting they will turn to yet another continent to fill a seminal role. South Korean violinist Chee-Yun makes her third appearance with MSO but it’s only the latest appearance in her nearly lifelong and stellar career. Her first public performance was at the tender age of 8 in Seoul after winning the grand prize of the Korean Times Competition. At 13, Chee-Yun came to the United States and was invited to perform in a Young People’s Concert with the

Participatory MMoA exhibit opens Jan. 26

In 1993, curator Hans Ulrich Obrist and artists Christian Boltanski and Bertrand Lavier birthed a perpetual and participatory exhibit entitled “do it” that has made its way around the globe. Now it’s our turn to join the creative and interactive fray when “do it” premieres at the Mobile Museum of Art (4850 Museum Drive) on Jan. 26. Drawing inspiration from schools such as Dada and Fluxus, Olbrist initially asked a dozen artists to create artworks based on written instructions available for open interpretation. They were given formal presentation in designated spaces, on TV and even circulated internationally in a book. The Mobile version will involve a wealth of local artists, such as Bruce Larsen interpreting the score of Nicolas Paris, Phillip Counselman creating his version of Yoko Ono’s “Wish Peace” (1996), Colleen Comer enacting a Tracey Emin instruction, a Sol Lewitt piece performed by the Spring Hill College Art department and many more. The exhibit will remain in place until July 1. Stay tuned for a look at this intriguing experience in Artifice.

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For more information, go to mobilemuseumofart.org.

Chamber Music welcomes pianist Pohjanen

A brilliant Scandinavian star dips into the Deep South when Mobile Chamber Music presents Finnish pianist Juho Pohjanen on Sunday, Jan. 28, 3 p.m. at Laidlaw Performing Arts Center (5851 USA Drive S.). With a style The New York Times called “sure and even” that “turned toward gentle poetry or raw power as appropriate, often in quicksilver alternation,” Pohjanen is sure to mesmerize his Mobile audience. The program features César Franck’s Prelude, Chorale and Fugue, Maurice Ravel’s notoriously difficult “Gaspard de la nuit” suite, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor and Franz Schubert’s Fantasy in C Major, “The Wanderer.” This will be the annual Alma and Anthony Fisher Memorial Concert commemorating the founders of Mobile Chamber Music. For ticket information, call 251-476-8794 or go to mobilechambermusic.org.

ARTSGALLERY

The word “jazz” isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when Stevie Wonder is mentioned, but the soul artist now known for pop ballads utilized disparate influences in his early career. His magnum opus “Songs in the Key of Life” bore clues with its homage to Duke Ellington and “Contusion,” a jazzfusion number that sounded as if it could have come from Frank Zappa or Chick Corea. The Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed (MOJO) will look at jazz’s impact on Wonder with a program Monday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m. in Bernheim Hall in the Ben May Main Library (701 Government St.), when keyboardist Cedric Brooks leads a ninepiece band in a tour of Wonder’s catalog. Entrance is $15, $12 for students/military and $10 for MOJO members. A reception and refreshment area will be adjacent to the concert hall. For more information, call 251-459-2298, email mobilejazz@bellsouth.net or go to mojojazz.org.

New York Philharmonic. Two years later, she appeared as a soloist with the New York String Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. After studying at Juilliard, she won the Young Concert Artists International auditions in 1989. Chee-Yun snagged an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1990 and Korea’s “Nan Pa” Award in 1993. She performs regularly with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Philharmonic and the Toronto, Houston, Seattle, Pittsburgh and National symphony orchestras. She also has appeared with the Haifa Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the London Festival Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and with distinguished conductors such as James DePriest, Michael Tilson Thomas, Krzysztof Penderecki and Neeme Järvi. Her orchestral highlights include a concert with the Seoul Philharmonic that was broadcast on national network television, a benefit for UNESCO with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Avery Fisher Hall and U.S. tours with the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas and Japan with the NHK Symphony. Chee-Yun’s past faculty positions included serving as resident Starling Soloist and Adjunct Professor of Violin at the University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music and Visiting Professor of Music (Violin) at Indiana University School of Music. In 2007, she was appointed Artist-in-Residence and Professor of Violin at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She’s boasts frequent appearances on public broadcasting – radio and television. In 2009, the violinist even made an episode of HBO’s comedy “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Chee-Yun last appeared in the Azalea City in May 2015 when she played with the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra for their season finale. Attendees who want more than the performance itself are invited to dip into MSO’s pre-concert Take Note program in Room 1927, next to the Saenger’s main entrance. An hour before the conductor’s baton is raised they can hear a talk on the show’s background from MSO personnel. The Jan. 20 show is at 7:30 p.m.. Sunday matinee is at 2:30 p.m.. Tickets run $15 – $75. For more information, call 251-432-2010 or go to mobilesymphony.org.

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MUSIC

BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

FEATURE

Eric Erdman’s ‘It’s Not Like You Don’t Know Me’ BAND: ERIC ERDMAN ALBUM RELEASE PARTY DATE: FRIDAY, JAN. 19, 7 P.M. VENUE: CEDAR STREET SOCIAL CLUB, 4 N. CEDAR ST. (MOBILE), WWW.CEDARSTREETSOCIALCLUB.COM TICKETS: $15, AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.ERICERDMANMUSIC.COM

admits he had what he describes as “an embarrassment of riches.” This prolific singer-songwriter had 70 compositions from which to choose. While it may seem like he could just randomly collect songs, Erdman recognized that a proper album must have an overall audio personality that weaves its way through the tracks. “It was the opposite of writer’s block,” Erdman says. “I was confused as to how to put together an album from a mountain of songs. For the rest of my career, I’ve been able to get them through the process and out into the world at enough of a pace to keep up.” In order to cull a new album from this collection, Erdman said he put together what he could only call a “focus group” comprising music industry friends he trusts. As his group sifted through songs, Erdman began noticing they went back to the same five or six songs. Erdman says he considers these songs some of his most “personal and heavy.” The emotional connection of these songs led the singersongwriter to join these tracks that share the same passion as his group’s favorites. This created the album’s dominating personality. “It makes for a pretty somber, heavy album, but it’s what’s happened over the past four or five years of my life,” Erdman says. “This is the most indicative of what I’ve been going through. Of all of the albums that I’ve put out, this is the most emotional.” Erdman admits he feels he has enough experience as an “under-the-radar” producer for “buddies and friends” to justify a self-produced album. However, he admits the idea of having to be objective with his own music could have presented a challenge, so he looked to Rick Hirsch (Studio H2O, Wet Willie) to provide sonic guidance in the studio. Coincidentally, the album’s impressive warmth is on the same level with the Mobile-based group Paw Paw’s Medicine Cabinet, which also worked with Hirsch in the studio. “I wanted Rick,” Erdman says. “In addition to being one of my close friends, I think he’s a musical genius. He came through in a big way. He invested his heart and his brain into the album. It wouldn’t be the same without him. He directed, and that’s what you do. You get the band in the right headspace to actually accomplish each individual song.” In the past, Erdman traveled to Muscle Shoals

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Photo/ Eric Erdman

he recording studio can be one of the most enigmatic places a musician can experience. For some, the studio can create a sound or attitude that doesn’t accurately reflect the live delivery of the same songs, which some musicians desire. Others enter the studio craving to give their listeners the same quality and sound they produce in a live setting. Azalea City singer-songwriter Eric Erdman has succeeded in capturing the power and emotion of his live performances with his new album, “It’s Not Like You Don’t Know Me.” Compared to the multilayered, instrumental grandeur of his previous albums, Erdman has taken some of his most personal songs and documented them in a relatively raw and minimalist context. This release features Erdman on his acoustic guitar, with drummer John Milham and bassist Tommy Sciple, and a guest spot from percussionist Bill Summers (Herbie Hancock). Erdman says his choice to find power in simplicity was an effort to provide his listeners with an accurate portrayal of the live experience that has earned him an ever-growing, devoted following. The end result is a smooth, raw studio interpretation of some of Erdman’s most personal and emotionally powerful songs. Erdman’s trademark lyrical poetry slides across his warm, friendly acoustic guitar, which is embraced by Milham’s cool, suave brushes and sticks and Sciple’s deep baritone upright bass. Some of Erdman’s longtime fans might consider this album some of his best studio material to date. “I’m doing singer-songwriter festivals and showcases in listening-room environments with me and an acoustic guitar most of the time,” Erdman says. “The last album, I love it, but it’s got a horn section and two or three guitar tracks and organs. I said that if we were going to go with this emotional, personal album, then let’s give the people what I’ve been doing on the road. Let’s let the songs do the talking and try to deliver it.” According to Erdman, the songs commanded the movement, creation and persona of “It’s Not Like You Don’t Know Me” on several levels, as seen when he decided to collect songs for this release. When he began to pull from his catalog, Erdman

Eric Erdman recorded “It’s Not Like You Don’t Know Me” at Dauphin Street Sound in Mobile. for studio work, and has no problem professing his deep love for Alabama’s studio hub. But for this album, he chose to lay down tracks at Dauphin Street Sound with Trina Shoemaker and Keylan Laxton. Erdman’s decision to stay in Mobile was one of civic pride. He considers Dauphin Street Sound to be on the same level as a studio in “Nashville or any of the other big cities.” He hopes this album will make musicians far and wide recognize Dauphin Street Sound can provide the same quality recordings as any studio in Muscle Shoals. “I think it’s important for the Mobile scene to make some of their catalog in Mobile and prove that we can do it here,” says Erdman. “I’ll go back to Muscle Shoals, no doubt, but

It was the opposite of writer’s block. I was confused as to how to put together an album from a mountain of songs. I wanted to do this one in my hometown, because we can and should make world-class recordings in Mobile.” With the album’s accurate reflection of his live show, Erdman’s album release party should serve as a proper representation of “It’s Not Like You Don’t Know Me.” John Milham is scheduled to provide drums, and New Orleans will be sending Chris Severin to serve on bass. Future Astronauts will be providing an electric feast of colorful lights to complement the performance. After the album release party, Erdman will travel to the National Association of Music Merchants’ annual gathering in Anaheim, Calif., where he will showcase his tracks for the crowds.

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MUSIC BRIEFS

Fairhope Brewing turns 5

BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

Band: The Brewery Strikes Back: 5th Anniversary Party Date: Saturday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m. Venue: Fairhope Brewing Co., 914 Nichols Ave. (Fairhope), www.fairhopebrewing.com Tickets: Free

Photo | Kim Anderson | Edward David Anderson

or the past five years, Fairhope Brewing Co. has poured pint after pint of delicious ales and lagers. To celebrate, Fairhope Brewing will spend the day in a time “long ago in a galaxy far, far away” with a Star Wars-themed anniversary celebration. The staff at Fairhope Brewing Co. are also music lovers. This soirée includes a threeband lineup that will begin with a set from Edward David Anderson. Anderson will pepper his set with locally grown tunes from “Lower Alabama: The Loxley Sessions,” which was recorded at Anthony Crawford’s (Sugarcane Jane, Willie Sugarcapps) Admiral Bean Studios. This release sets raw vocals and honest lyrics upon a mélange of earthy folk and dirt-road twang. Steel City Jug Slammers will transport the crowd to the raucous days when Tin Pan Alley ruled. This trio brings a mix of blues and Dixieland jazz to the Eastern Shore. “The Earnest Tube Sessions: Vol. 2” is the latest offering from the group. The album successfully reflects the trio’s love for early 20th century music styles as well as the aural qualities of the era’s recordings. Mitch Johnston will complete the day’s musical entertainment. This local singer-songwriter is a regular performer at Fairhope Brewing Co. Armed with his acoustic guitar, Johnston’s original music is both catchy and offbeat, especially songs such as “Hot Checks.”

David Dondero at Satori

Band: David Dondero Date: Monday, Jan. 22, with doors at 7:30 p.m. Venue: Satori Coffee House, 5460 Old Shell Road, www.satori-coffee.com Tickets: $5 at the door (free for USA students)

With a new semester going strong, The University of South Alabama’s Independent Music Collective will hold the first of six events planned for 2018. On Jan. 22, singer-songwriter David Dondero will use Satori Coffee House’s warm and cozy vibe to accent his intimate performance. Before NPR included him in a list of “Best Living Songwriters,” Dondero spent time in the punk scene, most notably as the drummer of This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb. For the past 20 years, Dondero has provided the public with a steady flow of solo efforts. His Satori set will include tracks from his 10th studio album, “Inside the Cat’s Eye.” This release portrays Dondero as a modern folk troubadour untainted by the convoluted nature of what today’s music industry has come to call “Americana.” When he chooses to mingle genres, Dondero might add a shade of classic country or ‘50s-era rock. Overall, “Inside the Cat’s Eye” is a haunting journey through Dondero’s world, but new visitors to this landscape should not assume they are safe. His bittersweet songs have the tendency to haunt audience members in the days that follow.

Jam returns to Soul Kitchen

Band: CBDB, Big Jam Space Driver Date: Saturday, Jan. 20, 8 p.m. Venue: Soul Kitchen, 219 Dauphin St., www.soulkitchenmobile.com Tickets: $10 in advance/$12 day of show; available at www.soulkitchenmobile.com or by calling 1-877-777-8932 Since the venue’s early years, Soul Kitchen has specialized in jam rock, and this show boasts two upand-comers in the Southeastern jam scene: CBDB and Big Jam Space Driver. Big Jam Space Driver will warm up the crowd. Taking its name from a rare guitar pedal, Big Jam Space Driver is a conglomeration of talent from Mobile and Pensacola. The Azalea City’s Christopher Spies (saxophone) and Johnathan Ashley (drums) mix their respective talents with Pensacola’s John Hart (guitar), Owen Finley (bass) and Adam Cooper (keys). Their set should be a freewheeling, eclectic romp filled with multiple layers rock, funk, jazz and blues. Once again, CBDB will fill Soul Kitchen with their trademark “joyfunk.” This versatile jam style has made them a favorite with crowds from Mobile to Nashville. Lighthearted original tracks such as “She’s Mobile” shine from CBDB’s intricate, jazz-infused funk and syncopated lyrical flow. On the other hand, the heavy Southern rock of “Old Dog” pulls influences from Widespread Panic and Gov’t Mule.

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AREAMUSIC LISTINGS | January 17 - January 23

WED. JAN 17

Listening Room— Chip Herrington Jazz Quintet Bluegill— Matt Neese Main Street Cigar Blues Tavern— Art, 8p Lounge— Profits & Preachers, Callaghan’s— Phil and Foster 8p with Karl Langley Manci’s— Paw Paw’s Medicine Cockeyed Charlie’s— JJ Cabinet Felix’s— Jimmy Lumpkin Moe’s BBQ (Daphne) — Flora Bama— Lea Anne Rock Bottom Duo w/ Rick Creswell Trio, 11a// Neil Dover, Carter, 8p 3p/// Bat, 6p//// Logan Spicer, Moe’s BBQ (Foley) — 7p//// Rhonda Hart Duo, 7p Poarch Ninjas, 6p Listening Room— Eric Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Erdman Harrison McInnis, 6:30p Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) — The Dunaway Brothers THUR. JAN 18 Soul Kitchen— The Molly Bluegill— Al and Cathy Ringwalds, 10:30p Blues Tavern— Doobious, Traders— Larry Grisham and 8:30p Callaghan’s— Cooper Trent Britt Meacham of Beat Daddy Fame Cockeyed Charlie’s— JJ Wind Creek Casino— Felix’s— Soulshine Tommy Morse Band, 8p Flora Bama— Bat, 1p// Dueling Pianos, 4:30p/// Mark Sherrill, Chris Newbury, James SAT. JAN 20 Daniel, 5p//// Mario Mena, 9p//// Beau Rivage— Engelbert Logan Spicer and Tony Ray Humperdnick, 8p Thompson, 9;15p Bluegill— Quintin Berry, 12p// Listening Room— Dan Harrison McInnis Duo, 6p Navarro Blues Tavern— Big Al & The Manci’s— Ross Newell Heavy Weights, 9p Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Callaghan’s— Slide Bayou Science on Tap, 6p Cockeyed Charlie’s— Top of the Bay— Lee Yankee MBizzle Trio El Camino— Matt Neese, Traders— Jay and Scott, 8p 7:30p

FRI. JAN 19

Beau Rivage— Engelbert Humperdnick, 8p Big Beach Brewing— Strictly Isbell, 6:30p Bluegill— Shea White, 12p// Light Travelers, 6p Blues Tavern— Johnny No, 9p Callaghan’s— Red Clay Strays Cockeyed Charlie’s— 3HG El Camino— Leavin Brothers, 7:30p Felix’s— Grits N Pieces Flora Bama— Dallas Moore, 10:15p// Logan Spicer, 2p/// The Big Earl Show, 5:30p//// Johnny B Trio, 6p//// River Dan Band, 10p Hard Rock (Center Bar) — Yeah, Probably, 9:30p Hard Rock (Live) — Smash Mouth, 8p IP Casino— Jeff Foxworthy, 8p

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Fairhope Brewing— Edward David Anderson, 2p// Steel City Jugslammers, 4p/// Mitch Johnston, 7p Felix’s— Light Travelers Flora Bama— Al and Cathy, 1p// J. Hawkins Duo, 2p/// Big Muddy, 5:30p//// Chad Parker Duo, 6p//// Jack Robertson Show, 7p//// River Dan Band, 10p//// Dallas Moore, 10:15p Hard Rock (Center Bar) — Yeah, Probably, 9:30p Listening Room— Chuck Mead and his Grassy Knoll Boys with Abe Partridge Live Bait— Gulf Coast Comedy Fest, 7p Manci’s— The Electric Sox The Merry Widow— Supersuckers, 9p Moe’s BBQ (Foley) — Christina Christian, 6p Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Lefty Collins, 6:30p

Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) — Quintin Berry, 6:30p Saenger— Mobile Symphony Orchestra: Four Seasons Soul Kitchen— CBDB, Big Jam Space Driver, 9p Top of the Bay— Throne of Eden Traders— Larry Grisham and Britt Meacham of Beat Daddy Fame Wind Creek Casino— Tommy Morse Band, 8p

SUN. JAN 21

Big Beach Brewing— Johnny Mullen & Clay Connor, 3p Bluegill— Matt Bush, 12p// Josh Ewing and Matt Neese, 6p Blues Tavern— John Hall Jam, 6p Callaghan’s— Oh Jeremiah Felix’s— Bobby Butchka Flora Bama— Songs of Rusty, 12:30p// Perdido Brothers, 4p/// Smoky Otis Duo, 7p//// Dallas Moore, 8:30p Listening Room— The Steel City Jug Slammers The Merry Widow— Eyehategod, D.R.E.A.D., Black Titan. Excessum, 8p Saenger— Mobile Symphony Orchestra: Four Seasons Top of the Bay— Brandon White

MON. JAN 22

Felix’s— Quintin Berry Flora Bama— Cathy Pace, 3p// Albert Simpson, 7p/// Petty and Pace, 7p

TUE. JAN 23 Bluegill— Ryan Balthrop Butch Cassidy’s— Johnny Barbato Cockeyed Charlie’s— Jordan Felix’s— Bobby Butchka Flora Bama— Ricky Whaley Duo, 3p// Albert Simpson, 7p/// Bruce Smelley, 7p Live Bait— Brandon Styles, 7p Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Andrew Ayers, 6p

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FILMTHE REEL WORLD

Bowie’s ‘Last Five Years’ or so

BY ASIA FREY/FILM CRITIC/AFREY@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

AREA

THEATERS CARMIKE CINEMA’S Wynnsong 16 785 Schillinger Rd. S. (251) 639-7373 CRESCENT THEATER 208 Dauphin Street (251) 438-2005 HOLLYWOOD STADIUM 18 1250 Satchel Paige Dr. (251) 473-9655

hen David Bowie passed away from cancer days after releasing the album “Blackstar,” I marveled at how profound it was to be able to create a work of art about your own death, to reckon with that in such a meaningful way, and leave it behind for your family and the world. How moving and incredible to be able to somehow orchestrate the end of your life that way. So with great interest I viewed a much-hyped new documentary called “Bowie: The Last Five Years,” because for someone to know that their last five years are in fact their last, and to make art out of it, was immensely interesting to me. The filmmaker seems not to have shared my interest in these last five years. This was a perfectly adequate kind of overview of Bowie’s life’s work. Director Francis Whately did not focus on the last five years in particular at all. I didn’t time it all out, but there may have been less about the end than anything else. This documentary functions as more of an introduction to various tours and

albums of Bowie’s, but hardly fulfills the title’s promise of an in-depth treatment of his impossibly fruitful final days. The film begins with Bowie’s final tour, over a decade ago, a joyful and energetic affair brought to a sudden end when he suffered a heart attack. This heralded the beginning of the health issues that ultimately ended his life. After a long recovery, Bowie reached out to his touring band with plans to record a new album, in secret, with no expectations of when it would be finished. The result was “The Next Day,” and the many music videos created for that album form a large portion of this film. Interviews with musicians are, to varying degrees, interesting, and his producer in particular has some erudite comments to contribute. But that deep dive I sought never occurred, and the film begins to weave, rather ineffectively, through Bowie’s entire career. We learn that Bowie always wanted to write a Broadway musical, and decades earlier attempted to mount a production of an adaptation of George Orwell’s “1984,” bringing us, finally, to a project that fits my criteria of inclusion because it was

from the last five years, “Lazarus.” Bowie adapted this Broadway musical from the book “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” which, of course, was the basis of a film starring David Bowie about an alien who came to Earth and, in the play, is now existing as a man unable to die. Recasting classic Bowie songs for this story is a nice metaphor for the closure the production seemed to bring the dying musician. Which brings us to his final album, “Blackstar,” in which Bowie sings “Look up here, I’m in heaven,” lying, in the music video, in a hospital bed. What a compelling counterpoint to the rock ‘n’ roll image of dying young, extinguished suddenly, is this mournful but powerful image that Bowie had the strength to create himself. This lightweight documentary fails to engage meaningfully with such rich material, remaining instead a merely adequate overview of a singularly fascinating period in the life of this artist. The work of Bowie’s “Last Five Years” will have to continue to speak for itself, and it more than does so. “Bowie: The Last Five Years” is currently available to stream from HBO.

RAVE MOTION PICTURE JUBILEE SQUARE 12 6898 U.S. 90 Daphne, (251) 626- 6266 CARMIKE CINEMAS 23151 Wharf Ln. Orange Beach (251) 981-4444 COBB THEATRES PINNACLE 14 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores (251) 968-7444 EASTERN SHORE PREMIERE CINEMA 14 30500 Alabama 181 #500 Spanish Fort, Al (251) 626-0352 Information accurate at press time; please call theaters for showtimes.

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Photos | HBO / Sony Pictures Classics

From left: “David Bowie: The Last Five Years” fails to engage meaningfully with rich material, but remains an adequate overview of a singularly fascinating period in the artist’s life. “Call Me By Your Name” is an Italian coming-of-age story about emerging sexuality, Jewish heritage and the beguiling Italian landscape. NOW PLAYING

FATHER FIGURES All listed multiplex theaters. PADDINGTON 2 THE GREATEST SHOWMAN All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. A 17-year-old and a doctoral student discover the THE POST PITCH PERFECT 3 beauty of awakening desire in summertime Italy. Regal All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. THE COMMUTER Mobile Stadium 18 FERDINAND All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. THE SHAPE OF WATER 12 STRONG STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Crescent Theater, AMC Classic Wharf All listed multiplex theaters. Set in the harrowing days following 9/11, a U.S. SpeALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD JUST GETTING STARTED cial Forces team led by their new captain, Mitch NelAll listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. son (Chris Hemsworth), is chosen to be the first U.S. THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE DARKEST HOUR troops sent into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerEBBING, MISSOURI All listed multiplex theaters. AMC Classic Wharf ous mission. All listed multiplex theaters. THE DISASTER ARTIST COCO AMC Classic Wharf All listed multiplex theaters. DEN OF THIEVES INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY MURDER ON THE ORIENT All listed multiplex theaters. Follows the lives of an elite unit of the Los Angeles EXPRESS DOWNSIZING County Sheriff’s Department and the state’s most All listed multiplex theaters All listed multiplex theaters. successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a DADDY’S HOME 2 JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE All listed multiplex theaters. seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve JUNGLE THOR: RAGNAROK Bank of downtown L.A. All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters.

NEW IN THEATERS CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 17, 2018 - JANUARY 23, 2018

GENERAL INTEREST

ARTS

March for Life Come stand with us to proclaim the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death on Friday, Jan. 19. Events begin with mass at Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at 12:10 p.m. Pro-life rally in Cathedral Square begins at 1 p.m. March through downtown Mobile begins at 1:45 p.m.

The Artys The Artys, presented by the Mobile Arts Council, will recognize winners in 11 categories on Thursday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. at The Steeple, 251 St. Francis St. Tickets cost $45 and include food, live music and two drink tickets. For more information, call 251-432-9796.

South Alabama Women’s March Hosted by Speak Out South Alabama, this march is for women to stand in solidarity and take a stand on issues that impact all of us. Saturday, Jan. 20, 1 p.m. at Public Safety Memorial Park, 2301 Airport Blvd. in Mobile. Email info@ speakoutsouthalabama.com. Mobile AGC Luncheon The Mobile and Northwest Florida section of Alabama Associated General Contractors will host speaker and author Kevin Elko, Ph.D., during its 2018 annual luncheon on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Call 251656-3843. Dauphin Island Boardwalk Talks Boardwalk Talks are held the first and third Wednesday of each month at 11:15 a.m. at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Blvd. Call 251-861-2141. Midtown Optimist Club Join Midtown Optimist Club every Wednesday at noon for lunch at Azalea City Golf Course. Call 251-348-3542. Rabies clinic The Mobile County Health Department offers $8 rabies shots. This Saturday’s clinic is at Pet Supplies Plus, 803 Hillcrest Road, 1:30-4 p.m. Call 251-690-8823. Winter Walk at Bellingrath Learn about the interesting winter borders and containers throughout the gardens from Bellingrath’s horticulture management team. Winter Wednesdays sessions are held each week in the Magnolia Room, 10:30-11:30 a.m., through Feb. 28. Call 251-459-8864. TOPS Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Spanish Fort Presbyterian Church. Call 251-625-6888. Toastmasters Toastmasters International meets regularly at six locations in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Visit www.toastmasters.org for more information.

FUNDRAISERS MPD Chili Cook-Off The public is invited to taste the best chili in the city, cooked by Mobile police officers, on Saturday, Jan. 20, in Cathedral Square from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at police headquarters, 2460 Government Blvd., or at the Downtown Mobile Alliance, 261 Dauphin St. Call 251-454-2346. Many More Miles Baldwin Bone & Joint’s annual collection of shoes for the homeless outreach program continues through Saturday, March 24. For drop-off locations, call 251621-5387.

Havana Printmaking Week Artist Daniel Rodriguez Garcia returns to Mobile for a series of events and workshops exploring Cuban culture through his innovative approach to storytelling via print, through Jan. 17. Visit alabamacontemporary.org. Mobile Jewish Film Festival The 2018 Mobile Jewish Film Festival will show 10 acclaimed Jewish films at venues around Mobile and Baldwin counties, through Jan. 28. Visit mobilejewishfederation.org. “August: Osage County” The Joe Jefferson Playhouse presents “August: Osage County” for nine performances over three weekends, running through Jan. 21. Visit joejeffersonplayers.com, call 251-471-1534 or email info@joejeffersonplayers.com. Art demonstrations Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism’s 2018 Welcome Center Lecture and Demonstration Series is on weekdays, through Feb. 28. Art demos will take place on various days at 10 a.m. at the Orange Beach Welcome Center (23685 Perdido Beach Blvd.), while lectures will take place each weekday at 2 p.m. at the Gulf Shores Welcome Center (3459 Gulf Shores Parkway). Visit GulfShores.com/ WelcomeCenter.

MUSEUMS “Titanic: Honour & Glory” “Titanic Honour & Glory” will run through April 15 at the History Museum of Mobile. In addition to the exhibition, the museum will host monthly events. Call 251-301-0273 or gavin.snyder@ historymuseumofmobile.com. “Posing Beauty in African-American Culture” An exhibition at Mobile Museum of Art explores the understanding of how African and African-American beauty has been represented through a diverse range of media. Through Jan. 21. Visit mobilemuseumofart.com. “Right on Course” The United States Sports Academy’s American Sport Art Museum and Archives is open free to the public weekdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One of the newest exhibits is “Right on Course.” Visit www.asama.org. “Windows to the Sea” “Windows to the Sea” is the latest permanent exhibit at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium. Visit disl.org. “Savage Ancient Seas” “Savage Ancient Seas” will transport GulfQuest guests to a time when the last of the great dinosaurs roamed Earth and swam the seas. Visit www.gulfquest.org. Fairhope’s Founding Learn more about the 1894 founding of Fairhope at the Fairhope Museum of History, 24 N. Section St. The museum is

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open daily (except Sunday and Monday), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 251-929-1471. Little Discoveries “Outside the Box,” aimed at children age 6 and under, explores how innovation and creativity can lead to a world of possibilities, starting with a simple cardboard box. Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Call 251-208-6893 or email jholland@ exploreum.com. Thursdays at MMoA Every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the Mobile Museum of Art offers free admission to all visitors. No reservations are necessary. MMoA is at 4850 Museum Drive. Call 251-208-5200.

SPORTING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

PUBLIC MEETINGS Baldwin County Commission: First and third Tuesday at 8:30 a.m., 322 Courthouse Square, Bay Minette. Work sessions are the second and fourth Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. rotating between Bay Minette, the Foley Satellite Courthouse, the Fairhope Satellite Courthouse and the Baldwin County Central Annex Building in Robertsdale. www.baldwincountyal.gov Baldwin County Planning Commission: First Thursday at 6 p.m., 22251 Palmer St., Robertsdale, www.baldwincountyal.gov. Bayou La Batre City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 13785 S. Wintzell Ave., www.cityofbayoulabatre. com.

Group Rides South Alabama and Mississippi Mountain Bike Association invites all levels of cyclists to join them every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. at USA Bike Trails and Sunday at 9 a.m. at Chickasabogue Park. Email carrie@rideSAMBA.com.

Chickasaw City Council: Second and fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., 224 N. Craft Highway, 251-452-6450.

Weekly 1K/5K Every Thursday evening at 6 p.m., join Red Beard’s Outfitter and Cortlandt’s Pub in the Spring Hill Village Shopping Center for a 1K or 5K run and walk. No cost to participate.

Creola City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6 p.m., 190 Dead Lake Road, #A, 251-675-8142.

Bingo Join Via! Health, Fitness, Enrichment Center at 1717 Dauphin St. for bingo every Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Call 251-478-3311. Bridge Lessons The Mobile Bridge Center offers free bridge lessons each Tuesday at 6 p.m. at 1510 University Blvd. Arrive a few minutes early to register. Call 251-666-2147, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fitness and athletics classes New fitness classes are offered at Palmer Pillans Middle School. Tai Chi, candlelit yoga, Core Fusion, small-group personal fitness training, basketball for ages 15 and up, basketball for ages 8-14 and sports conditioning for ages 8-17. Call 251-4637980 or go to communityactivitiesprogram. com. Dance and art classes New dance classes are offered at Palmer Pillans Middle School. Belly dance, preballet and tumbling for ages 6-12, beginner piano for ages 8 and up. Call 251-4637980 or go to communityactivitiesprogram. com. Pickleball for adults (indoors) Offered at Palmer Pillans Middle School on Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. Great sport for all ages combines tennis, pingpong and badminton on a court one-fourth the size of a tennis court. Call 251-463-7980 or go to communityactivitiesprogram.com. Ballroom dance Azalea Ballroom Dance Club hosts dances the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, 7-9:30 p.m. at Via! Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center, 1717 Dauphin St. Call 251-623-9183 or visit azaleaballroomdanceclub.com. Ballroom dance The Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society hosts dances the first and third Monday of every month, 7-9:30 p.m. at Hot Wheels Skating Rink in Daphne. Email cassief13@aol.com.

Citronelle City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6:30 p.m., 19135 Main St., 251-866-7973.

Daphne City Council: First and third Monday at 6:30 p.m., 1705 Main St. Work sessions are the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., www.daphneal.com. Dauphin Island Town Council: First and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., 1011 Bienville Blvd., www.townofdauphinisland.org. Elberta Town Council: Third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the town hall. Workshop meeting on the second Tuesday. townofelberta.com. Fairhope City Council: Second and fourth Monday at 6 p.m., 161 N. Section St. Work sessions are held before each council meeting at 4:30 p.m., www.cofairhope. com. Fairhope Planning Commission: First Monday at 5 p.m., 161 N. Section St. For more information visit www.cofairhope. com. Foley City Council: First and third Monday at 5:30 p.m., 407 E. Laurel Ave. Work sessions begin at 4 p.m., www.cityoffoley. org. Gulf Shores City Council: Second and fourth Mondays at 4 p.m., 1905 W. First St., www.gulfshoresal.gov. Mobile City Council: Tuesdays at Government Plaza, 205 Government St. Pre-council meeting begins at 9 a.m.; council meeting begins at 10:30 a.m., www.cityofmobile.org. Mobile Planning Commission: First and third Thursdays at 2 p.m., 205 Government St., www.urban.cityofmobile.org. Orange Beach City Council: First and third Tuesdays at 5 p.m., 4099 Orange Beach Blvd., www.cityoforangebeach.com. Prichard City Council: Every Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 216 E. Prichard Ave., www. thecityofprichard.org. Satsuma City Council: First and third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 5464 Old Highway 43 Satsuma, AL

2018 MARDI GRAS 2018 MARDI GRAS PARADE SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, JAN. 20 • Dauphin Island People’s Parade, 1 p.m., Dauphin Island

FRIDAY, JAN. 26 • Conde Cavaliers, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile

SATURDAY, JAN. 27 • Bayport Parading Society, 2:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Pharaoh’s Mystic Society, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Conde Explorers, 7 p.m., Route A, Mobile

THURSDAY, FEB. 1 • Order of the Polka Dots, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile

FRIDAY, FEB. 2 • Order of the Inca, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Apollo’s Mystic Ladies, 6:45 p.m., Daphne

SATURDAY, FEB. 3 • The Haven’s Mystic Mutts, 1 p.m., Fairhope • Mobile Mystics, 2 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Mobile Mystical Revelers, 2:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Maids of Mirth, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Knights of Ecor Rouge, 6:45 p.m., Fairhope • Order of Butterfly Maidens, 7 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Krewe of Marry Mates, 7:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile

6:45 p.m., Fairhope

SATURDAY, FEB. 10 • Foley Mardi Gras Parade, 11 a.m., downtown Foley • Floral Parade, noon, Route A, Mobile • Knights of Mobile, 12:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Mobile Mystical Ladies, 1 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Order of Angels, 1:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Krewe of Mullet Mates, 2 p.m., Mullet Point • Mystics of Time, 6 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Mystics of Pleasure, 6 p.m., Orange Beach • Shadow Barons, 6:45 p.m., Daphne

SUNDAY, FEB. 11 • King Elexis Parade, 2 p.m., Route E, Mobile • Joe Cain, 2:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile, • Loyal Order of the Firetruck, 2:30 p.m., Daphne • Joe Cain Marchers, 3 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Le Krewe de Bienville, 5 p.m., Route A, Mobile

MONDAY, FEB. 12

• Neptune’s Daughters, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Order of Isis, 7 p.m., Route A, Mobile

• King Felix and Floral Parade, noon, Route A, Mobile • MLK Business & Civic Organization, 3 p.m., Route D, Mobile • MLK Monday Mystics, 3:30 p.m., Route D, Mobile • Northside Merchants, 4 p.m., Route D, Mobile • Order of Mystic Magnolias, 6:45 p.m., Fairhope • Infant Mystics, 7 p.m., Route F, Mobile • Order of Doves, 7:30 p.m., Route F, Mobile

MONDAY, FEB. 5

TUESDAY, FEB. 13

• Order of Venus, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Order of Many Faces, 7 p.m., Route A, Mobile

• Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade, 10 a.m., Gulf Shores • Order of Athena, 10:30 a.m., Route A, Mobile • Knights of Revelry, 12:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • King Felix, 1 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association, 2 p.m., Route B, Mobile • Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade, 2 p.m., Orange Beach • Comic Cowboys, 1:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Order of Myths, 6 p.m., Route C, Mobile

SUNDAY, FEB. 4

TUESDAY, FEB. 6 • Order of LaShe, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile

THURSDAY, FEB. 8 • Mystic Stripers, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile

FRIDAY, FEB. 9 • Crewe of Columbus, 6:30 p.m., Route A, Mobile • Maids of Jubilee,

For Mobile route maps, visit maps. cityofmobile.org/Event_MardiGras/ Parades.html.

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MEDIA MEDIA FRENZY

Grip says 2018 will be last year on air

BY ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM ne of Mobile’s iconic news anchors has announced he’ll be calling it quits at the end of January 2019 after 33 years at the news desk. Bob Grip announced to co-workers last Friday he’s retiring early next year. His media career has spanned 48 years, but what he’s most known for around the Azalea City is his more than three decades anchoring WALA’s newscasts. Grip got his start in radio 48 years ago as a disc jockey in his home state of Connecticut. He moved to television and worked in Mobile, then in Portsmouth, Va., before being offered the WALA anchor’s job in 1984. At that time the station was Mobile’s NBC affiliate. In a press release announcing his retirement plans, Grip listed meeting Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1988 for a documentary among his most memorable journalistic accomplishments. He also reported from Kuwait in 1993 following the Gulf War. “It was always my dream to work in broadcasting, even as a teenager. It still makes me laugh to think a guidance counselor tried to discourage me, telling me to ‘Do something normal,’” he said in the press release. “I wanted to do extraordinary things, but never imagined I would get to meet presidents, talk with a pope and travel around the country and the world. “By far, though, the most rewarding part of my career in journalism has been serving our community. I have been honored to work side-byside with many wonderful people from across the Gulf Coast. I hope to continue to share what I’ve learned in service to others.” Over the years Grip has been recognized for his work by not only his peers in broadcast journalism, but also law enforcement and education. Both the FBI and Mobile County Sheriff’s Department have lauded his work, and Grip’s weekly “Fugitive Files” series has run for 24 years and been credited with helping law enforcement apprehend hundreds of suspects.

The Mobile County Public School System also recognized Grip with the Academic Leadership award for his work with the Hi-Q high school academic competition. And for more than 25 years he has taught journalism at Spring Hill College. Grip has overseen numerous changes in journalism in general, and has even embraced and thrived in the new digital age. He’s also seen his station transition from an NBC affiliate to a Fox affiliate, along with a move from downtown to a more central location near Hank Aaron Stadium. WALA General Manager Gary Yoder says the station will have a difficult time replacing Grip. “For decades, Bob has been a pillar of journalism in our community,” Yoder said in a statement. “He has been the one that many have turned to, in good times and bad, to deliver the news over the years. His retirement leaves some very big shoes to fill. Our search is already underway to find someone who will report the day’s news in the tradition that Bob has established. “I intend to enjoy this final year of broadcasting with Bob. I hope that viewers will enjoy every day with Bob in the same way I will. He may be retiring, but he will always be a part of the WALA family. Bob will be missed.”

92ZEW makes on-air changes

WZEW announced this week it is expanding nighttime host Mystic Marge’s show by two hours, replacing Catt Sirten’s nightly “Radio Avalon,” which will now get its own digital stream. Mystic Marge’s show will now run weekdays from 6 p.m. to midnight, while “Radio Avalon” will go online 24/7 on a new radio stream the station is launching. “Catt’s Sunday Jazz Brunch” will remain on-air Sundays. Director of Programming Tim Camp said “The on-air listener landscape is changing along with musical tastes as younger generations get older. We thought it makes more sense to offer Catt’s show on a 24-hour basis online.”

THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE VOWEL PLAY BY DAVID STEINBERG / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ ACROSS 1 Start of the third qtr. 4 Treatment centers? 8 Sycophant’s quality 13 Mr. Dithers’s wife in “Blondie” 17 ____-ball pens 18 Ristorante dessert 20 Construction-site vehicle 21 Top 22 Richard Simmons diet regimen / London tabloid 24 Records 25 One may have a height restriction 26 Gauge 27 Carpe ____ 29 What a red pepper on a menu may signal / Made clear 31 Caninelike animal more closely related to a cat than a dog 32 Three-engine planes 34 Babies grow into them 35 O. J. Simpson trial judge 37 “Goosebumps” author 38 So-called “cradle of civilization” 40 Curse 43 Preceder of free throws / Juice container? 46 Pretended to be 50 Inventor Howe 51 Discombobulated 52 Slimming surgeries, in brief 54 ____ Ste. Marie, Mich. 55 Strategic position 57 Like the data in big data 59 Warriors’ org. 60 Really bothered 62 Used, as a chair 65 Chow mein relative 67 Self-reflective question 69 Fooler / Summer Olympics standout 72 Sound signal booster 73 Kind of medicine 75 Lady friend, in Livorno 76 SoCal-based sneaker brand 78 Zeno of ____ 79 Colonial Indian title 81 When big bands thrived 84 Bridges of old film 86 “Shush!” 88 Writer Shaw 91 Scheduled to arrive 92 Hypothesized 94 Harry Potter’s ex-girlfriend / Register sound 96 National Spelling Bee airer 97 Some prized Prado pieces 99 One of the Kennedys 100 Disappointing 102 Sin subject? 104 Lessens the distance between, in a race

106 Straight or curly hair, e.g. 110 “He’s so lame!” / Deer variety 112 Golden-apple goddess 114 App developer’s milestone 115 Prefix with port 116 Photographer’s light 118 Thin neckwear / Assam or Earl Grey 120 Complete 121 Lightly touched 122 Afghan, e.g. 123 Cursive capital that looks like a flipped “&” 124 Mustang feature 125 Mount 126 Little sibling, often 127 Major race sponsor DOWN 1 Jerusalem’s onetime kingdom 2 Nervous 3 Act the middleman 4 Visits for a time 5 Yappy lap dogs, informally 6 Plane calculation 7 Unadventurous 8 Word after “&” in many a company name 9 Minister’s home 10 Makes into a movie, say 11 Trusts 12 Richie’s mom on “Happy Days” 13 Flare-ups in the hood?

14 OxyContin or Demerol 15 Fixes the décor of completely 16 Canceled 19 Sort of 20 Thin layers 23 Moscow landmark 28 Writer Jong 30 “Hoo boy!” 33 Solidify 36 18, say 37 Is litigious 39 Baby in a basket 40 Actor Patel 41 Resembling 42 Cookies filled with green creme / Flattish sea creatures 44 Best at a hot-dog contest 45 Cap 47 Risky / Denim attire 48 See 49-Down 49 With 48-Down, philatelist’s collection 53 ____ gland (melatonin producer) 56 Five things in “La Bohème” 58 Pulled a fast one on 61 Part of a wedding that drags 62 Comp ____ (college major, informally) 63 Dog-show initials 64 Grp. with wands 66 Often-oval floor décor 67 Puppy 68 “Are you listening?!”

70 Stressed at the end, in a way 71 ____ to go 74 Crime-fighting mom of 1980s TV 77 Jets and others 80 Tried something 82 Lambaste 83 Massachusetts’ Cape ____ 85 Scan, in a way 87 Storyteller’s transition 88 Olympian blood 89 Like some German wines 90 Howl 93 Garments worn in old Rome 95 Future cereal grain 98 Actress Ronan of “Lady Bird” 101 Sprint competitor 102 Second letter in the Greek for “Athens” 103 Vehemently criticize 105 Words of resignation 107 Potful 108 Least warm 109 Daddy Warbucks’s bodyguard 110 Hard smack 111 Judgmental sounds 113 Word with “f” or full 114 First N.F.L. team to go 0-16 for a season (2008) 117 Spring locale 119 ____ the day

ANSWERS ON PAGE 40

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SPORTS UPON FURTHER REVIEW

USA to honor ‘Peanut Butter and Jelly’ BY J. MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER/SPORTS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM/TWITTER @GOULAGUY

Photo/Courtesy South Alabama Strategic Communications Archives

USA will retire the jerseys of Jeff Hodge (5) and Junie Lewis (11), known as “Peanut Butter and Jelly,” at a ceremony this Saturday.

he University of South Alabama has fielded a men’s basketball team for half a century. During that time, few players have captured the imagination of the Jaguar nation more than Jeff Hodge and Junie Lewis. The duo, affectionately known as “Peanut Butter and Jelly” for how well they played together almost three decades ago, capped their senior campaigns by leading South to a 23-9 record, the Sun Belt Conference’s regular season and tournament titles, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Once there, USA was matched with a team that has refused to schedule them — the University of Alabama. Hodge and Lewis helped to pull off the greatest win in program history. After trailing by 16 points at halftime, the Jaguars beat the Crimson Tide 88-86 in the Southeast Regionals in Atlanta on March 17, 1989. Ronnie Arrow was head coach of the team, which also included the rebounding machine, Gabe Estaba. The dream season ended two days later with a loss to eventual national champion Michigan. In honor of their many achievements, USA will retire the

jerseys of Hodge and Lewis this Saturday. The ceremony, part of the men’s basketball program’s celebration of its 50th season, will be just one of several activities planned for men’s basketball alumni this weekend. They will join Terry Catledge, Ed Rains and Rory White in a select group of jersey retirees. “We are very excited and proud to retire the numbers of Jeff and Junie,” Director of Athletics Joel Erdmann said. “Their time here at South Alabama is one of the most legendary in our history. We invite everyone who fondly remembers Peanut Butter and Jelly to mark their calendars and join us on that very special day.” Together, Hodge and Lewis accounted for six all-conference selections and four individual accolades. In 1989, Hodge was the SBC Player of the Year. Both players were second-round selections in the NBA Draft. “I am very excited and honored to be the coach for the 50th team in South Alabama history,” said USA head coach Matthew Graves. “It’s an exciting time to be a part of this program. A lot of new faces are in our program and it will

be a wonderful opportunity for former players to come back and see what we’ve done with the locker room and the hallway and different things, and also to see this young team grow and develop.” Hodge is still the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,221 points. He also holds the top spot in field goals made and attempted, while ranking high in points per game (3rd), assists (2nd), steals (tied for 2nd), 3-pointers (7th), 3-point percentage (2nd), free throws made (6th), free throw percentage (5th) and games played (2nd). The Birmingham native is one of three USA players to earn first-team all-Sun Belt honors three times and was named to The Sporting News’ 1989 All-America team. Hodge was voted the conference’s freshman, sophomore and senior of the year. In 2006, he was picked for the Sun Belt All-Time Men’s Basketball Team. He averaged a personal-best 22.3 scoring average as a junior, a mark that ranks second in school history. Lewis, who joined the program as a sophomore in 1986, holds the second-best career scoring average in school history at 19.4 per contest. He is also featured in the school record books, where he currently ranks tied for fifth in points, fifth in assists, sixth in steals, fourth in field goals and tied for ninth in free throws. The three-time all-Sun Belt performer has the only two triple-doubles in school history. He totaled 14 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists against UAB on March 5, 1989, and 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against Jacksonville on Feb. 25, 1989. His 41-point effort at Virginia Commonwealth in 1988 is tied for second in school history. “Having the honor of meeting Hodge and Lewis will be really good for our team,” Graves said. “They’ll be meeting two guys that really put South Alabama on the basketball map, being on the only team to win in the NCAA Tournament. I think our players will really be interested in meeting them and getting to know them, and to see their jerseys retired in the rafters is certainly a well-deserved honor for those two.” The celebration begins Friday with a cocktail party near the Waterman Globe in the North Lobby of the Mitchell Center, 5-5:45 p.m. A dinner will be held from 5:45 to 8 p.m. on the arena floor. On Saturday, USA will host a double-header against conference rival Appalachian State. The women tip off at 1:05 p.m., with the men to follow at 3:05 p.m. The jersey retirement will take place at halftime during the men’s game. To purchase tickets, call 251-461-1USA (1872) or visit www.usajaguars.com.

Sports briefs

• The USA basketball program continues to turn out great players. Two stars have been honored as Players of the Week by the SBC so far. Senior center Chyna Ellis got the first award, following a three-game span where she averaged 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 assists. Junior guard Rodrick Sikes earned the honor for the men’s team after averaging 26.2 points over four games. • The Spring Hill College cheerleading and dance teams will host the Little Badgers Clinics. The cheer clinic will be Jan. 20 at Byrne Hall while the dance clinic will be at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center on Jan. 27. Both events will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a $25 registration fee that includes a clinic T-shirt. Children ages 4 and up may participate. Attendees will have the opportunity to cheer on the sidelines of a college basketball game and perform alongside the SHC cheer/dance team at halftime. For more information, visit www.shcbadgers.com. • June Mayson, the first University of South Alabama women’s golf coach in program history, has passed away. She grew up on the Spring Hill College golf course, where her father, Alvin Buckhaults, was the founder and golf pro. She won the Alabama State Women’s Golf Championship four times (1957, 1959, 1962, 1974) and was also a three-time state Senior Women’s Champion (1984, 1987, 1988). She also served as LPGA professional teacher at the Azalea City Golf Course. In 1986, Mayson became the first-ever head coach of the Jaguar women’s golf coach program. She led the team to a top-20 national ranking during her tenure, was named the SBC Coach of the Year in 1993 — her final season guiding USA — and was inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

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SPORTS FROM BEHIND THE MIC

AJ McCarron has rare understanding of Tide’s comeback win BY RANDY KENNEDY/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

verybody has heard by now about the unprecedented choice Nick Saban made with his team struggling to a 13-0 halftime deficit during the College Football Playoff National Championship game. But few people know it wasn’t the first time Saban had a tough decision to make about replacing a veteran, winning quarterback with an untested but clearly more talented passer. Saban’s on-the-money decision to insert freshman Tua Tagovailoa into the game against Georgia was almost certainly the impetus that earned Alabama its fifth national championship in nine years. But in 2009, as the Tide was on the way to their first national title under Saban, the stakes were equally high. After much internal debate, Saban chose to stick with his veteran and was rewarded with the only perfect season of his career so far. The talented freshman waiting in the wings? That was Mobile’s AJ McCarron, who would eventually win two national titles as a starting quarterback for the Tide. But first, he had to wait his turn. Not always patiently. I spent most of a full day with McCarron last week talking about the Tide’s most recent national championship, his future in the NFL and his memories of being a state champion at St. Paul’s and a three-time national champion at Alabama. Among the topics he addressed on “Sports Drive” on WNSP was how close he came to seeing the first action

of his college career in the 2009 national championship game win over Texas. Junior Greg McElroy, who was suffering from a rib injury at the time, ultimately finished the game and a perfect season despite completing only six passes for a paltry 58 yards. Watching his team struggle to try to throw the ball in the biggest game of the year, McCarron was in essence Tua before Tua. “From what I heard from our coaching staff at that time, there were multiple weeks in a row that they were debating putting me in,” McCarron said. “I was told three weeks in a row that if we didn’t score coming out of halftime they were going to put me in. All three weeks we got the ball first in the second half and all three times we scored. So, I’ve definitely had that same type of experience before as Tua had. “During the national championship game that year, I remember at one point I was warming up on the sidelines because Saban told me to get ready.” McCarron now appreciates that he was able to redshirt that year, become a three-year starter and the winningest quarterback in Alabama history. “As a competitor you want to play, it doesn’t matter when the opportunity comes,” he said. “But quarterback is just so different from every other position because only one guy can play at a time in a game. So any time you feel like you should be playing it’s because you’re

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a competitor. It’s a tough situation to be in. But from a coaching standpoint, you can’t really pull a guy who has led you to the national championship game the year before and you’re undefeated late in the season this year. So it’s really hard.” Because of his experience as a player and his personal relationship with Saban, McCarron was not surprised to see Tagovailoa inserted into the game in place of starter Jalen Hurts. “I figured something had to change at halftime,” he said. “Sometimes if you’re struggling on offense you just have to show you’ll take a shot down the field, even if you don’t complete it. We didn’t have that in the first half. “Tua came in at quarterback and did an awesome job. I think Bama had been fortunate to not have gone against a team all year long that would make them throw the ball. It just so happened that in the national championship game that’s what happened and we finally had to make a change.” The timing of the change was perfect, according to McCarron. “Coming in at the half you at least have a chance to warm up,” he said. “As a backup it’s really better sometimes to say I’m just going to come out here and wing it and have fun.” McCarron said he was as impressed as anyone with what he saw from Tagovailoa, and not just his physical skills. “What he did on the last play was definitely rare for such a young guy,” McCarron said of Tagovailoa’s ability to look to his right in order to make the safety stay clear of where he planned to throw the ball down the left sideline. “It shows that his football IQ is very high. I thought he played great. But now every coach he plays against in the future is going to have tape on him and know how to attack him based on what he does well and what he might struggle with.” Before Tagovailoa has a chance to live up to the ridiculously high expectations now being placed on his shoulders he’ll first have to prove he deserves to win the job over Hurts. “I can assure you both guys will be given a chance,” McCarron said. “When you have more than one good quarterback you never know when your number is going to be called.” Randy Kennedy writes a weekly column for Lagniappe and is co-host of “Sports Drive” every weekday from 3-6 p.m. on WNSP 105.5 FM, the country’s first all-sports FM station.

STYLE GARDENING

Chelsea: a Master Gardener’s photo journal

BY BRENDA BOLTON, MOBILE MASTER GARDENER | COASTALALABAMAGARDENING@GMAIL.COM

hen we last met I promised fewer words and more photos of the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show at Chelsea in London. If you missed it, the Jan. 3 Lagniappe carried details about this year’s show dates and the website for booking reservations (lagniappemobile.com/ category/style/gardening). The RHS, like our own Cooperative Extension System and Master Gardener program, is invested in horticultural education, with a modern emphasis on scientific sustainability through gardening. The Chelsea show offers a wealth of knowledge, both theoretical and practical, but at the end of the day it is the show’s

beauty that draws the crowds. First and always, we connect to a garden with our senses. While photographs can’t promise the overwhelming sensory experience of a spring day in London surrounded by gardening as only the British can offer, I hope you can take a momentary break from the January cold and damp we’ve had lately and imagine yourself in Chelsea. Smell the lavender, delight in a woodland scene created just for you in the midst of busy London, feel the cool of a garden fountain as you pass, listen for startled birds taking flight on the beautiful grounds of the Royal Hospital of Chelsea.

Photos/ Brenda Bolton

Scenes from the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show include a beautiful mixed border highlighted by bronze iris, a garden accented by a driftwood rabbit and a Floral Design auditorium offering the efforts of designers from around the world. See more photos online at lagniappemobile.com. YOU ARE INVITED TO THESE UPCOMING GARDENING EVENTS What: Mobile Master Gardeners Lunch and Learn When: Monday, Jan. 22, noon to 1 p.m. Where: Jon Archer Center, 1070 Schillinger Road, N., Mobile Topic: Top Alabama Camellias, Forrest Latta What: Mobile County Master Gardeners 2018 Spring Seminar When: Saturday, Feb. 17, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Mobile Botanical Gardens, 5151 Mu-

seum Drive, Mobile Speakers: Restoring a Historic Garden, Susan Haltom (author of “One Writer’s Garden: Eudora Welty’s Homeplace”) and Ordinary Plants/Extraordinary Stories, Carol Reece. And more: Door prizes, silent auction, delicious box lunch, beautiful garden setting! Cost: $35 Non-refundable advance reservations required. Deadline to register: Feb. 9. Send checks payable to MCMG to 2221 Dogwood Court, N., Mobile 36693. Call 251-209-6425 for credit card purchases. J a n u a r y 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 - J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 39

STYLE HOROSCOPES MARCH WITH YOUR SPIRIT WOMAN

ANSWERS FROM PAGE 36

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CAPRICORN (12/22-1/19) — Hearing that state legislators are cooking up a tax break for big box retailers, you intend to work a little harder to support small businesses. Your spirit woman is Marie Curie. AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18) — Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s ministry toward the poor, you look into steps you can take to support the “sh*thole” countries of the world. Your spirit woman is Lillian Smith. PISCES (2/19-3/20) — After your informal inquiry is denied, you’ll have to file a public records request to get the winning recipe from the Mobile Police Department’s chili cook-off. Your spirit woman is Margaret Sanger. ARIES (3/21-4/19) — Don’t make excuses, you cheddar go to the grand opening of The Cheese Cottage this Friday, before the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity gets a-whey. Your spirit woman is Ella Fitzgerald. TAURUS (4/20-5/20) — You’ll witness one of the most controversial moments in music history when Eric Erdman performs at his own album release party without his fedora. Your spirit woman is Dolores Huerta. GEMINI (5/21-6/21) — You’ll lobby the Mobile Arts Council to include a category for “Best WAVE bus attorney advertisement” in next year’s Arty Awards. Your spirit woman is Florence Nightingale. CANCER (6/22-7/22) — Feeling strengthened by your New Year diet, you’ll settle disputes the old fashioned way, with a punch to the crotch followed by a Bautista Bomb. Your spirit woman is Joan of Arc. LEO (7/23-8/22) — You’ll open a referral service for displaced parishioners of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, attempting to find spiritual homes for them in any of the other 1,647,534 churches in the area. Your spirit woman is Mother Teresa. VIRGO (8/23-9/22) — You’ll take the Star Wars theme of Fairhope Brewing Co.’s fifth anniversary a little too seriously, causing a great disturbance in The Force. Your spirit woman is Eleanor Roosevelt. LIBRA (9/23-10/22) — You attempt to solve ADA compliance problems by giving handicapped people access to monster trucks. Your spirit woman is Malala Yousafzai. SCORPIO (10/23-11/21) — You’ll attend the Mobile Symphony Orchestra’s performance of “Four Seasons” just to remember what spring, summer and fall feel like. Your spirit woman is Emily Dickinson. SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/21) — Feeling a little adventurous, you’ll place a pineapple upside down in your shopping cart and walk around Wal-Mart just to see what happens next. Your spirit woman is Rosa Parks.

STYLE BOOZIE

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Carnival is here! BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

’all, this weather. It is time for it to go, I don’t have the proper clothes for these conditions. Almost every day I have to layer sweater, vest then a jacket, which then gives me some an added-weight look and that’s not cute. At first I didn’t mind the weather but now I can’t wait for some spring days where the sun shines and it’s a cool 70 degrees. Ahh, a girl can dream. All I ask is that Mother Nature warms up a little for Mardi Gras, nothing is worse than a moonpie hitting frozen hands! But if she doesn’t fulfill my request, at least we know we can still have fun like we did this past weekend. So bundle up and enjoy!

Send king cake … and the new flag!

We are so close to Mardi Gras I can taste it! And I am sooo looking forward to this year! For starters, Lagniappe is in their new office, so that means we employees get free parking and access to clean restrooms just within spitting distance of the parade route, out either door. And since we are new to the area, we will be accepting king cakes as our “welcome to the neighborhood” gift. Another reason I am excited is because a new Mobile Mardi Gras flag is out! Since the old one is out of production, a group of folks put their heads together and came up with a new design! “The design is intended to represent all entities and organizations associated with Mardi Gras in Mobile and serve as a symbol to promote the annual Carnival celebration,” said the designers of the new flag. “The design is the result of months of meetings, conversations and focus-group testing amongst numerous members of parading organizations, marching clubs, Mystic Societies, and civic and municipal leadership. After listening to feedback from Mardi Gras and

civic stakeholders, we were able to complete a design that symbolizes both Mardi Gras and Mobile’s rightful place as the founder of Carnival in the United States.” Boozie will say that they did a great job and I love how clean the design is! I can’t wait to get the flag, which will be in stores soon. Maybe there will even be some other merchandise, *cough* I want a white T-shirt with the logo *cough*. I know the stickers are already available but be on the lookout for the flag! Just so you’re in the know, the flag is only purple and yellow, green was adopted by New Orleans and considered a “modern innovation.” Let the parades begin! As you probably already know, the Boom Boom started this past weekend at Dauphin Island and round two will be happening again this weekend. So if you are like me and decided that going to more parades as your New Year’s resolution, you aren’t too late! My Dauphin Island spy said the first parade of the Carnival season did not disappoint. What sets the Dauphin Island parades apart from Mobile’s parades are that people park along the parade route and party all day, bringing grills, ice chests and anything else you could need, essentially tailgating the parade. That’s my kind of event! But anyways my spy said that even though it was chilly there was still a good crowd. Bradley Byrne and his wife were special guests of the parade — they rode in a yellow sports car. Uncle Henry was also in the lineup. While the good times rolled at Dauphin Island, back on the mainland Mobile was gearing up for its first balls of the season! Etruscans took over the Civic Center and it was quite the to do, with the theme “Party Like a Rockstar,” Members dressed as rock stars from every decade, and from what I’ve been told partied like them to an extent!

Etruscans weren’t the only ones balling! Down the road at the Athelstan Club, Domino Double Rush was having a fun-filled night as well. Members of the Mardi Gras court second lined to the Athelstan Club, and leading the way were the Griffith twins. The ladies were dressed as show girls and looked amazing. My spy said the costumes were so perfect and a lot of fun, they definitely set the bar high! They both wore huge headdresses (one in blue and the other in pink) that really made the outfits! After a more relaxing weekend, I can say I am more than ready to revel! So get your livers ready, the Boom Boom is (pretty much) here! If a new Mardi Gras flag, king cakes, parades and balls weren’t enough to get you in the spirit, then let’s add in the second annual Secondliner Festival! This past Saturday in Cathedral Square was Mobile Secondliner Fest. The group paraded around downtown with the Indians from New Orleans and got the party started. The event was well attended and made for a fun Saturday afternoon. The bands played Mardi Gras favorites, which had everyone dancing around as if they were at a parade. I loved the enthusiasm and costumes. A Mardi Gras-colored umbrella might be the way to my heart, along with king cake, of course, but one thing I don’t care for is the whistles. Maybe they remind me too much of gym class, but I feel they take away from the band. But hey, it doesn’t stop that much, I still love to see them perform! Well, kids, that’s all I’ve got this week. Just remember, whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous or just plain ol’ Boom Boom lovin’, I will be there. Ciao!

J a n u a r y 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 - J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 8 | L AG N I A P P E | 41

LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com FORECLOSURES MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Caroline Vanderbilt, an unmarried woman, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Quicken Loans Inc., on the 28th day of August, 2015, said mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, in Bk: LR7300 Pg: 359; partially released in Bk: LR7575 Pg: 522; the undersigned Quicken Loans Inc., as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on February 15, 2018, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 4, Township 5 South, Range 2 West and run North 89 degrees 42 minutes West 556.0 feet; run thence South 502.73 feet to the point of beginning; run thence North 87 degrees 56 minutes East 20 feet; run thence South 57.5 feet; run thence South 87 degrees 56 minutes West 20.00 feet; run thence North 57.5 feet to the point of beginning. Commence at the Northeast corner of the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 4, Township 5 South, Range 2 West: and run North 89 degrees 42 minutes West, 556.0 feet; thence run South, 455.73 feet; thence run West, 25.0 feet to the point of beginning of the property herein described; thence continue West, 29.0 feet; thence run North 69.0 feet; thence run East 29.0 feet; thence run South 69.0 feet to the point of beginning. From the Northeast corner of the Southwest Quarter of Southwest Quarter, Section 4, Township 5 South, Range 2 West; run North 89 degrees 24 minutes West along the North line of the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 4, Township 5 South, Range 2 West, a distance of 987.3 feet to a point; thence South 1 degrees 24 minutes West a distance of 661.17 feet to a point; thence North 89 degrees 46 minutes East a distance of 232 feet for the point of beginning, continue thence North 89 degrees 46 minutes East, a distance of 212.0 feet to a point; thence North 1 degree 24 minutes East a distance of 155.0 feet to a point; thence South 89 degrees 46 minutes West a distance of 212.0 feet to a point; thence South 1 degree 24 minutes West a distance of 155.0 feet to the point of beginning. Commence at the Northeast corner of the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 4, Township 5 South, Range 2 West and run North 89 degrees 42 minutes West 556.0 feet, thence run South 560.23 feet to the point of beginning; thence run North 87 degrees 56 minutes East 20.0 feet, thence run South 50.5 feet, thence run South 87 degrees 56 minutes West 20.0 feet, thence run North 50.5 feet to the point of beginning. Property street address for informational purposes: 2620 Rose Ct, Mobile, AL 36693 THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Quicken Loans Inc., Mortgagee/ Transferee Pam King SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee www.sirote.com/ foreclosures 420275 Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 31, 2018

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Geroice O. Jackson, a married person and Dawn Jackson, a married person, as husband and wife, originally in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. , on the 24th day of May, 2011, said mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate

of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6782 Page 603; the undersigned Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on March 8, 2018, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 96 of Winchester Subdivision, Unit Two, according to the plat thereof recorded in Map Book 121, Page 96, of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama. Property street address for informational purposes: 9772 Winchester Dr South, Semmes, AL 36575. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a nonrefundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Mortgagee/ Transferee. Ginny Rutledge SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee www.sirote.com/foreclosures 360270 Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2018

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Jerome Taylor and Dashan Taylor, husband and wife, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Brand Mortgage Group, LLC, on the 30th day of November, 2012, said mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6964 Page 290; modified in Book LR7458, Page 152; the undersigned Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on March 8, 2018, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 27, Torrington Place, according to plat thereof recorded in Map Book 119, Page 78, of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama. Property street address for informational purposes: 9862 Torrington Drive S, Semmes, AL 36575. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a nonrefundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Mortgagee/

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Transferee Ginny Rutledge SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee www.sirote.com/foreclosures 427033

Court of Mobile County, Alabama; being the same property conveyed by M.J. Oren and Halldis K. Oren, husband and wife, to James F. Farrar and Edna Maye Farrar December 9, 1946, by deed recorded in Deed Book 419, Page 79. Property street address for informational purposes: 261 Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2018 South Monterey St, Mobile, AL 36604. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS Default having been made in the payment of the indebted- REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN ness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Kat- THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE tie M. Mims, a single woman, originally in favor of First OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY Community Bank, on the 2nd day of February, 2007, said IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARmortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate RANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6126 Page 1859; the USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT undersigned LoanCare, LLC, as Mortgagee/Transferee, TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder interest in property the right to redeem the property unfor cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse der certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on February 8, 2018, help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and attorney should be consulted to help you understand these interest in and to the following described real estate, situ- rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. ated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Commence at the This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedNorthwest corner of the Southeastern One Quarter of the ness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses Southeastern One Quarter of Section 13, Township 2 North, of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a nonRange 3 West, County of Mobile, State of Alabama, City refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) of Citronelle; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes East in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at 632 feet to a point; thence South 00 degrees 12 minutes the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase East 30 feet to a point, this being the Point of Beginning; price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next busithence South 00 degrees 12 minutes East 125 feet to a ness day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the point; thence North 89 degrees 50 minutes West 151 feet address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves to a point; thence North 00 degrees 12 minutes West 125 the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should feet to a point; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes East the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount 151 feet back to the Point of Beginning. Property street due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid address for informational purposes: 21165 J E Turner for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase Cir, Citronelle, AL 36522. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASE- secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponeMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN ment or cancellation. Deutsche Bank, National Trust ComTHE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS pany, as Trustee for GSRPM Mortgage Loan Trust 2006- 1, OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY Mortgagee/Transferee. Pam King SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR for Mortgagee/Transferee www.sirote.com/foreclosures RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE 425215 AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2018 RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons Default having been made in the payment of the indebtavoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should edness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Patribe consulted to help you understand these rights and cia A. Goff, an unmarried woman and Terry R. Toomer, an programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is unmarried man, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Countrywide by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. Home Loans, Inc., on the 31st day of December, 2007, said The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable depos- mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate it of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6316 Page 1457; the made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and undersigned Nationstar Mortgage LLC, as Mortgagee/ place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, award the bid to the next highest bidder should the high- on March 8, 2018, during the legal hours of sale, all of its est bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The right, title, and interest in and to the following described Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price Lots 1 and 2, Pecan Valley Subdivision, Unit III, according against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured to the plat thereof recorded in Map Book 70, Page 55 of by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile cancellation. LoanCare, LLC, Mortgagee/Transferee. Pam County, Alabama. Property street address for informationKing SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. al purposes: 7930 One Mile Road, Irvington, AL 36544. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney for THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” Mortgagee/Transferee BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, www.sirote.com/foreclosures AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND 426420 THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVELagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2018 DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND Default having been made in the payment of the indebted- WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Cecelia ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some J. Oliver and Elbert Ray Oliver, wife and husband, original- persons who have an interest in property the right to rely in favor of Ameriquest Mortgage Company, on the 24th deem the property under certain circumstances. Programs day of December, 2002, said mortgage recorded in the may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreOffice of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, closure process. An attorney should be consulted to help in Book 5298 Page 1554; modified in Book 6607, Page you understand these rights and programs as a part of 1358; along with Judgment of Consent in Bk: LR7095, the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose Pg: 776; the undersigned Deutsche Bank, National Trust of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as Company, as Trustee for GSRPM Mortgage Loan Trust well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder 2006- 1, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certiAlabama, on February 8, 2018, during the legal hours of fied funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the follow- of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. ing described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Ala- Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid bama, to-wit: That lot of land bounded by a line described to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to as beginning at a point on the East side of Monterey Street timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Trans300 feet Southwardly from the Southeast intersection of feree reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real esMonterey and Government Street; thence running South- tate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of wardly along the East line of Monterey Street 55 feet to sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This a point; thence running Eastwardly 197 feet 9 inches to a sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Nationstar point; thence running Northwardly and parallel with MonMortgage LLC, Mortgagee/Transferee Rebecca Redmond terey Street 55 feet to a point; thence running Westwardly 197 feet to Monterey Street and the point of beginning an SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL being Lot No. 3, according to a plat of lots made by A.S. 35255-5727 Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee www. Towle, C.E., made for W.F. McDonnell and the Southern sirote.com/foreclosures Realty Company recorded in Deed Book 138, N.S., Pages 396502 Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2018 116-117 on the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Forrest L. Neese and Jenny M. Neese, husband and wife, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for HMC- Home Mortgage Co., on the 22nd day of January, 2008, said mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6325 Page 386; modified in Bk: LR7482, Pg: 1617; the undersigned Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on February 1, 2018, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 20 and a portion of Lot 27 and Lot 19. Beverly Court, as recorded in Map Book 2, Page 49, Probate Court, Mobile Court, Mobile County, Alabama, all being more particularly described as follows: beginning at the North line of Old Shell Road and the West line of Beverly Court; thence run North along said West line 84.10 feet to the point; thence run South 89 degrees 31 minutes 20 seconds West 124.45 feet to the West line of Lot 19; thence run South 14.10 feet along said West line to the Southwest corner of Lot 19; thence run South 89 degrees 31 minutes 10 seconds West 8.00 feet along the North line of Lot 27 to a point on the North line of Old Shell Road; thence run North 84 degrees 22 minutes 00 seconds East 97.65 feet along said North line to a point; thence run North 87 degrees 40 minutes 00 seconds East 35.80 feet along said North line to the point of beginning. Property street address for informational purposes: 101 Beverly Court, Mobile, AL 36604. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper, Mortgagee/Transferee Rebecca Redmond SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 352555727 Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee www.sirote. com/foreclosures 426488 Lagniappe HD Jan. 3, 10, 17, 2018

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Steven Paul Anderson and Olivia Marie Anderson, husband and wife, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Platinum Mortgage, Inc., on the 9th day of September, 2011, said mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6814 Page 330; the undersigned Ditech Financial LLC f/k/a Green Tree Servicing, LLC, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on March 1, 2018, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 81, Jefferson Acres as recorded in Map Book 9, Page 301 Probate Court Records, Mobile County, Alabama. Property street address for informational purposes: 5463 McDonald Rd, Theodore, AL 36582. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an

LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a nonrefundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Ditech Financial LLC f/k/a Green Tree Servicing, LLC, Mortgagee/Transferee Rebecca Redmond SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney for Mortgagee/ Transferee www.sirote.com/foreclosures 425805 Lagniappe HD Jan. 3, 10, 17, 2018

FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on February 10, 2015 by Joshua D. Hensarling as Grantee to Profit Sharing Plan- for MLB Realty Company, Inc., as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7234, Page 1572; and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on February 7, 2018. Lot 26 as per plat of DOGWOOD ESTATES, FIRST UNIT, as recorded in Map Book 21, Page 120, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama; Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. Profit Sharing Plan for MLB Realty Company, Inc. Holder of said Vendor’s Lien. WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400/17-75921 Lagniappe HD Jan. 3, 10, 17, 2018

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 3255 Airport Boulevard (Southeast corner of Airport Boulevard and East I-65 Service Road South.) for a Tree Planting Variance to allow the planting of frontage trees elsewhere on the property in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance requires all frontage trees to be planted along the corresponding right-of-way in a B-3, Community Business District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 12th day of January, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF

MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 4686 Airport Boulevard (Northeast corner of General Bullard Avenue and Airport Boulevard.) for an Sign Variance to allow a digital gas pricer sign within less than 300’ of residentially zoned property in a B-2, Neighborhood Business District; the Zoning Ordinance requires a 300’ buffer between residentially zoned properties and digital gas pricer signs in a B-2, Neighborhood Business District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 12th day of January, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at (Southwest corner of South Sage Avenue and Eslava Creek Parkway.) for an Height, Setback, Landscape, and Access and Maneuvering Variances to allow a 140’ tall telecommunications tower 26.25’ from the property line with a gravel access road and no tree planting in a B-1, Buffer Business District; the Zoning Ordinance limits the structures to a 45’ height, requires telecommunications towers to be setback a distance equal to the height of the tower, requires compliance with all tree and landscaping requirements, and requires all access and maneuvering areas to be paved with concrete, asphaltic concrete, asphalt, or approved alternative surfaces in a B-1, Buffer Business District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 12th day of January, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT

Taylor Lane at the South terminus of Rotterdam Court.) for a Residential Buffer and Dumpster Enclosure Variances to allow a dumpster less than 10’ from a residentially zoned property with no enclosure at a church in an R-1, Single Family Residential District; the Zoning Ordinance requires dumpsters to be located a minimum of 10’ from residentially zoned property, and must be enclosed on three sides with either a privacy fence or wall at least as tall as the dumpster at a church in an R-1, Single Family Residential District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 12th day of January, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

TECHNICAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE (TCC)/CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) of the MOBILE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO) MEETING The Mobile MPO Technical Coordinating Committee/Citizen Advisory Committee (TCC/CAC) will meet on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building on the Second Floor at 110 Beauregard Street. The purpose of the meeting is to review and recommend Safety Performance Measures and the following modification to the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program: New Cost Estimate 100060153 ( CN ) SR-158 Extension from 0.5 Mile East of Glenwood Road to West of Lott Road (SR217). Grade Drain, Base, Pave has a new cost estimate from $17,721,177 to $30,005,229. The Mobile MPO Policy Board will vote on the recommendations by the TCC/CAC at a meeting on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 2 pm at the GM&O Building in the Board Room. Physically challenged persons who need special accommodations should contact SARPC in advance so arrangements can be made to meet their needs. Transportation Planning Coordinator South Alabama Regional Planning Commission P. O. Box 1665 Mobile, AL 36633-1665 PHONE: (251)433-6541 FAX: (251)433-6009 EMAIL: transportation@sarpc.org Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2018

Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

STATE OF ALABAMA

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

COUNTY OF MOBILE Notice is hereby given that a bill as described in the synopsis below will be introduced in the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature of Alabama and application for its passage and enactment will be made: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT. SYNOPSIS: This bill would relate to Class 2 municipalities operating under a countywide civil service system and would authorize the municipality to establish an optional program for the hiring and pay of public safety employee.

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 3535 Spring Hill Avenue (South side of Spring Hill Avenue, extending to the West terminus of Irene Street.) for a Side Street Side Yard Variance to allow a 12’ reduced side street side yard setback in an R-1, Single Family District; the Zoning Ordinance requires a 20’ side street side yard setback in an R-1, Single Family Residential District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 12th day of January, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT MOBILE, ALABAMA PURSUANT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MOBILE, adopted the 16th day of May 1967, as amended, the City of Mobile’s Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a Public Hearing on February 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 358 St. Louis Street (Area bounded by St. Louis Street, North Franklin Street, St. Anthony Street, Gliddon Place and North Claiborne Street.) for a Frontage, Sign, Building Materials, and Parking Variances to allow a 1,097 square foot pedestrian forecourt, an individual storefront sign 10’ in height, metal siding and roofing as well as vertical polycarbonate skylights, and parking spaces without wheel stops in a T5.1 Sub-District of the Downtown Development District; the Zoning Ordinance prohibits pedestrian forecourts exceeding 600 square feet, limits individual storefront signs to 2’ in height, does not allow metal siding, roofing or vertical polycarbonate skylights, and requires all parking spaces to have wheel stops in a T5.1 Sub-District of the Downtown Development District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 12th day of January, 2018. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

Lagniappe HD Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 2018

STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE Notice is hereby given that a bill as described in the synopsis below will be introduced in the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature of Alabama and application for its passage and enactment will be made: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT SYNOPSIS: Relating to Mobile County; to authorize the governing body of any municipality within Mobile County, or the County Commission in any unincorporated areas of the county, to authorize on premises sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages on Sunday commencing at 10:00 a.m. Lagniappe HD Dec. 27, Jan. 3, 10, 17, 2018

PROBATE

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: NANCY MOORHEAD MIMS, Deceased Case No. 2017-2417 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 26th day of December, 2017 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. THOMAS JEROME MIMS III as Executor under the last will and testament of NANCY MOORHEAD MIMS, Deceased. Attorney of Record: R. SCOTT LEWIS, ESQ. 126 Courthouse Square Bay Minette, AL 36507 Lagniappe HD Jan. 3, 10, 17, 2018

NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Alabama Statutes, that the goods stored in units rented by occupants listed below will be sold to the highest bidder at a public auction online at www.storagetreasures.com on January 26, 2018 at 10:00 am to satisfy liens claimed by STORAGEMAX MIDTOWN, together with all costs of sale. Dexter J. DeVaughn, Michael A. Mitchell & Julian E. Stephens III Any of the above goods may be withdrawn from sale by STORAGEMAX MIDTOWN at any time without prior notice. Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 2018

The following unclaimed vehicle will be sold on 3 March 2018, at 6 am, at 1765 Cochran-Africatown USA Bridge, Mobile, AL 36610; 1980 Honda CB 750 F Super Sport Motorcycle, VIN # RC04-2105016. Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 2018

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 16 , 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1037 St. Stephens Rd., Prichard, AL 36610. 2006 Toyota Camry 4T1BE32K36U147114 1998 Nissan Altima 1N4DL01D0WC246862 2007 Chevrolet Impala 2G1WB58K279193719 2005 Honda Civic 1HGEM22135L070675 2000 Buick Century 2G4WS52J5Y1275477

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 16 , 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 105 Border Circle E., Mobile, AL 36608. 2001 Mercedes S500 WDBNG75J61A176928 2008 Mini Cooper WMWMF73588TT88053 2006 Mercedes ML500 4JGBB75E66A039884 1998 Mercedes SLK230 WDBKK47F7WF052749 2008 Audi A6 WAUAH74F58N154963 1999 Mercedes CLK320 WDBLJ65G7XF105093 Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 2018

These abandon vehicles will be sold on 02/12/2018 if not redeemed FORD 1FA6P8CF9H5270997 ACUR 19UUA66204A023712 TOYO 4T1BK36B78U294087 PONT 1G2WK52J4YF301777 Lagniappe HD Jan. 10, 17, 2018

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 23 , 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1817 Spanish Dr., Saraland, AL 36571. 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee 1J4GW48SFYC120357 Lagniappe HD Jan. 17, 24, 2018

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 23 , 2018 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 261 Bishop G W Ayers St., Mobile, AL 36617. 2009 Dodge Ram 1D3HB13TX9S777450 The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 23 , 2018 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 309 E Verbena Ave., Foley, AL 36535. 2000 GMC Sierra 1GTGK29U1YE162230