Lagniappe: January 16 - 22, 2019 by Lagniappe

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WEEKLY

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LAGNIAPPE

J A N U A RY 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 - J A N U A RY 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 | 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

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BAY BRIEFS

Mobile area restaurateurs are growing increasingly frustrated with delays by the Mobile County Health Department in performing routine inspections.

COMMENTARY

A local teen set out to combine the Dakotas into one state as a joke, and naturally, people took him seriously.

BUSINESS

Mobile-based Zarzour Cos. recently announced its acquisition the 10-story, 100,000-plus-square-foot Bel Air Tower, for $4.25 million.

CUISINE

KEVIN LEE Associate Editor/Arts Editor klee@lagniappemobile.com

A guide to hosting your first crawfish boil, a seasonal rite of passage for coastal cooks.

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 MATTEI Art Director www.laurarasmussen.com BROOKE O’DONNELL Advertising Sales Executive brooke@lagniappemobile.com BETH WOOLSEY Advertising Sales Executive bwilliams@lagniappemobile.com DAVID GRAYSON Advertising Sales Executive david@lagniappemobile.com SUZANNE SAWYER Advertising Sales Executive suzanne@lagniappemobile.com

COVER

The game of pickleball, which combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis, is booming in Baldwin County and beginning to emerge in Mobile.

ARTS

The Mystic Squirrels of Bienville is a new Mardi Gras organization from the Mobile Arts Council combining fundraising and marketing, set to debut in the March 3 People’s Parade.

MUSIC

STAN ANDERSON Distribution Manager delivery@lagniappemobile.com JACKIE CRUTHIRDS Office Manager legals@lagniappemobile.com CONTRIBUTORS: J. Mark Bryant, Asia Frey, Brian Holbert, Randy Kennedy, John Mullen, Jeff Poor, Catherine Rainey, Ron Sivak, Tom Ward, Carol Williams ON THE COVER: PICKLEBALL BY DANIEL ANDERSON LAGNIAPPE HD Periodicals Permit #17660 (Volume 4, Issue 16) Copyright 2015 is published weekly, 52 issues a year, by Something Extra Publishing, Inc., 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36604 (P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652). Business and Editorial Offices: 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36604 Accounting and Circulation Offices: 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602. Call 251-450-4466 to subscribe. 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 36602. Mailing address is P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: 251-450-4466 Email: atrice@lagniappemobile.com LAGNIAPPE HD is printed at Walton Press. All rights reserved. Something Extra Publishing, Inc. Nothing may be reprinted. photocopied or in any way reproduced without the expressed permission of the publishers.

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Cary Hudson said his forthcoming release will be more stripped down than his 2014 album “Town & Country.” He performs Jan. 18 in the latest installment of The University of South Alabama Independent Music Collective.

FILM

There’s no way to please everyone with an undertaking such as “Mary Poppins Returns,” but it’s practically perfect in every way.

SPORTS

Former University of South Alabama Athletic Director Joe Gottfried has been presented the 2018 Distinguished Service Award by the United States Sports Academy.

STYLE

Loud engines, the smell of exhaust, screaming fans — the TRAXXAS Monster Truck Show returns to the Mobile Civic Center Jan. 19.

GARDENING

Native Mobilian Vince Dooley became a legend in the college football circuit, but did you know he is also a Master Gardener and horticulturist?

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GOING POSTAL

Keep on keeping on Editor: Judging from the illogical, emotional and hate-filled reactions of a few of your readers, Jeff Poor must have had an excellent idea in his Dec. 26 column (“Scorched Earth”). Otherwise, why would leftists feel so threatened as to want to silence his ideas? Jeff Poor is one of my very favorite Lagniappe columnists and I simply skip over the column of any writer I start to read and find I do not like. If I should disagree with ideas, I hope I would present fact-based alternative ideas and not resort to emotionalism and namecalling. For some unknown reason, leftists always think they are in the majority (or want to convince the rest of us to think that) but I think Lagniappe would be about as popular as the other declining newspapers in Alabama that have made themselves irrelevant if it achieved the goal of becoming a one-sided, leftist ideology newspaper as a few of your readers would apparently prefer. So keep doing what you are doing and increase your conservative content if you wish, because there is a real market for it. Leftists can read The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Mobile Press-Register and many others. These newspapers are staffed by Democrat operatives masquerading as journalists. There are far fewer objective print options which conservatives would enjoy. D. Carter, Mobile

A few things better than a wall Editor: Forty-two years ago, a local department store ran a full-page newspaper ad announcing their annual fur sale. You could get a $10,000 fur coat for $5,000! I was in my early 20s with three small children and the idea of being able to present a $5,000 expense as a $5,000 savings struck my ridiculous bone. Thus it is with Mexico paying for the wall via the new and improved trade agreement.

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Agreeing for the moment that the new trade deal will improve our lot by $50.6 billion as compared to NAFTA is not the same as agreeing that Mexico is paying for the wall. It means that we have $50.6 billion in the palm of our hand and instead of using it to ensure our elections are free of foreign interference or to provide adequately for our active military personnel or take steps to work against the veterans suicide rate, we are using it to build a wall. If the party reviled as “tax and spend” had proposed such a structure, fiscal conservatives would be having an absolute field day. The notion that a wall can prevail against today’s interferences and tools, or the determination of people who know how to dig a tunnel, leaves me to believe that it persists because it has the emotional resonance of “talk to the hand.” What feels like a giant, firm gesture of rejection is actually, “Watch me shoot myself in the foot.” What three things do you believe pose the most serious threat to our democracy? When you think about your quest to establish and preserve your financial security, what three things feel like they are most impacted by decisions made in Congress? Let your congresspeople know about those. You can probably update all three of them in less than 10 minutes. Vickie Wyatt, Irvington

Lagniappe, weekend edition Editor: I am an old-fashioned morning, daily-newspaper-in-my-hands, coffee-by-my-side, blankie-and-kitty-in-my-lap, SportsCenter-on-the-tube reader. So when the Mobile PressRegister went to three days, I subscribed to USA Today five days a week, which only leaves Monday without at least a days-old paper. I have learned to save and savor Lagniappe for my Monday paper. I can barely wait to read Rob Holbert and also enjoy Ashley Trice, Randy Kennedy and Boozie Beer Nues. Only thing better, but I am sure impossible, would be for Lagniappe to add a second weekend edition. Don Prosch, Fairhope

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY

Backlog DELAY IN HEALTH INSPECTIONS AFFECTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

BY JASON JOHNSON

ome restaurateurs say they’ve had to wait months for local health officers to perform routine inspections, and in some cases it’s causing their businesses to incur financial penalties. Under Alabama law, facilities that prepare and serve food on-site can’t be issued a county/ state business license unless they’ve passed a routine health inspection. Locally, those inspections are performed by the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD). Throughout the county, MCHD is tasked with inspecting not only restaurants but also lodging services, tattoo shops, day care centers and several other kinds of businesses. According to its most recent data, MCHD performed 13,679 inspections at more than 3,000 locations in 2017. Those numbers have increased over the past year, but according to Stephanie WoodsCrawford, director of environmental health and preparedness for MCHD, retirements, resignations and recent changes to state health codes have “drastically slowed things down” for local inspectors. “We have replaced some of the positions and are looking to fill the other positions,” Crawford said. “Keep in mind it takes a minimum of six months to a year, and in some cases longer, for a new inspector to be trained and on their own conducting inspections.” While there used to be 15 to 18 full-time inspectors working for MCHD, there are currently just 12, and of those, four have been on the job less than a year. Two part-time inspectors work on an as-needed basis, but Crawford said they typically work “less than 20 hours per week, if that.” Over the last few years, the situation has created a backlog of inspections. MCHD couldn’t say exactly how many businesses might be awaiting inspection, but it seems to be causing problems for some restaurants when applying for or renewing their business licenses. A business license can’t be granted until an initial MCHD inspection has been passed, and they aren’t supposed to be renewed without subsequent inspections state law requires MCHD to perform anywhere from one to four times a year, depending on the type of business. However, some restaurants say they’re having to wait months for what are supposed to be routine inspections due to the staffing shortages at MCHD and the growing volume of restaurants that need inspecting. It’s an issue MCHD says it’s actively working to address. “We are constantly working toward getting caught up on inspections while also carrying out the other requirements of our daily duties,” MCHD Manager of Inspection Services Brad Philips said. “The backlog varies depending on what area of the county and other various issues. Some sections are caught up, while others are lagging. Areas without currently assigned inspectors are being covered by other inspectors in addition to [those inspectors’] own areas.” Philips did note that when there are outstanding issues, MCHD staff must perform re-inspections — sometimes within 30 days but in severe cases within 48 hours. He also said responding to complaints or reports of foodborne illnesses takes priority over routine inspections. Another MCHD official said the department has been “working diligently” to fill the needed positions, but the process has been proceeding slowly in part because all of its hiring must be handled through the local merit system and the Mobile County Personnel Board. In the past, MCHD Director Bernard Eichold

has supported previous legislative efforts to allow agencies in the Mobile County Merit System to handle their own recruitment and hiring practices because of how long it takes MCHD to process new hires through the personnel board. In the meantime, some restaurant owners in Mobile are complaining about the impacts of the delays to perform requested inspections or to approve new restaurants or renovations. Some say they’ve had to delay projected openings of new restaurants waiting for MCHD to approve plans, while others say they’ve been fined for not having an up-to-date health permit when trying to renew their county/state business licenses each year. Several business owners have discussed the issue with Lagniappe off the record, though none were willing to be identified in print. However, it’s not an unheard-of situation, according to Mike Stuardi, who oversees revenue enforcement at the Mobile County License Commission. “It’s not extremely common, but it is definitely a complaint we get,” Stuardi said. Stuardi’s department oversees the issuance and renewal of county/state business licenses, which certain types of businesses must obtain in addition to their municipal business license. Both types of licenses must be renewed annually, and renewal requires annual inspection by the MCHD. Philips said the MCHD can give “a verbal OK” so businesses awaiting inspection can continue operating, but they can still face fines from the city and county if they’re delinquent in renewing their licenses. The cost of a business license varies based on the size and location of the business, but the fine for a delinquent renewal in most cases is 15 percent of the license fee plus interest. It’s not a cost that’s going to make or break most businesses, but it has become a frustration for owners that can’t get their license renewed only because they’re waiting on an MCHD inspection — especially if the wait drags on and the interest on those fines continues to compound. For the most part, the renewal of city business licenses hasn’t been as much of an issue as those handled by the county. Stuardi explained that most city licenses expire based on the calendar year, while MCHD permits and the county licenses expire with the fiscal year. “In years past, we were able to get [MCHD] to start its inspection cycle early because it had become such a problem when cutbacks began [around the 2008 recession],” Stuardi said. “But the volume out there was such that, even starting in August, they still couldn’t get all of the inspections done by the time some of ours were requiring the renewal of their license.” Deputy License Commissioner Adam Bourne said cities also have more flexibility because their businesses’ licenses are governed by local ordinances, while the regulations the county enforces are set out in state law. A spokesperson said the city tries to “do whatever [it] can to work with businesses” in these situations, but in many ways county officials seem to have their hands tied. “When a business is delinquent or overdue renewing their business license, we don’t have the discretion under the law to waive that penalty for any reason, even if a business were to tell us is that it’s because of a delay with another agency,” Bourne said. “I’m certainly sympathetic to whatever issue a business may have, but we just don’t have that authority under state law.” J a n u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 - J a n u a r y 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 | L AG N I A P P E | 5

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

Change is in the air COUNCIL AMENDS CONTRACT ORDINANCE

he Mobile City Council on Tuesday approved a change to an ordinance members believe will bring greater transparency to city operations without slowing down city business. The change, suggested by Councilman John Williams, would place purchase orders, contracts and other bid documents totaling less than $50,000 on the council’s consent agenda, which would allow a vote on the items on first read of the agenda without unanimous consent. Items totaling more than $50,000 would be placed on the regular agenda and be subject to a one-week delay per council rules, Williams said. The amendment was added to the agenda sometime between the council’s preconference meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday and the regular meeting at 10:30 a.m. It followed a rather tense exchange between Williams and Councilwoman Bess Rich, which resulted in Williams leaving the early meeting before it adjourned. Rich asked council attorney Wanda Cochran if the city was already acting under the ordinance, despite it being the subject of an ongoing lawsuit between Mayor Sandy Stimpson and the council. Cochran affirmed, adding that work was also underway on possible revisions. “With the lack of communication, I’m having trouble understanding …,” Rich said. Williams asked Rich to stop talking about the ordinance, telling her a remedy could be reached later in the day. While she continued to ask questions, Williams walked away, out of the ninth floor conference room and toward the council offices.

“This is not the time,” Williams said before he left. After the regular meeting, Williams explained he didn’t feel comfortable discussing the ordinance in the public meeting due to repercussions it may have for the lawsuit. “I am concerned over talking about differences we may have over something that is currently being litigated in one form or another,” Williams said. “We need to be careful when we speak openly [about it].” The amendments to the ordinance, Williams said, would provide the contractual transparency the council sought in passing the ordinance, while also not being a burden to city operations. The plan, he said, is similar to the way the council handles capital improvement items, where anything over $50,000 is usually delayed one week. But, Williams emphasized, the amendment does not mean every contract or purchase order over $50,000 will be automatically held over. In other business, councilors approved $4 million in incentives for the new Airbus final assembly line at the Brookley Aeroplex. The new facility will produce the A220 aircraft. The city will provide the cash incentive to the aircraft manufacturer over 10 years. The agreement would help Airbus provide apprenticeships, similar to a European model already in place. In conjunction, councilors also approved incentives for FlightWorks Alabama, which will provide students and others opportunities to learn more about the aerospace industry. Read more about Airbus incentives on page 7.

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

‘RIding short’ DESPITE BEST ISO RATING, MFRD STILL EXPERIENCING MANPOWER ISSUES

BY DALE LIESCH

espite one of the highest Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings in the country, the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department is still using three men instead of four on many trucks. The practice, known by some as “riding short,” has become standard procedure for all but eight of MFRD’s ladder companies, a spokesman has confirmed. MFRD Public Information Officer Steven L. Millhouse said companies that have the highest number of runs on average, or those that have the highest potential for urban search and rescue, will run with more members to a truck. “We run three-man teams usually for the rest,” he said. Millhouse said running with three men to a truck is more efficient given the manpower at the department, but that the prefered practice nationwide is to run with four to a truck. “Now, many departments are running three men per truck,” he said. “It comes down to money.” Riding three men to a truck causes some safety concerns for firefighters, local firefighter advocacy group President Matt Waltman said. The issue can also cause brief delays at a scene if more manpower is needed, he said. Waltman, who said his group has a good working relationship with MFRD Chief Mark Sealy, blamed turnover and a general lack of manpower for the department riding short on a majority of its trucks. Getting to the right number of personnel on the trucks continues to be a goal for the depart-

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ment, he said. “It’s a slow but steady work in progress,” he said. “The department is budgeted for four positions on each truck, but we can’t keep up with the people who are leaving. Our retention is the problem.” Waltman said Sealy wants to increase staffing, and there is a recruiting class of about 20 to 22 cadets preparing to join the department in March. The increased numbers will help, but turnover will remain a problem. The Mobile City Council in 2016 passed step raises for firefighters in an attempt to make pay more competitive with other departments. Waltman praised the raises, but added there is still an issue with turnover. Despite staffing levels, Sealy helped lead the department to achieve the ISO-1 rating with the help of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System and other agencies. The rating, which was issued in November, puts the department in the top half of 1 percent of departments in the nation. Previously the department maintained an ISO-3 rating. For the achievement, Mayor Sandy Stimpson recently presented Sealy with the distinguished Award of Excellence. This is only the second time the mayor has given this award to an individual. “Chief Sealy is the epitome of a servant leader,” Stimpson said in a statement. “During the quest to ISO-1, Chief Sealy never made it about himself or a select few, but he made it about the city of Mobile. His strong leadership led us to reach this major milestone.”

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY

Economic development INCENTIVES SECURE MOBILE’S PLACE AS GLOBAL AEROSPACE PLAYER

BY JASON JOHNSON

wo days after local officials approved a multimillion-dollar agreement with Airbus, the European aerospace giant broke ground on a second assembly line at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley that could lead to the area becoming one of the world’s largest hubs for aerospace production. Recently, the Mobile County Commission and Mobile City Council each approved an agreement with Airbus offering a $4 million cash contribution from each entity, paid out in annual installments of $400,000 over the next 10 years. The initial agreement also addressed the abatement of certain sales, use and property taxes, the total value of which has yet to be announced. However, County Commissioner Jerry Carl said that portion of the agreement had yet to be approved and would likely arise as a separate vote. In exchange for the incentives, Airbus will invest an additional $210 million in its facility in Mobile to build a second assembly line for A220 aircraft. Based on the agreement, the company expects to hire approximately 432 new employees over the next year and a half. According to County Commission President Connie Hudson, coupled with the existing A320 assembly assembly line, the new addition will bring Airbus’ capital investment at the facility to more than $800 million and ultimately provide up to 1,000 direct jobs. She said the commission was willing to incentivize the second assembly line because of the “anticipated longterm benefits” of Airbus’ continued investment in Mobile County. “As a prime example of Airbus’ growth potential, we’ve seen firsthand the tremendous expansion and development of the Airbus facility in Hamburg, Germany, which

directly employs over 12,500 people,” Hudson wrote via email. “We believe that our partnership with Airbus and the incentive investments we’ve made over time will have the same type of transformational impact on the future of Mobile County, our economy and the quality of life in our region.” While Airbus already had a substantial footprint in Mobile, Carl said there was competition from other cities. He also noted, because the production of A220 aircraft is through a joint venture with Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace, Airbus could have looked to Canada for its new assembly line. But with the addition secured, Carl said, Mobile is positioned to become the fourth largest aerospace manufacturing hub on the planet and the second largest nationally. He also said such a foundation could easily attract more aerospace suppliers to the Mobile area in the future. “Fourth largest in the world … just think about that. Seven years ago we didn’t even have a single plane here, and they were telling us we couldn’t build a bicycle,” Carl said. “And who’s to say we’re not looking at something that’s going to take us to number three or two.” While he supported the incentives, Carl gave the impression Airbus ought to be sold on Mobile. The company already benefited from an incentives package valued at more than $158 million when it settled in Mobile in 2012 and the company still receives tax breaks from that agreement today. While he didn’t go as far as to say future incentives for Airbus would a nonstarter, Carl referred to the latest public contribution as “the last piece of the puzzle.” “I hope, from this point forward, Airbus doesn’t even consider another location in the United States,” Carl told

Lagniappe. “We expect it to keep growing from here and we, the county, can step back from it and start focusing ourselves and the taxpayers’ money in other directions.” No matter what direction local economic development moves, incentives and abatements will likely continue to be a part of the conversation. In fact, just this week county commissioners held an executive session to discuss an another undisclosed economic development proposal. In the current environment, Carl said, developers are “going to go where the incentives are,” though he said Mobile County carefully considers each proposal it is pitched. He also noted there are limitations to what the commission can and is willing to do to incentivize economic development. “There’s not a well that won’t run dry,” he added. “Everyone will make the statement: ‘Y’all give money to everybody,’ but what you don’t see are the ones we say no to. It’s not just an automatic roll over and do whatever it takes to get them here.” While that may be true, the county has also said “yes” often. According to a recent state audit, Mobile County lost nearly $4 million over the last two fiscal years due to tax abatements created in previous incentive packages. According to the document, abatements to 14 separate companies saw the county forfeit $2.5 million in potential property taxes and $1.2 million in projected sales taxes between FY 2017 and FY 2018 alone. Some of those same companies were also given cash incentives in their economic development agreements. A records request for a list of all the incentives Mobile County has awarded over the past 10 years is pending. Meanwhile, Carl also noted some of the more high-profile incentive agreements in recent history seem to be paying off. Outside of Airbus and its growth in the region, Walmart recently exceeded the number of jobs it pledged to create in order to secure an incentive package, including $9.1 million in cash contributions and several tax breaks. According to the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the Walmart Distribution Center in Irvington isn’t even operating at full capacity but has already hired more than 650 employes — 100 more than its development agreement with the city, county and state required. Of those employees, 88 percent are Mobile County residents and 56 percent live within the city of Mobile. Asked about the numbers, Carl said the location of the distribution center is one of the features that sold him in 2016. “I knew if we could get Walmart and position them as far south or as far to the interior of the county as we could, it would be more successful in terms of hiring locals,” he said. “Eighty-eight percent is off the scale. I don’t know of any project I’ve looked at that had that percentage of local hires.” Dale Liesch contributed to this report.

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BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Native American superhighway 1,400-YEAR-OLD CANAL NEAR GULF SHORES BEING STUDIED BY JOHN MULLEN

that have not been covered by the sands of time. “There are two well-preserved sections of the Gulf Shores canal, each about 400 feet long,” Waselkov said. “The southernmost section is the canal’s southern terminus where it entered Little Lagoon, and this part is owned by the city of Gulf Shores, so its preservation seems assured. This may be the westernmost ancient canoe canal yet identified in the Southeast. The city of Gulf Shores plans to highlight a preserved section of the canal in a heritage trail.” Waselkov said he began hearing about the canal about two years ago from locals who asked USA to investigate. “People living in the area of Fort Morgan Peninsula have always known about the feature and have long attributed it to ancient Native Americans,” Waselkov said. “It was known as the ‘Indian ditch’ in the 20th century. Harry King, a longtime resident of Gulf Shores, took a keen interest in the feature some years ago and he asked me to investigate it. In February 2017 we began small-scale excavations with the help of volunteers in the canal and an adjacent shell midden, and we excavated a cross section through the canal last fall.” While there were likely more in the area that have faded with time, it is still a rare find for this part of the Southeast, Waselkov said. “The only other similarly well-preserved portion of an ancient dugout canoe canal is in Everglades National Park, so the existence of one in our own backyard is pretty extraordinary,” he said.

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Photo | USA Archeology Museum

ncient tribes living on the Fort Morgan Peninsula some 1,400 years ago who wanted to travel from Mobile Bay to other areas on the coast faced a formidable trip in a dugout canoe. One way to trim time and effort off these travels for trade and transportation was to dig canoe canals to connect large bodies of water and make this travel easier. “We know ancient Native Americans had extensive trade and travel routes around the continent,” Dr. Greg Waselkov of the University of South Alabama (USA) said. One such canal was discovered in recent years in Gulf Shores along the Fort Morgan Peninsula. On Feb. 7 Waselkov, a USA professor emeritus, will give a talk on “An Ancient Canoe Canal in Gulf Shores, Alabama” at the USA Archaeology Museum. It is free, open to the public and begins at 6 p.m. “This canal would have saved many hours of paddling for those wishing to go from Mobile Bay to the Pensacola or Biloxi areas and beyond,” Waselkov said. “And it would have made from much safer travel in the back bays, by avoiding the open waters of the Gulf. This was one exceptional piece of a very large transportation system of great antiquity.” The canal was about a half-mile long and connected Oyster Bay to Little Lagoon, giving a direct connection from Mobile Bay to the Gulf, Waselkov said. It was originally about 30 feet wide and six to eight feet deep. While most of it is indiscernible there are at least two existing sections of the canal

Dr. Greg Waselkov recently led the excavation of a 1,200-year-old canoe canal on the Fort Morgan Peninsula. He’ll discuss the findings on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. at the USA Archeology Museum in Mobile.

BAYBRIEF | BALDWIN COUNTY

Education taxation SPANISH FORT MAYOR HOPES FOR VOTE ON TAX DISTRICT THIS FALL

BY JOHN MULLEN

he quality of schools, according to Spanish Fort Mayor Mike McMillan, has been a big reason for residents moving into his city and the outlying feeder pattern for Spanish Fort High School. “One of the biggest drawing cards we have in Spanish Fort, honestly, and it was repeated to me last night, people are moving here because of the schools,” McMillan said. The city experienced an 82 percent population increase from 2000 to 2010, and the 2020 census is expected to reflect continued growth. Still, he and others are seeking to make the schools even better by taking advantage of a special tax district within the schools’ feeder pattern. That would mean a referendum for residents of that district to vote in an extra 3 mills in ad valorem or property taxes. Every bit raised would have to be spent within the district. “It gives us an opportunity to do something better for our schools,” McMillan said. “And while the schools are outstanding, we can make them better.” The district includes all of Spanish Fort, portions of Daphne and Loxley, and portions of incorporated Baldwin County. A tax could provide $800,000 per year to schools within the district. Initially, McMillan said the group was looking at getting the referendum to the voters in the spring but now that timetable has changed. “We want to try to move forward with the referendum in the fall, probably September,” McMillan said. “I talked to the judge of probate and they need 120 days prior to any election. We’d

push it if we tried to get it done by the end of the school year, so feel like it’s probably prudent to do it during the school year as opposed to during the summer. We haven’t spearheaded an exact date.” There’s still lots of work to be done, McMillan said, like choosing members for a nineperson panel that will make recommendations on how the money would be spent. The current plan is to have a representative from each school in the district (none employed by Baldwin County Public Schools), one appointed by the Spanish Fort City Council, one appointed by the Baldwin County Commission and three other appointees from the district. “Three appointed positions by the city will be to make sure that you’re covering all of the district and make sure it’s not just Spanish Fort and everybody has a voice,” McMillan said. The county would have the final say on what gets funded but all of the money would have to be spent in the district. McMillan said the level of funding from Baldwin County the district receives now would stay the same. “You’ve got to make sure the school board would continue funding the Spanish Fort schools at the same level they are now,” McMillan said. “I’ve had that conversation in depth with the superintendent and the other parties within the school board and they’ve assured me that would happen.” McMillan said the funding would be earmarked for expanding and improving academics and arts programs.

BAYBRIEF | POLITICS

‘Here to party’ GULF STATE PARK LODGE SHINES IN IVEY’S PRE-INAUGURATION EVENT

BY JOHN MULLEN

ince the 1970s Joe Gilchrist has had a hand in running perhaps the most famous bar on the northern Gulf Coast, the Flora-Bama Lounge, Oyster Bar and Package Store. For a lot of those years, he watched as groups visiting his bar were down here for a meeting or event at the Gulf State Park Lodge. “Having taken over the Flora-Bama over 40 years ago, the old convention center was an important part of the community,” Gilchrist said. “After [Hurricane Ivan] we lost that and it’s been over 15 years. To me, I know how much it helps the community to have a facility so you can do conventions and other things.” Gilchrist’s comments came in a gleaming ballroom of the new Gulf State Park Lodge as citizens and public officials gathered with Gov. Kay Ivey to kick off her inauguration celebration Saturday, which concluded with a swearing-in ceremony Monday in Montgomery. Trays of hors d’oeuvres were passed around, and there were cash bars inside and music by country music artist Neal McCoy, all with a view of the Gulf. Local politicians were singing the praises of Ivey and of the lodge, hoping within the next four years Ivey will help with a bevy of projects they feel are necessary for a growing Baldwin County. “It’s the first time anything like this has happened and it clearly indicates that this admin-

istration is dedicated to Baldwin County and coastal Alabama,” State Sen. Chris Elliott said. Baldwin County Commissioner Skip Gruber said he hopes Ivey choosing the coast for the preinauguration fête is a sign of things to come. “It shows that she’s got some interest in South Alabama,” Gruber said. “We’ve got a great center here and her willing to come down and be part of the inauguration is fantastic.” Longtime State Rep. Steve McMillan of Gulf Shores said another benefit of having the party at the lodge will be a chance to show off the new facility to the rest of Alabama as well. “It’s extremely important for the whole state because we’ve got so many groups that claim they were going to Sandestin or wherever because they claimed we didn’t have the facility large enough to handle them,” McMillan said. “Now we’ve got one. This is the largest room with a Gulf view on the whole Gulf of Mexico, so they can have their annual banquets here.” Ivey, who took over for scandal-plagued former Gov. Robert Bentley in April 2017, won a full term in November and said she was ready to serve. “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us in the next four years,” she said. “That means we have opportunity. I look forward to working with you to bring quality jobs and quality education and a brighter future for all of us who love this state so much. But tonight, we’re here to party.” J a n u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 - J a n u a r y 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 | L AG N I A P P E | 9

BAYBRIEF | MOBILE

Learn new things MAWSS HOLDS FIRST CITIZENS WATER ACADEMY CLASS BY DALE LIESCH

ome Mobile-area residents received firsthand knowledge related to water service Monday, as the first of three classes began at the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System’s Citizens Water Academy. Attendees at Monday’s inaugural meeting received information about one of the area’s only surface-water reservoirs at Big Creek Lake, as well as a history of the service and a look at its operations and assets. “We built this program based on you being ambassadors for us to the public,” MAWSS Assistant Director Bud McCrory told attendees. “We want to do this two or three times per year.” MAWSS spokeswoman Monica Allen said the service was pleased with the number of applicants, as more than 50 individuals showed interest in the program. Allen said they limited attendance to about 25, with plans to do at least one more academy this year. “We were looking for community leaders with involvement in a variety of institutions,” Allen said. The idea is to have individuals gain a better grasp of the challenges MAWSS faces as it looks to update expensive infrastructure throughout the system. The program, which includes tours of the system’s wastewater treatment plants, includes

highest rating available. Roughly 40 percent of the score was based on hydrant and water service operation, McCrory said. He noted the color at the top of MAWSS hydrants corresponds to the amount of water pressure at a particular hydrant. Attendees also learned how flushable wipes, grease and tree roots all help cause sanitary sewer overflows because they contribute to pipes getting clogged. Grease clogs specifically can be a challenge to eradicate. Some that “build up over time” grow as large as the pipe itself and can’t be removed even with a hose blasting them with 2,000 pounds of water pressure per square inch. McCrory also said water and sewer pipes in Mobile have been made of a variety of materials over the decades, including clay, wood, steel and PVC. A few years back, he said, workers on a project on Dauphin Street discovered a wooden log pipe being connected with a steel ring. Underground pipes are the largest and most expensive asset MAWSS has, Matt Sanders told attendees. In all, there are more than 2,200 miles of water line and 3,250 feet of sewer lines crisscrossing the county. “If we were to lay every pipe … end to end it would go from Mobile to just about the city limits of Anchorage, Alaska,” he said. “Typically, people drive right over them and don’t even think about what’s under there. There’s $300 billion you don’t see that MAWSS OPERATES TWO STORMwe own and operate.” WATER ATTENUATION TANKS, OR Then there’s the infrastructure customers can see, SWATS, WHICH ARE USED DURING HEAVY RAIN Sanders said. MAWSS owns and operates three elevated EVENTS WHEN RAINWATER OVERWHELMS THE tanks, which can be costly to SYSTEM. THE UTILITY IS ALSO CONSTRUCTING A maintain. “There’s a lot of mainteSTORMWATER ATTENUATION BASIN, OR SWAB, nance required on the elevated tanks,” Sanders said. “It costs WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE SPRING.” $1 million to paint a 2-milliongallon tank.” He said MAWSS paints one up to 15 hours of instruction, Allen said. tank each year. “We want people to understand these things,” The utility operates 13 booster stations and she explained. 194 lift stations, and has a total of 100,000 lateral Debi Foster, executive director of the Peninsu- connections. la of Mobile nonprofit organization, signed up for “We don’t have that many customers,” Sandthe classes to learn more about the water system. ers said. “A lot of those are capped.” “I like it,” she said. “I think it’s a good opporMAWSS operates two stormwater attenuation tunity to learn things, I think, for me personally tanks, or SWATs, which are used during heavy that I thought I already knew, but that I didn’t. I rain events when rainwater overwhelms the look forward to learning more.” system. The utility is also constructing a stormMcCrory spent his presentation time quizwater attenuation basin, or SWAB, which will be zing attendees and giving out prizes for corcompleted in the spring. Located near Dog River, rect answers. Through the interaction, those in the SWAB is designed to take in as much as 20 attendance learned MAWSS charges $3.28 per million gallons impacted by stormwater. It was a thousand gallons of water used by its customers. $8.1 million project, Sanders said. A deal, McCrory said, if you consider the price “We had a lot of property in that area and do of bottled water. something a little different than the tanks,” he said. “How much is one 16-ounce bottle of water? The utility has two wastewater treatment Maybe you get it for a dollar or $2,” he said. plants, both of which are near Mobile River, the “For $3.28 you can purchase 1,000 gallons of discharge point for treated sewage. The largest it from us. The taste of [MAWSS water] can of the two plants is located on McDuffie Island. compare to any bottle of water. I’m telling you, Although it’s close to the water, MAWSS Direcit’s not much different.” tor Charles Hyland said the facility has never McCrory also told attendees MAWSS has flooded. During Hurricane Katrina water rose to more than 28,000 manholes and 12,554 hydrants. the facility’s fenceline. The maintenance and operation of those hydrants The academy, which is provided at no cost to factored into the Insurance Service Office rating attendees, will continue Wednesday, Jan. 30, and of 1 the city of Mobile achieved late last year, the Tuesday, Feb. 12.

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BAYBRIEF | EDUCATION

Project Search INTERNSHIP HELPING SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS FIND WORK BY JASON JOHNSON

ocal schools have continued to earn recognition for the success of a unique program that helps special-needs students develop the required skills to find jobs once they leave high school. Project Search is an international internship program the Mobile County Public School System (MCPSS) has participated in since 2013. In the past five years, it has helped more than 50 special-needs students find employment at a number of businesses in the Mobile community. “You see them mature a lot, and we really work with our students on developing independence,” Christine Wells, a Project Search teacher and team leader, said. “One thing I love, though, is working with the parents of these children because they are always told what their child cannot do, then they come into this program and we’re telling them what they can do … if you let them.” Project Search is open to students in their last year of high school. Instead of reporting to a typical classroom, Project Search participants spend their senior year at a Project Search training site. Mobile Infirmary, which has been involved since 2013, is one of two MCPSS host sites. The other, Providence Hospital, has served as a host site for the last four years. Wells, a MCPSS special education teacher, said students in Project Search split their time between developing soft skills in her classroom, such as interviewing, budgeting, time management and working with others, and on-the-job training with employee mentors at each hospital. Based on their individual interests and abilities, students can train and ultimately work in a number of areas throughout the facilities, including stocking and delivery, food service, sterilization, environmental services, dishwashing, clerical services, patient transport and a number of others. Some students even work more directly with patients, like those who intern in Mobile Infirmary’s E.A. Roberts Alzheimer’s Center. Wells said the center is particularly popular among students interested in pursuing a career in nursing or some other area of the medical field. “We have a lot of young ladies who want to be nurses, and that can sort of help teach them whether they really want to pursue that,” she added. “One of the good things about having options is that the students can learn what they like but also what they don’t like.” James, an 18-year-old student at B.C. Rain High School, is one of nine students currently working at the Providence Hospital training site. Last month he told Lagniappe he’s worked in a couple of different areas during his time in the program and has learned a lot. “It’s been difficult at points,” he admitted. “I was in sterilization, helping with wiping down drills and packaging the [surgical] tools, but now I’m working at the dish room at the cafeteria.” Though he ultimately hopes to work in animation, James said he is hoping to use the skills he’s developed in Project Search to pick up a job as a dishwasher in the meantime. While the classroom and on-the job training are key to developing critical soft skills, the ultimate goal of the program is to help students find and maintain a job. That’s why most of skills the students focus on — food service, dishwashing,

paperwork, etc. — are very transferable. However, one of the unique things about Project Search is the ability to continue that mission even after the students have graduated by partnering with a number of local and state agencies. Outside of MCPSS and the hospitals serving as training sites, Project Search also brings state agencies focusing on vocational rehabilitation, mental health and education to the table along with the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities and others. Volunteers of America Southeast (VOA) also plays a pivotal role in the process by providing job coaches who not only work with students throughout their on-the-job training but also canvass the community to find businesses interested in hiring the students when the program ends. Because VOA already works with specialneeds individuals as part of its larger mission, those same job coaches are able to help Project Search graduates and their employers adjust to changes at their jobs long after they’ve left the program. April Brooke, a VOA job coach who works at the Mobile Infirmary site, said it can be difficult to convince some businesses to consider the students because of preconceptions about what someone with a disability can or can’t do on the job. However, she added, most participating businesses are very happy with their employees. “Yes, they have a disability, but what we focus on are their abilities, and the good thing with having a job coach is we’re able to go in and work alongside them and help them as they transition into that new job,” Brooke told Lagniappe. Dozens of local businesses have hired Project Search graduates, and according to Wilyndra Moss, who oversees the program for MCPSS, some local companies have actually reached out to the program looking to hire employees or serve as a training site in the future. Over the past six years, the average rate of students who’ve achieved employment through the program has hovered at around 80 percent — something MCPSS and its partnering agencies have been recognized for multiple times at national Project Search conferences. Of the 46 students who’ve participated at Mobile Infirmary since 2013, 36 have found employment and, according to Brooke, some of those who didn’t either moved or had extenuating family situations that prevented them from retaining a job. At Providence Hospital, 31 students have gone through the program over the past four years, and 18 of them have found employment. Data collected by VOA indicates those students earn wages ranging from $7.75 to $11 an hour and work anywhere from 15 to 40 hours a week. In addition to students and their families, Moss said Project Search has been a benefit to participating business. She said many of the companies that have hired graduates, including Providence and Mobile Infirmary, have reported a positive change to their employee culture. “We’re still trying to get the word out to more businesses and encourage them to give our students a chance,” she said. “What do you have to lose? How many people are coming to your door and bringing a team that’s going to be there to help an employee transition into a job?”

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COMMENTARY | DAMN THE TORPEDOES

Local teen births idea for ‘MegaKota’ ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

still only have two senators, these critics have explained in outing the perceived liberal plot. Should MegaKota actually ever become a real thing, Dillan believes he should definitely be invited to cut the ribbon or at least be present at unification. You know, since it was his idea and all. But he’s not holding out much hope, as the petition has lost steam in the past few days. “It got about 4,000 signers in five hours at the beginning, but now that’s slowed down to a couple hundred a day,” he said. But even if MegaKota remains nothing more than a dream, Dillan says he’s had a lot of fun with it. A friend even made 25 MegaKota T-shirts that were a big hit at a basketball rally last week, and Dillan says everyone at McGill-Toolen has gotten a laugh out of the petition. The 10th grader says engineering — not comedy or politics — is his most likely future path. Hopefully, whatever path he takes will at least lead him to visit the Dakotas, since he’s never been to any of them — North, South or Mega. But he’d love to see MegaKota with his own eyes, he says. And who knows? Maybe this bold initiative to unify the polar-opposite states will regain its head of steam, President Trump will see how it could immediately stop the wayward moose issue his administration has almost completely ignored and MegaKota will become a thing. If so, it’ll be pretty convenient that there’s just enough room on the new state’s Mt. Rushmore to memorialize Dillan right next to Teddy Roosevelt. But if that happens, somebody please send MegaKota a current photo of Dillan before the carving begins.

THEGADFLY

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much better. KOTA-TV, the pride of Rapid City, South Dakota, devoted close to three minutes of its award-winning Sunday night broadcast to the matter, declaring Dillan an 8th grader and running old photos pulled from the web of him with a mustache drawn on his face in grease pencil. Brutal. KOTA’s ace reporter Brooklyn DeGumbia conducted several interviews for the story. They included the general thoughts of two unnamed 20-somethings on Skype from New York and Arizona (Brooklyn college friends?), as well as those of Rapid City, South Dakota, Communications Coordinator Darrell Shoemaker, who lauded North Dakota for its efforts in keeping “wayward moose” from crossing the border, but pushed back against crazy unification talk. “They have their identity and we in South Dakota have our own unique identity. I think generally speaking we’d like to keep it that way,” Shoemaker offered, drawing a line in the sand, or whatever they have up there. DeGumbia’s report did drop the bombshell that Dillan “doesn’t live anywhere close to North or South Dakota,” but failed to mention his Alabama roots. Perhaps that’s for the best given how seriously some people have taken the petition. As with anything these days, there’s been political backlash. There are those who have accused Dillan’s petition of being nothing more than an insidious plot to rob the Republican-leaning Dakotas of two U.S. Senate seats, transferring them to what would almost certainly be two new Democratic senators from Puerto Rico. No matter how mega MegaKota might be, it would

Cartoon/Laura Mattei

illan Stewart may not be a household name around Mobile, but the 16-year-old has made quite a splash in the Dakotas — or the Dakota, as he’d probably prefer. The McGill-Toolen sophomore could someday go down in history as “The Father of MegaKota” if his change.org petition gains enough votes. More than likely, though, he’ll just go down as the guy whose joke went viral and convinced at least 16,000 people and more than a few media outlets that an effort to unite the Dakotas was underway. Hopefully along the way young Dillan has learned a very valuable lesson — that the world is full of idiots who take things way too seriously. But a recap is probably in order for those who aren’t up to speed on the MegaKota saga. The way Dillan explains it, the concept of uniting North and South Dakota as one state came out of a more serious conversation about Puerto Rico one day becoming the 51st state. The problem, Dillan thought, was having an odd number of states would “mess up the flag” when that extra star was added. He decided the easiest way to prevent a massive flag overhaul would be to combine the relatively unpopulated Dakotas into one huge state. So earlier this month Dillan took the bold step of putting this idea out there in the ether and started a petition on change.org, a site best known as a viral hotbed for young people to get fired up about politics for a week or two at a time. He thought asking President Trump to name the new state MegaKota would be just goofy enough to tip people off this was a tongue-in-cheek suggestion. And while there were certainly plenty of folks who got the joke, it went over more than a few heads. “I thought it would be funny. But last Monday is when people started taking it seriously,” he explained. Suddenly thousands of people were signing the petition and others were raging against it. And it wasn’t long before some folks in the media were treating MegaKota like a true movement. TV stations were doing man-inthe-street interviews, getting feedback from Dakotans of either polarity, with most of that feedback displaying the kind of go-it-alone attitude that’s kept these two states from uniting since they entered the Union together on Nov. 2, 1889, and made the “Dakota Marker” the 61st most recognized college football rivalry game. Reporter Makenzie Huber of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader may have gotten one of the thrills of her journalistic career when USA Today picked up her story about the MegaKota movement and ran it nationwide last weekend. Unfortunately either Makenzie or an undercaffeinated editor at USA Today declared Dillan “a change. org user from Fargo, North Dakota,” assigning him unearned status as a resident of the “Flickertail State.” Dillan says this was entirely fabricated by the media. “They totally guessed where I live,” he said. Dillan soon got a firsthand lesson in lazy journalism, as he says almost all of the other outlets running the story simply repeated the line that he was a change.org user from Fargo. “Lots of news sites just copied it,” he said. Looking at Dillan’s petition, there’s nothing to indicate he’s from North Dakota, but also nothing saying he’s from Alabama. Maybe it just made for a better story if a resident was pushing for MegaKota. The world may never know. Dillan also had to suffer through more than a few insults, intentional or otherwise. He said one angry poster declared MegaKota to sound like something a SIXTH GRADER would make up! Unfortunately, the professional media hasn’t done

AFTER STAYING RELATIVELY QUIET ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, GOV. IVEY REVEALS HER PLANS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

COMMENTARY | THE HIDDEN AGENDA

Time for a fresh start ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR/ASHLEYTOLAND@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

’ve been tough on Gov. Kay Ivey. And I didn’t really want to be. I like her story. Girl from rural Alabama, works hard and ascends to the highest office in her state. I mean, really, what’s not like to like? But it really irked me she refused to participate in debates — not in the primary with her fellow Republicans and not in the general with Democratic nominee Walt Maddox. It still irritates me. It’s not personal. This irritation is entirely based on principle. Because I really feel like debate in the public square is essential for a thriving and healthy democracy. Just as essential as a free press (gratuitous plug) and a fair and open electoral process (free of Russians and the billionaire who founded LinkedIn). Cue “The Star-Spangled Banner” and slice the apple pie! It doesn’t matter if you are a male or female, play for the red team or blue team, or if you are virtually guaranteed a win if you are your party’s nominee, you should be able to stand up and state and defend your plans and positions and make

a governor who doesn’t leave office with a commemorative mug shot? A girl can dream, right? In addition to saying how much she loved this state and what a “proud Alabamian” she was, Ivey laid out her plans for the next four years, emphasizing a need for a gas tax to address aging infrastructure problems and a call for state prison reform. There was no mention of the L word. (Just in case you haven’t been paying attention, that word is LOTTERY.) She also re-emphasized the commitment to the much-lauded preschool education initiative “Strong Start, Strong Finish” and said our economy was strong, as “more Alabamians are working today than ever before.” She also made a call for bipartisanship to overcome the challenges we face. “If we work on them together — Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals — then today’s challenges can be looked upon as tomorrow’s accomplishments,” she said. A refreshing notion to hear in this polarized world we live in. It takes far more courage and character to say you will “work across the aisle” than it does to just say the other party is evil. So, I LIKE THE OPTIMISM EVERY JANUARY thank you, Gov. And in a move certain to win BRINGS. EVERYONE BELIEVES (AT LEAST the hearts of everyone who doesn’t FOR A FEW WEEKS) THEY CAN START FRESH AND live in the city that thinks it’s the LOSE 50 POUNDS AND CHANGE ALL OF THEIR BAD only real city in Alabama (cough, Birmingham), she gave shoutouts HABITS. AND AN INAUGURATION BRINGS THAT SAME to Huntsville and Mobile. FEELING. I AM SURE IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS WE “Just as Huntsville is recognized around the globe for its work in WILL HEAR MORE TALES OF STATE LEGISLATORS BEspace exploration and discovery, ING BOUGHT BY LOBBYISTS, AND WE’LL BE FIGHTING I predict in just a few short years, OVER THE LOTTERY AND THE GAS TAX AND WHO GETS Mobile will become one of the top four cities in the world where large, HOW MUCH MONEY FROM EACH OF THEM.” commercial aircraft are assembled. And we will reach this milestone in under a decade,” Ivey said. the case for why you are the right person to lead Flattery will get you everywhere with Mobiliwhatever office it is you are running for — no ans, Kay, so thank you. And I think you are right. matter if it is for Wilcox County High School This little Port City is pretty damn extraordinary. class president or governor of this great state. And it’s only the beginning. Period. Don’t worry, Birmingham. I’m sure you’ll get And to me, it was even more important for something eventually. Ivey to do this because she had never been (I’m just kidding, Ham. We love you — even elected governor by the people, she only received though you are a little arrogant and a tiny bit her post because our horndog governor “loved” narcissistic.) holding the “breasts” of his top adviser. (Insert But seriously, it will be nice to have a goverthe emoji that vomits green stuff.) nor who isn’t so Birmingham-obsessed and who I understand why she didn’t do it. Her conwill look out for the interests of South Alabama, sultants and handlers determined it wasn’t her so I really hope that is the case. With the anstrong suit and if she participated it could only nouncement this week that former Congressman hurt her chances. I get it. Jo Bonner will be her new chief of staff, that can But still. It just made me crazy that she only mean good things for us. I am happy a Mowouldn’t participate and really didn’t even have bilian will be in her ear every single day. Don’t a very detailed plan on her website, either. (Insert let her forget us, Jo! that emoji with a clenched jaw here. And maybe I like the optimism every January brings. add the angry, red-faced one too. Or at least the Everyone believes (at least for a few weeks) eye-roll one.) they can start fresh and lose 50 pounds and But clearly her calculations were correct. change all of their bad habits. And an inauguraAnd while I hope this doesn’t set a precedent tion brings that same feeling. I am sure in a few where every “anointed” candidate or incumbent short months we will hear more tales of state feels they can just skip over this whole pesky legislators being bought by lobbyists, and we’ll “participating in our democratic process” part, I be fighting over the lottery and the gas tax and am going to move on. who gets how much money from each of them. Because when I actually got to hear Kay Ivey And we’ll somehow manage to screw all of that speak on Monday as she delivered her inaugural up too. But right now, in this moment, I am hopeaddress, it was obvious to me she loves this state. ful for this great state that I also love, and I am And maybe, just maybe, unlike many of her rooting for only the second female governor in its predecessors, she is in this for the right reasons. 200-year history. Could it be possible that we could actually have Let’s do this, Kay! J a n u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 - J a n u a r y 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 | L AG N I A P P E | 13

COMMENTARY | THE BELTWAY BEAT

A gas tax hike: not if, but what and how BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST/JEFFREYPOOR@GMAIL.COM

hether you like it or not we’re going to see a gas tax hike in 2019 in Alabama. It’s the first year of a new quadrennium. This is the time when previous state legislatures have passed unpopular initiatives. When looking at the big-ticket items — lottery, prison reform, ethics and, of course, gas tax — the gas tax is one that seems to be receiving the most immediate attention. Consider this: The current 18-cents-a-gallon state gas tax has remained unchanged since 1992. Leadership in both the GOP-led State House and Senate have said a hike is long overdue and are signaling movement on it in the upcoming session in March. It’s inevitable something will happen. Nobody wants their taxes raised. However, the window for opposing the gas tax hike closed with the results of the 2018 elections. Most candidates for office campaigned on improving infrastructure. Opponents of the gas

this tax from ending up in coffers unrelated to transportation. With the state’s roads in such disrepair, does it make sense that this revenue could unwittingly end up funding education, health, and/or Dauphin Island western-end beach restoration? On the third question — how the state can hold ALDOT accountable: The agency has a notorious track record of misallocating funds for unneeded road projects. Over the last few decades, politics and corruption have plagued the agency. This gas tax bill is an opportunity for the Legislature to expand its oversight of ALDOT. Local and state elected leaders are too terrified to criticize ALDOT publicly. Their hometown road projects might somehow get mired in decades of bureaucracy if they upset the wrong well-placed bureaucrat. Let us not forget that gas taxes are not a burden sustained merely by Alabamians. Outof-state drivers who travel through the state and fill up their gas tanks will be subject to the Alabama gas tax. This is one tax that isn’t completely on the shoulders of Alabamians. AS A CONSERVATIVE, I AM Another option for the Legislature to LARGELY SKEPTICAL OF TAX consider is granting individual counties ability to raise their own gas taxes. INCREASES, BUT SINCE THIS INCREASE AP- the Municipalities have that ability. This PEARS INEVITABLE, IT BEHOOVES CONSER- option would absolve the lawmakers of any political fallout, but it would VATIVES TO CONSIDER WHAT THE STATE remove the Legislature’s power to prioritize road projects. WILL GET FROM THE REVENUE RAISED.” Allowing counties to levy and collect gas tax revenue will also present transparency challenges for the tax should have made their voices heard then. taxpayer. Counties in Alabama don’t have the Opponents simply missed their opportubest track record. A history of mismanaging nity — challenging the gas tax increase this funds does not inspire confidence that this time legislative session will not work. The battle has around the counties will ethically handle the already been decided. It might not have been at gas tax. the forefront of the 2018 election cycle, but it Remember the Jefferson County sewer wasn’t totally ignored. system debacle that was rife with corruption As a conservative, I am largely skeptical of and resulted in one of the largest bankruptcies tax increases, but since this increase appears in American history? inevitable, it behooves conservatives to consider The potential for divisions based on geogwhat the state will get from the revenue raised. raphy is another obstacle, given the unofficial The big questions are: 1) where the Legissplit between the North and South Alabama lature will direct the funds; 2) how the funds delegations. will actually be spent; and 3) how the state will The Alabama Legislature is under one-party hold the Alabama Department of Transportarule, but there is a degree of tribalism. North tion (ALDOT) accountable. Alabama and South Alabama legislators are Rather than fighting the lost battle of the voting based more on their regional interests tax increase itself, these questions are where than their ideological impulses. conservatives should direct their focus. We learned this the hard way following On the first question — where the funding the mishandling of the BP oil spill settlement, will go: One proposal would have the funds which was used by the state for other things remain where the gas tax is collected. Other besides its intended purpose, which was to help recommendations divvy up the revenue by coastal areas of Alabama afflicted by the spill. population. Given that the gas tax is essentially Finally, one thing to watch for are legislaa usage tax, it would make sense for some per- tors who find religion on taxation. While there centage of these revenues to stay where they is a current consensus among the Republican are collected. caucus that the gas tax is a go, those legislators On the second question — how the funds whose pet projects will not receive coveted gas will be spent: It is vital for policymakers to tax revenues will be the most likely to step out identify the most urgent road projects before of line. Look out for legislators who suddenly Gov. Kay Ivey signs any new gas tax into law. fashion ideological arguments about the harms It is also crucial the money not be diverted to of gas increases and point to Grover Norquist’s nontransportation projects. That is, the Legtax increase pledge. islature must include some kind of language It means they did not get what they wanted in the ultimate bill that prohibits the fruits of out of the gas tax bill.

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BUSINESS | THE REAL DEAL

Bel Air Tower acquired for $4.25 million BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST/BUSINESS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

obile-based Zarzour Cos. recently announced its acquisition of one of Mobile’s better-known landmarks, the 10-story, 100,000-plus-square-foot Bel Air Tower, for $4.25 million. The property is at 851 E. I-65 Service Road at the intersection of Airport Boulevard and Interstate 65. Zarzour Management Co. will oversee the site. “Bel Air Tower is one of the most convenient, most visible office assets in South Alabama. We see this as a strong area with significant upside,” CEO Matt Zarzour said. Significant interior improvements planned for the short-term will require an additional $400,000 in capital investment. Long-term outside improvements will cost roughly $200,000. “We are still waiting on quotes from a lot of local contractors for exterior work, so that number could fluctuate significantly as estimates come in. This is a welcomed addition to our portfolio, and it further illustrates our optimistic outlook for the Mobile area,” Zarzour said. Additionally, the highly visible Regions Bank sign perched prominently atop Bel Air Tower will soon come down, replaced by signage from a major new tenant moving in. “Regions Bank hasn’t paid for lease of the sign for a while. The only reason it has remained there is because the former landlord didn’t want to pay the expense of having it removed,” Zarzour said. The building is currently 70 percent occupied with goals for rapid tenant expansion this year. For leasing inquiries, contact Gaines Zarzour at 251-895-2612 or gaines@zarzour.com.

• Henig Furs, Leather and Outerwear recently relocated and expanded into a new, 1,722-square-foot retail space on the ground floor of Bel Air Tower, moving from The Shoppes at Bel Air and into the former family-owned Friedman’s Fine Jewelry space, which closed last December after 72 years in business. Jason Scott, leasing executive with Stirling Properties, managed the transaction. • CFT NV Investments, LLC, recently purchased a pad site in front of a former Ryan’s Steakhouse restaurant in Tillmans Corner for $899,000 with plans to build a new Panda Express restaurant. This will be the California-based chain’s third location in the Mobile area, with expectations for more franchise locations in the future. Kenny Nichols of Vallas Realty Inc. handled the transaction. Build-out at the West Mobile site is expected to include a 2,200-square-foot eatery with a seating capacity of 50. Opening is slated for sometime this summer, with hiring timelines to be announced. • 9Round Kickboxing has leased some 1,400 square feet of floor space inside the new Publix-anchored Saraland Crossroads shopping center, located in the northwest quadrant of Industrial Parkway and the I-65 Service Road in Saraland. The new facility’s fitness program reportedly blends functional, interval, cardiovascular and circuit training regimens in a 30-minute workout. Plans are in place for the local franchisee owner of 9Round Kickboxing to open more locations in Mobile over the next several months. David Dexter of NAI Mobile represented the tenant in the lease transaction. • Green Nurseries, established in 1932 and report-

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edly the oldest family-owned business in Fairhope, is closing the retail side of its operations at 415 Fairhope Ave. for good this year. “The property would be ideal for a restaurant, coffee shop or brewpub,” co-owner Bob Green Jr. said. The 3,000-square-foot former flower shop sits on 3.6 acres of property due north of Thomas Hospital. Sharon Wright and Matt White with White-Spunner Realty are handling inquiries. • Mobile-based Rehm Animal Clinic has purchased two home plots, located at 501 and 505 Celeste Road on one acre in Saraland, for $185,000 and $145,000, respectively, for a total of $330,000. The plot at 501 Celeste Road will be converted into a full-service animal clinic. This is the clinic’s first foray into North Mobile County and fourth location overall. The second site will be set aside for future business use. Joey Betbeze with Betbeze Realty Company Inc. handled the transaction for Rehm Animal Clinic. • Pratt Thomas with the Merrill P. Thomas Co. Inc. reported the Australiaheadquartered, interval training-based health club F45 Fitness has leased a second location in Baldwin County. The 3,300-square-foot space is situated at the Daphne Southern Gate Shopping Center at 1501 U.S. Route 98 in Daphne. Opening is expected this spring. Colby Herrington with Herrington Realty represented the landlord in the transaction; Thomas worked for the tenant. • Alabama Artificial Limb & Orthopedic Services Inc. recently signed a fiveyear lease for some 3,000 square feet of clinical space at 721 Oak Circle Drive E. in Mobile. Mike Reid with White-Spunner Realty represented the tenant; Pratt Thomas with the Merrill P. Thomas Co. Inc. worked for the landlord. • Mobile Storm Volleyball Club has expanded at its 65 Sidney Phillips Drive location in Mobile by 19,000 square feet for a five-year lease term. Plans are to add additional courts as well as house indoor tennis in the future. Mike Reid with White-Spunner Realty represented both landlord and tenant in the transaction. • Joe Steen Real Estate and Development Inc. reported a new local business, MCM Sales and Storage, recently signed a five-year lease for a 6,000-square-foot sales and storage space on 3.6 acres at 26290 U.S. Route 59, due south of Loxley. The retailer specializes in RVs, boats and autos. • Terry McKinney with Delaney Land and Realty reported the sale of the former Lenny’s Sub Shop site at 251 Azalea Road in Mobile. The roughly 2,000-square-foot former fast-casual restaurant sits on about an acre of property and was acquired by local investors for $250,000. Plans are in place to open a Central American-themed eatery at the location sometime this year. • Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. has expanded into an additional 2,934 square feet of space at 4332 Boulevard Park S. in Mobile, for a total of 4,671 square feet. The new office opened in December. Jill Meeks, leasing Executive with Stirling Properties, handled the transaction.

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CUISINE | THE DISH

The art of the crawfish boil BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET

Hardware

Let’s start here. You will need a burner and a really big pot, preferably with a strainer basket. Turkey fryers can do OK but are a little on the small side. I used one for years, making small batch after small batch, but finally graduated to something larger. You’ll need a pot twice as big to be effective. I’d say a 60-quart pot with lid and basket should suit you fine. You don’t want to go too big or it will be tough to handle, and honestly, the more batches you do the better the flavor (arguably). Plan on spending a little over $100. Burners are another heated (snicker) argument. You don’t have to break the bank, but don’t go on the cheap. In my experience it is best to avoid that crappy burner with the timer safety feature. At some point you will find a way to bypass that safety feature and eventually it will break. Then you will try some kind of backwoods bayou engineering to repair it, and your once safety feature will now be a hazard as you lose a part of your eyebrow and arm hair. My son’s Magic 8 Ball tells me undoubtedly you will do this with a beer in your other hand. Find them online or at camping/hardware stores ranging from $59 to $100. Your whole rig should easily be less than two bills.

The boil

Photo | depositphotos.com

It’s crawfish time! This article can serve as a “quick help guide” for your seasonal rite of passage.

t’s a bigger deal than most think. That first crawfish boil of the season, that day that starts it all, the test run usually held during the carnival season — it’s the equivalent of the first football game. It’s opening day in your backyard. It’s the day we try to get our legs under us, assemble our team (you never boil alone) and see if there are any changes to be made. It is a Southern rite of passage for some, as young people across the Gulf Coast stand at fathers’ (and mothers’) sides, hopefully paying attention and learning the art of the boil. This art — and it is art — like any other is open to interpretation. There are no wrong answers, but there are certainly some answers that are better than others. Brother may turn on brother, sister on sister, over sweet versus heat, powder versus liquid, juice or no juice, butter or where does the addition of fixings cross the line and enter into the ridiculous realm? Art will soothe one soul while aggravating another. That’s what art is good at doing. Well, good art, anyway. I always bank on having someone new to the area who has

never experienced a boil, or maybe never tried a crawfish. That’s a sure-fire way to get an invitation to a party. We love breaking in a newbie! Our Gulf Coast DNA cannot handle even our greatest foe being ignorant of tail-pinching and head-sucking. Undoubtedly it’s the quickest way to organize a soirée. We light the fire under our pots as soon as we hear the tragic news of the uninitiated. Are you new in town? Is your social life a bore? Trouble meeting a mate? Casually mention you’ve never tried crawfish and your invitation is in the mail. Tell someone in a bar that a buddy from your hometown cooks the best crawfish you ever ate and that person is liable to drag you by the collar to prove, “you ain’t tasted nothin’ yet!” It’s a funny thing, this crawfish pride. I openly admit to falling for it, and though I never claimed to be the king of boilers, I do a pretty good job. If you are getting into the game, this article can serve as a “quick help guide” for new boilers. Good luck. You’re going to need it with all of the competition out there. You may not see it as a competition, but everyone else does.

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Powder, bag or liquid? If you’re using a commercial crab/crawfish boil, then here is the split in the road. With liquid, you usually have to add a lot of salt. Same goes for the bag, but I love the flavor. At my boils I tend to favor the powder version. Zatarain’s is not the only game in town, but it dominates most of the grocers’ shelves. I’m partial to their Pro Boil, but even the faint of heart could tell you commercial boils need a little doctoring, especially if you like them hot. Cayenne will get you to church on time. Use it sparingly. There may be children present. With powder, bag or liquid, who says you can’t have all three? Building your boil from the ground up is the true art here. Think about what it smells like when you walk through the first part of the French Market. Garlic powder, cloves, allspice, coriander, thyme — they’re all there with the cayenne and onion powder. Try to replicate that aroma with dried herbs and spices. Grind your unground seeds and peppercorns in a coffee grinder and add them to your water with the powdered spices and salt. Fruit juices are common these days. I like them, but sometimes prefer a less sweetened taste, although they only provide a hint of sweetness.

The fixings

Classic fixings are potatoes, onions, lemons, corn and sausage. Imagine the sausage options alone. A true Cajun won’t bat an eye at opening a pack of cheap hot dogs and tossing them in. Cabbage or Brussels sprouts are a hit. Unpeeled garlic finds its way into the mix. Do me a favor: Don’t put peanuts in there. Too many people have allergies. I love spicy boiled peanuts, but wait until the crawfish boil is over and do them separately.

The party

It’s communal. It’s messy. Get a crawfish table if you can. These fit over a trash can to make cleanup a cinch. Buy plenty of paper towels. Beer is the drink of choice. Make sure the water hose is handy, and stainless steel bars are the best way to get rid of smelly hands! I’m ready for the first boil. Are you? Let’s get the team together and show everyone our masterpiece.

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CUISINE | THE BEER PROFESSOR

Iron Hand opens British-style brewpub in De Tonti Square BY TOM WARD/THE BEER PROFESSOR

Photo |Jordan Parker / Lagniappe

Iron Hand Brewing will unveil its Rebecca’s First Amber and Ben’s Oatmeal Stout at a grand opening event Jan. 18. Two other beers, a pale ale and porter, are coming soon.

he long wait for Rebecca Williams and Ben Ross to open their Mobile brewpub is finally over. After a number of years — and scouting several locations — Iron Hand Brewing Co. on State Street in De Tonti Square held a soft opening at the end of December and is now ready for its grand opening on Friday, Jan. 18. Located in the old Waterfront Rescue Mission, the Englishstyle pub is housed in what was once the sanctuary of the Hunter Memorial Baptist Church, founded in 1927. After renovations,

WORD OF MOUTH

Brick Pit returning, promises to be better BY ANDY MACDONALD I believe in second chances. Lord knows, I’ve needed them, but under previous ownership the Mobile barbecue fixture known as The Brick Pit was rumored to be closing so many times we quit paying attention. After its nine lives ran out, local insurance man and Brick Pit regular James West DID pay attention. Along with A.J. Niland, Ryan Chavez and a silent partner, West invested in new ownership of the business in hopes of returning it to its former glory. That first meant turning his attention to the building. Those familiar with The Brick Pit remember the facility had seen its share of, well, use, so it was time

much of the original wood has been exposed, giving the space a wonderful, warm feel. Williams and Ross have sought to repurpose much of the old church, including the pews, which have been refinished and used for seating. They plan to eventually turn some of the reclaimed wood from the renovation into tables. Named for the Italian explorer Henri de Tonti, whose right hand was lost in battle and replaced with an iron prostetic, the brewpub is different from others downtown in that it has a full

to tidy things up a bit. By that I mean new plumbing, new roof and wiring, and replacing rotten wood. Even the smoker is getting a good cleaning. Long gone is the carpet in favor of hardwood floors, but other than that it’s the same old Brick Pit. I was privy to a few pictures of the renovation, and things are looking good. West said they will be applying for a license to serve alcohol, something previously unfamiliar to that location, and possibly adding a deck, making live music another option. Opening date is set for this year. There’s a lot of work to be done. We’ll keep you posted as this story unfolds.

Cuisine for Kids raising money for CAC Renasant Bank and the Child Advocacy

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kitchen and bar in addition to its own craft beers. I’ll leave the cuisine review to brother Andy, but the menu does look great, with much of the food — including the breads and the sausages — made onsite by Ross. It offers a number of food specials, including fish and chips on Fridays and a Sunday brunch every other week. While the kitchen has been open for a couple of weeks, Iron Hand’s brews were not ready until now, which is the reason for the delayed grand opening. Its first two beers, Rebecca’s First Amber and Ben’s Oatmeal Stout, will debut this week, with Will’s Pale Ale and the Lost Ring Porter coming soon. The pub eventually plans to have five of its own beers, and one rotating “guest” craft beer on tap. While waiting for its own beers to be ready, the pub has been featuring an excellent selection of local and regional craft brews, including those from Big Beach, Good People, Parish and Trim Tab. The brewery is partnering with University of South Alabama climatologist Dr. Steve Schultze, who has been working with Auburn’s Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center on the Alabama Hops Project in Baldwin County. While there will not be any hops from Auburn’s farm outside of Fairhope this season because of weather issues, Williams and Ross hope to be making their beer with locally sourced hops in the future, giving their beers a unique twist. Iron Hand Brewing is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 5-10 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It will also be open on alternating Sundays for brunch, the next one being Feb. 2. Look for them on Facebook and Twitter for updates. Meanwhile, as Mobile’s newest brewery gets ready for its grand opening this weekend, across the bay the granddaddy of Lower Alabama’s craft beer scene — Fairhope Brewing — will be hosting a “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” party on Saturday, Jan. 19, to celebrate its sixth anniversary. With more than 40 (!) beers on tap — including Fruit Loose, A Few Good Hops and the Thin Mint cookie stout (which I will have to try) called Thank You Sir, May I Have Another — you’ll have to get there early if you want to try them all. Doors open at 2 p.m., with music into the evening and food trucks on-site. Cheers!

Center (CAC) of Mobile are asking you to dine out and donate for their annual Cuisine for Kids fundraiser to help fight child abuse. Participating restaurants have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds from Tuesday, Jan. 29, to help local victims of abuse through the CAC. All you have to do is step up to the table and let these fine area restaurants do the rest: Atlanta Bread Co., Briquettes Steakhouse on Schillinger, Butch Cassidy’s, Bone and Barrel, Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Parlor, Callaghan’s, Chaleur Method Brew and Espresso, Chicken Salad Chick on Old Shell Road, Firehouse Subs (Grelot, McGowin Park, Airport Boulevard and Rangeline Road locations), Hickory Pit Too, Jimmy John’s (Royal Street, Du Rhu and Airport Boulevard locations), Little Whiskey Christmas

Club, Lucky’s Irish Pub (Airport Boulevard and Saraland), Maghee’s Grill on the Hill, Regina’s Kitchen, Roly Poly, Saucy Q BarB-Que, Serda’s Coffee Co. and Via Emilia. You’ve got plenty of chances in Mobile and Fairhope, so get to eating!

ACS Chili Cook-Off, Downtown Cajun Cook-Off dates

Mardi Gras is running late this year and so are some of our cook-offs. The 5th annual Downtown Cajun Cook-Off is set for Saturday, March 23, in Cathedral Square. The American Cancer Society’s 30th annual Chili Cook-Off is slated for the following week, March 30, at Mardi Gras Park. Get your team together and start practicing! Recycle!

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COVER STORY

Pickleball a smash hit among local participants

BY J. MARK BRYANT

According to pickleball.com, the game is played on a badminton-size court of 20 feet by 44 feet. The ball is served diagonally (starting with the right-hand servicesquare), and points can only be scored by the side that serves. Players on each side must let the ball bounce once before volleys are allowed, and there is a 7-foot novolley zone on each side of the net to prevent “spiking.” The server continues to serve, alternating service courts, until he or she faults. The first side scoring 11 points and leading by at least 2 points wins. The game can be played with singles or doubles. “It doesn’t take long to play a game,” McDonald said. “It is usually 15 to 20 minutes for one game. Then people rotate in and out. This way you don’t sit around waiting to get onto the court.” The USAPA said each player needs a pickleball paddle, which is smaller than a tennis racquet but larger than a pingpong paddle. Originally, paddles were made only from wood. However, today’s paddles have evolved dramatically and are primarily made of lightweight composite materials, including aluminum THE SPORT’S IMPACT IS and graphite. Players also need a net and a In a nutshll BEING FELT ALONG THE pickleball. The ball is unique, with According to the USAPA webholes through it like a whiffle ball. ALABAMA GULF COAST, site, pickleball was created in 1965 Different ball models are intended by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell near AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS for indoor and outdoor play (indoor Seattle, Washington. Their families balls have larger holes as wind is were bored, so they took some IN BALDWIN AND MOBILE not a factor, while outdoor balls pingpong paddles and a perforated are made of a harder plastic and COUNTIES WELCOME plastic ball out to a badminton court have smaller holes). Balls come in on the property. Once they found PARTICIPANTS. several colors, including white, yelthe ball bounced well on the court, low and green, but must be a single they lowered the net to 36 inches, color to meet International Federaand a new sport was born. tion of Pickleball specifications. The origin of the name, though, is not quite as clear. As for attire, anything that is comfortable and apPritchard’s wife, Joan, said she started calling the game propriate is accepted. This includes athletic shorts, pickleball because “the combination of different sports sweatpants or tennis-style clothing. Eye protection is also reminded me of the pickle boat in crew, where oarsmen recommended. were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.” Others “Some venues have paddles and balls to use for a have said it is named after the Pritchards’ dog Pickles, small fee,” McDonald said. “Most regulars will have their who would chase the ball and run off with it. own equipment. I recommend you try the sport before As for the local game, the Coastal Alabama Pickleball going out and buying equipment. Most sporting goods Club’s website said Gene Beaver and Mike Boileu played stores have them now.” perhaps the first contest in the state on Jan. 24, 1995, at Rainbow Plantation RV Resort in Summerdale. Keith and Booming in Baldwin Roberta Bisel, snowbirds who were spending the winter Since the first games were played in Baldwin County, at the site, had introduced the sport to the area.

HEN PEOPLE HEAR THE TERM

“pickleball” for the first time, the image of a brine-soaked cucumber being tossed around is a pretty common misconception. The truth is pickleball players can be found across the U.S. The sport’s impact is being felt along the Alabama Gulf Coast, as many organizations in Baldwin and Mobile counties welcome participants. With the influx of young players into the mix, the growth of the sport is expected to exponentially increase. “In the last three to four years it has really taken off,” said Eddie McDonald, an official pickleball ambassador in Baldwin County. “Many publications call it the fastestgrowing sport, not just locally but all over the country.” According to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), there are more than 15,000 indoor and outdoor courts in the U.S. and at least one in every state. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s 2016 Participant Report said there are more than 2.5 million pickleball participants in the U.S.

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it would only make sense that the area is a hotbed for the sport. In fact, the newest outdoor courts designed specifically for pickleball were dedicated in December at the ONE Club in Gulf Shores. McDonald is the resident expert on the sport. He is certified as an instructor by the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association. “I was an educator in Georgia in the 1990s, and I once taught a six-week P.E. course on pickleball,” he said. “After that I went back to teaching history and did not think about it again. “Then my wife, Joan, and I moved to Montana. I went to a gym and saw them playing it. I had forgotten a lot of the rules from 20 years ago. My wife was doing other exercises, but I got her to play and she fell in love with pickleball. Now we play all of the time.” The McDonald family eventually moved to the ONE Club. He had earned his ambassador status in Montana, so he was able to continue as a USAPA representative in Baldwin County. Other ambassadors in Baldwin County are Bob Webb in Foley and Bruce Cuddy in Fairhope. “I am passionate about pickleball,” McDonald said. “It is my job to grow the sport. I let people know about the places to play, and then just try and increase the number of places in Baldwin County.” He is succeeding in his mission. McDonald said the number of participants in Baldwin County has doubled in the past year. “We have a league made up of five areas: Daphne, Gulf Shores-Orange Beach, Fairhope, Mobile and Gulf Breeze (Florida),” McDonald said. “They play competitively against each other. We just finished up the first season in early December at the Foley Events Center with about 110 players that day. The next season will start in January.” The Foley Event Center is also set to host the USAPA’s Atlantic South Regional Aug. 23-25. Participants must enter to qualify for the national championships, which were broadcast on ESPN in 2018. More than 2,000 amateur and professional players competed in those nationals. “This will be the first tournament of its kind here,” McDonald said. “You must play in a regional to qualify for the nationals. We expect upwards of 350 people.” For local players, the city league sponsored its first outdoor tournament in November at the Bodenhamer Tennis Center in Gulf Shores; 170 players signed up. “In Gulf Shores we used eight of their 18 tennis courts and made it into 16 pickleball courts,” McDonald said. “We used painter tape to mark the boundaries, and then pulled it up when we were through. We didn’t use tennis nets. We used portable pickleball nets like we use at most indoor sites.” Because many pickleball courts are played on surfaces originally intended for other sports, the new facility at the ONE Club is quite unique. “This is the first dedicated outdoor pickleball court open to the public,” McDonald said. “A lot of people would rather play there than on a tennis court.” There was a single tennis court at the ONE Club before McDonald suggested it be repurposed. “We wanted to increase participation, so now we have three courts just for pickleball,” he said. “We normally have between 20 to 25 people playing doubles there.” Besides being a great way to get exercise, McDonald said the social aspect of pickleball may be its biggest draw. “My wife and I have a pickleball family in Montana, North Georgia and now Gulf Shores and Orange Beach,” he said. “We do so much other things together besides play pickleball, but it was pickleball that brought us all together.”

Catching up across the bay

Pickleball in Mobile County is not quite at the same stage of development as with neighbors to the east. At this time, the only consistent location for players to gather is the Via Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center on Dauphin Street in Mobile.

COVER STORY “Snowbirds have helped Baldwin County a lot,” said True Nicolson, who became USAPA ambassador for Mobile County 18 months ago. “We are trying to convince elected officials here that there is a need for more places to play.” Nicolson started to play pickleball six years ago after learning about it through a friend from Maine. At that time she just thought it was a sport for our northern visitors. “My first match was at the Mobile Tennis Center against a 12-year-old, who put me in my place pretty quickly,” she said. “I wanted to learn more about the game. At that point I knew the rules, but I needed more help on what I was doing.” She spoke to the Mobile City Council and told them the game was needed in all parks. At this time, Nicolson said, some of the locations that have hosted pickleball in the past are the Spring Hill Recreation Center, Crawford Park, Sage Park, Connie Hudson Senior Center, Palmer Pillans Middle School, Spring Hill Baptist Church and the Country Club of Mobile. The one constant site has been the Via Center. The indoor basketball court is converted into three pickleball courts and one small area where players can warm up. “All ages can play together,” she said. “At Via, we have players ages 11 to 85. Differences disappear on the court. People of all backgrounds play together, from high school educations to doctors. From all backgrounds, including economic, race and gender.” On a recent Saturday at Via, 28 people came to play. Three were from out of state while six were from Baldwin County. Also included were a grandmother and her two grandsons. Nicolson said there are about 80 active players who come to Via during the week. “Overall, I believe there are now 100 to 120 active players in Mobile County, which is three to four times the number from 18 months ago,” she said. “And that number literally grows steadily daily.” This is the reason she is working hard to get additional permanent locations for pickleball. “More places for people to play pickleball will help grow the game,” Nicolson said. “The economic impact pickleball it can have will also help Mobile. Travelers will spend a night here as opposed to somewhere else if they can play pickleball. We have a group of people who come on Saturdays from Baldwin County because Via is the only place to play on Saturday. “Since I approached the City Council, 18 outdoor courts have been completed in Grif-

fin, Georgia. They hosted six tournaments in 2018, the last with 350-plus players. Opelika, Alabama, is completing 12 outdoor covered courts. The new event facility in Foley will host the USAPA Regional tournament in August, being able to have 18 indoor courts with an estimated 350 to 400 players. A tournament being planned in the Hoover area is expected to bring 500-plus players.” Nicolson is confident the sport will continue to expand. “We are slowly growing,” she said. “My first email list had 17 people on it. My newest list has 80 people, and that is not counting all of those playing at the Country Club of Mobile. “I would say there are several hundred people in Mobile playing. I’m always learning of more pockets of people.” Nicholson continues working to make Mobile County a destination for pickleball. “I first approached the City Council not knowing what I was doing or how things work,” she said. “I will approach them again at some point with more concrete plans, and more player support, than I had earlier.”

Where to play

The places2play.org website offers many locations where pickleball courts are available. Many players will carry their paddles with them on trips, and use the website to find a place where a game can be found. Here is a current list of courts along the Alabama Coast (other locations like Crawford Park in Mobile have tennis courts lined off with pickleball dimensions): • Via Health, Fitness And Enrichment Center (1717 Dauphin St., Mobile); • Bay Minette Pickleball Courts (303 McMillan Ave., Bay Minette); • Nicholson Center (1410 Captain O’Neal Drive, Daphne); • Lake Osprey RV Resort (2906 County Road 95 and County Road 20, Elberta); • Fairhope Recreation Center (803 N. Greeno Road, Fairhope); • Pandion Ridge RV Resort (22800 Canal Road, Orange Beach); • Orange Beach Recreation Center (4849 Wilson Blvd., Orange Beach); • Gulf Shores Church of Christ (2414 W. First St., Gulf Shores); • Gulf Shores Cultural Center (19470 Oak Road West, Gulf Shores); • ONE Club Gulf Shores (4000 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores); • GulfWay Assembly of God Church (541 Cotton Creek Drive, Gulf Shores).

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ART ARTIFICE

Mardi Gras group marches for arts support BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM

f you see giant rodents in the streets on Joe Cain Day, it’s not due to the wrong mushrooms in your breakfast omelet. It’s a new twist for supporting Mobile arts in a visible way. Say hello to the Mystic Squirrels of Bienville, Mystic SOBs for short. The new Mardi Gras organization from the Mobile Arts Council is a combination fundraising and marketing effort set to premiere in the March 3 People’s Parade. The egalitarian procession has boomed in popularity since a kerfuffle over registration subsided in recent years. Coincidentally, another flap involving Government Plaza led to this furry revolution. Artist and Strickland Youth Center Program Coordinator Riley Brenes recalled a 2015 stroll in Bienville Square with fellow artist Shane Reynolds. A TV reporter sought reaction to the city’s proposed $500 fine for feeding Bienville Square squirrels. “We were walking off and Shane said, ‘You know, if the squirrels had anything to do with Mardi Gras they probably wouldn’t bother.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, the Mystic Squirrels of Bienville Square,’” Brenes said. A couple of years later, artist Lucy Gafford’s imagination led her to paint a scene of farming squirrels for downtown Dauphin Street’s urban garden. Brenes saw it and relayed his tale about Mardi Gras squirrels, sparking bigger ideas. Gafford is also programs coordinator for Mobile Arts Council (MAC) so wheels started to turn. Meanwhile, Brenes and his family vacationed out west.

World-renowned Miró Quartet plays Jan. 20

I MET WITH LILLIAN DEAN MONTHS AGO ABOUT TAGGING ONTO THE PEOPLE’S PARADE. SHE GAVE US THE OK SO I THINK WE’RE GOING TO BE TRAILING ON JOE CAIN DAY DRESSED AS SQUIRRELS.” still trying to figure out how to do the tails,” Gafford said. “Ideally, we want about 50-100 people. We have so many local artists that want to participate.” Fees are $75 single/$125 couple for MAC members and $100 single/$150 couple for nonmembers. Those fees include the aforementioned masks and costume workshop along with pre- and post-parade private parties with food and drink at MAC (318 Dauphin St., Mobile). Participants must register in person or online by Feb. 15. Membership is limited to the first 100 and you must be 21 or older. More details can be found at mobilearts.org. “I’m really excited about it,” Gafford said. “It should be one of the most fun fundraising efforts around.”

through North America, Asia and Europe and Medical museum adds artwork to numerous esteemed festivals. They have colLocal sculptor April Livingston was laborated with Joshua Bell, Midori, Eliot Fisk, commissioned to create a trio of portraits for Pinchas Zukerman and Jon Kimura Parker display at the Mobile Medical Museum (1664 among others. Springhill Ave.), a group that tells the story of Their Sunday, Jan. 20, concert includes sometimes overlooked portions of our medical Schubert’s Quartettsatz in C Minor, Dvořák’s history. The last of those is set to be unveiled “Cypresses,” Wolf’s “Italian Serenade,” Pucon Saturday, Jan. 26. cini’s “I Crisantemi,” Michael Ippolito’s “Big The new cast-iron piece is titled “MothSky, Low Horizon” and Beethoven’s Quartet in erwork,” a tribute to the crucial services F Minor and Grosse Fuge. provided by midwives through Alabama’s The concert begins at 3 p.m. in the recital history. The work has eight pairs of life-size hall of Laidlaw Performing Arts Center (5751 hands — each cast from an actual midwife or USA Drive S.) on the University of South Alabama campus. The chamber music website obstetrics nurse — clasped in a circular shape. lists single tickets at $20, $10 for single student Livingston made the sculpture curve outward when viewed from the side, reminiscent of a tickets. Call 251-633-8840 or visit mobilechamber- pregnant woman’s belly. It will join sculptures of Poarch Creek music.org.

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Indian midwife and herbalist Bessie McGhee and Dr. James A. Franklin Sr., one of Mobile’s earliest and most renowned African-American physicians. They will be permanently installed in the museum’s Robert Thrower Medicinal Garden. Livingston’s sculptures have been designated a bicentennial project by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission. The creation of “Motherwork” has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. The museum is in the Vincent-Doan House on the midtown campus of the University of South Alabama Children’s and Women’s Hospital. Call 251-415-1109 or visit mobilemedicalmuseum.org.

ARTSGALLERY

Mobile Chamber Music Society has brought some talented and lauded musicians to Mobile over the decades, but a note from one of their key members hints at a high-water mark this month. “We have never had the prestigious Miró Quartet on our series before because, frankly, we could never afford them,” Daniel Silver wrote. “A combination of lucky travel schedules and a generous manager has made it possible to bring them here.” The quartet’s members are instructors at the University of Texas’ Butler School of Music. Within the first five years of its 1995 founding, the quartet had won first prizes in every competition it entered and was the first ensemble to win the Avery Fisher Career Grant. Their tour circuit normally takes them

At a New Mexico Hopi reservation, Brenes’ wife bought him a kachina doll — a Pueblo Indian deity believed to be connected to natural forces. “They represented the wind or the earth or whatever so nature would bless the tribe. I thought it was such a cool concept because I love culture and learning and I imagined the SOBs tied to that,” Brenes said. Back home, he sketched a rough idea of his vision in kachinalike skirts and adorned with other representations of regional flora, such as Spanish moss or azaleas — “things very tribal but still reminiscent of the natural culture and heritage in our area.” “We started planning about four or five months back,” Gafford said. “I met with Lillian Dean months ago about tagging onto the People’s Parade. She gave us the OK so I think we’re going to be trailing on Joe Cain Day dressed as squirrels.” They even drummed up an official logo by James Currie, who works for the Mobile County Health Department. Currie also participated in 2017’s Creative Crossings competition on downtown streets. The marriage of elements is perfect for Mobile’s biggest celebration, a uniquely American amalgam of widespread influences. Akin to jazz, a variety of European practices — mummery, Carnival, Masonry — mixed with African and indigenous influences to make something found nowhere other than America. So now, just as New Orleans groups adapted Native American homages for their Mardi Gras Indians, the SOBs

look to be an Azalea City twist on the same. But it’s less social club and more nonprofit support. According to an SOB “breakdown” from MAC, marchers “will throw bags of peanuts, cups, beads and any other approved throw. The group will be on foot, bike or roller skates.” There were no specifics available for what “approved throws” entail. Then there’s the matter of garb. The overriding ethos is to keep the event accessible and low-cost. An answer was inherent in the organizers’ skills. “Lucy Gafford is the queen of costumes, a legit costumemaker, so she’ll be hosting costume classes,” Brenes said. “She’s the most creative person in Mobile. I don’t think I know anybody as multitalented as she is.” Gafford’s costume-crafting workshop will be Sunday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. Organizers will provide some raw materials, stencils and a lot of know-how. Participants are asked to provide clothing for the session. “We’re going to use local artists to create handstitched felt masks and I’m

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MUSIC

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

FEATURE

Cary Hudson on songwriting and storytelling BAND: IMC PRESENTS TIM EASTON AND CARY HUDSON DATE: FRIDAY, JAN. 18, 7:30 P.M. VENUE: SATORI COFFEE HOUSE, 5460 OLD SHELL ROAD (MOBILE), SATORI-COFFEE.COM TICKETS: $5 AT THE DOOR; USA STUDENTS ADMITTED FREE

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Photo | caryhudson.com

he University of South Alabama regular collaborator with you as of late. How did Independent Music Collective’s she make it into the mix? latest installment will feature the Hudson: She approached me first and said, “Hey, works of two great songwriters. I want to play music for you.” I really wasn’t lookCary Hudson will be half of ing. I was totally into my solo thing at the time, but I this twofold lineup. Hudson gained love fiddle. I love it so much that I tried to play it for widespread notoriety with legend- seven years. Then I was like, “Wait a minute. I can’t ary Mississippi bands such as the Hilltops and Blue do this and play guitar at the same time.” I don’t Mountain. Afterward, he began focusing on a solo know why it took me so long to figure that out. career. Along the way, he performed with such iconic My music fits real well with strings as opposed names as R.L. Burnside and Bobby Rush. to brass, you know. The longer we’ve done it These days, he’s keeping his solo work focused together, the more we’ve gotten tight. I just love her on folk-inspired alt. country and preparing to enter approach to music. It’s very lyrical and melodic and the studio for the follow-up to 2014’s “Town and simple. It really fits with mine, and she’s got a great Country.” When Lagniappe reached Hudson, he was singing voice. walking the streets of New Orleans before a gig at Centanni: Besides Blue Mountain, you’ve the House of Blues. played with a pretty diverse Stephen Centanni: Well, lineup of bands. What has we’re looking forward to havkept you focused on your solo ing you back in Mobile. work for so many years? Cary Hudson: Yeah, me Hudson: As far as being too! I was hangin’ with Tim a solo performer, it just fits I LIVE IN MISSISSIPPI AND [Easton] a few weeks back at a with where I am in life. My festival in Little Rock. I always first band was really loud. LOUISIANA SO I DON’T love hanging out with him and So it’s nice to go and explore HAVE TO LOOK FAR FOR making music with him. another world that I’ve always Centanni: Last time I saw been interested in, which is COLORFUL CHARACTERS you was at the Piney Woods fingerpicking like people like Picnic. One thing I was really John Hurt. As far as focusing AND DRAMA, YOU KNOW. taken by was the passion and on a solo career as opposed to IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I DO dedication for the local scene being in a company, I just love I saw not only with the artists writing songs and getting to WRITE WHERE I’M FROM. but also the crowd. What is it do my own material. about the South Mississippi Centanni: One thing I scene that makes it so special always like to ask singerfor the artists and fans? songwriters is what makes a good song. What do Hudson: As far as the South Mississippi and you think makes a good song? Hattiesburg area goes, Hattiesburg has always had Hudson: Well, a good title is a great place to a really cool music scene. We’re the Hub City, so start. If you have a good title, then that helps. I was we’ve always had a lot of train traffic and different listening to Beck the other night, and I just love things coming through. Some people say that we’re music that has abstract lyrics. But for me, when I’m the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, based on a Robert looking at a song, I like one that tells a story or just Palmer quote. That’s Robert Palmer the music suggests a story. writer, not the singer. The way Bob Dylan tells a story is so great I think it’s as good as any other, but it’s always sometimes. He just gives you just the suggestions had a great scene. It seems like over the last few of a story, but you can feel that there’s a storyline years Hattiesburg and Ocean Springs have had some behind it. So, that’s one thing I like about a song. of the strongest music scenes in Mississippi. Centanni: Where do you find your best stories? Centanni: One person who joined you on stage Hudson: (Chuckling) I live in Mississippi and was violinist Katrina Miller. She’s been a pretty Louisiana so I don’t have to look far for colorful

Cary Hudson said his forthcoming release will be more stripped down than his 2014 album “Town & Country.” It will also feature violinist Katrina Miller. characters and drama, you know. In all seriousness, I do write where I’m from. I’m like a regional writer, I think. So, most of my songs are set in Mississippi or Louisiana. Centanni: When you look back at your solo albums, there was a definite shift in sound between “Cool Breeze” and “Bittersweet Blues.” “Bittersweet Blues” found you delving into a folk/country side of Americana. What brought about that change? Hudson: One thing was that I had stopped touring with a band. After Blue Mountain, I still had a band and kept a band together. I just got interested in fingerpicking and solo performing. So, that was one thing. I started focusing on performance as a solo artist. Also, I don’t like doing the same thing year after year. It felt like a direction that I wanted to go and also maybe a way to age gracefully. Centanni: With your latest album, “Town and Country,” it seems like you’ve found a middle ground between your rock persona and your Americana persona. How did this album end up sounding like it did? Hudson: With the “Town and Country” record, I went into the studio at Studio in the Country with my friend Thomas Jackson. I loved what he did on the album so much in the studio that I decided to follow that template and worked at that studio and used the same drummer. I just thought what he added sounded great. In retrospect, it might’ve not been the best idea. When I went out to support the album, it didn’t really sound like that. The next thing I’m working on is more stripped down. It’ll be more like “Bittersweet Blues” but with Katrina added. Centanni: Tell me about that upcoming album. Hudson: I’m just about finished with the writing, and I’ll start tracking it sometime in the next two or three months. Hopefully, I’ll get it out this year or this time next year, at least. I’m not rushing it. I’m not really in a hurry to go out and tour the country, but sometime in the next year I imagine a new record will come out.

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MUSIC BRIEFS

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

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

Band: Fairhope Brewing Co.’s Sixth Anniversary Party Date: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. Venue: Fairhope Brewing Co., 914 Nichols Ave. (Fairhope), fairhopebrewing.com Tickets: $5 at the door (includes commemorative glass) While the local craft brewery scene continues to grow, Fairhope Brewing Co. can be credited with igniting it six years ago, when the brewery on Nichols Avenue began pumping delectable libations, including Take the Causeway IPA and Judge Roy Bean Stout. Every year since they’ve thrown a themed birthday bash but for the sixth anniversary, get ready for “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” featuring food trucks and gallons of brew. The party will also feature live music from two acts familiar to regulars. Edward David Anderson will fill the afternoon with alt. country. Anderson has been performing in support of his latest release, “Chasing Butterflies.” His mellow sound and raw delivery will provide a warm welcome to the partygoers. The Brown Goose will take the crowd into the evening with a serving of Panhandle indie rock from Tallahassee. With its waves of melodic rock anthems, the band is an emo rock incarnation of Matchbox 20 that keeps things edgy. The evening will conclude with a set by Van Down by the River, a Van Morrison tribute act that will take the crowd into the late-night hours with such hits as “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Moondance.”

Monday night Mule Band: bloom., Paid to Pretend, Mr. Clit & the Pink Cigarettes, Pseudo Box Date: Monday, Jan. 21, 9 p.m. Venue: The Blind Mule, 57 N. Claiborne St. (Mobile), theblindmule.net Tickets: $5/$10 (under 21) at the door Anyone with a case of the Mondays can find relief with this four-band lineup at the Mule. The crowd will get familiar with bloom. This Boston-based band has crafted a sound that mingles alt. rock’s muscle with indie pop’s synth-laden seduction. The group plans to spend next fall creating the follow-up to the “Take Time to Find” EP. Aesthetically, Mr. Clit & the Pink Cigarettes look like they were cast in a post-apocalyptic John Waters film. As far as sound, this trio shows its listeners no mercy. Pulling from punk’s darkest underbelly, this Indiana band provides a great modern translation of punk made famous by such bands as Bad Brains and Dead Kennedys. Azalea City indie rockers Paid to Pretend definitely made a positive impression at SouthSounds 2018. Since then, it’s been gathering fans with its trademark sound. Paid to Pretend’s single combines classic alt. rock arrangements with Madison Bolt’s powerful vocals that maintain just a hint of soul. Speaking of classic alt. rock, Mobile’s Pseudo Box is also included on this Monday night lineup. This band mingles clean, rich vocals and unrelenting guitar work.

Rest stop ahead Band: The Roadside Glorious Date: Friday, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m. Venue: Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, 916 Charleston St. (Mobile), callaghansirishsocialclub.com Tickets: $8 at the door The Roadside Glorious is bringing a versatile, unique sound from the eclectic streets of New Orleans. Last time this band was in town, it held a local “pre-release party” for its album “Brawn and Bone.” At that time, the single “Gone Girl” was the only preview of this Muscle Shoals-crafted recording. Since then, the full album has been released, giving listeners a deeper look into this band’s sound. The Roadside Glorious has filled “Brawn and Bone” with horn-infused tracks that mix classic funk and soul with rock ‘n’ roll. However, songs such as “By the Roots” show this band can get its own brand of the blues with its Hill Country overtones. The album’s opener “Lay Down Your Weapons” is quite a memorable track, one that will leave listeners rocking and rolling with its juking piano and rhythmic lyrical work. This band’s set will be a great way to start the weekend.

Jazz great Urbie Green dies at 92

Trombonist/native Mobilian Urban “Urbie” Green departed this world New Year’s Eve at the age of 92. After leaving Mobile, this Alabama Jazz Hall of Famer split his time in Auburn between attending high school and performing with the legendary Auburn Knights Orchestra. His time with the Auburn Knights laid the foundation for an extensive and successful career in music. Green spent time performing with Gene Krupa and Woody Herman. His smooth brass croons echoed through songs such as Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark.” Green also performed with such notables as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Leonard Bernstein, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin and many others. In addition to supporting a number of iconic jazz and big band artists, Green also worked on his own material, which he archives on the albums “The Persuasive Trombone of Urbie Green” and “21 Trombones.” Green will be missed by his wife, children and numerous grandchildren.

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AREAMUSIC LISTINGS | January 16- January 22 Porter & Miss Mamie Brickyard— John Hart Project Callaghan’s— Roadside Glorious Cockeyed Charlie’s— Level Up WED. JAN 16 Felix’s— Grits N Pieces Flora-Bama— Lea Anne Bluegill— Matt Neese Creswell and Darrel Roberts, Blues Tavern— Mike & 2p / The Big Earl Show featuring Friends Jack Robertson, 5:30p / Scott Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Koehn & Electric Dawg, 6p / Ryan Balthrop, 6p Josh Newcom Band, 10p / Logan Brickyard— James Hayden Spicer, 10:15p Band / Texas Truck, 9p Hard Rock (Center Bar) Callaghan’s— Phil & Foster — Joel Cooper Rock Show, 9p Cockeyed Charlie’s— IP Casino (Chill Ultra)— Music by JJ Spank the Monkey Felix’s— Joseph Turlington Listening Room— John Flora-Bama— Don & Karen Cochran presents The John McNatt, 11a / Neil Dover, 3p / Coltrane Tribute Josh Newcom, 7p / Rhonda Hart Manci’s— Delta Smoke Duo, 7p Moe’s BBQ (Daphne) — IP Casino (Chill Ultra)— Lee Yankie and the Hellz Yeah, 8p Cory Landry, 8p Moe’s BBQ (Foley) — Listening Room— Vanessa Jason Justice Peters Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Phil & Foster, 6:30p Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) — THURS. JAN 17 Jimmy Lee Hannaford and Jose Santiago, 6:30p Blues Tavern— Marcus & Ravine Pizzeria— Last Call Ebony Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Rodeo Stampede Saloon— Texas David Chastang, 6p Truck, 8p Brickyard— The Sideliners Wind Creek Casino— Callaghan’s— Lee Yankie Platinum Cafe, 8p Cockeyed Charlie’s— Music by JJ Dauphins— Mark Pipas, 5p SAT. JAN 19 Fairhope Brewing— Big Beach Brewing— Phil & Bluegrass Jam Felix’s— Jimmy Lumpkin Duo Foster, 6:30p Bluegill— Elise Taylor, 12p / Flora-Bama— J Hawkins Lee Yankie Duo, 6p Duo, 1p / Dueling Pianos, 4:30p Blues Tavern— Doobious / Not the Real Band, but the Brickyard— Magnolia Bayou Real Deal, (Mark Sherrill), 5p Callaghan’s— Red Clay / Jonathan Newton, 9p / Josh Strays Newcom, 9:15p Cockeyed Charlie’s— IP Casino (Chill Ultra)— Music by M Beazle Spank the Monkey Dauphins— Mark Pipas, 5p Listening Room— Amy Felix’s— Bobby & Jana Lavere and Will Sexton Flora-Bama— Logan Manci’s— Adam Holt Original Oyster House — Spicer, 1p / J Hawkins Duo, 2p / The Magic Johnsons, 5:30p / Brittany Grimes, 6p Johnny Barbato Trio, 6p / Jack Veets— Phil & Foster, 8p Robertson Birthday Bash, 7p / River Dan Band, 10p / Brandon FRI. JAN 18 White Duo, 10:15p Garage— Texas Truck, 9p Beau Rivage— Engelbert Hard Rock (Center Bar) Humperdinck, 8p — Joel Cooper Rock Show, 9p Big Beach Brewing— Hard Rock (Live) — Great Poarch Ninjas, 5:30p White, 8p Bluegill— Lee Yankie, 12p / IP Casino (Chill Ultra)— Jeri, 6p Spank the Monkey Blues Tavern— Smokehouse Manci’s— David Shivers Please send upcoming music to listings@ lagniappemobile.com by MONDAY before Wednesday’s paper.

Moe’s BBQ (Foley) — Brittany Bell Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Chad Parker Duo, 6:30p Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) — Jesh Yancey Original Oyster House — Stephen Sylvester Soul Kitchen— Perpetual Groove, 7:30p Waves DI— The Memorys, 8p Wind Creek Casino— Platinum Cafe, 8p Zebra Club— Last Call Rodeo

SUN. JAN 20 Big Beach Brewing— Pale Moon Rising, 2p Bluegill— Ryan Balthrop, 12p / Josh Ewing & Matt Neese, 6p Brickyard— Delta Smoke Callaghan’s— Yeah, Probably Dudley’s Lounge— Texas Truck w/Matt Bush and Jimbo Bearden Dauphins— Roland Cobbs, 11a Felix’s— Leonard Houstin Flora-Bama— Songs of Rusty, 12:30p / Perdido Brothers, 4p / Bruce Smelley, 7p / Logan Spicer, 8:30p IP Casino (Chill Ultra)— The Redfield Listening Room— Billy McLaughlin Manci’s— Roman Street

MON. JAN 21 Felix’s— Rodger Fleshman Flora-Bama— J Hawkins Duo, 11a / Open Mic w/Cathy Pace 3p / Logan Spicer, 7p / Petty and Pace, 7p LuLu’s— Brent Burns, 5p

TUES. JAN 22 Bluegill— Ty Taylor Duo Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill— Ryan Balthrop, 6p Butch Cassidy’s— Joel & Lizz Cockeyed Charlie’s— Music by Jordan Felix’s— Bryant Gilley Flora-Bama— Ken Lambert, 11a / T-Bone Montgomery, 3p / Justin Jeansonne, 7p / Rick Whaley Duo, 7p Original Oyster House — Phil Proctor Soul Kitchen— Young Dolph

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FILMTHE REEL WORLD ‘Mary Poppins’ practically perfect in every way

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

“

AREA THEATERS AMC MOBILE 16 785 Schillinger Road South Mobile, AL (251)639-1748 CRESCENT THEATER 208 Dauphin St Mobile, AL (251) 438-2005 REGAL MOBILE STADIUM 18 1250 Satchel Paige Drive Mobile, AL (844) 462-7342 AMC JUBILEE Square 12 6898 Highway 90 Daphne, AL (251) 626-5766

ary Poppins Returns” is only recommended for people who like singing and dancing and stunning costumes; you cannot ask for more than this film, a traditional family musical, gives you. Emily Blunt has been passed Mary Poppins’ parrot umbrella, and she has risen to the occasion. Her slightly snooty, crisply impeccable version is, if anything, closer to the spirit of author P.L. Travers’ character as written, while the entire film is beautifully made in the spirit of the rightly beloved, Oscar-nominated 1964 classic. In “Mary Poppins Returns,” well, she returns, to help the Banks children as adults and take care of their children. Accordingly, people who love the original are watching with their kids and grandkids, and this film takes every opportunity to revel in that dynamic. Will you thrill when nextdoor neighbor Admiral Boom fires his cannon from the roof? You will. Will you freak out when national treasure Dick Van Dyke shows up, only to be followed one scene later by Angela Lansbury? Unquestionably. Do people fly through the air holding balloons? They sure do. If that’s sounds good to you, you will love “Mary Poppins Returns.” Unabashedly sentimental and emotional, the audience will begin to quietly weep when poor Michael Banks (the delightful

Ben Whishaw), now a grown widower and father of three moppets, sings a sweet little song in the attic among his late wife’s things. Soon, however, Emily Blunt strides right out of the sky in the first of a series of truly divine shoes. This film follows the pattern of the original one rather closely. Instead of singing “A Spoonful of Sugar” while tidying the nursery, Mary Poppins sings a song called “Can You Imagine That?” while giving the kids a bath in a magical underwater adventure. A particular highlight of both films is when the characters enter an animated realm. Instead of a chalk drawing, this time they enter a painted Royal Doulton bowl and transform into eye-poppingly fabulous costumes with trompe l’oeil ruffles, polka dots and stripes painted on them, from which I have yet to, and possibly never will, recover. As their marvelous footwear audibly clanks across the ceramic ground, they enjoy a performance by Mary Poppins and friendly lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) that is, from a choreography standpoint at least, as fabulous as “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Is it as memorable as the hard-to-spell original? We don’t know yet. We haven’t heard these new songs a million times yet, as we have the old ones. This film is not (yet) a classic because it wasn’t made in 1965 and the people

reviewing it didn’t see it as children. I suppose you might complain of the very concept of any kind of sequel being made, but, having made one, this one is almost flawless. Miranda is so electrifying in his “Royal Doulton Music Hall” number “A Cover is Not the Book” that I had to restrain myself from applauding. And that brings us to this film’s version of “Step in Time,” a huge song that starts under London rather than over the rooftops, called “Trip a Little Light Fantastic.” It is indeed fantastic. There’s no way to please everyone with such an undertaking; if you’re too faithful to the original, you are not original. If you veer wildly off from the original, you’re sacrilegious to a classic. “Mary Poppins Returns” definitely walks the faithful path and does so, as I have previously emphasized, in exceedingly divine footwear. Judged as an original musical, this film has fantastic staging and choreography and top-of-the-line performances. Blunt’s Mary Poppins is strong and beautiful and very funny. Your gut reaction to it is based on your own individual emotional alchemy, composed of memories, expectations and experiences, but I found it to be a delightful, memorable event with music and dancing that was practically perfect. “Mary Poppins Returns” is currently playing at all listed multiplex theaters.

NEXUS CINEMA DINING 7070 Bruns Dr. Mobile, AL (251) 776-6570 AMC CLASSIC WHARF 23151 Wharf Lane Orange Beach, AL (251) 981-4444 COBB PINNACLE 14 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores (251) 923-0785 EASTERN SHORE PREMIERE CINEMA 14 30500 State Hwy 181 Spanish Fort, AL (251) 626-0352 Information accurate at press time; please call theaters for showtimes.

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Photos | Jay Maidment, Disney Enterprises, Inc. / Yorgos Lanthimos, Fox Searchlight

From left: Decades after her original visit Mary Poppins, the magical nanny, returns to help the Banks siblings and Michael’s children through a difficult time in their lives. “The Favourite” travels to 18th century England, where a frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend, Lady Sarah, governs the country in her stead. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. NEW THIS WEEK

THE FAVOURITE You can finally find out why critics are raving about and heaping awards on this dark period comedy about a frail and eccentric Queen Anne and the servants and helpers (Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone) competing for her favor. Crescent Theater GLASS M. Night Shyamalan merges several past storylines and characters in this superhero film starring Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy and Bruce Willis. All listed multiplex theaters. ON THE BASIS OF SEX Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a struggling attorney and new mother who faces adversity and numerous obstacles in her fight for equal rights. AMC Mobile 16, AMC Classic Jubilee Square 12, Cobb Theaters Pinnacle 14, AMC Classic Wharf IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Based on the novel by James Baldwin and directed by “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins, this is the story of Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her fiance was wrongfully arrested. AMC Mobile 16, Regal Mobile Stadium 18 REPLICAS A brilliant neuroscientist (Keanu Reeves) who is working on recreating the human brain for Alzheimer’s research uses his work to replicate his family members after they’re killed in a car accident. All listed multiplex theaters.

NOW PLAYING theaters.

PETTA Regal Mobile Stadium 18 F2: FUN AND FRUSTRATION Regal Mobile Stadium 18 A DOG’S WAY HOME All listed multiplex theaters. THE UPSIDE Nexus Cinema Dining, all listed multiplex theaters. VICE Regal Mobile Stadium 18 ESCAPE ROOM AMC Mobile 16, Regal Mobile Stadium 18 HOLMES AND WATSON All listed multiplex

MARY POPPINS RETURNS All listed multiplex theaters. BUMBLEBEE All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining. SECOND ACT All listed multiplex theaters. WELCOME TO MARWAN AMC Mobile 16, AMC Classic Jubilee Square 12 AQUAMAN All listed multiplex theaters. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE All listed multiplex theaters.

THE MULE All listed multiplex theaters. RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET All listed multiplex theaters. INSTANT FAMILY All listed multiplex theaters. FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD All listed multiplex theaters, Nexus Cinema Dining. DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH All listed multiplex theaters. A STAR IS BORN All listed multiplex theaters.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 16, 2019 - JANUARY 22, 2019

MPD CHILI COOK-OFF SATURDAY, JAN. 19, 11:30 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AT CATHEDRAL SQUARE. TEAMS OF POLICE OFFICERS WILL COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER WITH THEIR BEST CHILI RECIPES. TICKETS COST $5 PER PERSON, FREE FOR CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER. TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS (2460 GOVERNMENT BLVD.), MPD CRIME PREVENTION (2407 AIRPORT BLVD.) OR AT THE DOWNTOWN MOBILE ALLIANCE (261 DAUPHIN ST.). PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE MOBILE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOUNDATION AND MPD CRIME PREVENTION UNIT. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 251-208-1924. Photo | Provided

GENERAL INTEREST Democratic meeting Mobile County Democratic Executive Committee meeting Wednesday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m. at West Mobile Regional Library. Visit mobiledems.org. “Historic Oakleigh: The Real Story” Thursday, Jan. 17, 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Oakleigh House. Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour and get the real story on the past 185 years at Oakleigh. This includes items not currently on display. $10 per person, free for HMPS members. Call 251-432-1281 for details. Veterans Job Expo Thursday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m. to noon at the Bay Minette Civic Center (301 D’Olive St.). More than 45 employers will participate, representing the health care, industrial, hospitality and retail industries. All job seekers, veteran and civilian, are welcome to attend. Call 251-937-4161 or BayMinette@alcc.alabama.gov. Tea for $2 Thursday, Jan. 17, 2-3 p.m., Fairhope Museum of History. Guest speaker will be Bryant Whelan, director of the Eastern Shore Art Center. Contact 251-929-1471 or visit fairhopeal.gov. March for Life In conjunction with the March for Life in Washington D.C., this local event strives to show the diversity of the prolife movement. Friday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m. at Cathedral Square. Optional mass will be held in the Cathedral at 9 a.m. Rally begins at 9:45 a.m. with march through downtown Mobile at 10:45. Visit marchforlifemobile.org. Wintzell’s Oyster Stout launch Friday, Jan. 18, 7-9 p.m. at Serda Brewing. Join us as we launch Wintzell’s Oyster Stout, which will be available along with Wintzell’s famous oyster bar to purchase oysters by the dozen and live music by Brittany Grimes. For more info call 251-219-7081.

MLK Day of Service Sat. Jan. 19, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Presented by Mobile United and hosted by community partners. 1 Mile Creek and 3 Mile Creek Cleanup meet at Tricentennial Park; Eslava Creek Canal Cleanup meet at Walmart (101 East Interstate 65 Service Road South). Search “MLK Day of Service” on Facebook.

provide $10 rabies shots for dogs, car and ferrets.

Coastal Fashion Week 2019 Hosted by Exalté Magazine on Saturday, Jan. 19, 8 p.m. at GulfQuest. Showcasing the most cutting-edge designers and high-style boutiques across the coast. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Search “Coastal Fashion Week” on Facebook for details.

Annual Lee-Jackson Salute Sunday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m. at Confederate Rest Magnolia Cemetery (Virginia and Ann streets). Period re-enactors, costuming and weaponry. Public welcome. For information call A. J. DuPree, 251-421-0491.

Abba Shrine Craft & Antique Show Saturday, Jan. 19, and Sunday, Jan. 20, at Abba Shrine Events (7701 Hitt Road, Mobile). Admission is $3. Bring a new toy for a chance to win a door prize. Free child ID provided by The Masonic Alabama Grandlodge.

Republican Party meeting Monday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Meet and greet begins at 6 p.m., meeting at 7 p.m. Visit mobilegop.org.

Harley-Davidson H.O.G. Club Meets the 3rd Saturday at 9 a.m. every month at Mobile Bay HarleyDavidson (3260 Pleasant Valley Road). Next meeting is Jan. 19 at 9 a.m. Visit mobilebayharley.com.

Mobile Deanery Winter Meeting Tuesday, Jan. 22, 9:15 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Women’s Club (1260 Elmira St., Mobile). Mass at 11:15 a.m. followed by lunch ($13). For reservations contact Carlee Russell, 251-533-4771, or Betty Robertson, 251-423-5138.

“The Only Woman in the Room” Friday, Jan. 18, 1-3 p.m., West Regional Library. Meet best-selling author Marie Benedict as she introduces her latest work, “The Only Woman in the Room,” based on the life of Hedy Lamarr. Call 251208-7097 or visit authormariebenedict. Winter Wednesdays at Bellingrath com. Wednesday, Jan. 23, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Extension Forestry Agent Beau Brodbeck Baldwin Writers Group meeting will discuss managing some of Alabama’s Saturday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m. to noon at worst invasive plant species. Visit Daphne Library. Guest speaker is Carrie bellingrath.org to view the full schedule Dalby, author of three novels, who will of Winter Wednesdays in January and present “Get Possessed with Writing: Tips February; call 251-459-8864 to register. and Habits to Boost Your Productivity.” Visitors are welcome. Mobile Jewish Film Festival The Mobile Jewish Film Festival “Death in a Tutu” continues through Jan. 27 at several Mobile Mystery Dinner, Saturday, Jan. 19, venues in Mobile and Baldwin counties. 7 p.m. at Nexus Cinema Dining. Advance For screening times and tickets, visit reservations required; email kathy.jones@ mobilejewishfederation.org. nexuscinemadining.com. Rabies Clinic Saturday, Jan. 19, 12:30-2:30 p.m., City of Mobile Animal Shelter (855 Ownes St.). Mobile County Health Department will

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Educational Lecture Series Through Feb. 18, Gulf Shores Welcome Center (3459 Gulf Shores Parkway) will offer free educational lectures highlighting local interests such as military history,

nature and local artisans. Lectures last approximately 60 minutes. For a complete list of events, visit gulfshores.com/plan/ welcome-centers. Greenleaf Writers Group Third Saturday each month at Semmes Library on Moffett Road, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

FUNDRAISERS Bingo for Dogs Wednesday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. at Serda Brewing. For every beer or glass of wine sold, $1 will be donated to Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). Free; family- and dogfriendly. Visit animalrescuemobile.org. “Brunch for a Benefit” Saturday, Jan. 19, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ruby Slipper Café (100 N. Royal, Mobile), join us for “Brunch for a Benefit” benefiting Rainbow Mobile. Ruby Slipper will donate 3 percent of the full day’s sales. Visit rainbowmobile.org. Run for Shep 5K and Fun Run Saturday, Jan. 26, Daphne City Hall at 9 a.m. (Registration opens at 7 a.m. on race day.) Hosted by local charity Shephard’s Flock for Shephard Hall, a child living with pediatric cancer. To register or for more information, visit shephardsflock.com. “Many More Miles” For the 16th year, Baldwin Bone & Joint hosts a project to collect shoes for the homeless outreach programs of Wings of Life and Family Promise of Baldwin County. Gently used athletic shoe donations will accepted through March 23. For more information and drop-off locations visit baldwinboneandjoint.com.

ARTS “The New Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein” Friday, Jan. 18, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Joe Jefferson Playhouse. A musical based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name. For tickets visit joejeffersonplayers.com.

Miró Quartet Sunday, Jan. 20, 3-6 p.m. at the University of South Alabama Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. The Miró Quartet is consistently praised for its deeply musical interpretations, exciting performances and thoughtful programming. For tickets visit mobilechambermusic.org. “Smoke on the Mountain” Chickasaw Civic Theatre presents “Smoke on the Mountain” Jan. 25-27 and Feb. 1-3. A fun, family-friendly musical telling the story of a Saturday night gospel sing at a rural church in the North Carolina Smoky Mountains in 1938. For tickets visit cctshows.com or call 251-457-8887. “The Undersea Well” Jane Cassidy manipulates various technologies, such as speakers and projectors, and fuses light and sound to form meditative environments filled with visual music. Mobile Museum of Art; call 251-208-5200 or visit mobilemuseumofart.com. Alabama bicentennial murals Through Feb. 23 at Eastern Shore Art Center. Fairhope artist and historian Dean Mosher has created nine murals for the state’s bicentennial, two of which are on display for the very first time in this exhibit. Visit esartcenter.org.

MUSEUMS “Ice Age Archaeology” Saturday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m. at USA Archaeology Museum. Join us for our January family day event where kids can make their own wooly mammoth, throwing spear or rock art. Admission is free. Call 251-460-6106. “Parading through Time” Jan. 17 through April 20 at the History Museum of Mobile. Join us this Carnival season as we roll through four centuries of Mardi Gras history with Mobile’s Carnival traditions, mystic societies and more. Visit historymuseumofmobile.com. “Jerusalem” at The Exploreum Through Jan. 25. “Jerusalem” takes audiences on an inspiring and eyeopening tour of one of the world’s oldest and most enigmatic cities. Destroyed and rebuilt countless times over 5,000 years,

Jerusalem’s enduring appeal remains a mystery. Visit exploreum.com for times and tickets. “Dream Big” at The Exploreum Through Jan. 25. Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges, “Dream Big: Engineering Our World” is a first-of-its-kind film for IMAX that will transform how we think about engineering. Visit exploreum. com for times and tickets. Thursdays at MMoA Every Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the Mobile Museum of Art offers free admission to all Mobile County residents. No reservations necessary. MMoA is at 4850 Museum Drive. Call 251-208-5200.

SPORTS EVENTS/ACTIVITIES TRAXXAS Monster Truck Tour Saturday, Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Mobile Civic Center. Monster trucks will compete in racing and wheelie contests, as well as meet the drivers and see trucks up close at the preshow. For more information visit the Mobile Civic Center Box Office (401 Civic Center Drive) or call 251-208-7906. Reese’s Senior Bowl 2019 Saturday, Jan. 26, 1:30 p.m. at LaddPeebles Stadium. For complete information on practice schedules, “Meet the Player” and all events prior to game day, visit seniorbowl.com. Blakeley Battlefield Blitz Inaugural “Battlefield Blitz” on Saturday, Jan. 26, 8 a.m. at Historic Blakeley Park. Participants will wind their way through a custom course along portions of one of the nation’s best-preserved battlefields, where Union and Confederate forces clashed more than 150 years ago. Preregistration is $20. Visit blakeleypark.com/events. “Run the Beach” A three-race half-marathon series, whether you run, walk or wheel to the finish line. Series begins with The Big Beach HalfMarathon on Jan. 27 followed by the Sea Turtle Half-Marathon on Feb. 16. Register for Run the Beach at GulfShores.com/ Sports/Run-the-Beach. Pool Club Mitternight Park Pool Club (off University and Moffett) is open Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., for those seeking a wholesome place

to play pool and bumper pool. Instructor Dwayne Rapp will be there to help any beginners. Call 251-463-7980 or 251-2081610.

scores and identify areas of improvement at no cost by appointment following the test. Seating is limited. Call 251-450-8141 for reservation.

Tennis Club Laun Park Table Tennis Club (off Cottage Hill and Demetropolis) is open Mondays and Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., for all interested in playing table tennis. Coach Mike Ho is available to play or help with beginners. Call 251-463-7980 or 251-208-1610.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Piyo Stretch/Tone Stott’s Studio (off Cottage Hill and N. Demetropolis) is offering Piyo Stretch (relaxing Pilates and yoga), Piyo Tone (toning Pilates and yoga plus weights). Call 251-463-7980 or 251-208-1610. Bingo at Via Bingo every Tuesday and Thursday, 1-3 p.m. Open to the public. Via Health, Fitness, Enrichment Center, 1717 Dauphin St. (Mobile), 251-478-3311. Adult skate night The second and fourth Sundays of each month, 8-10:30 p.m. at Dreamland Skate Center (5672 Three Notch Road) with DJ Beaux; $5. Call 251-661-6997.

WORKSHOPS Real Talk for Real Women Wednesday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m. at Junior League of Mobile headquarters (57 N. Sage). Featuring a panel of female doctors providing health information along with preventative health screenings. Includes food, drinks, swag bags and giveaways; 21 and up only. For tickets visit juniorleaguemobile.org. Marriages end, families don’t Lifelines Counseling Services will host “Helping Children Cope with Divorce,” an educational program focusing on how effective parenting can lessen the negative impact of divorce and parental separation on children. Saturday, Jan. 19, 8 a.m. to noon at 705 Oak Circle Drive East (Mobile). Sign up at lifelinesmobile.org. Free ACT Test Saturday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m. at Mobile Marriott (3101 Airport Blvd.). Hosted by Class 101 Mobile, students can take a full ACT practice test in a simulated test environment. Students can receive test

Baldwin County Commission: First and third Tuesday at 8:30 a.m., 322 Courthouse Square, Bay Minette. Work sessions are 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, baldwincountyal.gov. Baldwin County Planning Commission: First Thursday at 6 p.m., 22251 Palmer St., Robertsdale, baldwincountyal.gov. Bayou La Batre City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 5:30 p.m., 13785 S. Wintzell Ave., cityofbayoulabatre.com. Chickasaw City Council: Second and fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., 224 N. Craft Highway, 251-452-6450. Citronelle City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6:30 p.m., 19135 Main St., 251-866-7973. Creola City Council: Second and fourth Thursday at 6 p.m., 190 Dead Lake Road, #A, 251-675-8142. Daphne City Council: First and third Monday at 6:30 p.m., 1705 Main St. Work sessions second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., daphneal.com. Dauphin Island Town Council: First and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., 1011 Bienville Blvd., 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 held before each council meeting at 4:30 p.m., cofairhope.com. Fairhope Planning Commission: First Monday at 5 p.m., 161 N. Section St. Visit 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.; cityoffoley.org. Gulf Shores City Council: Second and fourth Mondays at 4 p.m., 1905 W. First St., gulfshoresal.gov. Mobile City Council: Tuesdays at Government Plaza, 205 Government St. Pre-council meeting at 9 a.m.; council meeting at 10:30 a.m., cityofmobile.org.

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SPORTS UPON FURTHER REVIEW

USSA presents Distinguished Service Award to Gottfried BY J. MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER/SPORTS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM/TWITTER @GOULAGUY

Harris Arena. Bayside Academy captured its 17th consecutive title and 27th overall since 1981. The Admirals (37-18) beat Providence Christian 25-13, 25-27, 25-22 and 25-22 after moving up to Class 4A this season. Bayside is the first school to win state titles in four different classifications, along with 1A, 2A and 3A. Earning all-star honors were junior Jacque Martin and freshman Ella Broadhead. Ann Schilling was named the state’s coach of the year. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, Bayside only trails one school in the total number of state titles and consecutive crowns. Going into this season, Bishop England in Charleston, South Carolina, had won 18 straight titles and 28 overall. However, they lost in their championship match this year to snap the streak. In Class 6A, Spanish Fort wrapped up an incredible season by beating Hazel Green in dramatic fashion 25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25 and 15-6. The Toros set a record for wins at 65-5 in claiming their second title in the last four seasons. Earning all-star honors were senior Taylor Fontenelle, junior Kayla Keshock, junior Avery Rodgers and sophomore Kamble Frenette. In Class 7A, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School defended its crown by beating Bob Jones 25-17, 25-8 and 25-23. The Jackets end the year at 48-5. It was the 21st overall state title for McGill-Toolen, which captured its first trophy in 1974. Senior Lillie Fromdahl has been named the state best player. Also earning all-star honors were seniors Kenya McQuirter and Alex Pierre and junior Imani Nicholson.

Tennis at the beach

The Orange Beach Fall UTR Tennis Tournament took place at the Orange Beach Tennis Center, with 115 players from seven states participating in the three-day event. Players traveled from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas, Florida and throughout Alabama. Singles winners included Lillie McInnis of Orange Beach in the Fed Cup Division, Raquel Russell of Orange Beach in the Indian Wells Division, Blaeze Russell of Orange Beach in the Laver Cup Division, Emma Jane Hamilton of Mobile in the Miami Open Division and Hallet Green of Mobile in the Wimbledon Division. In doubles, Missy Black of Orange Beach and Melissa Blanchfield of Baton Rouge combined to win the Lemon Shark Doubles Division. Each singles champion and finalist was awarded an engraved tumbler. Each doubles Volleyball champs champion and finalist was given an engraved silver cup. Here is a belated shoutout to the area teams that brought The next Orange Beach tennis tournament will be a home trophies from the Alabama High School Athletic USTA Junior Tournament, State Level 3, during the weekAssociation. The games were played at Birmingham’s Bill end of Feb. 23-24.

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Photo | Courtesy University of South Alabama

oe Gottfried, the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame chairman and former University of South Alabama (USA) athletic director, has been presented the 2018 Distinguished Service Award by the United States Sports Academy (USSA). The award recognizes outstanding contributions to sport. USSA Trustee and Art Committee member Susan McCollough presented the award to Gottfried at the home of academy founding president Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich. Gottfried joined USA’s department of athletics in 1981 as assistant athletic director. He served as the athletic director for 25 years beginning in 1984. He was one of the key individuals involved in making football the school’s 17th program. During his tenure, USA claimed the Vic Bubas Cup (going to the Sun Belt Conference program demonstrating excellence in the league’s athletic programs) 10 times in a 13-year span. With Gottfried at the helm, the men and women’s teams won 104 league titles. USA teams appeared in 54 NCAA Championship events in that time, while individuals qualified for NCAA postseason action on 123 occasions. On the national level, 75 USA student-athletes earned All-American recognition while 62 of the school’s coaches were selected Sun Belt Coach of the Year in their sports. Also, 83 percent of USA’s student-athletes who completed their eligibility graduated. Gottfried’s impact can be seen across the West Mobile campus, from the 10,000-seat Mitchell Center (home to the men and women’s basketball program as well as offices for athletic department personnel) to baseball’s Stanky Field, which underwent a $3.5 million renovation prior to the 2005 campaign. Since his retirement from USA, Gottfried has served as chairman for the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame. This organization works to recognize and honor outstanding athletes and sports personalities from Mobile. More information on the foundation can be found at mobilesportshalloffame.net. The Distinguished Service Award is part of USSA’s Awards of Sport, which each year serve as “A Tribute to the Artist and the Athlete.” The Academy presents the awards to pay tribute to those who have made significant contributions to sport, in categories as diverse as the artist and the athlete in several different arenas of sport. USSA is an independent, nonprofit sports university created to offer programs in instruction, research and service. The academy is based in Daphne. For more information, call 251-626-3303 or visit ussa.edu.

The University of South Alabama won 104 league titles under former Athletic Director Joe Gottfried, right, shown with USSA founding director Thomas Rosandich. USA teams appeared in 54 NCAA Championship events in that time, while individuals qualified for NCAA postseason action on 123 occasions.

College honors

• For two straight weeks, the Sun Belt Conference has named USA’s Antoinette Lewis the women’s basketball player of the week. The sophomore forward from Memphis shot 63 percent from the field and averaged 17.5 points and seven rebounds per game for the Jaguars in the second week, and 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3 blocks during the first week. USA is off to its best start since the 1984-1985 season. • Spring Hill College has swept the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s player and newcomer of the week. Junior forward Tiffany Valentine earned her second-straight player of the week honor, while freshman forward Mathilde Nicolas received her first nod as newcomer of the week. Valentine averaged 15 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games, while shooting 52 percent (12-of-23) from the floor. Nicholas posted career-high numbers in almost every category during the week while posting her first two double-digit scoring performances.

SPORTS FROM BEHIND THE MIC

It starts with the quarterback at every level of football BY RANDY KENNEDY/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ootball is won in the trenches. Remember when that was the popular thing to say and believe about the sport at every level, from the Pop Warner League all the way up to the NFL? It’s not true anymore, or at least that’s not the message being sent by coaches, general managers and even fans. Today, it’s not about the big guys engaged in hand-tohand combat on the line of scrimmage. It’s all about the quarterback. If you don’t have an elite one, then you need to recruit or draft one. If you can’t do either of those two options, then you need to attract a head coach who can develop the guy you have into the next Tom Brady or at least the next Patrick Mahomes. The new head coach of the Cleveland Browns is Freddie Kitchens. He’s the first former Alabama player to become an NFL head coach since Bart Starr with the Green Bay Packers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He got the promotion because he has a good relationship with Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 pick in last year’s NFL draft. Now that Mayfield has had a good rookie season, it’s Kitchens’ top priority to keep him happy and progressing. It doesn’t hurt that Kitchens was a quarterback at Alabama. The Arizona Cardinals just hired Kliff Kingsbury, apparently because somebody in the organization thought he was dreamy. The 39-year-old former college quarterback posted a record of 35 wins, 40 losses as head coach at Texas Tech. He never had a winning record in conference, going 19-30 in the Big 12 over his six seasons.

But his name is associated with a lot of big-name quarterbacks, from Case Keenum at Houston to Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M to Mahomes and Baker Mayfield at Texas Tech. Manziel won a Heisman Trophy, as did Mayfield after he transferred to Oklahoma. And Mahomes is on the verge of being named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. Now, after being fired by Texas Tech and serving as the Southern Cal offensive coordinator for less than a month, Kingsbury has been named the head coach of the Cardinals, where he will inherit quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen was a first-round draft pick just last year but rumor has it Kingsbury might be inclined to trade Rosen in order to draft Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray of Oklahoma. Murray would have to return $4.6 million to the Oakland A’s in order to get out of his baseball contract and begin a pro football career. But would Murray be the answer for the Cardinals? Could Rosen be? Either or both could prove to be great in the NFL. But what indication is there that Kingsbury is the guy to develop either of them into that? He couldn’t produce a winning college conference record with the future MVP of the NFL but he’s supposed to win big in the NFL with a quarterback less talented than Mahomes? How does that make sense? The only explanation is that having a reputation for knowing about the quarterback position is all that matters these days. The premise is not without merit. Take a look at the

quarterbacks who led their teams to the college football playoff this season. There was the Heisman Trophy winner (Murray), the Heisman runner-up (Tua Tagovailoa), the universally acclaimed future No. 1 NFL pick (Trevor Lawrence) and a solid, if not spectacular, performer at Notre Dame (Ian Book). The team that finished No. 3 in the final polls, Ohio State, was led by the quarterback (Dwayne Haskins) expected to be the top pick in this draft. Take a look at the favorites to win next year’s national championship. At the top are Lawrence and Clemson along with Tagovailoa and Alabama. The top challenger to those two is expected to be Georgia, led by third-year starter Jake Fromm. Of course, it takes great players surrounding the quarterback to make a

IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN ELITE ONE, THEN YOU NEED TO RECRUIT OR DRAFT ONE. IF YOU CAN’T DO EITHER OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS, THEN YOU NEED TO ATTRACT A HEAD COACH WHO CAN DEVELOP THE GUY YOU HAVE INTO THE NEXT TOM BRADY OR AT LEAST THE NEXT PATRICK MAHOMES.” great team. Lawrence was remarkable against Alabama in the national championship game, but he wouldn’t have been nearly as good if Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins hadn’t made every tough catch. Tagovailoa would have played closer to how he did all season if the Clemson defensive front hadn’t applied pressure on him all night. But that doesn’t change the fact that football has now become a quarterback’s game. The old battle cry of “make them quit” has been replaced by “find the mismatches based on the coverage presented by the defense.” It’s not nearly as catchy or satisfying to scream. But it’s the future of football on all levels. 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.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE BREAKING NEWS BY ZHOUQIN BURNIKEL / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ ACROSS 1 19,000+-foot Peruvian volcano 8 Husband of Lara in “Doctor Zhivago” 13 Quarters 18 “That’s way better than I can do” 19 As we speak 21 Moisturizer brand 22 *Stereotypical movie outcome 24 Instigated, with “on” 25 “The Matrix” character 26 Wallops 27 Thought-provoking 29 Reveal 30 [Poor, pitiful me!] 32 “Contact” org. 34 *Startling disclosure 36 Demands serious effort (of) 40 Vacation spot offering a warm welcome? 42 Fig. usually expressed as a percentage 43 ____-Town (city nickname) 44 Gave a 46 *Bringer of cold weather 53 *Law-enforcement target 56 Grammy winner Morissette 57 Constitutional Amendment about presidential election procedures 58 Get soaked, say 59 Duke and others 61 One of eight in “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” 62 Polish off 63 ____ Valley 64 Pilot follower, maybe 66 According to 69 *Battery boost 72 “____ makes man wiser and clear-sighted”: Vladimir Putin 73 Fish dish that Nobu restaurants are noted for 75 Ref. works that can run $1,000+ 76 Bill Clinton or Barack Obama 77 March ____ 78 Like priests 81 Morning fix, slangily 85 Like Benadryl: Abbr. 86 Ticks off 87 *Moved closer to home? 89 *Help for users 92 Plains tribe 93 Ticked off 94 Rain-____ (bubble- gum brand) 95 Continental trade grp., once 97 Without principles 99 *Very soon 105 Criticism 107 ____-mo 108 Cross

109 Nirvana, e.g. 110 Biblical son who was nearly sacrificed by his father 113 Woman famously evicted from her home 115 “No way!” 117 Things used for dumping … or a literal hint to the answers to the starred clues? 122 Adorable sort 123 Sun block? 124 “In a perfect world …” 125 Sitting posture in yoga 126 Enter again, as data 127 Many East Asian World Heritage Sites

17 Box ____ (tree) 19 Beat by a nose 20 Pieces of three-pieces 23 Booted 28 Pricey mushroom 31 Roughly estimated 33 Many a craft brew 35 Common email attachments 36 Height: Prefix 37 Prison weapon 38 ____ anchor (stay still, nautically) 39 “Sounds good!” 41 Sea whose Wikipedia article is written in the past tense DOWN 45 It’s in your jeans 1 Suffix of ordinals 47 The Browns, on scoreboards 2 Bird with blood-red eyes 48 Increasingly outmoded 3 Big name in notebooks circus roles 4 Houses that may include 49 All thumbs tunnels 50 Rust, e.g. 5 Sushi sauce 51 Course halves 6 Triple-A jobs 52 Hand-carved Polynesian 7 Massive star statues 8 Stock holder? 54 Empire once spanning 9 Plus three continents 10 Cutting 55 Lopsided win 11 Mead ingredient 60 Range rovers 12 “That’s so kind of you!” 61 “I know the answer!” 13 Course rarity 63 Out-of-the-blue 14 Continuing source of 65 Symbols of sovereignty irritation 66 Can’t stand 15 Radio City Music Hall has a 67 Shade of gray famous one 68 Leave thirsty 16 Caterpillar alternative 69 Peru’s ____ Chávez

International Airport 70 Some intersections 71 Supplement 74 Dream up 76 “Hasta ____” 79 Works in a museum 80 “Gotcha” 81 One keeping a secret, metaphorically 82 Apollo 13 commander 83 Word-of-mouth 84 Drain feature 86 Up to it 88 Pitcher Hideo Nomo, e.g., by birth 90 Be a good designated driver 91 Flag thrower 96 Pitchers’ awards? 98 Certain keg attachment 99 Female friend: Lat. 100 Connection 101 Buttinsky 102 “Oyez! Oyez!” e.g. 103 Princess Charlotte, to Harry 104 Handyperson 106 Lead-in to “-ville” 111 Came from on high 112 Give up 114 First name in courtroom fiction 116 Verily 118 ____ Bravo 119 Image file extension 120 Pro ____ 121 Method: Abbr.

ANSWERS ON PAGE 40

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STYLE FEATURE

‘Car crushing beasts’ arrive in Mobile BY CATHERINE RAINEY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

oud engines, the smell of exhaust, screaming fans — these may be the first few things that come to your mind when you think of monster trucks. But that’s not all you’ll witness at the TRAXXAS Monster Truck Show Jan. 19 at the Mobile Civic Center. “One of the neatest things is the size,” remarked Tony Maderazzo, chief operations officer of the TRAXXAS Monster Truck Tour. “When those trucks start up, it’s a completely different sound and feel. You can literally feel the engine in your chest. It’s a rumble you can feel in your body!” These 10,000-pound vehicles range from 10 feet tall to 13 feet wide with a minimum of 66-inch tires. Of course, any truck with tires smaller than 66 inches wouldn’t be considered a monster truck! The astonishing sight of the trucks launching in the air is compounded by their gigantic size. In fact, what seems like an impossible feat is executed quite gracefully and impressively. “It’s like the aircraft carrier. It shouldn’t float! But its engineering allows it to do what it’s supposed to do,” Maderazzo said. These trucks are custom-made from the ground up. They’ve come a long way from the start of the sport 30 years ago. Every driver is also the technician. “For the most part, in order to be successful in the industry, you have to be the mechanic.” Maderazzo said. “When they started, you’d get a brand-new, super-duty pickup truck and you’d change it and lift it and add some chassis, but now they’re all truly custom machines. They are the NASCAR version of trucks.” The truck is usually a fiberglass body and no lights,

unless they’ve been installed later. They run on about 1,500 to 1,800 horsepower, use alcohol as fuel and have nitrogen gas shocks. But they also have features that keep the driver and spectators safe. “It’s not about if they’re going to break, it’s when. We ask, when a drive shaft breaks, how do we contain that and make everyone safe? Over the years we’ve learned that there are drive shaft loops and wheel tethers — when a hub breaks, the tire gets held to the truck.” Even more astounding is if, for example a transmission fails, the driver can change it as quickly as an intermission interval. “These guys are amazing; you obviously don’t have to lift the truck up,” Maderazzo laughed. “You drop the transmission and they put a new one in. They can even do an engine swap.” In the last several years, businesses have started to make specific-sized wheels and parts for monster trucks. Although the monster truck show will include tricks and car crushing, there’s even more you can take part in. A “pit party” will be held beforehand. Here, you can go down onto the track where the trucks perform, but nothing is moving yet. You can talk to the drivers, take pictures and ask them all the questions you might have about their trucks and what they do. “If you don’t know anything about monster trucks, you might wonder why is this here or how does that happen,” Maderazzo said. “And if you’re a fan or fabricator — well, of course you have questions for these guys!” The trucks will do three sorts of events. First, they race each other. The second portion of the show involves

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a two-wheel competition where the drivers attempt to drive on two wheels and get the truck as vertical as they can. The third is when the monster trucks come out in an untimed solo performance for the fans and really lets them see all the truck can do. Again, this is where the fans go wild and ultimately choose the champion. But the main focus is the audience. “[The drivers] are racing for points and a trophy at the end of the year, but that’s not why they’re doing this. They’re doing this to entertain the fans and to keep them involved in the entertainment as much as possible.” From building the beasts themselves, to pushing them to their limits in daring stunts — the drivers are close to NASCAR caliber. It’s not just a show, it’s a sport.

THESE 10,000-POUND VEHICLES RANGE FROM 10 FEET TALL TO 13 FEET WIDE WITH A MINIMUM OF 66-INCH TIRES. OF COURSE, ANY TRUCK WITH TIRES SMALLER THAN 66 INCHES WOULDN’T BE CONSIDERED A MONSTER TRUCK! THE ASTONISHING SIGHT OF THE TRUCKS LAUNCHING IN THE AIR IS COMPOUNDED BY THEIR GIGANTIC SIZE. IN FACT, WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE FEAT IS EXECUTED QUITE GRACEFULLY AND IMPRESSIVELY.” Of course, a monster truck show is no quiet experience. If you’re bringing a little one — although they recommend not bringing children under 2 — they suggest hearing protection, which will be available at the event. Sound attenuators, which reduce the sound in an enclosed space, are also present. General admission for adults is $17-22 and for children $10-15. Pit party passes are $10. VIP tickets, which include the pit party and a monster truck ride, are available for $30. Visit mobilecivicctr.com for more details on where to get tickets and specific times.

STYLE GARDENING

Vince Dooley to tell Mobile about his passion for gardening BY CAROL WILLIAMS, MOBILE COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

Dooley recently added five acres to the gardens around his home to accommodate his many plants. Garden touring all over the world has become a part of Coach Dooley’s retirement, too. Whenever he travels for football, either as an expert or as a fan, he finds a nearby garden or nursery installation to tour and expand his knowledge. He has also toured scores of gardens worldwide, recommending the list in the book “1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die.” Many of those trips are with Dr. Dirr, whose objective is to encourage the nursery trade wherever he goes by expanding available and reliable varieties and increasing scientific research supporting the business aspects of horticulture. Coach Dooley has brought that idea to his hometown of Mobile. He has come to know many of the leading nurserymen in this area, including K. Sawada, camellia propagator, and the late Tom Dodd, whose family is influential in the multi-milliondollar nursery industry in Mobile County. Dodd was known as a great propagator, sharing specimens with Dooley and millions of dollars’ worth of plants with Auburn University. He was awarded an honorary degree from Auburn before he passed away in 2009 at age 94. Dooley includes among his hometown friends Maarten van der Giessen, local developer of azaleas; Fairhope’s Bobby Green, an expert in historic camellias; and Bill Finch, environmentalist, radio personality and author. As a history buff, Dooley also works with Green and Finch on Civil War battleground preservation, including Baldwin County’s Blakely Park. If you would like to hear this fascinating gardener in person, join us for our Mobile County Master Gardener Seminar, “Football and Flowers.” Details are below.

Photo | Al Benton

ince Dooley grew up in Mobile, graduating from McGill Institute. He accepted a football scholarship from Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, and upon graduation was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marines. After fulfilling his military obligations, Dooley was invited by Auburn Coach “Shug” Jordan to return as their assistant football coach. Surprisingly, especially to himself, Dooley’s next job was as head coach at the University of Georgia (UGA) at age 31. He would go on to lead them to a national championship in 1980 and Southeastern Conference championships in 1980, ’81 and ’82, with teams that included Herschel Walker and Terry Hoag. In 1989, he left coaching to become full-time UGA athletic director. Although he’d earned a master’s degree in history while at Auburn, he had developed quite a curiosity about horticulture as his wife expanded their home gardens. Completing the Master Gardener training and auditing horticulture classes at UGA seemed a good idea. UGA at the time had two world-renowned horticulture professors: Dr. Michael Dirr, author of 13 books, primarily studying trees and woody plants; and Dr. Allan Armitage, expert on annuals and perennials. As Dooley learned from these men, their enthusiasm was contagious, and he began to travel with them, collecting plant specimens for his home garden. Dooley’s leadership and organizational skills weren’t wasted, either. He soon involved himself in developing the UGA campus into an arboretum, aided by an outstanding committee of forestry experts and horticulture professors, including his mentors, Drs. Armitage and Dirr. As he fulfilled his duties with the NCAA auditing team, traveling to college campuses, he studied their arboreta and brought back a vision for the UGA project. Today, there are three campus tours totaling nearly five miles in which 154 trees on the campus are mapped and labeled. He then found himself on the horticulture lecture circuit, perhaps because of his novelty as a football coach and gardener. The University of Georgia Athletic Association funded the Vincent J. Dooley Endowed Chair of Horticulture to honor him. Coach Dooley had little experience with gardening during his childhood in Mobile except for one recurring event each May morning at the Cathedral School. Vince would help his dad weave blue hydrangea flowers in a wire wreath, then climb a ladder to place the flower crown atop the statue of the Virgin Mary in the school’s yard. Many years later, at their home in Athens, Georgia, his wife, Barbara, planted some blue hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) from a nursery that was going out of business. For years they flourished in her garden until Dr. Dirr noticed they survived a deep freeze in 1996 and again in 1998. Dirr took some specimens and, after confirming their unique cold-hardy nature, named them ‘Dooley’ bigleaf hydrangea and introduced them to the nursery trade. They are still beautifully commanding their spot near the house but are even more beautiful in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Long Island, New York; and other northern climes.

Native Mobilian Vince Dooley became a legend in the college football circuit, but did you know he is also a Master Gardener and horticulturist? He’ll speak at the Mobile County Master Gardeners’ 2019 Spring Seminar Feb. 18.

GARDENING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Another important gardening influence was their family gardener, Henry. He had learned by doing and demonstrated to Dr. Dirr a unique and effective layering technique for reproducing hydrangeas. Two other lessons he shared with Dooley were preparing the soil, including compost, and finding the spot a plant will be happy. Dooley admits he keeps new plants on his patio to get to know them a bit, then picks a good spot for a more permanent home. He doesn’t mind moving the plant again if it doesn’t do well. The Dooley home garden now also includes 120 camellia cultivars and 40 duplicates. Among those is the camellia ‘Vince Dooley’ that was named by the American Camellia Society. A cross of Camellia japonica and Camellia reticulata, it has large, bright, single Georgia-red flowers. Another plant that fascinates Dooley is the Japanese maple. He has expanded his collection to 120 cultivars and reports that they offered gorgeous color for about six weeks this fall. In fact,

What: Mobile County Master Gardeners 2019 Spring Seminar When: Monday, Feb. 18 (5:30-8:30 p.m.) Where: Mobile Botanical Gardens, 5151 Museum Drive, Mobile Speaker: Vince Dooley, legendary Georgia football coach, author and Mobile native, shares his passions and experience with gardening — growing camellias, hydrangeas, Japanese maples, roses and much more. Topic: “Football and Flowers” • 5:30 p.m. Heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine, silent auction • 6:30 p.m. Coach Dooley’s presentation • 7:30 p.m. Dessert, book-signing, silent auction Cost: $40 nonrefundable advance reservations required Deadline to register: Feb. 8; send checks payable to MCMG to 2221 Dogwood Court N., Mobile, AL 36693. Call 251-209-6425 for credit card purchase. For more information: 251-574-8445 or email jda0002@aces.edu What: Mobile County Master Gardener Monthly Meeting When: Thursday, Feb. 7, 10-11:45 a.m. Where: Jon Archer Ag Center, 1070 Schillinger Road N., Mobile Speaker: Fred Bassett: Hummingbirds

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STYLE HOROSCOPES GET READY FOR THE GAS TAX

ANSWERS FROM PAGE 36

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CAPRICORN (12/22-1/19) — With Gov. Kay Ivey’s inauguration speech emphasizing the need for more revenue to repair infrastructure, you begin to stockpile gasoline before new state taxes are approved. AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18) — Watching helplessly as they suffer through even the smallest setbacks and poorly executed plays, you host group therapy for Saints fans anxious about the playoffs. PISCES (2/19-3/20) — Inspired by President Trump’s buffet for the National Champion Clemson Tigers, you’ll serve silver platters of fast food to all your future dinner party guests. ARIES (3/21- 4/19) — Since the University of South Alabama inked a naming rights agreement with Hancock Whitney for its new football stadium, you lobby Wells Fargo to continue its long tradition of poor financial decisions by securing a sponsorship for Ladd Stadium. TAURUS (4/20-5/20) — Now that flu season is in full swing and everyone around you seems to be clearing their throats and breaking out in cold sweats, you invest in more healing crystals and essential oils. GEMINI (5/21-6/21) — As the government shutdown stretches into its fourth week, you discover you have the ability to predict the weather more accurately than the National Weather Service. CANCER (6/22-7/22) — Torn between celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. or Robert E. Lee on Jan. 21, you create your own national holiday in memory of Jonghyun. LEO (7/23-8/22) — Based on an exciting story you read in a local weekly newspaper, you try your hand at pickleball. At the age of 65, you’ll represent the USA Olympic Pickleball Team. VIRGO (8/23-9/22) — Combining your love of cops, dogs and chili, you attend the Mobile Police Department’s annual Chili Cook-Off and declare McGruff the winner. LIBRA (9/23-10/22) — Piggybacking on the Mobile Arts Council’s new Mystic SOBs marching society to raise awareness for cultural assets, you create the Order of Arts and Science Studies (ASS) to promote educational opportunities. SCORPIO (10/23-11/21) — So pleased with the grand opening of Iron Hand Brewing Company, you’ll amputate your left hand and replace it with a permanent koozie. SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/21) — Feeling a little incentivized after local municipalities offered Airbus millions of dollars in cash to build another assembly line, you offer to employ a dozen welders if they pay off your student loans.

STYLE BOOZIE

Run, Forrest, run BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

re you still going to the gym? How is that whole keto thing working out for you? I am not even going to ask about Dry January. I know there is no way you can make it a whole month with no booze. Don’t get me wrong. I am not rooting against you. I am just rooting for more gossip. And January, much like Lent, always makes my job harder with all of these good intentions flying around everywhere. But don’t worry, I managed to scoop up a little bit of gossip from a place where all you healthy folk congregate and run together for 26 miles. Apparently, it is called a marathon. So lace up your running shoes and read your way to the finish line. Make sure to hydrate!

It’s not a sprint

Dance of the white pelicans

There have been numerous sightings of white pelicans in our area waters lately. One clip from Dauphin Island made its way around social media but First Light marathon runners also reported seeing them in the water at Municipal Park. These birds are gorgeous. They almost look like swans and they do this rhythmic thing (as scientists would describe it) while they are feeding that almost looks like ballet. I heard they were still in the park on Tuesday, so go see them before they fly away. They are really cool.

The world according to …

Mobile’s reigning “Quintessential Mobilian” (as determined by the readers of Lagniappe in the 2018 Nappie Awards), the fabulous Mizz Suzanne Cleveland, had a special show at The Listening Room last weekend titled “The World According to Suzanne Cleveland.” She imparted her wisdom to the crowd, including this gem: “When one door closes, another one opens, but it’s the hallway that’s the bitch.” There was music by Amelia White and I’m told the night was most definitely quintessentially Mobile. Well kids, that’s all I got this week. Just remember, whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous, or some plain ol’ marathon lovin’, I will be there. Ciao!

Photo | Boozie Spy

On Sunday, Jan. 13, healthy people from all over the world gathered to run together up and down the streets of Mobile for 26 miles in L’Arche’s First Light Marathon. The weather was a little chilly but kept the runners cool. One participant was running in her 58th marathon, despite recently having knee surgery. So what’s your excuse? I don’t have one — I just don’t run. I consider day drinking a marathon. Anyway, one local photographer got quite surprised by these speedy folks. As she was trying to get the perfect engagement shots of one lovely couple on Spring Hill College’s iconic Avenue of the Oaks, runner after runner came passing by, ruining her shot. Yikes! Hopefully she has Photoshop! Also, Mobile City Councilman John Williams was spot-

ted accompanying the runners for at least one leg of the race. No word on if he kissed any babies but since babies can’t run, we are guessing not. Anyway, we hear the turnout was great, and we hope it raised oodles of money for this great cause.

Runners filled the streets of Mobile on Sunday, January 13, for L’Arche’s First Light Marthon, including this BaCo resident, who was running her 58th race.

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LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com FORECLOSURES NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND FORECLOSURE SALE WHEREAS, 4th day of October, 2011, a certain Mortgage was executed by James H. Warren, Sr. and Alice Faye Warren, husband and wife, as mortgagors in favor of NRM, Inc. and was recorded on October 13, 2011, in Book 6822, Page 971, and in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage was insured by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (the Secretary) pursuant to the National Housing Act for the purpose of providing single family housing; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage is now owned by the Secretary, pursuant to an assignment; and said mortgage transferred and assigned to MetLife Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, N.A. recorded on October 24, 2011, in Book 6825, Page 651; said mortgage transferred and assigned to Nationstar Mortgage D/B/A Champion Mortgage Company and recorded September 14, 2012 in Book 6934,Page 597; said mortgage transferred and assigned in corrective assignment to Nationstar Mortgage, LLC D/B/A Champion Mortgage Company and recorded on February 8, 2013 in Book 6987, Page 1473; said mortgage transferred and assigned to the Secretary and recorded on August 9, 2017 in Bk: LR7541, PG: 904; in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama; WHEREAS, a default has been made in the covenants and conditions of the Mortgage in that the in that the payment due on October 30, 2018, was not made and remains wholly unpaid as of the date of this notice, and no payment has been made sufficient to restore the loan to currency; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of November 29, 2018 is $80,685.21; and WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the Secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the mortgage to be immediately due and payable;NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, 12 U.S.C. 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR part 27, subpart B, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded in the Probate Records of Jefferson County, Alabama, notice is hereby giving that on 12th day of February, 2019 between the hours of 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, local time, in front of the main entrance of the Mobile County, Alabama, Courthouse in the City of Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama all real and personal property at or used in connection with the following described premises (“Property”) will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder: Lot 7, Block 5, Resubdivision of a Portion of Smith’s Highlands, according to plat thereof recorded in Map Book 4, Page 385 of the records in the Office of Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Property being sold “AS IS”. Property is subject to any title deficiencies. No representation is made as to the title to the subject property. Commonly known as: 1604 Dover St., Mobile, Alabama 36618. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will bid $81,607.50 plus interest, fees and costs. There will be no proration of taxes, rents or other income or liabilities, except that the purchaser will pay, at or before closing, his prorate share of any real estate taxes that have been paid by the Secretary to the date of the foreclosure sale. When making their bids, all bidders except the Secretary must submit a deposit totaling $8,160.75[10% of the Secretary’s bid] in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. A deposit need not accompany each oral bid. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of $8,160.75 must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within 30 days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like bid deposits, must be delivered in form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the highest bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveying fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery date of the remainder of the payment and all other costs associated with the transfer of title. At conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them. The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extension will be for 15-day increments for a fee of $500.00, paid in advance. The extension fee shall be in the form of a certified or cashier’s check may payable to the Secretary of HUD. If the high bidder closes the sale prior the sale prior to the expiration of any extension period, the unused portion of the extension fee shall be applied toward the amount due. If the high bidder is unable to close the sale within the required period, or within any extensions of time granted by the Secretary, the high bidder may be required to forfeit the cash deposit or, at the election of the foreclosure commissioner after consultation with the HUD representative, will be liable to HUD for any costs incurred as a result of such failure. The Commissioner may, at the direction of

the HUD representative, offer the property to the second highest bidder for an amount equal to the highest price offered by that bidder. There is no right or redemption, or right of possession based upon a right of redemption, in the mortgagor or others subsequent to a foreclosure completed pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the Foreclosure Commissioner will issue a Deed to the purchaser(s) upon receipt of the entire purchase price accordance with terms of the sale as provided herein. HUD does not guarantee that the property will be vacant. The scheduled foreclosure sale shall be cancelled or adjourned if is established, by documented written application of the mortgagor to the Foreclosure Commissioner not less than 3 days before the date of sale, or otherwise, that the default or defaults upon which the foreclosure sale is based did not exist at the time of service of this notice of default and foreclosure sale, or all amounts due under the mortgage agreement are tendered to the Foreclosure Commissioner, in the form of a certified or cashier’s check payable to the Secretary of HUD, before public auction of the property is completed. The amount that must be paid in if the mortgage is to be reinstated prior to the scheduled sale is $80,685.21 as of November 29, 2018, plus all other amounts that would be due under the mortgage agreement if payments under the mortgage had not been accelerated, advertising costs and postage expenses incurred in notice, mileage by the most reasonable road distance for posting notices and for the Foreclosure Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure prior to reinstatement. Tender of payment by certified or cashier’s check or application for cancellation of the foreclosure sale shall be submitted to the address of the Foreclosure Commissioner provided below. Date: 1/7/19 Mark A. Pickens Foreclosure Commissioner P.O. Box 26101 Birmingham, AL 35260 (205)933-1169 MAP #18-0149 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness described in and secured by that certain Mortgage executed by Calvin Gill Construction Services, LLC to SW Partners, LLC, dated September 29, 2016 and recorded in Land Record 7435, Page 1092, and modified by a Mortgage Modification Agreement dated January 11, 2017 and recorded in Land Record 7468, Page 1811, and assigned to Precious Estates, LLC by assignment dated September 6, 2017 and recorded September 8, 2017 in Land Record 7552, Page 1836, of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that the undersigned, as holder of said Mortgage, will under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said Mortgage, sell at public outcry for cash to the highest bidder during the legal hours of sale on January 29, 2019, at the Government Street entrance of Government Plaza located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama, the following described real property situated in the County of Mobile, State of Alabama, described in said Mortgage hereinabove referred to, viz: Parcel A: Lots 110 thru 120 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-016-055, 623 Maudine Avenue, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel B: Lots 1 thru 7 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-016-026, 506 Neese Avenue, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel C: Lots 8 thru 11 (inclusive) and that part of Lots 12 and 13 lying North of Carpenter Street in Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-015-016; 604 Vernon Street, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel D: Lots 100 thru 105 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-016-054; 620 Maudine Avenue, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel E: Lots 15 thru 32 (inclusive) and that part of Lots 13-14 lying South of Carpenter Street in Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County,

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Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-015-220, 228 Velma Street, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel F: Lots 99, 108 and 109 of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-015-240; 621 Vernon Street, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel G: Lot 80 and Lot 82 thru 90 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-015-241, 730 Maudine Avenue, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel H: Lots 39 thru 47(inclusive); Lots 55 thru 61 (inclusive) the West 110 feet of Lots 53; and the West 40 feet of Lot 51, all of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-440-016-160, 719 Neese Avenue, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel I: Lots 35 thru 38 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-016-162; 312 Velma Street, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel J: Lots 91 thru 98 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-015-239; 718 Vernon Street, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel K: Lots 62 thru 65 (inclusive) and Lots 67 thru 78 (inclusive) of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-440-016-161; 311 Velma Street, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel L: Lot 52 of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-016-160.002, Neeses Avenue, Prichard, Alabama. Parcel M: Lot 106 of Neese Subdivision of Old Cotton Mill Village, per Map Book 4, Page 166, as recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama. Parcel No: 02-29-02-44-0-015-240.002. Vernon Street, Prichard, Alabama. Said sale will be made for the purpose of paying said indebtedness and the expenses incident to this sale, including a reasonable attorney’s fee. PRECIOUS ESTATES, LLC Holder of Said Mortgage ATTORNEYS FOR MORTGAGEE: David A. Boyett, III ANDERS, BOYETT & BRADY, P.C. One Maison, Suite 203 3800 Airport Boulevard Mobile, Alabama 36608 (251)344-0880 82363 Lagniappe HD Jan. 2, 9, 16, 2019

CIRCUIT IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY ALABAMA DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION NOTICE OF DIVORCE ACTION CASE NO. 02-DR-2018-900958.00S SHANNON DENISE JONES, PLAINTIFF vs. CHRISTOPHER DION BALAMS, DEFENDANT CHRISTOPHER D. BALAMS (Defendant), whose whereabouts is unknown, must answer the plaintiff’s Petition for Divorce and other relief by FEBRUARY 19, 2019 or, thereafter, a Judgment by Default may be rendered against him/her in the above styled case. The defendant’s written answer must be filed with the Court and a copy mailed to the plaintiff’s attorney of record at the address provided below. Done this 12th day of December, 2018. JoJo Schwarzauer, Circuit Clerk Attorney: Caitlin Smitherman Post Office Box 1986 Mobile, AL 36633 Phone: 251-433-6560 Attorney for the Plaintiff Lagniappe HD Dec. 26, Jan. 2, 9, 16, 2019

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO: CV-2018-902839.00 MICHAEL JONES, and

GLORIA JONES, Plaintiff vs. LANDS DESCRIBED IN THIS COMPLAINT; SAMUEL ROBINSON, JR., and HEIRS OR DEVISEES IF DECEASED; A, B, and C, BEING ALL OTHER PERSONS CLAIMING ANY PRESENT, FUTURE, CONTINGENT, REMAINDER, REVERSION, OR OTHER INTERESTS IN SAID LANDS, Defendants. LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE to Defendants of a Complaint issued out of the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama. Michael Jones and Gloria Jones, by and through their Attorney John T. Bender, Civil Case Number: CV-2018-902839. NOTICE is given that on November 8, 2018, the abovenamed Plaintiffs, filed this cause of action against said Defendants the lands described in the Complaint; Samuel Robinson, Jr., and his heirs, or devisees, if deceased; A, B, and C, being all other persons claiming any present, future, contingent, remainder, reversion, or other interests in said lands to obtain an Order Granting the Plaintiffs quiet title in and to the following described real property: Parcel #: 022910274000047000000. Lot 6 Blk C Oak Hill Sub DB K 85 P380 of the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, #Sec 27 T4S R1W. This notice is published pursuant to Section 6-6-564 et seq., Code of Alabama, 1975. Any persons claiming any future, contingent, reversionary, remainder or other interest therein must respond to the Complaint within 30 days after the date of the last publication of this notice, by serving a copy of your answer, either admitting or denying the allegations in said Complaint; to John T. Bender, Attorney for Plaintiff, whose address is 718 Downtowner Blvd., Mobile, Alabama 36609, and failing to answer within said time, a default may be entered against you as determined by the court for the relief demanded by the Plaintiff. You must also file your Answer with the Clerk of the Court by such date. This publication shall be made in the Lagniappe Newspaper, published in Mobile County, Alabama, for four (4) consecutive weeks. WITNESS my hand this the 18th day of December, 2018. /s/ JoJo Schwarzauer Attest: JoJoSchwarzauer Clerk of Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama John T. Bender, Attorney for Plaintiff McFadden, Rouse & Bender, LLC 718 Downtowner Boulevard Mobile, AL 36609 (251) 342-9172 johnt@mrbattorneys.com Lagniappe HD Dec. 26, Jan. 2, 9, 16, 2019

ADVERTISEMENTS FOR BID ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that the University of South Alabama (Owner) will accept sealed Bids for the following work: COMMONS CLINIC-PHASE 1 MASONRY PACKAGE University of South Alabama Mobile, Alabama USA JOB NO. 17-20B5 USA BID NO. 8090501-5 Bids will be received and clocked in at 3:00PM local time on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, in Procurement Services on the Main Campus of the University of South Alabama. Bids will not be accepted after the time indicated herein and will be returned unopened. A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the University of South Alabama in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Bid Documents shall be available only through the USA Purchasing Office. Contact as follows: University of South Alabama Procurement Services Technology & Research Park Bldg. III 650 Clinic Drive, Suite 1400 Mobile, AL 36688 PH# (251) 460-6151 FX# (251) 414-8291 (rbrown@ southalabama.edu) Bids must be submitted on Proposal Forms furnished in the Bid Documents or copies thereof. The preceding is an abbreviated advertisement. The complete advertisement may be obtained from the location listed above. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 10:00AM. local time on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, in Room AD80 of the Administration Building. Those in attendance will include the Owner, Engineer, and Consultants. Contract bidders, subcontractors and suppliers are encouraged to attend. All questions concerning the Project should be submitted in writing to the Project Manager at: rcorrigan@southalabama.edu, 307 University Blvd., N., AD001, Mobile 36688. Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

PROBATE NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: REVEREND MSGR JOSEPH A. JENNINGS, Deceased Case No. 2018-1993 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 17th day of December 2018 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. REVEREND MONSIGNOR MICHAEL L. FARMER as Executor under the last will and testament of REVEREND MSGR JOSEPH A. JENNINGS, Deceased. Attorney of Record: JOSEPH O. KULAKOWSKI Lagniappe HD Jan. 2, 9, 16, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: EDITH R. OWEN, Deceased Case No. 2018-2473 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 27th day of December, 2018 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. TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO SOUTH ALABAMA TRUST COMPANY, INC. as Executor under the last will and testament of EDITH R. OWEN, Deceased. Lagniappe HD January 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JOE MCDANIEL WILSON, Deceased Case No. 2018-1999 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 27th day of December, 2018 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. JO WYLLY as Executrix under the last will and testament of JOE MCDANIEL WILSON, Deceased. Lagniappe HD January 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: GEORGE KYLE DENTON Case No. 2018-2497 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 31st day of December, 2018 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. BARBARA D. NELSON as Administratrix of the estate of GEORGE KYLE DENTON, deceased. Attorney of Record: LESLIE G. WEEKS, Esq. Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION CAUSE OF ACTION COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: HARRY FREDERICK PIERPONT, Deceased Case No. 2018-1493-1 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 3rd day of January, 2019 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Cause of Action of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Cause of Action Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. SUSAN B. McCONNELL as Executrix under the last will and testament of HARRY FREDERICK PIERPONT, Deceased. Attorney of Record: R. MARK KIRKPATRICK Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 23, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: SUSAN DENNARD BUGG, Deceased Case No. 2019-0055 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 10th day of January,

LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com 2019 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. SUSAN BUGG ROBINSON as Executrix under the last will and testament of SUSAN DENNARD BUGG, Deceased. Attorney of Record: JOHN M. ODOWD Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JOHN FINCH, Deceased Case No. 2018-2120 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 8th day of January, 2019 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. PATRICK COREY FINCH as Executor under the last will and testament of JOHN FINCH, Deceased. Attorney of Record: THOMAS BOLLER Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: JAMES M. DANNELLY, Deceased Case No. 2018-1963 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 9th day of January, 2019 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. LEONARD F. SPROAT JR. as Executor under the last will and testament of JAMES M. DANNELLY, Deceased. Attorney of Record: PRO SE Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: MARK ALLEN CHOUINARD Case No. 2018-2508 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 4th day of January, 2019 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. VIRGINIA GAYLE CHOUINARD as Administratrix of the estate of MARK ALLEN CHOUINARD deceased. Attorney of Record: VIRGINIA CHOUINARD, Esq. Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 30, 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE JOINT MOBILE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO)/ TECHNICAL COORDINATING AND CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING The Mobile MPO Policy Board will meet on Wednesday, January 30th, 2019 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building located at 110 Beauregard Street. The Mobile MPO will review and adopt various changes to be made to the 20162019 Transportation Improvement Program: NATIONAL HIGHWAY 100069441 (PE) Installation of new generator to replace existing generator for Bankhead Tunnel and ITS devises; 1/1/2019; $75,000 100069442 (CN) Installation of new generator to replace existing generator for Bankhead Tunnel and ITS devices; 6/28/2019; $750,000 1000054972 (CN) Extend Eastbound Bridge on SR-42 (US98) over Big Creek East 1440’ DELETE HSIP 100069517 (PE) Install TWLTL and Bike/Ped friendly shoulders on US 90 East End of Cochrane Bridge to West of Bankhead Tunnel; 1/10/2019; $540,000 STP ATTRIBUTABLE MOBILE 100055880 (PE) Additional lanes on CR-656 (Zeigler Blvd) from CR-70(Tanner Williams Rd) to CR-31 (Schillinger Rd) Current Funding: $30,000 Requested Funding: $420,000 100066704 (PE) Dauphin St Sage To Springhill Hosp. CMP; FY 2018; $62,500; DELETE 100066706 (PE) Airport Blvd Univ to Hillcrest CMP Corridor; FY 2019; $62,500; DELETE 1000xxxxx (PE) Celeste Road from I-65 to Forest Ave; FY 2019; $1,363,500

BRIDGE FUNDS 100068521 (PE) Bridge Replacement (BIN 003691 on SR-16 (US-90) Over Halls Mil Mile Creek; 11/1/2018; $900,000 100068523 (UT) Bridge Replacement (BIN 003691 on SR-16 (US-90) Over Halls Mil Mile Creek; 11/1/2021; $25,757 100068522 (CN) Bridge Replacement (BIN 003691 on SR-16 (US-90) Over Halls Mil Mile Creek; 1/28/2022; $8,860,588 100068528 (CN) Bridge Replacement (BIN 005712 and BIN 005856) on SR-13 (US-43) Over Cold Creek; 6/25/2021; $5,100,500 100068526 (PE) Bridge Replacement (BIN 005712 and BIN 005856) on SR-13 (US-43) Over Cold Creek; 1/1/2019; $500,000 100069460 (PE) Bridge paint on various bridges along I-65. Gulf Coast RR, US 43, Norfolk Southern RR, Gunnison Creek; 1/7/2019, $100,000 100069478 (CN) bridge paint on various bridges along I-65. Gulf Coast RR, US 43, Norfolk Southern RR, Gunnison Creek; 1/7/2019; 9/25/2020; $2,778,588 TAP FUNDS 100069054 (CN) Sidewalks along Easterling Street From W. Clark Ave to Garrison Ave, on Garrison Ave from Easterling Street to Magee Street, and on Magee ST from Garrison Ave to W Clark Ave; 12/15/2019; $252,426 ($200,000 fed) 100069055 (CN) ADA Compliant curb rams in the unincorporated areas of Mobile County to include Kings Branch Estates, Woodbridge Place and Cumberland Subdivision; 9/18/2019; $250,178 ($200,000 fed) The 2020-2023 Transportation Improvement Program will also be discussed along with approving the Program of Projects for the FY 2019 FTA Mobile Urban Area 5310 Funds: Mobile Association of Retarded Citizens Capital for Vehicle; $48,000 ($38,400 fed/$9,600 local) Mobile Association of Retarded Citizens Capital for Paving; $12,500 ($10,000 fed/$2,500 local) Independent Living Center Operating; $100,000 ($50,000 fed/$50,000 local) City of Creola Capital for Small Bus; $57,000 ($45,600 fed/$11,400 local) Alta Pointe Capital for Vehicles; $114,000 ($91,200 fed;$22,800 local) Learning Tree Capital for Vehicle; $48,000 ($38,400 fed/$9,600 local) SARPC Program Administration; $31,371 ($31,371 fed/ $0 local) 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. 16, 23, 2019

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR 2019 STATE COMBINED CAMPAIGN In order to participate in the upcoming fall State Employee Combined Campaign for 2019, the application deadline is Friday, March 1st. All applications for local voluntary charitable human and health care agencies including federations must be received by 4 o’clock pm on or before the above date. The State Combined Campaign will begin in August 2019, and is designed to allow state employees an opportunity to contribute to recognized local and/or statewide 501(c)(3) charities. The Alabama law emphasizes local control to ensure that the campaign supports the needs of the employees’ place of residence, and employment. Charitable agencies desiring to participate in the 2019 State Combined Campaign, and for application instructions, please visit www.statecombinedcampaign.org. Any questions regarding federal/agency eligibility should also use this website. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Leslie C. Schraeder at 251.431.0101/lschraeder@uwswa.org or Alycia R. Young at 251.433.3624/ayoung@uwswa.org. Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 14th day of January, 2019. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

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 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 451 & 457 Dauphin Island Parkway, 1965 & 1967 Antoine Street and 1968 Duncan Street (Southeast corner of Dauphin Island Parkway and Antoine Street, extending to the North side of Duncan Street, 150’± East of Dauphin Island Parkway) for a Use, Front Setback, Reduced Tree Planting, Landscaping, Surfacing, and Maneuvering Variances to allow the storage of commercial equipment in two R-1, Single-Family Residential Districts, and to allow two existing buildings within the 25’ front setback, reduced tree plantings, no landscape area, aggregate surfacing, and vehicular maneuvering area within the public right-of-way for a single-tenant commercial site in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum of an I-1, Light Industry District for the storage of commercial equipment, and a minimum 25’ front setback for all structures, full compliance with the tree planting and landscaping area requirements, all parking to be paved with concrete, asphaltic concrete, asphalt, or approved alternative parking surface, and all vehicular maneuvering areas to be located out of the rightof-way for a single-tenant commercial site 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 14th day of January, 2019. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

Business District; the Zoning Ordinance does not allow automobile sales 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 14th day of January, 2019. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

STORAGE AUCTIONS 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.storageauctions.com on January 24, 2019 at 10:00 am to satisfy liens claimed by STORAGEMAX MIDTOWN, together with all costs of sale. Erika Ash & Edward Turner Any of the above goods may be withdrawn from sale by STORAGEMAX MIDTOWN at any time without prior notice. Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

ABANDONED VEHICLES NOTICE OF SALE The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 15, 2019 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 100 Dairy Rd Apt 114, Mobile, AL 36612. 2005 Chevrolet Equinox 2CNDL13F256020002 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 15, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 254 D St., Prichard, AL 36610. 1992 Ford Explorer 1FMDU32XXNUD16065 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 15, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 3255 Moffett Rd., Mobile, AL 36607. 2007 Mazda CX7 JM3ER293670152452 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 15, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 3916 St Stephens Rd., Eight Mile, AL 36613. 2006 Dodge Charger 2B3KA53H36H210246 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 15, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 18330 S 3rd St., Citronelle, AL 36522. 2011 GMC Sierra 3GTP2VE32BG384094 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 15, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1408 Montlimar Dr., Mobile, AL 36609. 2016 Kia Forte KNAFK4A61G5604150 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

These abandoned vehicles will be sold at 5781 Three Notch Rd. Mobile AL 36619 on 02/14/2019 at 9am if not redeemed before then. CHEV 2GNALDEK6C6392966 TOYO 4T1BF1FK9CU187849 FORD 1FMCU60E61UB49129 LINC 5LMEU68H43ZJ53027 VOLV YV1RS61TX42342637 JEEP 1J4FY19S7VP534635 CHEV 1GNES16S456141762 CHEV 2GCEC19Z7R1270638 TOYO 4T1BG22K01U822107 JEEP 1J4FT78S3TL103815 Lagniappe HD Jan. 9, 16, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 424 Hwy 43 N., Suite I, Mobile, AL 36571. 2006 Ford F350 1FTWW33P56EB06037 2002 Ford Expedition 1FMFU18L32LA87487 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 45615 Ann Ave., Bay Minette, AL 36507. 2006 Mercury Montego 1MEFM40166G617271 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1GCHK29U62E160873 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2307 Hwy 31 S., Bay Minette, AL 36507. 2008 Toyota Camry 4T1CE30P18U765439 2004 GMC Yukon 1GKEC13V04R176997 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 509 Dismukes Ave., Prichard, AL 36610. 1996 Toyota Corolla 1NXBB02E7TZ381351 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 16610 Camellia Rd., Silverhill, AL 36576. 2008 Nissan Titan 1N6AA07G48N332149 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 109 Delisa Dr., Saraland, AL 36571. 2007 Dodge Charger 2B3KA43R37H672360 2005 Infiniti G35 JNKCV1E05M206715 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3GCEK23M09G202856 2009 Cadillac Escalade 1GYFC23249R202644 2004 Nissan Maxima 1N4BA41E94C803617 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe 1GNFC13017J140430 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 105 Border Circle E., Mobile, AL 36608. 2004 Porsche Cayenne WP1AB29P24LA61086 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 478 Scott Dr., Saraland, AL 36571. 2010 Toyota Camry 4T1BF3EK7AU549672 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time -12pm, if not claimed – at 1013 Shelton Beach Rd., Saraland, AL 36571. 2008 Mercedes R350 4JGCB65E88A072421 2008 Dodge Caravan 1D8HN54P98B134984 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer 1GNDS13S942136661 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe 1GNFC23J99R153736 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on February 22, 2019 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 2256 Rushing Dr., Mobile, AL 36617. 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 5NMSK3ABXAH341878 Lagniappe HD Jan. 16, 23, 2019

Deadline for legal advertising in Lagniappe HD is every Monday at

5 p.m. Lagniappe HD is distributed each Thursday. Lagniappe HD offices are located at 704 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602 For more information or to place your ad call Jackie at 251-450-4466. Or email at legals@lagniappemobile.com

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