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WEEKLY
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LAGNIAPPE
N O V E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | w w w. l a g n i a p p e m o b i l e . c o m ASHLEY TRICE Co-publisher/Editor atrice@lagniappemobile.com ROB HOLBERT Co-publisher/Managing Editor rholbert@lagniappemobile.com GABRIEL TYNES Assistant Managing Editor gabe@lagniappemobile.com DALE LIESCH Reporter dale@lagniappemobile.com JASON JOHNSON Reporter jason@lagniappemobile.com KEVIN LEE Associate Editor/Arts Editor klee@lagniappemobile.com
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BAY BRIEFS
The scandal surrounding Republican U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore continues to snowball.
COMMENTARY
Who’d guess local voters will have the choice to vote for two ex-judges with a history of sexual assault accusations?
BUSINESS
New eatery Maya Luna and event space Celebrity Banquets are coming soon to the 2000 block of Government Street.
CUISINE
The addition of stew or gumbo to the Thanksgiving table can become a welcome new tradition.
ANDY MACDONALD Cuisine Editor fatmansqueeze@comcast.net STEPHEN CENTANNI Music Editor scentanni@lagniappemobile.com
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J. MARK BRYANT Sports Writer sports@lagniappemobile.com STEPHANIE POE Copy Editor copy@lagniappemobile.com DANIEL ANDERSON Chief Photographer dan@danandersonphoto.com LAURA RASMUSSEN Art Director www.laurarasmussen.com BROOKE O’DONNELL Advertising Sales Executive brooke@lagniappemobile.com
COVER
Mobile County’s chief prosecutor, Ashley Rich, is defending her office’s high number of death penalty cases.
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BETH WILLIAMS Advertising Sales Executive bwilliams@lagniappemobile.com ALEEN MOMBERGER Advertising Sales Executive aleen@lagniappemobile.com RACHEL THOMAS Advertising Sales Executive rachel@lagniappemobile.com MELISSA EDGE Editorial Assistant events@lagniappemobile.com ROSS PRITCHARD Distribution Manager delivery@lagniappemobile.com JACKIE CRUTHIRDS Office Manager jackie@lagniappemobile.com
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ARTS
Lagniappe’s arts editor judged fanciful album cover entries in a contest sponsored by the local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Entries are on display at Optera Creative downtown.
MUSIC
Jimmy Buffett’s new release, “Buried Treasure, Volume 2,” takes ParrotHeads back to Buffett’s pre-Margaritaville days, including early tracks cut here in Mobile.
CONTRIBUTORS: Ron Sivak, Jeff Poor, Asia Frey, Brian Holbert, John Mullen, Ken Robinson ON THE COVER: ASHLEY RICH BY DANIEL ANDERSON POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Editorial, advertising and production offices are located at 1100B Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36604. Mailing address is P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: 251.450.4466 Fax 251.450.4498. Email: ashleytoland@lagniappemobile.com or rholbert@lagniappemobile.com LAGNIAPPE is printed at Walton Press. All letters sent to Lagniappe are considered to be intended for publication. Member: Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and Alternative Weeklies Network All rights reserved. Something Extra Publishing, Inc. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or in any way reproduced without the expressed permission of the publishers. Individuals may take one copy of the paper free of charge from area businesses, racks or boxes. After that, papers are $3 per issue. Removal of more than one copy from these points constitutes theft. Violators are subject to prosecution.
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FILM
Sally Hawkins stars in “Maudie,” the true story about a woman in 1930s Nova Scotia who works as a housekeeper while honing her skills as an artist, eventually becoming a beloved figure in her community.
SPORTS
Three local high schools’ volleyball squads — Bayside Academy, St. Luke’s Episcopal and McGillToolen — captured state titles in the Alabama High School Athletic Association state tournament.
STYLE
Boozie rejoices over the perfect weather.
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GOING POSTAL
Grandmothers always know best
Taken to heart
Dear Ashley,
To Ashley:
Thank you for your commentary in the Nov. 2issue (Hidden Agenda 11/02/17 “Always wear the good pair”).
I read with great interest your editorial “Please make
Even though my grandmother was raised in small-town Indiana, I think she and your Grams must’ve been soul sisters. “Make sure you have on good underwear in case you’re in an accident” was right up there with “please” and “thank you.” For me, it was such a nostalgic piece that made me wonder how hearkening back to what we learned as children fuels our
it stop,” (Hidden Agenda 11/09/17). I hope more readers of the paper do the same and take to heart your thoughtful comments.
own insecurities about being judged. It also makes me wonder if they were instilling in us mechanisms to protect ourselves from harsher fates. Theoretically, if you believe people are going to assess your worthiness by judging those things right up against
BJ Huff
your skin (that nobody else should ever see), then you must understand the importance of comporting yourself in a way that
Mobile
complies with social norms. Our baby-boomer parents’ generation rebelled against all of that restriction and conforming. In fact, my dad used to go as far as to proudly announce, “I’m wearing my church underwear...They’re holey!” Because of our parents’ generation, we supposedly live in an era that more broadly accepts inclusion of diverse interpretations of the social norm but as you brilliantly point out by referencing popular television shows, we still judge those who are different by harsh standards. This is all making me think about why the divisions in our society are becoming so distinct. Why suburbanites are protesting. Why football players are standing, and kneeling, and locking arms. Why immigrants are hiding. We had been encouraged to believe that we had embraced diversity, but when we pull back all the layers and look up close to see what’s really underneath we are still expecting to find fresh, clean, “classic briefs.” The ghost of Grams saying,“I told you so” really is haunting and complex. Thank you so much for writing “Always wear the good pair.” I really enjoyed it. Best, Stephanie Jackson Mobile
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Correction: In the November 2, 2017, issue of Lagniappe Weekly, an article titled “Pay to Spray: Fire district votes ahead for South Mobile County” incorrectly stated that the annual fire service fee for property owners in the Seven Hills Fire District was $105. In actuality, the yearly service fee is $75, which is in line with other similarly-sized fire districts in Mobile County.
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BAYBRIEF | POLITICS
Snowballing senate scandal MOORE URGED TO ‘DROP OUT’ AFTER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS BY JASON JOHNSON
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labama Senate candidate Roy Moore continues to characterize a string of sexual misconduct allegations as “a desperate political attack,” even as a fifth woman has come forward claiming Moore sexually assaulted her when she was a 16-year-old in Gadsden, Alabama. While Moore’s campaign is threatening legal action against The Washington Post, which published a bombshell article last week detailing the first four allegations, some in the GOP have shifted from “waiting to see all the facts” to urging Moore’s exit from the race, with some even threatening action to remove him if he wins the Dec. 12 election against Democrat Doug Jones. The latest allegation was brought to light at a Nov. 13 press conference at the New York office of attorney Gloria Allred. There, Anniston resident Beverly Young Nelson told reporters she knew Moore when he was an Etowah County prosecutor in the late ‘70s from the Olde Hickory House restaurant where she worked after school as a waitress. Nelson said Moore had shown “flirtatious behavior” toward her and would “sometimes pull the ends of [her] long hair” and “compliment [her] looks.” She produced her 1977 yearbook from Gadsden High School where Moore appears to have written: “To a sweeter, more beautiful girl I could not say ‘Merry Christmas’ — Christmas 1977. Love, Roy Moore D.A.” Nelson said it was “a week or two” after he wrote those words that Moore aggressively groped her in his car after offering a ride home from the restaurant. In a prepared statement, Nelson said Moore “began groping me, putting his hands on my breasts.” “I tried to open my car door to leave, but he reached over and locked it so I could not get out. I tried fighting him off, while yelling at him to stop, but instead of stopping he began squeezing my neck attempting to force my head onto his crotch,” she said. “I thought that he was going to rape me. I
was twisting and struggling and begging him to stop.” According to Nelson, Moore eventually stopped and let her out of the car, but not before allegedly telling her, “If you tell anyone about this, no one will believe you.” Moore’s campaign issued a statement before Nelson’s claims went public in which Chairman Bill Armistead denied any allegations of sexual misconduct on Moore’s part and specifically targeted Allred for her role in other high-profile sexual assault allegations and in the Roe v. Wade case that led to the legalization of abortion in all 50 states. With a gaggle of supporters in Gallant, Alabama, Moore briefly addressed Nelson’s claims Monday evening — claims he called “absolutely false.” “I never did what she said I did,” Moore said. “I don’t even know the woman, I don’t know anything about her, I don’t even know where the restaurant is or was. If you look at this situation, you’ll see that because I’m 10 or 11 points ahead and the [election] being just 28 days out, this is a political maneuver. It has nothing to do with reality, it’s all about politics.” Beside Moore at the press conference was his wife, Kayla Moore, who described her husband of 32 years as “the most gentle, most kind man” and decried the claims of her husband’s five accusers as “false” and a result of “the ugliest politics” she’s ever seen. Moore declined an opportunity to answer follow-up questions about what, if any, interaction he may have had with Nelson or the four women mentioned in the Washington Post report. He also did not address his alleged signature in Nelson’s yearbook. In the initial news report, four women — Leigh Corfman, Wendy Miller, Gloria Thacker Deason and Debbie Wesson Gibson — alleged that Moore pursued sexual or romantic relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s. Three of the women claimed to have dated Moore, though
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only one said their physical relationship went further than “kissing.” Corfman, however, claimed Moore took her to his home in 1979 where, after kissing her, he “took off her pants and shirt,” “touched her through her bra and underpants” and “guided her hand to his underwear.” She would have been 14 at the time. Shortly after the story was released, a former assistant district attorney in Etowah County who worked under Moore in the late ‘70s publicly stated “it was common knowledge that Roy dated high school girls.” It is worth noting that one of Moore’s accusers, Gibson, previously worked as a sign-language interpreter for the Hillary Clinton campaign and other Democratic events through her company, Signs of Excellence, and has shared Facebook posts supporting Doug Jones’ campaign. After the initial report, many Republican leaders suggested Moore should drop out of the race if the allegations proved true, but Nelson’s first-hand account on Monday appears to have spurred several of his GOP colleagues to remove that caveat. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who openly supported Moore’s primary opponent Sen. Luther Strange, has called for Moore to step aside, as have at least half a dozen other Republican senators including John McCain, Todd Young and Lindsey Graham. Even Alabama Senator Richard Shelby told reporters he found Nelson’s story “believable,” and said Moore should “seriously consider dropping out.” Sen. Cory Gardner, who chairs the Senate Republican campaign committee, said if Moore wins the Senate should vote to expel him — something that requires a two-thirds majority in the chamber and hasn’t happened since 1862. Last month, Alabama’s Republican House delegation enthusiastically endorsed the party’s candidate in a joint statement released by the Moore campaign, though none have issued a statement since the allegations against him surfaced last week. Lagniappe reached out directly to Rep. Bradley Byrne, whose district includes the Mobile area, but has not received a response. As Republicans on the national level consider their options, some have suggested a write-in campaign by Strange or U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who vacated the seat Moore is seeking, though Sessions hasn’t expressed any interest in leaving his post and Strange has called any write-in bid “highly unlikely.” What’s more, Alabama GOP Chairman Terry Lathan has also publicly stated that “it would be a serious error” for any Republican to publicly endorse a write-in candidate. As for Moore, he has remained defiant of a party leadership he has repeatedly bucked. In a tweet Monday afternoon, he wrote, “The person who should step aside is Mitch McConnell. He has failed conservatives and must be replaced. #DrainTheSwamp.” Across the aisle, in Alabama the Jones campaign has stayed relatively quiet about the developments Moore’s supporters have accused it of orchestrating. Jones did release a statement Monday applauding “the courage” of his opponent’s accusers and said Moore would be held accountable for his actions “by the people of Alabama.”
BAYBRIEF | ORANGE BEACH
Raising spans
STATE, ORANGE BEACH LOOKING AT TWO NEW BRIDGES TO ISLAND BY JOHN MULLEN
ORANGE BEACH — A project first announced by the Alabama Department of Transportation in 2015 for a new bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway east of the Gulf Shores airport has been revived and Neal Belitsky of American Roads doesn’t understand why. Orange Beach also announced during a Nov. 7 town hall meeting it is moving forward with a Wolf Bay Bridge as well, funded with money from a 2 percent lodging tax. Mayor Tony Kennon of Orange Beach says the state was serious about building the bridge near the airport in 2015 but went into talks with American Roads to see if they could foster a partnership. “I think they had every intention of building it and that’s when American Roads decided to negotiate,” Kennon said. “They’ve been negotiating for over a year and they came to loggerheads. There’s no deal to be had, so they went back to their original plan to build that bridge.” ALDOT will completely fund the bridge that is also part of a new road the state is planning from the Foley Beach Express to the Gulf Shores Waterway Village District on the north side of the canal with ties to the new bridge. But Belitsky says with the improvements American Roads is planning for the toll booth and bridge at The Wharf, spending $25 million and $30 million for a new bridge isn’t necessary. “The improvements we are making will triple
the capacity of the Beach Express Bridge and dramatically accelerate the flow of traffic,” Belitsky said at the Orange Beach meeting. “We can tell you firsthand from letting the traffic flow freely in the summer that the bridge is not necessarily the problem. It’s the road system south of the bridge including Canal Road and it’s those problems where the $30 million in tax dollars should be spent.” Additionally, Belitsky said, American Roads would eventually have to build a new bridge as traffic increases. “When the bridge was built we agreed, and we will continue to honor our commitment, to build another bridge once traffic volumes reach agreed certain levels,” he said. Improvements include video tolling, which will allow the toll booths to process 3,000 cars per hour, up from the 1,000 it currently handles. Perhaps even bigger is reconfiguring the span from two to three lanes to allow more efficient traffic flow. “We’re going to have three lanes which we can reverse, so we’ll have two north if needed or two south depending on traffic,” Kennon said. Southeast Region Engineer Vince Calametti said ALDOT is beginning land acquisition for both the road and bridge and he expects that to take at least a year. He anticipates starting construction in November or December of 2018 and having a bridge in place by 2020.
Council tug-of-war
FAILED PRESIDENT VOTE LINGERS AS COUNCIL BUSINESS CONTINUES BY DALE LIESCH
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n a continued tug-of-war on the ninth floor of Government Plaza, members of the Mobile City Council argued over whether the body could add an item to the agenda, or assign a committee meeting Tuesday without an elected president. The item in question was the contract for new council attorney Wanda Cochran. On Monday, Nov. 6, the council hired her on a 4-2 vote, with one abstention, but failed to approve the resolution and no terms or conditions were discussed at that time. At the same meeting, councilors voted by a 3-2 margin with two abstentions to retain former council attorney Jim Rossler. There weren’t enough affirmative votes to retain him. At a preconference meeting on Tuesday, Councilwoman Gina Gregory argued that since all seven members voted, but only two voted to not retain Rossler, that he should still be council attorney because neither side got a majority of those who voted. She said an abstention should not be counted as a “no” vote. Councilman Fred Richardson argued that “people abstain all the time” and City Clerk Lisa Lambert counts them as “no” votes. When Lambert corrected Richardson, he corrected his initial statement. “An abstention does not count as supporting a motion,” he said. “Only a ‘yes’ can support a motion.” Cochran told councilors Tuesday that they had an opportunity at the previous meeting to appeal the results and didn’t. Councilman John Williams then asked if members could still challenge the vote. He didn’t get an answer. Councilman Joel Daves said he agreed with Gregory that an abstention should not count as a “no,” but the ruling was never appealed “so, it stands.” Councilman C.J. Small urged his colleagues to discuss Cochran’s contract and the vote in a future committee meeting and move on with other business. The suggestion to assign the issue to a committee presented the council with yet another debate. This time the disagreement hinged on whether Councilman Levon Manzie, as vice president,
could carry out the duties of a president who hasn’t yet been elected. The argument also extended to Cochran’s contract, which the attorney asked councilors to add to the agenda Tuesday. Council rules stipulate a president must be among the three council votes to add something to the agenda when it’s past the deadline for the clerk to do so. Rules also stipulate a president must make appointments to committees and assign items to committee meetings. Gregory argued since no one on council has been elected president, Manzie has no one to fill in for and thus can’t carry out the duties of the office. Cochran disagreed and said based on the language of the Zoghby Act, which spells out the rules currently governing the city, Manzie could, in fact, take on the duties of the president. Cochran’s contract was not added to the agenda, but will be automatically part of the next week’s agenda. Following the pre-conference meeting, Manzie said he would assign the issue to committee and appoint members to the committee that takes up the matter. Manzie, however, said he didn’t feel it was his place to form other committees unless or until a need to do so arises. He said that job would go to the president once one is elected. In other business, Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s administration asked councilors to table an agreement with Activation Management to provide an easement to allow for a portion of a city parking lot to be used for visitors to downtown attractions, including the Colonial Fort of Mobile, which the company controls. By rule, the council delayed a vote on a Stimpson initiative that would give Mobile Police officers the option to write tickets for minor offenses instead of making custodial arrests. The initiative would cover many nonviolent offenses, including all state law misdemeanors, but can’t include drug or alcohol offenses because state law prohibits it. Richardson applauded the administration for its efforts on the matter, as did Reggie Hill, the founder of Success 4 the Future. “I commend the administration for being bold and offering something to help protect citizens … ,” Hill said.
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BAYBRIEF | COUNTY COMMISSION
Location, location COUNTY REJECTS ‘RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT’ FOR TOP STAFF BY JASON JOHNSON
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uring discussions about filling top public works and engineering positions — a process that’s moving into its second year — two thirds of the Mobile County Commission soundly rejected a proposal that would require whomever accepts those positions to live within the county. Commissioner Connie Hudson is said have been floating the idea of such a “residency requirement” for weeks, but the first public acknowledgement came during discussions about the job description and pay scale for four top employees in engineering and public works. When former engineer Joe Ruffer retired after 42 years at the helm of a very consolidated department, the county agreed to split those functions down the middle to improve efficiency, cut duplicative costs and address an “extremely unhealthy workplace” culture. Now the county is looking to fill leadership positions for the public works and engineering functions that have now been separated. This week, commissioners agreed with a Mobile County Personnel Board’s recommendation to set the salary range for those positions as from $108,085 to $314,845 — on the higher end of the personnel board’s 32-grade pay table. During a discussion about those salaries and the duties the county expects to receive in exchange for them, Hudson suggested adding a residency requirement for those positions, meaning any candidate not living Mobile County would have to relocate within “a reasonable amount of time” to accept the job. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect them to be residents of Mobile County,” Hudson told Lagniappe.
“To me, it’s an important show of support, and it indicates that our staff has a vested interest in Mobile County and what’s happened here and that they are paying taxes here.” Similar residency requirements are not uncommon for municipal employers, especially with regard to public safety employees such as police officers and firemen who have to respond to situations with little or no notification. “Outside talent” has caused controversy in Mobile when Mayor Sandy Stimpson filled administrative positions or board vacancies with Baldwin County residents. Councilman Fred Richardson was critical of Stimpson’s former Chief of Staff Colby Cooper’s decision to live in Fairhope, as well as some other top members of the administration. For employees in Mobile, there is no official residency requirement for city employees with the exception of police chief and fire chief. However, those requirements are based solely on distance, according to city spokesman George Talbot. In her pitch to the commission last week, Hudson said other agencies have residency requirements similar to what she’d like to see the county adopt. She specifically cited the Mobile County Communications District, though Director Charlie McNichol told Lagniappe that’s not entirely accurate. While MCCD has no residency requirement, McNichol said any on-call personnel must live “within a reasonable response time.” However, that policy isn’t based on any geographical boundary or tax jurisdiction, as Hudson’s would have been were it passed.
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Commissioner Jerry Carl said he understood why Hudson would be in favor of a residency requirement, but said it seemed “two-faced” to exclude candidates from surrounding areas when there’s such a “regional mindset” when working with other counties on economic development. President Merceria Ludgood was more direct in her comments, saying rather quickly that “putting up artificial barriers” as a job requirement wasn’t something she would be supporting. “Unless we’re prepared to say everybody that works in Mobile County needs to live in Mobile County, it just doesn’t seem fair to cherry-pick positions and make that a requirement,” Ludgood said. “We’re just in a place now where these geographic boundaries, for me, they just don’t mean a lot in regards to the way that we live, shop and do business.” Because there was little movement on Hudson’s proposal, it’s unclear exactly what impact it would have had on the search to fill the current vacancies in the engineer and public works department. What’s more, in last week’s conference meeting, Hudson also said she felt “all department heads” for the county should be subject to a similar residency requirement, which, if it was ever implemented as policy, could potentially affect a greater number of current employees. By the time the commission’s Nov. 13 meeting rolled around, though, it was clear the proposal lacked the support to move forward. Because of that, it wasn’t listed on the agenda, though Hudson interjected during the meeting to ask that the minutes reflect her efforts. When asked about that after the meeting, Hudson told Lagniappe that voting down the residency requirement was a missed opportunity for the county to “lead by example.” “We go out of our way as we’re recruiting industry and businesses to encourage those people moving here to live in Mobile County, but we can only encourage,” she said. “We put lot of money into incentivizing economic development initiatives, and we want a return on investment. Part of that return is people paying taxes and spending disposable income in Mobile County.” Since Ruffer left the his position as county engineer, the county has spent a lot of time and money in hopes of retooling the department — one that oversees millions of dollars of road and bridge projects every fiscal year. After paying more than $30,000 for a consultant to review the department, the county agreed to split the responsibility and control over the engineering and public works functions between two positions and to shift certain functions such as parks and recreation, environmental services and information technology to county administration.
BAYBRIEF | EDUCATION
Swiger recusal KENNON: ‘I’M AT A LOSS FOR WORDS AS TO WHY THIS IS A QUESTION’ BY JOHN MULLEN ORANGE BEACH — Recusal or not, Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon believes Angie Swiger should resign from her position on the Baldwin County School Board. Swiger has applied for one of the five spots on the new Gulf Shores School Board as the city prepares to form a school system independent of the county. “The minute she applied for the Gulf Shores position she should have resigned from the Baldwin County Board,” Kennon said. “Again, I’m at a loss for words as to why this would even be a question.” Elberta Mayor Jim Hamby is also calling on Swiger to resign. Upcoming are sensitive split negotiations between the Baldwin County School Board and the new system. At stake, officials familiar with school splits say, is everything — books, buses, desks and all manner of academic- and facility-related assets. “Since I have applied for a position on the Gulf Shores City School Board, I will recuse myself from any legal discussions involving the split or the negotiations if it’s appropriate to do so,” Swiger said in an email to media outlets. “My service on the board has always been based on honesty and transparency and I would never allow my participation to be legally or ethically questioned by creating a conflict of interest.” Kennon said Swiger being on the Baldwin County board puts her in a unique position. A recusal by itself, he said, is not enough. “Absolutely not,” he said. “Recusing herself has nothing to do with being privy to information. That’s my issue. How do you be an applicant for one board, sit on the other board that is negotiating with the other board you’re trying to get on and
think there’s not information being shared? I just think it’s unethical to even consider it.” Swiger is in her second term representing the southernmost district, encompassing Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Elberta, Fort Morgan, Ono Island and other incorporated areas. She feels she owes it to the people who put her in office to continue to represent their interests. “Whether I am selected for the new board or not, the communities of Elberta and Orange Beach still need strong representation,” Swiger said. “For more than three years, I have worked very hard to help the town of Elberta realize their dream of becoming their own feeder pattern; and Orange Beach will be transitioning to a feeder pattern as well. Those transitions can be difficult and both communities still need a strong voice. Whether that voice is mine or not is yet to be determined.” Earlier this month the Baldwin County Board of Education asked for an attorney general’s opinion on Swiger’s status. The county is asking if a board member can legally live in a city school district and serve on a county school board. There’s no timetable on when the county might receive an answer. “This isn’t about me, and it isn’t about Tony Kennon or Jim Hamby,” Swiger said. “It’s about the children of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Elberta, and I won’t be pressured into any action that isn’t in the best interest of those children. The worst thing I can do is leave the children and families of these communities without representation. They elected me twice to do a job for them and I’m going to do it.” If Swiger resigns or is appointed to the Gulf Shores board, the Baldwin County board would have 30 days to name her replacement.
BAYBRIEF | MOBILE
Back to the future
CITY PRESENTS PLANS FOR POSSIBLE CIVIC CENTER REDEVELOPMENT BY DALE LIESCH
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he city came one step closer this week to answering a question that has plagued Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s administration for years: What should be done with the Mobile Civic Center? The city held an open house Nov. 13 to share four proposed concepts for the repurposing of the half century-old facility and the 22-acre site it sits on. During the open house, which attracted more than 350 participants, Stimpson recalled how tough it was initially to talk to citizens about the possibility of tearing the structure down and ridding the city of the millions of dollars in deferred maintenance costs. “It was like pulling out a cattle prod and hitting everyone,” he said. “Everyone took that cattle prod and hit me. We’re in this together.” While it appears completely tearing down the structure is no longer being considered, Stimpson did admit it would cost $20 million in maintenance to use the Civic Center as is and another $17.5 million over the next 10 years to further maintain it. The administration has hired commercial real estate firm CBRE, with architecture firm Gensler, to help the city develop a plan to repurpose the site while allowing some of its previous uses to flourish. One of the goals of the possible redevelopment is also to help the Civic Center compete with venues in Pensacola and Biloxi. The concepts range from leaving the center as is to developing a theater district. All the concepts
presented include mixed-use development. The “status quo” option, which would leave the structure as is, would mean the city would pay the deferred maintenance costs to bring the facility “up to snuff,” CBRE’s Bob Peck told the crowd. Under this plan, a portion of the parking lot would become part of a mixed-use development. “It would be a better site and be better able to compete with venues to the east and west,” he said. Another option would be to create an arts district with two possible phases. The plan would include extending Eslava Street. To the south there would be a mix of uses, including a smaller arts venue. To the west of Eslava Creek, the city would create a low-density residential district. In a second phase for the arts district, the Civic Center would be renovated and the low-density residential district would be expanded. A third option would be to create a new arena on the site. The plan would also include an expansion of Eslava Street with a new arena with seating for 5,000 to 10,000. The surrounding area could then be developed as a mixed-use facility and a theater district, or an office and retail development. The fourth option would provide for a mixeduse development with retail onsite. Following the presentation, those in attendance were able to chat with planners and provide their opinions on the concepts presented. The next step would be to create an RFP request for developers, Stimpson said. Redevelopment or construction could start as early as 2019. N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | L AG N I A P P E | 9
BAYBRIEF | CITY GOVERNMENT
Majority rule ZOGHBY ACT CREATED WITH 5-VOTE THRESHOLD TO AID MINORITY PARTICIPATION BY DALE LIESCH
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he current Mobile City Council impasse over electing its new president isn’t the first time the five-vote majority rule in the law that created the city’s current form of government has been questioned, but leaders at the time of its inception still believe it’s a positive rule for Mobile. The five-vote majority stipulation in the Zoghby Act, which provides the blueprint for how city government runs, recently became the subject of controversy when Mobile City Councilman Fred Richardson was denied the body’s presidency despite winning a simple, 4-3 majority vote of his fellow councilors. Richardson and other councilors argued the council bucked tradition when he was denied the seat by saying he needed a supermajority of five votes. He accused the body of changing the rules to prevent him from obtaining the presidency. Councilman John Williams argued that four years ago, the official council leadership vote was unanimously in favor of Councilwoman Gina Gregory after she won a split, simple majority vote in what he called a legal, closeddoor meeting. Williams said he refused to participate in a closed-door meeting this year because of the vote’s added scrutiny and press coverage. Mary Zoghby, one of the authors of the law, told Lagniappe that regardless of how it was handled in the past, the vote for council president, like almost all other council actions, should be decided by the five-vote majority. She added that those past decisions probably could have been challenged. “The affirmative vote of at least five members of the council shall be sufficient for the passage of any resolution, bylaw ordinance, or the transaction of any business of any sort by the said council or the exercise of any of the powers conferred upon it by the terms of this chapter or bylaw, or which may hereafter be conferred upon it,” the act reads. Zoghby said the only exception to the five-vote majority would be on a vote to approve the city’s budget. At the time the law was written at the state level, this was added so the financial aspects of city government would not be delayed. Other actions have since been added to this exemption, such as votes for council attorney and the selection of municipal judges.
Challenge
The five-vote majority was unsuccessfully challenged more than a decade ago by a group of Mobile residents known as the Citizens for Referendum. Joe Ringhoffer, who was a member of the group, said they presented then-Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas with a petition that included signatures equal to 10 percent of the number of voters in the last municipal election, which was legally required. The result the group was hoping for, Ringhoffer said, was to put a referendum on the ballot and let the citizens decide if they wanted a simple majority, or to keep the five-vote majority rule. Thomas ruled against the group, Ringhoffer said. The Alabama Supreme Court decided not to the hear the case because the court decided the group had no legal standing, he said. Ringhoffer said the citizens of Mobile never truly got to decide on the city’s form of government after the commission was dissolved. He claimed Zoghby wrote the legislative act before folks in Mobile had a say in it. “We wanted to allow people to vote on it,” Ringhoffer said. “It’s been decided for us since 1985. We wanted to allow people to vote and let the chips fall where they may.”
History
The Zoghby Act was created in 1985 and only applies to Class 2 municipalities. Mobile is the state’s only Class 2 municipality. The law was created after a federal judge in the late 1970s dissolved the city’s commission form of government — where three commissioners were selected at-large from a pool of candidates citywide — because it lacked diversity and “worked an unconstitutional dilution of the votes of black Mobilians.” “The case was about the fact that a minority candidate had never been elected to the City Commission,” Zoghby said. “We had a vote in 1973 to change the form of government to a mayor-council form. It failed.” The case, Bolden v. City of Mobile, was filed soon afterward, Zoghby said. The case was later reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court, but legislators were already working on a solution. Zoghby said a legislative committee came up with a remedy initially in 1983, but it died. A federal judge then issued a decree stating that if the Legislature couldn’t
come up with a solution by 1985, the city’s government would revert to a system with districted commission seats. It was time for a mayor-council system, she said. “People were restless,” Zoghby said. “They felt the city was too big for a three-member commission to run it. People were tired of two people running the city.” At the time the House version of the bill was introduced, a Senate version was introduced by Michael Figures, Zoghby said. The Senate passed the House version, written by Zoghby and Beth Lyons, first. It is for this reason the bill has Zoghby’s name on it and not Figures’. The five-vote majority rule came into being once it was discovered how the city would be split into districts, Zoghby said. “We knew with the population of Mobile and the way the districts were set up that we had three districts that would probably be [majority] minority districts,” she said. “The other four seats — because most were west of I-65 — would be held by the majority.” The reason for the five-vote majority at the time was because Zoghby and others wanted to have minority participation in the winning vote. At that time, Mobile’s population was predominantly white. “We knew that if it was a simple majority it could lead to disenfranchisement,” Zoghby said. “We knew that. We had issues with the school board.” The move to create a majority-plus-one scenario didn’t seem odd to Zoghby, she said. “Most of the time the decisions made [by council] are unanimous,” she said. Reggie Copeland, one of the city’s first seven councilors and former council president, said the first council ran smoothly under the five-vote majority rule. “It hasn’t been a real problem until we got to where we are this year,” Copeland said, referring to the new council’s inability to elect a president. “I’m sorry it’s so contentious. I wish they could work it out.” For the good of the city, Copeland said, he hopes the current council can find a solution. “There’s so much going on in the city,” he said. “So many companies coming in … We’ve got a good team.” Copeland said he thinks the five-vote rule and the council form of government are good for the city, especially when compared to the old commission form of government. “When you had the three commissioners, two could vote over one,” he said. “I feel like by having a council form of government, citizens could reach me faster.” Clinton Johnson, another former council president and an original council member, did not return a call seeking comment. Debi Foster, who worked as a radio news reporter in the 1980s and was a member of Mayor Arthur Outlaw’s administration, said there weren’t many growing pains in the transition from the commission form of government to the mayor-council form. The biggest “sticky wicket,” she said, was getting the city’s employees used to the change. As far as the general population, Foster said, it was a positive move. “Before there were sections of the city that had no voice,” she said. “Now, you had people who had a voice who had never had it before.” The issue of the five-vote majority came up a few times in the past, she said, but she always supported it. “I personally have always believed in a five-vote majority,” she said. “I still believe in a five-vote majority.”
BAYBRIEF | CRIME
‘One too many’ POLICE INVESTIGATING RAPES REPORTED DOWNTOWN BY JASON JOHNSON
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he Mobile Police Department is investigating two rapes reportedly committed by men the female victims met in downtown Mobile’s entertainment district. On Monday, Chief Lawrence Battiste confirmed MPD was investigating the pair of sexual assaults, which were reported the weekends of Oct. 1 and Nov. 11. While the investigation is still in its initial stages, Battiste said there are some similarities between the two reports. The chief’s comments came after a server at the LoDa Bier Garten restaurant on Dauphin Street detailed what she and other employees were allegedly told by an MPD investigator in a social media post that quickly went viral. So far, it’s been shared more than 700 times. “A detective just stopped by and let one of our servers know that he’s looking for two men; one white guy with blonde streaks in his hair, the other is a black guy and he’s bald,” the post reads. “They’re both between 20-30 years
old, and they’re apparently hanging around downtown telling girls they’re in the military, coaxing them away and raping them.” Battiste confirmed most of those details but didn’t add much about the investigation, which has only recently been evaluated as a case potentially involving the same suspects. He did say that only the rape reported over the Nov. 11 weekend involved a second, Caucasian male, adding that the victim in October reported a single, AfricanAmerican suspect. According to Battiste, there doesn’t appear to be a specific characteristic that the perpetrators might have targeted the victims for, though he did note that there have only been two cases reported. Instead, he suggested the women may have been “targets of opportunity” who may have left an area downtown by themselves. However, Battiste appeared to downplay concerns that there might be a serial rapist in Mobile.
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“We don’t have any additional incidents in that immediate area that would suggest we have a major problem,” he said. “Looking at these from my perspective, it would appear the individuals that may be responsible used a similar tactic to get young people’s attention — indicating they were in the military and getting them to befriend them and going off with them.” The initial rape reported on the weekend of Oct. 1 wasn’t listed in the “weekend recap” of notable crimes MPD regularly provides to local media outlets, and as such, wasn’t reported to the public. When asked why, Battiste said “there are a lot of isolated rape incidents.” “There was nothing dramatic about that particular incident and no pattern that suggested we needed to sound an alarm about something going on,” he added. “One rape is one too many, but we hadn’t seen a pattern of rape or sexual assaults in the area. When we did, we immediately got out and canvassed the community. This is the second incident of that nature.” While Battiste said investigators were continuing their work to bring the responsible individuals to justice, he also encouraged residents to be mindful of their surroundings when going out and consuming alcohol at bars and restaurants downtown, or anywhere else. “Young people, particularly when you’re going anywhere to party, make sure you take close friends with you — people that are going to pay attention to you and what you’re doing,” Battiste said. “Be careful what you drink, who you associate with and make sure you go in groups because, obviously, people are less likely to become victims if they’re with a group of people.” As the investigation continues, authorities are asking the public for assistance. Anyone with information about the rapes reported on the weekends of Oct. 1 or Nov. 11 is asked to contact Sgt. Joe Cotner with MPD at 251-4321101 or 251-208-7975.
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COMMENTARY | DAMN THE TORPEDOES
Herman and Roy — peas in a pod ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR/RHOLBERT@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
Holder’s wife being from Mobile gave him inside help. It would certainly explain why the feds never prosecuted the numerous civil rights violations he stood accused of committing. But he wasn’t acquitted because of a lack of believable evidence. People are going to believe what they want to believe, but I sat through the trial and I’ve listened to hours of recordings of inmates telling of sexual assaults at the hands of the “Spanking Judge.” The evidence against Thomas is certainly far more voluminous and researched than what many of us are willing to accept as fact about Roy Moore. And it seems that evidence was more than enough for the Alabama Bar Association’s Disciplinary Board, which disbarred Thomas just after his acquittal, and eight years and numerous appeals later still has not reinstated his license. “The board finds that these spankings and paddlings were not a form of mentoring or discipline but were rather engaged in by Thomas for his own sexual gratification,” the disbarment order concluded. “It is clear to the board that these young men were coerced into complying with Thomas under the threat of being sentenced to or returned to jail. Moreover, these spankings were not among those of the nature that a parent might give to their own child, but rather were sexually motivated assaults.” If you find Roy Moore unworthy to hold office because of the sexual assault claims against him, you can’t turn around and blithely absolve Herman Thomas’ past. The only thing more obvious than the hypocrisy of that stance is that we truly do need better people to run for public office.
THEGADFLY
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conveniently sealing all of the investigative records. Along the way it was discovered Herman had a second small office in Government Plaza where he would meet with prisoners or others caught up in the justice system. Some of those people made claims Thomas was pulling their pants down and then striking their bare butts with his fraternity paddle. Some of the claims were even worse — that the judge had demanded sex in that little office from those young men he’d call in. Semen was discovered in the carpet. Evidence was piling up. Yet two years would pass before Herman was finally indicted. District Attorney John Tyson said he’d been told repeatedly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office that the FBI was investigating Thomas and that they would handle any indictment and prosecution. But suddenly, on Eric Holder’s first day in office as U.S. Attorney General, orders were sent to the local U.S. Attorney to recuse herself from the Thomas investigation. No public reason was ever given, but I did get that very first email ordering the recusal via a Freedom of Information Act request, although nine others were withheld. Tyson eventually indicted Herman, but the trial was a joke. Most of the assault charges had passed the statute of limitations, and the appointed judge, who slept through most of the trial, clearly intended to make sure Thomas walked. In the end, the jury deadlocked on several charges — 11-1 for conviction on some — but the judge swept any chance of a retrial with a wave of his hand, claiming there wasn’t enough evidence despite hours of testimony from men detailing spankings and sexual acts. Maybe Thomas skated on the charges because it would have opened the door to retrying thousands of cases he’d overseen. Maybe
Cartoon/Laura Rasmussen
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t never fails to amaze me the way people will support the most questionable behavior in the world as long as it’s alleged to be by a politician who’s on “their team.” I’m currently standing slack-jawed after listening to people I know to be bright, educated and thoughtful try to explain why they’re willing to support a so-called “judge” who left office under the cloud of unbelievable breaches in judicial standards and has been accused of horrifically vile sexual assaults. I just can’t believe the number of people who’ve sheepishly told me they’re supporting former Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas in his bid to win the Alabama House of Representatives District 99 seat. Oh … maybe you thought I was talking about a different ex-judge whose campaign for public office is fraught with questions about sexual assaults committed years ago. I guess that is the talk of the town right now, so I can understand the confusion. In fact, I’ve had a few conversations with people positively giddy about the recent allegations that U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore had a penchant for writing in high school girls’ yearbooks, then sexually assaulting them when he was an Etowah County district attorney in the ‘70s. And I have to say it’s hard not to buy what these women are selling. They seem sincere and if you listen to Moore’s radio interview with Sean Hannity, he pretty much admits to trying to date high schoolers. I didn’t think Roy Moore was fit to represent Alabama before these allegations and this just makes it clearer. So while I understand the chortling over Roy’s troubles, I am fascinated by how willing these same people are to give a pass to Herman “Spanky” Thomas as he continues trying to resurrect the career he destroyed while acting like a maniac in a judge’s robe. I’d heard through the grapevine for more than a month that Herman was actually going to take another stab at elected office, but an article last week in the Mobile Beacon said he’s made it official and will try to replace the retiring James Buskey. Thomas has run for the Alabama Legislature before, but lost. He tried to unseat Sen. Vivian Figures shortly after she testified against him in the 2009 trial where he faced 57 counts that included ethics violations, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sex abuse, firstand second-degree extortion and first-degree sodomy. The line of reasoning among Herman supporters seems to be that the spanking judge has “paid his dues” for the escapades that caused him to resign from the bench in 2007. He’s been a community organizer and has relentlessly preached the gospel that he was the victim of some kind of race-based hit job designed to take him out before he became — dun, dun, dunnnn!!!! — presiding judge of the Mobile County Circuit. Reminiscent of Roy Moore’s complaints of a conspiracy to trash him before the election, isn’t it? But let’s just set the Wayback Machine for 2002 and talk about what really happened. That was the year an inmate named Michael Dewayne Anderson filed suit against the then-District Court judge and became the first to claim Thomas threatened to make his life difficult if he didn’t engage in some sexual hanky-panky. Anderson sent complaints to the Alabama Ethics Commission as well as the Judicial Inquiries Commission (JIC), and included sworn statements from other inmates who’d had dealings with Thomas, but nothing was done. His lawsuit against Thomas was quickly bounced by the very white Circuit Court Judge Robert Kendall, who was also one of Thomas’ biggest supporters. It would take five more years before an effort to manipulate a relative’s jail sentence led to revelations Thomas had been moving hundreds of cases on and off other judges’ dockets. Eventually a full-blown JIC investigation of Thomas ensued and rather than face the accusations — as well as the gathered evidence — Thomas resigned from office,
ROY MOORE’S ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT
COMMENTARY | THE HIDDEN AGENDA
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, please help us ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR/ASHLEYTOLAND@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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esus, Mary and Joseph, this is where we are in Alabama politics. And sadly, they’re even bringing the three of you into this. Not to pray to you about this sad state of affairs, but to use you in some twisted way to excuse a 30-something-year-old man of undressing a 14-year-old girl down to her bra and panties, undressing himself to his “tight whites” and taking her hand and placing it on his erect penis. You know, just the kind of things you want to hear about one of your state’s candidates for the United States Senate. “Take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus,” Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler told the Washington Examiner last week as he tried to “defend” embattled Republican U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, who, at press time, is accused of having relationships with five teenage girls when he was in his 30s. Some of these alleged relationships involve felonious behavior while others are at best inappropriate. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, indeed. Please help us. Republicans in the U.S. Senate are withdrawing their support and threatening expulsion if Moore should still win this race, many saying they find the women’s allegations more credible than Moore’s denials and asking him to step aside. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Congress on Tuesday he “had no reason to doubt” Moore’s accusers. The Alabama GOP has stood by their man thus far, discouraging a write-in campaign, while also making embarrassing statements seeming to support or at least shrug off the act of molesting teenage girls. “It was 40 years ago,” Alabama Marion County GOP chair David Hall told Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale. “I really don’t see the relevance of it. He was 32. She was supposedly 14. She’s not saying that anything happened other than they kissed.” No, that’s not what she said, Dave. And she was 14. But let’s just move on and hear some more asinine comments. “Other than being with an underage person — he didn’t really force himself,” Alabama Geneva County GOP chairman Riley Seibenhener told Dale. Um, pretty sure the whole “underage” thing is the major problem here, sir. Sigh. These reactions are almost as troublesome as the allegations themselves. There should be no statute of limitations on anyone being absolutely repulsed by this. But thankfully, it really doesn’t matter what these guys think. At this point, Moore cannot be removed from the ballot and it doesn’t look like a serious “write-in” campaign for another Republican candidate is very likely, so this mess will be left for Alabama voters to clean up. And we have to do just that, y’all. We can’t let Roy Moore be the next senator for the great state of Alabama. We just can’t. We deserve better than this. For a multitude of reasons. First, the obvious. FIVE women who don’t know each other have come out with eerily similar stories of Moore’s behavior, which is inappropriate at best, criminal at worst. These women are all from Etowah County, not exactly an enclave of liberal elites. And the women who still live in Alabama were both Trump voters. The statute of limitations to file criminal charges and civil suits has long run out. They have gained absolutely nothing by coming out with their stories, except getting the great pleasure of being called liars, hags and whores by a bunch of people who don’t even know them. People have questioned the timing of this. And that’s fair. Roy Moore has been a controversial
figure for so long, why did this come out just weeks before the election? I really don’t have a good answer for that. Perhaps it’s the nature of the allegations. Perhaps in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, people feel more inclined to talk about this stuff. Perhaps, no one ever really asked. After all, there was a lot of low-hanging fruit for reporters to go after in regard to Roy Moore. But whatever the case, I find their stories all very credible. It’s the little details in them — that they aren’t entirely tales of horror. The mom telling her daughter she would be “the luckiest girl in the world if Roy Moore wanted to date her.” That Roy liked Eddie Rabbit and her mom would have had a “hissy fit” if she knew he had bought her alcohol. How flattered the waitress at Old Hickory House felt that the DA had signed her yearbook and her memory of him pulling the ends of her hair. That’s a lot of highly specific detail for this to be the product of some mastermind’s devious plot to unseat Moore. To write it off as “fake news” or “lies” you would have to believe there was this massive conspiracy to “recruit” these women who didn’t know each other and give them all similar stories, but with all of these different little details to recount and then find dozens of Gadsden citizens who went on the record with many different news organizations saying they knew Moore liked going after young girls. Practically the whole town and the entire national, state and local media would have to be in on this to pull that off. And if you were going to go all that trouble to create these horrible “lies,” why wouldn’t you just have them say he raped them? I’m sorry. I just don’t buy it. The much more logical explanation is that these horrible things happened pretty much exactly as these women said. Hell, even if you can’t believe them or won’t believe them without concrete evidence, which will never be available, just listen to Moore’s interview with Sean Hannity, where he couldn’t even flatly deny dating teenagers when he was in his 30s. If you are the parent of a daughter and your skin didn’t crawl when he said “not without the permission of their mother,” I don’t know what is wrong with you. Ick. Ick. Ick. Those are HIS OWN WORDS. You can’t call that “fake news.” This behavior along with his previous removals from office and the generous way his “charity” compensated him and his family is enough to disqualify him from this office and from many other things, for that matter. But if we elect Moore, it will also hurt this state in very tangible ways. Even before all of the recent allegations, Moore said some really crazy stuff. Maybe not so crazy to every Alabamian, but certainly crazy to many of the CEOs who may be considering locating their businesses here. And we all know those processes are extremely competitive. All our rival states/cities for these opportunities would have to say is “Roy Moore is their senator. You don’t want to have to deal with that controversy, do you?” Throw these allegations in and we can kiss those businesses goodbye and therefore more jobs for Alabamians. All of the progress we have made from Mobile to Huntsville would come to a screeching halt. I’m sorry. Roy Moore just isn’t worth the collateral damage we would sustain if he were elected. Even people who can’t stand the thought of a Democrat in office have to know that. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, this election has already put a stain on our state. On Dec. 12, please help us make sure it’s not a permanent one. N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | L AG N I A P P E | 13
COMMENTARY | THE BELTWAY BEAT
Yes, Doug Jones has a path to defeat Roy Moore BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST/JEFFREYPOOR@GMAIL.COM
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oy Moore is in trouble. Last week’s Washington Post bombshell that included accusations the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice engaged in inappropriate conduct with four teenage girls decades ago changed the dynamic of next month’s special election for U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Jeff Sessions. For now, politically it matters less as to whether the allegations will ever be proven and more about the cloud it has cast over Moore and his campaign. No question, Moore has a very devout following. But all it would take is a fraction of this following to say, “I think I’m going to stay at home and sit this one out” for his Democratic Party opponent, Doug Jones, to have an opening to win. If Jones is wise, he won’t personally have anything to do with trying to capitalize on those accusations. Instead, let others do the dirty work. There is a willing media and national Democratic Party apparatus to act on Jones’ behalf. As this soap opera plays out with Moore over the coming weeks, Jones can run a campaign that focuses on what he has repeatedly referred to as “kitchen table issues.” It will give him the unique opportunity to be positioned as the state’s best advocate. Wayne Flynt, professor emeritus in the Department of History at Auburn University, argues Jones should mimic Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and run as the outsider. “There is a path,” Flynt told Lagniappe in an interview
in October. “The path consists primarily, curiously enough, of Doug becoming the Donald Trump of Alabama in tactics — not ideology. He’s never held elected public office. That’s a plus. Therefore, he can run against Washington. That is a plus. He, unlike Trump, has a personal background that fits Alabama like a glove.” That description of Jones goes back to his successful prosecution of two members of the Ku Klux Klan, Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr. and Bobby Frank Cherry, for their roles in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. That, according to Flynt, will pay dividends for Jones on Election Day in turning out the black vote. “That is because of the prosecution of the terrorists and also his active support of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute,” he said. “He has really had deep connections to African-Americans, and as you well know, the election will basically turn on two things. One will be general turnout, and the other will be turnout among African-Americans. And African-Americans generally don’t usually turn out enthusiastically for an Alabama white Democrat.” Auburn University Emeritus Professor of Political Science Dr. Gerald Johnson, who has worked for the AEA as a pollster and is considered one of Alabama’s most prominent Democratic Party operatives, agrees with Flynt. He also sees Jones’ 16th Street Baptist Church heroics as something he should use to advance his campaign. Johnson told Lagniappe if he were advising Jones, he would have him do an appearance with former President Barack Obama in Birmingham. “I’d advise him to invite President Obama down to the
COMMENTARY | THE GRIOT’S CORNER
Religion, being a force for good BY KEN ROBINSON/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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n American society, religion has been an incredible source for good, the catalyst and driving force behind many national reform movements. For example, the Second Great Awakening, that sweeping spiritual fire that led to mass religious conversions in the early 1800s, eventually helped give birth to the anti-slavery movement. It did so by impressing upon converts that blacks were created in the image of God, and as such in his eyes black souls were no different from white souls. They were both equal. God had created no man to be a slave. This time of spiritual awakening in America also helped inspire other social reform movements, such as the temperance, women’s rights, health care for the mentally ill and prison reform movements. In modern times it was the energy and resolute dynamism of the Christian faith that served as the foundation and fuel of the civil rights movement. Conversely, though, religion in American society also has been used for ill. In the antebellum or pre-Civil War South, pastors and politicians plucked from the pages of the Bible justification for the enslavement of blacks. With the establishment of Jim Crow segregation in the South after the collapse of post-Civil War Reconstruction efforts, the same two groups would use the words of the Holy Scriptures to justify and give cover to an apartheidtype society. Religion has been consequential. One observer has noted, “Whatever your view of the role biblical Christianity played in the founding of America, intellectual honesty demands that one recognize that religion, religious values and specifically Christianity have
all played a defining role in the development of American civilization.” Indeed, another has succinctly added, “You can’t divorce faith from the American experience.” Religion’s presence and impact upon the unfolding story of America is undeniable. However, equally undeniable is the fact that its presence and impact has been both positive and negative. Religion by its very nature is a powerful and compelling force — a force that is able to redeem, transform and liberate, or ignite and fan the flames of bigotry, backwardness and intolerance. A society must take care how such a force is allowed to be used. To me the question of whether religion has a vital place in society is an easy one — yes! The more crucial or apt question, though, is to what ends or purposes will the power of faith be put to use? In our day, the politicization of the Christian faith is leading to its marginalization. As it more and more becomes associated with a political party, its ability to serve as a redemptive and transformative power in American society diminishes accordingly. Additionally, as that political party’s fortunes go, so to goes the value society attaches to the religion as a whole. But just as God doesn’t have a favorite football team or basketball team, neither does he have a favorite political party. Yet, particularly in our part of the country, it would be hard to think God has not chosen sides politically. As a consequence of this perception, when political leaders who self-servingly wrap themselves in the banner of religious faith to garner votes then collapse morally (often spectacularly), the place and purpose of religious
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16th Street Baptist Church to hold a memorial, celebration and recognition of the role that Doug Jones played in that,” Johnson said. “And I know that runs contrary to conventional wisdom — the popularity of President Obama in the state — but in terms of black voter turnout, something like that would work. Something like that is probably needed for Doug Jones in terms of the absence of a large sum of money to wage an air war.” While Jones’ campaign is about a celebration of his accomplishments, Moore will have to spend time, money and other resources on batting down sickening allegations, even if allegations are all that they are. And even this week, another accuser surfaced. While no one was looking, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey set another special election on the same day as the Dec. 12 U.S. special election. In Montgomery’s Senate District 26, a primary for the election for a seat previously held by Quinton Ross, who was approved to serve as the president of Alabama State University, was scheduled. Flynt says this could help Doug Jones’ cause, and also suggests it wasn’t an accident that Ivey planned the election for that day. “Some things are really going to help him in that regard, most notably a highly contested Senate race in Montgomery on the day of [the special election],” Flynt said. “And of course, Kay Ivey said it was in order to save money, but one wonders if it is also her response to the Birmingham business establishment, which desperately wants Roy Moore to be defeated and will probably put a lot of money into Doug Jones’ campaign, privately. And Kay Ivey called that special election for a Montgomery district, citing economies of government, a great Republican theme, for the same day as the general election. “And all of the candidates in that race are African-Americans, at least on the Democratic side,” he continued. “And African-American voters will really turn out. If Doug wins, he’s got to win big in Montgomery, Mobile, Birmingham and Huntsville. And then he’s got to carry counties that are normally Republican counties, but where the detestation for Roy Moore is palpable, and I’m thinking counties like Tuscaloosa and Lee, or anywhere else there is a fairly well-educated business Republican establishment with high-tech business, new plants and things like that.” Although it still seems that the odds are insurmountable for Jones to break the Democrats’ statewide losing streak and win next month, he has the wind at his back. Should Democrats from beyond the Yellowhammer State come to Alabama to aid in this campaign? Flynt says no. “I think the best thing the national Democratic Party can do is to stay out of the race,” he said. “And the other thing I think they can do is to ask some of their most influential and generous donors to individually contribute to Doug Jones’ campaign.”
faith in society suffers as well. When such political leaders go down the rabbit hole of moral depravity and malfeasance, they drag the name of God and the esteem of religious faith down with them. As someone who was raised with a deep respect of and appreciation for the value of religion, it is incredibly disturbing to see it so misused by politicians in Alabama and across the South. All they have to do is say they are against certain social issues and that seems to get them an instant “Christian” stamp of approval. But that’s not how it should be. I am struck by the fact that one of the resounding themes of the Old Testament is God’s frequent anger with and indictment of the nation of Israel’s leaders. Leaders who often put money and greed before the interest of the people. Leaders who cared little for the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. Leaders who used religion to further their own interest rather than the interest of the people. The Old Testament biblical prophet Micah even declared, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” However, we often see the exact opposite from our “Christian” political leaders. If religion is to play its rightful role in society, its adherent have to show more discernment and stop blindly accepting the superficial utterances and trite religious platitudes of political leaders who could not care less about the religion they claim to follow, and even less about the people they seek to lead. If religion is to play its rightful role in society, its adherents must be more careful and circumspect in how they align themselves with political power. If religion is to play its rightful role in society, its adherents must stop allowing faith to be misused for the attainment of personal political power. If religion is to play its rightful role in society, its adherents must remember that we don’t live in a theocratic state. Therefore, why should a political leader’s faith be questioned because he or she personally believes that abortion is wrong, but yet firmly believes that from a civil standpoint the Courts have ruled and society has decided that such a monumental decision should be left to the mother? Why should a political leader’s faith be questioned because he or she firmly believes that, from a civil standpoint, the Courts have ruled and society has decided that who an adult chooses to love and marry is his or her own business? Religion can and should be a positive, unifying and transformative societal force, one that affects society for the better. Will people of faith allow it to be that force?
BUSINESS | THE REAL DEAL
New businesses coming to Government Street BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST/BUSINESS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
A
ccording to Jared Irby, president of Irby LLC, two properties his company acquired last summer — a former Pizza Hut at 2551 Government St. and the old Creole Cafe at 2206 Government St. — have new tenants and are being converted into new local small businesses. The former Pizza Hut property encompasses some 2,029 square feet of space and initially will be converted into a Mexican take-out-only eatery, Maya Luna. Plans are in place to open by mid-December. The new eatery will host dine-in patrons by spring 2018, according to co-owners Morgan Akridge and Juan Muniz. A food truck will also be up and running concurrently for Maya Luna, with relationships already in place to serve several local call centers, a downtown courthouse, the new Serda brewpub and possibly the Austal USA shipyard. Akridge, a Mobile native, is returning to the Port City after relocating to San Francisco in 1989. After retiring from Toyota Financial he partnered with Muniz — originally from Tijuana, Mexico — who has a 24-year background as head chef and as the owner of an eatery in San Francisco’s Mission District from 2012 to 2014, also called Maya Luna. Basic fare of tacos and burritos will be served. Price points will range from $2 to $2.50 for individual fare and $7.99 for food plates. The 2,013-square-foot former Creole Cafe site is now locally co-owned by the husband and wife team of Cornelious and Mishea Williams. The new business will open as an event planning space called Celebrity Banquets, with a grand opening slated for Friday, Nov. 17. According to Cornelious Williams, the facility can be
rented out for luncheons, business meetings, birthday parties and similar events. Minimum blocks of time start at four hours and cost $150 per reservation, Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday weekend rates will run $250 per reservation. Williams’ background includes 24 years as a disc jockey. DJ services, provided by Williams, will also be offered at events for customers needing additional amenities at no additional charge. • Lafayette Land Company, a local family-owned real estate development company, announced the opening of Boot Barn (NYSE: BOOT), a national western and workwear retailer located at 5456 Highway 90 in Mobile. The retail chain will be located at the corner of Highway 90 and Tillman’s Corner Parkway. The building is the site of the former Gulf Pecan property, which has been unoccupied for the past 30 years, according to a news release. Boot Barn has 272 facilities throughout the country and this will be their second in Alabama. Christopher G. Huffman, COO of Lafayette Land Co., was the developer. Hwy. 90 LLC, a subsidiary of Lafayette Land Co., is the owner. Boot Barn was represented by Bryan Holt of Southpace Properties. For information about the site, contact Heather Huffman at NAI-Mobile. “Lafayette Land extends a special thank you to the permitting and engineering office and to the mayor’s office of the city of Mobile for working through the extensive issues involved in preserving and restoring this historic building for this new Tillman’s Corner Landmark,” Robert J. Isakson Sr., president of Lafayette Land Co., said. • Some 9.7 acres were recently acquired for about
$167,000 by local speculators. M.J. Baxter and Associates worked for the sellers in the transaction. The property is in Foley near the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Hickory Street. Future development plans for the property were unknown as of press time. • According to Marl Cummings of Cummings and Associates, a new package store has leased some 1,200 square feet of space inside Westgate Plaza on Highway 90 in Tillman’s Corner. Cummings worked for the tenant. Leigh Dale Younce and Buff Teague of JLL represented the landlord. • Dempster Tire Sales leased 6,000 square feet of office/warehouse space at 100 Industrial Parkway in Saraland, near U.S. Highway 43, according to John Delchamps with the Merrill P. Thomas Co. Inc., who represented the landlord. Mike McAleer with the McAleer Tunstall company worked for the tenant in the transaction. • According to Andrew Chason of Marcus & Millichap, a local speculator paid $550,000 for the Dollar General property sitting on 2.86 acres of land at 8085 U.S. Highway 98 in Fairhope. Future development plans for the site were unknown as of press time.
Grimes stepping down at United Way
Charles Hyland, director of Mobile Area Water & Sewer System and current chair of the United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) Board of Trustees, announced that Clifford Grimes, UWSWA president and CEO, will step down. Effective Jan. 2, 2018, Grimes will become director for organizational development, metro services, for Boys and Girls Clubs of America. “While change is good, sometimes it comes unexpectedly. This is an opportunity for Cliff that allows him the ability to continue his work in philanthropy and be closer to his family, located in the Houston, Texas, area,” Hyland said. According to a news release, during Grimes’ two-year tenure UWSWA: grew total revenue by 5.7 percent to $3,927,422; expanded the number of donors to 20,567; reduced donor turnover by 2.3 percent; increased Mobile’s ranking to ninth out among 86 United Ways of similar size; substantially reduced an organizational deficit that was approaching $1 million and is now on schedule to be eliminated by 2018; and developed an organizational long-range strategic plan for the next five years “It has been an honor to work for the UWSWA. We have had to make some hard decisions during my two years as CEO, but I leave confident that this United Way will continue to be a fiscally responsible organization that works hard to improve the quality of lives in Southwest Alabama,” Grimes said. The United Way Executive Committee appointed County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood to chair a committee to search for a new CEO. Larry Davis, UWSWA CFO, will act as interim CEO effective Jan. 2, 2018, and fulfill those responsibilities until a new CEO is named.
N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | L AG N I A P P E | 15
1808 Old Shell Rd. • 473-7872
DUNKIN DONUTS ($)
DONUTS, COFFEE & SANDWICHES 1976 Michigan Ave. • 442-4846 3876 Airport Blvd. • 219-7369 505 Schillinger Rd. S. • 442-4845 29160 US Hwy 98 • 621-2228 $10/PERSON • $$ 10-25/PERSON • $$$ OVER 25/PERSON
E WING HOUSE ($)
COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE
EUGENE’S MONKEY BAR ($)
ALL SPORTS BAR & GRILL ($) 3408 Pleasant Valley Rd. • 345-9338
AL’S HOTDOGS ($)
CLASSIC HOTDOGS, GYROS & MILKSHAKES 4701 Airport Blvd. • 342-3243
ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY ($-$$) SANDWICHES, SALADS & MORE. 3680 Dauphin St. • 380-0444
BAKE MY DAY ($)
OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN BAKE SHOP 156 N. McGregor Ave. • 219-7261
BOB’S DINER ($)
GOOD OLD AMERICAN COOKING 263 St. Francis St. • 405-1497
BRICK & SPOON ($)
3662 Airport Blvd. Suite A • 525-9177
BUCK’S DINER ($)
CLASSIC AMERICAN DINER 58 N. Secion St. Fairhope • 928-8521
CAFE 219 ($)
SALADS, SANDWICHES & POTATO SALAD 219 Conti St. • 438-5234
CAMELLIA CAFÉ ($-$$$)
CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FARE 61 Section St. • Fairhope • 928-4321
CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH ($) MOBILE’S CLASSIC ICE CREAM SPOT 2511 Old Shell Rd. • 471-1710
CARPE DIEM ($)
DELI FOODS, PASTRIES & SPECIALTY DRINKS 4072 Old Shell Rd. • 304-0448
CLARK’S KITCHEN ($-$$) CATERING 5817 Old Shell Rd. • 622-0869
CHAT-A-WAY CAFE ($)
QUICHES & SANDWICHES 4366 Old Shell Rd. • 343-9889
CHICK-FIL-A ($)
107 St. Francis St. • 415-1700 3244 Dauphin St. • 476-0320 3215 Bel Air Mall • 476-8361 4707 Airport Blvd. • 461-9933 435 Schillinger Rd. • 639-1163 1682 US HWY 98 • Daphne • 621-3215 30500 AL 181 • Spanish Fort • 621-3020
CHICKEN SALAD CHICK ($)
CHICKEN SALAD, SALAD & SOUP 2370 S. Hillcrest Rd. Unit R • 660-0501 5753 Old Shell Rd. • 408-3236 1802 US Hwy 98 Suite F• 625-1092
CHI-TOWN DAWGZ ($)
195 S University Blvd. Suite H • 662-1829 15 N Conception St. • 433-2299
FATHOMS LOUNGE
SMALL PLATES AND CREATIVE COCKTAILS 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000
FLOUR GIRLS BAKERY ($) 809 Hillcrest Rd. • 634-2285
FIREHOUSE SUBS ($)
HOT SUBS, COLD SALADS & CATERING 6300 Grelot Rd. • 631-3730
FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES ($) BURGERS, MILKSHAKES & FRIES 4401 Old Shell Rd. • 447-2394 4663 Airport Blvd. • 300-8425 5319 Hwy 90 • 661-0071 1225 Satchel Page Dr.• 378-8768
FOOSACKLY’S ($)
FAMOUS CHICKEN FINGERS 29181 US Hwy 98 • Daphne • 375-1104 7843 Moffett Rd. • 607-6196 1109 Shelton Beach Rd. • 287-1423 310 S. University Blvd. • 343-0047 2250 Airport Blvd. • 479-2922 7641 Airport Blvd. • 607-7667 2558 Schillinger Rd. • 219-7761 3249 Dauphin St. • 479-2000
FOY SUPERFOODS ($) 119 Dauphin St.• 307-8997
GULF COAST EXPLOREUM CAFE ($) HOMEMADE SOUPS & SANDWICHES 65 Government St. • 208-6815
GUMBO SHACK ($-$$)
SEAFOOD & SANDWICHES 212 ½ Fairhope Ave •Fairhope • 928-4100
HOOTERS ($)
3869 Airport Blvd. • 345-9544 5470 Inn Rd. • 661-9117 28975 US 98 • Daphne • 625-3910
JAMAICAN VIBE ($)
MIND-BLOWING ISLAND FOOD 3700 Gov’t Blvd. Ste A • 602-1973
JERSEY MIKE’S ($)
AUTHENTIC SUB SANDWICHES 7449 Airport Blvd. • 375-1820
JIMMY JOHN’S ($)
SANDWICHES, CATERING & DELIVERY TOO 6920 Airport Blvd. • 414-5444 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-8694 62 B Royal St. • 432-0360
JOE CAIN CAFÉ ($)
PIZZAS, SANDWICHES, COCKTAILS 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000
JONELLI’S ($)
CHICAGO STYLE EATERY 1222 Hillcrest Rd. • 461-6599
1252 Govenment St.• 301-7556
CONNECTION FROZEN YOGURT ($)
HOME COOKING 4054 Government St. • 665-4557
1880 Industrial Pkwy. • 675-2999
CREAM AND SUGAR ($)
COFFEE, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DESSERT 351 George St #B • 405-0003
DAUPHIN ST. CAFE ($)
HOT LUNCH, DAILY MENU (INSIDE VIA) 1717 Dauphin St. • 470-5231
D’ MICHAEL’S ($)
PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS, GYROS & MORE 7101-A Theodore Dawes Rd. • 653-2979
D NU SPOT ($)
22159 Halls Mill Rd. . • 648-6522
DELISH BAKERY AND EATERY ($) GREAT DESSERTS & HOT LUNCH 23 Upham St. • 473-6115
DEW DROP INN ($)
CLASSIC BURGERS, HOTDOGS & SETTING
MCSHARRY’S ($-$$)
AUTHENTIC IRISH PUB 101 N. Bancroft St.• 990-5100
MIKO’S ITALIAN ICE ($)
HOTDOGS SANDWICHES & COOL TREATS 3371 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 300–4015
MOMMA GOLDBERG’S DELI ($) SANDWICHES & MOMMA’S LOVE 3696 Airport Blvd. • 344-9500 5602 Old Shell Rd. • 287-6556
SLAP YOUR MAMA GOOD HOME COOKING 220 Dauphin St. • 432-6262
MARS HILL CAFE ($)
GREAT SANDWICHES, COFFEE & MORE 1087 Downtowner Blvd. • 643-1611
MARY’S SOUTHERN COOKING ($) 3011 Springhill Ave. • 476-2232
MICHELI’S CAFE ($)
6358 Cottage Hill Rd. • 725-6917
4701 Airport Blvd. • 408-3379
SUNSET POINTE ($-$$)
AT FLU CREEK 831 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-7766
MOON PIE GENERAL STORE ($)
107 St Francis St #115 • RSA Bank Trust Building
MOSTLY MUFFINS ($)
DAILY SPECIALS MADE FROM SCRATCH 57 N. Claiborne St. • 694-6853 OPEN FOR LUNCH, INSIDE GULFQUEST 155 S. Water St • 436-8901
MUFFINS, COFFEE & WRAPS 105 Dauphin St. • 433-9855
THE HARBERDASHER ($)
NEWK’S EXPRESS CAFE ($)
THE PIGEON HOLE ($)
OVEN-BAKED SANDWICHES & MORE 1335 Satchel Page Dr. Suite C. • 287-7356 7440 Airport Blvd. • 633-0096 30500 State Hwy 181 #132 • 625-6544
NOURISH CAFE ($)
HEALTHY WHOLE FOODS & MORE 101 N Water St. (Moorer YMCA)• 458-8572
O’DALYS HOLE IN THE WALL ($) 562 Dauphin St.• 725-6429
OLD SHELL GROWLERS ($) GROWLER STATION AND BITES 1801 Old Shell Rd. • 345-4767
PANINI PETE’S ($)
ORIGINAL SANDWICH AND BAKE SHOP 42 ½ Section St. • Fairhope • 929-0122 102 Dauphin St. • 405-0031
113 Dauphin St.• 436-0989
SOUTHERN COOKING & THEN SOME 1716 Main St. Daphne • 222-4120
THE SUNFLOWER CAFE ($) INSIDE VIRGINIA’S HEALTH FOOD 3055 A Dauphin St • 479-3200
THYME BY THE BAY ($-$$)
33 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-5635
TIME TO EAT CAFE ($)
DOWN-HOME COUNTRY COOKIN 7351 Theodore Dawes Rd. • 654-0228 13665 N. Wintzell Ave. • 824-1119
TIN ROOF ($-$$)
SOUTHERN CASUAL FAMILY DINING 10800 US HWY 31 • Spanish Fort• 621-4995
PAT’S DOWNTOWN GRILL ($)
TP CROCKMIERS ($)
PDQ ($)
THREE GEORGES CANDY SHOP ($)
POLLMAN’S BAKERY ($)
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE ($)
PUNTA CLARA KITCHEN ($)
UNCLE JIMMY’S DELICIOUS HOTDOGS ($)
BAR FOOD 271 Dauphin St • 438-9585
CHICKEN FINGERS, SALAD & SANDWICHES. 1165 University Blvd. • 202-0959 BAKERY, SANDWICHES & MORE 750 S. Broad St. • 438-1511 4464 Old Shell Rd. • 342-8546 107 St. Francis St. Suite 102 • 438-2261 FUDGE, PRALINES & MORE 17111 Scenic Hwy 98 • Fairhope • 928-8477
R BISTRO ($-$$)
334 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope • 928-2399
REGINA’S KITCHEN ($-$$) SANDWICHES, SUBS & SOUPS 2056 Gov’t St. • 476-2777
ROLY POLY ($)
WRAPS & SALADS 3220 Dauphin St. • 479-2480
ROSHELL’S CAFE ($)
2906 Springhill Ave. • 479-4614
ROYAL KNIGHT ($)
MAMA’S ($)
SUGAR RUSH DONUT CO. ($)
THE GALLEY ($)
FRESH CARIBBEAN-STYLE FOOD & CRAFT BEER 6601 Airport Blvd. • 634-3445 225 Dauphin St. • 375-1576
LICKIN’ GOOD DONUTS ($) PUB FOOD AND DRAFT BEERS 251 Dauphin St. • 287-6871
SANDWICHES, SOUPS, SALADS & MORE 41 West I-65 Service Rd. N Suite 150. • 287-2793
THE BLIND MULE ($)
ROSIE’S GRILL ($-$$)
LODA BIER GARTEN ($)
STEVIE’S KITCHEN ($)
MONTEGO’S ($-$$)
JUDY’S PLACE ($-$$)
3915 Gov’t Blvd. • 219-7922
CUPCAKE BOUTIQUE 6207 Cottage Hill Rd. Suite B • 665-3003
SANDWICHES, SOUTHWEST FARE, 7 DAYS 1203 Hwy 98 Ste. 3D • Daphne • 626-2440 LUNCH & DINNER 3004 Gov’t Blvd. • 287-1220
AMERICAN RESTAURANT & BAR 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890 LIGHT LUNCH WITH SOUTHERN FLAIR. 226 Dauphin St. • 433-6725
GREAT SMOOTHIES, WRAPS & SANDWICHES. Du Rhu Dr. • 378-5648 570 Schillinger Road • 634-3454
2550 Dauphin Island Pkwy S. • 307-5328
WAREHOUSE BAKERY & DONUTS ($) COFFEE AND DONUTS 759 Nichols Avenue, Fairhope • 928-7223
WEDGIE’S ($)
GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE 5955 Old Shell Rd. • 287-6134
WILD WING STATION ($)
5401 Cottage Hill Rd. • 591-4842
MOE’S ORIGINAL BAR B QUE ($) BARBEQUE & MUSIC Bayfront Park Dr. • Daphne • 625-RIBS 701 Springhill Ave. • 410-7427 4672 Airport Blvd. • 300-8516
SAUCY Q BARBQUE ($) AWARD-WINNING BARBQUE 1111 Gov’t Blvd. • 433-7427
SMOKEY DEMBO SMOKE HOUSE ($) 3758 Dauphin Island Pkwy. • 473-1401
DROP DEAD GOURMET BAY GOURMET ($$)
A PREMIER CATERER & COOKING CLASSES 1880-A Airport Blvd. • 450-9051
BRIQUETTES STEAKHOUSE ($-$$) GRILLED STEAKS, CHICKEN & SEAFOOD 720A Schillinger Rd. S. S2. • 607-7200 901 Montlimar Dr • 408-3133
CHUCK’S FISH ($$)
SEAFOOD AND SUSHI 551 Dauphin St.• 219-7051
‘CUE
SATORI COFFEEHOUSE ($)
BRICK PIT ($)
SERDA’S COFFEEHOUSE ($)
COTTON STATE BBQ ($)
HOME COOKIN’ LIKE MOMMA MADE. 2804 Springhill Ave. • 473-4739
BBQ, BURGERS, WINGS & SEAFOOD 19170 Hwy 43 Mt. Vernon. • 829-9227 A FAVORITE BARBECUE SPOT 5456 Old Shell Rd. • 343-0001
COFFEE, LUNCHES, LIVE MUSIC & GELATO 3 Royal St. S. • 415-3000
DOWNTOWN LUNCH 101 N. Conception St. • 545-4682
SIMPLY SWEET ($)
DICKEY’S BARBECUE PIT ($-$$)
17111 Scenic HWY 98 • Point Clear • 928-4838
A LITTLE VINO DOMKE MARKET
WINE, BEER, GOURMET FOODS, & MORE. 720 Schillinger Rd. S. Unit 8 • 287-1851
FOOD PAK
FOOD, WINE & MORE 5150 Old Shell Rd. • 341-1497
POUR BABY
WINE BAR, CRAFT BEERS & BISTRO 6808 Airport Blvd. • 343-3555
FIREHOUSE WINE BAR & SHOP 216 St Francis St. • 421-2022
RED OR WHITE
323A De La Mare Ave, Fairhope • 990-0003 1104 Dauphin St.. • 478-9494
ROYAL STREET TAVERN
LIVE MUSIC, MARTINIS & DINNER MENU. 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000
SOUTHERN NAPA
BISTRO PLATES, CRAFT BEERS & PANTRY 2304 Main St. • 375-2800
FALAFEL? TRY SOME HUMMUS 7 SPICE ($-$$)
HEALTHY, DELICIOUS MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 3762 Airport Blvd. • 725-1177
ABBA’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE ($-$$) 4861 Bit & Spur Rd. • 340-6464
DAUPHIN’S ($$-$$$)
JERUSALEM CAFE ($-$$)
DUMBWAITER ($$-$$$)
MEDITERRANEAN SANDWICH COMPANY ($)
HIGH QUALITY FOOD WITH A VIEW 107 St. Francis St • 444-0200 9 Du Rhu Dr. Suite 201 167 Dauphin St. • 445-3802
AUTHENTIC TURKISH & MEDITERRANEAN 3702 Airport Blvd. • 461-6901 MOBILE’S OLDEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE 5773 Airport Blvd. • 304-1155
FIVE ($$)
GREAT & QUICK. 3702 Airport Blvd. • 308-2131 274 Dauphin St. • 545-3161 2502 Schillinger Rd. Ste. 2 • 725-0126 6890 US-90 • DAPHNE • 621-2271
KITCHEN ON GEORGE ($-$$)
MINT HOOKAH BISTRO ($)
LAUNCH ($-$$)
OLLIE’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL ($-$$)
GREAT FOOD AND COCKTAILS 609 Dauphin St. • 308-3105 CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN FOOD 351A George & Savannah St. • 436-8890 HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St. • 432-8000
MAGHEE’S GRILL ON THE HILL ($-$$)
GREAT LUNCH & DINNER 3607 Old Shell Rd. • 445-8700
NOBLE SOUTH ($$)
OSMAN’S RESTAURANT ($$)
AUTHENTIC FOODS FROM HIMALAYAN REGION 3210 Dauphin St. • 287-0115 400 Eastern Shore Center • 459-2862
THE WASH HOUSE ($$)
ISTANBUL GRILL ($)
HIGH QUALITY FOOD & DRINKS 251 Government St • 460-3157
YAK THE KATHMANDU KITCHEN ($-$$)
85 N. Bancroft St. Fairhope • 990.8883
Battle House Hotel, Royal St. • 338-5493
CORNER 251 ($-$$)
NOJA ($$-$$$)
BAR-B-QUING WITH MY HONEY ($$)
16 | L AG N I A P P E | N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7
MEAT BOSS ($)
THE WINDMILL MARKET ($)
SALLY’S PIECE-A-CAKE ($)
COFFEE, SMOOTHIES, LUNCH & BEERS. 5460 Old Shell Rd. • 344-4575
RIBS, SANDWICHES & GREAT SIDES 3314 Old Shell Rd. • 479-9898
LOCAL INGREDIENTS 203 Dauphin St. • 690-6824
BACKYARD CAFE & BBQ ($)
BAKERY 5638 Three Notch Rd.• 219-6379
DREAMLAND BBQ ($)
1500 Gov’t St. • 287-1526
ROYAL STREET CAFE ($) HOMEMADE LUNCH & BREAKFAST 104 N. Royal St. • 434-0011
BBQ AND MORE Jubilee Sq.Ctr. Hwy 90, Daphne • 210-2151 McGowin Park Ctr. Satchel Paige Dr. • 471-1050 7721 Airport Blvd. • 380-8957
INVENTIVE & VERY FRESH CUISINE 6 N. Jackson St. • 433-0377 SUPREME EUROPEAN CUISINE 2579 Halls Mill Rd. • 479-0006
ROYAL SCAM ($$)
GUMBO, ANGUS BEEF & BAR 72. S. Royal St. • 432-SCAM (7226)
GREAT MEDITERRANEAN FOOD. 5951 Old Shell Rd. • 450-9191
MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT & HOOKAH 1248 Hillcrest St • 634-9820
TAZIKI’S ($-$$)
MEDITERRANEAN CAFE 1539 US HWY 98• 273-3337
FAR EASTERN FARE ANG BAHAY KUBO ($$) 4513 Old Shell Rd.• 473-0007
BAMBOO STEAKHOUSE ($$) SUSHI BAR 650 Cody Rd. S • 300-8383
BANGKOK THAI ($-$$)
DELICIOUS, TRADITIONAL THAI CUISINE 28600 US 98 • Daphne • 626-5286 3821 Airport Blvd. • 344-9995
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ($$$)
BANZAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ($$)
SAGE RESTAURANT ($$)
BENJAS ($)
VON’S BISTRO ($-$$)
CHARM ($-$$)
SEAFOOD, ASIAN & AMERICAN CUISINE 69 St. Michael St • 375-1113
THAI KITCHEN & SUSHI BAR 960 Schillinger Rd. S • 660-4470
TAMARA’S DOWNTOWN ($$)
CHINA DOLL ($)
3966 Airport Blvd.• 343-5530
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE & TASTE 271 Glenwood St. • 476-0516
INSIDE THE MOBILE MARRIOTT 3101 Airport Blvd. • 476-6400
CASUAL FINE DINING 104 N. Section St. • Fairhope • 929-2219
THE TRELLIS ROOM ($$$) CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN CUISINE
TRADITIONAL SUSHI & LUNCH. 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-9077 THAI & SUSHI 5369 D Hwy 90 W • 661-5100
CUISINE OF INDIA ($$) LUNCH BUFFET 3674 Airport Blvd. • 341-6171
FUJI SAN ($)
3382 Hwy. 98 • 625-1947
GOLDEN BOWL ($)
UPSCALE DINING WITH A VIEW 1420 Hwy. 98 • 626-6710
HIBACHI 1 ($-$$)
DELI, MARKET AND CATERING. 4380 Halls Mill Rd. • 665-2266
THAI FARE AND SUSHI 2000 Airport Blvd. • 478-9888 HIBACHI GRILL & ASIAN CUISINE 309 Bel Air Blvd • 470-8033 2370 Hillcrest Rd. Unit B • 380-6062
ICHIBAN SUSHI ($)
JAPANESE & CHINESE CUISINE 3959 Cottage Hill Rd • 666-6266
KAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ($-$$) QUALITY FOOD, EXCELLENT SERVICE 5045 Cottage Hill Rd. • 607-6454
LIQUID ($$)
AMAZING SUSHI & ASSORTMENT OF ROLLS. 661 Dauphin St. • 432-0109
RICE ASIAN GRILL & SUSHI BAR ($) 3964 Gov’t Blvd. • 378-8083
ROCK N ROLL SUSHI ($$)
273 S. McGregor Ave • 287-0445 6345 Airport Blvd. • 287-0555 940 Industrial Pkwy • 308-2158 6850 US HWY 98 • Daphne • 753-4367
STIX ($$)
610240 Eastern Shore Blvd. • 621-9088
TASTE OF THAI ($$)
9091 US-90 Irvington • 957-1414
TOKYO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE ($$) UPSCALE SUSHI & HIBACHI 364 Azalea Rd. • 343-6622
WASABI SUSHI ($$)
JAPANESE CUISINE 3654 Airport Blvd. S. C • 725-6078
FROM THE DEPTHS BAUDEAN’S ($$)
FRIED, GRILLED, STEAMED & ALWAYS FRESH 3300 River Rd. • 973-9070
THE BLUEGILL ($-$$)
A HISTORIC SEAFOOD DIVE W/ LIVE MUSIC 3775 Hwy. 98 • 625-1998
BONEFISH GRILL ($$)
ECLECTIC DINING & SPACE 6955 Airport Blvd. • 633-7196
BOUDREAUX’S CAJUN GRILL ($-$$) QUALITY CAJUN & NEW ORLEANS CUISINE 29249 US Highway 98 Daphne. • 621-1991
CRAVIN CAJUN/DIP SEAFOOD ($) PO-BOYS, SALADS & SEAFOOD 1870 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 287-1168
ED’S SEAFOOD SHED ($$)
FRIED SEAFOOD SERVED IN HEFTY PORTIONS
FELIX’S FISH CAMP ($$) FISHERMAN’S LEGACY ($) HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ($)
30500 AL-181 • Spanish Fort • 206-8768 3654 Airport Blvd. • 338-9350
LUCY B. GOODE ($$)
GULF COAST CUISINE, REINVENTED 200 E. 25th Ave. • Gulf Shores • 967-5858
LULU’S ($$)
LIVE MUSIC & GREAT SEAFOOD 200 E. 25th Ave. • Gulf Shores • 967-5858
MUDBUGS AT THE LOOP ($) CAJUN KITCHEN & SEAFOOD MARKET 2005 Government St. • 478-9897
RALPH & KACOO’S ($-$$) THE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 1595 Battleship Pkwy. • 626-0045
R&R SEAFOOD ($-$$)
LAID-BACK EATERY & FISH MARKET 1477 Battleship Pkwy. • 621-8366
RIVER SHACK ($-$$)
SEAFOOD, BURGERS & STEAKS 6120 Marina Dr. • Dog River • 443-7318.
THE GRAND MARINER ($-$$) LOCAL SEAFOOD & PRODUCE 6036 Rock Point Rd. • 443-7540
THE HARBOR ROOM ($-$$) UNIQUE SEAFOOD 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000
THE SEAFOOD HOUSE ($-$$) 751 Azalea Rd. • 301-7964
TIN TOP RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR ($$) SEAFOOD, STEAKS, & EXTENSIVE WINE LIST 6232 Bon Secour Hwy County Rd. 10. • 949-5086
WINTZELL’S OYSTER HOUSE ($-$$) FRESH SEAFOOD FOR OVER 75 YEARS 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 1208 Shelton Beach Rd. • Saraland • 442-3335 805 S. Mobile St. • 929-2322
IS THE GAME ON?
ASHLAND MIDTOWN PUB ($-$$) PIZZAS, PASTAS, & CALZONES 245-A Old Shell Rd. • 479-3278
BAUMHOWER’S ($)
WINGS, BURGERS & PUB GRUB 6880 US-90 #14 • Daphne • 625-4695
BUFFALO WILD WINGS ($) BEST WINGS & SPORTING EVENTS 6341 Airport Blvd. • 378-5955
BUTCH CASSIDY’S ($)
FAMOUS BURGERS, SANDWICHES & WINGS 60 N. Florida St. • 450-0690
CALLAGHAN’S IRISH SOCIAL CLUB ($) BURGERS & BEER 916 Charleston St. • 433-9374
HEROES SPORTS BAR & GRILLE ($) SANDWICHES & COLD BEER 273 Dauphin St. • 433-4376 Hillcrest & Old Shell Rd. • 341-9464
HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS ($-$$) WINGS, SEAFOOD, BURGERS & BEER 7721 Airport Blvd. Suite E-180 • 639-6832
ISLAND WING CO ($)
EVERYTHING BAKED OR GRILLED 2617 Dauphin St. • 476-9464
MANCIS ($)
1715 Main St. • 375-0543
MCSHARRY’S IRISH PUB ($)
BRILLIANT REUBENS & FISH-N-CHIPS. 101 N. Brancroft St. Fairhope • 990-5100
MUG SHOTS ($$)
HOUSE OF PIZZA ($)
3958 Snow Rd C. • Semmes • 645-3400
JONELLI’S ($)
WEMOS ($)
WINGS, TENDERS, HOTDOGS & SANDWICHES 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-5877
MAMA MIA!
BUCK’S PIZZA ($$)
DELIVERY 350 Dauphin St. • 431-9444
CORTLANDT’S PIZZA PUB ($-$$) GREAT PIZZA. LUNCH & DINNER 4356 Old Shell Rd. • 342-0024
GAMBINO’S ITALIAN GRILL ($) ITALIAN, STEAKS & SEAFOOD 18 Laurel Ave. • Fairhope • 990-0995
GRIMALDI’S ($)
Bel Air Mall • 476-2063
GUIDO’S ($$)
FRESH CUISINE NIGHTLY ON MENU 1709 Main St. • Daphne • 626-6082
777 Beach Blvd.Biloxi • 877-877-6256
HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ($-$$) SEAFOOD
HARD ROCK CAFÉ ($)
EL MARIACHI ($)
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ($$$)
5055 Cottage Hill Rd. • 308-4888 2394 Dawes Rr. • 639-3535 2004 US 98 • Daphne • 265-6550
FUEGO ($-$$)
SATISFACTION ($-$$)
MELLOW MUSHROOM ($)
HACIENDA SAN MIGUEL ($-$$)
HARRAH’S GULF COAST:
LA ROSSO ($$)
COMFORT FOOD 1716 Main St. Ste. C • Daphne • 281-2982
MARCOS ($)
763 Holcombe Ave • 473-0413 OUTSTANDING MEXICAN CUISINE 2066 Old Shell Rd. • 378-8621
PIES & AWESOME BEER SELECTION 2032 Airport Blvd. • 471-4700 5660 Old Shell Rd. • 380-1500 29698 Frederick Blvd.• Daphne • 621-3911
MIRKO ($$)
TASTE OF MEXICO 880 Schillinger Rd. S. • 633-6122 5805 US 90 • 653-9163
LA COCINA ($)
NAVCO PIZZA ($$)
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE 800 N Section St. • Fairhope • 990-0783 830 W I65 Service Rd. S • 378-5837 4663 Airport Blvd. • 342-5553
PAPA’S PLACE ($$)
PASTA & MORE 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-6611 PIZZA, SUBS & PASTA 1368 ½ Navco Rd.• 479-0066 A TASTE OF ITALY. BYOB. 28691 U.S. Highway 98 • 626-1999
OLD 27 GRILL ($)
IRISH PUB FARE & MORE 1108 Shelton Beach Rd •Saraland • 473-0757 3692 Airport Blvd • 414-3000
HARD ROCK CASINO:
ENCHILADAS, TACOS, & AUTHENTIC FARE Ok Bicycle Shop • 661 Dauphin St. • 432-2453
PINZONE’S ITALIAN VILLAGE ($$)
LUCKY’S IRISH PUB ($)
MEXICAN CUISINE 260 Azalea Rd. • 375-1095
DAUPHIN ST. TAQUERIA ($)
1252 Gov’t St. • 301-7556
BAR & GRILL 29740 Urgent Care Dr. • Daphne • 662-9639 6255 Airport Blvd. • 447-2514 BURGERS, DOGS & 27 BEERS & WINES. 19992 Hwy.181 Old County Rd. Fairhope • 281-2663
CINCO DE MAYO ($)
AMERICAN FARE & ROCKIN’ MEMORABILIA EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE & TASTE SOUTHERN FAVORITES BUFFET
280 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 288-436-2946
MAGNOLIA HOUSE ($$-$$$) FINE DINING, SEAFOOD AND STEAKS
FLAVORS BUFFET ($-$$) ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET
IP CASINO:
850 Bayview Ave. Bilox • 888-946-2847
LOS ARCOS ($)
THIRTY-TWO ($$$)
QUAINT MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5556 Old Shell Rd. • 345-7484
TIEN ($-$$)
MARIA BONITA AGAVE BAR & GRILL ($-$$)
HIGH TIDE CAFÉ ($)
SEAFOOD, STEAKS, WINE
INTERACTIVE ASIAN DINING
CASUAL & RELAXING, EXTENSIVE MENU
MEXICAN CUISINE 3977 Gov’t Blvd. • 660-4970
ISLAND VIEW:
RAVENITE ($)
OLÉ MI AMIGO ($-$$)
BEACH BLVD STEAMER ($)
PIZZERIA DELFINA ($)
POOR MEXICAN ($)
AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DISHES 312 Fairhope Ave. • Fairhope • 990-5535 PIZZA, PASTA, SALAD & MORE 102 N. Section St. •Fairhope• 929-2525
3050 AL 181 • Spanish Fort • 621-7433
PIZZA & PASTA 107 Dauphin St. • 375-1644
PASTA, SALAD AND SANDWICHES 7143 Airport Blvd. • 341-7217
TAMARA’S BAR & GRILL ($)
WINGS, PO-BOYS, BURGERS 210 Eastern Shore Center, Hwy. 98 • 929-0002
TRATTORIA PIZZA & ITALIAN ($$) ITALIAN FOOD & PIZZAS 11311 US HIghway 31 Spanish Fort• 375-0076 HOMEMADE PASTAS & PIZZAS MADE DAILY 5901 Old Shell Rd. • 342-3677
OLÉ MI AMIGO! AZTECAS ($-$$)
TASTE OF MEXICO 5452 Hwy 90 W • 661-5509
CAFÉ DEL RIO ($-$$)
MOUTH WATERING MEXICAN FOOD 1175 Battleship Pkwy • 625-2722
SEAFOOD
CARTER GREEN STEAKHOUSE ($$-$$$) RICH TRADITIONS, STEAK, SEAFOOD
C&G GRILLE ($)
LARGE BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER MENU
ROOSTER’S ($)
PALACE CASINO:
TAQUERIA MEXICO ($-$$)
MIGNON’S ($$$)
LATIN AMERICAN FOOD 211 Dauphin St. • 375-1076
ROMA CAFE ($-$$)
VIA EMILIA ($$)
HEARTY MEXICAN FARE 736 holcombe Ave.• 473-0413
3300 W. Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 877-774-8439
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FLAVOR 3733 Airport Blvd. • 414-4496
NO GAMBLING CASINO FARE
158 Howard Ave. Biloxi • 800-725-2239 STEAKS, SEAFOOD, FINE WINE
PLACE BUFFET ($-$$) INTERACTIVE ASIAN DINING
STACKED GRILL ($-$$)
BURGERS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
BEAU RIVAGE:
TREASURE BAY:
BR PRIME ($$-$$$)
THE DEN ($-$$)
875 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 888-952-2582
1980 Beach Blvd. Biloxi • 800-747-2839 INTIMATE & CASUAL WITH DAILY SPECIALS
FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENT.
CQ ($$-$$$)
BURGER, WINGS, PIZZA
BLU ($)
EXOTIC CUISINE AND SUSHI
WIND CREEK CASINO:
ITALIAN COOKING
FIRE ($$-$$$)
COAST RESTAURANT ($-$$) JIA ($-$$)
STALLA ($$)
TERRACE CAFE ($)
BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER, LATE NIGHT
ELEGANT ATMOSPHERE & TANTALIZING ENTREES LOUNGE WITH COCKTAILS & TAPAS MENU
303 Poarch Rd. Atmore • 866-946-3360 PRIME STEAKS, SEAFOOD & WINE
GRILL ($)
N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | L AG N I A P P E | 17
CUISINE | THE DISH
Shaking it up this Thanksgiving with soups BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET
Photos | depositphotos.com
Turkey Gumbo
Hearty soups such as oyster stew and turkey gumbo can be a welcome addition to the traditional Thanksgiving table.
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very year I use this column to profess my love for Thanksgiving. Full of traditions, food, family and dangerous deep-frying, you haven’t lived until you’ve haphazardly tossed a football over a pot of oil containing a 14-pound bird bubbling at a brisk 400 degrees F. It’s all about being at my mom’s house, the charm of the table setting, the printed menu (which rarely changes), a little bit of wine on top of the beer we had while frying, coupled with the low level of dysfunction my family embraces. I’ve always been sad when someone dreads the dinner table on Turkey Day, certain of family drama. I can proudly say we virtually have zero of that. In my eyes everyone is dysfunctional to an extent. I’ll be hanged if I’m going to ruin my favorite meal of the year by discussing it at the table. Turn on the reverb and let me tell you, in my best Nostradamus voice, what the day will be. There’s the quatrain about us waiting on my sister, the last to show for lunch. Another would be my brother, who can disappear and reappear in a blink. There’s the one about which kid will read from the Bible (really about which one doesn’t have to) and the Great Deviled Egg Armageddon, where someone is keeping a tally of consumption. It’s the same actions, same food, same jokes every year. Though I vow to keep all the years-old traditions, I intend to change things a little. Perhaps we can create more traditions. This year I am fed up that we don’t have a soup course. We never have. It’s time we start our Thanksgiving with an earthy oyster stew and finish our weekend with leftover turkey gumbo. Odd we never made time for soup, but this recipe happens fast. You have to stay with it so the oysters don’t overcook. Friends have taken a liking to the latest tweaks to my once “off the cuff” recipe, so I’m sticking to the changes. They probably love the heavy cream and butter the most.
Oyster Stew Olive oil to coat 1 stick of butter 1 medium onion, diced 2 stalks celery with leaves, diced 2 cloves minced garlic 1 quart shucked oysters, liquor reserved ½ cup white wine 1 cup cleaned and sliced mushrooms ½ cup or more chopped fresh parsley 1 cup heavy cream Juice of half a lemon Green onions, chopped, for garnish Hot sauce This works best in a skillet rather than a soup pot. I have always been fond of the Mary Mahoney version but this recipe is all mine. I think it’s a contender. It’s a situation where the parsley steals the show. You just about can’t add enough of it. Coat the pan with olive oil and melt the butter. Add the onions and celery (love those leaves) and cook until they are soft. Add salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, careful not to brown. Add the liquor from the oysters and the wine. Bring mixture to a soft boil and add mushrooms. As soon as the mushrooms begin to soften add the chopped parsley, cooking for about 1 minute. Follow this with the heavy cream and fresh ground pepper, keeping it on the heat another 4 minutes. When it is nice, hot and softly bubbling, add the oysters, cooking until the sides curl but no more than 2 or 3 minutes. Finish with a handful of green onions and brighten it up with the lemon juice. Serve in bowls with hot French bread and either Crystal or Louisiana Red Dot Hot Sauce.
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1 cup canola oil 1 cup flour 3 cups chopped separated trinity (ratio of 2:1:1 onion, celery, bell pepper) 3 cloves garlic minced Creole seasoning 3 bay leaves 4 quarts turkey stock (or chicken stock or water) 4 cups of turkey meat and carcass 1 pound smoked sausage sliced 2 cups of sliced okra, thawed if frozen I did this last year with the leftover turkey carcass, taking a cue from John Besh’s book “Besh Big Easy.” Despite recent trouble in the Besh Restaurant Group, he is still one of my favorite chefs and cookbook authors. Besh is fond of canola oil for the roux, a practice I have taken to heart. This particular roux is pretty dark and holds up well with the turkey. When picking the meat I am not afraid of the crispy bits of leftover skin. Embrace that. For sausage I am currently crazy about the Country Pleasin’ brand of smoked green onion sausage from Cooper’s Country Meat Packers in Florence, Mississippi. It’s readily available here and worth the search. Over medium-high heat, whisk flour into hot oil, stirring until it becomes a caramel color. Add the onions and the roux will darken considerably. Stir a few minutes more and add the celery, bell pepper and Creole seasoning. When they soften, add the garlic and bay leaves followed by the stock a minute later. Bring to a boil and add the turkey carcass and sausage. When it boils again, add the okra. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for 45 minutes. Add the turkey meat and serve with your choice of hot sauce and rice. I’ve been recently fond of using jasmine rice with gumbo. It’s a fast-cooking rice and works well as a roux vehicle. When it comes to gumbo hot sauce I prefer a little more heat than the previously mentioned Crystal or Louisiana brands. Tabasco has made gumbo better for years. Fingers crossed these two soups will be good enough to find their way into the MacDonald Thanksgiving tradition. It’s putting a little more weight on my shoulders, but I don’t mind the work. Happy Thanksgiving to all! Make it count.
CUISINE | WORD OF MOUTH
Mobile Int’l Festival coming to Civic Center
a pretty good form of education, right? Tickets cost just $12 and can be purchased at www.mobileinternationalfestival.org or by calling 251-208-1556. Children 12 and under get in free! Eat ‘til you drop.
BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | FATMANSQUEEZE@COMCAST.NET
No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to dip!
I know 007 wouldn’t be too chicken to eat at Goldfingers, the soon-to-be wing joint located at 3151 Dauphin St. next to Jersey Mike’s. Expected to open soon, the latest facility in this chain that originated in Dothan looks ready to go. Chicken wings, tenders, nuggets and sandwiches decorate the menu. This could be a viable option for playoff takeout. If you can’t wait for the Mobile location to open, simply take the short drive north to Saraland at 1020 Industrial Parkway.
Let Moe’s Original do the cooking
Photo | Facebook
Dothan wing chain Goldfingers opening soon next to Jersey Mike’s.
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xperience celebrations from around the world as the 34th annual Mobile International Festival fills the Mobile Civic Center Saturday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. One of the longest-running festivals on the Gulf Coast, its success can be attributed in part to its “dedication to educating students and visitors to the varied cultural world around them.” Of course you will go there to learn. Of course, you will be entertained by the international musicians, folk dancers, Japa-
nese drummers and much more from around the globe. But let’s face it, the real draw for this soiree and its continued success is the food. For more than three decades, this event has transformed the Civic Center into the tastiest spot on the Gulf as food vendors from many countries share what we consider the most important part of their cultures. This is your chance to travel around the world in a matter of minutes and get full while you do it. That’s
Not everyone enjoys the actual cooking on Thanksgiving. Take some of the pressure off grandma and celebrate the holidays Moe’s style. A 12-pound to 14-pound whole turkey smoked and ready to go with giblet gravy will run you $40, while an 8-pound spiral sliced ham with root beer glaze goes for $50. Already have the turkey but your smoker is on the fritz? Moe’s will smoke it for you for $20. Rules are it must be less than 14 pounds and dropped off fully thawed no later than Sunday, Nov. 19. Pans of sides start at $15 and include cornbread dressing, mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole and collard greens. Call any Moe’s locations for more details or visit www.moesoriginalbbq.com.
Old Shell Growlers soon to serve lunch
Just across the street from the Dew Drop Inn, Old Shell Growlers has been open for about a year now. Beer, wine, higher-end bar food and, of course, growlers have been the focus of this early evening/night spot. According to their Facebook page, lunch will be coming soon! With a new menu on the way, stay tuned for a change in operating hours. Prepare to be wowed. They don’t take these things lightly. Recycle!
N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | L AG N I A P P E | 19
COVER STORY
District attorney disputes report naming Mobile County as death penalty BY GABRIEL TYNES/ ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
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ast August, Harvard University’s Fair PunishRich, in her closing arguments, used the protective order ment Project released a study naming Mobile to “establish what Janet [Penn] had been thinking” in the County as one of 16 nationwide “outliers ” in days leading up her death. death penalty cases — counties that imposed five Rich, who admitted those convicted of capital murder or more death sentences between 2010 and 2015. In have every right to appeal, said the appeals court’s decithat time, the study noted, Mobile County (population sion and Penn’s resulting retrial were frivolous. 415,395) sentenced eight defendants to death, placing it “At the [original trial], we introduced [the restraining on the list alongside such counties as Riverside in Caliorder] under a rule called 404(b) — you can introduce fornia (population 2.63 million), Maricopa in Arizona prior acts of the defendant to show motive, plan, design, (population 4.16 million) and Clark in Nevada (populascheme or intent,” she explained. “There was nowhere tion 2.11 million). in the law that said you have to choose one of those … But in the two years since, juries in Mobile County So the Court of Criminal Appeals, in a series of opinions have placed another three capital murder convicts on [in Penn’s] case, said under 404(b) you have to pick one: death row, while at least four more defendants are awaitmotive, plan, design, scheme or intent. Really? We’re ing trial. doing everything all over again because you have to pick Harvard’s report goes beyond the numbers, suggesting one … they reversed it on that and that alone.” Penn’s was the second death penalty imposed by the convictions and sentences of the cases it examined a Mobile County jury on a capital murder retrial in as were often the result of split juries, inadequate defense, many years. Separately, Thomas Lane, who was origiracial bias or exclusion, and overzealous prosecutors. nally convicted of murdering his In an interview last month, Mobile “mail-order bride,” Teresa, in a life County District Attorney Ashley insurance fraud scheme in 2003, was Rich, who has presided over at again sentenced to die in a retrial least seven of the cases personally, completed last year. questioned the report’s accuracy Lane was granted a retrial [THE REPORT] DOESN’T TELL and motives. after the appeals court determined “The purpose of this [report] YOU IF THEY STUDIED ALL prosecutors improperly removed is to skew the public perception his chosen defense attorney because of the death penalty,” she said. “It THE JURISDICTIONS WHERE the attorney needed to appear doesn’t tell you if they studied all as a witness in chain-of-custody THE DEATH PENALTY IS the jurisdictions where the death testimony involving a key piece of penalty is imposed, so how are IMPOSED, SO HOW ARE THEY evidence: the defendant’s computer. they choosing Mobile County as The appeals court awarded Lane a one of the top? They sensationalize CHOOSING MOBILE COUNTY retrial, determining he had a right everything and there are a lot of to the attorney of his choosing. But AS ONE OF THE TOP? facts that are just wrong.” afterward, Lane chose a different As recently as Oct. 31, a jury attorney anyway, Rich noted. recommended the death penalty for “We tried it again, and we got Derrick Shawn Penn by a margin the death penalty again,” Rich said. “[Prosecuting] is our of 11 to 1 for the shooting death of his estranged wife, job and you’re never going to hear me say we don’t have Janet, and the beating death of her boyfriend at the time. enough money or enough time [for retrials],” she said, It was a retrial for Penn, after the Alabama Court of laying a photo of Teresa Lane’s body — drowned in her Criminal Appeals overturned his original conviction and bathtub — on the conference room table. death sentence after it found “plain error” in how the jury Also since 2015, Jamal Jackson, Dennis Hicks, John was instructed to consider a single piece of evidence: a Deblase and Heather Keaton have been sent to Alarestraining order Janet Penn had sought for protection bama’s death row from Mobile County. Meanwhile, at from her estranged husband. least five other capital cases are pending trial or retrial, The Harvard report, which called Penn “intellectuwhile only two defendants have been spared the death ally impaired,” suggested Rich “repeatedly referred to penalty in the past two years. improper and highly inflammatory evidence” during his One, Carlos Kennedy, was originally sent to death original trial. The appeals court stated it differently: that row for the sexual assault and murder of Zoa White
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in Mobile in 2010, but a jury on retrial recommended life without parole. Another, Saraya Atkins, was spared the death penalty by Judge Michael Youngpeter last year in spite of a jury’s recommendation of death for her role in the robbery and murder of Robert Perry in 2014. Rich noted it was the second time in her career Youngpeter chose life in spite of a jury’s death recommendation. The other was in the case of Michael Berry, who shot and killed his estranged wife, Wendy Stevens, in front of her four children at a West Mobile ATM in 2010. Speaking cautiously because he has capital cases pending, Youngpeter defended both decisions, adding that he has imposed the death penalty in other cases and may have to do so again in the future. “As far as Berry, that was not an ‘override,’” he said. “In that case I determined, as a matter of law, there was not sufficient proof of an aggravator.” Aggravators can be additional crimes, previous crimes or premeditation that make a felony murder — or sudden, unplanned murder — eligible for a capital upgrade and the death penalty. “With Atkins, I did not follow [the jury’s] recommendation. I did not agree that death for a 20-year-old was fitting,” Youngpeter said, referencing Atkins’ age. Youngpeter noted that just this year Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation outlawing “judicial overrides” in the state, meaning judges can no longer stray from a jury’s recommendation. “From now on, they are not making a recommendation, they are making a decision,” he said. While most of the cases reviewed by Harvard involved aggravators including premeditation or murder in the commission of another crime, the district attorney’s office has recently employed a more unusual aggravator in seeking a capital conviction. In this year’s trial against Jamal Jackson, who was sentenced to death in July for the 2014 stabbing and strangling his girlfriend Satori Richardson before setting their apartment on fire, the crime rose to the level of capital murder based on Jackson’s previous conviction of robbery using a firearm. Assistant District Attorney Keith Blackwood, who prosecuted Jackson, cited Alabama Code 13A-5-49(2): “The defendant was previously convicted of another capital offense or a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person.” Blackwood noted Jackson had a prior conviction of first-degree robbery involving the use or threat of violence to the victim of the robbery. Still other retrials can be beyond the court’s control. Just last month, Mobile County death row inmate Garrett Dotch successfully filed a Rule 32 appeal, arguing one of the jurors in his original trial failed to disclose that his wife had been murdered. According to news reports of his crime, Dotch ambushed and killed onetime girlfriend Timarla Taldon outside the Subway sandwich shop in West Mobile where she worked in 2006. He was convicted and sentenced in 2008 and the conviction was affirmed in 2010. The Alabama Attorney General’s office will preside over his Rule 32 retrial next year. Speaking of the jury selection process in Dotch’s case, Rich said, “We asked more than 10 times, ‘do you know anybody that’s been a victim of a violent crime?’ We asked all the standard questions. If you’ve ever watched our voir dire you know it’s an extensive, exhaustive voir dire and [the juror] never once told anybody. After it was over, investigators went out and questioned some of the jurors and they found out he had lied to the court.” Rich said the statute of limitations has since expired in the juror’s contempt, so he cannot be prosecuted. Harvard’s report also criticized defense attorneys Greg Hughes, Art Powell and Habib Yazdi for “inadequate defense” in several cases, particularly that of Kennedy, who represented himself at retrial and was given a life sentence, and former death row inmate William Zeigler, who has since been released from prison and whose case has been extensively detailed by this publication. Last year, a Mobile County judge also released former death row inmate
COVER STORY George Martin, who was originally prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office. The full Harvard report accompanies this article on lagniappemobile.com. “It doesn’t matter what my perception of people’s view of the death penalty is — the law is the law and we have capital punishment in the state of Alabama and I’m a prosecutor charged with prosecuting defendants and making sure the laws in the state of Alabama are followed,” Rich concluded. She retreated to a bookshelf behind her desk, where she retrieved a framed quotation from conservative academic David Gelernter, who was injured by a pipe bomb mailed to him in 1993 by Ted Kaczynski, “the Unabomber,” “If we favor executing murderers it is not because we want to but because, however much we do not want to, we consider ourselves obliged to.” The quote is one of numerous mementos from victims, colleagues and victims’ families she’s collected over the years, many of which are displayed in her office. One, a porcelain figurine called “Brother and Sister,” was cited in the Harvard report as an example of her “overzealousness” in the courtroom. The report claims Rich displayed the figurine throughout the capital murder trial of Heather Keaton in 2015. Keaton became the first woman from Mobile County sent to death row in 2015 for the torture and murder of two young children — one boy and one girl — in 2015, along with her boyfriend and the children’s father, John DeBlase. Rich said the report is inaccurate, and she only displayed the figurine briefly during a sentencing hearing, while the jury was not present. “They want you to believe in this report, that I would do something unethical by putting a statue on my counsel table to inflame the jury during a serious legal proceeding where we are seeking to impose the death penalty? That’s just absolutely false. “Trying a death penalty case is one of the most emotional, gut-wrenching things you will ever be a part of either as prosecutor or a defense attorney or a victim or a jury member — and we take that very seriously in this office.”
MOBILE COUNTY’S DEATH ROW INMATES
Vernon Madison — Killed Mobile police Cpl. Julius Schulte in 1985. Was convicted and sentenced to death in 1985 and again in 1990, but 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled earlier this year he was incompetent and cannot be executed. The U.S. Supreme Court in November 2017 disagreed, and said Madison is eligible for execution. Jason Oric Williams — Killed four people during a shooting spree in Irvington on Feb. 15, 1992. His appeals have been exhausted. Jarrod Taylor — Convicted of the execution-style shooting deaths of Steve Dyas, Sherry Gaston and her husband, Bruce Gaston, at Dyas’ car dealership on Dec. 12, 1997. In 2014, his sentence was affirmed by the Alabama Supreme Court. Thomas Dale Ferguson — Killed a Colbert County man and his 11-year-old son on a fishing trip on July 20, 1997. The case was moved to Mobile County because of pretrial publicity. Joseph Clifton Smith -— Sentenced to death in 1998 for the robbery and beating death of Durk Van Dam on Nov. 25, 1997.
Jeremy Bryan Jones — Raped and shot Lisa Marie Nichols in her Turnerville home in September 2004. Received the death penalty in 2005 in a decision upheld on appeal in 2010. Prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office. Thomas Robert Lane — Drowned his wife, Teresa, in October 2003 in an alleged life insurance fraud. His 2006 capital murder conviction was overturned, but he was retried and convicted in 2016 and returned to death row. Lam Luong — Threw his four young children to their deaths from the Dauphin Island bridge on Jan. 7, 2008. His death penalty appeal was rejected by the Alabama Supreme Court in 2014 and the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016. Garrett Dotch — Ambushed and killed onetime girlfriend Timarla Taldon outside the Subway sandwich shop in West Mobile where she worked in 2006. Sentenced in 2008 and conviction was affirmed in 2010. Awaiting retrial in 2018. Donald Dwayne Whatley — Murdered downtown motel owner Pete Patel during a robbery in December 2003. Sentenced in 2008 and conviction was affirmed in 2011. Jerry Dwayne Bohannon — Convicted in early January 2014 of the double murder of Jerry Duboise Jr. and Anthony Harvey on Dec. 11, 2010. Derrick Shawn Penn — Originally sentenced to death in 2011 for the murders of Janet Penn and Demetrius Powe. Retried in October 2017, reconvicted of capital murder and jury recommended the death penalty by an 11-to-1 margin. John DeBlase — Poisoned, tortured and murdered his two children with the aid of his girlfriend, Heather Keaton. Sentenced to death in 2015. Heather Keaton — Co-conspirator in John Deblase case, became first woman from Mobile County to be sentenced to death in 2015. Aubrey Lynn Shaw — Stabbed his great aunt and uncle, Bob and Doris Gilbert, to death in 2007 during a drug-fueled robbery. Sentenced to death in 2011. Dennis Hicks — Sentenced to death in 2016 for the murder and dismemberment of 23-year-old Joshua Duncan. Previously on parole for a double homicide in Mississippi. Michael Bragg Woolf — Convicted of killing his wife and 2-year-old son. Sentenced in 2011. Resentenced in 2014. Filed a Rule 32 petition on Oct. 24, 2017. Jamal Jackson — Sentenced to death in July 2017 for the 2014 stabbing and strangling of his girlfriend Satori Richardson in 2014 before setting their apartment on fire. Crime rose to the level of capital murder based on Jackson’s previous conviction of robbery using a firearm.
CASES PENDING
Derrick Dearman — Charged with six counts of capital murder in Citronelle. Nicholas Jones — Charged with the capital murder of his girlfriend Kelwanna Bruno and their unborn child. Christopher Knapp — Charged with aggravated child abuse and capital murder for the death of 20-month-old Dakota Burke in 2015. Scheduled for trial in February 2018. Summer Everett — Charged with aggravated child abuse and capital murder for the death of 20-month-old Dakota Burke in 2015. Scheduled for trial in February 2018. N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 - N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 | L AG N I A P P E | 21
ART ARTIFICE
AIGA covers Optera in local glory BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR/KLEE@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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f you wander into Optera Creative (5 N. Jackson St.) you’ll find walls filled with the familiar: album covers you’ve glimpsed for years, some for all your life, but with a twist. Their themes orbit a city at the head of a wide, Alabama bay. The local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts has boosted its profile with a locally oriented contest. The nonprofit challenged all comers to take familiar albums and reimagine them with a Mobile orientation. “We were very loose with the rules,” AIGA Events Coordinator Katie Vogtner said. “One of the artists who submitted a few, Megan Cary, is our AIGA president. She teaches at the University of Mobile and got some of her students to do some, so some were professional, some student work, kind of a mix.” Installed on Nov. 9, Vogtner said the reaction to AIGA’s first-ever LoDa Artwalk event was very good. The upbeat response might guarantee even more participation next time. The columnist typing these words was enlisted as sole judge for the competition. The results were as follows: • First Place: Steven McNider’s Mob Town “Celebration” inspired by Madonna’s “Celebration” album. Its rendering, design and idea implementing the stylized face of Wayne Dean’s Chief Slac were flawless. • Second Place: Chris Graham’s Mobile “Wish You Were Here,” inspired by Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” album. Graham took the handshaking pair from the original album and set The Temple downtown as their background. The fact one man was in flames seemed a subtly humorous
comment on our summers. • Third Place: Jacob Burkhardt’s Sandy Stimpson “Mobile” inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album. The sight of the Mobile mayor luxuriating in natty white attire was well rendered. While the angle of Stimpson’s integrated head has the tiniest perspective issue juxtaposed with Jackson’s body, the sight of the tiger cub clambering over him was too hilarious to resist. Honorable mention went to Vogtner for her Mobile “Holiday Inn Yankee Foxtrot” (from Wilco’s “Hotel Yankee Foxtrot”) and her Sandy “Nothing But the Best” (Frank Sinatra “Nothing But the Best”), Julianne Patterson’s Sandy Stimpson “Welcome to Mobile” (Dave Barnes, “Carry On, San Vincente”), Gin Mathers’ The Boors “Bama Motel” (The Doors, “Morrison Hotel”) and Cary’s Steve Nodine “Aladdin Sane” (David Bowie, “Aladdin Sane”). Other pieces incorporated albums from artists such as Green Day, Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash, Josh Groban, Fleetwood Mac, Freddie Mercury and Simon and Garfunkel. “I just did a Google image search for album covers and scrolled through until I found something that inspired me. Like that Wilco one, I just thought about the Holiday Inn hotel for that,” Vogtner said. She said the Sinatra album jumped out at her due to her fondness for Stimpson’s performance as the city’s chief executive. “This is our first go at this so I’d like to say maybe we could do this again next year, maybe change up somehow,” Vogtner said. An idea for movie posters wasn’t ruled out. The show will be in place at Optera through November.
FROM TOP: In AIGA’s recent record cover contest, Steven McNider won first place for “Mob Town ‘Celebration,’” based on the Madonna album. Megan Cary’s “Steve Nodine ‘Aladdin Sane,’” inspired by the David Bowie’s album, received an honorable mention. Third place went to Jacob Burkhardt’s “Sandy Stimpson ‘Mobile’” inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album.
The Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile Arts Council and Alabama Contemporary Art Center are amassing a database of artists and artisans across the central Gulf Coast. Their intention is to create a resource for promoting the arts throughout the region. The Artists Registry is designed to showcase those who delve into music, visual art, dance, theater, needlework and various creative endeavors. The listing is intended as a resource for exhibitions, programs and events to promote art produced in the area. Registration forms can be found at http:// webforms.zenginehq.com/regionalartistregistry.
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8 LoDa Artwalk. Donations of food, wine/beer for the Artwalk reception are greatly appreciated.
USA struts student talent
The University of South Alabama is ready for its annual “Scenes from Opera and Musical Theatre” program under the direction of Thomas Rowell. The show, which features the students of USA’s voice program, includes portions of opera, operetta and American musical theater along with the upcoming Spring 2018 production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers.” It takes place Friday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 19, at 3 p.m. in the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center (5751 USA Drive, S.). Admission is $8, $5 for USA faculty and staff, USA students, youths under 18 and all senior citizens. Cash or check only. For more information, call 251-460-7116 or 251-460-6136.
ARTSGALLERY
dio/video. Artists may submit up to three pieces that can fit within a three-foot by six-foot area. Some entries may be juried out depending on the number of submissions received. Drop off/setup for shows will take place Friday, Dec. 1, 2-5 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you cannot drop off during these days and times you will need to make prior arrangements with Lucy Gafford, MAC programs director. MAC takes a 20 percent commission on sales. Works do not have to be for sale. All works must not have been on display at MAC previously. All works must remain on display until Friday, Dec. 22, at the earliest. Works must be equipped to hang and clearly list title, price and artist’s name. Artists must MAC member show solicits submissions sign a hold-harmless agreement upon dropping The Skinny Gallery at Mobile Arts Council off their works. (318 Dauphin St.) will feature works by Mobile Official takedown is Jan. 2 between 9 a.m. Arts Council members for the month of Deand 5 p.m. cember. RSVP to lgafford@mobilearts.org by Nov. Artwork can be 2D and/or 3D as well as au24. Artists are requested to be present for Dec.
Artist database being built
Photos | Kevin Lee
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of Work.” Buffett went on to produce the album “Nobody from Nowhere” for Kimbrough and Tommy Womack’s Daddy project. Kimbrough said Buffett brought him into the project to edit voiceovers and “go through” a collection of tracks handpicked by Buffett. Kimbrough says he was fascinated by the tracks, some of which include some of Rick Hirsch’s first studio session work. While the tracks reflect a young singer-songwriter’s early love for The Beatles and Summer of Love-era folk, Kimbrough says “the sound of his voice and accent that we all know by heart” is present throughout these deep tracks. That stories that accompany these tracks are a beautiful complement to the album, Kimbrough adds. “I love hearing the stories and the songs, and I like to hear artists that I like when they first started,” he said. “This is stuff that has literally been hidden away for almost 50 years. That’s my favorite thing about it. It’s just never seen the light of day before. You get to hear this superstar guy/business mogul as a pretty innocent young man. It sounds like he got his heart broken a few time. He sounds young and vulnerable.” Local producer/singer-songwriter Milton L. Brown remembers meeting that young and vulnerable man on his first visit to Product Sound Studio very well. The studio, formerly located at 1916 Airport Blvd., was run by Brown along with former WALA Chief Meteorologist John Edd Thompson, Nick Panayiotou and Travis Turk. At that time, Buffett was engaged to Margie Washichek, known during that time for her reign as Miss USS Alabama. Washichek introduced Buffett to Brown and the Product Sound Studio team. Brown says those first tracks Buffett laid down were not the “toes-in-the-sand/Caribbean cowboy stuff” that has made him a music icon. “It was protest songs,” Brown said. “It was that era. We brought him in with a little rhythm section and recorded a couple of the songs that he had done. What I recognized was not so much the material, but he was one of those kind of guys that when he walked in the room and smiled that Buffett smile, he lit the room. With that persona, you knew that if he could carry a tune, then you’ve got an artist.” Brown and Buffett began working together and recording a few tracks for Product Sound’s label. After laying down more tracks for a showcase demo, Brown took Buffett to Nashville to establish a foundation in Music City. Brown says his Nashville connections noted his talent but had no musical “niche” for him, especially since Buffett was adamant about not being a country artist. However, Brown persisted in finding Buffet his place in the music world. Brown and Turk rented inexpensive, late-night sessions in Nashville and placed Buffett in the studio alongside well-known Nashville session musicians. Eventually, he had the opportunity to record three of his own tracks for Brown to shop to
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Photo | www.margaritaville.com
arrotheads represent one of the most zealous subcultures in modern music. These Trop Rock enthusiasts have dedicated their lives to reaching the worry-free beachside fantasy found in the verses of Jimmy Buffett’s extensive catalog. Buffett will give Parrotheads a musical prequel to the creation of Trop Rock and the Margaritaville phenomenon with the Nov. 17 release of “Buried Treasure, Volume 1.” The father of Trop Rock uses this unique release to give his avid followers a guided tour of his first year as a professional musician, taking listeners to 1969, before Buffett discovered Margaritaville. “Buried Treasure, Volume 1” is a flashback to Buffett’s first sessions at Product Sound Studio in Mobile and his first venture into legendary Nashville producer/songwriter Buzz Cason’s Creative Workshop Studio. Buffett himself provides insight into the tracks throughout the album. These newly discovered tracks were unearthed when John and Martina McBride bought one of Cason’s old studios. Assisted by the studio’s longtime in-house engineer/producer Travis Turk, who first met Buffett in Mobile, the McBrides found these ¼-inch tapes during the move into the studio. In a recent press release, Buffett said discovery of these tracks inspired him to not only give his followers a collection of tracks from his early years — including covers by the Mamas and Papas and Gordon Lightfoot — but also introduce them to the people and places that helped start his journey to Margaritaville. In addition to early Nashville recordings, this collection takes listeners around his hometown sessions at Product Sound Studios, his daily gig at The Admiral’s Corner and his performance at a breakfast event for “America’s Junior Miss.” “There is a reason we are calling this collection of songs and stories ‘Buried Treasure,’ because they were literally buried in a closet in a recording studio in Nashville for decades,” Buffett explained. “They were discovered by an old friend, Travis Turk, who actually recorded these tracks in Mobile, Alabama, in 1969, and more in Nashville in the years following, when we both wound up moving there. Travis eventually produced the first two albums I recorded in Nashville as well. When we first found the tapes of ‘Buried Treasure,’ I didn’t know that it would turn out to be such a unique situation where I’d actually get to honor and introduce the people who started me out.” Buffett tapped Mobilian Will Kimbrough to act as producer of this album. For over a decade, Kimbrough has worked with Buffett in a variety of capacities since his first professional encounter on the 2003 release “License to Chill.” Kimbrough lent his guitar to the album as well as the album’s fifth track, “Piece
MUSIC
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BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
FEATURE
Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Buried Treasure’ includes Mobile gems
Jimmy Buffett’s new release, “Buried Treasure, Volume 2,” takes ParrotHeads back to Buffett’s pre-Margaritaville days, including early tracks cut here in Mobile. music industry figures. “I took him to Jack Grady at CBS Music,” Brown said. “He liked him and said, ‘We’ll give him $50 a week and we’ll promise him an album in his first year.’ I called up Margie and Jimmy and told him that he was going to be a CBS artist. They were thrilled, and I could hear the champagne corks popping.” But within 24 hours CBS decided to change the deal. Instead of $50 a week, CBS was only willing to offer Buffett half of the initial money promised. Knowing Buffett could not live in Nashville on that kind of money, a crestfallen Brown returned to his motel near Music Row. When he arrived, he found Buzz Cason had left a note for him. Unbeknownst to Brown, Turk had told Cason about CBS’s deal with Buffett. Cason and his partner, Bobby Russell, had sold their catalog to Lawrence Welk for $1 million, and had an interest in Buffett. “[Cason] said, ‘Milton, I’ll give Jimmy the deal that CBS welshed on,’” Brown said. “So we met in little Lum’s cafeteria and wrote out the deal on the back of a napkin. He moved up there, and the rest of it other people can tell you.” While this collection is considered “Volume 1,” future releases in the “Buried Treasure” series are unknown at this point. Until then, Parrotheads should thoroughly enjoy these unique deep tracks and Buffett’s personal insight into the inspirations and situations that surround them. Fans will have to choose between standard and deluxe editions of the new release. The standard includes a “28-page book detailing the album’s remarkable story of music history.” The deluxe edition features “an exclusive 40-page collector’s edition with never-before-seen photos and a bonus documentary DVD, “Buried Treasure: Mobile to Nashville.” With the holiday season approaching, this album should be added to the Christmas wish lists of Parrotheads worldwide.
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MUSIC BRIEFS
Outsiders Ball’s pre-holiday feast
BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR/SCENTANNI@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
Band: The Outsiders Ball Date: Wednesday, Nov. 22, with doors at 6 p.m. Venue: Mobile Civic Center Theater, 401 Civic Center Drive, www.mobilecivicctr.com Tickets: $60.50-$98.90, available at Mobile Civic Center box office and through Ticketmaster
Photo |www.jakepeavyfoundation.org
B
efore the turkey and dressing are served, local jam fans will be served up a musical feast courtesy of Jake Peavy and his Outsiders Presents concert entity, as the Mobile Civic Center plays host to the inaugural Outsiders Ball. Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and his Terrapin Family Band will headline this sonic soiree. While this alone will have many local mouths watering, The Outsiders Ball will also feature an impressive list of special guests, including Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce), George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Marcus King (Marcus King Band), Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Chris Spies (Honey Island Swamp Band, The New Mastersounds) and Peavy himself. Peavy says events such as this and the recent “Celebrate the City” free concert allow Outsiders Presents to “be involved in music in our hometown in any which way we can,” Peavy explained. Peavy’s involvement with the local music scene began with the opening of his Dauphin Street Sound studio. Through his team’s involvement in local concert events such as TenSixtyFive, they discovered they enjoy putting on musical events and supporting the arts in general. Peavy says Outsiders Presents are currently planning events no more than three months in advance. Considering this, locals can look forward to more musical extravaganzas from Outsiders Presents.
Yellowhammer rock Band: The Hallers, King’s German Legion Date: Friday, Nov. 17, 9 p.m. Venue: The Merry Widow, 51 S. Conception St., www.themerrywidow.net Tickets: Call 251-380-8020 for more info The Merry Widow has filled out Friday night’s lineup with rock sounds from the Yellowhammer State. The Azalea City is offering up a set from The Hallers. This local indie rock trio draws its inspiration from the early days of alt. rock. Based on their single “For You,” The Hallers use a driving rhythm filled with bottom-end sounds to create a stout, commanding form of modern rock. Earlier this year, The Hallers entered the studio with engineer Curry Weber, who spent time behind the boards at Memphis-based studios such as Ardent and Sun. King’s German Legion will conquer the crowd with a raw form of rock ‘n’ roll that gives no quarter. This Tuscaloosa trio’s sound lies in an electrifying limbo somewhere between garage rock and progressive blues. King’s German Legion captured this sound on their five-song debut release, “Marching Orders.” With overpowering beats and blazing guitar runs, this quintet of songs is a perfect delivery of this band’s intense rock style.
Fort Defiance mixes folk, country Band: Fort Defiance Date: Friday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m. Venue: The Listening Room of Mobile, 78 St. Francis St., www.thelisteningroomofmobile.com Tickets: $15 artist donation at door or reserve by phone 251-367-4599 While Nashville continues to be a hotbed of eclectic sounds, some Music City bands still embrace the genre that made this town an epicenter of Southern music. Fort Defiance is a group that is filling its catalog with warm, classic country sounds riddled with folk overtones. Three years ago, Jordan Eastman and Laurel Lane solidified a bond that is both marital and musical. As they began their married life together, their musical life began to flourish as well, with numerous shows across the United States. Within the intimate space of The Listening Room of Mobile, Fort Defiance will bring their Azalea City audience the sounds of their latest album, “The Haunts of Youth.” This album embodies a cozy warmth throughout its 14 tracks. Eastman and Lane mingle vocals upon a bed of Americana instrumentation and alternative folk and country arrangements, with a nod to the early days of both genres.
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AREAMUSIC LISTINGS | November 15 - November 21
WED. NOV 15
Big Beach Brewing— Double Dee, 7p// Casey Kelly & Leslie Ellis, 8:30p Bluegill— Matt Neese Blues Tavern— Art, 8p Callaghan’s— Marlow Boys Cockeyed Charlie’s— JJ, 9p El Camino— Grand Opening Felix’s— Lee Yankee Flora Bama— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival Le Bouchon— Kaitlyn Cooley, 6p Lulu’s— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, 5p
THUR. NOV 16
Big Beach Brewing— Applegate & Nance, 7p// Grass Roots Revival, 8:30p Bluegill— Al and Cathy Blues Tavern— McNab Duo, 8:30p Callaghan’s— Phil Proctor Cockeyed Charlie’s— JJ, 10p El Camino— Rock Bottom, 6:30p Fairhope Brewing— Bluegrass Jam Felix’s— Tropic Flyer Flora Bama— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival Le Bouchon— Jeri, 6:30p Lulu’s— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, 5p Manci’s— Josh Ewing, 7p The Merry Widow— Glass Mansions, Strange Her, Paid to Pretend, 9p Tacky Jacks (Gulf Shores)— Logan Blade & Tammy Vice, Tim Styles & Bob Tobin, Danny Griego, 5:30p
FRI. NOV 17
Alchemy— This is How We Do It: Tribute to the 90’s, 10p All Sports Bar & Billiards— DJ Markie Mark, 10p Beau Rivage— Gladys Knight, 8p Big Beach Brewing— Doug Gill & Lynn Langham, 7p// Brian
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Collins & Troy Powers, 8:30p Bluegill— Shelby Brown, 12p// Blind Dog Mike, 6p Blues Tavern— Disciples of Crow, 9p Callaghan’s— Will Stewart Trio Cockeyed Charlie’s— 3HG, 10p El Camino— Rondale and The Kit Kats Felix’s— Grits N Pieces Flora Bama— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival// Big Muddy, 8:30p Hard Rock (Center Bar) — Audio Time Machine, 9:30p The Hook Marina & Grill— Keith “Mailman” Burns, 6p IP Casino— Foreigner, 8p Lulu’s— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, 5p Main Street Cigar Lounge— Bust Duo, 8p Manci’s— Chris Powell & Timmy Dennis of Peek, 7p Moe’s BBQ (Daphne) — Twang Gang Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Adam Holt Duo, 6:30p Moe’s BBQ (Semmes) — The Dunaway Brothers Soul Kitchen— Autumn Energy feat Untitld w/ Gvngbving and Leet Tacky Jacks (Gulf Shores)— Jay Hawkins, Johnny Barbato and Sugarcane Jane, 5:30p
SAT. NOV 18
Big Beach Brewing— Tim Styles & Bob Tobin, 7p// Runaway Home, 8:30p Bluegill— Quintin Berry, 12p// Matt Neese Duo, 6p Blues Tavern— Fat Lincoln, 9p Callaghan’s— Delta Smoke Cockeyed Charlie’s— Jordan, 10p Felix’s— Blind Dog Mike Flora Bama— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival// Jo Jo Pres, 8:30p Golden Nugget— Asian Show Hard Rock (Center Bar) — Audio Time Machine, 9:30p Hard Rock (Live) — KC &
The Sunshine Band, 8p The Hook Marina & Grill— Songwriters Night, 4p Lulu’s— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, 5p Saenger— Mobile Symphony Orchestra: Contrast Top of the Bay— Velcro Pygmies
SUN. NOV 19
Bluegill— Lee Yankee, 12p// Dale Drinkard, 6p Blues Tavern— John Hall Jam, 6p Felix’s— Jimmy Lumpkin Flora Bama— Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival Frog Pond— Doug Gill, Lynn Langham,Vic Saul, Lisa Christian, CJ Watson, 1p// Spencer Bohren, Abe Partridge, Eric Erdman, CJ Watson, Jeff Gilkinson, 3p Joe Cain Cafe— Phil Proctor Lulu’s— Rob Romans, 1p// Three Bean Soup, 5p Old 27 Grill— Barry Gibson, 11:30a River Shack— Identity Crisis, 4p Saenger— Mobile Symphony Orchestra: Contrast
MON. NOV 20
Felix’s— David Chastang Flora Bama— Gove Scrivenor, 2p// Cathy Pace, 6p/// Shea White, 8p//// Petty and Pace, 10:15p Lulu’s— Brent Burns, 5p
TUE. NOV 21
Bluegill— Justus Browning Butch Cassidy’s— Jerry Powell Felix’s— Bryant Gilley Flora Bama— Donnie Mathis, 2p// Rick Whaley Duo, 6p/// Mel Knapp, 8p//// Albert Simpson, 10:15p Live Bait— Brandon Styles, 7p Lulu’s— Justin Yawn, 5p Moe’s BBQ (Mobile) — Bob Erickson, 6p Old 27 Grill— Elise Taylor, 6:30p
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FILMTHE REEL WORLD Sally Hawkins brings true story of folk artist Maud Lewis to life
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BY ASIA FREY/FILM CRITIC/AFREY@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM
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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
audie” ticks every box on the list of sad movie clichés, but it’s still absolutely beautiful. The true story of Maud Lewis, a beloved Canadian folk artist, belongs entirely to star Sally Hawkins, who brings Lewis’ physical afflictions, but more so her wry, vibrant spirit, vividly to life. Maud’s lot in life is laid out for the viewer in one masterfully written scene, in which we see her, swinging her feet and smoking a cigarette, on the front porch of her aunt’s house. Inside, her aunt and brother argue over who will be burdened with caring for Maud, when Maud quickly walks in and asserts herself. She reminds her brother of how she used to help him with math, while he bluntly tells her that he’s sold their family home. Her belongings are boxed up, and among them are paints. Her family insists that Maud, who suffers from arthritis that affects her posture and gait, cannot care for herself. Maud’s family may infantilize her, but she has an indomitable verve for life. That very night she sneaks out to a bar to listen to music and drink a beer. Of course, she is berated like a teenager by her heartless aunt, and described as
an embarrassment to her family. With inspiring pluck, she seizes on the first opportunity she encounters to get out of her aunt’s house, even though that opportunity is unappealing at best. Opportunity is in the form of gruff, illiterate fishmonger Everett Lewis (Ethan Hawke), who is also skillfully exposed to the audience through a brief but telling encounter with the shopkeeper where he posts a notice for a live-in maid. Even though she must do a little hop to reach it, Maud walks right over and grabs the notice. Their relationship is fascinating but problematic since, particularly by any contemporary standards, Everett is often abusive to Maud. But there is something about Maud that is uniquely proud, even when she accepts unacceptable conditions, that makes a weird case for getting used to someone. Honestly, you feel uncomfortable pulling for the pair, but this is a true story that must simply be experienced. You have to eliminate “should” from the mix and accept that Maud Lewis’s incredibly open personality brought her what she needed from conditions that most would find unacceptable. The very concept of needing a live-in maid in a house as tiny as Everett’s is almost laughable, and the pair are forced to
share the only bed, which Everett points out is what everyone did at the orphanage where he grew up. At Maud’s insistence, this arrangement eventually leads to their marriage, and a great deal more about Maud’s past is eventually, heartbreakingly revealed. Maud becomes a wife but also, more importantly, becomes an artist. She paints what she sees on what she has at hand, and nothing more than fidelity to her own vision eventually makes her famous. When she is true to herself, that self is so extraordinary that even the worst circumstances cannot dim her brightness. Sally Hawkins’ Maud is simply indomitable, but it doesn’t look how we may expect it to look. She is no Wonder Woman, but she is nonetheless heroic. Hawkins is one of the most interesting actors working today, and I have always thought her supporting role in “Blue Jasmine” eclipsed even that of Oscar-winning Cate Blanchett. She is always nuanced, unexpected and totally fascinating. “Maudie” is, above all, a fantastic vehicle for a fantastic actress. It is also a worthy true story that will leave you inspired to find satisfaction in life’s small moments, and to find out more about the real Maud Lewis. “Maudie” is currently available to rent.
NEXUS CINEMA DINING 7070 Bruns Dr. Mobile, AL (251) 555-5555 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.
Photos | Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics / Lionsgate
FROM LEFT: Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins star in “Maudie,” a story about a woman in 1930s Nova Scotia who works as a housekeeper while honing her skills as an artist, and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community. “Wonder,” based on a bestselling book, tells the story of a fifth-grade boy with facial differences who attends a mainstream school for the first time. NEW IN THEATERS JUSTICE LEAGUE
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Batman and his new ally Wonder Woman recruit Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash to help them save the planet from a newly awakened enemy. All listed multiplex theaters.
WONDER
Based on the New York Times bestseller, this is the
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inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time. Starring Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. All listed multiplex theaters.
THE STAR
A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of Christmas in this animated adventure. All listed multiplex theaters.
NOW PLAYING
JIGSAW All listed multiplex theaters. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERMURDER ON THE ORIENT VICE EXPRESS Crescent Theater, all listed multiplex All listed multiplex theaters. GEOSTORM theaters. Eastern Shore Premiere Cinema LBJ ONLY THE BRAVE AMC Wharf, Cobb Pinnacle 14 All listed multiplex theaters. DADDY’S HOME 2 HAPPY DEATH DAY All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. THOR: RAGNAROK THE FOREIGNER All listed multiplex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. A BAD MOM’S CHRISTMAS THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE All listed multiplex theaters. Eastern Shore Premiere Cinema SUBURBICON KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN All listed multiplex theaters. CIRCLE VICTORIA AND ABDUL Regal Mobile Stadium 18 Cobb Pinnacle 14 IT LET THERE BE LIGHT All listed multiplex theaters. AMC Mobile 16
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS NOVEMBER 15, 2017 - NOVEMBER 21, 2017
GENERAL INTEREST Mobile Tree Lighting The city of Mobile will host its annual tree lighting celebration in Bienville Square on Friday, Nov. 17, 5-8 p.m. Join Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Santa Claus and more as Mobile kicks off the holiday season. Fairhope Tree Lighting The city of Fairhope will kick off the holiday season with its annual tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 16. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and the lights come on at 6 p.m. sharp. Arts and Crafts Show Port City Craftsmen in Mobile are are hosting the 45th annual Arts and Crafts Show Nov. 17-19 at the Abba Shrine Auditorium, 7701 Hitt Road, Mobile. Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission $3. Cascading Chrysanthemums at Bellingrath
Market in the Park Come shop at the final Market in the Park of the season! Find original art, fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, decor and more in Mobile’s Cathedral Square on Saturday, Nov. 18, 7:30 a.m. to noon.
Christmas Nights of Lights Through Jan. 1, Christmas Nights of Lights is at Hank Aaron Stadium, 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd. The show is nightly at dusk until 10 p.m. Admission is $6 per person. Farmers market Farmers market sponsored by Christ United Methodist Church is held Tuesdays, 2:30-5 p.m., at the Hillcrest Road entrance of church property, 6101 Grelot Road, Mobile. Call 251-342-0462 or 251-767-7526.
Farmers market Shop the farmers market at Providence Hospital every Wednesday through Dec. 6, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Providence Hospital, Parking Lot F. Call 251-266-3501. The 54th annual Fall Outdoor Cascading Chrysanthemums, the nation’s largest outdoor display of the signature blooms of the season, is set throughout Bellingrath Gardens’ 65 acres, through Nov. 20, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For details, visit bellingrath.org or call 251-459-8864. Blakeley Cruise Historic Blakeley State Park conducts a boat tour of the scenic Mobile-Tensaw Delta on Saturday, Nov. 18, aboard the Delta Explorer. The two-hour narrated tour leaves the Blakeley Park dock on the Tensaw River at 9:30 a.m. Visit blakeleypark.com.
Celebrate Hope
Mobile International Festival Experience the diversity of Mobile’s flavors and cultures at the 34th Mobile International Festival on Saturday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mobile Civic Center. Visit www. mobileinternationalfestival.org.
TOPS Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Spanish Fort Presbyterian Church. Call 251-625-6888.
Photo | Courtesy of Bellingrath
FUNDRAISERS
Dauphin Island Boardwalk Talks Boardwalk Talks are held the first and third Wednesday of each month at 11:15 a.m. at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Blvd. Call 251-861-2141. Midtown Optimist Club Join Midtown Optimist Club every Wednesday at noon for lunch at Azalea City Golf Course. Call 251-348-3542. Toastmasters Toastmasters International meets regularly at six locations in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Visit www. toastmasters.org for more information.
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inaugural Outsiders Ball at the Mobile Civic Center Theater on Wednesday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band will be teaming up with special guests Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr., Marcus King, Ivan Neville, Jennifer Hartswick and The Jake Peavy Foundation to raise money for disaster relief. Visit www.outsiderspresents.com.
ARTS
Photo | Facebook
Celebrate Hope will be held Thursday, Nov. 16, 6-10 p.m. at USA Mitchell Cancer Institute. This signature gala features live music and signature dishes by local chefs, paired with wine and craft beer. Proceeds benefit the purchase of cancer research equipment at USA Mitchell Cancer Institute. Sponsored by Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Atmore. Visit eventbrite for tickets. “A Tasty Affair” ASL proudly presents “A Tasty Affair — A Farm-to-Table Dinner Experience” Thursday, Nov. 16, at The Steeple. Experience an evening filled with great food, good friends and an opportunity to learn more about how ASL serves senior citizens in our community and fights against food insecurity. Call 251-8956967. Art Soup Art Soup will held Friday, Nov. 17, 6-9 p.m. at Azalea Manor, 751 Dauphin St. Tickets are $25 per person and include a fun night with music, soup, dessert, nonalcoholic drinks and art. Each ticket holder also receives a bowl made by a local artist. Visit artsoupmobile.com. Bay Area Brunch Fest Lifelines Counseling Services is proud to present the first-ever Bay Area Brunch Fest on Sunday, Nov. 18, in Bienville Square from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests get to enjoy samplings from 20 different vendors. Visit lifelinesmobile.org. Outsiders Ball Outsiders Presents will host the
Visual Arts Open House The Department of Visual Arts at South Alabama is holding an open house for prospective students on Friday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to noon. Take time to meet the faculty, see demonstrations and hear lectures. The Department of Visual Arts is located off University Blvd. RSVP or call for directions, 251-461-1438. Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival The 33rd annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival runs through Nov. 19 in multiple locations in Perdido Key, Pensacola, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. For more information, including a schedule and list of performers, visit FBISF.com. Mobile Symphony Orchestra This year’s “Beethoven & Blue Jeans” is a reminder that you don’t have to dress up to enjoy the symphony. We welcome you as you are on Saturday, Nov. 18, and Sunday, Nov. 19, at the Saenger. Visit mobilesymphony.org. Kari Jobe Join Kari Jobe with special guest Cody Carnes, her husband, for “The Garden Tour” at Mobile Civic Center Theater on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. Visit Ticketmaster.com.
MUSEUMS “Posing Beauty in African-American Culture” An exhibition at Mobile Museum of Art exploring the understanding of how African and African-American beauty has been represented through a diverse range of media. Through Jan. 21. Visit mobilemuseumofart.com. “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” The insatiable curiosity of Curious George — the little monkey who has
Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. at USA Bike Trails and Sunday at 9 a.m. at Chickasabogue Park. Email carrie@ rideSAMBA.com.
captured the imagination and hearts of millions of children and adults for 65 years — comes to life at Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center through Jan. 7. Visit exploreum.com.
Weekly 1K/5K Every Thursday evening at 6 p.m., join Red Beard’s Outfitter and Cortlandt’s Pub in the Spring Hill Village Shopping Center for a 1K or 5K run and walk. No cost to participate.
“Dream Big: Engineering Our World” Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges, “Dream Big: Engineering Our World” is a first-of-its-kind film for IMAX and giant-screen theaters that will transform how we think about engineering. Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center through Jan. 7. Visit exploreum.com. “Right on Course” The United States Sports Academy’s American Sport Art Museum & Archives is open free to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One of the newest exhibits is “Right on Course.” Visit www.asama. org. “Windows to the Sea” “Windows to the Sea” is the latest permanent exhibit at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium. Visit disl.org. “Savage Ancient Seas” “Savage Ancient Seas” will transport GulfQuest guests to a time when the last of the great dinosaurs roamed Earth and swam the seas. Visit www.gulfquest.org. Fairhope’s founding Learn more about the 1894 founding of Fairhope at the Fairhope Museum of History, 24 N. Section St. The museum is open daily (except Sunday and Monday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 251-929-1471.
Photo | www.exploreum.com
Little Discoveries “Outside the Box,” aimed at children age 6 and under, explores how innovation and creativity can lead to a world of possibilities, starting with a simple cardboard box. Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Call 251-208-6893 or email jholland@ exploreum.com. Thursdays at MMoA Every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the Mobile Museum of Art offers free admission to all visitors. No reservations are necessary. MMoA is at 4850 Museum Drive. Call 251-208-5200.
SPORTING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES Group rides South Alabama and Mississippi Mountain Bike Association invites all levels of cyclists to join them every
Bingo Join Via! Health, Fitness, Enrichment Center (1717 Dauphin St.) for bingo every Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Call 251-478-3311. Bridge lessons The Mobile Bridge Center offers free bridge lessons each Tuesday at 6 p.m. at 1510 University Blvd. Arrive a few minutes early to register. Call the Bridge Center at 251-666-2147, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fitness and athletics classes New fitness classes offered at Palmer Pillans Middle School. Tai Chi, Candle Lit Yoga, Core Fusion, Small Group Personal Fitness Training, basketball for ages 15 and up, basketball for ages 8-14 and sports conditioning for ages 8-17. Call 251-463-7980 or go to communityactivitiesprogram.com. Dance and art classes New dance classes offered at Palmer Pillans Middle School. Belly dance, pre-ballet and tumbling for
ages 6-12, Beginner Piano for ages 8 and up. Call 251-463-7980 or go to communityactivitiesprogram.com. Pickleball for adults (indoors) Offered at Palmer Pillans Middle School, Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. Great sport for all ages combines tennis, pingpong and badminton on a court one-fourth the size of a tennis court. Call 251-463-7980 or go to communityactivitiesprogram.com. Ballroom dance Azalea Ballroom Dance Club hosts dances the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, 7-9:30 p.m. at Via! Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center, 1717 Dauphin St. Call 251-623-9183 or visit azaleaballroomdanceclub.com. Ballroom dance The Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society hosts dances the first and third Monday of every month, 7-9:30 p.m. at Hot Wheels Skating Rink in Daphne. Email cassief13@aol.com.
WORKSHOPS Poetry workshop Poet P.T. Paul will be the guest speaker at the Nov. 20 L.A. Beach Writers meeting at the Gulf Shores Library, located at 221 W. 19th Ave. Paul will present a one-hour poetry-writing workshop titled, “What Is a Poem and How Do I Write One?” The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. and is open to anyone interested in writing. For further information, go to LABeachwriters.com.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE LANE CHANGES BY NATAN LAST / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ ACROSS 1 Popular web portal 4 Sweet stuff 11 Braggadocio 18 “Well, well, well!” 19 Coming 20 Slant in columns 22 1992 movie based on an “S.N.L.” sketch … or, diverged: Modus vivendi 24 Railroad line? 25 “Out!” 26 Suffix with host 27 Like pins-and-needles feelings 29 Mystiques 30 Defunct org. in which Donald Trump owned the New Jersey Generals 32 “Adios!” 33 “Prince Valiant” son 34 “We’re doomed!” 39 Computer mouse action … or, diverged: Event for RuPaul 44 Less friendly 45 Blue-roofed eatery 47 Gambols 48 Time to remember 49 Erstwhile Fords 50 “The Simpsons Theme” composer Danny 52 Many a frat pledge 53 Become bored (of) 54 ____ mother 55 Scarcely 56 Freudian “will to live” 58 Better, to an impatient boss 60 Spots likely to smear 63 Italian novelist Morante 66 Destroys, in gamer-speak 67 1916 Frost verse … or, diverged: Start of a saying about meaning well 71 “Star Wars” nomad 73 Opposite of “da” 74 Put a cover on 78 Molson rival 80 “No ____!” 82 Heads overseas? 83 Coral, e.g. 84 A long way off 85 Part of a treasure chest 89 Another form of “Jehovah” 91 Big swig 92 W.W. II org. whose insignia featured Athena 93 Prepare, as leftovers 95 Fill-up filler 96 Cassava, for one 97 Bring someone home … or, diverged: Common high school offering 100 Frigid 102 From l. to r. 103 Proscriptions 105 Chill out 106 “Button” that’s plainly visible
109 Showy debut 110 A germophobe might have it, for short 112 Acronym for the four major entertainment awards 115 Artist with the third-most Top 40 hits in the 1960s, behind Elvis and the Beatles 117 Nissan S.U.V.s … or, diverged: Emotional appeal 120 Hit 2007 Will Smith film 121 Some potatoes 122 Comic-strip cry 123 Establish, as rules 124 Gratiano’s love in “The Merchant of Venice” 125 Line in the sand?
17 Russia’s ____ Sea (arm of the Arctic Ocean) 20 Hungarians 21 Activist youth org. 23 Snacks 28 Ball brand 31 La Dame de ____ (Eiffel Tower nickname) 33 Sacred crosses 34 1946 femme- fatale film 35 Santa’s reindeer, e.g. 36 Monumental support 37 TV band 38 “Word on the street is …” 40 Deadly cobra 41 Wilson of “The Office” 42 They might be giants 43 Kind of review DOWN 46 The usual 1 Does course work? 50 Actress Sommer 2 Bygone title 51 “Keep out” sign 3 Expression of shock at 53 Burgs someone’s actions 55 Bygone Apple app 4 Go after for redress 57 ____-pitch 5 Try to induce a bigger purchase 59 Autobahn autos 6 Rookery cries 61 Feuding 7 Symbols of density 62 Syndicate head 8 Beyond, to bards 64 Online ticket exchange 9 Sea dogs 65 Chem. neurotransmitter 10 Went for a whirl 68 Sheriff’s asst. 11 Vegas casino robbed in 69 “Them’s the breaks, I “Ocean’s Eleven” guess” 12 Without purpose 70 ____ Industries (oil and 13 Supermodel Carangi gas giant) 14 Armless coats that may 71 “Aladdin” villain bear coats of arms 72 Summers back 15 Overflow (with) in the day? 16 Fabulist 75 “How Deep Is Your Love”
group 76 “Introduction to the Analysis of the Infinite” writer 77 Cool again 78 God, informally 79 Gender-neutral possessive 81 Lummox 86 Philip ____, first AsianAmerican film actor to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 87 “Milk” star, 2008 88 Interrupted midsentence? 90 Like leprechauns 91 Tipsy 93 Shrank 94 Skipjack, e.g. 96 Early flight inits. 98 For naught 99 Straight-talking 101 Certain radio format 104 What you might sit in by the pool 106 Kabuki sash 107 Territory in Risk 108 Motif for Verdi or Monteverdi 109 Whole heap 110 “Fancy seeing you here!” 111 $$$ bigwigs 113 Certain fro-yo add-in 114 Sounds of reproof 116 Back 118 Besmirch 119 Eavesdropping org.
ANSWERS ON PAGE 38
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SPORTS UPON FURTHER REVIEW
3 local high schools capture volleyball state titles BY J, MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER/SPORTS@LAGNIAPPEMOBILE.COM/TWITTER @GOULAGUY
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Joining her on the all-tournament roster were senior Kellan Hensley (16 digs), junior Lauren Bailey (20 assists) and 8th grader Gracie Sims (13 digs). • No local volleyball program has a deeper history than McGill-Toolen’s. The famed “Dirty Dozen” squad brought its first title home to Mobile in 1974, but the last championship was secured in 2005. In the semifinals, McGill-Toolen knocked off three-time defending champion Mountain Brook. In the title match, they outlasted Bob Jones High School of Madison 25-16, 25-23 and 27-25. “To win a state championship, our team defeated three of the top five teams in 7A volleyball — Hoover, Mountain Brook and Bob Jones,” coach Kate Wood said. “For our team to win three matches, in straight sets, was unbelievable for us to witness as coaches. “We had talked about our steady ascent all year. We would go through weeks where we would plateau, and we would talk about the plateaus being a time for us to reinforce what we were learning. But through it all, we talked about the next steep ascent that was coming if we just stayed focused on giving max effort, having a great attitude, being grateful for our opportunities, and treating each other really well. “It was amazing to see that steep ascent at the state tournament. It was more powerful than we could have imagined.” Junior Kenya McQuirter had 23 kills, 12 digs and 5 service aces to earn MVP honors. Joining her on the alltourney roster were Erica Schilling (15 digs), Lillie Fromdahl (25 assists) and Alex Pierre (11 kills). Millie Andrews added 20 assists. This was the 20th overall state title for McGill-Toolen. The team finishes with a 46-8 record. • In the Class 6A playoffs, Daphne and Spanish Fort lost in the semifinals. St. Paul’s lost in the same round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Jaguars roar in soccer
It has been quite a turnaround for the University of South Alabama women’s soccer team. After starting the year 0-4, the Jaguars tore through their Sun Belt Conference schedule. They claimed their fourth straight regular season championship and a fifth SBC tourney title in a row by beating Coastal Carolina 5-0. For their efforts, senior Rio Hardy was named the league’s player of the year while junior Hannah Godfrey was voted defender of the year. They are joined on the first-team roster with Steffi Hardy and Danielle Henley. On the second-team unit are Kory Dixon, Selma Bjorgvinsdottir and Chelsea Followwell. Hardy was also named the Most Outstanding Player
Photo | University of South Alabama Athletics
he Alabama High School Athletic Association might consider moving its volleyball state tournament to the Alabama Gulf Coast — it would certainly save on moving expenses for the championship trophies. Three local squads returned home recently as winners. The list includes Bayside Academy, St. Luke’s Episcopal and McGill-Toolen Catholic high schools. • This marked the 16th consecutive year the Bayside Admirals have won a state title, and the 26th overall since 1981. However, this Class 3A crown did not come easy for the Daphne school. Montgomery Academy won the first set 25-23 before Bayside rallied to win 25-17 and 25-21. The Montgomery Eagles, though, won the fourth set 25-22 to tie the match. The Admirals hung on 15-13 to secure the victory. “I am just extremely happy for the players,” said coach Ann Schilling, a recent inductee into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame. “They work so hard, and to keep performing at a high level in such pressure is incredible.” Bayside’s Brantley Rhodes was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. The senior had 24 kills and 6 service aces. Ansleigh Daily and Jacque Martin joined Rhodes on the all-tourney squad. Daily had 51 assists and 11 digs, while Martin had 15 digs, 13 kills and 4 aces. Other standouts included Ella Dawson (10 digs and 7 kills), Ella Broadhead (9 kills) and Kaitlyn Morris (14 digs). The Admirals finished with a 42-10 record. 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. Bishop England in Charleston, South Carolina, won its 18th straight trophy last weekend. This was Bishop England’s 28th prize since 1977. • St. Luke’s may be one of the newest kids on the block, but that has not stopped its team from finding success. Although the first senior class did not graduate from the Mobile school until 2013, this marks two straight Class 2A championships. “The girls have worked so hard this year and I couldn’t be prouder of them and all that they stand for,” said head coach Meredith Harvison, whose team finished with a 34-15 record. “There was never a doubt in my mind that the girls could handle the pressure of the competition. We do pressure drills everyday in practice, and they are always under pressure to uphold the Wildcat standard on and off the court.” The Wildcats had no trouble in the title match against Goshen. St. Luke’s won in straight sets 25-11, 25-12 and 25-15. Senior Jada Carney was named MVP after finishing with 14 kills and 3 service aces.
USA SENIOR RIO HARDY WAS NAMED THE 2017 SUN BELT WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR, RIO HARDY. in the tournament, which was played in Foley. On the all-tourney team with her were Henley, Hardy, Dixon and Justice Stanford (who made four saves in recording her eighth shutout). Hardy, who is on the first-team list for the third time, led the conference in both points (1.59) and goals (0.71) per game, and game-winning goals (5). The Workington, England, native became the school’s all-time leader in gamewinning goals and ranks second in both career goals (43) and points (103) following the SBC tournament. Godfrey, a native of Thornton-Cleveleys, England, has played all but 10 minutes this season and anchors a defense that is second in the league in goals against average (0.96). The preseason player of the year and 2016 second-team All-SBC honoree played a key role in the team shutting out its last five opponents. USA was 14-5-1 entering the NCAA playoffs.
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STYLE HOROSCOPES A FEW OTHER EMBARRASSMENTS
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SCORPIO (10/23-11/21) — This weekend may be your last opportunity to visit the Mobile International Festival before President Donald Trump builds a wall around it. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by asking for white barbecue sauce. SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/21) — If you really want to see Fairhopians huff and puff, organize a caravan of Mobilians to enjoy their annual Lighting of the Trees. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by pulling for Georgia in the Iron Bowl. CAPRICORN (12/22-1/19) — Not a huge fan of the Grateful Dead, you’ll host the inaugural Insiders Ball, featuring Barry Shitz, who once auditioned for The Ramones. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by painting “Z71” on the side of a Ford F-150. AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18) — After a wonderful but confusing Saturday brunch, you’ll demand Bay Area Brunch Fest become a 24/7 affair. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by confusing Hank Williams Jr. for Hank Williams Sr. PISCES (2/19-3/20) — A series of highprofile confessions will have you admitting you once inappropriately touched a foot-long corn dog. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by racing an electric car around the Talladega Superspeedway. ARIES (3/21-4/19) — To keep Jeff Sessions off the hot seat, you’ll testify his Russian contacts were limited to repeated viewing of the underappreciated Disney film “Anastasia.” You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by briefly entertaining a Luther Strange for Senate write-in campaign. TAURUS (4/20-5/20) — Brain damage related to an ice skating accident in Fort Conde will leave you dressing as a redcoat and fighting for the Queen’s honor. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by asking your grocer for the organic Tyson chicken. GEMINI (5/21-6/21) — Hearing that disgraced former judge Herman Thomas is seeking a seat in the Alabama Legislature, you believe politics in this state can’t get more sleazy. Watch and see. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by sitting in the back pew of a half-empty church service. CANCER (6/22-7/22) — In preparation for Thanksgiving, you’ll begin to thaw the turkey you bought at 70 percent off last Black Friday. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by pouring ketchup on your hash browns. LEO (7/23-8/22) — For a good time, get margarita drunk and sing along to the new album of previously unreleased Jimmy Buffett songs. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by publishing a frontpage exposé on sex clams. VIRGO (8/23-9/22) — With plans for the future of the Mobile Civic Center unveiled, you’ll suggest the project save money by allowing citizens to voluntarily sledgehammer and bulldoze the worthless building. You’ll embarrass the state of Alabama by selling a gun rather than getting a bigger gun safe. LIBRA (9/23-10/22) — In attempt to prevent more collisions involving Mobile police cruisers, you’ll host a demolition derby open to active members of the force. You’ll make Alabama proud by choosing morality over politics in the Dec. 12 Senate runoff.
F U T U R E S H O C K
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LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com FORECLOSURES 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 further modified by 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; and 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 Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 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 7 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: 02-29-02-44-0015-016; 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, Alabama. Parcel No: 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: 02-29-02-440-015-241, 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: 02-29-0244-0-016-160.022; 705 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: 02-29-02-44-0-016-161; 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: 02-29-0244-0-015-240.002. 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: Ferrell S. Anders ANDERS, BOYETT & BRADY, P.C. One Maison, Suite 203 3800 Airport Boulevard Mobile, Alabama 36608 (251)344-0880 82363 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 29, 2017
MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Elizabeth M. Phillips and Wayne A. Phillips, wife and husband, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for R.H. Lending, Inc., on the 5th day of January, 2012, said mortgage recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Mobile County, Alabama, in Book 6851, Page 1009; the undersigned First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation, as Mortgagee/
Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, on December 28, 2017, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Mobile County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 98, as per plat of Ramsey Estates, Unit VI, as recorded in Map Book 78, Page 19, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama. Property street address for informational purposes: 8564 Mac Ct , Grand Bay, AL 36541 THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVEDESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in certified funds made payable to Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid in certified funds by noon the next business day at the Law Office of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. at the address indicated below. Sirote & Permutt, P.C. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/ Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation, Mortgagee/ Transferee. Rebecca Redmond SIROTE & PERMUTT, P.C. P. O. Box 55727 Birmingham, AL 35255-5727 Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee www.sirote.com/foreclosures 422540 Lagniappe HD November 2, 9, 15, 2017
FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on September 8, 2014 by Roy A. Weaver as Grantee to Roberts Road Estates. Inc., as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7186, Page 1651; and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to Chunchula Sixty, LLC, which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7195, Page 521; and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on December 7, 2017. Lots 15 & 16, as per plat of ROBERTS ROAD ESTATES, UNIT I, as recorded in Map Book 123, Page 39, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama; Lot 17, as per plat of ROBERTS ROAD ESTATES, UNIT II as recorded in Map Book 130, Page 49, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama. Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. Chunchula Sixty, LLC Holder of said Vendor’s Lien. WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400/17-75921 Lagniappe HD November 2, 9, 15, 2017
FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on October 28, 2016 by Pamela G. Barber as Grantee to Iras Development Company. Inc., as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7443, Page 19644; and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to W. Austin Mulherin, which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7451, Page 1625; and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on December 7, 2017. Lot 231, as per plat of RAMSEYESTATES, UNIT XI, as recorded in Map Book 118, Page 52, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama; including a 2005 River Bunch Mobile Home VIN: RV05AL8916. Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. W. Austin Mulherin Holder of said Vendor’s Lien. WILLIAM
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B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400/17-75921
Rogers Any of the above goods may be withdrawn from sale by STORAGEMAX MIDTOWN at any time without prior notice.
FORECLOSURE NOTICE
Notice is hereby given pursuant to AL statue that the contents of the following units will be sold at public sale by Delta Self Storage located at 5500 Schillinger Rd S, Mobile, AL 36619 on NOV 30, 2017 at 1p.m. Kristin Lawless 203 7500 Theodore Dawes Rd Theodore, AL Enos Edwards 604 6128 Sperry Road Theodore, AL Jase Tiller 636 9440 Lillian Ct Lexington, VA Tracy Lindsey 405 5649 Aljon Drive Theodore, AL Malcolm Dodd 518 10298 Burlington Drive Grand Bay, AL Deborah Webber 736 57412 Burgen Ct. Redding, PA bedroom furnishings, totes, gym equipment, leather furniture, desks, paintings, mirror, household goods, bags, metal decorations, tables, chairs, antiques, stools, pots, pans, rockers, curio cabinets, boxes, children items, electronics, cabinets, shelving, etc.
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Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on November 10, 2014, by Melissa Johnson, as Grantee to 524 Development Company, Inc., a Alabama corporation, as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7207, Page 688, and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to W. Austin Mulherin, which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7322, Page 1523,and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on December 21, 2017. Lot 43, as per plat of RIDGE CREST, Unit IV as recorded in Map Book 72, Page 33, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama; together with a 1984, 14 x 64 Champion Mobile Home: Model #882. Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. W. Austin Mulherin Holder of said Vendor’s Lien WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 29, 2017
FORECLOSURE NOTICE Default having been made by the herein referenced Grantee in the terms of that certain Vendor’s Lien Deed executed on January 31, 2017, by Earl A. White III and Lisa N. T. White, as Grantee to Iras Development Company, Inc., a Alabama corporation, as Grantor which said Vendor’s Lien Deed was recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Mobile County, Alabama, in Real Property Book LR7473, Page 1623, and said vendor’s lien having been last assigned to W. Austin Mulherin, which assignment was recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate Mobile County Alabama in Real Property Book LR7477, Page 1482,and default continuing under said Vendor’s Lien Deed, by virtue of and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Vendor’s Lien, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the North entrance of the Courthouse of said County, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama 36644, during the legal hours of sale, on December 21, 2017. Lot 198, as per plat of RAMSEY ESTATES, Unit X as recorded in Map Book 87, Page 83, Probate Court of Mobile County, Alabama; Said sale is made for the purpose of paying said Vendor’s Lien debt and costs of foreclosure. W. Austin Mulherin Holder of said Vendor’s Lien WILLIAM B. JACKSON, II STOKES & CLINTON, P.C. Attorneys for Lienholder Post Office Box 991801 Mobile, Alabama 36691 (251) 460-2400 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 29, 2017
NOTICE OF COMPLETION STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE NOTICE OF COMPLETION In accordance with Chapter I, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Thomas Industries, Inc. dba Thomas Roofing, has completed the contract for 200 Government-Parapet Wall Waterproofing, MX-268-17, 200 Government St. persons having any claim for labor, material, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify the Architectural Engineering Department, City of Mobile, P. O. Box 1827, Mobile, AL 366331827. Lagniappe HD November 15, 2017
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that James B. Donaghey, Inc., Contractor, has completed the Contract for Construction of Saenger Theatre Cooling Tower Replacement at 6 S. Joachim St. Mobile, AL 36602 for the State of Alabama and the County of Mobile, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Architectural Engineering Dept. 205 Government St. Mobile, AL 36602. James B. Donaghey, Inc. 1770 Old Shell Rd. Mobile, AL 36604. Lagniappe HD November 2, 9, 15, 22, 2017
NOTICE OF SALE STORAGE AUCTION Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Alabama Statutes, that the goods stored in units rented by occupants listed below will be sold to the highest bidder at a public auction online at www.storagetreasures.com on November 25, 2017 at 10:00 am to satisfy liens claimed by STORAGEMAX MIDTOWN, together with all costs of sale. Karly Dodson, Janelle Houston, Michael Mitchell, Amanda
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ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed proposals will be received by Bishop State Community College, at the Council Trenholm Administration Building on the Main Campus of BSCC, in Room 116, on the Main Campus at 351 North Broad Street, Mobile AL, 36603; 2:00pm TUESDAY, DECEMEBER 12TH , 2017, at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read for: BUILDING 700 DRAFTING AND DESIGN RENOVATIONS For Bishop State Community College Mobile, Alabama. The Work of the project includes, but is not limited to, selective demolition, new construction, coordination and supervision of the entire project, and all related work, as indicated in the Bid and Contract Documents. A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to BISHOP STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 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. Performance and statutory Labor and material Payment Bonds, insurance in compliance with requirements, and verification of E-Verify enrollment will be required at the signing of the Contract. The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc., 11 North Water Street, Suite 15250, Mobile, AL 36602, Attn: Ashley Morris (251) 460-4006. Ashley. Morris@gmcnetwork.com Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office on Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office as described below. General Contractors may procure plans and specifications from the Architect upon payment of a deposit of Twenty dollars ($20.00) for a one time administrative fee for digital/file sharing access or Seventy Five dollars ($75.00) (printed) per set. Contractors are encouraged to use the digital plans. Refunds will be issued for printed sets only issued by the Architect to each general contract bidder on the first two (2) sets issued submitting a bonafide bid, upon return of documents in good and reusable condition within ten (10) days of bid date. Additional sets for General Contractors, and sets for subs and vendors, may be obtained with the same deposit, which will be refunded as above, less cost of printing, reproduction, handling and distribution, which is estimated to be the same as the deposit amount. Checks shall be made payable to “Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc.” Bid documents will be mailed only upon receipt of deposit. No bid documents will distributed later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled opening of bids. Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing Office. Neither Owner nor Architect will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office. For the list of plan holders on this project visit http://www. gmcnetwork.com/bids/ . All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended, and must show such evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by Architect or Owner. The bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying his or her current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered; Bidder must also include his or her current license number on the Proposal Form. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for a period of sixty (60) days. A PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at the same location where bids will be received, at 2:00 PM TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, 2017 for the purpose of reviewing the project and answering Bidder’s questions. Attendance at the PreBid Conference is strongly recommended for all General Contractor Bidders and Subcontractors intending to submit a Proposal. This project is being bid, under the provisions of Alabama Act 2000-684, which require the General Contractor, in part, to take advantage of the Owner’s tax exempt status, obtain necessary certificates and other documentation required from the Alabama Department of Revenue, make payment for all materials, and to administer the sales and use tax savings portion of the project, as a part of their Bid. Additional qualifications and requirements for General Contractor Bidders and separate Subcontractors are indicated in the Bid and Contract Documents. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to
waive technical errors if, in their judgment, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted. BISHOP STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Mobile, Alabama Dr. Reginald Sykes, President GOODWYN, MILLS & CAWOOD, INC. MEMBERS, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 11 North Water Street, Suite 15250 Mobile, AL 36602 Phone: 251) 460-4006 Fax:(251) 460-4423 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 29, 2017
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the City of Mobile Zoning Technical Advisory Committee will hold a public hearing on November 29, 2017. The Committee will review the Nonconformities, Enforcement, Agencies, and Definitions modules of the draft municipal zoning code. The draft documents are available for viewing and comment on the City Planning website, http://urban.cityofmobile.org. Following the hearing, public comment will be accepted concerning the draft zoning code sections. The Public Hearing will be held at 2:00 P.M. in the Multi-Purpose room of Government Plaza, located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. Lagniappe HD November 15, 2017
PUBLIC NOTICE TECHNICAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE (TCC)/CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) of the MOBILE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO) MEETING The Mobile MPO Technical Coordinating Committee/Citizen Advisory Committee (TCC/CAC) will meet on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building on the Second Floor at 110 Beauregard Street. The purpose of the meeting is to review and recommend the following modifications to the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program: ADD 100066183 (CN) Resurface on SR-16 (US90) from I-165 Approximately 3 miles East to MP 34; $1,286,987 with Interstate Maintenance Funds REMOVE From Urban TAP Funds 100067398 (CN) Sidewalks and Multi-use Path along SR 42/US 98 from Firetower Rd to East of Oak Hill Dr in Semmes 100067419 (CN) Sidewalks and Multi-use Path along SR 42/US 98 from East of Oak Hill Dr. Walmart in Semmes. The TCC/CAC will also review the FY 2018 FTA 5310 Mobile Urban Area Program of Projects. The Mobile MPO Policy Board will vote on the recommendations by the TCC/CAC at a meeting on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building in the Board Room. Physically challenged persons who need special accommodations should contact SARPC in advance so arrangements can be made to meet their needs. Transportation Planning Coordinator South Alabama Regional Planning Commission P. O. Box 1665 Mobile, AL 366331665 PHONE: (251)433-6541 FAX: (251)433-6009 EMAIL: transportation@sarpc.org Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE Notice is hereby given that a bill as described in the synopsis below will be introduced in the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature of Alabama and application for its passage and enactment will be made: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT. SYNOPSIS: Relating to Class 2 municipalities; to authorize the municipalities to provide for the abatement and removal of inoperable motor vehicles as public nuisances from private property. Lagniappe HD November 2, 9, 15, 22, 2017
STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF MOBILE Notice is hereby given that a bill as described in the synopsis below will be introduced in the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature of Alabama and application for its passage and enactment will be made: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT. SYNOPSIS: Relating to Class 2 municipalities; to amend Section 22-6-220 and Section 22-6-221 of the Code of Alabama 1975, to ensure that any Integrated Care Network shall include a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) which shall be an equal option for qualifying individuals in an area where PACE exists; to require that the Alabama Medicaid Agency and an integrated care network shall enact regulations to provide that all PACE participants shall be exempt from passive enrollment without a waiting periods; and to provide for dis-enrollment from the integrated care network to enroll in a PACE program. Lagniappe HD October 26, November 2, 9, 15, 2017
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 December 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 1600 Shelton Beach Road Extension (East side of Shelton Road Beach Extension, 622’± North of Moffett Road) for a Use, Surface, and Access Variances to allow a contractor’s storage yard with gravel surfacing in a B-2, Neighborhood Community Business District and shared access with an adjacent site; the Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum I-1, Light Industrial District zoning designation for a contractor’s storage yard, gravel surfacing is prohibited within in a B-2, Neighbor-
LAGNIAPPE LEGALS | 251.450-4466 | legals@lagniappemobile.com hood Community Business District, and prohibits sites from having shared access without Planned Unit Development approval. 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 13th day of November, 2017. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
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 December 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 351 & 355 Government Street (Southwest corner of Government Street and South Claiborne Street, extending to the Southeast corner of Government Street and South Franklin Street) for a Masking of Parking Variance to waive masking requirements for a parking lot located in a T5.2 Sub-District of the Downtown Development District; the Zoning Ordinance requires a hedge, evergreen vines, or other evergreen planting materials combined with a 3 foot tall metal fence or masonry wall, with or without a hedge or evergreen planting, to mask parking lots in a T5.2 Sub-District of the Downtown Development District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 13th day of November, 2017. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT
PROBATE NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: ELOISE W. GARDNER Case No. 2017-1748 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 1st day of November, 2017 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. LENORA H. CARPENTER as Administratrix of the estate of ELOISE W. GARDNER, deceased. Attorney of Record: MICHAEL E. MARK, Esq. Lagniappe HD November 9, 15, 22, 2017
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: WILLIAM GAMBLE Case No. 2017-1408 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 23rd day of October, 2017 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. DENIESE G. GREEN as Executrix of the estate of WILLIAM GAMBLE, deceased. Attorney of Record: JOHN R. PARKER Lagniappe HD November 2, 9, 15, 2017
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NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: REBECCA KNICK HASTY Case No. 2014-1778 Take notice that Letters of Administration have been granted to the below named party on the 24th day of October, 2017 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. GABRIELLE KATHLEEN HASTY HODGE, as Administratrix CTA under the last will and testament of REBECCA KNICK HASTY, Deceased. Attorney of Record: MICHAEL S. MCNAIR
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 December 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 2010 West I-65 Service Road South (West side of West I-65 Service Road South, ½± mile North of Halls Mill Road) for a Sign Variance to allow two (2) wall signs for a tenant at a multi-tenant site in a B-3, Community Business District; the Zoning Ordinance only allows one (1) wall sign per tenant at a multi-tenant 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 13th day of November, 2017. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
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 December 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 4670 Old Shell Road (Northeast corner of Marston Lane and Old Shell Road) for a Fence Variance to allow an 8’ privacy fence/wall to be constructed within the 25’ front minimum building setback area in an R-1 Single-Family Residential District; the Zoning Ordinance prohibits any fence or wall to exceed a height of 3’ within any required front yard setback in an R-1, Single-Family Residential District. The meeting will be held in the Auditorium at 205 Government Street, Mobile, Alabama. This notice is to advise you of the public hearing so that you may attend the meeting and present your views to the Board concerning this request. Dated this 13th day of November, 2017. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
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 December 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. to consider a request at 4270 Cottage Hill Service Road (Northeast corner of Cottage Hill Service Road and Oak Circle Drive West) for a Sign Variance to allow an LED electronic message center sign to be erected within 300’ of residentially-zoned properties in a B-2, Neighborhood Business District; the Zoning Ordinance prohibits LED electronic message center signs from being located within 300’ of residentially-zoned properties 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 13th day of November, 2017. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
Lagniappe HD November 2, 9, 15, 2017
NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROBATE COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA Estate of: CLEOPHUS HILLARD Case No. 2016-1050 Take notice that Letters Testamentary have been granted to the below named party on the 23rd day of October, 2017 by the Honorable Don Davis, Judge of Probate of Mobile County Probate Court, Alabama and that all parties having claims against said estate should file the same with the Probate Court of said county within the time allowed by law, or they will be barred. BETTIE LACEY as Executrix of the estate of CLEOPHUS HILLARD, deceased. Attorney of Record: Hendrik S. Snow, ESQ. 50 Saint Emanuel Street Mobile, AL 36602 Lagniappe HD Nov. 2, 9, 15, 2017
These abandon vehicles will be sold on 12/14/2017 unless redeemed at 5781 Three Notch Rd Mobile Al. 36619 at 9am FORD 1ZVFT84N755220376 HOND 1HGCD5620SA130172 MAZD JM2UF1132K0750951 Lagniappe HD November 9, 15, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 15, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7960 Two Mile Rd., Irvington, AL 36544. 2010 Honda Accord 1HGCP2F30AA121517 2002 Chevrolet K1500 3GNFK16Z42G232218
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7960 Two Mile Rd., Irvington, AL 36544. 2007 Infiniti M35 JNKAY01E77M308341 2001 Nissan Altima 1N4DL01D11C104819 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt 1G1AK52F257556539 2008 Nissan Altima 1N4BL24E58C107868 2004 Kia Spectra KNAFB121945310220 2000 Cadillac Escalade 1GYEK63R2YR210985 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 18786 Old Brady Rd., Bay Minette, AL 36507. 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche 3GNEC12057G221445 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 5795 Magnolia Rd., Theodore, AL 36582. 2005 Ford Taurus 1FAFP53U65A113539 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 1105 Spring Hill Ave., Mobile, AL 36604. 2009 Toyota Avalon 4T1BK36BX9U328749 1999 Oldsmobile Alero 1G3NL52E4XC403507
Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 7391 Zeigler Blvd., Mobile, AL 36608. 2008 Chevrolet HHR 3GNDA23D88S555444 2006 Saturn Ion 1G8AJ55F36Z126380 2004 Lexus ES330 JTHBA30G540018759 2007 Chrysler 300 2C3KA43R97H688694 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 3013 East Curry Dr., Mobile, AL 36605. 1990 Chevrolet Caprice 1G1BU54E9LA113940 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time -12pm, if not claimed - at 3931 St Stephens Rd., Eight Mile, AL 36612. 2011 Dodge Ram Truck 1D7RB1GK5BS628406 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 531 Birmingham St., Prichard, AL 36610. 2007 Chevrolet Suburban 1GNFC16077J220455 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 953 Seneca St., Mobile, AL 36605. 2001 Jeep Cherokee 1J4FT48S01L531708 Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 15, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 106 Martin Luther King Dr., Prichard, AL 36610. 1997 Toyota Corolla 1NXBA02EXVZ573059
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 4520 Hamilton Blvd., Theodore, AL 36582. 2000 Nissan Xterra 5N1ED28Y8YC593757 2007 Ford LGT Convt. 1FTRX12W67KD51990
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 15, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 3351 Dauphin Island Prkway., Mobile, AL 36605. 2004 Isuzu Axion 4S2DE58Y244603092
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 115 North Joseph Ave., Prichard, AL 36610. 2000 Infiniti Q45 JNKBY31A4YM300363
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 15, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 35580 State Hwy. 59, Stapleton, AL 36578. 1994 Nissan Standard 1N6SD11S5RC417447
The following unclaimed vehicle(s) will be sold on December 22, 2017 - Time - 12pm, if not claimed - at 281 Glenn Acres Dr. E., Mobile, AL 36608. 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1GCEC14W0YE150531
Lagniappe HD November 9, 15, 2017
Lagniappe HD November 9, 15, 2017
Lagniappe HD November 9, 15, 2017
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Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
Lagniappe HD November 15, 22, 2017
STYLE BOOZIE
A hopping Friday night downtown
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BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
ith the exception of Sunday, Mobile’s weather has been on point! On point is still cool, right? Regardless, keep those cooler, beautiful days coming! This is the perfect time to be outside, walking your dog, drinking beer, sitting on the porch, drinking a glass of wine, sitting by a fire, you get what I mean. It’s perfect drinking weather. And I believe Mobile did just that this past weekend! Weekend vibes So, Friday night was the second Friday of the month, which means LoDa Artwalk! And on top of Artwalk there was the Junior League’s Christmas Jubilee, South had a home game and there was a street party at The Steeple. Needless to say downtown was buzzing! Boozie’s night started with a quick run through Christmas Jubilee. This event always gets me in the Christmas spirit; like, is it too early to light the Christmas candle and put the tree up? I tasted as many dips, soups and other goodies as I could. Lucy Buffett was there and I hear she also did a little shopping before signing her new cookbook “Gumbo Love.” I think I am going to start using Lucy’s term and say I’m from the “coastal South.” Sounds fancy. Boozie couldn’t help but laugh when she passed the beer line at Christmas Jubilee — it was full of poor souls who were dragged there by their wives to do Christmas shopping and probably told it would be a quick trip. Guys, it could have been worse, there could have been no beer! After stocking up on wrapping paper, ornaments and dip mixes, it was time to head to Artwalk and dinner. Restaurants were packed, the streets were packed, art galleries were packed and parking spots were few and far between, all good problems to have! Did I say packed? Since my restaurant of choice had a 45-minute wait, we decided to grab a drink and take a walk. I felt all warm inside when I heard out-of-towners talking about getting “the cool cup” aka hurricane glasses, and their waitress telling them they could also walk around with a drink and them all getting excited and high-fiving each other! See, Mobile is cool! What was even cooler were the parody albums at Optera Creative. They were Mobile parodies, so think Sandy Stimpson on the Michael Jackson “Thriller” cover as Michael Jackson. If you have the chance go check them out! Meanwhile over the bay, Manci’s was moving and grooving with The Danzig Band reunion. Apparently, they were a popular band back in the day but times hadn’t changed much since their days of playing at Trinity’s, which used to be in downtown Mobile. My spy said they were just as amazing as she remembers! She said Manci’s was packed and it was almost like a mini college reunion, with everyone sharing memories of seeing the band play at different bars around the Gulf Coast. Nothing like having the band back together! Come Saturday morning, Gears and Beers kicked off the day with four different bike rides through Mobile. Gears and Beers reported this year they had the most riders ever and the event was a huge success! Boozie was told the post-race party was so much fun, with Mobile Big Band Society playing! I was also surprised to find out more people signed up for the 100-mile ride than the 10-mile Beignet Buster. Umm, if there is “beignets” in a route name, I am taking that one, but more power to the folks that can ride 100 miles, that is impressive. One dad and his two sons took on the challenge; it might have been more than they were ready for but they still managed to finish. Talk about dedication! By the time Saturday late afternoon
rolled around, Auburn fans were sitting back enjoying the sights on the TV because of the Georgia upset. Boozie had one friend shotgunning beers for every touchdown until about the third one. Crazy barners! But the real question is how many noise complaints did police get Saturday night during the Alabama game and did the hospitals see an increase in heart attack patients? Everyone better get ready for the Iron Bowl, friendships and even marriages will be tested. Purse, please The 12th annual Purse With Purpose was last Tuesday night at Heron Lakes. As always Our Sisters’ Closet put on a fabulous event! If you are a female (males are welcome too) and you haven’t made it to this event, you need to go next year! Boozie loves this event not just for the endless wine but because of the work Our Sisters’ Closet does. They help disadvantaged women, men and teens by providing free interview and workplace clothing and job search support and career advancement training. Cool, right? The main attraction of Purse With Purpose is the live auction. There are always men modeling the purses and some go all out to get your attention! The first guy came out dancing. He said everyone wasn’t ready to party so he started taking his suit off and made an outfit change to a vest and hat — that definitely got the ladies’ attention! With the second guy, things were slow until hosts Kelly Finley and Sean Sullivan said Ben could do a few one-handed pushups. He did a lot of one-handed pushups, with the purse in his free hand! Needless to say, the bids came rolling in. Assistant DA Cleveland Patterson came out breaking it down — the man can groove! Judge William Steele followed as a fill-in and had the crowd laughing as he walked around in sunglasses yelling “Buy this purse!” A guy named Tim Mills followed but I was too busy talking and missed his auction. Kelly and Sean’s co-host Dalton was the youngest model but also recently married so the ladies weren’t as interested, plus he was followed by “the most eligible bachelor,” Andy Newton! Right off, Andy said he would do “one two-armed pushup” and did not let the crowd down as he did his pushup. He then worked the crowd, rubbing the purse on one guy’s face and sitting in a lady’s lap. After he got up she had to fan herself. Needless to say, the purse sold for a lot of money. Next up was another eligible bachelor, Paul Beagle! Paul came out with the microphone and was telling the ladies about what all was in his purse. A two-night stay at a hotel! He joked that he could probably join you, and Kelly quickly cut him off and told him to stick to modeling because that was not part of the package! Hey, he was just hoping to make some new friends! Following Paul was Jamie Fraser from “Outlander”! Since he is from Scotland he came out wearing a kilt and talking in his accent. He made a joke about what was under his kilt and didn’t quite hear Kelly when she said “one-night stay,” a little worried he thought she said stand! The final model was Craig Matthews with Lexus of Mobile. He modeled a Louis Vuitton purse and the crowd went crazy, but everything was kept tame because Craig’s wife was in the front row! All the models are such good sports and raised a lot of money for Purse With Purpose! Well, kids, that’s all I’ve got this week. Just remember, whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous, or just some plain ol’ purse lovin’, I will be there. Ciao!
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