Lake wedowee fall 2014

Sunset on Lake Wedowee Fall 2014 • www.LakeWedoweeLife.com • Free

Fall 2014 Vol. 7 No. 4

Table of Contents Special Features 10. News to Know Wedowee ER Makes A Difference 12-15. Summer in Review Instagram 4 20-21. Summer in Review Lake Wedowee Summer Jam 24-25. Summer in Review Boat Parade 28-29. Summer in Review Rodeo 35. Entertaining Growing Season Thrives for Fall Farmers 39-46. Summer in Review Readers Photos

In This Issue 8. Letter from the Editor 16. Charley’s Treasure 18. Hooked on Lake Wedowee 31. What’s Cooking 48. Where in the World is Lake Wedowee Life?

50. Movie Review

contributors this issue Jackson Bonner, Tracy Carpenter, Charley Norton, Andy Petty, Tricia Sterns

On the Cover Avery Kennedy captured the original image used for the cover with his camera phone on camping trip recently. It captured the end of summer to perfection To see the full picture and other photographs from our readers, see page 39.

General Manager LEISEL CALDWELL info@lakewedoweelife.com

Editor KELLY CALDWELL news@lakewedoweelife.com

Advertising Sales LAVOY CALDWELL ads@lakewedoweelife.com

Advertising Sales ALICIA HERNĂ NDEZ ads@lakewedoweelife.com

Lake Wedowee Life 877.959.LAKE (5253) 18285 Highway 431 Wedowee, AL

www.LakeWedoweeLife.com Lake Wedowee Life magazine is published four times a year and available around the Lake Wedowee area which includes Randolph and Clay Counties in Alabama as well as parts of West Georgia.

All content in this publication is protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published without the prior written permission of Neighborhood Publishing. Š 2008-2014 Neighborhood Publishing 6 lake wedowee life

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Looking Back on Summer It’s hard to believe Labor Day has come and gone. It seems like yesterday, we were busy making plans for the “Event Issue” of Lake Wedowee Life and thawing out from one of the worst winters I can remember.

Compared to last year, Mother Nature blessed us with nearly perfect weather each and every weekend this summer and our readers definitely made the most of it!

We did our best to capture the spirit of the summer in this issue thanks in large part to you! Our readers have truly lived the Lake Wedowee Life this summer and we are fortunate a great many shared their images with us!

This issue of “Lake Wedowee Life” serves as a scrapbook of sorts for the Summer of 2014. We worked together as a community to raise thousands of dollars for local charities, and we welcomed new comers and old friends to the lake.

Fourth of July was particularly fun with a repeat of our “Fifth Annual Boat Parade” as well as record crowds gathering for the Randolph County Sheriffs Rodeo.

“Lake Wedowee Life” also experienced some changes this summer as we moved locations from “the busiest little cabin in Wedowee” to our new home on Hwy 48.

With the new location, also came a new business venture for us… Southern Holiday Life Store and Décor has been open for business since June and let me just say we have some wonderful readers, supporters and now customers! Everyone involved has had a blast this summer finding new and different products to bring to Lake Wedowee! Be sure to keep up to date with us on Facebook for special events throughout the fall. Just because the summer is over doesn’t mean the fun has to end!!!

Enjoy Life Kelly Caldwell 8 lake wedowee life

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Wedowee ER Makes a Difference Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of stories in Lake Wedowee Life dedicated to sharing the impact a small town hospital has on its community. The individuals have shared their stories with Lake Wedowee Life and were not contacted by Wedowee Hospital or any of its employees. If you want to share your story with our readers please contact us by email at news@lakewedoweelife.com.

the hospital, but we had a good back and forth with the doctors and staff and everyone made us very comfortable.”

His brother broke his foot in the accident and needed stitches in his hand.

Since then Conger and his friends have visited the emergency room at Wedowee Hospital for a variety of things including an allergic reaction, kidney stones and a fishing lure lodged in his buddy’s thumb.

“Our accidents always seem to Rick Conger and his family happen when the emergency have enjoyed time on Lake Weroom is the only option,” Conger dowee since the late 90s, and he is said. “That or driving an hour to the first to admit he used to make

by Kelly Caldwell urgent care. fun of Wedowee Hospital.

“We are definite fans of Weple of years ago when his brother "Yeah we used to joke all the dowee Hospital,” he said. “Like we was in an ATV accident at their lake time about the little hospital in all should be. While our accidents property. town," Conger said. "But I tell you have been minor in the grand “He flipped it and the ATV what, if you are injured, that little scheme of things, it only takes one landed on my brother’s hand and hospital makes a world of differtime to know the importance of foot,” Conger said. “We were at the ence because it is right there." having a local hospital when you For years, Conger and his family hospital being seen within 10 to 15 need it!” minutes of the accident happening. didn’t have a need for Wedowee “It was a busy Saturday night at Hospital but that all changed a cou-

News to Know

Connect with us Socially

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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following photos were tagged #LakeWedoweelife and are used with the consent of the photograph owner. Be sure to follow us @lakewedoweelife!

Download the free app today & join in the fun!

Cyndeelulu @cyndeelulu

Devarus @dvar02

Katie Summey @feared.tyrant.katie

Haley Grant @hlgau

Jaycee Martin @jayceemartin_

Lacey Sanders @llaaaaceface

Marla Turpin @marturp

Monica Brown @monica_rbrown

Renzo Arredondo @renzoa80

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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following photos were tagged #LakeWedoweelife and are used with the consent of the photograph owner. Be sure to follow us @lakewedoweelife!

Download the free app today & join in the fun!

Amber Lee @amm_lee_4

Ashley Paige @ashpaigew

Matthew Smith @bo_smith23

Jennifer Underwood @jenunderwood26

Megaamo @kmegaamo

Oliver Jones @okjones4

Raikirk91 @kraikirk91

Rhonda B. @rcbutler82

Stacy Harvey @strictly4stacy lake wedowee life 13

Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following photos were tagged #LakeWedoweelife and are used with the consent of the photograph owner. Be sure to follow us @lakewedoweelife!

Download the free app today & join in the fun!

Abby @_avall

Caleb Calhoun @calhoun5651

Jennifer Barrow @jbarrow2013

Jeff Garrison @jhgarrison

Joedy Rochester @joedyr

Lacey Sanders @laaaaceface

Lacey Sanders @laaaaceface

Monica Brown @monica_rbrown

Kalie Calhoun @kaliecalhoun

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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following photos were tagged #LakeWedoweelife and are used with the consent of the photograph owner. Be sure to follow us @lakewedoweelife!

Download the free app today & join in the fun!

Abbie Murphey @abbiemurphey

Ashley Samples @anksamples

Dawson Wells @dawsonwells_14

Laura Norton @lauralnorton

Amanda @modd_dangg

Tyler Davis @ltyler_d520

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This Little Piggy...

Well, one went to the market and one stayed home, one had roast beef but the last one? He must have went to the lake and I’m thinking he wasn’t alone either. All you little piggy’s out there littering our lake, keep in mind what happened to your cousins, Fifer and Fiddler, because the big bad wolf’s not dead and is on the prowl. I wrote a little poem just for you with a message I hope you will understand.

To litter the lake is a childish thing so I thought a poem would be at your level.

He study’s the currents and watches the land. He knows where that bottle, left your hand.

He searches in the daytime and he searches at night. You’ll not know he’s there cause he stays out of sight. Where ever you are and whatever you do, the skies can be cloudy or big bright and blue. It makes no difference how well you can hide. He’ll sniff you out and take you for a ride. A ride to the big house made of brick and concrete, forget all your visions of little Bo peep. She will not be there to kiss you goodnight you’ll have to get that from your new roommate Mike.

And then the day comes

when you go see the judge, and he will not be there to offer you fudge. He’ll holler and yell and slam down his big gavel and the next thing you’ll do is turn rocks into gravel.

So throw in that bottle while you sit in your boat, the bean burrito wrapper and this story I wrote. You’ll not do it long and I know this is true. The claws of the wolf will sink in to you.

Charley’s Treasures

by Charley Norton The moral of the story is to love the lake and if you do not it would be a mistake. The wolf of Wedowee will hunt you down and show to the others that you are the clown. The clown that shows malice to the waters we love and the one who’ll pay dearly with your current pay stub.

So please be advised, the story is out. Eyes are all over to find you out. And when that day comes and come it will soon, you’ll wish you were far away in a balloon.

Yes I know that rhymes aren’t my bag but the message is

real. Our lake is being disgraced by a few disrespectful people, especially up the little river. We have to take on the role of the lakes constables and call out or report all the little piggy’s on the lake. Of those we need to appreciate, LWPOA (Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association) should be at the top of the list.

They work hard to make sure that our lake is clean, full and safe. But you don’t have to be a member to be a part. It’s a big lake and it takes many hands and many boats to clear the debris from the water.

This is your way of thanking Lake Wedowee for the good times it has given you.

Charley Norton is the coowner of Norton’s Flooring with his brother Tom. The company was founded by his parents more than 35 years ago.

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Change Your Fishing Spots When Seasons Change Summertime fishing on Lake Wedowee has been mostly productive this year. While there have been limited opportunities to catch large numbers of fish, there have been some huge fish caught throughout this summer. Our summer tournaments saw several fish over nine pounds weighed in with a dozen or so over the seven pound mark. The prevailing tactic of choice for catching those giant largemouths throughout this summer was targeting underwater pier lights with big worms or deep diving crankbaits. The other dominant and age-old pattern was fishing deep structure in the 20’-25’ range.

However, as the dog days of summer wind down and cool nights coupled with shorter days create the cooling of the water, the bass will begin to migrate to the shallower bays. After experiencing our first couple of cool nights the pH levels will change as well as the plankton. And this will decrease the clarity of the water. This noticeable difference in water clarity will be your first sign to start experimenting with shallower areas. Another noticeable sign will be that many of the shad that had been populating the main lake areas will be gone. These are obvious clues

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that the bass have started their fall migrations. We must also endure the lake turnover which will last ten to fifteen days depending on how fast the water cools but it will nonetheless, make fishing miserable while it persists. With that being said, this time of the year is by far the best time to get out at daylight and catch tons of schooling fish on long sloping points or in other main lake areas down river.

The topwater bite will be strong throughout the month of September until the water reaches the mid 70 degree mark. As the topwater bite diminishes with the rising sun try suspending jerkbaits or medium-diving crankbaits around these schooling fish to keep the school active.

Hooked on Lake Wedowee

months of October and November the fishing will resemble February and March fishing only in reverse.

This time around the fish will be going from shallow to deep instead of deep to shallow. In fact, many of the places you had success in the early spring can pay huge dividends in the late fall. Targeting shallow cover with smaller profile spinnerbaits is a great tactic to employ this time of year. Pay close attention to the size of the shad to see what size blades you need to be throwing to mimic the baitfish. As October ends and the water cools into the low 60s or high 50 degree range the bass will finally start their annual trek to offshore hangouts and rock bluff walls. Crankbaits and jigs this time of the year will lend the greatest results. Remember this time of the year is all about paying attention to the details. Find the baitfish and the bass will be nearby.

by Jackson Bonner As fall sets into full swing and most are huddled around their televisions watching college football or outside grilling with friends, the fishing on Lake Wedowee will be in full swing once again. During the

Jackson Bonner is an avid fisherman that has fished Lake Wedowee for most of his life. He lives in Clay County. He is also a founder of the Lake Wedowee Tournament Trail.

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Summer Jam

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Lake Wedowee Summer Jam saw record setting crowds turn out for WIND and Confederate Railroad Memorial Day Weekend.

The concert is a fundraiser for two Randolph County charities that help feed hungry school children.

The organizers would like to thank all the sponsors and spectators that made the event possible!

Pictures by Sharon Bowness, Michele Burns and Kelly Caldwell.

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Boat Parade

Boat Parade

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www.facebook.com/lakewedoweelife

Charles Thompson

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Photos by Steve Calhoun / Cheap Shot Photography 28 lake wedowee life

Rodeo

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Adding Extra Crunch to Your favorite Salad or Sandwich Shorter days, crisp evenings and busy back to school schedules all mark the natural changing of the season. The crisp fall weather hasn’t quite hit Wedowee yet. But as I eagerly await for the glow of summer to fade, busy schedules have already taken over, football grabs our attention and another holiday season is hot on our heels. As we begin packing the multitude of fall activities into shorter and cooler days, there’s no need to let it stress us this fall.

Let’s welcome the change of pace with open arms, and know that with a little planning we can shift into the season with ease. I love this time of year and the food that comes with it.

I love the fact that I don’t have to worry about heating the house up when I bake.

Fall brings the promise of apple pies and holiday gatherings. Crisp, tart apples abound this time of year and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Needless to say, it is a fantastic time to be in the kitchen! But since the weather stays fairly warm

through September here in the south, let’s keep it cool and add a little twist and fall flavor to a summertime favorite and create apple broccoli slaw. Serve with pork, chicken or whatever your heart desires. I’m serving it with a turkey, bacon sandwich on sour dough bread with honey mustard and pro-

2 cups fresh broccoli, finely chopped 2 green onions, finely sliced, white and green parts 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans (Optional)

Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Do a taste test and add more seasoning to suit

by Tracy Carpenter your tastes. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably over night. volone cheese. You can add it to the See notes sandwich or serve it on the side.

Notes: I like a vinegary slaw so if you prefer a sweeter slaw you will Apple Broccoli Slaw want to add more sugar. If you are a honey mustard lover try adding 1/3 cup mayonnaise 3/4-1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons apple cider vineand 1-1/4 Tablespoons of honey to gar the mayonnaise mixture.

1/4 teaspoon salt Another tasty addition is bacon!

1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon sugar 3 cups prepared shredded coleslaw blend Tracy Carpenter is the owner of 1 Gala apple chopped TracyCakes.

Let’s Get Cookin’

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Growing Season Thrives For Fall Farmers Are you one of the first to cook up some pumpkin- inspired dishes the minute you roll over your calendar— and it says, September? Are you ready for football, tailgate parties, and to be able to arrive somewhere intact, without suffering from a heat stroke? Me too.

While autumn ushers in winter, and escorts out the summer growing season, the season provides young and old alike the opportunity for growth and renewal. Maybe it's time to discover parts of yourself you’d like to explore, expand hobbies, or renew past interests.

One of my favorite things is a fall garden. Everything grows.

Nothing seems to burn up and fry like my sister without sunscreen. I feel successful with actual vegetables to roast, or toss into beautiful fall dishes. I can honestly say, “Look I grew this. Really, I did!” The success of my fall garden keeps me hooked on gardening and inspires me to keep planting each season. In my summer vegetable patch I often battle nature and my own schedule; my tomatoes often get a worm beby Tricia Sterns fore I can pick them, or my cucumbers vines get out of control because basil, and the next day I have dried I ran out of town for the weekend. herbs. But there is always SeptemOne day, I have a big bouquet of ber. I have grown to count on the

Entertaining

beautiful bounty of my fall garden.

With their rich, earthy flavors, cool-weather veggies are the perfect salad ingredients.

There are a wide variety of vegetables available in the fall from baby squashes—acorn and butternut,

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baby carrots, beets-yellow and red, fingerling potatoes, cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli, arugula, and kale, and of course, our southern staple: Greens. Turnip. Mustard.

Spinach.

Just what makes a salad a salad? Is it just iceberg lettuce, a few tasteless tomatoes with a squirt of ranch dressing? For many. I challenge that a salad is beyond this common definition. It would be fair to say that a salad should have at least one raw component, more than likely, “the green stuff”, though in the fall it does not have to be limited to just a green as the base. The fall salad layers vegetables like us ladies who like to wear warm sweaters and scarfs on a cool evening; a salad rich with fall color mingles layers and textures of veggies all dressed with some sort of vinaigrette, though it does not have to be vinegar based.

After all, it is the south, and our three favorite ingredients are butter, cream cheese and mayo.

In the dictionary, under salad, it describes it three ways. I love this.

Even the dictionary gives us free range to interpret the salad. Under my Merriam- Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, it states in 1 b: “a dish of meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, fruits, nuts, or vegetables singly or in combination.” So, a salad is in the eye of the beholder. My favorite salads often become a beautiful fall meal, Continued on Page 38

Roasted Fall Veggies with Feta Dressing Sprinkle thickly cut vegetables with sea salt to remove any excessive water and to enhance browning. Toss in olive oil and pat dry. Roast at 425 for 15 minutes.

Mix the following: 4 Tablespoons of white wine vinegar 2 tsp. of honey, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ tsp. of salt, ¼ tsp. of pepper, 1 tsp. of Dijon mustard, ½ cup of olive oil.

1 cup of Feta or Goat Cheese Place the roasted vegetables on a serving platter and pour the dressing evenly over the veggies. Serve warm or cold.

Beyond your backyard‌ Adding fresh vegetables from your garden whether they are just in window boxes, barrels, or a huge patch of earth, can add a lot to your menus and lifestyle. Or if gardening is not your thing, we have lots of great sources for fresh food all around Wedowee. Gathering fresh food from local farms and businesses benefits us all. How? Eating locally: Eating seasonally from your local farmer and agri-businesses ensures that you and your family are eating food that is fresh and full of nutrients. Eating local means food that is grown by you, or your neighbor and travels less than 200 miles.

Support the local economy: Ever go on a trip and see the same stores as the last city? When you support your local businesses and farms you are reinvesting in your community, building relationships among people, and creating a vibrant economic hub that benefits all. The more dollars that are spent local means more of those dollars directly benefit the entire community.

Here are a few local sources for some great autumn produce: Eat Shoot Farm located at 4201 county road 17 Roanoke al. 36274.

Megan Busby runs this beautiful farm that has been in her family for years.

She is growing Arugula, Red Russian Kale, and heirloom carrots. She will also have a bunch of collards, and speckled butter lima beans. Check out her website at www.eatshoot.com Moore Family Farm 239 County Road 561 Woodland, Alabama. Laurie and Will Moore run the biggest CSA (community supported agriculture) in the Atlanta area. And they are YOUR neighbors. They do a drop off at Lakeside Marina on Wednesdays. You can order on line a wide variety of fresh vegetables and sustainably grown meats. Make sure you get some fresh chevre or goat cheese- it is award winning, and would add that little gourmet touch to your fall salad. www.morefarmandfriends.com Gerson’s Garden, 908 Main Street Roanoke, Alabama.

This is a great store and small restaurant that honors local farmers as much as possible and carries fresh vegetables to take home as well as integrating the local food in their lovely vegetable based meals in the restaurant. Carry home lots of produce to create your own fresh fall salads as well.

Open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 pm. Facebook/https://www.facebook.com/pages/GersonsGarden/135041610026044

Continued from Page 36

accessorized with grilled meats, which makes everyone who sits at my table, immensely happy and healthy.

With a little effort you can add to your fall menu lots of homegrown vegetables—many grown from seed.

Baby Kale, spinach and arugula seeds planted in loose soil in large pots grow well and fast. And French Breakfast radishes grow from seed to salad in 21 days. Anything that thrives below the earth, like beets, potatoes, and carrots love loose soil as well- so I tend to grow those items in deep flower pots. The tops of the vegetables are fun and leafy from carrots thick with fuzzy ferns to beets with wide leaves with a thread of purple through the center. All add texture to the changing season and different take on my fall planters. Try a large pot like a half barrel, even an old tire, and grow from seed the following: carrots, beets, and even garlic and onions.

Once they start to pop up add some chard or kale maybe a flowering plant like a big yellow mum. You not only have an interesting array of vegetables to eat, but you have a beautiful planter as well.

If you are unsure about where to get started, just take a walk through the supermarket, like the WM Grocery, Gersons Garden over in Roanoke, or one of our local farms

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for inspiration. The essential to any good salad is inspiration.

Create your salad while you gather your ingredients, whether you grew the veggies or you are shopping for them. For a basic salad start with a green, like arugula, kale, or spinach, then layer on the components thinking about color, and tastes. Pair a bitter with a sweet, a crunchy with a creamy, warm and cold, always thinking about enhancing the contrasting flavors. To make it a meal, add some cheese, meat, or eggs.

While we all love to follow the rules, there are NO rules in salad creation. What a great time to be a renegade, in your own kitchen. Improvisation, and Imagination pull your own fall salads together. Use your recipes, your Pinterest finds as part of your inspiration, but make your salad unique to you and your family’s tastes. If an ingredient is unavailable, leave it out, or substitute with something accessible. Remember: Improvisation is a key ingredient.

Avoid overdressing. A salad can fall victim to over dressing just like we all have done in our own clothing. Remember the key to salad dressings is just like your mother says, “Less is more.” Too much salad dressing left on for too long can ruin a lovely salad. Go easy, and dress the salad at the very last. Bringing a salad to an event?

Travel with your dressing in a mason jar, and toss the dressing in just before serving. Go to this effort for the best taste possible. Another special effort that pays off is the arrangement of your ingredients. Be thoughtful while arranging your vegetables. Pretend you are back in art class and your palate is the veggies of our earth. A beautiful spread of salad adds color and art to any meal. And people love to eat something that looks good to eat.

Creating fall salads with whole food that you grew or gathered creates good health, good times, and entertainment for those who have the daily task of preparing meals for the family. It awakens our connection to nature, our family and friends and to our local community.

So toss a fall salad and enjoy your local world today—Lake Wedowee.

Tricia Stearns resides on Lake Wedowee with her husband Bern and their dog, Hiker. An emptynester of 5 children, she writes stories about food, family and southern life. Her work has been featured in literary and regional magazines throughout the region. Stop in and visit her blog, www.purpleokra.com

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Livin’ the Lake Wedowee Life

Tisha Money

Michael Chandler

Cheryl Duck

Tammy Bass

Robert Romeo

Pamela Graben

Jan Browning

Holly Larimer

Becky Johnson

Nick Fables

Rick Conger

Lynne Smith

Nancy Hollon

Allison Campbell

Smith Pass

Nancy Burnes

Julie Davis

Tisha Money

Brittany Allen

Alesha Ellis

Mandy Downs

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Avery Kennedy

Laura Hamlin

Nancy Burnes

Kathy Simmons

Misty Wilson

Beth Willems

Larry Kirby

Sandra Ralston

Seth Pass

Brian Koskey

Linda Smith

Pam Haynes

Brandi Amason

Laura Jordan

Nick Fables

Rick Conger

Kim Hicks

(From Top left to right clockwise) Chris and Jill Ward brought Lake Wedowee Life along to the opening day of the World Cup in Sao Paulo Brazil; Brian and Lisa Gunter visited Hawaii with Lake Wedowee Life; Greg and Keishia Norred brought Lake Wedowee Life to the Roman Colosseum; Kurt and Yvonne Shular and Todd and Ellen Cargil traveled with Lake Wedowee Life to the border of Czech Republic and Germany on a recent European cycling vacation; Jon Thomas Whittaker, Tyler Whittaker, Elise Joswick and Abigail Joswick brought Lake Wedowee Life to Miami Beach! If you travel, be sure to take Lake Wedowee Life along with you. Take a picture at a landmark and send it back to us at news@lakewedoweelife.com. Please be sure to tell us where you are and who is with you!! Thanks and Happy Travels!

Where in the world

(From Top left to right clockwise) Ellen Clack and Paul White brought Lake Wedowee Life along on a recent visit to theCrazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota; Luke Taylor and Lamar Brooks brought Lake Wedowee Life to Cades Cove Tenn.; Courtney Cooper, Catherine Israel, Jalen Drummond, and Ceara Cooper in Nassau, Bahamas with Lake Wedowee Life; Seth May, Emma May, Autumn and Chris May visited Ruby Falls, Tenn. with Lake Wedowee Life; Jamie and Brandy Dukus visited Mt. Vesuvius with Lake Wedowee Life; Pat Lee and her grandson Hunter visited Mt. Saint Helen.

Three Action Packed Franchises Worth a Look Action Movie Franchises, they’re in no short supply. From buddy cops, vigilante citizens or mutated superheroes, this is a genre that has and will always be relevant for the movie-loving audience. Here are just three of my favorites.

Rush Hour - The definition of a buddy is a close friend or a friend you spend time with. In this case, two cops from the opposite ends of the earth are paired together to investigate a kidnapping of a Chinese consul’s daughter. The streets of Los Angeles set the stage as the unlikely pair set out to crack the case. As goes with the popular “Lethal Weapon” series, and countless other action buddy flicks, the two couldn’t be more opposite in their ways of investigating. Chris Tucker is our wise-cracking L.A. cop and Jackie Chan is our Chinese detective. Pitting the two together in 1998 had potential and seemed like a fun idea, but who knew it would grow to heights of being a billion dollar franchise and growing. So far, the film stands as a trilogy that is equally entertaining and filled with action, suspense and plenty of comedy. It’s one of the best ever in it’s field and truly defines the buddy/action/cop genre.

Death Wish - I have to honestly say that as of just a couple years ago I had never seen a film starring Charles Bronson. It took one film to

Entertainment

by Andy Petty change my view of who I thought was an older, washed-up action star that didn’t know when his time was up. Sadly, he was gone too soon. He was an actor that knew how to carry himself and a film all the way through. Never mentally showing signs of age, he was and will remain one of the best action heroes of all time. In Death Wish, and in his early 50’s, he plays Paul Kersey, a man who’s wife has been brutally killed and his daughter sexually assaulted by a random gang of thugs. With no leads and no way to find the gang responsible, Kersey takes to the dark Manhattan streets looking for trouble. In early 70’s New York City, unfortunately trouble is on every corner. Kind of the pre “Taken” in it’s day, audiences responded positively

with the idea that a citizen can take the law in to his own hands and serve justice his own way. Spawning 4 sequels throughout the 80’s and 90’s, Death Wish took our anti-hero all over the country, and audiences kept coming back for more.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - It seems like a no-brainer for today's youth that a film based on a comic book series would be a hit, but unlike the Marvel Studios or DC Comics brand we know today, most comic based films of the past were complete failures (i.e. Captain America or Fantastic Four). I am a Nintendo and TMNT child, and proud of it. The Turtles and crew are part of my life and I’ll never forget seeing all three movies on the big screen and even more viewings on the good ‘ol VCR. So, with the recent and surprisingly entertaining reboot raking in the cash this summer, it’s time to revisit the originals. Unlike their inception in the early 90’s, they are now a household name. Superhero mutants cleaning the dirty, dark and dangerous streets of Manhattan at night, ordering pizza on the side and teaming up with the hottest young reporter on the scene It’s all just normal to our minds now. Turtle Power!

Digitally downloading or Hi-Def discing these films in 2014, a classic is a classic and these franchises will be around forever.