The Observer 02-24-2022 E-edition

Vol. 14, No. 20

Thursday Feb. 24, 2022

Opelika, Alabama

Covering Lee County, Alabama

An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURNBANK AuburnBank is pleased to share more details on the redevelopment of our headquarters, which has been a staple of downtown Auburn for 115 years. Our new building at the corner of Gay Street and E. Magnolia Avenue, the AuburnBank Center, is expected to open mid-June of this year, allowing us to better serve our customers, the community and accommodate future growth. Along with the bank and our mortgage

Dad's League Director Jason Flowers (left) with "Father of the Month" Charles Jackson (right).

office, the AuburnBank Center will include other retail amenities on the ground floor, including Bitty and Beau’s Coffee shop.

Also, we have reached a preliminary agreement to sell a portion of our existing land to a local award-winning hotel development

The Opelika Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2022-23 class of Lee County Young Leaders. The deadline for all applications is Friday, March 4, 2022.

Lee County Young Leaders is a county-wide program designed to nurture and develop positive

leadership qualities in high school students.

The Opelika Chamber wants to create successful leaders in Lee County and this program should give the students in the area the knowledge, tools and contacts to do so. The ultimate goal is that graduates of the Lee County Young Leaders program will possess a unique understanding and appreciation of the inner workings of their community and

will return home as excellent future candidates to serve on local boards, committees and task forces.

Lee County Young leaders begins in September and consist of one session per month until April 2023. In addition, there will be a mandatory orientation session in the month prior to the first class session and a graduation in April.

Thirty-four juniors and seniors in high schools, home schools and private schools in Lee County are chosen for the program through an application process. The applications are judged anonymously based on application neatness, extracurricular activities, See LCYL, page A3

and management company on which they plan to develop an upscale, nationally branded lifestyle hotel See AUBURNBANK, page A6

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

Contributing to the mission of the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) in Opelika,

Dad’s League launched its Steps To Hope Breakfast last week to help support fathers in the Lee County community.

Dad’s League is See LEAGUE, page A3

When Bread Flies!

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Opelika Chamber Accepting Applications for 2022-23 LCYL Class

CONTRIBUTED BY THE OPELIKA CHAMBER

Dad’s League Continuing Mission PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

AuburnBank Headquarters Shares Progress Update

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

Tiger Town will have a new breakfast restaurant soon — The Flying Biscuit Cafe.

The Flying Biscuit first opened in Atlanta in 1993 and has since expanded to Alabama, Florida, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina. “[The restaurant] grew a big following in Atlanta and you know, they saw it as a brand that could grow

CONTENTS OPINION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 OPINION

SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7

POLITICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B9

RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A14

CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B13

COMICS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A16 COMICS

PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . . . . . B13

and kind of go to other communities,” said Greg Yund, franchise owner of Birmingham’s location.

The Birmingham location opened in 2019, Yund said, three months before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restaurant closed for six weeks but reopened and survived the pandemic that killed many small businesses.

“The brand itself is southern comfort food, you know a lot of just great, southern dishes,” Yund said. “We have

scrambles, one of our best ones is a southern scramble. It’s got collard greens in it, onions, bacon. And customers are like ‘collards and eggs?’ And it’s like, you’ve just got to give it a chance.”

The Auburn/Opelika location will open in Tiger Town, hopefully by the end of summer, Yund said.

Other menu items, outside of the scramble, include traditional breakfast foods like See BISCUITS, page A5

A2 Feb. 24, 2022

Dear Citizens of Opelika,

A

s I sit in my office and look out over the city, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride in the change that has occurred in Opelika over the past year.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for our community and the effects of this change have truly been brought to light.

We’ve had an officer struck and dragged by a vehicle, two senseless murders, an assault on an elderly

woman and then a bank robbery. Backto-back incidents like these can sometimes break a community, however, Opelika remained steadfast!

You did not waiver or shrink from responsibility and worked to be a part of the solution.

Through each of these horrible incidents, citizens stood up and spoke up. I cannot remember a time in my policing career when we have had so many people

speak up about what they saw and knew.

We had a parking lot full of witnesses when our officer was injured, neighbors who helped us contact family members when a suspect was barricaded in his home after stabbing his sister, and several people stand up at a murder scene and say, “Enough is enough, this senselessness has to stop!”

These people encouraged others to band together and speak up.

Our department has

been flooded with calls and tips that furthered all of these investigations and have led to the arrests of two murder suspects. We also received several calls of well wishes for our injured officer and a few calls with words of thanks and encouragement. This strengthened resolve was unheard of just a few short years ago. Even though our detectives continue to work on cases daily where no one has come forward we

maintain hope. Hope this shift not only continues but empowers those who were too afraid to speak up at the time, to come forward now with information to help close those cases.

I am proud of our citizens for coming together and deciding they want better for the community. I am elated to stand beside them and support them in order to bring successful conclusions to these types of incidents. We would

not have been able to bring justice to these victims without your help, so I thank each and every one of you for standing up and speaking out. We will not forget how you have helped change the culture of our community and know we are on our way to changing the world from Opelika, Alabama.

Very Respectfully, Shane D. Healey Chief of Police Opelika Police Department

Windstream Wholesale to Connect to AUBix Data Center in Auburn Windstream Wholesale, a leading provider of fast and flexible solutions, announced today that it will connect its Intelligent Converged Optical Network (ICON) to the AUBix LLC data center adjacent to Auburn University. The Auburn connection, scheduled to come online by the end of February, is the latest addition to Windstream’s growing data center portfolio.

Windstream Wholesale is now taking orders at the new AUBix location for wave services, ethernet solutions and dedicated internet access of all speeds.

“We are excited to provide customers with diverse, high-speed connectivity to the AUBix LLC data center,” said Joe Scattareggia, executive vice president of Windstream Wholesale.

“This data center is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of hyperscale, government and research-oriented companies across the Southeast. We couldn’t be happier to add AUBix to our suite of top-flight data center partners.”

“We are proud to partner with Windstream to bring high-speed internet service to communities in Alabama,” said Andrew Albrecht, co-founder and chief executive officer.

“Their visionary approach to technology parity means businesses in the region have the ability to compete

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CONTRIBUTED BY AUBix, LLC

on a national and global scale, fueled by reliable, fiber-based service.”

AUBix LLC is a 40,000-square-foot, multitenant, mission-critical and CMMC-compliant data center located at 1571 W. Samford Ave. It connects to Windstream’s point of presence at 55 Marietta in Atlanta, Georgia.

AUBix prides itself on providing secure and compliant infrastructure that benefits growing markets in surrounding regions through carrier-neutral services and deep technology expertise.

AUBix delivers access to

public cloud computing resources, dense compute and storage infrastructure, as well as cached content to end-users.

Windstream’s Intelligent Converged Optical Network (ICON) provides open and disaggregated networking infrastructure, enabling wholesale and enterprise technology customers to select unique custom routes, maintain operational insights with Windstream’s Network Intelligence functions and place their networks closer to the edge to better serve end-users.

To view the Windstream

Sports Editor: Wil Crews Live Lee Editor: Hannah Lester Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Michelle@opelikaobserver.com

Publisher: Michelle Key

network map, visit www. windstreamenterprise. com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/national-network-map.pdf ABOUT WINDSTREAM Windstream Holdings is a privately held Fortune® 1000 communications and software company. Windstream Wholesale is an innovative optical technology leader that creates deep partnerships with carriers, content and media providers and federal government agencies to deliver fast and flexible, customized wave and transport solutions.

Additional information is

available at windstream. com or windstreamwholesale.com. Follow us on Twitter at @Windstream.

From Fortune. ©2021 Fortune Media IP Limited.

All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune 1000 are registered trademarks of Fortune Media IP Limited and are used under license. Fortune is not affiliated with, and does not endorse products or services of, Windstream.

ABOUT AUBix LLC AUBix LLC is a multitenant, mission-critical data center designed to help build technology parity to

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under-served communities in Alabama. The secure, compliant infrastructure boosts efficiency and cost-effectiveness, with carrier-neutral services and deep technology expertise.

AUBix is serving as an economic catalyst for the regions and communities it serves, enabling digital transformation for businesses, supporting healthcare, finance, manufacturing and academia, and providing access to high-speed internet.

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A3 Feb 24, 2022

Kyle Sandler Receives Early Release What is next for Opelika's infamous felon?

he defrauded.

Sandler formed The Roundhouse LLC in October 2014, with the hopes of creating a “hub for Opelika startups.” The business first operated out of The Depot on Railroad Avenue and moved into the old Woolsworth building on S. 8th Street in 2016.

Sandler was actively “soliciting and accepting more than $1.8 million dollars from more than 50 investors in a scheme to defraud them,” according to an excerpt from the release from the Middle District of Alabama’s U.S. Attorney Office in 2018. Funds he obtained from those investors were instead used for “personal expenses such

as childcare services, rent payments, purchases of automobiles and other personal needs,” leaving many with no return on their investment.

Sandler also concocted erroneous stories regarding his background to deceive investors, claiming to be a successful entrepreneur and “employee #240” at Google, an assertion that Google representatives confirmed to The Observer staff as false in December 2016.

In 2020, HBO Max created a docuseries called Generation Hustle.

Sandler and his con of the people of Opelika were the topic of episode nine out of 10.

WHAT’S NEXT Sandler was released on Feb. 16, after serving

just a few days under three years and eight months. He is on federal probation for three years, which he is currently serving in a shelter for convicted felons in Montgomery.

Sandler told The Observer that he plans to get a job and start working to pay restitution to his victims.

“Obviously, [I want] to pay my restitution back," he said. "I am going to get a regular, normal person job.”

He said he is committed to doing community service, even though it was not a part of his sentencing.

He said that he is hoping to get a transfer to Florida at some point in the near future and is working towards that goal at this time.

WHAT HE SAID HE LEARNED Sandler said that biggest lessons he learned from being behind bars for more than three years is the need for accountability and transparency.

“We were doing something very positive [the creation of the small business incubator] for the community," Sandler said. "But I became dishonest and I started stealing the money. A lot

Attend a city or county regionally accredited high school, private or home school in Lee County Must be willing and able to attend all the sessions Be an 11th grade or 12th grade student during the period of the class program Must be up to date on core classes

Maintain a 3.0 GradePoint Average Provide own transportation to session.

Learn more by visiting the Opelika Chamber’s new website, www.opelikachamber.com/leadership-development/leecounty-young-leaders/, or applications can be found here: https://docs. google.com/forms/d/e/ 1FAIpQLSctcv5eD-

Mc3_3DZ49bAIl1Tmu8Dy-ltmB69KPHGyWO1_0Az6g/ viewform If you have questions or concerns, contact Chamber director of Leadership & Events Mackenzie at Mackenzie@opelikachamber.com to learn more.

ABOUT THE OPELIKA CHAMBER

BY MICHELLE KEY PUBLISHER

After being behind bars since his arrest in Bryan, Texas, on June 20, 2018, Kyle Sandler, former owner and founder of the Round house LLC, in Opelika, has been released from federal custody and is living in a shelter in Montgomery.

BACKGROUND He was eligible for early release due to The First Step Act of 2018 which allows eligible inmates the opportunity to earn 10 to 15 days of time credits for every 30 days of successful participation in Evidence Based Recidivism Reduction Programs and Productive Activities.

According to Sandler, he completed more than 50 of these programs and activities. Former President Donald Trump signed the Act into law on Dec. 21, 2018.

In August 2018, Sandler pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud in federal court. In 2019, he was sentenced to serve 63 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release after serving his sentence. He was also ordered to pay more than $1.9 million in restitution to those whom

LCYL

>>

FROM A1

career choice, hobbies and leadership potential.

To participate in the Lee County Young Leaders Program, students must meet the following criteria: Reside in Lee County, Alabama

FROM A1

an entity within CCRC which strives to address what it sees as some of the biggest issues within the community — food, transportation and shelter needs. Specifically, the new Steps To Hope Breakfast is another way the Dad’s League is addressing its goal to connect fathers with support, training and curriculum to encourage a thriving culture of fathers who engage their families toward being positive contributors to their communities.

“The Steps To Hope Breakfast came about because we wanted to give an opportunity to fathers and families and let them know that we have resources that can help you achieve the best you can be — not only as an individual but in your household and as a family,” said newly appointed Dad’s League Director Jason Flowers.

After spending six years with East Alabama Medical Center working in the mental health field, Flowers made the switch to CCRC and

Dad’s League in hopes of making a broader impact on his community.

“We got some exciting stuff going on,” he said.

“I transitioned over from mental health because I wanted to make a difference in the community as far as the homeless population we have, and just the amount of people I see on a regular basis who are struggling with food needs, transportation and shelter issues. Basically my whole vision was to make a difference in this community. For somebody who is in need, we are truly there to help out and be that hub for resources for people.”

The Steps To Hope Breakfast is held on the third Wednesday of each month. It was held at Byron’s Smokehouse in Auburn last Wednesday at 8:30 a.m., and is scheduled there again for next month, March. 16. About 15 to 20 participants arrived to a free meal, guest speakers and giveaways.

They also decided on a “Father of the Month” which will be awarded at each breakfast through the remainder of the year.

“The Steps To Hope program is a wonderful

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

LEAGUE >>

SANDLER

Dad's League Director Jason Flowers (right) with Byron's Smokehouse owner Glen Gulledge (left). The Dad's League held its first Steps To Hope Breakfast at Byron's last Wednesday. program,” Flowers said.

“We want to congratulate our fathers for being good men and active participants in our community.

It’s going really well right now. Byron’s was so loving and caring to host us.”

Dad’s League operates everything it does under the acronym HOPE —

which stands for Healing, Opportunity, Purpose and Energy.

“We want to give active participants in our programs the opportunity to have healing,” Flowers said. “To focus on not just things that have happened in the past, but being able to work with and through

of it was ego driven and greed driven … Every time I did anything [positive] I was getting accolades and pats on the back, [so then] when I could not do something organically to earn that praise, I just made it up.”

By fall of 2016, Sandler said he was well aware that he would be found out eventually, but he said he got carried away with greed and that there was no stopping at that point.

“It creates its own high,” Sandler said.

Sandler said he knows that people in Opelika have no reason to believe anything that he says but he does want to apologize for his actions.

“I am extremely sorry and I will be spending the rest of my life being transparent and paying the people of Opelika back and showing that my actions are going to match my words,” he said. “The only person I blame for any of this is obviously myself; I take full responsibility for it.”

He said that he has a lot of apologies to make, and he does not want to single out any particular investor because he is sorry to all of them, but he did want to specifically take this opportunity to

apologize to at least one person. “I really, really want to verbalize my apology to Emily Baas.”

Baas worked closely with Sandler as the community manager of Roundhouse.

As word spread of his release, people took to social media, text and email with comments ranging from “I support his release if he has done his time,” to “He deserves to stay in prison for forever.”

As to whether or not, Sandler would be welcome back in Opelika, "I hope he has sense enough not to come back to this area," was what one person had to say in a Facebook post.

Several people questioned Sandler's sincerity with one Facebook commentor posting "Once a con, will always be a con" while others said that they "look forward to seeing your words and actions meet. We hope that your experiences have transformed you ..."

On Monday, Sandler was defending the creation of a go-fund-me account for Sandler but

by Tuesday afternoon, the go-fund-me account had been taken down.

For more than 80 years the Opelika Chamber has been working every day to build bridges, cultivate community and elevate business. Recognized for its operational best practices among 501(c)6 notfor-profit Chambers of Commerce, the Opelika Chamber is one of only three five-star accredited chambers in the state of

Alabama. Representing more than 800 businesses and almost 20,000 employees, the Opelika Chamber connects businesses to each other and to new ideas, helps them grow and expands their influence, provides education & leadership development opportunities and builds community among citizens and business owners alike.

those things to accomplish your goals. We have so many partners such as Byron’s, that will give them opportunities, not just to get a free meal, but for work, to provide them with benefits. We can put you in an opportunity, or help you get an opportunity where you can feel successful.

“The next thing is purpose. Finding a purpose is what a lot of people need to do. Once you find your purpose, you feel more energy. You say ‘I’m happy about what I am trying to do, where I’m going with my life, and helping others on the way.’ Lastly, is entering in with energy. With all that stuff together, it just spells out hope.”

Aside from the Steps To Hope program, and with the thought of HOPE in everything they do, CCRC and Dad’s League work with community entities to provide numerous resources that help address shelter, food and transportation needs within Lee County.

The nonprofit is always looking for more community involvement through sponsors.

“Any direction you

want to help we are here,” Flowers said of potential partners. “We are willing to work with you and return the favor.”

For shelter and food, CCRC partners with local churches; For those struggling with addiction, they partner with His Place of Opelika and New Birth Ministries out of Valley; For transportation needs, they partner with Uber; for mental health needs, they partner with East Alabama Health. They also work with the court systems, DHR and law enforcement.

“My thing is, I wanted to come in and make a strong impact,” Flowers said. “I want to make our impact on the ground running; not just doing a lot of talking but letting people know they can come to the CCRC and Dad’s League and say ‘I’m in need or whatever it is,’” and if we don’t have it, we can get you to the right place. We are truly the hub to help people in need. We just want to see people get the help that they need.”

For more information on the CCRC and Dad’s League, visit: www.sccrc-alabama.org/home.

A4 Feb. 24, 2022

Lost & Found

M

SEAN DIETRICH

y wife and I played a game of catch today.

We were supposed to be packing because we are in the middle of moving houses. But there we were, lobbing a cowhide ball back and forth in the driveway.

The oldest game known to humankind is the game of catch. Eons ago, Eve took a bite of her apple, tossed it to Adam and said, “Hey, Adam! Catch!” And just like that, the Atlanta Braves were born.

I learned how to catch a baseball when I was 2 years old, sitting on the porch swing with my father. It was summer.

I was eating a patriotic-colored popsicle.

Witnesses remember my father underhanding the ball to me and saying, “Look alive, son!”

At age 2, I was not known for having feline-like reflexes. In fact, my greatest display of hand-eye coordination was applauding myself for peeing in my own bathwater.

So when the baseball arced through the air I merely drooled at it. The ball hit me squarely in the forehead. I fell off the swing. My mother heard the thud and tore out of the house in a fury. And that’s how my father lost his front incisors.

Over the years, I studied the basics of my father’s cherished game.

Not just the big stuff. I

learned little stuff, too.

I learned how to spit sunflower seeds correctly, how to insult the batter’s mother and how to get pine tar all over our family station wagon interior.

I learned to keep my eye on the ball, to lift my fingers during a headfirst slide, to crowd the plate and how to adjust my private regions mid-game for hundreds of spectators, like a professional.

But my most vivid memories are the ones where I’m playing catch.

Catch is its own game.

It has its own cadence.

There is no scorekeeping.

No time limit. No rules.

If you close your eyes and listen to a couple of people playing catch, you will only hear gentle conversation, punctuated by loud slaps.

I played catch with my father nearly every evening of his adult life.

We played devoutly, and we pitched fast. At times, my father slung the ball so hard I had to tuck a sponge into my glove to prevent permanent nerve damage.

Daddy always carried our gloves in his truck so

that we could play catch whenever the mood hit.

We played in some odd places.

I remember one time when my family was shopping at JCPenney, my father and I snuck into the parking lot for a quick game of horse.

When my mother exited the department store, she found two idiots hurling four-seamers past BMWs and Benzes.

“I married a mouth breather,” I recall my mother saying.

We played catch in public parks, churchyards, front lawns, back lots and on the side of the highway while waiting for the tow truck.

Once, my father and I even played catch at 14,439 above sea level, atop Mount Elbert, the tallest mountain in Colorado, just to say we had done it.

My father’s glove was a 1962 MacGregor, Willie Mays model. He kept it conditioned with axle grease. As a boy, he had saved up his money for two summers to buy the mitt from a general store in Iola. He paid a grand total of $16,

which only shows you the rate of inflation.

Today, a decent glove will run you upwards of $300.

The afternoon before my father died, we played catch. If I’d known he was going to die, I would have thrown the ball harder.

The morning after his funeral, I went to his truck and retrieved his orphaned MacGregor. I smelled it. I cried upon the webbing. And I slept with the glove beside my bed for years.

But over the decades, something happened to me. I grew up I guess.

Life got busy. I got busy.

I don’t remember how it happened, but I lost his glove.

This wasn’t unusual for me, of course. I lost a lot of his stuff. Eventually, a dead man’s belongings will sprout legs and walk away from you if you’re not careful. I lost his tools, his book collection, the F-14 Tomcat models he built, his eyeglasses and his antiquated Remington Rollectric razor.

I once tore my house apart, looking for his mitt

to no avail. I spent half the day emptying boxes, ripping apart closets and crawling under beds.

When it finally dawned on me that I’d actually lost the glove he’d owned since middle school, I gave up the hunt and wept. Because, you see, this meant he was really gone.

At long last, my father was officially silt. All the inert objects he loved had vanished. All his kickknacks were vapor.

All I had left of him were dim memories, and even those were disappearing.

Time went on, I didn’t think much about the glove again until this morning.

This morning I was going through boxes in the attic. I wasn’t really paying attention, I was just sifting. At the bottom of a box marked MISCELLANEOUS I found a dark leather MacGregor glove. I brought the 60-year-old mitt to my nose and pulled a breath inward — axle grease.

Then I polished the leather liberally with my own saltwater.

So that’s why I played catch today.

At the Pharmer's Market, Patients Suffer While Middlemen Profit

BY SALLY C. PIPES

I

magine a visit to the local farmer's market. When you're about to pay the farmer for some fruit, a man in a suit and sunglasses interrupts the exchange and offers to negotiate a discount with the farmer.

Cool, right?

Not so fast. The man in the suit didn't tell you who the discount was for. He gets the fruit for less, to be sure, but sells it on to you for the original price. He keeps the difference between his purchase price and yours. You've received no benefit — and the farmer received far less than the price he'd listed.

Oh, to be that man in the suit.

Of course, that's not your typical farmer's market exchange. But that is how prescription

drug sales work. And the suited man is called a pharmacy benefit manager.

PBMs serve as go-betweens for drug manufacturers and insurers, helping the latter design prescription drug plans and negotiate prices. PBMs secure considerable rebates, discounts and other payments from pharmaceutical companies.

A recent report from the Berkeley Research Group found that the majority of drug spending isn't going to the firms that develop and manufacture those drugs. Rather, it's going to entities within the supply chain like PBMs, hospitals and health plans.

There's also evidence that middlemen are the primary reason that spending on prescription

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drugs is going up.

Between 2019 and 2020, total gross spending on branded medications increased 6.4% — some $31 billion. Payers including plan sponsors, insurers, the government, and PBMs received 35% of that increase — the largest share of any player in the market.

Altogether, these entities received over $140 billion in brand-medicine spending in the form of discounts, rebates and other payments from pharmaceutical companies that were intended to lower the cost of drugs.

Sharing discounts directly with patients could save between $145 and $800 per patient annually. If all rebates were shared at the point of sale, patients could save $57 billion over 10 years.

Yet those savings rarely make their way to individuals at the pharmacy counter. Even as overall drug spending rises and middlemen rake in cash, millions of Americans can't afford their prescription medicines.

This is proof of a broken system. But it need not be.

PBMs must be held accountable for their role in prescription drug spending. Lawmakers can consider requiring that prescription drug rebates be shared with patients at the point of sale. Employers can demand that their insurers and the PBMs with whom they work rebate the discounts they secure to their beneficiaries at the pharmacy counter.

Ultimately, the stakes in this "pharmer's" market are more than your weekly produce —

they can dictate whether someone is able to access medication. In other words, this market dysfunction is a matter of life and death.

Sally C. Pipes is President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her latest book is False Premise, False Promise:

The Disastrous Reality of Medicare for All (Encounter 2020).

Follow her on Twitter @ sallypipes. This column originally appeared in Issues and Insights.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This is a contributed guest op-ed and does not neccessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Observer or its staff.

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A5 Feb 24, 2022

Opelika Celebrates 34 Years As A Tree City For the 34th year, Opelika has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Opelika achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: forming a tree board, creating a tree-care ordinance, having an annual forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and having an Arbor Day observance.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

BISCUIT >>

FROM A1

waffles, (but imagine with peaches and cream), French toast (but stuffed with cream cheese or topped with raspberries), pancakes, hash, steak and eggs, chicken and waffles and some other options such as sandwiches and burgers.

Yund said The Flying Biscuit has “the best grits in town and I’ll go against anyone on that.”

The menu also caters to those who need to, or prefer to, eat glutenfree or vegan.

“Our collard greens are vegan so it adds another element that we can serve different parts of the community with all different dietary restrictions,” Yund said. “… Our menu is very diverse in that sense.”

Yund said that the cafe’s business partners who will run the Tiger Town location live just outside of Opelika.

“They love the community, they love Opelika, they love Auburn, their family lives there, they have their kids there, their kids went to Auburn and they love the town,” Yund said. “… The moment we

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

For the past seven years, the Opelika Tree Commission has operated under Keep Opelika Beautiful. In 2018, the city of Opelika hired Arborist George Barker

of Natural Resources Consultants to administer a tree inventory, coordinate the removal of dead and diseased trees and plant additional trees. In 2021, over

230 trees were planted by the city.

For more information about tree plantings, contact Tipi Miller, Keep Opelika Beautiful at (334) 749-4970.

went up there and looked around and saw everything that’s going on in Opelika, we just really felt like it was a good community, kind of like the community we’re in now that, it just felt like a community we want to be involved in.

And they’re growing so much and we want to be involved in that growth as well.”

The decision to open the Auburn/Opelika location was made over a year ago, Yund said.

“We were just very careful in picking our spot and Tiger Town definitely seems like the kind of area we were going for, where it’s very familyoriented, communityoriented with a lot of traffic and lot of good, just central location that can pull the college students but also pull the families out of the residential areas,” he said. “… We wanted to be in a place where we could get the whole community to come and be available for everyone.”

When the restaurant opens there may be some sort of promotional contest, Yund said, like a certain number of ‘first’ guests will receive a

t-shirt, or something akin to that.

The restaurant is bright and colorful and there will be a mural inside that represents Auburn.

“What kind of suggestions would y’all like to see on our mural at the location,” Yund asked. “What is Auburn? What is really behind Auburn and what can we include on that wall to show Auburn as it is, represented the

correct way?”

Anyone who has ideas for the mural in The Flying Biscuit can let the business know at its email, tigertown@ flyingbiscuit.com, or messaging the Facebook page for the Tiger Town location, www.facebook.com/ Flying-Biscuit-CafeAuburn-109479378097413 “We love letting the community know that we’re coming,” Yund said.

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A6 Feb. 24, 2022

Business Abounds: Opelika, Auburn Hold Ribbon Cuttings PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE OPELIKA & AUBURN CHAMBERS

Maffia’s Italian Restaurant - Maffia’s offers flavorful, handmade Italian dishes prepared to order. Their menu holds a variety of delicious dishes including Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Murphy, Lobster Ravioli and Lasagna. Also, if you have a sweet tooth, you will not be disappointed when you try Maffia's Tiramisu or Italian Buttercream Cake! Even the ambience will transport you straight to Italy. It is located at 811 S Railroad Ave. in Opelika, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Dollhouse Salon & Extension Studio - The Dollhouse Salon is Auburn’s only full service salon with a focus on luxury hair extensions. Along with their salon services like cuts, colors and highlights. They also offer great deals on premium hair care brands. They are led by Nikki Traylor and one of the Opelika Chamber’s very own board members Barbi Agricola. The Dollhouse Salon & Extension Studio is located at 1345 Opelika Road Suite 5 in Auburn, give them a call at (334)329-5352 or through Instagram/ Facebook DM messaging.

Franky Junes Weeny Wagon - Franky Junes has revamped the hot dog scene and food truck presence in the city of Opelika. It offers a huge variety of dogs from the classic hot dog to a staff favorite, the Cheesy Porker with Pimento cheese. Their food truck schedule can be located on their website: www. frankyjunes.com.

Dani’s Cheesecake - Dani’s Cheesecakes is a local small business that takes pride in serving gourmet, no bake cheesecakes where everything is made fresh daily.

Danielle Moore is the owner. Try one of Danielle’s many flavors today at https://thedanicheesecake.com/; her favorite is the Blueberry Lemonade flavor.

Southern Union State Community College Administration Building - Huge thanks to Todd Shackett and his entire team at Southern Union for all they do to help set up our community for success. Learn more about Southern Union by visiting www.suscc.edu. Let’s go Bison!

Perspective Counseling with two locations in Auburn: 2148 Moores Mill Road and 118 N. Ross St. Suite #2.

Zach Blatt, Opelika baseball team head coach gave a preview of the season to the Opelika Kiwanis Club last Thursday. The speaker for March 3 will be Kathryn Guthrie with Worthy 2 (squared). She will be speaking on the problem of human trafficking.

MAFFIAS ITALIAN RESTAURANT

NOW OPEN: TUESDAY - SUNDAY 11 A.M. T0 9 P.M. LUNCH SPECIALS STARTING AT $8 TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 TO 3

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Zach Blatt Visits Opelika Kiwanis Club

AUBURN BANK >>

FROM A1

that will be adjacent to the AuburnBank Center, fronting Gay Street. We believe this development will be a great addition to our site and a unique opportunity for downtown Auburn.

Once again, this redevelopment of our headquarters will continue our dedication to our customers, employees, shareholders and the Auburn community.

We know there will be a lot of questions as we

finalize details around this redevelopment project. We will know more in the coming months following ongoing planning with our development team. As this initiative moves forward, we will share regular updates as appropriate and continue to provide the same quality service our customers have come to know and expect.

ABOUT AUBURNBANK CENTER The AuburnBank Center is strategically located in downtown Auburn at the intersection of Gay Street and E. Magnolia Avenue, with easy access from I-85 and

one block removed from Toomer’s Corner and the Auburn University Campus. Scheduled to open in mid-June of 2022, the 90,000 ft, four-story AuburnBank Center will offer 46,000 ft of professional office space and 5,000 ft of retail space for lease with ample parking, including the newly opened Downtown Burton Street Parking Garage with approximately 500 spaces. For more information on leasing opportunities for the AuburnBank Center, please contact Jake Taylor at J.H. Berry and Gilbert, 205-313-4377 or jtaylor@jhberry.com.

E vents, Food, & SocietyNews

UPCOMING EVENTS FEB. 25-27: LEE COUNTY KIWANIS ANNUAL CLUB AZALEA SALE FEB. 26: BETTER TOGETHER OPELIKA: A BLACK HISTORY MONTH SHOWCASE FEB. 26: AUBURN MARDI GRAS PARADE AT 3 P.M.

Chef Jimmy Stinson Shares Recipes For Celebrating Mardi Gras PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Ann Cipperly

Southern

Hospitality

A

fter working decades in the restaurant business, Chef Jimmy Stinson has found Creole and Cajun cuisines to be his favorite style of cooking along with classic southern dishes. While the chef will be preparing New Orleans’ style dishes for local Mardi Gras parties, he is sharing a variety of recipes for creating a dinner or party at home to celebrate Mardi Gras, which is on March 1 this year.

Stinson is the former owner of The Creole & Seafood Shack in Auburn.

After the business closed, he worked at Stinky’s

Fish Camp for a couple of years before becoming the executive chef at the Bottling Plant Event Center in 2019. He also has his own business, J & S Catering.

“I cook with love and have had a passion for cooking for more than 35 years,” Stinson said. “I try to get better and better with every dish I make.”

The chef not only enjoys cooking for work but also for his wife Ernestine and their combined six children, 14 grandchildren and five great-grandkids.

The chef remembers the first meal he cooked when he was only ten years old.

His mother was sick, and

she would tell him every step in making the meal.

While he was in high school, he cooked for an older lady who was blind.

She taught him a great deal about cooking southern dishes and seafood, such as baked sole with lemon sauce.

While Jimmy thought of the many careers he would like to have, he attended Auburn University, majoring in zoology. He began working in food service while attending classes.

“After two years,” he said, “I felt cooking was calling my name.”

He worked at fast-food See CIPPERLY, page A10

A-O Men’s Camellia Club Hosts Spring Show and Sale CONTRIBUTED BY CHARLES MITCHELL

On Saturday, Feb 26, the Auburn-Opelika Men’s Camellia Club will host its 62nd Spring Camellia Show and Sale at Pebble Hill in Auburn. The Club has been promoting the culture of these easy-togrow, flowering shrubs since 1959 when it was named the State Flower of Alabama. Camellias reach their peak bloom about this time of year depending upon the weather. Charles Mitchell, show chairman, thinks that last year’s wet summer and mild winter is responsible

Chef Jimmy Stinson has had a passion for cooking for over 35 years. He is currently the executive chef at the Bottling Plant Event Center and his own business, J & S Catering. The chef is sharing a variety of Creole and Cajun recipes for creating a Mardi Gras dinner or party.

Crumbl Cookies to Open in Auburn CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

This Camellia Japonica was recently named "Sweet Auburn" by the A-O Men's Camellia Club. It is one of the many varieties that will be featured in the show at Pebble Hill on Feb. 26.

for an outstanding late winter and early spring bloom this year. The show will begin at 9 a.m.

and end around 4 p.m. At the same time, the club will have a selection of See CAMELLIA, page A8

Crumbl Cookies, the nation’s largest cookie company, is set to serve cookie-crazed customers and Tiger fans with its newest store in Auburn, Alabama.

The grand opening begins at 8 a.m., Friday, Feb. 25, at 2638 Enterprise Dr..

“Bringing delicious Crumbl cookies to our community is my gift and privilege,” said Karlee Gilmore, firsttime Crumbl store owner. “People are

excited for us to open and we are excited for the opportunity to give back to the people that make Auburn such a special place to live!”

As soon as guests open Crumbl’s doors, they’ll be met with an immersive experience that is unlike

any other cookie store in the world. The open kitchen allows customers to see the whole cookie-making process, including the eggs being cracked, the flour being sifted and the dough being balled.

“Having our customers see every cookie being made is one of the best experiences of our stores,” said Sawyer Hemsley, Crumbl co-founder & COO. “Each ingredient is carefully chosen to provide customers with the highest qualiSee COOKIE, page A8

VIDEO GAMES • COMICS • POSTERS ART • ANTIQUES • COINS VINTAGE JEWELRY • TOYS POKEMON • MTG • SPORTS CARDS

221 9th St, Opelika • 334.741.0808

A8 Feb. 24, 2022

Making the Grade: The Hound

A

s I’ve mentioned before, blessings can be found, even during this almost two-year pandemic. For example, one of the best blessings I’ve received during this time has been my friend Leigh Ann’s moving to Auburn in May 2020. She decided to move back to Alabama after having worked very successfully for almost 34 years for the state of Texas.

In an earlier review, I mentioned that Leigh Ann and I were both born and raised in Alexander City (“Eleck” City to the locals); we even lived on the same road.

By fifth grade (1973-74), we had become good friends. That year, Leigh Ann invited several other girls and me (no boy-girl parties yet) to a really fun Halloween/slumber party.

We all had a terrific time, but after a while, even 11-year-old girls run out of steam, so we all climbed into our sleeping bags, which were under a ping pong table in the living room.

At some point, about four of us were still awake, and someone had to go to the bathroom.

Now, grown women go in packs to the restroom, and so do little girls who are scared to go in the

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prize-winning Camellias for sale in three-gallon pots. These selected varieties range in color from pure white to crimson red and in size from one-inch blooms to over six inches and have been nursery-grown just for the Auburn-Opelika area. At the same time, members of the club will be present to talk about the culture and beauty of Alabama’s State Flower. Pebble Hill is located at 101 S. Debardeleben St. in Auburn.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE OBSERVER

CAMELLIA

bacon. We make it all in house; we cut it and cure it here.”

Jacob also said that The Hound had one of the largest bourbon selections in the Southeast.

Well, I’m a bacon girl, so Leigh Ann and I ordered the bacon flight for a snack; this consisted of three different kinds of bacon: house, dill and duck belly, which was like thick ham. The bacon was delicious. I love being from the South. I’ll bet

no other region in the country has bacon for an appetizer.

For our meals, Leigh Ann and I both ordered the smash burger. Leigh Ann, who is in good shape, chose a Caesar salad as a side. I, of course, picked the housecut fries. At least I didn’t eat them all; I should get points for that.

Our smash burgers were: oh, my, two times.

They were amazing, being delicious and juicy.

Leigh Ann said, “That’s one of the best burgers I’ve had since I moved here.” And Leigh Ann is a burger freak, just as I’m a fried chicken freak. I even told Jacob, our sweet server, that he should tell the

PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

dark by themselves.

The four of us were creeping quietly to the bathroom, afraid and not wanting to wake the others. Suddenly, Debbie, who had been asleep, sat up and said, “Listen! Did you hear that?”

Now, today, almost 49 years later, I still don’t know if Debbie had been dreaming or if something had awakened her.

No matter. Four little girls froze. However, a certain, “Pooh-sized” little girl quickly dropped to all-fours, scrambled to her sleeping bag and dove into it for safety from whatever was lurking outside and making noise. Remember, it was Halloween, after all.

Being “Pooh-sized,” I was usually the slowest kid in running, swimming, etc. However, whenever I was scared, I could make tracks. I left my three slender friends in the dust.

Although I cherish all my friends, the ones I grew up with are especially treasured because we share a history of fun and adventures. However, these days, I can’t scramble on all-fours, so our adventures have changed a bit.

Recently, I met Leigh Ann at The Hound at 124 Tichenor Ave. in Auburn. When we entered The Hound, I really loved the cozy fireplace and rustic charm.

Jacob, our server, was wonderful. He said that he had been working at The Hound for only a week, but he did a great job and was hardworking, patient and helpful.

Jacob’s t-shirt said, “bacon and bourbon,” which I found unusual, so I asked him about it. Jacob said, “We’re known for

owner of The Hound to enter this smash burger in this year’s Burger Wars in Opelika.

That burger will definitely give the other competitors a run for their money. Clichéd but apt.

Besides our great snack, The Hound also offers diners: Mama Sue’s pepper jelly, The Hound’s spicy Po’ cheese, pork rinds and venison chili.

Other lunch plates include the bison burger, Chicago-style beef sandwich, hot chick, BLT, hillbilly poutine and shrimp and grits. Leigh Ann told me that she really loves The Hound’s shrimp and grits. Also, she said that she’s eaten at the restaurant several

times, and everything has been great.

Therefore, The Hound is a definite do-over.

Next time, I want to try the meat plus three that the restaurant offers for lunch on Tuesday through Friday. These specials are: Tuesday: hot hamburger steak; Wednesday: chicken fried chicken with pepper gravy; Thursday: beef cheek pot roast; FridaY: fried Simmons catfish.

According to the menu, these are the “chef’s daily specials of soulfully cooked meats and vegetables served with a side of chow chow and cornbread. I surely love living in Lee County,

Alabama.

The Hound is closed on Monday. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.

The Hound makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Poohsized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@gmail.com.

COOKIE

bring friends and family together over a box of the best cookies in the world, and we really hope to bring the people of Auburn together and strengthen the community with our sweet treats.”

Auburn will be Alabama’s fifth location.

ABOUT CRUMBL COOKIES Crumbl was founded in Logan, Utah in 2017 by Jason McGowan (CEO) and Sawyer Hemsley (COO). Committed to bringing friends and family together over a box of the best cookies in the world, Crumbl Cookies is

the nation’s fastest-growing franchise and largest cookie company. Known for its weekly rotating menu, open-concept kitchens, high-quality cookies, and famous pink box, Crumbl now has over 360 locations across 36 states. Crumbl is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and is closed Sundays. Visit Crumbl online at crumblcookies. com or on social media, (@crumblcookies), Order cookies online at crumblcookies.com.

>>

FROM A7

ty cookie on the market.”

The grand opening week menu will contain six of the 200+ rotating weekly flavors Crumbl has to offer including Crumbl’s award-winning Milk Chocolate Chip.

“We’re really excited to bring this experience to Auburn and hope the local residents love these cookies as much as we do,” said Jason McGowan, Crumbl co-founder & CEO. “Our mission statement is to

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE OBSERVER

SAWYER AND JASON

A9 Feb 24, 2022

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Will Celebrate 114 Years of “Service to All Mankind” CONTRIBUTED

BY PATRICIA JONES

The local members of Mu Sigma Omega and Kappa Chi Chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated will celebrate their 114th Founders’ Day in a virtual event on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 10 a.m. The speaker for the occasion is Dr. Tracey Morant Adams, chairman of the Inter-

national Membership Committee of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The Virtual Founders’ Day is open to the public and can be access online: www.tuskegee.zoom. us/webinar/register/ WN_4MJZYw19T8KdLq0moCelTQ Adams also serves as senior executive vice president and the chief community development and corporate social responsibility

officer for Renasant Bank. As chief strategist for community relations and social responsibility, she is responsible for leading and directing the development of community programs and initiatives throughout Renasant’s corporate footprint to support economic and community development.

Adams created The Nest for Women, an education program for

TRACEY MORANT ADAMS

female entrepreneurs to support the economic empowerment of women business owners through technical assistance and financial education.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated was founded on Jan. 15, 1908, by Ethel Hedgmon Lyle. Its theme, “service to all mankind,” is the foundation of all community activities. Five national targets are implemented

locally by both chapters through Educational Enrichment — HBCU for Life: A Call to Action, Women’s Healthcare and Wellness, Building Your Economic Legacy, The Arts and Global Impact. These targets include many service projects in the Opelika, Auburn and the Lee County area. Community service awards will be presented to the area leaders.

Fourth-Grader Helps Those In Need … With Cookies!

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE OBSERVER

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

One local girl scout wants to make a difference in her community.

Fourth-grader Peyton Allison began selling girl scout cookies with her troop, Troop # 7725 in January when everyone else did.

But she had a goal in mind to benefit those in need Allison selling boxes that would be delivered to the Community Market, a part of the Food Bank of East Alabama.

“The Community Market, launched in January of 2003, functions as an extension of the Food Bank of East Alabama to provide direct food relief to low-income residents of Lee County,” said the organization’s website.

“It offers client-choice food selection in a grocery store atmosphere at a convenient location on Pepperell Parkway in Opelika.”

“My goal overall is to sell 5,000 cookie boxes but my goal for the

community market is to sell 1,000 cookie boxes,” Allison said.

Allison has sold 875 so far and has until March 6 to reach her goal for the Community Market.

“I wanted to help the community in some kind of way and not just ask people to support me, I want to help other people too,” Allison said.

So she and her mother contacted the Food Bank of East Alabama to let

them know her plan.

“People who don’t have enough money to be able to buy girl scout cookies, people who don’t have enough money to do a lot of things, can still feel welcomed,” she said.

The plan began with Allison going doorto-door selling to her neighbors.

“Me and my mom took [flyers] around our neighborhood and we asked people if they wanted to buy girl scout

cookies,” she said.

Allison has been in girl scouts since she was in the first grade — she’s in fourth now. “[My favorite part] is helping the community and getting to participate in fun activities,” she said.

The troop participates in other community service opportunities as well, Allison said, such as donating supplies to the Lee County Humane Society.

Allison said she would

encourage other girls to step out of their comfort zone, not be afraid and give Girl Scouts a try.

Anyone who wants to help out and donate cookies to the Community Market can do so by visiting https:// bit.ly/gscookiespa and click ‘start direct ship order.’ Allison’s flyer said to select a case, add to cart and ship the cookies to: Community Market of East Alabama 355 Industry Drive

Auburn, Alabama, 36832.

“I chose this fundraiser because the Community Market means a lot to my family,” she said. “I want everyone to be able to experience all the yummy cookies this season.”

Anyone in need of services from the Food Bank of East Alabama or the Community Market can visit: www. foodbankofeastalabama. com.

A10 Feb. 24, 2022

EAH Returning to Yellow Visitation Level

CONTRIBUTED BY EAH

Effective Thursday, Feb. 24, visitation at East Alabama Medical Center and EAMCLanier will return to the yellow level — it has been at red level since Dec. 27, 2021, when the Omicron variant caused the fifth surge of COVID hospitalizations to begin. Hospitalizations reached 100 on Jan. 18, but have since declined to the lower 30s. Another factor for the change is

the moving seven day percentage of positive COVID cases. After being between 40 to 50% most of January, it has dropped significantly over the past two-to-three weeks. For Alabama, it is currently 10.2%, while Lee County is at 8.8% and Chambers County comes in at 9%.

The primary difference between red and yellow is that yellow allows for two visitors instead of one in some areas, and one visitor instead

of zero in other areas.

Beginning Thursday, signage regarding yellow level visitation will be posted outside the main entrances to both hospitals as well as at the Auburn Medical Pavilion.

To learn more about the visitation levels, please visit www. eastalabamahealth. org/assets/documents/ patientsguests/ visitation-levelsupdated-10-8-2021.pdf).

Auburn Flyers Riding Into Town This Weekend CONTRIBUTED BY AO TOURISM The Auburn University club cycling team, known as the Auburn Flyers, is hosting their annual Auburn Flyers Cycling Weekend on February 2627. The race will include a road race, time trial and criterium. The AuburnOpelika area will benefit from over 300 cyclists from the Southeast visiting for race weekend.

The Auburn Flyers Cycling team is part of the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference, and this event is a sanctioned USA Cycling race. The event

take place on Sunday in Opelika. The following roads will be closed Sunday morning starting at 7 a.m. and will reopen following the race at approximately 2 p.m.: 1st Avenue from 10th Street to N. 7th Street N. Railroad Avenue from 10th Street to N. 7th Street 10th Street from 1st Avenue to N. Railroad Avenue N. 7th Street from 1st Avenue to N. Railroad Avenue For more information about the event, please contact Tim Molyneaux at tim@topviewsports. com.

& Creole Shack, where he served Creole and Cajun dishes, such as gumbo, seafood etouffee and others. Stinson and Ernestine visited New Orleans often, talked to chefs there and collected recipes.

When he returned home, the chef experimented with recipes and studied cookbooks. He created his own spice mix and sometimes will blend Creole and Cajun recipes for custom flavors.

After becoming executive chef at the Bottling Plant Event Center, COVID hit, and it was a difficult time. Things are beginning to pick up now.

“Jimmy and I met years ago back in 2001 when I first moved here,” said Lisa Ditchkoff, owner of the Bottling Plant Event Center. “Later, after he opened his restaurant, The Creole & Seafood Shack, I used to wait in line for an

hour or longer just to get in to have a meal. It was so delicious.

“We kept in touch over the years. In 2019, he was laid off from his last work gig when the restaurant abruptly closed. I immediately met with him, hiring him on the spot. We’ve been through a lot together, especially with COVID shutting us down and a slow start back. I appreciate his loyalty, and his faith inspires me.”

When cooking Creole and Cajun dishes for events, Chef Stinson can adjust the seasoning in order for the dish to be less spicy. He will also have a shaker with seasonings for those who prefer dishes hot and spicy.

Traditionally, Creole cuisine has tomatoes, while most Cajun dishes don’t and are often referred to as country food. Creole food is a blend of various cul-

STOCK PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION

is open to a variety of age categories for both men and women. Registration is open until noon on Thursday, February 24.

“After two long years off, the Auburn Flyers are thrilled to finally be hosting a road race again,” said Dixon Brown, president of the Auburn Cycling club.

“Hosting a race allows the team to connect with the local Auburn community as well as our collegiate peers from across the Southeast.

We are expecting a great turnout and are excited to see old faces and new racers alike.”

The criterium race will

CIPPERLY >>

FROM A7

restaurants, including Krystal in Auburn and then at Mister J’s. Steak House. His knowledge of cooking expanded when Executive Chef Nelson Porter hired him at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. He worked there for four years.

Stinson then became the chef at Stillwaters’ Restaurant and later worked at a restaurant in Tuskegee and the Embassy Suites in Montgomery with Executive Chef Klaus Bertram. He felt his career advanced when Executive Chef Christine Healey asked him to return to the AU Hotel, and he worked there for four years again.

At that point, he decided to open his own restaurant, The Seafood

• Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. —Wine Down Wednesday at Bottling Plant Event Center • Feb. 23 at 7 to 9 p.m. — Film Night at Rock ‘N Roll Pin-ball ($3 cover) • Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. — D&D Adventure League at Gear Gaming Opelika • Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. — Ladies Night D&D at Gear Gaming Opelika • Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. — MTG Modern at Gear Gaming Opelika • Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. — Karaoke at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball • Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. — MTG Kamigawa Draft at Gear Gaming Opelika • Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. — MTG Standard at Gear Gaming Opelika • Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. — Dallas Dorsey at Resting Pulse Brewing Company • Feb. 25 at 8 to 10 p.m. — LIVE - Mark True at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball ($5 cover) • Feb. 26 at 8 to10 p.m. — LIVE - David Jones at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball ($5 cover) • Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. — MTG Modern at Gear Gaming Opelika • Feb. 26: Cameron Dubois at Resting Pulse Brewing Company • Feb. 27: Open Play at Gear Gaming Opelika OTHER INFORMATION: - Southern Crossing is having their last week to shop SALE (Markdowns up to 75% off)!

- Be reminded of Niffers Place's Magic Money Rewards program.

- Designers Warehouse is hiring a part-time bookkeeper.

tures in New Orleans and can have creamy sauces as well.

The tradition of Mardi Gras goes back to medieval France and began in America as a French Catholic tradition. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” which is the last night of dining on rich foods before the season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent begins 47 days before Easter.

This year, Mardi Gras will be held March 1.

Mobile is credited with holding America’s first Mardi Gras celebration in 1703. By the 1730s, the event was celebrated annually with parties and festivals in New Orleans.

Mardi Gras season begins on the Twelfth Night of Christmas, Jan. 6, also known as Epiphany. This is believed to be when the three wise men visited the Christ Child. Tradition

says the Mardi Gras colors were selected from the jewels in the crowns of the wise men.

These colors of purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power abound during Mardi Gras season in decorated trees, wreaths and other décor for a festive, celebratory look. These colors are also used on a king cake.

The tradition of the king cake was brought from France to New Orleans. It can be similar to a coffee cake or pastry topped with icing or sugar and decorated with the Mardi Gras colors. Some cakes are filled with cream cheese or laced with cinnamon.

Instead of a king cake, Stinson is sharing recipes for a Creole Cake and a Cajun Cake. The Creole Cake is similar to a German chocolate cake, while the Cajun confection is embellished with pineap-

ple, coconut and pecans.

If you are interested in hosting a Mardi Gras dinner or party this year, check out Stinson’s recipes for creating a scrumptious menu for your guests. He suggests using Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix, as it is closest to his own spice mix. Note in the Creole Base that the “trinity” he uses in the recipes is a combination of chopped onions, bell peppers and celery. Chef Stinson said that he gives God all the credit for his talent in cooking. If you have questions for the chef, you can contact him at 334-703-0212.

You don’t have to make a trip to New Orleans or Mobile to enjoy a festive parade. The Krewe de Tigris local organization will be having its fifth-annual Mardi Gras Parade Saturday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. in downtown Auburn.

A11 Feb 24, 2022

CHLOE ARNOLD

Show day:

February 28th, Opelika Center For The Performing Arts at 7:30PM Presented by: East Alabama Arts

CELEBRATING

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

28

30

SYNCOPAtED LADIES

MNOZIL BRASS

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Take Chloe Arnold’s cross section of today’s most popular music, mix in the swing of syncopation, the thrill of improvisation, and the energy of tap, and you have a recipe for the empowerment of young women ready to take on the world.

Mnozil Brass, the Austrian band known as the Monty Python of the music world, seamlessly combines slapstick comedy with extraordinary musical ability for an over-the-top fun, virtuosic, and laugh-out-loud experience.

With gravity-defying dance, this four Tony Award-winning Broadway production, based on the Academy Award-winning film, soars with youthful optimism and the power of love.

Featuring the songs of musical geniuses George and Ira Gershwin - I Got Rhythm, Liza, ‘S Wonderful, But Not for Me, and Stairway to Paradise - who could ask for anything more!

FEB 2022

MAR 2022

27 APR 2022

FOR tICkEt INFORMAtION CALL 334-749-8105 OR vISIt www.EAStALABAMAARtS.ORg

A12 Feb. 24, 2022

CIPPERLY RECIPES >> CREOLE BASE 1 cup trinity (chopped onions, bell peppers, celery) 14-16 oz. can diced tomatoes 14-16 oz. can tomato sauce 3-4 oz. can tomato paste 1 cup water 4 Tbsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) Salt and pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. minced jalapeno (optional) In a saucepan sauté trinity for 2-3 minutes: add tomatoes, sauce, tomato paste, and spice mix. Add 1 cup of water.

Cook until vegetables are soft. Stir often; make sure the bottom of pan is not sticking.

Season with salt and pepper.

Note: You can add cooked chicken or shrimp to this for a delicious Creole dish, and/ or use it for creating other dishes in the following recipes.

BLACKENED PORK CHOPS

1 pack pork chops, 4 count that are ½ inch thick 1 tsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) ¼ cup oil, divided Salt Season pork chops with spice mix, add half oil and sprinkle seasoning like you were using salt and pepper.

Do not overpower with spice mix.

Use a cast iron skillet. Heat to medium to medium high temperature. Add

remaining oil.

Place chops in hot skillet. Turn occasionally.

Keep from burning. Once brown, lower heat and finish cooking until tender.

Serve with rice, potatoes or any of your favorites.

ETOUFFEE

1 lb. crawfish tail (with fat attached is the best) ¼ lb. butter ½ cup flour 1 cup trinity (combination of chopped onions, bell peppers and celery) ½ cup canned diced tomatoes 1 cup water 2 Tbsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) 1 cup milk or ½ cup cream Salt to taste In a saucepot, melt butter; add trinity mix and cook until tender. Add flour and whisk to make your roux.

Watch your temperature and do not burn roux.

Add tomatoes and 1 cup of water or more if needed. Add spice mix. Season with salt to taste. Once seasoned, add crawfish and milk and let simmer until flavor is infused.

CREOLE SNAPPER

1 lb. snapper, cut into 4 serving 1 Tbsp. spice mix or to taste (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) 1 tsp. salt 1 cup Creole Base Rice Season snapper with spice mix and salt. Blacken fish in skillet until fish begins to flake. Add creole base and simmer.

Serve on a bed of rice.

CREOLE CAKE

Cake: 2 cups sugar ½ cup cocoa 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda ½ cup buttermilk 2 eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 Tbsp. vanilla 1 cup boiling water Frosting: 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar 2/3 cup evaporated milk ¼ cup melted margarine ¾ cup chopped pecans 1 cup flake coconut 1 tsp. vanilla Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To make cake, mix sugar, cocoa, flour, salt and baking soda until blended. Add 2 eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add boiling water while mixing on low speed in a mixer. Mixture will be thin.

Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until test done.

For frosting, combine sugar, milk, margarine and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thicken. Remove from heat and add pecans and coconut. Spread frosting on top of cake and quickly brown under broiler. (Do not put glass pan under broiler.)

CREOLE SHRIMP

1 lb. 26/30 or 31/40 shrimp

1 cup Creole Base 1 tsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) 1 cup onion and green bell peppers, medium diced Season shrimp with salt and spice mix. Sauté in heated skillet until shrimp begin to turn pink.

Add Creole Base and ½ cup water.

Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

CAJU N CAKE CAKE :

3 cups all-purpose flour 1½ cups sugar ¼ tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice Topping: ½ cup (1 stick) margarine ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup evaporated milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup pecans Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, sift flour, 1½ cups sugar, salt and baking soda.

Add eggs, pineapple and juice.

Mix at low speed until well blended.

Pour into a greased and floured 9 by 13 inch pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until test done.

Topping: While the cake is baking, combine margarine, sugar, milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thicken.

Remove from heat and add pecans and coconut. Cool slight-

ly. Then pour on cake while it is hot.

bination. Serve with Spicy Ranch Dressing.

CAJUN MEATBALLS

RED BEANS AND RICE

2 cups Creole Base 1 Tbsp. spice mix or taste (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) 1 cup water 1 lb. cooked meatballs (homemade or frozen) In saucepot, add Creole Base, spice mix and 1 cup of water.

Add meatballs.

Stir and simmer until hot.

CAJUN WINGS

1 lb. cut wings or whole wings 2 Tbsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) ¼ cup oil 1 Tbsp. salt Mix all ingredients and place on sheet pan. Bake in at 350 degrees approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with spicy Ranch (recipe follows).

SPICY RANCH DRESSING

2 cups ranch dressing 1 Tbsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) Mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add more spice mix if needed.

CHIPS

2 Idaho potatoes Mix equal parts of seasoned salt and spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) Spicy Ranch Dressing Slice potatoes using a mandolin. Slice thin and deep fry.

Season to taste with the salt and spice mix com-

Ham hock Water 1 bay leaf 1 cup trinity (mix of chopped onions, bell peppers and celery) 2 Tbsp. spice mix or to taste (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) Salt to taste 1 lb. red beans In a pot, add ham hock (with enough water to cover ham hock).

Add bay leaf, trinity, spice mix, salt and beans.

Simmer beans until tender (cooking time could be 3 hour or longer).

Remove bay leaf before serving.

Serve with cooked rice.

Note: Beans may be soaked overnight for less cooking time.

GATOR PIQUANT

1 lb. gator Flour for dusting ½ cup oil 1 cup trinity (mix of chopped onions, bell peppers and celery) ¼ cup flour 1 Tbsp. spice mix (Paul Prudhomme’s spice mix) 1 ½ cups water Cut gator into cutlets and tenderize with a mallet.

Dust each piece with flour, then fry in oil in a large skillet.

Once brown, remove from the oil, set to the side; add trinity, flour and spice mix to oil to make a roux.

Cook to light brown. Add water.

Additional water may be added, if needed to avoid thickness. Season with salt. Once gravy is complete, add gator and simmer until tender.

A13 Feb 24, 2022

A14 Feb. 24, 2022

Real, Right And Rewarding

BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika

1

And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you

out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:1-3) During their time in Egypt, Israel had been exposed to a multiplicity of gods. Now they were on their way to Canaan, the land of milk and honey — and more gods (Exodus 23:23-24). The temptation to follow these gods was real and opportunities would be everywhere.

At Sinai, God called upon them to recognize Him alone. This

was to be the non-negotiable cornerstone of their existence. There could be no other.

It’s important to recognize that this command wasn’t given in a vacuum to people who were strangers.

In Egypt, God had revealed Himself to be their Deliverer, Provider and Law Giver. Through the plagues, He had shown the impotence of Egypt’s gods. He reminds them in v. 2 that He is the One who has rescued them from the gnawing oppression they experienced in

Egypt. Honoring Him was simply recognizing their history and acknowledging their identity and relationship with Him. It was what was real, right and rewarding.

It’s easy for us today to be dismissive of this command because we aren’t tempted to believe in other deities like those “ignorant” ancients were. But the truth is, our deities just take subtler forms. Maybe it’s a possession (a house or a car), something activity-related (like our job, school or

ABOUT BRUCE GREEN recreational activities) or even something relational (our family or spouse). Any of these things can become “gods” when they are put ahead of God. With this in mind, God’s words to Moses suddenly become quite relevant and maybe even a bit uncomfortable.

Thousands of years later, putting God ahead of everything else is still what is real, right and rewarding.

You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: a-tasteof-grace-with-brucegreen.com.

You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website:www. a-taste-of-gracewith-bruce-green.com

Hunley Group Lambert Transfer & Storage An Interstate Agent for North American Van Lines 1102 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36803 745-5706

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. — 1 John 4:18

Got Questions?

Come Study With Us

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT CUNNINGHAM DRIVE 2660 CUNNINGHAM DR., OPELIKA SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30 A.M. SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 A.M. / 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 6:30 P.M.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

APOSTOLIC HOLINESS

Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance Inc. 28 Sanford Ave., Opelika 334-745-0210 God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 True Deliverance Holiness Church 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700

BAPTIST

Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528 Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117 Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487 Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn

(334) 749-4184 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750 Lakeview Baptist Church 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-7094 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608

EPISCOPAL

Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461

Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721 Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Good Sheperd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika

Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054

METHODIST

Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

PRESBYTERIAN

Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151

OBITUARIES PETE OLDHAM Pete Oldham, 89, passed away at EAMC on Feb. 12, 2022. He was born on Sept. 24, 1932, in Barlow, Kentucky. Pete attended college at Murray State University before joining the USAF in 1951. Pete was career Air Force achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel and participating as a navigator on C-119 and C-135 airplanes.

He retired after 24 years and sold defense contracts to the Air Force thereafter. Pete was a member of First Baptist Opelika and taught Sunday School and participated in the choir.

Pete is survived by his wife of more than 64 years Mary Ann, daughter Leigh Ann Nall (Clint), son Mark Oldham (Lynnette Knesek), grandson Nicholas Oldham, brother Jack Oldham, niece Cathy

Oldham and nephew Bryan Oldham.

Pete will be buried at the National Cemetery at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky later this year. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Samaritan’s Purse “Operation Heal our Patriots” program: www.samaritanspurse.org/ donation-items/operation-healour-patriots/.

––––––– MICHEAL W. PARKS Micheal W. Parks of the Beauregard Community was born in Columbus, Georgia, on July 26, 1956 and passed away on Feb. 8, 2022. He was 65 years old.

Mr. Parks was a very proud 38-year retired veteran. He was a family man who loved his family and loved spending time with his children and grandbabies. Mr. Parks loved the great outdoors, camping

with friends, tailgating and his western movies.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Tracey L. Parks; parents, Dorothy S. Moreland and Clarke J. Moreland; granddaughter, Keiana Langford.

He is survived by his Children, Chris Parks, Danny (Nakeshia Parks), Crystal Langford; grandchildren, Addison, Layla Smith (Jerry), Shawnah, Landon and Kourtney Parks and Mya Parks.

Visitation was held Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in the Parlor at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m.

–––––––

CLAIRE “JACKIE” GRIGG Claire “Jackie” Grigg, beloved and devoted

mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, entered her heavenly home Sunday, Feb. 20. She was born November 8, 1925, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to parents Claudia Love Adams and John Amos Oswalt.

Jackie received her education at Standard Umsted High School in Smackover, Arkansas.

She continued her studies at Louisiana State University. Following her years of school, Jackie met and married her beloved Perry Ellison Grigg. They shared 37 happy years together and had three beautiful daughters referred to as the 3 C’s, Claire, Claudia and Cathy.

Mrs. Grigg worked as

a registrar for Selective Service, as bookkeeper for LeeAnn Beverage, and as the bookkeeper for Opelika High School, where she worked for 25 years. Following her retirement, Jackie served for 30 years as a Volunteer for the East Alabama Medical Center Auxiliary where she earned the honor of Volunteer of the Year.

She also loved her Trinity United Methodist Church family where she was a member of the Flewellen Sunday School class and the Wesleyan Mission Group.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory daughters Claire Plott, Claudia (Marvin) Ellis and Cathy (Jack) Golden; See OBITUARIES, page A15

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A15 Feb 24, 2022

Was Jesus Delusional?

WALTER ALBRITTON

W

as it not astonishing that a man would declare himself to be “the light of the world”? According to the Bible, Jesus did that. So we are left with a decision. Either Jesus was delusional or he was telling the truth.

A man named John believed Jesus. In

the years since Jesus walked the dusty roads of Galilee, untold millions have agreed with John. Yet every generation must decide for itself.

Was John himself delusional? He even believed Jesus was telling the truth when he said that he and God, His Father, were one. What Jesus said about His oneness with the Father is stunning.

Believe in me, he said, and you believe in God. Get to know me and you know God. See me and you have seen my Father. Reject me and you reject God. Receive me and you can walk in light.

Deny me and you

remain in darkness.

His words were not vague; they were crystal clear.

No less clear was his stated reason for coming into the world — so that no one would have to remain in darkness. Jesus was light, “the” light.

Follow me, he said, and you never have to walk in darkness again.

The Pharisees thought this was blasphemy. They despised Jesus and decided to kill him. In the face of their hatred, Jesus did not cut and run. He continued to proclaim what he believed about himself even though his mission would take

him to a cross.

His mission becomes significant when you consider the terrible nature of darkness.

Darkness makes it impossible to know where you are going.

Darkness is frightening. Imagination runs wild with thoughts of “monsters” all around us.

Spiritual darkness is worse. It blinds us to the truth. The Pharisees were living in darkness without realizing it. They could not “see” the Truth even when he stood before their eyes.

In every generation, each of us must decide what to believe about Jesus. Was He

delusional or not? Was John right or was his Gospel just another “story” about a man named Jesus?

I decided to agree with John. When I did, I had a sense of walking out of the darkness of sin, guilt and confusion into the light of God’s sweet mercy. I felt my heart melted by the forgiveness of my sins. I was free from my past. I began to “see” why I was born and began rejoicing in the light of God’s love for me. Embracing Jesus as the light of my life changed everything for me. I was no longer blind. I could see.

What happened to

me next is what happens to everyone who chooses to believe that Jesus is the light of the world. I felt compelled to share this good news with others.

Millions now lost in the darkness of ignorance and superstition need to know that by trusting Jesus they can walk into the light of his love.

As long as even one person remains lost in spiritual darkness, those of us who believe have a compelling mission — to share the good news that darkness is no match for Jesus. The fight is over. Jesus won. He is the Light of the world.

Hallelujah!

and lived there ever since. While living in Auburn, she worked in the Lee County Headstart Program, for the Macon and Lee County Health Departments, for Auburn University Extension Service and for Children’s Rehabilitation Service of Alabama. At various times she served as a volunteer and on the boards of the Lee County Humane Society and Lee County Hospice and participated in the Lee County Judicial Volunteer Program. She was a founding member and longtime congregant of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and enjoyed membership in the Auburn University Osher learning groups, the Humanist Discussion Group and the Auburn Study Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Delos B. McKown; her parents, and her siblings Roy Watts, Charles Watts, Tesabelle Watts Miller, Rosalie Watts Stewart and Lefa Watts Maddock. She was also predeceased by two nephews, Donald Miller and Daniel Maddock; a great niece, Carmen Miller; and her son-in-law Daniel John Leussing.

She is survived by her daughters, Laura

McKown Leussing and Susan McKown Prygoski; son-inlaw, Scott Prygoski; and grandchildren, Elizabeth Leussing (Caleb Blevins), Rebecca Leussing, Cassandra Leussing, Michael Prygoski and David Prygoski. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren who were all very dear to her. That three of her beloved nieces chose to become registered nurses brought great pride and joy to Anna Louise.

In retirement, she and Delos enjoyed travelling, primarily to visit family, and they happily travelled to the biennial Watts family reunions wherever they were held along with their beloved dog Rowsby.

A memorial service will be held in Auburn at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Yale School of Nursing 400 West Campus Dr. Orange, CT 06477 or www.nursing.yale. edu or The Lee County Humane Society 1140 Ware Drive Auburn, Al 36830 or www. leecountyhumane.org.

OBITUARIES grandchildren Marty (Christy) Ellis, Dawn (Jared) Wingard, Carrie (Vashon) Bridgwaters, Chris (Allison) Plott, Eric (Kate) Golden and Erin (Joey) Vickers; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Her family gives special thanks to the caring staff of Compassus Hospice and the loving caregivers from Answered Prayers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Feb. 23, at Trinity United Methodist Church with visitation beginning at 1 p.m., Reverend Earl Ballard officiated and burial followed in Garden Hills Cemetery.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

––––––– KATHRYN BERGER Kathie was born in Kane, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 11, 1935, of Swedish ancestry. She passed away on Feb. 17, 2022, at age 87. Kathie was a people person, claiming there were no strangers, just friends she hadn’t yet met.

She had a sense of humor and a laugh that could be picked out from an entire auditorium. Always a hard worker, Kathie went to work in her parents’ store when she was five and could count to 100.

She loved children and taught elementary school and speech therapy during a long career. She was a beloved teacher who helped her 1st graders to become authors writing and illustrating their own books. She loved her Swedish family history and brought relatives together to remember many generations of ancestors and descendants. Kathie was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in numerous callings throughout her lifetime. Always positive and caring, Kathie was also adventurous, having traveled extensively and always living life to its fullest. Kathie is survived

by her son Timothy Birt, daughter in law Jamie Marchant, nieces and nephews, and grand nieces and nephews including Kristina Porterfield Andriese. She was preceded in death by her husband Kurt Berger in 2019, and her grandson Jesse Marchant Birt in 2020.

A viewing and reception were held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20 at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home, 1500 Fredrick Road in Opelika. All who knew her are invited. She will go home for a funeral on February 26 in Warren, Pennsylvania, and burial in her hometown of Ludlow, Pennsylvania.

In lieu of flowers, the family request those wishing to remember her to contribute to her grandson, Jesse Marchant Birt memorial scholarship fund at UAB at the following link www.giving.uab. edu/s/1881/giving19/ interior.aspx?sid=1881& gid=3&pgid=1676.

––––––– ROBERT “RONNIE BOY” LOREN GROCE Robert “Ronnie Boy” Loren Groce of Beauregard was born on Nov. 23, 1943, in Tuskegee, Alabama and passed away in Opelika, on Feb. 14, 2022. He was 78 years old.

Ronnie was preceded in death by his father, Robert Lester Groce; mother, Leila Rube Lawson Sistrunk; step-father, Joe “Papa Joe” Sistrunk; grandson, Nathaniel Robert Groce.

Ronnie is survived by his wife, Rebecca Ann Groce; daughters, Sherri Cash, Terri Allen (Eric); son, Robert Groce (Amanda); grandchildren, Tara Bryan (Andrew), Kayla Cash (Justin Oliver), Derek Allen (Kaela), Loren Groce, Kyle Cash, Alysa Nettles, Leila Grace Cash, Catherine Groce, and William Groce; great grandchildren, Blaine Bryan, Annabelle Allen, Roman Bryan, Levi Allen; siblings, Wayne Sistrunk (Melissa),

Stanley Sistrunk, Carol Callaway (Pat), and a slew of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Ronnie Boy was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather. Ronnie had many different names and nicknames.

He was Ronnie Boy to Becky, Pawpaw to his grandchildren, Pop to his great grandchildren.

Ronnie was a long-haul trucker for nearly 50 years. He told stories of his work over the road and things he’d seen all over the country.

He brought state flags and trinkets home to his children from each different state he visited. This is when he discovered his love of collectibles and antiques.

One of his favorite things to do was to spend time with Becky and his family. He and Becky loved taking trips to the mountains. He’d be sure to take his prized antiques with him so he could trade up for the next best thing.

Ronnie enjoyed the more adventurous cuisine when they went on vacation.

He was a devout Christian who spoke often about the love, grace and forgiveness of the Lord.

Ronnie was a deacon for several years. He would give anyone in need the button-down plaid shirt right off his back. There was rarely a time when Ronnie didn’t have a joke to tell. He sought out opportunities to make everyone laugh every chance he got.

Ronnie got a smart phone and even a computer. He learned how to text and use Facebook.

On Facebook he became virtual “friends” with all his family and reallife friends. He would keep up with their lives online. Ronnie regularly commented on posts using emojis and gifs, especially the deer and chicken variety. Another one of Ronnie’s favorite pass-times was shooting the breeze at K&B Oil Supply on 1st Avenue.

He’d spend hours talking and joking with his friends and fellow truck drivers. Ronnie will be dearly missed by many

people.

Visitation was held on Friday, Feb. 18, at the Lakeside Church of God in Opelika and the funeral service was at 11 a.m. with Pastor Vance McCollum officiating.

Interment followed at Pierce Chapel Cemetery.

––––––– ANNA LOUISE WATTS MCKOWN Anna Louise Watts McKown was born on September 20, 1930 in Parsons, Kansas, and died on Feb. 14, 2022, in Opelika, at the age of 91. She was the youngest of six children of John H. and Goldie David Watts. She grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and graduated from Rosedale High School in Kansas City and Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, and earned a Master of Nursing degree from Yale University in 1957. She held various hospital staffing positions and taught in professional nursing programs at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky and at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City.

She married Delos Banning McKown in 1958. In 1962 they moved to Auburn, Alabama,

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A16 Feb. 24, 2022

COMICS

“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.” ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

S

INSIDE B1 - B8:

S

• AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS • AUBURN UNIVERSITY • COMMUNITY SPORTS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS • SUSSC

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS LEE COUNTY: MAR. 8 AT 6 P.M. AUBURN: MAR. 8 AT 6 P.M. OPELIKA: MAR. 22 AT 4:30 P.M.

Lady Panther Soccer Starting Off Right

ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL

OHS Wreslters Compete at State

T

hree Opelika High Sschool wrestlers, Brady Campbell, Jake Pritchard and Kyle Epperson, competed in 5A/6A Alabama High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Championship Meet at the Vaun Braun Civic Center in Huntsville.

Here is the breakdown of the three Bulldog grapplers: Brady Campbell (145 pounds) finished second after losing the championship match by two points.

Campbell led the championship match 4-3 with eight seconds left in the match.

Prior to the match ending, officials reversed two points which left Campbell two points behind and a silver medal. Officials did not give a reason for the two-point reversal.

Jack Pritchard (220 pounds) finished second in the state after losing 2-6 in the championship match.

Pritchard (a senior) finished with a 42-5 record and runner-up in class 6A. Kyle Epperson (freshman) finished eighth in the state.

Epperson finished the season with an impressive 13-13 record on the varsity team as a freshman.

I want to thank coach Jim Davis for sending results after each match, which allows exposure for the students-athletes participating.

SPRING SPORTS SOCCER Opelika’s girls’ and boys’ soccer teams hosted Brookstone (Georgia.)

last week at the W James Samford Soccer Complex on the Sportsplex campus.

Despite leading 1-0 at halftime, the Lady Bulldogs allowed three unanswered goals in the second half after keeper Pheobe Darcey left the game with an injury.

Maelee Story scored the only Opelika goal, assisted

by Karly Phatsadavong. The girls dropped to 1-1 overall.

The boys’ soccer team improved its record to 1-1 after beating Brookstone, 2-1, at home. The Bulldogs played aggressive on both ends of the pitch, limiting Brookstone’s oppertunities to score. Offensively, Said Rujanna and Nathan Faison scored one goal apiece.

TENNIS Opelika High School’s girls’ and boys’ tennis teams played two matches apiece last week, against Columbus (Ga.) and Benjamin Russell.

The Lady Bulldog netters lost both matches, 0-9 (Columbus) and 3-6 (Benjamin Russell). Winning matches against the Wildcats: No. 1 seed, Laney Mctier and 3 seed Luci Long. They both won single matches and teamed up to win doubles as well.

Opelika’s boys split matches, losing to Columbus (Ga.) 1-8 and beating BRHS 9-0. Roman Gagliano, No. 5 seed, won the lone match against CHS. Winning matches against the Wildcatts: Singles - Conner Mullins, Jake See SPORTS, page B2

In any high school sport, tradition and history are of utmost importance to the success of a program.

Establishing a culture of winning, playing for one another and bringing glory to a school is imperative for sustained excellence.

For head coach Dennis Jones and the rest of the Smiths Station girls soccer program, 2022 appears to be an effort to bolster their brand as one of the premier programs in 7A. The silver and black started their season in impressive fashion, earning a 3-0 victory over Benjamin Russell in what their head

PHOTO BY JOSH FISHER / FOR THE OBSERVER

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

coach described as a complete-game effort.

“We pretty much kind of dominated possession in that game,” Jones said. “I think they only got one shot on goal and my goalkeeper

Charlie McDonald made a really good save on that shot and kept our clean sheet.”

According to Jones, the win over the Wildcats kicked off a pre-region

schedule which is designed with development in the forefront.

“We give ourselves plenty of non-conference opponents,” Jones said. “We actually just went to a tournament this past weekend. We get in two tournaments and plenty of non-conference games before we get into conference play. We should have plenty of experience.”

Obtaining experience will be vital to the team’s success throughout the year as the Panthers graduated a staggering nine seniors from the final four team in 2021.

“We lost about nine seniors last year,” Jones said.

“Five of them were starters and three of them came off of See LADY PANTHERS, page B3

OHS Softball Aiming High

BY JAKE GONZALEZ FOR THE OBSERVER

The sun is shining, birds are chirping and spring is just around the corner. When spring comes, so does Opelika High School Softball.

After hiring its third coach in four years, Opelika Softball looks to get back to the playoffs following a 9-25 season a year ago. First year head coach Jessica Thornton is anxious to get the season underway.

Thornton spent the last six seasons as the assistant head coach at University of Louisiana-Monroe. She spent time under head coaches Corey Lyon and Molly Fichtner where she coached multiple Sun Belt All-Conference players.

“I shaped my philosophies from there,” Thornton said. “I was able to pick and choose the good things from them.”

The Bulldogs only

have one senior on the team this season. The inexperience that Thornton possesses as a head coach will be matched by the inexperience of her team.

“My big expectation for this season is to just get everyone to grow,” Thornton said.

For Thornton, this year’s destination is the playoffs. After not makJessica Thornton is ing the cut last season, entering her first year as Thornton thinks this is head coach of the OHS varsity the year that the Dawgs softball team. can reenter the conversaJunior McKay Yountz tion, even with just one will lead the pitching senior on the red and staff for the Bulldogs black roster. but it won’t just be about The Bulldogs will her.

She is going to need have something that is the help of the rest of the unordinary for a high staff along the way. school roster: a rotation “While Mckay is gothat is five deep. ing to be in the spotlight, “It is exciting. It is it is going to be a staff unheard of on the high mentality and take all of school level,” Thornton them to get us to where said. we want to go,” ThornThere are not many ton said. pitching staffs that can At the plate, Thornton go five deep at any level. thinks that Junior Nylen From high school up to Thomas will be the one the professional level, a to get things started. pitching staff that can do Junior Sania Stringer that is set up for success.

will also have a bat that makes an impact for the Bulldogs. Yountz won’t just make a big impact in the circle for the Bulldogs but also at the plate.

“Mckay works both sides of the ball,” Thornton said. “She will be big for us.”

Opelika has work to do before they will get back to the playoffs; with a young roster and multiple pitching options, coach Thornton has the Bulldogs prepped for a comeback season and shot at the playoffs.

After finishing second in the region last year with 6-2 region record and one game behind Eufaula (8-1), the expectation for Thornton is to not only compete with the Tigers but to claim the region title.

The Bulldogs went 1-3 against Eufaula last season.

Opelika defeated Eufaula 8-1 on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at Opelika High school.

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B2 Feb. 24, 2022

Hornets Optimistic for Rotation Ahead New Campaign

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER The wait is finally over for fans of the Beauregard Hornets baseball program; spring is just around the corner and high school baseball season has officially arrived. The hometown squad hauled in three consecutive wins to kick off its season and head coach Seth Nolen said he believes that he has a special group of talent in 2022.

Early season success is likely an encouraging sight for the head coach who mentioned that a healthy mix-up in personnel from the 2021 season was imminent.

“We lost six seniors, we have six seniors this year,” Nolen said. “We’ve only got four juniors, so our junior class is small and there’s three sophomores that are strictly varsity.

We’ve got a pretty good mix of upperclassmen and younger guys mixed in.”

According to Nolen, the group’s diversity in age has helped them prepare for the upcoming campaign and also provides them with a healthy dose of returning experience.

“Last year we actually played a lot of young guys,” Nolen said. “So all those seniors this year and the juniors this year, they all played last year. We actually have a lot of experience coming back.”

The biggest challenge for this year’s squad which returns so much prior experience sounds like a simple task: stay healthy.

“Through most of the season last year we were fighting through lots of bumps and bruises,” Nolen said. “Right, now everybody is healthy and ready to go.”

As any head coach might be, Nolen is excited that — of his departing players — he only had to bid farewell to two pitchers, leaving the Hornets in favorable shape entering the spring.

“We only lost two arms,” Nolen said. “So we’ve got seven guys returning this year that

pitched last year, including the three that threw our area games last year.”

Beauregard’s rotation is headlined by senior Ethan Pooler.

“Our No. 1 guy right now is Ethan Pooler,” Nolen said. “He was our No. 1 guy last year and probably 2-a or 2-b his sophomore year. We’re expecting a big year out of him.”

An Emmanuel College signee, Pooler’s performance will be complimented by a trio of high-caliber members of the Hornet pitching staff “We’ve got three that are 2-a, 2-b and 2-c,” Nolen said. “Those three will battle it out for game two and game three

starters in the area.”

The group beyond Pooler is composed of seniors Brodie Barnes and Brayden Blackmon.

Behind the pair of upperclassmen: Ethan’s younger brother, sophomore Brayden Pooler.

“Brayden Pooler — Ethan’s little brother — is a tenth grade lefty,” Nolen said. “He’s going to be pretty sporty before it’s over with.”

Between the lengthy list of returners and promise in the bullpen, the Hornet’s skipper claims he has no idea what the ceiling is for the team in 2022; he’s merely telling them to trust in the process.

“We don’t know what the ceiling is,” Nolen said.

“That’s kind of the mindset we’ve kind of taken into the fall and the spring: we don’t know what our ceiling is now so let’s approach every day and every game and bust our tails and do it like it’s supposed to be done and see what we can make our ceiling become."

If the group does their collective best, Nolen thinks his squad could be something special.

“We have the potential to be a really good baseball team before it’s over,” Nolen said.

The Hornets will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 24 when the team plays host to the Wildcats of Benjamin Russell at 4:30 p.m. CST.

Si02 invests in SU Students The Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) Foundation received a multi-year commitment from Si02 Materials Science to establish the SiO2 Advanced Manufacturing Scholarship and Internship Program.

This gift will initially cover six full scholarships for students enrolled in Southern Union’s Advanced Manufacturing programs of study and will dramatically broaden the ability of the college to meet the workforce needs of the area.

The scholarship offers

SPORTS >> FROM B1 Walters and Will Fuller.

Double winners were brothers, Charles Gagliano and Roman Gagliano. The other points were won via forfeits because of lack of players for BRHS. SOFTBALL Opelika’s Lady Bulldog softball team (2-1) opened the season in the “Benjamin Russell Tournament” at the Charles Bailey Sportsplex in Alex City.

OHS beat Sylacauga (10-2) and Dadeville (6-1), but lost a close game, 1-2, against Central-Clay.

In the season opener, OHS scored 10 runs, scattered five hits and had an excellent performance on the mound from MaKay Yountz in a 10-2 win over Sylacauga. Yountz threw

Southern Union’s Technical Education Division and Si02 an avenue in which they can join forces to provide qualified students with supervised work-based learning experiences on the job as well as in the classroom. The program provides opportunity for potential employment of students upon successful completion and graduation from the Advanced Manufacturing Technology program.

“This is a game-changer for our program,” said SU President Todd Shackett.

“The extraordinary generosity of the Si02 will bring exciting opportunities for our students.”

For consideration for the program, applicants must have a 3.0 GPA to be accepted and maintain a 2.75 GPA throughout course of the program. While simultaneously enrolled in courses at SU related to their declared area of study, participants are expected to work a minimum of 20 hours per week at a rate of $15 per hour.

“SiO2 Materials Science is thrilled to partner with Southern Union to provide incredible opportunities for students in our community,” said Tai Boos of Si02 Training and Development.

“We look forward to nurturing our relationship as

four innings, allowed only two runs and gave up two hits while striking out four to earn the win in the circle.

Offensively, KD Lee led with two hits and a scored run; Jade Jones, Senia Stringer and Nylen Thomas had one hit apiece.

Opelika beat Dadeville, 6-1, behind Stringer’s pitching and 10 hits. Stringer pitched four innings and allowed one hit while striking out eight Tiger batters. Thomas, Yountz, Lee and Allianne Blythe recorded two hits apiece while Jones and Stringer added singles.

Despite a strong outing from Yountz, pitching her second game in two days, OHS lost game three, 2-1, against Central Clay. Yountz pitched six innings, striking out four and yielding two runs on three hits. Opelika

recorded three singles from Thomas, Jones and Rhianna Young.

BASEBALL The OHS baseball team opened the 2022 season with two wins, sweeping Stanhope Elmore and Pike Road last Saturday at Bulldog Park.

In the season opener, the Dogs scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Stanhope Elmore 10-9.

Harrison Long recorded three hits and hit a walk-off double to score the winning run against the Mustangs. Taylor Fields added two hits along with singles from Jackson Harris, Brooks Bryan, JD Chase, Jake Smith and Brantley Davis. Coach Zach Blatt used three pitchers, JT McArdle, Luke Murray and Caleb Chisum over seven innings. The group allowed seven earned runs but struck

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC FOUNDATION

Tai Boos of Si02 presents SUSCC Foundation Board Chair Oline Price with a donation to the Foundation Scholarship Fund. Also pictured is SU President Todd Shackett (far left) Foundation Board Vice-Chair Dr. Kelli Hodge, and Dr. Darin Baldwin, Dean of Technical Education and Workforce Development at SUSCC.

out nine batters.

The Bulldogs wrapped up the doubleheader by beating Pike Road (3-1) behind nine hits and good pitching. Brantley Davis and Jake Smith led with two hits apiece. Jackson Harris, Brooks Bryan, Harrison Long, Paul Goodman and Taylor “Tommy” Fields each had one hit apiece.

Kadalyn Ligon started on mound, allowing three runs on three hits; Davis pitched three-and-one-third innings of shutout baseball and Harris pitched the last one-and-onethird. Davis and Harris did not allow a hit or run.

OHS SPORTS SCHEDULE Feb 24 Tennis (girls and boys) at Loogan against Enterprise 4 p.m.

JV Baseball vs Smiths Station at Bulldog Park

- 4:30 p.m.

Soccer (girls and boys) vs.

Central at W James Samford Complex - 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

TIDBITS Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller, appearing on the “On the Mark” radio show on FOX Sports 910AM, said the bid had been awarded in the amount of $750,000 to turf the two softball fields at West Ridge Park. One field will be turfed at a time, leaving one field open for play.

OCS Superintendent Mark Neighbors announced his retirement several weeks ago. I reached out to the OCS Board for a timeline and specifics of the process. Board Chairman Kevin Royal said OCS Attorney Bob Meadows would speak for the board.

Meadows provided the following information.

The Opelika

Superintendent job was posted Feb. 7, with a deadline for receiving applications

by March 15. According to Meadows, the board hopes to have the applicants selected for final consideration by April 1. Interviews will be conducted in April.

The interviews will be public and there will be an associated “meet and greet” session with the public and the finalist during the interview process.

The final vote on the selection of the new superintendent will take place in May with an approximate start date of June 1.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 9101310, co-chair of the AuburnOpelika sports council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

B3 Feb. 24, 2022

Glenwood Baseball to Lean on Athleticism, Depth Ousted in the state semifinals last season, the Glenwood Gator varsity baseball team has every intention to build on its 2021 results and make another push for the state crown in 2022.

“The offseason has been really good,” said head coach Tim Fanning.

“I’m hoping it’s going to translate into a fun season. The guys have been extremely focused and have worked really hard.”

Despite graduating a large senior class last year, Fanning’s confidence in his team’s ability this season has grown since starting practice in early January.

Particularly, Fanning noted his teams athleticism and acumen on the defensive side of the ball.

“We are super athletic,” he said. “Defensively, we are going to have a ton of range. A lot of good arms and speed. You have got to do it on the field, but just in preseason it looks

LADY PANTHERS>> FROM B1 my defensive line.”

After losing three defenders, the silver and black will look significantly different on defense and Jones tasks a new trio of talent with the task of keeping opponents at bay.

“I’m playing three new girls that have never played high school defense,” Jones said. “They’ve played defense for their club teams so they’ve got experience.”

Jones says that making defensive adjustments has taken top priority for he and his staff thus far.

“I guess that’s kind of my focal point right now,” Jones said. “Trying to make sure my defense gets shaped up.”

According to their head coach, the Panther’s defensive abilities were key in their run to last year’s final four; he believes that the 2022 squad will rely more heavily upon its offense.

“We’re not as strong defensively,” Jones said. “But we’re stronger offensively. We were not a very strong offensive team last year but I think we’ve got more firepower last year.”

With more promise on offense than in years past, Jones is excited to be able to plug standout junior Jenna Bruce into his lineup; he claims she can play any position on the field with efficiency.

“The main player to look out for is Jenna Bruce,” Jones said. “I think she really has the potential to be a Division-I player. She can play any position on the field. If I need her to score, I can put her up top.

If I need her to control the ball at midfield, if I need her in defense, I can do all of that.”

In an effort to continue writing the next chapter in their program history book, the Panthers must now regroup and prepare for their next challenge: the Mustangs of Stanhope Elmore. Smiths Station will play host to its out-of-region foe on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. CST. The match will be streamable on the NFHS network.

like there are not a lot of balls that are going to drop in the outfield, and not a lot that are going to drop in the infield. I’ll be extremely surprised if we are not very good defensively.”

The season is off to a relatively good start for the Gators already, as the group travelled to Tuscaloosa Academy this weekend and swept the series 2-0 with 13-0 and 14-0 shutout wins.

Juniors Jackson Kennon and Trent House earned the wins on the mound, positioning themselves to be factors in a pitching rotation that Fanning said is still undecided.

“From a pitching stand point, we have a lot of good arms, but not a ton of experience,” Fanning said. “It will probably take the first month of the season to figure out where we are in terms of the rotation — who is going to start, guys on the back end and things like that. There will be a lot of guys getting a lot of opportunities on the mound the first month of the season.”

Following the series against Tuscaloosa Academy, Glenwood traveled to Mississippi to take on Starkville and Desoto Central.

“Those are two of the best programs in the state of Mississippi,” Fanning said.

The Gators dropped both games, with junior Jacob Page and senior standout Colton Dempsey taking the losses on the mound.

The losses show Glenwood what it needs to compete with the best of the best, and Fanning said he will lean on the three seniors who started last season in particular — Dempsey, catcher Jake Smith and lead-off batter Ty Smith — to set the standard going forward.

“Dempsey has thrown a ton of innings in a lot of big games over the last three years; Smith has caught a bunch of games and is a leader for us; and Ty Smith led off for us last year and led us in hitting batting average wise,” Fanning said.

The youth on this year’s Glenwood team won’t

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

change Fanning’s approach, however.

“I think we are going to be able to put a lot pressure on people, and that is the way I like to coach,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to watch that materialize. We can handle the bat very well, so small ball and taking extra bases, that is definitely going to be something we strive to be super successful at.”

Looking around the area and at the greater schedule as a whole, Fanning pointed out rival Lee-Scott and Montgomery-based Pike Academy as two of the most formidable foes.

“Lee-Scott is always

going to be tough, they always are,” Fanning said.

“That’s who we have to beat to win our area. Pike has been on the top as far as the AISA is considered, and they have set the standard the last several years so that is what we have to build toward.”

The Gators still have plenty of room for growth before they can even think about being in the state championship on May 11 and 12. Fanning said his squad’s depth could be one of the most critical factors in helping Glenwood lift the trophy at season’s end.

When you lose that

many seniors there is just a lot of competition,” he said. “I think in the first couple weeks there will be a lot of things working themselves into play.

We are very deep. I’ll be honest, I feel comfortable with our first two teams, we are two deep at every position. That is a great luxury to have, not from an injury standpoint but from a philosophy standpoint. If guys aren’t taking care of their business I have no problem putting the next guy in. The competition has been really good is what I am saying, so that is what is super exciting.”

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B4 Feb. 24, 2022

Jazzy Magnolia Allstarz Cheer Their Way to First Place PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE OBSERVER

Beauregard Softball Reloaded for 2022

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The Beauregard High School varsity softball team is reloaded in 2022.

Despite losing five contributing seniors from last year’s squad, the Hornets enter this season with refreshed hopes of making it past the first round of the area tournament where they were eliminated by Tallassee last season.

To turn that dream into a reality, head coach Scott Meadows said his team has been hitting the workouts and practices hard.

“Once football season ended we started hitting the weight room five days a week,” he said. “Then we transitioned into the throwing program and continued lifting as well.

We had about two- and-ahalf weeks to practice before the first game. I don’t ever feel like we are ready to play but I knew all the girls were ready.”

The girls’ first test came last week when Beauregard opened the season with a 17-2 win over Valley, a contest that was mercy ruled after just three innings.

Senior Raley Thorn, who signed with Point University earlier this year, is the Hornets’ ace on the mound and started game one against Valley. The senior recorded two strikeouts and allowed zero runs to earn her first win of the season.

“She’s probably our best leader,” Meadows said.

Overall, the team this year is led by five seniors, three of whom “have been everyday starters since the ninth grade,” Meadows said.

Two of those seniors are catcher Caroline Willis and first basemen Cat Henson. Willis went 2-for2 in the opener, adding the season’s first grand slam to her name. “[Willis] frames the ball and blocks really well, she’s got good pop in her bat, too,” Meadows said.

“Cat, she plays first base,

SUSCC >> FROM B2 we watch these students thrive!”

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HENSON AND MEADOWS and she’s been recovering from rotator cuff surgery, but just finished up her rehab. She’s a complete hitter.”

Destiny Cannon is another senior leader. She went 2-for-3 with a home run, double and four RBI against the Rams. “[Destiny] took a year off but will provide some power to our lineup, some catching depth and she will play some outfield as well,” Meadows said.”

The fifth and final senior is Madison Champion, who has “good pop in her bat and is a good base runner and a solid outfielder,” according to Meadows.

Rounding out the team is a large group of underclassmen. With that, comes growing pains, Meadows said.

“I’m fully confident in all of them that we are going to put out there,” he said. “There is going to be some growing pains for some of them but it’s going to be interesting to see how they progress through the year. That’s the main thing for us; we ain’t got to be great right now, just when we get into that area play and area tournament, we want to be peaking.”

Following the Valley game, the Hornets played in the Central Alabama Classic Tournament in Alexander City.

Beauregard defeated its first opponent, Horseshoe Bend, but lost to Oakman 4-1, and Sylacauga 6-3.

Thorn got her second win of the season against Horseshoe Bend; Barkley Wilson had a big hand

in the win, recording two doubles and a grand slam.

Against Oakman and Sylacauga, Beauregard never really got its best going. Sophomore Cooper Watson recorded the only hit against Oakman, and Raegan Brooks pitched six innings and recorded seven strikeouts in the loss. Thorn earned her first loss of the season against Sylacauga.

Going forward, Meadows said one of his biggest concerns is the inexperience of the pitching rotation behind Thorn.

However, he believes there is enough pop in the lineup to support some of his pitchers.

“Our pitching staff is young,” Meadows said.

“But on the flip side of that, we have some bats in the lineup — some who have the chance to be power hitters. If we can get them striving to hit line drives and grounders versus trying to outdo one another and trying to hit home runs, that’s going to be key there. And of course we have to play solid defense behind our pitching.”

Beauregard has come a long way from the days of getting run-ruled by its area opponents — something Meadows recalls as recently as few years ago. But the area is tough again in 2022. Meadows just keeps reminding his girls that its not how you start, but how you finish.

“That’s the main thing for us,” he said. “We ain’t got to be great right now, just when we get into that area play and area tournament, we want to be peaking.”

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Jazzy Magnolia Allstarz competition cheer team attended a cheer competition on Feb. 20, in Birmingham. Both teams, JMA Mini Magnolias and JMA Magnolias both won first place in the competition.This is the first competition cheer team in Valley, Alabama.The coach and CEO is Jasmine Holloway Pate. A Valley native and former cheerleader for WF Burns and Valley High School. She is the daughter of Gretchen Holloway, also a former cheerleader and first African American cheerleader from Valley High School.

Bobcats Prepare to Roar

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER With softball season officially underway, the Beulah Bobcats are gearing up for what many expect to be a year to remember. The black and gold are fresh off a final four campaign in 2021, player retention is 100% and head coach Stan Pepper believes his team is poised to make a run at a state title.

The group started the young season 1-1 following a 4-3 loss at the hands of the Athens Eagles.

“We were ahead 3-0,” Pepper said. “Then they scored four runs and we just couldn’t generate anything else out there. We had a bad inning.”

Despite dropping the second game of the opening weekend, the skipper was pleased with his squad’s display.

“It was a good weekend overall,” Pepper said. “We found out a lot about our team. I knew the answers, I just wanted to make sure.

I guess Saturday just put it in our heads that we knew for a fact that we have what we have. Now we just have to go to work every day and try to get better and improve.”

While the Bobcats will strive for perfection on a daily basis, the head coach was pleased with the lessons learned on Saturday and acknowledges the reality of undertaking long seasons.

“I was pleased with the weekend,” Pepper said. “It could have been better; you don’t like losing but you’re containers and surfaces for the Biotechnology, Genomics, Diagnostics, Consumer Products, and Cosmetics industries. With core values being innovation, quality and customer delight, SiO2 is committed

literally not going to win them all but it was a good start to the season for them.”

As the group pushes forward, Beulah looks to build upon the success from the 2021 campaign on the basis of returning a full roster of starters in 2022.

“We returned all nine starters from last year,” Pepper said. “We didn’t play with but 10 girls last year.

This year, we’ve got 15 this year.”

The five-player addition is highlighted by a familiar face to the Beulah community: senior Shelby Eisley.

“We picked up a transfer from Auburn High School this year,” Pepper said.

“Shelby Eisley, who was their starting second baseman last year.”

Pepper looks forward to Eisley’s return to the diamond in the black and gold after a two-year stint with the crosstown Tigers.

“She actually played for us three years ago and then transferred to Auburn,” Pepper said. “She played down there the last two years and transferred back here this year and I’m glad because we missed her. She was a big part of our program before she left.”

Despite anticipation for the standout transfer, Pepper’s defense will look for continual production from experience within the pitching circle; senior Katie Morris will be tasked with keeping opponents at bay.

“We have three girls that we can put in the circle,” Pepper said. “But Katie Morris is our starter. She’s to bringing clients’ innovations to life.

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our No. 1 pitcher and Katie is one of the best in the state.

In my eyes, she’s the best in 3A for sure.”

With a bolstered defense and returning experience across the board, the Bobcats are seemingly poised to achieve their ultimate goal: claiming the 3A state title.

“Our goal every year is to win an area championship, a region championship and then win a state championship,” Pepper said. “That’s everybody’s goal this time of year.”

Although state championship aspirations seem tangible for the black and gold, the squad’s head coach is taking the season one game at a time.

“That’s so far down the line, we just want to get through this week,” Pepper said. “We want to be better at the end of the week than we were at the beginning of the week. Just looking day-by-day.”

The skipper’s message to his group this year is clear: focus on the now.

“I told them that I don’t care what the scoreboard is at the end of the game,” Pepper said. “Let’s just play every pitch and then play the next pitch. That’s going to be our goal the whole year long.”

Beulah will have the opportunity to return to the win column and build momentum going forward with the Bobcats play host to the Hornets of Beauregard on Thursday, Feb. 24.

First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CST. activities of SUSCC. The Foundation increases educational access for students through financial support and enables the college to initiate innovative projects to enhance the quality of education.

B5

OHS Downs Non-Region Foes

Feb. 24, 2022

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The Opelika High School varisty baseball team began its season by defeating two non-region opponents. The Bulldogs defeated Stanhope Elmore 10-9 and Pike Road 8-3.

B6 Feb. 24, 2022

‘Operation Atmosphere’: Auburn Baseball Announces Fan Experience Upgrades

CONTIRBUTED BY AUBURN ATHLETICS

Auburn baseball and head coach Butch Thompson are excited to announce fan experience upgrades at Plainsman Park for the 2022 season.

Having sold out Plainsman Park for the second time in program history and eclipsing the record number of season tickets previously sold in 2020, Thompson and the Tigers are geared up to begin the new campaign. The 2022 roster is split down the middle in terms of returners and newcomers and features as much depth as the program has had in its recent history. “'Operation Atmosphere’ is a planned and committed effort by our coaches and athletics department to provide our amazing fans and especially our students with the best gameday atmosphere we’ve ever had at Plainsman Park,” Thompson said.

“Thank you to all who were a part of selling the most season tickets in the history of our proud program.”

‘Operation Atmosphere’, as the fan experience initiative has become known, will include the return of the Plainsman Patio presented by Kia of Auburn, beer and wine sales for select games in the Plainsman Patio and Tiger Terrace and a new student section located beyond the outfield wall in right center field, among other upgrades.

The Plainsman Patio presented by Kia of Auburn is located on the first base side of Plainsman Park and includes a tented area with high top tables and televisions. The patio is conveniently located next to the concession area down the first base line and is free and open to all fans.

The Tiger Terrace is a general admission area down the third base line and is open to all fans with a valid game ticket. There are no permanent seats in the Tiger Terrace, but a limited number of picnic and high-top tables are available. Fans are encouraged to bring their own tailgate

chairs into the terrace.

Beer and wine sales return to the Tiger Terrace and Plainsman Patio on Friday and Saturday games during non-conference play and for all conference games, as well as select midweeks games throughout the season.

Alcohol will not be allowed to leave either of these designated spaces and is prohibited in the general seating area. All alcohol sales will conclude at the top of the 7th inning.

In addition to the traditional student seating inside Plainsman Park — sections 111 and 58 through 73 — a new outfield viewing plaza has been added to right center field between the batter’s eye and visitor’s bullpen, and Auburn students will now be able to utilize this space for the 2022 season. Students viewing the game from the outfield plaza will not need to enter through the main student gate and may bring outside food and beverage, as well as chairs and yard games into the new space.

Students who wish to

sit inside the ballpark must enter through the gate located behind home plate. Students will utilize their digital Tiger Card on their phones for entry. They may no longer enter through the gate located at the Tiger Terrace or down the right field, which has been moved approximately 30 feet from its original location.

Subject to change based on weather and other events, the Kids Zone will be located in the grass area located outside of the Josh Donaldson Hitting Lab for weekend series. The Kids Zone will feature inflatables and yard games.

Cartoonists, balloon artists and face painters will also be present for select games.

In addition to the concessions located behind home plate, Chick-fil-A will be available on the patio located down the first base line, excluding Sundays. Mobile ordering using Venue Next and Grubhub will be available at the Curveball Cafe. Tiger Card will be accepted at most concession

locations. All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at Plainsman Park will be cashless (credit/debit and Tiger Cards only).

Highlights of the 2022 promotions schedule can be found below.

• Atlanta Braves World Series Trophy Tour – Mar. 29 vs.

Jacksonville State • Hometown Heroes Weekend – Apr. 8 through 10 vs.

Vanderbilt • Bark in the Park – Apr. 12 vs. Samford • Alumni Weekend celebrating 25th anniversary of 1997 • College World Series team – Apr. 22 through 24 vs. South Carolina • All Auburn, All Orange – May 13 vs.

Alabama • Trading Card Sundays — Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama series Digital fan guides, which include information such as the Auburn baseball schedule, roster, statistics, feature stories and more, will be accessible via QR code inside the stadium and linked

on AuburnTigers.com.

Roster and scorecard inserts will also be available at the marketing booth.

Reserved season tickets for 2022 are sold out, but fans can still attend games at Plainsman Park via mini pack and single game ticket options. Fans can reach the Auburn ticket office by phone at 855282-2010 or by emailing tickets@auburn. edu.

Auburn Athletics will continue to provide digital tickets for the 2022 baseball season. Digital tickets help to increase convenience, flexibility and safety for fans on gamedays.

Visit the AU Team Shop conveniently located on the concourse adjacent to the main entrance. The team shop features officially licensed Auburn gear and baseball specific merchandise. Fans may also visit online at AUteamshop. com. A reminder that sales to the AU Team Shop directly benefit Auburn University student-athletes.

Refund Anticipation Loans are now available. Schedule an appointment for a free evaluation.

1 The Refund Advance is an optional tax-refund related loan provided by MetaBank®, N.A., Member FDIC (it is not the actual tax refund) at participating locations.

Program availability and loan amounts may vary based on state and software provider. The amount of the loan and applicable interest will be deducted from tax refunds and reduce the amount that is paid directly to the taxpayer. Fees for other optional products or product features may apply. Tax returns may be fi led electronically without applying for this loan. Loans off ered in amounts of $250 (where available), $500, $1,000, 25%, 50%, or 75% of your expected tax refund from $250 - $6,000. Loans in the amounts of $250, $500, and $1,000 have an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 0.00%. Loans in the amounts of 25%, 50% or 75% of your expected tax refund have an APR of 36.0% with a minimum loan of $1,250. For example, $2,500 loan representing 50% of expected refund borrowed over 29 day term, total amount payable in a single payment is $2,571.51 including interest. Availability is subject to satisfaction of identity verifi cation, eligibility criteria, and underwriting standards.

2 Certain Refund Advance Loans are available at no cost to taxpayers, however other options include a consumer fee.

RA21-BAN-014

334-744-7509 Dustin Farley-Nelms/Owner 207 N. 3rd Street, Opelika

Member of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce

B7 Feb. 24, 2022

Alabama Community College System Opens Innovation Center, Starts Enrollment for Rapid Workforce Training CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC

The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Innovation Center, a $10 million investment aimed at rapidly training workers for the state’s highest-demand industries, has launched its first of several industry-designed programs to help students find immediate employment.

ACCS leaders, students and industry partners kicked off the Innovation Center’s opening and demonstrated some of the training at an event on Monday. The training includes short-term classes that students can start from anywhere in the state and finish with an in-person lab in a regional ACCS location. Once students complete the trainings, they are job-ready and are awarded a credential and an opportunity to earn more certifications

at their local community college.

“Every Alabamian deserves an opportunity to succeed in the state’s economy. It’s not always that someone needs two years at the community college to make them have the skills viable for the labor market, so we have found a way to expedite the training so we can move people more rapidly into the market,” said Jimmy H. Baker, chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. “The Innovation Center is where we house people to devote to the process of developing curriculum for training, no matter what it may be, so that residents can take those credentials and either get to work or get promoted with the right skills for their job.”

Business leaders say the rapid training is key as Alabama faces supply chain issues and the nation’s 11th largest worker

shortage, according to a study.

“America’s commercial trucking industry is facing a critical shortage of about 80,000 professional drivers,” said Mark Colson, president and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association.

“Here in Alabama, trucking already provides 112,000-plus jobs – about 1 out 15 in the state. These are high-quality jobs offering great pay and endless career path opportunities. We are proud to partner with the Alabama Community College System to ramp up efforts to attract and connect job-seekers with the training they need to enter the trucking industry. The ACCS Innovation Center is the right program to supercharge the availability of CDL offerings in our state and enhance the existing programs that are already preparing our future workforce.”

The Innovation Center

Online Registration for Auburn Summer Camps Now Open COURTESY OF THE CITY OF AUBURN

BY SARA CUSTER

Online registration for art and theatre camps is underway at auburnalabama.org/arts.

ART CAMPS Art camps (www.active. com/orgs/auburn-arts-association) provide a supportive and creative learning environment where instruction is collaborative and taught by experienced artists and art educators.

Campers will explore different mediums while learning about artists, history, movements and cultures. This is an art workshop with emphasis on aesthetics and the process of creating art.

The program will inspire children to experiment with materials and try new techniques while learning about the elements and principles of design in a variety of age-appropriate lessons.

A special exhibition of the children’s artwork will be held at the end of each session.

Two art camps are being offered including Art for Young Children, ages 4 to 6, and Visual Arts Workshops for Children, ages 7 to 12.

Two sessions of Art for Young Children will be offered June 28 through 30 and July 19 through 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. Each session costs $60 per child and $55 for each additional child. Three sessions of Visual Arts Workshops for Children will be offered June 20 through 24, July 11 through 15 and July 25 through 29

from 9 a.m. to noon.

Each session costs $80 per child and $75 for each additional child.

The art camps were created by Chichi Lovett and are coordinated by Cultural Arts Administrator Sara Custer and Art Education Specialist Emillie Dombrowski.

THEATRE CAMPS Theatre Camps (www. campscui.active.com/ orgs/AuburnAreaCom munityTheatre0?orglin k=camps-registration#/ selectSessions/3123936) focus on acting, music, choreography, character development and more.

Each camp ends with a parent presentation to allow each actor the opportunity to shine on stage. AACT offers sibling discounts and need-based scholarships for all camps. Please visit auburnact.org for details.

Four sessions of Musical Theatre Camp (MTC) will be offered June 13 through 17.

MTC Tots is for children ages 3 to 5, MTC I is for children 5 to 7, MTC II is for children 8 to 11 and MTC III is for children 12 to 18. MTC Tots and MTC I are $150 per child, and MTC II and II are $170 per child.

AACT Academy Summer Intensive is a theatre skills and techniques camp appropriate for all levels of experience ages 3 to 18. This fun and fast paced camp will focus on improvisation, voice and movement and scene studies.

Two sessions will be offered June 6 to 10 and Aug. 1 to 5 from 9 a.m.

to noon. Each session costs $150 per child.

AACT Academy Play in the Woods is a new minicamp being offered this year. We are partnering with the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center to provide an outdoor theater experience for ages 7 to 14. It will be June 27 through 29 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The cost is $100.

Theatre camps are coordinated by Melanie Brown with AACT. An All Day Arts Experience that will combine the AAA Visual Arts Workshops for Children and the AACT Academy Summer Play Camp will take place July 25 through 29. The program is open to ages 7 to 12 and costs $180 per child.

This will be offered to provide your child with an all-day visual and performing arts experience. Sign-ups for the art camp and theatre camp are separate. There will be a Bring Your Own Lunch session (provided by AACT) to bridge the time between these two camps. The lunch session costs $25 per child.

Enrollment is limited, and pre-registration is required. Find more information and access the registration site at auburnalabama.org/arts.

Summer Art Camps are a great way to expose children to the visual and performing arts while keeping them social this summer.

For more information, contact JDCAC at (334) 501-2963 or visit auburnalabama.org/arts.

has already successfully collaborated with the Alabama Tourism Department to help workers train for and find jobs in the state’s $16 billion hospitality industry, thanks to a $1 million grant from Gov. Kay Ivey. All graduates of this pilot training project hosted

by Coastal Community College were matched with jobs and 100 percent of students were hired upon completion of the training.

The ACCS also received funding from the Legislature to develop the Innovation Center and expand skills training and career technical programs that lead to nationally recognized short-term certifications in high-demand industries.

In addition to hospitality, the first in-demand industries targeted for Innovation Center rapid training include butchery, commercial drivers license (CDL),

recreation, heavy equipment, plumbing and facilities maintenance.

“Lawson State is excited about this opportunity to continue to connect with the great network of ACCS colleges through the Innovation Center,” said Dr. Cynthia T. Anthony, president of Lawson State Community College. “We are so glad to see the birth of this new center as it will showcase our creativity and our ability to meet the needs of our local industries and grant us access to partnerships that will aid in enhancing the opportunities we are able to present to our students and the community.”

For more information on upcoming trainings or for answers to frequently asked questions, visit innovation. accs.edu.

ABOUT ACCS With 24 community colleges in more than 130 locations, the

Alabama Community College System (ACCS) is Alabama’s gateway to first-class, affordable education and technical training to compete in a constantly evolving workforce. More than 144,000 Alabamians benefit from the various certification, credential, dual enrollment and degree programs ACCS offers alongside leading industry partners. The System includes the Alabama Technology Network, which provides extensive training and service offerings directly to business and industry.

ACCS is governed by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees.

High School Seniors Invited to Apply for AFA’s Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship Teens Invited to Describe How Alzheimer’s Has Impacted Their Lives for the Chance to Win a $5,000 Scholarship from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

High school seniors impacted by Alzheimer’s disease can win up to $5,000 for college through the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship.

Students can enter the contest by visiting www. alzfdn.org/scholarship.

The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2022.

“Teens across the country are making an impact because they’ve been impacted by Alzheimer’s — they are caring for loved ones, volunteering, working at care settings, raising awareness and conducting research,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and CEO. “These college scholarships will help tomorrow’s leaders in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease with their college education. We invite all high school seniors who have been affected by Alzheimer’s to enter.”

College-bound high school seniors

are invited to apply for the scholarship by submitting an essay (1,500 words maximum) describing how Alzheimer’s disease has impacted their lives and what they have learned about themselves, their family and/or their community through their experience with Alzheimer’s. Essays can be submitted by visiting www.alzfdn.org/ scholarship. Students already attending college are not eligible to participate.

Awards range from first prize of $5,000, second prize of $3,500, third prize of $2,500, fourth prize of $1,500 and fifth prize of $1,000 to honorable mentions between $750 and $400. Since the program’s inception, more than $350,000 in college scholarships have been awarded.

AFA has been able to provide these scholarship funds with the generous support of charitable donors.

Individuals wishing to support this and other programs and services for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can do so by

visiting www.alzfdn. org/donate or calling AFA at 866-232-8484.

ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA (AFA) The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected

by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias nationwide and to fund research for better treatment and a cure.

Its services include a National Toll-Free Helpline (866-2328484) staffed by licensed social workers, the National Memory Screening Program, educational conferences and materials and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals. For more information about AFA, call 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. AFA has earned Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating for six consecutive years.

B8 Feb. 24, 2022

February-Boost Self-Esteem Month

B

efore we exit from February, I want to mention that February is “International Boost Self-Esteem Month”.

Classroom Observer would like to base this article on how to build confidence, security and self-esteem in the preschool years.

Self-Esteem is how we see ourselves and evaluate our own worth in satisfaction in oneself and self-respect. The very truth of self-esteem is that God smiles when He thinks of us. He tells us this in the Bible in Psalm 139:14 - “I

will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.”

Guiding young children toward good self-esteem starts when children are very young, as infants.

Self Esteem affects a child’s actions, health and friendships. Families, teachers and environments play a big integral part in establishing good self-esteem. What a responsibility, but gift we have in molding a young child to have good self-esteem.

Early childhood

teachers observe the learning processes as well as the socialization of young children in their classrooms. There is a consistent need for preschoolers to have the feeling of security or belonging to family and friends. One classroom event that I have shared in Classroom Observer before but it is worth mentioning again is the Weekly Star Student program.

I learned this from other teachers, but I absolutely love to do with my young students in the early childhood classroom. You choose one ‘star student of the week’.

I include all the children in my classroom in this positive encouragement celebration. During the week, a child is honored to be a star student. To be fair, I choose the students in alphabetical order.

During the week, a child is honored to be a star student and he/she gets to sit at a specially decorated desk done by the children of the class.

Children draw pictures and send encouraging notes to the star student of the week. The parents and grandparents of the star

student are invited into the classroom to share what is so special about their child or grandchild.

Too, friends and buddies share why the star student is so special to them. It is very heartwarming to hear young children encouraging their friends.

After so many years of teaching, this is a celebration of a young child’s life which encourages them for a lifetime. It delights this teacher’s heart to receive letters and Facebook messages from my students who are grown and have children of their own. They share with me how much this program of celebration planted a seed of encouragement in their hearts.

Normally our homes provide a place of refuge, security, peace and a sense we are loved and belong. You have heard the expression, “Home is where the heart is.”

This expression means so much to a child’s growth, development and life. The home prepares a child emotionally, to learn new skills, learn rules of discipline and where they feel unconditionally loved and accepted. In the home is where parents

and grandparents can be a role model of good self esteem for their younger children. Children are always observing adults very closely and they love to imitate us. If preschoolers see us happy, cheerful and self-assured, they will reflect and imitate this mindset. If adults laugh at our own mistakes, young children will learn that they can actually learn from their mistakes and correct them. I always share with my students that this is why we have erasers on pencils or backspace or delete on the computer.

Encourage your preschooler with praise, pats on the back and a can-do mindset. Present lessons in small steps, such as learning to clean up their rooms or helping with house chores. Start off with learning tasks that will not overwhelm your young child but will be easy for them to accomplish. Provide tasks in small steps that can be celebrated. Examples include picking up their toys and putting them in the right box or place on the shelf.

Verbal praise is so important for young children to hear when they have

done a good job. Pats on the back or eye to eye contact or a wink saying, “I am proud of you” mean so much to children. Time spent with your child spells love.

Recognizing the strengths of your young child and how they are made will enable them to be all they can be.

Offer them activities that enhance what they are inclined to do. This is a true gift that every child deserves. Talking and really listening to your child will truly win them over and they will see the love from your heart and that you care.

Young children need to solve their own problems when learning a new concept or skill. Developing good self-esteem will come with learning new concepts and skills. Be patient and prompt them to continue with praise, and more than anything show your child unconditional love for who they are. Knowing they are loved not for what they do but for who they are and how God made them will build good self-esteem for a lifetime!

Classroom Observer, Beth Pinyerd

UNCF and J.P. Morgan Wealth Management Launch 2022 HBCU Scholarship Applications and Expand Eligible Schools Students can earn up to $7,000 and take advantage of educational summer experiences to become a financial advisor CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) and J.P. Morgan Wealth Management are now accepting applications for the 2022 J.P. Morgan Wealth Management Scholarship Program. The number of eligible historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has been expanded to 17.

Launched in 2021, the

program provides scholarships and mentorships to students studying any major at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to help them start a career as a financial advisor. J.P. Morgan Wealth Management will award a total of 375 scholarships through 2025.

Students will receive an initial $2,000 scholarship and have the opportunity to participate in two paid professional summer programs

to gain the skills to build a career as financial advisors. Students who complete both the Advancing Black Pathways Fellowship Program and the Financial Advisor Development Track Summer Analyst Program will receive an additional $5,000 scholarship during their senior year.

“Many students have never thought about becoming a financial advisor or even know what the job entails.

We believe this program

can help change that,” said Christopher Thompson, head of diverse talent experience for the Consumer and Community Bank at JPMorgan Chase. “Advisors have a unique opportunity to positively impact the lives of their clients and find their job rewarding and fulfilling.

We want to raise awareness around this career and create a path for diverse young professionals into the wealth management industry.”

The J.P. Morgan Wealth Management Scholarship Program is a part of JPMorgan Chase’s $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity.

“Our mission is critical to so many across America,” said Maurice E. Jenkins, Jr., executive vice president and chief development officer, UNCF. “J.P. Morgan’s commitment to our students is a great example of how public companies can make a real difference in the lives of deserving, talented students across the United States.

We thank them for the investment in us, our students and our HBCUs, and look forward to working together to build better futures for us all.”

This year, six new HBCUs were added to the list of participant schools, expanding eligibility to more students across the country.

The eligible schools include: Alabama A&M University​ Central State University Clark Atlanta University Delaware State University Florida A&M University Howard University Morehouse College

Morgan State University North Carolina A&T State University Paul Quinn College Prairie View A&M University South Carolina State University Spelman College Tennessee State University Texas Southern University Wilberforce University Winston-Salem State University.

Applicants must be full-time college sophomores for the 2022-2023 academic year. Students should apply before March 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET by going to www.scholarships. uncf.org/ToProgram/ Jpmorganwealth.

Scholarships will be awarded and administered by UNCF. To learn more about a career with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, visit www.careers.jpmorgan. com/global/en/home For more information on the racial wealth gap in the United States, read: A look at the present-day U.S. racial wealth gap ABOUT J.P. MORGAN WEALTH MANAGEMENT J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is the U.S. wealth management business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a leading global financial services firm with assets of $3.7 trillion and operations worldwide. J.P. Morgan Wealth Management has ~5,000 advisors and more than $700 billion of assets under supervision. Clients can choose how and where they want to invest. They can do it digitally, remotely, or

in person by meeting with a J.P. Morgan Advisor in one of our 4,800 Chase branches throughout the U.S., or in one of our 21 offices. For more information, go to www.jpmorganwealthmanagement.com and follow @JPMWealth on Twitter.

ABOUT UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees.

UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.

L ee County & A labama Politics

B9

Nov. 24, 2021

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022

Inside the Statehouse 2022 Senate Race Will Be Most Expensive in State History

T

STEVE FLOWERS

he marquee race in this big 2022 election year is for our open U.S. Senate seat. It is beginning to percolate.

The race has been raging for over a year already and we are getting poised to begin the final full court press to the finish line. The GOP Primary is three months away on May 24 with a monumental runoff on June 21. The winner on that day will be Shelby’s successor.

Early on, it appeared to be a two person race between Mo Brooks and Katie Britt. However, Mike Durant has surged out of the blue with a three month media bombardment and made it a three way race.

All three candidates appear to be well-financed and ready for a three month battle to the finish line. It will be the most expensive race in Alabama political history. There are barrels of money flowing into the Heart of Dixie primarily out of the Potamic basin in Washington.

In this modern day of national politics, a candidate’s individual war chest is not the all-telling story. We live in a world of third-party political action committees (PACs). These third party PACs, based out of Washington, will more than likely spend more on their preferred candidate than will be spent by the candidates’ direct campaigns.

The candidates’ individual campaign account dollars will go towards positive ads for their candidate. The third-party PAC ads will be negative.

These outside PACs are not supposed to work in conjunction or even correspond with their preferred candidate, but they do in actuality. They share polling and media strategy. These innocuous PACs have the meanest, negative media gurus in America.

These hired guns relish attacking and destroying their opposition.

Therefore, look for the next three

months to be a barrage of negative ads against Brooks, Britt and Durant.

It will be easy to find and exploit negative ammunition on Brooks. He has been in politics for 40 years. Britt and Durant will be harder to ambush as they are making their first races. It will be telling to see how they react to negative attacks.

Brooks is backed by the Club for Growth. He has been the club's boy for the last 10 years. He fits in with those members, ideologically. The Club for Growth is an ultra-right wing fringe group that funds right-wing antigovernmental free trade candidates mostly in smaller conservative states where money will go further. The club supposedly promised Brooks $5 million of soft third-party money to commit to the race. That money is there, and they club is spending it. However, a deep dive into the polling shows Brooks sinking.

The wild card in the race is one POW hero, Durant. He has a really good story to tell, and he is telling that story with a well done media buy. He makes no pretense towards campaigning or meeting Alabamians. He probably could not tell you where Conecuh or Bullock County are much less Samson or Slocomb. He is from New Hampshire and moved to Huntsville to build an aerospace company.

Durant is being assisted by a third-party PAC known as the Patriot PAC. This group’s primary donors are very anti-Trump. The primary contributor to this PAC is a wealthy donor named Harriman. His mission is to elect five independent senators who will be swing votes and not align or have allegiance to any party.

Harriman scoured the nation to find the perfect military hero to win a Republican seat. He garnered the perfect candidate in Durant, who is coming around the corner like nobody’s business. Durant would be likely to align with moderate Republicans like Mitt Romney and Susan Collins. In Washington, they are referring to Durant as a RINO in uniform.

Therefore, if you really look into the three GOP candidates you see a semblance of national Republican circles vying for a candidate of their persuasion to fill a guaranteed Republican seat.

Brooks would be the Club for Growth, right-wing, fringe See FLOWERS, page B10

Opelika City Council Calls Special Meeting to Approve Changes to Rental Registration Ordinance

BY MICHELLE KEY PUBLISHER

The Opelika City Council called a special meeting on Monday, Feb. 21, to conduct the second reading of an ordinance to amend sections 12-46, 12-51 and 12-53 of the newly implemented Residential Rental Registration and Inspection Program Ordinance.

The ordinance was introduced for first reading during the regularly scheduled Tuesday night meeting on Feb. 15. A motion was made to suspend the rules and allow

a vote to take place that night instead of requiring the second reading. The motion failed when there was not an unanimous vote and the ordinance was scheduled to be voted on at the next meeting on March 1.

On Friday, Feb. 17, the city of Opelika issued a notice of the special-called meeting to hold the second reading and vote.

The vote passed with three yeas and one abstention (one council member was not present.).

City Attorney Guy Gunter explained that the reasons for these changes

are related to litigation that has been filed against the city pertaining to this ordinance. " ... Our Residential Rental Registration and Inspection ordinance is involved in litigation, and the plaintiffs in that lawsuit have raised issues with the first and fourth amendments," Gunter said. "This [the changes] is to address those issues."

This item was the only one on the agenda.

Please see the Public Notices Section on page 14 for the Notice with the new sections of the ordinances with the changes.

Alabama DHR Sends $12.6M Over 10,000 Child Care Workers CONTRIBUTED BY STATE OF ALABAMA DHR More than 10,000 Alabama child care workers are receiving bonuses totaling $12.6 million following the first round of Child Care Workforce Stabilization grants from the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). The second round runs from Feb. 28 through March 18.

DHR awarded grants to 1,278 child care providers who applied in December 2021 and January 2022. The grants fund bonuses of $1,500 for full-time employees and $750

NOW OPEN

for part-time employees. Of all eligible child care providers in the state, 65% applied for and received grants. Altogether, 10,065 employees are approved for bonuses.

DHR unveiled the program in November to help providers recruit and retain qualified staff as the child care industry recovers from the pandemic.

“The nationwide staffing shortage has tested the resilience of Alabama’s child care providers,” said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner. “As they continue to persevere, these bonuses

will help recruit much-needed reinforcements and reward current employees for their dedicated service to the children and families of Alabama.”

Eligible employees may receive up to eight quarterly bonuses before the two-year grant period ends in September 2023.

Seven grant opportunities remain. To qualify, providers must be in operation when they apply, and they must continue operating for at least one year after receiving a grant. Applicants also must be in good standing with DHR. See BONUSES. page B11

Indoor shooting range is open to the public

2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA

B10 Feb. 24, 2022

Initial U.S. Senate Ads Are Tame.

But Stay Tuned.

GREG MARKLEY

O

ne welcome aspect of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2001 (McCain-Feingold Act) was that candidates had to certify that no outside group was paying for an ad and hiding that fact. So they had to declare “I approved this message” usually at the beginning or end of TV or digital campaign ads.

It was felt that by having to verbally take ownership of the ad’s content,

that mudslinging would be muted.

Ha, ha. Many candidates since this law went into effect in the 2002 election swallowed their pride, hitched up their money belts and went about creating ghastly lies. Even publicly showing ownership of an inaccurate or malicious ad did not stop candidates from luxuriating in the mud. (This does not apply to ALL hopefuls; some are do-gooders, not fiends.)

In the 2022 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, there are six candidates. Yet only three are running a lot of TV ads — Katie Britt, Mo Brooks and Michael Durant. This column analyzes the “introduction” ads of those three people.

First ads are designed to show a soft portrait of the individual. Using broad generalities, they shy away from controversy and attacking their intra-party challengers.

The Durant ad begins with the famous video of him as a helicopter pilot captured by the enemy in Somalia — circa Oct. 3, 1993. This leads the viewer back in time, which is appropriate as Durant’s capture is hazy or non-existent in people’s memories. Durant is profiled in a certain role or family relationship after the phrase “God said…” Durant was made a soldier, a survivor, a businessman, a conservative, a husband, a father and a leader.

Critics say this TV ad was “over-the-top,” making Durant a near-divinity. I do think the

Samford Community Group Holds Second Annual Outreach Day PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

The Second Annual MLK Jr. Beloved Community Outreach Day and a Black History Month Program were held on Feb. 19 at Christian Care Ministries in Opelika.

Coordinators of the event were Pastor Carolyn Morton and the Samford Commnity Outreach Fellowship Group.

Camaria and Bella Gray, along with

Chahmya Holloway and members of the Samford Commnity youth group performed praise dances.

A poem by A'miyah Gray was read.

Morton, Dr. Herbert Demark, Evangelist Debra Lowe and Queen E. Jackson Selma Freedom Fighter and activist were the speakers for the events.

Special guests included the Opelika and Auburn

Moms Demand Action group, Opelika Fire Department, Allison Duke and Ward 2 Opelika City Council Member Erica Baker-Norris.

The group received a proclamation from Mayor Gary Fuller for the MLK Jr. Beloved Community Outreach Day to be recognized in the city and community every year on the third Saturday of February.

FLOWERS

conservative, pro-business candidate who understands Alabama and her needs. In fact, she is the only real Alabamian in the race.

It will be an interesting and an expensive three-month show. It will be fun to watch. I will keep you posted.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve May be reached: www. steveflowers.us.

>>

FROM B9 candidate that adheres to pro-China trade policies and has no concern for Alabama jobs or federal projects vital to our state. Durant is backed by the Harriman PAC. Britt is the mainstream,

religious theme runs too long, but I respect that the ad producers know that the religious emphasis works in Alabama.

But so what? It’s obvious from Durant’s book and speeches that he credits God for his survival and successes. The “God made…” theme is appropriate, but maybe takes up more of the 3 minutes and 11 seconds than needed to prove the point. Grade: 95%.

As for Brooks, his ad makes a fine short essay on his goals and achievements. I would have bolstered his video by mentioning specific bills he ushered to enactment in his 11+ years in the U.S. House. Residents of his 5th Congressional District know what he has done for that 1/5th of the Alabama electorate. The other voters see him occasionally on Fox News but probably don’t watch C-SPAN to gauge his overall work. This ad is 3 minutes, 41 seconds.

I really like how they showed Brooks dragging a trash container up the hill in his driveway.

That is very effective in presenting the common

touch and that Brooks gets exercise. (Actually, he gets a lot of exercise besides trash duty and is in fit form at age 67.)

That helps as younger candidates cannot use his age as a wedge indicating that a younger senator may be better.

Grade: 94%.

Britt’s first TV ad covers a lot of ground in her professional and personal life, and has excellent, tight editing.

Under the framing of “Faith, Family, Freedom” she puts a lot into the 3 minutes and 1 second time. I like her explaining what she did as CEO and president of the powerful Business Council of Alabama.

Voters had basic information but more is needed on her leadership role. She listed her role as chief of staff for two years with Sen. Richard Shelby; more insights would help. At age 36 she assumed that critical role for one of the highest-ranking senators; how rare is a female in that weighty role.

Grade: 97%.

We are now well into the 20th year of the

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. Proclaiming “I approved this message” at least lets viewers know the candidate is aware of the content.

As we saw with the introductory ads for Britt, Brooks and Durant, initial ads are like a first date — they only show one’s best side.

If I was authoring this bill, projecting what was to come, I would mandate that candidates say something else. No, not just caveat emptor denoting that the viewer himself or herself alone is responsible for watching TV in high-season for campaign ads. No, at the start of end-of-campaign videos, the office seeker would say: “I paid for this, so get your shovel out!”

Greg Markley first moved to Lee County in 1996. He has Masters’ in education and history.

He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to the Observer for 12 years. gm.markley@ charter.net

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B11 Feb. 24, 2022

Marshall Calls for Resignation of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ALABAMA ATTORNEY GENERAL Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is calling on U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to resign his position over his continued refusal to enforce federal laws protecting America’s borders and citizens.

“Today, as our national borders are under siege from criminal drug cartels and human traffickers, placing thousands of Americans’ lives at risk, I am calling on the federal official uniquely responsible for this disaster to resign,” Marshall said.

“Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is not only

ignoring U.S. border security, he is actively promoting homeland ‘insecurity’ through policies of catch and release of offenders while refusing to deport dangerous criminals, even when required by federal law to do so.

His legacy after only a year in office is an explosion of deadly fentanyl entering America and record increases in sex offenders. Each passing day Secretary Mayorkas’ intolerable performance is further jeopardizing American lives and must immediately end with his resignation.”

In a letter Tuesday to Mayorkas, Marshall and 13 other attorneys general, stated: “From the time you took office to December 2021, U.S. Customs and

Border Protection seized enough fentanyl to kill every man, woman and child in our country six times over — an increase of more than 30% since before you took office. If that much was detected and seized, we shudder to think how much more is slipping through each day … Any competent leader facing such disastrous results would quickly alter their policies to abate the extraordinary harm … Yet you continue undeterred, oblivious … to the destruction and deaths you are causing in American communities. “[T]he number of sex offenders arrested entering our country increased by an astounding 213% over the last fiscal year. Given your unlawful catch and release

policies, we are left with many other unanswerable questions, like how many children are now being trafficked in our communities and how many sex offenders now prowl our streets.

“Deportations have fallen a staggering 70% since 2020 … Perhaps most egregiously, you have refused to deport some of the most dangerous criminals, even though you are required by law to do so. That decision is shocking, especially because Democrats and Republicans alike have always prioritized the removal of criminals here illegally, including when you were Deputy Secretary of DHS from 2013-2016.

“You were sworn in as Secretary of DHS on

February 2, 2021. On that day, you solemnly swore to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.’ You have violated that oath every day since you took office.

Americans have died because of your failure to obey the law and do your solemn duty. More Americans will unnecessarily die and suffer for as long as you remain as Secretary. You must resign immediately.”

Marshall joined attorneys general from Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and West Virginia in writing the letter to Mayorkas.

BONUSES >> FROM B9 DHR administers the grants through the Alabama Partnership for Children and the Talladega Clay Randolph Child Care Corporation. Funding for the grants comes from the American Rescue Plan Act. This is the third grant opportunity DHR has offered to child care providers during the pandemic.

The two previous programs awarded a combined 2,427 grants totaling $56.8 million to help providers reopen and remain open.

Applications, grant schedules and additional eligibility requirements are available at www.dhr.alabama.gov/child-care/.

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COURT FORGIVENESS PROGRAM February 1 - March 31 MONDAY - FRIDAY • 8 A.M. - 7 P.M. 300 MLK Boulevard • Opelika • Do you have unpaid parking tickets?

• Do you have an outstanding FTA warrant?

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If so, you are eligible for the first ever Court Forgiveness Program. Only cases that have already been adjudicated by the court are eligible for forgiveness. This program does not include new drug, alcohol, firearm or domestic violence cases.

To participate: • Bring a photo ID • Payments: Cash, Visa or Mastercard • Payment plans available if approved by court.

• Community service or Ready To Work program in lieu of fines/costs if approved.

For more info, visit www.opelika-al.gov or call Opelika Municipal Court at 334-705-5196.

B12 Feb. 24, 2022

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Featuring Mack and Ria Story, attendees will receive 4 free leadership/personal growth books by Mack and Ria and enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast. This event is sponsored by Christian Women’s Job Corps of Lee County and offered completely free to attendees.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: • Team members, employees, and associates interested in unleashing their potential • Anyone interested in personal and professional growth/leadership

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B13 Feb. 24, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL March 15, 2022, 7:00 P.M. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in accordance with §23-4-2, Code of Alabama, 1975, that the City Council of the City of Opelika will conduct a Public Hearing during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Opelika Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, to receive the benefit of public input concerning a proposal to vacate a public alley lying between South 10th Street and the CSX Railroad right-ofway in Block 47 of Totten’s Official Real Estate Map of the City of Opelika of 1930, which is of record in Plat Book 2 at Page 9 in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

All persons interested in the proposed vacation are invited to appear at the public hearing and express their views. Written statements or objections may be submitted to the City Clerk prior to the time of the hearing.

The alley proposed to be vacated is more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the Northwest Corner of the Northeast Quarter of Section 18, Township 19 North, Range 27 East in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama; thence S89°56’E, 489.9 feet to a point on the southwesterly right of way line of South 10th Street and the True Point of Beginning of the Alley herein described; thence, leaving said right of way, S26°09’W, 627.9 feet to the northeasterly right of way line of a railroad right of way; thence N39°29’W, along said right of way line, 17.56 feet; thence, leaving said right of way line, N26°09’E, 627.7 feet to the southwesterly right of way line of the aforementioned South 10th Street; thence, along said right of way line, S40°05’00”E, 17.48 feet to the True Point of Beginning.

Said parcel lying within Block 47, Grant Lands, as shown on Totten’s Official Real Estate Map of Opelika, Alabama, as recorded in Plat Book 2, Pages 9 & 10, in the office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, and containing 0.2306 Acre, more or less.

A copy of the Petition to Vacate and the proposed resolution approving the vacation will be available upon request at the office of the City Clerk, 2nd Floor of City Hall, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika, Alabama.

Please contact Brian Weiss, the City’s ADA Contact Person, at 334-705-5134 at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special

accommodations due to a disability.

DATED this the 3rd day of February, 2022. /s/Russell A. Jones RUSSELL A. JONES, CITY CLERK Legal Run 02/03/2022, 2/10/22, 2/17/22 & 2/24/22 ------------Notice of Appointment Estate of CLARENCE PERRY, Deceased Court of Probate Lee County Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 3rd day of February, 2022, by the Jon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness my hands, and seal this the 3rd day of February, 2022.

CRAWFORD S. MELTON Legal Run 02/10/2022, 02/17/2022 & 02/24/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF: THE ESTATE OF CHRISTINE CHRISTIAN, deceased Case No.: 2022-044 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Beverly Christian-Jordan, Personal Representative on the 4th day of February, 2022, by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Becky Christian-Jordan Legal Run 02/10/22, 02/17/22 & 02/24/22 ---------NOTICE BY PUBLICATION Adam Troy Knotts, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer Aliya and Micah MacGregor’s Complaint and Summons. Said Answer must be filed on or before April 3, 2022 or there after a judgment of default may be entered against him in Case No: CV2021 000154.00 in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Done this the 3rd day of February, 2022.

Mary Robertson Clerk of Circuit Court Lee County, Alabama OF COUNSEL: Ben C. Hand

114 North 8th Street Opelika, AL 36801 334-741-4077 Legal Run 02/10/22, 2/17/22, 2/24/22 & 3/3/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE:THE ESTATE OF R. C. CANNON, DECEASED. Case No. 2021-688 TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Tammy Ann May, as Executrix of the Estate of R. C. Cannon, deceased, on the 24th day of January, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred.

Tammy Ann May, Executrix Of the Estate of R. C. Cannon, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Legal Run 2/10/2022, 2/17/2022 & 2/24/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BETTY JEAN SHELL, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE No. 2022-053 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Daniel Wayne Shell, on the 4th day of February, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Daniel Wayne Shell, Personal Representative LEGAL RUN 2/17/22, 2/24/22 & 3/3/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF EDDIE WAYNE SHELL, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE No. 2022-053 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Daniel Wayne Shell, on the 4TH day of February 2022, by the Honorable

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Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Daniel Wayne Shell, Personal Representative LEGAL RUN 2/17/22, 2/24/22 & 3/3/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF HARRY J. CLAPPER A/K/A HARRY JAMES CLAPPER, Deceased CASE NO. 2022-015 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of the Estate of HARRY JAMES CLAPPER a/k/a HARRY J. CLAPPER, deceased having been granted to JAMES CLAPPER on the 13th day of January, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Legal Run 2/17/22, 2/24/22& 3/3/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF JASON DOUGLAS KILGORE AND AMY MARIE KILGORE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2021-667 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: William Kyle Payne, address unknown Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Jason Douglas Kilgore and Amy Marie Kilgore on December I, 2021, for the adoption of K.L.V., on March 4, 2014, to Veronica Ann Adams and William Kyle Payne in Carrollton, Georgia.

A hearing has been set in the Lee County Probate Court, Opelika, AL 36801. Should you intend to contest this adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Margaret A. Mayfield, P.O. Box 809, Opelika, AL 36803 and with the Clerk of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, as soon as possible but no later than thirty (30) days from the last day this notice is published.

Dated on this the l lth day of February 2022.

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Legal Ru 02/17/2022, 02/24/2022, 03/03/2022 & 03/10/2022 ------------INVITATION TO BID 22010 Sealed bids for the construction of the Roundabout at Sportsplex Parkway and West Point Parkway shall be received at the Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et.seq.

(1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License with a specialty of “Highways and Streets, Clearing and Grubbing, Earthwork, Erosion, Site Work, Grading or Municipal and Utility”. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code §34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number. Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid.

All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work.

Drawings and Specifications may be examined at the Office

of the City Engineer located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama, and phone number: 334-7055450. Bid documents may be obtained from the Office of the City Engineer at no charge as an electronic file if the bidder supplies a storage drive or as an email attachment or electronic drop box.

The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika.

All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid. Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities.

Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390.

Attn: Roundabout at Sportsplex Parkway and West Point Parkway LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 02/17/2022 & 02/24/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT M. LOFTON, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No.: 2022-060 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 11th day of February, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

LELA MELSON LOFTON Personal Representative PERSONAL REPRESENTATVE Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP Post Office Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 334-745-3504 Legal Run 2/24/22, 3/3/22 & 3/10/22 ------------STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 10:00AM Unit D 67 The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

LEGAL RUN 2/24/22 ------------CITY OF OPELIKA ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 300 Martin Luther King Blvd.

March 8, 2022 TIME: 9:00 AM A. ELECTION OF ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OFFICERS ( Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary) B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES C. VARIANCE 1. Donna Kenerson, 2700 Wyndham Gate Blvd., R-1 zone, Requesting a 6 foot rear yard setback variance from the 20 foot rear yard setback requirement in the Wyndham Gate PUD zoning district.

2. William Leonard, 3414 Chilton Ave, R-3 zone, Requesting a 9 square foot lot area variance from the minimum lot area requirement of 10,000 square feet for two lots.

3. Lisa Ditchkoff, 1005 Sunset Court, R-2 zone, Requesting a 10 foot front yard setback variance from the 35 foot front yard setback requirement in a R-2 zoning district.

“In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities

Act, the City of Opelika will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the ADA Coordinator 72 hours prior to the meeting at (334)705-2083.”

Legal Run 02/24/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF SEAN PATRICK MCNAIR AND ASHLEY LYNN MCNAIR IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2022-25 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: Any potential fathers, address unknown Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Sean Patrick McNair and Ashley Lynn McNair on January 24, 2022, for the adoption of M.G.M., born on January 19, 2022, in Columbus, Georgia to Shannon Paige McNair.

A hearing has been set for the 2nd day of May 2022 at 10 o'clock a.m. Central time in the Probate Court, Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika, AL 36801. Should you intend to contest thiss adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Jason C. Riggs, P.O. Box 954, Auburn, AL 36831 and with the Clerk of the Porbate Court of Lee County, Alabama, as soon as possible but no later than thirty (30) days from the last day this notice is published or appear on the date of the hearing as set above to contest said Petition.

Dated on this the 24th day of January 2022.

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE, LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA LEGAL RUN 2/24/2022, 3/3/2022, 3/10/2022 & 3/17/2022 -------------

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF DAREL LOUIS TROBY, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 17th day of February, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness our hands, and dated this the 17th day of February, 2022.

WILLIAM LOUIS TROBY Legal Run 02/24/22, 03/03/22, 03/10/22 -------------

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LARRY CARROLL MOTLEY, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-067 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 15th day of February, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.GLENDA M. GOODEN and ANGELA DENISE JONESCo-Personal Representatives D. Carter Weeks Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 02/24/22, 03/03/22 & 03/10/22 See PUBLIC NOTICES, page B14

B14 Feb. 24, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES >> FROM B9 ORDINANCE NO. 005-22 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTIONS 12-46, 12-51 AND 1253 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA, AS TO THE RESIDENTIAL RENTAL REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION PROGRAM WHEREAS, the City of Opelika, Alabama, (the “City”) instituted a Residential Rental Registration and Inspection Program, pursuant to Ordinance No. 02021, which is codified at Sections 12-40 through 12-66, Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika, Alabama; and WHEREAS, it has been determined that certain amendments are necessary in order to more efficiently enforce these provisions while at the same time ensuring real property owners are given the maximum protection to which they may be entitled under the United States Constitution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Opelika as follows: Section 1. That Section 12-46 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika, Alabama, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 12 46.Application Requirements.

Applications for registration shall be filed with the building inspection department and accompanied by a registration fee as established in Sec. 12-49. Such application shall include the following information: (a) Name, street address and telephone number of the owner of the rental unit. (b) Name, street address and telephone number of the owner’s agent responsible for the management of the premises of the rental unit. (c) Legal address of the rental unit. (d) Number of units in each building within the rental property. (e) Description of rental unit (i.e.) house, condominium, townhouse, apartment, manufactured home, mobile home, etc. f) The name and address of the registered agent, if the owner is a corporation. (g) Number of rental units, if property is an apartment complex or multi-unit facility. A list of unit numbers must accompany the registration. (h) The owner’s signature and date of registration.

Section 2. That Section 12-51 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika, Alabama, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 12-51. Rental Property Inspection Upon Change in Occupancy. (a) Inspections Required.

With the exception of rental units identified in Section 12-44, all residential rental units are subject to routine periodic inspection as provided in this section to ensure that the rental unit complies with the Property Maintenance Code as adopted by Section 5-207 of the City Code and the checklist set out below. (b) Frequency of Inspections. Beginning January 1, 2022, all residential rental dwelling units shall be inspected for compliance with the provisions of this article as follows: (1) Upon first-time registration, if unoccupied (2) Each time there is a change in tenancy, provided no rental unit shall be subject to inspection by the Building Official more often than every three years from the date of the issuance of the initial rental occupancy certificate except for re-inspections by the Building Official under Section 12-52 and inspections in response to citizen-based complaints under Section 12-53. (c) Standards for Inspections. In determining whether a residential rental dwelling unit is in compliance with the provisions of the Property Maintenance Code, the Building Official and his or her designees shall use the following maintenance standards checklist as the list of items to be inspected during the inspection process: Maintenance Standards

Checklist ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLIANCE 1. Property and units registered with the City of Opelika.

2. Ownership and contact information clearly defined on the registration form.

3. Registration fees paid.

4. Landlord contact information posted visibly on site.

EXTERIOR AREAS/ STRUCTURE 1. Property has house numbers clearly visible from the street with numbers not less than 4 inches.

2. Roof and walls are not deteriorated and free from holes breaks and loose or rotting materials and maintained weatherproof.

3. Foundation appears to be adequate and in good repair and free from open cracks or breaks and shall be kept in such condition to prevent the entry of pests.

4. Accessory buildings and fences in good repair.

5. Exterior doors are operable and able to be locked.

6. Windows and skylights are in good repair and weather tight. Windows are free from cracked, broken or missing panes.

7. Chimneys appear to be structurally safe and in good repair.

8. Property does not have broken, rotten, split, or buckled walls.

9. Stairways, porches, decks, and balconies have flooring, supports, and handrails in good condition and are properly anchored.

10. Roof drains, gutters, and downspouts shall be maintained in good repair and free from obstruction.

11. Known cisterns, wells, or other hazards are fenced, covered, or filled.

12. Property does not have an accumulation of garbage, junk, or debris.

13. Property is not providing habitation for rodents, wild animals, or other vermin.

14. Property does not have unsafe storage of combustible material.

INTERIOR AREAS/ STRUCTURE 1. Walls, ceilings, and floors structurally sound and in good repair.

2. The building is maintained in a safe and sanitary condition.

3. All stairs are in sound condition and good repair.

All stairs must have handrails and balusters or similar feature that prevents a fall hazard from open-sided stairs.

4. Handrails firmly fastened and in good repair for all stairs.

5. All floor coverings are free from tripping hazards and capable of being cleaned.

6. All habitable rooms are provided with adequate electrical service for proper illumination.

7. Every habitable space has at least one operable window or exterior door that faces directly to the outdoors.

8. The bathroom or toilet room have either an operable window or a mechanical means of ventilation.

9. Every habitable room, except the kitchen, have a plan dimension of not less than seven (7) feet wide.

10. The kitchen or non-habitable spaces used for their intended purposes.

PLUMBING 1. Rental unit has use of operable kitchen sink, toilet, and bathtub or shower.

2. All applicable plumbing fixtures have hot (capable of not less than 110°F) and cold water and are connected to sanitary sewer system with proper clearance for usage and cleaning.

3. Plumbing fixtures are maintained in a safe and functional condition and free of leaks.

4. Bathrooms provide adequate privacy.

5. Clothes dryer, if present, is properly vented to the outside with metal vent pipes.

6. The water heating equipment is properly installed and equipped with a temperature and pressure relief valve and relief valve discharge pipe.

ELECTRICAL/ MECHANICAL 1. Electrical service is properly maintained and is sufficient to support the electrical load.

2. Adequate clearance for service is provided on the control side of all HVAC and utility appliances.

3. Each unit has heating facilities capable of maintaining a room temperature of 65°F degrees

in all habitable rooms and bathrooms. Cooking appliances and portable heating units shall not be used to provide heating to meet requirement.

4. All electrical equipment, wiring, lighting, and appliances are properly installed and maintained in a safe and approved manner.

5. Electrical panels are accessible, clearly marked, and circuits are properly labeled.

6. Fuel fired equipment has appropriate and operable flues and shutoff valves.

7. Every habitable room and every bathroom contain at least one (1) properly installed electrical outlet.

8. Every laundry room if present, contains at least one (1) grounded-type receptacle or a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

9. There are cover plates on all outlets, switches, and junction boxes.

10. GFCI outlets installed for all outlets within six (6) feet of a water source.

FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS 1. Place one smoke alarm in each sleeping room.

Place one smoke alarm immediately outside of all sleep areas (e.g., hallway).

Place at least one smoke alarm on each floor, including the basement.

2. All sleeping rooms have safe and appropriate access to an operable window for egress.

3. Place one carbon monoxide detector immediately outside of sleeping rooms, such as in the hallway.

There must be at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor, including the basement. (Only applies to properties with gas or propane appliances.)

4. Fire alarm and suppression systems properly installed and operational where required.

5. Two clear and passable egress routes exist for each floor above the first floor.

6. All egress doors and windows are operable without need for keys, special knowledge or effort.

7. All existing fire resistance rating of walls, fire stops, floors, and doors, etc. are properly maintained.

The checklist shall be used solely to determine if a rental unit meets the requirements of this article.

If all checklist items pass, then the Building Official shall issue a rental occupancy certificate. If any checklist item fails, then the inspection fails. (d) Notice Regarding Inspections. If upon firsttime registration, the residential rental dwelling unit is unoccupied, the property owner or his or her local agent shall provide written or electronic notice to the Building Official of the unoccupied status of the residential rental dwelling unit.

Except as provided below, the property owner or his or her local agent shall provide written or electronic notice to the Building Official upon each and every change in the tenant’s occupancy that requires a new lease, sublease or an assignment of rights under an existing lease. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary, the property owner shall not be required to give notice of a change of occupancy when the rental dwelling unit has passed inspection within the preceding three (3) year period.

Except as provided below, an inspection of the rental dwelling unit shall be required upon the City’s receipt of written notice from the owner or his or her local agent as provided herein. Inspections required under this section shall be performed within ten (10) working days of the City’s written or electronic notice from the property owner or his or her local agent.

Any temporary rental occupancy certificate issued under Section 12-45 shall terminate upon a change of occupancy. (e) Orders Directing Inspections; Voluntary Inspections. To facilitate inspections as required by this Section, the Building Official or his or her designee shall issue an order commanding the property owner or his or her local agent to allow the Building Official or his or her designee to inspect the residential rental dwelling unit at a date and time appointed by the Building Official. The Building Official or his or her designee shall mail the order to the property owner

or rental agent to the rental address provided on the registration application and shall contemporaneously send such order electronically to the email address provided on the registration application at least three (3) calendar days prior to the date of inspection.

The order shall specify the grounds for the inspection and the scope of the inspection. Permissible grounds for an inspection shall be as follows: (1) Inspections of unoccupied residential rental dwelling units upon firsttime registration pursuant to Section 12-51(b)(1) of this article.

(2) Inspections of residential rental dwelling units upon a change in tenancy; provided, however, that no residential rental dwelling unit shall be subject to inspection on the grounds of a change in tenancy if the rental dwelling unit has passed inspection within the preceding three (3) year period, pursuant to Section 12-51(b)(2) of this article.

(3) Re-inspections of non-compliant residential rental dwelling units pursuant to Section 12-52 of this article.

(4) Inspections based on a citizen complaint made pursuant to Section 12-53 of this article. If the residential rental dwelling unit that is made the subject of a citizen complaint is occupied at the time of the complaint, the Building Official or his or her designee shall serve the order on both the property owner and on the tenant(s) of the unit.

Nothing herein shall prevent the property owner or his or her local agent from voluntarily contacting the Building Official or his or her designee to schedule an inspection at a mutually convenient date and time.

Such inspections will be conducted on a scheduled basis based upon consent.

The property owner and/or his or her local agent have the right to be present at any inspection. (f) Enforcement of Orders of the Building Official. A property owner may seek relief from any inspection order issued by the Building Official by filing a proper petition with the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama. Further, if the property owner refuses to permit the Building Official or his or designee to inspect the property pursuant to an Order issued by the Building Official or his or her designee in accordance with this Section, the Building Official or the City of Opelika may file an action in the Circuit Court of Lee County for the enforcement of the order issued pursuant to the terms of this section. In either event, the order of the Building Official shall be upheld if the Court finds that the Building Official’s order is sufficiently limited in scope, relevant in purpose, and specific in directive so that compliance will not be unreasonably burdensome; and that at least one of the grounds for an inspection set forth in Section 12-51(b) of this article is present with respect to the residential rental dwelling unit to be inspected. These standards shall be satisfied where one of the following circumstances exist: (1) For a residential rental dwelling unit to be inspected upon first- time registration, that the residential rental dwelling unit is in fact unoccupied by a tenant(s) pursuant to Section 12-51(b)(1) of this article; or (2) For a residential rental dwelling unit to be inspected based on a change in tenancy, that the residential rental dwelling unit has not been inspected in the preceding three (3) year period pursuant to Section 12-51(b) (2) of this article; or (3) For a re-inspection of a previously non-compliant residential rental dwelling unit pursuant to Section 12-52 of this article, that the unit to be inspected was in fact non-compliant upon its previous inspection; or (4) For a residential rental dwelling unit to be inspected based on a citizen complaint pursuant to Section 12-53 of this article, that the unit was in fact the subject of a legitimate and non-frivolous citizen complaint not made for the purposes of harassment; and (5) That the inspection will in fact be limited to the permissible scope of inspections established by Section

12-51(c) of this article.

It shall be unlawful and in violation of this article for the property owner of a residential rental dwelling unit to refuse to allow the Building Official or his or her designee to inspect a residential rental dwelling unit if the Building Official obtains an order from the Circuit Court of Lee County directing compliance with the Building Official’s order issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section; provided, however, that nothing in this article shall be construed to allow the Building Official or his or her designee to inspect a residential rental dwelling unit in the absence of (1) consent from the property owner if the property is not occupied by a tenant(s); (2) consent from the tenant(s), if the property is occupied by a tenant(s); or (3) an Order for the Circuit Court of Lee County directing compliance with the order issued pursuant to this Section. (g) Notice to Correct Violations. If upon inspection, the Building Official or his or her designee discovers one or more violations of the maintenance standards checklist, he shall cause to be issued to the property owner or his or her local agent, a notice and order to correct the violations. The order shall state in plain language the violations found and the conditions which cause the rental dwelling unit to be in non-compliance. The Building Official shall specify a reasonable time for correction of the violations, depending upon the severity of the condition and schedule a re-inspection of the rental dwelling unit. If the condition has not been corrected by the compliance date, but the property owner has made significant progress in correcting the violation(s), the Building Official may grant an extension of time. Nothing in this section precludes additional inspections conducted at the request of the property owner or his or her local agent, subject to the payment of all inspection fees as specified in Section 12-56.

All violations and deficiencies shall be corrected with all City required permits, approvals, inspections and re-inspections within the time specified in the notice before a rental occupancy certificate is issued. A provisional rental occupancy certificate may be issued if the residential rental dwelling unit is substantially but not entirely in compliance with this checklist and there are no imminent life, health or safety violations.

If, upon inspection, the Building Official finds no checklist violations, the Building Official shall issue to the property owner a rental occupancy certificate as provided in Section 12-54.

Section 3. That Section 12-53 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika, Alabama, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 12-53.

Complaint-based Inspection.

Nothing contained herein shall prevent or restrict the authority of the Building Official to inspect any residential rental dwelling unit, or the premises thereof, in response to a citizen complaint alleging code violations at such unit and to pursue all code enforcement remedies permissible under this article or other laws following such a complaint-based inspection of a residential rental dwelling unit. Upon receipt of a citizen-based complaint, the Building Official shall inspect the pertinent residential rental dwelling unit and/or areas of the residential rental property. Prior to an inspection, the Building Official must provide occupants (tenants) of the property at least three days written and, where an email address is available, electronic notice that includes the following: (1) The dwelling units that may be inspected; (2) That an inspector intends to enter the dwelling unit to inspect the unit; (3) That the occupant (tenant) has a right to see the inspector’s identification before the inspector enters the residential rental dwelling unit; and (4) Contact information for the Building Inspection

Division.

An occupant may refuse an inspection except where the Building Official has produced a valid search warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or an Order of the Circuit Court of Lee County directing compliance with an inspection order issued by the Building Official pursuant to the terms of this article.

The owner must allow the Building Official or his/her designees entry if occupants (tenants) have agreed to it.

The Building Official shall not hold an owner in violation of this article who has met the requirements of this section but has been unable to obtain the permission of the occupant (tenant).

The Building Official shall also provide the property owner or his or her local agent at least written or electronic notice of the date and time of the inspection. The property owner and/or his or her local agent shall have the right to be present at the inspection.

The Building Official shall follow the inspection procedures specified in Section 12-51(e). If the residential rental dwelling unit that is made the subject of a citizen complaint is occupied by a tenant or tenants at the time of the complaint, the Building Official or his or her designee shall serve the order of the Building Official under Section 1251(e) on both the tenant(s) and on the property owner pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-51(e).

It shall be unlawful for a property owner to refuse to permit the Building Official or his or her designee to inspect a residential rental dwelling unit that is occupied by a tenant or tenants if the Building Official or his or her designee has produced a valid search warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction; if the tenant(s) has consented to the inspection; or if the Circuit Court of Lee County has ordered the enforcement of an order of the Building Official issued pursuant to Section 12-51(e) of this article.

All violations shall be corrected with all City required permits, approvals and inspections and re-inspections within the time specified on the notice and order of the Building Official in order to maintain a current rental occupancy certificate for a residential rental property. Noncompliance with a notice and order of the Building Official shall automatically terminate the rental occupancy certificate and render it null and void.

Section 4. Severability.

In the event any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, subparagraph, item, sentence, clause, phrase, or other word of this Ordinance is declared or adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration or adjudication shall not affect the remaining provisions of this Ordinance, as if such invalid or unconstitutional provision was not originally a part of this Ordinance.

Section 5. Repealer Clause. All ordinances or parts thereof which are in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.

Section 6. Effective Date.

This ordinance and the sections hereby amended shall become effective upon its passage and Section 7.

Publication. The City Clerk of the City of Opelika, Alabama, is hereby authorized and directed to cause this ordinance to be published one (1) time in a newspaper published in and of general circulation published in the City of Opelika, Alabama.

ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 21st day of February, 2022. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 22nd day of February, 2022. /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 22nd day of February, 2022. /s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK Legal Run 02/24/2022

B15 Feb. 24, 2022

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