Vol. 14, No. 24
Thursday March 24, 2022
Opelika, Alabama
FARRIS BONDURANT
Covering Lee County, Alabama
An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'
166 N Gay Street, Suite 12, Auburn, AL 36830 334-821-5050
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U. S. Space Force Presents Flags to V.F.W. Posts On March 15, the E.W. Allgood VFW Post 5404 hosted Lt. Col. Jennifer Beisel from the United States Space Force and Technical Sergeant Aharon Smith from the United States Air Force. This event was to inform and educate local veterans about the mission of the newly created US Space Force which was established on Dec. 20, 2019. As liaison between Delta 13 and the Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accession and Citizen Development located at Maxwell AFB, Beisel oversees USSF interests in the Officer Training School (at Maxwell AFB), Reserve Officer Training Corp (College Program) and Junior Officer Training Corp (High School Program). Smith, a seasoned recruiter with the Air Force, helps fill positions in this newest entity of the Department of
Defense. These recruits are called Guardians and the structure of ranks is based on the Air Force structure. Currently there are 13 career fields offered for the Enlisted side and six for the Officer side. Civilian positions are available as well to work with active duty personnel. The challenge is to find people who are the right fit. They are looking for people with a technology and scientific background, but more importantly who can think outside the box to come up with ways to overcome the challenges that are inherent with a new and unfamiliar battlefield. The post learned that the main mission is to focus on intelligence and cyber warfare to defend U.S. interests and laws in the region of the outer space near Earth called geo-space. This includes the upper atmosphere, ionosphere, as well as the magnetosphere. It can be called the domain of the Sun-Earth
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
CONTRIBUTED BY JERRY DAKINS AND ANDREA SANDERS
After the briefing, Beisel presented a Space Force Flag to each local post in attendance. Damon Wallace received the flag for Post 5404 in Auburn.
interactions. This is not what one might envision through Hollywood movies such as Star Wars, Star Trek or even Space Balls. Their mission is much more complicated and
takes special skills to combat, for instance, satellites that control operations on ground. So, the knowledge to operate, maintain and even build technologically advanced systems is a
Opelika Real Estate Developer Named to US Space and Rocket Center Board of Directors Edmund Rasha (Race) Cannon, area real estate developer and longtime Opelika resident, has been reappointed by Gov. Kay Ivey to the board of directors of the United States Space and Rocket Center, the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, in Huntsville, Alabama. The board oversees the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC), the largest spaceflight museum in the world and Alabama’s top tourist attraction, located on the Redstone Arsenal campus. Among its 1500 artifacts are Explorer I, America’s first satellite, the Saturn V Moon Rocket, the Apollo 16 Command Module, an Apollo 12 Moon Rock
Race Cannon has been named to a second term on the US Space and Rocket Center Board.
and next generation space vehicles like Dream Chaser. Cannon’s duties include oversight and direction of USSRC’s Space and Advanced Space Academies, Aviation Challenge Camp Programs, Robotics Camp, and the expansion of Cyber and Advanced Cyber Academies which
draw thousands of students ages 9 to 18 each year from all over the world. “Space travel and habitation are the next frontier for human exploration,” Cannon said. “That we in Alabama play such a pivotal role in this future is daunting. I’m certainly honored to be a part of
this immense endeavor with the USSRC Board. As a child, Cannon regularly attended Space Camp and Space Academy. “I don’t think I would have become as fascinated with space and cyber security had it not been for those camp experiences,” he said. “Now, as we meet around Werner von Braun’s original conference table, our Board’s mission is to develop educational curricula and hands-on experiences that will inspire and educate the next generation of space and cyber explorers.” Cannon is a partner in Cannon Ventures real estate development in Auburn/Opelika, a member See DIRECTORS, page A2
CONTENTS OPINION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 OPINION
SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7
POLITICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B9
RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A14
CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B10
COMICS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A16 COMICS
PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . . . . . B13
hence the close relationship between them and the U.S. Air Force. This is very much reminiscence of the history with the Air Force when it first forged See SPACE FORCE, page A3
Opelika’s Azalea and Dogwood Trail Opens PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES/ THE OBSERVER
CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
must. This is just a sliver of the responsibilities of the U.S. Space Force. As does most organizations in their infancy, the Space Force needs logistic and administrative support,
CONTRIBUTED BY KEEP OPELIKA BEAUTIFUL
Keep Opelika Beautiful will kicked off the Azalea and Dogwood Trail on Monday, March 21. The Trail begins at corner of 2nd Avenue and 8th Street and winds throughout the historic district and other
neighborhoods of Opelika. Keep Opelika Beautiful has partnered with Lee County Master Gardeners to include the Salem-Shotwell Bridge and Caroline Dean Wildflower Garden in the Azalea & Dogwood Trail. This will give visSee AZALEA, page A2
A2 March 24, 2022
Auburn Chamber Announces New Staff Members CONTRIBUTED BY THE AUBURN CHAMBER
The Auburn Chamber of Commerce announced Stephanie Calhoun has been named director of Member Engagement. In her new role, Calhoun is responsible for engaging and stewarding all existing members to achieve retention goals which follow the budget and strategic plan approved by the Board of Directors. The position serves as the key liaison for the Auburn Chamber (with the exception of new and first year members) to assist members through their lifetime of membership including developing best practices
AZALEA >>
FROM A1
itors a chance to enjoy a short walk. “The Azalea and Dogwood Trail is an annual highlight for Opelika,” said Tipi Miller, director of Keep Opelika Beautiful. “We encourage people to take advantage of walking, biking or driving through the trail. There are many beautiful flowers and homes in Opelika.” For the Azalea and Dogwood Trail, visitors
to engage with the Chamber and maximize their membership. Calhoun will continue to be the point of contact for the Invest & Connect program and annual Welcome magazine. “Over the last 18 years, I’ve loved my role in growing the membership through recruiting and retaining — I am beyond thrilled for this new opportunity to serve our members on a whole new level," Calhoun said. "I look forward to connecting and engaging more all while discovering new ways the Chamber can best meet the needs of our members. We value every single member’s investment and want to
may follow the green arrows signs or pick up an Azalea and Dogwood Trail directional card at the Opelika Chamber of Commerce or City Hall. Directions can also be found at the Keep Opelika Beautiful website and Facebook page. The Azalea and Dogwood Trail has been long-standing highlight of the spring season in Opelika for over three decades. For more information contact Keep Opelika Beautiful at (334) 7494970 or tipi@keepopelikabeautiful.com.
make sure it is always a mutually beneficial partnership. I want to listen, learn and be the best
every single day.” Calhoun is a 2001 graduate of Auburn University with a degree
CALHOUN
FOUNTAIN
resource possible to the members of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. My door is always open and I look forward to continue serving our 1,000 plus members
services coordinator in January of this year. She is responsible for recruitment of new members to achieve membership goals which follow the budget and strategic plan approved by the board of directors. The position serves as the representative for all new members and assists them through the first-year plan of membership. Originally from southeast Alabama, Fountain relocated to Auburn last year while working for Covenant Care Hospice. “My love for the Auburn Chamber stemmed from being a member and I love that I now have the opportunity to on board new members
in Hotel and Restaurant Management with a minor in Business. The chamber is also excited to announce Anna Fountain began her role of new member
to our organization that I value and love dearly,” Fountain said. “It is a joy to work alongside an incredible team that supports and promotes the Auburn business community.” A graduate of Troy University, with a degree in Global Business with an emphasis in Marketing, Fountain said she looks forward to making an impact in the city she enjoys calling home. The Auburn Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit service organization that provides resources and leadership to create a thriving business environment. Learn more at auburnchamber.com.
Correction: Addie Abercrombie is 100!
Last week, we posted that Addie Elizabeth Green had celebrated her 100th birthday. We made a mistake as her last name is Abercrombie. We wanted to apologize for the confusion that this error caused. Pictured in the left photo are Rita DuBose, Lisa Abercrombie, Deloris Stephens and Brenda Christian, with Abercrombie sitting in the front. The right photo is the proclamation issued by Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller.
DIRECTORS >>
FROM A1
of the Samford-Cannon Foundation Board, past member of Opelika Master Plan 2030, past chairman of Opelika’s Downtown Redevelopment Authority, former board member of Easter Seals Achievement Center and sits on the Auburn University Baseball Development Committee. “As one of my appointees, you will be making important decisions that directly affect the citizens of Alabama,” said Ivey in her letter of appointment to Cannon. “I have made honesty and integrity a priority in my administration, and I know that you will embody these two virtues while serving the people of Alabama.” Cannon was first appointed to the USSRC board in March of 2019. His term will expire in 2029.
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A3 March 24, 2022
Southern Lifestyle Retailer Palmetto Moon to Open New Location in Opelika CONTRIBUTED BY PALMETTO MOON
event page, at https:// fb.me/e/19MNglunc. “We are thrilled to bring the authentic Palmetto Moon shopping experience to this vibrant college town and welcome the local community during our Grand Opening Celebration,” said Palmetto
local and up-and-coming brands, Palmetto Moon’s exclusive products, and custom Auburn University collegiate gear designed specifically for the local community. “Auburn-Opelika’s friendly, small-town feel and rich Southern heritage embrace every-
well as feature displays for trending brands and emerging products. The store design is bright and airy with an abundance of natural light and features stylized fitting rooms reminiscent of a cozy Southern front porch. “It’s a privilege to
prizes and perks giveaway — extending the party atmosphere through the weekend. The first 200 shoppers on Sunday will also receive a custom YETI Rambler 12oz. Colster with $40 qualifying purchase. Doors open at 11 a.m. Full details on Palmetto Moon’s Grand Opening Celebration at its new Opelika store, including a timeline of events, can be found by visiting the brand’s official Facebook
Moon Chief Brand Officer Amber Dube. Palmetto Moon is known for its “customer first” service and hand-picked showcase of brands. Unlike mass merchants, Palmetto Moon’s philosophy is to merchandise unique gifts that local customers of all ages will delight in. The new Opelika store will offer popular brands including YETI, Simply Southern, Hey Dude, Southern Marsh, Chubbies and Local Boy Outfitters, as well as
thing Palmetto Moon represents,” Dube said. “And with our convenient location just ten minutes from the university, we are excited to become a destination for unique gifts, game day gear and apparel tailored for Tigers fans and students.” With an open floor plan spanning over 7,500 square feet, customers can easily shop dedicated departments — Women’s, Men’s, Children’s, Home and Gift, Footwear and Collegiate as
celebrate this latest milestone with the opening of our Auburn location,” said Palmetto Moon Chief Executive Officer John Thomas. “As Palmetto Moon continues to grow and expand its presence in new cities across the Southeast, we are committed to preserving the brand’s authentic reflection of Southern lifestyle with our selection of locally inspired products, in an elevated shopping experience that resonates with all generations.
PHOTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Palmetto Moon, a Southern lifestyle retailer, will open its newest store in Opelika on Saturday, April 2, 2022. The new location will be at Tiger Town Shopping Center, located at 2127 Tiger Town Parkway in Opelika, adjacent to Best Buy and The Children’s Place. Palmetto Moon serves as a one-stop shop for women’s and men’s fashion, childrens apparel and gifts, home goods, shoes, accessories, collegiate gear, drinkware and more for the Southern at heart. In the spirit of the occasion, the store will host a Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Guests of the family-friendly event will be welcomed with a full lineup of festivities that includes: The first 200 shoppers will receive a custom YETI Rambler 12oz. Colster (with qualifying $40 purchase) Hourly grand prizes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spin-to-Win prizes every 20 minutes Additional door prize
giveaways Live music and DJ Custom cookies by Cakeitecture One new Palmetto Perks member will receive 1000 perks points ($75 OFF!) Palmetto Moon will treat its Sunday shoppers on April 3 with door
League Of Women Voters to Host Opelika Sustainability Initiatives Presentation March 28 CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA
The League of Women Voters will host a meeting at the Opelika Public Library on March 28 at 6:30 p.m. Planning Director Matt Mosley will cover Opelika Sustainability Initiatives. Opelika’s Sustainability Initiatives are focused on efficiency/ sustainability and diversity, inclusion and equity. This presentation will address the ways the city of
Opelika departments are influenced by the sustainability initiatives. The League of Women Voters of East Alabama is a grassroots, nonpartisan, political organization that has fought since 1920 to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy. For more information please contact Mosley at 334-7055166.
SPACE FORCE >>
FROM A1
its separation from the U.S. Army, to the U.S. Signal Corps and finally into what we know today as the U.S. Air Force. Nothing happens overnight and this is no different. Recruiting is strongest when the population is aware and becomes educated, and finally excited about the newest armed service. So, if you are curious and perhaps interested in a new and exciting adventure in this chapter of our great American history, jump onboard. You can visit the website www. spaceforce.mil. This might just be your new adventure to become part of history.
APRIL 23, 2022
http://give.childrensal.org/Piedmontskeet
Palmetto Moon is very excited to offer another location in Alabama.” With the addition of the new Opelika location, Palmetto Moon now has 32 stores in the Southeast. ABOUT PALMETTO MOON Palmetto Moon, based in Charleston, South Carolina, is a rapidly growing specialty apparel, accessories, hom and gifts retailer celebrating the Southern lifestyle. Palmetto Moon is a fun, energetic company with a relentless focus on customer service. The stores carry countless affordable gifts and a wide selection of collegiate gear and lifestyle brands including Vineyard Vines, YETI, Chubbies, Patagonia, Southern Marsh, Simply Southern, Hey Dude, Hippie Runner, Old Row, Kan Can, Costa, Columbia, Rainbow Sandals, Olukai, Brumate, Mud Pie and many more. Palmetto Moon currently operates 32 locations throughout the Southeast in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee. Shop online at www.palmettomoononline.com.
A4 March 24, 2022
Alabama Rain
cadence to Alabamian rain. The tone is wholly unlike the rain from my home state. This is the kind of thundershower you can only get in the foothills. There’s a different ring to it. It’s similar to the difference between a clarinet and a kazoo. Birmingham is in the mountains. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. People from more precipitous states such as, say, Colorado, will outright laugh when you suggest that Birmingham has actual mountains.
“Those aren’t real mountains!” Colorado people will say while chewing their gluten-free granola. But don’t listen to these people. Their brains have been pickled by generations of Coors abuse. This city definitely has mountains. They might not be the huge peaks of Wyoming, but they could inspire American hymns nonetheless. Birmingham lives in the Jones Valley, flanked by parallel ridges which run northeast to southwest. These iron-ore hills are the tails of the mighty Appalachians. They are short. They are the Danny Devitos of the alpine world. Still, to a guy from Florida, they are Mount Kilimanjaro. I come from a long, flat, state, also known as the Tourism State. Our main crop each year is Midwesterners. There are no mountains in Florida. Even our singing is flat.
behold, let me tell you. The regularity with which we practiced the STOP, DROP AND ROLL method began to stir some mild anxiety in the back of my six-yearold brain. Ms. Stejskal brought up the subject of fire safety often enough that I began to assume house fires were a regular occurrence in every home in the south. The second month of school we held a FIRE SAFETY FAIR. While the rest of the class saw this as an exciting break from our normal routine of math and paste eating, I saw it as more confirmation that fire was an ever-present threat. At the Fire Safety Fair, we learned the importance of preventative measures, such as smoke detectors and fire alarms. Fire extinguishers and exit points were also stressed. And, above all else, we learned the life-saving value of a family escape plan. I went home armed
with so much knowledge and a sense of urgency that my mother’s left eye began to twitch. “How many smoke detectors do we have? When were the batteries last changed? Are they EPA certified?” She must have asked herself, “What fresh hell is this?” But she was patient with me and answered all my questions. She made sure the batteries in the smoke detectors were brand new. She bought a fire extinguisher and stored it under the kitchen sink. She sat down with me and drew out an escape plan and a meet-up point in the yard, and we stuck it to the refrigerator with my Smokey the Bear magnet that I’d won at the school fair. She even unlocked the screens on the windows so that they could be quickly exited in case of an inferno. I learned years later that every night, when I fell asleep, she would lock each
SEAN DIETRICH
I
t’s raining in central Alabama. I am on my porch, barefoot, watching the rainfall, hypnotized by the sound. Rain can do strange things to a man. I come from a long line of rain-watchers, horse thieves and used car salesmen. We are a barefoot people. And although my wife keeps telling me to put on shoes because it’s so cold outside that ketchup takes a week just to come out of the bottle, I am a Florida man. Shoes are for going to town. There is a specific
WENDY HODGE
W
hen I was a kid, I suffered from a fear of fire. It all began in the first grade. One of the first lessons we all learned in the first month of school was STOP, DROP AND ROLL. All 25 of us in Ms. Stejskal’s classroom would freeze in midmotion, drop to the floor and roll around in a way that was more suggestive of an epileptic fit rather than fire extinguishment. Have you ever seen that many plaid-clad children, sporting every shade of orange, brown and avocado green, flailing about on the ground? It’s a sight to
The highest point in the whole state is located in my home county. Britton Hill. Britton Hill’s summit is 345 feet above sea level, slightly higher than a residential water heater. By contrast, the highest point in Birmingham is on the Red Mountain Ridge, clocking in at 1,025 feet. And I can tell you, after hiking Red Mountain yesterday, it’s a real mountain. I took a short walk to the top, I wheezed until my face turned the color of an infected zit. Red Mountain Park is 1,500 acres on the Red Mountain Ridge with miles of trails and a couple of arresting city overlooks. The park was busy. I saw lots of people on the trails. Most were in superb physical shape, unlike yours truly. They wore activewear, they bicycled and many were walking behind their well-groomed dogs, carrying tiny bags of poo.
Soot Life
window screen because the fear of an intruder was far greater than fear of fire for my ever-cautious mother. In the morning, she unlocked them again because she knew I would check them before leaving for school. The woman was a saint with the patience of Job himself. Over the next several months, my concern faded into the background, much like a hangnail that only bothers you if you rub it a certain way. But then, one winter morning, there was a knock at the door. My mother opened it to find a salesman, hat in hand, standing on the welcome mat. “Good morning, ma’am,” he said, smoothing back his Brylcreemed hair. “I’d like to speak to you about the importance of fire insurance. You never know when you could be the victim of a house fire.”
When I reached the summit, I stood and gazed at Magic City’s skyline from a thousand feet. The view was astonishing. I was overcome with the fact that I am now living in an actual city. I’ve never lived in an actual city before. Which is probably why every time I leave our house I feel like I’m on a minor expedition. I am constantly being reminded that I’m in an urban environment. I am incessantly doing battle against SUVs, always seeing something brand new, always feeling this new ache in my heart. The ache must be homesickness. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here. But the rain in central Alabama sounds different to my ears. Rainfall on the Gulf Coast has a unique lilt to it, like the voice of your mama. This mountain rain sounds wilder and … just different. All this makes me start
to wonder. How will I fit in here? Will I make new friends? Or will I eat in the lunchroom alone? Will anyone invite me to play on their baseball team? How about birthday parties? I’m a middle-aged man with a receding hairline. These things are harder to figure out as you sprint toward your golden years. How will the big city change me? How will I adapt? I wonder what I will be like in two years. Five years. 15 years. Is this where I will grow old and eventually die? Will I be lucky enough to grow old? Does anyone miss me back home? Is anyone thinking about me the way I’m thinking about them? Is Britton Hill still 345 feet tall? Am I a barefoot fool for wondering these things? Maybe. Rain really does do strange things to a man.
My mother, who would have been polite to a stone-cold serial killer, slammed the door in his face, turned around and threw her arms across the door as if barring us from a zombie attack. “Did he say FIRE insurance?” I squeaked. “He had the wrong house. He meant to go down the street to Glenn the bully’s house,” she quickly answered and hurried into the kitchen to distract me with cookies. But it was too late. Fire, once again, was on my mind. Professionals would probably have called it pyrophobia. My family simply asked, “Why did we ever teach her to speak??” And then, when the air was at its coldest of the year, a classmate died in a house fire. And fire became an evil thing, a thing I feared and resented. Even into adulthood, I struggled with anything
fire related. I owned homes with fireplaces that I refused to use. Campfires and bonfires always had an edge to them that it took effort to overcome. And yet. Today, at my job with Top Hat Chimney Sweeps, I completed my third certification on my way to becoming a Master Hearth Professional. The only female Master Hearth Professional in the country. Can you believe that? Thanks to the wonderful team of people I work with, I have learned more than I ever could have imagined about fireplaces and chimneys and, yes, even fire itself. Just like with anything, knowledge overcomes fear. I still have a healthy respect for the power of fire, and I always will. I will also always remember my classmate who died at the mercy of fire. See HODGE, page A5
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A5
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Sparky Turns 71
March 24, 2022
Sparky, the fire dog, was created in 1951, as the official mascot of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The Opeika Fire Department hosted a birthday party for Sparky on March 18, in honor of his 71st birthday. Sparky has spent the last 71 years helping to educate children and adults alike about fire safety. He has a website, www.sparky. org, where children can explore the interactive site and learn more about him and his mission of helping to prevent fire deaths and injuries. The Opeilka Police Department and McGruff the Crime Dog also helped Sparky celebrate his birthday with ballons and cake.
is Coming to Auburn BY HALI CAMERON FOR THE OBSERVER
Coming to Auburn in April, ‘Your Pie’ is a restaurant where you can create your own pizza. Your Pie will have a pizza for all — some crusts gluten-free, keto, cauliflower, vegan, etc. Instead of just your typical pie crust, there will be options,
said General Manager Ashley Ray. “We are different because we have a giant brick oven, and we have multiple crusts and you get to pick your toppings,” Ray said. Your Pie was founded by a family from Italy. There is a pizza, ‘The Ischia’ named after an
HODGE >>
FROM A4
But I am ever so thankful for the everyone who has been a patient teacher, beginning with Ms. Stejskal and my sweet mother, and continuing today with the most sincere and supportive
island in Italy. Your Pie also sells gelato to keep Italian in the ingredients. “Auburn is a great community, a great college town and we love that we are downtown so that we can be a part of the community,” Ray said. “We are also doing our dine and donate with Auburn High School as
and just genuinely good people I have ever been blessed to work with. I still have my Smokey the Bear magnet, but I’ve traded plaid pants for a “Soot Life” t-shirt, and I wear it with pride. Here’s hoping all of you find joy in your work and stay safe always!
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a way to connect and give back. Dine and donate is a fundraiser we do inside the community where you get your entree free and donate to the community.” Auburn Pie will also work with GrubHub, DoorDash and UberEATS. It will be located at 314 W. Magnolia Ave. in Auburn.
A6 March 24, 2022
Men and Women Lace Up Their Sneakers to 'Run Like A Mom' PHOTOS BY JOHN HILLSMAN / FOR THE OBSERVER Women's Hope Medical Clinic hosted a Walk 4 Life and Run Like a Mom 5k on Saturday, March 19, at the Opelika Sportsplex. Donations for the run went to empowering hope-filled futures by providing free services to families in the Lee County community.
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E vents, Food, & SocietyNews
UPCOMING EVENTS: MARCH 26: SHORT CIRCUIT 5K MARCH 27: BBQ 101 CLASS WITH BUTCHER PAPER BBQ MARCH 29: AN EVENING WITH KENNY G
Trinity’s Barbecue, Bake Sale, Craft Fair Scheduled April 2 PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Ann Cipperly
Southern
Hospitality
B
illowing smoke from a 50-foot custom grill drifts through the parking lot at Trinity United Methodist Church as they cook 2,000 chicken halves for the Mission Barbecue, Bake Sale and Craft Fair on Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. With a guarded secret chicken recipe, the perfectly cooked barbecue is served with homemade slaw, chips and bread. Scrumptious desserts and a variety of quilts and other handcrafted arts will also be available. Proceeds from the event will benefit mission trips, camps and retreats for children and students.
“The last two years have been a struggle in many ways,” said Youth Minister Steve Bass. “One thing that has helped us get back to feeling normal is when things that were taken away come back into our lives. One of the many things that COVID-19 took away from us was our annual church barbecue that we are excited to announce will be back on April 2. “This has been a tradition of ours for well over a decade and it is not only a fundraiser for our children and student ministries, but it also is a great event that brings our whole church together for one cause. We
will also have a huge selection of baked goods from our church members, including all sorts of cookies, pies, cakes and more. You’d better get here early because the bake sale completely sells out every year." Many of the perfectly baked cakes and other baked treats are ideal to purchase and freeze for Easter. If you are having company for the day on Easter, having yummy homemade baked goods tucked in the freezer will allow you to enjoy the day with your family instead of being in the kitchen. You can also enjoy a See CIPPERLY, page A10
Lee County Literacy Coalition to Distribute Pop-Up Libraries CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Each Pop-Up library is composed of a small bookshelf filled with free titles of varying genres and will feature a QR codes to scan videos for services and program information.
St. Duns Buns Donates to Exceptional Foundation, O Grows
CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
St. Duns Buns with St. Dunstan’s Episcopal
Church in Auburn recently made a donation to O Grows (pictured below). O Grows promotes
See LITERACY, page A9
gardening and related programming to address the issues of food security and localized food systems, PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Accessibility and outreach continue to sharpen the Lee County Literacy Coalition’s organizational focus moving into 2022. Lee County Literacy Coalition (LCLC) is excited to distribute cost-effective Pop-Up Libraries to increase outreach and enhance program awareness. Its goal is to promote the positive investment of reading, expand literacy in the community and reach people who traditionally do not use the library. LCLC aims to establish and strengthen partnerships as well.
The first three popups will be located in Auburn/Opelika, Valley and Loachapoka with rotation every 6 to 8 weeks. The movement of the pop-ups will be shared via social media with participating locations tagged and acknowledged as “Literacy Champions” LCLC will facilitate the set up and maintenance of the pop-ups. The organization wants every adult who wants or needs help in their educational journey to have access and able to receive assistance. Its hope is that adults will
Two thousand marinated chicken halves will be cooked over a 50-foot custom grill for the Mission Barbecue, Bake Sale and Craft Fair at Trinity United Methodist Church on Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Barbecue can be enjoyed in the fellowship hall or taken home. All proceeds go to children and youth ministries.
See DUNS BUNS, page A9
VIDEO GAMES • COMICS • POSTERS ART • ANTIQUES • COINS VINTAGE JEWELRY • TOYS POKEMON • MTG • SPORTS CARDS
221 9th St, Opelika • 334.741.0808
A8 March 24, 2022
Making the Grade: Esposito’s Italian Bistro PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE
STACEY PATTON WALLACE
A
s I’ve previously mentioned, Mike and I moved to Auburn in November of 2015. Shortly thereafter, we moved our letter and joined Central Baptist Church of Opelika. We are only Twenty-Five miles from my Mama in Dadeville; 4.1 miles from our church; 4.8 miles from Tiger Town; 3.4 miles from the Auburn Mall; and 3.6 miles from East Alabama Medical Center. Needless to say, we couldn’t be happier; again, if you can’t live in Heaven yet, Lee County, Alabama, is the best place to wait. Also, I feel a little sorry for the other 66 counties in our state; their residents are still blessed to live in Sweet Home Alabama, but Mike and I live with the best and don’t mess with the rest. Did I mention I loved teaching poetry? But I digress. Recently, Auburn University’s students, faculty and staff were out on spring break, which we really relished when we were teachers at Long Cane Middle School in LaGrange, Georgia. However, now that we’re retired teachers, EVERY
day is spring break. Since most of Auburn’s students were out of town, Mike and I decided to dine in downtown Auburn that week. Much to our delight, we didn’t have to pay to park since it was spring break; hey, two bucks are two bucks, and we are retired, after all. But I digress once again. Mike and I decided to dine at Esposito’s Italian Bistro at 154 N. College St. Cristine, our waitress, was sweet, patient and helpful. For our appetizer, we chose an antipasta — cauliflower and spinach dip. It had roasted cauliflower, wilted spinach, sautéed garlic and onions, mascarpone and bread crumbs and was served with toasted bread. It was really warm and tasty. Also, I was completely shocked because Mike actually liked a vegetable dip; that was nothing short of a miracle for my meat and potatoes man. For his entrée, Mike chose fettuccine Alfredo, which included
grana padano, pecorino romano, cream, fresh cracked black pepper and white wine. In addition, Mike added shrimp to his entrée. I selected the chicken parmesan, which consisted of Italian herb crusted chicken topped with fresh mozzarella, spaghetti and marinara. It was quite good as well. Besides our delicious antipasta, Esposito’s also offers diners bruschetta, which is a fire-grilled house focaccia topped with seasonally available produce; and a cheese board, which is a curated selection
of locally sourced cheeses, served with house bread and seasonal accompaniments. In addition, Esposito’s serves salads, sandwiches and pizza. Besides our delicious entrees, the restaurant also offers other dishes, some of which include: spaghetti and meatballs, which is made with imported Italian tomatoes, fresh herbs and housemade meatballs with beef, pork and lamb; carbonara linguini, which consists of house cured pancetta, fresh cracked black pepper, pecorino romano and
house cured egg yolk; chicken basil tagliatelle, which is charbroiled chicken, basil pesto, pecans, cherry tomatoes and orange zest; fire-grilled pork chop, which is a 10-ounce center cut pork loin with sautéed Brussels sprouts, over cheesy mushroom riscotto and topped with tomato bacon jam; Esposito’s 13 layer lasagna, which is made with house ricotta, grana padano, pecorino romano, mozzarella and provolone cheeses, served with choice of marinara or Bolognese sauce. Esposito’s Italian
Bistro is open seven days a week from 4 to 9 p.m. Esposito’s Italian Bistro 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
Madison’s Place Is Good for the Soul BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
Madison’s Place, a new Soul food restaurant at USA Town Center in Opelika, is open and ready to serve the local community. Located at 1120 Fox Run Ave., owner Katina Driver delivers on her promise of fresh food with a tasty menu that has rotating specials each day.
“We do baked chicken and fried chicken every day,” she said. “All our food is prepared fresh.” With moderate price ranges that stretch from $9 to just over $20 for the Sunday Ox Tails, Madison’s Place is sure to provide an appealing option for all customers. In addition to the chicken and Ox Tails, Madison’s Place serves turkey
wings, beef tips and rice, hamburger steak, fried fish, pork chops and more. For sides, Driver said they have “all the country casseroles” and fixings. Save room for Driver’s favorite menu item too, as the banana pudding is the perfect dessert to accompany any meal. The name Madison’s Place comes from Driver’s granddaughter, who she said loves Soul food.
Since it opened three weeks ago, Driver said business is going well, but still kind of slow due to
the nature of opening an independent, new eatery. So, try Madison’s Place for yourself on Tuesday
through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PAINTING IT FORWARD SILENT BENEFIT AUCTION CREATING A SHARED GREEN SPACE
THURSDAY, MARCH 31ST 6:00-8:00 p.m. Art Haus | Opelika A Silent Auction featuring more than 60 framed paintings and drawings from Scott Melville. All proceeds will go to the Opelika Pickleball Club to create a picnic area featuring green space and trees.
SCOTT MELVILLE
Opelika Pickleball Club oapbnow@gmail.com www.opelikapickleballclub.com
Art Haus 500 N. Railroad Avenue Opelika, AL 36801
A9 March 24, 2022
Smiths Station Community Band Holds First Concert PHOTOS BY JOHN HILLSMAN / FOR THE OBSERVER
LITERACY
>>
FROM A7
be empowered to start or continue their literacy journey with integrity in a way that feels safe and achievable. The organization is asking for help increasing the literacy rates in Alabama. Special thanks to the Woman’s Club of
Auburn for sponsoring the build costs. For more information about ways to get involved visit www.leecountyliteracy. org/get-involved Orgaizations or Businesses interested in hosting one of these libraries, email vista3@leecountyliteracy.org or call at: 334705-0001. ABOUT THE LEE COUNTY
LITERACY COALITION LCLC is a non-profit agency dedicated to helping adults learn to read, write and use mathematics and computers at a level necessary to succeed and thrive. Learn more at leecountyliteracy.org. “Every adult has a right to literacy."
Former Smiths Station High School band director Rusty Courson leads the Smiths Station community band, which features musicians from ages 12 to 80. The band meets every Tuesday night at Smiths Station High School. The first concert last week included music from "The Lion King".
DUNS BUNS
>>
FROM A7
Pre-Need Services Available Call 334-749-8700 for an appointment. Your Full-Service Funeral Home
providing fresh food for the community. It is a community-wide partnership, providing learning lessons for students in six schools, a community garden and greenhouse and a farmers market. St. Duns Buns also made a donation to The Exceptional Foundation of East Alabama. Pictured with St. Duns is Melinda McClendon, director of The Exceptional Foundation of East Alabama. The Exceptional Foundation of East Alabama provides a program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These individuals meet
regularly to experience a broad range of social, recreational and educational activities designed to promote healthy
living, support social relationships, explore the arts, improve functional skills and foster community involvement.
Preview Party – 9th Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser March 26, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 9 pm at the Heritage House in Opelika Love the Opelika – Auburn Empty Bowls Fundraiser? Hate the line? Then you will love the Preview Party! Enjoy tasty appetizers, sweets, signature cocktails, wine, & beer. Select the perfect empty bowl, listen to music, & participate in an exclusive silent auction. Limited tickets ($100 per person) are available online. Limited tickets are also available, including a night for two and breakfast at the Heritage House ($400 per couple). Only 75 tickets will be sold. Buy tickets at www.4emptybowls.com/2022preview
A10 March 24, 2022
CIPPERLY >>
FROM A7
dessert with your barbecue plate. Ticket holders can dine in the fellowship hall and enjoy complimentary sweet or unsweet tea with their half of a marinated grilled chicken and sides. If you prefer, the plates can be taken home to savor. A variety of cookies will be offered as well as cakes by the slice. Trinity’s quilting ministry, “Prayers and Squares” meets every Friday morning,
CIPPERLY RECIPES >> HUMMINGBIRD CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING Beth Brewer This is a delicious and lovely cake for spring, especially for Easter. 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups white sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1¼ cups vegetable oil 3 eggs 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice 2 cups diced bananas 1 cup chopped pecans 1 tsp. vanilla extract Frosting: 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/4 lb. butter, softened 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pan with liners. Measure flour, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, oil, eggs, and vanilla into mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Stir in pineapple with juice, bananas, and pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes. While cake is baking, make frosting by mixing together cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Cool, and ice with cream cheese icing. GRANNY JACKSON’S CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE Martha Hill 2 sticks butter or margarine, room temperature ½ cup shortening 3 cups sugar 5 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp. baking powder 4 Tbsp. cocoa 1 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and shortening; add sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla. Bake in a greased Bundt pan for about 80 minutes or until test done. Can bake in two loaf pans. Cool and frost. Frosting: ¾ stick butter or margarine, room temperature 5 Tbsp. cocoa 6 Tbsp. milk 1 box 10x sugar Cream butter and cocoa; add sugar alternately with milk. Mix until blended and smooth.
CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
Melinda Jackson 2 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 2/3 cup vegetable oil
and the expert seamstresses will be offering beautiful 2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 cup 2% reduced fat milk 1 cup brewed coffee (cooled to room temperature) 1 tsp. vanilla extract Frosting: 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened ¼ cup creamy peanut butter 2 cups powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. 2% (or 1%) reduced fat milk ½ tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9-inch glass baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. To prepare cake, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Combine oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of bowl. Stir in coffee and vanilla (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely. To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Use electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. If frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, if too thick, add a little more milk. Make sure cake is completely cooled before adding frosting on top.
LIME CUPCAKES WITH LIME ICING
Jean Lenard 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate 1 Tbsp. fresh lime zest 1/2 tsp. vanilla 3½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1½ cups sour cream 1 recipe Lime Icing Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well. Add limeade, lime zest, and vanilla, beating well. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out
homemade quilts, blankets and other items at the Craft clean, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely before frosting. Makes 24. Can place Lime Icing in a pastry bag with large star tip to pipe icing onto tops of cupcakes. Can garnish with additional lime zest, if desired. Lime Icing: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream In large bowl, beat butter at medium-high speed with mixer until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add limeade concentrate, beating well. Gradually add cream, beating until smooth.
COCONUT CAKE
Jennifer Jones 1 box butter yellow cake mix. Follow directions on box, except substitute milk or half and half for water. Add 1 Tbsp. vanilla and 2 Tbsp. sour cream. Bake as directed on box. Frosting: 1 large carton sour cream (16 oz.) 12 oz. coconut, canned or frozen (save some for garnishing the cake) 2 cups sugar 1 small carton Cool Whip Mix all ingredients together and spread on cooled cake. This cake will last several weeks in the refrigerator. Sprinkle plain coconut over icing.
ILAH DEAN’S POUND CAKE
Good served plain or with whipped cream and strawberries 2 sticks butter, room temperature 1/2 cup Crisco shortening 3 cups sugar 5 eggs 3 cups Swan Down cake flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/4 cups milk Cream together butter, Crisco and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Add baking powder and mix. Add flour slowly to mixture. Mix well; add milk and mix. Pour into greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or inserted toothpick comes out clean.
EASY SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
Judy Doorenbos My dear friend and her aunt Martha always made this cake for special occasions. 1 box Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden Cake Mix 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup oil 4 eggs 8 oz. (1 cup) sour cream 1/2 tsp. vanilla Mix all ingredients except sour cream and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Bake in greased and sugared Bundt
Fair. Other talented artists at the church will be selling decorative crafts. A couple of days before the barbecue, a group of men from Trinity will construct a 50-foot cement block pit in the parking lot across from the church. On Friday afternoon, the men will fire up the grill and start cooking 2,000 chicken halves that have been marinated in a vinegar based sauce. The specialty chicken recipe is a tightly guarded secret, which was found on the back of a portrait in an old country church in Cham-
bers County. It will take all night to cook all of the chickens. As the chicken grills, it will be brushed every ten minutes with the sauce when the racks are turned. Each chicken half is slowly grilled for three and a half hours. Then, the chicken is placed in coolers to steam to keep it tender and moist. Generally, 40 to 50 men assist with grilling during the night. Steve invites the community “to support a fantastic cause and enjoy a fabulous meal at a great price.”
pan at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.
er. Beat in eggs, one at a time, stir in vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until well mixed. Then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoons full onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. This recipe makes 10 dozen cookies so be prepared. I mix all the ingredients together with the mixer then mix in the nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips by hand. The dough freezes well. Fill a quart bag and squash the batter flat and freeze.
SPECIAL STRAWBERRY CAKE
This was the specialty cake that Sharron Robinson Fuller would bake every year for the bake sale. At times, she would bake 32 cakes. After her tragic loss, others at church have continued to bake this cake in her honor. Cake: 18.25 oz. box white cake mix 3 oz. box strawberry flavored instant gelatin 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed 4 large eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup water Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease 9 x 13 cake pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add strawberries, eggs, oil and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan before icing. Spread Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting on top. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired. Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, thawed (try not to get any juice) 16 oz. box confectioners’ sugar In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and strawberries at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth. Note: You can substitute fresh strawberries if you like. In the cake I substitute about 1 cup of fresh chopped strawberries and substitute 1/2 cup fresh chopped strawberries in the icing.
ALMOND JOY COOKIES
Lyndal Curry 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 3 tsp. vanilla 4 1/2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 5 cups milk chocolate chips 2 cups sweetened coconut 2 cups chopped almonds Pre-heat oven to 375. Lightly grease cookie sheets – parchment paper works best. Combine dry ingredients; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars togeth-
TOFFEE CRUNCH COOKIES
Barbara Arrington 1 cup sugar or ½ cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking ¾ cup butter, softened 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ½ cup English toffee bits or chips Sugar Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Beat until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). By hand, stir in toffee bits. Shape dough into 1½ inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass. (If glass sticks, dip glass in sugar.) Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until edges just begin to turn light golden brown. (Do not over bake.) Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
ESTELLE NOLEN’S POUND CAKE
Jennifer Jones 1 stick oleo (margarine or butter) ½ cup Crisco 1 ¾ cup sugar 2 cups plain flour, sifted 5 eggs 5 Tbsp. orange juice 1 tsp. vanilla or almond flavoring Cream oleo and Crisco together. Add a little sugar at a time. Then add 2 eggs, little flour. Add 2 more eggs, little flour and then 1 egg and more flour. Add orange juice and flavoring. Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES
Beth Brewer 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate,
Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased through a church member selling tickets or at the church office located at 800 Second Ave. in Opelika. All proceeds go to children and youth ministries. For further information, call 334-7452632. Plan to take a break from the kitchen on April 2 to enjoy a delectable meal with your family and take home desserts for the weekend or to freeze for Easter. The recipes feature heavenly desserts from cooks at Trinity over the years. chopped fine (Ghirardelli 60% Cacao) 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (Hershey’s Special Dark) 3/4 cup hot, strong brewed coffee 3/4 cup bread flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 6 Tbsp. canola oil (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp.) 2 large eggs 2 tsp. white vinegar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Ganache: 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (Ghirardelli 60% Cacao) 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk until smooth chocolate, cocoa, and hot coffee together. Refrigerate until it’s cool, about 20-30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine ganache ingredients (chocolate, cream and powdered sugar). Microwave for 20 seconds. Whisk if chocolate still needs to melt, microwave for another 10 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes — no more and no less! When removed from refrigerator, you’re looking for a ganache that can be formed into a soft ball with a spoon. It’s not fully solid (or it’ll sink to the bottom of the cupcake) and it’s not still runny, as it will just disperse within the cupcake. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. Remove large bowl of chocolate/cocoa/coffee from the refrigerator. Add the eggs, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk to incorporate. Add flour mixture; whisk until smooth. Batter will be slightly runny, similar to brownie batter. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling 3/4 full. Top each cupcake in the center with a rounded tsp. of ganache. Place on center rack in the oven and bake for 15 to 19 minutes, until cupcakes are firm to the touch on top. Toothpick test won’t work due to ganache center. Remove from oven; rest in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 12 to 15 cupcakes. Chocolate Icing 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup shortening 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 2 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. vanilla Cream together butter with shortening. Sift cocoa with confectioners’ sugar; add to creamed mixture. Mix together adding 1 Tbsp. milk at a time to keep mixture smooth. Add vanilla. Blend until creamy.
A11 March 24, 2022
Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Celebrate 110 Years of Girl Scouting For 110 years, Girl Scouts have found a way to dream big and do good. From reaching the outer limits of space to stocking their local food pantry, there is no challenge too big or need too small for a Girl Scout to tackle. Since day one, girls have found a way to create a better future for themselves, their communities, and the world. Let’s celebrate the problem solvers, go-getters, dreamers, and doers who are creating a better future for us all. Just wait and see what they do next. On Saturday, March 12, Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama celebrated 110 Years of Girl Scouts at Girl Scout Camp, Kamp Kiwanis, in Eclectic, Alabama.. The day consisted of
Girl Scouts learning traditional camp activities like knot tying, knife skills, and fire building. The girls also created SWAPS, which are small tokens of friendship that Girl Scouts exchange with one another, enjoyed trivia facts about our founder, Juliette Gordon Low, and participated in a flag retirement ceremony led by Gold Award Candidate, Rachel Marlow of Troop 8017. For 110 years, Girl Scouts have been breaking down barriers, climbing mountains, solving problems, helping others, running their own cookie businesses, making lifelong friendships, and so much more. If you think that’s incredible, just watch what Girl Scouts do next. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit
www.girlscoutssa.org. We are Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs in 30 counties in southern Alabama, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutssa.org.
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
CONTRIBUTED BY GSSA
MNOZIL BRASS Opelika Center for the Performing Arts March 30, 2022, 7:30 pm For Tickets call: 334.749.8105 or visit www.eastalabamaarts.org
Opelika Center for the Performing Arts April 27, 2022, 7:30 pm For Tickets call: 334.749.8105 or visit www.eastalabamaarts.org
A12 March 24, 2022
Auburn Springs Into Blooming Season PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Spring has sprung! If you travel through downtown Auburn, there is no better sign of the changing seasons than the numerous colorful baskets of flowers hanging from street post along the road.
A13 March 24, 2022
A14 March 24, 2022
Wearing God Down
BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika
T
here’s a popular belief that if disciples pray hard enough about something and with enough faith, it will happen. After all, didn’t Jesus say something about having faith and moving
mountains? Therefore, if we just get enough people with enough faith to pray hard enough about something, God will give us our heart’s desire — right? Church bulletins and the beginning of Bible studies are often bloated as a result of the pray harder approach. Forget about praying more wisely (quality), we need more people praying what we tell them to (quantity). But Jesus’ fervent prayer in the garden of Gethsemane knocks the legs right off the “just pray hard and have faith” view, doesn’t it? No one prayed harder or
had more faith than He did and while God certainly answered His prayer (as He answers every prayer), He didn’t grant what Jesus specifically requested — to not drink the cup of suffering that the cross involved. It’s well worth keeping in mind though that He did grant Jesus larger prayer of “Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (We’ll come back to this). To view prayer as simply a matter of wearing God down until He grants our request is superficial, one-dimensional, and an oversimplification of what prayer
is about. Like all oversimplifications, it makes far too many erroneous assumptions: 1) God, for some reason, always needs to be talked into answering our prayers, 2) we always ask for good things, and 3) the primary purpose of prayer is getting our will okayed in heaven rather than heaven’s will getting done on earth. Its fine to pray for things repeatedly — Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane and Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the f lesh to be removed. But they didn’t “wear God
ABOUT BRUCE GREEN down” or convince Him to change His mind. What happened was God changed their mind. Just as important, they were willing to have their minds changed. When we begin to look at prayer from this perspective, as opposed to a consumer mindset, we will be in position to understand it at a much deeper level. The model prayer in Matthew 6:9-15 is a good place to start. Bruce has written a book on the model pray called Praying in the Reign. It is available through 21st Century Christian.
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 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. — 1 Peter 2:2-3
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 Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461
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
Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054
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
METHODIST
PRESBYTERIAN
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Good Sheperd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika
EPISCOPAL
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
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
Church At Opelika
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.
St. Stephens Episcopal Church ECW 1st annual Crawfish Boil! Fresh Crawfish from Louisiana cooked by our own Cajun, Don Sorjonen
Pick- up April 23rd 2022 From 11am – 1pm eastern time To order call Bonnie @706-442-4723 Please pre-order!! Pick up at St Stephens Episcopal Church 45 Lee Rd 567 Smiths Station, AL 36877 (one-half mile north of Loves Truck stop on Hwy. 431) Crawfish (1lb) plus Potatoes, Corn, Sausage - $12 Family size: Gumbo -$16 QT - Red Beans & Rice - $12 QT
Place your ad here! Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More!
Catch ‘On the Mark’ with D. Mark Mitchell and Jeff Sasser weekday mornings from 7-9 a.m.
603 Pleasant Pleasant Drive 603 Drive Opelika, Opelika, ALAL 36801 749-1333 749-1333 Mon-Sat - 8pm Mon- Sat7am 7am-8pm Sun12pm 12pm-6pm Sun - 6pm
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A15 March 24, 2022
Walk Again Around that Old Rugged Cross
WALTER ALBRITTON
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s we move through the Lenten season toward the celebration of Easter, it is time once again to take a walk around that old rugged cross. Remembering the sacrifice Jesus made on that dark Friday helps me realize my pain is nothing compared to crucifixion on a cross. The cross is the chief symbol of Christianity. So Christians put crosses on the altar, on the walls of our homes, on chains around our necks and even carry small ones in our pockets. Most of these crosses are attractive, some made of shiny brass, many quite valuable. But the cross upon which Jesus
died was ugly, rugged and blood-stained. Walk with me in your imagination. As we move toward the place of crucifixion, first picture those painful scenes of Jesus’ last days. Watch cruel soldiers laughing as they shove Jesus around, ridiculing him, humiliating him, slapping him, beating him, spitting in his face, treating him worse than you would treat a dog. Look yonder at Pilate washing his hands of the whole affair and telling the crowd the blood of Jesus would be on their hands, not his. Keep walking. Don’t turn away as you hear the sound of whips ripping the flesh of the best man who ever lived. The gruesome scourging continues. You shudder as the leather thongs of the whips, filled with lead and pieces of bone, tear bloody grooves in Jesus’ back. You wince as cruel soldiers strip the clothes off Jesus, mocking him as they put a scarlet robe on him and taunting him by
calling him a king. You grab your head with your hands, trembling, imaging the awful pain, as the soldiers viciously shove that crown of sharp thorns down upon his head. Now you are in the courtyard. You are looking directly at Jesus. He is hardly able to stand, but there he is, weak, bleeding and shaking from the merciless beating. You want to run but you follow along as the soldiers make Jesus carry his cross toward the hill on which he will die. You wish you had the nerve to help him when he stumbles and falls under the weight of the cross, but you watch as the soldiers force a bystander named Simon to help Jesus carry his cross. He is on that hill called Calvary now. You turn your face away as the soldiers hammer those spikes into his hands and his feet. They thrust the cross into the ground, raising Jesus above your head. You wish God would let him die so his suffering could end. But his ordeal is
not over. His humiliating suffering will continue for hours. You look up and gasp as blood runs red down his body, onto the cross, until it pools up on the ground at the foot of the cross. The repulsive stench of three men dying on crosses before your eyes makes you want to run. The soldiers do not share your revulsion of the sight before you. To them, Jesus is just another criminal condemned to die. Crucifying him is merely another day’s work for them. They have no clue as to his identity. They would laugh if you told them they were crucifying the Son of God! You are astonished to suddenly hear Jesus speaking. “Forgive them, Father, because they don’t know what they are doing.” You gasp in disbelief that anyone enduring such agony would possibly pray such a prayer. You continue listening in amazement to all the words Jesus utters while groaning and gasping for
breath. Why, you wonder, does God not allow his anguish to end? Surely he has suffered enough! Then, not in whispered tones but with a shout, you hear him declare, “It is finished!” And finally, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” He gasps his last breath. It is over. It dawns on you that you have been standing there for six hours. You are exhausted, trembling because of the horror you have witnessed. Your heart aches for Mary, his mother, and for his disciple John near whom you have been standing. You realize that, like others, your cheeks are wet with tears. You have no idea how long you have been crying. As you begin to turn away, you are suddenly shocked to see one of the soldiers, a Roman centurion, fall to his knees just a few feet from you. You hear him cry out, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Now you fall on your knees. You sense the presence of God for you have
witnessed the Savior of the world die for you, and for everyone. He loved you enough to suffer like that so that your sins could be forgiven and you could receive the free gift of eternal life. You know the rest of the story, how on Sunday he walked out of his tomb and met with his disciples, instructing them to be his witnesses. Now it’s time to walk down from Calvary’s hill and begin living like he wants you to live, telling others that he died on that cross so all of us could come alive to God — in this world and in the next. Having walked around that cross, having seen and felt what happened there, you will never be the same. You will likely find yourself saying, “Since He was willing to die like that for me, the least I can do is to try to live my life like He wants it lived!” And with His help, you can do it! Walk on. Walk in His light. Walk knowing He is with you all the way home.
She was born March 13, 1933, in Nashville, TN, the youngest of four children. She grew up in Nashville and graduated from Saint Bernard Academy and attended Peabody College. She married the love of her life, Bobby Mason. He was in the U.S. Army, and they began their married life at Camp Polk, LA in 1953 and were married 61 years until his death in 2014. After he got out of the army, they raised their children in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Sara worked as a food service manager at Auburn University-Montgomery and Auburn University. Her student workers and coworkers adored her and many stayed in touch through the years. She and Bob loved to travel and visited many places in the United States and Europe. Their favorite destination was Ireland, and they visited there several times. They also traveled to most SEC campuses to cheer on the Auburn football team. After Sara and Bob retired, they spent 20 years during the spring and summer months in Highlands, NC. They enjoyed the outdoors, playing golf, and meeting new friends. Sara loved people and developed relationships everywhere she went. Sara was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Morton Mason; her parents, Dr. Michael Joseph Murray, Lillian Byrne Murray; brothers, Reverend James Byrne Murray, Robert Joseph Murray; son-in-law, Joseph Edward Ebersole; special aunt, Margaret Irene Byrne. She is survived by her children, Margie (Tom) Sanders, Sam (Debbie) Mason, Paula Mason, Mary (Dan) Shell; her grandchildren, Byrne (David) Hawley, Clay (Elizabeth) Sanders, Mason (Rachel) Shell, James Shell, Sara Jean Shell; great grandchildren, Wood Sanders, Sara Catherine Sanders, Bud Hawley, Jack Hawley; sister,
Mary Ann Murray Wilson; brother-in-law, Terry (Linda) Mason; sister-in-law, Harriet (Wayne) Smith; and nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held on April 23 at 2 p.m. in the chapel at Auburn United Methodist Church in Auburn. The family will receive friends in the chapel beginning at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make memorial donations to the charity of your choice. –––––––
OBITUARIES RALPH “MANION” KELLEY The family of Ralph “Manion” Kelley of Opelika, Alabama is saddened to announce his passing on Monday, March 14, , at the age of 63. Manion was born in Opelika, Alabama, on Sept. 9, 1958. Manion was known as a brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend but he was most proud to be called “Dad” and “Papaw.” Everyone who knew him, knew he loved his boys and grand boys more than life itself. He will be lovingly remembered by his children: Brandon and Chad Kelley; grandchildren: Brooks and Rhett Kelley; brothers: Franklin (Cathy) Kelley, David (Bonnie) Kelley; aunt: Evelyn Kelley; nieces: Audra Doster, Jodie Brand, Jennifer Harmon; nephew: Sully Kelley; special loved ones: Ronnie Bowles, Sherri Ruff and Lynn Mangum. He was predeceased by his parents: James and Frances Kelley and Mary Whitman; aunt and uncle: Sue and Jimmy Coxwell; nephew: Jamey Kelley; niece: Kristy Kelley. A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 18, 2022, at JeffcoatTrant Funeral Home in Opelika. ––––––– LAWRENCE “LARRY” C. ALSOBROOK JR. On Saturday, March 12, 2022, Lawrence C. Alsobrook, Jr., Larry to his friends, family, and fellow fly fishermen, found it necessary to move on to Camp Great Beyond - Fishing, Wilderness, and Outdoor Adventure Park, just down the road apiece, right after the Rainbow Bridge Overpass. He was a robust 82 years of age. A fine son, wonderful husband, caring father, doting grandfather, steadfast friend,
gourmand with a flair for the gourmet, teller of tall tales (whoppers and otherwise), as well as a consummate fly fisherman, Larry has pitched his tent (more of a glamping rv with hot tub, William Sonoma 6-burner Gas Grill with optional smoker unit, satellite hook-up, and 65” tv with perpetual reruns of Bassmaster and any and all Auburn sporting events) right next to a pristine bit of river filled with sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, and bass—obviously, the fish are enormous, plentiful, and full of fighting spirit, just as he loved and sought in life. He has joined his younger brother, William Norris Alsobrook, who preceded him to Camp Great Beyond and opened up the wildly successful Uncle Bill’s Gaming Grounds & Bush Hog Repair. The brothers are happy to be reunited and oversee what clearly is a vacation destination for the celestial outdoor adventurer. Larry’s mother and father, Jeanette Norris Alsobrook and Lawrence Alsobrook Sr., run the quaint B&B, Mamma’nette and Daddy Lawrence’s Get-a-Way, right down the road and serve the best peach ice cream this side of the heavenly divide. In so doing, he leaves Gail Allen Brown Alsobrook (his wife of 59 years and the former Director for the Auburn Chamber of Commerce), to spend time with their daughter, Blayne Alsobrook, her husband, Keith Lee, their son, Bennett, and their bonus son, Austin Butler, looking after each other in the multigenerational house, known as LkiaSourwood—”Look Kids It’s a Sourwood”—that Larry was happy to call home. Of course, the house could use some landscaping, as Larry always had multiple plans to redesign the back yard, put in a fence, take out the annoying privet, move the azaleas into the shade at the treeline (where they belong),
find a spot for a rock garden and gazing pool (perhaps even a modest Japanese tea garden), if and when there weren’t flies that needed tying or Alton Brown hadn’t just posted something that he needed to cook. When not cooking or tying flies, he was known to consult with this son, Law Alsobrook, and his wife, Patty Paine, on any number of topics, oftentimes sharing financial advice or tips, recipes, anecdotal evidence of his life and times as a gentleman farmer, or advice for when and where to fish. While, Larry is greatly loved and will be missed, he was also a strong believer in education, praising nurses, and longwinded titles, had set up the Gail & Larry Alsobrook Endowed Graduate Award in the College of Nursing at Auburn University. He would be tickled to see that anyone wishing to make a donation to this cause do so by giving a gift to the endowment. Doing so would unlock bonus content for him and the rest of the family on the river amongst his fellow fly casters and outdoor adventurers and can be achieved by mailing their gift to: Gift Processing c/o The Gail & Larry Alsobrook Endowed Graduate Award in the College of Nursing at Auburn University 317 S. College St. Auburn, AL 36849 Any and all proceeds would also earn him a heartfelt War Eagle! from the staff at Camp Great Beyond - Fishing, Wilderness, and Outdoor Adventure Park, plus he’d be pretty happy, that you support our nurses. If you just can’t abide supporting Auburn University but would like to contribute somehow, you are more than welcome to come by LkiaSourwood and move a azalea or two. A service to pay respects to the fisherman, was held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Auburn, AL,
Monday March 21 at 2 p.m. ––––––– HANNELORE “LORA” THIELE TROTTER Hannelore “Lora” Thiele Trotter of Auburn, Alabama passed away at Oak Park on March 17, 2022, at the age of 89. Hannelore was born on May 17, 1932 in Leipzig, Germany to the late Ernest and Ella Sanders Thiele. She is also preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Charles Eli Trotter; daughter, Patricia Ann Elliott; and son-in-law, Maxie Lynn Elliott. She is survived by her children, Deborah Sue (Ross) Marshall, Charles Eli (Melissa) Trotter, Jr., and Janet (William) Baugh; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. Hannelore attended Red Ridge United Methodist Church, Auburn United Methodist Church, and Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church. She was greatly loved and will be dearly missed. Visitation for Hannelore was held at FrederickDean Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 from 10 to 10:45 a.m. The funeral followed at 11 a.m. in the chapel at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home with Reverend Paul Messar officiating. Graveside service was held at 1 p.m. CST at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery. ––––––– SARA MURRAY MASON Sara Murray Mason passed away peacefully at home March 16, 2022, in Auburn, AL, at the age of 89. Sara was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend. Sara was a member of Beulah United Methodist Church. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
MR. ARTHUR CHAPMAN WARD JR. A memorial service for Arthur Ward Chapman Jr. will be on April 3, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. C.S.T. at Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church located at 205 Lee Road 93 in Salem, Alabama. Born July 22,1933, Sunset Jan. 12, 2022. Arthur Ward Jr. was a residence of Courtland, New York was reared in Salem. He was the son of the late Arthur Sr. and Maggie Russaw Ward. At an early age he united with the Pleasant View Baptist Church later on he became a active member of The Abundant Life UPC of Courtland where he held many positions. He attended Salem, and East Street High School Opelika, and later on join the United Stated Army. He leaves to cherish his memories: A devoted wife, Wilma Jean Ward; three daughters; Barbara (Ricky) King of Diamond Bar, California; Evelyn Ward, and Sharon Ward Ragsdale: two boys: Douglas Ward and Tony Michael Ward all of Brooklyn, New York. Four sisters; Sara Ward Thomas, and Joyce Upshaw of Salem, Gladys Freelon. Maywood, Il; and, Francis Kimber, Phenix City, Alabama and, five step-children all of Courtland, New York. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. II Corinthians 5:8.
A16 March 24, 2022
COMICS
“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.” ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
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INSIDE B1 - B8:
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• AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS • AUBURN UNIVERSITY • COMMUNITY SPORTS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS • SUSSC
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS OPELIKA: APRIL 19 AT 4:30 P.M. LEE COUNTY: APRIL 12 AT 6 P.M. AUBURN: APRIL 12 AT 6 P.M.
AU Gymnastics: Tigers to host NCAA Auburn Regional
ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL
OHS Completes Quiet Spring Break Week
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Opelika. Paul Goodman and Taylor Fields added one hit apiece. Rain forced the OHS to leave Friday morning without playing another game in Enterprise. OHS then swept Beauregard (10-1) and Dadeville (13-9) last Saturday at Bulldog Park. The Bulldogs scored 10 runs on five hits in the 10-1 win over the Hornets. Three Opelika pitchers, Jackson Harris, Kydylian Ligon and Luke Murray, combined to hold the Hornet’s hitless. Goodman led offensively, recording two hits including a home run, two RBI and three runs for OHS. Harris, Fields and Ligon added hits in the win. In game two, Opelika beat Dadeville 13-9, in a high-scoring game. Jacob Smith broke a 9-9 tie in the bottom of the sixth with a tworun homer. The Dogs added three more runs in the sixth to win a close game. Two other players, Jake Smith and JD Chase added home runs for OHS. Opelika dished out nine hits, two from Harris, Chase and Smith and singles from Long, Fields and Bryce Speakman. Ligon started on the mound, pitching three See SPORTS, page B2
the afternoon session with Kentucky so we’ve been preparing
for that.” “We’re just soaking it all in that we’re in
postseason and we know it’s go time,” See AUBURN, page B5
Beauregard Baseball Establishing an Identity BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER
Between the emergence of warmer temperatures, the smell of ballpark hot dogs in the air and the return of fully-packed stadiums, baseball season is in full swing in Lee County. As teams continue to navigate their respective non-area opponents, squads are beginning to establish what resembles an identity. Head coach Seth Nolen and the Beauregard Hornets believe that they’re close to doing just that. After starting the season with eight victories in their first nine games, the Hornets had their first run-in with what the skipper believes is his group’s Achilles heel: errors. “We won the first four, then we had a three game little hiccup there,” Nolen said. “Then we
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
pelika City Schools observed Spring Break last week, allowing students and teachers to have a much needed break prior to end of the school year in May. Most spring sports took the week off, with the exception of the varsity baseball team. The Bulldogs traveled to Enterprise for one game and hosted two games Saturday against Beauregard and Dadeville. Head baseball coach Zach Blatt took his team to Enterprise last Thursday, anticipating playing Enterprise and and Pace Florida. OHS (8-6) beat the EHS, 5-1, at Wildcat Field in Enterprise. The Bulldogs took an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning on a double by JD Chase. OHS added two runs in the sixth inning and the final run in the 7th. JT MxArdle earned the win on the mound by pitching five-andone-third innings. The senior allowed just one run on four hits while striking out three batters. Caleb Chisum and Luke Murray pitched the final five outs to preserve the win. Offensively, Harrison Long recorded a gamehigh three hits to lead
The No. 7 Auburn gymnastics team is officially into the NCAA postseason and will be the No. 2 seed in its own regional held March 30 through April 2 in Neville Arena. “We’re looking forward to competing in the NCAA Championship and especially looking forward to being at home,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “We already knew we were going to be in
PHOTO FROM SEC MEDIA PORTAL
CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY
won four straight again. (Smiths Station) we didn’t even show up.” When Nolen’s squad played host to the visiting Panthers of Smiths Station, defensive struggles became a medium of self-destruction, falling by a lopsided score of 11-1 and making what many consider to be a team to watch look even better than before. “When you make eight errors, you make them a lot better than they are,” Nolen said.
According to the third-year head coach, the Hornets’ struggles on the defensive side of the ball have come in bunches. “We’ve made 30 errors in 12 games,” Nolen said. “Half of them have been in two games. We made seven errors against Valley earlier in the year, we made eight (against Smiths Station).” While his team’s errant tendencies are certainly a focal point for Nolen, he has made a point to
remind his group that they much prefer to work out the kinks in the early season. “We told the kids that you don’t want to have these games period,” Nolen said. “But you’d much rather have these games on a Monday night when — in the grand scheme of things — it doesn’t really matter.” It is the coach’s goal to take care of the group’s weak points before the games that truly matter: area play. “If we can get this figured out and ironed out before we open up area play against Pike Road, as long as we get this ironed out by then, that’s the one’s that matter,” Nolen said. Aside from a handful of flare-ups, Beauregard’s skipper believes that the group is See BASEBALL, page B2
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B2 March 24, 2022
Two Locally-Tied Coaches Inducted to Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame Former Loachapoka High School boys’ basketball coach Larry Dichara and former Auburn High School track coach Donald Wayne Murphy were inducted Monday as members of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame’s 31st class. The ceremony took place at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Spa Convention Center. Dichara and Murphy were a part of the 12-member class which also included: contest official and former AHSAA Director of Officials Mark Jones; track and cross country coach David Dobbs; girls’ basketball, volleyball, tennis and softball coach Jana Killen; football coaches Stacy Luker; Jimmy Perry; and Danny Powell; basketball coaches Johnny Shelwood, Tim Smith and Ronnie
Stapler; and selected in the “Old-Timers’ Division” with Murphy, basketball coach Wade Robinson. Murphy, who passed away in 2001, was born in 1941, graduated from Tallassee High School in 1959 and attended college at Troy State University and Auburn University. He received his degree in 1963 and later earned his master degree. He immediately went to work in 1964 as a teacher and track coach at Auburn High School. The Tigers won the state title in 1965, 1966 and 1967. The much admired teacher and coach was the commencement speaker for the 1968 AHS senior class. Also well respected nationally, he coached Alabama’s track team at the National Jaycee Track Meet in Iowa in 1968. He became the director of Auburn University’s Memorial Coliseum from 19681979 but returned to Auburn High School as head track coach
PHOTO BY D. MARK MITCHELL / FOR THE OBSERVER
BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
Dichara (front) and Donald Wayne Murphy's son, Don Murphy, at the Alabama HIgh School Sports Hall of Fame 31st Class Induction Ceremony.
in 1984 where he remained until becoming the Auburn City Schools’ first city-wide athletic director in 1993 and remained through 1998. A strong man of character and faith, he served as a deacon at First Baptist Church, was a leader in several service organizations including Boy Scouts and Bass Masters and became a swimming official, helping to bring the Olympics to Auburn University in
1974-75. Always striving to improve track and field, he developed the indoor runway for long jump, triple jump and pole vault for Sico Stage Company, which was patented and produced by that company. Dichara, 62, a graduate of Foley High School (1977) and Auburn University (1981), received his master’s in special education in and doctorate in education leadership in 2000.
Now the HR director of 2aUSA, an Italian die-cast company located at Auburn, he started out his career as a teacher and boys’ basketball coach at Loachapoka High School in Lee County. He later became the principal — continuing his role as boys’ basketball coach and eventually moved to the Lee County Schools Central Office. He served as the superintendent of Phenix City Public Schools from 2004-13 and was chief administrative officer and acting superintendent for Selma City Schools from 2014-15. As a coach, his teams compiled a 11575 record over a sixyear period with backto-back Class 1A state championships in 1988 and 1989. He also served as radio sports analyst for Auburn University’s Lady Tigers basketball team for 15 years. He has spent much of his professional life working with the State Department of
Education providing training across the state for principals, athletic directors and school safety officers on how to develop a comprehensive safety and emergency action plan for athletic venues and extracurricular events. He also served as AHSAA external facilitator for its fiveyear strategic plan and also served as the Lee County Schools coordinator of Special Olympics for four years. Dichiara also served on the National Youth Sports Program Advisory Board and has had a number of articles published concerning school safety. The Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association, the coaches’ wing of the AHSAA, oversees the Hall of Fame. A selection committee comprised of coaches, administrators and media representatives made the selections from a very impressive list of 62 nominations.
Tiger Trail of Auburn to Induct New Class BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM The Auburn Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Auburn Athletics and the city of Auburn, is inviting the public to attend this year’s Tiger Trail
SPORTS >> FROM B1
coaches and administrators; each year a new class of honorees is inducted and the public is invited to attend. This year’s event is at Neville (formerly known as Auburn) Arena on April 8. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available
main office at OHS 334-745-9715. All spring sports were back in action this week and you can find results by reading my column or listening to On the Mark on the radio on FOX Sports the Game 910AM, 6 to 9 a.m. on Monday through Friday. ATHLETIC SCHEDULE March 28 through April 2 March 28 - JV Baseball host Tallassee 4pm and 6pm - Men JV Soccer vs Central at W James Samford complex 5:30 March 29 - Women Soccer vs Russell County 5pm Home - Men Soccer vs Russell County 7pm Home - JV Softball at Auburn 5pm - Varsity Baseball Russell County Home 5:30 March 30 - JV Men Soccer at Smiths Station 7pm March 31 - Baseball at Russell County 4:30 - Tennis vs Pike Road Calhoun Tennis Center 3:30 - JV Softball at Smiths Station 5:30 - Varsity Softball at Smiths Station 7pm
SPRING FOOTBALL OHS head football coach Erik Speakman will start spring football practice May 9 and will host a Red/ Black scrimmage May 20 at Bulldog Stadium. Speakman is not ready to announce his new offensive coordinator. DIXIE BOYS BASEBALL 13 to 15 YEAR OLDS Opelika Parks and Recreation is holding Dixie Boys Baseball registration at the Sportsplex. The league is for anyone ages 13 through 15 year olds (May 1 is age control date.). Registration fee is $45 if you live in the Opelika city limits or $45 if you live outside Opelika. Every player will be placed on a team. The fee covers your jersey and cap. More info, email D.Mark Mitchell foxonthemark@yahoo. com or call 334-7871514. Registration ends April 15. D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark”, Fox Sports the Game 9101310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Youth Baseball state director.
starting at 5 p.m., with the program beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25. This year’s class includes: Emily Carasone, Women’s Softball 2013-16 Kirsty Coventry, Women’s Swimming
BASEBALL >> FROM B1 performing well when it comes to the bigger picture. “We’ve been playing well,” Nolen said. “Pitching has been outstanding, defense has been pretty decent for the most part.” He is specifically impressed by his pitching staff. “The pitching staff is pitching to a 1.72 ERA,” Nolen said. “And the other teams are only hitting .208 against us.” Mound production does not stand alone in eye-popping numbers
2003-05 Marquis Daniels, Men’s Basketball 2000-03 Jimmy Dozier, Men’s Track & Field 1958-62 Chip Spratlin, Men’s Golf 1991-1993 Stan White, Football 1990-93 Joe Whitt Sr., for the Hornets, the blue and gold are getting the job done on the offensive side of the plate as well. “Pitching has been awesome and we’re hitting about .330 as a team,” Nolen said. “We scored 94 runs in 12 games. It’s just the errors, they jump on us.” All things considered, Nolen appears confident that his squad is capable of resolving it’s fundamental struggles and returning to the highly-talented group many expected ahead of the 2022 campaign. “For the most part, we’re playing well,”
Football/Administration 1981-2014 Greg Williams, Head Equestrian Coach 1996-Present RSVP crystal@ auburnchamber.com or 334-501-3289. Park at Neville Arena and enter through the main entrance. Nolen said. “We’re doing a lot of good things, we just have some stuff to clean up. The way we’ve been swinging the bats and the way we’ve been pitching — if we clean up the defense — we’ll be right back where we want to be.” The Hornets will be back in action on Monday, March 28 when they play host to the Generals of Horseshoe Bend in their final contest before welcoming Pike Road to open up area play. First pitch of Monday’s contest is set for 4:30 p.m. CST. PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
innings; Killcreas and Murray pitched two innings apiece with Murray earning the win. OHS BASKETBALL Senior Haley Sanders was named Honorable Mention All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Congratulations! SPRING LEAGUE/ CAMP OHS girls’ basketball coach Blake Smalley is hosting a spring intramural league for fifth through eighth graders at Opelika Middle School. The league will play games on April 14, 20, 21, 25 and 28 from 3:45 to 5 p.m. Cost is $5 per player and includes all five dates. For more info, call Smalley at OHS (334-745-5715). Opelika's boys coach Wesley Button is hosting a summer camp, June 6 through 8 at OHS. The camp is for upcoming third through eighth graders. Anyone interested can go online www. opelikaathletics.com, look under summer camps or call the
of Auburn induction ceremony. Tiger Trail of Auburn is the historical attraction canvassing the downtown streets of Auburn — the university’s own walk of fame. Tiger Trail of Auburn honors Auburn University’s athletes,
For more pictures of Beauregard facing off against Opelika High School last week, turn to page B5.
B3 March 24, 2022
The Rare “Million Dollar Fish” Swimming in Lake Martin CONTRIBUTED BY LAKE MARTIN TOURISM ASSOCIATION
Lake Martin is known for its bass fishing-striped, spotted, largemouth, and now … the million-dollar bass. Two-hundred tagged fish have been released in the lake, and April 1 through July 4, people who have registered in advance will have a chance to
win $1,500 cash, boats, a truck or maybe even the grand prize of one million dollars. It’s called Crank 4 Bank, and it is organized by OGS Fishing Tournaments. This is not a fishing tournament though — it is not about catching the biggest fish, or the most fish — just about catching the RIGHT fish that will be adorning the special fashion accessory
— a tag showing his affiliation with the contest. Participants will also be automatically entered into a virtual fishing tournament for a chance to win even more prizes. You can register anytime from today till July 4, but you must make sure you are registered at least 2 hours before you catch your prize winning fish. You also must have an Alabama fishing license
if required by Alabama state law. Part of the entry fees for the event also go toward helping fund high school fishing teams. Fishing is an important sport in many high schools, and the Lake Martin area sees the impact of the popularity of the sport by hosting multiple high school fishing tournaments each year. This program is in need
of funds in many schools though, and Crank 4 Bank is a way that schools can have a way to have another revenue stream for their fishing programs, which help the anglers of tomorrow develop their craft and have a positive hobby that they can carry with them into adulthood. This is a unique event hosted on beautiful Lake Martin, and offers a great
added incentive to get out and enjoy the great outdoors this summer. Interview opportunities are available with Crank 4 Bank representatives. Contact Brandy Hastings at 850-345-9766 or brandy@explorelakemartin. com. You can also learn more at Crank4Bank.com or on our blog — How To Catch The Million Dollar Bass That is swimming in Lake Martin.
Tuskegee Football Finalizes Staff with Five New Additions CONTRIBUTED BY TUSKEGEE
Tuskegee University Director of Athletics and head coach Reginald Ruffin finalized his coaching staff with the announcement of five additions for the 2022 season. The Golden Tigers added a trio of coaches on the offensive side in offensive coordinator Aaron James, wide receivers coach Clinton Smith Jr. and running backs coach James Thompson. Meanwhile, they also brought in defensive coordinator Rashad Watson and defensive line coach Tommie Lewis Jr., who will also handle football operations responsibilities.
James returns to Tuskegee after a year at Division I BethuneCookman where he served in the same role. He is no stranger to the Golden Tigers or the SIAC however, as he was an assistant on four SIAC championships with Miles (2011, 2015, 2018, 2019) as well as in 2012 in the Division II playoffs. Prior to Miles, James’ career included stays at Lane and Clark Atlanta. James is more known to Golden Tiger fans as their All-SIAC quarterback from 1998-2001, where he compiled a 425 record as a starter. He won three SIAC championships during his career and led the Golden Tigers to a 12-0 season
and HBCU National Championship in 2000 Watson joins the Tuskegee staff after coming over from Miles
College, where he served in the same role for the previous two years. During his tenure with the Golden Bears, he
turned a Miles defensive unit that was at the bottom of the SIAC in 2018 to one of the best in the NCAA Division II ranks. During the 2019 campaign, Miles was nationally ranked in passing yards allowed, rushing defense, tackles for loss, defensive third down conversions, defensive touchdowns, total defense and sacks. Meanwhile, three defensive players were named to the All-SIAC team after allowing just 12 points total over the final three must-win regular season games. Prior stops from Watson include Benedict, Franklin Pierce, Missouri State and Morehouse. He played four years collegiately at
Alabama A&M (19972001). Originally from Bessemer, Alabama, Watson is a two-time graduate of Alabama A&M, with a bachelor's degree in business management and a master's degree in business marketing. Lewis jumped right into coaching upon his playing career and graduation from Alcorn State, getting his start at Southwestern Oklahoma State before stopping at Southern Mississippi and later returning to his alma mater. He has also made stops at Alcorn State, Southern Mississippi and Southwestern Oklahoma State all on the defensive See TUSKEGEE, page B8
Alabama Community Colleges Launch Nurse Apprenticeship Program To Help Meet High Demand For Nurses Statewide Alabama’s community colleges are working with the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship, hospitals and healthcare employers to meet the high demand for nurses. Starting today, new rules go into effect that allow healthcare employers to enter into an apprenticeship agreement with a sponsoring community college. Students who apply and are accepted as nurse apprentices serve as employees of the healthcare facility and work alongside an experienced nurse. Nurse apprentices can continue their employment by completing their apprenticeship and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) that certifies nurses. “This is a very exciting time for nursing in Alabama,” said Peggy Sellers Benson, executive officer of the Alabama Board of Nursing. “We are pleased to be participating in this endeavor to give nursing students real-life clinical experiences, to improve their NCLEX performance and prepare them for entry into practice as nurses at the bedside. The Student Nurse Apprenticeships also fill
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
CONTRIBUTED BY ACCS
Nursing students at Coastal Alabama Community College train in one of the college’s nursing simulation labs. Photo courtesy of Coastal Alabama Community College. an urgent need in the state by assisting with the high demand for patient care in Alabama facilities.” The first cohort of the new nurse apprenticeship program will begin this summer at Coastal Alabama Community College and Gadsden State Community College. Additional sponsors and employers for the apprenticeship program will be accepted in the fall. “This is another way we’ve aligned the training and education offered by Alabama’s community colleges to meet the state’s workforce needs,” said Jimmy H. Baker, chancellor of the Alabama Community College
System. “You’ll see the need for superb medical care within communities of all sizes in Alabama, and in those areas is also a community college that trains students to help meet those healthcare needs. Our colleges continue to build trust with every business and industry sector to secure and create opportunities for students to gain real-life work experience. This nursing apprenticeship is another means for employers who look to our colleges to gain willing employees who will be well-trained, both before and after completing a college program.” The Alabama Hospital Association welcomed
the development of the nursing apprenticeships. “Alabama’s hospitals are grateful to Alabama’s community colleges and the Alabama Board of Nursing for their efforts to help meet a significant need for additional hospital nurses,” said Donald Williamson, MD, president of the Alabama Hospital Association. “Our hospitals look forward to working with their local colleges to provide hands-on experience and mentoring for these future nurses.” The nursing apprenticeships will help meet a high demand for nurses across Alabama. Nurses are listed as one of the top
25 highest demand positions in Alabama, with more than 4,500 annual openings in the state for RNs and LPNs. “Good health care begins with highly trained and compassionate nurses,” said Alabama Nursing Home Association President and CEO Brandon Farmer. “We’re excited to see nurse apprenticeships begin because it will draw more people into Alabama’s health care sector and will enhance the workforce development efforts of our association and its members. We will be active partners with the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship to help nursing homes employ and mentor nursing students.” More than 8,800 students were enrolled in registered nursing and licensed practical nursing programs at Alabama’s community colleges last academic year. In that same time frame, a total of 3,150 students obtained a nursing credential. Twenty-one of Alabama’s 24 community colleges offer a nursing program. “The opportunity for nurse apprentices to earn while they learn, to continue applying skills learned in class in a real work environment
and to extend time spent working with their preceptors, will positively impact the nursing industry’s critical needs for recruitment and retention of highly prepared nurses,” said Josh Laney, director of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. The Alabama Legislature approved amendments to the Nurse Practice Act last year to allow nursing apprenticeships in the state. 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.
B4 March 24, 2022
Panthers Pummel the Competition
PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER
The Smiths Station varsity baseball and softball teams are progressing through the middle of their schedules. According to maxpreps.com, the basbeall team sits 12-6 overall and 2-0 in the area; the softball team, according to maxpreps.com, is 10-7 overall, with a 1-1 record in area play.
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B5 March 24, 2022
Bulldogs, Hornets Battle in Local Showdown
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
The Opelika High School varsity baseball team defeated the varsity Beauregard High School baseball team, 14-2, and 10-1, last week in a home-and-home series with the Hornets.
AUBURN >> FROM B1 said freshman Sophia Groth. “We’re excited to compete at home and excited to really knock it out at regionals.” The regional is almost sold out and the remaining tickets can
be found at “You have to be really good this time of year,” Graba said. “This is the national tournament. You don’t make this tournament without earning it and battling through the regular season. Everyone is fully capable of beating
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everyone else, so we need to be on top of our game.” The three-day tournament will begin on March 30 with the first round featuring Iowa State and Western Michigan. The winner will advance to the second round on March 31.
The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. CT and will include the No. 2 seed Tigers, No. 3 seed Kentucky, Georgia and Southern Utah. The evening session of round two will begin at 7 p.m. CT and will feature No. 1 seed Florida, No. 4 seed
Denver and Ohio State as well as the winner of day one. In addition, individuals from Central Michigan, Kent State, New Hampshire, Long Island and Brown will all compete Thursday. The top two teams from each second-round session
will advance to the Sweet Sixteen at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 2. The top two teams from that session will then advance to the NCAA Championships, April 15 and 16, in Fort Worth, Texas.
B6 March 24, 2022
Bark In The Park was Off the Leash
PHOTOS BY ALLIE FOX / FOR THE OBSERVER
Saturday, March 20, Auburn Parks and Recreation and Lee County Humane Society hosted Bark in the Park. The free, community event was open to all dog owners and celebrated responsible dog ownership from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kiesel Park.
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B7 March 24, 2022
B8 March 24, 2022
March Celebration of Music Involvement Month
T
he past two years we have gone through some challenges in life, but music has brought us happiness, hope and joy. March is recognized as Music Involvement Month. Music is an intergenerational enjoyment. Music education is shared in the schools this month with music, movement, dance, poems and stories put to music. Children love to hum, sing or even have a happy baby gurgling which indicates a child is happy. Children love to make music. Infants love to hear their parents and teachers sing to them. As infants recognize their parents and caregivers’ voices, this is a way of bonding. Our toddlers and twos are great imitators, they love to listen and do songs that involve motions with
their hands and feet. Preschool age children enjoy music just for music. They love to sing and hum when they are playing or doing their jobs. I have shared my heart and thoughts on the importance of music for those of us who are aging. I would like to share my thoughts again on how music truly helps my precious sweet friends who have different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Our community does such a wonderful job in addressing this in our different facilities and county programs. In my years as an activity volunteer, I absolutely love to sit down with groups of my senior friends and learn about “The Good Old Days”. We discuss current events, history, seasons, family and
poems during our sit and chats. We laugh at many seasonal jokes as well. As I facilitate the conversation, I glance around at some of my long time senior friend who has a distant stare in their eyes. As I pray, I ask, how can I enrich the quality of life for my senior friends who have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? I quickly reflect back to the very sweet relation I had with my late grandmother “Nanny”, Lillie Mae Jones, who was so active in her outreach of love to her family, church and community. Nanny took time to teach me how to play the piano and sing in her home. As a child, she told me singing and music would always lift my spirits and make me happy. Even when I have felt blue, music has been my happy therapy. As my grandmother grew older in her 80s, I, as a young adult, realized my grandmother seemed to be distant and couldn’t remember things when she and I would talk. But the one connection I had with her was through the music she had taught me. Nanny remembered every word in the hymns we sang together. She may not have remembered my name, but she still remembered Jesus’ name. Listen sometime to Melody Goodman’s
High School Students Invited To Participate In Art Competition CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF REP. MIKE ROGERS
United States Representative Mike Rogers announced last week the Third District Congressional Art Competition is officially open. The competition will be taking place in-person on April 23, 2022. Rogers is inviting all artistic high
school students from across East Alabama to participate. The deadline for submission is Friday, April 15 at 5 p.m. Central. If interested in participating, please visit www.mikerogers.house.gov/ services/third-congressional-district-art-competition.htm for more information.
Any additional questions can be directed to Rachel Wallace in the Oxford District Office at 256-236-5655. The winner’s artwork will be displayed in the Cannon tunnel of the U.S. Capitol building and on House.Gov’s Congressional Art Competition page.
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song, sung by The Booth Brothers “She still Remembers Jesus’ Name” As children or grandchildren of parents or grandparents who have dementia, listening to this song will encourage your heart. Being around young children awaken the senses of happiness and joy with my senior friends. Both generations love music. One thing that I have closely observed with my senior friends who have dementia is that even if their eyes are closed, that their minds and motions come alive when we are singing. The activity professionals who I volunteer with put on different kinds of music to engage and entertain the residents, to calm and uplift the moods of residents, as well as manage the stress that an elderly person may have with dementia. Alzheimer’s and dementia destroy a person’s ability to remember experiences in a person’s life, of family or friends but the memory of music seems to survive the destruction of this disease. For seniors who have different forms of dementia there are so many different kinds of music you can play on CD’s, karaoke, piano or just singing. If you are a caregiver for family members who have dementia, try to remember what their favorite songs were.
TUSKEGEE >> FROM B3 side of the ball after playing three seasons for the Braves. Smith Jr. joins the staff after a year at Miles where he served as the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator. In his lone season with the Golden Bears, Smith helped the program earn its third consecutive Western Division crown before falling in the SIAC Championship game. Prior to joining Miles, Smith proved to be a prominent high school coach in the state of Alabama after six years as the head coach at Hillcrest-Evergreen (Ala.) High School where
You may have to ask older family members if you don’t know. When I am planning programs as an activity volunteer on music favorites from the past, I go to my computer and type in favorite songs from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and on up. The websites that come up when you do this are full of favorite “hits” from the different eras. Some websites provide audio so you can listen to a brief sample of the tune. Lyrics to different songs are provided on the different websites too. The library is a wonderful resource of checking out CD’s, DVD’s and recordings of songs from the past. The librarians in our local libraries have been so very helpful in supplying the musical resources I need for different activity programs. Local libraries will help caregivers find what they need. In activity programs where I have reached out to seniors, when we have birthday parties or socials we put on happy music from the past that our seniors are familiar with. These are fun songs that bring up significant reflections of the past to your loved ones who have dementia. Traditional songs of different eras promote group unity. Happy memory songs also
he led the Jaguars to a 4829 record and six straight Alabama 3A playoff appearances. Smith and his staff won the 3A State Championship in 2017 after defeating Randolph County, 26-14, setting school records for wins and points scored in a season. Thompson comes on as the running backs coach after two seasons begins his second season at Alabama State in a quality control position. Prior to his collegiate coaching career, he spent six of those seasons as a head coach at the school level, including three at Pickens County (Tuscaloosa) where he won two region titles and went to back-to-back state
encourage clapping, toe tapping and other kinds of movement for those who suffer from dementia. This promotes physical exercise, which is needed for good health. When a day is winding down, choosing calm, soothing music calms dementia sufferers. In an evening program I have done, we sang every verse of “Red Sails In the Sunset” by Jimmy Kennedy and Hugh Williams. When it is raining, we sing “Pennies from Heaven” by Arthur Johnston and Johnny Burke and other calm songs from the past. Calm songs seem to reduce a lot of anxiety that dementia sufferers face in the evening. One truth that I hear caregivers of dementia sufferers say over and over is that their “loved one is still there” and that music is one way that they can connect. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease may not disappear but the quality of life can be enhanced by music. I know that this is just “the tip of the iceberg” of help that family and caregivers who are afflicted by dementia and Alzheimer’s can receive for their love ones. Truly minds of the young and old are alive with the sound of music. Beth Pinyerd Classroom Observer
championships in 2016 and 2017. The last three seasons he spent as the head coach at G.W. Carver (Montgomery) posting one of the most successful stints in school history including an 8-0 start in his first season and a city championship in 2020. He posted a 50-22 record overall as a head coach, including a 26-9 region record. FOLLOW THE TIGERS ON SOCIAL For complete coverage of Tuskegee University athletics, follow on social media at @MyTUAthletics (Twitter/Instagram) and visit the official home of Tuskegee University athletics at www.goldentigersports.com.
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L ee County & A labama Politics
B9
Nov. 24, 2021
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Inside the Statehouse Benefactor or Idealogue
ver the years, I have discussed my observations and concepts of the two different roles or routes taken by a U.S. Senator or Congressman during their tenure in Washington. One clearly chooses one of two postures in their representation of you in Washington. Our delegates to DC are either benefactors or idealogues. The role of benefactor is much better for any state, especially Alabama. This public figure is not only a benefactor but also a facilitator and a statesman. In other words, this person is interested and diligent in bringing home federal dollars to the Heart of Dixie. The perfect example of a benefactor, facilitator and a statesman senator is our current U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. No senator in Alabama history has brought home more federal dollars to our state than Shelby. He has helped Alabama more during his 36-years in the senate than any other senator. The second role is idealogue. This politician sees his role as a zealot on issues. The idealogue is more interested in advocating for popular social and non-economic issues with no regard for the state’s financial interests. Beginning in the 1930s and extending for 30 years through the 1960s, we had two of the greatest U.S. Senators in history. Lister Hill and John Sparkman were giants in Washington and were erudite diplomats for our state. They can aptly be described as benefactors, facilitators and statesmen for Alabama. During the 1970s and 1980s, we had two well-respected and effective senators in Judge Howell Heflin and Richard Shelby. Upon arrival of Jeff Sessions in 1996, as the state’s first true blue Republican, we witnessed the portrayal of our first true idealogue. Sessions was the most right-wing, reactionary
See FLOWERS, page B10
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
O
STEVE FLOWERS
Republican in the U.S. Senate. However, he was not a demagogue, he was a true believer and one of the most honest and gentlemanly men I have ever observed in the public arena. He was also well qualified and prepared to be a U.S. Senator having been a U.S. Attorney and Attorney General of Alabama. Alabama cannot afford to have the ultimate demagogic idealogue, Mo Brooks, follow Shelby. It would literally be like exchanging the most effective U.S. Senator in Alabama history with the least effective senator in Alabama history. We would go from having the number one, most powerful senator to the last place number 100th effectiveness for their state in Washington. It would be worse than not having a senator, because the image that Brooks portrays for Alabama is so harmful that we would be better off not to have a second senator, and for a state that depends on federal dollars that would not be a good position for Alabama. A large portion of Alabama’s federal largesse dollars go to the Huntsville area. Brooks has been the congressman from this area for 10 years. He has done nothing towards federal and economic growth in the HuntsvilleTennessee Valley area. Brooks has been an obstacle. He prefers being a bomb-thrower to being an effective representative. The entire growth and prosperity of the Huntsville area can be attributed to Shelby with local assistance from Mayor Tommy Battle. Brooks laissez faire attitude towards government and his allegiance and loyalty to the right-wing clandestine Club for Growth is toxic for Alabama and our dependence on defense dollars. Brooks is an irrelevant, rightwing gadfly whom people just laugh at like a crazy uncle they keep locked in a closet. He has become a national poster boy for crazy theatrics. The image he gives to Alabama hurts us immensely in Washington. He is a pariah for Alabama’s future. Brooks would be a deterrent for Alabama procuring additional or even keeping our current federal defense dollars in Alabama. If Brooks is elected as our senator to replace Shelby, you can expect Redstone Arsenal’s growth to stop and you can kiss the space command headquarters coming to Alabama good-bye.
Senator Randy Price Kicks off Campaign for State Senate, District 13
CONTRIBUTED BY SEN. RANDY PRICE
Last Monday, Sen Randy Price kicked off his Campaign Courthouse Tour across his district. Price is serving his first term in the Alabama State Senate, District 13. The Republican Primary is set for May 24. “It has been an honor to serve as your state senator,” he said. “I will continue to bring common
sense conservative leadership to our district. I am proud of the accomplishments that have been made but there is still more work that needs to be done. I will continue to bring the no-nonsense mentality while demanding accountability in our budgets. “I am the only true lifelong conservative Republican in this race who will fight for our 2nd Amendment rights, protect the unborn and
fight against federal overreach. We are seeing first-hand what the Biden administration is doing to our economy and to checkbooks of the hard-working people across my district and this state. I ask for your trust, support and prayers as we hit the campaign trail running wide open.” District 13 encompasses, Clay, Cleburne, Chambers, Randolph and Lee counties.
Lee County Sheriff’s Take on Concealed Carry Bill BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a new measure into law on March 11 that will change the way gun owners carry their guns. No longer will citizens be required to obtain a concealed carry permit. House Bill 272, The Constitutional Carry Bill, no longer requires citizens to have a permit but also changed the language regarding
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See CONCEALED, page B12
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B10 March 24, 2022
My 1975 Yearbook Quote Relates to Politics and Life
W
GREG MARKLEY
hen I was a high school senior in 1975, we could not just go to Brainy Quote to find a profound or humorous saying. We sought words that would encapsulate our four years at the school. Middle-class families, mine included, did not always have dictionaries and quote books. And public libraries closed early and were not usually open on Sundays. By Monday, our yearbook quotes were due. I turned to my history teacher. At age 26 he had a head full of sayings. We discussed several quotes, but I finally picked one we both liked: “Sometimes we get so obsessed with an obsession that we forget our
original idea.” I felt in 1975 that it applied to me, someone with eclectic interests and a vivid imagination. A December 2021 article for Shutterfly.com listed “60 Memorable Yearbook Quotes.” One Inspirational quote was “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow. It’ll soon be here” which was a 1992 and 1996 campaign song for Bill Clinton. Another Inspirational one was “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Students graduating soon at Auburn University, Southern Union and area high schools are advised to read that Shutterfly article for samples. You may have heard one or both of
these funny quotes: “No more homework, no more books! No more teacher’s dirty looks!” and “You will regret not dating me in high school.” “Choosing a memorable yearbook quote or catchphrase is a great way to make a lasting impression,” explains Shutterfly.com. “Let your legacy live on in the pages of your yearbook and use a quote that reflects your personality and wit.” I met high-profile, hard-charging people as a journalist and soldier who were “so obsessed with an obsession” that their quality of life suffered. These include politicians, lawyers, doctors, professors and small-businessmen who are unheralded heroes. Yet some drifted away from their “original idea” and that upsets me. I’m a capitalist but believe that work should not be 100% about money, or in the case of some office-holders, more power than they can absorb. Millions of people were obsessed with Elvis Presley and Princess Diana, from when Elvis was 20 and Diana was 19. Elvis was “a prisoner in his own home” and his fans were not just fascinated, but obsessed. They wanted to be typical fans, but became obsessed. He died at 42, in poor health compounded worse by taking illicit pills. Diana became more
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller Visits Kiwanis Club
popular than her husband Charles, the future king. She was on more People Magazine covers than anyone. Her fans were obsessed, which in turn led the paparazzi to take photos of her all the time. Even when she was no longer a member of the Royals, her popularity increased. Fans probably knew they were “obsessed with the obsession” but they could not help it. She died in a car crash in 1997 and almost 25 years later people are still obsessed about her. I have noticed in Alabama and Georgia that occasionally businessmen and women get elected to a city council or county commission but maybe did not realize the work load for these “part-timers.” They sometimes serve only one or two terms, but must return to run their small businesses or corporate offices. Some ran for public office as an extension of what they were already
doing to advance the community. But the “original idea” crashed with the obsession of helping the public through politics. Yet the good thing about these business people is that however long they serve, their government body benefits from their knowledge in budgeting and keeping spending down. I often talk to college and university students who take a semester or a year off to earn enough money to attend later. Some of them are frustrated and in fact obsessed with the idea that their friends will graduate before them. Relax. Longevity tables are in your favor, to have 60+ years remaining. Please don’t obsess about losing your place on the upward mobility plane. Remember: the original idea is what matters, not worrying or obsessing about being three months or even three years, behind your
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Fuller provided the Opeilka Kiwanis Club an update on how Opelika is doing during last week's meeting. The speaker on March 31 will be Ed Packard, who is a candidate for Alabama Secretary of State.
FLOWERS
>>
FROM B9 Furthermore, those of you who live in the Montgomery River Region area and those of you who live in the Wiregrass and have depended on MaxwellGunter and Ft. Rucker as your economic engines for generations better grab hold of your wallet. With Brooks as the senator from
Alabama, you may very well see these mega military economic meccas moved to California. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.
classmates.As for yearbook quotes, one that is overused is “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” taken from the opening line of Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities.” In 1975 I was pleased to have a history teacher who availed me of a good quote for the yearbook. That is, “Sometimes we get so obsessed with an obsession that we forget our original idea.” Now students everywhere can get a quote in minutes from Brainy Quote. Politicians can also get good quotes from the Web. That is nice: No reason to be obsessed. 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 March 24, 2022
A Slam Dunk Event!
During the event, John Thomas, a professional basketball player from Beauregard, held a Slam Dunk Exhibition. Thomas has played overseas in South America and Europe for 17 years. He is a Slam Ball National Champion.
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PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Opelika's second Slam Dunk The Junk Event, as part of the city's "Dont be an Opeloser" campaign, hosted members of the community at Covington Rec Center this weekend to participate in a trash pickup, followed by some basketball. Registered participants competed in free throw and/or dunk competitions. OPD members and city officials were in attendance as well.
Rogers Joins Colleagues in Calling For End to Transportation Mask Mandate OP-ED CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF MIKE ROGERS Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) joined Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA) and 126 Republican colleagues in demanding the Biden administration rescind its arbitrary extension of the federal transportation mask mandate. In total, 129 House Republicans signed the letter. The Members sent their letter to the president after the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it was extending the expiring mandate
for aviation and public transportation passengers and workers through April 18, 2022. Highlights from the letter: All across America, masks are coming off as both Republican and Democratic led state governments are dropping mask mandates in the face of delayed, confused and contradictory CDC guidance. The transportation mask mandate extension absurdly came on the same day that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that more than 98% of the U.S. population lives in areas where wearing masks indoors is no longer advised as a necessary preventative measure.
The airline industry, fighting to recover from the pandemic and high fuel prices, has taken extraordinary measures to keep passengers safe, including the use of effective onboard High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration systems and strong disinfection practices and policies. The Administration failed to do the necessary work to harmonize its policies between the CDC’s Feb. 25 announcement of its new Community Level framework and the TSA’s March 10 extension of the transportation mask mandate – applying one standard to most Americans and another to transportation users and workers.
B12 March 24, 2022
Opinion: Alabama's Economic Situation is Hopeful OP-ED CONTRIBUTED BY ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
What a rollercoaster the last two years have been! The Alabama Department of Labor, along with the rest of the country, has certainly experienced this period of historical significance, and we are hopeful to be finally emerging on brighter days. I’m proud of this recovery. It took a lot of hard work on the part of many, not the least of whom is our state’s unbelievably amazing workforce, who rose to the challenge to help get things back on track. Gov. Kay Ivey and her administration, including our workforce partner agencies throughout the state, also came together to assist businesses and workers. The entire staff at ADOL also worked harder than ever before to meet an oftentimes unsustainable demand. In 2021, our unemployment rate dropped to a yearly record low of 3.1%, only two tenths of a percentage point away from our previous record low unemployment rate
CONCEALED
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FROM B9 carry. “Unlike states who are doing everything in their power to make it harder for law abiding citizens, Alabama is reaffirming our commitment to defending our Second Amendment rights,” Ivey said. “I have always stood up for the rights of law abiding gunowners, and I am proud to do that again today.” HB 272 trickles down in Alabama to all levels, including Lee County. Sheriff Jay Jones approached the Lee County Commission in November, before Ivey signed the bill, asking commissioners to continue a requirement for purchasing concealed carry pistol permits. “It’s about pro-community safety,” he said in November. “… The current law that’s in place [requires] a person to obtain, by a fee, a pistol permit, to carry a handgun, concealed on about their person or even more importantly, in their vehicle, as they go about their business. And it’s the business of some that I would like
of 2.9% in June 2019. That’s just amazing. When you remember that our unemployment rate jumped to 13.7% in April of 2020, it’s quite wonderful to see that return to near-record lows in such a short period. Also in April of 2020, Alabama saw the number of people counted as unemployed skyrocket to all-time high of 298,920, but by the same period last year, that number had dropped to 81,599, representing a decrease of 217,321 people. By the end of the year, that number had dropped even more to just under 70,000 people, getting us back in pre-pandemic range. In fact, Alabama had the lowest unemployment rate in the entire Southeast for the last 15 consecutive months. Our unemployment rate annual average for 2021 ranked 5 in the country at 3.4%. This is not to say we don’t still have work to do; I don’t think I’ll ever say that our work is done. There will always be challenges and we must continue to rise up and meet them. Pre-pandemic, even with
educate our workforce, train our workforce, and give opportunities to our workforce. That’s part of ADOL’s mission, and we will constantly strive to meet it. Partly due to circumstances arising from
to address. “The tool allows us when we encounter people, who, are generally up to no good quite frankly, in possession of a weapon because they’re not going to get a permit … Criminals aren’t going to go to the trouble of getting a permit. And we depend on that. Because as a result of that, we can confront them when we encounter them without one in a vehicle and are able, in many cases, to relieve them of those weapons, which many times, are stolen.” At the time, three citizens spoke against Jones’ request, however, the commission voted in favor of his resolution. Three commissioners voted in favor, while District 5 Commissioner Richard LaGrand abstained. “You know, Jay, if this is something that helps you and the three gentlemen back there with you in law enforcement, if it helps y’all do your job, I would encourage the commission to support this,” said District 4 Commissioner Robert Ham. “And I think what I just heard is that it did.” Now that HB272 has
been signed into law, however, Jones said he supports Ivey’s efforts for Second Amendment Rights. “[I] agree that Alabama should be strong in affirming the rights of law-abiding gun owners,” he said in a statement to The Observer. “Whether the purpose is for protection of self and family or to engage in hunting or sporting activities, the right to acquire and own a firearm is fundamental. As a Sheriff, I support citizens exercising this right and encourage the concept of responsibility by acquiring the knowledge and skills to safely handle and maintain a firearm.” His concerns, however, are still in place, he said. “Law enforcement professionals at all levels remain concerned that a tool utilized by our peace officers around Alabama has been removed,” Jones said. “These concerns are based on experience and knowledge gained by those who keep our communities safe every day. We will remain vigilant and our hope is that our concerns do not come to fruition when the law takes effect next year.”
record breaking economic conditions, there were labor shortages. Those still exist today. We will continue to
the pandemic, Alabama also saw major wage gains over the past year. In August of 2021, our average weekly earn-
AL. DEPT. OF LABOR SEC. FITZGERALD WASHINGTON
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ings rose to a brand-new record high of $988.89. That’s $138.16 a week HIGHER than in August 2019 — before we’d even heard of COVID-19. Throughout the year, we saw various sectors reach and break wage
records, including the construction sector, which saw wages go above $1100 a week, and the manufacturing sector, which saw wages of more than $1200 a week. In traditionally lower wage industries, such as leisure and hospitality, we saw over-the-year increases of nearly $50. To see that kind of increase in such a short time frame is fairly remarkable. It just doesn’t happen. When you look at the jobs count in Alabama, there’s even more good news. From January 2021 to December 2021, we saw an increase of 61,800 jobs. That means employers added more than 60,000 jobs, despite lingering economic pandemic related concerns. We are working toward reaching our pre-pandemic record high jobs count, and I’m extremely hopeful that we will be able to bypass that record this year. Many of our metro areas landed in the top #100 nationwide for lowest unemployment rate — Huntsville, Decatur, Auburn, Opelika, Daphne, Fairhope and
Foley. There are jobs — good jobs — in Alabama, and employers are willing to offer incentives to attract a quality workforce. We are in the business of providing a quality workforce. It’s one of Governor Ivey’s major goals. We at ADOL are happy to do our part in helping to achieve that goal. To that end, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to remind everyone of the many free services our Career Centers offer. We’re now up to 55 locations statewide, and we touch each of Alabama’s 67 counties. If you’re a jobseeker, we can help you with your résumé, work on interview skills or get you enrolled in just about any type of educational or vocational training. Want to be a truck driver? A nurse? A welder? We can help with all of that. For employers, we can help you find qualified employees — we prescreen for you, provide you with interview space, and can even help with salary credits. Check us out at www. labor.alabama.gov — we’re here to help.
B13 March 24, 2022
PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM RAYMOND BARBER, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY ALABAMA CASE NO. Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 25th 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. BETTY DUN Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP Post Office Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 334-745-3504 Legal Run 03/10/22, 03/17/22 & 3/24/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MARJORIE HORNE, Deceased CASE NO. 2022-091 TAKE NOTICE THAT Letters Testamentary having been granted to Roxyeann Chambers, as Executrix of the Estate of Marjorie Horne, deceased on the 25th day of February, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Probate Judge. NOTICE IS HEREBY given that all persons having claims against the said estate are required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Roxyeann Chambers Estate of Marjorie Horne By: Mark H. Carlton Attorney for the Estate 9 LaFayette Street North LaFayette, AL 36862 Legal Run 3/10/22, 3/17/22 & 3/24/22 ------------NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF ROGER D. BELL, DECEASED PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2022-083 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of ROGER D. BELL are hereby granted to Jean Bell Martin on the 23rd 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 time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Jean Bell Martin Legal Run 3/10/22, 3/17/22 & 3/24/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY ALABAMA IN RE: THE MATTER OF ROSA MAE PARKER CASE NO. 2022-062 NOTICE OF HEARING TO: ANY UNKOWN Heirs of Rosa Mae Parker Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Letters of Administration for the Estate of Rosa Mae Parker was filed on February 11, 2022. A hearing has been set for the 4th day of April 2022 at 1 I :00 a.m. central time, electronically via "ZOOM". Please contact the Lee County Probate Court at 334-737-3670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the hearing of the Petition for Letters of Administration for the Estate of Rosa Mae Parker. BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama Legal Run 3/10/22, 3/17/22 & 3/24/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF: REX THUNDA SCOTT, deceased CASE NO.: 2022-104 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to JONATHAN R. SCOTT on the 3rd day of March, 2022 by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of 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. JONATHAN R. SCOTT Legal Run 3/10/22, 3/17/22 & 3/24/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The estate of Elizabeth McConnell, Deceased. Case No. 2022-058 TAKE NOTICE that Letters Administration having been granted to Melissa McConnell as Administratrix of the Estate of Elizabeth McConnell, deceased, on the 7th day of March, 2022. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred. Administratrix of the Estate of Elizabeth McConnell, Deceased Legal Run 03/10/22, 03/17/22 & 03/24/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA; IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: MICHAEL E. LITTLEJOHN, Deceased Case No.: 2022- 056 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Lawana Littlejohn Cowart, Personal Representative on the 8th day of March, 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. Lawana Littlejohn Cowart Legal Run 3/10/22, 3/17/22 & 3/24/22 ------------STATE OF ALABAMA LEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT CASE NO. 2022-115 ESTATE OF TRACIE OLIVE MOORE,
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DECEASED NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR Letters of Administration of the Estate of Tracie Olive Moore, deceased having been granted to Franklin Olive this 11th day of March 2022, by the Honorable 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 the law or the same will be barred. Franklin Olive, Personal Representative Jeffery A. Hilyer 334-745-2564 Attorney at Law P.O. Box 30 Opelika, AL 36803-0030 Legal Run 3/17/22, 3/24/22 & 3/31/22 ------------STATE OF ALABAMA CASE NO. 2022-107 LEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT ESTATE OF HAROLD THAD ROGERS, DECEASED NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Letters Testamentary of said Harold Thad Rogers, deceased, having been granted to Amy Jeanette Rogers this 11th day of March 2022, by the Honorable 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 the law or the same will be barred. Amy Jeanette Rogers, Personal Representative LEGAL RUN 3/17/22, 3/24/22 & 3/31/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE:THE ESTATE OF JOHN B. JENKINS, DECEASED. Case No. 2022-137 TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Jason Jenkins, as Executor of the Estate of John B. Jenkins, deceased, on the 15th day of March, 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. Jason Jenkins, Executor Of the Estate of John B. Jenkins, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Run 3/17, 3/24 & 3/31 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF CASSANDRA DOWELL ALLEN IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2021-689 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: Any potential unknown father of K.S. D. Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Cassandra Dowell Allen on January 24, 2022, for the adoption of C.D.A., born on December 31, 2014, in Opelika, Alabama to Nykeria Lynn Dowell. A hearing has been set in the Lee County Probate Court, Opelika, Alabama. Should you intend to contest this adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Kimberly M. Dean, P.O. Box 23 I, 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 16th day of March 2022. HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEECOUNTY,ALABAMA Legal Run 3/24/22, 3/31/22, 4/7/22 & 4/14/22 ------------RESOLUTION NO. 054-22 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE VACATION OF AN UNNAMED ALLEY LYING BETWEEN
SOUTH 10TH STREET AND THE RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY WHEREAS, Marsh Real Estate Investments, LLC, an Alabama limited liability company, is the owner of all property abutting upon an unnamed alley lying in Block 47 as shown on Totten’s Real Estate Map of the City of Opelika, 1930, which is recorded in Plat Book 2 at Page 9 in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, said alley lying between South 10th Street and the CSX Railroad right-of-way; and WHEREAS, a Petition to vacate said alley, duly executed by Marsh Real Estate Investments, LLC, as the abutting property owner, has been presented to the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”), a municipal corporation, for the assent and approval of the governing body, said Petition with map attached being hereto affixed, marked Exhibit “A” and made a part hereof; and WHEREAS, the Petition is filed in accordance with the provisions of §23-4-20, Code of Alabama, 1975, which provides that any street or alley may be vacated, in whole or in part, by the owner or owners of the land abutting the street or alley or abutting that portion of the street or alley desired to be vacated; and WHEREAS, the unnamed alley 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. Being further described according to and as shown by that certain survey or drawing attached hereto and marked Exhibit “B”. WHEREAS, said unnamed alley is not being used by anyone as a public alley; and WHEREAS, the Petition states that no property owners will be deprived of any right they may have to convenient and reasonable means of ingress and egress to and from their property as a result of the requested vacation; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was conducted by the City Council on the 15th day of March, 2022, at which all persons were given the opportunity to be heard in favor of or in opposition to the proposed vacation; and WHEREAS, public notice of the public hearing was provided in accordance with §23-4-2, Code of Alabama, 1975; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the City to vacate said unnamed alley as described in the attached Petition and said unnamed alley should be returned to the abutting property owner. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Opelika that the vacation of the abovedescribed unnamed alley is assented to and approved and the same is hereby vacated pursuant to the provisions of Section 23-4-20, et.seq. of the Code of Alabama, and also pursuant to said Code in §352-54. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Opelika, Alabama, a municipal corporation, remise, release and quitclaim unto Marsh Real Estate Investments, LLC, whatever right, title and interest the said City of Opelika, Alabama, may have
acquired in and to the above described unnamed alley by virtue of the dedication or vacation of said roadway or otherwise. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Gary Fuller, the Mayor of the City of Opelika, Alabama, a municipal corporation, be and he is hereby authorized and directed on behalf of the City of Opelika, Alabama, to execute a quitclaim deed to Marsh Real Estate Investments, LLC, for the purpose of carrying out the intent and intention of this Resolution and that Russell A. Jones, City Clerk, be and he is hereby authorized and directed on behalf of the City of Opelika, Alabama, to attest the same. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk will cause a copy of this Resolution to be filed in the Probate Office of Lee County, Alabama, and shall further cause a copy of this Resolution to be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in Lee County, Alabama, no less than fourteen (14) days after its adoption. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 15th day of March, 2022. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK Legal Run 03/24/2022 ------------NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO. 2021-724 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of WILLIAM L. HALL, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by Regina Ophelia Hall on December 22, 2021, pursuant to Section 43-2690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent. BILL ENGLISH PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 03/24/2022 ------------NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF CLAIRE OSWALT GRIGG, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 14th day of March, 2022, by the Hon. 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 our hands, and dated this the 14th day of March, 2022. CLAIRE GRIGG PLOTT CLAUDIA GRIGG ELLIS CATHERINE GRIGG GOLDEN Legal Run 3/24/22, 3/31/22 & 4/7/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF GWENDOLYN S. MCCRACKEN, DECEASED CASE NO.: 2022-138 NOTICE OF THE FILING OF PETITION FOR SUMMARY DISTRIBUTION Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by John Thomas McCracken on March 15, 2022 pursuant to Section 43-2-690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent. BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 03/24/2022
See PUBLIC NOTICES, page B16
B14 March 24, 2022
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B15 March 24, 2022
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B16 March 24, 2022
Pool Contractor Arrested through Lee County for Theft of Property in the First Degree (by deception) as well as a Fugitive from Justice Warrant for Harris County Georgia on Theft Charges. On March 14, 2022, Napier was arrested in Lee County and has since posted a $10,000.00 bond. He is being held in the Lee County Jail awaiting extradition to Harris County. More charges are expected in Lee County as well as other jurisdictions. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867)
CONTRIBUTED BY OPD
During the month of February 2022, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office received two reports of Theft of Property 1st Degree (by Deception) regarding Michael Ray Napier (62) from Phenix City obtaining thousands of dollars from citizens in order for him to build them swimming pools. Napier (Precision Pools) received two checks totaling approximately $50,000.00 from two Lee County victims for services which he did not complete. Investigators found that there were more victims from Lee County as well as Muscogee and Harris counties in Georgia. Two warrants were obtained
PUBLIC NOTICES >> FROM B13 ------------NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF WILLIAM WAYNE DANIEL, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 16th day of March, 2022, by the Hon. 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 our hands, and dated this the 16th day of March, 2022. WILLIAM E. BLACKMON Legal Run 3/24/22, 3/31/22 & 4/7/22 ------------CITY OF OPELIKA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
MICHAEL RAY NAPIER REDISTRICTING OF CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, to receive public input on City Council District boundaries. Redistricting is the process of adjusting district boundaries to reflect local population changes, so that each district continues to contain substantially the same number of people as the other districts. Redistricting occurs every ten (10) years after new census data is released. Pursuant to Ala. Code §11-44D-8, the Mayor has heretofore filed with the City Council a report and recommended map for the redistricting of the five (5) City Council Districts. The Mayor’s recommended plan and map is on file and available for inspection in the office of the City Clerk during regular business hours and is also available for inspection on the City’s
Internet website, www. opelika-al.gov. All interested persons will be given reasonable opportunity to express their opinions, comments and views, either orally or in writing or both, at the public hearing. Persons unable to attend the hearing may submit their opinions, comments and views to the Office of the City Clerk, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika, Alabama, 36801. 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 any disability. DATED this the 24th day of March, 2022. /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 03/24/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF VERBIE UREATHER SAWYER, DECEASED IN THE PRO BATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASENO.: 2022-157 Notice is hereby given that
a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the Lee County Probate Office by Catherine Stephens on March 18 t h 2022. Pursuant to Section 43-2-690. Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY ALABAMA LEGAL RUN 03/24/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF WILLIE G. BARNETT, DECEASED. TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Peggy Jean Barnett, as Executrix of the Estate of Willie G. Barnett, deceased, on the 17th day of March, 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.
Peggy Jean Barnett, Executrix Of the Estate of Willie G. Barnett, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Legal Run 03/24/22, 3/31/22 & 4/7/22 ------------NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under The Self Service Storage Act. The undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on Thursday the 14th day of April, 2022 at 10:00 AM on Lockerfox. com. Said property is iStorage, 501 North 26th St, Opelika, AL, 36801 Paula Knapp 1067 furniture, couch, pool table, chair, mattress and box springs, bed frame household items. Krista Mendoza 3051 Funiture Boxes Totes Household Goods Drywall Sprayer. Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase by cash only. All purchased items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of
the sale. Sale is subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Legal Run 03/24/2022 ------------NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under The Self Service Storage Act. The undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on Thursday the 14th day of April, 2022 at 10:00 AM on Lockerfox. com. Said property is iStorage, 3806 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika, AL, 36801 Leak, Charita 12 Christmas tree, Totes, kids toys, 4x8 treated plywood, trailer hitch rack. Alex Patmalnee 29 Electronics, Sound Equipment, Mattress, Box Springs Shelves clothes. Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase by cash only. All purchased items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of the sale. Sale is subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Legal Run 03/24/2022
Lunch & LEARN
April 7th | 11:30AM - 1:00PM
At the Opelika Public Library
REGISTER AT WWW.OPELIKACHAMBER.COM! Learn about funding for free training opportunities in these industries:
MANUFACTURING
IT
CONSTRUCTION
HEALTHCARE
THIS WEEK’S PUZZLE ANSWERS:
TRANSPORTATION