Opelika Observer 07-17-2019 E-edition

pelika Observer O

Vol. 11, No. 41

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Opelika, Alabama

“By local people, for local people.”

Dayspring NatureShop to reopen in Opelika this fall

By Morgan Bryce Editor

One of Auburn's most beloved businesses is being relocated to Opelika.

This fall, new Dayspring NatureShop Owner Cherie Brooks will open the nearly 50-yearold health and wellnessoriented business in the previous home of Sikes Feed and Seed, Inc. at 1101 Ave. C. "It's like I've been given the chance of a lifetime and it's just really amazing really to think about being given this opportunity," Brooks said.

Brooks purchased the business earlier this year from Sebastien Wersinger, who had been operating the business since his mother and previous owner Yolande passed

Photo by Morgan Bryce/Opelika Observer Cherie Brooks, pictured above, sits in front of the future location of her business Dayspring NatureShop at 1101 Ave. C in Opelika. Previously located in Auburn, the business is expected to be opened by early fall. away in March 2017.

A Fairhope native, Brooks was first exposed to Dayspring as a 19-year-old college student, working part time at the store while taking classes at South-

ern Union's Opelika campus.

"I fell in love with that store during my initial year and a half there. It changed my life outlook towards health and nutrition," Brooks said.

After years away, Brooks returned to the Auburn-Opelika area in September 2017.

Earlier this year, Sebastian sat Brooks, Store Manager Brad Butcher See Dayspring, page A5

Opelika Chamber of Commerce's 78th annual meeting held last week

Photo special to the Opelika Observer

By Morgan Bryce Editor

nization’s 78th annual meeting.

During the early portion of ceremony presentations, the crowd enjoyed a meal of baked chicken and oven-baked potatoes catered by

Hundreds of Opelika Chamber of Commerce members gathered at Opelika High School’s indoor practice facility last Wednesday afternoon for the orga-

See Chamber, page A9

Alabama's 14th annual sales tax City of Smith Station celebrates opening of Historic Jones Store holiday returns this weekend Special to the Opelika Observer Alabama's 14th annual sales tax holiday for school-related items is set for July 19-21.

From 12:01 a.m. July 19 until midnight July 21, the state waives its four-percent sales tax on school-related supplies and clothing. More than 300 cities and counties throughout Alabama will waive their local taxes as well, including Auburn, Opelika, Smiths Station and other communities throughout Lee County.

Exempt items will include: - books that cost $30 or less per book - clothing priced at $100 or less per article of clothing

- school supplies valued at $50 or less per item and - tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.

In conjunction with the Backto-School Sales Tax Holiday the Alabama Retail Association encourages individuals to be part of the social media promotion by using the hashtag #StacheSomeSupplies to show them how they are taking advantage of the tax savings. In addition, Alabama Retail will continue its campaign reminding shoppers to buy from local retailers with their #ShopAlabama initiative.

Look for content on their Facebook page and on Instagram at @ShopAlabama.

Museum last weekend

By Morgan Bryce Editor Smiths Station city officials celebrated the opening of the Historic Jones Store Museum last Friday and Saturday.

On Friday evening, there was a ribboncutting and dedication ceremony of the museum led by Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland. He recognized two longtime educators, T.C. Britton and E.L. Debrow, by proclamation and spoke on the importance of the occasion.

“I inherited this project when I became mayor, but I knew nothing about relocating an old building like this. It took a lot of reading, online search-

Index

OPINION.....................................A4 SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY..............A7 RELIGION..............................A13 CALENDAR..................................A14

SPORTS..................................B1 POLITICS.....................................B7 LEGALS.......................................B11 ENTERTAINMENT........................B12

Photo by Morgan Bryce/Opelika Observer

ing, prayer and hard work from everybody here to make this possible,” Copeland said.

After the ribbon cutting, guests were able to tour the museum and receive more detailed information about the exhibits inside from members of the city’s historic

preservation commission.

Refreshments were available and there was live music from local musician Grandin Eakle.

Final museum hours have not been set but updates will be posted on the city’s Facebook page.

For more information, call 334-297-8771.

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NO CREDIT CHECK 334-742-0607

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pelika O Observer

A2 July 17, 2019

Storybook Farms breaks ground on ‘Papa Bear Horse Center’ last week

O Town hosts ‘Daddy Daughter Date Night’ last month

Photos by Ann Cipperly Above: Groundbreaking of the Storybook Farm Papa Bear Horse Center was held on July 11. The new facility will allow Storybook Farm to better serve their riders and participants. Storybook Farm received a grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation, and with Stone Martin Builders, is constructing a new facility that will be home to the farm’s 18 horses as well as provide office and event space. Pictured at the groundbreaking are, from left, Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller, StoryBook Farm’s Chief Operating Officer Sara Medley, Storybook’s Founder and Executive Director Dena Little and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. Below: The board at Storybook Farm is pictured with Medley, Little, owner and CEO of Stone Martin Builders Mitchell Martin and Peyton Anderson Foundation Trustee Reid Hanson.

“Our Mission is Your Health”

Beauregard Drugs SPRING IS HERE…

And so are your Allergies!

We can help get you feeling better faster.

Stop by today.

334-364-9993 phone | 334-364-9997 fax 7667 Alabama Hwy 51, Ste. A, Opelika www.beauregarddrugs.com

pelika Observer

Publisher: Michelle Key Editor: Morgan Bryce Marketing: Doug Horn and Woody Ross Photojournalist: Robert Noles Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Sports Writers: Rick Lanier and Michelle@opelikaobserver.com D. Mark Mitchell

O

w w w. o p e l i k a o b s e r v e r . c o m 216 S. 8th Street, Opelika, AL 36801 Copyright 2009. All right reserved. Opelika Observer is published weekly by Opelika Observer, 216 S 8th St. Opelika, AL 36801. Periodicals postage is paid at Opelika, AL. USPS #025104 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Opelika Observer, 216 S. 8th Street, Opelika, AL 36801

CORRECTIONS

Photos by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer O Town hosted “Daddy Daughter Date Night” last month. There were specially-themed sundaes, games on the grass and more. According to O Town co-owner Angela George, the event showcased the shop’s family-friendly atmosphere and was an “opportunity to bring families closer.”

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pelika O Observer

A3 July 17, 2019

EAMC News: EAMC Adds Neonatology Services to Level II Nursery; To Begin Using New MALDI-TOF Technology Special to the Opelika Observer With the addition of East Alabama Medical Center’s (EAMC) first neonatologist, Audra Prince, M.D.,the hospital now offers patients a seven-bed Level II nursery with neonatology services. A Level II nursery is a special care nursery organized with the equipment and personnel to care for infants born at 32 weeks gestation that weigh more than 1,500 grams (about 3.3 pounds).

Prince is the first neonatologist to join EAMC’s Womens and Childrens services team.

She is board certified in neonatal-perinatal medicine, received her medical degree from the University of Arkansas and completed both her fellowship in neonatology and her residency in pediatrics at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Prince is originally from Opelika, and was born at Lee County Hospital before it became East Alabama Medical Center.

Before Prince began practicing at EAMC, the medical staff stabilized premature babies before they were transferred to an out-of-town NICU. Now babies who are born at 32 weeks gestation and older are able

Prince to stay at EAMC as they grow and improve to a Level of health that is proper for discharge.

“Having a baby transferred to a NICU out of town is extremely stressful for the family,” said Executive Director of Womens and Childrens services at EAMC Rosemary Cummings.

“Typically, while the mother is recovering from childbirth, someone else will have to leave her side to travel with the baby to a NICU hours away, which is a challenge. Breastfeeding is also extremely challenging in these circumstances.”

Not only does Prince bring a new Level of expertise to the Level II nursery at EAMC, she is also able to provide stabilization and the first steps of special care for babies who will be transferred to a NICU. “Knowing that we

now have a neonatologist on staff can reassure parents that we have even more advanced skills in our Mother/ Baby Unit that can enhance what our pediatricians are already doing,” Cummings said.

“This new specialty is greatly enhancing the already robust Women and Children Services that we offer,” said EAMC Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Jane Fullum.

“With more than 2,000 babies being born each year at EAMC, adding a wealth of knowledge that Dr. Prince brings is helping us to better meet the needs of our community, which is one of the fastest growing communities in the Southeast.”

MALDI-TOF Technology East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) recently began using a new technology that allows the rapid identification of bacterial organisms.

This new equipment, called Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF), can process and identify more than 500 types of bacterial infections in a matter of minutes.

“As an infectious disease specialist, I can tell you this is a gamechanger,” said Ricardo

Maldonado, M.D. of East Alabama Infectious Disease. “My job is to treat our most vulnerable and sickest patients who are mostly dealing with life-threatening infections, and time is of the essence.

With traditional methods that we have used for decades, it took between three-to-five days to fully know the identification of responsible bacteria that makes our patients sick.”

Maldonado said MALDI-TOF will identify these bacteria quicker.

“The impact is more than significant and, in many cases, will be lifesaving. The same can be said for my job as the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at EAMC. Our team will figure out organisms more rapidly and allow us to make faster antibiotic recommendations to our colleagues, or in other cases, avoid using unnecessary antibiotics, preventing the development of resistance as well as undesirable side effects,” Maldonado said.

Patients dealing with serious infections depend on timely and effective antibiotic therapy.

Microbiology Supervisor at EAMC

Jeff Payne said “the MALDI-TOF will help our Microbiology Laboratory get the bacteria identification very quickly. At the earliest signs of bacterial growth, we can use this technology to identify these bacteria in a matter of minutes.”

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest health challenges of our time. This has been driven by the largely unnecessary use of antibiotics.

“Identifying bacteria rapidly is so important,” said EAMC Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist Darrell Childress. “The faster we can identify bacteria, the faster we can begin a more specific and effective treatment.

At the same time, we will be able to narrow down the antibiotic needed for a patient’s specific infection.”

Childress said this is key because treating with a broad-spectrum antibiotic to cover a wide range of bacterial infections that the patient may not have is what leads to bugs (illnesses) that are resistant to antibiotics.

“These are just some of the many benefits of having the MALDITOF,” Childress said.

For EAMC, being able to treat patients

Lee County Association of Realtors partners with NAR in supporting AHP efforts Special to the Opelika Observer The Lee Association of Realtors supports the National Association of Realtors (NAR) defense of the Department of Labor’s Association Health Plan rule. NAR recently submitted an amicus brief in the ongoing federal litigation of the AHP rule. Amicus briefs are legal documents filed in appellate court cases by non-litigants that have a strong interest in the subject

matter in question. Earlier this year, a federal court ruled that provisions of the DOL’s rule were unlawful, a ruling that adversely impacts Realtors seeking more cost effective and comprehensive health insurance solutions through AHP options.

“Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act resulted in significant regulatory changes to the individual insurance market, some of which have benefited Realtors,” the brief reads.

“However, ACA changes have also resulted in significant increases in health care costs, leaving many individuals to forgo coverage, which jeopardizes the health, safety and financial stability of their families and others.”

The Lee County Association of Realtors, along with a number of other state and local associations, are vocalizing their strong support of efforts to protect AHPs, which have been the subject of litigation since shortly

after the rule was finalized in June 2018. Five state and local associations offer AHPs to members, including the Baldwin County Association of Realtors in Alabama, the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors, the Nevada Realtors® and the Tennessee Realtors.

Realtor is a registered collective membership mark

faster means greater outcomes for our patient population.

Patients will get better faster, leave the hospital sooner and have fewer adverse effects from the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

About East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) East Alabama Medical Center is a 340-bed regional referral hospital located in Opelika that serves a six-county area. The EAMC organization includes EAMC-Lanier hospital in Valley; between the two hospitals and their collective service lines, there are about 3,300 employees in the organization. EAMC is Lee County’s second largest employer. Among the services that EAMC provides are open-heart surgery and cancer treatment, both of which are highly acclaimed specialties at EAMC. EAMC also operates non-mainstream services, including RehabWorks, HealthPlus Fitness Center, the Diabetes and Nutrition Center, the Wound Treatment Center and the Auburn University Medical Clinic. EAMC-Lanier has a nursing home, acute rehab unit, detox unit and offers occupational medicine.

For more information, visit www.eamc.org.

EVENTS • July 20 – The Babypalooza Baby and Maternity Expo, sponsored by EAMC, is coming to The Bottling Plant Event Center in Opelika on July 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At this event, there will be Baby 101 seminars, vendors, games, pre and postnatal health information and more. New moms and mothersto-be can visit www.babypalooza. com for more information.

HEALTH CARE AWARENESS Month-Long Recognitions July 2019 • Cord Blood Awareness Month • Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month

See NAR, page A5

At East Alabama Medical Center, our mission is high quality, compassionate health care, and that statement guides everything we do. We set high standards for customer service, quality, and keeping costs under control. We feel that our patients deserve nothing short of excellence, and we are committed to providing exceptional medical care with respect and compassion.

2000 Pepperell Parkway Opelika, AL 334-749-3411 www.eamc.org

pelika O Opinion

A4 July 17, 2019

32 cents and small decisions

I

t is a Saturday, and I am standing in front of a Coinstar machine in my local Walmart. This morning when it took both hands to lift my purse onto my shoulder, I reached down into the darkness of my well-worn, namebrand knockoff bag. And with both hands, I lifted out enough change to fill a Mason jar. So now I’m in line behind a lady wearing high heels and a bathing suit and in front of two screaming children playing tug of war with each other’s hair so that I can dump my coins into a machine that will spit out a receipt which can be exchanged for bills.

When it’s finally my turn, the Coinstar eats my coins and I’m left with a piece of paper worth roughly 40 bucks… and a leftover 32 cents.

Thirty two cents may not seem like much, but I recently learned how valuable a quarter, a nickel, and two pennies can be.

Just a week ago, on July 4th, while the whole country was lit up with fireworks and a million or so Grill Daddy Master Grills earning their keep, I met a lovely family. My best friend’s family.

They were warm and welcoming and made

I

By Wendy Hodge

me feel at home in their house by the lake. Ping pong was played, and a champion was crowned.

Fish were fried, and wine was poured. And when the rain danced on the tin roof, eyes closed and heads nodded. And threaded in and out of every minute was laughter. The fullbelly kind of laughter that makes your eyes water and your smile hurt.

When my favorite time of day slipped up on us, and the afternoon shadows grew long, we gathered around a table on the wraparound porch overlooking the water. Mellow with wine and hours of sun, I did what I do best and asked for everyone’s story.

“How did you two meet?” I asked my best friend’s mom.

“Oh, now there’s a story,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “It was so long ago.”

Smiling, she leaned forward in her chair, eager to talk. “I was in college,

standing in line in the school cafeteria, when I saw this handsome man right here.” She motioned to her husband, who smiled at me and winked.

“Well, of course, I noticed his legs and his cute butt (she said that last part with a lowered voice and a shy grin). He’d been a lifeguard, so he was all tan and fit.”

“My mom, the hussy,” my best friend whispered in my ear, laughing.

His mother took another drink of her red wine and continued. “He heard me tell my friend that I thought his legs were cute, so he asked if I wanted one! Can you imagine?”

The whole table laughed and poured another glass.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see him again,” she continued, “but that very night there was an auction on campus. Girls would bid on eligible bachelors, and if you placed the winning bid you got a date with the man you ‘won.’”

“Here’s the good part,” my best friend’s cousin said.

“Well, there was this red-headed girl named Roslyn (this was said as if the word was a bit sour in her mouth). He had been dating her, though I can’t See Hodge, page A6

Things I love A

ndy Griffith. He would definitely be near the top of my list. I can’t think of many things better than Andy and Barney.

Next would be barbecue. In fact, it’s a toss up between Andy and barbecue.

Some of the best pulled pork I’ve ever had was at Tin Top Barbecue Restaurant, in Columbiana, Alabama. If you ever visit, tell them Sean sent you. They will look at you funny and say, “Who in the Sam Hill is Sean?”

Also, I love pictures of my friends. I recently had a picture taken with a buddy. When I saw the photo, I noticed how old I look. And it was a bittersweet feeling. It was a feeling that, perhaps, I need to cut back on carbs.

Laughter from a child.

Especially a child who considers you to be their favorite non-parental adult. Like my niece, Lily.

Cowboy hats. I love them. As a child, I admired cowboys so much that I started collecting cattleman hats. My wife says I own WAY too many, and is threatening

By Sean Dietrich

to have a neighborhood bonfire.

Good T-shirts. They’re hard to find. I don’t want slogans printed on them, or brand names. I just want a plain color, loose collar and I need it to be soft. Maybe a few peanut butter stains on the chest.

Dogs who sleep all day. I love lazy dogs. In fact, you could say that I aspire to be one.

Typewriters, fresh newspapers, the sounds of lawnmowers in the distance, Hank Aaron, Shirley Jones singing “Goodnight My Someone,” John Wayne, and black-and-white photographs.

Garlic, cooking in a skillet. Homegrown heirloom tomatoes. Conecuh Quickfreeze sausage.

The fuzzy storyboards from Sunday school class.

A good book. One that’s written by someone who isn’t trying to impress you with five-

dollar words.

The color yellow.

Lamps with shades. I am serious about that. I cannot stand harsh overhead lighting. It makes me uneasy. I cannot think of a single moment in U.S. history where life has been enhanced by sterile overhead lighting.

If the Good Lord wanted us to have overhead lights, he would have given fluorescent bulbs to Charlton Heston on Mount Sinai.

Let’s see. I already said cowboy hats.

The Gulf of Mexico, which is not just the gulf to me, it is home. I see the gulf and my whole life comes back at once.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

It is here where I became me. It is here where I met the woman who is seated beside me right now. The same woman who is watching a movie on her laptop while I write. Who loved me enough to teach me the true meaning of putting the toilet seat down.

Flour. White. Mixed with lard, buttermilk, salt and baking powder.

Jazz. The old kind.

See Dietrich, page A5

Receiving grace through tough times

love the way the Opelika community celebrates the good old summertime, even embracing the typical quick and fleeting rain showers.

As I look at young children squeal in delight as they play in the puddles that are amde, I realize young children teach us so much about expressing joy in the middle of a storm.

Vivian Green coins it just right: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

In having sit and chat

and learning times with my senior friends, we have talked quite frankly about how to get through tough times. Many of my senior friends have been caregivers of spouses, lost their spouses and maybe children. Too, they may have endured health challenges as well as historical world events such as the Great Depression and World War II. My elderly friends have walked and experienced the road of life. They share that rough times and pain are a part of life and love and that it

By Beth Pinyerd

helps you to grow!

Here are a few tips that my senior friends shared with me in order to get through the valleys and tough times of life: When tough times hap-

pen, admit how you are feeling - don’t hide or bury your feelings when you are going through tough times. I reflect back on a time in my life when the school I was teaching in for so many years closed.

The school, students and parents had been my life and love for years. I kept denying my feelings of loss over the closing of the school. I tried to bury the hurt feelings. My pastor discerned that I was hurting. His wise advice to me was to take time to actually go to my classroom I had

taught in for so many years and grieve. His suggestion helped me so very much that I allowed myself to cry and grieve over a passage in my life and over something which I did not have control. It took a few months, but after taking time and admitting the hurt feelings that I had to the Lord and close friends, things got better. I was able to move on.

Loss of a loved one, loss of a job or loss of a way of life can bring on uncertain emotional feelings which require time for us to

grieve in order to be whole and move on. God has made us this way.

Each of us handle tough times in our lives differently according to the way God made us. Talking to close friends and family about your concerns and fears will help you to better understand what you may be going through and too, friends and family who have gone through similar tough times can shed light and perspective on what you might need.

See Pinyerd, page A5

Trying to figure out what is Southern

B

ack in my teaching days, one of my favorites was a course designed to introduce students to what is euphemistically called (by people into euphemisms) “Southern culture.”

In the course, we talked about things like regional mythology, religion, humor, literature, folklore, music, manners and such, but no matter what we covered, I kept trying to get students to ask themselves and tell me “what makes it Southern?”

This is not easy to answer, because most of my students, being Southern, knew (or believed they knew) Southern without thinking about it. Which made them even more Southern than they were, if that is possible.

Except for that one.

He (it is always a guy) was uncomfortable with

intuition, needs certainty, wanted it explained so he could write it down. If anyone ever told him to “go with the flow,” he'd want to know where the flow was going. He was the logical one, the one who can’t accept something because it feels right, so he makes you explain the vitals and vinegar out of it so he can memorize the skin and bones.

Now how, I asked myself, can I satisfy his pursuit of passionless knowledge (or passionless pursuit of knowledge, take your pick) without turning off those other students who instinctively know that some things can’t be, shouldn’t be, listed and filed, but felt?

Searching for the solution, I decided to fall back on a time honored teaching technique, the story. Hey, preach-

By Hardy Jackson

ers use it, why can’t I. Besides, if newspapers reports are to be believed, this one actually happened. So here it is. *********** “Once upon a time (I would tell the class) there were these two good old boys, Hollis Junior Cox and L. J. Rivers, from over east of here.” (Not their real names of course, some student might know them. Or be kin.)

“They had been hired to clean out this warehouse, which they did, and when they finished one of them felt it was time for a drink. The other agreed, so they had one. And another. And

another. Until, having just a little more than enough, they came up with what someone later described as 'an unusual way to unwind.'"

"Recalling that a fellow who lived close by collected snakes, Hollis Junior and L. J. decided to go over and get one.

They did, and next thing you know the two were playing catch with a four-foot canebreak rattler. This was not the snake’s idea of a good time, and the first chance it got, it bit L. J. on the arm."

"Hollis Junior rushed to his friend’s aid, and the reptile bit him as well."

"Somehow, the two got to a phone, called 911, and when the emergency medical team arrived, it found the men ‘on the porch, semiconscious and slurring their words,’ and a headless snake, dead in the dirt."

"There is no happy ending to the story.

Hollis Junior had a severe allergic reaction to the venom and died in the ambulance. The last I heard, L. J. was still in intensive care. ****************** And when I finished I would lean back, sigh, and say “Now, that’s Southern.” And the whole class would nod in agreement.

Except that one.

His hand will shoot up and even before I can call on him he will be asking "why" and I will be ready.

With me, I would have Roy Blount's Book of Southern Humor (the finest collection of things I wish I had written I've ever read). In it is an analysis of the elements found in Southern stories. These I will have combined with my own insightful deconstruction of what took place

that unfortunate day and when the student asked, as I knew he would, I smiled and told him that a story is Southern if: It contains characters that come to life through personal shortcomings.

The characters have names that suggest they are, or could be, from around here.

There is a close interaction between the characters and various forms of animal life.

Southern readers instantly recognize the characters and pass judgment on them – usually before the story is over.

And what occurs can be classiied as typical.

Now, the literalist would be just fine until I got to typical. Then his brow would furrow and he would want me to explain, and I would.

In the South, typical is not used to identify See Jackson, page A5

pelika O Observer

A5 July 17, 2019

AuburnBank shares plans to redevelop headquarters, preliminary sales agreement of land at Magnolia Ave. Special to the Opelika Observer AuburnBank is pleased to share plans to redevelop their headquarters, which has been a staple of downtown Auburn for 112 years.

The redevelopment project will combine the existing, aging facilities into a new building to serve their customers, the community and accommodate for future growth.

Dayspring,

from A1

and other store employees down to share the news that their lot at 223 Opelika Road had been purchased and that the store would be permanently closed if no new owner was willing to take over the business.

"I just couldn't bear the thought of that happening, so I stepped up and said that I'd be willing to purchase it and see it continue," Brooks said.

Through social media posts and word-ofmouth, Dayspring's final days at its now previous location were successful and a sweet farewell.

During the process of searching for the store's next location, Brooks said members of the Opelika community "wrapped their arms" around Dayspring.

Earlier this summer, Ty Maloney from the Opelika-based real estate development company Marsh Collective approached Brooks with

Dietrich,

from A4

The same music played in the Southland before New Orleans stole Mardi Gras from Mobile.

Baseball. Freddie Freeman. Ronald Acuña Jr. Ozzie Albies. Mike Soroka. Get well, David Ortiz, I’m praying for you, so are millions of others.

Hank Senior. Seventy years ago on this exact night, a twenty-fiveyear-old Hank Williams debuted in the Ryman Auditorium. He sang, “Lovesick Blues” and “Mind Your Own Business.” Admission was around twentyfive cents. He gave six encores.

Six. Clean sheets, fresh from the clothesline. The smell of fabric softener, but not the kind that gives me a rash.

The JC Penney in Andalusia. The Circle J Western Store in Chumuckla. Priester’s Pecans. The Blueberry Festival.

The sound of a creek.

Frogs at dusk. Baked

The redevelopment of their headquarters will ensure continued dedication to customers, employees, shareholders and the Auburn community.

AuburnBank is building for future growth and to help meet the rapidly evolving needs of their customers.

In addition to redeveloping the downtown headquarters, they have reached a preliminary agreement to sell some

of their existing land at the corner of Burton Street and East Magnolia Avenue to a prominent hotel development company on which they plan to develop a full- service boutique lifestyle hotel. They believe this development will be a great addition to the site and a unique opportunity for downtown Auburn.

The administration and staff know there will be a lot of ques-

the idea of finding a brick-and-mortar space for her business near downtown. "(John) Marsh and Ty agreed that the old Sikes store would be a great place for Dayspring, and after taking a look, I knew they were right," Brooks said.

Brooks' projected opening date for Dayspring is in the early fall. Crews from Marsh's company are actively building out and renovating the space which was previously used for storage.

Much of Dayspring's inventory from before will remain the same: bath and beauty care, bulk herb selection, "high-quality" vitamins and supplements, produce and goods from local growers and makers and Butcher continuing in his role as store manager. Brooks added that she plans to expand that offering for it to be a one-stop shop of sorts for customers, with an emphasis on clothing, craft beers, organic wines and produce.

"My goal for it is for shoppers to come in and

leave with all the items they need that fit their lifestyle. They would have their food, their makeup, their clothing, their lotions and whatever else they would need," Brooks said.

Crediting her mother Lynn for inspiring her to do this, Brooks said she is excited to see what the future holds and what path this new life venture will take her.

"I feel really happy (here). That energy (here) in downtown Opelika is great," Brooks said. "I'm really impressed with how Opelika is moving forward in the right direction and I think Dayspring's future (here) is bright."

Updates on Dayspring's progress will be posted regularly on its Facebook and Instagram pages. Once construction is nearing completion, Brooks said said she will finalize her shop's grand opening date.

For more information, like and follow "Dayspring NatureShop" on its social media platforms.

beans. The feeling of warm potting soil in my hands. Did I already say cowboy hats?

A pair of jeans that’s been broken in after years of wear. Granddaddy’s fishing lures.

William Lee Golden.

And that feeling when you meet someone you haven’t seen since childhood. You know the feeling. You start to think about how short life is.

As a child, you thought life was going to last forever. But at this age, childhood seems like a dream you had last night.

You’re realizing that you’re closer to the end of your own life than you’ve ever been. And tomorrow, you’ll be even closer.

And even though this thought is sad, for some reason it doesn’t feel that way. Instead, the idea overwhelms you with beauty, art, music, and poetry. It makes you want to write down every single thing you love about life.

So you try. But it’s hard to write these things without seeming corny.

Besides, there is too

much to name. You couldn’t even begin to make a complete list.

You wouldn’t know where to start. The world is too big, too magnificent, too wonderful, too bright, too whatever.

The one thing you do know, is that at the top of this list, somewhere between hardback hymnals, barbecue, soft T-shirts, old hats and people who show kindness without prejudice, is love. Real love.

The kind that makes you grateful to be alive, even though living hurts.

The kind that makes you grateful for good days, bad days, and every day between. For life. For family. For babies. For each other.

And of course, for Andy Griffith.

Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, the Tallahassee Democrat, Southern Magazine, Yellowhammer News, the Bitter Southerner, the Mobile Press Register and he has authored seven books.

tions as they finalize details around this redevelopment project.

There will be more information coming forth in approximately three months following a feasibility study and ongoing planning with the developer. As this initiative moves forward, they will share regular updates as appropriate and continue to provide the same quality service their customers have come to

NAR,

from A3 which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the NAR and subscribe to its strict code of ethics. Not all real estate agents are Realtors. All Realtors are members of NAR. To date, more than 3,000 Realtors and their families have found costeffective health insurance solutions through these five association health plans. Many more Realtor associations are also exploring AHP options but have been delayed due to this litigation uncertainty.

“The wellbeing of our members – the hardworking men and women who go to work every day to put food on their family’s table and put roofs over other families’ heads – remains our focus throughout these negotiations,” said Lee County Association of REALTORS President Karen Turner. “Supporting the Department of Labor’s rulemaking will continue to help safeguard self-employed individuals’ ability to join association health plans, protecting affordable, quality health care options for our mem-

Pinyerd,

from A4

Sometimes our biggest fears of concern don’t really exist when folks who love us give us advice and comfort because they care.

Having a good mindset and attitude as you walk through hard times gives you hope as you walk through challenging times.

One suggestion that was given from the hearts of my Senior friends is to focus on inspirational quotes and humor. Some quotes I wanted to share are: “ I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.” -Benjamin Franklin.

Jackson,

from A4 something that is, you know, typical, unless that something is something you disapprove of.

As in, "Hollis Junior and L. J. done got drunk

know and expect.

About AuburnBank AuburnBank (the “Bank”) is a subsidiary of Auburn National Bancorporation, Inc., a one-bank holding company with total assets of approximately $835 million. The bank has been operating continuously since 1907 when it was established as the first financial institution in Auburn.

Including its main office located in down-

town Auburn, the bank operates eight fullservice branch locations in Auburn, Opelika, Valley and Notasulga.

The bank also operates loan production offices in Auburn and Phenix City.

AuburnBank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender.

Additional information about the bank may be found by visiting www.auburnbank.com.

bers and their loved ones,” she continued. “Ensuring the freedom to choose from a variety of insurance providers offering quality coverage plans with enough premium support is key to cultivating a deep participant pool and strong marketplace, and The Lee County Association of Realtors will continue to support the DOL’s efforts to expand these options in Alabama and across the nation.”

NAR’s defense of the AHP rule highlights DOL’s lawful authority to expand access to AHPs by interpreting the working owner provisions to promote flexibility while not conflicting with existing statutes. NAR also describes the comprehensiveness of AHP coverage and the multiple successful plans already in place delivering significant savings and benefits to many working owners.

If the court’s final ruling is adverse and pending any appeals, independent contractors may lose the ability to access insurance coverage through an AHP, sacrificing valuable savings on premiums and broader network access with more comprehensive benefits. Overall, AHP plans have proven to have lower cost options and

better overall coverage, leading countless sole proprietors and small employers alike to purchase association health plans over the past year.

“While NAR continues to explore and tackle barriers to a national AHP insurance option, we are learning from the many successes being implemented by state and local Realtor associations,” said NAR President John Smaby, a second-generation Realtor from Edina, Minnesota. “These initial programs are helping us ensure our members and their families can secure these effective, affordable health insurance options moving forward. We must continue to protect the AHP options that so many Realtors have come to rely on for coverage and so many more deserve access to.”

NAR is a founding member of the Coalition to Promote and Protect Association Health Plans, which unites industries in support of securing AHP access. NAR recently created an updated map showing the state-by-state regulatory environment as it applies to working owners, which also links to a detailed chart outlining specific actions by individual states.

“ Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” -John Lennon “Once you choose hope, anything is possible.”

-Christopher Reeve.

Accept help from other people, family and friends.

People who need people are the luckiest people in the world. Accept blessings from other people.

When going through tough times, we need to give up control, ask for help and accept help from others and receive help and understanding with grace.

Pain is a part of life and love. Tough times, even though they may not be welcome, help us to grow.

When we have grown through tough times and valleys, this equips us to

outreach to others who are going through tough times.

With the Greater Generation, they have been through many tough situations and they are able to offer wisdom and mentor the younger generations.

With tough times in our lives, we can have hope.

We hear the “old saying” “This too, shall pass." As summertime rolls on, one thing that we see quite often after a summer storm is a rainbow. When we go through tough times in our lives, we can expect to see a rainbow and be encouraged that tough times teach us life lessons and that life does go on.

Live in the present.

Truly each day is a gift from God. Always look forward to the future.

and been playing with a snake what bit them both and Hollis Junior’s dead."

"Now ain't that just typical."

‘Course it is. And its Southern. And the logical one will either understand and realize that he is Southern too, or won’t understand and

won’t be. I hate to say it, but there is just so much a teacher can do, and by then I will have done it.

Class dismissed.

Harvey H. (“Hardy”) Jackson is Professor Emeritus of History at Jacksonville State University. He can be reached at hjackson@ cableone.net.

pelika O Opinion

A6 July 17, 2019

Extension office notes: information on lawn and garden resources, blossom-end rot, stink bugs

By Justin Miller and Katie Nichols Special to the Opelika Observer Lawn and Garden Resources The gardening season is in full swing. Flowers are blooming and gardeners are harvesting their bounty. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System has many great lawn and garden resources for homeowners. Whether a master of a bountiful garden or a budding landscape perfectionist, Alabama Extension specialists are full of information to help your garden grow.

Resources Each county is served by a regional home grounds, gardens and home pests agent. Each of the listed publications and articles are written by—or with— specialists and agents. Find the latest pest or weed control options, fertilizer recommendations and disease identification information below.

Publications - Alabama Gardening Calendar - Are Bugs Eating Your Vegetables?

- Backyard Composting - Backyard Tomato Production - Container Gardening - Home Soil Testing: Taking a Sample - Hydrangeas - Raised Bed Gardening - Top Ten Most Wanted Bugs in Your Garden - Water Quality in the Landscape - Worms on Tomatoes News Articles - Attracting Garden Pollinators - Beneficial Insects: Welcomed Visitors to Home Gardens - Calibrating Sprayers Important For Gardeners - Controlling Fire Ants in Vegetable Gardens - July Heat Perfect For Planting Pumpkins Call The Master

Gardener Helpline The Master Gardener (MG) helpline is another great resource. This tollfree helpline connects callers with a knowledgeable team of master gardeners who can help answer a wide array of gardening questions.

Alabama Master Gardener Program Coordinator Kerry Smith said the program is used to expand the outreach mission of extension. Volunteers from master gardener groups around the state work the phones answering questions—running the gamut from vegetable gardens to lawns and trees.

“The helpline has been in existence since 2006, as a statewide effort,” Smith said. “We average about 20,000 calls to the helpline annually. The agents train these volunteers to expect the unexpected.”

Blossom-End Rot Possible in Tomatoes For many, there is nothing better than eating a tomato sandwich using fresh tomatoes from the garden. Tomatoes are often the most common plants in a basic garden. There are many varieties on the market, each one offering something different. With some areas of the state facing drought conditions, tomato growers could see a problem with blossom-end rot (BER) in their plants.

Blossom-End Rot Chris Becker, an Alabama Extension coordinator in Limestone County, said BER is a disorder that affects the fruit of a plant.

“Blossom-end rot is an abiotic disorder, caused by non-living factors,” Becker said. “It starts out as a brown, dime-sized lesions near the blossom-end and increases in diameter as the condition worsens.”

A calcium deficiency causes BER within a plant.

This deficiency is usually a result of a change in a plants water supply, or

shortage of calcium in the soil. Becker said even a slight change can affect the plant.

“Calcium is not a highly mobile element in a plant,” he said. “Because of this, even brief changes in the water supply can cause blossom-end rot.”

Water intake can often be affected by drought stressed soil and roots damaged from excessive or improper cultivation. This prevents the plant from getting the calcium it needs for healthy growth. Highly acidic soil and areas that have too much water can also cause a calcium deficiency in plants.

Controlling BlossomEnd Rot Becker said growers should remove affected fruits if BER problems become severe.

“Once a fruit develops blossom-end rot, it will not regrow or repair the affected area,” Becker said.

“In fact, the damaged area could serve as an entry point for disease-causing bacteria or fungi.”

It is generally easier to prevent blossom-end rot rather than wait and treat the problem. The following are a few tips on controlling blossom-end rot.

Water During fruiting, tomato plants need about 1.5 inches of water each week.

It is important that plants get an adequate amount of water. Extreme changes in soil moisture can increase the chances of a plant getting BER. Use mulches like pine straw, composted sawdust and also newspapers to help conserve moisture.

Becker said if plants develop BER, growers can apply a calcium solution.

“Drench the root zone with the solution at the rate of four level tablespoons of calcium nitrate or calcium chloride per gallon of water,” Becker said. “If day temperatures are greater

than 85 to 90 degrees, do not use calcium chloride because foliage burn can occur. Calcium nitrate is the better option for hot days” Plant Different Varieties Some tomato varieties tend to be more sensitive to the conditions that cause BER. Becker suggests growing several varieties of tomatoes and keep notes on their performance.

Perform a Soil Test Becker recommends keeping a pH level between 6.0 and 6.5 and performing a soil test two to four months before planting.

“A soil test will show what levels need to be adjusted. Apply the recommended rate of lime, using dolomitic or high-calcium limestone,” Becker said.

“Also, apply fertilizer as recommended, because applying too much fertilizer can induce BER.” Collecting a soil sample is an easy procedure. For information on how to collect and send a soil sample for testing, visit the Soil, Forage & Water Testing Laboratory’s website. The fee for testing is $7 per sample. Soil test boxes as well as sample forms are available at any county extension office.

Brown Marmorated, Red Banded Stink Bugs: Unusual Summer Crop Pests Each year brings new challenges to the field.

Whether it be a crop pest or significant weather events, producers are always adapting inputs and timing to maximize efficiency and yield. This summer, producers will face familiar, but different crop pests: stink bugs.

Aaron Cato, a postdoctoral fellow working with Alabama Extension entomologist Ron Smith, said producers will need to vigilantly watch for stink bugs and stink bug damage in summer crops. Alabama producers are not unfamiliar with stink bugs, but two relatively new species encroaching on summer crops may pose differentthan-normal threats in the field.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs People accidentally introduced the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) to

the United States from Asia in the 1990s. First found in Pennsylvania, the pest has now spread across much of the country.

Adult BMSB are about three-quarters of an inch long with the shield-like shape characteristic of stink bugs. While these stink bugs are brown, their whitish antennae bands and patterned abdomen distinguish them from brown stink bugs.

Where there is one BMSB, there are likely more. These pests congregate in large numbers—a BMSB distinguishing feature. These congregations are especially evident in the fall and winter months when they invade houses, barns and other structures.

Cato suspects there are likely two generations per year in Alabama.

“It takes 40 to 60 days for BMSB to go from a fresh egg to an emerging adult, and it is likely that Alabama will be closer to the 40-day mark,” Cato said. “Considering that we’ve started seeing emerging adults in early April combined with the record heat we’ve seen, I expect at least two distinct generations.”

Cato reminds growers that the BMSB is a pest of many crops.

“Like our native species, BMSB have a large host range and feed on the developing fruit of many different plant species," Cato said. "Outside of just their ability to damage our field crops such as corn, cotton, and soybeans, BMSB are a much more serious pest of fruits and vegetables, especially when considering home gardens."

Control Cato said bifenthrin works well to kill BMSB when it is available. It is an economical control option.

“It is not a difficult insect to kill and there are many control options,” Cato said.

“Field edge treatments are likely going to be the most economical route because this pest doesn’t move very far from the edges when it gets into a field.”

Scouting should occur on field edges near wooded areas or tree lines, as well as near other crops where it could move from—such as corn. Treatment should occur when scouts find four BMSB per 25 sweeps in

soybeans, and as soon as producers observe BMSB in cotton field edges. Cato suggests spraying as far from edges as BMSB are present.

Red Banded Stink Bugs The Red Banded Stink Bug (RBSB) is a key pest in soybeans throughout South America, and has quickly become a soybean pest in the Southeast.

Adults emerge in the spring looking for secondary hosts and move to soybeans when they begin podding—around R3.

RBSB generations overlap—meaning nymphs and adults are present concurrently—making control difficult. These pests are generally half of the size of other stink bugs, and are identifiable by the fixed spine arising from the abdomen and a red band along their back.

“The RBSB showed its ability to cause severe damage in Arkansas in 2017,” Cato said. “This is a very serious pest of soybeans.

With the mild Alabama winter, producers should be on the lookout for this pest—particularly in southern Alabama. Producers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas are already finding RBSB as of early July.”

While these stink bugs are soybean pests, they also feed on other legume crops including beans, peas, lentils and alfalfa.

Control Thresholds for RBSB in soybeans are four to six insects per 25 sweeps. RBSB do not act like normal stink bug species, and are more likely to run away and hide.

“These stink bugs will drop immediately from plants and run for cover when they hear disturbances, which is one reason thresholds are so low,” Cato said. “Additionally, their reproductive potential is much higher than our native stink bugs, and if populations aren’t controlled early it is difficult to get back on top of them.”

Cato said combination products generally provide the best control. Simple pyrethroids like lambdacyhalothrin or bifenthrin alone don’t provide as much control. Acephate and bifenthrin or lambdacyhalothrin and thiamethoxam combinations are going to be the standards for controlling this pest.

Hodge, from A4

a word during her story, but now he leaned forward in his chair and with another wink in my direction said, “It appears I am cheap.”

Our laughter echoed across the lake and more stories began. Stories of my best friend’s youth, of adventures and shenanigans, of triumphs and embarrassments were passed back and forth.

While voices rose and fell and another bottle was opened, I looked around the table. My best friend was smiling at indulgently at his mom. His brother and sister-in-law leaned into each other and sighed, happy to hear these decades-old stories again.

Out on the lawn, by the water’s edge, children threw a Frisbee and dangled feet off the pier. And the dad of the whole bunch leaned back in his chair, smiling with

satisfaction at everything and everyone.

All of this, I thought, because one woman made a decision - a seemingly trivial decision, at that.

She chose to spend her spare change on a whim and some handsome legs.

And now, decades later, look what was brought into the world. A house full to the brim with people who love each other and the life they have.

So now I stand in Walmart, quiet in the middle of the chaos, and look at the 32 cents in my hand. I am astounded by the gravity of even our small decisions. And I am humbled with gratitude for where my choices have led me. I think I’ll keep this 32 cents and let it rest in my pocket for a day or two.... or maybe, if I’m lucky, for the rest of my life....

imagine why… Anyway, she started bidding on him, and I don’t know what came over me. Before I knew it, I was bidding too! Back and forth we went, Roslyn and I, with our bids. Finally, I yelled out ’32 cents!’…. and that shut Roslyn up. Too rich for her blood, I guess,” she giggled. “But here’s the kicker….”

She paused, knowing we were hanging on every word, and waited a moment before she finally finished her story.

“I didn’t even have a single penny with me! I had to borrow the 32 cents from my friend!!” She smiled at me and laughed out loud.

Her husband hadn’t said

Opelika E vents, Society, & Food

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

• July 19 - Back the Badge @ Village Event Center • July 20 - Sean of the South at George’s Farmer’s Market • July 20 - Karing 4 Kayla @ Lee Co. Fairgrounds • July 25 - ‘Act of Congress’ at Sundilla • July 27 - 12th annual ‘Waverly Tomato Showdown’ • July 27 - Annual Auburn Wing Fest • July 31 - Jack Barksdale and Ben Danaher at The Sound Wall

Terri Neighbors enjoys cooking for family, friends as act of love Ann Cipperly’s

Southern

Hospitality

T

erri and Dr. Mark Neighbors enjoy their lovely home in Sanders Creek and have created a cozy, relaxing area on the porch with a cushioned swing and small tables for enjoying a refreshing beverage in the afternoons as they listen to the birds.

They also enjoy a restful retreat on the back patio overlooking their garden with vegetables, herbs and fruits. Their two dogs enjoy being with them whether they are on the porch or patio.

Terri enjoys cooking for family and friends.

“I feel like it is an act of love when you pre-

pare a dish or meal for someone,” she says. “I am always thinking about who I am cooking for and make things I know they will enjoy and appreciate. It is an act of love for family and friends. I like for them to come and relax and not worry about anything.”

Mark is the superintendent of education for Opelika City Schools, and Terri worked in several positions with the city schools and in payroll for county schools. After 27 years in the school system, she retired two years ago. She is now the receptionist for Scott Bridge Company and is

enjoying a different kind of work.

Terri was born in Tallassee where both of her Photo by Ann Cipperly Terri Neighbors pours a refreshing glass of iced tea for relaxing on the porch or patio parents grew up. Her the afternoon with her husband, Dr. Mark Neighbors. Terri is sharing a variety of father was in the military in her favorite recipes she has collected over the years. and they moved often, becoming assistant supertraded chickens and eggs ploma and my brother’s, living in Australia, Ohio, intendent. He took over for books. as well as Mark’s and Florida and Sicily. She After high school, Terri as superintendent when his sister’s,” Terri said. attended five different Dr. Phillip Raley retired schools from kindergarten “Mark was able to do that attended a junior college in 2007. and worked for an insurfor both of our children.” to sixth grade.

Terri didn’t have any ance company in TallasMark’s family has When Terri was 10, her interest in cooking until see. Mark volunteered at worked in education for parents divorced and her she moved out on her a fire station next door. generations. His father mother moved back to own. One of her good They began dating and was a superintendent of Tallassee. Terri met Mark friend’s mothers worked were married a year later. schools, while his mother in high school when his for the telephone comThe Neighbors were worked with special family moved to Tallaspany and had a recipe married for three years needs children.

Mark has see from Guntersville. His published in “Calling when they moved to a photo of his great-greatfather was her high school All Cooks,” a cookbook Opelika in 1991.

Mark grandfather standing in principal. was principal of Opelika a one-room schoolhouse “We think it is nice that Middle School before with 68 children. He his Dad signed my diSee Cipperly, page A9

'Sweet Treats with Santa' Standard Deluxe to slated for July 18 at O Town host benefit concert for John Brandt Aug. 10

By Morgan Bryce Editor

Santa Claus will take a brief detour from his summer vacation to pay a visit to O Town July 18 from 10 a.m. to noon for an event titled "Summer Sweets with Santa."

According to the event Facebook page, there will be "Santa" sundaes and other sweet treats.

Old Saint Nick will be donning beachthemed attire and

By Morgan Bryce Editor

Photo by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

ready for photos with waiting children.

"Santa is coming See O Town, page A8

The Standard Deluxe in Waverly is bringing together an all-star cast of local musicians for the "Jam for John" benefit concert Aug. 10, starting at 5:30 p.m.

John Brandt, former co-owner of the oncebeloved War Eagle Supper Club, has been hospitalized the last several months and is early in the recovery

Photo special to the Opelika Observer

and rehabilitation process. Proceeds from the concert will be used to

cover accrued medical expenses.

See Brandt, page A8

Monday-Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM

pelika O Observer

A8 July 17, 2019

Dream Day Foundation's second annual 'Black Male Summit' to be held July 27 at Auburn High School

By Morgan Bryce Editor Auburn High School’s main auditorium will be the site of this year’s second annual “Black Male Summit” on July 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Organized by the Dream Day Foundation, the conference is designed to be a re-

O Town,

from A7

back from his Royal Caribbean cruise and said he wanted to check on the shop since the last time he was here at Christmas it wasn’t finished.

So I asked him if it would be okay if the kids in O Town could come visit with him and bring their wish list," said O Town Co-Owner Angela George.

"He was thrilled.

to participate in a small Q-and-A session during the event.

“The goal of this is to help them become better young men in and out of school, become better members of the workforce and build lasting, strong relationships with the people around them,” said Dream Day Foundation Executive Director Marion Sankey.

source for children in the fifth grade through college. Several prominent speakers will address topics ranging from bullying and depression to conflict resolution and building better relationships with others before breaking out into smaller sessions and “barbershop talks” in age-similar groups.

Parents will also be able

Brandt,

The Christmas spirit (truly) lives all year long."

Following are two other events that the shop is hosting this month: • July 23 - Story time Tuesday at 10 a.m.

• July 30 - story time Tuesday at 10 a.m.

For more information, call 334737-5700, like and follow their social media pages or visit www. otownicecream. com. The shop is located at 700 2nd Ave.

from A7 During his time with the supper club, Brandt helped expose the Auburn-Opelika area to some of the 80s, 90s and 2000s up-and-coming acts, including notables like Hot Tuna, Leftover Salmon and Widespread Panic.

Following is a list of artists scheduled to perform at the concert, with the lineup subject to change until the day of the event: - Tony Brook - Rock Killough - Brett McDaniel and

This year's theme is "Next Level," a natural progression from last year's theme "Level Up." In addition to the speakers and sessions will be music performed

by Passion360 and meals provided by Gentry and Ware and a local social group called the Good Old Boys.

The event is open to boys from “Opelika, Lee

- Spoonful James and Friends.

Other acts will be added in the days leading up to the concert.

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 through www. eventbrite.com. Gates open at 4:30 p.m and the music will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m.

It is a bring-your-own beer event and food will be available from the "Dam Food Truck."

For more information, like and follow the Standard Deluxe social media pages or visit www.standarddeluxe. com. The venue is located at 1015 Mayberry Ave.

County and the region,” according to Sankey.

She added that the cities of Auburn and Opelika, their city councils and three local systems are all valuable supporters of her group’s endeavors.

“Hopefully, (the boys) will all walk away changed and become better in every aspect of their life,” Sankey said.

Attendance is free, but registration is required.

Parents can pre-register their children via www. dreamdayblackmalesummit.com or on-site the day of the event.

For more information, visit the Dream Day website or contact Sankey at 334-663-6638.

Auburn High School is located at 1701 E. Samford Ave.

OGrows Farmer’s Market has local produce and more every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Buying or Selling?

Call:

Lisa Thrift (334) 444-8099 “I can get you where you want to be...Home” Photos by Irving Blanco/For the Opelika Observer The OGrows Farmer’s Market is open every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at 1101 Glenn St. near downtown Opelika. Local farmers and vendors have produces, soaps and more.

lthrift1984@gmail.com

www.thedensongroup.com

Opelika Charitable Giving Facts As the economy improves and confidence grows, charitable giving is making a comeback. Now could be a good time to evaluate giving and consider new ways to support the causes that you care about.

REASONS FOR GIVING A desire to be philanthropic, to create a legacy, sense of moral duty Tax minimization, asset management, estate planning Serving Retirees • families • small business Owners • Nonprofits • Individuals

Financial planning for today, for tomorrow, for life.

208 South 8th Street Opelika, AL 36801 www.investopelika.com Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Railroad Investment group is not a registered broker dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FDIC/SIPC.

Owners, RIG Financial Advisors, RJFS BLAKE HENRY LAUREL CALLAWAY Office - 334-748-9999 Fax - 334-748-9998

Call us today to discuss your charitable giving strategy Raymond James financial advisors do not render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professionals.

Located in Historic Downtown Opelika

334-745-4618

pelika O Observer Cipperly,

from A7

assembled by the phone company with recipes from employees. Terri purchased a copy, and it has been her favorite cookbook over the years.

When she prepares one of the recipes in the cookbook, she makes a note on the date and occasion. While the cover has

Chamber,

from A1

staff from The Hotel at Auburn University and dessert provided by Gigi’s Cupcakes.

Outgoing Chamber Board Chairman Brooke Kastner named each of the event’s sponsors while incoming 2019-2020 Board Chair Carlton Hunley IV introduced next year’s 20-Under-40 class.

Awards were also presented to businesses and individuals affiliated with the chamber and its efforts to better the city its serves. A notable moment took place during this portion of the event when Chamber President Pam Powers-Smith had to overcome her emotions when naming Lorna and her late husband Dr. Don Roberts as winners of the

A9 July 17, 2019

worn off the cookbook, it is filled with stories of happy dinners and parties.

Both Terri and Mark enjoy cooking and cook differently now that their children, Chelsea and Carter are grown. Chelsea, who works at East Alabama Medical Center, will marry Will Cloud in October. Carter graduated from Auburn University and joined the military.

He is stationed at Fort Benning. Carter’s favorite dish is shepherd’s pie

that everyone in the family enjoys, while banana pudding cheesecake is Chelsea’s most requested for her birthday.

Terri prefers recipes that can be prepared quickly or ones that use a product that can be embellished.

“The rosemary parmesan rolls look like you have gone to a lot of trouble to make a nice dinner roll, when really it is just a crescent roll that has been dressed up,”

Terri said.

For weekday meals, Terri prepares make ahead sides that will last two or three days. When she comes home from work, she will cook the protein to complete dinner.

Terri grows a variety of herbs to use in cooking, including thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, basil and chives. She has five groups of cherry tomatoes in pots on the patio.

While Terri prepares as-

sorted tomato recipes, her favorite is simply made by marinating sliced tomatoes and chopped basil in Garlic Expressions garlic vinaigrette for about an hour before dinner. She finds it is good with chicken, fish or on pasta. The vinaigrette can be found in the produce section.

Terri enjoys being in a supper club that started as a bunco group 29 years ago. The 12 female members get together once a

month while a hostess cooks the meal. Now that the children are grown, it is a wonderful fellowship time that she looks forward to every month.

Following are a variety of Terri’s favorite recipes. Clip and save these wonderful tried and true recipes to prepare for your family and friends.

Ann Cipperly can be reaced at recipes@cipperly.com

Spirit of Opelika Award.

“Don lived life to the fullest and they are a great example of a couple who showed faith, dignity and service. They were invested in the community and had a strong commitment to the city of Opelika and its citizens,” PowersSmith said.

Following is a list of the other award winners and reason behind their selection: Keep Opelika Beautiful’s Shirley Flora Award - J. and Ginger Stern were chosen for their work in creating two parks for the city of Opelika through the Henry J. Stern Foundation.

Opelika Main Street Member of the Year Mama Mocha’s Bodega.

Owners Sarah and Taylor Gill expanded their business from Auburn to 1st Avenue in downtown Opelika during the last two years to help oversee

the transformation on that street.

Ambassador of the Year - Dianne Lowe.

According to Chamber Membership Director Jill Robinson, Lowe “faithfully served” in that position for more than 15 years and was a “great mentor” for her fellow ambassadors.

Service Champion Award - Eric Canada. He has served many positions for the United Way of Lee County including campaign chair, board president and campaign division chair for Business. Canada also works as a My Jerusalem project leader, goes on biannual mission trips to Orphanage Emmanuel in Honduras, disaster relief team coordinator for his church, is a member of the Opelika Kiwanis and has served as a spotter at Jordan-Hare Stadium for Auburn University P.A. Ric Smith for 10 years.

Small Business of the Year - Blake and Amber Booth of Mrs. Story’s Dairy Bar. Mrs. Story’s Dairy Bar has remained in a single family for 66 years, with Blake and Amber now serving at the helm. The restaurant’s reputation has spread beyond the Opelika city limits to the rest of Alabama and the Southeast garnering numerous awards for its delectable chili dogs and milkshakes.

Distinguished Service Award - Mark Slay of Piedmont Fertilizer. Slay has worked for Piedmont Fertilizer for 25 years and is the executive vice president and field consultant responsible for day-to-day operations. He also serves on the OGrows board of directors and is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Slay and his wife Beth have been married for nearly 35 years and have four children and two

grandchildren.

Community Partner Award - EAMC’s MEND program. Created by East Alabama Medical Center shortly after the March 3 tornadoes ripped through Lee County, the program is responsible for bringing together people from local groups together with state and national groups to jumpstart the recovery process. Through the work of MEND, nearly 20 families have been placed in temporary housing, their mission is “to ensure that all affected by a tragedy and disaster are able to fully recover physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.”

Visionary Award OGrows. Founded by Dr. Sean and Susan Forbes, OGrows is an organization dedicated to engaging and investing in area youth to prepare them for maintaining their respective communities for genera-

tions to come. Started as a community garden, it has expanded into a training center to explore new agricultural methods.

They also partner with the Opelika Learning Center to help children learn different skills and trades.

Chairman’s Award Revel Gholston, theater director at Opelika High School. During the last 18 years, Gholston has created a high school theater program that ranks among the best in the state. His groups have staged more than 60 productions and have won the coveted state Trumbauer Competition for best theatric performance. He is a vice president for the Alabama Coalition of Theater and hosts the district Trumbauer Competition for East Alabama.

The ceremony concluded with Kastner passing the gavel to Hunley IV.

See Recipes, page A11

Photos special to the Opelika Observer

A10 July 17, 2019

pelika Observer O

Martha’s Trouble performs at Summer Swing Summer Swing season nearly over; last concert July 30

Photos by Irving Blanco/For the Opelika Observer

pelika O Observer Recipes,

from A8 Easy Mousse 2 cups heavy cream, whipped 1 cup Nutella Fold Nutella into whipped cream. Place in a stemmed glass. Garnish with a strawberry or rolled cookie, if desired.

Pineapple Almond Slaw Dressing: 1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt* (I recommend using Fage, other brands may be too thin) 1/4 cup light mayonnaise 1/4 cup honey or 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes Coleslaw: 1 bag of coleslaw mix 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drain juice and reserve 2 Tbsp.

3 sliced green onions ¼ cup slivered or sliced almonds In a mixing bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, pineapple juice and apple cider vinegar until smooth, while seasoning with salt and peppers to taste. In a large bowl toss together cabbage, carrots, pineapple, green onions and almonds.

Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately for best results.

Mediterranean Bean Salad This salad is packed with protein and an easy summer side dish. It is also great with grilled chicken or salmon on top for a complete meal.

15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed 1 cup cherry tomato halves 1 English cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (do not peel) 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup peppadew or banana peppers, rough chopped 1/2 cup black olives, halved 1 cup assorted colorful bell peppers, diced 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup chopped marinated artichokes About 10 large basil leaves, shredded Dressing 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, or more to taste 1 tsp. dried Italian herbs, I used thyme, oregano, and rosemary 1 garlic clove, minced Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Whisk dressing ingredients together and taste to adjust any of them.

Add more vinegar if you want a tangier flavor. Set aside. Put beans in a large salad bowl. Add rest of the ingredients and toss gently so that the beans don’t break up.

The salad will keep, well

covered, for several days in the refrigerator. This salad is very versatile. If you don’t like an ingredient leave it out.

Parmesan Cheese Dinner Rolls 2 tubes Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese or more to taste, plus 2-3 Tbsp. for topping 1 Tbsp. dried or 2 tsp. fresh rosemary 4 Tbsp. butter, divided Kosher salt, omit if you use salted butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place skillet with 2 Tbsp. butter in the oven to melt.

Working with one tube at a time, roll out dough and press seams together to form a sheet.

Sprinkle with 1/2 of the parmesan and 1/2 of the rosemary. Feel free to use more cheese if you want it extra cheesy.

Roll up the dough lengthwise and slice into approximately 1” pieces.

Repeat with second tube of dough and remaining cheese and rosemary. Remove skillet from oven and brush butter around bottom and sides of the skillet.

Arrange dough slices in skillet (they will fit snugly).

Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter in microwave and brush over the top of the rolls. Sprinkle with extra cheese, rosemary and a pinch of kosher salt, if desired.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Cool slightly and serve right out of the skillet.

These taste like fancy dinner rolls and are so easy to throw together.

Banana Pudding Cheesecake This is our daughter Chelsea’s request instead of birthday cake every year.

1 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 1/4 cup butter , melted 17 vanilla wafers 2 ripe bananas, diced 1 ripe banana, mashed 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 2-3 Tbsp. light brown sugar 3 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract Whipped cream and vanilla wafers for garnish Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers, chopped pecans and melted butter. Press into bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Stand 17 vanilla wafers around edge of pan with rounded sides facing outward. Press them gently into the crust. In a small saucepan, combine bananas (both diced and mashed) and lemon juice. Stir in brown sugar, using 2 Tbsp. if your bananas are super ripe and 3 Tbsp. if they are medium ripe. Cook

over medium heat until brown sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Gradually add granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl after each addition. Do not over beat. Only beat until most of yellow disappears before adding next egg. Beat in vanilla extract. Stir the banana mixture until evenly mixed. Pour batter into springform pan on top of crust. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until center is almost set. Jiggle the pan to check. Turn oven off, open door about 6 inches and leave cheesecake in oven to cool for about 1 hour. Remove cheesecake to counter to cool for another 30 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.

Garnish with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.

Recipe Notes If you’re a huge fan of vanilla wafers, try adding 1/2 cup coarsely chopped vanilla wafers to the batter. You can leave the pecans out of the crust if you don’t like them.

Carter’s Favorite Shepherd’s Pie 2 lbs. lean ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup 1 bag frozen peas and carrots Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups shredded cheese, we like sharp cheddar Small bag of Yukon gold potatoes or can also use instant mashed potatoes in a pinch ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream Milk or buttermilk to thin potatoes, if too stiff Cube potatoes and boil until tender with salt and pepper. While potatoes are cooking, brown ground beef and onions in a skillet. Add 2 cans of soup and frozen vegetables and salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes on the stove top. Drain potatoes and mash. Add mayonnaise and sour cream and milk.

Pour meat mixture into a greased casserole dish.

Add cheese to top of meat mixture and then add mashed potatoes and smooth top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serve with Parmesan Cheese Dinner Rolls.

Peanut Butter Fudge Bars This is my new favorite go-to dessert. So easy to throw together and tastes like you spent a long time making it.

1 box of your favorite brownie mix (I like Ghiradelli Triple Fudge) 10 oz. bag of Reese’s peanut butter chips 1 can sweetened condensed milk ½ cup creamy peanut butter 1 tsp. vanilla Pinch of salt 1 ½ cups semi-sweet

chocolate chips ¾ cup heavy cream ½ cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13x9 baking dish. Prepare brownies according to package directions and bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely, about an hour. Place peanut butter chips, peanut butter, vanilla, salt and condensed milk in a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for a minute. Stir until smooth and then spread in an even layer on top of the brownies.

Place chocolate chips and heavy cream in the same bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

Pour chocolate on top of the peanut butter mixture, top with chopped peanuts and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Ginger Ale Glazed Carrots The easiest side dish you will ever make!

1 bag of carrots (you can use the bagged baby carrots or coins for a time saver) 1 Tbsp. butter 1 small bottle ginger ale (I prefer the brand Red Rock – more ginger flavor) Peel and slice carrots into coins. Sauté carrots for 2 or 3 minutes in the butter until they start to brown. Pour in ¾ of the small bottle of ginger ale to cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove cover and let cook until the sauce thickens and mostly evaporates. This should only take a few minutes.

Skinny Frittata We like this for a quick and easy dinner with salad.

1 lb. of your favorite turkey or chicken sausage, browned 6 eggs 1 cup 2% cheddar cheese 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk ½ pickled jalapenos Cholula hot sauce to taste or your favorite hot sauce (Can omit if you don’t like spice.)

Any assorted vegetables you have on hand. I usually put all the leftovers on hand, but my favorites are corn, peppers, mushrooms, onions and asparagus.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage and add vegetables for the last few minutes. Beat eggs with almond milk, hot sauce and cheddar cheese.

Pour on top on meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmesan and jalapenos.

Bake until puffy and golden about 30 minutes.

Low calorie and the spice will curb your appetite.

Spaghetti Squash Au gratin 1 medium spaghetti squash, roasted whole in oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees 1 medium onion, sliced

A11 July 17, 2019 thinly and caramelized in a skillet until brown with 2 Tbsp. of butter (This part takes a little while but makes the whole recipe. Be patient.) ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt 2 cloves minced garlic (I use the jarred kind.)

1 1/3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese ½ tsp. salt and pepper ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, if you like heat After the squash is roasted, allow to cool slightly. Remove seeds and discard. Use a fork to remove the squash from shell. Mix in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Put back in the 350 degrees oven already preheated and bake for 30 minutes. Great side dish.

Greek Layer Dip 6 oz. crumbled Feta cheese 2 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature 2 Tbsp. nonfat plain Greek yogurt 8 oz. Sabra Classic Hummus 1 ½ tsp. olive oil 2 tsp. white wine vinegar 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. onion powder 1/8 tsp. dried basil 1/8 tsp. oregano 1/8 tsp. mustard 1/8 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper ½ cup diced cucumber ½ cup diced grape tomatoes 10 pitted Kalamata olives, diced Combine feta*, cream cheese and yogurt in a bowl of a food processor and process until combined and smooth. Spread cheese mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Top this cheesy layer with hummus and spread across evenly. (*I reserved a tiny bit of the feta to sprinkle over the top at the end).

In a medium bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper and stir until well combined.

Add diced cucumbers, tomatoes and olives to oil mixture and stir until well combined.

Spread tomato/cucumber mixture over top of hummus in pie plate and serve.

Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta Spread 6 oz. feta, crumbled 2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 2/3 cup olive oil, divided 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp. minced shallots (2 shallots) 2 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves) 2 Tbsp. good red

wine vinegar 2 lbs. ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes, ½-inchdiced 3 Tbsp. julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving 20 to 25 (½-inch-thick) diagonal baguette slices, toasted 2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts For whipped feta, place feta and cream cheese in bowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Pulse until cheeses are mixed. Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and process until smooth.

For the tomatoes, up to an hour before you’re serving, combine shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 / 3 cup olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, and - tsp. pepper. Add tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Stir in basil and taste for seasoning.

To assemble crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top. Put crostini on plates and scatter with pine nuts.

Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.

Bread and Butter Jalapenos-Refrigerator Pickles 1 1/2 cup sliced jalapeno, ¼-inch thick (I cut the membrane and most of the seeds out.)

1/4 cup onion, sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup vinegar-I used cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. celery seed 3/4 tsp. salt Mix everything and let sit on counter until it makes enough liquid to cover the peppers (a couple hours).

Give it a stir or shake every once in a while. Store covered in the refrigerator.

The flavor is best after a couple days.

These are great on fish tacos, sandwiches, frittata and even pizza.

Food Ratings Dumps Like a Truck 196 N. Donahue Drive Auburn Score: 100 Edible Arrangements 3794 Pepperell Pkwy Opelika Score: 99 Firehouse Subs 3000 Pepperell Pkwy Opelika Score: 99 Taco Bell 271 S. Gay St. Auburn Score: 98 Nicole’s Diner 1405 Geneva St. Opelika Score: 84

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A12 July 17, 2019

‘Homegirls’ Jamaican Grill’ opens at USA Town Center Monday

By Michelle Key Publisher Homegirls’ Jamaican Grill, owned and operated by friends Tanisha Stephens and Erica Smith, opened their doors to the public Monday morning at 11 a.m.

The duo held a soft opening for family and friends last Friday night serving up traditional Jamaican favorites such as jerk chicken and ribs, curry chicken, goat and oxtail along with sides like rice, greens, cabbage and sweet potatoes.

The restaurant offered sweet potatoes with a sugared pecan topping as well as a plain version. The richness of the sweet potatoes paired well with the slight

spiciness of the jerk chicken and ribs. The meat was tender, juciy and had just enough spice to feel like one was visiting the islands.

The curry chicken over the rice was delightful as well and left me wanting a piece of bread of something to dredge up the remanents of the sauce left on my plate.

The cooked cabbage was as beautiful as it was delicious. The cabbage was cooked with a mix of colorful vegetables including carrots, peas and corn.

The greens were tender and fragant. Both side dishes complemented all the meats including the goat.

We somehow missed trying the oxtail, but I

have no doubt that it was as good as everything else was.

For more information, call 334-444-2849 or like and follow their Facebook page “Homegirls’ Jamaican Grill.” A website is expected to launch soon.

Homegirls’ is open in Suite 220 of USA Town Center, which is located at 1220 Fox Run Ave.

Photos by Michelle Key/For the Opelika Observer

Genealogical Society of East Alabama to present ‘Using Public Library Resources for Genealogical Research Program’ July 20 Special to the Opelika Observer The Genealogical Society of East Alabama will present “Using Public Library Resources for Genealogical Research Program” by Karin Lindemann from the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library July 20 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Museum of East Alabama, which is located at 121 S. 9th St. in Opelika Public libraries can play a very useful and important role in genealogical research.

The Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library

has an extensive collection of resource materials and publications useful in genealogical research. The collection is housed in the lower level of the library located at 200 S. 6th St. in Opelika.

In addition, the library offers free access to Ancestry.com on library computers.

Heritage Quest Online is also free to users with a Cooper Library card. This site can be accessed from any device.

Lindemann has been with the Cooper Library since 1990.

She earned a masters degree in library and

information science from Dominican University in Illinois.

Lindemann has served in various capacities at the library and works as a circulation clerk. In addition, she assists people using the library resources for genealogical research. She will give an overview of materials in the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library that are useful in genealogical research and provide some insight into how to access these materials.

The program is free and the public is invited.

Opelika’s St. Ellis Full Gospel Church to host ‘Back to School’ Jamboree Aug. 3

Special to the Opelika Observer This family event is free and open to the community. Note, guests do not have to attend the first portion of the event to obtain school supplies. School supplies will be given out beginning at 4 p.m.

Send your loved one’s obituary for publication to editor@opelikaobserver.com Lung, Throat, Stomach, Colon Cancer or Breathing Problems?

Asbestos exposure in the Military, Iron/Steel, Construction, Papermill, Shipyard, Manufacturing etc. may be the cause. $30 billion set aside for asbestos victims.

Call 1-619-332-4014 or email cancerAL@breakinginjurynews.com FREE SCREENING for breathing problems

On-the-Job Training Program trains workers for YOUR business

FIND READY TO WORK EMPLOYEES On-the-Job Training helps employers hire now Up to 75% wage reimbursement!

JOBLINK.ALABAMA.GOV Funding provided by the USDOL, ETA, Federal WIOA. An Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.

Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

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Opelika

amily &

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A13 July 17, 2019

eligion

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

tennis player at the French Open had the words, “Mother,” “Champion,” “Queen” and “Goddess” written on her attire. She was certainly a mother and a champion but the last two probably belong in the category of if you have to tell people you are, then you probably aren’t. The “Queen” and “Goddess” didn’t make it to the second week of the tournament.

She was beaten by a player who is ranked 35th in the world.

I suppose it’s true that most of us to some degree are not about freedom as much as we are about what we perceive to be freedom. Maybe

it’s the freedom to proclaim and pretend we are something we aren’t. Or perhaps it’s the freedom to frame an issue the way we want to (i.e., people who advocate abortion calling themselves “prolife”). And more and more, it seems to be the freedom to act crudely, insensitively and self-righteously toward anyone who believes something different. I have a friend who is Romanian and lived under Soviet rule tell me that the problem in America is “we have too much freedom.”

I think he is on to something because he recognized that some of our “freedoms” aren’t very liberating.

By Bruce Green Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika

It’s easy to look at the book of Exodus and celebrate the freedom God gives Israel from their bondage in Egypt.

Indeed, this liberation is often used to speak of our deliverance through Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4; 1 Peter 1:18ff and lots of other texts). Too many times though, that’s the only liberation we see because that’s what we per-

Church calendar • Pepperell Baptist’s youth program meets on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. This is an evening of prayer, Bible Study, and discussion. For more information, contact youth and children’s pastor Ryno Jones if you need more information at 334-7453108.

• July 27 - Airview Church of God is hosting its VBS program July 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, call 334-745-7464. The church is located at 2803 Watson St. • July 30 - Way-

Catch ‘On the Mark’ with D. Mark Mitchell and Jeff Sasser weekday mornings from 7-9 a.m.

ANGLICAN Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd 1311 Second Ave. #758-6749 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Bridge Church 1000 Lee Road 263, Cusseta #742-0144 AME Mount Zion AME Church West Point Hwy #749-3916 St. Luke AME Church 1308 Auburn St. #749-1690 St. Paul AME Church 713 Powledge Ave. #745-6279 Thompson Chapel AME Zion 187 Columbus Pkwy #749-8676 BAPTIST Abundant Life Baptist Church 1220 Fox Run Ave. Suite B #7064421464 Airview Baptist Church 2301 Airport Rd. #745-6670 Antioch Baptist Church 605 W. East Morton Ave #742-0696 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St. #745-7528 Bethel Baptist Church Hwy. 29 Sasser Rd #745-4865 Central Baptist Church 1611 2nd Ave. #745-2482 Community Baptist Church 154 N. 16th St. #745-6552 Cornerstone Missionary Baptist 500 N. Railroad Ave. #742-2008 Eastview Baptist Church 1208 Spring Dr #749-9595 Farmville Baptist Church 3607 Alabama Hwy N. #887-7361 First Baptist Church of Opelika

314 S. 9th St. #745-6143 First Baptist Church 301 S. 8th St. #745-5715 First Baptist Church Impact 709 Avenue E #741-0624 First Freewill Baptist Church 103 19th St. #703-3333 Friendship Missionary Baptist 432 Maple Avenue #742-0105 Greater Peace Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave. #749-9487 Heritage Baptist Church 1103 Glenn St. #363-8943 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 Liberty Baptist Church 2701 West Point Pkwy #749-9632 Love Freewill Baptist Church 1113 Frederick Ave. #745-2905 Ridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church 1098 Lee Road 155 #334-745-3600 Northside Baptist Church 3001 Lafayette Hwy #745-5340 Pepperell Baptist Church 2702 2nd Ave. #745-3108 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Uniroyal Rd #749-2773 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Rd 166 #745-0807 Purpose Baptist Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #704-0302 St. James Baptist Church 1335 Auburn St. #745-3224 Union Grove Missionary Baptist 908 Huguley Rd #741-7770 BUDDHIST Buddha Heart Village 3170 Sandhill Rd. #821-7238

Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More!

603 Pleasant Pleasant Drive 603 Drive Opelika, AL Opelika, AL 36801 749-1333 Mon- Sat7am 7am-8pm Mon-Sat - 8pm Sun 12pm-6pm Sun 12pm - 6pm

second commandment is too restrictive to be thought of as liberating.

And for all of our sophistication and enlightenment, our freedoms really don’t fare much better, do they? The suicide rate has increased almost 30 percent since 1999. The rate for children between 10 and 17 has increased 70 percent in the last decade.

The average lifespan for Americans has gone down the last three years primarily due to suicide and drug overdose. That doesn’t sound much like freedom, does it?

Our sexual freedom has brought us to the See Green, page A14

Verse of the Week

2Serve’s Annual Support Dinner will be held July 30 at the Bottling Plant Event Center in downtown Opelika. For more information or to RSVP, send email to brandi@ theway2serve.org.

• Aug. 9 - First Baptist Church of Opelika will host Rick Burgess Aug. 9 as part of its ongoing series for men “Making a Difference.” Tickets are $10 each and available through www.eventbrite. com. The church is located at 301 S. 8th St. Events can be emailed to the Observer at editor@opelikaobserver.com.

ceive as freedom.

But Exodus doesn’t stop there. Their liberation continues as Israel is given the Ten Commandments and the other laws that are part of the covenant God makes with them. That’s a little bit of a rub for many of us because the idea of being liberated through law is hard to get our head around. We tend to think that not having any law is freedom.

We’re not alone in this, after all, Adam and Eve only had one command and they were sure freedom wasn’t found in following it! And with Moses still up on the mountain getting the law from God, the Israelites are sure the

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

CATHOLIC St. Mary’s Catholic Church 1000 4th Ave. #749-8359 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy #742-9721 10th Street Church of Christ 500 N. 10th St. #745-5181 Southside Church of Christ 405 Carver Ave. #745-6015 Church of Christ 2660 Cunningham Drive #745-6377 CHURCH OF GOD Airview Church of God 3015 Old Opelika Rd #749-9112 Church of God 114 17th Place #7496432 Tabernacle Church of God 3 Oak Court #745-7979 CHURCH OF NAZARENE Opelika Church of Nazarene 1500 Bruce Ave. #749-1302 EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave. #745-2054 HOLINESS Eastside Emmanuel Holiness Church 86 Lee Road 186 Opelika, Ala. 36804 JEWISH Beth Shalom Congregation 134 S. Cary Dr. #826-1050 LATTERDAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints 510 Groce St. #742-9981 METHODIST First United Methodist Church of Opelika 702 Avenue A #745-7604 Hopewell United Methodist 1993 Lee Rd 136 #745-0460

Pierce Chapel United Methodist 8685 AL Hwy. 51 #749-4469 Pepperell United Methodist 200 26th St. #745-9334 Trinity United Methodist Church 800 Second Ave. #745-2632 Wesley Memorial United Methodist 2506 Marvyn Pkwy #745-2841 PENTECOSTAL Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Hwy. 29, PO Box 1691 #741-8675 Gateway Community Church 2715 Frederick Rd #745-6926 PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church of Opelika 900 2nd Ave. #745-3421 Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Rd #745-4889 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Outreach Seventh-Day Adventist 1808 S. Long St. #749-3151 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Apostolic Holiness Church 610 Canton St. #749-6759 Auburn Opelika Korean Church 1800 Rocky Brook Rd #749-5386 Beauregard Full Gospel Revival 2089 Lee Road 42 #745-0455 Christ Church International 1311 2nd Ave. #745-0832 Church of the Harvest 2520 Society Hill Rd #745-2247 Church at Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy #705-0505 East Congregation of Jehovah Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. #737-1488 Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance 207 S. Railroad Ave. #745-6430 Faith Alliance Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #749-9516 Faith Christian Center 600 S. 8th St. Faith Church 3920 Marvyn Pkwy #707-3922

Family Life Christian Center 601 S. 7th St. #741-7013 Father’s House Christian Fellowship 214 Morris Ave. #749-1070 Fellowship Bible Church 2202 Hamilton Rd #749-1445 Ferguson Chapel Church 310 S. 4th St. #745-2913 First Assembly of God Church 510 Simmons St. #749-3722 Garden of Gethsemane Fellowship 915 Old Columbus Rd #745-2686 Grace Heritage Church Opelika #559-0846 Holy Deliverance Church 831 S. Railroad #749-5682 Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. #737-1488 Living Way Ministries 1100 Old Columbus Rd #749-6241 Move of God Fellowship Church 1119 Old Columbus Rd #741-1006 Connect Church 2900 Waverly Pkwy #749-3916 New Life Christian Center 2051 West Point Pkwy #741-7373 New Life Independent Church 10 Meadowview Estates Trailer 741-9001 Opelika’s First Seventh Day 2011 Columbus Pkwy #737-3222 Power of Praise, Inc. Church 3811 Marvyn Pkwy #745-6136 Shady Grove Christian Church West Point Hwy #745-7770

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A14 July 17, 2019

Community Calendar: Events around town

• July 18 - Connections - Networking Leads Breakfast at 8 a.m.

• July 19-21 - Back to School Sales Tax Holiday in July • July 27 - Pursell Farms: Paint Your Pop Art Pet from 4 to 8 p.m.

• Aug. 15 - 16th Annual Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee by the Lee County Literacy Coalition Ongoing: • Village Friends/Village Values is a nonprofit organization that supports seniors who prefer to stay in their own homes as they grow older. For info or to schedule a presentation to your group, call 334-209-4641.

For the website, Google “village friends village values.”

• The Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR chapter is appealing for sweaters, jackets, trousers, shirts and socks, women’s clothing, soft soap in individual containers, shaving supplies, disposable razors, denture cleanser, toothpaste and toothbrushes, DVDs, games, books and magazines to take to veterans at the CAVHCS in Tuskegee. The Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR Chapter regularly visits veterans living in assisted living, the homeless domiciliary and psych (trauma) ward in Tuskegee. Donations are tax deductible and will be much appreciated. Pick up is provided. Please call Linda Shabo at 887-6659 or at 256-307-1449.

Mondays: • The Lee County Voters League meets the first Mondays of the month at 6 p.m. at Bethesda Baptist Church located at 201 S. 4th Street, Opelika • The John Powell American Legion Post 18 and Auxiliary meets the third Monday at 7 p.m. at 910 West Point Parkway in

Opelika.

• The Opelika Community Band practices from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Auburn High School band room. Everyone is welcome, amateurs and professionals alike.

• Smiths Station Military Chapter of Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) meets weekly at Mike & Ed’s at 5 p.m. For more information, call 2975581 or visit www.nonukesforiran.org.

• The Touched by Suicide Support Group meets the first Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at the East Alabama Medical Center Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway. For more information, contact Deborah Owen, EAMC’s director of Psychiatric Services at 334528-4197 or deborahowen@ eamc.org.

• The fourth Monday of each month a Community Grief Support Group meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the EAMC Health Resource Center. No reservations are necessary; everyone is welcome. For more information call 826-1899 or 502-0216.

• T.O.P.S (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly), a weight loss support group, meets every Monday night from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Covington Recreation Center, 213 Carver Ave., Opelika.

For more info contact Mary Johnson, 749-1584.

• The Lee County Commission meets the second and last Mondays of each

month at the courthouse beginning at 5 p.m.

• The Commercial Horticulture Extension Team organizes webinars to provide quick updates for producers on various topics of interest.

Whether you are interested in the proper way to plant fruit trees or have questions in turf management, these webinars cover a wide range of subjects. Webinars are streamed live via Panopto on the last Monday of every month starting in January and ending in November.

During the presentation, participants can send questions via email. The webinars also are recorded and stored in the archive on the Beginning Farmer website.

Webinar topics include: trap cropping for reducing squash insect pests, cowpea curculio updates, nutsedge control, introduction to potting mixes in ornamental container production, dealing with drought in commercial horticulture crops, and many more.

To view the full schedule, please visit www.aces. edu/anr/beginningfarms/ webinars.php. Please send questions during the presentations to Ann Chambliss, thameae@auburn.edu. For questions regarding the webinar series or for providing suggestions, please email Dr. Ayanava Majumdar at bugdoctor@auburn.edu.

Tuesdays: • Ballroom Dance Classes at the Opelika Sportsplex

Upcoming Events • July 25 - ‘Act of Congress’ at Sundilla • July 27 - 12th annual ‘Waverly Tomato Showdown’ • July 27 - Annual

Auburn Wing Fest • July 27 - Third annual “Family Movie Night” at the Smiths Station Sports Complex • July 31 - Jack

Barksdale and Ben Danaher at The Sound Wall • Aug. 5 - Lee County Voter’s League monthly meeting.

from 7 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday. Instructor is Cody Wayne Foote. For more info call Diane at 749-6320.

• The East Alabama Old Car Club meets every first Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Monarch Estates Clubhouse, located at 1550 East University Drive, Auburn. A program of interest to the old car enthusiast is presented. Car ownership is not required.

• The Opelika City Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings are preceded by non-voting work sessions that typically begin about 6:30 to 6:45 p.m.

• Every second Tuesday, a country, gospel and bluegrass music jam session is held at Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church in Beauregard. The event is free and open to the public. Those who play an instrument should bring it and plan to join in. The jam session is held from 6 to 8 p.m. 8685 AL Highway 51.

• A Grief Support Group meets at Oak Bowery United Methodist Church Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. for anyone dealing with the pain of loss and feeling the need for support on their journey as they attempt to bring order and wholeness back into their life. Attendance and participation is strictly voluntary for any and all sessions. There are no fees or charges involved. The church is located on U.S. Highway 431 – eight miles north from Southern Union State Community College and Opelika High School.

For more information contact Bill Parker at 459-0214 or 706-518-9122.

• The Auburn Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol meets every Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Auburn University Regional Airport.

The Civil Air Patrol is a nonprofit organization that is Congressionally chartered to be the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force and focuses on three missions: aerospace

Green,

from A13 to the place that the majority of children born to women under thirty are born into single parent families to cite just one consequence. The psalmist said, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (Psalm 119:45). God’s law brings more than what we perceive to be freedom, it gives us the real thing.

Finally, Exodus ends with the liberation that comes through worship.

education, cadet programs and emergency services.

For more information visit www.auburncap.org or find the organization on Facebook.

• East Alabama Gem & Mineral Society meet the 4th Tuesday of every month at 5:45 p.m. Meetings are held at the Covington Rec. Center located at 213 Carver Ave. in Opelika.

Wednesdays: • The second Wednesday of each month a Community Grief Support Group meets from 10 to 11 a.m. at the EAMC Health Resource Center. No reservations are necessary. For more info call 826-1899 or 502-0216.

• The John Powell American Legion Post 18 and Auxiliary hosts Bingo every Wednesday night at 6 p.m.

• Every Wednesday is Wine Down Wednesday at the Bottling Plant Event Center from 5 to 8 p.m.

Thursdays: • American Legion Auxiliary Unit 152 meets the first Thursday of every month at 11 a.m. at Niffer’s Place, 917 S. Railroad Ave. in Opelika.

• The Teal Magnolias Gynecological Cancer Support Group meets the second Thursday of every third month at 6 p.m. at EAMC Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway.

For more information on the Teal Magnolias, email tealmagnoliasAL@yahoo.com or find them on Facebook.

• Opelika-Auburn Newcomers’ Club provides a variety of programs for the betterment of the Auburn/ Opelika community to assist women transitioning into the area or to help women adjust to recent lifestyle changes.

The club meets on the third Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. for a luncheon at various local restaurants.

Please call or email Cheri Paradice at 334-737-5215 or cheri.paradice@gmail.com for more information or luncheon location of the month.

• T.O.U.C.H. Cancer Support Group meets the third

Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at EAMC’s Health Resource Center. This is a support group for people living with any type of cancer or their families and friends.

Call 334-528-1076 for more information.

•After School Art Classes for Children & Youth Weekly Studio Classes featuring Drawing, Painting & More.. *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 •Afternoon Art Classes for Adults featuring Studio Drawing, Painting & More.. *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided Thursdays at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 • Evening Art Classes for Adults Fundamental Drawing Studio - Every Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 • Portrait Drawing Studio - portrait drawing classes for beginners, Every Wednesday 2 p.m. EST *all fine art supplies are provided The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 • Senior Studio Art Classes Every Wednesday 11 a.m.

EST *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008

There is absolutely nothing more liberating that losing ourselves in the glory of God. Let’s face it, when we get brutally honest our problem is us—and specifically the fact that we have the tendency to put ourselves at the center rather than God. Worship changes all of that (except when we want to “ooh” and “ahh” at our worship rather than our God).

From the beginning of the book, worshiping Yahweh is central. God tells Moses at the burning bush, “I will be with you.

And this will be the sign that it is I who

have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain” (3:12). Over and over, Pharaoh is told

by Moses to let Israel go so they might worship Yahweh (4:23, 7:16, 8:1,20, 9:1, 10:3,7-8,11,24,26, 12:31). Worship, whether public or private, is learning to live on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And we will never experience greater freedom.

You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: atasteofgracewithbrucegreen. com.

Email editor@opelikaobserver.com to place your community events.

“Save the Date” Museum of East Alabama 30th Anniversary Celebration Aug. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Refreshments will be served.

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A15 July 17, 2019

An ‘Alabama Bucket List’: Girls trip to Gadsden

B

ucket List: • Cherokee Rock Village • Noccalula Falls.

This trip was made extra special by my last minute decision to turn it into a Girls Trip! My middle child, Sissy, has been my side-kick all summer. With her being my only girl, I have embraced our time together and its value as she is growing up quickly before my very eyes.

We also decided to invite one of her sweet friends and I’m so glad we did. Girls adventuring together is just simply fun.

Watching them explore and get excited about seeing something new is a mother’s dream. They made for easy travelers and I loved all the giggles and singing in the backseat, pure entertainment for the mommy chauffeur.

Our destination was Gadsden located just two hours north of Auburn, making it a nice quick two-day, one-night trip.

Since it was just us girls, my husband agreed a hotel room would be best over camping. This was an added bonus for us ladies because Sissy and I love a hotel!

We headed north just after lunch on Thursday, we would drive straight to our first destination, Cherokee Rock Village. I’ve seen the coolest pictures of this place on Instagram and knew we had to go.

The best word to describe Cherokee Rock Village is COOL! It was the neatest outdoor playground I’ve ever seen. It reminded me of “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” but way better. Sissy agreed it was the coolest place we had seen on our bucket list all summer.

It took a few backroads and Sissy thought we were driving into “nowhere land” when we finally arrived at a state park that had been very well taken care of. The gentlemen at the entrance was kind and told us exactly where to go to see the best parts of Rock Village. The parking was less than a minute form the entrance, we hopped out and began our adventure.

Let’s talk about weather,

because you never know what to expect this time of year. I prefer to just go for it and work the rest out later. This time, it worked.

We arrived to thunder and rain sprinkles and before we knew it, it was pouring.

We sat tight in a brandnew pavilion and waited it out. Thankfully, within in 10 minutes, the rain cleared and we set out.

Cherokee Rock Village is a forest setting slam full of mountainous rocks.

These items together make for fun pathways and endless hideouts and tunnels amongst boulders, trees, rocks and luscious greenery.

Dirt paths lead the way, trees tower over you giving the illusion of being indoors, surrounded by massive rocks. This fun goes on and on and on. It’s an endless forest to get lost in but you’re immediately able to find your way out.

Sissy kept saying, “it’s all so natural. It doesn’t even look real, but it is.” I love this about our destinations. You see pictures of where you want to go, but it’s greatness can’t really be felt till you get there.

Pictures don’t do justice for the fun and beauty of what you see with your eyes and feel beneath your feet.

My next mission is to take the boys back here with me. Shep would have been in heaven, although I would have been a nervous wreck with his busy body above all the rocks and boulders.

We managed to drive past the campground, and it was nicer than nice. We will stay here next time and I’m pretty excited about it.

We stayed the night at the Gadsden Inn and Suites. It was perfect for us ladies as it was clean and cozy and one cannot go wrong with a fancy pool.

After leaving the rock village, the girls loved jumping in and cooling off into the night. The hotel was affordable, pleasant and I highly recommend for your weekend in Gadsden.

Our next stop Friday morning was Noccalula Falls. I had no idea what to expect here. I just knew it was beautiful and I wanted

Bradley Robertson to see it.

There’s a pretty cool legend behind this natural beauty, of Princess Noccalula. She was known far and wide among the Indian tribes for her beauty and character. Her father arranged for her to marry a wealthy tribesman from a neighboring tribe but Princess Noccalula fell in love with a man in her own tribe, with no worldly possessions. On the day she was to marry her father’s choice of husband, she slipped away and jumped off the falls to her death.

Today, there is a statue of the Princess above the falls, a reminder of history and the mystery of legend.

We arrived to a lovely state park with many travelers and campers, families young and old, with beautiful scenery all around. It is located right in the town of Gadsden, making it an easy access for passersby and day travelers, like ourselves, minutes form our hotel.

The falls is located a short walking distance from the parking lot and campground, but the adventure really begins when you get off the path and into an unknown trail. This was our choice of excitement and it proved to be amazing.

You first see the falls from the top view. There is a lovely pool with a wide stream of rocks and slow moving water that comes down from the mountains. It branches wider and wider beneath a small bridge until it breaks into the falls, over a ledge.

You can hear it from a distance but finally seeing it is a beautiful sight. Seeing it from the top wasn’t enough for us, we soon found a random path and decided to test out our

skills and see where it took us.

Together, we climbed down a few boulders and weaved our way among rocks and trees and made it to the beach area at the base of the fall. Seeing it form this point of view was better than any picture I’d seen of the falls.

Watching it pour over the edge, and the mist in the air as it fell into the pool below was breathtaking.

You can’t help but stare in awe at the sight, amazed at such things and finding them so close to home.

Behind the falls is a cave, we saw people walking around amongst rocks and moss and ivy, looking like tiny ants.

The girls quickly took off their shoes to wade into the water. Standing there, seeing the blue sky above with dancing birds and the waterfall and scenery below, you can’t help but be thankful and stand still in the moment.

We decided to take our

adventure to the next level and find our way behind the falls. A gentleman had told us of a hidden path to the left of the falls, we took a chance and went after it and bingo! We found a tiny path of rocks, branches and towering trees that lead us right to the cave behind the falls.

It was vast and gorgeous and we slowly crept from rock to rock, and found ourselves right behind Noccalula Falls. We felt the mist and the wind of the falls covering over us. We stayed behind the water, not attempting to go in. We sat for while on the rocks, taking it all in. It was glorious, Sissy loved every minute of it. It was the perfect place to be, not only seeing beauty, but feeling it on our skin and being so close to it.

I gave Sissy one the biggest hugs and told her how happy I was to be there with her. She sweetly told

me thank you for bringing her here, something we both will never forget.

We soon said good-bye to Noccalula, with the hopes of returning one day with the boys.

The most-fun part of these trips is finding something new and beautiful close to home. I’ve learned you don’t have to look far nor travel far to see the wonders of our world. It’s also been a reminder at the simplicity of making memories. It’s not elaborate, it’s not fancy and it doesn’t bust the bank. It’s really about each other, seeing our world from a new point of view and loving the journey of life.

Bradley Robertson is a local mother, wife and creative. She’s an Auburn University graduate, loves good food and getting outside with her family. Bradley enjoys feature writing, as well as outhern culture and lifestyle writing.

Photo by Bradley Robertson/Opelika Observer

Check Out Our New Tiger Town Location Across from Lowe’s, another convenient location to serve our customers

AuburnBank’s Tiger Town Kroger location has moved to a new, full-service location on Frederick Road in front of Lowe’s. Under the leadership of City President Eddie Smith, our new location provides three drive-up windows, a drive-up ATM, a night deposit drop, safe deposit boxes, consumer and commercial loans in addition to all our checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts,

Eddie Smith CITY PRESIDENT

certificates of deposit and numerous electronic products and services.

We look forward to serving you at the new Tiger Town Branch.

ICK RD.

FREDER

Tiger Town

Lowe’s

R.

D AY TEW GA

Kroger

Our New Location

Visit us here: www.auburnbank.com MEMBER FDIC

I-85

1851 Frederick Road Opelika

Equal Housing Lender

334-275-9600

pelika Observer O

A16 July 17, 2019

Lee County Humane Society seeks to adopt out 100 kittens before July 31 Special to the Opelika Observer With kitten and puppy season in full swing, the Lee County Humane Society has more than 150 adopt-

334-528-6191

able felines.

The shelter has started a “100 Kitten Challenge� for July in hopes of adopting out 100 kittens before July 31. All kittens (felines younger than

six months old) that have been spayed or neutered will have an adoption fee of $15, while those that have not been spayed or neutered will have an additional deposit

www.eamcfoundation.org

of $50 added to their adoption fee.

Pet overpopulation is prevalent in the community, and the shelter has taken in more than 1,300 pets since January.

Contact: Amy Thomas Amy.Thomas@eamc.org

The largest contributing factor to pet overpopulation is the lack of spayed and neutered pets. During the summer months, more pets tend to roam their area and reproduction is at its highest possibility.

There are two lowcost spay/neuter options for Lee County residents to take advantage of at this time: the Lee County Spay and Neuter Your Pets (SNYP) and SNYP Plus. SNYP is available for Lee County pet owners that are at least 19 years old and either receive Medicaid benefits or have an annual household income of $30,000 or less.

Proof of Lee County residency, photo ID and Medicaid card or proof of total household income can be brought to the LCHS, Animal Health Center or Opelika Animal Hospital during their normal business hours to apply. SNYP surgery fees for dogs are $10 and $5 for cats.

SNYP Plus is a spay/

neuter program for Lee County residents with a household income of $30,001 to $50,000.

SNYP Plus was started in June after LCHS received a grant from the Petco Foundation of $50,000 toward spay/neuter services.

To apply for SNYP Plus, come by LCHS during normal business hours with proof of Lee County residency, photo ID to match and proof of total household income. Copay for cats is $15 and copay for dogs is $25.

The shelter is open for adoptions 12 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. All available pets can be viewed at www.leecountyhumane.org/adopt. There are 68 felines available for adoption in foster homes, and there are 101 in the shelter.

Lee County residents interested in participating in SNYP or SNYP Plus can visit www. leecountyhumane.org/ low-cost-spay-neuter.

The shelter is located at 1140 Ware Drive.

Opelika Schools & Sports Inside • opelika schools • lee county schools • community sports

See this week’s latest crossword and sudoku puzzles on B12.

Beauregard High School introduces new principal, baseball coach

On the Mark

By D. Mark Mitchell

OHS’s Dr. Farrell Seymore recently named to AHSAA’s Central Board of Control

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pelika High Principal Dr. Farrell Seymore will succeed former Beauregard High School Principal Richard Brown on the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board of Control, the organization’s governing body. Seymore will assume the position representing District 4 on Aug. 1.

Seymore will join Dadeville High School’s Assistant Principal Pamala Holloway on the board.

He served on the AHSAA’s Legislative Council for many years. The CBC votes on all rules relating to the Alabama High School Athletics Association. Seymore becomes the second member of the Central Board from Opelika, joining Opelika Junior High School Principal William “Bill” Parker, who served in the 80s.

Congratulations Dr. Seymore!

Honoring ‘Roc’ Thomas The Opelika Parks and Recreation Department held a ceremony last Thursday at Covington Recreation Center, renaming the

departments summer basketball league “The Roscoe Thomas Summer Basketball League.” An OHS graduate, Thomas passed away unexpectedly in January 2018.

Thomas was an avid player and basketball fan. He was an extremely good player at Opelika Middle and Opelika High schools, earning a scholarship to play junior college in Texas, then Troy State.

Thomas worked at the Covington Recreation Center, supervising in the evening and helping when needed.

Known as “Junior Boy” and “Roc” to his friends and family, he was a close friend of mine. He enjoyed all sports, most of all Opelika’s sports. Thomas kept up with football, basketball, baseball, Softball and track. among others.

Kingston Frazier, from Opelika, revitalized the league several years ago after graduation. Frazier went to the recreation department and lobbied for the league to return.

Thomas played in a See Sports, page B4

Richard Brown Jr. becomes next principal of BHS; Seth Nolen looks to build relationships, cultivate lasting success as BHS’s new baseball coach

By Kelly Daniel and Morgan Bryce Richard Brown Jr. Principal of BHS On July 11, Richard Brown Jr. began serving as the new principal of Beauregard High School, two days after the Lee County School Board approved the hiring

decision during a board meeting on July 9.

Brown is now serving in the position previously held by his father, Richard Brown Sr., who was principal of Beauregard High since 1979 and who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Providing a Positive

Educational Environment Brown Jr. will strive to provide a positive educational environment for youth, continuing to pursue the mission of Beauregard High School.

“This is a formative time in a young person’s life, and I want to offer them a safe place and

a place that they enjoy coming and where they can pursue their dreams and their interests,” Brown said. Throughout his career, Brown has worked to provide such an environment, and for most of this time, he has been working in Lee See Beauregard, page B6

Pickleball courts open last week at Sportsplex

Photo by AO Tourism/Special to the Opelika Observer

B2 July 17, 2019

pelika Observer O

Local youth teams excel in their sports this summer Opelika’s All-Star Softball Team enjoys successful season and district title victory

Opelika Dixie Boys 13U wraps up season Monday night in Dothan

Photo special to the Opelika Observer Bottom Row Left to Right: Elizabeth Bullard, Jade Jones, Journee McKee and Kennedy Soltau. Middle Row: Jordyn Cobb and Emily Birmingham. Back Row Left to Right: Cailyn Morgan, Jayda Freeman, Katelyn Foley, Jasmine Smith, Kellie Whitlow, Jancyn Thompson, Katie Harrelson and Jaycie Segrest. Coaches: Brad McKee, Joetta Good and Billy Harrelson. The team won their respective district but ended the season with consecutive losses in the state tournament to end their season.

Photo special to the Opelika Observer Bottom row from left: Christopher Fernandez, Brody Craft, Jayden Mckee, Colby Rathel and Davin Blackmon. Top row from left: Trey White, Carter Dees, Trent Moulton, Jordan Bond, Gavin Blackmon and Aaron Standridge. Not pictured Pate Lovelace. The team went 1-2 in the state tournament in Dothan earlier this week, officially wrapping up their season with a loss on Monday night. For more information or updates on other local Dixie Boys squads, follow “Opelika Dixie Boys Baseball” on Facebook.

pelika O Observer

M

usic lessons.

Two simple words that bring back so many memories.

I took music lessons as a child. First was piano lessons from a very young age until my middle school years - until I couldn’t be bothered by the long hours practicing and preparing for competitions. I had other, “more important” things to do. The piano lessons were no longer fun.

So I signed up for the middle high school band playing trumpet.

More lessons.

More practicing - and eventually more competition.

But I learned to play the trumpet and time marched on.

In the spring of my eighth-grade year, we were told that the high school band had been selected to be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that fall. As current eighthgraders that meant WE would be going to New York as freshmen in the High School band.

Such excitement! This was going to be fun!

And it was fun. It was an experience that I, along with many of my high school friends have never forgotten.

But.

B3 July 17, 2019

‘Music Lessons’ The fun only came after months and months of, you guessed it... practice!

Hot, sweaty practices in the heat of an Alabama summer followed by more practices in the cold winter as Thanksgiving drew near.

Walking 2.5 miles sounded easy but we quickly learned that marching that distance while carrying an instrument and playing music was a totally different task.

While I was grateful that I had not decided to play the tuba, I certainly wished that I had decided on the piccolo!

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was only one of the first big events that our band participated in under the direction of Stacy Goss.

“Mr. Goss” as he was referred to, could play every instrument in the band. He was quick to pick up yours and give a little tutorial when he saw you struggling to learn a particularly hard part of music. To a young musician still struggling to extend my range of sound on my trumpet, seeing Mr. Goss play all the instruments was a music lesson in and of itself.

But those music lessons are not the most impor-

tant lessons that I learned during my tutelage under Stacy Goss.

Mr. Goss taught us life lessons, often without us ever even realizing that we were learning some of them.

Of course the lessons about how hard work is required in order to learn to march in straight lines and play an instrument at the same time was fairly obvious to all. Because he worked us hard!

But the most important lessons were the ones that have stuck with me long past high school graduation.

Mr. Goss taught us that while winning band competitions is a lot of hard work and a lot of fun, winning is not everything. He taught us that how we win was more important. He taught us to win with humility - to be kind to those we competed against. We were always expected to show good sportsmanship - no matter what.

But he also taught us how to lose. It was rare for us to lose a band competition. After all, he prepared us, he worked us and we went to win. But, occasionally, we did lose.

And Mr. Goss taught us how to lose with grace.

There were no temper tan-

trums, no blaming others for what might have gone wrong. We were expected to congratulate the winners and to do it with sincerity and a smile.

Yes, once back home, we would work to correct whatever went wrong in order to perform better the next time, but Mr. Goss was never one to dwell on the losses. He taught us how to pick up our shattered dreams of winning and move on to the next competition without a lot of unnecessary drama.

Mr. Goss taught us how to be good citizens in our community. We were told often that we represented the school anytime we were out and about, but especially when we were in our band uniforms and we were always expected to conduct ourselves in such a way that it would bring honor to our organization.

Anyone caught bringing anything less to attention was quickly corrected.

He taught us how to be polite and considerate of others. To say please and thank you.

He taught us office etiquette and manners.

Simple things really but things that I still do subconsciously everyday.

Things like: - knocking on a door

and waiting to be acknowledged before entering - waiting to be invited in when standing outside an open door - waiting for someone to finish their call before interrupting them - cleaning up after ourselves, always leaving the area we were in cleaner than it was when we arrived - being hospitable to visitors and so on and so on. The list is long.

But these “music lessons” were some of the most important lessons we

learned in school.

I had the opportunity to thank Mr. Goss for these lessons this past weekend.

He was playing trumpet here in the AuburnOpelika area as part of the Auburn Knights Orchestra Alumni reunion concert.

I had not seen him in more than 30 years but what an honor it was to finally get the chance to tell him in person how thankful I am for all those “music lessons.”

Michelle Key Publisher

Stacy Goss

Children and curiosity go together!

Beth Pinyerd The Classroom Observer

C

amping is the summer theme for our classroom of children this summer.

We have had a blast of imaginary fun in learning and exploring different kinds of animals and their habitats as well as moon and star gazing.

As parents and teachers, we know and answer many ongoing questions that children have. “Why is the sky blue?”, “Why do people have different eye colors

and hair color?”, “Why do stars twinkle?” etc. are just a few questions that I have heard from my young students. My co-teacher and I may not know all the answers, but along with our students, we will do our best to find them out.

From infants to older children and we adults, God has given each child an innate drive to find out about the world around them. As parents and teachers, it is a

wonderful opportunity to stimulate and encourage a child’s curiosity at a young age. Curiosity encourages the brain to develop as children learn to read, do math, science, explore, investigate and manipulate, etc. Curiosity motivates children to want to learn!

As parents and teachers, what can we as parents and teachers do to encourage and enhance curiosity with our children? Provide them with a curiosity-driven environment of wonder and awe allows children to explore! Remove items which may be dangerous to your children, which will allow them to explore in a safe environment.

Remember to set limits and boundaries in your home of where you feel comfortable for your children or grandchildren to explore.

Children want to explore objects and see how they work and why.

Also, set out certain days that you and your children can go on family field trips. This could be something as simple as going to the grocery store with your infants or toddlers. To see colorful shapes of fruit and other foods is a wonderful curiosity lesson.

Taking the time to truly engage in nature such as looking at the stars, moon, watching birds and their habits, insects’ habits, making out shapes and forms in clouds as well as watching clouds build up to rainstorms encourages the curiosity drive in our children.

I love seeing my little students on the playground bending over to observe an ant or bee rather than playing.

They bring their little

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ADULT ABUSE HOTLINE at 1-800-458-7214

HELP STOP THE ABUSE

IF YOU SEE IT, REPORT IT

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“This project was supported by Subgrant #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.” The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice or grant-making component.”

playground pet over to their teachers and ask many questions. I love early childhood where children have that freedom of spirit to explore without worrying about a thing.

When your child expresses their thoughts, ideas and questions, focus on what they are expressing to you with excitement, understanding and interest. We adults may not know all the answers, but you and your child can explore the path of knowledge which leads to a solution and problem solving.

I love the way my fellow teacher allows our class to tinker and explore through learning centers. Our young students build elaborate Lego creations, construct tracks for cars, love playing house in the “pretend” center and read and look at books of pictures of animals

they might see on a camping trip like squirrels, birds, porcupines, raccoons, different kinds of insects, etc. having a discovery table with nature items for children to closely look at with a magnifying glass, microscope, etc. encourages curiosity.

When traveling on long trips, making up stories together not only encourages language development but reading a few paragraphs and letting your child finish the story is a curiosity booster.

When children use all their senses in the early years of development, they begin to understand and make sense of their environment. This provides for children a curiosity drive about how things work. This process of discovery and learning contributes See Pinyerd, page B4

pelika Observer O

B4 July 17, 2019

Local authors to speak July 23 at OLLI Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Special to the Opelika Observer Ford and Betty McMurtry will present their book “The Growing Season: Cotton Chronicles 2” at OLLI’s July 23 Brown Bag Lunch and Learn.

The book chronicles the life of Olivia Turner, who is described as follows: “Olivia Turner was pretty, smart, kind, God-fearing and hard working. She was the girl every family hoped their daughters would grow up to be. That is until she made one

mistake which would divide a small town and forever change the course of two families.”

“The Growing Season” follows the hardpan lives of two south Alabama families as they navigate the Great Depression. The novel features strong women who succeed in spite of the cultural norms of the times and their ne’er-do-well men.

“The Growing Season” is the second of six volumes spanning from 1932 to 1937.

Betty was born and raised near Hartford.

She attended Auburn University and worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, Farmers Home Administration, as a civil servant. After early retirement, she ran a successful management consulting firm.

In 1998, she became licensed as a National Football League agent and represented seven NFL players from schools such as Auburn University, the University of Alabama and Florida State University. She retired a second time in 2015 and has spent the last two years

writing The Cotton Chronicles.

Ford was born in Columbus. He attended Auburn University where he was a walkon member of the football team.

In addition to becoming a successful coach at the high school, college and professional levels, he counts NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal among his most accomplished players. Ford’s career included stints as an NFL agent, sports journalist, business owner and auto insurance claims director. He re-

sides in Auburn, where he enjoys spending time with his family and dog, Missy.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will host its Brown Bag Lunch & Learn from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities (Pebble Hill), 101 S. Debardeleben St. in Auburn. There is no charge for OLLI members and guests.

OLLI at Auburn is a program of the Office of the Vice President

for University Outreach at Auburn University.

OLLI administrative offices and select classes are located at the historic Sunny Slope property located at 1031 S. College St. in Auburn.

For more information regarding this event or to learn about becoming a volunteer faculty member, volunteer service assistant or sponsor, please contact Shawnee McKee, OLLI Administrative Support, 334-844-3146, olli@auburn.edu or visit www.olliatauburn. org.

Precision Ag Team to host Field Day July 30

By Katie Nichols Special to the Opelika Observer

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System precision agriculture team invites Alabama producers and crop consultants to attend a precision ag field day July 30 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Participants will have an opportunity to listen to experts on topics ranging from use of drones in agriculture to nutrient management. Registration is free and available online.

Pinyerd,

from B3

to the curiosity drive of gaining knowledge for themselves which encourages security and confidence of exploring experiences in learning our world. Pinyerd has taught young children in the early childhood classroom for 34 years as well as outreaching

Alabama Extension Precision Agriculture Specialist Brenda Ortiz said precision agriculture is a big player in strengthening food security and increasing yield while conserving the environment.

Therefore, the adoption of precision ag practices is important.

Precision Ag Field Day Topics at the workshop will include participants interacting with Alabama Extension professionals, industry personnel, experts from other leading universities as well as other producers.

Instructional ses-

sions, as well as handson demonstrations with ag industry providers, is scheduled as part of that afternoon’s activities. There will also be a large exhibit hall where industry and precision ag service providers will conduct product demonstrations.

Some of the topics presented during the workshop will include: drones in agriculture, precision planting, irrigation water management, precision ag data management, precision spraying and nutrient management.

There are several

to the elderly in intergenerational settings.

She has taught and outreached in the schools in Opelika and Baldwin County. She holds a masters degree in early childhood education as well as a bachelors degree in family and child development both from Auburn University. Her husband is the late Carl Pinyerd and she has one son, Gus Pinyerd who has taught her so much about learning. Class-

room Observer is here to serve the community in sharing the wonderful teaching programs in our local public schools, private schools, and homeschools. The column is provided to enrich the education of our children, youth, and families. Classroom Observer welcomes educational news, school news, pictures, and events by e-mailing her at donnapinyerd@ charter.net

speakers from different universities on the schedule for the workshop. University speakers will include: ● Terry Griffin – Kansas State University ● Yiannis Ampatzidis – University of Florida ● Joe Luck – University of Nebraska ● Ajay Sharda – Kansas State University ● Brenda Ortiz – Auburn University.

There are also several precision ag company representatives on the schedule will include: SunSouth, Vantage

Sports,

from B1 similar league at Covington Recreation Center after his college career.

I know that Mrs. Thomas is proud of her son. Not many can say their son has a basketball league named in his honor.

AHSAA ALLSTAR WEEK The Alabama High School Athletic Association is holding All-Star week in Montgomery.

South, Agri-AFC and Pinnacle Agriculture.

“USDA has identified the adoption of precision ag technologies as a top priority because of the impact the adoption of sitespecific management practices will have on global food production, the economy and the environment,” Ortiz said. “We have seen tremendous support from USDA to provide funding to farmers and scientists as they conduct on-farm demonstrations of precision ag technologies and site- specific management practices.”

Student-athletes from across Alabama will gather in Montgomery. Teams are divided by North and South.

The AHSAA mandates this as a “dead period” for member schools. The only activities allowed are conditioning and weight lifting.

Football teams continue to prepare for fall practice in August.

BEAUREGARD HIRES PRINCIPAL, BASEBALL COACH Lee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mac McCoy nomi-

Ortiz said this workshop is organized to help farmers and consultants get more acquainted with precision ag practices, while also learning how to implement them on-farm.

Check in begins at 7:30 a.m. on July 30.

There is no fee to attend the workshop but registration is required.

Visit http://www.aces. edu/go/993 to register for the event.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens are located at 2612 Lane Park Road in Birmingham. Contact Ortiz at bvortiz@auburn.edu for more information. nated Richard Brown Jr to be the Principal at Beauregard High School, with the board approving the hire 5-1–1.

During the same meeting, the board approved Seth Nolen as new head baseball coach.

Richard Brown Jr succeeds his father Richard Brown after 40-plus years as principal.

DIXIE ALL -STARS The Opelika Dixie Youth, Junior Dixie Boys and Opelika softball played in State Tournaments over the weekend.

Because of time, I will provide an update in next week’s column.

EAST ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL MEDIA DAYS iHeartRadio will hold the second annual “High School Media Days” July 24 to 25 in the Southern Room at SUSCC. The event is presented by the Orthopedic Clinic.

Audio presentation of the event can be found on Fox Sports The Game 910 and 1310 AM, the iHeartRadio app and online at foxsportsthegame. com.

Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State Director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.

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Southern Union State Community College’s ‘ASCEND’ program taking off locally

By Bradley Robertson For the Opelika Observer There is a new program in town creating a bit of buzz in our community, as well as many questions. The program is ASCEND, brought to life by Southern Union State Community College.

ASCEND’s main premise is “Improving Lives, Growing Business.” The idea is to allow individuals, as well as industry to “move upward” in their community. ASCEND is the match-maker if you need a mental picture - a connecter of hard working, motivated individuals to industry

that thrives off wellbalanced, productive employees.

There are two common local issues that inspired the program: 1) Industry finding and keeping diligent skilled workers in their facilities. 2) Local individuals getting out of a minimum wage job, to find security and consistent income for their families in a valued position What is ASCEND? ASCEND is a program that takes an individual and trains them to receive the skills needed for an interview with its industrial partners. Each ASCEND graduate will have preferential hiring for full-time

employment among these partners. This translates into an immediate increase in wages and real benefits for each ASCEND graduate.

The program is free, at no cost to the applicant. If the applicant is willing to invest his or her time into bettering themselves, then ASCEND is going to invest in them. The program is set up to meet the needs of the applicant and in their own time frame. It is a flexible program, times are adapted to the applicant, including online training as well as one-on-one coaching and assistance.

What are the operations of the

program?

The applicant must accomplish three tasks. 1) Score a 7.5 on the math and reading portion of the TABE (test for adult basic education) 2) Score a 3 in all three parts of the industry recognized assessment known as “WorkKeys.” 3) Complete a hybrid version (class and online) of the state recognized program known as “Ready to Work.”

The program takes as much time as the applicant needs. One applicant may take five weeks, as another applicant may take nine. The program is fit for working people, family people and those searching for a

sustainable job.

What about the industry partners? ASCEND has partnered with leading industries in Lee County.

When an ASCEND candidate meets their three criteria, it will then be a preferential hiring in the industry.

They will be prepared and ready for an interview process, and to work in their skilled area. Upon the hire, the goal is full-time employment with benefits, and a sustainable job with good pay.

Who are the industry partners?

The current list of employers and local industry leaders committed to ASCEND are Baxter, Pharma-

vite, Briggs and Stratton, RAPA, Flowers Bakery, Rexnord and Aptar.

They have each committed to preferentially hire candidates directly from ASCEND. These industries have been chosen for their integrity, work ethics and value they place on the individual.

They have been selected and interviewed. Only the absolute best industries in our community are part of the ASCEND program.

Who is ASCEND for?

ASCEND is for the hundreds of people in our community that, for a variety of reasons, are underemployed, poorly compensated and working without the security provided with good medical and dental benefits. Many of these people live paycheck to paycheck and their family physician is the hospital emergency room. An ASCEND candidate may have just graduated high school and is not yet ready for college but they are ready to work. A candidate may currently have two jobs, to put food on their table and pay bills. A candidate may be seeking a change in their work environment; they want better pay, consistent work and benefits. Perhaps a candidate feels undervalued, they want leadership and to feel valued in their work.

There are many types of people ASCEND can assist.

ASCEND is a bridge, connecting those driven to work and provide security to their family to the leading industries in our community.

It is a true win for all involved. A new, excellent job for the candidate and a new, excellent employee for the industry.

So who are the people behind ASCEND? They are teachers, leaders, engineers of good. It is many people with a common goal to help individuals find true value and life in good work. This team is strong and wise and they are working daily to place this program into the hands of those who need it. They are visionaries and workers themselves. They see value in all people and in building a better community for everyone.

Interested parties can register for the ASCEND program online at www. registerblast.com/ workforce/Activity/ Detail/5255.

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Beauregard, from B1 County.

Brown Jr. began his career at Carrollton High School where he was a history teacher and coach before moving to Beulah High School, where he has spent most of his career, most recently serving as assistant principal and athletic director.

Brown believes in the power of education to shape and transform the lives of students for the better. A strong sense of gratitude for what school empowered him to achieve inspires Brown to help others through educational leadership.

“In the path that I’ve taken, and to be able to come home and lead our students, in whatever direction that they would like to go is truly a blessing,” Brown said.

As a longtime resident of the community, Brown possesses extensive expertise about the unique opportunities and challenges in Beauregard and is committed to its success. Brown grew up in Beauregard and returned to the area after graduating from the University of Alabama.

After he and his wife were married, they lived for a brief time in Auburn before moving back to Beauregard. Brown’s deep understanding of the unique Beauregard community puts him in a position to serve the families there and to provide educational leadership

during a time of transition and growth.

Beauregard High School is in state of transition because not only is a new principal starting, but a new school building is being built to more effectively serve students in upcoming years as Beauregard continues to grow, and because the community is still recovering from the tragic tornadoes earlier this year.

Beauregard residents showed their tremendous dedication to their neighbors earlier this year by coming together to help one another following the devastating storms that struck the community earlier this year.

Community Development in Beauregard The commitment of Beauregard residents, including Brown, showcase the immense value that rural communities continue to demonstrate. Rural communities possess many strengths centered around their strong local culture, as pointed out by Jean Hardy in an article for CityLab (www.citylab. com/perspective/2018/12/ rural-america-us-economic-future-new-york-timeswrong/578740/).

One major positive characteristic is that rural communities are tight-knit and made up of people who are committed to the wellbeing of their neighbors.

This loyalty is shown in the dedication of educators working for the Lee County school district, who recognize that education is a critical

part of ensuring that local communities and young residents prosper. Lee County’s achievement of being able to provide a new school building and renovate its existing structures is impressive, especially in a time when the National Education Association and other reputable sources cite that in many rural school districts, underfunding is one of the most significant challenges. www.nea.org/ home/16358.htm).

Schools are particularly important in rural areas, where they have for many years been known to serve multiple roles in addition to their primary purpose of educating students. According to Bruce Miller in an Eric Clearinghouse Article published in 1995 and Thomas Lyson in the 2005 book “A Mathematics Educator’s Introduction to Rural Policy Issues,” schools are critical to community culture (https://files.eric.ed.gov/ fulltext/ED491046. pdf#page=59). “Besides providing for basic education, they often have served as a cultural center in the community,” Miller said. “Athletics, drama programs, music, and other social activities conducted at schools have played a vital part in rural community life and identity formation dating back to the 19th century.”

In Beauregard, the school played a vital role in recovery from the tornado earlier this year, serving as a place for people to come together to support each other, as described by Sam Blum

in a March 2019 article for Al.com (https://files. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ ED491046.pdf#page=59).

A Legacy of Knowledgeable, Local Leadership With a new school building in its future and local leadership continuing to guide it, Beauregard High School has great potential to grow as a school and a community-building institution.

When asked about his perspective on stepping into the position held by his father, Brown said that he looks forward to continuing his father’s legacy of providing excellent educational opportunities to Beauregard students. “My dad has been a fixture of Beauregard High School for 48 years,” Brown said.

“He has meant a lot to the people of this community and holds a special place in a lot of their hearts. I am not looking to replace him, but I look forward to working with the dedicated staff he has in place to see how far we can take Beauregard High School.”

Seth Nolen - BHS Baseball Coach Dadeville native and Auburn University graduate Seth Nolen was approved as the new coach of Beauregard High School’s baseball program during Tuesday’s Lee County School Board meeting.

Nolen replaces Evan Braun, who left after four seasons earlier with the Hornets to take an assistant position at Saraland.

During Braun’s tenure, the Hornets posted a 71-

59 overall record, making the playoffs each season and reaching 22 victories during the 2017 season.

At 4A Headland, Nolen enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in his 11 years with the Ram’s baseball program, making the playoffs in 10 of those years and winning their respective area title seven times.

Unforeseen circumstances at Headland prompted Nolen and his wife Crystal to begin looking for jobs outside of the city they had called home for more than a decade. Nolen’s father Randy has ties to the area through his 28-year stint at the helm of Dadeville’s baseball program, which frequently competed against the Hornets throughout the athletic calendar year.

Three weeks after applying for the opening, Beauregard Athletic Director Rob Carter contacted Nolen to gage his interest in the still-vacant position.

“I met with (Coach) Carter and Mr. Richard Brown and the interview went really well. And here I am,” Nolen said laughingly.

Leaving Headland was a tough decision, but Nolen said “prayers were answered” and “that God’s plan was made clear” when Crystal received a job offer to teach in the Auburn City School system days after he took the Beauregard job.

Philosophy wise, Nolen said he borrows his father’s baseball ideology which he defines as

“old-school.” Despite an up-and-down season this spring, particularly because of the March 3 tornadoes, Beauregard managed to post a winning season and advance to second round of the state playoffs, falling in a tight 2-1 road contest v.

Chilton County.

“From what I hear, we got a pretty good chunk of that team coming back.

I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Nolen said.

After 11 years with one school, Nolen said the Beauregard faithful can expect him to be invested long term and desires for it to be his “last job ever” in coaching.

“As a coach, I want to build a lasting relationship with my guys which will benefit us on and off the field. As for my family, I want us to put roots down here and become an integral part of the community,” Nolen said.

In a statement last Thursday, Carter said Nolen’s hiring is a huge boost for the Beauregard program.

“We are extremely lucky to get Seth. He has a proven record of success and is an extremely hard worker,” Carter said in his statement. “He will continue to grow the baseball program and will be a great addition to our school staff.”

The Nolens have been married for 11 years.

Together they have two children, Grady and Lillian.

For more information on Beauregard athletics, visit www.lee.k12.al.us/ Domain/9.

Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Inside the Statehouse Smiths Station City Council approves fleet policy for Alabama is a Republican state but U.S. is probably a Democratic nation city-owned vehicles

T

he 2020 Presidential Election year has already begun.

It usually begins on Labor Day of the year prior to the election. However, in recent decades the parade has started early.

They really are four-year caravans. They begin the day after the president is sworn in.

Indeed, President Trump never shut down his campaign organization, he essentially has never stopped campaigning. He loves to campaign. He loves to entertain. That really is what he was before he was President and that is what he has been as President, an entertainer.

He treats the presidency as though it is an extension and continuation of his television game show. As long as he is the center of attention, he is happy.

Trump is amazingly similar to our two most colorful and prominent Alabama political icons, Big Jim Folsom and George Wallace. He is just as uninhibited and disarming as Big Jim was with the same irreverence for protocol and decorum. He is similar to Wallace in that he really likes campaigning and prefers campaigning

By Steve Flowers to governing. Wallace really didn’t want to govern, he just liked running and getting elected governor.

Speaking of Wallace, he liked to run for President, also. He ran several times. He usually ran under some third-party banner. As he ran around the country running as a third-party state’s rights candidate, he would proclaim that there is not a dime’s worth of difference in the national Democratic and Republican parties. However, even Wallace could not say that with a straight face today.

Folks, there are a lot of philosophical differences in the national Republican and Democratic parties. They really should change their names to the Conservative and Liberal parties. The Republican Party is extremely conservative and the

Democratic Party is very liberal. This extreme philosophy by each party is what has driven people into different political corners and is the reason for the political polarization of American politics.

The electronic media and news networks have further driven and enhanced this polarization.

Fox News Network is simply the network that Republicans watch.

CNN and MSNBC could be and people assume they are appendages of the National Democratic Party. CBS’s Stephen Colbert Show is unashamedly “The Hate Donald Trump” show.

They should change the title to that name.

The two-party machinery and nomination process is designed to choose a presidential contender as their nominee that is from the extreme segment of the party. This is especially true in the democratic ranks. Therefore, the probability of a left wing socialist like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren being the nominee is likely.

This does not bode well for our anomaly

By Morgan Bryce Editor

Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland and members of the Smiths Station City Council approved a resolution pertaining to protocols for employees operating city vehicles.

During the last year, the city has purchased two vehicles, a 2018 Ford Explorer and used Chevrolet Silverado to use for its code enforcement and public works departments.

“It’s high time that we have a city (fleet safety) policy or agreement in place.

That means that if

Photo by Morgan Bryce/Opelika Observer

you drive one of the city’s vehicles, your license has to be on file, you got to be on the insurance and that if you’re caught texting or drinking and driving, you’re fired,” Copeland said.

“This will also protect us from any form of liability that an em-

ployee might have. It is a good move for us moving forward as we continue to grow and expand.”

The city’s trash ordinance was also amended to include “roadside dumping.”

“This amendment See Council, page B8

Alabama State Sen. Randy Price visits Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller

See Flowers, page B8

Photo special to the Opelika Observer Alabama State Sen. Randy Price offered the following statement last week after a visit to meet with Opelika city officials last week: “I had a great visit earlier this week with Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. We discussed the many exciting things happening in the City of Opelika. (I) appreciate his strong leadership.”

Reactions to third-country asylum rule announced by the Trump Administration on Monday morning Special to the Opelika Observer The Trump admin-

istration announced sweeping asylum restrictions Monday.

The following

reaction is from Lee Gelernt, deputy direcSee Reactions, page B10

B8 July 17, 2019

pelika O Observer

Marshall Meyers updates Opelika Lions Club on recent trip to Alabama Lions Leadership Forum

Special to the Opelika Observer Marshall Meyers, a recent guest of the Opelika Lions Club, gave members a report on his trip to the 10th Annual Alabama Lions High School Leadership Forum in Troy.

The purpose of the ALHSLF is to build and strengthen leadership, relationships, and the power to serve among the youth in Alabama. Meyers was introduced by Lion Doug Hicks.

Auburn’s John Sophocleus visits Opelika Kiwanis Club to speak about flags and the U.S. economy

County Commissioner Robert Ham speaks to Auburn Kiwanis Club on Beauregard rebuilding efforts

Photo special to the Opelika Observer Kiwanis Club of Auburn President Golden Jenkins (left) is pictured with County Commissioner Robert Ham (right). Commissioner Ham spoke to the club members on the rebuilding efforts following the tornado in the Beauregard area.

Council,

from B7

Photo special to the Opelika Observer At last week’s Opelika Kiwanis Club meeting, John Sophocleus spoke about flags and the U.S. economy throughout the years. Pictured above are Club President Robert Harris, Sophocleus and Joanne Camp.

will establish dumping of trash or debris as a violation against the city in addition to other means of littering. Previously, the word ‘dumping’ or phrase ‘roadside dumping’ was not included and I thought it was in the city’s best interest to make the change and make it a part of that ordinance,” said City Clerk Scott Johnston.

Before adjourning the meeting, Copeland encouraged council members and

Flowers,

from B7

junior democratic U.S. Sen. Doug Jones. He will be running along with one of his liberal democratic buddies. Jones has organized and voted lockstep with the democrats since his arrival last year, which is what most folks who know Jones expected. He is a real national, liberal democrat. He has always been and will always be a democrat.

In Jones’s defense, he is

Elliott & Associates Insurance Agency Opelika - (334)745-0888 elliottinsuranceagents.com

residents to attend the city’s third annual “Family Movie Night” July 27 at 6:30 p.m. E.S.T. at the Smiths Station Sports Complex. The free event will include family-friendly activities, games and showing of the first “Secret Life of Pets” film.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’ve been very successful with this event the last three years, which is a credit to the community,” Copeland said.

“It’s free of charge to attend and the only thing you have to pay for is food, and there will be several vendors on site to choose

from. Feel free to bring your favorite beanie bag, chair or towel and enjoy a fun night together as a family.”

The council’s next meeting will be held July 23, with a work session starting at 5:30 p.m. E.S.T. and regular meeting at 6 p.m.

Meetings are held in the council chambers of the Smiths Station Government Center, which is located at 2336 Lee Road 430.

For more information, call 334-2978771, like and follow their social media pages or visit www. smithsstational.gov.

not a demagogue. He will not change his stripes or beliefs to get elected. That was evident with his vote against the conservative Trump Supreme Court appointee Brett Kavanaugh. Jones was the only Southern senator to vote against Trump.

Indeed, Jones is the only democratic senator in the deep South.

His being on the ticket with the democratic presidential candidate in November 2020 in the Heart of Dixie, makes his chance of being elected slim-to-none. It would be

a surprise if he gets 40%, even with a ton of leftwing money pouring into the state on his behalf.

Last year’s general election proved we are a red republican state. One of the mostrepublican in the nation. Donald Trump, or for that matter any republican, will carry Alabama next year.

Mickey Mouse would carry Alabama 60 to 40 if he were the nominee.

However, Donald Duck would carry California and New York if he were the democratic nominee.

Folks, I hate to break it to you, but California and New York have more electoral votes than we do.

It was just as much an anomaly that Donald Trump carried Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and even Ohio and Florida, as it was that Doug Jones won in Alabama. As we look to the 2020 elections, it is evident that Alabama is a Republican state.

However, the United States is probably a Democratic nation.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in more than 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Flowers may be reached at www. steveflowers.us.

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B9 July 17, 2019

Report from Rep. Mike Rogers: Socialism has no place in America; Issues statement at hearing on DHS’s use of biometric technologies; visits with Bobby and Connie Lake from Auburn Special to the Opelika Observer The push for a socialist agenda is alive and well in Washington and it is causing major problems within the Democrat Party.

Members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are offering ideas like the Green New Deal which would cost American taxpayers more than $90 trillion over 10 years.

Many of you may have also seen during the televised Democratic presidential debates that every single candidate raised their hand when asked if their health care plan would include coverage for immigrants in this country illegally.

This same group wants to eliminate private health insurance. They want to offer debt free college. They want to change our way of life in America.

But while they put forth these radical notions, the real problems our country faces are not being dealt with.

The national security and humanitarian crisis that has dragged on at the Southwest border is real.

And although Democrats were supportive of building a border wall in the past, now they are completely opposed because President Trump is for it.

But that aside, the Trump Administration requested $4.5 billion to help with just the humanitarian crisis as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) runs out of money to take care of families and unaccompanied minors that illegally crossed into our country. That request for funding did not include a dime for building the wall,

but strictly money for shelter, transportation, etc.

Republicans tried to bring the funding legislation to the Floor more than 80 times. The Democrats kept blocking it without offering solutions. It took weeks and weeks to finally get a bill passed. That would not have happened until the small group of moderate Democrats left in the House threatened to join Republicans there by forcing Speaker Nancy Pelosi to act.

Speaker Pelosi has had a heck of a time trying to rein her party in. It seems Democrats remain more interested in playing politics than taking care of the people’s business.

On top of all of this, there is still chatter of impeaching President Trump – even with nothing to base it on other than being sore losers.

I hope Democrats will stop playing games because Americans deserve better.

As always, I want to hear from you on this or any issue.

Please sign up for my e-Newsletter and the Rogers’ Roundup by visiting my recently launched, new custom website at: www. mikerogers.house.gov.

To stay up to date, follow any or all of my social platforms as well.

You can like my Facebook page at facebook. com/CongressmanMikeDRogers, follow me on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @RepMikeRogersAL and subscribe to my YouTube page by visiting youtube.com/MikeRogersAL03.

Mike Rogers Statement at Hearing on DHS’s Use of Biometric Technologies

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), House Homeland Security Committee ranking member, delivered an opening statement at a hearing last week titled “About Face: Examining the Department of Homeland Security’s Use of Facial Recognition and Other Biometric Technologies.”

Biometric technologies have the potential to improve security, facilitate travel, and better enforce our immigration laws.

These technologies range from facial recognition, to fingerprints, to DNA. Each of these methods presents unique privacy considerations, but also clear security benefits.

Not only does federal law authorize DHS to use biometrics to verify identities, it requires CBP to collect biometric entry and exit data for all foreign nationals. This requirement has been a long-standing bipartisan mandate. Recent technological advancements have finally made it possible.

DHS’ primary focus is facial recognition at TSA and CBP checkpoints, where travelers are already providing IDs to government employees.

TSOs and CBP Agents can review several hundred IDs in a single shift.

As a result, fatigue and human error allow people with fake IDs to slip into our country every day.

Automating this process with biometric technology will improve transportation security.

CBP and TSA have done their homework on these checkpoint pilots and are working to build accurate, effective, and secure systems.

DHS should continue to

SHOP LOCAL SHOP DOWNTOWN

Photo special to the Opelika Observer Bobby and Connie Lake of Auburn visited with Rep. Mike Rogers last week in his Washington office during his “Mornings with Mike” event. collaborate with experts at NIST to ensure they are using accurate algorithms to power these systems.

Biometric systems advance DHS’ mission beyond transportation security.

ICE recently conducted a Rapid DNA pilot program to verify family ties on the southwest border.

A 90-minute test can replace hours of interviews and document review.

This short pilot found a disturbing number of cases where men, who claimed to be the biological parent of a child, quickly changed their story when asked to submit DNA. The technology does not store DNA in a central database and each machine can be purged daily.

Amid the humanitarian crisis on our border we should be looking to things like Rapid DNA to protect

children from abuse by smugglers who rent them as a ticket into our country.

Additionally, we should be using biometrics to enforce our immigration laws.

Recent reports have emphasized ICE and the FBI’s use of state DMV photos to identify criminals.

I do not believe that anyone has a reasonable expectation of privacy in a government ID photo.

Period Police have long relied on photo books and manual photo review to identify suspects and known fugitives.

Effective facial recognition technologies can improve law enforcement by ridding this process of bias and human error.

Each of these examples uses biometrics as one part of a process.

Technology cannot and

should not replace an officer’s final judgment. But it can speed up identity verification for millions of people every year.

Halting all government biometric programs, as some of my colleagues suggest, is an easy way to avoid hard questions.

Taking the easy way out of this issue will only increase the gap between technology and our ability to understand it.

DHS should continue to consult with experts at NIST to develop clear public standards for government biometric systems.

DHS leadership should ensure that its biometric databases are secure and have clear privacy guidelines.

And Congress should continue to educate itself, as we are today, about the way we can employ this technology responsibly.

A public forum about violence in our community—its causes, consequences, and what we can do to stop it.

This event is free and open to the public. The conversation will be moderated by staff from the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, a nonpartisan Alabama nonprofit dedicated to strengthening civic life across the state.

JULY 19-21

WHEN

JULY 27TH, 2019

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE

WHERE

Lee County Meeting Center

WHO

This public event is being offered through a partnership between the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, the Opelika City Council, and the Opelika Commission on Crime and Violence. The purpose of the event is to provide a safe and respectful environment for Opelika citizens to engage each other deliberatively in order to find solutions to the problem of violence in our community.

TAX FREE

CLOTHING $100 OR LESS COMPUTERS: $750 OR LESS BOOKS: $30 OR LESS SCHOOL SUPPLIES: $50 OR LESS

OPELIKAMAINSTREET.ORG

10AM - NOON

205 S. 10th St. Opelika, AL 36801

Questions? Contact Leigh Krehling, Opelika Community Relations Officer at lkrehling@opelika-al.gov or 334-705-5136.

pelika O Observer

B10 July 17, 2019

Sen. Doug Jones applauds House passage of the ‘Widow’s Tax Elimination Act of 2019’; bill has 75 cosponsors Special to the Opelika Observer Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) released the statement below on the news that the House of Representatives has passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which included his bipartisan legislation to eliminate the Military Widow’s Tax.

Reactions,

from B7

tor of the Immigrants’ Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union: “The Trump administration is trying to unilaterally reverse our country's legal and moral commitment to protect those fleeing danger. This new rule is patently unlawful and we will sue swiftly.”

Senator Jones has continuously engaged his House counterparts at the leadership and committee level to ensure support for the legislation and its inclusion in the House version of the NDAA. “By passing this bill, the House of Representatives has taken an important step forward toward eliminating the Military Widow’s Tax once and for all.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, also released a statement following the announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) that they will issue a thirdcountry asylum rule.

“Smugglers and criminals have been exploiting loopholes in our immigration laws at the expense of vulnerable popu-

It’s long past time that Congress does its duty to these families and repeals this unfair law,” Jones said, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “I will continue to do everything I can to ensure this bill makes it in to the final defense bill so we can finally get this done for our Gold Star families.”

The bill now heads to conference comlations. In issuing this rule, the Trump Administration is helping to restore integrity to our asylum system, and protecting those with true asylum claims.

Congressional action is still needed to address the root causes of the border crisis: Democrats need to get serious about closing these loopholes and ensure the administration has the resources that it needs to enforce our immigration laws.”

mittee, where the discrepancies in the Senate and House versions of the bills will be reconciled.

The conference bill will then need final approval in both the Senate and the House before it can go to the President to be signed into law.

Legislation to repeal the Military Widow’s Tax has been repeatedly introduced in the Senate during

the last 18 years, but has reached an unprecedented level of support under Senator Jones’s leadership.

With Senator Jones as the lead sponsor, the bill has earned a record-high of 75 cosponsors in the Senate.

If signed into law, this legislation will repeal the unfair law that prevents as many as 65,000 surviving military

spouses nationwide from receiving their full Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs survivor benefits. Currently, military widows and widowers who qualify for the VA’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation are forced to take prorated annuities from the Survivors Benefits Plan, even though they elected to pay into the program.

With robocall epidemic on the rise, Alabamians should protect themselves with these tips Special to the Opelika Observer The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates that 50% of the 48 billion robocalls in 2018 were illegal - and some predict the number of robocalls will continue to rise to 60 billion in 2019.

The term “robocall” covers a wide array of calls, many of which are legal, such as school closing announcements and medical appointment reminders.

“Your dentist’s office can robocall you with an appointment reminder, or an airline with news about a flight change,” said Interim Associate State

NOW OPEN

Director of Communications for AARP Alabama Evey Owen.

“Legal robocalls can be beneficial, but illegal robocalls can be both frustrating and dangerous.”

Illegal robocalls are those from companies not authorized to contact you, as well as attempts at outright theft and scams. Recent examples include the social security scam, jury duty scams or health insurance scams. Scammers often hide a call’s true origin through what’s called “spoofing” - faking the number that appears in your caller ID, to make it seem local.

A recent survey by

AARP found that US. adults are more likely to answer a call seemingly from a local area code (59%), an area code where friends or family live (44%), or an area code and telephone exchange that matches their own (36%).

AARP Alabama offers these tips on how people can protect themselves and avoid being scammed: • Screen incoming calls by letting them go to voicemail and never press a key or verbally respond to a command if you do pick up.

• Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall. gov or at 1-888-382-1222.

• Explore free or lowcost call blocking options that are compatible with your phone and your service provider.

• Report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or your state attorney general.

AARP’s Fraud Watch Network can help you spot and avoid scams.

Sign up for free “watchdog alerts,” review our scam-tracking map, or call our toll-free fraud helpline at 877-908-3360 if you or a loved one suspect you have been a victim.

Indoor shooting range is open to the public

2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA

pelika O Observer

B11 July 17, 2019

LEGALS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF KAREN LANE ADCOX, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 27th day of June, 2019, 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.

SHANNON J. HILL Administrator Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 07/03/19, 07/10/19 & 07/17/19

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The Estate of William Ray Buechner, Jr.,Deceased Case Number:2019-B-052 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration have been granted to Sara G. Buechner as Administrator of the Estate of William Ray Buechner, Jr. deceased, on the 2nd day of July, 2019 by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate.

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 will be barred.

Csara G. Buechner Personal Representative of the Estate of William Ray Buechner, Jr. Legal Run 7/10/19, 7/17/19 & 7/24/19

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF TOMMY LEE NOLIN, Deceased PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Charlotte Croom Nolin on the 17th day of June, 2019, 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.

Charlotte Croom Nolin Legal Run 07/10/19, 07/17/19 & 07/24/19

IN THE PORBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO: 2019-B-076 IN RE: The Estate of Marshall Lynn Grimes, Deceased March 3, 2019 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration have been granted to RHONDA MICHELLE GLADDEN, as Administratix of the Estate of Marshall Lynn Grimes deceased, on the 3rd day of July, 2019, by the Honorable Bill English.

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 will be barred.

RHONDA MICHELLE GLADDEN Administratix Estate of Marshall Lynn Gladden, deceased Legal Run 07/17, 07/24 & 07/31/19

NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING

CASE NO. 2019-B-095 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of CHRISTOPHER RONALD ALLEN, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by Ronald Alvin Allen on July 3, 2019 pursuant to Sections 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 the said decedent.

BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Notice Run 07/17/19

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain Mortgage executed by Mary Carlton Wilson-Hinson, a married woman (“Mortgagor”), in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for SouthPoint Bank (the “Mortgagee”), dated February 21, 2018, and recorded on February 22, 2018, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama in Mortgage Book 4369, Page 550 (the “Mortgage”).

Said default continuing, notice is hereby given that the Mortgagee will, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in the Mortgage, offer for sale at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash during the legal hours of sale on August 14, 2019, at the main entrance to the Courthouse of Lee County, Alabama, the following described Real Property situated in Lee County, Alabama (“Real Property”), to wit: Lots 11 and

12 Sunset Valley Subdivision, according to and as shown by that certain map or plat thereof of record in Town Plat Book 5, at Page 49, in Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

The Real Property and improvements will be sold “as is, where is” and subject to any rights of redemption existing under federal law, the laws of the State of Alabama or otherwise.

The sale is subject to ad valorem taxes.

The sale is subject to any easements, encumbrances or other matters of record which take priority over the Mortgage.

Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process.

An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process.

This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said Mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure.

The Mortgagee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the Real Property and, if it is the successful bidder, to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the Real Property. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation.

SouthPoint Bank Owner of Said Indebtedness MICHAEL B. ODOM McGLINCHEY STAFFORD PLLC 505 North 20 th Street, Suite 800 Birmingham, AL 35203 Telephone: (205) 725-6400 Attorney for Mortgagee Legal Run 7/17/19, 7/24/19 & 7/31/19

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

IN RE: THE ESTATE OF JESSIE L. PINK GUARDIAN/CONSERVATOR’S SETTLEMENT NOTICE This day came Edward B. Raymon, as Guardian / Conservator of the estate of Jessie L. Pink, an incapacitated individual, and filed his account, vouchers, evidence and statements for partial settlement of said Conservatorship estate.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the 13th day of August, 2019, at 9:00 a.m., is appointed as the day on which to make such settlement, in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, at which time all persons interested can appear and contest the said Settlement if they think prosper.

WITNESS my hand this 15th day of July, 2019.

JUDGE OF PROBATE Legal Run 7/17/19, 7/24/19 & 7/31/19

NOTICE OF ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE SALE To be held on Monday, August 12, 2019, at 10 a.m. at Best 4 Less at 2509 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801.

1G1ND52J5Y6303905 - 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU Legal Run 7/17/19 & 7/24/19

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA ROSALYN ROSENBLUM, Plaintiff, v. CASE NO.: CV2019-900134 Parcels of Real Property described as: Lots 28, 29, 34, 35 and 36, in Block B, of Lincoln Heights Subdivision, according to and as shown on map or plat of said subdivision of record in Town Plat Book 1, at Page 23, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama; and EUEL A. SCREWS, and/or any unknown heirs of EUEL A. SCREWS.

NOTICE OF ACTION To: All Defendants herein, whose whereabouts are unknown and which cannot be ascertained after the exercise of reasonable diligence.

You are hereby notified that on the 5th day of March, 2019, a complaint to quiet title was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, and the following are the names of all parties to the action: Rosalyn Rosenblum, as Plaintiff; Euel A. Screws, as Defendant, a deceased individual whose heirs, executors, administrators, successors and/or assigns are unknown and cannot be ascertained after the exercise of due diligence, and who are believed to have claimed some right, title, interest or claim in and to the property described as follows: Lots 28, 29, 34, 35 and 36, in Block B, of Lincoln Heights Subdivision, according to and as shown on map or plat of said subdivision of record in Town Plat Book 1, at Page 23, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

All persons having an interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or any encumbrance or lien thereon, are hereby directed to plead, answer, or otherwise respond to the Complaint on or before the expiration of 30 days after the last publication of this notice, or thereafter suffer judgment by default to be rendered against them, it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

Done this the 12th day of July, 2019. /s/ Mary Roberson Circuit Court Clerk, Lee County J. Brandon Rice Attorney for Plaintiff Rice & Parr 830 Avenue A, Suite A Opelika AL 36801 Legal Run 7/17, 7/24, 7/31 & 08/07/2019

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LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED Lee County Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking an experienced Licensed Practical Nurse to provide quality care in an institutional setting.

We offer a competitive salary, benefits opportunities to include health, dental, vision and life insurance, paid holidays and retirement. Qualified candidates should apply in person at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Careet Center or submit your completed application online to lcso@leecountysheriff.org. LCSD is a drug free and EOE workplace.

Volunteers Needed Alacare Hospice is seeking volunteers to help provide neighborly love & support to patients in their final days. All training provided free of charge. Do you have the gift of time? Please call Katie Spotswood 334-741-9918” Help Wanted Installers - We install seats, screens, speakers, lighting etc. in movie theaters. Construction experience preferred but not necessary. Must be willing to travel and be able to work on scaffolding. For more information or to fill out an application, please call 334-521-8969 and and ask

for Bonnie or Tammy.

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• Better Bodies Massage Institute • Interim HealthCare • Letts Investment Services • Opelika Theatre Company • Point-Broadband • Three Keys Properties, LLC

pelika Observer O

B12 July 17, 2019

Like crossword puzzles? Sudoku?

Play online at www.opelikaobserver.com/puzzles/

This week’s Scramblers Answers: 1. Grasp, 2. Utmost 3. Simper 4. Chaste - Solution: Greatest

Even Exchange Answers 1. Clear, Clean 2. Jelly, Jolly 3. Buffer, Buffet 4. Elect, Eject 5. Trench, French

6. Prone, Prong 7. Cookie, Rookie 8. Scour, Scout 9. Wallow, Willow 10. Barge, Large

pelika O Observer

B13 July 17, 2019

COMICS

A good laugh heals a lot of hurts. — Madeleine L’Engle

pelika Observer O

B14 July 17, 2019

Nielsen and Sagamorehill Broadcasting announce multi-year agreement for local television services Special to the Opelika Observer Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) and SagamoreHill Broadcasting, LLC announced last week that they have reached a multi-year agreement for Nielsen Local TV measurement services for two markets. The

stations are WVNCNBC and WLTZ-NBC/ WLTZ-DT2-CW, respectively, in Watertown, N.Y. and Columbus, Georgia. (Opelika.)

“We are pleased to be working again with Nielsen,” said President and CEO of SagamoreHill Broadcasting.

Louis Wall. “Their

local TV audience research, which includes coverage of broadcastonly homes, will enable us to accurately and comprehensively show our value to advertisers.”

Nielsen combines the scale of big data with in-market local panels to provide the

industry with complete, unbiased coverage of the local marketplace including viewing in broadcast-only homes.

Nielsen remains the only true persons-level measurement service available to the marketplace.

With this new agreement, SagamoreHill TV

stations will utilize a comprehensive suite of Nielsen data to demonstrate value to advertisers.

“We’ve always had a great dialogue with SagamoreHill Broadcasting and are delighted to provide them with local measurement again,” said Nielsen

This week’s puzzle answers:

Local EVP and Managing Director Catherine Herkovic.

“We look forward to working with them to showcase their value to advertisers and empower them with stronger measurement and insights that will drive bottom-line business results.”