Opelika Observer 09-23-2020 E-edition by OpelikaObserver

VOL. 12, NO. 51

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

pelika Observer O

Opelika, Alabama

• EVENT VENUE • CATERING • WINE SHOP Weddings & Receptions | Private Parties Exhibitions & Trade Shows Trainings & Seminars

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN OPELIKA

“An award-winning publication for local people, by local people.”

bottlingplanteventcenter.com | 334-705-5466

Tiger Mochas receives Innovator Award

Beulah asks Auburn and Opelika to oppose quarry By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver. com

Photo courtesy of Auburn City Schools Lauren Ozment (former Tiger Mochas sponsor/former head of special education at AHS), LaDazah Finley and Johnny Turner, Auburn High School Special Education Department Head

Courtesy of Auburn City Schools Tiger Mochas is one of the first-ever recipients of the

AlabamaWorks Innovator Awards. These awards were developed to highlight programs that take an innovative approach to solving

workforce challenges to meet Governor Ivey's Success Plus attainment goal of adding 500,000 highly skilled workers by 2025.

Opelika to hold third meeting in town hall series on Sept. 24 By Will Fairless Associate Editor The City of Opelika is holding the last of its three town hall meetings Thursday, Sept. 24. The conclusion of the series will be in the Municipal Courtroom in Opelika from 6 to 7 p.m. The first town hall event was called “Get to Know the Opelika Police Department” and was on Aug. 6. The second was on Sept. 3 and featured

a panel of community leaders discussing “Improving Relationships with Our Youth.” This third installment will be more like the second than it will be like the first, as a panel will be discussing “How We Can Better Communicate and Improve Community Relations.” The panel comprises the following people: • Mayor Gary Fuller • Leigh Krehling, Community Relations

Officer • Taylor McAllister, Community Relations Coordinator • Laura Leigh Chesser, PR Coordinator for Parks & Recreation • Rosanna McGinnis, from the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library • Captain Shane Healey, of the Opelika Police Department According to See TOWN HALL, page A3

Tiger Mochas is one of seven businesses that received an award across the See AWARDS, page A3

The city of Beulah approached the cities of Auburn and Opelika Tuesday night to ask for help and support against an impending quarry. Creekwood Resources, LLC, has proposed a quarry for Beulah, though they have not yet applied for permits from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The quarry would be located on the northeast side of Lee County on Lee Road 177 and Highway 29. Creekwood also tried to install a quarry in Opelika but due to the large amount of backlash, the company withdrew its permit in February.

Now, citizens fighting the Beulah quarry hope to receive the same amount of support. Tara Brumfield spoke on the city of Auburn’s Zoom council meeting and asked if the council would formally oppose the quarry. “This quarry will affect you just as the other quarry would have,” Brumfield said. “This quarry See BEULAH, page A3

Local businesses forced to move By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com

The strip mall on Columbus Parkway that houses businesses such as Angel’s Antique Mall, Cotton Valley Trader, the event center and GG’s Beauty Supply has been sold. The previous owners sold the property to new owners, who plan to turn the real

estate into a storage facility. All the businesses except Angel’s Antique Mall will be forced to close or move. Rumors started swirling late in 2019 that the property may be sold, said Craig McCullough, the owner of The Village Thrift Market and Cotton Valley Trader. “It wasn’t a fixed thing, it was just talk

and obviously until money is put down on something like that they weren’t even interested in kind of pursuing it,” McCullough said. The buyers did in fact buy the property, but not all of the business owners were aware that this meant they would need to get out. Jessica and Ira Hotsetter, who co-own See BUSINESSES, page A3

Index OPINION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . . . .A7 RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A11 COMICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A14

SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B11 PUBLIC NOTICES . . . . . . . . . . . . B13

Thank you Ward 5 Voters! Your Support helped us finish in first place BUT it’s not over yet! We need your vote again in the runoff election on

Paid for by Todd Rauch for Opelika 1903 Arbor Ln. Opelika, AL 36804

Tuesday October 6th

A2 September 23, 2020

Greetings from the Opelika Chamber of Commerce What I want to know from you is this… HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? What can we do at the Chamber to help you learn, grow and thrive? With your feedback, the Opelika Chamber of Commerce can continue to adapt to your needs, so we can fulfill our mission to promote & foster economic and business success, maximize members investment, while enhancing the community. Please share your thoughts with me so I can help drive Opelika to be the best community, climate for business success and home for

ting established within a “local community,” and of course, digital & traditional marketing. I share all that to say, I’ve got a wide range of experiences that have helped me understand our business climate in Opelika, and I’m ready to help you. Whether it’s brainstorming new events or initiatives with you or finding the perfect partnership for us to work together to drive business, I want you to know that I’m here, and only a phone call away. I genuinely mean that. People who know me, know that I come to the Opelika Chamber with a few key things: Energy, Enthusiasm & Expertise.

in Public Relations, but Marketing is my passion. I’ve been working in PR/marketing for small businesses over the last 12+ years that range from manufacturing to technology, education to franchising & agriculture. Most notably, I worked for almost 8 years as the Director of Marketing at Chicken Salad Chick, a local favorite that started as a “mom & pop” and grew to be one of the fastest growing and most successful restaurant franchises in the country. We had three franchises open when I began and have just surpassed 160 locations! I became an expert at managing growth, get-

Let me introduce myself. I’m Ali Rauch. I’ve lived in Opelika for 11 years with my husband Todd, and my fur-baby, Forrest, and I am so honored to be your new Opelika Chamber of Commerce President & CEO. I’m officially two months into the position, and I must tell you, I could NOT be more excited. I’m so ready to work with each one of you to help your businesses thrive, to share my knowledge & insight, but also to be a champion, cheerleader & resource for you! Let me tell you a bit more about my background. I have my degree in Communications, with a specialty

See CHAMBER, page A3

Lee County sends teams to Baldwin County to assist in recovery efforts Photos courtesy of Lee County Emergency Management Agency

This 13-member team deployed as a request from Baldwin County EMA to Lee County EMA for Mutual Aid assistance. Members of the Auburn Fire Department, Opelika Fire Department and Lee County EMA make up this team. “We are honored to be able to assist Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency. Baldwin County EMA assisted Lee County during the response and recovery of the 3/3/2019 tornadoes and this is our opportunity to return the assistance,” said Lee County EMA Director Rita Smith.

pelika Observer

Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Michelle@opelikaobserver.com

A second team from the Lee County Sheriff’s office and the Auburn Police Department also deployed to Baldwin Co. to provide security and traffic control in the affected areas.

Subscribe to the Opelika Observer Today! Publisher: Michelle Key Associate Editors: Will Fairless and Hannah Lester Marketing: Woody Ross Photojournalist: Robert Noles Sports Writers: Wil Crews, Rick Lanier and D. Mark Mitchell

www.opelikaobserver.com 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

Name: Address: City:

State:

ZIP:

Phone number: Email address: Payment Type (circle one): Check / Credit Card Visa or Master Card # Exp. Date:

Security Code:

Amount Paid:

The Opelika Observer will correct any errors, omissions or

• $32 for 1 year (inside Lee County) $42 for 1 year (outside of Lee County) •

inaccuracies deemed to be substantive. Corrections may be

Return to: Opelika Observer, 216 S. 8th St. / Opelika, AL 36801

requested by contacting the Editor at (334) 749-8003.

Please do not send cash through the mail.

A3 September 23, 2020

Machen McChesney promotes September employees in accountancy from Auburn University, while also minoring in Spanish.

By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com

Local Auburn business advisory firm Machen McChesney promoted four employees for the month of September, according to a press release the company released.

Joe Janning, CPA

The company promoted Joe Janning from CPA to manager after he had served three years with Machen McChesney. “Joe works in the firm’s business tax and auditing services areas,” the release said. “His areas of specialization include accounting and

BEULAH >> FROM A1

will be directly on the Halawakee Creek. The Halawakee Creek provides drinking water to Auburn just as the Saugahatchee Creek does.” Brumfield said that this new proposed quarry is only six miles from the one the Auburn council previously proposed. “[With the proposed quarry], new interest to the area may be decreased,” she said. “If the quarry is

BUSINESSES >> FROM A1

the Village Event Center, said they didn’t know the property would become a storage unit. “It’s never been a surprise that the building may change ownership,” Jessica said. “We did not realize that it would be changed into something that wouldn’t allow us to stay here.”

AWARDS >> FROM A1

state of Alabama, and this award recognizes programs that not only test boundaries but explore new opportunities to bring about change. Tiger Mochas was presented the award by Governor Ivey at the 2020 AlabamaWorks Virtual Conference, and LaDazah Finley, AHS Class of 2018 and co-founder of Tiger Mochas, accepted the award on behalf of the program.

CHAMBER >> FROM A2

each one of us! A quick survey can be completed at (surveymonkey. com/r/Opelika2020.) I also want to especially thank all of you who are Opelika Chamber of Commerce members. We appreciate your sup-

Austin Duran, CPA

JOE JANNING, CPA

TANNER ROBERTS, CPA

EMMA FARRIS, CPA

AUSTIN DURAN, CPA

ing, as well as business tax,” the release said. Tanner received both his B.S. and Masters in Accounting from Auburn University.

Duran has been with Machen McChesney for two years and was promoted to senior accountant, the company announced. “Austin's principal areas of practice include business taxation and auditing,” the release said. Duran received both his B.S. and Masters in Accounting from Auburn University. For more information on the business, visit the website (www. machenmcchesney. com.)

auditing for governmental and nonprofit entities.” Janning is a local masters graduate from Auburn University-Montgomery in Business Administration. Before that, he received his B.S. in Accounting at Faulkner University.

Machen McChesney promoted Tanner Roberts to a supervisor after Roberts had served as a CPA for two years with the company. “Tanner's areas of specialization include accounting and audit-

Emma Farris served as a CPA with Machen

McChesney for two years and was promoted to senior accountant. “Emma's primary areas of practice include business taxation and accounting and auditing for governmental entities,” the release said. Farris received a B.S.

established, that would mean two quarries located in this county, which would also be a deterrence for newcomers to this area.” The Auburn Council took no action. Danielle Ritch spoke to the Opelika City Council and asked them for the same thing— formal opposition to the quarry. “We had heard rumors of a quarry back in spring and as of a little over a month ago, we had some confirmation that they were doing some test drilling in our area,”

Ritch said. Ritch expressed concern about the air and water quality degradation that could come from the quarry. Additionally, the community is concerned about the traffic, she said. “The main route to the Beulah community, the Beulah schools is Highway 29, that’s how all the emergency service vehicles [travel],” she said. “. . . We’ve been told that there may be 60 plus dump trucks pulling out on Highway 29 so that’s a concern for our area.”

The Opelika Council took no action. Brumfield and Ritch held a meeting last week to talk to the citizens of Beulah, give them an update and encourage them to keep fighting. Two Lee County Commissioners, Robert Ham and Richard LaGrand, were in attendance. The commission has already formally opposed the quarry. The best thing that citizens can do to fight the quarry is to continue writing letters, Brumfield stressed during this

meeting. A written petition received 500 signatures while an online petition received over 2,000, Brumfield said. However, commissioners, representatives, et al., do not know that the people care because they aren’t hearing from residents, she said. “We’re not going to be able to stop this, guys, unless we get this community involved,” Brumfield said. “This has been going on now a month. [Rep.] Debby Wood has

received four letters from our community. Four. We’re not going to be able to get our legislation behind us if we don’t let our voice be heard.” Residents can use a provided prewritten letter, but Commissioners LaGrand and Ham encouraged residents to write their own. For more information, visit the Facebook page (https:// www.facebook.com/ protectbeulah) or send an email (protectbeulahstopthequarry@ gmail.com).

The Village Event Center is home to dozens of events throughout the year, including the Kid’s Clothes Connection, The East Alabama Gun and Hunting Show, The Christmas Village and more. There is not another venue available right now for the Event Center to move to. “Another reason we don’t want to see this go away is because we have multiple charities

that come in,” Jessica said. McCullough said he finds it hard to fault the previous owners for selling. They had owned the property for years and were tired of the maintenance required. “In July of this year, they kind of really doubled down and said we’re going to put a big down payment on this and we’re going to sign a contract,” he said.

Of course, despite understanding, McCullough said it is still a shame that Opelika will lose all the small businesses currently located there. “I don’t know how the city of Opelika feels about this. It may be a drop in the bucket,” he said. “But just from my calculations across the businesses that are in this shopping center, there is well over $100,000 to probably $150,000

a year worth of sales tax revenue generated by these businesses. And so suddenly these businesses will no longer be within Opelika city limits meaning that Opelika City does not get that sales tax revenue.” McCullough is looking for other property for the two businesses, but it might not be in Opelika, he said. “I recently purchased a piece of property in Valley where we have

another thrift store,” he said. “… So I’m intending to move Cotton Valley Trader over to that place.” Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a spot for Village Thrift Market right now, so it will just have to close. “Come October 31, which is right around the corner, Cotton Valley Trader and the Village Thrift Market will no longer be here,” he said.

Because of programs like Tiger Mochas, LaDazah learned the skills to be a successful employee upon graduation. LaDazah is now gainfully employed in the Auburn Community and looks forward to giving back to the Tiger Mochas program. Tiger Mochas is a school-based enterprise run by students with disabilities at Auburn High School. After receiving funding from the FACES foundation (auburnschools. org/Page/2910), Tiger Mochas opened to sell

coffee to faculty and students in 2016 before expanding to opportunities outside of school, and have since sold thousands of cups of coffee in and around the community. This endeavor teaches these students skills like how to make change, interact with customers and essentially run a small business while preparing them for life after school. For more information/photos, visit their Facebook page (tigermochascoffee).

port and engagement in our services and look forward to making your membership even more valuable in the coming years. For those who have not yet joined, I hope you consider it. We want to be the premier resource for small businesses in our community, and we would be honored to

serve you. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to call. I’d love to welcome you to our family & support network! I look forward to hearing from all of you! Sincerely,

Tanner Roberts, CPA

Emma Farris, CPA

TOWN HALL >> FROM A1

Krehling, “We will be sharing how we currently communicate with the public and looking for ideas on how we can communicate better/more effectively. We will

also be discussing community engagement and how we can better serve the community as a whole.” The meeting is open to the public, but seating will be limited to maintain social distancing. It will also be live

streamed on the city’s YouTube channel (OpelikaCityGov). Both prior town hall meetings are still available to watch on the same channel. For more information, email lkrehling@opelika-al.gov.

A4 September 23, 2020

Don't pick on Girl Scouts

ome time back, a group out in Waco, Texas, announced it was boycotting Girl Scout Cookies. Don’t worry, I’m not fixing to get off on a political tangent. It was a Waco matter and if you are interested, you can google it. What I want to say is that the Girl Scouts might not be the best group to pick a fight with. They are sneaky. They are tough. And they stick together. I know of what I speak. When my oldest daughter came of Girl Scout age, we went to sign her up. When we arrived, we were told that they might not have a troop that year because the leader had moved away and there was no replacement. Not wanting my darling to miss the joy of

Scouting, I volunteered to fill in until someone qualified could be found. That was how I became the only male Girl Scout leader in the Council -- maybe the only one in the state. You see, once I volunteered, they quit looking. I was it. They are sneaky. So, for the next two years I had a troop of fourth, fifth and sixth grade girls. We hiked, camped, went on field trips, put on programs at the local nursing home, cooked and ate all manner of stuff and sold cookies. Now let me say that the lady leaders from other troops, seeing I was over my head and out of my element, did all they could to help me survive. When our groups camped together, they watched over

By Hardy Jackson my girls while I moved my tent off a-ways away -- a concession to female modesty. Exiling me also enabled the ladies to deal with "problems" that arose -- like the time the younger girls stole the older girls’ training bras and ran them up the flag pole. I arrived in time to see a host of 32 A-cups flapping in the breeze. But what impressed me most about my girls was the bond of loyalty

that developed among them. And how that loyalty played out when it was tested. One of our girls was very small, tiny almost. She was also quiet and painfully shy. She didn't want to be a Scout. Her parents had forced her to join in hopes she would make friends, for she had none. Fourth grade and no friends. Think about it. To my delight the other girls adopted her. Pulled her into the games and skits. At the meetings she became one of the group. But once the meeting was over, she returned to that other world and she was, as they say, perfect "picking on" material. One day she arrived at the meeting crying. Before I could find out what was wrong, a couple of the sixth

grade girls took her off to the side and after an animated discussion I could tell that they had agreed to do something. A few days later I found out what. It seems that some boys had been lying in wait for my little Scout when she walked home from meetings. They would taunt her, take her books, mess up her papers and otherwise generally harass her. Only this time, when they jumped out of the bushes, they were greeted by three sixth grade girls who had left puberty behind and were tall, strong and mad. And in the melee that followed, my girls, to quote the parent who told me, “beat the pluperfect hell out of the boys.” With that, the harassing ended. The boys could not report

the incident without admitting that they were whipped by girls. The girls never mentioned it for fear they would be punished for fighting. And I kept their secret. So, take that as a warning folks. If you have a problem with the Scouts, go to their leaders and work it out. But don’t go doing things that would upset the girls. Meanwhile, out in Waco, cookie sales increased because former Girl Scouts bought every cookie the girls had. Like I said, they stick together. Harvey H. Jackson is Professor Emeritus of History at Jacksonville State University. He can be reached at hhjackson43@gmail.com.

Hot Leather and High Fives

f you read my last column, you know that I recently left my office job of several years. In fact, I walked away from the health care field altogether. For almost three decades now, doctors’ offices and hospitals have been where I’ve spent my working days. And I loved it. But lately the hours began to be filled less with helping people and more with “customer complaints.” Literally hundreds of phone calls every single work day took up more and more of my time. There’s something about being a faceless voice on the phone – it seems to give angry people the courage (or the cowardice) to be hateful. Knowing the chances of ever meeting me face to face are slim to none, I became the vessel in which to pour their every bitter thought. Countless times I drove home after eight or nine hours of being yelled at, cursed at and blamed for every wrong thing in

a stranger’s life feeling like a human trash can filled to the brim with someone else’s grimy hate. And so now I don’t do that anymore. It was really as simple as that. I just said “I’m done” and walked away. Of course it was a bit more complicated. After updating my resume, I went online and applied for just about every kind of job you can imagine with only one stipulation – no more dealing with the angry public. You’d be surprised by how many positions there are out there that require little to no contact with anyone other than your co-workers. They ranged from research assistants and data entry techs at Auburn University to shipping and receiving in warehouses and factories. I decided to use an employment agency to help me find the right fit. Our conversation was brief and to the point.

“Give me something where I can clock in, keep my head down, work hard, and clock out. No answering phones, no customer service, no public relations.” “I have the perfect opening for you,” I was told. “Great! When can I start?” “Right away. Do you speak Korean?” “Well … no.” “Perfect.” And just like that, I became a car parts assembler at a Korean-owned plant just five minutes from my front door. I bought steeltoed shoes and khaki pants and reported to work the next morning with absolutely no idea what was in store. It turns out I didn’t need the steel-toed shoes after all. I don’t work with automated machinery. I work, instead, with dashboards – specifically, the passenger-side dashboard for the Hyundai Santa Fe. My job is to

By Wendy Hodge cover the dashboard with leather. Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. The dashboard core, which is a heavy plastic, is sprayed with a heat-release glue and then covered with a thin layer of filament. Then another spraying of glue gets it ready for the leather to be applied. There is a small room on the plant floor where a Korean man and two Korean ladies sit hunched over sewing machines. They spend their days piecing together these expensive pieces of leather, getting the seams picture perfect and the airbag logo sewn in just the

right spot. Among the three of them, they have over 100 years of sewing experience, almost all of it in Korea. When I pass by their glasswalled room, they look up at me with eyes that don’t show the strain those years must surely have taken on their vision. The gentleman stitcher (who I call Mister Sew in my head) always smiles behind his mask and nods his head at me. He has no gray hair or wrinkles and could pass for a 30-year-old, though I am told he is over 70. Once the leather has been sewn and has left the hum of the sewing machines for the busy plant floor, it is brought to my station. I do not have a desk. There is no place for potted plants or picture frames – it is completely utilitarian. A metal arm that rotates is located at waist level and is surrounded by a steel frame that holds two plastic baskets and a fan aimed directly at my face. The baskets

hold my supplies – pliers, scissors, box cutter and blades and two crimping tools. A heat gun rests in a holder on the frame of my station, and a thick buffer pad lies between my feet and the concrete floor. A group of Korean women have been in the plant for a couple of months now, teaching the local workers exactly how to heat the leather and stretch it to fit perfectly over the dashboard core. There can be no wrinkles or air bubbles or creases or imperfections of any kind. The stretching requires every muscle in your arms and back. It also requires patience and persistence. This is no job for sissies. I have been assigned to Qua Soon, one of the Korean “originals” who is an expert. I stand at her station on the first morning and observe. Her hands fly over the leather, smooth and quick, as if she was

highways are submerged. Commercial barges are floating in places where they shouldn’t be. I saw videos of my own backyard this morning. You could reenact historic naval battles back there. The lobby TV makes an announcement. The newsperson tells us that today is the 16-year anniversary of Hurricane Ivan. And I am carried backward in time. I have to sit down for a moment. Sixteen years. Has it really been that long? Oh, boy. Do I remember Ivan. My wife and I were

living in a ratty upstairs apartment. Our unit was located above Okaloosa County’s most notorious cat lady. She must have had 3,699 cats. I know this because we once got fleas from these cats. The fleas crawled through our adjoining walls and infested our things, causing my wife to start itching and me to start barking at the mail guy. When Ivan hit, it was a different world. Back then we had no social media, no ultra smart phones and nobody had ever heard the word “pandemic” used in a

See HODGE, page A5

Mustang Sally

hotel lobby. I am 951 miles from home, watching the news channels show hurricane footage taken from my hometown in Florida. The video shows Hurricane Sally wrecking our villages, flooding our cities and eating our shorelines. Some video looks to have been filmed a few miles behind my house. I’m sick to my stomach about it. I feel guilty for not being there. Three businessmen sit in the lobby. I overhear them say they are from Washington D.C.

They watch the lobby television, wearing surgical masks, sipping coffee, shaking their heads in mock amazement. “Geez,” says one man, “you couldn’t pay me to live in Florida.” “No kidding,” says the other. “There simply aren’t enough dollars in the world to make me live there.” A piece of me wants to defend my homeland and tell these guys they are mistaken. After all, Washington D.C. is no day at Dollywood, either. I’ve been to Washington. It’s full of high-powered young

By Sean Dietrich business professionals who wouldn’t hold the door open for the Queen of England toting an oxygen canister. But I’m not here to throw darts. Right now I’m worried about my people. I’ve been

texting with friends and family since last night. My mother still has no electricity. My sister’s family spent the night in a walk-in closet. My cousin got so stressed he started smoking again. The

See DIETRICH, page A5

A5 September 23, 2020

Kreher Preserve still offering fall programs Courtesy of the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center Monarch butterflies, as well as sulphurs, fritillaries, painted ladies and many other species, are in the peak of their migration season right now. In addition to these migrators, our local residents, such as swallowtails, hairstreaks and skippers, are extremely active this time of year. This is the perfect time to visit the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center’s Butterfly Garden. Sit and enjoy the quiet as you are surrounded by butterflies, caterpillars and other incredible wildlife. The Kreher Preserve & Nature Center is still having events this fall, such as “Science on

Saturdays” and “AUsome Amphibians & Reptiles.” Science on Saturdays: Rivers of Alabama (Saturday 10 – 11 a.m.) The rich human history and natural wonders that define Alabama are characterized by the more than 132,000 miles of magnificent rivers, streams and lakes throughout the state. Shaped over the ages by a remarkably diverse geology and filled with unique plants and animals, these rivers have served people from the first Paleo-Indigenous settlements to the present. Learn more about these incredible waterways as the KPNC welcome's retired Auburn University aquatic ecologist, Bill Deutsch.

Deutsch has spent almost three decades exploring, restoring and championing Alabama waterways. These fragile resources are vitally important, from the unique and diverse wildlife they host, to the innumerable economic and cultural benefits they offer. Learn how you can take advantage of these resources and how you can help ensure they are protected for future generations. For tickets, go to: (https://secure.touchnet.net/ C20021_ustores/web/ product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=3745&mc_ cid=6cd661baec&mc_ eid=e7bab519b7). Tickets are $5 each ($4 for members); children 3 and under are free.

Peace Walk to be held Saturday By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com

This Saturday, Sept. 26, at Christian Care Ministries, join Lee County for the third annual MLK Youth Nonviolence Peach March and Rally. The march will begin at 11 a.m. at 1000 Samford Court, Opelika and will last through 2 p.m. Pastor Carolyn Morton will lead the event

DIETRICH>> FROM A4

sentence. We had only wordof-mouth weather reports from old men who watched the Weather Channel twenty-four-seven. Guys like my uncle, who devoted his life to the Weather Channel the same way some men devote themselves to the Jesuit Order. Then came the Ivan evacuations. If you’ve never evacuated for a hurricane, it’s a sickening event. You leave your whole life behind you and drive onward. Your family piles into vehicles, loaded with every cardboard box and cooler ever manufactured. My wife’s family traveled to Brewton, Alabama, during Ivan. That night we all holed up in a family cabin in the woods while the entire world fell apart. I’ll bet these Washington men have never even heard of Brewton. As it turned out, Ivan hit Brewton dead on. After it waltzed across our Panhandle homes,

Cancelled in the event of rain. To minimize the risk of COVID transmission, face masks are required for all attendees and temperatures will be taken upon entry. Maximum occupancy is 50 and social distancing between unrelated groups will be enforced. AUsome Amphibians & Reptiles (Oct. 3, 10 – 11 a.m.) AUsome Amphibians & Reptiles is a onehour presentation about the awesome amphibians and reptiles found in our state and beyond. Children and adults will enjoy this entertaining, hands-on program with live animals. For tickets, go to: (https://secure.touchnet.net/ C20021_ustores/web/

product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=3768&mc_ cid=6cd661baec&mc_ eid=e7bab519b7). Tickets are $5 each ($4 for members); children 3 and under are free. Cancelled in the event of rain. To minimize the risk of COVID transmission, face masks are required for all attendees and temperatures will be taken upon entry. Maximum occupancy is 50 and social distancing between unrelated groups will be enforced. This program is expected to sell out so purchasing online is suggested. The following are some more programs and events hosted by the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center. Woodland Wonders Nature Preschool

Nature Babies, Wednesdays 9 – 10 a.m., ages 0 – 2. Tree Tots, Thursdays, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Sept. 17 – Oct. 22, ages 6 months – 3 yrs. Forest Friends, Fridays, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Sept. 18 – Oct. 23, ages 2 – 5. School's Out(side) Fridays, Sept. 11 – Nov. 20, grades K – 8. Nature Explorers, 2nd Monday, 10 – 11:30 a.m., Sep – Nov, for homeschooling families. Fall Camps, Oct. 12, 16, & Nov. 11, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., grades 1 – 6. Halloween Enchanted Forest, Oct. 23 & 24, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. To learn more about the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center, go to (wp.auburn.edu/preserve/).

HODGE >>

Ah-Winnie.” The next day, we follow the same routine. Croissant demonstrates, and then I try to replicate. That day I manage to complete five dashboards. Croissant stands at my station, inspecting them all, and pronounces “You are head of class” and says I can leave a few minutes early. I get a high five from Croissant and Yeo Soon and Mei Lin before I shut down my station and pick up my backpack. I clock out and head for the door. But it turns out, I really don’t want to go. I like it here. When I imagined a factory, this is not what I pictured. It’s not noisy. There is a steady hum of work, but no screeching machines or yelling

voices. It’s not hot or dark or dirty. It is air-conditioned, welllit, and as clean as any house you’d want to visit. I watch Croissant high five another new girl and I wave to Mister Sew, who smiles and nods. And I go home. My body is sore and tired, but there is a spring in my step. Turns out there is a beauty in working with your hands, in producing something tangible you can hold up and admire. There is an art to perfecting a skill. There is a joy in hard physical work that you can leave behind you with no lingering taste of bitterness to follow you home. And there is a peace in knowing that you are happy to return to your work again tomorrow.

pass local preachers making house-calls to widows, orphans and drunks. You’ll run into old women who cook ribeyes on Coleman camp stoves for an entire neighborhood. Yards will be lit with tiki torches. Kids will be playing tag. Guitars will be picked. People will become frighteningly upbeat. Because this is who we are.

You can flood our towns, knock down our houses, kill our magnolias and blow our rooftops to hell. But you cannot drown our hearts. Because we are Panhandle people and South Alabamians. And no matter how high the water gets, we will always float. There simply aren’t enough dollars in the world to make me live anywhere else.

FROM A4

and march. Morton has been fighting gun violence since her father was shot and killed in 1980. The loss of her father was only the first in a string of gun violence tragedies for Morton. Her daughter and godson were shot, as well and Morton couldn’t take it anymore. She knew something had to be done and

said she wanted to turn the negative emotions and energy into something positive, so she created the peaceful event. “We dedicate this march and rally to those that die by gun violence and the survivors too,” Morton said. “… I help support and promote: love, nonviolence, peace, justice and social change for the better in our beloved community.”

born standing in that very spot with leather in her hands. Her motions are hypnotic – an Asian dance that is lovely. And then I go to my station and try to replicate what she has shown me. My first attempt was a clumsy effort, and so is my pronunciation of Qua Soon’s name. She kindly agrees to let me call her Croissant, and she calls me Ah-Winnie. We bow to each other a lot, and it works. By the end of the first day (when I’ve churned out three more dashboards) I feel really satisfied with what I’ve done. Croissant gives me a high five – the Koreans are very big on high fives – and tells me “Good-a job,

the eye of the storm followed us straight into South Alabama and tore up everything. It was a titanic mess. Rooflines detached. Hundred-year-old trees uprooted. Cars got smashed. Floodwaters invaded living rooms. I don’t think many died in the storm, but I know many who were braced for it. It was one of the longest nights of my life, sitting through Ivan. The following sunrise revealed bitter devastation. Trees lay splintered in residential streets. Shingles littered front yards as far away as Pensacola. And do you know what else I saw? Men with chainsaws. After the damage, Good Samaritans were everywhere. They were crawling out of the wallpaper, lugging gas powered lawn equipment, driving flatbed trailers, operating Caterpillars, steering Ford F-250s. Meanwhile, their wives were cooking breakfast on propane barbecue grills, emptying their dead freezers, preparing thawed meat before it spoiled.

In the few hours after sunup, Brewton looked like the international barbecue competition headquarters. You couldn’t walk four feet without smelling short ribs or pork shoulders sizzling on someone’s back porch. Even though destruction had visited our world, you would have never known it by the attitude of our people. This is what happens during our hurricanes. These are the people

I come from. They are do-gooders with hard heads. They knock on neighbors’ doors, volunteering to dismember fallen trees or tarp damaged roofs. And they offer to do it in exchange for nothing but iced tea. You will see my people in heavy Chevys, wrapping chains around collapsed live oak limbs. You’ll see policemen delivering groceries to shut-ins. You’ll

KNOW your status MANAGE your health LIVE your best life For more information about free HIV Testing and services, call 1-800-228-0469.

A6 September 23, 2020

Keep Opelika Beautiful to host Recycle & Shred Day Courtesy of Keep Opelika Beautiful Keep Opelika Beautiful will host a free Recycle & Shred Day on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. The event will be from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Northside Recycle Center located at 600 8th Ave. This is the site

of the former fire station and is one block from the Opelika Municipal Park. All shredding for this event will be done on site. Paper clips and staples do not have to be taken out, but paper will need to be removed from binders. There is a 10-box limit. This event is only open to residents

1 OUT OF 10 ELDERLY PERSONS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE BEING:

Abused, Neglected or Exploited

of Lee County. No documents from businesses will be accepted for shredding. Attendees are asked to remain in their vehicles and allow volunteers to unload documents due to coronavirus restrictions. Other items will be accepted at the Northside Recycle Center including electronics, alumi-

num cans, cardboard, newspaper, plastic and steel cans. This recycling center is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Keep Opelika Beautiful at (334) 7494970 or tipi@keepopelikabeautiful.com.

Cancer Screening is Essential

,I \RX VXVSHFW WKLV LV KDSSHQLQJ WR VRPHRQH \RX NQRZ SOHDVH UHSRUW LW WR $GXOW 3URWHFWLYH 6HUYLFHV E\ FRQWDFWLQJ \RXU ORFDO '+5 RIILFH RU FDOOLQJ WKH

ADULT ABUSE HOTLINE at 1-800-458-7214

HELP STOP THE ABUSE IF YOU SEE IT, REPORT IT

DO IT FOR YOURSELF DO IT FOR YOUR FAMILY 7KHUHŇ&#x2039;V QR H[FXVH IRU

ELDER ABUSE â&#x20AC;&#x153;This project was supported by Subgrant #18-VA-VS-050 #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.â&#x20AC;? 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.â&#x20AC;?

Call your healthcare provider to schedule an appointment today!

LEARN MORE ABOUT CANCER SCREENING DURING COVID-19.

Visit our website at: alabamapublichealth.gov/cancer

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alopecia Project founder to visit Smiths Station next week Courtesy of the City of Smiths Station Jeff Woytovich, founder of the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alopecia Project, will make a stop at The Junction at the Historic Jones Store complex next Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. EST as a part of his Coast2Coast tour. During the event, Woytovich will meet with local children and other individuals who live with this autoimmune disease and be recognized by proclamation by Mayor F.L. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bubbaâ&#x20AC;? Copeland for his visit to Smiths Station. Woytovichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour coincides with September being Alopecia Areata Awareness Month. According to his organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, CAPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is â&#x20AC;&#x153;to help any child in need who is living with hair loss due to all forms of Alopeciaâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;change the emphasis from growing

JEFF WOYTOVICH hair to growing confidence (along with) building self-esteem, providing support and raising awareness.â&#x20AC;? For more information, visit (childrensalopeciaproject. org/). Woytovich will be available for interviews and photo opportunities following the event. About Alopecia Areata: Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disease that often results in unpredictable hair loss and affects nearly 6.8 million people in the United States.

Opelika E vents, Society, & Food

UPCOMING EVENTS Sept. 26 - MLK Youth Nonviolent Peace March and Rally 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Christian Care ministries located at 1000 Samford Court.

Serve hearty, make-ahead dishes for watching football games on television ANN CIPPERLY

Southern

Hospitality

uring the fall months, life in Lee County revolves around Auburn Tigers football and tailgating on game days. While this year is different without tailgating on the Plains and not as many fans attending games, we still need plenty of good food for watching the games on television with family and maybe a few friends (while social distancing). Tailgating before Auburn games has been a tradition for many families in our area going back generations. Debra Whatley of Opelika has fond memories of

tailgating with family. When her husband Alex was alive, they would take a whole pig for the Arkansas game for a special tailgate when each of their four children, Libby, Edward, Mary Kathryn and Walter, were seniors at Auburn. Alex would cook a whole pig all night in a pit he dug by the lake at their home. The pig was split and placed between two racks that were turned throughout the night. The next morning, he took the pig in a pickup truck to the tailgate site. Friends would help lift the rack with the pig

off the truck and place it on concrete blocks. The meat was pulled off to eat with barbecue sauce made from Debra’s great-grandfather’s recipe. Debra remembers one year when an Auburn fan removed the pig’s head, put it on a pole and took it to Toomer’s Corner. With over 150 relatives graduating from Auburn University, Debra and Alex’s families have had tailgate traditions going back generations. The first to graduate from Alex’s branch of the Whatley family was his uncle Wallace

Tenth annual ‘Ride to Remember’ will be held Saturday By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com

Hop on a bike and honor law enforcement with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Sept. 26 for the tenth annual Ride to Remember event. The event is held each year to honor the life of James Anderson, who lost his life during a traffic stop over ten

years ago. Anderson was training a new deputy in 2009 on the day of his death. The two were near Smiths Station, and they were performing a routine traffic stop. Anderson came to the right of the vehicle and as the subject in the vehicle moved forward, he pinned Anderson under the car. Anderson lost his

life and was one of the first law enforcement officers Lee County lost, said Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy Adalberto Rosa. The event will be held Saturday and will begin at the Smiths Station Junior High School at 10 a.m. EST. Anyone in the community is welcome to attend, See REMEMBER, page A9

Photo by Ann Cipperly When planning dishes to serve for watching football games on television, include a crudités platter with ranch dressing or hummus. To create green onion curls for garnish, trim the end of the onion, then cut lengthwise into the onion to form strips. Trim excess green top. Place the onion in a glass of ice water. The strips will fold back to form curls.

Whatley, born in 1898, who graduated from API in 1917 at age 19. Wallace’s twin brother, who was Alex’s father, graduated in 1920. Every fall during football season in the 1950s, Alex’s father, uncles and grandfather, who owned Dairyland Farms, hosted the entire Auburn team for a huge barbecue with Bruns-

wick stew. Dairyland was located where the Auburn Mall is now. Along with cows and a dairy, there were spacious barns where parties were held. Debra and Alex’s son Edward and his wife Elizabeth have continued the family tradition by holding tailgate get-togethers. Tailgating has also

been popular for the Herring and Motley families. Libba and Dr. Ron Herring’s son, Will, and Dinah and Joey Motley’s son, Matthew, both played football for Opelika High School before playing for the Auburn Tigers. The Herrings and Motleys began See CIPPERLY, page A10

Auburn Area Community Theatre is Still Standing Courtesy of AACT The theme for the 2020-2021 season for the Auburn Area Community Theatre, “Still Standing,” represents all the theatre has been through, despite 2020’s curveballs. The season will include: • “Super, Happy,

Awesome News,” a virtual show put on by the AACT Jr. Performers • “A Christmas Carol,” a live radio play • “Holiday Walk in the Woods” at the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center • “Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone,” a loving parody performed by the AACT Young

Performers • The Tony award-winning comedy “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” Open Auditions for “A Christmas Carol,” a live radio play, will take place on Oct. 6 and 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jan Dempsey CommuSee THEATRE, page A12

804 N Railroad Ave Opelika, AL 36830

Expressions Design Gallery SECOND SATURDAY

SALE FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY

SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY

G N I S O L C E R O ST

SALE

SEPT. 11 AND 12 OCT. 9 AND 10 NOV. 13 AND 14 DEC. 11 AND 12

New and Unique furniture items to choose from.

1801 MARKET STREET OPELIKA, AL 36801

334-787-9900 EXPRESSIONSDESIGNGALLERY.COM

f f o % 0 4 g n i h t y r Eve ndle products *excludes Oliver Henry Ca

rday 12-5 u t a -S y a d n o M n e Op ay 9/25 D l a in F â&#x20AC;¢ 14 / 9 s t Star

A9 September 23, 2020

REMEMBER >> FROM A7

Rosa said. He recommended everyone arrive before 10 a.m. EST, however. “We line all the motorcycles, we give a safety briefing and normally we have law enforcement escort from the sheriff’s office, sometimes state troopers,” he said. “And then we line all the bikes with the family up front.” After the ride to the cemetery where Anderson is buried, a small ceremony will be held. If you want to attend but don’t have a motorcycle, cars will follow after the bikes. The ‘Ride to Remember’ event was created after Anderson’s death as a way to honor his life, sacrifice and service. “Our main intent and goal at the time was to do it on a weekend and to bring the motorcycle community, as well as the rest of the community,” Rosa said. This is not the only ceremony to honor An-

derson, however. Rosa said that the sheriff’s office holds its own ceremony. “We decided, the sheriff’s office does one thing but let’s do something that we can bring the community and humanize James Anderson and show who he was as a person, as a friend, a son, as a husband, as a father and as a grandfather,” he said. Rosa said he is not sure whether there will be protests this year at the event but said he hopes there are not as that would take away from the purpose. “I don’t want people to lose the human side of us as law enforcement officers,” Rosa said. “We are people from the community, we are people within the community. We live in the community. We want to ensure that we have peace and order but … to us, it is important for everybody to know there is a human side to us. Because everybody tries to look at us as different and we’re not different from anybody else."

America’s Thrift Stores in Opelika is hiring! What Makes Us Different? At America’s Thrift Stores, we make a difference everyday! For our employees, we offer a way to not only have a steady job, but one that helps support multiple charities! We help make wishes come true! For our customers, we provide quality merchandise for those who may not have the means to provide for their families without our low-cost products. Because of our ever-changing inventory, our customers can truly find something different on each and every visit. We even sell brand new mattresses at prices that are lower than all the competition.

Benefits For All Employees x x x

Our Charity Partners

Starting wage of $8.50 per hour Supervisor starting wage of $13.00 per hour 50 cent raise after 90 days for those who meet performance standards Additional 50 cent raise after 180 days for those who meet performance standards EVERY employee is bonus eligible after 90 days!! (A $10.00 per hour employee working an average of 30 hours per week could earn a quarterly bonus of $100$180) Many jobs are Monday-Friday with weekends off Great Employee Referral Program Employee Discounts Christmas Bonus Employee Service Awards

x x

x x x x x

Additional Benefits for Full Time Employees Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) benefits for full time employees who work more than 30 hours per week Company paid life insurance for full time employees who work more than 30 hours per week

x x

At America’s Thrift Stores, we strive to make a difference by: x x x

Keeping more than 30 million pounds out of landfills each year Providing great values to treasure seeking shoppers Contributing nearly $3,000,000 to our charity partners who support children’s health and addiction recovery

If want a job that has meaning and is changing lives, America’s Thrift Stores is the place for you! We want you on our team – come join us today! America’s Thrift Stores is an Equal Opportunity Employer

PLEASE JOIN US AUGUST 6 Get to Know the Opelika Police Department Recording available on YouTube (opelikacitygov)

SEPTEMBER 3 /ŵƉƌŽǀŝŶŐ ZĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ ǁŝƚŚ KƵƌ zŽƵƚŚ Recording available on YouTube (opelikacitygov)

SEPTEMBER 24 ,Žǁ tĞ ĂŶ ĞƩĞƌ ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚĞ ĂŶĚ /ŵƉƌŽǀĞ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ ZĞůĂƟŽŶƐ MUNICIPAL COURT BUILDING 6 - 7 p.m. ^ƉĂĐĞ ůŝŵŝƚĞĚ ƚŽ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶ ƐŽĐŝĂů ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐŝŶŐ ;&ŝƌƐƚ ĐŽŵĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƐĞƌǀĞͿ >ŝǀĞ ƐƚƌĞĂŵĞĚ ǀŝĂ ĐŝƚǇ zŽƵdƵďĞ ĐŚĂŶŶĞů &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͕ ĞŵĂŝů ůŬƌĞŚůŝŶŐΛŽƉĞůŝŬĂͲĂů͘ŐŽǀ͘

A10 September 23, 2020

CIPPERLY>> FROM A7 tailgating when their sons played football at Auburn. Dinah and Libba would take turns going to the Auburn campus on Friday afternoons before home games to reserve their plot until they would put up a tent. At many of the games, Joey and Ron would

RECIPES CHEESE STRAWS Debra Whatley 1 lb. grated cheese 1 cup shortening 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. red pepper 1 Tbsp. salt ½ cup ice water Blend cheese and shortening together. Combine flour with baking powder, pepper and salt. Cut in flour mixture as for pastry. Add water. Use pastry tube to form into straw on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. EASY PIMENTO CHEESE Debra Whatley 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, room temperature 4 oz. pimento, drained ½ cup mayonnaise Mix together and spread on crackers or bread. HOT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP Debra Whatley 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable recipe mix 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional) 2 cloves garlic, minced Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except 1/2 cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Spoon into greased 2-quart casserole. Top with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until dip is hot. LAYERED BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP Elizabeth Whatley 3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (can boil with spices and garlic powder) 12 oz. bottle wing sauce 2 pkg. ranch dressing mix Three 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (can use light), softened 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded Celery sticks, corn or tortilla chips

fire up grills, cooking hamburgers and hot dogs. Many friends and family joined them and brought delicious dishes each week. Some of the football players, who were Matthew and Will’s friends, would come by their tent with their families to eat with them after the game. “We cooked 200 hamburgers and 200 hot dogs one night,” Dinah said.

“We didn’t eat because I was afraid we would run out of food. We picked up a Krystal burger on the way home.” Later, the Motleys began to tailgate with ten couples and use Tailgate Guys so they didn’t have to set up their own tents. The couples would e-mail each other what they were taking. With her busy schedule, Dinah started cooking on Wednesday nights.

The Motleys used a folding wagon to transport their food to the tailgate site. When they didn’t have as many people, it became easier, and they didn’t have to take the grill. Will Herring went to the NFL and played for the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints. When he retired from football, Will and his wife Ashley moved to Auburn and continued

his parents’ tradition of tailgating. With three small children, they would tailgate near the stadium or in the comfort of home with friends. Families can look forward to tailgating again in the future, but for now the traditional will be held at home with good food. When planning dishes to serve, select recipes that can be prepared

ahead or assembled quickly. By having everything ready to serve or reheat, you will be able to relax with family and enjoy the game too. The recipes on A10 from the Whatley and Herring families and other Lee County cooks will give you plenty of great ideas. Ann Cipperly can be reached at recipes@ cipperly.com.

Mix cooked, cubed chicken with wing salads; set aside. Combine ranch dressing with cream cheese. In a greased casserole dish, layer the cream cheese mixture. Then top with the chicken mixture. Cover top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with celery sticks, corn or tortilla chips.

Ashley Herring 2 ½ lb. bacon 2 ½ lb. cocktail smoked sausage links 2 ½ lb. light brown sugar 2 ½ boxes round toothpicks 1/2 cup melted butter Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each sausage. Place all wrapped sausages in a single layer in baking dish.

night before and refrigerate until ready to heat. Slider buns or small party rolls Shaved ham Swiss cheese, sliced 1 stick butter or margarine, softened Dijon mustard, use about half the jar or to taste 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds To prepare spread, mix together butter, Dijon mustard and poppy seeds. Slice rolls and spread with mustard mixture and fill with shaved ham and a small slice of Swiss cheese. Wrap rolls in foil and heat in a 300 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. These can be made ahead, refrigerated or frozen. If frozen, thaw before heating and allow extra time for cold rolls. Make the rolls the night before and refrigerate until ready to heat.

from heat; stir in peanut butter until melted. Mix in Rice Krispies. Pour mixture into greased pan and let cool. Cut into squares. These are great for putting into molds. I made these for my children’s classes while they were in elementary school. I put them in various molds and made eyes, noses, and buttons out of M&Ms.

for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve immediately. (Can also be served chilled.) Makes 3 dozen.

MINI CONECUH SAUSAGE DOGS Will Herring 1 pkg. Conecuh sausage, grilled 1 pkg. hotdog buns 1 bottle mustard 1 bottle honey Grill Conecuh. Cut into 4-inch sections. Cut hotdog buns in half (or use mini hotdog buns). Assemble hotdogs topped with either mustard or drizzled honey. SAUSAGE DIP Libba Herring 1 lb. pork sausage 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes with chilies (reserve 1/4 cup liquid) 8 oz. cream cheese 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Fritos Cook sausage: drain well. Stir together sausage, Rotel, liquid and cream cheese. Spoon into a lightly greased 8 x 8-inch dish. Top with Cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with Fritos. REDNECK CAVIAR Dinah Motley 2 cans black-eyed peas, drained 2 cans shoepeg corn, drained 2 cans Rotel tomatoes, drained 2 bell peppers, chopped 3 tomatoes, finely chopped 12 green onions, shopped 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. parsley flakes 16 oz. bottle Zesty Italian dressing 1 can black beans, drained (optional) Mix all together in large container. Serve with Fritos or Tostado chips. Keeps in the refrigerator for long time. BROWN SUGAR WRAPPED SMOKIES

MIXED NUT BARS Libba Herring 1½ cups plain flour 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter 12 oz. can Planter's Salted Mixed Nuts Topping 6 oz. bag butterscotch chips 1/2 cup white corn syrup 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla Grease and flour a 9 x 13 dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, sugar, salt and butter. Pat into bottom of dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Spread nuts over this. Combine topping ingredients and warm on stovetop until chips are melted, stirring constantly. Pour over nuts and crust. Bake for 10 more minutes. Slice and serve when cool. BEEF ROAST IN HAWAIIAN ROLLS WITH WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE AND PEPPER JELLY Lynn Hammond Hawaiian rolls Whipped cream cheese Pepper jelly 1 chuck roast, cooked (recipe follows) Slice roast and place in rolls with cream cheese and pepper jelly. Chuck Roast in Crock-Pot 4 lb. chuck roast 1 oz. pkg. dry ranch seasoning 1 oz. pkg. dry au jus gravy mix 1 stick butter 1/2 jar pepperoncini or to taste Place chuck roast in crock-pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours. HAM AND CHEESE ROLLS WITH POPPY SEED MUSTARD SPREAD Make the rolls the

CRUSTLESS SPINACH AND PESTO QUICHE Elizabeth Whatley 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup pesto (from a jar) 5 eggs, slightly beaten Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press the excess moisture from spinach. Combine spinach, 1 1/2 cups cheese, cream, pesto and eggs in a bowl and mix well. Pour the spinach mixture into a 9-inch pie pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top; bake for 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese melts. PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIES TREATS Dinah Motley ¾ cup light corn syrup ½ cup sugar ¾ cup peanut butter 6 cups Rice Krispies Heat syrup and sugar to boiling in heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Immediately remove

EASY ITALIAN SAUSAGE BALLS Ashley Herring 1¼ cups shredded mozzarella 1 lb. hot Italian sausage 3 cups Bisquick ¼ tsp. garlic Mix ingredients and roll into small balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Can be frozen and reheated in microwave for 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce on side for dipping. MINI TOMATO TARTS Judy Dickinson 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained 1 cup mayonnaise 1 3 oz. pkg. real bacon bits (prefer (Oscar Mayer soft ones, not hard ones) 1 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese Four 1.9 oz. pkg. mini phyllo shells Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine tomatoes, mayonnaise, bacon bits, and Swiss cheese. Fill shells and bake 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. JALAPENO AND PIMIENTO SQUARES Susan Housel 4 cups (16 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese 4 eggs, beaten 2 Tbsp. chopped, seeded jalapeno peppers (canned or from a jar) 2 oz. jar diced pimiento, drained 4 oz. can chopped green chilies Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well. Spread mixture in a lightly sprayed 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand

MEATBALL SUBS Meatballs, homemade or purchased frozen 1 jar pasta sauce Shredded mozzarella cheese Hoagie rolls Warm meatballs in pasta sauce. Warm hoagie rolls or toast in oven. Fill rolls with meatballs and sauce. Top with shredded cheese. Bake or broil until cheese melts. TEENY TINY TACOS 48 meatballs (purchased or made with favorite meatball recipe) 48 Tostitos Scoops chips 3 cups shredded lettuce 1 cup sour cream 1 cup salsa 2 cups shredded cheese Prepare meatballs according to recipe/ directions on package. Arrange scoop chips on serving tray. Place tablespoon of shredded lettuce into scoops. Drop small spoon-size dollops of sour cream onto lettuce. Place prepared meatballs on top of sour cream. Top with salsa and shredded cheese. (Can change the order by putting salsa on lettuce and topping with sour cream and cheese.) RED PEPPER HUMMUS 2 cans (15 oz.) garbanzo (chick) beans, rinsed and drained 1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped 2 lemons, juiced 4 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. smoked paprika 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Pita chips, fresh vegetables Dry roasted peppers with paper towels. Add beans, peppers and remaining ingredients except chips and vegetables in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and creamy. Serve with pita chips and fresh vegetables.

A11 September 23, 2020

The gratitude of holiness: part one

he Hebrew writer is challenging the disciples he’s addressing to pursue holiness (12:14). Holiness is wholeness. It is being responsive to God in every area of our lives. As Jesus talked about, it is loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). This doesn’t happen incidentally or accidentally, so they are to “make every effort” toward this end. Understood in this context, these words are not an aside or digression, but part of a crescendo the writer has been building toward throughout the letter. To stoke the fire even more, he wants them to come to grips with all they have through Christ (v. 22ff). Unlike

Church Calendar • AIRVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH HOMECOMING 2301 Airport Road, Opelika Celebrating 69 years... Sept. 13,2020 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon and Lunch will follow Pastor: Dr Gary Walker – Praise and Worship: Doug Long • Church of Christ at Cunningham - meeting at their building at 9:30 a.m. for Bible class, 10:30 a.m. for worship, 5 p.m. for evening worship and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. • St. Marys Catholic Church/ St. Michael’s Church SMCC is having Daily Mass on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. and on weekends they are distributing holy Communion on Sundays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A Mass is also held on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. at St. Michael's Church over in Auburn. For more information people can call the office at 334-749-8359 or go to the parish website: stmarysopelika.org. • Union Grove Baptist Church In-person gathering with social distancing. Masks are available. Sunday worship is at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday worship is at 6:30 p.m. Services are streamed live on Facebook– the page is UGBChurch • First Baptist Church Opelika The following are held in-person and online on Sundays. 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship and Message at The Worship Center 9:45 a.m. Sunday School Hour 11 a.m. Contemporary Service at The 3:16 Center 6 p.m. Evening Worship and Message at The Worship Center 6:30 p.m. Church on Chadwick at Chadwick Lane in Auburn To watch services online, go to fbcopelika.com/media

Israel, they are part of “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (v. 28). The appropriate response to this is to be thankful and to worship God with reverence and awe. Worshiping God with reverence and awe sounds fitting in light of the truth that He is a consuming fire (v. 28), but thankfulness seems a little, well . . . ordinary. Many of us tend to see gratitude as occupying more of a supporting role. After all, we’re supposed to be thankful, we are, and that’s that— right? We’re ready to move on to something else—something loftier and more spiritual. Maybe it’s worth taking closer look at gratitude. g The words “thank,”

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

“thanks,” “thankfulness,” “gratitude” and “grateful” are found about 150 times in the biblical witness. That’s not a big number compared to other characteristics like love (688), faith (458), peace (249) or joy (242), but numbers don’t always tell the whole story, do they? Gratitude is an attitude

toward God in response to His goodness toward us. This attitude will manifest itself in specific behaviors to be sure, but it starts in the heart with the open-eyed acknowledgement of the blessings we have received from our Father. Gratitude is the seed whose fruit is unlimited. It was Abraham Heschel who said, “It is gratefulness which makes the soul great.” Gratitude makes the soul great not because it is seeking greatness, but by acknowledging its indebtedness to God, it points to His greatness. It sees God’s goodness, that “He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love . . . He does not treat us as our sins deserve, or

repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8,10). It sees not only this but a thousand other ways in which God actively blesses and sustains our lives. Put it all together and gratitude should form the foundation for who we are. We love because He first loved us. So then, just as you received Jesus Christ as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7) What do you suppose he means by that? You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: atasteofgracewithbrucegreen.com.

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

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

"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good." — Eclesiastes 9:18

Church Directory APOSTOLIC HOLINESS God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 HIghland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 True Deliverance Holiness Church 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 BAPTIST Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506

ANGLICAN Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd 2312 Center Drive Unit D 334-758-6749 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Bridge Church 1000 Lee Road 263, Cusseta 334-742-0144 AME Mount Zion AME Church West Point Hwy 334-749-3916 St. Luke AME Church 1308 Auburn St. 334-749-1690 St. Paul AME Church 713 Powledge Ave. 334-745-6279 Thompson Chapel AME Zion 187 Columbus Pkwy 334-749-8676 BAPTIST Abundant Life Baptist Church 1220 Fox Run Ave. Suite B 706-4421464 Airview Baptist Church 2301 Airport Rd. 334-444-5148 Antioch Baptist Church 605 W. East Morton Ave 334-742-0696 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St. 334-745-7528 Bethel Baptist Church Hwy. 29 Sasser Rd 334-745-4865 Central Baptist Church 1611 2nd Ave. 334-745-2482 Community Baptist Church 154 N. 16th St. 334-745-6552 Cornerstone Missionary Baptist 500 N. Railroad Ave. 334-742-2008 Eastview Baptist Church 1208 Spring Dr 334-749-9595 Farmville Baptist Church 3607 Alabama Hwy N. 334-887-7361 First Baptist Church of Opelika 314 S. 9th St. 334-745-6143

Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184 Lakeview Baptist Church 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-7094 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608 Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ at

First Baptist Church 301 S. 8th St. 334-745-5715 First Baptist Church Impact 709 Avenue E 334-741-0624 First Freewill Baptist Church 103 19th St. 334-703-3333 Friendship Missionary Baptist 432 Maple Avenue 334-742-0105 Greater Peace Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave. 334-749-9487 Heritage Baptist Church 1103 Glenn St. 334-363-8943 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 Love Freewill Baptist Church 1113 Frederick Ave. 334-745-2905 Ridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church 1098 Lee Road 155 - 334-745-3600 Northside Baptist Church 3001 Lafayette Hwy 334-745-5340 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Uniroyal Rd 334-749-2773 Purpose Baptist Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #704-0302 St. James Baptist Church 1335 Auburn St. 334-745-3224 Union Grove Missionary Baptist 908 Huguley Rd 334-741-7770 BUDDHIST Buddha Heart Village 3170 Sandhill Rd. 334-821-7238 CATHOLIC St. Mary’s Catholic Church 1000 4th Ave. 334-749-8359 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy 334-742-9721 Southside Church of Christ 405 Carver Ave. 334-745-6015 CHURCH OF GOD

Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Changing Hearts of Destiny Ministry 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700

Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319

METHODIST Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist

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

Airview Church of God 3015 Old Opelika Rd 334-749-9112 Church of God 114 17th Place 334-749-6432 Tabernacle Church of God 3 Oak Court 334-745-7979 CHURCH OF NAZARENE Opelika Church of Nazarene 1500 Bruce Ave. 334-749-1302 EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave. 334-745-2054 HOLINESS Eastside Emmanuel Holiness Church 86 Lee Road 186 JEWISH Beth Shalom Congregation 134 S. Cary Dr. 334-826-1050 LATTERDAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints 510 Groce St. 334-742-9981 METHODIST First United Methodist Church of Opelika 702 Avenue A 334-745-7604 Hopewell United Methodist 1993 Lee Rd 136 334-745-0460 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 8685 AL Hwy. 51 334-749-4469 Pepperell United Methodist 200 26th St. 334-745-9334 Trinity United Methodist Church 800 Second Ave. 334-745-2632 Wesley Memorial United Methodist 2506 Marvyn Pkwy 334-745-2841 PENTECOSTAL Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Hwy. 29, PO Box 1691 334-7418675 Gateway Community Church 2715 Frederick Rd 334-745-6926 PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church of Opelika 900 2nd Ave. 334-745-3421

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Outreach Seventh-Day Adventist 1808 S. Long St. 334-749-3151 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Apostolic Holiness Church 610 Canton St. 334-749-6759 Auburn Opelika Korean Church 1800 Rocky Brook Rd 334-7495386 Beauregard Full Gospel Revival 2089 Lee Road 42 334-745-0455 Christ Church International 1311 2nd Ave. 334-745-0832 Fellowship Bible Church 2202 Hamilton Rd 334-749-1445 Ferguson Chapel Church 310 S. 4th St. 334-745-2913 First Assembly of God Church 510 Simmons St. 334- 749-3722 Garden of Gethsemane Fellowship 915 Old Columbus Rd #745-2686 Grace Heritage Church Opelika #559-0846 Holy Deliverance Church 831 S. Railroad 334-749-5682 Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. 334-737-1488 Living Way Ministries 1100 Old Columbus Rd 334-749-6241 Move of God Fellowship Church 1119 Old Columbus Rd 334-7411006 Connect Church 2900 Waverly Pkwy 334-749-3916 New Life Christian Center 2051 West Point Pkwy 334-741-7373 New Life Independent Church 10 Meadowview Estates Trailer 334-741-9001 Opelika’s First Seventh Day 2011 Columbus Pkwy 334-737-3222 Power of Praise, Inc. Church 3811 Marvyn Pkwy 334-745-6136 Shady Grove Christian Church West Point Hwy 334-745-7770

Place your ad here! Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More!

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

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

Email: editor@opelika observer.com Call: 334-749-8003

A12 September 23, 2020

OBITUARIES Jessie R. Haynie, Jr. Jessie R. Haynie, Jr. of Opelika, passed away at his home on Sept. 17, 2020. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jessie and Ruth Haynie, Sr.; brothers, Charles Haynie and Donald Wayne Haynie; sister, Dorothy Ann Neal. Jessie is survived by his children, Angela (Robert) Langford, Randy (Amie) Haynie, and Brandi Wilkerson; 5 grandchildren; sister, Nora (T.J.) Hales as well as several nieces and nephews. A graveside service was held Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 at Carrville Cemetery in Tallassee, at 10 a.m. with Reverend Ricky Thomaston officiating.

Thomas L. Cooper A graveside service for Thomas L. Cooper, 85, of Opelika was held at 11 a.m., Sept. 19, 2020, at Nazareth Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, located at 4454 Lee Road 166 Opelika, Reverend George Rampey officiated. Mr. Cooper, who passed away Sept. 14, 2020 at the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika was born March 31, 1935 in Lee County, Alabama. Public viewing for Mr. Cooper was on Sept. 19, 2020, from 9 to 10 a.m. He leaves to cherish his memory: two daughters, Martha Jean Wilson of Schaumburg, IL and Carolyn Cooper of Lanett, Alabama; three sons, Lamar (Linda) Cooper of Opelika, Ronnie Cooper of Beulah, and Billy Cooper of Opelika; two

THEATRE

FROM A7

nity Arts Center. No experience necessary. Actors of all races and backgrounds are invited to audition. Auburn ACT is committed to the safety of our AACT family, patrons and community, and all recommended health and safety protocols will be followed at the time of auditions.

on Sept. 19, 2020 from 10 a.m. to noon CST at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. A private memorial service was held for family only. The Rev. Cory Smith officiated the service.

Dr. Dan Mayo Guin, 81, went to be with

his Savior on Sept. 16, 2020 at his home in Auburn, Alabama. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, James (JT) and Annie Guin; his brothers, Kenneth Guin and Travis Guin. Dan was a wellknown family physician in Valley, Alabama for more than 35 years and the Auburn-Opelika area until retirement. He served his country as a flight surgeon in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He attended Auburn First United Methodist Church and spent his retirement years volunteering at the church’s Food Pantry and their REACH Program. He loved supporting the Auburn Tigers, playing golf, and spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Judy Guin; his seven children: Debbie Wright (Randy) from McKinney, Texas, Lisa Guin from Richardson, Texas, Karen Perkins from Morgan Mill, Texas, Rhonda Atkins (Russ) from McDonough, Georgia, Pat Guin (Lynsie) from Dothan, Alabama, Art Guin (Amie) from Columbus, Georgia, and Kristy Golden from Miramar Beach, Florida; ten grandchildren: Andrew, Jesse, Ryan, Jacob, Austin, Shelby, Addison, Daniel, Lucas, and Samuel; one great grandchild, Harper; a sister-in-law, Barbara Guin. The family requests donations to the Auburn First United Methodist Food Pantry, the REACH Program or your charity of choice. Donations can be mailed to: Auburn First United Methodist Church P.O. Box 3135 Auburn, AL 36831. Visitation was held

Sarah Adams, of Opelika, Alabama passed away at Diversicare in Lanett, Alabama on Sept. 18, 2020. She was born to the late Eula and George Holt in Macon County on Nov. 21, 1934. She was 85 years old. She was a member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness in Opelika. Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Pat Adams; sister, Jeanette Word and her husband Early Word; brother, George Preston Holt. She is survived by her sisters, Kathleen Long and Myrtle Adams; nephews, Robert Word (Deborah), Donald Word (Cindy), Ricky Word (Jenny), Wayne Word (Cathy), Ted Adams (Cathie), Troy Adams (Susan), George Preston Holt, Jr. (Rebecca), Wayne Stringfellow and George Henry Hall; nieces, Jackie Massey (Dale), Cathye Kimble (Emmet), Debra Golden (Charles), Tammy Noles (Tim), Gail Wooten, Patricia Adams, Betty LaPlant, Judy Ruddock (Farrell) and Wanda Ann Baker. A graveside service will be held at the Holts Family Cemetery on Sept. 24, 2020 at 11 a.m. with Elder Rodney Moore of the Opelika West Congregation. Frederick-Dean Funeral Home will be directing.

His Beginning: 7-131960 - His Ending: 9-17-2020 David Germick, born July 13, 1960, passed peacefully in the loving arms of his wife, Sept. 17, 2020. He was diagnosed in March 2020 with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. David is originally from Henderson Maryland. His profession was Heavy Equipment Operator. He loved Family, Fishing, Camping, Eating and his Life! In addition to his mother, Hilda Ruth Smith, he is survived by: Wife, Sarah Ann Germick. Brothers: Joseph (Barb) Germick & Terry (Kay) Germick. Sisters: Harlene, Bonnie, Judi and Brenda Children: Brycen Luis, Ben Reffett, Aaron Germick, Chris Germick, Joseph Germick and Lucinda “Stormy” Germick. Multiple Nieces, Nephews & Grandchildren He was preceded in death by his mother, Hilda Ruth Germick. Son David Germick and brother Roland Germick There was a graveside service on Sept. 21, 2020 at 2 p.m. with a private family gathering to follow. “May Christ, the Son of God, who died for you take you into His kingdom. May Christ, the Good Shepherd, give you a place within His flock. May He forgive your sins and keep you among His people. May you see your Redeemer face to face and enjoy the sight of God forever. Amen”

This handful of radio actors brings dozens of characters to the stage as the familiar story unfolds: Three ghosts take Ebenezer Scrooge on a thrilling journey to teach him the true meaning of Christmas. The holiday classic, as a live 1940s radio broadcast, is complete with vintage commercials, sound effects and musical underscoring. The live sound effects will be performed manually by Foley (sound effects artists) artists creating the bells, doors, ghostly chains, thunder effects and more. Those interested in being production volunteers are also welcome to come to auditions. The staging of this radio drama also lends itself to safe

distancing. Rehearsals will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, Oct. 13 – Nov. 23 (no rehearsal on Thanksgiving/Nov. 26). Dress rehearsals are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov 30 – Dec 2. Performances are scheduled for Dec. 3, 4 and 5 at 7 p.m., and Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. Details can be found online (AuburnACT.org). For more information, contact director Terry Kelley at Tkelley@AuburnACT. org. For coronavirus protocols, contact AuburnAreaComTheatre@gmail.com. AACT will also be hosting a “Holiday Walk in the Woods” at the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center Dec.

18 – 20. It will be a walking small-group tour through the piney winter woods, with lights, decorations and songs by local talent at stations along the trail. All performances will be family-friendly and highlight the diverse traditions and culture of our community. Additionally, daytime walks will have special surprises and songs for the kids. The theater will also hold auditions in December for “Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone,” a loving parody lined up as the February 2021 show for AACT Young Performers ages 13-18. The last show of the season, with performances slated for Spring 2021, will be

the Tony award-winning comedy “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike!” Auburn Area Community Theatre is a non-profit organization that exists to serve the Auburn/Opelika Community. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for education and participation in the world of theatre and present a quality, entertaining and thought-provoking theatre experience. AACT is actively soliciting new members who have an interest in helping the growth of community theatre. AACT members and the community at large are encouraged to participate. For more information please visit www.auburnact.org.

sisters, Frances Ingram and Doris Cooper both of Opelika; four grandchildren, Marcus Wilson, Eric Cooper of Auburn, Jelisa Cooper of Opelika and Kemisha Cooper of Montgomery, Alabama; one great grandson, Qenra Wilson of Schaumburg, Illinois; two sisters-inlaw, Glennie Aldridge of Miami, Florida and Thelma Newsome of Chicago, Illinois; two brothers-in-law, Henry Louis Kindred of Los Angeles, California and Willie Mack Kindred of Rhode Island, New York; special friend, Samantha Carter of Salem, Alabama; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. A graveside service for Dexter Simpson, 63, of Salem, Alabama was held at 1 p.m. (EST), on Sept. 21, 2020, at Ft. Mitchell National Cemetery located at 553 Highway 165, Ft. Mitchell, AL 36856, Reverend Elijah Lamar officiated. Public viewing for Mr. Simpson was on Sept. 20, 2020, from 3 to 5 p.m. (CST). SFC Dexter Simpson, son of the late Mr. Idell and Mrs. Helen Johnson Simpson, was born September 29, 1956 in Columbus, Georgia. At an early age, he confessed Christ and united with New Life Missionary Baptist Church in Opelika (Marvyn Community), Alabama. He served faithfully as a Deacon. Dexter graduated from Beauregard High School Class of 1974. He served his country in the United States Army and in the Alabama Army National Guard for over twenty-two years. He was employed with Fieldcrest for almost twenty years before becoming an Owner Operator lease with Jag Trucking

Company. He enjoyed working in his yard, in his shop, going to drag car racing and spending time with family. On Sept.14, 2020, he departed this life at the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Alabama. He was preceded by: his sister, Clorenzia Simpson. Those left to cherish his loving memories include: a devoted wife of forty-two and a half years, Janice Simpson of Salem; three daughters, Tiffany (Roy) Doolittle of Opelika, Crystal (Douglas) Stephens of Gardendale, Alabama and Stephanie Simpson of Salem; four grandchildren, Janeisa Doolittle, Bryce Stephens, Jaleigha Doolittle and Bryan Stephens; one brother, Randy (Shelia) Simpson of Salem; five aunts, Lula (Leroy) Toliver of Dallas, Texas, Rose Nell Hodge of Salem, Margie Fears, Mavis Melton, and Armetta Johnson all of Opelika; three uncles, Major Simpson, Lonnie (Julia) Simpson both of Salem and Joe Johnson of Phenix City, Alabama; one sisterin-law, Darlene (Larry) Favor of Montgomery, Alabama; two nephews, Frederick Lewis of Sandy Springs, Georgia and Tyree Simpson of Salem; five nieces, Tameka (Terrance) Johnson, of Salem, Courtney (Josh) McGhee, Brandi Simpson both of Phenix City, Ashley Simpson of Columbus, Georgia and Daphne Simpson of Salem; a host of great nieces, great nephews, other relatives and many friends.

This play-within-aplay requires up to six men and five women (ages 16 and up) to portray the actors of a 1940’s radio station, who will bring to life all the characters in a live radio performance of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol.” Because this is styled as a radio performance, all actors will be reading from scripts on stage so the emphasis is on performance.

Vehicle Title Problem? We have a Solution!

Unclaimed/Abandoned Vehicles, Mobile Homes & Surety Bonds

We’re Alabama’s #1 Vehicle Title Problem Experts!

We can help with most Titled Vehicles in Alabama, including Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, RV’s & Trailors by phone or online!

Free Phone Consultation Call 1-205-267-5735 www.JasonSteward Enterprises.com

Dr. Dan Mayo Guin

Sarah Holt Adams

David Germick

A13 September 23, 2020

GENUINE LEATHER BELTS

Made in Alabama! LOOK FOR A NEW FIND EACH WEEK! 334-745-3221 â&#x20AC;¢ ANGELSANTIQUEANDFLEAMALL.COM 900 COLUMBUS PKWY

SportsPlex Senior resource &

Thursday, October 1st Free & open to the public blood pressure glucose checks vision screenings cholesterol checks hemoglobin screenings depression screenings ...and so much more!

9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Opelika SportsPlex Ages 55+ Thank You to our sponsors!

Doug Horn Roofing Opelika City Council Opelika Observer

A14 September 23, 2020

COMICS

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

By D. Mark Mitchell

Bulldogs bite the wolverines 24-7 at Bulldog Stadium

pelika (3-1, R 3-0) defeated Carver 24-7 last Friday night at Bulldog Stadium. Prior to kickoff, the team honored 33 senior football players, as it was Opelika’s Senior Night. According to head coach Erik Speakman, “most of the seniors got in the game,” which is always good on Senior Night. The two foes entered the game tied 2-0 for first place in the region. Opelika’s defense allowed only one touchdown, early in the first quarter. Opelika scored three touchdowns and a field goal to control the game. Quarterback Malik Finley scored the Dawgs’ first TD, a 13-yard run with 6:22 left in the opening quarter. Ledamian Rowell ran 25 yards for the second score, and JD Tolbert ran 13 yards for the last TD, with 9 minutes left in the game. Baker Rowton nailed a 25-yard field goal and made all 3 PATs. Opelika continued to have trouble with offensive turnovers, including two in the second half. “We’ve got to quit turning the ball over. We keep them short fields on plays like that and

not doing a great job on ball security. We’ve been working on and we’ll continue to do that…” said Speakman. Opelika host Central Opelika will host the Central Red Devils (3-2) Friday night at Bulldog Stadium; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CHS is coached by Patrick Nix, in his first year after taking over for Jamey Dubose, who retired after posting a 66-6 record in six seasons. The Red Devils advanced to their second consecutive Super 7 State Championship game last year, losing to Thompson. CHS won the 7A State Title in 2018. Nix is familiar with the Super 7 too, leading Pinson Valley to backto-back Super 7 football Championships prior to taking over at Central. The Red Devils are coming off a 45-28 win over Enterprise on Wayne Trawick Field. Central opened the season losing to Hoover 45-35 followed by a loss at Eufaula 38-36. Since then CHS has won three straight since then: 35-7 over Smiths Station, 243 over Jeff Davis and the See SPORTS , page B4

Inside • opelika schools • lee county schools • community sports

Oct. 27 - Opelika City Schools will meet on at 4 p.m.

Central of Clay County buries Hornets 51 to 6 Rick Lanier

On the Mark

Oct. 13 - Lee County School Board will meet at 6 p.m.

Opelika Observer

The Beauregard faithful came together to salute the senior class of football players, on a beautiful Friday night in Lee County, with cheerleaders and band members in a pre-game ceremony held at Richard L. Brown Field. A buzz was in the air as proud parents, loved ones and mentors gathered to escort their seniors onto the field in tribute of their academic and extra-curricular

accomplishments and to cheer on their Hornets as they hosted the Volunteers from Central of Clay County in an important Class 5A Region 4 conference game. The senior Hornets were looking for another big week. They understood the importance of finding a way to capitalize on the momentum gained from last week’s comefrom-behind victory if they were to catch lightning in a bottle once again. To win, they understood they

would have to execute at a very high level in all three phases, win the turnover battle and minimize penalties if they were going to knock-off the undefeated Volunteers. The first quarter was almost flawless as Beauregard’s inspired offense and defense looked ready for the challenge, matching Central of Clay County play-for-play. Things would change late in the first quarter, however, as RB Landon Hodges appeared to have rolled his ankle

while being tackled. His injury, and the subsequent limited playing time afterwards, not only affected the offense, but the defense as well as Hodges, like others, is a two-way player for the Hornets. Both the offense and defense were able to make the necessary adjustments as the quarter ended with the Volunteers leading the Hornets 6-0. The second quarter and beyond would prove to be a different See BEAUREGARD , page B5

Glenwood run wild over Springwood Glenwood Gators (5-0) 61 | Springwood Wildcats (2-3) 14 Wil Crews sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com

The Glenwood Gators continued their strong start to the season on Friday, excelling in all three

facets of the game on the way to a 61-14 win over the Springwood Wildcats. Glenwood corner A.J. Harris has been electric all season – proving that he only

needs one touch of the ball to make an impact. Friday was no different as Harris returned Springwood’s first punt 55 yards for the opening touchdown of the game.

The special team’s excellence would continue in even loftier fashion. This time, Jay Sinclair was fielding the punts for the See GLENWOOD, page B6

Knights tame the Bobcats By Wil Crews sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com

Last Friday, after missing the season opener due to the coronavirus, Beulah Head Coach Matthew Johnson was back on the sideline to lead his team in an away game versus the Montgomery

Catholic Knights. This was the Bobcats’ second game of the season as they were unable to play for the first three weeks due to coronavirus issues affecting the whole team. The lost practice time obviously hurt the Bobcats, and even with the return of Johnson

to the sideline, they lost their second game of the year, falling 41-7 to the Knights. Productive plays were scarce for the Bobcats on Friday. Beulah’s passing game never really got going – a byproduct of play style and the formidable Knights defense.

Running back/linebacker Jacori Tarver was the only Bobcat to score (a rushing touchdown) as the rest of the team was held to negative yardage when rushing. The Bobcats finished with just 19 yards of offense See BEULAH page B14

B2 September 23, 2020

PLAYER OF THE WEEK The City of Opelika is proud to sponsor the Opelika High School Player of the Week. We applaud you for your HARD WORK and DEDICATION on and off the football field.

Baker Rowton 3 for 3 on extra points, kicked a 25-yard field goal

CALEB BURTON

(TEAM-HIGH SEVEN TACKLES, ONE FOR LOSS)

IT’S THE OPELIKA WAY.

GO DAWGS! #myOpelika • #beOpelika www.opelika-al.gov 2018 observer

Beauregard’s Football Player of the Week

SOPHMORE QB/DB KYAN MALOY He played the entire game on both offense and defense, and who engineered the Hornets’ only scoring drive of the night.

Jay Sinclair -

The senior corner had two punt returns for touchdowns and an interception

Sponsored by Goree’s Furniture Express

3797 AL Highway 169, Opelika 334-742-0607

Each Day Is a Gift

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1.

utumn is slipping in on the calendar on Sept. 22. The young and old enjoy what fall has to offer: the leaves beginning to change, a nip of cool fresh air and vibrant red sunsets that take our breath away. We love to observe animals bustling about getting ready for winter. Some folks have observed 100 years of fall holidays. Sept. 22 is National Centenarian’s Day as we honor those who have celebrated 100 birthdays or more. We can celebrate this honor for our seniors all this week. I have humbly been blessed by friends who are 100

years old or more. They have shared with me that age is just a number. It is not how long you live but “how you live.” Most of my centenarian friends have such giving hearts of sharing time and wisdom with others. With age comes wisdom of history, different generational traditions, of struggles and perseverance during different world and personal events and of memories that strengthen the younger generation in paths of life that our centenarians have already walked and experienced. We truly benefit from every bit of experienced wisdom they offer. One

observation that I cherish is when the assisted living or skill care facilities I am serving in do intergenerational activities of reading stories, singing songs and doing crafts between young children and the elderly. Centenarians are very helpful with these activities and they bond quickly with the young children in attendance. This is a true blessing between the young and old. Autumn offers a time of doing many intergenerational nature lessons that don’t cost anything, but the “together activities” offer rich memories. Even though we are going through a time of social distancing and wearing masks, these simple suggestions can still be done so children, families and our elderly friends can still enjoy them. Get the cam1. era ready as you and your child take a nature walk to do seed collections. What a fun learning lesson to gather seeds from the ground in fruits, vegetables and other plants. I have always enjoyed gathering pinecones to safely show children the seeds. Too, remember pinecones can be saved to do Thanksgiving turkeys or Christmas trees.

These can be shared with older family members as centerpieces for their homes. Taking pictures of your family hike means so much to senior citizens. I know I enjoy many of the pictures my son shares with me of Autumn hikes in Michigan by sending them to my phone or Facebook. This loving action of sharing truly brings us closer to family members and encourages us physically, emotionally and socially. We still feel a part of the family even though we may be apart during this time of the pandemic. As you and 2. your family are taking a nature walk be sure to gather some beautiful colored leaves to share and photograph. Children love to do leaf rubbings. This is so much fun to do this as a family. Take a piece of white paper and crayons, turn the leaf over with the leaf veins sticking out, and let the children color over this. They will be fascinated at how the leaf appears. Taking the childrens’ hands and making hand leaves is another fall craft to make personal favorites for the family. Leaf fall cards made by young hands can be mailed to grandparents

September 23, 2020

as well as elderly friends. 3. Fall can be celebrated by baking and cooking seasonal delights. One of my favorite class and home favorites is to safely prepare cooked baked apples in the crockpot so the children can smell the apples, butter, sugar and cinnamon cooking. Too, baking different fall breads such as banana nut bread or pumpkin bread (and pumpkin pie) can be a family endeavor to share with our senior family and friends. Describing the smells of fall brings back good seasonal memories to seniors. Observing how 4. animals do different things in getting ready for winter is a good autumn activity shared between young and old. Watching squirrels scampering all over the ground to find nuts and acorns for their winter stash and pointing out to your children birds gathering in a V shape to migrate to warmer places to find food are just a couple examples of fall activities. Explain to your young children that bears, chipmunks, etc., hibernate, which is a very deep sleep taken during the winter for survival. This makes for

a good family science discussion. We are begin5. ning to pull out our sweaters, coats and hats during fall in order to keep healthy and warm. This is a good time to lovingly check on our senior family members and friends to be sure they have everything to keep warm and healthy during this fall season. Sept. 22, to celebrate the end of summer, is “National Ice Cream Cone Day.” The first ice cream cone was made in 1896 by Italo Marchiony. Marchiony, who emigrated from Italy in the late 1800’s to New York City, invented his ice cream cone and was granted a patent in December 1903. Thank goodness that the young and old can enjoy ice cream without it dripping down our chins and arms. We get a double treat with the ice cream and the cone. Truly each day is a gift from God as we celebrate the seasons, our love for each other as family and friends and relationships between the young and old. Cherish each moment of each day. Happy Fall! Beth Pinyerd, Classroom Observer

Three Goals for Auburn This Season By Wil Crews sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com

The 2020 football season is rapidly approaching. It promises to be unlike any other before. With just three days until Auburn's first game, the Tigers are fully invested into their matchup against Kentucky on Sept. 26. With an almost entirely revamped defense, four new starters on the offensive line and a crowded backfield, it can be forgiven if the Tigers struggle out of the gate. That said, Auburn should outclass the Wildcats with relative ease. This a unique season with unprecedented challenges. The coaching staff must address the aforementioned uncertainties by Saturday but also prepare the team with worthy endgame

results in mind. College football is finally back – almost. Without overlooking week one – God willing – here are three goals that Gus Malzahn and his coaching staff should focus on throughout the upcoming season. 1. Balance on offense:

First, at quarterback, Bo Nix. He needs to make good decisions – with his arm and his legs – and the second year quarterback will be poised for a breakout season. At running back, a crowded group has the versatility and potential to dominate opposing defenses. Next, the wide receivers who are delectably domineering; Seth Williams, Anthony Schwartz and Eli Stove lead the way. Additionally, Anders

Carlson's evolution into the best kicker – with the most swag – in the SEC. Lastly, I've returned FROMM the future to tell you that Chad Morris will use his tight ends a great DEAL (Tyler Fromm and Luke Deal are two redshirt freshman tight ends). That's what I mean by balanced. But it's easier said than done. If the Tigers can get the most out of an unproven offensive line, and utilize an overstocked arsenal of weapons at wide receiver and running back, they could easily be the SEC's most complete offense in 2020. 2. Finish with a top-15 defense:

In 2019, Auburn finished No. 28 in total defense and No. 17 in scoring defense. After

losing six starters on defense, including SEC Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brown, pundits would expect the Tigers to regress in 2020. However, I am no pundit, and like I said before, I have been to the future. But one doesn't have to risk altering the space-time continuum to know that Kevin Steele is the best defensive coordinator in college football. The Tigers are retooled with junior college transfers and reloaded with talented underclassmen. The linebacker group is one of the best in the country, even with Chandler Wooten sitting out the season and before half the conferences decided not to play this fall. The defensive line could be an issue, but the guys behind them should be more than

capable of performing their fiduciary duties to assist front line. Lastly, the secondary. On paper, it looks like a heavily weakened unit, with four starters from last year's team gone. However, most of these guys slated to start in 2020 are like a Christopher Nolan film – once you see the trailer, you know it's going to be good. Christian Tutt is the lone returning starter at nickel corner, but this may be the deepest unit on the team. Roger McCreary, Jordyn Peters and Smoke Monday all showed the ability to make big plays in limited action in 2019 and junior college transfer Marco Domio is turning heads at camp. Last season, Auburn's defense was forced to save games instead of end them. The offensive

struggles forced the defensive numbers to take a hit. Therefore, this year, even with such a magnitude of lost production, when the offense improves, the defense will too. 3. Dominate weaker SEC opponents:

Auburn has a history of playing down to their opponents. The narrow win in 2017 against Mercer, and the staggering loss in 2018 versus Tennessee stick out to me. Now, with a shortened 10-game SEC-only schedule, it is more imperative than ever to avoid dropping games. Arkansas, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Tennessee are must-wins. But first, the Tigers take on Kentucky in week one. See AUBURN, page B4

B4 September 23, 2020

Summer 2020 Graduates Announced at UA Courtesy of the University of Alabama

The University of Alabama awarded some 1,345 degrees during its summer commencement July 31 - Aug. 2. With a beautiful campus, dozens of challenging academic programs, expert faculty and numerous opportunities for service and growth, The University of Alabama is a place where legends are made. UA offers its students a premier educational, cultural

and social experience with more than 200 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The campus gives students the opportunity to interact with faculty performing cutting-edge research. Ansley Bridges of Auburn (36830), received the following: Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration Whitney Finley of Opelika (36801), received the following: Bachelor of Science in

Human Environmental Sciences Raymond King of Phenix City (36870), received the following: Bachelor of Arts Morgann Smith of Salem (36874), received the following: Bachelor of Science Candace Stephens of Opelika (36804), received the following: Bachelor of Science in Nursing The University of Alabama, the state's oldest and largest public institution of higher education, is a

student-centered research university that draws the best and brightest to an academic community committed to providing a premier undergraduate and graduate education. UA is dedicated to achieving excellence in scholarship, collaboration and intellectual engagement; providing public outreach and service to the state of Alabama and the nation; and nurturing a campus environment that fosters collegiality, respect and inclusivity.

Southern Prep Academy holds parade for first responders By Will Fairless Associate Editor

Southern Preparatory Academy, a military academy in Camp Hill, Alabama, held a First Responders Parade on Thursday, Sept. 10. First responders from surrounding areas, including Opelika, were invited to attend the parade meant to celebrate their services. Lt. Colonel Jared Norrell, the president of Southern Prep., was serving in the military on 9/11 and was sent to Afghanistan within a month of that infamous date. Norrell commented on the process of educating Southern Prep.’s students about 9/11 (it is important to remember that anyone under the age of 19 was not alive on 9/11): “I think it’s very similar to my generation and what we learned about Pearl Harbor. It’s such a significant event in the history of our country,” he said. “The boys are very interested and fascinated by the event, and they take it very serious.” Parades such as this one at Southern Prep. are ceremonial, but they come from practical origins. “The ceremony goes back, really if you trace it all the way back,

to medieval times,” Norrell said. “When soldiers used to fight in close formation, they would protect each other and they would maneuver on the battlefield. At one point these were, in essence, battle formations.” Norrell said that the parade is a way to celebrate not only the cadets on the field, but to celebrate all the visitors and guests who are on the campus. The ceremony began at 10 a.m. with the Southern Prep. cadets

marching down onto the field where they performed the parade, their staccato steps accented with the beating of drums from a unit near the back of the procession. Alabama Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon was invited to speak to those assembled, and he trooped the line (a now-ceremonial inspection of the units’ preparedness for battle) following the cadets’ march onto the field. The National Anthem

Photos by Will Fairless/Opelika Observer

was then played, followed by a moment of silence, the firing of the Southern Prep. Cannon and the playing of TAPS. McCutcheon, who is a United States Army Veteran, then addressed the students and crowd (this speech was the last element of the parade except for the Pass and Review of the cadets). “When our country was attacked on 9/11, 2001, we were all in shock,” he said. “Tragedy. People’s lives were being lost. Destruction of one of our major cities. But the destruction was to this country. The first responders were on the front lines. While people were running away from the danger, the first responders were running to it.” McCutcheon promised to do what he can in his role to support the police and to conserve Alabama’s values, which values he said are under attack. “I had a great career in law enforcement, and there were some times, on some calls that I took, where I actually laid down my life in such a way to try to help someone,” he said. “Thank goodness I was still able to walk away from that instant alive. But yet, that’s the heart of a first responder. They will sacrifice themselves for someone else.” He then directly addressed the cadets on the field, telling them that the values they learn at Southern Prep. should stay with them for life, namely discipline and respect for law and order. He urged them to always be grateful that they got to receive the education they did in America. “Your generation, this class, here at the school now, your generation, will either see the benefits of standing strong for America, or you will see the demise of this country,” McCutcheon said.

Opelika City School Board approves 2021 budget By Will Fairless Associate Editor

The Opelika City School Board approved the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget at its Tuesday, Sept. 15 meeting. The $44 million budget is almost a million dollars less than last year’s, but there are no significant changes in spending. The budget was presented by the Superintendent, Dr. Mark Neighbors, and the Chief Finance Officer, Chris Harrison, after having budget hearings on Sept. 14 and 15. One difference between last year and this is in revenue, or at least the source of revenue. Harrison noted the following special revenue points during the meeting: • CARES Act – Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) revenue of $1.4 million was received in FY2020. These funds may be spent over the next two years through Sept. 30, 2022. • CARES Act – Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) reimbursements up to $312 thousand may be claimed over the next two years through Sept. 30, 2022. • CARES Act, Coronavirus Relief

AUBURN >> FROM B3 One thing is for sure, the Tigers could use a convincing win to boost the team's confidence heading into a potentially season-defining week two matchup against Georgia. If they struggle, or even lose against the Wildcats, the Tigers could begin the season 0-2 and a domino effect of poor performances could follow. "Your TALENT determines what you can do,” said College

SPORTS >> FROM B1 win over Enterprise. Opelika has its best chance at winning the game in several years. The Dawgs must slow down the Central offense, keep time of possession on their side, score touchdowns in the red zone and make no turnovers. It will take a nearly perfect game for the Bulldogs to win. No tickets are available on the Opelika side due to COVID-19 restrictions. Central fans will be able to purchase tickets online. You can hear the broadcast on WKKR

Fund – Education Health and Wellness Grant reimbursements up to $451 thousand may be claimed over the next three months through Dec. 15, 2020. • CARES Act, Coronavirus Relief Fund – Remote Learning Devices Grant reimbursements up to $644 thousand may be claimed over the next three months through Dec. 15, 2020. Harrison also pointed out that the projected ending fund balance in the General Fund (Fund 11) is $19 million, which equates to a 5.14-month reserve in the General Fund. “Keep 3-6 months in reserves for those unexpected things,” Harrison said. “When COVID hit and we saw the need, ‘Ok, we’re gonna be going possibly off-site to finish out the year,’ we had to figure out what we’re doing. We saw that the option was Chromebooks. We were able to go ahead and place the order. That’s what the reserve allows you to do.” In other business, the board considered personnel recommendations. The board meets in the Opelika City Schools central office (300 Simmons St.), and its next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 27. Football Hall of Fame head coach Lou Holtz. “Your MOTIVATION determines how much you are willing to do. Your ATTITUDE determines how well you do it.” In 2020, Auburn has one of the most talented rosters in recent memory. They should be plenty motivated after a rather disappointing 2019. If the Tigers maintain the correct attitude throughout the season, then 2020, regardless of circumstances, could be one of Gus Malzahn and Auburn's best years yet. 97.7 Kicker FM, beginning at 6:30. You can listen online at Kickerfm.com or watch at nfhsnetwork. com. The live stream is free, thanks to the generosity of the Orthopaedic Clinic. The Ortho Clinic paid the annual fee so fans do not have to pay to watch online. NINTH GRADE FOOTBALL OHS ninth grade football team, 0-2, lost 16-0 to Valley last week at Bulldog Stadium. The Dawgs traveled to Eufaula Monday night, but the results were not made available prior to press time.

B5 September 23, 2020

OLLI Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series happening in September

Courtesy of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will host its Fall Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series from 12 to 1 p.m. via Facebook Live on OLLI at Auburn’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ OLLIatAuburn). The program is open to the public at no charge. Dr. Ben Severance, Sept. 23 Dr. Ben Severance, AUM History Professor, will present “A War State All Over: Alabama Politics and the Confederate Cause” at OLLI’s Alabama Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series. The presentation will be streamed via Facebook Live on OLLI at Auburn’s Facebook page on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 12 p.m. Alabama’s military forces were fierce and dedicated combatants for the Confederate cause. In this talk, Dr.

BEAUREGARD>> FROM B1 story. A couple more banged-up Hornets pitted against the depth of the 80-player Volunteer team, then throw in some momentum killing penalties (11 for 85 yards) and it is easy to see how things managed to get out of hand rather quickly. The Hornets kept playing hard, kept playing together guided by the senior leadership on each side of the ball, it just wasn’t enough. By halftime, the Volunteers would go on to score three more times amassing 232 total yards of offense and increasing their lead to 30-0. The second half was more of the same. The Hornets were unable to

Severance argues that Alabama’s electoral and political attitudes were, in their own way, just as unified in their support for the cause of southern independence. To be sure, the civilian populace often expressed unease about the conflict, as did a good many of Alabama’s legislators, but the majority of government officials and military personnel displayed pronounced Confederate loyalty and a consistent willingness to accept a total war approach in pursuit of their new nation’s aims. As Dr. Severance puts it, Alabama was a “war state all over.” Dr. Ben H. Severance is a Professor of History at Auburn University at Montgomery. A former officer in the U.S. Army, he joined the History Department at AUM in August 2005. His specialties are Civil War and Reconstruction, Antebellum America and American Military History. He is also an avid reader of

Elmore DeMott, Sept. 30 Elmore DeMott, famed artistic photographer, will present “Flowers for Mom” at OLLI’s Alabama Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series. The presentation will be streamed via Facebook Live on OLLI at Auburn’s Facebook page on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 12:00 pm (CT). Since Aug. 2, 2016,

mount a comeback as before since they were thin at key positions due to injury and youth, but there were some bright spots for the Hornets to build on. The Hornets managed 130 total yards (48 passing and 82 rushing) of offense by the end of the gme, with sophomore QB Kyan Maloy calling the signals and engineering an impressive drive to set up RB Carlton Harris for Beauregard’s only score late in the fourth quarter. “Our two-way players got tired and we just ran out of gas,” Head Coach Rob Carter said at his post-game interview. “They have so much depth and they are a solid football team. Lots of good things happened tonight, but we have to

get some things fixed and try to get better.” The Hornets travel to Russell County on Friday, Sept. 25 to take on the Warriors at 7 p.m. CST. Russell County High School is located at 4699 Old Seale Hwy, Seale, AL 36875. Correction Last week’s article “FIN-A-LLY! Beauregard Gets First Win of Season,” reported in error that freshman quarterback Trent Molten and wide receiver Kam Robinson combined on a 70 yard touchdown pass for Beauregard’s first points of the game. Instead, the quarterback and wide receiver tandem was Gavin Prickett and K.J. Malloy respectively. The Observer regrets any inconvenience.

short-story horror fiction and pre-steroids baseball history. Severance has published three books: Tennessee’s Radical Army: The State Guard and Its Role in Reconstruction, 18671869 (University of Tennessee Press, 2005); Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Alabama in the Civil War (University of Arkansas Press, 2012); and most recently, A War State All Over: Alabama Politics and the Confederate Cause (University of Alabama Press, 2020).

DeMott has taken a photograph of a flower every single day to honor her mother’s Alzheimer’s journey and celebrate nature. In life it is not what happens to us that is most important, but how we choose to respond. This flourishing series is called “Flowers for Mom” and is DeMott’s artistic response to being in a circle impacted by brain disease. There are days of feeling lost in the weeds, of grieving over what is no longer blooming, and of being bothered by pests in the garden of life. Even so, when we pause and pay attention, what we can see are new buds showing promise, beautiful flowers to be enjoyed exactly as they are, and butterflies pollinating the garden to ensure future blooms. This journey has taken DeMott to 21 states, the District of Columbia and 15 countries where she has captured horizontal flower photos taken with the same lens. Miraculously, a

flower presents itself each day. This personal journey is blooming beyond her family and is touching lives as it leads others to take note of flowers they previously overlooked, and, more importantly, to pause and notice what is beautiful during times of struggle. Dedicated to encouraging people to connect with art and nature, Elmore DeMott is a speaker, writer and artist. Through this wide variety of work, Elmore shares the message, “Beauty abounds. Seek it daily.” Elmore earned her BA in Math and Fine Art from Vanderbilt University and began her career in banking. Next, she worked in arts administration before putting her own creative talents to work as a photographer. An avid arts supporter who describes the arts as being fundamental to all lives, Elmore serves on the board of South Arts and was the founding president of ClefWorks,

an Alabama arts organization, created to promote the education and enjoyment of chamber music through innovative programming. Also in Alabama, she is on the founding leadership team of the new Photographic Nights of Selma Festival, – and serves as the president of the Jasmine Hill Foundation. 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, 1031 South College Street, Auburn, Alabama. 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, at 334-844-3146, olli@ auburn.edu or visit our website (olliatauburn. org).

Photos courtesy of Beauregard Cheerleaders

B6 September 23, 2020

Southern Christian varsity fall to 0-2; Middle School get program’s first ever victory By Will Washburn

This past Friday the Southern Christian Athletics Patriots (Opelika) hosted and faced the Ezekiel Academy Knights (Montgomery) in their second game of the season. For the second week in a row, Southern Christian

GLENWOOD>> FROM B1 Gators. T he sen ior second ar y member m ight as well have had a sig n on hi m that said “one way,” as he sliced th rough the Wildcats’ coverage on t wo successive pu nts for back-to back 70 -yard pu nt ret u r n touchdow ns. T he Gators led 21- 0 i n the f i rst quarter without scor i ng put ti ng the offense on the f ield. The ease with which Glenwood scored the ball continued throughout the game. The Gator’s defense repeatedly set the offense up with good field position, recovering a fumble, intercepting a pass and registering

played tough defense and gave all their effort. Senior Silas Frick led the team with four tackles and his brother Josia had a defensive fumble recovery and two tackles. However, the Patriots were unable to slow down the efficient Ezekiel ground attack that finished with 188 yards rushing. On

offense for the Patriots, Silas had an 8-yard touchdown catch off a well-placed pass from senior Quarterback Daniel Adams. That was the only touchdown the Patriots would manage for the night as they fell to Ezekiel 34 - 6. “We fought hard and held them scoreless for most of the first

two sacks in the first half alone. The offensive onslaught may have been delayed by the spectacular special teams’ plays but it didn’t take long for senior quarterback Jackson Griner hit junior wide receiver Radonda Beauchamp Jr. for a 31-yard TD pass. The Gators continued to pile on the points; senior running back Kyle Robichaux added three touchdowns (a 16-yard, 31-yard and 36-yard run) as the Gators took a 48-0 lead into halftime. The second half provided little more than a valuable chance for the Gator backups to get good experience. About five minutes into the third quarter, freshman QB Dallas Crow

pounded his way into the end zone, capping off a long drive with a 2-yard touchdown for another Gators’ score. The Wildcats managed to get on the scoreboard with a 2-yard rushing touchdown of their own and followed it up with another late score. The Gators’ backups managed two more rushing touchdowns to cap off the Gators’ scoring. Final score: Glenwood 61 – Springwood 14. The Gators have a bye next week. Glenwood will invite Monroe Academy (22) into The Swamp for their next game on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. CST. The latest ASWA poll had Glenwood as the No. 1 seed in AISA.

half,” said Southern Christian Head Coach Mike Adams about his team’s performance. “The defense played superbly until we had two starters go out with injuries. We did finally score, I’m very proud of our guys.” The Southern Christian Middle school team also played the

Ezekiel Knights on that same Friday. The Middle School Patriots won 18-0 in their first win in program history. These points came from a pick-six from Jagger Scott, a tackle for a safety from Jedd Scott and a 2-point conversion from Sam Washburn. “It was not the prettiest win, but an ugly win

Scoring & Impact Plays 11 min to go in 1Q: A.J. Harris 55-yard punt return for TD - 7-0 Glenwood 9 min to go in 1Q: Jay Sinclair 70-yard punt return for TD - 14-0 Glenwood 8 min to go 1Q: Glenwood’s Colton Dempsey sack 7 min to go 1Q: Glenwood’s Jackson Griner sack 7 min to go 1Q: Jay Sinclair 70-yard punt return for TD - 21-0 Glenwood 6 min to go 1Q: Beau Nolin recovers fumble, Glenwood takes over at 46-yard-line 5 min to go 1Q: Jackson Griner long run 4 min to go 1Q: Griner 31-yard TD pass to Radonda Beauchamp Jr. - 28-0 Glenwood 11 min to go 1Q: Jay Sinclair interception, returns to Springwood 13-yard-line 11 min to go 1Q: Kyle Robichaux 16-yard TD run - 35-0 Glenwood 8 min to go 1Q: Griner long pass to Austin Monn, ball on

is better than a pretty loss,” Patriots JV Head Coach Billie Watts said. “I’m proud of the boys for not quitting and getting the first win in program history.” Southern Christian will next play East Central Home School on Oct. 2, at 7:00 p.m. at Moore Stadium in Opelika.

Springwood 47 7 min to go 2Q: Robichaux long run, ball on Springwood 31, Robichaux 31-yard TD run - 42-0 Glenwood 6 min to go 2Q: Tariq Maple recovers fumble on Springwood 34-yard line 6 min to go 2Q: Robichaux 36-yard TD, PAT missed - 48-0 Glenwood HALFTIME 7 min to go 3Q: Dallas Crow long run, ball on Springwood 16 4 min to go 3Q: Crow with 2-yard rushing TD - 55-0 Glenwood 11 min to go 4Q: Springwood 18-yard rushing TD - 55-7 Glenwood 5 min to go 4Q: Crow 43-yard rushing TD, PAT missed - 61-7 Glenwood 3 min to go 4Q: 9-yard rushing TD for Springwood - 61-14 FINAL SCORE Glenwood 61 – Springwood 14

B7 September 23, 2020

OHS 'Spirit of the South' supports team as Dawgs beat Wolverines

Photos by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

B8 September 23, 2020

Photos by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics

September 23, 2020

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Inside the Statehouse All Politics is Local. Most of Alabama’s Mayors Races this Year.

ith it being a presidential election year and an election for one of our United States Senate Seats and all of the interest that goes along with those high-profile contests, it has gone under the radar that most of our cities in the state had elections for mayor and city council last month. Mayors serve four-year terms and to most Alabamians they are the most important vote they will cast this year. The job of mayor of a city is a difficult and intricate fulltime, 24 hours a day dedication to public service. They make more decisions that affect the lives of their friends and neighbors than anyone else. The old maxim, “All politics is local,” is epitomized in the role of mayor. Folks, being mayor of a city is where the rubber meets the road. In looking all over the state, it appears that most Alabamians are content with the job their mayor is doing. In almost every contest around the state, the incumbent mayor turned away the challenger usually by a wide margin. Indeed, a good many of the incumbent mayors in the Heart of Dixie had no opposition. Many of these incumbent mayors were reelected without opposition. Gordon Stone, the mayor of Alabama’s fastest growing community, Pike Road, will be entering his fifth term as mayor. Pretty soon Pike Road will have to start calling themselves a city. Vestavia’s Mayor, Ashley Curry, won a second term without opposition. This former retired FBI agent has done a yeoman’s job managing this upscale, Jefferson County suburb. Jasper Mayor, David O’Mary, who escaped opposition, will begin a second term. He has run Jasper like a well-tuned engine. Albertville mayor, Tracy Honea, garnered a third term without opposition. Luverne Mayor Ed Beasley was also unopposed. In the contested races, most of the matchups were no contest. Two of Alabama’s largest and most prosperous cities, Huntsville and Hoover, had mayoral races. Tommy Battle coasted to an easy 78 to 22 reelection victory in Huntsville. If Kay Ivey opts to not run for reelection in 2022, Battle will be favored to win the governor’s race. However, being Governor of Alabama would be a demotion to being Mayor of Huntsville. Hoover citizens must approve of Mayor Frank Brocato’s job performance. Brocato trounced Hoover City Council President Gene Smith by a 76 to 24 margin. Opelika’s popular and effective, longtime mayor, Gary Fuller, turned back his challenger 66 to 34 to win a fifth term. In Cullman incumbent mayor, Woody Jacobs, won a second term overwhelmingly. Hamilton Mayor Bob Page won a second term. Troy’s 48-year-old mayor, Jason Reeves, won reelection to a third four-year term with 74 percent of the vote. Incumbent Eufaula Mayor Jack Tibbs won an impressive 68 percent victory for reelection over two opponents.

City of Opelika approves $60 million general fund budget last week By Michelle Key Publisher

STEVE FLOWERS Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie may have turned in the most impressive showing. He shellacked former City Councilman Dean Argo 70 to 30. His fellow citizens must approve of frugality with their city finances. Wetumpka’s popular and hardworking, longtime mayor, Jerry Willis, turned back his challenger by a 69 to 31 margin. In Neighboring Millbrook incumbent mayor, Al Kelley, won reelection 67 to 33. Kelley has overseen the growth of his city from 6,000 in population to over 20,000. Tallassee reelected Mayor John Hammock to a second term. Clanton lost their mayor of three decades, Billy Joe Driver, to COVID this year. His successor will be Jeff Mims, who won the election in the Peach City. Mike Oakley won the mayor’s race in Centreville with a 60% margin. It is proper and fitting that an Oakley will be Mayor of Centreville. Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley won a landslide reelection garnering 68 percent of the vote. Incumbent Pell City Mayor Bill Pruitt won reelection by an impressive 73 to 27 margin. Longtime Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon won reelection in the Camellia City. Opp’s first female mayor, Becky Bracke, won a second term with 60 percent of the vote. There were two mayoral upsets on August 25. Scottsboro’s incumbent mayor was defeated by challenger Jimmy McCamy. In the thriving, growing city of Fairhope challenger Sherry Sullivan trounced incumbent mayor Karin Wilson. There are runoffs for mayor in several major cities, including Enterprise, Ozark, Selma, Tuskegee, Alexander City and Northport. These cities will elect their mayors on October 6 in runoff elections. Some of you may be wondering about two of the most populous cities. Tuscaloosa and Dothan have their mayoral races next year in August of 2021. Tuscaloosa’s Walt Maddox and Dothan’s Mark Saliba will be tough to beat. All politics is local. If you have not been counted in the census, you have not got many more shopping days to Christmas. 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. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

The Opelika City council approved the fiscal year 2021 budget during last week’s city council meeting. The $60,178,967 general fund budget is slightly smaller than the 2020 fiscal year budget in part due to lower projected gasoline tax income. Detailed information on the budget can be found on the city’s website (opelika-al.gov/129/ Agendas-Minutes) in the Sept. 15, 2020 agenda packet. Also during the meeting, Mayor Gary Fuller presented a Proclamation for Down Syndrome Day, declaring that Oct. 1, 2020 is Opelika Down Syndrome Day. In other business, the council: - approved the appointment of Leigh Whatley to the Planning Commission. The term ends Feb. 15, 2024 - approved a request from Opelika Main Street for Auburn University PARK(ing) Day to be held on Sept. 26 - This is an annual program hosted by the university’s

Environmental Design program and is part of the national PARK(ing) Day initiative led by the American Society of Landscape Architect - approved a request for Life Chain 2020 to be held on Oct. 18 - approved a request from Historic Possibilities LLC DBA Amersand for a Lounge Retail Class 1 Alcohol License - held a public hearing and the first reading of an ordinance regarding the amendment of the zoning ordinance section 2.2, 7.3 C and adding sections 8.28, 8.28.2 - approved the purchase of Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection and Response software for the IT Department - approved the purchase ESRI Small Municipal and County Government License software agreement for the IT Department - approved the distribution of Wellness Fair Benefits and Information packets/ bags to employees in absence of the annual Wellness Fair - approved a construction inspection agreement for the 1st Ave TAP with AECOM.

- held the first readings for an ordinance for a Lease Agreement with East Central Alabama Highway Safety Office - appointed Linda Lanz to the Historic Preservation Commission for a term ending Aug. 19, 2023 - reappointed Richard Moreman Jr. to the Lee County Youth Development Board for a term ending Oct. 1, 2024 - reappointed Auzzie Comer to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals for a term ending Oct. 1, 2024 - reappointed Wayne Gibson to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals for a term ending Oct. 1, 2024 - recognized the Opelika Police Department as a member of Central Alabama Crime Stoppers. The Opelika City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday nights of every month at 7 p.m. Meetings are held in the Meeting Chamber of the Opelika Municipal Court located at 300 MLK Blvd. in Opelika. Meetings are live-streamed to the city’s YouTube Channel.

State of Emergency Extended for Auburn

By Hannah Lester

hlester@opelikaobserver.com

The Auburn City Council extended its state of local emergency during its regular Tuesday night meeting. The state of local emergency was extended through Oct. 7, which is a few days after Gov. Kay Ivey’s safer at home order is set to expire. “Leading up to tonight’s meeting I have spent time talking to leadership from the hospital, as well as the university, to gauge where did they think we were in regards to our current order and what our current order is addressing,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. The current order specifies that bar patrons must be seated to receive drinks. The

council aimed to eliminate a lack of social distancing when it first set the ordinance in place. Both EAMC and The Auburn University Medical Clinic asked Anders and the council to extend the ordinance, the mayor said. “We’ve seen positive numbers that have come from the medical center and from the university and we are happy to see that those cases, that the hospitalizations seem to be stabilized and came down over the weekend in our latest numbers that were shared,” Anders said. Despite this, the council extended the local state of emergency, though not all council members were on board to do so. “I appreciate what we’ve tried to do, at

least in essence here with this order, and frankly despite those reports, positive reports from our hospital and university, I’m not going to support an extension of this order,” said Ward 7 Council Member Jay Hovey. He said that the businesses do not want an extension, and he sees this as hurtful to local businesses, especially since there are a lot of cases of noncompliance outside of the bars. “We can’t legislate morality, we can’t legislate common sense, but we can legislate someone out of business and I just don’t think that this is going to be the magic wand that keeps these students from

See EMERGENCY, page B11

B10 September 23, 2020

Opelika Police Chief to retire in November By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com

Opelika Police Chief John McEachern is retiring after 8 years of service. McEachern will retire effect Nov. 30, according to a city of Opelika release. McEachern started his career with the Opelika Police Division in January 1974 and stayed on through 1988. The future chief left Opelika at that time to work with the FBI, staying there for 24 years in Pittsburg, Los Angeles and Mobile. McEachern returned to Opelika and began servicing as police chief in April 2013, the release said. “My decision to retire has not been an easy one,” he said. “I will forever be grateful to Mayor Gary Fuller and the citizens of Opelika for allowing

me to lead the Opelika Police Department and honor the oath to ‘Serve and Protect.’ I have no doubt that the city leadership will hire the best candidate to continue moving Opelika forward.” Opelika is accepting applications for the position, the release said, and candidates can apply both inside and outside of the department. The application is on the city’s website (https://ss.opelika-al.gov/MSS/ employmentopportunities/default.aspx). “John McEachern has done an outstanding job as our police chief and will not be easy to replace,” said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. “He has faithfully dedicated himself to his job, his employees and the Opelika community. We will miss him and wish him the best as he moves into a new chapter in his life.”

THE NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION MOURNS THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG “The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government.” - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Courtesy of the National Bar Association

A truly great American has died. The National Bar Association mourns the passing of The Honorable Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the most outstanding, compassionate crusaders for justice to ever sit on the Supreme Court of The United States. She was a champion for justice for all people, unwavering in her quest to ensure the rights and dignity of all Americans.

“Justice Ginsburg was my shero,” said CK Hoffler, National Bar Association president. “She committed her entire life to social justice and continued the fight until she passed.” Our condolences are extended to her family who can take solace in the knowledge that she was one of the greatest Americans who ever lived, and her legacy will endure for the ages. Justice Ginsburg was a friend of the National Bar Association and she will truly be missed.

Letter to the Editor My name is Robert Lofton and I am running for the Ward 3 City Council seat presently held by Dozier Smith T. I am a retired veterinarian and I practiced veterinary medicine for more than 40 years. Ownership of my veterinary hospital gave me experience in the management of a business. I believe that our council needs an experienced business person to fill this seat. I have been married to Lela Melson Lofton for 48 years. We currently live in a 100-yearold house as the third generation in the family home at 908 Third Avenue. Lela is a graduate of Opelika High School and Auburn University. We have one son, Jesse, who works in EMS at East Alabama Medical Center while attending Southern Union. Lela and I are members of First Baptist Church Opelika where I teach a Sunday Bible Study class. I am also in a number of community service projects including My Jerusalem, Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief and Samaritan Purse. I serve on the advisory committee for Circles Opelika which is apart of Envision and I am a

member of the Chamber of Commerce. Lela is a member of Master Gardeners of Lee County, serves on Keep Opelika Beautiful Board, sings in the FBCO choir as well as working on other community services. Everything we do is in Opelika. After retiring from my profession as a veterinarian I am now involved in managing personal real estate property along with volunteering within the community. My core values are honesty, hard work and integrity. I consider myself to be problem solver. I have training in communication skills which has taught me to be a good listener. I believe what people say is important. I have the time and desire to serve the residents of Ward 3 and the Opelika community. I am proud of Opelika and the way we are moving forward. I am asking for your vote to elect me, Robert Lofton, to be your full time Ward 3 Council person on October 6. If you have questions or concerns, my email is RobertLofton90@gmail.com or call me at 334-737-6726. Robert Lofton - Opelika

Sen. Doug Jones issues statement on the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Courtesy of Sen. Doug Jones Press Office

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama issued the following statement on the news of Supreme Cour t Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death: “This news is a devastating loss for our count r y and for all those who have been inspired by the inimitable Justice Ginsburg dur ing her long and histor ic career. Justice Ginsburg led a life g uided by pr inciple and f illed with pur pose. A t r ue t railblazer in the legal f ield in her ow n r ight, she inspired generations of young women to reach for heights that previously felt impossible. Th rough her quiet dig nit y, her willing ness to br idge political divides, and her steady pursuit of justice, she was a standard-bearer for positive leadership. “Her bold dissents in the Ledbet ter v. Goodyear Tire &

Rubber Co. and Shelby Count y v. Holder cases are par ticularly meaningf ul to me, and to so many in Alabama and across the count r y. She stood for what was r ight and for the constit utional pr inciples of equalit y and democracy that she held dear, even if it meant she was in the minor it y on the Cour t. As only the second woman to ever ser ve on the Cour t, she made f ull use of her oppor t unit y to ser ve as a voice for women on the bench. “Beyond her legal acumen, Justice Ginsburg will also be remembered for her shar p wit, her tireless advocacy for voting r ights, and her histor ic role in f ighting for a more equal societ y for women across the count r y. She will be greatly missed. “Louise and I extend our sincerest condolences to Justice Ginsburg’s loved ones. We’re praying for them as they gr ieve this t remendous loss.”

President Donald J. Trump approves major disaster declaration for Alabama Courtesy of the FEMA News Desk

FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Alabama to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane

Sally from Sept. 14, and continuing. The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs,

low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Federal funding is also available to the state, eligible tribal and local governments

and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures in Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile counties and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis

for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Allan Jarvis has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage

assessments. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www. DisasterAssistance. gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or 1-800-462-7585 TTY

B11 September 23, 2020

EMERGENCY >> FROM B9 congregating,” Hovey said. Ward 3 Council Member Beth Whitten proposed an amendment that would end the extension on Oct. 2 to match when Ivey’s order ends. This was not approved, however. She also said that the Alabama Beverage Licenses Association will release an Alabama Bar Promise this week asking local bars to adhere to guidelines. Whitten asked that the council encourage local businesses to sign. Football: Anders said that he looks forward to when things can return to normal, but that the time has not arrived. Football will come to Auburn soon, on Sept. 26, and although there are restrictions set in place by the university, the city is making some exceptions. The city voted to create an entertainment district for downtown Auburn on the first two game days, Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, which allows patrons to stand outside of establishments to drink. City Manager Jim Buston said he thinks

this will help social distancing because it allows patrons to go outside rather than be forced to stay in bars or restaurants to consume their drinks. There is also the matter of rolling Toomer’s Corner after a win. Ward 4 Council Member Brett Smith asked how that would be addressed on game days and how many people are allowed to gather in one place under Ivey’s order. “I think it is 50,” Buston said. “However, that’s one of those things that it’s hard to enforce. We looked the other way basically when the protests where going on in downtown Auburn. There were more people gathered than what the governor’s order allowed.” Ward 8 Council Member Tommy Dawson, who is Auburn’s former police chief, said that he supports rolling Toomer’s Corner. “I think it would be a travesty not to allow rolling Toomer’s Corner if we win,” he said. “If we’re going to allow people to protest some of our police officers, I can’t go along with that.” Ward 2 Council

Member Kelley Griswold agreed and said that rolling Toomer’s Corner could be called a protest. Other Business: - The council approved a contract to renew lease agreements with the Boykin Community Center. - The council approved a contract with D & J Enterprises, Inc. for the Fiscal Year 2019 Street Resurfacing Project for over $40,300. - The council approved a contract with Top Notch Cleaning and Cleaning Solutions, LLC. for janitorial services for the city. - The council approved a contract with the Unifirst Corporation for uniforms and janitorial supplies. - The council approved a contract with Ventek International for hosting fees for downtown parking kiosks for over $18,800. - The council approved a contract with W.W. Compton Contractor, LLC. for the Boykin Renovations Phase II – Clinic Project for more than $9,200.

City of Smiths Station receives grant from Alabama Power Foundation Courtesy of the City of Smiths Station

The City of Smiths Station has been selected to receive a 2020 Alabama Power Foundation Gateway grant. This grant funding will help cover the cost of a 60-by-40-foot mural that will be installed by John Christian of Go Georgia Arts on the side of Rainbow Foods on Lee Road 298 in downtown Smiths Station.

The mural will be listed on the Alabama Mural Trail Series and contain several interactive features, including a QR code that can be scanned for more information and a metal platform that will be attached in front of a painted caboose to make it a more interactive experience for visitors. “This mural is going to be such a big cultural boost for our City and serve

as a celebration of the industries and people that helped make Smiths Station the City that it is today,” said Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland. “We are appreciative of the Alabama Power Foundation’s selection of this project, one that will preserve our history for generations to come.” Christian will begin work on the mural in early November and have it completed later in the fall.

“Our Mission is Your Health”

BEAUREGARD DRUGS

WE DELIVER!

• Drive Thru Only • Regular Operating Hours • Please Call Ahead on Refills to Avoid Wait

334-364-9993 | 334-364-9997 7667 Alabama Hwy 51, Suite A, Opelika www.beauregarddrugs.com Mon-Fri 8am–6pm | Sat 9am–12pm | Sunday Closed

B12 September 23, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA FAMILY COURT DIVISION: DOMESTIC RELATIONS IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF: ANDREW BELL vs. THOMASINA BELL, Defendant. Civil Action Number DR2017-900408 NOTICE OF DIVORCE ACTION THOMASINA BELL, Defendant, whose whereabouts is unknown, must answer ANDREW BELL’S complaint for divorce and other relief by October 30, 2020, or thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against her in Case No. DR2017- 900408, Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama. Done the 4th day of September, 2020. Mary Roberson, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Lee County. /s/ Margaret Y. Brown Margaret Y. Brown 214 North College Street Auburn, Alabama 36830 (334) 821-6944 Attorney for Plaintiff Legal Run 09/09/20, 09/16/20, 09/23/20 & 09/30/20 --------------NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF SANDIE L. MCCALL COURT OF PROBATE Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of September, 2020, y the Hon. Bill English ,Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is here by given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Witness my hand, and dated this the 2nd day of September, 2020. RICHARD A. SHELBY Legal Run 09/09/20, 09/16/20 & 09/23/2020 --------------IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA FAMILY COURT DIVISION: DOMESTIC RELATIONS IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF: DEANNE PRESTRIDGE, Vs. CHARLES EUGENE PRESTRIDGE Defendant. Civil Action Number DR2019-900053 NOTICE OF DIVORCE

ACTION CHARLES EUGENE PRESTRIDGE, Defendant, whose whereabouts is unknown, must answer DEANNE PRESTRIDGE’S complaint for divorce and other relief by October 23, 2020, or, thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against her in Case No DR-2019-900053, Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama. Done the 31st day of August, 2020. Mary B. Roberson, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Lee County. /s/ Margaret Y. Brown__ Margaret Y. Brown 214 North College Street Auburn, Alabama 36830 (334) 821-6944 Attorney for Plaintiff Legal Run 09/02/2020, 09/09/2020, 09/16/2020 & 09/23/2020 --------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA In the Matter of: Wilma West, an alleged incapacitated person TO: Colette Bias, Aaliya West and any other interested party: Lee County DHR has filed a Petition to appoint a Legal Guardian for the person of Wilma West. It is ordered that the 6th day of October, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. be appointed a day on which to hear such petition, at the Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th St. Opelika, AL at which time all persons interested can appear and contest the said petition if they deem it proper. Done this the 8th day of September, 2020. Bill English Probate Judge Margaret A. Mayfield Attorney for Lee County DHR Post Office Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 09/09/20, 09/16/20 & 09/23/20 --------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA In the Matter of: Dorothy Jones, an incapacitated person TO: JAMES POWER: Lee County DHR has filed a Petition for removal of current Legal Guardian of Dorothy Jones and to appoint a substitute Guardian. It is ordered that the 6th day of October, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. be appointed a day on which to hear such petition, at the Lee County

Courthouse, 215 South 9th St. Opelika, AL at which time all persons interested can appear and contest the said petition if they deem it proper. Done this the 8th day of September 2020. Bill English Probate Judge Margaret A. Mayfield Attorney for Lee County DHR Post Office Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 09/09/20, 09/16/20 & 09/23/20 --------------Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 10:00 AM Valentina Norris Unit# A7 1372 Commerce Dr Apt 85 Auburn, AL 36830 Household goods Lilymae Smith Unit# C45 4020 Reese Rd Columbus, GA 31907 Small furniture and boxes The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property. Legal Run 09/16/2020 & 09/23/2020 --------------INVITATION TO BID 20036 Sealed bids for the construction of the Bypass Pump Installation – Uniroyal Lift Station shall be received at the Opelika City Hall in the old Council Chamber, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2 pm local time on October 26, 2020, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted. Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License with a specialty of “Highways and Streets, Clearing and Grubbing, Earthwork, Erosion, Site Work, Grading or Municipal and Utility”. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code §34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number. Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid envelope. No proposal will be accepted from anyone except a qualified Contractor licensed by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors. State of Alabama License Number must be written on the outside of the envelope. All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work. Copies of Bidding Documents may be obtained from ESG Engineering - contact Margaret Hildebrand at mhildebrand@esgengineering.com to procure Bidding Documents and to be added to the Bidder’s List (required to bid on project). Digital documents will be provided at no charge and hard copies will be provided upon non-reimbursable payment of $200. The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika. All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted. A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid. Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities. Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: Bypass Pump Installation – Uniroyal Lift Station LILLIE FINLEY- PUR-

CHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 09/16/20, 09/23/20 & 09/30/20 NOTICE OF CIVIL LAWSUIT IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA TO: SLOCUMB LAW FIRM, LLC AND MICHAEL W. SLOCUMB This is to notify you that Civil Action No. 3:18-cv00145, entitled Eugene Scalia, Secretary of Labor, United States Department of Labor v. Slocumb Law Firm, LLC and Michael W. Slocumb is currently pending in United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. Claims against the Defendants include the allegations that Defendants violated provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 201, et. seq., by failing to compensate employees working over 40 hours in a workweek at a rate of at least one and one-half times the employees’ regular rate and for failing to comply with the recordkeeping requirements of said Act. The Complaint seeks back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages for each affected employee for a period of two years prior to the filing of the lawsuit until final judgment of this matter, and further seeks injunctive relief against future violations of said Act. You are hereby notified that you are required to answer the claims against you within thirty (30) days of the last publication of this notice. The last date of publication of this notice will be October XX, 2020. Failing to answer or plead in response could result in the entry of a default judgment against Defendants for the relief sought. Jeremy K. Fisher JEREMY K. FISHER Senior Trial Attorney United States Department of Labor 61 Forsyth St. SW, Room 7T10 Atlanta, GA 30303 Legal Run 09/23/20, 09/30/20, 10/07/20 & 10/14/20 --------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MARY JANE

HUMPHRIES, Deceased PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO. 2020-356 Letters testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 17th day of September, 2020, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. M. Clayton Humphries, Jr., Executor Legal Run 09/23/20, 09/30/20 & 10/07/20 --------------F & F ITALIAN SPECIALTIES, INC. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given that F & F Italian Specialties, Inc. (an Alabama corporation) was dissolved on September 18, 2020, with said Articles of Dissolution filed in the Office of the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services, P. O. Box 5616, Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5616. Persons with claims against F & F Italian Specialties, Inc. (d/b/a Bourbon Street Bar) are requested to present such claims to F & F Italian Specialties, Inc., c/o Gianfranco Frojo, 1854 Amberton Court, Auburn, Alabama 36830. Included in such claim should be any and all documentation to determine the amount of and the validity of the claim. A claim against F & F Italian Specialties, Inc. will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce the claim is commenced within two years after the publication of this notice pursuant to 1975 Code of Alabama Section 10A-19.22. Legal Run 09/23/2020 --------------NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Opelika Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. PURPOSE

PUBLIC NOTICES, See page B13

LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS ADS HELP WANTED HCV Specialist The Opelika Housing Authority (OHA) has a full-time opening for Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Specialist. Successful candidate would process new applications for the HCV program,

when open. Conduct annual re-examinations in accordance with established procedures. Enter information in computer and process new admissions or recertification, including verifying income and other data in accordance with established proce-

dures and regulations. Maintain electronic files and records. Receive information from residents, verify, and make interim adjustments based on the information. Schedule appointments for annual re-examinations, generate appointment letters and conduct interviews.

Take appropriate action based on information received. Associate Degree in business or related field plus 2 years of work experience that involved dealing with the public and using a computer, or an equivalent combination of

education and experience. Experience in Housing Choice Voucher Program or HUD housing, preferred. For further details, job description can be found at www.opelikaha.org. Interested applicants must submit a completed Employment Application

with qualifications to ravery@opelikaha.org or to Human Resources, Opelika Housing Authority, 1706 Toomer Street, Opelika, AL or mail to P.O. Box 786, Opelika, AL 36803-0786. Applications accepted until the position is filled. (Please No Telephone Calls).

ATTENTION DIABETICS! Save money on your diabetic supplies! Convenient home shipping for monitors, test strips, insulin pumps, catheters and more! To learn more call now 1-855-504-9031

Charity. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 1-844-810-1257

OXYGEN - ANYTIME. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. The All-New Inogen One G4 is only 2.8 pounds! FAA approved! FREE info kit: 1-844-322-9935

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

ALASCAN CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES ADVERTISE STATEWIDE or by Region in over 100 Newspapers, reaching over 1 million readers each week! Run your ad in our Classified Network for just $210 per week! Make one call to this newspaper (participating Alascan newspaper) or call 1-800-264-7043 to find out how easy it is to advertise statewide! BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year price Guarantee! $59.99/mo. with 190 Channels and 3 months free

premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 1-855-943-1314.

qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 1-844-2184255 (M-F 7am-5pm)

SECURE YOUR home with Vivint Smart Home technology. Call 1-844-223-5761 to learn how you can get a professionally installed security system with $0 activation.

TRAIN ONLINE To do Medical Billing! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 1-844-2184255. (M-F, 7am-5pm)

INSTRUCTION COMPUTER & IT Training Program! Train online to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Now offering a $10,000 Scholarship for

INSURANCE SAVE BIG on Home Insurance! Compare 20 A-rated insurance companies. Let us do the shopping & save you time & money. Get a quote

within minutes. Average savings of $444/year! Call 1-888-674-0779. (M-F 8am8pm Central) HEALTH/ BEAUTY ARE YOU or a loved one suffering from Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, Bipolar Disorder, Addictions or other mental or behavioral disorders? Our inpatient treatment services can help you reclaim your life and get back on track. We work with most PPO insurances. Please call 1-855-549-0035

FINANCIAL SERVICES DONATE YOUR Car to

BECOME A Published Author! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work. You reap the Rewards! Call for a Free Author’s Submission Kit: 1-888-283-4780.

B13 September 23, 2020

Like crossword puzzles? Sudoku? Play online at www.opelikaobserver.com/puzzles/

B14 September 23, 2020

Undervotes and overvotes: not sexy words, but election staples

omething strange has intrigued me in my decades of voting and covering elections. That is, when voters wait in line for 15 minutes to an hour, then spend 5 minutes or less actually filling in their ballot. Why? Maybe they just check off the party line and finish faster than an egg is boiled. If a candidate in their party is a dud, a known crook or lacks experience, so be it. Perhaps the voter only pulls the lever for the two or three high-profile races, such as president and U.S. senator. Or the voter doesn’t like either candidate, so skips that contest. Or the voter does not know how important “down-ballot” positions are or has never heard of these candidates because they lack strong TV, radio or social media presences. It reminds me of a man who shows up in the fourth inning of a baseball game and asks his friend what the score is. The friend replies, “Nothing to nothing.” So the late arrival responds, “Heck, I have not missed anything!” Yet he may have missed an amazing catch by the center fielder, a thrilling theft of a base or a classic double-play. Voters who leave the polling station before voting in certain categories lead to what election officials call “undervotes.” As in the baseball game above, an undervote means some voters saw no consequence to skipping certain races. This voter has little interest in local or state politics, which directly affect him or her all the time. According to Ballotpedia, “An undervote occurs when the number of choices is less than the maximum number allowed for that election. An undervote also occurs when no vote is cast for a single-choice election. An undervote can be intentional (such as protest votes or abstention) or unintentional (such as an oversight on the voter’s part or confusing ballot design.)” The main reason so many people vote only for high profile roles (president, U.S. senator, congressman) is that they haven’t heard about either candidate in the less known categories. Or they may not appreciate how positions such as Public Service Commissioner affect them. On Nov. 3 we have a PSC election, between Republican incumbent Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh and Democrat Laura Casey. If you do not want to vote in the PSC race anytime, a candidate may win who leans towards allowing increases in rates by utility companies for electricity. Who knows? Your gas and water bill may go up as well. To me, we currently have a responsible, competent crew of commissioners. Still, if you do not keep abreast of PSC happenings than you will be voting “blind” and throw away your choice in who becomes or stays a commissioner.

BEULAH>> FROM B1 compared to Montgomery Catholic’s 307, while Tarver ran for 41 yards on eight carries. That said, the best performances from Beulah players came on the defensive side of the ball. Sophomore linebacker Caleb Burton had a team-high 7 tackles, one for loss, and junior linebacker Jace Hancock made an impact play when he blocked a Knights’ extra point. The Knights dominated the game from the opening kickoff. The Bobcats trailed 35-0 by half-time. Montgomery Catholic quarterback Caleb McCreary

MARKLEY “Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant,” said Michael Kapor. A founder of Lotus, he developed the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. Kapor’s quote means the web has so much information that it overflows like a hydrant. With so many choices, a voter can get discouraged and be unable to locate candidates on the web. But you will. Spend 15 minutes studying the candidates’ experience and positions. Become a conscientious voter. My undergrad friends in the late 1970s used to say: “As a political nerd, Greg probably takes The Congressional Record to the beach!” I was a poli-sci major, but even I did not do that—except for once or twice. (Back then I knew the names of about 70 U.S. senators, 100 or so congressmen, and 40 governors.) But you don’t have to be that obsessed. Overvotes are basically the reverse of undervotes; this is when someone votes more than the maximum number of selections allowed. An example of an overvote is a person voting for two candidates in a single category where it clearly says, “Vote for not more than one.” Henry M. Robert, editor of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, emphasized in his 2011 book that such votes are definitely illegal. In the comic strip Pogo, the Possum says: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” The enemy is us when we don’t even spend 10 minutes to find out about down-ballot candidates. The enemy is us when we see campaign ads and don’t try to determine if their claims are true. In the end, as President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The future of this Republic is in the hands of the American voter.” Do your research, and choose wisely. Good luck! Greg Markley has lived in Lee County for 20 of the past 24 years. An award-winning journalist, he has Master’s degrees in education and history. He taught political science as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. went 9/10 for 194 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Knight’s receiver D.J. Carter was a menace against the Bobcat corners all night long. He finished with five catches for 96 yards, hauling in three touchdowns in the process. The Beulah Bobcats are now 0-2 and solely at the bottom of the Region 4 standings. They have a good opportunity to regroup on a bye next week. The Bobcats will take the field again on Oct. 1 as they look to get their first win in a regional away game versus the Childersburg Tigers. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at 122 Fay S Dr. Childersburg, Alabama, 35044.

PUBLIC NOTICES FROM B12 The purpose of said Public Hearing will be to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 124-91 (entitled “Zoning Ordinance of the City of Opelika”) adopted on September 17, 1991. At said Public Hearing all who desire to be heard shall have the opportunity to speak for or in opposition to the adoption of the following ordinance: ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows: Section 1. That Ordinance 124-91 entitled “Zoning Ordinance City of Opelika, Alabama”, adopted on September 17, 1991, and the Zoning Map of the City of Opelika provided for and referred to therein, as previously amended and/ or modified, be and the same is hereby amended by rezoning or redistricting the parcel of land hereinafter in this section described, so as to change such parcel from one class of district to another class of district as follows, to-wit: From a C-2, GC-P District (Office/Retail, Gateway Corridor-Primary Overlay District) to a C-3, GC-P District (General Commercial, Gateway Corridor-Primary Overlay District), the parcel of land hereinafter described: Parcel-1B, Harley-Davidson Subdivision, according to and as shown by map or plat of said subdivision of record in Plat Book 26 at Page 6 in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama. The above-described property contains 4.0 acres, more or less, and is located at 1201 Fox Run Parkway (formerly the Harley-Davidson Dealership), Opelika, Alabama. Section 2. Any ordinance or part thereof in conflict with provisions of this Ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed. Section 3. This Ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing and be heard. Written comments concerning the above matter may be mailed to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 390, Opelika, AL 36803 at any time prior to the public hearing and may be further submitted to the City Council at the meeting and the public hearing. Please contact Kevin Rice, the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-705-2083 two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to any disability. WITNESS my hand this the 15th day of September, 2020. Russell A. Jones /s/ CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 09/23/2020 -------------ORDINANCE NO. 023-20 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING LEASE AGREEMENT WITH EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Opelika, Alabama as follows: Section 1. It is hereby established and declared that the following described real property of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) is not currently needed for public or municipal purposes, to-wit: One (1) room on the first floor of the Public Works Administration Building located at 700 Fox Trail,

Opelika, Alabama. Section 2. That the City, having received an offer from East Central Alabama Highway Safety Office to lease said room described in Section 1 above, it is hereby declared to be in the best interest of the public and the City, to lease said office room to East Central Alabama Highway Safety Office at a monthly rental of $1,900.00 for a term of one (1) year commencing on October 1, 2020 and ending on September 30, 2021. Section 3. That a proposed Lease Agreement to be entered into between the City and East Central Alabama Highway Safety Office, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit “A”, be and the same is hereby approved, authorized, ratified and confirmed in substantially the form submitted to the City Council. Section 4. That the Mayor and the City Clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute, attest and deliver said Lease Agreement in the name and on behalf of the City. Section 5. That this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and publication as required by law. Section 6. That the City Clerk of the City of Opelika is hereby authorized and directed to cause this ordinance to be published one (1) time in a newspaper published in and of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Alabama. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 15th day of September, 2020. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR this the 16th day of September, 2020. /s/ Russell A. Jones, CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 16th day of September, 2020. /s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK Legal Notice 09/23/2020 -------------Victoria Rodgers, whose whereabouts is unknown, must answer David Toxey, Jr.’s Petition for Modification of Custody and other relief by October 16, 2020, or thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against her in Case No. DR2009-476.02, Circuit Court of Lee County. Done this 13th day of September, 2020 MARY B. ROBERSON, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Lee County Shane Neese 501 Geneva Street Opelika, AL 36801 Attorney for David Toxey Jr. Legal Notice 09/23/20, 09/30/20, 10/07/20 & 10/14/20 -------------LEGAL NOTICE In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Sports Turf Company DBA Sports Track Company, Inc. Contractor, has complete the Contract for Project 19-14 Beulah Park construction at 11099 Lee Road 379, Valley, AL 36854, County of Lee, For Lee County, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Sports Turf Company, Inc. 1487 Black Dirt Road Whitesburg, GA 30185 Legal Run 09/23/20, 09/30/20, 10/07/20 & 10/14/20 ________

IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF: THE ESTATE OF RICKEY EARL CARROLL, deceased. Case No.: 2020-360 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Terry Carroll on the 17th day of September, 2020 by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. TERRY CARROLL Bill English, Probate Judge Legal 09/23/20, 09/30/20 & 10/07/20 ________ IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF SCOTT MICHAEL PERRY, Deceased. CASE NO. 2020-013 NOTICE TO FILE CLAIMS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration, having been granted to Amy L. Perry, as Administratrix of the Estate of Scott Michael Perry, deceased, on the 10th day of September, 2020, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama. 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. Amy L. Perry Administratrix Legal Run 09/16/20, 09/23/20 & 09/30/20 ________ STATE OF ALABAMA LEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT CASE NO. 2020-317 ESTATE OF WILLIAM ARCHIE REACH, DECEASED NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR Letters of Administration of the Estate of William Archie Reach, deceased having been granted to Dana Renee Reach this 11th day of September 2020, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by the law or the same will be barred. Dana Renee Reach, Personal Representative Jeffery A. Hilyer 334-745-2564 Attorney at Law P.O. Box 30 Opelika, AL 36803-0030 Legal Run 09/16, 09/23 & 09/30/20 ________ IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA In the Matter of: Edward Franklin, an alleged incapacitated person TO: Tommy Lee Franklin, Betty Jean Franklin and any interested party: Lee County DHR has filed a Petition to appoint a Legal Guardian for the person of Edward Franklin. It is ordered that the Wednesday the 14th day of October, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. be appointed a day on which to hear such petition, at the Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th St. Opelika, AL at which time all persons interested can appear and contest the said petition if they deem it proper. Done this the 14th day of September, 2020. Bill English Probate Judge Margaret A. Mayfield Attorney for Lee County DHR Post Office Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 09/16/20, 09/23/20 & 09/30/20

B15 September 23, 2020

Letter to the Editor

ear Editor, I am writing to correct a gross error on my part that appeared in your news story that appeared in Vol 12, No. 50 of the Opelika Observer, Ms. Hannah Lester’s article on “Celebrating Auburn’s MIA - Max Morris.” For years I had thought that Col. Morris was the only MIA who was an alumnus of Alabama Polytechnic Institute or Auburn University. I learned that two esteemed colleagues of mine, Dr. Blake Busbin, history teacher at Auburn High School, and Mr. Sam Hendrix formerly of Auburn University, had completed more extensive research that revealed a more complete list of Auburn natives/ Residents killed in action during military service, taken as a prisoner of war or missing in action for the wars/ military interventions from World War I to the present day. At the time of my interview, my thoughts and actions were not to omit any one of these individuals who made such

Re-Elect Re-Elect

valiant contributions to our nation and the world. For that, I do sincerely apologize. Those men and women involved in such actions must never be forgotten. They are/ were winners and true leaders I would also like to apologize for any individuals who might have been inconvenience by the cancellation of the Auburn Heritage Association’s flagpole dedication at Pinetucket Cemetery in Auburn. Late delivery of the flagpole, Hurricane Sally, and a soggy, wet pasture prevented our organization carrying out the erection of the flagpole and the ensuing dedication ceremony. We do intend to go forth with the ceremony sometime in the near future. We will be reading the names of all POWs and MIAs at the time of that future dedication. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Charles M. Hendrix, DVM. PhD Vietnam-Era Veteran Professor Emeritus, Auburn University

Dear Lee County and Beulah Residents,

am Joe Wilson. I live out here in the Beulah Community and we need your attention, in a hurry. I am writing this in a grave concern, as there is an attempt being made to dig a rock quarry right here in our beloved Halawakee Creek. My fellow residents, do not be sucker-punched by a bunch of big dollar lawyers! There ain’t much truth to be found around these people. Let’s band together and do everything in our power to stop this hole from being dug in our community. I am going to list some facts about this proposed quarry, and I hope these people and their lawyers read my editorial. #1. Are you willing to have 65 or 70 double tandem dump trucks to travel up Highway 29, all day long, every day of the week? #2. Are you willing to have your fresh air clouded with dust, and that dust contains silicone, which is a cancer causing agent? #3. They are event claiming there will be no damage to the Halawakee Creek. Man, oh man! If fish could talk! #4. We here in Beulah Community get our water right where the Halawakee

runs into Lake Harding. To Auburn, and Opelika, are you listening? Your water comes from this same location. We do not need our water supply ruined by this big hole in the ground! We also do not desire to have the Halwakee Creek made into a slush by this quarry. I am a life-long resident of Lee County, here in the Beulah Community. I am 78 years old, and learned how to swim in this same creek (up on the Mr. Bobby Rudd property) at the age

of seven. I have deep roots here, and pleasant memories also. I want absolutely no part of the proposed quarry to be here, or anywhere close to our community. To those who are planning this huge hole in our ground, “Go somewhere else, very far away from us.” We love our community just the way it is. In the Name of Humanity, Joe Wilson Opelika

Lorem Ips

DAVID

CANON CITY COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL Ward Ward 55

VOTE OCTOBER 6TH

Paid for by Friends of David Canon, 405 Winterburn Av, Opelika, Alabama 36801

As I look back on the lessons that I learned over several weeks of knocking on doors, phone calls, fb messages, emails and texts as I campaigned for the Opelika City Council Ward 5 seat the most important of these lessons is the need for steadfast, invested and available leadership in our ward. That is why I will be voting for David Canon for re-election in the run off on October 6th, 2020. When I decided to run for the Ward 5 seat last year I sat down with David and spoke with him about how I felt... my words were, “David I am not running against you, I am running for the seat”. I felt like it was time for me to put some issues out in front of the city of Opelika and its council government. Issues like smarter zoning, community policing, conservative budgeting, and transparency and I feel as though I was successful in this endeavor. I also feel that David Canon has proven over the years to be steadfastly behind these issues also. David is a lifetime resident of Opelika and I believe he exemplifies what the city of Opelika is all about, a city that remembers it’s past and is building for it’s future. I will vote for David with the future of the City of Opelika in mind as I do so. David’s experience as a councilman and Planning Commission member is invaluable and it was going to be that experience that I had planned to tap into if I had been elected. David has been an integral part of the growth of our city as is evident by the accomplishments that have taken place in this city over the past ten years and will continue to work hard for ward 5 and the rest of the city. In closing, I hope and pray that you will join me in re-electing David Canon as the Ward 5 representative for the Opelika City Council. Sincerely,

Charles E.Adams

B16 September 23, 2020

Located in Historic Downtown Opelika

334-745-4618

Rebecca Rice Cell: 334-703-0801 rebecca@johnrice.info

This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s puzzle answers: