Opelika Observer 3-21-2018

pelika O Observer Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Vol. 10, No. 24

Opelika’s Azalea and Dogwood Trail opens March 26.

Turn to B7 for photos

“By local people, for local people.”

Opelika, Alabama

Turn to B5 for photos from the event

ETC brings international students to Lee County First Presbyterian to

construct education center near former home of Papa Joe’s Bar-B-Que

Special to the Opelika Observer

By Kendyl Hollingsworth For the Opelika Observer The Oregon-based nonprofit Education, Travel & Culture is an educational exchange organization that brings in bright students from around the world and places them in schools across the United States.

According to their website, ETC’s main purpose is “to promote international understanding and goodwill by providing high quality educational and cultural exchange programs in the United States and abroad.”

Four international students are here in Lee County schools this year through

ETC, one of which is South Korean native Inseung Choi.

ETC students like Inseung live with a host family during their time in the U.S. and receive monthly visits from their local coordinator to monitor their grades and overall wellbeing.

According to local coordi-

Construction of a new children’s education center for First Presbyterian Church of Opelika is slated to begin at the site previously occupied by two historic district homes adjacent to the former location of Papa Joe’s Bar-B-Q. The property, located at the intersection of Second

See ETC, page A7

See FPCO, page A2

Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

By Lawton Vallely For the Opelika Observer

Barbara Dollar SVFD adds new trucks helps fill “brown bags” with food for local seniors Special to the Opelika Observer

By Morgan Bryce Associate Editor

Members of the Salem Volunteer Fire Department welcomed the addition of two new fire trucks last week.

Purchased from emergency goods supplier NAFECO of Decatur, Alabama, the trucks, a pumper and a tanker, possess similar accessories already used by other SVFD vehicles

and are designed to meet Insurance Service Office rating standards.

SVFD Fire Chief Cecil Rogers said funding for the trucks was made

See SVFD, page A5

Buy local, give local with Planet Fundraiser app Special to the Opelika Observer

By Shawn Kirkpatrick Opelika Observer Volunteer Barbara Dollar’s story begins in Berlin, Germany, during World War II. There was nothing to eat and it was a struggle to stay alive. “Times were tough when I See Dollar, page A5

By Shawn Kirkpatrick Opelika Observer

Planet Fundraiser is a service-driven app based on giving back to the community. The Alabamagrown company started almost two years ago in Bir-

mingham and is now expanding to the OpelikaAuburn area.

The app shows users which local busi-

Index OPINION.................................A4 SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY........A12 SPORTS...................................B1

RELIGION.................................B3 COMMUNITY.............................B8 ENTERTAINMENT.....................B12

nesses give a portion of their purchase to local schools or nonprofits. “It allows consumers to support causes they care See App, page A3

Proposition for Auburn University cancer cluster research funding denied last week

By Morgan Bryce Associate Editor In February, the Observer reported that at least 13 former Auburn University students had been diagnosed with uveal melanoma, a rare form of eye cancer that affects 5 in 1 million people.

During the last few weeks, that number has climbed to 30 confirmed cases. Each individual diagnosed with the disease either attended, lived or worked on Auburn’s campus between 1980-2001.

Last week, Sen. Larry Stutts from Alabama’s Senate District 6 presented a proposition to Alabama legislators asking for a $100,000 amendment to the state’s education FY2019 budget for research funding to determine the cluster’s cause.

The motion failed to pass, however, and the Senate Finance and See Cancer, page A3

pelika O Observer.com

pelika O Observer Lee County EMA FPCO, from A1 looks for tornado shelter site A2

March 21, 2018

By Fred Woods For the Opelika Observer

the commission must approve the site.

The county must own the property for its value to be included as part of the required match, so there was discussion of the willingness of county VFDs to deed property to the county for a shelter.

The VFDs have already expressed a willingness to manage the shelters.

Commissioner Johnny Lawrence asked Carson for more detailed information before the county commission makes its decision.

District 5 Commissioner John Andrew Harris, who decided to run for the District 83 state legislative seat rather than seek re-election to the county commission, reviewed some of his commission activities and publicly thanked District 5 voters for allowing him to serve for several terms.

In other action, the commission: - allowed Smiths Water and Sewer Authority to exclude certain portions of its

Lee County Emergency Management Agency Director Kathy Carson told the Lee County Commission that FEMA has rejected the county’s grant proposal to build a tornado shelter on AL Hwy. 14, several miles from Loachapoka on land leased from a local RV park operator.

Actually, FEMA said the county could not use the leased land value and improvements as a part of the required 25-percent match.

Carson presented the commission with several alternative sites, including three in the Smiths Station area, Beulah VFD Station 4 and Plainview/Oak Bowery VFD. All these sites meet the required population density measure of 80 people within ½ mile of the shelter.

Carson wants to submit another shelter grant proposal, but

service area that overlap with Beauregard Water Authority, - approved a resolution, promised at the Feb. 26 meeting, supporting Macon County’s application for the LeonardoDRS T-100 project (copies of the resolution will be sent to congressional and state legislative delegations, pointing out the economic benefits to Macon and surrounding counties), - re-appointed Shirlene Parker to the Beauregard Water Authority Board and received the nominations of Lamar Sims and Linda Holt for re-appointment to the Beulah Utilities Authority Board and - approved the resurfacing, widening and restriping of Lee Road 54 (Society Hill Road) from the Moore’s Mill Road intersection to Gateway Drive, a distance of 3.13 miles. The $800,000 project will utilize AuburnOpelika MPO funds and will require a 20 percent local match ($160,000).

Avenue and 10th Street, was purchased by FPCO in 2017 with a plan to relocate the two homes. As options were explored, FPCO Church Elder Bill Price said demolition appeared to be the only option.

“We did everything we possibly could to make sure that it was possible to remove them and take them to a place where they could be restored,” Price said. “We wanted that to happen. We tried twice and both of those groups were unable to financially make it work, so that’s how we came to that decision.”

According to an exemption passed by the Opelika City

Council in 2001, churches within the city's historic districts of downtown, Geneva Street and Northside are not required to seek consent from the Opelika Historic Preservation Commission for demolishing buildings.

Price said the decision to build an education center and expand church parking was based on the continual growth of young membership the church has added during the last eight years.

“Our Sunday attendance is with both services in the 450 to 500 range,” Price said. “We have the largest number of children attending the church that we have ever had in the church’s 150-year history. We have children in every nook and cranny.”

Features of the

education center will include new Sunday School classrooms, an expanded nursery, a playground and covered walkways.

While the church is designing a space to accommodate its growth in younger members, they also hope to beautify the intersection in the process.

“We want to make sure that we make that corner as attractive as we possibly can,” Price said. “It is a focal point in the community and is a prominent intersection in Opelika. We want to provide for a green buffer zone from the corner to go as far back as possible before we have any parking. The new building will look just like the existing buildings so that they blend well.”

FPCO is located at 900 2nd Ave. in downtown Opelika.

Smiths Station City Council agrees to repay $5,000 security deposit

By Morgan Bryce Associate Editor The Smiths Station City Council breezed through its regular meeting last Tuesday night at City Hall.

Only one business item was on the agenda, a resolution

authorizing Mayor Bubba Copeland to repay a security deposit of $5,000 to Colby and Megan Rasmus.

Copeland also discussed his intentions to push for changes to the city’s employee handbook later this year, which he described as

“severely outdated.”

The Smiths Station’s City Council will hold its next meeting March 27, with the work session beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday each month.

FetchMe delivery service to hold free delivery day Mar. 28 Harrison Evola and his team at FetchMe delivery have decided to thank their ever-

growth comes the goal to expand their company to reach more consumers and partner with even more companies. FetchMe not only delivers food orders, but they will run

On March 28, when users place an order, it will automatically register as free, requiring no coupons or codes. They wanted it to be as easy as possible to thank every-

growing community of customers with a full day of free deliveries March 28. They have nearly reached their 12,000th delivery and continue to grow daily. With this

errands and pickup groceries as well.

What sets them apart is their attention to detail and their commitment to making life a little bit easier for everyone.

one who enjoys their services. Participants in the event can place an order on the website, www.fetchmedelivery.com, through the app, or call 334209-7730.

By Morgan Murphy For the Opelika Observer

Located in Historic Downtown Opelika

334-745-4618

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Phone: 334.749.8003 Fax: 334.749.8009 editor@opelikaobserver.com

Editor: Michelle Key Associate Editor: Morgan Bryce Journalist: Shawn Kirkpatrick Marketing: Woody Ross, Doug Horn & Emily Key Photographer: Robert Noles

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

CORRECTIONS The Opelika Observer will correct any errors, omissions or

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

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

pelika O Observer

A3 March 21, 2018

Integrated Body Health of Update on injured Opelika firefighter Opelika adds lifestyle coach Jessica Warrick to staff Special to the Opelika Observer

Special to the Opelika Observer Integrated Body Health of Opelika has added a new member to its staff, Jessica Warrick, owner of “Lifestyle Alchemy Coach.”

Warrick said she prides herself on strong relationship building with her clients and assessing their needs with compassion.

She integrates aromatherapy with auriculotherapy and life coaching with energy work to provide patients with a unique and powerful twist to traditional healing

App, from A1

and change.

Her services are also packaged with options for everyone’s budget.

Warrick studied and obtained her training through the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Arizona.

IBH was founded three years ago by Pauline Phillips and is one of the state’s only internal spa centers.

Each member of its staff brings their own unique services and talents to provide a myriad of services for their patients, including: colon therapy, ionic foot bath, mas-

about with their everyday purchases,” said Planet Fundraiser Director of Community Success Hayden Patton. “We have a variety of merchants on the app - dry cleaners, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. The consumer takes a picture of their receipt, we send it to the merchant, and that merchant sends a portion of the total to a school or non-profit of

OLLI spring term starts April 2 Special to the Opelika Observer The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will begin an exciting Spring Term 2018 April 2. Currently, Spring Catalogs are available across the Auburn-Opelika area.

OLLI at Auburn offers academic not-forcredit programs for adults aged 50 years or older through program sites at Auburn University, AUM in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Chambers County Public Library in Valley, Alabama.

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 St. in Auburn. For more information regarding this event, contact Ileeia A. Cobb, Ph.D., OLLI director, at 334-844-3105, olli@ auburn.edu, or visit the website at www. olliatauburn.org.

sage therapy, cranial massage therapy, auriculotherapy, aromatherapy, life and health coaching, guided meditation, EFT, muscle testing, toe reading (reflexology), mindset work, energy and body services, supplements and educational materials.

The spa is located at 1995 Pepperell Parkway.

For more information or to make an appointment, visit 10to8.com/ book/ymytmy-free/ and schedule through Warrick’s secure private scheduler webpage.

their choice.”

Patton said the great thing about the app is that consumers get to support the causes they care about, and the merchant gets to support what the customers care about.

“We offer a service for merchants to help them market their business and streamline their giving through the app.

There is also a dashboard on the app so people can see how much money they’ve raised for their group.”

Available at both the App Store and Google Play, the free Planet Fundraiser app is for groups to join and us-

Cancer, from A1 Taxation Education Committee approved the $6.6 billion budget last Thursday, an increase of $216 million from the previous fiscal year.

Ashley McCrary, one of the 30 cluster victims and representative of the “Auburn Ocular Melanoma” Facebook page, expressed her disappointment about the amendment’s failed passing.

“We appreciate so much the efforts of Sen. Larry Stutts, who

On March 15, the Opelika Fire Department was performing routine fire training exercises on an abandoned house at the 2700 block of Anderson Road.

During the final exercise of the day, at approximately 4 p.m., two firefighters were injured.

One firefighter was airlifted to UAB Hospital with second degree burns, while the second firefighter was transported by ambulance to Midtown Hospital in Columbus. The firefighter that was airlifted remains at UAB Hospital where he is receiving treatment for burns

he sustained during the incident; the other firefighter was released from the hospital Thursday night.

FIREFIGHTER CONDITION UPDATE: As of Monday morning, Captain David Davis is still at UAB Hospital being treated for second degree burns.

While his injuries are not life threatening, he is still in serious condition.

Captain Davis has been with Opelika Fire Department for nearly 11 years and is a 16-year veteran.

Firefighter Henry Williford has returned to work. He’s been with the Opelika Fire Department for a total of four

ers to download. More than 400 community groups, 250 businesses and thousands of users are engaged on the platform.

“As an Alabama-grown app, we’re especially excited to be able to partner with the Opelika community and invest in the growth of this city and its causes,” said Kasey Birdsong, Planet Fundraiser founder and CEO. To learn more about Planet Fundraiser or to sign up your community group or company, join the Planet Fundraiser app, visit www.PlanetFundraiser.com.

worked diligently to get funding for the research on the Ocular Melanoma cases associated with Auburn University.

However, we are very disappointed that the state senate did not adopt an amendment to the state’s education budget for this much needed research,” McCrary said. “We have had discussions with the president’s office at Auburn University, and they are well aware of this situation but opposed the legislature putting anything in the budget stipulating they would oversee a research project.”

Researchers from the Sidney Kimmel Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia visited Auburn’s campus in February and held a public meeting, which drew 75 people and three Auburn University representatives. McCrary said that if a “common denominator” or cause is found, researchers believe they can find a cure within the next five years.

“Our next step is to reach out to Auburn University’s President (Steven Leath) for funding of this research. We have been told they will do ‘the right thing,’

years.

“We would like to ask that you continue to pray for Captain Davis as he recovers.

He has a long road ahead of him, but Davis is a very motivated individual, and we know he’ll return to work as soon as he has fully recovered. We are glad to have Williford back at work today,” said Opelika Fire Department Chief Byron Prather.

If you would like to send cards or letters, you can drop them off or mail them to the Opelika Fire Department Station at 1015 Avenue B. As we receive a report from the Alabama Fire Marshall’s office, we will release findings.

Special to the Opelika Observer

we just don’t know what that means,” McCrary said. “We also plan to reach out to (Alabama) Governor Kay Ivey’s office and ask for her assistance.

This research could save lives. We feel it is imperative this research be completed.”

Follow the Auburn Ocular Melanoma Page for updates.

pelika O Opinion Fishing in Alabama Real keys and other items time left behind A A4

March 21, 2018

driftwood,” people who turned “to the rivers and a bare existence when the mines, the steel plants, and of fish. the textile mills” closed or cut Though I grew up between the back. They lived in clapped Alabama and the Tombigbee, my together houses, just above the favorite of them all is the Coosa. high-water line, seined carp and It is also the one that man has

By Hardy Jackson bream, ran trotlines for catfish, changed the most. jug-fished for drum and buffalo, The Coosa is also formed in and took what they didn’t eat to town to sell.

Georgia, but just barely. It begins where the And with what they got they bought “sowOostanaula and Etowah meet beneath the belly an’bread,” “canned stuff an’ side meat,” hills of Rome, and from there it slowly flows “hard-rolled” cigarettes, snuff, or “whiskey 100 river miles on a course marked by so many twists and turns and bends that old men and a roaring drunk.”

It was a hard life, but it brought out the phiin old times believed it was trying to touch losopher in some of them. Bob Curtis, fisherevery farm in the valley. man, bootlegger, and sometimes sharecropAt least it was like that before the dams. per, was one. “The Lord keers for his own,” And before the dams, at that 100-mile he observed. “Yuh know, th’ good Lord was mark the Coosa changed-- abruptly. There int’rusted in fishermen.” the land fell away and the water rushed over Curtis and his kind were there when power reefs, shoals, and rapids for another 100 river company dams changed the river from roarmiles. Only this time the course was straight, ing rapids to elongated lakes. Starting before pressed in by hills and bluffs on either side, the First World War and finishing up in the until near its end the river roared over Stair1960s, Alabama Power flooded the reefs and case Falls, just above where Wetumpka shoals where rivermen trapped fish. But the would be built, and into the pool below. rivermen adapted.

So, back then the Coosa was two rivers – When the dam gates closed and the river one slow and steady, one swift and wild. And folks fished them both. The Indians were first. below it went dry, fishermen became scavengers as they scooped up fish trapped in pools They piled rocks into “V” shaped formations left by receding water. Then, when the lake with the point upstream so spawning fish filled and the river flowed again in its bed, were forced into the narrows and caught in baskets and nets. Long after the Indians were they fished both sides of the dam – upstream gone, these “weirs” remained and names like for lake fish, downstream in the swift runoff for the fish that had always been their staple.

“Fish-trap shoals” were still used.

Today the lake culture has taken over. FolEarly settlers fished as much for the pot lowing the Coosa from the Georgia line to as for pleasure, and when settlements beWetumpka, there are only a few stretches came market centers, they fished for profit. where you can get a feel for what the river For them the stream was an inexhaustible once was. But that doesn’t seem to bother resource and they used it. One account told fishermen. of a man “coming up from the river with No longer a refuge for “human driftwood,” many fine large fish . . . of which it was said upwards of 500 were caught, in a single haul, the lakes are lined with homes that would not by a seine, or net.” Around 1850 a fisherman be out of place in upscale suburbs and with named Joe Skinner reported that he took over weekend cottages that could easily grace the pages of Architectural Digest. And fishermen 2,300 from his traps in one day – but you know that a fisherman is inclined to exagger- take to the water in bass boats that cost almost as much and can go almost as fast as the car ate, a bit, and lie the rest of the time. or truck they leave parked on the bank. Gone Because the profit margin for Coosa commercial fishing was small, that occupation did too are the trotlines, the fishtraps, and the not attract the ambitious. As a result, over the seines. Carefully calibrated reels, graphite rods, scientifically designed lures, and sonar years and into the 20th century, the river was the refuge for those just trying to get by, those fishfinders are there instead.

And today there is money to be made fishwhose lack of get-up-and-go (or abundance ing. Tournaments attract sportsmen from all of bad luck) made the river their only option. over and the prizes are well worth the effort You don’t find them too often in history books. They seldom appear in the statistics of and expense. But still, if you slow your boat the region. Most lived and died anonymously, down and look up in the spackled shadows of the coves and sloughs you can see what used or would have had not the Great Depression to be, sitting on the bank or in a paddle boat, come along and the Federal Government, in cane pole and cork and a hook with a worm an effort to employ people who were all but on it, waiting for a nibble and a bite. unemployable – like writers – set up a proJust fishing. Harvey H. (“Hardy”) gram that sent folks out to observe, interview, Jackson is Eminent Scholar in History at and preserve the lives of the likes of river Jacksonville State University. He can be folks. reached at hjackson@cableone.net.

They were, as one writer put it, “human labama is full of rivers and streams. Those rivers and streams are full

A

gift for us, too. And I’d nother weeklike to hug her neck. end, another Leaving Roosadventure. evelt’s home behind, It’s become my cusI drove “across the tom to leave O Town mountain” for Phase behind bright and Two: Late lunch at early on Saturday Cricket’s. Have you morning and drive –

By Wendy Hodge eaten there? Until last in search of history weekend, I had eaten there only and a story. once. Its charm had stuck with Just last week, I hit the road again. Armed with snacks, com- me, though, and finally there I fy shoes, camera, pen and paper, was, pulling into the gravel parking lot. The bell above the door and a tank full of gas, I headed tinkled as I walked in. for Warm Springs, Georgia. As The tables were covered with a treat for myself, I’d planned a red and white checked oilcloths; three-part experience. the menus were hand written First stop was The Little and Xeroxed, and the waitress White House. No matter how was the very same one who many times I visit the museum served me years ago. She called and the cottage that President me “sugar” and brought me the Roosevelt loved so much, I most delicious pot roast I’ve ever am drawn to the same familiar eaten. Better, even, than my own spots: grandmother’s - but don’t tell my The walking sticks that were gifts from all over the world to a mama I said that. And then - the chocolate chip pecan pie - There president who stood tall despite are no words. his crippling handicap. They Not often in life do things live hang in a display case… unup to the memories we have of touched, unused. them, but this meal - oh, this The derby hat that sits on a chair next to the president’s bed. meal - let’s just say it was a good It was his favorite, but now it sits thing I brought my “let-outtable” pants. dust-covered and unworn.

On to Phase Three: the Warm The hundreds of books that line the shelves in the president’s Springs Bed and Breakfast.

Countless times I’ve walked past study. Books whose pages it and looked up at the huge uphaven’t been turned in so many per windows, longing to be on years. the other side looking down on And in the kitchen, the spot the street. I’ve read the stories of that pulls me like a magnet: hauntings and of famous guests. words written in haste and grief And I’ve promised myself I

by Daisy Bonner, the cook at Warm Springs, when she saw her would be a guest there myself beloved employer and friend die someday. So, at last, I carried my suitcase in the front door and met suddenly before her eyes.

Gerri. Once upon a time, Gerri Imagine the magnitude of sorrow for her, a servant who would owned a small shop next door to sooner eat a platter of dirt before the bed and breakfast. Just like me, she would look at the windefacing her employer’s home dows and imagine herself inside. with graffiti, that would compel Because she is a visionary, Gerri her to take a pencil and write on saw past the worn down old the wall the following words: “Daisy Bonner cooked the first bones to the lovely heart that she knew she could restore. And so meal and the last one in this cottage for the President Roosevelt.” she bought it and did just that.

A lifetime of meals, of service, That was more than 30 years ago. of respect and deep affection I stood at her counter and summed up in one sentence. As personal as her grief was, she knew it to be a part of history - a moment that would ripple across decades. And so she left her presSee Time, B9 ident one last gift of words - a

Inside the Statehouse

W

hen talk turns to politics in Alabama, it usually leads to the Governor’s race. In Alabama politics the Governor’s office is the Brass Ring. It is talked about more than anything else around coffee clubs and kitchen tables from Sand Mountain to the Wiregrass. It is comparable to college football being the king of all sports in Alabama.

This infatuation with the Governor’s office is borne out in voting history. In most states the presidential race sees the largest voter turnout, but that is not the case in Alabama where we have historically voted more heavily in gubernatorial years. Governor race years also have most of the important local offices up for grabs. “All politics is local.” Kay Ivey enters the race as the favorite. She is the quasi-incumbent having taken over the ship of state this time last year from

I would limit beleaguered her appearand tarnished ances. They Governor Dr. should keep Robert Benther in the ley. She probGovernor’s ably would office and use have gone to photos from the house with a few years her dog Bear

By Steve Flowers back and take with the plaucredit for the dits of having upturn in the economy. Her served two terms as State Treasurer and two terms as support is a mile wide and an inch deep. A slip and Lt. Governor, which is not fall could derail her train. a bad legacy. However, My first term in the Legnow she can add Governor islature was George Walto her epitaph. lace’s last term as Governor Kay has been around and to say he was incoherAlabama politics for quite ent would be an understatea while. She has been ment. He was on heavy thought of as vibrant over doses of medication to althe years. However, releviate the constant pain he cently her demeanor and had to endure from the bulappearance belies the fact let wounds from an assasthat she is only 73. This sination attempt while he premature aging becomes apparent when she gets out was running for President campaigning and speaking. in 1972. Therefore, Kay’s slowness does not deter her This elderly resonance and from being elected or from cognizance will not detract probably doing a better job from her being elected to than most governors we a full term. However, if I were running her campaign, have had.

My observation over the past 50 years is that we really do not have to have a full time governor of Alabama. Big Jim Folsom was drunk his entire second term, George Wallace was on pain pills his last term and did not know where he was, Fob James was totally disinterested in being governor his second term and went duck hunting the whole time. They put Don Siegelman and Guy Hunt in jail. Poor ole Bentley fell in love at 72 like a little school boy and walked around with a glazed look in his eyes and sheepish grin, and lost all sense with reality. They kicked the poor old fellow to the curb. Kay came on board and seems to have steadied the ship of state.

Kay’s most daunting opponent is Huntsville mayor, Tommy Battle, who is actually responsible for the largest economic development announcement for the state in the past several years.

The landing of the ToyotaMazda plant in Huntsville several months ago was a real coup. Battle is 61 and has been Mayor of Huntsville for over 10 years.

Some would argue that if he could do half of what he has done for Huntsville for the state of Alabama, he would be the best Governor Alabama has had in generations.

Mayor Battle has raised a lot of money and will come out of the vote rich Tennessee Valley with a strong base of support. He may give Kay a run for her money. Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson is hoping to garner the evangelical vote.

He is running a spirited campaign and could be a factor.

State Senator Bill Hightower from Mobile is somewhat of an aloof fellow, who will probably not be a factor. Whoever wins the Republican nomination will be favored to win the race in November. The odds fa-

vor a Republican 57-to-43.

However, you have two formidable thoroughbreds vying for the Democratic nomination. Former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox will fight it out for the nod in the June 5th Primary. There probably will not be a runoff. Either Cobb or Maddox will win outright depending on which way Alabama’s African American voters land. Most observers predict that Walt Maddox will prevail. He is 45 and has been Mayor of Tuscaloosa for 10 years.

Being mayor of a major city is probably the best training ground for governor. See you next week.

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

pelika O Observer

A5 March 21, 2018

Auburn-Opelika Gun and Hunting Show to be held April 7-8

By Morgan Bryce Associate Editor Special to the Opelika Observer

SVFD, from A1 possible because of a 2012 vote by Lee County residents to increase the annual fire fee rate from $25 to $50.

Accompanied by the fire department’s ISO rating upgrade from a 9/10 to 5/5x, which went into effect last September, Rogers said the improvements will not only increase safety for Salem residents, but benefit them economically, too.

“We told landowners and constituents our plans with the extra money raised from the fire fee

Dollar, from A1 was little. The Soviets (Russians) were all around us. The Americans kept us from starving and freezing to death by giving us food and blankets.”

After the war ended, Dollar came to the United States in 1958 to visit her sister. She was 19. She soon met her husband who was in the Army Airborne, at the time. He had just gotten back from serving in Germany. Ironic but true. “I worked in a drugstore for his father and that’s where we met. After we got married, we had two oversea tours, one in Germany and one in Liberia on the West African coast,” Dollar recalls. “After he retired we came back to the U.S. and he worked

was to lower their fire insurance costs, and by doing that, we have been able to increase their fire and medical protection also by the purchasing of newer equipment,” Rogers said. “In the past 15 years, we’ve gone from one pumper and one tanker to three pumpers, two tankers, two rescue trucks and two brush trucks, we’ve finished a second station ... and we’re looking at sometime in the next few years of putting a third one in.”

The SVFD is responsible for covering the 115 square miles within the Salem Fire District, which Rogers said is the largest but least populated district in the county. He added

that the department’s average call volume is 400 per year, which breaks down to approximately 1-2 calls per day.

Twenty-two members comprise the department’s staff, a group that Rogers said represents the best of the Salem community.

“Our volunteers go through the same training that paid firemen do, so there’s a sense of pride there with all the changes that they, our board and residents have helped make possible,” Rogers said.

For more information or to volunteer, email bradleybowen547@gmail. com. The SVFD headquarters is located at 8703 U.S. Highway 280 E.

as an ROTC teacher in Illinois, and then at Auburn High School.

I love it here (Opelika). I’ve lived here 36 years.”

For the past 16 years, Dollar has volunteered at the Food Bank of East Alabama’s Community Market with the Brown Bag program for seniors. “I enjoy my volunteering especially at the food bank. I grew up poor because of the war. Volunteering was always something inside of me that I want to help other people I want to give back,” Dollar said. “It’s not that I am a do-gooder, that’s not me. There comes a time when I wanted to pay back.”

Seniors 60 and older, who shop at the Community Market, can fill their carts and “bags” with 40 pounds of free food at each visit. There is everything found at a grocery store: pantry staples, frozen foods,

fresh produce, cleaning products and personal care items. “Some people are embarrassed to shop there, but they shouldn’t be,” Dollar added. “It is there to help people, to give them food and helps them save money. It is a great service, it’s so important. So many people go hungry and it shouldn’t happen in this country.”

In the end, it all goes back to a five year old girl who saw Americans help feed her family and community during the war. “I’ve seen hunger overseas and here. I’ve always wanted to help people,” Dollar explains. ”Life has always been good to me. So you pay back.

And this has been an opportunity that I really enjoy, working with people.”

Call the Food Bank of East Alabama at 334749-8844, for help with any food emergency.

A good neighbor has your back.

The inaugural AuburnOpelika Gun and Hunting Show will be held April 7 and 8 at the Village Event Center.

Presented by the East Alabama Gun and Hunting Show group, the event will feature appealing items for gun enthusiasts and hunters alike, according to Event Organizer Sawyer Jones.

“Gun shows are very prevalent in Alabama, but not in our area. This

is a great place to have one because of how many gun enthusiasts are in our area,” Jones said. “It will be a gun show, but we will have a lot of stuff for our hunters as well.”

Two Opelika munition businesses, The Firing Pin and Southern Survival, will be present at the event, along with others from various surrounding counties.

Jones said this is the first show that business has staged, which has been well received locally.

“There has been a big

outpouring of support from people that say they’re very excited for the show.

The gun and hunting community in this area is very underserved, and this event has sparked a lot of excitement from our patrons and vendors alike,” Jones said.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.

For more information, visit the East Alabama Gun and Show Facebook page.

Show hours for Saturday are 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The VEC is located at 804 Columbus Parkway.

Daniel Neil, Jocelyn Zanzot address Opelika Rotary Club

Special to the Opelika Observer Daniel Neil and Jocelyn Zanzot recently talked to the Opelika Rotary lunch group about the Mobile Clinic project, a joint effort between the city of Opelika, EAMC and Auburn University. Mobile Clinic will seek to bring improved healthcare to medically underserved and low income neighborhoods. This is another part of the Carver Jeter Initiative.

Pictured (from left): Club Member Janie Corlee, Zanzot and Neil.

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

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

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A6 March 21, 2018

Jody Kirkley and Phoebe Smith inducted into Compassus President’s Circle Special to the Opelika Observer Jody Kirkley and Phoebe Smith, hospice care consultants for the Compassus program serving Auburn and the surrounding areas, were honored for their outstanding performance and inducted into the 2018 Compassus Presidents’ Circle during a recent awards ceremony at the Compassus National Leadership Meeting in New Orleans.

The Presidents’ Circle is reserved for top-performing Compassus hospice care consultants.

Kirkley and Smith are two of 64 inductees this year, all of

whom have consistently expanded access to hospice, palliative and home health care in their communities through education of referral sources and families.

This is Kirkley’s third and Smith’s first year receiving the honor.

“Jody and Phoebe have consistently shown dedication to helping our patients and their loved ones gain access to the care they need,” said Patty Baggett, executive director of the Compassus – Auburn program.

“Their hard work and commitment to spreading the Compassus vision is unsurpassed and an inspiration to other colleagues. I am

proud of and grateful to them for making a positive impact on the lives of the patients and families we serve.”

“We are honored by this recognition and thankful to be able to do meaningful work that helps patients facing life-limiting illnesses receive the quality end-of-life care they need,” said Kirkley.

“And we look forward to continuing to serve the needs and fulfilling the expectations of those in Auburn,” said Smith.

For more information about Compassus–Auburn, please visit compassus.com/ auburn-al or call (334) 826-1899.

Submitted to the Opelika Observer

First annual Black Male Summit to be held April 21

By Lawton Vallely For the Opelika Observer

The Dream Day Foundation will be hosting the 1st annual Black Male Summit April 21 at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts.

Beginning at 8 a.m., the conference will feature local and state-wide speakers,

live entertainment, and the opportunity to win various prizes.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all attendees.

“We want to give young men that are still at an impressionable age the opportunity to not achieve only in school but to be successful and achieve in life,” said Dream Day Execu-

tive Director Marion Sankey. “To give them some alternatives to challenges that they have, to offer them some solutions, and most of all to give them a platform for their voices to be heard.”

Topics up for discussion will include bullying, the role of social media in dating, challenges related to

absentee fathers and how to handle being approached by law enforcement.

Sankey said we hope to use this event as a springboard for future events with hopes of reaching a broader age range.

“We want to give these young men a voice,” Sankey said.

“A lot of times the young men at this

age feel like no one is listening to them and they have a lot of challenges and things they are going through. We want to hear what some of those challenges are and try to deal with those challenges or help them deal with those challenges so that they can be productive lifelong citizens.”

Admission to the summit is free but spots are limited. Registration is required and available online until April 14.

Sponsorship opportunities will also be available.

For more information on the event please call Sankey at 334-663-6638 or visit www.dreamdayblackmalesummit.com.

New Dollar General location opens on Samford Avenue Special to the Opelika Observer Dollar General’s newest store at 23 Samford Ave. in Opelika is now open.

The company will celebrate the store’s official grand open-

ing March 24, beginning at 8 a.m., with free prizes and special deals.

Additionally, the first 50 adult shoppers at the store will receive a $10 Dollar General gift card and the first 200 shop-

pers will receive a Dollar General tote bag with complimentary product samples, among other giveaways.

“Dollar General is committed to delivering a pleasant shopping experi-

ence that includes a convenient location, a wide assortment of merchandise and great prices on quality products,” said Dan Nieser, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store devel-

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opment. “We hope our area customers will enjoy shopping at Dollar General’s new location.”

Dollar General stores offer convenience and value to customers by providing a focused selection of national name brands and private brands of food, housewares, seasonal items, cleaning supplies, basic apparel and health/ beauty products. The store’s fresh layout is designed to make shopping simple for customers.

Seasonal products are displayed in the center of the store, departments are easily recognizable with visible signage and coolers are conveniently located at the front of the store.

Traditional Dollar General stores employ approximately six to 10 people, depending on the need.

Anyone interested in joining the Dollar General team may visit the Career section at www.dollargeneral.com, or call 615-855-4000.

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ETC, from A1 nator Lauren Lathum, ETC requires students to maintain a ‘C’ or above in all their classes. If they fall below, ETC starts looking into finding a tutor, though this is not a common issue.

“The ETC students— they’re always, like, the best of the best from their countries, so we almost never have problems with students that fall below on their grades,” Lathum said.

When she is not working as a local coordinator for ETC, Lathum teaches English at Smiths Station High School. When students were looking to be placed in Lee County schools, Lathum went to SSHS’s foreign language department to see if any of the teachers would be interested in hosting an exchange student.

Spanish teacher

David Gregory stepped up to the plate, and Inseung will be living with him and his family until December when he returns to his hometown of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea.

“We wanted to host him because we wanted our children to learn about and experience another culture, and to have somebody live with us—and we knew we were probably never going to visit [Asia]— we wanted him to also experience our family and who we were, and so it was a family decision, and everybody kind of just pitches in to make it work.”

Gregory’s three children—Brighton, Braden and Brylee—attend Opelika city schools, but since both Auburn and Opelika High Schools adopted policies in 2001 that do not allow foreign exchange students Inseung attends Smiths Station High School with Gregory every weekday as a 10th-grader.

Inseung’s class

schedule includes graphic arts, English, geometry, environmental science, business technology, P.E. and U.S. history. In his letter to the Gregory family before his arrival, Inseung said his hobby is playing sports, and he claims P.E. as his favorite class. He also said he enjoys U.S. history and has not studied it before.

“He’s required by ETC to take an English class and a history class. Everything else is optional,” Gregory said.

“He’s never studied anything about U.S. history, so that’s been a challenge, but he’s done good with his other classes—‘A’ student, something like that.”

Gregory also said students and teachers have been good about including Inseung, even having him give a presentation for their World Language Club in which he demonstrated writing in Korean and showed the audience hanbok, a name for traditional Korean

A7 March 21, 2018

clothing.

“Students at school know who he is … and so they include him in activities and things like that. They make him feel welcomed, so they’re excited having him at our school, so it’s worked out good,” Gregory said.

Inseung has even been invited to the prom.

During the summer, Inseung will attend an ETC-sponsored camp in North Carolina for three weeks with other students in the program to learn and enjoy fellowship. Gregory mentioned that he also hopes to take Inseung along on family vacations to Disney World and to visit family in Texas.

Inseung also mentioned in his letter that he is “a huge NBA fan,” so Gregory said he and his family hope to take him to an NBA game in Atlanta later this year.

Since arriving in January, Inseung has enjoyed playing sports

with the Gregory children and playing games like chess and dominoes. They also had fun playing in the snow one day. However, he has also faced challenges with linguistic and cultural differences.

“I want to speak in English naturally,” Inseung said. “They always have (different) greetings (in America)—in South Korea it’s just ‘hello’ and talking.”

American food has also been a high point of Inseung’s experiences in America, and he notes barbecue sandwiches and hamburgers as some of his favorites.

“In South Korea, many parents don’t want to eat instant food, like fast food, so I can eat a lot of fast food (in America), so [I’m] happy,” he explained.

Lathum said she is impressed with how far Inseung has come in his English skills.

“Inseung had a hard time when he first came here, but he picked up on it really quickly.

When he first came here, he was having to talk to us like with gestures and pictures, so it’s amazing that these kids, they’re really awesome kids,” she said.

For Lathum, one of the most rewarding aspects of being a local coordinator for ETC is that she gets to meet students from all over—other exchange students in Lee County hail from Italy and Germany—and experience their culture through them.

“I have never been out of the country before, so for me, it’s a great cultural experience getting to be introduced to new students from around the world,” Lathum said.

“It almost gives you a feeling of being able to go there yourself … it just makes you have a greater sense of compassion for people and just a greater understanding of the world in general.”

To learn more about ETC, visit www. edutrav.org.

Citizens Climate Lobby to meet March 28 Special to the Opelika Observer Global warming and the change it causes are not inevitable. There are solutions. Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) advocates for a market-based policy solution to climate change by creating a more fair and honest price for fossil fuels that includes dividends to households. Other solutions are at hand that complement this important effort.

At the March 28 meeting of the Auburn/

Opelika Chapter of CCL Mike Kensler, director of the Auburn University Office of Sustainability, will present the findings of the top 100 technological, ecological, and social solutions described in Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, edited by Paul Hawken.

The findings in this book are exciting and describe solutions already at hand, solutions that create jobs, restore the planet, and

ensure security and prosperity for all. This presentation offers a message of hope and opportunity, and describes ways individuals and groups can contribute to a restorative future.

The meeting will be March 28 7 - 8:30 p.m., at the Hubert and Grace Harris Meeting Center, 425 Perry Street in Auburn - directly across from the Post Office. To learn more about CCL go to our website: https:// citizensclimatelobby. org/ .

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Mike Kensler canoeing Alabama’s Five Mile Creek

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A8 March 21, 2018

Community Calendar: Events around town trap cropping for reducing squash insect pests, cowpea curculio updates, nutsedge control, introduction to potting mixes in ornamental container production, dealing with drought in commercial horticulture crops, and many more To view the full schedule please visit http://www.aces. edu/anr/beginningfarms/ webinars.php. Please send questions during the presentations to Ann Chambliss, thameae@auburn.edu. For questions regarding the webinar series or for providing suggestions, please email Dr. Ayanava Majumdar at bugdoctor@auburn.edu.

Ongoing: • Village Friends/Village Values is a nonprofit organization that supports seniors who prefer to stay in their own homes as they grow older. For info or to schedule a presentation to your group, call 334-209-4641. For the website, Google “village friends village values.”

• The Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR chapter is appealing for sweaters, jackets, trousers, shirts and socks, women’s clothing, soft soap in individual containers, shaving supplies, disposable razors, denture cleanser, toothpaste and toothbrushes, DVDs, games, books and magazines to take to veterans at the CAVHCS in Tuskegee. The Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR Chapter regularly visits veterans living in assisted living, the homeless domiciliary and psych (trauma) ward in Tuskegee. Donations are tax deductible and will be much appreciated. Pick up is provided. Please call Linda Shabo at 887-6659 or at 256307-1449.

Mondays: • “Gimme A Break” Support Group for autism parents will be held from 9-11 a.m. at the EAMC Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika.

This is a monthly event on the first Monday of each month for parents to connect with each other.

• The John Powell American Legion Post 18 and Auxiliary meets the third Monday at 7 p.m. at 910 West Point Parkway in Opelika.

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

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

• The Lee County Voters League meets the first Monday of every month at St. James Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1335 Auburn St. in Opelika.

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

• The fourth Monday of each month a Community

Grief Support Group meets from 5:30–6:30 p.m. at the EAMC Health Resource Center. No reservations are necessary; everyone is welcome. For more information call 826-1899 or 502-0216.

• T.O.P.S (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly), a weight loss support group, meets every Monday night from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Covington Recreation Center, 213 Carver Ave., Opelika. For more info contact Mary Johnson, 749-1584.

• The Lee County Commission meets the second and last Mondays of each month at the courthouse beginning at 5 p.m.

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

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

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

Webinar topics include:

Spring nature walk set for March 24

Tuesdays: • Ballroom Dance Classes at the Opelika Sportsplex from 7-8 p.m. every Tuesday. Instructor is Cody Wayne Foote. For more info call Diane at 749-6320.

• A monthly educational program on topics for autism parents, caregivers and teachers will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at Trinity United Methodist Church, 800 2nd Ave., Opelika from 6-7:30 p.m. Childcare is provided but reservations need to be made by contacting Maria Gutierrez at mariag@ leecountyautism.com to make sure there are enough volunteers.

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

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

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

• A Grief Support Group meets at Oak Bowery United Methodist Church Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. for anyone dealing with the pain of loss and feeling the need for support on their journey

as they attempt to bring order and wholeness back into their life. Attendance and participation is strictly voluntary for any and all sessions. There are no fees or charges involved. The church is located on U.S. Highway 431 – eight miles north from Southern Union State Community College and Opelika High School.

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

• The Auburn Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol meets every Tuesday evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Auburn University Regional Airport. The Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit organization that is Congressionally chartered to be the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force and focuses on three missions: aerospace education, cadet programs and emergency services. For more information visit www. auburncap.org or find the organization on Facebook.

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

• Auburn-Opelika Chapter of Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL) meets every fourth Wednesday. CCL is a nonprofit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change.

We consider a national carbon fee which would be distributed as a dividend to all U.S. households as the most important solution to climate change. Meetings are held at the Hubert and Grace Harris Center Meeting Room (425 Perry St., Auburn, AL 36830 --- directly across from the Auburn, AL U.S. Post Office), 7:00-8:30 PM. To learn more about CCL go to our website: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/ • The John Powell American Legion Post 18 and Auxiliary hosts Bingo every Wednesday night at 6 p.m.

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

Thursdays: • The Teal Magnolias Gynecological Cancer Support Group meets the second Thursday of every third month at 6 p.m. at EAMC

Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway.

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

• TNT – Teens N Transition is a monthly program for teens and young adults ages 14 and up. The group uses this time to learn social skills as well as connect with others on the autism spectrum. They have enjoyed cooking, bowling, laser tag, movies and game nights.

This event is held the third Thursday of each month.

Visit leecountyautism.com for more information.

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

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

Please call 770-845-2277 for more information or luncheon location of the month.

• The Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group meets at the Health Resource Center at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of each month.

• T.O.U.C.H. Cancer Support Group meets the third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at EAMC’s Health Resource Center. This is a support group for people living with any type of cancer or their families and friends.

Call 334-528-1076 for more information.

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

• April 2 Lee County Voters League - The speaker will beTerrence Johnson who is the last of three contested AL House District 82 candidates we’ve invited before the June primary. We’ll discuss planning a forum for all contested primary candidates in the AL House District 83 race recently held by departed League member George ‘Tootie’ Bandy and a forum for the highly contested Lee County Commissioner District 5 race.

To add your community events to the community calendar, email us at editor@ opelikaobserver.com

Bama Bash March 24 Special to the Opelika Observer

Special to the Opelika Observer

Special to the Opelika Observer New and experienced naturalists are invited to a Spring Nature Walk at the Opelika Wood Duck Heritage Preserve and Siddique Nature Park March 24 from 9-11 a.m. In addition to identifying early blooming native flowers, hikers can also learn names of local trees and shrubs along

The 21st annual Bama Bash, hosted by East Alabama Motor Speedway and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, will be held March 24. The race will feature the nation’s top dirt-track drivers competing on the speedway’s hard clay oval track competing for cash prizes of $12,000. For more information or tickets, visit www. eamsdirt.com. EAMS is located at 4238 U.S. Highway 80 West.

the two miles of trails.

Bring binoculars to observe spring birds and waterfowl migrants. Wood Ducks are nesting now and some baby Woodies may have fledged and might be seen with their parents. A spotting scope will be set up to observe a nesting Canada Goose.

The Park and Preserve is Site #10 on the Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail map.

See Walk, A10

Special to the Opelika Observer

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A9 March 21, 2018

How to protect Opelika’s water sources

By Case O’Dell For the Opelika Observer As discussed in last week’s article, “Protecting Opelika’s water resources,” we are fortunate to live in a place with abundant water resources.

It’s a good thing too, because every day we use water. Just picture your morning routine: shower, brush your teeth, make coffee, cook breakfast, wash the dishes. Before we even leave the house, water has played a role in most of our morning activities. Below is a chart listing common everyday tasks and the estimated amount of water used for each one. As you read the list think about how many hundreds of gallons you may use during the week.

But water is used for more than just everyday activities.

Industries use water in the manufacturing of goods and treatment of chemicals. Farmers use water to sustain livestock and irrigate crops. Water is used in mining, aquaculture, thermoelectric, and many other operations as well. When water is used in these activities

it is called consumptive use, meaning that any water used will not be returned to a natural source. The amount of water used every day really adds up when you consider the thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses and industries in Opelika. For this reason, we need to be conscious of how we use our water. Anything we can do to more effectively manage and use our water will help to alleviate the stress on our local streams, rivers, and lakes.

The good news is minimizing that stress can be accomplished by making small changes to our everyday routine. Turning the faucet off while shaving and brushing your teeth, washing full loads of laundry and dishes instead of half loads, and limiting the amount of time and activities in the shower will also help reduce consumption.

For conservative water use outside make sure that lawns and plants are watered in the morning to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation. For more ways to effectively use water visit the Opelika Utilities

home page at www. owwb.com.

Modifying your daily routine to use water in a smarter way is an easy but effective step that will help preserve and keep our water resources abundant.

Individual efforts compounded together can have a significant effect on conserving and better managing our local waters. But remember, this is just the first step. Water consciousness begins at home and extends to all aspects of life.

As we continue in this series we will explore areas of pollution control and learn effective ways to build and develop land, all while improving the quality of our water.

Next week we’ll learn about stormwater and how to better protect it from contamination.

For any questions or comments regarding water quality or this series feel free to contact the Opelika Engineering Department: 334-705- 5450.

This is the second installment of weekly series on water conservation and usage within Opelika city limits. O’Dell is an engineer technician with the city of Opelika.

Gun rights group to file emergency lawsuit against Attorney Gen. Steve Marshall Special to the Opelika Observer Alabama Second Amendment to file an emergency lawsuit against Attorney General Steve Marshall. A press conference and rally will be held today on the steps of the Attorney General’s Office.

“For too long, Attorney General Marshall has sat on his hands and allowed our communities to be soft targets for terrorist and lonegunmen attacks,” said Aaron Smith, a founding member of Alabama Second Amendment.

“The Attorney General is the only office in the state that can ensure our Second Amendment freedoms are protected.”

“Whenever rogue government actors manipulate the law to prevent lawabiding citizens from exercising their right to bear arms, it’s the Attorney General’s job to step-in and stop them,” said Smith. “We have pe-

titioned, called, and pleaded with the Attorney General time and time again … too much is at stake to do nothing.”

Alabama Second Amendment is a non-partisan, notfor- profit organization which exists to promote education about the importance of making our communities safer by promoting safe gun ownership among law-abiding citizens.

Alabama Second Amendment is dedicated to upholding and promoting the ideals enshrined in the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution and Art. 26 (as amended November 4, 2014) of the Alabama Constitution.

Alabama Second Amendment achieves these objectives through publications, meetings, and petitions to appropriate governing authorities regarding illegal infringements on the safety of our communities through unlawful abridgment of the right and duty to bear arms. Alabama Sec-

ond Amendment has consistently warned of the dangerous paradigm shift of rogue government actors which seek to suppress the rights of Alabama citizens to lawfully posses and carry firearms.

“By Constitutional Amendment and Statute, the people of Alabama and our Legislature have clearly voiced their imperative obligation to protect their families and their communities,” said Smith. “If Attorney General Marshall won’t listen to them, maybe he’ll listen to the highest court in the land.”

Where: Montgomery, on th steps of the Attorney General’s Office, 501 Washington Ave. in Montgomery.

What: Historic Rally and Press Conference to announce lawsuit designed to aggressively force Attorney General Steve Marshall to do his job - protect our children and communities by upholding Alabama gun laws.

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A10 March 21, 2018

Concerts scheduled for SundillaConcert Series Special to the Opelika Observer The Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series, which began in 1993 and has been held at the historic Unitarian Fellowship building (AUUF) in Auburn since 1996, is a nonprofit volunteer effort that seeks to provide original acoustic music in an intimate, enjoyable setting. The series has hosted numerous musicians over the years, and concerts are always open to music lovers of all ages.• The legendary John McCutcheon will be appearing at

the Sundilla Concert Series on March 23.

Get your tickets early for this event; people will be coming from far and wide for this one. A limited number of advance tickets are available for $20 from Spicer’s Music, Blooming Colors, and online at www.sundillamusic.com; admission at the door will be $25. Showtime at the AUUF on Thach Avenue in Auburn is 7:30 p.m.; free coffee, tea, water and food will be available, and attendees are invited to bring their own favorite food or beverage.

• The inimitable Sarah Potenza, a Top 20 finisher on The Voice, will be performing at the award-winning Sundilla Concert Series on April 6. Showtime at the AUUF on Thach Avenue in Auburn is 7:30 p.m.; advance tickets are available for just $12 at Spicer’s Music, Blooming Colors, and online at www.sundillamusic.com. Admission at the door will be $15. Free coffee, tea, water and food will be available, and as always the audience is welcome to bring whatever food or

beverage they prefer.

• Beth Wood returns to the Sundilla Concert Series April 27. Advance tickets are just $12 and can be found at Spicer’s Music, Blooming Colors, and online at www.sundillamusic. com. Showtime at the AUUF on Thach Avenue in Auburn is 7:30 p.m. Admission at the door will be $15. Free coffee, tea, water and food will be available, and attendees are invited to bring their own favorite food or beverage. For more information, go to www.sundillamusic. com.

• The Sundilla Concert Series will welcome RJ Cowdery to the stage for the first time May 4. Showtime at the AUUF on Thach Avenue in Auburn is 7:30 p.m.; admission at the door will be $15, but $12 advance tickets are available at Spicer’s Music, Blooming Colors, and online at http://www.sundillamusic.com. Free coffee, tea, water and food will be available, and attendees are welcome to bring whatever food or beverage they prefer.

For more information, go to www. sundillamusic.com.

Walk, from A8

• Multi-instrumentalist Mean Mary will be appearing at the Sundilla Concert Series June 15.

Showtime at the AUUF on Thach Avenue in Auburn is 7:30 p.m.; $12 advance tickets are available at Spicer’s Music, Blooming Colors, and online at www.sundillamusic.com. Admission at the door will be $15. Free coffee, tea, water and food will be available, and attendees are welcome to bring whatever food or beverage they prefer. For more information, go to sundillamusic.com.

Most of the trails are fairly level with only a short section having a moderate change in elevation. The OWDHP &S NP pavilion and parking area is located at 3601 Waverly Parkway in Opelika one-half mile from the Birmingham Highway/ US 280 West. GPS: N 32 o 39.193 ’ W 085 o 25.919’.

Know that the people protecting your home are licensed by the State of Alabama.

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Are you licensed in Alabama?

outhern S Hospitality

A12 March 21, 2018

Beth Campbell treasures traditions, family cookbooks

SH Ann Cipperly’s

Southern Hospitality

Traditions and family are important to Beth Campbell.

While she has had an interest in cooking since she was a small child, the most important recipes to her were handwritten by her mother in a small book, ones her husband Lee’s mother assembled in a family cookbook and others his grandmother shared in a Sunday school class cookbook.

The cookbooks are worn on the edges and yellowing from so much use. Beth looks through the treasured books, as we talk about cooking at her cozy north side home.

Beth and Lee are in the process of remodeling the house they have lived in for many years. The den and kitchen have already been redone with some of the furniture refinished by Beth. Since Opelika High School is on the other side of their property, a special feature of their home is being able to walk to high school events going up steps her husband and friend built.

These steps were handy when their two children, Jonathon and Shelley, were students at the high school.

After graduating, Jonathon received his undergraduate

degree and master’s degree at Auburn University and works with an engineering firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Shelley graduated from the University of Alabama and had the opportunity to study abroad in Cuba, which she loved. She currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina, and works as a logistic analyst for a global company.

While Lee grew up in Eufaula, Beth lived in various places, as her father served in the military. The youngest of five children, Beth was born at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. When she was a young child, the family moved to Frankfort, Germany. One of her sisters became ill with asthma, so her father was transferred to Athens, Greece.

Beth spent most of her youth on the Florida Panhandle, living in Valparaiso. Her father retired from Eglin Air Force Base.

After graduating from Niceville High School, one of her teachers took Beth to Troy State. “I love it,” she says. She received a degree in special education. She attended a job fair at Troy and met a representative from Eufaula City Schools, who sold her on Eufaula where she started teaching.

The first weekend in Eufaula she attended a single’s class at church and met Lee, who lived in Opelika, and was visiting his parents. They began dating every weekend.

Lee worked at Auburn University as a plant pathologist after receiving degrees from Auburn and the University of Alabama. The Campbells married in Eufaula and moved to Opelika soon after.

Recipes Beth’s Chocolate Chip Cookies ¾ cup white sugar ¾ cup brown sugar 1 cup Crisco 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla 8 oz. chocolate chips Mix sugars and

Crisco. Add eggs until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.

Add dry ingredients to mixture.

Then add vanilla and chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Nana’s Brown Rice 1 cup rice (uncooked) ½ medium onion, diced ½ stick butter 1 can beef consommé Sauté rice and onions in butter. Place in casserole dish.

Add beef consommé and one can of water.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Variation: You can add pork chops to this recipe along with one can of stewed tomatoes.

Place on top of rice, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

My Mama’s Pound Cake 2 sticks oleo or butter, softened ½ cup Crisco 3 cups sugar 5 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. lemon

Cream butter, Crisco and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk.

Then add vanilla and lemon.

Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Beth went to work for the Opelika City Schools. She taught a multi-handicapped class that she adorned. After 32 years, she retired last year.

Beth is still working part-time for the Opelika City Schools.

Lee has also retired and is working part-time.

Now that she is retired she has more time to cook. While her siblings, especially her brother, enjoy cooking, Beth has had an interest in cooking from a young age. She watched her mother bake pies and cakes. Beth’s father was a Shriner, and her mother cooked for their bake sales.

When Beth received an Easy Bake Oven in first or second grade, she tried making her own recipes. She especially enjoyed baking Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Starting in the second grade, Beth and a friend would get together a couple of times a month to bake cookies and continued through the 12th grade.

“If any of my friends have a bad day or something goes really great,” says Beth, “they know a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies will be on the way.”

Her cooking changed after she and Lee married, as his family always had a garden and prepared many vegetable recipes. Beth started cooking his mother’s and grandmother’s recipes, as well as her mother’s.

Her mother handwrote some of her favorite recipes in a small book. Lee’s mother, Nancy Campbell, “Nana”, also assembled a small cookbook and did all the artwork for her children and grandchildren.

Lee’s grandmother’s Sun-

Photo by Ann Cipperly Beth Campbell taught at Opelika City Schools for 29 years and is still working part-time. Beth enjoys cooking recipes from family cookbooks, including from her mother, as well as her husband Lee’s mother and grandmother. She has a special fondness for baking Chocolate Chip Cookies, which she shares with friends. day school class in Eufaula assembled a cookbook at the Parkview Church called the Keenagers Class. Granny Campbell has many of her recipes in that book.

Now the Campbells have a garden every year. Beth freezes squash and peas and cans green beans, which she learned from Lee’s mother.

She also cans fruit preserves.

When she was teaching, Beth would make small pound cakes and banana breads for gifts. The Banana Bread is made with buttermilk, which gives it a yummy taste, while the Pound Cake is lemon flavored.

Both Jonathon and Shelley enjoy cooking. Jonathon’s favorite recipe to prepare is Nana’s Brown Rice, while Shelley savors Miss Dora’s Corn Casserole. Shelley shops at a farmers market and creates many of her own recipes.

Miss Dora’s Corn Casserole 1 pkg. yellow rice (5 oz.)

1 can of cream of chicken soup 1 can of Mexicorn (12 oz.)

1 stick margarine, melted

10 saltine crackers Cook rice according to package directions.

Mix all ingredients (except cracker crumbs) and pour into casserole dish. Cover with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 3540 minutes.

Beth’s Banana Bread 2 cups sugar ¾ cup soften butter (not margarine) 2 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1½ tsp. baking soda 1 1/8 cups buttermilk ½ tsp. vanilla 1½ cups mashed bananas Cream butter; add

sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Sift dry ingredients together; add to mixture, alternating buttermilk. Add vanilla and bananas.

Bake in greased loaf pans (2 big pans or 4 small loaf pans) at 350 degrees. When bread is done, bread will turn loose from side of pans (around 50 minutes).

This bread can be frozen.

Mini Breakfast Quiches ½ lb. hamburger or sausage 1/3 cup chopped onions 1 tsp. butter ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. cornstarch ½ cup milk 8 oz. shredded cheese 2 eggs, beaten Salt and pepper to taste 1 can of biscuits Brown the hamburger or sausage. Sauté onions in butter.

In a mixing bowl, add the hamburger or sausage, onions

and other ingredients together (except biscuits). Grease a mini cupcake (muffin) pan.

Cover the bottom of each with a pinch of biscuit dough. Use just enough to cover or the quiche will be too doughy.

Next, pour the egg mixture to the top of each cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until egg mixture is firm. These can also be baked in a regular cupcake pan.

You will extend time to 30-40 minutes or until egg mixture is firm.

In addition to cooking, Beth enjoys refinishing furniture. She worked at The Refinery for a while and learned to refinish furniture and create shabby chic painting. Beth has refinished furniture for her home and also for Shelley’s house.

“My family and I are big on traditions,” says Beth. “I look at these recipes and think of our family traditions. As I was pulling these recipes out, I realized the impact all these grandmothers had with their books. It makes me realize how important it is to write things down.

“When I put my hands on the books and open them up to see their handwriting,” she adds. “I feel thankful for them. I am also thankful that I passed the love of cooking on to my children.”

Ann Cipperly can be contacted at recipes@cipperly. com.

Best Ever Sugar Cookies 1 cup Crisco 1 cup butter (not margarine), softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 eggs 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cream of tartar 2 tsp. vanilla Cream butter and

Crisco. Add sugar and eggs.

Mix dry ingredients and add to mixture.

Dough can be rolled into balls and coated with sugar or a cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Dough can also be chilled and then rolled out and cut with cookie cutters.

Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Granny Campbell’s Squash Casserole 2 to 3 lb. squash 1 stick butter, softened 2 medium onions, chopped ¼ lb. cheddar cheese, grated 20 saltine crackers, crushed ½ cup milk

¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 1 egg Cook squash and onions together until tender. Drain. Put in casserole dish. Add butter, cheese, crackers, milk, salt, pepper, and egg. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sugar and Spiced Pecans 2 cups pecan halves 1 egg white ¼ cup sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon Dash of salt Put pecans in large bowl. Add unbeaten egg white.

Mix well with spoon until all halves have been coated with the egg white.

Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.

Sprinkle over pecans.

Mix well again.

Pour on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from pan immediately and place on wax paper.

Let cool.

Can be stored in a sealed tin and will keep for several weeks.

See Recipes, B7

Opelika Schools, ports ociety S &S

March 21, 2018

Section Inside • Puzzles • Restaurant Health Scores • Religion page

Four OHS students place second in state chef competition March 7

By Kendyl Hollingsworth For the Opelika Observer

On the Mark

By D. Mark Mitchell

Opelika softball splits games last week The Opelika Lady Bulldogs softball team split a pair of games last week, beating Beulah 15-1 and losing 11-0 to area foe Benjamin Russell.

Opelika used a solid pitching performance

by Makai Gagliano and added 15 runs to win 15-1 in a five-inning mercy rule game. Gagliano struck out four, allowed two hits and one run to earn her third win of the season.

Chloe Clark and Kayla Fourtenbary led Opelika offensively. Clark belted two doubles, a single, scored three runs, walked and added three runs batted in. Foutenbary doubled, added two singles, two RBIs, scored twice and walked. Chelsea Carr added two doubles and three RBIs and Gagliano doubled with one RBI. Tory Baker, Dreamer Denmark, Avery Davis and Daysia Jones each singled.

Coach Tina Deese's team opened area play with a 11-0 loss to Benjamin Russell at West Ridge. Elizabeth Weygand and Clark each singled for our only hits.

BASEBALL Bulldog head baseball coach Nick Richardson uses the following motto when he creates his team's schedule.

"You play the best

if you want to be the best."

Of the Bulldogs' fivegame stretch last week, four opponents ranked among the state's top 10.

Opelika used three pitchers, Jackson Reynolds, Andrew Parr and Jared Bartlett, to shutout the Rams, 2-0 at Crestview Field in Fairfax last Monday.

Jared Willis, T.J. Jones, Brody Davis, Micah Christian and Kory McCoy each added singles.

Four local high school rivals, Opelika, Smiths Station, Central and Auburn, hosted the "East Alabama Classic".

This a two-day event allows high school baseball teams across the state to travel to East Alabama and play four highly ranked teams.

Opelika opened Friday night with a 13-3 win over Helena. Parr earned the win, pitching six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and five strikeouts.

Offensively, Jones led the way with four hits. scored two runs, two RBIs and walked once. Christian, Takeal Demunn, McCoy and Davis each added two hits apiece. Willis, Bartlett, Trent Fields and Jackson Craft all See Sports, page B2

Four Opelika High School students in Judy Eldred’s Culinary I class placed second in Alabama’s first Junior Chef Competition March 7 at Carver High School in Montgomery.

The competition was hosted by the School Program Staff at the Alabama Department of Education Child Nutrition Program.

Special to the Opelika Observer

Mark Green, Takia Reid, Creston Canady and Maleah Upshaw each received a $10,000 scholarship to Sullivan

Robert Noles/ Opelika Observer Opelika Middle School hosted Sanford Middle School last week. The Lady Bulldogs dropped the contest 5-0.

OHS baseball finishes 2-2 in East Alabama Classic last weekend Turn to B2 for more photos from Opelika’s 1-0 win Friday against Saraland.

A division of

SPORTSMED

OPELIKA

See Chef, page B8

OMS softball hosts Sanford Middle

www.theorthoclinic.com

742-6408

University in Kentucky for their Hawaiian pulled pork and sweet potatoes.

“It feels awesome,”

Green said. “This is our first time ever placing for Opelika, so we like feel as if we made history.”

Reid agreed, noting that it “felt really good” because they were the first of Eldred’s students who had placed that high in competition.

“I think what made us do so well is we kept reminding each other that it was more about just having fun instead

749-8303 OPELIKA

Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

pelika O Observer

B2 March 21, 2018

Sports, from B1

singled.

In the second game of the night, a 1-0 win against Saraland, Reynolds pitched seven shutout innings, striking out 10 with no walks. Two Bulldogs, Bartlett and Christian, added the only hits in the game.

Saturday, Hartselle scored five runs in the third inning to open up a close game on their way to a 9-0 win over OHS. The Bulldogs were only able to get two singles, provided

by Jones and Christian.

Theodore beat Opelika 11-7 in the last game of the tournament at Bulldog Park Saturday. The two teams combined for 18 hits, 11 by the Bobcats and 7 by the Bulldogs.

Jones continued his hot streak at the plate, adding three hits which gave him nine hits during the tournaments.

As of Monday, Opelika's record stood at 10-9. The Bulldogs will play the third game of a series against Stanhope Elmore tonight in

Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

Millbrook.

GIRLS TENNIS The Lady Bulldog tennis team defeated the Panthers of Smiths Station 8-1 last week.

Singles winners included: Sara Hollis Smith T 8-1; Martlynn Grouby 8-3; Readen Gagliano 8-3; Blake Bell 8-3 and Laney McTier 8-3. Opelika swept the doubles, with Grouby/ Gagliano winning 8-3, Smith T/McTier 8-2 and Bell/ Victoria Tufts 8-3.

BOYS TENNIS The Opelika boys tennis team slipped

by Smiths Station 5-4.

Singles winners were: Conner Pruitt 8-3; Austin Crowley 8-4 and Jack Whatley 8-0.

The Bulldogs swept the three doubles matches.

Hudson/Pruitt won 8-2 and Crowley/McKay 8-4.

GIRLS SOCCER The Lady Bulldog soccer team beat Wetumpka 4-0 in an area match. Amiya Brown pulled a hat trick, scoring three goals. Madi Rush added the other goal.

Opelika improved to 2-0 against area opponents.

The girls were shutout 1-0 against

Central. Opelika takes a 6-3-2 record into spring break.

BOYS SOCCER The Opelika boys soccer team beat Wetumpka 4-0 in an important area match.

Jafeht Marin netted two goals while teammates Anthony Alba and Jose Cruz added one goal each. Yordi Chavez and Jasson Vasquez each assisted.

Braden McKay continues to play solidly at goal keeper.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 1-1 in area competition.

Central traveled to the James W. Samford Soccer Complex at the Sportsplex to play Opelika. The Bulldogs trailed 2-0 in the first half before cutting the lead in half after Marin converted a Marshall Meyers penalty kick.

Opelika won the game with less than four minutes remaining after Jesus Reyes scored off an assist from Ethan Souphanthong.

The boys improved to 7-4-2.

WEEK AHEAD Opelika City Schools students are on Spring Break this week. Baseball is the only sport

playing this week.

The Bulldogs hosted Stanhope Elmore and Marbury Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.

The Bulldogs will travel to Millbrook today for two games, against Stanhope Elmore and Marbury.

First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

FOOTBALL NEWS Opelika will have a nine-game football schedule after Greenville backed out of the agreement to play a two-year home-andaway series. Greenville Coach Josh McLendon said his administration would not allow him to play 6A Opelika, becuase of the disparagement in talent. The game was scheduled for Sept. 21 at Bulldog Stadium. This loss leaves Opelika with four home games this year. The bye week is after playing rival Central and before facing area foe Benjamin Russell.

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

Robert Noles/Opelika Observer The annual Ball Players Play Against Cancer event was held March 4. In the last five years, proceeds of more than $70,000 from the fundraiser were used to benefit the East Alabama Medical Center. Turn to B6 for more photos and highlights of the game.

Parents voice student safety concerns at Lee County Board of Education meeting

proactive to have solutions, not complaints.”

Lee County Schools Superintendent James “Mac” McCoy told the parents he is working with Sherriff Jay Jones and the schools to come up with a date for a forum. “I appreciate your

The focus of the Lee County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night was the safety of students while at school.

Several parents voiced their concerns to the

Stephanie Woods, parent.

“I volunteer at the school, I’m there a lot. I see the amount of people that come in and out, and in and out, and in and out.

The idea that someone can just buzz a door and they can go from there it’s a scary thought these

board during the meeting about student’s safety since the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, last month. Parents said they just want their voices to be heard, as well as their ideas.

“Our front entrance (East Smiths Station Elementary), basically you press a button and the secretary inthe office buzzes you in and then you have free reign at that point. There is nothing blocking you from going any further,” said

Shawn Kirkpatrick/Opelika Observer days.”

Scott Billingslea started positive attitude. Being proactive is the best a Facebook page for way. Hopefully we can parents in Lee County all work together to keep after the Parkland shootour students and children ing and the lockdown at safe.” the high school where In other business, the his wife works. “After board: the events last month in - approved to award a Florida and the lockdown bid to the lowest bidat Smiths Station High der for The Beauregard School, it was told to us there would be a meeting Project Rebid, first team with parents. So I am here accepting alternate 1 and 2 for a construction cost to formally request that meeting,” Billingslea told of $21,635,000.

-authorizes superintend board members. “We’d like to have an open dialogue. We’d like to be See LCSB, page B6

By Shawn Kirkpatrick Opelika Observer

Opelika

B3

Family & Religion

March 21, 2018

God at the Center

L

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

ena Paahlsson was doing some Christmas baking with her daughters at the family’s farmhouse in central Sweden. After they finished and were cleaning up, she went to the place where she had laid her wedding ring—but it wasn’t there. They couldn’t find it anywhere although they looked everywhere. Feelings of despair and frustration set in. As far as wedding rings go, this was extra special as Lena had designed it herself.

It was a thin band of white gold with seven small diamonds encircling it.

And it was nowhere to be found.

Fast forward 16 years. Lena is out in her garden pulling up some carrots. She pulls up one that is too small and is about to toss it on the compost pile when something catches her eye—there is something glittery around the top of the carrot. Upon closer

away. The examinabook of tion she is Ezra takes shocked to up this story see it is her about fifty lost wedyears later ding ring! when alApparently,

by Bruce Green most 50,000 the ring Teaching Minister at Jewish somehow 10th Street Church of people reended up in Christ in Opelika turn to Jeruthe scraps salem from going on the compost pile. From Babylon to build a new temple. there it was mixed into You could easthe garden and sixteen years later a carrot grew ily make the argument that the book of Ezra through it. (This is is structured around probably the only time in history a woman has the temple. It was so important that the man gotten so excited about who ruled the world, a one carrot ring!). the Persian king Cyrus, The temple was Isissued a decree for the rael’s wedding ring. It temple to be built in was “the house of Jerusalem (1:2). This God.” It was where proclamation sets evIsrael came together. erything in the book in It was the place where motion.

God met man. The This stress contintemple spoke to Israel ues in chapter three as of these realities and the writer records the more. building of the altar It had been lost to and the laying of the them when Nebutemple’s foundation. chadnezzar and the In chapter four there Babylonians invaded are idolatrous outsiders Jerusalem in 586 BC, (identified as “enemies” destroying the temple in v. 1) who wanted to and sending the people

Church Calendar

• Liberty Baptist Church invites everyone to “Music Only” services every fifth Sunday night.

Special groups and singers will be invited to participate and lead the worship. Liberty Baptist is located at 2701 West Point Parkway.

• Every fifth Sunday evening, Lake Pointe Baptist Church, located at 8352 Highway 50 in Dadeville, hosts a gospel singing at 6:30 p.m.

• The Auburn Music Club Singers practice on Tuesdays during the academic year from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the music ministry room at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Church Drive off South Gay

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

Please submit your church announcements to editor@ opelikaobserver.com!

Content must be turned in by Friday at noon for Wednesday publication.

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

ANIMAL HEALTH CENTER

HOMER S. (BUDDY) BRUCE, D.V.M. BRUCE ENTERPRISES, INC.

1520 Second Ave. Opelika, AL 36801

745.0060

24-Hour Service

Street. New members are welcomed.For more information, contact director Phyllis Gauker at 334-887-7261 or at pgauker@ bellsouth.net.

• A community-wide program for people with memory loss will be held at Auburn United Methodist Church every Tuesday and Thursday. Classes will last from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. For more information, contact program director Betsy Lethander by email at Betsy.Lethander@aumc.net, or by phone at 334-444-9632 for more information.

Events can be emailed to the Observer at editor@opelikaobserver.com.

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

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

assist the Jews in building the temple. When their help was turned down, they showed their true colors and “set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans” (v.

4). Later they wrote a letter to the king (Artaxerxes/Cambyses) and construction upon the building was halted for about a decade.

Chapter five opens with the work on the temple resuming with the support and encouragement of Haggai and Zechariah. They hadn’t received official clearance from the government but God had made it clear through Haggai they were to resume (see Haggai 1:7-8). Permission from the government (i.e., Darius) followed in chapter six and the temple was finally completed. Though it was much smaller than Solomon’s structure, it had taken 22 years to

complete compared to the 7 years Solomon’s temple took.

All in all, “temple” or “house of God” occurs 54 times in the book.

There was no temple in Babylon. We are to understand that Israel was not restored by returning to Jerusalem—they were restored through the rebuilding of the temple and the worship that flowed from it. God was among His people and in the center of their life as He was before. And like Lena Paahlsson, there was much rejoicing when what was lost to them was restored (6:16, 22).

We don’t need a temple today as Israel did because the church is the temple of God (Ephesians 2:19ff). But we need to learn from episodes like this and have the passion necessary to keep God in the center of our lives.

Bruce has written a new book on the prophets called Known Intimately Loved Ultimately. It is available through 21st Century Christian.

Verse of the Week “For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land,” Song of Solomon 2:11-12 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 8685 AL Hwy. 51 #749-4469 Pepperell United Methodist 200 26th St. #745-9334 Trinity United Methodist Church 800 Second Ave. #745-2632 Wesley Memorial United Methodist 2506 Marvyn Pkwy #745-2841 PENTECOSTAL Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Hwy. 29, PO Box 1691 #741-8675 Gateway Community Church 2715 Frederick Rd #745-6926 PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church of Opelika 900 2nd Ave. #745-3421 Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Rd #745-4889 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Outreach Seventh-Day Adventist 1808 S. Long St. #749-3151 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Apostolic Holiness Church 610 Canton St. #749-6759 Auburn Opelika Korean Church 1800 Rocky Brook Rd #749-5386 Beauregard Full Gospel Revival 2089 Lee Road 42 #745-0455 Christ Church International 1311 2nd Ave. #745-0832 Church of the Harvest 2520 Society Hill Rd #745-2247 Church at Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy #705-0505 East Congregation of Jehovah Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. #737-1488 Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance 207 S. Railroad Ave. #745-6430 Faith Alliance Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #749-9516 Faith Christian Center 600 S. 8th St. Faith Church 3920 Marvyn Pkwy #707-3922

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

Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More!

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

The Jeffcoat Trant Funeral Home Gospel Train Sunday mornings from 6-10 a.m.

pelika O Observer

B4 March 21, 2018

LEGALS In accordance with Section 10A-1- 9.22 of the Code of Alabama, notice is hereby given that Opelika TOC Properties, LLC was dissolved on March 7, 2018. Any persons with claims against the corporation should send written notice to Opelika TOC Properties, LLC, Attention: Frazier K. Jones, M.D., 121 North 20th Street, 18 Medical Arts Center, Opelika, AL 36801.

Such claim should set forth the name of the claimant, the address and telephone number of the claimant, the nature of the claim, including but not limited to, all facts supporting your claim and the date such claim arose. Any claim against the Corporation will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce the claim is commenced within two years after the publication of this notice.

Legal Run 3/21/2018

SYNOPSIS OF ZONING NOTICE The City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 204 S. 7 th Street, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend the Development Plan for National Village PUD. The applicants, The Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama and the Teacher’s Retirement

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DOLORES H. HOGAN, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 5 th day of March, 2018, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

ROBERT D. HOGAN, JR. Personal Representative Legal Run 3/14, 3/21 & 3/28

NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO: 2018-A-148 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of ALLISON VINES, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Pro-

bate Office by RUTH COPELAND VINES on March 19, 2018, pursuant to Section 43-2-690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent.

BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 3/21/18, 3/28/18, 4/5/18

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF MIRIAM C. COX DECEASED PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY CASE NO: 2017-C-053 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of MIRIAM COX, deceased having been granted to Walter Cox on the 11th day of Jan, 2018 by Honorable

William English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same be barred.

BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 3/21, 3/28, & 4/05/2018

ORDINANCE NO. 006-18 ORDINANCE ANNEXING CERTAIN PROPERTY TO THE CITY OF OPELIKA (PLAINSMEN DEVELOPMENT, INC., PROPERTY) WHEREAS, on the 6th day of February 2018, Plainsmen Development, Inc., an Alabama corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “Petitioner”) being the owner of the property hereinafter described, did file a Petition for Annexation (the “Petition”) with the City of Opelika, Alabama, a municipal corporation, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, requesting the annexation of certain property owned by the Petitioner as more particularly described below; and WHEREAS, said Petition did contain the signatures of all owners of the described territory and a map of said property showing its relationship to the corporate limits of the City of Opelika; and WHEREAS, the territory to be annexed is contiguous to the existing corporate limits of the City of Opelika and does not embrace any territory within the corporate limits of another municipality, and when annexed into the City of Opelika will form a homogenous part of the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Opelika did determine that it is in the public interest that said property be annexed into the City of Opelika and it did further determine that all legal requirements for annexing said real property have been met pursuant to Sections 11-42-20 through 11-42-24, Code of Alabama (1975).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Opelika, Alabama as follows: Section 1. The City Council of the City of Opelika, finds and declares as the legislative body of the City of Opelika that it is in the best interest of the citizens of the City of Opelika, and the citizens of the affected area, to bring the territory described in Section 2 of this Ordinance into the City of Opelika.

Section 2. The boundary lines of the City of Opelika, Alabama, be, and the same are hereby altered or rearranged so as to include

System of Alabama (collectively “RSA”), have heretofore submitted to the City Council a proposed amended Development Plan for approximately 7.32 acres of National Village PUD. The proposed amended Development Plan will add nineteen (19) courtyard homes within a 7.32-acre parcel located in Village 6 of the Master Plan, or more commonly referred to as the “Town Center”. The proposed amendment will increase the density in Village 6 from 2.00 units per

NOTICE OF ABADONED MOTOR VEHICLE SALE To be held on Friday, April 6, 2018, at 10 a.m. at Best 4 Less at 2509 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801. 1HGCG1658WA073347 1998 HONDA ACCORD Legal Run 3/14/18 & 3/21/18

all of the territory hereto before encompassed by the corporate limits of the City of Opelika, Alabama, and in addition thereto the following described territory, to-wit: All the certain tract of land containing 160.69 acres lying in and being a part of Section 32, Township 19 North, Range 27 East, Lee County, Alabama being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at a 3/4” Open Top Pipe at the Southeast Corner of Section 32, Township 18 North, Range 27 East in Lee County, Alabama, go N03°36’00”W, 784.00 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING, thence go N03° 36' 00”W, 2993.20 feet, thence following a curve with a chord bearing of S89° 16' 53"W, chord distance of 106.78 feet, with a radius concaving to the southwest 60.00 feet, thence go S88° 40' 32"W, 1021.74 feet, thence go S06° 35' 58"W, 236.76 feet, thence go S18° 59' 41 "E, 193.43 feet, thence go S39° 12' 08"W, 116.01 feet, thence go N83° 55' 26 "W, 85.19 feet, thence go S32° 08' 17"W, 314.90 feet, thence go N82° 51' 04"W, 116.58 feet, thence go S67° 03' 19"W, 98.18 feet, thence go S70° 20' 56 "W, 77.74 feet, thence go S29° 36' 12"E, 191.87 feet, thence go S12° 34' 49"E, 231.75 feet, thence go S10° 23' 19"W, 215.90 feet, thence go S36° 22' 22"W, 203.69 feet, thence go S67° 45' 23"W, 162.96 feet, thence go S66° 04' 28"W, 144.51 feet, thence go S50° 11' 56"W, 135.17 feet, thence go S17° 49' 17"E, 131.90 feet, thence go S35° 17' 50"W, 152.65 feet, thence go N88° 29' 59"E, 62.72 feet, thence go S15° 09' 39"E, 4.65 feet, thence go S37° 18' 29"E, 131.55 feet, thence go S32° 19' 31"E, 102.35 feet, thence go S12° 54' 26"E, 171.90 feet, thence go S45° 34' 58"E, 159.06 feet, thence go S14° 02' 37"E, 69.55 feet, thence go S00° 31' 14"W, 217.19 feet, thence go S12° 40' 17"E, 71.19 feet, thence go S06° 32' 18"W, 82.20 feet, thence go S37° 13' 20"W, 124.31 feet, thence go

acre to 3.27 units per acre.

Public Notice of this public hearing with insertion of the proposed ordinance was first published on March 21, 2018, in the Opelika Observer. This notice is given pursuant to Section 11-52- 78 Code of Alabama (1975).

THIS NOTICE is given under my hand this the 21day of March, 2018. /s/ R. G. Shuman CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 3/21/2018

NOTICE OF ABADONED MOTOR VEHICLE SALE To be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at 10 a.m. at Best 4 Less at 2509 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801. 1C3CCCAB9FN607150 2015 CHRYSLER 200 Legal Run 3/21/18 & 3/28/18

N87° 50' 52"W, 259.56 feet, thence go N74° 30' 01"W, 139.95 feet, thence go N65° 59' 32"W, 89.16 feet, thence go N71° 42' 26"W, 124.05 feet, thence go N58° 39' 52"W, 116.42 feet, thence go N55° 03' 45"W, 89.34 feet, thence go N55° 05' 21"W, 92.56 feet, thence go N47° 51' 44"W, 94.47 feet, thence go N37° 32' 19"W, 137.12 feet, thence go N51° 22' 33"W, 121.74 feet, thence go N80° 25' 08"W, 138.54 feet, thence go N38° 53' 43"W, 156.75 feet, thence go N59° 09' 16"W, 151.24 feet, thence go N55° 55' 42"W, 71.00 feet, thence go N20° 41' 39"W, 117.27 feet, thence go N30° 17' 06"W, 50.10 feet, thence go N48° 47' 11"W, 63.74 feet, thence go N61° 37' 45"W, 67.43 feet, thence go N79° 46' 31"W, 37.56 feet, thence go N85° 28' 49"W, 33.89 feet, thence go S32° 45' 15"W, 39.33 feet, thence go S17° 15' 37"E, 264.93 feet, thence go S39° 01' 08"E, 156.48 feet, thence go S29° 54' 15"E, 109.22 feet, thence go S20° 03' 57"E, 109.76 feet, thence go S26° 47' 04"E, 121.40 feet, thence go S28° 04' 43"E, 109.13 feet, thence go S41° 57' 39"E, 125.27 feet, thence go S54° 52' 49"E, 115.84 feet, thence go N75° 06' 18"E, 189.85 feet, thence go S74° 34' 20"E, 165.76 feet, thence go S19° 58' 33"E, 172.71 feet, thence go S48° 10' 32"E, 188.57 feet, thence go S32° 40' 16"E, 99.50 feet, thence go S10° 56' 26"W, 72.22 feet, thence go S49° 29' 59"W, 81.98 feet, thence go S63° 07' 49"E, 131.71 feet, thence go S56° 29' 12"E, 78.91 feet, thence go N53° 17' 06"E, 83.34 feet, thence go N26° 02' 37"E, 117.27 feet, thence go S72° 52' 13"E, 132.96 feet, thence go S65° 10' 58"E, 181.35 feet, thence go S21° 28' 17"W, 189.12 feet, thence go N89° 11' 12"E, 35.93 feet, thence following a curve with a chord bearing of S39° 58’ 21”E, chord distance of 76.66 feet, with a radius concaving to the northeast 50.00 feet, thence go N89° 11' 00"E, 920.87 feet, thence go N33° 02' 11"W, 192.45 feet, thence go N79° 11' 50"E, 473.47 feet,

thence go N32° 40' 46"W, 326.37 feet, thence following a curve with a curve bearing of N00° 37’ 58”E, a chord distance of 66.13 feet, with a radius concaving to the east 70.00 feet, thence go S67° 34' 15"E, 198.58 feet, thence go S84° 24' 21"E, 434.42 feet, thence go N51° 27' 07"E, 525.74 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING. LESS AND EXCEPT however such portion thereof, if any, previously annexed into the City of Opelika, Alabama.

Section 3. A map or plat of a survey describing the territory annexed and showing its relation to the corporate limits of the City of Opelika shall be attached to this ordinance, marked Exhibit “B” and made a part hereof.

Section 4. The Clerk of the City of Opelika is hereby authorized and directed to file with the Probate Judge of Lee County, Alabama, a certified copy of this ordinance, together with a certified copy of the petition of the property owner and the Clerk is further directed to take all necessary and proper steps to perfect the annexation of said territory herein described.

Section 5. This ordinance shall be published as provided by law in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Alabama.

Section 6. The territory described in this ordinance shall become a part of the corporate limits of the City of Opelika upon publication of this ordinance as set forth in Section 5 above.

ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 20th day of March, 2018. /s/ Patricia Jones PRESIDENT PRO-TEM OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ R. G. Shuman CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 21st day of March, 2018. /s/ R. G. Shuman CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 21st day of March, 2018. /s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST: /s/ R. G. Shuman CITY CLERK Legal Run 3/21

SYNOPSIS OF ZONING NOTICE The City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 204 S. 7th Street, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map of the City of Opelika by zoning or districting the parcel of land hereinafter described to a R-2 District (Low-Density Residential District): All the certain tract of land containing 160.69 acres lying in and being a part of Section 32, Township 19 North, Range 27 East, Lee County, Alabama being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at a 3/4” Open Top Pipe at the Southeast Corner of Section 32, Township 18 North, Range 27 East in Lee County, Alabama, go N03°36’00”W, 784.00 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING, thence go N03° 36’ 00” W, 2993.20 feet, thence following a curve with a chord bearing of S89° 16’ 53” W, chord distance of 106.78 feet, with a radius concaving to the southwest 60.00 feet, thence go S88° 40’ 32” W, 1021.74 feet, thence go S06° 35’ 58” W, 236.76 feet, thence go S18° 59’ 41” E, 193.43 feet, thence go S39° 12’ 08” W, 116.01 feet, thence go N83° 55’ 26” W, 85.19 feet, thence go S32° 08’ 17” W, 314.90 feet, thence go N82° 51’ 04” W, 116.58 feet, thence go S67° 03’ 19” W, 98.18 feet, thence go S70° 20 ‘ 56 “W, 77.74 feet, thence go S29° 36 ‘ 12 “E, 191.87 feet, thence go S12° 34’ 49” E, 231.75 feet, thence go S10° 23’ 19” W, 215.90 feet, thence go S36° 22’ 22” W, 203.69 feet, thence go S67° 45’ 23” W, 162.96 feet, thence go S66° 04’ 28” W, 144.51 feet, thence go S50° 11’ 56” W, 135.17 feet, thence go S17° 49’ 17” E, 131.90 feet, thence go S35° 17’ 50” W, 152.65 feet, thence go N88° 29’ 59” E, 62.72 feet, thence go S15° 09’ 39” E, 4.65 feet, thence go S37° 18’ 29” E, 131.55 feet, thence go S32° 19’ 31” E, 102.35 feet, thence go S12° 54’26” E, 171.90 feet, thence go S45° 34’ 58” E, 159.06 feet, thence go S14° 02’ 37” E, 69.55 feet, thence go S00° 31’ 14” W, 217.19 feet, thence go S12° 40’ 17” E, 71.19 feet, thence go S06° 32’ 18” W, 82.20 feet, thence go S37° 13’ 20” W, 124.31 feet, thence go N87° 50’ 52” W, 259.56 feet, thence go N74° 30’ 01” W, 139.95 feet, thence go N65° 59’ 32” W, 89.16 feet, thence go N71° 42’ 26” W, 124.05 feet, thence go N58° 39’ 52” W, 116.42 feet, thence go N55° 03’ 45” W, 89.34 feet, thence go N55° 05’ 21” W, 92.56 feet, thence go N47° 51’ 44” W, 94.47 feet, thence go N37° 32’ 19” W, 137.12 feet, thence go N51° 22’ 33”

W, 121.74 feet, thence go N80° 25’ 08” W, 138.54 feet, thence go N38° 53’ 43” W, 156.75 feet, thence go N59° 09’ 16” W, 151.24 feet, thence go N55° 55’ 42” W, 71.00 feet, thence go N20° 41’ 39” W, 117.27 feet, thence go N30° 17’ 06” W, 50.10 feet, thence go N48° 47’ 11” W, 63.74 feet, thence go N61° 37’ 45” W, 67.43 feet, thence go N79° 46’ 31” W, 37.56 feet, thence go N85° 28’ 49” W, 33.89 feet, thence go S32° 45’ 15” W, 39.33 feet, thence go S17° 15’ 37” E, 264.93 feet, thence go S39° 01’ 08” E, 156.48 feet, thence go S29° 54’ 15” E, 109.22 feet, thence go S20° 03’ 57” E, 109.76 feet, thence go S26° 47’ 04” E, 121.40 feet, thence go S28° 04’ 43” E, 109.13 feet, thence go S41° 57’ 39” E, 125.27 feet, thence go S54° 52’ 49” E, 115.84 feet, thence go N75° 06’ 18” E, 189.85 feet, thence go S74° 34’ 20” E, 165.76 feet, thence go S19° 58’ 33” E, 172.71 feet, thence go S48° 10’ 32” E, 188.57 feet, thence go S32° 40’ 16” E, 99.50 feet, thence go S10° 56’ 26” W, 72.22 feet, thence go S49° 29’ 59 “ W, 81.98 feet, thence go S63° 07’ 49” E, 131.71 feet, thence go S56° 29’ 12” E, 78.91 feet, thence go N53° 17’ 06” E, 83.34 feet, thence go N26° 02’ 37” E, 117.27 feet, thence go S72° 52’ 13” E, 132.96 feet, thence go S65° 10’ 58” E, 181.35 feet, thence go S21° 28’ 17” W, 189.12 feet, thence go N89° 11’ 12” E, 35.93 feet, thence following a curve with a chord bearing of S39° 58’ 21” E, chord distance of 76.66 feet, with a radius concaving to the northeast 50.00 feet, thence go N89° 11’ 00” E, 920.87 feet, thence go N33° 02’ 11” W, 192.45 feet, thence go N79° 11’ 50” E, 473.47 feet, thence go N32° 40’ 46” W, 326.37 feet, thence following a curve with a curve bearing of N00° 37’ 58” E, a chord distance of 66.13 feet, with a radius concaving to the east 70.00 feet, thence go S67° 34’ 15” E, 198.58 feet, thence go S84° 24’ 21” E, 434.42 feet, thence go N51° 27’ 07” E, 525.74 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING. The above-described property will be developed as Phase IV of Fox Chase on Emerald Lake Subdivision. The above-described property lies generally south and west of Lee Road 621 and east of Pebble Shore Drive.

Public Notice of this public hearing with insertion of the proposed ordinance was first published on March 21, 2018 in The Opelika Observer.

This notice is given pursuant to Section 11-52- 78 Code of Alabama (1975).

THIS NOTICE is given under my hand this the 21 st day of March, 2018. /s/ R. G. Shuman_ CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA LEGAL RUN 3/21/2018

IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF MICHAEL GEORGE LANCE, Plaintiff, vs.

JANINE K. LANCE, Defendant, IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY,ALABAMA CASE NO.: DR-2018900031.00 NOTICE OF DIVORCE ACTION Janine Lance, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer Michael George Lance’s Petition for Divorce and

other relief by the 15th day of February, 2018, or thereafter judgment by default may be rendered against her in Case No. DR-2018-90031.00 Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Done this the 15th day of February, 2018.

Mary B. Roberson CIRCUIT CLERK LEE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT Legal run: 2/28/18, 3/7/18, 3/14/18, 3/21/18

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ROSA BERNICE HORNE, Deceased. CASE NO. 2018A- 124 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT TO BE PUBLISHED

BY EXECUTOR Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to RUSSELL DARREN

HORNE, on the 14 th day of March, 2018, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. BY: James E. Hall, Attorney for Executor.

Legal Run 3/21/18, 3/28/18 & 4/5/18

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DONATE TORREZ FLOYD, NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT Letters of Administration on the Estate of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 16th day of February,

2018, by Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. BILL ENGLISH Legal Run 3/21, 3/28 & 4/5/18

See Legals B6

pelika O Observer

B5 March 21, 2018

Sip & Savor Spring at Callaway Gardens March 15-18

Michelle Key/Opelika Observer

Happy Birthday Teresa Tzack

Submitted to the Opelika Observer

How to Feel Great at EAMC.

Volunteer!

AUXILIARY

334-528-5923 • www.eamc.org

Contact: Victoria Beasley

Volunteer Coordinator Victoria.Beasley@eamc.org

pelika O Observer

B6 March 21, 2018

LCSB, from B2 -ent or designee to negotiate with vendors from the state bid list for purchase of items not included in original bid.

-approved the upcoming 58 question survey for each board members to evaluate Superintendent James “Mac” McCoy. -approved out of state/ overnight field trips: -Beulah Elementary 6th Graders National Infantry Museum 3/21 Ft. Benning, GA -Beulah High Jr. Beta Club Georgia Aquarium 5/4, Atlanta, GA -Beulah High FBLA

State Conference 4/12-13, Birmingham, AL -Sanford 7th Graders National Infantry Museum 5/11 Ft. Benning, GA -Sanford Theatre Class Bill -- Heard Theater RiverCenter 3/16 Columbus, GA -West SSES Junior Beta Club 2018 Alabama Junior Beta Club Convention 3/22-23, Birmingham -West SSES 5th Graders POW Camp at Andersonville 4/3-4/4 Andersonville, GA -Smiths Station High JV Soccer Game at Shaw 4/11, Columbus, GA -Smiths Station High Art Club Columbus Art Museum 3/14, Columbus, GA -Smiths Station High JROTC JROTC Raider Challenge Competition

4/21, Harris County, GA -Smiths Station High Leadership Class Touring Chick-Fil- A Corporate Office 4/17, Atlanta, GA -Smiths Station High Beta Club Beta Club Convention 4/4-6 Birmingham, AL -Beauregard High Key Club Alabama District Convention 3/9-11 Montgomery, AL -Beauregard High FBLA State Conference 4/12-13 Birmingham, AL -South SSES 1st Graders Wild Animal Safari 4/13 Pine Mountain, GA -Beauregard Elementary Pre-K Students Disney On Ice 3/2 Columbus, GA -Beauregard Elementary 1st Graders Callaway Gardens 4/24-26 Pine Mountain, GA.

SPRING TERM 2018 Classes begin April 2, 2018 Open Registration March 19th-29th

10 am to 2 pm at Sunny Slope 1031 South College Street, Auburn, Alabama

Spring Term Catalogs Available March 12th For details, visit the OLLI website at www.olliatauburn.org Call 334-844-3105 or 844-3102

Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.

Legals, from B4 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF RALPH HADEN POWELL, Deceased. CASE NO. 2018-A-070 NOTICE TO FILE CLAIMS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary, having been granted to Haden Travis Bunn, as Executor of the Estate of Ralph Haden Powell, deceased, on the 8th day of March, 2018, 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.

HADEN TRAVIS BUNN - Executor of the Estate of Ralph Haden Powell, deceased.

Legal Run 3/21, 3/28 & 4/05/2018.

STATE OF ALABAMA IN THE PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY DOCKET NO. 2018-A- 133 RE: ESTATE OF ROBERT EDWARD JAMES, DECEASED: NOTICE OF PUBLICATION Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 9th day of March, 2018, by the 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 time allowed by law or the same will be barred. /s/ Sidney Porter James Nakhjavan, Executor Attorneys for Executor: Claud E. (Skip) McCoy, Jr., Esq. Johnson, Caldwell & McCoy, LLC 117 North Lanier Avenue, Suite 201 Lanett, Alabama 36863 (334) 644-1171 Anna F. Buckner, Esq. Anna F. Buckner, LLC 1859 Ogletree Road Auburn, Alabama 36830 (334) 246-5855 Legal Run 3/21, 3/28 & 4/05/2018

Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

pelika O Observer

Recipes, from A12 Pastitso (This recipe was given to our family when we lived in Athens, Greece.)

1 lb. long macaroni 1 stick margarine or butter I medium onion 1 Tbsp. oil 1 Tbsp. tomato paste

FOOD RATINGS Jersey Mike’s Subs 2336 Tiger Town Parkway, Opelika Score: 100 Momma Goldberg’s Deli 2701 Frederick Road, Opelika Score: 99 Smooth N’ Groove 2701 Frederick Road, Opelika Score: 99

2 lbs. ground beef 1 tsp. cinnamon Salt to taste 1 cup milk 5 large eggs 1½ cups grated Romano cheese Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. Drain.

Add butter to macaroni while it is hot, melting completely.

Cook onions in oil.

After onion softens, sear ground beef in same pan.

Add tomato paste,

cinnamon and salt to taste. Add water and cook about 15 minutes on medium heat.

Heat milk. Beat eggs and then add hot milk to eggs.

In a baking dish, layer macaroni, grated cheese and meat sauce. Repeat until everything is used with top layer being macaroni and grated cheese.

Add milk and egg mixture last.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Sausage and Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls (These are great for breakfast.)

2 cans crescent rolls 1 lb. sausage 1 pkg. 8-oz. cream

cheese 1 egg white Salt and pepper to taste Press one can of crescent rolls in the bottom of a greased 9x13 glass pan. Next, brown

Mama’s Apple Cake 2 cups sugar 1½ cups vegetable oil 3 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1½ tsp. vanilla 3 cups firm apples, diced Mix together

sugar and oil.

Add eggs and beat well.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to oil mixture. Stir in apples and vanilla and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased 9-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

B7 March 21, 2018

Aunt O’s Brown Sugar Pie 5 large eggs 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar ¾ cup milk 1 cup shredded coconut 1 tsp. vanilla 1 stick butter, softened 1 uncooked deep pie crust Mix all ingredients together. Pour into piecrust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. sausage in a skillet.

Drain off the grease and put sausage back in the skillet with the cream cheese until it is melted. Add salt and pepper to Nana’s Poppy Seed Chicken 8 chicken breast halves (boiled) 2 cans cream of chicken soup ½ cup sour cream 1 tube crushed Ritz crackers 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds Cook and

taste.

Pour the mixture over the crescent rolls.

Spread the other can of crescent rolls out and place over the sausage mixture.

chop chicken into small pieces. Add soup, sour cream and poppy seeds.

Pour into a glass casserole dish. Mix Ritz crackers with melted butter and put over chicken.

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Brush egg white over crescent rolls.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until crescent rolls are golden brown and sausage mixture is bubbly.

Bacon and Cheese Dip 8 oz. cream cheese, softened ½ cup mayonnaise 2 green onions, chopped 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese or Italian blend cheese 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled ½ cup Ritz Cracker crumbs Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, onions, cheese and bacon. Top with cracker crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with Ritz crackers.

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Robert Noles/Opelika Observer

Logan’s Roadhouse 2400 Gateway Drive, Opelika Score: 92 Rock N Roll Sushi 200 W. Glenn Ave., Auburn Score: 91 We are looking for highly motivated individuals who want to be part of a winning team. Sales Consultants daily responsibilities include prospecting (self generate), follow-up on company sales leads, presenting security products and services to businesses and homeowners, ensure proper contracts and continuous communication with sales management. We offer defined and established territories. Base salary plus an aggressive commission structure. Car allowance, company smart phone and IPad provided. Professional weekly training with dedicated sales trainer with one-on-one sales support. Excellent benefits including 401k, health/dental/vision/life insurance. Opportunity to qualify for 3 all expense paid trips a year.

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pelika O Observer

B8 March 21, 2018

Covington Recreation Center makes improvements to basketball courts

By Morgan Bryce Associated Editor The basketball courts at Opelika's Covington Recreation Center were sanded, re-polished and re-waxed last week. Supervisor Patrice Lipscomb

Chef, from B1

of just competing,” Reid said.

To prepare for the competition, the students picked a recipe that aligned with specific guidelines and practiced it for about a week. Their recipe had to use a commodity food item their cafeteria receives, include at least two Alabamagrown products and follow cafeteria nutritional guidelines. Eldred said following the nutritional guidelines proved to be challenging for the students at

first.

“When we started practicing it, [the students] realized there were some things they wanted to tweak and play with because some things tasted too strong, some things you couldn’t taste at all … and then they practiced plating, and we took their examples to the office, and we let some of our office staff look at it and give their opinion on what looks most appetizing to them,” Eldred explained.

The students also received some pointers on plating from Acre's "Chef de Cuisine" Caleb Fischer.

said the courts were in dire need of restoration. "We didn't realize the original color was as light as it is, simply because they told us that the color (resulted from) years and years of recoating it with wax.

It's either the first or

“He came one of the days we were practicing, and he showed [the students] how to position things to make it a little more eye-appealing,” Eldred said.

According to Eldred, her students received mostly positive feedback from the judges, and “the only truly negative critique” was the result of the students choosing to plate their dish differently from the recipe they submitted.

Because of the primarily positive feedback, both Reid and Canady said they expected first place, but they were still proud to place second.

second time since the building was built in the 1960s that it has sanded down to the wood like that," Lipscomb said.

The courts will reopen March 26.

Check the center's Facebook page for updates.

Some students, like Reid and Canady, did not cook at home much before joining the culinary class, but Reid said she cooks almost every day now. She enjoys making chicken dishes like alfredo and pot pie while Canady enjoys making omelets.

Green, on the other hand, used to help his mother cook homemade dishes when he was younger. Although this class was not his introduction to cooking, he said he has learned more about the culinary arts since taking Culinary I. The students each said they have developed an interest in fur-

Special to the Opelika Observer

ther pursuing culinary arts after high school since being in Culinary I and participating in the competition. Reid noted that since she is a senior, she has her mind set on something else, but culinary is still in the back of her mind as an option to pursue.

“I feel like I do enjoy cooking, so I’m definitely considering pursuing it in some type of fashion,” she said.

Mechanical engineering is on Canady’s radar, though he said he would still like to try culinary.

“I’m going to be joining [Culinary II] next year, definitely,” Canady said with a

smile.

Green named a plethora of interests including journalism, creative writing, engineering and music, but one of his biggest goals is continuing his culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

“I’m just a young boy with dreams,” Green said.

Eldred said she would love to have more of her students compete again next year.

“We had a good time.

The kids really enjoyed it,” Eldred said. “I think they did excellent.”

Local Girl Scout Troop visits Alabama State House Special to the Opelika Observer Legislators and other state elected officials gathered at the Alabama State House on March 8 with more than 100 Girl Scouts, volunteers and Girl Scout staff in order to educate and raise awareness about issues important to girls and young women.

The day began with Girl Scouts leading the Legislature in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Girl Scouts then greeted elected officials at their offices with Girl Scout Cookies and questions targeting what their specific duties were to Alabama.

“Throughout the day, Girl Scouts from across Alabama shared their leadership experience and were shining

examples of G.I.R.L.s (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader),” said Karlyn Edmonds, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA).

“Our goal was to share Girl Scout Programs that GSSA has been implementing all year, and the upcoming vision for the number one girl-led program, Girl Scouts.”

In an effort to build the leaders of tomorrow, GSSA prioritized the following initiatives: • Promote Economic Opportunities for Girls – Increase involvement in STEM and strengthen their financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills • Healthy Living Opportunities for Girls – Increase access to outdoor activities and prevent bullying/relational aggression and

build healthy relationships • Fostering Global Citizenship and a Global Voice for Girls - Girl Scouts is dedicated to ensuring that girls develop an increased awareness of the larger world around them and understand their relationship to it—even if they don’t travel beyond their own community—so they can grow into responsible global citizens • Supporting a Strong Non-Profit Community That Encourages the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girl Scouts support policies that help nonprofits screen, recruit, and retain staff and volunteers, as well as incentivize charitable giving. Charitable giving policies fuel the health of our nation

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Special to the Opelika Observer Front left to right: Alexis Sharpe, Rebekah-Grace Guthrie, Baileigh Alexander, Abby Grace Hess: Back, left to right: Hannan Cottrell, Jade Jones, Addison Kemp, Keliah Bulgar. and communities around the world Girl Scout Advocacy Day is just one of the ways Girl Scouts works across party lines to edu-

cate and raise awareness about issues important to girls and young women. Through their advocacy efforts, Girl Scouts demonstrates to

policymakers the need to inspire, prepare, and mobilize girls and those who care about them to lead positive change through civic action.

pelika O Opinion

B9 March 21, 2018

Mass shootings: how can we prevent them?

By Michaela Blackmon Special to the Opelika Observer In the recent news, one can read or hear about terrorist threats happening at local schools and mass shootings throughout the United States.

This could happen here, so do you know how mass shootings impact your local community? Are mass shootings a healthcare policy problem?

Should the community be concerned with this problem? If it is the government’s responsibility to promote and protect the public’s health, then I feel the answer is yes, it is a healthcare policy problem and the community should be concerned. I’m not sure about you, but I feel it is important to understand why things exist in this world and not just accept it because it’s been done that way for a decade.

Yes, one might say I was that annoying child asking “why” repeatedly when I didn’t understand things.

Consequently, I began researching this issue, and most individuals would be surprised to discover that our community has already been impacted by mass shootings.

To understand the impact, one must understand what health policy is.

So, to simplify, it is the movements taken by the governments (national, state and local) to improve the public’s health. This means it is not just one single movement but requires an assortment of legislative and regulatory efforts to ensure a safe

Hodge, from A4 signed a guest registry. Did you catch that? I signed an actual book, with a real pen. My name was put on an index card and filed into a small metal box. And then Gerri handed me a key. An ancient, much-handled, authentic key. I stood looking at it in my hand, and marveled.

Gerri patted my arm and said, “I know. Aren’t real keys lovely?”

Yes, Gerri. Yes, they are.

She led me up the stairs to the second floor where there was a parlor decorated in peaches and florals, old framed photographs, and antique 1930’s furniture. A sparkling chandelier cast a warm glow over the room, and we stood

environment. What is healthcare policy?

“Healthcare policy is the part of health policy that deals with the organization, financing and delivery of healthcare services” (WHO).

Henceforth, healthcare policy includes training of medical professionals, overseeing safety of drugs and medical devices, administering public programs like Medicare and regulating private health insurance.

Wow, that is a lot of information to digest, but let’s break it down more. Training of medical professionals (first responders, paramedics, nurses, physicians, etc.) and law enforcement that would need to respond to the aftermath of a mass shooting or an act of terrorism has already started in the community.

These individuals have defined roles within their scope of care (i.e., licensing boards of the state) and training may vary depending on those factors. This places the burden on both state and private agencies to offer training at various times and levels for individuals.

It is key to understand this training is on a voluntary basis, as it is not required by the government but is vital to the community.

Preparedness and training include various factors with key individuals and leaders such as, but not limited to the following: risk assessment of community, resource management, organizational deployment, communications, incident

management, competencies for training, equipment or supply needs, accessing and quality control of equipment, readiness of facilities, recovery, community education and financing.

The goal should be for the local community to work together utilizing resources (i.e., stakeholders) in attempts to either prevent or prepare for such events.

The impacted stakeholders vary from community members, medical professionals, hospitals, insurance companies, and governmental agencies.

Each of these stakeholders are ultimately impacted from a financial standpoint.

Treating a mass shooting incident requires a different emergency response approach than other scenarios with mass casualties or injuries from a bus crash or tornado disaster.

Improvements in emergency responses for mass shootings occurs by gathering and analyzing data. Unfortunately, because mass shootings are not recognized by the federal government under any healthcare policy, there is no system in place to gather and analyze data.

Local schools face the dilemma of implementing preventative measures which requires budgeting for various items from extra security systems, a local resource officer, and therapist and/or social worker trained to teach students how to handle stress and trauma of daily life.

Moreover, schools would need to teach staff how to recognize

and identify signs of students or individuals in danger of harm to themselves or others.

Most of the conceivable healthcare policy issues revolve around preventative measures.

Crucial information to recognize is when there is no mandated healthcare policy, funding comes from either the state or local level and not the federal government.

Moreover, there is no consistent regulation to ensure the safety of individuals across the US. Ok, just ponder the federal government mandates the Federal Emergency Management Administration and organizes responses to natural and man-made disasters, which includes confirming the readiness of both state and local healthcare providers. Based on my research, I could not find where mass shootings are covered under any current healthcare policy. “It is challenging to compare terrorism with mass shootings, but both are rare yet recurring, terrifying and to a considerable extent preventable acts of mass destruction” (Zhang). Policymakers invested millions to prevent the U.S. from another terrorist attack and to promote and to protect the public’s health.

Established healthcare policies related to acts of terrorism dictate that posting terrorist threats on social media result in an arrest and why we must remove our shoes in order to fly.

“There is a move to reverse a 22-yearold restriction on

a moment just taking it in. I was shown the game room where checkers and old paperbacks sat ready to be used.

The dining room was also on that floor, and the table sat ready for my breakfast the next morning. And, at last, my room. I opened the door with the key I still held in my hand and let myself in. Heavy drapes, four-poster bed, plush floral comforter, huge cherry wood dresser - just perfect.

I unpacked and rested on the bed, crossed the street and ate some supper, then returned to my room and settled in for the night.

Before long, the town went to shut down, and it seemed the whole world was asleep around me. I could hear the house breathing like an old cat on its ninth life, sighing and stretching occasionally as it

dreamed of the eight lives already lived.

Braving the dark, I left my room and stood in the parlor.

The moon glowed through the windows, and a small lamp burned down the hallway. It was just enough light to make the shadows move. I could imagine the gatherings held there, the conversations between friends, the lives played out underneath that roof.

I’d like to say that I had an encounter with a spirit, a flash of a ghost darting from room to room, or at least the moan of a restless soul.

But, no. I curled up on the ancient sofa and fell asleep like a child at the end of a long day.

And I dreamed ... of walking sticks and hats, of words on the wall, of checked tablecloths and pie, and of empty rooms.

That was the best night’s sleep I’ve

had in quite a while, and when I woke my fingers were curled around an ancient and lovely key.

Wendy Hodge is an Opelika native, an empty nester and lover of all things Opelika. She previously had a column titled “A Word or Ten”, which was featured in the Tennessee Star Journal and is currently awaiting release of her first novel with Harper Collins Publishing Company.

how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can fund gun-related research – which has essentially created a situation in which policymakers have very little up-todate data about what causes gun violence or how it can be prevented or reduced.

This restriction came from the Dickey Amendment, which suppressed the CDC’s research on gun violence” (Cunningham).

Most of the healthcare policies in place today are based on data collection and analysis.

There just seems to be that fine political line when it comes to guns in the U.S. that has stopped the federal government from funding such research or mandating policies.

In my opinion, a community goal should be to improve public discussions and support the development of fair and equal healthcare policies related to mass shootings just as the federal government has done for terrorism.

The U.S. government currently does not equally prioritize action and/or investment with anomalous violence. My personal view is if it’s the government’s obligation to promote and to protect the public’s health, then a healthcare policy should be mandated by the federal government.

I am not proclaiming that mass shootings have caused the same devastation of 9/11 and being raised in the South I understand the importance of firearms when it comes to providing food and security for the family. I believe

that policies can be established without taking constitutional rights away from law abiding individuals.

However, I do question how much more blood will be shed before policymakers take essential steps to evaluate mass shootings with data collection and make healthcare policy decrees that would protect the public’s health.

I believe that healthcare policy should start with instituting evidence- based gun control measures.

To conclude, I would like to commend our local community for taking preventative measures and valuing the significance of mass shootings.

Works Cited: Cunningham, Paige Winfield. “The Health 202: Gun Violence Research by the Government Hasn’t Been Funded in Two Decades. But That May Soon Change.”

The Washington Post, WP Company LLC, 22 Feb. 2018, www. washingtonpost.com/.

Zhang, Sarah. “Why Can’t the U.S. Treat Gun Violence as a Public-Health Problem?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 15 Feb. 2018, www.theatlantic.com/health/ archive/2018/02/ gun-violence- publichealth/553430/.

“Health Policy.”

WHO, World Health Organization, www. who.int/topics/health_ policy/en.

Blackmon is a graduate student at Auburn UniversityMontgomery in the MBA program.

Submitted to the Opelika Observer

pelika O Observer

B10 March 21, 2018

Claude Milton “Boots” Mitchell

OBITUARIES Ruby StarnesCulver Ruby StarnesCulver, age 95, a longtime resident of Opelika, passed away on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at Arbor Springs. She was born in Enterprise, Al. The child of Rufus C. Cannon and Pearl Boutwell Cannon.

Ruby is survived by her children: Curtis

Cannon, Carol Holladay of Opelika, and Cathey King of Auburn; also, eleven grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, and thirteen great great-grandchildren; Along with a number of other loving relatives and friends.

A funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, March 18, 2018 at Jeffcoat-

Trant Funeral Home.

A graveside service followed the funeral service at Garden Hills Cemetery. A visitation was held the evening prior to the funeral service Saturday, March 17, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

Jack C. Doss

Opelika, Molly (Caleb) Quinn of Canton, GA and JayciMarie Quinn of Opelika; great-granddaughter, Makayla LeGear of Opelika; and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Doss is preceded in death by his siblings: John Henry Doss and Shirley Ann Swartwout.

Mr. Doss was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to anyone that he met. Mr. Doss served honorably

in the United Sates Marine Corp and was a car salesman for over 35 years and never met a stranger.

When he passed, Mr. Doss was surrounded by family and loved ones, whom will truly miss him.

A memorial service for Mr. Doss was held Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. Dr. Rusty Sowell officiated.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

Gregory Mann, and Phillip Mann; 4 sisters; 3 brothers, as well as daughter-inlaw, Deanna Mann.

She is survived by her sons, Stephen Mann (Judy), and Scott Mann; brothers, Arnold Duvall (Paige) and Larry Duvall (Tommie Jo); grandchildren: Kristy Walls (Craig), Stephanie McDonald (Jody), Jason Mann, and

Jordan Mann; great grandchildren: Zach Walls, Baylee Walls, Raygan Walls, Ali McDonald and Ansli McDonald as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.

Frederick-Dean Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Jack C. Doss was born April 1, 1944 in Mendota, VA and he went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at age 73.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Sheila Doss of Opelika; daughters: Cheryl Doss of McDonough, GA and Mandy (Scott) Quinn of Opelika; grandchildren: Brittany (Joe) Ferguson of Katherine Duvall Mann Katherine Duvall Mann of Opelika, Alabama was born to the late James Luther and Ida Sims Duvall in Marshall County, Alabama on March 17, 1932 and passed away at Arbor Springs on March 10, 2018. She was 85 years old.

She was preceded in death by her sons,

Email us at editor@opelikaobserver.com to place an obituary.

Claude Milton “Boots” Mitchell, age 92, died at Bill Nichols State Veteran Home in Alexander City, Alabama on March 12, 2018 of natural causes.

Born on January 22, 1926, in Dadeville, AL to parents Claude and LuAnne Mitchell, Boots grew up on the family farm in the community of Beauregard, Al as the youngest of seven children.

In 1945, he joined the U.S. Merchant Marine Service and served for 2 years. During this time he worked on ships and visited the ports of Hong Kong, Shanghai, San Francisco and Honolulu. In the early 1950’s he joined the U.S. Air Force and worked as a radar technician.

While stationed in Front Royal, Virginia he met and married Claire Madeline

Timothy Peter Collins Sr. Timothy Peter Collins Sr., a lifelong resident of Opelika, Alabama, was the adopted son of the late Lillian Mary and Oliver Clark Collins. He was born April 3, 1956, and on March 9th of 2018, after a short but brave battle with various health concerns, he succumbed to them and passed away.

Timothy P. Collins Sr. was well educated and graduated with honors. He pursued a business career that he enjoyed. Despite various promotions and the progress in his career, he still longed for other opportunities.

He found great success working at Flowers Bakery, finding among his coworkers a number of acquaintances and friends.

In his later years, Timothy enjoyed many pastimes. He had a passion for collecting and

Houck in 1954. They later moved to Opelika, Alabama.

Boots owned and operated two businesses in downtown Opelika, the first of which was Mitchell TV, Sales and Service, and later Mitchell Furniture, for approximately 30 years. He was active in Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, Civitans, and Alabama Brittany Club where he judged and participated in field trials all over the Southeast and had the American Brittany Club National Champion, ‘Rosie’ in 1995.

He is pre-deceased by his parents and 6 brothers and sisters: Cecil, Ralph, Alfred, Sarah Rainey, Gladys Guy and Jessie Edwards. He is survived by his wife Claire; daughter Angela Calhoun, son-in-law Porter and granddaughter Grace of Franklin, TN; son Grady,

playing various movies and video games.

He collected musical and video equipment as well as working on and sometimes riding his two motorcycles, all while listening to his favorite electronic music.

He loved to manicure his lawn (often asking if he could do so for his neighbors) and insisted it be immaculate.

He was upbeat, courteous, and did his best to be respectful (although he was not always successful). He also loved to speak with others, something he would do for hours on end if given the opportunity, and never was it boring.

We will all miss Tim for his many eccentricities and his love of the things and people around him. Let our memories of him give us strength to find the right path in the darkest of places.

Timothy was proceeded in death by his

daughter-in-law, Arlene of Bakersfield, CA; son Jeff, daughter-in-law Sheryl of Auburn, AL, grandson Justin, granddaughter-in-law, Natalie, great grandchildren Eli, Brennan, Vidalia and Aurora of Mobile, AL; son John, daughter-in-law, Kathy, granddaughters Maria, Elise, and Julia of Opelika, AL and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services were held on Friday, March 16, 2018 at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home in Opelika. Visitation began at 12:30pm with funeral service at 2:00p.m, officiated by Reverend David Chunn. A burial at Garden Hill Cemetery followed.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home, 1784 Elkahatchee Road, Alexander City, AL, 35010.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

Mother, Lillian Mary Drinkwater Collins; Father, Oliver Clark Collins; Brother, James Collins, all of Opelika, Alabama.

Tim is survived by his son, Timothy Peter Collins Jr, (wife Mary); Tammy Hands Barreto (mother of Tim Jr); (nieces & nephew of Tim Sr) Jamie Jeanette Brunson, (husband William; children Lilith Kaile Paige and Tripp); Katie Collins Carter; James Patrick Collins; (sister & brothers of Tim Jr); Candace Neese (husband Jay, children Porter and Parker); Marc Citron; Jude Kammerling Childers.

Memorial services were held on March 17th, 2018 at the Marvyn Parkway Baptist Church located at 3001 Marvyn Pkwy in Opelika, AL. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Marvyn Parkway Baptist Church.

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pelika O Observer

B11 March 21, 2018

COMICS

A well-balanced person is one who finds both sides of an issue laughable. — Herbert Procknow

B12 March 21, 2018

pelika O E ntertainment

Last week’s answers:

3-14 SCRAMBLER ANSWERS: 1), Loathe 2), Flaunt 3), Outside 4), Brute Solution: Husband