Opelika Observer 06-24-2021 E-edition

Vol. 13, No. 37

Thursday, June 24, 2021

O GROWS FARMERS MARKET EVERY TUESDAY FROM 3 TO 6 P.M. AUBURN'S CITY MARKET EVERY SATURDAY FROM 8 TO 11 A.M.

pelika Observer O

Opelika, Alabama

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

Community Lifts Up Girls' Ranch After Tragedy PHOTO BY CHRISTAL PRATER / USED WITH PERMISSION

Girls from the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Girls Ranch and friends enjoy the beach at Gulf Shores during their summer vacation.

By Michelle Key and Hannah Lester The Lee County community has joined efforts from all across Alabama to show love and support to the

Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Girls Ranch, following a tragic traffic accident that occurred last weekend on I-65 in Butler County, taking the lives of 10 people.

Candance Gulley, the

two of her nephews, Josiah Dunnavant, 12, and 8-year-old Nicholas Dunnavant. Four girls that were residents at the Ranch also died. Their names and ages have not been released due to

director of the Ranch, is hospitalized from injuries that she suffered in the crash. Two of Gully’s children, Ben, age 3, and Isabella, age 16, perished in the accident along with

CyberZone Closes Due to Water Damage

lika in 2013. Since then, it has grown and changed, bit by bit, to the thriving business on N. 9th St. that attracts not only local visitors, but travelers from other parts of the state.

The Baks decided to replace the roof of CyberZone but did not realize the decision would result in their business closing

See ACCIDENT, page A3

By Michelle Key Publisher

indefinitely.

“We hired a roofing company and as a business we did our due diligence where we got a copy of their insurance, we got references, we checked references, from what we saw, they weren’t the cheapest bid we got,

J. W. Darden High School alumni gathered at the homesite of Dr. J.W. Darden last Friday to honor a beloved educator for the 70th anniversary of the school’s founding. The school was the first high school in Opelika for African American students.

Nearly 20 years ago, Delores Trimble, a member of the class of 1954, had the idea to create a quilt to honor both the school and a favorite teacher, A.L. Martin. She contacted her classmate, Katie Burton and the J. W.

See CYBERZONE, page A3

See DARDEN, page A3

Darden High School Alumni Association with her idea. After gaining their support, the project moved forward.

A representative from each class from 1951 to 1971 was given one quilt square to design.

Over the years, Burton and Trimble started PHOTO BY MICHELLE KEY / PUBLISHER

Elaine and Simon Bak were just beginning to feel that their business was recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic when tragedy struck CyberZone Entertainment Center again.

Last week, while having a new roof installed, Elaine and Simon realized that their business had been devastated from the heavy June rain.

CyberZone has been an Opelika location for laser tag, arcade games and entertainment for the last eight years.

The business began in Tennessee, but Elaine and Simon relocated it to Ope-

be found at www. signupgenius.com/ go/20f0d4fafaa23a3f58girls. Wayne Wommack, owner and operator of Backwater BBQ, set

J.W. Darden Alumni Honor A. L. Martin PHOTO BY HANNAH LESTER / OPELIKA OBSERVER

By Hannah Lester hlester@ opelikaobserver.com

privacy concerns.

Businesses, churches and individuals have jumped in to assist the Ranch with immediate and long-term needs.

A meal train was established and can

Contents OPINION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4

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

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7

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

RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A13

PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . . . . . B12

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

CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B12

June 29: Muse Muse will perform fan favorites by artists such as the Eagles, Beatles, CSN, James Taylor, Van Morrison, Little Big Town, Jason Isbell and more.

A2 June 24, 2021

Improvements Coming to Shady Park

Contributed by the city of Opelika

The city of Opelika has begun an improvement project at Shady Park. Crews will begin installing an ADA-compliant walking path and adding improvements with paved parking. The walking path will be 8 feet wide, paved, 1/3 of mile long and wrap around the park area.

CORRECTION: Last week we inadvertently had a headline stating that the Auburn Chamber of Commerce announced new board members.

It should have read that they were announcing new staff and promotions within the Chamber. We would like extend our apologies to the Chamber for this error.

“We are excited to bring more outdoor amenities to Shady Park for our community,” said a press release from the city. If you have any questions, please contact ADA Coordinator Kevin Rice at krice@opelika-al.gov.

For more information, visit the Shady Park Improvement Project website: www. opelika-al.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=503.

Patterson Paves the Way Born and raised here in Lee County, Charlotte Patterson has fought many fires during her life, but none quite big as the battle she fought with cancer.

Today, several females work at the Opelika Fire Department. However, Patterson remembers a time when it was not always that way. Patterson was the first female firefighter in Opelika, paving the way for those to come.

“It was pretty stressful,” Patterson said of her time at the department. “Something new for me and something new for the guys …

Some of them didn’t like me, some of them did.”

Patterson further described her job as a firefighter as “very stressful” and “very physical”. Yet, she stuck with it for 25 years, even atop her responsibilities as a paramedic.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than saving somebody’s life,” she said.

“And I’ve been in EMS [Emergency Medical Services] for over 30 years.”

Her love for the medical field and saving people’s lives came far before her time as a firefighter, however. Patterson said she worked in the local hospital as a respiratory therapist for nearly 15 years before going into EMS. When asked why she stuck around in Lee County for so long, Patterson simply said, “I don’t like big cities.”

Yet, Patterson began a new journey when she discovered she had en-

dometrial cancer in May 2017. Patterson recalls that, though her mother had never suffered from cancer, her father died of liver cancer in 2014.

Nonetheless, the news took Patterson by surprise, seeing as no one in her family had suffered endometrial cancer.

The process for treatment began with a hysterectomy, followed by five rounds of internal radiation. She received this treatment from Dr. Linda Farmer at East Alabama Medical Center [EAMC].

“They thought they got it all,” Patterson said.

“But I kept having this excruciating pain in my right side and they didn’t know why my insurance wouldn’t pay for a PET scan.”

Nine months later, Patterson finally received the PET scan she so desperately needed. It was then that her doctors realized the cancer had metastasized into the muscle. Instantly, Patterson was put through

pelika Observer

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rid of mine.”

This is why Patterson is working to find ways to connect other cancer fighters — whose bodies, like hers, are not responsive to the chemo — with the trial treatments at UAB. She encourages those who are currently fighting cancer to speak to their oncologist, and then reach out to the staff at UAB. “Because they have not just the treatment I’m on, but they have, I couldn’t tell you how many trials up there,” Patterson said. “They have a trial treatment for just about everything.”

For those not currently battling cancer, Patterson demands, “get those checkups, get those mammograms, every year.”

Through COVID and cancer, Patterson has fought tirelessly. 2021 will mark Patterson’s second year in remission.

“You just got to keep hope and not give up.

Especially when you went through chemo and it didn’t work, you get depressed, you get discouraged and you just want to quit everything because I went through all of that. But I fought it, and with the help from my nurses at UAB ... And, of course, Dr. Leath.”

Patterson affectionately calls one of her nurses, Terry, her “Hard Rock”. When Terry would see Patterson get down, she would firmly say, “I know you’re stronger than that.”

Now, Patterson feeds nearly 50 doctors and nurses lunch every other week when she goes in for her treatments.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY CHARLOTTE PATTERSON

By Emery Lay For the Opelika Observer

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

35 rounds of radiation.

During this term, she lost nearly 60 pounds.

“Then, I started my chemo immediately,” Patterson said. “After the second round of chemo, my body rejected it. So, they had to discontinue, and my doctor told me there wasn’t anything she could do for me; that it was a very rare cancer and she had never seen it go to where it went to.”

Typically, the cancer would have moved to an organ, if anywhere.

However, seeing as Patterson’s cancer had moved to a muscle, it was deemed inoperable. Patterson was left with one other option, presented to her by Dr. Farmer: receive a trial treatment from Dr. Charles Leath at the University of Alabama at Birmingham [UAB].

After having her bloodwork done and labs checked, Patterson began her trial treatments in 2018 at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. She reported

Publisher: Michelle Key Associate Sports Editor: Wil Crews Associate Editor: Hannah Lester Marketing: Woody Ross Photojournalist: Robert Noles Sports Writers: Rick Lanier, D. Mark Mitchell

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CORRECTIONS The Opelika Observer will correct any errors, omissions or inaccuracies deemed to be substantive. Corrections may be requested by contacting the editor at (334) 749-8003.

that the treatments did not make her sick, nor did she lose her hair as she had with her chemo treatments.

“It just makes you a little tired, [but] it’s a quick treatment,” Patterson said.

The medicine would be called in from the pharmacy and arrive in 30 little, frozen vials.

Patterson said they would thaw out the bottles, mix the formula and send it UAB. Once it arrived, it typically only takes 30 minutes to infuse and receive it. Thanks to her trial treatments, Patterson is now in remission, though she still receives weekly preventative treatments.

From her firefighting days, Patterson said she learned determination and brought this with her into her fight against cancer. Yet even Patterson was not immune to the perils of 2020. At the end of July, Patterson contracted COVID-19, causing her to miss a full month of treatment.

“I was already in remission [so] they weren’t real worried about me missing those two treatments,” Patterson said. “Their concern was just to get me over the COVID.” When Patterson received her negative COVID test, she went right back to getting her treatments again. Now, she has been vaccinated, receiving early access as a first responder. Even today, however, she still feels the effects of her virus last July.

Today, the treatment Patterson received is nearly discontinued.

There remain two other women at UAB receiving the treatment, which is keeping their cancer contained and withholding it from spreading.

Remarkably, Patterson is the only one in the country to receive the trial treatment and fully get rid of cancer.

“They had no idea it would get rid of it,” she said. “To this day, they don’t know why it got

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A3 June 24, 2021

Mama Mia! The Chamber is Going to Greece

By Emery Lay For the Opelika Observer The Opelika Chamber of Commerce is here to remind those living in the Lee County area that summer fun and tourist-destination-hopping does not have to end when summer comes to a close. If you are looking for a late-October vacation, this is your chance.

From October 21 to 29, 2021, the chamber will be spending a week full of fun in Greece.

The first two days will be spent in Athens, followed by subsequent travel days to Delphi, Olympia, Corinth and more.

“Traveling abroad together is a great opportunity to build community and camaraderie among our citizens, and >>

FROM A1

out to furnish frozen casserole meals that can be reheated and served as needed, and Gunners Auburn are planning a “Survivor’s Ride” to raise funds on July 24.

For more information about that event visit their Facebook page www. facebook.com/search/ top?q=auburn%20 gunners A list of items that would help the approximately 12 girls that remain at the ranch was distributed and include the following: - gift cards to hair salons - gift cards to nail salons - gift certificates to entertainment venues such as Cyberzone, Goodtimes, Rock ‘N Roll Pinall or Surge - movie certificates - Ipads/tablets

DARDEN

>>

FROM A1

piecing the quilt together, bringing the unfinished project to several class reunions.

The quilt, now completed, was hung at the homesite of Darden, who was the first African American doctor in Lee County and Opelika.

During the dedication, Trimble shared her thoughts on the project which is now complete.

“They [The class of

Other items that the Ranch needs include: - linens - cleaning products - mops and brooms - light bulbs - insect sprays, moth balls - first aid supplies - batteries - pool chemicals, supplies - garbage bags - shovels, rakes - work gloves, safety glasses - rugs - printer paper - RidX for septic tanks - vacuum cleaner - air filters A Go Fund Me Account was established on Sunday afternoon for the Ranch to help cover funeral costs, medical care and other needs.

By Wednesday morning, $493,833 had been donated. On Monday, accounts were also set up for the Dunnavant family

1954 and the alumni association] accepted the idea to catch all the classes because Darden High School encompasses everybody and this was going to be something that could be here in the Darden house,” Trimble said. “Members of each class brought back their square and gave it to Katie and I and we went from there to pull this together."

The quilt was important to Trimble and Burton because it represents an important part of Lee

Tour; 50 to 60-minute commute from the hotel Oct. 24: Delphi [optional]; 2-to-2.5-hour bus ride to the destination Oct. 25: Peloponnese Peninsula, Mycenae and Old Town; 20 to 30-minute commute from the hotel Oct. 26: Tour of Olympia [optional]; 2-to-2.5-hour bus ride to the destination Oct. 27: Crossing the Corinth Canal; 15 minutes from the hotel Oct. 28: Day Cruise of Saronic Gulf [optional]; 20 to 30 minutes from the hotel.

The King Saron Hotel in Isthmia is an all-inclusive experience, with every meal covered through the cost of the trip. The standard rooms are two large twin beds pushed and for the family of 29-year-old Cody Fox, of Marion County, Tennessee, and his 9-month-old daughter, Adriana Fox, who were also killed. Cody’s fiancé and Adriana’s mother, Hayle Anderson, survived but is hospitalized.

The Go Fund Me accounts can be found at the following addresses: The Girl’s Ranch www.gofundme.com/f/ tallapoosa-co-girls-ranch The Dunnavant family - www.gofundme. com/f/help-brandy-withfuneral-for-josiah-nick Hayle Anderson www.gofundme.com/f/ help-for-hayle.

Supplies and donated items can be taken to the Ranch's office or mailed to Tallapoosa County Girl's Ranch 174 Samford Dr. Camp Hill, Alabama 36850.

County history – history, that they want their children, grandchildren and future generations to be able to learn from.

“We just know that it will be in this building, even when we are gone, for our children and grandchildren to see what class we came from,” Trimble said.

Burton expressed gratitude that she was able to see the project come to fruition as well.

“This is amazing,” Burton said. “It is just a blessing to be here.”

PHOTO BY MICHELLE KEY / PUBLISHER

Pictured from left to right: Wilbert Payne (Class of 1969), George Allen (Class of 1966), Beatrice Carr-Allen (Class of 1966), Katie Strickland-Burton (Class of 1954), Delores Trimble (Class of 1954), Linda Cole (Class of 1969) and Elaine Summers-Burton (Class of 1970).

together to form a king bed. Also available is a two-bedroom apartment or a modern double-triple that is two full beds pushed together.

Upgrades should be available upon request.

“This trip to Greece is one of the most economical trips that’s available, but it’s also all-inclusive to an incredible, breathtaking, bucket-list worthy location,” Rauch said. “Our travelers are excited!”

The hotel is a 50-minute to 1 hour ride from the airport and transportation is included in the overall cost. There is also a train stop just a short 10-minute walk from the hotel in the event of solo exploration. The weather each day of the trip should rest in the mid-to-low 70’s during the day.

The cost is $2899 per person if booked

by June 30 – the deadline – and traveling in a double room; A $450 deposit is due upon booking. This cost will cover airfare, housing and all meals, other than those chosen to be eaten apart from the group. Cancellations made more than 180 days prior to departure for any reason will be issued as a full refund.

The chamber once held these trips regularly under the leadership of Barbara Patton and is excited to begin them again.

“We have plenty of seats still available and look forward to sending Opelika’s best to Ancient Greece,” Rauch said.

The trip is open to

everyone and open to book now at https:// centaur.chamberdiscoveries.com/centaur6/online/OPR_roomPrice.

Within 24 hours, you will receive an email confirmation, which will directly connect you with further instruction on how to pay the remainder of your dues. At that time, there will be an option to purchase insurance.

Insurance can be purchased through Chamber Discoveries, or an alternative insurance option. Note: additional excursions will be paid upon final invoice date and can be added/removed all the way until that time.

For more information, visit www.OpelikaChamber.com or email sbirkbeck@chamberdiscoveries.com.

the roof at that point, the old roof, that when they were screwing through the roof, we got leaked in again,” Simon said. “So everything that we moved got saturated.”

“We just got over the hurdle of COVID,” Simon said. “Our sales were finally getting back to pre-COVID numbers. We were finally able to hire enough people to open, all restrictions came off, April, May, June, so we were excited … And here we are back at ground zero.”

Simon said at this point that they still are not sure the roof is finished.

It will be a while before CyberZone can open to the public again. There are a lot of elements that will need replacing: flooring, ceiling tiles, wiring, electronics, games.

“We lost everything,” Simon said.

One of the hard parts is that despite updating all social media channels and the website, CyberZone is still seeing guests show up, ready to play.

Simon and Elaine have to turn away guests from Opelika, but also those who drove from Columbus or Wetumpka.

“We don’t have a time frame [for reopening] yet,” Simon said. “Because it’s all based on if

we can get equipment and we can get this. But if we do a 90-day time frame, for example, that’s our game plan, is to try and get it up within three months.”

Another difficulty that comes with closing is having to tell the staff that there’s no work.

“We’ve always been lucky in that it’s really, and if you talk to anybody that’s ever worked here, it’s really a tight-knit close family,” Elaine said. “ We all know each other, we all help each other in and out of the business.”

When COVID-19 happened, Elaine and Simon had to tell all of their staffers they would be closing.

And now, they have to do it again.

“I feel, especially the handful that went through this with us through COVID, they may have supplemented what they did with extra stuff but they were there throughout and they were here day one when we reopened,” she said.

“There’s a ton of loyalty.”

Both hope that their staff members will return when CyberZone is ready to reopen.

“We’re rebuilding,” Simon said. “And it’s not ‘if’, we are rebuilding. We have to rebuild and we will be better.”

PHOTO BY HANNAH LESTER / OPELIKA OBSERVER

ACCIDENT

also another avenue to help our citizens appreciate the beauty of home,” said Ali Rauch, president and CEO of the chamber. “We are offering this trip as an opportunity to travel abroad but without the extra stress and burden of planning the trip.”

While the airline information will not be known until 30 to 40 days before the trip, the chamber has marked Oct. 21 as its departure day from the U.S. On Oct. 22, the group will arrive in Athens at the Saronic golf hotel, followed by a brief one-hour trip through rolling hills, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The days following will consist of numerous site-seeing activities, as follows: Oct. 23: Athens City

CYBERZONE

>>

FROM A1

they weren’t the highest bid,” Simon said. “We kind of just went in the middle.”

Everyone knew rain was coming, Simon said, but they did not realize the roof was not secured.

In a business that relies on electronics and wiring for games and technology, rain pouring in from the roof is game-changing.

At that point, it was not clear how bad the damage was. But imagine – a second rainstorm was coming.

“We had moved some equipment, but not a lot, because we were in the process of cleanup,” Simon said.

For the next several days, there was an inch of water on the floor, soaked into everything, and it continued to drip from the roof.

“We’d lost roughly 29 machines,” Simon said.

Everything else they moved to the sides of the business where things were drier.

“The unfortunate part, is Friday evening, they continued to do the roof … They didn’t take into consideration there was so much water saturation, because the water got inside

A4 June 24, 2021

W

hat I am about to tell you is going to sound ridiculous. So, I won’t blame you if you speak ill of me. All I ask is that you do it behind my back.

For 17, maybe 18 years I have been going on daily walks. Always the same route. When I’m walking, people honk and wave at me because I am a fixture in these parts. A very odd, gangly, bearded, fixture.

But still, people wave at me. Everyone always waves.

Over the years, I’ve seen the world undergo a lot of changes on my walks. I’ve seen car models change each season. I’ve watched fashions change among teenagers who ride bikes on this old road.

For example, at one time it was “cool” for boys to wear baggy pants so low on their hips that when viewed from behind you could see their Great Divides.

W

ith the creation this week of Juneteenth as a national holiday, I have seen several posts that, though meaning well in celebrating the day, have made mistakes about the history. Even my own college wrote that because the slaves in Texas had not heard about the Emancipation Proclamation, they were not free until federal troops arrived in Texas on June 19, 1865. Instead of my usual routine of making a historical comparison, I want to take

T

he first book I ever remember checking out of the city library was a children’s book of travel stories. It was a large book with a picture of the Taj Mahal on the cover. Every page was a splash of color from an exotic spot on the globe – the jungles of the Amazon with its dangerous creatures, the Great Wall of China snaking its way across the mountains of mystery and the Nile River with the pyramids and mummified pharaohs. I longed to see them all.

As children do, I tried to fit those images into my idea of the world, which didn’t go far past the city limits at that point. So I spent an entire summer assuming that to make my way to the top of Kilimanjaro, it would only take an adult willing to drive me and an afternoon with free time to do it ... much like a trip to the A&P on a Saturday.

It wasn’t long before the public school

Morning Walks with Harold This fashion changed.

Soon the fashion became the exact opposite.

Boys were wearing pants so skinny that whenever they opened their mouths to speak they sounded like first tenors in the Gaither quartet.

Technology has changed, too. Eighteen years ago people weren’t using smartphones. But today you rarely see a kid riding a bike who isn’t staring at a cellphone. If you ask me, this is a dental disaster waiting to happen.

On my walks, I usually see young couples pushing strollers. I’ve watched the kids in the strollers turn into adults over time. Today I see those same young people driving SUVs. They wave at me when they cruise by at 93 miles per hour while texting on a cellphone, steering with their left knee, and blaring music that sounds like an industrial

SEAN DIETRICH chainsaw fight.

But like I said, everyone waves at me, young and old. It’s an unwritten tradition. I’m hard to miss. I’m the guy on the shoulder of the road with the beard.

But I’m getting off subject here, which is: Every day for several years I have passed a small turtle on my walks. He is always in the same spot.

On my route sits a large Floridian swamp.

It is the quintessential West Floridian bog, covered in trillions of

lilly pads and petrified cypress trunks that date back to the Crimean War. This turtle was my pal. I named him Harold. He was the only turtle I ever saw on my route.

You’d think there would be hundreds of tortoises living in a Panhandle swamp, and maybe there are. But all I ever saw was Harold.

I know it was him because I once marked Harold with fingernail polish just to see if it was the same turtle

I kept seeing. Sure enough. It was him.

It took nine years for that fingernail polish to wear off.

Usually, Harold was crossing the road when I saw him. Sometimes I would help him cross.

He never bit me, never hissed, never fussed.

He was a pretty cool customer.

I liked to watch him slip into the dark water and swim around the lilies, his little head bobbing while he dog-paddled.

A few years ago, our town did renovations around the swamp to improve roads. I was certain they were going to scare old Harold away with all their heavy equipment, but they didn’t. When the city was done bulldozing, Harold was still around.

It’s always been a mystery to me how turtles survive. They don’t seem like very good hunters. I mean, what

do they eat? A friend of mine used to have pet turtles, she said they eat pretty much anything. Bugs, caterpillars, decaying flesh, rotten caracasses, excrement, congealed salads, etc.

So, today I was on my walk. It was sunny. I was going to stop by the wetlands to see Harold.

But something was wrong. Up ahead I saw buzzards were picking at a lump on the road.

No. I trotted toward the the accident. It was a smashed shell and tire marks. And my friend was gone. I tried to shoo the birds away, but they wouldn’t leave.

I won’t go into detail here, but a vehicle ran over Harold. The worst part was, Harold was only 12 inches from the edge of the vacant road.

Meaning: If the driver would have turned the steering wheel an inch to the left, he would still

issuing an emancipation order.

What made him nervous was that the order might hurt the war effort from Democrats, especially the border slave states like Missouri and Kentucky that had stayed loyal to the Union. Once Lincoln decided to issue the order, he needed to wait for a military victory, so it looked like he was making the proclamation out of strength, not desperation.

Finally, on Sept. 17, 1862, Lincoln got the victory he needed. Though it

is hard to call the Battle of Antietam a victory, Robert E. Lee’s forces were turned back from Maryland. That was enough for Lincoln. Five days later, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The order stated, “All persons held as slaves within any States, or designated part of the State, the people whereof shall be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” As good as this order seems, there is a real catch. Only slaves who

See DIETRICH, page A5

Juneteenth time this week and clarify the Emancipation Proclamation and its role in Juneteenth. I also want to give a warning of a trend that I do not see as helpful in national healing.

I know this is a minor issue, but there is no connection between the Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth. The reason is that the Emancipation Proclamation did not free any slaves.

If you are confused by this, trust me, you are not alone. It is one of the most misunderstood executive orders ever given. The

JAMES FINCK same President Lincoln who had promised in his Inaugural Address that he had no plans to free any slaves and, even if he did, he did not have the power

to do so, had a change of heart by the summer of 1862.

Having endured a string of military losses by that August, Lincoln knew he needed to do something to shake things up. He now realized that this would be a much longer war than he had originally anticipated.

Also, by that summer, Lincoln, who hated the institution of slavery, had been receiving a great deal of pressure to do something about slavery from abolitionists in his party.

He had been considering

See FINCK, page A6

Oh, the Places I've Been system taught me just how wrong I was. But that did not cure me of my deep-rooted wanderlust. Because my brother lived in Virginia, our family did make the 500 plus mile drive once a year, usually at Thanksgiving, north to the mountains of the Blue Ridge. The back seat was mine alone, so I made a nest with my pillow and blanket and a stack of at least 10 books (because you never know when you’ll have a need for many literary choices).

There was also a memorable journey west to take my sister to college. The roads were covered with ice, and I swear we actually slid rather than drove the last hour or two right into the city of Searcy, Arkansas.

Over the years, our family vacations included a trip to Pennsylvania to see Amish country and Hershey (I can still close my eyes and imagine I am walking down the sidewalk

in a city that smells like chocolate – can you imagine? An entire city that smells like a Hershey bar! Why on earth did we not move there?), a long weekend on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia and our yearly summer vacation in the Smoky Mountains.

For a middle class family from Alabama, we took more than our share of trips. I believe this is in large part to my mother. As much as she loved making a home for us right there in our little spot on the globe, she was very much aware of just how big the world was and of how much more there was to see.

It was my sweet sister, though, who gave me my first taste of real travel. When I graduated from high school, she took me to Europe.

The minute I boarded an airplane for the first time, I was hooked. We landed in London and left Heathrow Airport in a cab bound for the

WENDY HODGE prettiest hotel I had ever seen. I had a room of my own facing the Thames with the iconic Tower Bridge directly in my view and the Tower of London a few steps away. Standing in front of my window with the curtain parted and this amazing city with its centuries of history stretched out before me, I felt it – that moment when a citizen of the world realizes just how farflung the borders of their home truly are.

I’ve traveled to Europe more than once, and I’ve seen more of my own country from New York to the

Florida coast. I know the city of Savannah almost as well as my own town, and Paris is where a part of my heart will always reside. I can say this much, with the most profound gratitude: Travel has left me speechless and then turned me into a storyteller.

I sit here today scrolling through pictures on Facebook. It seems everyone I know is on vacation. Many are at the beach, while a few are in the mountains. One family is in California, posting pictures of their group crowded into a convertible coasting down Route 66. One friend is in Greece, and the pictures prove that it actually is as breathtaking as I thought it would be.

For a moment, I am jealous. That familiar longing to be somewhere new, somewhere “other” is strong today.

Just when I’m considering throwing myself a spectacular pity party,

my daughter texts me a picture. It is a memory that has popped up on her Facebook, and it is a picture taken on a trip she and I took to Universal Studios in Florida three years ago. It is a close-up of her sweet face. She is tired, but she is smiling.

Her eyes twinkle the way they do when she knows she is making me laugh. In her hands is a toy from a Burger King kids’ meal she’d bought on the trip down. I remember that moment vividly. We were in our room at the end of a long but fun day. She had picked up the toy from its spot on her pillow and sighed deeply.

“Thanks for this trip, Mom,” she said and reached out to hand me the toy. “Please take this as my token of appreciation.”

I looked down at the figurine of a female super hero.

“It’s Burrrrr-Girl ...

See HODGE, page A5

A5 June 24, 2021

Local Hospital Executive Elected to Board of Trustees Contributed by Alabama Hospital Association

DIETRICH >>

FROM A4

be alive.

I just lost it. My eyes got blurry and I felt sick to my stomach.

I told you that you were going to think I’m silly.

I could hardly make it back home. Later, I returned with a shovel, gloves, and a shoebox, but I was too late. Harold’s remains had been run over by more cars.

So I placed fragments of

HODGE >>

FROM A4

get it?”

A split second later, we were both laughing that deep, stomach-ache-inducing, tears rolling down your face kind of laugh. It was fueled by fatigue and a giddiness that being on vacation often brings.

And it was one of the best laughs of my life.

I am not on vacation today. I am not in a new and exotic locale. I am not boarding an airplane or the newest roller coaster. My wanderlust is not being fed.

GRILL Prior to joining East Alabama Medical Center, she worked at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham. She has served AlaHA on numerous committees, including chairing the State Legislative/Regulatory Committee and acting as an active member of the Finance Committee, Awards Committee, Education Task Force, Future Directions Committee, Federal Legislative/Regulatory Committee and Physician Alignment Workgroup.

Grill received a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of his shell into his favorite swamp. I watched his splintered tortoise pieces sink into the lilly-covered water. I said a few words over him, my hat in hand.

I’m sure old Harold couldn’t hear me, but you never know. I used a loud, public-speaking voice for an audience consisting of one heron and a nosy squirrel.

I told Harold the same thing I once said over my father’s grave once.

I said that I hoped his old soul awoke in a

wonderful place filled with lillies, pure water, live oaks, clear skies and love. And I hope that one day I might go there too.

A few cars passed during my pathetic eulogy. They were probably wondering what the weird, bearded man with the wet, puffy eyes was doing. Even so, they waved at me. I waved back. Everyone always waves.

They say He watches over sparrows. But I think He watches Harolds, too.

But...

I realize that I have been so many more amazing places than my passport will ever convey. I have been at dinner tables with dear friends who have known me my whole life. I’ve been to parties and late-night movies.

I’ve been to midnight book releases for the latest "Harry Potter" installment at Books A Million, and I’ve been to yard sales all over Lee County. I’ve been in the grocery store when a young couple paid for the groceries of a stooped over old man who served in World

War II. I was in line the other day at Hardees when someone paid for the orders of the five cars behind him, including mine.

I was there in the monkey park the day the Rocky Brook Rocket came home from California and made its first run, looking all new and shiny. I’ve been at the high school watching the Fourth of July fireworks year after year. I was driving through Opelika the day a bear was spotted roaming through local neighborhoods. And I was there the day the mill burned down and

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Contributed by the Hotel at Auburn University “The front door of Auburn” just got an upgrade.

Guests of The Hotel at Auburn University are now welcomed with newly-renovated hotel rooms that maximize space, highlight specially-curated artwork and bring technology to the forefront of the guest experience.

The Hotel has undergone an extensive renovation of all 236 guestrooms and suites over the past year.

“We took the time to really listen to our guests and understand what they were looking for, as well as staying on top of hospitality trends, so that we could maximize the renovation and create a superior guest experience,” said Hans van der Reijden, managing director. “The result is six floors of completely redesigned hotel rooms and suites unique to Auburn.”

When guests enter the rooms, they are greeted with a 55-inch smart TV, complete with various streaming service capabilities.

Rooms and furniture are designed to maximize space and efficiency – each piece of furniture can be arranged through easy-to-maneuver castwe lost a piece of our own history.

I was there the moment my son made me a mom for the first time, in a hospital bed in Maryland. And a few years later, I was in the hospital right down the road from my home when my sweet daughter arrived. I was in our front yard when my son took his first step. He walked toward me with his little arms out and his smile as big as the world, and I just knew he was the most amazing child ever. I was standing over my daughter’s crib when she spoke her

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

Laura Grill, president and CEO of East Alabama Medical Center, was elected to serve on the board of the Alabama Hospital Association (AlaHA) as a Member-at-Large. The election took place last week at the association’s virtual annual meeting, during which time the association celebrated its 100th anniversary.

“Laura has been a vital member of our Association for many years, participating in and chairing various committees,” said Donald E. Williamson, MD, president of the Alabama Hospital Association. “We are grateful she will be expanding her service by participating on the AlaHA Board and will bring with her the expertise of her clinical background.”

Grill has been with East Alabama Medical Center for nearly 30 years.

Alabama at Birmingham and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Alabama. She is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing, the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a board-certified nursing administrator by the American Nursing Credentialing Center.

She is also active in her community, serving on multiple local boards and committees, including the Auburn University Women’s Resource Advisory and United Way of Lee County.

Founded in 1921, the Alabama Hospital Association is a statewide trade organization that assists member hospitals in effectively serving the health care needs of Alabama, through advocacy, representation, education and service.

Hotel at Auburn University Completes Extensive Guest Room Renovation

ers. Additional outlets – both power and USB – allow guests to fully charge, however they are using the space.

Each room is equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, safe and Nespresso machine, and carpet has been removed in favor of wood and tile floors.

Bathrooms have been upgraded with double fixture showerheads and backlit vanities, providing exceptional lighting for getting ready.

But perhaps the most noticeable renovation is in the rooms’ artwork.

“The Auburn story is ingrained in our community, and a special part of our history,” first word, and it was confirmed that I just have world-class genius children. I was there, holding their hand or hugging them close, the day they got their heart broken or their dreams dashed. I was there, in the front row of every performance, when they sang and danced and acted their way to state championships. I was there when they left school and then when they left home. And I’m still here now, happy to be their mom.

I was there the day my sister got married, standing right next to her in the Tenth Street

van der Reijden said.

“We wanted to honor that history by featuring Auburn through the decades, floor by floor.”

Each room features a wall mural with a map of Auburn from the decade that corresponds to the room’s floor. For example, maps of Auburn in the 1940s adorn focal walls on the fourth floor, all printed from the Auburn University library archives. Additionally, artwork has been specially-curated to highlight the community and artists.

“The room renovation is an exciting upgrade to our hotel, See HOTEL, page A6 Church of Christ. I was there when both her sweet boys were born.

And I was there the six days she lay in a coma following a car accident. On the seventh day, I was there to tell her goodbye.

And I am here, right in this room, with my best friend. He is my home now, and it turns out we are the biggest adventure of them all.

So, there will be bags to pack and tickets to buy and itineraries to plan. But for today, I am so aware of all that I have been privileged to witness. Oh, the places I’ve been...

A6 June 24, 2021

Free-standing Emergency Services Now Available in Auburn Contributed by EAMC The East Alabama Medical Center Freestanding Emergency Department — part of the Auburn Medical Pavilion in the Auburn Research Park — began operation on Wednesday, June 23 at 7 a.m.

The 12-bed, Level III trauma center offers patients another option for emergency services in the region, joining the emergency departments at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika

and EAMC-Lanier in Valley. This is just the sixth freestanding emergency department in Alabama, with three in the Birmingham area and two in the Mobile/ Baldwin County area.

The new freestanding emergency department (FED) is located at 900 Camp Auburn Road, near the intersection of Shug Jordan Parkway and South College Street in Auburn. The FED is located on the first floor of the building and is joined on

that floor by diagnostic radiology services, a laboratory and a pharmacy for use with emergency patients.

Outpatient radiology and laboratory services will also be available Monday through Friday, as will a retail pharmacy called East Alabama Apothecary.

A freestanding emergency department is a licensed facility that provides emergency care in a facility that is structurally separate from the hospital. Although the

East Alabama Medical Center Freestanding Emergency Department is not physically connected to East Alabama Medical Center, ambulance transport will be available should a patient arrive there and need to be admitted to the hospital. Patients at the Freestanding Emergency Department will be seen by the same emergency medicine physicians who practice in the Emergency Departments at East Alabama Medical Center

and EAMC-Lanier.

“It is so exciting to extend our emergency services into the Auburn area to better serve our communities,” said Amy Brandon, East Alabama Health Emergency Department executive director.

“This campus will also provide level-three trauma care with the same skilled physicians, nurses and support staff as our other two emergency department campuses in Opelika and Valley.

We are thankful for

this beautiful facility in Auburn that provides 12 additional exam rooms to our service.”

The FED has an ambulance bay as well as a helicopter landing pad. In addition, sexual assault victims may seek special care here through the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) program. A SANE nurse provides care for patients needing this service and is able to conduct a forensics kit that can be used in a criminal investigation.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OPELIKA OBSERV ER

About the Auburn Medical Pavilion: Located at 900 Camp Auburn Road in Auburn, the Auburn Medical Pavilion is home to the East Alabama Medical Center Freestanding Emergency Department (1st floor, opening June 2021), the East Alabama Ambulatory Surgery Center (2nd floor, opening late Summer 2021) and the Breast Health Center (3rd floor, opening late Fall 2021). The Freestanding Emergency Department (FED) is accompanied on the first floor by diagnostic radiology services, a laboratory and a pharmacy. A retail pharmacy called East Alabama Apothecary is also located on the first floor and will be open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the services provided to the FED, outpatient services for both laboratory and radiology are provided at this location Monday - Friday.

Patients needing lab work collected related to a physician office visit can walk in from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., while patients needing radiology services are scheduled between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FINCK >>

FROM A4

were in states in rebellion were set free. In other words, the order did not apply to slaves in states like Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware where Lincoln had authority. The order applied only to slaves in states where Lincoln did not.

As I stated at the beginning, the Emancipation Proclamation did not really free anyone. Slaves could now free themselves. If slaves could run away to northern lines or to the Union Army, they would be free. Prior to this, Lincoln had ordered the army to return all runaways. Even if slaves in Texas had heard about the Proclamation, it would

FROM A5

letting our guests further enjoy Auburn’s only AAA Four Diamond hotel,” van der Reijden said. “As our community reopens after a challenging 18 months, we are looking forward to welcoming guests in this beautiful new space.”

About The Hotel at Auburn University Centrally located near the shops and restau-

gambling on the border states like Arkansas and Tennessee) rejoined the Union before January, then their slaves would be protected. So, the document that we associate with freeing slaves was actually a way to protect it.

When we talk about Juneteenth instead of mentioning the Emancipation Proclamation, we need to mention the 13th Amendment. The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order. As such, it could and probably would have been overturned if Lincoln had lost reelection in 1864. There was also a good chance that the courts would declare the Proclamation unconstitutional, as most

rants of downtown Auburn, The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center is just a short walk from the excitement of Auburn University and a diverse array of cultural and entertainment attractions.

Whether in town for the big game, a special party, or a productive business meeting, the hotel’s 236 guestrooms and suites offer true Southern hospitality in an ideal setting. For authentic Italian cuisine,

visit Ariccia Cucina Italiana, located inside the Hotel. Adjacent to Ariccia, enjoy Piccolo: Auburn’s only true jazz lounge, with specialty cocktails and a large variety of appetizers and desserts.

The property is owned

by Auburn University and managed with Heart and Soul by Ithaka Hospitality Partners. For additional information or reservations, please call 800228-2876 or visit www. auhcc.com.

executive orders should be. To guarantee freedom for slaves in all the states forever, he pushed for the 13th Amendment, which did free the slaves. The Amendment was passed in Congress on Jan. 31, 1865, when Robert E. Lee surrendered his army (only his army, not the Confederacy) on April 9. News of the surrender did not instantly reach the west. Gen. Kirby Smith, who controlled Texas, surrendered May 26, and finally, Stand Waite in Indian Territory surrendered June 23. During that time, on June 19, Texas slaves heard that the war was over and that slaves were now free.

Had they known about the Emancipation Proclamation earlier, it would

not have mattered. It was the end of the war and the 13th Amendment that made them free.

Finally, one quick thought. The official name of this new national holiday is Juneteenth National Independence Day. While I completely support this as a holiday, I believe the name is intentionally packed with political divisiveness.

Just two weeks after Juneteenth is our nation’s actual Independence Day. Though I try to stay away from conspiracy theories in this column, it seems as if this name is an attack on our nation’s history.

Many names could have been used. I would have voted for Emancipation Day, but naming it Independence Day seems as

one more attempt to minimize what our Founding Fathers did in 1776. Yes, our Founders owned slaves, and yes, this nation was built upon the backs of slaves, but it is still the greatest nation on Earth. Yes, it took a hundred years for Jefferson’s words on equality to ring true — and let’s celebrate that day — but let’s not forget that first we had to create the nation and then we could try to live up to its principles.

Dr. James Finck is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha.

He is Chair of the Oklahoma Civil War Symposium. Follow Historically Speaking at www.Historicallyspeaking.blog.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

HOTEL >>

have made no difference.

They were no freer than slaves in any southern state.

So why issue the Proclamation if it did not actually free slaves? First, it was done as a military effort, which was the way Lincoln justified the legality of the order. Slaves in the fields allowed for more men to join the Confederate armies. If slaves could now be considered free and could run to Union lines, then the South would be deprived of a valuable military resource. Secondly, the order was meant to be an encouragement. Though the order was issued in September, it was not going to take effect until Jan. 1, 1863. The idea was that if any state (Lincoln was

About East Alabama Health: East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion (opening in June) and a host of other key medical clinic and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 340-bed regional referral hospital, while EAMC-Lanier provides inpatient services as well as a nursing home, an acute rehab unit and an ambulatory surgery center that opened in spring 2021. East Alabama Health employs about 3,500 employees and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eamc.org.

Opelika E vents, Society & Food

Upcoming Events: June 25 - 1st Avenue Night Market June 24 to June 27: Paddles at the Plex June 26: Founders Day in Smiths Station

Wanda Lewis Enjoying Retirement After Leading Boys & Girls Clubs PHOTO BY ANN CIPPERLY / OPELIKA OBSERVER

Ann Cipperly

Southern

Hospitality

W

ith her mother, grandmother and a great aunt being dedicated teachers who had a passion for encouraging children to achieve their best, Wanda Lewis followed in their footsteps to help children.

After serving as the president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County for 22 years, Wanda is enjoying time with her husband, Rev. Morris Lewis, their children and grandchildren, preparing delicious meals and creating attractive tablescapes to enhance dining at their Opelika home.

Along with her younger sister and brother, Wanda grew up in a single-parent home

in Auburn headed by her mother, Bertha Willis, who taught school for 33 years. Her mother taught at Carver and Jeter in Opelika. Wanda remembered that her mother would do home visits and bring children home for the weekend.

Throughout her childhood, Wanda also had the guidance and support of her grandmother, Lottie Mae Woolfolk, and great aunt, Leona Brooks.

“I witnessed these three women take great pride in their professions, as well as their extended care and concern not only for the children in their classrooms, but their families and the communities in which they lived,” said Wanda.

Her mother and great

aunt were teachers who had a great influence on her eventual career, working with children and families. Her grandmother taught as well, but during most of Wanda’s time growing up, she was home and active in the community with civic and church activities.

Her grandmother enjoyed cooking and sewing. She made all their clothes and would cook a good meal every day. On Sunday, they would come home from church to a wonderful meal. During the afternoon on Sundays, her grandmother would often get in the kitchen and make a cake from scratch. She would bake a small “sample cake” that would be ready quickly for the children

After retiring as the president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County, Wanda Lewis has been enjoying cooking for her family and creating lovely tablescapes for dining at home. She is sharing a variety of recipes from her family.

to try.

Wanda’s favorite meal has continued to be fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread.

She also enjoyed her grandmother’s candied yams and other southern dishes.

On holidays her grandmother would

prepare huge meals.

Wanda wishes she had those recipes, but her grandmother did not use many recipes.

“Judging from the care that she put into preparing every meal, I think that the ingredients in every dish were measured straight from

her heart and soul,” Wanda said.

After her mother retired, she began to cook more family meals.

Wanda is sharing her mother’s Sour Cream Pound Cake, along with other family favorites.

See CIPPERLY, page A10

Kim Richey to Peform at Sundilla Contributed by Sundilla Kim Richey will make her long-overdue Sundilla debut on Friday, July 16. This will be an outdoor concert at Pebble Hill in Auburn. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and a limited number of advance tickets are available for $18.

Tickets can be found at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at www.sundillamusic.com. Admission

at the door will be $22.

Free coffee, tea, water and food will be available and the audience is invited to bring their own favorite food or beverage.

An Ohio native, Richey’s passion for music was sparked early on in her great aunt’s record shop where she would scour the bins and soak it all in. She took up the guitar in high school and, while studying environ-

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mental education and sociology at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, she played in a band with Bill Lloyd. But it didn’t stick ... not right away.

After Kentucky, Richey worked in nature centers in Colorado and Ohio, and traveled to Sweden and South America. She eventually landed in Bellingham, Washington, where she worked as a cook while her

boyfriend went to grad school. Their deal was, she got to decide where they went after he graduated. One night in 1988, some old friends — Bill Lloyd and Radney Foster — rolled through town.

She sold t-shirts at their gig, and they talked up Nashville. To drive the point home, Lloyd sent her a tape with Steve Earle and others on it.

See SUNDILLA, page A9

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A8 June 24, 2021

Making the Grade: Walters' Gas & Grill

R

ecently, my friend Jack tagged me on Facebook about a restaurant that I should try in Opelika: Walters’ Gas & Grill. I was intrigued because I had never eaten at a combination restaurant/gas/ convenience store, so one day, I went there for lunch with Jack.

My husband Mike, who was on a quest to find pine straw for our flower beds, was too busy to join us that day.

I love Mike very much, but he has a peculiar habit: he rarely eats lunch.

Back when we taught in LaGrange, Georgia, Mike would eat breakfast at 6 a.m. eastern. When we worked in Georgia, we kept our clocks on eastern time so that we wouldn’t get mixed up.

I’m so thankful that we are now on central time; that is, God’s time. I don’t know how he did it, but Mike would go without eating from 6 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

This really amazed me.

First of all, I’m not missing any meals.

Also, I couldn’t have kept working that long without lunch; I would

have started gnawing on desks in my classroom.

Besides, as a diabetic, I can’t skip meals, or my sugar will drop too low (not that this situation happens often with me).

However, if you have a chronic disease, use it to your advantage; again, I’m not missing any meals. I have my health to consider.

Jack was kind enough to drive us, and I saw parts of Lee County which I hadn’t been to before. We really have a beautiful county; the lush, green scenery was so soothing. It’s too bad that Mike and I were really busy and tired while we were working and never got to enjoy these sights. We highly recommend retirement for many reasons.

When Jack and I arrived at Walters’ Gas & Grill, the staff was really friendly and helpful. Walters’ has a very reasonably priced lunch special: just $8.99 for a meat, two sides, bread and a fountain drink. That day, diners could choose from beer can chicken, fried catfish, fried chicken and chicken tenders, chicken livers, gizzards and hot wings.

Walters’ also

offered hamburgers, cheeseburgers, BBQ sandwiches and hot dogs. Sides included: mac and cheese, grilled squash, green limas, grilled okra, coleslaw, collards, green beans, rice and field peas.

Jack chose fried catfish, mac and cheese and grilled okra. I picked fried chicken (surprise, surprise; after all, it was on-the-bone fried chicken.), mac and cheese and grilled squash.

Oh, my. I will definitely be coming back to Walters’ Gas & Grill, the Good Lord willing.

Everything was wonderful. Our catfish and chicken were perfectly crispy, and Jack raved over his grilled okra.

Neither one of us had ever eaten grilled okra nor squash; they were delicious! I know that I’m a fried food fanatic, but I was happy to find vegetables that I love also taste great when they’re grilled. They were healthier for me, as well as really tasty.

The mac and cheese was equally terrific, and Jack appreciated the good Southern sweet tea.

As we were leaving, Jack bought a banana pudding to go; he really enjoyed it. Walters’

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PHOTO BY STACEY PATTON WALLACE

By Stacey Patton Wallace

also had strawberry and chocolate pie and cheesecake. The sweet lady who rang us up said that next time they might have a tomato pie; now that sounded interesting and not to be missed.

We also loved reading the signs on the wall. Two of my favorites were: “It’s my kitchen, and I’ll fry if I want to” and “You’re just like fried chicken.

You make everything

better.”

Walters’ Gas & Grill is open on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday-Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Walters’ is a country treasure. It offers great food and friendly service in a pretty, rustic setting. Also, customers can gas up and buy a snack to go. What’s not to love?

Walters’ Gas & Grill makes the grade with an A+ from this retired

English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner.

Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in the Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@ gmail.com

A9 June 24, 2021

Your Local One-Stop Shop for Coffee, Creativity, Artisan Pops Boonie Hat Coffee Company is open and thriving in downtown Opelika — offering multiple vendors, unique flavors and increasing products and services.

Boonie Hat owner, Luis Saavedra, became interested in coffee roasting 10 years ago, when his wife motivated him to watch YouTube videos that gave instruction on how to use popcorn poppers to roast coffee beans for fresh coffee.

Saavedra was approached by Market Street Paint Shop owner, Jim Bryson, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to discuss opening a location for his brand, shared with Saavedra’s homemade coffee.

Saavedra earned a degree in college for studio art, which inclined his interest in opening the shared location.

Saavedra had considered making and building the brand for his coffee, but finally made the jump after speaking with Bryson.

PHOTO BY KINLEY BESHER / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

By Kinley Beshers For the Opelika Observer

“This is something I’ve had in the works for a long time … I had a friend who was a graphic designer, he designed that [Boonie Hat Coffee Company] logo about eight years ago. Everything fell into place at about this time,” Saavedra said.

Along with Saavedra and Bryson, certified interior decorator, Aspen Staeck, also operates in the Boonie Hat Coffee Company location.

Staeck offers a line of fabrics and furSee COFFEE, page A12

HabitatforHumanityCommemoratesFlagDay

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

On Monday, June 14, Habitat for Humanity and the local chapter for the Daughters of the American Revolution came together to donate a flag to Brianna Jones, the most recent Habitat house recipient. The flag was donated by Flags for Vets, a nonprofit organization founded by Jamie Popwell. The ceremony was closed with a prayer from a local chaplain.

SUNDILLA >>

FROM A7

So taken by the songwriting, Richey and her partner loaded up their Ford F150 and headed to Music City.

In Nashville, Richey cooked at the famed Bluebird Café and gigged around town

at writers’ nights. At a show one night at 12th & Porter, Mercury Records’ Luke Lewis approached her. In classic Richey fashion, she didn’t know who he was. Still, she went to a meeting with him and Keith Stegall, played one song, talked a lot and got a record deal

at the musical home of Billy Ray Cyrus and Shania Twain. Remembering the glory days of major labels in the ‘90s, Richey said, “They gave me way more than enough rope to hang myself with.

I could do whatever I wanted.”

What followed was

a career that has seen her release 10 albums (including a collection of her greatest hits), garner a Grammy nomination and work with some of the best in the music business. Her latest release, “The Long Way: The Songs of Glimmer,” is a re-imagining of her 1999

release “Glimmer.”

Through it all, Richey has worn her heart on her lyrical sleeve, revealing herself time and again. “I started writing songs because of Joni Mitchell, probably like most women songwriters of a certain age,” Richey said. “I loved being able to

write songs because I was really super-shy. I couldn’t say things to people that I wanted to say. If I put it in a song, there was the deniability. If I ever got called on it, I could say, ‘Oh, heavens no, that’s just a song! I made that up.’”

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A10 June 24, 2021

Local Author Lands Novels in Auburn Public Library Betsy Lowery, a local author, now has two novels in the Auburn Public Library. Her “southern fiction” novels involve mystery, romance, “good, clean fun” and are beloved by her loyal readers.

Lowery was born in Reidsville, North Carolina, a rural community 21 miles from Greensboro. Ever since she was in middle school, Lowery has found solace in the written word.

“From my middle school years, I was processing life in the written word … A lot of times you have that misunderstanding between yourself and a school friend and you can’t really resolve it until you hand the person a letter that says exactly what you wanted to say but you were too nervous or couldn’t get the words out — I’m that kind of person,” she said.

Lowery was assigned small writing tasks while working her first job with the Women’s Missionary Union but claimed, “I did not always have that burning fire in my early years to be a novelist.”

She then spent the next 10 years writing puzzles for Dell and Penny Press before they fell back economically.

Lowery shared her interest in poetry with a friend, who set her up with an agent. This ultimately led to the publication of her first book, a devotional for women.

“Pause: Everyday Prayers for Everyday

CIPPERLY

>>

FROM A7

Wanda’s husband, Morris, also grew up in Auburn, and they met in the lunchroom at Auburn High School, although he was a couple of grades ahead. After high school, Morris joined the Air Force and served a year in Vietnam, then was stationed in Montana. He came home on leave when Wanda was a senior to take her to prom. They were married a year later in 1972.

After graduating high school, Wanda attended Auburn University.

Her work career began at Auburn Day Care Centers. After 15 years, she began working with Opelika City Schools as a parent coordinator, creating parent centers at elementary schools. The centers became popular venues where she conducted workshops to assist parents in developing parenting skills and offered resources for parents to support their children’s education.

Wanda later accepted the position of parent ed-

Women” was published in 2004 and provides short prayers for every day of the year. It makes spending time with God easier for busy women.

These prayers include “reflections, questions, confessions, expressions of joy and worry and simply listening.”

Lowery’s devotional was a success, however, none of her other ideas for nonfiction went anywhere. It was not until 2011 when the idea for her first novel was born.

Lowery was visiting in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in February 2011 and felt inspired by the town as well as a documentary that was airing on her hotel’s television, “Southern Highlander.”

The documentary was made in 1947 by Ford Motor Company and it focuses on a school teacher in the Appalachian Mountains. Lowery claimed the documentary “really hooked” her. She found it on YouTube and rewatched it several times.

“It really planted the seed for a setting,” she said.

Lowery describes her first novel, “A Stranger’s Promise,” as “mountainous misadventures.” The book summary reads “From the church librarian to the garage mechanic, folks in Crook Mountain, Tennessee, seem to be either hindering or helping an old missing-person investigation.

And a certain waitress who’s fairly new in town may have more at stake than any of them.

Now, throw in Joan Ryan, a semi-retired dietitian from Atlanta who arrives on the scene

by pure happenstance.

Joan may be the secret ingredient in a recipe of comedy, resourcefulness and danger."

Lowery’s second novel, and sequel to her first, is titled “No Doubt It’s Love.”

This novel features some of the same beloved characters from “A Stranger’s Promise," plus some new faces.

“Sam and Grace never dreamed that the happy news of their engagement would stir up such outright interference — from a pompous aunt, an overeager sister and a mysterious stranger. On top of that, one of them has a secret that won’t stay buried, and it’s causing second thoughts in the other. With all of this opposition swirling around them, the two forge their own path of discovery while parents, the officiating minister and a day visitor who’s in town for a football game each impart needed counsel.”

Lowery shared that she seeks inspiration to write from “blank paper, empty journals, stone benches and shaded walks at places like Callaway Gardens.” She has also been influenced by fellow fiction authors Beverly Cleary and Grace Livingston Hill.

Lowery explained what fiction means to her.

“I love to say that my own personal definition of fiction is a story that never happened anywhere except in the writer’s imagination.”

Her complex, yet

relatable and lovable characters are products solely of her imagination. Lowery’s readers have expressed their love for the vivid pictures her words paint. One reader described her books as “colorfully detailed” and another claimed to have fallen in love with the characters. Lowery decided that her ability to notice details enables her to create such clear

images for her readers.

Both of Lowery’s novels are now available in the Auburn Public Library and this is an accomplishment she is proud of. Her books are published through Westbow Press. She explained that getting published “kind of legitimizes your book.”

However, Lowery also worked hard making personal connections with libraries in hopes to have her books reach more people.

“I’ve also done the legwork to go in and introduce myself to the library, show them my book, tell them that they’re in other libraries

and that I’ve done author appearances,” she said.

Lowery has made several appearances in other libraries that house her books. This is an opportunity that allows her to engage with her readers in a personal way and an opportunity that she enjoys.

She recalls the appearance she made in Fayette County as “one of the most fun days I’ve ever had.”

Lowery shares how her books got inspired, the road to publication and helpful, mechanical

things about writing fiction that she learned throughout her experience as an author. She also offers door prizes that have a connection to a plot detail or character from her novels.

Lowery’s Facebook page, “Books by Betsy Lowery,” provides several author talks that her readers or fellow writers will enjoy. Individuals can find fun, informative videos titled, “Described Dialogue,” “The Writing Rule That Rocked My World!”

“Chocolate Milkshake & Literary Criticism” and more.

You can find Betsy Lowery on Facebook, or access her novels, “A Stranger’s Promise” and “No Doubt It’s Love,” through the Auburn Public Library. They are also in the OverDrive library app as e-books as well as for sale on the iBooks app and Amazon as a download or paperback.

ucator with Auburn City Schools. When school was out during summer, she felt that there was a need for children to continue their learning and also create cultural awareness with an emphasis on the arts. Wanda was the founder and executive director of the Center for Cultural Enrichment, Education and Experience (CCEEE).

Jane Walker and Marlene Muse, both board members of the Boys & Girls Clubs, attended dramatic productions performed by CCEEE youth participants. After seeing these programs, both board members felt Wanda was the perfect choice as executive director for the clubs.

“My hope was to impact the lives of more children,” Wanda said.

“I saw this as an opportunity to fulfill my vision for my life’s work with the hundreds of children and their families served through this organization. I feel that through all of my previous work experiences, God was preparing me for work at the Boys & Girls Clubs.

“I grew up in a time when there was a strong sense of community and neighbors looked out for each other’s children.

Today, our children and families still need assurance that someone is genuinely concerned about their safety and well-being. My passion for my work with Boys & Girls Clubs came from my desire for all children to have experiences that will give them hope and opportunity for a great future.”

By the time she retired in August 2019, over 6,000 community youth had participated in programs of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County.

“When my own children were growing up, I repeated the same words of encouragement to them that my mother and teachers told me,” Wanda said. “I wanted my children to embrace their strength and pursue their dreams to the fullest.”

The Lewises have two children. Courtney is vice president of business development for their family business, Edible Arrangements. Their

daughter, Danielle Allison, is an attorney, and her husband, Shannon, is a teacher at Auburn High School. They have three children, Peyton, 9; Liam, 6; and Noah, 22 months old. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Danielle is also CEO of Ms. JD, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the success of aspiring and early career women lawyers.

While Rev. Lewis has been assigned to different churches in the area over the years, he is currently serving at the St. Luke Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Auburn, which was Wanda’s home church when she was growing up.

Shortly before Wanda retired, she began to work on a goal that started 50 years ago, which was completing her college degree.

“I kept hearing a radio announcement about an online program at the University of Alabama and felt God was telling me to check into it. I felt that I owed it to myself and my mother to complete this chapter in my life.”

She worked on her degree throughout 2020.

Last December she graduated from the University of Alabama.

Now that she has completed her degree goal, Wanda has been enjoying time with her family and creating seasonal and special-occasion tablescapes for her dining room table.

At the holidays, she may decorate the table two or three times. Last year on Mother’s Day, she decorated the table in honor of her mother, using a couple of her hats and handmade lacey handkerchiefs. She is teaching her granddaughter, Peyton, how to decorate tables.

Before her mother passed away, the family gathered at her house, but now they all come to the Lewis home after Christmas for a yearly reunion. Red Velvet Cake is the family favorite. Wanda once made 200 small cakes as favors for a family wedding.

When Courtney was in the fourth grade, he made and entered the red velvet cake in a 4-H

Club contest and won.

Along with the special cake, Wanda enjoys cooking fried catfish, collards and cornbread dressing. She serves a great deal of fresh or frozen vegetables that she cooks in chicken broth or with smoked turkey wings to embellish the flavor.

Wanda has always enjoyed being active in the community and serving on boards. She has received many honors and awards over the years.

While she is enjoying retirement and planning what to do next, she is catching up on reading, recording family genealogy and thinking about writing her memoirs.

“My life’s work has been for the sole purpose of preparing my children and others to become productive, responsible and caring citizens and to contribute in some small way to making my community a better place to live for future generations,” Wanda said.

Cipperly can be reached at recipes@ cipperly.com

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY BETSY LOWERY

By Maggie Caraway For the Opelika Observer

A11 June 24, 2021

RECIPES

>>

BERTHA’S SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE Recipe from Wanda’s mother, Mrs. Bertha W. Willis 3 cups sugar 2 sticks oleo (margarine) 6 eggs, separated 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda 3 cups White Lily all-purpose flour 1 cup sour cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract Cream sugar and margarine together.

Add egg yolks and cream a little more.

Sift salt and baking soda together three times. Add to flour.

Alternate adding flour and sour cream and end with flour.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and fold into to flour mixture at the very end.

Pour into greased Bundt pan.

Start baking the cake in a cold oven set at 300 degrees.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

BUTTERMILK BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE Francesca Danielle Allison ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature Zest from 1 large lemon 1 cup sugar (set aside 1 Tbsp. for sprinkling on top) 1 egg, room temperature 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the blueberries) 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 cups fresh blueberries ½ cup buttermilk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, cream butter with the lemon zest and the 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp. of sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss blueberries with ¼ cup flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

Add half of the flour mixture to batter and stir with spatula to incorporate. Add all the buttermilk. Stir.

Add remaining flour and stir until flour is absorbed. Fold in the blueberries. (Leave excess flour from the blueberry bowl behind.)

Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar—I prefer this 8-inch pan because I like the thicker pieces) with butter or coat with non-stick spray.

If you have parchment paper on hand, line the pan with parch-

ment on top of the butter.

Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle remaining Tbsp. of sugar over batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. A 9-inch pan will be done in closer to 35 minutes; an 8-inch pan usually needs 40 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes.

(Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary, especially if you are using a smaller pan such as an 8×8-inch. It is not unusual for this cake to take 50 minutes, so just be patient.)

Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

COUNTRY STYLE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS Porsche Henry 1 fryer, cut up 1 tsp. fresh bacon grease Salt and pepper In a large pot, boil chicken in water, salt and pepper to taste; add bacon grease. Boil until tender.

Add enough water to broth to cover chicken about 2 inches above chicken pieces. Bring to a rolling boil and begin dropping dumplings (recipe following) one at a time on top of rolling hot broth. Do not overlap. When hot broth has first layer, continue adding dumplings until all have been dropped in. Keep boiling hot.

Cover pot with lids slightly ajar.

Stir with a wooden spoon once or twice. Stir only dumplings, chicken should remain on bottom of pot. Boil approximately 10 minutes or until you think they are done.

Add only hot water if more liquid is desired.

Dumplings will look glossy and will not look starchy when done. Never let chicken and dumplings sit without a tight fitting lid. This will cause dumplings to tear up.

Dumplings: ¾ cup water 2 cups self-rising flour In a medium size bowl add flour.

Make a well in top center. Pour in water; stir and mix, forming a dough ball. Work with hands until quite smooth. Dough will be tough. Flour hands occasionally.

Place a floured pastry cloth and roll out crust thin. If you have time, let set 1 to 2 hours before cooking.

Cut into approximately 2 inch squares. For freezing, place dumplings on cookie sheet after they have been dried and cut. Remove after freezing and layer in a plastic box and store in freezer until ready to use.

Drop frozen dumplings into broth.

Mary Alice Mullis Southwest Laurens Elementary School COURTNEY’S RED VELVET CAKE Courtney M. Lewis 1½ cups Crisco oil 1½ cups sugar 2 eggs 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. cocoa 1 tsp. baking soda 1 cup buttermilk 2½ oz. red food coloring 1 Tbsp. vanilla 2 Tbsp. white vinegar Frosting: 1 stick butter 8 oz. cream cheese 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar 1 Tbsp. vanilla 1 cup chopped nuts, optional For making cake, combine and mix well; first three ingredients.

Combine the next four ingredients in a small bowl.

Mix the next four ingredients in a 2-cup measure.

Add dry ingredients to oil and sugar mixture alternately with the wet ingredients. Mix well.

Pour into three prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.

Do not overbake.

Test with a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake and remove from oven immediately.

Cool layers completely on wire racks.

Combine cream cheese frosting ingredients. Fill and frost layers withe frosting.

LEWIS FAMILY CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST This has been a family favorite for over 35 years. Every Christmas morning begins with this menu.

Wanda’s Pancake Casserole Canadian bacon Scrambled Eggs Grilled Grapefruit Halves Orange Juice Hot Apple Cider WANDA’S PANCAKE CASSEROLE ½ lb. link sausage 2 cups Aunt Jemima light pancake mix 1 jar spiced apple rings

2 cups maple syrup In medium hot skillet, brown link sausage and set aside.

Drain spiced apple rings reserving juice for use in syrup.

Prepare pancake mix according to package instructions and pour into a 9 x12-inch casserole dish.

Cut sausage links into 1-inch pieces and sprinkle on top of pancake mixture.

Arrange spiced apple rings on top of pancake and sausage mixture covering the entire casserole.

Bake on middle oven rack at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

SPICED APPLE SYRUP ½ stick margarine 1 Tbsp. corn starch Juice from spiced apple rings 2 cups maple syrup In saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine. Alternate adding corn starch and spiced apple juice stirring constantly until smooth and thickened.

Add maple syrup and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and serve over Wanda’s Pancake Casserole. Serves (6) GRILLED GRAPEFRUIT 3 pink grapefruits, halved Red or green maraschino cherries 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, optional Cut grapefruits in half and arrange in an oven safe baking dish. Using a paring knife or grapefruit spoon, loosen grapefruit sections leaving fruit in the rind.

Remove the core of each half and insert a cherry.

Sprinkle desired amount of brown sugar and cinnamon on each half. Place in oven on middle rack and cook at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm or cool.

Serves 6.

MORRIS’ BUTTER POUND CAKE Rev. Morris E. Lewis 1 cup butter 3 cups white sugar 6 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 pint heavy whipping cream 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp. lemon extract Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour one 9 or

10 inch tube pan.

Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.

Add flour, one cup at a time while adding cream a little at a time until all flour and cream is mixed well.

Add vanilla and lemon extracts and blend well. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1½ hours or until center springs back from small amount of pressure. Immediately turn out on cake rack to cool.

This rich pound cake is delicious alone or served with ice cream or a fruit topping, such as peaches or strawberries.

BROCCOLI SLAW Wanda J. Lewis This is a great dish for a potluck supper and can be made the night before.

12 oz. package of broccoli slaw 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved 1 Granny Smith apple, diced 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned 1 cup Vidalia onion dressing Chopped pecans, optional Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Top with chopped pecans, if desired.

BAKED APPLES Tracy Willis 4 large baking apples, such as Honeycrisp 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and core apples, leaving enough of the core at the base of the apple to contain the filling.

Combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans in a small bowl. Roll log shapes of the mixture and press enough into each apple to fill the core.

Fill a 2-quart baking dish with about 3/4 cup water, or enough to cover the bottom. Place the apples upright in the dish. Bake until the apples are soft, and the filling is browned, 1 hour.

Add your favorite ice cream and enjoy.

SHRIMP AND GRITS Johnetta Henry Grits

1 lb. bag of large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tail-off) Old Bay seasoning Garlic powder Onion powder Black pepper Red bell pepper Orange bell pepper Yellow bell pepper Green bell pepper Sweet onion Andouille sausage 1 – 2 cloves of crushed garlic 2 Tbsp. chicken broth Season shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes.

While shrimp is marinating, cook grits according to package and number of servings desired. Stir grits constantly to prevent sticking and lumpiness.

Cut bell peppers and onions into strips.

Sauté peppers, onions, and andouille sausage until sausage is browned and vegetables are slightly softened. Add crushed garlic, marinated shrimp and chicken broth. Continue to sauté until shrimp turn pink. Do not overcook shrimp.

Serve shrimp mixture over grits.

Favorite Sides: Breaded and fried whole okra, hushpuppies or jalapeño corn muffin, and your favorite fried fish.

B-STRONG'S GARLIC PARSLEY POTATO AND FRENCH ONION POT ROAST Bryan Lysandus Willis Sr. 1 pot roast, seasoned and rubbed with: 1/2 Tbsp. Lawry's seasoned salt 1/2 Tbsp. Lawry's garlic salt with parsley 1/2 Tbsp. Tony Chachere's Original Creole seasoning 1/2 Tbsp. ground black pepper Store seasoned pot roast in a 1-gallon Ziploc storage bag 24 hours before cooking.

The day of cooking, mix the following in the crockpot: 1 can Campbell's French Onion 1/2 cup Kroger Zesty Italian dressing and marinade 2 cups water 2 large potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes 1/2 - large yellow onion, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes Submerge seasoned pot roast into crockpot mixture.

Add to top and sides of pot roast: 2 large potatoes, cut into 2 inch wedges 1/2 large yellow onion, peeled Close lid and cook for 5 hours on high and 1 additional hour on low or until tender.

A12 June 24, 2021

Patriotic Porch Contest Opens in Opelika Contributed by Tipi Miller Keep Opelika Beautiful (KOB) announces the Patriotic Porch Contest for residents of Opelika. Front porches and yards will be judged based on red, white and blue theme, creativity, arrangement and overall presentation.

To enter, submit one photo and contact information to KOB

via email (tipi@keepopelikabeautiful.com)

by June 27. Photos will be organized by city wards and posted on the KOB Facebook page.

Facebook voting will take place June 28-July 1. There will also be a Creativity Award and Mayor’s Choice Award.

Winners will be announced on Friday, July 2.

Keep Opelika Beautiful is a non-profit orga-

nization with the mission to educate the citizens on the importance of a beautiful and clean environment. The focus areas are beautification, recycling and litter prevention. The Opelika Observer is a sponsor of the Patriotic Porch Contest.

For more information, contact Tipi Miller at tipi@keepopelikabeautiful.com or 334-7494970.

A winner from last year’s Patriotic Porch Competition in Ward 5.

Opelika Freedom Celebration Planned for July 3 Fireworks will reign over the skies next week in celebration of Independence Day. Opelika Parks and Recreation is hosting the 68th Annual Freedom Celebration on Saturday, July 3 at the Opelika High School Track.

This year’s celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Following the presentation of colors and pledge allegiance by local boy scout troops, Route 66 will be taking the bandstand and playing crowd favorites throughout the night.

Since the event begins right in the middle of dinnertime, outside food and beverages are allowed, but those who are trying to keep their loads minimal will have numerous food vendors onsite to choose

COFFEE >>

FROM A9

nishings not found in stores and also has access to many vendors.

Staeck helped design the Boonie Hat location with Saavedra. She gave him a couple of options in his price range and helped him choose what was best for the brand and operation, which is how she provides service to all of her customers.

Boonie Hat has been open since late March and has “exceeded expectations,” according to Saavedera.

“Every week, it continues to grow and grow,” he said.

from. Hamburgers, hotdogs, popcorn, ice cream and other snacks will be in abundance.

All children are encouraged to stop by the plate drop table to write their name and phone number on a paper plater prior to 7 p.m. because the Silver Wings Parachute Team will be making their big jump from the sky at 7:30 p.m. All the collected paper plates will be scattered on their landing site, and the lucky children whose plates are nearest to each parachute team member upon their landing will win a prize.

When the skies get dark around 9 p.m., the largest fireworks display in the area will commence, lighting up the skies in a multitude of colors. This year’s show will last approximately 15 minutes and will be bigger than ever, thanks

to contributions by the Orthopaedic Clinic.

Due to lingering concerns about the spread of COVID-19, children’s inflatables have been canceled for this year’s

event, but all other aspects of the event will remain as they have been in the past.

This event would not be made possible without the collaborative

efforts of Opelika Parks and Recreation, Opelika City Schools, Mayor Gary Fuller, the Opelika City Council, the Opelika Police Department, the Opelika

Fire Department, ESG Operation, Inc., the Orthopaedic Clinic and the Kiwanis Club of Opelika.

This event is free and open to the public.

“In here, it’s a little bit more of the creativity. You sit here and look at the paint colors and drink some coffee; and talk to Aspen about decorating or me about painting, and it’s a good, relaxing atmosphere,” Bryson said. “Some coffee shops are just so crazy and loud and you don’t feel relaxed – some are just so quiet. In here, it’s just such a laid back atmosphere. People talk, people hang out.”

Boonie Hat offers Brazilian Swiss water coffee, specifically brewed at the location to offer the best, fresh and smooth flavors.

Boonie Hat also offers bags of coffee beans for their cus-

tomers too, each of them dated to prevent selling expired coffee.

Coffee beans expire and lose their best flavor after three weeks of being roasted, and there is no way to slow the process, Saavedra said.

The coffee beans at Boonie Hat are brewed in an air popper, located in a “roaster room” in the back of the shop.

The coffee beans are poured into the machine, the machine wafts the beans and produces a smooth coffee instead of an over-roasted or burnt coffee.

Saavedra prefers roasting with a convection method, so the inside and outside

is roasted at the same time.

Boonie Hat Coffee Company offers dairy, soy and oat milk options as add-ins for their coffee.

The company sells roasted-regular and decaf coffee, pastries, hot teas, frappes, smoothies, hot chocolate, espresso drinks and newly introduced artisan pops.

Boonie Hat’s artisan pops are offered in a wide variety of flavors, including gluten and dairy-free options.

Flavors include Avocado Chocolate Pecan, Chocolate Mint Oreo, Salted Caramel, Birthday Cake, Strawberries & Cream, Mexican

Vanilla Coffee, Chocolate, Mango Lassi, Strawberry Lemonade and Cookies & Cream.

Saavedra’s wife makes the pops daily, before and after store hours.

Saavedra has been in Auburn since 2012.

He was originally in the military, then took a job in the ROTC department at Auburn University.

Roasting coffee beans after gaining experience working in and for the military, Saavedra got the idea to base his brand on a boonie hat.

Saavedra explains that the boonie hat is used often by people in the military, and he wants to use his brand

to show acknowledgment and appreciation toward those people.

“There’s a lot of people that are kind of unseen; that kind of make our way of life possible," Saavedra said. "We get so used to having them there, that we look past them. But they keep stuff rolling.”

Shop local, support vendors and experience deliciousness and creativity at Boonie Hat Coffee Company, located at 116 S. 8th St., Suite 101 in downtown Opelika.

Store hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

Contributed by Opelika Parks and Recreation

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A13 June 24, 2021

I

It Might Just Make a Difference

t was pick-up basketball as it was meant to be played. We were dressed in scraggly shorts and shirts that Goodwill at their most desperate wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with. And our play was as ragged as our clothes. But we were having a good time, getting a workout, and blowing off some steam.

Craig was one of the players. He wasn’t a regular—more of a semi-regular. He walked with a bit of a limp that was more pronounced when he ran.

He had some coordination issues as well—I’m not sure if it was something congenital or the result of an accident. But he was a scrappy player, and it wasn’t a big deal— once you stepped out on

CHURCH CALENDAR CHURCH OF CHRIST The church at Cunningham Drive are meeting at their building at 9:30 a.m. for Bible class, 10:30 a.m. for worship, 5 p.m. for evening worship and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

ST. MARYS CATHOLIC CHURCH/ ST. MICHAEL’S CHURCH SMCC is having Daily Mass on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. and on weekends they are distributing holy Communion on Sundays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A Mass is also held on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. at St. Michael's Church over in Auburn. For more information people can call the office at 334-749-8359 or go to the parish website: stmarysopelika.org.

UNION GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH In-person gathering with social distancing.

Masks are available.

Sunday worship is at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Wednesday worship is at 6:30 p.m.

Services are streamed live on Facebook — the page is UGBChurch FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OPELIKA The following are held in-person and online on Sundays: Traditional Service in The Worship Center at 8:30 & 11 a.m.

Contemporary Service in The 3:16 Center at 9:45 a.m.

Evening Service in The Worship Center at 6 p.m.

Watch services online at fbcopelika.com.

to the court you were just a basketball player.

You might be tall, short, fast, slow, or run with a limp—but you were a player.

We were getting near the end of the game. Play was intense, guys were tired, and tempers were short. Craig had the ball in the paint and went up for a shot. It was summarily blocked, and he went to the floor.

That’s when things went south.

One of the guys (I can’t remember if he was on Craig’s team or not), got up in the face of the person who had blocked Craig’s shot.

He screamed, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU CAN’T BLOCK CRAIG’S SHOT! HE

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

CAN’T DO ANY BETTER THAN THAT! It got very quiet in the gym. No one knew exactly what to say. The guy who had gone off meant well, but I think most of us understood that while his intent was good, his words were not.

Getting his shot blocked was Craig’s badge of belonging and his words had taken that away from

him.

Someone helped Craig up, we resumed play and finished the game. I don’t remember who won or lost. I don’t remember anything about the game other than the incident with Craig. I’ll never forget that.

Michael Gershon speaks of “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”

Craig stepped on the court with one expectation—to be treated like a basketball player and we hadn’t done that.

I think about that today and wonder if the lesson we learned in the gym that day isn’t needed now more than ever. We failed Craig because we allowed him to be treated differently and with reduced expectations. I wonder

ABOUT BRUCE GREEN

if this isn’t exactly what happens when we look at people and the first thing we see is all of the ways they are different from us.

Immediately our expectations lower.

What if we went back to looking at people as people before we or anyone else tried to categorize them? What if we saw them as someone who has stepped on to the court of life like us—and we treated them with the understanding and expectation that we are all in this together?

It might just make a difference.

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

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

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My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. — Proverbs 6:20

Church Directory APOSTOLIC HOLINESS Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance Inc 28 Sanford AvE., Opelika 334-745-0210 God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 True Deliverance Holiness Church 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 BAPTIST Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528 Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506 Friendship Missionary

Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117 Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487 Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750 Lakeview Baptist Church 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-7094 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608 Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461

CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721 Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Changing Hearts of Destiny Ministry 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 METHODIST Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist Church

5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319 PRESBYTERIAN Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.d.a. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151

Banner Proclaiming Love Stolen Again Contributed by Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship On June 20, members of Auburn Unitarian Universalist discovered that their social justice banner had been stolen for a second time. The sign, which included phrases about the fellowship’s anti-racist, pro-choice, pro-science, and LGBTQIA+ affirming beliefs, was stolen less than a week after being rededicated on June 13.

The congregation put the sign up in January 2019 as a

witness to the values of Unitarian Universalism.

On Jan. 9, 2021, members of Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship discovered the congregation’s original social justice banner, which hung outside their sanctuary on Thach Avenue for about two years, was stolen.

“Let’s call this what it is: an act of hate,” said Rev. Chris Rothbauer, the congregation’s lead minister. “Someone out there hates the values that our faith calls us to enough that they are willing to target us. This is harassment plain and simple, an attempt to See BANNER, page A14 Place your ad here!

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

A14 June 24, 2021

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Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence

onfidence! A treasure of extraordinary value.

You must have it. Life cannot be lived well without it.

What is it? Confidence is the belief or feeling that you can rely on someone or something. It is a feeling of certainty about the truth of something. It is feeling sure of yourself and your abilities.

Think of it as trust.

When you have confidence in your boss, your pastor, your spouse or the team of people with whom you work, it means that you trust them. Having confidence in yourself gives you the self-assurance that you can accomplish a task assigned to you.

When you are sick, you need confidence in your doctor. When

your car needs repair, you seek out a mechanic you trust. In every arena of life, confidence is a necessary ingredient.

If you lose confidence in the faithfulness of your spouse, your marriage will begin to crumble. Cynicism may poison your mind if you lose confidence in the integrity of your boss or your colleagues. Without confidence in your own giftedness, you will not be able to work effectively. Confidence!

You dare not leave home without it.

Confidence is no less important in the spiritual realm. Christian faith, for example, is confidence in God. I ran across a delightful phrase in the New Testament book known as Hebrews. In chapter 10, the writer im-

back, and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”

My heart leaped within me as I read that! I thought, “Yes, Lord, I will not shrink back when suffering and death tempt me to lose confidence in You. I will stand firm with those who believe! So I scribbled a list of beliefs in which I have confidence.

God is love. He is not the author of sickness but hurts with us when we suffer.

God is faithful. He keeps his promises.

God is like Jesus.

When I look at Jesus, I see God. God does not lie. Satan is the father of lies.

God can change a repentant sinner into a servant of Jesus.

The Bible is not

merely a book; it is THE BOOK containing God’s guidelines for living.

Jesus died on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. God raised Jesus from the dead. Since then, the Risen Lord has invited all people of every race to come to Him and be saved and receive the gift of eternal life.

In these beliefs I have confidence. If your circumstances are tempting you to lose confidence in God, I know how that feels. I have been in that dark hole of doubt. But Jesus led me out of that darkness! So I plead with you, don’t throw away your confidence!

Keep it. Nurture it.

Treasure it. Strengthen it! Hold on to it so that one day you can claim the rich reward God has promised to all who believe.

Phillips (Opelika), Danielle McConnell (Alexander City), Michelle and Roxanne Statola (Texas), nephews, Charles and Tanner Olivier, Dakota Olivier (all of Texas), Chad Ashley (South Carolina), Warren ”David” Cocke, Jr. (South Carolina), Rob Biggs and Danny McConnell (Opelika), Clint Morgan (Opelika), Gene McConnell (Phenix City), Chris McConnell Justin McConnell (Florida), John Micheal and Tony Statola (Texas), greatniece Presley Blanchard (Louisiana), Aleigh, Emma, Piper, McKinley Wade (Texas), Alaina Burrows (South Carolina), Branylyn Morgan (Opelika), great-nephew David “Trey” Bourgeois, III, Trevis, and Kanon Sungren (Texas), Cody and Conner Ashley, Gage Burrows (South Carolina), Evan Olivier, John Sorrels, Jr. (Texas), Jacob and Luke Morgan (Opelika).

Darlene worked with Lee County Home Health as an in-home aide for 19 years. She took pride in her family.

She loved plants, flowers and cats. She was a die-hard fan of the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!).

The family will have a memorial service at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 24, at Hopewell United Methodist Church with Reverend Drue Tubbs officiating. A gathering of fellowship will immediately follow her memorial service.

Darlene O. McConnell of Opelika, died

peacefully at her home after a short, but hard, battle with lung cancer on June 20, 2021. She was born to the late Charles David Olivier and June LaJaunie Olivier in Houma, Louisiana, on Nov. 8, 1960. She was 60 years old.

She was preceded in death by her father, Charles; mother, June and sister, Christine Janow (Texas).

Darlene is survived by her husband, Johnnie McConnell, children, Phillip McConnell and Jill Strickland, grandchild, Trey Strickland, greatgrandchild Hudson Strickland, sisters, Charlene Cocke (South Carolina), Jan Blanchard (Louisiana), brother, David Olivier (Texas), Godchild Travis Blanchard (Louisiana), nieces, Kristy Wade, Missy Sundgren (both of Texas), Jessica Burrows and Amy Cocke (both of South Carolina), Jinni Bouorgeois (Louisiana), Brianna Olivier (Texas), Shelby Gates (Texas), Lucie Britton (Ohio), Linda Woods (Missouri), Sharon Morgan (Opekila), Stephanie Tilton (Idaho), Terrie Roberts (Smith Station), Theresa (Phenix City), Kim, Tanya and Sandy

Robert (Bobby) Julian McClendon, age 79, of Opelika, (Beauregard), Alabama, went to be with the Lord on June 19, 2021 at home with loved ones by his side.

He was born April 16, 1942 in Lee County Alabama.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Helen Chandler McClendon.

He is survived by his daughter Janet McClendon Kirkland, a sister, Evelyn Lawler and two nieces.

He attended Beauregard High School. He retired from Uniroyal after 32 years.

A graveside service was held at Watoola Methodist Church Cemetery Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 10 a.m. In Bobby's memory, the family asks that an act of kindness or good deed be performed.

matter has been forwarded to the Auburn Police Department for further investigation.

“I refuse to be intimated,” Rothbauer said. “The goal of this vandalism is to silence us, to make us fear speaking out for our values in the area.

Auburn is our home as well, and we believe that the message of the banner is one that many more people than just our congregation hold dear to our hearts.”

In place of the banner, members of the congregation hung an

identical yard sign in place of the banner.

They are committed to replacing stolen signs as often as necessary.

“It’s sad to me that someone finds a message of love, inclusion and acceptance so offensive that they feel the need to target us,” Rothbauer added. “In a world where hate so often rules the day, it’s difficult to understand why someone finds the message of inherent worth and dignity of all people so threatening.”

About Auburn Unitarian

Universalist Fellowship: Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was founded in 1961 as a liberal religious congregation in Lee County, Alabama.

Though Unitarian Universalism is an offshoot of Protestant Christianity, our members come from a variety of different religious backgrounds, identities, and life experiences, united by our desire to build a world where all people are valued for who they are. The fellowship and its minister

and members have been leaders in local social justice issues, organizing climate change actions, in racial justice protests and initiatives and for the local LGBTQIA+ community. Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, a liberal religious organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, representing over a thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations in all fifty states.

WALT ALBRITTON plores us to not “throw away” our confidence.

And he explains why: so that our faith may be “richly rewarded.” He goes on to say, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

The writer was addressing Christians who were being tempted, by

persecution and suffering, to lose confidence in God and in what he had done for them in Christ. To persevere requires confidence in God, and unless we remain faithful to the end, we shall not receive the rewards God has promised. The writer closes chapter 10 by declaring with hope, “We are not of those who shrink

OBITUARIES Justin T Bonner Justin T. Bonner, 49 of Opelika passed away on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Visitation was held on Friday, June 18, at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. A graveside service followed at 2 p.m.at Garden Hills Cemetery with Reverend Larry Doster officiating.

He is survived by his wife, Vickie Bonner; children, Stephanie Moulton (Jeff) & April Willett, grandchildren, Christopher Willett, Alissa Willett, Conner Moulton and Zachary Moulton, brothers, James Bonner Jr, Darius Sears & David Sears (Cassie), sisters, Robin Bonner and Chanoah Orr (David) and five nephews.

He is proceeded in death by grandparents, Clarance and Estelle Hartt and Charles and Rena Bonner, parents, James Michael Bonner Sr. and Norma Jean Warren and a sister, Julie Sears.

Justin was born on Dec. 22, 1971. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, a graduate of Auburn University and an employee of The State of Alabama and Briggs & Stratton, Auburn. He obtained his pilot’s license and

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FROM A13

convince us that we should be quiet when we are called to speak out in love.”

The person waited

enjoyed flying any chance that he got. He was a Scout Master for Troup 858 in Opelika and was dedicated to helping scouts achieve their goals. Anyone who knew him, knew he was a Christian man who always put others first.

He loved his family more than anything and was a blessing to all. He will be deeply missed.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

Dr. Charles Milton Darling A funeral service for Dr. Charles Milton Darling, age 87, of Opelika was held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 2 p.m. at JeffcoatTrant Funeral Home followed by burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Rev. Charles Cummings officiated.

Dr. Darling died Friday, June 11, 2021, at home.

He was born Feb. 7, 1934, in Mineral Wells, Mississippi.

He was Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy. Chief honors include Associate Alumni Research Professor, SGA Most Outstanding until night and used a knife to cut out the grommets, allowing them to easily take the sign without being noticed by passers-by.

The congregation checked their new security camera and the

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Teacher in Pharmacy, Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Award, School of Pharmacy Distinguished Service Award, twice named Teacher of the Year, three times named the Outstanding Professor in Pharmacy and was named Outstanding Educator in America in 1971. He brought national recognition to the school through his scientific publications, as a scholastic contributor to a nationally accepted textbook and significant research efforts in anticonvulsant drugs.

Darling is predeceased by his beloved wife, Bonnie J Darling and his siblings Lester Ray Darling and Grace L. Prather. Charles is survived by his sons, Charles Grant Darling of Tifton, Georgia, George Andrew Darling of Covington, Kentucky, and Christopher Lynn Darling of Sammamish, Washington and his grandchildren, Charlie, Clara, Grant, Drew, Alex and Stuart.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Ozanampharmacy.org.

Darlene O. McConnell

Robert (Bobby) Julian McClendon

A15 June 24, 2021

PHOTOS BY ABBEY CRANK / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

Inaugural Juneteenth Event Held in Auburn

The chains are broken, and Auburn’s first Juneteenth celebration gathered in Sam Harris Park. On Saturday, June 19, Mayor Anders signed a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday. When signing, Anders said he could not wait to “move forward as a better and tighter … community.”

Opelika Holds Second Juneteenth Event

PHOTOS BY ABBEY CRANK / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

On Friday, June 18, Opelika held its Second Annual Juneteenth celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Event planner Janataka Holmes, as well as the local Black community, were happy with the overwhelming support spreading throughout Opelika. “All I’ve ever wanted to be was a seed planter,” said Holmes. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

A16 June 24, 2021

COMICS

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

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By D. Mark Mitchell

Opelika Dixie Youth Baseball Heads to State

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announced the 14U all-star team last week. The team will play in the State Tournament, July 9 at West Ridge Park.

The eight-team, double-elimination bracket will be finalized in the coming days.

The following are members of the DBB 14U all-star team: Jonathan Caufield, Noah Childree, Hunter Crews, Camden Dunson, Chris Floyd, Jaxson Gaither, Carter Green, Jackson Lee, Warner McDonald, Allen Owen, Bennett Young, TJ Arnold and Landon Childree.

Manager Derek Lee, assistants Michael McDonald and Allen Owen.

The winner of the State Tournament advances to the World Series, July 23 in Sterlinton, Louisianna.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director of iHeartMedia, the host of “On the Mark,” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

See SPORTS, page B4

INSIDE • OPELIKA SCHOOLS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • COMMUNITY SPORTS

Auburn: July 13 at 6 p.m.

Lee County: July 13 at 6 p.m.

Opelika High Welcomes Thornton as Softball Coach

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com Opelika High School’s softball program has a new face.

Jessica Thornton, originally from Vancouver, Washington, was announced as the Lady Bulldog’s new coach last week through a press release from the high school.

“We are extremely excited to welcome coach Thornton to Opelika as our new head softball coach,” stated Dr. Farrell Seymore, OHS Principal. “We look forward to coach Thornton contributing

to the rich tradition at OHS. Her expertise and student-centered approach to teaching and coaching will help our students for years to come.”

Thornton most recently served as assistant softball coach at the University of Louisiana Monroe from 2015-21. While being an assistant coach had many positives, Thornton said she has been waiting for an opportunity like the one at Opelika.

“I think coaching is something that I have always wanted to do since I was little.

THORNTON

See THORNTON, page B4

Opelika Becomes ‘Better Together'

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com Despite a constant downpour of rain, the city of Opelika’s spirit was uplifted on Saturday with the Together Opelika “Game On” flag football event.

“Man this is awesome,” said Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey. “These kids are having a blast and that’s what it’s about.”

Boys and girls ages 5 to 18 years old came in droves to join the Opelika Police Department

along with several current and former professional and collegiate athletes for a day of flag football at Opelika High School.

“In football, you have to come together as a team, and all of us that are older in life know it works better when you work

together with people,” Healey said. “So, you start teaching them young like this, man it’s awesome.”

Around 250 local PHOTO BY ABBEY CRANK / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

he Opelika Dixie Youth All-Star teams competed in the State Tournaments last week. The Ozone allstars (11-to-12 year olds) beat Auburn twice, 10-6 and 10-0 (4-inning run rule) at Duck Samford Park last weekend.

Caleb Peoples hit a homerun in game one to lead the offense.

Defensively, Carson Holcey-Billingsley and Will Brandon combined to pitch six innings for the Opelika all-stars.

Game two pitchers, Will Brandon and Logan Childree, combined to allow one hit to earn the win.

Opelika advances to the Ozone State Tournament July 9 in Andalusia.

Opelika’s minor league (9-to-10 year olds) all-stars went 1-1 at the District Tournament, advancing to the State Tournament on July 9 in Greenville.

Opelika beat Auburn Blue, 22-9, in game one and lost, 8-11, to Auburn Orange in the second game.

OPELIKA DIXIE BOYS ALL-STARS The Opelika Dixie Boys Baseball League

Opelika: June 29 at 4:30 p.m.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS

On the Mark

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B2 June 24, 2021

Opelika’s Fathers of the Year Opelika Senior

Auburn High Grad Receives Prestigious ROTC Scholarship PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE SANFORD

Xavier Sanford (right), recent Auburn High School graduate, is one of 13 students in the state of Alabama to receive a national three-year ROTC scholarship. He will be attending Jacksonville State University.

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PHOTOS BY AP PHOTOGRAPHY

Girls S.T.E.P.S. Inc., and The Knee High Foundation awarded gift baskets to the winners of the Father’s Day "Father of the Year" Essay Contest at Saturday’s Together Opelika “Game On” flag football event.

Pictured (top left) Trey Stone and his father, (top right) Koree Baker and her father and (bottom) the sibling trio of Kaden Cooper and Karson and Kennedy Moss, with their father.

Earns Eagle Scout Honor

Contributed by Chris and Amy Hess

Andrew Hess, a member of Boy Scout Troop 858 and a senior at Opelika High School, earned the honor of Eagle Scout, the highest rank that the Boy Scouts offers.

Only 3 to 4% of Boy Scout members ever attain this prestigious honor.

In total, Hess achieved the 21 merit badges required to receive the Eagle Scout award, along with 12 additional badges. For his final project, he built three beehives for Opelika High School’s Agricultural Department. Hess chose his project based on collaboration with Opelika School System Superintendent, Dr. Mark Neighbors, Secondary Curriculum & Career Tech Coordinator, Katie Murray and agricultural teachers, Ginny Gaberlavage and Jasen Spoon.

The Agricultural Department has developed a farm on campus and wanted to add pollinators to assist in the pollination of plants and crops.

To prepare for his project, Hess attended a virtual Beginner Beekeeping Course, which was presented with cooperation of the Saugahatchee Beekeepers Association, Lee County Cooperative System and Claybird Bee Education Association. The class met once a week for eight weeks and covered a range of topics, including bee anatomy, building hives and harvesting honey. The instructor for the course, Damon Wallace, assisted Hess in determining what materials would be required and allowed the use of his workshop for the building of the hives.

Through the generosity of friends and family, Hess was able to purchase the materials required

to build all three hives. He also donated some beekeeping supplies and $200 to Opelika High School’s Agricultural Department.

The process included building individual boxes and frames, wiring of frames, installing frame foundations, priming and painting boxes and installing the hives on their foundations at the farm. A total of three lids, 15 boxes, 120 frames and three bottom boards were prepared. Hess, along with 26 volunteers, worked over 250 hours to plan, build, paint, install and present the hives.

Following the completion of his project, Hess shared a presentation, via Zoom, to his troop about all he had learned about bees.

Hess earned his Eagle rank at his board of review held on April 20 at Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn.

All of this would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Hess’s Eagle Scout coach, Dean Rodgers, master beekeeper, Damon Wallace, Troop 858 members and friends and family who donated their time and effort to this project.

Hess would also like to thank the following businesses who either donated time, expertise or gave discounts to his project: Redeemed Painting, SherwinWilliams, Home Depot and Dorris Signs.

A ceremony honoring Hess was held on May 8 at 10 a.m. at Trinity Methodist Church in Opelika.

The family would like to thank all of those who were able to attend.

B3 June 24, 2021

Helpful Hints for Young Travelers

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

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his summer, families are truly ready to get out and travel! I congratulate families on finding creative ways to have fun when we had to stay home last summer but this year everyone is planning delayed vacations and family reunions. We are still conscious of staying safe and healthy, but it is time to enjoy summer.

On day outings or a week’s vacation, those parents with younger children have to plan their schedule ahead of

time. Planning and anticipating a fun summer vacation is half the fun of a vacation or outing!

Meeting the needs of younger children can be a challenge but a true JOY. Togetherness with family and friends is what counts in family trips. Here are some helpful hints that I have gleaned from others and have reused from my own teaching experiences with young children.

Younger children operate better when they are kept on a schedule or

routine. A routine gives a younger child security. I know even in the classroom that young children want to know the times for circle, snack, play and nap. This is when they are developmentally thinking. When you are traveling in the car, bus or plane, make allowances for your young child to eat on a schedule, take their daily nap, allow them time to stretch and get out of the car and run when making stops.

Of course, safety is of utmost importance so please take time to go over the rules for safety.

Part of planning a vacation or day outing is to have your children help you to pack what is needed. Children from toddlers on up love to help and be a part of preparation. They can help choose what clothes they will need to wear, a few favorite toys, favorite blankets, toothbrushes, brushes, and more. This depends on what kind of trip or vacation you are taking such as camping, staying in a motel or staying with extended family.

Try to stay on course with meals. Plan ahead so you know where the

restaurants are that you can stop at to meet your child’s mealtime. When flying or riding on a train, you can preorder a meal. With bus travel, I have found it best to take my little companion’s favorite, healthy snacks. My son and I use to enjoy our bus rides to visit grandparents, as well as to sightsee. One of my close friends would take all six of her children traveling on the bus during the summer to see the country. Many bus lines offer really good deals. The key to having a good trip is planning. Be sure to take nutritious snacks with you so your child will not be eating a lot of “junk food”. Make sure for toddlers and twos that the food is cut up or broken into bite-size pieces so they don’t choke. Young children don’t need to be eating when running or playing; they could easily choke.

With traveling in the car, many families have found it best to begin travels early in the morning and stop early in the afternoon to allow for proper rest. Many times, starting off early means your child can be quietly

picked up without even waking them. Always remember to discuss the most reasonable distance to travel each day.

Be sure to select some favorite toys, games, videos and CDS they might enjoy listening to. In selecting what you take, make sure these are toys you can travel with easily. One suggestion is to go to the dollar stores to pick out inexpensive coloring books, and games that your child hasn’t seen before. Don’t play with these ahead of time; this will be a nice travel surprise gift.

I always take a package of stickers as incentives on field trips and reward good behavior. It is amazing how a young child will work for a simple sticker. Other incentives can be used, like rewarding your child by stopping at their favorite restaurant or getting their favorite foods. You will be surprised at how simple things make a young child very happy. Verbal praise is one of those simple rewards that doesn’t cost a thing.

One does not have to spend an “arm and a leg” to have a good outing

with young children.

When traveling, my husband and I would pick out playgrounds in passing town for our son. We would pack a picnic lunch and spend a few minutes eating while our son played.

Try to choose places you stay as “child-oriented or child-friendly places.” Most of our motels and campsites are definitely family-oriented.

Remember to take your medical kits to take care of emergency needs, as well as medicines your child usually takes. Be sure to take the phone number of your child’s doctor.

Make sure you remember your camera or phone to make your special vacation or family outing one to remember. A picture speaks a thousand words and captures a happy moment or memory in time. Recapping a vacation in pictures makes the fun and family togetherness.

Remember to have fun with your child on your outings or vacations. TIME spells LOVE! Classroom Observer, Beth Pinyerd

Auburn University Webinar Presents the Question: 'Are You OK?'

By Maggie Caraway For the Opelika Observer Dr. Danny Butler, assistant dean for Harbert Global Programs Department of Marketing at Auburn University, presented a webinar on June 15 titled “Are You OK?” The message he delivered centered around what this question really means to us, as well as, “strategic thinking to get you through the day at work and at home.”

Butler provided an interactive workshop to give viewers ideas and practices to

implement in order to simply get them through the day — a seemingly simple task that has its hidden challenges.

Butler’s background in marketing influenced the message he delivered in his workshop.

“The study of how consumers make choices is based on solid psychological principles,” he said.

“These same principles impact the choices we make, consciously and subconsciously, that manifest themselves in our overall health.

Research suggests that a healthy mind

BUTLER and body lead to more contentment and better attitudes which, in turn, impact our workplace behaviors.”

Butler began by acknowledging the

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article the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, wrote for the New York Times.

Markle explained her experience with miscarriage and the

pain and suffering she weathered. She sparked conversations about mental health — a topic that has been taboo in the past. Butler expressed his gratitude for Meghan “putting it all out there for us,” and opening up the door to conversations about mental health.

Butler proved that the psychological principles consumers use as a basis for their decision-making also impact choices we make in everyday life. These choices are made consciously and subconsciously, ultimately affecting our health.

Butler also emphasized the importance of perception and framing. Perception is the factors that influence our decision-making, “the information we see from the environment.”

Framing is our ability to focus and what we prime our brains to think about, he said. Butler explained that we do not have the power to change some things.

However, as individuals, we hold the power to change the perception and the framing of information.

See WEBINAR, page B5

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B4 June 24, 2021

Team War Ready Brings AU Basketball Alums Back into Spotlight

By Wil Crews sportscrews@ opelikaobserver.com

This summer, 10 notable names of recent Auburn basketball history have joined together to compete in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) – a winner-take-all single elimination basketball tournament with a $1 million grand prize.

TBT features 64 teams across five different locations, beginning July 16 with the championship on Aug. 3 in Columbus, Ohio.

A core of former Auburn players (Bryce Brown, Horace Spencer, Desean Murray and Laron Smith) participated in TBT with team “War Tampa” in 2020, however, this year, more former Tigers have been recruited and team “War Ready” is prepared to represent The Plains this year.

“Our Twitter went from like 300 followers to like 4,000 last summer, just because we had four Auburn guys on our team,” said General Manager

THORNTON >>

FROM B1

Honestly it was just a dream.”

Thornton, who said she was the one who reached out to the school about the opening, was initially attracted to the job because of Opelika’s track record for excellence when it comes to athletics.

“My husband is from a small town in Alabama on the outskirts of Alex City,” she said. “So, I was familiar with the area and I’ve heard great things about Opelika athletics. I can’t pretend that I knew a lot about their softball program, but I know they have a rich culture over there and a lot of

Matt Moschella.

“So then, this year, talking to those guys and talking to the tournament a little bit, they thought it was best to go to an Auburn alumni team.”

The 2021 War Ready roster is comprised of: Bryce Brown (2015-19) Cinmeon Bowers (2014-16), Danjel Purifoy (2015-20), Desean Murray (201718), Malik Dunbar (2017-19), Kareem Canty (2015-16), TJ Dunans (2015-17), TJ Lang (2014-17), Laron Smith (2016-17) and Josh Dollard (200507). Non Auburnalum, Isaiah Williams (Georgia State, 201518), rounds out the squad; He has played with Moschella’s TBT teams since 2018.

All-time great Tiger, Frankie Sullivan (2008-13), is serving as head coach.

Dollard, who came back to Auburn to finish his degree in 2016, said he grew close to some of the players on that year’s Auburn team. When he was approached to be on War Ready and saw

some of the guys from 2016, committing to play was an easy decision.

“I thought it would be good opportunity for me to join those guys, have some fun, play some basketball and reach a common goal together,” he said.

Despite War Tampa’s disappointing first-round exit in last year’s TBT, the big names on War Ready are driving more engagement from Auburn fans – who are bringing their high expectations with them. Moschella is looking to a few of the guys to lead War Ready through the hype.

“I have to go with Laron because he’s been in TBT for four

tradition, and I think that’s kind of what I’m built on and that’s what drew me there.”

Furthermore, Thornton said she isn’t worried about the transition from coaching college-age players to high school. If anything, it gives her an edge.

“I think there’s a lot of angles that it brings,” Thornton said. “I spent a lot time recruiting and coaching camps, so I’m not new to the age group. While I might not have been exposed as often, I am no newcomer. I think there’s a lot of potential there at Opelika specifically.”

Thornton’s softball pedigree dates back to playing for Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon. There, she was

named Southern Region Player of the Year and helped lead MHCC to a combined 69-18 record, back-to-back NWAAC titles and the Southern Region Title.

Thornton was named to the Louisville Slugger NFCA NWAACC AllAmerican Team and was the MHCC Female Athlete of the Year in 2011. She finished her college playing career at Jacksonville State where she earned two degrees.

“My junior college coach actually played for coach McGinnis, who is at Jacksonville State and has been for 25 years. She had that connection and told coach McGinnis about me and that’s how I got there.”

Pictured is are the 14U Dixie Boys all-stars.

Front Row L to R: Cam Johnson, Ashton Keith, Grant Speigner, Hunter Harrelson, Smitty Young and Erick Fernandez.

Back Row L to R: Turner Underwood, Jude Nicholson, Brady Capps, Brock Danford, KJ Kyles and Jack Brandon.

Coaches L to R: Brandon Danford, Manuel Stone, Lupe Fernandez.

before TBT starts.

They are the No. 5 seed in the West Virginia regional and will be preparing for a first-round matchup against the ETSU alumni team, the Bucketneers, on July 18 at 11 a.m.

As of now, the roster is complete.

However, Moschella did not close the door on the opportunity of adding another big name.

“From now on, any player we would add would be $1,000,” he said. “But if someone from those final four teams pop up then we would have to probably pay for them to get on, but I’m sure the fans would help us cover those prices.

But we like what we have unless something really special comes up or someone backs out."

TBT began in 2014 and gained publicity in part because of the Elam Ending – which shuts off the game clock at the end of the game and instead sets a target score to determine the winner.

For some, the adjustment of moving across of the country would be a shock – but Thornton quickly fell in love Alabama.

“There’s something to be said about warm weather and southern hospitality,” she said.

"Sometimes I think you kind of want to turn the heat off – or at least down – but once you go back and feel how cold it might be other places, I think you appreciate it more. I love it.”

Thornton said she is going to be living in Louisiana for a couple more weeks, but is excited for the move to Lee County.

“I am eager to get back there so that I can meet them and start building those

relationships.”

Once here, Thornton said her approach to coaching will be focused on “person over player”.

“What that means is I will always care about them more as a person than a player,” she said.

“We are there to play softball and have fun and get better, but I want them to leave the program as better people. I want to help them learn and grow and reach their goals, whether it’s on the field or off the field.”

Lastly, Thornton said she wanted to thank Seymore and Opelika Athletic Director, Mike Pugh, for the opportunity, and expressed her drive to get the Opelika community’s support

behind her Bulldogs.

“I just think we are going to be very community driven and involved,” she said. “We want to give back to the community as much they give to us by just coming to games and that kind of thing. The more people we can get to games, the more exciting it is and the more successful we will be.”

The hiring of Thornton marks the third coach in four years for OHS. Tina Deese, former Auburn University head coach, retired in 2018 after five seasons at Opelika.

Randy Belyue resigned this spring after two years, but only coached one season of games due to COVID-19 in 2020.

See BASKETBALL, page B5

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY D. MARK MITCHELL

SPORTS >> FROM B1

years now with us. He knows what it takes to win this tournament you know the sacrifices and stuff like that.”

Another guy Moschella expects to play a crucial role is the 6-foot-7, physical presence that is Cinmeon Bowers.

“He’s been in the championship game in this tournament on the Golden Eagles a couple years ago. So, he sees the sacrifices you have to make.

He expects to play anywhere from five to 25 minutes. You have to have guys like that, people have to take sacrifices and play defense. That’s what we are trying to install here, and Cim has been helping us tell all these guys who are new to TBT about

that.”

Moschella said current Auburn basketball fans can expect to see a familiar play style next month.

“It seems like our style is going to be sort of how Bruce Pearl does – running and gunning and shooting threes. We want threes instead of layups.”

Dollard, who said he thinks he brings leadership, scoring and rebounding to the team, expects War Ready to play “gritty”.

“I expect us to be a grind-it-out type of team that is gritty getting it done on the defensive end – its going to take a lot of teamwork,” he said.

“We got some scorers, some shooters …

Probably not the biggest team in the tournament, but I think it’s a lot of heart over height. At the end of the day, its basketball, and the guys love to compete and love to win. We are going to try and get it done.”

War Ready has plans to practice in West Virginia, where its regional is being played, the week

Pictured are the Opelika Dixie Youth Ozone all-stars.

Front Row L to R: Will Brandon, Pat Neese, Logan Childree, Colton Woodall and Troy Tidwell.

Second Row L to R: Caleb Peoples, Whit Cooper, Tre Stone, Carson Holcey-Billingsley, Tyson Prince, Jacob Patterson and Jack Branch.

Third Row L to R: Coaches Nicky Tidwell, Kurt Branch and Jamie Cooper.

B5 June 24, 2021

Lee-Scott Grad Selected as Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama Contributed by Distinguished Young Women of Lee County

Mary Helen Miller was joined by friends, family and supporters, along with the Alabama Lee County Distinguished Young Women board members on Sunday, June 13, to celebrate her accomplishment of being selected as the

Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama in January’s virtual program. This celebration also acted as a “sendoff” tea prior to her participation in the national program.

The crowd of supporters, including fellow participants from the Lee County local program and the Alabama state program, gathered in Opelika where Miller

was presented with a proclamation from Auburn Mayor, Ron Anders, and Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. The proclamation declared June 13, 2021, to be “Mary Helen Miller Day.” Anders spoke about Miller’s outstanding achievements both with the program and outside of it. He also spoke to the merits of the program for the

county and the state.

On June 24-26, Miller will represent Alabama in the 64th annual Distinguished Young Women National Finals where she will compete in the categories of interview, scholastics, self-expression, fitness and talent. This year, the National Finals will be virtual and can be streamed for free to all viewers through the

Distinguished Young Women website.

Miller, a 2021 graduate of Lee-Scott Academy, was a local preliminary winner in the scholastic, fitness, talent and self-expression categories, and at the state level, she was awarded scholarship in the scholastic, interview and essay categories.

Prior to the national

program, Miller had earned $10,200 in scholarships and has the potential to be awarded more in the coming weeks as the state representative for Alabama.

Congratulations to Miller on all her accomplishments achieved in the Opelika community and through the Distinguished Young Women program.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY LCDYW

Mary Helen Miller celebrated her accomplishment of being selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama in the January virtual program. Pictured with Miller are friends, family, DYW board members and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders.

BETTER >>

FROM B1

youth registered for the event in total. Age groups were divided and teams of eight faced off with OPD officers and high school athletes serving as player-coaches.

“Those 5 to 7-year-olds were out here acting like NFL stars,” Healey said.

For the next few hours, officers did their best to hand out spin moves and stiff arms; participating children — slippin’ and slidin’ all over the place — did their best to deny them.

Once the fill of touchdown dances had been had, children had

WEBINAR

>>

FROM B3

This, in return, can change our lives.

“We have the perception on the outside and then we have this thing about the way we frame it and what is framing is,” he said. “You have choices. You can consciously frame your choice. You can make quick decisions automatically because you don’t think about what the choice is. Or, you can take a moment to frame how the day will play out.

You can have positive thoughts. Or you can have negative thoughts. But how you view the world? It’s actually a choice.”

plenty of time to mingle and take pictures with Tennessee Titans linebacker, Rashaan Evans, former Alabama player and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback, Tony Brown and former Auburn player and current Jacksonville Jaguars running back, Corey Grant.

All the while, loyal parents filled the stands, watching from under umbrellas in support of their child or children.

“You can see the dedicated parents with their kids here,” said Girls S.T.E.P.S. Inc., CEO Tiffany Gibson-Pitts.

"They are really excited about it; No one has complained. They brought Furthermore, Butler emphasized the impact we can have on others by choosing to say “Are you OK?” You can make this choice by not necessarily asking that same question word for word.

It can be in the form of "How are you?"; "How are you feeling?"; Or, in Butler's case, "What is that crap on your lip?"

When Butler was working on his MBA as a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, he discovered what he thought was a wart on his lip. He treated his lip with Compound W wart remover and saw no results. After some time, one of his professors, Dr. Bill McCartney, pulled him aside and asked

their umbrellas expecting the rain.”

The football games notwithstanding, the event primarily served as a meet-and-greet of sorts, providing local youth with an opportunity to see police in a non-work environment.

“I think it’s bringing everybody together and they are having a rapport with the police officers,” said Tiphany Thompson, a mother of an Opelika Dawg Pound cheerleader who participated in Saturday’s event.

“Instead of just seeing them when they are called, you have an actual relationship. I think it’s wonderful.”

“What is that crap on your lip?” He said this shocked him because it was the harshest thing he had heard his professor say. McCartney ordered him to go to the health clinic and get his lip checked out. Butler was immediately sent to a dermatologist and found out the devastating news that the “wart” on his lip was actually squamous cell carcinoma. The doctor told Butler that the cancer could have easily moved to his lymph nodes if he had not had it removed, leaving him dead within a year.

Butler claimed that he had one of those “Are you OK?” moments when "someone cared enough to hurt my feelings by asking me ‘What

Local philanthropic organizations focused on youth, The Knee High Foundation, Girls S.T.E.P.S. Inc., The Curtis House and The Dream Day Foundation, were well represented and aided the operation.

The Razor Foundation, Opelika High School, the city of Opelika, Opelika Fire Department, Lee County Emergency Management and Golden State Foods also partnered in helping the event come to fruition.

“It’s bringing us together; That’s what chief Healey wants,” said Rebecca Thompson of Critical Insights. “He [Healey] wants to do is that crap on your lip?’”

The ultimate message that Butler preached is that there are many things in this life that we cannot change. However, there are some things that we can change and our perspective and the choices we make are some of the most important aspects in doing so.

Make the choice today to ask someone if they are okay and change your perspective to realize that this question might come in many different forms. Danny Butler’s webinar “Are You Okay?

Strategic Thinking to Get You Through the Day at Work and at Home” is available at auburn.edu/opce along with previous webinars.

Together Opelika, and this is part of the initiative to get it started.

This brings the citizens and everyone together to build relationships with the officers, with local organizations and with everyone here.”

The Opelika Police Department's “Together Opelika” initiative is a city-wide campaign with the four primary goals of: (1) lowering crime and increasing community engagement, (2) building trust within the community, (3) establishing genuine relationships between OPD and the community and (4) encouraging community support for OPD officers.

“A lot of these kids, it may be their first interaction with [police] and it’s positive,” Gibson-Pitts said.

Local food and service vendors were also available for attendees to frequent, and donations were collected at the gate for the Ambassadors of Change organizations.

All in all, the day was a successful step in beginning to bring Opelika together.

“Everybody is just playing with the kids and having a good time,” Healey said. “It’s about coming together and having fun.”

Photos from the event can be found on B7.

BASKETBALL

to play together and want to represent Auburn again, so we will be definitely be good to go."

All games will be shown on ESPN and the schedule is as follows: July 16 to 20 – Wichita, Kansas (Regional) Juy 17 to 21 – Charleston, West Virginia (Regional) July 23 to 27 – Columbus, Ohio (Regional) July 24 to 28 – Peoria, Illinois (Regional) July 31 to Aug. 3 – Dayton, Ohio (Finals).

For more information, visit www. thetournament. com/?f bclid=IwAR1IV9dJp9apdc2W6In0nQAqBntno1bsNvKjkcPbjF14IT05Xa6F3HPinaw.

>>

FROM B4

“It makes the game a lot more intense,” Moschella said.

If the TBT’s unique format is not enough to pique interests, watch for the college basketball nostalgia.

“It’s those people you remember in college, that they didn’t make it to the NBA, and you’re like, ‘Oh snap, let’s see how they are doing,’” Moschella said.

With just a few more weeks before tournament begins, Moschella said there is only one focus now: getting there healthy.

“It’s tough to tell grown men not to do anything,” Moschella said. “But a lot of them know the sacrifice and they want

B6 June 24, 2021

Auburn High Names Link as Girl’s Flag Football Coach

Auburn High has been on the hunt for its girl’s flag football head coach, and it found the answer in Alison Link.

Link already works in the athletic department as a varsity softball assistant and will now coach flag football in the fall.

When the decision was made in April to make flag football a sanctioned sport, Link was immediately interested.

“When we first heard of it, me and a coworker of mine were super fired up about it and actually went to our AD and said, ‘Hey I think we’d really like to do this,’” Link said.

The athletic director expressed mutual interest and the school announced last Monday Link had the job.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ALISON LINK

By Maddie Joiner For the Opelika Observer

In her new role, she will coach flag football in the fall while continuing her job as a varsity softball assistant in the spring.

Link has already been busy as head coach, setting up an interest meeting and summer workouts.

The meeting is set for June 29 at 6 p.m. in the AHS gym.

Students interested in

attending the meeting can fill out the Google form found on the AHS Athletics Twitter account @ ACSAthleticDept.

Link said around 80 girls have already expressed interest in the team.

“With that meeting, we’re just going to talk about what we’ll do for the summer,” Link said. “We are just

going to kind of have some open dates in July, to let the students come out and experience, hopefully, what practice would look like. We’re just going to kind of learn skills and go over the game and start learning the rules and things like that, just to see if they’re even interested, which I hope most of them will be.”

Tryouts for the team will be in August when students return to school. The team will consist of girls in grades 10-12 and the format will be 7v7.

Although Link is coming from a softball coaching position, she intends to carry over a lot of her coaching skills to flag football.

“Team sports all have a common thing,” Link said. “You’ve got to have the teamwork, the camaraderie, the friendships that develops. When you can develop trust in your players and the coaches and the staff, the X’s and O’s sometimes just take care of themselves after that.”

Although Link does not have a huge football background, she has been around college intramural leagues and taught it in PE. “To me, it just looks

like a fun sport,” she said. “I was just interested in seeing it develop and see it come to fruition.”

Ultimately, Link is most excited for this new journey because of the opportunity to provide female athletes with a way to play football.

“I think more opportunities for females is super important,” Link said. “Hopefully as this comes along, we can get the foundation this year. You know, can we start rec leagues? Can we get girls interested at a younger age? This gives them another outlet, another sport and, you know, girls love to watch football too. Most of them want to play.”

For more information on girl’s flag football at AHS or to sign up for the interest meeting, visit AHS Athletics website at auburnhightigers.org/.

Contributed by AU Athletics

Former Auburn standout and current Cleveland Cavalier, Isaac Okoro, was named to the 202021 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, the NBA announced last Thursday. Okoro is the first Tiger to earn All-Rookie Team honors since Marquis Daniels in 2003-04, when he played for the Dallas Mavericks.

Okoro is the sixth former Auburn player to be named to the annual team in program history, joining Charles Barkley (1985), Chris Morris (1989), Chuck Person (1987), Wesley Person (1995) and Daniels (2004).

After being selected No. 5 overall by the Cavaliers in the 2020 NBA Draft, Okoro went on to appear in a team-best

67 games (all starts), averaging 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32.4 minutes. Okoro (646 points, 62 threes, 62 steals, 24 blocks) became just the third rookie in franchise history to record at least 500 points, 50 threes, 50 steals and 20 blocks in a single season, joining LeBron James (200304) and Kyrie Irving (2011-12).

The Powder Springs, Georgia, native led all NBA rookies in minutes per game while also ranking in the Top 10 among rookies in steals per game (sixth), points per game (eighth) and assists per game (10th).

His 32.4 minutes averaged was the highest by a Cavs rookie since LeBron James in 2003-04 (39.5) and the most by any NBA rookie since 201718 (Ben Simmons

33.7 and Donovan Mitchell 33.4).

Okoro scored in double-digits on 35 occasions this past season, which was tied for sixth-most among 2020-21 rookies. He posted 20 points or more three times and had one 20 point, 10 rebound game.

Okoro became the first one-and-done player in Auburn program history following his freshman campaign in 2019-20. He was just the sixth player in Southeastern Conference history to be named AllSEC, All-Defensive and All-Freshman in the same season.

The forward averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, two assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game while starting 28 games as a first-year player in a

PHOTO BY DAVID RICHARD – USA TODAY SPORTS

Isaac Okoro Named to NBA All-Rookie Team

Okoro rises up for a long two-point jumper over Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Holiday.

senior-laden lineup.

The Tigers posted a 25-6 record during the 2019-20 season.

Okoro scored in double figures 20 times and was named the SEC Freshman of the Week twice, becoming just the fourth freshman in program history to

earn the conference distinction two times in a season.

Okoro (53 points) received one First Team vote and 51 Second Team votes from a global panel of 99 sportswriters and broadcasters.

The voting panel selected five players

for the First Team and five players for the Second Team at any position. Players received two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.

Chuma Okeke also received two Second Team votes from the same panel.

Opelika SportsPlex Hosting Summer ‘Paddles at the Plex’ this Weekend The Opelika SportsPlex and Aquatics Center and the OpelikaAuburn Pickleball Club will be hosting the summer edition of the Paddles at the Plex pickleball tournament, this weekend. The pickleball courts will begin to fill Thursday morning and play will continue through Sunday evening.

Paddles at the Plex is an invitational tournament that attracts players throughout the United

States. Over 350 players representing 13 states will converge on the Opelika SportsPlex this weekend. More than 70% of those players are traveling more than 80 miles to get here.

The tournament is primarily made up of players 50 years old or older, but 35% of the players in this tournament are ages 19-49. This coincides with data from USA Pickleball that shows that the number of younger players has been growing quickly over the last five years.

For those who enjoy watching the sport or are interested in seeing what it is all about, Paddles at the Plex is free and open to the public. Spectators will have the opportunity to experience high-level play, shop for pickleball attire and equipment and dine with local mobile food vendors.

The summer Paddles at the Plex tournament schedule is as follows: • Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Men’s Singles and

Women’s Doubles - 60 plus age groups • Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Men’s Doubles and Women’s Singles - all age/skill levels • Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Mixed Doubles - all age/skill levels • Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Women’s Doubles and Men’s Singles - <60 age groups.

Opening ceremonies will begin 30 minutes prior to start time each day.

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER

Contributed by Opelika Parks and Rec.

B7 June 24, 2021

Tackles, Touchdowns and Torrential Rain

PHOTOS BY ABBEY CRANK / FOR THE OPELIKA OBSERVER

B8 June 24, 2021

OHS Students Recognized for Philanthropic Work

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / OPELIKA OBSERVER The 2021 Philanthropy 101 presentation was held on Thursday, June 19, in the Opelika Center for Performing Arts at Opelika High School. The presentation honored 19 Opelika High School students who participated in the three-week Philanthropy 101 course this summer. The group of rising seniors spent the last few weeks visiting and researching local non-profit agencies, along with learning the principles of philanthropy. Each student was awarded $1,200 (funded by the W. James Samford, Jr. Foundation) to donate a minimum of $700 to the non-profit of their choice. The presentation of gifts was done by representing members from the BigHouse Foundation, O’Grows, Storybook Farm, East Alabama Food Bank, Art Haus, Exoduc Ranch and Miracle Legacy of East Alabama.

Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics

B9

June 24, 2021

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Inside the State House Legislative Session Essentially Successful

T

he 2021 legislative session ended last month with an impressive slate of legislative accomplishments.

A good amount of the credit for the success of the session goes to the leadership of the new President Pro Tem, Senator Greg Reed of Jasper, Alabama, who just completed his first session in this role.

The Senate was deliberate, effective and efficient as it took up a longer-than-usual list of issues given the legislature’s early departure from Montgomery last year due to the pandemic.

The Senate’s accomplishments include successes that range from economic development incentives, COVID-19 relief, legislation to support military families, election security, broadband expansion and more.

The Senate was also able to pass a constitutional amendment to allow the people of Alabama to vote on whether the state would finally legalize, cap and control gaming and a lottery. Although this bill did not make it through the House, it was an impressive feat to move this hotly debated topic through the Senate.

The legislature dealt successfully with the state’s budgets, which is the legislature’s number one responsibility.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to many states across the country having to cut their budgets, the state of Alabama’s two budgets — the General Fund Budget and the Education Trust Fund Budget — were the largest ever passed in state history.

Senator Reed and the budget chairmen in both chambers were successful due to years of conservative budgeting by the legislature, as well as the resilience of the Alabama economy.

Alabama’s conservative budgeting approach has given the state the resources needed to provide funding to support Alabama students, public employees, and to give our government agencies the resources they need as they work to improve our state.

The Education Trust Fund Budget, the state’s largest budget in history, provided a record-breaking $7.67 billion in funding. The budget provides a substantial amount of funding to address critical educational needs across the state, the most noteworthy of these being meeting the high demand for certified math and science teachers.

There are around 7,500 secondary-level positions for math and science teachers statewide, and only 4,300 of those are filled with properly-certified

'C H A N G E. Change.

It’s way past time and it’s needed' : Trash Pickup Starting in County

By Hannah Lester hlester@ opelikaobserver.com

STEVE FLOWERS individuals. Science and math are critically important subjects for the educational success of Alabama students, and to excel in these areas requires our state to be able to recruit and retain credentialed teachers.

To address this concern, the budget included the Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Sciences (TEAMS) Act program to raise the salary schedule for math and science teachers so that they will make more money moving forward. Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, well-trained and educated middle and high school math and science teachers could earn up to $15,000 in additional pay each year.

The budget also provides funding for Gov. Ivey’s recommended 2% acrossthe-board pay raises for all teachers, support workers and transportation workers. The budget allocates about $80 million for these raises that go into effect on Sept. 30, 2021. The budget also funds the school nurse program to ensure there is a nurse in every school system and sets up a retiree trust fund to present teachers with bonuses.

It is not only educators who will see pay raises as a result of these budgets.

In the General Fund Budget, the largest ever passed by the state, the legislature included a 2% pay raise for all state employees. The budget also includes a 7.2% increase for the Department of Mental Health and a 12.5% increase for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

While the regular session has come to a close for the year, there are still several potential special sessions that could be called by the governor. These could include special sessions to deal with issues ranging from gaming, prison reform and redistricting.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers.

He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www. steveflowers.us.

Curbside trash collection is coming to Lee County.

The Lee County Commission voted Monday night to implement curbside solid waste collection during a special called meeting.

The county will now offer household curbside collection contracted to an outside agency and will also keep a few of the county drop-off sites open two days a month.

The drop-off sites would be available on one weekday and one Saturday a month.

They would be fenced off at other times and inaccessible to the public.

Bulk pickup would be handled with an on-demand system, said Environmental Services Director John McDonald at the commission meeting on June 14. Citizens would call the county and request a pickup and pay a fee in advance.

This option would involve two county litter crews, as well.

The commission agreed during that meeting on June 14 to hold a public hearing Monday. However, the commission already seemed decided on choosing the option before them to change from dumpster collection sites.

“Over the years, as the system has had to grow with the growth of the county, more citizens coming and bringing to a system

NOW OPEN

like this, we were able to keep up initially,” said County Engineer Justin Hardee. “It slowly outpaced itself.”

Hardee presented numerous reasons a change is necessary, including the abuse of the system, the amount of trash collection that takes place, the overworked employees, dumpster diving, dumpster fires and more.

McDonald said on June 14 that over the last five years, there has been a 6,000 tonnage increase in waste collection. The more the county collects, the more it pays for disposal too, he said.

“We’re the only county in the state that is utilizing the system like the one we have here,” he said.

During the public hearing, citizens voiced their concerns about changing systems.

One citizen, John Sophocleus, said he doesn’t know if the county will run this system well.

Sophocleus suggested using parks and rec land for collection or offering a vote to citizens. A second citizen backed up the idea for a vote.

Some citizens requested certain dumpsters remain open, with fences, such as the Loachapoka one.

Rita Harman, a local business owner and foster parent, said that with 15 people, on average, in her home, they create a lot of waste.

She wanted to know what the cost would be to her family for the number of cans they

need — they currently use four 90 gallon cans.

Right now, the cost will not go up, said Probate Judge Bill English. It will remain $18.50 a month.

“We hope that the reduction and the abuse by all of the non-authorized users will more than offset the additional cost and we may not have to go up,” he said.

Should the cost need to go up, that will not happen for over a year, English said. And if it does go up, English said the county expects the cost to rise by $3 a month.

However, for Harman’s family, they will need additional cans, rather than just the one the county will provide.

If they need three or four additional cans, that will cost $10 a can, Hardee said.

“I’m going to have to go up,” Harman said. “Any amount on our budget is tough.

So, for people who are abusing it, is frustrating.”

She said she believes litter will increase, as will burnings. Hardee said that adding a litter crew should help.

There was a citizen in attendance that was in favor of the new plan, Ernest Griggs.

“I stand with the commission in making what’s called C H A N G E. Change,” he said.

“It’s way past time and it’s needed. We need change.”

Following the public hearing, District 5 Commissioner Richard LaGrand See COUNTY, page B10

Indoor shooting range is open to the public

2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA

B10 June 24, 2021

APD Announces Promotions Contributed by the Auburn Police Division ADAMS

HILL

On June 17, Auburn Police Chief, Cedric Anderson, recognized the promotion of four officers to the ranks of sergeant and corporal during a ceremony held at the Auburn Public Safety Building.

Additionally, four other officers were promoted to the rank of

lieutenant and the position of detective over the past few weeks.

The eight officers who were promoted are as follows: Sgt. Cody Hill was promoted to lieutenant and was assigned to the Patrol Section.

Sgt. Matthew Adams was promoted to lieutenant and was assigned to the Narcotics Investigations Section.

Officer Charles (Bud) Nesmith was promoted to sergeant and was assigned to the Community Services Section.

Officer Chelsea Williams was promoted to sergeant and was assigned to the General Investigations Section.

Officer Keefe Luck was promoted to detective and assigned to the General

Investigations Section.

Officer Stephanie Johns was promoted to detective and assigned to the General Investigations Section.

Officer Uriel Pollard was promoted to corporal and was assigned to the Patrol Section.

Officer Patrick Levett was promoted to corporal and was assigned to the

General Investigations Section.

“These officers are valued members of this division with a considerable amount of cumulative experience in their previous roles and ranks,” Anderson said.

"Congratulations on their promotions. I am confident that they will continue to serve the Auburn community with distinction.”

LEVETT

LUCK

NESMITH

POLLARD

WILLIAMS

JOHNS

COUNTY >>

FROM B9

asked that the vote be postponed until the commission meeting.

“I still have a couple questions,” LaGrand said. “So, I think we ought to vote on it at the next meeting.”

District 3 Commission Gary Long, however, made a motion to accept the new plan.

“I don’t think you’re going to be for it, regardless,” Long said.

“And, I’m sorry. I am.”

The motion passed on a vote of 4-1.

'1/a.ssle hee Va.cat:on..Whj Not Ca.II Us. www.mytravelatmidtown.com

334 749 0877 3051 Frederick Road, Suite 7, Opelika -

-

� Circle of Excellence 2008-2011

MilhonA1r 2010 & 2011 & 2012 --------(between Sam:� Club and Tiger Town)

B11 June 24, 2021

T

Go Ahead: Take a Vacation.

But Don’t Be an ‘Ugly American.’

he term Ugly American has been around since the late 1940s, perhaps earlier.

It doesn’t refer to American tourists’ physical appearance, but our attitudes and whether we comply with the cultural norms in a given country. It mostly refers to countries in Western and Southern Europe where many of us travel to see the homeland of our ancestors.

“There are four root causes of this negativity towards Americans,” wrote Chief Executive Magazine Editorin-Chief William Holstein in the New York Times, Oct. 23, 2005. “The war in Iraq is a cause. Another is the arrogance, ignorance and insensitivity of American people.

A third reason for anti-American sentiment is the pervasiveness of American pop culture.

We’re not the only source of ‘cool’ anymore. And the fourth reason is the effects of globalization.”

Erina Moriarty in time-travellers.org (2001) outlined some

key elements of being an Ugly American.

First, Americans are way too loud for Europeans’ comfort.

She pointed out that many Europeans speak English well. Why speak loudly and too slow? Why let the world know what you and a partner are saying to each other?

Second, Americans complain about things not operating the way they do at home. Living in Berlin, Germany, for two years, I seldom went to any of the four McDonalds there in the mid-1990s. You may not like all of the food every place you visit, but eating local cuisine is part of the adventure, isn’t it? For instance, most Europeans may laugh when you ask for decaffeinated coffee. Get used to the smoking in all areas – second-hand smoke is tolerated in most countries.

Third, wearing ugly white tennis shoes brings one closer to being an Ugly American.

“American tourists are soooo easy to spot because they wear brand spanking new blinding

white sneakers,” she said. “I know where this comes from – the suburbanites reading tour books warning them to ‘wear comfortable walking shoes.’”

Students heading abroad for the first time are counseled to present the best image of our wondrous country. But they sometimes forget that something as simple as wearing sweats when not exercising offends people from the Germanic countries (Austria, Germany and Switzerland).

Also, when members of the U.S. military arrive for duty in another nation, they are told to be “ambassadors for their country.” Many take this role seriously but others due to too much drink or arrogance do not. Not finding a NO SMOKING area in an eatery upsets Americans who are overseas for the first time.

In temporary duty assignments (1984 and 1986) in Honduras, I often heard a soldier jokingly say: Honduras is “a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dole Pineapple Company.”

By Greg Markley That refers to the fruit industry and a leading U.S. brand. Still, how would we Americans feel if someone said, “The U.S. is the wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon.” I hope Jeff Bezos doesn’t hear about this.

In American popular culture, the term Ugly American gained prominence due to a 1958 book with it as a title. The book opens with: “Where the hell is Sarkhan?”

“It’s a small country out toward Burma and Thailand.” It’s funny the diplomat has not heard of the country before. Let’s hope he is not a future Ugly American. In the book, a group of Americans exhibit a set of corrupt

and incompetent behaviors. They work on impractical projects to help American contractors rather than the Southeast Asians they were supposed to help.

A few foreign service employees succeed with local people when they know the local language and culture.

The bestseller led President Eisenhower to pursue reforms to foreign aid in Southeast Asia. There was also a film starring Marlon Brando, in 1963.

We continue with guidance on what not to do as an American on holiday. Number four: few other countries have people using baseball caps outside of the stadium. Moriarty again: “Nothing screams ‘I’m an Ugly American Tourist’ like a baseball cap – ok, the white sneakers are worse. If you are worried about getting sun in your eyes, then wear sunglasses.” This goes for NASCAR caps as well.

Fifth, a “fanny pack” may be credible for some, as it keeps your hands free and stops pickpockets, right?

Maybe so. A small backpack is fine, but bigger is bad. Finally, t-shirts, sweat shirts or sweat pants and blue jeans are viewed as sloppy and too informal in many countries.

This all may seem disappointing to students hoping to see Europe from one hostel to another.

Wait – college and university students practically “live in blue jeans,” so why not while traveling?

I wouldn’t worry too much. The bigger thing is for students to experience other countries and cultures. Letting them know basic Don’ts is fine, but don’t let European traditions come between them and their Calvin Kleins.

Greg Markley first moved to Lee County in 1996. He has Masters’ in education and history. He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to the Observer for 10 years. gm.markley@charter.net

Pandemic Help Available to Foster Youths Transitioning into Adulthood Contributed by State of Alabama Department of Human Resources Some young adults who left foster care during the COVID-19 pandemic now have the opportunity to return temporarily and receive additional support from the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

The new option is part of the Supporting Foster Youth and

Families through the Pandemic Act, a federal law that suspends some requirements for current and former foster youths. The law, enacted in December 2020, addresses the increased risk of homelessness and other negative outcomes for young adults who transitioned from foster care to independent living amid the instability of the pandemic.

Alabama DHR

Commissioner Nancy Buckner said, “Getting on your feet after leaving foster care can be a challenge under normal circumstances, let alone during a pandemic. Most of these young adults don’t have family to act as a safety net, which puts them at an increased risk of homelessness. This law provides flexibility to support these youths through the pandemic as they continue their

successful transitions into adulthood.”

Since Jan. 27, 2020, approximately 75 young adults have aged out of Alabama’s foster care system after reaching the age limit of 21 set by state and federal law. Another 265 youths left foster care voluntarily at age 19. Those individuals, along with current foster youths who are 18-20 years old, can learn more about their

options by visiting ilconnect.org or emailing ilp@dhr.alabama. gov. The reentry and age limit provisions of the law expire after Sept. 30, 2021.

These services are designed to ensure the safety and well-being of current and former foster youths. DHR workers at the state and county levels will help youths develop skills for independent living and work to build them

permanent support networks. Some also may qualify for additional financial assistance to cover some of their living and education expenses. Similar support services may be available for other former foster youths until age 27.

More information about foster care in Alabama is available at dhr.alabama.gov/ foster-care.

LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED Opelika Housing Development, Inc. is currently seeking highly motivated, experienced, and trustworthy candidates to fill the Full-time position of Maintenance Technician for properties in the Opelika, AL. . area. Duties will include, but not be limited to: Promptly handle unit and facility work orders Complete repairs in a consistent and correct manner Provide excellent customer service Work well with other team members Willing to clean grounds as needed Be well organized to coordinate and perform unit and site inspections Able to complete makeready of units proficiently Ideal candidates should have at least 3 years of

experience in apartment maintenance (or similar skills). Candidates should have an understanding of and repair capabilities in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, painting, appliance repair, and/or other tasks related to maintaining the communities in excellent condition. HVAC Certification not required, but preferred. This position will offer competitive pay and benefit package.

Education: High school or equivalent (Required) License or certification: Driver’s License (Required) HVAC Certification (Not required, but preferred) To apply please visit our office, located at 1706 Toomer Street, Opelika, AL 36801 or complete an application on-line at http://www.opelikaha.org/

Default.asp?ID=123&pg=Employment+Opportunities HELP WANTED Auburn, Alabama homebuilder seeks an EXPERIENCED RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER capable of estimating materials and coordinating the construction of multiple homes concurrently. Local project. No traveling. Must possess good people skills, be computer efficient, and be capable of learning the use of scheduling and plan editing software.

Building Construction or Architecture related degree/training or two years’ experience in a related position preferred. Email resume to carol@connerbros.com.

HOUSING AUTHORITY of the CITY OF OPELIKA 1706 TOOMER STREET P.O. Box 786 OPELIKA, ALABAMA 36803-0786 (334) 745-4171

JOB OPENING NOTICE DATE: May 12, 2021 1)

CLASSIFICATION:

Staff or Senior Accountant

2)

SALARY:

Depending on Qualifications

3)

RESPONSIBILITIES:

See Attached or go to www.opelikaha.org for job description and application

4)

PERSONS INTERESTED:

Submit resume and application with qualifications in writing to: opelikaha@opelikaha.org or via mail: Human Resources Opelika Housing Authority P.O. Box 786 Opelika, Alabama 36803-0786

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL POSITION IS FILLED (Please No Telephone Calls)

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY EMPLOYEE OR APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION OR HANDICAP.

B12 June 24, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF EVA MAE COLLINS, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 4TH day of June, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness my hand and seal this the 4TH day of June, 2021.

NIJA THOMPSON Legal Run 06/10/21, 06/17/21 & 06/24/21 ––––––– NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF LETTIE STRICKLAND, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 3rd day of June, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness my hand and seal this the 3rd day of June, 2021.

DEBORAH HOLLINGSWORTH Legal Run 06/10/21, 06/17/21 & 06/24/21 ––––––– IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA FAMILY COURT: DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF HEATHER PADGETT, Plaintiff, v.

NICOLE MCGAHA PADGETT, Defendant CASE NO.: DR 2021-57 NOTICE OF DIVORCE ACTION NICOLE MCGAHA PADGETT, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer HEATHER PADGETT'S petition for divorce and other relief

by July 02 or, thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against her in Case No. DR-2021-57.00, in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Done this the 2nd day of June, 2021 Mary B. Roberson, CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Jennifer M. Chambliss Samford & Denson. LLP P. 0. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Attorney for the Plaintiff Legal Run 06/10/21, 06/17/21, 06/24/21 & 07/01/21 ––––––– In The Probate County of Lee County Alabama In Re: The Estate of David E. Weir, a/k/a David Eugene Weir, Deceased TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to: Deborah J.

Gallion, as Executrix of the Estate of: David E. Weir, a/k/a Da vid Eugene Weir, Deceased on the 28th day Of May, 202 1 , by the Honorable Bill English.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same with in the time allowed by law of the same will be barred.

Executrix of the Estate of David E. Weir, a/k/a David Eugene Weir, deceased.

John F. Hitchcock Attorney at Law P.O . Box 729 Smiths Station, AL 36877 (334)214-4600 Legal Run 06/10/21, 06/17/21 & 06/24/21 ––––––– IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE:THE ESTATE OF GLADYS M. GREGORY,DECEASED. TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Sharon Gregory Hinz, a/k/a Sharon Gregory Hines, as Executrix of the Estate of Gladys M. Gregory, deceased, on the 3rd day of June, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred.

Sharon Gregory Hinz, a/k/a Sharon Gregory Hines, Executrix Of the Estate of Gladys M. Gregory, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Legal Run 06/10/21, 06/17/21 & 06/24/21 ––––––– STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION ONE FACILITY – MULTIPLE UNITS Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 10:00AM Chrisshunda Stinson - Unit E72 2040 Stephanie Court Auburn, AL 36830 Household Items Essence Epperson - Unit S343 12101 Weathervane Ln Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 1 bedroom boxes, bags, small furniture.

Jason Pope - Unit Z412 464 Schaffer Rd Boone, NC 28607 Household furniture, boxes, etc Crystal Young - Unit Z416 853 Freeman Dr Dadeville, AL 36853 twin bed, washer dryer, totes The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made

with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Legal Run 06/17/21 & 06/24/21 ––––––– STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF LEE NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE DEFAULT having been made in the terms of that certain mortgage executed by Edie Hester to AuburnBank, which said mortgage is dated March 27, 2012, and recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, in Mortgage Book 3867, at Page 167, et seq and the said default continuing, and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the following-described real property will be sold at public outcry for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the Courthouse door of the Lee County Courthouse in Opelika, Alabama, during the legal hours of sale on Thursday, July 8, 2021, to-wit: Unit 16, of Building 5 in the Brookes, a Condominium at Auburn as more particularly describes in the as-built survey of the Brookes, a Condominium at Auburn recorded in Condominium Book 1, Page 176 and the as-built survey of Phase II, The Brookes, A Condominium at Auburn recorded in Condominium as recorded in Condominium Book 1-A, Page 646 and first amendment to Declaration of Condominium as recorded in Condominium Book 2-A, Page 89 and second amendment as recorded in Condominium Book 2-A, Page 109 in the Office of interest in the common elements, as set forth in Article II of the amended pursuant to said Declaration.

Said sale is to be made for the purpose of paying the mortgage debt and cost of foreclosure.

AUBURNBANK BY:/s/ Blake Oliver Blake L. Oliver, Attorney for AuburnBank Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 06/17/21, 06/24/21 & 07/01/21 ––––––– Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1242 N. Dean Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, July 1st, 2021, at 10:00AM Adrienne Yates 1753 Roanoke Lane Auburn , AL 36830 Boxes, Totes Dexter Antorius Chamblis 166 E University Dr. k106 Auburn, AL 36832 Couch, chair, bike The auction will be listed and advertised on www.

storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Legal Run 6/24/2021 & 07/01/2021 ––––––– NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE: GATEWAY TIRE AND AUTOMOTIVE gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 07/26/2021 at 10:00 a.m. at 2023 PEPPERELL PKWY OPELIKA, AL 368015441, pursuant to subsection 32-13-3 of the Alabama Statutes. GATEWAY TIRE AND AUTOMOTIVE reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.

3D6WH48A68G137243 2008 DODGE RAM 3500 *TRUCK NEEDS ENGINE. GATEWAY TIRE AND AUTOMOTIVE 2023 PEPPERELL PKWY OPELIKA, AL 36801-5441 Legal Run 06/24/2021 & 07/01/2021 ––––––– NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Pursuant to the self-storage act (Alabama Acts Number 81-679, Page 1321, Section 1) Iron Guard Storage facility located at 501 N 26th Street, Opelika, AL 36801 gives notice of sale under said act to-wit: Beginning (June 17, 2021 at 12:00 noon) and concluding on (July 1st, 2021 at 12:00 noon) will conduct an online sale at www. storagetreasures.com to the highest bidder, with reserve, for cash of the contents of the following unit(s): WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS TO WITHDRAW ANY UNITS FROM THE SALE. PURCHASER MUST VACATE UNIT WITHIN 72 HOURS. SALE ITEMS ARE CASH ONLY. Unit: 2113, Ebony Parks, Items: Mattress, Clothing, boxes.

Unit: 3084, Trijon White, Items: Dresser, Bedrails.

Unit: 2001, Passious Ellis, Items: Totes, Bag of possessions, Baby walker, Dishes Unit: 3050, Retta Branch, Items: Dishes, Totes, Christmas décor, Household goods, Clothing.

Unit: 2123, Mohammed Althubyani, Items: Dishes, TV, Table, Bed. Unit: 3177, Vanise Burton, Items: Matress, Bed rails, Headboard.

Unit: 1125, Broderick Johnson, Items: Totes, Clothing.

Unit: 1142, Latashana Chaney, Items: Clothing, Totes, Table, Household goods.

Unit: 2076, Daphne Stacks, Items: Household Goods, Furniture, Totes, Rug Tenant has the right to redeem contents any time prior to sale. This sale is being made to satisfy a Statutory Lessor’s Lien.

Legal Run 06/17/2021 &

06/24/2021

submitted.

–––––––

All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code §34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number.

Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid. All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work.

Pursuant to the self-storage act (Alabama Acts Number 81-679, Page 1321, Section 1) Iron Guard Storage facility located at 3806 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801 gives notice of sale under said act to-wit: Beginning (June 17, 2021 at 12:00 noon) and concluding on (July 1st, 2021 at 12:00 noon) will conduct an online sale at www.storagetreasures. com to the highest bidder, with reserve, for cash of the contents of the following unit(s): WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS TO WITHDRAW ANY UNITS FROM THE SALE. PURCHASER MUST VACATE UNIT WITHIN 72 HOURS. SALE ITEMS ARE CASH ONLY. Unit: 014, Kimberly Tools, Items: Furniture, Appliances Unit 027, Ebonee Jones, Items: Furniture, Decorations, Household Items, Toys Unit: 028, Ebonee Jones, Items: Furniture, Toys Unit: 030, Patangula Anderson, Items: Clothes, Boxes, Toys, Bedding, Household Items Unit: 031, Talshaia Burns, Items: Furniture, Appliances, Boxes, Bedding Unit: 036, Christopher Duffy, Items: Clothes, Electronics Unit: 098, Joseph Sutton, Items: Bedding, Boxes, Appliances, Electronics Unit: 131, Vallencia Perryman, Items: Bedding, Furniture, Boxes Unit: 220, Alex Lopez, Items: Furniture, Boxes, Household Goods, Appliances, electronics, Bedding Tenant has the right to redeem contents any time prior to sale. This sale is being made to satisfy a Statutory Lessor’s Lien.

Legal Run 06/17/2021 & 06/24/2021 ––––––– INVITATION TO BID 21019 Sealed bids for the construction of the New Police Department Training Facility shall be received at the Opelika City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Monday, July 26, 2021, and then publicly opened and read aloud. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. The successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor.

The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et. seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are

A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for 2:00 pm Thursday, July 8, 2021, for prospective bidders.

The pre-bid conference will be located inside the City of Opelika 2nd Floor Conference Room, Opelika, Alabama. After the meeting, there will be a site visit to the construction site.

Bid documents may be obtained from the City’s website at www.opelika-al. gov/Bids.aspx. Any technical questions should be directed to the Public Works Director at 334-705-5413 located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika.

The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him by the City of Opelika.

All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid.

Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all bids and to waive irregularities.

Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: New Police Department Training Facility LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 06/24/21, 07/01/21 & 07/08/21 ––––––– NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF MARK RALEY MORRIS, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 21st day of June, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness my hand and seal this the 21st day of June, 2021.

JAMES N. DELAMAR, JR. Legal Run 06/24/21, 07/01/21 & 0708/21 –––––––

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B13 June 24, 2021

A Soldiers Experience; June 27 Recognized as PTSD Awareness Day Contributed by Wreaths Across America June 27 is National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Injury Awareness Day. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness around the signs, symptoms and stigma, associated with PTSD. As a former Infantry Officer with two deployments to Afghanistan, this issue is deeply personal to me. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reported that somewhere between 10 to 15 % of Veterans have a clinical diagnosis for post-traumatic stress. That number is likely far greater. A recent survey suggests that more than a quarter of our population believes PTSD is incurable and those who have it are dangerous and mentally unstable — it is for this reason that so many Veterans refuse to seek help.

22 Veterans will take their own life today, two thirds of them will have never stepped foot inside a VA facility — 15 Veterans will die today without ever asking for help.

The redeployment process was like an assembly line, 2,600 soldiers going from office to office getting their checklist signed off by each office (dental, vision, finance, etc.).

The mental health station was no different; Walk in, answer a few questions, get your sheet stamped and leave. It was June 2006, I had returned a week earlier from a 16-month deployment to Afghanistan.

I walked into the mental health office and without looking up a man asked, “What was the worst thing you experienced while you were deployed?”

I proceeded to tell him, in detail, about the suicide bomber attack on my platoon

that resulted in every member of the platoon being awarded the Purple Heart. He looked up at me and said “Lieutenant, that is the worst story I’ve heard all day.” He left me with one question “Am I still me?” I said yes, partially because I thought it was true, but partially because if I knew if I said no it would mean an early end to my career. Over 30 soldiers would recount the same attack that day, 30 soldiers would answer “Yes, I’m good” and walk out of the office with their paper stamped “cleared MENTAL HEALTH” and start preparing for the next deployment.

Fast forward a few years, I left the military, used my GI bill to get a master’s degree, and had started a new career in management consulting. The guidance most people gave to Veterans starting civilian careers was to not talk about being a Veteran, so I did not. During a conversation with a colleague, I happened to mention my service because it was related to the topic at hand. My colleague stopped and said, “I didn’t know you were in the Military, you’re remarkably well adjusted.” Not exactly a compliment but also not far from the truth – from the outside I was a normal businessman, from the outside you could never tell that had it not been for an Afghan guard who grabbed the suicide bomber at the last minute I probably wouldn’t have seen my 26th birthday, from the outside I was still me. On the inside, these memories are defining moments, "You can’t unsee a suicide bomber attack" or all the other memories associated with combat. Again, from the outside for the most part you can’t

tell what another person has experienced but these memories tend to pop up at the unexpected times. A child’s nosebleed triggers a memory you’re not equipped to deal with as you comfort the child in the middle of the night. That’s PTSD. Its your past fighting with your present and no one on the outside can see that battle.

I cannot describe the weight of command, especially in a combat environment. As a junior officer I was given the responsibility of leading an amazing team of men and women. The mantra of “mission first, people always” was a heavy reminder that it was my job to maintain a balance of keeping my soldiers safe and accomplishing our mission. I wasn’t always successful at either, but we all came home alive.

Today, my office is built for our “Zoom world.” Behind me hang the awards and pictures that represent the proverbial “T-shirt” as in been there, done that, I’ve got the T-shirt to prove it. In front of me, out of view of the camera, a collection of bracelets, each inscribed with the name of a friend or colleague I’ve lost, either to our enemies abroad, or the demons within. So, while the world sees all my accomplishments I am confronted with my why — the friends I’ve lost. There is one in particular that inspires me to do more every day — the one I couldn’t save.

Every loss is painful. As I mentioned I was lucky, I had amazing NCO’s and soldiers, they are truly exceptional and many continue to serve our great nation. During our deployment in 2006 I honestly lost count of how many times we came into

contact with the enemy. The suicide bomber was the worst, but not the only attack.

We were lucky, we lost friends while we were out on mission, but when those wheels touched U.S. soil, we had all made it back.

June 16, 2019, it was Father’s Day, and I was up early, partially because I don’t sleep well, and partially because I enjoy the peace of the early morning. I learned through Facebook that I had failed. That night one of my soldiers had taken his own life. This was not my first, second, or 10th time dealing with suicide, but it was by far the most personal.

There is a certain power and resolve that comes with acceptance of a great loss.

After that day it became clear that while I couldn’t change the past, we could do more moving forward.

We have a running Facebook message – which is mostly filled with the type of dark and profane humor that only an Infantry Soldier would understand but it connects us, a constant reminder that there’s always someone there who “gets it.” In the Ranger’s Creed there is a line “I will always shoulder more then my fair share of the task, whatever it may be;” with every loss, whether by combat or suicide, it’s our responsibility to shoulder their load and to carry the memory of them forward.

On any given day there are around 19 million veterans, living and thriving in communities across the country.

Approximately 22 veterans take their own life, every day.

This is nothing less than a national tragedy and we’ve dedicated an enormous amount of resource to trying to solve this issue. A

recent survey found that almost 70% of Americans believe that most Veterans struggle with PTSD, while 25% of Americans believe PTSD is untreatable, and those with PTSD are violent and dangerous. The truth: PTSD is treatable, and many of those who carry a PTSD diagnosis are able to thrive in their post service life with minimal, if any, clinical intervention.

The biggest threat to our veterans is the stigma we attach to mental health issues like PTSD as it prevents us from seeking help.

As a society, and as veterans we must do better, this same survey showed the misperceptions about PTSD were even more prevalent amount the veteran community then our civilian counterparts. Steven Ambrose once said that veterans gave the best years of their lives in the defense of our country, when they leave the service there is a strong desire to make up for lost time. veterans thrive in civilian life when they are able to find their why, their new purpose. By having these candid conversations, we can break the stigma associated with mental health and make it easier for a Veteran to seek help when they stop being themselves.

Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has over 10 years’ experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting national security and veterans health. He served eight years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th

Mountain Division.

He is a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country.

About Wreaths Across America Radio Wreaths Across America Radio (WAAR) is a 24/7 Internet stream. Its unique format provides informational and inspiring content about members of the U.S. armed forces, their families, military veterans and volunteers throughout the country and overseas who support the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.

Along with the inspiring content, WAAR plays a variety of music with roots firmly planted in patriotism and a country music thread running through the core of the stream. WAAR has a live morning show every weekday morning from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern, along with a variety of special programs that support the mission.

Listen live at www. wreathsacrossamerica.org/radio and most recently, via the iHeart Radio app, or download it at the App Store or on Google.

About Wreaths Across America Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission — Remember, Honor, Teach — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

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B14 June 24, 2021

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B15 June 24, 2021

B16 June 24, 2021

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