The Observer 01-20-2022

Vol. 14, No. 15

Thursday Jan. 20, 2022

Opelika, Alabama

An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'

Bonnie Plants Opens in Opelika PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

Dream Day Foundation Celebrates MLK Day

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

In honor and celebration of the life and efforts of Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr., the Dream Day Foundation of Alabama and the Boys and Girls Clubs of See DREAM, page A5

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

Bonnie Plants, Inc. unveiled its new headquarters in Opelika on Friday, Jan. 14. The move marks a signifcant expansion for Bonnie which is the largest grower of vegatable and herb plants for home gardens in the U.S. and will create around 60 jobs in the Auburn-Opelika area. Speakers at the event included Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Bonnie Plants President & CEO Mike Sutterer, Auburn Univeristy President Dr. Jay Gogue, Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and Auburn University Team Chaplin & Director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chette Williams.

First Flurries of 2022 PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY LEANN WALTON

Opelika saw its first snow flurries of the year on Sunday. The temperature was too warm to allow any accumulation, but that did not stop young and old alike from going out to play while it lasted. Turn to A11 for community submitted photos.

CONTENTS OPINION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 OPINION

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

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7

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

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

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

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

PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . . . . . B13

Opelika Municipal Court Announces Court Forgiveness Program CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

The city of Opelika is offering its first ever Court Forgiveness Program. The program provides an opportunity for those with certain municipal court charges to clear their cases without concern of being physically arrested.

“This program is a tremendous benefit for the citizens of Opelika,” said Judge Wes McCollum. “Our hope is that these individuals will take advantage of this opportunity.”

Court forgiveness is offered to all individuals who have received traffic or parking tickets, failure to appear or pay fines and for whom warrants have been issued or pending on these charges.

Anyone wishing to take

advantage of the program may do so by presenting themselves to the Municipal Court magistrates office located at 300 MLK Blvd. between Feb. 1 to March 31, 2022. Extended hours will be available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is drop in only. No appointments required. Eligible individuals must bring at least one form of identification. Payments can be made with cash, Visa or Mastercard. If eligible individuals cannot pay the full amount, he/she can speak with the court to arrange a payment plan.

Individuals also have the opportunity to do community service or the Ready to Work program in lieu of fines and costs.

It is important to note that only individuals who have outstanding See FORGIVENESS, page A5

A2 Jan. 20, 2022

New Bonnie Plants Foundation Makes First Major Gift to Create Children’s Garden at Auburn University The Bonnie Plants Foundation is demonstrating its commitment to agricultural education through a multi-year donation to establish a new two-acre Children’s Garden and Pollinator Garden within Auburn University’s 16-acre Transformation Garden project.

The $1.2 million gift will support the development of the Children’s Garden which will be an innovative and imaginative resource for educational programing and community outreach.

“The Bonnie Plants Foundation is proud to partner with Auburn University to establish the Children’s Garden and Pollinator Garden which will be a destination for students and the community alike,” said Mike Sutterer, president and CEO of Bonnie Plants. “We’re confident this space will provide invaluable experiences to grow a love of gardening in young people and even inspire the next great generation of horticulture leaders.”

The Children’s and Pollinator Gardens will be open to the public and cultivate a love of gardening in children and families through handson learning experiences.

Auburn horticulture fac-

impact, university partnerships and associates in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. In doing so, the foundation is in pursuit of helping communities thrive and grow healthy together through the power of plants.

About Auburn University Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact. For more information, visit https://www.auburn.edu/.

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY BONNIE PLANTS FOUNDATION

Artisitc rendering of the two-acre сhildren's garden. ulty, staff and students, in transformational in enabling us to create a compartnership with Bonnie munity-focused space Plants associates and where we can share our local master gardeners, knowledge and love of will regularly offer fun and educational programs horticulture and educate the public about our hisfor the public including tours, school field toric land-grant mission,” trips, summer children’s said Desmond Layne, programs and even raised head of Auburn’s Department of Horticulture. bed gardening workshops.

“Auburn and Bonnie In these gardens, chilPlants are committed to dren will use their senses designing outdoor spaces in the context of the plant that encourage people of world. Through play, all ages to learn about children will learn how to horticulture and the grow and care for plants, outdoors. Their support use them for food and will have an impact on explore other uses. They countless children’s lives, will also observe both inspiring a passion for beneficial and harmful gardening, and contribute insects and learn about to numerous agricultural plant diseases and the innovations, changing the importance of water and way we grow food.” nutrition for plant health.

When completed, the “Like the name of our Transformation Garden garden, this generous gift will be the largest classroom on campus, where from The Bonnie Plants students and faculty can Foundation will be truly

use the land for teaching and research purposes.

Students will learn about the history of agriculture, gain hands-on experience with new gardening methods and test a variety of commercially sold plants. Additionally, produce harvested from the garden will go to Auburn’s Campus Dining program to give fresh fruits and vegetables back to the student population.

The Bonnie Plants Foundation’s gift to the Transformation Garden is its first major public gift and marks the beginning of an investment in increasing healthy, affordable and local food access and horticulture education in the community.

The Bonnie Plants Foundation will receive naming rights for both the Children’s Garden and the Pollinator Garden

within the Transformation Garden. Work on the garden is scheduled to begin later this year, with the initial phase of the project expected to be complete by Summer 2023. For more infor mation about Auburn’s Transformation Garden and plans for horticulture education development, visit agriculture.auburn. edu/research/hort/transformation-garden/.

ABOUT THE BONNIE PLANTS FOUNDATION The mission of The Bonnie Plants Foundation is to nurture learning, enhance lives and cultivate experiences within gardens and greenspaces for people of all ages and backgrounds. Established in 2021, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports community and social

Valley Bank Donates to Auburn Habitat for Humanity CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Valley Bank recently presented Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity

(AOHFH) with a $5,000 check to sponsor Habitat home #72, which will be built later this year.

Pictured (L-R): Gatz Ridell, Habitat construc-

tion leader, Joe White, Habitat construction leader, Jim Newton, Habitat construction leader, Quinten Burks, Valley Bank home loan consul-

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Sports Editor: Wil Crews Live Lee Editor: Hannah Lester Marketing: Woody Ross

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

Photojournalist: Robert Noles

Publisher: Michelle Key

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Sports Writers:

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tant, Jerry Clark, Valley Bank sales manager, Terry Mitchell, Valley Bank market manager, Gary Keever, Habitat construction leader and Mark Grantham, AOHFH executive director.

"We are excited to welcome Valley Bank as a new sponsor," Grantham said. "They are vibrant partners in the community and we are grateful that they included us in their charitable giving efforts this year. Recently, Valley Bank has donated over $2 million to over 250 organizations as a pledge to give back to communities that were affected by COVID-19.

Organizations including Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative (BVMI), The Birmingham Urban League and Food Banks, such as the Montgomery Food Bank, were among those to receive funds to support their efforts to serve the community during the pandemic.

Valley Bank also partnered with Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) to support popup vaccination clinics in the Birmingham metro area. This partnership helped ensure that more people had access to the vaccine in the battle against COVID-19.

It is evident that this banking institution has been dedicated to serving the community and will step in to help those in need, especially in this difficult season."

“Valley is honored to support Auburn Opelika Habitat to help address affordable housing and help meet the needs of the community,” said Delpha Bartley-Jones, Valley Bank first vice president, regional CRA officer. “Access to affordable housing continues to be a challenge and with this partnership we are thrilled to congratulate The Bufford Family.”

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A3 Jan 20, 2022

Gov. Ivey Welcomes Bonnie Plants To Opelika

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

For more information on the ribbon cutting of Bonnie Plants, turn to page A1.

A4 Jan. 20, 2022

An Old Man

H

SEAN DIETRICH

e stands before his mirror, adjusting his collar, fixing his white hair until it’s just so.

He’s thinking of her.

She always took care of him. He was used to having her do all the little things. Not just the laundry and cooking. Any trained dog can learn to do his own laundry. It was things like stocking his favorite snacks in the pantry, always refilling his prescriptions or remembering to replace the toilet paper.

Above all, he says he misses having her beside him in bed. King beds don’t feel the same without the weight of another person beside you. A bed can feel like

a tomb when you sleep alone.

Her dog, Martin, misses her too. The first day she didn’t come home, he took Martin on a walk and the loneliness was overwhelming. This Labrador was her friend.

Martin sleeps beside him at night now, in her old spot. But it’s just not the same.

He’s switched to using instant coffee because he can never remember to set the coffeemaker.

Besides, he doesn’t see the point of making a full pot for just one person.

It’s funny how dependent a man can become on another. He says he hasn’t made his own coffee in half a century.

Or eggs. He can’t figure out how to flip them

without breaking the yolks.

He says, “Nobody tells you that you’re going to be afraid a lot when you lose your wife.

You know, even though you’re the man of the family, and always have been, she was kinda your strength.”

He’s adapting though.

In the last few years he’s come to truly enjoy his daily walks with Martin. They follow the same route she used to take through the neighborhood. When he gets home, he and Martin eat lunch. Then they piddle.

He says the memories of her don’t hurt anymore, they just make him warm.

“We watched each other grow up,” he says.

“A wife isn’t just a wife, she’s your whole life.”

He saw her through every adult rite of passage, and she helped him turn into a father. He watched her give birth to his two children and transform herself from a girl into a beautiful mother.

They enjoyed old age together. Sometimes she’d catch him falling asleep on the sofa during

his legal thriller TV shows and she’d nudge him awake by saying, “C’mon, let’s get you to bed, Daddy.”

“Daddy,” he recalls.

“She always called me Daddy.”

This name started when their kids were little. She never quit calling him that.

On the day of her service, he stood with a stiff face while everyone else cried. This is just how men from his generation were taught to act. He wished he could have wailed and bellowed like his daughter, or howled like his grandson. But he stayed flat-faced and pumped every hand in the receiving line.

Right before they closed the lid, he took one final look at her. He leaned into her box to memorize her. He wiped his face with his sleeve before anyone saw him weeping.

“Okay,” he told the man. “Take her away.”

They closed the lid. He sat on the front pew and he says the rest of the day was a blur.

Today he walks into the kitchen, all dressed up and whistling. Martin

follows, trotting behind because all dogs knows good things come from the kitchen.

The old man makes himself another instant coffee in the microwave.

Martin is sitting pretty beside him because Martin is obsessed with food and thinks he’s going to get a treat.

The old man is thinking about the last week of her life, and all they said to each other before she went on. It sort of makes him laugh.

“Don’t forget to walk Martin,” she told him.

“He needs his walks.”

“There’s frozen beef in the refrigerator, don’t let it go bad, make sure you eat it all.” “You’re gonna need to call and refill your Lipitor, I forgot to call last Friday.” “Please don’t cry for me, I’m not scared.”

He tells me with a chuckle, “It was like she was going on a trip to her sister’s or something.

Here she was dying, and she was worried about me eating the frozen beef.”

The microwave beeps.

He mixes instant coffee into the hot water.

His daughter’s family arrives on the doorstep.

Everyone is dressed up.

His grandson has a little bouquet. His daughter has a bigger one.

They all get into a car.

Even Martin jumps in.

Nobody is sad. Everyone is smiling. He’s telling his daughters things about their mother that they never knew before.

Like how she once cut the tip of her finger off while chopping onions.

And how she once helped a young lady in church to get sober. He’s telling them about when he first met her. How dainty she was. How good she smelled. How after a few minutes of dancing with her, he never wanted to be more than three feet away from her.

They arrive.

“You ready, Daddy?” his daughter says.

He steps out. He finds her marker amidst the sea of gray headstones.

He could find this stone with his eyes closed. He stands before her, hands in his lap. He’s grinning, but he’s also leaking pretty badly.

“Oh, Maddie,” he says with a smile.

“Happy fiftieth wedding anniversary, darling.”

Hug the ones you love.

Often.

Contagious Planet Earth, Pandemic Era, Day Umpteen Thousand:

WENDY HODGE

T

he world is two years into a medical crisis, and coronavirus is apparently not going away anytime soon. It has mutated and grown and bred fear in the hearts and minds of countless humans. 2022 is only two weeks old, and yet I count myself lucky to have lasted this long without developing

Omicron or Flu-rona or even the plague.

Folks around me are coughing and sniffling and sneezing and wheezing. Friends and co-workers and family members have had Covid and the flu and stomach viruses and old-fashioned nasty colds. Every morning I wake up and do an assessment — any coughing, body aches, nasal congestion? Can I smell this coffee or taste this bagel?

“Oh, good,” I tell myself. “I’m still up and running.”

While the thought of being quarantined at home for five to fourteen days sounds like a pleasant staycation, I know enough to be certain that Covid is no

picnic. Vaccinated or not, whatever your political beliefs or conspiracy theory tendencies, getting sick is never a vacation.

We arm ourselves with hand sanitizer and face masks and Kleenex, and still germs are everywhere. If you think about it too hard, the world is one large Petrie dish of contagious yucky stuff.

But… Yawns are also contagious. And so are good belly laughs and giggles that you strain to keep silent because you’re in church. Grins are contagious. Optimism is also contagious. And so is kindness.

The world may be bombarded with death and disease and angry

mobs, but it is also chock full of amazing folks who laugh and love and do kind things for others.

People still open doors for each other and say “good morning” when they pass in the hallway.

Driving down the road, I still get waves from passing cars. And, just the other day, a nice stranger in the car ahead of me paid for my fast food. That always just makes me feel proud to be human.

Planet Earth has Covid, but we also have puppies and county fairs and vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce.

We have balloons and cinnamon toast and college football. We have Christmas trees and date nights at the movies,

and we have pasta.

We have lost Betty White, but we still have The Golden Girls on demand.

We have Dolly Parton and Wonder Woman.

We have Bradley Cooper … let’s face it, that in itself is a gift from the universe.

We have dogs with eyes that see through to our souls. We have slow dancing and deep kissing.

We have high fives and standing ovations.

We have books written by authors whose words are like music, and we have stand up comedians and knock-knock jokes.

It’s easy to find people who argue and hate. But it’s also easy to find people who adore each other. Just the other day, I

spotted a man and woman walking down the street holding hands. Something about the way they leaned into each other and smiled made me smile right back. Turns out love, too, is contagious.

For the time being, the world will still speak of and worry about germs and vaccinations and standing too close to someone who may or may not be infected. But, as my mother always said, this too shall pass. As for me, I will focus on the puppies and the chocolate … and Bradley Cooper. And on my best friend and all the other people I love so very much.

Stay healthy, everyone.

We’re all in this together.

Shifting of a Legacy?

JAMES FINCK

W

ith Martin Luther King Day approaching, I have thought a lot about the man who, more than anyone else, historically represents the Civil Rights movement and social

justice. At the same time, I have noticed something strange.

Is it possible that the keepers of King’s legacy is shifting right? I am not talking about the far right but the right of today’s progressive movement and somewhere in the realm of moderate Democrats and Republicans. I’ll explain what I mean.

King introduced himself to the world when he took over leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955.

His charisma, talent and message of nonviolent protest quickly

made him a household name and, depending on your viewpoint, became either the most famous or infamous man in the Civil Rights movement. The left claimed him as their champion as he fought to change the status quo and demanded equal rights. The right feared him and saw him as dangerous when he said things like, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

To the right, especially in the South, King wanted to fight against 400 years of racial superiority. He

wanted to change the only way of life they knew. King would feel the brunt of their fear as it was personified in hatred. He, his family and friends dealt with threats, violence, prison and even death to stand for what they believed in. Yet King never backed down from what he knew to be right while also never turning away from his belief in non-violence, or as he once said, ““Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

It is said that time heals all wounds, and

that seems to be the case with the legacy of King. Moving into the 1970s and 1980s there was racial progress.

Race relations were not perfect, just like they are not today, but when comparing life to the 1950s our nation has come a long way.

Somewhere along that journey, King went from being a hero on the left to a national hero. By the time I began school in the early 1980s, King was being celebrated by all.

I remember listening to his “I Had a Dream Speech” in school when I was a young kid in Virginia. Martin

Luther King Day was signed into law in 1983 and done so by a Republican Senate and Ronald Reagan, a champion of the right.

The fact that the right accepted King is not what’s surprising. It’s the idea now that many on the right are seeming to champion his cause.

Think about what you see or read in the media. When groups like Black Lives Matter chant their slogan, what is the response from the right? “All lives Matter.” Then somewhere someone will undoubtably quote See FINCK, page A5

A5 Jan 20, 2022

Buzzing About The 27th Annual Alabama Beekeepers’ Symposium CONTRIBUTED BY ACES

BY JUSTIN MILLER

Calling all beekeepers.

Registration for the 27th Annual Alabama Beekeepers’ Symposium is now open. The symposium is set for Feb. 5 and 6. It will once again be held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jack Rowe, a member of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System beekeeping team, said the team is excited to host the event and has a great agenda planned.

“James Tew, a well-loved apiculture

DREAM

>>

FROM A1

greater Lee County held its 23rd annual Martin Luther King Day celebration at Opelika High School on Monday.

The event featured the voices of civil rights leaders from the past and present, an in-depth study of James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice,” the naming of the Foundations annual scholarships and the awarding of the 2022 Dream Achiever Award.

Following the conclusion of vocal and acting performances, founder Marion A. Sankey and advisor Dr. Karen Anderson shared that Opelika High School was represented by four outstanding scholars.

“We are here to celebrate four young people who exemplify

FINCK >>

FROM A4

the most famous of King’s speeches when he said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." I have thought on this a lot recently and tried to pay attention to what different people are saying. From my very unscientific survey, I have found that people on the right outnumber those on the left when citing King in arguments. Granted, most are cherry-picking his quotes, mostly from

specialist, started this symposium 27 years ago, and it has remained popular, with hundreds of people in attendance each year,” Rowe said. “Here we are in 2022, and while the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has put a live event out of the question once more, we will not be denied.”

While an in-person event is ideal, the virtual option allows people from all over the world to attend the symposium. The 2021 virtual symposium saw viewers from many parts of the United States and from parts of Europe and

Canada.

SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS Another highlight of hosting a virtual event is the opportunity to invite industry professionals to speak without having to overcome the hurdles of long-distance travel or budget issues. Rowe said this year’s symposium features not one, but two keynote speakers.

“The keynote speakers for this year’s event bring with them many years of experience in this industry,” Rowe said.

“We are honored to have them be a part of the symposium and are eager

to learn from their wealth of information.”

• Samuel Ramsey will be presenting from Thailand, where he is researching the potentially dangerous Tropilaelaps mite. In his presentation, Ramsey will discuss this honeybee pest and also deliver a talk on his groundbreaking research into the Varroa mite that plagues beekeepers.

• Priyadarshini Chakrabati Barsu will speak from her new position at Mississippi State University.

Beekeepers in the Southeast are lucky to

have her expertise on honey bee nutrition.

Chakrabarit Basu will deliver two presentations on nutrition from her research and practical methods of feeding.

In addition to the keynote speakers, the symposium will feature Auburn University’s Geoffrey Williams and members of his pollinator research lab staff. Other speakers will include Alabama Extension professionals, Alabama Master Beekeepers and others.

REGISTRATION Registration for this event is online and

open until Feb. 5. The cost to attend is $20 per person. As a part of the registration cost, participants can access the presentations for up to two weeks after the event.

To register, visit the Alabama Extension Store.

MORE INFORMATION More information about the 27th Annual Alabama Beekeepers’ Symposium is available on the Alabama Extension website, www. aces.edu. There, people will find a full agenda and list of presentations and speakers. People can also contact Rowe at wjr0001@auburn.edu

Dr. Kings ideal education: intelligence and character,” Anderson said. “The Dream Day Foundation is excited to invest in the futures of these young people through these scholarships.”

The first to hear her name called as a scholarship recipient, Opelika High School senior Lauren Landry, has earned a 4.0 GPA in her time as a Bulldog; she plans to attend the University of Alabama to earn her undergraduate degree in Biology.

The next Bulldog to earn a scholarship from the Dream Day Foundation, Sydney Lowe has excelled her in studies, earning a 4.23 GPA and acceptance into the University of Alabama. Lowe will put her scholarship towards obtaining a degree in

pre-veterinary sciences.

Ora Preston has dedicated herself to her studies, earning a 4.22 GPA in her time at Opelika High School and receiving admission to the University of Alabama.

Preston plans to use the scholarship to pursue a career in medicine and will major in pre-med as an undergraduate scholar.

Rounding out the scholarship recipients was Opelika senior Camille Slaughter. A committed scholar, Slaughter has earned both a 3.5 cumulative GPA and acceptance to the University of Alabama. She will continue her journey within the realm of academia as she pursues an undergraduate degree in psychology.

The Dream Day Foundation’s leader expanded on her pride

in Opelika’s youth to be resilient over the course of their high school tenure, expressing pleasure in their ability to adapt to the times in which they are living in relating to COVID-19 and beyond.

“I told the young people today, sometimes you have to make adjustments,” Sankey said. “You have to make adjustments in life, so you need to start learning today how to make adjustments; if what you plan to do doesn’t work, you need to make adjustments. You don’t give up.”

After awarding each scholar with their respective award, Sankey reminded the crowd that the youth represent the next generation and that the audience must continue to do their part in uplifting their voices

to create change.

“We have to continue,” Sankey said.

“There’s so much going on today. Believe it or not, it is going to be harder for you to vote today — in 2022 — than it was in 1965. So if we don’t lift your voices, we are going to be back where we started.”

Upon the conclusion of the scholarship award ceremony, the Dream Day Foundation invited inaugural Dream Achiever Award Recipient Rev. Clifford Jones to present the 2022 honors to Mrs. Elsie Lott.

A current coordinator at the Community Market of East Alabama, Lott was recognized for her longtime commitment to giving back to the Opelika Community dating back to 1981 and for demonstrating an

exceptional desire to help others.

Lott’s work career is deeply rooted in connecting to the Auburn and Opelika youth, working in Auburn’s early youth education system, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County, home day care, teaching Sunday school at Great Peach Missionary Baptist church among a plethora of other outreach missions in the Lee County area.

The Opelika community commends the hard work and dedication displayed by individuals such as Lott, Landry, Lowe, Preston and Slaughter; their representation of the community is a model for what their neighbors strive to become each and every day.

the “I have a Dream” speech. Probably few have read King’s “Mountaintop” speech where he called for wealth and power redistribution, yet King’s major message may not resonate as much with some on the left as it once did.

Especially with the young and progressive wing.

In the 1960s and with the older and moderates today, the goal of the left was a color-blind integrated society. For them, King’s statement of character over skin color plays perfectly.

However, for others on the left today, racial goals include

categorizing people into races. It’s not that progressives are wrong but are different from what King wanted. King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with the mission statement of “one nation, under God, indivisible, together with the commitment to activate the 'strength to love' within the community of humankind.” With organizations like Black Lives Matter, their mission statement says, “to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the

state and vigilantes.

By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.” These are minor differences but also important ones.

In some ways I wonder if parts of the modern movement are more influenced by another important but lesser-known Civil Rights leader, Stokely Carmichael. Space is too limited to give his entire background, but Carmichael is worth looking up. He was a veteran of Freedom

Summer and the Freedom Rides and took over leadership of SNCC. It was Carmichael who began to push the idea of “Black Power,” which called “for Black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community.

It is a call for Black people to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations.”

As for King, he did not outwardly criticize “Black Power” and said he understood where Carmichael was coming from, but ultimately opposed it.

I am in no way trying to criticize either side here, right or left. It is

simply an observation and historical curiosity.

I also see it as incredibly positive how most on the right have embraced Dr. King as a hero. I am grateful that the entire nation can honor what Dr. King did, but, historically speaking, it does seem as if his legacy has gone through a shift from left to center.

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.

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We share with our neighbors a common goal—the health, education and well-being of people statewide.

Poarch provides over 9,000 jobs to Alabamians, pays millions in state taxes each year, and makes charitable contributions reaching nearly $9 million annually.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indian’s creates opportunities for Alabamians.

Let’s grow Tomorrow Together.

LEARN MORE AT WINNINGFORALABAMA.COM.

FORGIVENESS >> FROM A1

warrants for failing to pay traffic or parking fines or for failing to attend court on their assigned date are eligible for this program. It also includes probation and Time To Pay (TTP) cases since these have been adjudicated. Should any eligible individual with a warrant come into contact with law enforcement prior to taking advantage of this court forgiveness program, he/ she is subject to immediate arrest. The Court Forgiveness program

does not include new drug, alcohol, firearm and domestic violence cases.

“The city incurs high expenses to deal with those people who ignore the law," said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. "We simply ask that people communicate with our court clerk so that we can work with them and put their criminal case behind them."

For a full listing of details on the Court Forgiveness Program, visit www.opelika-al. gov or call the Opelika Municipal Court office at 334-705-5196.

A6 Jan. 20, 2022

"Lift Every Voice"

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The Dream Day Foundation of Opelika celebrated MLK Jr. Day on Monday inside the Opelika Center for Performing Arts. Four Opelika High School students were awarded scholarships (to see, turn to page B5) and Elsie Lott (pictured bottom left) was awarded the 2022 Dream Achiever Award.

FREE MAMMOGRAMS AND PAP TESTS

with FREE CANCER TREATMENT AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE WOMEN • Breast Cancer Screenings 40-64 yrs old • Cervical Cancer Screenings 21-64 yrs old

DON’T DELAY DO IT FOR YOURSELF DO IT FOR YOUR FAMILY For a referral or more information go to: www.alabama.gov/bandc scan the QR Code below, or contact the hotline: 1-877-252-3324

Samford Community Honors Dr Martin Luther King Jr. The Samford Community Outreach Fellowship Group presented its 6th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "Dream On The Move" celebration on Jan. 17. This year's event had a theme "Keep The Dream Alive Through Unity And Love". The guest speaker was Evangelist Debra Lowe with Opelika and Auburn Moms Demand Action Group, Former Lee County Commissioner John Andres Harris and Rev. Ronnie Lowe were also in attendance. The group offers a special thanks to the Dream On The Move Youth Outreach Group, The Gray and Holloway Families, the Opelika Fire Department, the city of Opelika, the Samford Community and Christian Care Ministries.

E vents, Food, & SocietyNews

UPCOMING EVENTS Jan. 22: Active Auburn's Health & Fitness Fair Jan. 23: AUDM's Heroes and Royals Jan. 25: The Knights at Opelika Center for the Performing Arts

Popcorn, Snack Ideas For Family Movie Night At Home PHOTO BY ANN CIPPERLY

Ann Cipperly

Southern

Hospitality

W

ith Covid at soaring numbers again, many of us are spending more time at home.

While at home, plan fun activities for the family, such as board games and a movie night. For these times, prepare a big bowl of popcorn, caramel corn and other snacks to serve.

Popcorn is easy to make, and it is an inexpensive snack, which is important now with rising prices at the grocery store. Homemade popcorn allows you to control the amount of sodium your family is eating. Just be sure not to make purchased microwave bags of popcorn, as this is one food that is always on the list

of worst things to eat for your health. While freshly made popcorn is good with just a dusting of salt, you can dress it up with assorted flavors.

Try making caramel corn as it is much more economical to make at home than to purchase.

Patricia McAllister has a great recipe using Eagle Brand syrup. She makes this for her family and also for the Sugar Creek Supper Club that she and her husband Mac operate in Hayden above Birmingham. The Christian club books outstanding musical groups.

For movie night, think of snacks your family enjoys at the theater along with popcorn, such as chocolate cov-

ered nuts. Gayle Harper’s Salted Nut Squares taste similar to Payday, the popular candy bar.

Instead of popcorn, other snacks made with Chex cereals are popular. Cherry Bruce is always kind to share her recipes. She makes two Chex snack mixes with one sweet and the other savory using nuts, bitesize bagels and pretzels.

Heather Cummings shares recipes for a children’s trail mix and a Chex cereal mix coated in peanut butter and chocolate.

Carol Pridgen makes a tasty mix using seasonal candy. Check out all of these recipes to make for your family.

Don’t forget some healthy snacks, such as

While kettle corn is a popular item at farmers markets, small batches can be made at home.

Sugar is the only different between kettle corn and regular popcorn. Along with popcorn, assorted cereal mixes and nuts are also good to serve for family game and movie nights. The kettle corn pictured is being made at a farmers market in Tallahassee, Florida.

the Good For you Nuts.

You can set out a platter of raw vegetables with ranch dip, and you may be surprised that kids like it.

I just recently started making kettle corn. It always smells so good when it is being make at farmers markets. The only difference between regular popcorn is that it contains sugar, and you can add salt, if desired.

To come up with a good recipe for kettle corn, I experimented with a bunch of recipes before making a combi-

nation that worked. The sugar burned in the first batch.

When Don saw all the bowls of popcorn on the kitchen counter, he was afraid it was going to be like the time I made six blueberry cobblers back to back to see which one was best before making my own recipe. This was sort of the same thing.

Don has been a sport over the years for my cooking experiments and projects. Although sometimes he has rolled his eyes when the pans

were stacked high and flour was flying everywhere.

For several years, I prepared and styled food for a magazine table-scape photo shoot.

I would have almost every dish in the house dirty as I packed up the food to take for photos.

When I returned home, I had a car trunk full of more dirty dishes since I had given the food away. I couldn’t pack the food up to take home when people were See CIPPERLY, page A10

OTC Starts 2022 with New Classes and More CONTRIBUTED BY MARTY MOORE

Opelika Theatre has a lot of great things going on for the first part of the new year.

CLASSES Our O-ACT academy classes are growing by leaps and bounds. We are offering classes for ages 5 through adults in all aspects of stage, performing and musical theatre. Our acting classes focus on scene studies, audition skills, acting techniques, improv, communication skills, character devel-

opment and more. Our Musical Theatre class introduces the students to basic dance steps, combos and terminology used in theatre.

Wesley Knox, veteran stage actor and director will be offering adult acting classes on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Register for an introductory free class for Wednesday, Jan. 26.

PRODUCTIONS OTC is partnering with NAACP/ACTSO and R.E.A.C.H. to present a showcase for Black History

Month: “Celebrating Black Greatness” to be presented at Southside Center for the Arts on Feb. 26 at 2 and 7 p.m.

Applications are being accepted for performers of all ages who wish to donate their talents for this event. Deadline for application will be Jan 31. Admission to the showcase is free, but you must reserve your tickets in advance because seating is limited at each performance.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS Our shoe drive has been extended to Feb.

15. We have collected 35 bags of our 65-bag goal. Each bag holds 25 pairs of gently worn shoes that will be sent to third world countries to help citizens start their own businesses to improve their economy. Drop off locations are Opelika Library, Auburn Bank Opelika and Tiger Town, Franklin Tire, Southside Center, The Observer and The Chamber of Commerce.

For information on any of our upcoming events, please visit

the Opelika Theatre Company website at www.opelikathe-

atrecompany.com, the Facebook page or call or text, 334-663-4480.

VIDEO GAMES • COMICS • POSTERS ART • ANTIQUES • COINS VINTAGE JEWELRY • TOYS POKEMON • MTG • SPORTS CARDS

221 9th St, Opelika • 334.741.0808

A8 Jan. 20, 2022

Making the Grade: The Irish Bred Pub

L

ast month, Mike and I finally managed to go to Christmas in a Railroad Town in Opelika. I’ve mentioned many times how much I love downtown Opelika, and the city’s Christmas decorations were really beautiful. Mike and I enjoyed the sights, got our picture made with Santa Claus (because we’ll always be kids at heart) and chatted with other citizens.

Also, we also loved munching on a delicious, huge sugar cookie on a stick. Ms. Judy Eldred’s Culinary Arts class at Opelika High School baked this wonderful treat, and students and teacher DEFINITELY get an A+ for their efforts.

In fact, in just a flash, we scarfed down the cookie, leaving only the stick and a few lonely crumbs. Hats off to the city of Opelika for hosting such a fun event for the community.

Irish dish made of seasoned ground beef, peas and carrots, simmered in rich gravy and topped with mashed potatoes and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Last, Jack ordered salmon, carrots and green beans. Both William and Jack said that their food was great. For dessert, Jack chose the bread pudding, which was, he said, “Too good to be described.".

The Irish Bred Pub offers diners a large variety of appetizers, some of which include: crab boxty, a traditional Irish dish, which consists of three pan sautéed potato-encrusted lump crab cakes, served on creamy tartar sauce; reuben egg rolls, which are three hand-rolled corned beef and cabbage rolls with Swiss cheese and onion; public house fries, which are an Irish style poutine with beer battered fries, Guinness gravy and melted mozzarella cheese; wings; pub tots.

The restaurant also serves a great selection of salads and soups. Besides my terrific burger, the Irish Bred Pub offers a large selection of sandwiches, some of which include: the Shannon chicken sandwich, the chicken lassie, reuben, grilled Atlantic salmon and the Guinness BBQ burger.

Public House choices

PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

Besides enjoying local events in Lee County, my husband Mike and I love to travel. Our dream trip is to one day go to Scotland, the land of our ancestors, as well as Ireland and England. My Mama’s maiden name is McEachern, and we’re Wallaces. You can’t get any more Scot than that.

Also, we’ve seen beautiful pictures of the lush, green countryside in that part of the world. In addition, when we watched the movie, “Braveheart,” about Scotland’s hero, William Wallace, we decided that we should have our picture taken in front of his statute.

However, since we’re very hesitant to travel out of the country because of COVID-19, we will have to experience Scotland, Ireland and England indirectly wherever we can. Therefore, Mike and I met our friends Jack and William for supper at the Irish Bred Pub at 833 S. Railroad Avenue in Opelika.

Felicia, our waitress, was so sweet, helpful and patient. Mike ordered a large bowl of gumbo with fries, while I chose a small cup of gumbo and a “build your own pub burger” with fries. All right, those aren’t Irish dishes, but everything was really delicious.

William selected shepherd’s pie, an authentic

offer a unique variety of dishes from several countries, such as: bangers & mash, Guinness stew corned beef hash (Irish); speckled hen mac & cheese, fish & chips (English); pork schnitzel (German); chicken & chips, shrimp & grits (American). Other supper choices include: Gaelic sirloin, Irish surfn-turf and vodka chicken, among others.

Besides Jack’s amazing bread pudding,

the restaurant also offers lemon berry mascarpone, Godiva chocolate cheesecake and seasonal dessert.

When my A1C drops a good bit more, I’d love to try one of them.

The Irish Bred Pub, which is locally owned and operated by Chris McBride, is open on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; on Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Irish Bred Pub 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, is a professional diner.

Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in the Observer.

Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@gmail.com

Empty Bowls Moved to April 9 CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA PARKS AND RECREATION In order to pro-

tect the health of our potters, staff and community, the Empty Bowls event has been rescheduled

for Saturday, April 9, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Denson Drive Recreation Center. Bowls are still available for purchase at Denson. Each bowl includes a ticket to the event with all proceeds going directly to the Food Bank of East Alabama.

ABOUT EMPTY BOWLS Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger that was initially created by The Imagine Render Group in 1991.

The basic premise is simple: Local and regional potters, craftspeople and educators work to create hundreds of handcrafted bowls for each Empty Bowls event. Guests are then invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests can keep their bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in our communities.

100% of the money raised during each Empty Bowls event is donated to the East Alabama Community Food Bank.

A9 Jan 20, 2022

with AAron Diehl

The Knights, New York City’s eclectic and internationally sought-after orchestral collective, returns to Opelika with an electrifying program including Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue”, featuring acclaimed jazz pianist, Aaron Diehl.

Tuesday, January 25th, At 7:30PM

Opelika Center for the Performing Arts, 1700 Lafayette Parkway For Ticket Information, Call East Alabama Arts at 334.749.8105 or Visit eastalabamaarts.org

07 FEB 2022

28 FEB 2022

30

27

MAR 2022

APR 2022

A TRIBUTE TO ARETHA FRANKLIN: THE QUEEN OF SOUL

S Y N C O PAT E D LADIES

MNOZIL BRASS

AN AMERICAN I N PA R I S

Damien Sneed’s new multimedia production celebrates the life and career of the most successful female recording artist in history, featuring fourtime Grammy Award-winning gospel legend, Karen Clark Sheard

Take Chloe Arnold’s cross section of today’s most popular music, mix in the swing of syncopation, the thrill of improvisation, and the energy of tap, and you have a recipe for the empowerment of young women ready to take on the world.

Mnozil Brass, the Austrian band known as the Monty Python of the music world, seamlessly combines slapstick comedy with extraordinary musical ability for an over-the-top fun, virtuosic, and laugh-out-loud experience.

With gravity-defying dance, this four Tony Award-winning Broadway production, based on the Academy Award-winning film, soars with youthful optimism and the power of love. Featuring the songs of musical geniuses George and Ira Gershwin - I Got Rhythm, Liza, ‘S Wonderful, But Not for Me, and Stairway to Paradise - who could ask for anything more!

FOR TICKET INFORMATION CALL 334-749-8105 OR vISIT www.EASTALABAMAARTS.ORg

A10 Jan. 20, 2022

CIPPERLY

>>

FROM A7

standing around saying it looked so good. Don was a sport to settle for a sandwich for supper.

When the kitchen

CIPPERLY RECIPES >> TIPS FOR MAKING POPCORN Use vegetable or canola oil on medium high temperature. Use a heavy saucepan with a handle to shake the popcorn constantly especially for kettle popcorn. Use a good brand popcorn, such as Orville Redenbacher, which is easy to find in most grocery stores. Remove kernels that did not pop, especially when giving popcorn to children or anyone with dental problems.

POPCORN TOPPINGS

While melted butter is the all-time favorite topping, you can add flavor and zest with seasonings. If you would like to add flavoring to popcorn, sprinkle a little at a time and toss. Try one of the following: Parmesan cheese, truffle oil, dry ranch dressing mix, cinnamon, Italian seasonings, garlic or onion powder, dried dill, Old Bay, paprika, taco seasonings.

Seasonings can also be added to melted butter.

Nuts or dried fruits are also good tossed with popcorn.

SUGAR CREEK CARAMEL CORN

Patricia McAllister makes this recipe for her family and to serve at the Sugar Creek Supper Club above Birmingham.

1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup Eagle Brand syrup 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 4 quarts popped popcorn Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degree oven while preparing caramel.

Mix brown sugar, syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.

Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well.

Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Cool; break apart.

Store in tightly covered container. (If you have problems finding Eagle Brand, you

counters were covered recently with bowls of kettle corn, I decided to make smaller portions.

I used Orville Redenbacher brand for testing.

I had all ingredients measured out before can substitute corn syrup.)

ORANGE POPCORN

Dona Dunn 3 qt. freshly popped popcorn (unsalted) ½ cup butter 1 ¼ cup sugar 2/3 cup orange juice 2 Tbsp. corn syrup 1 Tbsp. orange rind ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt Place popcorn in lightly greased roasted pan; set aside. Melt butter in large saucepan.

Stir in sugar, orange juice and corn syrup.

Bring to boil and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in orange rind, baking soda and salt. Pour mixture over popcorn and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour.

HONEY CARAMEL POPCORN

Jamie Bell 5 bags of naturally popped corn in a large lightly buttered roasting pan (Put ¼ cup yellow or white popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag; fold top over, and cook in microwave on popcorn setting.) ½ cup butter ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup light honey Dash of salt Preheat oven to 230 degrees. Bring all ingredients except popcorn to a boil on medium heat. Let boil for 3 minutes without stirring. Pour over popped corn and mix with a spatula until coated. Pour into lightly buttered large cookie sheet or two medium cookie sheets.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto flat surface covered with foil and let cool. Break apart and serve.

HOMEMADE KETTLE CORN

starting and had a bowl ready for me to quickly pour in the popcorn.

I used a heavy saucepan with a handle. I added canola oil and two kernels of popcorn to know the oil was hot stir with a wooden spoon, then added popcorn and stir.

Hold the lid slightly ajar, and vigorously shake the pan constantly until the popping sounds almost finished.

Quickly poured into the bowl or a cookie sheet. Sprinkle salt over popcorn, if desired.

Be sure to remove any kernels that did not pop before giving to children or anyone with dental problems.

KIDDOS TRAIL MIX

Heather Cummings 1 cup Cheerios toasted oat cereal 1 cup Goldfish crackers 1 cup dried cranberries (or other favorite dried fruit) 1 cup cashews (or other favorite nuts) 1 cup M&M’s chocolate candies 1 cup peanut butter chips 1 cup miniature pretzel twists or pretzel sticks Combine everything in a large bowl, and store in a sealed container in a cool, dry area. This recipe can be easily adapted to fit your personal taste.

MUDDY BUDDIES

Heather Cummings Fun treat to make with children 9 cups Chex cereal 1 cup chocolate chips ½ cup peanut butter ¼ cup butter ¼ tsp. vanilla 1½ cups powdered sugar Put cereal in large bowl. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over Chex cereal, put into a large plastic bag with powdered sugar and shake well to coat. Spread mixture evenly on wax paper and allow to cool.

SUGAR COATED PARTY MIX WITH CASHEWS AND PECANS

This makes enough for two or three peoCherry Bruce ple. Double recipe 12 oz. Crispx cerefor larger servings. al, or 6 oz. each corn 2 Tbsp. vegetable Chex and rice Chex or canola oil 5 oz. cashew nuts 2 Tbsp. sugar 5 oz. roasted pe¼ cup popcorn cans kernels (I used ¾ cup butter, Orville Redenbacher melted brand) ¼ cup light corn Salt, if desired syrup HUGE 3-DAY PUBLIC AUCTION Measure out ingre1 ¼ cups brown 25th Annual Farm Equip., Construction Eq. & Truck Auction dients before starting sugar orth Splenda Jan. 27sugar thru and haveThursday, a bowl brown th Saturday, 8am or cookie sheet to Jan. 29 sea2022 salt to • taste quickly pour in the ¾ (Dothan), cup dark 15594 Highway 431 N • Headland ALchoco36345 popcorn. late M&Ms Trucks & Trailers Day 1: Construction Equip., Heavy-duty Day 2:   All Types of1Farm Use a heavy cupEquipment, pretzel Row Field Equipment saucepan Crop withEquipment a squares Day 3:   All Types of Farm Equipment, Row handle. Add Line a Bullpen bakingArea pan Cropoil Equipment, Field Equipment, and two kernels of with aluminum foil Deanco Auction popcorn.

Once the sprayed with nonPhone: 334-693-2540 Fax: 334-693-2551 kernels pop, quickly stick spray. www.deancoauction.com ONSITE AND ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE pour in the sugar and Auctioneers: Donnie W Dean, AL Lic. 907, Wes Dean, AL Lic. 5219

HUGE 3-DAY PUBLIC AUCTION 25th Annual Farm Equip., Construction Equip. & Truck Auction

The popcorn was quickly poured into the bowl, and only a couple of kernels that stuck were brown. This method worked.

Whether you are making regular, caramel

when they popped. I quickly poured in the sugar and stirred, then added popcorn and stirred. Holding the lid slightly ajar, I shook the pan constantly until the popping slowed down.

BAR)

Gayle Harper 3 cups salted peanuts without skins 3 Tbsp. butter 2 cups peanut butter chips 1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk 2 cups miniature marshmallows Place half of peanuts in an ungreased 11 x 7 x 2 baking pan. In a saucepan melt butter and peanut butter chips over low heat. Add milk and marshmallows.

Cook and stir until melted. Pour over peanuts. Sprinkle remaining peanuts over the top. Cover and refrigerate. Cut into bars.

COMBINE CEREAL, PRETZELS, AND NUTS IN A LARGE BOWL AND SET ASIDE.

In a small saucepot, mix the melted butter, syrup, brown sugar until well combined. Drizzle over the dry mix while stirring. Place on baking pan in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Cool completely before adding the M&Ms. Toss to distribute. Pack in sealable gift bags, tins, or a sealable container to keep for yourself. I also like to add raisins along with the M&Ms. It is a great salty/sweet snack.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT CLUSTERS

Rhonda Boothe 16 oz. salted peanuts 16 oz. unsalted peanuts 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips 24 oz. pkg. block almond or chocolate bark 1 container German sweet chocolate Place in crockpot in order listed.

Do not stir. Heat 3 hours on low. After 3 hours, stir and drop by teaspoons on wax paper. Cool. Store in airtight container.

SAVORY CHEX MIX

Cherry Bruce 3 cups Corn Chex 3 cups Rice Chex 3 cups Wheat Chex 1 cup your favorite mixed nuts 1 cup bite size pretzels 1 cup bite size bagel chips 6 Tbsp. butter, melted 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 ½ tsp. seasoned salt ¾ tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. onion powder You will need a parchment paper lined baker’s pan.

Mix first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, mix the butter, Worcestershire and spices. Heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Stir until heated through. Drizzle over the cereal mix while stirring with a large spoon.

Pour out over parchment baker’s pan and spread out to allow to cool. Cool completely. This is great with M&Ms and raisins added to the mix after cooled.

Divide into small Ziploc bags to give as treats or place in a tin with tight fitting lid or loc-n-loc storage container.

ROASTED PECAN CLUSTERS

Karen Anderson 3 Tbsp. butter 3 cups pecan halves 3/4 lb. chocolate bark (6 squares) Melt butter in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jellyroll pan. Spread pecans evenly in pan. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.

Melt bark squares over low heat; remove from heat and stir until smooth.

Cool 2 minutes, then add pecans and stir until well coated.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Cool completely. Makes about 3½ dozen.

SEASONAL SNACK MIX

Carol Pridgen Carol uses candy M and M’s and candy corn to suit the season.

SALTED NUT SQUARES (PAYDAY CANDY

or kettle popcorn or one of the other snacks for game and movie nights, enjoy the time with your family. Make good use of being home, and create wonderful memories together.

9 cups Corn Chex cereal 1½ cups dry roasted peanuts 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 bag Valentine M and M’s 1 pkg. Valentine candy corn 1 pkg. FLIPZ white fudge covered pretzels Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Grease large roasting pan.

Mix cereal and peanuts. Pour into prepared pan.

Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium heavy-duty saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Stir constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Mixture will bubble.

Pour evenly over cereal mixture. Stir to coat evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

Cool completely in pan, stirring frequently to break apart mixture.

When cool, stir in M and M’s, FLIPZ and candy corn.

Store in airtight container. Can change candy according to the holiday or season.

GOOD-FOR-YOU ROSEMARY NUTS

Tiffany Denson 2 cups pecan halves, unsalted 2 cups shelled walnuts, unsalted 6 oz. whole natural almonds, unsalted 2 ¼ Tbsp. butter, melted 2 Tbsp. crushed dried rosemary 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 4 tsp. dark brown sugar 4 tsp. kosher salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all nuts in large bowl. Pour in melted butter and coat well. In a small bowl mix remaining ingredients. Sprinkle rosemary mixture over nuts and mix together well.

Spread nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast in oven about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Be careful not to burn.

Serve at room temperature and store in airtight container.

HUGE 3-DAY PUBLIC AUCTION

25th Annual Farm Eq., Construction Eq. & Truck Auction

Thursday, January 27th thru Saturday, January 29th • 8am 15594 Hwy 431 N • Headland, AL 36345 Phone: 334-693-2540 Fax: 334-693-2551 Day 1:    Construction Equipment, Heavy-duty Trucks, Trailers, Support Equipment, 1-Ton Trucks, Vehicles & Much More Days 2 & 3:   All Types of Farm Equipment, Row Crop Equipment, Field Equipment, Farm Attachments, Misc. Items

Deanco Auction

www.deancoauction.com

ONSITE & ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE

Auctioneers: Donnie W Dean, #907, Wes Dean AL# 2519

HUGE 3-DAY PUBLIC AUCTION th

A11 Jan 20, 2022

It'Snow Joke!

Area Enjoys a Little Snow Last Weekend

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

A12 Jan. 20, 2022

A13 Jan 20, 2022

Bumblebees and Serving God

BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika

I

t was a grey day as I pulled my grey truck into the driveway about mid-morning. It was early November. There was a little bit of wind and rain — the sun was nowhere to be found.

Off to the side of our garage was some honeysuckle growing up and over a waist-high shrub. I had pointed it out a few days earlier to my gardener/yard

specialist extraordinaire wife. Of course, she had already noticed and wondered as I did what it was doing in full flower at this time of year. She also mentioned that she wanted to take a picture of it for our eight-year-old grandson who loves honeysuckle.

But what got my attention this day as I got out of the truck wasn’t the honeysuckle, it was a bumblebee who was diligently going from flower to flower. It was about 50 degrees outside, bleak and dreary — it just didn’t fit.

But there it was, paying no attention to the calendar, the temperature or anything else.

It was just going about its business the same as it would have been doing if it had been a spectacular day with

bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures.

In a week, maybe two, it’s life would be over (bees don’t do cold weather). But none of that mattered at this moment, it was doing what it always did.

You know some disciples like that, don’t you? Whether the weather in their lives is fair or foul, they’re going about the business of the kingdom. Even as the end of their life approaches, they are constant in carrying on in whatever way they are able. It never enters their minds to stop, step back and “enjoy” life. Fools for Christ that they are, they’re under the impression they’ve been enjoying life. After all, they’re doing what they were created to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).

All of this makes me think about what Paul said to a disciple named Archippus. He told him, “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord” (Colossians 4:17).

Archippus is mentioned only one other time (Philemon 1:2).

There Paul refers to him as “our fellow soldier,” so it’s possible he was an evangelist like Paul. And although it seems natural to think of him as part of the Colossian church, his mention after v. 1516 possibly suggests he might have been part of the Laodicean church. There are more speculations we could cover about Archippus (see the commentaries), but it’s all secondary. What is primary

ABOUT BRUCE GREEN is what we know — he was wavering in his work for the Lord.

Paul, in a manner of speaking, points him to the bumblebee and tells him to “complete the ministry you have received.”

Difficulties, hardships and tough times are ours by birthright (Acts 14:22; Philippians 1:29). If we’re waiting for a time when our service to the Lord becomes a hassle-free, ministry of convenience, it will never be completed. The message to Archippus and us is this: people who have been made complete

by Christ complete their ministry.

You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: a-tasteof-grace-with-brucegreen.com

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

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

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. — Galatians 5:16

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

Was Saul Saved on the Road to Damascus?

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

Come and Find Out.

Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT CUNNINGHAM DRIVE

High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750

2660 CUNNINGHAM DR., OPELIKA SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30 A.M. SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 A.M. / 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 6:30 P.M.

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

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

COMMUNITY OUTREACH Good Sheperd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054 METHODIST

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

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

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

A14 Jan. 20, 2022

Get Up and Make a New Start

WALTER ALBRITTON

S

ick and tired of the way things are going? Well, don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. Everybody has bad days. Days when you feel defeated every way you turn. So it’s ok to mope

awhile. Just don’t cave in.

Don’t quit. Get up. Get up and sing a song. What song?

“I Am Resolved No Longer to Linger” is one I love to sing when I’m “tired of living and afraid of dying.”

Don’t know the tune?

Then make up one. Just sing the song. Here are the words: I am resolved no longer to linger, Charmed by the world’s delight, Things that are higher, things that are nobler, These have allured my sight.

Refrain: I will hasten to Him,

Hasten so glad and free; Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to go to the Savior, Leaving my sin and strife; He is the true One, He is the just One, He hath the words of life.

I am resolved to follow the Savior, Faithful and true each day; Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth, He is the living Way. I am resolved, and who will go with me?

Come, friends, without delay; Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,

We’ll walk the heav’nly way.

This simple song says it all. Get resolved to make a new start. Linger in misery no longer. Go to Jesus.

Don’t debate it. Don’t be slow about it. Get in a hurry. “Hasten to Him.” Trust Him. He will help you. He is the living way. There is no other way.

Notice that phrase, “Come, friends, without delay.” You need friends, friends who trust Jesus.

Don’t have any? Then find some. Make some. It’s hard to make a new start without the support of caring friends. So find some,

“without delay”. Your friends can help you and you can help your friends “walk the heav’nly Way.” The wonderful thing about life is that, if you are still breathing, you can make a new start. If you woke up this morning, thank God for it. Then don’t stop praying until you hit the “resolve” button. Life has new meaning when you settle on a new goal and “resolve” to reach that goal. Failure results from allowing inertia to win the day. So stay fixed on your goal “come hell or high water.” You know there is a price to be paid

for excellence, so pay it.

As I live into 2022 I am resolved to rise early every morning and “hasten” to Jesus. I find in Him all the desires of my heart. He satisfies my hunger for meaning and my thirst for a life that matters. I am resolved to live every minute under the Lordship of Jesus and honor him with every decision I make. No reservations. None.

So come, friends, join me without delay, and let’s walk the heav’nly way together. If you are down, get up and make a new start. Resolve to do it. You can do it — with His help.

OBITUARIES FRED LAMAR BIRCHFIELD Birchfield, Fred Lamar of Tullahoma,

Tennessee, formerly of Opelika, Alabama, passed this life on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022 at his home at the age of 84. Mr. Birchfield was born in Columbus, Georgia, to the late James Perry Birchfield and Blanche Godwin Birchfield. He served his country in the United States Air Force and went on to become the owner of Opelika Bolt. Mr. Birchfield was a member of the Elks Lodge, and was a former Mason as well. He was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman and enjoyed playing golf with his son and his friends. In addition to his parents, Mr. Birchfield was preceded in death by two brothers, Teddy Ray Birchfield and James Harold Birchfield. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Birchfield; two daughters, Stephanie (David) Moore and Pam (Allen) Mowry; one son, Jay Birchfield; four grandchildren, Jeff (Sarah Jordan) Moore, Steve (Jessica) Moore, Megan Birchfield and Ryan Birchfield; three sisters-in-law, Sue Birchfield, Voncile Birchfield and Virginia Marovitch; and several nieces and nephews. Per Fred and his family’s request, no services are planned at this time. Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements ––––––– NORWOOD JERRY VAN DYKE

Norwood Jerry Van Dyke passed away Tuesday, Jan. 11. Jerry was born in Dillon, South Carolina, to Dorothy Kearson VanDyke and Norwood Graham Van Dyke. He graduated from Dillon High School in 1966.

After serving in the Air Force in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, he returned to South Carolina and pursued a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Animal Science from Clemson University. He worked with the U.S. Extension Service in Matthews,

South Carolina, and then moved to Alabama to pursue his PhD from Auburn University.

His entire career was devoted to research, extension and teaching in the animal science department of Auburn University, until retiring Professor Emeritus in January 2000.

There was no retirement for Jerry. He jumped into building projects which included an airplane, a boat, Habitat for Humanity homes and projects of every description.

He ran a faith-based lawn service which worked with recovering individuals and provided services to low-income communities in Lee County.

He was once declared to be “Pop-Pop to the world” and he always had time for the grandchildren and any other child who happen through his life.

He is survived by his wife, Judith Croft Van Dyke, daughter Becky (Tim) Wyman, son Jason (Blake) Merrill-VanDyke, daughter, Lara Lea Woodham; daughters Liliana, Gracie and Penelope VanDyke; grand-children, Lauren Sweezey, Samantha Sweezey, Dylan Woods Hobson, Iris Anahli Woodham, and Noah Sampen; sisters, Jean (Larry) Herring, Barbara (Homer) Bethea, Anne (Bo) Cromartie and Ginger (Terry) Turbeville; brothers, David (Elaine) Van Dyke and Brian (Robin) Van Dyke. He was predeceased by his parents, Norwood and Dorothy Van Dyke and an infant son, Norwood Jerry Van Dyke, Jr. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Church of the Highlands, Highland College, whose purpose is furthering the Kingdom of God by training “workers for the field” or to your local church. Highland College donations can be made from their website at www. churchofthehighlands. com/give In honor of Jerry’s keen sense of JOY, the family will not be wearing black, feel free to come comfortably

dressed.

Services were held on Jan.14, at 11 a.m.

Following the graveside service at Town Creek Cemetery, family and friends were invited to lunch at the family home in Waverly.

Pall-bearers were Kevin Jordan, Rowdey Jordan, Daniel Bryant, Wesley Bryant, Jordan Madden, Tim Wyman, Larry Wells and David Seay.

––––––– KELLY FREEMAN

Kelly Freeman, 90, passed peacefully from this life on Sunday, Jan 9, 2022. He was born July 19, 1931, to Lonnie Freeman and Bernice Vinson Freeman. He attended Beauregard High School and graduated from Auburn University School of Pharmacy in 1956.

He was a member of Hopewell United Methodist Church of Opelika and an associate member of Good News United Methodist of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

Kelly married Margaret Hamilton, July 23, 1949. During his career as a pharmacist, they lived in Columbus, Georgia, Birmingham, Alabama, and Sterling, Virginia before settling in Central Louisiana after he invested in an independent retail pharmacy, Sentry Drug (formerly Red Cross Drugs) where he was a pharmacist until retiring in 1995 and remained part owner until his death. Upon his retirement, Kelly and Margaret relocated to his beloved Destin, Florida, where they resided happily for 26 years.

Kelly was a lifelong Auburn Tigers fan and enjoyed many years of tailgating during home football games and attending bowl games. He and Margaret loved traveling and took many trips both domestic and abroad.

They particularly loved exploring the country in their motor home, trips which they frequently shared with friends and family, especially their grandchildren.

Kelly also enjoyed

flying and was an avid pilot, often using his talent to assist those in need by transporting them to medical appointments and other events across the country. Additionally, his love of aviation led him to become an instructor and he spread that joy by teaching others to fly.

In later life, Kelly discovered a love for baking and became famous amongst his peers for his fantasy fudge, sweet potato stuff, rum cake and his legendary layered carrot cake.

Kelly was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and beloved friend. He loved spending time with his family, entertaining friends and serving God and others.

Kelly is preceded in death by parents, Lonnie and Bernice Freeman, brothers Wayne Freeman and Dennis Freeman, sisters Lillian Paschal and Shirley Downs, Daughter- inlaw Beverly Freeman and Grandson William Eric Freeman.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 72 years, Margaret; sons, Kelly Keith Freeman, Jr. of Toney, Alabama and Richard Freeman (Sherry) of Pineville, Louisiana; daughter Vicki Allen (Kent) of

Pineville, grandchildren Kelly Keith Freeman III (Pam), Pamela O’Keefe (Brian), Jay Freeman (Margarita), Tracey DuBois (Doug), Kerriann Goucher, Jeremy Freeman, Ross Freeman (Katie), Kelli Haase, Christopher Allen and Sean Allen; 19 great-grandchildren and numerous greatgreat- grandchildren.

He is also survived by one brother, William Freeman (Sharon) and one sister, Carolyn Howard.

Visitation was held Friday, Jan. 14, 2022 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Jeffcoat- Trant Funeral Home and services were held on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Hopewell United Methodist Church in Opelika.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Mr. Freeman’s grandsons Kelly Keith Freeman III, Jay Freeman, Ross Freeman, Christopher Allen and Sean Allen and his great- grandson Cameron Freeman.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to Hopewell United Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama; Red Bird Mission, American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association or the organization or charity of your choice.

–––––––

MICHAEL F. MEZICK Michael F. Mezick, 53 of Opelika, passed away Jan. 16, 2022 at his residence. Mike was born Jan. 26, 1968 to Franklin and Doris Mezick. Graveside services were held on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, at Garden Hills Cemetery. Visitation will be held at JeffcoatTrant Funeral Home.

Mike was an avid outdoors man who loved to hunt, fish and camp with his boys.

He loved Alabama Football. He was a native of Lee County where he lived all his life and worked in construction and had a strong work ethic.

He is survived by his sons: Max Mezick (Sunny) of Opelika, Wade Mezick of Opelika; mother: Doris Allen Mezick of Opelika; father: Franklin Mezick (Diane) of Opelika; siblings: Robbie Jackson (Eric), Marty Mezick of Hawaii, Perry Mezick (Lisa) of Opelika, Chris Mezick (Danni) of Auburn; several nieces and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers: Dalton Stringfellow, Chris Padgeant, Jake Hifield, Chance Sims, Jerrell Grey, Ty Burdell, Kelton Messer, and Treyton Messer.

A15 Jan 20, 2022

Opelika Municipal Court Requests Individuals Who Are Sick With Covid or Have Symptoms Not Present Themselves To Court CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA City of Opelika Municipal Court Administrator, Denise

Rogers, is requesting that individuals who have tested positive for COVID, or those who have symptoms, not present themselves

to court. In order to avoid a Failure To Appear warrant, individuals need to send proof from a doctor via email (dprogers@

opelika-al.gov) or fax (334-705-5109).

For more information, call the Opelika Municipal Court office at 334-705-5196.

Alabama Has Lowest Average Total Single Premium, Second Lowest Family Premium in the Nation CONTRIBUTED BY BCBS Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is proud latest reports show Alabama has the lowest average annual single premium and the second lowest family premium among employers

nationwide. This is according to the federal government’s 2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Controlling healthcare costs and providing our

customers access to the quality healthcare they need remains at the forefront,” said Tim Vines, president and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. “We are consistently focused on putting our customers first. Part of this ongoing

Single

effort is offering them healthcare coverage at the most affordable price possible.”

The 2020 MEPS report below shows how Alabama compares to other states for average annual family premiums among employers:

Premium

State

Premium

1

Alabama

$6,393

1

Arkansas

$17,093

2

Arkansas

$6,414

2

Alabama

$17,324

3

Tennessee

$6,485

3

Tennessee

$18,424

4

Nevada

$6,493

4

Louisiana

$18,930

5

Mississippi

$6,561

5

Iowa

$18,934

6

Utah

$6,593

6

New Mexico

$18,949

7

Arizona

$6,612

7

Mississippi

$19,058

8

Kansas

$6,675

8

Montana

$19,401

9

Michigan

$6,683

9

Nevada

$19,524

10

Louisiana

$6,713

10

Utah

$19,530

United States

2011

2012

www.mytravelatmidtown.com

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

334 749 0877 3051 Frederick Road, Suite 7, Opelika -

2019

2020

$4,940 $5,222 $5,384 $5,571 $5,832 $5,963 $6,101 $6,368 $6,715 $6,972 $7,149

Alabama $4,571 $4,828 $4,961 $5,204 $5,526 $5,733 $5,536 $6,075 $6,089 $6,519 Ranking

6

9

6

8

11

11

3

11

5

6,393

7

1

2019

2020

Source - MEPS Table II.C.1 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) Average Total Family Premium State United States

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

$13,871 $15,022 $15,473 $16,029 $16,655 $17,322 $17,710 $18,687 $19,565 $20,486 $20,758

Alabama $12,409 $12,940 $12,764 $13,477 $14,352 $15,953 $16,098 $16,902 $18,001 Ranking

5

2

1

1

2

4

3

3

17,734

$17,324

1

2

8

Source - MEPS Table II.D.1 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) ABOUT BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF ALABAMA Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has insured Alabamians for 85 years. Blue Cross

NAMI East Alabama is offering a free, eight-session educational program developed by experts at the National Alliance on Mental Illness specifically for family and friends of people facing severe mental illness. Family to Family is taught by NAMI-trained individuals who have personal experience with mental illness of a family member.

Topics include information on different illnesses and how they affect the brain, current treatments and therapies, problem-solving and how to handle a crisis,

finding local support and services, taking care of oneself and managing stress, etc.

To participate in the course, you must have a family member or close friend who has a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar, schizoaffective disorder or severe depression.

Sessions will be from 6 to 8 p.m.

(Eastern Time) each Monday between Jan. 24 and March 14 and will held at The Circle of Care Center for Families located at 14 Medical Park in Valley.

To enroll call Emilyn at 334-444-4032 or Anita at 334-5910196.

'1/a.ssle hee Va.cat:on..Whj Not Ca.II Us.

The 2010-2020 MEPS reports show Alabama’s ranking compared to the national average: MEPS DATA Average Total Single Premium 2010

CONTRIBUTED BY NAMI

Family

State

State

Family-to-Family Course on Mental Illness

offers coverage plans to corporations, individuals and the senior market. For more information about Blue Cross, visit AlabamaBlue.

com. Connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube and follow us on Twitter for more up-todate information.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

-

� Circle of Excellence 2008-2011

MilhonA1r 2010 & 2011 & 2012 --------(between Sam:� Club and Tiger Town)

A16 Jan. 20, 2022

COMICS

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

S

INSIDE B1 - B8:

S

ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL

OHS Winter Sports Continue

W

195-pound grapplers, wrestled five of the top 10, going 4-1 and placing third overall.

Landon Willis (152lbs) finished in fourth with 3-2 record.

Freshman Tommie Johnson (182lbs) and Kyle Epperson (220lbs) both finished fifth with 3-2 records. Logan Sheridan (138lbs) went 3-2 and placed in the top eight.

OHS finished sixth out of 18 teams.

Head wrestling coach Jim Davis spoke with the “On the Mark” radio show last week.

Davis was proud to have 30-plus wrestlers on the team. This is the largest number of grapplers in the program’s many years. The numbers will help OHS continue to participate at a high level in AHSAA wrestling.

BASKETBALL The OHS boys’ varsity basketball team shut down for several days last week due to COVID issues. Head coach Wesley Button told the “On the Mark” radio show that two games were cancelled last week at Lanett and at Harris County. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play at Valley on Jan. 25 in an area game with huge implications.

Prior to the COVID See SPORTS, page B2

OPELIKA: JAN. 25 AT 4:30 P.M. LEE COUNTY: FEB. 8 AT 6 P.M. AUBURN: FEB. 8 AT 6 P.M.

Auburn High Student Selected for U.S. Senate Youth Program Will Participate in Online Program and Receive $10,000 Scholarship CONTRIBUTED TO BY THE U.S. SENATE YOUTH PORGRAM The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announced that high school students Maren Lee Fagan and Clara Rose Ragan will join Sen. Richard C. Shelby and Sen. Tommy Tuberville in representing Alabama during the 60th annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 6 through 9, 2022.

Fagan of Daphne and Ragan of Auburn were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation who will

each also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2022 program will be held online, through a comprehensive and highly interactive virtual education and leadership forum.

The USSYP was created

by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since inception.

Originally proposed by Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey, the Senate leadership of the day, the impetus for the program as stated in Senate

RAGAN testimony is “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities

of federally elected and appointed officials and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world.”

Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program provides the most outstanding high school students — two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity — with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it.

The overall mission of See STUDENT, page B3

Second to None PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEC MEDIA PORTAL

inter sports continues at Opelika High School and Opelika Middle School.

The girls’ and boys’ basketball teams play two road area games this week against Valley and Eufaula. Wrestling travels to Smiths Station Friday and Saturday to participate in the “Smiths Station Invitation”.

WRESTLING Opelika participated in the “Michael Pruitt Invitational” in Arab. This tournament featured 18 of the top 5A/6A teams in Alabama with many wrestlers that placed in last year’s state meet.

Sixteen Bulldog grapplers participated in the meet; Five placed in the the top five in their respective weight classes and the others wrestled well.

Brady Campbell (145lbs) took down two former state champs, currently ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the state, on his way to winning the weight class with 4-0 record. Campbell is ranked No. 4 in the state in last week’s coache’s poll, but could move up this week.

Jack Pritchard (145lbs), wrestling in the toughest bracket of the tournament, a bracket that featured the current top-six-ranked

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

• AUBURN UNIVERSITY • COMMUNITY SPORTS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • OPELIKA/AUBURN SCHOOLS • SUSSC

Auburn Seeks Validation Against Kentucky

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

Following a week of solid wins against the Alabama Crimson Tide

and the Ole Miss Rebels, many thought that the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team had done enough to earn the No. 1 rank in the country.

However, when the

AP Poll was released Monday, the Tigers were ranked No. 2 overall, with Gonzaga claiming the top spot. The perceived slight has been acknowledged by fans

and players alike, and will serve as more motivation for Bruce Pearl and his team.

This Saturday, the Tigers will have their See AUBURN, page B2

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334-749-8303 1-800-327-6519

B2 Jan. 20, 2022

Glenwood Boys Top LeeBurts, Others Propel Glenwood to Lofty Ambitions Scott in Dramatic Fashion

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

As the AISA basketball season rolls on, the state playoff picture grows clearer by the day. For head coach Dusty Purdue and the Glenwood Lady Gators, a postseason berth is no longer the bar; it has become a given. After traveling to Auburn, Alabama, last Thursday night and taking down the highly regarded LeeScott Academy Warriors 56-40 in a hostile environment, the orange and green believe they have hit their stride.

According to Purdue, his squad stepped up in the big game against Lee-Scott, finding offensive production in places where — to this point — it had been absent.

“We just hit some big shots that we haven’t been hitting,” Purdue said. “Olivia Slocumb and Emma Head hit some really big shots.

So did Jasmyn.”

Improved scoring from Slocum and Head was a sign of improvement; more importantly to the team’s success, it presented an opportunity to provide relief to star senior Jasmyn

STUDENT >> FROM B1 the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service. In addition to the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each student with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. All expenses for Washington Week are also provided by The Hearst Foundations; as stipulated in S.Res.324, no government funds are utilized.

Fagan, a junior at Daphne High School, serves as editor in chief of the journalism program. As editor in chief, she manages her high school yearbook, The Palladium, and the online student newspaper, The Oracle. Additionally, she is the president of the Daphne Chapter of Quill and Scroll International Journalism Honor Society. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and the Math Honor Society. Maren plans to attend a top-level university in the District of Columbia. Upon graduation from college, she plans to attend law school, with the ultimate goal to work as a civil and human rights lawyer.

Ragan, a senior at Auburn High School, serves as president of the Diversity Council. Additionally, she serves as a Student Council representative, the Science Olympiad team captain and marching band section leader. She secured internship positions with the Lee

Burts.

“We got from Jasmyn what we’ve been getting for the most part,” Purdue said. “But we got a little bit more from everybody else. That was huge.”

Although he was proud of his role players for stepping up in the big moment, Purdue was sure to not forget the reality of Burts’ role in the Gators’ success against LSA and beyond.

“She’s the engine that makes the car run,” Purdue said. “Without her we wouldn’t do much of anything right now and our kids know that. It’s not a secret.”

Purdue recognized that — although his guard is the leader on a nightly basis — there were areas in which she must focus on, specifically in the discipline of picking apart a press defense.

“I thought that — at the beginning of the game — Jasmyn wasn’t pushing the ball like I wanted her to,” Purdue said. “Because that’s us.

We’re not always great in the half court.”

It took Burts just two quarters to figure out the Warrior defensive scheme and begin

scoring at will. Her head coach accredits that to her high ceiling and ability to rapidly approve on any part of her game.

“She’s as good as I’ve coached on the girls’ side and I’ve coached junior college basketball,” Purdue said. “I think she’s got a great upside and she’ll play at the next level. I’m excited that she’s on my team.”

The senior guard dropped 23 of her team’s 56 points in the blowout win, bolstering her case as a collegiate prospect.

As it stands now, Burts has earned offers from the like of Truett McConnel University (GA), The University of North Alabama, Troy University and Lander University (NC).

Following their emphatic victory over Calvary Christian on Monday evening, the Gators improve to 16-4 on the season and appear to be in position to potentially defend their state title later this semester. Glenwood will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 21, when the squad travels to take on the struggling Patriots of Pike Liberal Arts.

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

County District Attorney’s Office and with the Alabama Circuit Court, and plans to attend Vanderbilt University as a political science and business major. Upon graduation from college, she hopes to attend law school.

Ragan’s ultimate goal is to join the government as a judge or Congressional representative.

Chosen as alternates to the 2022 program were Aubteen Pour-Biazar, a resident of Madison, who attends Bob Jones High School and Joe Don Anderson, a resident of Muscle Shoals, who attends Muscle Shoals High School.

Delegates and alternates are selected by the state departments of education nationwide and the District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity, after nomination by teachers and principals.

The chief state school officer for each jurisdiction confirms the final selection.

This year’s Alabama delegates and alternates were designated by Eric G. Mackey, state superintendent of Education.

During the program week, the student delegates will attend online meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, among others.

In addition to outstanding leadership abilities and a strong commitment to volunteer work, the student delegates rank academically in the top 1% of their states among high school juniors and seniors. Now more than 6,000 strong, alumni of the program continue to excel and develop impressive qualities that are often directed toward public service.

Among the many

distinguished alumni are: Sen. Susan Collins, the first alumnus to be elected U.S. senator; Secretary of Transportation and former Mayor of South Bend Indiana, Pete Buttigieg; former Sen. Cory Gardner, the second alumnus to be elected U.S. senator and the first to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the first alumnus to be elected governor; former Chief Judge Robert Henry, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; former Ambassador to West Germany Richard Burt, former presidential advisors Thomas “Mack” McLarty and Karl Rove.

Additional notables include former Lt. Governor of Idaho David Leroy, Provost of Wake Forest University Rogan Kersh, military officers, members of state legislatures, Foreign Service officers, top congressional staff, healthcare providers and other university educators.

Members of the U.S. Senate Youth Program 2022 annual Senate Advisory Committee are: Sen. Christopher A. Coons of Delaware, Democratic Co-Chair; Sen. Susan M. Collins of Maine, Republican Co-Chair; Advisory Members: Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM); Sen. Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR); Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN); Sen. Mark R. Warner (DVA); Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN); Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV); Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-OK); and Sen. M. Michael Rounds (R-SD). Each year, the honorary co-chairs of the program are the vice president of the United States and the Senate majority and minority leaders. For more information, please visit: www.ussenateyouth.org

SPORTS>>

There are a multitude of reasons why fans are obsessed with high school basketball.

There is no shortage in pageantry, passion and excitement. Any player can make an impact on any given night.

Emotions run high on all occasions. Thursday night’s instant-classic contest between the hometown Lee-Scott Academy Warriors and the Glenwood Gators had it all.

Between a pair of 10-point comebacks and overcoming an apparent disadvantage in depth, head coach Dusty Purdue and the rest of the Gators returned home with an impressive 71-67 win on their record.

“We got down by 10 in the first, cut it down to two at the half,” Purdue said. “Got down by 10 in the third and then just kept chipping away.”

The squad’s ability to overcome more than one double-digit deficit was due — in large — to its ability to out rebound its opponent despite navigating the contest with

FROM B1 outbreak, the Bulldogs beat Eufaula and lost to Valley.

OHS beat then No. 1 Eufaula, 66-65, in Mainstreet gym.

Five Bulldog players scored in double digits.

Isiah Knight scored a game high 16 points; Mekhiron Brock and Kaden Cooper added 13 points apiece; Grady Bynum and Landon Lee added 11 points apiece in the win.

Russell County then beat Opelika, 70-44, at the Mainstreet gym on the OHS campus. Lee led offensively, scoring 10 points. Brock added

AUBURN >> FROM B1 biggest opportunity of the season to prove naysayers wrong when the vaunted Kentucky Wildcats (14-3) enter Auburn Arena. While Auburn has looked as impressive as anyone in the country this year, Kentucky appears to be accelerating towards “elite” status. The Tigers have beaten John Calipari and his teams two times running in Auburn Arena; however, the task this year — as most always — is no easy feat.

The Wildcats (14-3) are on hot streak lately, best exemplified by the 107-79 mauling of No. 22 Tennessee last week.

Watching it live, the commentators dubbed Kentucky’s play “the best performance from any team all season.”

fewer substitutions.

“I was proud of the way we rebounded the basketball,” Purdue said. “We played very limited guys.”

With a limited available squad and a high-caliber opponent, Purdue had to dial up a brand of defense that was both effective in forcing empty possessions and keeping his guys out of foul trouble.

“The thing is I want to play man so bad,” Purdue said. “But I know we’re playing with a bunch of football players that will body up on you because they love the physical contact so sometimes that’s not good for us.”

Defensive adjustments proved to be a determining factor when LSA junior Alex Cash began to pick the Gators apart in the second half, finding a way to score both in the paint and from the perimeter.

“You don’t expect anything from what I’ve got on film but Cash goes crazy there in the third quarter,” Purdue said. “Then he hits two or three threes from the top of the key. Then he takes us off the dribble.”

Cash posted 25 points

in the Warriors loss.

As is often the case in basketball at all levels, the orange and green began to find its success when it caught fire at just the right time.

Luckily for fans of the program, that rhythm developed with just under five minutes remaining in the contest.

“Things just sort of went our way the last five minutes of the game,” Purdue said “My kids really fought with their hearts. I was really proud of the way they played, the way they didn’t give up.”

With the game decided in the final moments of regulation, the gym at Lee-Scott Academy was electric. Purdue was simply excited to have been a part of it.“Just a great basketball atmosphere, win or lose,” Purdue said.

“Always is.”Purdue’s squad now finds themselves winners in eight of their past nine contests and will have the opportunity to add to the season’s overall win total in Troy, Alabama on Friday night when the Gators travel to take on the Patriots of Pike Liberal Arts at 5 p.m. CST.

seven points.

OHS girls’ coach Blake Smalley saw his team split area games with Eufaula and Russell County.

Eufaula beat OHS, 6248, despite the Lady Dogs leading 30-22 at halftime. Haley Sanders continued to play consistent basketball, scoring a game high 18 points.

Teammate Ashanti Thomas added 14 points.

The girls then blew out Russell County, 57-16, in a key area game. Erica Matthews scored a game 18 points and Sanders added 14 points.

The Lady Bulldogs lead the area with a 3-1 record.

PERSONAL I did not write “On

the Mark” last week due to having surgery Jan. 6. I appreciate Michelle for understanding my predicament. I want to THANK, The Orthopaedic Clinic, Dr Trent Wilson, East Alabama Medical Center, the surgery staff from pre-op and postop, transportation and all those involved in my surgery.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeart Media, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 9101310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

Strong words for a strong team.

Speaking of strength, a portion of Kentucky’s success can be attributed to the physical presence of junior forward Oscar Tshiebwe. The 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound Lubumbashi, Congo, native is averaging 16.5 points (No. 3 in the SEC) and 14.9 rebounds per game (No. 1 in the SEC by a wide margin).

The Wildcats also boast an impressive array of talent in the backcourt. Freshman TyTy Washington — an efficient shooter and playmaker — leads the way, averaging 14.5 points (No. 9 in the SEC) and 4.8 assist (No. 3 in the SEC) per game; Junior Sahvir Wheeler leads the SEC in assist per game; and senior Kellan Grady comes in at No. 21 in SEC scoring this season, averaging 11.8 per game.

All total, the Wildcats boast the No. 1 scoring offense, free throw percentage, per-game rebound total and pergame assists total in the SEC. And with five players averaging double digit scoring marks, Kentucky is one of the few teams in the country that can contend with Auburn’s depth.

That said, the “new blood, blue blood” Tigers fear no one. The one area of the game clearly in Auburn’s favor is defense. If the Tigers are to emerge victorious Saturday, expect to see big performances in the rebounding, three-point shooting, shot blocking and steal categories. A win keeps the Tigers in sole possession of first place in SEC, and nearly guarantees the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking that many believe they already deserve.

B3 Jan. 20, 2022

Southern Christian Continues Winning Ways The Southern Christian Patriots continued their winning streak this week with two middle school wins and a junior varsity victory. The Patriots’ middle school team first traveled to Columbus, Georgia, to play the Wynnbrook Christian School Warriors. The Warriors are in the midst of a rebuilding year and were plainly not able to handle the boys from SCA. “The Warriors played their hearts out but they have a lot of new guys that just haven’t developed yet,” said Southern Christian head coach Jason Scott. “They will get there; they have a great coach. We did everything we could to keep from running up the score. I really hate it when coaches do that. So all my subs got a lot of time tonight.”

The Patriots won 427 over the Warriors of WCS. Leading the Pats

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

was Anderson England with nine points, 11 rebounds and three steals.

Jack Eagan scored eight points while Cole Hall and Harris Adams had seven points each.

SCA’s next games were away as well, traveling to Camp Hill, Alabama, to face the Rangers of

Southern Prep. The middle school boys were at it again outscoring their opponent threeto-1 in the first half.

The two teams headed to break with the score at 36-11 in favor of the Patriots. In the second half, Southern Christian emptied its bench and

gave everyone on the roster minutes. The Rangers had a hard time finding the basket with their best shooter being tightly guarded by Parks Myers, and the Patriots extended their lead in the third and fourth quarters. Ultimately leading the Patriots to a 55-21

victory was Cole Hall, who scored 14 points, grabbed six boards and also registered three steals. Myers also scored 16 points and had four assists. Harris Adams and Wyatt Myers pulled down five rebounds each to help the team coast to victory.

“During JV warm ups

I noticed there was a significant size deficit on our side,” Scott said.

“They had us if they could establish something inside. I also knew that Mason, number 20, was their best, so I put Parks on him and then River Nelson. Both of them are extremely quick and Mason does not react well to being denied the ball.

He fouled out pretty early in the fourth. My two undersized guys played very well and were able to fight, battle and keep the ball out of the paint.”

Cole Johnson led the Patriots with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Eighth grader Jagger Scott had nine points and 13 boards. Jayden McKee pulled down seven rebounds for the Pats, while Jedd Scott added seven points and four assists in the 4928 win over Southern Prep. The Patriots will look to extend their streak against Trinity Christian Eagles and the Tuscaloosa Warriors this week.

Order on the Court: Opelika Rec League Basketball in Full Bounce

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

B4 Jan. 20, 2022

Pacing the Pack PHOTOS BY JERRY BALLAS / FOR THE OBSERVER The Glenwood girls' and boys' varsity basketball teams are both ranked first in the area. After defeating Lakeside (pictured above) last week, the Gators defeated rival Lee-Scott Academy on the road in both the girls' and boys' games.

B5 Jan. 20, 2022

Auburn Alumnus, Extension Coordinator Competing on FOX’s ‘Next Level Chef,’ Cooking For Change

While competing on Gordon Ramsey’s new cooking show “Next Level Chef,” Auburn alumnus Jonathan Harrison was cooking with a cause: to bring Southern cooking to the world by being the face of progressive Southern food.

“My goal with food is to use it as a tool to facilitate conversations that move the South forward and bring positive change for everyone in the South,” Harrison said.

“With good food you can get different people to sit across from each other at a table, and that’s where those conversations start that bring empathy and understanding. That’s how change happens.”

The Columbiana, Alabama, native was one of 15 chefs competing for the $250,000 first-place prize on the new FOX show, the brainchild of celebrity chef Ramsay that was filmed in Las Vegas in September and is airing on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. CST. Harrison, 29, studied journalism in the College of Liberal Arts and has worked as a chef, realtor and on-site coordinator for the 4-H Youth Development Center in his hometown since graduating from Auburn.

Harrison’s love for Southern cooking has influenced him since he was a child. Growing up in what he calls a “food-centric family” placed some of his happiest times around a dinner table or at Sunday lunches. Harrison said that what he most looked forward to on weekends wasn’t watching football or cartoons on television, but cooking shows like Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa.”

“I remember watching Ina Garten on Food Network and was like, ‘Wow, that looks good,’” Harrison said. “I kept thinking I might be able to cook that if I could just get someone to buy me the ingredients. I just always absorbed it really easily.”

Even though he had grown up in a family

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

of Alabama fans, Harrison said he “saw the light” when he was 19 while visiting a friend on Auburn’s campus. The impact the university had on him was instantaneous. He transferred to Auburn and completed a degree in journalism, an experience he fondly remembers.

“It felt like home immediately, and I loved it so, so much,” Harrison said. “Auburn feels like family, and that’s what I love about it. It really is the most loving community, loving campus, family-oriented place, and I loved it.

“Even when I was in the throes of my major, I felt so comfortable. I can’t say enough good things about the communications and journalism department at Auburn.”

While a student at Auburn, Harrison also learned to cook with limited means, a skill that would help him compete on “Next Level Chef.”

“For a couple of years, I had to figure out how to make really good things on a very tight budget,” he said. “That really helped me figure out how to make things with not a lot to work with.”

Originally, Harrison had considered a career in food journalism after graduating, but he ultimately changed his mind.

Even though his career

path changed, his love for cooking never left him.

Harrison began posting photos of the meals he would cook at home on his Instagram page, and soon people began asking to get a taste of his food.

“I started having driveway dinners during COVID, because we couldn’t be inside and I couldn’t host dinner parties,” Harrison said.

“That’s when I started to realize that maybe I was better than I thought I was, or maybe I had the potential to be good.

“I have always admired ‘Southern Living,’ ‘Bon Appetit,’ ‘NYT Cooking’ and those type of things I read because you have to read to get good at something. You have to read, research and practice.”

A friend sent Harrison a link to the application for “Next Level Chef,” but he shied away from applying and decided against it. After two weeks, Harrison had a change of heart and filled out and submitted the application. Even after receiving a text message asking to speak with him from the “Next Level Chef” team, Harrison could hardly believe there was a possibility of him making the show.

“I didn’t believe it was happening to me until wheels were up in September and I was headed to Las Vegas,” he said.

The show turned into the experience of a lifetime for Harrison.

“The experience was the best in my life,” Harrison said. “I’ve never put myself in such an emotional pressure-cooker like that. I mean, you’re cooking for arguably the heaviest hitter in the food game and two people he has deemed heavy hitters in the food game, so you are constantly nervous about them judging your food.

“It was nerve-wracking, but the growth that I achieved while I was there was astonishing, and I’m just really proud of putting myself out there.”

Also, just as valuable as the knowledge gained were the friendships Harrison made while on the show.

“I made friends that I’ll always have who are from all walks of life, from all over the United States, and it was amazing,” Harrison said. “I mean, that’s my whole deal. My whole deal is taking the South to the world and bringing the world to the South.”

Now back in his hometown, Harrison works as a camp coordinator for the science school at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana, Alabama. The 4-H Center is the central location of the Alabama 4-H

Program, which is part of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Alabama Extension is the primary outreach and engagement organization for the land-grant mission of Alabama A&M and Auburn University, in cooperation with Tuskegee University.

Harrison helps book school trips to the center, organize activities for the groups and makes sure that everyone is prepared for a successful trip. He also books activities for groups using the conference center. The chance to interact with and have an impact on the youth of Alabama every day is the best part of the job for Harrison, he said.

“My favorite part of the job is the people and the kids,” Harrison said.

“I get to interact with so many people from different places and get to really see the kids learn and grow on a daily basis, and that’s really rewarding.”

Kristy Abrams, director of the Alabama 4-H Center, was able to see Harrison put his passion for cooking into action while at work.

“During COVID, the Alabama 4-H Center had to be creative to attract individuals because groups were not traveling,” Abrams said.

“We hosted a variety of events: Great Fam-

ily Stay-Cays, a music festival, Fourth of July event and a Fall Garden event. The 4-H Center had Jonathan prepare a farm-to-table meal for the Fall Garden event.

“Jonathan could go from team building, to lifeguarding, to rocking out a campfire to preparing and cooking an incredible meal during these events. I was so proud when he told me he had been selected to be a contestant. He has a passion for people and a passion for food and was able to bring those two things together following his dreams.”

Molly Gregg, assistant director of the 4-H Program, doesn’t believe that there could have been a better person to represent the 4-H Program.

“Jonathan represents the 4-H ideal,” Gregg said. “He discovered a passion for cooking that he shares with his community to build and create opportunities for people to feel a sense of belonging and have fun.

“It is so fun to watch him now and think about him as a young 4-H camp counselor. He has been a shining light on the youth of Alabama and his community for a long time.”

Looking forward, Harrison hopes to continue to push for change through his cooking however he can.

“I’d love to be out there as the face of progressive Southern food and really just push for equality for all groups of people all over the South and be accepting, loving and spreading the message of radical empathy as much as I can,” Harrison said.

“Anywhere I can do that is where I want to be.”

For Harrison, Auburn will always have a special place in his heart for the role it has played in his life.

“I love Auburn so, so much, and I think Auburn changed the trajectory of my life,” Harrison said.

“I’m just so happy to hopefully be representing Auburn well.”

Harrison offers further insight into his passion for cooking and his Southern roots on his Instagram page.

Dream Day Foundation Awards Scholarships PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

ORAH PRESTON

LAUREN LANDRY

To read more about the four Opelika High School scholarrship recepients, turn to page A1.

CAMILLE SLAUGHTER

SYDNEY LOWE

B6 Jan. 20, 2022

ASMS Launches Brand New Summer Camp to Support Job Growth in S.T.E.M. CONTRIBUTED BY ASMS

Conversations about employment in STEM are on the rise, and the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS) is taking action.

This year, the school will be launching the inaugural Alabama STEM Leadership Academy summer camp for rising Alabama 7th, 8th and 9th graders.

Participants will stay on the ASMS campus and gain access to advanced courses, leadership training and community build-

ing facilitated by expert faculty members.

Campers will engage in unique STEM courses like 3D Printing, ACT Prep, Cyberpatriots Basic Cyber Program Underwater Robotics, Labs of Doom, Geology of Minecraft, Laser Cutting 3D Modeling, Using Java, Rocketry and many more.

In addition to foundational knowledge in their subjects, students will also learn the leadership soft skills needed to gravitate to the top of their fields one day. The program

is also designed with interactive activities to help young learners build friendships and gain a support network for pursuing their goals in STEM. “Employment in STEM is on the rise, but recent research shows that the gaps for underrepresented populations are not going away soon,” said ASMS Director of Admissions and Outreach Ken Robinson. “ASMS has an access mission to serve students from across Alabama from any background and to equip them for a bright

future of leadership in STEM. The STEM Leadership Academy is our commitment to closing the gap and preparing students for impactful STEM careers even from a young age.”

This is a great opportunity for students to pursue a premier STEM curriculum amidst a fun and engaging summer experience. Session 1 is from June 6 to 10, 2022, and Session 2 is from June 13 to 17, 2022.

Registration and more information are available at:

www.asms.net/outreach/ alabama-stem-leadership-academy Questions about the camp can be directed to asla@asms.net.

The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science

is the state’s only fully public and residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors pursuing advanced studies in math, science, computer science, and the humanities. ASMS is a research-focused learning community committed to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and diversity with a mission to empower motivated Alabama students to improve their community, state, and nation. Tuition, room, and board are free. Learn more at asms.net

SUSCC Names New Child Development Program Chair CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC

Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) recently named Sandy Little as director of its child development program.

“Mrs. Little has been a catalyst for innovation in the field of child development and early childhood education for years,” said Dr. Linda North, dean of academics at SUSCC. “She is a proponent for children’s well-being and will focus on providing an excellent educational experience for the students in her program.”

Prior to her appoint-

ment at SUSCC, Little has worked for the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education and held various teaching positions throughout the east Alabama area.

Little brings extensive experience in early childhood education pedagogy, strategic planning and research to her new role.

Little holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Early Childhood Education and will earn a doctorate in that field in 2022, all from Auburn University.

She was introduced at a “Meet the Di-

LITTLE

rector” reception in late December. Sponsored by the Alabama Partnership for Children, the reception welcomed personnel from local child care centers. During a brief program, Little outlined her vision for the program which includes expanding the number of students who take advantage of the T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) scholarship program. T.E.A.C.H. works step-by-step with early childhood educators and child care workers who wish to increase their

level of education and effectiveness in the classroom.

Southern Union’s Child Development program was established in 1995.

“I want to honor what has been done in the past while building a great future for our program,” Little said.

“We have unlimited potential to grow and make a real difference in our communities.”

Southern Union State Community College is the second oldest two-year college in Alabama. Founded in 1922, the college is celebrating its centennial year.

Refund Anticipation Loans are now available. Schedule an appointment for a free evaluation.

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Program availability and loan amounts may vary based on state and software provider. The amount of the loan and applicable interest will be deducted from tax refunds and reduce the amount that is paid directly to the taxpayer. Fees for other optional products or product features may apply. Tax returns may be fi led electronically without applying for this loan. Loans off ered in amounts of $250 (where available), $500, $1,000, 25%, 50%, or 75% of your expected tax refund from $250 - $6,000. Loans in the amounts of $250, $500, and $1,000 have an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 0.00%. Loans in the amounts of 25%, 50% or 75% of your expected tax refund have an APR of 36.0% with a minimum loan of $1,250. For example, $2,500 loan representing 50% of expected refund borrowed over 29 day term, total amount payable in a single payment is $2,571.51 including interest. Availability is subject to satisfaction of identity verifi cation, eligibility criteria, and underwriting standards.

2 Certain Refund Advance Loans are available at no cost to taxpayers, however other options include a consumer fee.

RA21-BAN-014

334-744-7509 Dustin Farley-Nelms/Owner 207 N. 3rd Street, Opelika

Member of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce

B7 Jan. 20, 2022

COURT FORGIVENESS PROGRAM February 1 - March 31 MONDAY - FRIDAY • 8 A.M. - 7 P.M. 300 MLK Boulevard • Opelika • • • •

Do you have unpaid parking tickets?

Do you have an outstanding FTA warrant?

Are you on probation?

Do you have a Time to Pay (TTP) case?

If so, you are eligible for the first ever Court Forgiveness Program. Only cases that have already been adjudicated by the court are eligible for forgiveness. This program does not include new drug, alcohol, firearm or domestic violence cases.

To participate: • Bring a photo ID • Payments: Cash, Visa or Mastercard • Payment plans available if approved by court.

• Community service or Ready To Work program in lieu of fines/costs if approved.

For more info, visit www.opelika-al.gov or call Opelika Municipal Court at 334-705-5196.

B8 Jan. 20, 2022

Share the Dream That All Children Can Be Friends

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

A

ll this week, we are reflecting and honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. The truth that Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream that all children would be friends is a concept that young children truly want to know and do.

They want to lovingly embrace this dream. In teaching young children

on the treasure of making friends, I teach them a little song of truth that I learned as a child in Girl Scouts: “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver, and the other is gold”. When young children begin to discover the joy of friendship, their world opens up to new relationships and socialization skills. As we reflect on Dr. King’s life, we see that he

stressed to us to share and care for each other. What a wonderful world we would have if everyone took time to share what they have with others. To meet the needs of others with food, material items or time — to listen to others — are lessons that we need to teach our young children.

In total developmental honesty, when working with young children we must realize that it is very hard for most of them to share. Each child is different and unique in personality and character traits. Teachers and parents observe that some children will share without being asked or taught this. But for most children, being able to share is very hard. To understand this, we must realize that a very young child’s identity is locked into what they have such as a teddy bear, doll and other toys.

When looking at developmental stages of children such as toddlers, two’s and three’s, think more of their needs. Whereas children who are 4 years old or older begin to really understand what it means to share.

Children who are 5, 6, 7

and 8 learn the importance of sharing and cooperating with other children. Be sure to praise your children when they share with other people, whether it be in the family or friends. Hug, verbally encourage and let them know that you are happy when they share.

Being able to share as a young child leads into being able to make friends and being a friend. Of course, a lot of this depends on the age of your child. When your children are really young and are having difficulty making friends with other children, you as a parent can role play with your child as you engage in activities and play with them.

Being patient and letting them do a “pretend meal” for you, or even playing dolls, stuffed animals, model cars, etc., teaches them how to interact with other children. If older siblings are in the family, they can assist their parents in role playing with their younger siblings.

Listen closely to your child when they speak of children they may like to play with at school or preschool. With young children, in teaching them social interaction and how to relate to other children, start with one or two children your child might like to play with. Check with

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these children’s parents and invite them over to play.

When inviting friends over, it is wise to plan activities such as going to the park, playing games outside or inside, viewing a favorite video or enjoying a favorite snack together. With young children, they are so happy with just the simple things.

Too, the main issue you are focusing on is having your young children to get along with other children.

I personally remember in having one child, friends were always in our home to provide socialization for our young son. It is such a wonderful relationship for parents of young children to come together. Our community is so family friendly.

With very young children it is necessary for parents to quietly oversee the play of young friends — especially if it is their first time to play. As a parent, you don’t want to dominate or control their play, but you mainly want to facilitate their play. Young children depend on routine and familiar activities. Try to do this in planning activities when a child comes over. Children perform and play well together when they know the routine and guidelines. I know in an early childhood classroom, children depend on and

adhere to a schedule. Many of us as parents have to be a playmate ourselves in modeling how friends get along. Teachers and early childcare workers do this with young children all the time. This allows us to oversee to see where struggles might be and then we can guide and help our children.

Children consider their pets to be their friends.

They play for hours with their furry friends such as dogs, cats, hamsters, etc. Too, taking care of goldfish by feeding them as well as cleaning out their bowls helps to instill a sense of care and responsibility. Guiding children on how to take care of pets develops a sense of responsibility which is necessary in friendships.

With young children, remember play is their work — even in friendships. One important truth to teach young children is that they are very special and so are the friends they have.

A treasured friendship for all of us, young or old, is like a rainbow promise. Isn’t it nice to be unconditionally loved by a friend? It’s better than a pot of gold!

Beth Pinyerd Classroom Observer

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L ee County & A labama Politics

B9

Nov. 24, 2021

Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022

Inside the Statehouse

he 2022 annual regular session of the legislature has begun. It began Jan. 11 and constitutionally can last three and one-half months, which would have it ending at the end of April.

This is the last year of the quadrennium and an election year. Therefore, the legislature will not address any controversial or substantive issues.

This has always been the case in Alabama politics. This rule will ring true this year as it has in past years.

They will come into session, pass the budgets, then go home to campaign.

They may even adjourn early this year, probably the first part of April.

It will be an easy year, budget wise. The General Fund and Special Education Trust Fund will again have growth in revenue. The economy is still percolating from the COVID recovery, especially because of the influx of federal dollars.

Alabama will have received over $4 billion dollars from the Federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) COVID relief money. Almost half has been earmarked and given to schools, counties and cities and will not be allocated by the legislature.

The state received over $500 million in 2021. Most of that, over $400 million, went to build new prisons, which was the most significant achievement last year. There will be approximately $560 million of ARP money coming into Alabama for this year. The legislature will be able to play Santa Claus in an election year. The General Fund Chairmen, Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) in the House and Greg Albritton (R-Escambia) in the Senate, are being lobbied heavily as might be expected.

They will be looking at several ways to disburse these federal dollars. The feds like the states to focus on rural broadband expansion, water and sewage projects, and hospitals and nursing homes. It will be a short and successful and non-controversial session.

Gov. Kay Ivey will miss her right arm, Jo Bonner. He has served as a quasi-governor for the past three years.

BY MICHELLE KEY PUBLISHER

Tim Aja, the newest Opelika council member, was sworn in before Tuesday night's city council meeting. Aja's daughter, Anna, assisted in the ceremony by holding the Bible for her father.

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller issued a proclamation declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month to Kathy Guthrie, the founder of Worthy2, an organization dedicated to advocating for victims and survivors of sex trafficking..

This year, Opelika

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

T

STEVE FLOWERS

Ivey and Jo have a lifetime bond.

They are both from Wilcox County, and like family. This remote rural black belt, southwest Alabama county has spawned Jeff Sessions, Ivey, Judy Bonner and Jo. Sessions, Ivey and Judy are all about the same age.

Jo is about 15 years younger and like Ivey’s little brother. Ivey has never not known Jo. He has been the most influential Chief of Staff to a governor in state history.

In November 2021, it was announced that Jo will become president of the University of South Alabama.

He will be the fourth president of the University of South Alabama, which is the third largest university in the state. Jo is perfect for this position. His decade as a congressman from Mobile and his prowess as an economic developer and civic leader coupled with his winning personality will propel the university in Mobile to a regional educational and medical center for Alabama, Mississippi and Northwest Florida. He is revered in Washington.

His political connections and persona will make the University of South Alabama a politically powerful institution.

The governor made a wise and prudent move to fill the void left by Jo’s departure from the governor’s office.

She made her loyal, dedicated and extremely qualified ally, Liz Filmore, chief of staff. Fillmore had already been functioning as a quasi-chief of staff to Ivey and Jo. A few months ago, Ivey adroitly convinced State Representative Bill Poole of Tuscaloosa to become her finance director. Poole is immensely and uniquely qualified for finance director. He served over a decade in the House of Representatives.

Eight of those years he chaired the Education Budget Committee and wrote the State Education budget.

He was and still is one of the most universally well-liked and respected legislators in the state. Poole will remain finance director and Filmore will be chief of staff. They will be part of what Ivey will rely on as her leadership team. The other two members of the four-person team will be Brooks McClendon and Nathan Lindsey, who will be elevated to deputy chief of staff. Ivey along with Jo has run an exemplary ship of state administratively.

See you next week.

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

Tim Aja Sworn In as Opelika Council Member

joined the Trafficking-Free Zone initiative which focuses on reducing the demand — the number of buyers — for sex-trafficked victims. This

program is initiated with community members and leaders, law enforcement, businesses and schools.

Guthrie and Opelika See OPELIKA, page B14

Auburn Council Calls for Special Meeting for Redistricting

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The Auburn City Council voted to once again postpone the vote on redistricting Tuesday night and called for a special meeting on Jan. 25 to further discuss the topic.

The plan was originally proposed in December with a map based on state guidelines and created by city staff.

Members of the local NAACP branch, #5038, attended the meeting in December with a new plan however — a map that would include a second minority-majority district.

The city of Auburn has one minority-majority district and that is what the city’s plan proposed as well for this redistricting process.

Redistricting is the process of redrawing lines to reflect the city’s growing and changing population. For more on this process, click here: www.opelikaobserver.com/

NOW OPEN

auburn-purchases-equipment-for-dinius-park-postpones-redistricting/.

After two separate meetings where the branch urged the council to postpone the vote, the council obliged on Dec. 21 and took extra time to review information. They then postponed again on Jan. 4 after City Manager Megan Crouch said that the city had not finished reviewing the information from the NAACP. Ward 1 Council Member Connie Fitch-Taylor also held a Ward 1 meeting Monday night in conjunction with the NAACP to discuss the redistricting process.

Multiple citizens and NAACP members have spoken at city council meetings since December.

A public hearing was still held Tuesday night and multiple citizens, NAACP members and hired cartographer Tabitha Isner spoke on behalf of Branch #5038.

Additionally, City Attorney Rick Davidson spoke to council members, along with Dorman

Walker who assisted the city with the redistricting process. Finally, M.V. Hood III, professor of political science and director of survey research center at the University of Georgia, was asked to provide feedback based on the data for the city.

Hood shared with the council that based upon numbers and data, there is no evidence of vote dilution in the city of Auburn.

When redistricting is challenged in court, a process the NAACP has threatened against the city of Auburn, the Gingles test is used to determine if a city has created a map with problems.

And Hood said that based upon the data he analyzed, the NAACP map does not meet the criteria for the city.

A following discussion ensued during the public hearing for the ordinance.

The community asked that the council to work with the NAACP and create a new map and include the See AUBURN, page B14

Indoor shooting range is open to the public

2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA

B10 Jan. 20, 2022

Top words of the year 2021: From ‘Vax’ to ‘Breadcrumbing’ to ‘Cisgender’

GREG MARKLEY

T

he Name of the Wind (2007) is a novel by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s focus is wizardry and a young man’s coming of age. Rothfuss is a fantasy writer from Wisconsin. One of his quotes is: “Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.”

Rothfuss’ quote can relate to the top words of 2021. Many words were chosen for their yearlong popularity. Others “light fires in minds’ by making one think.

Still others can indeed

“wring tears for hardened hearts.” Some will drift away in a year or two, others may be used long after 2021 and 2022 are over.

In November, Dictionary.com published an article, “10 New Dating Words to Know in 2021.” I will mention here, six of those 10.

Fauci-ing means turning down a date because someone isn’t taking the pandemic seriously enough. It is named after Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Zombie-ing follows on to ghosting (when someone suddenly stops all contact with no explanation).

Also as new dating words are: Benching, when you hold a likely romantic partner on hold as a backup if you are otherwise stood up; and pocketing, keeping someone separate from other parts of your life, such as your career and relatives. I think the pocketed one in the relationship would get upset

sooner than later, with the strange setup. Most of us would.

Breadcrumbing is talking with someone on social media and by text but never attempting to have a relationship with them or even meet you in person. They leave just enough of a social media trail to string you along. Breadcrumbing is a term similar to when birds leave droppings or indicators they are around. Follow the “crumbs” and you may eventually meet the bird or human leading you thru crumbs.

Oxford Languages announcement that “vax” was Word of the Year 2021 was not a surprise.

“A relatively rare word in our corpus until this year, by September it was over 72 times more frequent than at the same time last year,” said the OUP. “It has generated numerous derivatives that we are now seeing in a wide range of informal contexts, from vax sites and vax cards to getting vaxed and being fully vaxxed.”

$10 Million ARPA Funds to be Classified as Revenue Replacement Funds

BY MICHELLE KEY AND HANNAH LESTER The Lee County Commission voted to accept the classification of $10 million of the $32 million America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that it has received as revenue replacement funds.

In a final ruling that was released on Jan. 6, the new County Administrator Holly Leverette, was informed that every county in the United States has the option to accept a standard allowance of up to $10 million as revenue replacement funds and by doing so, the commission will have a less restrictions in determining how best to use those funds.

"We asked 'what are the downfalls [of accepting the standard $10 million allowance as revenue replacement funds]' in our meeting today and they said that there are none," Leverette said.

The Lee County Commission also approved the 2022 Rebuild Alabama Act (RAA) Annual Grant Program Application and amending the COVID-19 policies.

Lee County has the opportunity to reapply for funding through the annual Rebuild Alabama Grant program each year.

“With a relatively short time frame to

design, let and award the project, the Highway Department would like to apply for funding to resurface approximately 2.64 miles off Lee Road 279,” the city’s e-packet said. “Lee Road 279 was chosen primarily because of its poor condition and traffic count, but also because of previous and other planned improvements to the corridor.”

There is a cap on funding awards of $250,000.

If the county is awarded the full amount, it would provide the remaining amount of just over $370,400 for the project.

“In addition, the county will provide all preliminary engineering, construction engineering and inspection and cover the cost of any project overruns,” the e-packet said.

COVID-19 POLICIES: For employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, if they have no symptoms, they can return to work five days following the positive test.

Employees who do have symptoms can return five days after symptoms appeared as long as they have been 24-hour fever free and symptoms are beginning to resolve. These employees will need to wear a mask for five days following their return.

Vaccinated employees that have also received the recommended

booster vaccine, are not required to stay out of work due to exposure of COVID-19, but will be required to wear a mask for 10 days when around others.

Other COVID-19 guidelines can be found here: www. civicclerk.blob.core. windows.net/stream/ LEECOAL/31813b63a017-471e-891889d650c4283d. pdf?sv=2015-12-11&sr=b&sig=p4Y3bLZgmjsYpgm2EYWvomSrf2yXE3fELejsLAORXLo%3D&st=2022-01-10 T18%3A11%3A48Z&se =2023-01-10T18%3A16 %3A48Z&sp=r&rscc=no-cache&rsct=application%2Fpdf.

OTHER BUSINESS: - The county approved a new technical support position.

- The county approved a bridge Replacement over Saugahatchee Creek on Lee Road 217.

- The county approved Federal Aid Agreements for resurfacing Lee Road 318 & 249.

- The county approved an Adopt-a-Mile Application on Lee Road 79.

- The county approved Andrew Bryan to fill the vacancy on the Beulah Utilities Board and Judy Lockhart to fill a vacancy on the Lee County Parks and Recreation Board.

The next commission meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.

Pandemic was selected as Word of the Year 2020 in a lot of competitions. A word in 2021 that is listed as a popular new word is jab.

A person who subscribes to a British magazine like The Economist, or listens to BBC broadcasts on National Public Radio, is familiar with the word “jab.” The word means “an injection with a hypodermic needle.”

Merriam-Webster had vaccine as it top word, based on online lookups. It jumped 535% in searches in August; also, 601% overall. “During this (hectic) period, New York and California instituted vaccine mandates for health care workers; a federal mandate was announced for nursing home staff … and full FDA approval for Pfizer’s vaccine was boosted,” Merriam explained.

Meanwhile, The American Dialect Society voted in “insurrection” as the Word of the Year for 2021. The event was by Zoom and more than 300 language

mavens participated. It came on Jan. 6, the first anniversary of the tragic post-election events in Washington, DC. The Society recognized that vaccine was not the only word worthy of being Word of the Year.

“More than a year after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the nation is still coming to grips with what happened,” said Ben Zimmer, language columnist for The Wall Street Journal.

“At the time, words like coup, sedition, and riot were used to describe the disturbing events at the Capitol, -insurrection — a violent attempt to take control of the government — is the one that many felt best encapsulates the threat to democracy experienced that day.”

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz got things backwards.

He called the scene an insurrection when it was occurring, but pressed

by Fox News a year later changed his terms to riot or attack. The Dialect Society calls it an insurrection but the junior

senator from Texas now uses less descriptive terms. Cruz was at the Capitol when this happened, yet he forgets or tries to hide what really occurred. Tsk-tsk.

Other top words are: woke, “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially of racial and social justice); cicada, any of a family of homopterous insects with a stout body, wide blunt head and large transparent wings”; and cisgender, “of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth.” After studying these Top Words, I await more astonishing words in 2022.

Greg Markley first moved to Lee County in 1996. He has Masters’ in education and history.

He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to the Observer for 12 years. gm.markley@charter.net

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B11 Jan. 20, 2022

Letter to the Editor: Dave Thomas for Governor

T

he Alabama Cannabis Coalition and the Alabama Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition would like to announce that we wholeheartedly endorse Springville Mayor Dave Thomas for

Governor of the State of Alabama on May 24, 2022, for the Republican Primary. Mayor Thomas is a courageous and bold man living and working in a state of Prohibitionists. “It’s time Alabama”, Dave Thomas.

Dave Thomas also believes in tax reform for the hard-working Alabamians to keep more of their hardearned money. Removing the food tax, eliminating the income tax and reducing property taxes, constitutional carry, saving taxpayers

money, transparency in our schools and in our government. These are all signs of a true conservative and a person who supports individual freedoms, liberty and justice.

We are proud to give him our overwhelming endorsement and

support and will be campaigning for his election. His announcement to run for governor has been a breath of fresh air.

H. Marty Schelper Alabama Registered Cannabis Lobbyist Founder/President

Alabama Cannabis Coalition www.alabamacannabiscoalition.org Founder of Alabama Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition www.facebook.com/ ALABAMARAMP (1) H Marty Schelper | LinkedIn

Businessman Tim James Officially Kicks Off Campaign For Governor CONTRIBUTED BY TIM JAMES CAMPAIGN

Today, Greenville businessman Tim James held a kickoff event at 10 a.m. on the steps State Capitol to announce his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor in 2022. He outlined his platform to make Alabama a national leader in preserving America’s godly heritage while also focusing on key issues to transform our state into an economic powerhouse.

Key issues of his campaign that he mentioned specifically were defending our values, casino gambling, medical marijuana, better schools and education, tax cuts and protecting the state from vaccine and federal Mandates.

James framed his speech within the context of a grandfather’s heart who is concerned about the directional shift in Alabama.

TEXT OF THE SPEECH IS AS FOLLOWS: What a blessing grandchildren are, and it is because of them and because of your children and grandchildren that I stand here today to officially declare my candidacy for governor of Alabama.

We’ve reached a tipping point, and we will turn back to our JudeoChristian heritage or be ruled by some form of godless Marxism that controls every aspect of our lives under the yoke of fear and intimidation. The battle won’t be easy, but we will prevail.

Alabama has always been mocked for our values, but God has called this state to lead, and in the days ahead, America will turn to Alabama for counsel and wisdom because of the authority God place on our shoulders years ago.

Alabama honored the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when others turned away, and if we continue to do that, we will be blessed beyond measure.

Alabama was the first state to call for a sovereign Israel back in 1943, five years before Israel became a nation.

Alabama, and often, Alabama alone, has stood like a rock in a river, resisting the decline of our country.

We have been worn into submission by a federal government growing ever more powerful; and by a federal Supreme Court

that has detached law from truth.

They removed voluntary prayer from schools.

They approved abortion on demand and the deaths of 75 million babies at the hands of abortionists.

The remains of these little ones have been sold like chattel.

These unelected, leftwing judges decreed a new definition of marriage — including those of the same sex — leading to the forced acceptance of transgenderism, all of which conflict with the nature and character of God. Marxism is at our doorstep, and those that embrace it have a desire to remove every aspect of God from society, so reliance and faith is on government and not on the One that created government.

We watch the news every night with concern about the future of this country.

The liberal news media attacks our second amendment rights, calls us racists for wanting to secure the border, and sneers at our faith in God. But governors across this country are beginning to step forward to lead and erect firewalls to protect our states and preserve the American Dream.

They have no choice, in part, because Joe Biden would dare use his office to try to force Americans, under the threat of poverty, to get a shot.

So, the fight is here.

Personally, I believe our governor is a good person. She has been a friend of our family for 40 years.

But I think the administration is overwhelmed.

And I am running for governor because I believe the leadership in this state have capitulated to the political structures that control Montgomery.

They just don’t have the stomach for the fight.

I say this because we have watched them cave to the special interests and political parasites who care nothing about you, or this cultural battle being waged.

They caved to the casino barons who are trying to turn our state into a gambling mecca with nine full scale casinos.

The casino bosses could not care less if they convert our towns into models of decay. They just want their money, and they have drawn their swords for one final push while they still have

time. They know that Tim James will never let them turn Alabama into the Las Vegas of the South.

But the money made off casino gambling is peanuts compared to marijuana. This same governor and Republican leadership caved to those pushing for a bill known as the “Compassion Act” which legalized medical marijuana.

Compassionate it is not.

They tried to camouflage the poison by telling us it was to help people in pain. Look, I’m all about helping people in pain. But this isn’t about pain. It’s about the money, and it is being pushed by wealthy and influential people in this state who justify their greed with self-righteous hypocrisy; they consider themselves pillars of the community.

They are nothing but drug pushers making their fortunes on the backs of people’s misery while their product is working its way to the streets under the guise of medicine.

The stats are clear.

Medical marijuana increases opioid abuse 38%, and other studies show that medical marijuana users are 6 times more likely to abuse opioids than non-marijuana users. So basically, medical marijuana is not helping our kids. It is the gateway drug, and it is killing them.

But now, under Republican leadership, anyone with a medical marijuana card can have over 60 doses of marijuana at one time.

Who needs that much in their pocket unless they want to peddle it on the street?

Alabama has created a state-run drug cartel, and we are watching an orchestrated path to recreational pot.

Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Majority Leader in the House. States with medical marijuana laws have seen an increase in opioid deaths of 22%.

Why did you allow this?

Why were you silent?

Have you no shame?

If I am elected governor, we will repeal the medical marijuana charade and stop these dope pushers before we become the state of Colorado.

The governor and our Republican leadership have also caved to the education establishment.

If you don’t believe me, check their donation reports.

But while the education

establishment fattened up the political committees, our schools have collapsed. In one of the last studies, Alabama ranked dead last among the 50 states in math. Dead last.

This is embarrassing.

Even while achieving this all new low, over the last five years, state funds for public education have increased by over 400 million dollars. Money is not the problem. Weak leadership is the problem.

We must deconstruct the education system – to its foundation – and rebuild it from the ground up.

We must take our schools back from the education unions and give them back to our parents, good teachers, and principals.

Under my watch: 1. Disruptive children will be removed from the classroom.

2. We will let our teachers teach — not force them into being paperwork jockeys.

3. Principals will receive complete authority to manage their schools and improve grade scores.

4. We will pay our teachers and principals more and give them bonuses for better performance.

5. But the key to improving schools is our parents. Parents will get choices. The money will follow the child, and vouchers will give parents the freedom to send their children to the schools that are best for their children.

For too long, those who can afford to homeschool or pay for private school have paid tuition for their own kids and paid school taxes for everyone else’s children. And for too long, those who can’t afford private school are stuck.

That’s going to change, and with more choices for parents and more specialized schools for all children, Alabama will become a national education leader.

I have no illusion that the education structure will fight me tooth and nail. But I’m ready for the fight because Alabama’s kids are worth it.

Now think about it.

This governor and the Republican leadership caved to casino barons, pot pushers, and the teachers’ union. But then they caved to big business and raised taxes on the working families of Alabama.

You can think about this

every time you buy a gallon of gas.

It is a shame that with Republicans in charge, we have not had a real conversation about tax reform in over a decade. I’ll start by eliminating the tax on essential groceries.

We should be using our hard-earned money to feed our families – not government.

Finally, when I am governor, I will never cave to the federal government on a vaccine mandate.

When Biden issued his vaccine order, Alabama’s leaders jumped on him like a chicken on a June bug. They railed against overreach.

What they don’t want you to know is that they did the same thing before he did it.

They hoped you would forget; I didn’t forget.

The State of Alabama, through UAB, issued an order to thousands of Alabama workers to get the vaccine or be fired.

Governor is the chairman of the board of trustees of our public universities including UAB. That’s where the buck stops.

There was no opposition from the governor and the top republicans when UAB issued their mandate; the only sound heard was silence until the Attorney General stepped in and issued a stop order.

In other words, it was ok for UAB to fire Alabama workers, but not ok for Biden to do it.

Then, in a special session, the governor signed legislation that protected workers from the mandate if they met three exemptions.

But the legislation still allowed thousands of Alabama citizens to be fired if they simply chose NOT to take the vaccine for their own personal reasons.

Will the Republican leadership cave on vaccine passports? Let me tell you, the only vaccine passport you need is the United State constitution.

On my watch, Washington will never be our puppet master, and their vaccine mandates and vaccine passports can go straight to hell.

Now, I want to be clear.

There are some good Republican legislators in Montgomery.

Some have been fighting the good fight, standing up for what is right; unfortunately, most have not. But they have been run over by so-called Republicans and special interests who

caved on casinos, marijuana, failing schools, taxes, and vaccine mandates.

It’s time for a changing of the guard.

I ask you to join this crusade. Not just for Alabama but for the nation. Other states will see our courage and will follow. We all see darkness in the nation, aggression toward anything related to God. The root of the problem is spiritual for our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and evil in heavenly realms. (Eph 6:12) Blessing on any nation begins with repentance.

2 Chronicles states it plainly … “if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Our land needs healing.

Some ask as to whether I’m running for Governor or preaching.

In some ways, they’re the same. Governmental authority cannot be dissected from the source that created the authority in the first place. That source is God. We stand at the gate of our State Capitol and seek God’s forgiveness for the sins of America, and we decree in the Name of Jesus that Alabama will lead America in the years ahead, back to its proper position of authority amongst the nations, of which authority was granted by God at our inception.

The prayer bowls of heaven have tipped. The smiles of Heaven are manifesting as pockets of light across this continent, and our children and our children’s children will be blessed and guided by a Heavenly plumb line that has been set in Alabama first, and shall go forth to the nation, as shall every word spoken by the mouth of God, and which will accomplish the purpose for which it was sent. (Is 55:11) I ask you to step into this special moment, pick up your sword and engage in this righteous crusade to take back America, one state at a time. It begins at the gate of this capitol, and today is the appointed time.

Thank you, and may God Bless the great state of Alabama.

B12 Jan. 20, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES INVITATION TO BID 22004 Sealed bids for the construction of the SOUTHSIDE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 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 Thursday, February 3, 2022, and then publicly opened and read aloud.

All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §348-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. Central Time, Opelika City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room, at, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika, AL 36801.

All General Contractors bidding this project shall be required to visit the site and examine all existing conditions prior to submitting their proposal.

All Bidders shall have general liability and workman’s compensation insurance.

The project shall be bid excluding taxes. Bids must be submitted on proposal forms furnished by the Architect or copies thereof. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technical errors if, in the Owners judgment, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted.

A certified check or Bid Bond payable to the City of Opelika, Alabama in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000.00 must accompany the bidder’s sealed proposal - refer also to Instructions to Bidders.

Performance and statutory labor and material payment bonds will be required at the signing of the Contract. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities.

All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, and must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by the Architect. All bidders shall show such evidence by clearly displaying current license number on the outside of sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered.

Electronic images of the documents may be viewed on-line and printed by General Contractors, SubContractors and Suppliers by obtaining documents through the www. mckeeassoc.com web site, by contacting the Architect at mckeeplans@gmail.com for log-in information and password.

Please provide company name, address, phone #, fax #, email address and GC License #. This is the only web site endorsed by the Architect. The Architect

is unable to monitor, confirm and maintain websites that are beyond his control. Addendums shall be posted on the above web site. The Architect retains ownership and copyrights of the documents. If bidders require printed sets the following shall apply: Submit to the Architect a deposit of $150.00 per set. The deposit shall be refunded less shipping charges for each set returned in reusable condition within ten days after bid opening.

All RFI’s and RFA’s regarding the bid documents shall be sent and addressed through emails found on the RFI and RFA forms in the project manual. NOTE: Only the RFI AND RFA FORMS IN THE PROJECT MANUAL WILL BE ACCEPTED. The Architect will not accept inquires via telephone or fax.

Completion Time: See scope of work in Project Manual.

Supervision: Contractor to provide Superintendent(s) to ensure proper supervision for all work.

Architect: McKee & Associates Architects, Inc., 631 South Hull Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, Phone: 334-834-9933 The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika.

All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

As a condition for award, the business entity and its subcontractors shall not knowingly employ or hire an unauthorized alien within the State of Alabama. The awarded business entity must provide documentation of enrollment in the E-Verify program. The business must participate in the E-Verify program for the length of the contract.

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: SOUTHSIDE CENTER FOR THE ARTS LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET 36801 (Delivery) POST OFFICE BOX 390 36803-0390 (Mail) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 01/13/2022 & 01/20/2022 ------------FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION LEGAL NOTICE In accordance with Chapter I, Title 39, Code of Alabama, I 975, notice is hereby given that SteelFab Inc., Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Construction) of Opelika Public Library at 1100 Glenn Street, Opelika, Alabama for the State of Alabama and the County of Lee, City of Opelika Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify SteelFab Inc. (Architect)

SteelFab Inc. (Contractor) 5448 Spalding Drive, Bldg 200 Norcross GA 30092 (Business Address) NOTE:This notice must be run once a week for four successive weeks for projects exceeding $50,000.00, for projects of less than $50,000.00, run one time only. Proof of publication is required.

Legal Run 12/30/2021, 01/06/2022, 01/13/2022 & 01/20/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF TERRY MICHAEL LEE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2021-475 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: MARK ANTHONY PELLEGRIN JR. Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Terry Michael Lee on August 20, 202 l, for the adoption of A.LP. born on August 18, 2008, in Augusta, Georgia to Laura Elizabeth Pellegrin and Mark Anthony Pellegrin Jr. A hearing has been set for the 26th day of January 2022 at I o'clock pm Central time in the Probate Court, Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika, AL 36801.

Should you intend to contest this adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Lindsey L. Davis, 13251 Old Highway 280, Suite 141, Birmingham, AL 35242 and with the Clerk of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, as soon as possible but no later than thirty (30) days from the last day this notice is published or appear on the date of the hearing as set above to contest said Petition.

Dated on this the 26th day of October 2021.

BILL ENGLISH HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Legal run 12/30/21, 01/6/2022, 1/13/2022 & 1/20/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA The Estate of William Edward Kelly, deceased Letters of Administration of said deceased was granted to Hon. Margaret A. Mayfield on the 29th day of December, 2021, by the Hon. Bill English, Probate Judge of Lee County. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate that they are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by or the same will be barred.

Margaret A. Mayfield Administratix Margaret A. Mayfield Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 809 Opelika, AL 36803 (334) 745-0333 Legal Run 1/6/22, 1/13/22 & 1/20/22 ------------NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JOHN HENRY MORGAN, DECEASED PROBATE COURT, LEE COUNTY

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CASE NO. 2021-719 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENT ARY of the Estate of JOHN HENRY MORGAN are hereby granted to Bonita Morgan Johnson on the 20th day of December, 2021, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

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

Bonita Morgan Johnson Legal Run 01/06/2022, 01/13/2022 & 01/20/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF J. TEMPLE BLACK, deceased CASE NO. 2019-B-024 In the Matter of the Estate of J TEMPLE BLACK, deceased Letters Testamentary as Personal Representative of the Estate of J TEMPLE BLACK, deceased, having been granted to the undersigned on June 4, 2019 by the Honorable BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate of said County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law, or the same will be barred.

KATRIN SEXTON Personal Representative Legal Run 1/6/2022, 1/13/2022 & 1/20/202 ------------INVITATION TO BID 22005 Sealed bids for the construction of the 5th Avenue and North 7th Street Drainage Replacement Project shall be received at the Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Monday, February 7, 2022, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §348-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License with a specialty of “Highways and Streets, Clearing and Grubbing, Earthwork, Erosion, Site Work, Grading or Municipal and Utility”. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code §34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number. Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid.

All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule

or regulation for the performance of the work.

Drawings and Specifications may be examined at the Office of the City Engineer located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama, and phone number: 334-7055450. Bid documents may be obtained from the Office of the City Engineer at no charge as an electronic file if the bidder supplies a storage drive or as an email attachment or electronic drop box.

The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika. All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid. Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities.

Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: 5th Avenue and North 7th Street Drainage Replacement Project 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 01/13/2022 & 01/20/2022 ------------INVITATION TO BID Bid #22002 Sealed bids for the construction of the City of Opelika Environmental Services Complex shall be received at the 2nd Floor Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Monday, February 7, 2022, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend.

Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §348-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

There will be a Mandatory PreBid Conference on Monday, January 31, 2022 at 2PM CST at 204 S. 7th St., 2nd floor conference Room, Opelika, Alabama 36801. Any potential bidders must attend this mandatory pre-bid conference meeting.

Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License. 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.

Options for obtaining Bid Documents are as follows: Hardcopy: Contact Auburn Reprographics, 660 North Dean Road, Auburn, AL 36830; (334) 501-8235; Attn: Greg Sellers; (E-mail greg@auburnrepro.com) to obtain bid documents. Hardcopy sets are non-refundable. Bidders may view bidding document on the Auburn Reprographics digital plan room without charge.

All bidding General Contractors must register with John Randall Wilson, Architect and Auburn Reprographics to receive updated bidding information including but not limited to potential Addenda, RFI’s and Changes to Bid Date.

Electronic (CD): Make check payable to Auburn Reprographics & Supply in the amount of $25. This amount is non-refundable. Shipping arrangements shall be made by the Contractor.

The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika.

All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid- refer also to Instructions to Bidders.

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.

As a condition for award, the business entity and its subcontractors shall not knowingly employ or hire an unauthorized alien within the State of Alabama. The awarded business entity must provide documentation of enrollment in the E-Verify program. The business must participate in the E-Verify program for the length of the contract.

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: Environmental Services Complex LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET 36801 (Delivery) POST OFFICE BOX 390 36803-0390 (Mail) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 1/13/22 & 1/20/22 -------------

See NOTICES, page B14

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B13 Jan. 20, 2022

B14 Jan. 20, 2022

OPELIKA >> FROM B9 Police Chief Shane Healey will be working closely together with the Child Trafficking Solutions Project, which sponsors the TFZ initiative. TFZ promotes community awareness and human trafficking training for law enforcement, first responders and other city employees.

Fuller also issued a proclamation to the Lee County Remembrance Project in honor of their work in bringing awareness to the crimes against four Black men that were victims of racial terror lynching in Lee County. A historical marker was placed in downtown Opelika in June of last year.

OTHER BUSINESS: - The mayor announced that he was reappointing Lucinda Cannon to the Opelika Planning Commission for a new term that will end on Feb. 15, 2028.

- The council held a public hearing to amend the zoning ordinance

and map to rezone 160.2 acres located at North Uniroyal Road and Ridge Road. The ordinance was later introduced for its first reading.

- The council approved a contract for purchase of GameTime playground equipment and repair services.

- The council approved the purchase of eight CT4021 charging stations.

- The council voted to accept a proposal from Sain and Associates for the design of the pedestrian/ bicycle upgrades on Waverly Parkway.

- The council voted to approve a collection services agreement with Online Information Services for Opelika Power Services.

- The council approved a request for a downtown bicycle race on Feb. 27.

- The council approved a quote from CDW Government for Fire Eye Security, software, licenses and services.

The next city council meeting will be on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.

AUBURN >> FROM B9 community in the process.

“The minorities [would] have the opportunity, not even the guarantee, but the opportunity to have one more person of their community’s choosing on this city council,” Isner said. “That’s all we’re asking for is a second district in which there is the possibility that a minority could be elected. It will be a diverse, really cool, interesting district.

“And I have no idea who will win but it might be a minority and at least the minority population would have significant influence over whoever represents them in that district. So that’s what we’re asking for. We’re asking not to go to court, we’re asking for you to make a choice because it’s an option. A legal option in front of you, that you can consider.”

The council will resume the

discussion on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m.

OTHER BUSINESS: - The council voted to approve the city manager to purchase 1,039 stream mitigation credits from Broadview Mitigation Bank for just under $104,000 for the Webster Road Connector Project.

- The council approved the Phase 1 project for a Public Safety Training Facility from D&J Enterprises, Inc. for over $499,000.

- The council approved a change to development agreement for the Donahue Ridge Phase 8 project. The council changed the legal name of EFACO III, Inc. to EFACO III, LLC. - The council approved a contract with First Team Construction, Co., Inc., for over $7.9 million for the Auburn Soccer Complex Project.

- The council voted to approve the city manager to

purchase 0.38 wetland mitigation credits from McLemore Mitigation Bank for just under $16,000 for the Webster Road Connector Project.

- The council approved the purchase of a Rubrik R6410se Brick appliance for just under $251,000.

- The council approved relocation fees of $148,000 to the Alabama Baptism State Board of Missions after its relocation during the Wright Street Parking Deck construction.

- The council annexed 10.51 acres of property on the east side of Lee Road 958 from J. Torbit and Nancy T. Henry.

- The council annexed 48.5 acres of property on the north side of Society Hill Road from Black Rice on behalf of McWhorter Properties — Society Hill Estate, LLC. - The council approved a vacation of property at 114 East Veterans Boulevard for N.P. Alabama Investments, LLC.

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICES >> FROM B12 INVITATION TO BID 22006 Sealed bids for the construction of the Archery Range at Spring Villa shall be received at the 2nd Floor Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Monday February 14, 2022, and then publicly opened and read aloud.

All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License. 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.

The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika.

All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

Bid documents may be obtained from the city’s website at https:// www.opelika-al.gov/Bids or from the Purchasing Department at 204 S.7th St, Opelika, Alabama 36801 at no charge.

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.

As a condition for award, the business entity and its subcontractors shall not knowingly employ or hire an unauthorized alien within the State of Alabama. The awarded business entity must provide documentation of enrollment in the E-Verify program. The business must participate in the E-Verify program for the length of the contract.

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: Archery Range at Spring Villa 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 01/13/22 & 01/20/2022 ------------IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: CV-2022-900005 HATTIE HENDERSON HALL Plaintiff, V. A Parcel of Land Lying in Lee County, Alabama, to wit:Approximately Thirteen (13) acres near Lee Road 121, and More particularly described as Lee County tax parcel #4317-08-34-0-000-006.000, & Unknown heirs or assigns of: William Henderson, Etta Robinson, Roena Beasey, Edith Darby, Pearlie Edwards, Sallie Wilson, Nellie Reid, and Abraham Henderson.

Defendants.

NOTICE OF ACTION To: All Defendants herein, whose whereabouts are unknown and which cannot be ascertained after the exercise of reasonable diligence.

You are hereby notified that on the 7th day of January 2022, a Bill to Quiet Title was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, regarding the following described real property: A Parcel of Land Lying in Lee County, Alabama, to wit: approximately thirteen (13) acres near Lee Road 121, and more particularly described as Lee County tax parcel #43-17-08-340-000-006.000.

All persons having an interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or any encumbrance or lien thereon, are hereby directed to plead, answer, or otherwise respond to the Complaint on or before the expiration of 30 days after the last publication of this notice, or thereafter suffer judgment by default to be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

Done this the 12th day of January 2022.

Mary Roberson Circuit Court Clerk, Lee County Benjamin H. Parr 830 Avenue A, Suite A Opelika, Alabama 36801 Telephone Number: 334-7496999 Fax: 334-203-1875 ben@benparrlaw.com Legal Run 1/20/2022, 1/27/2022, 02/03/2022 & 02/10/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF KENNETH ESPY VANN, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2021-646 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 11th day of January, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

SARAH BUCHANAN VANN, DANNY BRADFORD, and LESLIE LAZROVITCH Co-Personal Representatives Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP

P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 1/20/22, 1/27/22 & 2/03/22 ------------SYNOPSIS OF ZONING NOTICE The City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Opelika Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, to consider the adoption of an ordinance to pre-zone the property located on the east side of Sellers Drive in the 2800/2900 blocks of Sellers Drive within the unincorporated area of Lee County, Alabama to a R/E District (Retail/Entertainment District) prior to annexing into the City of Opelika. The real property is located on the east side of Sellers Drive and is more particularly described as follows: Parcels 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 of Prescott Subdivision, as recorded in Plat Book 14, Page 147, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama, containing, in aggregate, 12.636 acres, more or less; and being Parcel B on that certain plat of survey prepared by James D. Miller dated June 13, 2005, entitled "Boundary Survey for Segars Properties, LLC".

The above-described property contains 12.6 acres, more or less, and is located in the 2800/2900 blocks of Sellers Drive.

Should the annexation not occur, the pre-zoning shall have no effect and the property shall remain in the unincorporated area of Lee County, Alabama.

Public Notice of this public hearing with insertion of the proposed ordinance was first published on January 13, 2022, in The Opelika Observer. This notice is given pursuant to Sections 11-52-78 and 11-52-85, Code of Alabama (1975).

At said public hearing all who desire to be heard shall have the opportunity to speak for or in opposition to said ordinance.

Written comments concerning the above matter may be mailed to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 390, Opelika, AL 36803 at any time prior to the public hearing and may be further submitted to the City Council at the meeting and the public hearing.

Please contact Brian Weiss the City’s Interim ADA Coordinator, at 334-705-5134 two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to any disability.

THIS NOTICE is given under my hand this the 20th day of January, 2022. /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 01/20/2022 ------------NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of: Sherry Lynn Gay, deceased Probate Court, Lee County Case No.: 2022-005 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTMENT ARY of Sherry Lynn Gay deceased having been granted to Ronald Jerome Gay on the 7th day of January 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all person having claims against

said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Ronald Jerome Gay James M. Ivins, Attorney for Ronald Jerome Gay 1408 Broad Street Phenix City, AL 36867 Phone: 334-298-0607 Legal Run 01/20/22, 01/27/22 & 02/03/2022 ------------NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF JESS EUGENE GUNN, DECEASED CASE NO.: 2022-017 COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters of Administration of said

deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 13th day of January, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness my hand and seal this the 13th day of January, 2022.

MILDRED GUNN Legal Run 01/20/2022, 01/27/2022 & 02/03/2022 ------------NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO: 2022-013 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF

LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of JOHN GILLIES LAING, IV, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office

by Sherri Laing McAlindon on January 12, 2022 pursuant to Section 43-2-690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent.

BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 01/20/2022

Hanwha Solutions, the “green energy” division of Hanwha, has acquired Cimarron Composites of Huntsville and as a result, is building a new manufacturing facility right here in Opelika, AL! Hanwha Cimarron designs, manufactures, and tests composite pressure vessels for a variety of aerospace and industrial uses – including rockets (for NASA and SpaceX).

Here in Opelika we’ll build all types of fuel tanks for hydrogen powered cars/trucks, in-ground storage tanks for hydrogen re-fueling stations, and other uses.

We need good people to be a part of the team! Come join us as we get ready for an exciting new adventure! We’re currently hiring for multiple production roles on all three shifts through the Alabama Industrial Development Training group, or AIDT, as follows: Composite Technician – $18.00 + entry level, more for experienced machine operators Logistics Oper (Forklift) – $18.00 + entry level, more for experienced operators Quality Technician - $18.00 + entry level, more for those with quality experience

B15 Jan. 20, 2022

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B16 Jan. 20, 2022

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