Monroeville Literary Festival to Bring Writers, Readers Together

CONTRIBUTED BY MONROEVILLE LITERARY FESTIVAL MONROEVILLE —

The Monroeville Literary Festival, a project of the Monroe County Museum, will bring best-selling writers and readers together in the Literary Capital of Alabama Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4. Most events take place in the courtroom of the Old Courthouse Museum, famous as the setting of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” All readings and discussions are free, but advanced paid tickets are required for the opening reception and Saturday lunch.

"We have an exciting lineup of authors this year, and attendees can expect a full weekend of captivating readings, enlightening discussions, amusing conversations and Monroeville’s famous brand of hospitality," said Festival Director Gail Deas. "Our courtroom is one of the South's most celebrated literary destinations, and hearing authors read there is pure magic."

Best-selling authors range from mystery writer Robert McCammon to prolific novelists Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Kay Andrews. Featured poets are former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and Jacqueline Allen Trimble. New writers include Lisa McNair, whose acclaimed debut book, “Dear Denise,” imagines a relationship she could have had with her sister killed in the 1963 16th Street Baptist

Church bombing.

A highlight of the festival will be presentations of the Harper Lee Award and the

Truman Capote Prize.

The festival, now in its 26th year, is expanding its activities for young readers to include a full Saturday morning of family fun headlined by top-selling children’s author Charles

Ghigna (also known as “Father Goose”) and the Birmingham Children’s Theatre.

Food writing is celebrated by award-winning chef and writer Scott Peacock, followed by a Southern lunch inspired by his recipes.

“We are a small town, but we don’t do small parties,” Deas said. “Our Friday supper reception and the Saturday lunch are the only paid events for the weekend, and we aim to impress and inspire.”

A full schedule of events and registration details can be found at MonroevilleLiteraryFestival.com or by calling the museum at 251-575-7433 or by email at info@MonroevilleLiteraryFestival.com.

APD Releases Collectible K9 Trading Cards

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN / CLARENCE STEWART

AUBURN —

The Auburn Police Department (APD) is excited to announce the release of APD Deck, a set of collectible K9 trading cards, including one card for each of the eight K9s and their handlers in its K9 Unit.

Local partnerships — such as those with Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Canine Performance Science (CPS), Auburn City Schools, Charter Communications and Global K9 Protection Group — have contributed largely to the expansion of APD’s K9 Unit over the years. The K9 Unit

BARBERITOS >>

FROM A7 many different states, he decided Auburn was the perfect place to raise his five children and open his business. He is an active member of the community, coaching his children’s sports teams, running concession stands for Parks and Rec and more.

Weeks said he is excited to continue bringing quality food options to the Auburn community.

“I am thrilled to be opening another Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina in the Auburn community,” he said. “Our goal is not only to have happy customers but happy employees. I am a firm believer that the customers’ experience directly relates to the team members’ experience, and I strive for quality all around. We look forward to continuing to serve the community we love for years to come.”

WOWorks franchise owners come from diverse backgrounds, including existing franchise owners of different brands, various business ownership backgrounds in construction, hotels and fitness, former professional athletes and military veterans. The company has franchising opportunities available in 49 states (all is currently made up of eight police dogs specially trained to locate narcotics, explosives, firearms and assist in searches to locate missing items and/ or people. Each K9 has a unique personality and life story, some coming from other countries or even retiring from a different career prior to joining the force. The training the K9 and their handler receive is hands-on and never stops.

Each of the eight cards in the APD Deck, like K9 Leon’s pictured, features his photo and name, the year he joined the force, his nickname, specialty training, a fun fact and background information such as breed, favorite toy, his handler and more. The police dogs and their states except Hawaii) and offers 25% off franchise fees for veterans and first responders. handlers spend the majority of their work out in the community. You may see them working at special events, in the Auburn City School system, training at local businesses or demonstrating their specialties during a public demonstration.

If you are interested in owning a WOWorks restaurant brand franchise, visit https://woworksusa. com/a-place-to-invest/ to learn more.

ABOUT WOWORKS WOWorks was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue their passions and live their best lives by serving healthy, nutritious and flavorful meals, along with its Vow to “WOW!” guest hospitality. Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks’ portfolio consists of Saladworks, the nation’s leading fastcasual salad brand; Frutta Bowls, a unique restaurant franchise serving a variety of superfood bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, protein bites and more; Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a popular Mediterranean restaurant concept; and most recently, The Simple Greek, which offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Greek recipes in a fast-casual setting.

WOWorks seeks to drive explosive growth across all of its brands through a variety of channels, both traditional and non-traditional, including ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail and more.

By having the cards available to hand out, K9 handlers will have a chance to create a connection with community members, especially the younger way to make learning about safety fun, start a conversation and get to know local police officers and their four-legged partners.

Start collecting all eight cards in the APD Deck any time you meet a member of our K9 Unit. Simply say hello and ask for their card. As standard practice for any pet, don’t forget to ask if you’d like to pet a working police dog.

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

Walk-On's of Opelika opened its doors yesterday to a line of hungry customers.

With the promise of free food to the first 100 guests in line, some arrived as early as 7:30 a.m. to make sure they were a patron of Opelika’s newest restaurant.

Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is located at 3041 Capps Way, Opelika, near the TigerTown AMC.

Walk-On's employees were rearing to go — dancing and prepping for new customers with